Bettmann via Getty ImagesThe Beatles' Apple Corps Ltd. and Subafilms Ltd. companies have launched a $100 million copyright-infringement lawsuit against nearly 50 online merchandise sellers they claim have been peddling counterfeit Fab Four items, Billboard reports. The suit, which was filed Thursday, alleges that the various internet dealers are guilty of trademark counterfeiting and infringement, common law unfair competition, and using "false designation of origins" to potentially confuse consumers about the authenticity of the merchandise, among other charges. The suit maintains that the unauthorized goods from the various companies also are being sold at Amazon, eBay, Etsy and other online retailers. Among the many counterfeit items, the lawsuit claims, are bed linens and pillowcases, all types of apparel, shoes, mobile device cases, pendants and backpacks. The suit maintains that the quality of these goods is "substantially and materially different than that of Plaintiffs' respective, genuine goods." The suit is seeking $2 million in damages for each phony trademark used or product sold, as well as injunctions to halt the manufacture, distribution and sale of the items, block the use of the domain names the Internet companies have been utilizing, and to have the various listings removed from the commercial online retailers' sites. Apple Corps Ltd. is a company owned by surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, and the estates of John Lennon and George Harrison, that oversees the merchandising rights and other business aspects involving the band. Subafilms Ltd. is a subsidiary company concerned with the merchandising rights of the group's 1968 animated flick, Yellow Submarine. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Bay of Plenty Our client has plenty of work in the pipeline and as such they are in need of qualified or experienced carpenters for an... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz By Olivia Rose DIGICEL customers throughout the TCI will soon enjoy faster and more reliable internet speed as the company announced a whopping $15 million investment to upgrade its network and improve services across the territory. The companys critical infrastructure suffered immense damage throughout the Islands following the two hurricanes last year. This resulted in many customers complaining about constant interruption and faulty service months after the storms. Digicel announced a myriad of ambitious plans to deliver enhanced quality services at a press conference held on Thursday (February 1) at its main office in Providenciales. Company representatives said the investment signals an "unwavering commitment to not only rebuild its infrastructure but to "build back better. As part of the mobile network upgrade, Long Term Evolution (LTE) will be available to customers in South Caicos, Salt Cay and Grand Turk. Digicel is also planning to implement a core network design that will guarantee resilience and faster recovery after catastrophic disasters. Speaking at the press briefing chief operating officer of Digicel TCI Addison Stoddard, said the new focus is on restoring the network correctly and ensuring better quality in the future. "This investment is a great step for the Turks and Caicos. "We wanted to ensure that we provide the best for our customers and are focused on creating a more resilient and best in class network that will power the future of Turks and Caicos. Digicels regional chief executive officer Sinead O Marcaigh added: "Like the people of the Turks and Caicos, I think we came out of this stronger, wiser and are now better prepared for the future. "It may take some time but we are committed to completing this the right way and ensuring that our customers get the service they deserve. Since the storms, the company has been working to restore network communication services across all islands. Digicels marketing executive Romello Williams said this is good news for the residents of Five Cays, Blue Hills, Long Bay and Chalk Sound, since the upgrades will be rolled out in these areas first. "Digicels top priority was the recovery efforts across the Turks and Caicos Islands. "While this was a mammoth undertaking, Digicel remained, and continues to be committed to providing customers with the best service possible and laying the groundwork for a better tomorrow, as it joins with the people of TCI in building back better. "To visitors to the Islands, the service in Grace Bay is almost fully restored, after that area and others were impacted, when 94 percent of the Digicel network was damaged as a result of the storms. "In fact, the recovery process started immediately after hurricane Irma and, thanks to the tireless efforts of our team, 88 percent of the Digicel network was back up and running within seven days of superstorm Maria. When many of the islands experienced widespread damage and devastation, Digicel teams activated recovery mode. Within a couple of hours of the all-clears being given they were on the ground to lend assistance to the community, Williams said. "With connectivity being key, free WiFi was immediately offered from all Digicel locations and with many in need, hot meals were provided to residents of Grand Turk and South Caicos. "Digicel staff members even managed to reunite a mother with her child after being separated by the storms and stranded on different islands. Revolutionary technology Coupled with the telecoms firms holistic upgrade plans, customers will also enjoy a revolutionary technology in the area of television and broadband for the first time in the TCI with the Fibre to the Home project. Fibre optic cables will be connected directly to the customers home, which is expected to boost internet speeds faster than ever before. With additional coverage sites to further enhance network reliability and coverage, everyone will experience faster data speeds. In November 2017, the company announced plans to buy and install underground fibre optic cables pending the Governments approval. It has since been given the green light to begin trenching in the next two weeks, and to run underground cables after a thorough planning and approvals process. Williams pointed out that for the first time, the core of Digicels network will run underground to future-proof it against natural disasters and ensure faster recovery times. Direct burial underground fibre optic cable will allow the company to bury its communications and transmissions systems underground without requiring additional protection. These sturdy cables are built to resist moisture, heat, soil acidity and other environmental factors such as hurricanes that could interfere with their performance. Fibre optic cables provide reliable performance for voice, data, video and imaging applications. Williams said: "Digicel will also be updating its TV channel line-up in Grand Turk to reflect what is available in Providenciales and the Play service upgrade is expected to be completed within five months. By Delana Isles BOTH Temard Butterfield and George Lightbourne have spoken out against the slow pace of recovery in the sister islands, particularly in the capital of the TCI, Grand Turk. Butterfield, who is one of two Governors appointed members, spoke out during Mondays (January 29) meeting of the House of Assembly. He called on the Government and businesses whose services have still not been fully restored in the islands to keep the people informed so they dont feel so forgotten. "There must be a deliberate attempt to keep our citizens updated on progress that is happening in Turks and Caicos Islands, he said. "While we would love to compare the TCI to other islands that have been affected by the hurricanes, we cannot, because our citizens at this time still have concerns. He continued: "It would be remiss of me to stand in this House this morning and not raise or state the concerns that the islands of Grand Turk, South Caicos and Salt Cay have. "I live on the island of Grand Turk and every day I walk through this island I would hear our citizens with the concerns that are bothering them post hurricane Irma and Maria. "It must be a deliberate attempt by the Government and other officials, businesses, whoever are in charge of this island moving forward and to some sort of normalcy. "It must be a deliberate attempt to fix the issues that our people are affected with. Butterfield recounted that all over the capital island citizens are complaining that they feel their island is being neglected. "Whether or not what we feel is true, he said, "there are issues on the island that we need fixed. "Moving forward we need to take our issues seriously whether or not we see them as important or not. "They might be small, but if you ride from the Grand Turk Airport straight down to the community college you would find out what the issues are in Grand Turk, the capital of this country. "Lets fix it, he encouraged. PNP elected member for Grand Turk North, George Lightbourne said that the people of his constituency cannot take another day of the "foolishness that is being allowed to go on so long and that they would like to know what is being done to help them in their post hurricane recovery. "The only thing I can say to them is pray and ask God to intervene because they dont know if they can take another day of this foolishness. "It is really ridiculous in Grand Turk; the airport is leaking; it is almost like we dont have a government to represent or address these issues. "We had a situation at the control tower about two or three weeks ago they [government] do not see fixing that tower as a priority. "In the Grand Turk community, the firemen are operating in a container and they have to use umbrellas when it rains, Lightbourne complained. He also brought attention to the lack of a stationary police presence in some parts of Providenciales, namely Blue Hills and Five Cays. "I understand that the people in Five Cays and Blue Hills now have to go to sleep hoping that nothing goes wrong because there is no police representation in those communities. The police stations were shut down under this Governments watch. "We should ask what are they doing. "Today my heart bleeds, when I look at the order paper and see what this Government is doing to the people of this country my heart bleeds. "And I would ask them to change their name from the Peoples Democratic Movement to the British Democratic Movement because thats all they think about is the British agenda, the member accused. By Delana Isles UNDER the National Health Insurance Plan (NHIP) the Government paid out some $7.1 million in overseas medical treatment to several countries over a four month period in 2017. This was disclosed by Minister of Health, Agriculture and Human Services, Edwin Astwood who was questioned about the monetary allocations by elected member for the Leeward and Long Bay constituency Akierra Missick. She wanted to know how many people were referred for treatment overseas pursuant to the treatment abroad programme from July 1, 2017 to October 31 2017; where they were referred; what were the costs of these referrals specific to the country they were referred to and what is the expenditure of the treatment abroad programme for the aforementioned date. Astwood reported that there was a total of 418 referrals between July 1 and October 31, 2017. He said: "This is a great concern to this ministry and it should be to this country. The minister stated that the countries where patients were referred to were: Bahamas with 80 patients; Canada with two; Cayman Islands 19; Columbia one; Dominican Republic 120; Haiti seven; Jamaica 183, United Kingdom two; and the United States of America with four. He stated that those who were referred to Haiti and the United Kingdom were due to them choosing to return to their home countries for treatment as such no costs, with the possible exception of airfare was incurred. He further related that the cost per country were - Canada $801,258.64; Columbia $153,933.91; Dominican Republic $871,507.93; Cayman Islands $391,954.27; Jamaica $2,210,332.17; Bahamas $3,339,540.61 and United States $17,189.72. Astwood reported that the total cost to the Government is $7,131,783.34. He also reported that the total expenditure for the treatment abroad programme for July 1 to October 31 was $8,659,170.57. The breakdown of that cost is - overseas subsistence $238,225.23; overseas travel $1,289,162; overseas medical expenses $7,131,783.34. Asked if the 418 patients that were referred were all Turks and Caicos Islanders, the health minister said that they had qualified by the law to access the health benefits under the NHIP. He could not say whether these people were Islanders but noted again that they were lawful recipients of NHIP. The NHIP was established in 2009 as a social health insurance plan based on contributions from employers and employees who are legally resident in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Government is also mandated to make contributions to the plan in the following way: as an employer on behalf of its employees, as a subscriber on behalf of the unemployed, indigent and ward of the state, transfer of funds for the management and payment of treatment abroad cost, and the transfer of funds for the payment of the monthly hospital infrastructure cost. The funds collected by the National Health Insurance Board (NHIB) from employers and subscribers are used to purchase healthcare locally from the preferred provider (TCI Hospitals), the network of contracted private primary healthcare clinics and private pharmacies on behalf of and to the benefit of its registered subscribers. The NHIB on behalf of TCIG manages the procurement of overseas treatment for the beneficiaries of the NHIP. From budget year to budget year this cost is unpredictable as it is a reflection of both the number of persons requiring tertiary level care in any given year as well as the magnitude of their problems. By Delana Isles FOUR months after the passage of two massive hurricanes, sister islands in the Turks and Caicos Islands are complaining that not much effort is being put into their recovery efforts. The complaint comes as government officials and business people on Providenciales, the hub of activity in the TCI, have for months been boasting of being open for business and recovering rapidly. But while several residents and officials in the sister islands are complaining of neglect, the Government through its Minister of Health Edwin Astwood has a different story to tell about the state of affairs, particularly in Grand Turk. On Monday (January 29), Astwood stood up in the House of Assembly to accuse the Progressive National Party (PNP) and its members of encouraging residents in Grand Turk to deliberately sabotage the Governments efforts to help the islands recovery, by dumping their garbage. "I do appreciate all the sentiments expressed for Grand Turk and to say that we have some love and some feeling for Grand Turk, but let me rest your fears aside, there is much being done here in Grand Turk. "To say that this Government is neglecting Grand Turk I think is very hypocritical because if you look in any budget - where was most of the relief money spent? Here in Grand Turk, the minister said. He continued: "I have to feel bad because a lot of the other islands constituencies arent getting as much as Grand Turk. "We did a general clean-up right after the hurricane and Grand Turk was clean. Persons put back out garbage in the roads. Youre going to blame the Government for that? "We went ahead and cleaned it again. Persons put back out garbage. Carnival did cleaning. Persons put back out garbage. "People are being encouraged to dump on the side of the roads and I know that for fact. "People are being encouraged by the opposition to dump their garbage, I have been told that. "People are being encouraged to dirty up this country; environmental powers, people from your constituency [George Lightbournes] have said that they are being encouraged to dump, Astwood accused. At this point, Lightbourne stood up on a point of order to protest Astwoods allegation, stating that the member is imputing improper motives that he cannot justify and requested that the member point out which member of the opposition is encouraging people to dump garbage. "The people of Grand Turk North took it upon themselves and cleaned up and the Government was missing in action, Lightbourne protested. Astwood, who was not asked to justify or withdraw his allegation by the Speaker of the House, continued with his accusations. He said he has received reports that the opposition is encouraging people to dump their refuse in the roads, and while he could not say right now whether the reports are true or not, he said an investigation will soon be conducted into the allegations. "I will not call the persons name until further investigated, but reports have come to me that persons are being encouraged to dump. "And it is a sad thing in Turks and Caicos that we are encouraging people to dump just because you are against this Government and trying to make this Government look bad, and encouraging your people to sabotage whatever efforts we have made, the minister said. By Olivia Rose THE GOVERNMENT has embarked on a risk assessment to guarantee the safety, handling and storage of petroleum in the TCI. According to Minister of Infrastructure Goldray Ewing, proper storage of petroleum is a priority. The Government started consultations last year with petroleum companies in the Turks and Caicos Islands in a bid to upgrade the laws governing the sector. Members also hoped to modernise regulations to ensure petroleum storage is not threatening people or the environment. Minister Ewing stressed at a recent press conference that his ministry is committed to completing the ongoing risk assessment of the petroleum sector. The Electricity and Utilities Commission has since held two risk assessment meetings with petrol providers in Providenciales and Grand Turk. Chief among the issues discussed was licensing, construction and technical standards of storage facilities and emergency scenarios in order to develop proper response mechanisms in the case of accidents. Minister Ewing said that early in 2018 the department will begin its monitoring and evaluation work. "We expect the full cooperation from the relevant individuals and companies to fully comply with reasonable requests for information and data we deem reasonable and necessary to complete this assignment. He reminded that petroleum is one of the worlds most important natural resources. MINISTER of Tourism Ralph Higgs says that the Turks and Caicos Islands is recovering in an exemplary fashion with droves of incoming tourists and several government mandates coming on stream to further boost tourism. Higgs was delivering a two minute address in the House of Assembly on Monday (January 29) when he made this pronouncement. "It is true that there has been a lot of adversities coming out of the two storms that we have endured and there have been a lot of naysayers, particularly persons opposed to the mandate that this Government has received. "But Turks and Caicos has rebounded in an exemplary fashion and our tourism, led by our economy, is beginning to see positive signs of recovery. "Persons are coming here almost in record numbers and we have no reason to doubt that we will see continued growth in the economy led by the tourism sector this year, Higgs predicted. In the wake of the two storms, the Ministry of Tourism along with the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) drew up a disaster management policy for the tourism sector. On Monday, Higgs informed the House that he will soon be presenting this policy to Cabinet at its next sitting and then on to the House, if required. He said: "The Tourist Board has also embarked on extensive consultation with the public and private sector to make amendments to the Tourism Ordinance, particularly focusing on accommodations. "This is in anticipation of a relationship that we will enter into momentarily with Airbnb. He also informed the House that the DECR continues to work on the National Park Amendment Order. He also informed that the long overdue Gaming Bill will soon be introduced to Cabinet. "This is a long overdue bill but it is necessary if we continue to streamline and revolutionise the gaming sector. Higgs added: "I would like to say to the people of the Turks and Caicos - dont mind the noise in the market, this Government has your back. "This economy continues to show positives signs and in short order the rewards of our recovery will be felt throughout the length and breadth of this country. (Delana Isles) By Olivia Rose ESTEEMED Smithsonian scientist Melanie McField will be conducting a Healthy Reef Workshop on February 28 in the Turks and Caicos Islands. This announcement was made by the territorys leading non-governmental environmental organisation, the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund (TCRF). According to a release from the TCRF, the aim of the workshop is to assist the organisation and other key stakeholders, including the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources, in establishing a monitoring and reef health reporting programme. McField, who is the director of the Smithsonian Institutions Healthy Reef Initiative (HRI), will share with workshop attendees the process of monitoring over 300 sites throughout the Mesoamerican Reef, and tips on evaluating and gathering data as well as funding initiatives. TCRF chairman Don Stark has underscored the importance of McFields visit to the TCI. He stressed that the barrier reef system surrounding the Turks and Caicos Islands plays an integral role not only in protecting the islands from the worst effects of storms, but also in contributing to the economy. "Because they are so important to the protection and preservation of our beaches and coastal resources, to the protection of our fishing industry and to the enjoyment of our visitors, it is critical that we continually monitor the health of the reef system to ensure that they remain the foundation for our economy, he said. McField is the founder and Director of the Healthy Reefs for the Healthy People initiative at the Smithsonian Institution - a multi-institutional effort to track the health of reef ecosystems and management progress in ensuring their long-term integrity. His work focuses on coral reef community ecology, coral bleaching, chemical contamination, and management effectiveness evaluations. The HRI has spearheaded and established a decade long coral reef monitoring programme for the Mesoamerican Reef. The reef includes the second largest barrier reef system in the Western Hemisphere, second only to the Great Barrier Reef. It runs from Mexico, through all of Belize, Guatemala and northern to Honduras. The TCI barrier reef system is the third largest in the world and one of the largest in the Western Hemisphere. Syrian refugees 'at risk of being pushed to return' Syrian refugees in Ain Baal village, near Tyre in southern Lebanon Al Jazeera news : Aid agencies have warned that hundreds of thousands of Syrians are at risk of being pushed to return in 2018, despite ongoing violence in the Middle Eastern country. The warning was issued by six humanitarian agencies amid what they called a "global anti-refugee backlash", harsher conditions in regional countries who have taken in Syrians and a "misleading rhetoric" suggesting the country is safe for refugees to return to after victories by the Syrian government. A new report by aid agencies including the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Save the Children and CARE International, said that in 2017, there were three newly displaced Syrians for each of the 721,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees who returned home. "The majority of Syrian refugees and internally displaced live under terrible conditions and want to return home, but their return must be informed, voluntary, safe, assisted and protected. Now, return would neither be safe nor voluntary for the vast majority who fled the war and the violence," NRC Secretary-General Jan Egeland said in a statement. The new report states that in the first nine months of 2017, 2.4 million Syrians fled their homes. The humanitarian agencies warned that governments in Europe and the US are putting lives at risk by closing their borders and forcing Syrian refugees back, or publicly discussing measures for it. An NRC spokesperson told Al Jazeera the US and wealthier nations in Europe are also showing a lack of solidarity with the region. "[They] can be doing so much more to help the refugee-hosting countries in the Middle East," Karl Schembri said. Within the region, especially in Lebanon and Jordan, a lot of refugees are being deported, he continued. "Most of the time it's grown-up males who are the breadwinners, so that pushes the entire family back to Syria. "Besides direct deportations, some of the refugees are living in such desperate conditions. "We've just seen people dying of the cold in Lebanon. Many of them in the region can't work because they don't have work permits. "There are all sorts of factors pushing them to go back to Syria." Last year saw reduced violence in parts of Syria, but the aid agencies said the country is still "volatile and dangerous". On Sunday, Russia stepped up air strikes in Idlib after one of its fighter jets was shot down there by Syrian rebels. This came days after the Syrian government carried out a suspected chlorine gas attack in the rebel-held territory of Eastern Ghouta. Erdogan meets Pope as Rome bans protests The pope, who has railed against the horrors of war and weapons of mass destruction, was likely to raise the Afrin issue during his meeting with Erdogan. AFP : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Pope Francis on Monday while police enforced a protest ban in central Rome as feelings run high over Turkey's offensive against Kurdish militia inside Syria. For the first such visit by a Turkish leader for 59 years, the Italian authorities have imposed a 24-hour ban on demonstrations which covers Erdogan's arrival late Sunday to his departure on Monday evening. A total of 3,500 police have been deployed for the visit. Nevertheless a sit-in protest by 200 people, organised by a Kurdish association in Italy, was scheduled to take place on Monday not far from the Vatican. Turkey on January 20 launched its "Olive Branch" operation against Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a terror group and a threat to Turkish territory. The Turkish army and allied Ankara-backed Syrian rebel forces are seeking to oust the YPG from its western border stronghold of Afrin but the operation has faced fierce resistance. "In Afrin, a new crime against humanity is under way," the Kurdish association said. The pope, who has railed against the horrors of war and weapons of mass destruction, was likely to raise the Afrin issue during his meeting with Erdogan. Ahead of the meeting, Erdogan's convoy arrived at a deserted Saint Peter's Square, which was under heavy police protection. The YPG, while considered a "terrorist" group by Ankara, is allied to the United States in its battle against Islamic State group jihadists. Thousands of Kurds gathered in Syria's Afrin on Saturday to mourn fighters and civilians killed in a blistering Turkish assault on the region. Those killed included female combatant Barin Kobani whose mutilated body appeared in a shocking video, prompting accusations by her family and Kurdish officials that she was "defiled" by Turkish-backed rebels. Nahid destroyed edn sector Maksud demands his ouster Staff Reporter : Columnist Syed Abul Maksud on Monday blamed that the incumbent Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid had destroyed the country's education sector. "Nahid has no achievement but frequent question papers leakage. He advised the officials to take bribe in a tolerance phase. He destroyed everything in education sector," he said. Maksud also demanded resignation of the Education Minister for undermining the newly nationalised teachers of colleges across the country. He came up with these remarks in a Press conference held at the Jatiya Press Club, organised by Jatiya Oikya Forum, a platform of assimilation deprived 42 college teachers. Fazle Hossain Badsha MP, Professor Mesbah Kamal of Dhaka University's History Department, President of Oikya NAP Pankoj Battacharia, Member Secretary of Jatiya Oikya Forum Harun-or-Rashid and its members Parvin Akhter and Badrul Islam spoke at the conference, among others. The Education Minister passed the degree course. So, how he will evaluate the Masters degree holder? Maksud asked. Referring to the qualification of Dr Mohammad Shahidullah and Kabi Jasimuddin, he said the two legends obtained 3rd class in their final examinations. "Results can't be only criteria to evaluate a teacher," he said. Fazle Hossain Badsha said, the Education Ministry is doing controversial role in assimilating the newly nationalised teachers. "I support all the demands of you (teachers). I am always with you. I will place your demand in the Parliament," he said. Professor Mesbah Kamal blamed a portion of officials of the Education Ministry for creating such embarrassing situation. "It is just humiliation for the teachers. The Ministry is doing unethical activities over assimilation process," he said. Keep pressure on Myanmar: PM Swiss President pledges more help for Rohingyas Swiss President Alain Berset and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina delivering their joint statement on bilateral and Rohingya issues at the latter\'s office on Monday. Photo:PID Swiss President Alain Berset, now in Dhaka on a four-day official visit, on Monday said the situation of Rohingyas is of great concern to his country and laid emphasis on their safe and voluntary repatriation to Myanmar. He appreciated Bangladesh for its role in dealing with the biggest humanitarian crisis. "Switzerland commends your government and the people of Bangladesh for the solidarity, assistance and protection offered to the Rohingyas," President Berset said in a statement after his official talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Swiss President said Switzerland pledged eight million Swiss Francs at the conference in Geneva in October for emergency humanitarian aid for the Rohingya refugees in the country. "And I'm very pleased to announce today that this year Switzerland will provide an additional 12 million Francs for the Rohingya refugees," he added. He said the agreement on repatriation between Bangladesh and Myanmar is a positive step towards a solution to the current crisis. "It'll be important that all returns are voluntary and safe, and carried out in dignity," said the Swiss President. President Berset will visit Cox's Bazar on Tuesday to see Rohingya situation on the ground as Switzerland provides humanitarian aid for them. He will leave Dhaka for Cox's Bazar at 9 am by a Swiss Federal Council Jet and is expected to reach there at 9:40 am, an official told UNB. He will visit the Kutupalong camp in Cox's Bazar from11:30 am to 1:50 pm on Tuesday and listen to the stories of horrific tortures faced by Rohingya people in Myanmar. The Swiss President will also talk to local press at Kutupalong camp, said the official. He will leave for Dhaka at 3:15 pm and meet civil society representatives in the capital. The Swiss Embassy in Dhaka said the visit is focused on solidarity with a country that is severely affected by the crisis in neighbouring Myanmar and the establishment of closer bilateral relations. Given the extent of humanitarian crisis (Rohingya), Switzerland earlier called upon the government of Myanmar to fully respect its obligations under international law, particularly to prevent all the human rights violations and abuses, and ensure that the perpetrators of such violations are brought to justice, thus creating the conditions essential for the refugees' return. Berset arrived here on Sunday on a four-day official visit, the first official visit by any Swiss President to Bangladesh. Meanwhile, Stating that the root of Rohingya problem lies in Myanmar, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday urged the international community, including Switzerland, to keep up pressure on Myanmar for an early peaceful solution to the crisis. The Prime Minister came up with the call in a joint statement after a meeting with visiting President of Swiss Confederation Alain Berset at her office. "We had a productive meeting on Monday. We've discussed the Rohingya crisis during bilateral talks. I shared that as the root of the problem lies in Myanmar, the solution has to be found in Myanmar," she said. "I put emphasis on full and immediate implementation of the recommendations of the Kofi Annan Commission Report, as that will be critically important for the sustainable return of the Rohingya people, in safety and dignity, to their homes in Myanmar," the Prime Minister said . At the meeting, she said, they discussed the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which provides a unique opportunity to build new global partnerships. Sheikh Hasina said on Monday both the countries agreed to conclude a framework MoU on collaboration on matters related to the implementation of Agenda 2030 in near future. A joint declaration identifying the key areas for broader cooperation between the two countries was issued on Monday, she said adding, "We may now ask our respective authorities to develop a roadmap for the implementation of our joint undertakings in a time-bound manner for the shared prosperity of our two people." She thanked Alain Berset for making his historic first-ever official visit to Bangladesh and termed it a milestone in 45 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Hasina recalled her visit to Switzerland in December 2000 at the invitation of the then President of the Swiss Confederation. She said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had great admiration about Switzerland for its democratic values, high economic achievement, unique foreign policy of peace, friendship and firm neutrality. "Bangabandhu, my father, looked at Switzerland as a model and wanted to develop Bangladesh as the 'Switzerland of the East'." Switzerland was among the first few West European countries to recognize Bangladesh as an independent state on 13 March 1972. Ever since Switzerland became an important development partner and a time tested friend, she said. Hasina appreciated the role played by Switzerland regarding the Rohingya crisis at different United Nations forums and beyond. "I'm very happy to learn that high-powered business delegations from both countries exchanged views in the first-ever high-level Bangladesh-Swiss Business and Investment Forum held on Monday." She hoped that Swiss companies will explore business opportunities in Bangladesh, and invited them to participate in sectors like oil and gas exploration, power and energy including renewable energy, critical infrastructure development, ICT, banking and insurance, and pharmaceuticals. Woman `raped` again at Banani guesthouse, 2 arrested Staff Reporter : Nine months into the city's Banani hotel rape incident, another woman was allegedly gang-raped by two youths during a birthday party at Star Guest House in the same area on Saturday night. After the victim filed a case against two youths -- Rajib Ahmed and his friend Rubel Hossain Joy with Banani Police Station on Sunday, police arrested the duo, said Borhan Uddin, Officer-in-Charge (Investigation) of the police station. According to the first information report, Rajib was acquainted with the woman over phone and invited her to the guesthouse on Road No. 15 of Banani saying it was his birthday. "The two then confined her at the guesthouse and raped her," the OC said quoting the victim. The arrestees were produced before a Dhaka court with a remand prayer, he said. Banani Police Station Sub-Inspector Abdul Jabbar said that one Rubel Ahmed along with his friends raped his girlfriend whole night in a guest house of Banani. The girl was invited to a birthday party at Star Guest House on Road No 15 at Block-D of Banani at about 8:00 pm on Saturday. Later, she was gang-raped by Rubel and others, said the police official. Meanwhile, the victim was taken to One-stop Crisis Centre (OCC) of Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Monday where her medical tests were conducted, said the OCC's Coordinator. On May 6 last year, two university girls were allegedly raped at The Raintree Hotel in the city's Banania area. On the other hand, a 17-year old RMG worker was ganged raped by one Jahidul, 20, and his two friends at Dour area of Turag Saturday evening. The two accused friends are- Sanjid, 21, and Ashik, 20. The victim girl filed a case with Turag Police Station on Sunday night Later, police arrested Jahidul, said officer-in-charge (OC) of Turag Police Station Md Nurul Mostakim. Nomination paper for Abdul Hamid submitted A nomination paper, on behalf of Awami League aspirant and incumbent President Abdul Hamid, for presidential election was submitted to the Election Commission on Monday noon. AL delegation, led by the party's General Secretary Obaidul Quader, submitted the nomination paper to returning officer and Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda at latter's office. The deadline for submission of nomination paper for presidential election will expire at 4pm on Monday. Earlier on Friday, AL team, led by chief whip AS Feroz, collected the nomination paper from the returning officer's office of the Election Commission at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city. If Election Commission will not receive any other nomination paper, the lone candidate will be declared elected unopposed. Awami League on January 31 nominated M Abdul Hamid as its candidate to contest the presidential election. The nomination was finalised at a meeting of the Awami League Parliamentary Board held at the Prime Minister's official residence Ganabhaban with Sheikh Hasina in the chair. M Abdul Hamid was born on January 1, 1944 at Kamalpur in Mithamoin upazila of Kishoreganj district. Hamid was the founder President of Chhatra League of Kishoregonj Sub-Division unit in 1964 and also elected Vice-President of Chhatra League of Mymensingh district unit in 1966-67. He was imprisoned in 1968 for leading the then student movement. He joined Awami League in 1969. Hamid, a valiant freedom fighter, was the President of Kishoreganj district Awami League from 1978 to 2009 and the President of Kishoreganj District Bar Association for 5 times during 1990-96. In the Pakistan National Assembly Election of 1970, Hamid was elected the junior most member from Mymensingh-18 constituency. In 1972, he became the Member of Constituent Assembly. As a pro-people and grassroots level popular leader of Bangladesh Awami League, he was elected Member of Parliament for several times. In the general elections of 1973, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2009 he was elected Member of Parliament from Kishoreganj-5 as an Awami League nominee. Md Abdul Hamid was unanimously elected Deputy Speaker in the 7th Parliament on July 13, 1996 and held the post till July 10, 2001. Later, he became Speaker of the Parliament on July 12 in 2001 and remained so till October 28, 2001. In the 8th Parliament he served as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition from November 1, 2001 to October 27, 2006. Hamid was elected the Speaker in the 9th Parliament and served office in this capacity during the period 2009-2013. Khaleda offers prayer at Shahjalal`s Shrine BCL, JL show shoes, sandals, created obstacles on the way to Sylhet: Police also allegedly harass BNP activists Md Joynal Abedin Khan : BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia offered prayers at the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) and Hazrat Shah Paran (RA) on Monday evening. The BNP chief's motorcade reached Sylhet city at about 3:45pm and straight drove to Sylhet Circuit House at about 4:30pm. It was not an election campaign. Khaleda left her Gulshan residence for Sylhet around 9:15am while her motorcade was scheduled to leave Sylhet for capital on Monday night, said General Secretary of Sylhet Mohanagar BNP Badruzzaman Selim. BNP Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas, Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury were accompanying Khaleda Zia in the visit, said Badruzzaman Selim. About 35 cars including those of journalists were accompanying the BNP chief. Police and Awami League and members of its several front organizations harassed BNP activists who gathered on road sides to greet party chairperson Khaleda Zia on her way to Sylhet to visit shrines, senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged. The law enforcers also arrested BNP men in the capital and in Sylhet city ahead of the visit and upcoming verdict on Zia Orphanage case on February 8, he added. Huge number of law enforcers were seen deployed at different important points on the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway centering Khaleda zia's Sylhet tour, he said. Police also forced to shut road side hotel and restaurants to keep people away from gathering on the highway. Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said that police did not allow their party leaders and activists to stand on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway to welcome their party chief. He also alleged that police also detained party men trying to take positions on the highway while the ruling party men were staging demonstrations at such points in presence of police. Khaleda went to Sylhet to pray at the shrines ahead of the verdict in the Orphanage case, according to him. In Narayanganj Sakhawat Hossain Khan, vice-president of Narayanganj Metropolitan unit, and Deputy Joint Secretary for International Affairs Nazrul Islam Azad and eight others were arrested in Narayanganj. In Narsingdi, a group of people shouting slogans in favour of Awami League and its election symbol 'boat' showed shoes and sandals when BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's motorcade was crossing Bhelanagr area on way to Sylhet. Around one hundred rowdy people raised slogans of 'boat' in front of Narsingdi district jail in presence of huge police as Khaleda's motorcade reached there around11:20am. They showed shoes and sandals and also tried to attack a car of Juba Dal central leader Mahbubul Hasan Pinku but police resisted them. Our Kishoreganj correspondent adds, BNP activists faced obstacles from the ruling party cadres and law enforcers while welcoming their chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia at Bhairab Port town and at several other points on way to Sylhet. Several senior leaders of the Kishoreganj district BNP including its General Secretary Md. Mazharul Islam, Bhairab Upazila President Rafiqul Islam, were also harassed. BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the chairperson was going to Sylhet only to offer fateha at the shrines. He said Khaleda was not going to launch her party's next election campaign from Sylhet like the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. "The election will be held around a year from now so there is no scope to begin the election campaign now. How will she conduct the campaign since a level playing field is not yet created?" the BNP leader said. Khasru alleged that the ruling party and its alliance partners have started their election campaign unilaterally without creating equal scope for all parties to do so. He also claimed that more than 1000 leaders and activists were detained by police with out specific reasons. Copyright 2021 New Nation. All Rights Reserved by thedailynewnation.com Harmony and cooperation for preserving freedom and justice Nobody will disagree with the new Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain about the need of working harmoniously by the three organs of the government. He assured all to build the image for the court so that the people can feel that they are equal and they will get justice in accordance with law. Knowing that the time is difficult and challenge ahead is crucial, we offer our best wishes to the new Chief Justice for his earnest assertions. Anybody who believes in proper functioning of the democratic Constitution will find no reason for confrontation as power of each organ is well-defined. It needs to be understood that the whole system of democratic government depends for its success on checks and balances as provided by the Constitution. But the judiciary enjoys a very sacred position for safeguarding the constitutional arrangement of checks and balances. In this regard preeminence of the judiciary is to be upheld. A constitutional government has to accept the limits on its power however ambitious it is. Unlimited power of a government is what makes it autocratic and irresponsible. Soon it is infected with corrupting disease of power. The greed and glamour of power soon becomes a fatal attraction for men in power. So all cooperation and harmony among the organs of the government must have the main objective of keeping the people free from fear in the forefront. They must be sure in the knowledge that they have the judiciary to keep in check any vile political design. Their constitutional rights are meaningless if the judiciary is in want of courage to be strong and independent. The people have invested their hope and trust in the judiciary and not even in their political leaders. It is most unfortunate that the judiciary risked it's very existence soon after we achieved Bangladesh as a much desired democratic country. The whole democratic Constitution was turned upside down to form a revolutionary government with unrestrained power. Subsequently also confrontational politics of the politicians made inevitable for the army to intervene and the country was placed under martial law more than once. So the imperative need of protecting the Constitution must be realised by the politicians with all the seriousness. The courts have to do justice and the government has to respect the Constitution and the rule of law. The legitimacy of a democratic government comes from free and fair election. No political government is to be unsure of its own legitimacy and feel safe. False cases are piling up and the courts are blamed for slow disposal. Justice is not a hasty matter. Most cases are political in nature for the purpose of politics. Doing politics by filing tons of cases is mainly responsible for jamming of the courts. The answer is not to have more judges. We need competent judges and fewer cases. The judiciary must discourage political cases. Using police cases are not politics, abuse of police power. To discourage false and vexatious cases the issues of anticipatory bail and also bail after arrest should be compassionately addressed. Most false cases filed finding it easy to keep persons in jail without bail. The presumption of innocence must receive due importance to save people from losing their freedoms most helplessly in the hands of the police. We must understand the pressure on the politicised police. The judiciary cannot have political ambitions but it if falters its impact can be fatal for the nation. The danger uncertainty over the coming general election now looming large before the nation resulted from the mistake of deciding a political issue like the process of holding general election. Nowhere under the parliamentary system the election of the parliament takes place without dissolving the parliament. By a majority of one, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court decided that the general election has to be held under an elected government. Taking advantage of the judgement the Constitution was changed in haste to hold the general election under the sitting party government. It cannot be a situation conducive to peaceful election. We are most unlucky for not having leaders with the vision of institution builders for good governance. The government can never be a one-man affair. Either you have of a government of democratic institutions or you have a government dominated by bureaucrats. Enjoying glamour and privileges of power is an easy addiction but to carry the burden of national responsibility calls for integrity and sacrifice. We hope and pray that under the leadership of the new Chief Justice the judiciary will be able to sow togetherness and unity to stay the course. By nature politics is tricky but justice has to be fair and we do not wish a judge to be trapped by politics. The Undead Archives I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world. Richwood, TX (77531) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning will give way to cloudy skies and rain during the afternoon. High around 85F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low near 75F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch. Tech giant Samsung Electronics said on Feb. 2 that it has inked a partnership with Grab, the largest ride-hailing firm in Southeast Asia, to provide its mobile devices and security solutions. Under the new partnership, Samsung will offer the Singapore-based ride-sharing service firm tablets and smartphones fitted with its infortainment system and security solution Knox for the Grab vehicles. Customers will be able to book cars on Samsung devices installed in Grabs kiosks at malls, hotels and airports, Samsung said. The two companies will also run a micro-financing program that allows Grab drivers on a tight budget to purchase Samsung smartphones. The ride-sharing firm has around 2.3 million drivers and 770 million app downloads and offers ride-sharing services in 186 cities in eight nations, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar. Southeast Asia is home to the worlds fastest-growing emerging markets, yet many in the smaller towns and cities do not have easy access to the growing digital economy, said Anthony Tan, chief executive of Grab, in a press release. Read also: Grab to invest $700 million in Indonesia Samsung also hopes the tie-up will help maintain its competitive edge over rivals, such as Apple, Huawei and Xiaomi, in the market where more people are increasingly using smart devices. Samsung will be able to expand its business in the region and contribute to the growth of digital economy there through the collaboration, said Lee Sang-chul, chief of Samsungs Southeast Asia and Oceania business. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. More than 1,000 contestants are participating in the first stage of the UAE Hackathon, launched by Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi and organised by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). The opening ceremony was attended by Dr Aref Al Hammadi, executive vice president of Khalifa University, Salem Al Housani, acting deputy director general for Information and eGovernment Sector representing TRA, and Mansoor Al Marzooqi, strategy manager at the Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre. The agenda of the first day included a series of training workshops on data and how to deal with them in order to reach innovative practical solutions to the challenges related to the Hackathon topics, which are education, health and safety, transportation and traffic congestion, sustainable development (post-oil era), environment and climate change, gender balance, enhancing social relations in the UAE, and enhancing the lifestyle. After the first opening session, a series of interactive workshops were held, presented by local and international experts on the same subject. A number of contestants participated in the presentation of their ideas and perceptions about open data and how to use them to reach solutions, services, and related programs to the posed challenges. Al Housani said: Our work together on the hackathon is a reflection of the tripartite partnership between the government, the private sector, and the community to achieve the desired happiness and sustainable development, in accordance with the wise leadership directives on future shaping. I would like to thank the students, and praise their dedication to this challenge that represents an opportunity to deal with the tools and vocabulary of the era and to provide innovative solutions through the analysis of available government data. Dr Al Hammadi said: We have motivated the students to participate in this event as we, in Khalifa University, believe in the importance of open data and its role in shaping the future vision of many vital sectors on the countrys level. UAE Hackathon is an opportunity for students to learn and share experience and knowledge in one of the most important areas of our time. Abu Dhabi Hackathon will last for three days, until February 6, and it is the first stage of the UAE Hackathon, the biggest event of its kind in the field of data analysis, and consisted for six Hackathons across the seven emirates. The second week will take place in Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah from 11 to 13 February at Ajman University Fujairah branch, and the American University of Ras Al Khaimah. The third week will be held from 18 to 20 February in Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, and will be hosted by the American University of Sharjah and Ajman University Ajman Branch. Dubai will be the last stage in the UAE Hackathon, where competitions will be held at Zayed University from 25 to 27 February 2018. All residents of the UAE can participate in the Hackathon, and no specializations or professions are required. The only requirement is online registration, preferably as teams rather than individuals. Following the online registration on TRA website, applicants will be contacted to coordinate with them regarding the Hackathon location, selection and distribution of the teams, and the date of participation. The decision process is conducted by a panel of experts in this field. The panel will evaluate and discuss the submitted ideas of the participating teams, make a final decision, and announce the results. On the other hand, the participants will be introduced to the required criteria a week before the start of the Hackathon. These criteria include data utilization efficiency, product adoption and sponsorship probability, product marketing strategy, and sustainable marketing plan for the product or idea reached by the participating team. TradeArabia News Service Omans Sohar Aluminium successfully resumed full operations in record time after an unexpected disruption in its normal operations, which led to the complete shutdown of its potline on August 4, 2017, said a report. The company revealed that the entire plant was involved in the recovery efforts to ensure the fastest return to full production, while sustaining excellent safety standards, added the Times of Oman report. The recovery process was recognised as an important accomplishment within the aluminium industry, it said. Sohar Aluminium commended its employees and contractors for their resilience, determination, and their all-inclusive teamwork. The company takes pride in its entire team that demonstrated excellence and efficiency of its operations, and thanks its shareholders, Oman Oil, Taqa and Rio Tinto and all stakeholders for their trust and unlimited support, it stated. TradeArabia News Service Raimondi Cranes, a 150-year-old Italian manufacturer of cranes, has appointed Patrick Gigante, an industry veteran, as the new commercial manager for the company overseeing the territories of North America and the Caribbean. The company move comes following the appointment of Wael Hassan as Middle East Commercial Manager, part of Raimondis tier one human capital recruitment drive, planned to support the companys larger overall commercial impact tactics. In his new role, Gigante will be reporting to Mauro Masetti, the commercial director. Patricks extensive history in the crane industry, specifically the tower crane segment in North America and across the Caribbean islands, will prove invaluable to Raimondi as we continue to scale, remarked Masetti. Together with Raimondis management, Gigante will be bringing our full range of tower and luffing cranes to the respective markets under his purview, while establishing a strong network of agents helping to invigorate the companys market share, he stated. Raimondi Cranes, a heritage company established in 1863 at Legnano, Milan, Italy, was acquired by KBW Investments in January 2014, said the company in a statement. At over 150 years old, Raimondi is the proud manufacturer of quality topless, luffing, hammerhead, and self-erecting cranes, and boasts a valued global network of partners dedicated to continuing the companys presence at construction jobsites worldwide, it added. On his new role, Gigante said: "I am looking forward to working closely with the commercial segment to add vitality to the North American market, and that of the Caribbean islands. Raimondis innovative engineering and design teams have introduced an expanded range of higher capacity cranes perfectly suited to the demands of the American and Canadian markets." "Further, Raimondi has demonstrated readiness to adapt based on all-important client feedback; this is a rare attribute in a heavy lifting machinery manufacturer," he explained. Having transitioned from his corporate career in finance and sales in 2002, Gigante has spent the past 16 years in the tower crane sector. Working directly with one of the larger manufacturers as well as one of largest crane rental fleets in the industry, I gleaned a tremendous amount of information about both manufacturing and fleet management, and really understood what clients and operators needed," he noted. "In terms of real world application, problems, and solutions, I often went onsite to work directly with the technicians," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Tianjin Globe Express Services (GES), a leading provider of supply chain solutions, recently collaborated with V4 Advisors DMCC, a consulting, advisory and project development company specialising in the environment, to conduct a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) audit at its Chinese facility. The initiative highlights GESs commitment to regular GHG auditing and reporting from its facilities worldwide as part of its sustainability measures, said a statement. The project successfully engaged the team in implementing and expanding on the companys environmental strategy with an emphasis on GHG auditing and reporting. V4 Advisors commended GESs efforts and commitments to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 13 which focuses on Climate Action, it said. Goal No 13 on Climate Action one of the UNs 17 SDGs, urges member states to take immediate action to tackle climate change and its impacts. Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are driving climate change and continue to rise, it added. The recent Greenhouse Gas audit conducted by GES as part of its ongoing efforts towards the achievement of sustainability goals aimed to monitor and reduce emissions and boost adaptive efforts to combat climate change. GES is among pioneering companies in implementing sustainability practices in the sector and strongly promotes eco-friendly behaviours and other conscious choices that help create a clean and safe environment to live and work. Mustapha Kawam, president and CEO, Globe Express Services, said: Our company regularly audits and reports emissions from its facilities worldwide and the practice has set us apart from our competitors in the industry. The recent GHG audit held as part of GESs continuous efforts to enhance sustainability measures to combat the effects of climate change once again underscores our commitment to a sustainable future and to improving environmental quality for our community, he said. Rawad Massoud, managing director, V4 Advisors, said: Constant monitoring and management of emissions play an important role in efforts to combat climate change. The recent audit conducted at GESs Chinese facility was comprehensive and successfully engaged the team in enforcing and enhancing the companys environmental strategy with emphasis on GHG auditing and reporting. GESs level of commitment to such practices for achieving sustainability targets is laudable, he added. TradeArabia News Service Cisco has announced the appointment of Ali Al Lawati as general manager for Oman. In his new role, Al Lawati will work closely with public and private sector organizations to help enable their digital transformation journeys. Alis appointment reflects our commitment to developing local talent regionally, particularly in leadership roles where qualified professionals are able to bring to bear their experience and acute understanding of market dynamics, said Shukri Eid, managing director, East Region, Cisco Middle East. The high calibre of Omani human capital available is a testament to the Sultanates ability to link the educational system to the growing requirements of a modern labour force. Oman is currently undergoing a significant transition, with technology playing an increasingly important role as an enabler to the Sultanates economic diversification. As a technology leader with a longstanding presence in Oman, Cisco will continue to contribute its digital transformation expertise to support the countrys journey to transform into a sustainable knowledge-based economy and digital society, added Eid. Combined with its strategic location on regional and international communication grids and easy access to emerging markets, the Sultanates dynamic business community and progressive, business-oriented government make it an ideal market to reap the benefits of digitization, said Fady Younes, deputy managing director and operations director for the East Region, Cisco Middle East. Alis appointment comes at an exciting time as the Omani government prioritizes technology as a key contributor to the Sultanates long-term prosperity and a main driver of growth across key sectors. "I am excited to join the Cisco team. As a global technology company, Cisco has well-tested practices in enabling digital transformation," said Al Lawati. As organizations in Oman seek to optimize costs and drive efficiencies, there is immense potential for growth in area such as mobility, security, cloud, big data, and analytics. With our expansive portfolio of smart solutions and outcome-based approach, Cisco is better-placed to support businesses in implementing their digital roadmaps. The rapid growth of the ICT industry in Oman is creating demand for digital, networking, and cybersecurity skills. Narrowing the IT skills gap is an area where Cisco Networking Academy has been contributing significantly over the years by nurturing and developing talent for the digital era and driving initiatives to attract more young Omani students and graduates to pursue careers in technology. At present there are more than 3,000 students enrolled with Cisco Networking Academy in Oman, which has trained more than 15,000 students since its inception. With 71 per cent of the enrolled students being female, to date Oman has the highest female participation rate in Ciscos global IT skills and career building program. "Oman is considered a regional leader in the development of e-government and e-services, with a comprehensive program that aims to simplify government processes, enhance service delivery and accessibility, and bring services closer to citizens. We are committed to supporting Omans digitization agenda in line with the governments vision of enhancing government services and public sector efficiency toward a smart future, Al Lawati concluded. With more than 20 years of experience in the Omani ICT market, Ali Al Lawati has held various roles within the sector, including CEO and Consultant and Head of Projects, in addition to having served on the Board of Directors for a commercial data center entity. Prior to joining Cisco, Al Lawati was the CEO of Nasma Telecommunications and the head of IT and Telecommunications Projects at Petroleum Development Oman. Al Lawati holds a double master's degree: one for communications systems and signal processing from Bristol University in the UK and the second in business administration (MBA) from Strathclyde University, also in the UK. He earlier received his bachelors degree in electrical and electronics engineering from the Sultan Qaboos University in Oman. TradeArabia News Service Madi International, a leading distributor of internationally renowned professional beauty brands in the Middle East, launched two international brands during the 4th edition of the Professional Beauty GCC exhibition in Dubai, UAE. The two-day exhibition being held at Meydan Racecourse, has an estimated gathering of over 5,000 professional visitors. It brings together the latest in beauty, hair, SPA and nails to trade professionals from across the GCC region. The two brands include ORLY, which focuses on nail care and SpaRitual, which offers premium Body care products for spas. The UAE and Lebanon launch is part of an expansion strategy that seeks to boost the market share of both these premium brands across the Middle East and to leverage the growth potential of the region wherein beauty spending is estimated to reach $13.6 billion in 2020, according to research firm Euromonitor International. Mohammed Madi, president of Madi International Group said: In the recent years, there has been a change in perception about natural beauty care. Consumers have become more conscious and have a growing desire for more wholesome body care options. The UAE remains a very exciting and lucrative market for vegan products and we are confident that the new product lines, ORLY &SpaRitual will be highly successful, which will ultimately help generate momentum to pursue further growth plans across the region. We are happy to participate in the 4th consecutive year of the Professional Beauty GCC event. Maya Hanna, corporate brand manager at Madi International said: The success of the Professional Beauty GCC event portrays how satisfied our customers are with the brands that we are introducing to the market. The launching of ORLY and SpaRitual offers a complete line of nail and body care products designed to meet the ongoing need of vegan and organic beauty products. ORLY has over 43 fabulous years in the nail care industry. From the conception of timeless nail looks such as the Original French Manicure to cutting-edge colour and treatments, ORLY has been turning industry heads with innovative products, colour expertise and an unwavering commitment to salon professionals. ORLY is 100 per cent vegan, cruelty-free and free from harmful ingredients. Dedicated to the spa tradition, SpaRitual is committed to creating eco-friendly products and packaging perfectly crafted for the enlightened consumer. Vegan ingredients from around the world, including many specially sourced and selected plant essences that are wild crafted or organic. The formulations are naturally coloured and free of synthetic dyes. TradeArabia News Service MG, a renowned British automotive brand, has launched its new MGRX5 compact SUV in the Middle East. Customers can choose MG Motors new hero SUV from a collection of four well-equipped models, and two available powertrains, with prices starting at around $14,200(depending on market). Equipped with a 1.5T petrol engine and 7-speed automatic gearbox the MG RX5 is available as entry level STD or mid-range COM models. The more powerful 2.0T powerplant is mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox and is offered for either COM or top-of-the-range LUX trim levels, with the latter featuring All-Wheel Drive. Tom Lee, managing director of SAIC Motor Middle East, the parent company of MG Motor, said: Embodying the positive, new direction that MG is taking, the new MGRX5 is the latest model to join our exciting range of stylish, hi-tech vehicles. As MG builds momentum across the Middle East, boosted by the appointment of new dealers in markets such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, we are confident that this new compact SUV will prove extremely popular among the regions car buyers. The MG RX5 showcases an attractive, futuristic design that is instantly recognisable, notably at the front where the stylish square LED headlamps, imposing wing-shaped grille and innovative fog lamps endow it with real on-the-road presence. Sporty five-spoke, two-tone 18-inch rims on COM and LUX models combine with a sharp waistline that rises from front to rear to enhance the dynamic look. At the rear, a chrome plate stretches out to the dual tail lights, visually extending the vehicle width. Inside the cabin careful attention has been paid to delivering an extremely high quality finish, with the use of high grade material, chrome edging and soft-touch material covering 80 per cent of the surfaces. A supersize, opening panoramic sunroof floods the interior with light, accentuating the best-in-class space that it offers. Helped by the 2700mm wheelbase, and total length of 4545mm, rear leg space (982mm) and head space (987mm) are significantly better than in rival cars. MGs new compact SUV delivers practicality and convenience. The flexible rear space incorporates adjustable, fold-flat seats with split/fold function, while there are multiple storage spaces throughout the cabin for bottles, mobiles and cups in addition to a large boot area. Useful technology offered as standard on most models includes remote, one-touch opening of the rear hatch, keyless entry, a start button and an AutoHold function. A clever remote smart application will allow the driver to operate vehicle functions such as remote start and stop air conditioning, vehicle tracking and aftersales appointments. It even reminds owners of the services needed for the car. And for a hi-tech generation, there is a10.4-inch high-definition infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Navigation on the COM and LUX versions and an8-inch colour navigation system for STD models. Power is derived from a choice of two turbocharged engines. Both 2.0T and 1.5T units, which are mated to six and seven-speed transmissions respectively, provide impressive performance and efficiency. Delivering maximum power of 221 hp and torque of 350 Nm, the 2.0T engine can accelerate the MG RX5 from 0-100kmh in 8.2 seconds, while the efficient 1.5T powerplant returns top figures of 169 hp and 250 Nm. A smart All-Wheel Drive system with new generation electromagnetic torque management guarantees impressive off-road performance for LUX models. The entry level 1.5T STD exemplifies the comprehensive equipment levels of the MG line-up. Owners benefit from Automatic Air Conditioning, front and rear electric windows, cruise control, multi-adjustable front seats, and a remote trunk opening function as standard. When it comes to safety, ABS, EBD, Auto Hold, a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System and Hill Descent Control are just some of the standard features to equip the high value 1.5T STD model. The MG RX5 COM specification comes with either a 1.5T or 2.0T engine. All COM models add front fog lamps, a rear parking camera and audible warning system, leather steering wheel and luggage curtain, to the list of features offered on the STD model. In addition, an 8-inch colour touch screen and Apple CarPlay are also standard. TradeArabia News Service Symphony Style Hotel Kuwait demonstrated its culinary expertise in the recent Horeca 2018, the largest B2B hospitality exhibition in the country, held at the Kuwait International Fair. A team of 10 culinary experts from the award-winning Symphony Style Hotel Kuwait joined hundreds of fellow hospitality professionals in showcasing their talents in a range of live competitions during the seventh edition of the wide-ranging event covering the hospitality, catering and food industry sectors. Hundreds of the leading chefs competed in live demonstrations and Symphony Style Hotels food and drinks experts came out on top winning a number of awards: Chef Chinthaka Sandaruwan Gamwara claimed the first gold medal in the Chocolate Carving category. There was more gold for chef Chinthaka in the Fruit and Vegetable Carving contest, and he claimed silver for the hotel in the Ice Carving. Chef Gopala Reddy Peram demonstrated his creativity and inventiveness by taking bronze in the Mystery Basket competition, a contest in which the chefs were presented with a closed basket of ingredients from which they had to create a superb dish using at least five of the baskets ingredients. The strong participation in Horeca 2018, emphasises Symphony Style Hotels reputation as a hospitality leader in the region, and highlights its commitment to supporting events that promote local culture and Kuwait as a business and leisure destination. The hotels senior management express their extreme appreciation to the skilled chefs who won this tough competition and gained those remarkable medals; and for their continuous efforts in innovating the most distinguished menus and remarkable variety of flavorsome dishes which make Symphony Style Hotel Kuwait a renowned food destination. - TradeArabia News Service The Capital Grill steakhouse at Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi has welcomed Daniel Vicente Antunes as the new chef de cuisine. A Portuguese national, Antunes brings a wealth of experience to the award-winning steakhouse (Abu Dhabis Favourite Steakhouse by Whats On Awards 2017). With over 13 years of vast experience in French, Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, he has attained exposure across multiple countries such as USA, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal and Saudi Arabia. Having worked with Michelin Star chefs across Europe, Antunes has already infused his culinary finesse and expertise into the steakhouse in pursuit of taking it to a whole new level in the city. His strength lies in keeping an eye on the dynamic culinary scene of Abu Dhabi and beyond. The Capital Grill at Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi is a lifestyle steakhouse inspired by unmatched quality and serves an impressive selection of premium aged meat cuts from the farms of US, Australia and Ireland. The signature steaks namely, Australian Wagyu, Irish John Stone and Black Angus Tenderloin bring out an incredible culinary style at the restaurant where the dishes are prepared live in front of the guests eyes. The chic restaurant features an open plan show kitchen adjacent to a lounge area for enjoying pre and post cocktails in a smoke-free setting. The steakhouse is spacious, exquisite, warm and modern with a Private Dining section for small social gatherings and intimate dinners where luxury, space and privacy comes second to none. - TradeArabia News Service Turkish Technic and Atlasglobal have signed an agreement for the repair and supply of components for Atlasglobals Airbus A320 aircraft fleet. The agreement will be effective till 2023. The contract comprises component repair and supply on ATA Chapter basis. Access to components will be available from Turkish Technic Istanbul main base and worldwide pooling stations. Repair work of the components will be carried out at Turkish Technic Sabiha Gokcen facilities. Being the continuation of the latest agreement settled in 2013 between Turkish Technic and Atlasglobal, this agreement will thus be further contributing to the development of the Turkish aviation industry. Turkish Technic CEO Ahmet Karaman declared: I would like to thank Atlasglobal for expressing their trust and confidence to Turkish Technic with regard to component repair and supply services for their A320 fleet. The renewal of the agreement for another five years, is a clear indicator of the quality of the service we deliver along with customer satisfaction. Turkish Technic is an important trademark providing MRO services to more than a hundred airlines. Atlasglobal CEO Sermed Temizkan added: We trust in the quality of Turkish Technics services. We are pleased to be provided with the services of Turkish Technic, one of the top 10 leading MRO centers in the world. On behalf of Atlasglobal, I would like to thank Turkish Technic for their continued technical support to our Airbus A320 operation and our expanding network. - TradeArabia News Service Thiruvananthapuram (IANS): Bringing the rift in the CPI-M into the open, some party leaders from Kerala slammed General Secretary Sitaram Yechury at a meet here on Sunday, a day after he confirmed that a complaint has been received against State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnans son for alleged fraud. Yechury on Saturday revealed that the party received a complaint against Balakrishnans elder son Binoy Balakrishnan about an alleged Rs 13 crore fraud committed in Dubai. In wake of this, many state leaders attacked Yechury in their speeches at the dist conference, in which both Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Balakrishnan took part, with a few even accusing him of being disgruntled for not getting a Rajya Sabha renomination. Support TwoCircles While the Congress was willing to support the candidature of Yechury from West Bengal to the Rajya Sabha, his Communist Party of India-Marxist was not in favor of it and in the bargain, it lost a seat in the Upper House. With Sundays attack, the inter-party rift has come out in the open. Cracks started appearing in the party after Yechury took a stand favoring former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan. This difference of opinion deepened when the entire Kerala unit of the party early this month voted, at the Central Committee meeting in Kolkata, against Yechurys stand that the CPI-M should tie up with the Congress to fight the common enemy the BJP. A few days after Yechurys draft resolution was voted out, came a news report alleging that Balakrishnan junior had duped a firm. A three-page letter dated January 5, from the Dubai company sponsor H. I. A. Al Marzooqi states that legal procedures have ben started against Binoy for the fraud. Sundays developments in the CPI-M come ahead of the state party conference to be held in Thrissur later this month where those who will attend the upcoming party Congress would be selected and it seems certain that the delegates from the state will not be supporters of Yechury or his stand. By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter Actor Prakash Raj has again attacked at Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government, just a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modis rally in Karnataka. Prakash on Monday took to Twitter and wrote a cryptic message that said Promise toothpaste sold in 2014 failed to bring smiles to distressed farmers or jobless youth. Support TwoCircles Promise toothpaste sold in 2014 (forget brushing the teeth) could not bring a smile on distressed farmers or jobless youth of my country. Do you believe Promise Toothpaste sold yesterday in Karnataka rally? Will bring it? Just asking, Prakash tweeted. PROMISE TOOTHPASTE sold in 2014 .. ( forget brushing the teeth ) could not bring a smile on distressed farmers or jobless youth of my country..do you believe PROMISE TOOTHPASTE .sold yesterday in Karnataka rally ..will bring it. #justasking Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) February 5, 2018 On Sunday, PM Narendra Modi launched an attack on Congress as he addressed the people at the culmination of BJPs 90-day long journey to build a new Karnataka rally. Modi claimed, BJP could take Karnataka to new heights with a focus on improving the lives of farmers and creating better infrastructure. Sounding the election bugle, the Prime Minister urged people to throw the corrupt and dynastic Congress out of power in the state assembly polls due in late April or early May. There are still seven lakh homes in Karnataka which are in the dark with no access to electricity even years after Independence. Electricity will brighten their lives, Modi said. National film award winner Prakash Raj, who has been critical of Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, has been raising his voice since past few months against the alleged atrocities and policing of free-speech in the country. When right-wing trolls tried to smear Prakash Raj by calling him anti-Hindu, he reiterated strongly against this claims and said that he is anti-Modi and anti-Amit Shah, but not anti-Hindu. The Nava Karnataka Nirmana Parivartana Yatra, held with a view of bringing the BJP back to power in the state on the plank of transforming Karnataka through development, was led by its state unit chief and former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa. [With the inputs from IANS] By Mirza Mosaraf Hossain, TwoCircles.net Nearly a month after the arrest of four people in Mumbai for being illegal Bangladeshis, a team of two men from the Criminal Investigation Department of Mumbai and Kalwa Police Station of Thane district, along with other 14 East Burdwan district administration visited Kalinagar village in the district to verify the claims that the arrested people are Indians. The C.I.D Officer met the neighbours of two of the four arrested workers and verified their documents from the local school panchayat and ration shop. The CID team are yet to meet the village of the other two arrested people, which comes under the jurisdiction of another police station. On December 14, at around 2. A.M, the Mumbai Police arrested Safikul Sarkar, his wife Regina Bibi, Tasdir S.K and his wife Hasira Begum from their residence in Shanti Nagar, under Kalwa police station of Thane district without telling them why they were arrested. They were put in jail at around 11 am on the same day after the police made them stand outside the Kalwa police station the entire night. The Magistrate Court ordered them to be kept behind the bar at around 3 pm after the Kalwa police shifted the case to the Court and both ignored to check their valid Voter ID and Aadhar cards when they approached to produce it before the Court and the police. Even when their Advocate appealed for bail, the Court thwarted his attempts to show the ID cards. Support TwoCircles Seeing the adamant treatment of the Court, the Advocate filed an appeal for bail order of the innocent workers at the Section Court, which granted their appeal after ten days and ordered the Kalwa police to verify their documents. But the Kalwa police failed to produce the verified report of the arrested people four times on different hearing dates January 16, 20, 24 and January 30. Following this, the judge ordered that the arrested people might be granted bail without police verification. As the bail order was security bail which mandates two persons each who are local and who have valid documents, they had to stay in jail because they could not find any locals to stand by them. Now they are waiting for the verification report by the Kalwa police. The four arrested including two women are now in Thane Central Jail. The four are originally from East Burdwan district of West Bengal who is working there at the Santi Nagar locality of Kalwa police station. Tasdir and Hasira Begum are from Purandargarh village under the Galsi police station of the district. They moved to Mumbai only three months back in search of a job. They have three minor children between the age of 5 and 9. After the arrest of their mother, the children are staying with other Bengali workers. Safikul Sarkar and Regina Bibi are from Kalinagar village under the Dhatrigram locality of the district. Safikul is working there for the last 10 years. They all worked as delivery men at the Fish Market of the Kalwa locality of the Thane district. Kiran Keni, the Advocate who is handling this case, said, they got security bail but they have to know locals to sign that security. They are thus waiting for the verification report of the concerned police. Rajendra Bande, the C.I.D Officer, Mumbai, spoke to TwoCircles.Net and he said, We have visited the village of Safikul Sarkar and Regina Bibi and verified all the documents that they had produced before the Court. We have also taken a written sheet from the Panchayat Pradhan, declaring that they are under his jurisdiction. The papers they submitted are the same as they submitted before the court. The officer added that on Sunday, he also visited the Purandargarh village to verify the documents of Tasdir S.k and his wife Hasira Begum. The Sub-Divisional Officer (S.D.O) of East Burdwans Kalna sub-division said, We have informed the matter to the Nabanna, (the State Secretariat building, West Bengal) who in turn contacted the Government of Maharashtra. We are always with the locals and will be helping them in every possible way. The verification process will be completed within a week and they will be released accordingly. The actions of the Mumbai police have raised serious questions over the way they have treated Bengali workers working in Mumbai. A week ago, they again arrested six Bengali workers for being illegal Bangladeshis. Bengaluru (IANS): A miffed Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prove the charges of corruption and misgovernance he made against the state government on Sunday. Being the PM of the country, your words should carry credibility. I request you to substantiate with facts your allegations that corruption and misgovernance are rampant (in my state), Siddaramaiah told reporters, a day after Modi launched an all-out attack against the ruling Congress in the poll-bound southern state. Questioning Modis moral right to call the state government corrupt, Siddaramaiah said it is the Prime Minister who should explain why he did not have a Lokayukta (anti-graft ombudsman) for nine years when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Support TwoCircles By not having the Lokayukta institution for nine years, Modi had facilitated corruption, Siddaramaiah said. Addressing a party rally on Sunday, Modi said the southern state needs to be made Congress-free in order to end corruption. India does not need Congress culture anymore as it has ruined the nation. If corruption has to end, the state has to be made Congress-free, he had said. Claiming that Karnataka was number one in IT & BT (biotech) in the country, the Chief Minister said the state was also top in silk production. Karnataka receives the maximum investments among all states as per the data from the central government, Siddaramaiah said. The state was also the first to have an electric vehicle policy and launch a universal health scheme, he said. The central government has given many awards for the states policies and their implementation, terming Karnataka the most performing state, claimed the Chief Minister. Responding to the Prime Ministers criticism that the states law and order system was deteriorating citing the deaths of BJP workers in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said the crime rate in BJP-ruled states was much higher. The National Crime Records Bureau of the Union Home Ministry specifies that crime rate in BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat is much higher than in Karnataka, he said. The BJP National President (Amit Shah) has a murder case against him in Gujarat. How can such a party call the Congress corrupt? questioned Siddaramaiah. He also clarified that the state had received only Rs 84,500 crore from the Centre in the past three years and not Rs 2 lakh crore as the Prime Minister had claimed. As per the 14th Finance Commission, the state was to get Rs 95,200 crore in the last three years, whereas it got Rs 84,500 crore. In fact, we got over Rs 10,000 crore less and not more, he asserted. Whatever the central government gives to the states is their rightful share in a federal structure, the Congress leader added. BJP is misleading the people with wrong information and by suppressing the mandate of the Constitution, he alleged. To Modis statement that the countdown for Congress to be evicted from the state had begun, Siddaramaiah hit back saying, The real countdown has started for BJP and Modi, as it is evident from the victory of Congress in the recent Rajasthan by-elections. On the ongoing issue of Mahadayi water dispute with neighbouring Goa, Siddaramaiah said he has written to the Prime Minister to discuss the issue and would meet him with an all-party delegation if Modi agrees to meet In an apparent attempt to hedge its risks the European Union is reported pondering applicability of its regulatory framework to the latest wave of financial technologies including cryptocurrencies and initial coin offerings (ICO). According to a document seen by Bloomberg, the European Commission intends to "assess the applicability" of the EU regulation to such Financial Instruments as part of its wider plans to regulate FinTech. In addition, the EU executive body is planning to hold in the second quarter of 2018 a roundtable discussion on challenges and opportunities related to this emerging market. Wild West Some experts see the current dearth of relevant regulation as leaving the door open to abuse going as far as fraud and money laundering. Markus Ferber MEP was quoted as saying that even though there are more than 1,500 virtual currencies already in circulation; "from a regulatory point of view they are still the Wild West." He believes that bitcoin and alike must be classified by the commission as full-fledged financial instruments which may help to make the virtual currency market less volatile. Financial experts point out at inherent value virtual currencies represent as a viable alternative to government-run monies. They suggest additional safety measures and more infrastructural supports need to be introduced for bitcoin trading which is said to suffer from low trading volumes and a large number of hobbyist traders present in the immature market. Cryptocurrencies: hype abating as their value plunges The excitement about Digital Currencies appears to be past its high point as bitcoin, the world's leading cryptocurrency sunk below $8,000 last week, almost a 60 percent plunge from the all-time high of nearly $20,000 it achieved in December last year. This was followed by Ethereum and Ripple, two of its major rivals losing value significantly in the past two weeks. After the European Central Bank and the European Securities Markets Authority issued warnings about the speculative environment for cryptocurrencies and ICOs and their potential for loss, the European Commission expressed its desire to bring in a relevant regulatory framework for virtual currencies and ICOs. Cnet speculated that digital currencies may be dragged down by tougher regulation recently introduced by governments in China, India and South Korea. A week ago Facebook banned advertising of cryptocurrencies and initial coin offerings, citing as a reason that such ads are "frequently associated with misleading or deceptive promotional practices." The novelty of Bitcoin Despite the setbacks it encountered in the recent weeks, bitcoin still remains up sharply from $1,000 it was trading at the beginning 2017. This value may still be seen by many enthusiasts as evidence of ample trading potential remaining in the leading digital currency, while experts warn bitcoin is likely to remain extremely volatile as it continues to develop. Karthik Kannan, a management professor at Purdue University's Krannert School of Management compared the ongoing virtual currency hype to the dotcom boom some twenty years ago, when; "the bubble disappeared but the e-commerce didn't disappear." He believes that even after the novelty of bitcoin wears off, it will retain at least some of its ability to disrupt the banking and finance sector. As Donald Trump continues to deal with the fallout from the release of Michael Wolff's "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," his son Eric is celebrating his birthday. While the president didn't acknowledge Eric's birthday on social media, two of his siblings did, which quickly resulted in mockery from critics. Eric the birthday boy When Donald Trump announced that he was running for president back in the summer of 2015, he did so on the floor of his very own Trump Tower in New York City with his family standing behind him. Throughout his campaign and since his election win, the former host of "The Apprentice" has highlighted some of his children, while nearly isolating others. Young son Barron and daughter Tiffany are rarely in the spotlight, while Ivanka Trump is a special assistant in the White House, and Donald Trump Jr. is active giving his political thoughts on social media. However, Eric Trump is stuck in limbo, as he's seen to make an appearance from time to time, though not nearly being as accessible as Ivanka and Donald Jr., but more so than Barron and Tiffany. On Saturday, Eric celebrated his 34th birthday while the president spent the morning on Twitter reinforcing the nation that he was a "stable genius." As seen on Twitter on January 6, Ivanka and Donald Jr. decided to send their brother birthday wishes. Taking to Twitter on Saturday, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. tweeted out some love for their sibling. "Happy birthday to my amazing brother @EricTrump. I love you very much & hope that this year will be your best turn around the sun yet!" Ivanka tweeted. Happy birthday to my amazing brother @EricTrump. I love you very much & hope that this year will be your best turn around the sun yet! pic.twitter.com/xCQiXXuvmv Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) January 6, 2018 "Happy birthday to the best little brother ever... @erictrump you dont look a day over 60 buddy," Donald Trump Jr. tweeted out, while attaching a picture of himself and his brother when they were just kids, with the image showing Don Jr. wrapping a headlock around Eric Trump. As expected, the reaction from critics wasn't very kind. Birthday reaction After Eric Trump received his birthday tweets, those who oppose the administration wasted no time firing back. "Enjoy it while it lasts. The Trumps will be celebrating their birthdays in prison next year," David Nuzzy Nussbaum posted. OMG! Thats right. I thought that they did the whole no electricity thing during sabbath. Maybe they uses Alexa. I thinks is ok if you dont physical turn anything on. I saw that on a episode of Property Brothers. Sanj (@sandra_clayton) January 6, 2018 Enjoy it while it lasts. The Trumps will be celebrating their birthdays in prison next year. david nuzzy nussbaum (@theNuzzy) January 6, 2018 "You tweeted this during Shabbas," one tweet read in regards to Ivanka Trump being a practicing Jew. A follow-up tweet doubled down, writing, "OMG! Thats right. I thought that they did the whole no electricity thing during Sabbath. Maybe they uses Alexa. I thinks is OK if you dont physical turn anything on. I saw that on a episode of Property Brothers." Excuse my grammar, Im a disabled vet & type with my tongue & Siri NIEL WRIGH (@dprite1) January 6, 2018 I have a feeling by the end of the year he wont be seeing much sun... DERP STATE (@EricVictorino) January 6, 2018 "Why did you get the semi-qualified orthodontist and Eric get the hack? Cuz youre daddys little," another Twitter user wrote back to Ivanka Trump. "You mean the stupid one that thought Ellen was part is the deep state," an additional tweet stated about Eric's latest conspiracy theory. Following the release of Michael Wolff's book "Fire And Fury: Inside the Trump White House," speculation continued to grow about the mental stability of Donald Trump. In response, the president had a few words to say on the matter. Trump on Twitter Ever since Donald Trump announced that he was running for president back in the summer of 2015, questions were raised as to whether or not he had mental issues. Due to his controversial and unorthodox style, the former host of "The Apprentice" has caused many to question his ability to lead the country as commander in chief. In "Fire and Fury," Michael Wolff claims that many advisers and members of the administration privately doubt that Trump can do the job as president because of questionable mental health. As expected, this tidbit was quick to dominate the coverage on cable news, much to the chagrin of the billionaire real estate mogul. In response, Trump addressed his mental fitness during a multi-tweet Twitter rant on January 6. Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Taking to Twitter on Saturday night, Donald Trump spoke out against those who question his intelligence and mental fitness. Trump accused Democrats of being so desperate that they are now planting doubt in the minds of voters about his state of mind and mental health, claiming that they are doing so because the Russian investigation is not going as well as they had hoped. The president went on to refer to the Russian investigation as nothing more than a "hoax" that was being reported by the "fake news" in an attempt to take down his administration. ....Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 "My two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart," Donald Trump went on to write. "Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames," he continued. "I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star to President of the United States (on my first try)," he added. "I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that!" Trump concluded. This isn't the first time that Trump has gloated about his intelligence, as he's made it a habit to talk big about himself, despite others who continue to push back at his presidency. ....to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Moving forward The release of "Fire and Fury" has changed the direction of the agenda for the White House, which has been playing defense and been put in damage control mode following the book arrival to the public. While Donald Trump defends himself from allegations of being unfit to the run the country, he hasn't been able to convince many Americans of his argument. After less than a week into the new year, the president has an approval rating that stands at less than 35 percent and is showing no signs of improving anytime soon. Today on "Live With Kelly and Ryan" they had an appearance from Arie Luyeyndyk Jr. The fans have been watching Arie on "The Bachelor" every Monday night and now he is sharing a bit about how he is doing.Of course, Arie can't give away any spoilers. They were in the Bahamas for this show instead of in New York. What did Arie have to share? Arie Luyendyk Jr. actually didn't share too much on this episode, but he did get to go to the Bahamas to be on it. He was there by himself because of course he can't spoil who he picks in the end and have them there with him for the show. Kelly started talking to him about how he was on the show five years ago with Emily Maynard. You could tell Ryan Seacrest knew who his story from the show. Arie explained that when he was with Emily on the show it was really only the time in his life that he felt ready to get married and ready to get engaged. It just made sense to Arie to go back to the show once again. Arie shared that he was friends with Jef Holm after the show and it would have been weird to go after Emily at that point after they split. Arie talks about everyone watching and more He shared that watching the show back he does see that he told some of the girls the same things. Arie admits all of the relationships are different, but ABC only shows a little bit of it. They also touched about how Bekah was on the show and ended up on a missing person's list. He teased that you should call your parents. Kelly says that this made her think that this is the girl Arie picks in the end and that she went so far underground that her mom thought she was missing. Kelly Ripa admits that she doesn't really watch the show. They are in Paris tonight on the show. Kelly doesn't get why they get to go on these great dates and says they should do things more like what the future looks like such as going to Costco. Arie says in the start of relationships there is romance. Arie revealed that the group dates can last about 12 or 14 hours. Ryan even teased Arie to get rid of Krystal, and that could happen tonight seeing that she does go on a 2 on 1 date, which means it is time for someone to go home. Arie admits that he fell in love, but won't admit if he is engaged or anything. He said that he wants everyone to see the ending. He says that he is very happy right now, though. Are you excited to see who Arie Luyeyndyk Jr. ends up with this season? Don't miss new episodes of "The Bachelor" with Arie Luyendyk Jr. on Monday nights on ABC. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Last week the State Duma of the Russian Federation held a roundtable discussion "Legislative Aspects of Combating Heroization of Fascism and Revival of Neo-Nazism." During this event, participants discussed the progress in gathering signatures in support of fight against glorification of fascism. It was noted that there are already 200,000 signatures. Participant of the event Sergey Markov stressed that many people are also in favor of dismantling the monument of Garegin Nzhdeh in Yerevan. As Shame.am writes in an article "Nzhdeh, Khzmalyan and the abyss", Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian addressed this fact several days ago. He said: "It's a speculation of some of our opponents, and it's clear why they do it. It's done deliberately, and there's no need to fall into this trap. Armenia made statements at various levels regarding this topic, and there's no need to add anything." But, as we see, there are those who fall into this trap. There are also those who want to add much more to what was already said. One of them is Tigran Khzmalyan. There's no doubt that personality and ideas of Nzhdeh have no value for Khzmalyan, since he's a "pro-Western liberal". Khzmalyan's views are too far from Armenia. But since there's a great opportunity to attack Russians, pro-Western director immediately became a great patriot and defender of Nzhdeh. He said: "If some Chekists tries to blow it up at night or paint it with something, we'll attack Russian embassy and military base. Mostly pro-Russian Armenians and Moscow Azeris signed this petition. Nzhdeh threw your ancestors into the abyss from Khustup, and as Russians like to say, we can do it all again." There's already a script, Khzmalyan is ready to do it. So far nothing happened, but he predicts that something will happen to this monument. In other words, he wants something to happen. And it's not necessary to look for non-existent culprits of non-existent acts, since there's no doubt that Chekists did it. At least that's what Khzmalyan says. And then people will go to Russian embassy, will start throwing everyone into the abyss, and Tigran Khzmalyan will film this and create an excellent action movie. An assailant in Iran has been shot and arrested after trying to break into President Hassan Rouhanis office, local news outlets reported. Initial reports say the attacker was carrying a knife. He was shot in the leg attempting to bypass the high security gate on Pasteur Street in Tehran city centre, which is home to several government offices. "We are trying to identify the person and his motivation," Fars news agency cited the deputy governor of Tehran, Mohsen Hamedani,as saying. A spokesperson for the Russian Investigative Committee, Svetlana Petrenko, said that several high-ranking government officials in the Russian Republic of Dagestan were arrested on embezzlement charges, including Dagestans acting Prime Minister Abdusamad Gamidov. According to her, officers from the Federal Security Service, Interior Ministry, and Investigative Committee raided several offices in Dagestan today, detaining Gamidov, acting deputy prime ministers Shamil Isayev and Rayudin Yusufov, and former Education Minister Shakhabas Shakhov, Interfax reported. She added that "during the inspection, detectives confiscated a golden TT pistol, Beretta and the Makarov pistols, two Kalashnikov machine guns and ammunition from Gamidov." "Very shortly, investigators are going to file formal charges against all the above officials and petition the court to place them under arrest as a pre-trial restriction measure for all of them," Petrenko concluded. Police previously opened criminal investigations against Makhachkala Mayor Musa Musayev and the citys chief architect, Magomedrasul Gitinov, on charges of abuse of authority. The senior research fellow of the Caucasus Problems and Regional Security Center at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Nikolai Silaev, speaking with Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that current detentions and arrests of Dagestan's top leadership are an expected continuation of the center's policy to bring life in the republic in line with the norms of Russian legislation, but in order to make this policy effective it is necessary to work not only on a personal level, but also on a system one. Nikolai Silaev listed the problems that must be solved in Dagestan. "It is necessary to do something with the land in which the solid investments were made. Then, the electricity and gas situations, after all, record North Caucasus debts for gas and electricity are largely created precisely by Dagestan," the senior research fellow of the Caucasus Problems and Regional Security Center at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations stressed. His colleague Ahmet Yarylkapov predicts that this work will not be limited to the detention of Dagestan's top officials. "I think this is only the beginning of the systemic work on coping with the system crisis in Dagestan, There are already reports that work is being done at district levels. If we talk about the reaction of Dagestan's populations to these events, it is generally positive. It is unlikely to increase the republic's management, but people welcome the detention and arrest of corrupt officials," he said. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the status of Jerusalem with Pope Francis in Vatican today. A Vatican statement said the talks included "the status of Jerusalem, highlighting the need to promote peace and stability in the region through dialogue and negotiation, with respect for human rights and international law," Reuters reported. Both Erdogan and Pope Francis are opposed to US President Donald Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which many US allies say could doom Middle East peace efforts. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that Russia and the United States should resume their dialogue on missile defense in light of the growing relevance of the subject. "I would like to emphasize the growing relevance of the missile defense topic. Let me remind you that an indestructible connection between strategic offensive arms and missile defense is noted in the preamble of the current Reduction of Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty," he stressed. "There has been no substantial dialogue with the Americans on this matter for a long time. Now is the moment when it should be resumed," the Izvestia newspaper cited Ryabkov as saying. According to him, in order to overcome the impasse in Russian-US relations, it was necessary to cooperate in a number of areas, including economic and regional crises. "This agenda, in our opinion, includes issues of maintaining and ensuring of strategic stability It also considers the work on regional crises as well as economic interaction," the Russian diplomat said. Germanys foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel said that Germany and only Germany was responsible for the Holocaust as it sought to reassure Poland that Berlin would condemn distortions of history such as descriptions of Nazi camps in occupied Poland as Polish concentration camps. "This organized mass murder was carried out by our country and no one else. Individual collaborators change nothing about that," Gabriel said. "We are convinced that only carefully appraising our own history can bring reconciliation. That includes people who had to experience the intolerable suffering of the Holocaust being able to speak unrestrictedly about this suffering," the Times of Israel cited him as saying. The lower house of parliament approved the legislation on January 26. The Senate gave its approval on Thursday. President Andrzej Duda has three weeks to sign or veto it; he has so far indicated that he supports it. A convoy of Turkish Armed Forces moved to the fourth observation point in Syria's Idlib today, which would be established in accordance with the Astana agreement. The convoy entered Idlib from Turkey in the morning and arrived safely in western Aleppo countryside, which is inside the de-escalation zone, Anadolu Agency reported. Turkey aims to establish a fourth observation point in the area with its deployed forces. During peace talks in Kazakh capital Astana, the three guarantor countries, Turkey, Iran and Russia, had agreed to establish de-escalation zones in Idlib and in parts of Aleppo, Latakia and Hama provinces. US troops have started to draw down from Iraq following Baghdads declaration of victory over the ISIS group last year, according to Western contractors at a US-led coalition base in Iraq. The contractors said that dozens of American soldiers have been transported from Iraq to Afghanistan on daily flights over the past week, along with weapons and equipment Two Iraqi officials confirmed to The Associated Press that the US-led coalition and the Iraqi government have reached an agreement to draw down troops in Iraq for the first time since the war against ISIS was launched over three years ago. The Iraqi officials said the process has not officially begun, the Washington Post reported. One senior Iraqi official close to Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said 60% of all American troops currently in country will be withdrawn, according to the initial agreement reached with the United States. The plan would leave a force of about 4000 US troops to continue training the Iraqi military. Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yldrm visited a military command center in the southern Hatay province as Operation Olive Branch continues in northern Syria, according to prime ministry sources. During his visit to the Second Army Command, Yldrm was accompanied by Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs, and Communications Ahmet Arslan, and Hatay Governor Erdal Ata, according to the source who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media. Yldrm was updated on the progress of the operation by Second Army Command Commander Lt. Gen. Ismail Metin Temel and other military commanders, Yeni Safak reported. HA NOI Viet Nams rice export volume in 2018 is expected to increase by 400,000 tonnes from 2017 to reach 6 million tonnes, due to increased demand from Southeast Asia, especially from the Philippines, with China expected to be the countrys largest rice market. The Vietnam Food Association (VFA), in a report earlier in January, said countries in Southeast Asia will import a large amount of rice from Viet Nam, helping boost the countrys turnover this year. The VFA said Indonesia will import rice from Viet Nam and Thailand again in 2018 to increase reserves, as Indonesias rice price has been rising, almost double the floor price. Similarly, the National Food Board of the Philippines approved of up to 250,000 tonnes of imported rice to offset declining inventories, due to unfavourable weather in 2017. These developments are encouraging for Viet Nams rice export market, said the VFAs report, with export price of 5 per cent broken rice rising to US$400 per tonne from $390. Domestic rice price also increased, with the average price between to $267 to $293 per tonne as of Januarys end, having increased by $13 to $15 per tonne from December 2017s price. According to the VFAs data, throughout 2017, the country exported 5.7 million tonnes of rice worth $2.54 billion. As mentioned by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)s 2018 world rice production forecast, issued late 2017, the main factor behind this years rice trade expansion is increased output from Viet Nam, Pakistan and Myanmar, three of the worlds top six rice exporting countries. The USDAs report stated that though 2017 global rice output fell by 20 per cent from 2016s number, as a result of weak outlook for grain products, long, heavy rainfall and spring floods and other unfavourable weather, meaning there should be positive signals from traditional rice importing markets in Southeast Asia in early 2018. In Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, whose rice crops were heavily influenced by harsh weather, demand for rice imports will also increase in 2018. Rising import demand is supported by increased purchasing power in Africa and the Middle East, while China continues to be a leading importer of rice from neighbouring regions. As such, Viet Nam will witness an increase in revenue from rice exports to several large consumer markets. According to the Department of Crop Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in early January 2018, the Mekong Deltas rice producers harvested 860,000 hectares of rice, with an average yield of 5.3 tonnes per hectare. Nonetheless, problems remain for national rice production, the majority of which stem from farmers ignorance. Talking to Vietnam News Agency during a late 2017 agricultural conference in the Mekong Delta, Vo Tong Xuan, former vice rector of Can Tho University and rice expert, emphasised growing competition in global rice markets. Xuan warned that Viet Nam needs to find ways to make its rice exports stand out if it wants to achieve export targets. Regarding export rice quality, he was convinced that since rice merchants often mix different batches from different farmers into one large batch, there is virtually no way to completely track the origin of any batch. Without clear origin, there are no certain product quality controls, and no major national rice brand for Viet Nam, Xuan added. He suggested issuing contracts between rice farmers and processing plants for sustainable production, via agricultural co-operatives instead of relying on middlemen. Xuan also said that there remain regulations acting as barriers to small and medium enterprises from entering the rice market. Exporting low quality rice and fragrant rice without a brand name is becoming increasingly difficult for Viet Nam, especially in finding niche markets to sell several thousand tonnes. VNS Viet Nam increases the number of fully foreign-invested companies in the country to five, the others being Mirae Asset Securities, Kis Viet Nam Securities Corporation, Maybank Kim Eng Securities Joint Stock Company, and Shinhan Securities Viet Nam, four of them South Korean owned. Photo nhadautu.vn In January Viet Nam KB Securities Company opened an office in Ha Noi after South Koreas KB Securities had acquired Viet Nams Maritime Securities for about 37.8 billion won (US$33.16 million) late last year. KBs acquisition of a local securities company was aimed at expanding its presence in Southeast Asia, including Viet Nam and Indonesia. Viet Nam increases the number of fully foreign-invested companies in the country to five, the others being Mirae Asset Securities, Kis Viet Nam Securities Corporation, Maybank Kim Eng Securities Joint Stock Company, and Shinhan Securities Viet Nam, four of them South Korean owned. The entry of foreign securities companies has sharply raised the quality of services and technology in the market. KIS Viet Nam, for instance, assigns top priority to margin activities, which refers to lending money to customers to buy stocks, and has become one of the top 10 securities companies. Mirea Asset has a charter capital of VN2 trillion (US$8.1 million), the third highest in the securities market. But for all their success, the number of foreign brokerages has been increasing at a snails pace. In 2015 the Government issued Decree No. 60/2015/ND-CP to guide a number of articles in the Law on Securities, especially foreign participation in the stock market. One of its most welcome provisions was the removal of the 49 per cent cap on foreign ownership of companies that have not less than 100 share holders or VN10 billion in charter capital. In general, from September 2015 foreign ownership of public companies in most sectors does not have any restrictions. This has given a big boost to foreign direct investment and has made the Vietnamese stock market a popular destination. According to the State Securities Commission, by December 2017 Viet Nams stock market and fund certificate value reached VN3.36 quadrillion (US$148.17 billion) in 2017, equivalent to 74.6 percent of the countrys gross domestic product. The number of securities accounts also climbed up to nearly 1.9 million, including 16,000 owned by foreigners, an year on year increase of 11 per cent. Market capitalisation of listed companies including those in UPCoM was about US$112 million. There were 731 companies and mutual funds listed on the two stock markets and 679 others on UPCoM with a combined value of VN959 trillion, up 30 per cent from a year earlier. However, two years after the decree took effect, there are only five fully foreign securities companies out of the existing 74. Analysts say their performance has not matched expectations, and pointed to certain possible causes. For instance, they are allowed to open only one office in the country, while local brokerages have no such restrictions. Besides, 100 per cent foreign-owned securities companies find it more difficult than local brokerages in implementing borrowing and lending capital for securities investment activities due to lack of knowledge about the local market. But the analysts say the participation of the foreign securities companies is very important for the countrys securities market since it not only creates competition, which is key to improving the quality of service, but also acts as a bridge linking the Vietnamese and global markets. Bank shares expected to shine On January 5 HDBank listed around 981 million shares on the HCM City Stock Exchange (HoSE) at a price of VN33,000 (US$1.46). HCM City Development Bank, as it is formally known, has become one of the 20 biggest companies on the southern bourse with a market capitalisation of $1.43 billion. Its shares have soared 40 per cent from the starting price of VN33,000. Earlier the bank had raised more than $300 million by selling a 21.5 per cent stake to foreign investors. Foreigners can buy another 8.5 per cent to reach the permitted cap of 30 per cent whereas they have already reached the limit in many other listed banks. HDBank was the first lender to go public in 2018, and the eighth so far to list on HoSE. Last August, after three years without any banking stocks listing on the countrys main bourse, the Vietnam Prosperity Joint Stock Commercial Bank, better known as VPBank, listed more than 1.3 billion shares on HOSE. In the first minutes of the at-the-opening-order (ATO) session on August 17, VPBank matched a total of 46 million shares with a reference price of VN39,000. This price helped VPBank earn a record of nearly VN1.8 trillion, of which, foreigners spent VN1.45 trillion on purchasing more than 37 million out of 46 million shares during the ATO session. Subsequently, the shares fluctuated from VN33,000 to VN36,000 per share. Significantly, VPBanks share prices have also increased by 40 per cent since listing. Besides HDBank and VPBank, the shares of many other lenders, especially those with impressive results, good bad debt settlement and feasible development strategies, are also on an upward trend. The consumer lending segment is the most attractive to investors, who consider it the goose that lays the golden eggs, according to analysts. Thus, VPBanks FE Credit and HDBanks HD Saigon now interest not only foreign investors but also local ones. Analysts said the strong growth in profits in the banking sector in 2017 has made bank shares very attractive this year. In 2017 many lenders achieved around VN10 trillion in profits. Significantly, many small banks saw profits breach the VN1 trillion mark. SBS Securities Company has said bank shares should be one of the first options for investors this year. Many banks have plans to list this year to increase their chartered capital, making more financial sector shares available. The dynamic credit growth and rapid decrease in bad debt ratio have also made bank shares attractive now. A poll by Vietnam Sample Report Joint Stock Company found 45 per cent of respondents saying shares of businesses in the financial and banking sector would see impressive growth and be the most profitable on the securities market. It looks like bank shares are set for a rollicking run in the market this year. VNS The number of local consumers using E5 petrol in their autos has been increasing rapidly, though bio-fuel has only been put into use nationwide for just the past month. Photo cafef.vn HA NOI The number of local consumers using E5 petrol in their autos has been increasing rapidly, though bio-fuel has only been put into use nationwide for just the past month. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade o Thang Hai said, during a regular Government meeting last week, that the use of the fuel in several cities and provinces had tripled compared to last year. The total amount of E5 sold in some cities and provinces currently accounted for up to 80 per cent of their total petrol sales, Hai said, adding that the average rate nationwide was some 60-65 per cent of petrol sales. I believe that the use of E5 fuel will continue rising as awareness about the fuel by local consumers improves and they feel more familiar with it, Hai said, adding that besides raising consumers awareness about the fuel, it was necessary to improve its management to ensure the quality of the fuel and prevent fraud. According to PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PV Oil), the sale of E5 at its stations reached 600-650 cu.m per day, increasing 2.5 times against last year and accounting for 70 per cent of its total petrol sales. All of its stations have replaced RON 92 with E5 bio-fuel since the beginning of the year. The corporation has 11 E5 mixing stations and is investing in other such facilities. This has ensured stable supplies of E5 in its retail network of 540 petrol fuel stations and more than 3,000 agencies. According to a Prime Ministers decision, E5 fuel, which is a mix of A92 petrol (95 per cent) and bio-fuel ethanol (5 per cent), has been officially sold nationwide to replace RON 92 since January 1, this year. However, some motorbike owners are still unsure if the new E5 fuel being sold nationwide suits their vehicles. They therefore have opted not to buy the cheaper E5 fuel, but rather the more expensive A95 petrol. Currently, E5 is priced at some VN18,670 per liter, compared with VN20,850 of A95 petrol. To encourage people to use E5, the Department of Industry and Trade in HCM City said it would cooperate with the Ministry of Information and Communications, as well as the media, to improve awareness about E5. The trade ministry has also asked departments of industry and trade to step up supervision of petrol traders, distributors, wholesalers and petrol stations to prevent trade frauds and protect consumers rights. VNS The central province of Nghe An is finalising procedures to approve and sign investment agreements for 12 projects in the first quarter of 2018. Photo baodautu.vn NGHE AN The central province of Nghe An is finalising procedures to approve and sign investment agreements for 12 projects in the first quarter of 2018. In January, the province licensed three projects worth VN20.37 billion (US$902,391). To date, the Viet Nam-Singapore Industrial Park in the province has attracted VN420 billion from 11 investors who occupy 7.6ha of industrial area and 2,500sq.m of ready-built factories. Of these, eight projects have been licensed. This year, the province will prioritise investment in its key projects, while co-ordinating with investment promotion agencies to lure large projects. Along with effectively operating the provincial Centre for Investment Promotion and Support, Nghe An has launched a one-door system serving investors and assisting them during their investment process. At the same time, the province has applied information technology in processing investors requests, thus enhancing transparency and responsibility of local agencies. Meanwhile, it has also worked to remove obstacles facing projects currently underway. The province is now encouraging investors to speed up administrative procedures for a number of projects, including the FLC eco-tourism and resort, the Quynh Lap 2 thermal power plant invested in by Posco Group of the Republic of Korea, and Hoang Mai 2 industrial park of Kovinet, another RoK investment. VNS Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MB) announced on Thursday it would hold its AGM on March 29. Photo vietnambiz.vn HA NOI After gaining positive business performance last year, many banks have planned to hold annual general meetings (AGMs) for 2018 soon. Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MB) announced on Thursday it would hold its AGM on March 29. The deadline for shareholders to register for the meeting is February 22. MB has also planned to elect one additional member to its Supervisory Board for the 2014-19 period at the meeting. Vietnam Export and Import Commercial Bank will hold its AGM on April 27 at Sheraton Saigon Hotel. The bank will elect two additional members to its Board of Directors at the meeting. Vietnam International Commercial Joint Stock Bank is expected to hold its AGM on March 29. Sai GonThuongTin Commercial Joint Stock Bank will close its shareholders list to take part in its AGM on February 2 and is expected to hold the meeting on April 20. In 2018, the bank aims to speed up restructuring and become the top retail bank in Viet Nam and other neighbouring countries. Lien Viet Post Commercial Joint Stock Bank plans to hold its shareholders meeting on March 28. According to the leaders of many banks, the banking sector still faces challenges despite achieving positive results in 2017. They said they would carefully consider business targets before submitting them at the upcoming AGMs. A report from the National Financial Supervisory Committee (NFSC) estimated that the pre-tax profits of the banking sector in 2017 rose by more than 40 per cent over the previous year, while after-tax profits surged by 44.5 per cent. Business performance of commercial banks is forecast to continue its upward trend this year. According to a State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV)s business sentiment survey released recently, which covered domestic and foreign commercial banks in Vietnam, 71.8 per cent of the respondents expected better results in Q1 2018 compared with Q4 2017 and 88.6 per cent hoped their business performance this entire year will further improve against last year, of which 29.2 per cent anticipated "significant improvement." Up to 92.6 per cent of the correspondents forecast their pre-tax profit in 2018 would rise compared with last year, helping the average growth rate of the entire banking system reach 19.33 per cent, much higher than the 13.4 per cent forecast in a survey conducted at the same time last year. A total of 78.1 per cent of the correspondents also expected customer demands for banking services, especially lending, this year will increase in comparision with last year. The rate for Q1 2018 alone is 59 per cent. VNS The Ministry of Transport plans to spend VN350.5 trillion (US$15.4 billion) to develop the countrys aviation industry from now until 2030. Photo baodautu.vn HA NOI The Ministry of Transport plans to spend VN350.5 trillion (US$15.4 billion) to develop the countrys aviation industry from now until 2030. The move is aimed at creating a foothold among the top four leading nations in air traffic in ASEAN. The proposal is part of the ministrys revised draft on aviation transportation development, which was recently sent to the Government for approval. Of the total sum, VN84.4 trillion will be invested until 2020. Under the revised plan, the aviation industry will exploit 23 airports with an air traffic of 144 million passengers annually by 2020 and 28 airports with an annual traffic of 308 million passengers by 2030. Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Cong said the draft was updated on the basis of the scientific objections raised by the Science and Aviation Technology Association and Aircraft Design and Consultancy Company Ltd at the request of Deputy Prime Minister Trinh inh Dung. A revision in the plan is needed, creating a legal framework to continuously develop aviation transportation in future and ensuring sustainability and safety, said Dung. The current plan was approved by the Prime Minister in 2009. After many years of implementation, the scale of aviation market has progressed, but it still ranks the fifth in ASEAN. It has not yet attracted giant airlines to open direct routes to Viet Nam, and its infrastructure in a number of airports fail to meet the increasing demand, resulting in overcrowding. Under the draft plan, Viet Nams aviation market is expected to be among the top four leading nations in ASEAN in terms of the output of transportation by 2030 in association with the upgrading of Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat and a Nang international airports and the opening of three logistic centres in Van on, Chu Lai and Long Thanh. The ministry predicts that the transport of passengers via domestic airlines will increase at an average rate of 16 per cent annually from now until 2020 and by eight per cent during 2020-30. Meanwhile, the transport of goods is expected to grow at an annual rate of 18 per cent from now until 2020 and at 12 per cent annually during 2020-30. The domestic airlines are expected to reach a volume of 64 million passengers every year by 2020 and 131 million annually by 2030, according to the draft. This growth rate is two to four per cent higher than the current plan and is also higher than the average growth of the global aviation industry. Many experts believe that the ministrys prediction is unreasonable, as the International Civil Aviation Organisation, Boeing and Airbus estimate the air traffic growth at a rate of some 1.6 times the countrys gross domestic product growth. In this regard, Deputy Director of Civil Aviation Authority of Viet Nam, Vo Huy Cuong, said that in the period from 2010-17, this coefficient ranged from 1.5 to four times in Viet Nam, mostly between two and 2.5 times, so the ministrys forecast is appropriate. Open to new airlines In terms of aircraft fleet development, the draft plan estimates the number of aircraft to grow by more than 220 units by 2020 and 400 units by 2030, increasing by 70-100 units compared to the current plan. There are currently four licensed airlines -- Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific Airlines, Vietjet and Vietnam Air Services Company. To open opportunities for new investors to enter the aviation market, theres a need to increase the capacity of airports and expand the scale of aircraft fleet in the next three years. According to Decree 118/2015/N-CP issued by the Government in 2015 on detailed regulations and guiding the implementation of a number of articles on the Law on Investment, one of the requirements to receive investment certification is that the project must be suitable with the aviation industrys development planning. That is why many airlines, such as Vietstar Air and Bamboo Airlines, have failed to get licences although they have met the demand on capital and flying capacity. In April last year, the Government announced it would not consider approval of Vietstar Airs investment plan on aviation transport project and grant it business licence unless the firm completes building additional terminals and airfield in accordance with the planning on Tan Son Nhat International Airport, which has been approved by the Prime Minister. Deputy PM Dung said to raise investment and business results and help enterprises develop in a healthy and sustainable manner, the approval for investment and granting of business licences in the field of aviation must be carefully considered and should be in accordance with the law to ensure aviation safety and security in every facet. General Director of Vietstar Air Pham Trinh Phuong told baodautu.vn that if the draft plan was approved by the Government, his firm would consider airport adjusting to seek the opportunity to operate sooner. VNS HA NOI FPT Corporation reported a consolidated revenue of VN43.8 trillion (US1.93 billion), a year-on-year increase of eight per cent, by the end of last year. Pre-tax profit of the corporation increased by 41 per cent year-on-year to VN4.25 trillion, while after-tax profit reached VN3.52 trillion, up 37 per cent. The impressive growth of FPTs earnings last year came mainly from positive business results and earnings from divestments in two companies: FPT Retail and FPT Trading. The year-to-date profit-after-tax attributable to the parent companys shareholders was VN2.92 trillion, up 47 per cent year-on-year. The earnings on each share was VN5.12, up 50 per cent over the previous year. FPTs earnings growth last year continued to be driven by two core business sectors --- technology and telecom. The technology sector recorded a revenue and pre-tax profit of VN11.1 trillion and VN1.13 trillion, up 11 per cent and three per cent, respectively, compared to 2016. The telecom sectors revenue increased by 15 per cent year-on-year to VN7.65 trillion, while pre-tax profit was VN1.2 trillion, slightly increasing by two per cent. FPTs overseas markets recorded a revenue of VN7.2 trillion, up 18 per cent over the same period in 2016, and pre-tax profit was VN1.21 trillion, up 29 per cent, accounting for nearly one-third of the consolidated pre-tax profit. FPTs overseas revenue comes mainly from software exports to key markets in Japan, the United States and Europe. VNS HA NOI Construction of a fully-owned South Korean factory producing electronic components was kicked off on February 3 in the northern province of Yen Bais Tran Yen District. Covering an area of 6.49ha in Bao Hung Commune, the Edge Glass factory has the capacity to produce 54 million products every year. It will produce 18 million products in the first year of operation, 48 million products in the second year and 54 million products in the third year. Manufactured products will include 2D and 3D cover glass for phones and 2D cover glass for tablets. The factory also plans to produce glass for autos in future. South Koreas Edge Glass Joint Stock Company has invested nearly VN5 trillion (US$220 million) in the factory. It is expected to create 1,500 jobs for local people when it becomes operational by April 2019. Speaking at the foundation-laying ceremony, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the project investment was a proof that South Korean investors highly appreciated the provinces investment climate. The Prime Minister asked the local authorities to create favourable conditions for the investors to implement the project. He also expressed the hope that the investors would realise their commitment to protect the environment and contribute to sustainable development of the locality. According to statistics of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, South Korea was Viet Nams biggest foreign direct investor in January, with a total capital of $355.6 million. This was followed by Singapore with a much lower capital of $199 million. VNS HA NOI Bilateral trade between Viet Nam and Cambodia last year surged 29.7 per cent against the previous year to nearly US$3.8 billion, the General Department of Customs reported. Of the total, Viet Nams export turnover to this market was $2.77 billion, rising 26.1 per cent against the previous year. Vietnamese key export goods to Cambodia last year included steel and iron products ($521 million, up 69.7 per cent year-on-year) and oil and petrol ($375 million, up 30 per cent year-on-year). Meanwhile, Viet Nams imports from Cambodia reached $1 billion, a year-on-year increase of 40.6 per cent, mainly with timber and wood products ($214 million, up 16.9 per cent), cashews ($168 million, up 46 per cent) and rubber ($138 million, up 64 per cent). The leaders of Viet Nam and Cambodia have agreed to enhance the comprehensive co-operation between the two nations and raise the bilateral trade value to $5 billion. Viet Nam is currently the third largest trade partner and the fifth largest foreign investor in Cambodia. According to the Asia-Pacific Market Department, under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, trade across the border of the two nations has become easier, contributing to making Cambodia the 16th largest export market of Viet Nam. In recent years, the economic co-operation between the two nations has seen strong development. Statistics showed that the two-way trade between Viet Nam and Cambodia jumped from only $184 million in 2001 to $3 billion in 2016. Major export products of Viet Nam to Cambodia included steel, fertilisers, garments, machinery and plastic products. The two countries also expect to soon sign agreements on avoidance of double taxation, border trade and labour co-operation along with a memorandum of understanding on transport cooperation strategy for 2017-25 with a vision to 2030, which will help advance the trade relationship between the two sides to higher levels. VNS by Prof. Dr. Pierre Verdalle* The thyroid is a gland located at the front, lower part of the neck just below your throat and is responsible for the secretion of specific hormones called T3 and T4. It can be affected by several diseases, two of which are very common. 1/ A nodule A nodule (lumps in the thyroid gland are called nodules) sometimes indicates a serious problem, such as cancer; but most of the time can be benign (non-cancerous) or related to an infection. A nodule can be either discovered by the patient because it is visible, or by a doctor during the course of a consultation. It can also be diagnosed during a routine neck ultrasound, for example during an annual health check up, which is able to detect very small nodules, smaller than 5mm. It should not worry you, if a nodule is discovered; only 5% of these turn out to be cancer. It is however very important to see your doctor straight away and to perform additional diagnostic tests to determine the nature of a nodule and a suitable treatment plan. In some cases your doctor will only prescribe repeat ultrasound examinations at regular intervals together with control of your thyroid hormone levels. If there is suspicion of a more serious condition your doctor will discuss treatment options with you. What will your doctor prescribe? A simple blood test to determine your thyroid hormone TSH and T4 levels and a specific marker for thyroid cancer (for thyroid medullar y cancer, which is very rare). A thyroid ultrasound which allows a detailed view of the tissue in and around your thyroid After these, and in case cancer is suspected, your doctor may prescribe a fine needle biopsy (FNB). During this examination a very thin needle is introduced into the nodule under ultrasound guidance, to retrieve some cells from a nodule for histological analysis and to eliminate or confirm a cancer. Because FNA is about as painful as drawing blood from the arm for laboratory testing (venopuncture), local anesthesia is usually not required. Although not painless, any discomfort associated with FNA is usually minimal. Should your doctor recommend having your nodule(s) removed, several techniques are available. It is important to get to a diagnosis as soon as possible as recovery is almost 100% from thyroid cancer, when caught at an early stage. The proposed surgeries are either removal of half the thyroid (hemi thyroidectomy) or whole thyroid (total thyroidectomy), depending on your condition. This is a very common procedure under general anesthesia which will require a small incision in the neck that is usually barely visible, and a couple of days in the hospital. Later, depending on the type of surgery, you will have to substitute the thyroid hormones with oral medication. 2/ Hyperthyroidism: A medical term for your thyroid producing too much of its hormone T4; when released to the blood in elevated quantities, this hormone becomes toxic to the body. Typical symptoms include: Fast heartbeat and/or palpitations Feeling hot Night sweats and thirst High blood pressure which can result in headaches and blurred vision Protrusion of the eyes, also called exophtalmus What can cause it? Thyroid nodule(s) called toxic nodule(s), which can be treated by hemi-thyroidectomy Graves-Basedow disease, a condition affecting the whole thyroid. Treatment of choice for this condition is medical, which means you will have to take oral medicine suppressing the thyroids activity. Only if such treatment fails, either a complete surgical removal of the thyroid or a treatment with radioactive iodine will be proposed. Whom should you consult if you suspect a thyroid problem The endocrinologist may be consulted first. He will carry out the medical assessment and if a surgery is necessary, will refer you to a specialist in ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) & Neck Surgery. Hanoi French Hospital *Prof. Dr. Pierre Verdalle is an internationally trained specialist in ENT and Head & Neck Surgery who has recently joined the Hanoi French Hospital, bring his expertise to our customers and colleagues. If you have any questions or concerns regarding ENT or thyroid diseases, prevention and treatment, please contact us at 84 1100, access www.hfh.com.vn, or email us at contact@hfh.com.vn. Address: 1 Phuong Mai, ong a, Ha Noi HA NOI Famed Vietnamese composer Hoang Van died Sunday, aged 88. His son, conductor Le Phi Phi shared his deep sorrow in a Facebook status, saying he was working abroad when his father passed away and would return to Viet Nam for his fathers funeral. Vans real name is Le Van Ngo. He was best known as a veteran composer during the two Indochina wars. Born in July 24, 1930 in Ha Noi to a Confucian family, his grandfather and father were both Confucian scholars. He held many significant positions in the military before being sent to receive music training at Beijing Central Conservatory of Music when the wars ended. After returning to Viet Nam, he was the conductor of The Voice of Viet Nams troupe, while lecturing at the composing faculty at Ha Noi Conservatory of Music (now Viet Nam National Academy of Music) until 1989. He was also member of Viet Nam Association of Musicians and worked there until 1996. Van was widely known for his war epic song Ho Keo Phao (Artillery Pulling Chant), which was popular in North Viet Nam in 1954. The song depicted a scene of artillerymen pulling a heavy cannon to the top of a mountain in the fierce ien Bien Phu battle. Van also composed songs for movies, plays, traditional opera and reformed theatre. Most of his songs were about the two Indochina wars and patriotism, such as Toi la nguoi tho lo (Im A Miner), Bai ca xay dung (The Song of Nation Building), Quang Binh que ta oi (My Homeland Quang Binh) and Nguoi chien si ay (That Soldier). He was given the Ho Chi Minh Award on Literature and Arts in 2000. VNS VENICE Twenty thousand revellers, wearing masks and colourful period costumes, packed into St Marks Square on Sunday for the "flight of the angel" marking the traditional opening of the Carnival of Venice. Tourists and Venetians alike, the spectators looked on as 19-year-old student Elisa Constantini leapt from the famous St Marks Campanile bell tower, attached to a wire 80 metres above the ground. The "angel" threw confetti at the crowd below, in a highlight of one of the worlds most celebrated carnivals. "Its like were going back in time," enthused Susie, from Verona in northern Italy, who had come to watch the spectacle. But modern-day concerns were evident in the high security put on for the event. "Its normal, these measures," said Chinese tourist Xu Hong. "You have to have them. That doesnt take away from the beauty, the magic of this event". The carnival, which will end on February 13, is thought to have started in 1162 after a military victory. Abandoned for decades, it was revived in 1980. AFP HA NOI American sailor Rimas Meleshyus was rescued by Vietnamese fishermen in a Nang on Sunday. The 67-year-old amateur sailor was in good health except for blood pressure. He kept saying thank you to the people who had saved his life when he was received in the port of a Nangs Man Quang Border Station. Through an interpreter, Meleshyus said he was out of water and had little food left and that he was lucky to have come across the fishermen. He said he knew sailing would be risky but had no idea it would be so dangerous. He said he would have died if he met the fishermen several days later. Fisherman Vo Van Bich, owner of boat No Qng98785, said he saw Meleshyus waving his shirt for help near Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands on January 17. Bich had been out at the sea for three days and could not return home immediately. So, he decided to take Meleshyus along to go fishing. After being rescued by Bich and his fellow fishermen, Meleshyus was exhausted and could not move much. The fishermen took turns to take care of him. Meleshyus had brought with him old newspapers that reported stories about him and his sailing interest when he was in the United States. Born in Sochi, Russia, Meleshyus lived in the United States for more than 20 years but kept moving. He started sailing six years ago on an engine boat. Meleshyus started sailing on May 25, 2017, from Hawaii. While going from Saipan Island of the United States to Yokohama in Japan, the boats engine broke down. Meleshyus tried to contact people through satellite for two days before finally giving up. Since he was alone, he tried to take as many photos as possible to let people know who he was. Meleshyus said he would update his journey on Facebook with pictures of the hard-working fishermen. According to Commander Hoang Ngoc Que, representative of a Nang border guards, Meleshyus will be well cared for before being received by the External Relations Office for further procedure. VNS By Trong Kien Vuong Thuy Kieu was a prostitute. There is no Vietnamese generation that has not been moved by her epic, tragically immortal story the sacrifices she made time and again for her family, becoming the epitome of filial piety held so dear in our culture. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the Tale of Kieu has touched the hearts of millions outside Viet Nam, too. Nguyen Dus poetic magnum opus might be a work of fiction, but it has deep roots in reality; in the austere Buddhist and ossified Confucian tenets that have shaped Vietnamese society over millennia. And it is an open secret that many women, not just in Viet Nam, but the world over, have resorted to and are resorting to commercial sex work to support their families, laying their bodies on the line, literally. These social, historic and cultural contexts were completely lost on one police officer in the southern town of ong Duong on Phu Quoc Island, who, wielding a microphone as a weapon of self-perceived righteous punishment, sought recently to publicly shame two commercial sex workers, a client and the owner of a cafe believed to have organised the service. The police officer read out aloud the sins of and respective fines for the four people involved in selling and buying sex while forcing them to stand in broad daylight. Then, he asked each of the four people to step up, and introduced them. A thickening crowd of curious people, including children, tourists, and drivers, were made privy to all the intimate details names, age, hometown, marital status, and other private details, not to mention sexually explicit information. A sex worker got her whole background revealed sick husband, two young children desperation drove her, the police officer said, and, as she stood helpless in cheap flower crying, covering her face, he sermonised that she could totally have chosen another means of livelihood. We have to recognise, without utmost clarity, that it is not the women or even their clients who were exposed by this incident, but the misogyny that pervades our patriarchal society to this day. The police officers scathing moral indictment of the women turned into a more moderate, understanding criticism as he introduced a male client as a bachelor construction worker who without wives, therefore frequents these types of pleasure places to satisfy the needs of a man. Call the spade It bears repeating: What is exposed by the video clips covering the essentials of the public indictment over four minutes in length is the ugly face of misogyny, the immoral, unjustifiable practice of blaming the victim (typically the woman), and flagrant abuse of power that violates the fundamental human rights of every citizen as guaranteed in the constitution. Hopefully, the reverberations of this incident, which unfolded in my imagination like a Salem witch trial where death sentences have already been handed down long before the trial even starts, will last long, ushering in some long overdue reforms and changes in some key attitudes and perceptions. Two days after the clips in question were posted online, faced with a vehement public backlash, the deputy director of public security in Kien Giang Province explained at a press conference admitted the public shaming was inappropriate but it stemmed from good intentions the local polices wish to maintain social order in the area with a new method that is meant to be educational. Educational he said? For whom exactly? What are the lessons that have been learnt and by whom? What education can come out of mental torture, anguish and trauma inflicted by people abusing their power? What have the public learnt? That some law enforcers can break the law with impunity? Better still, that some law enforcers dont even know the law? Descent into farce Then, probably realising how ridiculous the excuses being trotted out were, the provincial police ordered the policemen involved in the incident to find the four people and apologise, facilitating a steeper descent into farce. How are they going to apologise? Again, rounding them up in a publicised ceremony and humiliating them even more? Do they think the honour of the ones they have blighted so shamelessly, in a society that sets great store by not losing face, can be restored with a mere apology? Would they have paused to consider the legality, hypocrisy and morality of this event if public outrage had boiled over to a firestorm status? We should not let this incident peter out. Our lawmakers have debated the question of legalising prostitution for some time now, but the debates have remained inconclusive. But the very fact that this is still being debated shows no one can pass an absolute moral judgement on those who engage in this work, far less violate their fundamental human rights by heaping public ridicule and insult on them. In the aftermath of this incident, lawyers were eager to suggest that the four victims could file a defamation lawsuit against the policemen involved. Theoretically they could, and actually, they should. However, can they afford it from the court fees, being in the spotlight again, going through the enervating legal process, etc. to seek justice that they might not get? In his ruminations, the philosopher Bertrand Russell has noted that it is the advent of hollow Christian morality that began ignoring and demeaning the valuable social service that a sex worker provides. The real offence of the prostitute is that she shows up the hollowness of moralistic professions, he wrote. It is also obvious that those who profit handsomely from the profession are not the sex workers themselves, but those who provide the service in various settings. Yes, aside from just a supply-demand relation, there are several evils and problems associated with this sensitive profession, like human trafficking, drug abuse, pimping and sexually transmitted diseases, that the society in general and law enforcement agencies in particular, should focus more on tackling, instead of striking unintelligent moral postures, which is nothing more than virtue signalling. For now, sex work remains illegal in Viet Nam, but this does not mean the fundamental rights guaranteed by our constitution to all, including commercial sex workers, can be trampled on. If anything, they need to be protected against obvious occupational hazards, facilitating the provision of non-discriminatory healthcare, for instance. This is what a progressive mind-set and legislation would provide, at the very least, and this should be our aim as well. If anything, in my opinion, prostitution not the forced kind is less disruptive than other vices like gambling or storage of weapons. In a modern, market-oriented economy and society, there are legions that are engaged in vocations out of necessity, not of choice. Studies have shown, for instance, that people join the US army more for economic reasons and lack of other options than anything else. It is most likely that this is true of commercial sex workers as well. We should remember that there were times when courtesans, predecessors of commercial sex workers, were accorded high status in society, and the very least we can do today is treat them with respect, formalise their legal rights and stop any form of discrimination, including public ostracism. It is not for nothing that prostitution has been called the worlds oldest profession. To end it, we have to end male demand for sex and remove the socio-economic constraints that propel women into the profession. VNS HA NOI Model Hoang Thuy wore a glowing dress worth VN100 million (US$4,300) at the WeChoice Awards 2017. The dress was designed by Tran Hung. Thuy, the first runner-up at Miss Universe Viet Nam 2017, is a nominee in the Top 10 Inspiring People category of WeChoice Awards organised by kenh14 online newspaper. She was born into a poor family in the central province of Thanh Hoa. She was an architecture student before winning Viet Nams Next Top Model in 2011. She was also a mentor in the modelling reality television series, The Face Viet Nam 2017. After Thuy was crowned the first runner-up at Miss Universe Viet Nam 2017, her dressing style has undergone a drastic change from sexy and strong to elegant and luxurious. Her dress at the red carpet was made of optic fibre imported from the United States and organza material from South Korea. The optic fibre created rays of colourful luminesce at night. More than 5,000 optic fibres had been attached to the dress by hand by 10 workers over three months. VNS Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at a working session with provincial leaders on February 3. VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat YEN BAI The northern mountainous province of Yen Bai should continue improving its investment environment and promoting the potential of the Mu Cang Chai terraced fields globally, striving to surpass its set targets. The requests were made by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at a working session with provincial leaders on February 3, before he left for Laos for the 40th meeting of the Viet Nam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee. He lauded Yen Bais efforts to overcome difficulties to achieve noted results in all sectors. However, the growth had yet to match the provinces potential, he said, pointing out limitations remaining in the locality such as ethnic minorities and mountainous residents still facing difficulties, inadequate infrastructure and a small number of businesses. In the context that Yen Bai suffered severe impacts of natural disasters in 2017, the leader requested ministries and agencies to balance resources and roll out master plans to help locals stabilise their lives and production. In 2017, Yen Bais gross regional domestic product (GRDP) grew by 6.22 per cent and its per capita income stood at VN29.5 million (nearly US$1,300). Apart from agricultural restructuring in tandem with new-style rural area building, the province has focused on industrial restructuring, and trade and service development in parallel with environmental protection. Over the past two years, Yen Bai attracted 79 projects worth over VN28.5 trillion ($1.25 billion), from major groups and enterprises including Vingroup, Ton Hoa Sen and Edge Glass. The province now houses 426 projects valued at more than VN70 trillion ($3.08 billion). To deal with devastating consequences caused by natural disasters, the province has relocated more than 1,200 households, with a fund of nearly VN100 billion ($4.4 million). The same day, Phuc attended the ground-breaking ceremony of a subsidiary of Edge Glass JSC of the Republic of Korea (RoK) in Bao Hung Commune, Tran Yen District. Speaking at the event, the leader asked the local authorities to create the best possible conditions for the investor to operate. He also urged the investor to turn the area into a modern industrial zone, benefiting both Viet Nam and the RoK. On this occasion, the PM visited and presented Tet (Lunar New Year) gifts to a Heroic Vietnamese Mother and a war veteran in Yen Thinh Ward. VNS VUFO Vice Chairman, on Tuan Phong (l) hands over the insignia For Peace and Friendship among Nations to Chinese Ambassador to Viet Nam, Hong Xiaoyong. Photo baoquocte.vn HA NOI Chinese Ambassador to Viet Nam, Hong Xiaoyong, has been awarded the insignia For Peace and Friendship among Nations, the most notable reward of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), for his contributions to the two countries relations. Speaking at the event last Friday, VUFO Vice Chairman, on Tuan Phong, thanked the ambassador and his embassy for supporting activities of the VUFO and the Viet Nam-China Friendship Association. Hongs assistance had helped promote the friendship and cooperation between the two countries and their people, he affirmed. Expressing his honour to receive such a noble reward, Hong said that his nearly four-year tenure in Viet Nam was an important period in his diplomatic career, helping him to understand more about the bilateral relations. As the two countries enter a new development phase, they should step up people-to-people exchange activities, he suggested. He confirmed that in any position, he would work to foster friendship and co-operation between the Chinese and Vietnamese people. VNS The Prime Ministers of Viet Nam and Laos Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Thongloun Sisoulith attended a ceremony to inaugurate a scientific and technological human resources training centre in Vientiane, Laos yesterday. VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat VIENTIANE The Prime Ministers of Viet Nam and Laos Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Thongloun Sisoulith attended a ceremony to inaugurate a scientific and technological human resources training centre in Vientiane, Laos yesterday. The centre is a symbol of science and technology co-operation between Viet Nam and Laos, built by the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology following the 35th meeting of the Inter-governmental Committee on Economic, Cultural, Educational, Scientific and Technological Co-operation between Viet Nam and Laos in Viet Nams Vinh Phuc Province on December 19, 2012. The Ministry of Science and Technology of Viet Nam and Laos began construction of the centre in September 2015 and made the final touches in December 2017. Built at a cost of more than VN98 billion (US$4.4 million) from the Vietnamese Governments official development assistance, the centre can train 600-800 scientific managerial officials a year and will employ 70 people. In 2012-17, 308 Lao officials received training in Viet Nam, a modest figure compared with Laos demands and plans to train many scientific and technological officials. Therefore, the centre will help the Lao Ministry of Science and Technology meet development goals and tasks assigned by the Lao Party and Government to make use of science and technology as a driver of national growth. Addressing the event, Minister of Science and Technology of Viet Nam Chu Ngoc Anh expressed his hope that the Lao Ministry of Science and Technology would continue working with its Vietnamese counterpart on the centres operation. Lao Minister of Science and Technology Boviengkham Vongdara expressed gratitude to the Party, State and Government of Viet Nam for their assistance and support to the Lao people. He also thanked the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology for its assistance. The centres first course will be on creative renovation for 50 managerial officials from the Lao Ministry of Science and Technology, other ministries and sectors and businesses. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc is in Laos for the 40th meeting of the Viet Nam-Laos Inter-government Committee, of which he is co-chair. Government offices boost ties Also yesterday, Minister, Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung had a working session with his Lao counterpart Phet Phomphiphak, during which he proposed closer ties between the government offices of Viet Nam and Laos. The two government offices have maintained close relations, contributing to promoting co-operation between the two countries, he said. He urged the two offices to accelerate the implementation of a signed memorandum of understanding on co-operation, focusing on sharing experience and organising workshops. Sharing Dungs opinions, Lao Minister and Chairman of the Prime Ministers Office Phet Phomphiphak hoped the two sides would bolster their co-operation in the future. In Box: Lao officials honoured for contributions to bilateral ties VIENTIANE President Tran ai Quang chose to present the third-class Independence Order and the Friendship Order to 17 officials of the External Affairs Commission of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party Central Committee to honour their contributions to the traditional friendship between Viet Nam and Laos. The decision was made on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries and 40 years of signing of the Viet Nam-Laos Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation. Also on this occasion, the External Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee decided to present the For the cause of the Partys foreign affairs insignia to six officials of the Lao commission. Hoang Binh Quan, head of Viet Nams External Affairs Commission, presented the third-class Independence Order, the Friendship Order and Medal and the insignia to the Lao officials at a ceremony in Vientiane yesterday. VNS HA NOI The second Bua Liem Vang (Golden Hammer & Sickle) Press Awards honoured journalists and their work about Party building on Saturday night with six first, eight second, 15 third and 25 consolation prizes. The contest received nearly 2,000 entries, up from 1,173 entries of the previous edition. The first prizes went to Bac Van from Nhan Dan (The People) Daily, Tran Luu from Sai Gon Giai phong (Liberated Saigon) newspapers, a group of journalists from Nhan Dan Television, Tri Dung from Vietnam News Agency, Phuong Lien and Nhat Nam from Government e-newspaper and Viet Anh from Vietnam Television. The organisation board also presented certificates of merit to outstanding press and information agencies, and Party organisations. Apart from Tri Dung, journalists from the Vietnam News Agency also brought home a third prize and a consolation prize. The agency was also one of the 15 press and information agencies, and Party organisations honoured at the ceremony. Addressing the event, head of the CPV Central Committees Organisation Commission Pham Minh Chinh, also head of the organising board, said the works provided a view of Party building in Viet Nam. Tran Quoc Vuong, head of the CPV Central Committees Inspection Commission, said that Party building was a task shared by all-level Party Committees and organisations, as well as the entire political system and citizens. The press plays an important role in the work, he stressed, asking Party Committees, authorities and the Fatherland Front and other organisations to create conditions for press agencies and journalists to popularise Party building. The 2018 Bua Liem Vang Press Awards, also the third edition of the contest, was also launched on this occasion. Party founding anniversary A delegation of national leaders on Saturday paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum and laid wreaths at the Heroic Martyrs Monument in Ha Noi on the occasion of the 88th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV). The delegation included Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Tran ai Quang, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man, among others. The leaders showed respect and gratitude towards President Ho Chi Minh, the founder and leader of the CPV, a vanguard organisation of the working class and the nation, and a decisive factor in Viet Nams revolution. Currently, the Party, people and army are implementing the Politburos directive on strengthening the studying and following of the thought, morality and style of President Ho Chi Minh in combination with the Party Central Committees resolution on Party building. At the Heroic Martyrs Monument, the delegation recalled the devotion of martyrs who died for national independence and reunification. The same day, representatives from the Central Military Commission, Defence Ministry, Public Security Ministry, the Party Committee and Peoples Committee of Ha Noi and the Party Central Committees Commission for Organisation also paid tribute to the martyrs at the Heroic Martyrs Monument. VNS HA NOI Trinh Xuan Thanh was sentenced to life imprisonment for embezzlement of VN14 billion (US$614,600) as well as for his ringleader role in a corruption case at a subsidiary of the countrys oil and gas giant PetroVietnam (PVN). Thanh, former chairman of PetroVietnam Construction JSC (PVC), a subsidiary of PVN, was also fined an additional VN50 million (US$2,200) in a verdict handed down by Ha Noi Peoples Court on Monday morning. The verdict concluded a two-week trial looking into wrongdoings at PetroVietnam Power Land JSC (PVP Land), PVCs real estate subsidiary. Seven defendants who were put to trial were also punished on charges of property misappropriation. The judges panel concluded that in the two-month period (from February to April 2010), Thanh, in collusion with several middlemen, had undersold more than 12 million shares of PVP Land in Xuyen Thai Binh Duong (TransPacific) company to a privately owned construction company, Minh Ngan. The loss to the State coffers, or the difference between actual price paid (VN34 million for every sq.m. for the Nam an Plaza project) and the contract price (VN52 million for every sq.m.) in the transaction reached up to VN87 billion ($3.82 million). The court said the defendants involved had split the illicitly gained VN49 billion among themselves, with Thanh taking the lions share of VN14 billion. inh Manh Thang, brother of the disgraced Politburo member, inh La Thang, together with two other middlemen influencing Thanh to agree to the underselling, pocketed VN5 billion. The late ang Sy Hung, head of economic planning of PVP Land, took VN20 billion, while two other representatives of PVPs capitals at PVP Land --- ao Duy Phong and Nguyen Ngoc Sinh --- took home VN8 billion and VN2 billion, respectively. Phong, chairman of PVP Land, was found to be the second most guilty, followed by Sinh. He was sentenced to 16 years of imprisonment while Sinh received 13 years. The jury said the defendants had been reasonably charged in line with existing law and that their representing lawyers arguments claiming their innocence were baseless. Viet Nams 2015 Penal Code prescribes imprisonment of 20 years, life sentence or even death for embezzlement of VN1 billion and above or for causing losses worth more than VN5 billion. Thanh could have faced the death sentence, but the court observed that since he had paid back all the money he misappropriated, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. In the previous trial that ended on January 22, Thanh was already sentenced to life imprisonment for embezzlement and serious economic mismanagement involving PVN and PVC during the construction of key power projects. VNS Handy: Iizuka Kazuhiro makes hand exercise tools at the Prosthetics and Orthotics Workshop at Thanh Hoa Nursing Rehabilitation Central Hospital. VNS Photo Bao Hoa Viet Nam News Bao Hoa HA NOI Thanh Hoa Province and Shizuoka Prefecture have one thing in common: they are both near the sea. This is the reason Iizuka Kazuhiro, a occupational therapist born and raised in the southern Japanese coastal province, chose to move to the central province in Viet Nam as a volunteer. Having worked at the Stroke Centre at Nishijima Hospital in Shizuoka Prefecture for seven years, Kazuhiro came to Viet Nam in March 2017 to volunteer at the Thanh Hoa Nursing - Rehabilitation Central Hospital through a volunteer programme run by the Japanese International Co-operation Agency (JICA). Working at the Department of Clinical - Rehabilitation, the 29-year-old is helping patients with brain injuries to restore their functional ability. Kazuhiro first became interested in working overseas during a trip to Cambodia, where he saw the first-aid methods used in road accidents there - and saw many people with disabilities living on the streets. I wanted to know more about the medical sectors and rehabilitation methods in developing countries, he said. It works: A patient does finger exercises using a hand-exercise tool made by Iizuka Kazuhiro. VNS Photo Bao Hoa Kazuhiros daily job involves instructing patients with physical exercises to recover their functional ability and daily living activities, and tracking their improvement. As most Vietnamese use motorbikes, the number of patients suffering from paralysis as the result of brain injuries from road accidents in Viet Nam is relatively higher than in Japan, he said. There is a big difference in the rehabilitation processes of the two countries, he added. Rehabilitation methods in Viet Nam are limited to muscle massaging and joint exercises, he said. A lot of patients are not able to return to work, and have to return to the hospital several times for further treatment, he said. In Japan we aim to help patients take care of themselves and get back to a normal life, he said. Language is the biggest obstacle for Kazuhiro as he can speak only a little Vietnamese. Work never exhausts me, but sometimes I feel helpless as I cant explain to my patients exactly what I want them to do, he said. The way back: Instructing a stroke patient how to do arm exercises. VNS Photo Bao Hoa But his patients understand him fine. Trinh Thu Hang, 13, who suffers from hemiplegia after a road accident a month ago, said Iizuka was very friendly and thoughtful. (Hemiplegia is a condition that affects one side of the body. It is caused by injury to parts of the brain that control movements of the limbs, trunk, face). He instructed me carefully with the exercises, and never lost his patience, she said. Kazuhiros presence also helps to reduce pressure on the rehabilitation department, whose patients range from 20 to 40 but has only two nurses and no occupational therapist. He introduced the department to the Brunnstrom Approach which sets out a sequence of stages of recovery from hemiplegia after a stroke, and the Barthel scale, which is a scale used to measure performance in activities of daily living. We rate patients improvements based on those scales, said Cao Thi Hien, a department nurse. They help us evaluate their levels of recovery in a more precise manner. From this, we can set clearer exercise objectives and plans for them. Helping hand: Occupational therapist Iizuka Kazuhiro helps a patient with hemiplegia do hand exercises. VNS Photo Bao Hoa Apart from modern equipment, lying around the rehabilitation room are simple hand-exercise tools, some of them made by Kazuhiro from everyday items such as bottle caps, coat hangers and carton boxes. He first attempted to make the tools after he was overcharged by providers of medical equipment. They charged me VN1-2 million (US$44-88) for simple hand-exercise equipment, he said. So I tried to make a simplified version of it, which cost only VN100,000, he said. Tong Van Truyen, an orthopaedic technician, said the tools were actually very practical and creative. They received positive feedback from several patients, he said. As a volunteer, Kazuhiro stays at a staff accommodation block inside the hospital. Outside work, he likes hanging out with his co-workers, who invite him to dinner a lot, he said. I even had a beer with my patients once, he said. The Japanese volunteer has no plans when his volunteer period ends in March next year, but working overseas is still on his wish-list. If thats not possible, I would like to return to work at Nishijima Hospital to share what I have learned in Viet Nam, he said. VNS Fire motorbikes can even take shortcuts through even smaller alleys to reach a fire faster. Photo kinhtedothi.vn HA NOI The network of deep, tiny alleys running side by side are part of the mysterious beauty of old Ha Noi, but they also pose a death trap for those in flats and houses along them when fire breaks out. The cobweb alleys, many of which are barely enough for two people to pass side-on, are impossible to reach in an ordinary fire truck. Then came a simple solution - fire motorbikes. A fire motorbike would look similar to regular motorbikes apart frome two large bags on either side carrying fire extinguishers and tools, and of course, a rider in a firefighter uniform. It is an effective firefighting solution for small alleys and streets, Colonel Nguyen Van Thang, deputy chief of the city Firefighter Police Division No 8 in Hai Ba Trung District, told the Kinh Te & o Thi (Economy and Urban Affairs) newspaper. Fire motorbikes can even take shortcuts through even smaller alleys to reach a fire faster. The bikes are equipped with pump, extinguisher, breaking tools and even respirator masks for residents trapped inside a house, Thang added. The most recent fatal blaze in a Ha Noi alley occurred last September, when flames burned down a seven square metre house on Hang Giay Street, killing two people trapped inside. Firefighters struggled to approach the house. Those trapped inside could not escape from the "iron cage" extension they had fled into because it blocked the exit on the rooftop. Such incidents are not rare in Ha Noi. Statistics by fire police estimate that central Hoan Kiem District where the touristy Old Quarter is located - has up to 1,700 alleys and 30 small streets unreachable by fire trucks. Most of the houses are seriously downgraded an few have emergency exits. This is made worse by the dangerously interlaced power lines hanging everywhere. A police report states that fire trucks cannot drive into 1,200 streets and have no hope of getting into thousands of small alleys. The difficult urban structure prompted the firefighters to find a new way to deal with the issue. The idea of fire motorbikes was brought out and piloted late last year at three firefighter divisions covering the districts of Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, ong a and Hoang Mai. Having used a fire motorbike to reach a couple of alley fires in ong a District, firefighter Nguyen Van Kien of the Firefighter Police Division No 2 told An Ninh Thu o (Capitals Security) newspaper that it had proved it was feasible by reducing the time to reach a fire. The extinguishers used by motorbike firefighters contain only 10 litres of water, but Kien said they could be connected to household valves for direct water supplies. Fire motorbikes were much more effective than ordinary fire trucks in alley-filled areas, sub-lieutenant Ta Tuong Truong from the Firefighter Police Division No 8 said, but residents were yet familiar with them and sometimes refused to make way for the rescuers.. VNS HCM CITY HCM City plans to have all students learn English since the first grade starting in the 2018-2019 academic year, according to Nguyen Quang Vinh, head of the primary education division at the citys Department of Education and Training. Based on a Government project entitled Teaching and Learning Foreign Languages in the National Education System in the 2008-2020 period, the citys Peoples Committee made a programme to implement a complusory education of English for students at all levels from elementary, secondary and high education (grades 1-12) from 2011 to 2020. The programme began in the 2012-2013 academic year. It aims to teach English to all students from the first to 12th grades with high quality, meeting the real demand of usage. In the programme, students are taught English with native teachers. Their capacity of using English is assessed by international standards. Nguyen Van Troi Primary School in District 4 is one of the schools to carry out this programme for its first graders and above. The primary school has five grades. Each grade has students in one to two classrooms learning English under the programme. In the first, second and third grades, students have lessons to help practise the skills of listening and speaking. Students in fourth and fifth grades learn sentence patterns. Tran Nguyen Nhu Quynh, an English teacher at Nguyen Van Troi Primary School, told Giao Duc Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh (HCM City Education) newspaper that most of the students learning English communicate confidently and freely. Many primary schools in the city have carried out other programmes to teach intensive English or integrate English into other content subjects besides the programme on complusory education of English for students at schools from 2011 to 2020, which is provided free. As of the 2017-2018 academic year, 91 per cent of students in the city have learnt English since the first grade. They have learned programmes of Phonics, DynEd, E-Study, i-Learn, ICLC and iSmar. The quality of English teaching at primary schools was not the same, Vinh said, adding that the department would recheck foreign language centres that co-operate with schools to teach English in the coming time to ensure more effectivenes. Moreoever, the department would ensure there is no monopoly of any foreign language centre or company in the co-operation with primary schools. However, Vinh said that many primary schools in the city faced difficulties in facilities for teaching English and recruitment of English teachers because of low salaries. In the 2016-2017 academic year, the city only recruited 1,797 English teachers, meeting 70 per cent of its total demand, the department said. Nearly 40 per cent of these teachers met the Ministry of Education and Trainings new standards. VNS HA NOI Various programmes to support workers were held in southern provinces, including ong Nai and Long An, on the occasion of Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, Vietnam News Agency reported. The Central Committee of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, in coordination with ong Nai Provincial Youth Union, organised a New Year Festival on Sunday night with workers at NhonTrach Industrial Zone in the province, attracting 3,000 workers and local people. The festival had contests such as wrapping banh chung (square glutinous cake) and decorating mam ngu qua (a set of five kinds of fruits) and other traditional games. On the occasion, the Central Youth Union presented 50 free one-way air tickets to disadvantaged workers who were unable to go home. The workers will depart one day before Tet and will be assisted by shuttle to Tan Son Nhat International Airport and from Noi Bai International Airport to five provinces in the north. The provincial Youth Union also gave over 4,000 Tet gift packages, worth VN2 billion (US$88,000), to needy workers. Nguyen Anh Tuan, secretary of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, said over the past few years, the Central Youth Union had worked with the Labour Confederation to direct local youth unions and trade unions to assist labourers through such meaningful activities as presenting gifts to disadvantaged workers, handing free bus tickets or helping them buy Vietnamese products with reasonable prices. The Youth Union has so far held 700 cultural activities and given 50,000 Tet gifts worth VN14.5 billion ($638,400) to underpriviledged workers. It also presented 100 free air tickets and 21,000 free bus tickets, as well as made available free home-coming buses on the occasion. Similar activities were also organised in the Mekong Delta province of Long An. During the festival, participants enjoyed many interesting performances and games. Some 500 gifts worth VN400,000 ($17.6) each were handed over to needy workers by the provincial Youth Union and donors. Also on Sunday, Bac Lieu Province Young Entrepreneurs Association presented more than 170 gifts worth VN300,000 ($13) to families of civil servants, workers and students with financial difficulties. VNS QUANG NINH Police in the northern province of Quang Ninh, in coordination with the Ministry of Public Security, have arrested two persons of Chinese nationality who are wanted by police in China. The arrested individuals have been identified as Ceng Gou Qiang, 37, and his wife, Yang Ming Hua, 36. The couple are wanted for appropriating property. The duo had illegally entered Viet Nam via the Mong Cai border area and did not have passports and identification documents issued by China. Hua was arrested on Saturday while hiding in southern Can Tho City. Police arrested Qiang on Sunday on Trung Luong Highway in southern Tien Giang Provinces Chau Thanh District as he tried to escape. The couple confessed their crime to police and said they were trying to cross over the border to a third country. VNS HA NOI The Ministry of Health has issued an urgent notice asking health departments to strengthen their measures against flu, with the number of flu patients rising. Deputy minister Nguyen Thanh Long on Friday acknowledged that the flu was spreading in several localities. Ha Noi, which is still in a cold spell, witnessed a hike of children sick with the flu recently. The National Hospital of Pediatrics said more than 1,000 children caught the flu in January alone, of whom some 220 in serious conditions had to stay at the hospital for treatment. More sick children were also recorded at other hospitals, with many diagnosed with the influenza A and B viruses, which can be fatal. Seasonal flu is also sweeping the United States while China and North Korea have announced cases of the swine influenza A/H7N9 and A/H1N1 virus, respectively. The health ministry asked local departments to keep guiding residents on flu prevention measures and to focus on early detection and quarantine work. Health departments should work closely with veterinary agencies and relevant units to detect and handle any flu outbreaks among poultry, and to tightly control the trans-border sale and transportation of sick poultry, to prevent virus transmission to people. The ministry also recommended citizens not go to crowded places where an outbreak occurred, and encouraged them to get flu vaccinations if possible. According to the World Health Organisation, about 5 to 10 per cent of adults and between 20 and 30 per cent of children in the world are infected with flu every year. Of which, from 250,000 to half a million die due to the disease. VNS WASHINGTON Bitterly divided US lawmakers return this week to face a shrinking window for reaching deals on immigration, federal spending and the debt, as Republican infighting swirls and President Donald Trump complains he is getting zero cooperation from Democrats. Trump vowed during his State of the Union address last week to "extend an open hand" to both parties in pursuing an immigration deal that shields 1.8 million undocumented migrants from deportation. But his proposal has been savaged by opposition Democrats, and Trumps "open hand" soon wagged an accusatory finger. "They Resist, Blame, Complain and Obstruct - and do nothing" to break the immigration stalemate, Trump tweeted a few days after his January 30 speech. Congress has also been haggling over spending caps for domestic programmes and the military as they seek to finalize a budget for the remainder of 2018. But Republican leaders have acknowledged they will not meet a Thursday deadline for a spending bill, and will have to pass yet another stopgap measure this week -- with help from Democrats -- to avoid a government shutdown. House Speaker Paul Ryan said that while both sides were "making progress" on a budget agreement, a temporary spending bill was necessary to keep the lights on in Washington. "Were still negotiating the contents and the duration of that," he said. Lawmakers are smarting from an embarrassing three-day shutdown last month, when Democrats refused to back a spending measure that did not break the immigration impasse. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said this time he did not expect another threat of a government shutdown, which Trump critics blamed on Republicans but McConnell pinned on Democrats. "Theres no education in the second kick of a mule," the Kentucky lawmaker said. Debt ceiling limit looms Complicating the legislative schedule, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has warned Congress that the Treasury has enough cash to pay its bills only through February 28 without hitting the debt limit and using extraordinary measures to keep payments flowing. That is earlier than expected, the Congressional Budget Office said, because last years $1.5 trillion tax cut is resulting in less federal revenue. Raising the debt ceiling has led to high-risk political showdowns in recent years. With the national debt exceeding US$20 trillion, some fiscal conservatives have signalled they may demand spending cuts in order to vote to raise the limit. The crammed to-do list is further jeopardized by the partisan feuding gripping Washington over an explosive Republican memorandum that Trump declassified on Friday. House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes argues in the document that the FBI engaged in abuse of power by relying on unsubstantiated evidence to track a Trump campaign aide. In a strongly worded letter to the president, 10 top Democrats warned of "a constitutional crisis" should he use the memo as a pretext for firing the special prosecutor heading an investigation into possible collusion between Trumps campaign and Moscow. AFP BRUSSELS Belgium will be on high alert on Monday as the last surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, stands trial in Brussels over a shootout that led to his capture. Elite forces will guard the 28-year-olds transfer from a jail near the French capital to the trial, while hundreds of Belgian security forces will protect the court building. Abdeslam, a Belgian-born French national of Moroccan descent, is charged with "attempting to murder several police officers in a terrorist context" and of "carrying prohibited weapons in a terrorist context". The charges concern a gunbattle in the Belgian capital on March 15, 2016, four months after the Paris attacks, which led to his capture days later. Three police officers were wounded and a fellow jihadist was killed. Abdeslam and the man arrested with him, Tunisian national Sofiane Ayari, 24, could serve up to 40 years in prison if convicted. The trial is the prelude to a later one in France and prosecutors hope the Brussels trial will yield clues not only about the attacks that killed 130 people in Paris but also the suicide bombings months later in Brussels. Abdeslam has refused point-blank to speak to investigators throughout the nearly two years since his arrest, which capped a four-month hunt for Europes most wanted man. But he has insisted on attending the Brussels trial, which is expected to last four days, raising the question of whether he will use it to break his silence. Belgiums federal prosecutor Frederic Van Leeuw said "it is important for the victims" that the trial yield clues behind the two attacks. Massive security Tight secrecy surrounds the plans for transferring Abdeslam from Paris to the Palais de Justice in Brussels, and then back to a prison just across the border in northern France every night. French and Belgian forces will take joint responsibility for escorting the defendant from Frances Vendin-le-Vieil prison. He will be taken either by road or by helicopter but a decision will not be made until the last moment. Security forces are leaving no scenario to chance -- escape bids, suicide attempts and even another attack -- for the first public appearance of the boyish former bar owner. In Brussels, police will have to guard a building with a surface area greater than that of Saint Peters Basilica in Rome. Investigators believe Abdeslams capture caused members of his jihadist cell to bring forward plans for the attacks in Brussels. Suicide attacks on March 22, 2016, killed 32 people at Brussels airport and a metro station near the EU headquarters. The same cell is believed to have been behind both the Paris and Brussels attacks, which were claimed by the Islamic State group. Abdeslam has spent nearly 20 months in isolation under 24-hour video surveillance at Fleury-Merogis prison near Paris, after being transferred to France after his arrest. AFP TOKYO Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday welcomed the result of a mayoral election in the southern Japanese island of Okinawa seen as key to pushing ahead with a decades-old plan to relocate a US military base. Taketoyo Toguchi, a candidate backed by Abes ruling bloc, narrowly won Sundays vote in the town of Nago in northern Okinawa, preventing incumbent Susumu Inamine from serving a third term, the local election board said. Inamine is a strong opponent of the joint US-Japan project to move the US Marines Futenma Air Station from an urban area in the south of Okinawa to Nago, which lies on the coast. Toguchi has not openly discussed his position on the relocation plan, running instead on a pledge to boost the citys tourism. Local media had dubbed the race a "proxy war" between Okinawa governor Takeshi Onaga, who is opposed to the US base plan, and Abes government, with the vote seen as a precursor to Okinawas gubernatorial election later this year. Abe welcomed Toguchis victory in comments on Monday. "Im really grateful for the victory and I appreciate Nago citizens for electing him," he told reporters. "On the base issue, I will proceed with the plan with the understanding of the citizens," Abe said. Japan and the US agreed in 1996 to move the base from the town of Ginowan to the Nago coast but the plan has been stalled due to opposition from many residents of Okinawa, which hosts the bulk of some 47,000 US troops based in Japan. Opponents of the base want it relocated out of Okinawa altogether. Several recent incidents have fuelled local opposition, including an emergency landing by an American military helicopter two weeks ago. A series of crimes including rapes, assaults, hit-and-run and drink-driving accidents by US personnel have also triggered protests on Okinawa, and are a frequent irritant in relations between close security allies Japan and the US. Okinawa was the site of a major World War II battle that was followed by a 27-year US occupation of the island, and it would serve as a launchpad for any American military activity in Asia. In Sundays election, Toguchi won 20,389 votes to beat Inamine, who received 16,931 votes. 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constitution." U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is threatening to ban the import and export of oil and crude products from Venezuela into the U.S. to pressure President Nicolas Maduro to "return to the constitution." "Obviously, sanctioning the oil or in effect prohibiting the oil to be sold in the United States, or for the United States as well to sell or provide oil to Venezuela, or refined products, is something we continue to consider," Tillerson told the press today from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Venezuela continues to be the U.S.s third-largest oil supplier. Approximately 90 percent of Venezuelas gross domestic product (GDP) comes from crude and its extracts. "One of the aspects of considering sanctioning oil is what effect would it have on the Venezuelan people? Is it a step that might bring this to an end more rapidly?", Tillerson said in a press conference referring to the U.S. governments desire to topple the democratically elected Maduro government. The U.S. already placed sanctions on several high-ranking Venezuelan government and business officials in order to oust its president. The socialist incumbent was officially named his partys candidate on Friday, the same day that Tillerson kick-started his week-long Latin American and Caribbean tour that began in Mexico. In a prelude to the tour, the secretary of state made thinly veiled reference to U.S. support of a military coup in Venezuela to overturn the Maduro government at the University of Texas at Austin, last Thursday. "In the history of Venezuela and South American countries, it is often times that the military is the agent of change when things are so bad and the leadership can no longer serve the people," Tillerson to the university audience. "The secretary of state, Tillerson, goes on a tour of five countries. What for? To conspire against President Maduro, against the Bolivarian revolution, against the people of Venezuela," Maduro rebutted to Tillerson in a speech to the President's party, United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). "But imperialism ... has turned out to be a paper tiger, and here we have a true and vigorous revolution," the incumbent added. Tillerson is currently in Argentina meeting with the countrys Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie. Faurie said his country would "closely follow" the possibility of fuel sanctions as long as they "never harm the Venezuelan people." The U.S. secretary of state will next head to Peru, then Colombia and ends his trip in Jamaica. CHICAGO, IL, February 05, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- DreamOneLove, the famous online dating site to meet Ukranian Women is in the process to launch a new chat based on WebRTC technology. WebRTC is a free and open project that enables high-quality RTC applications to be developed and used on all the browsers. The dating platform has decided to use this latest technology because most of the browsers give more preference and support to WebRTC technology over flash. To make this thing happen to it, DreamOneLove has collaborated with a company of professional developers who develop chats on WebRTC technology. WebRTC is an open-source project that was released by Google particularly for browser-based real-time communications. The advantage of this technology is that it allows broadcasting in Android and Apple as well. "We are hoping to develop more such user- friendly platforms, so that communication between the farthest corners of this planet is possible," said the head of the administrative department of the Company. The collaboration between the two companies is for providing an easy-to-use and faster chat that can get full support on all the browsers. DreamOneLove receives users from across the world, so it has taken this step to get a platform that can make the communication process more advanced and easier. Extending its service from writing letters and an old traditional way of communicating to arranging for video chat or an assemblage, this dating site has become popular amongst all age groups. "We are expecting more users on our platform as this newly developed chat platform will remove many hassles and make the communication between two people more swift," said the DreamOneLove's media team. The new chat is expected to be launched by the next month. DreamOneLove has opened windows to new directions, giving the people a chance to explore the chemistry of blissfulness, so it is expected that the new chat option will engage more users to this dating platform. About DreamOneLove Launched in 2011, DreamOnelove is a famous online dating site to meet Ukrainian women online. It was started by a group of private investors from Ukraine and Great Britain. It's simply an online dating service that gives the possibility for men from all over the world to meet beautiful girls from Ukraine. About WebRTC Technology WebRTC is a collection of protocols and interfaces that establish real-time communication between peers. Even Google Chrome and Firefox browser use this technological platform as well. They establish real-time communication mediums by using APIs or JAVA script. # # # Feb 5, 2018 | By Benedict Printing giant HP has introduced a new full color 3D printer series, Jet Fusion 300 / 500, with prices starting at around $50,000. The company has also announced a new collaboration with Dassault Systemes. HPs new Jet Fusion 300 / 500 3D printing solution for functional prototyping and short run production New HP color 3D printer series: Jet Fusion 300 / 500 Accurate, affordable color 3D printing is the end goal for many manufacturers, many of whom spend countless hours coloring their 3D prints after theyve left the print bed. A better solutionbut one that is currently costly, difficult, and exclusive to a select range of additive manufacturing systemsis simply 3D printing objects in full color. Stratasys has long been at the forefront of full color 3D printing, while a few FDM 3D printer companies have come up with more affordable solutions to the coloration problem. Today, another option has been added. As hinted at in its Q4 announcement in November, printing giant HP has now entered the color 3D printing game, by announcing a new series of Jet Fusion 3D printers: Jet Fusion 300 / 500. Prices start in the $50,000s, which HP says is generous enough to get small or medium-size product developers using the new additive manufacturing tech. HPs new Jet Fusion 300 / 500 3D printers produce engineering-grade, functional parts in full color, black or white So are these new 3D printers something to get excited about? Quite possibly, yes. HP is saying its new Jet Fusion printers are the first machines in the 3D printing industry that enable manufacturers to produce engineering-grade, functional parts in full color with voxel-level control and ultra-fast printing speeds. The printers could be a massive boost, HP says, for those in healthcare, automotive, consumer goods, or other industries. Included with the new Jet Fusion color 3D printers is what HPs calls the worlds first integrated and automated materials delivery system, which allows for simple, hands-off printing for increased efficiency, while the 300 / 500 series also supports the three leading color file formats: OBJ, VRML, and 3MF. The first models in the 300 / 500 range are: HP Jet Fusion 340 (Black and White) / 380 (Color): smaller part sizes or fewer parts per build HP Jet Fusion 540 (Black and White) / 580 (Color): bigger build size for larger parts or heavier production demands These new 3D printers are being launched with a new material, HP 3D High Reusability CB PA 12, which promises mechanical properties similar to the HP 3D High Reusability PA 12 material. More will follow through HPs Open Platform for materials. HP Multi Jet Fusion technology features voxel-level control and is changing the way the world designs and manufactures (Image: Invent Medical and NACAR) HP is committed to democratizing 3D design and manufacturing, unleashing new possibilities for millions of innovators around the world, said Stephen Nigro, President of 3D Printing at HP. No matter your industry, no matter your design complexity, no matter what colors fit your business needsblack, white, or the full color spectrumthe new HP Jet Fusion 300 / 500 series gives you the freedom to create brilliant new parts liberated from the constraints of traditional production methods. The HP Jet Fusion 300 / 500 3D printers are available for order now and will begin shipping in the second half of 2018. HP collab with Dassault Systemes In what is turning out to be a busy week for HP, the printing company has also used the annual SOLIDWORKS World conference to announce a partnership with Dassault Systemes. The companies will optimize Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS 3D design and engineering applications to take advantage of the voxel-level capabilities of HPs Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing solutions. As part of the deal, HP and Dassault Systemes will align their future technology roadmaps, including upcoming releases in the SOLIDWORKS portfolio and the aforementioned HP Jet Fusion 300 / 500 color 3D printers. Part of this alignment will involve a focus on the 3MF 3D printing standard, supported by companies like Microsoft, Autodesk, SLM Solutions, and Shapeways. The $12 trillion manufacturing market is being digitally transformed, and HP and Dassault Systemes share a vision to change the way the world designs and manufactures, Nigro said of the partnership. We are honored to bring the HP Multi Jet Fusion platform together with SOLIDWORKS leading design platform and millions of users worldwide to give creators the the tools to build the next great innovations. Posted in 3D Printer Maybe you also like: by Bill Benzon Science fiction isnt just thinking about the world out there. Its also thinking about how that world might bea particularly important exercise for those who are oppressed, because if theyre going to change the world we live in, theyand all of ushave to be able to think about a world that works differently. Samuel Delany New York 2140, as many of you know, is Kim Stanley Robinsons latest novel, a hefty doorstop of a book at a few pages over 600. The title tells the tale, well not all of it by any means, heck, not much of it at all, but it tips you to the central premise: this is a story set in New York City in the year 2140. After the flood. Actually, its after two floods, called pulses in the book, a term suggesting that theyre but inflections in the global climate system, though Robinson clearly believes that human activity ramped them up. Consequently, the sea in 2140 is much higher than it is now, fifty feet higher. Manhattan below 50th Street is under water, but most of the buildings remain. People live and work in them and get around by boat and by skybridges. And its like that all over the world. Coastal cities have flooded, but people remain. Its called the intertidal, this vast worldwide coastal boondocks. Its not fully wild, but its no longer fully civilized, whatever that means. Its legally ambiguous, lots of off-grid activity, lots of informal mutual-aid living. The two pulses have weakened nation-states in favor of private institutions and the world remains split into a large sprawling 99+% and a much smaller (fraction of) 1%, who rule over everything by speculating in real estate and financial instruments. New York 2140 is about how a small handful of 99 percenters living in one building in lower Manhattan manage to put a monkey wrench into the whole shebang and bring it to its knees. It is thus a comedy, in the literary sense of the word (e.g. Dantes Divine Comedy), with an optimistic outlook. Im going to take a longish passage from about two-thirds of the way through and use it as a prism or a Leibnizian monad to examine the whole. At this point three of our central characters are spinning out a scheme to save the building where they live and do a few other things as well. Mutt, thinking to divert Jeffs no doubt withering critique of their young financier, says, Have you ever noticed that our building is a kind of actor network that can do things? We got the cloud star, the lawyer, the building expert, the building itself, the police detective, the money manadd the getaway driver and its a fucking heist movie! So who are we? Jeff says. We are the wise old geezers, Jeffrey But thats Gordon Hexter, Jeff points out. No, were the two old Muppets on the balcony, cracking lame jokes. Lame-ass jokes, says Mutt. I like that. Me too. But isnt it a little weird that we have all the right players here to change the world? Charlotte shakes her head. Confirmation bias. That or else representation error. Im forgetting the name, shit. Its the one where you think what you see is all of whats going on. A very elementary cognitive error. Ease of representation, Jeff says. Its an availability heuristic. You think what you see is the totality. Thats right, thats the one. Mutt acknowledges this, but says, On the other hand, we do have quite a crew here. Charlotte says, Everybody does. There are two thousand people living in this building, and you only know twenty of them, and I only know a couple hundred, and so we think theyre the important ones. But how likely is that? Its just ease of representation. And every building in lower Manhattan is the same, and theyre part of the mutual aid society, and those are everywhere now, all over the drowned world. Probably every intertidal building in the world is just like us. For sure everyone I meet in my job is. So its mistaking the particular for the general? Mutt says. Something like that. And theres something like two hundred major coastal cities, all just as drowned as New York. Like a billion people. And were all wet, were all in the precariat, were all pissed off at Denver and at the rich assholes still parading around. We all want justice and revenge. (pp. 399-400) And thats what it is, a heist movie, as though the Oceans Eleven series had continued on past 12 and 13 to, say, Oceans Ninety-Seven. Only now ocean isnt the name of a thief, it is the Atlantic Ocean which, riled up by a hurricane, floods New York City. But that doesnt happen until later in the book. At this point the heist is simply being planned and the Atlantic is, well, the Atlantic. Mutt, Jeff, and Charlotte are three of the planners, out of a crew of ten or so. As the story opens the crew dont know one another. It takes Robinson 60 or so pages to bring them all on stage and a couple of hundred more to weave them all into a crew planning the heist of the century. Mutt and Jeff are the first ones we meet. Theyre computing programmers working in finance whore planning to hack the world-wide financial system. Until they disappear. They disappear from temporary quarters in the Met Life tower, where Charlotte, the lawyer, is head of the co-op board. Her ex-husband is head of the Federal Reserve, a post which gives him some purchase on the ruling financial oligarchy. And since she remains on good terms with him, that gives our heist crew at least the beginnings of purchase on them as well. And, of course, theres the software hack which Mutt and Jeff have been working on. Some of you may be thinking, Isnt Mutt and Jeff the name of an old-timey cartoon strip? Yes, it is. Names rang a bell as soon as I read them at the top of the first page. I even saw the strip as a kid, but didnt read it. So I dont know whether Robinson is playing off of it in any interesting way. You may also recognize two old Muppets on the balcony as a reference to Statler and Waldorf in The Muppets Show. Im guessing its no more than that, but who knows? Without more context, however, you probably dont know what cloud star means. Shes an entertainer who flies around the world in an airship moving specimens of endangered species from dodgy habitats to more hospitable ones. Shes got a world-wide following in the millions, and hence is a star, and her distribution medium is the digital cloud, presumably a continuation of the very same cloud through which you have access to 3 Quarks Daily. So, weve got two programmers, a media star, a well-connected lawyer living in in the Met Life tower. Theyre plotting a heist with the help of the building expert (that is, the building super), a money man, who runs a fund trading in securities pegged to the value of intertidal properties, the police detective (who plays a role in figuring out where Mutt and Jeff were disappeared to), and the building itself, described as a kind of actor network that can do things. Actor network is surely a reference to Bruno Latour, a philosopher and sociologist of science who has elaborated actor-network theory (ANT), which is a way of thinking about the world in which everything is an agent of some kind; Latour has also written about Gaia and climate change. Sure, people are agents, but so are pencils, and the paper they mark up, not to mention the table on which the paper rests, and the trees whose wood became paper and pencils and who knows what else, and the tools used in felling the trees, and so forth and so on. All these actors, inanimate and animate, interact act through networks, and one can even treat an actor-network itself as an agent. Thats what Mutt is saying about the Met Life tower, where they live. Its an actor in the story. It was built in the early 20th century in lower Manhattan Robinson gives us its history as an office building. It is now a residential co-op, with individual apartments being quite small. There is a large communal dining area where people can take meals a number of scenes are set in this space and a large area given over to indoor farming. Theres another area where people who have small boats can store them; our money man is one of these people. All of the central characters in the story live in this building two of these characters, treasure-seeking teenaged boys arent mentioned in the quoted passage; theyre guided by that Gordon Hexter fellow and consequently much of the books action takes place in the building. And much of the action perhaps more happens at various places in New York City as well, with the Met Life tower acting as a central hub. Our cloud star her name is Amelia roams as far as Antarctica. As the heist moves into high gear, action ripples around the world through that same cloud. That brings us to the central statement in that passage: But isnt it a little weird that we have all the right players here to change the world? Charlotte goes on to point out that every building is like that. Well, not every building, we know that. But a lot of them and theyre all over the world. There are two thousand people living in this building, and you only know twenty of them, and I only know a couple hundred, and so we think theyre the important ones. But how likely is that? Its just ease of representation. And every building in lower Manhattan is the same, and theyre part of the mutual aid society, and those are everywhere now, all over the drowned world. Probably every intertidal building in the world is just like us. [] Like a billion people. And were all wet, were all in the precariat, were all pissed off at Denver and at the rich assholes still parading around. We all want justice and revenge. Its a modular world theyre living in bees in a hive? The Met Life module is pretty much like all the other modules in some important respects: its inhabitants are precarious and aching for justice and revenge. Thats whats required for this particular heist to work, a population eager for change and ready to move. Youll have to read the book to get the details of the heist its nothing so crude as scoring a huge pile of cash. The billion in the precariat are ready to move. Our heist crew simply figures out a scheme that sets them off. That scheme involves broadcasting in the cloud, buying out the Met Life tower (with the treasure our two teen-aged boys uncover) manipulating the financial system, and getting the Federal Reserve and, more generally, the federal government to do the right thing, which is rather different from what happened in the wake of the financial collapse of 2008. And the book itself is modular. Well, all books, indeed all texts, are modular. Sentences constructed of words, paragraphs of sentences, chapters of paragraphs, and the book of chapters. But Robinson has constructed New York 2140 in a way that emphasizes its modular structure. It consists of eight main sections, each called a part and each numbered along with a descriptive label: Part One. The Tyranny of Sunk Costs, Part Two. Expert Overconfidence, and so forth. Each part consists of eight or sometimes nine chapters, each designated by a letter and the name of a character: a) Mutt and Jeff, b) Inspector Gen, and so forth. Each of these named chapters emphasizes the named character but, as things get rolling, other characters will be called on in a given chapter. The story itself is contingent, opportunistic, chaotic, and thus self-organizing. The characters are strangers to one another at the beginning and only gradually come in contact with one another. Its almost as though Robinson reached into a random living module (aka building) full of characters, pulled out a random handful, set them down, and then let them go about their business. He could have reached into any module and likely gotten a similar result, though the specific pattern would differ in countless details. But this is the one he chose. It takes awhile for these characters to learn one anothers business enough for a plan to emerge, here and there, and awhile for them to trust one another to move toward execution. Then plan never gets fully formed before a post hurricane storm surge begins forcing things. And then our cloud star jumps the gun, as if there were anything so specific as a gun to be jumped. At that point everyone scrambles. And the result, I find, is satisfying. It gives me hope that perhaps we can cope our way out of the mess weve boxed ourselves into. Its a convincing fiction, perhaps even a true lie. * * * * * An exercise for the reader: Compare and contrast a standard heist movie, such as Oceans Eleven or The Italian Job, with New York 2140. For example: both center on a small gang of people with different skills Mutt mentions this in the quote Ive used in this essay. But, the heist movie has a mastermind who plots the whole thing. There as no mastermind in New York 2140. Now its your turn. You might want to pick a specific heist film so you can do into detail when sketching out the actor network (Latour). * * * * * I began writing and thinking about New York 2140 in comments to Leanne Ogasawaras post, Knowing Bitter Melon and Global Warming (). Ive written a number of posts about the book a New Savanna and collected them under this tag, NY2140. The original site was designed by S. Abbas Raza in 2004 but soon completely redesigned by Mikko Hypponen and deployed by Henrik Rydberg. It was later upgraded extensively by Dan Balis in 2006. The next major revision was designed by S. Abbas Raza, building upon the earlier look, and coded by Dumky de Wilde in 2013. And this current version 5.0 has been designed and deployed by Dumky de Wilde in collaboration with S. Abbas Raza. by Evert Cilliers Hitler and Mussolini came to power because they were freely elected by their people, with the complicity of many in the established political class. Can the same thing happen in America with the freely elected President Trump, who is being coddled by our established political class in the GOP? After all, in true authoritarian fashion, Trump attacks the free press, attacks our courts, attacks the FBI and the Justice Department, and tells half a dozen lies a day. Never before has so much crap been dropped from the piehole of an American president. It's something we've never seen in all of our history. Unprecedented. Bizarro. Weird beyond weird. We now have a presidential moron who, in between his intake of junk food and junk news, spends his days shitting on our democracy. Ezra Klein wrote at Vox: "This was a year in which Trump undermined the press, fired the director of the FBI, cozied up to Russia, baselessly alleged he was wiretapped, threatened to jail his political opponents, publicly humiliated his attorney general for recusing himself from an investigation, repeatedly claimed massive voter fraud against him, appointed a raft of unqualified and occasionally ridiculous candidates to key positions, mishandled the aftermath of the Puerto Rico hurricane, and threatened to use antitrust and libel laws against his enemies." 1. Why Trump Can't Become Our Mussolini or Putin To get back to Hitler and Mussolini, their establishment parties saw that these two gentlemen had enthusiastic bases. They wanted that enthusiasm for themselves, and they got it when they backed Hitler and Mussolini. They weren't too worried, because they thought they could control Hitler and Mussolini. Boy, did they get that wrong. Fortunately, in America we have a democracy that's been going for far longer than Germany and Italy have been actual unified states. So even though we have a would-be dictator and a party who indulges his assholicity, we won't go the way of pre-war Germany and Italy. After all, we have a robust press and a robust legal system (rigged against blacks, but more or less fair to whites). And we have a very liberal California and the very vocal opposition of millions of our women, blacks and Hispanics. Women have marched against Trump after his inauguration and again last month, and their votes may help give the House and the Senate to the Democrats in November this year. And women are running for office all over. More than 20,000 women have contacted Emily's List to say they're interested in running for office, and before Trump, that number was only in the hundreds every year. There's a Pink Wave coming. That's one good thing that Trump has done: he has fired up woman and progressives, and united the opposition against him. 2. The Damage The GOP Have Done To Our Health Given our strong press, many of our sane judges, our fired-up women, our dependable blacks, and California, what happened in Germany and Italy, and what's happening in Hungary and Turkey today (where popularly elected leaders have become rather authoritarian), is unlikely to happen here. Despite his admiration for Putin and other dictators, Trump will not become our own Putin. But who can really tell? Today, democracies die differently. As Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt wrote in their book "How Democracies Die": "This is how democracies now die. Blatant dictatorship in the form of fascism, communism, or military rule has disappeared across much of the world. Military coups and other violent seizures of power are rare. Most countries hold regular elections. Democracies still die, but by different means. Since the end of the Cold War, most democratic breakdowns have been caused not by generals and soldiers but by elected governments themselves. Like Chavez in Venezuela, elected leaders have subverted democratic institutions in Georgia, Hungary, Nicaragua, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Ukraine. Democratic backsliding today begins at the ballot box." Again, I think we'll survive Trump. Our democracy is older than Croesus. But there is a big but. In the short year that Trump and the GOP have dominated our government, they've done great damage to America. EPA standards are being rolled back by a guy who used to sue the EPA before Trump appointed him to run it. Protected land is now open to drilling for oil. The polluting coal industry is being saved from its natural death spiral. Our environment is in great danger. Much of the produce from California, who farm over 80% of what you eat, is being irrigated by oil industry effluent the oil industry sells the leftover water used in their manufacturing processes to farmers, because they've run out of places to store it. This water is poisonous, ridden with oil and chemicals. It's going into our aquifers. You could get cancer from the fruit you eat. 3. The Damage They've Done To Our Diversity Trump rose to political prominence with the birther lie and by demonizing immigrants (whom most of us descend from). He spent the immigrant proportion of his State of the Union speech talking about criminals, the notorious MS-13 gang. Yet the plain fact is that immigrants commit only half as many crimes as the rest of us. They're working too hard to have time for crime. But to Trump, immigrants are criminals and terrorists. And this is what his base believes. So our government targets immigrants. ICE is being let loose on our hard-working immigrants. Last week an immigrant father who's been here 40 years and has employed many Americans, was arrested for deportation without even getting the chance to say goodbye to his family. Fortunately a judge gave him that chance. The Dreamers may lose their dreams. Trans-gender people are being targeted. Evangelicals are free to spout their homophobic rhetoric. White supremacists adore Trump and are on the march. Trump took his time to get our government involved in hurricane-destroyed Puerto Rico. He said they expect too much and want everything done for them, and they shouldn't expect help for too long. Meanwhile, he promised white Houston that he would never abandon them. The Justice Department is being run by a far-right zealot who wants judges to give out more severe sentences so we can fill up our strained jails even fuller (with 5% of the world's population, we have 25% of its prisoners). Jeff Sessions also has a bee in his bonnet about weed, when most Americans are cool with it. Heck, alcohol is worse than dope, which happens to have medicinal benefits. 4. The Economic Damage They've Done To Regular Folks This may be the biggest under-reported scandal of the Trump administration: A guy from Goldman Sachs, Gary Cohn, who was one of the Wall Street guys responsible for the sub-prime crisis that led to the Great Recession, is now a top economic adviser to Trump. At Goldman Sachs, Mr Cohn packaged and sold sub-prime deals, and then, when he realized they were crap, he bet against them, while continuing to sell this shit to his clients behavior for which Goldman had to pay big fines. But for which no-one at Goldman Sachs was ever charged. Instead, Obama gave these Wall Streets crooks more money. This Gary Cohn, this white-collar crook, this complete cheat, who has made half a billion bucks from his criminal behavior, is now one of the main guys running our economy. Yes, we now have an out-and-out crook in charge of us. Gary Cohn is giving Goldman Sachs all the freedoms they need to keep ripping us off. Dodd-Frank is being gutted. Wall Street is being encouraged to lumber us with yet another recession. Donald Trump, who used anti-Goldman Sachs rhetoric to get elected, now has more Goldman guys in his government than Obama, Bush or Clinton had. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, that great invention of Senator Warren that has forced many financial cheats to pay back what they chiseled from regular Americans, has been defanged. It's now being run by Mick Mulvaney a CFPB foe serving part-time as its acting director. Business is being deregulated at an alarming rate, with dire consequences for our health, both physical and economic. Stocks are on a tear, but that only helps shareholders; most of us don't have enough money to own stocks. Corporations have had their taxes cut from 35% to 21%, and more than 80% of the new tax benefits are going to the top 1%. These tax cuts will explode the deficit and give the GOP an excuse to cut back what they call "entitlements" our social welfare net, Social Security, Medicare, et al, which has alleviated poverty among our seniors. Here's something I wrote some time ago: "After WW2, for every dollar that individuals paid in taxes, corporations paid $1.50. Today it's 25 cents. Corporations used to pay more taxes than people, but now people pay more taxes than corporations. Goldman Sachs often pays less than 2% in taxes, and GE often nothing. Us hard-working regular folks (Romney's notorious 47%) are not the takers who mooch off the government tit our big corporations are. So are our 1%. Since 1997 the 400 richest Americans have more than tripled their average annual income to $345m, while their taxes have gone down by 40%. A billionaire like Romney pays 13% in taxes, far less than you and I." And after the new tax law, things are worse. So even though Trump will not become our dictator he won't last beyond 2020 the damage that he and his party is doing to us is terrifyingly deep. The next Democratic president will have to spend most of her first term cleaning up the mess left by the GOP, which is what Democrats always have to do. 5. The Damage Trump Does To Our Moral Authority Something Jimmy Kimmel said about Trump: "Here's how our government works now. If your party is in charge, you can lie, you can cheat, you can game the system to benefit your buddies. You can basically do whatever you want. And then when a newspaper digs whatever you did up and publishes a story about it, you don't just attack the facts, you don't just attack the story, you attack the newspaper." America now has no moral authority left in the world. We can't lecture other countries about democracy, or how they might be failing at it. After all, what is our leader doing and saying? Because of Trump, America now has the moral authority of a rock spider. 6. How Democrats May Fix Things I can imagine that the next Democratic president will rush to protect our environment; help make our energy sources greener (something happening anyway, as green energy becomes cheaper than fossil fuels); stop this malarkey about election "fraud"; champion our freedom to smoke pot; strengthen Social Security and Medicare; get the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau back on its feet; raise the minimum wage; promote free tuition in state colleges; introduce Medicare for all; and be kinder to immigrants. In other words, carry out the incredibly sensible Bernie Sanders agenda. But what about regulating big business and Wall Street? What about the new tax rate for business? What about our tax burdens being shifted from business onto the backs of regular folks? Will Democratic government be able to roll any of that back? Will they even want to roll that back, when they're financed big-time by Wall Street? That may be the GOP damage that could become permanent. If that is the only legacy left by our would-be dictator, it will be bad enough. Let's hope we never elect a mini-Mussolini as president again. by Leanne Ogasawara Once upon a time, the world was full of miracles. And oh, that was the miracle of those two spires of Chartres Cathedral! Separated in time by some four hundred years, the spires can still be glimpsed past fields of wheat, rising up over the low town; a town which itself has somehow retained its old medieval quality. Very much like the legendary first view of Mont Saint-Michel one gets from a distance, it is the unexpected vision of those cathedral spires arising out of the clear blue sky that makes arriving at Chartres so emotionally stirring an experience. We were following in the footsteps of Henry Adams. The son of Abraham Lincoln's ambassador to London, it wasn't just his father who was a great man; for Henry Adams' grandfather and great-grandfather were US presidents. A historian and man of letters, I had never realized until I stumbled on his book about Chartres that Henry Adams was a Harvard-trained medievalist. And an excellent one at that. His book, Mont Saint-Michel and Chartres is written in the finest 19th century classical essay style. Engaging and filled with all manner of playful and dazzlingly-told medievalisms, the book became the blueprint for our own journey in Northern France this past summer. So, since Adams begins his travelogue with Mont Saint-Michelso did we. I've already written about our stay on the Mont in my July post Benedictine Dreams. Even now, I cannot get the sound of the seagulls and church bells out of my mind: or of walking across the bridge of dreams toward that fairy palace shimmering in the summertime air. It was utterly otherworldly. Its infamous mudflats and quicksand, which pilgrims of old had to cross in order to reach the Mont, were known in the Middle Ages as the "path to paradise." And it's true. The Mont is, as they say, one of the great wonders of the western world. Everyone should try and go see it someday. Henry Adams was also much beguiled by the vision of the great fortress abbey, perched on top of a granite rock in the middle of the strongest tidal currents in Europe. He describes it as a monument to the masculine. And in his book, he sets up Mont Saint-Michel as a kind of "yin" to Chartres' "yang." He has a point; for if the massively fortified Mont was dedicated to the archangel Michael, commander of the army of God and weigher of human souls; Chartres, by contrast, has always been dedicated to the Virgin Queen. Indeed, even before there was a cathedral at Chartres, this place had already been known as a holy place in the Druid cult of the divine feminine. [Joan Sutherland "Casta diva" from "Norma"] But how did this cathedral survive intact for so long? Only think of what happened to Notre Dame in Paris during the French Revolution. Or the way the people in Chartres dismantled all those thousands of pieces of original 12th and 13th century glass to hide them away during WWIIonly to have to somehow reassemble them again after the War! To this day, the cathedral of Chartres stands as one of the best preserved 13th century Gothic churches in Franceif not in all the world. There was, of course, the great fire in 1194, when everything but the Western facade (pictured above) was destroyed. The people were in great dismay since Chartres is home to one of the most important relics in all of Christendom. The Sancta Camisa, believed to be the tunic worn by the Virgin Mary at the time of the Christ's birth, was said to have been brought back from Jerusalem by Charlemagne (never mind that Charlemagne had never actually stepped foot in the Holy Land). It was then later donated to Chartres by his son, Charles the Bald. It was this relic that put Medieval Chartres on the major pilgrimage map. That so, it was a source of great wealth to the town. Seeing the cathedral burning down in front of their eyes, the people became panicked over the fate of the revered relic. Waiting till the fire died down, people probably didn't dare to hope that a piece of cloth could emerge unscathed. So, imagine how their anguish turned to delight when the priests brought out the cloth unscathed from the smoldering ruins of the cathedral! Not surprisingly, this was thought of a sign from the goddess that she was not done with the people of Chartres quite yet. And so they embarked in great enthusiasm to build her a new temple. In one of my favorite descriptions of the cathedral, Adams describes Chartres as, "A toy house to please the Queen of Heavento please her so much that she would be happy in it,to charm her till she smiled." I suppose some will find his fanciful description of the Virgin Mary offensive. What? Because she is a woman, he assumes she loves dolls and finery? Well, Henry Adams died a long time ago. So, we will perhaps have to cut him some slack. Also, one might admit that there is something really appealing about seeing this great cathedral, which has always stood as a shrine to the Virgin, as a castle fit for a queen: The Queen Mother was as majestic as you like; she was also absolute; she could be stern; she was not above being angry; but she was still a woman, who loved grace and beauty, ornamenther toilette, robes, jewels; who considered the arrangements of her palace with attention, and liked both light and color, who kept a keen eye on her Court, and exacted prompt and willing obedience from the King and Archbishops as well as from beggars and drunken priests. A castle indeed. And even castles sometimes need to be cleaned right? Well, I suppose by now everyone has heard of the kerfuffle over the recent renovations of the interior at Chartres? The "debate" began making international news in 2014 when the painting was just under way. And, the renovations are still in the news today. Yes, that's right. We are not talking about comparatively uncontroversial window cleaning or even of the cleaning of walls and pillars but rather the renovation project is seeking to bring the cathedral back to its glory days by painting the interior a light beige with other accent colorssince, well, that's actually how it used to be. As you can see in the picture just left, the change is quite dramatic. That is because the cathedral had accumulated on its walls and pillars a very thick coating of soot and grime. And it simply has to be added that Chartres had become in modern times appreciated precisely for the romantic and mysterious quality of its filthy walls recalling to modern minds an exquisite patina or fine bottle of very old wine. But despite great public outrage, the scholars in charge of the restoration continued to insist that this was the color that the cathedral used to be. In fact, on the day we were there, we were so lucky to get to participate in one of world-expert Malcolm Miller's tours of the cathedral. Miller is a legend in his own right and some claim he knows more about the cathedral than anyone in the world. Well, Miller reminded us of the media row and declared the naysayers to be ridiculous as not only is the whitewashing authentic to the 13th century but now, at last in the new brighter interior you can see the windows in all their clarity. And, it is true, for the windows shine very brightly in the lighter interior. As Miller pointed out the stained glass windows were meant to be read and that is something that is now possible thanks to the cleaning. Watching videos of the restoration process, you can see for yourself how the restorers in removing the layers and layers of grime, literally pealed back time to show the whitewashed color that used to be thereas well as the marbled effect that was created on some of the pillars. But, as American architecture critic Martin Filler lamented in the New York Review of Books blog, what are they going to do next re-attach arms to the Venus de Milo? Even the cathedrals iconic Black Madonna had been repainted white. We know that ancient Greek temples and sculpture were all likewise painted in bright colors, so are we to bring back everything to its original polychrome state? Should all the ancient marble statues in the Louvre, for example, be likewise repainted? Speaking for myself, I felt very much as if seeing the Venus de Milo painted and with arms or Winged Victory painted and with a new head. For me, all I can say is that I was not prepared for the white-washed interior. I found it garish and ugly. But, of course, I can claim ignorance to what things were like back then in the era that was being highlighted (13th century). And that is a point to be considered since the cathedral has looked differently during various periods in its history; so that in prioritizing the 13th century colors, they were neglecting some beautiful Renaissance painting that once also graced the cathedralnot to mention our modern dark but mysterious much-admired patina.They were trying to bring back a certain period of time in a very long stretch of history. This 2015 Apollo article is excellent. It pits the Chartres restoration project yeasayers against the naysayers in the voices of two scholars, Jeffry F. Hamburger (Yea) and Adam Nathaniel Furman (Nay). It is a wonderfully engaging discussion, and I highly recommend it. I am sure its true, as Hamburgers declares, that people complained when the Sistine Chapel painting was restored and that no matter what, the corrosive particulates simply had to be removed. But there is also a question of limits. I was pleased that one of the scholars (Furman) brought up the work of Svetlana Boym, about whom I wrote in these pages last year. Boym, who sadly passed away in 2015, wrote a brilliant book on the concept of nostalgiaand her unpacking of the notion is quite pertinent to the question of Chartres. According to Boym there are two kind of nostalgia: restorative and reflective. While restorative "stresses nostos (home) and attempts a transhistorical reconstruction of the lost home. Reflective nostalgia thrives in algos, the longing itself, and delays the homecomingwistfully, ironically, desperately." Australian philosopher Jeff Malpas has a great chapter on "philosophy's Nostalgia" in his book, Heidegger and the Thinking Place Nostalgia is a combination of the Greek nostos, meaning home or the return home, with algos, meaning pain, so that its literal meaning is a pain associated with the return home. Part of this inquiry will involve a rethinking of the mood of nostalgia and what that mood encompasses. Rather than understand the nostalgic as characterized solely by the desire to return to a halcyon past, it is explored through the connotations suggested by its Greek etymology as precisely a longing for the return homea return that cannot be achieveda form of homesickness, and so as unsettling rather than comfortable, as bringing with it a sense of the essential questionability of our own being in the world. Indeed, we know from how the word is used in other cultures that the concept of nostalgia involves not just a longing for home or a longing for something from the past, but rather it is a longing and deep sadness for something that is actually gone foreverand implies a kind of homelessness or groundlessness. This is without a doubt perfectly embodied in Andrei Tarkovsky's film, Nostalghia. Anyone who has lived abroad for a significant period of time will probably understand Tarkovsky longing to go home; for like Tarkovsky they too will almost surely discover that the home they are longing for no longer exists. And it is in that moment, I would argue, that the real pain begins. Reconstructed versions of some lost golden age will simply bring more pain. And this is precisely the point Furman tries to make about Chartres. That in the end, the imposing of an idealized version of a particular time in history in the name of restoration is an act of absolutism. It is also futileas the past can never be brought back. Would Henry Adams agree with Furman? He would have to, I think. For Adams, was in exile. Deeply alienated from his own time period, he sought refuge in the medieval riches of his own imagination. The Chartres of his experience (like the Chartres of my experience) existed at that precise intersection between the physical reality and human imagination. His vision of Chartres was no more "real" than his understanding of the 13th century Catholicism as a moment of great unityin contrast to the chaos of everything he felt was happening in the world of his own time (19th century Boston). While he never converted to Roman Catholicism, he instead found solace in the ambiguity of Chartres; for in its murky and open-ended "patina" he found, as Furman so eloquently suggested, a perfect place to "think about the passing of time and of things." And this was possible precisely because no one particular vision of "the past" was being imposed upon us. The restoration at Chartres is none of my business. I only wish I had had a chance to see Chartres prior to 2017 for all these reasons I am sure my experience there would have been quite different. ++ Recent article in the Guardian with "black Madonna" (in my photo above still untouched) now white My post on Mont Saint-Michel: Benedictine Dreams Wonderful article on the world of ancient Greek colors here Henry Adams' Mont Saint Michel and Chartres Video below of some pictures from the trip. (My brooding teenager is seen crossing the mudflatsif only the quality of the video was better, you could see all the pathos of the teenage "pilgrim" in his dark expression.woe is he who is forced on a family trip to Europe with their parents at 16) Commencement of Exploration for Rare Earths at Chishanya Perth, Feb 5, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Prospect Resources Ltd ( ASX:PSC ) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it is preparing to commence exploration at its Chishanya carbonatite project in the southeast of Zimbabwe, with a focus on determining the Rare Earth Element ("REE") potential of the site. Previous work carried out by the Company at the project was focussed on identifying copper mineralisation as well as the phosphate potential within apatite, and has not been assessed before for its REE potential.Highlights:- Chishanya carbonatite project is prospective for REE mineralisation- Previous work has identified apatite-hosted phosphate on the project- Prospect holds 10 exploration licences across 2.2km2 of main deposit- Prospect recently raised A$10m to further their exploration efforts and advance their flagship Arcadia Lithium Project- Prospect also holds options for the Good Days Lithium and Tombolo Cobalt projects in Zimbabwe and DRC respectively- Company is positioning itself as a leading explorer for battery metalsChishanya ProjectThe project is located close to good infrastructure and the operating IDC Phosphate Mine at Dorowa (see Figure 1 in link below). Prospect's permits cover the central portion of Chishanya Hill, as well as the ground immediately north and west of it (see Figure 2 in link below for topography of project). Carbonatites are igneous rocks comprised over 50% carbonate minerals. Typically, they form circular plugs, with zoned variable alkalic rocks and associated cross cutting dykes and often show extensive wall-rock alteration.Many of them host significant abundances of apatite, magnetite, barite and fluorite that may contain anomalous concentrations of phosphates, REEs, niobium, uranium, thorium, fluorite, barite, vermiculite and occasionally copper. The REEs occur in minerals such as bastnaesite, allanite, apatite and monazite. The carbonatite at Chishanya has not been investigated before for its potential as a host for this suite of mineralisation, though apatite mineralisation has been mapped and assayed for its phosphate potential.Chishanya CarbonatiteThe Chishanya carbonatite lies in the Buhera district in the southeast of the country, 25km north of Birchenough Bridge.Prospect holds 10 claims forming just over 220 hectares, covering the majority of the carbonatite complex here.The deposit comprises a Lower Cretaceous (127 Ma) carbonatite complex with an approximate width of 1.5km and a length of 5km, striking north - south (see Figure 3 in link below). The carbonatites (mainly coarse calcium rich sovites) form arcuate dyke like bodies intruded with alternating layers of ijolite, fenite and foyaite. Thin layers and stringers of magnetite and apatite occur within the sovites, which can in parts reach 2- 3m width. The surrounding hills contain lenses of late-stage dark brown Fecarbonatite, rich in magnetite and apatite.ExplorationProspect's exploration programme has been designed to efficiently evaluate the REE potential of the Chishanya permits. A Phase 1 RC scope drilling programme will concentrate on testing the hard rock potential of Chishanya Hill, targeting the interpreted extensions of the apatite-magnetite lenses and iron carbonate bands exposed on surface.Previous work at the licence concentrated on near surface exploration for Palabora-style copper mineralisation, with only two boreholes ever having been drilled into the main hill by IDC in 1968 (locations seen in Figure 3 in link below). It should be noted that these holes were drilled primarily to test for Palabora style copper mineralisation, which is not present at Chishanya.Anomalously high phosphate values of up to 15% P2O5 were returned from historical surface trenching by the Miekle family and subsequently selective mining of the 2-3 m wide apatite-rich dykes at Baradanga Hill was considered for fertiliser by Barber in 1991. This area was estimated to contain 1,600 tonnes of ore per metre depth with an average grade of 8% P2O5. No detailed mineralogical studies of the phosphate-rich zones have been carried out. Also, no agronomic testing has been conducted on this phosphate resource. These apatite-rich dykes now form some of the main targets for this renewed phase of exploration and will be investigated for their REE, uranium, scandium, yttrium and niobium potential, and Prospect also intend to reassess the resource potential for phosphate fertiliser.Planned Prospect Resources Work ProgrammePR proposes to undertake a limited scope drilling programme to test the economic potential of the hard rock deposit that forms Chishanya Hill. Should the drilling indicate the presence of significant mineralisation then an infill drilling programme would be undertaken to increase confidence in the resource.- Phase 1 - Scoping Study. Channel chip samples across phosphate bands on Chishanya and Southern Baradanga First pass analysis by XRF-Niton, repeat assaying at ALS-Chemex in Johannesburg.- Scope drilling of anomalies with track-mounted RC rig. 10 x 100m deep holes on 100m grid. (Approx 1,000m). The purpose of this is to test the REE, niobium, uranium and phosphate contents.- Phase 2 - Infill Resource Definition Drilling. Assuming positive results from Phase 1 then an infill RC drilling programme of around 5,000m will be drilled on an approximately 50m grid.- 10% of the holes to be repeated with DD drilling to test depth extent and obtain samples for mineralogical & metallurgical test work. (5 x 100m holes =>500m).REE PotentialRare Earth Elements ("REEs") refers to a group of 17 chemically-similar elements, including the 15 elements in the Lanthanide Series, and also scandium and yttrium because of their similar properties. The REEs are chemically and physically very similar, which historically made separation of the individual REEs from each other fairly difficult as they can easily substitute for each other in. REEs are divided into two groups: light rare earth elements ("LREE", lanthanum to europium) and heavy rare earth elements ("HREE", gadolinium to lutetium and yttrium) based on their atomic weight. A further grouping termed critical rare earths ("CRE") has been established based on their importance to clean energy and potential supply risk. This has been supplemented to a certain extent by a grouping of rare earths used in the high strength permanent magnet sector which currently has the most favourable supply demand outlook.REEs do not occur naturally as metallic elements. Rather they occur in a wide range of minerals, including halides, carbonates, oxides, phosphates and silicates. More than 200 minerals are known to contain REEs, but only three minerals tend to carry economic concentrations: bastnasite, monazite and xenotime. The most commercially important REE deposits globally are associated with magmatic processes and occur in, or related to, alkaline igneous rocks or carbonatites, such as seen at Chishanya in Zimbabwe and Songwe Hill in Malawi. Songwe Hill is a carbonatite-hosted REE project, which is being advanced by Mkango Resources who recently raised C$10.5M for their feasibility study. Another carbonatite deposit, Mountain Pass in the USA, was the main source of REEs throughout the 1970s and 80s (source: USGS).Why REEs?REEs are used in small quantities in a variety of high technology growth industries. They are used to make powerful permanent magnets for lightweight electric motors, phosphors for TV monitors, catalysts for cars and chemical refineries, rechargeable batteries for hybrid and electric cars, generators for wind turbines, as well as numerous optical, medical and military devices. Many of these applications are highly specific and substitutes for the REE are inferior or unknown, so the REE have acquired a level of technological significance much greater than expected from their relative obscurity.The REE sector has been dominated for decades by China, who currently control over 90% of the world's supply (see Figure 4 in link below) but as the market continues to grow steadily their dominance is slipping and there is recognised strategic benefit in discovering REE sources outside of China. The outlook for dysprosium & neodymium, which are used in magnets in electric motors, seems to be particularly positive. Prices for neodymium and praseodymium oxide rose over 80% in 2017 (source: agmetalminer.com/).The principal markets for REEs are as follows:- Magnets: key applications for permanent magnets include industrial motors, hard disc drives and automotive applications. As the market for electric vehicles and hybrids grows, and also wind turbines and other forms of renewable energy storage are required, the demand for permanent magnets is expected to grow significantly - driving demand for REEs within them.- Batteries: nickel metal hydride batteries are used extensively in portable tools and also in hybrid vehicles. Some lithium ion batteries also contain substantial amounts of REEs, which are not currently recycled due to the expense of extracting them.- Metallurgy: REEs are used to improve the mechanical characteristics of alloyed steel and in desulphurisation.- Catalysts: REEs are used in catalysts, such as in catalytic converters in cars.- Industrial: REES are often used as polishing powders and glass additives, and for decolourisation and removing impurities.- Phosphors: REEs are an important constituent of tri-band phosphor lighting used in fluorescent tubes and lamps as well as LCD backlights for flat panel displays.- Other applications for REEs include ceramics, fibre optics and lasers.The market with the strongest growth potential is thought to be that of permanent magnets, and this is projected to continue as the demand for electric vehicles and renewable energy capture continues.The potential for the carbonatites at Chishanya to host REE mineralisation represents an exciting opportunity for Prospect Resources. The team will assess the site's potential through an efficient exploration programme, and will rapidly determine whether to progress to Phase 2 of the programme. If the REE potential at Chishanya is recognised, this will be a fantastic addition to Prospect's strategic portfolio of projects for high-tech battery metals.To view figures, please visit:About Prospect Resources Ltd Prospect Resources Limited (ASX:PSC) is based in Australasia with operations in Zimbabwe and is a publicly listed company. We are committed to creating value for Prospect's shareholders and the communities in which our company operates. Our vision is to build a Southern African based mining company of international scale. Aust payment processing & funds settlement update ISXPay ASX:NAB Melbourne, Feb 5, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Australian Securities Exchange and Frankfurt Stock Exchange cross listed iSignthis Ltd ( ASX:ISX ) ( FRA:TA8 ), the world leading RegTech for identity verification and payment services, is pleased to announce interim operating update for its Australian payment processing and settlement operations.Highlights- Actual October - January operations indicate 'annualised' Gross Process Transaction Value (GPTV) will be in excess of $100m across first 3 merchants- Previous November forecast : GPTV expected in excess of $75m across 7 merchants- Actual Net Margin is tracking at 138bps, versus November forecast 92bps.Card Acquiring: Payment Processing & Funds Settlement ServicesOur last update date 28/11/2017 anticipated that the total card acquiring 'book' value would be in excess of $75m per annum of Gross Processed Transaction Value (GPTV) to be settled by ISXPay directly to the merchant's bank account. The Company also forecast an average net margin of 0.92% on the Merchant Services Fee (MSF), for provision of card acquiring / payment facilitation & settlement services, which would be applicable across the total contracted GPTV.Over the last four months, actual figures indicate that GPTV will exceed $100m annualised, based on just 3 of the 7 merchants contracted. The Company cannot at this stage forecast the GPTV contribution of the other contracted merchants or those being finalised to contract.The net MSF margin for this particular sector in which the merchants operate in, is in excess of 1.28% applied on the GPTV. The Company expects the net MSF will average down to around 1.15%, as the Company diversifies its operations across various unrelated merchant market sectors whilst also increasing in GPTV volume. Transactional (flat) fees charged are at a weighted average of 24c/Transaction and are in accordance with previous forecasts.The Company has elected to focus on selected merchants as they provided scale, and a higher gross margin than the anticipated average. This has allowed the company to bed down its technology and operations, before moving to conclude further integrations, process higher volumes, and finalise further new sales opportunities.Further merchants are expected to go live within the next few weeks, and will include the full Paydentity(TM) suite. For AML regulated merchants, the use of Paydentity will likely translate to higher KYC conversions together with massive increase in extraterritorial reach, which in turn will likely lead to corresponding increase in GPTV being processed by ISXPay(R).The Company will no longer announce merchants by name, but will report based on sector / actual results, in order to preserve merchant confidentiality and Company's commercial positioning.National Australia Bank Agreement (The Company announced on the 8th August 2016 an agreement with the National Australia Bank, whereby daily cashflow for card settlement is provided by the NAB at a wholesale rate to the Company. This allows the Company to pursue merchants of all sizes, as the NAB agreement ensures that the Company has adequate daily cashflow to effect settlement.About iSignthis Ltd iSignthis Ltd (ASX:ISX) (FRA:TA8) is a hybrid monetary financial institution and also a RegTech leader in remote identity verification, payment authentication with deposit taking, transactional banking and payment processing capability. iSignthis provides an end-to-end on-boarding service for merchants, with a unified payment, electronic money and identity service via our Paydentity(TM) and ISXPay(R) solutions. By converging payments and identity, iSignthis delivers regulatory compliance to an enhanced customer due diligence standard, offering global reach to any of the world's 4.2Bn 'bank verified' card or account holders, that can be remotely on-boarded to meet the Customer Due Diligence requirements of AML regulated merchants in as little as 3 to 5 minutes. Paydentity(TM) has now onboarded and verified more than 1.5m persons to an AML KYC standard. iSignthis Paydentity(TM) service is the trusted back office solution for regulated entities, allowing merchants to stay ahead of the regulatory curve, and focus on growing their core business. iSignthis' subsidiary, iSignthis eMoney Ltd, trades as ISXPay(R), and is an EEA authorised eMoney Monetary Financial Institution, offering card acquiring in the EEA, and Australia. ISXPay(R) is a principal member of Mastercard Inc, Diners, Discover, (China) Union Pay International and JCB International, an American Express aggregator, and provides merchants with access to payments via alternative methods including SEPA, Poli Payments, Sofort, PRZ24 and others. Probanx Solutions Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of iSignthis Ltd, provides API based access to CORE Banking solutions, SEPA Core, SEPA Instant and SEPA business scheme, for neobanks, banks, credit unions and emoney institutions, and provides a bridge to the Eurosystem's Central Bank of Lithuania's CENTROLink service. Germany has agreed to pay compensation to Jews who suffered persecution in Algeria during World War Two. This is the first time that Jews who lived in Algeria between July 1940 and November 1942 have been compensated by the German government for their suffering under the Nazi-collaborating French Vichy regime. Approximately 25,000 people are eligible for a one off payment of -2,556 ($3,184), according to the Conference on Material Claims Against Germany, an organization that negotiates with the German government on behalf of Holocaust survivors. Germany's Ministry of Finance confirmed the agreement on Monday. On Monday, the Claims Conference opened registration centers across France, where an estimated 20,000 Algerian Jews reside, with the first payments expected to be made in July. Vichy regime During World War Two, northern France was directly occupied by Nazi Germany, and southern France was ruled by the Vichy regime in collaboration with Nazi forces. In Algeria, which was controlled by the Vichy government on behalf of the Nazis, Jews were stripped of their jobs in sectors such as education, media and finance. They were prohibited from owning businesses and Jewish children were excluded from schools. Jews were banned from working for the government or the military and were not allowed to work for businesses which had public contracts. Jewish children were placed in segregated schools with Jewish teachers, and older Jews were sent to labor camps to work on the pan-Saharan railroad line with camps set up in the Algerian cities of Berrouaghia, Djelfa, and Bedeau. Claims group: Acknowledgment at last Greg Schneider, executive vice president of the Claims Conference, says the deal is the last to be struck with a single large group of Holocaust survivors and will at last provide some of acknowledgment of their suffering. "For many, many people, as they age, of course they look back at their lives and when they look back at their childhood, they remember the darkest part of the 20th century, just terrible memories," Schneider told CNN. Many other groups of Holocaust survivors have been acknowledged and compensated over the years, and Schneider said the lack of recognition for Jews in Algeria until now had been "a real psychological blow." "When you have all these survivors around you and they've been acknowledged by Germany and you're not, that experience they're not validating is so central to your identity, that really creates another psychological trauma. "For people who are very poor, -2,556 obviously helps. But it's also about the historical record in an era of fake news, and facts not being facts, and certainly Holocaust denial, which we think will only increase as survivors pass away." Survivor: Justice has been done Daniel Gal, who lived during the war with his family in Oran, a coastal city in northwest Algeria, told CNN he remembers being "kicked out" of his school and sent to learn with other Jewish children. "The Jews of the town decided that they would have a small school just for us," he recalled. "The teachers, who were also Jewish had been expelled from their schools. They had to come and teach us." Gal left Algeria after graduating high school in 1950, eventually settling in Jerusalem, where he married and had three children. He says the agreement brokered by the Claims Conference means "justice has been done." "I am very happy," Gal told CNN on Monday. "Justice has been done and while it has taken a long time, the Claims Conference has done a very good job. My phone has been going all morning with friends calling me about it." Gal is one of an estimated 3,900 Algerian Jews living in Israel eligible for compensation. $70 billion paid to Holocaust victims since 1952 The German government has paid more than $70 billion to more than 800,000 Holocaust victims since its first negotiations with the Claims Conference in in 1952, the organization said in a press release. In 2017, the Claims Conference says it distributed in excess of $430 million in compensation to nearly 100,000 survivors in 83 countries. The group says it expects to allocate around $500 million in grants to over 200 social service agencies in 2018 to help ensure Holocaust survivors receive home care, food and medicine. Political unrest in the Republic of Maldives prompted the Asian nation's President on Monday to declare a state of emergency for 15 days. The move, which gives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom power to arrest and detain people, reflects a power struggle between the island nation's Supreme Court and its government. Unrest erupted after president rejected court ruling last week China, India and UK issue travel warnings for popular tourist destination "During this time, though certain rights will be restricted, general movements, services and businesses will not be affected," said a statement from the office of the President. The country's court last week ordered the release of political prisoners and the reinstatement of elected members of Parliament that would give the political opposition majority power. But President Yameen has rejected adhering to the court order. Situated to the southwest of India and Sri Lanka, the Maldives are a chain of atolls home to almost 400,000 people and hugely popular as a tourist destination, especially for Chinese visitors. The Maldives attorney general on Sunday advised law enforcement to uphold the constitution and warned that the Supreme Court may "issue a ruling to impeach the President," according to a press release from the Foreign Ministry. On Monday, the tension escalated when Maldives National Defense Forces reportedly broke into the Supreme Court in the capital city of Male. Security forces "blockaded and locked the Supreme Court building from outside and hence the justices are without any food," Maldives' former Attorney General Husnu Al Suood tweeted. Former leader arrested Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was also arrested on Monday, according to his family. The former leader stated earlier in the day that police has surrounded his residence. "To protect me or to arrest me? No idea," he tweeted before reportedly being taken into custody. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom is the half-brother of the current President, Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, and ruled the country for 30 years until 2008. Opposition supporters have staged street protests lobbying the government to obey the court order and have urged the international community to do what it can to persuade the government to obey the ruling. "Once again, dissent and critical voices are coming under attack in the Maldives," said Dinushika Dissanayake, Amnesty International's South Asia deputy director. "Instead of respecting and implementing the Supreme Court's ruling, the government is riding roughshod over any notion of justice and arbitrarily detaining members of the opposition." During the emergency period, the Maldives President said, "the safety of all Maldivians and foreigners living in and visiting the Maldives will be ensured." The US State Department said in a press release that it supports the Supreme Court's decision and "it is imperative that the Maldivian President, government, and security services uphold the constitution and rule of law and implement the court's ruling in full." Peak travel season Almost 1.4 million tourists from across the world visited the Maldives in 2017, according to government statistics, including hundreds of thousands from China and the United Kingdom. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Monday the country had issued a travel warning for the island chain ahead of the Lunar New Year, which begins February 16 and is China's peak travel season. "We suggest the Chinese tourists who plan to travel to Maldives should not go there before the situation calms down," he said Monday. He added that there had been no reports of Chinese citizens being attacked. India and the United Kingdom also issued travel warnings for archipelago. "Security forces have been deployed in the capital Mal- in response to political developments. If you're in Mal-, you should exercise caution and avoid any protests or rallies," said the UK in their advisory. A July 2017 population estimate in the CIA World Factbook said more than 392,000 live on the Indian Ocean archipelago, a popular tourist destination. In September, Kenya was praised by many after its Supreme Court -- citing irregularities -- nullified the re-election of the country's sitting president. But nearly six months on it appears this applause from observers was premature. As the Court ordered a fresh election for October, President Uhuru Kenyatta, bitterly disappointed by the judges' decision, declared with grace, "I don't agree with the decision, but I respect it." It was seen as an example of how Kenya's rule of law actually held sway. But last year also produced a heavy body count (92 people died during the protracted election period and an election official was found murdered), the deputy Supreme Court judge's driver was shot at and injured, and several Supreme Court judges did not turn up to a hearing on postponement of the October polls. Now, in a new year and with President Kenyatta firmly installed in office for his final term, the same observers -- both at home and abroad -- are alarmed by recent media censorship in the country. When veteran opposition challenger Raila Odinga chose to stage his mock "swearing-in" on January 30, few had any idea that the mood in Nairobi would become one of toxic intolerance -- intolerance of the opposition, of the media and of the rule of law. As the "ceremony" unfolded, the government pulled the plug on four TV stations, switching off their signal remotely. On Monday, two of the channels partially returned. "The government was and is aware of the role of some elements in the media fraternity who participated in furtherance of this illegal act," Interior Minister Fred Matiang'i said at the time. "Their complicity would have led to thousands of deaths of innocent Kenyans." Broadcasters went into hiding, fearing arrest, or confined themselves to their offices as plainclothes policemen circled their headquarters. Nerves over Odinga's symbolic protest had been frayed enough in government for a warning to be issued to local broadcasters the day before not to cover the event. Larry Madowo was one of those journalists. "The Kenyan government's argument that the media covering the swearing-in was abetting an illegality flies in the face of reason," he told CNN. "We cover news, we cover history. Whether it is uncomfortable, whether it's unpopular with the government of the day or not there is no way we were going to have this mock swearing-in take place and not cover it." And while local TV stations received the brunt of the government's ire, Nairobi is also home to the world's major news agencies and TV networks. They all covered this new chapter in Kenya's political drama. When private citizen Okiya Omtatah took the government to the high court over the shutdown, the court demanded the stations be put back on air, pending a hearing on February 14. Only two major broadcasters -- NTV and KTN -- are partially back on air almost a week after their signals were shut down by the government. The free-to-watch channels which were shut down are still not back on air. Furthermore, the opposition claims their MPs and prominent voices are being arrested and held "incommunicado." The Kenyan government has so far declined to comment about the TV station shutdown despite numerous requests from CNN. Nairobi's streets are also once again filling up with the choking whiff of teargas, as rights activists protest Kenyatta's overreaction to a ceremony that ought to have been simply ignored. Instead, the world is talking about a regression of rights and press freedoms in Kenya. STOCKTON, Calif. (AP) - A California police department has arrested one of its own officers on three charges of inappropriate conduct with a minor. The Sacramento Bee reports the Stockton officer taken into custody Saturday could face charges including annoying or molesting a child under the age of 18. The department says the officer, who has been with the department since 2012, has been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation. Stockton Police spokesman Joe Silva says the officer's actions "are a major departure from the values and professionalism of the Stockton Police Department." He says "accountability is critical to maintaining public trust." Our sister station KCRA 3 reports that Officer Matthew Huff is the suspect and has been booked into the San Joaquin County Jail. (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) Baines Simmons, part of the Training & Consultancy division of global aviation services group Air Partner, has secured two separate contracts with NATO operating units, the Heavy Airlift Wing at Papa, Hungary and the AWACS unit (Airborne Warning And Control System) in Geilenkirchen, Germany. Both of these contracts have a duration of around three months. Baines Simmons has been appointed to help the units to understand the benefits and the challenges associated with EMAR (European Military Airworthiness Requirements) 21, 145 and M implementation. A large number of NATO nations, including the USA, provide personnel to the units, so these contract wins will enable Baines Simmons to demonstrate the benefits of EMAR implementation to a wider international audience and further develop a common understanding of the requirements. The EMARs are issued by the European Defence Agency (EDA) and outline how airworthiness of military aircraft is initially certified, managed and maintained, through life. Above: AWACS. Courtesy Baines Simmons Based on the proven European civil regulations, the EMARs provide the potential to enable the armed forces to get more out of their aviation assets, whilst at the same time achieving significant savings. Baines Simmons unique performance-focused and practical implementation approach is intended to help Military Aviation Authorities (MAAs) and wider Ministries of Defence, to understand the intent of the requirements and set the foundations for performance, realising the benefits enjoyed by commercial aircraft operators. Bob Simmons, Director at Baines Simmons, said: The EMARs present a great opportunity for nations to work together to a high, common standard and to help cash-strapped armed forces to get the most out of their assets. Baines Simmons is excited to have won the opportunity to help two NATO operational units to recognise the costs and tangible benefits of EMAR implementation, over mere compliance on paper. Yashpal Saxena, father of 23-year-old Ankit, who was stabbed to death in west Delhis Khyala area on February 1, seeking justice said that he will be thankful if the Delhi government will help his family in fighting the case. Ankits father demanded the death sentence for those who killed his son. We want justice. Murderers of my son should get the death sentence. I am an ordinary man and I have no resources to fight the case. If the Delhi government helps us in getting the best advocates and making a strong case, I will be thankful, said Ankits father. Four accused, including a juvenile, were sent to judicial custody on Saturday in connection with the case. The 23-year-old was stabbed to death by the family members of his girlfriend, who were against their relationship. Saxena was in a relationship with a 20-year-woman. Police arrested the womans father Akbar Ali, mother Shahnaaz, a juvenile younger brother and uncle Mohammed Salim on February 2. They were produced before a court which sent them to judicial custody. The Karnataka Legislative Assembly election will be held in April-May 2018 to elect members of the 224 constituencies in Karnataka. The Bharatiya Janata Party began its election campaign officially on November 2, 2017 with the launch of Nava Karnataka Nirmana Parivarthana Yatra, a 75-day tour across Karnataka led by its state president B S Yeddyurappa and he could gather good attention and participation by people. After that, in December 2017, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, although not part of the election campaign, undertook a task of setting up booth-level committees at 54,261 locations in the state who will be responsible to disseminate information on various programmes of the ruling Indian National Congress and their implementation. The move was seen as an extensive outreach programme preceding the elections. Meanwhile, a pre-poll survey conducted by Suvarna News claimed that neither the Congress nor the BJP would get a clear majority. Of the 224 seats, the pre-poll prediction gave 88 to Congress, 82 to BJP, 43 to JD(S) and 11 to others. The other survey stated that the BJP has strong chances in Karnataka, because there is a terrific anti-incumbency against the ruling Congress CM Siddaramaiah. This is coupled with scams at regular intervals. B S Yeddyurappa got clean chit from high court in mining scam. S M Krishna is inclined to BJP. Many Congress MLAs are not happy with Siddaramaiah for giving ministerial post to son of Kharge and other central leaders. As a matter of fact when Yeddyurappa was accused of corruption, he had to resign and eventually quit the party. He formed his own outfit, which somewhere dented BJPs chances. But now he has been given clean chit by honourable Court. Therefore, Amit Shah has firmly retorted that elections will be fought under his leadership. Yeddyurappa is undoubtedly a very popular leader. He belongs to the Lingayat community and it is expected they will back the BJP strongly in assembly polls. Yeddyurappa enjoys a strong support in the state and making him the leader will clearly give BJP a reason to come back to power in Karnataka. Furthermore, no development has taken place anywhere in the state. There is an impression that Siddaramaiah has neglected Bangalore completely. Due to infrastructure problem, many IT companies in Bangalore are winding up or shifting or downscaling. After the recent heavy downpour, many parts were swamped with water. The government has not taken any action and they blend to forget immediately after rain subsides. In the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2013, Parameshwara had lost heavily. People are of the view that Siddaramaiah has sabotaged his chances, only to become CM. Even now, time and again, Parameshwara is humiliated. Dalits feel they should teach a lesson to Congress. There is every possibility they may desert Congress this time. Siddaramaiahs tacit support to Lingayat, for separate status of religion, does not go well with Hindus. There is every possibility of the rest uniting against Congress. Moreover, Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) has merged with BJP. Yeddyurappa is the CM candidate of BJP and there is no opposition to him in the alliance, he is a unanimous choice. In the electoral history of Karnataka, at no time, the incumbent government has returned to power since 1989. Power is alternating since then. The biggest disadvantage to Congress is that lot of their leaders have switched over to the BJP. This phenomenon was seen in UP and even in Gujarat where Shankersinh Vaghela changed sides which dealt a major blow to the proceedings in Rajya Sabha re-nomination of Ahmed Patel. In Karnataka, S M Krishna, who felt marginalised, left the party to join the BJP. This will affect the Congress for two reasons. He belongs to the powerful Vokkaliga community and so this may help the BJP garner their votes. Secondly, the transformation of Bengaluru and Karnataka as a hub for IT and otherwise, can be attributed to S M Krishna and his tenure. His joining the BJP will certainly aid in capturing more seats or votes and help them reach the magical majority figure. K Jayaprakash Hegde who has a strong hold in coastal regions of Karnataka also resigned Congress and joined BJP. Kumar Bangarappa of Shimoga, belonging to Idiga community (backward caste) joined BJP with two more ex-MLAs. He is the son of former CM late Bangarappa. Srinivasa Prasad, a Dalit leader quit Congress and joined BJP. Moreover, Karnataka has always being traditionally believed that Vokkaligas and Lingayats were demographically the biggest caste groups in Karnataka forming about 15 per cent and 17 per cent respectively of the total population. There was always truth in these beliefs, which inevitably reflected on the power sharing in the state. CM Siddaramaiah unfortunately is lacklustre and fails to inject inspiration into the Congress cadre to retain power again. He lacks that killer instinct which is harboured by somebody as Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh. Siddaramaiah is known as the Rahul Gandhi of Karnataka for his know-how and it is further garnished by arrogance and lust for power. Nonetheless, communal polarisation factor may be other game-changer in Karnataka for BJP. Hindus are always known for their great unities, never mind that this unity is to back the ruler who celebrates a tyrant invader with great pomp. The king Tipu Sultan was such a good propagandist that his intentions were clearly inscribed in the handle of his sword which some people of Karnataka seems to be enamoured of. The BJP has recent political developments on its side, which makes it confident of winning the Karnataka election easily. The Congress is more or less following the same old pattern and will get the same old result of being badly rejected by the electorate and can always claim moral victory. In Gujarat, they followed similar strategy of picking up caste leaders to woo voters. And we all know what an outrageous success they got. (Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on [email protected]) A landmark reconciliation meeting between survivors of terror attacks and the perpetrators will be held in Indonesia this month, Jakarta said today. The meeting, announced by chief security minister Wiranto, is being touted as a first for Muslim-majority Indonesia, which has long struggled with Islamist militancy and attacks. This meeting is quite unique it has not ever happened before, Wiranto, who like many Indonesians goes only by one name, told reporters in the capital Jakarta. People currently incarcerated for terror-related offences and ex-convicts will get the chance to apologise to survivors at the meeting, he said. The government did not release the names of the militants or the survivors, and it was not clear for how long or where the two groups would meet. It also did not say if any family members of those killed in such attacks would participate. Indonesia, which has the worlds biggest Muslim population, has suffered a string of extremist attacks in the past 16 years, including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists. A crackdown has weakened the most dangerous networks but fears have grown of a resurgence in militancy after hundreds of Indonesians flocked to the Middle East and the Philippines in recent years to join the Islamic State group. The spectre of a flood of battle-hardened militants returning to Indonesia has driven a push for effective programmes aimed at deradicalising hardliners. Local media have reported some 150 convicted militants will be involved in this months reconciliation talks. It was not immediately clear how many survivors would attend. The only surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, refused to answer questions on Monday as he went on trial in Brussels over a bloody shootout with police that led to his capture. Tight security surrounded the start of the trial of the 28-year-old, who was transferred overnight from a jail near the French capital Paris and arriving in Belgium in a convoy of police vehicles. Abdeslam, who has declined to to speak to investigators since his arrest in March 2016, immediately signalled his defiance on Monday by refusing to stand when asked by the judge and saying he would not cooperate. I do not wish to answer any questions, Abdeslam, bearded and wearing a long-sleeved white polo shirt, said when the presiding judge, Marie-France Keutgen, asked him to confirm his identity. The judge told the court that Abdeslam has also refused to have photos or video taken of him during the four-day trial in Brussels. The Belgian-born French national of Moroccan descent faces charges of attempted terrorist murder of police officers and carrying banned weapons over a gunbattle in the Forest district of Brussels on March 15, 2016. Three police officers were wounded and a jihadist was killed in the fight, which came as Abdeslam was on the run four months after the Paris attacks. He was captured three days later. Abdeslam and the man arrested with him, Tunisian national Sofiane Ayari, 24, could serve up to 40 years in prison if convicted. Hundreds of Belgian security forces turned the Palais de Justice court building in Brussels into a virtual fortress while a helicopter with searchlights circled overhead as he arrived. This must remain an ordinary trial, said the official who presides over the court, Luc Hennart. If there is the slightest problem I will order the courtroom to be evacuated. Tamil Nadu rode on centuries by Captain Vijay Shankar and M Kaushik Gandhi to post a 76-run win over Gujarat in the opening match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy Group C league on Monday. The home side posted 311 for 8 in 50 overs thanks to the 219-run partnership between Shankar (100) and Gandhi (127) and held off a late challenge by Bhargav Merai (101) to restrict Gujarat to 235 all out in 45.1 overs. Test stars Murali Vijay and Ravichandran Ashwin had mixed fortunes with the former being dimissed cheaply while the off-spinner returned figures of two for 38. Sent into bat by Gujarat captain Priyank Panchal, the home side lost Test star Murali Vijay early, when he was caught behind by Dhrun Raval off Chintan Gaja for 11. Opener Gandhi and one-drop batsman B Aparajith (16) put on 31 runs before the latter was caught by H P Patel off medium-pacer Bhargav Merai for 16. Gandhi, who survived a few chances, made the most of it and played some good shots all-round the wicket. All-rounder Shankar, coming off a good run of scores in the local games, played confidently and slammed some e boundaries and two big sixes. However, a flurry of wickets towards the end meant Tamil Nadu finished with 311. In reply, Gujarat saw opener S B Gohil fall in the first over to comeback man Aswin Crist. Panchal was the only one to offer resistance as the team slumped to 124 for 6 in the 25th over. Merai, however, played a defiant knock, which included some beautiful drives and also hit a huge six off Washington Sundar and brought up his ton in 94 balls. Aswin Crist took three wickets while Ashwin ended Gujarats resistance by trapping Ishwar Chaudhary lbw. Meanwhile, Surya Kumar Yadav blasted 11 fours and seven sixes in a 85-ball unbeaten 134 while Jay Bista hit 90 to shine in Mumbais 74-run victory over Madhya Pradesh. In the days other match, Andhra Pradesh cruised to a six-wicket win over Team Rajasthan thanks to B Sumanths unbeaten 71. Note: We excerpted James Lyons-Weiler' article last month, as is our norm. We try to bring you news and POV from across the vaccine and health freedom community. Below is a "rebuttal" to his article from documentary filmmaker Leslie Manookian ("The Greater Good.") (PS) That's not Leslie in the photo! By Leslie Manookian In his recent article, New York Times Has Lost It, James Lyons-Weiler wrote that, Mandates without exemptions create a situation where those who are destined to be injured by vaccines will be found, and injured, with mathematical certainty a line of reasoning hes employed before. So hes advocating for mandates as long as there are exemptions? Really? What about freedom and bodily autonomy? What about first do no harm? I wonder how any educated reader can take him seriously when he espouses such dangerous ideas. Vaccines injure all who receive them. ALL. There is no such thing as a safe dose of mercury or aluminum or many of the other toxins. There is no science proving what that level is. Any scientist who argues that only some individuals are susceptible to vaccine injury despite any science to substantiate this assertion is not a true scientist. Mercury, aluminum, and all the other poisons in vaccines dont miraculously become health promoting when contained in a vaccine. Advocating for mandates with exemptions for those susceptible few sounds like a vaccine makers dream come true, doesnt it? Hows that working out in California where theres a veritable witch hunt for doctors who write medical exemptions? Vaccine makers know their products cause harm and that unless they can buy off every single politician, suppress all the science, and control all the media and social media, then at some point, more and more people will deduce the truth of vaccine injury and death. And when that happens, a point which is getting closer with each day, the next best thing for them will be to test everyone to see whos genetically susceptible - theyll just say, ok, some people are harmed but vaccines are still a benefit to society so lets test whos at risk and carry on as normal. And theyll make buckets on those tests to make up for lost profits on vaccines. (Isnt this what Lyons-Weiler has proposed?) Most importantly, theyll still control the narrative and have a frightened populace under their thumb. Remember that little piece of legislation called the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (NCVIA) of 1986? Remember how this landmark legislation was supposed to safeguard those susceptible few for their service to society and make it easy on their families to obtain compensation for that service? Yet since its implementation the vaccine injured cant sue and the vaccine makers enjoy blanket immunity while the vaccine schedule has tripled and our freedoms have been removed. By most accounts the NCVIA has been an unmitigated disaster for Americans and a boon for vaccine makers. The scenario I describe, what Lyons-Weiler promotes, is exactly the same play out of the same playbook. Moreover its the same tactic theyve used to silence those who understand that vaccines cause autism. Hannah Poling anyone? Think about it. If you were a vaccine maker and millions of folks were becoming educated all around the globe and demanding bodily autonomy, freedom, and genuine accountability and liability for the vaccine makers, youd recognize the writing was on the wall, wouldnt you? Youd realize the best course of action at this point is damage control, right? So what would you do? Your first goal would be to manage the conversation so that you could retain control of the market. And how would you do that? Simply concede that there are indeed a few susceptible individuals and recommend testing to determine whos susceptible. Then you reap all the kudos of being the good guy while deflecting away from the true issue of poisonous, failing vaccines. Note: A decade or more ago, chelation and other forms of mercury/heavy metal removal were very much at the forefront of autism treatments. The pediatric vaccine schedule had been bloated with bolus doses of mercury and many parents saw success in remediating autism symptoms via chelation. Dr. Geier spearheaded a treatment with Lupron, to target testosterone with the goal of ameliorating AGGRESSION. In 2018, Anne Dachel is writing about the skyrocketing rates of aggression in school aged children, with and without special needs or autism. School shootings are a regular occurrence. Had Dr. Geier been able to conduct his work, perhaps we might have had a mechanism to lower aggression. Alas, the powers that be (talk about your deep state, and I don't even know what that phrase actually means) have NEVER allowed a single autism "TREATMENT" outside of ABA and other non-medical interventions. As an aside, Lupron was not a poison being offered by doctors. Back in the early 2000s my daughter Mia went to a pediatric endocrinologist in Cleveland at the prestigious Rainbow Babies and Children's' Hospital - the home of Dr. Max Wiznitzer. This young doctor, a Dartmouth Fellow, immediately suggested LUPRON for my daughter. Not for her autism, but for early development. The press always portrayed Dr. Geier as a Mengele experimenting on our children. When I asked the Cleveland Doc what Lupron would do to Mia's seizures - increase them? Make them worse? He had NO IDEA. And yet he still was willing to put her onto Lupron. I hope that other doctors who have been pilloried by their "peers" for trying to help families drowning in the challenges of autism take a bit of hope in this news below. Try to read around the snarky nastiness that is WaPo when it comes to our kids. They are wretchedly unsympathetic to our plight. Kim Regulators who targeted anti-vaccine doctor may pay millions for humiliating him Mark Geier built a medical practice in Rockville and a national reputation for propagating the discredited theory that vaccines cause autism. The Maryland Board of Physicians suspended his license seven years ago because he was treating autistic children with a drug considered dangerous for young people and not known to alleviate symptoms of the disorder. But the regulators who stripped Geiers credentials are now in the hot seat, ordered to each personally pay tens of thousands of dollars in damages by a judge who says the board abused its power in an attempt to humiliate the doctor and his family. The board posted a cease-and-desist order on its website in 2012 alleging that Geier had improperly prescribed medication for himself, his wife and his son while his license was suspended. In an unusual move, the order named the drugs in question. Online critics of Geier took notice, mocking the doctor and his family in blogs and comments for their use of the medications. Two Turkish Soldiers Killed, 5 More Injured in Afrin Operation Two Turkish soldiers have been killed, and five more injured as part of the Olive Branch Operation against the Kurdish fighters in control of the Kurdish enclave of Afrin on Sunday, the army said in a statement. The soldiers were killed in a mortar attack against a Turkish outpost located inside the Turkish province of Hatay on the border with Syrian Kurdistan or Rojava, the Turkish military added without disclosing further details. The Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), the backbone of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces has so far denied they conduct cross-border attacks. SDF reported clashes against the Turkish military and its Syrian proxies on a number of fronts including in Bulbul, Shiye north and west of Afrin city, northwestern Syria. The Kurdish-led force claimed they destroyed a Turkish tank and killed all who were inside it. But there was no immediate confirmation from the Turkish side. Seven Turkish soldiers were killed on Saturday including five in an attack on a Turkish tank, the deadliest for the Turkish military since the military incursion into Rojava began on January 20. Turkey has admitted the deaths of 16 soldiers as of Sunday. A Christian group allied with the SDF said in a statement that they have sent the Kurdish enclave reinforcements to fight against the Turkish forces. "While we are trying to complete the liberation of the rest of the Syrian territory from the remnants of terrorists who have committed crimes against the land, people, history and civilization, the barbaric Turkish attack and bombardment continues on the Afrin region for the second week in a row," an official letter published by the Syriac Military Council (MFS) on Sunday stated. MSF is an Assyrian/Syriac Christian group in Syria working in collaboration with the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) which number over 2,000 fighters. The group operates in the Assyrian majority areas of the Hasakah Governorate in Jazira canton. MFS accuses Turkey of having a colonial mindset and renewal of its Ottoman "fascism" and heritage, recounting the Sayfo genocide in 1915 committed against the Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian, Armenian, and Greek Pontics. "Today, in the face of a new front in Afrin, as a sign of friendships of peoples, MFS decided to send reinforcements to Afrin to defend the people from Turkish invasions and attacks and its terrorist mercenaries," the statement further added. The group calls on the international community to help the Syriac Christians. A total of 134 FSA and Turkish fighters have been reportedly killed while 106 YPG fighters have been killed, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). The Turkish operation has claimed the lives of 68 civilians, 21 of whom are children and 12 women, also reported by SOHR. ASL Aviation has confirmed that it will withdraw its Spanish airline in order to expand capacity on the market and reduce duplication. The lessor said that ASL Airlines Spain will cease operation with its BAe146 aircraft withdrawn from service. ASL said it would progressively introduce B737-400F aircraft to the Spanish-European market to meet increasing capacity requirements with existing aircraft and only a very small number of additional aircraft will be required. ASL said that while the move was operationally and market driven, it also conforms with the previously announced ASL strategy to reduce duplication, optimise assets and create centres of excellence across its European network. ASLs stated objective has been to increase operational and cost efficiencies by reducing its number of AOCs from six in Europe. The plan for the Spanish AOC follows the return of ASL Airlines Switzerlands AOC to the regulatory authorities following the transfer of its fleet of ATR aircraft to ASL Airlines Ireland. As well as its Ireland operation, it also has setups in Belgium, France and Hungary. "As the European market develops the BAe146 aircraft of ASL Spain do not meet the range or capacity requirements of the emerging market ASL is configuring its European freighter fleet to serve the current and future needs of the groups customers," the company said. "ASL Group will work with the management team in ASL Spain to ensure that the full legal and consultative process is followed and that all staff are treated fairly. "This may include the possibility for some staff to re-deploy to suitable open positions in other European ASL airline companies so while there will be some job losses, the final number cannot be quantified now. "The ASL strategy to remove duplication and optimise assets is necessary to continue to position ASL as a strong, sustainable and profitable business that is flexible and that can quickly adapt to meet the changing requirements of its customers." ASL took delivery of its latest B737-400F conversion in January. Late last year the company also offloaded its cargo handling business in Budapest. Read more freighter operator news Share this story Daily Report Edited by Brian W. Everstine with Steve Hirsch and Amy McCullough Nuclear Posture Review Calls for Changes to Nuclear Arsenal, Flexibility in Response to Attacks The Pentagon on Friday unveiled its Nuclear Posture Reviewthe administrations outlook on the use of nuclear weapons and plans to modernize the arsenal. In response to a changing threat landscape and aging equipment, the Pentagon is calling for the development of a new, low-yield nuclear weapon, along with pressing to expand the possibility of a nuclear response to a non-nuclear, yet debilitating attack. To pay for it all, the Pentagon is calling for a doubling of funding of the nuclear triad at the peak of its modernization plan. Read the full story by Brian Everstine. USAF Scraps Light Attack Combat Demo, Second Experiment to be Held at Davis-Monthan The Air Force doesnt plan to conduct a light attack combat demonstration, but it is moving forward with a second phase of testing, which will take place May through July at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., the service announced. Out of the four participants that flew in the original Light Attack Experimentknown as OA-Xat Holloman AFB, N.M., last August, Textron Aviations AT-6 Wolverine and the Sierra Nevada/Embraer A-29 Super Tucano will continue on. Read the full story by Amy McCullough. Mattis Threatens Military Action if Syria Again Uses Chemical Weapons The US has not ruled out a strike against Syrian military targets if it is confirmed that Syrian President Bashar Assad used chemical weapons again. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters Friday, Were on record and you all have seen how we reacted to previous chemical weapons use by Syria, adding that Assad would be ill advised to go back to violating the chemical convention, according to the Washington Examiner. US officials on Thursday claimed the Syrian government was producing and using new kinds of weapons for chemical attacks, according to The Associated Press. Last April, US Navy ships fired a volley of 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Syrias Shayrat airbase, which was the home of Syrian Air Force jets that had used chemical weapons on Syrian civilians days before the strike. Mattis said Friday the US is concerned about the use of possible Sarin nerve gas and has heard reports from non-governmental organizations on the ground that it has been used. Brian Everstine Air Force Contracts with Boeing for More JDAM Tail Kits The Air Force has awarded a contract modification worth almost $200 million to Boeing for additional tail kits for the Joint Direct Attack Mission (JDAM) satellite-guided bomb. The modification brings the total value of the contract to $928 million. Work is to be conducted in St. Louis and expected to be finished by Jan. 30, 2020. For years, the Air Force has been expending its precision munitions almost as quickly as it receives them. JDAMs routinely deliver better than 95 percent reliability and an even better percentage in accuracy, making them among the preferred munitions in the fight against ISIS. Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, the military deputy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, discussing the need to replenish precision-guided munitions, said last year that he hoped production levels could be maintained. Steve Hirsch Interim Facility Being Developed to Maintain Aerial Port Operations in Kuwait City The 387th Air Expeditionary Group is helping to develop a temporary facility called Cargo City to serve as an interim logistics point to deliver passengers and cargo throughout the US Central Command area of responsibility, the Air Force said Friday. Two Kuwait Air Force bases and US coalition forces are headquartered at the Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, part of the Kuwait International Airport complex, but were given a year last May to move to allow expansion of a commercial terminal. Plans for a new base at the airport for military operations required a change of plans as construction of the new airport terminal quickly advanced, the Air Force said, and planners switched to construction of the temporary facility. Cargo City is an undeveloped area next to an unused runway where both the Kuwaitis and the coalition will temporarily move before May until the new West Al-Mubarak Air Base is finished. Cargo City will have 150,000 square meters of cantonment space, about 33,000 square meters of which will be used by the US. When the coalition and Kuwaiti forces have moved to the new base, Cargo City will return to its original purpose as the Kuwaiti airports permanent cargo holding area. Steve Hirsch RADAR SWEEP A Russian fighter jet was shot down by a surface-to-air missile in northern Syria on Saturday. The pilot ejected but was killed on the ground after exchanging gunfire with militants associated with Syrias former al-Qaeda affiliate: Washington Post. Members of the 822nd Expeditionary Base Defense Squadron helped rescue a two-yea?r-old girl that had wandered away from a village near Nigerien Air Base 201 in Niger: DOD release. The US and Indian air forces will increase cooperation in part to counter a growing Chinese presence in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said following a recent visit to India: News 18. Petroleum Upstream Law and Regulation in Iraq Ahmad Mousa Jiyad Iraq/ Development Consultancy and Research, Norway The following is abridged version (full introduction and conclusions only) of the chapter on Iraq I wrote and appears in Upstream Law and Regulation: A Global Guide, published recently by Globe Law and Business-UK (325), which summarises the upstream regulation and the key concerns in over 30 important and emerging oil and gas national jurisdictions. Iraqs upstream petroleum sector witnessed three unprecedented interrelated developments post-2003: an opening to foreign direct investment; the offering of the most prized petroleum fields in a rather short period of time; and formulation of the basic model for long-term service contracts. In the previous edition (2013) of this Guide I argued that if things go as planned and contracted, Iraq might become a major contributor to the world petroleum market; a magnet for foreign investment through the involvement of international oil companies, specialised service companies and other related activities; and could introduce a new but significant element in the legal and governing framework, with possible wide and lasting implications for the relationship between host developing countries and international oil companies. However, reality seldom coincides with expectations; and this is exactly the case at the end of April 2017. This chapter discusses the long-term service contracts for upstream petroleum development in Iraq. Due to the need to limit the extent of the analysis, the corresponding matters in the Kurdish region of the country are excluded, though a few references to the region are made. The analysis is based on the model contracts and, for verification purposes scanned copies of the signed contracts were consulted. However, because of non-disclosure commitment, no formal references will be made to any signed copies of these contracts. Also this chapter does not address matters relating to subcontracting, or to contracts for front-end engineering and design-FEED, engineering, procurement and construction-EPC or other types of contract. Finally, limitations of space has prevented the use of data, statistics, annexes, maps and charts that are available on matters covered by this chapter. Part 2 provides an updated review of petroleum upstream activities in Iraq with regard to exploration, development and production. Because of the importance of exports, a few paragraphs are also included on the expansion and diversification of export outlets. The complexities, components and interconnections of the petroleum legal regime are addressed in part 3. This part elaborates on three major issues: petroleum law and relevant provisions, government take and payment to and privileges of international oil companies. Part 4 sheds lights on the main features of and new development in Iraqs long-term service contracts. Further insight is provided in Part 5 on critical current issues: the legality of concluded contracts, the situation of international oil companies who concluded contracts with the Kurdistan regional government, the reduction of production plateau targets and the renegotiation of contracts and the current status of IOCs involvement. The chapter ends with a few conclusions. The main conclusions are: The fiscal terms of the signed service contracts indicate Iraq has, undoubtedly, made good deals, though cost recovery modalities proved to be hard to cope with under a low oil price environment. Moreover, if cost control is not properly monitored and professionally audited, costs could escalate to unprecedented levels. Accordingly there is an urgent need to bridge gaps in skills and capacity through a number of measures comprising specific crash-course programmes, short-term training, professional development and specialised capacity-development education. It is vital to create a special unit within the Ministry of Oil to ensure good management of the Training, Technology and Scholarship Fund in collaboration with other entities within the sector and outside it. Considering the importance of upstream petroleum and the number and long duration of the service contracts, it would be advisable to formulate a national strategy pertaining to local content. The suggested strategy could involve creating a specialised agency with a clear mandate, auditing, monitoring and verification procedures, and institutional and legal frameworks. All international oil companies who signed the service contracts asserted, initially, a satisfactory internal rate of return despite what they considered to be tight fiscal terms. But the wide deviation between the bid and final remuneration fees would lead one to question the validity of the companies economic model and its main assumptions. Such unexplained but significant deviations could make one suspicious of the companies integrity and conduct. The prolongation of the contract period coupled with reduced plateau targets had in fact relived the IOCs from what was contracted and thus reduced the fiscal and work requirements. Moreover, the above has come with an increase in the IOCs share in the remuneration fees at the expense of the Iraqi state partners. Finally, the degree of uncertainty surrounding the legality of all the long-term service contracts agreed by the Ministry of Oil and all the production sharing contracts agreed by the Kurdistan Regional Government, remains technically low for the former but high for the latter. Ahmed Mousa Jiyad, Iraq/ Development Consultancy & Research, Norway. 4 Feb 2018 Since he joined the staff of Thomas Hospital in Fairhope in 1974 as the first obstetrician in Baldwin County, Dr. Fred Diegmann, 74, has delivered three and even four generations of babies. But until this past Thursday, Feb. 1, he had never delivered three generations of first-born sons, all born on the same date. The odds of such a thing would be "insurmountable," he said. "I say it's serendipity, a favorable happenstance beyond normal expectations." Dr. Fred Diegmann, center, poses for a photo with the three generations of the Wallace family he delivered: Larry Wallace, left, and Webb Wallace, right, holding baby Weston Wallace. (Courtesy Thomas Hospital) At 5:03 p.m. on Feb. 1, 2018, Dr. Diegmann delivered baby Weston Wallace, born to Alysha Smith and Webb Wallace. He had also delivered Webb Wallace on Feb. 1, 1999. And on Feb. 1, 1975, he had delivered Webb Wallace's father, Larry Wallace. None of the mothers were induced, Dr. Diegmann said. "They were all spontaneous labor. There was not one iota of planning." The Birth Center at Thomas Hospital now includes 10 obstetricians, he said. "We have a great, fun OB department," he said. The odds-defying birth of three male babies on the same day in three generations, delivered by the same doctor at the same hospital, is stunning, he admitted, but "not an indication of astuteness," he said. "The doctors at Thomas Hospital do a lot of great things, but this is just something statistically almost impossible. We just did our jobs." A body was discovered Monday afternoon in the search for a missing Alabama man in Tennessee. The Blount County Sheriff's Office and the Knox County Sheriff's Office joined forces on Monday, authorities said. Blount County Sheriff James Lee Berrong said deputies recovered a body earlier in the afternoon in Georges Creek, close to the construction site on Ballards Way in Louisville where deputies located the 2014 Toyota Camry belonging to 20-year-old Blake Smith who was last seen Saturday. The body was taken to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center where an autopsy will be performed Tuesday. The identity of the individual will not be released until after the autopsy, authorities said. They stopped short of saying the body is that of Smith, but announced the discovery as an update in the case and thanked those who helped to search for Smith. The family on Monday evening posted this on the Blake Smith - Missing Person page on Facebook: "Thank you for all your prayers. We won't know until tomorrow if it's Blake. We hope hope for the best but fear the worst. Thank you for your love and prayers. The family's desire is that the Lord would use this to bring others to Christ." Smith, of Trussville, is a student at Crown College, a bible college about 10 miles northwest of Knoxville. Friends and family became alarmed when Smith's roommate said Smith did not return home from work at the usual time. The college then contacted police and his parents, who filed a missing person's report on Sunday. Blount County sheriff's deputies found Smith's Camry at the Ballards Way construction site. Smith's cell phone and some other personal belongings were found near his vehicle, which had crashed into the deck of the home that is under construction. Family said there was a cinder block on the gas pedal and his phone and wallet in the car. His shoe, chain necklace and beanie were also found at the site. "Police think the car was stolen," Smith's aunt, Jill Basher Williams, told AL.com Sunday afternoon. "The canine unit did not detect his scent outside of the car." Williams also said that her nephew posted what she described as a cryptic Instagram picture of a lake not long before he went missing. "We're not sure if he was trying to tell us something," she said. Blount County sheriff's officials on Monday asked that anyone with information about Smith's disappearance to call the Investigations Unit at 865-273-5001 during normal business hours. Tipsters can also call the 24-hour anonymous crime hotline at 865-273-5200, or leave a tip on the Text-a-Tip link at www.bcso.com. Updated at 7:30 p.m. to include a Facebook post from Smith's family. An investigation is underway after a man was found shot to death Sunday in Ensley. Birmingham police West Precinct officers responded just before 5 p.m. to 1701 Avenue D. The victim's body was found behind the Western Mental Health Center, somewhat out of view from the street. Sgt. Bryan Shelton said the man had been shot. The shooting likely happened sometime Sunday, but his body wasn't immediately discovered. The victim is a 61-year-old Rickey Smith. He lived across the street from where he was found. He is the fourth male shot to death in Ensley since Friday morning. Investigators don't believe any of the slayings are connected. Saturday night, 22-year-old Davon Everson was killed while driving in the 2000 block of 28th Street in Ensley. Police said someone from another vehicle opened fired on Everson's car. Everson then crashed about 60 feet away. He was taken to UAB hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later. Early Friday morning,58-year-old Ricky Parker, a retiree and church deacon, was found shot to death outside his Belview Heights home. Later, 17-year-old Michael Lee, a Parker High School student, was killed when gunfire was exchanged between the occupants of two vehicles at Birmingham's McAlpine Park. Sunday's homicide is the 11th so far this year. No arrests have been announced in any of the weekend deaths. Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. Beth Holloway The mother of Natalee Holloway has filed a scathing lawsuit against Oxygen Media, claiming they duped her into providing her DNA and that the conduct in the making of the 2017 true crime series on the teen's disappearance was reckless and outrageous. Beth Holloway, now a school teacher in Cullman, filed the lawsuit Friday, Feb. 2, 2018, in federal court in Birmingham. She is asking for $35 million in compensatory and punitive damages. Oxygen aired what was touted as an unscripted documentary called "The Disappearance of Natalee Holloway" that aired over six episodes between Aug. 19, 2017 and Sept. 23, 2017. Natalee's father, Dave Holloway, and private investigator T.J. Ward were featured in the show, which at the time they said showed Dave Holloway's journey for justice. The show previews described the discovery of bone fragments, which Dave Holloway called his most credible lead in more than 12 years. Dave Holloway and Oxygen Media didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about Beth Holloway's lawsuit. The 44-page suit claims the defendants - Oxygen Media and Brian Graden Media - knowingly made false declarations that they had discovered how Natalee died, where she was buried, that her body was exhumed five years after her death, and that her remains were then desecrated. The network, the lawsuit contends, "made Beth hear, watch, and read that Natalee was likely drugged, raped, killed, and her body buried after her legs were 'cracked' so she could fit in a burlap sack that would hold her buried body; that five years later, after being 'dug up,' her remains were 'crushed' and 'pummeled...throughout a few hours' 'to the point it was not recognizable'; her skull was 'doused in gasoline in a fire pit' 'to burn the hair fibers'; and her crushed bones were then mixed with a dog's before being 'cremated.' "All the while, defendants knew that their gruesome depictions of Natalee's death and desecration were lies,'' the suit reads. "Rather than being un unscripted and true-crime documentary as defendants portrayed to Beth and their viewers, defendants' series was preconceived and written in advance...the series was not a real-time or legitimate investigation into new leads...the series was a pre-planned farce and its publication was outrageous." The lawsuit also states that the network preyed and capitalized on Beth Holloway's need and desire to find her daughter by claiming they may have found Natalee's grave site, and asked her for DNA to test against the remains they claimed to have found. "As agonizing weeks passed, Beth was forced to watch - along with the rest of the world - episode after episode, headline after headline, to discover what horrors had befallen her daughter, while defendants used Beth's DNA on their farcical show without her permission and under the guise of conducting a legitimate search for Natalee,'' the suit reads. According to the suit, "defendants knew at the outset that they had not discovered, and would not, discover, Natalee's remains." In October 2017, it was announced that the remains weren't Natalee's and, in fact, out of the four individual bone samples tested, only one was found to be human. Natalee Holloway disappeared May 30, 2005 while in Aruba with 130-plus of her graduated classmates. For several days during that 2005 graduation trip, the teens - of legal drinking age in Aruba - sunned and snorkeled during the day, and at night donned their sundresses for dinner and partying at Carlos' N Charlie's, which at the time was located in downtown Oranjestad, a decent cab ride from the high-rise district. The group often ended up at Excelsior Casino, which was, and still is, connected to the Holiday Inn where the Mountain Brook group stayed. On their last night, Natalee and her friends met Joran van der Sloot, who lived with his family in the nearby Montana neighborhood and attended the Aruba International School. She was last seen about 1 a.m. getting into a gray Honda with van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers as they left Carlo 'N Charlie's. Natalee was scheduled to fly home on May 30 but failed to show up when the group met in the lobby to leave for their flight. Van der Sloot and Surinamese brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, reportedly the last people to see Natalee alive, were arrested multiple times in her disappearance, but were always released without being charged. The Kalpoes continue to live and work in Aruba. Van der Sloot is serving a 28-year sentence in Stephanie Flores' death. He also faces charges in Alabama for extorting $25,000 from Holloway. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., knew its partnership with the American Girl doll company was going well. The company's 2018 "doll of the year," astronaut hopeful Luciana Vega, is selling like crazy. But the center got a close look of what Luciana might really mean for it Sunday when 1,600 people registered for "A Celebration of STEM, Inspired by Luciana Vega." Girls swarmed the center's Saturn V hall to talk to astronauts, rocket engineers and Space Camp counselors. "We like space," Gurley, Ala., third grader Abbie Hicks said simply to explain why a character like Luciana "is really special." A few feet away, Boeing rocket design engineer Tiera Fletcher grinned as she watched 10-year-old Shakynah Davis pass up an interview to concentrate on taking the life support backpack off a Luciana doll. "I was just like her," said Fletcher, who is now working on the Space Launch System at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility outside New Orleans. Shakynah had questions for Fletcher, and Fletcher recognized those, too. "How do you start?" was the big one. How do you take those first real steps toward making the space dream come true? For Luciana, the American Girl doll, the start is coming to Space Camp at the rocket center in Huntsville and meeting other girls like her who also want to do something out-of-this-world with their lives. The doll has a Space Camp flight suit in her wardrobe and comes with a book about her adventures at camp. NASA supported the STEM celebration by bringing engineers like Niki Werkheiser, the project manager of a NASA effort to "3-D print" objects aboard the International Space Station. That's how NASA expects astronauts on missions to the moon and Mars will make some of the tools and parts they need rather than carry them along. Former astronaut Dr. Rhea Seddon was there, too, signing copies of her book "Go For Orbit: One of America's First Astronauts Finds her Space" and posing for pictures. Also present were rocket center docents, a group of retired engineers in white lab coats who worked on the Saturn V and explain it to space center visitors. "It's a great event," mom Dusty Varcak said as she watched her girls dash off to another table and another activity. A 39-year-old year old Huntsville man, who's been convicted of prior felonies, is indicted in a 2017 fatal shooting. Taurus Dewayne Oliver is indicted on a capital murder charge in the Sept. 30 slaying of George Jarrett, a 34-year-old from Meridianville, court records show. Police have said Jarrett was driving along Adventist Boulevard in north Huntsville when he was shot. Because Jarret was inside a car when he was killed, Oliver faces a capital charge, which is punishable by either the death penalty or life without parole. Alabama law lists nearly 20 circumstances that make a murder a capital case. A grand jury earlier this month determined prosecutors have enough evidence to formally charge Oliver with capital murder and send the case to trial. A trial date hasn't yet been set. Police found Jarrett with a gunshot wound when they responded to a crash at the corner of Adventist and Wynn Drive. The shooting apparently stemmed from an argument that happened earlier that day, police said in a news release announcing Oliver's arrest. Jarrett died at the scene of the crash. Oliver's rap sheet dates back to the early 2000's and includes a felony conviction for robbery. In 2002, Oliver pleaded guilty to robbery in exchange for kidnapping, assault and burglary charges being dismissed, court records show. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He currently is under indictment for being a felon in possession of a firearm, records show. That charge was levied by a 2016 grand jury and is unrelated to the killing of Jarrett. Oliver is one of multiple slaying suspects indicted by a Madison County grand jury in January, the most recent session for which information is available. That list includes a man charged with fatally shooting his brother-in-law before leaving the victim's body in a burning house, and a woman charged with gunning down her girlfriend. A grand jury issues indictments when it determines prosecutors have enough evidence to formally charge a defendant and send the case to trial. Oliver is jailed without bail pending trial. Oliver is represented by appointed Huntsville lawyers Brian Clark and John Brinkley. In a statement to AL.com, the attorneys said they are ready to defend Oliver. A Huntsville middle school student has died from flu complications, reports said. According to WHNT, Huntsville Junior High School Principal Stephanie Wieseman confirmed Sunday that Aaron Masterson died earlier in the day at a local hospital. A school spokesperson said Aaron had cystic fibrosis, which complicated his flu symptoms. Wieseman sent out a statement to parents yesterday, saying Aaron died after contracting the B-strain of the flu. "As a school community, we send our condolences to his family and friends. We will support the Masterson family and our students as we navigate the process of loss with counselors and lots of love," the statement said. The school will have additional counselors available this week and have designated support areas for students. This year's flu outbreak has been one of the worst in years, as the Alabama Department of Public Health is investigating 54 flu-related deaths across the state. That number was reported last week, and does not include Aaron's death. Data from the department shows the most deaths have been in the northern and central regions of the state, including in Jefferson County. A GoFundMe has been set up for the Masterson family. Click here to view it. A convicted sex offender is jailed after state investigators found multiple child pornography videos and photos in his possession, authorities said. Joseph Scott Bennefield, a 32-year-old living in an Athens motel, was arrested by investigators from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, records show. Bennefield is held in the Limestone County Jail with bail set at $50,000. When state law enforcement served a search warrant at Bennefield's room at the Town and Country Motel on U.S. 31 in Athens, they found videos and other pornographic images of children between the ages of 4 and 8, according to court documents. Bennefield was charged with five counts of possession of child pornography, but state investigator Kathy Stewart wrote in court records that more charges are pending. Bennefield has been a convicted sex offender since 2004 when he pleaded guilty to sodomizing an 8-year-old girl and 11-year-old boy, Cullman County records show. As part of the plea, two sex abuse charges were dismissed and Bennefield was sentenced to 10 years in prison, according to the court file. The new charges stem from several tips sent to the state Special Victims Unit, said Lt. Brooke Walker, of ALEA's SVU and Internet Crimes Against Children task force. "After a search warrant and initial investigation, it was determined that Bennefield possessed multiple images of child pornography on his electronic devices, which were seized," Walker said in an email to AL.com. "Further charges are pending the completion of the forensic analysis." The number of pediatric flu-related deaths since October has topped 50, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Fifty-three pediatric deaths have been attributed to the flu during the 2017-2018 season, with 17 deaths nationwide reported in the last week. Not included in that figure is Aaron Masterson, a 12-year-old Huntsville Middle School student who passed away from the flu Sunday. Flu widespread in 48 states According to the CDC, influenza is widespread in 48 states, a drop of one state from the previous week with Oregon joining Hawaii in reporting lower activity levels. "Our latest tracking data indicate that flu activity is still high and widespread across most of the nation and increasing overall," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, acting CDC director. "So far this year, the cumulative rate of hospitalizations is the highest since we've been tracking in this way, which goes back to 2010. This is a very difficult season." The CDC also reported an increase in the percentage of patients who visited healthcare providers complaining of flu symptoms, up to 7.1 percent from 6.5 percent the previous week. And there still may be more to come, the CDC is warning. "We have not hit our peak yet, unfortunately," CDC spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund said. "Really, the bottom line is, there is still likely many more weeks to go." CDC officials said flu activity has been elevated for nine consecutive weeks this season. The average duration of flu season is around 16 weeks, with the longest being 20 weeks, meaning most areas of the country could only be about halfway through the influenza outbreak. Shortages? Increasing concerns are reports some antiviral medications, as well as flu tests, are in short supply. The situation is being monitored closely, US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said in a statement. "We are...hearing from some health care providers that there are spot shortages of some antivirals used to treat the flu and flu tests; however, at this time, there is no nationwide shortage of these products. The FDA is carefully monitoring the situation and we will provide updates as needed," Gottlieb said. What are the emergency warning signs of flu sickness? In children Fast breathing or trouble breathing Bluish skin color Not drinking enough fluids Not waking up or not interacting Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough Fever with a rash In addition to the signs above, get medical help right away for any infant who has any of these signs: Being unable to eat Has trouble breathing Has no tears when crying Significantly fewer wet diapers than normal In adults Ronald Golden, the accused Craigslist cat killer, has been found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. Ronald Golden Golden, a 52-year-old from Athens, was set for trial this morning on 22 felony counts of cruelty to a cat. But Limestone County prosecutors conceded a motion by the defense to find Golden not guilty for mental health reasons. Golden, according to court records, was committed to a mental hospital right after confessing to police that he killed multiple cats. Golden would name the cats before throwing them to the floor, breaking their necks or stomping them to death because he was "angry at the world," Athens police Chief Floyd Johnson told reporters when the suspect was arrested more than four years ago. Police began investigating in September 2013 when they received a report about kitten bodies found in the Bullington Road area, where Golden lived, police have said. During the investigation, police got an anonymous tip that Golden was the killer, the chief has said. "Golden admitted to buying kittens off Craigslist, naming them and then killing them," Johnson said in 2013. "Golden told investigators he had a cat room where he would throw the kittens against the floor to break their necks, stomp on them or 'wring their necks.'" In a motion filed this past week, Golden's attorney Lucas Beaty asked the judge to keep his client's statements out of the trial. Beaty told the judge that after Golden was interrogated, police took him to a mental hospital, where he was detained for 10 days until a probate judge deemed him "mentally ill." That judge, according to court documents, ruled that Golden was "in need of treatment and was unable to make rational and informed decisions..." "At the time of interrogation, the defendant was mentally incapable of understanding his Miranda rights and, therefore, was unable to knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently waive the same," Beaty wrote in court records. Limestone County Circuit Judge Robert Baker said he will set a hearing within the next few months to determine Golden's future. Depending on the results of a mental evaluation, Golden could be institutionalized or required to seek other forms of mental health treatment. After today's hearing, Beaty declined comment. Limestone County District Attorney Brian Jones said he's glad the case has been resolved and looks forward to the final hearing. tutwiler prison Inmates in the living quarters of Julia Tutwiler Prison For Women in Wetumpka, Ala. in this 2017 photo. A lack of medical and mental health care at Alabama's federal prisons is the subject of a federal lawsuit, filed in 2014. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com) Frank Knaack By Frank Knaack, Executive Director of Alabama Appleseed; and Jordan Richardson, a Senior Policy and Research Analyst with the Charles Koch Institute More than a decade ago, Texas lawmakers faced a choice. A joint legislative committee had warned that because of its skyrocketing prison population, the state would be required to spend nearly two billion dollars on the construction of up to 17,000 new prison beds. The state's conservative leadership decided to go a different route by making reforms to the criminal justice system and decreasing the number of people the state sent to prison. The reforms worked: 10 years later, overall crime rates have remained low and the state is slated to close its eighth prison in six years. Jordan Richardson For anyone following the criminal justice-related debates that have dominated the Alabama legislature during the past few sessions, the problem facing Texas' lawmakers over a decade ago sounds familiar. Granted, Texas lawmakers faced an increasing prison population, while Alabama's prison population has declined thanks to data-driven criminal justice reforms in 2013 and 2015. But, as Alabama's legislators are aware, the current decline in Alabama's prison rate will level off within a few years, leaving the state with a lingering prison overcrowding problem. Alabama lawmakers are at the same fork in the road that their Texas colleagues faced a decade ago. Option A is to build their way out of Alabama's prison overcrowding problem. This is the direction legislators have considered and decided against during the past two legislative sessions. We agree. This option, on the conservative end, would cost an estimated $800 million, would take five years to complete, and would lock in Alabama's reliance on incarceration for a generation to come. And, because of the length of time necessary to construct the new prisons, the plan would fail to address the acute overcrowding problem that currently plagues Alabama's prisons. Option B is to build on the 2013 and 2015 criminal justice reforms. With a few simple improvements, Alabama can better protect public safety, reduce the burden placed on taxpayers, and create a fairer criminal justice system. A lot of people in Alabama's prisons simply shouldn't be incarcerated. Here are some solutions: Stop incarcerating those who have committed low-level crimes. Invest in mental health and substance abuse services. Reclassify marijuana possession as a civil offense. Alabama should also give people a second chance to make an honest living. Alabama has approximately 21,000 people in its prisons and another 11,000 in its jails. The vast majority of those individuals will be released and return to their communities. To reduce the recidivism rate, the U.S. Department of Justice has identified three key elements to successful re-entry into our communities. One of those is helping people find and keep a job. By removing the criminal history check box from the initial employment application on public sector employment applications, Alabama would follow the lead of 30 states plus the District of Columbia that have removed this hurdle to employment placed in front of otherwise qualified applicants. In recent years, Alabama has embraced a number of data-driven criminal justice reforms. We can do even more. Alabama's leaders have an opportunity to create a fairer criminal justice system, protect public safety, and lower the burden on taxpayers. We urge them build on their previous reforms. Witch Hunts.jpg On the defensive, Donald Trump is trying to delegitimize and discredit the investigation into his campaign and his administration, but Alabamians have seen this tactics before, whether it's Don Siegelman, Larry Langford or Mike Hubbard, and in the end they never seem to work. (file) Lawyers have a saying. Perhaps you've heard it. If the facts are on your side. Argue the facts. If the law is on your side. Argue the law. If neither is on your side, then bang your fist and yell. But there needs to be an addendum to this old saw. If your client is a politician, cry 'Witch Hunt!" I suppose politicians aren't the only criminal defendants or targets of investigations who believe the authorities have it out for them. A low-level drug dealer probably feels the same way, only no one listens to him. Heck, we all knew somebody in high school who, when sent to the principal's office, said the teacher just didn't like them. Some of us were that person. But what sets the political class apart is their following. Elected officials have the constituencies that put them in office, folks who've already decided whose team they're on. They have someone primed to listen to them and believe them. No matter the facts. No matter the law. Right now President @realDonaldTrump is throwing whatever chaff he can find to disrupt special prosecutor Robert Mueller's investigation of his White House and his campaign. He tweets "Witch Hunt!" almost as often as he scapegoats illegal immigrants. He's already fired or forced out top officials at the Justice Department and the FBI. Now the people he hired to replace the people he fired are threatening to quit -- if he doesn't fire them next. He huffs and puffs and, if he has to, he'll blow the whole White House down. And it should be noted that the same FBI Director James Comey whom Trump fired was the same James Comey Democrats wanted to hang for supposedly sabotaging Hillary Clinton's campaign. There are no permanent allies or enemies in politics, they say. And these days there aren't even permanent interests. Cry "Witch Hunt!" and let slip the botnets of Twitter. But here's the thing. If this is just another part of the Alabamafication of America, then we here in the broken Heart of Dixie have seen this sort of thing before, and we know how it ends. Sometimes when I feel like I'm getting too much accomplished, I like to write the words Don Siegelman was guilty just to remind myself that no matter how many Siegelman myth-busting columns I write, someone will still argue back that the former Alabama governor was framed by Karl Rove. Whenever I get to feeling that one party is immune to such partisan blindness, all I need is to take a look at the other. Siegelman cried witch hunt, but he still went to prison. Mike Hubbard cried witch hunt, too, and then paid a small fortune to a bevy top-dollar criminal defense lawyers to cry witch hunt in court. He held press conferences with his Goat Hill allies standing by his side, and many of them stepped to the mic to cry witch hunt. One of Hubbard's most loyal supporters, state Rep. Mike Ball, accused the prosecutors of breaking the law, and Ball attempted to enlist other state and federal authorities to prosecute Deputy Alabama Attorney General Matt Hart. Sound familiar? But you know what happened in the end? Hubbard was convicted, and if the Alabama appellate courts ever get off their rear ends, he'll go to prison, too. (Weird how long it's taking elected judges to make a ruling. Couldn't be an election year, could it?) Robert Bentley, Charles Todd Henderson, Larry Langford -- everyone, every politician I've seen get collared has accused the prosecution of attacking them for political purposes. But I haven't seen that strategy work. At least, not yet. Because when those cases finally make their way before juries and judges, something else happens. Those folks in the jury box -- they consider the facts and they follow the law. Kyle Whitmire is the state political columnist for the Alabama Media Group. You can follow his work on Facebook through Reckbon by AL.com. With Nepals unemployment rate at 40 percent, many young men and women say their only option is to find work abroad. Perhaps the most popular song in Nepal right now is Suna Saili, in which a young man working in Qatar thinks of his wife back home and tells her to persevere until he comes back. The song, which has more than 14 million views on YouTube, has hit a chord with ordinary Nepalis. Every day, about 1,600 Nepali men and women leave the country, mostly for Malaysia and the Gulf countries. In the past decade, Nepals Department of Foreign Employment has issued more than 3.5 million labour permits for men and women to go work. The money they send home has been the backbone of Nepals economy 31.3 percent of the GDP is supported by the remittances sent by these foreign workers. The new wealth is visible across Nepal small villages have turned into towns and private schools, clinics and shops have mushroomed across the country. With Nepals unemployment rate currently hovering at 40 percent, many young men and women say their only option is to find work abroad. For this, they are willing to pay a high price and many fall through the cracks. More than 1,000 men leave Nepal every day in search of work [Subina Shrestha/Al Jazeera] At the Department of Foreign Employment, workers can lodge official complaints against individuals and agencies. There is always a crowd of people, most angry and upset, hanging around the area. Suresh Prasad Shah has been coming to the capital Kathmandu for days. He went to Malaysia four months ago to work in a garment factory and was promised $380 a month for his work. He paid $900 to the recruiting agency in Kathmandu for the job and $200 for medical tests. When he reached Malaysia, there was no garment factory. He was taken to a store and given a new contract for $250. The company told him he would get just $100 per month for six months a deduction of the amount they claimed they spent for visas, tickets and medical tests. When I said I wanted to leave, they said I had to pay them $1,500 instead, says Shah. More than 31 percent of Nepals GDP is supported by foreign remittances [Subina Shrestha/Al Jazeera] Last year, workers registered more than 2,000 complaints ranging from fraud, exploitation, and physical and sexual abuse by middle-men and foreign employment agents at the Department of Foreign Employment. Some 227 workers stranded across the world appealed to the Nepali government to rescue them. It is precisely for these reasons that a Foreign Employment Welfare Fund was created a fund each worker pays $15 to. The fund has the mandate to repatriate stranded and sick workers, and provide compensation to the families. In a decade, the Welfare Fund has amassed more than $50m. But many complain the money has not been utilised properly. News about government officials using the fund to go on foreign trips further irks migrants and recruitment agencies. Who would want to leave home and work so far away, if not for a better life for your wife and children? Suresh Prasad Shah, migrant worker For Shah, the fund has not been of any use. After three months of being paid just $100, he decided he had enough. He went to the Nepali Embassy in Malaysia and got a temporary passport. He paid $642 for a local agent to get him a ticket. Nobody told him he could appeal for some of that $50m to be used to return. In 2015, the government passed a policy where migrant workers could no longer be charged for their visas or tickets, a policy that has trapped some workers. The recruitment agency that Suresh Prasad Shah went through gave him a receipt for only $100 the amount allowed by the government to charge workers. The government officials do not listen to us. They say we have to show receipts. How are we going to get receipts when government doesnt allow the actual amount to be reflected? says Shah. Despite policies meant to protect workers, Shah has fallen into a crack that has driven him to a point of desperation. He had taken a loan at three percent a month and he has no idea how to repay it. Who would want to leave home and work so far away, if not for a better life for your wife and children? says Shah. But now how will I ever support them? Gambia activist tells Al Jazeera why respect is critical when tackling the subject of female genital mutilation. When Jaha Dukureh was a week old, she survived female genital mutilation (FGM) in The Gambia. When she was 15 years old, she was forced into marriage and sent to New York to be with her husband. On her wedding night, she was cut again to allow for the consummation of the marriage. The second procedure is common for women who have already undergone the most severe form of FGM. Today, she fights against the practice, which the UN estimates affects 200 million girls and women globally. In the United States, Dukureh spearheaded a campaign which led the administration of former President Barack Obama to conduct further research into FGM. As a UN Goodwill Ambassador against FGM and the head of Safe Hands for Girls, an NGO supporting survivors in Africa, she now campaigns in The Gambia, where she lives today. Her activism in part led to Yahya Jammeh, former president, banning FGM in The Gambia in 2015. Although violations carry penalties of $1,050 or a three-year-prison sentence or both, there have been no prosecutions to date. According to human rights activists, Jammehs removal brought ambiguity to the FGM ban, and there are reports of a resurgence. Dukureh says resistance to ending FGM has always been fierce, but attitudes are changing [Courtesy: Jaha Dukureh] Dukureh, a mother of three named in 2016 by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people, wants to ensure FGM and child marriages become horrors of the past. On the occasion of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation on Tuesday, she told Al Jazeera her story On surviving FGM I found out I had undergone FGM at the age of 15. I went through the most severe form, which is type 3 FGM; this is when women and girls are infibulated and have to be de-infibulated before any form of penetrative sex can occur. I underwent FGM at one week old, so I had no memories of it. It wasn't until I got married that I fully got to understand the extent of the practice on me. I didnt really understand what FGM was and what I had gone through until then. I underwent FGM at one week old, so I had no memories of it. It wasnt until I got married that I fully got to understand the extent of the practice on me. Because I know what it feels like to live with FGM, I can advocate better for the millions of girls like me who have to live with the practice, and do everything I possibly can to make sure that this number doesnt get any bigger. On motivation I started this work when I had my daughter, Khadija. I knew there was no way she would ever live the life I lived. But its also not just my daughter. Every day, 6,000 girls are cut, and no one speaks out for those girls. On the myths surrounding FGM The biggest myth is that its a religious obligation only practised by Muslims and poor Africans that dont know anything. {articleGUID} [Another myth is] that women who experienced FGM are not capable of leading efforts against it. I think its a misconception common in the West they tend to want to use us as photo ops and put our stories out there. They dont see us as people that can write policies and be part of those policy changes, or have a seat at that table when they are making decisions about our lives. A 26-year-old who couldnt have kids underwent FGM because she was told that it would solve her problem. They cut everything, even the urethra, and she ended up with fistula. These are the kinds of stories we explain, and people might be able to connect with that. Communities need to learn from someone they know wont lie to them. Its about bringing people into the community who can help us understand. On moving back to The Gambia I decided to move back to The Gambia because we had a change of government which saw the end of Yahya Jammehs longtime rule. He banned FGM, and many people felt the FGM ban was his law. Our work is needed now more than ever. We don't want FGM to go underground. This is why we had to go back to the communities and convince people that this was a law that was created for them, a re-energise the campaign. Our work is needed now more than ever. We dont want FGM to go underground. On why The Gambias law is not enforced It is not only the responsibility of the parent to go to jail. Neighbours who know and dont say anything, shopkeepers who sell blades to cut girls, they [should] go to jail. The only loophole [in the law] is that it doesnt address cross-border issues, so the law doesnt apply if you go to Senegal. But it is one of the best laws against FGM that Ive seen in Africa. The Gambian government hasn't done much; people are changing their own minds. There have been reports from hospitals about children having suffered from FGM and the police refusing to cooperate. They are hesitant to enforce the law because they think its a family [or tribal] issue. So we focus on police training. Many didnt know about the consequences of the practice. We want this new government to push harder. We can train [police] officers, but if the president doesnt make a broad stance, people will think that hes okay with it. The Gambian government hasnt done much; people are changing their own minds. On punishing parents We are not trying to jail every parent in this country, but we want parents to be aware that we have laws protecting girls here. If we had parents cutting childrens arms in the US, we would have an outcry in the world and people would arrest them. If we had parents cutting children's arms in the US, we would have an outcry in the world and people would arrest them. If you beat your child, you will be arrested. FGM is child abuse. If parents have to go to jail for us to be FGM-free, thats how it should be. Our parents dont hate us, but its about right and wrong, and FGM is wrong. On progress FGM has not been eradicated in The Gambia, but we have come a long way. It was difficult to talk about [ending] FGM; now its a national movement. We have a huge culture of silence in our community. Collecting human stories and allowing women to share their experiences has helped us break the silence. On facing resistance To this day, we continue to meet some resistance, but its not as bad as it used to be. In The Gambia, the problem is that many people who practise FGM believe its a religious obligation. More and more religious leaders are coming forward and saying there is no benefit of FGM. That is why they are supporting the ban. On the importance of respect Respect is what has been lacking for years when tackling FGM. It is important for activists to be careful with the media and not to sensationalise FGM and survivors. It is important for activists to be careful with the media and not to sensationalise FGM and survivors. I tell them to take care and not open up too much because you can easily lose yourself. It is crucial for us survivors and people who are involved in this work to say no sometimes to protect ourselves. Standing in your truth and never ever letting anything get you away from you is important. On whether FGM will be eradicated by 2030 I dont know if FGM will be eradicated by 2030, but I do believe it will end in our lifetime. In The Gambia, I dont believe it will be an issue in the next 10 years. {articleGUID} Globally, I dont think there is enough will and political commitment towards ending FGM by 2030. On Africa Our target is the African Union (AU) and Africa as a whole. We want the AU to put more pressure on member countries. Many countries in Africa have laws against FGM but are not implementing them. We are asking the AU to pass a resolution by 2020 which makes FGM illegal in every country within the continent. On how people can support the movement to end FGM They can support us. We were all at one point outside the continent. We need to re-evaluate how we do things. We cant continue putting all the resources in organisations that are in New York and London, and expect to make a difference in a village in Gambia. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. Fatma Naib reported from Sweden. Azad Essa reported from Banjul, The Gambia and was supported by the International Reporting Project (IRP). Follow Azad and Fatma on Twitter: @FatmaNaib @azadessa While many displaced Syrians will likely return to their homes this year, safety and stability is still a long way off. Today, in government buildings across Europe and the Middle East, officials debate policies that would return millions of Syrian refugees to their war-ravaged land. Displaced families sit in refugee tents weighing up the risk of returning home, too; the burden weighing heavier on their shoulders. Government officials would be unwise to make hasty or reckless decisions from the safety and detachment of their faraway offices, without consulting the very people who endanger their lives by returning. Not doing so would risk another series of misguided policies that will lead to more suffering and conflict for Syria. The brutal seven-year war has taken a colossal toll on human lives. It has displaced half the countrys prewar population. More than six million people are displaced inside Syria. Another five million are refugees in neighbouring nations, a million of which have fled to Europe. When my organisation, the Norwegian Refugee Council, speaks with refugees, a clear majority tell us they dont want to go to Europe or the US. Nor do they wish to stay in Jordan, Lebanon or Turkey countries who generously opened their borders to host them. They want to go home. This year, many of them likely will. However, many parts of Syria continue to be torn apart by conflict. Fierce fighting in the northwestern province of Idlib recently forced a quarter of a million people to flee. This is on top of a million people already displaced inside the province. Further south, in the besieged enclave of Eastern Ghouta, the misery of 400,000 starved Syrians has spiked to an unimaginable level. Both warzones are among four de-escalation areas that were meant to see less violence, more aid and the eventual return of displaced communities. Instead, they have witnessed only death and destruction. For every internally displaced Syrian who returned, three were newly displaced. Elsewhere in Syria, suffering is taking place with less global attention. In regions retaken from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in 2017, civilians returning home are killed by explosives on a daily basis. On top of that, the movement of these civilians, and that of aid organisations, is often curtailed and restricted. While many Syrians did return home last year, a far greater number fled. For every internally displaced Syrian who returned, three were newly displaced. The figures for refugees are equally stark. Some 66,000 refugees returned to Syria in 2017, but neighbouring countries closed their borders to about 300,000 people trying to escape the war. Among those who did return, evidence indicates some degree of force was involved. Other families returned after losing hope that their deteriorating existence as refugees would ever improve. Much of the Syria that refugees fled, has since been reduced to rubble. About one-third of all homes and schools, and about half of all medical facilities, have been damaged or destroyed in the conflict. The cost of rebuilding will be as high as $180bn, according to the World Bank. Before any money can be spent, however, complicated political agreements first need to be made between conflict parties and between external donors, to provide the security and investment conditions needed. Preparing the ground for Syrians to return home must be done carefully. This is where aid organisations can help. For example, many children born during the war do not have legal papers to prove their nationality and risk becoming stateless. In addition, many families who lost deeds to land and property cannot prove they own the homes they want to return to. We can provide legal aid to Syrians who lost, or do not have these civil documents as a result of the conflict, which affects their ability to return. This year, 2018, can be the year that parties to this conflict finally agree on a better future for Syria. But until they do, equal attention should be given to refugees wishing to stay and wait for peace, as to those who will return. Donors and powers have committed to improving the situation for refugees in neighbouring countries it is high time they honoured those promises. Excessive focus on returning Syrians home cannot justify the rigid closed-door refugee policy of wealthy countries. A basic principle of international law is that refugees should only return home in a voluntary, safe and dignified way. As humanitarians, we pledge to listen, assist and monitor such voluntary return. We also pledge to the civilians we serve, to fight any decisions that will lead to rushed and involuntary returns. We need to sit down with politicians and diplomats in Europe and the Middle East before it is too late and agree on how best to assist and protect Syrians. Too many fatal decisions have been made over their heads by others, but ultimately suffered by them. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani seems to have earned respect among some political circles thanks to his impressive educational background. With a PhD in anthropology and years of experience teaching at top US universities, he has been praised for his career achievements. In May 2014, Ghani was ranked second among world thinkers of 2013 by Britains Prospect Magazine. Ghani enjoyed the high regard of some Afghans as well. His inauguration as the head of the National Unity Government of Afghanistan (NUG) in September 2014 was met with some optimism among the educated segments of society. And that was despite widespread fraud during the election process which led to a power-sharing deal between Ghani and his rival, Abdullah Abdullah. Thanks to his reputation as a top thinker, Ghani has long been portrayed as Platos philosopher king someone who can lead multi-ethnic Afghanistan towards much-needed civic nationalism and transform the countrys image. Having worked with the UN and the World Bank, Ghani was seen as someone who could bridge the ethnocentric socio-political divides. However, over three years have passed since Ghani started his tenure as the head of NUG, and his performance proved that he is much more of an ethnonationalist than a philosopher king. A philosopher king in foreign affairs In foreign affairs, Ghani has done much better than former Afghan President Hamid Karzai. By pursuing pragmatic foreign policy strategies, Ghanis government has improved its standing on the world stage and learned how to stand up to countries like Pakistan. {articleGUID} Under his leadership, Afghanistan has raised its voice against state sponsors of terrorism at regional and global forums. It has succeeded in convincing the international community to put pressure on Pakistan to give up its support for the Taliban. The new US strategy towards South Asia and its tougher rhetoric on Pakistan followed the intense lobbying efforts of Ghanis government. Afghanistan has also utilised regional mechanisms (such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, the Heart of Asia Istanbul Process, etc.) to promote the country as a key economic link between South and Central Asia. As a result, Afghanistan is participating in major regional projects in the spheres of trade, transport, and energy. Progress in foreign affairs is crucial for the future of Afghanistan, and thus far Ghani has done well. An ethnonationalist in domestic affairs However, on the domestic front, Afghanistan seems to be going down an uncertain path. Ghani, an ethnic Pashtun, became president on the back of a very controversial election. Following accusations of unprecedented electoral violations, US Secretary of State John Kerry brokered a power-sharing deal between Ghani and the Jamiat-e Islami party candidate Abdullah Abdullah. While there were many reports of electoral fraud, the NUG Agreement made Ghani the president and Abdullah the chief executive officer, a position similar to a prime ministers seat. The agreement that brought Ghani to power mandated the NUG with amending the constitution to change the absolute presidential system to a semi-presidential one, with a prime minister as the head of government. It was also supposed to reform the electoral system and distribute electronic national identity cards. All of these reforms, which could have helped the formation of a truly democratic political system inclusive of all ethnic groups, were supposed to be implemented within two years of the election. {articleGUID} The NUG has been in power for nearly four years now, and none of these agreed measures has materialised. Furthermore, Ghani has made a number of controversial decisions that fuelled political tensions among the countrys ethnic groups further. For example, he repealed a law that would have each citizen choose what ethnicity they are for the new biometric identification cards. Now everyone will be classified as Afghan, a term many in the country perceive to refer to members of the Pashtun tribe. This has angered many non-Pashtun groups. Apart from that, Ghani has isolated a number of prominent non-Pashtun leaders. He fired his senior adviser, Ahmad Zia Massoud, a well-known ethnic Tajik figure and former vice president. He forced First Vice President General Abdul Rashid Dostum, the most powerful leader of the Uzbek community, into self-imposed exile after accusing him of ordering the kidnapping and rape of an elderly political opponent. Dostum has claimed that all accusations are part of a political plot against him. Ghani has also severed relations with Mohammad Mohaqiq, a powerful Hazara leader who is one of CEO Abdullahs deputies. He has locked horns with General Atta Noor, a highly influential Jamiat figure from the Tajik ethnic group in the north. Noor had been the governor of Balkh Province for 13 years until Ghani fired him in December last year. While Ghani has systematically forced non-Pashtun leaders out of the unity government, he has surrounded himself with Pashtun ethnonationalist leaders. He signed a controversial peace deal with Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a notorious Pashtun tribal leader with ties to the Taliban, al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) who is also known as the butcher of Kabul for the role he played in the destruction of Kabul in the 1990s civil wars. Ghani has also appointed a handful of Pashtu-speaking advisors and has given them full access to government resources and decision-making authority within the Presidential Palace. For example, the presidents national security adviser, Mohammad Hanif Atmar, is in charge of security institutions. Under the NUG agreement, such executive powers should only be granted to the first vice president. Instead, Dostum is now in exile, and Ghanis adviser enjoys all the privileges of his position hiring, firing, promoting and demoting within the national army and police. The unprecedented executive power granted to Ghanis advisors makes them de-facto chief ministers overriding the decision-making of the individuals appointed to these positions under the NUG. So, looking at his domestic policies, it is impossible to deny that Ghani has been acting like an ethnonationalist. Presidential elections are coming up in a years time, and perhaps he thinks this strategy will guarantee him re-election. But pushing Afghanistan down a path of ethnic divisions is dangerous and could precipitate Ghanis political demise. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. At least 83 children were killed in conflict zones across the Middle East and North Africa last month, UNICEF says. At least 83 children were killed in conflict zones throughout the Middle East and North Africa last month, according to the United Nations childrens agency. The victims died as a result of fighting throughout January in Iraq, Libya, Palestine, Syria and Yemen, UNICEF said in a statement released on Monday. A number of the children were killed during suicide attacks; others froze to death as they attempted to flee areas in which fighting was taking place. Geert Cappelaere, UNICEFs regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, called the deaths unacceptable and said they represent a breach of international law. These children have paid the highest price for wars that they have absolutely no responsibility for. Their lives have been cut short, their families forever broken in grief, he said. We collectively continue failing to stop the war on children. The Geneva Convention, which sets out the laws of conflict, calls for the protection of children during war. All 193 member states of the United Nations have ratified the convention. At least 59 of the children were killed in Syria, according to UNICEF, which is in the grip of an ongoing civil war, now approaching its eighth year. In Lebanon, four children were among 16 Syrian refugees who froze to death after fleeing the conflict. Syrias civil war has claimed at least 400,000 lives and displaced 22 million people since fighting began in March 2011. In Yemen, 16 children died during January with UNICEF receiving reports of casualties on a daily basis, according to Cappelaere. A suicide attack killed three children in the Libyan city of Benghazi, where three others were killed while playing near an unexploded bomb that detonated. Other victims included a boy shot dead near Ramallah, in Palestine, and a child killed by a bomb in the Iraqi city of Mosul. Conflicts across the Middle East and North Africa have taken a devastating toll on children in the region, Cappelaere said. Not hundreds, not thousands but millions more children in the Middle East and North Africa region have their childhood stolen, maimed for life, traumatised, arrested and detained, exploited, prevented from going to school and from getting the most essential health services; denied even the basic right to play, he said. At least 18 killed and 45 wounded in overnight attacks on hospitals and residential areas, aid workers say. Images of death and destruction from the northern province of Idlib in Syria have flooded social media, with local activists and aid workers saying shelling by Russian and Syrian government warplanes in the area has intensified. Rescue workers from the Syrian Civil Defence (SCD), a volunteer search and rescue team, say that at least 18 civilians have been killed and more than 45 wounded in the continuous bombardment and a gas attack on the rebel-held province since Sunday night. The Russians are in a frenzy. Theyre going mad. The shelling is ongoing throughout the day and night. The warplanes are hitting residential areas, Hadi Abdullah, a local journalist, told Al Jazeera by phone from the town of Kafr Nabl in the northwestern Syrian province bordering Turkey. The massacres started yesterday night. The whole area was vibrating. About 12 homes came crumbling down, continued Hadi, describing the attacks on the town on Sunday night. The uptick in attacks comes after fighters from the Hayet Tahrir al-Sham group shot down a Russian warplane and killed its pilot on Saturday. While Russia the Syrian governments main ally says it is targeting rebel fighters, locals say the majority of the attacks have been on residential neighbourhoods and hospitals. The shelling spanned several areas, including Massaran, Khan al-Sabil, and Idlib city, where aid workers say many remain trapped under the rubble. The main hospital in Maaret al-Numan, east of Kafr Nabl, has stopped working after it was hit by air raids, according to the SCD also known as the White Helmets. About 10 air raids hit the hospital. It was a disaster, said Hadi, who had rushed to the scene. The most difficult and heartbreaking scene was when the volunteers were quickly pulling the babies out of the hospital. I cant get the image out of my head, he recalled with a trembling voice. At least two people were killed in the attack on a hospital in Maaret al-Numan [Abdullah al-Saad] At about 1am, Hadi headed to film events in Idlib city, where they had heard a Russian warplane targeted a residential building. A whole seven-story building came crashing down. The level of destruction is unreal, said Hadi. Chlorine gas attack Volunteers with the SCD also reported a suspected chlorine gas attack on the town of Saraqeb on Sunday night, which wounded nine, including three aid workers. This is the second gas attack in two weeks. At about 9:20 pm local time (7PM GMT), two warplanes dropped two barrels containing chlorine on a heavily populated civilian area in Saraqeb, Laith Abdullah, an aid worker, told Al Jazeera from Saraqeb. There was gas and smoke everywhere. Everyone was suffocating people were screaming out ambulance, Laith continued. It is difficult to describe; it is difficult to explain the amount of pain we were in and how much we were suffering. Doomsday Idlib province is one of the few remaining areas in Syria where fighters opposed to President Bashar al-Assads government are putting up a fight. While Idlib city is dominated by Hayet Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) a former al-Qaeda affiliate some 40 other armed groups loyal to the Free Syrian Army (FSA) also operate in other areas of the province. The FSA is a loose conglomeration of armed brigades made up of Syrian army defectors and civilians, which receive financial and logistical support from the United States, Turkey, and several Gulf countries. {articleGUID} Idlib was included in a Russian-Iranian-Turkish deal for de-escalation zones aimed at halting fighting and offering safety to civilians, but it has continuously been targeted. The province is strategically important for the Syrian government and Russia due to its proximity to the coastal region where the Russian-operated Syrian Khmeimim airbase sits. Reporting from the Turkish-Syrian border, activist Ibrahim Ismail estimated there were more than 150 raids in just half an hour on Sunday night. Yesterday night was horrible. People are describing it as Doomsday and saying there were more than eight warplanes in the air. The shelling is heavy and arbitrary, Ismail told Al Jazeera. Follow Zena Tahhan on Twitter: @zenatahhan Nearly two dozen civilians die in Syrian regime air raids on rebel-held Eastern Ghouta outside the capital. Nearly two dozen civilians have been killed just outside of Damascus in a Syrian government-led offensive targeting rebel-held areas, a war-monitor group said. Air strikes on Eastern Ghouta, a suburb of the Syrian capital, killed at least 23 people on Monday, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. The Observatory said at least 70 people were also wounded in the attacks, which the group said were carried out by Syrian forces and their Russian allies. Of those killed, at least nine civilians, including two children, were killed in an air raid on a market in the town of Beit Sawa, while another six civilians, including one child, were killed in the town of Hazzeh, AFP news agency reported. Syrian state media also said shelling on the Old City of Damascus, which is held by the government, killed one woman and wounded three other civilians. Eastern Ghouta is the last remaining rebel-held stronghold near Damascus and has been under a government siege since 2013. {articleGUID} Human rights groups have struggled to access the area to provide an estimated 400,000 residents with much-needed food and medicine. Local hospitals are running out of medical supplies and an acute food shortage has led to severe malnutrition. Late last month, Syrian activists accused President Bashar al-Assads forces of violating a Russian-brokered ceasefire in the area. The aerial bombardment of Eastern Ghouta came amid reports that at least 18 civilians were killed and dozens more were injured in a Syrian government bombardment on northern Idlib province, which is also held by rebel groups. The International Committee of the Red Cross in Syria reported medical facilities were targeted in Idlib and the town of Hama. Alarming news from #Syria. Were receiving reports of multiple medical facilities targeted in #Hama and #Idleb. With the majority of hospitals no longer operating in these areas, these latest attacks will deprive tens of thousands of life-saving care. #NotATarget ICRC Syria (@ICRC_sy) February 5, 2018 With the majority of hospitals no longer operating in these areas, these latest attacks will deprive tens of thousands of life-saving care, the ICRC said. Both Eastern Ghouta and Idlib are among four so-called de-escalation zones in Syria, which were delineated last year as part of a ceasefire proposal meant to end hostilities between rebel and government forces. Palestinian man pursued by Israeli forces in Salfit district after stabbing a rabbi near illegal settlement of Ariel. An Israeli settler has been stabbed and killed in a knife attack outside an illegal settlement in the occupied West Bank. The attack in the district of Salfit on Monday afternoon, on the main road near the Ariel settlement, was reportedly carried out by a Palestinian man who fled the scene, according to Israeli media. Israeli security forces chased the man who drove away in a vehicle but later left the car and ran away from an army vehicle chasing him. He was still at large late on Monday. Israels Magen David Adom ambulance service said on its Twitter account the settler was a 30-year-old man with a stab wound to his upper body. He later died in a hospital. Israeli media identified him as Itamar Ben Gal, 29, a rabbi from the illegal settlement of Har Bracha. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to bring to justice the Palestinian man. I put my trust in the security forces who do the hardest work against these disgraceful attacks, Netanyahu said at the beginning of a Likud party meeting, the Times of Israel reported. Israeli forces have dispersed to nearby towns in search of the attacker. Bethlehem-based Maan News agency said settlers in the area began throwing rocks at Palestinian vehicles passing by. Hamas, in the Gaza Strip, welcomed the stabbing attack. It is proof that the al-Quds Intifada continues, its armed wing said in a statement on Twitter, referencing an uprising that came out of 2015 protests commonly referred to by Palestinians as the Intifada of the knives. A similar attack to Mondays occurred last month, when a 35-year-old settler, also a rabbi, was shot dead near the illegal Israeli settlement outpost of Havat Gilad. Since then, the Israeli army carried out at least three raids in Palestinian villages near the West Bank city of Nablus. Accompanied by bulldozers and drones during their incursions, the Israeli army is continuing its search for Ahmad Jarrar, a 22-year-old Palestinian who is wanted for his alleged role in the killing. His cousin of the same name was killed on January 18 after a 10-hour military operation, in what Palestinians believe was a case of mistaken identity. Israeli forces declared Jenin, where Jarrars village is located, a closed military zone and imposed a curfew on several neighbourhoods. On Sunday, a 19-year-old Palestinian man succumbed to his wounds after being shot during a raid there the night before. Israeli settlements violate the Fourth Geneva Convention, which states an occupying power cannot transfer its population into the territory it occupies. Two Kenyan broadcasters back on air a week after being shut down over plans to broadcast opposition leaders rally. Two Kenyan television stations have resumed broadcasting after being taken off air for plans to show a rally held by the countrys opposition leader. The NTV and KTN channels were both accessible on Monday, but two others Citizen TV and Inooro TV remained blocked, Kenyas Daily Nation newspaper reported on Monday. Earlier in the day, protesters took to the streets in Kenyas capital Nairobi to condemn the media shutdown, it said. The government suspended all four stations on January 30 after they announced plans to air the symbolic swearing in of opposition leader Raila Odinga, which took place later the same day. TV stations re-opened after seven days closure; NTV, KTN News back on air after court order issued last week. Citizen TVs signal is yet to be restored #NTVTonight @apochieng pic.twitter.com/SXTg5GUAkD NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) February 5, 2018 Broadcasting the mock ceremony at which Odinga declared himself the peoples president would threaten national security, the government said. It also described the event as a well-choreographed attempt to subvert or overthrow incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta. The move prompted international condemnation, with the UN later criticising Kenyan officials for failing to comply with a ruling by the countrys High Court to lift the block on the channels. On February 1, the court ordered a 14-day suspension of the governments shutdown to allow for a legal challenge to be heard. Journalists and human rights groups have condemned the shutdown as an attack on freedom of the press. The government allowed the event to take place, Linus Kaikai, managing editor of Kenyas Nation Media Group, told Al Jazeera last week. I didnt understand the ministers rationale on why they allowed the event, but cannot allow coverage. Odingas event took place three months after he boycotted a presidential election rerun, claiming the government planned to rig the vote. Kenyatta won a second five-year term in office during the rerun, and he was sworn in as the countrys leader in a ceremony last November. An earlier ballot for the presidency, in August of last year, was annulled by Kenyas Supreme Court on account of irregularities and illegalities by the electoral commission. Displaced for years, South Waziristan locals say areas military deemed safe are still littered with mines and IEDs. Makin, Pakistan The silence as you stand in the centre of Makin, the birthplace of the Pakistan Taliban, is striking. Nestled among the rocky mountains of this remote corner of northwestern Pakistans South Waziristan tribal district, Makin was once the base of feared Pakistan Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud. Today, save for a few scattered, mostly abandoned mud and stone houses, a large army checkpoint and a few stalls in the market, there is virtually nothing here. Across South Waziristan, village after village has been left abandoned. The empty streets contradict the Pakistani governments claims that more than half a million people, who had fled the area in the wake of a military operation in 2009, have been resettled in their homes. Umar Din lost the fingers on his right hand and was completely blinded in his left eye in a landmine explosion [Al Jazeera] Residents began to tentatively return to the impoverished tribal district in 2012. But the fragile calm in the area has been broken, periodically, by a series of deadly explosions. The wave of violence has left many locals too afraid to return, putting the governments plans to repopulate and normalise life in this remote, underdeveloped area at risk. These, however, are not signs that the Taliban are returning: they are, instead, the remnants of what Pakistans bitter war against them has left behind. A playground mine Umar Din sits quietly in the corner of a protest camp in Tank, the closest major town to South Waziristan, about 65km east of Makin. The 15-year-old always wanted to be a doctor, he says, softly, his voice barely audible over the sound of nearby traffic. As he speaks, he shifts his right arm uncomfortably, tucking it further into his scarf and away from view. In April, Din was playing in his front yard in the remote South Waziristan village of Badr when there was a huge explosion. When the blast occurred, I couldnt see anything from either of my eyes, he told Al Jazeera. I felt pain all over my body, and I felt like I was bleeding heavily. The fingers on his right hand were blown off, and he was left blinded in one eye. His sisters, Maryam and Shamila, were also hit by shrapnel. The explosion had been caused by a landmine. It took four hours for him to be shifted to the nearest major hospital, in Dera Ismail Khan, about 135km away. Since residents began returning to the war-torn district, at least 77 people have been wounded in explosions caused by landmines or leftover improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the Mehsud Tahaffuz Movement (MTM), a local rights group, says. Hakimullah Mehsud leader of Pakistan Taliban after the death of Baitullah Mehsud was one of three people killed in a US drone attack [AP] At least 18 of those people were killed, MTM says. Tribal leaders say they have been demanding that the military clear the explosives, but that not enough is being done. As the State, as the government, as those who said the area had been cleared, it is [the militarys] responsibility that they clear these bombs, mines, or whatever they are, so that our children are safe there, says Saeed Anwar, a tribal elder from the town of Ladha. Many are angered because they had returned to areas explicitly declared safe by the military. We went back only because we were told it was safe, says Khan Rasool, 55, a farmer whose daughter and grandson were badly wounded in a landmine explosion on January 14. In 2015 they told us that our area was cleared we only went home on the name of this cleared. They never came Dins family returned to the village last year out of desperation, as they could no longer afford to pay rent in the town of Zhob, about 150km south of Makin, where they had fled when the military operation began, and where government services are better. Since they returned, Islamuddin, his uncle, says there have been at least six explosions in his area alone. The military, he said, does nothing to clear the mines. They know all about it. But they say that this is not our job. They say there is a [special team] that will have to come and do it, said Islamuddin. The team never came. The account from Badr was borne out by residents of several other villages that Al Jazeera spoke to. In my area, these explosives are scattered all over the place. I have taken pictures myself of unexploded artillery shells, says Alam Zeb, 25, a student from Ladha. Zeb says he approached the military three times to clear the shells from his village but was rebuffed each time. Once the base for feared Pakistan Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, Makin today lies mostly abandoned [Al Jazeera] Three months later, he says, soldiers did arrive: but they were not there to remove the mines. Instead, they threatened his family and warned him to stop complaining about the dangers of living in their village on social media. So for three months they werent able to send a unit, but then [on my Facebook post] they took such rapid action? The situation gets even worse, residents say, if a soldier is wounded in such an explosion. They immediately accuse us of planting the device, and demand that we tell them who did it, says Anwar. Then for a whole month, they will keep everyone in the village in jail. In a statement to Al Jazeera, the military said it investigates the possibility of residents facilitating attacks against security forces, but that its inquiries are strictly as per local [tribal] traditions. Difficult problem to solve Officially, the military denied to Al Jazeera that it has been slow to react to landmine or IED explosions, saying it dispatches soldiers to clear ordnance that has been identified by villagers and offers medical aid and compensation to those wounded in such explosions. Posters warning against the dangers of unexploded ordnance are also visible in the districts main towns. A colossal number of mines, IEDs and booby traps have been neutralised, according to a military statement in response to Al Jazeeras questions. Officially, the military denies it ever laid any landmines in the district, blaming Taliban forces for doing so. Privately, however, security officials concede that this is a difficult problem for the military to solve. At the height of hostilities in 2010, when soldiers were fighting pitched battles with Taliban fighters and battling daily IED attacks, the military was forced to sprinkle mines across the district as an emergency defensive measure, said a senior security official, speaking on condition of anonymity. Saeed Anwar Mehsud, a tribal leader, says its the government and militarys responsibility to clear the explosives [Al Jazeera] As a result, the army does not have a clear map of where all of the hundreds of mines laid by either themselves or Taliban forces are currently buried. Moreover, over the nine years since the operation began, rain, floods and erosion may have moved many of the mines from where they were originally laid, the official said. A specialised team of bomb disposal experts has been scanning through each sector of the district, he said, but it is painstaking work. Every day, he said, they work for 12 hours but may find just one or two mines. There are hundreds more, buried in the hills, waiting for an errant foot. Villagers say they advise their children to stick to well-worn paths, where walking in others footprints or tire tracks from vehicles offers a sense of safety. But believe me, if I place my foot even a little to the left or right of the main path, I begin to feel an itch in the soles of my feet, says Anwar. No one is safe, anywhere. In all of Waziristan, not a single place is safe. Anything can happen. Back in Makin, the cold silence hangs heavy over the main bazaar. Many of the houses resemble archaeological ruins, crumbling mud and stone structures worn down by years of wind, rain, and war. Unless the explosives are cleared, it may be years yet, locals say, until they are inhabited again. Asad Hashim is Al Jazeeras Web Correspondent in Pakistan. He tweets @AsadHashim. Manila refuses to confront Beijing despite new evidence showing continued expansion in disputed South China Sea areas. The Philippines has declared that war is not an option in resolving its dispute with China, which was found to have continued its military build-up in disputed South China Sea areas, declared by a UN arbitration court to belong to Manila. President Rodrigo Dutertes office said on Monday that Filipino officials know about the work of China in seven disputed reefs, and the country relies on the principle of good faith that Beijing will not reclaim new artificial islands. A news report published on Monday said China is almost finished transforming the reefs into artificial island fortresses, complete with naval and air facilities, including runways and helipads. The Philippine Daily Inquirer also published photographs showing radar domes, lighthouses, and hangars in the facilities spanning tens of thousands of square metres. One of the areas, called the Mischief Reef, is within the Philippines 370-km exclusive economic zone (EEZ), according to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. The report said the Philippines could lose 40 percent of its fishing grounds and 80 percent of its EEZ in the South China Sea, if it allows Chinas expansion to go unchallenged. Those islands were reclaimed even at the time of the former administration, Harry Roque, Dutertes spokesman, told reporters. I think whether or not we like it, they intended to use them as military bases, he said, adding there is nothing new in the news report. We cannot declare war. Not only is it illegal but also because it is impossible to declare war at this point. Paolo Aquino, an opposition senator, raised concerns over the latest development and called on the Duterte administration to tell the public what it gave up to China. While their warships are in our seas, we continue to give in to their whims and, all the while, we are kept in the dark as to our governments dealings with China, he said in a statement to Al Jazeera. In July 2016, The Hague arbitration court ruled there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights across large swaths of the South China Sea. The case was filed by Dutertes predecessor, Benigno Aquino, after the Philippines found out that China had started stationing naval facilities in the resource-rich area. In his first year in office, Duterte visited China while pointedly avoiding Philippine ally, the US [AP] Dont trust a thief Duterte, who was eager to repair relations with Beijing, downplayed the ruling and said he will not impose anything on China. During his visit to China months after becoming president, Duterte also declared he has realigned himself with Chinas ideological flow. In exchange, China promised Duterte there will be no further expansion in other reefs, and committed to pouring billions of dollars in loans and investments into the country. China claims the entire South China Sea, saying the Chinese people have been active there for more than 2,000 years. Aside from the Philippines and China, neighbouring countries Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam and Taiwan also have competing claims over parts of the South China Sea. In November 2017, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) announced they agreed to start talks on regional guidelines for the disputed territory, after 15 years of negotiations. Roque said if there was militarisation in the South China Sea, it did not happen during the current administration. Its long been militarised, he said. The question is what can we do? Right now, the posture of the president is to maintain close ties, so that they [China] wont have any reason to use those arms in those islands. Florin Hilbay, the former government lawyer who argued the case at The Hague, denounced the Duterte administrations decision not to confront China on the issue of expansion and militarisation. In a social media post on Monday, Hilbay wrote there are offences to the nation that cannot be paid. The privileges of power are so fleeting compared with the enduring judgment of history and the moral indictment of fellow citizens, he said. Antonio Carpio, a justice on the Philippine Supreme Court, also warned the Duterte administration of relying on Chinas promise not to reclaim other reefs. You dont rely on the good faith of the thief [whos trying to break] into your house, Carpio was quoted by the Philippine Daily Inquirer as saying. Sole surviving Paris attacks suspect to go on trial in Belgium Belgium will be on high alert on Monday as the last surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, stands trial in Brussels over a shootout that led to his capture. Billionaire Samsung heir to walk free after Seoul court cuts short and suspends five-year jail term in bribery case. A South Korean appeals court has freed Samsung Group heir Lee Jae-yong and reduced his five-year jail term, as it dismissed a number of charges against him in a corruption scandal. Lee, the vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, was handed a suspended sentence of 2.5 years by the Seoul High Court on Monday after nearly a year in detention, South Koreas Yonhap news agency reported. The billionaire was convicted in August last year of bribing the countrys then President Park Guen-hye with $8.2m in return for government backing of a business merger. The 49-year-old was also found guilty of embezzlement, hiding assets overseas, concealing profit from criminal acts and perjury. The case led to months of mass protests and Parks eventual impeachment in December 2016. Prosecutors had wanted Lee to serve a 12-year jail term. Lees lawyer expressed his respect for the courts courage and wisdom to give a not guilty verdict of key charges. However, both the prosecutors and Lee, who denies the allegations, have appealed Mondays ruling. Under South Korean law, sentences of more than three years cannot be suspended. Jail management Al Jazeeras Natasha Ghoneim, reporting from the South Korean capital said the courts decision has already generated a lot of response. Some of the words were hearing are shocked, speechless and we expect there will be enough anger that there could be protests over this appellate court ruling in the coming days. Lee, who was arrested in February last year, is the only son of the ailing Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-hee. He was sentenced in August along with other former Samsung executives as part of a widespread corruption crackdown of the conglomerate. Despite the fact that Lee was in jail for a year, it was common knowledge that he continued to run Samsung behind bars, said Al Jazeeras Ghoneim. They even have a term for it here, called jail management. Amid the bribery claims, thousands protested calling for Park to step down. She was indicted on multiple charges, including bribery, a month after she was fired as president by the top court in March. A verdict in her case is expected in the next couple of months. Liberal politician Moon Jae-in was elected the new president in May. Aid agencies warn hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees may be forced to go back to a still volatile country in 2018. Aid agencies have warned that hundreds of thousands of Syrians are at risk of being pushed to return in 2018, despite ongoing violence in the Middle Eastern country. The warning was issued by six humanitarian agencies amid what they called a global anti-refugee backlash, harsher conditions in regional countries who have taken in Syrians and a misleading rhetoric suggesting the country is safe for refugees to return to after victories by the Syrian government. A new report by aid agencies including the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Save the Children and CARE International, said that in 2017, there were three newly displaced Syrians for each of the 721,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees who returned home. The majority of Syrian refugees and internally displaced live under terrible conditions and want to return home, but their return must be informed, voluntary, safe, assisted and protected Jan Egeland, NRC Secretary-General The majority of Syrian refugees and internally displaced live under terrible conditions and want to return home, but their return must be informed, voluntary, safe, assisted and protected. Now, return would neither be safe nor voluntary for the vast majority who fled the war and the violence, NRC Secretary-General Jan Egeland said in a statement. The new report states that in the first nine months of 2017, 2.4 million Syrians fled their homes. Of those who returned home last year, 37,000 had to flee again. Damaged buildings after an airstrike in the besieged town of Hamoria, Eastern Ghouta, in Damascus, Syria [Bassam Khabieh/Reuters] Closing borders Most of last years returnees were internally displaced people (IDPs), with about 66,000 refugees coming back from foreign countries. {articleGUID} The humanitarian agencies warned that governments in Europe and the US are putting lives at risk by closing their borders and forcing Syrian refugees back, or publicly discussing measures for it. An NRC spokesperson told Al Jazeera the US and wealthier nations in Europe are also showing a lack of solidarity with the region. [They] can be doing so much more to help the refugee-hosting countries in the Middle East, Karl Schembri said. Within the region, especially in Lebanon and Jordan, a lot of refugees are being deported, he continued. Most of the time its grown-up males who are the breadwinners, so that pushes the entire family back to Syria. Besides direct deportations, some of the refugees are living in such desperate conditions. Weve just seen people dying of the cold in Lebanon. Many of them in the region cant work because they dont have work permits. There are all sorts of factors pushing them to go back to Syria. Last year saw reduced violence in parts of Syria, but the aid agencies said the country is still volatile and dangerous. On Sunday, Russia stepped up air strikes in Idlib after one of its fighter jets was shot down there by Syrian rebels. This came days after the Syrian government carried out a suspected chlorine gas attack in the rebel-held territory of Eastern Ghouta. Accused hacker Lauri Love wins appeal to avoid extradition to the United States, but could still face charges in the UK. An alleged British hacker has won an appeal to avoid extradition to the United States, a decision that a freedom of information group dubbed a massive victory for freedom of expression. The UK High Court of Justice ruled on Monday that extraditing computer programmer Lauri Love to the US would be oppressive by reason of his physical and mental condition. Love was arrested in 2013 and faced three separate US extradition requests. He was accused of hacking into and stealing data from several US government departments, including the US Federal Reserve, Department of Defense, NASA and the US Army. His legal team said Love would face nearly 100 years in prison if he were extradited and charged in the US. This decision obviously affects my life but the reason Ive gone through this ordeal is not just to save myself from being kidnapped and locked up for 99 years in a country Ive never visited, but its to set a precedent, Love told reporters outside the court after the decision was handed down. Love suffers from depression and severe eczema and has Aspergers Syndrome. His lawyers argued it would be unjust and oppressive to extradite him in light of his health condition, adding that he was a suicide risk. We accept that the evidence shows that the fact of extradition would bring on severe depression, and that Mr Love would probably be determined to commit suicide, here or in America, the High Court wrote in its ruling. But Love could still be charged in the UK, the court said. We emphasise, however, that it would not be oppressive to prosecute Mr Love in England for the offences alleged against him, it wrote. Much of Mr Loves argument was based on the contention that this is indeed where he should be prosecuted. Massive victory Love has been accused of taking part in #OpLastResort, a series of online protests organised in memory of Aaron Swartz. Swartz, a US computer programmer and freedom of information activist, committed suicide in 2013 after the US charged him with wire fraud after a large trove of academic journal articles were illegally downloaded and shared online. He was facing decades in US prison at the time of his death. Human rights groups welcomed the UK courts decision on Monday. This ruling is a massive victory for free expression online, said Naomi Colvin, director of The Courage Foundation, an organisation that supports people persecuted in cases that involve issues of freedom of information. With any luck, todays ruling will mean that prosecuting authorities finally start respecting the clear will of the British public: we do not extradite our geeks to face medieval punishment in the United States, Colvin said in a statement. Delighted @laurilove has WON his appeal against extradition to US! Where unlawful activity is alleged to have taken place in the UK, those suspected should be tried in the UK not packed off to foreign courts. Shameful Lauri & his family were put through this ordeal #TrialAtHome Liberty (@libertyhq) February 5, 2018 Liberty, a UK-based human rights group, also said it was delighted by the decision. Where unlawful activity is alleged to have taken place in the UK, those suspected should be tried in the UK, the group said on Twitter. Residents say the January 28 raid killed seven innocent civilians as they were searching for a missing child. Scores of Yemenis have taken to the streets of the southern province of Shabwa after a US drone attack killed at least seven civilians. The January 28 drone attack decimated a car carrying at least six male members of the same family and another individual as they were searching for a missing child in Shabwas Said district, residents said. Saleh al-Aishi al-Ateeqi, a relative of one of the victims who organised the protest, told local media that the victims were all innocent civilians who had nothing to do with any political or religious organisation. Speaking at a protest in the city of Ateq on Sunday, al-Ateeqi blamed the Arab coalition at war with Yemen for the deaths, saying it was responsible for the countrys airspace and protecting civilian lives. The United States is the only force known to operate armed drones over Yemen and does not normally comment on its operations. Increase in attacks under Trump Washington has stepped up its use of drone attacks under President Donald Trump, with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism reporting at least 125 drone attacks last year. The increased bombing comes despite a botched American raid against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) that killed a number of civilians on January 29, 2017. The raid on Yakla, an impoverished and desolate town, resulted in the deaths of at least 16 civilians, including women and children. The January 2017 raid attracted widespread media attention because one Navy SEAL was also killed in what marked the first operation of its kind authorised by Trump. AQAP and the local affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, known as ISIS) have exploited Yemens three-year war to carry out assassinations and bombings, mostly in lawless areas in the south. According to the United Nations, more than 10,000 people have been killed in fighting nearly half of them civilians since a Saudi-led coalition launched air attacks on Yemen in March 2015. From mishandling the pandemic to its overreliance on commodities, leaders are being challenged by parties on the left. An Alachua man was arrested for a ve-person shooting in the city about three weeks ago, Alachua Police said. Kenzel Lashod Edwards, 22, was arrested on six counts of attempted murder Friday morning. Police are searching for his brother, McKenzly Alphae Edwards Jr., 24, who is wanted on the same charges, as well as possession of a rearm by a convicted felon, said APD Chief Chad Scott during a press conference. On the night of Jan. 15, Jasmine Thomas, 24, drove her three children a 3-year-old boy, a 4-year-old girl and a 20-month-old boy to 14223 NW 156 Place. Resident Clifford Snead, 18, and Ron Fairley, then 19, walked out of the house and to the passenger side of Thomas black Ford Expedition, Scott said. A black four-door sedan drove behind Thomas SUV, stopped and Edwards Jr., who is also known as Kenny Poo Poo, and his brother stepped out. They used an assault ri e to re at least 25 bullets at the Ford Expedition, said Sgt. Jesse Sandusky, an APD spokesperson. Both men got back in the sedan and drove away, Scott said. Police do not know who the driver was. Thomas and her older children were shot along with Snead and Fairley, Scott said. Fairley is still hospitalized, he said. Bullets hit the car seat of Thomas 20-month old son, but did not pass through and injure the child, Scott said. Wallace Mazon, a 23-year-old UF political science and African American studies senior, is the uncle of Fairley, who turned 20 on Sunday, and shared Edwards photo on Facebook the next day after the shooting. He said he heard through word-of-mouth Edwards was the culprit. Its messed up, Mazon said. It just happened recently, so I havent really had a chance to digest it. He posted again after Edwards was arrested and said his brother is still on the loose while Fairley recovers from seven bullet wounds. The U.S. Marshals Task Force and Alachua County Sheriffs Warrants Division arrested Kenzel Edwards and Rakeidra Alexandria Neal, 27, on Friday, Scott said. Neal was arrested on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and pointing a gun while taunting another person last Tuesday, Sandusky said. Police are investigating if she is connected to the shooting. Police suspect gang violence was the cause of this shooting and a fatal shooting of Dana Walker Jr. in Maude Lewis Park the day before. The Edwards brothers and Neal are known associates of a small, local gang, which rivals the gang Kemarri Hampton, who was charged in the shooting of Walker, is in, police said. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now The investigation into these local gangs and their criminal involvement will continue until they are dismantled at their core, Scott said. Contact Robert Lewis at rlewis@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @Lewis__Robert. Kenzel Lashod Edwards A woman facing an unknown medical emergency drove a van over several mailboxes before crashing into a bank Friday morning, Gainesville Police said. The woman, who is in her 40s, drove a Chrysler van across three lanes of oncoming traffic before driving onto a sidewalk, over several mailboxes and into a SunTrust bank, located at 5080 W. Newberry Road, GPD spokesperson Officer Ben Tobias wrote in an email. The outside of the bank was damaged, but the car was left in far worse shape, he said. The driver was taken to the hospital with possibly life-threatening injuries. As of Sunday, the drivers condition has improved, and she is expected to make a full recovery, Lt. Jaret Weiland said. Police are still investigating the crash. If the driver did have a medical emergency, then she wont be cited for the crash, Weiland said. Tobias said the medical problem is likely what caused her to lose control of the vehicle. Gainesville Fire Rescue responded to control hazardous engine fluids that were leaking from the car, according to a GFR press release. An off-duty paramedic was behind the van on West Newberry Road and saw the van driving strangely and crossing lanes of traffic before hitting the mailboxes, Tobias said. Contact Robert Lewis at rlewis@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @Lewis__Robert. As Michael Gaither lay in his bed with a breathing mask strapped around his face, Honey nudged his limp hand. The house was quiet aside from the hissing of air from Gaithers oxygen tank and the worried whines from Honey, his 8-year-old service dog. The 72-year-old U.S. Army veteran and the German shepherd have lived together since 2011. Theyve been best friends for seven years. Shes a part of me, Gaither said. I dont know what life would be like without her. Now, both are terminally ill Gaither with multiple sclerosis, and Honey with a fungal infection and spinal cord disease. When veterinarians found Honeys diseases in January 2017, they said she wouldnt live to see her 100th treatment. But on Jan. 26 of this year, black and tan Honey celebrated her 100th procedure at the UF Small Animal Hospital surrounded by family, friends and bone-shaped treats. Gaither lives in Chiefland, Florida, with his 75-year-old wife, Kaye Gaither. Gaithers bedroom is occupied by a hospital bed and various medical instruments, but memorabilia of Gaithers time as an able-bodied young soldier line the walls. He has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder since he sustained injuries in the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination riots in Atlanta. He regularly experiences violent flashbacks. Every day is a struggle a life that would be impossible without Honey, he said. Honey was assigned to Gaither by the Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center as part of a national study. She now wears a camouflage service jacket fashioned from an old Air Force uniform once worn by Gaithers daughter in Afghanistan. The study ended in August 2012 due to allegations of miscare, according to a 2016 article by The Associated Press. Honeys and Gaithers treatments have been funded by the VA. Before Honey, Gaither would throw punches while having night terrors, his wife said. But now, Honey just comes over and puts her wet nose against his side, she said. She just calms him down. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now During the day, Honey helps Gaither maintain a routine. She fetches his socks, picks up items and keeps him safe. Just three months ago, Honey saved Gaithers life while Kaye tried to fix a lawn mower. Fumes from the mower were engulfing Gaither in his scooter chair. Kaye said she didnt notice until Honey tried to push his scooter out of the way. Honey has won five awards for her service, including four bronze medals from the American Kennel Club for canine excellence between 2011 and 2015 and a medal from U.S. War Dogs in 2015. In 2013, Gaither and Honey founded an educational program called Kids For K9s. The duo went to various school assemblies in Levy County, educating children on proper service animal treatment, he said. But as Honey teaches children and assists Gaither, she suffers from her own medical conditions. Her fungal infection took her left eye, and her spinal-cord disease may take her hind legs. Lately, shes been collapsing, unable to support her own weight. Even in Gaithers condition, he brings Honey to the UF Small Animal Hospital twice a week for treatments. Shes part of the family, he said. Thats why Im bringing her over here twice a week. To do for her what shes done for me. When Honey received her 100th treatment, a tribute was held to honor her bravery. A handful of close friends and supporters came, including fellow therapy dog, Sola, and Sgt. Lauree Allen of the Levy County Sheriff's Office. The U.S. War Dogs president Barbara Snow brought a cake saying Congratulations 100 visits and Happy Birthday Honey the Wonderdog. As the visitors ate and Gaither looked on from his chair, Honey played with Sola, carefree. Kaye watched over as well, eyes welling up with tears. I say theyll recover a lot, she said. And I keep hoping its a self-fulfilling prophecy. The reality is that neither one of them is going to make it much longer. Michael Gaither, a U.S. Army veteran suffering from multiple sclerosis, lays in bed with his service dog, Honey, by his side. Both are fighting terminal illnesses and need constant medical treatments. As Joey McGinn and dozens of others pulled on different strings, a wall of colorful bricks and words tumbled down. McGinn, 21, and other UF students saw the bricks covered in negative words collapse on the Reitz Union North Lawn on Friday afternoon. By the end of it, the bricks lay in a pile, the insults and slurs turned into rubble. The annual Inter-Residence Hall Association Writing on the Wall project focused on how the current political and cultural climate has affected the community, said Anthony Sanchez, the association president. McGinn said this was his third year attending the event, but it meant more this year because President Donald Trump has said many of the words that were on the wall. Us tearing it down shows that just because theyre being said by people in power doesnt mean that were going to stand for it, the UF political science junior said. Sanchez said this years wall, which included more than 300 words, had new phrases like illegal, terrorist and s------- country. Event Director Samantha Boddupalli, said some words can reappear since the eventbegan in 2002, but no two words come with the same experience. With everything going on in the world, Boddupalli said, the project is a way to create a positive impact. There are people on campus who will stand with you, the 20-year-old UF chemistry junior said. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Between all of the chaos to come from this White House administration, its been frighteningly easy for us to miss important news or dismiss seemingly innocuous political moves as insignificant. This is something we need to take note of. At this point, we need to learn to ignore nothing. Last December, while working to reauthorize the higher education bill, Republican lawmakers introduced the PROSPER Act. The acronym stands for Promoting Real Opportunity, Success and Prosperity through Education Reform, but frankly the details dont seem to encourage anything opportunistic, successful or prosperous at all. As The New York Times reported last week, the PROSPER Act is making its way through Congress with intentions of reforming education on a national scale. It definitely will not be for the better. For one, the bill would allow colleges with religious backgrounds to ban same-sex relationships without legal consequences. Yes, you read that right. I repeat: A bill currently waiting for votes in Congress could let religious universities openly prohibit students in the LGBTQ+ community from dating. I shouldnt have to say this, but the repercussions of this bill are amiss. Why should any educational institution have a say when it comes who its students date? Some Christian colleges already limit same-sex dating and cohabitation. Having a bill like this, a bill that wouldnt seek to change or address problems associated with this, loom in the political background is both disheartening and shameful. Its shameful not only because it discriminates against human beings on the basis of love but also because it operates under the guise of expanding freedom. Im sorry, expanding whose freedom exactly the religious, right? I dont care what kind of university you are; the First Amendment should not grant you the ability to interfere in the lives of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Further, the separation of church and state should make it so political institutions like Congress cannot uphold these practices. Higher education stands for just that: a heightened level of intellectual thought, a broader understanding of the world, its problems and their potential solutions. Education is not the place for bigotry, prejudice or terrible -isms; it is the place where we seek to rid ourselves of those practices and ways of thought through careful analysis and intense discussion. Too often educational institutions are twisted and used to promote just the things they ought to prevent. This is exactly what I accuse the PROSPER Act of doing. And what else could the PROSPER Act bring about? The New York Times article states Controversial speakers would have more leverage when they want to appear at colleges. This seems fine at first: Shouldnt colleges bring in diverse and interesting orators to promote intelligent discussion on campus? But then youll have to look at the speakers some colleges have either invited or reluctantly hosted over the past several years: disgusting alt-right bigots and white supremacists like Richard Spencer and Milo Yiannopoulos. These are not the sorts of speakers who invite rational thought and logical conversations. We ought to be more careful when we write legislation regarding our educational system one of the most important institutions in this country. Dont let news like this fade into the background as our presidents Twitter account attempts to steal the spotlight. Even if our elected officials dont seem to think so, were paying attention. Mia Gettenberg is a UF criminology and philosophy senior. Her column focuses on education. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now You may recall a story hitting the news in June 2014 about three girls in the woods in Wisconsin. Two 12-year-old girls lured a third into the woods in Waukesha, Wisconsin, attacked her and left her for dead. This past week, the girl who carried out the attack, Morgan Geyser, was sentenced to 40 years in a mental institution. Her accomplice, Anissa Weier, was sentenced in December to 25 years in a mental institution. To provide a little context, Geyser didn't merely attack the third girl, Payton Leutner. She stabbed her 19 times, all over her body. Why in the world would they do this? Apparently, they were trying to appease a character from a popular online horror game called Slender Man. So, clearly, these two girls were not in their right mind at the time. Fortunately, the victim survived. As a result, Geyser was not charged with first-degree murder. Weier did not actually do the stabbing, but she was charged as a party to the crime. This brings to mind the question that applies to a decent amount of criminal cases: Should this person go to prison or be put in a mental institution? You may think the insanity defense is used often, but it is actually only used in about 1 percent of cases in the U.S. Out of this 1 percent, the insanity plea is accepted in court less than 25 percent of the time. That's extremely infrequent, especially when we consider how many crime cases go to trial across the country. If you are a frequent viewer of Law & Order or CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, you have probably had your impression of crimes and pleas of insanity tainted a little. Of course, massive, fascinating crimes do occur, but the cases in these popular crime shows are often dramatized. There is a reason the case of these girls has been in the news for years it's different and interesting. Homicides, both attempted and successful, happen every day. In fact, in 2016, there was a total of 17,250 reported murder and non-negligent manslaughter in the U.S. That amounts to an average of more than 47 per day. In order for a person to be convicted of a crime, the prosecution must not only prove a person committed a crime, but that he or she had guilty intent. If a person lacks the psychological capacity to understand what they did was wrong or to conform their behaviors to the law, they should not be held accountable in the eyes of the law. There is some debate over this idea. How can we prove if someone is actually not in their right mind? How easy is it for people to lie and then evade a prison sentence? Many other countries build their prison systems around rehabilitation rather than punishment. The U.S. doesn't. If people commit a crime due to a mental illness, sending them to prison to serve time rather than try to help them is inhumane. Pleading insanity should not be seen as a cop-out but as a chance for healing. We should not be punishing people who truly do not know the harm they are doing. I believe time behind bars would do more harm than good. How can you punish someone effectively if they don't understand why they're being punished? I truly hope Geyser and Weier's time in the mental institution helps them. I am confident it will prove more helpful than time in prison as they need real psychiatric help. With the publicity their case received, I hope the two girls can serve as a modern example for the idea that those who are mentally unstable and do not understand the wrong they do should not be punished the same as those who do. Taylor Cavaliere is a UF journalism and psychology junior. Her column focuses on mental health. Explosion over the Washington Swamp On Friday morning, President Trump declassified the memo prepared by the Intelligence Committee of the House. This document was originally marked "Top Secret." Of course, there is nothing new for the inquisitive reader in this memo. Everything that is described there has long been widely discussed in America. But none of the participants in these discussions have ever had any evidence. Now this evidence, gathered during the closed sessions of the Intelligence Committee, has become public. As a result, we know that the chain of events associated with the case of Trump's "criminal collusion with Putin" looks like this: Trump's political opponents during the primaries hired the firm Fusion GPS, which specializes in opposition research, to dig up some dirt on Trump After Trump won the primaries, Fusion GPS lost the customer, but just for a short while The new customers of the dirt on Trump become the Hillary Clinton campaign and the DNC The new customers requested dirt on Trump from Fusion GPS, not only in the American domain but also in the international arena To add international dimension, Fusion GPS hired a subcontractor former resident of British intelligence in Moscow Christopher Steele, known for his open anti-Trump beliefs Christopher Steele hired some former agents of the Russian intelligence services (against whom he once fought during the Cold War) The agents of Russian intelligence services concoct a dirty file on Trump (linguistic analysis confirmed that this dossier was written in "Russian English" with minimal editing by native English speakers) It is still unclear as to what extent these Russian agents were the "former" agents of the Russian intelligence services (that is, to what extent this dossier is fiction, and to what extent is it the deliberate work of the KGB/FSB disinformation effort) Trump's dossier, compiled by the Russians, gets to the FBI through the Assistant Deputy Attorney General Bruce Ohr, who received it from his wife. At that time, she was working for Fusion GPS and was a part of the anti-Trump research team The FBI used this dossier as one of the key arguments in the secret intelligence court FISC to obtain a warrant to wiretap the Trump campaign In other words, the Obama administration used a dossier concocted by Russian agents to legitimize its surveillance of their political opposition. According to the memo, FBI leaders knew precisely where the dossier came from, but in the application to the FISC, they presented the dossier as a proven fact, and not as opposition research. It was not just a mere bureaucratic mistake -- the FBI used the dossier in such a way not once, but at least four times. As a result, the Trump campaign was under surveillance by the FBI before the elections, after the elections, and even after the inauguration of President Trump. Also, it became clear from the memo how the sale of this dirty product was conducted. Christopher Steele organized a "leak" of information from the dossier to the media. The article published in Yahoo News added some missing details, so it appeared like independent confirmation of the Russian dossier. In other words, the FBI submitted false information to the FISC about the authenticity of the Trump dossier. And as a "confirmation," they used an open publication organized by the authors of the dossier themselves. Corruption in the highest echelons of power of the Obama administration is now no secret to anyone. American intelligence agencies, like all other intelligence agencies around the world, have always been content with the level of "Gray Eminences." They were very close to any political power, but they have never formally become the heads of state. So, it was since ancient times, and it became an unwritten tradition until Putin came to power in Russia. The coming to power of an intelligence officer aroused envy in all intelligence services in the world. After all, they consider themselves to be real rulers, and whoever is currently formally at the head of the state is unimportant. An additional irritant was that Putin came to power legally (meaning that if his coming to power was a coup led by intelligence agencies, then it was bloodless). The first director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, was at the helm for almost 50 years. During this time, the FBI turned from a small agency that dealt with federal crimes to one of the leading political forces of Washington. Hoover transformed the FBI from a criminal investigation agency into a criminal and political investigation agency. The files he collected over the years (both real and imaginary) made the FBI a powerful lever of political influence. Probably, Hoover could have become president if he wanted to. But he played the role of the "Gray Eminence" until the end. However, Putin violated the unofficial taboo. Since the 1930s, thanks to the "active measures" of the Soviet intelligence services of the OGPU-NKVD-KGB-FSB, many American institutions have picked up the virus of socialism (in schools, universities, Hollywood, the State Department, etc.) But during Cold War, an unusual "exchange of viruses" took place -- the KGB picked up the virus of American pragmatism and capitalism, and the FBI/CIA picked up the virus of socialism. The American virus turned out to be so strong that the intelligence services of Russia succeeded in what the intelligence services of all countries dreamed about -- gaining political power in their country. The Soviet virus was strong enough for the entire Democratic Party to be affected, but the CIA and the FBI were only partially infected. Another significant difference is that the American virus spread from the bottom up, that is, from rank-and-file Soviet agents to the top-level officers. On the contrary, the Soviet virus propagated from top to bottom, that is, the neo-Marxist worldview was implanted in America by appointing political activists, donors, and agitators of the Democratic Party to critical high-ranking posts. Eventually, the coming to power of Putin pushed the top of the preconditioned American intelligence services to the idea of a bloodless coup to remove the unwanted President Trump from the Oval Office. They showed such scrupulous tactics in this matter to ensure all their steps were based on formal legal grounds. They did not dare install the listening equipment without the court's warrant. But the Washington swamp miscalculated. The publication of the memo removes the veil only over one episode of the war that U.S. intelligence agencies are waging against the sitting president. Soon, other memos will follow, including the expected report of the Inspector General about power abuses at the FBI. The Watergate scandal lasted more than two years, while this Obamagate outrage is a little more than a year. The explosion of the memo over the Washington swamp is only the first blast. Its not going to be a long wait for more bombshell revelations in this matter. Gary Gindler is a conservative Russian-American blogger at Gary Gindler Chronicles. He'd been speaking at the University of Bristol's Politics and International Relations Society when it was stormed by left-wing Red Guards. The British Conservative MP, Jacob Rees-Mogg, has just been caught up in the middle of a violent scuffle while giving a talk at a British university. This is the very same Rees-Mogg who's been tipped to be the next leader of the British Conservative Party. One Bristol University student, a William Brown, said: "These people in balaclavas and sunglasses started shouting, things like 'Tory fascist'. "They were quite intimidating actually. "They were waving their hands around, shouting very loudly." This student also stated that a few punches were thrown. The same student added: "Jacob went to calm them down, I think he came out of it very well. "He was encouraging them to speak, without shouting, saying something like 'I'm happy to talk if you want'." One other student, a Sebastian Salton, said: "It was interrupted by antifascists, I don't think it was assault, I think people were trying to get him out. "There was some negotiating. "He went over to them and said 'lets not shout them down,' but they weren't having any of it. "They were shouting 'racist, misogynist, homophobe, sexist'. They were talking about austerity." Will Smith, another student, said: "There were people in balaclavas shouting 'fascist scum' and 'sexist'. "He was the first to approach them." Rees-Moog was stuck bang in the middle of all this. However, he said that he wasn't shaken or stirred by the event. Rees-Moog also said that they were just rather shouty"; though all is well. Despite that, some students described Rees-Moog as "looking shaken up" after the event. So guess what. These typical students yelled Tory fascist, fascist scum, sexist, homophobe and Nazi at an elected British MP. Now, isn't that highly original? Not really. You'd think that these students would become a little self-conscious about using these left-wing cliches or soundbites. Though since the left-wing politics of student life is effectively a middle-class Rite of Passage, and because all rites of passage must take the same form, then these actions are hardly surprising. Most left-wing students dress the same; act the same; and, more importantly, think the same. As ever, the Marxist Left isn't concerned with debate. It's concerned with obliterating alternative political views. It often does that with violence or, sometimes, with the no platform policy which has often been in force in British universities. (It has only been applied to the Far Right -- never to the Far Left.) This policy was established by the National Union of Students in the early 1970s; under the strong influence of the International Marxist Group (IMG) and the International Socialists (IS). It's been used to ban a whole host of speakers, groups, and even academics. What happened to Jacob Rees-Mogg has happened countless times in our universities since the 1960s. It's been happening since the Left has been attempting to create (sometimes it's been very successful) a hegemony in all these Gramscian institutions. All sorts of people have been the victim of left-wing violence, intolerance, and political conformity: academics, MPs, politicians, political parties, political and social groups, individuals, etc. One example of all this which always stuck in mind dates back to 1978 and concerned the biologist, researcher, and naturalist, E.O. Wilson (who, politically, is a liberal). His case parallels, very strongly, the left-wing intolerance of Steven Pinker (also a liberal who's apparently donated money to the Democratic Party), the Canadian clinical psychologist and professor of psychology, Jordan Peterson, etc. today. E.O. Wilson's book, Sociobiology: The New Synthesis, was published in 1975. It rekindled the ancient nature-vs.-nurture debate. Predictably, Wilson was accused of racism, misogyny, and even sympathy for eugenics. Not surprisingly, this led to one incident in November 1978 in which E.O. Wilson was physically attacked (during one of his lectures) by members of the International Committee Against Racism, a front group for the Marxist Progressive Labor Party. Ironically, Wilson said: "I believe... I was the only scientist in modern times to be physically attacked for an idea." What Wilson said is false; as the example of scientists in the Soviet Union, for one, shows. In the 1960s, other American scientists and academics were also victims of left-wing violence and intolerance. (As can be seen in the 'Political Scientists' chapter of Steven Pinker's book, The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature.) However, Wilson later said that he was very politically naive at the time and had no idea that he'd be attacked by the virulent and intolerent Marxist Left. So, bearing all that in mind, I wonder if professors, academics and other left-wing supporters (whether passive or active) of all this believe that it's a good thing that so many students are politically conformist, intolerant, and violent? Is it a good thing that being left-wing or a revolutionary socialist is a middle-class Rite of Passage for so many students between the ages of 18 and 22? Is it a good thing that so many right-wing academics, groups, and individuals have their talks and seminars banned and have also even been the victims of physical violence? Do they think it's a good thing that many university departments are effectively Gramscian institutions and that this has been the case going back to the 1960s -- for some 60 or so years? All this is nothing new. It has a history. In the Germany of the 1930s, Hitler Youth and other young Nazis ruled the roost in German universities. Indeed, all academics were Nazis, although some were only nominally so. In the 1940s in the Soviet Union, all academics were Marxists/communists. And, again, young students often victimised all political dissidents -- even the ones who weren't political dissidents. Under Chairman Mao (in the 1960s) we had the young Red Guards who terrorised the university campuses and enforced their political will on all students and indeed even on professors and academics. And today (in the UK) we have Momentum, Social Justice Warriors, the Socialist Workers Party, etc. who, in their fight for tolerance, peace, and open-mindedness, indulge in extreme intolerance, violence, and closed-mindedness. Yes, it all sounds terribly familiar. Yet to those deeply embedded in university environments (in which being left-wing -- or at least liberal left -- is de rigueur), it will all seem so terribly normal and acceptable. Of course it will! Paul Austin Murphy is a writer on politics and philosophy. He's had articles published in The Conservative Online, Philosophy Now, New English Review, Human Events, Intellectual Conservative, Faith Freedom, Brenner Brief (Broadside News), etc. His blogs are Paul Austin Murphy on Politics: http://theenglishdefenceleagueextra.blogspot.co.uk/. And Paul Austin Murphy's Philosophy: http://paulaustinmurphypam.blogspot.co.uk/. His Twitter account can be found here: https://twitter.com/PaulAustMurphy. At last, the truth regarding these false accusations has been uncovered. The declassified House memo has revealed the perfidy of the Democrats accusations against Trump, and the illegality of the Special Counsel and his investigation. Over the past year the United States and, secondarily, the rest of the world, have been bombarded with the Democratic Partys take on Russia collusion. Democrats have persistently declared that President Donald J. Tramps political ascendancy signals Armageddon. The insults started with the snarky hes not one of us, to myriad accusations of anti-Semitism, racism, serial sexual harassment, xenophobia, vulgar speech, facilitation of white supremacists and violence, a crashed economy, and soured foreign relations. When none of these accusations stuck, they settled on an unrelenting, unsubstantiated drumbeat of claims that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to affect the outcome of the presidential election. The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularity describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be searched. From that principle, United States criminal law has evolved to provide a balancing act between the rights of the individual against unlawful privacy invasion, and the rights of the State to apprehend and prosecute lawbreakers. Myriad laws exist to protect the individual from illegal searches and seizure, while providing authorities a roadmap that ensures due process is effectuated. Also, it is imperative to note that every attorney is required to take a solemn oath to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, before being allowed to practice law. Attorneys working in governmental judicial offices are required to take an expanded, special oath. It is incumbent upon every attorney to uphold their oath and not perpetrate a fraud on the court. Regardless of court, state or federal, the same principles apply: a warrant application must be signed by an authorized agency, that states with specificity the person to be searched or wiretapped, the alleged crime, and the exact location of the search or wiretap. Any exculpatory evidence, that which exists to exonerate the target of the warrant, must be included. Moreover, every application must be accompanied with an affirmation that all the facts contained therein are true. To further protect the individual against the overarching power of the State, certain exclusionary rules prohibit the State from using evidence that is obtained, illegally. One such doctrine is known as the fruit of the poisonous tree, established in the Supreme Court case Silverthorne Lumber Co. v. United States. (The phrase itself was first used by Justice Felix Frankfurter in Nardone v. United States.) Essentially, this doctrine provides that if the State obtains evidence from an illegal source (the poisonous tree), that evidence is tainted. Accordingly, any tainted evidence (fruit) is also poisonous and may not be admitted into any court proceeding. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), is a federal court established to oversee requests for surveillance against foreign spies inside the United States. Warrants are typically issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or the National Security Agency (NSA). The Department of Justice (DOJ) may also file warrant applications. The FISA Court was not created to spy on United States presidential candidates. However, during the presidential campaign of 2016-2017, the FBI filed a warrant with the FISA court based on a dossier paid for by the Democratic National Party (DNC) and then presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The warrant did not specify the genesis of the report. Instead, it cited as a secondary source a Yahoo news article, based on information provided by the same, uber-biased author of the dossier. Because the warrants are only valid for ninety days, the warrant was signed and submitted by the FBI six times! And, for six times, they were signed by attorneys who had sworn an oath to act with fidelity to the courts. It appears that without the now-disabused dossier as supporting evidence, the FISA Court would never have signed the warrants -- thus the warrants were poisonous trees. Carter Page, then advisor to Presidential Candidate Donald J. Trump, was the first target of the FISA-granted surveillance for purportedly colluding with Russia. From Page, the surveillance morphed to other inner circle members of the Trump campaign, and ultimately, after Trumps presidential victory, to Trump himself, in the creation of a special counsel, former FBI Director, Robert Mueller. Instead of a neutral investigation into whether Trump colluded with Russia to win the presidential election, Mueller stacked his team with partisan Democrats, negating even a whiff of impartiality. Now that the credibility of the dossier that formed the basis of the FBI warrant application has been totally eviscerated, it epitomizes a poisonous tree. Clearly, under United States criminal law, the Mueller investigation is fruit of the poisonous tree and must be shut down. The Cloud Requires Clear Legislation FreedomWorks Vice President for Research Wayne Brough has noted that the major law governing privacy and the governments ability to access personal data online -- the Electronic Communications Privacy Act [ECPA] -- was written in 1986. Yet, as a pending Supreme Court case involving Microsoft indicates, such a decades-old, pre-internet law is grossly inadequate for 21st-century internet commerce and demands forthcoming legislation introduced by Senator Orrin Hatch. The Supreme Court has taken for review a case involving a federal search warrant served against personal data stored on a Microsoft cloud server in Ireland. Microsofts Supreme Court brief notes the principle that statutes apply only domestically unless Congress clearly indicates otherwise guides American jurisprudence. Accordingly, lower appellate courts have ruled in Microsofts favor against Department of Justice (DoJ) arguments asserting that American law enforcement search and seizure powers extraterritorially supersede Irish law. Microsofts Irish warrant case illustrates the June 2017 congressional hearing testimony of University of Kentucky law professor Andrew Keane Woods. He observed that ECPA internationally is the greatest source of conflicts of laws in the technology sector today. Meanwhile Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) designed to overcome such conflicts present a notoriously slow procedure. Fellow witness Richard Salgado, Googles Director for Law Enforcement and Information Security, noted government studies under President Barack Obama that determined MLAT requests average approximately 10 months to fulfill. Accordingly, Salgado observed that some countries are considering more aggressive and potentially dangerous unilateral approaches to cloud information legal regimes. His fellow witness, Center for Democracy & Technology Vice President for Policy Chris Calabrese, confirmed this threat. Unilateral legal initiatives worldwide would place cloud providers in an impossible position between conflicting legal regimes. Brough has elaborated upon this data localization. Globally policymakers are considering a host of different policies that would tether data to the country of its origin, drastically reducing the efficient exchange of information across the world. Woods has observed that Brazil and India, for example, might simply pass a law requiring any company operating on their soil to store local records locally -- where they can more easily be searched and seized. Additionally, foreign governments are demanding that cloud providers allow for easier government monitoring by foregoing encrypted services. Meanwhile Woods has noted that overwhelming agreement exists over ECPAs inadequacies. Brad Smith, Microsofts president and chief legal officer, has observed that current laws were written for the era of the floppy disk, not the world of the cloud. ECPA stipulations, for example, currently allow for warrant-free legal searches of emails older than six months under the astonishing theory that they are abandoned. He has testified before Congress that a Microsoft Supreme Court loss would literally take us back to a law that was passed when Mark Zuckerberg was two years old. Microsofts brief direly warns U.S. companies are the world leaders in cloud storage. That lead is built on trust. This will evaporate entirely the moment this Court directs that U.S. companies must disclose emails stored in foreign nations when doing so would violate the data-privacy laws of those nations. Meanwhile such extraterritoriality would instigate a global free-for-all, inviting foreign governments to reciprocate by unilaterally seizing U.S. citizens private correspondence from computers in the United States. Smith has noted a consensus among all involved with information technology over real problems that need real solutions. But they need to be crafted with a scalpel, not a meat cleaver. Yet political [i]naction means that important policy decisions about electronic privacy and government access fall by default to the courts, Salgado has stated. As Microsofts brief indicates and Smith has observed, this is a blunt instrument. The courts are not able to write a new law. Microsofts brief elaborates: only Congress has the authority and tools to rewrite the statute to strike a new, 21st-century balance between law-enforcement interests, our relations with foreign nations, the privacy of our citizens, and the competitiveness of our technology industry. Overwhelming support for Microsofts position has come in 23 amicus briefs. Their 289 signatories represent millions across 37 countries. These include American and European lawmakers, leading technology companies, media organizations, legal scholars, computer scientists, trade associations, and advocacy groups. Fortunately, Orrin Hatchs Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act of 2018 uniquely addresses the challenges highlighted by Microsofts case. The law establishes a formal American legal framework for bilateral agreements that avoid international conflict of laws problems and gives American companies various statutory rights. According to various sources, President Donald Trump supports CLOUD and its passage is expected to prompt the DOJ to withdraw from Microsofts case. Americas global edge in rapidly developing information technologies cannot wait any longer. Maybe that border fence would help Mexico, too Over the last few years, I've had conversations with Mexican friends who agree that the proposed border fence could actually be very helpful to stop guns and cash going south every day. It could also have an impact on the human traffic and drugs going north every day. We get drugs and they get billions of dollars in cash. They get guns and we get people coming in anyway imaginable. This is a very sad but too common problem: Nearly 200 people from Mexico and Central America were stuffed inside large trucks and caught trying to enter the United States illegally during three huge January smuggling busts that occurred in just nine days. Officials in southern California said 77 people, including five children, were found near the Mexico border Monday packed inside a sweltering truck that had been painted to resemble a UPS truck. It raises a couple of questions: 1) Who checks what comes out of Mexico? Are there any controls in place on the Mexico side of the U.S.-Mexico border? The answer is complicated. They tell me that there are controls in some populated areas but it's wide open in others. 2) Why isn't Mexico doing a better job controlling the human flow from Central America? Complicated again. The cartels are now moving people through the country. They can buy their way from town to town. They travel on protected routes, or so they tell me. We feel sorry for the poor people found in these trucks. Nevertheless, it's time to publicly call out Mexico and demand more effort on their side of the border. At least, we should point out the benefits of a border fence to stop this terrible stuff going north and south. P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. Dreamers, Be Angry with Democrats Dreamers have been lied to by the Democrats for years. Their parents were lied to about coming to America illegally and how safe they would be from deportation in spite of consistent power changes in American politics. Chuck Schumer and other Democratic politicians say if Dreamers are deported back to Mexico, then it will be the Republicans fault for sending them somewhere they have never known. However, that is not true. This entire DACA issue is the Democratic partys fault. The Democrats encouraged illegal immigration with their policies. Los Angeles alone gave out $1.3 billion in two years to illegal immigrants. By doing this, they told Mexican citizens the trek across the desert was worth the risk. The Democrats of California gave free money and benefits to these people knowing there was a chance the Federal government could get involved and make life very difficult, but they did it anyway. Obamas flagrant scoffing at the immigration laws encouraged a flow of illegal migrants into America. Obama created false hope for illegals when he signed the DACA executive order, which basically rewrote immigration law. After Obama said he could not unilaterally write amnesty into law, he superseded current immigration laws and did it anyway. By doing this, Obama created a false sense of security and hope for these people. The Democrats pranced out and began touting this as a major achievement, as if a bill had been passed by Congress. Republican fingerprints are not on the DACA order. If the Democrats are going to be angry with anyone, they need to look at their own actions. Now, Democrats are mad because Republicans are trying to follow the law. Yes, Dreamers are 800,000 young adults who grew up in America, but the bottom line is they are illegal immigrants. The Dreamers are angry with Republicans for wanting to enforce immigration laws. They should redirect their animosity to the Democrats, who lied to get their parents into the country and placed them in this unfortunate situation. If Obama and the Democrats followed immigration laws, the Dreamers would not be in this situation. In the case of DACA, Obama and the Democrats were shortsighted. They saw an opportunity to bring in more people who typically vote Democratic once they are legal. Now, President Trump is enforcing the immigration laws and it has become a point of contention. Democrats placed politics before people and this is what happens. If Democrats are going to be angry at anyone, they should be angry with themselves for not passing amnesty when they had control of the House and Senate in Obamas first two years. Other than that, this is politics. John Washington is a political and current events junkie with strong conservative leanings. He has also been published in LibertyNation.com. He can be followed on Twitter @JohnWashBlog. The NewYork Times is reporting that the Israeli air force has been carrying out strikes in Egypt's northern Sinai desert for the last 2 years with Cairo's consent. The unusual alliance is targeting the ISIS affiliate in the Sinai who have been carrying out devastating terrorist attacks, including an attack on a mosque that killed more than 300 civilians and the downing of a Russian passenger jet in 2015. For more than two years, unmarked Israeli drones, helicopters and jets have carried out a covert air campaign, conducting more than 100 airstrikes inside Egypt, frequently more than once a week and all with the approval of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The remarkable cooperation marks a new stage in the evolution of their singularly fraught relationship. Once enemies in three wars, then antagonists in an uneasy peace, Egypt and Israel are now secret allies in a covert war against a common foe. El-Sisi has shown himself to be an unusual leader in the Arab world. He has harshly criticized radical Islam, cracked down heavily on the Muslim Brotherhood, refused to assist Hamas in Gaza, and been generally friendly toward the west. His secret alliance with Israel is a no brainer. The Egyptian military was failing to combat ISIS in the Sinai - a region of Egypt that shares a border with Israel. ISIS had been getting stronger in the Sinai as their caliphate in Syria and Iraq began to disappear. It seems logical that the two former enemies would unite to combat a common foe. Their collaboration in the North Sinai is the most dramatic evidence yet of a quiet reconfiguration of the politics of the region. Shared enemies like ISIS, Iran and political Islam have quietly brought the leaders of several Arab states into growing alignment with Israel even as their officials and news media continue to vilify the Jewish state in public. American officials say Israels air campaign has played a decisive role in enabling the Egyptian armed forces to gain an upper hand against the militants. But the Israeli role is having some unexpected consequences for the region, including on Middle East peace negotiations, in part by convincing senior Israeli officials that Egypt is now dependent on them even to control its own territory. Seven current or former British and American officials involved in Middle East policy described the Israeli attacks inside Egypt, all speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss classified information. That this information has remained essentially secret for two years is remarkable, although there had been rumors of such an alliance during that time. Obviously, el-Sisi didn't want the alliance to become public given the anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel in the general public and especially among the clergy. The Israelis are a far more practical people and the news of the alliance won't raise much of a stir. But it is a testament to Israel's growing closeness with Sunni Arab states in the Middle East, that they tried so hard to keep this secret for so long. The big danger with this alliance is that the Egytpian military will become too dependent on Israeli air power to stand up to the terrorists on the ground. According to the Times, Israeli officials wish that the Egyptian military would become more active in the Sinai and coordinate attacks on the ground with the air strikes. Why is this information coming out now? Clearly, publicizing the alliance does el-Sisi no good. He is in the midst of a re-election campaign and will be an almost certain winner after he manipulated the system to get rid of his major opposition. As for the New York Times revealing the alliance, they have made it absolutely clear that they do not like President Sisi very much at all, considering his abysmal human rights record. They have also demonstrated a growing anti-Israel bias in recent years. But there is no doubt that this alliance is "news," and that once they had the story nailed down they were obligated to their reporters and readers to run it. The rise of Iran as a potentially hegemonistic power, throwing their weight around the Middle East using proxies like Hezb'allah and the Houthi rebels in Yemen, has scared the Sunni Arab states into seeing Israel in an entirely different light. As a counterweight to the Iranians, Israel can prove to be very useful to much weaker and smaller Arab states who fear Iran's growing strength and it's nuclear program. It's probably too early to talk of a dramatic realignment. But that's the direction things are moving and the US should do all it can to encourage it. I sympathize. It is a terrible thing to lose a child. That is a wound that will not heal. Police said Grace Jr. and two other people tried to rob a Pizza Hut in the 3200 block of Freedom Drive. During the incident, an employee fired his own handgun and killed Grace Jr. Hairston said she learned of her sons death on social media, and only got confirmation from police after contacting them first. The grieving mother said she has been left with dozens of questions about the situation that have thus far gone unanswered. If there was to be a death, it was not the place of the employee at Pizza Hut. That is the place of law enforcement, said Hairston. So far as I know, no jurisdiction in the United States has the death penalty for robbery. And police nearly everywhere are extremely reluctant to use a gun on a robbery suspect, owing to the violent protests that have followed police killings of suspects. Ferguson, Missouri, for example. Hairston and Grace Sr. acknowledged that their son was breaking the law by robbing the business, and said they definitely dont condone what he did. It was an act of desperation, but I do not believe that Michael would have hurt anyone, said Hairston. I am sorry, but robbing someone requires at least the threat of violence. If one asks for money without threatening violence, it is called begging. I dont think it ought to be a capital crime, but the risks inherent in threatening violence belong on the sholders of the perpetrator. I realize that state laws differ considerably as to the justification for a crime victim employing firearms or other violence. In California, for instance, a home can be invaded by thieves, and the residents cannot use a firearm unless they can prove that they legitimately feared for their lives and there was no escape avenue available. To my mind, this sort of law constitutes an incentive to criminals, for it reduces the risk of a home invasion. I may be an extremist, but it seems to me that if one decides to commit a crime, the victims should have more rights than the perpetrator, especially the right to defend themselves from the presumption of violence that accompanies a robbery, home invasion, or other property crime. Hat tips: Bearing Arms and Glenn Reynolds, Instapundit Since most of the media and almost all Democrats tried to defeat the tax reform and tax cuts, we will see many articles that downplay the results. The public can't be allowed to think the Republicans were right about how the benefits will flow through the economy so we will see many stories such as: Since most of the media and almost all Democrats tried to defeat the tax reform and tax cuts, we will see many articles that downplay the results. The public can't be allowed to think the Republicans were right about how the benefits will flow through the economy so we will see many stories such as: Since most of the media and almost all Democrats tried to defeat the tax reform and tax cuts, we will see many articles that downplay the results. The public can't be allowed to think the Republicans were right about how the benefits will flow through the economy so we will see many stories such as: If that sounds stupid, well, it truly is. Good economic news is always better for everyone and gives more economic opportunities for the poor and middle class. If that sounds stupid, well, it truly is. Good economic news is always better for everyone and gives more economic opportunities for the poor and middle class. If that sounds stupid, well, it truly is. Good economic news is always better for everyone and gives more economic opportunities for the poor and middle class. The premise of the article would be that it is better for people and businesses to have less money in their pockets because if the have too much, they can't be trusted to spend it correctly and then they would have a better excuse for not saving. (people shouldn't have to worry because Democrats and the government will take care of them.) The premise of the article would be that it is better for people and businesses to have less money in their pockets because if the have too much, they can't be trusted to spend it correctly and then they would have a better excuse for not saving. (people shouldn't have to worry because Democrats and the government will take care of them.) The premise of the article would be that it is better for people and businesses to have less money in their pockets because if the have too much, they can't be trusted to spend it correctly and then they would have a better excuse for not saving. (people shouldn't have to worry because Democrats and the government will take care of them.) Will, of course is a swamp thing and hasn't lived much around the bad times in the flyover, just to start with. Isn't it nice that the median income of people around D.C. did very well in the last eight years and several of the richest counties are around D.C. where they produce nothing but regulations? I wonder if Will thinks their good economy caused bad behavior. Will, of course is a swamp thing and hasn't lived much around the bad times in the flyover, just to start with. Isn't it nice that the median income of people around D.C. did very well in the last eight years and several of the richest counties are around D.C. where they produce nothing but regulations? I wonder if Will thinks their good economy caused bad behavior. Will, of course is a swamp thing and hasn't lived much around the bad times in the flyover, just to start with. Isn't it nice that the median income of people around D.C. did very well in the last eight years and several of the richest counties are around D.C. where they produce nothing but regulations? I wonder if Will thinks their good economy caused bad behavior. Pelosi even says it is "crumbs" for lower and middle class workers to get thousand-dollar bonuses, raises, lower shell-out at tax time and other benefits. Somehow, it would have been better if they got the zero that Pelosi, the media and all Democrats wanted them to get. Pelosi even says it is "crumbs" for lower and middle class workers to get thousand-dollar bonuses, raises, lower shell-out at tax time and other benefits. Somehow, it would have been better if they got the zero that Pelosi, the media and all Democrats wanted them to get. Pelosi even says it is "crumbs" for lower and middle class workers to get thousand-dollar bonuses, raises, lower shell-out at tax time and other benefits. Somehow, it would have been better if they got the zero that Pelosi, the media and all Democrats wanted them to get. It appears that Will might agree with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats who would rather have the government keep the money because people might exhibit bad behavior. Of course, the government never exhibits bad behavior with our money, and it always saves enough, right? It appears that Will might agree with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats who would rather have the government keep the money because people might exhibit bad behavior. Of course, the government never exhibits bad behavior with our money, and it always saves enough, right? It appears that Will might agree with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats who would rather have the government keep the money because people might exhibit bad behavior. Of course, the government never exhibits bad behavior with our money, and it always saves enough, right? I wonder if Will or others ever considered that people don't have enough to save, even as just the edge of good times beckons, because they don't have as many economic opportunities as he does, and because of things like Obamacare which took up an increasing share of disposable income? I wonder if Will or others ever considered that people don't have enough to save, even as just the edge of good times beckons, because they don't have as many economic opportunities as he does, and because of things like Obamacare which took up an increasing share of disposable income? I wonder if Will or others ever considered that people don't have enough to save, even as just the edge of good times beckons, because they don't have as many economic opportunities as he does, and because of things like Obamacare which took up an increasing share of disposable income? Therefore, I assume we should shoot for the eight years of Obama with a slow economy, low confidence and fewer economic opportunities. Then we wouldn't risk the bad behavior. Therefore, I assume we should shoot for the eight years of Obama with a slow economy, low confidence and fewer economic opportunities. Then we wouldn't risk the bad behavior. Therefore, I assume we should shoot for the eight years of Obama with a slow economy, low confidence and fewer economic opportunities. Then we wouldn't risk the bad behavior. Essentially Will's argument is that if people and businesses feel too positive about the economy they may not spend their money in a prudent manner and won't save enough. Essentially Will's argument is that if people and businesses feel too positive about the economy they may not spend their money in a prudent manner and won't save enough. Essentially Will's argument is that if people and businesses feel too positive about the economy they may not spend their money in a prudent manner and won't save enough. This stroll down memory lane suggests this rule: All news is economic news, because everything affects the economy, or reveals attitudes or behaviors that soon will affect it. And all economic news is bad especially good economic news, because it gives rise to bad behavior. This stroll down memory lane suggests this rule: All news is economic news, because everything affects the economy, or reveals attitudes or behaviors that soon will affect it. And all economic news is bad especially good economic news, because it gives rise to bad behavior. This stroll down memory lane suggests this rule: All news is economic news, because everything affects the economy, or reveals attitudes or behaviors that soon will affect it. And all economic news is bad especially good economic news, because it gives rise to bad behavior. His column, titled: "The good economic news is actually bad. Here's why." shows that supposed intellectuals of his kind wield a lot of ignorance. Seriously, he really does say prosperity is bad for people because it leads to bad behavior, such as running up credit card debt and not saving for retirement. It is truly dangerous to Americans' freedom when most of the media just repeats Democrat talking points. It is truly dangerous to Americans' freedom when most of the media just repeats Democrat talking points. It is truly dangerous to Americans' freedom when most of the media just repeats Democrat talking points. When we were seeing record cold temperatures throughout much of the country, the climate change pushers said that the record cold was caused by humans causing global warming and that they predicted the record cold. It was pure garbage but the media never called them out. When we were seeing record cold temperatures throughout much of the country, the climate change pushers said that the record cold was caused by humans causing global warming and that they predicted the record cold. It was pure garbage but the media never called them out. When we were seeing record cold temperatures throughout much of the country, the climate change pushers said that the record cold was caused by humans causing global warming and that they predicted the record cold. It was pure garbage but the media never called them out. There are two recent examples that illustrate that the media will just repeat what they are told with no questions asked. Their curiosity gene has disappeared and their head is not just stuck in the sand, it is stuck in manure. There are two recent examples that illustrate that the media will just repeat what they are told with no questions asked. Their curiosity gene has disappeared and their head is not just stuck in the sand, it is stuck in manure. There are two recent examples that illustrate that the media will just repeat what they are told with no questions asked. Their curiosity gene has disappeared and their head is not just stuck in the sand, it is stuck in manure. It has been clear for a long time that facts have mattered little and the media has pushed an agenda instead. It has been clear for a long time that facts have mattered little and the media has pushed an agenda instead. It has been clear for a long time that facts have mattered little and the media has pushed an agenda instead. And the most bogus stories of all will give credit to Obama for the substantial growth instead of to Trump for the regulations and taxes being reduced. (after an eight year delay his policies are what has caused the increased growth?) And the most bogus stories of all will give credit to Obama for the substantial growth instead of to Trump for the regulations and taxes being reduced. (after an eight year delay his policies are what has caused the increased growth?) And the most bogus stories of all will give credit to Obama for the substantial growth instead of to Trump for the regulations and taxes being reduced. (after an eight year delay his policies are what has caused the increased growth?) No matter how clear it is that corporate investment is increasing much faster and more than predicted, and the economy is growing faster than predicted they will still predict the deficit predictions of CBO as if they were accurate. The tax cuts don't benefit enough people yet. (As if seeing the tax cuts work in the first weeks of passage is critical, while eight years of Obamacare have yet to produce any beneficial results.) Is George Will the nation's new Mrs. Grundy? His column, titled: "The good economic news is actually bad. Here's why." shows that supposed intellectuals of his kind wield a lot of ignorance. Seriously, he really does say prosperity is bad for people because it leads to bad behavior, such as running up credit card debt and not saving for retirement. This stroll down memory lane suggests this rule: All news is economic news, because everything affects the economy, or reveals attitudes or behaviors that soon will affect it. And all economic news is bad especially good economic news, because it gives rise to bad behavior. Essentially Will's argument is that if people and businesses feel too positive about the economy they may not spend their money in a prudent manner and won't save enough. Therefore, I assume we should shoot for the eight years of Obama with a slow economy, low confidence and fewer economic opportunities. Then we wouldn't risk the bad behavior. I wonder if Will or others ever considered that people don't have enough to save, even as just the edge of good times beckons, because they don't have as many economic opportunities as he does, and because of things like Obamacare which took up an increasing share of disposable income? It appears that Will might agree with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats who would rather have the government keep the money because people might exhibit bad behavior. Of course, the government never exhibits bad behavior with our money, and it always saves enough, right? Pelosi even says it is "crumbs" for lower and middle class workers to get thousand-dollar bonuses, raises, lower shell-out at tax time and other benefits. Somehow, it would have been better if they got the zero that Pelosi, the media and all Democrats wanted them to get. Will, of course is a swamp thing and hasn't lived much around the bad times in the flyover, just to start with. Isn't it nice that the median income of people around D.C. did very well in the last eight years and several of the richest counties are around D.C. where they produce nothing but regulations? I wonder if Will thinks their good economy caused bad behavior. I think I will rewrite the title to Will's article. "Bad economic news is actually good. Here's why." The premise of the article would be that it is better for people and businesses to have less money in their pockets because if the have too much, they can't be trusted to spend it correctly and then they would have a better excuse for not saving. (people shouldn't have to worry because Democrats and the government will take care of them.) If that sounds stupid, well, it truly is. Good economic news is always better for everyone and gives more economic opportunities for the poor and middle class. Since most of the media and almost all Democrats tried to defeat the tax reform and tax cuts, we will see many articles that downplay the results. The public can't be allowed to think the Republicans were right about how the benefits will flow through the economy so we will see many stories such as: The tax cuts aren't enough. The tax cuts don't benefit enough people. The tax cuts don't benefit enough people yet. (As if seeing the tax cuts work in the first weeks of passage is critical, while eight years of Obamacare have yet to produce any beneficial results.) The tax cuts are 'crumbs' because corporations (that hire people) are saving more. No matter how clear it is that corporate investment is increasing much faster and more than predicted, and the economy is growing faster than predicted they will still predict the deficit predictions of CBO as if they were accurate. And the most bogus stories of all will give credit to Obama for the substantial growth instead of to Trump for the regulations and taxes being reduced. (after an eight year delay his policies are what has caused the increased growth?) It has been clear for a long time that facts have mattered little and the media has pushed an agenda instead. There are two recent examples that illustrate that the media will just repeat what they are told with no questions asked. Their curiosity gene has disappeared and their head is not just stuck in the sand, it is stuck in manure. When we were seeing record cold temperatures throughout much of the country, the climate change pushers said that the record cold was caused by humans causing global warming and that they predicted the record cold. It was pure garbage but the media never called them out. The New Haven Green in downtown New Haven, a city in Connecticut, USA, is a small park of about 16 acres. Being surrounded by buildings of the Yale University, courthouses, the New Haven Free Public Library and numerous municipal and commercial structures, the park stays typically busy throughout the day. During public events such as classical music and jazz concerts, and art festivals, which the Green regularly holds, the crowd can swell to hundreds of thousands. For some who are aware of the parks legacy, this is somewhat disturbingly morbid. The Green was built in 1638 and was originally conceived as a trade center and town square, and was in fact known as "the marketplace". This common land at the heart of the thriving commercial port was used for various purposes. It was the site of the first meetinghouse. It contained the town's watch house, the jail, and the first school. The Green also held a succession of statehouses and was used as parade grounds for the New Haven militia. Unbelievably, there was still room left in the Green to bury people. Photo credit: centerchurchonthegreen.org For the first 150 years of New Havens existence, the Green was used as the main burial grounds for the residents of the community. But when the grounds started to become much too cluttered with gravestones the practice was stopped and a new burial ground was established. The last burial took place in 1821. Soon after, many of the headstones on the Green were removed and relocated to the new cemeterythe Grove Street Cemetery, located two blocks away adjacent to the Yale University campusfor preservation. But the remains themselves were not moved. In the mid-1800s, in an effort to reclaim the land, several feet of dirt was spread over the graves hiding nearly all evidence of the thousands of people buried thereexcept one little area. Over this small portion of the towns burial ground, The First Church of Christ, also known as the Center Church, was erected in 1812-14. In order not to disturb the graves of some of New Havens most historical figures, the church was elevated and a basement was created where the remains and gravestones could stay in their original positions. When the rest of the Green was filled with earth, the churchs basement was all that remained of the former cemetery. A total of 137 graves have been identified inside this small enclosed space, but there is more down below in multiple layers. Some estimate that there could be up to 1,000 buried under the church in four, five, or six layers. Elsewhere, around the Green and underneath visitors feet, an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 people remain buried in unmarked graves. The New Haven Green. Photo credit: Journal Register Co. Photo credit: centerchurchonthegreen.org Photo credit: centerchurchonthegreen.org The Center Church on the Green. Photo credit: Robert Fulton III/Library of Congress Posted on: February 5, 2018 12:41 PM Water taps in Cape Town could be switched off on 16 April unless efforts to reduce usage are achieved. City officials have dubbed the date Day Zero, and warned that residents would be limited to a daily allowance of 25 litres, which they would have to collect from one of 200 collection points if the taps are switched off. To avoid it, residents have been told that they must limit their water usage to 50 litres a day in order to deal with a sustained water crisis. The Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, said that he believes the switch-off can be avoided. And he is urging residents to sustain their reduced usage going forward. I have so much hope, he told a Water (In)Justice conference on Saturday, the Weekend Argus reports. Lets look at what we have in terms of desalination and that there is reduced usage from the agriculture sector. This helps us to change our thinking and save more when we see Day Zero coming. We need to sustain this reduction and encourage people that if Day Zero does not come we should not be cynical and we shouldnt say it was all a lie or electioneering but rather respect that we have avoided it and maintain our water usage, he said. Archbishop Makgoba urged people to soak the crisis with prayer and said that the countrys interfaith community could play a significant role in communicating ways to reduce water to the more than 80 per cent of the population that are religious. There is a beautiful significance to this crisis happening over Lent because it gives us time to reflect on our water usage, he said. Cape Town is in a drought and thats the desert, then Day Zero could be the crucifixion, and the resurrection follows the crucifixion, so this too shall pass, but it requires working together. Posted on: February 5, 2018 10:58 AM Cet article est egalement disponible en francais This article is also available in French Anglicans around the world are being asked to pray for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo as tribal violence continues to claim lives in the Ituri Province in the north-eastern area of the country. The Ituri city of Bunia is home to one of the largest UN peacekeeping forces in Africa as international troops seek to intercede between the warring Lendu and Hema peoples. At the weekend, 26 people were killed when a Hema village 31 miles (50 km) north of Bunia was attacked by Lendu tribes people. The Revd Bisoke Balikenga, national youth co-ordinator of Province de LEglise Anglicane Du Congo the Anglican Church of Congo is urging Anglicans to pray for the country. In 2016, the church established a peace centre in Bunia as part of its care for women and girls who have been raped by combatants. Bisoke, who is helping to run the centre, responded to the weekends violence by asking people to pray. He said that 200 houses in the Hema village were burned before residents were killed by machete, creating a lot of trauma among the Hema. He said that some shops and petrol stations in Bunia had been closed and that there are some young people who like to make chaos. The state governor is leading a delegation to the affected area to see what is happening. Please pray for him in order he can bring peace there in that place, Bisoke said. Please pray. Please, we need your prayers, he said. In December, 15 UN peacekeepers from Tanzania were killed and a further 43 injured in an attack on their base in Beni, around 90 miles south of Bunia. It was the worst attack on UN peacekeepers since an attack in Mogadishu, Somalia, claimed the lives of 23 troops in 1993.The UN operations in DRC are being carried out by MONUSCO the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Les prieres du monde entier demandees alors que des violences tribales continuent de faire des morts au Congo Cette photo d'avril 2015 montre un enfant qui joue joyeusement sous l'oeil attentif des casques bleus de l'ONU en Republique democratique du Congo. Photo: Abel Kavanagh / MONUSCO This article is also available in English Cet article est egalement disponible en anglais On demande aux Anglicans du monde entier de prier pour la paix dans la Republique democratique du Congo alors que des violences tribales continuent de faire des morts dans la province Ituri, au nord-ouest du pays. La ville Ituri de Bunia est le centre dune des plus grandes forces onusiennes de maintien de la paix, ou les troupes essayent de se mettre entre les peuples Lendu et Hema, en guerre. En fin de semaine, 26 personnes ont perdu la vie lorsquun village Hema a 50 km au nord de Bunia a ete attaque par des gens de la tribu Lendu. Le RP Bisoke Balikenga, coordinateur national pour la jeunesse de la Province de LEglise anglicane du Congo, exhorte les anglicans de prier pour le pays. En 2016, lEglise a etabli un centre de paix a Bunia qui fait partie de ses soins des femmes violees par des combattants. Bisoke, qui aide a diriger le centre, a repondu aux violences du weekend passe avec cette demande de prieres. Il dit que 200 domiciles du village Hema ont ete brules avant que des residents ont ete tues a la machette, ce qui a traumatise beaucoup des Hemas. Il a declare que des boutiques et stations-services ont ferme et quil y a des jeunes qui aiment semer le chaos. Le gouverneur de la province visite lendroit affecte avec une delegation afin de constater les faits. Priez pour lui, sil vous plait, quil puisse amener de la paix a cette region, a dit Bisoke. Sil vous plait, priez. Sil vous plait, nous avons besoin de vos prieres, il a dit. En decembre, 15 soldats tanzaniens de la force de lONU pour le maintien de la paix ont trouve la mort et 43 autres blesses lors dune attaque contre leur base a Beni, environ 135 km au sud de Bunia. Cest la pire attaque contre des forces onusiennes pour le maintien de la paix depuis celle en 1993, a Mogadishu, en Somalie, qui a coute la vie a 23 soldats. Les operations en RDC sont effectuees par la Mission de lorganisation des Nations unies pour la stabilisation en RD Congo la MONUSCO Posted on: February 5, 2018 3:41 PM The Bishop of Colombo, Dhiloraj Canagasabey, has called on Sri Lankas politicians to adopt of a code of conduct for parliamentarians. In an Independence Message, published in The Daily FT newspaper on the 70th anniversary of the countrys independence from British rule, Bishop Dhiloraj bemoans the emerging signs of aimless drift in the governance of this nation that have appeared in the past few months. He says: it is the sacred duty of all of us who love this country deeply to give heed to these warning signs, to call attention to the chaotic and open contradictions that are visible with each passing day, if we are not to stumble onto another disastrous period in the life of our nation. In his message, Bishop Dhiloraj referred to the 8 January brawl in the Parliamentary chamber, when 50 of Sri Lankas 225 MPs exchanged blows over a debate on a bond scandal, and described it as utterly shameful and revolting conduct. The debate on that issue is due to return to the Parliament this week. It is no excuse to say that these kinds of incidents happen in legislatures all over the world, he said. They are happening all too frequently in our own. He said that the President Maithripala Sirisenas 2015 election campaign included a promise of a Code of Conduct for parliamentarians. As with several other promises, this too is still pending, Bishop Dhiloraj said. After citing some of the clauses of the draft code, the bishop says: by any interpretation, our parliamentarians who have been elected by the people to serve them, paid by tax payers money, who enjoy many benefits that they have voted for themselves, have miserably failed to live up to any of these noble concepts. Bishop Dhiloraj also complained about the visible lack of authority, coherence and unity in the government and said that: a government . . . is elected to govern, and not to present a picture of indecision, constant bickering and paralysis to the nation. This lack of consistency and the pulling in different directions by the leadership of the nation breeds uncertainty, and impacts harmfully on state administration as well as on overall national confidence. He concludes his message with a plea, calling on leaders and government to take serious stock of the situation of the nation as we approach the beginning of the 7th decade of our independence, to put aside their arrogant, selfish and foolish behaviour, to remember the promises they made to the people three years ago for an honest corruption free administration dedicated to putting the interest of the people of this county, especially the weak, the powerless and the voiceless foremost, to be true and faithful to the teachings of their own religions. The Church in Ceylons two dioceses Colombo and Kurunegala are under the extra-provincial metropolitical authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury. In 2016, the Anglican Consultative Council welcomed and affirmed moves by the Church of Ceylons general assembly to embark on a journey towards its independence as a self-governing Anglican province. (ANSA) - Rome, February 5 - Italian Culture Minister Dario Franceschini has signed an agreement with the Director of the Frankfurter Buchmesse, Juergen Boos, naming Italy the 2023 Frankfurter Book Festival's Guest of Honor. The agreement was signed in Rome in the presence of Italian Publishers Association (AIE) President Ricardo Franco Levi. Boos said a "new spirit of optimism" is evident in the Italian cultural scene. "After a dynamic turnaround and a drastic change undertaken in recent years by the Italian book market - including the consolidation of publishing houses, new bookshop concepts and the new 'Time for Books' fair in Milan - now you can feel positive energy everywhere," Boos said. Boos said Italy's participation "won us over with an exhibition concept centred on tradition, cultural heritage and future viability". "We're happy to be able to support this development over the next five years and to prepare an extraordinary presentation for the 2023 Book Fair," he said. Franceschini said Italy's participation as Guest of Honor at the 2023 Frankfurt Book Fair has a "strong symbolic meaning". "It confirms the consideration with which our creative industry enjoys in Europe and worldwide, and it vigorously shows its vitality, its cultural strength and its economic value," Franceschini said. "Thanks to this agreement, national publishing will have an enormous opportunity that I am sure it will fully engage". Levi said AIE is "extremely proud of the important role that awaits Italian publishers" as part of the 2023 Frankfurt Book Fair. "This occasion will give Italy the opportunity to show itself as a first-class leader for an entire year on the German scene and to show its best on an international level, confirming publishing as the primary cultural industry of our country," Levi said. "We are happy to have a small, but not negligible, role in this choice. Already now, starting in 2018, which is the European Year of Cultural Heritage, we can give the right value to the heritage linked to book publishing. We will do our best to prepare for our participation at the 2023 Buchmesse," he said. (ANSA) - Rome, February 5 - Democratic Party (PD) leader Matteo Renzi on Monday responded to centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi's calling migrants a "social bomb" by saying the three-time ex-premier had signed the Dublin Regulation in 2003 mandating that migrants be processed in their country of arrival. "So Berlusconi says that migrants in Italy are a social bomb? But immigration derives from two factors: with the Dublin treaties each country has to manage immigration alone, and the he signed the accords he now contests in 2003. "And if migrants are arriving in Italy it's because someone waged war in Libya, and the premier (at that time) was Berlusconi." Gunmen can't ensure security, Renzi added after a rightist militant shot and wounded six migrants in Macerata at the weekend. "Gunmen can't guarantee security in Italy," said the ex-premier of League militant Luca Traini. "We must invest in Carabinieri and policemen". He said "we propose hiring 10,000 men because those who wink at gunmen today blocked (police) hirings," referring to the centre right. "Above all there is Italy, the defence of Italy and the Italians and you defend them are the forces of order, not gunmen who fire wildly". (ANSA) - Rome, February 5 - Centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi on Monday reiterated his warning over the numbers of migrants in Italy after Saturday's racist shooting of six migrants in Macerata as revenge for the murder of an Italian woman. Berlusconi described the shooting by rightist militant Luca Traini as an isolated act of non-political madness but appeared to stand by his call for over 600,000 migrants to be deported after the shooting in the sleepy provincial city that shocked Italy and gained international headlines. Traini, a 28-year-old militant for the anti-migrant League, shot and wounded six migrants in a drive-by shooting spree in the Marche city days after the discovery there of the body of an 18-year-old Italian woman allegedly killed and dismembered by a Nigerian immigrant. "600,000 migrants are a social bomb that risks exploding," said Berlusconi on Sunday, echoing League leader Matteo Salvini who said "those who fill us with migrants instigate violence" like Traini's. Salvini's critics have accused him with his incessant anti-migrant invective of "morally arming" Traini, who is now being held in the same jail as Innocent Oseghale, the alleged drug pusher who allegedly killed recovering drug addict Pamela Mastropietro before stuffing her hacked-up body into two suitcases and dumping them near Macerata. Apparently revising his deportation stance, Berlusconi said Monday Traini's action was "madness". The three-time ex-premier and media magnate said "it's something incomprehensible: only an unbalanced person could do something like that, I don't see anything political because politics doesn't lead to these follies". But then he said that the centre left was to blame for the 630,000 migrants he said were now in Italy. The former premier and billionaire mogul said that immigration dropped sharply under his last government and then spiked under successive centre-left governments leading to a "vertical drop in security". "The centre right in government was able to stop immigration," he said, referring to a deal with former Libyan leader Muammar Gheddafi. "In 2010 only 4,400 illegal immigrants arrived, the same as one weekend last year. "Because of the centre-left governments we now have 630,000 illegals, with a vertical drop in security". It is a good idea to scrub the term 'race' from the Italian Constitution, Berlusconi went on. "Italians are not racists, we are hospitable," he said on Italian TV. "There is not a general climate of hatred but some people who are out of their heads, like the gentleman in Macerata, who wallow in this atmosphere". Article 3 of the Constitution says all citizens are equal without distinction of gender, race, language, religion, political opinions and personal and social conditions. Centre-right Lombardy governor candidate Attilio Fontana, of the League, recently defended himself in a row over his assertion that Italy's "white race is at risk" due to migration, saying that "the Italian Constitution itself speaks about race". Meanwhile Salvini said Monday being described as a "bad teacher" for allegedly fomenting Traini's racist hatred "recalls the (Red Brigades) BR". "I'm getting a lot of insults," said Salvini. "I would be careful about using such words (as bad teachers). "Evoking that period is not intelligent, it's better to comment with your head than your mouth". Gunmen can't ensure security, Democratic Party (PD) leader Matteo Renzi said. "Gunmen can't guarantee security in Italy," said the ex-premier of League militant Traini. "We must invest in Carabinieri and policemen". He said "we propose hiring 10,000 men because those who wink at gunmen today blocked (police) hirings," referring to the centre right. "Above all there is Italy, the defence of Italy and the Italians and you defend them are the forces of order, not gunmen who fire wildly". Renzi responded to Berlusconi's calling migrants a "social bomb" by saying the three-time ex-premier had signed the Dublin Regulation in 2003 mandating that migrants be processed in their country of arrival. "So Berlusconi says that migrants in Italy are a social bomb? But immigration derives from two factors: with the Dublin treaties each country has to manage immigration alone, and the he signed the accords he now contests in 2003. "And if migrants are arriving in Italy it's because someone waged war in Libya, and the premier (at that time) was Berlusconi." One of Berlusconi's march 4 general-election coalition allies, Rightist nationalist Brothers of Italy (FdI) leader Giorgia Meloni, said Monday "my Italy does not shoot the innocent. "I don't back anything...this way you do the exact opposite of what you want, I think it is legitimate to say that uncontrolled immigration must be regulated and there is a problem between uncontrolled immigration and the security problem". However, she added: "Institutions cannot remain silent on the crimes of immigrants." Meloni went on to say that that while Macerata had received lots of official attention in the wake of Saturday's shooting spree, Mastropietro's family have been neglected. "No one from the public institutions called the mother of this girl. She told me 'you are the first to call'," Meloni said. "I have seen a parade of institutional figures in Macerata over the last week days. "But last week when a girl was cut up by a Nigerian, no one from the institutions said a word. This disgusts me". Anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio agreed with Renzi on Berlusconi's record, saying "here's a message for the forgetful Berlusconi...he forgets that the main culprit for the social bomb of immigration was himself." Accusing Berlusconi of "betraying the homeland", Di Maio said "Berlusconi created the social bomb by bombing Libya". Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI) President Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti said Monday "we must say no to xenophobia, social rancour and the 'entrepreneurs of fear'" amid migrant fears. "We must unite Italy, 'reknit' our communities," said the CEI chief. "In the name of God we invoke sobriety, peace and dialogue", he said. A copy of Mein Kampf as well as far-right insignia were found at Traini's home. Traini told police Monday he shot the migrants to avenge Mastropietro. "I wanted to avenge Pamela (Mastropietro), because the phenomenon of illegal immigration must be stopped," said Traini, according to police sources. Traini told police he had initially wanted to go to court and kill Innocent Oseghale. Traini said he changed his mind "at the last minute" and decided to target African migrants in the streets of the Marche city. Traini told police he had not meant to hit a Nigerian woman. "How is the girl, I didn't mean to hit her," said Traini, who is being held for multiple attempted murder aggravated by racial hatred. The young woman, Jennifer, was hit in the back near Macerat's railway station. Sources said police would request the confirmation of his arrest later today. A hearing for the arrest confirmation will be held tomorrow, they said. (ANSA) - Rome, February 5 - Centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi on Monday reiterated his warning over the numbers of migrants in Italy after Saturday's racist shooting of six migrants in Macerata as revenge for the murder of an Italian woman. Berlusconi described the shooting by rightist militant Luca Traini as an isolated act of non-political madness but appeared to stand by his call for 600,000 migrants to be deported after the shooting in the sleepy provincial city that shocked Italy and gained international headlines. Traini, a 28-year-old militant for the anti-migrant League, shot and wounded six migrants in a drive-by shooting spree in the Marche city days after the discovery there of the body of an 18-year-old Italian woman allegedly killed and dismembered by a Nigerian immigrant. "600,000 migrants are a social bomb that risks exploding," said Berlusconi on Sunday, echoing League leader Matteo Salvini who said "those who fill us with migrants instigate violence" like Traini's. Salvini's critics have accused him with his incessant anti-migrant invective of "morally arming" Traini, who is now being held in the same jail as Innocent Oseghale, the alleged drug pusher who allegedly killed recovering drug addict Pamela Mastropietro before stuffing her hacked-up body into two suitcases and dumping them near Macerata. Apparently revising his deportation stance, Berlusconi said Monday Traini's action was "madness". The three-time ex-premier and media magnate said "it's something incomprehensible: only an unbalanced person could do something like that, I don't see anything political because politics doesn't lead to these follies". But then he said that the centre left was to blame for the 630,000 migrants he said were now in Italy. The former premier and billionaire mogul said that immigration dropped sharply under his last government and then spiked under successive centre-left governments leading to a "vertical drop in security". "The centre right in government was able to stop immigration," he said, referring to a deal with former Libyan leader Muammar Gheddafi. "In 2010 only 4,400 illegal immigrants arrived, the same as one weekend last year. "Because of the centre-left governments we now have 630,000 illegals, with a vertical drop in security". It is a good idea to scrub the term 'race' from the Italian Constitution, Berlusconi went on. "Italians are not racists, we are hospitable," he said on Italian TV. "There is not a general climate of hatred but some people who are out of their heads, like the gentleman in Macerata, who wallow in this atmosphere". Article 3 of the Constitution says all citizens are equal without distinction of gender, race, language, religion, political opinions and personal and social conditions. Centre-right Lombardy governor candidate Attilio Fontana, of the League, recently defended himself in a row over his assertion that Italy's "white race is at risk" due to migration, saying that "the Italian Constitution itself speaks about race". Meanwhile Salvini said Monday being described as a "bad teacher" for allegedly fomenting Traini's racist hatred "recalls the (Red Brigades) BR". "I'm getting a lot of insults," said Salvini. "I would be careful about using such words (as bad teachers). "Evoking that period is not intelligent, it's better to comment with your head than your mouth". Gunmen can't ensure security, Democratic Party (PD) leader Matteo Renzi said. "Gunmen can't guarantee security in Italy," said the ex-premier of League militant Traini. "We must invest in Carabinieri and policemen". He said "we propose hiring 10,000 men because those who wink at gunmen today blocked (police) hirings," referring to the centre right. "Above all there is Italy, the defence of Italy and the Italians and you defend them are the forces of order, not gunmen who fire wildly". Renzi responded to Berlusconi's calling migrants a "social bomb" by saying the three-time ex-premier had signed the Dublin Regulation in 2003 mandating that migrants be processed in their country of arrival. "So Berlusconi says that migrants in Italy are a social bomb? But immigration derives from two factors: with the Dublin treaties each country has to manage immigration alone, and the he signed the accords he now contests in 2003. "And if migrants are arriving in Italy it's because someone waged war in Libya, and the premier (at that time) was Berlusconi." Anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio agreed, saying "here's a message for the forgetful Berlusconi...he forgets that the main culprit for the social bomb of immigration was himself." Accusing Berlusconi of "betraying the homeland", Di Maio said "Berlusconi created the social bomb by bombing Libya". Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI) President Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti said Monday "we must say no to xenophobia, social rancour and the 'entrepreneurs of fear'" amid migrant fears. "We must unite Italy, 'reknit' our communities," said the CEI chief. "In the name of God we invoke sobriety, peace and dialogue", he said. A copy of Mein Kampf as well as far-right insignia were found at Traini's home. Traini told police Monday he shot the migrants to avenge Mastropietro. "I wanted to avenge Pamela (Mastropietro), because the phenomenon of illegal immigration must be stopped," said Traini, according to police sources. Traini told police he had initially wanted to go to court and kill Innocent Oseghale. Traini said he changed his mind "at the last minute" and decided to target African migrants in the streets of the Marche city. Traini told police he had not meant to hit a Nigerian woman. "How is the girl, I didn't mean to hit her," said Traini, who is being held for multiple attempted murder aggravated by racial hatred. The young woman, Jennifer, was hit in the back near Macerat's railway station. Sources said police would request the confirmation of his arrest later today. A hearing for the arrest confirmation will be held tomorrow, they said. BEIRUT - More than twenty civilians, including women and children, were killed on Monday in Syria in government airstrikes in the Ghouta, the area east of the capital under siege by loyalist troops and controlled by armed opposition groups, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). It said 23 civilians were killed in airstrikes in various areas of the Ghouta. It said at least 16 people, including women and children, were killed in Syrian government airstrikes against hospitals medical clinics and other civilian infrastructure in the Idlib region. According to SOHR, the airstrikes were concentrated along the axis of Marrat Numan, Kafranbel and Saraqeb. Two civilians were killed in the first area and nine in the second area. In the airstrike on the hospital in Kafranbel, sources said two children were killed. Government and Russian air raids on the Idlib region have intensified over the past 48 hours as part of a loyalist offensive to reconquer the part of the highway connecting central Syria to Aleppo which has a key location in Saraqeb, one of the most targeted towns recently. The area of Idlib is controlled by several armed groups, including the Syrian wing of al Qaida and is partly under Turkish military influence. ROME / VATICAN CITY - The status of Jerusalem was one of the main issues discussed by Pope Francis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Vatican Monday in a meeting in the Vatican which lasted 50 minutes, the Vatican press office said. While a protest against teh Turkish president's visit was being staged in nearby castel sant'Angelo, in Roma, the two leaders discussed "the situation in the Middle East, with particular reference to the status of Jerusalem, highlighting the need to promote peace and stability in the region via dialogue and negotiation, with respect for human rights and international legality," it said. The pair also discussed "bilateral ties between the Holy See and Turkey and the situation in the country, from the condition of the Catholic community, the commitment in receiving numerous refugees and the challenges linked to that," the Vatican press office said. After the Vatican, Erdogan met in the presidential palace of the Quirinale Italian President Sergio Mattarella with whom he had "respectful and frank" talks , sources said. The sources said that long-standing positions were reiterated, Italy's in line with those of the EU, in relation to the main issues on the agenda. Bilateral relations are good and Italy remains committed to continuing dialogue with Ankara, the sources said. The following meeting was with Italian Prime minister Paolo Gentiloni in Palazzo Chigi and in the evening with Italian business people in the Excelsior Hotel in Rome. Police clashed with demonstrators protesting against Erdogan's. A protester was hurt and two were arrested. The clashes started near Castel Sant'Angelo, where a sit-in was being staged while the Turkish president was meeting Pope francis in the vatican. A group of demonstrators, carrying a banner saying 'Erdogan Killer', tried to start an unauthorised march towards the nearby Vatican. The police, in riot gear, baton-charged them and stopped them. The demonstrators were protesting human rights conditions in Turkey, where Erdogan has repeatedly cracked down on opponents. Erdogan, in his visit to nthe Vatican, was accompanied by his wife and daughter and five ministers in a delegation that numbers 20 in all. He gave the pope a large ceramic painting showing a panorama of Istanbul and a collection of books by the Muslim theologist Mevlana Rumi. The pontiff, as well as a medallion with the dove of peace, donated Erdogan an etching of St Peter's as it was at the beginning of the 17th century, a copy of his encyclical Laudato si' and his message for this year's World Peace Day. Erdogan had been expected to discuss Jerusalem's status after the US decision to recognise it as Israeli capital. With Italian leaders including PremierGentiloni the Turkish leader is expected to discuss Ankara's bid for EU entry. Rome and the Vatican were on security lockdown for Erdogan's visit. Anti-migrant and Euroskeptic League leader Matteo Salvini said Monday he was "ashamed" that Italy was hosting a visit by Erdogan. "I'm ashamed that Italy should host the representative of a bloody and extremist regime, an Islamic country where religion holds away over the law," said Salvini. "Turkey in the EU would be a disaster. I would like to see how the parties vote, including (ally Silvio Berlusconi's) Forza Italia, our motion against Turkey in the EU". 100,000 demonstrators in Athens say 'Macedonia is Greece' 'No accord with Skopje, that State cannot have name' (ANSAmed) - ROME, FEBRUARY 5 - Over 100,000 protesters have demonstrated in Athens against an agreement on the name 'Macedonia' with the former Yugoslav republic (Fyrom). Hundreds of buses took demonstrators to the capital Sunday from all over Greece while others travelled by ferry from the islands. Traffic was blocked across the capital and the three main subway stops were closed. Protesters gathered in Syntagma square to the rallying cry 'Macedonia belongs to Greece', others carried flags with the Vergina Sun, the symbol of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia. According to police estimates, participants were 140,000 while organizers said 1.5 million people attended the protest. Some 700 left-wing demonstrators and anarchists organized a counter-protest nearby asking for Balkan unity with dozens of anti-riot police deployed to keep the demonstrations separate. Greece considers Macedonia as an exclusive part of its national historic heritage but the government led by Alexis Tsipras is seeking a compromise solution, solving a 27-year-long dispute, when the small republic was created following the dissolution of Yugoslavia. Sunday's protest was the second of its kind in two weeks. (ANSAmed). Almost 40 civilians killed in airstrikes in Idlib, Ghouta NGO says hospitals and government areas also hit (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, FEBRUARY 5 - More than twenty civilians, including women and children, were killed on Monday in Syria in government airstrikes in the Ghouta, the area east of the capital under siege by loyalist troops and controlled by armed opposition groups, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). It said 23 civilians were killed in airstrikes in various areas of the Ghouta. It said at least 16 people, including women and children, were killed in Syrian government airstrikes against hospitals medical clinics and other civilian infrastructure in the Idlib region. According to SOHR, the airstrikes were concentrated along the axis of Marrat Numan, Kafranbel and Saraqeb. Two civilians were killed in the first area and nine in the second area. In the airstrike on the hospital in Kafranbel, sources said two children were killed. (ANSAmed). Clashes at Erdogan protest in Rome, one furt, two arrested Protesters try to stage a march during sit-in (ANSAmed) - ROME, FEBRUARY 5 - Police clashed with demonstrators protesting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Rrdogan's visit to Rome Monday. A protester was hurt and two were arrested. The clashes started near Castel Sant'Angelo, where a sit-in was being staged while the Turkish president was meeting Pope francis in the vatican. A group of demonstrators, carrying a banner saying 'Erdogan Killer', tried to start an unauthorised march towards the nearby Vatican. The police, in riot gear, baton-charged them and stopped them. The demonstrators were protesting human rights conditions in Turkey, where Erdogan has repeatedly cracked down on opponents. (ANSAmed). Jordanians protest overnight against gov't fiscal policies Demonstrations across the country (ANSAmed) - AMMAN, FEBRUARY 5 - Hundreds of Jordanians protested overnight in central city of Salt and several towns against government fiscal policies that recently saw a surge in prices across the board, witnesses said. The biggest demonstration took place in Salt, a traditional town with strong middle class base dominated by loyalist tribes. Demonstrators marched through the old town neighbourhoods as they held banners calling for resignation of the government and retracting of decisions to lift subsidies on main commodities. 'Down with the parliament, down with the government, we want to live in dignity,' one banner read, as protesters shouted for national salvation government. Security forces were strongly present in the area, but no clashes took place, despite the tense atmosphere, eye witnesses confirmed to ANSA. Other protests have been taking place across Jordan over the past few days, after activists called on citizens to take to the streets to show their dissatisfaction of the government fiscal policies. The government has recently under taken an number of decisions to generate income for the treasury, including lifting subsidies on bread, imposing sales tax on vetitable products, and other taxations. (ANSAmed). Migrants: 3,000 apprehended in Turkey in a week 493 intercepted at sea, 84 suspected traffickers arrested (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, FEBRUARY 5 - Turkish authorities have apprehended 2,932 migrants and refugees over the past week as they were trying to illegally cross the border with the European Union or cross into Turkey, the Turkish interior ministry said. The number includes 439 people who were intercepted at sea. A reported 84 suspected human traffickers were also arrested over the same period. Ever since the agreement with Brussels in March 2016, the number of migrants and refugees travelling to EU countries, especially Greece, have dropped from an average of several thousands a day to a few dozens. (ANSAmed). Syria: 'deadly government raids on two Idlib hospitals' According to civil protection, rescuers looking for survivors (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, FEBRUARY 5 - Two hospitals were targeted in north-west Syria over the past few hours in government air raids that killed an unspecified number of victims, according to civil protection sources in the region of Idlib, which is outside the government's control. The sources said that rescue efforts have been underway over the past several hours to search for survivors under the rubble of the bombed buildings located respectively in Marrat Numan and Kafranbel, south of the main city of Idlib. Government and Russian air raids on the Idlib region have intensified over the past 48 hours as part of a loyalist offensive to reconquer the part of the highway connecting central Syria to Aleppo which has a key location in Saraqeb, one of the most targeted towns recently. The area of Idlib is controlled by several armed groups, including the Syrian wing of al Qaida and is partly under Turkish military influence. (ANSAmed). Hamas praises West Bank attack, 'intifada continues' 'Heroic attack, PNA must stop security cooperation with Israel' (ANSAmed) - GAZA, FEBRUARY 5 - Hamas said on Monday that the attack in the West Bank, in which an Israeli was stabbed and later died of his wounds, "shows that the Al-Quds Intifada (Jerusalem Uprising) continues". Hamas called the attack a "heroic operation" that "represents a natural reaction to the Israeli military occupation". Hamas is appealing to the Palestinian National Authority to stop its security cooperation with Israel. It is also calling on residents in the area to delete surveillance camera footage before the Israeli Army confiscates it. (ANSAmed). ISTANBUL - The Netherlands has pulled its ambassador from Turkey, the Dutch Foreign Ministry in The Hague said on Monday. "The Netherlands and Turkey have recently held meetings at various levels. Up until now, these meetings haven't offered a prospect for normalisation of bilateral relations. As a result, the Dutch government has decided to withdraw its ambassador from Ankara, where he hasn't had access since March 2017," the Dutch Foreign Ministry said. It said March 2017 is when a crisis broke out over a ban on electoral rallies in Europe by Turkish ministers supporting the presidential referendum by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "As long as the Netherlands doesn't have an ambassador in Turkey, it won't authorise a new Turkish ambassador to assume duties in the Netherlands. The Turkish charge d'affaires to The Hague has just been given this message," it said, adding that there will now be "a break in meetings with Turkey". PNA against Jerusalem taxes on churches, UN buildings Christian Churches spokesman calls for city to revoke intentions (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, FEBRUARY 5 - The government of the Palestinian National Authority has condemned "the imposition of the so-called property tax" that the City of Jerusalem intends to apply to "churches and UN buildings including the UNRWA", the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. "It's part of Israeli policies and plans for escalation in the city against its residents," said government spokesman Yousef Mahmoud, cited by the media, denouncing Israel's "new aggression on our capital". The spokesman for Christian Churches in the Holy Land, Wadie Abunassar, said he is aware of the situation and is calling on the City of Jerusalem to "revoke its intention on this". Abunassar said thus far he hasn't received any official notice on the issue, and said that, at least for the Catholic Church, it must "still be brought to a conclusion in negotiations between Israel and the Holy See". (ANSAmed). Pope-Erdogan talks focus on Jerusalem, Christians, refugees Meeting in Vatican lasts 50 minutes (ANSAmed) - VATICAN CITY, FEBRUARY 5 - The status of Jerusalem was one of the main issues discussed by Pope Francis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Vatican Monday in a meeting in the Vatican which lasted 50 minutes, the Vatican press office said. The leaders discussed "the situation in the Middle East, with particular reference to the status of Jerusalem, highlighting the need to promote peace and stability in the region via dialogue and negotiation, with respect for human rights and international legality," it said. The pair also discussed "bilateral ties between the Holy See and Turkey and the situation in the country, from the condition of the Catholic community, the commitment in receiving numerous refugees and the challenges linked to that," the Vatican press office said. Erdogan was accompanied by his wife and daughter and five ministers in a delegation that numbers 20 in all. He gave the pope a large ceramic painting showing a panorama of Istanbul and a collection of books by the Muslim theologist Mevlana Rumi. The pontiff, as well as a medallion with the dove of peace, donated Erdogan an etching of St Peter's as it was at the beginning of the 17th century, a copy of his encyclical Laudato si' and his message for this year's World Peace Day. Erdogan had been expected to discuss Jerusalem's status after the US decision to recognise it as Israeli capital. With Italian leaders including Premier Paolo Gentiloni the Turkish leader is expected to discuss Ankara's bid for EU entry. Rome and the Vatican were on security lockdown for Erdogan's visit. Anti-migrant and Euroskeptic League leader Matteo Salvini said Monday he was "ashamed" that Italy was hosting a visit by Erdogan. "I'm ashamed that Italy should host the representative of a bloody and extremist regime, an Islamic country where religion holds away over the law," said Salvini. "Turkey in the EU would be a disaster. I would like to see how the parties vote, including (ally Silvio Berlusconi's) Forza Italia, our motion against Turkey in the EU". (ANSAmed). Turkish President Erdogan meets pope for 50 minutes Leaders exchange gifts. Protest against visit (ANSAmed) - ROME, FEBRUARY 5 - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Pope Francis for 50 minutes on Monday at the start of his visit to Italy. Erdogan was accompanied by his wife and daughter and five ministers in a delegation that numbers 20 in all. The Turkish president reportedly thanked the pontiff for his ''interest'' during a cordial meeting, sources who attended it said. Erdogan gave the pope a large ceramic painting showing a panorama of Istanbul and a collection of books by the Muslim theologist Mevlana Rumi. The pontiff gave Erdogan a medallion, an etching of St Peter's as it was at the beginning of the 17th century, a copy of his encyclical Laudato si' and his message for this year's World Peace Day. The pontiff explained that the medallion depicted an ''angel of peace that stranglesthe demon of war. It is a symbol of a world based on peace and justice Erdogan had been expected to discuss Jerusalem's status after the US decision to recognize it as Israeli capital. With Italian leaders including Premier Paolo Gentiloni the Turkish leader is expected to discuss Ankara's bid for EU entry. Rome and the Vatican were on security lockdown for Erdogan's visit. Meanwhile, a sit-in was organized Monday morning by the network Rete Kurdistan Italia at Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome, near the Vatican. Demonstrators carried banners calling the Turkish State a ''murderer'', urging Erdogan to ''take his hands off Kurdistan'' and calling Erdogan's Turkey a ''highway for terrorists''. Organizations including the network 'No bavaglio' and Italian journalists' union FNSI took part in the demonstration. (ANSAmed). Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Emirates Engineering has announced an agreement with Qantas for aircraft maintenance. Under the terms of the agreement, Emirates Engineering will strip and repaint eight Qantas A380 aircraft starting March 2018. The aircraft will be repainted with the latest Qantas livery at the state of the art Emirates Aircraft Appearance Centre in Dubai. The agreement also covers the replacement of landing gears for one Qantas A380 aircraft by Emirates Engineering in February 2018. We are delighted to be working with Qantas for maintenance on their A380 aircraft. As the largest operator of Airbus A380s with over 100 aircraft in our fleet, Emirates Engineering has built strong expertise over the years in the maintenance and repainting of this aircraft type. We have worked hard to create efficiencies and productivity gains across all lines of maintenance, thereby freeing capacity and allowing us to offer our services and know-how to external customers, said Mohammed Jaffar Nasser, the SVP of Engineering Maintenance. Our goal is to promote Dubai as a centre of excellence for Airbus A380 maintenance. We have the knowledge, infrastructure, competence and the confidence to achieve this goal, he added. Ryanair has announced its 34th destination from Budapest Airport, with the introduction of a twice-weekly operation to Amman. The 2,251-kilometre sector to the Jordanian capital city is a brand new destination for the Hungarian gateway, which offers services to Aqaba in the south of the Middle Eastern country on its Red Sea coast. With this new route addition, the capital city airport will offer 131 destinations in 119 cities from 47 countries in W18/19. After the year that Ryanair has just had at Budapest it grew its passenger count by over 23% in 2017 it comes as no surprise that it is investing again in further growth with us, said Balazs Bogats, Head of Airline Development, Budapest Airport. Amman had a potential market size of 27,000 passengers per year, so I am pleased that travellers to this intriguing destination can now take the opportunity to use direct non-stop flights courtesy of our important partner Ryanair. Royal Jordanian and the Jordanian Private Jets Services (JPJets) signed an agreement on Feb. 1 whereby RJ will be the handling agent for all JPJets charter flights operating at the Jordanian airports. RJ President/CEO Stefan Pichler and JPJets CEO Nader Manna signed the agreement at a ceremony held at RJs head office in Amman. Present were Head of Airport Services and Cargo Operations Fawzi Mulki and JPJets General Manager Karam Eliwa. According to the agreement, Royal Jordanian will provide ground-handling services to all JPJets' charter passenger and cargo flights at Queen Alia International Airport/Amman and King Hussein International Airport/Aqaba. This will include baggage services, cabin appearance, cargo handling, warehouse services, and meet and assist, among others Pichler expressed satisfaction with cooperation with this leading provider of VIP services for executive flights: This collaboration marks a significant step forward for both companies, delivering the finest VIP services to the private aviation sector for the ultimate customer satisfaction. Pichler added that Royal Jordanian is a pioneer in ground handling in the Middle East. He noted that the airline holds IATA's Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) certificate, which is a reflection of the efficiency and high standards RJ observes in offering ground-handling services, in accordance with strict international safety procedures. Manna said: We were looking forward to achieving this collaboration, and we came with new ideas to enhance our two companies by upgrading the service we provide each sector. RJ will ensure, as always, excellent handling performance for passengers and cargo by adopting a new methodology and concept in handling services, while JPJets will ensure that the VIP and executive flight service level is at the top as usual. JPJets was established in Jordan in 2001 to provide first-rate ground handling services for some of the world's leading airlines and service providers. It provides upscale ground handling services to the international community of operators and executives who rely on corporate or private jets and five-star personalized service for passengers and crew. The UAE Space Agency, represented by Dr. Mohammed Nasser Al Ahbabi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency, discussed avenues for future cooperation with a high-profile delegation from Italy. The Italian delegation included Liborio Stellino, Ambassador of Italy to the UAE, Sergio Lamboni, Vice President of Arescosmo Defense and Space, and Piero Cozzi, an Arescosmo advisor. During the meeting, the parties discussed opportunities for cooperation between their respective space industries. Topics of discussion included space exploration, skills and capacity development, and the joint exchange of information and knowledge in respect to ongoing space research and exploration. Dr. Al Ahbabi was officially invited to attend and participate in the world-renowned MELiSSA Workshop, which is held in Rome between May 16 -18. The workshop is set to include discussions on current and future projects to develop controlled ecological life support systems and other scientific research within the field. Dr. Al Ahbabi said: As we work to continue growing and developing our capabilities as a space faring nation, we are naturally interested in cooperating and working with international space agencies, such as the highly regarded Italian Space Agency (ASI). Our meeting falls within the UAE Space Agencys strategic objectives, which include the development of global partnerships that support the UAEs national space sector, particularly in the fields of space exploration and human capacity building. In early 2016, the UAE Space Agency signed an MoU with the ASI to strengthen the strategic cooperation between the two agencies. The MoU stands to provide and support cooperation in various aspects of space exploration, including: space sciences, technology, services and applications, exchange of information, studies and joint space research. These endeavors are further complimented with agreements to contribute towards supporting both nations space programs through the organization of visits, conferences, scientific lectures, and specialized training and human capacity building. The second week of rehearsals for the Alley Theatres production of Satchmo at the Waldorf, my first play, begins today. I took over the show on hair-raisingly short notice when the original director was fired as a result of allegations of sexual misconduct. I had seven days to prepare for the first rehearsal, at which point I didnt even know the name of the actor who had been cast in the demanding triple role of Louis Armstrong, Joe Glaser, and Miles Davis. It is, however, a truth universally acknowledged in the theater business that the show must go on, so I said yes, rolled up my sleeves, and got cracking, recalling the wise words of Duke Ellington: I dont need time. What I need is a deadline! Needless to say, I now knowwell. Hes a seasoned performer who, among other relevant things, understudied John Douglas Thompson, the best known of all the actors who have doneto date, in the 2017 Broadway revival of August Wilsons. I realized as soon as I spoke to him on the phone that Id gotten lucky, and the events of the past week have done nothing to alter that first impression: Preston is a perfect colleague, a quick study, and an all-around good guy with whom it is pure pleasure to work. I have no doubt that hes going to be fabulous when we open in Houston on February 28. As for the Alley, one of Americas top regional theaters, its seen its own share of troubles in recent weeks. To date, though, my own experiences with the company have been wholly satisfactory. Everybody there is doing everything possible to smooth the road to opening night, as are the members of the design team, all of whom I know well (they worked on several previous productions of Satchmo) and esteem without reserve. So yes, Im having a good time. If anything, thats an understatement. I knew after I madewith Palm Beach Dramaworks 2016 production ofthat I wanted to do more stage directing. To be sure, I didnt expect my second gig to be another, much less that Id be forced to take up the reins under extreme pressure, but I seem to be thriving anyway. Ive even managed to keep up with my day-to-day work forandI wrote three pieces from scratch and saw a show last weekand it looks like Ill make it across the finish line without breaking anything. All that said, I suspect that some of you wonder what impact my work on Satchmo is having on my most important job, which is the care of my beloved spouse. Mrs. T, as I explained in this space in November, suffers from a rare disease called pulmonary hypertension. Her condition has deteriorated significantly in the past year, enough so that she was put on the active waiting list in November for a double lung transplant at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. In addition, shes about to be cross-listed at Philadelphias Penn Transplant Institute, which is where we expect the actual surgery to take place. To that end, I stopped traveling by air as soon as Billy and Me, my second play, opened in Florida in December. Ive been with Mrs. T ever since. How, then, can I possibly justify going to Houston to direct Satchmo at the Waldorf? The answer is that we got dumb lucky. It happens that the first two weeks of rehearsal for Satchmo were already scheduled to take place not in Houston but in a Times Square rehearsal studio. This means that I wont be hitting the road until February 15. We open thirteen days later, and Ill fly straight back to New York the next morning. As those of you whove read about Mrs. Ts illness will recall, there is currently a shortage of donor lungs in the New York transplant region. Its serious enough that there is no realistic possibility at present that she will be transplanted at New York-Presbyterian. Thats why were cross-listing her in Philadelphiaand the process of listing her there wont be finished until a couple of weeks after Satchmo opens in Houston. We were equally lucky in another way, which is that the press previews for the three off-Broadway plays that Ill be reviewing during the rehearsal period for Satchmo are all set to take place while Im still in New York. As a result, I wont have to fly from Houston to New York and back again to see a show in between rehearsals. I had to do that twice while I was working on Billy and Me, and it waswell, a bit hectic. Under any other circumstances, of course, I would have turned down the Alley without thinking twice. But it was clear to both Mrs. T and me that the stars were in alignment, and she insisted that I say yes to the offer, pointing out that her family in Connecticut would be more than happy to look after her during my brief stay in Houston and could easily drive her to New York in the highly unlikely event that the Big Call should come in my absence. Mrs. T is (shall we say) quite an insister, so I called up the Alley that night, and two days later the company announced that Id be staging Satchmo. All of which brings us up to the present moment. As of this morning, we have six more rehearsals left in New York. Ill drive up to Connecticut after Sundays rehearsal and spend three nights with Mrs. T, returning to New York to seeon Wednesday. I fly to Houston first thing Thursday morning, and then were off and running. So far were ahead of schedule, and I mean to stay that way, having learned from hard experience that its always good to have an extra day or two tucked in your pocket. Thatll give me a chance to pop over to theand look at paintings, and to break bread with some old friends whom I havent seen for far too long. I look forward to returning to Houston after a nine-year absencebut Ill be gladder still to come back home to Mrs. T. Oh, yes: my niece Lauren, who lives in Houston, expects to have her first baby this week. I think Ill take a night off while Im in town and go see my grandniece! by As great projects often do, the amazing exhibition on view at the Fairfield University Art Museum began with an impossible dream. Seeking ideas for a show to mark the universitys 75th anniversary this year, museum director Linda Wolk-Simon convened an exhibition committee, among show members was Xavier Salomon, chief curator at the Frick Collection. Salomon suggested that she ask to borrow Berninis great marble bust of Cardinal Roberto Bellarminowhich normally resides in the Gesu, the Jesuits mother church, in Rome. The Fairfield museum is located in Bellarmine Hall, after all, and he is the universitys patron saint. Wolk-Simon thought, theyll say nobut why not? The bust, created in 1621-24, had never before left Rome. Bernini (1598-1680) was quite young when he carved it. She was right. The church say nothe first time. She also asked to borrow other things, too, and eventually the church came around and granted four of her requestsand then the rector inquired why she had not requested his favorite item, the bejeweled silver-and-gilt-bronze Cartegloria of Saint Ignatius made by Johann Adolf Gaap in 1699 (detail, right). And thats how the museum came to host an international loan exhibition, Art of the Gesu: Bernini and his Age, of nearly 60 objects from museums including the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Met, the Princeton University Art Museum, and many more. It opened on Feb. 2 and runs until May 19. Ill get back to the show in a minute. But perhaps even more important will be the catalogue for The Holy NameArt of the Gesu: Bernini and HIs Age. It will be a 600-page monster with essays by many scholars and a foreward by Philippe de Montebello, the Director Emeritus of the Met who served as honorary chair of the exhibition committee. For the exhibits press release, he said, If I were still Director of the Metropolitan, I would be jealous of Fairfield doing this show. Its simply incredibleit brings to the Fairfield University Art Museum some of the greatest artists working in 17th century Rome. For me, it also fulfills another purpose. The Gesu, with its rather plain exterior (click on the link in my first paragraph to see both exterior and interior photographs), sits in a crowded part of Rome; it is easy to overlook. Yet inside, its stunning. The ceiling of the apse is a frescoGlory of the Mystical Lambpainted by Giovanni Battista Gaulli. And thats just the start. The curious can find much more about it online. From the church, Fairfield was able to borrow Gaullis final painted wooden model for the apse fresco, plus a gilt bronze statue of Saint Teresa of Avila by Ciro Ferri, the bust, the cartegloria and another true treasurea silk chasuble embroidered with gold, silver and silk threads, c. 1575-1589 (detail, left), worn by the churchs great benefactor, Cardinal Alessandro Farnese. . The Bellarmine-Bernini bust, which normally hangs high in the church but here can be seen at eye level, is gathering most of the attention in the art world. On Instagram, Luke Syson, chairman of the Mets European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department, wrote, in part: Today I witnessed an object Id previously categorized as a work of baroque arta very great one but nonetheless the rather remote portrait of a long-dead individual with a history of religious learning and obduracyspiritually recharged to become the animate patron saint of this Jesuit university. Its partly that the sculpture is normally an ingredient of the minestrone of Counter-reformation glory that is the Gesu, placed high up, impressive but rather invisible, just one of Romes many treasures. At Fairfield, its not just that one can see him properly for the first time, though thats absolutely marvelous. Its also, and more importantly, that he could only have traveled therethe Jesuit authorities would never have supported a loan to somewhere else and requests to borrow the piece by larger, grander, older museums have always been turned down. They were right. Here hes turned into the living Saint Robert Bellarmine rather than the long-dead seventeenth-century cleric known for having put a spoke in Galileos scientific wheel. Bernini makes him embody a combination of deep thought and profound belief. His fingers scintillate in prayer. The fierce muscles above his eyebrows express his brain power. Its an extraordinary piece of characterization. Bernini did something amazing but, fascinatingly and most unexpectedly, its only at Fairfield that the Saint has come truly alive for me. I cant end this without posting a paintingso here, below, is Gaullis The Vision of St. Ignatius at La Storta (c. 1685-90)Ignatius being a founder of the Jesuits. Sogo if you can. Visit the Gesu next time you are in Rome. Meantime, enjoy the photos I took while there. The actor has just returned from Patratu in Jharkhand, after a hectic 28-day schedule. After the not-so-encouraging response to his last film, the biopic on the life of Mumbai-based gangster Arun Gawlis life story, Arjun Rampal is set to return to movies with three films. The actor took his time before signing films, as he didnt want to make a mistake. I am now working on J.P. Duttas film Paltan. I am also doing a film called Nastik with Shailesh Varma. There is another film, which I will be announcing very soon, says Arjun about his line-up. The actor has just returned from Patratu in Jharkhand, after a hectic 28-day schedule. Arjun dons the uniform again in Paltan and plays a cop in the film. Duttas Paltan also stars Jackie Shroff, Sonu Sood and Harshvardhan Rane, among others. Harshvardhan replaced Abhishek Bachchan in the movie, after the actor opted out of the film 48 hours before the film went on the floors. Sources inform that Arjuns third film would be Mughal Road. The movie is based on on Pakistani tribesman called Kabalies who crossed over to Baramulla in India, aided by the Pakistani army in 1947. Sanskriti Media Plea further stated that till date neither the accused has been arrested nor any progress made in the probe. The high court has issued notice to the Delhi Police and sought their stand on the woman's plea. It also directed the investigators to file their reply by March 20. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: A 32-year-old NRI woman, who was allegedly raped by a businessman in Delhi, has moved the Delhi High Court, seeking transfer of her case to the crime branch of the city police. The high court has issued notice to the Delhi Police and sought their stand on the woman's plea. It also directed the investigators to file their reply by March 20. The woman has alleged that she was raped by one Vishal Chawla on the night of September 28, 2017 while she was with him to discuss about business opportunities in India. The woman in her petition filed through her counsel said that she came to India in September along with her husband to explore business opportunities. As per the plea, she came in contact with the accused who claimed to be a business associate and assured them of extending help. On the night of the incident, while her husband was away, the man came to her hotel and took the woman to his residence to discuss the business proposals, the plea states. It further said that the man served her drinks and later raped her. The petition further states that the accused threaded her of dire consequences, if she disclosed the incident to anyone. The woman and her husband, however, approached the police and lodged a rape case against the accused. The plea stated that when the couple went to the police station to enquire about the FIR lodged against the accused, they found that the man was present there and he threatened to kill them. "In this situation, the couple immediately left India and went back to New Zealand," the plea said. It further stated that till date neither the accused has been arrested nor any progress made in the probe. "The woman is seeking justice for herself and proper punishment to the offender especially in view of the collusion of the police officials with the accused, as the same is essential for securing dignity and human life to the woman," the plea said. It said in the present circumstances, the probe into the matter should be transferred from the Delhi Police to its Crime Branch to ensure speedy and fair investigation of the case. The video captured in CCTV camera from a busy road in west Delhi' Khyala, shows Ankit in a black leather jacket around 8 pm on Thursday. 23-year-old Delhi photographer Ankit Saxena was stabbed with a knife by his 20-year-old Muslim girlfriend's family on February 1. (Photo: Screengrab | ANI) New Delhi: Minutes before 23-year-old Delhi photographer Ankit Saxena was brutally stabbed to death by the family of his girlfriend in full public view last week, he was seen pacing and making frantic calls from his mobile phone. The video captured in CCTV camera from a busy road in west Delhi's Khyala, shows Ankit in a black leather jacket around 8 pm on Thursday, February 1. According to a report in NDTV, the same camera captured the sound of a police siren and a group of people staring at the direction where the murder had taken place. Just a few steps from where he was last seen talking on the phone, Ankit was attacked and stabbed by the mother, father, uncle and younger brother of the 20-year-old Muslim woman, Shehzadi. All four have been caught, including the woman's underage brother. Also read: 23-yr-old Delhi photographer killed by girlfriends family, 3 held Ankit was in a relationship with Shehzadi, a second-year college student, for the past three years. The police said her family was opposed to the relationship because Ankit was a Hindu. Shehzadi's family had also warned her against her relationship with a Hindu man, but the two kept meeting, police said. The woman has told the police that she was going to meet Ankit on the evening he was stabbed by her family. Also read: Delhi's Khyala area remains tensed after Muslim girl's kin kill 23-yr-old Hindu man Soon after the boy's mother was informed that Ankit was stabbed by his girlfriend's family, she ran out of their home nearby and tried to stop the assault, but she too, was attacked. In front of his helpless mother, Ankit was stabbed in the neck with a knife by his girlfriend's father and uncle. Also read: Delhi photographer murder: Amid tensions, BJP demands Rs 1 cr ex-gratia for victims kin The situation remains tense in the area in west Delhi and police personnel have been deployed to check any possible fallout of the killing. The slain soldiers have been identified as Capt. Kapil Kundu, Riflemen Ram Avtar and Shubam Singh and Havaldar Roshan Lal. The officials said that this was the second time in three days that the Pakistani troops targeted the Indian forward posts and civilian areas in Poonch, using automatic weapons and mortars. (Representational Image) Srinagar: An Army captain and three jawans were killed and one more wounded when Pakistani troops opened fire on Indian forward posts in Bhimber Gali sector of the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri sector on Sunday. At least two civilians were injured in the Poonch sector, officials said. The slain soldiers have been identified as Capt. Kapil Kundu, Riflemen Ram Avtar and Shubam Singh and Havaldar Roshan Lal. Lance Naik Iqbal Ahmed was injured. The Indian Army said it was retaliating strongly and effectively. Fierce artillery exchanges were underway in this section and some adjoining areas of the de facto border when reports last came in. The situation is very tense, said Rajouris deputy commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary. The exchanges along the LoC have come ahead of Pakistans observing Kashmir Solidarity Day on Monday. For past many years, Pakistan has been observing February 5 as a day to show solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Apart from announcing a national holiday, Islamabad has said that special cultural programmes and festivals will be held on Monday to mark the Kashmir Solidarity Day. In Jammu, officials said that two teenagers were also injured in the latest violation of November 2003 ceasefire understanding as some of the mortar shells fired from across the LoC landed in civilians areas of Rajouri and Poonch district. The cross-LoC firing was reported from Poonchs Shahpur sector on Sunday morning. It continued intermittently during the rest of the day and the Indian troops retaliated by using the same calibre weapons, the officials said. The injured civilians were identified as Shahnaz Bano (15) and Yasin Arif (14), residents of Islamabad village of Poonch. The officials said that this was the second time in three days that the Pakistani troops targeted the Indian forward posts and civilian areas in Poonch, using automatic weapons and mortars. The last time, the Pakistani troops had opened fire at about a dozen places in Poonchs Balakote sector. A defence spokesman said in Jammu that apart from Rajouris Bhimber Gali sector and Poonchs Shahpur sector, the firing and shelling was also reported in Manjakote sector of Rajouri on Sunday. The Pakistani troops initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing from small arms, automatics and mortars in these sectors at intervals on Sunday. The Indian Army has retaliated strongly and effectively, the spokesman said. In January, as many as seven civilians and six Army and BSF jawans were killed and dozens injured, mostly civilians, in the ceasefire violations both along the LoC and the International Border (IB) in the Jammu region. The Pakistani authorities had also reported the death of more than half a dozen civilians on their side of the divide line in Indian firing and shelling and alleged that it were the Indian Army and the BSF who initiated firing on each occasion. The clashes had prompted the authorities to close more than 300 schools situated close to the IB and the LoC in the Jammu regions Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch districts. Also, thousands of people living in close proximity of the border were shifted to safer locations. The latest cross-LoC firing and shelling came a day after Union home minister, Rajnath Singh had said that he has giving standing orders to the Indian Army and the BSF to fire limitless bullets in retaliation of any ceasefire violations by Pakistan. He told an election rally in Barjala in Agartala, I have given standing orders to our forces to shoot limitless bullets to retaliate a single fire on our territory by the Pakistani forces. He had, however, also said, We want to live with peace and harmony with our all neighbours but most unfortunately, Pakistan is trying to tear down Jammu and Kashmir and continue attacks on our forces and Indian territory. Sarma, who is also the finance minister, said the government wants to transform the state and create jobs for the youths. Guwahati: In what has brightened the prospect of the industrial growth, Assam has received the commitment for an investment of Rs 65,186 crore in 176 Memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed for 176 projects in the first ever Global Investors Summit. Public sector oil major ONGC committed Rs 13,000 crore investment in the state, while another oil public sector unit (PSU) Oil India Ltd pledged an investment of Rs 10,000 crore. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Numaligarh Refinery Ltd has also evinced interest to invest Rs 3,432 crore and Rs 3,410 crore, respectively. Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who was negotiating with Tata Trust, said that the Tata has agreed to join hands with the Assam government to roll out an elaborate cancer care programme in 17 centres across 15 districts of the state from next year, the project will see an investment of around Rs 2,000 crore. In an obvious bid to woo the investors, Mr Sarma said that his government is ready to fine-tune its investment policies to attract the pharmaceutical sector for setting up units in the state. As there is no specific pharma policy in Assam, the government is ready to tweak the existing norms to suit the industry players of the healthcare segment to come and invest in the state, Mr Sarma announced while interacting with industrialists at the ongoing Global Investment Summit. We have a general investment policy. But some of your requirements may be different. Government of Assam is willing to customise the parameters for your requirements, the minister said. We will facilitate and go whatever way to help you invest in Assam. The government and political class here is helpful to you. We want investment. So we will go extra mile to have you in our state, he said. Mr Sarma, who is also the finance minister, said the government wants to transform the state and create jobs for the youths. Assam has already recorded an investment of $142 million. MoS Jeetendra Singh said Congress party failed to resolve the issue even as it stayed in power for a long time since independence. Lekhi also said the Congress is on ground zero in Nagaland and is merely seeking attention in a state in which it is almost wiped out. (photo: ANI) New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hit back at Congress President Rahul Gandhi for taking a jibe at the Centre over the proposed Naga peace accord that is pending since February 2015. MoS Jeetendra Singh targeted the political lineage of Gandhi, saying the Congress Party failed to resolve the issue even as it stayed in power for a long time since independence. Also read: Naga Accord is nowhere to be seen: Rahul mocks PM ahead of assembly polls "He is conveniently forgetting that the party that ruled for at least 50 years in Congress. It is their doing and baggage. In fact, the improvement in the security situation in the Northeast now was never so in the last 50-60 years. Why wasn't it? That is a question the Congress needs to answer," Singh told ANI. "If there was unrest in the region before, there might have been political greed behind. They have to answer this question instead of commenting on our three years of work," he added. BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi termed Gandhi's jibe a failed attempt to turn the tide in the upcoming assembly election in Nagaland. "Congress is losing in Nagaland and it is very, very apparent from the tweet which Gandhi has coined," Lekhi said. Lekhi also said the Congress is on ground zero in Nagaland and is merely seeking attention in a state in which it is almost wiped out. On Sunday, Gandhi took to Twitter to raise the issue of Naga accord that the Prime Minister had proclaimed to sign in August 2015, and said, "August 2015, Mr Modi claims to create history by signing the NAGA accord. Feb 2018, Naga Accord is still nowhere to be found. Modi ji is the first ever Indian PM whose words don't mean anything. #CantFindTheAccord." The probe agency has already questioned RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav over the case. New Delhi: The CBI is now tightening its grip around former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi over its probe into the IRCTC hotel scam. It is reliably learnt that the CBI is preparing to issue summons to her for seeking certain clarifications in connection with the case. The probe agency has already questioned RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav over the case. After scrutinising the statements given by Lalu and Tejashwi, the CBI is now planning to question Rabri Devi in connection with the case. We will soon issue her summons for questioning, a CBI source said. In July, CBI sleuths had searched the premises of Lalu Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi after filing an FIR against the couple, Tejashwi Yadav and five others in a 2006 case of the IRCTC transferring two railway hotels, one each in Ranchi and Puri, to Sujata Hotel Pvt Ltd, in an alleged violation of tender norms during Lalu Yadavs tenure as railway minister. According to the CBI FIR, the owners of Sujata Hotel Pvt Ltd had, a year before being given charge of the two railway hotels, allegedly transferred a prime three-acre plot along Patnas Bailey Road to Delight Marketing Pvt Ltd, a company owned by RJD leader P.C. Guptas wife. The control of Delight Marketing was, in turn, shifted to Tejashwi Yadav and Rabri Devi and the company was renamed Lara Projects LLP, the CBI claimed. Others named in the FIR include Vijay Kochhar and Vinay Kochhar, directors of Sujata Hotel Pvt Ltd; Sarla Gupta, director of Delight Marketing Pvt Ltd, and P.K. Goel, the then managing director of IRCTC. Investigation by Central probe agencies has revealed that the name of Delight Marketing was changed in November 2016 to Lara Projects Pvt Ltd and in February this year it became Lara Projects LLP a limited liability partnership with Rabri Devi, Tej Pratap and Tejashwi as directors, a source said. Another Central probe agency, the Enforcement Directorate, which is also investigating the case, recently attached a three-acre plot worth `44.7 crores in Patna, which allegedly belonged to Rabri Devis family and where one of the biggest malls in the city was to come up. Ankit was attacked and stabbed by his girlfriend, Shehzadi's father, mother, uncle and 14-year-old brother near his home on Thursday. Griefing at the loss of his only son, Yashpal said, 'Yes, those who killed my son were Muslim...but every Muslim can't be branded for this. Don't use me to spread communal tension, don't drag me into it...I appeal to everyone not to link this to religion and vitiate the atmosphere.' (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: Days after 23-year-old photographer, Ankit Saxena, was brutally stabbed to death by the family of his Muslim girlfriend in west Delhi's busy area Khyala in full public view, the bereaved father of Ankit said that the murder should not be given a communal twist and exploited to whip up trouble. "I don't want any inflammatory statements. I feel very saddened by what happened, but I don't want anyone to create a hostile environment against Muslims. I have nothing against any religion," Ankit's father Yashpal Saxena told NDTV. Also read: Ankit Saxena's last moments on CCTV before lover's kin killed him Griefing at the loss of his only son, Yashpal said: , "Yes, those who killed my son were Muslim...but every Muslim can't be branded for this. Don't use me to spread communal tension, don't drag me into it...I appeal to everyone not to link this to religion and vitiate the atmosphere." Ankit was attacked and stabbed by his girlfriend, Shehzadi's father, mother, uncle and 14-year-old brother on a road near his home in west Delhi on Thursday February 1. In CCTV footage, he was seen talking on the phone just moments before he was attacked. Also read: 23-yr-old Delhi photographer killed by girlfriends family, 3 held "It is very sad...A person's throat is slit, that too with such planning and precision that a man dies within two-three seconds. There were thousands there, but not one person helped or tried to take him to a hospital," lamented Yashpal condemning that people were just watching his son die. Ankit, he said, kept shouting to his girlfriend's mother, "Aunty, I have done nothing... I didn't take your daughter. Whatever you want to do, I am here." But seconds later, he was on the street, his throat slit. Also read: Delhi's Khyala area remains tensed after Muslim girl's kin kill 23-yr-old Hindu man Finally, it fell on a shattered father to carry his son's limp body to the hospital. "I was in shock at the sight of my son's bloodied body. Crying, screaming, I somehow took him to hospital. I had a tiny hope that maybe he is alive and just unconscious, maybe by some miracles doctors can save him. But nothing like that," he said, breaking down. Yashpal said he was unaware of Ankit's relationship, though he knew his son was friends with Shehzadi. Ankit and his girlfriend Shehzadi were neighbours a few years ago. The family moved away but the two continued seeing each other, the police believe. The woman's family was strictly opposed to the relationship because Ankit was Hindu. "Ankit told me, don't worry. If there is anything, I will tell you myself. You can arrange my marriage but I will be the one to choose. I felt reassured that everything was fine...I had no idea...," Yashpal said. Ankit's father wants his son's killers to be hanged. On Thursday evening when Ankit's mother was informed about her son being stabbed by Shehzadi's family, she rushed out of their home and trying to stop the assault, but she too, was attacked. In front of his helpless mother, Ankit was stabbed in the neck with a knife by his girlfriend's father and uncle. The situation remains tense in the area in west Delhi and police personnel have been deployed to check any possible fallout of the killing. Officials said the situation was very tense as firing and shelling by Pakistani troops continued round-the-clock. A defence spokesman said the Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatic weapons and mortars around 1110 hours.(Representational Image) Jammu: A young Army Captain and three jawans were killed and at least four people injured on Sunday in heavy Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. The Indian Army was giving a befitting reply and heavy exchanges were on, they added. Pakistani forces opened unprovoked heavy firing and shelling along the LoC in Bhimbher Gali sector of Rajouri district this evening, senior Army officials told PTI. In the shelling, three jawans were killed, they said. An officer, who was injured in the shelling, also succumbed to his injuries, they added. Six days before his birthday, 22-year-old Captain Kapil Kundu, a resident of village Ransika in Haryanas Gurgaon district, was killed in the shelling, Army officials said. Also read: Life should be big, not long: Army Captain Kundu martyred in Rajouri firing Forty two-year-old Havildar Roshan Lal, resident of Samba district, 27-year-old Riflemen Ramavatar of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh and Subham Singh (23) of J&Ks Kathua district were also killed, he said. Martyrdom of Indian Army soldiers will not go in vain.The unprovoked action by the Pakistan Army will be given a befitting response, an official said. Earlier in the day, two teenagers and a jawan were injured in Shahpur sector of Poonch district in shelling from across the border, a police official said. He identified the injured civilians as Shahnaz Bano (15) and Yasin Arif (14), residents of Islamabad village. A defence spokesman said the Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatic weapons and mortars around 1110 hours. The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively, he said. In another ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Rajouri district, a police official said six mortars exploded near Neaka Panjgrain and Tarkundi villages in Manjakote sector around 1540 hours. The mortars were fired by Pakistani troops and the Indian forces guarding the LoC responded, triggering an exchange of fire between the two sides, he said. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed pain at the deaths due to Pakistani shelling along the LoC. My condolences to the families of the deceased, she said. Authorities in Poonch issued an advisory asking people to stay inside their homes. All 84 schools located in 0-5 km from the LoC stretch from Sunderbani to Manjakote shall remain closed for the next three days, Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Shahid Iqbal said. Officials said the situation was very tense as firing and shelling by Pakistani troops continued round-the-clock. In January alone eight civilians and six security personnel were killed and around 70 injured in ceasefire violations by Pakistan troops along Indo-Pak border in Jammu region. Pakistani troops carried out intense shelling along the IB in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts and LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts from January 18 to 22. While there were no ceasefire violations by Pakistan reported along the IB since January 22, intermittent shelling has taken place along the LoC. Army's 15 J&K Light Infantry Captain Kapil was six days short of his birthday. He would have turned 23 on February 10. Army Captain Kapil Kundu lost his life in the 'unprovoked and indiscriminate' firing by Pakistan on Sunday. (Photo: Facebook) Mumbai: A young Army Captain and three jawans were killed in heavy cross-border shelling by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir's Rajouri district on Sunday. Pakistani forces opened unprovoked heavy firing and shelling in Bhimbher Gali sector of Rajouri district. A senior Army official said, the Pakistani shelling started around 11:10 am and spread across the Balakote sector in Mendhar and Manjakote. The mortar shells were even aimed at close vicinity of residential areas. While Army Captain Kapil Kundu lost his life in the "unprovoked and indiscriminate" firing by Pakistan, the martyred jawans have been identified as Rifleman Ramavatar, Rifleman Subham Singh and Havaldar Roshan. The report of Indian casualties comes a day after Home Minister Rajnath Singh said forces have been ordered to fire "limitless bullets" in retaliation to any ceasefire violation by Pakistan. Army's 15 J&K Light Infantry Captain Kapil Kundu who was killed in Sunday's cross-border firing hailed from Ransika village in Gurgaon district. Captain Kundu was six days short of his birthday. On February 10, Kundu would have turned 23. "Life should be big, not long," Rajesh Khanna says to Amitabh Bachchan in Anand film, and that's the quote Kundu believed in as his post on Facebook read the same. Army Captain Kapil Kundu's Facebook profile. (Photo: Screengrab) "All 84 schools located in 0-5 km from the LoC stretch from Sunderbani to Manjakote shall remain closed for the next three days," said Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Shahid Iqbal to news agency PTI. Officials said the situation was very tense as firing and shelling by Pakistani troops continued round-the-clock. Minister of State Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir said, "We will not forgive Pakistan's actions. It will prove to be Pakistan's foolishness and will cost them dearly." Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti offered her condolences to the families of the martyred soldiers. In January alone eight civilians and six security personnel were killed and around 70 injured in ceasefire violations by Pakistan troops along Indo-Pak border in Jammu region. Amit Shah also lashed out at the Congress for its opposition to the GST and for dubbing it as 'Gabbar Singh Tax'. BJP President Amit Shah also pitched for simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha elections, besides touching upon a host of measures taken by the government. (Photo: ANI | Twitter) New Delhi: Making his maiden speech in Rajya Sabha, BJP chief Amit Shah, on Monday, tore into the Congress over its criticism of Goods and Services Tax (GST), "failure" to tackle unemployment and other issues, as he listed his government's achievements on various fronts. Initiating the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the President's address, Shah took on senior Congress leader P Chidambaram for his 'pakoda' jibe and said it was "better to sell pakodas than to beg". Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in a recent interview that a person selling pakodas was employed "Those selling pakodas are self-employed. Can you compare them with beggars," he asked and pointed out that a "chaiwala's (tea-seller) son has become the Prime Minister today." In his over an hour-long speech, Shah said "I accept there is unemployment in the country. It is a problem. But you (Congress) have been ruling the country for so many years. We have been in power for eight years (including Vajpayee rule)." He also lashed out at the Congress for its opposition to the GST and for dubbing it as 'Gabbar Singh Tax'. Also read: Rahul Gandhi calls GST 'Gabbar Singh Tax', BJP says Cong 'Dramebaaz' party Noting that "Gabbar Singh Tax is named after the filmy dacoit" (a character in Bollywood blockbuster Sholay), Shah asked "is this (GST) dacoity? How much do those who have named this as Gabbar Singh Tax understand? It is not dacoity but the revenues go to pay subsidies for various services of widows and the poor." The BJP President also pitched for simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha elections, besides touching upon a host of measures taken by the government -- ranging from power supply, toilets, gas, employment and health facilities to the people. Tanwir has a dozen cases of murder and loot against him in Delhi and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. The police had information that Tanwir would reach Okhla Mandi in southeast Delhi with an accomplice early on Monday morning. Security was heightened and the entire area was barricaded to restrict their movement. (Photo: Representational | File) New Delhi: Days after Kasganj in Uttar Pradesh surfaced in news for communal clashes on Republic Day, a sharpshooter from the clash-hit Kasganj was arrested following an encounter in Delhi on Monday morning. According to NDTV report, the accomplice of the shooter managed to flee from the clutches of police. Also read: Kasganj clash: Main accused in 22-yr-old Chandan Gupta's murder held Police reports state that the person, Tanwir alias Munnawar, was a member of the Chhenu gang in Uttar Pradesh and is wanted in a number of cases, including a double murder in Delhi and a case of firing at policemen. Tanwir carried Rs 70,000 reward for his capture. The police had information that Tanwir would reach Okhla Mandi in southeast Delhi with an accomplice early on Monday morning. Security was heightened and the entire area was barricaded to restrict their movement. As soon as they entered the area in a Swift car, they opened fire on the police team. The police retaliated and attacked their vehicle. According to the report, several rounds were fired and Tanwir was hit twice. He was saved as he was wearing a bullet-proof jacket. The cops overpowered him, but his associate managed to escape. Tanwir was arrested and taken to a hospital. Two policemen were also injured in the encounter. Tanwir has a dozen cases of murder and loot against him in Delhi and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. In 2016, he fired at police officers in Delhi and escaped. He was involved in murder of two youngsters in Brahmpuri and Seelampur in Delhi last year, the police said. The incident was caught on the CCTV camera, but Tanwir and his men couldn't be arrested. Also read: Kasganj violence: 112 arrested following clashes over Republic day celebrations Besides other cases, the police will also investigate if Tanwir had any role to play in the communal violence in Kasganj in which a 22-year-old man was shot dead. The victim, Chandan Gupta, was among the bikers who had participated in a "Tiranga Yatra" organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) to mark Republic Day on January 26. One officer, three jawans lost their lives after Pak initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing in Bhimber Gali sector on Sunday. Vice Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Sarath Chand on Monday assured that India would keep giving a befitting reply to Pakistan army. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: A day after four Army personnel lost their lives in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan in the Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, Vice Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Sarath Chand on Monday assured that India would keep giving a befitting reply. Speaking to media, Lt Gen Chand said, "Pakistan army supports terrorist activities, infiltration. We have been responding appropriately and retaliating in equal measure. We will continue with our process of giving a befitting reply. Action will speak for itself." One officer and three jawans lost their lives after the Pakistan Rangers initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics, mortars and missiles, in Bhimber Gali sector on Sunday. Read: J&K: Army captain, 3 jawans dead, 4 hurt in Pak shelling along LoC Earlier on Monday, Minister of State (MoS) Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir said that India would not forgive Pakistan for the attack. "We will not forgive Pakistan's actions. It will prove to be Pakistan's foolishness and will cost them dearly," Ahir said. In the recent past, Pakistan has been resorting to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing along the Line of Control (LoC), killing and injuring Indian troops. A 22-year-old youth, Aarif Ahmed Lone, was injured when the Army opened fire on a violent crowd in southern Kulgam district on Monday. During the course of investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the police it was establish that Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyaba terrorists headed by Bashir Lashkari were involved in the attack. (Photo: AP) SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday filed chargesheet against eight Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) cadres, including a resident from Uttar Pradeshs Muzaffarnagar district, for their alleged involvement in June 15, 2016 terror attack in which six policemen were killed in southern Anantnag district. Meanwhile, 22-year-old youth Aarif Ahmed Lone was injured when the Army opened fire on a violent crowd in southern Kulgam district on Monday. The incident occurred in Mishipora village of Kulgam. The police said that a patrol party of the Army came under stone-pelting by the local youth while passing through the village. The soldiers tried to chase the miscreants away without using any force but that didnt yield any desired result. The stone pelting intensified on which the soldiers first fired their rifles in the air and then directly into the violent crowd, said a police official. A statement issued by the police here said that the comprehensive charge-sheet was filed before a court in Anantnag which is hearing the case registered by the police under various sections of Ranbir Penal Code including 302 (murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 427 (causing mischief), Arms Act and other relevant laws. According to the charge-sheet, a group of LeT terrorists attacked a police vehicle in which Station House Officer of Acchabal (Anantnag) and five other policemen were travelling using automatic weapons including AK 47 rifles resulting into their on-the-spot death. During the course of investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the police it was establish that Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyaba terrorists headed by Bashir Lashkari were involved in the attack. Further, on the basis of evidences collected during the course of investigation complicity of eight persons was established, of which two persons were arrested in the instant case, the statement said. The accused are Sandeep Kumar, a resident of Muzaffarnagar (UP), Muhammad Ashraf Wani alias Moulvi, Bashir Ahmad Wani alias Bashir Lashkari, Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, Merajuddin Bangroo, Sahir Ahmed Makroo and Zeenat-ul-Islam all local Kashmiris and Pakistani national Abu Maaz. During the investigation incontrovertible evidence has been brought on record establishing complicity of above mentioned accused persons in the instant crime, the chargesheet said. Sisodia advanced arguments on behalf of journalist and petitioner Bandhuraj Lone. New Delhi: Sparks flew in the Supreme Court on Monday as senior advocates clashed with each other, crossing the limits of courtesy, and a judge told a counsel not to shout him down during a high-voltage hearing on petitions seeking an SIT probe into the death of Mumbai CBI judge H.B. Loya, Senior advocates Dushyant Dave and Pallav Sisodia crossed swords when Mr Dave, seeking a fresh probe into the case, objected to the court allowing Mr Sisodia, who had earlier represented BJP chief Amit Shah in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh case, to now appear for one of the petitioners seeking a fresh probe in to judge Loya. During the proceedings, an angry judge pulled up Mr Dave, saying You shall not shout me down. You shall listen when a judge speaks to you. Mr Dave, appearing for the Bombay Lawyers Association that is seeking a fresh probe in Loya case and planning to demand examination of four Maharashtra judges in the case, dragged the judges into the controversy by saying that they will have to answer to their conscience for allowing Mr Sisodia to appear in the matter. An angry court shot back at Mr Dave, Dont teach us about our conscience. Let us not reduce the dialogue in this court to the level of fish market; at least not before the portraits (in the court hall) of the first CJI H.L. Kania and his successor B.K. Mukherhjea. You should not shout down the judge. You have to listen to me Mr Dave, said Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, in the presence of CJI Dipak Misra, who was heading the bench, and Justice A.M. Khanwilkar. Mr Dave retorted, No, I will not. Your Lordships should have stopped them from appearing in this court. You will have to answer to your conscience. Arguments will now continue on February 9. Multiple petitioners have approached the apex court seeking an independent probe into the allegedly mysterious death Loya around the time when he was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh case. Earlier, the hearing commenced with senior counsel V. Giri appearing for petitioner Tehseen Poonawalla and pressing for a fresh probe into Loyas death. After Mr Giri, Mr Sisodia advanced arguments on behalf of journalist and petitioner Bandhuraj Lone. During the argument, Mr Sisodia took exception to the recent insinuations made against the judiciary after four senior judges of the Supreme indirectly questioned the integrity of an earlier apex court bench that was hearing the petitions in the Loya case. Mr Sisodia said that an independent probe cannot be a one-way traffic when people make allegations, in a veiled plea to probe why doubts were raised in some quarters over the integrity of an apex court bench which was earlier hearing the Loya case. Senior counsel Indira Jaising, appearing for petitioner Vice-Admiral Ramdas, said, If Mr Sisodia does not want an inquiry then why has he come here. Mr Dave intervened and told the court that the purpose of filing this petition by Mr Sisodia was to prevent a hearing of the petition filed in the Bombay high court. He objected to Mr Sisodia and counsel Harish Salve, who earlier appeared for Mr Shah before he was discharged in Loyas death case, now appearing for other parties. He said, The Bar Council of India has issued notice to me for misconduct for raising voice of truth while people who have indulged in misconduct like them get away. I wont be cowed down. Mr Sisodia turned towards Mr Dave and said, We dont care what you say... you can go to hell or heaven or wherever you want. Justice Chandrachud, turning towards Mr Sisodia, said, Even your language is improper. Courtesy begets courtesy. Mr Salve said, Sometimes courtesy does not beget courtesy. However, Mr Sisodia expressed his sincere apologies. Mr Dave said, It is disappointing that the state is opposing the probe. And what is even more disappointing is that all those who are appearing for the state today appeared for Mr Amit Shah. But your Lordships dont want to hear that. During the hearing, Mr Dave got permission from the court to file an application for examination of four Maharashtra judges, two of whom are now in the high court, in the Loya case. Earlier, Mr Giri pressed for an independent probe saying there are inconsistencies in the probe conducted by Maharashtra intelligence. He said the story presented by the Maharashtra does not inspire confidence and requires investigation. He said statements of witnesses are false, as the independent persons who were privy to the said incident were never verified and even the sequence of events is not corroborated by any supporting documents. He said that the state intelligence department has selectively not examined/verified any of the persons who could have narrated the sequence of events. No investigation was done to establish the presence of the deceased in Ravi Bhavan, Nagpur, or the claim that he attended a wedding. There are no medical documents from Dande Hospital, where Loya was taken at the first instance. There was no verification done from the doctor who advised that deceased be taken to cardiac centre, he said, adding that there was no verification done from the four doctors who were present at the time of the incident. Just before his death, Loya was presiding over the Sohrabuddin Sheikh case in which Mr Shah was named as an accused. According to police, Loya died of cardiac arrest on December 1, 2014, in Nagpur where he had gone to attend a wedding. The committee will be mandated to keep couples safe from any violence directed by khaps panchayats, parents or relatives, the court hinted. New Delhi: Observing that khap panchayats cannot play conscience keeper of the society and take law into their hands, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to protect couples whose marriages are objected to by khaps and hinted that the court may appoint a police committee to protect couples who opt for inter-caste or inter-faith alliances. The committee will be mandated to keep couples safe from any violence directed by khaps panchayats, parents or relatives, the court hinted. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra told counsel Narinder Hooda, who appeared for the Sarv Khap Panchayats of Rohtak, Where two consenting adults agree to enter into matrimony, no individual rights, group rights or collective rights shall interfere therein or harass couple. You dont have to play the conscience keeper of the society. Law and courts will take care of all relationships. Whether it is parents, society or anyone, they are out of it. The bench, which also included Justices A.M. Kanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud, was hearing a petition filed by NGO Shakti Vahini in 2010 seeking the courts intervention to stop the menace of honour killing by khap panchayats opposed to inter-caste marriages. It sought directions to the Centre and state governments to prevent crimes committed in the name of honour. Additional solicitor general Pinky Anand, appearing for the Centre, said that the government will submit its proposals within a week. Mr Hooda earlier submitted that the main culprits of honour killings are not the representatives of khaps but the near and dear ones of the affected couples and more so the relatives of the girls. He said the killings take place when family members of such couples cannot resist social pressure and taunts of their relatives over inter-caste marriages. Any effort to regulate the khaps conduct and role will not have any impact on the incidents of honour killings, said Mr Hooda. He claimed khaps are not against marriages involving couples from different castes, religions, creed or regions. They are only against same gotra marriages for which they had made a representation to the Central government seeking an amendment to the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, which was a democratic act. Religious scriptures had prohibited such marriages and as such it should become part of law, he said. The CJI retorted, Law will take its own course. Who are you to interfere? We are conscience keepers, said counsel, to which the CJI quipped, When two adults get married, it is for the law to declare the marriage null and void and khaps cannot resort to violence against the couple. The apex court also mulled over the idea of a police authority, on the lines of the one commissioned to end cow vigilantism, to keep couples safe. The CJI said that the court is considering appointing a high-level police committee to devise ways to protect couples in inter-caste, inter-faith, or similarly opposed alliances. The bench posted the matter for next hearing on February 16. Bhagwat is scheduled to interact with Swayamsevaks in Muzaffarpur and Patna districts during the stay. Patna: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat arrived here on Monday on a 10-day-long tour of Bihar with an aim to expand the organisations base in the state. Mr Bhagwat is scheduled to interact with Swayamsevaks in Muzaffarpur and Patna districts during the stay. The Sarsanghchalak reached here in the afternoon. He will spend the night at a local branch of the RSS and leave for Muzaffarpur tomorrow. He will return to Patna on February 10 and stay till February 15 before leaving for Varanasi, RSS regional secretary Mohan Singh said. Mr Singh did not divulge what were on the RSS chiefs agenda though sources in the Sangh said Mr Bhagwat would aim to expand the organizations base in Bihar with emphasis on issues like cow protection and farmers distress. Meanwhile, the Opposit-ion RJD-Congress combine alleged that Mr Bha-gwats tour underscored chief minister Nitish Kumars capitulation before the BJP of which the RSS is the parent body. Mr Bhagwat will ensure that an atmosphere is created in Bihar wherein Kumar, the JD(U) president, does not remain in a position to demand more than five seats for his party, RJD national spokesman Manoj Jha said. Army vice-chief vows befitting reply over LoC shelling. In the last 35 days since the start of the new year, seven Indian Army soldiers and two BSF personnel have lost their lives due to Pakistan shelling from across the LoC. (Photo: AP) New Delhi: With an obvious eye on scaling up the already-explosive border situation, Pakistan has started using heavier guns, including 120mm guns, whose indirect fire and parabolic trajectory causes the maximum damage. Sundays shelling with such guns at Bhimber Gali in Rajouri hit a post of a Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JKLI) unit that was manning a crew-served weapon, killing four Indian soldiers, including a 22-year-old Army captain. On Monday, the Army vice-chief, Lt. Gen. Sarath Chand, warned Pakistan: We will continue with our process of giving a befitting reply ... (Our) action will speak for itself. Pakistans resorting to heavy-calibre guns, in place of LMGs and smaller weapons, usually draws an equal response from the Indian side, which is forced to use equal calibre guns in a tit-for-tat response. A crew-served weapon is one that is manned by more than one person, like an LMG, where one person keeps on pulling the trigger while another keeps on feeding the ammunition rounds. JKLI soldiers are drawn from among locals in Jammu and Kashmir and just a little over half of its fighting men are Muslims, while the other half comprises Hindus, Sikhs and Ladakhi Buddhists. A top official of Indias military establishment suggested to this newspaper the possibility that the Pakistani shell may have penetrated a weakened part of the roof of the post, that gave way. Usually, our posts have shell-proof roofs, but this one shell must have hit a weakened part or landed in an opening which caused the explosion inside the bunker, leading to the loss of lives, he said. Usually small arms, LMGs and MMGs are used in the heated India-Pakistan cross-border firing across the LoC. Such weapons are used for direct firing. While heavier guns like 120mm use indirect firing, where there is much greater chance of creating havoc. This is an obvious bid to step up the tension, the official added. Moreover the site of the incident, about 600 metres from the LoC, is a very thickly wooded mountainous area where Pakistani Army posts are located in much higher altitudes than Indian posts, he said. In the last 35 days since the start of the new year, seven Indian Army soldiers and two BSF personnel have lost their lives due to Pakistan shelling from across the LoC. In Bihar, the JD(U)-BJP combine had won 32 out of 40 seats in 2009 Lok Sabha polls. Patna: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar today dismissed suggestions that the recent drubbing of the BJP in Rajasthan bypolls was a cause for alarm and expressed confidence that the NDA will emerge successful in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Kumar recalled how in Bihar the JD(U)-BJP combine had fared badly in a bypoll prior to the 2009 parliamentary elections and scored massive victories in both the general elections in the state that year and the 2010 Assembly polls. We must be careful while evaluating a political situation through bypoll outcomes. In Bihar, the JD(U)-BJP combine had won 32 out of 40 seats in 2009 Lok Sabha polls. In the Assembly poll the following year, we won more than 200 seats in a House of 243. Though the bypoll held in Bihar prior to that had presented a different picture for us, Kumar told reporters. The JD(U) national president, who returned to the NDA fold last year, said he had predicted that BJP will retain Gujarat and it did happen though many scoffed at the prediction initially. I am hopeful that the BJP-led alliance will emerge successful in the Lok Sabha poll in 2019, he said. The Congress recently wrested Alwar and Ajmer Lok Sabha seats and Mandalgarh Assembly seat from the BJP by impressive margins, a development many felt showed the ruling party was on a sticky wicket in Rajasthan ahead of the Assembly elections later this year. Kumar was interacting with journalists after his weekly Lok Samvad. The woman was born and brought up in Gujarat's Jamnagar and later shifted to Kochi where she met her husband. The woman also alleged that the man had filmed their intimate moments and threatened to release them on the internet, if she did not convert to Islam and marry him. (Representational Image) Ahmedabad: A Kochi woman alleged that her husband, Mohammed Riyaz, attempted to sell her off as a sex-slave to ISIS in Syria. The woman was born and brought up in Jamnagar, Gujarat, National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe has revealed. NIA has reached out to Gujarat police for assistance in the investigation into the Jamnagar link. "The woman studied in a school in Jamnagar. Her father worked in a private company there and the family shifted to Kerala after he retired," said a senior Gujarat police official who is working closely with NIA Kochi. She came to know Mohammed Riyaz in 2014 when they were studying in the same college and later fell in love. The woman also alleged that Riyaz had filmed their intimate moments and threatened to release them on the internet, if she did not convert to Islam and marry him. Following this, she married him in 2017, police sources said. She was subsequently taken to Saudi Arabia by her husband as his parents lived in Jeddah. It was here that he tried to sell her off as a sex-slave to the ISIS. Fortunately, she could make a call to her parents and warn them of Riyaz's plans and was rescued. Mohammed Riyaz was taken into custody for interrogation by the NIA on Sunday after he landed in Chennai airport. He has denied all allegations and said his wife is being used as a tool by her parents. In the video posted on Twitter by filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, the woman, a Khar resident, is seen weeping for 'help and justice'. Police said they were looking into the matter and would take necessary action after investigations. (Photo: Screengrab from video| @ashokepandit) Mumbai: A woman on Sunday through a video on Twitter sought police help against "torture" by her husband, an automobile businessman. Police said they were looking into the matter and would take necessary action after investigations. In the video posted on Twitter by filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, the woman, a Khar resident, is seen weeping for "help and justice". "I have been "tortured" both mentally and physically by my husband. He has been "torturing me" for several years. I have been in the relationship just for the betterment of my children. But this man refuses to do the needful for my living", the woman said in the video. Cry of a women goes unheard with #KharPoliceStation. @MumbaiPolice @CPMumbaiPolice. Please do the needful immediately before something untoward happens. #BetibachaoBetiPadao. pic.twitter.com/9DK5Bn1nJz Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) February 4, 2018 She further alleged that despite registering an FIR, police have not taken any action against her husband. "Kindly help me, because this man will torture me mentally and end up my life. If I don't get justice I will end up tomorrow in the streets of Khar. Please give me justice," the woman said in the video. A senior police official said the woman and her husband had a domestic dispute. "The couple has three children and stay in a duplex apartment in Khar. While the husband and two kids stay on the eleventh floor, the woman along with their daughter stay on the 12th floor," the officer said. He said the woman has recently registered two cases against her husband. "One case was registered for house breaking, while another for criminal intimidation," he said, adding police is probing the matter and whatever action is needed will be taken. 'The government, guided by the RSS, is trying to distort the tenets of Constitution.' said Akhilesh Yadav. Mumbai: Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday lashed out at the BJP and RSS for "divisive politics", and said if the current government is not ousted, it would be harmful for the country. Yadav addressed a rally organised by his party. "First, this government came to power by fooling the masses with a false promise of depositing Rs 15 lakh in everyone's account. And after taking over the reins, it has indulged in divisive politics and is raking up communal issues so that people forget the issues of unemployment, starvation, farmer suicides," he said. The government, guided by the RSS, is trying to distort the tenets of Constitution, he said. "It is trying to create a divide between Hindus and Muslims, between castes. This is harmful, and we know how to deal with it. We will dethrone these people in 2019 and 2022," Yadav said, referring to the next Lok Sabha and Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, respectively. During his 5-year term as chief minister, Yadav said he built roads where even an Air Force plane can land, and no other state including Maharashtra could do this despite having better financial resources. Referring to the BJP-led Maharashtra government's decision to build a grand memorial of warrior king Shivaji in the Arabian Sea, Yadav said when his party comes back to power in UP, it will create a grand park in Shivaji's name, spread over thousands of acres. The BJP-led governments in both Maharashtra and UP have miserably failed in tackling farmers' issues, and loan waivers are empty assurances, the SP leader said. "I fail to understand why farmers in a financially sound state like Maharashtra are continuing to commit suicide The same trend is now seen in Uttar Pradesh too," Yadav said. Narendra Modi government's demonetisation was a "complete failure", the former UP chief minister said. "GST and demonetisation have been duds. Corruption and black money still prevail. If you (the government) think that it (demonetisation) worked, then I suggest you repeat it once again. Perhaps it will work better this time," he quipped. He also said he still has doubts about the electronic voting machines (EVMs), and will continue to back the paper ballot system. The comments of the Congress leader came on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in the city to address a BJP rally. Bengaluru: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday attacked BJP chief Amit Shah, alleging that instigating communal tension was his standard. Whoever indulges in triggering communal violence in Karnataka, we will not allow them. We will take strict action against those who take the law into their hands, he told reporters here. I will not say that (Narendra) Modi will come and instigate to do it, but Amit Shah... That is his standard. He doesnt know anything other than that. He feels it is (political) tactics, the chief minister added. The comments of the Congress leader came on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in the city to address a BJP rally. Mr Siddaramaiah also asserted that Mr Modis visit or the rally would have no implications in Karnataka. They (BJP) are also a political party. He (Modi) is the Prime Minister of the country, so he is coming to seek votes on behalf of his party. It will have no implications in Karnataka, he said. Accusing the BJP of spreading lies and indulging only in criticising others, Mr Siddaramaiah said, They do not know anything else. Lying and criticising are the qualities they have imbibed, because they are not pro-people. In a frontal attack on the Siddaramaiah government on January 25, Mr Shah had called it a corrupt, malicious and oppressive regime and asked the people of the state to root it out in the Assembly polls due this year. Shatrughan Sinha recently joined Rashtra Manch, a political platform floated by Yashwant Sinha. The National Health Protection Scheme announced by finance minister Arun Jaitley would require Rs 1,25,000 crore for premium payment, which is more than the allocation for health sector in the budgets of the Centre and the states put together, Shatrughan Sinha said. (Photo: PTI) Bhopal: Joining fellow disgruntled Bharatiya Janata Party leader Yashwant Sinha in a protest over farmers issues, MP Shatrughan Sinha has questioned viability of the health insurance scheme announced in the Union Budget. The actor-turned-politician reached Narsinghpur in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, where former finance minister Yashwant Sinha has launched a sit-in protest for farmers whose lands would be acquired for a thermal power plant. The National Health Protection Scheme announced by finance minister Arun Jaitley would require Rs 1,25,000 crore for premium payment, which is more than the allocation for health sector in the budgets of the Centre and the states put together, Shatrughan Sinha said. Where would this money come from, he asked, addressing the gathering. The BJP MP recently joined Rashtra Manch, a political platform floated by Yashwant Sinha. Rashtra Manch has organised the sit-in outside Narsinghpur collectors office since February 1. Earlier in the day, the Madhya Pradesh unit of AAP joined in Sinhas agitation. I am sitting with Yashwant-ji. Our party also took out a mock funeral procession of the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh for its anti-farmer policies, state AAP convener Alok Agrawal told PTI over phone from Narsinghpur. Agrawal further said Sinhas protest is to press for several demands, among them jobs for farmers who will be displaced by the upcoming coal-fired power project. The Maldives, with its exotic beaches, is a popular tourist destination for tourists globally including Indian tourists. New Delhi: Following the declaration of an emergency by beleaguered Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen following his refusal to comply with a Supreme Court order there to release political prisoners, India said later on Monday evening that the prevailing political developments in Maldives and the resultant law and order situation is a matter of concern and promptly issued a travel advisory for all Indian nationals to defer all non-essential travels to Male and other atolls until further notice. New Delhi also asked all Indian nationals there to exercise due caution in public and avoid public gatherings and alerted them on the need for heightened security awareness. Government sources said New Delhi was monitoring the situation closely. The Maldives, with its exotic beaches, is a popular tourist destination for tourists globally including Indian tourists. In a late-evening reaction, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said, The prevailing political developments in Maldives and the resultant law and order situation is a matter of concern for the Government of India. Indian nationals are, therefore, advised to defer all non-essential travels to Male and other atolls until further notice. Indian expatriates in Maldives are also alerted to the need for heightened security awareness, and urged to exercise due caution in public and avoid public gatherings. Just last week, in a clear political message to tiny maritime neighbour the Maldives, India on Friday had said that the Maldivian government must respect and abide by Thursday nights order of the Supreme Court of Maldives on release of all political prisoners there. Narendra Modi unleashed a barrage of criticism against the Congress government in Karnataka led by Siddaramaiah. Bengaluru: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi unleashed a barrage of criticism against the Congress government in Karnataka led by Siddaramaiah, even terming it a 10 per cent commission government, the chief minister hit back, wondering aloud if Mr Modi was morally fit to lead the country owing to his bundle of lies and politically motivated, baseless allegations. Mr Modi as a PM has lied to the people of the state and misled them by giving wrong information. According to me, he has denigrated his position he is morally not (fit) to be Prime Minister, said the chief minister. Sharad Yadav and Babulal Marandi are not the only political leaders who met Lalu inside the jail. Patna: Rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav meeting with RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav inside jail has fuelled speculations regarding the emergence of an anti-BJP front before the 2019 general elections. Former Jharkhand chief minister Babulal Marandi was also present during the meeting on Monday. Sources claim that Sharad Yadav and other political leaders are making an effort to bring secular parties on one platform to oppose the NDA government at the Centre in the upcoming elections. The RJD chief has been at the forefront of building a larger secular front against the BJP. Ahead of his meeting, Sharad Yadav accused the BJP of putting the countrys unity at risk through divisive politics. He also spoke about the prospects of bringing Opposition parties together ahead of 2019 general elections. Effort is being made to bring all Opposition parties together on one platform. Before Lalu went to jail, he spoke about the issue, ousted JD (U) leader Sharad Yadav said before he met Lalu inside Birsa Munda Jail on Monday. Later, while appearing in the special CBI court after the meeting, the RJD chief said when leaders meet, they discuss political situation of the country. Sharad Yadav and Babulal Marandi are not the only political leaders who met Lalu inside the jail. In January, HAMS state president Brishin Patel had met Lalu on the court premises. Another meeting which fuelled speculations of a split in the NDA was when senior JD (U) leader and former Assembly speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary visited Birsa Munda Jail to meet the RJD chief. Sources have also been claiming that RJD leaders are trying to woo another prominent NDA partner RLSP. Recently, when RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha had organised a human chain for reforms in education system, it was the RJD which supported him while key NDA partners like BJP and JD (U) refrained from the event. RJD joining hands with RLSP during the event had given rise to murmurs of a new alliance emerging in Bihar. JD (U) leaders, however, downplayed all such speculations and said that Sharad Yadav meeting Lalu Yadav inside jail shows his desperation for a Rajya Sabha seat. Amongst their already crowded collection of titles and honours there are some that only really count in certain parts of the UK. Senior, married members of the royal family have these regional titles, which at the moment means Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Prince Charles. (Photo: AP) While we are all familiar with the names of the most prominent members of the UK Royal family, it turns out that they also have alternative titles that most people are not aware of. Among their already crowded collection of titles and honours there are some that only really count in certain parts of the UK and become their main name when they're there. Senior, married members of the royal family have these regional titles, which at the moment means Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Prince Charles. Scotland: All three have different titles in Scotland, which has a completely separate system of nobility to England, and was a distinct country until 1707. Prince William was given the title Earl of Strathearn when he married Kate in 2011, and in keeping with that, Kate became the Countess of Strathearn, which is their proper title when in Scotland. For Prince Charles, his title is Duke of Rothesay. It was the historic title held by the heir to the Scottish throne before the two royal families merged in the early 1600s. His wife, Camilla, is likewise the Duchess of Rothesay. Northern Ireland: William and Kate likewise have a title that only works in Ireland and only in the six counties that make up Northern Ireland. The Prince is Baron Carrickfergus when in the province, and Kate is Lady Carrickfergus. Southwest England: The Prince of Wales doesn't have an Irish title, but he is the Duke of Cornwall. Harry and Meghan: Prince Harry currently doesn't have equivalent geographical titles. But, since William got his extra ones when he married, there is every chance the same thing will happen on the occasion of Harry's wedding. According to Royal watchers, Harry might be made Duke of Sussex (with Meghan as Duchess), believing it to be the favourite among several vacant titles. Unnamed spouse flicked through her other children's diaries and found claims Katie Pladl was pregnant and Steven Pladl was the dad. When confronted, he told his wife about the affair and moved 150 miles with his daughter to North Carolina. (Photo: Pixabay) A wife was shocked on learning that her husband was having an incestuous affair with his own daughter when she read the childs diary. Steven Pladl, 42, of Wake County, North Carolina, left his wife to start a relationship with Katie Pladl, 20 - and even fathered her child. The wife, discovered the terrible truth when she went through her other childrens journals and found that Katie was pregnant, with her dads child. When confronted, he told his wife about the affair and moved 150 miles with his daughter to Knightdale, North Carolina. The couple gave up Katie Pladl for adoption as a baby but she contacted her parents through social media when she turned 18, police said. She went to live with her biological parents and their two children near Richmond, Virginia, in August 2016 before the couple legally separated three months later, according to WNCN. According to his wife, her husband would sleep on the floor of Katie's room in the months before she moved out. Steven told his other children to call their eldest sibling their 'step mom', according to the police report. In November last year a warrant was issued for their arrest. They were located at an address last week, where officers discovered a baby boy who is understood to be four-months-old. Steve and Katie Pladl were held at the Wake County Detention Center pending extradition to Virginia and charged with incest with adult, adultery, contributing to delinquency. The court passed the order after the petitioners said they would move a representation before FSSAI to show that their method was hygienic. The traditional method of manufacture involves hammering silver into a thin shape while it is placed inside the intestine of a cow or buffalo. (Photo: PTI | Representational) New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has lifted its stay order on the AAP government's decision to prohibit the use of animal-origin material in the manufacture of silver leaf, known as 'chandi ka warq', used as a decoration on sweets. A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar, however, permitted the traditional manufacturers of silver leaf to dispose of their existing stock of the sweet decorative which is also used in Unani and Ayurvedic medicines. The Delhi government had issued a circular banning the use of the material made by the traditional process on the basis of a central notification to that effect. The court passed the order after the petitioners, who were in the business of making 'chandi ka warq' by the traditional process, said they would move a representation before the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to show that their method was hygienic and without any risk of contamination. The FSSAI, by a notification of July 15, 2016, had banned the use of the silver leaf manufactured by the traditional method, which involved the use of the intestine of a cow or buffalo, saying it was unhygienic and there was a risk of infection and contamination of the silver leaf. The traditional method of manufacture involves hammering silver into a thin shape while it is placed inside the intestine of a cow or buffalo. The FSSAI had also told the court that there was a new method of manufacturing 'chandi ka warq' that involved beating sheets of black specially treated paper and polyester sheets coated with food-grade calcium powder. The petitioners had, on the other hand, contended that their method was not unhygienic as the animal skin was dried and processed to make it hygienic. While asking the petitioners to make a representation before the FSSAI, the bench expressed hope that the authority would take a decision and communicate it within three months of receiving the representation. Meanwhile, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday visited the family of Ankit and them that stern action would be taken against the accused. New Delhi: The father of 23-year-old photographer Ankit Saxena who was stabbed to death in west Delhis Khyala area last week by the family of his alleged girlfriend said that the murder should not be given a communal twist and exploited to whip up trouble. I dont want any inflammatory statements. I feel very saddened by what happened, but I dont want anyone to create a hostile environment against Muslims. I have nothing against any religion, Ankits father Yashpal Saxena told a news channel. Yes, those who killed my son were Muslim...but every Muslim cant be branded for this. Dont use me to spread communal tension, dont drag me into it...I appeal to everyone not to link this to religion and vitiate the atmosphere. Seeking justice for his sons death, Mr Saxena said, I will be thankful if the Delhi government help us in fighting the case. Mr Saxena also demanded death sentence for those who killed his son. We want justice. Murderers of my son should get death sentence. I am an ordinary man and I have no resources to fight the case. If Delhi government helps us in getting best advocates and making a strong case, I will be thankful, he said. Even if I dont get justice, wont have hatred against any community, said Ankits father in an appeal to not communalise sons murder. Giving out a loud and clear message Mr Saxena said that he had no reservation or grudge against any other religion or community. If he had told me, I would have married Ankit to the girl of his choice, he added. On Monday, a 30 second video showing Ankits talking on phone just moments before he was attacked by the family of his Muslim girlfriend and killed in the middle of the road last week circulated on the social media. In CCTV visuals from a busy road in Raghubir Nagar in west Delhi, Ankit is seen in a black leather jacket around 8 pm on Thursday. Ten minutes later, the same camera captured the sound of a police siren and a group of people staring at the direction where the murder had taken place. According to the police, the girls family was opposed to her relationship with Ankit since the two belonged to different communities. The police has already arrested womans father Akbar Ali, mother Shahnaaz, a juvenile brother and uncle Mohd Salim on February 2. They were produced before a court that sent them to judicial custody. Meanwhile, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday visited the family of Ankit and them that stern action would be taken against the accused. Some students also complained about serving stale food causing food poising among the students. In the past, students had allegedly received an email from the institute were it asked the students to use separate plates for non-vegetarian food. Mumbai: The Indian Institute of Technology- Bombay (IIT-B) on Sunday clarified that it has not banned non-vegetarian food in the campus and rubbished all the allegations made by the students saying the institute had prohibited non-vegetarian fare in its cafeteria. Last week, the civil engineering department imposed a ban, which stirred controversy among the students community, after they banned sale and cooking of non-vegetarian items in their cafe. We clarify that the institute has not banned non-veg food in the campus as reported by few publications. A letter was issued to the caterer of a cafeteria atop the Civil Engineering Department for purely health and safety reasons as he was serving stale food, said the spokesperson of IIT-B on Sunday. According to them, there is no ban of non-vegeratian food but the only rooftop cafeteria, will be shut as the terrace area is not fit for cooking. We wish to avert any fire hazard here in the area for the health and safety concerns of our students, the spokesperson added. Some students also complained about serving stale food causing food poising among the students. For the same, the institute said, The non-vegetarian food is brought in the morning and kept till evening. Since it gets spoilt faster and is the major cause for food poisoning, the department has instructed the caterer not to serve stale food. In the past, students had allegedly received an email from the institute were it asked the students to use separate plates for non-vegetarian food. However, the institute clarified that they did not issue the email as they already have separate sections in their food section for the vegetarian and non-vegetarians. Officials informed he had attempted suicide in January as well but was saved by alert prison guards. Police officials informed that Shaikh died after he used a bedsheet to hang himself in a room in the prison hospital at around 4 am. (Representational Image) Mumbai: A 26-year-old undertrial prisoner in Arthur Road jail allegedly committed suicide in the early hours on Monday. Jail officials said that he was mentally ill and was undergoing psychiatric treatment at the prison hospital for the past three and a half months. Officials said that the deceased, Sabir Ali Shaikh, was an undertrial for the past three years at the Arthur Road jail in central Mumbai. They informed that Shaikh died after he used a bedsheet to hang himself in a room in the prison hospital at around 4 am on Monday. Officials added that no suicide note was found at the spot and further investigations into the incident were underway. Officials said that he had attempted suicide in January as well but was saved by alert prison guards. Shaikh had three murder cases registered against him, including one at MIDC police station in suburban Andheri, officials said. A provision of Rs 12 crore has been allocated for students of 149 schools. Mumbai: Despite its stated objective of inclusion of technology in the academics of the civic schools, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) education department could not provide tabs to the class 9 students in the academic year 2017-18 that is nearing its end. The reason being the change in the syllabus of these students by Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and Curriculum Research, popularly called Balbharati, for which the tabs were taken back to be updated, said sources. While these students are almost in the end of their academic year, the tendering process and installation of new revised syllabus of 18,078 tabs is still in process. The class 9 were provided tabs in the beginning of the academic year. However, soon after realising that the lessons in the tabs are different from the textbooks one because of syllabus change, the tabs were taken back for updating it. The Central Purchasing Department (CPD) of the BMC education department is charged to look into these changes for the students. An official from CPD told this newspaper that the tendering process for this upgradation needs contractors. We need contractors and for which we have published advertisement. However, it is taking some time and it is in process but we are sure it will be soon completed, said the official. According to the BMC Budget for the education sector, for the next academic year (2018-19), the memory cards will be replaced from the previously provided tabs to class 8 to 10 students, with their respective syllabus installed in it. A budgetary provision of Rs 12 crore has been allocated for the secondary students of the total 149 schools of the BMC consisting of more than 30,000 students. The district collector has taken cognisance of the issue and has filed a complaint on the matter with the local police station. Mumbai: Around 3.5 hectares of wetland in Kavesar area in Thane district has been destroyed due to illegal dumping of debris, alleged an activist. Over last two months, one-third of wetland out of the nine-hectare has been lost due to intervention by vested interests, said Rohit Joshi, a Thane-based activist. The district collector has taken cognisance of the issue and has filed a complaint on the matter with the local police station. It is a government land and has been destroyed by the accumulation of debris in the area. The local police station has registered a complaint on the matter, but we are still waiting for them to file an FIR, said Mr Joshi. Earlier in 2014, the Bombay high court had banned any kind of reclamation or construction activities in wetland area. When the district Tehsildar visited the site, they found that the site along the creek was covered with muck and debris, which included fresh construction material too. We surveyed the plot numbers 311, 312, 313 and 314 and found out that they were completely destroyed. It is adjacent to the creek area, said Adhik Patil, tehsildar, Thane district. The Thane district officials suspect that a private builder constructing adjacent to the wetland site is behind the dumping of the debris. Gemma had decided to not accept drugs that could potentially save her life as it would have terminated her pregnancy. Gemma Nuttall, from Lancashire, was newly pregnant when doctors diagnosed her with an aggressive form of ovarian cancer. (Photo: AP) Actors Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio have come forward to save the life of a British woman who was told she would die by delaying cancer treatment. Gemma Nuttall, from Lancashire, was newly pregnant when doctors diagnosed her with an aggressive form of ovarian cancer. Gemma decided to not accept the drugs that could potentially save her life as it would have terminated her pregnancy. Gemma eventually gave birth to her baby daughter Penelope at 26 weeks, after doctors informed her cancer had spread to her cervix and it was too late to save her own life. The 29-year-old new mum was given only six to nine months to live and placed on palliative care. However, rather than accepting the verdict at face value, Nuttall and her mother researched their options - and after hearing of a wonder clinic in Germany where Gemma could undergo immunotherapy treatment, the pair started a fundraiser to raise the 300,000 needed for treatment. In a surprising twist of fortune, the cost of Nuttall's treatment was covered by Kate Winslet and Leo Di Caprio, after Kate heard about the fundraiser. The two stars auctioned off dates with their Titanic sweethearts, Jack and Rose. After finishing her final round of treatment five months ago, Gemma has officially been declared cancer-free - and she credits Kate with saving her life. Speaking to Daily Mirror, Nutall said that she cant thank Kate enough. She went on to add, Without her donations, and the public's, my story would be very different. We thought it was a wind-up, but then she called and I realised she was serious. For her part in saving a life, Kate Winslet received an Actors Inspiration Award from the Screen Actors Guild and told an awards' ceremony: The greatest privilege has been learning how to use my voice to help others. On Thursday, Nauert had said that Washington had no reason to believe that Russia would not meet its goals. US-Russia ties are strained at best, as the controversy over what US intelligence says was Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election drags on. (Photo: File) Washington: The United States, which just unveiled a new aggressive nuclear strategy, has met the limits set on its arsenal under the New START Treaty, which enters a new phase Monday, and reminded Russia to uphold its commitments. The strategic arms reduction treaty was signed by Washington and Moscow in 2010, and took effect in February 2011. It calls for the gradual reduction over 10 years of the number of nuclear warheads held by both sides, limits on the number of delivery systems, a strict verification regime and data exchanges. "The United States of America and the Russian Federation have implemented the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START Treaty) for seven years," the State Department said in a statement. "February 5, 2018 marks the date that the treaty's central limits on each country's strategic nuclear arsenal take effect." Washington said it had already fulfilled its commitments by August 2017, said the statement issued by department spokeswoman Heather Nauert. Russia has "repeatedly stated its commitment" to the treaty, including meeting the central limits, and we expect our upcoming data exchange under the treaty to reaffirm that commitment." On Thursday, Nauert had said that Washington had "no reason to believe" that Russia would not meet its goals. "Within the next month or so, both countries will exchange their data under the strategic nuclear arsenals, as we have done bilaterally under the treaty's terms for the last seven years," she said. "We hope each country will confirm the compliance of the other as soon as possible after this data exchange." The beginning on Monday of the new "central limits" phase under the New START Treaty comes just days after the Pentagon announced its new nuclear policy. The Defence Department said Friday it wanted to revamp the US nuclear arsenal and develop new low-yield atomic weapons, largely in response to Russian actions in recent years. According to Washington, Moscow is in the process of modernizing its arsenal of 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons. Those efforts are not monitored by the New START Treaty, which only accounts for strategic weapons that serve as deterrents. The treaty was reached under the administration of Barack Obama, President Donald Trump's predecessor. The State Department said Monday that implementation of the accord "enhances the safety and security of the United States and our allies and makes strategic relations between the United States and the Russian Federation more stable, transparent, and predictable." US-Russia ties are strained at best, as the controversy over what US intelligence says was Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election drags on. The State Department said adherence to the treaty was "critically important at a time when trust in the relationship has deteriorated, and the threat of miscalculation and misperception has risen." The development budget for the PaK had been doubled. Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Monday reiterated full support of the government and the people of Pakistan to the just and legitimate right of the Kashmiri people for the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue. Addressing a joint session of Pakistan-administered Kashmir Legislative Assembly and Kashmir Council on the Kashmir Solidarity Day, he said the illegitimate use of force by the Indian forces in Kashmir had miserably failed to suppress indigenous freedom struggle. The Prime Minister said there might be differences among the political leaders but on the Kashmir issue, all the leadership was united and there were no two opinions. He said the issue will remain alive till its peaceful resolution as per the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and the UN resolutions. Mr Abbasi underscored the need to involve the Pakistani and Kashmir diaspora to further highlight the Kashmir issue and the gross human rights violations allegedly committed by the Indian forces. The Prime Minister, referring to the PaK Assembly and Council, said the house had been a seat of unanimity among different Kashmiri leaders, who lent unequivocal support to the people in the Indian Administrated Kashmir. He said the Kashmir Solidarity Day reflected a spirit of unity among all the ranks and files of the nation and the legitimate struggle of Kashmiris. He reiterated the government of Pakistan and its people will continue their political, diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiris people struggling for their right to self-determination. The Prime Minister said the federal government will extend all possible support for the development of the PaK. The development budget for the PaK had been doubled. On 1st day of trial, Abdeslam refused to answer any questions. Brussels: The prime surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, defied Belgian judges on Monday and refused stand for the court or answer any questions, alleging that the court was biased against Muslims. I am not afraid of you, I am not afraid of your allies. I put my trust in Allah and thats all, said a defiant Abdeslam, 28, who was transferred und-er heavy security from a jail near the French capital overnight for the trial. My silence does not make me a criminal, its my defence, Abdeslam said. Muslims are judged and treated in the worst of ways, mercilessly. There is no presumption of innocence. With police officers wearing body armour and black balaclavas with eye- and mouth-holes standing guard as the trial started, Abdeslam urged the prosecution to base its case on forensic and tangible evidence, and not to swagger about to satisfy public opinion. Abdeslam, wearing a long-sleeved light shirt and dark trousers, launch-ed into his diatribe after presiding judge Marie-France Keutgen asked why he insisted on attending the trial where he ref-used to answer questions about the charges against him. The judge rejected his accusations of bias, insisting he was presumed innocent. Abdeslam, a Belgian-born French national of Moroccan descent, has point-blank refused to speak to investigators since his arrest in Brussels in March 2016 after a gunbattle in the Forest district of the city for which he is on trial. Three police officers were wounded and an Algerian fellow jihadist was killed in the encounter. French prosecutors beli-eve Abdeslam played a key role in the Paris attacks in which gunmen and suicide bombers, including his brother Brahim, targeted a concert hall, stadium, restaurants and bars, killing 130 people and injuring hundreds more. He became Euro-pes most wanted man after the mass killings. PM Modi will be in the UAE on February 10 and 11 and will address the sixth World Government Summit in Dubai. Besides bilateral engagements, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to address members of the Indian community at the Dubai Opera House. (Photo: File) Dubai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit the UAE later this week which authorities and business leaders say signifies the special importance India attaches to its ties with the oil-rich nation and will help in furthering cooperation in diplomatic, economic and security issues. PM Modi will be in the UAE on February 10 and 11 and will address the sixth World Government Summit in Dubai. This will be PM Modi's second visit to the UAE. He first visited the country in August 2015. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi s second visit to UAE is an indication of the special importance we attach to the India- UAE relationship," India's Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri said. According to him, the visit builds in the momentum that has developed since India hosted Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed as chief guest on Republic Day in 2017. Besides bilateral engagements, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to address members of the Indian community at the Dubai Opera House. "During the year, we have seen major UAE investments into India, a significant increase in defence and security cooperation, a transformation in our energy ties from a buyer seller relationship to a strategic partnership. "For the community, the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi will be great news," Mr Suri said. Echoing Mr Suri s sentiments, the UAE ambassador to India Ahmed Al-Banna said the visit "tells us the direction that India and the UAE have in mind and also the characteristics of our respective leaderships." "The leadership has put us on a challenging and interesting track where the relationship is very important, on many sectors, and our leaders are pushing to rewrite future plans for both nations," Al-Banna said. While Ambassador Mr Suri highlighted the trade and investment component of this rapidly-evolving relationship, Ambassador Al-Banna chose to emphasise on the connectivity aspect of it. "There are 1,076 flights a week between India and the UAE, which is the largest operation of its kind. More than 50 per cent of Indians, who travel outside India to different destinations, such as Europe or America, use Dubai and Abu Dhabi as their transit hub," he said. It is obvious that both sides are banking on prime minister's visit to go over and above the 17 bilateral agreements signed in January 2016, and 14 agreements in February 2017. With an eye on India, some leading Gulf businesses with Indians at the helm see this as realisation of long-held dreams. Yusuffali MA, chairman Lulu Group International and member of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, said India had been on an aggressive forward march with regard to attracting FDIs. "The recent report by leading rating agencies and financial institutions have all lauded India s fiscal policies and ease of doing business, so obviously India does look like a hot destination for investment. As far Indo-UAE business relationship is concerned, it is at all time high with both countries being each other's top trading partner," Mr Yusuffali said. According to him, till recently India was seen as an investment destination only, but off late UAE has been trying to woo Indian businesses to invest and set up operations here. "This move shows the kind of confidence UAE has on Indian economy and I am sure business houses in both countries will be eagerly looking forward to this visit to open up new areas of co-operation," Mr Yusuffali said. Manoj Prasad, Executive Chairman, of DIFC-based investment banking firm, Que Capital Limited, believes this visit truly signifies the seriousness among top Indian leadership toward making an ever growing relationship between two countries more meaningful. "The ambition is obviously growth to which both countries have already started contributing, be it through India investing in infrastructure or the bilateral investment fund which is in the process of being setup," says Mr Prasad. According to him, businesses among the two countries have witnessed unprecedented growth in recent years. "The comfort and mutual respect for leaders of both the countries are clearly visible and the visit of Prime Minister Modi to the land with highest NRI diaspora in the world would further enhance it," he said. A wide spectrum of companies stands to gain from improving bilateral relations facilitating business climate on both sides, he said. Kulwant Singh, the founder and managing director of Lama Hospitality group, feels the visit signifies that we are serious about our relationship and take our commitments, business associations, joint opportunities, and strategic tie ups seriously. "We see the formula of successful businesses matching with the perfect platform of opportunities available in India. With the new budget in place, NRIs will have huge opportunities in sectors like healthcare, education, and infrastructure," Mr Singh said. Prasanth Manghat, CEO and Executive Director, NMC Health Plc, says the visit will not only develop his outreach to the Arab world but also offer a prospect to further the strategic partnerships in the region. According to him, the visit is seen by many as cementing the close relationship PM Modi shares with the UAE leadership, also furthering cooperation in diplomatic, economic and security issues. "At the ground level of delivery, the strategic partnership is being expanded and the UAE has announced plans to invest USD 75 billion over a decade to meet India s infrastructure needs," he said. Indian expatriates in the UAE actively participate in projects toward the development of the UAE and this visit will help further evolve the deep and historic relationship shared between the two countries, said Mehirr Nath Choppra, CEO Qasbah Group. "It would certainly help to get an overview of the projects that have been announced in the past and their current status so serious players can set their timelines accordingly," Mr Choppra said. Dissidents must be released because their trials were politically motivated and flawed, the Supreme Court said in a statement. The government had expressed "concerns" over the judicial order and resisted complying with it, but the court said there can be no excuses. (Photo: AFP) Maldives: The Maldivian Supreme Court dealt another blow to beleaguered President Abdulla Yameen on Sunday, asking him to comply with its order to release political prisoners and reinstate dissident lawmakers. The government had expressed "concerns" over the judicial order and resisted complying with it, but the court said there can be no excuses. Dissidents must be released because their trials were politically motivated and flawed, the Supreme Court said in a statement. "There is nothing preventing the prosecutor general from seeking a re-trial after the order has been implemented (and prisoners released)," it added. Thursday's order to restore the seats of 12 government MPs who defected to the opposition would effectively reduce Yameen's party to a minority and expose him to the risk of impeachment. Police detained two opposition lawmakers who returned to the country on Sunday as the political crisis in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation deepened with its top court pitted against the president. The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said its MPs tried to stage a meeting in defiance of a weekend order suspending parliament, but they were pushed back by armed troops. Security forces have been deployed inside the national parliament -- known as the People's Majlis -- since March last year when Yameen ordered them to evict dissident lawmakers. 'Unconstitutional and illegal' The president's crackdown on dissent has tarnished the Maldives' image as an upmarket holiday paradise and sparked calls from the United Nations and several countries to restore the rule of law in the fledgling democracy. But the Yameen government has so far refused to comply with the shock ruling, resisting international pressure. In a national television address on Sunday, Attorney General Mohamed Anil remained defiant. "Any Supreme Court order to arrest the president would be unconstitutional and illegal," Anil said. "So I have asked the police and the army not to implement any unconstitutional order." Yameen also sacked two police chiefs after the court's decision. Atul Keshap, the US ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, led international criticism of the Yameen government's refusal to respect court orders. "What security risk prevents the #Maldives #Majlis from meeting tomorrow? Why are MPs pepper sprayed in the streets and arrested on arrival at airport?" he tweeted Sunday. Political pressure Former president and current opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed described the government's refusal to obey the Supreme Court as a "coup". Nasheed, who was controversially convicted of a terrorism charge and jailed for 13 years in 2015, urged police and troops to uphold the constitution. "Statements made today by AG Anil... to disobey SC orders is tantamount to a coup. They, and President Yameen must resign immediately," he tweeted on Sunday. "Security services must uphold the constitution and serve the Maldivian people." Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected leader, was toppled in 2012. He was barred from contesting elections after his 2015 terrorism conviction, which was internationally criticised as politically motivated. He has been in exile since 2016, when he left on prison leave for medical treatment. He is currently in Colombo, meeting Maldivian dissidents based in Sri Lanka. The MDP -- which is led by Nasheed -- has expressed fears that any move by the government to resist the Supreme Court's order may trigger unrest in the nation of 340,000 Sunni Muslims. This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017. In 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 190 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the deaths of 13 civilians, it said. (Photo: File/Representational) Islamabad: Pakistan Monday summoned India's Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh here to condemn the alleged "unprovoked firing" by Indian troops across the Line of Control which resulted in the death of two people. Director General (South Asia and SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Singh and "condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations" by Indian forces, the Foreign Office said. In a statement, it said that firing on February 4 in Nezapir, Nikial and Karela sectors killed two civilians, including 18-year-old Rafaqat Ali and 25-year-old Tasleem Begum, and injured seven others including two children. Faisal claimed that the Indian forces along the LoC and the Working boundary are continuously targeting the civilian populated areas with heavy mortars and automatic weapons. In 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 190 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the deaths of 13 civilians, it said. "This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1970 ceasefire violations," he claimed. Faisal said the deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and against the human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws. The repeated ceasefire violations by India "are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation," he asserted. Faisal urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement and investigate the repeated incidents of ceasefire violations, the statement said. He also urged the Indian side to allow the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions. India maintains that UNMOGIP has outlived its utility and is irrelevant after the Simla Agreement and the consequent establishment of the Line of Control. In January, the Foreign Office summoned India's deputy high commissioner on January 15, 18, 19, 20 and 21. The ministry has issued directives for making foolproof security arrangements to avoid any untoward incident. The CPEC is a network of infrastructure projects that are currently under construction throughout Pakistan that will connect China's Xinjiang province with Gwadar port in Pakistan's Balochistan province. (Photo: AFP) Islamabad: India may target the installations of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in a bid to sabotage the multi-billion project, a media report quoted Pakistan's interior ministry as saying. The ministry has informed the Gilgit-Baltistan's home department that India has made a plan to attack the installations on Karakoram Highway, Dawn newspaper reported. The ministry has issued directives for making foolproof security arrangements to avoid any untoward incident. An official of the home department on condition of anonymity told the newspaper that the department had received a letter from the federal interior ministry recently in which it had warned of possible terrorist attacks on the CPEC route. After receiving the interior ministrys directives, the provincial government has enhanced security on the CPEC route, including two dozen bridges on the route, the report said. Gilgit-Baltistan Home Secretary Jawad Akram, Inspector General of Police Sabir Ahmed along with other police and intelligence officials visited Diamer district on Saturday to review security arrangements for bridges. Speaking at the meeting, IGP Sabir Ahmed said that Karakoram Highway (KKH) bridges on the CPEC route had been declared sensitive. The IGP said the movements of foreigners in GB would be monitored and their documents would be verified. "Suspected persons in the region will be detained," he said. The CPEC is a network of infrastructure projects that are currently under construction throughout Pakistan that will connect China's Xinjiang province with Gwadar port in Pakistan's Balochistan province. India has objected to the project as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Prez Adudullah Yameens move gives sweeping powers to security forces. Maldivian Opposition supporters shout slogans during a protest as they urge the government to obey a Supreme Court order to release and retry political prisoners, including an ex-President Mohamed Nasheed, in Male on Sunday. (Photo: AP) Male: Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen on Monday declared a 15-day state of Emergency, his aide Azima Shukoor announced, deepening the political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation. The move gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects, and comes amid a tense standoff between the Supreme Court and the government. The President has refused to comply with a court order to release political prisoners, despite growing international pressure and concern. Mr Shukoor read out the declaration on state television shortly after Yameen sent three letters to the judges asking them to reverse their decision. This is the second time Yameen has declared a state of emergency. He last took the step in November 2015 after an alleged attempt to assassinate him. Officials said the president is required to inform the parliament about any declaration of emergency within two days, but the country's legislature has been suspended indefinitely by authorities. The Supreme Court on Thursday had also restored the seats of 12 MPs who had defected from Yameen's party, effectively handing the opposition a majority in the 85-member parliament, making the president vulnerable to impeachment. Meanwhile, Opposition leaders in the Maldives urged the international community on Monday to pressure President Abdulla Yameen into obeying a court order to free political prisoners and restore democracy to the troubled honeymoon islands. Mr Yameens regime has so far refused to release nine jailed dissidents and reinstate Opposition lawmakers as ordered by the Maldives top court in a shock ruling last week that has deepened turmoil in the atoll nation. The Supreme Court on Sunday asked Yameen to comply with its order, saying the dissidents must be released because their trials were politically motivated and flawed. But the strongman leader has remained defiant, suspending parliament, ordering the arrest of two returning opposition defectors and staging a rally late Sunday with hundreds of supporters in the capital Male. In a letter addressed to the international community, Maldive opposition lawmakers appealed for external support in persuading Yameen to end the tense standoff with the countrys highest court. We request the international community, including India, Sri Lanka, the US, Britain, the EU... to do everything in their power to help return power to the people of the Maldives and restore democracy, the statement read. Yameen has faced increasing pressure to respect Thursdays landmark court ruling, with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at the weekend calling for restraint as the crisis escalated. The United Nations, Australia, Britain, Canada, India and the United States welcomed the courts decision as a move towards restoring democracy in the troubled Indian Ocean nation. The general assembly of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India is currently underway in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Myanmars Card Bo praises Christian commitment to education and health. For him, "Poverty is the mortal sin of modern times". Dalits are bearers of a rich cultural heritage. New Delhi (AsiaNews) The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) is currently holding its annual general assembly (2-9 February) with, as its main theme, I am with you always, even to the end of the ages (Mt, 28:20) United in diversity for a Mission of Mercy and Witness. Card Charles Bo, archbishop of Yangon (Myanmar), is the guest of honour. The focus of the gathering is on the type of nationalism that tends to erase the countrys pluralistic identity, on the global struggle against poverty, and on the inclusion of marginalised Dalits. In his opening address, Card Bo praised the Indian Catholic Church. India owes a lot to the Catholic Church, he said. Millions are touched by your services. You are the face of the compassionate Jesus to the poor and the broken, he told his fellow bishops. This year is the 33rd Plenary Assembly of the CBCI, held at the St Johns National Academy of Health Sciences, in Bengaluru (Bangalore), the capital of the State of Karnataka. It is set to choose its president and two vice presidents, plus the members of various committees. The CBCI ranks fourth in the world in terms of bishops: 204 divided in three different rites Latin, Syro-Malankara, Syro-Malabar in 174 dioceses. Speaking on the opening day, Card Bo said that the Indian Church is a great driver of the social sectors. Though less than 2 per cent of the Indian population*, your socio-pastoral achievements are the great envy to many. [. . .] Your contribution to the building of this nation through education and health is astounding. At least 10 million students enter your institutions every day. 25 per cent of education is in the hand of the Church. In many places of India, it is the church that has opened opportunities to the most vulnerable communities. With respect to health care, I heard around 20 per cent of the health care [provided] to the most vulnerable is done by the Church. The Catholic Church has offered the service of an army of volunteers: nearly 110,000 sisters and around 60,000 men full time for the pastoral and social development of this nation." Precisely because of these numbers and the great work, "The identity of the religious and cultural minorities are threatened by narratives of hatred [. . .]. India as a nation faces an existential crisis. For the cardinal, right-wing religious fundamentalism is threatening the minority communities, [and] is a grave danger to the very idea of India. Protecting multi-cultural societies is becoming a sacred duty of all of us. "Poverty, Bo added, is the biggest [form of] terrorism and evil that needs to be fought by the Church. It is the mortal sin of modern times. For this reason, he cannot bear to know that nearly a billion go to bed empty stomach. [. . .] We need a world war, not against Trump, but a third and final world war - a world war against poverty, [and] injustice. Fr Maria Arul Raja, a Jesuit activist, spoke yesterday. He stressed the need for social inclusion of Dalits and reiterated their rights in society and the Church. He explained that the bishops approved an action plan for Catholic Dalits in 2016. The latter are about 12 million Catholics out of a total of 19. He stressed that the CBCI had the courage to end the evil practice of untouchability, confident that it can annihilate the caste system. Fr Raja praised the bishops, who admitted that Dalits are still under-represented in the Church hierarchy, that their voice must be heard in all decision-making bodies". Moreover, Dalit cultural heritage and traditions should be integrated in liturgical and para-liturgical celebrations. On the sidelines of the CBCI meeting, the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), the Conference of Bishops of Latin rite, held its 30th assembly with 183 prelates from 132 dioceses. Card Oswald Gracias, who is CCBI president and archbishop of Mumbai, stressed the responsibility of Christians in India to present the values of the Gospel in society and help people live them by eradicating corruption, prejudices, the exploitation of tribal and Dalit communities, and fostering truth, justice and selflessness. *In total Catholics number 27.8 million according to the 2011 census, 19 million of whom are Catholics. The archbishop urges the faithful to proclaim the Gospel, despite hostilities, detached from the material world. The life of Blessed Justo Takayama Ukon is a manifestation of the power of Christ's love. He chose the path of humiliation and exile rather than reject his Christian faith. Manila (AsiaNews/CBCPNews) Two days ago, Card Luis Antonio Tagle, archbishop of Manila, celebrated a Mass in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (pictured) to mark the feast day of Blessed Justo (Justus) Takayama Ukon. In his homily, the prelate told worshippers that the world today needs believers who can bear witness each day to the love of God, who sacrificed His life for others. Witnessing heroism doesnt always mean sacrificing blood, said the prelate, but rather proclaiming the Gospel despite opposition and hostility, detached from the material world. We are invited to be martyrs and witnesses every day. We dont wait for martyrdom by blood, Tagle said in his homily. Every day in our lives, we are asked by Jesus, be with me, witness My love, give yourself to the mission for others, he said. For the cardinal, Takayamas life is a manifestation of the power of Christs love. The Japanese Catholic martyr, Justo Takayama Ukon (1552-1615), also known as Christs samurai, was a feudal lord and samurai at a time of persecution of the Western religion in his homeland. He chose the path of humiliation and exile rather than reject the Christian faith. After gave up wealth, office, social status, honour and respectability, and became a drifter who was forced into exile. He fled Japan with his family and 300 other Japanese Christians and reached Manila where he died on 4 February 1615. "He has blessed our soil with a testimony of faith and heroism," the archbishop said. Citing the Blesseds example, Card Tagle added that Christians are called to bear witness and suffer for the love of Jesus, even if this world of sin and injustice calls them "foolish". But now, his foolishness is wisdom for us, his weakness is strength for us, the prelate said. by Sumon Corraya The protest rally was held on 3 February. Business interests try to grab land to build manufacturing plants. Hallucinogenic drug use is widespread among students. Dhaka (AsiaNews) - More than 700 people, including 350 Catholics, took part in a protest against land grabs, environmental destruction, pollution and drug abuse among minors. The event, which was organised by a number of groups, both Christian and non-Christian, took place on Saturday in Rajashon, Savar, a region about 15 km from Dhaka. Activists and Christians plan to deliver a memorandum to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in which they call for action to solve these problems. We organised the protest to save our land, said Nirmol Rozario, president of Savar Burila Unnoy Parishad (SHIP), an organisation dedicated to local development. Government land office officials create problem by taxing the land, he told AsiaNews. The net result is that thousands of Muslim, Hindus and Christians suffer. Once there was a river here, but illegal land grabbing has killed the river as the environment became polluted. People want the government to help to solve these problems. The activist, who heads the Bangladesh Christian Association (BCA), notes that hundreds of factories are located in the area and the value of land is increasing. "For this reason, land grabbers try to forcibly occupy local properties to set up their businesses." For John Chandon Mondol, a SHUP leader, "drugs are another major problem in this area. Schoolchildren take various types of drugs and leave school. Addiction is a real social problem. One can find all sorts of drugs here, he adds. Ya Ba* tablets are in widespread use among students. Young generations have a dark future. Habibur Raoaman, a Muslim, agrees. Drugs are a serious problem, he notes. We should all work against the pushers. For this reason, he was happy to see the rally take place. * Ya Ba or Yaba, literally "mad drug", are tablets containing a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine made in Myanmar that cause euphoria, aggressiveness and hallucinations. by Bich Lien Vu Quang Thuan, Nguyen Van ien, Tran Hoang Phuc and Ho Van Hai have been convicted for "propaganda against the state". More than a hundred people are currently held as political prisoners or prisoners of conscience for exercising their fundamental rights. Catholics too have paid a price for their actions. Hanoi (AsiaNews) Four bloggers and human rights activists have been recently sentenced to a total of 24 years in prison and 15 under house arrest. On 31st January, the People's Court in Hanoi convicted Vu Quang Thuan, Nguyen Van ien and Tran Hoang Phuc, a student, (pictured) for "propaganda against the state". The following day, a court in Ho Chi Minh City convicted Ho Van Hai for the same crime. He had already been in custody for more than a year. Vu Quang Thuan, 51, and Nguyen Van ien worked together on behalf of Vietnamese migrant workers in Malaysia. They also organised environmental protests. Both were arrested on 2 March 2017 for posting online 17 videos criticising the government. Vu Quang Thuan was given an eight-year sentence plus five years under house arrest, whilst Nguyen Van ien got six and a half years in prison and four more at home. Tran Hoang Phuc, a 23-year-old student at the Law University in Ho Chi Minh City, is a member of the Youth Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI). In recent years, he took part in many social activities, assisting flood victims in central Vietnam and contributing to human rights initiatives organised by the Redemptorist Fathers in Ho Chi Minh City. He was also active in the protests following the environmental disaster caused by Formosa Plastics Corp, a Taiwanese company, in April 2016, in the central coast of Vietnam. On 29 June 2017, police arrested Tran in Hanoi for storing and posting documents online that amount to propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam", a crime that landed him six years in prison and two under house arrest. At his trial, he told the court: You can put me in prison for 10, 20 years, but can this regime survive for all that time? I am going to fight until there is democracy in Vietnam. "Propaganda against the state" also cost former physician Ho Van Hai, 52, four years in prison and two years under house arrest. He had set up a scholarship programme to study in Western countries (Qui Khuyen Hoc Tay Du, Journey to the West). On his blog and Facebook account he had posted many documents and articles promoting education and environmental protection, as well as criticising the communist government for its misdeeds. Government newspaper Nguoi Lao ong (Labourer) reports that the court also accused Ho Van Hai of "calling on people to take part in demonstrations against Formosa Plastics, and to join a civil disobedience movement in violation of Communist Party policy and plans. In recent months, Vietnamese authorities have been engaged in a campaign against dissent. More than a hundred people are currently held as political prisoners or prisoners of conscience for exercising their fundamental rights. Dissidents face harassment, intimidation, surveillance and police interrogation on an almost daily basis, and are subjected to long periods of provisional detention without access to lawyers or family members. Many Catholics have also paid a price for their action. Catholic activists have often received harsh sentences, as in the recent cases of Nguyen Van Oai (five years), Tran Thi Nga (nine), Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh (ten) and Nguyen Van Hoa (seven). by Hocine Drouiche Islamic law that justifies slavery and rape against women and children should be amended. Muslims must overcome silence and immobility, and denounce genocide, in order to achieve coexistence. Nimes (AsiaNews) We publish here the final part of the analysis by Hocine Drouiche, imam of a Nimes mosque and vice-president of the Conference of Imams of France. In the first and second part, he highlighted the violence perpetrated by Daesh against Christians and Yazidis, women and children, in Syria and in Iraq, noting how they are endorsed and justified by Islamic works disseminated by cultural centres and even universities. In this last part, he suggests some steps to reform Islamic law. In it, he denounces genocide and crimes against humanity and calls for ways to rethink Islam so that it can coexist with the rest of the world. In order to deal with this delicate situation and contribute to a better understanding of all these aspects of Islam, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is increasingly organising discussions, engaging in negotiations and meetings with Muslim scholars, often Sufis, in Muslim States torn by armed conflicts. Such meetings in times of armed conflicts complete the conferences organised in times of peace, and are intended to highlight the common points between international humanitarian law and Sharia, thus promoting respect for the first by the followers of the second. NGOs such as Human Rights Watch and the Geneva Appeal have also adopted the same approach so as to be able to, on the one hand, inform and educate armed groups engaged in conflicts in Muslim states, and, on the other, teach them - if possible to respect for these teachings and obligations. It is necessary to ratify the statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to facilitate the implementation of universal criminal jurisdiction. Thanks to all these efforts, we may be able to measure how much objectives and developments are achieved and realised. The main goal is to get all parties involved to implement them, creating an environment that can truly lead to the respect for and application of international humanitarian law. All the considerable efforts made by Muslim states since they became involved in elaborating international humanitarian law through active participation in the diplomatic conferences of 1949 and 1977 run the risk of being undermined by Jihadi terrorist groups like Daesh (Islamic State), which do not respect and do not value positive law and continue to traffic in and rape women, as well as sell African prisoners as slaves. And all this in the name of an Islamic Law that remains full of ambiguities and contradictions despite all the efforts to amend it. Mass rape and other serious abuses by the Islamic State against Yazidi civilians, especially women, constitute crimes against humanity. These crimes are very serious. They include rape, sexual enslavement, slavery, illegal detentions, religious persecution, and other inhumane acts that intentionally cause serious suffering as part of generalised or systematic attacks against civilian populations. This is what Jihadi groups have done against Yazidis, Iraqi and Syrian Christians, and other local minorities. Islamist terrorism and sexual enslavement will disappear only when all the texts that teach Muslim youth, imams and the majority of Muslims around the world these barbaric and inhuman brutality are burnt. As long as such teachings are not challenged, universities and religious centres will continue to directly and indirectly produce terrorist groups, which thrive under different names, like Daesh, al Qaeda, Aqpa, Aqmi, Boko Haram, Shabab, al-Nusra Front, Ansar Dine, Ansar al-Sharia, etc. If Muslims want to be respected around the world, then it is necessary to teach our children that human beings are all equal in law regardless of their religion and that violence and sexual slavery are crimes against humanity. Until the situation changes, Eastern Christians, Yazidis and other minorities will continue to live in fear of persecution and slavery. These crimes are committed by a barbaric Islamist minority that will always be encouraged by the unacceptable silence and shocking immobility of most Islamic institutions and the majority of Muslim communities. In the absence of a profound internal reform of Islam, the dawn of newfound freedom and restored security will be slow to rise. In the meantime, religious minorities will continue to pay the price for any delay. The Islamic States military defeat in Iraq and Syria has not stopped radicalised mosques and Shia circles from promoting narratives of hatred, especially against Christians. Are we moving towards a new path that will continue Daeshs work? The silence and immobility of the Muslim majority towards genocide against their Christian and Yazidi countrymen and countrywomen, in both Muslim countries as well as in the West, remain a real obstacle that prevents the normalisation of relations between Muslims and local minorities and the non-Muslim world as a whole. Such normalisation must be based on human brotherhood, citizenship, and the rule of law that upholds neutrality and the principles of secularism, and guarantees religious freedom to all citizens without restrictions, and respect for the right of every citizen to his or her own religious beliefs, as well as their right to change creed and worship as they please, as well as the right not to practice or worship at all. This kind of indispensable, concerted, open and tolerant normalisation will not go against any religion, but will prevent them from propagating their influence within the political, public and administrative spheres, whilst keeping spiritual and philosophical ideas within the exclusive domain of individual conscience and freedom of opinion. by Vladimir Rozanskij Both are protagonists of the Russian "religious renaissance" after the end of communism. Kirill proposes the "Social Doctrine of the Russian Orthodox Church", which is Putin's political manifesto; Tikhon proposes faith as a "guardian of moral values". He is Putins "spiritual father". A "new symphony" between Church and State. The risks of a new caesar-papism and the re-reading of history that enhances Stalin and the "necessary sacrifice" of the Church at the hands of the State. Moscow (AsiaNews) Amid ongoing polemics over historical films about the Tsar and Stalin, and the debate on the commemoration of the Revolution and the Council of 1917, two figures are increasingly emerging as points of reference for the life and future of Russian Orthodoxy. This is the Patriarch Kirill (Gundjaev), head of the Moscow Church since 2009, and his auxiliary bishop Tikhon (Shevkunov), head of the Egorevsk office for three years and since 1998 also known as President Putins "spiritual father". Both are active protagonists of the Russian "religious renaissance" since the end of communism, almost 30 years ago. Bishop and then metropolitan since the Soviet years, Kirill became popular as the first tele-preacher with a popular program, "The voice of the Pastor". Tikhon, who in the 1980s became a monk in Pskov in the only male monastery allowed by the regime, described the transition from atheism to the rediscovery of faith in a book on the life of his monastery, "Saints not saints", which sold widely . The first, already great director of patriarchal choices even before ascending to the most prestigious position, became the main inspiration of social and political changes at the end of the Yeltsins "Western", when he guided the bishops document on the "Social Doctrine of the Russian Orthodox Church", which became the ideological program of the new President Putin. In those same years, Tikhon accompanied the new leader, then little known, on trips to the country and abroad, inspiring "moralizing" laws against the sale of alcohol, against smoking and for the defence of the traditional Christian family. Since then the two have divided the scene of the great restoration of the Orthodox state alongside the president with different roles, sometimes complementary, but often also quite alternative. It is said that even the appointment of Tikhon to auxiliary bishop was somehow pushed by the Kremlin, and his actual seat is the monastery, which he restored, and which occupies a part of the territory of Lubyanka square, the infamous central seat of the KGB, so much as to be known as "the bishop of Lubyanka". The collaborationist Patriarchate In recent weeks, in addition to the many considerations on the centenary of the revolution and martyrdom of Tsar Nicholas II, some statements by the two prelates focused precisely on the role of the Patriarchate in the life of the Church, also recalling its restoration in the dramatic days of the 1917 revolution. Speaking of the then elected patriarch, also named Tikhon (Bellavin), the discussion concerned the famous declarations of subjugation to Soviet power underwritten by the patriarch himself in 1922 and his deputy Sergij (Stragorodskij) in 1927, who placed the Church at the service of the atheistic regime. In 1943 Sergij himself became the successor of Tikhon and "Stalins patriarch", tying the Church to the figure of the Georgian dictator, whose popularity is on the rise once again in Putin's Russia. The position of Sergij marked the life of the Russian Church in the Soviet years so deeply, that the choice to collaborate with the State is referred to as sergianstvo, an accusation that was brought by the Russians abroad against the orthodox hierarchs. At the end of communism, the question was officially dealt with only once, at the 1992 synod presided over by Patriarch Aleksij II, asking forgiveness for collaboration with the persecutors, but also justifying it in the light of the Church's salvation. In the past weeks, both Kirill and Tikhon have repeatedly taken up these arguments. Blessing a monument dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of the patriarch Sergij, Kirill declared that "he had to forget about himself, so that the Church could continue its historical existence, not to be expelled from the life of the people". In an interview with Radio Svoboda, Tikhon also gave a description of the collaborating patriarch: "Metropolitan Sergij justified his ecclesiastical policy with the conviction that if the Church were to go underground, the Bolsheviks would immediately set up their own Non-Canonical Church of Innovators ". The "necessary sacrifice" Both therefore support the thesis of "necessary sacrifice" as a motive for compromise, but the image of the Church they imply appears slightly different. The current patriarch Kirill often stresses the need to collaborate, but with equal dignity compared to the civil authorities, who should not interfere in ecclesiastical matters. According to Bishop Tikhon, precisely the "communist" Church of the innovators or obnovlentsy would in fact seek to realize the true vocation of the Russian Orthodox Church, for whom it cannot exist without the state; instead of doing so, submitting to state atheism, it would now be time to realize that model, the "new symphony" in which the head of state is also the temporal guide of the Church, the true orthodox autocrat who leads the soul of the people. The two models, the "equal dignity" of Kirill and the "neo-imperial Church" of Tikhon, have been particularly acute in comparison for almost four years, after the annexation of Crimea symbolically proclaimed the return of ethnic religious imperialism, as the main project of Russian politics. Not surprisingly, in recent years the polls show the growing popularity of Stalin's memory among the population, who along with Ivan the Terrible and the Tsar-martyr Nicholas II, represents an increasingly imposing ideal of "father of the people" that Putin seeks to re-launch in the current election campaign. Patriarch Kirill often repeats that "the Russian Church has never been as free as today", and tries in every way to encourage the faithful to participate actively in the life of society, through catechesis and evangelization even before politics . Tikhon emphasizes rather the role of "guardian of moral values", interpreted by politicians of the Orthodox faith even more than by the hierarchy of the Church. Both support a rather clerical system of management of ecclesial life, for fear of excesses of lay protagonism of the most fundamentalist "Orthodox fraternities". For many reasons, 2018 will be a decisive year for the prospects of Russian Orthodoxys "new symphony". The Turkish president meets Francis: the situation in the Middle East and the need to "promote peace and stability in the region through dialogue and negotiation, with respect for human rights and international law". Beyond the cordial climate and the good relations existing on the diplomatic level, there no full religious freedom in Turkey. Vatican City (AsiaNews) The Middle East, and in particular Jerusalem, but also refugees, human rights and the situation of Catholics in Turkey were at the heart of talks between Pope Francis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Pope received the Turkish leader this morning at the Vatican, before the Presidents meeting with the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin accompanied by Msgr. Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States. A statement released by the Vatican states that during the cordial discussions the bilateral relations between the Holy See and Turkey were evoked, and the parties spoke about the situation of the country, the condition of the Catholic community, efforts in the reception of the many refugees and the challenges linked to this. Attention then turned to the situation in the Middle East, with particular reference to the status of Jerusalem, highlighting the need to promote peace and stability in the region through dialogue and negotiation, with respect for human rights and international law". The meeting with the Pope lasted about 50 minutes, only the interpreters were present. "I thank you for your interest", said Erdogan to Francis, according to the journalists present. The Pope in turn thanked him for the visit. Erdogan was accompanied by a delegation - a procession of about thirty cars and minivans - comprising twenty people. Among them also the president's wife and daughter and five ministers. There were six women in all (of whom four wore the veil). At the time of the exchange of gifts, Francis gave Erdogan a medallion representing an angel and explained: "This is an angel of peace that strangles the demon of war. It is a symbol of a world based on peace and justice ". The Pope also offered Erdogan an etching with the design of St. Peter's Basilica as it was in 1600, a copy of the encyclical Laudato si and the message for the World Day of Peace this year. Erdogan gifted the Pope a large ceramic picture with the panorama of Istanbul and a box set of books by the Muslim theologian Mevlana Rumi. Erdogan's visit to Pope Francis is the first visit of head of state from Ankara to the Vatican for 59 years. The last was Celal Bayar, received by John XXII, who had been nuncio to Turkey between 1934 and 1943. Beyond the cordial climate and the good relations existing on the diplomatic level, it cannot be said that one can speak of full religious freedom in Turkey, despite the Constitution desired by Ataturk to affirming the secular state. Beyond the even violent episodes of intolerance which culminated with the murder of Don Andrea Santoro in 2006 and Msgr. Luigi Padovese in 2010 - other incidents are not rare, even if fortunately not bloody. In the country, the churches do not have legal personality, which prevents, among other things, it owning religious buildings. This obstacle is sometimes overcome with the creation of false foundations that however fall under ordinary civil law. Thus, even a few weeks ago, there were confiscations of religious properties, including historical and ancient ones. Moreover, it is forbidden for Christian churches to have the crucifix visible from the street. This is why, usually, the facade is hidden inside a courtyard. This is the case even for the headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the highest expression of orthodoxy. And the patriarch, to whom no supranational role is recognized, must be a Turkish citizen. In front of the glory of God, words disappear, we do not know what to say, added Francis. As it is said in the liturgy of tomorrow, Solomon, in fact, can only say two words: "listen and forgive". And the conclusion is "to worship in silence with all the history on and ask:"Listen and forgive ". Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Learn to take some time for the prayer of adoration, to do already now what we will do in Heaven. This was Pope Francis invitation at Mass this morning at Casa Santa Marta. He began by reflecting on the first reading of the day, taken from the first book of Kings. The passage recounts how all the tribes of Israel came to King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the Ark of the LORD's Covenant to the temple. Pope Francis noted how they were making an uphill journey, carrying with them the two stone tablets that God had given to Moses on Mount Horeb. He went on to reflect on our Christian journey, which, he said, is an upward climb, it is not always easy. The people of Israel, undertaking this uphill journey, are carrying the Ark of the Covenant to its resting place, and they bear a memory, the memory of election. In addition, the Pope said, the Ark of the Covenant was stripped of any ornamentation. It was stripped down to the tablets of the law: In the ark, in fact, there was nothing except two stone tablets. As soon as the priests carrying the ark left the sanctuary, the glory of the Lord filled the temple with a cloud. From the sacrifices that they made while they were on the uphill journey, to the silence of humiliation and adoration, the pope reflected. Pope Francis asked pastors to teach the prayer of adoration which many times, I think, that we do not teach to our people. We know how to teach them how to pray, sing, and praise God, but to adore? The pope defined adoration as the prayer which annihilates us without annihilating us. He took the opportunity of encouraging the newly installed pastors, present in the Casa Santa Marta chapel, to teach the people to adore in silence. The Pope gave several keys that can be used in teaching adoration: it is an uphill journey with the memory of election. We can only arrive there with the memory of having been chosen, of bearing within our heart the promise which pushes us to keep going with the covenant in our hand and in our heart. In the presence of Gods glory, he said, words disappear, we do not know what to say. Anticipating tomorrows reading, Pope Francis suggested that we too use the only two words that Solomon was able to utterlisten and pardon. It would good for us to take some time today, he said, to remember our journey, the memory of graces received, the memory of election, of the promise, of the covenant. And thus to go up towards adoration. In an analysis of the new regulations, Pastor Wang Yi of Chengdu (Sichuan) promises to fight the new legislation, which violates religious freedom, whatever the cost. He also appeals to fellow Christians. Chengdu (AsiaNews/China Source) Chinas new regulations on religious activities have come into effect as of 1st February. AsiaNews looked at the proposed rules in September 2016, and at a final draft in September 2017. Although 1st February was the official kickoff date, implementation of the new rules began earlier. Their aim is to boost control over official communities and undermine underground communities, whatever their religious affiliation. Recently, ChinaSource, an online news platform, published an analysis of the new regulations by Rev Wang Yi, a pastor with the Early Rain Church, based in Chengdu (Sichuan). In his post, Rev Wang lays out a clear critical analysis of the new regulations and warns Chinas Protestants that they will soon come under new pressures as a result. His opinion is clear. The new regulations are a violation of religious freedom, which the Chinese constitution upholds, at least in theory. This is why Chinese Christians must resist them. Pastor Wang Yi is known in China as a very candid critic of the regime's religious policy. For him, The new regulations have crossed the line in using the public excuse of major and urgent public interests to restrict citizens constitutional rights. Now the authorities are truing to establish a universal system of religious control, not limited to the Religious Affairs Bureau but is extended to all levels of government. What is more, the new regulations repeatedly cite problems religions can create, from social divisions to terrorism; thus, focusing on religion primarily as a danger. Permits and controls range from lowest to highest level: village, county, city, province, central government. This is not administrative legislation to protect religious freedom it is legislation against religious freedom. It is clear from these new regulations that the fighting atheists and anti-religious ultra-leftist ideology in government still hold the dominant role in the religious administrative system. Pastor Wang wont take things lying down. Despite any of the regulations administrative decisions and possible punishments for me and my church, my conscience constrains me to reject these regulations. I shall use any nonviolent, legal means necessary to urge the government to reconsider: whether by litigation, appeals, lodging complaints, or submitting a constitutional review of the regulations before the National Peoples Congress. I oppose these regulations serious infringement of citizens freedom of religion, and I oppose their illegal restrictions of Christianity. The clergyman ends his appeal by encouraging all Christians who work in law, politics, public welfare, education, and related fields, to either bravely speak out with a loud voice, or to quietly advance the abolishment and change of these unlawful laws. Craveable Brands ban plastic bags Craveable Brands is the latest Australian food company to ban the plastic bag from its stores. The parent company of Red Rooster, Oporto and Chicken Treat said it will no longer be restocking plastic bag supplies, instead switching to paper bags only. The decision will see some of its restaurants no longer provide customers with plastic bags from as early as March 2018. It is expected the entire Craveable Brand network will be plastic bag free by July 2018. Chief Executive Officer of Craveable Brands, Brett Houldin, said as an Australian business, it is Craveable Brands responsibility to reduce its impact on Australias environment. With the growing concern about the environmental impact of plastic bags, removing single-use plastic bags from our 570 restaurants across the country will see 8.8 million bags removed from circulation nationally which is equivalent to 8.8 tonnes of plastic, Houldin said. Related articles Jamaica Blue launches new coffee and half price campaign Coffee chain Jamaica Blue has launched a limited edition coffee blend, Costa Rica Single Origin. Jamaica Blues Costa Rica Single Origin comes from renown coffee growing region, Coope Tarrazu. The blend is Rainforest Alliance Certified and its tasting notes including caramel coasted peanut followed by a chocolate finish. Head of Coffee at Jamaica Blue, Jeremy Regan, who has travelled the world sourcing beans for Jamaica Blue for a decade, said he is a fan of Central Americas coffee growing conditions. Im particularly fond of Central Americas coffee growing conditions: the mineral-rich soil, 1400-1500 metre high altitudes, mild climate and abundant sunlight produces exquisite coffee cherries that are uniformly ripe, Regan said. The local Tico people are as happy as the coffee beans. To help launch the blend, Jamaica Blue is selling its coffees for half price from 2pm until close across February 2018. There is 125 Jamaica Blue coffee stores across Australia, along with a number of stores in New Zealand, the UK, China, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. Jamaica Blue is part of Foodco which is also the parent company of Muffin Break. Related articles By Ben Thornber, Associate Professor, University of Sydney spacex/flickr, CC BY-NC-ND Elon Musks SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is scheduled for launch on February 6, and the entire space industry is watching with anticipation. What is so special about this rocket? This vehicle will be the first of its kind, the worlds most powerful launch vehicle and targeting an unprecedented level of reusability. The launch has been delayed on numerous occasions since 2013, but if the mission is a success, we will be one step closer to Musks incredibly ambitious aim to launch a manned Mars mission within the next decade. However, rocket science is famously difficult. As CEO of SpaceX, Musk himself is uncharacteristically reserved, stating: I hope it makes it far enough from the pad that it does not cause pad damage. I would consider that a win. We will have to wait and see. In typical Musk flair, the first payload will be his Tesla Roadster which is set to become the worlds fastest car following its launch into a heliocentric orbit. Read more: Revealed today, Elon Musk's new space vision took us from Earth to Mars, and back home again Heavy-Lift Launch Vehicles Rockets capable of carrying a payload over 20 metric tonnes are classified under the Heavy-Lift Launch Vehicle (HLLV) category. The rocket must carry its package up to at least 160km above the surface and achieve an orbit, requiring speeds above 8,000 metres per second. To put these figures in perspective, the rocket could propel two fully loaded city buses more than 50 times the height of Mount Everest at 32 times the cruising speed of a Boeing 747. The Falcon Heavy will achieve this by using three rockets, with the first two separating after stage one of the launch. The final rocket will then lift the Tesla Roadster up into space, where it will enter a highly elliptical orbit between the Earth and Mars. Without external interference, Falcon Heavy will remain in this orbit for thousands of years. Currently, the Delta IV Heavy is the most capable HLLV operational. The most popular HLLV is the European Ariane V, which holds an extensive list of international clients. It is responsible for launching core components of the international space station, as well as launching interplanetary spacecraft, global navigation satellites and orbital telescopes. According to SpaceX, the Falcon Heavy will lift twice the load at a third the cost of these current systems, placing SpaceX in an excellent position to be the first choice for all heavy lift missions. Pioneers of the new space industry Since the early missions of Sputnik and Apollo, space has generally been a state-run affair. Organisations like NASA, the European Space Agency, Russias agency Roscosmos and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency have all been operated and funded by their respective governments. Read more: From rocket launches to a crashing space station, we're in for a huge year in space Private space companies were formed alongside these agencies, capitalising on the success of their missions. However, given the enormous cost of space access, space innovation was always led by the world governments. In the 21st century, however, things are starting to change. A space agency wasnt behind the current push for reusable rockets (even though NASA was the first agency to launch one). SpaceX has led the way in reducing launch costs and improving efficiency. The new space industry is growing rapidly, with companies like SpaceX at the forefront. The ambitions of SpaceX are not going to stop with satellite launches using Falcon Heavy. The rocket has been designed to have acceleration profiles appropriate for manned missions, and SpaceX currently plan 2019 tests of its Dragon2 capsule and have signed up two unnamed space tourists for an unpowered flight around the moon. But, will it work? Rockets have a notorious history of failing on the first few launches. Test campaigns usually run for several years; recently SpaceX engineers had encountered numerous issues before their first successful booster return in 2016. The added challenge however for SpaceX is ensuring reusability. Each of the Falcon 9 rockets must be ejected during launch and safely returned to Earth. It was only two years ago that it achieved this milestone for the Falcon 9. The Falcon Heavy is a very ambitious endeavour by SpaceX, and will certainly blaze a trail across the sky in one way or another. And its pretty clear that Musk is changing the landscape of the space industry, with lasting effects for decades to follow. The author would like to recognise a significant contribution to this article from Joshua Critchley-Marrows, an engineering graduate of the University of Sydney, and Warwick Holmes, Executive Director of Space Engineering, the University of Sydney. Ben Thornber does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Originally published in The Conversation. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. A Florida lawmaker is taking steps to ensure state money set aside for affordable housing is earmarked for that purpose. FL lawmaker working to protect low-income housing funds Rep. Sean Shaw proposed House Bill 191 Wants money earmarked for that purpose According to the Florida Housing Commission, more than one million Floridians spend more than half of their income on housing costs. Democratic State Representative Sean Shaw says that is definitely the case in Tampa. As the cost of housing continues to rise across our state, families and working Floridians are finding it more and more difficult just to keep a roof over their heads each month, said Shaw. The states efforts to help secure affordable housing has been hampered because lawmakers diverted about a billion dollars away from programs designed for that effort. Thats why Shaw plans to introduce legislation to protect those funds from further raids. These programs like SHIP and SAIL are national models and the people of Florida expect the trust funds to be used for their intended purpose to fund these programs, Shaw said. In Hillsborough County, the average rent is about $1,000 a month which isnt affordable to everyone. Most of our families can only afford to pay $700 - 800 a month, so the issue is affordable to whom, said Cheryl Howell, Hillsborough Countys Affordable Housing Services Director. Howells agency partners with both the non-profit and for profit sector to address the lack of housing for low income people. This year, about 600 units of affordable housing are being developed across the county, but Howell says thats hardly enough to address the growing need. One out of three families in the Bay Area pay more than 30 percent of their total gross income for rent or housing costs and one in five families pay more than 50 percent of their gross income for housing costs. House Bill 191 already faces an uphill battle in the legislature. Republican leadership says the money taken from the housing fund was needed for law enforcement and K-12 education. Shaw is hoping the bipartisan support for his bill will help the measure advance. One of the most significant rocket launches in years is scheduled to blast off from Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday. LIVE COVERAGE: Count on Spectrum News on Tuesday for comprehensive coverage of the launch. We'll have live coverage on TV, on our Facebook page, on Instagram and live feeds on Twitter. Also watch the launch live on our website. The launch window opens at 1:30 p.m. ET and closes at 4 p.m. On Launch Complex 39A, where the Saturn V rocket lifted off, sending Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon, the Falcon Heavy sits in its place. SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket has been years in the making and the company is looking to it to explore deeper into space. It's currently the world's most powerful rocket, and SpaceX claims its the most powerful rocket since the Apollo days. The Falcon Heavy is this really new, great opportunity," said Addie Dove, a UCF planetary science professor. "Its sort of pushing the boundaries of what were going to be able to do in space. The Falcon Heavy is ... a test demo, to show that they are going to actually have capabilities to put heavier and bigger payloads up into orbit. Seven years ago, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk revealed details about the new rocket. Were super excited to announce some of the details around the Falcon Heavy development, he said then. While the company's Falcon 9 is designed to send satellites, space station cargo and eventually crew to low Earth orbit, the Falcon Heavy was built to go farther. It certainly opens up a wide range of possibilities such as returning to the moon and conceivably going to Mars, Musk said. Since the beginning of SpaceX, Musk has set his sights on Mars. Thats why during Tuesday's test flight, the billionaire entrepreneur, who also founded the Tesla electric-vehicle company, plans to send his own, red-cherry Tesla Roadster to an orbit around Mars. A dummy named Starman named after a David Bowie song will be seated in the Roadster. Musk's expectations for launch Asked during a news conference Monday about whether he's worried about what happens to the Roadster, Musk replied, "We're not worried about the car. It'll be fine. It's the last of my concerns." Although the plan is to put the Roadster into Mars orbit where, if the mission is successful, the car will stay "for several hundred million years," he's downplayed expectations, repeatedly saying that there's a good chance the Falcon Heavy will blow up. ""I'll be happy if it just clears the pad," Musk said Monday. That said, "I think what I find strange is that normally I feel stressed out (about launches,) but I feel quite giddy and happy, actually," Musk said. "I'm really hopeful for this flight going as planned. Regardless of what happens, the main objective of the launch, Musk said Monday, is to glean information and data. "If it blows up the pad, that will be a real pain in the neck," Musk said. "... It'll be a huge downer... but hopefully, if it goes wrong, it'll go wrong far into the mission so we've learned as much as we can." A mishap wouldn't affect production of the Falcon Heavy, he said. But it would take up to nine months to repair the pad. If successful, however, SpaceX could target another Falcon Heavy launch in about three months. SpaceX plans to land all three of the Falcon Heavy's boosters. The two side first-stage boosters will head back to land, to pads at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The center booster which will carry the second stage and the Roadster will have to go farther into space than the two side boosters and will try to successfully land on the drone ship in the Atlantic. "We'll have a good time no matter what happens. It'll be exciting no matter what," Musk said. "We might get one big boom." Expect huge crowds If you're in Central Florida or on the Space Coast, be prepared for a series of sonic booms around 9 minutes after launch or later, with the boosters returning to Earth. An estimated 100,000 people are expected to be on the Space Coast to witness this historic mission. Local officials say hotels are booked up. Expect popular viewing spots to be packed, and traffic jammed before and after the launch. Nelson Flackus, camping at Port Canaveral's Jetty Park, was gearing up for a big show Monday to see his second rocket launch. "This place will be packed," he said. Musk has a talent for turning a younger generation on to space and space travel with pop culture references. In the car, Bowies "Space Oddity" will be playing. And SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets are named in honor of the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars. Having the capability to go to at least further out in the solar system and probably to Mars with the Falcon Heavy is a really groundbreaking step that we havent been able to do for human spaceflight and we havent done, even go to the moon, in a really long time, Dove said. Newport's Seafood Wine Fest Brings Thousands to Oregon Coast in Feb Published 02/05/2018 at 2:55 AM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Newport, Oregon) The largest winter festival on the entire Oregon coast returns February 22 to 25, as the Newport Seafood and Wine Festival causes the town to swell with thousands, all gathering at a set of giant tents in the South Beach area of Yaquina Bay. Three days of wine, food, song and arts and crafts, taking place at the north end of the parking lot at Rogue House of Spirits. The four days of the festival bring in over two million dollars to the local economy. Moreover, it's the main fundraiser for a large array of non-profits in the area, which in turn improve the lives of locals and then further boost the economy down the line. Much of Lincoln County sees the effect as well: lodgings in nearby towns of Waldport, Yachats, Depoe Bay and even Lincoln City see their share of overnight guests. This year, you'll find 83 wine booths from around the west coast, 25 food booths, and 58 artisan booths, all in an uproarious, jovial atmosphere often filled with the beats of a DJ. This year's theme is Dungeness & Dragons. You'll find the decorations a mix of medieval fantasy and the delicious crab that Newport is known for, with booths adorned accordingly and costumes reveling in the fun. What each booth does for the event is a surprise every year. One of the highlights before the event is the festivals app, giving attendees easy access to key event information including a link to purchase tickets, lodging info, Festival maps, vendor lists, sponsors, and frequently asked questions. The app is free and available for download now on the App Store and Google Play Store. New this year is a special VIP entrance all four nights. Returning again is the Ruby Club Membership, which gets you entry through a new VIP entrance near the main entrance on all four nights. You will also receive a commemorative wine glass, a swag bag with a festival passport book that includes free wine tasting flights, vendor discounts and more from several vendors in the event. This is the second year of our tent layout, our main entry will be on the north side of the lot near the Yaquina Bay and the Rogue House of Spirits, said Bobbi Price, with the Newport Chamber. We want to make sure people will know there is a new look with the same great atmosphere they have grown to love. There will be a Peoples Choice Award where attendees can vote for their favorite winery, food vendor and craft seller. The winner in each category will receive a prize package. As always, the festival's commercial wine competition is one of the most coveted in the state, with a little under 200 competing every year. Maps are available at local businesses and at the Chamber. For more information, call 800-262-7844. www.seafoodandwine.com/. Prices and hours vary, with plenty of eTickets still available. There will be some availability of tickets at the gate, but these will sell out early in the day. Thursday 5 pm - 9 pm, $16 - eTickets and some availability at the gate. Friday 12 pm 9 pm, $17 eTickets and some availability at the gate. Saturday 10 am 6 pm (eTicket only, $22). This is the busiest day of the festival so standby tickets may be available after 1 p.m., depending on capacity. Standby tickets are $29 at the gate. Sunday 10 am 4 pm, $8 for eTickets and $10 at the gate. The three-day pass for February 23 - 25 is eTicket only and is $40.00. Ruby Club Membership is $150 (all four-days, wine glass, special swag bag). Limited to 250. Maps are available at local businesses and at the Chamber. For more information, call 800-262-7844. See the website here. Oregon Coast Lodgings for this event - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted A teacher at Cypress-Woods High School has been removed from campus after a video surfaced showing a faculty member striking a student with a belt, the Cypress Fair Independent School District said in a statement. "We were shocked to learn of the video," said the statement from the school district. "These actions are certainly not representative of Cypress Woods or CFISD employee standards of conduct." The school district is not releasing the identity of the male staff member, but said the school district's police department is "conducting a thorough investigation," according to the statement. The video posted on Facebook shows the student wiping something across the head of the teacher, who is sitting down. The teacher then stands up, takes off his belt and follows the student around the classroom as other students get out of the way. As other students look on, the teacher strikes the student with a belt multiple times. The video that posted on Friday says the incident happened at 10 a.m. on Friday; it had been viewed more than 6,000 times and shared over a 100 times as of early Saturday afternoon. A man believed to be the faculty member declined to comment to KTRK-TV on Friday night. Students told the news station that the student involved had spat on the teacher, though that wasn't apparent in the video. Although Texas is one of 15 states that explicitly allows corporal punishment, it is prohibited in the Cy-Fair district, according to the district's 2017-2018 student code of conduct. Funeral services have been announced for Orange County teen Heaven Ray Cox, who died Saturday. Her funeral will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 9 at Faith United Methodist Church in Orange, followed by burial at Wilkinson Cemetary. "Heaven was a very artistic girl who loved to paint, read, and write stories," her obituary said. "She enjoyed being in the water and loved her horse and dogs. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends." Heaven, 15, was a student at Little Cypress-Mauriceville. She died Saturday; a cause of death has not been announced. Heaven was reunited with family on Dec. 1 after being reported missing the month before. Officials feared she had left with an internet predator met through Snapchat. Family believed Heaven was going to meet the "much older" man in San Antonio during the Thanksgiving holiday before leaving for California with him, family said. She was found safe in Louisiana on December 1, 2017 and reunited with family. Read more about Heaven's disappearance here. RELATED: SETX teen disappears for second time in 4 months For Immediate Release, February 5, 2018 Contact: Jean Su, Center for Biological Diversity, (415) 770-3187, jsu@biologicaldiversity.org Camilla Fox, Project Coyote, (415) 690-0338, cfox@projectcoyote.org Flawed Fee Analysis Diverts Fur-trapping Costs to California Taxpayers Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars in Expenses Left Out of State Study SACRAMENTO, Calif. Hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in expenses were omitted from the California Department of Fish and Wildlifes recent estimate of the cost of running the states commercial animal-trapping program, according to a new review of the departments economic analysis by two conservation groups. In a comment letter slamming the analysis, the Center for Biological Diversity and Project Coyote note that it totally omits all enforcement costs, including game warden salaries. Previous analyses have included such enforcement costs, which totaled $161,000 a year for the trapping of just one species the bobcat. Thousands of coyotes, foxes, badgers and other fur-bearing animals are trapped each year in California so their pelts can be sold overseas. As much as a half a million dollars in taxpayer money since 2013 has been diverted to subsidize commercial fur trapping in California because trapping fees are so low. The departments deeply deceptive analysis defies common sense and wrongly diverts commercial trappings costs onto the California taxpayer, said attorney Jean Su, the Centers associate conservation director. Its shocking that wildlife officials keep trying to prop up the trapping industry, a cruel vestige of the past that most Californians today dont support. We dont want public money subsidizing the slaughter of our wildlife. The new analysis is meant to guide the Fish and Game Commissions decision about raising trapping license fees to end this illegal subsidization. But if regulators rely on the flawed estimate, license prices would not change. The new study contradicts the departments own prior analysis of trapping program costs, with current estimates slashed to at least one-third of previous cost estimates. In 2017 the Center and Project Coyote sued the California Fish and Game Commission and Department of Fish and Wildlife for improperly managing and subsidizing the States trapping program. That case continues in court. The illegal subsidization of the states commercial trapping program violates not just the letter of the law, but the will of the California people, said Camilla Fox, executive director of Project Coyote. Its wrong that a handful of trappers slaughter our wildlife for private profit while the state foots the bill. These animals are far more valuable as essential species in Californias web of life than as skinned pelts shipped to Russia and China. In 2015 conservationists celebrated the Fish and Game Commissions decision to ban the commercial trapping of bobcats, whose pelts are some of the most lucrative on the international fur market. But more than a dozen other furbearing animals still experience cruel trapping under the states mismanaged trapping program. To ensure undamaged pelts, trappers often kill animals through strangulation, gassing and anal electrocution. If the illegal subsidy of trapping licenses is eliminated, trapping license fees would have to be set at a level that few, if any, trappers would likely be willing to pay, resulting in a de facto end to commercial fur trapping in California. The departments cost estimates were forwarded to the Fish and Game Commission last week by department director Charlton H. Bonham. The commission will consider whether to raise trapping fees to come into compliance with the law at its meeting in Sacramento on Feb. 8. This analysis is as accurate as Trumps claim that his inauguration was the biggest in history, said Su. The departments trapping cost analysis is so obviously incomplete that it can only stem from gross incompetence or willful disregard of the law. Either explanation calls into question the fitness of the departments current leadership. For Immediate Release, February 5, 2018 Contact: Jean Su, (415) 770-3187, jsu@biologicaldiversity.org Trump Administration Threatened With Lawsuit Over Missing Climate Report WASHINGTON The Center for Biological Diversity warned Secretary of State Rex Tillerson today to produce the overdue U.S. Climate Action Report or face a lawsuit. The deadline to submit the report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat passed on Jan. 1. The Centers letter notes that the State Departments failure to submit the report by the deadline constitutes a violation of both the UN treaty and the federal Administrative Procedure Act. The U.S. is the chief culprit in the climate crisis, so its refusal to meet even bare minimum reporting requirements is morally reprehensible, said Jean Su, associate conservation director at the Center. In light of all the American lives and homes lost to superstorms and wildfires last year, the Trump administrations inaction is especially disturbing. The objective of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere to a level that prevents the most dangerous effects of climate change. The U.S. and other parties to the treaty must periodically submit reports on their greenhouse gas emission inventories and action plans consistent with this objective. While tardiness in submitting the report has occurred, the U.S.s complete failure to issue the report would be unprecedented. There is no indication that the months-long production process has even begun. Under past administrations the launch of this process was typically announced in the Federal Register up to eight months before the deadline; most previous report drafts were also made available for public review. The United States is the largest cumulative emitter of greenhouse gases and the worlds second highest emitter on an annual and per capita basis, behind only China. China has come under scrutiny, including from the United States, for failing to submit its own report due last year. The majority of the other parties to the convention have submitted their reports, including the European Union, Germany and Russia. Trumps intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement does not in any way affect U.S. legal obligations under the convention. Trumps reckless decision to pull out of the Paris accord already made the U.S. a climate pariah, Su said. Further eroding the worlds trust could shatter the global, unified front the climate emergency demands. If Tillerson continues to blow off this bedrock commitment to transparency, we will take him to court. For Immediate Release, February 5, 2018 Contact: Miyoko Sakashita, (510) 845-6703, miyoko@biologicaldiversity.org Californians Rally Against Trump's Plan for Offshore Oil Drilling in Pacific, Arctic Thousands Attend Protests Around State, Building Momentum for Feb. 8 Federal Hearing in Sacramento SACRAMENTO, Calif. Hundreds of Californians will rally against President Trumps offshore oil leasing plan on Thursday, Feb. 8 in Sacramento and march to the plans only formal hearing in California. Ahead of Thursdays hearing, thousands of Californians rallied in seven cities over the weekend to oppose Trumps proposal to open up the Pacific and other U.S. oceans to offshore drilling for the first time in more than 30 years. Rallies were held Feb. 3 in San Diego, Laguna Beach, Santa Monica, Brea, Ventura, San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz after the federal government ignored requests by Californias congressional delegation and state leaders to hold additional hearings closer to coastal communities threatened by offshore drilling. Images and video from those rallies are available for media use at https://tinyurl.com/yauggckf. The Trump administrations draft 2019-2024 offshore leasing plan, released Jan. 4, would allow drilling in federal waters in all U.S. oceans, despite opposition from the governors of almost every coastal state. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is holding one hearing in each of the 22 affected states. The Feb. 8 hearing in Sacramento will be preceded by a large rally on the North Steps of the Capitol starting at 1:30 p.m. Californians fiercely oppose this reckless assault on our oceans and coastal communities. Were coming to Sacramento to reject a plan that will cause oil spills and climate chaos, said Miyoko Sakashita, ocean program director with the Center for Biological Diversity. Our beautiful beaches and imperiled marine wildlife face grave threats from offshore oil development, whether wells are drilled in the Pacific or the Arctic. What: Californians Against Offshore Drilling rally and press conference followed by march to BOEM hearing When: Feb. 8. Rally begins at 1:30 p.m. followed by march at 2:30 p.m. to hearing scheduled from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Where: Rally on North Steps of State Capitol (1100 L Street Sacramento); Hearing in Tsakopoulos Library Galleria (828 I Street) Who: Speakers at the rally will include Controller Betty Yee, California Sens. Hannah-Beth Jackson and Ricardo Lara, Assemblymembers Monique Limon and Al Muratsuchi and representatives of the Center for Biological Diversity, Sacred Places Institute, Greenpeace, Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, Environment California, Defenders of Wildlife, Oceana, Surfrider Foundation and other partnering organizations. Trumps offshore-drilling proposal would open currently protected parts of the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic oceans and the Gulf of Mexico to offshore drilling and oil spills. An analysis of the draft plan by the Center for Biological Diversity found that consuming the recoverable oil and gas in the planning areas would release almost 50 billion tons of carbon dioxide pollution into the atmosphere and oceans, worsening climate change. The Center also calculated that the plan could lead to 5,571 oil spills that would dump 34.4 million gallons of oil into oceans and onto beaches about 10 times the spills expected under the offshore leasing plan approved by the Obama administration, which Trump is trying to replace. More than 650 spills totaling more than 4 million gallons would be expected along the West Coast under the plan. San Francisco, Los Angeles and at least 25 other California communities have passed resolutions opposing new offshore drilling in the Pacific. For more information on the California campaign against offshore drilling, visit www.endangeredoceans.org. "Californians are going to beat Trump and his big oil friends and protect our oceans, Sakashita said. And then were going to beat big oil onshore, too. Its time for our state to fight back against dangerous drilling off our coast and on land near peoples homes." 5 February 2018 Ewa Zotow By Appeared in BioNews 936 Animals given high doses of gene-carrying viruses in a new gene-therapy trial showed signs of severe toxicity. The viral vector called AAV9 was previously successfully used in babies with a severe form of spinal muscular atrophy. Viruses are used in gene therapy because they are able to enter human (and animal) cells and insert a piece of DNA into the patient's chromosome. AAV9 has been widely used and was considered harmless. The researchers injected young monkeys and piglets with high doses of AAV9 which carried therapeutic genes into the cells of the spinal cord. The animals developed severe damage to the liver and motor neurons within few days post-treatment, and some had to be euthanised. The author of the study, Dr James Wilson, said: 'What is remarkable is we have not seen it beforeIf you push the dose of anything high enough, you are going to see toxicity.' Dr Terence Flotte, a pioneer in human gene therapy and editor of the journal which published the findings, cautioned that these results may not apply to humans. It was not established if the specific virus variant, the human DNA it was carrying or contamination was responsible for the toxicity. The stock prices of several gene therapy companies have fallen after the publication. However, Dr Flotte warns against 'overreaction' of the research community and suggests that the clinical trials should not halt. The gene therapy may have high therapeutic potential. 'The one and only guiding principle in critical moments like this should be the welfare of patients with the diseases being treated with these therapies,' said the journal's editors, who advocate for full transparency regarding all relevant data and for reproduction of these findings by different labs. In previous trials, the use of one-dose gene therapy to treat babies born with spinal muscular atrophy led to remarkable success. Most babies showed substantial improvement in motor function and survival. Children with this disorder usually die before the age of two, which has to be taken into account by clinicians weighing the risks and benefits of potential therapies. The current study highlights the need for careful monitoring of side effects and further research. 'Let's study this, let's not ignore it,' counsels Dr Flotte. 'If the gene therapy research community makes patient welfare as the sole priority, it will ultimately be beneficial to us all.' ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - UN-AU leaders sign framework for Implementation of Agenda 2063 and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and stress the importance of partnerships to accelerate Africa's transformation. Kamaga via 123RF In keeping with the enhanced and mutually reinforcing partnership between the two organisations and to further accelerate the implementation of the sustainable development agenda for Africa, the United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres and the African Union Commission chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, signed the AU-UN Framework for the Implementation of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, at the 30th African Union Summit. This follows the signing of the peace and security framework between the AU and the UN in April 2017.The joint AU-UN sustainable development framework envisions stronger coordination between the two organisations to ensure that the UNs 2030 Agenda and the AUs Agenda 2063 are mainstreamed and integrated into the national planning frameworks of Member States and contribute positively to people-centred and planet-sensitive structural transformation in Africa.The importance of a peaceful, stable and secure environment and respect for human rights to achieve sustainable development is recognised in both the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.During the signing, Guterres, noted that, eradicating poverty is the overriding priority of the AUs Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and that he is happy that today, we signed the framework on the implementation.In the same light, Mahamat expressed satisfaction with the existing partnership between the AU and the UN, adding that the signing of this framework will enhance the achievement of the two Agendas.The framework also outlines the monitoring of implementation tools, to ensure that implementation results are monitored and challenges addressed. The framework further stresses the nexus between peace, security and development in the implementation of the two Agendas in Africa.A harmonised and integrated approach to the implementation of the two Agendas will minimise duplication; optimise domestic resource mobilisation; and external stakeholders and development partners support and strengthened partnerships.An Action Plan to operationalise the framework will be discussed and agreed when the two leaders meet again in April 2018 for the 2nd Annual AU-UN Conference. Six youth-led agribusinesses showcasing market-ready innovations for African farmers - which include mobile crop processing machinery, produce delivery services and e-commerce and farm financing platforms - have won a share of US$45,000 in the Pitch AgriHack 2021 competition at the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF). The Committee to Protect Journalists called on the Kenyan government to obey a court order suspending a broadcasting ban on four privately owned television stations. A high court yesterday ordered the government to lift the ban on Citizen TV, Inooro TV, NTV, and KTN News, for 14 days while a case challenging its legality is heard, according to reports. The order came two days after authorities switched off transmitters while the stations were broadcasting live coverage of an event by the opposition in the capital, Nairobi, according to reports.Separately, a court ordered police to halt attempts to arrest at least three Nation Media Group (NMG) journalists, according to an online report in the Daily Nation, which is owned by NMG, one of the outlets affected by the ban.The journalistS - Linus Kaikai, Larry Madowo, and Ken Mijungu - said they believed that police planned to arrest them and applied to the court for anticipatory bail, which was set at 10,0000 Kenyan shillings (US$983) each, reports said. All three are due to report to police headquarters in Nairobi for questioning on February 5, according to reports.Kenya's Minister of Interior said in an earlier press conference that authorities are investigating individuals and organisations, including media houses, in relation to the Nairobi event."The Kenyan government's refusal to abide by the court order and permit four television outlets back on air is not only contempt for the rule of law, but a brazen example of censorship," said Angela Quintal, CPJ's Africa program coordinator. "Every day that these TV stations are kept off air and their journalists are harassed or intimidated further erodes Kenya's position as a leader of press freedom in Africa." The 21st Time of the Writer International Festival will take place from 12 to 17 March 2018, hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal's Centre for Creative Arts (CCA), in partnership with eThekwini Municipality. Time of the Writer 2017 participants, Image credit: Time of the Writer Facebook The African Educational Revolution Time of the Writer is a celebration of African voices, hosting approximately 20 writers from South Africa, Africa and different parts of the world, telling their own stories as they have lived them and are living them. The festival aims to be an acknowledgement of the great minds that have contributed to the advancement of the literary arts and a space with which to inspire and develop emerging creative titans.In November 2016, the City of Durban was awarded the first African Unesco City of Literature and at the fore is Time of the Writer, the first literary festival to be hosted since the announcement. It is against the backdrop of this achievement and in the spirit of the celebration of Mandelas Centenary year, that the 21st edition of Time of the Writer is aptly themed Changing the Narrative.This 21st edition of Time of the Writer will consist of a day program that is hosted in 4 community libraries, art centres and schools around Durban where workshops and panel discussions will take place and in the evening panel discussions will be hosted at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.Ms. Chipo Zhou, acting-director of the CCA, said: Nelson Mandela once said: The education I received was a British education, in which British ideas, British culture, British institutions, were automatically assumed to be superior. There was no such thing as African culture. A very sad statement which to a great extent, even now, speaks the reality that is our education system in Africa." The African Educational Revolution is now taking place all over independent Black Africa to correct this sad colonial hangover" (Kakwe Kasoma, 1976). Just over two decades after South African independence, this statement has never been truer. A new generation of scholars is on the rise, demanding recognition of the African intellect and its contribution to literature, an African Renaissance if you will. We cannot rewrite history, but we can question and maybe alter history. And most definitely, we will write the future.The literary world has witnessed dynamic innovations in storytelling formats and genres that are gaining ground amongst writers and readers. Writers from the continent and the diaspora are not only challenging the tropes but are also positing interesting possibilities of the future and present.Time of the Writer is one of the largest and longest-running literature festivals in Africa. Over the years, it has hosted a wide variety of internationally-acclaimed thought leaders such as Zakes Mda and NoViolet Bulawayo, from all over the world, with the main focus on Africa.The festival is made possible with the support from eThekwini Municipality, National Department of Arts and Culture, National Arts Council and Alliance Francaise Durban. SAN FRANCISCO, USA - YouTube on Saturday began labeling news broadcasts that get government money as it vowed to be stricter about content at the globally popular online video-sharing service. Image credit: Pixabay via Pexels Better surface authoritative news Clear, informed and principled stance Ramped-up rules A feature being rolled out in the US displays notices below videos uploaded by news broadcasters which receive government or public money, according to a blog post by YouTube News senior product manager Geoff Samek."Our goal is to equip users with additional information to help them better understand the sources of news content that they choose to watch on YouTube," Samek said"News is an important vertical for us and we want to be sure to get it right."The move is likely to affect videos from services such as Russia-backed RT, which critics call a propaganda outlet for Moscow, but others as well.The blog post included a screen shot with a disclaimer about the US government-funded Radio Free Asia. The flagging may also apply to state-chartered news organisations such as the BBC and AFP, and US-based public broadcasters.Notices displayed with state-sponsored news broadcasts will include links to Wikipedia online encyclopedia so viewers can find out more about agencies behind the reports, according to Samek.The feature is nascent and will be refined based on feedback from users.YouTube made a series of changes last year intended to "better surface authoritative news," according to Samek.YouTube priorities for this year include tightening and better enforcing rules at the service, according to chief executive Susan Wojcicki."The same creativity and unpredictability that makes YouTube so rewarding can also lead to unfortunate events where we need to take a clear, informed, and principled stance," Wojcicki said in an online post."We realise we have a serious social responsibility to get these emerging policy issues right."Solutions being worked on include enhanced software smarts and more human review of videos uploaded to YouTube, according to Wojcicki.The number of workers at YouTube and Google focused on content that might violate policies was to increase to more than 10,000."We're also currently developing policies that would lead to consequences if a creator does something egregious that causes significant harm to our community as a whole," Wojcicki said.YouTube last month announced ramped-up rules regarding when it will run ads with videos as it scrambled to quell concerns by brands about being paired with troublesome content.YouTube late last year pulled 150,000 videos of children after lewd comments about them were posted by viewers.via i-Net Bridge. The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has officially announced that Chris Maroleng has been appointed as the new chief operations officer of the public broadcaster. His appointment is effective from 1 February."I accept the position at the SABC with deep humility, and appreciate the confidence that the Board has shown in me. I look forward to playing a role, as part of an executive team, in transforming the SABC into a world-class public broadcaster that is responsive to the needs of all South Africans." Maroleng, a former MTN group executive, said.The SABC said it was pleased with its decision as it "followed all legal and governance requirements".Maroleng has a great deal of experience in media practise, something SABC board chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini is certain will set him apart."Maroleng has demonstrated considerable management and financial acumen and he is familiar with the cutting-edge Fourth Industrial Revolution issues that the SABC needs to embrace going forward.He understands South Africa's legislative and regulatory environment and his knowledge of broadcasting on the continent is invaluable as the SABC develops its coverage of, and in Africa," said Makhathini.Maroleng holds BA(Hons) and MA degrees from the University of Cape Town and has received several post-graduate scholarships and awards.He is an accomplished South African with successful careers at senior management level in television, telecommunications and corporate affairs, Makhathini said in a statement. Maroleng was set to be appointed earlier this month pending screening by the State Security Agency.He replaces the controversial Hlaudi Motsoeneng who was ousted last year.At the time his appointment was opposed by Communications Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane who argued that she was not consulted.A court order in December stated that the board would make any permanent or interim appointment of any executive member "only after consultation with the minister of communications".Kubayi-Ngubane required the board to follow procedures in filling the top position.Meanwhile, some top positions at the parastatal are still vacant.The adverts for a group CEO and CFO have been placed, and the deadline for applications has been extended to 14 February 2018, the broadcaster said. Mining Charter? What Mining Charter? Mineral Resources Minister, Mosebenzi Zwane, flat out ignored the elephant in the room that the mining industry was most hoping he would address at the Investing in African Mining Indaba. Mosebenzi Zwane, minister of mineral resources Open-door policy The third iteration of the Mining Charter is on hold pending the outcome on a court case the Chamber of Mines has brought against the minister over a section requiring mines to be 30% black-owned in perpetuity, while a 1% levy on revenue that must be paid to black investors before other shareholder dividends and increased local procurement targets.Instead he used his keynote address to commend the industry for returning to growth in 2017 and its contribution to the economy in the latter part of the year following a technical recession. He also highlighted the governments investment into geological mapping and emphasised its value to potential investors.Todays opening address by the minister lacked hard substance, which was unfortunate. The mining community wanted to hear direction and resolution to some significant issues in the SA context but nothing came forth in this mornings speech," said Jacques Barradas, partner and head of mining, Grant Thornton Johannesburg.Waxing lyrical, Zwane said the spring in mining is indeed blossoming into a summer. However, the minister should not take credit for the upswing, said Andrew Lane, Deloitte Africa mining lead. That can be attributed to the increase in commodity prices. Given that South Africas investor-friendly reputation has been slightly tarnished, it was hoped he would make an announcement on the Mining Charter.Similarly, the minister deftly sidestepped a question regarding the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act in the Q&A session later that afternoon, rather referring to his open-door policy. Zwane stated that he is open to a bosberaad and willing to engage with stakeholders.The minister mentioned that there is an open-door policy to prioritise the promotion of good working relations with the right holders. We believe that the ministry needs to demonstrate this more visibly going forward, particularly with all stakeholders on issues such as the Mining Charter. The reaction to the ministers unilateral implementation of the charter last year did not inspire confidence. In fact, we believe that foreign investor confidence was impacted by this implementation process, Barradas said.Lane said the industry acknowledges and supports the governments intent to diversify ownership and the importance of junior mining. However, the industry depends on the large mining companies for their capital and skills, and the investment environment should recognise this reality, otherwise they will seek friendlier recipients. The use of data to manage the world's growing housing crisis came into focus during the second day of the African Centre for Cities International Urban Conference at the University of Cape Town. Filmmaker Michael Uwemedimo, one of the keynote speakers at the African Centre for Cities International Urban Conference, spoke about the violent clearing of almost two million people and their waterfront houses in Port Harcourt, Nigeria to make way for development. Photo: Andy Mkosi Demolitions in Nigera Many voices make a city Urbanisation is real; people are stepping off the bus everyday, said Riana Pretorius, director for informal settlements and backyarders for the City of Cape Town. Currently, the Western Cape has about 530,000 people on its waiting list for state-subsidised houses, with Cape Town alone accounting for 320,000 of the applicants. Collecting accurate data is crucial if these people are to get houses.Pretorius supervises a team of 300 and has an annual budget of R200m.Seated next to Pretorius, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with Hard Data, Rich Stories, was Rose Molokoane, coordinator of the South African Federation of the Urban Poor (FEDUP) and committee member of Shack/Slum Dwellers International (SDI). Using data-collection methods provided by SDI as part of its global Know Your City campaign, SDI-affiliated housing activists in Cape Town have identified 106 informal settlements in need of upgrading.Our partnership is beginning to bear fruit, said Molokoane. Activists, some of whom were seated in the audience, had shared know-how on reblocking and geo-tagged data with city officials. But, said Molokoane, There are so many people still waiting for a house.South Africa may have one of the most ambitious housing programmes in the world, as Robert Buckley, senior fellow in international affairs at The New School, New York, remarked, but it isnt working in its current form.Molokoane detailed how the system of offering poorly constructed RDP houses is rife with abuse. She favoured a system of grant money to build houses (up to R200,000).Saskia Greyling, a housing policy researcher at UCT, explained the difficulties of obtaining a home through Cape Towns housing database. Any South African over the age of 18 living in Cape Town and earning less than R3,500 per month can apply for housing assistance or accommodation. Residents place so much faith in waiting, without a sense of the [workings of the] database, said Greyling.The deficiencies of housing policy and implementation in South Africa are well known, but how does it measure against the experience of Nigerias urban poor?In his keynote speech, Nigerian-born filmmaker and social activist Michael Uwemedimo showed startling footage from 2009 of the demolition of homes and businesses of 19,000 people that had been built on reclaimed land in Port Harcourt. It is a militarised form of development, or unmaking of the city, said Uwemedimo.Lateef Sholebo, a city planner with the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency (LASURA), expressed shock at Uwemedimos short documentary. The general purpose of any government is the welfare of its people, said Sholebo. He said rapid urbanisation and overcrowding had prompted the Nigerian state to establish LASURA to eradicate slums.One of our basic responsibilities is to collect data and plan properly, said Sholebo. How do you collect data where there is such massive distrust? There have been incidents where government officials have been killed.Such conflict prompted LASURA to partner with SDI so that it could build a reliable database. The evictions however continue.While data is the hard currency of city planners, citizens are motivated by outcomes-driven action. We need to have implementable projects that are sustainable, said Molokoane.Molokoane, who in 2016 was elected chair of UN Habitats World Urban Campaign, an advocacy and partnership platform, noted that all 500 delegates spoke the same language.She invited delegates to leave behind their roles as people with university degrees and personally engage those living in precarious circumstances. Come as yourself, so you can understand how people do things and help them formalise it, said Molokoane. Yes, we have a messy process, which is why we need you.Her pragmatism was shared by many of the guest speakers, including Uwemedimo and Tijuana-based artist and activist Raul Cardenas Osuna, who has long emphasised the need to meet critique with proposal.Uwemedimo has a supervisory role in Chicoco Radio, a radio station designed by architect Kunle Adeyemi and run by the inhabitants of Port Harcourt.Many voices make a city, said Uwemedimo. TOKYO - A hacking theft that netted $530 million, a ban on Facebook advertising, regulation even in Russia and more wild price swings: despite another stomach-churning week for cryptocurrencies, analysts say they are here to stay. While headline-grabbing hacks like that suffered by Japan's Coincheck are likely to attract the attention of regulators, experts say the "Teflon" crypto boom is now part of the economic landscape.Cryptocurrencies have "been down numerous times, but always able to get off the canvas," Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trading at OANDA, toldVirtual currencies have certainly taken some hefty blows recently.In the dead of night, hackers stole $530 million in Japanese virtual currency from Coincheck, sending prices plunging and underlining the vulnerability, and volatility, of cryptocurrencies.The January 26 hack appears to be the largest cryptocurrency theft ever, exceeding even the $480 million stolen in 2014 from another Japanese virtual currency exchange, MtGox.In the wake of the MtGox theft, Japan's government introduced regulations requiring exchanges to obtain a government-issued licence.And the news from Coincheck again piqued regulators' interest, with Finance Minister Taro Aso admitting this week that the government "needs to strengthen our supervision."Coincheck "did not store the important things separately. I think they lacked fundamental knowledge or common sense," he said.Regulators have already clamped down in South Korea and China and even in Russia, where a draft law was drawn up last week aimed at controlling the production and creation of virtual money.On Thursday India's Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government did not consider cryptocurrencies legal tender and would "take all measures to eliminate" their use as part of a payment system and in funding illegitimate activities.Innes said such regulatory oversight was long overdue, as the current framework was "far too lax given investors' vulnerabilities from both market volatility and cybercriminals.""In general, the regulatory framework in Asia was terrible, which offered criminals mouth-watering targets," he added.Crypto regulation was also on the minds of the global elite at this year's World Economic Forum, with British finance minister Philip Hammond urging governments to be "cautious.""Possibly we do need to look at the way we regulate this environment before the amount of outstanding bitcoin becomes large enough to be systemically important in the global economy," he told Bloomberg TV.Tech giant Facebook then got in on the act, banning all ads related to cryptocurrencies in an effort to fight scams.All this has taken its toll on the value of bitcoin -- the best-known virtual currency -- which soared to nearly $20,000 before dropping back to less than half that value with wild daily swings.But despite the negative publicity and the growing attention of regulators, enthusiasm for cryptocurrencies does not appear to be waning.BitFlyer, Japan's main bitcoin exchange, told AFP it had actually seen increased interest after the Coincheck hack was revealed."Many people got interested in cryptocurrencies. On our platform, the number of new account applications increased," bitFlyer CFO Midori Kanemitsu said.And Innes said virtual currency had "a sort of Teflon persona."He said he expected to see dips down to around $6,000 "before the market irons out.""Given recent trading patterns, I suspect $10,000-$15,000 will be the sweet spot, and as more traditional market makers enter the fray... volatility will decrease."Industry professionals say there is no stopping the technology behind virtual currencies and while some cryptocurrencies may disappear, others will likely pop up in their place."All kinds of new ideas are emerging," said lawyer Ken Kawai, an expert in financial regulation and the blockchain technology behind cryptocurrencies."Hacks occur. People who choose to use this technology must be aware of the danger associated with it," he told. "I expect to see users becoming more selective when choosing exchanges."To ensure client safety and improved use of the technology, virtual currency exchanges should face strict regulations like banks and brokerages, he suggested.Banks and e-commerce firms could use the most stable cryptocurrencies among themselves, while others could be traded as alternative assets, Kawai said.With investor interest apparently insatiable, regulators are likely to introduce a range of tighter checks, including requiring exchanges to verify the identity of their clients.They could also impose outside cyber audits to protect against the kind of security loopholes that appear to have led to the Coincheck theft.Cryptocurrency trading is also likely to come under the scrutiny of tax authorities, potentially cooling investor appetite if particularly steep new tariffs are rolled out, analysts say.Kanemitsu said bitFlyer would welcome "good and reasonable regulation" as "an opportunity."Hikaru Kusaka, co-founder of blockhive, an innovation incubator, said consumers will eventually weed out the weak virtual currencies and only the best will survive."To put it dramatically, maybe not all the cryptocurrencies will disappear, but new ones will emerge, and there will be a process of picking and choosing," said Kusaka. Property company Resilient says it will meet shareholders to allay concerns about its share price, which has been under pressure in recent weeks. Wavebreak Media Ltd 123RF.com "[This will] provide them with an opportunity to field any concerns that may explain the current weakness in the share price," the group said on JSE share network service SENS."Some institutional shareholders have suggested that the Siyakha Education Trusts, broad-based educational empowerment initiatives established some years ago by Resilient, become more public regarding their operations and affairs. The board has requested the trustees to respond openly to this interest," Resilient said.The company also noted criticism about cross-holdings between Resilient and listed logistics and retail group Fortress, in that Resilient owns 15.92% of the B shares issued by Fortress, and Fortress owns 9.32% of Resilient."Fortress was established by Resilient several years ago as a strategic initiative and remains an attractive investment. Like all strategies, however, this is regularly re-evaluated by Resilient. Resilient is very comfortable with its investments in Nepi Rockcastle and Greenbay Properties. Neither of these companies holds shares in Resilient," the group said.Resilient said it had not been presented with any complaints or allegations of wrongdoing."There were rumours in the market that Resilient would be the subject of a Viceroy Research report. When this proved to be unfounded, rumours emerged of the imminent release of a report apparently intended to substantiate the views of short-sellers of Resilient shares," the company said."The company has not been approached for comment regarding any report or the like. The board will consider and respond fully and appropriately to any complaint or allegation concerning the company based on facts and provided that it is not made anonymously," it said.The fall in Resilient's share price and its associates' share prices has placed pressure on the listed property sector.Paul Stewart, head of fund management at Bridge Fund Managers, said investors needed to be aware that companies not within the Resilient stable had not suffered the same share price falls."The South African Listed Property Index (Sapy) was down 13.8% year to date at Thursday's close, but this fall must be contextualised. The losses can be largely attributed to the Resilient group making up 13.5% of the 13.8% Sapy decline," he said."A few other Sapy stocks with predominant offshore exposure like MAS Real Estate, Sirius Real Estate and Echo Polska Properties, have also been trading lower. The offshore property names are under pressure this month as we are seeing global yields move higher, that is the US and Europe, and the rand continues to appreciate," he said."Added to deteriorating global conditions for real estate, there are plenty of rumours circulating around the market that the Resilient group: Resilient, Fortress, Nepi Rockcastle and Greenbay Properties, can no longer sustain or deserve their premium valuations. As a result, we are seeing their massive premiums to net asset value, which these stocks have enjoyed for several years, begin to unwind," Stewart said."It should be noted that this group of stocks are widely held by South African fund managers as a proxy for the South African property market, and there is growing concern that if these South African fund managers start to experience redemptions from their clients, more selling pressure will be heaped onto these shares.""It is interesting to note that the prices of other SA property heavy weights like Growthpoint and Redefine have remained relatively stable. There are also several property stocks and funds that have avoided these recent losses and are in positive territory for the year to date and for today. The Nedgroup Investments Property Fund is actually up 0.38% year to date, outperforming the index by over 14%," Stewart said. The Reserve Bank has imposed administrative sanctions on the China Construction Bank (CCB) Corporation, Johannesburg branch, for non-compliance with the Financial Intelligence Centre Act. identifying and verifying customers details (better known as know-your-customer or KYC requirements) in terms of section 21 of the FIC Act; failure to comply with record keeping requirements in terms of section 22 of the FIC Act; failure to comply with cash threshold reporting requirements in terms of section 28 of the FIC Act; failure to formulate and implement adequate processes and working methods to detect and report property associated with terrorist and related activities in terms of section 28A of the FIC Act. failure to comply with suspicious and unusual transaction reporting requirements in terms of section 29 of the FIC Act. The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has imposed administrative sanctions on China Construction Bank Corporation, Johannesburg Branch (CCB), for non-compliance with the Financial Intelligence Centre Act 38 of 2001, as amended (FIC Act) and has directed CCB to take remedial action, said the central bank on Friday.The Reserve Bank conducted an inspection in terms of the FIC Act and found weaknesses in the China Construction Banks anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism control measures.The FIC Act mandates the central bank to ensure that banks have adequate controls in place to combat acts of money laundering and the financing of terrorism.Flowing from these responsibilities, the SARB inspects banks to assess whether they have appropriate measures in place as required by the FIC Act. It should be noted that the administrative sanctions were not imposed because CCB was found to have facilitated transactions involving money laundering or the financing of terrorism but because of weaknesses in the banks control measures, said the Reserve Bank.The administrative sanctions imposed on CCB are:A financial penalty of R75 million and a directive to take remedial action in the following areas:However, R20 million of the financial penalty is suspended, in terms of section 45C(4)(c) of the FIC Act, for a period of three years from 28 November 2017, subject to CCB adhering to certain conditions imposed by the SARB.CCB is cooperating with the SARB and has taken measures to address the identified compliance deficiencies and control weaknesses, said the Reserve Bank. East African countries are leading in implementing Africa's agricultural transformation policies. According to a report on the Malabo declaration, Southern Africa comes second. The declaration is a set of agricultural goals that Heads of State attending the African Union Summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea in June 2014 adopted, to be attained by 2025. The Africa Agricultural Transformation Scorecard tracks progress in commitments made by governments.East Africa managed an average score of 4.20, which indicates it is on track to meet its commitments when assessed against the 3.94 benchmark for 2017, with five out of the eight regional countries that submitted their progress to the AU, managing the minimum 3.92 score.Rwanda was ranked the best agriculturally transformed country in Africa with a score of 6.1, thanks to political and institutional reforms. Burundi scored 4.7, Ethiopia 5.3, Kenya 4.8 and Uganda 4.5, to cement the region's 4.2 score ahead of the Southern Africa region which scored 4.02, and Northern, Central and Western Africa which scored 3.83, 3.62 and 2.35 respectively.Speaking at the launch of the scorecard, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn asked the seven countries that did not submit their reports to do so in the next review in 2020. Thousands of university students are getting ready to tackle the 2018 academic year as public universities open their doors for learning. 191,000 students eligible for NSFAS grant Use CACH to get a place at varsity This year, universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges will see an increase in the number of first-year students following the free education announcement by President Jacob Zuma for poor and working class South African undergraduate students.Starting this year, qualifying students in their first year of study at public universities and TVET colleges will benefit from fully subsidised free higher education and training.Making the announcement in December 2017, President Zuma said free education for students from homes with a combined annual income of up to R350,000 - will be introduced in a phased-in approach over a period of five years.He said that the policy intervention will enable government to extend fully subsidised free higher education to youth from well over 90% of South African households.From 2018 onwards, eligible South African children of the unemployed, social grant recipients, South Africans earning below the minimum wage, domestic workers, farm workers, mine workers and entry level civil servants such as teachers, nurses, policemen, municipal workers, security guards, refuse collectors and informal traders, amongst others, will now access public universities and TVET colleges for free through grants provided by government, President Zuma said in a statement issued at the time.The President also announced that there will be no tuition fee increment for students from households earning up to R600,000 a year during the 2018 academic year.National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) packages already allocated to existing NSFAS students in their further years of study will be converted from loans to 100% grants, effective immediately.During a recent meeting, where Higher Education and Training Minister Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize hosted education stakeholders, NSFAS CEO Steven Zwane announced that about 191,000 students are eligible for the NSFAS grant in the category of diplomas and certificates to be done via TVET colleges.At the meeting, Zwane also assured Minister Mkhize that 80,000 university students would be funded, and 250,000 TVET students would be funded.Meanwhile, the Department of Higher Education and Training has urged Grade 12 learners, who passed matric in 2017 but have not yet secured a place at a university or college, to use the Central Applications Clearing House (CACH) system.CACH is the departments online application portal designed for Grade 12 students, who are seeking admission to post-school education and training (PSET).The service assists prospecting students by sharing their matric results with public and private further and higher education institutions across the country, including TVET colleges, universities, Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and registered private higher institutions.The service opened on 5 January 2018 and will close on 28 February 2018.CACH also provides a portal for school leavers and other prospective students, who may not have completed their schooling, to access career information, advice and development services.Matriculants can access CACHs easy-to-use website at cach.dhet.gov.za or call the toll-free number 0800 356 635 or send a SMS with their name and ID to 49200 or to find CACH on Facebook For students who remain unclear about which career to follow, CACH provides advice and information through the departments Khetha Career Development Service website at www.careerhelp.org.za Potential tourists who are considering visiting Cape Town are concerned that they would worsen the water crisis, a sentiment echoed by some citizens. International press coverage of the drought, and on the prospects of "Day Zero", has caused anxiety amongst foreign travellers. We have received concerned calls from the tourism trade as travellers question whether they should visit Cape Town now, and even book for it in the future. This is why: Visitors add enormous value to the province Not visiting Cape Town and the Western Cape would only make the challenging situation worse. To keep our economy growing and create jobs during the drought, we need tourism now more than ever. During peak season, international tourists only add 1% to the population of the entire Western Cape province on average. These tourists on average only spend a few days in Cape Town, and then travel to other parts of the province, and then up north to attractions such as the Kruger National Park. Many hotel establishments are taking the lead in drastically reducing water consumption. The tourism industry has led the way in reducing the consumption of water by tourists, ensuring that each tourist saves like a local. Tsogo Sun, the largest hotel group in the Cape, has cut their consumption of water by 40%. Despite this extremely small addition to the population size, tourism supported 206,000 direct jobs, 55,763 indirect jobs and 56,243 induced jobs. Therefore in total, tourism supports over 300,000 jobs across the Western Cape. As a result of these visitors, R38bn was added to our economy in 2017. If one calculates foreign direct spend by visitors, visitors spent R9.9bn in the Western Cape in the first half of 2017 alone. This was an 8.8% growth. Tourism is a major sector of our provincial economy, and it is growing faster than any other sector in the country even during periods of recession. Tourism stimulates growth in small towns and rural areas in the Western Cape. According to research conducted by Wesgro, 30 of 36 local tourism offices interviewed outside of Cape Town, registered an increase in tourist arrivals in December 2017. There are areas in the Western Cape where the impact of the drought is not as severe, and where tourism is desperately needed for economic growth and job creation. The drought has had a devastating impact on the agricultural sector since last year. Thousands of jobs have already been lost. Tourism can assist in shouldering this impact, especially in the smaller towns. If we encourage tourism during this time and highlight the many attractions that exist in our beautiful province, we can continue to stimulate growth in the Cape. Events, which attract visitors to Cape Town and many places across the Western Cape, add to this economic benefit. The Cape Town Cycle Tour, for example, contributes half a billion rands to the Cape economy. If events like these become water-neutral, as the Cycle Tour has, they can continue to provide a positive benefit. In the past financial year (2016/2017), Wesgro supported over 30 regional events outside of Cape Town. This resulted in 150,000 additional visitors to these regions, and the creation of 1,600 temporary jobs. During this same year, the 33 bids won by the Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau for conferences, meetings, incentives and exhibitions will have an economic benefit of nearly R500m. The knock-on effect would be felt across South Africa. Cape Town, and its surrounding areas, is the crown jewel in the overall South African tourism offer, and if it falls off the travel list, South Africa may fall off the consideration list too. Visitors might start in Cape Town, but many travel to the other beautiful attractions that our country has on offer.Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunities, Alan Winde said: Weve worked hard to build our tourism destination into the award-winning sector it is today: Cape Town has won the Telegraph Best City award for five consecutive years and is routinely voted as a top tourist destination in other readers choice polls. Our airport is the best in Africa. These polls are voted for by our visitors and reflect the excellent experiences they have had here. We work tirelessly to uphold this reputation and ensure that all visitors to our shores are able to leave with only positive stories to recount. We urge visitors to make sure Cape Town is on their immediate bucket list but to use water responsibly while they are visiting us. Saving water in Cape Town means saving jobs in Cape Town.Wesgro CEO, Tim Harris said: The numbers are clear. Visitors add an enormous value to our province, even when they make up a tiny proportion of the population. They sustain livelihoods, and they stimulate growth even during challenging economic times. We are fortunate enough to live in arguably the most beautiful region on earth, and we must emphasise this now more than ever. We urge residents to welcome tourists during this time so that they can help our economy grow. And we want to let visitors know that you are most welcome, but when you visit, be mindful of the drought and help us save water. If we work together in this way, we can avoid Day Zero, maintain our economy, and continue to support and create jobs across the Cape and South Africa. Why travel to Keukenhof if you can see millions of blooms along the West Coast? Why visit an artist's retreat in the south of France, if you can channel your inner Van Gogh in Clarens? Why sample the vintages of the Yarra Valley near Melbourne if you can pop the cork on the Cape Winelands? Sharmila Ragunanan, Group Marketing Manager, Dream Hotels and Resorts SA still not enjoying a culture of travel Time to think outside the box At the risk of saying anything you can do, we can do better, South Africa and its diverse experiences seem to be enough of an attraction for hundreds of thousands of overseas visitors who flock to the country annually. Ironically, the same cannot be said for locals, with South African Tourism reporting a steady decline in domestic travel since 2015.According to SA Tourism, domestic holidays have declined by almost a million trips since 2009. This is troubling when one considers that the worlds most successful tourism destinations have a strong domestic tourism market and culture of travel.Weve seen initiatives by South African Tourism and the National Department of Tourism to try and stimulate domestic travel including the Shot Left campaign, Good Times in a Box and I Do Tourism, which is a national campaign that seeks to remind South Africans of the role they can play in tourism.But what is driving the decline? And when we measure domestic tourism, what kind of travel are we looking at? Visiting friends and relatives, which accounts for over 70% of our domestic tourism, may have a positive impact on a hyper-local economy, but that benefit does not necessarily filter down to travel stakeholders, such as hotels, tour operators and travel agents, which are engaged with promoting and facilitating local travel, and creating jobs.Considering the weak rand and troubling economic environment, it is ironic that domestic tourism has declined. If anything, an opportunity should have existed for travel companies to promote local travel as a value-for-money option.Instead, it appears that the lower spend travellers have stopped travelling altogether and the higher spend travellers, who can afford to travel overseas, have simply changed their travel behaviour, selecting destinations abroad that are more affordable, spending less time overseas or taking an international trip once every two years instead of annually.Why is the latter not as attracted by local options as their international counterparts? Why does South Africa still not enjoy a culture or travel? And what can we do as the travel industry to encourage South Africans to consume tourism products accommodation, tourist attractions and experiences instead of the tried and tested staying with their family and enjoying a dop and chop on the odd evening.I believe the secret lies in being more flexible with what we offer. If we look at how disruptors like Airbnb and Uber have opened up a new market for travelling consumers, it will require a departure from how we normally operate.We see self-catering being a very popular option for South African travellers, so how do we encourage travellers who would normally have stayed with friends and family to opt for hotels, guest houses and B&Bs?This is especially since tourism is a labour-intensive industry and each traveller creates at least seven jobs, not to mention encourages small business growth. With over 5.5 million South Africans in the pool who can be encouraged to explore the country, according to SA Tourism, thats a lot of jobs.It is my firm belief that taking a family holiday is a right, not a privilege. So, its up to us as tourism industry stakeholders to make domestic travel seem less intimidating and easier to access with such initiatives as family deals, self-catering products, packaging experiences and products together, and loyalty programmes that encourage more regular travel.Let 2018 be the year that we think out of the box to stimulate the domestic travel scene so that the students we are training in our Dream Hotel School and other tourism graduates have a bright future to look forward to and can support their families. Johannes Torpe announced as speaker at Design Indaba 2018 Danish designer and CEO and creative director of the design company, Johannes Torpe Studios has been announced as one of the speakers at this year's Design Indaba Conference 2018. Image supplied by Johannes Torpe. At age twelve, Torpe left home and started working in a drum store in Copenhagen. In an As if that wasnt impressive enough, Thorpe sold his company at age 21 to move on to better and bigger things. Now owning his own studio, Johannes Torpe Studios, situated in Copenhagen, Denmark and known as the former creative director of legendary brand, Bang & Olufsen, Thorpe has established himself in the industry as a design activist, as he calls himself, dedicated to telling compelling and authentic stories through creativity by using a unique and unorthodox approach. I caught up with Torpe and asked him about his upcoming talk at this years Design Indaba, what hes looking forward to and what inspires him most. What are you most excited about for this year's Design Indaba? What are you most excited about for this year's Design Indaba? At age twelve, Torpe left home and started working in a drum store in Copenhagen. In an interview with Mind Mag Torpe says because he played the drums, it was the most natural thing for him to do. While he was a musician, he also became interested in lighting design and started his own lighting design company when he was only 17 years old.As if that wasnt impressive enough, Thorpe sold his company at age 21 to move on to better and bigger things. Now owning his own studio, Johannes Torpe Studios, situated in Copenhagen, Denmark and known as the former creative director of legendary brand, Bang & Olufsen, Thorpe has established himself in the industry as a design activist, as he calls himself, dedicated to telling compelling and authentic stories through creativity by using a unique and unorthodox approach.I caught up with Torpe and asked him about his upcoming talk at this years Design Indaba, what hes looking forward to and what inspires him most. Please tell us more about your talk and what you will be discussing? Please tell us more about your talk and what you will be discussing? What do you love most about the design industry? What do you love most about the design industry? What/who inspires you? What/who inspires you? What are the top design trends you can predict for 2018? What are the top design trends you can predict for 2018? Juanita Pienaar's articles About Juanita Pienaar Juanita is the editor of the marketing & media portal on the Bizcommunity website. She is also a contributing writer. Juanita is the editor of the marketing & media portal on the Bizcommunity website. She is also a contributing writer. I am super excited about the diversity of the program. It is an amazing collection of brains brought together for a festival of inspiration. Many of the people I admire most are performing or speaking at the festival, so it is a great honour for me to have been invited to participate this year.Well, in short, I will be discussing the conditions we set for creativity and how we set them free. It is my experience that to deliver a great performance, you have to give something of yourself to the audience, so I will do my very best to tell a personal story that I am quite confident will leave the audience both entertained and inspired.Design is how we humans organise creativity it is about creating order and structure and systems. And this is why I love Design Indaba; because it's not limited to be focused on the design itself, it's just as much about creativity as a source that runs with designers, architects, musicians, filmmakers, scientists, and artists anything and anyone really, with something at heart, can be part of the program. This is unique and super inspiring to me. And that is why it is so important for people from the design industry to come to South Africa and set their minds free.Most of all its people. Meeting new people, engaging in meaningful conversations and getting other peoples perspectives is a constant source of inspiration. And also, another reason for why I cannot wait to spend a week at Indaba!Trends have never and will never be interesting to me, so I honestly don't know. But on a personal level, I will try to have as much fun as possible in 2018, that's a great prediction, isn't it?Click here for Bizcommunity's special section on the Design Indaba and here for more information on the Design Indaba website. "The Wound was born out of a desire to push back against cliched stereotypes of black masculinity perpetuated inside and outside of African cinema," says writer-director John Trengrove, whose critically acclaimed drama explores tradition and sexuality and is set amid the Xhosa rites of passage into manhood. Entering the traditionalist world John Trengrove talks about The Wound: What drew you to the subject matter? What was the process of writing The Wound? How do you navigate the politics of being a white filmmaker, depicting marginal characters with realities different than your own? Given the controversy of the ritual in South Africa, how do you think it will be received? How did you come to work with Thando Mgqolozana? Can you describe your process on set? On working with Nakhane Toure Can you speak about your collaboration with Urucu Media? Directed from a screenplay by Trengrove, Thando Mgqolozana and Malusi Bengu, The Wound made its debut at the 2017s Sundance Film Festival, before opening the Berlin film festivals Panorama section; and is a ripe-for-controversy exploration of sexuality, more specifically, same-sex desire within the context of initiation schools.In the film, Xolani, a lonely factory worker, joins the men of his community in the mountains of the Eastern Cape to initiate a group of teenage boys into manhood. When a defiant initiate from the city discovers his best kept secret, Xolanis entire existence begins to unravel.Trengove is a Johannesburg based writer/director with an MFA in film from New York University. One of the Mail & Guardians 200 Young South Africans, his career spans theatre, television, documentary, commercials and short film, and makes his feature film directorial debut with The Wound.As a white man, representing marginalised black realities that are not my own, the situation is of course complicated. Even highly problematic, says Trengrove in his directors note.It was important to me that the story mirrors this problem. The character of Kwanda is an outsider to the traditional world; he expresses many of my own ideas about human rights and individual freedom. Hes also the problem. His preconceptions create jeopardy and crisis for others who have much more to lose than him. This was my way of saying, I dont have the answers and my own values dont necessarily apply here.A film such as this cannot hope to provide solutions for the crisis faced by millions of queer people on the African continent and around the world. What it can do, however, is present the crisis for what it is a deep and ever widening chasm. In writing The Wound, inspiration came, unexpectedly, from Robert Mugabe.Statements that he and other African leaders have made since the early 90s imply that homosexuality is a symptom of Western decadence that threatens traditional culture. And so, we thought okay, lets use that idea. Lets imagine gayness as a kind of virus that penetrates and threatens a patriarchal organism, and lets see how that organism responds to being penetrated.I was interested in what happens when groups of men come together and organise themselves outside of society and the codes of their everyday lives. I wanted to show the intense emotional and physical exchanges that are possible in these spaces and how repressing strong feelings leads to a kind of toxicity and violence. As an outsider to this culture, it was important that I approach this story from the perspective of characters who are themselves outsiders, who struggle to conform to the status quo that they are a part of.We started with a lot of research, with time spent in the Eastern Cape, which is where the ritual is mostly practiced.We listened to many testimonials and conversations with Xhosa men who had been through the ritual. Gay men, straight men, some urbanised and affluent, others from remote rural areas. These stories sparked our earliest ideas about the narrative. Researching the ritual brought up conflicting feelings in me.You hear stories about how it can be a breeding ground for homophobic and hyper-masculine behaviour. At the same time, I got to see first-hand the transformative effect it had on some men who went through it. In a world that is under-fathered, there is something profound about a ritual that shows a young boy his place in the world of men.As much as possible, I tried to disrupt my own preconceptions. Like most middle-class audiences who watch the film, it would be easy for me to look at Xolani and say, here is a gay character who is repressed and deserves to be emancipated from his oppressive community and express himself as an individual.I resisted those kinds of resolutions for his character and tried instead to present his problem for what it is; which is big and difficult, without clear answers. The character of Kwanda comes closest to expressing those values, but hes also the problem. His preconceptions create jeopardy and crisis for others who have much more to lose than him. This was my way of saying, I dont have the answers and my own values dont necessarily apply here.Ukwaluka is a taboo ritual, and representing it in the way we have is contentious. We knew from the start that wed spark strong reactions from traditionalists; but there was also a lot of encouragement from a younger Xhosa generation who seems eager to break the silence around the initiation which is seen to perpetuate some of the dangers associated with it.Its a vast and very nuanced practice and there remains a lot to be said about the ritual that is not my place to talk about things that need to be said from within the culture. Hopefully, The Wound could spark some of that. Maybe a gay Xhosa kid will look at it one day and go, actually, that wasnt my experience at all, and be inspired to write his own story.I approached Thando when I read his first novel A Man Who Is Not a Man, which deals with the initiation.Meeting him was a turning point because he clearly got what I was trying to do. I dont think he was necessarily interested in working on a project about the initiation again, but he responded strongly to the idea of depicting alternative African masculinities. Thando wrote his own version of the treatment, filtering my ideas through his own experiences and opening up narrative possibilities within the frame of the ritual. We also collaborated on a short film, The Goat, based on a chapter from his novel.We had a few rules that were there to help us stay connected to the truth. All the roles, including speaking extras, had to be first language Xhosa men who had their own first-hand experience of the ritual.The only exception to this was Niza Jay Ncoyini, who plays Kwanda, which made sense because his character challenges and defies the ritual. The larger community of Xhosa men and elders in the film are all non-actors. We asked them to perform the different aspects of the ritual as they would do it, and to react to the rehearsed scenarios in any way they felt was right. If they didnt approve of a characters behaviour, they would say so during takes.Sometimes we wouldnt call cut and scenes would just carry on and wed be rolling as these men were offering up the most incredible material, completely unscripted. Bongile Mantsai, who played Vija is a very experienced theatre actor, was particularly good at encouraging this free flow interaction with the group. It was very exciting to watch and it really kept us on our toes. We shot the group scenes chronologically, in the order that they would happen in the ritual.I met Nakhane about two years ago and I was instantly a fan. I secretly started writing the lead character for him after our first meeting. Even though he didnt have any professional acting experience, I had a feeling that he would be hypnotic on camera.Nakhane is a fearless and multifaceted artist in his own right and understands intrinsically that you have to put yourself outside your comfort zone to do interesting work. He does this instinctively without blocking or resisting and allows himself to be very vulnerable and honest in front of the camera. Its very rare to work with an actor like that.Until recently there was a shortage of South African film producers willing to take risks on non-formulaic projects. When I joined forces with Elias Ribeiro at Urucu Media, the first thing we decided was that this is exactly the niche the company would occupy.We wanted to create a space for films like The Wound, to encourage original voices in local cinema that could hopefully also reach an international audience. People thought we were crazy when we started developing this film, but Eliass incredible optimism and ability to embrace less conventional ways of financing, particularly international co-production, meant that it finally got made.Today, we are seeing more daring films coming out of South Africa, and I like to think Urucu has been a significant part of that shift. The volume of cement PPC sold in the nine months to end-December fell about 2% - half the overall South African cement industry's 4% decline, the group said in an operating update on Friday, 2 January. "The lack of large infrastructure projects continues to hamper cement volume growth in SA," interim CEO Johan Claassen said in the statement.The operating update did not give revenue or earnings forecasts, but PPC said it managed to raise its average price of cement about 2%.PPC estimated the volume of cement imported into SA increased 23%. Lower cement demand in SA was offset by rising demand in other African countries. Its Rwandan operation sold between 20% and 30% more cement during the nine-month period."PPC Zimbabwe continues to exceed expectations, with sales volumes growing by 30-40% compared to last year, supported by the retail segment. Pricing, in US dollars, has marginally exceeded that of the prior year," Claassen said.Highlights of the period included the two-year capital repayment moratorium that PPC negotiated with financiers of its 69%-owned Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) unit Barnet."We are in the advanced stages of negotiating terms around the refinancing and restructuring of the South African debt maturing in June. We envisage this to be concluded by March," Claassen said."In the DRC, monthly sales have tracked progressively better since September. While the trading environment has remained competitive, with muted growth we have succeeded in increasing our market share further towards the end of the period to between 25% and 30%." Why is Cape Town experiencing a water crisis? How does one answer that without ignoring history and simplifying the facts? Should frightened citizens of Cape Town, many now scrambling to become water literate, embrace the call to 'decolonise narratives' around water governance in order to rescue their city? Such questions energised debates on the first day of an international conference on urban research at the University of Cape Town. Delegates at the African Centre for Cities International Urban Conference currently underway at the University of Cape Town. Photo: Andy Mkosi The perfect storm without rain Hosted by the African Centre for Cities (ACC), the three-day International Urban Conference ran until 3 February with over 70 panels and 16 roundtables to discuss the scale and breadth of African and southern urbanism.ACC director Edgar Pieterse invited East London-born musician Asanda Msaki Mvana to warm up the 500 conference delegates from 26 countries. Msaki gave her audience a tutorial in recent campus politics. Her strummed songs of quiet rage were accompanied by visuals registering key moments of the Fallist Movement.I think I should sing a song about the rain, said Msaki as she neared the end of her performance.Water was a recurring theme on the first day. Former director-general of water (1997-2005) and a commissioner of South Africas first National Planning Commission (2010-15) Mike Muller said, I have a problem with European perspectives brought to Africa. Africas urban population will grow by 720-million by 2050, whereas Europe will only add 36-million new urban citizens, he said. Europes green-friendly capitalist solutions do not square with Africas needs.Muller, who is visiting professor at the University of the Witwatersrands Graduate School of Governance, criticised his UCT colleagues promotion of various forms of water harvesting, some traditional, others like Sponge City in Harbin, China, at the forefront of new innovation.What we cant afford in Africa is a bunch of hobby horses introduced, said Muller. The nature-based argument is a dangerous diversion.Mullers arguments are based on the belief forcefully argued in a 2015 article for US journal that built water infrastructure will remain an integral part of socioeconomic development and moderniation. He ended his talk with a slide of the Three Gorges Dam, a hydroelectric gravity dam in China. This is the scale of change and thinking we will need for Africa.Patrick Martel, a young environmental scholar from Durban, revisited his hometowns turbulent water history, referring to key water moments rather than crises. These moments or as architect and UCT senior lecturer Tom Sanya clarified, episodic shocks in the system included the ad hoc approach to water capture by early settlers and later the technocratic takeover of water provisioning by national government.This hydro-modernist engineering approach to the supply of water (such as those suggested by Muller), Martel said, fitted well with the ambitions of the apartheid state, whose bio-politics purposefully underwrote the unequal provisioning of water. Race biased rationing endures, notwithstanding the reform and social-justice agenda of post-apartheid governance.In a panel focusing on water-smart cities, Kirsty Carden, a civil engineer and researcher with UCTs Future Water Institute, argued the case for a hybrid approach to water supply. We cant rely on one single source of water, said Carden. Cape Town has been caught out by that, relying only on water from dams.She rejected Mullers scepticism about harnessing nature as a buffer to the risks and hazards of single sources like dams. We need both engineering and bio-solutions, she said.The technology is there, said Carden. We have pilot plants for desalination, which we developed. The principle obstacle is financing.Neil Armitage, a civil engineer who heads UCTs Urban Water Management research unit, chimed in: The issue is one of timing. We hit the perfect storm without rain. What appeared at the time to be an extremely clever decision to defer capital expenditure, because there was no need, because the security of water supply looked adequate until 2023 was met by a one-in-a-thousand-years drought.Our risk analysis has not worked, he said. Basing all our decisions on historical rainfall or data is dangerous. We have to change the paradigm and move to a more resilient city with multiple water sources and built in redundancies.No one cares about water until its not there, said Armitage.GroundUp asked Armitage and Carden if the Three Gorges Dam was a viable model for a water-smart city? Our question was met with silence, then much laughter. Armitage described the project as an old-fashioned, supply-driven approach to water supply, albeit one that offered a quick fix for Chinas rapid growth. I think they are going to have major headaches in the time to come. But China is already into the next wave of solutions, which they call ecological urbanism.The water crisis has alerted a privileged minority in Cape Town to an enduring fact beyond the city and South Africa. It is the urban majority that experience vulnerability, said Bangalore-based researcher Gautam Bhan in his keynote address.Conference delegates were given a mild taste of this precariousness; delegate packs included a tin canister for water. It was empty. Topics for inclusion, equality and diversity in the media sphere itself remained under the media spotlight this week as social media netizens celebrated Cosmopolitan South Africa's decision to place Laverne Cox on the cover, with their logo suitably rainbow-hued to show support of the LGBTQI+ community. Cox of the February 2018 cover of Cosmo SA - now trending everywhere! The current @CosmopolitanSA issue is my fave and I love Laverne Cox. Pls call me out if I'm wrong. I just feel like Cosmo could've featured and asked SA Trans Womxn to be the cover. Pls check out the @_BraveBeauties @MuholiProjects. #TransIsBeautiful #RepresentationMatters Bronwen with an 'E' (@bitxhqueenbee) January 29, 2018 Cosmo US hasn't featured Laverne Cox? In her own home country? They need to get over the white-beauty obsession! https://t.co/SUrwxrO4OK Hiraku (@_Hiraku_) January 22, 2018 Trans-forming traditional definitions of love I'm hoping this amazing new issue of @CosmopolitanSA signals a turning point for magazines, especially here. Inclusivity and understanding should always be in season POST MALUME (@iamDasKapital) January 22, 2018 The 45-year old activist, Emmy-winning producer andactress made history as the first transgender woman ever to appear on acover and for theedition of, no less!Of course some had misgivings over using an international star instead of a South African one (though there's plenty of SA-based content between the covers), and also overUS missing the boat on this, but the response has been overwhelmingly supportive. Hollywood Reporter adds that Beverly Johnson became the first black woman to appear on the cover of USin February 1976 42 years ago this month. Cosmopolitan adds that Johnson was the first black model to appear on the cover oftwo years prior. Cox thanked Johnson on Instagram for paving the way for all of the black women who have followed you over the years oncovers." Mashable reports that the issue also includes the voice of 19-year-old SA trans model and activist Princess of Darkness Elle van der Burg, who identifies as pansexual and explains that trans rights aren't adequately taken into consideration in regards to legal, structural and social development in South Africa.So while its legal to be openly transgender here, thanks to South Africa's 'new' constitution, which made discrimination based on sexual orientation illegal in 1996, followed a decade later by becoming the first African nation to legalise same-sex marriage and the fifth country in the world to do so, change takes time and theres still discrimination and misunderstanding and lack of education out there, especially in terms of the difference between gender and sexuality.Van der Burg explains this in her behind-the-scenes beauty Q&A for the magazine shoot:Thats why Channel24 celebrates this move, stating: Along with making history,s #SayYesToLove edition is also celebrating Valentines Day by embracing queer, gay, lesbian, non-binary, trans, and non-conforming love. Paper quotes's editor-in-chief Holly Meadows on describing Cox as follows: "[Shes] the world's most vocal trans poster girl and an activist for the intersection of race, class and gender identities, challenging toxic masculinity, white supremacy and the misrepresentation of trans people." The Daily Beast explains Meadows decided to focus the Valentines issue on the LGBTQI+ community in particular by looking at love in 2018including acceptance of self, others, and non-binary relationships.Watch the#SayYesToLove campaign video below:It gives new meaning to the magazines tagline of fun, fearless female, especially as its a gorgeous, groundbreaking first in terms of race, age, sexual orientation and gender identity.Viva equality! Botswana Peoples Party (BPP) suspended Chairperson Richard Gudu and additional member Peter Kuchwe will place their hopes on the party constitution in tomorrows disciplinary hearing. The two men were suspended for attending an Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) press conference claiming to represent the party. The section of the party constitution states that a member should be brought before a disciplinary hearing within 45 days. A source said Gudu who is a long serving member of the party will argue that the disciplinary board violated the constitution by delaying the hearing whose 45 days elapsed on the 8th of January 2018. BPP secretary general Venper Galetshabiwe accused some party members for fuelling seeds of discord ahead of the disciplinary hearing. The suspension letters issued to the two should not be misinterpreted as it clearly states that the two were suspended from the party pending a disciplinary hearing which did not stipulate the number of days. He said those who misinterpret it to favour themselves will have themselves to blame. Quizzed as to whether the offence committed by the two can constitute to an expulsion, Galetshabiwe said their aim is not to expel any member from the party but to maintain order in the party.He continued that the resolutions to be taken against the two accused will be based on the allegations they are charged with including some past events they might have engaged in which can be construed as discrediting the good name of the party. When someone is charged with an offence and they quickly admit such and ask for forgiveness, then the party can be prepared to forge a way forward with such a member. On the other hand, if a member is charged but refuses to accept any blame for his or her actions, then it will be difficult for the party to work with such an individual as he would have shown that he or she does not have the interest of the movement at heart, he said. Gudu refused to comment saying he is a loyal member of the BPP who knows the constitution very well, and will only comment after the hearing. Kuchwe revealed that he will never plead guilty when he knows that he is not in the wrong irrespective of whether he will be expelled from the party or not. The Ombudsman, Augustine Makgonatsotlhe has cleared President Ian Khama of any wrong doing in a matter in which Botswana Congress Party (BCP) has alleged maladministration and abuse of Office of the President. The BCP had complained that Khama is abusing his office by using public resources to build his Mosu home. Makgonatsotlhe said in his findings that he has observed that all complaints lodged by BCP precede general elections. BCP launched the aircraft case against Khama at the time he was Vice President on the 15th of September 1999, about a month before the 1999 elections; lodged allegations of abuse of state media on or just before the 2009 general elections; and brought allegations about abuse of public office and resources by the president on the 15th of September 2014- a little over a month before the 2014 general elections, observed Ombudsman. In the current case Makgonatsotlhe revealed that when he got into office in June 2016 given the high profile nature of the case and the fact that, two years and nine months had elapsed since receipt of the complaint, it became imperative for him to assess the preliminary action and proceed with the matter. He said he focused on three main allegations - that Botswana Defence Force (BDF) resources were employed to build houses at Khamas Mosu home; public resources (BDF personnel and equipment) were employed to build an airstrip on the presidents private property, with cost to the public and finally the continued abuse of BDF resources by the president. Makgonatsotlhe stated in the report that he interviewed BCP Vice President Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang and BCP Womens League President Daisy Bathusi and government officials. He said evidence was gathered from various sources within government and a visit to Mosu was undertaken. All in all, the Ombudsman found no evidence of maladministration on the part of the President. It is my determination that the complaints lack merit and are not supported by any evidence, either provided by the complainants or discovered through the investigation hereof. They therefore stand to be dismissed. The airstrip still belongs to the president but was fenced and is maintained by Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB) at a cost to the nation. This is consistent with the past practice of providing safe landing facilities to the sitting Head of State and cannot amount to inequitable action nor maladministration, ruled Makgonatsotlhe. BCP President Dumelang Saleshando said he could not comment on the report because as the complainant they have not been furnished with it. He expressed shock that the report is now in the public domain before the complainant could receive it, stating this is an anomaly. He said they would have to first get the copy before they could comment on the findings. The BCP leader stated that even in their past complaints with the Ombudsman before Makgonatsotlhe, they got the reports before they were made public. Alliance for Progressives (AP) is yet to decide whether to participate in the pending parliamentary bye-election in Mochudi East Constituency and the Council bye-election in Ralekgetho Ward at Moshupa- Manyana Constituency. The bye-election in Ralekgetho ward is as a result of the passing on of the youthful councillor Gofentseone Rakala early last month while in Mochudi East it follows the murder of area Member of Parliament Isaac Davids. They were both members of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). AP Vice President Wynter Mmolotsi told this publication that as the party leadership they have not taken a decision on the matter. He revealed that the party is still working on its calendar of events for this year. We met this past weekend as the leadership in our first meeting of 2018 where we discussed various issues. We could not conclude our programme and we are going to meet again on the night of Wednesday this week to finalise our calendar, said Mmolotsi who is also MP for Francistown South. Mmolotsi said after finalising their calendar the party will be in a position to reveal if it will contest the bye-election. He explained that one of their biggest coming events is the Annual Policy Statement delivered by party leader Ndaba Gaolathe. According to Mmolotsi the event which was scheduled for yesterday (Thursday) in Mogoditshane is expected to answer all the commonly asked questions about AP. This is where all the questions that the public have been having about our party will be answered. It is also at the forum where we would discuss all policy matters and how we see the future, said Mmolotsi.The party which was formed last year mostly by former members of Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) has been on a massive recruitment drive targeting 100 000 members. However, indications are that the party may not contest as it is still building its structures and its numbers in these constituencies are still low. Those close to the party have alluded to the possibility of the AP informally pledging its support for UDC during the election even though the two political movement have their differences. This would not be the first time an opposition party informally supports one of its rival as this was once adopted by the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) in the past when it called on its supporters to rally behind a UDC candidate Rakala won the 2014 general election with 291 votes against BCPs Johnson Mmare who managed 270 votes and Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC)s Gaokgakala Mosope getting 218 votes. In the 2014 general election the late Mochudi East MP Davids garnered 6 824 votes to defeat three opponents being Isaac Mabiletsa of BCP 4 528, BDP Mpho Moruakgomos 5 941 and an independent candidate Japhta Radibe who got 159. Botswana, a mining-rich country, has become the latest country to sign the COMESA-EAC-SADC tripartite Free Trade Area (FTA) agreement, which once in full swing will give the country access to a market of well over 700 million people and counting. The countrys minister of trade, investment and industries, Vincent Seretse signed the agreement on behalf of government on Tuesday in Gaborone, telling attendants that the agreement, which has been under negotiations for the past 17 years, will help to improve intra-African trade since it seeks to eliminate and reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers. The tripartite FTA is also expected to serve as one of the building blocks of an African Economic Community, thus facilitating deeper regional and continental integration in Africa, said Seretse in a prepared speech. The trade minister made it clear; the road that has culminated into the signing of the FTA agreement by the country and others has been long and potholed. Back in 2001, Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC) agreed to formalise negotiations that could enable a free trade area. However, there have been back and forth discussions, which ultimately delayed the process, but Seretse is optimistic that, the negotiations are now coming to finality. The minister said, the FTA agreement will allow Botswana to get preferential treatment when selling its goods and services to the 26 member countries. This agreement resonates well with the Botswana National Development Plan (NDP11) aspirations of becoming an export-led economy, said Seretse. On the ground, some commentators have urged Botswana to improve its ease of doing business if it is to become an export-led economy. Diamonds are the countrys best exports by far. Local products which have been identified under the agreement include veterinary vaccines, pharmaceutical products, carpets, plastic, salt and salt products, carpets and textile floor covering. Government-owned Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI) already supplies some African countries with agricultural vaccines. Botswana Ash has also found markets beyond the borders. Even before the agreement was signed, Botswana had already started doing more trade with other countries in the respective regions. In 2016, goods worth P997 million were exported outside Botswana. During the same period goods totaling P1, 9 billion were imported from countries such as Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe into Botswana. The FTA agreement offers Botswana companies more increased access to outside markets, but capacity looks set to hinder them, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Peggy Serame said when giving opening remarks. More work is only starting as competitive and quality goods will be needed from Botswana companies, she said. Seretse has urged the Secretariat to help improve production capacity of member states. To build these capacities, we can take advantage of Phase II negotiations that will look into trade in services and the industrial development pillar, which aims at developing the productive capacity in the Tripartite, stated Seretse. The COMESA, SADC, EAC has an estimated Gross Domestic Product of $1, 4 trillion. COMESA Secretary General, who is also Chairman of the tripartite task force, Sindiso Ngwenya said opportunities are there within the FTA. At the end of the day, the private sector, not government will play a central role in the FTA. This explains why they were part and continue to be part of the negotiations. Economies of scale (by the private sector) is key to success, he said. SADC Deputy Secretary for regional integration-Dr Thembinkosi Mhlongo heaped praises on Botswana for having found it fitting to sign the FTA agreement. It is an important step for the country to take, he said. What is only left now is for Botswana to fastrack the ratification processes, which will kickstart the implementation process of the FTA. Out of the 26 members in the FTA agreement, only 14 countries are needed to ratify the agreement before it can be fully implemented. Uganda and Egypt have ratified the agreement. Botswanas Seretse said the ratification process will be done in the near future. Meanwhile, Botswana Exporters and Manufacturers Association (BEMA) praised Botswana for signing the FTA, saying it guarantees the country an opportunity o foster free trade flows and strengthen ties with trading partners. Botswana will explore other markets and tap into continental value chains through enhanced trade facilitation that will improve the flow of goods and services, said BEMA CEO, Mmantlha Sankoloba. BEMA members are ready for the opportunity since some of them are already exporting to these markets. Implementation of the TFTA will have a positive impact on the economies of scale, cost of production, transportation costs will be lowered, quality will improve and enhanced competitiveness, said the BEMA Chief. There are even more opportunities such as e-commerce which will be offered by the new agreement. Implementation of this agreement will enable BEMA members to share skills and knowledge with their counterparts, explore new business networks through trade fairs, exhibitions and any other opportune platform that may present itself, stated Sankoloba. Acting Chief Executive of Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) Meshack Tshekedi has resigned. Tshekedi steered the BITC ship after the departure of founding Chief Executive, Letsebe Sejoe early last year when the latters contract was not renewed despite the Board recommending that it be renewed. Doubling as Chief Operations Officer, Tshekedi is credited with delivering a bigger and successful Global Expo last year as well as launching the Botswana One Stop Service Centre. Last years Global Expo also attracted big names like Virgin Groups founder and chief executive Richard Branson, who not only hosted a talk with businesspeople and would-be investors, but also met the countrys leadership with a view to investing some of his fortune in Botswanas pristine Okavango Delta. Announcing Tshekedis resignation this week, a deflated BITC Board Chairman, Victor Senye said while the organisation was sorry to see Tshekedi go, they were equally fortunate to have benefitted from his leadership. Senye described Tshekedi as an invaluable, motivated leader for the organisation, whose ability to advocate for business and build partnerships as well as drive the organisation forward will serve as a model for his successors. Three years with the organisation Tshekedi finally quit this week Wednesday January 31st to seek greener pastures according to those he worked with at BITC. They say there was no animosity or bad blood between Tshekedi, the Board and the parent Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry but that his decision to resign was purely personal. But there is a growing school of thought that the salary structure for chief executives of non-financial or non-income generating state enterprises is unattractive for high calibre executives. BITC is a case in point and is compounded by the fact that the organisation is the product of a merger of two defunct entities Botswana Enterprises Development and Investment Agency (BEDIA) and International Financial Service Centre (IFSC). Sadly, when the two amalgamated the Chief Executive Officers salary was pecked at F1 Scale, thereby making it difficult for the Board to recruit high calibre CEOs as per the shareholders expectation. There is also an unwritten policy that Chief Executives should not earn the same salary as permanent secretaries, which serves as a stumbling block for the board since it has no direct access to the ministry of finance to argue its case. The chief executive of BITC must be someone well-grounded in targeted investment promotion to sell Botswanas competitive edge in the international arena, as well as well-versed in complex issue of taxation; benefits and avoidance of making Botswana a tax haven or haven for illicit money. Tshekedi confirmed to Botswana Guardian that his decision to leave BITC was for personal preferences, but declined to say where he was headed. In the meantime, the Board has appointed Kelotsositse Olebile as acting chief executive whilst the search for substantive chief executive continues. Richard Rooney, associate professor and former Head of the Department of Media Studies at the University of Botswana says most journalists are hindered by restrictive laws and the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Service to do their job. Rooney made these findings in his new book titled News in Botswana: themes in contemporary journalism. Rooney says some journalists fear the DISS, which started operating in 2010 because its mandate in defending state security is unclear. He states in the book that people fear DISS spies on ordinary citizens. Private media in Botswana have reported that employees of government media live in fear that the DISS is monitoring their activities, reads the book in part. In a survey of how media houses support good governance in Botswana, Rooney finds that although freedom of expression is guaranteed in the constitution there are 15 laws in Botswana that can restrict the work of journalists. The worst of these is the Media Practitioners Act of 2008 that allows the government to decide who can and cannot work as a journalist. The Act continues to receive great opposition from media freedom advocates and has yet to be put into operation. Journalists on privately-owned newspapers in Botswana are doing a pretty good job, but those who work for government-owned media are seen by many people as propagandists.The book reveals that people widely recognise that the Daily News and the state-owned broadcasting outlets have mandates to promote government policy and they favour the coverage of the ruling party - Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) - over opposition parties. This happens all the time but is especially worrisome at election times when people rely on news media for information about the policies of political parties, according to Rooney.Rooney says the government has put considerable resources into the Daily News so it competes unfairly with the independent press. The biggest competitive advantage that the Daily News has is that it does not have normal production overheads, since all these are taken care of from government funds. It also receives hidden government subsidies because it is delivered on government land and air transport as a matter of policy. Unlike private newspapers, the Daily News is delivered free-of-charge to most areas of Botswana and in rural areas it is often the only print media available. Minister of Transport and Communications, Kitso Mokaila will not stop at anything or be intimidated in his quest to uproot corruption at his ministry. According to Mokaila he has no political career to protect as many might think he will be reluctant to take action to protect his job. The minister revealed this week that when he was transferred to the ministry in October 2016, President Ian Khama made it clear to him,to restore dignity of the ministry. The president told me this ministry is the most corrupt, do not deliver but is always given a lot of money. He said I must come to this ministry to do something and I am going to do something and ensure that things are done accordingly. I would not have friends here. I am going to do my work without fear or favour because I am fearless, said the minister. Mokaila said he prides himself in being in the company of his Permanent Secretary Kabelo Ebineng. He said they have agreed that they would work side by side in the best interest of Batswana. Mokaila who was addressing a stakeholders consultative meeting for road sector contractors revealed that the Department of Roads has proven to be number one culprit in corruption within the ministry. He indicated that some employees are colluding with consultants. According to Mokaila consultants and engineers are dictating to the ministry through the department while they in fact should be taking instructions from the ministry. He pointed out that there is a high turnover of minister, Permanent Secretaries and directors at the transport ministry due to failure to do things accordingly. As we speak I am minister number seven (7) since 2008 and my PS is number thirteen (13) same period. There is need for stability but I am not saying I have to be retained post 1st April this year. All I am saying is there is need for stability whether Im staying or would be leaving the ministry in April or not as we know there would be changes beginning April, he posited. The minister told the stakeholders that there would be many causalities as they fix things in the ministry. He indicated that people will lose their jobs as the ministry search for capable personnel who will do their work diligently to serve Batswana. He explained that the ministry especially the roads department has allowed a lot of collusion with engineers and consultants. That has to come to an end, he said adding that most of the consultants used to work for the department as directors and managers. The minister revealed that together with his PS they would be ruthless when fixing the mess at the department. I know some of the citizen contractors who do not finish the work awarded to them. We are failing to take corrective measures because there are no End of Activity Reports. We are going through transformation and you would see new faces. Some of these consultants will be shown the door. I know some of you would come to me saying elders are involved in some of the projects but know that I do not care. I am not scared of my political life even if I am fired tomorrow I do not have a problem at least it would have been for the good cause. There is too much in this ministry that needs to be sorted. When I was at the ministry of Wildlife and Tourism I thought there was too much work, when I joined that of Minerals I thought it was worse until I joined this ministry, Mokaila indicated. Finance minister, Kenneth Matambo will on Monday present the 2018/19 budget speech in Parliament. Matambo will be mindful of citizenry high expectation on incoming President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, a looming budget deficit on the backdrop of fragile recovery in the mining sector and lack of proper conditions for private sector to meet government halfway. Two economic commentators who spoke to Botswana Guardian this week concur that expectations are high especially from a political point of view, but the current economic climate is not in a position to support such demands. President Ian Khama is expected to hand over power to Mokgweetsi Masisi early April. The economists say that the key drivers of revenue such as minerals, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) receipts and taxes are not in any better position to enable the government of the day to meet its obligations, even at a time when there is an expected leadership transition which is normally characterised by high hopes from electorate and high promises from the political leadership. Speaking to Botswana Guardian on Tuesday, an analyst at Motswedi Securities, Moemedi Mosele, said it be interesting to see whether the upcoming budget will be a paradigm shift (as a result of the expected political leadership) or not since problems facing the country remain the same. Botswana, a developing country, is besieged by relatively high unemployment, HIV/AIDS scourge, poor education system, poor ease of doing business, a poor education sector as well as an agricultural sector which despite being pampered with millions of Pula is still struggling. According to Mosele, these are some of the challenges that many Batswana want addressed, and the budget is the first point of reference to see if such problems will be addressed or not. This basically piles all the pressure on Matambo, a former Botswana Development Corporation boss. Over the years, the education sector has received the biggest budget allocation-development-but some commentators have argued that government is yet to reap investment made in the sector. In the previous budget, the basic education ministry received P6, 8 billion of the recurrent budget. According to Mosele, it is a bit tricky to state if the education sector will receive more funding or not. This is because, in recent years, the sector has not performed satisfactorily against the amount of money invested in the sector. What Mosele is expecting, is a budget which will give more emphasis on how the investment in the education sector can bring the much-needed return on investment, and the only way out is to inculcate entrepreneurial skills within the sector. Another analyst, Economic Researcher at First National Bank Botswana (FNBB), Moatlhodi Sebabole, said the education sector is expected to top recurrent budget. Education and human capital remains among the key focus areas for government therefore my expectation is that we will continue to see the ministerial allocations of the operating expenditure focusing on education and health, he said in response. Botswana, a mineral rich country has over the years put more resources towards ensuring that ordinary citizens improve their lives without necessarily contributing to the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country. Under the current President more resources have been channeled towards such initiatives. The most notable has been Ipelegeng;-a labour intensive programme, which hires unskilled Batswana to perform national works which do not in any way add value to the economys output. Both Mosele and Sebabole agree that government will continue to add more funding to social programmes such as Ipelegeng, old age pensions and destitute programmes. We also expect government to continue to subsidise farming, said Mosele. Government has over the years provided funding for poverty programmes such as LIMID and ISPAAD. Even when government is expected to deal with a lot of problems, there are challenges which will come to the fore. Last year, government projected a budget deficit of P2, 35 billion. This year, there defict is expected to be even more. Yes the expectation is for an overall budget deficit of around 4% of GDP. The overall deficit will come about as a result of rising expenditure in line with ESP and NDP 11 implementation. Although revenues are also anticipated to improve as diamond sales continue on a positive trajectory the pressure on base metals remains and revenue streams have not been fully diversified thus impacting the revenue side, said Sebabole. Last year, government announced plans to undertake a holistic simplification of both the Income Tax Act and the Value Added Tax Act with a view to developing a Tax Administration Act. This is intended to improve tax administration efficiency, resulting in optimal revenue collection. This project is envisaged to be completed in the next financial year, promised Matambo at the time. This has led to the Ministry considering proposals from the Taxation Review Committee which include: introduction of Transfer Pricing rules in the Income Tax Act that would curb any undesirable tax avoidance as well as underscoring the alignment of the countrys tax system to international best practice; amending the Income Tax Act, among others, to impose a penalty for non-filers irrespective of whether there is any tax to pay or not; and amending the Value Added Tax Act to include sale of property by a Deputy Sheriff as a taxable transaction. Once the tax regime has been overhauled to introduce strict collection measures around capital transfer tax as well as duties and customs, this will have a positive impact on tax revenue growth as currently some filtrations exist even for payment of withholding tax, said Sebabole. Matambo will also be forced to deal with the little he has on the plate. The economy is not performing any better. As FNBB, we forecast a growth rate of 1.7% for 2017 and 3.2% for 2018 way below the forecasts by the finance ministry. We are cautiously optimistic in our growth estimates due to the structural make-up of the economy which remains mineral-led and has limited multiplier effect on employment creation and enhanced productivity. We note that modest increase in mineral prices will support growth; whereas continued stability of water and electricity will also boost business confidence and contain rising operational costs, said Sebabole. There will also be pressure for more funding especially that the governments National Development Plan 11 is reaching its second year. Yes, essentially pressures remain on government to spend more on projects in line with NDP 11. Our concern is usually on the effective implementation of the fiscal plans, said Sebabole. The Gilded Age, the captivating new installment from PBS American Experience, presents a familiar period in American history from a surprising angle. Mark Twain gave the period of Americas post-Civil War posterity its tongue-in-cheek nickname; whats gilded might look sophisticated and rich, but its a hollow facade. This film begins with the most common imagery of the Gilded Age period the Fifth Avenue parlors, the lush ballrooms then proceeds, over the course of its two intense hours, to dismantle them. Heres an exclusive clip from the film, focusing New York CItys richest rivalry between the Astors and the Vanderbilts. The film unfolds well beyond the comforts of well-decorated manors and into the heartland, presenting the stories of a great many Americans whose stories are often overshadowed by the machinations of wealthy industrialists. Even in New York, the story takes a surprising (and welcome) twist, following one of the most unconventional politicians of the late 19th century Henry George. American Experience: The Gilded Age premieres on Tuesday, February 6 (check your local listings). Greg and Tom were thrilled to be invited to moderate a panel about The Gilded Age at the New-York Historical Society on Thursday, January 25, featuring Mark Zwonitzer, writer ofA The Gilded Age;A and two historians featured in the film A Steve Fraser, historian and author,A Age of Acquiescence: The Life and Death of American Resistance to Organized Wealth and Power; andA Sylvia Hoffert, Professor of History Emerita, Texas A&M University and author,A Alva Vanderbilt Belmont: Unlikely Champion of Womenas Rights IronmongeryDirect, has announced that an additional four staff are now GAI qualified, enabling them to provide enhanced in-depth technical assistance and support to customers. The qualification was undertaken by staff members from across the business: employees Jenna Cottis and Caroline Vaughan from the Contact Centre, Tomasz Stasiek from the Purchasing team and Kelly Wing from the Direct Sourcing team all completed the Level 1 course. The qualification provides the staff with professional industry knowledge and skills, including everything they need to know about the range of ironmongery products on the market, from how they are made to how they are used. Contact Centre Team Manager, Jenna Cottis, said: The GAI qualification makes my job ten times easier. In my role I am asked a lot of technical questions and this course has given me the professional skillset and industry knowledge to provide customers with the best information and support. This qualification gives our customers confidence in us and reassures them that we are a source of information they can rely on. Wayne Lysaght-Mason, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect, said: We are incredibly proud of all our employees who have achieved this highly-regarded qualification in architectural hardware. They have all worked extremely hard to complete their studies and are now able to provide the very best service for our customers, supporting our status as masters of our trade. A couple in Great Bardfield in Essex is calling out for volunteers with building skills to help them build a sensory and therapy room at home for their young daughter who has severe disabilities. Debbie and Ray Bowyers seven-year-old daughter, Olivia, requires frequent speech and language therapy as well as intensive physiotherapy. She has learning difficulties including autism and complex neurological disabilities including hypotonia and macrocephaly which affect her movement and co-ordination. The couple have already been supported by the Saffron Walden branch of builders merchants Ridgeons, who have donated materials to build a dedicated space with specialist equipment to help advance Olivias advancement. Ridgeons has given engineering bricks to the self-build project and provided other building materials at a discounted price. The branch will continue to support the family as the project progresses. Chris Gavin, Branch Manager of Ridgeons Saffron Walden, said: Were proud to be helping such as truly wonderful project. Its fantastic to see a local family doing what they can to give their daughter the support she needs for her wellbeing and development. We wish them the very best of luck with the project and we hope they find enthusiastic volunteers. Debbie Bowyer added: Wed like to thank Ridgeons Saffron Walden for their generosity. Olivia needs this room more than ever it will be her own sanctuary as well as a place to focus on her therapies. However, as my husband is building the room alongside his full-time job, we are appealing for local volunteers to help us complete the project as quickly as possible. Despite the tough challenges Olivia faces, she is the sweetest, happiest girl. With the right support from us, we can give her a fighting chance in achieving a much brighter future. The Archwood Group has a new leadership team, helping to ensure a bright future for its merchant partners. Tony Miles, the companys Chief Executive, Phil Lomas, Operations Director, Damian Bracken Commercial Director, Josh Burbidge, Business Development Director and Andy Simms, Financial Director head the team in place to execute the new merchant focused strategy up. With a combined experience of over 75 years in the timber industry, the team is well placed to deliver the next stage of growth for the Archwood Group, enabling it to become the UKs premier supplier of sustainable timber components. Chief Executive, Tony Miles joined the Archwood Group in February 2017. A well-known figure in the UK timber industry, Tony has worked in the trade for his entire career, in that time he has supported the trade through many external bodies. He currently holds the title of Director of the Confederation of Timber Industries. Damian Bracken, Commercial Director brings over 16 years experience in the timber industry in sales and supply chain management. Damians expertise has been in building sales and product teams which are made up of great staff who can offer sound advice and a friendly support service. Josh Burbidge has worked in a number of commercial areas of Archwood over the past 10 years. Josh has taken on responsibility for the Atkinson & Kirby brand and is investing in key people, new products and strengthening the brand offer. The final member of the team is Andy Simms. Andy has worked in finance across a number of different sectors, and has been with the Archwood Group for a number of years. Andy has now stepped up to the role of Financial Director, completing the senior leadership team. Keyline is delighted to announce the promotion of Christina Hopton to Regional Sales Director for the South West. Having joined Keyline from Jewsons in 2011, Christina has extensive knowledge of the industry and has held a number of positions at both branch and external sales level. She was named Keylines Regional Account Manager of the Year in 2016 and was subsequently promoted to Branch Manager at Keyline in Southampton. Christina said: Keyline continues to grow and expand on its success and, with further exciting plans on the horizon for 2018, Im excited to be starting a new role at a forward-thinking company. Adam Franklin, Keylines Regional Director for the South West, said: We have an enviable reputation for outstanding training and development and Christina is one of our many success stories. Her promotion to Regional Sales Director is thoroughly deserved and we all wish her every success in her new role. EH Smith to open a Birmingham Central branch offering same-day delivery. EH Smith, the Midlands-based independent builders merchant, is assisting the rapid growth of development in Birmingham by opening a new city centre branch. The Birmingham Central branch, just south of the immediate city centre, will create jobs and supply builders working on a wide range of new developments, including an express same-day delivery service. Birmingham is undergoing rapid change as part of the Big City Plan, which began in 2010 and aims to transform an 800-hectare area around the city centre by 2031. It has already seen the redevelopment of New Street Station and Central library, and will see a large amount of redevelopments and new builds over the coming decades, including new homes and office space. EH Smiths Birmingham Central branch, which will serve trade and DIY, is a three-quarter-acre site on Brighton Road, Birmingham, which EH Smith acquired late last year. Due to open on March 5th with a week-long schedule of activities and promotions, the new branch will be packed with a huge range of products to serve the local builders and DIY enthusiasts. The branch will feature a Dulux paint mixing machine and a team of highly-trained and friendly staff will be on hand to advise and assist. Marc Fearn, the Birmingham Central Branch Manager, who has been with EH Smith since 2005 when he joined the company as a delivery driver, said: There is so much development going on in Birmingham and builders need somewhere close to the city centre where they can find what they want quickly, get any expert advice, and get on with the job. Offering same-day deliveries to local developments means that builders wont even have to leave site, allowing them to concentrate on whats important. Birmingham is changing as a city and we want to play our part in it, helping generate investment into the centre. The organisers of Burnham-On-Seas Food and Drink festivals are celebrating again after scooping a host of prizes at national, regional and local award ceremonies. The Burnham-based organisation behind Eat: Festivals was named Best Food Market in the UK at the National Association of British Market Authorities Great British Market Awards last week in Birmingham. NABMAs citation said that Food and drink continues to be a focus for markets to remain relevant. The winner of Best Food Market, eat:Festivals, continues to drive footfall and put back into their community with youth initiatives and emphasis on local produce in Somerset. High Streets Minister Jake Berry said at the event: Thriving markets are crucial to the prosperity of Britains high streets, their local economies and also make an important contribution to the vitality of our communities. They can also offer invaluable start-up opportunities for budding entrepreneurs keen to trial new ideas and products. It follows an outstanding achievement of a Silver award at the South West England Tourism Excellence Awards on 1st February in Torquay in the Tourism Event/Festival of the Year category. The team collected their award from the Met Offices Andy Yeatman, an apt choice considering the massive storm that blew in during last Octobers Burnham-On-Sea Food Festival. On Saturday the pair were also shortlisted for their commitment to Weston-super-Mare and engagement in the local community and as Businesses Women of the Year at the 5th Weston Business Awards. They won in the second category. In an emotional address, festival organiser Bev Milner Simonds said: It is customary to thank those who support you in your achievements when accepting an award, we both wanted to say that we stand on the shoulders of giants our mothers, who inspire daily in our drive to achieve more for the local producers we work with. Co-organsier Sarah Milner Simonds added: We are striving to build a sustainable face-to-face trading interactions for producers from a wide rural area, enabling them to connect with an increasingly urban consumer group. Our work helps rural businesses grow and provides great marketing of the five great towns we are pleased to be hosted by. We extend our thanks to everyone who nominates us, the producers who work with us, the sponsors who back us and the thousands of visitors who come along and make each festival so memorable. Next on the agenda is the judging visit from the Countryside Alliance Awards where the team are one of only two named as South West England Finalists across all categories from Somerset. They will be judged in the Rural Enterprise category and this will be annouced in March, with the winners going forward to the national Rural Oscars. Watch The Sam Willows share Chinese New Year memories and visit Universal Studios Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa Barking, juggling and breaking into song... is there anything that local musicians The Sam Willows can't do? Going into their sixth year as a group, siblings Benjamin and Narelle Kheng and their friends Sandra Riley Tang and Jon Chua are clearly tight. We see this in their harmonisations and banter, roving around like a travelling pack of minstrels with guitars strapped to their backs and traversing from folk to pop and back. On the way to Universal Studios Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa to celebrate Chinese New Year, we hear a spirited, melancholic version of 'Gongxi Gongxi' that details the thrills and spills we encounter every festive occasion: From facing off overbearing aunties to raking up angbaos. What's new with the Willows? After seeing them live at a year-end countdown party last year, we're looking forward to the release of two new singles this month: 'Robot' and 'Papa Money'. A full-fledged album in April is also in the works, so stay tuned. Celebrate Chinese New Year at Universal Studios Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa. Join in the Majestic Dragon Trail, a reimagined spectacle based on the traditional dragon dance. Look forward to the Fu Fighters show, where b-boy crew The Rockafellas will combine acrobatics and martial art demonstrations, set against a state-of-the-art projection mapping at the New York Public Library. You can also check out the singing and dancing waitresses of Hollywood's famous drive-in restaurant, Mel's Dinettes. Click here to buy tickets to Universal Studios Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa. We're calling it the Deliveroo of underwear For some men, Bruno Mars' 'The Lazy Song' isn't just a tune; it's a lifestyle. There'll be days you won't feel like combing your hair or picking up your phone, much less pledge your valuable time off the clock to the mundane. Laundry? Cooking? Shopping? That ain't nobody got time for that meme has never felt more real. This is why Buro 24/7 Singapore endorses Bundies, a subscription-based men's underwear label new to town and first of its kind in Asia. Available exclusively online (for now), Bundies prides upon its use of certified sustainable fabrics such as 100% organic cotton and the Lenzing modal (which also happens to be twice as soft as your generic cotton), harvested from environmentally-friendly beechwood forestry plantations in Europe. "From the start, the idea was to sell online because reducing the middlemen from the equation means we are able to offer the products at a lower price," said co-founders Wouter Muis and Benk Visscher. "And how convenient is it when you can buy your favourite underwear anywhere, anytime and have them delivered straight to your door? The subscription option makes this even more convenient. Save time and avoid the hassle of going down to the stores so you can really focus on the things you love to do." The Bundies' boys don't want the idea of a subscription steer you away; its five different subscription types which helps you save up to 20% cater to men of all shapes and commitment levels. In need a new pair every other month? Sure thing. Realise later on that's too frequent? No problem. Calling a new address home while you're temporarily away for work? It's handled. Developed a muffin top? Not feeling the new designs? Decide you're more into solids than prints? Prefer trunks over boxers? Change, skip or cancel your subscription whenever at no cost. Better yet, buy in individual pairs, or multi-packs of three or six before taking the plunge. Delivery is free in Singapore and Hong Kong, while Same Day Delivery and Next Day Delivery (Sunday excluded) options are available for those residing the little red dot. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Tata Motors on Monday said its $360 million (around Rs 23.2 billion) deal to sell 43 per cent stake in to Warburg Pincus has been called off due to non-receipt of regulatory nod and missing of internal performance target by its Singapore-based arm. As per the transaction announced on June 15, 2017, Warburg Pincus was to acquire approximately 43 per cent stake in from Tata Motors and other Tata entities. "However due to delays in securing regulatory approvals as well as due to the recent performance of the company not meeting internal thresholds because of market challenges, the parties to the transaction have mutually decided not to proceed with the closure of the transaction," Tata Motors said in a BSE filing. Tata Motors will continue to explore strategic options to sell its stake in and remains positive on the outlook of the business, it added. The Supreme Court on Monday warned that the courtroom should not be reduced to the level of a "fish market" after heated exchanges broke out during the hearing in the cases relating to the death of special CBI judge B H Loya. As the hearing in the cases heated up again, the apex court took umbrage at the verbal duel between two senior lawyers Dushayan Dave and Pallav Shishodia, calling it "unacceptable". Loya, who was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case, had died allegedly of cardiac arrest in Nagpur on December 1, 2014 when he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleague's daughter. "Let us not reduce the dialogue in this court to the level of a fish market. You should not shout down a judge who is saying something. You will have to listen to me, Mr Dave... You address when your turn comes," Justice D Y Chandrachud, who was part of the bench presided over by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, told Dave, representing Bombay Lawyers Association. "No, I will not. Your Lordships should have stopped them (Pallav Shishodia and Harish Salve) from appearing in this case. You will have to answer your conscience," Dave retorted. "Don't teach us about our conscience," the bench, which also comprised Justice A M Khanwilkar, responded. Shishodia, appearing for Maharashtra-based journalist Bandhuraj Sambhaji Lone who has filed a PIL also seeking probe into the case, referred to two conflicting news reports and said that they have led to "insinuations on the integrity of our judicial system". Shishodia then referred to the unprecedented press conference of four Supreme Court judges last month and said it also led to "open aspersions (being) cast on some of the judges of this court hearing the matter." "In the circumstances, it is submitted that an independent probe cannot be one way traffic in which persons making allegations can just 'hit and run' without any responsibility to damages caused to the reputation, prestige and faith in institutions including this court and judiciary as whole," the senior lawyer said. The assertions did not go down well with senior advocates Dushyant Dave and Indira Jaising who took a dig saying that if he (journalist) did not want an enquiry then what was the need to file a petition. Dave also criticised Shishodia by using some harsh words and said that the submissions have exposed him alleging that the plea was filed to ensure that the matter is buried. "You had appeared for Amit Shah and now you are appearing for the petitioner," Dave continued. "Mr Dave, we don't care what you say. You go to hell or heaven or wherever you want," Shishodia said in his response, prompting the court to intervene. Justice Chandrachud asked Dave to listen and maintain the decency in court proceedings, saying "you will have to listen to the judge." "I won't hear," Dave said, adding that Bar Council of India is issuing notices and is trying to infringe rights of lawyers like him from raising the voice and submitted that the bench should stop lawyers (Salve and Shishodia) from appearing in the instant matter as they have represented Amit Shah. Taking note of exchange of words, the bench said, "This is unpardonable" and told the two lawyers (Dave and Shishodia) that their language was not good as this kind of dialogue would shame even a fish market. "Courtesy begets courtesy," the bench said, adding that sometimes, the words used are "unbecoming" of a lawyer. "Sometimes courtesy does not beget courtesy", Salve, who was appearing for Maharashtra, said. Dave said that the State should be protecting citizens and only it has the resources to conduct an enquiry. At the outset, senior advocate V Giri, appearing for Congress supporter Tehseen Poonawala, referred to alleged deficiencies in the probe conducted by Maharashtra State Intelligence Department (SID) in the case which had commenced after a letter was sent to the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court by the SID. The senior lawyer referred to the sequence of events leading to the death of Loya on December 1, 2014 at Nagpur. "The State Intelligence Department has failed to explain how Post Mortem Report dated December 01, 2014 notes the date of death as December 07," Giri said. The bench fixed the matter for further hearing on February 9. Poonawala and Lone have filed PILs seeking an independent probe into Loya's death in 2014. The top court had earlier transferred to itself other pleas pending in the Bombay High Court and had restrained other courts from entertaining any petitions. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is focussed on conducting five launches in as many months, including the Chandrayaan-2 mission, and its "hands are full", said its Chairman K Sivan. The missions planned in the first half of 2018 from Sriharikota spaceport are: GSLV-FO8 (GSAT-6A satellite), GSLV -MkIII (second development flight), Chandrayaan-2 and PSLV (IRNSS-1I navigation satellite), he said. The Bengaluru-headquartered space agency has also awarded a contract to Arianespace to launch the 5.7-tonne GSAT-11 satellite from the European space consortium's spaceport at Kourou in French Guiana by June. "Right now, our hands are full", Sivan, also Secretary in the Department of Space and Chairman of the Space Commission, told PTI. India currently has a fleet of 45 orbiting satellites and the space agency chief said the demand is for a similar number of spacecraft. "We are planning to have 15-18 launches per year from next year," he said, but hastened to add that it's an "ambition and target". "In reality, there are so many other issues. Currently, it (ISRO's launches per year) is less than half of that (goal of 15-18 launches)". The GSAT-11 is widely perceived to be the last heavy satellite to be launched by a foreign launcher, but Sivan cautioned against jumping to conclusions. "We cannot say we will not go (for a foreign launcher). Right now, we have the capability to launch satellites of up to 4 tonne," he pointed out. "We are trying to reach that (higher) capability. We are thinking of reducing the size of the satellite. Whatever we are getting through 5.7-tonne satellite, the same thing we can get through 4-tonne (satellite) if we use electric propulsion. "And it will be within the capability of our GSLV. Different strategies are being worked out," he said. The noted space scientist said the second developmental flight of GSLV-MkIII is scheduled before June. To declare this "fat boy" operational needs two consecutive successful developmental flights. The space agency, Sivan said, has taken up the work on design and development of a small rocket to cut cost, and ISRO officials said it's a compact launch vehicle, weighing around 500 kg. The ISRO Chairman, however, said it's early days as far as this small rocket initiative is concerned, and it would take time. "Work is going on; it will take some time...design work, realisation...qualifying model....that work is going on. We are trying to manage (work relating to small rocket) with existing money itself. We are not taking it as a project." On the benefits of such a small rocket, ISRO officials said it cuts cost and waiting period of small satellites for launch would shrink significantly. "Small satellites need not wait for bigger vehicles (for launch). Waiting will not be there. The ISRO does not have to use bigger, dedicated launch vehicles to orbit small satellites", one of them noted. An oil tanker, with 22 Indians on board, continues to be missing in the piracy-plagued waters of West Africa, with no communication reported for the last three days, Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) officials said on Monday. The "Marine Express" was reported missing off the Benin coast in the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, they informed. "All the communication equipment on board have been switched off and the ship continues to be missing," a DGS official told PTI here, adding that no ransom call was received either. He informed that the Indian Mission in Nigeria was in contact with the Nigerian Navy and other agencies, while the DGS was also coordinating the efforts as it involved Indian sailors. The 22 sailors have been appointed on the ship by the city-based Anglo Eastern Shipping, the official said, adding that the Panamanian-flagged vessel was owned by the Ocean Transit Carrier SA, a Japanese company. The owners had set up a dedicated helpline for the families of the Indian crew, the official said. He described the area in which the vessel was sailing as a "difficult" one. "The region has a history of piracy and it may be a case of suspected piracy," another official from the DGS had said yesterday. The ship has gone missing less than a month after another vessel, "MT Barret", disappeared off the coast of Benin in January, and was later confirmed to have been hijacked. The 22 crew of "MT Barret", most of whom were Indians, were reportedly released after a ransom was paid. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had yesterday tweeted, saying that the "Marine Express" was "presumably" missing. "A merchant vessel (oil tanker), owned by Mumbai-based Anglo Eastern shipping company with 22 Indian nationals on board, is presumably missing off the coast of Benin in the Gulf of Guinea," he had tweeted. The Indian Mission in Nigeria was in touch with the authorities concerned and the situation was being constantly monitored, the MEA had said. "Our Mission in Abuja (Nigeria) is in touch with the authorities in Benin and Nigeria for their help in locating the ship and is constantly monitoring the situation. A 24-hour helpline number set up by the Embassy for information on those missing is +234-9070343860," Kumar had said in another tweet. Dina Hasao in Assam, Dhalai in Tripura or Kiphire in Nagaland are tiny specks within the geography of the north-east India, riven by recent clashes. For the locals of the seven-sister states of this region, the reasons for the clashes are, however, quite significant though the rest of India may not have heard of them. Some of those clashes have to do with the elections to the three state legislatures of Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland, due in February. But none have anything to do with the plan of the government of India to use the north east as the base for outreach to the ... Chinese Road in Arunachal Pradesh On 28th December, 2017, an Indian Army patrol observed three civilians believed to be Chinese nationals carrying out track construction in the Shiyung La area (District: Upper Siang, Arunachal Pradesh) approximately one kilometre on the Indian side of the LAC. The three civilians returned to the Chinese side of the LAC on seeing the Indian Army patrol. As per the agreed modalities, a Flag Meeting was arranged to discuss the intrusion. The Chinese side admitted that the three civilians had crossed over the LAC and agreed to withdraw their equipment immediately. Government regularly takes up such matters along the LAC with the Chinese side through established mechanisms including Border Personnel Meetings, Flag Meetings, meetings of Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs, as well as through diplomatic channels. This information was given by RakshaRajyaMantriDr.SubhashBhamre in a written reply to Shri Ripun Bora in Rajya Sabha today. NAo/Nampi/Rajib Intrusion by Chinese Army There is no commonly delineated Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the border areas between India and China, there are areas along the LAC where both sides have differing perception of LAC. Due to both sides undertaking patrolling upto their respective perception of the LAC, transgressions do occur. Government is taking measures to ensure that defence forces are in a state of readiness to meet operational and security challenges. Government regularly takes up such transgressions along the LAC with the Chinese side through established mechanisms including Border Personnel Meetings, Flag Meetings, meetings of Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs, as well as through diplomatic channels. The Government consistently maintains that peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas is an important pre-requisite for the smooth development of bilateral relations. This information was given by RakshaRajyaMantriDr.SubhashBhamre in a written reply to Shri Darshan Singh Yadav and others in Rajya Sabha today. NAo/Nampi/Rajib Rashtrapati Bhavan hosts Nobel Laureates Seminar; President says a creative schooling system is root of a Research and Innovation Culture Rashtrapati Bhavan today (February 5, 2018) hosted a one-day Nobel Laureates Seminar, organised by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India in association with the Nobel Foundation. This is part of the Nobel Prize Series, a regular and landmark engagement between the Indian scientific and policy community and the Nobel Foundation. Addressing the inaugural session of the Seminar, the President said that in the 70 years since India became independent, belief in science has shaped our society and developmental process. From agriculture to harnessing the energy of the atom, from vaccine innovation to advances in space technology, science has helped us build our nation. The President said that keeping pace with this investment in science, we have also invested in people through our institutions of higher education. We have recently created several central universities; Indian Institutes of Technology; All India Institutes of Medical Sciences; and Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research. These investments will create a huge pool of scientists, clinician researchers and technologists for a changing India. For these investments to bear fruit, these institutions and also our schools must be as good as the best in the world. This is a challenge but together we can accomplish it. Together we can make innovation not just a passion for our scientific elite, but the lifeline of our schooling system. The President said that because the world is constantly changing and ideas flow from every side, our scientists must be connected to the latest advances in research and technology. Science is nothing if not a global enterprise. It is this that is our focus today. How do we build world class institutions and universities and how do these connect to our society both within our national boundaries and beyond? The Nobel Laureates who addressed the Seminar are Christiane Nusslein-Volhard, Sir Richard John Roberts, Serge Haroche and Dr Tomas Robert Lindahl. Christiane Nusslein-Volhard is a German biologist renowned for her embryonic development of fruit flies. Her contribution earned her the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Richard John Roberts is an English biochemist and molecular biologist who was felicitated with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of the mechanism of gene-splicing. Serge Haroche is a French physicist who was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Physics for devising methods to study the quantum mechanical behaviour of individual photons. Tomas Robert Lindahl is a Swedish-born British scientist specialising in cancer research. In 2015, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The President also addressed the concluding session of the Seminar. Speaking on the occasion, the President said that without a strong, dynamic and creative education and schooling system, we cannot create a research and innovation culture. It is important to cultivate curiosity in our classrooms, and free science from the tyranny of jargon. The President said that good researchers emerge in a system that values good teachers and good faculty. The linkage between research institutes and universities and research and industry is extremely important. These cannot exist in independent silos. It is also critical to link science to society. One of the reasons for the wide-spread support for our space programme, for instance, has been the ability of Indias space scientists to offer solutions to the lives of ordinary Indians whether in mapping weather patterns that assist our farmers, or telemedicine that enhances access to healthcare. The Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Shri ArunJaitley stresses on the importance of procedural fairness in public procurement and award of contracts ; States that this can be ensured through transparency and fairness that enable a State to act in the best interest for its citizens in terms of price, quality and service delivery and help avoid elements of nepotism and corruption in public procurement;The Finance Minister, Shri Jaitley inaugurates the Fifth South Asia Region Public Procurement Conference in national capital. The Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Shri ArunJaitley stressed on the importance of procedural fairness in public procurement and award of contracts. The Finance Minister said that this can be ensured through transparency and fairness that enable a State to act in the best interest for its citizens in terms of price, quality and service delivery and help avoid elements of nepotism and corruption in public procurement. The Finance Minister highlighted the special measures taken by the Government of India to bring in greater transparency, fairness and efficiency in public procurement through a series of measures including launch of the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) for online purchases of common use items. The Finance Minister mentioned that in addition to having its own rules and regulations relating to public procurement in the Government, the layers of accountability at various levels in the Government have also been tightened. The Finance Minister, Shri Jaitley was delivering the Inaugural Address after inaugurating the 5th South Asia Region Public Procurement Conference here in New Delhi. He noted the evolution of public procurement in the last century and emphasized its significance in delivery of public services in democratic societies in the larger interest of the citizens. Shri Jaitley said that as South Asia is the fastest growing region, the relevance of public procurement is of key importance to all. Mr. Jaitleywished the Conference a success and hoped that the deliberations would be of mutual interest and benefit to all the participants. On a finishing note Mr. Jaitley expressed his interest in the best practices that would emerge from the deliberations between the participants. He congratulated the World Bank, Asian Development Bank(ADB) and other partners for organising such an event. This Conference is being attended by the Senior Government Officials of South Asian countries in addition to the World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank(ADB), Islamic Development Bank(IDB) and other agencies. Earlier, Shri. Ajay Narayan Jha, Secretary (Expenditure) delivered the welcome address on this occasion. The Government of India (GOI), through the Public Procurement Division (PPD) of the Ministry of Finance and All India Management Association (AIMA) are hosting the Conference. The objective of the Conference is to enable the Heads of Public Procurement and other key stakeholders in the eight South Asian countries to meet and learn from one another and from experts in the field of public procurement. The knowledge thus acquired would help various South Asian Governments to consider enhancements and innovations in their public procurement systems, enabling efficient utilization of public resources, ensuring quality and timeliness in delivery of services. The Conference is held under the auspices of the South Asia Region Public Procurement Network (SARPPN), which is sponsored and facilitated by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank. The First Conference was held in Kathmandu in 2010, the second in Islamabad in 2014, the third in Dhaka 2015 and the fourth in Sri Lanka 2017. All the Conferences helped achieve the above mentioned mutual knowledge exchange and learning objectives. In between these annual events, the World Bank facilitates, via Video Conferences, meetings of the SAR Heads of public procurement for continuous exchange of knowledge and experiences through discussions of topics of interest. The World Bank has also been sponsoring country knowledge exchange programs for the SAR heads of public procurement. Such programs have already been successfully organized in Brazil and Mexico (2014), Australia (2016), and USA (2017). These knowledge exchange programs not only provide an opportunity for the heads of public procurement to learn from the countries with well-advanced public procurement systems, but also to learn from one another. The Fifth South Asia Region Public Procurement Conferencebeing held in New Delhi, February 5-7, 2018, will continue with the SARPPN overarching goal of providing a learning and networking platform to SAR heads of public procurement and procurement professionals and to exchange their knowledge and experiences on topics that would help them improve their public procurement systems. The theme of the Fifth Conference Public Procurement and Service Delivery" is appropriate and timely as the governments of all the countries in the region strive to improve their public procurement to ensure timely and quality delivery of public services. All eight SAR countries spend approximately US$550 billion equivalent on public procurement of goods, works and services, which eventually convert to public services. The Fifth Conference will deliberate upon key aspects of public procurement that help ensure delivery of these services; and identify and address areas that need improvement. Procurement of health and education services, enhancing oversight in public procurement through complaints mechanism, audits, etc., role of ICT and PPP in public procurement, etc., will figure in various sessions in this 3 day conference. Government officers in charge of public procurement will also share their country experiences during the conference, enabling discussion on best practices. About 100 participants who include senior government officials responsible for public procurement and related fields, are attending the Conference. The representatives of Development Partners (DPs) active in South Asian countries and resource persons are also among the participants. During the Conference, the SARPPN along with ADB, WB, IsDB and Procurement iNET is holding a ceremony to honor the winners of the South Asia Procurement Innovation Awards (SAPIA) 2017 for their winning submissions. Chipmaker Broadcom Ltd on Monday raised its offer to buy Qualcomm Inc by 24 per cent to more than $121 billion, sweetening the bid and putting more pressure on its rival to come to the table for negotiations. "Qualcomm and its board now have a tough decision as this is a compelling offer in our opinion," said analyst Daniel Ives of GBH Insights. The new offer values the company at $82 per share - a premium of 24 per cent from Qualcomm's close on Friday. It also puts pressure on Qualcomm to either buy NXP Semiconductors NV at $110 per share or terminate the $38 ... A Chinese national, the managing director of a shipping firm in Pakistan, was killed on Monday after being shot in the head by unidentified gunmen here in what police are calling a targeted attack. The victim identified as 46-year-old Chen Zhu was shot by gunmen who opened fire on his car when he was out on a grocery shopping with another Chinese national in Karachi's Clifton area, the DawnNews reported. The second Chinese national accompanying him was buying vegetables at the time of the attack and took refuge in a nearby superstore when he heard the firing. According to police, Chen was shot in the head, while a 30-year-old passer-by was shot in the leg. "It appears to be a targeted incident," police said. Nine bullet casings were recovered from the site of the attack. The Chinese national, who was shot in the head, succumbed to injuries at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal took notice of the incident and ordered deputy inspector general south to start an inquiry into the matter. "All measures should be taken to ensure that the suspects are arrested," the minister said. The Sindh inspector general of police has assigned the investigation of the incident to Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). He also directed CTD to register a first information report of the killing. The incident comes nearly two months after China warned its citizens in Pakistan to be on alert after receiving intelligence reports about possible attacks targeting Chinese. Last year, two Chinese nationals who were believed to be Christian missionaries were abducted from Quetta and killed by the militant Islamic State group in the restive Balochistan province. The couple had reportedly been "preaching" in Balochistan under the garb of learning Urdu. Thousands of Chinese workers are employed in development of about $60 billion worth of infrastructure projects under Beijing's 'Belt and Road' initiative. The port and road- building projects have come under frequent attacks in Balochistan. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Pope Francis on Monday while police enforced a protest ban in central Rome as feelings run high over Turkey's offensive against Kurdish militia inside Syria. For the first such visit by a Turkish leader for 59 years, the Italian authorities have imposed a 24-hour ban on demonstrations which covers Erdogan's arrival late Sunday to his departure this evening. A total of 3,500 police have been deployed for the visit. Nevertheless a sit-in protest by 200 people, organised by a Kurdish association in Italy, was scheduled to take place on Monday not far from the Vatican. Turkey on January 20 launched its "Olive Branch" operation against Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a terror group and a threat to Turkish territory. The Turkish army and allied Ankara-backed Syrian rebel forces are seeking to oust the YPG from its western border stronghold of Afrin but the operation has faced fierce resistance. "In Afrin, a new crime against humanity is under way," the Kurdish association said. The pope, who has railed against the horrors of war and weapons of mass destruction, was likely to raise the Afrin issue during his meeting with Erdogan. Ahead of the meeting, Erdogan's convoy arrived at a deserted Saint Peter's Square, which was under heavy police protection. The YPG, while considered a "terrorist" group by Ankara, is allied to the United States in its battle against Islamic State group jihadists. Thousands of Kurds gathered in Syria's Afrin on Saturday to mourn fighters and civilians killed in a blistering Turkish assault on the region. Those killed included female combatant Barin Kobani whose mutilated body appeared in a shocking video, prompting accusations by her family and Kurdish officials that she was "defiled" by Turkish-backed rebels. Erdogan for his part will probably thank the pontiff for opposing the decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. "We are both in favour of the status quo and we have the will to protect it," Erdogan said in an interview published on Sunday. Erdogan's flying visit to Italy will also include a meeting with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, with illegal immigration, defence and EU membership likely on the agenda. Pope Francis, a strong proponent of inter-faith dialogue, visited Turkey in November 2014, holding friendly talks with Erdogan, a devout Muslim. While in Istanbul the pope acknowledged that current global crises had made Muslims vulnerable to being stigmatised. Francis denounced those who said "all Muslims are terrorists". Relations were not so cordial in June 2016 when the pope, during a visit to Armenia, referred to the 1915-17 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman forces as "genocide". The Vatican was then forced to refute claims from Turkey that Pope Francis had showed a "mentality of the Crusades" over his use of the term. Turkey -- the Ottoman Empire's successor state -- argues that it was a collective tragedy in which both Turks and Armenians died. On Sunday, Erdogan also insisted in a newspaper interview that Turkey wants "full membership of Europe" and did not rule out joint Italian-Turkish action in Libya. The UN's human rights chief says Myanmar's persecution of the Rohingya Muslim minority has the potential to spark a regional conflict. On Monday, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein reiterated in Indonesia that acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing may have occurred in the campaign of violence against Rohingya that sparked an exodus of nearly 1 million people to neighboring Bangladesh. Zeid said, "Myanmar faces a very serious crisis with a potentially severe impact on the security of the region." He said, "If the Rohingya crisis were to spark a broader conflict based on religious identities, the ensuing disputes could be a cause for great alarm." Indonesia's poor human rights record including persecution of LGBT people is expected to be under scrutiny during Zeid's three-day visit. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his Argentine counterpart, Jorge Faurie said that they are considering imposing oil sale restrictions on Caracas to pressure President Nicolas Maduro and return Venezuela to a "constitutional regime". At a joint press conference on Sunday with Faurie, Tillerson said that authorities were considering the consequences for the Venezuelan people of such a move, but not doing anything would be to ask the Venezuelan people to continue suffering, Efe news reported. The top US and Argentine diplomats agreed on the need to implement measures to stop the "authoritarian drift" by the Venezuelan government. Earlier in the day, Tillerson paid tribute to Argentine independence hero Jose de San Martin. At about noon, the top US diplomat placed a floral offering before San Martin's bust in front of the San Martin Palace, the headquarters of the Argentine Foreign Ministry, at a solemn ceremony accompanied by Faurie. The two men then met to tighten bilateral relations, placing special emphasis on cooperation in security matters. In the afternoon, Tillerson will meet with members of the US Embassy in Buenos Aires at Washington's diplomatic seat there. Tillerson's official visit to Argentine will conclude on Monday at the Olivos presidential residence, where he will be welcomed by President Mauricio Macri and discuss strengthening relations between the two countries and throughout the region. After that, Tillerson will travel to Peru, the second stop on his first Latin American and Caribbean tour, which began on Friday in Mexico and will also take him to Colombia and Jamaica. The diplomat arrived in Argentina on Saturday, landing first at the Patagonian city of San Carlos de Bariloche, where he toured a portion of Nahuel Huapi National Park on horseback and spoke with National Park Directorate and Conicet national research council officials. Stephen Harper, Canadas former prime minister, might well have been less colourful and pleasing to eye and ear than the current Canadian leader. But Harper focused on what he believed Canada needed to get ahead in the world, not on his image and on making Canadians feel good about themselves. This contrasts markedly with the approach under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. How much longer will Canada have to pay the price so Trudeau can remind us that he is a human rights activist? Take, for example, the inquiry into violence against Indigenous women and girls, and the flow ... Government is preparing a comprehensive gold policy announced by the finance minister in the Union Budget this year, which will focus on making gold an asset class. This will be major shift from the past, because so far, gold has been treated under the category of demerit goods. Once it is recognised as a financial asset, the securitised form of gold could also be defined. So far, the precious metal has been considered as a security only from the prism of gold exchange traded funds. However once it starts trading on a modern automated exchange platform, regulated by one of the ... The weekend did little to cushion the blow of the biggest US stock rout in two years, with Asian equities facing a barrage of selling as Monday trading got under way. Japan bore the brunt of the declines, with Nikkei 225 Stock Average erasing this years gain, while a measure of its volatility surged to the highest since November. US equity futures sank as much as 1.1 per cent in Asia on Monday but by 7:35 am in London March e-mini contracts on the S&P 500 Index had pared losses to 0.1 per cent. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index slid 1.4 per cent, retreating from a rally that has sent ... One person was feared killed when a Japanese Self-Defence Force (SDF) helicopter crashed near an elementary school in Saga Prefecture in Kyushu Island in southwestern Japan on Monday. According to local firefighters attending the scene, one person is feared dead. According to the Japanese public broadcaster NHK, the Saga Prefectural Police headquarters received an emergency call that an SDF helicopter had crashed near the Chiyoda Chubu Elementary School in Kanzaki City at around 4:45 pm (local time). The city office said that a residential building caught fire after the helicopter crashed near the school and Dairyuji kindergarten, according to Xinhua. An eyewitness told local media that she heard a loud "bang." However, she stated that no one at the kindergarten school was injured. The principal at the Chiyoda Chubu Elementary School said that he could see pillars of fire and black smoke in the vicinity, but said none of the students were injured in the accident. A woman in her 70s told local media that she heard a "terrible noise" and later saw a two-story house on fire. Another woman said she heard an unusual sound and looked up to see a helicopter rapidly descending with its nose pitched down. "After it crashed, I could see black smoke rising. I was very scared," she told the local media. The Japanese defence ministry confirmed that chopper that went down was an AH-64 (Apache). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots on Monday urged the Centre to set up a special court to settle their cases and also requested to arrest Congress leaders Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar. "We urge the Centre to provide us with a special court. Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler are the culprits and the whole country is aware of it. They themselves have accepted their crime. We want the government to first arrest them and then further lead the investigation," Anti-Sikh Riots Victim Society president Atma Singh Lubna told ANI. He also said the witnesses in the case were being threatened from time to time and their security has also been withdrawn. Earlier in the day, the Akali Dal claimed that they were in possession of a CD in which Congress leader Jagdish Tytler has confessed about his role in the anti-Sikh riots. According to official records, about 2,800 Sikhs were killed across India, including 2,100 in Delhi, during the pogrom that broke out after the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 25 militants, belonging to the insurgent group Taliban, have been killed and 13 others injured in an operation by security forces in central Ghazni province of Afghanistan. Tolo News quoted the Provincial Police Office's statement on Monday as saying that the militants were killed on Sunday during an ongoing military operation. The 'Nabard-e-Ahanin' operation was launched a week ago in Deh Yak district of the province to clear the area of insurgents. The operation is ongoing, it said, adding, "The air force is also supporting the forces." Yesterday, Afghanistan's Ministry of Defence said that at least one hundred militants were killed by the security forces in the past 24 hours across the country. The operation was conducted after three major militant attacks had taken place in Kabul during the past two weeks. Since January 20, militants have stormed a luxury hotel, bombed a crowded street and raided a military compound in Kabul, killing more than 130 people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least nine militants were killed in clashes between the Lashkar-e-Islami (LeI) and the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. The Khaama Press quoted the 201st Silab Corps as saying that the clashes took place in the vicinity of Mamand Dara area of Achin district. Three LeI and six IS militants were among those killed, Silab Corps added. Seven militants from both groups were also injured in the group. Last year in October, a deadly fight between the two factions of Taliban in western Heart region left 50 insurgents dead. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Monday said that the decades-old insurgency in Afghanistan would never be addressed with a military solution and that both sides should opt for peace talks. "At the end of the day the Afghans have to sit down and talk," Abbasi said in a TV interview. According to the Tolo news, Abbasi expressed concerns over the increasing number of United States troops in Afghanistan and said that Islamabad was ready to enter into talks with the Taliban. Bloomberg reported that Abbasi had slammed charges and allegations on Pakistan's lackadaisical approach in tackling terrorism and said Islamabad recently handed over 27 Taliban prisoners to Kabul. "These are Afghan nationals who were arrested inside Pakistan, they were not involved in a terror attack on us otherwise we would have prosecuted them here, so we handed them back to the Afghans," Abbasi said. However, the Afghan government has reportedly rejected such claims and instead said that no prisoner handover was made by Pakistan. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained frosty due to the latter's constant blame on Pakistan's non-cooperation on tackling terrorism and insurgency and also sending terrorists to Afghanistan for conducting suicide attacks over the years. Pakistan has urged Afghanistan to stop the blame game and asked for its co-operation in combating terrorism. In a televised speech to the nation, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Friday alleged that the "centre of Taliban terrorism is in Pakistan" accused the country of harbouring the Taliban. This comes at a time when Afghanistan has been ravaged by a series of deadly terrorist attacks during the last few days, particularly in Kabul, which killed nearly 150 people and wounded hundreds more. In the first round of talks on Sunday, Islamabad and Kabul have decided to continue holding discussions to reach an agreement on the entire Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS). The APAPPS is a joint action plan for cooperation in the areas of counter-terrorism and reduction of violence, peace and reconciliation, refugees repatriation and joint economic development. The second round of the bilateral talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan is scheduled to take place on February 9 and 10 in Islamabad. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) will hold its 26th plenary meeting of general and executive members on February 9 and 10 which will be held in Hyderabad's Owaisi hospital. "The board is going to hold a plenary in Hyderabad. There will be a Jalsa meeting on February 11 in Darussalam where ministers of Parliament will also be present. We will discuss the Babri Masjid issue and the triple talaq bill which were passed in Parliament," AIMPLB executive member, Rahimuddin Ansari, said He added that on February 9 the executive members of the board would be attending the meeting and the next day the general members would do the same. Total 51 members would attend the meeting including board president Asaduddin Owaisi, General Secretary Moulana Saleem Khasmi, secretary board advocate Zafariyab and others. Ansari added that the three-day-long general body meeting will discuss the issue and evolve a strategy for the protection of Muslim Personal Law. The triple talaq bill and the Babri Masjid case, which is coming up for hearing in the Supreme Court from February 8, is the main agenda of the meeting. The meet will also discuss and approve the annual budget. There will also be a discussion on the funds required for fighting the legal cases. "We will mainly focus on the Babri Masjid bill and triple talaq bill in this meeting," Ansari asserted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah on Monday hit out at the Congress for being unable to address the issue of unemployment. While addressing his maiden speech as the member of Rajya Sabha, Shah said that the Congress ruled the nation for decade but failed to tackle the issue of unemployment. Shah further highlighted the work done by the Democratic Alliance (NDA) government and said, "For the past 30 years the country has been unstable, with citizens not giving any one party a majority. However, in 2014, Narendra Modi and the BJP won that mandate as people sought a solution to the many problems. In spite of getting absolute majority, we (BJP) formed the NDA. This government has done many things for the upliftment of the poor, has made many historic changes." He also hit out at former finance minister and Congress leader P. Chidambaram's tweet comparing pakora seller to a bhikshuk and said, "That is so wrong. A pakora seller is earning a living, not begging, who knows his next generation might rise to be a leader, after all, a tea seller has today become a Prime Minister." Slamming the Congress and its chief Rahul Gandhi for terming GST as Gabbar Singh Tax, he said, "The GST was implemented after everyone's consensus. Now they are naming it Gabbar Singh Tax. Who is Gabbar Singh? He was a dacoit in Bollywood film Sholay. So is it dacoity to levy government tax?," he asked. He further said that the country's economy is going to improve because of the GST. "Look at the past -- We had 17 taxes, people had to show their accounts to 15 tax inspectors. Now there is just one tax and one tax inspector. BJP never opposed the GST when the Congress was in power," he added. Highlighting the Modi government's initiatives for farmers, he said, "More than five crore farmers have signed up for the Bhima Yoajan. We also came up with a health card for soil - available in 14 languages - which has helped farmers" Stating that Centre is working towards eradication of poverty, he said, "Garibi hatao slogan may have been raised years ago, but it was the Narendra Modi government that has moved towards it." Recounting the work of his government in the last three years, the BJP chief said, "Prime Minister Modi ensured electricity in 16,000 villages of the 18,000 that didn't have it when the BJP came to power in 2014.This government dreamt to give every citizen a house. Government reduced prices of several medicines to benefit the poor," he said. He further cited Jan Dhan Yojana as an example of the NDA's success story. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telugu Desam Party leader and a Kollywood actor Nandamuri Balakrishna got discharged from Continental Hospitals after undergoing major shoulder surgery today in Hyderabad. Doctor Deepthi Nandan Reddy and doctor Ashish Babulkar operated on the rotator cuff muscle of his right shoulder. The actor has been advised rest for 5 to 6 weeks and will visit the hospital again next week for the first check-up post surgery. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hit back at Congress President Rahul Gandhi for taking a jibe at the Centre over the proposed Naga peace accord that is pending since February 2015. MoS Jeetendra Singh targeted the political lineage of Gandhi, saying the Congress Party failed to resolve the issue even as it stayed in power for a long time since independence. "He is conveniently forgetting that the party that ruled for at least 50 years in Congress. It is their doing and baggage. In fact, the improvement in the security situation in the Northeast now was never so in the last 50-60 years. Why wasn't it? That is a question the Congress needs to answer," Singh told ANI. "If there was unrest in the region before, there might have been political greed behind. They have to answer this question instead of commenting on our three years of work," he added. BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi termed Gandhi's jibe a failed attempt to turn the tide in the upcoming assembly election in Nagaland. "Congress is losing in Nagaland and it is very, very apparent from the tweet which Gandhi has coined," Lekhi said. Lekhi also said the Congress is on ground zero in Nagaland and is merely seeking attention in a state in which it is almost wiped out. On Sunday, Gandhi took to Twitter to raise the issue of Naga accord that the Prime Minister had proclaimed to sign in August 2015, and said, "August 2015, Mr Modi claims to create history by signing the NAGA accord. Feb 2018, Naga Accord is still nowhere to be found. Modi ji is the first ever Indian PM whose words don't mean anything. #CantFindTheAccord. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Canadian woman was allegedly attacked by a miscreant in the Delhi bound Malwa Express Train. "On January 31, I was travelling by the Malwa express train from Jalandhar Cantonment to New Delhi railway station. A young man climbed the running train and tried to ruthlessly pull the bag off my shoulder. He tried to attempt it several times, while I was being literally dragged off the train," Nita Mehta told ANI. Explaining her ordeal she said, "I tried to tweet to the Delhi Police, the Prime Minister Modi Office (PMO), Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. But I did not get any response whatsoever. Is this how an NRI is treated? Why will anyone ever want to visit a country after this?" She has filed an FIR with the concerned police station in this connection on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three security personnel have been injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast by Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur. The explosion on Monday took place far away from the troops and the injuries sustained were therefore due to the mud debris, stone pellets and splinters. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Sundarraj P told ANI, "Three jawans sustained minor injuries due to stone pellets and splinters after an IED blast near Ranibodli. But they are quite okay." Maoists have been a regular nuisance in Bijapur. In another recent incident, 10 vehicles engaged in road construction work were allegedly set ablaze by Naxals. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Chinese national was shot dead near Zamzama Park in Pakistan's Karachi on Monday. In the recent past, a number of Chinese nationals working on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) have been targetted in Pakistan. The Chinese presence in Pakistan has increased in the past few years due to the CPEC and the Pakistani government has deployed 15,000 military personnel to protect projects under the economic corridor. Last year, two Chinese nationals were reportedly kidnapped from the Jinnah town area of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan. Following the abduction, China had said it will spare no effort to rescue its kidnapped citizens, while adding that it will also step up efforts to safeguard the security of Chinese citizens and agencies in Pakistan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Monday arrested a man for carrying a country-made pistol and 12 live rounds at Dwarka Mor Metro Station in Delhi. The accused has been identified as Neeraj Kumar Patel, a resident of Patna, according to officials sources. During the baggage screening of the passenger, a CISF official noticed pistol and ammunition on the monitor. Immediately, he stopped the conveyer belt as well as the passenger and informed the matter to his senior. The bag was physically checked in the presence of the passenger and the firearm and live rounds were recovered. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 14-year-old boy suffering from a chronic disease in Uttarakhand's Haridwar, shot himself to death on Sunday evening. Satvik Sharma, a student of ninth standard in Delhi Public School (DPS), used his father's licensed pistol and took his life on the upper floor of his house when his parents were downstairs. "He had been suffering from the disease from eight years and had grown depressed because of it. His body will be sent for postmortem in the morning," SSI Sanjeev Thapliyal told ANI. The police have seized the pistol used by the boy, Thapliyal informed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dubai-based Kaydence and Kianna FZE through its India-arm Kaydence Media Ventures (KMV) is set to launch India's first media initiative for the Direct Selling industry - Qonnect Now. Qonnect Now - www.theqonnectnow.com initiative is an online portal of news, trends, perspective and events aimed at connecting, informing and educating the different stakeholders of the direct selling industry across India. Besides the prime focus on India, Qonnect Now will also feature news, trends and events of the direct selling industry in Asia Pacific and Middle East. "The direct selling industry India is estimated according to PHD - IDSA The Indian Direct Selling Industry Annual Survey 2015 - 2016 Report, to be USD 183 billion industry globally, engaging over 103 million direct sellers. India is estimated to be 65,000 crore of the global direct selling industry creating 1.5 crore self-employed entrepreneurs working as direct sellers. The progressive government under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken cognisance about the potential of this emerging sector of and has even established guidelines to regulate the direct selling in the country," said MD and CEO, Kaydence and Kianna FZE, Savio Rodrigues. "We see a great potential for media products in this niche sector and we have decided to take our first step in this direction with 'Qonnect Now'. We also plan to launch a fortnightly print magazine focussed on the Direct Selling industry in Asia-Pacific and Middle East within this year," Rodrigues added. The direct selling industry according to the FICCI-KPMG Report 2016 touched Rs. 7200 crore in 2016 creating an estimated 50 lakh in self-employed entrepreneurs so far in India. "With government getting proactive in recognising the potential of the direct selling industry in the country and working to establishing the appropriate legal framework at the centre and at state-level, the potential for this industry is a northward climb and it will contribute to immensely in wealth and job creation through entrepreneurship. We aim to be the voice of the direct selling industry by working along with the different direct selling associations like IDSA and FDSA, companies and distributors across the spectrum of the business segment to help this industry grow," expressed Rodrigues. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five over ground workers (OGW) were arrested on Monday when the Awantipora Police in Jammu and Kashmir busted a Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) module. Last month, four OGW of Hizbul Mujahideen were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district. A Lashkar-e-Taiba OGW was arrested in Handwara of Jammu and Kashmir in the same month. An AK 56 rifle, two magazines, 25 rounds of AK 56 and one wire cutter were recovered from his possession. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia on Monday said that the Government will bring down its corporate income tax rate, once they witness a surge in the personal income tax collections. "When it comes to the demand for reduction in the corporate income tax rate, we are not denying the claim that yes we should bring down the overall corporate income tax rate in India. But, the present balance, what is happening in most of the countries is that personal income tax is much higher compared to corporate income tax. While in India, the other side has to go up. Once that goes up, then we will have some more scope for reduction," Hasmukh Adhia said while speaking at a session organised by CII. "But till then the effective tax rate of corporates whose turnover is more than Rs. 500 crore is only 24 percent," he added. Union Budget 2018 which was presented on February 1 by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, had proposed no changes in the income tax rates and slabs. Jaitley had proposed to cut corporate income tax rate to 25 percent for companies with a turnover of up to Rs. 250 crore. "This will see the extension of a trend as the share of corporate tax to total revenues has come down from 34.45 percent in 2014-15 to 28.18 percent in 2017-18, under the Modi government," Jaitley had said in his Budget speech. Earlier in 2015, the minister had pledged to bring down corporate taxes to 25 percent from 30 percent over four years. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Guess co-founder Paul Marciano has vehemently dismissed the sexual harassment allegations made against him by Hollywood actress and model Kate Upton. "Five days ago, Kate Upton tweeted that I abused my position at Guess to 'sexually and emotionally harass women. Ms Upton provided no details. Just the hashtag '#MeToo.' She leveled this malicious and false accusations only hours before a gala event at our headquarters in Los Angeles unveiling a new Guess campaign," Page Six quoted Marciano as saying. He said, "As of today, Ms. Upton still has provided no facts, no details, no dates and no circumstances to back anything she has alleged." Marciano alleged that the actress was "working with others" for some time to defame him. "The accusation is false. I have never touched Kate Upton. I have never been alone with Kate Upton. I have never acted inappropriately towards her," he clarified. Upton, in a #MeToo message, last week accused of sexually harassing women in the fashion industry. Taking to both Twitter and Instagram, the 25-year-old wrote, "It's disappointing that such an iconic women's brand @Guess is still empowering Paul Marciano as their creative director #metoo." She continued, "He shouldn't be allowed to use his power in the industry to sexually and emotionally harass women #metoo." The #MeToo movement sprung up in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, which saw the disgraced Hollywood mogul accused of a catalogue of inappropriate behaviour with young actresses. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special court on Monday ordered the arrest of Indrani Mukerjea in connection with the INX media case. The court asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to arrest Indrani. The court also sent her on two-day CBI remand. Indrani, the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, is currently lodged in Mumbai's Byculla jail. Earlier on February 2, a Mumbai Court allowed a production warrant against Indrani from a Delhi court after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) told the court that there were discrepancies in the income tax details of INX Media. The ED had earlier registered a case against INX Media, its founder Peter Mukerjea and his wife Indrani under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). INX Media has been accused of violating Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) guidelines while receiving investments from Mauritius. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram's son Karti is also an accused in the case, which relates to FIPB approval granted in 2006 for receipt of funds by INX Media. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday came down heavily upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi while saying that he should carry 'high credibility' while levelling any allegation against the state government. Addressing media, the Chief Minister said, "Dear Narendra Modi, being the Prime Minister of the country your words should carry high credibility. I would, therefore, request you to substantiate your allegation that "corruption and mis-governance are rampant in Karnataka" with facts." Referring to Prime Minister's recent statement where he stated that "countdown has begun for Karnataka government", Siddaramaiah hit back and said, "countdown for the Prime Minister has begun not for his government". Stating that the Prime Minister was facilitating corruption, Siddaramaih said that the former is not morally fir to be the Prime Minister. He further asked the Prime Minister to fight the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections with dignity. Siddaramaiah also took a jibe at the Prime Minister for holding Parvitan rally in the state and said that the rally is being funded by "Adani -Ambani." When asked as to who is funding BJP's Parvitan rally, he said, "Which money? whose money?. May be, it is from Ambani or from Adani. May be, it is from somebody else. It is black money." Siddaramaih also raked up the 2002 Godhra riots and recent Haryana's Kasganj violence and said, "How many died during their tenure in Godhra? Over 2000 people were killed back then. Also, is there any law and order in Haryana? Wherever the BJP is in power there is no protection for minorities." The Chief Minister also attacked BJP chief Amit Shah and state BJP chief BS Yedduyurappa and said, "BJP president was involved in a murder case... Here (in Karnataka) also they are projecting a Chief Minister candidate (BS Yedduyurappa) who has been to jail." Siddaramaiah also took on the Prime Minister for saying that Karnataka has not been receiving the benefits of Centre's funds. "The Prime Minister keeps making comments that he has given so much money to the states. Where do you think this money is coming from? It is the taxes collected in the state which was sent to the Centre. It is our money which comes back," he added. "As per 14th finance commission, in last three years we were supposed to get 95.200 crore, whereas we got 84.500 crores, so they have to give 10,000 crores more. This neither Prime Minister knows nor Amit Shah," he added. Earlier on Sunday, while addressing a rally in Bengaluru, the Prime Minister launched a veiled attack at the Siddaramaih-led Karnataka government while saying that people of the state have not received the benefits of Centre's funds. "Can you see the funds provided by the centre utilised properly in Karnataka? Can you see the benefits of funds provided by the centre to Karnataka?" he asked the attendees. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to fuel its expansion spree, Lenskart.com, a leading eyewear company has announced strategic investment of worth USD four million in affordable-premium eyewear brand John Jacobs. Through this investment, the company envisions John Jacobs to be a USD 78 million plus brand by 2021. Launched with an aim to secure a position in the affordable luxury segment, John Jacobs, has five standalone stores in Delhi, Gurugram and Bengaluru. The brand has clocked over Rs. 100 crore sales and plans to open 20 more outlets in Delhi, Gurugram, and Bengaluru, along with entering Mumbai in 2018. "John Jacobs is a trendy designer eyewear brand, that is fast creating a name for representing top international styles at surprisingly affordable prices and that's their USP. With this strategic investment, we continue our mission of creating enthusiastically satisfied customers and providing great value for money to Indian consumers," said Peyush Bansal, founder and CEO, Lenskart.com. Keeping in mind the requirements of its target audience, some of John Jacobs' existing outlets include one of a kind retail experiences, including a mini cafe, travel books, polaroid photo booths and props for an engaging consumer experience. John Jacobs also retails through www.lenskart.com, Lenskart offline stores and services online orders from Australia, Philippines and the UK. The brand is now also readying itself to tap new geographies like the US and Canada to expand its presence globally. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The controversial YouTube star, Logan Paul, has announced his comeback to the social media. Posting a teaser on Twitter, Paul wrote "The Return" as the caption. The 25-second clip ended with the word "Tomorrow". The 22-year-old took a break from the platform after he was globally condemned for showing a dead body in one of his videos shot in Aokigahara - a Japanese woodland, also known as the "suicide forest". On January 1, Paul did apologised for the video, while defending its creation as a way to "raise awareness for suicide and suicide prevention", a comment that was quickly bashed on social media. That prompted another apology from Paul the following day, this time on video. "I have made a severe and continuous lapse in my judgment, and I don't expect to be forgiven. I'm simply here to apologize", a teary-eyed Paul said. After that Paul tweeted that he was "taking time to reflect" and would not be making any new vlogs "for now". Paul is one of the most popular YouTube personalities in the world, with more than 16 million subscribers to his channel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Just hours after Maldives President declared a state of emergency in the country, former attorney general Husnu Al Suood tweeted that he has been informed that Army could storm the Supreme Court building at any moment. Suood took to Twitter to inform that Chief Justice called him to inform the public about the recent developments and threat to his life. "Maldives CJ called me a little while ago and asked me to inform the public to protect him and the institution. He is expecting the police and army to storm into the Supreme Court building at any moment," Suood, who is also the president of Maldives Bar Association, tweeted. Opposition leaders across the Maldives are being rounded up and placed under detention as draconian measures are being put in place by President Abdulla Yameen. Early Monday evening President Yameen declared a state of emergency for 15 days. Yameen, who has been defying Supreme Court's orders on releasing former president Mohamed Nasheed, and free eight other political opponents from prison, has now given sweeping powers to security forces in the country, which is facing widespread domestic protests against the president. On Monday morning, Maldives capital Male remained tense, with the opposition and general public unrelentingly asking President Yameen to step down and allow a new leadership to take charge. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the wake of emergency being declared in the Maldives, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday advised citizens to defer all non-essential travels to the country and urged expatriates to remain on alert due to the recent developments. Opposition leaders across the Maldives are being rounded up and placed under detention as draconian measures are being put in place by President Abdulla Yameen. Early Monday evening President Yameen declared a state of emergency for 15 days. "The prevailing political developments in the Maldives and the resultant law and order situation is a matter of concern for the Government of India. Indian nationals are, therefore, advised to defer all non-essential travels to Male and other atolls until further notice," the MEA said in a statement. "Indian expatriates in Maldives are also alerted to the need for heightened security awareness, and urged to exercise due caution in public and avoid public gatherings," the statement added. Maldives Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed has informed the President of Maldives Bar Association Husnu Al Suood that the Army could storm the Supreme Court building at any moment. Suood took to Twitter to inform that Chief Justice called him to inform the public about the recent developments and threat to his life. Yameen, who has been defying Supreme Court's orders on releasing former president Mohamed Nasheed, and free eight other political opponents from prison, has now given sweeping powers to security forces in the country, which is facing widespread domestic protests against the president. On Monday morning, Maldives capital Male remained tense, with the opposition and general public unrelentingly asking President Yameen to step down and allow a new leadership to take charge. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turns out, medicines sold in India pose a global threat to antibiotic resistance control. A new study has revealed that multinational pharmaceutical companies continue to manufacture dozens of unapproved formulations, despite the global crisis of rising antimicrobial resistance. The study also noted that millions of unapproved antibiotics are being sold in India each year. Notably, India has rate is amongst the highest rates globally of antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic consumption, and parliamentary investigations have highlighted failures of the country's drug regulatory system. To examine the availability of antibiotics and their approval status in India, researchers analyzed the regulatory records of antibiotics as well as sales data from 2007 to 2012. The analysis included information on fixed dose combination (FDC) antibiotics (formulations composed of two or more drugs in a single pill) and single drug formulation (SDF) antibiotics (composed of a single drug) on the market in India. There were 118 different formulations of FDCs being sold in India between 2007 and 2012, compared to five in the United Kingdom and the United States. Of these 118 formulations, 64 percent were not approved by the national drugs regulator, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, even though the sale of unapproved new drugs is illegal in India. In contrast to FDCs, 93 percent of 86 SDF antibiotics on the market in India had regulatory approval. The 118 FDC formulations gave rise to 3307 brand-name products made by 476 pharmaceutical manufacturers, including a dozen multinational companies. Multinational companies manufactured 53 of the 118 FDC formulations. Twenty of these were unapproved in India. Only four were approved in the United Kingdom and the United States. "Selling unapproved, un-scrutinised antibiotics undermines measures in India to control antimicrobial resistance. Multinational companies should explain the sale of products in India that did not have the approval of their own national regulators and, in many cases, did not even have the approval of the Indian regulator", said lead author Patricia McGettigan. The researchers argued that changes are needed to achieve the proper use of antibiotics set by the World Organization (WHO). "Limiting antimicrobial resistance is a strategic goal of the WHO and countries worldwide. Governments and regulators must take all necessary steps to prevent the production and sale of illegal and unapproved medicines and scrutinise the actions of multinational companies," said senior author Allyson Pollock. The study is study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turns out, more and more women are venturing into one of the last bastions of male dominance - Neurosurgery. According to a new finding, Singapore saw its first full-fledged female neurosurgeon in 2013. As of now, there are only two full-fledged female neurosurgeons at the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI). Together with three female neurosurgery residents, they make up 15 percent of NNI's pool of 33. "Changing cultural and social norms have resulted in women making inroads into "one of the last bastions of male dominance", Ng Wai Hoe, NNI medical director, told Today Online. The speciality remains one of the "toughest and most technically demanding surgical fields which requires exceptional physical and mental resilience," said Associate Professor Ng. The neurosurgeons work with drills, saws and knives to slice through brains. Mere millimetres could mean a difference between life and death for their patients, and operations could take 36 hours or more. The higher proportion of women in medical school and a larger female surgical workforce, as well as modern-day fathers being more engaged and more willing to share childcare responsibilities, have likely led to the gender breakthrough, said Associate Professor Ng. According to figures from the National University of Singapore, just over half (52 percent) of undergraduates at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine in the current academic year are women. The proportion was 44 percent 10 years ago. Because of the demands of the speciality, the women said passion and the support of their loved ones are crucial. "Neurosurgery is notorious for its intensity, unpredictability and long hours. Neurosurgical training also requires a long path. It is certainly true that work-life balance may be chaotic and requires significant organisational skills, high levels of motivation and plenty of family support," said Dr Keong. Senior neurosurgery resident Wan Kai Rui said a typical day begins before 7 am and wraps up at least 12 hours later. Neurosurgeons don't see the sunlight often, said Dr Wan, a fifth-year resident doctor. "Neurosurgeons are often called upon to flex not only their medical know-how but also their social skills. They must be able to convey the outcomes of a surgery realistically and tactfully", said Dr Wan. "Having good mentors and colleagues help", said fourth-year resident Samantha Ang. "Although most of our colleagues are male, they don't see us as any lesser. They treat us like peers and do not assume we have certain limitations just because we are female," she added. Dr Keith Goh, the neurosurgeon in both operations, welcomed women into the speciality he calls "the hard life". "Since half of the human population is female, I suppose there should be equitable representation in this field of medicine," he said. There are still significantly more men in neurosurgery, as with the military, he noted. With more women in the field, patients could have more options when choosing doctors, said Dr Goh. "Sometimes female patients prefer to have a female surgeon, even though it is still debatable whether there is a 'male' brain and a 'female' brain," he said. Dr Keong hopes to see more women taking on the challenge. "I do not think it would take much to light this path for more females," she said. "The door is open. I just hope to see many more want to walk through". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United Kingdom Government has introduced new rules which gives the law enforcement officers sweeping powers to usurp assets and properties that have been accrued through "dirty money." The new rules have been designed to stop corrupt people from using the UK as a safe haven to amass unaccounted wealth. Individuals can be fined and jailed if they make misleading statements. British authorities have the right to freeze and recover properties of more than 50,000 pounds if individuals cannot give a genuine explanation on the source of the property and legal proof showing that they have acquired the property legally, The Dawn reported. The UWO (Unexplained Wealth Order) that initially came into force on February 1, looked to target Russian businessmen and industrialists having assets in the UK. However, the new property law could, however, spell the same trouble for some Pakistani politicians. Another issue that goes against Pakistani politicians is "the lower threshold as a UWO made in relation to a non-EEA [European Economic Area] PEP [Politically Exposed Person] would not require suspicion of serious criminality". London-based anti-corruption group, Transparency International (TI) said that it has identified properties worth 4.4 billion pounds in the UK that can be taken up in the new legislation. It has already prepared a list of five cases and feels that the investigation would not be delayed for long. This also includes the Avenfield House flats case, involving former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Suspecting Sharif as the owner of four Avenfield House flats worth eight million pounds, TI said in a statement, "The Land Registry documents showing the four properties are owned by two companies registered in the British Virgin Islands- Nescoll Limited and Nielsen Limited. "According to information published as part of Panama Papers, these companies were controlled by the former prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif. In 2017, Pakistani authorities initiated an investigation into these assets, which found that they were purchased without a mortgage between 1993 and 1995, just after Sharif reported a growth in wealth without any plausible declared source of income. In July 2017, Sharif was removed from the office after the investigation found that he had failed to disclose these properties on his official asset declaration," added TI. Igor Shuvalov, the Russian first deputy prime minister is the alleged owner of two flats worth 11.44 million pounds at 4 Whitehall Court in London. Sharif is not the only politician to have links to a series properties in the UK. Other media reports have mentioned that various Pakistani politicians have also purchased properties and amassed unaccounted wealth in the UK. India's most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim has been reportedly linked to a series of properties across the United Kingdom, according to a UK media report. The UK newspaper compared the details from documents prepared by Indian authorities related to the records held by UK's Companies House, Land Registry and the Panama Papers. The documents also alleged that Ibrahim's right-hand man, Muhammed Iqbal "Mirchi" Memon, amassed huge properties in the UK, such as hotels, mansions, and houses in South-East England. Memon held at least 11 company directorships in tiling, construction and lettings firms in the UK before he died in 2013 after suffering a heart attack. He had consistently denied his involvement in Ibrahim's cartel. Memon, also a suspect in the 1993 Mumbai attacks, had sought refuge in London after the blasts and attempts to extradite him to India had failed. He sought refuge in London after the 1993 Mumbai attacks. India has tried to extradite him but in vain. Ibrahim, who has an Interpol red notice against him, has been on the UK Treasury sanctions list for the last many years with three addresses registered in Pakistan. According to the UK government's estimates, about 90 billion pounds in unaccounted wealth is laundered in the country every year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Free Karachi Campaign has launched its second phase in the United States with billboards advertisements. As part of the campaign, nearly 100 taxis will run around the US capital with #FreeKarachi banners. The taxi routes include important locations of the city such as- White House, Capitol Hill, State Department and lawmakers' offices. The campaign for the rights of the people of urban Sindh Province of Pakistan had kickstarted last week in Washington D.C. on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day when taxis displaying "Free Karachi" banners participated in the parade. One of the leading US newspapers, Washington Times, also published a special four-page wrap highlighting the aims and objectives of the campaign. The campaign is getting worldwide attention and the US lawmakers are raising their voices over the human rights abuses in Karachi. Free Karachi spokesperson Nadeem Nusrat said, "The Free Karachi Campaign has no political objectives. Its purpose is to create worldwide awareness about the plight of the democracy-loving, secular people of Karachi and other urban areas of Sindh who have been facing one crackdown after another at the hands of Pakistan's military forces." "The aim of the campaign is to convey the message to the US administration that around 70 million Mohajirs are trusted US allies in the war against extremism and terrorism. Karachi, the port city of Pakistan, needs immediate attention of the US and the community as the city faces a serious threat from Taliban, ISIS, and like-minded extremist forces," he added. Since 1992, over 22,000 Urdu-speaking Mohajirs have been killed in urban Sindh by Pakistani security forces. Since 2013 alone, hundreds of Mohajirs have gone missing and tortured dead bodies of Mohajirs are routinely dumped in Karachi's outskirts. While religious extremist outfits are allowed to freely preach their twisted ideology of religious hatred in Karachi under the protection of paramilitary rangers, the democratically elected mainstream political party of Mohajirs, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) is facing an announced ban on its activities. Karachi, the city that alone generates nearly 70 percent revenue for Pakistan's national treasury and over 90 percent for Sindh province, has no representation in the national and provincial governments. The city's population exceeds the population of the rest of the Sindh province. Another main issue that Karachi faces is its absolute absence in the city's law enforcement agencies. Its people are not accepted by the city's police and paramilitary rangers. The non-local law enforcement agencies treat Karachiites as the "people of occupied territory". The citizens are routinely kidnapped and are only released after paying an extortionate amount. Those who refuse to pay or cannot afford to pay are either booked in fake charges or killed extrajudicially. The term 'Mohajir' is used to describe the Urdu-speaking immigrants who left India in 1947 and came to Pakistan. A large chunk of them settled in the Sindh province. Earlier in January, the first phase of Free Karachi Campaign was launched in Washington D.C. on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taxi aggregator Ola on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Assam to pilot a one-of-its-kind app-based river taxi service in Guwahati. The MoU has been signed in the presence of Chandra Mohan Patowary, Minister for Transport, Parliamentary Affairs, Industry and Commerce and Vijay Ghadge, VP of Operations of Ola at the on-going 'Global Investors Summit: Advantage Assam' at Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati. Ola launched in the state of Assam in December 2014 and has since transformed the commuting experience of citizens with a range of offerings for day to day as well as long distance, inter-city and state commute. Bringing water taxis on the online platform, a localised and key mode of commute in the capital city will further strengthen the transportation ecosystem. App-based bookings will streamline demand, and enable advance bookings and cashless payments, ensuring a convenient commuting experience as well as given an impetus the local transportation infrastructure and economy. "Assam has a very unique transportation landscape where water transport plays an important role in cities such as Guwahati. Ola has played a key role in streamlining road transport over the last few years in the state. This time around, we are thrilled to extend the partnership with Ola to pilot app-based water taxis in the capital city. We are certain that bringing a localised mode of commute on an app platform will enable convenient transportation for citizens and tourists alike, and we look forward to more such collaborations with Ola," said Chandra Mohan Patowary. "Our intent is reflected in all our partnerships with various state governments across transportation and tourism. As a part of this endeavour, we are delighted to partner and work with the government of Assam to enhance and empower the local transportation infrastructure. We laud the government's efforts in providing opportunities to companies such as ours and are honoured to be a part of this initiative," said Vijay Ghadge. The river taxis will be a machine-operated boat, which is faster and safer than the conventional ones. Ola will pilot high-speed taxis on the Lachit Ghat, Machkhowa to North Guwahati route, bringing the commute time down two - five minutes from 45 minutes by road. The fast pace of these boats-cum-taxis will not only reduce the travel time, but will also provide a more comfortable journey for its commuters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition leaders across the Maldives are being rounded up and placed under detention as draconian measures are being put in place by President Abdulla Yameen. Early Monday evening President Yameen declared a state of emergency for 15 days. Yameen, who has been defying Supreme Court's orders on releasing former president Mohamed Nasheed, and free eight other political opponents from prison, has now given sweeping powers to security forces in the country, which is facing widespread domestic protests against the president. According to the local media reports, Maldives' Legal Affairs Minister Azima Shakoor read the announcement on state television. A Member of Parliament (MP) Abdulla Shahid took to Twitter to inform that an emergency has been declared in the Maldives. "President has just Declared State of Emergency," he tweeted. Ahmed Mahloof, the spokesperson of Joint Opposition, told ANI that "He's (President Yameen) playing his last card and his game is over." Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Eva Abdulla said, "All basic rights suspended. Security forces have sweeping powers to arrest and search." "All basic rights suspended. Security forces have sweeping powers to arrest and search," Eva added. "This was expected and the only card left for President is this. Also according to article 258 of constitution Supreme Court can cancel State of Emergency," a senior opposition leader said. Ambassador of the United States to Sri Lanka and the Maldives informed on Twitter that he spoke with the Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed to reiterate U.S. support for democratic freedoms. "I spoke tonight with Chief Justice Saeed to reiterate U.S. support for democratic freedoms, human rights, and #RuleofLaw in #Maldives. Any robust #Democracy requires a judiciary that functions without hindrance or intimidation," he tweeted. On Monday morning, Maldives capital Male remained tense, with the opposition and general public unrelentingly asking President Yameen to step down and allow a new leadership to take charge. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake his first historic visit to Palestine, announced the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday. The MEA, in a press conference, said, "Prime Minister Modi will be going to Ramallah on February 10." Prime Minister Modi will also visit United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman durinng the visit, from February 10 to 12. "From Palestine, he will reach UAE late in the evening of February 10 on the invitation of UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan," the MEA said. This will be the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Palestine, and Prime Minister Modi's second visit to UAE and the first to Oman respectively. During the visit, the Prime Minister will hold discussions on matters of mutual interest with their leaders, apart from participating in other events. Also, Prime Minister Modi would be addressing the Sixth World Government Summit to be held in Dubai, at which India has been extended the 'Guest of Honour' status. He will also meet the Indian community in UAE and Oman respectively. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At a time when the state of Jammu and Kashmir is combating unrest caused by incessant terror attacks and ceasefire violations, this Pune based NGO has pledged to make the life of people in war-torn Kashmir better. The NGO 'Sarhad' is funding education of students from militant-inflicted Kashmir. These students come from families which have faced the wrath of ceasefire violations, terror attacks and the Kargil War. 'Sarhad' not only provides free education to students but also helps them get jobs. Thanking Sanjay Nahar, the founder-director of Sarhad, a post-graduation student, Owais Wani, said youngsters like him have nowhere to go and that Sarhad has acted as the lone ray of hope for youth like him. "If any incident happens with any Kashmiri student or working professional, his or her only hope is Nahar Sir. Someone like a special nodal police officer, preferably from Jammu and Kashmir, should be appointed in Pune to address the issues of Kashmiri students studying here," Wani said. "Once I went to a firm for an interview but the moment the company officials came to know that I belonged to Jammu and Kashmir, they refused to entertain me and did not even interview me," he added. Recently, Centre's interlocutor for Kashmir Dineshwar Sharma also visited Sarhad and assured them all required support. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior leaders of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) met on Monday here to decide the fate of President Jacob Zuma, who is now fighting for his political survival. Pressure is mounting on Zuma to resign before a key national address, which is scheduled for later this week. Many leaders have time and again, asked him to step down from the post. However, Zuma has firmly refused everytime. The party's national working committee, one of its highest decision-making bodies, will discuss the matters related to the 75-year-old's presidency and will take the next step soon, The Guardian reported. Adriaan Bassoon, a senior South African journalist, wrote: "Zuma has played all his cards and is now at open war with Ramaphosa and his supporters." Paul Mashatile, the ANC treasurer-general, told reporters last week that the president should step down. "There should be a change of guard. You can't have two centres of power. The best possible way is if the state president exits," Mashatile said. Ace Magashule, the ANC secretary-general and a Zuma loyalist, said despite this the president would still address the parliament in Cape Town on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance, a major opposition party in the country, has called for the speech to be postponed. "Zuma's days in the office can definitely be counted in weeks, not months," said Jakkie Cilliers, an analyst with the Institute for Security Studies, a Pretoria-based thinktank. Cyril Ramaphosa stated that South Africa was coming out of a "period of uncertainty, a period of darkness, and getting into a new phase". Zuma faces several corruption allegations. His position has weakened after he was replaced by Ramaphosa as leader of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party in December. Parliamentary Speaker Baleka Mbete has scheduled a motion of no confidence against on February 22. Zuma has been deserted by many party members after his position was taken over by Ramaphosa, who has been lobbying to force him to resign. He has been leading the ANC since 2007 and has been South Africa's president since 2009. However, the nine-year-old tenure has been controversial, with a series of corruption scandals undermining the image and legitimacy of the ANC. The party still dominates the of South Africa but its popularity has been dented by various corruption allegations and a failure to transform the lives of the country's poor. From 5 February onwards, M7 Group, one of Europe's largest pay TV providers, will add Travelxp HD to its channel line-up for its pay-TV bouquets Skylink (Czech Republic and Slovakia), Canal Digital and Online.nl (Netherlands) and TV VLAANDEREN (Belgium). The channel will be 24/7 available in crystal clear HD quality. Travelxp HD features compelling travel and lifestyle programming from over 45 countries across the globe. The content is 100 percent originally-produced. While the channel is available with English voice-over, Travelxp HD will be fully localized in the Czech language. Dutch subtitling will be added over time. "We are committed to reach out to every potential traveler around the globe. We are therefore quite excited about our agreement with a European key player like M7 Group, allowing us to substantially boost our viewership in various important European markets," said CEO Travelxp HD, Prashant Chothani. "With the launch of Travelxp HD we are meeting subscriber demand for a channel that is fully dedicated to the world of travel. The channel has already proven its added value in other parts of the world and we look forward to a fruitful cooperation in our various European markets," says Bill Wijdeveld, VP Development of M7 Group. In addition to being distributed via satellite and IPTV, the channel will also be available via the various M7 Live TV apps, allowing for the viewing of Travelxp HD via multiple mobile devices. As part of the new agreement, M7 Platform Services will arrange for the safe and secure technical delivery of Travelxp HD to third-party operators within the Europe-wide ASTRA 23.5 degrees East footprint coverage. Jozef Pipek, Managing Director, IFC Media, representing Travelxp in Czech Republic & Slovakia states also commented "We are extremely excited about bringing Travelxp HD to Skylink in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. We believe that this fully localized version will bring Skylink subscribers a lot of nice experiences from the high quality travel content." Edwin Teerink, CEO, YonMedia, representing Travelxp in BENELUX, further added "We're thrilled and proud that we will launch Travelxp HD on the platforms of the M7 group in the Netherlands and Belgium. By offering a programming purely targetted to travel and travellers, the channel brings an added value with this unique format to the current offer in both countries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United States President Donald Trump slammed the Democrats for not applauding him during his State of the Union address and termed them to be "un-American" and "treasonous". He made the statement during a speech at an Ohio factory, hours after attacking a laundry list of senior figures in the intelligence community as "liars and leakers". "They certainly didn't seem to love our country very much," he said. Earlier on Monday, the president targeted in particular Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, for opposing the release of a controversial memo written by Republicans on the panel, about investigations into ties between Trump aides and Russia, reported The Guardian. The President tweeted: "Little Adam Schiff who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped!" Trump on February 1 gave the green signal to release a controversial Nunes memo, containing alleged surveillance abuses of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) during the probe of Russian meddling in 2016 US presidential elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Responding to the recent ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC), Minister of State Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir on Monday said India will not forgive Islamabad for it. "We will not forgive Pakistan's actions. It will prove to be Pakistan's foolishness and will cost them dearly," Ahir told ANI. Ahir's statement came after four soldiers were killed and another injured in the ceasefire violation initiated by Pakistan in Rajouri district on Sunday. One officer, three jawans lost their lives after the Pakistani ranger initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics, mortars and missiles, in Bhimber Gali sector, said the army. The army retaliated strongly and effectively and heavy damage has been inflicted on the Pakistani Army posts. Meanwhile, in the wake of the ceasefire 84 schools were closed in the district. The decision was taken as a precautionary measure. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharti Airtel rose 2.09% to Rs 430.60 at 10:20 IST on BSE after the company announced that Singapore Telecommunications, a long term partner of the company, will invest Rs 2649 crore in its promoter company, Bharti Telecom. The announcement was made before market hours today, 5 February 2018. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 320.86 points, or 0.91% to 34,745.89. The stock bucked weak trend in Sensex. On the BSE, 1.66 lakh shares were traded in the counter so far, compared with average daily volumes of 85.54 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 436.70 and a low of Rs 411.80 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 565 on 3 November 2017. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 325.50 on 22 March 2017. The stock had underperformed the market over the past 30 days till 2 February 2018, falling 18.3% compared with 3.71% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, dropping 22.33% as against Sensex's 4.45% rise. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one year, rising 19.32% as against Sensex's 24.23% rise. The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 1998.70 crore. Face value per share is Rs 5. The stock had dropped 14.07% in seven sessions to Rs 421.80 on 2 February 2018, from a close of Rs 490.90 on 23 January 2018. Bharti Airtel announced that Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel), Asia's leading communications and ICT solutions group and a long term partner of Bharti Airtel, will invest Rs 2649 crore in Bharti Telecom, the promoter company of Bharti Airtel through preferential allotment of shares. The transaction is subject to the shareholders' approval of Bharti Telecom. The funds raised will be used towards debt reduction. With this investment, Singtel's total stake (along with its affiliates) in Bharti Telecom will increase to 48.9%. Singtel currently holds 47.17% stake in Bharti Telecom. Bharti Enterprises continues to hold over 50% stake in Bharti Telecom. The fresh round of investment highlights the confidence of Singtel in Bharti Airtel, and the increased attractiveness of the Indian telecom sector following the recent consolidation. The investment comes within 23 months of Singtel's participation in Bharti Telecom's right issue of Rs 2500 crore, which was completed in February 2016. Bharti Airtel's consolidated net profit fell 16.5% to Rs 560.70 crore on 12.9% decline in net sales to Rs 20318.60 crore in Q3 December 2017 over Q3 December 2016. Bharti Airtel is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 16 countries across Asia and Africa. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Cummins India declined 3.14% to Rs 802.50 at 10:43 IST on BSE, with the stock extending previous sessions' slump triggered by the company reporting weak Q3 results. The result was announced after market hours on Thursday, 1 February 2018. The stock had slumped 8.47% to Rs 828.55 on Friday, 2 February 2018 post announcement of Q3 results. The company had reported 13.1% fall in net profit to Rs 172.19 crore on 0.4% decline in net sales to Rs 1318.43 crore in Q3 December 2017 over Q3 December 2016. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 334.26 points or 0.95% at 34,732.49. On the BSE, 19,895 shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 33,318 shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a low of Rs 788 so far during the day, which was also a 52-week low for the stock. The stock had hit a high of Rs 825 in intraday trade. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 1,096.20 on 3 May 2017. The stock had underperformed the market over the past 30 days till 2 February 2018, falling 10.09% compared with 3.71% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, dropping 7.57% as against Sensex's 4.45% rise. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one year, sliding 8.19% as against Sensex's 24.23% rise. The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 55.44 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2. Cummins India, headquartered in Pune since 1962, is the country's leading manufacturer of diesel and natural gas engines for power generation, industrial and automotive markets. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) signed a project agreement with the World Bank today, even as the latter entered into a US $ 375 million loan agreement with the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance for Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP). The signing of the Agreement follows the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, for the implementation of the US $ 800 million JMVP for capacity augmentation of navigation on National Waterway-1(River Ganga) from Varanasi to Haldia. Out of the remaining amount, US $ 380 million is to be sourced through the Government of India counterpart funds from budgetary allocation and proceeds from the bond issue. Another US $ 45 million will come from private sector participation under the PPP mode. The JMVP, which is expected to be completed by March, 2023, is being implemented with the financial and technical support of the World Bank. The project will enable commercial navigation of vessels with the capacity of 1500-2,000 tons on NW-I. The development and operations of the National Waterway-1 project will lead to direct employment generation to the tune of 46,000 and indirect employment of 84,000 in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal. The project includes development of fairway, Multi-Modal Terminals at Varanasi, Haldia and Sahibganj, strengthening the river navigation system, conservancy works, modern River Information System (RIS), Digital Global Positioning System (DGPS), night navigation facilities, modern methods of channel marking, construction of a new state-of-the-art navigational lock at Farakka etc. The JMVP will result in an environment-friendly, fuel-efficient and cost-effective alternative mode of transportation, especially for bulk goods, hazardous goods and over-dimensional cargo. The National Waterway-1 along with proposed Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor and National Highway-2, constitutes the Eastern Transport Corridor of India connecting the National Capital Region (NCR) with the eastern and north-eastern states and will function as a link to Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal and other east and south-east Asian countries through the Kolkata Port and Indo- Bangladesh Protocol Route. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Department of Rural Development has developed a very strong and robust accountability frame work for all its programmes. Building on the principle of eligibility through Socio Economic Census 2011, and accountability through the multi-pronged framework of Social Audit, Financial Audit, Geo-tagging and use of IT-DBT, the programmes of DoRD have made significant progress in institutionalizing a transparent framework with zero tolerance for corruption. Besides all transaction based MIS in the public domain that provides geo-tagged photos and real time information, efforts have been made to develop citizen centric apps like Gram Samvad, Meri Sadak, Awaas App etc. to improve the accountability to the people. The Department already had a system of National Level Monitoring Institutions that visit 600 districts of the country in two rounds each year and do a randomly selected sample verification of the work in the field. Besides this, a range of Research and Evaluation studies have been taken up on all flagship programmes. The National Evaluation of DAY-NRLM by IRMA, of MGNREGS Natural Resource Management initiatives by Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi and of PMGSY by IIM Ahmedabad have been completed and are available on website of the Ministry. NIPFP has just concluded the first part of the study of the PMAY(G) and same would be on the public website very shortly. Besides this, National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayti Raj has commissioned a range of studies on MGNREGS whose findings will also be in the public domain very soon. The Department has set up an Advisory Group on Internal Audit to suggest system for continuous improvement in implementation of schemes and better compliance. The Group has prepared a framework for launching a certificate programme for internal auditors. The curriculum has been developed for the certificate programme and very soon National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayti Raj in partnership with the Institute of Internal Auditors of India will roll out the certificate programme for retired and serving Accounts Officers and other Government Servants. We hope to create a community Cadre of 5000 certified Internal Auditors in 2018-19. Likewise for social audit, with the guidance of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India , the auditing standard of social audit have been notified for the first time and appropriate certificate programmes have been developed by NIRD&PR in partnership with Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, for District, Block and Village Level Resource Persons. A Policy decision was taken to have women Self Help Group members as the Social Auditors after formal certificate programme for them. We hope to build a community Cadre of 50,000 Social Auditors drawn from women SHGs in 2018-19. This will ensure large scale Social Audit of rural development initiatives across Departments. Under DAY-NRLM a data base of nearly 4.7 crores members of Self Help Groups are placed in the public domain. Further, disaggregated block level reports on key performance indicators of the Mission are also available. In April 2017 the DAY-NRLM has launched a transaction-based MIS to capture SHG member level transactions. The system has already been rolled out in 1400 Blocks across 25 States. This MIS which is also in public domain enables the project management as well as community members to monitor the performance and financial position of SHGs and their federations on a real time basis. An Advisory Group on Information Technology has also been set up to further strengthen Cyber Security and undertake forensic audit of field units to ensure compliance to law, security and to maintain transparency in all the IT based payment system. To assess the progress of programmes in States, the Department has introduced a system of Common Review Mission (CRM). Eight States are visited by total 32 independent professionals as part of the CRM each year. The team visits two districts in each State and gives the Ministry its feedback on how our programmes are doing at the field level. Three CRMs have been undertaken so far over the last three years and their findings have provided a road map for further improving the Accountability Framework of Rural Development programmes. The Department of Rural Development has also set up a small Internal Audit Wing which undertakes timely field verification of financial system from time to time and provides insights into the quality of financial management so that corrective action can be taken on time. One portal namely GRIP for online processing and analysis of internal audit has been developed and it is being used in internal audit of MGNREGA and PMAY(Gramin). With all the above mentioned systems in place, Rural Development Programmes now have a very strong robust accountability framework in partnership with the States. This has facilitated the adoption of transparent system of record keeping, public information and citizen grievance redressal system. DoRD hopes to further deepen these processes by conducting programmes at Gram Panchayat level from time to time with periodic public updation of display records in Gram Panchayat offices. Reforms to simplify Record Registers, Community Information Boards, use of logo with financial details etc. is being relentlessly pursued to further strengthen the accountability from time to time. Over 2.43 crore MGNREGS assets and/all PMAY Gramin homes at different stages of construction are all geo-tagged and available on the public website. This greatly enhances transparency and accountability. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tweleve militants were killed as Afghan military warplanes pounded Taliban hideouts in the northern Badakhshan, Faryab and Sari Pul provinces on Monday, an official said. The government forces bombed Taliban hideouts in Badakhshan province's Wardoj district, killing six insurgents, said Army spokesperson Nasratullah Jamshidi. In similar raids, the warplanes targeted Taliban compounds in Shirin Tagab district of Faryab, killing four militants, Xinhua reported. Two more militants were killed in Sangcharak district of Sari Pul province. Several militants sustained injuries in the bombings, the spokesman said, saying the security forces warplanes would continue to target the enemies positions in the conflict-hit country. --IANS soni/sac (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Abu Dhabi, Feb 5 (IANS/WAM) The third annual Breakbulk Middle East conference will begin in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, bringing together the foremost experts in the industry along with shippers, carriers, freight forwarders, transport specialists and related service providers. The two-day conference will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Seventy exhibitors, 30 speakers and around 2,000 delegates are expected to take part in the event which includes a conference programme as well as an exhibition. According to Abdulla Salem Al Katheeri, Director General of the Federal Transport Authority: "Across the ever changing landscape of project cargo, Breakbulk Middle East provides a unique meeting place where cargo owners and specialist logisticians can meet, learn, form partnerships and build relationships across the entire breakbulk cargo chain." "The UAE is a key player in driving offshore investment in the Middle East region with a total growth of $170 to $190 billion between 2014 and 2017. "It currently accounts for an estimated 30 to 35 per cent of total regional maritime sector investment at $66 billion," said Al Katheeri. DP World company -- UAE Region will be showcasing its breakbulk and project cargo handling capabilities at the event. Mohammed Al Muallem, CEO and MD of DP World, said that Jebel Ali Port (operated by the firm) has rolled out a major plan to meet the projected increase in demand for breakbulk and project cargo, including heavylift, services in the run up to World Expo 2020. --IANS/WAM soni/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab on Monday demanded the immediate arrest of senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in an anti-Sikh riots case of 1984. The SAD demand follows the alleged fresh exposure on the role of Tytler and other Congress leaders in the riots following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. SAD President and former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal demanded Tytler's arrest and registration of a fresh case to fix Congress leader Rajiv Gandhi's "direct role" in the riot killings. "Jagdish Tytler's open confession that he personally killed 100 Sikhs and his disclosure that Rajiv Gandhi was present along with him on the Delhi streets at that time proves that the late Prime Minister was not only a conspirator but an active partner in crime and the principal mover and motivator behind it," Badal said in a statement here. "Tytler is known to have functioned both as the right-hand man and conscience keeper of Rajiv Gandhi. Any inquiry into his politically-oriented actions and his claims about Rajiv Gandhi's presence by his side will bring to light a host of disturbing truths. Truth must be (brought) out," Badal said. The Akali leader also demanded a probe into the role of other political figures close to the late Prime Minister during the said period. Badal was referring to an alleged video of Tytler that went viral on Monday, wherein the controversial Congress leader made sensational disclosures regarding the killing of the Sikhs in Delhi and elsewhere. --IANS js/tsb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Commercial vehicles major Ashok Leyland Ltd will be bidding for the electric bus tenders that are expected to come out soon and the company will be showcasing its prototype model at the Auto Expo 2018, said a senior company official on Monday. Chief Financial Officer Gopal Mahadevan also said the company will focus on three battery technologies - swap and charge battery technology, long range battery vehicle and fast charging battery for long range buses. Ashok Leyland has tied up with SUN Mobility to develop electric buses with "swap and charge" battery technology. "Three-four state transport undertakings are expected to come out with their bids for electric buses. Similarly, some private bus operators are also expected to come out with their tenders for battery powered buses. We will be participating in those bids," Mahadevan told reporters here on. He said the tender size will not be big as this is a new technology. According to Mahadevan, the company is working on Bharat Stage VI engine, modularity in manufacturing and light commercial vehicles with left hand drive for export markets. About modular manufacturing, he said the idea is to provide customers with the kind of aggregates like cabin and others as per their specific needs. "There are certain fleet operators who carry only a specific cargo - (such as) limestone, cement. It will be better to offer such players the kind of vehicle they need," Mahadevan added. Meanwhile, Ashok Leyland reported a revenue of Rs 7,113.16 crore and a net profit of Rs 449.71 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2017 up from a revenue of Rs 4,516.29 crore and a net profit of Rs 161.72 crore posted during the same period the previous year. --IANS vj/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra on Monday surrendered before a CBI court here to serve his sentence in a multi-million rupee fodder scam case. Mishra was convicted and awarded five years sentence on January 24. He had not appeared before the court on January 24. The court had issued a warrant against him. He was sent to Birsa Munda central jail of Ranchi after he surrendered in the court. Mishra along with RJD chief Lalu Prasad was convicted in relation to the fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 33.67 crore from the Chaibasa Treasury in 1992-1993. This was the second case in which Mishra was convicted, and the third case in which Lalu Prasad was convicted in a fodder scam case. Lalu Prasad appeared in a CBI court of Ranchi related to fraudulent withdrawal RS 139.35 crore from the Doranda treasury. The CBI is producing witness in this case and the trial is going forward on day-to-day hearing basis. --IANS ns/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With Australia and the US among others outlawing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), members of the Dawoodi Bohra community from these countries are visiting India to observe this practice, a study has suggested. The survey, conducted by 'WeSpeakOut' - a survivor-led movement to end FGM in India in collaboration with Nari Samta Manch was released on Monday as February 5 is being observed as "International Day of Zero Tolerance" by WeSpeakOut. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was also present at the event. "There is no law in India which terms the practice of FGM as a criminal act whereas it has been termed illegal in many other countries which makes it convenient for Bohra community members to visit India and perform it," Masooma Ranalvi, Founder, WeSpeakOut, told IANS. FGM is widely practised amongst the Dawoodi Bohra community, a Shia Muslim sect that considers the ritual, known as 'khafd', a religious obligation although it is not mentioned in the Quran. Lakshmi Anantnarayan, an independent researcher for this campaign group, added that though no exact data is available, they have evidences to support the trend mentioned by 'WeSpeakOut'. "While conducting the survey we got this fact confirmed from people within the Bohra community that the members visit India to get FGM done on young girls. And this is happening very secretively," Anantnarayan stated. "And the doctors are scared to accept that they perform FGM in their clinics. While it is mostly the doctors from Bohra community who perform this, many of them are not well trained. And since it is still not a criminal act in India so the doctors cannot be even charged," Ranalvi added. At present, there is no official data or study by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) or the WCD ministry which supports the existence of FGM in India. The research also suggested that the increased anti-FGM advocacy and awareness through media is forcing the practice underground in India. The campaign group began their research work last year and spoke to 83 women, aged between 17-80, belonging to the Bohra community in 12 cities across four states - Ahmedabad, Baroda, Bhavnagar, Dahod, Godhra, Indore, Mumbai, Pune, Ratlam, Selana, Surat, and Udaipur. The survey was later extended to Kerala as well, where a few Sunni Muslim sections are known to practice FGM. The research revealed that 75 per cent of girls, whom the campaign group talked to, accepted that they were subjected to FGM when they were below seven years. It also suggested that 33 per cent believed that FGM has negatively impacted their sexual life while close to 10 per cent mentioned urinary problems, recurring UTIs, burning, and incontinence. However, 37 per cent of Bohra women extended their support to continuing FGM. The research also found that majority of Bohras practice Types 1a and 1b FGM which is partial or total removal of the clitoris or clitoral hood than Type 4 which is pricking, piercing and cauterisation of the genital area. "Anyone who doubts or denies the existence of FGM in India must read this report. By turning a blind eye and doing nothing about FGM, the government is denying women and girls their rights. India must at once pass a law that bans the act of providing FGM," Ranalvi suggested. --IANS som/and/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked billionaire diamond service provider Nirav Modi, his brother, wife and an enterprise companion for allegedly cheating Punjab National Bank of over Rs 280.70 crore last year, officials said. The CBI acted on a complaint by the Deputy General Manager of Punjab National Bank, Zonal Office, Mumbai, alleging that Nirav Modi, his brother Nishal Modi, wife Ami Nirav Modi and Mehul Chinubhai -- partners of Diamond R US, Solar Exports, Stellar Diamonds -- committed the offence of cheating the bank and caused a "wrongful loss". Following the complaint, the CBI registered a FIR under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections related to criminal conspiracy, cheating and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act against the four. The FIR revealed that the accused Nirav Modi and his partners requested a loan from the bank on January 16. The branch officials requested the firms to furnish at least 100 per cent cash margin for issuing LOU for raising buyer's credit. "These firms contested that they have been availing this facility in the past also but the branch records did not reveal the details of any such facility. "It also observed that former bank officer Gopal Nath Shetty had fraudulently issued LOUs without following prescribed procedure by obtaining required request applications, documents and approval of the authorities and without making entries in the bank system," the FIR said. The banks said they fraudulently issued eight LOUs totalling Rs 280.70 crore, for Hong Kong-based Allahabad Bank and Axis Bank. The CBI carried out raids at 21 places in Mumbai and Surat on February 3 and 4, officials said. The CBI also raided the homes of 13 officials and Nirav Modi. --IANS aks-mg/qd/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Chinese national was shot dead by unidentified assailants here on Monday in an apparent targeted killing, a media report said. The police called it a "targeted killing" as he was shot after being followed by the assailants. A passerby was also injured in the incident in Karachi's Clifton area near Zamzama Park, the Express Tribune reported. Police said nine bullet casings were found at the site of the incident. The place was immediately cordoned off. Minister of Interior Sindh Sohail Anwar Khan ordered the police to start an inquiry into the matter. Security was beefed up for foreigners, particularly Chinese nationals across the province. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In popular memory, she seems synonymous with Elizabeth Taylor or Monica Belluci (for the present generation ) -- both of whom have portrayed her in popular Hollywood films. But was Cleopatra, possibly the ancient world's most famous woman ruler, really that irresistibly bewitching, sartorially resplendent and sporting those elaborate headdresses? Not really, contends acclaimed British historian and author Lucy Hughes-Hallet, who says that Cleopatra VII Philopator, to give her full title, was not the most beautiful woman of her time, but certainly the richest, and a capable ruler. She was also a canny politician who managed to get two of the most powerful leaders of the region's pre-eminent power -- Rome -- on to her side though it failed to benefit her in the long run, the author of "Cleopatra: Histories, Dreams and Distortions" (1990) who was here for the Jaipur Literature Festival 2018, told IANS. Hughes-Hallet, however, maintained that Cleopatra should not be seen only as an exotic queen whose cultural appearances span Shakespeare to Asterix, but also as one of the first historical personages to realise the importance of a leader's public image. On the other hand, Cleopatra was also among the first to have her enemies spreading stories about her to undermine her reputation, depicting her as a ravishing but cunning Oriental seductress, who beguiled Marcus Antonius (or Mark Antony, as we know him), she said. It is this image that has come down the ages, with "legends obscuring fact", she said. And while some of the legends, say the one about how she had herself smuggled into Julius Caesar's presence rolled in a carpet, may be likely true, Cleopatra's reputation as cunning seductress is part of this character assassination or based on her Hollywood depictions, she said. So what was the real Cleopatra like? "She wasn't particularly beautiful, but rather attractive, had a charming manner and was knowledgeable," said Hughes-Hallet, quoting Roman historian Plutarch who said that she wasn't "physically beautiful so much as she was personally appealing, charismatic, and charming". She was much younger than her film depictions -- being 23 when she met Caesar -- and never had bobbed hair like Elizabeth Taylor sported in the 1963 film, or be dark-skinned like in the Asterix comics for she was from a Greek ruling family descended from Alexander the Great's general Ptolemy. Cleopatra also wanted to reach out to her Egyptian subjects as the Pharoah, for which she sought to depict herself as the reincarnation of goddess Isis, and thus wore a cobra head-dress, rather the more elaborate ones sported by Taylor, said Hughes-Hallet. The third child of her family, she had seen her two elder sisters executed for rebelling against their father, Ptolemy XII Auletes, said the historian. Eighteen when she ascended the throne with her brother and co-ruler Ptolemy XIII, she was soon driven out by the regent and took Caesar's help to regain power. She was a competent ruler who restored Egypt's economy, further ruined in the civil war with her brother, says Hughes-Hallet, adding it was this facet which attracted Antony. But their partnership was for mutual benefits -- she was looking for alliances and so was he to set up an "Empire of the East" after being out-manoeuvred at home by Caesar's heir Octavian. And this was eagerly seized by Octavian and his side to show her as someone who had "besotted" Antony to the extent that he was prepared to commit the unthinkable act of giving up his Roman heritage, says the author, adding this aspect was reflected in paintings, etc., depicting her as a seductress. Hughes-Hallett, whose most recent work was a 2013 biography of bombastic Italian poet and adventurer Gabriele D'Annunzio, says she was inspired to work on him, for he also had created a public image based on propaganda, and on twisting facts. Both he and Cleopatra were skilled propagandists, said the author, whose works also include "Heroes: Saviours, Traitors and Supermen" (2004) in which she seeks to examine the concepts of heroes and hero-worship through figures like Cato, Sir Francis Drake, Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar "El Cid" and Garibaldi. "All of these were not models of virtue.. but sometimes nations need figureheads," she said. (Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in ) --IANS vd/sac (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the wake of Kerala CPI-M State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's elder son Binoy Balakrishnan's legal troubles in Dubai, the state units of the opposition Congress and the BJP asked the veteran politician to quit public life. On Monday, the CPI-M veteran's son Bineesh Kodiyeri told the media here that "there is a ban on Binoy to travel out of Dubai. He will remain there and deal with the case, according to the laws there". Binoy told reporters on phone from Dubai that his passport had not been impounded and that he will soon approach a higher court in Dubai against the lower court's directive regarding him. State Bharatiya Janata Party President Kummanem Rajasekheran said Kodiyeri had lied about his son last month that there is "no case against my son in Dubai". "He should exit public life, but not before telling all as to what his son's business is. If he has nothing to hide, why can't he reveal the nature of his son's business in Dubai. Or, is it some business that is shameful and can't be revealed? What has come out is only a tip of the iceberg. In the coming days, even bigger scams will surface," said Rajasekheran. Kodiyeri is a former legislator and state Home Minister and hence the people wish to know what is happening, the BJP leader said. Senior Congress leader Benny Behanan said Kodiyeri should immediately quit as CPI-M office-bearer since reports go contrary to what all he was claiming so far. "There is a moral obligation on Kodiyeri to quit after what all has surfaced," said Behanan. However, denying media reports on his brother, Bineesh said: "Wrong news is being circulated about my brother. This is being done on purpose... just because we are the sons of the Kerala CPI-M State Secretary it's unfair to say we can't engage in business. "You (media) are saying he (Binoy) has to pay Rs 13 crore to a Dubai businessman. Today, the businessman said there is a dispute of Rs 1.72 crore only. Since my brother is in no urgent need to travel to India, he will remain in Dubai and come once things are settled." The case surfaced when a three-page letter dated January 5 from H.I.A.Al Marzooqi, sponsor of the Dubai company, was last month made available to the media that he had started legal proceedings against Binoy for an alleged fraud of Rs 13 crore. Though the Arab businessman planned to hold a press meet at the Trivandrum Press Club on February 5, a court in Kollam district last week directed there should be no reference by anyone in the case till March 6. The court order came on a petition by Sreejith Pillai, son of a Left-supported legislator Vijayan Pillai, who according to Marzooqi owes him money. Sreejith and Binoy are friends and have business interests in Dubai. Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said the court order has to be followed, but the courts should ensure that truth is brought out. The CPI-M leadership on Monday said that what had happened in Dubai had got nothing to do with the party. --IANS sg/tsb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Armed criminals on Monday shot at a vegetable trader and robbed him of Rs 3 lakh and his mobile phone when he was on his way to the market with his father, police said. The incident took place in the morning near Vasundhara Link Road in the Indirapuram Police Station area of the city. The police said Pawan Kumar Sharma and his father Ved Prakash Sharma, residents of Chiranjiv Vihar here, run a vegetable firm. While they were on their way to the Sahibabad vegetable market, their car was overtaken by criminals in a Swift car who forced their driver to stop their car. The criminals jumped out of their vehicle and snatched the keys of the traders' car at gun point, looted the bag containing the cash and the mobile phone and smashed the front windscreen with an iron rod. When Pawan tried to resist the robbers, one of them opened fire at him, leaving him injured, and managed to flee with the booty. Pawan has been admitted in a nearby hospital. His father Ved Prakash Sharma told the police that the bag also contained some important documents related to their business. He has lodged a complaint with the police. "We have set up police teams and will work out the case shortly," said Superintendent of Police (City) Akash Tomar. -IANS sps/nir/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China on Monday told its citizens not to visit the Maldives until normalcy returns in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation hit by fresh political turmoil and asked Male to ensure the safety of its enterprises there. "The spring festival is the peak season for Chinese citizens to go to the Maldives for tourism. In light of the relevant situation, we advise the Chinese tourists in the Maldives to follow closely the situation and be aware," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang. "At the same time, we advise the people who go to the Maldives not to travel to the Maldives before the situation gets normal." Beijing also said it was closely following the developments in the Maldives where the Supreme Court ordered the immediate release of jailed political leaders including self-exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed. However, the establishment led by President Abdulla Yameen has said that it will resist the order by the top court. Asked about China's take on the issue, Geng said: "Now what happened in the Maldives is Maldives' internal affair." "China is closely following the situation in the Maldives and we support the relevant parties in the Maldives to properly settle their disagreements through dialogue and consultation and maintain the national stability and social order." China had signed a free trade accord with the Maldives last year that was rushed through Maldives Parliament without any debate and had caused concern in India. In wake of this, Geng said: "We require the Maldives to take necessary measures to earnestly protect the security of the Chinese enterprises and their personnel." Located on the busy lanes of the Indian Ocean, the island is of immense geostrategic significance to India and as well as China. During his visit to Beijing last year when the free trade agreement was signed, Yameen had also backed China's Belt and Road project which envisages the linking of Asia, Africa, and Europe through a network of highways, railways, ports and sea lanes. Beijing's ties with Male have grown since the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping in September 2014. China has considerable presence in Maldives' tourism sector and is funding and building mega infrastructure projects, including the Friendship Bridge linking Male to Hulhule Island as well as a 1,000-apartment housing project on Hulhumale. Chinese tourists flock to the archipelago nation in huge numbers. --IANS gsh/rn/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A door of a religious place in Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj district was set ablaze by some persons on Monday in an attempt to disrupt the communal harmony in the area singed by violence, police said. The incident occurred near Sabzi Mandi, a police officer said. Senior district and police officials lead by District Magistrate R.P. Singh and Superintendent of Police Piyush Srivastava rushed to the mosque in Ganjdundwara and pacified the angry residents. Violence had erupted in the district on Republic Day during the 'Tiranga Yatra' taken out by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) after which one person was killed and many injured. Shops in the area have been closed and police patrolling has been increased, an official said. Senior officials said they were monitoring the situation but added that there was no violence. "The situation is being closely monitored. The district administration is on the spot. "Peace was returning to the area. No one behind this mischief will be spared," a state Home Department official told IANS. --IANS md/in/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bosses at tortilla chips maker Doritos have revealed they are to launch a new "lady-friendly" version of the snack which are quieter to eat and a lot less messy. Women's campaigners though have slammed the unusual move as a "tired gender stereotype", media reports said. "It's not a male and female as much as 'are there snacks for women that can be designed and packaged differently?' And yes, we are looking at it, and we're getting ready to launch a bunch of them soon," Global chief executive of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi, told the Sun. The "low crunch" triangular snacks will even come in special packs specifically designed to fit into women's handbags. Food and drinks giant PepsiCo - which owns Doritos - has claimed research has found women do not like to crunch loudly or lick their fingers when eating in front of others. Nooyi said: "Although women would love to crunch crisps loudly, lick their fingers and pour crumbs from the bag into their mouth afterwards, they prefer not to do this in public, the Sun reported. "You watch a lot of the young guys eat the chips, they love their Doritos, and they lick their fingers with great glee, and when they reach the bottom of the bag they pour the little broken pieces into their mouth, because they don't want to lose that taste of the flavour, and the broken chips in the bottom. "Women would love to do the same, but they don't. They don't like to crunch too loudly in public. And they don't lick their fingers," New York Post Nooyi as saying. A spokesman from the Women's Equality Party said: "Companies that perpetuate these tired gender stereotypes will continue to lose out on the single biggest consumer group: women. "No doubt some male consumers will welcome the chance to have a bigger package. But the idea of shrinking products for women, no doubt for the same price, is as old as the Ad Men making these decisions." However former Conservative lawmaker and celebrity Big Brother runner-up Ann Widdecombe has cautiously welcomed the move. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, she said: "I never lick my fingers in public or in private as I think its a ghastly habit. "I think the idea of crisps for women is a bit daft, although I do think women are generally a bit fussier than men about these things. "I am a cruncher, but I'm fussy about where I crunch. Bully for them (Doritos), they've introduced polite crisps." --IANS in/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior representatives of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Christian Social Union (CSU) and German Social Democrats (SPD) are holding talks to conclude the final stage of "grand coalition" negotiations. Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and CSU leader Horst Seehofer both told the press that talks would last at least until Monday evening and possibly extend late into the night again, Xinhua news agency reported. Party negotiators have missed a first ambitious deadline to reach a deal by Sunday, but still remain on track to form a new government on schedule, as long as their deliberations prove successful within two planned "reserve days" on Monday and Tuesday. However, CSU regional leader Alexander Dobrindt warned that the process was still fraught with difficulties. "I think there is a will (to conclude talks) on all sides. But there are also large remaining hurdles," Dobrindt said. Similarly, Family Minister Katarina Barley (SPD) told the public broadcaster "SWR2" that all of those party representatives involved were intent on finalizing negotiations, but noted that "nothing is secured until we have reached the very end." Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU), governor of Saarland and senior negotiator for her party, showcased more optimism. "If it's up to me, yes," Kramp-Karrenbauer responded when asked whether she thought that negotiations would already conclude on Monday. Negotiating throughout Sunday as well as into the early hours on Monday, the CDU, CSU and SPD have eliminated several of their outstanding disputes, including concerning Europe. SPD leader and former president of the European Parliament Martin Schulz announced proudly that an agreement had been reached in the latter area, describing the result as a "much needed signal for a new start for Europe." Schulz added that "more investment, a Eurozone budget and an end to the austerity dogma" were all included in related policy proposals. Furthermore, Germany would make more funds available to lower youth unemployment across the bloc and focus its attention towards ensuring the "fair taxation of corporations, including internet giants such as Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon." According to media reports, health care, labour law and finances are the three major areas of disagreement which now still persist between the CDU, CSU and SPD. These are seen as particularly sensitive to the SPD which among others has vowed to reduce inequality in the German medical system and strengthen workers' rights in lay-off scenarios. Nevertheless, various news sources estimated that a conclusion of coalition negotiations could be announced as soon as Tuesday midday. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Irked by Rohini-based ashram Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya's counsel's submission that women are the gateway to hell, the Delhi High Court on Monday ordered the advocate to leave the courtroom, reminding him to mind his language. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar asked the counsel for the Rohini-based ashram why women and girls were kept captive in the ashram. Responding to the court's query, the counsel cited Shankaracharya's statement, "Nari nark ka dwar hai (Women are gateway to hell)." Irritated Justice Mittal told him to mind his language. "This is court room. This is not your spiritual class," the court said and asked him to leave the courtroom. The court listed the matter for February 8, asking the Rohini-based ashram to respond on using "Vishwa Vidyalaya" in the name of its spiritual institute. Raising questions on the legality of using "Vishwa Vidyalaya" (University), the court cited the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act and said that "University" means an institute established or incorporated by or under a central act, a provincial act or a state act. The court asked whether the institute followed the norms prescribed by the UGC but the ashram's counsel failed to give a satisfactory reply and sought more time. The counsel said that the ashram is a spiritual institute. The court told the counsel to follow the law as the ashram is not a university and also asked the counsel to file a detailed reply on the name and address of all centres. Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told the Delhi High Court that a look out circular (LOC) has been issued against Virendra Dev Dixit, founder of the ashram where girls and women were allegedly being kept in illegal confinement in the name of religious preaching. The CBI also told the division bench that all possible measures had been taken to trace Dixit, who is on the run. All the centres are under surveillance and an investigation is under way, the CBI said and sought a month's time to submit a further report, saying it is in the process of examining witnesses. The CBI has registered three cases against Dixit for allegedly keeping several women and minor girls hostage at his ashram here. Earlier, the High Court had transferred the case from the police to the CBI and asked the agency to forthwith set up a special investigation team to probe various FIRs of girls and women who were allegedly lured into the ashram on the pretext of spiritual guidance but then raped. The Delhi High Court had in December 2017 appointed a committee for inspecting the institute and directed an officer, not below the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police, to conduct an inspection of the ashram. Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal was also asked to accompany the police during the inspection. The committee had told the court that the girls and women were kept in the Ashram in "unhygienic and animal-like conditions with no privacy even for bathing". The court was hearing a plea filed by NGO Foundation for Social Empowerment. --IANS akk/qd/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A private university in Himachal Pradesh has signed an agreement with a Chinese varsity for yoga lessons, officials said on Monday. Shoolini University Vice Chancellor P.K. Khosla has signed an MoU with Yunnan Minzu University under an exchange programme that will commence on International Yoga Day -- June 21. To spread India's traditional knowledge worldwide and introduce the ancient Chinese practice of Tai Chi -- a form of martial arts that enables mental and physical fitness -- Shoolini University will be sending a five-member delegation headed by the Vice Chancellor to the Chinese university. Under the exchange programme, students from the Chinese varsity will be studying for one semester at Shoolini University, based in Solan town and the first in northern India to offer a unique job-oriented programme in yoga. The university has also recently been accorded sanction by the central government to set up a 100-bed hospital, being set up to impart knowledge and practices of yoga sciences and meditation with the aid of naturopathic medications for health and wellbeing. --IANS vg/nks/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen declaring a state of emergency amid a political crisis in the country, the Indian government on Monday cautioned citizens against travelling to the Maldives. "The prevailing political developments in Maldives and the resultant law and order situation is a matter of concern for the government of India," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. "Indian nationals are, therefore, advised to defer all non-essential travels to Male and other atolls until further notice. "Indian expatriates in Maldives are also alerted to the need for heightened security awareness, and urged to exercise due caution in public and avoid public gatherings." Yameen officially announced that the Maldives was in a state of emergency for the duration of 15 days starting on Monday night. The state of emergency gives security officials extra powers to arrest suspects, the BBC reported. The Maldives has been facing days of unrest after the Supreme Court issued a ruling last week to release top opposition political leaders including former President Mohamed Nasheed and former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, saying they must be freed until fair trials could be conducted without undue influence. The government has already suspended Parliament and ordered the army to resist any moves by the Supreme Court to impeach the President. India on Friday called for peace and stability in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation. "In the spirit of democracy and rule of law, it is imperative for all organs of the government of Maldives to respect and abide by the order of the apex court," the External Affairs said in a statement. It also called upon the Maldivian authorities to ensure the safety and security of the Indian expatriates in Maldives under all circumstances. "As a close and friendly neighbour, India wishes to see a stable, peaceful and prosperous Maldives," the statement said. --IANS ab/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jodhpur will become the first city in Rajasthan to allow a special screening of controversial period drama "Padmaavat", in the state on Monday. It will be a special screening for an audience of four, comprising High Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta and staff members. The screening was being held following a petition filed by "Padmaavat" director Sanjay Leela Bhansali to quash an FIR filed against him and actors Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh at Deedwana police station in March 2017. The FIR was lodged by two persons, Virendra Singh and Nagpal Singh, who alleged that the film distorted "historical facts" and "hurt the image of Rani Padmini". Justice Mehta had observed: "This court is of the firm opinion that the screening of the movie is essential for securing the ends of justice." The petitioner gave his consent to screen the film for the court, and Justice Mehta ordered it to be held on Monday. The period drama would be screened in Inox Mall here at 8 p.m. under high security. A special password has been given to the hall owners to make sure that there is only one show organised for the film. A hundred police personnel has been deputed in and around the cinema hall. Lokendra Singh Kalvi, founder of Shree Rajput Karni Sena, told IANS that the administration called him to ensure whether his group was comfortable with the screening. "We have no issues for the screening of the film for legal reasons and there will be no problem from our side," he said. --IANS arc/in/rb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress government in Karnataka on Monday denied Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charge that it could not implement the housing scheme for the poor under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in the state. "Karnataka had been allotted 3.36 lakh houses for the poor under the scheme, but the state government has constructed only 38,000 houses," Modi said at a Bharatiya Janata Party rally here on Sunday. In a statement a day after Modi's attack on the ruling Congress in the poll-bound southern state, the Siddaramaiah government said that housing was its priority and it was working on it even without the central government's help. "The government had promised to construct 15 lakh houses during its tenure from 2013-18, out of which it has already completed 13.71 lakh houses, spending Rs 14,300 crore," a government statement said. By the end of March, Karnataka would complete the construction of all 15 lakh houses for the urban and rural poor, the statement said. Under the PMAY (urban) scheme, the state had so far constructed 290,507 houses at a cost of Rs 14,765 crore, it said. "The central government's share in the urban housing was meant to be Rs 4,357 crore, of which it released only Rs 345 crore, which is not even 10 per cent," the state government claimed. For the past two years, 145,349 houses were sanctioned to be built in rural areas of the state under the PMAY (rural), of which 137,968 houses were completed, it added. "The central government released only Rs 696 crore against its supposed share of Rs 1,088 crore, despite which we have built 137,968 houses in villages by utilising our own funds," the state government said. For 2017-18, the state built 63,843 houses in villages as part of the PMAY (rural) scheme, despite the Centre giving less than 10 per cent of its supposed share, it added. The PMAY, under the Ministry for Housing and Urban Affairs, aims to provide affordable housing to everyone in the country by 2022. --IANS bha/tsb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka rose to the number one position among all states across India investment intention in 2016 and 2017 from the 11th position in 2013, Governor Vajubhai R Vala said on Monday. Addressing the joint session of the state legislature, he said the state government had set a Rs 5 lakh crore investment target and 15 lakh jobs for a 5-year period since 2014 when the new industrial policy came into being. "During the last four years and six months, the state has attracted Rs 3.39 lakh crore of investments for 1,869 projects with potential to generate 9.5 lakh jobs," Vala said. Of the 13.25 lakh jobs created over the last four and a half years, 1.89 lakh were in the large industry sector and 11.36 lakh in the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector. "Karnataka leads the country in the fast-growing IT and biotech sectors. Its i4 policy and multi-sector start-up policy were announced and Incubation centres and IT parks have been set up at various places across the State," said Vala. The state government's "Nuthana Javali Neethi" policy for 5 years since 2013 enabled stakeholders to set up 844 textile MSMEs and 18 greenfield textile parks in the state at an investment of Rs 4,954 crore and provided jobs for 1.3 lakh people. Incentives and reliefs worth Rs 247 crore were also given to the firms. "The state government has given approval to develop the Bengaluru Signature Business Park in 407 acres of land near the city airport at Devanahalli. The government also allotted 16 acres near the airport to build an international convention centre on public-private partnership at a cost of Rs 1,440 crore," said the Governor in his hour-long speech delivered in Hindi. --IANS fb/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday met the family members of 23-year-old photographer Ankit Saxena, who was allegedly murdered by the family of his Muslim girlfriend on last week. The Chief Minister along with Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha members Sushil Gupta and Sanjay Singh assured that his government would make all possible efforts to ensure they get justice. In his 15 minute visit to the victim's house in the evening, Kejriwal shared his personal mobile number with the family and assured they will hire the "best of lawyers" in the case so stern action is taken against the accused. He also promised financial assistance for treatment of Ankit's ailing mother. Ankit Saxena was killed on February 1 by the family of a woman he was in a relationship with. According to Delhi Police, the woman's family was against their relationship as they belonged to different communities and had told him to end it. --IANS mg/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kerala CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's elder son Binoy Balakrishnan, who is caught in an alleged financial fraud case in Dubai, has been prevented from leaving Dubai, his younger brother said on Monday. "There is a ban on him to travel out of Dubai. He will remain there and deal with the case, according to the laws there," Bineesh Kodiyeri told reporters here. Refuting media reports about his brother, Bineesh said: "What all news have you (media) been giving for a while now? You were saying that he (Binoy) has to pay Rs 13 crore to a Dubai-based businessman. Today the businessman has said there is a dispute of Rs 1.72 crore only. Since my brother has no urgent need to travel to India, he will remain in Dubai and will come once things are settled." "All the wrong news is being circulated, and we all know that this is being purposely done because of the various party meetings of the CPI-M currently going on. Just because we are the sons of the Kerala CPI-M state secretary it's unfair to say we can't engage in business. "Assume If I kill anyone, is my father responsible for it? We are grown up and confident to do what we wish to do. If any case is there it will be sorted out too," added Bineesh, and pointed out that they had "never said there is no case" against them in Dubai. The case relating to Binoy surfaced last month when a three-page letter, dated January 5, from H.I.A.Al Marzooqi, sponsor of the Dubai company, which was made available to the media stated that he has started legal procedures against Binoy for alleged fraud of Rs 13 crore. The Arab businessman through his counsel had pointed out that he would hold a press meet at Trivandrum Press Club on February 5 (Monday). However, a local court in Kollam district last week directed that there should be no reference by anyone to the case till March 6. The court order came on a petition by Sreejith Pillai, son of a Left supported legislator Vijayan Pillai who according to Marzooqi owes him money. Sreejith Pillai and Binoy are friends and both have business interests in Dubai. Following the court order, the press conference was cancelled. Reacting to the developments, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said the court order has to be followed, but courts should ensure that "truth" is brought out. Meanwhile, the national leadership of the CPI-M on Monday said what has happened in Dubai has got nothing to do with the CPI-M and hence they will do nothing in the case. --IANS sg/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man strangled his wife and two children to death here on Monday after the couple had a quarrel, police said. The incident occurred at Jillelaguda on the outskirts of Meerpet. According to the police, Harinder Goud, a lab technician who was jobless for a year, thrashed his wife Jyothi, 35, and strangled her to death. He later strangled his son Abhijeet, six, and daughter Sahasra, four, who were asleep in another room. Goud committed the murders at his home in Sumitra Enclave. A police official denied reports that he surrendered at Meerpet police station. Police has registered a case and launched a hunt to nab the accused. The bodies were shifted to government-run Osmania General Hospital for autopsy. Jyothi's relatives said Goud earlier used to work at a dental lab in the city but was jobless for a year, leading to frequent quarrels with his wife. --IANS ms/qd/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre is a "name changer" and not a "game changer", since it keeps repackaging old schemes. Participating in a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Speech in the upper House, Azad also countered the corruption allegations against his party, pointing out that they had emerged clean in the 2G case. "This government always says that it is a game changer... It is not a game changer but just a name changer," Azad said, adding that "I have a long list (showing) that names of all schemes since 1985 or later under the Congress rule have been changed," he said. The pillars that formed the foundation of the present government, namely allegations of corruption against the Congress, were falling one by one, Azad said. "In the biggest allegation made against the Congress -- 2G case, all accused were acquitted by the CBI court recently," Azad said. "Had it happened during our tenure, it would have been alleged that the government influenced it." He also referred to the Bofors case and underlined that the Attorney General had advised the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against filing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in one of the cases related to the alleged scam, as the SLP could be dismissed by the Supreme Court. Referring to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s allegation of dynasty in the Congress, as mentioned by BJP President Amit Shah while initiating the debate, Azad said: "No one from that family (Nehru-Gandhi family) has become the Prime Minister of India for more than 30 years. They have also not been a part of the government... "Why are you so scared of some leaders that when they are not alive anymore, now you fear their children," he said. Azad said while the BJP accused the Congress of of appeasement, under their rule, only those with a tilt towards "one party" were getting key government posts. He also slammed the government over price rise and questioned the launch of their flagship schemes without doing the ground work. Azad quoted an RTI query and said that so far Rs. 550 crore had been spent just on the publicity of the Swachh Bharat campaign, and quoting another study, he said that only 35 per cent toilets constructed under the programme were sustainable. He also questioned the government's vision of "New India", saying: "What kind of a new India it is where eight-month-old girls are being raped?" Referring to the allegations against BJP President Amit Shah's son Jay Shah, Azad made a tongue-in-cheek remark: "The BJP has a 'scheme' which can multiply money manifolds. It has the original scheme to turn Rs 50,000 to over Rs 80,00,00,000, but they don't share it with us. If they do, everyone will be happy.". He also questioned the government's promise of doubling farmers' income, stating that the investment required for this would be around Rs.6.5 lakh crore and the growth rate around 10 per cent. "This will never happen and farmers' income will never double," he said. He also questioned the health care scheme announced by the government, stating that it would benefit the insurance companies and not the people. --IANS ao/nir/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A notorious sharpshooter wanted in various murder cases, including attempt to murder in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, was arrested early on Monday after a brief shootout in south Delhi. Police said the incident occurred at around 4.30 a.m. when the accused, identified as Tanvir, was coming towards Okhla Mandi road in a white Swift Dzire car. He is a sharpshooter of Uttar Pradesh's Chainu gang. "We received a tip-off that Tanvir, along with his associate, would come to Okhla Mandi. The police teams laid a trap, barricaded the roads outside Okhla Mandi and started checking vehicles," a senior police officer said. "During the checking, the police team suspected a white colour Swift Dzire car and asked it to stop. The driver of the car, Tanvir, in a bid to escape, hit a barricade. He then opened fire on the policemen but due to their bulletproof jackets, they were not hurt," the officer said. "To save themselves, the police team also opened fire following which Tanvir was apprehended while his associate managed to escape," he added. "Tanvir had on October 23, 2017, along with his other gang members killed two men within two hours in Seelampur and Bharmpuri of east Delhi," he added. He has been on the run since 2016 after he opened fire on a police party in Pul Prahladpur area when the police intercepted his car, he said. Carrying a reward of Rs 70,000 on his head, Tanvir is also wanted in a murder case in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier, the police arrested some of his associates, he added. --IANS sp/and/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The trial of the sole surviving suspect from the 2015 Paris terror attacks began on Monday at a Belgian court here over the gun fight that led to his arrest. Salah Abdeslam, 28, was escorted by two masked police officers, and refused to stand when requested to, reports the BBC. "I do not wish to answer any questions," Abdeslam said when asked to confirm his identity. He has refused to speak to investigators since his arrest on March 18, 2016. Judge Marie-France Keutgen told the court that the suspect had also refused to have photos or video taken of him during the court proceedings. The charges Abdeslam now faces are not related to events in Paris, but to a shootout he had with police while on the run in Belgium. Abdeslam, a French citizen born to Moroccan parents in Brussels, and his suspected accomplice Sofian Ayari, 24, are accused of possessing illegal weapons and the attempted murder of police officers in a terrorist context. The men allegedly fought a gun battle with officers who raided the flat where they were holed up in the Belgian capital. If found guilty, they face up to 40 years in prison, the BBC reported. Abdeslam became Europe's most wanted man after the Paris attacks on November 13, 2015, where gunmen and suicide bombers targeted a concert hall, stadium, restaurants and bars, killing 130 people and injuring hundreds more. Abdeslam's brother, Brahim, was among the attackers and died in a suicide blast outside a cafe. Abdeslam has been held at a jail near Paris. He left the prison under armed guard in the early hours of Monday, accompanied by tactical police vehicles, reports the BBC. He will return to France every night during the trial, but will be held at another jail just across the border. The trial is expected to last four days. The details of the deal with France for the Rafale fighter jets cannot be disclosed as per the Inter Governmental Agreement as it is "classified information", Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told Parliament on Monday. Sitharaman's response, in a written reply, came to a question by Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha member Naresh Agrawal seeking to know why the government was not disclosing details of the deal in which Congress has alleged that the price of the fighter jets being paid by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is higher than what was finalised by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in a previous deal. "As per Article 10 of the Inter-Governmental Agreement between Governments of India and France on the purchase of Rafale aircraft, the protection of the classified information and material exchanged under IGA is governed by the provisions of the Security Agreement signed between Government of France and Government of India in 2008," she said. In response to a question whether a private sector company was included in the deal, Sitharaman said that neither any public sector undertaking nor private sector industry was included in the agreement. The Congress has alleged that there are irregularities in the deal for buying 36 Rafale fighter jets off-shelf from France, claiming that they were being bought at a price higher than negotiated in the previous multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) deal under which 126 fighter jets were to be bought, and included a number of fighters being assembled in India. Sitharaman has in past said that the allegations are motivated and baseless, and the price that the Narendra Modi led government has finalised is lesser than the earlier deal. Leaders of the Congress and some other opposition parties had also sought a disclosure of price being paid in the present deal. In order to replace the existing MiG-21 aircraft, a case to procure 126 Mirage-2000 aircraft was initiated in the year 2000, which was later converted to procurement of 126 MMRCAs. A Request For Proposal (RFP) was issued in 2007, wherein six vendors had responded. On completion of Field Evaluation Trials, only two out of the six vendors were found to be fully compliant. Commercial proposals of both vendors EADS and Dassault Aviation were opened and negotiations were commenced with Dassault as the L1 vendor in November 2011. The RFP was formally withdrawn on June 24, 2015. India and France signed the inter-government agreement for buying 36 Rafale fighters, off the shelf, on September 23, 2016, following long negotiations on the deal, agreed upon during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to France in April 2015. --IANS ao/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Rajya Sabha was on Tuesday adjourned till 2 p.m. midway through Zero Hour as some members tried to raise their issues out of turn. As the Upper House took up Zero Hour for the first time since the session commenced, the MPs belonging to different parties raised their issues. In the meantime, a few opposition MPs stood up. Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu told the MPs that they had not given prior notice and they could not speak out of turn. As the MPs persisted in speaking, Naidu adjourned the House till 2 p.m. The Upper House is expected to resume discussion on the motion of thanks to the President's address in the afternoon. --IANS mak/mr (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A South Korean court on Monday released Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong after it handed him a suspended sentence dismissing most of the key charges in a scandal that led to the ouster of former President Park Geun-hye. The Seoul High Court sentenced Lee to two and a half years in prison with a stay of execution for four years. He was immediately freed from a nearly year-long incarceration, reports Yonhap News Agency. The scion of South Korea's biggest conglomerate was sentenced to five years in prison on August 25, 2017, for giving 8.8 billion won ($8.1 million) to Park and her confidante, Choi Soon-sil, in return for government backing for the merger of two key Samsung units, a process that was deemed vital for his leadership succession. Special Counsel Park Young-soo had demanded 12 years in prison for Lee. Lee and the prosecution both appealed the ruling. Reversing the lower court's ruling, the appeals court did not acknowledge that leadership succession had been in place at Samsung as claimed by the prosecution. It found Samsung had thus no agenda for which it needed to make an "explicit or implicit request" to the former President, seeking government consent from the outset. Lee, 50, was arrested on February 17, 2017 and was indicted on five charges, including bribery, embezzlement and hiding assets overseas. The special counsel accused Lee of offering or promising 43.3 billion won to Park and Choi in the name of sponsoring the equestrian training of Choi's 22-year-old daughter, Chung Yoo-ra, a former dressage rider. The lower court found him guilty on all five counts but acknowledged only part of the bribes and tossed the pledged amount that was never paid. Lee pleaded not guilty. --IANS ksk/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A team of scientists from Britain and China has claimed to have solved what Charles Darwin called the "abominable mystery" of when flowers originated. Flowering plants likely originated between 149 and 256 million years ago, said the study published in the journal New Phytologist. The study shows that flowering plants are neither as old as suggested by previous molecular studies, nor as young as a literal interpretation of their fossil record. "The discrepancy between estimates of flowering plant evolution from molecular data and fossil records has caused much debate. Even Darwin described the origin of this group as an 'abominable mystery'," explained lead author Jose Barba-Montoya from University College London. "To uncover the key to solving the mystery of when flowers originated, we carefully analysed the genetic make-up of flowering plants, and the rate at which mutations accumulate in their genomes," he explained. Through the lens of the fossil record, flowering plants appear to have diversified suddenly, precipitating a Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution in which pollinators, herbivores and predators underwent explosive co-evolution. Molecular-clock dating studies, however, have suggested a much older origin for flowering plants, implying a cryptic evolution of flowers that is not documented in the fossil record. "In large part, the discrepancy between these two approaches is an artefact of false precision on both palaeontological and molecular evolutionary timescales," said Professor Philip Donoghue from the University of Bristol in England. The new findings underline the power of using complementary studies based on molecular data and the fossil record, along with different approaches to infer evolutionary timescales to establish a deeper understanding of evolutionary dynamics many millions of years ago. --IANS gb//vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP President Amit Shah on Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put an end to the of "dynasty, caste and appeasement" and attacked the Congress over its frequent slamming of the government over jobs and GST. Initiating the debate in the Rajya Sabha on the motion of thanks on the President's address, Shah pitched for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the assemblies and accused the Congress of "opposing" the triple talaq bill and the legislation to give constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes. In his maiden speech in parliament, he took on Congress President Rahul Gandhi over his description of the Goods and Services Tax as "Gabbar Singh Tax", claiming that problems of employment had been created during 55 years of Congress rule. He also slammed Congress leaders for their criticism of Modi over his remarks in an interview that people earning Rs 200 a day selling 'pakodas' (fritters) can be considered employed, saying: "Selling pakodas is not shameful but comparing it with begging was." Citing the BJP's repeated victories in assembly polls after the last Lok Sabha polls, he said that "people's mandate" was the best way to judge the performance of a government irrespective of what its opponents say. He made special mention of the BJP victory last year in Gujarat -- his and Modi's home state -- and said the party had won another mandate there after ruling for over two decades and had got almost every second vote polled. "We can't help it if some people see victory even in their defeat," Shah said taking a jibe at Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, which had seen its best results in the state polls in over two decades. Saying there were "three cancers" - dynasty politics, casteism and appeasement - which were destroying the country, he asserted that "we can proudly say today that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has uprooted all of them from the Indian political system". The Prime Minister was present in the house during Amit Shah's speech. Repeatedly cheered by the treasury benches during his about 80-minute speech, Shah said that Modi had brought the triple talaq bill to give rights, equality and social security to women but the Congress was "opposing it". As Congress members sought to speak, he said the bill, passed by the Lok Sabha, can be brought tomorrow if they were willing to support it, but recalled how the Congress brought a bill to overturn the court verdict in the Shah Bano case. On the issue of simultaneous polls, which found a mention in the President's address, Shah said that "it will save money and prevent the need of frequent elections". Calling for a debate on the issue, he said it might seem the BJP has an advantage today but it can be the advantage of some other party tomorrow. Shah blamed the Congress for unemployment, an issue frequently raised by the main opposition party. "In 70 years of Independence, it was the Congress which ruled the country for 55 of those 70 years," he said, adding that the NDA government had found a solution and launched programmes such as Skill India, Start-up India, Stand-up India and Mudra loans. Terming the GST as the biggest reform ever undertaken, Shah said contrary to the Congress' allegations, the BJP had never opposed the reform during the UPA government's tenure but its "opposition was to the manner in which it was being proposed to be implemented". He said the UPA could not implement the GST because it did not have the trust of the states which were worried what would happen if there was a revenue shortfall. On Congress leader P. Chidambaram slamming Modi's remarks about selling 'pakodas' being a form of employment, he, alluding to Modi's humble origins, said: "Today if a person is earning livelihood by selling pakodas, tomorrow his son would become a big industrialist. A tea vendor's son can became the Prime Minister of this country" amid the opposition's hooting. Noting that "Antoyadya" was the government's mantra, Shah listed the government's steps to increase incomes and provide social security to farmers. At one point, he retorted to interruptions by Congress members, saying they will have to listen to him for the next six years. --IANS ps-vv/vd/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a jibe at the Modi government, BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha on Monday said governments come and go as per the wish of people, and the day people see promises made to them turning into 'jumlas' (gimmicks), they would announce their decision. Sinha was speaking at Narsinghpur where he went to extend support to senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha who has been on a sit-in in front of the district office to demand withdrawal of cases against farmers and to protect the interest of displaced farmers. Serious cases have been lodged against the displaced farmers after they revolted when promises made to them were not fulfilled. Their lands have been acquired for the setting up of a power facility of NTPC. While Yashwant Sinha ended his five-day demonstration at Narsinghpur on Monday, Kisan Mazdoor Sangh is continuing the protest at Gadarwara. Labour union leader Shiv Kumar Sharma said the cases against farmers have started being taken back. Sharma said the displaced farmers want permanent jobs and not contractual jobs at the plant. The protesting farmers would hold a demonstration in Delhi on February 23 where Yashwant Sinha would also join. --IANS hindi-mgu/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A new book on the death of Subhas Chandra Bose -- with a foreword by Boses daughter Anita Bose Pfaff -- presents an entire "gamut of documentary evidence" to suggest that Netaji perished as a result of a plane crash at Taipei on August 18, 1945. Its author, Ashis Ray, claimed that the remains at Tokyo's Renkoji temple are his and that it is a dishonour that his remains have not been brought to India even after 72 years since his death. "There is no mystery, only a lingering and needless controversy. Subhas Bose unquestionably died as a result of a plane crash in Taipei on 18 August 1945. Eleven different official and unofficial investigations -- brought together in my book for the first time -- re-confirm this. The mortal remains preserved at Tokyo's Renkoji temple are undoubtedly his. It is incredible dishonour and disrespect to the memory of a great son of India that his remains have not been brought to India even after 72 years since his death," Ashis Ray, the author of upcoming "Laid To Rest" told IANS in an email interview from London. In the book, Ray, who has been a foreign correspondent for 40 years, working mainly for BBC and CNN, mentions that he was well-acquainted with former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and was "able to encourage moves on his part and in effect action by the Government of India" to bring home the remains of Netaji. Elaborating on this, he maintained that Rao too was certain that Netaji had died in the plane crash. "Narasimha Rao did not have the slightest doubt that the story of the plane crash was true and that the ashes at Renkoji temple were Subhas Bose's. He was wary of opposition to the ashes being brought to India from Forward Bloc, BJP and a section of Bose's extended family -- and he was, don't forget, running a minority government in parliament which was dependent on opposition support. But he sent Pranab Mukherjee, then external affairs minister, to visit the temple and meet Bose's widow Emilie Schenkl in Germany," added Ray. However, the Justice Mukherjee Commission of Inquiry (JMCI) report suggested that the story of Bose's death in a plane crash was "nothing but a smokescreen" and was rejected by the then UPA government in 2006, which maintained that the "the Commission's inquiry was inconclusive in many ways, unable to provide a definitive finding on several issues and at variance with past well accepted Inquiry Commissions' findings in some critical areas". "I have some sympathy for Justice Manoj Mukherjee because he was hamstrung by none of the survivors of the plane crash being alive to give evidence when he undertook his inquiry. But I obviously don't agree with his finding that Subhas Bose did not die as a result of a plane crash at Taipei. The government's reaction to the report was by no means hasty. It was prompt and proper," he quipped. Ray maintained that even though the Narendra Modi-led NDA government has declassified all Government of India files on Subhas Bose, the ruling dispensation has not overturned Singh's verdict on the Mukherjee Commission report. "This ratified what I have been maintaining since the mid-1990s - that Subhas Bose died as a result of a plane crash at Taipei on 18 August 1945. Having accessed the facts, Modi realised Manmohan Singh's verdict on the Mukherjee Commission report was correct and didn't overturn it," he said. "All governments in India have so far proved to be cowardly on the issue of bringing Subhas Bose's ashes to India. The BJP tried to distance itself from the RTI reply. There are no new facts, other than what are cited in my book, which merely reinforce the truth. "The matter of bringing Subhas Bose's mortal remains has got caught up in politics; and the attitude of a section of Subhas Bose's extended family has been unhelpful to Professor Anita Pfaff. I believe the Government of India has a moral and legal obligation to honour Pfaff's wishes. My information - as elaborated in the book - is the Japanese government is unlikely to object to the remains coming to India," concluded Ray. The book, "Laid To Rest" is published by Rolli Books and will be launched on February 12 at Bikaner House in the capital. (Saket Suman can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in) --IANS ss/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In their race to monetise our attention, technology platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google are hijacking our minds and society, says a group of technologists who were early employees at some of these companies. The cohort is creating a union of concerned experts called the Center for Humane Technology, The New York Times reported on Sunday. The big technology platforms have produced amazing products that have benefited the world enormously, but with their use increasingly persuasive techniques to keep us glued, these companies are now adversely affecting our mental health, social relationship and democracy, according to the Center for Humane Technology. Designed on the model of anti-smoking drives, the group, along with the nonprofit media watchdog group Common Sense Media, is also planning an anti-tech addiction lobbying effort and an ad campaign, titled The Truth About Tech, the report said. Reflections on the ill effects of technology are now coming from different quarters at increasing frequency. Delivering his remarks at the annual World Economic Forum at Davos in January, billionaire investor George Soros called Internet "monopolies" such as Google and Facebook an obstacle to innovation and a menace to society. "Social media companies influence how people think and behave without them even being aware of it. This has far-reaching adverse consequences on the functioning of democracy, particularly on the integrity of elections," Soros said. Soros, who created the Open Society Foundations to support democracy and human rights in countries around the world, said that social media companies deliberately engineer addiction to the services they provide. "This can be very harmful, particularly for adolescents," he said. Warning of the dangers of social media for kids, more than 100 child health experts on January 30 urged Facebook to halt Messenger Kids, a video calling and messaging app designed for the under 13s. In an open letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the experts said that the "younger children are simply not ready to have social media accounts". The The Truth About Tech campaign by Center for Humane Technology will be aimed at educating students, parents and teachers about the dangers of technology, including the depression that can come from heavy use of social media. "We were on the inside," Tristan Harris, a former in-house ethicist at Google who is heading the new group, was quoted as saying. "We know what the companies measure. We know how they talk, and we know how the engineering works," Harris said. Apart from Harris, the centre includes Sandy Parakilas, a former Facebook operations manager; Lynn Fox, a former Apple and Google communications executive; Dave Morin, a former Facebook executive; Justin Rosenstein, who created Facebook's Like button and is a co-founder of Asana; Roger McNamee, an early investor in Facebook; and Renee DiResta, a technologist who studies bots. The group says it wants to create humane design standards, policy, and business models "that more deeply align with our humanity and how we want to live". Its first project to reform the industry will be to introduce a Ledger of Harms ? a website aimed at guiding rank-and-file engineers who are concerned about what they are being asked to build. The site will include data on the health effects of different technologies and ways to make products that are healthier, The New York Times report said. --IANS gb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) of the Uttar Pradesh police arrested a terror suspect here on Monday, officials said. Briefing the media on the arrest made from the Lohia path, Inspector General, ATS, Aseem Arun said that the arrested suspect, Sheikh Ali Akbar provided arms and ammunition to terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. Akbar, who hails from Ghazipur district of eastern Uttar Pradesh, was in constant touch with his counterparts in J&K through social media and had paid local arms dealers Rs 25,000 for some weapons that were later to be sent to the terror groups in the border state, he said. Working as a salesman to camouflage his real and subversive activities, Akbar was the conduit of the four terrorists arrested in Bandipur some time back, officials said. According to another official, he was also in touch with his fellow terrorists through WhatsApp calls. Arun said that several 'jihadi' videos have been found from his mobile phone and some bank transfers from Kashmir have also been traced to his local account. Akbar is since being interrogated at the ATS headquarters here. --IANS md/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A new protocol to treat rabid dog bite patients can prove to be a major breakthrough that even the WHO recommends it as one of the least expensive therapies in the world, cutting costs almost a 100 times. For a single treatment, the price worldwide was expected to reach just a few dollars. "It's a revolutionary treatment that drastically reduces the dose of medicine," Omesh Kumar Bharti, a field epidemiologist with the Himachal Pradesh government, told IANS. He added, "so is the cost of treatment that would drastically cut to just Rs 350 ($5.50) from the exiting Rs 35,000 ($545) per patient". The last week's World Health Organisation (WHO) update on rabies vaccines and immunoglobulins acknowledged the new low-cost treatment protocol established by Bharti, who is working at Intra Dermal Anti-Rabies Clinic and Research Centre of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital here. As per earlier WHO guidelines, a dog or monkey bite victim was administered a vaccine intradermally along with rabies immunoglobulins that was injected both in the wound and muscle. The rabies immunoglobulins were calculated as per the patient's body weight, which was a costly proposition. While the vaccine part almost remains the same, the WHO new update involves injecting rabies immunoglobulins only in the wound. The rabies immunoglobulins neutralise the rabies virus in the wound within hours. The omission of rabies immunoglobulins administration intramuscularly would drastically reduce the cost of treatment from Rs 35,000 to Rs 350 per patient and will have a huge impact globally by sparing the overall cost, medicine and thus saving lives, Bharti explained. At present over $1.6 billion are annually spent on the rabies post-exposure prophylaxis across the globe, which is likely to come down to few million dollars as over 90 per cent of this cost is attributed to rabies immunoglobulins to be given as per the earlier WHO protocol that came in 1992. Around 59,000 persons die of rabies globally every year, out of which 20,000 deaths are reported in India alone. Most of these deaths occur due to unaffordability and unavailability of the medicine. The WHO update is based on recommendations of its Strategic Advisory Group of Experts committee, which met in Geneva in October 2017, and quoted Bharti's research papers, co-authored by late S.N. Madhusudana, head of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Rabies Research in National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru, and Henry Wilde, a WHO consultant in Thailand. "We started practical research on administering rabies immunoglobulins in wound only in 2014 amidst acute shortage of this lifesaving medicine, with technical support of WHO Collaborating Centre on Rabies Research in NIMHANS," he said. "We administered the anti-rabies vaccine intradermally as earlier along with local rabies immunoglobulins infiltration into wounds. We found that even the lab confirmed rabid dog bite victims survived without any adverse impact," Bharti said. It took 17 years for Bharti to conceptualise and implement the practical work in 2014, based on available literature review. "What sensitised me towards the cause was that while there was shortage of lifesaving rabies immunoglobulins, its cost too was unaffordable for victims of dog and monkey bites, who were mainly the poor. "I saw some deaths also, where victims got vaccine, but didn't get rabies immunoglobulins," Bharti, who is also the state master trainer for intradermal anti-rabies vaccination. Annually, the Intra-Dermal Anti-Rabies Clinic and Research Centre in Shimla gets more than 3,000 animal bite patients and 40 per cent of them are monkey bite cases. All the rabies prophylaxis is given free at the research centre, based on this new low cost protocol started in 2014, which has now been endorsed by the WHO. (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) --IANS vg/in/ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The mother of Captain Kapil Kundu, one of the four soldiers killed in Pakistani shelling in Jammu and Kashmir, said on Monday that she was anguished over the killings but if she had another son, she would have asked him to join the Army. Sunita Kundu, 52, said her son always lived for the nation and was very happy after joining the Army. "We urge the government to conduct more surgical strikes on Pakistan to avenge the deaths of martyrs. Had my son lived for another 15-20 years, he would have done more for his nation," said Sunita. Kundu was just six days short of his 23rd birthday on February 10. He was killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Sunday evening along with three other soldiers -- Riflemen Ramavatar, 28, Subham Singh, 22, and Havilder Roshan Lal, 42. The Pakistan Army fired five or six anti-tank guided missiles, at least one of which hit the bunker in which the soldiers were positioned. "I had spoken to Kapil (Kundu) around 1 p.m. on Sunday over phone. He said that everything was fine and he would be visiting home to give a surprise to our mother on his birthday," said Sonia, the elder sister of the slain officer. His family lives in Ransika village near Pataudi, some 33 km from Gurugram, in Haryana. Kundu joined the army after making it through the National Defence Academy (NDA). According to his cousin Tarif Kundu, Captain Kundu loved writing poetry and was hailed as a hero by youngsters from nearby villages. "Kapil (Kundu) had a tough life. He lost his father Lalaram to heart attack on his birthday in 2012. Now, we are waiting for the body of braveheart," Tariif told IANS. The body is to arrive late on Monday. On Facebook, Captain Kundu had posted this quote as his favourite: "Run. If you cannot, then walk. If you cannot, then crawl. But do not stop until you achieve your goal." Mourning the death of Kundu, many people on social media shared fragments of his life and paid moving tributes. A poem in Hindi, apparently the last written by him, was widely circulated on WhatsApp. Kundu is survived by his mother and sisters Sonia and Kajal. --IANS pradeep/qd/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A youth was injured on Monday in Army firing in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district after protesters pelted stones at a patrol party. Arif Ahmad Lone was injured in Hawoora village after some youth pelted stones at the army patrol party following which the soldiers opened fire, police sources said. "The injured youth has been hospitalised. The exact details are being ascertained," an official said. Villagers, however, alleged that security forces had beaten up residents and ransacked property in Hawoora, after which the youths held the protest. --IANS sq/in/ksk/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Joining fellow disgruntled BJP leader Yashwant Sinha in a protest over farmers' issues, MP today questioned viability of the health insurance scheme announced in the Union Budget. The actor-turned-politician today reached Narsinghpur in Madhya Pradesh, where former finance minister Yashwant Sinha has launched a sit-in protest for farmers whose lands would be acquired for a thermal power plant. The Health Protection Scheme announced by finance minister Arun Jaitley would require Rs 1.25 trillion for premium payment, which is more than the allocation for health sector in the budgets of the Centre and the states put together, said. "Where would this money come from," he asked, addressing the gathering. The BJP MP recently joined Rashtra Manch, a political platform floated by Yashwant Sinha. Rashtra Manch has organised the sit-in outside Narsinghpur collector's office since February 1. Earlier in the day, the Madhya Pradesh unit of AAP joined in Sinha's agitation. "I am sitting with Yashwant-ji. Our party also took out a mock funeral procession of the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh for its anti-farmer policies," state AAP convener Alok Agrawal told PTI over phone from Narsinghpur. Agrawal added that Sinha's protest is to press for several demands, among them jobs for farmers who will be displaced by the upcoming coal-fired power project. Two priests at a temple in Mayiladuthurai in the district have been suspended for decorating the main deity of the goddess in churidhar with sandalpaste, reportedly going against 'agama' traditions. The priests had gone about the decoration on February 2, an auspicious day in the Tamil month of Thai,when a sandalwood decoration is done, as they were encouraged by the positive response they got to one done in Gujarati style on January 26, another propitious day. However the move backfired after a photograph of it went viral in the social media, receiving flak from a section of devotees. Though the decoration was not derogatory, some temple officials and devotees opined that it was against the temple agama rules, as per which the goddess should be decorated only with saree. Following this, the head of Thiruvavaduthurai adheenam mutt Ambalavana Desiga Paramacharya Swamigal ordered the suspension of the two priests today, temple officials said. The Mayooranathaswamy temple in that town is one among the ancient Shiva temples located in the riverbed of Cauvery, built during the Chola period. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 23 members of the Hema ethnic group have been killed since Friday in renewed violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province, a leader of the group said in a statement today. An official source, while refusing to confirm that toll, said a dozen fighters from a rival ethnic group, the Lendu, were killed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Telangana government today urged the managements of steel companies to supply steel at a "reasonable price" for its two-bedroom housing scheme for the poor. State Housing Minister A Indrakaran Reddy and IT Minister K T Rama Rao held a meeting with the representatives of steel companies here. The state government requires 1.45 lakh metric tonnes of steel for construction of one lakh houses in rural areas among the proposed 2.60 lakh double bedroom houses, 1.04 lakh metric tonnes of steel for 60,000 houses in urban areas and 2.78 lakh metric tonnes of steel for one lakh houses in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits, a state government release said. The total steel requirement is 5.27 lakh metric tonnes, it said. Saying that cement companies are supplying a bag of cement at Rs 230 regardless of rate fluctuations, the ministers asked the steel companies to sell steel at a reduced price. The state government would be transparent and make the payments online without any delay to companies who sell the steel, the ministers said. The representatives told the government that they will discuss the issue with the managements of steel companies and get back, the release said. The ministers asked the Special Chief Secretary of Housing department, Chitra Ramachandran to hold a meeting with the managements of the companies and decide a "base rate". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jammu and Kashmir government today said six Kashmiri persons were arrested by the Rajasthan police for allegedly entering a prohibited area along the IB near Jailsalmer and were later released. Responding to a point raised by MLA Usman Majeed in the Assembly in this regard, Minister for Revenue Abdul Rehman Veeri said that the six persons -- Ehsaan Ahmad Mir, Athar Majeed Shah, Zaffar Qureshi, Sayeem Wani, Ghulam Mohammed (driver) and Shameem Awan, were residents of Bandipora. He said according to the information provided by the Rajasthan Police, these persons were stopped by the BSF as they had entered a prohibited area and were handed over to the police. "During interrogation, they told the police that they started their journey from Amritsar and were using GPS for shortest possible route to Jaisalmer. They reached near Indira Gandhi Nahar Project (IGNP) canal (a prohibited area) by mistake. JIC of Jaisalmer questioned them," Veeri quoted the Rajasthan Police as saying. He said all the persons were released on Sunday evening according to the Rajasthan Police, and further details were awaited. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An assistant engineer from the state's irrigation department was arrested today by the Anti-Corruption Bureau for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe. Deputy Superintendent of Police, ACB, K Ramakrishna Prasad, said that Assistant Engineer A Prakash of the Chodavaram office of the irrigation department was arrested while accepting Rs 50,000 from a contractor. The official said that the bribe was sought to clear the contractor's payment for de-silting Sreeramsagar tank and Rangraosagar tank in V Madugula section of Visakhapatnam. Prakash's assistant, N Prasad, was also arrested during the trap which laid following a complaint, the ACB official said. A case had been registered and further investigations were underway, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Crime Investigation Department of the Telangana Police today arrested a person wanted in connection with the 2002 bomb blast in front of a Sai Baba temple in Dilsukhnagar here, officials said. Shafiq M, was deported from Doha in Qatar to Delhi, and a police team brought him from the national capital to here, they said. Police officials said that he was produced before a court here which remanded him into judicial custody. Two persons were killed and over 20 others were injured when terrorists had detonated an improvised explosive device near the temple on November 21, 2002. Police said that Shafiq had been charged with conspiracy in the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US online retailer Amazon said today that it has settled a major tax claim in France and will start declaring all its earnings in the country in a response to building European pressure on the digital economy giants. Amazon did not reveal how much it had paid over a French claim for nearly 200 million euros ($249 million) covering the period from 2006 to 2010. It is one of several American technology giants in the line of fire in Europe over their tax-avoidance strategies, which often sees them route their income through low-tax nations -- in Amazon's case, Luxembourg. French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed a new mechanism for taxing US tech companies that would take into account the volume of sales generated in each European country, rather than on the profits that are booked through low-tax jurisdictions. Amazon announced a similar tax settlement deal with Italy in December, paying 100 million euros to settle an investigation into suspected tax evasion from 2011 to 2015, while also agreeing to declare its income locally. In 2012, Amazon revealed that it had been hit with a 198 -million-euro tax bill in France for back taxes, interest and penalties relating to income spread between different jurisdictions. At the time, the company had said it disagreed with the French assessment and vowed to "vigorously" fight it. In its statement Monday, Amazon said it had created a French subsidiary for its European operations in August 2015, "with all retail revenues, expenses, profits and taxes due now accounted for in France." The retailer also said it had invested over 2 billion euros in France since 2010, creating more than 5,500 jobs. European officials have vowed to make the digital economy giants known as GAFA -- Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple -- pay a greater share of their taxes in the countries where they earn their profits. Under current EU law, companies based outside the bloc can declare their earnings from across the 28-nation market in a single country. That has led them to pick low-tax nations like Ireland, the Netherlands or Luxembourg -- depriving other member states of revenues, even though they may account for a bigger share of the earnings. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development says such rules cost governments around the world as much as $240 billion (193 billion euros) a year in lost revenue, according to a 2015 estimate. On Sunday, EU Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said he would unveil by the end of March a plan to "create a consensus and an electroshock" on taxing digital economy revenues. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP today filed a complaint with the Delhi Police against senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. BJP national secretary R P Singh met the Additional Police Commissioner, New Delhi, and filed a complaint which was based on purported video clips concerning the Congress leader. The video clips were released in a press conference by Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee president Manjit Singh GK. "It has been requested in the complaint that since the accused can leave the country any time hence he should be arrested immediately and prosecuted under IPC sections 302, 147/149 and 120-B," R P Singh said in a statement. Earlier on the day, Manjit Singh GK said that they would send copies of the video clips to various authorities and demanded arrest of the Congress leader. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre today moved the Supreme Court requesting it to include former DG-rank officer Navneet Rajan Wasan in a new three-member SIT formed by it to supervise further probe into 186 anti-Sikh riot cases. The government sought replacement of retired IG-rank officer Rajdeep Singh, who is currently one of the SIT members, by Wasan, who had earlier served as Director General of Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D). A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud posted the plea, which sought a modification of its January 11 order, for hearing after a week. Wasan, now retired, was a 1980-batch Andhra Pradesh cadre officer and had also served as Special Director General in the National Investigation Agency (NIA). On January 11, the apex court had constituted a three- member SIT headed by former Delhi High Court judge Justice S N Dhingra to supervise further probe into 186 anti-Sikh riot cases, in which closure reports were filed earlier. Besides Justice Dhingra, the apex court had named Abhishek Dular, a serving 2006-batch IPS officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, and retired IG-rank officer Rajdeep Singh, as members of the new SIT. The apex court has asked the new panel to submit its status report in two months. The top court had zeroed in on the names after the Ministry of Home Affairs and counsel for petitioners G S Kahlon arrived at a consensus with regard to the persons who could be appointed in the fresh SIT. The court had earlier held the previous SIT did not carry out further probe into these 186 cases in which closure reports were filed, and had directed setting up of a fresh SIT comprising a former HC judge and two police officers. Large-scale riots had broken out in the national capital in the aftermath of the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by two Sikh security guards on the morning of October 31, 1984. The violence had claimed 2,733 lives in Delhi alone. Justice Dhingra, who had retired from Delhi High Court, had dealt with several high-profile cases including the 2001 Parliament Attack case as trial judge. He was recently in the for heading a one-man panel that probed Haryana land scam allegedly involving Robert Vadra, the son-in-law UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Justice Dhingra as the judge of the trial court had dealt with 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases and in about 16 cases, his judgement had resulted in conviction of accused persons. Abhishek Dular, who served as Superintendent of Police in Shimla, is currently on central deputation with the CBI and has probed the sensational Bulandsahar highway gangrape case. The apex court had said that on perusal of the report of supervisory committee, it had found that the earlier SIT has not done further investigation in respect of 186 cases. It had said that with regard to the nature of cases, "it would be appropriate that a fresh SIT should be constituted for carrying on the further investigation". The earlier supervisory body, which had submitted its final report, comprised former apex court judges Justice J M Panchal and Justice K S P Radhakrishnan. On August 16 last year, the apex court had appointed the supervisory panel to examine the SIT's decision to close 241 cases in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots matter. The Centre had said that out of 250 riots cases which were probed by the SIT, closure reports were filed in 241. It had said nine cases were still being investigated by the SIT and two being probed by the CBI. The apex court had on March 24, 2017, asked the Centre to place before it the files pertaining to the 199 anti-Sikh riots cases which the SIT set up earlier by the Home Ministry had decided to close. The SIT was headed by Pramod Asthana, an IPS officer of 1986 batch, and had Rakesh Kapoor, a retired district and sessions judge, and Kumar Gyanesh, an additional deputy commissioner of Delhi Police, as its members. Petitioner S Gurlad Singh Kahlon had earlier told the bench that a total of 293 riot-related cases were taken up for scrutiny by the earlier SIT which had decided to close 199 of them after scrutiny. Kahlon, a member of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, had sought the court's direction for setting up another SIT to ensure speedy justice to the riot victims. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda will campaign for the BJP in Tripura from February 8 to 11, according to a press release here. Tripura goes to polls on February 18 and the results will be declared on March 3. Munda will leave for Delhi tomorrow from where he would go to Agartala on February 8, the release said. The BJP is contesting the elections with all its might, the release added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Tripura on February 8 and 15 to campaign for the BJP. Yesterday and the day before, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh also addressed public rally and held roadshow in Agartala. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Army today clearly indicated it would take retaliatory action against the killing of four army men in heavy shelling by Pakistani forces along the LoC in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, saying that its action would speak for itself. Lt Gen Sarath Chand said the Army has been responding appropriately to Pakistan shelling, asserting that India will continue to give a "befitting reply" to such acts. "That (retaliation) goes without saying, I think I don't have to say that. (Our) action will speak for itself," he said when asked about the killing of a Captain and three other Army men in the Rajouri sector. The Captain and three jawans were killed and at least four people injured yesterday in the heavy Pakistani shelling along the LoC. Chand also accused the Pakistani Army of supporting the infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir. "We will continue with our process of giving a befitting reply (to such acts)," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event here, adding that there were even incidents of mutilation of bodies of jawans last year. "We have been responding appropriately," he said. "There has been cross-border shelling from their (Pakistan's) side. And one of the shells landed near the officer and his men, leading to the casualties," he said when asked about yesterday's shelling. Captain Kapil Kundu, a resident of village Ransika in Haryana's Gurgaon district, was killed just six days before his 22nd birthday, Army officials said. Havildar Roshan Lal, 42, a resident of Samba district, Jammu and Kashmir, Riflemen Ramavatar, 27, of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, and Subham Singh, 23, of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district were also killed in the shelling. Home Minister Rajnath Singh said earlier today Indians had full faith in the valour of the Army. "People of the country have full faith in the valour of the Indian Army," the minister told reporters outside Parliament when asked about the steps India would take in response to the attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Concerned over dip in pass percentage of Part-1 results of Calcutta University, West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee today said he has asked vice-chancellor and the syndicate of the university to look into the matter. Chatterjee's comments came in the wake of the poor performance by the BA and BSc Part I (honours and general) students. Of the 64,000 candidates that appeared for the BA Part I (Honours and general stream) exam, just 28,000 have passed, the results published last Thursday revealed. Urging the students to pay more attention to studies, Chatterjee said the university should have cautioned the students in advance over a possibility in fall of pass percentage. "The Calcutta University itself has changed the rules so that government decided not to interfere in the matter. The general perception is due to change in rules of pass and fail and there is a dip in pass percentage," he said. Chatterjee said a meeting of the university syndicate has been convened on February 6 and he has urged both the vice chancellor of the university and the syndicate to look into the matter. "I have requested the syndicate to look into the matter so that the future of the honours students don't get affected. It has to be seen if old rules can prevail," he said. In the BSc stream, around 11,000 students of the total 15,000 that sat for the exam passed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The federation of former students of Bharathiar University here today urged the district administration to take steps to cancel the appointments made during the tenure of Vice-Chancellor A Ganapathy, who was arrested on graft charges. In a memorandum to the District Collector, they stated that they had already petitioned ministers and government officials concerned, regarding the irregularities in appointment of professors and staff, but to no avail. The arrest of Ganapathy has proved their charges and in view of this, the appointments made by him should be immediately cancelled and those with merit be nominated, they said. Stringent action should be taken against those in HR department and also in Syndicate after carrying out detailed inquiry about their roles in the appointment, the memorandum said. Ganapathi was on February 3 arrested for allegedly accepting Rs 30 lakh as bribe from an aspirant for the post of an assistant professor. Dharmaraj, a professor at the University was also arrested for allegedly brokering the deal. The duo were remanded to judicial custody till February 16, by a special court here yesterday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A bipartisan immigration proposal has surfaced in the Senate, only to be quickly knocked down by President Donald Trump via Twitter today. Republican Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen Chris Coons planned to propose legislation Monday that would shield from deportation immigrants who entered the US illegally as children, known as "Dreamers" helped by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. The bill also would strengthen border security, but it wouldn't provide the USD 25 billion Trump wants for a US- Mexico border wall. But before the Senate had a chance to consider the narrow plan, Trump seemed to reject it on Twitter. "Any deal on DACA that does not include STRONG border security and the desperately needed WALL is a total waste of time. March 5th is rapidly approaching and the Dems seem not to care about DACA. Make a deal!" Trump tweeted. McCain, R-Ariz., and Coons, D-Del., said in a statement that their bill was designed to focus on two "pressing" border issues, the "Dreamers" and border security, so lawmakers could focus on completing a long-overdue budget deal. The McCain-Coons plan is a more modest approach than Trump has sought for protecting the estimated 1.8 million young immigrants. The measure lacks Trump's demands for limiting the relatives that "Dreamers" can sponsor for citizenship, and ending a visa lottery aimed at admitting more immigrants from diverse places including Africa. The senators' plan would create a road to legal status for "Dreamers" who arrived in the US by the end of 2013 and meet other criteria, including no convictions for serious crimes. Once they've become lawful permanent residents, they can follow existing procedures to apply for citizenship. Democrats and some Republicans want to give "Dreamers" a pathway to citizenship, but oppose cuts Trump would make in the number of legal immigrants allowed to enter the US Conservatives oppose letting "Dreamers" become citizens. That stalemate has led many to believe the likeliest outcome is a narrowly focused bill or even no legislation at all. The senators' proposal is similar to a bipartisan House package by Reps. Will Hurd, R-Texas, and Pete Aguilar, D- Calif. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The opposition BJP in Odisha today demanded Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's resignation and a CBI probe into the alleged rape of a minor by four men in uniform in Koraput and her subsequent suicide. BJP activists took out a mass rally from Ram Mandir Square here and marched towards the chief minister's residence with banners, party flags and placards. They raised slogans against Patnaik and demanded his resignation over the issue. A scuffle ensued with the police when they reached near the chief minister's residence 'Naveen Niwas' and attempted to enter it forcefully, police said. A large number of BJP workers were then detained, the police added. BJP state vice-president Sameer Mohanty accusing BJD government of trying to destroy evidences in the Kunduli gang rape and suicide. "Therefore, we demand Patnaik's resignation," he said before being taken to police custody. The girl had alleged rape by four persons in uniform when she was returning home from Kunduli market in Koraput on October 10 last year and committed suicide on January 22. The Odisha Police had rejected the girl's allegation and said she was not raped. The state government has constituted a judicial panel to probe into the alleged gang rape and subsequent suicide by the victim. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CPI-M Politburo member Brinda Karat today alleged that BJP is trying to use "black money and muscle power" in the coming assembly poll in Tripura as it knows it will not get the mandate. Karat said BJPs pre-poll alliance with regional outfit Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) was an "unholy alliance" and urged voters to defeat them and help form the eighth Left Front government in the state. They (BJP) know well that they will not come to power with the public mandate. So they are trying to buy people with black money and are using muscle power. But they will not succeed as people are very conscious here," Karat told a rally at Killa in Gomati district, about 50 km from here. BJP has forged an alliance in nine seats with IPFT a regional party floated in late 1990s with the demand of Twipraland, a separate state for indigenous communities. The rest 51 of the total 60 seats would be contested by the saffron party. Referring to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singhs recent visit to Tripura, the CPI-M leader asked why he was silent over IPFT statehood demand. "Nobody would be benefitted by dividing a small state like Tripura," she said adding that BJP was "shedding crocodile tears" for indigenous communities while the central government slashed fund for tribal sub-plan in union budget. "In BJP ruled states they are snatching land from tribals and giving it to corporates. That party is showing fake sympathy for them," she said adding the LF has created an instance of good governance in Tripura and masses are with them. The IPFT leaders had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on January 5 in Delhi over the statehood demand. The Centre had announced a modality committee to study socio-economic and cultural and linguistic aspects of Tripuras indigenous groups. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking time out from hectic professional schedules, several IPS officers have released their literary works at the Kolkata International Book Fair this year. A fiction on the social life in rural Bengal by DIG, Traffic, Humayun Kabir, was released by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the inaugural day of the fair. "Kabir's 'Final Gazi', which had been serially published in a leading Bengali publication, was released at the fair as a paperback," a senior official of Publishers and Booksellers Guild - organizers of the book fair - told PTI. The Hindi translation of Deputy Commissioner (Special Task Force) Muralidhar Sharma's book of 100 Urdu poems - 'Hasil e Sahra Nawardi' - was also released at the fair by the Chief Minister. "I used to scribble on pad or type on mobile whenever some thoughts flashed through my mind and this is how it had started," Sharma, who writes under the pseudonym Talib, said. The CM also launched a murder-mystery book, authored by Additional Commissioner of Kolkata Police Supratim Sarkar. The book gives an account of murder mysteries investigated by the detective department of Kolkata Police in last five decades. Assistant Commissioner of Kolkata Police Buddhadev Mukherjee's book of poems was also launched at the book fair. "Buddhadev Mukherjee, a gifted poet, regularly contributes to magazines," the general secretary of the guild, Tridib Chatterjee, said. The Kolkata book fair has become the meeting ground of poets, writers, intellectuals, politicians, police officers. "We are proud that so many IPS officers have chosen the fair to explore their creative side," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Broadcom raised its bid for rival computer chipmaker Qualcomm today to $121 billion, offering the richest-ever takeover effort in the tech sector in an effort to become the dominant player in the fast-growing market for connected devices. Singapore-based Broadcom, which has begun a process to reincorporate in the United States, called the hostile bid its "best and final offer." The price hike steps up the pressure on California-based Qualcomm, the dominant producer of chips for mobile devices, which is set to hold its annual shareholders meeting next month. In a letter to Qualcomm board members, Broadcom chief executive Hock Tan called the offer "extremely compelling compared to any other alternative available to Qualcomm" and called on the board to open talks on the proposal. But he said the deal would be off the table if it fails to win approval next month by shareholders. The new bid represents $82 per Qualcomm share, up from a previous offer of $70 a share, and was said to be 50 percent higher than Qualcomm's share price before the tie-up was proposed in November. "We continue to hope you choose to engage with us for the benefit of your stockholders," Tan said. "However, we will withdraw this proposal and cease our pursuit of Qualcomm immediately following your upcoming annual meeting unless we have entered into a definitive agreement or the Broadcom-nominated slate is elected." Broadcom last year proposed a slate of 11 new Qualcomm board members as part of its effort to win approval. Qualcomm said in a statement it had received the new proposal and would evaluate it "consistent with its fiduciary duties" and "in consultation with its financial and legal advisors." Up to now, Qualcomm has rejected the tie-up, with CEO Steve Mollenkopf arguing last year there was "no real path to value" with Broadcom. Mollenkopf, in comments in December, maintained that Qualcomm, the leading global supplier of smartphone chips, is well-positioned for emerging technologies for connected devices and 5G, or the fifth generation of wireless networks. If completed, the deal would be the largest-ever in the tech sector and create a powerful player in the booming sector fueled by growth in smartphones and an array of connected devices from cars to wearables. Any merger deal would need to pass muster with Qualcomm shareholders and could face regulatory scrutiny in the United States and other markets. Broadcom said its offer stood whether Qualcomm's $47 billion bid for Dutch rival NXP was completed or is terminated. European regulators this month said they had approved the merger subject to conditions. The Singapore-based firm said it was prepared to pay a "significant" fee to Qualcomm if the two companies agree but the deal is blocked by regulators. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The production of cotton in the country has nearly doubled since the introduction of in 2002, the government told the Rajya Sabha on Monday. In a written reply to a question, Union minister Mahesh Sharma also said the hybrids have helped to minimise the damages caused by pests like bollworm. His remarks assume significance as they come amid a controversy over the country's GM crop regulator, Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), recommending the commercial use of GM mustard in a submission to the environment ministry. Several groups, including RSS-affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), have criticised the GEAC move, saying commercial use of GM mustard would impact allied agri-activities. The minister, however, said evaluation of each application for environmental release of GM crops is done on a "case-to-case" basis after a thorough examination of health, environment and food and feed safety assessment. "Since the introduction of in 2002, there has been a near doubling of cotton production in the country from 15.8 million bales in 2001-02 to 35.1 million bales in 2016-17, and increase in productivity from 308 kg/ha in 2001-02 to 568 kg/ha in 2016 17," he said. After receiving representations from various stakeholders post the GEAC recommendation, the government referred the issue of GM mustard back to the GEAC. The minister was asked if the government agencies have portrayed a rosy picture on and whether there was a need for a scientific study about the impact of GM crops on health. "Bt cotton hybrids have helped to minimise the damages caused by Bollworm, reduce pesticide use, increase production, yield and net income of the farmers," Sharma said. Infestation by Bollworm, a major pest of cotton, he said, has had a devastating effect on cotton crop during the late 1990s, with most of the available pesticides becoming ineffective to control it. Bt cotton, which is resistant to Bollworm infestation, was released during 2002-03. "As per the recent data of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, India has become the largest producer of cotton in the world in the year 2016," he said. He said that evaluation of each application for environmental release of GM crops is done on a case-to-case basis after a thorough examination of health, environment, food and feed safety assessment studies done in India, as per guidelines stipulated by various regulatory agencies. "Studies and risk assessment documents prepared by international regulatory agencies and by other countries are also referred for ascertaining the safety of the evaluated product," the minister said. Delhi-based microlending startup Cash Suvidha has raised a debt of USD 2.5 million (approx Rs 16 crore). The fintech firm plans to use this debt investment to increase the loan books of the company. Of the total funds raised, USD 1.5 million has been raised through private placement of non-convertible debentures (NCDs)and USD 1 million has been raised from 2 financial institutions, the company said. Founded in 2016, the company provides a variety of loans and funds primarily used to facilitate further lending to SMEs and to cater to the loan needs of individuals, particularly in Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Rajasthan, it added. "This capital infusion will provide the impetus for further accelerating the company's exciting growth plans. The influx of funds will enable us to replenish our loan books and will allow us to cater to a wider range of SMEs across the country," Cash Suvidha Founder Rajesh Gupta said. The firm said it receives around 15,000 loan applications per month and has disbursed a total amount of Rs 122 crore since its inception. In December 2017, the company had raised a debt of USD 2.7 million from six financial institutions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CDC Group, the British developmental finance institution, has invested USD 21 million in the Northern markets-focused healthcare services provider Asian Institute of Medical Services (AIMS). CDC's long-term investment will support the hospital's five-year expansion into small towns in Jharkhand, Bihar and UP, where it will add 1,000 beds at the new and existing multi-specialty facilities. This expansion will create around 2,000 new jobs and deliver training and improved skills for nursing and paramedic staff in these cities, the hospital said in a statement today. The CDC Group, wholly-owned by the British government, invests in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia with the aim of supporting economic development to create jobs. CDC invested in the healthcare having backed Narayana Health, Rainbow Hospitals and Manipal-CDC Ventures in the last three years. Established in 2010, AIMS is a 775-bed hospital operator focused on bringing multi-specialty facilities including cardiology, oncology, critical care and orthopaedics to underserved cities in Northern and Central regions. The hospital currently runs three tertiary care hospitals at Faridabad in Haryana, Moradabad in UP and Dhanbad in Jharkhand), two secondary care hospitals in Yamuna Vihar in Delhi and Sambhal in UP; and three health clinics in Faridabad, Palwal in Haryana and Greater Kailash in New Delhi. The company will add up to 1,000 beds through its existing facilities in Moradabad and Dhanbad and in new facilities in Haryana, Bihar and Jharkhand. "Our investment in AIMS will increase access to high quality care in poorer and under-served cities in northern and central India. It will also create many jobs and training opportunities in these cities," CDC managing director and head of South Asia Srini Nagarajan said. Commenting on the investment, AIMS founder NK Pandey said, "we believe that quality healthcare is a basic need and it needs to be delivered closer to where there is need and not only in big metropolitan centres. We already have our footprint in small towns. "Our association with CDC is going to support us in expanding our services further in states like UP, Bihar and Jharkhand," Pandey added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Centre's special representative for Jammu and Kashmir Dineshwar Sharma today reached here and discussed ceasefire violations by Pakistan with Governor N N Vohra. Sharma called on Vohra at Raj Bhavan and the two discussed issues relating to the recurring ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC), an official spokesman said. He said the internal security situation and initiatives required for protecting and promoting the educational and career interests of youth also came up for detailed discussion during the meeting. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police today filed a charge sheet in the case of killings of six policemen including an SHO in Achabal of south Kashmir last year, and claimed that Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were involved in it. "An SIT (special investigation team) was formed which filed a comprehensive charge sheet against four accused before a Sessions Court in Anantnag," a police official said. Achabal SHO Feroz Ahmad Dar and five others were killed in the attack on June 15, 2017. The police official said that during the investigation of the case, it was established that the Pakistan-based Lashkar- e-Taiba (LeT) militants, headed by Bashir Lashkari, were involved in the attack. "Lashkari was killed along with another accused Abu Maz in an encounter with security forces in Anantnag district of south Kashmir on July 1 last year," the official said. He said the other accused in the case are Sandeep Kumar, a resident of Uttar Pradesh who was arrested by the police in July last year; Mohammad Ashraf Wani alias Molvi, a resident of Anantnag; Khurshid Ahmad Ganaie, a resident of Dialgam; Mehraj-ud-din Bangroo alias Asif, a resident of Srinagar; Sahir Ahmad Makroo, a resident of Bijbehara; and Zeenatul Islam, a resident of Shopian. "On the basis of evidence collected during the course of investigation, complicity of the accused persons was established, of whom two Sandeep Kumar and Mohammad Ashraf Wani - were arrested in the instant case," the official said, adding that the other four were on the run. The charge sheet has been filed against the absconding accused. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China today warned its citizens not to tavel to the Maldives for holidays due to the political turmoil there, in a setback to beleaguered President Abdulla Yameen whose country's economy relies heavily on Chinese tourists. The Maldives has plunged into political crisis as the Supreme Court yesterday asked Yameen to comply with its order to release political prisoners and reinstate dissident lawmakers. This led to a tense standoff as Yameen has not yet implemented the apex court's ruling leading to agitations by the Opposition parties. "China is closely following the developments in the Maldives," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told media here asking the Maldivian government and the political parties to resolve differences through dialogue while maintaining national stability and social order. He, however, declined to join the calls by the United Nations, the US and India asking Yameen who is widely regarded as pro-China to implement the Supreme Court order. "What happened in theMaldives is Maldives' internal affair. China supports the relevant parties in the Maldives to properly resolve their differences through dialogue and consultation and maintain national stability and social order," he said. But at the same time he said China has issued a "security reminder asking its tourists not to travel to the Maldives in view of the situation which could drastically affect the island nation which relies heavily on tourism revenue. China's travel advisory coming ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday season starting from February 15 is likely to deter thousands of Chinese who travel to the Maldives during the week-long holiday. Chinese tourits constitute about 30 per cent of the Maldives tourist arrivals. The Spring Festival holiday, which includes Chinese New Year celebrations is peak season for Chinese citizens to travel to the Maldives for tourism, Geng said. Currently, over 6,000 Chinese tourists were reportedly holidaying in the island nation. "In light of the relevant situation we advise the Chinese tourists in the Maldives to closely follow the situation and strengthen security awareness. At the same time, we advise those people who plan to go to the Maldives not to travel to go there before the situation get stabilised," he said. President Yameen in recent years has allowed largescale Chinese investments and signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which came under sharp criticism from opposition parties and also raised concerns in India due its strategic location in the Indian Ocean. China views the Maldives as key to its Maritime Silk Road project in the Indian Ocean as it has already acquired Hambantota port in Sri Lanka and Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. Former president and current opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed, who was controversially convicted of a terrorism charge and jailed for 13 years in 2015, termed the FTA as "disgraceful" and said it was not in the Maldivian national interest. Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected leader, was toppled in 2012. He was barred from contesting elections after his 2015 terrorism conviction, which was internationally criticised as politically motivated. He has been in exile since 2016, when he left on prison leave for medical treatment. He is currently in Colombo, meeting Maldivian dissidents based in Sri Lanka. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The number of transgressions by the Chinese Army into the Indian territory rose to 426 in 2017 from the 273 in 2016, the government said today. Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said the transgressions have occurred due to the differing perception of the two counties of the Line of Actual Control. "In the year 2017, the number of transgressions was 426 as against 273 in the year 2016," he said. The minister said the government takes up incidents of transgressions with the Chinese side through an established mechanism. India and China share a nearly 4,000 km-long border. Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day standoff in Doklam since June 16 last year after the Indian side stopped the construction of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam. The face-off had ended on August 28. In December, a Chinese road construction team had come nearly one kilometre into the Indian territory in Upper Siangin, Arunachal Pradesh, but went back after they were told to do so by the Indian security personnel. Army Chief Bipin Rawat had said last month that the time has come for the country to shift focus from the western frontier to the northern one. To a separate question, Bhamre said China's defence budget is larger than the defence budget of India. He said the budgetary allocations for defence depend on the size of the economy. Referring to the situation on the northern border, he said the Indian Army is fully seized of the military needs of the country. "Our defence strategy and doctrines are constantly refined keeping in view the changing security paradigms in our immediate and extended neighbourhood and the world at large," he said. On cyber warfare, he said the Army has evolved a dynamic mechanism for "holistic cyber defence" of its networks. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Chinese national, working at a shipping firm in Pakistan, was shot in the head by unidentified gunmen who opened fire at his car here in what police are calling a targeted attack. There were two Chinese nationals in the car when the armed assailants opened fire in Karachi's Clifton area, the DawnNews reported. The other Chinese national managed to escape, but a 30- year-old passerby was shot in the leg. According to police, the victim was shot in the head when the suspects opened fire at him. Nine bullet casings were recovered from the site of the attack. "It appears to be a targeted incident," police added. The Chinese national received a head injury and is in critical condition at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal took notice of the incident and ordered deputy inspector general south to start an inquiry into the matter. "All measures should be taken to ensure that the suspects are arrested," the minister said. Last year, a Chinese couple was killed by Islamic State militants in the restive Balochistan province. The couple had reportedly been "preaching" in Balochistan under the garb of learning Urdu. In the past, China has asked Islamabad to improve security, especially in Balochistan, where it is building the Gwadar Port and funding roads as part of the CPEC. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The West Bengal CID today issued notices to former IPS Bharati Ghosh to appear before the investigating officer (IO) in connection with her alleged involvement in misconduct and extortion from civilians, a senior official of the department said. Notices have been sent to three residences in the city reportedly belonging to Ghosh by the state CID asking her to appear before the IO within three days in connection with their probe into the case, the IPS officer told PTI. "During earlier raids, we could not open some rooms at the three residences in the city. We suspect that there are some documents inside these rooms which have some links to the case. We have asked Ghosh to appear before the IO to clarify," he said. The CID last week had raided the residences of Ghosh and two other police officers in connection with the case. Gold jewellery, documents and a large sum of cash were seized from the residences of Ghosh, the officer said. Police carried out the raid following a court order after a person complained that some police personnel had forcefully taken money from him last year, the officer said. Ghosh, who was the West Midnapore SP and once known to be a very loyal officer to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, had resigned from the services after she was transferred to a less significant post - the commandant of the third battalion of the state armed police - in late December last year. Ghosh's transfer came following allegations from a section of Trinamool Congress leadership that she had worked for the BJP in the Sabang by-election held last month. Raids were also conducted at the residences of two other police officers of West Midnapore district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today said it would set up a fresh Constitution Bench to examine the validity of various aspects of a provision of the Citizenship Act 1955, including the cut-off date for awarding citizenship to Bangladeshi immigrants in Assam. The matter came up before a bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar, and D Y Chandrachud, which said, "We will set up a Constitution bench in the matter." A five-judge bench of the apex court in April last year had said it would deal with 13 questions related to the constitutional validity of section 6A of the Act, which were referred to it for consideration by a two-judge bench in December 2014. Section 6A of the Act relates to special provisions for citizenship of people covered by the Assam Accord, which was a memorandum of settlement signed between representatives of the Centre and the leaders of Assam movement in August 1985. The bench had said that apart from these 13 questions, it might also deal with related issues raised by the parties, if required. In December 2014, a two-judge bench of the apex court had framed 13 questions, for deliberation by a larger bench, which included as to whether section 6A violates the Articles of the Constitution by diluting the political rights of citizens of Assam. It had also framed a question about the scope of fundamental right contained in Article 29(1), relating to the right to conserve a distinct language, script or culture, and also about the meaning of expressions 'culture' and 'conserve'. The two-judge bench had formulated questions whether section 6A of the Citizenship Act 1955 violates Article 14 (equality before law) and Article 21 (right to life) of the Constitution. "Whether section 6A violates the basic premise of the Constitution and the Citizenship Act in that it permits citizens who have allegedly not lost their citizenship of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to become deemed citizens of India, thereby conferring dual citizenship to such persons," it had said. The two-judge bench, which was hearing various petitions arising out of its judgement on PILs on influx of illegal Bangladeshi migrants to Assam, had decided to keep monitoring the implementation of directions given by it earlier. It had earlier passed a slew of directions, including an order to the Centre to complete the fencing work along the India-Bangladesh border within three months to check cross- border influx of illegal Bangladesh nationals into Assam and streamline the process to deport them back. The apex court had also laid down a time-table for updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam so that the entire updated register is published by the end of January, 2016. The apex court's December 2014 verdict had come on the pleas of Assam Sanmilita Mahasangha, Assam Public Works and All Assam Ahom Association filed in the aftermath of large- scale riots in 2012 and 2014 resulting in the death of a large number of people. In their writ petition, the petitioners had said the sovereignty and integrity of India is itself at stake as a massive influx of illegal immigrants from a neighbouring country has affected the core constitutional value. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ed-tech platform CollegeDekho today said it has raised USD 2 million funding from ManCapital, GirnarSoft and other investors as part of a third round of funding. CollegeDekho will use the funds to further strengthen its technology, expand collaboration with international colleges and to increase marketing activities, including more offline campaigns, a statement said. CollegeDekho's platform allows students compare colleges, select courses, determine cut-offs for their desired courses and access other career-related content. "This round of funding is the reiteration of the trust our investors have in our vision and a clear indication that we are on the right path to success," Ruchir Arora, CEO and co-founder, CollegeDekho, said. Nikhil Malik, Partner, ManCapital said: "The sector is poised for further growth and we believe there remains a lot of talent in the country that can benefit from improved support. CollegeDekho strives to identify students optimal path so as to make a difference in the future." GirnarSoft's founder Amit Jain said GirnarSoft has been very confident of CollegeDekhos growth right from the beginning and the rapid rate of expansion and innovation only reiterates their commitment to the sector. "Also with the governments focus on digital education, we can safely predict a disruptive evolution of the modern scenario in the country," Jain said. In the last two years, CollegeDekho has guided more than one lakh students nationwide. It has on-ground cafes in Patna, Ranchi, Lucknow, Guwahati and Srinagar and has over 36,000 colleges in its database. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India today expressed concern over the recent political developments in the Maldives and asked its nationals to defer all non-essential travels to the Indian Ocean nation until further notice. In an advisory, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Indian expatriates in Maldives are also alerted to the need for heightened security awareness, and urged to exercise due caution in public and avoid public gatherings. "The prevailing political developments in Maldives and the resultant law and order situation is a matter of concern for the government. Indian nationals are, therefore, advised to defer all non-essential travels to Male and other atolls until further notice," the advisory said. The advisory by India came immediately after beleaguered Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen declared a 15-day state of emergency. This will give sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects, and comes amid a deepening political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation as Yameen refuses to comply with a Supreme Court order to release political prisoners. The Maldivian Supreme Court, in a significant development, had last week ordered the immediate release of former president Mohamed Nasheed and other opposition leaders. Reacting to the development, India had said it was imperative for "all organs" of the Maldivian government to abide by the country's Supreme Court order to release all political prisoners "in the spirit of democracy". In a statement, the MEA had also said it was "closely monitoring" the evolving situation in the Maldives and also hoped that the safety and security of Indian expatriates in the island nation would be ensured by the Maldivian authorities under "all circumstances". It said that as a close and friendly neighbour, India wishes to see a stable, peaceful and prosperous Maldives. The island nation has been witnessing political unrest and street protests since Nasheed was convicted in 2015 on terror charges and sentenced to 13 years in jail. There were reports of clashes between supporters of Nasheed and police in the capital city Male today where hundreds of policemen were deployed to restore peace. Nasheed was earlier granted asylum by the UK after he was authorised to seek medical treatment there amid mounting foreign pressure. The leader, who is currently in Sri Lanka, welcomed the court order and said President Abdulla Yameen must resign in the wake of the ruling by the apex court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special court here today sent Indrani Mukerjea, a prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, to two days CBI custody in connection with a case related to INX Media. Special CBI Judge Sunil Rana allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to interrogate Indrani for two days after the agency sought three days custody and directed that she be brought before it on February 7. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram's son Karti's name has also cropped up in the case, which relates to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval granted in 2006 for receipt of funds by INX Media. During the proceedings, the probe agency submitted before the court that Indrani has to be questioned and confronted with other accused in the case. It said that during an earlier interrogation in the matter, it was revealed that further investigation requires her custodial interrogation. There is voluminous record in the case and permission to interrogate had been granted earlier also, the CBI said. However, the Mumbai Police told the court that Indrani has to be produced before a Mumbai court on February 13 and cannot be kept in Delhi beyond that. The ED has registered a case against INX Media, its founders Peter Mukerjea, former media baron and his wife Indrani, and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). INX Media has been accused of violating FIPB guidelines while receiving investments from Mauritius. The Mukerjeas are facing trial in Mumbai for allegedly conspiring to kill Sheena Bora, Indrani's daughter from an earlier relationship, in April 2012. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A criminal, carrying a cash reward of 20,000, and a constable were today injured in an encounter near Bandi village, a police official said. The criminal was arrested following the encounter, senior superintendent of police Swapnil Mamgai said. Mamgai said that the injured have been hospitalised. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 23 members of the Hema ethnic group have been killed since Friday in renewed violence in Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province, a leader of the group said in a statement today. A high-ranking provincial official, who did not wish to be named confirmed the toll since Friday and added that 10 fighters from a rival ethnic group, the Lendu had died. Hema herders and Lendu farmers have been locked in violence in Ituri province for decades, with tens of thousands killed from 1999 to 2003. The conflict in the area, part of DRC's deeply troubled eastern region that includes the restive North and South Kivu provinces, triggered a European Union-led military operation in 2003. The intervention saw a major drop in the intensity of the violence, but the conflict never came to a total halt, with occasional flare-ups still wracking the area. From February 2 to 4, another 12 people were injured, while "hundreds of houses were set on fire in several villages", said Hema spokesman Hadji Ibrahim Ruhigwa Bamaraki, who accused the rival Lendu of staging "a terrorist aggression". The provincial said that in addition to the toll given by the Hema leader, 10 Lendu combatants had been killed. "Four people (from the Hema community) died this morning. A police captain died from gunshot wounds and three police were injured," the official said. "Between 500 and 800 families have been displaced," the official said. The Hema community on Monday began two days of mourning, putting a stop to all commercial activity. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat today paid homage to Captain Kapil Kundu, who was killed in heavy Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. The mortal remains of the officer, who died in the line of duty yesterday, barely six days before his 23rd birthday, was flown to Delhi in a Dornier aircraft. Sitharaman paid respects by laying a wreath on the tricolour-wrapped coffin, which was laid at the Palam Air Force Base after the aircraft reached around 6:20 PM. Earlier, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre and Rawat also paid tributes to the soldier of the 15 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI), by laying wreaths. The defence minister later met the sister and other family members of Kundu, who had arrived in Delhi, to take the body of the officer to his hometown in Haryana. His body was later carried in an ambulance, on way to his Ransika village in Pataudi in Gurgaon district. Besides Kundu, Havildar Roshan Lal, 42, a resident of Samba district, Jammu and Kashmir, Riflemen Ramavatar, 27, of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, and Subham Singh, 23, of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district were also killed in the shelling. "The body of Ramavatar was sent to Gwalior," a defence official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The only surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks accused a Belgian court today of bias against Muslims, saying he put his "trust in Allah" as he went on trial for a deadly shootout with police. Salah Abdeslam, 28, cut a defiant figure at the court while refusing to stand for the judge or to answer questions about the bloody gunbattle in Brussels that led to his capture in 2016. The Belgian-born French national of Moroccan descent was transferred to Brussels under police escort from a jail near Paris to answer charges of attempted terrorist murder of police officers. "My silence does not make me a criminal, it's my defence," Abdeslam, who has grown long hair and a beard during nearly two years behind bars, told judges at the Palais de Justice in the Belgian capital. "Muslims are judged and treated in the worst of ways, mercilessly. There is no presumption of innocence." Abdeslam has refused to speak to investigators since his arrest in Brussels three days after the March 15, 2016 gunbattle. His insistence on attending the trial had raised hopes that he might break his silence about the Paris attacks but he continued to refuse to cooperate on Monday, as well as declining to allow photographs or video images to be taken of him. "I am not afraid of you, I am not afraid of your allies," Abdeslam, who was guarded at all times by two Belgian police officers wearing black balaclavas, told the court. "I put my trust in Allah and that's all." Prosecutors demanded a 20-year prison sentence for Abdeslam and for Sofiane Ayari, a 24-year-old Tunisian arrested with him. Both face the attempted murder charges and separate charges relating to banned weapons. Three police officers were wounded and an Algerian fellow jihadist, Mohamed Belkaid, was killed in the gunbattle. Kathleen Grosjean, representing federal prosecutors, said it was the maximum sentence for an attempt to murder police officers. "The police officers faced a veritable war zone," Grosjean said. "It's a miracle there were no (police) deaths." Grosjean said both Abdeslam and Ayari intended to kill the police, but there were only two weapons, one with Belkaid and the other apparently in Ayari's hands. "My conviction is that Ayari opened fire," she said. The hearing was adjourned until Thursday. Hundreds of members of Belgian security forces turned the imposing, gold-domed court building into a virtual fortress while a helicopter circled overhead on the first day of the trial. The non-jury trial in Belgium is the prelude to a later one in France over the November 2015 Paris attacks on the Bataclan concert hall and a series of restaurants and bars, in which 130 people were killed. Abdeslam's brother Brahim carried out one of the suicide bombings, which were claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group. Abdeslam's arrest days after the shootout just minutes away from his family home in the Brussels immigrant district of Molenbeek ended four months on the run as Europe's most wanted man. But investigators believe it also caused members of his jihadist cell to bring forward plans for the Brussels airport and metro attacks on March 22, 2016 in which 32 people were killed. The same cell is believed to have carried out both the Paris and Brussels attacks. Abdeslam was extradited to France shortly afterwards but has since kept quiet, frustrating his lawyers. Ayari, who is cooperating with authorities, told the judge that Ibrahim El Bakroui, one of the suicide bombers at Brussels airport, had visited the apartment where the shootout occurred. Ayari - who entered Europe via the Greek islands during the European migration crisis in 2015 -- said he had fought for IS in Syria but insisted: "I don't think I am a radical." Philippe Duperron, whose son Thomas was killed in the Bataclan concert hall in Paris, told reporters at the courthouse he never expected Abdeslam to cooperate. Duperron criticised Abdeslam's "provocative statement" in his appeal to Allah. The plans for transferring Abdeslam from Fleury-Merogis prison in the Parisian suburbs, and then back to a prison just across the border in northern France every night, were shrouded in secrecy. Two separate convoys left Fleury-Merogis in the middle of the night while a third group of unmarked vehicles set off shortly afterwards. He is to be transferred back to France at the end of every day that he attends the trial. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A lawyer's remark that 'nari narak ka dwar hai' (women are the gateway to hell) today drew the ire of the Delhi High Court which warned him of stern action. The statement was made by the lawyer who was representing a Delhi-based ashram of Virender Dev Dixit, facing a CBI probe for allegedly confining women and girls. A bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar, warned the advocate, Amol Kokane, that his manner of argument would invite contempt of court action. The lawyer said in court that, "...according to Sankaracharya, 'nari narak ka dwar hai' (women are the gateway to hell)." The anguished bench then asked him which "Sankaracharya" he was refferring to, but the lawyer did not reply. His remark came in response to the court's query on why only women and girls were being "abandoned" by parents at the ashrams of the Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya founded by Dixit. The submission by the lawyer also led to murmurs among the people and advocates in the court room. Delhi government's lawyer, Rahul Mehra, also expressed his displeasure against the arguments by Kokane. Mehra even questioned whether Kokane was even an advocate and demanded that his registration at the bar be examined. The court, however, instantly concluded the day's hearing in the matter and asked everyone associated with the case to immediately leave the court room. The Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya, located in Rohini in north Delhi, has been in the after several hundred women and girls were allegedly found illegally confined there in a fortress-like premises late last year. The founder-cum-spiritual leader of the institute, Dixit, is facing a CBI probe and is yet to be traced by the agency which has issued a look out circular for him. The agency has also claimed to have raided several of his ashrams in the search for him as he is yet to join the investigation despite a high court order that he be present before it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Coalition for a GM-free India has urged the government to take strict action on illegal genetically modified (GM) soybean seeds being allegedly imported in India. The coalition said this is in violation of the Environmental Protection Act and the 2006 DGFT notification. "We have been importing soy seeds from the USA and Ukraine, for instance. The US is known to have mostly GM soyabean (94%) and Ukraine has had its soy exports been reported and cancelled by Russia for having GM contamination. "Import of GM soybean seeds has not been approved in India," said the Coalition to the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the Ministry and Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) in separate letters. The Coalition also said that it suspects that several consignments from GM soybean producing countries are transferred mid-sea, and hence, the source and country of origin are obfuscated as well. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre's initiative for holistic development of four islands in the Andaman & Nicobar islands has gained steam with the consultant preparing a master plan on them is due to submit its report soon, a top chamber official has said. "NITI Aayog has begun the preparatory process for a Concept Development Plan and detailed Master Plan for the holistic development of four islands in Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Consultants appointed for this purpose visited these Islands. We came to know that the reports are in the final stage of submission to NITI Aayog," Andaman Chamber of Commerce & Industry president Girish Arora told PTI. He said the chamber is also suggesting the government to include Andamans as one of the 10 iconic sites of the country announced in the Union Budget, he said. NITI Aayog has identified Ross & Smith Island, Long Island, Avis Island and Little Andaman as part of NITI Aayog master plan as drivers of tourism and sustainable economic development. A few Lakhadweep islands are also part of the development programme. Tourism is a main revenue stream for the islanders and the chamber expects Andamans will get a major boost if it is included as one of the 10 circuits. "Once it is implemented under the Holistic Development Scheme, the islands will have planned development. More infrastructures will be created, more job avenues opened that will boost rural economy," Arora said. He said the action of the framework to encourage seaplanes and raising the capacity of airports five times will all help in the growth of tourism. Spicejet had recently announced it has placed a major order for seaplanes aiming to connect unserved locations. An important step by the government towards undertaking a holistic approach in developing the islands has been the establishment of the Island Development Agency in 2017. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Democratic Republic of Congo today told Brussels Airlines to reduce by nearly half the number of its weekly flights to Kinshasa, in a ramping up of tensions with its former colonial power Belgium. The move comes after Belgian and EU officials condemned a violent DRC government crackdown on protests against President Joseph Kabila, who has ruled since 2001. The number of Brussels Airlines flights to the capital will be "reduced from seven to four a week from today, February 5, 2018," said Civil Aviation Director General Jean Tshiumba Mpunga, in a letter to the airline's representative in Kinshasa. Congolese aviation officials blamed a lack of "reciprocity" in flights between DRC and Belgium, the letter said. A Brussels Airlines spokesperson responded: "We are going to find solutions for our passengers. We regret that our passengers are obviously victims." Belgian-Congolese relations had already deteriorated after the government in Brussels, on January 10, said it would carry out a "fundamental revision" of cooperation with the DRC until "credible elections" were held. The European Union has likewise been a highly vocal critic of Kabila, whose regime has been widely criticised for corruption, repression and incompetence. Kabila's second and final term in office expired more than a year ago, but he has stayed in power. Under a deal brokered by the Catholic Church, Kabila was meant to step down by the end of last year. Instead, the election to replace him, originally scheduled for 2016, has now been delayed until December this year. Tensions began to spiral two weeks ago when Congolese authorities told Belgium to end its consular arrangement in Kinshasa, named "Schengen house". Under it, Belgium handles visa requests for the EU's border-free Schengen zone. "Schengen house has had to suspend its activities," the EU said on Friday, but indicated it was open to talks to resolve the situation. The Congolese government has also asked for Belgium's new development agency, Enabel, to be shut down. The Belgium Embassy in Kinshasa said it had set up a telephone number for Congolese who want to request a three month short-stay visa, but a person answering the phone said they are "not taking any more files at the moment". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Green Tribunal today imposed an compensation of Rs 10 lakh on the Uttar Pradesh government for failing to take action on disposing e- waste from the banks of the Ramganga river in Moradabad. A bench, headed by Acting NGT Chairperson Justice U D Salvi, took exception over the state government's inaction in the matter and observed that nothing has been done till date. The green panel also imposed an compensation on the Moradabad district magistrate. "UP has not placed any office order and nothing has been done till date to dispose the hazardaous e-waste lying on the banks of the river Ramganga. Therefore, we impose compensation of Rs 10 lakh on the state of Uttar Pradesh and Rs 50,000 on district magistrate of Moradabad," it said. The NGT directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to submit an action plan for entire Ramganga before February 21, the next date of hearing. The tribunal also noted the submission of the counsel for state pollution control board who said that there was no e- waste processing facility in the district and the waste was being illegally dumped on the banks of the river. During the hearing, advocate Gaurav Bansal appearing for the petitioner in the case, said that large number of people are involved in unscientific dismantling, crude chemical leaching of printed circuit boards, burning of wires/waste electrical and electronic components, grinding of residues and washing of metal rich residue on the banks of Ramganga. Earlier, a committee comprising officials of the UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), Moradabad Nagar Nigam, UP Public Works Department and the UP Rural Engineering Services, had told the tribunal in a report that the e-waste lying on the banks of the Ramganga river contains hazardous chemicals such as chromium and cadmium. The committee, formed by the NGT, had said that the concentration of metals in the e-waste, which was in the form of black powder, was above the prescribed level. The report was submitted on the directives of the tribunal. The tribunal had asked the district magistrate to hold a meeting and submit a detailed report on the issue. The tribunal was hearing a petition filed by scientist Mahendra Pandey seeking action against illegal processing of electronic waste in Moradabad, Bareilly and Shahjahanpur districts of Uttar Pradesh along the Ramganga river, an important tributary of the Ganges. The green panel had announced that anyone found dumping electronic waste (e-waste) on the banks of the Ramganga river in Moradabad would have to pay Rs 1 lakh as environment compensation. The bench, which had noted that Ramganga was highly polluted, had also made it clear that the environment compensation would vary from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh depending on the quantum of the waste dumped. The river, which spans a length of 596 km, carries a BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) load of 128 tonnes per day and is polluted by heavy discharge from various industries such as sugar, distillery, pulp and paper, textile and dyeing, it had noted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Samajwadi Party chief on Monday said the "economic anarchy" which has affected all sections of society was likely to lead to a "third front" against the BJP ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also spoke of his continuing friendship with the Congress and the "good rapport" with all opposition parties, including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). "A kind of economic anarchy is prevailing in the country. The entire country is reeling under this chaos, be it the banks, farmers, businessmen, youths or salaried classes...., every section of the society is suffering and this will lead to the formation of a third front ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019," he said. Yadav was speaking to members of the Mumbai Hindi Patrakar Sangh (Mumbai Hindi Journalists Association) here. The BJP, he said, won the Gujarat election due to the GST factor but the truth was that a large section of the business community, not only in Gujarat but across the country, was angry. People are yet to get their dues owing to the GST roll-out and demonetisation, he added. Yadav, who addressed an SP rally here on Sunday, met party workers and leaders from the city and Maharashtra on Monday. Elaborating on why he thinks there is economic anarchy, Yadav asked, "Why do you think the government is bailing out the banks? It means the banking system is not working smoothly. If the banking system is fine...if the monetary policy is fine, then why are banks facing a financial crunch?" "Why, despite tall promises of loan waiver, are farmers becoming more and more debt-ridden and farmer suicides not stopping? Even the flow of foreign investment has dipped to its lowest level," the SP chief added. Responding to questions on whether his party would be part of the third front and equations with the Congress, which seemed to be distancing itself from the SP following the Uttar Pradesh assembly election, he said the friendship was intact. "Our friendship with the Congress is still intact. I have a very good rapport with every opposition party and leader. I have not spoken to 'Bua-ji' (as he often refers to BSP supremo Mayawati), but I am on good terms with her too," he said. On the communal violence in Kasganj in Uttar Pradesh on Republic Day, the former chief minister said, "It's good that so many video tapes have surfaced and made it clear what triggered the unfortunate killing. "Videos show that persons from one community are proceeding to celebrate Republic Day, carrying the tricolour in their hands while those from another community are holding saffron flags as well as the tricolour and are trying to stop them." The BJP's allegation that the SP was vitiating the atmosphere of communal harmony in Uttar Pradesh was baseless, Yadav said. "If we are doing that, they (the BJP government) should act against us. Why they are not doing that?" The SP will soon take out a 'Yatra' passing through several states, Yadav said, without giving further details. Ecuadorans went to the polls to decide the political fate of former president Rafael Correa in a referendum called by his successor turned staunch opponent that is expected to prevent the ex-leader's return to power. Correa is locked in a battle with President Lenin Moreno for control of their deeply divided leftist ruling Country Alliance party. The referendum, in which Moreno backs the "yes" vote, featured seven questions including reintroducing term limits to prevent presidents from running indefinitely. If the current head of state gets his way, Correa will not be able to join the 2021 election race. The National Electoral Council said the ballot "took place normally" with no significant incidents to report. It was expected to give preliminary results around 8:00 pm. According to surveys, the "yes" camp -- supported by traditional opposition parties -- was predicted to win a comfortable majority with between 72 and 84 per cent of the vote. Moreno, as he voted in the north of the capital Quito, said the result would be "transcendental for the future of the country, so that our children are protected, so that corrupt people do not return to mock us... for the care of the environment, for economic reactivation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today attached assets worth Rs 86 lakh of a Bihar-based Maoist commander, in a first-of-its-kind action against such criminals under the anti-money laundering laws. The central probe agency issued a provisional order for the attachment of both movable and immovable assets of Sandeep Yadav alias Badka Bhaiya and his family under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency said Yadav is in-charge of the Madhya Zone of the Bihar-Jharkhand Special Area Committee of the outlawed CPI (Maoist). The attached properties include three land plots in the name of his wife Rajanti Devi in Bihar's Aurangabad district, two similar plots in Gaya and an advance payment amount of Rs 10.43 lakh made by Yadav's son-in-law to purchase a flat in Delhi's Dwarka area. Few vehicles and bank deposits have also been attached as part of the order issued by the agency. The assets attached are worth Rs 86 lakh. The ED said it took cognisance of Yadav's alleged criminal activities after going through over 100 FIRs and chargesheets filed by the Bihar police against him, his brother Dhanik Lal Mandal and other family members, including his wife and son. "During investigation, it has been revealed that cash to the tune of more than Rs 1.50 crore have been infused in several bank accounts and immovable assets held in the name of family members of Sandeep Yadav out of which properties valued at Rs 86 lakhs have been detected and attached," the statement said. The agency said it was also probing the Yadav family for alleged generation of black funds post-demonetisation. "Huge demonetised currency has been laundered by the cadre of CPI (Maoist)," the ED said. "During demonetisation, son-in-law of Sandeep Yadav deposited huge cash in his bank account and Mandalmade an attempt to launder demonetised currency of Rs 15 lakhby way of depositing the same in the bank account of a petty shopkeeper," it said. The ED said the case was the "first-ever attachment of properties of top maoist leader by any agency in India". The criminal cases registered by the police against Yadav and others, the ED said, includes those of "heinous offences such as killing of security forces, murders, extortion, possession of arms and explosives and proceeds of these crimes have been laundered and investment of the same in movable and immovable assets done". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Environmental groups today said they were appealing to Norway's supreme court a ruling allowing the Nordic nation, western Europe's largest oil and gas producer, to grant exploration licenses in the Arctic. In early January, the Oslo district court dismissed a first case by the Norwegian branch of Greenpeace and Natur og Ungdom (Nature and Youth) which had sued the government for granting exploration licenses in the Barents Sea in May 2016. "It is crystal clear that the state is violating the Constitution and our right to a healthy by allocating new oil deposits," Natur og Ungdom leader Gaute Eiterjord said in a statement. "The Norwegian oil policy is betraying my generation and threatening our future, which is why we are appealing," he added. The environmentalists accuse Norway of violating a new article of the country's constitution that guarantees since 2014 the right to a healthy But the Oslo court said the state could not be held responsible for CO2 emissions caused by hydrocarbons which it exports to other countries. "There is already enough carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to seriously damage our future," Truls Gulowsen, head of Greenpeace in Norway, said in a statement. "By opening up these pristine areas for oil exploration Norway is effectively smuggling its emissions outside of its own borders and furthering climate change, which harms everyone, everywhere," he added. The appeal signals that the fight against global warming is increasingly brought to courtrooms. The NGOs argue that new oil activities in the fragile Arctic region would be contrary to the 2016 Paris climate accord, which seeks to limit average global warming to under two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). As oil production has been halved since 2000, Norway has turned its sights toward the far North: the Barents Sea holds 65 percent of the undiscovered reserves on the Norwegian continental shelf, according to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. Latest surveys, however, have given disappointing results. The Norwegian state in May 2016 granted exploration licenses in the Barents Sea, comprising of a currently unexplored area, to 13 companies, including it's national champion Statoil, US giants Chevron and ConocoPhillips, and Russia's Lukoil. It is now up to the Supreme Court of Norway, the country's highest court, to decide whether to accept the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Esha Gupta is all set to start shooting for JP Dutta's war drama "Paltan". The film reunites Esha and Arjun Rampal after their 2012 political drama "Chakravyuh". "A lot of people see me in the 60's era. And knowing JP sir's love for the country and passion for cinema, I feel honoured to be a part of his film," Esha said in a statement. "I did 'Chakravyuh' with Arjun, we had a great rapport. And now I'm playing the role of Arjun's wife in 'Paltan'. I'm looking forward to go join the team soon," the 32-year-old actor said. The actor, last seen in "Commando 2", will start shooting for the film soon. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh and her husband today filed a writ petition before the Calcutta High Court seeking CBI investigation into the state CID's search and seizure operations at their properties. Ghosh, who was the superintendent of police of West Midnapore district, had resigned from service in December last year after being transferred. She and her husband M A V Raju prayed for a probe by the CBI to find out who ordered the CID to investigate her or her husband and on what grounds, their counsel Jayanta Narayan Chatterjee said. He claimed that though the names of Ghosh or her husband does not appear in the FIR, it needs to be established through a CBI probe on what grounds and on whose directions were the raids conducted at their properties. The petitioners claimed that the CID had seized three laptops and several pen drives belonging to Ghosh. They demanded that these be opened in front of their lawyers or in their presence, their counsel said. The petition is likely to come up for hearing before a bench of the high court later this week. The CID had on February 3 said Rs 60 lakh in cash, over 2 kg gold, several land deeds, laptops, pen drives, hard disks, mobile phones and bank passbooks were recovered during the day-long raid at 12 locations the day before. The CID did not, however, say whether it was investigating Ghosh or her husband. The agency said it would verify whether a house at Naktala in south Kolkata, where it had conducted the search and seizure operations, belonged to Raju, the husband of the former IPS officer. The CID is investigating a case of alleged extortion on the basis of a case filed by a businessman at Daspur police station in West Midnapore. CID spokesperson DIG Nishant Pervez said the district police authorities had referred the case to the CID, which then began investigation into it. While four persons were named in the complaint, CID investigations were being held against seven persons which include six police personnel of lower ranks and a civilian. The civilian, Bimal Garai, is the only one who have been arrested so far in connection with the case. Ghosh, who was the West Midnapore superintendent of police for more than six years, was transferred as commandant of the third battalion of the state armed police on December 26 last year. She resigned from service two days later. Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2014, she was transferred from the post of West Midnapore SP by the Election Commission, but was reinstated later by the state government. She was also awarded the chief minister's commendable service medal on August 15, 2014 and Ghosh was made an officer on special duty (Left Wing Extremism) by the state government a few months before the 2016 Assembly election. The poll panel again transferred her to the state CID but she was posted back again as the West Midnapore SP by the state government after the election process was over. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Film director Suvahhdan Angre has filed a complaint that he has received an anonymous letter threatening him with death if he went ahead with the release of his forthcoming film "Billu Ustad", police said today. Sahakar police station officials said that a non-cognisable offence had been registered and investigations were underway. Officials said that the letter, written in Hindi, alleged that the director had portrayed a particular community in a bad light in the film. The film, about a young boy helping the police against terrorists, is slated for release on February 16. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A fire broke out at the temporary administrative office of Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) near here today, officials said. Gift City staff first tried to douse the flames using in-house fire-fighting system and then called the fire brigade, said the Chief Fire Officer of Gandhinagar, Mahesh Modh. Modh and his team rushed to the GIFT City campus with three fire tenders. As the fire was spreading fast due to strong winds, more fire tenders were called in, he said. The temporary administrative block houses an office, a conference room and a cafeteria. "The fire started in one part of the single-storey structure and quickly spread in adjacent portions. Though it wasn't major when it was first spotted, it spread quickly due to strong winds. We have called in additional fire tenders from Ahmedabad and Kalol," said Modh. There were no reports of anybody getting injured as the staff vacated the premises in time, he added. Though the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, he did not rule out the possibility of a short circuit. According to GIFT City officials, many documents inside the office were shifted before fire could destroy them. LPG cylinders in the cafeteria too were shifted out in time. The temporary administrative block once housed the office of the CEO and MD of GIFT City, Ajay Pandey, which is now shifted elsewhere. Offices of some banks too have been shifted from there, officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A major fire broke out at a LED bulb factory in an industrial area in Akola in eastern Maharashtra in the early hours. The blaze was brought under control by 6.30 in the morning, a fire officer said. Though no casualties were reported, the factory, Ashlesha Power Control Pvt Ltd, suffered extensive damage, he said. Fire officer Ramesh Thakre of the Akola Municipal Corporation told PTI that they were informed about the fire around 1.45 am. "It was a major fire. Seven fire tenders were pressed into service to douse it. The company is involved in LED bulb assembling and the fire could have been triggered by a short circuit," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Meghalaya Minister Manas Chaudhury, who was denied ticket by the BJP to contest in the February 27 elections, today resigned and hit back at the party saying the arbitrary decision was a huge setback to weeding out corruption. BJP has alloted ticket to former deputy speaker Sanbor Shullai from South Shillong, which Chaudhury was eyeing. When asked about his future plans, Chaudhury told PTI he would consult his supporters before taking a call. "I have put in my papers today. And along with me leaders and BJP supporters in South Shillong constituency have severed ties with the BJP," Chaudhury told reporters here. The BJP announced names of two more candidates today in addition to 45 it released last week. Meghalaya has 60 member assembly. Result of the poll will come on March 3 along with Tripura and Nagaland. Chaudhury had crossed over to BJP from Congress last year with the hope of contesting on its ticket. He said, We have been canvassing that this (Shullai) is the man who should be voted out and suddenly the leadership tells he is the chosen candidate Stating that the party was looking only in winning elections and not doing the right things, he said, I dont know how BJP is a party with difference and PM talks often about corruption free and clean government and clean image. In a setback to BJP, its state Vice President Moromi K Marak had yesterday resigned along with over 3000 of her supporters in West Garo Hills after the party announced Kurosh Marak as the candidate for the seat in Dalu. Moromi announced she will contest the poll as an independent candidate against her former party and other political rivals. We have been behind the growth of the BJP in Dalu and had high hopes of the party walking the talk on women empowerment. However, this has not been the case and I have been overlooked for the seat by the party, Moromi had told reporters. The BJP today named former elected member to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council F M Mawphniang as the partys candidate from Umroi and B B Makdoh from Mawhati seat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The son of a former Manipur MLA was arrested by DRI officials with Rs 2.16 crore worth of gold that was smuggled into the country from Myanmar, an official statement said today. The accused, a resident of Tuirial in Mizoram's Aizawl, was apprehended at the Burrabazar area here on Saturday by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers. "Forty pieces of gold biscuits of foreign origin, weighing 6.64 kg and valued at about Rs 2.16 crore, smuggled into India from Myanmar through the northeast has been recovered from his backpack and seized," it said. The accused lived in a rented flat in North Kolkata. He is a college drop out and is the son of a former MLA from Manipur, the statement issued by the DRI said. "Preliminary investigation by DRI sleuths revealed that this was not the first time he had indulged in such illegal smuggling activities. He confessed that the lure of easy money and lack of employment made him commit this crime," it said. Few days back, acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers apprehended two people travelling by the Howrah-bound Kamrup Express at the New Jalpaiguri Railway Station. On a search, 24 pieces of gold biscuits collectively weighing 3.9 kg and valued at Rs 1.26 crore were recovered from them, the DRI said. The gold biscuits were concealed inside the handle of their trolley bags, it said. The biscuits were believed to be smuggled into India from Myanmar through the Zowkhatar- Aizwal-Guwahati route and was destined for Kolkata. The gold biscuits were seized and the duo arrested. In the current fiscal, till date, in West Bengal and the northeastern states, the DRI has seized over 273 kg of gold valued at close to Rs 81 crore in the market. These were smuggled from Bangladesh, Myanmar and even Bhutan, the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Consul General of Germany Michael Feiner today met Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi and discussed various bilateral issues, specially trade and commerce. At the meeting Mukhi drew the diplomat's attention to the tremendous emphasis that the Act East Policy has given to reposition Assam and the entire North Eastern region as a centre of India's relation with ASEAN and BBIN countries. "Highlighting an array of investment opportunities in Assam, Mukhi informed him about the just concluded Global Investors' Summit in Guwahati, which attracted investments to the tune of more than Rs one lakh crore to the state," a release from the Raj Bhawan said. Mukhi also apprised him of the state government's broad road map for connecting the region to ASEAN and Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) countries through airways, waterways, roadways and cyberways. The governor urged Feiner to do the needful for frequent business and cultural exchanges between Assam and Germany so that the bilateral relations between the two geographical territories is strengthened, the release said. Feiner assured that though India and Germany enjoyed balanced business relations he will try his best to increase the relation manifold. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government will construct high-tech silos for storage of rice in producing states once the technology for the same is fully ready, a senior Food Ministry official said today. At present, pilot projects for rice silos have been undertaken by state-owned Food Corporation of India (FCI) at Kaimur and Buxar in Bihar to test the technology. The West Bengal government has evinced interest for construction of rise silos when the technology for the same is finalised, the official said. Once the technology is established, the central government would like to construct in West Bengal and other rice producing states, the official added. The official further said the construction of silos for wheat is underway. The FCI has awarded contracts to operators for construction of wheat silos with a capacity of 2.5 lakh tonnes at six places in Punjab, Delhi, Bihar, Assam and Karnataka. A storage capacity of 25,000 tonnes at Kotkapura in Punjab has been completed in 2017-18 while construction work is in progress in the remaining locations. Further, Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) has also initiated construction of silos of 50,000 tonnes capacity at Nabha in Punjab. Punjab has also planned to construct silos of 17 lakh tonnes capacity, of which work for 1.5-lakh-tonne capacity is completed while construction of another 15.5 lakh tonnes by the state agency is underway, the official added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court today asked the AAP government to adopt a "holistic approach" while setting up mohalla clinics in the city, instead of proceeding in piecemeal fashion by first getting land and then trying to recruit staff for these health care centres. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar made these observation after it was informed that the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) has cleared 107 sites for setting up the clinics and the Aam Aadmi Party government is initiating the process of recruiting staff for these centres. "How will you man these 107 clinics? Do you have a cadre? You cannot start land first and then recruitment later. It has to be holistic," the court said. Of the three municipal corporations, the one representing south Delhi has said it cannot permit setting up mohalla clinics in primary schools. The south Delhi municipal corporation, represented by central government standing counsel Monika Arora, also told the bench that it has sought some additional information from the Delhi government and on receiving it a policy on the issue of setting up such clinics would be framed. The north and east Delhi municipal corporations said they are examining the feasibility of setting up the clinics in their respective jurisdictions. The bench, thereafter, directed the corporations to inform the court about the outcome of the deliberations on the next date of hearing on May 9. The court was hearing NGO Justice for All's PIL seeking a direction to the authorities to allot adequate number of plots for construction of these clinics with permission to raise the appropriate temporary structures to run them to provide adequate health facility to the people. The health project had been delayed after complaints of irregularities were received by the LG, leading to a probe by the Vigilance Department. The lack of land for the project had also held it up. Advocate Khagesh B Jha, appearing for the NGO, had earlier alleged before the bench that through the LG has now approved the scheme of Mohalla Clinics, due to multiplicity of agencies and difference of opinion among them,it was being put in place at a very slow pace. The NGO has claimed that "the poor residents of the city have no means to afford the costly treatment of the private hospitals and are completely dependent on the government hospitals and dispensaries which has limited strength and unable to serve the population in normal days." The petition has sought directions to the Centre, the DDA and the MCD to remove the technical difficulties for construction of the temporary structures and running the clinics. The plea urged that the authorities be asked to depute doctors, staffs and provide proper facilities for their smooth functioning. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Chhattisgarh High Court has allowed a 13-year-old tribal girl, a rape victim, to abort her foetus. Justice Sanjay K Agrawal passed the order on February 2 after going through a report submitted by a medical board, said the rape victim's lawyer Rohit Sharma. The court directed that a five-member medical board headed by the dean of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial Medical College, Raipur, supervise the termination of the pregnancy. The girl, resident of Narayanpur district, was allegedly raped by four men several times. It came to light last month when she was found to be pregnant, following which the police registered a case. The Narayanpur district child welfare committee asked the Jagdalpur Medical College Hospital to conduct a medical examination of the girl. A report prepared by the hospital said she was 22-24 weeks pregnant. The hospital, however, refused to carry out abortion, citing legal provisions. The law does not permit termination of pregnancy after 20 weeks unless the mother's life is in danger. The girl's mother filed a writ petition in the high court, seeking permission for abortion. On January 31, the HC asked the Jagdalpur Medical College to examine the girl and submit a report. The report said that abortion would be risky due to the girl's age, the stage of pregnancy and her health. But, considering the sickle cell anaemia the girl was suffering from, it would be much more risky if she was to complete the full term of pregnancy, said the report. The high court, relying on the report as well as past rulings of the Supreme Court, observed that "termination of pregnancy is immediately necessary to save the life". Expenses of the surgery, medicines and travel expenses of the girl and her parents would be borne by the state government, the court said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court today asked how the Army could object to the recruitment of married women in its legal branch JAG after the display by women fighter pilots and the BSF all-women bikers' contingent on Republic Day. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said the Indian Army should take a "legal stand" against the objections instead of filing a response to the affidavit. "After the Republic Day display by the women (the fighter pilots and the BSF bikers) how can you (Army) still maintain these objections (to recruitment of married women in the Judge Advocate General)," it said and listed the matter for further hearing on March 19. The observation by the court came during the hearing of a PIL by a lawyer claiming that there was "institutionalised discrimination" against married women by not inducting them in the JAG service, the legal branch of the Army. Advocate Charu Wali Khanna, appearing for petitioner Kush Kalra, told the bench that earlier there was a bar on recruitment of married women, but this prohibition was extended to married men after filing of the PIL. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A battery of police personnel was on guard today as "Padmaavat" was screened for a Rajasthan High Court judge, who would decide on a plea for quashing an FIR against the period film's director and actors after watching it. The special screening of the Bollywood film started at 8 pm and was over by 10.40 pm, after which Justice Sandeep Mehta, accompanied by four members of his staff, left the multiplex. A total of 200 police personnel, including an additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP) and three assistant commissioners of police (ACPs), took care of the law-and-order situation in the city in view of the special screening of the film. "We had deployed 200 policemen around the cinema hall, where 'Padmaavat' was screened this evening," DCP (East) Amandeep Singh said. He added that among those deployed were an official of the ADCP rank and three ACPs, along with eight station house officers (SHOs) from various police stations. Justice Mehta, his reader and two other staff members were the only viewers of the film. The judge had ordered a discreet screening this evening amid adequate security arrangements after a prayer from the petitioner, the film's director Sanjay Leela Bhansali's legal counsel, Nishant Bora. Bora said after watching the film, the judge would decide on Bhansali's plea to quash an FIR against him and actors Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone tomorrow. Special arrangements were also put in place at the multiplex by its management for the special screening of the film. "Nobody else was allowed in the hall during the screening," said an employee of the multiplex. Meanwhile, the head of Rajput outfit Karni Sena, Lokendra Singh Kalvi, arrived in Jodhpur this evening. He is expected to be present in the court during the hearing of the case tomorrow. The Karni Sena has been protesting against the film as, according to them, history has been distorted in it. Bhansali has said his film is based on 16th-century Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi's epic poem, "Padmavat". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today said that he was hopeful that Chile would extend their support for India's candidature for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Talking to the visiting Chilean delegation led by Fidel Espinoza, President of the Chamber of Deputies of National Congress of Chile, Naidu said both the countries have friendly relationships and democracy was an important commonality between them. Naidu, who is also a Rajya Sabha chairman, expressed hope for a high-level participation from Chile in the conference on the International Solar Alliance to be held in March this year, Rajya Sabha Secretariat said in a statement. Naidu expressed hope that Chile would extend their support for India's candidature for a non-permanent seat in the UNSC, it added. He also shared his views with the visiting delegation about India's parliamentary democracy and said he was hopeful that they would benefit from its visit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) She is a star who has grown strength- to-strength as an actor and Kareena Kapoor says she has always been comfortable in her own zone. The actor will soon be seen in "Veere Di Wedding", which marks her first film after the birth of son, Taimur. Kareena, who is regarded more as a contemporary than a senior by Alia Bhatt and Sonam Kapoor, credits her confidence in her 18-year-long career to have helped her gain the respect of these actors. "I think I have always carved a place for myself. Times change, generations change, people come and go. But I think it's maybe because of my confidence. It's in the way one carries themselves. That's very important. "I take it as a compliment but I think I have always been pretty much in my own space. Right from 'Refugee' till 'Veere Di Wedding'," the actor told PTI in an interview. Kareena also returned to the ramp at the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2018 when she appeared as the showstopper for grand finale designer Anamika Khanna's collection "Nudes Reinvented". The star said "Veere..." was not the quintessential Bollywood romance with which her filmography is full of and that is why she took up the project. "It's a different kind of movie. It's a story of four friends. It's not the typical boy-meets-girl romance which I think I've done so much of. So I thought this should be different. "It's a small film, made by women. The producers are women - Rhea (Kapoor) and Ekta (Kapoor). I think it's a special film and people will appreciate it." Women across the world are raising their voices seeking equal opportunities. Asked if time is here when the representation of women in working spaces would increase, Kareena said female artistes have been doing phenomenal work for ages and now they are unstoppable. "I think I have always worked with some amazing females directors. I have worked with Reema Kagti, she's a woman and she made a beautiful film, 'Talaash'. "There's Zoya Akhtar, there's Rhea as a producer. There are many doors open now especially in Indian film fraternity," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa today held wide-ranging talks with his French counterpart General Andre Lanata and deliberated on ways to further deepen cooperation between the air forces of the two countries, officials said. General Lanata, accompanied by a high-level delegation of the French Air Force, arrived here yesterday on a five-day India visit. Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa and General Lanata deliberated on further enhancing cooperation between the two air forces, officials said. The Chief of the Staff of French Air Force also held talks with Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat. Defence and security ties between India and France have been on an upswing in the last few years and the two nations have resolved to strengthen the relationship further. Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa had visited France in July last year during which he had also taken stock of the progress on the supply of 36 Rafale fighter jets by French aviation major Dassault to the IAF under a Euro 7.87 billion (approx Rs 59,000 crore) deal. The fighter jets will be capable of carrying nuclear weapons and be equipped with the latest missiles that will give the IAF greater "potency" over arch-rivals Pakistan. Dhanoa is also likely to fly a sortie in a Rafale jet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chartered accountants' apex body ICAI today said there are fraudulent cases being reported wherein individuals are falsely claiming to be chartered accountants. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India's (ICAI's) statement comes against the backdrop of recent reports that the Income Tax Department had busted a racket where an alleged chartered accountant was helping employees of some companies to fraudulently claim tax refunds. About the reports, the ICAI said it found that the particular (person) who claimed to be a chartered accountant was not a member of the institute. "There are various fraudulent cases being reported wherein individuals/ tax consultants are falsely claiming to be chartered accountants and during preliminary investigations only it comes to the fore that the accused are not chartered accountants but are either tax practitioners/ accountants/ commerce graduates," the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The cooperation between India and Egypt in the field of antiquities will receive a boost as an Egyptian archaeologist is set travel to India to advice on the preservation of Egyptian mummies located in different Indian museums, India's Ambassador to Egypt Sanjay Bhattacharyya has said. Mummies conservation expert Rania Ahmed will be traveling to India by next month to give advice on preservation of six Egyptian mummies, which are located in different Indian museums, including the Indian Museum in Kolkata and museums in Jaipur, Maharashtra and other. "We are very happy that we have finally concluded the discussion for the travel of an Egyptian archaeologist to travel to India to look after and advice us on conversation and preservation of six Egyptian mummies that are in different museums in India," Ambassador Bhattacharyya told PTI. "We had been very concerned for a long time about how to take care of these beautiful Egyptian objects and now with the help of Minister Khaled el-Anani, we have and agreement that an Egyptian expert will be traveling to India to do this, which is big development for us," Bhattacharyya added. The Ambassador also inaugurated a photography exhibition of the antiquity collection of the Museum of Islamic Arts entitled "Lens" at the Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC) yesterday. The exhibition is a result of a photography competition organised by The Museum of Islamic Art in cooperation with Adasa Club in Alexandria. More than 280 photographers participated in the competition, out of which the photos of 39 artists were selected for the exhibition. "This cooperation with the Museum of Islamic Art is very special for the Indian Embassy. We have a population of 180 million Muslims in India who also have their art forms and the Museum of Islamic Arts has a few of these objects most particularly a couple of beautiful paintings from the Mogul period," he said. Egypt's Museum of Islamic Art is home to one of the world's most important collections of Islamic artifacts. It was first opened in 1903, and was closed in January 2014 after a bomb attack on the Cairo police directorate across the street which severely damaged its facade and dozens of exhibits. The Museum houses artifacts charting more than 1,300 years of Muslim civilisation in Egypt and includes pieces from throughout the Muslim world. Mohamed Abdel-Latif, the assistant minister of antiquities and head of Islamic and Coptic antiquity sector in the ministry of antiquities said during the opening of the exhibition that the Museum of Islamic Art contains Islamic antiquities from India like paintings from the Mogul era, wooden boxes and antiques made of stone. "Perhaps this exhibition will be a start for a cultural cooperation in organising temporary exhibitions for antiquity which confirms the deep cultural relation between India and Egypt and build more cultural, artistic and scientific bridges between the two countries," Abdel-Latif said. The exhibition shows 64 photos which features the glimpses of artworks in different stages of Islamic civilisation in different parts of the world. The photos include pottery, glassworks, manuscripts, jewelries, metals, weavings and Islamic arts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India Post Payments Bank plans to roll out its branches across India from May 2018 with an investment of about Rs 1,450 crore, Postal secretary Ananta Narayan Nanda said today. "By April, all our systems will be ready. We will start rolling out all India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) branches between May and September," Nanda told PTI. He said all 1.55 lakh post office branches will operate as access points and 650 payments bank branches will provide them back-end support. "Initially, Rs 800 crore fund was approved for IPPB but now due to some cost escalation, we will launch branches with an investment of Rs 1,450 crore. This includes investment in hardware, software, training and staff cost, among others," Nanda said. In 2015, RBI had granted 'in-principle' approval to 11 entities, including the Department of Posts, to set up payments banks. Payments banks can accept deposits of up to Rs 1 lakh per account from individuals and small businesses. Unlike traditional banks, payments banks are not allowed to give loans or credit to customers. The new model of banking allows mobile firms, super market chains and others to cater to banking requirements of individuals and small businesses. A payments bank is a differentiated bank and confines its activities to acceptance of demand deposits, remittance services, Internet banking and other specified services. IPPB will be the third payments bank to have full fledged operations after Airtel Payments Bank and Paytm. "We will offer door step banking service which none of the payments banks are in position to provide. Also, the cost of transaction will be very competitive," Nanda said. IPPB launched its pilot services in Raipur and Ranchi in January 2017 and expected to expand to 650 branches across the country by September 2017. However, its plans were delayed, as it could not sign up the system integrator (SI) within the schedule timeline. Nanda said IPPB will have an edge over competition in the market due to vast reach of post offices and the trust factor that it commands. "We expect to break even in the third year of operation. There are already around 17 crore post office savings bank accounts which will get some services from IPPB. Even if we are able to open 50 accounts from each access point of 1.55 lakh, the number will be huge in the first year of operations," he said. IPPB will have a workforce of about 3,500. It has already started recruitment drive for 1,700. "Most of the employees will be from open market and from among those who are on deputation in government departments, including India Post," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A high level delegation from UAE today met Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu to discuss ways to further boost economic ties between the two countries. The Abu Dhabi delegation was led by Ahmad Sultan Alfalahi, Commercial Attache in the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates here. The ministry in a statement said that the meeting assumes significance as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting the UAE for the World Government Summit (WSG) from February 11-13. "The Prime Minister's tour will explore areas to further India's reach to the Arab countries and also expand strategic partnerships in this region," it said. It added that UAE has already announced plans to invest USD 75 billion over 10 years for India's growing infrastructure projects. The UAE delegation stated that it no longer wishes to continue as an oil-based economy and it is rapidly moving on the path of becoming a knowledge based economy. The trade between the two sides has increased to USD 52.68 billion in 2016-17 from USD 49.73 billion in the previous fiscal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indians have "full faith" in the valour of the Army, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today, a day after four Army personnel were killed in shelling by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. "People of the country have full faith in the valour of the Indian Army," Singh told reporters outside the Parliament when asked about the steps India would take in response to the attack. A young Army Captain and three jawans were killed and at least four people suffered injuries in heavy Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch and Rajouri districts of the state yesterday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today said the problem between India and Pakistan can be solved only through dialogue and urged New Delhi to take the initiative for it. His remarks came a day after four Indian soldiers were killed in heavy Pakistani shelling. The National Conference chief also rued the loss of lives on both sides of the border. "People are dying, soldiers are dying on both sides. Till what time will this go on?" he said. "The solution can be found only in dialogue. You will have to find out ways to ensure that the shelling stops and India and Pakistan live in friendship and that we are saved," Abdullah told reporters after an event here. On the talk about giving a befitting reply following the death of the Army personnel yesterday, Abdullah pitched for harmony and said that only the poor from both sides of the border would die in the event of a battle between the two countries. Asked about who should take the initiative for a dialogue between the two neighbours, the former Union minister said, "India is a bigger country. India should talk about it." A young Army Captain and three jawans were killed and at least four people suffered injuries in heavy Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir yesterday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israel's education minister is set to visit Warsaw amid uproar over proposed legislation that would outlaw blaming Poland for crimes committed during the Holocaust. Naftali Bennett said today he would "make it clear: the past can't be rewritten, the future should be written together." The bill sparked outrage in Israel, raising tensions with a close ally. It calls for up to three years in prison for any intentional attempt to falsely attribute crimes of Nazi Germany to the Polish state or people. Israel sees it as an attempt to whitewash the role some Poles played in the killing of Jews during World War II. Bennett noted ahead of his trip Wednesday that while thousands of Poles helped Jews during the war many others participated in their persecution. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today said it would start the final hearing on the plea of BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, seeking the quashing of the deal between Jet Airways and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, after 12 weeks. A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud fixed Swamy's plea for hearing after three months. The BJP leader had amended the plea after the apex court directed him to also challenge the bilateral agreement between India and the UAE on increasing the number of flights between the two countries. "We will list it for hearing after 12 weeks," the bench said after Swamy submitted that he was seeking that the treaty between the two countries on giving access to air space to each other was set aside. The court had, in March 2016, asked Swamy to implead other airlines as parties to the list as they might also get affected if the court decided either in favour or against the Jet-Etihad deal. Swamy had earlier questioned the government's decision to execute the agreement in favour of Abu Dhabi under the Air Services Agreement between the governments of India and the UAE, claiming that under the deal, the lion's share of seats would go to Etihad and the Indian carriers would lose out. He had also claimed that the seat-sharing agreements between India and the UAE would adversely impact Indian interests. Swamy, in his plea, has sought the quashing of the deal, alleging that it was against public interest as there had been squandering of natural resources such as the airspace in the past. In 2014, the court had asked the Centre to respond on Swamy's interim pleas, seeking the cabinet note concerning the Jet-Etihad deal and a copy of the transcript of the tapped telephonic conversation of former corporate lobbyist Niira Radia, in which she had allegedly talked about the civil aviation sector. Swamy, in his plea, has also referred to a memo sent by the PMO to the Ministry of Civil Aviation on May 22, 2013, raising reservations on the growth of the middle-eastern carriers, including Etihad, the development of middle-eastern hubs for servicing air traffic from India at the cost of the Indian carriers and domestic hubs. He had submitted that even the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had found that there was "reckless allocation" of airspace to foreign airlines. In the first-ever investment by a foreign airline in an Indian carrier, Jet Airways had in November 2013 announced its plans to sell 24 per cent equity to Etihad Airways for about Rs 2,058 crore, as part of a strategic alliance that would lead to a major expansion in their global network. Swamy had also sought a CBI probe against the government officials who had cleared the deal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today said the state government would organise Global Agriculture Summit this year on the pattern of Momentum Jharkhand Investors Summit, according to a release. The Global Agriculture Summit would involve scientists, processing experts, innovators and agro-entrepreneurs, said a Birsa Agricultural University (BAU) release quoting Das. Addressing the concluding session of the three-day 'Agrotech 2018 Farmers Fair' at Birsa Agricultural University (BAU), Das said 72 food processing plants were set up during the last three years in Jharkhand, providing jobs to 2,350 youths. Fifty-five such units were being established in the current year also, which would employ about 2500 people, the release said. Das announced that all the villages of Jharkhand including those located in hills and dense forests would be connected by metalled roads by the end of 2019 and electrified by the end of 2018. He said that small water harvesting structures like dobha, bora bandh, water tunnel and small check dams would be constructed in 32,000 villages with active involvement of concerned villagers. 'Aadiwasi Vikas Smiti' in villages with over 50 per cent tribal population and 'Gram Vikas Samiti' in other villages will be constituted which would decide the location and number of such structures. Chairperson of all such village level committees will be women while secretary will be a village youth aged 18-35 years. The CM urged the BAU scientists to remain in constant touch with farmers for their technical upgradation and make concerted efforts for states self reliance on food grains front and doubling farmers income by 2022. He announced that Rs 90 crore budget for making the five new colleges of BAU functional had already been approved and fund would be provided for construction of a central auditorium on the campus. Das also informed that the Centre had agreed to provide Rs 600 crore to Jharkhand under Pradhan Mantri Sichai Yojna because irrigation scenario in the state was very poor as compared to other states. Every district of Jharkhand will get Rs 30 crore under this scheme, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Brazilian judge has ruled that a ship carrying around 27,000 cattle for export in allegedly cruel conditions can leave port -- as removing the animals would cause greater suffering. The appeals court judge made the ruling yesterday, the agriculture ministry said in a statement. The decision overturned a lower court order the previous day for the ship to stay in Sao Paulo's Santos port and for the cattle to be removed and sent back to their original farms. The original judge accepted reports from a vet and a group of animal rights activists that conditions aboard the ship "Nada," which is taking the live cattle for slaughter in Turkey, were badly cramped and unhygienic. But the appeals court judge, Fabio Prieto, wrote that removing the cattle "would prov\oke greater suffering and harm to the animals than if they continue their voyage. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Just 4 states and one union territory have cut local sales tax or VAT on petrol and diesel since the October 2017 decision of the Centre to reduce excise duty on the two fuels, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said today. As petrol and diesel prices soared to a three-year high, the Centre on October 3, 2017 reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre each and asked states governments to match it with a cut in VAT. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Pradhan said: "Four state governments and one Union territory have reduced the VAT on petrol and diesel." He did not name the states. BJP rules as many as 19 states in the country. The states which reduced VAT following the October 3, 2017 cut in excise duty were Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. The excise duty cut announced on October 3, 2017 was the only time the BJP-led government at the Centre has cut excise duty. In contrast, the government had raised excise duty on nine occasions to take away benefits of sliding international oil prices between late 2014 and January 2016. Pradhan, in the written reply which was posted on Lok Sabha website, said prices of petrol and diesel were freed from administrative control from June 26, 2010 and October 10, 2014, respectively. "Since then, the public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) take appropriate decision on pricing of petrol and diesel in line with international product prices and other market conditions," he said. They apply Trade Parity Pricing methodology to compute the retail selling price (RSP) of petrol and diesel, which is linked to the international product prices. Other cost elements in the RSP are excise duty, VAT, BS- IV premium, marketing cost and margins and dealers commission, he said adding the excise duty cut was aimed at giving relief to the consumers. However, the spurt in international prices since then have negated the reductions and retail rates are more than October. Petrol price today touched a four-year high of Rs 73.31 per litre in Delhi and diesel is at an all-time high of Rs 64.14. The price of petrol was Rs 70.88 a litre in Delhi on October 3, 2017 when excise duty was cut. Diesel on that day was priced at Rs 59.14. After cutting excise duty, "The central government also requested the state governments to make reduction in VAT imposed by them on petrol and diesel so as to give more relief to the consumers," Pradhan said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kerala IT and Kerala Startup Mission have joined hands with the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) to set up the Mobile 10X Incubation Centre in Cyberpark, near here. Google India Managing Director and Vice-President(South East Asia), Rajan Anandan will inaugurate the Incubation Centre on February 7 in an area of 12,500 sq ft at the Cyberpark Centre building, a release from the Cyberpark said today. An MoU will also be signed in this regard on the day by CEO of Kerala IT Parks, Hrishikesh Nair and CEO of IAMAI Startup Foundation (Mobile 10X), Jitender Singh Minhas at the venue. Mobile 10X is an Indian Internet industry backed program spearheaded by IAMAI to support app developers and app entrepreneurs to improve the quality of their apps, the release said. "India today has over 350 million Internet users, 250 million mobile Internet users of which 160 million are connected to smartphone users. Researches indicates that number of internet users would increase to 700 million by 2020.. Once the App Development Center is fully operational, Cyberpark will become a hub for mobile app development in Kerala," Hrishikesh Nair said in the release. "This initiative by the State government will enable creation of an IT eco-system in the Cyberpark in Kozhikode, attracting larger number of domestic and multi-national companies and lead to direct employment opportunities," he added. Apart from the one coming up in Cyberpark, Mobile 10X has set up start-up hubs in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Gurgaon, it said. IAMAI, established in 2004, is a young and vibrant association with ambitions of representing the entire gamut of digital businesses in the country. Having a membership of over 300 Indian and MNC companies, and offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata, the association is well placed to work towards charting a growth path for the digital industry in India, it added. Meanwhile, the four-day conclave of the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) got off to an impressive note at the Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode (IIM-K) campus today. As many as 110 teams presented their ideas relating to diverse sectors, including retail, real estate,tourism, robotics, energy, transport and bio-technology. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kerala government is thinking of formulating a new law to protect people wholend a helping hand to road accident victims, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said today. Strict instructions have been given to police asking them to ensure that those helping the victims are not put to any difficulty, Vijayan told the state assembly. Instructions have also been given to investigators against enlisting them as witnesses to be examined, if they are not eye-witnesses to the accident, he said. Fear of litigation and legal consequences often prevent people from helping accident victims, he said. The chief minister was replying to a submission raised by opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala on increasing road accidents and the plight of 'good samaritans' who rush to help victims but later find themselves entangled in legal issues. "As per the 2016 Supreme Court verdict in this regard, those who extend help to road accident victims will not have to face any legal liabilities," Vijayan said. "In this backdrop, the government will consider framing necessary laws to protect those who engage in life saving activities and trauma care during the time of accidents and check any kind of difficulties caused to them from the side of authorities," Vijayan said. The LDF government has already made arrangements to provide free treatment to accident victims during the first 48 hours in both public and private hospitals in the state, he said. The government would also set up an e-network of ambulances to ensure immediate trauma care for road accident victims. "The state police is setting up a group of voluntary activists under the title SOFT (Save Our Fellow Travellers) to provide immediate medical assistance for accident victims," the chief minister added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Kim Cattrall today said her brother, Christopher Cattrall, has been found dead a day after she thought he went missing. The "Sex and The City" actor had earlier tweeted for help in finding her brother who she said went missing from his home in Lacombe, Alberta. Royal Canadian Mounted Police of Alberta, who had confirmed that they were actively searching for Cattrall's brother, said he was ultimately found on his property, reported CNN. "We don't believe there is anything suspicious about the circumstances. We are not putting out any further information," said Laurel Scott, media relations officer for the RCMP Alberta. Cattrall also tweeted. "It is with great sadness that myself and my family announce the unexpected passing of our son and brother, Chris Cattrall," Cattrall tweeted while sharing a photo of herself and her brother. "At this time we ask for privacy. We want to thank you all on social media for your outpouring of love and support in this trying time," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Captain Kapil Kundu, who would have turned 23 this Saturday, always believed that it was more important for life to be large, rather than long. And the valiant youngster from Gurgaon's Ransika village, who sacrificed his life braving Pakistani shelling in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri yesterday, followed his belief with action as hundreds gathered here to pay their last respects to him. "Kapil always said life should be large and not long. He was my brave son and I am a proud mother whose son has made the supreme sacrifice for our country. If I had one more son, I would send him too for national duty in the Indian Army," the young captain's 52-year-old mother Sunita Kundu told PTI. Sunita Kundu lost her husband Lala Ram Kundu when Kapil Kundu was just 15. Now pain and anger rage inside her heart at having lost her son. "We urge the government to conduct a surgical strike on Pakistan and avenge such incidents. Had my son lived another 15-20 years, he would have done more for his nation. I believe his life will not go waste," Sunita Kundu said fighting back her tears. Kapil had spoken to her just a couple of days back. He was excited about his posting in the Rajouri sector, she said. "He was fond of life and full of adventure. He loved nature. He used to write poetry to express his feelings for his country. He always used to say country is supreme," she said. Family members recall that Kapil Kundu was not just a brilliant student but also very patriotic. He was commissioned in National Defence Academy (NDA) in 2012. The Army captain's elder sister Sonia said that only till the other day they were busy planning his birthday. "I spoke with my brother. He said that everything was going good and he would come home on his birthday," she said. Like everytime, Kapil had told his two sisters -Sonia and Kajal - but not their mother about his plan to come home on his birthday. "He told me that he was visiting the family on February 10 and as usual but asked me not to tell this to anyone as he wanted surprise our mother," said Sonia Kundu, who repeatedly broke down. The family had planned a grand party and a visit out of station. "We didnot know that all planning and excitement would turn to tears as only his body would turn up," the Army captain's sister said. In Ransika, where Kapil Kundu was the idol for many youngsters, a pall of gloom descended. After the death of her husband, Sunita Kundu had raised her three children in their native village. Kapil Kundu's studied at the Divine Dale International School in Pataudi. "His body was scheduled to come in his native place at 5 PM but due to some delay, it was taken to Delhi's Palam airport and would be taken to Pataudi any time. His family members would perform his last rite today night," R S Sangwan, District Public Relation Officer said. The young Army Captain was among the four Army personnel who were killed yesterday in heavy Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir. His commitment reflected in one of his last posts on Facebook. "Run. If you cannot, then walk. If you cannot, then crawl. But do not stop until you achieve your goal," the doughty soldier had written. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CBI today told the Delhi High Court that a look out circular (LOC) has been issued against Virender Dev Dixit, who allegedly kept girls and women confined at an ashram founded by him in the national capital. The agency made the submission after a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar asked whether Dixit had joined the CBI probe into the running of his ashrams and the complaints against him. During the hearing, the court also observed that the ashram was not a 'vishwa-vidyalaya' or university as defined under the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act and it could not therefore continue to represent itself as one. It observed that the Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya, in Rohini, north Delhi, has no legal status as it is neither a registered society nor a corporate entity according to the companies law. The bench, however, did not pass any order directing it to stop using the expressions 'vishwa-vidyalaya' or university after the ashram's lawyer asked that he be heard before a direction was passed. According to the lawyer, the UGC has no jurisdiction over the ashram as it is run by god through his incarnation(s) and god himself imparts the teachings. The court listed the matter for further hearing on February 8. The bench was hearing a PIL in which an NGO alleged that girls and women were illegally confined at the "spiritual university" in Rohini. The court had earlier termed as "extremely suspicious" the conduct of the ashram's founder and had directed the CBI to submit a report on his whereabouts. If the ashram was a "spiritual" place, why were the girls and women being kept behind locked doors, it had asked. It had appointed a three-member panel, comprising Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal and advocates Nandita Rao and Ajay Verma, to inspect the Rohini ashram and its other branches in Delhi. The committee had claimed the institute was making the inmates write letters and complaints making similar allegations of sexual assaults against their family members. These letters were being used to pressure the family members from initiating any action against the ashram or Dixit, it said. On December 22, 2017, the court directed the CBI to trace Dixit who was ordered to be present before the bench. The CBI was asked to investigate the alleged illegal confinement of girls and women at the ashram after the court appointed committee said the inmates there were kept in "animal-like" conditions behind metal doors in a "fortress- like" building surrounded by a barbed wire fence. The court had directed the agency to constitute a special investigation team (SIT) to take charge of all records and documents pertaining to the case. At the first hearing of the matter, the court had said the situation at the Rohini ashram was "similar" to the one run in Sirsa, Haryana, without making any direct reference to Gurmeet Ram Rahim or the Dera Sacha Sauda sect led by him. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Mumbai lawyers' body will file a plea in the Supreme Court tomorrow seeking to cross-examine 11 people, including two judges, in connection with the death of special CBI judge B H Loya. The organisation, which is one of the petitioners in the Supreme Court seeking an independent inquiry in the alleged mysterious death of Loya, who had died on December 1, 2014, also wants to cross-examine four of the judge's family members. The bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justcies A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud had allowed the petitioner to file an application following an oral mention of it by senior advocate Dushyant Dave. Dave, who appears for the Bombay Lawyers' Association in the matter, said the application will be filed tomorrow. Those sought to be cross-examined include S M Modak, principal district judge, Pune, Vijay C Barde, Additional Sessions Judge, City Civil and Sessions Court, Greater Bombay, Sanjeev Barve, director general, state intelligence department, Dr Prashant Bajrang Rathi, Niranjan Takle and Srikant D Kulkarni, Member Secretary, Maharashtra State Legal Service Authority. The petitioner will also seek to cross-examine Dr Pinak Gangadhar Rao and four family members of judge Loya including his son, wife, father and sister. Loya was presiding over the special CBI court in Mumbai which was hearing the sensational Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case when he died in Nagpur where he had gone to attend the wedding of the daughter of a fellow judge. Shah and a few senior police officers were subsequently discharged from the case. Loya's sister had later suggested a possible link between the death of her brother and discharge of Shah. Loya's son, however, told a press conference in Mumbai recently that his father had died of natural causes and that the family does not want any futher probe. The Supreme Court had recently said that it was concerned only with the death of B H Loya, and would not go into other aspects including BJP chief Amit Shah's discharge in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mahindra & Mahindra today announced introduction of higher powered mHAWK engine on the entry level and mid variants of its compact SUV TUV300. The mHAWK engine with 100 BHP (brake horse power) will be available on T4+ and T6+ variants of TUV300 with immediate effect, the company said in a statement. The TUV300 T4+ variant with mHAWK100 engine will be priced at Rs 8.02 lakh, while the same for TUV300 T6+ variant will be priced at Rs 8.59 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai), it added. "Based on the feedback we received, we have decided to extend the 73.5kW (100 BHP) mHAWK engine across the entire TUV300 range," M&M Chief of Sales and Marketing, Automotive Sector, Veejay Ram Nakra said. ************** NHPC begins solar power generation at Theni/Dindigul in TN * State-run NHPC said today that its 50 MW solar power project in Theni/Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu started generating power last week on Friday. "50MW Solar Power Project in Theni/Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu has started partial generation on February 2, 2018 and is on partial load of 9.40 MW as on February 5, 2018. The project will attain its full capacity in due course of time," the NHPC Ltd said in a BSE filing today. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Maldives president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was arrested today shortly after his estranged half- brother President Abdulla Yameen declared a state of emergency, according to Gayoom's daughter. The 80-year-old, who was president for 30 years until the country's first democratic elections in 2008, was taken away from his home in the capital Male, Yumna Maumoon said on Twitter. Gayoom had sided with the main opposition and was campaigning for the toppling of his half brother. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Beleaguered Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen has declared a 15-day state of emergency, his aide Azima Shukoor announced on state television today. The move gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects, and comes amid a deepening political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation as Yameen refuses to comply with a Supreme Court order to release political prisoners. India issues advisory, asking Indians to defer all non- essential travels to Maldives due to prevailing law and order situation. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The political crisis in the Maldives deepened today, as the president of the island nation said the Supreme Court had overstepped its authority in ordering the release of a group of imprisoned opposition leaders. The surprise judicial ruling last week has led to an increasingly tense standoff between President Yameen Abdul Gayoom and the Supreme Court, with protests spilling into the streets of the capital, Male, and soldiers in riot gear deployed to the parliament building to stop lawmakers from meeting. Yameen, in a letter to the court released by his office, said the order had encroached on the powers of the state and was an "infringement of national security and public interest." He urged the court to "review the concerns" of the government. Earlier, Legal Affairs Minister Azima Shakoor said that "the government does not believe that the Supreme Court ruling to release the political prisoners can be enforced." Officials say the court has not properly responded to a series of letters citing problems with implementing the order, including that the cases against the political prisoners are at different legal stages. A Supreme Court statement on Sunday said "there are no obstacles in implementing the ruling ... and that this has been informed to the Prosecutor General's office." There was no immediate comment from Yameen's main rival, exiled former President Mohammed Nasheed, who is among the prisoners ordered freed. The Supreme Court ruled that the political leaders' guilty verdicts had been politically influenced. The ruling has led to protests by opposition supporters urging the government to obey the order. Clashes erupted between police and the political opponents on Thursday and Friday. Soldiers surrounded the parliament building over the weekend to stop lawmakers from entering. The United Nations and several foreign governments, including the United States, have urged the Maldives to respect the court order. Nasheed has been living in exile in Britain since 2016 after being given asylum when he traveled there on medical leave from prison. In addition to ordering the release of the political prisoners, the court also reinstated 12 lawmakers who had been ousted for switching allegiance to the opposition. When those lawmakers return, Yameen's Progressive Party of the Maldives will lose its majority in the 85-member parliament, which could result in the legislative body functioning as a rival power to the president. Known for its luxury tourist resorts, the Maldives became a multiparty democracy 10 years ago after decades of autocratic rule by the current president's half brother, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. But the nation lost much of its democratic gains after Yameen, who has maintained a tight grip on power, was elected in 2013. He had been set to run for re-election this year virtually unopposed, with all of his opponents either jailed or exiled. On Friday, Nasheed said he would mount a fresh challenge for the presidency this year. Nasheed was sentenced to 13 years in prison after he was convicted under the Maldives' anti-terror laws. The trial was widely condemned by international rights groups. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Kolkata-bound passenger has been apprehended by CISF officials at the airport here for allegedly trying to smuggle gold bars worth about Rs 24.90 lakh by concealing them in his body cavity. The incident took place yesterday noon when the personnel of the security force detected metal pieces in the body of a passenger, identified as D Ahuja, during frisking and he was subsequently taken for detailed checking. "During thorough checking, the passenger revealed that he is carrying four gold bars (820 grams in total) wrapped in balloons inside his rectum. "The Kolkata-bound passenger and the seized gold bars have been handed over to Customs officials at the airport," a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) spokesperson said here. The man hails from Thane in Maharashtra, they said. The value of the seized gold is estimated to be Rs 24.90 lakh, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 29-year-old man, allegedly carrying a country-made pistol and a dozen bullets, was today apprehended from a Delhi Metro station here, the CISF said. N K Patel, who hails from a village near Bihar's capital Patna, was found carrying the firearm and 12 rounds by CISF personnel at the Dwarka Mor station when his bag was being scanned, a CISF spokesperson said. He said the pistol was country-made. The man has been handed over to the Delhi Police by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) team for further investigation, he said. Carrying arms and ammunition in the Delhi Metro is banned under the law. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man was shot dead out of previous enmity at Kaman village in Vasai tehsil of the district today, police said. The deceased was identified as Baban Mali, hailing from Valiv village. Police have registered a case of murder against 12 persons and detained three of them. Two others, who were with Mali at the time of the incident, were also attacked and injured. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jammu and Kashmir government today said it has taken all the possible measures to avoid loss of life and property in the Pakistani shelling along the LoC in the state. The Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Abdul Rehman Veeri, in a statement in the Legislative Assembly here said that alternate arrangements for boarding and lodging have also been put in place to meet the situation arising out of frequent shelling from across the border. Giving details of the latest incidents of cross-border firing, the minister said that four Army personnel including an officer were killed, while two civilians and three Jawans including a BSF personnel were injured in fresh ceasefire violation along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts yesterday. In Rajouri, Pakistan Army started indiscriminate firing in Balakote sector resulting in the killing of four Army personnel - Captain Kapil Kundu of Gurugram, Rifleman Ram Avtar of Gawalior, Rifleman Subham Singh of Kathua and Hawaldar Roshan Lal of Samba, while one Army jawan, Lance Naik Iqbal Ahmed, sustained injuries, he said. In another ceasefire violation in Bandi Chacian sector in Poonch, he said one Army jawan, Sepoy Kishore Kumar and two civilians, Yaseen Arif and Gulnaz Akhter, sustained injuries. Veeri said the ceasefire violation was also reported from Sunderbani where one BSF personnel, Assistant Sub-Inspector Ajab Singh, sustained injuries. He was immediately shifted to Army Hospital, Satwari for treatment. He said firing was also reported from Bhawani and Lam sector but no loss of life was reported. "The respective district administrations are taking all possible measures to avoid loss of life and property. "Alternate arrangements for boarding and lodging have also been put in place for the affected population," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jammu and Kashmir government today batted strongly for the resumption of a 'peace and reconciliation process' between India and Pakistan as the issue of repeated ceasefire violations by the neighbouring country rocked the state Assembly. Opposition National Conference (NC) supported the Mehbooba Mufti government's stance while calling for a strict implementation of the 2003 ceasefire agreed between the two countries. Ravinder Raina, a legislator of the BJP, which shares power with the PDP in the state, had earlier pressed for a resolution to condemn the continuous Pakistani shelling. The issue of unabated ceasefire violations also led to a 10-minute adjournment during the Zero Hour. When the House met again, the state's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri made a statement supporting a dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad to restore everlasting peace in the region. "This issue was raised in this house before as well. Our stand is that peace and reconciliation is the only way, dialogue is the only way, Veeri said. He said the process initiated by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vaypayee should be taken forward for everlasting peace. Four Army personnel, including a captain, were killed and four others, including two teenagers, injured in Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts yesterday. Ruling PDP MLA Javaid Beig said that instead of provoking Pakistan, the House should appeal to both the countries to start a dialogue to resolve outstanding issues. Beig's comments were protested by BJP members. "We support the statement of Veeri and the young Beig who is right in his approach. On our side, we should not do anything that will lead to further deterioration of the situation," NC legislature party leader and former chief minister Omar Abdullah said. He rued that it had become a habit for politicians to worsen the atmosphere through their statements. "In my opinion, if a resolution is passed in this house, it should be that the people of Jammu and Kashmir demand both the governments to initiate the dialogue process so that peace is restored along the borders," he said. Abdullah demanded strict implementation of the 2003 ceasefire agreed upon by India and Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB). The NC leader said that the Vajpayee government in consultation with Pakistan gave a ceasefire agreement which needs to be restored. However, BJP MLA Raina, who demanded a resolution to condemn Pakistan for ceasefire violations, later told reporters that the neighbouring country had targeted an Army post after the Army thwarted its attempt to push terrorists in the state. "We want the terrorist training camps in Pakistan be bombarded by Indian Air Force. Pakistan is a terror country and it cannot understand the language of diplomacy and democracy," he said. NC's Devender Rana, while speaking to reporters, saluted the sacrifices of the Army jawans and accused BJP of playing over the "dead bodies of the jawans". We raised the issue of continuous firing and shelling along LoC and IB wherein our soldiers are getting martyred every day and the civilian population is facing the brunt of the escalation of tension, Rana said. "Who is answerable to the families of soldiers who are on a daily basis getting martyred in the defence of the nation. The civilian population is under constant fear. It is our duty to create an atmosphere so that peace returns to the LoC and IB," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Militants tonight lobbed a grenade on an Army camp in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, but there was no damage, police said. Militants attacked a camp of the Rashtriya Rifles unit of the Army at Kakapora with a rifle grenade this evening, a police official said, adding that there was no damage due to it. The area was cordoned off, the official said. An Army Captain and three jawans were killed yesterday in heavy Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today spoke with her Nigerian counterpart and sought assistance in tracing a missing oil tanker with 22 Indians on board. Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama assured Swaraj of all help and assistance in locating the ship that went missing off the coast of Benin in the Gulf of Guinea, according to a tweet by Swaraj. The "Marine Express" continues to be missing in the piracy-plagued waters near West Africa, an official of the Mumbai-based Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) told PTI. "I have just spoken to Foreign Minister of Nigeria regarding missing merchant ship with 22 Indian nationals on board. Hon'ble Foreign Minister of Nigeria has promised all help and assistance in locating the missing ship. We have set up a Helpline no.(+234)9070343860," Swaraj said of her telephonic conversation with the Nigerian leader. The DGS official said that all the communication equipment on board has been switched off. No ransom call had been received, the official said. He said that the Indian mission in Nigeria was in contact with the Nigerian Navy and other agencies, while the DGS was also coordinating the efforts as it involved Indian sailors. The 22 sailors had been appointed on the ship by the Anglo Eastern Ship Management, the official said, adding that the Panamanian-flagged vessel was owned by the Ocean Transit Carrier SA, a Japanese company. The owners had set up a dedicated helpline for the families of the Indian crew, the official said. He described the area in which the vessel was sailing as "difficult". "The region has a history of piracy and it may be a case of suspected piracy," another official from the DGS had said yesterday. The ship has gone missing less than a month after another vessel, "MT Barret", disappeared off the coast of Benin in January, and was later confirmed to have been hijacked. The 22 crew of "MT Barret", most of whom were Indians, were reportedly released after a ransom was paid. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat arrived here today on a 10-day-long tour of Bihar with an aim to expand the organisation's base in the state. Bhagwat is scheduled to interact with Swayamsevaks in Muzaffarpur and Patna districts during the stay. "The Sarsanghchalak reached here in the afternoon. He will spend the night at a local branch of the RSS and leave for Muzaffarpur tomorrow. He will return to Patna on February 10 and stay till February 15 before leaving for Varanasi", RSS regional secretary Mohan Singh told PTI about his programme. Singh did not divulge what were on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief's agenda though sources in the Sangh said Bhagwat would aim to expand the organization's base in Bihar with emphasis on issues like cow protection and farmers' distress. Meanwhile, the opposition RJD-Congress combine alleged that Bhagwat's tour underscored Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's capitulation before the BJP of which the RSS is the parent body. "Bhagwat will ensure that an atmosphere is created in Bihar wherein Kumar, the JD(U) president, does not remain in a position to demand more than five seats for his party", RJD national spokesman Manoj Jha said. State Congress acting president Kaukab Qadri said "it is a travesty that Kumar, who used to speak about the need for Sangh-mukt Bharat, has now ended up working for a Sangh-yukt Bihar. The state has always been a challenge for the RSS' ideology.But, it appears Kumar's government will end up providing vital support that the Sangh Parivar needs for spreading its tentacles in Bihar". Significantly, Kumar had fought the 2015 assembly polls in alliance with the RJD and the Congress. During that election, Bhagwat's assertions on need to review reservation policy in government jobs was a significant issue which Kumar and Lalu Prasad had used to hilt to attack the saffron party. The "Mahagathbandhan" registered an emphatic victory, halting the BJP juggernaut which was set in motion with the 2014 Lok Sabha polls wherein the party had registered its best ever electoral performance riding on a strong wave in support of Narendra Modi. However, Kumar walked out of the Grand Alliance last year following corruption cases against Tejashi Yadav, his then deputy and son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad. His later joined hands with BJP to form a coalition ministry in Bihar in July last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Eminent molecular biologist Professor Michael N Hall of the Biozentrum University of Basel, Switzerland, has been chosen for the Genome Valley Excellence Award which will be presented to him during BioAsia 2018, an annual flagship event of the Telangana government. The event begins on February 22, an official release stated, adding that Prof Hall will be presented the award during its opening ceremony. The release informed that Prof Hall had been bestowed with the 2018 Genome Valley Excellence Award for his pioneering work in discovering the nutrient-activated TOR (Target of Rapamycin) proteins and their central role in the metabolic control of cell growth. The award, instituted in 2004, was in recognition of the 'transformative advances toward biomedical research and facilitating improvement in human life' and was chosen by an international advisory board consisting of eminent personalities of the life sciences industry, it informed. Announcing the 2018 Genome Valley Excellence Award, Telanganas Minister for Industries and Commerce, K T Rama Rao, said, "We are delighted to have an eminent expert like Professor Michael N Hall joining us at the BioAsia 2018. Professor Halls work in discovering the nutrient-activated TOR (Target of Rapamycin) proteins is a commendable achievement." Rao further said that the event acted as a platform for the government to invite global investors, scientists and business leaders to showcase the extraordinary infrastructure available in the state. According to the release, Prof Halls exhaustive research proved that the TOR system adjusts cell size in response to the availability of raw materials. "TOR balances constructive and destructive activities to match accumulation of cell mass with nutrient supply and other growth signals, such as hormones," it said. "Disruption of the TOR network contributes to numerous human illnesses, including diabetes and cancer, and has implications across various age-related disorders," the release informed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today announced an assistance of Rs 1 crore to the family of rifleman Ram Avtar, who was killed in heavy Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. Avtar (27) was a resident of Baraua village in Gwalior district and is survived by his wife Rachna, son Divyansh and a three-month-old daughter. Chouhan announced that the family of the martyred soldier would be given a house, a monthly pension of Rs 5,000, adding that a statue of Avtar would be erected at one of the traffic junctions of Gwalior. The MP chief minister was here in the evening to pay respects to the soldier. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Indian Navy officer was killed when his car rammed into a stationary truck on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, police said today. Shrikanth Naagipogu (26), a Lieutenant, was posted at 'INS Shivaji', an Indian Naval station located in Lonavala, about 120km from here in Pune district. The 26-year-old was a native of Andhra Pradesh, they said. Naagipogu was on his way to Pune when his car rammed into a stationary truck on the expressway ahead of Bhatan tunnel near Kon village on Sunday morning, said an official attached to the Panvel Taluka police station said. Vehicles are not allowed to stop on the 95-km-long expressway. Truck driver Dilwar Patel had parked his vehicle on the roadside after its engine developed some technical snag. However, he hadn't put up any signal to warn incoming vehicles, the police official said. The Naval officer sustained serious head injuries in the mishap and was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival, the official said. The truck driver has been arrested and booked under IPC sections 279 (rash driving), 304 A (causing death by negligence) and 427 (mischief causing damage), he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A militant was today killed in a firefight with security forces in lower Assam's Chirang district, a defence press release said. "Platoon commander" of militant outfit NDFB (Songbijit)'s was gunned down by a joint Army and police team and arms and ammunition was recovered from him, the release said. On the basis of intelligence about movement of militants in village Belguri under Amguri police station, a joint search operation was launched by Army and Police in the intervening night of February 4 and 5. As the search party cordoned off the area, it drew heavy fire from a house, the release said. The security forces retaliated in a controlled manner and an extremist identified as Jordan Narzary of NDFB(S)'s 38th batch was killed, the release said. Two pistols, bullets and a grenade were recovered from the militant, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nepal's former monarch Gyanendra Shah today left for India to attend a religious festival and discuss Hinduism, media reports said. During his six-day visit, Shah will attend the International Gau Sambardhana Mahotsav at Rathipur in Bhubaneshwar on February 7, My Republica reported. He will lay the foundation stone of Gomata temple. A socio-cultural organisation 'Shree Marg' is organising the mega event to popularise Hindu rituals as well as applied spirituality, it said. Secretary of the group Sibasis Satapathy said a five-day 'Gau Biswashanti Mahajagyan' has begun from Saturday and on the concluding day, Go Sambardhana will be offered by the 70- year-old former King. "I am going on the invitation of Priest Sankaracharya and will be engaged in various religious activities and discuss on Hinduism," Shah said, adding that the discussions would consist of making Hinduism fit to modern times by simplifying the religion." "Hinduism is a custom and is in our roots. The leaves of trees will fall, but its roots will stay forever," Shah said. Odisha and Nepal share a very rich cultural bond because Lord Jagannath, the presiding deity of the State and unites the culture of both the places. There is an exquisite Jagannath temple outside the Nepal Palace where the royal family worships the Lord of the Universe, the report said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The NHRC has sent a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the state's police chief over reports that a man was allegedly shot at in Noida by a police staff, who told his colleague that the 'encounter' would earn him an "out-of-turn promotion". "However, reportedly, Noida Police has denied receiving any message of an encounter," the National Human Rights Commission said in a statement today. "The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports that a 25-year-old man was shot at in Noida by a sub-inspector of Uttar Pradesh Police on the night of February 3, and told his colleague that the encounter would earn him an out-of-turn promotion," the NHRC said. Accordingly, the commission has issued a notice to the chief secretary and the director general of police of the state to look into the emerging scenario personally and to take appropriate action to sensitise the police personnel not to "abuse their power to harass innocent citizens". A detailed report in the matter from both of them is expected within six weeks, it said. "Creating an atmosphere of fear is not the correct way to deal with the crime. In this particular case, the injured man is not an offender. He was travelling with his friends when the rowdy act done by the delinquent SI has gravely violated his right to life and liberty," the rights panel said. The Commission noted that it has already expressed concern while taking suo motu cognisance of media reports on the November 22, 2017 about the government of Uttar Pradesh, allegedly endorsing killings encounters by police, seeking improvement in law and order situation. The NHRC said the chief minister was quoted, in a newspaper on November 19, 2017, as saying that "criminals will be jailed or killed in encounters". According to the media reports, carried today, the eye- witnesses have told that the victim, a gym trainer was bundled into the back seat of his vehicle by the SI, who then pulled out his service revolver and fired at his throat in cold blood, the Commission said. "They reached the Fortis Hospital in Sector-62 of Noida after 90 minutes of the incident while the hospital is barely 7 km from the shooting scene. "One of the friends of the victim has reportedly stated that after the shooting, the SI called someone on his cell phone, saying that an encounter has taken place and remarked to his colleague," the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena today assured the minority Tamil community that his government was not running any secret detention and torture camps in the country. Sirisena said he was concerned about the persons who are still missing years after the end of nearly three-decade-long brutal civil war. "I have several times met the relatives of the disappeared persons. I am concerned about their problem of the missing relatives," Sirisena said while campaigning in the Tamil-dominated Jaffna city for the February 10 local council election. "They have told me that the missing people are being held by the government in secret detention camps. I made inquiries and I tell them on behalf of the government that there are no such camps run by the government," he said. Sirisena said his government had addressed the concerns of the Tamils by returning to them their land that had been held for military purposes since the mid 1980s. The Tamil and international rights groups had blamed the former Mahinda Rajapaksa government of running secret detention and torture camps. The relatives of the missing persons have regularly held public demonstrations, demanding urgent government attention to their concerns. The government has set up an Office of Missing Persons (OMP) which is yet to become operational. The OMP was one of the accountability mechanisms advocated in UN Human Rights Council resolutions on Sri Lanka since 2013. The UN panel called for the establishment of independent international court to probe alleged war crimes committed by both the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the government troops during the last stages of the civil war which ended in 2009. According to the government estimates, around 20,000 people are still missing due to various conflicts including the 30-year-long separatist war with Lankan Tamils in the north and east which claimed the lives of at least 100,000 people. The LTTE, which led the separatist war for a separate Tamil homeland, was finally crushed by the Lankan military in 2009 with the death of its supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Not getting timely leave is one of the factors triggering suicidal behaviour among troops, according to a study conducted by a defence research institute. The findings of the study conducted by Defence Institute of Psychological Research (DIPR) were mentioned in Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre, while replying to a question on reasons for suicides by troops. "DIPR has found in its studies that not getting timely leave was one of the stress factors triggering suicidal behaviour," he said. A total of 418 armed forces personnel committed suicide in the last four years with a maximum of 335 such cases reported in the Army, as per official data. Bhamre said posting in difficult areas has not been highlighted as a factor for suicides among the troops. The minister said DIPR has made certain recommendations to deal with suicidal behaviour among the armed forces personnel which include rationalising grant of leave, cutting down on workload, increase in pay and allowances and developing better interpersonal relations between officers and soldiers. To a question on whether the Chief of Naval Staff has flagged concerns over budgetary allocation to the Navy, Bhamre said the government would ensure that operational preparedness of the force was not compromised due to want of funds. Replying to another question on whether the government was aware that some foreigners were recruited in the Army through recruitment held in January, 2016 at 39 Gorkha Tranining Centre in Varanasi, Bhamre said, "No". He said no recruitment rally was conducted by 39 Gorkha Training Centre, Varanasi, in January 2016. "However, anti-terrorism squad (ATS) Eastern zone, Varanasi had approached the Army Recruiting Office, Varanasi in September 2017 seeking information about three Indian Domicile Gorkha candidates enrolled in June 2016 and dispatched to 39, Gorkha Training Centre who have been reported to be enrolled by furnishing false documents," Bhamre said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) State-run power giant NTPC will introduce fixed-term employment in the company to take care of the specific time-barred projects as it seeks to consolidate its position as an integrated energy entity. "We will start fixed-term employment. Though the number of such people will not be very big, considering the specific requirement, mainly from new businesses, we will be taking professionals for specific projects for the duration," Director, Human Resources, Saptarishi Roy told PTI. In common parlance, fixed-term employment means that the employees' contract ends on a specified date, or when a specific task is completed, or when a specific event occurs. In 2016, fixed-term employment was introduced for labour intensive sectors like apparel manufacturing. Last week, in the Budget speech, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced fixed-term employment for apparel and footwear sectors as a measure for job creation. He said the facility of fixed-term employment will be extended to all sectors. Last month, Labour Ministry had circulated draft notification to amend Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946 to introduce fixed-term employment for other sectors. But, some states have already introduced it as labour is a concurrent subject. At the same time, NTPC is aligning with IIM (Ahmedabad), for hand holding NTPC School of Business and make it a world class energy institute. "We are signing an agreement soon with IIM Ahmedabad and the Energy Training Institute will offer an MBA course specific to energy sector," he said adding this would not only cater to NTPC's requirement but also of the entire sector in the country. Stating that energy demand will grow up substantially in line with the envisioned 7-8 per cent economic growth, Roy said this would also create the demand for highly qualified trained professionals. He, at the same time clarified that regular employment will continue as a process and this year also the company would take about 150 engineering graduates. Roy said the company was against the policy of hire and fire and an employee is inducted at the entry level keeping in mind the tenure of 30 years or so. But, the same could not be applied in case of specific time-barred requirements and hence the introduction of this fixed-term mechanism from this year, he added. "We are not sure as to what will happen in the next five years or even next year. What will be the scenario. And we are also not for hire and fire. Therefore, we have introduced this system," he said. Even at regular level, the company ensures a pre- employment training of 52 weeks, a mechanism not practiced anywhere in the industry, at its own training institutes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha Government has sought the Centre's sanction for raising a special police battalion exclusively for strengthening security along its 480-kilometre-long coastline, a senior official said today. A proposal in this regard has already been sent to the Union Home Ministry by the state's Home Department recently in view of the growing need for guarding the long coastline, the officer said on condition of anonymity. "Setting up of the proposed India Reserve Battalion (IRB) will go a long way in supplementing the efforts of the marine police in tightening security along the coast," he said. Stating that several other coastal states have been sanctioned IRB units to strengthen security along the coasts, officials said such a battalion was also required in Odisha. "Odisha also needs an IRB unit to ensure effective vigil along its long coastline as the marine police stations are not properly equipped for the purpose," he said. The state government has also urged the Centre to sanction two more marine police stations as some stretches, particularly in Balasore and Puri, remain porous. At present, the state has 18 marine police stations. While five marine police stations have become fully functional at Paradip, Balaramgadi, Dhamra, Jamboo and Arjipalli in the first phase, the rest 13 are yet to be fully equipped. The marine police stations keep a watch on illegal activities like arms smuggling, infiltration, unauthorised fishing, entry of anti-nationals through sea route and guard vital installations along the coast, he said. It is necessary to set up a marine police station each in Balasore and Puri districts for which a proposal has been sent to the Centre, the officer said. Exclusive jetties are also required for marine police in the state to ensure proper functioning of the interceptor boats whch are in operation, he said. The state government has also urged the Centre for puting in place three jetties on the Odisha coast. Proposals have been sent to set up the jetties at Bhusandeswar in Balasore, Sipasarubali in Puri and Maluda in Khurda Districts. The state government has also urged the Home Ministry to sanction funds towards expenses incurred in consumption of diesel/petrol by interceptor boats as the state is not in a position to bear such a huge expenditure, he said. The Centre has also been urged to provide funds for maintenance of the interceptor boats, the officer said. The marine police stations in the state also require seaworthy boats of different sizes and designs with the capability of entering the sea during adverse weather conditions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The opposition in the Rajya Sabha today accused the BJP-led government of polarising the country and creating a "fear psychosis" among the people, alleging that it was just renaming the earlier policies without delivering their benefits to the poor and the needy. It is not a "game changer" but a "name changer government" which has failed to deliver on all fronts be it providing relief to farmers and poor, generate jobs or addressng the Kashmir issue, it said. Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the President's address, Leader of Oppositon Ghulam Nabi Azad attacked the government for creating fear, not only among people but also among the bureaucrats and opposition leaders. "A fear pyschosis has set in. You cannot see when you are in power. If someone is scared to talk to the Opposition or transact with them, it is not good for democracy or freedom of speech or even freedom of business," he said. Azad alleged that opposition party leaders were being treated as "potential terrorists" and their phones were being tapped. "No one today talks to me over phone because they say your phone is tapped," he claimed. The government is not only polarising the country, but also dividing parties in the opposition and intimidating them by using the CBI and the ED, the senior Congress leader said. While supporting the draft triple talaq bill, Azad objected to the stringent punishment it proposes for a man for ending marriage through instant triple talaq. He said: "You have divided Shias and Sunnis. Now, you are dividing husband and wife. You cannot polarise the nation. ... What kind of division are you involved in? Why are you intimidating the minority community who are victims of fear psychosis?" "You should spare some section. We don't want this New India. You have polarised it. Return us India of Gandhi where no fear existed," Azad said. Expressing concern over the Kashmir situation, he attacked the government for not framing any clear policy for the troubled state. "The situation is pathetic. ...Borders are in a sad state of affairs. People are homeless and suffering. The government does not have any clear policy," he said, blaming the BJP government for being "weakest" in last 70 years. He claimed that the largest number of ceasefire violations have occured during the NDA government's tenure. Not only civilians, but soldiers and higher rank army officials have been killed. Azad said the dialogue and "hot-pursuit" in the state cannot go hand in hand. Stating that the recently announced national health insurance scheme is another "jumla" (rhetoric) of this government, Azad said it will only benefit insurance firms and not the ordinary citizens. Instead of an insurance scheme for 50 crore people, he suggested that the Centre should focus on building more government hospitals to provide cost effective treatment to the poor. "The examples of the US and UK are there. They spend 15 per cent of the budget on health. But all reports say insurance companies benefit, not the common man. I don't know how our people are going to benefit," he said. Attacking the government for being insensitive towards farmers, Azad said the government making "false promises" of doubling income by 2022, which cannot be implemented with the current budget allocation to the farm sector. A government panel, studying ways to double farmers income, has recommended that farmers income cannot be raised without an investment of Rs 6.4 lakh crore in the farm sector and achieving growth 10-12 per cent per annum, he said. "You cannot achieve farm growth of 10-12 per cent even if you rule next 50 years. You cannot invest Rs 6.4 lakh crore. There is no chance of doubling farmers income. Why do you make such promises which cannot be fulfilled," he asked. Azad said the average growth in the last three years has been 1.9 per cent per annum only. Moreover, meagre budget been allocated to the agri-ministry for the next fiscal, he added. "Farmers are committing suicide. You are not doing anything. You are offering only false promises. We object to this," he said, adding that the government has kept the deadline of 2022 for several schemes as it does not want to be held accountable. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The killing of an Army officer and three jawans in heavy Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir will be met with a befitting response from India, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir said today. Pakistan's "foolishness" will cost them, Ahir stressed. "India will not forgive Pakistan's actions. It will prove to be Pakistan's foolishness and will cost them," he told reporters here. Asked if anti-tank missiles had been fired by Pakistan, Ahir said, "So far there is no such information". "But it is true that Pakistan has been violating ceasefire repeatedly. We will give them a befitting response. We won't leave them," the minister said. "We won't pardon them. This foolishness of Pakistan will cost them dear," Ahir said about yesterday's shelling in the Rajouri district. Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena said in New Delhi that it was time India gave a "befitting response" to Pakistan. "Civilians are getting killed. And we keep saying that we will avenge their deaths. Don't we also have missiles," Sena leader Sanjay Raut said today. He wondered if Indian missiles were only meant for display. "If Pakistan attacks our army jawans with missiles, then are our missiles only for display at Rajpath during the Republic Day parade and for (getting) claps (from the crowds)," he asked. "We saw the show of strength on January 26. We saw the missiles and the might of our armed forces on display at the parade," the Sena leader told reporters. Pakistan's actions were demoralising Indian troops, he added. "Pakistan has been repeatedly intruding into Indian territory and killing our soldiers. This is demoralising our soldiers," Raut said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli man to death at a bus stop near a West Bank settlement today before fleeing the scene, Israeli officials said. The military said an army officer chased the assailant after the stabbing at a bus stop near the entrance to Ariel, hitting the attacker with his vehicle, but the attacker managed to get away. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the Israeli man died from the stabbing wounds shortly thereafter. Israeli media identified the stabbing victim as Itamar Ben Gal, a 29-year-old father of four. Channel 2 aired footage from the scene showing the attacker crossing a busy road and then lunging at the man, taking him by surprise. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered his condolences and said security forces are "currently chasing the murderers." Last month, an Israeli was killed in a drive-by shooting near a settlement outpost in the West Bank. Palestinians seek the West Bank, which Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war, as part of their future state. Most of the international community views Israeli settlements there as illegal and an obstacle to peace. Israel says the fate of settlements must be resolved through negotiations. There has been a spike in Palestinian violence since President Donald Trump's December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The move sparked outrage across the Muslim world, where it was seen as the US taking Israel's side on the most contentious issue of the decades-old conflict. Palestinian demonstrators have clashed with Israeli troops in the West Bank and along the Gaza-Israeli border, and 19 Palestinians have been killed in the violence since Trump's announcement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The last surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, arrived at a court in Brussels amid tight security today to stand trial over a shootout that led to his capture, a source close to the case said. Abdeslam was taken from a prison outside Paris in the middle of the night and taken by a police convoy to the four- day trial in Brussels, the source told AFP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The only surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, refused to answer questions today as he went on trial in Brussels over a bloody shootout with police that led to his capture. Tight security surrounded the start of the trial of the 28-year-old, who was transferred overnight from a jail near the French capital Paris and arriving in Belgium in a convoy of police vehicles. Abdeslam, who has declined to to speak to investigators since his arrest in March 2016, immediately signalled his defiance on Monday by refusing to stand when asked by the judge and saying he would not cooperate. "I do not wish to answer any questions," Abdeslam, bearded and wearing a long-sleeved white polo shirt, said when the presiding judge, Marie-France Keutgen, asked him to confirm his identity. The judge told the court that Abdeslam has also refused to have photos or video taken of him during the four-day trial in Brussels. The Belgian-born French national of Moroccan descent faces charges of attempted terrorist murder of police officers and carrying banned weapons over a gunbattle in the Forest district of Brussels on March 15, 2016. Three police officers were wounded and a jihadist was killed in the fight, which came as Abdeslam was on the run four months after the Paris attacks. He was captured three days later. Abdeslam and the man arrested with him, Tunisian national Sofiane Ayari, 24, could serve up to 40 years in prison if convicted. Hundreds of Belgian security forces turned the Palais de Justice court building in Brussels into a virtual fortress while a helicopter with searchlights circled overhead as he arrived. "This must remain an ordinary trial," said the official who presides over the court, Luc Hennart. "If there is the slightest problem I will order the courtroom to be evacuated." The non-jury trial is the prelude to a later one in France and prosecutors hope the Brussels trial will yield clues not only about the attacks that killed 130 people in Paris but also the suicide bombings months later in Brussels. Abdeslam has refused point-blank to speak to investigators throughout the nearly two years since his arrest, which capped a four-month hunt for Europe's most wanted man. But he has insisted on attending the Brussels trial, where three judges are to lead proceedings for four days, which had raised hopes, now apparently dashed, that he would use it to break his silence. Hennart insisted that the trial would only focus on the shootout, saying: "That is what we will talk about, we will not talk about either the Brussels or Paris attacks." The plans for transferring Abdeslam from Fleury-Merogis prison in the Parisian suburbs, and then back to a prison just across the border in northern France every night, were shrouded in secrecy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In view of the "severe financial constraints" faced by the state government, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today suggested that elected representatives in the state, including ministers and MLAs, should pay their own income tax. Currently the tax was paid by the government and draining the exchequer, the chief minister said. Punjab was probably the only state in the country to follow the system of the government paying taxes for all ministers and MLAs, Singh said. He pointed out that the tax being paid by the state government on this account stood at Rs 11.08 crore. While Rs 10.72 crore was spent on payment of income tax of the MLAs, the remaining was for the ministers, an official spokesperson said after a meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Fiscal Management, where the proposal was mooted by the chief minister. The chief minister also reiterated his appeal to party colleagues and rich farmers to give up free power subsidy. Singh had first made this appeal during the Vidhan Sabha session in June last year, when he set an example by giving up the subsidy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nagpur police have seized hookah pots and liquor bottles from a rooftop restaurant located near Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's house here. Police raided the restaurant 'Room 9' in Dharampeth area as it was serving liquor without permission, said a police officer. Sitabuldi police have registered a case against six staff members of the restaurant in this regard. Police said that among customers present in the restaurant, there were some minors. They were let off as they weren't found to have consumed alcohol. A deadly fire at two rooftop pubs in Mumbai which also served hookah claimed 14 lives in December last year. The fire was started by flying embers from hookah, inquiry found out. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police say a man is dead after he drove up to a gate outside New York's City Hall and shot himself in the head. A police spokesman says the man drove a black sedan up to the east gate of City Hall at 7:30 a.m. (local time) and shot himself. His name was not released. There were no other injuries. Manhattan-bound traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge was suspended while police investigated the shooting, causing rush-hour traffic backups on both sides of the bridge. The man shot himself close to one of two main security checkpoints for all people entering City Hall. Members of the public must pass through a metal detector before entering the building. Security was tightened after a gunman killed a City Councilman in 2003. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Pope Francis today while police enforced a protest ban in central Rome as feelings run high over Turkey's offensive against Kurdish militia inside Syria. During the 50-minute audience, Pope Francis gave Erdogan a medallion embossed with an angel strangling a "demon of war" -- a symbol of peace and justice. For the first visit by a Turkish leader for 59 years, the Italian authorities have imposed a 24-hour ban on demonstrations which covers Erdogan's arrival from late Sunday to his departure on Monday evening. Erdogan's convoy arrived at a deserted Saint Peter's Square, which was under heavy security as a total of 3,500 police have been deployed for the visit. Nevertheless a small sit-in protest by some 30 people, organised by a Kurdish association in Italy, took place on Monday not far from the Vatican. Turkey on January 20 launched its "Olive Branch" operation against Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a terror group and a threat to Turkish territory. The Turkish army and allied Ankara-backed Syrian rebel forces are seeking to oust the YPG from its western border stronghold of Afrin but the operation has faced fierce resistance. "In Afrin, a new crime against humanity is under way," the Kurdish association said. The fighters and civilians killed in the Turkish assault on the region included female combatant Barin Kobani whose mutilated body appeared in a shocking video, prompting accusations by her family and Kurdish officials that she was "defiled" by Turkish-backed rebels. The YPG, while considered a "terrorist" group by Ankara, is allied to the United States in its battle against Islamic State group jihadists. The pope, who has railed against the horrors of war and weapons of mass destruction, gave Erdogan the gift of a medallion with "an angel of peace strangling the demon of war". "It's a symbol of a world based on peace and justice," the pontiff said, according to two journalists present during the meeting. Erdogan for his part was expected to thank the pope for opposing the decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. "We are both in favour of the status quo and we have the will to protect it," Erdogan said in an interview published yesterday. Erdogan's flying visit to Italy was also set to include a meeting with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, with illegal immigration, defence and EU membership likely on the agenda. Pope Francis, a strong proponent of inter-faith dialogue, visited Turkey in November 2014, holding talks with Erdogan, a devout Muslim. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Hindu woman from Thar in Sindh province has been nominated by Pakistan People's Party to contest for a general Senate seat, a media report said today. If Krishna Kumari from Nagarparkar district wins the election, she will be the first Hindu woman to become a Senator in the Muslim-majority Pakistan. Kumari is a Kolhi woman from the family of freedom fighter Rooplo Kolhi, who had waged a war against the British colonialist forces when they had attacked Sindh in 1857. She had joined the PPP as a social activist along with her brother, who was later elected as Chairman of Union Council Berano, Samaa channel reported. Kumari said she had made all the necessary documentation to file her nomination papers. Born to a poor peasant Jugno Kolhi in 1979, Kumari and her family members spent nearly three years in a private jail owned by a landlord. Kumari was married to Lalchand at the age of 16, when she was studying in 9th grade. However, she pursued her studies and in 2013 she did masters in sociology from the Sindh University, the channel said. She also actively participated and worked for the rights of downtrodden people of marginalised communities living in Thar and other areas. The PPP has provided several women leaders to Pakistan including Benazir Bhutto, the first woman prime minister; Hina Rabbani Khar, the first woman foreign minister and Fehmida Mirza, the first woman speaker of the National Assembly. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Pune-based woman, detained by Jammu and Kashmir Police on January 25 on "inputs" of being a suicide bomber on a mission to disrupt a Republic Day function in Srinagar, today claimed that she was never "caught or arrested" but had herself approached the police. Addressing a press conference with her family members today, Sadiya Anwar Shaikh said that she had gone to the Valley to secure admission for a nursing course in the state. J&K DGP S P Vaid told PTI yesterday that Shaikh had been handed over to her family by the state police. The police, who claimed that Shaikh (18) wanted to join the ISIS, detained her on January 25 from South Kashmir and subjected her to intense questioning during which they found nothing incriminating. "I had gone to the Valley to take admission in a nursing course in the state and I was staying at a friend's house in South Kashmir," she told reporters. Shaikh said she decided to approach the police on her own after she was shocked to find that she was labelled as a "suicide bomber" by some newspapers. "It was me who, after reading the in the newspapers, walked to the police," Shaikh said. Shaikh said she was questionned by the police as well as various agencies. "I answered all their questions and at the end, they did not find anything incriminating against me and they released me," she said. Meanwhile, her family members have accused the media of publishing "defaming " media reports. Shaikh had been questioned by the Pune unit of the Maharashtra ATS in 2015 when it came to its notice that the teenager had been "radicalised" after coming in contact with ISIS supporters abroad. She was subsequently sent for a de-radicalisation programme by the ATS. The ATS had claimed that Shaikh was planning to travel to Syria. When asked about the 2015 incident, Shaikh said that she had indeed come under the influence of the ISIS ideology through social media. "I got influenced by ISIS ideology. I was in the online contact with some groups and people. Based on that I was questioned by the ATS and de-radicalization sessions were arranged with the help of local clergies," she said. Shaikh said she returned to her life after de-radicalisation. "That was successful and after that sessions, everything was fine and I even continued my college and got back to studies," she said. Shaikh was detained after the Jammu and Kashmir police had been informed by Central security agencies that a Pune-based woman, who had been questioned on various occasions by the ATS, had moved to the Valley. She had travelled to Kashmir from Pune and had been staying in Bijbehara as a paying guest. Subsequently, an alert naming Shaikh was issued in all districts of Jammu and Kashmir stating that she was a suicide bomber on a mission to disrupt Republic Day function in Srinagar. The note said there was a "strong input" that an 18-year-old non-Kashmiri woman could "cause a suicide bomb explosion" near or inside the Republic Day parade. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Suspended Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar today said party president Rahul Gandhi's visits to temples and assertion that he and his family members were "Shiv Bhakts" were not acts of communalism which, he alleged, was being propagated by the BJP. "If Rahul Gandhi regards himself and his family members as 'Shiv Bhakts' ((devotees of Lord Shiva), what is wrong in that?" he asked. "Can this be held as communalism? And the party which is propagating communalism is the saffron party (BJP)," Aiyar told PTI on the sidelines of a function here. Aiyar was asked about his opinion on Gandhi's temple visits during the Gujarat assembly polls and reported plans to meet religious heads in poll-bound Karnataka this month. The BJP had termed Gandhi's frequent temple visits during the Gujarat election campaign as an attempt to attract Hindu votes. "My grandmother (late Indira Gandhi) and my family are Shiv Bhakts. But we keep such things private, because we think it is a very personal matter and we don't need anyone else's certificate about it," Rahul Gandhi reportedly told traders in Gujarat ahead of the assembly polls. Recalling that he had visited a number of temples along with former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, Aiyar said, "I used to go myself along with my friend Rajiv Gandhi because I am a believer. I did not impose this on any other human being." Aiyar said if Rahul Gandhi wanted to visit a temple, he was entitled to do so. "If he wants to wear a sacred thread, he is entitled to do so," he said. "If I don't worship cows, why should I stop others from worshipping? There is nothing wrong in personal religious belief, unless part of their belief is to put down somebody," Aiyar said. Asked how soon the Congress could revoke his suspension from the party, Aiyar, a former Union minister, said, "It could be any time. It could be revoked in six hours. It could be revoked in six years, but someday I will be back in the Congress." He was suspended from the primary membership of the Congress on December 7 for his "neech" remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Gujarat poll campaign. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reacting to the "pot" jibe against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Congress social media head Divya Spandana (Ramya), Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said character assassination of anyone individually wasnot right. Not wanting make any direct comment on Ramya's tweet, stating that he was not aware of it, the Chief Minister said he would not speak disrespectful about Modi personally. "You will have to ask her about it. Please don't askme. I don't know whether she has said it or not," Siddaramaiah said when asked about Ramya's tweet. He said "character assassination of anyone individually is not right, I have not seen, whether she has done it or not, I don't know." "I'm saying it generally; I will not speak disrespectful of Narendra Modi personally. We are in federal structure. We have accepted the constitution. We will have to run the government in accordance with the provisions of the constitution. We can't go against it. We are not BJP to go against the constitution," he said. Actress turned politician Ramya, a former Member of Parliament from Mandya, had yesterday taken a dig at Modi wondering if he was on "pot", a put-down which invited a sharp criticism. The actor turned politician's swipe came followingModi's comment at a rally here during which he said farmers were his top priority and described 'TOP' as tomato, onion andpotato. "Is this what happens when you're on POT?" she tweeted. Hitting out at Ramya for her tweet, In-charge of BJP's national Information and Technology, Amit Malviya, in a tweet said"In Karnataka, more than 3,500 farmers have committed suicideunder @siddaramaiah's watch, highest for any state in India but speaking for them is being on 'POT'...Congress keeps it classy, again... "Will Rahul Gandhi maintain silence on Divya Spandana's comment while he sacked Mani Shankar Aiyar just because his jibe came close to Gujarat election and Karnataka is still some months away? Or sacrificing his close aide, responsible for his rise as a leader, takes some courage?" he said in another tweet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Theatre owners in the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh are awaiting a "positive signal" from the state government on providing security before they can release the controversial film "Padmaavat" which hit the screens in other states on January 25. "We are full prepared to screen 'Padmaavat'. But we are going to screen it only after getting a guarantee from the state government to provide foolproof security to the film," Central Circuit Cine Association president Jaiprakash Chouksey told PTI here today. Theatre owners in Madhya Pradesh had last month decided not to screen "Padmaavat" following largescale protests and bandh in several places against the period drama, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The state government, however, had said it was ready to provide security if the theatre owners wanted to screen the movie. On January 23, two days before the release of "Padmaavat", the Supreme Court had refused to modify its earlier order which had cleared the decks for the nationwide release of the film and rejected pleas filed by Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh seeking modification. "Who is going to be responsible if the people opposed to the movie vandalise cinema halls and some unpleasant thing happen with the audience," Chouksey questionned. He said the movie would be screened only after they get a "positive signal" from the state government on providing foolproof security to cinema halls and viewers, who come to watch "Padmaavat". Film distributors and cinema hall owners led by Chouksey today called on Indore district collector Nishant Warwade in this regard. Meanwhile, Rajput organisation Karni Sena today reiterated its opposition to the release of "Padmaavat" in Madhya Pradesh. "As the film has portrayed the history in a distorted manner, we will continue to oppose," said state Karni Sena in-charge, Raghu Parmar. He said the Sena would chalk out its strategy by summoning a meeting if the film was released in MP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court has directed the Delhi Police to file its response by February 7 on the bail plea of Bilal Ahmed Kawa, a suspect in the 2000 Red Fort attack case. Additional Sessions Judge Sidharth Sharma issued notice to the Special Cell of the Delhi Police on the application moved by Kawa, currently in judicial custody, in which he has claimed that no purpose will be served by keeping him in further custody. Kawa was arrested on January 10 in the national capital in a joint operation by the Delhi Police and the Gujarat Anti- Terrorism Squad (ATS). Police alleged that Kawa had received Rs 29.5 lakh from Pakistan to fund the terror attack on the historic Red Fort on December 22, 2000. The police told the trial court that Kawa, one of the conspirators in the attack, had been absconding for 17 years and was declared a proclaimed offender by the court. Three people, including two Army jawans, were killed in the December 22, 2000 Red Fort attack. While Kawa was on the run, a trial court in October 2005, had awarded death sentence to Pakistan-based LeT terrorist Mohammad Arif alias Ashfaq, while two key conspirators -- Nazir Ahmed Qasid and his son Farooq Ahmed Qasid -- were awarded life imprisonment. Additional Sessions Judge O P Saini had also awarded seven-year jail term to Ashfaq's Indian wife Rehmana Yousuf Farooqui for giving shelter to the main accused. Other convicts -- Bagar Mohsin Baghwala, Sadaqat Ali and Matloob Alam -- were also awarded seven-year rigorous imprisonment. In September 2007, the Delhi High Court upheld the death sentence to Ashfaq, saying terrorists who have no value for human lives deserved capital punishment. The high court, however, acquitted six others including Ashfaq's wife Farooqui, citing lack of sufficient evidence against them. The Supreme Court in August 2011 upheld Ashfaq's death sentence, saying the "arrogant" assault was a "brazen attempt" by Pakistan "to overawe" India and wage war against it. Later, it also dismissed the review as well as the curative petition of Ashfaq in the case. However, the Pakistani terrorist moved again the apex court seeking reconsideration of his review plea on the ground that a constitution bench had held that the review plea of a death row convict has to be heard in an open court by a three-judge bench. Agreeing with the contention, the top court stayed his conviction and decided on January 19, 2016 that his review plea would be heard in open court. The plea is pending since then. According to the police, on a tip-off from the Gujarat ATS that Kawa was travelling from Srinagar to Delhi, he was arrested from Terminal-3 of the Delhi airport. The police submitted that the accused played the main role and participated in the offence by receiving money from Pakistan and other countries through hawala operators which was used in the attack and other terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir conducted by the LeT. The police claimed that money to the tune of Rs 29.50 lakh was transferred through hawala channels to various bank accounts, including those of Kawa, to fund the attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan today said the dream of peace and prosperity in the region would remain elusive without resolving the Kashmir issue and reaffirmed its support for the people in the Valley in their struggle for the right to "self-determination". President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi made these remarks in their separate messages on Kashmir Solidarity Day. The president said, "Pakistan reiterates its unwavering political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of Occupied Kashmir in their struggle for self-determination right in accordance with UN resolutions." Prime Minister Abbasi in the official message also expressed solidarity with the people of Kashmir. He said even after the passage of more than seven decades, the people of Jammu and Kashmir continue to be "deprived of the fundamental right to self-determination in stark contradiction to the promise made to them by the international community through the United Nations Security Council Resolutions". The prime minister said India refused to allow the visit of the team of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the OIC to Kashmir, thus denying the international community an opportunity to evaluate the situation on the ground. "India obviously has much to hide," he claimed. The two leaders said that the dream of peace and prosperity in the region will remain elusive without resolving the Kashmir dispute. Pakistan called upon the international community to urge India to "respect the Human Rights Charter, put an immediate end to the gross human rights violations of Kashmiris...and ensure expedited resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute in line with the UNSC Resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people." Meanwhile, Pakistan declared official holiday and the government as well as various groups announced to organise rallies and seminars to highlight the issue of Kashmir. Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal in a tweet said that Kashmir should become a part of Pakistan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jammu and Kashmir government has disbursed Rs 3,249 crore among 1,54,244 Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) beneficiaries in the last two years, the state's Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu said today. "PMYY was launched on April 3, 2015 for credit dispensation to micro enterprises in manufacturing trading and service sector. In J&K an amount of Rs 1663.42 crore was disbursed by scheduled commercial banks to 89708 beneficiaries during 2016-17 and Rs 1586.16 crore among 64,536 beneficiaries during 2017-18," he told the state Assembly here. Replying to a question by NC MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar, the minister said for Jammu and Kashmir a target of Rs 1748.22 crore for 78,907 beneficiaries was fixed for financial year 2016-17. The target was Rs 2465.20 crore for 1,18,312 beneficiaries for the year 2017-18, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre has released more than Rs 516 billion (Rs 51,600 crore) to states under rural employment guarantee scheme MGNREGA till January 31 in financial year 2017-18, Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday. In written reply to a question, Minister of State for Rural Development Ram Kripal Yadav said that the release of funds to states for the implementation of various projects under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was a continuous process. "The central government is making funds available keeping in view the demand. The ministry has released Rs 516.169 billon as on January 31, 2018 to States/UTs for liquidating the pending liability of wage component and for running the programme during 2017-18," Yadav said. In reply to another question, he informed the house that a sum of Rs 758.9 million has been paid as compensation towards delay in the payment of wages under MGNREGA, so far. The delay in payment of wages are due to various implementation issues in states including inadequate staff, non-timely recording and reporting of attendance, wage list, public financial management system and others, he said. Under MGNREGA, wage seekers are entitled to receive compensation at the rate of 0.05 per cent of the unpaid wages per day. He added that various efforts were being made by the ministry to reduce the delay in the payment of wages to the workers, such as timely release of funds, payment through national electronic fund management system for direct payment of wages into workers' accounts. He also informed that all wages under MGNREGA were not paid through Aadhaar-based payment system and those workers who do not have Aadhaar were paid electronically by transferring amount into their post office or bank accounts. Russia said today it has met the nuclear arsenal limits of a key arms control treaty but has some issues regarding US compliance. The Russian Foreign Ministry also has scathingly criticized a US nuclear review, saying it could lower the threshold of using nuclear weapons. The New START treaty signed in 2010 restricts the US and Russia each to 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads on a maximum of 700 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles and strategic bombers. The deadline to verify both countries' compliance was today. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it now has 527 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles and strategic bombers and 1,444 strategic nuclear warheads. The US said it has been in compliance with the limits since August. While acknowledging the US statement on meeting the treaty caps, the Russian Foreign Ministry voiced concern about the US reconfiguring some submarines and bombers to carry conventional weapons. It said Russia can't confirm the reconfigured hardware has been rendered incapable of carrying nuclear weapons. The ministry added that the US also "arbitrarily converted" some missile launch facilities designated for training purposes, a use it said wasn't envisaged by the treaty. "The Russian federation confirms its adherence to the New START Treaty while insisting that the United States continues a constructive search for mutually acceptable solutions to the matters concerning reconfiguration and the removal of strategic arms from the total count as well as any other issues that may arise between the parties under the Treaty," it said. Russia-US ties have remained tense over the Ukrainian conflict, the Syria war and allegations of Moscow's meddling in the 2016 US presidential election. On Friday, the Trump administration declared it will continue much of the Obama administration's nuclear weapons policy, but take a more aggressive stance toward Russia. It said Russia must be convinced it would face "unacceptably dire costs" if it were to threaten even a limited nuclear attack in Europe. The Pentagon-led review of the US nuclear arsenal and the policies that govern it that was released Friday reflected the administration's view that Russian policies and actions are fraught with potential for miscalculation leading to an uncontrolled escalation of conflict in Europe. It specifically pointed to a Russian doctrine known as "escalate to de-escalate," in which Moscow would use or threaten to use smaller-yield nuclear weapons in a limited, conventional conflict in Europe in the belief that doing so would compel the US and NATO to back down. The report known as the nuclear posture review said the US would modify "a small number" of existing long-range ballistic missiles carried by Trident strategic submarines to fit them with smaller-yield nuclear warheads. And, "in the longer term," the administration would develop a nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile, re- establishing a weapon that existed during the Cold War but was retired in 2011 by the Obama administration. Russia slammed the US report, saying that it was founded on false assumptions about Moscow's intentions and contained worrying modernization plans. "Readiness to use nuclear weapons to prevent Russia from using its nuclear arsenal, expressed in the new Nuclear Posture Review, amounts to putting in question our right to defend ourselves against an aggression that threatens the country's survival," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement released over the weekend. "We would like to hope that Washington is aware of the high level of danger when such doctrinal provisions move to the level of practical military planning." The ministry argued that while the Russian military doctrine envisages the use of nuclear weapons to deter an aggression that threatens "the very existence of our state," Washington has taken a no-limits approach, under which it might use nuclear weapons in "extreme circumstances," which aren't limited to military scenarios. "Moreover, even military scenarios are presented so ambiguously that it seems like the U.S. planners may view practically any use of military capability as a reason for delivering a nuclear strike against anyone they consider an 'aggressor,'" it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia's Economic Development Minister Maxim Oreshkin will travel to India this month for a wide-range of talks including on the International North-South Trade Corridor (INSTC) and upgrading fighter-jet technology. "We would like to discuss infrastructure development in the corridor (INSTC)," Russia's Transport Minister Maksim Sokolov told PTI today on the sidelines of Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit here. Asked about American defence firm Lockheed Martin's plans to set up F-35 jet manufacturing plant in India and the ageing Russian jet technology, he said upgrading fighter-jet technology would be discussed by Oreshkin-led delegation, members of which will have a deputy transport minister. India produces Sukhoi jets based on Russian technology. Elaborating on Russian-Indian historical relationship, Sokolov stressed on the importance of the two countries in pursuing the development of INSTC as they were already leading players in all economic fields in their respective regions. He said INSTC calls for development of road, rail, maritime, civil aviation and logistics network links between North and South which would have significant economic developments, matching in importance to other corridors including the China-designed Belt Road Initiative. Sokolov stressed on the need for development of aviation fleets and infrastructure, noting India's ambitious airport development programmes based on Public Private Partnership (PPP) contract model backed by private investments. Russia has been using PPP model for developing airports for the past decade, the first of which was Pulkovo at St. Petersburg. The Russians have opened six PPP-model airports last year and will open at least another six this year, said Sokolov, who was part of developing the PPP model for Pulkovo airport 10 years ago. Russian investors have already participated in a number of PPP-model airports, he added. "We can bring in (Russian) investments and (PPP) experiences" to India, he said, urging New Delhi to consider incorporating Russian experiences in the field of civil aviation. The minister believes there is a wider scope of Russian participation in India's infrastructure development, including the maritime projects such as ports. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A sanitary worker was killed by a colleague at the venue of a conference here last night, police said today. Vartak Nagar police arrested Babasaheb Waghmare (45), the accused, today morning on the charge of murder. The victim was identified as Siddharth @ Shidhu Ashok Varhate (26). Police said both were among sanitary workers employed at a conference organised by the Rotary Club, where portable toilets had been installed. After the event, Varhate questioned why Waghmare got paid more, which led to a quarrel and the latter beat him with an iron rod, police said. Further probe is on, said inspector Pradip C Giridhar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today asked khap panchayats not to behave like the conscience keeper of society, pointing out that a marriage between two adults was governed by the law. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said it would set up a high-level committee consisting of senior police officers to deal with issues relating to intervention in marriages by bodies such as khap panchayats. "Whether the law prohibits or allows a particular marriage, the law will take its own course. Don't be the conscience keeper (of society)," the bench, also comprising justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said. The observation came when a counsel representing a khap panchayat said it had been encouraging inter-caste and inter- faith marriages and referred to provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act which prohibit a union between 'sapinda' relationships or close blood relatives among Hindus. The lawyer said the khap had been performing its duties as the conscience keeper of society. "We are on a very fundamental issue. The marriage is between two adults and it is their choice. You cannot take the law into your own hands," the bench said, adding that khaps had "no business" (in such matters). The bench also referred to several judgements including the one passed in the sensational Nitish Katara murder case and said, "Two persons marry. They are adults. The matter ends." The bench made it clear that whether a marriage was null or void or illegal could be decided by the court under the law. When activist Madhu Kishwar attempted to raise the issue of the recent killing in Delhi of Ankit Saxena, allegedly by his girlfriend's family members, the court said the matter was not before it. The bench has now fixed the PIL filed by NGO Shakti Vahini for a further hearing next Friday. "We will constitute a high-level committee of senior police officers to handle this (issue)," the court said. The NGO had moved the court in 2010 seeking that the Central and state governments be directed to take measures for preventing and controlling honour crimes. The apex court had earlier said attacks on those opting for inter-caste marriages were "absolutely illegal" and no khap panchayats, individual or society could question any adult woman and man marrying of their own choice. Khaps are caste or community groups, present largely in rural areas of north India, which at times act as quasi- judicial bodies and pronounce harsh punishments based on age- old customs. The court had pulled up the Centre for not taking the matter seriously and not filing its suggestions on the issue, saying that such panchayats or bodies could threaten adult women and men seeking to get married. The apex court had also sought suggestions from the petitioner, Shakti Vahini, the amicus curiae and khap panchayats on the issue. Senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, assisting the court as an amicus curiae, had filed his suggestions and the Centre had sought time to submit its proposals. Earlier, the court had invited khap panchayats to hear their views before issuing an order to stop them from harassing or killing couples purportedly to protect the honour of a family, caste, community or faith. The Centre had pleaded with the apex court to put in place a mechanism to monitor crimes against women by khap panchayats, saying that the police was not able to protect such women. The top court had also said that as a pilot project, it would examine the situation in three districts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh where khap panchayats were active. Several cases of women and men falling victim to khap diktats have been reported over the years, particularly in states such as Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. In 2007, a Haryana court had awarded death to five people and sentenced one person to life for killing a couple on the orders of a self-styled khap panchayat for marrying against societal norms. In April, 2015, the khap of Notara Bhopat village ordered a woman from Rajasthan to live with a man whose wife had eloped with her husband. In 2014, a community panchayat in Uttar Pradesh banned girls from wearing jeans and keeping mobile phones, claiming that these had a "bad" effect on them and were responsible for sexual harassment incidents. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a relief to the Maharashtra government, the Supreme Court today stayed the Bombay High Court order which had asked to "reconsider and revisit" the appointments of members to the managing committee of Shirdi's Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust. The Aurangabad bench of the high court, had last year passed the order in which it had refused to quash the July 28, 2016, of the state government's notification for the appointment of the members of the trust. The high court had, however, asked the state government to "revisit and reconsider" the appointments of members of the trust made under the notification. A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and R Banumathi issued notice on a plea filed by the state government challenging the high court order of November 29, 2017, and sought the reply in three weeks. Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that the high court has not agreed with the condition of the notification by which a person shall be disqualified for the appointment or from becoming a member of the trust, if he is "otherwise found to be unfit". He said that the high court had objected to the meaning of "otherwise found to be unfit" in the condition and said "it is an independent disqualification and a person incurs it even if he is not guilty of misconduct or has not been charge sheeted for any offence involving moral turpitude". The bench said it would look into the matter. Shirdi town is known worldwide because of the "samadhi" of Shri Saibaba. Devotees come to the Shirdi temple from all over the world. On November 29, 2017, the high court had said that it does not agree with the stand of the state government and held that the words and expressions "or otherwise found to be unfit" can be read restrictively. It had said that the words and expressions of the condition was not restricted to just physical unfitness, but also included moral unfitness. The high court had given illustrations and said that this condition would also include such cases where a person is involved in trading or consuming liquor; drugs; tobacco and banned substances, person against whom serious allegations are made of misbehaviour in public and a person against whom there are complaints of indecent and immoral conduct, especially with children and women. It had directed the state government to reconsider the appointments in two months and said that it should not be influenced by the police verification or police report only, but also must take into consideration the allegations in the criminal cases together with other materials and take an independent and informed decision. It had also directed for setting up an independent and impartial committee for reconsidering the appointments in the trust. The high court order had come on a batch of public interest litigation (PIL), which had challenged the appointments of the 12 committee members, claiming there were some serious allegations against all of them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Brother of Kanpur-based journalist Navin Gupta, who was killed in November last year, has demanded a CBI probe into the case. Navin, who was working for a Hindi daily, was shot dead on November 30, 2017 by unidentified assailants near the Nagar Palika market in Billhaur, 60 km from Kanpur. He was sprayed with bullets when he came out of a public toilet. "Police has failed to crack the case so far," the slain journalist's brother Nitin Gupta said, adding the case should be handed over to the CBI. He also alleged that the perpetrators were "roaming freely". Nitin Gupta also demanded a government job for a family member. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP chief Amit Shah today tore into the Congress over its "failure" to tackle unemployment and other problems and its criticism of the GST, saying it was not a 'Gabbar Singh Tax' but the revenues go to pay for 'one rank, one pension' and subsidises the poor. In his maiden address in the Rajya Sabha, he also asked whether the Congress was inciting the people not to pay taxes, as he listed out the NDA government's achievements on various fronts. Initiating the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the President's address, Shah took on senior Congress leader P Chidambaram for his 'pakoda' jibe and said it was better to sell pakodas than being unemployed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in a recent interview that a person selling pakodas was employed. "It is better for a youth to earn living selling pakodas instead of being unemployed. Making pakodas is not shameful, what is shameful is comparing such a person with a beggar," he said and pointed out that a "chaiwala's (tea-seller) son has become the Prime Minister today." In his almost 90-minute speech, Shah termed GST as a big reform which "realised the dream of 'One Country, One Tax' and castigated the over the new indirect tax regime. Referring to Congress President Rahul Gandhi's comment terming GST as Gabbar Singh Tax, Shah pointed out that Gabbar Singh was a dacoit in the Bollywood blockbuster Sholay. "Is a dacoity taking place here? Is legally claiming taxes from people a dacoity? Is this the understanding of people? And where does this Gabbar Singh Tax/GST go? It goes in the bank account of a jawan for giving One Rank, One Pension, it goes in the bank account of widows of martyrs. It goes towards giving the poor women (clean cooking fuel) Ujjwala Yojana," he said and asked whether inciting people not to pay taxes was a symbol good "Where are we taking the country? We will all have to think, this is not just a matter of one party. Today we are in power, tomorrow you may come. Yes, you can come. Our mindset is not such that we will remain in power till eternity. "This is democracy, the citizens can vote anyone to power. You have also remained in power for 55 years. The country does not run like this. On certain issues, one has to rise above party for the country to run," Shah said while responding to opposition remarks. He sought to dismiss the notion that BJP-ruled states had earlier opposed GST when the idea was floated by Congress-led UPA government, saying there was lack of trust as the Congress did not fulfill its promise of compensating states. "It is said that the BJP (state) governments opposed the GST when the Congress government was in power. This is not true. The BJP never opposed the GST but only opposed its ways. "The state governments did not trust because the UPA government brought this tax reform, reduced CST from 4 per cent to 2 per cent, you (UPA) had to compensate states for the losses incurred by them. But you did not fulfill your promise. The BJP-led NDA Government compensated Rs 37,000 crore to states," Shah said, adding that the states were not scared but worried over the losses on account of GST's rollout. Observing that GST was being projected as if small businesses will be shut, he assured that nothing of the sort will happen and said the small businesses and MSMEs will become stronger. The BJP President agreed that there are teething problems in the GST implementation due to the scale of the reform, but observed that the government was sensitive and said over 30 procedural changes were effected through the GST Council meetings. The prices of 400 items were reduced in the 23 Council meetings whereas 150 items made tax free. He dared the Opposition to make public the minutes of the GST Council meetings, saying it was speaking a different language in the Parliament when Ministers of states it ruled were supporting it. "One language in the GST Council meeting, another in the Parliament and a different language in the meetings. What kind of the politics is this? Shall we publish the minutes of the GST Council meetings and make them public," Shah said. The BJP President also pitched for simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha elections, besides touching upon a host of measures taken by the government -- ranging from power supply, toilets, gas, employment and health facilities to the people. He said in 2013, the situation in the country was such that the future was uncertain, women felt unsafe and the morale of jawans guarding the border could not display their valour due to the government's indecisiveness. A series of scams worth Rs 12 lakh crore was raising big questions in the citizen's minds and over policy paralysis. On the issue of unemployment, he said the problem was persisting even after 55 years of Congress rule but so intense that 8 years (of NDA rule) were not enough to resolve it. Shah referred to the initiatives taken by the government in this regard including Skill India, Stand Up India, Start Up India and MUDRA schemes. While appreciating the nationalisation of banks unleashed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Shah said the doors of banks were not opened for the poor, which has been done now. Referring to the Ayushman Bharat scheme announced in the Budget to provide insurace cover of Rs 5 lakh to 40-50 crore people, the BJP President said no government had the courage till now to introduce a scheme of this scale, therefore the scheme has been christened 'NaMo Healthcare' by the people. "This government has a principle. We do not take decisions that people like. We have seen governments which took decisions for vote bank (politics) to suit people's likes but this government takes decisions that are good for the people, not decisions that they may like," Shah said. Referring to the cowardly Uri attack by Pak-sponsored terrorists when 12 jawans were burnt alive while sleeping, he said the Prime Minister displayed exemplary political will and the attack was avenged within 10 days through a surgical strike in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Shah appealed to the Opposition Congress to support the bill to give constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) for its smooth passage in both Houses of Parliament, saying there was no politics involved. Referring to the Triple Talaq legislation, Shah said Muslim women were battling for their rights in courts since last many years. He said in the Shah Bano case then Congress government framed a law to oppose the court's verdict and the party was again opposing the Triple Talaq legislation, although the manner of opposing may be different. "When the Prime Minister brings a legislation to protect the rights of Muslim women, the Bill was stalled in the Rajya Sabha," the BJP chief said. Shah said the government was being run in a transparent manner and in the last 3.5 years, even the opposition has not been able to accuse the government of any scam. He said dynastic politics, casteism and appeasement were three problems plaguing the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Slamming the BJP over "ill-treatment" of its alliance partners, the Shiv Sena said today the branding of old allies as sworn enemies is "disgusting and sickening". "Nowadays, there is a trend to brand old friends as sworn enemies and that is disgusting. We highlighted this trend. Now (TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh chief minister) Chandrababu Naidu has also brought this out in the open," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana said. "In politics, there are new and old allies, but the trend of projecting old allies as enemies is sickening. We have spoken up against such ill-treatment meted out to us, and now Naidu has also done so," the Sena said. It also dismissed reports that Naidu and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray discussed the issue of alleged maltreatment of alliance partners of the BJP. Soon, there will be reports of other NDA leaders dialling 'Matoshree' (Thackeray's residence), the Sena said. "He (Naidu) has our best wishes. If he decides to break the shackles of slavery and work for Telugu pride, he will surely get the support of the people. But he will have to chalk out his own political course," it said. The Sena's remarks came after reports that Naidu made a phone call to Thackeray on Saturday morning ahead of a TDP meeting called to decide the party's future in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. Naidu is reportedly upset with the BJP-led government at the Centre for "ignoring" his state in the Union budget. "In politics, there are no permanent friends or rivals. In politics, there are differences over ideologies, but never personal animosity or enmity. But what is the scenario today?" the editorial asked. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Singapore will amend a law that allowed a megachurch pastor to escape a harsher prison term for fraud despite funnelling millions in church funds into his wife's music career, a senior official said today, following a public backlash. In a case that fascinated Singapore with a heady mix of religion, showbiz and fraud, Kong Hee and five other church leaders were convicted in 2015 of spending Sg$24 million ($19.8 million) from a church building fund to promote his wife Ho's pop career. But, in a country which prides itself on its tough stance on corruption, a High Court ruling that cut their sentences last year on a technicality -- upheld by an appeals court last week -- triggered widespread anger including personal insults against the judges. Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said today the government believes the sentences handed to Kong and his fellow church leaders were "too low" and the law which allowed them the shorter jail terms should be amended. "It is now up to parliament to amend the law, and that, we should do soon," Shanmugam told the legislature. The six City Harvest Church leaders including Kong were initially handed prison terms ranging between eight years and 21 months by a lower court in 2015. As well as the money spent on Ho's music career, they were also found guilty of misappropriating another Sg$26 million from the church to cover their tracks with a complex web of financial transactions. But their sentences were cut last year by the High Court after the defendants successfully argued they should not have been charged under a law punishing criminal breach of trust by public individuals in senior positions. The 53-year-old senior pastor's eight-year jail term was reduced to three-and-a-half years under a different law for ordinary members of public which carries shorter sentences. The Court of Appeal, Singapore's top court, said its ruling last week upholding the shorter sentences was based on a gap in the law which only parliament can amend. Shanmugam today condemned elements of the public backlash from the decision, in which some accused Kong of getting away lightly because his defence lawyer was a member of parliament with the ruling People's Action Party. Criticism "should not sink to the level of abuse, insult and contempt", he said. Four church leaders including Kong are currently serving their sentences, one has finished her seven-month term and another will start serving his sentence on February 22. In a 2007 music video called "China Wine" published on YouTube featured the pastor's scantily-clad wife with rapper Wyclef Jean. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Militants resisting arrest by the Lebanese army in the restive Tripoli neighbourhood of Bab al- Tabbaneh sparked clashes that killed one on each side, a statement said today. The violence broke out late on Sunday when the army entered the Sunni stronghold with the aim of arresting wanted militants. "One soldier was killed and several others wounded" when the unit was targeted by militants, the army said, adding that hand grenades were used against its men. The army said "one terrorist" was killed and his brother arrested. Weapons and ammunition were also seized. Lebanon's second city has been directly affected by the violence raging in neighbouring Syria, where the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, who is from the Alawite minority, has been battling mostly Sunni groups since 2011. Recurring clashes pitting residents from Bab al-Tabbaneh against those of Jabal Mohsen, an adjacent and mostly Alawite neighbourhood, led the army to deploy in the area in 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lanka will send a police team to the UAE to arrest and bring back former president Mahinda Rajapaksa's nephew, who was detained by police at the Dubai International Airport while on transit to the United States. Udayanga Weeratunga was issued with an international warrant for arrest for financial irregularities during the time he served as the country's ambassador to Russia, a political appointment of the Rajapaksa government. "Officers will soon be sent to Dubai to bring Udayanga Weeratunga to Sri Lanka," Minister of Law and Order Sagala Ratnayake said today. Weeratunga had been travelling on an illegal diplomatic passport, Ratnayake said, adding that the foreign ministry is working with the Dubai authorities on the matter. Last year, the Sri Lankan courts froze his bank accounts and banned the sale or transfer of his properties. Several top officials of the Rajapaksa regime have faced corruption charges since the former president was defeated in 2015 polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Election Commission's directive restricting selling of EVMs by two designated public sector undertakings was objected to by state election commissions, according to minutes of a recent conference of State Election Commissioners accessed through RTI. The meeting was attended by Election Commissioners of almost all states and union territories. The participants raised "grave concerns" on the Election Commission of India's circular in this regard saying it "will further create confusion both among voters and the political parties about the use and credibility of the machines". The circular issued on May 26, 2017, states that the "design of ECI EVM, as approved by Technical Experts Committee/Commission, shall not be used for selling EVMs to anyone else". It may also be ensured that separate design shall be made for selling electronic voting machines (EVMs) to others, including to State Election Commissions, foreign electoral management bodies and others, the circular stated. The matter was discussed during the all India conference of State Election Commissioners, held on November 8-9, 2017 at Hanuwantiya, Madhya Pradesh and a copy of the minutes of the meeting was received recently in reply to RTI query filed by Bhopal-based social activist Ajay Dubey. "Since election process for both Election Commission of India and State Election Commissions (SECs) are the same, therefore, it was not understood as to why ECI has directed Bharat Electronic Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) not to sell their designated machines to anyone without their permission," the minutes of the meeting said. "Different designs of EVMs for use by the ECI and SECs, will further create confusion both among the voters and the political parties about the use and credibility of the machines," it said, adding on same election process and use of EVMs during the election, there should be uniform pattern of EVMs to be used by ECI and SECs. Both the ECI and SECs acquire their EVMs from BEL and ECIL only. "Thus, there cannot be different designs of EVMs with the same manufacturers to be used by ECI and SECs," the minutes of the meeting said. During the meeting, it was decided to take up the matter with the Election Commission of India for further clarification. Three out of four girls from the Bohra community in India are forced to undergo genital mutilation during their pre-teens, according to a report made public today. The findings of the study come in the backdrop of the Centre's affidavit in the Supreme Court last year, claiming that "at present there was no official data or study (by the National Crime Records Bureau etc) which supported the existence of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in India". The Bohra community is a Shia sect of Islam and the survey has led to comparisons being drawn between FGM and triple talaq. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who released the study, asked whether the government would show the same alacrity that it did in outlawing the practice of instant divorce. "The government has found triple talaq a very easy issue to plug, on this one will they show the same enthusiasm it remains to be seen? But I do believe we are talking of human rights and not of a particular community," Tharoor said. The activist leading the campaign and the founder of WeSpeakOut, Masooma Ranalvi, remarked in the same vein, "This (Modi) government has been deeply interested in issues of the Muslim women. We are also Muslim women. Why have our pleas not been heard?" According to the World Health Organization (WHO), FGM comprises "all procedures that involve the altering or injuring of female genitalia for non-medical purposes and is recognised internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women". The study also points out that in the absence of a law, India could become a global hub for FGM, as many countries such as the US and Australia have seen arrests and convictions for carrying out the practise. The report titled "The Clitoral Hood a Contested Site: Khafd or Female Genital Mutilation in India" was released at an event here. It has been prepared jointly by a survivors' collective called WeSpeakOut and Nari Samta Manch and authored by independent researchers Lakshmi Anantnarayan and Shabana Diler. The study included responses from 94 participants, of which 83 were women survivors of FGM and 11 were men. The women surveyed were aged between 17 and 89 years. All the interviewees together had 81 daughters, of which six were too young, 55 were subjected to "khafd" and 20 were not. This indicated that nearly 75 per cent of the daughters underwent FGM, the study pointed out. Further, these women cumulatively knew 1,248 women within their families who had undergone "khafd", i.e. each participant knew approximately 14 women in their family. The study also included testimonies of survivors of FGM as well as traditional circumcisers. One such cutter has been quoted in the report as saying that she has performed 6,000 "khafd" in 20 years of her practice and another confessed to cutting 4,800 to 6,000 girls over 50 years. Often forceps, scissors, scalpels and blades are used to perform FGM. Tharoor said that the findings of the study made the government's stance on the issue in the Supreme Court that there was no evidence of the practice "untenable". The survey also highlights that increasingly in urban areas doctors in medical facilities also performed FGM. Among the respondents subjected to "khafd", six were cut by medical doctors and 75 were cut by traditional cutters, the report said. While supporters of the practice claim that "khafd" was practised by the Bohras and is just "a nick on the clitoral hood", the writer of the report said in reality what was practised was much more grievous. "Most women subjected to khafd in India undergo Type 1 FGM or clitoridectomy which includes partial or total removal of the clitoral hood or clitoris. Very few younger women may be subjected to Type 4 FGM which includes pricking, piercing or cauterisation," Anantnarayan, writer of the report, said. The survey was carried out in four Indian states with high concentration of the Bohras -- Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan -- as well as Kerala, where a few Sunni Muslim sects are known to practise FGM. The Bohra expats from Canada, the United Arab Emirates and the US, as well as traditional circumcisers and healthcare professionals, were also included in the sample. The report also warned that in the absence of a law banning the practice in India, the country was at the risk of becoming a hub for FGM for expat and foreign Bohra girls following a crackdown in Australia and the US. A Bohra doctor was arrested in Michigan, the US, last year for allegedly performing female genital mutilation on two seven-year-olds. In Australia, three people were convicted of FGM in a landmark trial in 2015. An online petition initiated by WeSpeakOut on Change.Org seeking an end to this practice has garnered over one lakh signatures. A copy of this was presented to Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi last year. Subsequently, the minister promised to bring a law as well as write to the Syedna, the spiritual leader of the community, asking him to enforce a ban. However, neither of these was done and the ministry has been maintaining a silence on this issue. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The impact of black carbon, emitted by aeroplanes, on monsoon, glaciers and ozone layer is "uncertain", but its sustained emission could lead to warming of the atmosphere at 10-12 km altitude, the government said today. Minister of State for Mahesh Sharma informed the Rajya Sabha that studies have shown that black carbon emitted by aeroplanes can reach the stratosphere. "As per information provided by the Department of Science and Technology, aeroplanes emit black carbon into the atmosphere. Sustained emission of black carbon from aeroplanes may create a layer of black carbon at around 10 to 12 km altitude and could warm the atmosphere at that level," he said. "However, the impact of black carbon on monsoon, glaciers and ozone layer is quite uncertain," Sharma said. He said there have been laboratory experiments which showed that black carbon can act as a neutral surface for ozone depleting reactions. "However, high altitude balloon experiments simultaneous with modelling studies at Indian Institute of Science have shown that black carbon emitted by aeroplanes can reach the stratosphere," the minister said. He was replying to the question whether aeroplanes may be emitting significant amounts of black carbon, upsetting the monsoon, quickening glacier melt and depleting ozone layer and whether for the first time, it has been shown that black carbon from aircraft can go to the stratosphere and affect the ozone layer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government has received more than Rs 600 crore as contribution to its Swachh Bharat Kosh in the last three years till November 2017, Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister Uma Bharati told Parliament today. In 2015, the SBK received 313.54 crore, in 2016, it received Rs 97.47 crore and in 2017 till November - a total of Rs 614.63 crore, she informed the Rajya Sabha. "The objective of the government for setting up Swachh Bharat Kosh is to facilitate channelisation of philanthropic contributions and corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds towards achieving the objective of clean India by the year 2019", she said. The minister also said funds from SBK have been released for projects on repair, construction of dysfunctional toilet in government schools and households. In 2014-2015, the government has released Rs 86.09 crore, in 2015-2016, Rs 272.80 crore, in 2016-2017, Rs 136.42 crore and in 2017-2018 (till November 30, 2017) Rs 138.67 crore. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 23 civilians were killed today as Syrian government air strikes pounded a rebel-held enclave near the capital Damascus, a monitor said. The region of Eastern Ghouta is home to an estimated 400,000 people living under government siege and facing escalating bombardment in recent weeks. "Dozens of air strikes hit several areas in Eastern Ghouta, killing 23 civilians including four children," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. The deadliest raids hit a market in the town of Beit Sawa, killing nine civilians including two children. Another six civilians, including a young girl, were killed in bombardment on the town of Hazzeh. The remaining eight were killed in strikes across the rest of the besieged region, and more than 80 people were wounded, the Observatory said. An AFP correspondent in Eastern Ghouta could hear warplanes above, circling around the town every few minutes. Eastern Ghouta is supposed to be one of four de- escalation zones agreed last year, but violence has ramped up there in recent weeks. This month alone, chlorine is suspected of having been used on two occasions in munitions launched by the regime on Eastern Ghouta, causing respiratory problems among civilians. On Friday, Syrian regime bombardment killed at least 11 civilians. The state agency SANA said today that a woman was killed and three people wounded in rebel rocket fire from Eastern Ghouta onto the capital's regime-controlled district of Bab Touma. Syria's war has killed more than 340,000 people and displaced millions since it began in March 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid an unease in its ties with the BJP, a delegation of TDP MPs, including Union ministers Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Y S Chowdary, today met Home Minister Rajnath Singh, leaders of the two parties said. They said the meeting was an attempt to address the strain in ties after the TDP publicly voiced unhappiness over the Union budget not offering any special benefits to Andhra Pradesh. Though what transpired at the meeting was not immediately known, a TDP leader said talks were "helpful". Chowdary had yesterday played down speculation that TDP will break its alliance with the BJP. "As and when it is required, the chief minister and party chief will take the decision appropriately. As of today it (the alliance) is just going on. We never said (about snapping ties)...it's all speculation," he had said following a meeting of top party leaders. TDP sources said the party was unhappy with the BJP because the NDA government had not given Andhra Pradesh any special assitance despite assurances made earlier. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A class 10 girl student of a school near here got married a year ago and was attending classes all along hiding her marital status by concealing her mangalsutra in her dress. A victim of child marriage, prohibited under Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006, the girl got married when she was only about 14. An anonymous petition was submitted to the Mahila Court here and following the plea, action was initiated by the District Social Welfare Officer and subsequently a senior official today inspected the girl's school. Chairman of the District Legal Services Authority and District Judge Mahizhendhi today inspected the school, and spoke to the girl and her class mates, DLSA sources told PTI. The girl, a resident of a village near Arani town which is about 60 km from here is studying in a Government Higher Secondary School in the hamlet. Though she was married, she did not disclose it and continued to attend classes as usual. She was found concealing the mangalsutra in her dress, the sources said. The petition seeking action has been forwarded to the DLSA and Secretary of the Authority, K Rajmohan has sought a report from the Social and Child Welfare Committee officials in this regard. The Social and Child Welfare officials have been asked to explain on how the child marriage took place and steps taken following the complaint. The report will be placed before the DLSA tomorrow and appropriate legal action, including criminal prosecution, will be initiated against those responsible for the marriage, the sources said. Last year, a girl in Tiruvannamalai district had thwarted her underage marriage by informing authorites. N Nandhini, now a class 10 student, hailing from a village near Arani received an award from the the state government last month for boldly taking steps to halt her marriage in july 2017. She called up the Tiruvannamalai District Collectorate and apprised authorities that she was being forced to marry a man. Following the information, authorities swung into action and her wedding was stopped. She was produced before the Child Welfare Committee and the girl is now a resident of a children's home. Nandhini received Rs one lakh cash prize and a citation from Chief Minister K Palaniswami in a function on the occasion of National Girl Child Day last month. Tiruvannamalai district is among the regions from where attempts to perform child marriages have been reported in the recent past. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu minister Sellur K Raju today denied having said that only AIADMK card holders would be given government welfare measures, and claimed that "falsehood" was being spread. "A falsehood is being spread that I had said government items (schemes) will be available only for those holding AIADMK membership card. This is a false message," he told reporters at Madurai. Raju said there was no legal provision to restrict government schemes to supporters of a particular political party and added that he only sought to ensure new entrants to AIADMK had secured their party membership cards. Referring to the ruling AIADMK's universal free rice distribution scheme, he said, "We don't see (if beneficiaries of the rice scheme) are AIADMK families (i.e. supporters)." About his reported controversial statement, the state cooperatives minister claimed, "never said so." Yesterday, media reports had quoted him as saying at an event in Madurai, "AIADMK party card is what identifies us and is equal to our life itself... every party member should have it. All party members should have the card. Only if you have it, can you get government welfare schemes benefits either for you or your family."Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had made it clear yesterday that all government welfare measures were aimed at benefiting the ordinary and poor people and all sections of society, irrespective of party affiliations. Meanwhile, senior AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar sought to make light of the controversy, saying that government schemes were not given to beneficiaries based on their party affiliation. Today, he told reporters in Chennai, "lakhs of free laptops" are given to students every year as part of a government scheme. "Can they (beneficiaries) be identified as who is from AIADMK or DMK or Left or VCK... it is not practical," Jayakumar said. Government schemes are given to people irrespective of their political affiliation. Raju must have made such comments to enthuse the new entrants to the party, he said. Raju had last year courted a controversy when he launched a scheme to cover the Vaigai dam with thermocol sheets to prevent vapourisation of the water stored there, drawing ridicule from political parties and civil society. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ramping up cooperation in trade, investment and energy security will be the crucial areas of discussion when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Palestine, the UAE and Oman from Friday. During his visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman, Modi will meet the CEOs of various companies in the Gulf region, Mridul Kumar, Joint Secretary (Gulf) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said today. India is the Guest of Honour country at the sixth World Government Summit to be held in Dubai. Modi will be addressing the summit with a focus on technology for development. This, Kumar said, would also provide a platform to the prime minister to engage with the world community. Modi's three-nation visit will conclude on February 12. On February 10, he will reach Palestine, where he will hold talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. He will also visit the Yasser Arafat Museum and lay a wreath there. Five-six MoUs are expected to be signed during the prime minister's visit to Ramallah. On February 10 itself, Modi will arrive in the UAE and address the sixth World Government Summit in Dubai. This will be Modi's second visit to the UAE. He had first visited the country as prime minister in August, 2015. Modi will also hold talks with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. Kumar said India and the UAE had signed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement in 2017 and the engagement would be in that context. Energy has been one of the key aspects of India's engagement with the Gulf countries, including the UAE and Oman. Kumar said the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) -- a political and economic alliance of six countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman) -- accounted for 20 per cent of India's trade. India gets 50 per cent of its oil and 60-65 per cent of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the GCC. As many as 90 lakh Indians stay in the Gulf and send USD 35 billion every year in terms of remittance, Kumar noted. "Beyond the buyer-seller relationship, we have now moved into the strategic sphere in terms of our energy security," he added. As regards the UAE, Kumar said, "We have moved very strongly not only in (the) energy (sector), (but) an agreement was (also) signed for their participation in the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited. The UAE also became the first partner in the NIIF (National Investment and Infrastructure Fund)." India's first strategic oil reserve is coming up in Mangalore with the help of the UAE and it has a capacity to store 5.86 million barrels. Modi will leave for Oman on February 11 and will have engagements there until February 12. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump lashed out at the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee today, a day after Democrats and Republicans said Trump was wrong to assert that a GOP-produced classified memo on FBI surveillance powers cleared him in the Russia investigation. The House intelligence panel plans to meet today and is expected to consider whether to release a Democratic rebuttal memo. The committee rejected that move last week, with one Republican member saying revisions were needed so the memo would not endanger national security. Trump would decide whether to release the memo if it contains classified information. A White House official said today that the administration would consider releasing the Democratic memo, subjecting it to a similar review process as the Republican memo. The official was not authorised to speak publicly and sought anonymity to discuss internal thinking. The Senate's Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, has urged Trump to back the public release and said that refusing to do so would show the president's intent to undermine the Russia investigation. Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating possible collusion between the Trump 2016 presidential campaign and Russia as well as whether there have been efforts to obstruct the investigation. House Speaker Paul Ryan has said he supports the release of the Democrats' memo, if sensitive intelligence information is removed. Trump strode into the debate Monday on Twitter, saying: " Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped!" Schiff has branded the GOP memo "a political hit job" and has questioned whether the chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, R- Calif., had coordinated with the White House in drafting the document seized on by the president to vent his grievances against the nation's premier law enforcement agencies. "The goal here is to undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI, discredit the Mueller investigation, do the president's bidding," Schiff said. "I think it's very possible his staff worked with the White House." Nunes was asked during a January 29 committee meeting whether he had coordinated the memo with the White House. "As far as I know, no," he responded, then refused to answer when asked whether his staff members had communicated with the White House. He had previously apologised for sharing with the White House secret intelligence intercepts related to an investigation of Russian election interference before talking to committee members. Trump's Saturday tweet that the memo "totally vindicates 'Trump' in probe" even as "the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on" found no echo from four committee Republicans who appeared on the Sunday talk shows. Rep Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, said, "I think this is a separate issue." Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, said, "No, it doesn't end that." Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, said, "I don't," when asked whether he agreed with Trump. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R- S.C., asked whether the memo affected the investigation, said, "No, not to me, it doesn't, and I was pretty integrally involved in the drafting of it." The Democratic response was more expected: "Of course, not at all," said Schiff. Added Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.: "No, of course it does not." Lawmakers also said the memo should not impede Mueller. "I think it would be a mistake for anyone to suggest that the special counsel shouldn't complete his work. I support his work. I want him to finish it. I hope he finishes it as quickly as possible," Stewart said. The memo released Friday alleges misconduct on the part of the FBI and the Justice Department in obtaining a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to monitor former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page and his ties to Russia. Specifically, it takes aim at the FBI's use of information from former British spy Christopher Steele, who compiled a dossier containing allegations of ties between Trump, his associates and Russia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Expanding it's product portfolio, two and three wheeler manufacturer TVS Motor today forayed into the 125cc scooter segment, with the launch of NTORQ, here, priced at Rs 58,750 ex-showroom New Delhi. The new scooter joins the company's other products including popular scooterette Scooty Pep, scooterTVS Jupiter, We Go. According to company officials, the overall scooter category in domestic market was growing at 17.4 per cent CAGR over the last six years. "I am happy to launch the latest offering (from TVS Motor) for the young audience 18-24years..", TVS Motor President and CEO, K N Radhakrishnan told reporters here. Stating that the product was positioned for young customers, he said, the vehicle 'will be available all India in a week's time'. To a question, he said, the company was expecting to sell more than two lakh units in the first year of launch. He replied in the affirmative that the product would also be shipped to overseas markets besides catering to domestic market. He said the company was holding 17 per cent market share in the scooter segment and was "growing" more than the industry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two persons were today convicted of killing a man and were sentenced to life in prison by the district court here. The Thane district judge PP Jadhav also fined the two Rs 20,000 each. Javed alias Java Noor Ahmed Shaikh and Mohammad Aslam alias Sheru Mohammad Hanif Shaikh had killed one Mehmood Khan on January 20, 2014 after Khan refused to let the duo consume drugs in his hut, police said. The Shil Daighar police had arrested the two at the time and had charged them for murder as well as under relevant sections of the Arms Act and the Bombay Police Act, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Every two in three girls from the Bohra community in India are forced to undergo genital mutilation during their pre-teens, according to a study made public today. The findings of the study comes in the backdrop of the Centre's affidavit in the Supreme Court, claiming that "at present there was no official data or study (by the National Crime Records Bureau etc) which supported the existence of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in India". According to the World Health Organization (WHO), FGM comprises "all procedures that involve the altering or injuring of female genitalia for non-medical purposes and is recognised internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women". The survey on the prevalence of FGM or "khafd" among the Bohras in the country also highlighted that in the urban areas increasingly doctors in medical facilities also performed FGM in addition to traditional cutters. The report titled "The Clitoral Hood a Contested Site: Khafd or Female Genital Mutilation in India" was released by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor at an event here. It has been prepared jointly by a survivors' collective called WeSpeakOut and Nari Samta Manch. The study included responses from 94 participants, of which 83 were women survivors of FGM and 11 were men. The survey was carried out in four Indian states with high concentration of the Bohras -- Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan -- as well as Kerala, where a few Sunni Muslim sects are known to practice FGM. The Bohra community is a Shia sect of Muslims. Today there are three Bohra sects -- Dawoodi, Alvi and Suleimani who practice FGM. The Bohra expats from Canada, the United Arab Emirates and the US, as well as traditional circumcisers and healthcare professionals, were also included in the sample. The women surveyed were aged between 17 and 89 years. All the interviewees together had 81 daughters, of which six were too young, 55 were subjected to "khafd" and 20 were not. This indicated that 75 per cent of the daughters underwent FGM, the study pointed out. Further, these women cumulatively knew 1,248 women within their families who had undergone "khafd", i.e. each participant knew approximately 14 women in their family. The study also included testimonies of survivors of FGM as well as traditional circumcisers. One such cutter has been quoted in the report as saying that she has performed 6,000 "khafd" in 20 years of her practice and another confessed to cutting 4,800 to 6,000 girls over 50 years. Often forceps, scissors, scalpels and blades are used to perform FGM. Tharoor said that the findings of the study made the government's stance on the issue in the Supreme Court that there was no evidence of the practice "untenable". The founder of WeSpeakOut demanded a law to ban the practice. "By turning a blind eye and doing nothing about FGM, the government of India is denying women and girls their rights enshrined in the Indian Constitution. In keeping with its international human rights commitments under numerous treaty bodies, India must at once pass a law that bans the act of providing FGM," Founder of WeSpeakOut Masooma Ranalvi said. Among the respondents subjected to "khafd", six were cut by medical doctors and 75 were cut by traditional cutters, the report said. Those who have undergone "khafd" have reported painful urination, physical discomfort, difficulty in walking and bleeding immediately following the procedure. Some suffered from recurrent urinary tract infections and incontinence, in the long term. Nearly 33 per cent women subjected to "khafd" in the study said that it had negatively impacted their sexual life. Many experienced fear, anxiety, depression, low self- esteem and psychologically after undergoing FGM. While supporters of the practice claim that "khafd" was practiced by the Bohras and is just "a nick on the clitoral hood", the writer of the report said in reality what was practiced was much more grievous. "Most women subjected to khafd in India undergo Type 1 FGM or clitoridectomy which includes partial or total removal of the clitoral hood or clitoris. Very few younger women may be subjected to Type 4 FGM which includes pricking, piercing or cauterisation," Lakshmi Anantnarayan, writer of the report, said. The report also warned that in the absence of a law banning the practice in India, the country was at the risk of becoming a hub for FGM for expat and foreign Bohra girls following a crackdown in Australia and the US. A Bohra doctor was arrested in Michigan, the US, last year for allegedly performing female genital mutilation on two seven-year-olds. In Australia, three people were convicted of FGM in a landmark trial in 2015. An online petition initiated by WeSpeakOut on Change.Org has garnered over one lakh signatures. A copy of this was presented to Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi last year. Subsequently, the minister promised to bring a law as well as write to the Syedna, the spiritual leader of the community, asking him to enforce a ban. However, neither of these were done and the ministry has been maintaining a silence on this issue. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two state-owned ITDC hotels will soon go for auction as part of government's plans to privatise these properties, a senior government official said today. Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) Secretary Neeraj Kumar Gupta said the Centre had last year exited from five India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) hotel properties, which were in collaboration with various state governments. "We have taken the money and settled them with the states. Now states are in the process of coming out with the lease. Two joint leases, very promising, will come in the market very soon," Gupta said at the Ficci post-Budget meet. He said 14 joint ventures or units of ITDC which they have to settle with either private management or with states. Elaborating on his plans to raise Rs 80,000 crore in 2018-19 fiscal through disinvestment, Gupta said his department is working on a new debt Exchange Traded Fund (ETF). The debt ETF would enable CPSEs, which are raising almost Rs 3 lakh crore from market through bond route individually, can be leveraged. "The efficiency of bonds can be further improved. If the cost of borrowing goes down, the capacity to expand goes up," he said. The two equity ETFs -- CPSE ETF and Bharat 22 -- is outperforming Sensex and Nifty in yields, Gupta said. Speaking on the occasion, Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar said Udyamimitra portal is very helpful for the MSME sector as it clears the loan proposal in a time-bound manner. MSME will be informed about their loan proposal within a maximum time-limit of 15 days, he said. Besides, enterprises can track their proposal and get the status online, he said. "In respect of Udyamimitra, I would say its virtual platform now and 3,300 cases have been sanctioned amounting to Rs 750 crore in the last 4-5 months," Kumar said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lloyds Banking Group today joined major US banks in banning purchases of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies via credit card amid debt and security concerns. An LBG spokesman said the ban was across its Lloyd Bank, Bank of Scotland, Halifax and MBNA branded credit cards. In a brief statement, he said LBG does "not accept credit card transactions involving the purchase of cryptocurrencies". Over the past few days, US lenders Bank of American, Citigroup and JPMorgan each introduced the same ban. There is a concern that customers who bought bitcoin late last year when crytocurrencies in general surged in value have been left with big losses following massive declines in recent weeks. Today, the price of bitcoin tumbled to $7,950, two months after breaking through the $20,000 mark. It comes as China plans to stamp out all remaining cryptocurrency trading in the country by blocking access to overseas-based websites and removing related applications from app stores. The international value of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have plunged this year amid fears of a crackdown in Asia and concerns that many currencies' rapid rise in value last year could reflect an bubble. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UK's minister of state for trade and export promotion Baroness Rona Fairhead today embarked on a three-day tour of India to boost creative industry ties between the two countries. Fairhead is setto launch the first India-UK Createch Summit in Mumbai tomorrow, which will bring together around 1,000 leading figures from across business and government to celebrate innovation such as augmented reality and creative robotics within the creative and technology industries. "There is just so much potential in India and for our two countries to work together. It is particularly important, as we leave the EU that we strengthen our trading relationships with partners outside the bloc," she said. Describing the UK as a world leader in creative and technology industries, she added: "The opportunities for growth are plenty, and as an international economic department we will continue to use trade missions not only to boost UK exports, but also to help businesses of all sizes forge ties and build relationships with potential buyers and investors. In Mumbai, the minister in the UK's Department for International Trade (DIT) will also help launch a new VisitBritain campaign, "I Travel For", to further boost tourismbetween the two countries. According to official figures, there were a record 436,000 visits from India to the UK from January to September 2017, up 32 per cent compared to the same period in 2016, and these visitors spent 355 million pounds in Britain during the same period, up 7 per cent compared to 2016. "India is a fast-growing outbound visitor market and extremely important for VisitBritain. By promoting wonderfully unexpected experiences, alongside our globally renowned and iconic cultural landmarks and attractions, we want to inspire even more visitors from India to book a trip to Britain right now, said VisitBritain CEO Sally Balcombe. During her India visit, Fairhead will present the annual DIT Tech Rocketship Awards, which were established four years ago to connect the brightest of India's tech start-ups and scale-ups to both UK and Indian investors, encouraging them to internationalise their businesses via the UK. She will also visit Bengaluru to meet with a series of potential investors and future export partners for the UK, such as Bengaluru International Airport and Technicolor. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The number of Indian students applying for courses at UK universities this year registered a hike of 36 per cent over the previous year, according to official figures released today. A total of 4,470 students from India applied to take on undergraduate courses set to begin at universities across Britain later this year, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), the UK's centralised university application system, said. While the figures do not reflect the actual number of Indian students who will be successful in their applications to be able to join these courses, they are seen to reflect an interest in the UK as a destination for higher The latest UCAS figures also reveal the country's wider appeal, with applications from within the European Union (EU) also registering a hike this year. "The UK's universities are highly popular with EU and international students because of the quality of the teaching and experience they offer.There are probably several factors influencingthe increasing numbers of applicants from the EU and beyond. For example, the weaker pound makes the UK a cost-effective place to study," said Helen Thorne, UCAS Director of External Relations. Overall, more than 100,000 EU and overseas candidates applied to take up places at UK universities from autumn this year. The number of EU applicants increased by 3.4 per cent to 43,510, and the number of international applicants increased by 11 per cent to a record of 58,450. China maintained its lead over India in terms of numbers with 11,920 applications, but this reflected only a 21 per cent hike over the previous year compared to India's 36 per cent. The figures come amidst an ongoing debate within the UK government over the removal of students from annual migration targets, which critics believe prevents higher fee-paying foreign students from accessing the UK's system. British Prime Minister Theresa May indicated a softening of her tough stance on the issue by admitting that students do not have a long-term impact on migration figures. "There was a lot of abuse taking place in colleges something like 900 colleges can no longer bring in overseas students because all too often they were being brought in to work, rather than for education," she said. "Once you see that abuse out of the system, students coming in for the period of their and then leaving actually wash through the numbers they don't have a long- term impact on the numbers," she said during her visit to China last week. Indian ministers and diplomats have also repeatedly highlighted the need for a more welcoming immigration regime for Indian students. "The treating of students as immigrants leads to negative perceptions in India of the UKs restrictive visa regime... There is no justification for seeking to reduce numbers of international students," said Lord Karan Bilimoria, Indian- origin entrepreneur and Chancellor of University of Birmingham. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Manchester United fans have responded to Jose Mourinho's criticism about the subdued atmosphere at Old Trafford. Mourinho said United's supporters were "quiet" during Saturday's 2-0 home win over Huddersfield in the Premier League. The United manager went on to cite Portsmouth's Fratton Park as an example of a good atmosphere. In a statement, the Manchester United Supporters' Trust said:"We note our manager's further comments regarding the poor atmosphere within Old Trafford following the Huddersfield home game. "The decline in atmosphere is by no means limited to Old Trafford. It's an issue affecting clubs throughout the country. And it's certainly not an issue specific to Manchester United supporters - our away support is widely acknowledged, by fair minded fans, as the best in the country." Speaking on Saturday, Mourinho was asked about new signing Alexis Sanchez before branching off to discuss the crowd. "He played only three (matches since joining from Arsenal) and the first at Old Trafford, and I think Old Trafford, in spite of being a quiet stadium, the pitch is big, the grass is nice and obviously the players feel very comfortable playing here," he said. When then asked to explain his comments, Mourinho replied: "It's not Portsmouth. I remember Portsmouth - such a small stadium, the atmosphere was absolutely incredible. In here, the atmosphere is a bit quiet and there is not very (much enthusiasm). But the players like to play at home." Earlier this season, Mourinho said United supporters were "very quiet" during the 2-0 win over Leicester in August. He also, after the 1-0 win over Tottenham in October, expressed his unhappiness with United fans over what he regarded as unfair treatment of Romelu Lukaku. MUST added that a breakdown in the relationship between the fans and the club's owners may be part of the problem. "We believe that atmosphere is primarily dependent on the perceived relationship between fans and club - including the degree of supporter ownership and engagement," the group added. "In the absence of any imminent changes in the former we therefore concentrate on other areas where we can have an impact in the short to medium term. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Uttar Pradesh ATS today said it had arrested a terrorist who had close links with militant groups operating in Kashmir. Sheikh Ali Akbar, a resident of Ghazipur district, was arrested from Lohia Path here, IG ATS Aseem Arun said. The senior police officer in a statement said four terrorists arrested from Bandipora in Kashmir yesterday had told the police that Akbar was associated with them and had recently taken Rs 40,000 for supplying them with arms. The senior officer said Akbar came in contact with terror groups through the social media and was in touch with their members on the phone. He had also been invited to Pakistan by terror group leaders for training but could not go there, Arun said, adding that there was enough evidence against Akbar. His mobile phone had several "terror videos" and he was an active member of nine groups on social media which fan terrorism, the Inspector General said. Akbar will be produced in court and taken into police custody, he said. Arun claimed Akbar had admitted to having taken Rs 40,000 for supplying arms to terrorists. His bank account transactions proved that he had taken the money, the IG said, adding his social media accounts were also being probed. Meanwhile, a police official in Srinagar said four youths were yesterday detained for questioning for their suspicious activities over social media in north Kashmir's Bandipora district. He said the youth were "ideologically motivated" and were not "active militants". He said it is not known yet if the four youths had any links with a man arrested in Lucknow. "We are questioning them and the investigations are on, the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Terming the UP government proposal of acquiring three temples and set up a shrine board to protect Govardhan as "draconian", priests from across the country gathered here in Govardhan dham has warned the government of intensifying its agitation against the decision. Thousands of priests gathered here yesterday have expressed their solidarity on the issue and threatened to close temples of all the 12 pilgrim centres, if the government doesn't reverse its decision. "If the draconian order of acquisition of Goverdhan based three temples is not withdrawn, it would convert into anational issue," said Mahesh Pathak, president, All India Tirth Purohit Mahasabha (AITPM) after addressing a gathering of priests of different temples. Though against the acquisition of the three temples, the AITPM president said that they don't want to lock horns with Yogi government and would rather cooperate for the formation of "shrine board", providedit is aimed to enhance pilgrim facilities. "The temples of Goverdhan are ancestral property of priests which ensure their livelihood," he added. Alleging the BJP government of wearing "Hindu masks", Mahant Sitaram Das of Nirmohi Akhada, Ayodhya said that it is unfortunate that they end up back biting Hindus only. "If the governmentreally wantsto acquirethese three temples of Goverdhan, it should present an example by acquiring Gorakh Nath Peeth first," the Mahant said. Also, in the meeting, the priests of Nandgaon, lead by priest Bal Krisna Goswami, declared that they would not go to Barsana on Feb 24 -- the date slated for'Lathamaar Holi' (Holi with batons) -- and boycott the celebration as a mark of protest. In an order issued on January 8, the UP government had said that acting on orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the state religious works department was setting up a shrine board for the protection of Govardhan. The order said preparations were underway to acquire and manage Sri Girija Mukharvind Temple, Daan-ghaati Temple and Mukut Mukharvind Temple, located at Govardhen. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bitterly divided US lawmakers return this week to face a shrinking window for reaching deals on immigration, federal spending and the debt, as Republican infighting swirls and President Donald Trump complains he is getting zero cooperation from Democrats. Trump vowed during his State of the Union address last week to "extend an open hand" to both parties in pursuing an immigration deal that shields 1.8 million undocumented migrants from deportation. But his proposal has been savaged by opposition Democrats, and Trump's "open hand" soon wagged an accusatory finger. "They Resist, Blame, Complain and Obstruct - and do nothing" to break the immigration stalemate, Trump tweeted a few days after his January 30 speech. Congress has also been haggling over spending caps for domestic programs and the military as they seek to finalize a budget for the remainder of 2018. But Republican leaders have acknowledged they will not meet a Thursday deadline for a spending bill, and will have to pass yet another stopgap measure this week -- with help from Democrats -- to avoid a government shutdown. House Speaker Paul Ryan said that while both sides were "making progress" on a budget agreement, a temporary spending bill was necessary to keep the lights on in Washington. "We're still negotiating the contents and the duration of that," he said. Lawmakers are smarting from an embarrassing three-day shutdown last month, when Democrats refused to back a spending measure that did not break the immigration impasse. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said this time he did not expect another threat of a government shutdown, which Trump critics blamed on Republicans but McConnell pinned on Democrats. "There's no education in the second kick of a mule," the Kentucky lawmaker said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US has made an offer to India to develop and produce armoured personnel carriers as part of a trilateral venture also involving Israel, the government said today. Replying to a question, minister of state for defence Subhash Bhamre, however, said discussions on the proposal have not been completed. The APCs are armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield. Asked about government retracting the process to acquire a batch of Spike missiles from Israel, Bhamre said the decision was taken as the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was developing the weapon. He said there is no government decision to buy 8,000 anti-tank guided missiles from Israel's state-owned defence contractor. In November last year, the defence ministry had decided to retract the process to acquire a batch of Spike missiles from Israeli firm Rafael Advanced Defence Systems. Subsequently, the ministry had asked the DRDO to develop similar missiles with indigenous technology. Official sources had said the proposal to acquire the missile system from the Israeli firm faced hurdles when it apparently expressed reservations in ensuring full transfer of technology as per the provisions of the 'Make in India' initiative. They said the government is considering purchase of Spike missiles from Israel through the government-to- government route to meet immediate requirement as it will take at least 4-5 years for the DRDO to produce the weapon system. India's defence ties with the US and Israel have been on an upswing in the recent years. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States and Russia clashed at the UN Security Council today over a push by Washington to condemn reported chlorine gas attacks in Syria that have left many injured in recent days, including children. US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the council that there was "obvious evidence from dozens of victims" to corroborate the chlorine attacks in rebel-held Eastern Ghouta. "Now we have reports that the Assad regime has used chlorine gas against its people multiple times in recent weeks, including just yesterday," Haley said. The United States proposed that the council adopt a statement condemning "in the strongest terms" the reported February 1 chlorine attack in the town of Douma that injured over 20 civilians including children, according to the draft seen by AFP. Russia hit back and accused the United States of waging a "propaganda campaign" aimed at falsely blaming President Bashar al-Assad for chemical attacks. "It's completely clear to us the goal is to basically accuse the Syrian government of chemical weapons use where no perpetrators have been identified," said Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia. Russia proposed an amended draft statement that made no mention of the attacks in Eastern Ghouta and stressed that the reports should be "credibly and professionally investigated," according to the text seen by AFP. The United States rejected the changes and no statement was adopted, diplomats said. Haley slammed Russia for balking at a statement that she described as a "simple condemnation of Syrian children being suffocated by chlorine gas. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bombay High Court today directed the Maharashtra government to use satellite mapping to monitor and protect wetlands across the state. A bench of Justices Naresh Patil and N W Sambre also summoned the deputy secretary of the state's Ministry of and Forest on February 23, the next date of the hearing, to list down the steps taken to protect the wetlands and mangroves across Maharashtra. The bench also granted two weeks to the state authorities to constitute a 'grievance redressal authority' for dealing with complaints relating to the destruction of wetlands and mangroves. The bench was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) by an NGO, Vanshakti, for saving wetlands and for setting up an appropriate authority to monitor violations. In compliance with a previous high court order, the state government, on December 18, 2013, had issued a government resolution directing all the civic bodies to enforce a ban on reclamation or construction on areas earmarked by the state or the Union government as wetlands. In July 2016, another bench of the high court had directed the state to constitute a committee headed by the divisional commissioner, Konkan region, to protect wetlands and to ensure their restoration. This committee, in turn, was to set up a grievance redressal authority to deal with complaints relating to the destruction of the wetlands. While the committee was set up last year, and it was announced, at the time, that the grievance redressal authority would be constituted by December 26, 2017, the same is yet to be done. "Why haven't you complied with the court's order yet? While there is rampant destruction of wetlands and mangroves, the public has no place to seek remedy," the bench said. "Constitute the grievance redressal authority in two weeks. Also take immediate steps to protect wetlands. Use modern methods like satellite mapping," the bench said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said today those who attacked his convoy with stones in Buxar district last month wanted to "target" him, and that he would have been happy to "take the blows" if they had waited for a few more seconds. Shortly after the alleged attack, which Kumar escaped unharmed, RJD chief Lalu Prasad's son and Leader of the Opposition Tejaswi Yadav had visited the scene where he was accorded a warm reception, triggering speculation about a political motive behind the stone-pelting. "While our convoy was on its way to the venue of the public meeting in Nandan village of Buxar, I learnt that some women were standing on both sides of the road, agitating over some issue. I had decided to get down from my vehicle and speak to them. But, before I could do so, stone-pelting began," Kumar told reporters narrating the incident. "It was obvious that the attackers wanted to target me. I would have been happy to take the blows on myself if they had waited for a few more seconds. But they made haste and ended up injuring officials and policemen," Kumar said about the January 12 incident. He was on a tour of the area to review the execution of development schemes. The chief minister, who was speaking to journalists after his weekly 'Lok Samvad' during which he interacts with members of the public, said the protesters were Dalits and were angry over the benefits of welfare schemes not reaching their ward. He said the government was committed to according top priority to localities having concentration of people belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. "I have also asked officials not to be too harsh against those arrested. In the first place, I would not have approved of the arrests. But it is now difficult to persuade the police department as their own men have been injured in the violence," Kumar said. He said he has instructed the authorities concerned not to oppose the bail applications of those arrested. About opposition RJD's criticism of him having got 'Z plus' security cover less than a couple of months after Lalu Prasads security was downgraded, Kumar said,"I cannot dictate to the Centre whom they should provide with what type of security cover. "It is not in my hands to refuse it either as the security cover is not provided to an individual called Nitish Kumar but the Chief Minister of Bihar, based on inputs provided by the state government." Kumar termed as "ridiculous" the talk about his impending retirement in the aftermath of allotment of a government bungalow to him in New Delhi. "A fuss has been made over my being allotted a bungalow in New Delhi by suggesting I have planned my retirement and the BJP government at the Centre has made arrangements for it. People making such ridiculous statements do not even have basic knowledge of rules and regulations," he said. The chief minister said he was likely to visit Japan later this month and necessary formalities were being completed by the Ministry of External Affairs. He said his visit would help boost the food processing, textile and infrastructure sectors. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India will continue to give a "befitting reply" and its action will speak for itself, the Army's vice chief said today, a day after four of its personnel were killed in heavy shelling by Pakistan along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. The Pakistani Army has been supporting infiltration by terrorists along the border, Army Vice Chief Sarath Chand said. "We will continue with our process of giving a befitting reply," he told reporters. "(Our) action will speak for itself," Chand added in response to a question on yesterday's incident. Four Army personnel, including a 22-year-old captain, were killed yesterday in the Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control in Poonch and Rajouri districts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five sub-jails operating much below their sanctioned capacity are to be shut down in Telangana. Director General (Prisons and Correctional Services) V K Singh said the decision was a result of the reformation and rehabilitation measures undertaken by the Prisons department bearing fruit. There are 35 sub-jails in Telangana, Singh said, adding that "by the end of this year, we intend to close three more sub-jails by reducing the number of prisoners." The sub-jails at Armoor and Bodhan in Nizamabad district, Narasampet and Parkal in Warangal district and Madhira in Khammam district will be closed, he said. While the capacity in Armoor sub-jail is 10, the number of prisoners is only two. In the sub-jail at Bodhan, there are just two prisoners against an intake capacity of 17. Similar is the case at Narasampet where the number of prisoners confined is seven while the authorised capacity is 30 and at Parkal where there are two prisoners against a capacity of 30. In Madhira, the authorised capacity is 20 and the number of prisoners confined is 10. "We have taken up the task of reformation of the prisoners in jails. The prisoners are fully motivated to act as partners in the elimination of crime from society," Singh said. "We are striving to reduce crime. The result has been visible over the last three years. We are closing down five sub-jails due to insufficient prisoners," Singh said. According to the DG, the number of prisoners has also come down as compared to previous years with the total number of prisoners confined as on January 27 this year standing at 5,348 (male 4953 and female at 395) as against 6,012 (male 5567 and female 445) as on December 31, 2014. The sanctioned accommodation in all the jails in the state is 6,848 persons, he said. "Now we intend to reduce crime by 10 per cent every year and the target is to make it 50 per cent less over the next five years with the help of reformed prisoners, social activists and people. We also want to start a statewide awareness campaign for mutual resolution of disputes," Singh said. The department has plans to give employment to all its ex-prisoners, single women and orphans to reduce crime, he said. "For this we intend to start 100 petrol bunks this year itself. We also plan to start 1,000 outlets (to sell products manufactured in prisons) in different villages across the state. We have a target of providing 3,000 jobs this year," Singh said. The official informed that victims, both men and women, could be given jobs at the Prisons department itself if they so wished. A proposal by the state's Prisons department to rent out its jails to other states to lodge their convicts on payment basis is pending with the state government, Singh added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 36-year-old woman died today at the government medical college hospital here, five days after her delivery, following which her relatives staged a protest alleging medical negligence. However, the hospital authorities said the woman was suffering from HELLP syndrome, a serious pregnancy complication, and had been on ventilator after her delivery. Relatives of the woman alleged that she was suffering from stomach ache and breathing difficulty, but was given medicines for gastric problems only. Though she died in in the morning, they were informed about it very late, the relatives charged. "It is an unfortunate incident. An inquiry commission has been set up to probe the issue," hospital superintendent R V Ramlal said. He said an inquiry has also been ordered into the alleged discovery of a piece of cloth in the private parts of another woman who had been recently admitted to the hospital for delivery. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian Army's vice chief Lt Gen Sarath Chand today pitched for greater representation of women in UN peacekeeping missions and said their participation "should not be limited to supportive roles". He also hoped to increase India's contribution of women to the missions by the end of the year. Addressing a gathering at an event here, the Vice Chief of Army Staff described conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) as the "worst form of suffering" and asserted that women participation in peacekeeping missions "should not be limited to supportive roles". "Greater participation of women in areas of conflict prevention was particularly necessary for lasting peace and security... And, gender mainstreaming is a way to end CRSV," Chand said. He was speaking at the launch of a four-day training programme -- Mainstreaming Gender in UN Peacekeeping to end Conflict-related Sexual Violence -- jointly hosted by Delhi- based think-tank USI (United Service Institution of India) and UN Women for various stakeholders. "There are already two UNSC resolutions -- 1325 and 1820, (in this domain). But, despite resolutions, not much progress been made... Women should play a more active role, from the stage of inception to negotiations to mandate, and even post- conflict resolution," Chand said. "I have been made to understand that women representation in UN peacekeeping missions is a mere 4 per cent, and they hope to make it 8 per cent. We hope to make it from our end too, and to make our contribution (of women members) to it, 8 per cent by the end of this year," he said. UNSC resolution 1820 (of 2008) says that "rape and other forms of sexual violence can constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity or a constitutive act with respect to genocide". The Vice Chief of Army Staff also said that some of the principal reasons for CRSV is to control population and trade route, deliberately target ethnic communities and cause humiliation of men and women by act of rape. "It is also a means of intimidating males who cannot protect their women and a means of ethnic cleansing through forceful impregnation," he said. Secretary (West) in the MEA, Ruchi Ghanashyam, said, India will continue to be supportive of gender parity in UN peacekeeping missions. "Women need to play a more active role at all levels as their participation helps in successful peace process. Their representation should be in greater numbers in top offices in the UN too," she said. Ambassador of Norway to India, Nils Ragnar Kamsvag, said, "If India will do its bit (in increasing women participation), it will work as an inspiration for others." The training programme brings together 38 officers from the military and police as well humanitarian sectors from India, Bangladesh, Canada, Japan, Finland, Sweden, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, the UK, among other countries, the UN Women said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scientists in Denmark claim to have created the world's most secure marking system for combating counterfeit products, such as pirated pharmaceuticals, foods, designer merchandise and artwork. The system cannot be hacked since the markings are random, researchers said. Companies around the world consistently suffer significant economic losses due to counterfeited goods made by pirate manufacturers. Counterfeit medications sold online may even put people's lives at risk. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark developed a system that according to them is "the safest in the world" when it comes to clamping down on all types of pirate manufacturing. "The system, which deploys three rare earths (metals) among other things, is based on randomness, which makes it unable to be hacked or tampered with," said Thomas Just Sorensen, associate professor at the University of Copenhagen. "As soon as a customer asks that an authorised dealer checks up on a piece of merchandise that was meant to be marked using the system, an expensive wrist watch for example, the dealer can access a manufacturer database to check its authenticity," Sorensen said. The probability of two products having the same 'fingerprints' - the same digital key - is so minuscule, that in practice, it can only be described as non-existent, according to the study published in the journal Science Advances. "It corresponds to a one out of an enormous number composed of a 6 followed by 104 zeros," Sorensen said. Researchers have taken out a patent on the marking system and it is expected to be on the market in roughly a year. They are currently fine-tuning scanning solutions to ready the system for manufacturers. To create the marking code based on randomness researchers took a large bucket of sand and divided it into three smaller tubs. They added three rare earth metals - europium, terbium and dysprosium - to each of the three tubs. Each of these light up when exposed to a specific wavelength of light. Thereafter, the coloured grains of sand from each of the three tubs were poured back into the single large bucket and thoroughly mixed. A piece of 'tape' was used to pull thousands of coloured grains of sand out of the bucket and then attached to the product. The unique pattern created by the coloured grains of sand, measuring only a few millimetres, can be impregnated into leather, embedded into glass or milled into metal. Since the grains of sand are so small, they cannot be removed individually and rearranged into another puzzle. As soon as the manufacturer equips an item with the randomly generated fingerprint, the imprint is photographed at individual wavelengths, each of which gets the europium, terbium and dysprosium to light up. The three pictures are then combined into a single image, which is stored in a manufacturer database. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ROME (Reuters) - Alitalia's revenues rose by 1 percent in 2017, following six years of falling sales and the insolvent Italian airline aims to do better this year, its Chief Commercial Officer Fabio Maria Lazzerini said on Monday.Alitalia, which has made a profit only a few times in its 70-year history, was put under special administration last year after staff rejected a plan to cut jobs and salaries.The Italian government is now looking for a buyer for the national carrier, hoping to strike a deal before national elections due March 4.For 2018, Alitalia expects a "considerable" increase in ... India "might actually" be able to reduce the fiscal deficit to 3 per cent of the GDP by 2019-20, a finance ministry official said on Monday, a year ahead of a stated goal of the government announced last week in the Union Budget. "Fiscal Deficit at 3.3 per cent for 2018-19, backed with statutory commitment to bring it down to 3 per cent by 20-21 (might actually be achieved in 19-20) ..." Subhash Chandra Garg, the economic affairs secretary in the finance ministry, said in a Tweet. Fiscal Deficit at 3.3% for 2018-19, backed with statutory ... By Tim Hepher and Jamie FreedSINGAPORE (Reuters) - Boeing played up the prospects for a potential new mid-market jet on the eve of the Singapore Airshow on Monday - but the war for sales has already begun in this area of the market worth hundreds of billions of dollars over the next 20 years.Even before Boeing decides whether to launch its much-touted new jet, the U.S. planemaker and European rival Airbus are stepping up sales of existing models to seize market share and disrupt each other's profits without the temporary respite many had been expecting after a busier than expected 2017.Their ... (Reuters) - Shares of India's biggest mobile carrier Bharti Airtel Ltd gained 4.2 percent on Monday after Singapore Telecommunications said it was slightly increasing its stake in the holding company to nearly 50 percent.The investment is a show of confidence in Bharti Airtel at a time when India's telecommunications sector has been hard hit by regulatory changes and a price war since the entry of Reliance Jio, the telecoms arm of Reliance Industries Ltd, more than a year ago.Singtel said it would spend up to $413 million to lift its stake in Bharti Telecom by up to 1.7 percentage points to ... By Tom KackenhoffDUESSELDORF (Reuters) - Steel workers at Germany's Thyssenkrupp voted on Monday in favour of a labour agreement that will safeguard jobs and plants in a planned joint venture with Tata Steel until 2026, removing another key hurdle for the tie-up.Although not essential to the creation of the planned joint venture, workers' approval of the labour agreement is seen as a precondition to getting the deal done as it removes the risk of strikes and potential delays.Thyssenkrupp and India's Tata Steel in September unveiled plans to merge their European steel operations and create ... The TDP on Monday said its alliance with the BJP in Andhra Pradesh and the Centre was very much alive, following speculation that the party was disgruntled over the "raw deal" that the state got in the Union Budget. TDP leader and Union minister Y Satyanarayana Chowdary briefed the media this afternoon about deliberations at a meeting convened by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on the Union Budget. "As and when it is required, the chief minister and party chief will take the decision appropriately. As of today it (the alliance) is just going on. We never said (about snapping ... The much delayed insolvency resolution proceedings for Bhushan Steel has finally made it to the second stage. Bids for the debt-ridden company were submitted day before yesterday-after being pushed back multiple times-and the highest bidder is expected to be announced tomorrow. In the running are JSW Steel, Tata Steel and a group of employees of Bhushan Steel along with a private equity firm, according to The Economic Times. While the much-hyped bidding process for the maker of auto grade steel had generated a lot of interest at home and abroad, several interested parties-including ArcelorMittal, Steel Authority of India and UK-based Liberty House-ultimately did not submit resolution plans to Deloitte's Vijaykumar V. Iyer, the appointed insolvency resolution professional. JSW Steel has reportedly bid in partnership with Piramal Enterprises. A third partner, Japan's JFE Steel Corp, reportedly backed out a day before the deadline for bids. Though the liquidation value had been set at Rs 15,000 crore-this is the minimum value set for a stressed asset by the committee of creditors, below which bids are not accepted-"looking at the competition, JSW Steel is expected to double its bid amount. It can be between Rs 25,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore," a source earlier told PTI. That's not surprising, given that JSW Steel is known to be in expansion mode. It is also evaluating opportunities for acquisitions to achieve the target of increasing manufacturing capacity to 40 million tons by 2030. Bhushan Steel's annual capacity of 5.6 million tonne-according to its website it is the third largest secondary steel producer in the country-could give it a leg up. It will also provide JSW Steel a gateway to the east and north, as most existing facilities of the beleaguered company are concentrated in the east. Similarly, for Tata Steel, historically concentrated around Jamshedpur, the acquisition makes sense as it will help to tighten its grip on the eastern region. Bhushan Steel was on RBI's first list of 12 companies to be referred to the National Company Tribunal Law (NCLT) for insolvency proceedings, which together accounted for 25% of total bank NPAs. According to the latest Economic Survey, claims admitted under the insolvency proceedings for the maker of auto grade steel stand at a whopping Rs 55,989 crore. That makes it the biggest bankruptcy, so far, to go under the hammer. Essar Steel, Monnet Ispat and Electrosteel Steels are the other major players in this space currently undergoing bankruptcy proceedings. It will be interesting to see if the group of 400-500 employees of Bhushan Steel, who have reportedly submitted a resolution plan in partnership with a Singapore-based firm, will be able to recreate a David versus Goliath win. The Budget presented by finance minister Arun Jaitley gave a push to 'Make In India' by raising the customs duty on mobile phones and some components that are used to make phones. As it seems, this measure might prove to be insufficient in making substantial changes to the mobile manufacturing ecosystem in the country. The Budget has raised customs duty on cellular phones (completely built up) from 15 per cent to 20 per cent. On some low-value components, the hike varies from 10 to 15 per cent. The key component like PCB (printed circuit board) of the cellular phones, which accounts for about 55 per cent of the total mobile cost, remains untouched. The expectations were ripe that the government, by increasing customs duty on PCB assembly, will promote manufacturers to bring SMT (surface mount technology) in India which will increase the percentage of value addition done in the country. SMT is a process where electronic components are assembled with automated machines on the surface of a board (PCB). With the changes in the customs duty, the percentage value addition done in India is expected to rise from about 10 per cent currently to 17 per cent in a year. By shifting SMT work to India, this would have gone up to 20-25 per cent. "You cannot push Make In India unless there are steep excise duty on key components like PCB assembly, battery and display," says Neil Shah, ?Research Director, Counterpoint Research. The decision to increase customs duty on phones is likely to affect companies like Apple and some homegrown brands like Micromax who are shipping CBU units (completely built units) from outside the country. Some homegrown brands were behind the curve at the time of the shift from 3G to LTE. As a result, they had to import handsets from China. Most Chinese brands like Xiaomi, Vivo and Oppo are doing SKD-level production in the country. As against CBU units which are final products, SKD (semi-knocked down) requires some labour to assemble five-six key components which are imported. "If the government wants to push 'Make In India', they have to promote for higher imports of completely knocked down (CKD) kits that increases the local value addition as the assembling of mobile phones requires more labour and an assembly line," says an expert. In India, Samsung is the largest handset company to assemble CKD kits. With such half-hearted measures, the government might not be able to make significant strides with its 'Make In India' mission. A South Korean appeals court on Monday suspended a jail sentence handed down to Samsung Group heir Jay Y. Lee, setting him free after a year's detention amid a corruption scandal that brought down the former president. Seoul High Court jailed Lee for two and a half years, reducing the original term by half, and suspended the sentence for charges including bribery and embezzlement, meaning he does not have to serve time. Lee, 49, heir to one of the world's biggest corporate empires, had been detained since last February. President Park Geun-hye was dismissed in March after being impeached in a case that brought scrutiny to the nature of the ties between South Korea's chaebols - big family-owned corporate groups - and its political leaders. Park, who denies wrongdoing, is standing trial accused of bribery, abuse of power and coercion. A lower court in August convicted Lee for bribing Park for help in strengthening his control of Samsung Electronics, the crown jewel of the country's largest conglomerate and one of the world's biggest technology companies, as well as embezzlement and other charges. The court said Samsung's financial support for entities backed by a friend of Park's, Choi Soon-sil, constituted bribery, including 7.2 billion won ($6.4 million) to sponsor the equestrian career of Choi's daughter. Presiding senior judge Cheong Hyung-sik on Monday called the nature of Lee's involvement in Samsung's monetary support for Choi a "passive compliance to political power". Prosecutors and Samsung did not have an immediate comment. Lee, whose face was noticeably worn, did not show any emotion when the ruling was announced. Prosecutors had sought a 12-year jail term for Lee. The ruling is expected to be appealed again to the Supreme Court, legal experts said. With the end of his year-long detention, which according to local media he adjusted to with physical workouts and reading books, Lee could continue with his existing roles including director of Samsung Electronics. However he has been found guilty of some lesser charges and is prohibited from traveling outside South Korea without a judge's approval, according to law firm Cho & Partners. The lower court ruling in August had said while Lee never asked for President Park's help directly, the fact that a 2015 merger of two Samsung affiliates did help cement Lee's control over Samsung Electronics implied he was asking for the president's help to strengthen his control of the firm. His lawyers had strongly challenged this logic and said that the merger was done for business reasons. Some criminal lawyers had expected Lee to be found innocent of most of the charges, as much of the evidence at the trial has been circumstantial. But although he was set free from detention by the appeals court, the stigma may stick, lawyers say. "Public opinion will get riled up and people will keep thinking there was some quid pro quo between Samsung's Lee and the president," Lee Jung-jae, a lawyer at law firm Jung said. Black Knight released their Mortgage Monitor report for December today. According to Black Knight, 4.71% of mortgages were delinquent in December, up from 4.42% in December 2016. The increase was primarily due to the hurricanes. Black Knight also reported that 0.65% of mortgages were in the foreclosure process, down from 0.95% a year ago. This gives a total of 5.36% delinquent or in foreclosure. Press Release: Black Knights Mortgage Monitor: Hurricane Effect Aside, Mortgage Performance Continued to Improve in 2017; Foreclosure Starts, Completions at 17-Year Lows Today, the Data & Analytics division of Black Knight, Inc. released its latest Mortgage Monitor Report, based on data as of the end of December 2017. This month, Black Knights examination of year-end trends in mortgage performance found that as expected the years multiple major hurricanes have left lasting effects. However, as Black Knight Data & Analytics Executive Vice President Ben Graboske explained, when taking the storms impacts into consideration, 2017 continued a long-term trend of improvement for the market. Hurricanes Harvey and Irma significantly impacted 2017 mortgage performance metrics, said Graboske. Overall, there were approximately 164,000 more past-due loans at the end of 2017 than the year before, pushing the national delinquency rate to a 23-month high. When Black Knight isolated non-hurricane-impacted areas which represent 90 percent of the entire active U.S. mortgage universe we see the national delinquency rate actually fell to 11 percent below long-term norms. Likewise, the 90-day delinquency rate was also up six percent from last year, with roughly a third more seriously delinquent loans than we'd expect in a healthy market. Excluding the hurricane impact, though, we see that there were 84,000 fewer loans 90 or more days past due than last year; a 14 percent reduction. The national non-current rate which tracks all loans 30 or more days past due or in active foreclosure edged down slightly from 2016, even including the effects of the storms. Isolating those non-hurricane areas, though, we see that the total number of past-due mortgages fell by more than 140,000 which brought the non-current rate in these areas down 10 percent below long-term norms. Due to the various foreclosure moratoria put into place after the storms, there was no hurricane impact to speak of in that regard. In fact, the improvement in foreclosure inventory which continued unabated in 2017 may have actually received a short-term boost from the moratoria. In any case, it was a record-setting year in terms of foreclosure activity. Just 649,000 foreclosure starts were initiated in 2017, which was the fewest of any year since 2000, with the lowest number of first-time starts on record. In fact, first-time foreclosure starts were 15 percent below 2016 levels and roughly half the annual average seen from 2000-2005. Likewise, the year saw the lowest single-year total for foreclosure completions since the turn of the century. All in all, the inventory of loans in active foreclosure is on track to normalize in 2018. That said, there are still issues with aged inventory; more than 125,000 active foreclosures have had no payments made in more than two years. Of those, some 63,000 have gone unpaid for five years or more. Black Knight also observed evidence of the hurricane effect at work in the home equity market. Similar to the first lien market, nearly 10 percent of active home equity loans and lines of credit over 1 million in total are located in areas impacted by the year's major hurricanes, primarily in Florida. Noticeable jumps were seen in the number of past-due loans and lines, although the overall impact has been muted as compared to the first lien market. In Irma-impacted areas, the share of past-due second lien lines of credit increased from July to November by 117 basis points (from 3.2 to 4.4 percent) and second lien loans by 349 basis points (7.2 to 10.7 percent). Increases were also seen in Harvey-affected areas of Texas, with the non-current rate on lines increasing by 79 basis points to 1.9 percent, and by 378 basis points on loans to 11.8 percent. An estimated 17,200 second liens became delinquent as a result of the storm, with 5,000 resulting serious delinquencies. In a market where delinquency rates are relatively low, the rise has been noticeable. emphasis added Click on graph for larger image. There are 331K loans in active foreclosure nationwide, down by more than 150K from last year Total foreclosure inventory is just 2.0 percent above pre-crisis averages, an excess of approximately 5,600 over what would be expected in a normal market Just over 200K are early-stage foreclosures (delinquent for less than two years), almost 100K fewer than normal In a typical market, this subset of foreclosures would make up the vast majority (93 percent) of active foreclosures During the financial crisis, the share of early-stage foreclosures got as low as 45 percent (2014); it currently stands at 65 percent More than 125K active foreclosures have had no payments made in more than two years Of these, nearly 64K have gone unpaid for five years or more, a number which would typically be fewer than 1,500 nationally This graph from Black Knight shows the foreclosure inventory by delinquency bucket. Notice short term is at record lows, but lenders are still working through older loans.From Black Knight:There is much more in the mortgage monitor. | BY Lynchy | Aussie expat creative directors Matthew Cramp and Rua Perston at DDB Chicago created the Jurassic Jeep spot that aired during Super Bowl LII, a partnership with the soon-to-be released Jurassic World: Forbidden Kingdom movie. The spot was directed by Colin Trevorrow (director of Jurassic World) and animated by Industrial Light and Magic. The Aussie pair (pictured right) have been the the US since 2015, departing Innocean Sydney for Arnold Worldwide, Boston to take associate CD roles. In April last year they moved to DDB Chicago in creative director roles. | BY Ricki Green | A national campaign and petition to #bringbackdundee is being launched today by News Corp Australia newspapers, following worldwide intrigue sparked by Tourism Australias movie trailer Dundee The Son of A Legend Returns Home via Droga5 NY. NT News News Corps masthead in the home of the outback is kicking off the #bringbackdundee campaign with the petition. It then launches across all News Corp mastheads nationally, in print and online, including all metro, regional and community titles as well as news.com.au. Escape.com.au, News Corps niche travel title and Australias number one print and digital travel brand is also part of the campaign. The petition says: We, the NT News, on behalf of Crocodile Dundee lovers around the world, petition Paul Hogan and actors to create a new instalment of the movie. The Northern Territory wants it, Australia wants it, the world wants it. Stop teasing us and make it happen! #bringbackdundee Dundee The Son of A Legend Returns Home is Tourism Australias latest viral marketing campaign, created for the US Super Bowl. The ad convinces viewers the Dundee sequel is finally on its way after a 32-year wait, with a star-studded cast including Chris Hemsworth, Margot Robbie, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Isla Fisher, Ruby Rose, Jessica Mauboy, Luke Bracey and American comedian Danny McBride. Says Damian Eales, chief operating officer, Publishing at News Corp Australia: At News Corp, we believe its time for Crocodile Dundee to be made for a new generation. And it seems the public wants it too. As the largest print and digital publisher in the country, we have the reach to ask people in every corner of the country if its time to #bringbackdundee. And if Paul Hogan needs influencing to be sure how people truly feel about the issue, were hoping our petition will make the difference. Were hoping Mick Dundee is listening. | BY Ricki Green | Greg Daniel and Louise Pogmore, two of Australias leading communications practitioners, have been appointed to co-lead a specialist new social media advisory group at KPMG Australia. Building on KPMGs established social diagnostic, intelligence and advisory services, the new practice will help businesses to take advantage of the opportunities of social media whilst mitigating the risks. In particular, the practice will assist clients to analyse, influence and optimise customer conversations. Initially, the practice will consist of a group of eight specialists, with plans to grow the team significantly by the end of 2018. Pogmore joins KPMG as a director from PR and social media agency One Green Bean, where she was managing partner. She has 20 years experience, and has held senior roles at leading PR, social media, communications strategy and creative agencies. She has broad knowledge across all channels, with a deep specialism in earned media. At One Green Bean, she worked on PR and social media strategies for clients including Woolworths, Meat & Livestock Australia, Jetstar and HCF. Previous roles include PR and social at The Hallway, and head of PR for Naked Communications and she also spent stints at leading global communications agencies Edelman and Porter Novelli. Daniel is recognised as one of Australias most experienced marketing executives. Previously CEO of the countrys most awarded ad agency, The Campaign Palace, and CEO and deputy chairman for 10 years of Clemenger BBDO, he founded social media risk agency SR7 in 2008, serving clients ranging across blue-chip listed companies, government, not-for-profit organisations and agencies. In 2014 KPMG acquired SR7, with Daniel heading up KPMGs social media risk advisory services since then. Announcing the launch of the new practice, Paul Howes, partner in charge, KPMGs Customer, Brand & Marketing Advisory business: Public trust is a top priority for Australian business leaders for 2018. As more organisations struggle with their social license to operate, harnessing social is now a boardroom-level priority. And its not just about being present its about how to maximise its effectiveness as a strategic business tool. As a result of client demand, we are building a new team to bring cutting edge social strategy to the boardroom. According to Sensis research, over the past two years, up to 80% of Australian large businesses have a social media presence, which presents both challenges and opportunities for how businesses engage with customers online. There were increased levels of trust for brands that interact with customers in a positive way on social media (up from 52% to 64%) and businesses with engaging and relevant content (up from 52% to 63%). Says Pogmore: Im really excited about working with KPMGs diverse skill-sets to develop holistic solutions that drive greater share of experience for clients. And really demonstrate the effectiveness of earned media in delivering against business goals. Says Daniel: As social media enters its second decade as the worlds dominant medium we are brilliantly positioned to offer best practice advice on all aspects of social media strategy. This means a combination of harnessing social medias unbounded opportunities and mitigating its well documented risks. | BY Ricki Green | CB Exclusive Former Leo Burnett Melbourne head of copy Sarah McGregor has joined Cummins&Partners Melbourne as creative director, part of an organisational change in the agencys creative offering. Doogie Chapman, who has been a creative director at Cummins since 2014, has moved on to pursue other opportunities. Says Sean Cummins, founder, Cummins&Partners: Sarah joining us is particularly pleasing as she represents all the things we want to be as a creative offering. Those who are calculating the percentages of women in senior creative roles will be pleased, but for us she is a natural fit for an agency that has been built on industry-defying diversity. No appointments are made without the reason you hire anyone: great talent, great humanity and great reputation. Sarah is the epitome of all these qualities and brings also another interesting twist: I gave her her first job over a decade ago. Says McGregor: I remember well my first day in advertising, fresh out of Uni, at the first Cummins&Partners. Now after 15 years, Ive come full circle and am even more excited to be here at the 2018 version this feels like an agency with a genuine difference in its offering. Theres an energetic buzz, with a formidable ability to win new business and a catalogue of work that is some of the most iconic and enduring in Australia. Collaboration is part of the agencys DNA, and in just a few short weeks Ive seen the benefits of genuine integration between creative, media and digital. McGregor has been an industry leader through her stewardship at Award School; tutoring, judging, lecturing since 2010 and now leading the course in Victoria. She also participates in Shesays and MADC mentoring and speaks regularly at Copy School. She joins after 7 years at Leo Burnett and has worked at agencies in both London and Melbourne including Y&R, Grey London, Karmarama and of course, Cummins&Partners. She has created work for some of the worlds most famous brands including Honda, Peters, Bonds, Nintendo, Virgin, Emirates, Cadbury, Schweppes, General Mills, Yellow Pages, Nestle and most | BY Ricki Green | Slater and Gordon is returning to its roots with its latest advertising campaign Cases Like Yours via The Shannon Company, highlighting the law firms key service offering around compensation law. The creative approach to the campaign includes insights by on-the-ground practice lawyers and Slater and Gordon clients who are at the heart of the campaign. Cases Like Yours will be rolled out across television, print and digital formats from 4 February. The Cases Like Yours campaign features four testimonial-based executions which highlight the importance of the specialist team at Slater and Gordon being there for them, fighting for their rights and winning their case. Says Hayden Stephens, chief executive officer, Slater and Gordon: Our newly launched Cases Like Yours campaign reinforces the importance of maintaining the firms client-first approach and this campaign focuses on our clients sharing their own stories, experiences and outcomes. Slater and Gordon is an Australian law firm with a proud history of providing people with equitable access to legal services for over 80 years. Slater and Gordons clients are everyday Australians, and we handle every case with skill, care and commitment. When people come to Slater and Gordon, we know it is often during one of the most difficult times of their lives, which is why we give them peace of mind with No win. No fee an arrangement we are renowned for more than any other firm in Australia. Our firm is built on the dedication of our staff to deliver for our clients, and Cases Like Yours brings that to life in an accessible, compelling way that we hope will resonate with those in the community who need our help. Agency: The Shannon Company Chairman: Bill Shannon Art Director: Tony Osborne Copywriter: Burt Bosma Agency Producer: Jo Theoharis Group Account Director: Sue Collier Account Executive: Madeline Catanese Production Company: The Shannon Company Director: Mat Humphrey Film Producer: Beaver Editor: Seth Lockwood Post Production: The Shannon Company Sound Studio: Production Alley Sound Designers: Rodney Lowe | BY Ricki Green | Business of Baby has taken out Dentsu Aegis Networks (DAN) in-house idea incubator competition, Brainbox, winning a $100,000 investment from the group at the annual Brainbox Pitch Night on Friday night. Business of Baby is a centralised platform that helps parents navigate their childs administrative and healthcheck requirements by connecting them to the right Government and Organisational information. The idea was presented by Isobar strategy director, Sharon Behen. Now in its second year, Brainbox was developed by DAN with the simple goal of bringing great ideas to life. Judged on the key areas of originality, impact, practicality, measurability, development process and applicability, Business of Baby triumphed over an impressive 30 entries from across the group. Such was the quality of the entries on the night, the judging panel awarded a second winner, committing DANs CSR, Diversity & Inclusion councils, and Isobars resources to supporting Ngarandi, a digital platform that collates and hosts Aboriginal stories and history. Ngarandi was developed by an inter-agency group made up of Isobars Nowlab director Dave Budge, and specialist Indigenous communications agency, Cox Inall Ridgeways Harpreet Kalsi, Aden Ridgeway, Yatu Widders-Hunt and William Trewlynn. Alongside Business of Baby and Ngarandi, Old Mates a community platform solution that connects two generations (old and young) to create meaningful connections and relationships in everyday situations took out the Peoples Choice award. The team made up of iProspects Divya Voleti, Isobel Taylor, Thomas Curtain and Damien Tang won flights, accommodation and two tickets to SXSW in Austin, Texas. Says Simon Ryan, judge and CEO of Dentsu Aegis ANZ: Innovation is at the heart of everything we do, and I was thoroughly impressed by the ideas presented by our people at Pitch Night. We have seen great integration across our businesses, highlighting the breadth of talent we have in ANZ, and I was incredibly proud to be able to award a second winner, with a community-led idea to be brought to life by our own teams. Says Konrad Spilva, judge and Isobar Group CEO and head of innovation DAN ANZ: Dentsu Aegis Network is full of smart, creative people with brilliant ideas, and Brainbox is the ultimate celebration of this. Business of Baby brought us an idea that was practical, well-researched, and most of all, addressed a clear need for new parents who need help navigating the myriad of admin tasks that are thrown their way in the early years of a childs life. Particularly we loved that Business of Baby helps fathers and partners take more ownership of maternal health in the early months. Says Behen: Winning Brainbox is a huge validation of an idea Ive been sitting on for quite some time. The process of entry forced me to think about all the elements and craft a pitch that was tight enough to make others believe its a good idea too. Brainbox is a fantastic platform because many of the business ideas that come forward, are by nature, disruptive and digital and DAN is well-placed to bring them to life. For me, DAN had much of what I need to bring my idea to fruition, so it seemed like a natural fit. Im glad I put my best foot forward and submitted. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone that supported, assisted and cheered for me you realise the depth of your support in the network at moments like this. Brainbox is a flagship initative of DANs Innovation Council, an inter-agency cohort of senior leaders charged with driving the Groups commitment to innovative ideas and thinking, for the benefit of clients and staff across Australia and New Zealand. As well as the $100,000 investment from DAN, Behen will be given a day per week for six months to bring the minimum viable product to life. Once Business of Baby is in market, she will receive one third of their business revenue from day one. Dentsu Aegis looks forward to providing further updates on Business of Baby as the product is developed over the coming months. | BY Ricki Green | During todays Big Game, viewers will have learned that the much-talked about sequel of an 80s movie, Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home, is not a sequel at all. It is actually an elaborate, star-studded advertising campaign aimed at attracting more travelers to visit Australia created by Droga5 New York as Campaign Brief revealed to the world exclusively last week. The series of teasers and the final 60 and 90 second spots were directed by Australias Steve Rogers from Revolver/Will ORourke. Tourism Australia, the government agency responsible for attracting international visitors to Australia, has revealed it is behind the major US marketing campaign. Over the past two weeks, excitement for the new Crocodile Dundee movie has been steadily building. Imitating a traditional studio promotional campaignusing PR, social, digital, OOH and the release of four teaser filmsanticipation for the new film was widely reported in People, Buzzfeed, Daily Mail, Good Morning America, and the Hollywood Reporter, among others. Starring Danny McBride and Chris Hemsworth, with a cameo from Paul Crocodile Dundee Hogan himself, the 60-second commercial that aired during the second quarter of the Big Game revealed the joke to viewers. What begins as a typical movie trailer slowly and comically unravels, becoming a flagrant excuse to highlight Australias dazzling locations and fine array of food and wine. Presented as a buddy comedy, the movie features Danny McBride as Brian Dundee, the long-lost son of Mick Dundee and Chris Hemsworth as his sidekick, Wally Jr. The all-Australian supporting cast has an impressive roll call of Hollywood heavyweights and homegrown talent, including Hugh Jackman, Margot Robbie, Russell Crowe, Ruby Rose, Liam Hemsworth, Isla Fisher, Luke Bracey and Jessica Mauboy. The teasers led viewers to believe that Mick Crocodile Dundee was lost in the outback, and only the American son no one knew he had would be able to find him. Cue Brian Dundee returning to the Australian outback to find his father. The teaser films and promotional campaign encouraged fans to tune in to see the official movie trailer during the Big Game, where the Tourism Australia campaign was ultimately revealed. Part of its global Theres Nothing Like Australia masterbrand campaign, Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home represents the biggest campaign Tourism Australia has run in the US since Paul Hogans Come and Say GDay campaign in 1984as well as the largest investment ever made by Australia into a single overseas tourism market. The new US$27 million campaign is aimed at supercharging interest, bookings and spending by American travelers, with the goal of making Australia the most desired destination to visit among US travelers by 2020. The Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home campaign is also supported by Qantas and Wine Australia. Unlike most Big Game campaigns, todays commercial is just the beginning of Tourism Australias 2018 marketing push. A distinct suite of online filmstitled Why Australia?featuring Danny Dundee McBride were developed in parallel. They will live on Australia.com and are designed to convert attention into action by retargeting the audience who engaged with the Dundee teaser content. The series of lighthearted films see fellow Aussies Chris Hemsworth, Curtis Stone, Matt Wright and Jessica Mauboy help McBride (and all Americans) plan his ideal Australian getaway, providing personal perspectives and unique insights on Australias food and wine, nature and wildlife, aquatic and coastal experiences, culture and heritage and sport and events. Tourism Australia managing director John OSullivan said the US was a critical market for Australia, with American visitors spending $3.7 billion in the past 12 months. Says OSullivan: Despite rating highly in terms of aspiration and intention, we still have more work to do when it comes to converting American interest in Australia into actual visits. Thats the challenge that this new campaign is seeking to address. Crocodile Dundee put Australia on the map for Americans in the 80s. The film helped shape their view of Australia, showing them Australias natural beauty and Australians friendly and welcoming nature. And its still relevant today, with our research showing that Mick Crocodile Dundee is still a character Americans believe warmly represents the Australian way of life. Tourism Australia chief marketing officer Lisa Ronson said the Big Game provided the perfect platform to grab attention in the US before rolling out the new campaigns commercial elements in order to convert interest into bookings. Says Ronson: The Super Bowl has the largest reach of any advertising platform in the US, with more than 100 million viewers tuning in across America and many more millions globally. Importantly, many viewers are the high-yielding American traveler we specifically target. Tourism Australias global tourism ambassador Chris Hemsworth said that working on the campaign was a huge honour and also a lot of fun. Says Hemsworth: Crocodile Dundee and Hoges did an outstanding job thirty odd years ago of captivating American audiences and putting Australia onto their travel wish lists. Id like to think the inspiration the film has provided for this new Tourism Australia campaign will ultimately translate into similar success. Advertising agency Droga5 New York created the ambitious, integrated Dundee campaign. It is the first project Tourism Australia and Droga5 have partnered on together after being awarded the assignment in June 2017. The agency has deep roots in Australia, as founder and creative chairman David Droga is a native Australian. Says Droga (left): As an immensely proud Aussie, my goal was for Droga5 to create an audacious, outlandish tourism campaign that only Australia would have the guts to pull off. What makes Australia special isnt simply the 37,000 miles of beaches, unique wildlife or world-class food and wineits getting those things delivered by a warm, welcoming, irreverent bunch of people. What better platform than one of our most-loved treasures, Crocodile Dundee, which was also one of the best ads for Australia? From the strategic rigor and creative development to the production execution and PR approach, the clients have been on this journey with us 100 percent of the way. Partnering with Tourism Australia to bring this idea to life has been an honor. Tourism Australias global media services agency, UM handled media duties on the project. Says Daryl Lee, global CEO, UM: UM is delighted to be partnering with Tourism Australia around this years Super Bowl. There couldnt be a better time in the US for us to celebrate those quintessential Australian values of carefree fun, good humor and epic adventure. We are very excited to be helping the world get to know the Australia we have all come to know and love at UM. Fiona Johnston, chief executive officer, UM Australia said launching a campaign on behalf of Australia on Americas biggest advertising stage had presented its fair share of challenges. Says Johnston: With a project like this, ideas need to be bigger than just a spot to truly win the night. Countless hours were spent crafting this idea, ensuring every connection was leveraged to its maximum potential, and that the right science and strategy was in place to convert engagement into visitation. Im incredibly proud of our team both in Australia and in the US, and love the fact we work with such progressive clients that support great ideas and show the world what brave marketing can achieve. We look forward to an influx of excited travellers to our beautiful country. To explore all the elements of the campaign, please visit www.australia.com and www.australia.com/dundee. Agency: Droga5 NY Creative Chairman: David Droga Creative Directors: Chris Colliton, Kevin Weir Associate Creative Directors: Jim Curtis, Ryan Fitzgerald Design Director: Devin Croda Designer: Jen Lally Associate Experience Design Director: Annie Ha Co-Director of Film Production: Jesse Brihn Executive Producer, Film: Andrew Slough Music Supervisor : Mike Ladman Director of Business Affairs: Jocelyn Howard Sr. Business Affairs Manager: Tom Vendittelli Talent Manager: Michelle Cramer Senior Traffic Manager: Wendy Kaplan Co-Director of Interactive Production: Justin Durazzo Producer, Interactive: Alex Smith Producer, Media: Aaron Matys Director of Art Production: Cliff Lewis Producer, Art: Nichole Katsikas Associate Director. Print Services: Riely Clough Group Strategy Director: Will Davie Head of Communications Strategy: Colleen Leddy Communications Strategy Director: Delphine McKinley Senior Communications Strategist: Hillary Fink Data Strategist: Janet Kim Group Account Director: Edward Rogers Account Director: Marissa Guerra Account Manager: Annie Sherbon Associate Account Manager: Jeff Winsper Senior Project Manager: Meredith Nydam Project Manager: Tessa Muchura Global Head of PR: Marianne Stefanowicz PR Manager: Danny Hernandez Production Company: Revolver / Will ORourke / Biscuit Filmworks Director: Steve Rogers Managing Director, Revolver/Will ORourke: Michael Ritchie Managing Director, Biscuit Filmworks: Shawn Lacy Executive Producer, Revolver/Will ORourke: Pip Smart Executive Producer, Biscuit Filmworks: Holly Vega Producer: Caroline Kruck Director of Photography: Russell Boyd Camera Operator: Anna Howard Drone Operator: Tony Driver Production Designer: Chris Kennedy Costume Designer: Margot Wilson Makeup / Hair: Nikki Gooley VFX on set Supervisor: Justin Bromley, FIN Design Editorial: EXILE Editor: Pete Sciberras Production Company: Second Child Film (The Cast Trailer Only) Photography Retouching Quality Control Post Production: Blacksmith Color: Company 3 Music and Sound Design: HUMAN Sound: Heard City Interactive Production Company: Active Theory Media Agency: UM Sydney Global Business Director: Sophie Bingham Global Strategy Director: Chris Colter Global Digital Director: Sarina Ballauff Global Client Director: Ashleigh Krstanoski Global Digital Manager: Anthony Thomas Media Agency: UM USA SVP, Client Business Partner: Danny Huynh VP Group Partner: Nataly Cavagnaro Portfolio Management Manager: Kari Lang Sr Manager Digital Investment: Jillian Irizarry Associate Director, Programmatic: Laura Tumulty Content Manager: Jacklyn Apostolik Associate Director Paid Social: Daniele Ashkenazy Sr Manager Decision Sciences: Pratiksha Kamath SVP Sports & Events Broadcast Director: Kevin Collins Director Sports & Events Investment: Brian Castagna Sr Associate Integrated Investment: Michael Haugh Associate Integrated Investment: Melvin Pina Partner, Addressable Content: Ryan Love SVP Addressable Content: Suraj Gandhi Creative Content Director: Barrie Connell Programmatic Manager: Scott Weinberger | BY Lynchy | The Asia Pacific Tambuli Awards has named Andre Kassu, Partner & Chief Creative Officer, Crispin Porter & Bogusky Brazil, as the 2018 Jury President of the Humanity & Culture Executive Jury. Kassu will also serve as juror in the Creative Executive Jury. The pioneer award show globally that honors brands that do good and do well, the APAC Tambuli Awards celebrates brands that show the seamless integration of creativity + human good + results. Case study entries must demonstrate how brands uplift society, create positive change, and correlate purpose with purchase. The APAC Tambuli Awards is not an award on charity, advocacy, pro bono, or CSR advertising, even if those campaigns are welcome and encouraged to enter. The award, however, focuses on mainstream brand campaigns that celebrate humanity, inspire purpose, and deliver results. Kassu commented, real change doesnt happen when its spoken. It happens when its put into practice. Changing is not about taking advantage, its about making a difference in peoples lives. Tambuli Awards follows this way of thinking and because of this pioneering spirit, for seeing it before everyone else, for bringing up the discussion, I will cross the world to be on this jury. Kassu started his career at Artplan. Then, he worked for 8 years at F/Nazca S&S. In 2008, he started working at AlmapBBDO, where he was a Creative Director for two years. Hes currently a partner at CP+B Brasil an advertising agency that began operating in 2014 along with Vinicius Reis, and Marcos Medeiros, the other partner and with whom he forms a creative duo. He won the Press grand prix and was the most awarded copywriter in Cannes, back in 2010. Among the awards he won are 43 Cannes Lions. On top of that, he also won awards in the main international festivals, such as D&AD, One Show, London Festivals grand prix, and El Ojo. In only 3 years of operation, CP+B Brasil was the second best-evaluated agency by advertisers and clients, the second most perceived as integrated into the country, and Kassu is the second most admired advertiser by agency professionals, according to Agency Scope. In this short period, CP+B Brasil has gained renowned clients such as AB Inbev, Stella Artois, Mondelez (Tang, Halls), Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, McCain, among others. SEX FILES: Dating during the best of times, the worst of times By the time you read this, Ill have turned 40 for the second time. I say for the second time not because Im ashamed of my age if life is a party, Im just happy I got the invite for another year but because, in many ways, 2021 has felt like an ill-conceived reboot that no one asked for. To put it in TV terms (a.k.a. the lens in which I view nearly everything), after weathering the utter dumpster fire of 2020, we wanted the present-day version of Queer Eye (Jonathan Van Ness joyfully tossing his Jesus locks! Hot people making guacamole!) but instead were served the 2018 version of Roseanne, a show that at best pales to the original and at worst, just makes us feel uncomfortable. Sunday, February 4, 2018 at 9:47PM Netflix has done something no streaming service has done before, drop a title it hasnt promoted right after releasing its first trailer. It was reported before that the streaming service acquired Paramount and Bad Robots Cloverfield sequel and a Super Bowl spot promoting the film would come out. What hasnt been announced was that Netflix will be making the film available for streaming right after the end of the Big Game. No other promotions have been done for the film ahead of this announcement. Its a bold move but with a big audience it can be considered a wise move, too. The Super Bowl drew an average of 111.3M people in 2017. As Deadline points out, this unusual marketing strategy complements the non-traditional marketing campaigns the original Cloverfield has done. Netflix describes the films plot as such: In the near future, a group of international astronauts on a space station are working to solve a massive energy crisis on Earth. The experimental technology aboard the station has an unexpected result, leaving the team isolated and fighting for their survival. Its directed by Julius Onah and produced by J.J. Abrams and Lindsey Weber and stars Daniel Bruhl, Roger Davies, Elizabeth Debicki, Aksel Hennie, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Chris ODowd, John Ortiz, David Oyelowo, and Zhang Ziyi. Monday, February 5, 2018 at 12:09PM Sending eGift Cards will be easier than ever accroding to Amazon Canada, with the launch of text message delivery. Behind the U.S., Canada is only the second country in the world to receive the new eGift Card delivery options via text! Instead of sending gift cards through traditional methods (mail and email), Amazon Canada has now enabled customers to send them straight to the recipients preferred form of messaging, such as text. Customers can also send eGift Cards via Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and more. Hit jump to see the step-by-step instructions. Now customers will never miss a birthday or a thank you. Its also fun and easy to send a surprise gift since you can customize the eGift Card from your mobile device by uploading your own images. Text Message Delivery: Send an unexpected gift to friends and family right to their mobile phone by choosing Text Message as the delivery method on the Amazon Gift Card purchase page (www.amazon.ca/giftcards). Choose an amount, enter the recipients mobile number and write a personal note to accompany the gift card. Recipients will receive a text message with a link to their gift card, which can be redeemed instantly on Amazon. Messaging App Delivery - Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, etc. Monday, February 5, 2018 at 10:45AM Xbox Game Pass offers easy access to 100 Xbox games with a $9.99 monthly subscription. This includes many exclusives and top-tier games like the upcoming Sea of thieves. It is somewhat like Netflix for video games but with some limitations on third-party titles. Microsoft Rewards is a rewards system that grants users of Microsoft profucts and services various points towards discounts and gift cards. To earn points use Bing search and the Microsoft Edge browser consistently. Now there's a great promo for people who already use Microsoft's ecosystem. Starting today, Microsoft will be offering any consumer who signs up for Microsoft Rewards between February 5-28, a one-month Xbox Game Pass. New joiners will get unlimited access to over 100 Xbox One and Xbox 360 games on Xbox One. With games added every month, users will always have something new to play and can continue collecting Microsoft Rewards points with each Bing search or by shopping for Xbox games and movies in the Microsoft Store. There are three easy steps to claim the free month of Xbox Game Pass: Sign up for Microsoft Rewards using this link Claim a code for one free month of Xbox Game Pass Redeem the code online Microsoft Rewards enables users to earn rewards for doing what they already do online - searching the web with Bing and purchasing Xbox systems, games, subscriptions, accessories and more from the Microsoft Store. This means users can now cover the cost of a monthly Xbox Live subscription by simply using Bing for their everyday searches, or claim a gift card to put toward the purchase of a new Xbox One X, the worlds most powerful console. news, latest-news The Australian War Memorial is looking for contractors to design a master plan as it pushes ahead with a massive expansion of floor space to stop its exhibitions getting crammed into areas once kept for storage. Projecting it will have 200,000 more yearly visitors in 12 years' time, the landmark says it has reached capacity and the resulting squeeze has detracted from its "commemorative narrative". Spaces designed originally to house staff and for storage have become home to exhibitions on more recent conflicts, peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, the memorial said. "As a consequence, many spaces are fragmented and floor levels are inconsistent," it told businesses considering a bid to create the master plan. "This is particularly evident on the lower ground level, which comprises many small spaces that are poorly linked, and do not provide adequate exhibition space to present contemporary stories using the artefacts of those experiences." The war memorial could grow its floor space by 10,000 square metres to 65,000 square metres in its expansion project. It received $5 million in funding under the 2017-18 federal budget to plan for an expansion under its historic forecourt. A war memorial spokesman said it started planning two years ago for how it could appropriately tell the stories of Australia's military history in the future. "This is especially the case for contemporary operations and those ongoing," he said. Acting director Tim Sullivan said in May the initial business case for the expansion of exhibition areas would see better use of some existing areas and storage facilities as well as planning for Afghanistan and Iraq war galleries, set to showcase military equipment including a Chinook helicopter, a Seahawk aircraft and two F/A18s. The plan - likely to include development over more than six or seven years - would also allow enhanced visitor amenity and facilities for school visits and new reflection areas for families of Australia's war dead. The new master plan will replace another drawn in 1995, before the memorial added Anzac Hall, reclaimed onsite visitor research facilities, and made piecemeal additions to its exhibition space. "Further additions are now no longer feasible, and an expansion program through a site-wide redevelopment is warranted," it said. "This will enable adequate capacity to properly present the stories of Australia's experience of war since the 1970s and provide an appropriate balance of representation to all conflicts and peacekeeping operations in which Australia has been involved." The master plan is needed by the end of 2018 and will shape a business case for the memorial's redevelopment to be considered by the federal government. A final business case will include a concept design, timeline and will outline the impact on the memorial. "Suffice it to say, however, the traditional external facade and aesthetics of the building will remain unaltered in accordance with this significant and iconic heritage building," the memorial's spokesman said. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/c492f212-d3a3-4a80-b541-3ca0c7579504/r0_114_2000_1244_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Charities warn Canberrans are being forced over the border into Queanbeyan as a housing affordability "crisis" hits the capital. In 2010, housing advocate Penny Leemhuis was told it would be at least 14 years before the ACT government could find a public housing property for her. Renting rooms here and there from acquaintances in the capital, she eventually took her name off the ACT list and put it down for a NSW property. Within 18 months, she had moved into her new unit in Queanbeyan. "It's not perfect, but it's [disability] accessible," Ms Leemhuis said. "I really didn't have a choice, I'd still be waiting...There are so many older women here in the same situation as I was, living precariously week to week." With ACT apartment rent prices now the second highest in the country, local services and Queanbeyan realtors report more Canberrans are chasing cheaper rentals over the border. Chris Farmer of Ray White Queanbeyan has been a realtor in the NSW town for 13 years, but said he had seen a "massive influx" of Canberrans at inspections in the past three years. "The majority of our applications would be from Canberra, there's always been a lot but now more young people and even families are moving over because it's affordable but it's still central," Mr Farmer said. Domain property analyst Dr Nicola Powell said, while areas like Belconnen were among Canberra's cheapest places to rent, prices were still about $100 more than in Queanbeyan, where median rent for a house or apartment is $360. "Some of it might be down to personal choice, but really it's no wonder people are moving across to Queanbeyan," Dr Powell said. "Canberra is a very competitive market and it's becoming even tighter." ACT Shelter chief executive officer Travis Gilbert said Canberra's climbing rent prices were leaving more people in housing stress, from working families to university students and graduates entering the public service. "It's not just people you see out on the street, it's people with jobs and single parents trying to find somewhere with enough rooms for their kids," Mr Gilbert said. "It's the families in cars in a city where overnight [temperatures] drop to minus 8 or the grandma forced into a hostel...and being chased by debt collectors or with just $88 left over from her pension after paying rent. "The government spends millions enticing people to live in Canberra...but even I as a person with a full-time job, found it really hard to find a good, affordable rental when I moved here." After a relationship breakdown, Ms Leemhuis said her savings (and minimal super) were completely consumed by rent in just three or four years. The ACT Council of Social Services has called for an urgent government intervention in Canberra's housing "market failure", in light of an apparent rise in rough sleeping around the capital. Mr Gilbert said Canberrans moving to NSW could also be costing the government millions in lost revenue, and more up-to-date economic modelling was needed. Modelling done by ACT Shelter in 2015 but never publicly released estimated between $52 and $62 million was being lost over the border as people moved to Queanbeyan, he said. "There is obviously a bit of flow back and forth there but it looked like the ACT was coming off worse," Mr Gilbert said. Mr Farmer said some of the "stigma" once associated with Queanbeyan among Canberrans was starting to disappear as the town grew. For Ms Leemhuis, who also runs an advocacy group for older women lost in housing called OWLS, living in Queanbeyan has brought security, but also headaches of its own. After a fall in 1994 on Mount Ainslie left her "permanently incapacitated", a car crash last November wrote off her modified car. Her current NDIS plan does not give her enough funds to modify another, and her extensive spinal injuries rule out catching buses. Now effectively housebound, Ms Leemhuis is desperately trying to raise almost $7000 to modify her new car so she can continue her housing advocacy work in Canberra. "Without wheels, my work to try and fix this comes to a stop, it's a lot of meetings and sit-downs, it's a lot of leg work, if you'll pardon the expression. "I'm lucky the shops are so close because I can't afford taxis...I'm a bit cut off out here." A spokesman for ACT housing minister Yvette Berry said the government was currently funding a study of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Canberra to help better understand their support and housing needs. "In October 2017, we delivered ACT's first Housing and Homelessness Summit, the outcomes of which are being considered for inclusion in a new ACT Housing Strategy," the spokesman said. Domain is owned by Fairfax Media. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/7297a406-ebb3-4249-b314-28189b464bc0/r0_139_2000_1269_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news A Canberra man who police shot in the neck has joined his family in backing calls for an independent investigation into the Taser death of Anthony Caristo. Jonathan Crowley was 34 and in the midst of a psychotic episode when, in the early afternoon of December 11, 2001, a senior constable shot him in the neck. Police had been called to the suburban street in Chapman because the man was behaving erratically and waving a bamboo kendo stick. He became aggressive towards police. He landed blows on one police officer before another officer shot Jonathan in the neck. The bullet fractured his spine and rendered him quadriplegic. Late last year, Waramanga man Anthony Caristo was reportedly bloodied and using a knife to self-harm when police were called to the property. An officer at the scene deployed a Taser. Police said Mr Caristo fell unconscious and could not be revived. Mr Caristo's family has since criticised the police handling of the incident and called for an independent inquiry into his death. In an email to chief police officer Justine Saunders last year, the Caristo family said they had no confidence in the police's ability to fairly investigate the circumstances of his death. Jonathan Crowley told the Canberra Times that he backed the Caristo family's calls for an outside investigator, and that he wished there was an independent inquiry into his own incident with police. His father Keith echoed those views. "I don't think its possible, although [investigators are] specially selected, to get a report on police action by police," he said. "[In our case] there was a marked difference between what the police report said and what came out in evidence." Jonathan won $8 million in a civil suit against the ACT government, but the decision was overturned on appeal. Jonathan also said he would like to see police have access to a tranquiliser gun to subdue people in similar situations. There will be an internal professional standards investigation into Mr Caristo's death. Police will also prepare a report for the coroner. A spokeswoman for ACT Policing said Mr Caristo's matter was before the coroner and it was inappropriate to comment on the Crowleys' remarks. Jonathan, now 50, lived for 13 years in an ACT housing property that was also a Mr Fluffy unit, because there was no where else to home him. In October, he moved into a new home in Stirling that the ACT government purpose-built. The new property is bright and airy. It has wide hallways and doorways, through which Jonathan can navigate his wheelchair. The doors are electronic, and Jonathan can open several of them with a button on his wheelchair. There is a separate nursing room for his medications and bandages, and a room for the overnight carers to sleep. The bedroom and bathroom are also big enough for Jonathan to use his chair without fear of knocking into walls. Outside, there is a concrete path that rises behind and then circles the house, also wide enough for Jonathan's chair. "It's a big relief to get out of the Mr Fluffy asbestos house," Jonathan said. He said he was still getting used to the space, and trying to make the place more homely. "It's been a big adjustment, after the crowded little spot in Chapman," Keith said. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/b5760ffd-4367-4562-b03c-e82868d63705/r0_112_2000_1242_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news There are multitudes of #MeToo survivors. We see them. We hear them. They are among us every day. And not a day passes, not since the first extraordinary disclosures, when we do not learn of a new instance. The gates have opened and they will not close until there is justice. But we need to extend our idea of what justice means. Yes, real justice for the survivors, and justice applied without fear or favour to the guilty. There are some victims who are abandoned, who receive no sympathy and no kindness. They get no justice, only judgment. From the moment of the first accusation to the moment of proof, one group live in grief for a time past; for the way their lives used to be. These are the women who are married to the accused. Whatever the crime sexual assault, sexual harassment, predation, violence it is the alleged predators who are accused, not the wives nor the children. Those women are victims, too. We understand how to sympathise with the transgressed but we don't yet know how to sympathise with the wives of the transgressors, as if somehow they are at fault, too. We are beginning to understand that we should not blame victims but we don't extend our new knowledge to this group of women. It's almost as if we say: "They must have known, why didn't they stop it?" And we expect these women to distance themselves instantly. It was quite shocking to me to read comments about Georgina Chapman, the former wife of disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein, attributed to "friends". One was quoted as saying she would ignore Weinstein's illegal and immoral behaviour so long as he insisted his stars wore clothes from her fashion brand. Other stories emerged about Chapman, many of which nearly implicated her for Weinstein's behaviour. Chapman was also judged harshly for the length of time between the publication of the accusations and her decision to leave her husband of 10 years. As Stephanie Dowrick told me on Monday, we cannot judge what goes on in private between an alleged perpetrator and his wife. We can't begin to unravel what lies at the heart of any relationship. Dowrick is the author of Intimacy and Solitude and of Everyday Kindness, among many other books, which express clear views on how to be a decent human. She's also an interfaith minister. "We can think about these women more sympathetically but we also need to ask ourselves whether we think the wife is responsible for her husband's behaviour," she says. "Do we assume she is somehow complicit? I don't think we have any right to make that assumption." She makes an excellent point. No matter what we assume about a relationship, we can't actually know. We aren't in it. We don't have the discussions, the arguments, and we don't understand the accommodations. Yes, we all make those accommodations and sometimes we don't even know we are making them. And Dowrick articulated for me what I had secretly been feeling about all these women, for them, for their children. "She has lost the dignity of her children's father, my heart breaks for her." I only had to read Sunday's comments by Emma Page Campbell to understand love and pain, all in one brief statement. She is married to Robert Doyle, who resigned as lord mayor of Melbourne on Sunday in the wake of sexual harassment allegations. Page Campbell released a statement in the moments after he resigned. "He is a good and decent man. I love him. And because I love him, to watch and share what he has been through in the last seven weeks has been agony ... I know my husband. I know his intentions, his character, his language, his manner. None of the allegations against him accord with the man I know." We must take her words at face value. None of the allegations accord with the man she knows. Doyle's deeds are not hers. Not now and not ever. For me, the way people have distanced themselves from the wives and partners is just another way to shame and blame. The men are bad but the women are complicit. They are cold and calculating. They benefited from their partner's use and abuse of power. That last is true but we don't eviscerate those whose partners profit from poverty or ill-health. We don't attack the partners of politicians for what appears to be constant callous disregard. These women are being punished for something they didn't do. And surely we are sick of that happening to all women, no matter the transgression of their partners. Jenna Price is a Fairfax columnist and an academic at the University of Technology Sydney. Facebook: JennaPriceJournalist Twitter: @jennaprice /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/4bacf16b-9c76-4ff4-bd1c-22d21daf2933/r0_249_933_776_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news In terms of brutal, brazen honesty, the Korean War memorial on Washington's National Mall is hard to beat. The inscription on that memorial commemorates Americans killed in the Korean War "to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met". With few notable exceptions (most honourably the then captain Bill Keys, later president of the RSL, deservedly knighted with an AC to boot), that melancholy view of the war held as true for Australians fighting in Korea as for Americans. Now that prospects for conflict in Korea have again escalated, we might reflect on how ignorantly, nonchalantly and awkwardly Australia prepared for combat in the Korean war of 1950-53. As was the case more recently with Iraq and Afghanistan, few Australians in 1950 knew or cared much about the place their soldiers were being sent to fight and possibly die. Three-hundred-and-forty did die there. When those soldiers arrived in Korea, they found nothing whatever was simple, easy, clear-cut or reliable. Distinguishing friend from foe was problematic. Civilians could impede or betray you. Cold, dust, rain, snow and mud were lethally hostile, while the cause for which you were fighting was at best distantly ambiguous. Australian magazine The Bulletin summed up the troops' predicament in a cartoon of two Australian diggers, holding a Korean civilian upside down with the point of a bayonet, the captive's head hanging limply above the ground. One suggested to the other: "Shove y'r compass on him, Snow, and see if he's North or South." Unhappily, none of the diggers possessed a compass to determine who stood for what in Korea, what to do next, who could be trusted or how to end up safe at home. In our schools, when the Korean War began, in June 1950, only Victorian senior school students reading Max Crawford's Ourselves and the Pacific would have come across a reference to Korea, as a passing mention in an appraisal of Japanese imperialism. As for diggers, a few of them had encountered Korean guards in Japanese prisoner of war camps; their only meeting might as well have happened in the seventh circle of hell. Australia's representative in Seoul discovered that the only language he had in common with his hosts was Japanese. He had to learn to speak quickly, sympathising with Korean suffering under the Japanese, then note that he had fought against and helped occupy Japan, all without drawing breath, before Koreans could be persuaded to use the imperialists' language again. Geography had helped make Australians ignorant about Korea; history had made them prejudiced. Nowadays, using Google, plagiarism and Wikipedia, anyone can pretend a nodding acquaintance with the wider world. Back in 1950, ignorance ruled. Although the war in Korea was fought in part to protect Japan, Australian newspapers remained focused on uncovering evidence of Japanese perfidy. In 1950, that extended not only to fretting about Japanese resurgence but also reports that, years before, Japanese troops had dissected the bodies of two executed Australian pilots for medical experiments (allegedly, if weirdly, because they could not procure a bear's gall bladder). The first editorial comment on the war in The Bulletin began: "Nobody likes the Koreans much. They are a lonely race, mentally and morally belonging to the 15th century." In Melbourne, The Sun ran a photograph of a "bearded and wrinkled" man caught up in the fighting, while The Argus reassured its readers that not all Koreans were sadists. Australian newspapers had no context into which to place Korea, no constituency interested in the place, no causes to push or controversies to provoke. Now, we might expect our leaders to articulate war aims, insist on allied consultation or at least impose a few constraints on Australian engagement overseas. In 1950, Australians had to cope with a resurgent Bob Menzies, prime minister for the second time but still distracted and deluded by his anachronistic, Anglospheric notions. Menzies continued to place his faith in "a strong, well-knit and mutually supporting British Empire". All that blather and static made it hard to fit into any Australian foreign policy framework a war in Asia rather than Europe, with the United Nations rather than the Empire, under American rather than British command. The framework assembled haphazardly after the war contained two pernicious legacies from the Korean conflict: a shameless beat-up of threats from "the yellow peril" and a shameful emphasis on the domino theory. When Australia went to war, Menzies noted that Korea was not "quite remote from" us, before going on to announce that Australia would fight "as a British and democratic nation". He added "Christian" later, for ballast. Lurking behind the Britishness was what Allan Gyngell would label as fear of abandonment. One cabinet submission during the war was prepared to underline the need "to cultivate US interest in our welfare and confidence in our attitudes". Such cultivation continues. Muddle was a logical result, particularly in the timing and composition of Australia's military commitment. The foreign minister, Percy Spender, conceded about UN plans in November 1950 that "we may not always agree with what is being done, but that is inherent in the position". The war seemed to appeal most to those among the volunteers who had fought for and loved their country, but who had grown bored living here, with the wife and the kids, doing mundane jobs rather than embarking on another grand adventure with their mates. What might have happened had things gone even more wrong in Korea? How would Australians have reacted if the number of casualties had increased, if our troops had lost a major battle, if nuclear weapons had been used or the Chinese border crossed, if conscription had been introduced or the war required real sacrifice on the home front? Few Australians in 1950 ever suspected that any such issues might arise. This dismal record of ignorance, complacency, prejudice and myopia is leavened by the wisdom of only one, quite unlikely, group of Australians. Presbyterian missionaries actually knew and cared about Korea: they embodied muscular Christianity in action. They had been working there, selflessly and heroically, for decades (from 1889) and had acquired a cold-eyed but never cold-hearted knowledge of the country. The Presbyterians should have been co-opted as country-specific national security advisers, invited to do "deep dives" and assess the "granularity" of issues on the ground. The missionaries refused to depict Korea in black and white terms, zealously exposed the shortcomings of the South Korean government, and bitterly bewailed the plight of ordinary Koreans. Their 1949 report, just before the war, declared presciently that Korea's problems "are enough to appal the wisest and the best". As far as Korea was concerned, those missionaries, pretty much alone, then comprised "the wisest and the best". We would do a bit better now, given the number of Korean students and citizens here, and Australian business folk and tourists in Korea. I wonder, though, how many Australians could name the Korean president, the parallel of latitude on which Korea is divided, or Korea's largest export to Australia. The wisest and best cannot afford to be otherwise engaged this time. Mark Thomas is a Canberra-based writer. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/ceea2f45-dd6c-4dda-a9af-6e7b527160d4/r0_133_2000_1263_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg Photo: UBC Okanagan Chantal Hebert How does fake news affect politics and democracy? An award-winning journalist is coming to Kelowna to discuss the phenomenon. Chantal Hebert, perhaps Canada's best-known political commentator, is a columnist with the Toronto Star and weekly participant on CBC's The National At Issue panel. The discussion, a part of UBC Okanagan's Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences distinguished speaker series, will discuss the concept of fake news, a term now heard almost daily since U.S. President Donald Trump introduced it into the vernacular a year or so ago. "Is the spread of so-called fake news really the biggest threat to electoral democracy, or is it more of a convenient scapegoat for a troubled media industry?" reads the event's description. Hebert will speak Feb. 13, 7 p.m., at Kelowna Community Theatre. While the event is free, online registration is required, beginning Feb. 6. Photo: Contributed Did you forget to save that Word document before you closed it? Did you accidentally delete that important photo? Heres how you can get out of that jam. Ack! I forgot to save my Word document. Its happened to almost all of us. Its certainly happened to me. Were in the middle of something, we close Word, and it asks us politely if we want to save our work. And we accidentally hit dont Save instead of Save. Theres still a chance you can recover that document: Open Word again Click on File | Open | Recover Unsaved Documents (thats way at the bottom) Youll get to a window with your unsaved Word documents from the last few days. (Not from forever.) Double-click on your document to open it At the top of the document you should see a message: This is a recovered file that is temporarily stored on your computer. Click on File | Save as and navigate to the location where you want to save your file. Name your file if necessary Click Save Sometimes your document wont open. You can try to repair it. Instead of double-clicking and failing to open: Click on your document Use the dropdown arrow to select Open and Repair If that works, continue as above to save your file If you think this could ever happen to you, youre going to want to make sure that AutoRecover is turned on in Word. Do this now, before something bad happens! Open any Word document, or even a blank one Click on File | Options | Save In the Save Documents section, place a check in Save AutoRecover information and choose the time between saves. (Usually 10 minutes.) Place a check in Keep the last AutoRecovered version if I close without saving Click on OK This will help you if your have a power outage or disruption to the computer where it loses power or reboots while youre in the middle of Word. When you open Word again, youll see a list of documents that can be autorecovered (Sometimes the list is only one item long!) Click next to a file and use the dropdown arrow to recover it and save it to the desired location. Whoops! I deleted the photos from my trip/wedding/childs birthday/whatever. First, if you deleted these photos from your PC or your Mac, look in the Recycle Bin or Trash. If your photos are there, use Restore on the PC to put them back where they were. On a Mac, drag them out. If you have a backup of your computer or youre using Time Machine on your Mac, you can likely recovery your photos from there. If theyre not there, then take your search to the next level: You need some recovery software. My go-to program for this is Recuva from Piraform, safe link here. It will find and allow you to recover all kinds of files, not just photos. It will find them on your PC, your SD cards from your camera, and your mp3 player. Another useful program is EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free, available for PC, and for Mac. Like Recuva, these programs will recover more than just photos. To minimize the chances of losing photos from your PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Android device, back them up to the relevant cloud. OneDrive iCloud Google Photos DropBox Have you ever had to restore a file? Did you find a solution you like? Tell us about it at [email protected] Photo: The Canadian Press A group of demonstrators sang an Indigenous honour song on Sunday at the site where a statue of Halifax's controversial founder stood just days before. Dozens of people gathered in downtown Halifax to revel in the removal of a bronze figure of Edward Cornwallis from the park bearing his name. Cornwallis is a disputed character, seen by some as a brave leader who founded Halifax, but by others as the impetus of a 1749 scalping proclamation against Mi'kmaq inhabitants. The statue was taken down last week after Halifax councillors voted 12-4 to temporarily place the monument in storage while awaiting a decision about its long-term fate. After a municipal process to re-examine Cornwallis commemorations was derailed about a week ago, Halifax council considered a staff report that highlighted rising tensions around the statue, saying Sunday's protest could result in clashes between protesters, damage to the statue and personal injury. Police came to the park on Sunday to monitor the peaceful demonstration. While only a fraction of the hundreds of Facebook users who had expressed interest in the event showed up, the mood was jovial as activists hailed the statue's removal as what they hope will be the first of several victories in their years-long campaign to rid Halifax of its many Cornwallis tributes. Daniel Paul, a Mi'kmaq elder and historian who has spent 30 years trying to excavate the darker side of Cornwallis's legacy, came out to walk through the park for the first time without the figure of a man he says massacred his ancestors staring down at him. "To me, it was a symbol of white supremacist thinking," Paul told reporters. "I'm glad that our Nova Scotia society is progressing to the extent where the general population is beginning to view something like that as an impediment to good relations." Photo: The Canadian Press A tropical seabird rescued by a Vancouver Island animal rehabilitation centre last week has died. The British Columbia SPCA's wild animal rehabilitation centre says the brown booby was in critical condition when it was discovered on the Victoria waterfront last Monday. Spokeswoman Marguerite Sans says despite intensive care by specialized staff, the bird's health declined dramatically over the weekend. Sans says tube feeding, antibiotics and pain relief were not enough to reverse the bird's desperate condition, and staff are finding solace in the fact it is no longer suffering. The bird is usually spotted in Mexico, California and Hawaii, where it's renowned for dramatic 20-metre plunges into the sea to catch food such as squid and anchovies. Sans has it wasn't clear why the bird ended up so far north, although recent storms could have affected its migration. Photo: Chelsea Powrie Kim Cattrall has announced on social media that her brother, Christopher Cattrall, has died. The Sex and the City actress had previously reached out over social media looking for help finding her brother after his keys, cellphone and wallet were discovered in his unlocked home in Lacombe, Alta. Cattrall tweeted a statement on Sunday night. "It is with great sadness that myself and my family announce the unexpected passing of our son and brother, Chris Cattrall. At this time we ask for privacy. We want to thank you all on social media for your outpouring of love and support in this trying time," Cattrall wrote. RCMP had said the 55-year-old was last heard from on Tuesday, and was believed to have been at his home on a rural property in Lacombe at the time. Police said in a news release Sunday afternoon that Cattrall's body was found on that property. "The investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death will continue by the RCMP, but preliminary information indicates that his death is not being considered suspicious," RCMP said in the release. with files from CTV Vancouver Photo: Google Maps UPDATE: 7:50 p.m. The Trans-Canada Highway has reopened west of Revelstoke. However, the highway will close again for avalanche control Monday morning. DriveBC reports the route will be closed between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Monday, with no detour available. UPDATE: 7 p.m. DriveBc reports the high avalanche hazard is now reduced and avalanche control is complete. However, the highway is still closed through a 19-kilometre stretch west of Revelstoke as avalanche debris cleanup continues. ORIGINAL: 5:20 p.m. Snowfall across the mountain terrain in Southeastern British Columbia has prompted an avalanche warning for the region. DriveBC reports the Trans-Canada Highway is closed in both directions west of Revelstoke because of the high avalanche hazard. No detour is available. Avalanche Canada says the risk in the alpine is high, registering at a four on its five point scale, meaning natural avalanches are possible while human-triggered slides are very likely. The warning applies to mountains in the Cariboo region from Prince George south toward the Kootenay Boundary region and east to the Alberta border, including Banff National Park. The risk for a slide along and below the treeline is also considerable, and people are warned to stay out of the terrain. Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for the central Interior with about 15 centimetres expected for Burns Lake through to the Shuswap. A snowstorm warning is also in effect for the North Coast inland region, and extreme cold warnings are in effect for the Peace River and Dease Lake regions as temperatures drop below minus 30 degrees. Photo: The Canadian Press The first thing Andrew Wilkinson did after winning the leadership of British Columbia's Liberal party was pay tribute to the successes of former premiers Christy Clark and Gordon Campbell, reminding party members of their enduring values of free enterprise and fiscal conservatism. Wilkinson's old-school, stick to our roots message carried the day Saturday as he defeated five other candidates, including newcomers Dianne Watts and Michael Lee, who called for massive changes. "We have to build on the past," Wilkinson said Sunday. "We've got the heritage of having put together the values that have led to success in the past. Those are things to build upon not to discard." Wilkinson, 60, a doctor, lawyer and Rhodes Scholar, said the Liberals must unite and never forget the achievements of Clark and Campbell. But he also said leadership candidates who called on the party to widen its support must also be heard after the Liberals lost its 16-year grip on power last year. David Moscrop, a political theorist at Simon Fraser University, said the Liberals chose a new leader who appealed to their fiscal sensibilities and underlying belief the party brand will bring them back to power. Wilkinson was a past Liberal party president and deputy minister under Campbell before being first elected as a member of the legislature in 2013. Moscrop said Wilkinson, much like Campbell, has a blue blood reputation and just as the former premier, demonstrated the willingness to roll up his sleeves to accomplish difficult tasks. Wilkinson, like Campbell, may not often be well-liked, but a record of success is powerful, he said. "He reminds me of Gordon Campbell, but far less charming," said Moscrop. "The X factor will be how he connects or fails to connect with the electorate." Wilkinson has much work ahead to shed his image as a leader who is more at home in a corporate or university board room than a small business or local coffee shop, he said. Wilkinson said Saturday he is looking forward to debating the New Democrats in the legislature and asking questions to make "their skin crawl." Wilkinson said one of his first priorities as leader is ensuring the Liberals win the Feb. 14 byelection in the Kelowna West riding, vacated after Clark resigned from politics last summer. Prior to his political career, Wilkinson worked as a lawyer in Vancouver and before that he was a doctor in different parts of B.C., including Campbell River, Lillooet and Dease Lake. He served in a number of cabinet positions, among them attorney general, minister of advanced education, and minister of technology and innovation. Wilkinson ran his campaign on four priorities: security, opportunity, prosperity and sustainability. His promises included selling government-owned liquor stores, establishing a junior kindergarten pilot program, improving skills training for Indigenous youth, providing tax incentives to increase the supply of rental housing and taking regulatory steps that would allow municipalities to increase the supply of new housing. Photo: CTV A young boy who was taken to hospital in critical condition when an apartment building north of Calgary was evacuated due to hazardous carbon monoxide levels has died. RCMP Insp. Kimberley Pasloske, commander of the Airdrie detachment, says the 12-year-old passed away shortly before 5 p.m. on Sunday. Pasloske says two other members of his family were treated in hospital. One other resident of the building in Airdrie received treatment at a recreation centre where some residents went after emergency workers ordered the building cleared. Pasloske says the child's name will not be released. EMS were called to the 136-unit, four-storey complex Sunday morning for a report of a child in medical distress, but they quickly realized there was a carbon monoxide danger. Pasloske says the source of the carbon monoxide was isolated and the fire department ventilated the building, but residents of six of the units are not allowed to return yet while an investigation takes place. "Our community of Airdrie is very close and this news hits us very hard," Pasloske told reporters at a news conference Sunday evening. "I urge you to support one another through this time." Pasloske said RCMP will work with the fire department and the coroner to determine what happened and why, as well as whether charges will be laid. Garth Rabel, deputy chief of the Airdrie Fire Department, said investigators were still at the scene late Sunday. "We have all the specific people required for the discipline that we're dealing with we're dealing with gas-fired appliances," Rabel said, noting he wasn't ready to release the cause of the leak just yet. "They haven't qualified the exact cause," he said, adding that he likely wouldn't have that information until Monday. Photo: Google Maps Highway 3 is closed in both directions west of Creston. DriveBC reports the closure at Kootenay Pass is due to avalanche deposit removal. The highway is expected to reopen at 10 p.m. Photo: RCMP UPDATE: Tuesday 11:40 a.m. A man reported missing on Feb. 1 has been located. Kelowna RCMP confirm that 34-year-old Kelly MacLean is no longer considered missing. They provided no other details. ORIGINAL: Monday 12:30 p.m. Kelowna RCMP are seeking the public's help in locating a missing man. Family members say Kelly MacLean was last believed to be staying in the Kelowna area. He was last heard from Jan. 25 and was reported missing Feb. 1. Police say there is nothing to indicate foul play at this time, and it is believed MacLean is either in the Kelowna or Vernon area. Since Maclean's disappearance, police have followed up on several leads, but he remains missing. He is described as a Caucasian male, 34 years old, six feet three inches tall, 170 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Anyone with information on MacLean's whereabouts is asked to call their local police or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477, www.crimestoppers.net or by texting CRIMES (274637) ktown. Madison Erhardt Winter isn't finished yet in the Okanagan. Environment Canada forecasts several days of showers and possible flurries this week. "We are still looking at the ridge of high pressure hanging over the Pacific and much of B.C.," says meteorologist Cindy Yu. "The setup is very similar to what we saw on the weekend. There is a chance of flurries for Monday and Tuesday." Today will see a high of 2 C, flurries ending this afternoon, then clouds with a 60 per cent chance of showers or flurries overnight. Tuesday should see a high of zero, with a 40 per cent chance of showers late in the afternoon and possible snow. On Wednesday, the valley could see two to four centimetres of the white stuff late in the evening. Environment Canada forecasts a high of 6 C. Friday and Saturday call for a high of 1 C and a mix of sun and cloud. Sunday cloudy, again a high of 1 C. Photo: Wayne Moore Kelowna international airport broke passenger records for the second year in a row in 2017, as close to 1.9 million people passed through its doors. However, as YLWs rapid growth continues its facing ever-more-pressing challenges with congestion, parking, and space for arriving airplanes. Airport staff addressed those challenges, and their solutions, today when it presented city council with its latest planning document. To tackle issues related to overcrowding, the plan lays out an expansion to the airport terminal. Taking place over several phases, the buildout will eventually add three new baggage claim areas, more concession space, more space for pre-boarding screening, and a separate throughway for arriving international passengers. For more on the expansion, as well as why parking is becoming an increasing issue at YLW, check out the full story on Castanet's sister business news website, Okanagan Edge. Credit: Daryl Hannah Neil Young recently launched a news section on his expansive Neil Young Archives website, NYA Times-Contrarian, where he revealed that some new archival live releases are in the works, as well as some other plans that should excite his fans. The first release Young discusses is an album dubbed Roxy: Tonight's the Night Live, recorded in 1973 at the then-new Los Angeles venue The Roxy. Those shows followed the initial sessions for what became his classic album Tonight's the Night. His band at the time included Nils Lofgren, Ben Keith and Crazy Horse's Billy Talbot and Ralph Molina. "We really knew the Tonight's the Night songs after playing them for a month, so we just played them againtop to bottomtwo sets a night for a few days," Young explains. "We had a great time." Neil says he expects Roxy: Tonight's the Night Live to be released in March. Young also reports that another live album called Alchemy is in the works, which will feature high-resolution performances recorded in Europe, Australia and Canada during Crazy Horse's 2012-2013 Alchemy tour. "All the songs were picked right after and during the tour," Neil points out. "These are the ones we like. All that we are doing now is post-production and mastering." In other news, Young says NeilYoungArchives.com will soon introduce "Movie Night," a once-a-week screening of unreleased and rare long-form videos and films from his Shakey Pictures Archives. Among the movies that will be shown: HomeTown, featuring footage from the concert Young played in Omemee, Canada, in December that coincided with the release of his latest studio album, The Visitor. Meanwhile, Neil also reports that he's planning a tour "for the latter part of 2018." Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Melin was not necessarily looking to strike it rich. He was looking, he said, for an alternative to the global economic system. He had started to become suspicious of that system during the 2008 financial crisis, when his mother lost her job as a computer programmer. Even as the United States pulled out of the depths, Melin saw signs that the world had not learned its lessons. He read about countries such as China over-borrowing and overspending, "building cities the size of Louisville that are empty." He read about the growing U.S. deficit and felt that politicians could not solve the problem. He was especially bothered by the growing burden of baby boomers on Social Security programs. Based in Toledo, Ohio, 40-year-old Marcos Pizza bills itself as the fastest-growing pizza chain in the U.S., with about 900 stores in 34 states, including 17 in the Chicago area. In addition to new creative work, Merge is helping Marcos with everything from its website and mobile app to selecting a unified point-of-sale system across all of its locations. Debra Dezon, left, asks microtransit driver John Scott for a ride along the Georgia Avenue route of the District of Columbia's microtransit services system. Cities and transit agencies are experimenting with microtransit, which provide transportation options in underserved areas. (Jahi Chikwendiu / The Washington Post) Sears won the deal in 2011 after threatening to move its headquarters out of Illinois. The company got credits valued at an estimated $15 million a year for up to 10 years through Illinois Economic Development for a Growing Economy program, provided it made in-state capital investments and did not cut its workforce by more than 13.4 percent. Meanwhile, the brick house that the McMurrays sold in Roscoe Village has custom built-ins, bay windows on two levels, custom window treatments throughout, two gas fireplaces, a play area on the lower level and a new kitchen with Caesarstone quartz counters and a marble backsplash. Outside, the property has a canopy over a large deck off the family room, a new in-ground sprinkler system and two new air conditioning units. It's just a hot dog place, sure, but it's a hot dog place open only for only five-and-a-half hours, six days a week, blasting punk rock from loudspeakers and serving the most inventive sandwiches in the city. The restaurant's gourmet take on the venerable hot dog looks like it was concocted by some culinary school-trained chef and indeed Sohn was a 1995 graduate of Kendall College. On Fridays and Saturdays, the restaurant would serve french fries fried in duck fat. Sohn was doing this before duck fat frying was de rigueur at every white tablecloth restaurant across the country. An activist holds a #MeToo sign during a news conference on a Title IX lawsuit outside the Department of Education January 25, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Alex Wong / Getty Images) The line even harks back to young George Lucas, the one who raced cars in central California with an aim at being the best he could be, before a brutal crash spun him toward cinema. His "American Graffiti" -- starring young Ron Howard and Harrison Ford -- pays tribute to his love of speed and his understanding of young, testosterone-fueled adventure. Mahoney was always grateful for what Frasier had done for him and took care to say so on numerous occasions. His success on that show meant that, thereafter, he could focus on Chicago theater, his great love, and on the Steppenwolf Theatre in particular. By not having to worry about money, he was able to work on what he wanted like acting for scale in Long Days Journey Into Night at Chicagos tiny Irish Repertory Theatre. But over the years, he lavished most of his time and attention on his beloved Steppenwolf, appearing in more than 30 productions in total at the theater, including Conor McPherson's "The Seafarer" in 2008, perhaps Mahoney's most devastating performance, if only for the way it emphasized his inherent frailty. From the 1972 book The Flame and the Flower, the romance genre was born on a mass market scale, and from its pages of forced seduction came the metaphor for the womens movement, she said. Most scholars of romance will tell you the arc of this book is kind of a metaphor for the womens movement in general, meaning, if you look at the hero as society and the heroine as women, ultimately, equality is the goal between them, MacLean said. What followed, said the author of The Day of the Duchess, were workplace romances of the 1980s, romance of the 90s, where the good guy was born amid cultural satisfaction, and the world after 9/11 that saw the rise of paranormal romance. By the late 2000s, there was the economic crash, and we saw the rise of Fifty Shades of Grey and the billionaires, MacLean said. Once, he said, it was because the dog they had settled on was offered by an out-of-state group that required a pre-adoption home inspection. It didn't have anyone to send to Bershadker's residence in New York, so that was that. The second time, he said, "they simply said, 'You work too much.' Despite assurances of a dog walker . . . and a fenced yard, and I mean, it was kind of crazy." Which isn't to say that Thurman should have been forced to detail what happened if she was able to in the first place, Peterson writes. This is a place when the journalist and her editors make a call: what does this narrative do? Does the inability to report it with accuracy actually call the subject's authority on her own experience into question? Does it transform a piece that's intended to allow a victim of sexual harassment and abuse to tell her story into one that invites readers to doubt her? To decongest the crowds, the government enacted several rules that it will test out and tweak through next July. For instance, visitors can no longer linger at the citadel from sunup to sundown but must choose one of two entry periods - 6 a.m. to noon or noon to 5:30 p.m. - and depart at the stated time. However, if they wish to visit for the whole day, they can purchase a morning and afternoon ticket for $70 each. Meanwhile, adventurers who bought a combo ticket for Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu mountain or Machu Picchu mountain can enter between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. or 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. They must complete the trek in four hours or less. Those overnight lodgings are long gone, replaced by two modern pavilions with concession stands and bathhouses with showers for washing off the sand before the park closes at sunset. Beachcombers keen on shelling know to arrive when the park opens at 8 a.m. for the best finds. Four miles of beach include one of the few pet beaches in the county, where you can take Fido and friends to swim and chase the surf. If you bring your line and tackle along, its also a good place to fish for snook, but youll need a Florida fishing license to stay on the right side of the law. OMalley whose name change was first reported by Injustice Watch did not return calls seeking comment Monday. But there is longstanding evidence that the luck of the Irish does indeed apply in Chicagos judicial elections. Since at least the 1980s, candidates for judge in Cook County have been taking Irish names to boost their chances at the polls; a 2011 DePaul University study found that having the only Irish womans name in a judicial race is worth more than a party slating. Normally, I get by OK. But in Thailand and Malaysia, I found it particularly difficult. To the Thais who spoke little or no English, I must have seemed like some type of mutant. Some were stunned by the sounds coming out of my mouth. Some broke into laughter. Most gave up trying to understand me after a few seconds of my gibberish. The CTA and the citys transportation department also want to change the look of the station, and the streets and sidewalks around it, though the station itself will not be rebuilt. One of the CTAs oldest stops, it was first built in 1893 and a new station went on the site in 1991. Plans to improve the area around the station are still being worked out, including cost and the time of construction, but could include different lighting to accentuate the beauty of the steel L structure, new canopies, new crosswalks and reconfigured stairs, said CTA and city officials. Theres no one group that has all of the right answers, said Jones, a Republican county board member and ordained elder in the largely Democratic African Methodist Episcopal Church. Unless you sit and talk with one another and discuss things, be willing to listen, youre not going to have anything. My father like so many others fought because he thought it was a service to his country, Jones said. If they had seen what was going to happen (despite) all their sacrifices, he and a lot of others wouldnt have put their lives on the line. There will be other things that we will be doing that are essential to making sure that while we put more police on the street, we have a coordinated effort to reduce carjackings and have a coordinated effort between the Police Department and our partners at the federal and state and local level, Emanuel said. And thats not only from catching but from also prosecuting in that effort, and making sure all parts of the city are experiencing the safety that some parts of the city are experiencing. The woman became frustrated and told Washington to leave her apartment. He pulled a handgun from his waistband and shot her in the arm and leg, prosecutors said. The two other teens, 14 and 17, fled in the sedan, which turned out to have been stolen earlier during the day. They nearly hit a witness while speeding away. After arresting the 15-year-old, police were able to track the sedan with OnStar and arrest the other two. Six people were killed and 17 others were wounded in Chicago over the weekend as gun violence in the city continues to be markedly down from the record levels of the previous two years, according to data kept by the Tribune. The man also is said to have a thin mustache. He was last seen wearing a red jacket with a white stripe, a white star on the pocket, and baggy jeans, officials said. *Rauner challenger state Rep. Jeanne Ives of Wheaton will start the week with a speech to the City Club of Chicago, just about 12 hours after announcing late Sunday that her campaign recieved a $2 million contribution from Lake Forest businessman Richard Uihlein. Last week ended in controversy for Ives, after she released a TV ad critics deemed as "racist," "sexist" and "homophobic." Criticism from top Republicans continued over the weekend, and her City Club speech puts her in position to face crowd and reporter questions while the controversy is fresh. For the Osorno faithful who have opposed Barros as their bishop, the issue isn't so much a legal matter requiring proof or evidence, as Barros was a young priest at the time and not in a position of authority over Karadima. It's more that if Barros didn't "see" what was happening around him and recognize it was problematic for a priest to kiss and fondle young boys, he shouldn't be in charge of a diocese where he is responsible for detecting inappropriate sexual behavior, reporting it to police and protecting children from pedophiles like his mentor. "I don't think that we need to have a historical debate within the confines of the cemetery," Sherman said. "Let's just leave these soldiers' markers as they are so they're identified as human beings who are buried there like everybody else in the cemetery." People protest gerrymandering outside the Supreme Court on Oct. 3, 2017, in Washington. Opponents of gerrymandering have won a string of victories in the courts recently, yet millions of voters will cast their ballots this fall in districts that judges have declared to be unconstitutional. (Bill O'Leary / The Washington Post) That the Trumps flew together is not unusual. She has accompanied him on numerous domestic trips, to introduce him at events or as they decamp to one of their own establishments for the weekend. Mrs. Trump also joined her husband on several trips to survey damage after hurricanes slammed parts of Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico, where she sat through briefings by emergency management officials and helped console storm victims. U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes, D-Calif, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, walks away from a meeting with House GOP members, on Capitol Hill January 30, 2018 in Washington, D.C. (Mark Wilson / Getty Images) Weve now learned the man responsible for the bogus Hawaii missile alert kept his job for a decade even though he had a history of performance problems and has been a source of concern, according to an Federal Communications Commission report. His co-workers had expressed discomfort about his leadership, and the FCC said he has been unable to comprehend the situation at hand and has confused real life events and drills on at least two separate occasions. Although the emergency management supervisor, who remains unnamed, was a union member, he could have been fired at will. Instead, he was promoted to a leadership role. Why, Gizmodo understandably wondered, was the employee in a position to send a false missile alarm to a couple million people? Still, his men were restricted from advancing his cause by demands that forced them in some places to be unarmed and accompanied by local authorities when making an arrest. So he armed them with press releases, frequently structuring what he called the Federal Bureau of Investigation's reputation on a foundation of shaky achievement. After a 1933 shootout in Kansas City, an outraged public forced passage of a set of anti-crime acts that gave the FBI authority to carry guns from state to state. They provided the manpower and support to bring down even the most prominent of bank robbers: John Dillinger, Ma Barker and her sons, and Charles Pretty Boy Floyd, among others. Today, preparations for potential national security threats must go beyond shelters and emergency evacuation plans to greater proactive steps to fight the threat of possible destruction, starting with tightened sanctions preventing further sharing of information for ballistic missile and nuclear weapon development between Iran and North Korea. The Trump administration should advocate for legislation that disrupts the nations missile programs. Companies should refrain from doing business with Iran to avoid indirectly supporting its missile development and that of North Koreas. And we all must remain aware of the threats not out of fear, but as world leaders mitigating the risks by erecting barriers to both Iran and North Korea in their pursuit of nuclear capabilities. If we fail, our children may be learning how to duck and cover once again. On one hand, these memory laws are the brutal inheritance of an epic and hideous war that traumatized Europe. "World War II and the forces it unleashed shaped the national identities of the Bloodlands countries to a greater extent than any other historic event," wrote Bloomberg's Leonid Bershidsky, referring to countries in Eastern Europe that bore the brunt of the killings in World War II. "These identities don't travel well, even just across these countries' borders but with such laws there's little chance of any different ones emerging in their place, as in modern Germany. It's pointless to ask Poles, Ukrainians, Balts, Russians to stop refighting a war that has been over for more than seven decades: Memory is easy to weaponize and hard to put back into introspective mode." This very well might happen. It also might not. When it comes to the current rush of breezy blue-wave chatter, Im reminded of a simple lesson that even the biggest knucklehead in politics should have learned by now. Its a truth that applies not just to politics, but to life, so take heed: Unless youre Nostradamus and can trick a bunch of people by waving around a dramatic-looking beard and some mystical-sounding quatrains, dont go around making broad and overly confident predictions. They might end up making you look a bit daffy. As is, the wait-averse arrive promptly at the doctors office only to marinate in the lounge because the doctor is running late. Why not an app that tells patients before they leave home if the doc is behind schedule? We know doctors can be delayed by emergencies and other unexpected events. An app could warn patients via texts so they dont waste time and build blood pressure while trapped in the waiting area. The doctors time is valuable, but so is the patients. "And if I could make one more comment on this topic in the context of the real-world dynamic of this election and to some extent all elections. I wish the Sir Galahad theory of politics I shall win because I am more pure of heart was true. The occupants of the halls of power would be a lot different. This race would be over and fortunately, it isnt. Unfortunately we have six weeks, not six months, to break through and capture peoples attentions, introduce me, educate 800,000 GOP primary voters and expose Rauners betrayals to them, and distill it all to a single question we want primary voters asking themselves as they walk in the voting booth starting with early voting in as little as three days. When the Lincoln pulled up on the 4500 block of West End Avenue in Chicago's West Garfield Park, people inside got out and confronted King who was still in the trunk, police said in the affidavit. According to police, the people put a sock in King's mouth to quiet him, beat him again, and left him on the ground. King was later pronounced dead. Nearly 3,000 people were killed on Sept. 11, 2001, when hijackers took control of four large passenger jets, flying two into the Twin Towers buildings in Manhattan and a third into Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed in a Pennsylvania field when passengers prevented it from reaching its destination in Washington, D.C. Chicago Tribune photographers were on the scene in New York City and Washington D.C., shortly after the initial attacks. They have documented the aftermath and annual commemorations of the event over the past 20 years. Darien police report a missing 15-year-old girl was found in Oregon with a teenager from Oklahoma. Rhea J. Ramento, a freshman at Hinsdale South High School, was found Sunday with Kyler P. Keef, 17, police said Monday. They are both safe and in the process of being reunited with their families, authorities reported. The police believe Keef drove to Illinois from Oklahoma to pick up Ramento in Darien on Jan. 29. They then drove to the Oklahoma area in a silver 2005 Nissan 350Z Ramento was seen about 7 a.m. Jan. 29, when she was leaving supposedly to catch the school bus, police said. At about 3:40 p.m. Jan. 29, Keef was seen entering a gas station in St. Roberts, Missouri, while a girl, believed to be Ramento, waited by the Nissan, police said. On Sunday, the two were found safe and together in Oregon, Darien police said. Mrowinski, who attended Schaumburg High School from 2004-07, was hiking with a man when the accident occurred. The river also pulled him in, but he was able to return to shore. The two had been hiking near Piihonua Falls, fire officials said. Still, the Illinois State Fire Marshal was investigating the cause of the fire on Monday afternoon. And Sarhage suspected that the building would be closed for at least a week to repair the damage and ventilate the building that smelled from the heavy smoke. Jim Summers Curt Summers' brother said he remembered childhood days at Russell's, where his parents dated before they married; of ham sandwiches that came "with a little paper cup of apple sauce. We used to dip our tongue in the apple sauce to get it out," Summers said. Though inspired by a children's book, the play can be enjoyed by all ages, McCleneghan said. At the same time, Maine South is partnering with third-graders in Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 who have been assigned to read "James and the Giant Peach" and will participate in an initiative called "Teach the Peach" on Feb. 9. On that day, the elementary students will take part in drama, art, music and broadcasting workshops at Maine South before watching a midday performance of the play, the school said. According to the city, staff was unaware of the business before an anonymous report prompted an unannounced visit to the home in November. At that time, the animal control specialist and a police sergeant found 28 "Maltese-type" dogs living in clean conditions in the basement, according to the city. Their report noted the dogs were in numerous pens with food and water. She and Rohrer created a main hub at the Raupp Museum where the artifacts could be brought to be photographed. "We wanted to keep it relatively basic. I had two backdrops, black and white, and three lights," Brant said. About half the artifacts were brought to the Raupp Museum to be photographed; for the rest, such as the Lincoln bed that could not be transported, Brant traveled to the museums. While we were told the installation of red-light cameras in many Lake County communities was for safety reasons and our own good, it turns out what most of us felt from the beginning turns out to be true: Those red-light devices are there more for the money than to keep drivers safe. I noticed that the first lady's flights have cost $675,000 to the U.S. taxpayers. Her son was in school in New York when Donald Trump became president in January, so he finished the school year out which any mother in the entire world would do it if their son was in a good school. When the Obamas switched, I'm sure the school they went to in Washington, D.C. was better than the one they went to in Chicago, so we weren't giving anything up, while Donald Trump's son probably would be. The open house in late January came about after representatives with Smalley reached out to officials at Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 with the idea for a new program that could cater to Lake Zurich High School students who are interested in a manufacturing career and who also may or may not be interested in attending college immediately after graduation, said Beth Slaughter, District 95 development coordinator. "We had a horrific January last year," Ambrose said. "That is an alarming figure. People were starting their vehicles, letting the car run and going back into the house to get their coffee. Thirty-two of the vehicles were left running with the keys inside. You might as well put a sign on the car that says 'Take me.' I'm not pointing fingers. This is a fantastic community, but we have to work together. We can do a better job at the police department, but we need you to do a better job of also securing your property and vehicles." "We came the conclusion it would not be beneficial to [property owners] because the amount they would receive would not be of any substance," Moylan-Krey said, saying the rebate could be as low as $10 to as high as $100 per property. "It would also cost the township money to do it, and would be a burden on staff." "Mr. Kelerchian abused the authority entrusted to him for criminal purposes," U.S. Attorney Thomas Kirsch II said in a statement Monday. "The eight years that he will spend in federal prison, which began (Monday), should be a deterrent to others similarly situated that act for illegal purposes." "Our mission is to lend support and encouragement, through conversation, activities and printed material, to those who have experienced the loss/death of a loved one," said hospital chaplain //the Rev. Calvin White, who facilitates the sessions. "It is the hope of the group that some takeaways from the meetings will include learning about grief, gaining support, being accepted, being understood and establishing new friendships." "For all of us who grew up here, we know Indiana can be a wonderful place to be a child," Indiana Youth Institute President Tami Silverman said in the report. "Yet, the overall state of child well-being ranks Indiana 28th in the nation. The question is why village leadership is exercising its power to subsidize this niche, when its own Consolidated Plan notes that both rental and owner-occupied housing prices have soared in recent years. Skokie lost 688 affordable units between 2000 and 2010, while the number of units renting for $1,000 or more increased by over 70 percent from 2008 to 2012. Less than 15 percent of the village's housing stock is now considered affordable to the average family. Over 3,700 Skokie families, including both renters and homeowners, shell out more than 50 percent their incomes for shelter. [According to data compiled from the Illinois Housing Development Authority.] "If the Affordable Care Act were repealed as we know, it would result in tens of millions of people losing coverage and send premiums skyrocketing," she said. "We can't let that happen. We just can't let that happen." On February 18, Chinese policymakers finally released the blueprint for the development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area. Much anticipated by real estate developers, industrialists, and investors alike, the Greater Bay Area (GBA) has already received plenty of attention for its ambition to transform nine mainland cities and two special administrative regions into a new Silicon Valley-type technology and innovation hub. That integration would further prop Chinas infrastructure and connectivity programs like the Belt and Road Initiative as well as strengthen the supply chain industry in higher-tech manufacturing and services. Supporting the Greater Bay Area are three key infrastructure projects. The first is the recently inaugurated Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, which opened in 2018 and significantly reduces travel times from Hong Kong to Zhuhai and Macau. The second is the Express Rail Link, which also opened in 2018 and connects Hong Kong to Shenzhen and Guangdong, and subsequently to Chinas vast high-speed rail network. A third project, the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor, is expected to be completed in 2024. It will be an eight-lane highway and will reduce the travel time between Shenzhen and Zhongshan/Jiangmen by approximately 30 minutes. Commenting on the value of these mega projects, Valeria Manunza, International Business Advisory Assistant Manager at Dezan Shira & Associates Guangzhou office, said, this alignment of infrastructure development is the key to an integrated, efficient, modernized, and rapidly evolving Greater Bay Area. WEBINAR Chinas Greater Bay Area: Exploring Key Sectors for Direct Investment and M&A Tuesday, July 13, 2021 | 4:30 PM Hong Kong / 9:30 AM London Join us as we bring together a panel of top foreign business experts from four leading China business consulting organizations to address the sector opportunities in the GBA for trade, FDI, and M&A. Speakers from the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China to the United Kingdom, the 48 Group, China Investment Research, Charltons Law, and Dezan Shira & Associates will discuss the growing number of business and investment opportunities within the GBA, focusing on several key sectors, through keynote presentations, a panel discussion and Q&A session. REGISTER TODAY Role of the Greater Bay Area in Chinas economic development Once it is physically integrated, the Greater Bay Area will put the region in a stronger position to achieve two other important parts of the initiative: increasing the Chinese economys value adding capabilities and boosting internationalization, both of which are important for Chinas next stage of economic development. To foster a region that adds more value in its economy, the initiative plans for the region to become an important global center for advanced manufacturing and to focus on innovation, financial services, transport and logistics, trade, and tourism and leisure. These are areas where the GBA is already strong, different cities in the region have already established their own unique strengths. Hong Kong is known as a world financial center; Shenzhen is known as Chinas Silicon Valley because of its innovation and startup culture; Guangzhou is known for its manufacturing industry and as a logistics hub; and Macau and Zhuhai are known for leisure and tourism. A more integrated and open GBA allows for the further development of these industries. For example, the completion of the above mentioned key infrastructure projects makes it easier for middle-class consumers to escape to Macau and Zhuhai for the weekend. Other projects in the pipeline will also help the region to move up the global value chain. The Guangdong Free Trade Zone will make the region more open to international investment in the targeted industries. Further to this, in January 2017, China and Hong Kong agreed to build the Lok Mau Chau Loop Technology Park. Located in Hong Kong, right on its border with Shenzhen, the park will allow Hong Kong to tap into Shenzhens booming innovation and startup ecosystem while also retaining Hong Kongs strong legal system and business environment. The initiative will have international impact beyond the GBA, as the region is located on the maritime section of Chinas ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. Manunza noted, The region is already Chinas most international region, with Guangdong province representing 26 percent of Chinas trade and 28 percent of Chinas exports. Adding further, she explained that A business that is already established in the Pearl River Delta region will be offered the opportunity to expand its range and use the region as a springboard to shift towards a more international approach. Companies located in the region that have already made this shift include Chinese tech giants Huawei and Tencent. As an international city with a highly developed professional services industry and RMB convertibility, Hong Kong can assist Chinese companies to achieve these global ambitions, just as it has traditionally assisted international companies in achieving their ambitions in mainland China. Integration challenges A more integrated GBA will help make businesses in the region more competitive as they will be more integrated into both local and global supply chains. Businesses will also be able to increase their competitiveness by relocating to new development hotspots, such as Zhongshan, Zhaoqing, and Huizhou, where rents and labor costs are lower than Shenzhen and Guangzhou. For the initiative to be successful and for the whole region to be more internationally competitive, cities in the GBA must move away from unhealthy duplication and low-value manufacturing. Manunza observed, The idea is to strengthen the cooperation among the cities within the region by focusing more on their competitive advantages and unique strengths, to create a system in which each city is able to complement one another. In turn, this will help maximize synergies between the cities. However, the region will have to overcome silos between cities, especially those between Guangdong province, Macau, and Hong Kong. Currently, the region is less integrated than the European Union (EU). A successful GBA project, Manunza said, will only arise when each single city in the region is able to prioritize the Bay Areas benefits over individual ones. For example, several sectors in the Chinese mainland are still closed to investment from Hong Kong despite the signing of the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2003. According to Manunza, important sticking points between the regions include currency use, immigration rules, and corporate tax rates. Therefore, as well as infrastructure projects, the region will require more harmonized policies and regulations so that goods, services, capital, and people can move more freely within the region. However, integrating the regions mainland cities with the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau not just physically, but with coordinated and complementary laws and policies, is likely the plans most controversial aspect. The special administrative regions enjoy freedoms not seen in mainland China, as well as different legal systems that better protect the rule of law. Yet, the blueprint says that the GBA should create an international and market-oriented business environment based on rule of law, under the jurisdiction and legal framework of mainland China. Critics of the plan fear that this emphasis on mainland Chinas legal and economic systems mean that Hong Kong and Macaus freedoms and comparative advantages could gradually erode as a result of greater integration. While the GBA initiative faces an array of practical hurdles, it is clearly ambitious, and offers great potential and opportunities. If the ambitions of the initiative are realized, the GBA will rival other bay areas in the world and transform the region into a global economic and business hub. Transformation of the Pearl River Delta In 1978, China launched a policy of reform and opening-up, which catalyzed the economic development of modern-day China. Leading the way in the implementation of this policy was South Chinas Pearl River Delta (PRD) region. Today, the PRD is one of Chinas most open and dynamic regions. The PRD is known as The Factory of the World and in 2016 the combined GDP of the 11 cities in the region was RMB 9.35 trillion (US$1.38 trillion). This accounted for 12 percent of Chinas economy that year, even though the region accounted for five percent of the countrys population. If the region were a country, it would be the fifth largest economy in Asia. Despite its success, the Chinese government did not allow the PRD to rest on its laurels. Facing increasing competition from countries such as India and Vietnam for low-cost manufacturing, the PRD sought to become even more open and innovative by taking a leading role in Chinas next stage of economic development. With the signing of a framework agreement in July 2017 between the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau, the PRD placed itself at the center of an ambitious new initiative. The initiative, first introduced in Chinas 13th Five Year Plan, was to transform the delta into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area by further integrating Hong Kong, Macau, and nine cities in Guangdong so that they became a world class city cluster. If the initiative develops according to plan, the region will be transformed from The Factory of the World to a dynamic hub of innovation and services with a GDP of US$4.62 trillion by 2030. This could mean the PRD overtaking rival bay areas in Tokyo, New York, and San Francisco to become the biggest in the world in terms of GDP. Editors Note: This article was originally published in February 2018 and has been updated to include latest developments. Canadian scholar and advocate of Confucianism Daniel A. Bell receives the Huilin Cultural Award. Wang Kaihao reports. His Chinese name is Bei Danning, which is based on the pronunciation of his English name, but it also indicates "simplicity and tranquility" in Mandarin, paying homage to ancient Chinese sages. Daniel A. Bell is the dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University in Jinan, a rare post on the Chinese mainland for foreigners. Still, the Canadian political theorist and philosopher, who's best known for his studies on China, wants to be treated by locals as a "Chinese". Not to mention that he is married to one. "It's about culture, not race," Bell, 54, says in Mandarin during a recent visit to Beijing Normal University. "If foreigners who are not of Chinese ethnicity can come to appreciate that learning about Chinese culture is not just a hobby or a skill to help in business, but a matter of identity," he says, "then it can enrich our minds and fundamentally change the way we lead our lives." In late January, he received the Huilin Cultural Award, an annual prize of Beijing Normal University given to both Chinese and foreign scholars who make extraordinary contributions to Sino-foreign cultural communication. "That (shared culture) was a traditional understanding of what it means to be a Chinese," Bell says. "It will be healthy for both China and the rest of the world to revive it and reinterpret it in modern times." He credits the open-mindedness to historyChina embraced people from overseas as early as in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). "Some of the values in mainstream Chinese culture had been deliberately marginalized since the 19th century for bad reasons," he explains. "It was just because China then didn't have as much economic and political power as Western countries, and these values were viewed (by the West) as maverick," he says. "But they should be promoted for social and philosophical reasons as China's economic and political power is rising nowadays." Born in Montreal and educated at McGill and Oxford, Bell, an advocate of Confucianism, has continued research on that ancient Chinese philosophy in the past 20 years or so by visiting and teaching at institutions such as Princeton University in the United States, Tsinghua University in Beijing, the National University of Singapore and the University of Hong Kong. China's vast market and surging demand in the aerospace sector is inspiring more European companies to strengthen their presence in the country. They are flocking to China with custom-built products and services, accepting new orders and service contracts, and ramping up production at their local facilities. Eutelsat Communications, one of the world's leading satellite operators, signed an agreement with China Unicom during the state visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to China from Jan 8 to 10. "China Unicom is our ideal partner for promoting satellite communications in the Belt and Road regions. The agreement aims at addressing the fast-growing market in the Asia-Pacific region," said Rodolphe Belmer, CEO of Eutelsat. Both sides will jointly leverage resources to enhance in-flight connectivity services from the west coast of North America to Asia, and down to Australia. They will also consider further developing satellite communication services across the globe. Meanwhile, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation or CASC and Dassault Aviation signed a cooperation framework agreement, targeting efficiency and integration improvements in China's manufacturing industry. The two companies have set up joint ventures and will provide information, as well as digital and consulting services, with customer-oriented research, design, simulation, manufacturing and management. In the aviation sector, the world's leading aero-engine manufacturer CFM International concluded agreements of various kinds for new engine orders and long-term support agreements covering nearly 500 CFM engines. The total value of the agreements is $9.1 billion at list price. CFM International signed a purchase agreement with Spring Airlines, China's low-cost airline, with a contract price of $2.9 billion. It also signed an agreement with Xiamen Airlines, which entails the purchase of 150 aero-engines and the over-haul of 20 aero-engines, with a total value of $2.05 billion. Its $4.2 billion agreement with China's Hainan Airlines is for new and spare engines and long-term support. "Our relationship with the Chinese aviation industry goes back more than 30 years, not only as a customer base but an important supplier base," said Philippe Petitcolin, CEO of CFM's parent Safran. "The new agreements strengthen our commitment to China and solidifies our relationships with our customers there, providing a strong foundation for even more cooperation in the future." Airbus on Jan 16 signed an agreement with the National Development and Reform Commission of China on further development of industrial cooperation in Tianjin. Both sides agreed to further enhance their industrial cooperation by strengthening technical innovation, engineering capabilities and supply chain expansion. "China has the ambition to develop its aviation in both the civil aviation and the manufacturing sector. To us, it is win-win cooperation," said Francois Mery, chief operating officer of Airbus Commercial Aircraft China. On the same day, Airbus and its Chinese partners also signed a framework agreement on ramping up its A320 production rate at its Final Assembly Line in Tianjin to six aircraft per month. "China is more and more important to Airbus. Airbus not only sells aircraft here, but also targets a vertical integration in cooperation with China," Mery said. A traditional "1,000-meter-long banquet" was held over the weekend in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality as locals welcome the Lunar New Year. More than 800 tables of delicacies were presented at the banquet along a street that stretches more than a kilometer in Chongqing's Zhongshan Old Town. The food was for the hosts' relatives as well as more than 30,000 tourists. Residents of the town traditionally hold these banquets to welcome the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 16 this year. In the past, the town was a busy port, and locals would prepare food along the street to cater to business people and porters who could not make it home for family gatherings. In 2005, locals decided to boost local tourism by resuming the tradition. Each year, on weekends before the Spring Festival, families cook their best dishes beside their homes to entertain visitors. Resident Li Chunmei prepared smoked pig trotters and sausages on Sunday. She prepared 45 tables of food for visiting gourmands. "Hosting the banquet has always been the busiest day in town," Li said. "Business has been really good." Miaoyuan Village in Quzhou City of Zhejiang Province welcomed the start of spring with a grand ritual on Feb. 4. During the ceremony, residents of Miaoyuan Village held a series of activities, including paying tribute to the god of spring and land and whipping the spring ox, as part of a time-honored ritual to carry on the traditions of China's agricultural history. The Start of Spring is one of 24 Solar Terms on the Chinese lunar calendar, representing 24 periods and climate governing agricultural arrangements in ancient China. The Solar Terms were inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO in 2016. Liu Kuili, director of the China Folklore Society and deputy director of the Committee of Experts for the Intangible Cultural Heritage in China, said, "The original beauty of folk culture was successfully preserved here." Having paid many visits to the ceremonies held in Quzhou, Liu said he believes that traditional Chinese culture will be passed on from one generation to another here. U.S. President Donald Trump [Chinanews.com] President Donald Trump's first State of the Union address may have given the White House a rare reason to lift its hopes. It might also have raised the spirits of the 45th U.S. president's support base across America. But beyond the U.S.' borders, it has probably more hindered and harmed than helped how the U.S. is seen in the eyes of the rest of the world under his watch. Clearly aimed at the domestic U.S. audience at a time when the current occupier of the Oval Office has the lowest poll ratings of any U.S. president in history, the tone and content of the January 30 speech aimed to assure and reassure Americans that their current president is serious about implementing his campaign promises of "Putting America First" and "Making America Great Again." However, the address has only reaffirmed that President Trump is strengthening and deepening America's growing global isolation. Playing to the domestic political gallery on issues ranging from immigration and infrastructure investment to trade protection and national security, the president might have looked and sounded good at home. But identification of China and Russia as America's global foes and the placing North Korea, Cuba and Venezuela within the same brackets as "rogues and terrorists" were more a reflection of the prevailing effects of Cold War attitudes on White House policy under his watch than any understanding of the urgent and growing need for more global cooperation and consensus on issues affecting the world. There's also an even deeper disconnect between the reality of U.S.-China business ties today and what the speechwriters inserted in the foreign policy sections of the president's major address. Just ahead of the speech, no less than the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in China confirmed in a joint survey of American business interests in China that confidence within the U.S. business community there is increasing. That confidence has indeed doubled in the beginning of 2018 over 2017, with the vast majority of American businesses surveyed not only reporting more revenue growth than in the past three years, but also projecting clear intentions to expand their China investments in 2018. Not that U.S. businesses don't have their concerns particularly about China's regulatory environment and what they see as unclear laws and overly-rigid enforcement. These real concerns have also been expressed. But U.S. businesses obviously see their experiences in China differently than how their president does. Domestic U.S. businesses are also becoming increasingly concerned about the effects of the Trump administration's continuing efforts to deepen its trade disputes with China. Washington recently imposed crippling tariffs on Chinese exports of solar-driven products and steel and aluminum exports to the U.S., but the result is that American consumers will end up paying more for the domestic equivalents. Similarly, the U.S. president's continuing threats are only worrying U.S. companies that depend heavily on China trade and supply for essential raw materials and more profitable labor. President Trump and his economic advisors only needed to look at how other large trading nations are dealing with China, especially since his early withdrawal of the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Even as he delivered his major address in Washington, British Prime Minister Theresa May was visiting China with the largest British business delegation ever, comprising over 60 major companies. PM May's visit took place at a time when UK-China business is booming both in terms of trade and investment aspects. Her choice of cities visited Wuhan, Shanghai and Beijing also spelt volumes about her intentions for the future of trade and business ties between China and its second-largest trading partner in the European Union (EU). China and Russia have both indicated before and after the Trump address that despite the tough talk and imposition of new sanctions, Beijing and Moscow are both still very interested in smoothing ties and strengthening relations at all levels. China has appealed for less use of Cold War rhetoric and more cooperation between the world's two largest economies, especially as their common interests outweigh their differences. The global signposts are up and the directions are clear. It all depends on how they are read in Washington. Earl Bousquet is a contributor to china.org.cn, editor-at-large of The Diplomatic Courier and author of an online regional newspaper column entitled Chronicles of a Chronic Caribbean Chronicler. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Flash Defying the U.S. warnings, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag warned Sunday that Turkish troops will move into Manbij if the Kurdish forces refuse to leave. If the Kurdish forces of the People's Protection Units (YPG), do not leave Manbij in northern Syria, Turkish troops "will move into Manbij and toward the east of Euphrates," Bozdag told the local channel CNN Turk. On the possibility of a clash between U.S. and Turkish troops, Bozdag noted that Turkey does not want to clash with U.S. troops in Manbij or anywhere else in Syria, adding that the U.S., a NATO ally for Turkey, needs to show the same sensitivity regarding the issue. "If U.S. soldiers wear uniforms of (YPG) terrorists and fight with them against the Turkish army, we will not have a chance to make the difference at this point," Bozdag said. He also warned that Washington needs to tell U.S. soldiers not to face Turkish forces and stay away from the region. "However, whoever cooperates with terrorists and carries out attacks against Turkish forces will receive the necessary response," he stressed. Turkey regards the YPG as the Syrian affiliate of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that is seeking autonomy in the southeast of Turkey. Turkish troops launched "Operation Olive Branch" on Jan. 20 in a bid to remove the YPG militia from Syria's northwestern region of Afrin. The U.S., which has cooperated with the YPG in fighting the terror group Islamic States in the past years, has urged Ankara to limit its military operations in Syria, while warning about the risk of a possible conflict with the U.S. troops based in Manbij if Turkish troops move on to capture the city. Flash Russia has registered seven ceasefire violations in three Syrian provinces over the last seven hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday. The violations were recorded in the provinces of Aleppo (3), Latakia (3) and Homs (1), the ministry said in its daily bulletin. Turkey has registered five cases of ceasefire breaches in the province of Idlib (1) and Damascus (4) during the same period of time, the document added. Both Russia and Turkey are guarantors of a nationwide Syrian ceasefire regime which came into force on Dec. 30, 2016. The total number of settlements that have signed reconciliation agreement is 2,342, the bulletin said. It also said the situation in the de-escalation zones is assessed as stable. In May 2017, Russia, Iran and Turkey, mediators for Astana peace talks for a political settlement of the Syrian crisis, agreed to set up four de-escalation zones in Syria, which are guaranteed to be free of battles and airstrikes for six months initially and subject to automatic extensions after that. According to the document, Syrian civilians have received 2.1 tons of food supplies through a humanitarian action of the Russian reconciliation center over the past 24 hours, and 139 citizens have received medical aid during that period of time. To date, a total of 2,440 tons of cargo has been delivered to Syria in 1,745 humanitarian operations and medical aid has been provided to 69,810 people altogether, according to the Defense Ministry. Flash A mass demonstration was held on Sunday in front of the Greek parliament to protest against the use of the term "Macedonia" in any resolution of the name row with Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). According to the organizers, local cultural clubs, over 1 million protestors joined the rally at the Syntagma square and nearby avenues, waving Greek national flags and chanting "Macedonia is Greece." Greek police, however, estimated that about 140,000 people participated in the demonstration. Despite the statistics difference, Sunday's rally is still one of the largest held in central Athens in the recent years. Similar rallies over the name issue were seen in 1992, one year after FYROM declared independence from Yugoslavia and chose the name Macedonia, which is also the name of a northern Greek province. Athens worries that the use of the same name by the neighboring state could lead to territorial claims. As UN-mediated negotiations over the long-standing dispute between the two neighboring countries continue and governments of both sides voice determination to reach a solution during the first half of 2018, Greek protestors were expressing their objection to any compromise by the government on the name issue. Sunday's protest was the second staged by the same organizers after the Jan. 21 rally in the northern port city of Thessaloniki when 400,000 people, according to the organizers' estimates, peacefully demonstrated. Police gave the turnout at about 100,000. In both cases, organizers stressed that they were not affiliated with any political party, although among the crowds were opposition parties MPs from the centre-Left to the ultra- Right. Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, well known for his music for the film Zorba the Greek, and a symbol of the Greek Left and resistance to military dictatorship four decades ago, was the keynote speaker. "Throughout my life I fought for the unity of Greek people and I believe that we must face also this united," the 92-year-old artist addressed the crowd. "We must be vigilant to protect our country's sovereignty... When one safeguards the rights of his country and his people, this is not nationalism, but patriotism," he stressed responding to criticism voiced by some cabinet ministers, scholars and media commentators who branded participants in the rallies as "nationalists". Theodorakis requested a referendum over the issue. "They are obliged to ask peoples' opinion first," he said. Seven out of 10 Greeks reject any new name for the neighboring country which will contain the word "Macedonia," according to a survey released this weekend by the Hellenic foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) think tank. And about 56 percent of respondents believe that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' handling of negotiations is in the wrong direction. "I have a responsibility towards the country...I will do my best to solve the issue," the Greek prime minister said on Saturday in a meeting with main opposition New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis, government sources told Greek national news agency AMNA. However, the government's argument in favor of a new compound name for FYROM which will include the term "Macedonia" was not welcome by protestors on Syntagma. "There is only one Macedonia. It has been, it is and it will always be Greek," Katerina told Xinhua. "These people arrived in the Balkans in the sixth century A.D. How can they be Macedonians?" Konstantinos Dimarakas from Piraeus asked. "I came here, because I want to support Greece's rights," Maritsa Kokkala said. She traveled from a village in Peloponnese peninsula, some 250 km southwest of Athens. More than 2,000 buses were chartered to bring demonstrators to Athens from all over Greece, according to the organizers. About 19,000 policemen had been deployed across the city as part of increased security, measures to maintain order, as a counter demonstration was held near Syntagma by a small group of anti-establishment groups. "No tolerance for nationalism and fascism," read the banners they raised. Flash Pyongyang has notified Seoul that they will send art troupe performing at 2018 Winter Olympics to the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Wednesday by sea, according to Yonhap. The 140-member Samjiyon art troupe will travel on the Mangyongbong-92 ferry, but which port will be used and other details are still under discussion, Baik Tae-hyun, ROK Unification Ministry spokesman told a press briefing on Monday. Flash Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi will visit China from Feb. 8 to 10 at the invitation of her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang announced Monday in Beijing. During her visit, Retno will meet with Chinese leaders, hold talks with Wang Yi, and co-host the third meeting of the joint committee for bilateral cooperation established between the two governments, Geng said at a daily press briefing. The two sides will exchange opinions on bilateral ties and international and regional issues of common concern, according to Geng. This year marks the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership and the 15th anniversary of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership. ASEAN stands for the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations. "The relationship between China and Indonesia maintains is improving and faces new opportunities for development," Geng said, expressing hope that the visit will further enhance mutual trust and cooperation, and advance relations between the two countries and the China-ASEAN ties. China Aviation Daily | Feb. 05, 2018 Air Senegal, Senegal's national carrier has signed a firm order for two A330neo aircraft, the new re-engined version of the best-selling A330 wide-body airliner. The order follows on from the Memorandum of Understanding signed in November at the Dubai Airshow. The agreement was signed in Dakar by Philippe Bohn, CEO Air Senegal and Fouad Attar, Head of Commercial Aircraft Airbus Africa Middle East, in the presence of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron on a state visit to Senegal, and Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal. "These A330neo aircraft will contribute to developing our medium and long-haul network. It is important for us to begin our commercial activities with aircraft that are both reliable and economical, while offering our passengers unrivalled comfort. This order demonstrates our ambitions for this new airline," declared Philippe Bohn, CEO Air Senegal. "We are pleased to count Air Senegal as a new customer. These A330neos will enable Air Senegal to benefit from unbeatable economics and to offer its passengers an outstanding level of comfort and travel experience in its market." said Fouad Attar Head of Commercial Aircraft Airbus Africa Middle East. Launched in July 2014, the A330neo is the very latest generation in Airbus' wide-body family. It builds on the proven economics, versatility and reliability of the A330 family, while reducing fuel consumption by about 25 percent per seat. The A330neo is powered by Rolls-Royce's latest-generation Trent 7000 engines and features a new larger span wing with sharklet wingtip devices. The cabin also provides the comfort of the new "Airspace" amenities. Contributed by Airbus By Li Xinyi in Kunming and Luo Wangshu in Beijing | China Daily | Updated: 2018-02-05 07:34 Police in Yunnan province have rescued 17 Vietnamese women after an eight-month investigation into a cross-border human trafficking network. Sixteen of the victims have been safely repatriated while the other woman, who is pregnant, has asked to remain in China, according to the Kaiyuan railway police. The women were all abducted in Vietnam before being trafficked to China and sold as brides in seven Chinese provinces, including Henan, Anhui, Shandong, Jiangsu and Guangdong, for up to 100,000 yuan ($15,870) per victim. Fourteen Christian house church leaders who disappeared in the coastal province of Zhejiang in China on Jan. 13 are believed to be in the custody of government security agents in an undisclosed location. Commenting on the disappearance of the 14 Christian house church leaders last month, China Aid president Bob Fu called out the Chinese authorities for its alleged lack of regard for people's freedom of religion. He also called on authorities to immediately disclose the location of the missing believers to their respective families and churches. "This massive, enforced disappearance of 14 peaceful church leaders shows the Communist Party has no regard to rule of law and its citizens' religious freedom rights," said Fu. "The Chinese government should be absolutely held accountable for this incident and immediately disclose the whereabouts to the families and their churches." While there is no word yet on the charges levied against the missing Christian leaders, China Aid noted that believers in Zhejiang have been facing harsh persecution from Chinese officials in the last few years. The province has made headlines several times over the cross demolition campaign of the government and its installation of surveillance cameras to monitor Christians' activities. Meanwhile, in the province of Shanxi, Christians feared an increased religious crackdown after authorities demolished the Golden Lampstand Church in Linfen last month. This was the second demolition in the area in less than a month, The Guardian reported. Witnesses said construction workers used explosives to destroy the large church. They also reportedly destroyed the remaining structures using diggers and jackhammers. In December, authorities in the neighboring province of Shaanxi demolished a Catholic church which has stood for 20 years. Fu suggested that the consecutive incidents might show a pattern of the action that Chinese authorities could take against independent house churches. He also said it could be a "prelude" to the stricter policies on religion that were set to be implemented this month. A U.S. federal judge has recently ruled that 50 Indonesian Christians who were residing illegally in New Hampshire should be given some time to fight their deportation orders. On Thursday, Feb.2, U.S. District Judge Patti Saris in Boston blocked the government from bringing the Indonesian Christians back to their home country. She said they must be given time to argue their case and show that they could face persecution or harm if they are sent back, The Associated Press relayed. "This opinion may literally save lives," said American Civil Liberties Union's Immigrants' Right Project attorney Lee Gelernt, who represents the Indonesian Christians. "As the court recognized ... this country's laws do not permit the government to send people back to persecution or torture." Judge Saris has given the Indonesians 90 days to reopen their case after they receive the documents pertaining to their previous immigration proceedings. This means they cannot be deported until the Board of Immigration Appeals has released a ruling on their cases and they now have a chance to appeal for a stay. Indonesian community leader Rev. Sandra Pontoh welcomed the ruling as it gave the illegal immigrants a last chance to fight for their stay in the U.S. Gov. Chris Sununu was also pleased with the judge's decision, and vowed to continue fighting for a resolution that would protect the Indonesians from religious persecution. However, the same could not be said of Indonesian Christians residing illegally in Highland Park, New Jersey. The Asbury Park Press reported that some of them claimed that their passports had been stolen in break-ins while they were seeking sanctuary from deportation at a local church. Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale of the Reformed Church of Highland Park blamed the break-ins at first on immigration officials. However, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement denied involvement in the incident, saying they do not have the missing passports. An increasing number of young Nigerian Christians are reportedly leaving the Catholic Church amid the rise of Pentecostal and Evangelical churches towards the end of the 20th century. Susan Onyedika, 22, was born in a Catholic family in Lagos and was active in her church's activities. However, she encountered doubts about her faith during her teenage years and started comparing her religious practices and beliefs to that of Pentecostal Christians, the Catholic Herald detailed. "When I started having that curiosity at 15, I asked questions but I was always shut off. They'd tell me to just believe it," said Onyedika. "I asked my Mum and she can't really explain anything. She just beats around the bush like every other person. She says: 'Just accept it. It's always been like that.' " Onyedika said she felt a need to understand the Bible, but the Catholic Church does not provide ways to help her with that. She also noted that Pentecostals have a different way of praying, and started having issues with praying through Mary because she felt that she could talk to God directly. She gradually attended Pentecostal fellowships and eventually left the Catholic Church. Victor Ejechi, 25, told the publication that he used to enjoy the Catholic Mass and catechism classes when he was a child. However, the lack of answers to his questions about the rosary, sacrament of confession, and speaking in tongues led him to leave the Church when he was in secondary school. Onyedika and Ejechi's concerns are not unique among young Nigerian Christians. In fact, such questions and doubts form a big part of the challenge for the Catholic Church in the country. Fr. Gabriel Ezema said the Catholic Church was well equipped for these questions, but a lot of people fail to make use of the available resources. He said there are several spiritual organizations that cater to young people's needs, but not all join these groups and end up drifting away when they start having fellowship with Pentecostals. Another factor that is contributing to the decline of the Catholic Church in Nigeria is the weakening of the religious faith in the Western world, according to Bishop Matthew Kukah of Sokoto. He said the trend caused Islam to ascend and evangelical Christianity in the country to go the other way, the Catholic News Service reported. Fr. Kukah said the influence of the Catholic Church in Nigeria is gradually decreasing because they can no longer appeal to Catholic nations to help them with their church projects. He noted, however, that ambassadors of Muslim countries are very supportive of Islamic celebrations and related projects. George Lindbeck, longtime professor of historical theology at Yale Divinity School, passed away on January 8. In evangelical circles he is best known as the author of The Nature of Doctrine: Religion and Theology in a Postliberal Age (Westminster Press, 1984) and as one of the two founding fathers of postliberal thought, the other being Hans Frei. One important point of clarification is warranted at the outset. There remains a lot of uncertainty among evangelicals as to what exactly is postliberalism. Simply put: the liberalism in postliberalism is not meant to refer narrowly to progressive, leftish, revisionary thought per se. The target is, rather, those forms of broader modern liberalism which have produced certain ways of thinking about faith and the church which can be found in both conservative and in so-called liberal churches. This is shown simply in the commitment to two priorities: (1) The priority of the rights and freedoms of the individual over those of the community and (2) The priority of the present experience of the individual in the moment over the past and over traditions. Postliberals seek, in a host of ways, to resituate the individual more primarily in community and in tradition(s), correcting the distortions that they see in both right and left forms of liberalism. The current political situation and the way that so many Christians have ambivalence (rightly so) about both the right and the left is evidence of how relevant postliberal thought continues to be on this score. There remains a lot that evangelicals can learn from George Lindbeck. Constructive Criticism The notion that evangelicals have much to learn may seem condescending, but George Lindbeck was a walking antithesis to condescension. The online tributes to his patient and gracious teaching style are on display in abundance. I was also an occasional recipient of his generosity as I pursued advanced degree work at Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto in the late 90s and early 00s. He patiently entertained my questions in writing and in person and facilitated visits for me to Yale as I was researching Hans Frei and postliberal thought. In the process, I came to discover that Lindbeck was a fan of evangelicals. Lindbeck was the keynote speaker at the 1995 Wheaton College Theology Conference: Evangelicals and Postliberals in Conversation. Lindbeck famously closed the event with this cryptic comment: I have not expressed fully enough my enormous gratitude for this conference. I will also say that if the sort of research program represented by postliberalism has a real future as a communal enterprise of the church, its more likely to be carried on by evangelicals than anyone else. In 2002, I had the opportunity to press Lindbeck on why he said this at a dinner event for Wycliffe doctoral students. His response to my query was immediate: Their unwavering commitment to the authority of Scripture. I then followed up: What is it that you think stands as the biggest challenge that prevents them from carrying on the postliberal project? He paused a long timehis pauses were legendary, but they were indicative of the care and intentionality he took when he spoke. He eventually said: Their unwillingness or inability to be self-critical about the ways in which they undertake and express that commitment. This is the first lesson I would like to emphasize: Lindbecks work offers evangelicalism significant resources from which to be self-critical about how the Bible is read and thought about, both with respect to biblical studies and to the work of dogmatic theology. Article continues below A Valuable Perspective Lindbecks life gave him unique experiences and skills which equipped him well to speak to the church in the United States and for the work he pursued. He was born and grew up in China, as a child of missionaries. He, by necessity, from the earliest age, had to learn how to analyze, assess, and negotiate the contrasts and conflicts between cultural and religious worldviews. These personal experiences gave him unique eyes to see where Christianity in the West was beholden more to a tradition of Western thought than to the Scripture or to the Christian tradition. In this regard, Lindbecks work in the evangelicals library would be quite fittingly placed alongside that of Lesslie Newbigin, and, I would suggest, should be read and appreciated similarly. While Lindbecks best-known work is The Nature of Doctrine, there is one must-read article for evangelicals which expresses what he believes the reading of Scripture should look like. It is titled Atonement and the Hermeneutics of Intratextual Social Embodiment. The bark of this title is far worse than its bite; it is accessible. This article summarizes what a postliberal hermeneutic looks like. It emphasizes, for one, the priority of practice over theory, which means that human beings learn how to do things by doing them. Methodological reflection on doing things only works well after one has already learned how to do something, at least in a cursory fashion. For Lindbeck, reading Scripture in a postliberal mode also means that we must take two things seriously: First, our deeply shared traditions in learning how to read Scripture, acknowledging that they already function with authority in the practices we have learned. Pre-modern ways of reading, especially figural reading, are not only fruitful but necessary. Second, we also have to consciously locate our reading of Scripture in the context of our faith community, submitting whatever the Bible would say to me as an individual or my personal experiences to the more primary setting of God speaking to the community. The good news is that the hermeneutical postliberal seeds are bearing fruit among evangelicals. The work of Kevin Vanhoozer and Daniel Treier have born much of the fruit of evangelicals working through modes of hermeneutical self-criticism. More recently, the important proposals from Scott Swain and Michael Allen (RTS Orlando) on a Reformed Catholicity also carry on the tradition of evangelicalism in ways that also glean lessons from this aspect of postliberal thought. Another sign that evangelicals are undertaking the kind of self-criticism Lindbeck hoped for is the growing popularity and embrace of the work of James K. A. Smith, whose work is deeply indebted to postliberal thought. Generous Orthodoxy A second lesson that Lindbeck offers evangelicals is a model for understanding how the biblical virtues should manifest themselves in ones vocation, especially in the vocation of theologians and biblical scholars. A phrase rightly attributed to Hans Frei but also used by Lindbeck is generous orthodoxy. Generosity is actually a larger theme for postliberals that one sees saturating the life, writing, teaching, and work of both Lindbeck and Frei, as well as their students. I have met and interviewed and read the work of dozens of their former students. There is an unusually consistent spirit of generosity which they embody. In the classroom, they encourage the careful, fair, and patient reading of authors, before imposing categories and criticisms too quickly. Generous orthodoxy also means that one embodies biblical virtues as a theologian and as a biblical scholar as one encounters those who come from other traditions. Patience, long-suffering, gentleness, kindness; these are the attributes which Lindbeck strongly argued should be apparent in the theological scholars life and work. There is something rather obviouseven a truism herethat stands in stark contrast to much of the history of evangelical scholarship. Article continues below There is good news on that front also: In recent decades, evangelical theologians have become more generous in mode and disposition, more ecumenically minded, and more patient in their stance toward non-evangelicals. This is embodied clearly in places like Wheaton, Fuller Seminary, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. Even the most casual of dustings will uncover the fingerprints of Lindbeck and Frei in the work of theologians in those places. Lindbecks Typology The final lesson I would like to highlight takes us finally to his classic work The Nature of Doctrine. The lesson offered is for evangelical theologians and pastors to be more deeply self-critical about the frames of classic liberalism which still often direct how the task of doing theology and preaching is viewed and undertaken. First of all, a point of clarification: George Lindbeck had a very small and specific audience in mind when he wrote The Nature of Doctrine. It was designed to be read as a kind of therapy specifically for intra-Christian ecumenical dialogue. When he wrote it, he assumed that those reading it will be mutually committed to all of the shared creedal truths of the Christian faith. It was not meant to be a proposal for an all-encompassing theory for making religious truth claims but, rather, an intramural Christian conversation about secondary matters of faith. This is not how The Nature of Doctrine is usually read. It is read as a broadly programmatic piece on religious epistemology and on the general conditions of all religious truth claims. Indeed, the grain of its composition and the tide of its reading flows so strongly in this direction that Lindbeck remarked at the Toronto meetings that he had come to often find himself reading it that way. Why is this important? Lindbeck is often accused of being an anti-realist or constructivist, the idea that truth claims humans make are simply ones that we make up and construct ourselves with no real relationship with the way things really are. These critics point to Lindbecks illustration of the Christian crusader, who cries out Christus est Dominus (Christ is Lord) just as he cleaves the skull of an infidel as an example of this. Lindbeck argues that this statement, Christus est Dominus, is not true because the action undertaken here is inconsistent with what Lindbeck understands the lordship of Christ to look like in the character of the actions of the crusader. In other words, it is an untrue expression of Christs lordship. Lindbeck is read as if he is saying that somehow the general truth that Jesus is Christ and Lord somehow depends on how we individually conduct ourselves in light of that truth. This would make the truth relative to our actions. That is not what Lindbeck intended. Again, the framework for the book is that all those who read it are already committed to the truths of the creeds. Lindbeck was trying to address secondary kinds of truth, on which we might disagree as Christians. So in the example of the crusader, it is meant as a way of opening up a discussion about what Christs lordship should look like in faithful practice assuming that everyone in this conversation is already committed to the truths we all confess in the creeds. Lindbeck himself has admitted that, in the way he undertakes the discussion, he handled the questions poorly, contradicted himself, and that this is a major problem with the book. Article continues below With that clarification out of the way, the main lesson offered by The Nature of Doctrine to evangelicals comes in his analysis of the dominance of liberal forms of theologizing. He creates a typology. Think of this as a line with two endpoints. At the right end are those who see theology as simply a matter of sorting out cognitive ideas and propositional truths. At the other end of the line, the left end, are those who see theology as about what Lindbeck calls the experiential expressivist dimension. What he means here are those who see theology and faith as solely expressions of ones experience of God or Christ or the Spirit or some such. His third type is those who seek to combine the two in some way and would fall somewhere along the line between the first two. What defines this line is the way in which all positions on it, from one end to the other, are committed to a form of modern liberalism which, as we noted above, prioritizes the individual and the present. So the faith of the individual who reasons with and accepts propositional truths in the present at one end and the experience of the individual, also in the present, at the other are both dependent on liberalism as are the attempts to combine the two somewhere along the line in between. Postliberal thought seeks to set out the question of theology and faith according to a new line, one that approaches the question from a completely different angle. Imagine a line perpendicular to that above and you will get the idea. This postliberal line begins from a place that both prioritizes history and tradition over the present moment and prioritizes the community over the individual. This helps us, for one, to set postliberalism in contrast to the recent post-conservative movement which has emerged among evangelicals. From our analysis here, post-conservative theologians and popular expressions of such in some emergent-type movements, insofar as these still place priority on the experience of the individual and in the present over traditions, are still liberal. From the standpoint of postliberalism, they should not be read as the evangelical counterpart to what postliberalism was and is attempting to accomplish. Admittedly, all of this can be hard intellectual and imaginative work. This is, in many ways, the final but also ultimate lesson Lindbeck continues to offer evangelicals. This remains as timely, relevant, and even urgent a lesson as it was when Lindbeck wrote The Nature of Doctrine 35 years ago. And once again, there are hopeful signs. There is an explosion of interest among evangelicals in the pre-modern and patristic periods evidenced in, for example, the Wheaton Center for Early Christian Studies, and the growing interest among evangelicals in pre-modern practices of biblical interpretation. Evangelicals who are receptive to and seek to appropriate the work of such writers as Alasdair MacIntyre, Charles Taylor, Nicholas Wolterstorff, and others also direct theological reflection in the same tidal movements as postliberalism. Postliberal evangelicalism is also alive and well in places like the Anglican Church in North America, in places like Wycliffe College, Regent College in Vancouver, Nashotah House, and the Robert E. Webber Center at Trinity School for Ministry and their annual Ancient Futures conference as well as in the work of those evangelical schools and theologians noted above and so many more. Lindbeck was a remarkable and faithful Christian, father, husband, mentor, author, and teacher. The lessons and tools he leaves behind are, by his own opinion, uniquely powerful in the hands of evangelicals. The good news is that those lessons are being learned and the tools employed. Lets pray with Lindbeck that they continue to bear their fruit in season. And lets give thanks to Christ our Lord and Savior for the life and work of George Lindbeck. Mark Bowald is General Editor of Christian Scholar's Review, Lecturer at Tyndale Seminary, Toronto and Theologian in Residence at St. James Anglican Church in Paris, Ontario. He co-edited Reading Faithfully: Writings of Hans Frei from the Archives (Cascade Books) and his Rendering the Word in Theological Hermeneutics: Mapping Divine and Human Agency was recently republished with Lexham Press. Whats the best way for Middle Eastern Christians in America to help fellow believers back home? A single misspelled email address inadvertently revealed the breadth of this dilemma for activists in the diaspora. The mishap sparked a spat this summer between two prominent US Arab groups: the Arab American Institute (AAI), a polling and policy organization led by James Zogby, and Coptic Solidarity (CS), which champions the religious freedom of Egyptian Christians and other minorities. Zogby, who has a Lebanese Maronite background, was a scheduled participant in CSs annual Washington conference, which leaders often use to advise DCs foreign policy establishment on Middle East issues. But two days before the June 15 conference, Zogby unexpectedly withdrew. Zogby explained in an article weeks later that he withdrew after receiving word that some controversial anti-Muslim hate groups would be at the conference and that the title of a panel in which he was participating had been revised to suggest that violence and impunity are endemic in Muslim and Egyptian culture. The best way to reinforce the message of the haters of Christians in Egypt is by giving them the ammunition that Copts in the US are working with Islamophobes in Washington, Zogby told CT. I felt it important to call out CS for what I strongly believe is a wrong-headed and potentially dangerous path. Stunned by Zogbys withdrawal and his public criticism, CS wrote an angry response, accusing Zogby of a dhimmi mentality, a reference to the secondary status of non-Muslims in the historic caliphate. He intentionally tried to hijack our event and tarnish our reputation, Lindsay Griffin, ... 1 You have reached the end of this Article Preview You have reached the end of this Article Preview To continue reading, subscribe now. Subscribers have full digital access. Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here. In 2020, we were the church on our heels. A global pandemic shut down much of our world. But the church has been on the move since it was birthed; it will continue to be on the move until God makes all things new. | Update (June 29): The evangelical leader tapped by the Trump administration to lead the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) was rejected by the international body on Friday over his comments on Islam. Ken Isaacss defeat marks the first time in nearly 50 years that diplomats have voted down an American nominated for the director general position, which oversees UN refugee and migration efforts. A longtime leader and former vice president of Franklin Grahams relief charity, Samaritans Purse, Isaacs had the backing of the State Department, even when critics challenged earlier remarks he had made about Islamic violence. Isaacs had issued an apology over the social media comments and made his accounts private. ---------- Original post (February 5 Samaritans Purse VP Nominated for UN Refugee Role Faces Backlash): The State Department faces backlash for nominating a longtime Samaritans Purse leader as the next director general of the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) last week. Nominee Ken Isaacs, vice president of programs and government relations at Franklin Grahams evangelical relief ministry, previously posted on social media about Muslims propensity for violence and his desire to prioritize Christian refugees, according to a Washington Post report. Isaacswho has spent decades overseeing major relief and development projects all over the world, including Muslim-majority countries in the Middle Easthas apologized for the controversial remarks. The State Department defended his nomination for the position, which facilitates international cooperation over refugees, internally displaced persons, and other migrants. Samaritans Purse declined to comment. Screenshots of Isaacss earlier tweets include statements like: if you read the Quran, you will know this [referring to the June 2017 London Bridge attack] is exactly what the Muslim faith instructs the faithful to do. If Islam is a religion of peace, lets see 2 million Muslims in National Mall marching against jihad & stand for America! I havent seen it! Refugees are 2 grps. Some may go back and some cant return. Christians can never return. They must be 1st priority. In an apology provided to the Washington Post, Isaacs wrote that he deeply regrets the hurt over his social media posts. It was careless and it has caused concern among those who have expressed faith in my ability to effectively lead IOM, he said. I pledge to hold myself to the highest standards of humanity, human dignity, and equality if chosen to lead IOM. Despite the controversy, the beliefs expressed in his tweets are not particularly uncommon. According to a 2016 Pew Research Center survey, 63 percent of white evangelicals, 63 percent of Republican-leaning voters, and half of all Americans over 65 believe that Islam encourages violence more than other faiths. In another survey, 61 percent of Protestant pastors did not believe that true Islam fostered peace in society. The concern about putting persecuted Christians first, which Isaacs suggested for Syrian refugees in 2015, continued to stir debate among evangelical advocates as President Donald Trump issued executive orders regulating the influx of refugees. Isaacss Twitter profile, now private, reads: Liberty, religous freedom, rule of law, disasters misc things like inalienable rights. Opinions are mine. Views are mine. Retweets aren't endorsements. In his profile and header photos, Isaacs poses with Middle Eastern men wearing combat jackets. Last year, the IOM nominee served in Iraq, helping Muslim and Christian families in villages liberated from ISIS control. He currently is involved in Samaritans Purse efforts to provide aid to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. In his work at Samaritans Purse, Isaacs has testified before congressional subcommittees regarding international development, including reporting on the Ebola outbreak in Liberia in 2014. He also served as the US Agency for International Development (USAID) director of the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance around the time of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and 2005 Pakistan earthquake. Isaacs spoke to CT in 2003 and 2004 about conducting relief work in Muslim-majority places like Iraq and Iran. He said, The heart of our ministry is sharing the mandates of Christ, but this is an Islamic society. We're not preaching. And, we go where we have the opportunity to meet needs. We do not deny the name of Christ. We believe in sharing him in deed and in word. We'll be who we are. During last Thursdays nomination announcement, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert celebrated Isaacss 34 years of experience living and working around the world to provide lifesaving emergency humanitarian assistance and development aid. She said he was exceptionally qualified to lead the IOM, a vital US partner in our efforts to ensure that migration is safe, orderly, and legal. Nauert later said it was appropriate for Isaacs to apologize for his social media remarks, and that the department continues to believe he would treat people fairly and respectfully in the IOM role. The vote to install him as director general will be held June 29. The Samaritans Purse VP would follow current IOM head William Lacy Swing, a career US diplomat who has served two five-year terms at the helm. home World Amnesty decries air raids that killed Christian villagers in Nigeria Amnesty International has denounced the Nigerian government's response to communal violence that is taking place between Fulani herdsmen and Christian villagers, saying it has been totally inadequate, too slow, in effective and in some cases unlawful. On Dec. 4, 2017, the Nigerian air force reportedly dispatched fighter jets to fire rockets at villages in the country's north-eastern Adamawa State as "warning shots" in an attempt to deter spiraling communal violence. "Launching air raids is not a legitimate law enforcement method by anyone's standard. Such reckless use of deadly force is unlawful, outrageous and lays bare the Nigerian military's shocking disregard for the lives of those it supposedly exists to protect," said Osai Ojigho, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria. The air raids took place in the villages of Lawaru, Dong, Kodomti, Shafaron and Nzuruwei, where Amnesty interviewed 15 witnesses. A total of 86 names of victims had been provided by locals in the villages, with 51 victims having gunshot or machete wounds, and 35 dying as a direct result of the air raids. Most of the victims were buried in individual graves, but 28 victims in Dong were buried in mass graves, according to the witnesses. As many as 3,000 homes have been destroyed across the five villages as a result of the air strikes. Amnesty reported that the air strikes were carried out at the same time as the raids by the herdsmen, while in other villages the air force arrived shortly afterwards. "The Nigerian authorities must investigate these attacks and, where these investigations indicate criminal responsibility, prosecute those responsible and bring them to justice," Ojigho said. Data collected by World Watch Monitor during its visit in Dong and Lawaru last month indicated that at least 79 Christians were killed and many other were injured, while an undetermined number had been reported missing. More than 3,000 villagers have reportedly fled to other Numan villages and neighboring Gombe State following the incident. The attacks carried out by the herdsmen are believed to be a reprisal for the massacre of over 60 Fulani women and children in three villages in Numan Local Government Area (LGA) on Nov. 19 by youths belonging to the Bachama tribe, which is predominantly Christian. Villagers and local leaders told Amnesty that they have relayed information on the impending attacks to the security agencies and reported that they have seen armed herdsmen gathering in the area. In response, the police announced on Nov. 29 that 315 extra officers would be deployed in the area, but the villagers said that they did nothing to prevent the violence on Dec. 4. Dawson K. Tufano, a retired court judge from Dong village, said that the security forces withdrew from the area just before the arrival of the attackers, paving the way for the large number of well-armed assailants to storm the villages. "While our local vigilantes were in a fierce battle with the herdsmen, aircraft came from nowhere and started throwing bombs on our villages, abetting the herdsmen to kill several people, while many others were injured as houses and properties were completely razed due to the Air Force bombings," Tufano narrated. The survivors in Dong and Lawaru said they believe that the attacks were aimed at wiping out all the Christians in their villages, which are mainly comprised mostly of Christians from the Bwaite tribe, also known as Bachama. Since the beginning of 2018, at least 168 people have been killed in clashes between nomadic herdsmen and local farmers in Adamawa, Katsina, Delta and Ekiti states. home World Jerusalem council launches bid to end tax exemptions on church-owned properties Jerusalem's city council has called for an end to tax exemptions on properties owned by churches and the U.N., claiming that the exemptions only applied to buildings that are legally recognized as places of worship. In a letter addressed to the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the council contended that international agreements only exempt places of worship, but churches have been excused for years from paying charges on their huge commercial property portfolios. Municipality Director General Amnon Merhav said that 887 properties owe a total of 657,180,520 shekels (over $190 million) in property taxes, but he declined not specify the timeframe covered. According to Times of Israel, the letter cited a legal opinion by an Israeli international law professor, who said that the exemptions for churches only applied to properties that are used "for prayer, for the teaching of religion or for needs arising from that." The religious institution that had the largest tax bill was the Roman Catholic Church, owing nearly NIS 12 million (US$,3477,960), followed by the Anglicans, Armenians and Greek Orthodox. Some Palestinians condemned the move saying, it is aimed at "emptying" the city of its Arab residents and Christian holy sites. "This is a new aggression against our occupied capital, Jerusalem. The decision is designed to further strangulate our people [in Jerusalem] to fulfill the occupation authorities' illusions of displacing them," said Yusef Al-Mahmoud, spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority government in Ramallah The Jerusalem Municipality's decision was also denounced by Palestinian Archbishop Atallah Hanna of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, who said that Israel does not have the right to interfere in the affairs of the churches. "The churches have been in Jerusalem before Israel was established and they have always been exempt from paying taxes, including under Jordan and the British Mandate," he said. Atallah asserted that the authorities are seeking to expand their control on Jerusalem and weaken and marginalize the presence Christians, as well as the Muslims, in the city. "We will not collaborate with this Israeli decision and we will not succumb to Israeli pressure and blackmail," he added. The Greek Orthodox Church, which owns residential and commercial property in both West Jerusalem and East Jerusalem, has come under fire from Palestinians over allegations that it has sold some of its property to groups aiding Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem. Reports have indicated that the Greek Orthodox Church has been selling off vast swaths of real estate in west Jerusalem and across Israel. "In recent years the patriarchate has been quietly selling off its properties in various parts of the country to companies hidden in tax shelters, for sums so low one wonders whether the church is trying to get rid of its assets at any cost," a report from Haaretz in October read. Jeremiah was a great prophet who lived through terrible times. His country was overrun by Babylonian invaders, and there was widespread panic. Anyone who could was converting their land into cash or valuables but only a fool would buy land which could be taken by the enemy at any time. In Jeremiah 32 there's a story of how this painful personal dilemma became an occasion for prophetic action. Jeremiah's uncle Hanamel was one of those desperate for cash. He urges Jeremiah to buy land to which he is entitled, and Jeremiah agrees. But his decision to buy his family land from his kinsman was more than just a commercial transaction. It was a statement of trust in God's future. He knew Jerusalem would be destroyed, the king would be imprisoned and the country ruined. But he was saying he believed God would keep his promises to Israel and that one day the wanderers would come home: 'For this is what the God of Israel says: "Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land"' (verse 15). Jeremiah himself didn't live to see it. He died far away from his home, in exile in Egypt, and never saw the fulfillment of the promise. His story is a lesson for us. As far as anyone else was concerned, he was a failure. His king didn't listen to his warnings, and was destroyed; his brave statement of faith looked absurd when the nation was defeated. But in time to come he'd be remembered for his faithfulness. Romans 8:25 says: 'Hope which is seen is not hope; how can we hope for what we see? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it in patience.' Jeremiah hoped in an invisible future, and as far as we know he kept hoping all his life. We are tested, often to breaking point, when our hopes aren't fulfilled. We may have all sorts of hopes and dreams, and have to live with their failure, one by one. But Jeremiah's story tells us that it's worth waiting, and that we should always trust. God's vision is longer than ours; as the hymn says, he 'holds the key of all unknown'. Our future is in his hands. Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - They call what they are building Puertopia. But then someone told them, apparently in all seriousness, that it translates to "Eternal Boy Playground" in Latin. So they are changing the name: They will call it Sol. Dozens of entrepreneurs, made newly wealthy by blockchain and cryptocurrencies, are heading en masse to Puerto Rico this winter. They are selling their homes in California and establishing residency on the Caribbean island in hopes of avoiding what they see as onerous state and federal taxes on their growing fortunes, some of which reach into the billions of dollars. And these men, because they are almost exclusively men, have a plan for what to do with the wealth: They want to build a crypto utopia, a new city where the money is virtual and the contracts are all public, to show the rest of the world what a crypto future could look like. Blockchain, a digital ledger that forms the basis of virtual currencies, has the potential to reinvent society - and the Puertopians want to prove it. For more than a year, the entrepreneurs had been searching for the best location. After Hurricane Maria decimated Puerto Rico's infrastructure in September and the price of cryptocurrencies began to soar, they saw an opportunity and felt a sense of urgency. So this crypto community flocked here to create its paradise. Now the investors are spending their days hunting for property where they could have their own airports and docks. They are taking over hotels and a museum in the capital's historic section, called Old San Juan. They say they are close to getting the local government to allow them to have the first cryptocurrency bank. "What's happened here is a perfect storm," said Halsey Minor, founder of the news site CNET, who is moving his new blockchain company - called Videocoin - from the Cayman Islands to Puerto Rico this winter. Referring to Hurricane Maria and the investment interest that has followed, he added, "While it was really bad for the people of Puerto Rico, in the long term it's a godsend if people look past that." Puerto Rico offers an unparalleled tax incentive: no federal personal income taxes, no capital gains tax and favorable business taxes - all without having to renounce your U.S. citizenship. For now, the local government seems receptive toward the crypto utopians; the governor will speak at their blockchain summit conference, called Puerto Crypto, in March. The territory's go-to blockchain tax lawyer is Giovanni Mendez, 30. He expected the tax expatriates to disappear after Hurricane Maria, but the population has instead boomed. "It's increased monumentally," said Mendez, who has about two dozen crypto clients. "And they all came together." JOSE JIMENEZ-TIRADO/NYT The movement is alarming an earlier generation of Puerto Rico tax expats like hedge fund manager Robb Rill, who runs a social group for those taking advantage of the tax incentives. "They call me up saying they're going to buy 250,000 acres so they can incorporate their own city, literally start a city in Puerto Rico to have their own crypto world," said Rill, who moved to the island in 2013. "I can't engage in that." ERIKA P. RODRIGUEZ/NYT The newcomers are still debating the exact shape that Puertopia should take. Some think they need to make a city; others think it's enough to move into Old San Juan. Puertopians said, however, that they hoped to move very fast. "You've never seen an industry catalyze a place like you're going to see here," Minor said. JOSE JIMENEZ-TIRADO/NYT The Monastery Until the Puertopians find land, they have descended on the Monastery, a 20,000-square-foot hotel they rented as their base. more techburger Get more tasty tech news at TechBurger. And follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe to the Chronicle for regular access to TechBurger stories and to be able to comment. See More Collapse Matt Clemenson and Stephen Morris were drinking beer on the Monastery's roof one recent evening. Clemenson had an easygoing affect and wore two-tone aviators; Morris, a loquacious British man, was in cargo shorts and lace-up steel-toed combat boots, with a smartphone on a necklace. They wanted to make two things clear: They chose Puerto Rico because of the hurricane, and they come in peace. "It's only when everything's been swept away that you can make a case for rebuilding from the ground up," Morris, 53, said. Clemenson, 34, a co-founder of Lottery.com, which is using the blockchain in lotteries, said: "We're benevolent capitalists, building a benevolent economy. Puerto Rico has been this hidden gem, this enchanted island that's been consistently overlooked and mistreated. Maybe 500 years later we can make it right." Other Puertopians arrived on the roof as a pack, just back from a full-day property-hunting bus tour. From the middle, Brock Pierce, 37, leader of the Puertopia movement, emerged wearing drop crotch capri pants, a black vest that almost hit his knees and a large black felt hat. He and others had arrived on the island in early December. "Compassion, respect, financial transparency," Pierce said when asked what was guiding them here. Pierce, director of the Bitcoin Foundation, is a major figure in the crypto boom. He co-founded a blockchain-for-business startup, Block.One, which has sold around $200 million of a custom virtual currency, EOS, in an "initial coin offering." The value of all the outstanding EOS tokens is around $6.5 billion. A former child actor, Pierce got into digital money early as a professional gamer, mining and trading gold in the video game "World of Warcraft," an effort funded partly by Stephen Bannon, the former Trump adviser. Pierce is a controversial figure - he has previously been sued for fraud. Downstairs, in the Monastery penthouse, a dozen or so other expats were hanging out. The water was out that night, so the toilets and faucets were dry. Minor lounged on an alcove chaise. "The U.S. doesn't want us; it's trying to choke off this economy," Minor said, referring to the difficulties crypto investors have with U.S. banks. "There needs to be a place where people are free to invent." Pierce paced the room with his hands in fists. A few times a day, he played a video for the group on his phone and a portable speaker: Charlie Chaplin's 1940 "The Great Dictator," in which Chaplin parodies Hitler rallying his forces. He finds inspiration in lines like "More than machinery, we need humanity." "I'm worried people are going to misinterpret our actions," Pierce said. "That we're just coming to Puerto Rico to dodge taxes." He said he was aiming to create a charitable token called ONE with $1 billion of his own money. "If you take the MY out of money, you're left with ONE," Pierce said. Kai Nygard, scion of the Canadian clothing company Nygard and a crypto investor, said: "He's tuned in to a higher calling. He's beyond money." The force of Pierce's personality and his spiritual presence are important to the group, whose members are otherwise largely agnostic. Pierce regularly performs rituals. Earlier that day while scoping out property, they had stopped at a historic Ceiba tree, known as the Tree of Life. "Brock nestled into the bosom of it and was there for 10 minutes," Nygard said. Pierce walked around the tree and said prayers for Puertopia, holding a rusted wrench he had picked up in the territory. He kissed an old man's feet. He blessed a crystal in the water, as they all watched. He played the Chaplin speech to everyone and to the tree, Nygard said. That wrench is now in the penthouse, heavy and greasy. Later, at a dinner in a nearby restaurant, the group ordered platters of octopus arms, fried cheese, ceviche and rum cocktails. They debated whether to buy Puerto Rico's Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, which measures 9,000 acres and has two deepwater ports and an adjacent airport. The only hitch: It's a Superfund cleanup site. Pierce had fallen asleep by then. He gets two hours of sleep many nights, often on a firm grounding mat to stay in contact with the earth's electric energy. Josh Boles, another crypto expat, picked him up, and the group headed back to the Monastery. They walked past a big pink building in an old town square, the start of their vision for Puertopia's downtown. They plan on turning the structure, once a children's museum, into a crypto clubhouse and outreach center that will have the mission "to bring together Puerto Ricans with Puertopians." The Vanderbilt Workdays are casual in Puertopia. One morning, Bryan Larkin, 39, and Reeve Collins, 42, were working at another old hotel, the Condado Vanderbilt, where they had their laptops on a pool bar with frozen pina coladas on tap. "We're going to make this crypto land," Larkin said. Larkin has mined about $2 billion in bitcoin and is the chief technology officer of Blockchain Industries, a publicly traded company based in Puerto Rico. Collins had raised more than $20 million from an initial coin offering for BlockV, his app store for the blockchain, whose outstanding tokens are worth about $125 million. He had also co-founded Tether, which backs cryptocurrency tied to the value of a dollar and whose outstanding tokens are worth about $2.1 billion, though the company has generated enormous controversy in the virtual currency world. "So, no, no, I don't want to pay taxes," Collins said. "This is the first time in human history anyone other than kings or governments or gods can create their own money." He had moved from Santa Monica, California, with just a few bags and was starting a local cryptocurrency incubator called Vatom Factory. "When Brock said, 'We're moving to Puerto Rico for the taxes and to create this new town,' I said, 'I'm in,'" Collins said. "Sight unseen." They soon went back to work, checking out Coinmarketcap.com, a site that shows the price of cryptocurrencies. "Our market cap's gone up $100 million in a week," Collins said. "Congrats, man," Larkin said. Welcome, Puertopians? All across San Juan, many locals are trying to figure out what to do with the crypto arrivals. Some are open to the new wave as a welcome infusion of investment and ideas. "We're open for crypto business," said Erika Medina-Vecchini, chief business development officer for the Department of Economic Development and Commerce. She said her office was starting an ad campaign aimed at the new crypto expat boom, with the tagline "Paradise Performs." Others worry about the island's being used for an experiment and talk about "crypto colonialism." At a house party in San Juan, Richard Lopez, 32, who runs a pizza restaurant, Estella, in the town of Arecibo, said: "I think it's great. Lure them in with taxes, and they'll spend money." Andria Satz, 33, who grew up in Old San Juan and works for the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico, disagreed. "We're the tax playground for the rich," she said. "We're the test case for anyone who wants to experiment. Outsiders get tax exemptions, and locals can't get permits." Lopez said the territory needed something to jump-start the economy. "We have to find a new way," he said. "Sure then, bitcoin, why not," Satz said, throwing up her hands. Lopez said he and a childhood friend, Rafael Perez, 31, were trying to set up a bitcoin mine in their hometown. But electricity has been inconsistent, and mining even a single bitcoin takes a lot of power, he said. Get more tasty tech news at TechBurger. And follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe to the Chronicle for regular access to TechBurger stories and to be able to comment. Trial for Austin-based celebrity chef Paul Qui has been reset in Travis County for May 1. Qui, the James Beard Award-winning chef/owner of restaurants in Austin, Houston and Miami Beach, was arrested on March 19, 2016, after an altercation involving his live-in girlfriend. He faces charges of unlawful restraint and assault causing bodily injury to a family member, both Class A misdemeanors. The trial was previously scheduled for Monday. A Houston woman who worked as a bookkeeper has admitted she took more than $1.7 million from a family whose money she managed. Gwendolyn M. Berry entered a plea of guilty Monday to 12 counts of mail and wire fraud, plus four counts of filing a false tax return, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. For the second time in less than three years, a 21-year-old Florida inmate has been charged with murder after allegedly killing another cellmate for being a child molester. Frederick Patterson III, who was initially in custody for burglary, allegedly claims he killed his cellmate Arthur Williams, 82, Jan. 15 in Jackson County Correctional Facility in Marianna, Florida. SAM HODGSON/STR WASHINGTON - The former head of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is officially out as President Donald Trump's pick to head the national Council on Environmental Quality. Kathleen Hartnett White, who served as Texas's top environmental official under former governor Rick Perry, had come under fire over her comments on climate change and renewable energy during a difficult senate hearing last year. She has now released a statement withdrawing her name from consideration. The Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce kicked off its first luncheon of 2018 on Feb. 1 with Melissa Lanier giving the State of the Chamber address. Lanier began her address by thanking the community, which she joined four years ago and also to the Chamber's board members for 2018, 2017 and 2016. "I came on board with the Chamber at a time when we were experiencing what seemed to be insurmountable challenges and I can tell you that I have seen evolution at its best," she said. Lanier describes the Chamber as strong and unified with the people who live in Cleveland showing they truly care about each other. The directors of the Chamber met two years ago and discussed the needs for the organization's relationship with the local community. "Of great importance was the need to be transparent," said Lanier. "We wanted you to know what we were doing." Lanier says this includes continuing to remember the Chamber's mission, which involves marketing the products and services of the organization's members, promoting economic development and overall enhancing the quality of life in Cleveland. "We care about Cleveland and most importantly we care about where we're at today and where we're going," said Lanier. The Chamber's recent retreat had the organization establishing two new committees. The first is the transportation committee. "We believe that by forming this committee and by partnering with the City of Cleveland and others in the community, we can better observe and respond to matters concerning transportation projects that affect our area," said Lanier. "We need to be ready for growth and it's here." The second is the education committee, which ties into the Chamber's student ambassador program. The student ambassador program involves mentoring students to make them better leaders for the future. "Our goal is to broaden that program," said Lanier. The Chamber is making strides in other areas such as having a more effective and interactive website and also preparing the 2018 program guide, which is expected to be printed and distributed to hotels soon. The Chamber is also planning a number of fun events and activities for the Cleveland area. "This is a work in progress," said Lanier. "If we try something and we don't get the results that we want, we come back, we meet, we brainstorm and we try to figure out how to make it better." Lanier encourages others to involve themselves with a committee as it benefits Cleveland's future. "We cannot achieve all of our goals without your help," she said. "We are a team and we are here to get the job done." Lanier concluded by asking others to adopt a pay-it-forward mentality. "Let's be a community about supporting each other and our businesses and let's all be about making Cleveland the best it can be," she said. Chamber COO Jim Carson followed Lanier with an update on the organization's finances. He began by pointing out that the Chamber's budget is available online every quarter. Dues are up by 10 percent and last year's banquet brought in 37 percent more profit. "We're going in the right direction," said Carson. Carson says the Chamber is not running a loss on its lunches anymore and therefore the rates to enter remain the same. While revenue is down 10 percent, expenses are down by 15 percent. "We're managing our money much better," said Carson. Carson also announced that the Chamber has positive equity and has canceled its line of credit. A hit-and-run driver who killed a pedestrian early Monday in northwest Houston has reported to authorities, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office. The driver has turned himself or herself in. The crash happened about 1 a.m. Monday in the 11400 block of Jones Road, according to the sheriff's office. A vehicle was traveling northbound and entered the center turn lane, striking and killing 57-year-old Michael Hughes. Mayor Jeff Lambright in a recent council meeting said it best, "It's been a long time coming." For years, city leaders have worked tirelessly to find additional healthcare options for its residents and it appears they have finally scored. Courtland Holman, executive director of the Dayton Community Development Corporation (DCDC), described the new clinic. "It's like an urgent care center on steroids," Holman said. With both public readings of the ordinance to grant the clinic financial assistance from the DCDC, the foot is to the gas pedal to open the Dayton Family Medical Center, LLC. "They have history with medical business including the owners of other hospitals and are currently building one in another state," Holman said. He also said this would be their prototype of urgent care, obstetrics, X-ray, and much more. "Everything except for overnight stay," he said. "They can get you stabilized if you've had trauma and get you transported to a hospital," the executive director said. The clinic will be located next to the Subway and Brewings restaurants in the strip center at 101 So. Prairie and US 90. "I believe they will be very successful the minute they open their doors," Holman said. The project was spear-headed by Dr. Tom Kelchner, a former educator from Huffman. "We are committed to bringing appropriate medical services to the Dayton community," Kelcher said. "We're proud to work in partnership with the city and the DCDC," he told the council. Kelchner has spent most of his adult life as a principal on all levels in Dallas ISD and later promoted to the position of Director of Special Education. He most recently served in that position at Goose Creek CISD and retired in December of 2016 to pursue business ventures. The two physicians who are primarily involved in the partnership to bring a multi-specialty clinic to Dayton are Dr. Kyle Peterson, MD and Dr. Christion Rice, MD. Peterson and Rice are currently involved in operating some free-standing emergency rooms and urgent care centers. "Their operation has been very successful over the last three years," the former educator said. "Our goal is to provide a very accessible, sustainable operation that provides multi-specialty services to our community." The clinic will include a range of services including urgent care and more. "Initially, there will be radiology, imaging services, lab services, all the family practice and so forth, but as the needs of the community grows, we will be bringing in additional specialty lines based on population," he said. Occupational medicine also will be offered. "I have been working with the city and the DCDC since March of 2017 and we've been working to identify the right people, the right physician's group to be included in our community. It's really been about five or six months working together on this," he said. The target date to open is no later than June 1, but they hope to get in as soon as May 1. Kelchner saw the benefits of the clinic because the area is grossly underserved and has seen the news about the explosive growth projected in Dayton and the Liberty County areas. "We are looking at Dayton as a partnership and we will grow as the community grows," he said. "We'll look at the needs and the growth down the road and we're committed to Dayton." The partners are currently in negotiation for a location in the heart of the downtown area at 101 So. Prairie. "We'll take all private insurance payers as well as Medicare and Medicaid. We want to be accessible to all of our stakeholders in the community," he said. He announced in council meeting that they were preliminarily considering 12 hour days, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday with Sunday being considered down the road. "We'll finalize the times once we're able to open. The focus is to be easily accessible for the community," he said. The DCDC offered an agreement to entice the partners to come to Dayton. The agreement was structured for them to receive $250,000 divided up in two parts. "The first part is a $150,000 payment for equipment for the start-up and the second part is a $100,000 rent reduction over the next five years," Holman said. Kelchner said the mayor, council, city, and Holman at the DCDC have all been supportive. "This is truly a unique partnership with the community and we look forward to a partnership with the city and community for years to come," he said. Citizens of San Jacinto County learned more about the appraisal district on Jan. 30 when Chief Appraiser Sherri Schell discussed many details of the entity during the Coldspring/San Jacinto County Chamber luncheon. Schell's presentation revolved around how property taxes work and what taxpayers need to know ahead of time when it comes to addressing these taxes. "The appraisal district is a political subdivision of the state of Texas," she said. The appraisal district's purpose is to make fair, standardized appraisals. An appraisal district is governed by a board of directors that is not affected by the Texas Election Code. According to Schell, the appraisal district establishes the office, adopts the budget, hires a chief appraiser, makes a contract for services and performs other duties for its area. One of its functions is to set the tax rate based on the amount of value. This value is based on individual tax units such as ESDs, local school districts, county governments and more based on their needs. "They try to determine at that point how much revenue that they need for the next year to operate," said Schell. "Then they come up with a formula for a tax rate." Schell says the appraisal district values your property, hears your protests, adopts rates and collects your taxes. "You as a taxpayer have a certain amount of responsibilities," she said. "You also have a certain amount of rights." Rights include receiving all of your tax exemptions, knowing your tax unit's rates, knowing your remedies and more. Any protests must be made by May 15. If you received a notice from the San Jacinto County Appraisal District then it must be made within 30 days of that notice or May 15. Business owners are required by law to fill what's called a business personal property rendition, which is due on April 15. "You list all of your furniture, fixtures, inventory, anything you use in the production of your business to earn an income," said Schell. Schell says taxpayers must also be aware of certain responsibilities such as making sure their appraisal district has the correct mailing address. "Everybody thinks we have a crystal ball," she said. "We don't." Another responsibility is applying for exemptions, which Schell says the appraisal district does not necessarily know about each taxpayer. Schell finished her speech and was followed by a member of the board of directors, Steve Roberts. Roberts discussed two of the projects underway by the San Jacinto County Appraisal District but first explained the need for representatives on the appraisal review board. "We are critically short of any members from Pct. 3," he said. "We have a shortage of members from Pct. 2." The first of the two projects is the five-year review. Roberts says this addresses the tax regions in the county with one region already completed. "We were able to collect and return to our taxing authority $750,000 in tax money," he said. This money is expected to go to tax units such as the school districts and the county itself. The second project is the homestead review. "The board was concerned that we had not reviewed our homestead declaration for many, many years and there was concern that we had inappropriate homestead declarations and we possibly had some fraud declarations," said Roberts. The appraisal district used a legal tool that red flags anywhere from 4 to 6 percent in an area. "We top the charts at 19.6 percent," said Roberts. The appraisal district has discovered a number of homestead declarations along with disability declarations. Fraud incidents were easily seen when deceased individuals were making declarations. For more information on the San Jacinto County Appraisal District, call 936-653-1450. The district is located at 99 Slade St., Coldspring, Texas 77331. Jmblya was just warming up. Cardi B and Migos, two of the biggest stars of the past year, have been added to the Jmblya lineup in Houston. The annual festival, which hasn't been here since 2013, returns May 6 to Sam Houston Race Park. "Bodak Yellow" and "Bad and Boujee?" We'll take it. MAGIC: Listen to Houston rapper Riff Raff on a remake of Aladdin tune 'A Whole New World' Cardi B, who performed in December at Day for Night, is currently engaged to rapper Offset of Migos. Expect the acts to team up for a run through recent hit "MotorSport." Kevin Gates, who scored hits with "Really Really" and "2 Phones," has also been added to the Jmblya lineup. The hip-hop festival announced part of its lineup last week. It includes rappers Playboi Carti, Trippie Redd, Ski Mask The Slump God, Cozz, Killy and Jack Harlow. Locals Bun B, Trae Tha Truth and DJ Mr. Rogers will be "special guests." One more artist announcement is expected soon. FINISH LINE: Bun B, Paul Wall, Los Skarnales set for AIDS Walk Houston post-concert Tickets are on sale now and range from $60 to $299. Jmblya will also be in Dallas (May 4) and Austin (May 5). Jmblya debuted in 2013 at Bayou Music Center (now Revention Music Center) in Houston but hasn't been back. That inaugural lineup included Tyler, The Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, Zeds Dead, Big Boi and G-Eazy. The city of Katy started charging utility customers more for the water they use as of Feb. 1. The rate of $1.75 per 1,000 gallons reflects only part of the increase charged by the West Harris County Regional Water Authority, however, as it raises funds to pay for projects intended to replace use of groundwater with surface water to reduce subsidence, or the reduction of the aquifer which leads to the land sinking. Last year, Katy water customers paid a $1.43 per 1,000 gallons surcharge. In both cases the rate charged the city by the regional water authority is higher - $2.70 per 1,000 gallons in 2018 and $2.45 per 1,000 gallons in 2017. The surcharge is only one item on the monthly utility bill issued by the city. What city customers are paying is the recovery rate, which is calculated by Becky Wilkins, the city's finance director. The regional authority board of directors sets fees for ground water and surface water usage, explained Elaine Lutringer, Katy's public works superintendent. Initially, the ground water rate was 50 cents per 1,000 gallons, she said. "At that time a spreadsheet was developed to track water pumpage and water billing. The total annual pumpage and total annual billing are averaged, then multiplied by the new rate, and a recovery rate is determined," she explained. "The recovery rate is the amount of increase per 1,000 gallons that the water rate has to increase to cover actual costs." The regional water authority must meet Harris-Galveston Subsidence District requirements to convert from groundwater to surface water, according to Wayne Ahrens, the authority's engineer. Requirements include converting to 60 percent surface water use by 2025 through participation in the Luce Bayou project, the transfer of water from the Trinity River to Lake Houston, participation in expansion of Houston's northeast water plant to pump more water and construction of a large diameter pipeline from Lake Houston to West Harris County. "We have to pay significant amount of money for all those projects," said Ahrens. "This rate increase is required to be able to finance all those projects." The authority's October 2017 town hall meeting included the following: Luce Bayou interbasin transfer project: total cost $350 million, the authority's share is $70 million Northeast water purification plant expansion: total cost $1.28 billion; the authority's share $320 million Surface water supply project: total cost $680 million; authority's share $375 million Ahrens said, "Individual customers, water districts or the city of Katy cannot afford as one entity the huge amount of cost involved. The authority is the mechanism for all water users to be able to jointly meet the mandates from the subsidence district. That's what the water authority is moving forward to do." The North Fort Bend Water Authority, which includes portions of Katy, also is participating in the Luce Bayou project, expansion of the northeast water treatment plant and 8-foot diameter pipeline from Lake Houston to West Harris County to Fry Road just north of Clay Road, said Ahrens. The 2016 annual groundwater report of the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District says that the largest use of groundwater continues to take place in Regulatory Area 3 which withdraws 82 percent of the groundwater within the district. Area 3 includes Katy. Visit https://hgsubsidence.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/HG-GW-Report-2016-Board-Final.pdf for details. Areas 1 and 2 are lower as a result of reduced groundwater use required by the district's plan. Michael Turco, general manager, Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, said subsidence is fairly consistent in western and northern Harris County. Surface-water conversion began in 2010 and required a reduction to 70 percent groundwater use. That percentage drops to 40 percent of total water demand by 2025 and 20 percent by 2035, he said. Subsidence can contribute to flooding because of the loss of land elevation that could modify or impact drainage patterns, according to Turco and Ahrens. Turco encourages property owners to keep informed and to be aware of what's going on. "Water conservation is an important part of water management strategy," said Turco, which not only is a plus for groundwater but also surface water use. He encourages residents to visit http://smarteraboutwater.org/ for free information about water conservation. Irrigation of yards can account for between 40 percent and 50 percent of water use, he said. "Small modifications can have a big impact on water everyone uses." Conservation also has the attention of Katy officials. "At this time, the city is working with Keep Katy Beautiful to hire a consultant that specializes in water conservation," said Lutringer. Jess T. Washburn, affiliate coordinator for Keep Katy Beautiful, said, "We do not have a specific project but do on-going education through distributing water conservation literature at city and KKB events. We also work with the city throughout the year to address these issues." If people use less water, that can offset their bill with the higher rates, said Ahrens. "Rates are going to have to continue to go up to pay for all these facilities that have to be built to meet the subsidence's district's mandate," he said. The October town hall meeting showed estimated infrastructure cost to the authority over the next decade of more than $360 million. The authority has videos on its website about conservation. Visit http://www.whcrwa.com/ for details. A Magnolia man is behind bars after detectives caught him downloading child pornography, police said. Detectives with the Montgomery County Precinct 3 Constable's Office were working with the Harris County Internet Crimes Against Children unit in late January when they came across John Reid Spooner, 42, downloading child pornography from the internet, detectives said. Investigators traced the download to Spooner's home in the 7200 block of Casita Drive, just northwest of the intersection of FM 1488 and FM 2978. Police raided Spooner's home and detained him as they searched through the house for evidence. Spooner allegedly admitted to having the child pornography on his computer, detectives said. Police searched through the computer and found four photographs of child pornography, they said. MUG SHOTS: 5 charged in raid on alleged Aryan Brotherhood chop shop Spooner is facing four third-degree felony counts of possession of child pornography and is being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $80,000 worth of bonds. He could face up to 10 years in prison, if convicted. Jay R. Jordan is a breaking news reporter at Chron.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan. Houston ISD high school senior Jesse Martinez hasn't had the Internet in his home for most of his childhood. And because many of his homework assignments require Internet access, Martinez has had to plan most school nights around trips to the library. But following a donation Monday from telecommunications giant Sprint, Martinez can log on from the comfy confines of home. Sprint is providing mobile hotspots and free wireless Internet access to about 14,000 Houston ISD students. "Not everybody will have this, so when I think about it, it makes me feel kind of emotional," said Martinez, who attends Sam Houston Math, Science and Technology Center. Students across Houston ISD will receive the Internet-connected hotspots in the coming weeks, part of a Sprint philanthropy campaign to get 1 million kids online in the next five years. Sprint has agreed to provide a free hotspot that doesn't have to be returned, along with free Internet for as long as a student remains in high school. The district already provides students with laptop computers. RELATED: Comcast helps bridge digital divide The donation, announced during a press conference Wednesday at Sam Houston Math, Science and Technology Center, covers about one in four Houston ISD students. As it happens, Census data from 2015 show that about one in four Texas households don't have a broadband Internet subscription. Nationally, about half of households with an annual income of less than $25,000 lack a broadband connection. Houston ISD students were identified as eligible for the donations after completing surveys asking them about Internet access at home. Students at 12 campuses have already received their hotspots, with another 32 schools getting them by the end of February. "There are families that don't have what we take for granted, which is a viable internet connection," Houston ISD Superintendent Richard Carranza said. "So we are thankful for partners like Sprint that see the value of equity, and putting that value to work to help us bridge that equity gap." John Stevens, Sprint's regional president for Central Texas, said the initiative is largely designed to ensure high school students can complete homework assignments while at home. The donation had been in the works before Hurricane Harvey, but it has the added benefit of supporting families still recovering from catastrophic flooding, he said. "We're very proud of the investment we continue to make in supporting our schools and partners in the local community," Stevens said. Sprint representatives said students will receive 3 gigabytes of high-speed Internet access per month before throttling down to a slower 2G speed. The hotspots come with filters that block access to age-inappropriate websites. The devices remain only accessible to high school students, though they will undoubtedly benefit thousands of younger siblings in Houston ISD. "At home, it's seven of us, so it will help tremendously," said Emily Torres, a senior at Sam Houston Math, Science and Technology Center. "I'm very grateful for the opportunity to have this." A 17-year-old Katy ISD student is facing a felony charge after he allegedly shot a pig in the head on campus at the ag facility, according to authorities. Taylor High School student Jacob Mullins was charged with a felony for carrying a prohibited weapon at the agricultural sciences facility Wednesday after school. "A high school student who was attempting to move a livestock project to a processing facility decided to terminate the animal on site prior to transporting it," the district said Friday in a statement to parents. "The student used a firearm to conduct this activity." Witnesses said the teen tried to drag the squealing pig out of a barn using a rope, according to court records. It's not clear what happened after that, but at some point, the student allegedly pulled out a 22-caliber rifle and shot the animal in the head. A teacher in a nearby barn overheard the gunfire and called campus police, who investigated the incident. "At no time did the student make any threat toward other individuals present, nor were other livestock projects harmed," the district said. The teen was removed from the FFA program and the school promised "appropriate" disciplinary action. "We ask that you use this incident as a teachable moment with your student to help confirm with them the important role they play in keeping our schools and facilities safe," the district wrote in a letter to parents. "The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority at Katy ISD. With your help, we will continue our commitment to creating safe and secure learning environments, be it in our classrooms or other facilities." Mullins was arrested Thursday and released on bond Friday. He's due back in court next month. Correction: The incident was not at Taylor High School as previously stated. Metro Video Police suspect foul play after finding a man dead on the back porch of a home near the University of Houston campus. Mark Alan Moore had not been heard from for weeks when his landlord drove over to check on him Friday morning at the rental property in the 4500 block of Rockwood. Police are investigating a reported drive-by shooting on Houston's south side Monday afternoon that left one person dead. A least one person was shot, according to Houston police, although another injured person was on scene. The shooting was called in around 3:50 p.m. in the 5000 block of Enyart Street, near the intersection of the South Loop and Martin Luther King Boulevard. Houston Fire Department paramedics responded and started CPR on the shooting victim, who later died on scene. The second victim was taken to an area hospital in stable condition. Police said the shooter was in a gray Chevrolet Impala and was not immediately found. Jay R. Jordan is a breaking news reporter at Chron.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan. An armed robbery suspect shot and killed by police near West Loop 610 has been identified as a man who was shot and injured in an encounter with officers just last year. At the time he died, Anthony Williams, 37, was out on a $180,000 bond for two counts of aggravated assault on a public servant and one count of aggravated assault with with a deadly weapon. In that incident in April 2017, he waved a machete at a man and later at officers. When Williams didn't comply with orders, the officers shot him, according to court documents. Williams survived. But less than a year later, he would die under similar circumstances. Williams was suspected of the armed robbery of a gas station convenience store on South Post Oak last Thursday, which set up to a chain of events that led police up Loop 610 North and on a foot chase around a shopping center near the West Loop and Westpark. During the peak of rush hour, Williams attempted to carjack several people near the busy highway, and police followed him on foot while Williams continued to point a weapon at them, police said. When he continued to disobey commands, a 22-year veteran of the Houston Police Department shot Williams near Boudreaux's Cajun Kitchen at 5475 West Loop, police said. The Harris County Medical Examiner's Office identified Williams as the armed robbery suspect, and reported his cause of death as "multiple perforating gunshot wounds of torso and leg with perforation of jugular vein." Maverick Ray, a defense attorney who represented Williams in his last criminal trial, cited the similarities between the 2017 shooting and Thursday's events. After Williams waved a machete at the officers in 2017, he refused to obey commands, according to court documents. Two officers shot him in the stomach and leg, the documents show. Ray said Williams' troubles might have stemmed from drug use. The man described in court documents is much different than the person Ray met after the machete incident, he said. "If you came into contact with him, you would think he was super nice, very polite," Ray said. "I would say drug abuse is what ultimately led up to this." Williams' autopsy report has not been complete, according to the medical examiner's office. But his criminal history dates back to 1998 and includes arrests for possession of PCP, marijuana and cocaine. The PCP and marijuana charges were later dismissed.In 2008, Williams was convicted on a robbery charge and sentenced to three years in state prison. He also faced charges for evading arrest, felon in possession of a weapon, endangering a child and a slew of other offenses. Samantha Ketterer is a breaking news reporter for the Houston Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter @sam_kett or email her at samantha.ketterer@chron.com. Detectives in northeast Texas are trying to determine if an infant who was shot in the face Monday morning was injured intentionally or accidentally. Deputies with the Henderson County Sheriff's Office were called out to a shooting around 11:30 a.m. in the Payne Springs area of the county and found a 1-year-old girl shot in the face. She was immediately taken to an area hospital, but was then airlifted to a children's hospital in Dallas. Like most candidates running for Congress, Arthur Jones has a campaign website. It outlines the Republican candidate's education background, his stance on issues and how to donate to his campaign to represent the Illinois' Third Congressional District. It also lays out Jones' unapologetically racist and anti-Semitic views. In a section called "Holocaust?" Jones describes the atrocities as a "racket" and "the biggest, blackest, lie in history." Under another tab titled "Flags of Conflict," he lists the Confederate flag first and describes it as "a symbol of White pride and White resistance" and "the flag of a White counter revolution." And in his most recent blog post - dated Aug. 24, 2017 - Jones railed against "Radical Leftists" and blamed them for starting racial violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, about two weeks before. Heather Heyer, 32, who had been there to protest white supremacists, died after a self-professed neo-Nazi drove a car into a crowd of demonstrators. He was charged with second-degree murder. Jones painted the death as an accident. Despite his views, Jones is all but certain to become the GOP nominee for one of Illinois's most prominent congressional districts, one that includes parts of Chicago and several suburbs to the west and southwest. Jones is running unopposed in the Republican primary - and the deadline to file to run against him was in early December. His chances of winning the seat are extremely slim. The district is rated "safely Democratic," according to Ballotpedia, and two Democrats are facing off against each other: Daniel Lipinski, the incumbent, and Marie Newman. An independent candidate, Mat Tomkowiak, withdrew from the race earlier. Still, even getting that far in the race was a new milestone for Jones. Over three decades, he has unsuccessfully thrown his hat into the ring for the Third Congressional District seat seven times, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Jones's candidacy comes at a time when far-right groups have had new clout in the national discussion: Some hate groups have ramped up recruitment on college campuses and, for a time, alt-right leaders imagined they had an ally in the White House in the form of Steve Bannon, a former adviser to President Donald Trump. And when Chicago Sun-Times reporter Frank Main drove to Lyons, Illinois, the suburb where Jones lives, the candidate was no less vocal about his extreme views. "Well first of all, I'm running for Congress not the chancellor of Germany, all right?" Jones said. "To me, the Holocaust is what I said it is: It's an international extortion racket." Jones did not immediately respond to interview requests Sunday afternoon. It's unclear how he arrived at the opinion that the Holocaust, a systematic genocide in which an estimated 6 million Jews were killed by the Nazi regime, was a sham. In 2016, the state election board tossed Jones from the ballot for the Third Congressional District for "flagrant disregard of the election code," the Chicago Tribune reported, although a lawyer for the board did not specify why Jones'ssignatures were not valid. The newspaper that year also highlighted Jones' former membership in the American National Socialist Workers Party, which the Southern Poverty Law Center lists as a relatively recent offshoot of the National Socialist Movement, "one of the largest and most prominent neo-Nazi groups in the United States." Representatives from the Illinois Republican Party and the National Republican Congressional Committee, which supports conservative candidates, did not respond to questions sent by email Sunday. But Tim Schneider, the chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, told the Sun-Times that the party denounced Jones. "The Illinois Republican Party and our country have no place for Nazis like Arthur Jones," Schneider told the newspaper. "We strongly oppose his racist views and his candidacy for any public office, including the 3rd congressional District." WASHINGTON As President Donald Trump battles Democrats in Congress over the billions of dollars needed to build a border wall, a New York architect who first proposed a solar wall says he is suing the president for stealing his idea. Vijay Duggal, who first proposed the solar panel concept a year ago, said Monday that he is planning a multi-million dollar lawsuit for patent and trademark infringement after seeing Trump claim the idea as his own. None of the current wall prototypes commissioned by the Trump administration are based on the solar panel design, but Trump has publicly touted the idea as a way of erecting a border barrier that "pays for itself" by generating electricity. Duggal first pitched his idea last year to Trump and other top congressional and administration figures including son-in-law Jared Kushner and Texas U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady. The plans were sent in several mailings between February and May 2017, starting less than two weeks into the administration. A patent application for the solar border wall design was filed on March 6, and several news reports, including on in the Chronicle, appeared a few weeks later. His plan: A 1,000-mile-long border wall equipped with solar panels and wind turbines that will generate more than $1.2 billion per year in electricity. With an estimated $30 billion cost, the wall pitched as "the largest green project of its kind in the world" would be paid for in 30 years. A revised plan is designed to produce 13,000 gigawatt hours per year worth $1.5 billion, Duggal told the Chronicle Monday. It would pay for itself in 35 years, he says. Duggal said he never heard back from the White House. But shortly afterwards, at a June 21 rally in Iowa, Trump presented the solar wall as his own idea. "I'll give you an idea nobody has heard about yet," Trump told a cheering crowd. "We're thinking of something that's unique. We're talking about the southern border. Lots of sun. Lots of heat. We're thinking about building the wall as a solar wall so it creates energy and pays for itself." Trump also suggested it would be a way to help Mexico pay for the wall, fulfilling his original campaign promise. Best of all, he said to laughter, the higher it is, the more valuable it would be. "Pretty good imagination, right?" Trump added, pointing to his own head. "My idea." Duggal thinks not. "Those two words are critical," he said. "The facts are very straightforward. This was actually my idea." The White House had no immediate comment Monday. Despite his pique at not getting any credit, Duggal said he hopes his plan can help break the impasse over wall funding and the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. "This can be the solution to all that DACA business and the wall," he said. "Democrats may find this proposal hard to resist." AUSTIN -- Gov. Greg Abbott for the third time on Monday endorsed a primary challenger to a sitting Republican member of the Texas House, in the latest move that appears to be deepening divisions in the state's Republican Party. This time, Abbott's target is San Antonio state Rep. Lyle Larson, one of Abbott's most outspoken Republican critics in the Texas House who last summer blasted Abbott for engaging in "pay to play" by appointing Texans to state commissions and board who had given his campaign contributions. Abbott office has denied Larson's assertions. Abbott on Monday endorsed former Hollywood Park Mayor Chris Fails in his House District 122 challenge of Larson, a former San Antonio city council member who was first elected to the House in 1991. In his endorsement announcement, Abbott called on the constituents of HD 122 to "send a representative to Austin who will work with him to rein in skyrocketing property taxes and fight for conservative values. "Chris is a small business owner who has served as an elected official at the local level," Abbott said. "He knows firsthand the devastating impact that rising property taxes have on families and small businesses, and I know Chris will be a valuable ally in the fight for conservative values in Texas." Larson could not immediately be reached for comment. Larson, the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, is not the only incumbent House member who has blasted Abbott's handling of various issues. The governor has endorsed primary challengers to state Reps. Sarah Davis, R-West University Place, and Rep. Wayne Faircloth, R-Galveston. At a press conference during the special session last summer, Davis and Larson were prominent Abbott critics in calling for him to add ethics reform to the legislative session agenda -- which he did not. Abbott's office later criticized them for "showboating" and said "their constituents deserve better." Abbott promised last summer to support those lawmakers who supported him, and to endorse challengers in races where the incumbent did not support his conservative policies on various issues. Monday's endorsement of Fails was the second in recent days by a prominent officeholder. Former Gov. Rick Perry, now the U.S. energy secretary, earlier endorsed Fails. AUSTIN Former Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson raised $18,000 in the past three weeks in his bid to unseat incumbent George P. Bush, according to new financial disclosure documents. But his contributions pale in comparison to the $180,000 Bush is expected to report he raised from Jan. 1 to Jan. 25, according to his political director Ash Wright. "This is another strong show of support for Commissioner Bush's re-election," Wright said, noting Bush has $3 million in cash on hand. Patterson's January haul is significantly less than the nearly $90,000 he raised in December. The Austin Republican has about $98,000 in his coffers after spending $26,000 since January. Still, Patterson, who loaned his campaign $20,000, said his fundraising is "going well." "We obviously could have more money," he said. Despite raising far fewer dollars than Bush, Patterson is confident he will join Bush in a runoff election after the March 6 primary. "And he is going to lose," Patterson said of Bush. Patterson, who was first elected as the state's land commissioner in 2003, wants to return to the agency, which manages state-owned lands, the Alamo and housing recovery efforts following Hurricane Harvey. Patterson gave up the job to run for lieutenant governor in 2014. Bush then won the seat. Patterson has long been critical of Bush, mainly for the way he has handled Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts. There are two other Republicans challenging Bush, Davey Edwards and Rick Range. Alejandra Matos covers politics, immigration and education policy. Follow her on Twitter. Send tips to alejandra.matos@chron.com. AUSTIN -- Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Andrew White has raised more than $1.1 million during the past three weeks, including a $1 million loan from himself, new state disclosure filings confirmed Monday. During the same period, incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott raised another $1 million and has a whopping $43.2 million in his campaign war chest. In terms of campaign cash among Democrats, White is far ahead of the other eight Democrats running in the March 6 primary for a chance to face Abbott, including former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, who has the support of some top party leaders even though she trails White in fundraising. In the latest report to be filed sometime Monday, White said he will report that he has loaned his campaign $1 million and raised an additional $138,682 from donors. Valdez' campaign late Monday that she had raised about $48,500 in January, giving her a total of $100,000 since she first announced in December. By contrast, White has raised more than $357,000 during that same period from donors, not counting the $1 million loan from himself. "Democrats will need a war chest to beat Gov. Abbott in the fall," White said in a statement. "We've started building one today. I remain humbled by the generosity of so many around the state who believe, like I do, Texas can do better. Let's bring sanity back to government and fight for fairness and equality for all. Enough with the extremist politics of Trump/Abbott." Valdez said in a statement that she was not bothered by White's fundraising lead, and predicted that she will will the primary. In reports covering fundraising during the first three weeks of their campaigns through December, 31, 2017, White said he raised $219,277 and Valdez reported raising $51,498. White's total include a loan from himself of $40,000. White, son of the late Gov. Mark White, at the time reported he had about $104,000 in the bank as fundraising continues, compared to Valdez' $40,346. In all, the nine Democrats running to unseat incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott raised less than $300,000 through the end of December, an amount that pales in comparison to the more than $43.3 million that Abbott had in the bank. "If it doesn't put him in the position of being a front-runner in the Democratic primary, it certainly raises his standing and makes him appear to be running neck and neck with Lupe Valdez, who the majority of the party elite appear to support," Rice University political scientist Mark Jones said. "It puts (White) in a much better position to get into a runoff where money can give you the edge in getting your message out, and allows him to start planning a serious statewide effort." White is campaigning as a "common-sense Democrat" with a more conservative and centrist theme than Valdez, whose positions more fit the views of the party's progressive and liberal base -- although they agree on several issues including abolishing the death penalty, a pro-choice stance on abortions and additional funding for public education. Monday's confirmation by the Chronicle of White's new fundraising tally came after White during the weekend was endorsed by the editorial boards of Texas' two largest newspapers, the Houston Chronicle and the Dallas Morning News, Valdez' hometown paper, and the Houston GLBT Political Caucus, a prominent equality organization whose opinions carry clout in the gay and lesbian community. Valdez, 70, a lesbian, had been hoping for that group's endorsement, as had Dallas businessman Jeffrey Payne, who is gay. When he announced last December, White, 45, said he hoped to raise more than $3 million for the March 6 primary. Both he and Valdez have insisted for weeks that their fundraising efforts are gaining momentum. In his latest report, San Antonio home healthcare businessman Tom Wakely reported $1,186 in contributions during January, $1,522 in expenses and $32 in his campaign account. He has $9,191 in outstanding loans, according to the report. Retired Flint educator Grady Yarbrough reported no contributions, and $643 in expenses. Battle for recognition With just over four weeks until the Democratic primary, the nine candidates who are mostly unknown statewide continue struggling to gain enough voter recognition and raise enough campaign cash to be selected to go up against Abbott in the November general election. In past years in Texas, that has meant spending millions of dollars on campaigns that usually start well in advance of this year's Democratic gubernatorial race and usually, by this point, have clear leaders. This time, mostly unknown candidates announced last year with little fanfare and the bigger names waited until much later to enter the race, for a party that has fielded a record number of candidates for statewide, legislative and local races. Democrats have not won a statewide office in Texas in two decades. The other Democrats running for governor include Payne, Wakely, Yarbrough, Plano financial consultant Adrian Ocegueda, former Balch Springs Mayor Cedric Davis, Austin businessman James Jolly Clark and Houston audio-video businessman Joe Mumbach. Abbott, the popular incumbent, reported raising the additional $1 million in contributions during January in 3014 separate gifts, with an average donation of $390. Nearly 96 percent of Abbott's new money came from Texans, 26 percent of it from new donors, according to the reports. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. Apel de exprimare a interesului privind intentia de participare la serviciile de suport la formarea/consolidarea grupurilor de femei pentru accesarea granturilor din cadrul Proiectului de Rezilienta Rurala AKRON, Ohio -- A 2-year-old girl who died Friday wandered outside in the cold while her father slept, police said. Wynter Parker was found about 3:30 p.m. on the porch outside a house on Doty Drive near Faye Road, police and the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office said She died after paramedics took her to Akron Children's Hospital. Wynter's father, who works a night shift, fell asleep while he was watching the girl. Wynter wandered outside in the cold, police said. Wynter's mother found her when she arrived home. The mother left Wynter in the father's care for approximately two hours while she was out of the house with a 4-year-old child, police said. The incident remains under investigation, police said. The cause of death has not not been determined, but an autopsy is scheduled Monday, a spokesman for the medical examiner's office said. To comment on this story, visit Monday's crime and courts comments section. BRECKSVILLE, Ohio - Bald eagles have returned to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Two eagles are tending a nest in the Pinery Narrows area north of Station Road Bridge Trailhead in Brecksville. To protect the eagles, the area surrounding the nest will be closed until July 31. The railroad tracks and a 30-foot right-of-way on either side of the tracks will be closed to pedestrian traffic from the State Route 82 bridge north to the Fitzwater Maintenance Yard for Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, bridle trail and Cuyahoga River will stay open. However, the closure will be expanded to protect the birds if necessary, officials stated in a news release. Last year, the eagles returned to the same area and had two fledglings that successfully left the nest, said Pamela Barnes, the national park's community engagement supervisor. "We've had a total of 14 fledglings since 2007 from this single nest," Barnes wrote in an email. "Eagles are attracted to the river corridor and Lake Erie, and can be seen flying overhead throughout the park, close to the river." Late winter is nesting time for eagles, which usually lay one to three eggs. The eggs are extremely sensitive to cold, and are incubated for about 35 days. That keeps the adult birds continuously on the nest to keep the eggs warm. During this time, any human disturbance can cause problems for the nest. Although eagles were removed from the endangered species list, the bald eagle is still protected by both the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. These laws prohibit taking, killing, selling or harming eagles, their nests or their eggs. For more information visit the Cuyahoga Valley National Park website or call 330-657-2752. Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.com's Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. AKRON, Ohio -- A Summit County Jail inmate was found dead Sunday in a suspected suicide, authorities said. Wanda E. Filing, 53, of Norton, was found unresponsive in her cell about 1:25 p.m., the Summit County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. Sheriff's deputies and medical staff members tried to revive her. She died after paramedics took her to Cleveland Clinic Akron General. Filing was not on a suicide watch, Summit County Sheriff's Inspector Bill Holland said. Investigators are reviewing logs and video to determine the last time a guard checked on her before she was found unresponsive. Filing was arrested Jan. 24 on a probation violation, the sheriff's office said. To comment on this story, visit Monday's crime and courts comments section. AKRON, Ohio -- Summit County is asking residents and local businesses for help in gathering information to update the county's Hazard Prevention Plan. Officials at the Summit County Emergency Management Executive Committee want to know if your home or office is vulnerable to damage from floods, tornadoes or power outages so it can identify where action is needed. An updated plan helps Summit County qualify for federal assistance to address hazards and help the community be better prepared. The anonymous, 26-question Community Hazard Survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and can be accessed here. When you complete the survey, select "Done" on the final page. Summit County encourages those who take the survey to share the link. The survey expires March 9. Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.com's Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. LAKEWOOD, Ohio - Lakewood City Council is expected to consider a resolution tonight urging Cuyahoga County Council to adopt a long-stalled proposal to impose fees on plastic and paper bags used by many businesses in the county. The resolution to be introduced by City Council member Tristan Rader and Council President Sam O'Leary cites the fact that a portion of the money raised by the 10-cent fees would be dedicated to cleaning waterways. "Lakewood has approximately three and a half miles of shoreline along Lake Erie and protecting this valuable resource is our responsibility and should remain our top priority," the resolution states. County Council member Dale Miller, who co-sponsored the legislation with fellow council member Sunny Simon last October, said Monday that the support is welcome though their legislation lacks the votes needed for passage. "In the short term we don't see movement," Miller said. "The devil is in the details. I think it is a matter of continuing to work with our colleagues on council in finding the exact formula in some of the details that can get us to a majority. We will just keep working on it." The 10-cent fee would apply to establishments that are more than 7,000 square feet, including supermarkets, stores and restaurants. Customers on food stamps would not have to pay. The county would provide free reusable bags at libraries, senior centers, city halls and community centers. Six cents of each 10 cents collected would be placed in a new environmental remediation fund for waterway cleanup. The rest would be returned to the stores to offset the cost of implementing the program and to buy reusable bags to hand out to people in libraries, senior centers and homeless shelters. The legislation was the topic of numerous hearings by council's Education, Environment and Sustainability Committee before being referred back to council in December. A lack of support by a majority of council led Council President Dan Brady on Dec. 12 to refer the legislation to council's committee-of-the-whole. No hearings have been scheduled. The issue has received strong support and opposition. Supporters say the fee would reduce litter and lead to clean waterways. Critics say the fee places unnecessary burdens on businesses and the plastic bags make up a low percentage of litter. Prior coverage: COLUMBUS, Ohio - An Ohio Senate committee on Monday approved a bipartisan plan to change the way Ohio's congressional districts will be drawn in 2021. The Senate planned to approve the plan later Monday night. If approved by both chambers by Wednesday, Ohioans would vote on the plan in the May primary election. Members of the Fair Districts = Fair Elections coalition said they support the revised plan but did not know yet how they would campaign for the legislature-passed ballot measure instead of their own proposal for the November ballot. Improvements made today to SJR 5 constitute real redistricting reform, and @OhFairDistricts will support it. We wanted bipartisan compromise, which is what this is. League of Women Voters of Ohio (@lwvohio) February 5, 2018 The Ohio League of Women Voters, Common Cause Ohio, the Ohio Environmental Council and others have been circulating petitions since last year and have reported collecting about 200,000 signatures -- two-thirds of what is necessary to force a public vote on their plan. Boundaries for Ohio's current 16 congressional districts make little geographic sense, leading to uncompetitive races and results that don't reflect Ohio's political leanings. Currently, both Cuyahoga and Summit counties are split into four districts. Redistricting advocates said the compromise plan met their three standards for reform: Both parties are meaningfully engaged in the process. Maps can't be drawn to favor one political party or another. Communities are kept together. Heather Taylor-Miesle, executive director of the Ohio Environmental Council and one of the Fair Districts leaders, said the changes will lead to more competitive districts. "When congressional members have to listen to their citizens, they don't have to just care about their votes, they have to care about what they care about," Taylor-Miesle said. Republican Sen. Matt Huffman of Lima on Monday briefly outlined plans for the legislative fix. Here's how it would work: Step 1: Three-fifths of both the House and Senate including 50 percent of the minority party members would have to approve a map. Step 2: If the legislature fails, the seven-member redistricting commission that draws Statehouse district lines would be able to draw a map. Step 3: If the commission doesn't pass a map with at least two minority party member votes, the legislature has a second change to pass a map. In this phase, the legislature can pass a 10-year map with one-third of the minority party member votes. Or the majority can pass a four-year map without minority party support, but stricter rules apply and they must explain each decision to split a county, township or municipal corporation. "If we're in the majority, the last thing you want to do is get to a four-year map with all of these stricter criteria and the same thing is true for the minority," Huffman said. "That's what we're trying to accomplish here -- that everyone has a reason to get in the room and work it out." The plan also sets new rules for drawing congressional districts where there were generally none: The North Ridgeville school district recently decided to cancel its 8th-grade trip to Washington D.C., citing the possibility of terrorist attacks and mass shootings. Instead of visiting the nation's capital this spring, kids will stay closer to home with a trip that includes scheduled stops at Cincinnati's National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Wright Paterson Air Force Base near Dayton and the State House in Columbus. Superintendent Jim Powell and other school officials justified the decision in an email to parents: "Since our parent meeting, we have mourned with many across the country at the loss of lives in Las Vegas, Manhattan and Texas," read the email. "[Last week,] a man was arrested near the White House after he made threats to the lives of our capital's police force. All of these incidents at 'soft targets' and public places have led to our difficult decision to cancel this year's trip." What do you think? Did the district make the right decision? Or are school officials overreacting to perceived dangers? Will the students be better off skipping the trip to D.C., or are they being deprived of a valuable chance to see the capital up-close? Join us from 1 to 2 p.m. today for a constructive conversation on how closely we should safeguard our kids in today's world. In our Talk it Out pre-curated conversation, comments are published after they are reviewed -- promptly -- to ensure they adhere to our community rules, which prohibit indecent, hateful, abusive or harassing comments, personal attacks, vulgar nicknames, personal information including telephone numbers and addresses, email addresses belonging to others, anything inciting criminal behavior and copyrighted material for which you do not own the rights. SPRINGVILLE, Utah -- A man who saw a police officer being assaulted managed to stop the attack when he pulled his handgun on the suspect, reports say. Derek Meyer was driving along a street Friday in Springville when he noticed the lights of a police car. According to Fox 13, a police officer was investigating after he noticed feet dangling from a donation bin. The suspect, Paul Douglas Anderson, 40, jumped from the bin but refused to take his hands out of his pockets, ksl.com reports. The officer asked Anderson multiple times to remove his hands from his pocket. Anderson continued to refuse until he suddenly attacked the officer, reports say, punching him repeatedly in the face. Meyer, who has a concealed-carry permit, saw the assault and turned around, pulling up behind the police car, Fox 13 reports. He pointed his handgun at Anderson and told him to stop hitting the officer. Anderson reportedly got up and ran from the area. He was caught by other officers about 30 minutes later, according to ksl.com. "Luckily, it worked out where I didn't have to fire or discharge my weapon," Meyer tells ksl.com. "The suspect saw me and my weapon and decided very, very quickly he needed to go and run." Anderson was being held in jail on charges of suspicion of assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, theft, burglary and failing to stop at an officer's command. If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- A motorist who was ticketed last summer for flipping off an Indiana state trooper has filed a federal lawsuit saying the citation violates his First Amendment rights. Mark May of Terre Haute, Ind., admits making the gesture at Indiana State Police Master Trooper Matt Ames, the Tribune Star reports. He flipped off Ames while driving by the trooper, who had stopped another motorist. May says he was cut off by Ames as the trooper chased down the other motorist. Ames pulled over May and ticketed him for "provocation," according to the Tribune Star. It has a fine up to $500. The lawsuit was filed in Southern District of Indiana by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana. "While perhaps ill advised, Mr. May's gesture, which in no way interfered with the Master Trooper's lawful activities, was fully protected by the First Amendment," Indiana ACLU legal director Kenneth Falk said, according to the Kansas City Star. May is seeking unspecified damages and legal fees, reports say. If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. In a recent press conference, Tillerson remarked Peru was the first foreign country he visited in his youth. He arrived in Lima in 1972 as member of the University of Texas musical band. "It was an extraordinary trip. Went to the passport office, got my first passport, first foreign country I ever visited was with the University of Texas Longhorn Band to Peru. And it was interesting; it was a very successful trip []," he said. Tillerson explained a group of about one hundred members of the band flew down to Lima for a special mission trip to help raise money following a major earthquake in Peru, back in 1970. "It does feel a bit like coming full circle," he said, referring to his return to Peru on his first multi-stop visit to Latin America as Secretary of State. Rex W. Tillerson will pay an official visit to Peru on February 5-6, as part of a trip to Latin America and the Caribbean. This tour also includes stops in Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, and Jamaica. Today, he will hold an audience with Peruvian Foreign Affairs Minister Cayetana Aljovin, with whom he is set to discuss bilateral relations. The gathering will also address the Summit of the Americas scheduled for April 13-14 in Lima. (END) FVT/SMA/RMB Loading... U.S. Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson due to arrive in Lima on an official visit today shared special memories of Peru, the first foreign country he ever visited.Publicado: 5/2/2018 UPDATE 6 Feb 2018: Suspension lifted but the fight for animals continues Just hours ago, the injunction halting live export from Brazil was lifted. This is not surprising considering the exporters have powerful political allies and they were always going to fight tooth and nail to keep their trade. But with the historic Federal Court case examining the merits of Brazils live export trade still pending, our fight to spare animals from the misery of live export continues. Thanks to the generosity of our global supporter base over the past 24 hours, our investigators are on the ground right now gathering the evidence needed to give this case the best possible chance of success. This is just the beginning. People everywhere are mobilising on behalf of animals. You can join them by donating to keep our investigators in the field where animals need them most. Last year in Egypt, through Animals Australia's global arm, Animals International, we documented the harrowing final moments of a bruised, bloodied and frightened bull sent there from Brazil to be killed for his meat. Stabbed in the eyes, his leg tendons slashed to the bone what he endured was nightmarish. And now, those responsible for his suffering are finally being called to account. The Federal Court in Brazil used evidence of his abuse to suspend all live animal exports from the country, determining that live export does not reflect Brazil's animal protection laws or its societal values, nor does it satisfy international standards to which Brazil is a signatory. Our evidence of the final, heart-wrenching moments of this Brazilian bull in Egypt helped convince a judge to halt live exports from Brazil. Just 12 months ago, live export was a little known issue in Brazil. Yet as one of the worlds major exporting nations, hundreds of thousands of animals were being subjected to this global trade in misery every year. The evidence gathered by our investigators in the most gruelling and distressing of circumstances led us to forming powerful alliances with animal advocates in Brazil, including with the countrys leading animal protection group, Forum Animal. It was their petition to the Federal Court over the weekend that sparked this watershed moment in our global campaign to end live export. Brazil's Federal Court ruling demonstrates that when the live export trade is viewed through independent eyes through a lens devoid of politics and self-interest the unnecessary suffering is obvious. As the industry increases the pressure on Brazil to reverse this decision, we urgently need to keep our investigators in the field to gather the evidence needed to secure a permanent ban on this trade in animal misery. Keep our investigators on the ground where animals need them most Without the support of caring people empowering our Investigations Unit, this bull's suffering would have remained hidden, and this historic legal ruling might have remained out of reach. Our investigators are reading and willing... Please consider a donation to our Investigations Unit today. The Battle of Geddes Ridge Two U-M doctors set out to build a dream house. It's been a nightmare for all involved. by Michael Betzold From the January, 2018 issue "Raising the Flag" In September, a colorful banner appeared on the side of a trophy home on Ann Arbor's east side. It bore a stylized image of a bird and the words "GoosiLeaks / The Story of Belief & Betrayal." A photo of the banner was published online at goosileaks.blogspot.com with the headline "Raising the Flag." Other posts soon welcomed readers who'd seen ads for the blog in the Tuscola County Advertiser, the Cyprus Mail, and the Observer. Michigan's Thumb, an island in the Mediterranean, and Ann Arbor are connected through the blog's creators, U-M physicians Brad Foerster and Myria Petrou. Though it says it's "about our life experiences in Ann Arbor," posts on the couple and their two young children are rare. GoosiLeaks is mostly devoted to the many disputes swirling around the couple's dream house off Geddes Rd. With dueling lawsuits, a criminal investigation, family conflicts, and allegations of wrongful death, it's a tale so byzantine that, in an email posted on the blog, a friend of the couple compares it to a Greek tragedy--or a soap opera. In their blog and in court, Foerster and Petrou claim that the builder of their dream home, Christopher Laycock, committed bank fraud. Laycock says the couple defrauded him. He's suing to collect liens for $274,000 in unpaid work. The couple also contend that their constitutional rights were violated when a local magistrate froze their bank accounts after Petrou's mother went to the Ann Arbor Police Department for help locating hundreds of thousands of dollars that disappeared from an investment account. According to Petrou and Foerster, Petrou's mother wanted the money taken from the account belonging to her and her husband; they say she went to the police "to try to force [Petrou] back into a relationship with her." Petrou and Foerster have sued the Bank of Ann Arbor in an unsuccessful attempt to halt foreclosure on a $1.5 million loan. And they've filed professional ...continued below... complaints against the architects who designed their home, the accountant who audited Laycock's liens, Laycock's attorney, and an attorney who represented them against Laycock.They've also filed lawsuits in state and federal courts against Laycock, architect Theresa Angelini, the City of Ann Arbor, two AAPD detectives, and Petrou's mother, Maria Petrou. The suits allege that some or all of the defendants violated the couple's rights under the Fourth, Fifth, and Fourteenth amendments, defamed them, and caused Petrou's miscarriage."I've never seen anyone litigate with as much malice as they have," says veteran attorney Marian Faupel--herself the target of one of the professional complaints. In court Faupel fired back, blaming Laycock's wife's suicide on stress his business suffered from the dispute with the doctors over payment for his construction work.The Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission ruled against Foerster and Petrou's complaint about Faupel, who retired from the case last summer. She says her small firm was simply overwhelmed. "I can't do five lawsuits in three different jurisdictions," she says. "Litigation was coming out of the sky."Laycock's current attorney, Jeremy Kennedy, declined to comment for this article, as did city officials and many individuals targeted in the couple's lawsuits and complaints. "Everybody feels sort of terrorized," Faupel opines.Foerster and Petrou did not respond to interview requests; nor did their attorneys. But in court filings, they've called Laycock's lawsuit "punitive, retaliatory and extortionate." One of their attorneys offered $80,000 to settle the liens, less than one-third of the total. When Faupel proposed mediation, another attorney emailed that he'd recommend it only if the project's architects, Theresa and Brad Angelini, "bring their checkbook or deed to their home with surrender of their licenses. Laycock's license is at risk as well. You and Laycock wanted a fight to the death and you should be overjoyed at your accomplishment."Today, the huge Prairie-style dream house crouches on a dusty, weed-choked lot with no lawn. The lot next door, originally planned as a homesite for Petrou's parents, stands empty.Foerster went to high school in Caro on his way to medical school at the U-M. Petrou, a native of Cyprus, arrived a few years later for postgraduate training in radiology. They married in 2004, and both are now on the faculty of the U-M Department of Radiology. Foerster, forty-seven, is an associate professor earning $160,000 a year and also works at the VA Ann Arbor Health System, where he earned $255,487 in the fiscal year ending September 2016. Petrou, forty-two, is a U-M assistant professor, making $200,000.They used to live in a two-story colonial in a secluded subdivision off Chalmers Dr. near Arborland. But about six years ago they set out to build something grander--and a lot more expensive.Their 10,000-square-foot dream house would have four bedrooms, a three-car garage, and a rooftop deck. An elevator.bathrooms. And a staircase cantilevered so that the treads seemed to be floating on air.On Geddes Ridge, an exclusive private lane perched above the Huron River near Gallup Park, the couple bought two adjoining lots for $256,000 apiece--one for their dream house and one for Maria and Petros Petrou, retired high school principals who'd joined their daughter and grandchildren in Ann Arbor.In 2012 Foerster and Petrou hired the Angelinis to design both homes--but according to Laycock's lawsuit, they also consulted an architect in Greece throughout the construction. Their first builder, the lawsuit says, estimated the work could be done for less than $125 per square foot; Laycock said a realistic price would have been $250-$300. Unsurprisingly, the project sank midstream.According to Faupel the house stood half-finished, with no windows and a temporary roof, for more than a year before the couple hired Laycock, a builder of custom homes based in Saline. The two sides came to disagree strongly on the terms of their contract and the amount in dispute. But according to Laycock's lawsuit, he found the house with a basement filled with debris and animals and the walls three inches out of plumb.The couple simplified the plan somewhat, scrapping the rooftop deck. But according to Laycock's complaint they failed to make a promised initial payment and didn't keep up with mounting costs as they added upgrades like white oak flooring and a glass staircase railing.Renee Laycock took her own life July 7, 2015. Once an accountant for Faupel's law firm, she also kept the books for her husband's construction business. In his lawsuit, Laycock writes that his wife "died on the day a significant payment from Foerster and Petrou was due." According to Faupel, the money would have covered $200,000 owed to suppliers and subcontractors. Faupel says her former employee had been struggling with mental health issues and that the shock of learning the payment was not coming "helped push Renee over the top."The following month, the doctors got a $1.5 million construction loan from the Bank of Ann Arbor, mortgaging their colonial on Brian Ct. as part of the deal. Though $300,000 went to pay off an existing loan from Old National Bank, according to Laycock's complaint the couple repeatedly assured him the new bank loan gave them the funds needed to finish the work. But by mid-2016, even as the dream house was nearing completion, Laycock and the doctors were deeply at odds over payments and the contract terms.According to Laycock's complaint, even after the family moved into the home in November 2016 with a temporary certificate of occupancy, he continued sending in subcontractors for final touches. At least one of them, glass supplier Glasco Corp., ended up suing him, though unsuccessfully. According to Faupel, other subcontractors have never been paid.Myria Petrou was once so close to her parents that she planned a home for them next door. Now they haven't talked in months and are legal adversaries. A blog post reveals that Fr. Nicolaos Kotsis, the priest at St. Nicolas Greek Orthodox Church, was enlisted as an intermediary in a failed attempt to get the couple's children to see their grandfather on his birthday in October. (Kotsis did not return calls.)When Petrou's parents arrived in Ann Arbor, they signed a power of attorney giving their daughter significant control over their life savings of nearly $1 million. In her counter-complaint to her daughter's civil suit, Maria Petrou contends that she and her husband (who has since been diagnosed with dementia and Parkinson's) were misled into signing documents they didn't understand.According to an affidavit by AAPD detective Brad Rougeau, in November 2016 Myria Petrou emptied her parents' Merrill Lynch investment account, transferring nearly $234,000 to her own PNC account. In her counter-complaint, Maria Petrou charges that her daughter and son-in-law "unlawfully" took her and her husband's funds "for their own use including additions to an expensive new residence."In the blog, the couple write that Myria Petrou took the money with her mother's permission. But Maria Petrou's attorney, Jim Reach, says his client wasn't told about the withdrawal. At around the same time, he says, Petrou broke off all communication with her parents.Reach says that Maria Petrou went to the AAPD for help in determining what happened to her money but never asked for criminal charges against the couple. After interviewing her, however, Rougeau initiated an embezzlement investigation.GoosiLeaks tells a very different tale. According to the blog, Petrou had a miscarriage on February 16. She called her mother to tell her but "received no sympathy and no acknowledgement for her loss." Instead, the couple write, "Maria was yelling about her accounts, that Maria had 'no choice' but to go to the police to 'get to Myria.'"In their state and federal lawsuits, the couple blames the miscarriage on stress from Rougeau's investigation. By initiating two searches and seizures of their bank assets, they charge, he acted "either intentionally to harm or with gross reckless disregard for ... whether damage or harm would result to Myria Petrou or her unborn child."The first seizure, authorized by district court magistrate Tamara Garwood based on Rougeau's affidavit, occurred February 9; the second took place March 13, almost four weeksthe miscarriage. The wrongful death claim has since been dismissed in state court, but not in the federal case, which has moved more slowly.Mother and daughter remain estranged. In a December blog post, Petrou reported receiving a voicemail from her mother saying that her father's health was failing "and all he wants is to see his grandkids." Petrou responded by blaming her mother's "false testimony" for keeping the children from their grandparents--and directing her lawyer to stop her mother from contacting her.A Thanksgiving Day post on GoosiLeaks places the couple's legal battles in the context of historic crusades for social justice. They write that they are "standing up for Civil Rights and providing a small but we think important example to society around us." While activists such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. "faced far worse violations of their Civil Rights," they acknowledge, "their prior struggles have allowed us to have a voice in these challenges today."Foerster and Petrou have written to many U.S. senators and local doctors and complained to governor Rick Snyder and attorney general Bill Schuette about "police corruption" and a "conspiracy" against them. They've made similar charges to Ann Arbor mayor Christopher Taylor, city councilmembers, and police chief Jim Baird. They told the FBI that they believe Laycock committed bank fraud. In addition to Faupel and the Angelinis, they filed formal complaints against their original attorney in the construction case, Ed Hood, and accountant Russ Agosta, who at Hood's request did an audit of the construction liens. They tried to get one local court to take over their case from another. To date, none of those efforts have succeeded.Foerster and Petrou have posted many legal documents from the case on GoosiLeaks. The blog also features more than two dozen recordings of conversations with their enemies and allies. ("Virtually any contact with these two people is taped," says an exasperated attorney for one of their adversaries.) In one recording, Foerster asks a fellow U-M radiologist, Aine Kelly, why Maria Petrou might be "making up these false allegations against us? ... What do you think her objective is?"Kelly answers: "To bring pain to all of us.""What do you think the truth is?" Foerster persists."We're the truth," Kelly replies.In another recorded call, Foerster tells his mother, Shirley Foerster, that the couple "had no choice" but to sue Petrou's mother. He also complains that his mother-in-law's proposed witness list includes his children. Yet the couple themselves have repeatedly involved the children in their disputes. In a video posted on the blog, Foerster asks their daughter Maria--named for her grandmother--why she thinks "your Grandma says that you might not belong to us?""Cause she wants to take me to California," the youngster replies."Why would she want to do that?" Foerster continues."Because she wants you and mommy to be sad."Maria Petrou and her husband still live in Ann Arbor. The blog offers no explanation of why or how she might want to take the children to somewhere in California.Then there's a remarkable November post that includes an affidavit from Petrou that she's never abused her children nor had extramarital sex. The Observer could find no record of anyone accusing Petrou of child abuse--unless you count a sarcastic remark in a 2016 email from Laycock. (After assuring the couple that the home's heating and cooling system posed no threat, he made a snarky joke about calling Child Protective Services if they were still worried.) And what the blog calls a "fabricated sex scandal" seems to be a response to a cryptic comment by Rougeau, the AAPD detective, about the couple's "complicated relationship" with Aine Kelly's husband, Paul Cronin.Cronin--yet another U-M radiologist--has loaned Foerster and Petrou at least $150,000 during the house construction. In a deposition on June 20, 2017, Cronin said he provided $80,000 and later $50,000 more, simply because the couple told him they were short on cash--and that he since has paid at least another $20,000 in attorney fees to lawyer Cyril Hall, who was jointly representing them and him.Cronin and Kelly, both natives of Ireland, are longtime friends with Foerster and Petrou. They have children of similar ages and have vacationed together. Cronin joined the couple in court in April 2017--"I went as moral support for my friends," he said at his deposition-- and acknowledged paying a retainer to Hall.Though Cronin's initial loan was in August 2016, Faupel notes in the deposition that the promissory note was not notarized until three days after the April 2017 court date. The loan carries no interest and is not repayable until December 2027. "I trust my friends to pay me back," Cronin testified in the deposition.If the story weren't already tangled enough, the night before the April court date Laycock reportedly got a series of anonymous phone calls. Faupel, his attorney at the time, says she got one too. During the deposition in June, Faupel played recordings of a man, who claimed to be a work colleague and called himself "Nick," claiming Foerster was extorting money from Cronin. In subsequent emails to Faupel, "Nick" claimed Cronin was drinking a lot, arguing so much that neighbors called police, and selling properties in Ireland to fund his friends' legal battles. In keeping with the soap opera nature of the story, "Nick" claimed to Faupel another, more intimate reason that Cronin was entangled. The exact accusation is not public, but the doctors alluded to it in the "fabricated sex scandal" post.So far, attempts to track down "Nick" have failed. In the "fabricated sex scandal" post, the doctors include the email Nick used in communications with Faupel. No one answered the Observer's messages to that address.The doctors' legal crusades have so far made little headway. When they tried to delay the foreclosure sales for their two houses, judge Archie Brown not only ruled against them but ordered them to pay the bank's attorney, LeRoy Asher, more than $11,000. He has also ruled that Laycock's liens are valid. In the doctors' state lawsuit, the couple have dropped all defendants except Laycock and Maria Petrou. In their federal suit, they've dropped the Angelinis as defendants, and the city has moved to be dismissed as well.As the Observer went to press, however, the Battle of Geddes Ridge was still raging. The AAPD's report on the embezzlement investigation was in the hands of the county prosecutor. "Once the investigation has been reviewed, we will know if criminal charges will be filed," emails AAPD public information officer Matt Lige. "I have no time line as to when we will hear from the prosecutor's office."Meanwhile, the legal bills continue to mount. Faupel says her firm alone has spent at least $200,000 and that Asher has budgeted $250,000 to defend the Bank of Ann Arbor in court. (Asher didn't return phone calls.)The costly court battles may be starting to weigh on the doctors--and their attorneys. Cyril Hall, who's handling both their state and federal lawsuits, asked the state court to let him withdraw after Petrou emailed the court in September saying she and her husband wanted to represent themselves. Hall later withdrew his motion, but in November attorneys Michael Reynolds and Mark Evans, who were defending the couple against Laycock's original suit, made a similar request. They cited a breakdown in communication--and also a lack of payment. In a December order, Judge Brown approved their request.In December, the GoosiLeaks banner was still hanging on the house on Geddes Ridge. It may not be there much longer, however. Both that home and their old home on Brian Ct. went into foreclosure this past summer. If the doctors don't redeem them by February 3, the Bank of Ann Arbor will own them.Foerster and Petrou would need to come up with more than $1 million to retain their 10,000-square-foot trophy home. But they could redeem Brian Ct. for less than $100,000--and according to a December GoosiLeaks post, that process has already started. After all the financial and emotional pain surrounding their dream house, the family may end up back where they started six years ago.---While fighting to hold onto their dream house, Bradley Foerster and Myria Petrou have also been involved in controversy at Michigan Medicine.Foerster and a radiology department colleague, Robert Welsh, are co-principal investigators on a National Institutes of Health research grant. In August 2014, Duaa Altaee was hired as their research coordinator. In the spring of 2015, Altaee filed a charge of sexual harassment and retaliation with the U-M Office for Institutional Equity (OIE) against Welsh and the department. Foerster filed a related charge, saying that he was a witness to the alleged harassment and that Welsh had retaliated against him, too.Foerster and Petrou also accuse Welsh of defrauding the NIH. Last summer, Petrou emailed the agency to accuse Welsh of receiving money for work he hadn't performed. Welsh left for the University of Utah in 2016; neither he nor Altaee could be reached for comment. Mary Masson of Michigan Medicine's office of communication won't say why Welsh left but does say he still officially has a job at U-M. Citing institutional privacy policies, university officials decline to comment on the harassment complaint.Masson says the U-M general counsel's office took the fraud charge "very seriously. We've conducted an extensive review but have not found anything to substantiate any of the allegations." Foerster, however, continues to insist that fraud was committed--in a July mass email, he called it a "whistleblower case."In one of the story's many bizarre twists, the couple write in their blog that Altaee will be "the primary witness in our conspiracy case in the federal court." They don't explain how a U-M research coordinator might have learned about alleged machinations between their builder, architect, bank, family members, and the Ann Arbor police. But Altaee does have at least one connection to the dream house: after Foerster and Petrou moved out of their former home behind Arborland, Altaee and her husband moved in.---To the Observer:A sidebar to your article about doctors Brad Foerster and Myria Petrou ("The Battle of Geddes Ridge," January) repeats allegations made by Dr. Brad Foerster against my client, an eminent physicist, Dr. Robert Welsh. Dr. Foerster has made these deeply professionally damaging claims against his former friend, Dr. Welsh, in multiple venues and forums, in addition to his law suits against dozens of others, from the City of Ann Arbor to his own mother in law. Because Dr. Foerster's position afforded him an air of respectability, the University of Michigan has taken his allegations seriously, and carried out repeated investigations of Dr. Welsh.In each case, Dr. Welsh has cooperated and has been completely exonerated; I have provided your paper with evidence of the same. Dr. Welsh has behaved honorably and properly throughout his career, without exception.Nevertheless, your story could be read to suggest that Dr. Welsh left Michigan under some cloud of unresolved sex harassment allegations. That notion is absolutely false. Dr. Welsh began discussions to move to the University of Utah prior to Dr. Foerster's complaint against Dr. Welsh, and the allegations were dismissed before Dr. Welsh finalized the negotiation and accepted the position and decided to move. There was no cloud. Rather, Dr. Welsh left for the University of Utah because of its opportunities for his career, indeed with a more favorable compensation package compared to the University of Michigan.Dr. Welsh has no further comment on this sad tale since the repeated exonerations and the details you have reported speak for themselves.Sincerely,Sarah PrescottSalvatore Prescott & Porter---[Originally published in January, 2018.] Nuclear vessel operator Rosatomflot, a division of the Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation, has plans to request a conceptual line-icebreaker design and a preliminary design of an Arc5 class ice-resistant liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker from Finland's world-famous Aker Arctic Technology, a leading developer of icebreakers and ice-resistant vessels. The above-mentioned tankers are to deliver LNG from Russia's Sabetta seaport, Rosatom's procurements website reports in open source material. In addition, Rosatomflot will request model tests of an Aker ARC 123 line icebreaker from the Finnish company, RIA Novosti reports. Rosatomflot is currently interested in cooperating with Aker Arctic Technology and using its services to study new icebreakers for escorting Yamalmax LNG tankers, as well as options for a standard 40-megawatt propulsion system, set to be installed aboard a new icebreaker. According to the website, Aker Arctic Technology will compile a conceptual design and conduct model tests of a 46-meter-wide icebreaker operating on LNG fuel. This project will aim to study the influence of the icebreaker's beam on the speed of escorting a Yamalmax LNG tanker. The Finnish company will also have to compile preliminary designs and conduct model tests of an Arc5 class LNG tanker, due to operate all year round on the Sabetta-Europe line, among ice floes. The Yamalmax vessel will be escorted by icebreakers and will have a volume of 170,000-175,000 cubic meters, allowing it to moor at the Sabetta LNG terminal. The company will have to test a model of a 40-megawatt Aker ARC 123 icebreaker with two propulsion-system versions among ice floes. The entire contract for all these projects is worth 28 million rubles, including VAT. The projects are to be completed in early June 2018. In September 2017, the media reported that Rosatomflot had requested a conceptual design of a 40-megawatt Aker ARC 123 LNG-powered icebreaker from Aker Arctic Technology. The icebreaker, due to store about 10,000 cubic meters of LNG fuel, will have an endurance of 20-25 days. If you havent called your legislator yet to ask them to support HJM 10, NOW is the time! New Mexicos legislature has the opportunity to lead the nation in an innovative effort to curb the vast amounts of undisclosed money that is flooding our elections, and stop partisan gerrymandering by passing HJM10. Take Action Now: Please call or email your legislators and ask them to support HJM 10 TODAY! Other legislation coming up this week: SB 107, Post-Session Lobbying Report, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Steinborn, would require lobbyists file a report within a week of the conclusion of the session to the Secretary of State stating which legislation they, or their employers, lobbied for during the session. This bill will be heard in the Senate Rules Committee at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, February 5th. As always, thanks for checking in and lending your voice to help us build a healthier democracy! Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel have discussed expanding opportunities for transshipping liquefied natural gas (LNG) via the Belgian port of Zeebrugge, Interfax reported. "There is a project to expand the port's capacity to ship larger cargo volumes, including products from Yamal," Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with representatives of the Economic Council of the Franco-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which took place following the Russian-Belgian bilateral meeting on January 31. The Belgian port of Zeebrugge is Europe's major LNG transshipping terminal. "You all know very well that the shipments have begun. The first tanker has already docked in the United States," the Russian President said. "We are now in talks, including with Total, on the second construction phase and an even larger project called Arctic LNG-2. We are hard at work, and I hope that the French companies will remain proactive on the Russian market," said Novatek stakeholder Gennady Timchenko, who also took part in the meeting. Previously, Novatek CEO Leonid Mikhelson said he was expecting Novatek's other partner in the Yamal LNG project, China's CNPC, to take part in the construction of a new plant. According to Mikhelson, CNPC is now thoroughly considering the opportunity. Japanese companies are considering opportunities to join Novatek's second project on gas liquefaction as well, Mikhelson said. Eir, the former incumbent telecoms operator in Ireland, has withdrawn its bid from Ireland's National Broadband Plan (NBP) tender process. The company, which was shortlisted due to its extensive network infrastructure and business experience, cited significant commercial issues and complexity with the tender process. Eir concluded that the uncertainty on a range of regulatory and pricing issues presented too many risks to continue with a bid. In a press release, Eir said it remains committed to supporting the NBP through commercial access to its network. Eir also noted that it has invested 1.6bn to improve the telecommunications infrastructure in Ireland and that it now delivers high-speed broadband to 1.7 million premises across the country. Eir also remains fully committed to completing the rollout of high-speed broadband in rural Ireland through the commitment contract it signed with the Government in April 2017 to deliver speeds of up to 1,000Mb/s to 300,000 rural homes and businesses. Upon completion, 80% of premises in Ireland will have access to high-speed broadband. eir, which was formerly the state-owned telecom monopoly in Ireland until 1999 (Telecom Eireann), is currently owned by an investor group including Anchorage Capital Group, L.L.C, Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP, GIC, and management. The offer from Iliad is backed by NJJ Group, the private investment firm of telecoms investor and operator Xavier Niel, who is a prominent French businessman. Niel is the founder of and owns 52% of Iliad where he serves as Deputy Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer. Under the deal, NJJ will own 32.9% of eir. Iliad SA will own 31.6% of eir. Shareholders Anchorage Capital Group and Davidson Kempner will retain a combined 35.5% share in the company, respectively 26.6% and 8.9%. eir had revenue of 1.3 billion and earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation of 520 million in the financial year to June 30, 2017. eir has about 32% share of the retail fixed broadband market in Ireland. Its share of the retail mobile market is about 18%. Some additional notes about eir's operations in Ireland as of 30-September-2017: 1,061,000 total mobile customers 48.5% of customers are on postpay contracts eir has approximately 96% LTE coverage Strong momentum in FTTH connections - 12,000 connections, 72% of customers new to eir 1,700,000 premises passed with fibre, including 80,000 of the 300,000 rural premises 551,000 fiber broadband connections, 61% of total broadband base 896,000 total broadband connections, up 42,000 or 5% year on year 25% of customers now on triple or quad play bundles eir Vision TV service has a customer base of 71,000 customers, up 17,000 year on year Iliad, which operates under the "Free" brand, had nearly 13.4 million mobile and 6.5 million broadband subscribers as of 30-September-2017. Its market capitalisation is approximately 12 billion. Iliad, the fully-integrated operator in France with nearly 20 million subscribers, has agreed to acquire eir, the Irish telecommunications and broadband carrier, for approximately 3.5 billion.eir, which was formerly the state-owned telecom monopoly in Ireland until 1999 (Telecom Eireann), is currently owned by an investor group including Anchorage Capital Group, L.L.C, Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP, GIC, and management.The offer from Iliad is backed by NJJ Group, the private investment firm of telecoms investor and operator Xavier Niel, who is a prominent French businessman. Niel is the founder of and owns 52% of Iliad where he serves as Deputy Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer. Under the deal, NJJ will own 32.9% of eir. Iliad SA will own 31.6% of eir. Shareholders Anchorage Capital Group and Davidson Kempner will retain a combined 35.5% share in the company, respectively 26.6% and 8.9%.eir had revenue of 1.3 billion and earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation of 520 million in the financial year to June 30, 2017. eir has about 32% share of the retail fixed broadband market in Ireland. Its share of the retail mobile market is about 18%.Some additional notes about eir's operations in Ireland as of 30-September-2017:Iliad, which operates under the "Free" brand, had nearly 13.4 million mobile and 6.5 million broadband subscribers as of 30-September-2017. Its market capitalisation is approximately 12 billion. On February 6, in accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh Republic), the OSCE Mission will conduct a planned monitoring of the ceasefire regime on the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, to the north-west from Seysulan village of the Martakert region. February 5, 2018, 10:46 OSCE to conduct monitoring on Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 5, ARTSAKHPRESS:From the positions of the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh, the monitoring will be conducted by Field Assistants to the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (CiO) Ghenadie Petrica (Moldova) and Ognjen Jovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), as well as staff member of the Office of the CiO Personal Representative Martin Schuster (Germany). From the opposite side of the Line of Contact, the monitoring will be conducted by Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk and his Field Assistant Mihail Olaru (Moldova). The authorities of the Republic of Artsakh have expressed their readiness to assist in conducting the monitoring and to ensure the security of the OSCE Mission members. House Of Cards , everyone's favorite political soap opera, won our hearts with its focus on a ruthless sociopath who plays a ruthless psychopath on a quest to become president of the United States. But while real politicians can certainly suck, they aren't out there murdering dogs or pushing their enemies to certain death, right? Come on, you already know you're not right. Of course real-life politicians have done all of that, and worse . 6 The Governor Of Louisiana Chained An Opponent To A Tree On A Pirate Island Huey Long became governor of Louisiana in 1928, and utterly dominated the state's politics with the simple tactic of "firing every government employee not personally loyal to him." He further demanded a 20 percent cut of all state contracts, and tended to declare martial law when things didn't go his way. Not a super reasonable guy, is what we're getting at here. Library of Congress Assemble the men; I lost at Monopoly again. When Long was running for the Senate in 1932, he heard that a disgruntled former employee named Sam Irby was preparing to reveal evidence of his corruption. Long did the only reasonable thing: He had the guy abducted. Huey's brother, future governor Earl Long, wanted to have Irby killed, but the governor had a better idea. He had his personal goon squad of corrupt cops drag Irby onto a boat, which ferried him to Grande Isle, a former pirate hideout in the Gulf of Mexico. There, Irby was kept chained to a tree and attacked by clouds of mosquitoes until he became more sympathetic to Long's ideas. Continue Reading Below Advertisement Meanwhile, every anti-Long politician in Louisiana was going berserk trying to find Irby, who was rumored to be dead at the bottom of a swamp. With kidnapping charges looming, Long forced Irby to do a radio interview claiming he had merely gone on a spontaneous fishing trip. His bodyguards then brandished guns at reporters and sped off with Irby in a car, pursued by New Orleans police in a Fast & Furious-style chase that ended with the governor's limo giving the cops the slip in a network of alleys. By the time Irby escaped captivity and spilled the beans, Long had won election to the Senate, where he became a serious rival to FDR and began planning a run for president. He was assassinated by a disgruntled dentist in 1935, as was the style at the time. Every family friendly movie, be it Moana or Alvin And The Chipmunks 15: Our Lifespan In Captivity Is Eight Years , knows that it's critically important to not put anything in that could accidentally scar children for life. It's just bad business to release a PG-rated film that inspires untold years of counseling and night terrors. But the truth is that sometimes it takes Hollywood a few drafts before they nail it, as evidenced by ... 8 The New Ninja Turtles Were Almost Gun-Toting Slendermen Millions of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fans are aware of the existence of the recent live-action adaptations. (Some viewers were even able to recall plot points 15 minutes after leaving the movie!) But for all of Michael Bay's sins, we can at least credit him with making the new turtles look somewhat vaguely recognizable. Paramount Pictures Left to right: Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Gamma-Irradiated Strip Club DJ. That was not always the case. It would have been difficult to root for the gang had they looked like creatures you'd kill early on in Skyrim. Paramount Pictures And these would thank you for it. At some point, Bay must have looked at that design and thought, "Hmm, there's something off about these dead-eyed swamp monsters ... I know, let's make them look like terrorists!" Paramount Pictures Suicide Bomber Vest Leonardo would have been a fast seller at Toys "R" Us. Continue Reading Below Advertisement Everything we know about Bay's approach to filmmaking leads us to believe that someone told him about how the turtles each have their own distinct personalities, and he interpreted that as giving each of the otherwise-identical characters a different kind of firearm. No pressure, fellas, but a certain sweetheart may just be in the market for a relaxing and romantic Valentines Day date. The following item isnt it (but there are others after that): Valentines Day Massacre at Fright Haven in the Stratford Square Shopping Plaza, 411 Barnum Ave. Recommended more for the quirky-horror-fan couples out there (and no one under 14), this event takes place Friday, Feb. 9, to Sunday, Feb. 11, from 7 to 10 p.m., when the scare emporium sees Cupid doing something bloody with his arrow instead of inspiring affection, a Fright Haven news release said. 203-795-4737. A bit edgy for many, certainly. So in addition to dining out at one of the areas fine restaurants, here are some calmer ideas for the coming week: Love stings? Not quite. A pre-Valentines Day jaunt offers Love Bugs and Honeybees: A Valentines Day Talk, Tour & Honey Tasting at Red Bee Apiary in Weston on Sunday, Feb. 11, from 1 to 3 p.m., with some food pairings and honey wine (mead) tastings. $45. 203-226-4535, email redbeehoneyevents@gmail.com Wood and wine? Arrigoni Winery, 1287 Portland Cobalt Road, Portland, has a Valentines Day wood sign workshop, where couples can create a custom 16- by 20-inch wood sign ($55). There will be two designs to choose from, Arrigonis classic monogram sign or a heart design for the holiday. Folks can arrive at 5 p.m. for a wine tasting and start the sign at 6 (until 8). Register at creativecanvascolchester.com Whats more romantic than dreamy jazz? Well, maybe adult contemporary R&B, represented nicely in the Foxwoods Resort Casino show An Evening of Love Friday, Feb. 9, at 8 p.m. in the Grand Theater. Performers include Brian McKnight (10 albums in two decades), K-Ci & JoJo (aka Cedric and Joel Hailey, who are brothers and were in the 1990s group Jodeci), Christopher Williams and Al B. Sure. In the Grand Theater, $178-$68. Also at Foxwoods will be Valentines Day specials at expensive-but-exquisite Vue 24 restaurant and a sushi-making class at Red Lantern eatery ($149). Food reservations at 800-369-9663. At Mohegan Sun, there are several dinner specials at the likes of Jasper Whites Summer Shack or Todd Englishs Tuscany, and you can even visit meals-to-go place Pasta Vita on the big day to take home some tasty heart-shaped ravioli. New Havens Creative Arts Workshop, 80 Audubon St., is hosting its XOXO: A Sale of Valentines created by the studio binders, potters and printmakers at CAW, through Feb. 14. Call 203-562-4927 for hours. Terminal 110, 240 Sargent Drive, the industrial nightlife complex with bar food, Latin dancing nights and dueling-piano bar on Long Wharf in New Haven, is hosting a Valentines Day Paint and Sip run by Current Events on Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 6 to 9 p.m. Wine included with ticket purchase. $40 single, $75 couple. 203-624-6200. Love Letters, anyone? Fairfield County residents and veteran daytime drama performers Robert and Britt Newman will appear one night only, on Valentines Day, at Curtain Calls Kweskin Theatre in Stamford in A.R. Gurneys play Love Letters. Debra Lee Failla will direct this special fundraising production. $40. 203-461-6358, curtaincallinc.com. An Acoustic Valentine will be delivered on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 8 p.m. at Wilton Playshop, 15 Lovers Lane, of all places. The concert of acoustic love songs will feature talented members from Wilton Rocks, Acoustic Wilton and The Darlings of Talmadge Hill. Light refreshments to follow the show. Proceeds will benefit Musical Chairs, a fundraising campaign for new theater seating. $25. For the second year, Susan Powell Fine Arts, 679 Boston Post Road, Madison, presents its Valentine Gems art exhibit through Feb. 24, showing a wide variety of subjects, including land and seascapes, marine art, still lifes, wildlife, florals and romantic city scenes. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and by appointment. 203-318-0616. Love and laughs go together, so you may want to head to Newtown for a Treehouse Comedy show on Wednesday, Feb. 14. The Lovely Ladies of Laughter will feature three comedians at the Edmond Town Hall Theatre, 45 Main St. Performing are Julia Scotti, who gained national attention in 2016 when the transgender comic made it to the quarterfinals of TVs Americas Got Talent, Marion Grodin, the daughter of film star Charles Grodin, and Stephanie Peters, who has been called the modern-day Totie Fields. $39.50-$35. 203-268-5857. jamarante@nhregister.com; @Joeammo on Twitter. It was a chilly, gray day when we caught up with Jim Weider for a phone chat about the Weight Band, which formed in Woodstock, N.Y., in 2013, and has been touring ever since. The renowned guitarist was relaxed and cheerful. Not surprising, considering the frigid weather and his imminent departure for Jamaica. Weider said he was heading down there for a week to perform with Little Feat, the Midnight Ramble Band, and Jackson Browne. After that, he was doing a string of shows with the Weight Band, including one at Fairfield Theatre Company on Saturday, Feb. 10, and another at Hartfords Infinity Music Hall, on Friday, Feb. 16. But Weider was also in good spirits for another reason. He was psyched for the Feb. 23 release of Weight Bands first full-length studio album, World Gone Mad described as an Americana/roots rock masterpiece of the Woodstock sound. We are very excited to be putting out an original record, Weider said. It was due time for all of us. The Weight Band comprises artists who were either in The Band or are connected to its legacy. Known for such tunes as The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, The Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. Weider was its lead guitarist from 1985-2000 (replacing Robbie Robertson). Aside from Weider, the group features Brian Mitchell, of the Levon Helm Band, Marty Grebb, who wrote for The Band and worked with Rick Danko and Richard Manuel, and Albert Rogers, who shared the stage with Levon Helm and Garth Hudson in the Jim Weider Band. Michael Bram, the newest member, toured with Jason Mraz. I was with The Band for so many years and Marty has written for The Band and Brian has played with Levon, Weider said. There are connections. ... I said, Lets make a record. Weider wanted to create music that has a kind of Woodstock roots-rock feel, that carries on the sound and feel of The Band so it blends in. The 11-track Weight Band album features eight originals, including contributions from the late Levon Helm on never-before-released songs written for The Band. The audience will experience a mix of music. Theyll hear some really classic Band tunes, their favorites, and some that maybe real hard-core Band fans will know; it makes it interesting for us. Theyll hear a few new ones, too, possibly even the groups cool rendition of the Jerry Garcia tune, Deal. Weider said the title track, World Gone Mad, is about the political climate of today and includes lyrics about lions and elephants running around, and how it looks like the circus is back and town. But no matter what is played, he said, it should be quite the party, so put on your dancing shoes because we are gonna rock the house. More Information The Warehouse at Fairfield Theatre Company, 70 Sanford St. Saturday, Feb. 10, 8 p.m. $45, members save $5. 203-259-1036, www.fairfieldtheatre.org. Infinity Music Hall, 32 Front St., Hartford. Friday, Feb. 16, 8:30 p.m. $59, $33.15. 866-666-6306, www.InfinityHall.com See More Collapse lkoonz@newstimes.com; Twitter: @LindaTKoonz Earlier last year, the health minister also issued directives barring staff and senior management from Angau Hospital from speaking out about the state of the cancer unit and a medicine shortage. This is not the first time senior health staff have been threatened and intimidated through orders from above, MADANG - The CEO of Modilon Hospital in Madang and the hospitals Director of Medical Services have been issued directives barring them from talking about a medicine shortage at the hospital, EMTVs Madang correspondent, Martha Louis, has reported. It is good that we still have doctors like Dr Sam Yockopua who are unafraid to speak out when there is a shortage of medicines and consumables. We all need to do the same. While we understand that there are protocols that need to be followed, the ultimate aim of government is to serve the people of this country. The suppression of important voices of conscience like health workers and teachers when the problems are so obvious is detrimental to both the people and democracy. I know of both older and younger public servants who are hardworking. They serve with an unrivalled passion in their fields. I know of health workers in Lae who serve with dignity despite the difficulties they face every day. They dont get paid as much as they should. Yet, they know they cannot shut down the clinic just because there is a shortage of medicine. Their senior representatives should not be suppressed. How can we fix a problem if we hide it? How can a doctor treat a patient if the patient doesnt say whats wrong? Martha Louis reported that the hardest hit by the lack of medicines and the suppression of our voices are the patients. Papi Kalupi travels from his village at Ono in the Usino-Bundi District to get treatment in Madang, she writes. But he says because of the cost of travelling he only comes to the hospital when he is very ill. Another long-time resident in Madang, Malai Kami, says he is now resorting to using herbal medicine to treat himself and his family. He says hospitals are not functioning as they did in the past. The people are the most accurate gauge of our social services. They wont give you the bullshit we see in colourful statements with fancy letterheads. We have to ask why our people are being forced to buy the most basic medicines anti-malarial and antibiotics at pharmacies. They spar and smile. They come together and drift apart. They conceal and reveal two halves forever bound. Their identities shift and transform based on their creator, an artist exploring her heritage, her personal versus public persona and her desire to get people talking. Ive done them in different ways and iterations, artist Nina Buxenbaum, of Bethel, says of her Topsy-Turvy drawings and paintings inspired by dolls of the same name. When the figures are struggling, that is my struggle. How do I accept my own insecurities about how I look or exist in the world? What are the things I need to fight against and what are the things I just need to accept about myself and my experience in the world? I do think about all that, and it definitely comes up in the work. Scholars believe the dolls emerged on Americas Southern plantations in the early- to mid-19th century. Handmade, these dolls feature one black and one white figure joined at the waist. Flip the skirt to uncover one half and hide the other. (Later, these dolls were mass produced and served as a template for other conjoining characters, often from fairy tales, such as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf.) There are many theories as to the purpose and use of these collectibles. Such multiplicity is natural, given context changes based on who may have made them, who they were made for and when they were made. Buxenbaum, 43, uses these flip dolls to explore how she expresses herself as a biracial woman, and in doing so, delves into the larger concepts of beauty, identity, femininity, race, class and stereotypes. None of us are one-dimensional, she says, talking by phone from her Bethel studio. We are all complicated stories, but at the heart of all of our stories are simple needs, wants and desires, which is for connectedness, understanding, love and a feeling that you have a purpose in the world. Somebody asked me if they were self-portraits and they are, she says, adding that her models are family members, friends or other artists, with whom she identifies and shares common values. Through Feb. 18, her Topsy-Turvy images are on display at the New Canaan Librarys H. Pelham Curtis Gallery. There is an opportunity for people to see their own self-portraits in there, too, says Buxenbaum, an associate professor at York College in New York City. I think it is a little less challenging for people to understand the (idea) about connectedness, because even though some of these images are struggling with each other, they are joined in one figure. So, it is not one person, even if one figure ends up on top. They are really connected. So, anything one does to the other is really doing it to themselves. There is never any winner when there is conflict. There are only winners when they come to some peaceful evolution, catharsis or understanding. Buxenbaum first laid eyes on a Topsy-Turvy doll as a child, while playing in her aunts house in upstate New York. She and her sister discovered it while exploring a secret passage that led from the second floor to the attic. The house was likely a stop on the Underground Railroad, the network of houses and routes that gave slaves a path to freedom. It wasnt until a residency in 2001, however, at the Skowhegan School for Painting and Sculpture in Skowhegan, Maine, that the dolls emerged as a force in her work. Buxenbaum says the work truly began to take shape in 2007, the year of her first Topsy-Turvy show, at the Kentler International Drawing Space in Brooklyn, N.Y. By then, she was about 10 years out from her graduation from Washington University in St. Louis, and decades from her childhood growing up in Brooklyn. In those ensuing years, she had thought about how her identity had been shaped by growing up in a diverse neighborhood and in a home that was socially and politically active when it came to civil rights. Conversations of race and identity were common, given her mom was black and her dad was white, and had married at a time when many states still considered such a union illegal. While at college, part of her work was juxtaposing black collectible imagery, such as mammy cookie jars, with African art objects. It was about how white American culture depicted blackness versus how African-American culture depicted itself. The work would evolve and become personal, as she grappled with questions of how she personally and publicly identified herself, and how others, black and white, expected her to look and behave. Throughout, it was her intention to get more women of color into her work and expand their presence in the Western art canon, where they have largely been absent. It is about celebrating the diaspora of beauty in the black community. At a recent talk at her show, it was clear by the publics questions and comments that these works are being shown when the concepts of identity and race, safety and security, privilege and power are very much a part of everyday discourse. Buxenbaum, a guild member and teacher at the Silvermine Arts Center in New Canaan, hopes her works act as a conduit. There are more ways to see something than just one way, she says. And when we have a conversation, we start to understand other peoples perspective. chennessy@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @xtinahennessy BRIDGEPORT Local debt-collection attorney Juda Epstein is under scrutiny from the City Council for his role in helping recover late sewer fees for Bridgeports Water Pollution Control Authority. But complaints about Epstein and what he charges delinquent homeowners whose late sewer bills he handles for the city go back years. Bridgeports legal department told Hearst Connecticut Media last week that it conducted a quiet review of Epsteins practice in 2011. It was an impromptu audit, recalled Deputy City Attorney John Bohannon, who in 2011 was a consultant for then-Mayor Bill Finchs administration. I called Jay (Epstein), (and) said, Pull 20 files, lets take a look. Bohannon said Epstein was cooperative and provided copies of demands for payment, receipts and other paperwork. My conclusion was there was no evidence of any impropriety, Bohannon said, adding, Jay was highly effective in what he did resolving the debt and had documentation and a good rationale for what he had done. Bohannon said his one recommendation was for Epstein to change his demand letters to better explain the legal costs that were being passed on to residents. Bohannan said Epstein followed through on that suggestion. Bohannon, along with City Attorney R. Christopher Meyer and Mark Anastasi who held Meyers job in 2011 and continues to work in Bridgeports law department last week discussed prior complaints against Epstein. Hearst obtained a copy of a 2009 letter from private attorney Jonathan Klein to Anastasi that accused Epstein of trying to gouge homeowners for a large unearned fee. Hearst asked the law department what had been done about it. This is his standard, routine practice, wrote Klein, who when contacted by Hearst authenticated the letter. Many homeowners would be able to bring their (Water Pollution Control Authority) accounts current if it were not for the fact that Jays attempts at profiteering prevent the resolution of their cases. Anastasi said last week that he never received Kleins 2009 letter, but that the law department met with Klein in 2011 about his concerns with Epsteins fees. Anastasi emphasized that did not mean Klein had not sent the letter in 2009. The law department in 2011 had been contacted by another attorney about Epstein Edwin Farrow. Bohannon and Anastasi met with Farrow, who suggested they contact Klein. Bohannon later conducted his audit of some of Epsteins files. Epstein said in an interview last week that he was shocked to learn of Kleins letter and its allegations. I didnt know about it and Im obviously disheartened by it, Epstein said. Its untrue. Disputed hours But Klein continues to have concerns about Epstein. He forwarded to Hearst an email exchange with Epstein from October 2014. Epstein was trying to get Kleins client, House of God Ministries, to pay its delinquent sewer fees. According to a payment demand from Epstein, he was seeking $3,190 in attorneys fees awarded by the court. When unpaid sewer fee cases get as far as a courtroom, attorneys handling the collection for the city and the WPCA submit a request for fees to the presiding judge. But according to the payment demand from Epstein that Klein provided Hearst, Epstein also wanted House of God to pay $5,652 in additional attorneys fees. Klein sought more details, and Epstein responded with a detailed breakdown of how many minutes had been spent, at $175 per hour, on activities related to the House of God case from late January through early October 2014. Epstein wrote to Klein that he had worked for 32 hours and 30 minutes on the file. Here we go again, Klein countered in an email to Epstein. Why am I not surprised? Twenty seven minutes to review a 2-page, double spaced memo? Thirty three minutes to review a 3-page doubled-spaced memo? Eighteen minutes to read a 2-line email? Klein also argued that Epstein did not differentiate his work from that of his staff, but Epsteins $175 hourly rate was applied across the board. I have 24.6 hours of time in this file, Klein wrote Epstein. And I know I worked at least as hard as you did and probably put more time into this case than you. How about trimming your time to 24.6 hours, too? Epstein offered to reduce his fee by $1,000 if the House of Gods debts were paid within a week. Epstein said last week that it is not unusual for collection attorneys to accrue additional fees after a judge has signed off on them if the debts are not immediately paid and there is more legal work to be done. The work doesnt stop, he said. Room to negotiate Epstein added that in 2016, he waived $4,500 of court-awarded fees he was owed by the American Legion Post 140 on Stratford Avenue. Hearst previously reported on the American Legions clash with the city and WPCA over unpaid sewer bills. And Bohannon recalled at least one sewer case in which he successfully asked Epstein to lower his fees. We have consistently, from day one, worked with each administration to address their particular concerns on a file-by-file basis, Epstein said. Jay does volume work, Bohannon said, meaning Epstein has many cases going at once. And to resolve disputes, I believe hell compromise. Bohannon and Meyer, who became Bridgeports city attorney two years ago, said the law department is looking into establishing fee limits for debt-collection attorneys (the city and WPCA also use Ed Marcus, of Branford). This, Bohannon and Meyer said, should not be viewed as meaning that Epstein or other lawyers are overcharging, but rather that the city believes it can negotiate, because Bridgeport offers plenty of business. When you give anybody volume and we give some volume we have strength of size to mandate fees, Meyer said. Klein said that could be helpful, but questioned how it would be enforced. And Farrow said he thinks Epsteins fees have remained a problem even after Bohannons 2011 review. I feel like its a concern that needs to be addressed, and only the city can address it, Farrow said, adding he understands it is a complicated issue. You dont want to keep attorneys from making reasonable money or give (sewer users) a free-for-all, he said. Bills have to be paid. Epstein said hes been helping to ensure those bills have been and that Bridgeports sewer system is kept funded for over 10 years, under three mayors. We have collected millions of dollars for the WPCA, which have been a vital part of meeting (its) budgetary demands, he said. The insurance industry gets a bad rap as outdated and inefficient. But one insurance firm, CSAA Insurance Group, is bucking the stereotype with a strikingly modern approach to innovation. Related: The New World of Innovation-as-a-Service This American Automobile Association-affiliated insurer caught the attention of the Harvard Business Review last August due to its all-hands-on-deck innovation strategy. As the article described, CSAA had harnessed the brainpower of its 4,000-person employee base to encourage systematic improvement at all company levels. The results were astounding: Underwriters analyzed the company's call data to improve voice prompts and reduce misplaced calls . . . by 40 percent. Other employees jumped in to streamline online claims, improve the issuance of insurance cards -- and more. But CSAA's approach wasn't innovative just for the insurance industry. Top-down innovation has been tried over and over, and it just can't hold a candle to the alternative: employee-driven innovation teams being used by companies like CSAA and my own human resources solutions company. We like to call these teams EDITs. Why an EDIT philosophy works Industry insight and creativity aren't exclusive to the C-suite, nor are they best purchased from industry consultants. In fact, they can be found in every employee, from the part-time package handler right on up the corporate ladder. Sarah Miller Caldicott, author of Midnight Lunch (and great-grandniece of Thomas Edison), has been trying to tell this to the business world for years. So when I heard her speak at a conference a few years ago, I couldn't help but try an EDIT at my own company. All EDITs begin with a call from a leadership team sponsor who brings a business problem to the table. That person then invites volunteers to form teams of around eight employees each. Teams choose their own leaders, who then hold the rest of the team members accountable and ultimately deliver proposals to the executive team. EDIT does more than make us a better company. Team members develop cross-departmental friendships; help boost everyone's morale; and grow their own leadership, presentation and executive consulting skills. Rarely do non-managers have the chance to shine in leading roles the way they do with EDIT. Related: How to Breathe New Life Into Your Formal Onboarding Process Another upshot of our EDIT? We began a new HR project, "Extending the Culture Beyond Our Walls," in which we're expanding our employee culture to our clients, contingent workers and broader community through employment branding. The only down side? We wish we'd done this sooner. Ready, set, EDIT If you're hungry for the fresh ideas that come from a collaborative, team-driven approach to innovation, you're ready for an EDIT. Here's how to get and keep the EDIT ball rolling: 1. Make the problem and ideal solution as concrete as possible. Every EDIT begins with a problem outlined by someone from the organization's leadership team. Think of this like a call to action. What's the problem or opportunity, and what type of action, process or technology will solve or capitalize on it? Be sure to also describe what resources the EDIT will have to work with, such as budgeted funds, fixed assets and subject matter experts. The Arizona Department of Transportation, for example, was looking last year for faster ways to reopen Phoenix-area freeways after closing them for repair. ADOT workers designed a reverse stencil that protects painted surfaces from an asphalt finishing spray. For materials, they used just scrap metal and two trucks, Now, a scrap stencil may not have been what leaders first envisioned as their "future perfect" solution, but ADOT's employees certainly made smart use of their resources. 2. Give diversity and inclusion space at the table. An EDIT is only as strong as its members are diverse. In other words, don't assemble a team entirely of marketers, salespeople or denizens of any other one department. A study from Holton Consulting noted that people tend to come up with more interesting, exciting and unusual ideas when they're not thinking about their own area of expertise. Related: Diverse Hiring and Inclusive Leadership Is How Startups Thrive Don't worry if one EDIT has four people and one has 10. Team size doesn't matter nearly as much as the diversity of backgrounds, departments and skill sets. With that said, do your best to not exclude willing participants. To this day, our company has never turned away someone who wanted to contribute to an EDIT initiative. 3. Provide structure, but avoid rigidity. Give your EDIT space to work, but don't let it fly blind, either. Have the EDIT take its cue from agile development or the scientific method, whichever its members are more familiar with. Encourage the EDIT to hypothesize solutions, test them, iterate and then evaluate them against the "future perfect." When our company's EDITs meet for the first time, they always begin with a brainstorm. From there, they test ideas in low-risk, low-resource experiments. For example, a team suggesting a casual dress policy might survey or visit other companies with such a policy: The point would be to see whether changing acceptable workplace attire affected productivity. The goal? To get real-world feedback on potential solutions, narrowing them down until the only top performer is left standing. In our industry, there's no greater cliche than "Your employees are your greatest asset." But nothing has driven that point home for us, like EDIT. The soon-to-be-released enterprise-resource planning system that our employees spearheaded is proof that these people are, indeed, our strongest innovators. Related: Employees, Not Consultants or Executives, Are Your Best Innovators 18 Weird Things We've Learned About Jeff Bezos 3 Essentials for Safeguarding Against Sloppy Product Execution Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com Some may say no good deed goes unpunished, however that is far from what is occurring with MADD Coffee, a Brooklyn-based business. The returns on this newly established coffee company have been growing rapidly as news gets out about their movement and promise to give back 20 percent of their revenue to charities. MADD Coffee launched with a mission of making a difference daily through their philanthropic efforts and promoting kindness. Call it good karma -- or good marketing -- but this company is definitely reaping the benefits of being a good-doer. Every quarter polls will go up listing various charities for which customers can vote to whom MADD should give their large endowment. They have announced the name of the first organization that will receive its 20 percent of quarterly revenue: Covenant House New York, an organization that saves and shelters homeless, abused, trafficked, abandoned and exploited youth. Related: Corporate Charity Is What Inspires Greater Employee Engagement A shared vision. The co-founders of MADD Coffee, Manny Lopez and Marco Perez Del Cid, have big visions for MADD. As the business grows, so do the gifts to charities that their customers are passionate about. They want to not only raise funds for specific organizations but also form a movement that encourages others to get into the habit of kindness and generosity. MADD Coffee is a company founded from the Guatemalan family tradition of coffee bean farming and roasting. The idea all started from a casual conversation between Lopez and Perez Del Cid to import fresh coffee beans straight from the Perez Del Cids family coffee bean farm in Guatemala to create a mutual benefit for both of them and their family back home. A shared heritage. Marco Perez Del Cid and Manny Lopez were both raised in New York but come from diverse backgrounds. Lopez, born in Queens, had worked his way up in the finance industry but left his job on Wall Street to pursue this passionate endeavor. He felt the need to do more than continue his career of simply making the rich, richer. While Perez Del Cid was born in Guatemala and raised in Brooklyn by a family of entrepreneurs, he had his familys dream at heart: To introduce Guatemalan coffee to the American market. Additionally he owns a vintage thrift shop chain, L-train Vintage; he also exports second-hand clothes back to his home country. Partnering together, they established MADD Coffee. This trendy, Brooklyn-based coffee companys vision is to motivate others to mirror their pay-it-forward ethos through kind behaviors and charitable acts. All while providing robust, organic and fair-traded coffee. It contains subtle notes of cocoa and toasted nuts and delivers a naturally sweet and rich taste without the extra help of flavors such as sugars or even creamer. Related: Profit Is Not Enough for a Great 21st-Century Business The goal of MADD Coffee above all is to communicate love through humility and service and to encourage both their customers and the world to key into the MADD pledge which is to make a difference daily through acts of kindness and generosity. Sharing the revenue. The gift this quarter will go to Covenant House, a nonprofit that saves and shelters homeless, abused, trafficked and exploited youth through all of the Americas. Manny Lopez, a philanthropist and the co-founder of MADD Coffee Company, has a close affinity to this program, given his personal upbringing. Before founding MADD Coffee, he donated and volunteered for the organization in NYC. Covenant House New York is not only respected for providing loving care and vital services to homeless and abandoned youths, they also help transform the lives of these young kids by setting them on a path towards achieving success. Dan Ryan, a developmental manager of Covenant house stated, Covenant house gets homeless and trafficked young people off the street, a movement in 31 cities and six countries. Covenant house is reaching 80,000 young people every single year. Sharing their stories. According to Marcus, a 21-year-old occupant of the Covenant House, Covenant House is like a foundation because you can build something for yourself, you have the time and the resources to make it happen. Another grateful occupant Mia, 20, expressed how lucky she is to be part of the program: I feel like I just rolled some dice and hit something lucky because I dont think I would have found a place that genuinely takes care of kids like they do here. This organization is impactful, not only for those it helps, but for society as a whole. The way children are brought up now will form how the next generations will lead our country. Frederick Douglass once said, It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. This resonates strongly with the ethos of both Covenant House and MADD Coffee: They want to improve lives and motivate people to do the best for themselves and those around them. Related: Giving Back Is How Your Startup Changes the World MADD Coffees love for humanity is not just found in their daily pledge to make a difference in the lives of their customers and the community through providing quality and organic coffee rather, it is seen also in their habit and act of giving. In a discussion, Lopez gave a simplified reason for his affection for Covenant House, The Covenant House youth occupants resilience throughout their struggles and their ability to continue to work through and chase their dreams only helped me to chase mine. When I started MADD Coffee I knew that I wanted it to be something more than just a product, I wanted to start a movement. Related: This Company Thrives by Giving Away 20 Percent of Its Revenue Corporate Charity Is What Inspires Greater Employee Engagement The Masters of Giving Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com In the early years, Ready Set Rocket, a digital branding agency, hired a junior designer in its New York office. During his time with the company, the man was a valuable employee. But eventually, he decided to move back to San Francisco to be near his family. Related: Boomerang Employees: an Untapped Talent Source? Since we keep an open-door policy with past employees -- whether that be inviting them to networking and agency events, or offering personal and professional support -- we retained a relationship, founder Aaron Harvey said via email. Luckily, three years later, the employee's skill set had advanced. He was the perfect fit for Ready Set Rocket's new needs, so the company hired him back as a senior product designer. Ready Set Rocket isnt the only organization looking to hire former employees. In fact, a January CareerBuilder survey of 888 hiring and HR managers found that 39 percent planned to hire former employees in 2018. This makes sense. For years, companies have been facing a talent shortage. Unable to find qualified candidates who mesh with the company, leaders are turning to former -- or "boomerang" -- employees. These people have proven that they can succeed in the organization. So, as long as they left on good terms, why not ask them back? The trick is finding a way to re-engage these people. And that requires employers having a great professional relationship with employees after they leave. Here are the attitudes and moves that can help make that happen: Leaving isnt personal. The employee's career is. Many employers feel betrayed when a great employee decides to leave. Leaders have worked hard to create a fabulous work environment, and then people abandon it. But this is the wrong way to look at the situation. At Kronos, a Lowell, Mass.-based workforce management and HCM cloud software company, the focus is always on the individual and its needs. According to chief people officer Dave Almeda, the company views employees careers as something the individual owns, not the company. Its the organizations job to focus on creating an engaging environment that values people. Related: 6 Reasons Why You Should Rehire a Former Employee Kronos believes that a career is a deeply personal thing, Almeda said wrote via email. If a Kronite has an opportunity thats too great to pass up for themselves or their family, they should take it. If theres a former high-performing Kronite looking to come back, it would be silly to shut the door on them, and certainly not in the best interest of our customers. Instead of feeling wronged when a great employee leaves, be happy for this person. When a leader has created a great working environment, he or she should be confident that, if the circumstances are right, the employee will come back. Keep tabs on where they've gone. (Professionally) stalk them. When an employee succeeds, leaders can claim some credit. After all, good employers help to develop employees. And, because of this, they should take an interest in where employees go next. Following these people's careers might start off based on curiosity. But to get those people to come back, a leader also needs to be supportive. This is why leaders should keep in contact with their former employees on professional sites like LinkedIn. Congratulate them on their latest accomplishments. Share interesting articles with them. Make lunch plans if you're attending the same conference. By keeping tabs on former employees, leaders can see how theyre developing. The persons career might even take an unexpected turn. By seeing what new experiences or skills the former employee has obtained, a leader can find a different position for him or her. That may lay the groundwork for a new job offer and a "boomerang back." Give them forward steps. Think about boomeranging from an employees perspective. For many people, returning to an old employer is a step backward. They left for bigger things and feel that returning is a sign of failure. This is why its important to show how coming back takes their career to the next level. For instance, PR firm Walker Sands Communications was opening a new office and needed to find employees who could get up to speed quickly. Luckily, a former employee was living in the new city. To get her back, the company needed to provide a perspective on her future. It was crucial that our offer justified leaving her new employer so soon and provided opportunities for career advancement beyond what was possible in her previous position, Seattle-based account director Annie Gudorf said by email. Of course, compensation and benefits were adjusted to exceed her new employer's, but the conversation really centered on the unique learning and development opportunities our role provided. Offer enticing benefits to help them transition back. There are many reasons a person leaves a company. For example, an employee may leave to start a family. Or go back to school. Or even travel the world for a while. When these types of employees are ready to come back to work, they need extra support. Offer them the right types of benefits to make this transition easier. Provide perks like relocation stipends, tuition reimbursement and child care. Related: 4 Ways to Entice Departing Talent to Return Hearing these offers, the former employees will feel valued. And that will open the door to their returning to the company and feeling that they havent missed a beat in their professional life. Related: Your Next 'Rockstar' Employee Might Be a Former One Boomerang Employees: an Untapped Talent Source? Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com Gillibrand didn't vote for the tax plan and wasn't involved in drafting the measure. But that didn't prevent Farley from linking the senator to the tax legislation. "Instead of cutting taxes for every small business and middle-class family, New York was one of the few states that was penalized," she said. "To me, that's a clear example of how Kirsten Gillibrand's ineffectiveness is impacting all of us and it's an insult to New York's middle-class families now struggling to find a good-paying job, afford higher housing costs and skyrocketing property taxes." Farley levied other criticisms against Gillibrand. She said the senator "has become a creature of Washington" and her views are out of touch with most New Yorkers. There wasn't much revealed in the video about Farley's platform. To address New York's status as a donor state, she hopes to return the $40 billion to the state to repair critical infrastructure, including bridges, roads and mass transit systems. Investing in infrastructure will help create jobs and revitalize the economy, she said. A dairy insurance program designed to help farmers weather declining milk prices isn't working, and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand thinks farms should get their money back. Gillibrand, D-N.Y., announced legislation Monday that would refund premiums paid by farmers for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dairy Margin Protection Program. The program was established in the 2014 farm bill and replaced Milk Income Loss Contract payments. The goal of the program is to provide payments to farmers when the dairy production margin is between $4 and $8 per hundredweight. But Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said she is hearing from New York farmers who say the program isn't working. Despite decreasing milk prices, which should trigger benefits for those who paid into the program, farmers reported receiving little, if any, support. Low milk prices can pose serious financial challenges for farmers. When prices fall, Gillibrand noted that farmers can't earn enough of a profit to maintain operations. They struggle to pay bills and cover payroll expenses. They are barely making enough of a profit from milk sales to pay for feed, she said. "Our dairy farmers deserve better than this," Gillibrand said on a conference call with reporters. Weedsport was founded on the basis of transportation. Prior to the community being called Weedsport, it was a sleepy hamlet of several homes in what is now the Rude Street/Seneca Street area called Macedonia. With the coming of the Erie Canal, and the construction of a turning basin on the canal about where the parking lot for Nickel Back Jack's is now, the hamlet morphed north and became Weed's Basin, named after the brothers Elihu and Edward, who had built the basin. Eventually, it became Weedsport. As time went by and the railroads took over transportation in the country, Weedsport held its own as a hub with an incredible 34 departures a day from the four railroads in the village. The railroads were, in order of importance: The New York Central, The West Shore, The Lehigh Valley and the Syracuse and Rochester Electric. With the coming of a vastly improved interstate highway system, which resulted to a large extent from Dwight Eisenhower's admiration of the German Autobahn and larger and more powerful trucks, the railroads started to go the way of the canal. This column will note the opening of the New York State Thruway exit 40 in Weedsport. Although the Thruway exit is actually north of the village in the town of Brutus, it has always been known as the "Weedsport" exit. Construction of this section, which had started in 1952, was completed in 1954 and this part of the Thruway was opened officially on June 24, 1954, with then-Gov. Thomas E. Dewey, a perennial presidential candidate, as principal speaker. Local businessman Ernest Wethey was in charge of the local program, which drew thousands. In a joint statement issued by the Weedsport Village Board and the Brutus Town Board, "The opening of the Thruway places the Town of Brutus and the Village of Weedsport directly on the great new avenue of transportation which is destined to be The Main Street of New York state." I remember the ceremonies well, with a parade of vintage vehicles: Guy Lanphere in his 1919 Chevrolet, Ted Trice in a 1920 Studebaker, George Harris in his Watkins Glen-winning Cadillac Allard J2, and many others. Also involved in the program was the Weedsport Central School marching band, Weedsport Clark Heck Post No. 568 Color Guard, Weedsport Mayor David Coyle, Weedsport First Baptist Church pastor Payson Derby, Brutus Town Supervisor Bert L. O'Hara, state Sen. George Metcalf, Weedsport state Assemblyman Charles Cusick and others. I, for one, was sorry to see the end of the construction, as I had for a couple of years plied the areas between Bonta Bridge and the foot of Oakland Hill on a bicycle pulling a homemade wagon selling cold soda to the construction crews. I made enough money to purchase the first lightweight bike in Weedsport! Q Why do chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits and beavers have the same kind of teeth? Cora Wieneke, Mount Horeb, Wis. A Erin Flynn, conservation education curator at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wis.: Squirrels, beavers, chipmunks and rabbits all have similarly shaped teeth because all of those animals have teeth that continually grow throughout their lives. Just like your fingernails grow continually throughout your life you have to clip and file them to keep them healthy and strong these animals must chew a lot to keep their teeth nice and sharp. They need to take care of and maintain their teeth so they dont grow too much. The teeth must be able to fit in their mouth so that they can keep eating. Beavers, chipmunks and squirrels are all in the rodent family. Rodents tend to be omnivores, which means they can eat a little bit of everything. Rabbits, on the other hand, are vegetarian (herbivores). Some rodents are more specialized, like beavers. They have those huge teeth that are really great for chewing down the trees they use to make dams, their homes. When it comes to fashion, New York and LA are usually lauded as the most stylish cities in American. But one vlogger on a 'street style quest' is revealing just how different other US cities are when it comes to fashion, by travelling across the country to get a makeover in each place. Safiya Nygaard, 26, from Los Angeles, chose to visit Miami, Dallas and Portland, and revealed on YouTube that she had been 'curios about regional style' for a long time, so wanted to team up with locals to 'craft' some head-to-toe looks. Scroll down for video Howdy: Vlogger Safiay Nygaard, 26, from Los Angeles, traveled to three different US cities to see how different and diverse the style was in each, pictured with blogger Amy Havins in Dallas Childs play: Traveling to Miami, Dallas and Portland (pictured), Safiya teamed up with a local fashion blogger in each city Makeover: Safiya then tried on a selection of outfits in each city before settling on a winning look to wear the next day, pictured in Miami Safiya enlisted the help of some local bloggers to ensure her makeovers were as authentic as possible, and called upon Kelly Saks in Miami, Amy Havins in Dallas, and Tonya Smith in Portland. 'Now of course you can't boil down an entire city's style into one outfit, but we're going to try and get a sense of of the general vibes and feel of the city.' Miami Staying in 'super fun' South Beach, Safiya shared how she saw a lot of beachwear on her trip to Miami, so to get more insight, teamed up with fashion blogger Kelly Saks. Born and raised in Miami, Kelly brought Safiya to a store called Boho Hunter in the Wynwood neighborhood. Explaining that she wanted an everyday street wear look, Safiya shared that she wanted an outfit that would draw on the characteristics of the city, 'something that somebody could wear on a day-to-day basis'. Winner: Safiya selected this blue and white two-piece as her favorite look in Miami but also tried on an off-shoulder dress Helping hand: Safiya pictured with Miami fashion blogger Kelly Saks 'Miami style is very heavily influenced by Latin America,' Kelly explained. 'It's spicy, it's sexy, and it's vibrant.' 'I think I realized pretty quickly that I wasn't going to be leaving Miami with an all-black outfit,' Safiya added, despite admitting she usually feels out of her comfort-zone in color. Picking out lots of 'daytime sets', Safiya then headed to the fitting room to try on a selection of outfits, and ended up having a 'bunch' of different options to choose from, including daytime pyjamas, a fringed off-shoulder midi dress and a navy and white crop top and cropped trouser two-piece. 'Eye-catching accessories' completed the looks. Safiya picked the two-piece set as her favorite look. She then headed to another store, Style Mafia, with Kelly, to try on more items, however they settled on the two-piece, and Kelly advised her to accessorize with gold sandals, gold accessories and dewy make-up. 'Definitely the fabric and the pattern are fiving me beachy vibes,' Safiya concluded, despite stepping out in the flimsy outfit on a cold January day. And she also shared that she was looking forward to wearing it in LA, as it would also work on a west coast beach. Dallas Next up, Safiya and her boyfriend/camera guy headed to the Uptown neighborhood in Dallas. There she met up with fashion blogger Amy Havens who brought Safiya to a store named Market, in the Highland Park Village area, to try on a range of button down shirts. 'Dallas style is classic, sophisticated, with just a tiny but of edge,' Amy explained. 'It looks classic and really put together,' she added, referencing a shirt she picked out for Safiya to try on with some jeans. Armed with a 'dumpster of denim', Safiya was also given some over-the-knee boots to try on with her outfit. Cowgirl: Safiya chose to wear this preppy but classic button down shirt and jeans look, teamed with over-the-knee boots and a tote in Dallas Cozy: She also tried on some statement knits during her Dallas makeover Moving onto accessories, Amy shared that 'in Dallas, accessories are so important to your outfit, because you can take the simplest outfit and just throw on a beautiful earring or a fun bracelet or a cool necklace, and it completes the look.' Amy also armed Safiya with some party dress options but they ultimately settled on a more casual look to encapsulate Dallas style - a pair of blue jeans worn with a blue and white stripe button down shirt, brown over-the-knee boots and a tan tote. Statement earrings finished off the look, and Amy instructed Safiya to keep her make-up natural with 'a nude lip, soft eye and bronzer'. Safiya added: 'I do think this outfit that we put together fits Amy's "outfit with an edge description". I think the earrings bring a little extra something and I think also, the height of the boots.' Portland For their third and final stop, Safiya headed to the Pearl district of Portland, Oregon, where she met up with blogger Tonya Smith. Heading to House of Vintage, Tonya explained that it's a 'really popular place for locals to go and go thrifting'. Using flannels as their starting point, Tonya helped Safiya pick out some looks and explained that as Portland is very 'sustainable as a city, thrifting goes hand-in-hand with that'. Agreeing that the quintessential colors for flannel shirts are red and green, Safiya and Tonya picked out a couple of options before moving onto jeans. They selected some Levi jeans and then looked for a vintage graphic t-shirt before spotting some denim jackets. 'It seems like denim is also pretty popular in Portland,' Safiya concluded. 'But overall it has a bit of a different feel from the denim in Dallas.' Lumberjack: Safiya's Portland look consisted of a flannel shirt, jeans, band t-shirt and boots Thrifty: She visited vintage and thrift stores with local fashion blogger Tonya Smith to find the best 'sustainable' bargains And Tonya shared how in Portland, what you wear on a hike during the day is also perfect for wearing to a bar later that evening. 'The lumberjack vibes were plentifull,' Safiya told the camera as she tried on a selection of flannel shirt and denim looks. 'I feel pretty rugged'. Opting for a green flannel, Safiya teamed it with a pair of button-fly jeans, a vintage band t-shirt, and a shearling-lined denim jacket. They also headed to another vintage store called Red Light to get a t-shirt for the outfit, picking one featuring The Who. Recommending natural make-up, Tonya also advised Safiya do a cat eye and team a brown leather cross-body tool bag with her outfit. 'I think we were capturing that Porland outdoorsy theme, even if I'm not really equipped for mountain life,' Safiya shared. IKEA is a one-stop shop for those looking to furnish a home without breaking the bank. But its flat-pack furniture can often scream 'practical' rather than 'luxury'. Fortunately a British interior design expert has shared nine clever hacks that can be used to elevate Ikea mainstays into pieces worthy of a designer showroom. Amanda Pollard, contributor at design and home renovation platform Houzz UK, reveals how a fresh coat of primary coloured paint can transform a basic 13 stool, or new handles can bring a luxury feel to stark white kitchen units. The tips even tackle difficult-to-decorate spaces like children's bedrooms and narrow hallways. Here, Amanda shares her easy-to-follow advice with FEMAIL... Replace the handles This trendy kitchen in Hackney, north London, is kitted out with Ikea units that have been elevated with leather handles. The handles add a touch of texture to the bright white cabinets This trendy kitchen in Hackney, London, is kitted out with Ikea units that have been given a lift with one simple trick, Amanda explained. 'The cabinets are all basic units from Ikea, which have been personalised later with leather handles. 'The handles were apparently quite pricey, but its often worth paying a little extra for something if it has such a transformative effect.' Splash of paint The design team at US-based firm ComfyDwelling.com transformed a 13 Bekvam step stool with a lick of primary colour paint. The paint is also used to divide up the wall in the corridor This vibrant space is a very stylish take on a children's storage area - but it is surprisingly easy to recreate at home. These parents simply took three Bekvam step stools, which cost 13, and painted each in a different primary colour. The look is finished by continuing the paint up on to the wall behind. 'The three children who live here each have their own space to put coats, bags and outerwear,' Miss Pollard says. 'Its a great way to make organising fun for kids.' Layered curtains Layering affordable Ikea curtains was a way to create a sense of luxury in this home in Enfield, north London. The curtains also match the colour of the quilted headboard and bedspread 'Window dressings can be expensive, particularly if youre looking for something thats thick and luxurious,' Ms Pollard writes. 'If you dont want to blow the budget, however, consider this simple solution. The designer of this bedroom bought three pairs of cotton curtains from Ikea and had them sewn together. 'The drapes are now much fuller and give this room a cosy and sumptuous look.' Spice rack storage Freelance interior stylist Curate & Display came up with this novel use for the 3 Bekvam spice rack, stacking three together to create a bookshelf in a children's bedroom in Kent At just 3, the Bekvam spice rack is the perfect storage solution for those on a tight budget. Ideal for keeping oregano and paprika in order in the kitchen, but this picture shows just how handy they can be in other rooms in the house too. Here, four racks have been stacked up as a column of bookshelves in a childs bedroom. Resize cabinets This Ikea wall cabinet has been resized and fitted with new, bespoke handles to ensure it does not look out of place surrounded by other high-end pieces in this trendy west London home Ms Pollard writes: 'This beautiful floating cabinet looks like a completely bespoke piece, but its actually an Ikea cupboard thats been professionally revamped. 'The cabinet is from the Besta range of storage furniture, and has been resized by the designers cabinet-maker and fitted with new, bespoke handles.' The novel solution is the work of JLB property developments in London. Mix with high-end This mezzanine level in a Hyde Park apartment is transformed by juxtaposing a basic Ikea desk with a pair of colourful Kartell Victoria Ghost chairs, which cost around 720 for a set of four One of the easiest ways to make Ikea furniture to look high end is to pair it with designer pieces. In the open study space above, created by London interior design firm Violet & George, an Ikea desk is juxtaposed with a pair of colourful Kartell Victoria Ghost chairs, which cost around 720 for a set of four. Ms Pollard suggests: 'If youre going for a designer look in your own home, make the most of the simple, affordable functionality of Ikea pieces, and spend your money on other items that will elevate your room.' Designer colour scheme Ikea cabinets in two contrasting colours give this north London kitchen a fresh, modern feel It can be tempting to play it safe when it comes to kitchens but this stylish north London home proves that sometimes it is worth taking a risk. The designer chose matching Ikea cabinets in white and dark finishes to create a striking contrast and a look worthy of the most expensive show home. Try a different angle The 3 Bekvam spice rack has been hung upside down in a hallway to create a mini coat rack This might look like the perfect miniature coat rack, but in reality this is the 3 Bekvam spice rack hung upside down. The team at ComfyDwelling.com thought to flip the spice rack and put it on the wall in the hall. The added bonus? The bottom of the rack becomes a handy shelf. This space also uses the Bekvam stool below as a shoe store and perfect place to sit while tying laces. Fancy fittings A brass knob on this basic 49 Hemnes bedside table ensures it matches the rest of the room This is another example of how a change of fittings can revamp a basic piece of furniture. This 49 black Hemnes bedside table has been fitted with a brass knob to match the warm metallic finishes in the rest of the room. This very easy upgrade lifts the design and helps it to tie in with the dramatic space. A woman who was left with a foot-long red scar after undergoing surgery to correct a curve in her spine has revealed the wound has almost disappeared thanks to a 28 silicone gel. Emily Jackson, 20, from Oadby in Leicester, was told she could face life with a 90-degree sideways bend in her back that left her in constant pain. After trips to see specialists, when she was 13, Emily was diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis at 43 degrees as well as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a rare inherited condition that affects tissue supporting skin, internal organs and bones. The aesthetic therapist spent years hiding her body in baggy clothes, but after choosing to have complicated surgery in 2016, during which metal rods were fitted to straighten her back, she was left with a 30cm-long scar. Emily grew to 'dislike the look' of the scar which was very red, raised and itchy and was desperate to try and lessen its appearance, which is when she discovered a silicone gel. Emily Jackson developed scoliosis at 43 degrees as well as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome when she was 13, a rare inherited condition that effects tissue supporting skin, internal organs and bones After having surgery on her spine to straighten it with metal rods, Emily was left with a 30cm scar, left before. She was desperate to lessen the appearance of the raised red line and began using a specialist cream known as Nourisil MD a silicon gel which has lightened and flattened it in just two months, right after 'The scar sits just near my bra strap and runs right to the bottom of my tailbone, so it's quite big. Probably a little bigger than a 30cm ruler,' she said. As time went on Emily's scar got worse as her skin continued to produce more collagen. There are two kinds of scars - a keloid which is a tough heaped-up scar, often coloured pink or purple, that rises abruptly above the skin. What is silicone scar gel and how does it work? Silicone has long been used to treat scars, and Nourisil MD, which contains five types of silicone plus vitamin E, was created specifically to improve their appearance. Scar tissue is created when damaged skin produces too much moisture - and subsequently too much collagen - causing raised, rough skin. The gel creates a silicone barrier that allows the skin to produce moisture at its usual level, which cuts the amount of collagen produced in the damaged area and helps to fade the scar. It's said to be effective in the treatment of both hypertrophic and keloid scars. Source: nourisilmd.co.uk Advertisement Or a hypertrophic scar - like Emily's - which is characterised by deposits of excessive amounts of collagen, causing a less raised mark, often forming around pimples, body piercings, cuts and burns. Emily tried dozens of products to help the appearance of the scar including gels, oils and silicone sheets, but nothing worked. 'It was starting to get thicker and dryer,' she said. She then consulted her colleagues - who are skincare specialists - at the clinic she works at, who introduced her to a silicone gel called Nourisil MD. It contains five different silicones and vitamin E, and works by forming an invisible layer that hydrates and protects scars on all areas of the body. Unlike other products it's ultra light and self drying, and helps to flatten, soften and smooth scars, while relieving itching and skin discomfort. Emily has been using the gel twice a day for two months and says she's delighted with the difference, as her scar has lightened in colour and flattened in such a short space of time. Left, Emily was told that her spine would continue to curve and end up at a 90 degree angle. Right, in 2016 aged 18 she opted to have surgery to correct the bend fixed in place with metal rods Emily had lived in constant pain for years trying to live her life as normal as possible, but it proved difficult so she made the decision to go ahead with a radical spinal fusion What is scoliosis? Scoliosis is the abnormal curvature of the spine in an S-shape. Signs include a visible curve in the spine, one shoulder or hip being more prominent than the other, clothes not hanging properly and back pain. Pain usually only affects adults with the condition. In most cases, the cause of the scoliosis is not known but it can be caused by cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy. In the UK, scoliosis affects three to four children could of every 1,000. It is also thought that as many as 70 per cent of over 65s have some degree of scoliosis. It is more common in women than in men. Most children with the condition do not require treatment as it is mild and corrects itself as the child grows. However, in severe cases the child may need to wear a back brace until they stop growing. Occasionally, a child needs surgery to straighten their spine. In adults, it is usually too late to treat the condition with a back brace or surgery so treatment revolves around reducing pain. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement Two years ago the aesthetic therapist, who works for skincare company DermaCare Direct, underwent a radical spinal fusion procedure to correct the C-shape with metal rods, screws and hooks. Now Emily says she's feeling more confident than ever after years spent hiding her body under baggy clothes. Emily said: 'I first noticed that I had scoliosis when I was 13. As I was getting older I realised that my body was changing. 'One side of my body had started to go in at the waist which is when I realised that I was constantly leaning to the left. 'After that I was left really conscious about the way my body looked and decided to live in baggy clothing.' 'I was told that if I did not have surgery my body would be at a 90-degree angle by the time I was 40 years old,' Emily said. Emily got her first job at the age of 16 but found it difficult to keep up with everyone else because of the physical impact of her condition. She said: 'Every time I had to bend down it felt like my spine was burying itself under the muscles in my back. 'Luckily I was training to be a beauty therapist meaning that I was receiving massages every day. 'Without this I don't know how I would have been able to cope with the constant stabbing pain.' Aged 17, Emily's curve in her spine had become more prominent. She had spent years living in baggy clothing and wanted to make a change After putting up with the agonising pain for two years and managing to pass her driving test despite her physical difficulties, Emily decided it was time to take action. Emily, who was treated at Nottingham Hospital, explained that there were risks involved in the surgery like potential paralysis, or blindness because she would be lying on her front for so long. Emily's gruelling five-hour procedure was a success but she still faced a long road to recovery. She initially spent five days in hospital as physiotherapists began trying to teach her how to walk with her new, straightened back. Emily said: 'I immediately wanted to arch my back but couldn't. I made it down the hall and up a few steps before going back to my room. 'A couple of days later I was out of the hospital and back home, where my mum and my partner cared for me for the next couple of weeks. The first couple of weeks after surgery were excruciatingly painful and hard but I managed to get through. 'I found it difficult to get back on my feet but after having a lot of support I managed to find a new job,' she said. Emily pictured on the day of her operation. She was in surgery for a gruelling five hours as surgeons fixed the C-curve and she had to learn to walk with a straight back What is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome? Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is the name for a group of rare inherited conditions that affects the body's connective tissue. Connective tissues provide support in skin, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, internal organs and bones. Different types of EDS are caused by faults in certain genes that make connective tissue weaker. Depending on the type of EDS, the faulty gene may have been inherited from one parent, or both. Sometimes the faulty gene isnt inherited, but occurs spontaneously. EDS can affect people in different ways. For some the condition is relatively mild, while for others their symptoms can be disabling. Some of the rare severe types can even be life-threatening. Figures suggest between one in 5,000 and one in 20,000 people have the condition. Source: NHS Direct Advertisement And she says a foot-long scar left behind following the procedure is now barely visible - thanks to the special cream. One bottle of Nourisil MD is sold every 30 minutes in Holland, Belgium, Spain, Italy and France, but it was only launched in the UK late last year. Emily said: 'There are still days I find difficult, especially cold days. I find that cold weather makes my rods creek so loud that other people can hear it. But it's now just another part of me. 'I still have a lot of pain in my back but it's now just something that I have to cope with on a daily basis. 'As for my scar it is continuing to lighten and flatten, I'm getting great results.' A Yazidi woman who was kidnapped by ISIS and sold as a sex slave has come face-to-face with a jihadist who took part in a raid on her home town of Sinjar. Shireen, who was raped repeatedly by her captor Saif, retraced her steps to the Iraqi city of Mosul where she was held for two-and-a-half years, as part of a new BBC Three documentary fronted by Stacey Dooley called Face To Face With ISIS. There she comes face-to-face with an ISIS fighter named Anmar - who took part on the raid of Shireen's home city and had three sex slaves of his own. He revealed how he had raped more than 250 women and children - some as young as 15, adding that it was a 'very strong' desire that he was unable to control. Horrified, Shireen tells him: 'You will pay for the tears of these girls.' Stacey Dooley is joined by Shireen, right, as they confront an ISIS fighter over his involvement in the war and why he helped to lure people to their deaths Anmar faces Stacey and Shireen's questions as he admits to killing 900 people and raping 250 women The ISIS fighter is awaiting his sentencing but was taken to speak with Stacey and Shireen in the back of a van, with his head covered so he could not figure out a location During the programme, Shireen reveals her ordeal was so horrific she attempted suicide four times, before she managed to escape her living hell during the battle to regain the city in which her captor, Saif, was killed. Shireen said: 'I lost hope to die, they wouldnt let us kill ourselves. I tried four times. 'Saif would frighten and kill people. Id rather have died than what go through what happened.' At the end of their journey in Iraq, Stacey and Shireen challenge Anmar on why he joined the terrorist organisation to which he reveals it was for the money - before admitting he had killed 900 people during the reign of terror. Stacey was left appalled when she questioned how many women and children Anmar raped during his time as a member of ISIS before he was arrested. 'During the time I was with them the 15 to 16 year olds maybe about 50 and the older ones, [I raped] over 200.' 'When it comes to having sex, no one can control it, its a very strong desire,' Anmar said. A nervous Shireen is desperate for answers over the location of her family and hoped Anmar would reveal crucial details The ISIS fighter arrived to the meeting wearing a hood and remained shackled throughout the tense questioning He spoke about the horrendous crimes and even claimed that he had 'no control' over the rape of women saying he was pressured by his own commander 'Even if she was trying to stop me, you know But when I finished with her and saw her crying my heart would break for her.' Shireen told him: 'If you had a good heart you wouldnt take three girls and rape them on a daily basis. You enjoyed this.' Admitting that he did, he then claimed: 'At the time it was different, I was put under pressure. I was required to do this. The plight of the Yazidi women: What is happening to the ethnic Kurdish group under ISIS's control? The Kurdish ethnic group, the Yazidis, have suffered massacres and oppression for generations and the Kurdistan region in northern Iraq has been under siege from ISIS since 2014. Amal Clooney has campaigned for justice for the Yazidi women in Iraq The UN has declared the killing of the Yazidi people by ISIS as genocide and human rights lawyer Amal Clooney has been a constant campaigner for justice for the Yazidi women, many of whom have been raped by ISIS fighters. Clooney said testimonies from young women and girls were among the most harrowing 'she'd ever heard'. The Yazidis came under attack in August 2014 when Islamic State fighters rounded up men, women and children in northern Iraq, saying theyd be killed if they didnt convert to Islam. The Yazidis - a minority Kurdish group in Iraq - follow an ancient pre-Islamic faith. The men were taken away and many were slaughtered. Some 7,000 Yazidi women and girls were forced into sexual slavery when the militia took over the communitys heartland in Sinjar, northern Iraq, and slaughtered 5,000 people. Mass graves have been discovered across the country including one in Mosul that contained 4,000 bodies. Advertisement 'If I didnt kill my commander would be ready with his weapon behind me to kill me.' But an emotional Shireen snapped: 'You will pay for the tears of these girls. This is the price for their deaths.' Anmar agreed that was the least he should expect: 'Im waiting for my fate, my fate is death.' The terrorist, who arrived to the meeting in the back of a van with a hood over his face and shackled in chains, said he joined ISIS because he was poor. Shireen retraced her steps to the Iraqi city of Mosul where she was held for two-and-a-half years BBC Three presenter Stacey travels to a war-torn Iraq to confront ISIS terrorists who were behind the attacks on Mosul 'It was about money for me.' He also revealed the tactics ISIS used to lure people to their death. 'With my hands the number of people I killed and slaughtered would be about 900 people, something like that. 'We would put up fake security checkpoints, as if we were police. Wed get 30, 40 people in a truck. Wed finish them and kill them.' During their trip to Iraq, Shireen takes Stacey to one of the former markets that were set up to trade the women. She explains that 100 women were sold at a time and more than 3,000 people are still missing, most likely in Syria. Shireen she is still haunted by not knowing what happened to her sister who was taken at the beginning, and her father who also disappeared. 'Not knowing their fate is more painful than knowing that they are dead,' she told Stacey. The pair are escorted by an Iraqi Comander as they search through the decimated city to locate Shireens escape house. Shireen opens up to Stacey about her time as a slave to Saif and how she felt 'lucky' that she was raped by just one person But when she begins to open up about her time with her captor Saif, she is cut off from answering Staceys questions about her experience by the Commander. 'Truly I would have rather have died than what happened here, but through this we want to tell the world, what happened here' she began. It's a culturally sensitive topic in Iraq, and Stacey explained that for the Commander who lost many men fighting ISIS to lead the women to safety, her words were too much. Furious he attempted to shut the filming down: 'She is an Iraqi woman, an Iraqi woman. Any embarrassment for her is my embarrassment. I wont let anyone insult her Iraqi-ness, insult her Iraqi-ness and her dignity.' But Shireen, who now lives in a camp for refugees from the Mount Sinjar attack where her people were murdered and the women sold into slavery, said she won't be silenced any longer: 'I was the luckiest out of the girls. I was raped less than the others, as I was raped by just one person. 'They should get the ultimate punishment,' she added. Stacey Dooley: Face To Face With ISIS is on BBC Three on February 7 While a Denny's diner might not seem like the most obvious place to get married - even for those hoping to tie the knot in a more casual Vegas ceremony - the fast food is hoping to establish itself as a one-stop shop for lovers with a new budget-friendly Valentine's Day wedding special. On February 14 only, couples can say 'I do' in the Denny's chapel in Las Vegas for less than a hundred bucks, according to Delish. And far from simply including the ceremony itself, the $99 package also gets you a silk presentation bouquet and boutonniere, a Champagne toast, and a ceremony certificate. Food for thought: Denny's is offering couples the chance to wed in its special Las Vegas chapel for just $99 as part of a Valentine's Day special And for an additional fee, couples can order Pancake Puppies, which look like cake pops but are instead filled with mini pancakes. Denny's has been offering their wedding services since 2013 which is when they first opened their Las Vegas chapel. The first couple to get married in the chapel was Nancy Levandowski and Steven Keller, who tied the knot the same year the chapel opened. It was both of their seconds weddings and seeing as how both worked in the food industry, Nancy wanted to make it 'fun and different'. The ISU Dining Director told the Iowa State Daily: 'I wanted something different. Its the second wedding for both of us, and I wanted it to be fun and to have real meaning.' Been there, done that: Steven Keller and Nancy Levandowski were the first couple to get married at the Las Vegas Denny's in 2013 Winners: Nancy entered a contest in February 2013 to get married at the Las Vegas Denny's Nancy entered the contest to be the first couple to get married in the chapel in February 2013 - she had to write an essay about why she thought her and her husband should be chosen - and by the end of the month, she had been notified that they were the winners. Aside from the Valentine's Day special, a typical Denny's wedding ceremony costs $199 and includes extra perks like use of a photo booth, a Pancake Puppies wedding cake, two wedding t-shirts and a coupon for two Grand Slams which includes two fluffy buttermilk pancakes, two sunny-side-up eggs, two bacon strips and two sausage links. And for those wanting to reserve a spot at the Denny's chapel this Valentine's Day, Breakfast food-lovers can Denny's fans can fill out an application on the Las Vegas Denny's website. The chapel even offers vow renewals and commitment ceremonies for those already married or not wanting to tie the knot quite yet. All smiles: Nancy said because this was both of their second marriages, she wanted to do something 'fun and different' Perks: A typical Denny's ceremony costs $199, and includes extra perks like a photo booth Denny's isn't the only fast-food chain conducting wedding ceremonies. The two-story Taco Bell Las Vegas location started offering wedding ceremonies to the public last summer. The ceremony is a little bit more expensive than Denny's at $600, but it includes Mr. and Mrs. T-shirts, Champagne flutes that you can fill with any of the shop's spiked slushies, a 12-pack of tacos, and a Cinnabon delights cake, according to Delish. The venue only seats 15 people, so wedding invites will have to be extended to close friends and family. Waffle House was also chosen as a wedding venue for one couple back in 2014. Summer Buckles and Ken Foote said their vows outside a Waffle House location in Gainesville, Florida, because the two were previously married and looking to do something 'in between' a courthouse wedding and a big wedding, according to The Cheat Sheet. Other places couples have recited their vows include Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Sonic and White Castle which has hosted several weddings over the years with their most popular venue date being, of course, Valentine's Day. During a recent, epic clear-out of my wardrobe, I was thrilled to uncover buried treasure: a dusty, long-forgotten box, stuffed with old silk scarves. There must have been about 40 of the little beauties in there, in every print and colour you can imagine. I was suddenly transported back to a time, circa 2002, when I never really felt properly dressed without a piece of flimsy cloth, usually paisley print, draped around my neck and trailing elegantly down to the knees of my jeans. (And it was always jeans, devoted as I was to the boho style of the time and its patron saint, Sienna Miller.) Kendall Jenner (pictured) wore a Versace silk scarf recently down the Ruway How could I have forgotten this goldmine and why did I stop wearing them? Its true that, somewhere in the early Noughties, silk scarves were suddenly, violently, over. With a hive-mind mentality, the fashion crowd killed them off. Some blame it on the pashmina, an item that reached its peak at the turn of the century and seemed to usher in a hatred of any other accessory remotely like it. It was a dark time indeed for the silk scarf, which now did not bring to mind the gamine chic of Audrey Hepburn, but rather, the Queen. And when the minimalist look took hold, tying a silk scarf round our necks just looked unnecessary. Funny, though, that I never could bring myself to throw away that box and, as it turns out, my rediscovery is a timely one. For silk scarves are back with a vengeance all the way from sartorial Siberia to 2018s new power accessory. The glorious return to maximalism, spearheaded by Guccis commercial success, has revived a demand for the more superfluous add-ons to our outfits. Luxury labels such as Versace, Balenciaga and Etro have joined Gucci in seeing sales of silk scarves sky-rocket. So now, whether youre in a Prada or a Primark mood, there is a silk scarf for you. Jane Fonda (pictured) was spotted wearing a patterned silk scarf whilst out in Los Angeles Its such an enjoyable trend, not least because its so affordable. And the pretty print and colour options are endless. One humble scarf can add a world of variety to your wardrobe. Why stop at wrapping them around your neck when they also look great fashioned as belts, head wraps, turbans, ties and even bag straps or wristbands? Iconic scarf-wearer Grace Kelly even once famously fashioned a Hermes square as a sling! For the most Gucci-esque finds on the High Street, try Mango, where I found several pretty floral-print squares. Wear one long for a casual way to give your denim a little something extra. What are the rules for wearing a silk scarf? Look for silk fabrics. Bulky, woollen scarves may be more functional, but silk scarves are better suited to artful adornment. Be minimal with your other accessories, such as earrings and necklaces. A silk scarf is your jewellery no other statement needed. Think beyond draping them round your neck. Silk scarves work brilliantly as wrist ties, hair accessories, belts, even bag straps. Search your wardrobe before you buy. Chances are that you have some forgotten gems lurking in the back there! Advertisement Its scarf with a double hit of floral and stripe print would add a sweet touch tied around your handbag (12.99, mango.com). Customisation has never been so easy or cheap. Meanwhile, I love the long, skinny version by Donna Ida, named after one of the all-time great scarf muses, rock chick Anita Pallenberg. The neck tie (95, donnaida.com) comes in black, white and pretty star prints on backgrounds of navy or black, and can be worn long and skinny or tied in a neat, billowing bow at your collar. A brand that has really captured that Seventies rock chick spirit of late is Rockins, co-founded by Jess Morris, one of Londons Primrose Hill set. Her long, slim scarves come in a huge range of vibrant prints (from 65, rockins.co.uk) and are the ideal length and weight to loop in your belt holes and reinvent your favourite jeans. Even cosmetics giant Avon has jumped on the bandwagon, enlisting Tabitha Webb, one of Pippa Middletons favourite designers, to create a signature silk scarf. Tabitha loves playful prints, and her cute zebra-print number (35, avon.uk.com, from February 8) doesnt disappoint. It's no secret that more Australian women are choosing to hold off on having children. Many are making this decision because of their study, career and financial struggles with rising costs of living employment. Although waiting to have children has its benefits, it also means women are often having to raise their children while also looking after their own parents. A term that has been coined to explain this is the 'sandwich generation'. Scroll down for video Although waiting to have children has its benefits, it also means women are often raising their children while also looking after their own parents Last year the amount of babies being born to older women had increased and the 2013 report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showed that the average age women were giving birth was 30.1 years, up from 29.5 a decade earlier. On top of this, the Australian life expectancy has increased dramatically in the last century. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare also stated that boys and girls born in 20132015 had about 33 to 34 years longer than those born in 18811890. Men aged 65 in 20132015 could expect to live another 19.5 years and the life expectancy of women aged 65 in 20132015 was another 22.3 years. The Australian life expectancy has increased dramatically in the last century It's estimated that 1.5 million Australians are affected by being in the 'sandwich generation' and are being stretched financially, emotionally and physically. Unfortunately most of these people are women. Mother-of-two, Nicole Ledham, told the Today show, that although she didn't personally feel the financial effects, she did find the physical demands challenging. 'I was 36 when I had my son, who is now 13, and my mother was 36 when she had me, which meant by the time I had an infant, my parents were 72,' Nicole said. 'So I didn't have that family support that many people have with their grandparents around and being able to do things. 'They did as much as they could and they were very good with him but the time my daughter came along my father died when she was about nine weeks old and then my mother was on her own.' Nicole's mum also has her own health issues, which meant Nicole often found herself looking after a sick child as well as taking her mother to medical appointments. 'There was one instance when my daughter was three and she had a chest infection and was being monitored for pneumonia,' Nicole explained. 'My mother had been diagnosed with a heart failure so she was moved into a repatriation hospital on the other side of town. It's usually women who are doing all of this running around and the toll can be very great 'I suddenly had the possibility of a sick child in one hospital and an ageing parent in another hospital at the same time. I remember collapsing on the floor in the lounge room going, "what am i going to do?".' Anne Hollonds, the director from The Institute of Family Studies, told Today that situations like this are becoming more prevalent in our society. 'We're living longer and the good news is we're healthier, but gradually people will need more support so mums like Nicole will need to be juggling all of these responsibilities,' she said. 'It's usually women who are doing all of this running around and the toll can be very great.' Anne stated that it is the communities job to make these women feel like they have a voice and recognise that this really is a problem society is facing Anne also explained that alcohol use is on the rise for women aged 35 to 60, which she said could partly come down to women figuring out ways to cope with the pressure. 'This is a sign that it is taking it's toll and some women end up with depression and anxiety and alcohol is way of self medicating when you're struggling,' she said. Anne stated that is was up to the community to make these women feel like they have a voice. 'You might have someone you know who is struggling in the community so might need to offer your help,' she said. 'Women also need to ask for help, it should be a team effort. Families work much better then everyone's well being is looked after. 'Don't feel ashamed about this, it's a very common phenomenon, you have the right to ask for your help.' The playwright George Bernard Shaw once remarked that Britain and the United States were two countries separated by a common language, but has a new division emerged? Princess Dianas bridesmaid India Hicks was left extremely annoyed during a visit to America this weekend when a fellow gym-goer touched her in a friendly way. Although the granddaughter of the 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma does not suggest there was anything sexual intended by his gesture, which happened during a spin class at the gym in Miami, Florida, it nevertheless irritated her greatly. 'India Hicks was left extremely annoyed during a visit to America this weekend when a fellow gym-goer touched her in a friendly way,' he writes Describing his behaviour as weird, India says the dude next to me on the cycle was tapping my arm every so often, in a compassionate we-can-do-it sort of way. Sharing her thoughts on a blog, the 50-year-old fashion designer declares: I did not want to be tapped compassionately at my sweatiest moment. Im English for heavens sake. We hardly hug our mothers. India is the daughter of the celebrated late interior designer David Hicks and Lady Pamela Hicks, 88, who is a first cousin of Prince Philip and was one of the Queens bridesmaids at her wedding in 1947. Although Princess Dianas bridesmaid does not suggest there was anything sexual intended by his gesture, which happened during a spin class at the gym in Miami, Florida, it nevertheless irritated her greatly The former models comments are fascinating because India is no stiff aristocrat, despite her noble lineage. Expelled from Gordonstoun school in Scotland, alma mater of her godparent Prince Charles, for entertaining boys in her room, India spent holidays at her fathers self-built home in the Bahamas. She still lives a bohemian existence there with her long-term boyfriend, David Flint Wood, and their four children. Last summer, India burnished her offbeat image by turning up at Princess Maria-Olympia of Greeces black-tie 21st birthday party in the Cotswolds topless beneath her tuxedo. Instead of a white dress shirt, she had her naked chest sprayed with white body paint. A make-up artist even added a bow tie to complete the effect. She explained: They asked us to revolutionise our black tie. She's a three-time Olympic gold medallist. And not even a pregnancy has deterred Libby Trickett from striking gold once again after she set a world record for the fastest 1km swim for a pregnant woman. The mother - who is expecting her second child - stunned the crowd when she completed the Noosa Summer Swim for charity at 35 weeks pregnant. The 33-year-old joined 100 other swimmers, including Olympian Michael Klim, at Noosa Heads on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland on Saturday. Scroll down for video Libby Trickett has set a world record for the fastest 1km swim at 35 weeks pregnant The mother - who is expecting her second child - stunned the crowd when she completed the Noosa Summer Swim for charity at 35 weeks pregnant Prior to the event, the 33-year-old retired swimmer revealed she wanted to set the World Record for the fastest 1km swim undertaken by a woman who is 35 weeks pregnant. And unsurprisingly, Trickett cheered as she sprinted out of the water after completing her race. 'I think I unofficially broken the world record for the 1km ocean swim done by a 35-week pregnant woman,' she told 7 News, laughing. The 33-year-old competed at Noosa Heads on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland on Saturday As there is no current record holder for this attempt, Libby appeared in good spirits after she added another accomplishment to her list 'It's a very specific record but you know, we go after it.' As there is no current record holder for this attempt, Libby appeared in good spirits after she added another accomplishment to her list. The charity swim was her last race as she now braces herself before welcoming her second child with her husband Luke Trickett in March. She has had a busy few days of official engagements, visiting a charity for new mothers just days ago. And Queen Maxima of the Netherlands kicked off another hectic week by attending the opening of the Oncode Institute in Amsterdam on Monday. The Dutch monarch, well known for her love of bold colours, opted for a vibrant red fitted dress, which she teamed with a coat, hat and shoes all in the same deep plum shade. Maxima was there to officially launch Oncode - an independent institute dedicated to bringing together the work of the Netherlands' leading cancer researchers, and ensuring their discoveries make their way into treatment clinics as quickly as possible. Scroll down for video Queen Maxima of the Netherlands continued her busy schedule on Monday, as she attended the opening of the Oncode Institute in Amsterdam Queen Maxima's red dress was a suitably chic choice, while the addition of plum accents kept the look from straying into predictable territory. As well as her three-quarter length wool coat and co-ordinating hat, the monarch also carried a plum clutch bag with a bow, leather gloves in the same shade, and completed the outfit with matching vertiginous heels. Even her statement earrings had a hint of plum. The 46-year-old wife of King Willem-Alexander put on an elegant display in a red pencil dress and plum-coloured coordinated ensemble She beamed as she arrived at the launch party, held at the Royal Tropical Institute Beneath her wide-brimmed hat Maxima wore her hair in her preferred style, an elegant low bun. She was without her husband King Willem-Alexander at the solo engagement on Monday. Slipping into a red pencil dress which fell just below her knees, Maxima made the most of her enviable proportions The King and Queen are parents to three daughters; Catharina-Amalia, 14, Alexia, 12, and Ariane, 10. Cancer research is just one of a number of causes the Queen has chosen to throw her weight behind. Just a week ago she met with young mothers - and cuddled newborns - at the Babyhuis Foundation, which provides care and guidance to new mothers and their babies. It also offers living space and guidance to pregnant women and women who have recently given birth. One of the most beneficial property tax savings we have in New York State is the School Tax Relief Program or STAR. The program helps make home ownership more affordable and adds extra savings for senior citizens so they can stay in their homes and communities. I have supported STAR since its inception, and have worked to protect and grow it during state budget negotiations every year since. Basic STAR is available to all New Yorkers with an income of $500,000 or less who own and live in their home. The program exempts $30,000 of the full value of a home from school taxes and is available to all income eligible homeowners regardless of age. Once you have registered to receive the STAR exemption through the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance your eligibility will automatically be reviewed each year. As long as you continue to own and occupy your home, you will continue to receive the benefit. Senior citizens are eligible for additional saving through the Enhanced STAR program. One important thing to consider if you, or your spouse, turn 65 any time this year you are eligible for Enhanced STAR. There are also different income conditions, which are adjusted slightly each year, to keep in mind. Drifting off in maths lessons is a teenage rite of passage, but this teacher's pupils are likely to pay more attention than most - although perhaps not to their textbooks. With his smouldering good looks and buff physique, 28-year-old Dutchman Robert Ligtvoet is about as far removed from the stuffy maths teacher stereotype as it's possible to get. When he's not helping students to grapple with algebra and long division, Robert can be found riding a camel across the Moroccan desert, or bobbing, shirtless, in an ice hole in Norway - at least, he is if his increasingly popular Instagram account is anything to go by. The maths teacher and model has built up an impressive 43,200-strong social media following thanks to his candid snaps, and it only looks set to grow further after one of his students decided to draw Bored Panda's attention to Mr Ligtvoet's good looks - and his impressive extra-curricular activities. Hands up if you think he's attractive: Maths teacher Robert Ligtvoet is into extreme sports outside of the classroom The adventurous teacher shares candid snaps from his travels with some 43,000 Instagram followers Hardy Robert doesn't let snow and ice deter him from stripping off for the perfect shot 'Since you guys love hot teachers, let me introduce you to mine,' the student wrote. 'Meet Robert, a 28-year old Dutch math teacher/model/traveler. Besides being a great teacher, he also motivates people to suit up all around the world. Oh, and he is incredibly hot.' According to his Facebook page Mr Ligtvoet, from Rotterdam, is a teacher at Emmauscollege in the city. Perhaps disappointingly for his legions of online followers, the profile also lists the 28-year-old as being in a relationship. Sums and sit-ups: The Dutch teacher clearly fits time for gym sessions around his class timetable Suits you, sir! The teacher is also something of a tailoring aficionado, his Instagram suggests His Instagram feed, already on its way to racking up 50,000 followers, documents Robert's life outside of the classroom, which takes in trips to exotic destinations like Vietnam and Nicaragua, hitting the shops in pursuit of sharp tailoring, and more than a few torso shots. Although evidently unafraid to show off his gym-honed physique, the teacher and tailoring aficionado is rarely separated from his beloved suits - no matter his location. One snap shows him wakesurfing in a suit, while in another, he poses in a dinner jacket in the snow, holding - inexplicably - a bow and arrow. In another, he sits astride a camel in a shirt, trousers and waistcoat. Perfectly pressed: Despite having apparently spent the night sleeping in a tent, the teacher is dapper as ever A rather incongruous shot from a trip to Sweden shows Robert holding a bow and arrow in a dinner jacket and bow tie No socks and sandals here: Robert opts for formal attire even when on a camel ride When reindeer sledding in Finland, it seems Robert likes to dress appropriately The well-travelled teacher shares snaps of the exotic locations he visits with his Insta fans It seems the maths teacher turned Instagram star doesn't take himself too seriously, despite his online success Break time: In between lesson planning, Robert travels the world - taking pictures as he goes When you're this hot, you don't feel the cold: Another wintry setting for a shirtless shot He may be a maths teacher, but all that travelling suggests his geography is above par too He's launched an online campaign to get people to embrace suits and formal wear The women's suffrage movement began in the mid-1800s as organised campaigns began to take place across the UK after Mary Smith delivered the first women's suffrage petition to parliament. In 1866, a women's suffrage committee was formed in London, which soon sparked other groups being set up in other areas, such as the Manchester National Society for Women's Suffrage. Millicent Garrett Fawcett lead the The National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS), which was set up in 1897. They were known as 'suffragists', as they believed in enfranchising women by peaceful means such as protests and petitions. The suffragist campaigners began by holding public meetings, seeking newspaper coverage and publishing pamphlets and magazines to spread their message. By the 1900s they had gathered thousands of members throughout Britain. Fawcett concentrated much of her energy on the struggle to improve women's opportunities for higher education and in 1875 co-founded Newnham College, Cambridge, one of the first Cambridge colleges to admit women. But Emmeline Pankhurst, who was then a member of the NUWSS, decided to employ more direct and militant tactics, leading her to set up the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in 1906 with her two daughters, Sylvia and Christabel. Emmeline Pankhurst set up the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in 1906 with her two daughters, Sylvia and Christabel The union's motto was 'Deeds not Words' and many of their actions were considered extreme by the population. Among the most infamous acts was the death of Emily Davison, who died after she ran out in front of the King George V's horse while trying to petition the royal at Epsom in 1913. More than 1,000 women were arrested over the course of their campaign. Never before had so many women been imprisoned for a political cause. The women demanded to be given the status of political prisoners, and when the government refused, they went on hunger strike. The government's response was to force feed the prisoners, with a funnel and tube pushed down into their stomachs. Another group, the Women's Freedom League (WFL), was set up a year later by Charlotte Despard and Teresa Billington-Grieg, and were somewhere in between the other two groups in regards to their approach. The First World War was a turning point in the history of women's suffrage. The WSPU called an immediate halt to their suffrage activism in support of the British government's war effort. Emmeline Pankhurst believed that the danger posed during the First World War by what she called the 'German Peril' outweighed the need for women's suffrage. Unlike the Pankhursts, Milicent Fawcett's NUWSS did not cease their activities at the outbreak of war. Less militant and containing many more pacifists, support for the war was weaker. While Fawcett was not a pacifist, she risked dividing the organisation if she ordered a halt to the campaign. The NUWSS continued to campaign for the vote during the war, and used the situation to their advantage by pointing out the contribution women had made to the war effort in their campaigns. The Government passed the Representation of the People Act 1918. The Act,which was passed on February 6, 1918, granted voting rights to certain women over the age of 30. Ten years later, the age limit was lowered and the law changed to ensure women had the same rights as men. The key figures in the movement Emmeline Pankhurst One of the best-known founding members of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), she oversaw the group from its non-violent beginnings but later advocated for direct action as a tactic for gaining the vote. She was arrested several times and after being convicted of conspiracy to commit property damage, she used a common suffragist prison tactic - a hunger strike - to secure better conditions for her fellow suffragettes. When the First World War began, Pankhurst refocused the WSPU's efforts on supporting the war, causing a split in the group and within her own family. Her daughters Sylvia and Adela were pacifists. Sylvia Pankhurst One of Emmeline Pankhurst's three daughters, she worked full time for the WSPU, which was founded by her sister Christabel and her mother. She was a trained artist and designed many of the group's posters, leaflets and logos. But unlike her mother and sister, she maintained a political affiliation, which for many years was restricted by the WSPU. After being expelled from the group for her part in labour movement causes and socialist beliefs, she founded her own group, the East London Federation for Suffragettes. Sylvia was horrified that Emmeline and her favourite daughter Christabel joined the white feather movement, which aimed to shame men into enlisting in the army, and instead opposed the Great War, continuing to campaign for suffrage when the WSPU changed direction during the war years. One of Emmeline Pankhurst's three daughters, Sylvia worked full time for the WSPU, which was founded by her sister Christabel and her mother Emmeline Christabel Pankhurst Sylvia's sister Christabel was, along with her mother, a co-founder of the WSPU. She fiercely advocated the use of militant tactics to win the vote for women in England. Sylvia was sent to prison in 1905 after she disrupted a Liberal Party meeting in Manchester, where she unfurled a banner reading 'Votes for Women'. She directed the subsequent campaign of direct action, hunger strikes and open-air rallies. However, during the First World War, she declared a suffrage truce and helped to lead the domestic war effort. She was made a dame in 1936 and became a religious evangelist in later life. Sylvia's sister Christabel was, along with her mother, a co-founder of the WSPU Sophia Duleep Singh The daughter of a deposed Indian Maharaja whose kingdom was annexed by the British before he was exiled to England, Sophia was Queen Victoria's goddaughter as well as being a committed suffragette. The queen even gave her lodgings at Hampton Court Palace, where she was often seen distributing suffragette newspapers, but despite these royal connections she was a member of the Women's Tax Resistance League. Her connections proved useful for the movement. In 1911, she was among women protesting at Downing Street as then-prime minister Herbert Asquith left for the king's speech to parliament. Waving a suffragette poster and suffragist slogans, she threw herself at his car as he left, but was released without charge to avoid embarrassment for the royals. The daughter of a deposed Indian Maharaja whose kingdom was annexed by the British before he was exiled to England, Sophia Duleep Singh was Queen Victoria's goddaughter as well as being a committed suffragette Emily Davison Best known as the suffragette who was fatally injured at Epsom racecourse by the king's horse, Davison had a reputation as one of the most daring champions of direct action in the WSPU. She was arrested and force-fed dozens of times, admitted setting fire to postboxes, and hid within the Palace of Westminster several times, perhaps most famously in a cupboard on the night of the 1911 census in an attempt to boycott it. Tony Benn MP later placed a plaque in the cupboard himself to commemorate her act. Best known as the suffragette who was fatally injured at Epsom racecourse by the king's horse, Emily Davison had a reputation as one of the most daring champions of direct action in the WSPU Flora Drummond The Manchester-born WSPU member was known for dramatic stunts, a militant attitude to suffrage, and rallying speeches. Her exploits included sneaking in through the front door of 10 Downing Street as her colleagues distracted police, and sailing a boat up to the Houses of Parliament so she could address MPs on the terrace. Charlotte Despard After years of writing romance novels, Charlotte Despard turned her hand to charity and suffrage when her husband died. Although she was twice put in Holloway prison, she advocated non-violent means of protest such as withholding taxes and census boycotts. One of the oldest prominent WSPU members, she was in her 60s when she left the group after her pacifist ideas contradicted their changed approach when war broke out. Ivanka Trump didn't waste any time getting back to the grind on Monday morning, having spent a relaxing weekend away from Washington with her family. The first daughter, 36, was pictured on Monday morning leaving her house a little before 8am in a Secret Service SUV, holding her phone up to her ear as she took a call during her commute. While Ivanka is often seen walking from her house to her parked car, she opted to make a more discreet exit, instead leaving straight from the garage of her luxurious D.C. home in the blacked-out vehicle. Scroll down for video Back to business: Ivanka Trump took a morning call on her way to work this morning, after returning from a weekend getaway in Florida with her family Commute: The first daughter, 36, was pictured this morning leaving her house a little before 8 aboard a Secret Service SUV Time to leave: Yesterday, Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, 37, were pictured boarding Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport after sunset So tired: They were then seen carrying their children out of Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland after returning from their getaway in Palm Beach She appeared to be wearing a combination of burgundy and black, with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. Ivanka also kept a bottle of water at the ready during her ride to work. She and her husband Jared Kushner, 37, were pictured yesterday boarding the presidential plane at Palm Beach International Airport after sunset, with Ivanka wearing a black and white off-the-shoulders dress at the close of their weekend stay. They were then seen carrying their children out of Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland after returning from their getaway in Palm Beach, with their little ones having apparently dozed off during the flight. After landing in Palm Beach, where Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate is located, on Friday, Ivanka shared a photo of her four-year-old son Joseph peering out of the plane while his grandfather disembarked. Ivanka shared the photo of the moment on Instagram Saturday, writing: 'Joseph watching Grandpa deplane Air Force One.' Family: On Saturday, Ivanka took to Instagram to share this photo of her four-year-old son Joseph staring longingly out of an Air Force One window Proud mama: Lara Trump also shared a photo of her son Luke on Friday (left) The photo sees the little boy leaning on a chair at the edge of the plane with his little face pressed up against the window. Meanwhile, Ivanka's sister-in-law Lara Trump couldn't help but post a sweet snap of her baby son Luke, who was born in September. In a flashback Friday post, Lara is seen holding up her baby son in a white onesie, standing alongside her friend Amanda Kennedy, who is toting her daughter Grace. 'Flashback to Luke already swooning over beautiful Grace!' Lara wrote in the caption. Earlier this week, Lara was in attendance when Ivanka hosted a cozy family dinner for her siblings at her D.C. home before the group headed off to support Donald Trump at the Capitol for the State of the Union. Ivanka, 36, shared a short and sweet video clip from the family gathering, showing the group sitting around the large wooden dining table at her home, beaming happily at the camera while the first daughter addressed her followers. 'A little family dinner before the State of the Union!' she says, while perching one-year-old son Theodore on her lap, with the whole group laughing uproariously as the young boy tried to knock over a glass with a large toy car. All together! Ivanka and Jared Kushner hosted a family dinner at their D.C. home ahead of the State of the Union last week Gathering: Ivanka's sister Tiffany, and her brother Eric and his wife Lara were in attendance, as well as Jared, and their children Arabella and Theodore, however Donald Jr. did not attend Luckily Eric spotted the youngster's plan and interrupted Ivanka's speech to point out that a glass was about to go flying, as Theodore charged the large toy towards it. Foiled by his aunt Tiffany, 24, who grabbed the car before it could cause any damage, Theo seemed blissfully unaware of the ceremonious occasion taking place around him as he played happily. And while the youngster happily butted into his mother's speech, Arabella could be seen sitting in front of Ivanka, looking happily at the camera while wearing a sweet sweater with a star on the front of it. The dinner appears to have wrapped up by the time the video was filmed, with most of the places clear, and only six-year-old Arabella sitting in front of any remaining food. But it seems that the importance of the night didn't stop the family from celebrating with a toast or two, and there are several bottles of wine on the table, as well as candles and a bouquet of flowers. Shortly after the clip was shared, the entire group was seen departing Ivanka's lavish Kalorama home, with both she and Tiffany daring to brave the bitter D.C. weather without coats, instead showing off their rather glamorous ensembles as they made their way into SUVs that were waiting to whisk them towards the Capitol Building - and Trump's State of the Union. Hostess with the mostest: Ivanka and Jared left their home together, with the mother-of-three looking incredibly well put together in her $2,690 Oscar de la Renta dress Ready for a night out! Georgetown Law student Tiffany wore a very corporate look, opting for a white low-cut shirt which she tucked into a black belted skirt; she also carried a Gucci clutch Glamorous: Eric and his wife Lara left their baby boy Luke at home for the evening, with the new mother looking very chic, but a little tired, in her green dress and camel coat Ready to go! The group left together, making their way down the steps from the main entrance of Jared and Ivanka's home, and into waiting SUVs Ivanka appeared to have glammed herself up from earlier in the day, when she was seen leaving her house with almost no make-up on, and her hair pulled back from her face; this time around, she was seen wearing a chic $2,690 plaid short-sleeved dress by Oscar de la Renta, pairing the red, black, and white design with some simple black heels. Her hair was styled in a sleek straight style around her face, and she chose to go for a more glamorous evening-appropriate beauty look, wearing visible highlighter and bronzer on her cheekbones, and adding subtle smokey shadow to her eyes. Tiffany, meanwhile, chose a simpler, more corporate look in the form of a low-cut white shirt, which she tucked into belted black bodycon-style skirt. She accessorized with chunky circular earrings and a pale pink quilted $790 Gucci clutch, wearing her long blonde hair in a wavy ponytail, and modeling dark eyeliner. New mother Lara, meanwhile, put on a chic show in a forest-green dress, pairing her look with a camel-colored coat - a very sensible move given the sub-zero temperatures. She also wore a pair of strappy black heels, and left her hair in loose waves around her shoulders. Both men in the party looked dapper in suits, with Eric wearing a dark grey, while Jared stuck with his trademark navy. After arriving at the White House, Ivanka then recorded another video for her Instagram Story in which she urged people to tune into the event - with her brother Donald Jr, who did not attend her dinner, popping up in a rather cheesy way to tell people what time to watch. The Duke of Edinburgh once dismissed the suggestion that he'd watched The Crown as 'ridiculous'. But it seems his grandson doesn't share his sentiments, after Prince William chatted to an A-list actress about watching the hit Netflix show last week. Alicia Vikander has revealed she had a conversation with William, 35, during a gala dinner as part of the royal tour of Sweden and Norway. The Tomb Raider star, 29, joined the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for an opulent meal at the British Ambassador's residence in Stockholm on Tuesday evening, where she was seated in between Prime Minister Stefan Lofven and William. Scroll down for video Swedish actress Alicia Vikander has revealed she had a conversation with William, 35, during a gala dinner as part of the royal tour of Sweden (pictured here arriving at the dinner) The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined their royal hosts (Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden, right) for the dinner at the British Ambassador's residence Recalling the moment she met the second-in-line to the throne, she told Norwegian talk show host Fredrik Skavlan: 'Well, I've seen The Crown.' 'It was actually the first thing my friend and I started talking about with William. Apparently he's a Game of Thrones fan, I was told.' Vikander also spoke of her nerves when it came to table manners, according to The Local SE. She explained: 'I was sitting there looking around me. I guessed that you were supposed to wait, but I was very hungry. 'Normally if you're more than ten people you're allowed to start eating, but nobody else did so I held back. I didn't even have a sip of water because I thought 'no, I'll just wait.' Controversial: Hit Netflix series The Crown explores the early years of the Queen's reign and stars Claire Foy and Matt Smith (pictured) as the royal couple Popular: While The Crown has been showered with critical praise, it has also stirred up much controversy, by reigniting rumours of Prince Philip's supposed roving eye Hit Netflix series The Crown explores the early years of the Queen's reign and stars Claire Foy and Matt Smith as the royal couple. Smith revealed last year that he had no interest in watching the show. The British actor told The Observer how a a friend of his in the film industry had been dining with the royal couple when Philip brought up the matter of The Crown, asking: 'Are you involved in this... Crown thing?' The friend, who was not named, explained that he wasn't but could not resist asking the duke about his views on the show later in the evening. The Duchess wore Erdem as she joined screen stars and members of government for the glittering gala dinner in Stockholm on Tuesday evening VIP visitors: The couple spent two days in Sweden before visiting the Norwegian royals in Oslo last week as part of a royal tour, returning to the UK on Friday Smith explained that his friend asked Philip if he or the Queen had seen it, prompting the royal to 'glower' and respond: 'Don't. Be. Ridiculous.' But the actor, who will stand down as the Duke of Edinburgh after the second season, appeared undeterred by the dismissal and said he still admires the duke. He added: 'Whether it's true or not, I don't know, but I just think he's a bit of a cool cat.' While The Crown has been showered with critical praise, it has also stirred up much controversy, by reigniting rumours of Prince Philip's supposed roving eye. The Queen was once told to be 'brave' by her mother in a bid to boost her confidence, a new documentary has revealed. Prudence, Lady Penn, a former lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother and a friend of the Queen, has revealed that a young Princess Elizabeth used to find walking into a crowded room 'daunting'. Long before she became the nation's longest-reigning sovereign and a composed head of state, her mother urged her to step through the door as if she was in charge. Lady Penn appears in a new Channel 5 documentary series, Elizabeth: Our Queen, which begins on Tuesday to coincide with the 66th anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne. Scroll down for video The Queen Mother with a young Princess Elizabeth, right, is reported to have told her eldest daughter to be 'brave' during public engagements (pictured on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the coronation of Elizabeth's father King George VI in 1937) Princess Elizabeth became Queen on February 6, 1952 following the death of King George VI. The 25-year-old was thousands of miles away in Kenya on a Commonwealth tour with the Duke of Edinburgh at the time. Gun salutes will be fired to mark Accession Day including a 41-gun salute by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery in London's Green Park and a 62-gun salute by the Honourable Artillery Company at the Tower of London. As she does most years, the Queen will reflect on the anniversary of her father's death in private at Sandringham, where she has been staying for her annual winter break. Lady Penn said in the documentary: 'The Queen Mother told the Queen when she was very young to be brave. Lady Penn (left, with Princess Margaret) was a former lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother and has spoken candidly about her friendship with the Queen in a new Channel 5 documentary She may be a dab hand at public engagements today, but a young Princess Elizabeth was told to be 'brave' by her mother according to royal lady-in-waiting Prudence, Lady Penn 'I think the Queen probably when she was young felt walking into a room full of people was rather daunting. 'So she said to her 'What you want to do, when you walk into a room, walk through the middle of the door'. 'And I think by that she meant, don't sort of go in apologetically. You walk through as if I'm in charge. I think that was very good advice.' The first episode also tells how Princess Elizabeth learned of her uncle Edward VIII's abdication in 1936 from a footman after she returned from a swimming lesson. She heard noises outside the palace and asked what they were, only to be told her uncle was no longer monarch and her father was now king. The 10-year-old princess had become the heiress presumptive. Episode one of Elizabeth: Our Queen will be screened on Channel 5 on February 6 at 9pm A child is never too old to get gifts from their parents - and as far as one dad is concerned, that saying remains true, even if your kid isn't overly willing to take what is on offer. Indeed, according to one Imgur user, who goes by the name somebodysmama, her father simply wouldn't take no for an answer when it came to his offer of some extra spending money - so much so that he began hiding $20 bills in her home every time he visited. And it's clear that the unnamed woman's father isn't short on creativity, with his daughter capturing all of the many weird and wonderful hiding places where he has stashed his cash over the years, sharing them all in a series of images. Surprise: A woman revealed in an Imgur post that her dad secretly hides money in her house whenever he visits Secret spots: The list of hiding spots include the top of the cupboard, a guitar and the a bag Sneaky dad: He usually never hides the money in the same spot so the crafty father can keep her on her toes The list includes the top of a cupboard, behind the strings of a guitar, and the inside of a bag - but never the same place twice as he likes to keep her on her toes. 'I live close to him and he sees me regularly,' the woman wrote on Imgur while sharing the pictures. 'We're buddies. He usually doesn't leave another until I find one.' To thank her father, the woman said that cooks him huge meals because he wouldn't accept anything more; she added that he does enjoy receiving pictures of the cash once she has found it, however, and often just responds with the sunglasses emoji. But as if the surprise money wasn't enough, her dad even sends her heartfelt text messages. Imgur users have commented on the viral post showing their affection and appreciation for the sweet father. Big thanks: To show appreciation for her dad, his daughter cooks him huge meals Friends: She said that she lives close to her father and they see each other regularly Good papa: She said that he raised five kids alone while 'my mom was sick and now his grand babies are his entire world' One user commented: 'Your dad is the best dad. Give him big big imgur hugs when you see him next.' Somebodysmama even responded to the sweet comment and said: 'I will. I tried to hide a $10 in his wallet once and he had it back in my purse before I left his house. Hes magical.' Others, used the heartwarming story as a means to share similar experiences they have had with their parents. One person said: 'This is great. I have a great dad too. We never had a ton of money growing up but he would give me the shirt off his back if I asked.' Another said: 'My dad does something similar only he makes a treasure hunt out of it. He will hint at something or quote a movie and there's the money.' And then there were the comments that expressed jealousy over having such a kind and thoughtful dad. Treasure hunt: Imgur users commented similar stories they have had with their dads Jealous: While others expressed their envy over having such a generous and thoughtful dad Sweet messages: As if the cash wasn't enough, the kind dad also sends his daughter sweet messages One comment said: 'I'm extremely jealous' while another asked if her family were adopting anytime soon in a comment that said: 'Your family adopting???? I require new parents!' After reading the loving comments, somebodysmama decided to share a short backstory about her dad. She said: 'He raised five kids alone while my mom was sick. Now his grand babies are his entire world. He's the best papa.' 'I use aaaMy Father so hes always at the top and so rescue workers can call him or aaaMy Husband (I have a seizure disorder). He started doing this because I wouldnt accept his money when he would come to my house for dinner.' 'He wants you to know he is also a great-grandfather (three times over) - He would adopt all of you as long as you bring food.' A feminine care company has unveiled the world's first 'leak-free' tampon in a revolutionary new design. Created by a gynaecologist with over 30 years' experience, this is the first innovation in tampons since they were invented in 1936. British femcare brand Callaly invented what is known as the Tampliner with the innovative design eliminating the need to combine panty-liners and tampons. As well as an easy to insert tampon, the product is fitted with a soft mini-liner also to provide extra security without the bulkiness of a separate pad. British femcare brand Callaly has invented a 'leak-free' tampon combing the tampon and a panty-liner to create a Tampliner The item also features a 'virtual applicator' which joins the tampon and mini-liner together, and is worn inside your body, keeping the Tampliner perfectly positioned. This virtual applicator is made of a medical-grade breathable membrane which keeps your finger clean during insertion, then neatly wraps the used tampon upon removal. The average woman will use around 11,000 tampons in her lifetime and over a quarter of women claim to be unsatisfied with their tampon. As well as the liner the tampon is also fitted with a 'virtual applicator', a breathable membrane helping to keep fingers clean during insertion and wrapping the tampon during removal With the mission of offering women more choice when it comes to period products, Callaly has totally rethought the tampon. Callaly, which offer the Tampliners subscription boxes for 8 a month, also aims to change the way tampons are made in the UK. Even though there are no laws that require tampons to be sterilised all Tampliners are always sterilized. Alex Hooi, Chief Medical Officer & Co-founder explains, 'Over the decades of treating my patients I heard repeated stories about the inadequacy of their period products; so many women who wore tampons didn't trust them and wore liners at the same time. 'It felt like there should be another alternative to the traditional tampon and liner combination. The invention is the first innovation in tampon design since they were invented in 1936 'I hope that all people with periods will be excited to see another product available, Tampliners might be right for them and even if they're not be glad that there is now more choice for women in an area that desperately needed innovation.' Ewa Radizwon, Product Lead at Callaly comments 'It's hard to believe that the fem care market is so unregulated when it comes to a product that it is put in or close to vaginas, the most delicate and sensitive part of a woman's body. 'I'm proud to lead the development of a product that truly puts women's health first; Tampliners won't leave fibres inside your body and don't contain any dioxins, perfumes or dyes. 'Even though there are no laws that require tampons to be sterilised, all Tampliners are always sterilised and manufactured in clean rooms designed for medical devices.' French actress Catherine Deneuve has been made to look like a domestic violence victim by an Italian artist who says she has made abusive men feel 'empowered' by denouncing the #MeToo movement. Alexsandro Palombo has edited an image of the 74-year-old to give her heavy bruising around her eyes and lips, as well as a bloody nose. The poster features the slogan 'Vive la liberte d'importuner?', or 'Defending the freedom to bother?' - a phrase that featured in the open letter signed by Deneuve and around 100 French female writers, performers and academics. In the letter, the women suggested that the #MeToo movement had turned into a 'witch-hunt' that threatened sexual freedom. Deneuve later apologised to sexual abuse victims, but stood by the letter published in French newspaper Le Monde. French actress Catherine Deneuve has been made to look like a domestic violence victim in a poster created by Italian artist Alexsandro Palombo. The slogan reads 'Vive la liberte d'importuner?', or 'Defending the freedom to bother?' - a phrase that featured in the open letter signed by Deneuve that denounced the #MeToo movement Posting the striking poster on Instagram - which featured the hashtag 'breakthesilence' - Palombo explained: 'For some men, the freedom to bother a woman may mean "being allowed to disturb", the freedom to disturb may mean "being allowed to harass" and harassment is an assault that in many cases leads to physical violence, or worse. 'This kind of affirmation is the best gift a woman can offer to someone violent. 'It means supporting the abuse of power perpetrated by many men against women of any status.' He continued: 'How many coward and violent men felt even more empowered and justified by the words of a public figure like Catherine Deneuve? In the letter signed by Deneuve and other French stars, it was claimed that the #MeToo movement had turned into a 'witch-hunt' that threatened sexual freedom 'Violence against women is a social cancer that knows no barriers or status. Anyone can become a victim. To overcome this scourge, we must use culture as an antidote. 'Educate our young people to raise awareness on the themes of respect and equality. To harass a woman is a social and cultural regression.' The open letter signed by Deneuve deplored the wave of 'denunciations' that had followed the Harvey Weinstein scandal last October. Deneuve (pictured in 1968) later apologised to sexual abuse victims, but stood by the letter published in French newspaper Le Monde. 'Rape is a crime, but trying to seduce someone, even persistently or cack-handedly, is not - nor is men being gentlemanly a macho attack,' the letter read. 'Men have been punished summarily, forced out of their jobs when all they did was touch someone's knee or try to steal a kiss.' Palombo previously sparked controversy after using photoshopped images of celebrities - including Angelina Jolie, Kim Kardashian and Emma Watson - looking disfigured as part of a domestic violence campaign. MailOnline has contacted representatives of Deneuve for comment. Lauren Bush Lauren happily showed off her growing baby bump while she and her husband, David Lauren, enjoyed a 'babymoon' in Arizona three months ahead of her due date. The 33-year-old FEED founder is expecting her second child in May, and she took to Instagram on Sunday to post stunning snapshots of herself posed on a mountain top in Sedona. 'Babymooning with my one @davidlauren and feeling even more excited and centered to welcome our baby to the world in 3 months!' she captioned the images. Getaway: Lauren Bush Lauren showed off her baby bump in a peasant dress while visiting Sedona, Arizona, this week Romantic time: Lauren, 33, and her husband, David Lauren, 46, are 'babymooning' in the desert town three months ahead of her due date Keeping zen: The FEED founder is expecting her second child in May. Lauren and David also have a two-year-old son named James In the first snapshot, Lauren is turned to the side and cradling her baby bump while standing on a mountain top overlooking the desert town. The soon-to-be mother-of-two is perfectly dressed for the heat in a white peasant dress featuring a floral print, a wide-brim hat, sunglasses, and black Birkenstock sandals. Another photo shows Laureen sitting next to her husband while they pose in front of the scenic backdrop. Like Lauren, David, 46, is dressed casually in a white button-down shirt, khaki cargo pants, New Balance sneakers, and a cap to shield his eyes from the sun. In the last photo, Lauren is sitting with her legs crossed and her eyes closed as if she were meditating on top of the mountain. Stunning view: 'Feeling that Sedona magic,' Lauren captioned this scenic shot With grandma: Lauren's son James appeared to be staying with her mother, Sharon Bush, while they were away. Sharon took the tot painting on Saturday (pictured) David, the son of fashion designer Ralph Lauren, shared the same images on Instagram, writing: 'Finding peace and meeting a few zen masters along the way on our #babymoon #Sedona #meditation.' The couple also has a two-year-old son, James, who appeared to be staying with Lauren's mother Sharon Bush while they enjoyed some time away. Less than a month before their getaway, Lauren mourned the passing of her maternal grandmother on Instagram, sharing a snapshot of her holding her son James when he was just a baby. 'My Grandma Alba Smith passed away last month at the age of 94. She was a sweet and feisty Italian Grandma who loved her children, grandkids and great-grandson fiercely, and we all loved her right back!' Lauren wrote. 'Its still hard to believe she is not with us, but she lives on with us all. Loss: Less than a month before their getaway, Lauren mourned the passing of her maternal grandmother Alba Smith, sharing a snapshot of her holding James when he was just a baby All together: Lauren and David took James to Woodstock, Vermont, in December to celebrate the holiday with her sister, Ashley Bush, and her mom, Sharon White Christmas: The family posed for plenty of pictures while enjoying the snowy weather 'While we honor the strong women who have come before us and helped pave the way, I am very inspired by the moment we are in now where millions of women are rising up to demand equal opportunity, basic human rights, and respect.' Despite the loss, it has been a happy couple of months for Lauren and her family. In December, Lauren celebrated her 28-year-old sister Ashley Bush's engagement to her fiance Julian LeFevre, happily sharing an Instagram photo of Ashley showing off her unique diamond ring while posing with her future husband. 'Pure happiness for my sister Ash and her soon-to-be hubby Jules!' she captioned the image on Friday. 'You two are amazing together and bring each other and the world so much joy! Congrats!' Excited for them: Lauren gushed that Ashley and Julian are 'amazing together' while congratulating them The couple got engaged in Iceland that month, and the heartwarming photo shows Ashley and Julian bundled up in black jackets while they flash open-mouth smiles for the camera. Speaking with Page Six in December, their mother, Sharon, gushed about the family's upcoming celebrations while sharing intimate details about Ashley's engagement. Sharon was hosting an event at the White House Historical Association, a nonprofit founded by Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961 to preserve the history and decor of the White House, when her youngest daughter called her to share the news. 'Laurens second child with David is due in May, and Ashley called me on Monday night to say that Jules proposed while they were on a trip to Iceland, as they were visiting the famous hot springs, the Blue Lagoon,' Sharon said. Proud mom: Sharon also took to Instagram to share a photo of the happy couple in celebration of the news 'She said it was so romantic. Jules had planned the trip as a surprise and had just told Ashley to bring warm clothes. We are all so happy and excited for them both.' Sharon also shared a photo of the happy couple on Instagram in celebration of their engagement. 'Congratulations to this most adorable and loving couple!' she wrote. 'They work together, travel together and still get along. True love! So happy for you ! Love you both very much! #truelove #engagementring' She later posted a photo of Julian jumping in the air in Iceland after he popped the question. Look of love: Julian and Ashley are both aspiring filmmakers, and they're pictured in Santa Monica the night before her graduation from the University of Southern California's film school Baby on board: Lauren shared this Thanksgiving photo of her son James to reveal she and David are expecting their second child together Motherly glow: Fan's caught a glimpse of Lauren's baby bump in a cream sweater when she shared Instagram Stories photos during a FEED meeting 'My future son-in-law, Jules, In Iceland. Taken after his engagement proposal to my baby girl, Ashley #lovehim,' she captioned the image. Ashley recently graduated from the University of Southern California's film school, and Julian is also an aspiring filmmaker who worked as a cameraman on her 2017 short film 'Bad Girl.' The Bush sisters are grandchildren to President George H.W. Bush and the daughter's of President George W. Bush's brother Neil, and it is a joyous time for both of them. Just two days after her son James celebrated his second birthday on November 21, Lauren took to Instagram to announce that she's expecting once again. 'Feeling extra gratitude for this little boy and to be adding another cub to our tribe next May!' she wrote on Thanksgiving, captioning a picture of James playing near a tree on her father-in-law Ralph Lauren's Double RL Ranch in Colorado. She may be celebrating her 46th birthday, but it was business as usual for Crown Princess Mary as she attended a charity event in Copenhagen. The Danish royal looked chic in a black embellished coat as she attended a reception to mark World Cancer Day at the Schauspielhaus in Copenhagen on Sunday. The mother-of-four, who turned 46 today, added to her stylish ensemble with a pink ruffled blouse underneath, tailored black trousers and black heeled pumps. Opting for pink accessories, she finished off the look with a pair of elegant pear drop earrings and a coordinating clutch bag. Crown Princess Mary looked chic in a black embellished coat as she handed out awards at the Schauspielhaus in Copenhagen on Sunday Mary looked to be in high spirits as she met with guests at the reception, before handing out the Danish Cancer Society Honorary Award. She later took to the stage to deliver a speech at the event, hosted by the Danish Cancer Society. Her appearance at the event came a day before her 46th birthday, which she is believed to be celebrating privately with her family. It has been a busy start of the year for the Australian-born royal, who made an appearance at Copenhagen Fashion Week last week. The Danish royal, who turned 46 today, looked in high spirits as she chatted to guests Mary finished off her stylish ensemble with a pink ruffled blouse underneath and a pair of black tailored trousers She had attended the 2018 Women's Board Awards ceremony just days earlier. Mary married Crown Prince Frederik in 2004, after the pair met during the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. It was reported last year that the Danish prince, 49, bought Mary a $10 million Tasmanian island as a birthday gift for her 45th birthday. The couple regularly visit Australia, enjoying a Christmas break in Sydney with their four children. The mother-of-tour took to the stage to deliver a speech at the World Cancer Day event Wearing her glossy locks down over her shoulders, she opted for a subtle make-up look Mary was presenting the Danish Cancer Society Honorary Award at the reception She was presented with a bouquet of flowers on arriving at the event at the Schauspielhaus Her appearance came a day before her 46th birthday, which she is believed to be marking privately with her family Nanjing starts driverless mini bus operation Shanghai (Gasgoo)- A trial operation of a driverless minibus has started at the Nanjing-based Southeast University, which marked the project of driverless minibus demonstration zone has been officially initiated. The four meter long electric minibus has six seats and can take 12 passengers with a full load weight of 3,000kg. With a symmetrical design, the vehicle can be driven in front side and back side. The onboard navigation system processes data from eight radars installed around the vehicle. Although the bus is devoid of steering wheel and console, it can achieve self-driving relying on the in-vehicle electronic systems, like computer, radar and navigation system. The bus can travel for 14 hours on a full charge, at a maximum speed of 20km per hour. In the first trial operation, it ran along a 4.5km route between research buildings, canteens and dormitories. The bus will be open and free to the students and faculties in the next semester. Staffs will be on duty to ensure the safe running of mini buses and to deal with emergencies. This project was co-developed by Southeast University and Nanjing Yangzi State-owned Investment Group. The operation and maintenance team is from Southeast University which signed a strategic cooperative memo with Nanjing Yangzi State-owned Investment Group last year to co-build a national level intelligent-connected vehicle (ICV) demonstration zone. This project is in correspondence with the concept of smart campus and smart city and a part of China's effort to promote environmental and economic travelling. The driverless mini buses can serves as the capillary of city's public transportation. Meanwhile, it helps connect traffic hubs and the final destinations, like industrial parks and campuses. Based on the driverless mini bus, Southeast University will explore a more in-depth R&D in ICV-related technologies and applications in the future. The duo of actors who will have the honor of interpreting Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's fictional doppelgangers has been revealed. British actor Murray Fraser, a relative newcomer, and Jamaican-American actress Parisa Fitz-Henley, best known for her role as Reva Connors in Jessica Jones back in 2015, will play the iconic couple in the upcoming Lifetime movie based on Harry and Meghan's romance, E! reported. Production is due to begin later this week in Los Angeles and in Vancouver, with Lifetime looking to release the movie in the spring. Fictional double: British actor Murray Fraser (left) will play Prince Harry (right) in the upcoming Lifetime movie based on the royal's romance with Meghan Markle Princess: Jamaican-American actress Parisa Fitz-Henley (left), best known for her role as Reva Connors in Jessica Jones back in 2015, will play Meghan (right) The real-life Harry and Meghan, meanwhile, will tie the knot on May 19. Parisa, 40, said on Instagram she is 'psyched' to finally be able to reveal she has been cast along with Murray in the highly anticipated movie, and noted she was 'so happy' to be working with him. The actress, who has also starred in Luke Cage and in NBC's Midnight, Texas, will be tasked with playing the Suits actress, now 36, from the moment she met Harry to the later stages of their relationship. This isn't the second time Murray has played in a royal-related work of fiction, since his acting credits also include PBS' Victoria, starring Jenna Coleman as the eponymous queen. The actor has also played in The Loch, a mini series and serial killer mystery that aired last year. Credits: Murray has starred in The Loch, a mini series and serial killer mystery that aired last year (pictured) News: Parisa, 40, said on Instagram she is 'psyched' to finally be able to reveal she has been cast along with Murray in the highly anticipated movie Previously: In 2011, Lifetime made William & Kate: The Movie, based on Prince William's story with Kate Middleton (right). Camilla Luddington and Nico Evers-Swindell (left) played the pair Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance follows in the footsteps of Lifetime's William & Kate: The Movie, the network's 2011 rendition of Harry's older brother William's relationship with his now-wife, Kate Middleton. In that instance, Camilla Luddington, who plays Jo Wilson in Grey's Anatomy, was cast as the duchess, while William was portrayed by Nico Evers-Swindell. Lifetime revealed last month it was working on a movie based on the lives of Meghan and Harry, 35. The news was confirmed by head of programming Liz Gateley during a conference, Deadline reported at the time. Lifetime's film will portray the lives of both the Prince and the Suits actress ahead of their meeting, before detailing their meeting via a mutual friend. It will then follow the story of their secret romance, before the couple went public at the end of 2016, and subsequently announced their engagement in November 2017, garnering intense media attention. Director Menhaj Huda, who has worked on The Royals, a drama about a fictional British royal family, will work on the movie, while Merideth Finn and Michele Weiss will executive produce. While no release date has been confirmed, the channel's previous film William & Kate: The Movie aired 11 days before the pair's wedding on the 29th April 2011. Love birds: Prince Harry and Meghan (pictured announcing their engagement in November 2017) met in the summer of 2016 after being set up on a blind date by a mutual friend Big day: The couple is now set to marry on May 19 this year at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in England Prince Harry and Meghan met in the summer of 2016 after being set up on a blind date by a mutual friend, thought to be fashion designer Misha Nonoo. In November 2016 Harry confirmed their romance after he released a statement asking for his girlfriend's privacy to be respected, revealing she had been subject to a torrent of abuse amid rumors of their romance. Just weeks later the Prince visited the American actress on set of Toronto-based legal drama Suits, before the couple were first sighted together in London during December 2016. The duo then made a number of low key appearances together in 2017, and announced their engagement in November 2017, spending Christmas together with the Queen at Sandringham. The couple is now set to marry on May 19 this year at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in England. The news of Lifetime TV's new film came after it was reported that Meghan's ex-husband and film producer Trevor Engelson is making a show about a divorced American mother who moves to London to marry a British royal. The show, which is currently untitled, is believed to have been inspired by a conversation he had with producer Dan Farrah, musing on what would have happened if he and Meghan had had children together. The Duchess of York will be invited to Prince Harrys wedding but questions over her presence have caused a massive headache behind the scenes. Stories claiming that Prince Andrews former wife had been left off the guestlist have been shot down by well placed sources. But the Mail understands that Sarah Ferguson mother to Harrys cousins Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie is only going after Harry fought for her to attend. The Mail understands that Sarah Ferguson (centre) mother to Harrys cousins Princesses Beatrice (left) and Eugenie (right) is only going to Harry's wedding after he fought for her to attend One option being discussed is to invite the duchess to the evening reception only, however a source insisted that Harry wants her present at the ceremony too. The royal aide said: Harry has nailed his colours to the mast on this. He wants his aunt there and she will be. Another added: Any suggestion she will not be there [at the wedding] is a complete fabrication. Senior royals, led by Prince Charles and Prince Philip, have made no bones about the fact that they dont want the duchess at Harrys wedding to Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on May 19. Their stance follows a string of embarrassing incidents since the duchess, 58, and Prince Andrew split in 1996. Harrys wedding to Meghan Markle will take place at Windsor Castle on May 19 this year A source said: It has been made very clear by Buckingham Palace that they dont want the Duchess of York to attend. Although it is not a state occasion, Prince Harrys wedding is still a very high profile event which will be attended by all senior royals, led by the Queen. Courtiers have been adamant that the duchess should not be invited to join them and there have been lengthy conversations about the issue. With every wedding there is an issue over who to invite, and this time its very much been the awkward aunt problem. It has thrown up a massive headache for the two palaces [Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace, where Harry is based]. When the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge married in 2011, Sarah was very noticeably absent and spent the ceremony at a spa in Thailand. Princess Eugenie is set to marry former barman Jack Brooksbank on October 12, also at Windsor Castle But according to the source, Harry, who is close to his cousins particularly Eugenie, who will herself marry at Windsor in October has dug in his heels and made clear he wants her there when he walks down the aisle. The fifth in line to the throne has kept in touch with Sarah, known as Fergie, over the years, and has previously holidayed at the Swiss ski chalet she bought for an estimated 13million with her former husband. He absolutely, 100 per cent wants her there and has told palace officials that in no uncertain terms, the source said. Inviting her only to the evening event which may be held at Frogmore House in the grounds of Windsor Great Park is seen as an possible option. This is partly being used to cater for guests whose presence at the wedding ceremony would be more difficult, as well as the couples wider circle of friends. There will be an informal dinner followed by party in the evening for up 600 guests, mostly comprised of Harry and Meghans huge circle of friends, which many of the senior royals wont be at, the source explained. Its going to be a much more relaxed and fun event, but there will still be speeches given at the dinner, so the guests will very much feel like they are part of the big day. 'This could be a compromise between the two camps. A string of embarrassing incidents followed the split of the duchess, 58, (pictured) and Prince Andrew in 1996 Andrew and Sarah divorced in 1996 after photographs of her cavorting in the South of France with her financial advisor, John Bryan, were published. The duchess has since recalled her humiliation when the story broke as she was holidaying with the Queen at Balmoral in Scotland and advised that she should return to London. It later emerged that her profligate spending had also left her owing 5million to the royal bank, Coutts. After her divorce she worked hard to recoup the money, representing firms such as Weight Watchers in the US. For several years she was on an even keel, but a series of bad investments and the collapse of a fledging lifestyle company saw her on the brink of bankruptcy again in 2010. Her desperation was such that she found herself at the heart of a sting by the now disgraced News Of The World investigator, Mazher Mahmood, known as the Fake Sheik, offering to sell access to her former husband for 500,000. Despite all the trials and tribulations over the years, Sarah has remained extremely close to her ex-husband indeed the couple continue to live at Royal Lodge, his Windsor home. The Queen has recently begun to allow her into the royal enclosure at Ascot after years in royal purdah, and even allowed her to accompany her daughters to Balmoral but only when Prince Philip isnt there. He once vowed never to be in the same room as her again, which has already caused much speculation about how he will react at the wedding of his grand-daughter Eugenie. The Princess is set to marry former barman Jack Brooksbank on October 12. A disheartened junior doctor working in one of the busiest A&E departments in the country has released harrowing diary extracts of his daily experiences. The trainee medic, working for a hospital on the south coast of England, has spoken anonymously as the NHS faces one of its worst winters on record. It comes after US President Donald Trump sparked fury today after tearing into the NHS, branding the UK's system of universal healthcare 'broke and not working'. Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt immediately hit back, saying no-one wants to live in a US-style system where millions have no healthcare cover. The doctor has told his shocking account to MailOnline exclusively and said he expects the same issues to resurface next winter. He has revealed how: He avoids eye contact with patients on trolleys who look at him like 'some sort of Messiah' because he knows he can't do anything to help them Disgruntled colleagues believe a hotel with three cooked meals would be a safer place for thousands of patients in the current NHS climate Doctors bargain, negotiate and cajole for spare beds, describing the constant pressures as being like a trading floor of a stock exchange He often sacrifices his lunch breaks to cope with the soaring demand placed on his hospital and dreads going back to work the next day The winter crisis will be exactly the same next winter, and that he would guarantee his future mortgage on the same worrying problems occuring He can barely afford to buy a hot chocolate or coffee because his rent is a quarter of his salary and he is drowning in debt from six years of medical school During the week this account was written, waiting times soared to their highest levels this winter, ambulance delays and bed occupancies were also worryingly high. The crisis, which has forced Prime Minister Theresa May to apologise, is worse than last year which was branded a 'humanitarian crisis' by the Red Cross. Patients have died in the corridors of A&E units this winter because there are not enough beds, concerned chiefs revealed in a scathing letter to Mrs May. While a lack of space has led to some taking to the floor, including a 22-year-old woman who used her coat as a pillow during a five-hour wait in A&E. It comes after US President Donald Trump sparked fury today after tearing into the NHS, branding the UK's system of universal healthcare 'broke and not working' Monday, January 15: 'They look at me like I'm a Messiah' My day has already started and Im behind with breakfast. I know that the prospect of eating will be somewhere in the afternoon, if Im lucky. During the morning it will be sneaking off with a feeling of guilt to the doctors' mess, which is in a rancid state to grab whatever measly, meagre food is available or even a drink. You may be reading this and thinking why dont you just go to the shop thats in the hospital and grab a quick hot chocolate or a coffee? My rent is a quarter of my salary and Im drowning in debt from six years of medical school. I look at the board and see how many patients are waiting and I see lots of red, which is a bad sign - indicative of the prospect of breaching targets. This doesnt really faze me because I dont have to answer to the board of directors, but I can see my boss who is stressed and furrowing his brow. All the consultants are stressed, all the registrars are stressed and the juniors dont look too happy either. Embarrassingly, I asked one of my colleagues if they have just finished a night shift, and they reply 'no Im just unkempt and Im sorry, Ive been ill'. A lack of space in A&E has led to some taking to the floor, including a 22-year-old woman who used her coat as a pillow during a five-hour wait on the ground at Hereford County Hospital HOW MANY A&E DIVERTS HAVE THERE BEEN SO FAR THIS WINTER? NHS England data, collected from all 137 trusts across the country, show the amount of times ambulances have been turned away from busy A&E units for each week this winter. January 22-28 January 15-21 January 8-14 January 1-7 December 25-31 December 18-24 December 11-17 December 4-10 November 27-3 43 20 6 32 39 6 30 25 11 Advertisement Im walking in and out of the department seeing patients directly in A&E. I look down when I see patients playing on trolleys and looking at me like Im some sort of Messiah. I look down because I know I cant do anything until they are assigned to me. Every trolley has a paramedic who also looks at me with puppy eyes. Equally Im powerless to do anything because of bureaucracy. We go through the board and one of the patients is being admitted, not because they have anything medically wrong with them - but they are all alone at home and the hospital is a 'safe place'. My consultant colleague admonishes the system saying that a hotel with three cooked meals would be a safer place. We talk about the position by one of the trusts in Essex who tried to introduce this but faced an amazing backlash. I see several patients and all of them are rather sick. It would be very helpful if the nursing staff could help me by taking small jobs from me, like taking blood. But I am saddened to hear that they have not received the training for this in this particular hospital, despite the fact that they have done it 10,000 times. So I put my head down and do those jobs, knowing full well I could see so many other patients. But that is the system isnt it? I see a patient who is designated to go home today and I am saddened to hear that transport isnt available. And furious campaigners marched on Downing Street at the weekend, calling for the Government to properly fund the over-stretched health service Thousands of protesters braved the wintry weather to demand an end to the winter NHS crisis as hospitals are overwhelmed with thousands left in corridors waiting hours for treatment Another patient can't go back to the nursing home because its been closed because of the flu. I bow my head in shame, feeling guilty and responsible. WHAT DID DONALD TRUMP SAY ABOUT THE NHS TODAY? Donald Trump today sparked a fresh diplomatic row with Britain after he branded the NHS 'broke and not working'. The US President claimed that a major protest about the winter crisis in Britain's hospitals in London at the weekend was a sign it is not a system the US should copy. His remarks sparked a furious response from Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt who hit back saying no one wants to live in a US-style system where millions have no healthcare cover. The barb is the latest in a series of spats with the UK which Mr Trump has sparked on Twitter. Last year after he retweeted anti-Muslim propaganda from a far right group Britain First and criticised the UK's record on terrorism on Twitter. And it comes just over a week after the US President and Theresa May insisted they had patched things up during a meeting at Davos. Mr Trump is expected to make his first visit to the UK this July and is already likely to be met with some of the biggest protests the country has ever seen. He has already postponed his state visit amid fears it would be overshadowed by angry demonstrations. Advertisement I managed to slip away for lunch and en route I see colleague I havent seen for a while, also looking dishevelled. Paradoxically, he tells me with a gleaming smile that he is leaving for Australia. We chat for about five minutes and he tells me how he is going to fast track his way to consultancy in six years. He cant wait. I scoff my food nervously, looking at my pager praying that it doesnt go off. I trot back having had my breakfast. Its nearly 2pm and I finish at 5pm. I look at my jobs list and compute how I am going to manage this. I dont want to hand anything over to evening team or they will berate me. A consultant gets back with a fake smile on his face looking at the board and seeing who can possibly leave. There is a glimmer of hope in a gentleman pleading to leave, but his blood sugars are not stable because his insulin wasnt given on time. Ive been asked to certify a death. A lady in the side room has just died after a short battle with ovarian cancer. The family look distraught and I offer my sincerest condolences. After I finished doing that, I pounce on the packet of Pringles that someone has kindly brought in. I run around like a headless chicken finishing off what I can do and who I can see. I hand over jobs to my colleague who writes them down furiously whilst her pager goes off. I leave the department with my head down looking out of the corner of my eye to the six trolleys with patients and accompanying paramedics. A fleeting thought runs through my head, if theyre all here then who is going and responding to the 999 calls? I cant wait to come back tomorrow. Royle Family actor Ralf Little joined the nurses, doctors, and activists today after publicly declaring his support for the protest on Twitter on Tuesday Patients have died in the corridors of overcrowded A&E units because there are not enough beds, and desperate calls for extra funding have been ignored Tuesday, January 16: 'I need the money' I'm starting the day with a handover meeting. The room is partially filled with doctors that I am not familiar with. This is because there is a shortage of doctors on the rota, and human resources essentially need to liaise with agencies that will provide doctors for a fee. I am covering in a different department. The reason being because I am available, and also I need the money. I do have to say, that this elderly department I'm very much looking forward to working in. The pace of it is different to that of the emergency department. WHAT ARE THE BED OCCUPANCY RATES IN THE NHS THIS WINTER? NHS England data, collected from all 137 trusts across the country, show the overall bed occupancy rates for each week this winter. The Government's recommended safe levels asks for hospitals to keep their bed occupancies below 85 per cent. January 22-28 January 15-21 January 8-14 January 1-7 December 25-31 December 18-24 December 11-17 December 4-10 November 27-3 95.1% 94.8% 94.9% 95.0% 91.7% 90.8% 95.1% 94.5% 94.5% Advertisement The patients predominantly are medically fit, however these patients are complex, multi-morbid and require a lot of attention from the multidisciplinary team. Ive been asked to write a death certificate for a patient who sadly died this morning and is surrounded by family. The family express their gratitude for the care, which I have found humbling, however they are in a hurry to get the death certificate so the siblings can execute the will. I am quite taken aback by this demand. In any case, this leads to me spending approximately an hour-and-a-half liaising with colleagues to establish a cause of death and ensure everything is documented precisely. This also has a knock-on effect with the patients that I was responsible for on the ward. I really want to spend more time with my patients, especially elderly patients, as I feel that loneliness is so prevalent. I find myself with many patients using many of the communication skills that I have developed over years in order to curb and conclude the consultation. It is efficient, however, again I wish I could do more. I have to do a board round again, going through patients that I am responsible for -despite the fact that I have had limited time with them. I get collared by the ward sister and some of the other nurses who are keen to discharge patients, however, for me it means lots of paperwork on top of the list of jobs that I need to do. My list builds up by the hour. I was really looking forward to a talk at lunchtime, which included a free lunch but the future looks bleak for me. I have to sacrifice hours in order to make progress. During the week this account was written, waiting times soared to their highest levels this winter, ambulance delays and bed occupancies were worryingly high (stock) PRIME MINISTER THERESA MAY FINALLY APOLOGISES FOR THE 55,000 OPERATIONS CANCELLED... A DAY AFTER REFUSING TO ACCEPT THE NHS WAS IN THE MIDST OF A CRISIS Mrs May finally apologised to patients who faced a delay on January 4 Prime Minister Theresa May finally apologised to patients who faced a delay on January 4, after it was announced 55,000 operations will be postponed. The unprecedented move to cancel non-urgent procedures to free up beds and frontline staff was made by NHS bosses. The decision prompted an apology from Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt yesterday, following pressure from his critics that he was 'running scared'. Mrs May apologised during a visit today to Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey, one of many trusts affected by the NHS move to cancel procedures. After refusing to accept the NHS was in a crisis the day before, she said: 'I know it's difficult, I know it's frustrating, I know it's disappointing for people, and I apologise.' Her comments followed official data which showed record numbers of patients are being forced to wait in ambulances for treatment. Some 16,900 people were forced to wait for more than 30 minutes in ambulances to be seen by staff at A&E over the Christmas week - the highest total this winter. Advertisement There are so many worries as junior that they just dont teach you in medical school. You have to be seen being hours proficient, efficient, intelligent, possess excellent communication skills, respond to working with colleagues and their demands, respond to working for patients and their demands and also think about furthering your career prospects. All of this has to be included in your daily work. This is the same for any other profession, but the difference for me is one mistake can cost a life. An angel was sent from above as a medical student pops up and helps with the more educational tasks of finding forms and running requests. I make it home somehow miraculously by 5:30pm. Wednesday, January 17: 'I have sacrificed food for sleep' Breakfast or sleep? That is the question. I am nearly six months into this job and I have sadly sacrificed food for sleep. I don't really know what is the lesser sin; a hungry doctor or a tired doctor. Colleagues who seek to lose weight are loving this part of the job, I must add. It is, indeed, a very good way to lose weight. Last night, I looked at my iPhone Health app which measures the distance I walked and it is quite remarkable. I've also had to change my shoes twice in six months because the soles have worn away gradually. I have a very important meeting with my supervisor to ensure progress. One must remember that junior doctors are trainees and so need to be constantly monitored. HOW MANY PATIENTS HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THE BACK OF AMBULANCES OUTSIDE A&E UNITS THIS WINTER? NHS England data, collected from all 137 trusts across the country, show the overall number of patients who were stuck in ambulances outside busy A&E units for more than half an hour for each week this winter. January 22-28 January 15-21 January 8-14 January 1-7 December 25-31 December 18-24 December 11-17 December 4-10 November 27-3 11,061 11,019 12,559 16,690 16,893 11,852 14,323 11,852 10,184 Advertisement I remember reading the sign of an Oxbridge graduate once in an article and one of their characteristics is wanting to squeeze 36 hours in 24 hours. The same goes for doctors. There just isn't enough time to treat patients, do extra courses, voluntary work, charity work and teach. And then, on top of that, having your bosses watch you like a hawk is really quite a burden to face. It is an eerily quiet start to the day. I've just been told one of the patients who had abdominal pain from a really bad ulcer had a catastrophic bleed over night and sadly died. There was nothing that could have been done. Any sense of being tired now has evaporated. Unfortunately, I have to spend 40 minutes on the phone trying to sort out my IT passwords as the system has gone into meltdown. I do feel for my IT colleagues as I do see doctors being really demanding and having a sense of expectation but, on the other hand, spending 40 minutes fiddling with passwords is something I could do without. This is the unglamorous side of being a doctor. It doesn't matter which grade you are in. There are co-ordinators in each department and they move around like worried aunties who are always on the edge. Beds, beds, beds. Moving patients from one bed to another. Bargaining, negotiating, cajoling. It's very much like a trading floor on the stock exchange. They harangue the junior doctors to speed up any possible discharges. I see a patient who has come in complaining about shortness of breath. She talks so fast I wonder whether her shortness of breath has a non-medical cause. I manage to get a few words in between and somehow examine her. She remarks that she has jumpers older than me. I laugh out loud. Patients sometimes say the funniest things. I move on to the next patient. The crisis, which has forced Prime Minister Theresa May to apologise, is even worse than last year - which was branded a 'humanitarian crisis' by the Red Cross MRS MAY WARNED PATIENTS ARE 'DYING PREMATURELY' IN HOSPITAL CORRIDORS, LEAKED LETTER SIGNED BY A&E CHIEFS REVEALS Furious A&E chiefs warned Prime Minister Theresa May that patients are 'dying prematurely' in hospital corridors in a scathing letter. Written by the bosses of 60 casualty units, the leaked letter reveals there are 'serious concerns' about patient safety amid the NHS' worst winter on record. Chiefs warned just 45 per cent of patients had been seen within four hours in some A&E units during the first week of January - well below recommended levels. The strongly-worded letter also revealed how levels were 'never higher than 75 per cent'. The Government time-target is 95 per cent. Their revelation, seen by HSJ, mirrors figures released by NHS England on the same day which showed waiting times reached their worst on record. Fears were raised that the problems would only worsen, amid the rapid spread of flu which some expect to be the worst outbreak in 50 years. Names on the scathing letter, dated January 10, included some of the bosses of the biggest and busiest casualty units across the country. Advertisement This one is a publican, a bit like Al Murray but without the shaved head. He definitely has the silver tongue and whilst I'm trying to take blood from him, he asks about his scan. I finish taking blood and get a chair to sit down with him. I explain that the scan has revealed some abnormalities that require further investigation. The banter dies down. It all becomes serious. I genuinely hope the next scan doesn't reveal something sinister. I see many more patients, hold about six meetings, some formal meetings and some in the corridor. I think about my friends who are lawyers and bankers, who probably sit in a really nice board room with a jug of water. All my meetings involve being on my feet. I hope I don't get varicose veins in the future. There's so much more I can write about this day, but I don't really have time. Sleep overwhelms me. Thursday, January 18: 'The crisis will happen again next winter' My alarm wakes me up at 7am. Blurry-eyed, instead of snoozing for the next 20 minutes or going down for breakfast, I scroll through the news. There's a lot in the news about this NHS crisis. There's a piece about medical students being drafted in to help out. I read with more interest. I watch a clip of a couple of really enthusiastic students on Sky News who sound like they're in a clinical exam, mumbling but somehow all the information comes out. The BMA have waged into this debate. HOW MANY CALLS HAVE BEEN MADE TO NHS 111 THIS WINTER? NHS England data, collected from all 137 trusts across the country, show the overall number of calls made to NHS 111 for each week this winter. January 22-28 January 15-21 January 8-14 January 1-7 December 25-31 December 18-24 December 11-17 December 4-10 November 27-3 328,412 324,853 322,073 395,704 480,371 396,262 325,042 267,374 300,644 Advertisement It's 7.10am. I'm reading about how they express their dismay at students being called to help out. I reminisce about my times as a student where I would gallop onto the wards and constantly ask doctors to see patients, do tasks, procedures, fill out forms, but it was something that needed to be done. I certainly haven't seen any medical students being asked to act as the cavalry and dig trenches. They actually come when they want, do what they want, get what they want and go with smiles on their faces. I have only myself to blame for not going downstairs to get breakfast today. I managed to swill down a protein shake and half a pint of water which isn't too bad. I will relish the day I get to get hash browns and beans at the canteen. Most of the area where I am working today has been cordoned off and sectioned off because of flu. A lot of my time today is being taken up by wearing protective equipment. I want to be a surgeon so it doesn't really bother me because I will have to gown up in theatres thousands of times. I have a conversation with the nurse about how many pairs of gloves the hospital actually goes through. We stop and think. Wow. A huge number. No wonder we get paid so little, most of it is being spent on equipment. I get told some inhalers can cost 60. I think about the budget of the NHS - around 120billion. It's quite a lot of money really. The bed situation is a lot better now. The pressure seems to be wearing off. There arent random flashing pop-ups on my computer screen saying black alert. However, the pace of work is still exactly the same. Trying to discharge patients who dont need to be in hospitals. Specialists coming down into A&E to work with the emergency colleagues to give an opinion that will speed up the patients duration in hospital. These shocking pictures show Kyra Dew lying in agony on the floor of A&E for more than five hours - using her coat as a pillow The trainee medic has spoken of his day-to-day dealings anonymously, as the NHS is being crippled by one of its worst ever winters on record and ambulance delays soar This will happen again next winter. I will guarantee my future mortgage on it (I dont have a house yet). I go to a bleep-free teaching session (meaning I cant be disturbed) about research literature reviews. It a chance to take a breath and gather my thoughts for the afternoon flurry of work. I see a patient who wants to discharge herself. She looks well and has steely determination to leave. Shes in her 80s and came in with alcohol withdrawal. She toddles around the bed ordering me about. I plead with her to stay. She agrees reluctantly but only because I spend 35 minutes talking to her. I manage to get home at 5.30pm but thats only because in this hospital they are very supportive. Today was a good day. Friday, January 19: 'Work morale is low' Everyone is talking about this Bawa Garba [barred by the General Medical Council for making fatal errors while caring for six-year-old Jack Adcock, who had sepsis] case in the mess, in the corridors, in theatres. I do have to admit when Ive spoken about it, it seems many of the doctors dont know the detailed facts about the case. Its gripping, like the OJ Simpson case (Im too young to remember but have watched the dramatised version). Everyone forgets to mention this poor kid that lost his life, focusing more on the legal arguments and medical ethical issues. People need to step back a second and think about this boy. The doctor, who works in a casualty unit on the south coast, told MailOnline his heartbreaking story, which he expects to face again next winter (a patient reportedly had to sleep on the floor at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield this winter) Work morale is low. Doctors are anxious not only by whats been going on in the last month but its been a steady barrage of issues. Chronic underfunding, doctors practising defensive medicine after constantly being litigated. I am sorry about this outpouring, I think the weather hasnt helped with this. Its probably a case of SAD (seasonal affective disorder) but I have seen doctors visibly stressed and overworked. I thought this winter pressure was abating. But there is a constant stream of patients, combined with being pulled left, right and centre by nurses, healthcare assistants and senior doctors. For a trainee, its more difficult. One has to swim against the tide whilst being constantly tugged from behind. I do understand why people are leaving this work environment probably because one doesnt have to put up with this riff-raff elsewhere or if they do they are being remunerated commensurately. I would love to have a couple of weeks off somewhere sunny and drink some ice cold lemonade. Thats all it would take to reset me. Despite the absence of this, I havent lost that glowing ball inside me full of warm thoughts about how I get satisfaction practising as a doctor. Im honoured and its a privilege. A woman from Germany was poisoned after eating hallucinogenic 'mad honey' that she brought back from Turkey. The unnamed patient, of Turkish descent, collapsed just an hour after eating a batch of the sweet treat and was rushed to hospital, according to a case report. The condiment is a speciality in the Black Sea area of Turkey and has been used for hundreds of years as a treatment for diabetes and sexual dysfunction. However, large amounts is known to cause dangerously low blood pressure, which can lead to heart failure if the body doesn't pump enough blood around the body. Despite her near-death ordeal, the woman still eats mad honey - which is strikingly different to the conventional honey bought in supermarkets - as her husband believes in its therapeutic benefits. The unnamed patient, of Turkish descent, collapsed just an hour after eating a batch of the sweet treat and was rushed to hospital (stock) The bizarre tale prompted interest by doctors and was published in the European Journal of Case Reports in Internal Medicine. Writing in the publication, they said: 'Historically, this poisoning is mentioned over the millennia as mad honey disease.' The woman, believed to be from Oberhausen, began vomiting and sweating before she eventually collapsed in the street. Her husband rushed her straight to St Marienhospital, where tests showed she had bradycardia. They thought her dangerously low blood pressure was triggered by a heart attack and she was whisked away to intensive care. WHAT IS MAD HONEY AND HOW DANGEROUS IS IT? 'Mad honey' is made from the nectar of certain species of the rhododendron plant, which then contains grayanotoxin - a natural neurotoxin. It can be found in the region of Turkey closest to the Black Sea, the mountains of Nepal and in some parts of the US. Doctors claim the sweet treat has long been used for its supposed therapeutic properties in treating diabetes and sexual dysfunction. However, it causes nausea, vomiting, hallucinations and leads to bradycardia - dangerously low blood pressure. In some cases, it can lead to death, reportedly. Most cases of poisoning have occurred in Turkey, but global travel is allowing cases to crop up all over the world. Writing in the European Journal of Case Reports in Internal Medicine, doctors at Marienhospital, Oberhausen, Germany, revealed it has been used in ancient wars. Advertisement However, laboratory tests came back negative and doctors asked her spouse about her history to determine the cause of her poor health. A chat between her husband and doctors then revealed the patient had consumed a Turkish honey around an hour before her symptoms began. He warned that she had taken a 'bit more than usual' - before telling medics he had seen 'strong men' left 'almost dead' after eating the same honey. The husband, who is also unidentified, was asked to collect a sample of the Turkish honey for specialists at the hospital to inspect. Doctors were left urgently scrambling to find a 'honey specialist' before they came across one at a German institute for consumer protection. They revealed it was likely the cause of her symptoms was down to grayanotoxin, which can be found in some types of honey in the Black Sea area. The natural neurotoxin is found in certain species of rhododendron plants, which is then passed onto the bees who pollinate the colourful flowers. Most cases of poisoning have occurred in Turkey, but global travel is allowing cases to crop up all over the world. German specialists were unable to measure the level of grayanotoxins in patient serum because they didn't have the necessary equipment. A microscopic analysis of the honey tested positive for grayanotoxins, which can also be found in certain honeys made in Nepal. The woman made a full recovery within 24 hours. Concerned surgeons have blasted the expensive penis whitening fad that is making headlines in Thailand. They have warned the bizarre procedure, considered unsafe, could leave men with burns, scars and taut skin. Health officials in Thailand have already warned of the potential side effects of the procedure, including infections and serious scarring. And now leading plastic surgeons have spoke of their fears of the procedure, which often involves lasers beamed onto delicate skin. They have warned the bizarre procedure, considered unsafe, could leave men with burns, scars and taut skin Dr Massimiliano Brambilla, a Milan-based plastic surgeon who specialises in genital procedures, told AFP: 'I think it should not be done in a patient that doesn't need it. 'Most of the substances that are used to whiten... are quite aggressive. Whitening is one of those things that I am very careful of.' Dr Fabien Boucher, from Lyon, France, another practitioner of 'intimate' procedures, said: 'Honestly, I don't think they should be doing it.' It comes after it was revealed that at least 100 men a month are undergoing the procedure at The Lelux Hospital in Bangkok. Specialists at the clinic began offering the unconventional treatment six months ago, at a cost of 460 ($650) for five laser sessions. Dr Mingkwan Wichaidit, director of Thailand's Department of Medical Services, said a penis is bound to return to its natural color. Human bodies will continue to produce melanin, the pigment that gives our skin its distinct tone, even after the expensive treatment. This natural process will reverse the whitening over time. Dr Mingkwan noted last month that there was no evidence to suggest the process was 100 per cent safe on any kind of genital area. Dr Thongchai Teerahattayakorn, of the Health Service Support Department, added that penis whitening could potentially affect men's fertility. Speaking about the rise in penis whitening, Dr Boucher said: 'I think it's linked to the pornographisation of society.' He warned that people today see an 'unrealistic' view of genitals, and that they are often manipulated to represent those of young people. Dr Boucher revealed that it is normal for the genitals to be more darkly coloured than the rest of the skin. He said: 'A key defect of our penile reconstruction procedure is that we end up with white penises which are visibly not natural.' Another reason for the Thai trend is cultural. The Asia Pacific region is a major market for skin lighteners. Dr Boucher stressed there has been little scientific research into the use of lasers and chemicals for penis-whitening. And no bleaching techniques or products have been developed uniquely for use in this sensitive area. 'The skin of the penis is different' to that of the face or body, for which the existing products were conceived, said Dr Boucher. 'It is a thin skin... and we do not yet fully understand how it will react. If the colour is uniform, I really see no need. 'But even if there is a reason for intervention, such as an accident, the instruments that we have now to do it, they cannot guarantee... the safety of what you're doing.' Migrants will be charged twice as much to access the NHS under plans announced yesterday. Workers from outside the EU will have to hand over 400 a year instead of 200 as part of a Government bid to clamp down on so-called health tourism. The planned hike is expected to raise 220million a year, with the money going back to NHS services. But the new charge is less than the 600 promised in the Conservative manifesto last year. Sources close to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said after a consultation the Government had decided to bring the fee, known as the immigration health surcharge, in line with the actual costs to the NHS of treating those people. The Department of Health and Social Care estimates that the NHS spends 470 on average per person per year on treating surcharge payers. Workers from outside the EU will have to hand over 400 a year instead of 200 as part of a Government bid to clamp down on so-called health tourism Health minister James OShaughnessy said: Our NHS is always there when you need it, paid for by British taxpayers. We welcome long-term migrants using the NHS, but it is only right that they make a fair contribution to its long term sustainability. By increasing the surcharge so that it better reflects the actual costs of using health services, this Government is providing an extra 220million a year to support the NHS. Immigration minister Caroline Nokes added: It is only right that people who come to the UK should contribute to the running of the NHS. The surcharge offers access to healthcare services that are far more comprehensive and at a much lower cost than many other countries. Migrant workers from outside the EU are currently charged 200 per year to use the health service as part of their immigration applications, while overseas students pay 150. The charge applies to temporary migrants who are seeking to live in the UK for six months or more in order to work, study or join family members. Sources close to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt (pictured) said after a consultation the Government had decided to bring the fee, known as the immigration health surcharge, in line with the actual costs to the NHS The levy generated 164million in 2015-16. Under the new plans, the fee will rise from 200 to 400 per year, with students and those on the Youth Mobility Scheme charged 300. The Government plans to make the changes later this year. The payment is made at the same time as the immigration application, and the person is then exempt from NHS overseas visitor treatment charges. It is payable until the person is granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK, or exits the country at the end of their visa period. Those with indefinite leave to remain are exempt from the surcharge, as are asylum seekers, refugees and those who have been identified as victims of trafficking or modern slavery. The Government has repeatedly promised to crack down on health tourism. By law, only patients who are ordinarily resident in the UK and have lived here for at least six months are eligible for free treatment, operations and scans. But A&E treatment and GP services are free for all. A report by the National Audit Office in 2016 revealed how hospitals were failing to claw back hundreds of millions of pounds from health tourists. The NAO analysed hospital accounts and also reviewed a survey of 2,170 hospital staff on their awareness of payments. This found that 42 per cent of doctors and 55 per cent of nurses did not realise overseas patients needed to be charged. In one case a Nigerian woman who cost the taxpayer 145,000 when she had quintuplets on the NHS said she was never billed for the treatment. Bimbo Ayelabola, 38, had to have a caesarean section at Homerton Hospital, East London, after travelling to the UK while pregnant in 2011. In 2015, the Daily Mail tracked Miss Ayelabola down to her home city of Lagos where her five children were attending an expensive private school. She was working as a successful makeup artist charging 40 per hour and drove a car that cost 17,000. When confronted, she said: If [health tourism] is a problem, you should talk to the NHS. I have never received my bill. If I had it, I would pay it. A university student has been left with a 'trout pout' after waking up with a rare skin infection that causes her lips to swell. Holly of Hertfordshire, woke up in agony last May with her lips three times their usual size. She presumed she had suffered a severe allergic reaction, however after visiting A&E doctors were left baffled by her symptoms. It took seven months and three operations before Holly was diagnosed with a skin infection called Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL). The toxin, produced by Staphyloccocus aureus bacteria, kills skin tissue and can cause abscesses under the skin that can spread across the face. Despite trying 15 different courses of antibiotics, she is still plagued by flare ups every two weeks and requires morphine to control her pain. And if the infections aren't treated, the 23 year old - who has been left with scars on her face - could be at risk of sepsis, swelling on the brain or pneumonia. Holly from Hertfordshire, woke up in agony last May with her lips three times their usual size (pictured before her ordeal) It took seven months and three operations before Holly was diagnosed with a skin infection called Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), which causes her lips to swell Speaking for the first time, she is now sharing her story to raise awareness for PVL and symptoms it causes. Holly said: 'I woke up one morning and my lips had tripled in size, I had no idea why and took myself to hospital. 'It was really painful and the swelling was spreading up my face as doctors struggled to find the cause. 'I was so worried and in the end I had a local anaesthetic to drain the fluid from my lips. 'Doctors tested me for all sorts of infections such as HIV, herpes and other STI's, as they tried to find out why my lips had swelled. 'And as the months passed, other parts of my face would swell up every couple of weeks including, my chin, cheeks, lips, it was so painful.' She presumed she had suffered a severe allergic reaction, however after visiting A&E doctors were left baffled by her symptoms (pictured recently, not suffering from a flare-up) Despite trying 15 different courses of antibiotics, she is still plagued by flare ups every two weeks. And if the infections aren't treated, the 23 year old - who has been left with scars on her face - could be at risk of sepsis, swelling on the brain or pneumonia She added: 'I lost all my confidence and used bandages as a way to disguise my face when I went outdoors. 'And as baffled doctors tried different antibiotics every other week, nothing kept the infections at bay. WHAT IS PANTON VALENTINE LEUKOCIDIN? Panton Valentine leukocidin is a toxin produced by the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. It can kill white blood cells and cause damage to skin and deeper tissues, say the British Association of Dermatologists. Most active infections present as recurrent boils and abscesses, but it can lead to serious infections which can cause the skin and tissues to die, and may be life threatening As well as being hard to kill, it is able to infect healthy people. In 2010, there were 2,227 cases of PVL in England, up from 224 in 2005. Sports players who share towels, razors and ice baths are at risk of catching the potentially fatal infection, doctors warned in 2014. One in three people have S.aureus living harmlessly on their skin and in their nose. It is only when bacteria get into a wound that they cause problems. Advertisement 'It was a relief when I was finally diagnosed with PVL in December, but so far no treatment currently works. 'If the abscesses are drained that eases the pressure on my face but I have been left with scars because of this. 'But after nine months of battling against the abscesses I'm now doing my best to raise awareness so anyone else suffering against the condition doesn't feel alone.' Holly - who is studying a masters degree in paediatric neuropsychology - has to visit A&E every two weeks due to the pain PVL causes. She said: 'I'll take morphine the pain is so strong and if I don't need the swelling drained, I will just have to wait for it to reduce. 'It's hard to date people too as one week I can be fine and my face can be normal but then the next it can be swollen. 'I do try and explain that I have PVL but no one has heard of it and I don't know anyone in the UK that has had it for as long as me. 'I will always know when I'm about to have an outbreak as I will feel lumps at the back of my neck. 'My face is normally the part that's affected most but I have had it on my leg before. 'Each time I have a new abscess it leaves a scar behind but I have learnt to embrace them.' Since battling PVL, Holly now feels more confident than ever before and goes outside showing her scars, bandages and swellings. She contacted the British Skin Foundation after her diagnosis and is trying to support others who also have PVL. Dr Emma Wedgeworth, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson, said: 'PVL staph is an unusual strain of a commonly occurring bacteria known as staphylococcus aureus. 'It produces a toxin which can result in deep seated skin infections such as abcesses, which often require drainage. 'Occasionally it can produce more serious complications such as pneumonia. 'PVL staph often occurs in fit, young healthy individuals, particularly those living in crowded conditions. It was first described amongst military personnel.' Speaking for the first time, Holly is now sharing her story to raise awareness for PVL and symptoms it causes A man suffers from an excruciating skin condition that has left it cracked and black, and causes it to shed every 10 days. Om Prakash, 35, dubbed 'snake man', is unable to walk as the friction created by moving causes his skin to crack and heavily bleed. Unable to afford medical treatment, Mr Prakash, who suffers from erythroderma, has only ever visited faith healers, who claim he is cursed by God and will never be cured. Despite his condition, Mr Prakash, who is forced to moisturise his skin with oil and water every two hours, is well loved, with local villagers affectionately calling him 'Tirku', meaning flaky skin, and donating oil to ease his discomfort. Mr Prakash, from the village Sarjupura Bachedi, in central India, said: 'My skin is painful and irritating. I want to get rid of this condition so I can live a normal life, get married and work with my brothers.' The villagers hope by speaking out they can raise awareness of Mr Prakash's condition, which may cause the Indian Government to fund his treatment. Rajender Singh Tomar, the village head said: 'He is a wonderful young man. Despite his painful condition, he always smiles. He never complains to anyone about his problems.' Om Prakash suffers from an excruciating skin condition that leaves it cracked and black Mr Prakash, who sheds skin every 10 days, cannot walk as the friction cause him to bleed Unable to afford treatment, faith healers say he is cursed by God and will never heal 'I shed skin like a snake every 10 days' Mr Prakash said: 'I have [had] this disease since childhood. My whole body itches badly; at times my legs start bleeding. I have pain and inflammation all over my body. 'My skin is so dry that it is very thick and flaky. I shed skin like a snake every 10 days. This is why people have named me Tirku. 'But I am fortunate as no one makes fun of me. Despite my skin resembling a snake skin, people behave with me nicely. They offer me tobacco and food. They treat me like a special person.' Mr Prakash started showing signs of the condition, called Erythroderma, at just five days old In a viscous cycle, itching causes his skin to peel off, leaving it in a worse condition than before Despite being told he has no hope, Mr Prakash wishes to heal so he can one day get married He also wants to work alongside his four brothers, who are unaffected, as a farm labourer WHAT IS ERYTHRODERMA? Erythroderma describes intensive, widespread reddening of the skin due to an inflammatory condition. Erythroderma describes intensive, widespread reddening of the skin Also known as 'red-man syndrome', it is associated with skin peeling off in layers. Erythroderma can occur at any age and is around three times more common in males. It affects around one in 100,000 adults in the US and UK. Around 30 per cent of cases have no obvious cause, however, erythroderma is associated with: Drug complications Eczema Psoriasis It can also occur as a sign of a condition, such as lymphoma or leukaemia, or an HIV infection. As well as red, itchy skin, other symptoms include: Warm skin Eyelid swelling Hair loss Thick, ridged nails Swollen lymph nodes Known as 'red-man syndrome', it is associated with skin peeling off in layers Erythroderma can lead to complications including fever, temperature dysregulation, skin infection and general poor health, which can cause pneumonia. Treatment usually involves hospitalisation to monitor fluid balance, circulation and body temperature. Patients should also keep their skin moist with emollients and wet dressings. Antihistamines can ease itching. Erythroderma can be cured if the underlying cause is obvious and treatable. Source: DermNet New Zealand Advertisement 'I want to live a normal life, get married and work' Mr Prakash started showing signs of the disorder at just five days old. Ummed, 40, his eldest brother, who is not affected by the condition, said: 'It started with dryness in his skin that later turned thick and flaky, and started peeling off itself. 'As he grew older, his itchy skin turned back and hard. It became a cycle; he would scratch the itchy skin, it [would] turn red, and then thick and black, before peeling off. 'We have always seen him struggling in pain. But he is a very sweet person. He never complains and troubles us.' Due to his condition, Mr Prakash cannot help his four brothers, who work as daily-wage labours, but spends his days making clay dolls for village children. He said: 'I like to make toys for kids. I feel joy when they are happy. 'It reminds me of my childhood. I was a happy child and would play whole day, running and playing hide and seek. 'But now I cannot do anything. I cannot earn for my parents so I make dolls. In return the villagers give me money, food and tobacco. 'I hope one day I could save enough to see doctors who can give me medicines to treat my condition. 'My skin is painful and irritating. I want to get rid of this condition so I can also live a normal life, get married and work with my brothers.' Local villagers say Mr Prakash has battled the disorder all his life, but has deteriorated with age Mr Prakash says he has inflammation all over his body, which is painful and irritating Mr Prakah's family have raised money to pay for journeys to local towns for treatment but are unable to send him to cities for medical intervention (pictured with his mother Gulabo, 50) 'He never complains to anyone' Villagers pity Mr Prakash and hope he will on day be offered treatment for free. Rajender Singh Tomar, the village head said: 'He is a wonderful young man. Despite his painful condition, he always smiles. He never complains to anyone about his problems. 'I have seen him since childhood. He has always been like this but with age, his condition has deteriorated. 'We hope he can get medical attention soon so he can be treated and live a normal, happy life like his other brothers.' Despite his condition, Mr Prakash is well liked by local villagers, who donate oil to help his skin They affectionately call him 'Tirku', meaning flaky skin, and do not mock his disorder Despite being in agonising pain, many note Mr Prakash is always smiling and never complains Diabetics are twice as likely to develop cataracts than adults who don't suffer from the killer condition, new research suggests. Women sufferers had the greatest risk of cataracts - the leading cause of blindness across the world that starts as a clouding of the lens in the eye. And the 15-year study concluded that middle-aged patients were nearly six times more likely to develop the vision-robbing condition. It is unsure why diabetes leads to cataracts, however, charities consider it a known complication for adults with poorly managed blood sugar levels. Cataracts often strike older adults, and gradually worsen their vision over time. It's estimated to strike 4.5 million over-65s in England. Surgery costing 750 per eye can reverse the condition, and patients claim that it transforms their lives and allows them to regain their independence. Diabetics are twice as likely to develop cataracts than adults who don't suffer from the killer condition, new research suggests However, the Mail has campaigned for years to end the postcode lottery that has led to thousands being denied the straightforward 30 minute operations. Health watchdogs ordered the end of the shameful rationing of the procedures back in October, and sufferers can now get it as soon as their life is affected by vision loss. The latest study involved a team of international researchers from Anglia Ruskin University, University Hospitals Bristol, Switzerland and Boston University. It aimed to assess incidence rates of cataracts in 56,000 patients, all aged over 40, with diabetes. Cataracts are a known complication of diabetes. The participants were all followed for 15 years to determine the link between the two conditions, which has existed for years. WHO IS CATARACT SURGERY OFFERED TO IN ENGLAND? Thousands of patients will be offered cataract surgery under the first national guidelines to end the lottery in treatment, it was revealed last August. In a victory for the Mail, the health watchdog announced that patients should be offered help as soon as their quality of life is impaired. NHS trusts were also told to abandon the sight tests which mean many are refused surgery until they are nearly blind. And they were instructed to offer surgery for both eyes at once, rather than only for the one which is worse. Officials wanted to end the shameful postcode lottery which has led to many sufferers being denied the straightforward 30-minute operations. As many as half of the over-65s have cataracts some 4.5million adults in England. They occur when the eye becomes cloudy with age. Yet before the move, patients in some areas of the country are four times as likely to be offered corrective surgery than those living elsewhere. This is due to irrational rules set by most NHS trusts which state patients can only have treatment if their sight has deteriorated below a certain level. Many sufferers had been told they still do not qualify for surgery despite being unable to read without a magnifying glass, drive or recognise friends faces. The guidelines from watchdog Nice due in October were a huge victory for the Mail, which has long campaigned against the current unfair system. Advertisement The research, published in the journal Eye, found that cataracts was diagnosed at an overall rate of 20.4 per 1,000 people with diabetes. In comparison, just 10.8 per 1,000 of the general population were diagnosed with cataracts - which is also linked to smoking and boozing. Diabetics aged between 45 and 54 were considerably more likely than non-sufferers to develop cataract, with their risk being 4.6 times higher. And those aged between 50 and 54 were nearly 6 times more likely to develop cataracts, according to the results. Professor Rupert Bourne, co-author, at Anglia Ruskin University, said: 'Cataract is the primary cause of blindness worldwide. 'It is defined as a decrease in the transparency of the crystalline lens and can be further differentiated into nuclear, cortical, or posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC). 'Main risk factors in the developed world, besides advanced age, appear to be smoking, exposure to sunlight, and use of corticosteroids. 'A potential association between female gender and cataract remains controversial. Several studies have reported diabetes as a risk factor for cataract. 'However, there are only few studies conducted with data from the UK, and only one previous study from the 1980s reported on incidence rates of cataract in a diabetic population.' Faye Riley, Diabetes UK research communications officer, said: 'This large study adds to an existing body of research linking diabetes with a greater risk of cataracts. 'While this study doesn't prove diabetes directly causes cataracts, we know that people with diabetes are at increased risk of problems with their eyes, which if left untreated could lead to visual impairment, and even blindness. 'That's why it's really important that people with diabetes have regular eye checks to ensure that any early signs of eye damage can be identified and treated before turning into serious problems.' There are 3.8 million diabetes patients in the UK - with 90 per cent having type 2. Drugs to treat the conditions cost the NHS a tenth of its yearly budget. In the US, there are 29 million diabetics, with a similar breakdown between type 1 and 2, with the latter often triggered by poor lifestyles. The World Health Organization issued a warning to say the world is facing 'a growing diabetes epidemic of potentially devastating proportions' in 2004. Katharine Gallagher, 27, died on December 5, 2017, in her Tustin, California, home. The Boston University graduate started experiencing flu-like symptoms on Thursday night and went to the doctor on Sunday where was sent home with antibiotics. Two days later her boyfriend came home to find her dead on the bathroom floor after she appeared to be getting better that morning . She had caught severe acute bronchial pneumonia. Jonah Smith, 17, died December 29, 2017, when his heart stopped beating in the backseat of his sister's car. His family said he showed no flu-like symptoms except he had complained of a backache, but continued to go to work at a fast-food restaurant and see friends. After his death, doctors confirmed that the teen from Arizona had the flu and pneumonia and believe he may have suffered from an underlying medical condition, though he was never known to have one. Kyler Baughmen, 21, became sick on December 23, 2017, with a mild cough and runny nose. The body builder celebrated Christmas and went back to work December 26, but the following day was rushed to the hospital. He died on December 28 from kidney failure due to septic shock caused by the flu. Jeremy Westerman, 27, fell ill with the swine flu around Christmas. The fitness trainer had symptoms of nausea and lethargy but did not seek treatment. His parents say he became violently ill on January 2 and went to bed with a high fever and died in his sleep. He was one of at least 20 to die of the virus in the Dallas-Fort Worth area this flu season. Katie Oxley Thomas, 40, of San Jose, California, died of the flu just 48 hours of falling ill. The mother-of-three and marathon runner's condition declined so quickly that she was moved to intensive care, placed on life support and died all in the span of 15 hours on January 4, 2018. Her family said she had received her flu shot before getting sick. Jenny Ching, 51, went to the hospital in Massachusetts with flu-like symptoms. After being diagnosed with the flu she developed an infection and pneumonia. The mother-of-two died on January 6, 2018, just a week after being diagnosed. Jonah Rieben, four, died on January 6, 2018, just hours after first showing symptoms, making him the first child to die from the flu in Ohio this season. The boy who loved to play with his 16 adoptive siblings was born with Noonan syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes heart defects and developmental delays. Doctors are still investigating if his condition contributed to his death. Jonah's older brother, who also suffers from a disorder, is in the hospital with a severe case of the flu. Nico Mallozzi, 10, of New Canaan in Connecticut, had been sick and bed-bound all weekend during the hockey tournament in Buffalo, New York, forcing him to miss every game. Eventually, he was hospitalized and diagnosed with Influenza B, which had developed into pneumonia and caused sepsis. He died on Sunday January 14, 2018, in a Buffalo hospital. Zainab Momin, a third-grader of Montgomery, Alabama, died on Tuesday January 16, 2018. She died in hospital the day her school was closed due to snowy weather. More details are pending about her specific case and symptoms. She is the first child to die of the flu in Alabama this season. Amanda Franks, 38, was killed by the flu on January 17 after being diagnosed just three days prior. The mother-of-four from New Hampshire was prescribed Tamiflu but did not take it because 'the doctor said the side effects were a lot of times worse than the flu'. Septic shock set in and she died in the ambulance on her way to the hospital. Emily Grace Muth, six, was killed by the flu on Friday January 19, 2018. She first fell ill on that Tuesday and went to urgent care where she received Tamiflu. By Friday her breathing was labored and her mother called the ambulance but they said to keep her hydrated and she would be okay within a week. Hours later she stopped breathing and died. Tandy Harmon, a 36-year-old mother-of-two in Oregon died on Friday, January 19, 2018. She went to the hospital with flu symptoms on Wednesday, but was told to go home to rest and hydrate. Hours later, Harmon was back in the emergency room, where she quickly declined and had to be placed on life support by that evening. Harmon had developed MRSA and pneumonia and died two days later. Lily Kershaw, 5, died of the flu on January 22 in Nebraska. She was the first child to die of flu-related causes in the state so far this season, although there have been 21 adult fatalities so far. More details are pending about her specific case and symptoms. Dylan Winnik, 12, died of the flu on Tuesday January 23, 2018. He fell ill two days earlier and his parents thought he had the common cold because his symptoms were mild. The seventh-grader died two days later. Dylan is the first flu death in Palm Beach County, Florida, this season. Timothy Schell, 51, died of the flu on January 31, just days after taking a flight from his home state of Michigan to Colorado. He suddenly developed symptoms after landing in Colorado where he and his wife, Dana, intended to spend their vacation skiing. Schell - nicknamed 'Smiley' - was young at heart and always laughing, his obituary said. Savanna Jessie, seven, was killed by the flu on Thursday February 1, 2018. The first-grader was found unresponsive in her Columbus, Indiana, home the morning after. She was taken to the hospital where she received treatment but was sent home and put to bed. She tested positive for influenza B, strep throat and scarlet fever at the time of her death. Angie Barwise, a 58-year-old who beat the flu once this season, was killed by another strain of the virus on February 3, 2018. The grandmother from Fort Worth, Texas, was diagnosed with influenza Type A three days after Christmas and recovered after being prescribed Tamiflu. She fell ill again weeks later and was diagnosed with influenza Type B, which led to pneumonia and sepsis, killing her. Jenna Libinsky, 24, died on February 7 in a Las Vegas hospital after coming down with the flu in late January. She had gone to the doctor five times in eight days after January 25, but wasn't feeling better despite treatment. After her death, her father Neil said that the family just thought it was a bad chest cold. Heather Holland, 38 died from the flu on February 11 in Weatherford, Texas. The mother-of-two hesitated to buy the Tamiflu prescribed by her doctor because, as she told her husband, it 'cost too much'. Within four days of her diagnosis, Heather's body had gone into septic shock, a condition that ultimately killed her. Aaron Masterson, 12, was declared brain dead and taken off of life support on February 11. Aaron, a middle-schooler from Huntsville, Alabama, suffered from cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that damages the lungs and restricts the ability to breathe. His pre-existing condition weakened his immune system, making his flu diagnosis far more severe and caused him to suffer brain damage. Aaron was one of more than 63 children to be killed by the flu this season. Nevaeh Hernandez, six, died from the flu on February 12, in spite of getting vaccinated against the illness. The first hospital Nevaeh went to reportedly failed to diagnose the virus and sent her home with a 104 degree fever. After her condition continued to worsen, her mother took her to another hospital where she slipped into a coma. Her father, who is in armed services and was stationed in Germany, flew home after hearing she was in a coma but she had died by the time he arrived. BYD to release two pure electric SUVs with maximum range of 400km Shanghai (Gasgoo)- BYD will release two pure electric SUVs in 2018, the Yuan EV360 and the Song EV 400. Specifically, the Song EV 400 will have a range of 400km, compared with the existing model's range of 300km. BYD Song EV 400 will feature an upgraded energy storage device, which will replace the lithium-iron phosphate battery with ternary lithium-ion phosphate battery. The new battery boasts high energy density, excellent low-temperature resistance and high-rate discharge property, offering a longer range and higher charging efficiency. The BYD Yuan EV 360 adopts a big-mouth net-shaped intake grille in its front end. The model's A-pillar and body features a design with different colors and its outside rear-view mirrors are black and blue. Moreover, the model features double waistline style on body side and a luggage rack on its roof. It is revealed that the new model will hit the market in the second quarter this year. In terms of powertrains, the EV360 is equipped with lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt batteries and a permanent magnet synchronous motor, delivering a maximum power output of 70kW and a highest speed of 120km/h, which is more powerful than the BAIC BJEV EX series. A tiny caterpillar is causing thousands of abortions and miscarriages in horses and costing the Australian equine industry millions. But researchers at the University of Queensland are working to help combat the issues in thoroughbred mares and the foals. It is estimated the disease brought on by bacteria when horses accidentally eat bag-shelter moth caterpillars, covered in millions of hairs, is costing the industry up to $11 million per year. It is estimated the deaths brought on by the caterpillars is costing the Australian equine industry millions a year Horses contract a disease called equine amnionitis and fetal loss (EAFL) from the bag-shelter moth caterpillars. The condition was first discovered in the Hunter Valley in 2004. It causes inflammation to layers of the placenta harming the foal during pregnancy. This then allows bacteria to travel through the mare's blood and tissues and passed onto its foal through the uterus. A research team led by Professor Meron Zalucki from the University of Queensland is working with the horseracing industry to try to manage and cut down the impact on horses. He said: 'The caterpillars are covered with up to two-and-a-half million dangerous tiny hairs, and horses inadvertently ingest them or their nest remains. 'Losses may occur from early pregnancy through to term and some foals may be born at term and then develop illness and die soon after birth as a result of EAFL.' Of the 46,000 pregnancies in horses around Australia, around 8.5% lead to the loss of the foal. In a third of cases in New South Wales thoroughbreds, EAFL has been found to be the cause of the abortions. Bag-shelter moth caterpillars are covered in more than two million tiny hairs which can lead to a bacteria infection in horses This represents the 'single biggest diagnosed cause of abortion in the thoroughbred breeding industry' in Australia, Professor Zalucki told Daily Mail Australia. 'The industry-wide economic cost of aborted foals due to EAFL is very significant. 'A reduction in the occurrence of EAFL by 5075% will be of significant financial benefit to the horse breeding industry with flow-on effects to the agricultural and recreational horse sectors as well,' he added. 'We suspect as they move through paddocks they are inadvertently ingested by horses,' Professor Zalucki said. 'Nests of the canopy form falling into paddocks are full of these setae and may pollute a large area and be ingested.' Farm owners and horse breeders are being advised about how to reduce the chances of horses eating the nests of the caterpillars, including removing nests from around their paddocks. Humans can get an irritating rash if they come into contact with the hairy caterpillars. Professor Zalucki explained: 'It's important to be careful and to wear protective equipment when handling caterpillar material as the hairs can cause skin irritation and potentially get into eyes.' Richard Hammond has damaged his brain after a series of terrible crashes, says Jeremy Clarkson. The 48-year-old TV star was in a coma for two weeks after he suffered severe head injuries after crashing a jet-powered dragster at 288mph near York while filming Top Gear. Clarkson told the Sunday Mirror: 'Well it's not his fault , it is because he cannot drive and he went upside down and damaged his brain. Forgetful: Clarkson has spoken out about his co-star's terrible memory, and said it 'is because he cannot drive and he went upside down and damaged his brain' Fans were left terrified last year when Hammond flipped an electric supercar which then burst into flames, and he was airlifted to hospital 'He has no capacity for remembering anything and some of it is because he is not interested in anything and some of it is because he has brain damage.' In June last year, fans were left terrified again when Richard was airlifted to hospital following his accident in June after flipping a 2million electric supercar which then burst into flames as he filmed Amazon show The Grand Tour. But he miraculously escaped the fireball horror with little more than a fractured knee and was 'conscious and talking' after freeing himself from the vehicle. In 2006 Hammond nearly died after crashing a jet powered car at 288 mph and slipped into a coma during an attempt to break the British land speed record for the BBC show 57-year-old Clarkson went on to describe the issue with Hammond's memory: 'He has no capacity for remembering anything and some of it is because he is no interested in anything and some of it is because he has brain damage' The duo still have a great time working together - Clarkson said: 'There are moments where I laughed so much, you know that dangerous laughter when you think, "If I do not breathe I'll suffocate.'" His Grand Tour colleagues May and Clarkson were 'staggered' he survived because there was 'nothing left' of the vehicle. In 2006 Hammond nearly died after crashing a jet powered car at 288 mph and slipped into a coma during an attempt to break the British land speed record for the BBC show. He was driving a jet-powered Vampire dragster when the front-right tyre burst leading the vehicle to spin out of control during a stunt at Elvington airfield near York. Hammond's Grand Tour colleagues May and Clarkson were 'staggered' he survived his crash last year because there was 'nothing left' of the vehicle The Grand Tour Mozambique Special will be available on Amazon Prime Video from February 16 Hammond suffered serious head injuries and he was in hospital for five weeks before returning home to his wife Mindy and their two daughters, Isabella and Willow. The TV presenter, nicknamed 'Hamster', later told how he struggled 'mortally with depression' and spoke regularly to a psychiatrist following the incident. The duo still have a great time working together - Clarkson said: 'There are moments where I laughed so much, you know that dangerous laughter when you think, "If I do not breathe I'll suffocate.'" Grand Tour Mozambique Special will be available to watch on Amazon Prime Video from February 16. North Korea slammed President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on Sunday. A North Korean official said the country's nuclear capabilities would 'deter Trump and his lackeys from showing off on the Korean peninsula.' In his address last week, Trump said that 'no regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea.' 'We need only look at the depraved character of the North Korean regime to understand the nature of the nuclear threat it could pose to America and to our allies,' Trump said. This September 4, 2017 photo shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un attending a meeting with a committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. On Sunday, North Korea slammed President Donald Trump's State of the Union address On Sunday, a North Korean foreign ministry official shot back at the president. 'If Trump does not get rid of his anachronistic and dogmatic way of thinking, it will only bring about the consequence of further endangering security and future of the United States,' the official said, in comments carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. The official disputed Trump's claim in his address that the United States had 'made incredible progress and achieved extraordinary success' over the last year, calling it 'the height of Trump-style arrogance, arbitrariness and self-conceit.' U.S. President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018 Trump sought to connect his presidency to the nation's prosperity in his first State of the Union address, arguing that the U.S. has arrived at a 'new American moment' of wealth and opportunity Trump also said in his speech that the U.S. was 'waging a campaign of maximum pressure' to prevent North Korea from being able to attack the U.S. with nuclear weapons. The foreign ministry official said that North Korea's 'self-reliant defense capability with the nuclear force as its backbone will, however, completely deter Trump and his lackeys from showing off on the Korean peninsula.' On Friday, Trump sought to increase pressure on Pyongyang over its nuclear program by consulting with allies and highlighting the human rights abuses suffered by defectors from North Korea. Trump hosted about a half-dozen North Korean defectors in the Oval Office, including Ji Seong-ho, who had used crutches to escape the reclusive country after a train ran over his limbs. Days earlier, Ji raised his crutches in triumph when Trump singled him out during his State of the Union address. Trump has expressed a willingness to deal with rising tensions with Pyongyang through diplomacy, but he has said the United States would use military force on North Korea if needed. Chlorine gas left civilians gasping for air in a rebel-held Syrian town after a chemical attack as Bashar al-Assad's regime launched a wave of airstrikes, activists have claimed. Victims had to be hosed down with water after being poisoned in the helicopter attack on Saraqeb in Idlib province. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a 'foul smell after regime aircraft struck several areas of the town, causing civilians to suffer from suffocation'. Chlorine gas left civilians gasping for air in a rebel-held Syrian town after a chemical attack as Bashar al-Assad's regime launched a wave of airstrikes, activists have claimed. Pictured: rescuers at work after a strike on Kafr Nabl in Idlib It quoted residents and medical sources as saying 'toxic gas' was used in the attack, without elaborating. Syrian regime air strikes also killed six civilians in the town of Kafr Nabi, near Maaret al Numan in the southern countryside of Idlib province, the Observatory said. Four other civilians were killed in regime bombing on Maaret al Numan and Maasarin. The Observatory also said that 'airplanes believed to be Russian hit the main hospital in Maaret al Numan causing damage'. The facility shut down until repairs could be carried out, the war monitor said. The latest developments come as the United States this week accused the Syrian regime of using chemical weapons on opposition forces near the capital Damascus. Syrian regime air strikes also killed six civilians in the town of Kafr Nabi (pictured), near Maaret al Numan in the southern countryside of Idlib province, the Observatory said The Syrian foreign ministry denied the accusations as 'lies'. US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters on Friday his government was concerned sarin gas may have been recently used in Syria, citing reports from NGOs and rebel groups. These reports said toxic gas has been used. Mattis however said the United States has no proof to support these accusations. Last month, 21 people were treated for respiratory problems after rockets were fired on the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta outside Damascus. Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly has said he regrets removing a clamp from his car with bolt-cutters and has paid his fine. The North Belfast politician was reported to police for alleged criminal damage after he was filmed removing the clamp from his car outside a Belfast gym. He said he was under pressure to get to talks at Stormont when he realised his car had been clamped on Friday. Gerry Kelly, Sinn Fein's policing spokesman, has been questioned by police after footage emerged which appeared to show him removing a clamp from his car After being unable to contact the clamping company Mr Kelly said he borrowed blot cutters from the gym and removed the clamp - a decision he now regrets. The 64-year-old said: 'I came out of the gym just after 8am to head to Stormont for talks. I saw that my car had been clamped. I phoned the number on the notice and the only response I got was music. 'I then went in to the Mac (Metropolitan Arts Centre) and asked had they another number for the company. I immediately rang that number and this number was out of use.' Mr Kelly said he had voluntarily met police The MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) said he was 'under pressure to get to the talks meetings', adding: 'I remembered that the gym had a set of bolt cutters and I borrowed them. 'Let me add that staff at the gym were not aware what I was using the bolt cutters for. 'I then removed the clamp. I made an on-the-spot decision which I now regret. 'I have contacted the company and paid the fine. The issue has now been resolved.' The incident happened near the Mac in Belfast. The clamp was fitted by a private company called Parking and Enforcement Agency (PEA). Footage of the incident was posted on social media. On Sunday evening Mr Kelly tweeted that 'no one can be above the law' and that he had made a voluntary arrangement to meet police for an interview. He added he wanted the matter resolved 'as soon as possible'. Kelly tweeted this message yesterday evening, saying he had spoken to Belfast police Mr Kelly, pictured with Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams, has faced calls to stand down over the video His actions were criticised by other political parties, with the DUP said Sinn Fein's leadership faces a 'significant test'. Deputy leader Nigel Dodds said he was not holding his breath waiting for action from the republican party's leadership. It is the latest row to hit Sinn Fein after its West Tyrone MP Barry McElduff resigned under pressure after posting a tweet with a loaf of Kingsmill bread on his head on the anniversary of the republican Kingsmill massacre in 1976. He found the flight-less seagull on the side of the road in TePuke, New Zealand Robert Tahau recorded a live video to his Facebook friends with an injured bird When Robert Tahau rescued a seagull from the side of the road in Te Puke on New Zealand's north Island, he didn't know the internet sensation he would become. Swaddled in a t-shirt in his arms, the miner recorded a selfie video of him and the injured bird from inside his work truck telling his Facebook friends about the rescue. 'Yeah found this bloody thing,' Mr Tahau begins. 'Found it on the - argh!' he screams and swears out profusely as the bird he'd just saved pecks at his face. Robert Tahau recorded a live video to his Facebook friends with bird (pictured) The bird repeatedly pecks at his face (pictured) and the miner swears profusely throughout He apologises to his viewers for swearing: 'Sorry excuse the language,' he says. Mr Tahu continues to tell his story: 'Broken wing man!' 'In the lagoon over there - well not there, it was on the track and -argh!' - the injured sea gull pecks his face again. 'It's a vicious thing bro! 'Say hello to everybody - I'll give it to the SPCA, ' he says. The large seagull continues to bite his face throughout and at one point, even at his camera phone. Mr Tahau is determined to keep the flightless bird in his arms but his potty-mouth gets the better of him. The video's had over a million views. Mr Tahau is determined to tell his story but his potty-mouth gets the better of him On Facebook, Christine Toroa commented: 'Well you tried so hard to save that bird, your heart was in the right place, but your face wasn't lol'. Carmen Tatana wrote: Hahaha love this - what a great guy helping the seagull - even though the gull isn't showing much gratitude at the moment!' Bronwyn Can commented: 'Good on ya mate for rescuing the gull ... even when he's trying to tear your face to bits'. At one point he apologises to his viewers for swearing in pain: 'Sorry excuse the language' 'So yeah it's got a broken wing guys so I'm going to release it - oh no sorry ring the SPCA,' he continues. Nearing the end of the video, the bird gets one last peck: 'We'll call her Riko number two. Isn't that right Riko. We'll save your ass. So you can be free. So that's all I've got to say and - argh!' Sadly, Mr Tahau told the NZ Herald that his viscious feathered mate ended up dying before he reached the SPCA. A night out for two mates ended up with both in handcuffs following a crash in Sydney's south west on Sunday night. Police were called to Glencorse Avenue in Milperra at around 11.30pm following reports of a Holden Commodore doing burnouts before it lost control and slammed into a parked vehicle and a tree. The car, which had red P-plates, was extensively damaged in the late night rampage. Scroll down for video A Holden Commodore was doing burnouts before it lost control and slammed into a parked vehicle and a tree in Milperra on Sunday night The car, which had red P-plates, was extensively damaged in the late night rampage in Sydney's south west Footage of the scene after the crash shows an empty six-pack of Woodstock bourbon and coke on the ground and burnout skids all over the road. The driver, an 18-year-old man, allegedly failed a roadside breath test. He was taken to Bankstown Hospital under police guard with minor injuries, where he underwent mandatory tests. Police are now awaiting the results of the driver's blood tests. His passenger, also an 18-year-old man, was arrested at the scene after allegedly becoming aggressive with police and spitting on officers. A empty six pack of Woodstock was found at the scene where the driver allegedly failed a roadside breath test. He was taken to hospital under police guard with minor injuries He was taken to Bankstown Police Station where he was charged with assaulting police, resisting arrest and offensive language. He was bailed to appear in Bankstown Local Court on February 28. Inquiries into the crash continue. A new poll has revealed almost half of all voters want someone other than Bill Shorten to lead the Opposition. Even among Labor voters only 37 per cent back Mr Shorten as leader, the first Newspoll for 2018 revealed. The poll has the Coalition trailing Labor 48-52 per cent after preferences, a slight improvement on its standing at the end of 2017. A new poll has revealed almost half of all voters want someone other than Bill Shorten (pictured) to lead the Opposition Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has extended his lead as preferred prime minister to 14 points over the Opposition Leader. 'Bill Shorten has got the most anti-business, the most anti-investment, the most anti-jobs policy of any Labor leader since Whitlam,' Mr Turnbull said on Sunday. Mr Shorten denied he had an image problem, and said he believed Australians were tired of 'gotcha poll questions' and games. '[Voters] want to know what we're going to do for people, they don't want to hear us talking about ourselves,' Mr Shorten said. On Sunday Mr Shorten announced Labor government would cap private health insurance increases to two per cent for two years. Mr Turnbull hit back by saying it showed Labor was producing 'policy on the run' and risked causing the private health sector to collapse. 'These are private companies. They're in a very competitive market. The reality is Labor wants to destroy private health insurance,' he told the ABC. The improved showings for the government and Mr Turnbull have buoyed federal Coalition MPs as they head into the new parliamentary year. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) has extended his lead as preferred prime minister to 14 points over the Opposition Leader 'The truth is we are in good space,' cabinet minister Christopher Pyne told ABC radio on Monday. 'This is going to be a very bleak year for Bill Shorten, unfortunately the public have found him out,' Mr Pyne said. The Newspoll showed over 49 per cent of all voters would prefer another Labor leader. Deputy leader Tanya Plibersek (25 per cent) is preferred leader among all voters closely followed by Anthony Albanese (24 per cent) with Mr Shorten on 22 per cent. Among Labor voters, Mr Shorten led Ms Plibersek (27 per cent) and Mr Albanese (23 per cent) with 37 per cent. Poll Who do you think should lead the Australian Labor Party? Bill Shorten Anthony Albanese Tanya Plibersek Other Who do you think should lead the Australian Labor Party? Bill Shorten 14 votes Anthony Albanese 128 votes Tanya Plibersek 42 votes Other 100 votes Now share your opinion Mr Albanese said he was busy enough in his own portfolio without thinking about challenging for the Labor leadership. 'My challenge is doing the right thing by the Australian people as part of Bill Shorten's team,' he told Sky News. 'My loyalty is always to the cause of Labor and the people we represent.' Senior Labor frontbencher Tony Burke believes Mr Shorten will lead Labor to the next election. 'We don't want to go back to the days, which the Liberal Party are still in, of constant leadership change and speculation,' he said. His colleague Stephen Jones saw a silver lining in the preferred leader results: 'Isn't it good to be a member of a party where we've got such a talented frontbench?' Mr Shorten is also facing questions over the dual citizenship of Brisbane-based Labor MP Susan Lamb, which the government says is an 'open and shut' case. 'She should be resigning this morning,' Mr Pyne told ABC radio on Monday. 'She should have resigned months ago.' But Labor says every MP under a citizenship cloud, including Liberal Jason Falinski, should be referred to the High Court. Mr Pyne says Ms Lamb will be referred to the court if Labor refuses to do the right thing. Even among Labor voters only 37 per cent back Mr Shorten (pictured) as leader, the first Newspoll for 2018 revealed Treasurer Scott Morrison, fresh from a visit to the US, is upbeat about the state of the Australian economy and the global outlook. 'I think the year is one of great economic opportunity, not just here in Australia but all around the world,' he told reporters in Canberra. 'The Australian economy is off to a great start this year, the global economy is off to a great start.' Government MPs believe the focus will be on Labor and Mr Shorten, rather than the coalition, as parliament returns from the long summer break. Greens leader Richard Di Natale argued the government doesn't have a future. 'It's relying on the missteps of the opposition,' he told reporters. One Nation dropped further in the poll, down to 5 per cent in a slide which began after the Queensland state election in late October. Swans from the Queen's own flock at Windsor are feared to have been killed by bird flu Swans from the Queen's own flock at Windsor are feared to have been killed by bird flu. More than 20 of the birds are understood to have died from avian influenza amid fears the virus may spread. A further 20 birds are being examined by officials and are expected to die. The Queen is being kept updated as experts strive to pinpoint exactly what killed them. David Barber, the Queen's official Swan Marker, who is responsible for the 800-year tradition of carrying out the annual census of Thames swans, said: 'Over 20 swans have died now and theres a lot which are seriously ill which will die - well over 20 more. 'We are deeply saddened by the loss of these swans.' And Royal biographer Penny Junor said the Queen would be profoundly upset about the deaths. 'She is an animal lover and if they have bird flu its horrible.' Another source said: 'Bird flu is feared to have struck the Windsor swan flock. They are waiting for the tests to come back but everyone suspects the worst. The results are expected early next week.' Four wildfowl were killed by the H5N6 strain at Amwell Nature Reserve in Hertfordshire just two weeks ago, which led to Defra introducing an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone on January 18. And eighty swans died amid an outbreak at Abbotsbury Swannery, Dorset, in January last year. At least nine of the birds tested positive for the H5N8 strain at the swannery, owned by Charlotte Townshend, one of Britain's richest women and the only person in Britain apart from the Queen entitled to own swans. All bird keepers are now legally required to follow strict biosecurity measures. The Crown owns all mute swans - the most common of the UK's three species - found on open water in Britain (pictured, the number of swans, broods and cygnets are counted during a survey) The Crown owns all mute swans - the most common of the UK's three species - found on open water in Britain. The 2016 official census of the birds found 72 at Windsor. Defra confirmed that seven of the swans that died were being tested for bird flu. A traditional annual stock-take of swans on the River Thames is carried out each summer. Known as Swan Upping, the ceremony dates back to the 12th century when the ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water in Britain was claimed by the Crown in order to ensure a ready supply for feasts. Today, the Queen exercises this right only on certain stretches of the River Thames and surrounding tributaries. The ownership is shared with the Worshipful Company of Vintners and the Worshipful Company of Dyers, who were granted rights of ownership by the Crown in the 15th century. Swan Upping now serves as an annual health check when swans and cygnets are weighed, ringed and checked for signs of disease or injury. Figures from Defra up to January 30, show there have been six findings of bird flu in wild birds in England, but none in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, despite widespread testing. Detectives said that Mr Wagner (pictured) sat with the boats captain, Dennis Davern, that night in 1981 Hollywood star Robert Wagner spent an hour and a half drinking scotch after his wife Natalie Wood vanished from his yacht before seeking help, a new documentary claims. Detectives said that Mr Wagner sat with the boats captain, Dennis Davern, that night in 1981 even though the actress could not swim and the seas were rough. Last week, Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department officials said that Miss Woods drowning, which was declared an accident, is now being probed as a suspicious death. It came after CBS News aired an interview with an investigator who said Mr Wagner is considered a person of interest in her death. Yesterday it was claimed that when Mr Davern suggested they call for help on the radio, Mr Wagner allegedly said: No, we dont wanna call anybody. Ninety minutes later, Mr Wagner allegedly asked people in the nearby town to look for her, rather than getting the Coast Guard to search the water. They said that it could have been a crime of passion because Mr Wagner was jealous about Miss Woods closeness to fellow actor Christopher Walken, who was with them on the yacht. Above, the couple pictured in 1974 The startling new claims were revealed in a documentary in which homicide detectives spoke for the first time since they reopened the investigation into Miss Woods death in 2011. They said that it could have been a crime of passion because Mr Wagner was jealous about Miss Woods closeness to fellow actor Christopher Walken, who was with them on the yacht. Miss Wood, who at the time was regarded as Americas sweetheart, drowned off the island of Catalina in California while the group was sailing on 60ft yacht Splendour, which was owned by Mr Wagner. Wood drowned near her yacht, the Splendour, off the coast of Catalina in southern California in November 1981 The 43-year-old star of West Side Story and Rebel Without A Cause was found floating in a cove at 8am the following morning, about a mile from the yacht with its dingy beached nearby. A post-mortem examination revealed bruises and an abrasion on her cheek. The documentary, called 48 Hours and screened on US TV network CBS, claimed that Mr Wagner was so angry at Miss Wood flirting with Mr Walken the night she died that he smashed a bottle of wine in the yacht and said: What are you trying to do, f*** my wife? Mr Davern said that soon afterwards he heard a physical fight coming from below deck and then nothing. Ten minutes later he went down to the stateroom and found Mr Wagner, now 87, crying and saying: Natalies gone, shes missing. The documentary, called 48 Hours and screened on US TV network CBS, claimed Mr Wagner was so angry at Miss Wood flirting with Mr Walken the night she died that he smashed a bottle of wine in the yacht and said: What are you trying to do, f*** my wife? In the documentary, lieutenant John Corina, a homicide detective, said that Mr Wagner told Mr Davern to search for her, and when he came back Mr Wagner said: Oh, the dinghys now missing as well. After saying he wanted to wait and see if she came back rather than call for help, Mr Wagner opened the bottle of scotch and the two men sat drinking until 1.30am. The CBS documentary says that the new witnesses include two people who heard and saw Miss Wood and Mr Wagner fighting on the yacht. The programme claims new witnesses include two people who heard and saw Miss Wood and Mr Wagner (above) fighting on the yacht Mr Corina said Mr Wagner has refused to speak to them numerous times, even when they went to Aspen, Colorado, where he lives with his current wife, actress Jill St John. Mr Walken, 74, has spoken to the detectives but they did not reveal what he said. Mr Wagners representatives have declined to comment on the documentary. Mr Wagner and Miss Wood were married from 1957 to 1962 before divorcing. They remarried in 1972. Isabella Pritchard, six, suffered head injuries and later died in hospital after a heavy stone fireplace surround installed by a tradesman crashed on top of her in 2012 Homeowners who install a new fireplace or even hang a large mirror could be forced to comply with new red tape after the deaths of several young children. Isabella Pritchard, six, suffered head injuries and later died in hospital after a heavy stone fireplace surround installed by a tradesman crashed on top of her. Now Housing Secretary Sajid Javid is considering a crackdown, letters released following a Freedom of Information Act request reveal. The intervention follows a plea from the senior coroner investigating Isabellas case, who warned there could be more deaths unless urgent action is taken to expand building regulations. Any new regime could affect DIY enthusiasts as well as tradesmen and fireplace manufacturers. They could be liable to a fine from their local council or prosecuted if they fail to comply with regulations on the installation or manufacture of heavy fixtures. In his letter to the coroner, Mr Javid said the governments Building Regulations Advisory Committee previously rejected tougher regulation to ensure heavy fixtures such as fireplace surrounds and heavy mirrors are safely installed. This decision was taken on the basis they are decorative in nature and would be hard to police as much of the work is carried out by homeowners themselves. But the Housing Secretary added: A lot has been done to raise awareness. However, given the tragic nature of this incident I will ask the Building Regulations Advisory Committee to-reconsider their previous advice not to regulate stone fire surrounds (and other heavy decorative items that require substantial fixings for their safety, such as large mirrors. Stone fireplaces are popular among homeowners wanting to spruce up their living rooms. But poor design or a botched installation can have tragic consequences. Isabella was found in the lounge with fatal head injuries and three pieces of marble mantelpiece lying around her. It is believed to have come away from the wall after the little girl known as Bella - was swinging on it while playing. The fatal incident occurred in July 2012 at the family home in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. Two years later Christopher Elmer was jailed for eight months after pleading guilty to a breach of health and safety legislation. The judge branded his work slipshod and said he was guilty of carelessness. He had taken shortcuts and only sparingly used adhesive to attach the 13st 81b limestone surround to the wall, Reading Crown Court heard. Housing Secretary Sajid Javid is considering a crackdown, letters released following a Freedom of Information Act request reveal Bella is just one of several children who have been killed in similar circumstances. Among them is Jack Miles, three, who died on impact after a heavy 8st 6lb marble fireplace surround crushed him while he was playing with his little sister Alexia. He had been stood on his tiptoes when the marble crumbled from the wall at his home in Gateshead in February 2016, South Tyneside Coroners Court heard. The inquest heard it was an accident waiting to happen, In addition Chanel Garner, three, suffered serious injuries when she was crushed by the surround as she played at the family home in Morecambe, Lancashire, in August 2015. She was rushed to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary before being transferred to Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool where she was pronounced dead After investigating Bellas death, senior coroner for Berkshire Peter Bedford raised concerns about the gap in building regulations for fireplaces. Currently they relate purely to flues and the combustible properties of the chimney. As with a boiler or a gas stove, these are covered by building regulations and have to be installed by a qualified tradesman. But the regulations do not cover fixtures, such as the fireplace surrounds and mantelpieces as they are deemed to be decorative. Mr Bedford adjourned his inquest into Isabellas death due to the criminal prosecution. But he said he had a statutory duty to report back to the government about his concerns. In a document entitled Report to prevent future deaths sent to Mr Javid and Business Secretary Greg Clark in August last year, Mr Bedford said: In my opinion urgent action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe your departments have the power to take such action. It appears to me that both the manufacture and installation of stone fireplaces are an unregulated industry. He said because of this it seems possible to design and manufacture a product with dangerous design features that are cosmetically attractive but inherently dangerous. Homeowners who install a new fireplace or even hang a large mirror could be forced to comply with new red tape The coroner added: The fireplace that struck and killed Isabella Pritchard incorporated a stone mantle weighing 86kg with a design relying on gravity and adhesive to keep it in place. In addition the installation instructions provided by the manufacturer by their own installer were vague in detail, generic and covered their whole range of products. In his response Mr Javid stressed that since Isabellas death several groups, including the Health and Safety Executive and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, have published guidance to ensure stone fireplaces are fitted safely. The National House Building Council now also requires the use of mechanical fixings on stone fireplaces, but not in all cases. One safety expert welcomed the governments decision to look at beefing up building regulations but warned it would be extremely hard to enforce. Sheila Merrill, public health adviser for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: We welcome the news that the Government is going to look again at the issue. However, we recognise the difficulties in adding large decorative objects, such as fire surrounds and mirrors, to the regulations, as enforcement would be incredibly hard. As such, we want to raise as much awareness as possible with homeowners, particularly those with children, about the dangers of improperly-secured objects. This also includes televisions, kitchen appliances and large pieces of bedroom furniture. A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government said: We are considering the coroners comments and expect to receive advice from the Building Regulations Advisory Committee on the installation of fire surrounds by the end of February. Lloyds has banned its nine million credit card customers from buying Bitcoin after the cryptocurrency more than halved its value in just two months. Britain's biggest bank has put a halt on purchases of the digital currency over concerns that it could be left footing the bill for unpaid debts. Bitcoin's price has fallen by 57 per cent from 14,000 in December to less than 6,000 last night. Lloyds has banned its nine million credit card customers from buying Bitcoin after the cryptocurrency more than halved its value in just two months It is thought that hundreds of thousands of Britons invested in the cryptocurrency last year and Lloyds is worried that its temperamental condition could lead to massive losses for customers. A spokesman for the bank told the Telegraph it had taken the measure to 'protect' its clients. Lloyds, which has 30million customers, is the first British bank to ban Bitcoin. However, across the Atlantic a number of big US banks have taken preventative measures, with JP Morgan, Bank of America and Citigroup all halting Bitcoin purchases. A growing regulatory backlash against the digital coins has sent investors scrambling to sell this week. Last year's explosive rise in the value of digital coins and the flood of new retail investors drawn to the market have rattled global regulators nervous about a sector used largely for speculation. It is thought that hundreds of thousands of Britons invested in Bitcoin last year Officials have also said cryptocurrencies are used by criminals to launder money. Connor Campbell, analyst at Spreadex, described Bitcoin's decline as a 'horror show'. He pointed to reports that the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is investigating whether market manipulation was at play in the cryptocurrency's rise. 'The cryptocurrency has had a horror show week already, dragged lower by regulation changes in South Korea and news that Facebook is banning adverts for the product on its site', the analyst said on Friday. 'Already feeling delicate, then, Bitcoin was dealt another major blow this Friday, plunging 10.5% to $8,000 following reports that the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is investigating the cryptocurrency's ludicrous end of 2017 rise for signs of market manipulation.' A family kayaking trip ended in tragedy after a woman was swept away by river rapids and drowned on the New South Wales Mid North Coast. Emergency services were called to the Barrington River at Rawdon Vale, about 40km from Gloucester just before 1pm on Sunday. Police were told the woman, 54, who had been kayaking, was walking through the water with her kayak when she was swept under the water by rapids. She was stuck under a log for a short time. The Barrington River is popular with kayakers because of its sections of white water rapids The Barrington River, downstream from the world heritage listed Barrington Tops National Park on the New South Wales Mid North Coast. It's popular with locals and tourists Family members desperately tried to rescue and revive the woman, but she died at the scene. Manning/Great Lakes Police District Police have launched an investigation and will prepare a report for the Coroner. The Barrington River is popular with kayakers because of its sections of white water rapids. Local tour operators regard it as one of the best white water kayaking and canoeing rivers in NSW for adventurers of any skill level. 'The Barrington River is fed by waters tumbling down from pristine Barrington Tops, sometimes so fast and full that rafting is your best adventure option,' The Gloucester Tourism website states. 'After large rainfall events the river is perfect for exciting white water rafting as you manoeuvre the rushing river bends, solid rock banks and riverside trees that are now immersed midstream.' Local tour operators regard Barrington River as one of the best white water kayaking and canoeing rivers in NSW for adventurers of any skill level. It was one of two fatal drownings in New South Wales on Sunday. A man drowned at Pretty Beach near Batemans Bay on the New South Wales South Coast after he became distressed in the water. The man, believed to be aged in his 30s, was found face down in the water. Attempts to revive the man were made until paramedics arrived but he was pronounced deceased at the scene. Florida authorities say an inmate who killed his cellmate last month while awaiting trial for killing another cellmate in 2015 is now in solitary confinement. The News Herald reports 21-year-old Frederick Patterson III said he killed his 82-year-old cellmate Arthur Williams on January 15, and told correctional officers that 'there's one less child molester on the streets.' When asked what he meant, Patterson replied 'because Williams likes kids,' officers wrote. Frederick Patterson III said he killed his 82-year-old cellmate Arthur Williams Patterson stated after the attack he placed Williams' charge sheet and a picture of a prior child victim in the back of Williams' pants. Officers wrote that Patterson was very matter of fact and smiling throughout the interview. Patterson said Williams told him stories about touching kids during their time as cellmates. He now faces a first-degree murder charge. Williams was pronounced dead at the scene from 'catastrophic blunt force trauma to his face,' officers wrote. Patterson, a convicted burglar, was already sentenced Thursday to life in prison for killing 45-year-old Scott Collinsworth, a convicted robber, pictured Patterson went on to say he prepared for the killing by hanging a blanket around the window and door to the cell early in the day so staff would be familiar with it being up. He laid in wait until after the 1am security checks, when he believed Williams would be asleep. Patterson then dragged Williams out of his bunk, stomped on his head, slammed him repeatedly into the concrete floor and continued to beat him after he appeared to be dead, officers wrote. Williams tried to lure a nine-year-old boy into his car and had been ruled incompetent 10 days earlier. He was being held in the Jackson County Correctional Facility awaiting transfer to a mental facility. Patterson, a convicted burglar, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for killing 45-year-old Scott Collinsworth, a convicted robber, in the Apalachee Correctional Institution. He is scheduled to return to court in April in connection with Williams' death and has now been placed in solitary confinement. Universities are ordering academics to delete all material from their courses which could be considered transphobic in a drive to appease equality campaigners. At least a dozen institutions have issued guidance to professors and lecturers stating that classes must not contain material that is discriminatory to transgender people those who identify as another sex to the one they were born. Data published today lays bare the extent to which academics speech is being restricted on transgender issues in a potential breach of the law on academic freedom. Universities are ordering academics to delete all material from their courses which could be considered transphobic in a drive to appease equality campaigners Almost half of universities now have policies in place that regulate speech on the topic. Last year the proportion was a third. One institution City, University of London has even banned lecturers from using terms such as mate, guys, Sir or Madam because it might upset transgender students. Many universities ban all forms of transphobia, while others attempt to limit discussion or insist students use gender-neutral pronouns such as they or ze. The universities say the policies aim to make courses more inclusive of transgender students. The findings were uncovered by online magazine Spiked as part of its annual Free Speech University Rankings (FSUR). Jacob Rees-Mogg found himself at the centre of a fracas on Friday at the University of the West of England (UWE) as protesters interrupted his talk chanting No platform for racists, no platform for homophobes The report authors said the vast majority of transgender-related speech regulation was imposed by the universities, rather than by students unions. The instructions for avoiding transphobia in course content have been given to lecturers at a number of elite Russell Group universities, including Leeds, Southampton, Kings College London and Cardiff. Others include St Andrews, Sussex, Bath, Glasgow Caledonian, Liverpool Hope, Oxford Brookes, Aberystwyth and the University of the West of England in Bristol. Under the Equality Act, all institutions have a duty to ensure transgender students are not discriminated against. FSUR coordinator Tom Slater said: In some of our most esteemed universities, supposed citadels of free-thinking and scientific endeavour, administrations are demanding that debate about transgenderism be shut down and courses be cleansed of un-PC material. How any course about, say, biology, can coexist with this is unfathomable. Elite institutions 'neglect students' Too many elite universities are neglecting students learning because they can trade well on their brands to stay afloat, the chairman of the Commons education committee will warn today. Robert Halfon will say that some Russell Group institutions may not deserve their reputations because they are not teaching youngsters well. In a speech to the Centre for Social Justice think-tank, he will call for the new regulator, the Office for Students, to publish a league table of universities based on teaching standards and employability of graduates. Only eight of the 24 Russell Group universities received the top mark a gold award in the Governments first teaching assessment of higher education. Three LSE, Liverpool and Southampton got the lowest award, a bronze, in The Teaching Excellence Framework. Mr Halfon, Tory MP for Harlow, will say: While some Russell Group universities deserve their recognition as elite institutions, others appear to trade well on their brands, while their less reputable counterparts remain unrecognised. Advertisement Anthony Glees, professor of politics at the University of Buckingham, said imposing such rules on lecturers on what they can say about transgenderism risked breaching the 1988 Education Reform Act, which guarantees academic freedom. This is outrageous, he said. It comes after feminists including Germaine Greer and Linda Bellos were banned by union officials from speaking at student events because of concerns they have raised about transgender issues. Campaign group Stonewall said: Trans people face huge levels of abuse every day. Given this, we welcome institutions that put policies in place to create inclusive environments and take a stand against transphobia. How academics are put under pressure City, University of London A transgender guidance booklet for staff says gender-neutral language must be used for all new acquaintances. It states: Avoid terms like Sir or Madam, young lady or mate, or addressing groups of people as guys or women simply based on how you read their gender expression Intentionally not using a persons name or pronoun that they have explicitly asked for can constitute harassment. Birmingham University A best practice guide for staff suggests ceasing to use words that make it seem non-trans people are the norm. It says trans awareness should be woven into the curriculum of all subjects, including science, technology, engineering and maths. Imperial College London Its trans staff support policy states: Transphobic propaganda, of any form, eg written materials, graffiti, music or speeches, will not be tolerated. Imperial College undertakes to remove any such propaganda whenever it appears on the premises. Cambridge University Guidance for lecturers produced by the students union in 2014 says everyday academic discussion can be transphobic. Academics should avoid using the phrases sex-change, pre-op or trapped in the wrong body when talking about transgender issues because they are dehumanising, it says. Advertisement Almost one ban per week is being imposed on offensive material, events or speakers at universities, according to FSUR. It found that 81 bans have been created in the past three academic years equal to almost one for every week in term time. A man has been charged with assaulting a four-year-old and then filming up a woman's skirt in a separate incident. The child's mother contacted authorities from the Child Abuse Unit at Lake Illawarra on Thursday, claiming that her daughter had been molested. Facing Woolongong Bail Court on Saturday morning, the 36-year-old was charged with two counts of indecent assault of a person under 16 years of age, and filming a person's private parts without consent. A man has been charged with assaulting a four-year-old girl. When the police seized his phone during an interview, he also admitted to filming up a woman's skirt in Kings Cross (pictured) The 36-year-old was arrested on Saturday and charged with two counts of indecent assault of a person under 16 years and one count of filming a person's private parts without consent The young girl told officers that she was in the man's room playing with a pet rabbit, when he allegedly 'touched her with his hand on her bottom and vagina over the top of her pants'. The four-year-old also said that the man put a pillow over her face so that she was unable to breathe, according to the Illawara Mercury. 'The complainant was unable to provide an exact date and time of the offence, which is not uncommon with someone of her age,' the police documents said. The man was arrested at his home on Friday afternoon and taken to the Lake Illawarra Police Station where he formally denied all of the allegations. Despite his denial he did acknowledge spending time alone with the girl a number of times over December and January, including on Christmas Day. Given the child's young age, police have determined that the man's offences are 'at the higher end of the scale of seriousness'. At the conclusion of the interview, police informed the man that they would be seizing his phone as a part of the investigation, and gave him the opportunity to 'declare' anything. He then admitted to filming up a woman's skirt at Kings Cross Railway Station. Police told Woolongong Bail Court (pictured) that they had 'fears' about granting the man bail Police told the court on Saturday morning that they had 'fears' about granting the man bail, suggesting that doing so would endanger the safety of his alleged victim. However, his solicitor argued that he had no criminal history and said that his client understood that he could not take an overseas trip he had planned. The judge eventually granted the man bail on the condition that he reside at his Unanderra address, regularly report to police, not enter any international airport or any other points of departure from Australia. He also had to surrender his passport, comply with the conditions of an AVO, and not to be in the company of any persons under 18 unless supervised. The matter was adjourned to February 15 at Wollongong Local Court. A mother has told how she woke up to find 'a naked African man climbing through the front window' of her Adelaide house. She also said he trashed their house before the family kept him inside and called police. A 22-year-old male has been detained by police after allegedly breaking into the Mile End property last night. Mother (pictured) woke up and found 'a naked African man climbing through the front window' Just after 11.50pm police were called to a property in Henley Street after reports of a break in. Patrols quickly went to the scene and detained the suspect. None of the victims were injured, but SA Police told Daily Mail Australia the 22-year-old man was taken to hospital after injuring himself during the break in. The alleged intruder is also undergoing a mental health assessment, but will be face numerous charges once he is released back into police custody. Authorities in northern Mexico say gunmen opened fire at a clandestine cockfight arena in the Chihuahua state capital, killing six people and wounding 14. The state prosecutor's office says in a statement that several masked attackers fired at people gathered at the 'Santa Maria' cockfight club late Saturday off a highway on the southern edge of Chihuahua city. Prosecutors said Sunday that four victims were killed at the scene and two more died while receiving medical treatment. Five of the six victims were identified by Milenio as Hector Murillo Tavarez, Josue Otero, Alan Vallina, Leonardo Rodriguez and Daniel Magallanes. Prosecutors said Sunday that four victims were killed at the scene and two more died while receiving medical treatment (stock image of cockfighting) Cockfighting is popular in the country and particularly in western Mexico, where every town has a cockfighting ring Two children ages 7 and 10 were among the wounded. There were no immediate arrests. Cockfighting is popular in the country and particularly in western Mexico, where every town in the states of Jalisco, Michoacan and Guerrero has a Palenque, or cockfighting ring. Gambling is a major aspect of the event, and as much as $40,000 can be placed on a single bout. Bookkeepers patrol the stands and take bets. Spectators gamble only on the overall outcome, and all odds are set at 2:1. While cock fighting is banned in Mexico City and other parts of the country, it remains popular in areas where agriculture supports much of the economy. In recent years a number of government initiatives have attempted to ban the bloodsport nationwide; threats which have angered the community that makes its living from the spectacle. The cock fights are a big draw for the narcos, members of Mexican organised crime, who come to high stakes games in order to gamble. 'It's not uncommon to see shoot outs towards the end of an event,' says game cock breeder Juan Carlos, who attends cock fighting festivals across the country in order to keep abreast of his rivals' animals. 'Mix Mexican gangsters with drugs, alcohol and high stakes gambling and you've got a recipe for murder,' Carlos added. Israel has joined forces with Egypt's military to smash ISIS militants in Nothern Sinai. Unmarked Israeli drones, helicopters and jets have carried out a covert air campaign to rid Egypt of Islamic terrorists, for more than two years. Around 100 airstrikes have been executed in the country, with often more than one a week. Jihadists in Northern Sinai have slaughtered hundreds of people, including children, police officers and soldiers. In 2015, ISIS terrorists shot down a Russian passenger jet over the region killing all 224 people on board. In 2015, ISIS terrorists shot down a Russian passenger jet over Northern Sinai, killing all 224 people on board While just last year around 30 terrorists carrying an ISIS flag murdered 305 people at a mosque in the region. The gunmen created an arena of death around the place of worship by blocking off escape routes with burnt-out cars before gunning down the penned-in worshippers in a 20-minute massacre. But Israeli assistance in the region has helped Cairo regain a footing in the battle against extremism, reports the New York Times. The partnership marks a new dawn for the two countries, who were once enemies in three wars. However, the nations have shared foe with ISIS, Iran and extremist Islam. According the US military official's Israel's military presence has played a key role in helping the Egyptian military fight ISIS. Last year around 30 terrorists carrying an ISIS flag murdered 305 people at a mosque in Northern Sinai, using burnt out cars to block exits (pictured) as they gunned people down However, there are concerns that Israel's role in keeping terrorists at bay in Egypt is having a negative effect on the region. Some believe that it may convince the Israel government that the its new ally is now dependent on them. But while Israeli officials are happy to help colleagues in Cairo contain ISIS, the missions have been kept under wraps. Drones and fighter jets are unmarked, with strikes using diverted routes to shake off possible surveillance. Chief Constable Anthony Bangham (pictured) sparked fury when he declared that police should no longer be lenient with drivers A police chief backtracked yesterday after calling for motorists who break the speed limit by just 1mph to face punishment. Anthony Bangham admitted the proposal would not be proportionate or achievable. He said he never advocated a draconian nationwide crackdown and wanted to clear up the misunderstanding. The officer, who is Chief Constable of West Mercia police and responsible for Britains roads policing, added: I now want to be clearer on this point our aim is not to be pursuing drivers 1mph over the speed limit and putting them through the courts. This would not be proportionate or achievable. Mr Banghams call for the abolition of the 10 per cent buffer over the speed limit would have led to thousands more drivers facing punishment for marginal offences. In a backlash, officers of all ranks, campaign groups and lawyers branded it unenforceable madness. However, the police chief yesterday insisted frontline officers must not apologise for enforcing the law and should act based on the circumstances. He added: There may well be occasions where someone is speeding a couple of miles over the limit outside a school and an officer could reasonably decide it is proportionate to stop them. AA president Edmund King last night welcomed the clarification. A gallery accused of censorship after removing a pre-Raphaelite masterpiece for supposedly being offensive to women has made a humiliating U-turn. After a furious backlash against Manchester Art Gallery for taking down John William Waterhouses Hylas and the Nymphs, the painting returned to pride of place over the weekend. The painting shows Argonaut warrior Hylas being lured to a watery death by naked beckoning nymphs while filling a pitcher of water during the search for the Golden Fleece. After a furious backlash against Manchester Art Gallery for taking down John William Waterhouses Hylas and the Nymphs, the painting returned to pride of place over the weekend A curator had claimed that the 1896 artwork perpetuated outdated and damaging stories that women are either femmes fatale or passive bodies for male consumption. As part of a takeover by contemporary artist Sonia Boyce, visitors found in its usual place a message that it has been removed to prompt conversations about how we display and interpret artworks. Images of the painting were even removed from the gallerys shop. One art-lover dubbed the move feminism gone mad while others claimed it marked the moment the Snowflake generation began rewriting Britains cultural history. In response to the backlash, Manchester City Council, which runs the gallery, announced that the painting would return. Gallery interim director Amanda Wallace said: We were hoping the experiment would stimulate discussion, and it's fair to say we've had that in spades - and not just from local people but from art-lovers around the world. Throughout the painting's seven day absence, it's been clear that many people feel very strongly about the issues raised, and we now plan to harness this strength of feeling for some further debate on these wider issues. Among critics of the gallery was Professor Liz Prettejohn ((CRCT)), who curated a Waterhouse exhibition at the Royal Academy in 2009. She told BBC News: Taking it off display is killing any kind of debate that you might be able to have about it in relation to some of the really interesting issues that it might raise about sexuality and gender relationships. The Victorians are always getting criticised because they're supposed to be prudish. But here it would seem it's us who are taking the roles of what we think of as the very moralistic Victorians. Last year New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art refused to bow to complaints that it should remove a 1938 painting by the artist Balthus showing a young girl sitting on a chair with her knee up, exposing her underwear. A spokesman said visual art provided an opportunity for conversation 'through informed discussion and respect for creative expression'. Bunnings' UK and Ireland unit has taken a massive hit, writing down the value of its investments by over $1billion. Parent company Wesfarmers said the writedown reflects disappointment with Bunnings' performance in Britain, which failed to meet expectations. Wesfarmers bought local hardware store chain Homebase for $705million in February 2016 and planned to invest $1billion on the operation. Bunnings' UK and Ireland unit has taken a massive hit, writing down the value of its investments by over $1billion (stock image) The company also announced the retirement of Peter Davis, Bunnings UK and Ireland (BUKI) managing director, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Wesfarmers said losses from BUKI are forecast to be $165million in the first half of the 2018 financial year, up from market forecasts of $110million for the full year. 'The Homebase acquisition has been below our expectations, which is obviously disappointing,' said Rob Scott, Wesfarmers managing director. 'We need to address underperformance in our portfolio that is detracting from positive performance in other areas, and the announcement today sets out decisive actions to achieve this.' Parent company Wesfarmers said the writedown reflects disappointment with Bunnings' performance in Britain, which failed to meet expectations (stock image) Bunnings is running 19 pilot stores and 231 stores still branded as Homebase, and the writedown was a response to their performance. In the 2017 financial year BUKI made a $89million loss, following a $48million loss in the half year before. Bunnings Group managing director Michael Schneider said losses after the Homebase acquisition had been worse than expected. Mr Schneider said the 19 pilot stores had lower than expected sales during winter, but that was accompanied by some encouraging results. Wesfarmers made a similar $306 million non-cash impairment against its Target stores, which have reported weak sales. Target is expected to post a profit of $33million for the first half of the 2018 financial year, almost 14 per cent higher than a year earlier. BUKI will be subject to a non-cash impairment of $795million, plus a $66million writedown in the value of excess and unsuitable stock. Combined with a $70million increase in store closure provisions and a $92million tax asset writedown, it amounts to a slash in value of over $1billion. Targeted: Nicola Gibbions was bombarded with 50 messages Sofia Isabella was fast asleep when her mobile phone buzzed into life. To be woken in the early hours by a string of missed calls and messages is alarming enough, but when the 21-year-old student saw who was trying to get in contact and why her blood ran cold. It was the driver whod delivered her regular Tesco shop to her home in Clapham, South London, earlier that day. Now he was bombarding her with vile, sinister sexual messages detailing all the things he wanted to do to her. They were so explicitly graphic they are unprintable. No wonder Sofia was terrified. This man this stranger knew where she lived. Hed probably worked out she lived alone. He also had her mobile. For all she knew he could be downstairs right now. When hed delivered my shopping I thought he was a bit over familiar. He seemed very keen to come inside and carry the bags for me. But until my phone woke me I hadnt thought any more about it. I replied saying I was going to go to the police. Shopping online has become an integral part of our daily routine, with 95 per cent of Brits using the convenience of the internet to run their lives, whether it is to order taxis, takeaways, clothing, furniture or like Sofia and one in ten of us the weekly supermarket shop. But while were keen on the convenience, few of us consider the implications of strangers having access to this vast amount of personal information, such as phone numbers, while also knowing our addresses and very often our tastes, lifestyles whether we work at home or live alone and spending habits, too. We routinely trust companies with information we would never usually hand out to a stranger often without knowing exactly who will end up with our personal details. Disturbingly, it seems that what happened to Sofia in December 2015 is far from an isolated case. Women are increasingly coming forward to complain about being subjected to sexual harassment by delivery drivers. Some of the creepy messages sent by delivery drivers. They know your phone number, your address, when you're at home - and if you live alone Earlier this month, the case of jewellery designer Michelle Midwinter made headlines when it emerged a Just Eat takeaway driver sent her inappropriate messages. Mother-of-one Michelle, 33, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, first received a WhatsApp message on her mobile phone asking if she had a boyfriend, soon after her meal was delivered. When she asked who was contacting her, he replied: A fan. Im the guy who delivered your meal. Sorry. He then ended the messages with a distinctly creepy: Good night baby see you next time when I get your meal, before adding an emoji of a lipstick kiss. Inappropriate? Most definitely. She was also very scared. Yet the attitude of Just Eat (which acts as an intermediary for local restaurants who deliver the food) when she complained was more worrying still. Initially, they told Michelle they didnt have a complaints department before offering her a paltry 5 voucher quickly doubled to a 10 voucher. When she posted the exchange on Twitter, hundreds of women came forward with similar stories of serious sexual harassment. One wrote: It wasnt even my delivery driver whod sent the messages, he passed my number onto another driver at the restaurant! Nicola Gibbions, 31, was harassed by a Just Eat delivery driver. She received around 50 text messages and calls from the driver after she ordered a takeaway meal in August last year While another said: I had a furniture guy that came to the house find me on Facebook (was 16 at the time). He started asking me a bunch of very weird sexual questions. Ended up blocking him. Had my name, address, number and managed to find my social media. When incidents like this happen it can be difficult to establish exactly who should take responsibility, let alone the identity of a perpetrator. In any case, women are often reluctant to complain because, as the men know their addresses, they feel vulnerable to reprisals. Michelle, for example, says she complained to Just Eat rather than the restaurant as this guy has my name, address, and phone number and if he ended up getting fired over this, who knows what he would do with my information as he clearly had no qualms over using it in the first place. Following the public outcry over her story, Just Eat apologised to Michelle and issued a statement saying they were deeply concerned and the driver involved acted in a way that does not represent Just Eat and our core values, adding: We have again reminded all our restaurant partners of our standards and expectations with regards to data protection and we continually review our policies and practices to ensure they are robust. Still, many women, like Sofia, feel the problem is not being taken seriously enough. She did contact Tesco to complain the day after her ordeal but says she didnt hear back. She then went to the police, but says she felt her concerns were brushed off, with the officer telling her to come back if the driver got in touch again. I was shocked by the blase attitude. It felt like they were telling me to just wait to be raped. This was not normal behaviour. This man had abused his position. Sofia says she phoned Tesco five more times, but, after receiving no response, followed up in the modern way by posting the text messages on a social media page. As with Michelle, many women offered their support, telling her it had happened to them too. At this point Tesco got in touch and offered me a refund on my shop, Sofia says. I felt this was a disgrace. I felt like I was being ignored, like this was behaviour that women should just put up with. Sofia, who is attractive, petite and dark haired, adds: Not that it matters, but when I answered the door, I wasnt wearing make- up, I was wearing a scruffy tracksuit. I didnt do anything to encourage that behaviour. It was completely unsolicited and wrong. She believes phone numbers should be masked so drivers cant see them, as well as harsher punishments for employees who behave so appallingly. Eventually, the driver was investigated by police, the outcome of which is unknown, and it emerged he worked for an agency that had been subcontracted by Tesco to do deliveries. A Tesco spokesman said: This behaviour is completely unacceptable. We took immediate action to ensure this agency driver will never work for Tesco again. When it comes to the law, its clear; using personal information for a purpose other than what it was intended for, is illegal. A spokesman for the Information Commissioners Office, the body responsible for safeguarding privacy, explains: The law says if you consent to give your data for a specific purpose to enable a parcel to be delivered, or for an organisation to provide a service, thats legal. If they use your personal data for a purpose other than the reason you agreed to give them your number, thats where problems come in. Its a criminal offence under Section 55 of the Data Protection Act. Its a crime if you didnt give consent for them to call you up to ask you out on a date. We can take both civil and/or criminal enforcement action, depending on the particular circumstances of the incident. Yet because many companies outsource their deliveries to agencies as happened with Sofias Tesco delivery and these agencies often have high staff turnover rates, a retailers accountability to their customer can be very blurred. While, most delivery drivers should, as an industry standard, have had criminal record checks and have identity checks, its easy for them to move from one gig to the next without having to explain to the next firm that hires them why they left their previous job. Furthermore, many companies have a clause which allows them to substitute out their work if the driver whos registered with the firm cant do a job, he can ask a friend or acquaintance to do it. Nicola didnt complain because of fear of reprisals, but thinks she had a lucky escape. I felt vulnerable because I was in my house alone. It was a violation of my privacy Nicola Gibbions, 31, is another woman who says she was harassed by a Just Eat delivery driver. She received around 50 text messages and calls from the driver after she ordered a takeaway meal in August last year. He started telling me he thought I was beautiful and couldnt believe I didnt have a boyfriend. He asked me to go out for a drink with him. Nicola, a carer from Chesterfield in Derbyshire, admits she was initially flattered by the attention and replied. But over the next few days, he got more insistent. He would text me and call if I didnt respond immediately. I started to feel uncomfortable. Something just felt wrong about it all. Then, finally, he messaged Nicola asking if he could come round one night. I said no, but he was persistent, he wouldnt leave it. I didnt go out with him or invite him round as alarm bells started to ring, I just stopped replying. He knew my address so I tried to be polite. He kept calling but after a few days he did get the message. Nicola didnt complain because of fear of reprisals, but thinks she had a lucky escape. I felt vulnerable because I was in my house alone. It was a violation of my privacy. Communications consultant Annie Psarra, 26, is another left deeply shaken in her case after an experience with a pizza delivery driver who came to her home in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, in October 2015. She says: After a long day at work, I ordered a pizza to my flat. The guy who turned up was overly chatty. He started to ask whether I had lived there long and then whether I lived alone. I said it was none of his business. He then started asking whether I had a boyfriend, and he didnt understand why a pretty girl like me would be single. I just wanted to pay him and run away. Then, as I took my pizza from him, he reached down and stroked my arm. I was terrified. He knew where I lived. I lived alone and had no friends or family in the area as Id just moved. I felt really shaken up. The next day, Annie complained to Pizza Hut, who she ordered the pizza from, but says she received a generic letter saying they would look into it. She never heard from them again. A spokesman for Pizza Hut Delivery said: We are very disappointed to hear of Ms Psarras experience in 2015. The safety and wellbeing of our guests is a priority for us and we do not condone this behaviour. We can confirm that our current team members were not employed by Pizza Hut at that time. We would like to reassure our customers that we take any allegation of this nature extremely seriously and are committed to investigating any such complaint in full. Although there is plenty of anecdotal evidence of women being harassed, not many cases end up in court. One of the few to do so, is delivery driver Barry Weston, 27, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, who was convicted of sexual assault in June 2016 after trying to hug and kiss a woman when dropping off a parcel that February, and then bombarding her with messages. He was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for five years, given a two-year restraining order and a three-year community order. But, worryingly, at the time of his trial at North Staffordshire Justice Centre, he was still working for the courier company which wasnt named in court where he was described as a trusted and valued member of the team. It is not known if he is still working for the company. Ewa Luger, an expert on data governance and privacy at the University of Edinburgh, said that concerns about this sort of behaviour are entirely understandable, given the amount of data that many of us share online. Additionally, could there also be an assumption that because a woman may share so much information about herself online, or perhaps have a glamorous profile photo, that she is fair game? The internet gives you the ability to find all kinds of stuff about anyone and target them. Furthermore, it doesnt remove the fact that as our reliance on online services increases, so do the risks of inviting strangers to deliver them to your home. And, as all these disturbing encounters show, at what cost to our privacy and safety? The number of migrants arriving in Calais has doubled following recent border talks between Theresa May and Emmanuel Macron, volunteers claim. Charity workers handing out food packages say there was a surge in arrivals within days of May and the French president signing a treaty two weeks ago. It promised to accelerate the processing of migrants in the port town, but many claim this has raised false hopes among migrants who now wrongly believe crossing the Channel will be easier. The number of migrants arriving in Calais has doubled following recent border talks between Theresa May and Emmanuel Macron, volunteers claim The surge in arrivals has led to increased tensions in the area with officials declaring recent outbreaks of violence the worst ever seen in the town. Last Thursday five migrants were shot after fighting broke out among rival Afghan and Eritrean groups in a number of different locations. Some migrants have suggested that the shooting may have been a result of a dispute over access to a lorry park controlled by Afghan smugglers. Others claim that hunger and frustration provoked the outbreak. One shooting happened while groups of migrants were queuing for food outside a station near a local hospital. Simon, an Eritrean migrant who was there when a number of his friends were shot, said: There were four people with guns and they started to shoot. All four fired. Charity workers handing out food packages say there was a surge in arrivals within days of May and the French president signing a treaty two weeks ago They wanted conflict with us. People are very exacerbated and angry at what they did. It is estimated that before the talks between Theresa May and her French counterpart, the number of migrants in Calais sat at around 400. But volunteers for local charities claim that figure has now jumped to at least 800. One worker, who has been in Calais since October but did not wish to be named, said: Its a very volatile situation at the moment. People are living in seriously inhumane conditions, people struggling through a difficult winter. There has been an influx of people who have arrived post-Sandhurst Treaty. It happened within 48 hours. Macron came here on the Tuesday and met Theresa May on the Thursday. By Saturday numbers had doubled. Theres been a lot of miscommunication after the Sandhurst Treaty so theres been a lot more people arriving. Id say it has probably around doubled, including unaccompanied minors. Laura Griffiths, who works for the refugee charity Safe Passage, added: The treaty led to many new arrivals but also rumours false hopes that there would be an easy passage to the UK. Speaking to The Observer, she said: These new arrivals increased tension at distribution points. In reality, the only legal passage is for minors, and even this is not working effectively. One migrant claimed last weeks violence started after a group of Eritreans tried to access a lorry park that was controlled by Afghan smugglers. A 19-year-old from Ethiopia, told the Sunday newspaper: They say its theirs. Thats unfair because we share our [lorry] parks with anyone. Another migrant, from Ethiopia, told the Mail: Most of the people here are Ethiopian. We are eating in the bushes and living in the bushes. Its a horrible life. We are living like animals. Discussing Thursdays violence, he added: The Eritreans and the Afghans were fighting. Afghans shot Eritrean people. They came here because some Afghani live with us so they have come to revenge them. Last Thursday five migrants were shot after fighting broke out among rival Afghan and Eritrean groups in a number of different locations The Eritreans have nothing. They have stones and sticks. Were not here to fight each other, were here for protection. Calais remains a magnet for migrants trying to reach the UK. Human traffickers offer to sneak migrants on to trucks crossing the Channel by ferry or through the tunnel, charging them thousands of pounds to do so. More than 9,000 migrants had been living in the Jungle camp before it was demolished in 2016. Clare Moseley, founder of Care4Calais, said: Rumours around here go really fast and the refugees heard that some more people might be going to the UK. They are circulating between Paris, Brussels, here and Dunkirk. It fluctuates all the time. Fifty could come from Dunkirk, 50 from Paris, 50 from Brussels overnight. The only sort of serious criminals around here are the smugglers. Who else is going to have a gun? Smugglers are businessmen. They are the people who would have guns. Refugees cant even afford socks or food they dont have guns. Tobacco tycoon Travers Beynon has attracted criticism on social media after posting an image showing two of his naked girlfriends sporting tattoos of his company logo. Beynon, nicknamed The Candyman, posted an image to his Instagram account on Monday morning with four naked women. Two are locked in a passionate embrace, while the other two are facing Beynon, brandishing ink of his Freechoice Australia trademark. Tobacco tycoon Travers Beynon has attracted criticism on social media after posting an image showing two of his naked girlfriends sporting tattoos of his company logo He has posted several other images online of his girlfriends with the same tattoos, even captioning images with '#FREECHOICEtattoo' It is not clear whether the Freechoice Australia tattoos are temporary or permanent Beynon and the women appear to be on a beach in the photo, captioning the image 'Beach Bums' with sand evident on his girlfriends' bodies. It is not clear whether the women who are kissing have the Freechoice Australia tattoos, nor is it clear whether the ink is temporary or permanent. He has posted several other images online of his girlfriends with the same tattoos, even captioning images with '#FREECHOICEtattoo'. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Freechoice Australia for clarification. He has posted several other images online of his girlfriends with the same tattoos, even captioning images with '#FREECHOICEtattoo' Candyman has forged a highly-publicised and colourful image of himself on the back of his famous mansion parties, luxury cars and playboy lifestyle Beynon made his fortune through his tobacco chain Freechoice Australia The photo has been met with mixed criticism, with many pointing out it creates the image Beynon 'owns' the women. 'Have a go at the f***ing free Choice tattoos' one person commented. 'This guys just so weird, he made these girls get a tattoo of his company freechoice like he own these girls,' another said. Candyman has forged a highly-publicised and colourful image of himself on the back of his famous mansion parties, luxury cars and playboy lifestyle. He says he shares his bed with at least four women every night, including his wife Taesha Beynon, who he met at the first Candy Shop party in 2009. 'When you've got one girl, that's one thing. When there's multiple, there's so much going on in my mind,' he told Ocean Road magazine. 'In bed, there's four girls as an average. I often don't get much sleep... I think I come up with a new position every week. 'Bedroom time isn't for me; it's to stimulate the girls. To be good in bed it's not about you.' A 15-year-old girl has been struck and killed by a car while walking to school early on Monday morning. Emergency services raced to Brandy Hill, a suburb in the Port Stephens area on the NSW coast, about 7.30am to treat the schoolgirl but were unable to save the girl who died at the scene, police said. The male driver, aged in his 40s, was taken for mandatory drug and alcohol testing and is assisting police with their inquiries. A 15-year-old girl has been struck and killed by a car while walking to school early on Monday morning (flowers pictured at the scene) Emergency services raced to Brandy Hill, (pictured) a suburb in the Port Stephens area on the NSW coast, about 7.30am on to treat the schoolgirl but she died at the scene, police said Motorists are urged to avoid the area as road closures are in place. Investigations into the tragic incident are ongoing and a crime scene has been established. The teenager's death comes after a 62-year-old grandmother died on the NSW south coast on Sunday after she was dragged down a hill by a motor-home and a vehicle in what police describe as a 'tragic accident'. A New York nanny who is charged in the 2012 fatal stabbing of two young children will stand trial on Monday. Accused killer Yoselyn Ortega, now 56, will face a jury for allegedly slaying Leo, 2, and Lucia, 6, on October 25, 2012, when their bloodied bodies were left in a bathtub at the Krim family's Upper West Side apartment. Ortega's attorney is expected to use a mental disorder defense for his client - who was said to be unfit to stand trial for years. The nanny had been working for Kevin and Marina Krim and caring for their three children at the time. Ortega is accused of killing the two young children while their mother was out with the middle child, Nessie. Her boss Marina Krim had just picked up Nessie for a swimming lesson when she arrived back to the apartment. She found her two other children dead in the bathtub and Ortega lying nearby. Police said at the time that both children 'bled out'. Yoselyn Ortega, 55, (pictured in court last January) will stand for trial On Monday. She is accused of stabbing two young children to death while she was working as a nanny in New York's Upper West Side in October 2012 Ortega allegedly killed six-year-old Lucia (left) and two-year-old Leo (right) while their mother was out shopping with the middle child. She also tried to slit her throat with a knife After she allegedly stabbed the children, Ortega also tried to slit her own throat with a kitchen knife. Lucia had defensive wounds where she had tried to protect herself as she was stabbed in the stomach and neck. Leo was stabbed twice in the neck. NYPD sergeant Yoel Hidalgo testified in Manhattan Supreme Court last July that the nanny made voluntary statements about the horrific crime while he was guarding her at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center at the time. The nanny, who had a breathing tube in her throat, allegedly complained to the officer about her working conditions with the family two days after the children were stabbed to death. While she was in hospital recovering, Sgt Hidalgo said the nanny grunted, mouthed words and pointed to letters on an alphabet chart to speak to the officer, the New York Post reports. He said he was 'reading her lips' to get the voluntary statements from her. An NYPD officer testified in court last summer that Ortega had complained to him about her job just days after the killings. She is pictured above with six-year-old Lucia (right) Ortega had been working for Kevin and Marina Krim (pictured with their slain daughter Lucia) in the Upper West Side apartment where she cared for their three young children 'I had to do everything and take care of the kids,' she said in Spanish, according to the officer. 'I worked as a babysitter only, and she wanted me to do everything. She wanted 5 hours of cleaning.' Ortega's lawyer argued in court last summer that the nanny's statements to the officer should be thrown out because she was hospitalized when she made them. She argued that given Ortega's condition, there was no way she could have conveyed anything. The lawyer asked Sgt Hidalgo if there was anything in Ortega's mouth during the interview. 'I don't believe there was anything her mouth,' he said in court. The nanny had claimed Marina Krim (above with Lucia and Leo) was making her take care of the children and clean their apartment The lawyer showed the court an image of Ortega with tubes coming from her mouth wearing a neck brace. Hidalgo responded: 'I don't remember her having that piece her mouth.' The officer told the court he did not force the statements out of Ortega but rather she had indicated she had something to say. The court hearing was to determine which statements are admissible at Ortega's upcoming murder trial. Ortega rejected a plea deal last year that could have seen her jailed for 30 years. The Dominican immigrant was previously declared fit to stand trial after undergoing psychiatric tests and denies two counts of murder. Big wave surfer Koby Abberton locked himself in a car then stripped off his clothes on a busy Sydney street when police tried to search him for drugs. Abberton, a founding member of the notorious Bra Boys beach gang from Maroubra, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, failed to appear in court on Monday on several charges. The 39-year-old was due to face a hearing at Waverley Local Court into allegations of hindering police, offensive conduct and not carrying a driver's licence. Scroll down for video Big waver surfer and Bra Boy Koby Abberton pictured with his model wife Olya Nechiporenko Koby Abberton (left) gave Paris Hilton (right) a surfboard and lessons at Bondi Beach in 2007 Professional surfer Koby Abberton arrives at a Sydney court for an unrelated hearing in 2006 Former Bra Boy Koby Abberton, pictured with wife Olya Nechiporenko, was fined $1,000 Abberton, who once appeared in a Russell Crowe-narrated documentary about the Bra Boys along with his brothers and fellow surfers Sunny and Jai, was fined $1,000 in his absence. When the matter was listed before the same court last year, a lawyer on behalf of Abberton provided a doctor's certificate stating the surfer could not travel from his Bali home due to a bad back. This time there was no explanation. Abberton's social media accounts appear to show he has been back in Australia recently. Abberton is married to Olya Nechiporenko, a Ukrainian model, psychologist and accountant. The couple has a son, Makua, born in July 2015. He was previously in a relationship with model Tahyna Tozzi and gave surfing lessons to heiress Paris Hilton. Abberton was driving a silver Hyundai SUV when police pulled him over at the intersection of Bronte Road and Birrell Street, Bondi Junction, about 6.20pm on October 12, 2016. Big wave surfer Koby Abberton with his model wife Olya Nechiporenko and their son Makua Paris Hilton with big wave rider Koby Abberton, who gave her surfing lessons at Bondi Beach Koby Aberton sports the distinctive 'My brother's keeper' tattoo worn by Bra Boys members According to a statement of facts tendered to the court, another man was in the front passenger seat. 'After introducing themselves, police asked the accused to produce his driver's licence,' the statement said. 'The accused failed to do this and stated "I don't have it. I lost it in Bali."' Abberton then provided his name and date of birth and showed police a picture of his licence on his phone. 'While speaking to the accused police detected a strong odour of cannabis coming from the accused and from within the vehicle,' the tendered statement said. 'Due to this and known intelligence about the accused police suspected he may have in his possession or in the vehicle a prohibited drug.' Police told Abberton they were going to search him and his vehicle and explained why. Koby Abberton has credited wife Olya Nechiporenko with turning his once troubled life around Koby Abberton, pictured with wife Olya Nechiporenko did not appear at court on Monday 'The accused refused to be searched and said "You're not searching me and I won't let you search my vehicle. It's not my car. I don't know what's in it. You're not searching me,"' the statement said. 'Police again informed the accused he would be searched, provided the reason why, asked for his co-operation and told him it was an offence to refuse to comply. 'Police then requested the accused and his passenger to get out of the vehicle. 'The passenger complied. The accused again refused, locked the door and said "You're not searching the car or me. I refuse. I'm locking the door. I won't get out. '"You have to show me a bit of paper that says I have to comply and that you can search me. If you can't, I'm not getting out."' Abberton was again told to leave the vehicle and that he was committing an offence if he would not let police search him. Koby Abberton's wife Olya Nechiporenko has been a stabilising force in his colourful life Sunny (left) and Koby Abberton when they were promoting a documentary about the Bra Boys 'The accused again refused and yelled at police "You're a f***ing dog. You're not f***ing searching me of the car until I see a bit of paper."' Abberton then opened the vehicle's door, causing it to hit one of the officers in the legs. His next move was even more unexpected. 'The accused continued to yell aggressively at police while stripping off his clothing down to his underwear and throwing the clothing on the ground,' the statement said. 'The accused yelled "Is someone filming this? F***ing film it!" 'At this time a number of members of the public were near by including a mother, baby and her toddler.' Abberton was told he was under arrest, put into a wrist lock, then handcuffed. Police searched Abberton and the car but found 'no items of interest'. Professional surfer Koby Abberton (centre) arrives in Sydney after being arrested in Hawaii Koby Abberton (centre) is led through Sydney Airport after being arrested in Honolulu in 2008 Former Bra Boy Koby Abberton, pictured with wife Olya Nechiporenko, missed his court date Magistrate Lisa Stapleton fined Abberton $500 for hindering police, $250 for offensive conduct and $250 for driving without a licence. Abberton has had trouble with the law in the past. In 2008 he spent three days in custody for assaulting an off-duty police officer in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 2003, he became embroiled in his brother Jai's woes when Jai was charged with murdering standover man Tony Hines. Jai admitted shooting Hines but said he did so in self-defence and was acquitted of murder. However, Koby was given a suspended nine month prison sentence after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice in relation to Jai's case. The Bra Boys gang, a 'brotherhood' based on surf culture, was formed in Marboubra in the 1990s and gained notoriety due violent behaviour by some members and alleged links to organised crime. Turkey has said eight of its troops were killed in Ankara's military operation against a Syrian Kurdish militia, the deadliest day in the two-week-old offensive in the enclave of Afrin. In a statement late on Saturday, the Turkish military said five soldiers were killed after their tank in Syria came under attack near Afrin. The soldiers could not be saved despite all attempts, it said. Earlier in the day, three Turkish soldiers were reported killed in the Afrin offensive - one was killed in the area of the tank attack, another in northern Syria and the third on the Turkish side of the border in what Ankara said was an attack by Syrian Kurdish militiamen. Turkeys president Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during the funeral for a Turkish soldier killed in the cross-border operation last month The total death toll for Turkish troops since the operation, codenamed Olive Branch, started on January 20 now stands at 13. Turkey launched the incursion into Afrin to rout the US-backed Syrian Kurdish militia, known as the People's Protection Units (YPG), which it considers to be a terrorist organisation and an extension of Kurdish insurgents fighting within Turkey. From Istanbul, Turkish presidential spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said Turkey will not tolerate the presence of the YPG "anywhere" along its southern border, hinting that Ankara might expand the Afrin operation eastward. Turkey's first demand is to see the YPG move east of the Euphrates River and leave the town of Manbij, where American troops backing the Syrian Kurdish fighters are stationed, Mr Kalin said. He called on the United States to "disengage" from the YPG and said Turkey will continue communications with "our American allies to avoid any confrontation". Turkey shares a 911km border with Syria. The YPG controls much of the territory along the border and an uninterrupted strip from Manbij to the Iraqi border. Meanwhile, in the embattled northwestern province of Idlib, al Qaida-linked militants said they downed a Russian fighter jet and killed its pilot after he ejected from the plane and landed on the ground. The pilot resisted being captured and fired at the militants who then shot and killed him, according to one of the militants and Syrian monitors. The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the downing of the Su-25 and said the pilot was killed in fighting with "terrorists". A report on the ministry's Zvezda TV said preliminary information indicated the plane was shot by a portable ground-to-air missile in an area under control of al Qaida's branch in Syria. Part of a Russian plane that was shot down by rebel fighters over Syria The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the plane was downed near the rebel-held town of Saraqeb, which Syrian troops have been trying to take under the cover of Russian airstrikes. Russia is a key ally of President Bashar Assad, and has been waging a military campaign on behalf of his forces since 2015. Since then, Syrian troops have captured wide parts of the country and in recent weeks have been making advances in Idlib. The province is also a base for al Qaida's branch in Syria and other Islamic groups. Also Saturday, Syria's Foreign Ministry has dismissed as "null and void" U.S. accusations that Assad's government is producing and using "new kinds of weapons" to deliver deadly chemicals despite committing to abolish its program in 2013. The American statements are "nothing more than lies" based on accounts of what the Trump administration called its partners on ground, the ministry said. It also said reports by Western-backed media outlets about Damascus using chemical weapons were "a new version of U.S. and Western desperate intentions to create" an excuses to attack Syria. President Donald Trump has not ruled out additional military action to deter attacks or punish Assad, administration officials said earlier this week, although they did not suggest any action was imminent. A woman has told of her shock after returning from shopping to find an abusive note typed on a white card and left on her car. Jo Clarke, from Auckland, had parked between the white lines at Shore City Shopping Centre in Takapuna on Sunday when she found the profanity-filled letter. Typed in black ink onto a white piece of cardboard, the note had been tucked into her driver's side window by an angry stranger. A woman has told of her shock after returning from shopping to find an abusive note (pictured) typed on a white card and left on her car 'Thanks for parking so close. Next time leave a f***ing can opener so I can get out. A**holes like you should take the bus,' the note said. Ms Clarke said she thought the card was advertising at first, and found it more amusing than threatening, The New Zealand Herald reported. 'I was just more surprised someone had typed cards on hand waiting for someone to cross them,' she said. 'No one has ever called me an a**hole before so I thought that was quite empowering and funny.' Ms Clarke said she had parked properly, and thinks maybe the angry stranger was jealous of her new work vehicle. 'It was a narrow space that I reversed three times to leave space on either side and was within the white lines,' she said. The identity of the furious driver who left the note on Ms Clarke's car remains unknown. Towards the end of his interview with Gerry Adams yesterday, Andrew Marr asked him what difference the election of Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister would make, adding that the Labour leader has always supported a united Ireland and hes been a big backer of yours over years. Of course Adams thought it would be terrific, for he considers his old pal an outstanding politician. Jeremy had indeed kept faith, as had Ken Livingstone and others. (He didnt name check shadow chancellor John McDonnell or shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, although he could have done, given that throughout the years when the IRA murdered, assaulted, tortured, intimidated and robbed, they have always been unswerving in their support.) Supporter: Jermey Corbyn and John McDonnell with Gerry Adams at the House Of Commons in 2008 They were the people who were open to conversation about how to deal with conflict and how to get conflict resolution processes, claimed Adams. But this is a man who lies all the time. He even has the effrontery to deny he was ever in the IRA in which hes been a senior figure since 1972 when he represented it at a meeting with a British Secretary of State. These days, hes one of its rump a select group of elderly ex-Provos who still control the republican movement. After 34 years Adams is stepping down as president of Sinn Fein (the IRAs political wing) this weekend, but from behind the scenes, hell still be the boss. Saying that Corbyn and co were advising on conflict resolution is just another of Adamss lies. In reality they were cheerleaders for the murderers of more than 900 members of the security forces, of 23 prison officers and of 642 civilians. The Irish politicians with whom Corbyn and his fellow travellers consorted were virtually exclusively pro-violence republicans. Gerry Adams told Andrew Marr that Jeremy Corbyn had always believed in a united Ireland Seamus Mallon, a well-respected member of the anti-violence nationalist SDLP party, who in 1998 became deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, said last year of Corbyn: He very clearly took the side of the IRA and that was incompatible, in my opinion, with working for peace. When Corbyn became an MP in 1983, he was already important in those political circles that found the whiff of the cordite a turn-on. He was active in IRA-supporting organisations such as the Troops Out movement, that wanted unconditional withdrawal, and the Trotskyist magazine London Labour Briefing. When in December 1983 six people were killed by a bomb near Harrods, Corbyn flew to Northern Ireland to meet senior Provo Danny Morrison, who had become famous for asking a Sinn Fein conference a couple of years earlier: Will anyone here object, if with a ballot paper in one hand and an Armalite in this hand, we take power in Ireland? In October 1984, trying to murder Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, the IRA blew up the Grand Hotel in Brighton, killing five and seriously injuring 31: two weeks later Corbyn hosted two convicted IRA terrorists in the House of Commons. London Labour Briefing refused to condemn the carnage and demanded immediate and complete British withdrawal, and the disarming of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the local defence force. Let our Iron Lady know this, said an editorial, those who live by the sword shall die by it. If she wants violence, then violence she will certainly get. In 1986, Corbyn was arrested for obstruction at a Troops Out rally outside the Old Bailey (where the Brighton bomber was in the dock), to show solidarity with the Irish republican prisoners put on trial by the British State. Both Corbyn and McDonnell were assiduous attenders at the Wolfe Tone Society, which supported political violence and honoured dead and imprisoned IRA members. Corbyn was arrested for obstruction at a Troops Out rally outside the Old Bailey, where the Brighton bomber who tried to murder Margaret Thatcher was in the dock It was at a meeting of this society that, in 1987, Corbyn stood for a minutes silence to commemorate a notorious gang of IRA terrorists who had murdered dozens of their neighbours and been shot by the SAS when ambushing a police station. Im happy to commemorate all those who died fighting for an independent Ireland, he said. The list of treachery goes on relentlessly. It was a few weeks after the devastating Manchester bomb in 1996 that Corbyn launched Gerry Adamss autobiography in the Commons. Even The Guardian had enough, saying: Mr Corbyn is a fool, and a fool whom the Labour Party would probably be better off without, whose romantic support for Irish republicans showed his lack of wider political and moral judgment. But Corbyn hasnt just been keen on Irish terrorists. Hes an internationalist, who essentially supports anyone who hates the West. Hes opposed more than a dozen prevention of terrorism bills, lobbied on behalf of Colombian guerrillas and the Lockerbie bombers who brought down Pan Am Flight 103, invited friends from Hezbollah and Hamas to Parliament and as recently as 2015 expressed his unhappiness about shoot-to-kill policies in the wake of terror attacks in Paris. Its no wonder he has the endorsement of Gerry Adams. What could be better than a British Prime Minister who embraces his countrys enemies? A father who assaulted a pregnant woman after she almost ran over his eight-year-old son has avoided jail time for his violent attack. Troy Conrad Thompson pleaded guilty to common assault after he attacked the 16-week pregnant woman in September of last year, following a near-collision as his son rode his bike in Gladstone, Queensland. The 47-year-old and his son were riding their bikes along Dawson Highway when the young boy was almost hit by a passing car, the Gladstone Observer reports. Troy Conrad Thompson pleaded guilty to common assault after he attacked the 16-week pregnant woman in September of last year, following a near-collision as his son rode his bike in Gladstone, Queensland (pictured) Mr Thompson then noticed the same car leaving a KFC car-park and he jumped at the opportunity to unleash his rage on the female driver. The man began yelling at the woman - who attempted to drive away - before he approached her at a red light, leaning inside the driver's window as the woman tried to force him out of the car. As he grappled with the driver, Mr Thompson then 'struck' her in the face. The woman suffered bruising to her right eye and lacerations to her face from her smashed glasses and was taken to hospital. There was no harm to the woman's unborn child. The 47-year-old and his son were riding their bikes along Dawson Highway when the young boy was almost hit by a passing car (Gladstone Local Court pictured) The woman suffered bruising to her right eye and lacerations to her face from her smashed glasses and was taken to hospital (Stock image pictured) Mr Thompson's lawyer Jun Pepito claimed his client did not realise the woman was pregnant as she was sitting down at the time of the assault. The defence also stated the man was acting hysterically because his son was almost killed. 'On that day, he almost lost his son,' Mr Pepito told the court. Mr Thompson was on an existing suspended term of imprisonment for assault and an aggravated contravention of domestic violence at the time of the September assault. Police prosecutor Senior Constable Balan Selvadurai described the man as having a 'propensity for violence'. He was was sentenced to six months' imprisonment with immediate parole release. A Brisbane father and former rugby star has left behind a devastated wife and young daughter after he died during his first week at a Samoan bible school. Kitiona Mauli'o, 35, collapsed and died at the prestigious Malua Theological College on the island of Upolu in Samoa on Friday. A Samoan police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia Mr Mauli'o collapsed and was taken to Leulumoega Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Kitiona Mauli'o, 35, collapsed and died at the prestigious Malua Theological College on the island of Upolu in Samoa on Friday A Samoan police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia Mr Mauli'o collapsed at the school and was taken to Leulumoega Hospital, where he was pronounced dead Mr Mauli'o has left behind his heartbroken wife Taafili and their young daughter. His death came just days after he arrived from Brisbane to begin a theology course at the college and was welcomed onto the campus in a grand ceremony. The school provides training for the Congregational Christian Church, the biggest in Samoa. It has been operating for more than 150 years. Mr Mauli'o's family members took to Facebook to speak out about his death. A Samoan police spokesman said they are investigating the death and could not comment on the cause. Daily Mail Australia understands Mr Mauli'o was clearing a field with a machete when he collapsed. Temperatures on the island can reach almost 40C in February. Mr Mauli'o was a promising rugby union player having played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 2001 and was a member of the Queensland Reds academy. Mr Mauli'o has left behind his heartbroken wife Taafili (right) and their young daughter As a member of the Australian Schools team Mr Mauli'o toured Japan and the United Kingdom alongside future Wallabies representatives Drew Mitchell, Rodney Blake, Josh Valentine and Hugh McMeniman. A Facebook tribute to Mr Mauli'o described him as a 'true gentleman'. 'Kitiona Malui'o was a great role model in the Pacific community especially his Samoan heritage. 'A gifted halfback with exceptional field management and quick off the mark pace. His death came just days after he began a theology course at the college and was welcomed onto the campus in a grand ceremony 'He was inspired to become a minister through his beloved church. He will be truly missed, fly high brother.' Malua Theological College offers bachelor's degrees in divinity and theology, and is led by Principal Reverend Ma'afala Lima, the brother of Manu Samoa rugby legend Brian Lima. On the school's website Mr Lima is listed as having a Master of Theology from Princeton University. Malua Theological College did not respond to requests for comment. Mr Mauli'o's family have set up a Go Fund Me page to help support his wife and daughter. An African community leader has called for Malcolm Turnbull and Peter Dutton to be deported from the country for their comments on Sudanese crime in Melbourne. South Sudanese Community Association spokesman Richard Deng said he was sick of government leaders exaggerating the threat of youth crime in Victoria. 'Peter Dutton and Malcolm Turnbull, you need to be deported,' Mr Deng told a crowd of several-hundred at a rally in Melbourne on Sunday. 'We are all Australians ... if you do not stop what are you doing, we are going to send you back to where you come from.' Scroll down for video Community leader Richard Deng, pictured in January with Victorian Chief Police Commissioner Graham Ashton, has accused the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Minister Peter Dutton of playing political games Mr Deng told The Australian he would continue to 'reply' to the Prime Minister and Mr Dutton if they continued to campaign on youth-crime issues. 'They are playing political games and it is not right ... we were not prepared for what they said over the summer,' he said. 'We have to defend ourselves.' Hundreds turned out in Melbourne on Sunday to protest the 'intense racist hysteria towards the African community'. Holding signs that read: 'Dump Dutton', 'Stop racism now' and 'Jobs, education and services not racist law and order hysteria', the group were seen marching with a police escort through the capital city. They loudly chanted: 'Dutton's game is a racist game - throw the Liberals out' as they moved towards the State Library. Sunday's rally was designed to fight 'a wave of intense racist hysteria towards the African community in Melbourne', provoked by the Prime Minister and Mr Dutton. On Sunday, hundreds rallied against 'intense racist hysteria towards the African community' in relation to a recent spate of gang crime In an event page on Facebook, the organisers said the protest would also fight against stricter bail laws and enforced deportation rules. They say an increasingly racial view of crime in Victoria has emboldened far-right groups to attack Africans. 'By racialising crime in Victoria, and spreading the lie that crime is an 'African' problem, Turnbull and Dutton have ramped up racism and fear and encouraged far-right groups to target the African community,' they wrote. 'In the face of such racist fear-mongering, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has called for further punitive policing initiatives such as a national criminal intelligence framework. 'Last year, the state government spent an unprecedented $2 billion from to expand policing. This money could instead have been put into supporting public education, housing and community and employment programs to support young people.' A 'healing service' for the South Sudanese community was later held at St Paul's Anglican Cathedral, according to The Australian. Archbishop Philip Freier, who attacked politicians and the media last week for 'exaggerating' the youth-crime crisis said his sermon was about uniting the community and praying for victims of youth violence. Victoria Police deputy commissioner Andrew Crisp also spoke at the service. 'We don't shy away from that commitment to investigating crime and arresting those responsible ... but we want to work with churches ... we don't want to lock people up,' he said. One passionate protester brandished a bright yellow sign telling the Minister for Home Affairs to 'get in the bin' Others were seen holding signs that said #africanyouthgang and another placard said 'we're not scapegoats' Protesters chanted: 'Dutton's game is a racist game - throw the Liberals out' One sign demanded 'elected civilian control boards to control the police' (right) because of racial profiling The protest comes after a series of heavily publicised home invasions and burglaries, allegedly committed by young people of African appearance. The Prime Minister, Mr Dutton and Citizenship Minister Alan Tudge have all called for harsher measures to be taken against migrant youths who break the law. Mr Tudge and Mr Dutton have both publicly backed calls to begin deporting African nationals who had been convicted of a violent crime in recent weeks. The Prime Minister told reporters last month his government was 'very concerned at the growing gang violence and lawlessness in Victoria, in particular in Melbourne.' Police are desperately searching for a man with a tiger tattoo and 'possible' rat's tail following the brutal slaying of a 'very spiritual' mother-of-three on Sunday. Sally Rothe, 54, was found dead at her home in the sleep town of Murray Bridge, east of Adelaide, South Australia, shortly after 8pm. Detectives said there was 'no doubt' Ms Rothe had been murdered and pleaded for the public's help finding heavily inked suspect Travis Kirchner, 43. A dog-walking neighbour rang police after spotting a man trying to kick Ms Rothe's door in last night. Scroll down for video WANTED: South Australian detectives are desperately hunting for Travis Kirchner, 43 - said to have a tiger tattoo and a 'possible' rat's tail VICTIM: Sally Rothe - described by friends as 'very spiritual' and as a mother-of-three - was found dead at her Albert Terrace, Murray Bridge, home about 8pm on Sunday Crime scene: Neighbours woke up to shocking scenes in sleepy Murray Bridge on Monday following the slaying death of Sally Rothe Ms Rothe body was discovered with 'significant injuries', Detective Superintendent Des Bray said. She and Kirchner were known to each other, he said, and Kirchner was 'well known to police.' 'Any person that discovered that crime scene could be left with no doubt it was a deliberate murder,' he said. 'Multiple people know who is responsible for this murder,. Kirchner is believed to be wearing a faded red T-shirt and jeans. Police said he had a tiger inked into his chest and a panther on his upper right arm. Ms Rothe was killed by a man known to her, and well known to police, Detective Superintendent Des Bray told reporters He was described as about 44 years old, pale skinned and balding - and possibly sporting a rats tail. The public have been warned to stay away from him if they see him. 'The man obviously committed a brutal murder a short time ago, and is currently fleeing - really anybody in that situation is dangerous and shouldn't be approached by anybody,' Det Supt Bray said. A crime scene has been established at the woman's home, and the local criminal investigation branch and Major Crime Detectives are investigating. A woman identifying herself as Kirchner's niece posted to Facebook claiming her house was raided at midnight. 'If anyone sees this piece of s**t call cops straight away he's on the run,' she said. He's accommodated guests all over the world from Canada to Australia Preston Forsyth has worked in the hospitality industry for all of his life Preston Forsyth is one of Australia's most sought-after concierges and his experience in catering for the rich and famous has given him a wealth of dinner party stories. He currently works at one of the country's top luxury hotels - Crown Towers Melbourne - and his resume includes the Hyatt Regency Coolum resort on Queensland's Sunshine Coast and the Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel in Canada. The chief concierge told news.com.au there are just some client requests he'd never forget. Preston Forsyth (pictured) is one of Australia's most sought-after concierges Crown Towers Melbourne is one of Australia's most luxurious hotels (stock image) 'A guest wanted a large printed-out photo of Sigourney Weaver from Alien holding a cat to be set up prior to arrival,' Mr Forsyth said. 'I'm not sure what the joke was and it was a very specific request but it was funny to facilitate it.' He said another guest had bought a pair of cashmere socks from a boutique in Paris and wanted the hotel to get him another pair. 'None of us spoke French so we connected with colleagues in the hotel industry in France who went to the store on our behalf, purchased a pair and sent them to us and we had them here within four days,' he explained. Mr Forsyth was once asked for 'a large printed-out photo of Sigourney Weaver from Alien holding a cat' (stock image) For the guest that wanted a pair of Parisian cashmere socks Mr Forsyth had to use his connections in the hotel industry in France because nobody spoke French (stock image) For the majority of his career he has made what some people might think as impossible, possible. Guests pay thousands of dollars a night to stay at some of Australia's most luxury hotels and they expect the concierge service to match. Mr Forsyth also knows that impressing a wealthy guest results in repeat visits, but sometimes the demands are unattainable and he has to provide an alternative. 'Another guest loved native Australian wildlife and wanted a reptile exhibit set up in his room. 'We couldn't facilitate that but we organised a personal zoo tour where he got all the information he could ever want about reptiles and even got to hold some of the non-venomous ones,' Mr Forsyth said. An Indiana man who was ticketed after making a crude gesture at a state police trooper has filed a federal lawsuit, alleging his constitutional rights were violated. The lawsuit was filed Thursday on behalf of Mark May of Terre Haute against Indiana State Police Master Trooper Matt Ames, the Tribune-Star reported. The lawsuit alleged May waved his middle finger at the trooper on August 21, 2017, because he was cut off while Ames pulled over another motorist. Mark May (pictured left) of Terre Haute, Indiana filed a lawsuit against Indiana State Police Master Trooper Matt Ames on Thursday May was issued a 'provocation' ticket after the action, according to the lawsuit. According to the Indiana Criminal Code, the ticket carries a fine of up to $500. The ticket is issued when 'a person who recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally engages in conduct that is likely to provoke a reasonable person to commit battery commits provocation.' May waved his middle finger at the trooper on August 21, 2017, because he was cut off while Ames pulled over another motorist (stock image) But Kenneth Falk, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, argued that May's gesture to Ames was expressive conduct fully protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. 'While perhaps ill advised, Mr. May's gesture, which in no way interfered with the Master Trooper's lawful activities, was fully protected by the First Amendment,' Falk said. Falk added that the trooper 'had no cause whatsoever to initiate the stop.' The Indiana State Police didn't immediately return the newspaper's request for comment. A distraught mother has spoken of her heartache after her 16-year-old daughter was allegedly murdered by a doctor. Amber-Rose Rush, from Dunedin, New Zealand, was found dead inside her home on Saturday morning, according to local reports. A 30-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with her murder, Stuff NZ reported. The man reportedly stood in silence as he appeared at Dunedin District Court on Monday before a group of men yelled obscenities at him from the back of the room. A distraught mother (left) has spoken of her heartache after her 16-year-old daughter (right) was allegedly murdered by a doctor Tributes have poured in for the teenager, who has been described by her mother as a 'beautiful, kind hearted and most loved girl'. 'How do I put into words what you mean to me my baby girl, you are literally my other half, my soul, my heart, my everything,' she wrote on Facebook. 'I don't know how to be without you, I cannot see a way to live without you, your everything to me, to all of us. 'You may be the baby of the family, but you are and will forever be the heart and soul of our family.' A 30-year-old registered junior doctor has been charged with the teenager's murder Amber's sister posted: 'My baby sister... she was only 16.' Her brother also joined the tributes and spoke of his pain. Police said the 30-year-old accused was known to the teenager and that they weren't looking for any other suspects. Federal investigators say Sunday's Amtrak crash that killed a conductor and an engineer in South Carolina was caused by a switch that was locked in the wrong position on the tracks - and was preventable. National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt said the collision could have been avoided had the train been equipped with a GPS-based system called 'positive train control' that knows the location of all trains and the positions of all switches in an area to prevent the kind of human error that can put two trains on the same track. 'It could have avoided this accident. That's what it's designed to do,' the head of the agency said. Regulators have been demanding this GPS technology for decades with mixed success. Scroll down for video Carnage: An aerial view of the site of an early morning train crash Sunday between an Amtrak train, bottom right, and a CSX freight train, top left, in Cayce, South Carolina, that killed two What happened: NTSB says a locked switch on the tracks was to blame for the deadly wreck that injured more than 100 people National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt presents the ongoing investigation to the media during a press conference at SC Emergency Management Division in Cayce, South Carolina, on February 4 Sumwalt said the passenger train hurtled down a side track near Cayce at around 2.45am on Sunday after a stop 10 miles north in Columbia because a switch was locked in place, diverting it from the main line. A crew on the freight train had moved the switch to drive it from one side track - where it unloaded 34 train cars of automobiles - to the side track where it was parked. The switch was padlocked as it was supposed to be, Sumwalt said. The system that operates the train signals in the area was down, so CSX Corp. - the freight railroad operator which runs that stretch of track - was manually operating the signals. Sumwalt said it was too early to know if the signal was red to warn the Amtrak crew that the switch was not set to continue along the main train line. 'Key to this investigation is learning why the switch was lined that way,' Sumwalt told reporters at a news conference on Sunday. Just hours after Sunday's crash, which also sent 116 of the 147 people on board the New York-to-Miami train to the hospital, Amtrak President Robert Anderson pointed a finger of blame at CSX because of the locked switch and said there must be no more delays from the federal government in installing the safety system by the end of 2018. Amtrak conductor Michael Cella (left), 36, and the train's engineer 54-year-old Michael Kempf (right), were both killed on Sunday morning when their train collided with a parked freight train Amtrak's Silver Star was on its way from New York to Miami with eight crew members and about 139 passengers and eight crew members around 2.45am when it plowed into the CSX train at an estimated 59mph 'Nightmare': A passenger said he he heard screams and crying all around him and saw people bleeding in the train cars Officials said that more than 5,000 gallons of fuel had leaked from the two trains but there was no threat to the public. By 7am, the leaks had been contained He deferred to investigators about whether the system would have stopped this crash. 'Theoretically, an operative PTC system would include switches in addition to signals, so it would cover both speed and switches,' Anderson said. The Silver Star was going an estimated 59mph when it struck the freight train, Gov. Henry McMaster said. It was the middle of the night, and many people were jolted from sleep by the crash and forced into the cold. 'I thought that I was dead,' said passenger Eric Larkin, of Pamlico County, North Carolina, who was dazed and limping after banging his knee. Larkin said he was on his way to Florida when he was awakened. The train was shaking and jumping, and his seat broke loose, slamming him into the row in front of him, he said. He said he heard screams and crying all around him as he tried to get out. Other passengers were bleeding. The State newspaper reports Ryan Roberts couldn't believe it when his wife Alexandria Delgado awoke him with a call early Sunday to their Raleigh, North Carolina, home. He said he asked her to repeat herself three times when she said her train had derailed. Avoidable tragedy: Officials say had the Amtrak train been equipped with a GPS system that knows the location of all trains and the positions of all switches in an area, the wreck could have been prevented Investigators are still trying to determine why a switch was left lined up the way it was, which diverted the Amtrak train onto wrong track He had left his wife and another female friend at the Raleigh train station on Saturday night so they could take a trip to Florida. Roberts said he and the husband of the other woman drove for hours to reach Columbia, not knowing the condition of their loved ones. Both women were banged up and still being treated later Sunday at a hospital and 'in a lot of pain,' according to Roberts. 'They were sleeping and woke up to a nightmare,' Roberts told the paper. 'They were horrified.' The locomotives of both trains were left crumpled, the Amtrak engine on its side. One car in the middle of the Amtrak train was snapped in half, forming a V off to one side of the tracks. Engineer Michael Kempf, 54, of Savannah, Georgia, and conductor Michael Cella, 36, of Orange Park, Florida, were killed, Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher said. 'Any time you have anything that happens like that, you expect more fatalities. But God blessed us, and we only had the two,' Fisher said, her voice choked with emotion. Of the 116 people taken to four hospitals, only about a half dozen were admitted. The rest had minor injuries such as cuts, bruises or whiplash, authorities said. On Wednesday, a chartered Amtrak train carrying Republican members of Congress to a retreat slammed into a garbage truck in rural Virginia, killing one person in the truck and injuring six others. And on December 18, an Amtrak train ran off the rails along a curve during its inaugural run near Tacoma, Washington, killing three people and injuring dozens. It was going nearly 80mph, more than twice the speed limit. With the recent string of crashes, 'it's becoming almost like an epidemic for Amtrak,' said Najmedin Meshkati, a University of Southern California engineering professor who has studied positive train control. A team from the NTSB is expected to remain on the scene of the latest Amtrak wreck in Caycee, South Carolina, for five to seven days. Armed police officers would be embedded at 10 Victorian secondary schools under a new plan proposed by Opposition Leader Matthew Guy. It's purpose would be to tackle what Mr Guy described as 'a violent scourge of youth crime' and 'to keep Victorians safe'. The issue of violent youth crime gained traction last month when Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said Melburnians were afraid to go out for dinner at night because of feared gang crime. Matthew Guy's (pictured) new plan would aim at tackling 'a violent scourge of youth crime' Armed police officers would be embedded at 10 Victorian secondary schools (stock image) For two years, dedicated police officers would be put in 10 'at risk' secondary schools. Those schools are yet to be identified. The high school officers would be operational but it would be up to police command to decide if they were armed. In a bid to build positive relationships between young people and the police, Mr Guy also promised that if elected in November the Coalition would reintroduce the police in schools program. 'This is about combating crime before it's a problem. It's about respect, it's about tolerance. 'The best way to prevent crime, the best way to engage, is to adopt a police in schools program,'' Mr Guy said. Under the program, 100 extra police will be funded to work as school resource officers - most of them in primary schools. Victoria is the only state that does not have a police in schools program, the previous one axed 13 years ago. Together both programs are expected to cost $50 million over four years. The father of Otto Warmbier, who was taken captive in North Korea and later died upon his return to the United States, will travel to the Winter Olympics with Vice President Mike Pence this week. Fred Warmbier, who previously attended Donald Trump's State of the Union address, will join Pence at the Opening Ceremonies in Pyeongchang, South Korea, the Washington Post reports. Pence leaves on February 5 for a trip to Japan and South Korea, where he will lead the U.S. delegation in the Opening Ceremonies. Fred Warmbier (pictured next to wife Cindy during Donald Trump's State of the Union address) will travel with Mike Pence to the Winter Olympics Fred and Cindy's son, Otto, fell into a coma while in captivity in North Korea. Upon his return to the United States he was in a near vegetative state and died The Winter Olympics are being held in Pyeongchang, South Korea this year White House officials told the Washington Post that Pence will speak against North Korean propaganda and nuclear aggression while in South Korea. The news comes after Fred and his wife, Cindy, attended the State of the Union address this past Tuesday. 'We need only look at the depraved character of the North Korean regime to understand the nature of the nuclear threat it could pose to America and our allies,' Trump said during his speech. He mentioned Otto towards the end of his speech. Otto was a University of Virginia student from Cincinnati, Ohio, who was taken captive when he took a tour in North Korea. 'At its conclusion, this wonderful man was arrested and charged with crimes against the state,' Trump said. Pence is expected to discuss North Korean propaganda and nuclear aggression while in South Korea 'After a shameful trial, the dictatorship sentenced Otto to 15 years of hard labor, before returning him to America last June horribly injured and on the verge of death. He passed away just days after his return,' Trump said. Otto was charged with 'hostile acts against the DPRK.' 'You are powerful witnesses to a menace that threatens our world, and your strength inspires us all,' Trump said in reference to the Warmbier family. 'Tonight, we pledge to honor Otto's memory with American resolve,' he said, and then, departing from his text, added as the Warmbiers stood up to a lengthy ovation: 'Special people.' Fred later told the Washington Post the experience was 'very emotional' and that it 'felt good' to see his son honored by the president. Warmbier was detained in North Korea when he joined a New Year's Eve tour to the country at the beginning of 2016. He was arrested as he was leaving Pyongyang. 'You are powerful witnesses to a menace that threatens our world, and your strength inspires us all,' Trump said during his State of the Union in reference to the Warmbier family Kim Jong-Un was widely condemned for the death of Warmbier, a University of Virginia student from Ohio Warmbier was returned to the United States in June 2017 after having been in a coma for more than a year. Shocked doctors from the Cincinnati Medical Center, where Otto was rushed immediately after he returned to the US, said he suffered extensive brain damage. The family declined an autopsy and his cause of death remains unknown. Ambiorix Rodriguez was 32 at the time of the assaults against a 12-year-old girl. He is now serving a jail sentence of 20 years to life A woman who was repeatedly sexually abused by her school's janitor has spoken out in harrowing detail about her ordeal. The New Yorker, who was just 12 at the time of the assaults, believes the school system is to blame for the abuse she endured. She was able to be absent from classes for long periods of time during the school day, while a school employee raped her in the building's basement. The woman from Brooklyn, who is now 20, told the New York Post how janitor Ambiorix Rodriguez managed to groom her for more than a year before being able to rape her upwards of 40 times and finally being caught. The woman is now suing Rodriguez and the Department of Education in Manhattan Supreme Court believing the school has to accept some of the blame for what happened. She claims that Rodriguez should have been never been given the job in the first place after being arrested in 2004 and 2007 for drug possession and also being caught drinking at work. The nightmare began when she was alone in a school stairwell and on her way to class one day at Brooklyn's Middle School of Marketing and Legal Studies in East Flatbush. 'Why do you always look at me like that?' Rodriguez asked her. The janitor would lure the girl down into the school's basement to his 'pen' where he would rape her on the couch. The den was dank, cold and had a leaky roof which can be clearly seen at the top of the picture The girl, who came from a broken home, had no idea what the older man meant at the time and was confused. She had no idea how the comment would be the start of months of hellish sexual abuse at his hands. The janitor, who was 32 at the time, would entice her to come to his private room in the basement of the school during class, lunchtime and even after hours. 'He would just kind of pressure me to come down stairs, I would say, "No" and "No" and "No," but it would still be him pressuring me. For months,' she said. She would go down to his 'pen,' a secluded, dank room with a steel gate at the door and a rotting hole in the ceiling. There was a TV and a couch in the room. While they were down there, other schoolchildren could also be heard outside in the playground above. Rodriguez would try and make the girl feel comfortable by telling her she could sit on the couch and watch TV. Eventually, the encounters resulted in painful sex sessions. Rodriguez would wait outside class and even after school to try and secure more alone time with the girl where he could rape her and continue to sexually assault her 'If somebody was paying attention, somewhere, to me, maybe this wouldn't have happened,' said the woman, who spoke to The Post on condition of anonymity. 'Somebody somewhere was not doing their job, that allowed me to go missing for so much time during school hours,' she said. Occasionally, Rodriguez would refuse to let her leave fearing that someone might see her in a restricted area of the school. The youngster had little idea what was going on. Her family never told her about sex and she had no idea what condoms were or whether Rodriguez used one. 'I felt like if I did say something, it would be me getting in trouble,' she said to the New York Post. Eventually, after about five months of torture she came up with a plan and started skipping school, showing up late, or immersing herself near large groups of students to make it tougher for Rodriguez to get to her without someone noticing what he was doing. But Rodriguqez had become obsessed with the pre-teen and hung around outside after-school activities to try and secure some alone time with her before she went home. The harrowing assaults took place at Brooklyn's Middle School of Marketing and Legal Studies in East Flatbush Finally, the girl could take no more and feeling the 'overwhelming stress' of the abuse told a teacher while out on a school field trip in April 2011. That same day, Rodriguez was finally caught and arrested for rape. He was convicted two years later in 2013 and sentenced to 20 years to life. By the time of his trial, the girl had become a teenager and testified against him in court. It was a painful experience for her as she was forced to retell the story over and over with her abuser sitting just a few feet away. In a written confession Rodriguez claimed the girl had flirted with him. 'How could a 12-year-old flirt with you?' The now adult victim fumed to the Post. Seven years since the man's capture, the woman feels relief that she has undoubtedly prevented other young girls from being abuse but feels immense regret that she didn't speak up sooner. 'The teachers should have done their job,' she said. 'I felt like, at 13, I didn't have my own voice.' she said. She still feels incredulity that school staff never noticed what was going on. Her frequent disappearances from class and her being found in restricted areas never seemed to raise suspicions with the people who should have cared the most. She is now suing the school system and the adults who failed her in an effort to make her voice heard. A grandmother has been killed in what's been described as a tragic accident after she became trapped underneath her motorhome, with a four-year-old girl inside the vehicle. It's understood the woman's motorhome - which was towing another vehicle - was parked at a family member's Bega home on the New South Wales Far South Coast when it began rolling down a hill on Sunday afternoon. The 62-year-old woman had attempted to stop the vehicle when she became pinned underneath. The motorhome tragedy happened in Howard Avenue, Bega (pictured) on the New South Wales Far South Home on Sunday afternoon Police said she suffered serious injuries and died at the scene, despite desperate efforts by emergency services to revive her. A four-year-old girl, believed to be the woman's granddaughter, was inside the motorhome at the time. The girl was uninjured but taken to hospital as a precaution. It's understood the family were taking groceries inside when the motorhome began rolling down Howard Avenue, the Daily Telegraph reported. 'We're just putting it down to a tragic accident and our thoughts are with the family,' Bega Police Detective Sergeant Justin Marks said. 'There's no winners at all.' A report will be prepared for the Coroner. The vehicles involved in the accident will be further examined by investigators. A pregnant woman who killed a British backpacker while driving under the influence of drugs will have her conviction appeal fast tracked amid fears she may give birth behind bars. Charity worker Rebecca Lee Greatley, 25, was sentenced to at least 18 months jail for the horror crash which claimed the life of her friend Jamie Ray Dumbleton, 26, in Port Pirie, South Australia, in May of 2016. Ms Greatley pleaded guilty to causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving, before appealing for a suspended sentence - and she has hired a top lawyer who specalisies in keeping pregnant women out of jail to front her case, the Adelaide Advertiser reports. Scroll down for video Charity worker Rebecca Lee Greatley, 25, (pictured) was sentenced to at least 18 months jail for the horror crash which claimed the life of her friend Jamie Ray Dumbleton Ms Greatley (right) drove into the path of an oncoming truck in a crash which instantly killed British backpacker Mr Dumbleton (left) Mr Dumbleton, from Rugby in Warwickshire, died instantly in the catastrophic road accident when Ms Greatley failed to stop at an intersection and drove her silver Hyundai into the path of an oncoming semi-trailer. Two other passengers, colleagues Lauren Canciani and Dylan James O'Donnell-Middleton, from Adelaide-based charity The Fundraising People, were seriously injured. The mother-to-be, who was high on cannabis at the time of the crash, has been publicly slammed by Mr Dumbleton's heartbroken family who view her last-minute appeal as a strategy to pervert the course of justice. 'I think she should have pleaded guilty a long time ago, she hasn't done her self any favours,' father Dave Dumbleton told Nine News. Mr Dumbleton, (pictured) from Rugby in Warwickshire, died instantly in the catastrophic road accident The 26-year-old (pictured) was described by his father as the 'main character' of the family Two other passengers, colleagues Lauren Canciani and Dylan James O'Donnell-Middleton, from Adelaide-based charity The Fundraising People, were seriously injured (Crash scene pictured) The heartbroken family of Mr Dumbleton (brother and father pictured) have slammed Ms Greatley's appeal as a bid to 'escape justice' She is appealing her minimum 18-month sentence on the grounds she suffers pre-eclampsia and requires specialised medical help for her unborn daughter. Ms Greatley, who is seven-months pregnant, will give birth in prison if her appeal bid fails. She is said to have wailed and sobbed uncontrollably upon learning of her sentence in court. Her case will be spearheaded by high-profile barrister Heather Stokes, who is a vocal critic of jailing pregnant women. The Dumbleton family (father Dave and brother Danny pictured) have already lost two other members to car crashes Ms Greatley (pictured), who is seven-months pregnant, will give birth in prison if her appeal bid fails Jamie Dumbleton (pictured) was killed instantly in the horror crash which also injured Ms Greatley two other passengers Ms Stokes previously defended drug-trafficking mother Soraya Louise Constant who was 15-weeks pregnant at the time of sentencing, in an appeal bid which ultimately failed. The family of Mr Dumbleton were also reportedly 'angry and resentful' to learn their son's killer was pregnant. 'Jamie's life is over, he is dead. He will never get the chance to live his life. He would have been a great father,' his brother Danny Dumbleton said. Mr Dumbleton was the third member of his family to be killed in a road accident, after his two sisters tragically died in two separate crashes. An Ohio juror who had voted to send a convicted murderer to death row two decades ago is now speaking out in a last-ditch effort to save his life, arguing that during the trial the jury was misled about the defendant's 'truly terrible' childhood. Raymond Tibbetts, 60, is scheduled to be executed on February 13 for the 1997 stabbing death of Fred Hicks in Cincinnati. Ross Geiger was among the jurors who sentenced Tibbetts to death for the slaying, despite his misgivings about the man's difficult childhood. After reviewing documents made available during Tibbetts' clemency appeal last year, Geiger has come to believe that Tibbetts' life should be spared and has emerged as a vocal advocate for the condemned inmate. Unlikely advocate: Ross Geiger (left) was among the jurors who sentenced Raymond Tibbetts to death in 1998 for a brutal murder. With a little over a week to go before his execution, Geiger is asking the Ohio governor to spare the inmate's life 'After reviewing the material, from the perspective of an original juror, I have deep concerns about the trial and the way it transpired,' Geiger wrote in a letter to Ohio Governor John Kasich, a Republican. 'This is why I am asking you to be merciful.' Geiger said he didn't feel like he had a choice at the time of the sentencing 20 years ago. 'I felt persuaded the law required me to vote for death in this circumstance,' he told The Associated Press. The Republican governor is reviewing Tibbetts' clemency request, said spokesman Jon Keeling. The buck stops there: Geiger sent a letter to Ohio Gov John Kasich, asking him to show Tibbetts mercy, claiming the jury was misled about the defendant's 'truly terrible' childhood On the day of Fred Hicks' killing in 1997, Tibbetts also beat and stabbed to death his own wife, 42-year-old Judith Crawford, during an argument over Tibbetts' crack cocaine addiction. The 67-year-old Hicks had hired Crawford as a caretaker and allowed the couple to stay with him. Tibbetts received a life sentence for his wife's killing. In their efforts to save Tibbetts from a lethal injection, his lawyers argued that their client was an early victim of the devastating opioid epidemic. According to documents provided to Kasich by federal public defender Erin Barnhart, Tibbetts was doing fine until he was inappropriately prescribed painkillers for a work injury in the mid-1990s. 'We know now just how devastating and deadly opioid addiction can be, and our government officials are rightly working to combat this epidemic on several fronts,' Barnhart wrote to Kasich last year. Tibbetts deserves mercy because of 'his addiction and unanswered requests for help with his struggle,' Barnhart wrote. Drug overdoses killed a record 4,050 Ohioans in 2016. Kasich has pushed several initiatives to slow painkiller prescribing by doctors. In the new arguments presented to the governor, psychologists who examined Tibbetts say the opioid prescriptions he received in the 1990s furthered his problems. 'Tibbetts' is a sad case of someone who was strongly biologically predisposed to drug and alcohol problems,' Bob Stinson, a Columbus psychologist and chemical dependency counselor, told Kasich in an August 13 letter. 'His significant trauma history almost guaranteed problems would materialize in his own life.' Hamilton County prosecutors have argued that Tibbetts' background doesn't outweigh his crimes. That includes stabbing Crawford after he'd already beaten her to death, then repeatedly stabbing Hicks, a 'sick, defenseless, hearing-impaired man in whose home Tibbetts lived,' they told the parole board. 'In nearly every case this board reviews, inmates assert that their poor childhoods, drugs, or some other reason mitigate their actions,' Ron Springman, an assistant Hamilton County prosecutor, told the board in a 2017 filing. 'The mitigation in this case does not overcome the brutality of these murders.' The parole board voted 11-1 last year against mercy, saying that Tibbetts is not deserving of clemency in part because Hicks' killing was 'particularly senseless and gratuitous.' One board member believed that life without parole was warranted because Tibbetts' circumstances from the day he was born presented a 'recipe for a disaster,' according to a report. The board member also noted that Tibbetts' requests for help with mental health and substance abuse issues were routinely met with inadequate responses from social service agencies and other professionals. Jurors heard 'mostly anecdotal stories" from a psychiatrist called on Tibbetts' behalf about his troubled childhood and poor foster care, Geiger told Kasich. Geiger, a self-described conservative Republican, and a Trump voter, said he didn't feel like he had a choice at the time of the sentencing 20 years ago Geiger said he was shocked last month reading testimony presented at Tibbetts' clemency hearing about the conditions Tibbetts and his siblings lived through in foster care. At night, Tibbetts and his brothers were tied to a single bed at the foster home, weren't fed properly, were thrown down stairs, had their fingers beaten with spatulas and were burned on heating registers, according to Tibbetts' application for mercy last year. Geiger told Kasich he was angered to see such material, which jurors had never been presented. During the 1998 trial, Geiger managed people processing health insurance claims. He described himself as a conservative Republican at the time. Today he's a commercial banker who voted for President Donald Trump, 'a pro-growth, economic liberty kind of guy.' He says he made the decision to write Kasich on his own. He also feels sympathy for Tibbetts' victims, who deserve justice, he said. 'In a selfish way this is about my feeling duped by the system,' Geiger said. 'The state asked me to carry the responsibility for such a decision but withheld information from me that was important.' Geiger's letter matters because the parole board wasn't aware of his regrets when it ruled against Tibbetts, said Erin Barnhart, a federal public defender representing the inmate. 'Kasich is the only person who has the ability to act on it at this point,' Barnhart said. In 2008, the Oklahoma governor spared death row inmate Kevin Young based on the recommendation of the state parole board. The board heard recorded statements from jurors who said they didn't want to sentence Young to death but didn't receive clarification when they asked whether Young would be eligible for parole if sentenced to life without parole. Khaled Merhi, who was arrested during raids over an alleged Sydney terror plot in mid-2017, intends to plead guilty to a weapons charge, a court has been told. Merhi, one of four men arrested in connection to an alleged terror plot to down a passenger plane, is suffering mental health issues as a result of his treatment by police during raids last year. He faced Downing Centre Local Court on Monday on an unrelated weapons charge. He has not been charged with any terrorism offences. Two father and son duos are reportedly the four men accused of plotting to bring down a plane departing from Sydney with a homemade bomb. Pictured, one of the men is detained by police One of the accused is pictured with a bandaged head following his arrest His lawyer, Moustafa Kheir, said the 40-year-old intends to plead guilty to possessing a type of Taser without a permit. But he noted that Merhi 'experienced significant physical contact' at the time of his arrest in Surry Hills in late July 2017 and, as a result, has suffered some 'mental health issues'. Merhi was arrested with three other men in raids across Sydney relating to an alleged plot to bring down an Etihad plane with a bomb in mid-July last year. Two of them have since been charged in relation to the alleged plan to target the flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi. Khaled Khayat, from Lakemba, and Mahmoud Khayat, of Punchbowl, have each been charged with two counts of acting in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act. Lebanon's interior minister has said another brother, Amer Khayat, was to have knowingly carried out the suicide bombing but Australian authorities have suggested he had no idea he was to carry an improvised explosive device. Merhi was arrested with three other men in raids across Sydney relating to an alleged plot to bring down an Etihad plane with a bomb in mid-July last year Khaled Khayat, from Lakemba, and Mahmoud Khayat, of Punchbowl, have each been charged with two counts of acting in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act He caught the flight without his checked baggage after it was rejected at a Sydney Airport check-in counter because it was too heavy. He then travelled to Lebanon, according to the interior minister. Lebanon in August 2017 said a fourth brother, Tareq Khayat, had moved to the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa in Syria and become a commander in the jihadist group more than 12 months earlier. Merhi is scheduled to be sentenced on the weapons charge on March 29. A baby has been rushed to a Townsville hospital after nearly drowning in a backyard swimming pool on Sunday night. Adults present at the Kelso property pulled the 11-month-old from the water and started to administer CPR before emergency services arrived on the scene, according to the Townsville Bulletin. 'The bub was breathing by the time paramedics arrived on scene,' a Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said. A baby has been rushed to a Townsville hospital after nearly drowning in a backyard swimming pool on Sunday night (stock image) 'He was transported under lights and sirens to Townsville Hospital in a critical condition.' It's believed that the infant was under the surface for about two minutes before being rescued at around 10pm. The baby's condition reportedly improved overnight, and he is now considered to be stable. 'It's a good time to reiterate some pool safety tips,' the QAS spokesman said. 'Always supervise children around pools, learn CPR and keep your skills up to date.' A young woman has been diagnosed with lung cancer for the second time despite never smoking a cigarette in her life. Ruby Berg, from Bundaberg in Queensland, was told the devastating news last month that her cancer had returned with doctors giving her a 'bleak' prognosis. The 34-year-old was first diagnosed in 2012 and was forced to have half of her lung removed following chemotherapy. Ruby Berg, from Bundaberg in Queensland, was told the devastating news last month that her cancer had returned But now the cancer is back and has moved from her lung into her blood and spine with doctors giving her only months to live. 'I was given the diagnosis and told how bleak it really was,' Ruby told the Gladstone Observer. 'But in terms of how I'm feeling, pretty bad and sick, that's the reality. 'I'm just trying to stay positive and optimistic with everything that's going on.' She went to the doctor after feeling sick for a few days and was given the awful news on January 2. She went to seek a second opinion in Brisbane after being told she had no options. But because of her back pain caused by the cancer, Ruby has been forced to give up her job as a social worker. The type of cancer Ruby (pictured left) has been diagnosed with is not derived from smoking Her cousin, Sami Whitby, has set up a GoFundMe page to raise $20,000 to help Ruby pay her bills during her treatment. She said: 'Ruby is a beautiful young woman who has always lived an active life by giving to the community by working as a social worker in mental health and even participating in local animal rescue fundraising. 'We are now asking for the help of the community. Ruby is in unbearable pain daily, and is now unable and unfit for work. 'Ruby is finding it difficult to make ends meet. Ruby (pictured left) has been given only a few months to live after being diagnosed with lung cancer 'Unfortunately all super and insurance companies are unable to assist Ruby at this point in time. Just like many other people, Ruby has bills to pay. 'It is not only for Ruby but to raise awareness for all other cancer sufferers in similar situations around Australia. 'Ruby will fight and fight and fight with all she has got but this time she needs the help of her community, family and friends.' The type of cancer she has been diagnosed with is not derived from smoking. 'There's a lot of misconceptions around that and now we just live in a world where environmental things affect us,' Ruby added. The accusations against Orangewood Church pastor Jeff Jakes (Pictured) first arose earlier this week in a Facebook post A pastor from Florida is on leave as his church looks into claims that he harassed and verbally abused his intern more than 20 years ago. The accusations against Orangewood Church pastor Jeff Jakes first arose earlier this week after the alleged victim stated in a Facebook post that she suffered emotional 'abuse' at the hands of the holy man in 1998. 'I was so confused because I revered him,' Katherine Snyder, now 38 told the Orlando Sentinel Friday. 'I saw Jeff as the one who could tell me about God.' While serving as his intern during a mission trip in Acapulco, Mexico, Snyder said Jakes, then 32, confessed his romantic feelings for her at the hotel they were staying at. Snyder said after the conversation at the hotel, Jakes 'sought opportunities to be alone with me and to talk about his feelings, about how I looked, and innuendos of his daydreams of us' the entire summer. Katherine Snyder (pictured) said that Jakes, emotionally abused and harassed her in 1998 The Orangewood Church in Maitland said they are also investigating separate claims of abuse made by other students against Jakes The Orangewood Church in Maitland said they are also investigating separate claims of abuse made by other students against Jakes, but have refused to identify any of the alleged victims. Shortly after the allegations came to light, Jakes, 58, told the his congregation he would be taking a temporary sabbatical. 'I am deeply saddened and grieved at the impact that my sinful actions have upon someone who was trusted to my care and the student ministries,' Jakes said during his sermon last Sunday. 'I was grieved 20 years ago and I'm grieved today. I'm brokenhearted for the pain I've caused my wife, the mar on Christ's church. I'm truly sorry for any pain that this story may connect to a story of pain and brokenness in your life.' Orangewood Pastor Allyn Williams said the church investigation is being conducted in conjunction with an independent organization called GRACE, which investigates abuse allegations in Christian institutions. Jakes, who is married with four children, is not accused of sexual misconduct, according to the Orlando Sentinel. 'This independent investigation will be thorough and will result in an executive summary that will outline the findings of fact and recommendations,' Williams said in a statement. 'We are committed to the truth wherever it will lead and are confident that this investigation will be of great assistance in pursuit of that commitment.' Snyder said she decided to post about her experience after being inspired by the #MeToo Movement last month, saying she couldn't stay silent any longer. Orangewood Pastor Allyn Williams (pictured) said the church investigation is being conducted in conjunction with an independent organization called GRACE After Jakes announced his leave of absence last week, Church elder Gary Wilson acknowledged that Snyder's claims were not new to some in the church's leadership. 'Jeff had previously openly shared this difficult time in his and [Snyder's] life as a way of encouraging them to guard their ministries, families and protect everyone as well as the peace and purity of the church,' he said. Its unclear what that 'difficult time' specifically entails. After her Facebook post, Snyder said she was flooded with private messages from others who said they endured abuse by church staff years ago, though none have yet spoken publicly, according to The Sentinel. Snyder also claimed that Jakes touched her in ways that made her feel uncomfortable as an 18-year-old church intern, kissing her cheek, caressing her hair and holding her hand when others weren't looking. 'It is abuse when one person has all of the power,' Snyder told the Sentinel. 'You can't say that I was in a relationship because I repeatedly told him that I wasn't interested in a relationship in that way I also made it clear to him that I felt a ton of guilt over this and it was very distressing for me.' Snyder said she cut off all communication with Jakes after the trip to Mexico, but still received persistent emails and messages while studying at Asbury University. She later transferred to Florida State University, where she met her husband. She has three sons and now works with an advocacy agency in Atlanta that supports abused children in the court system, the Sentinel reported. 'I've never been back to a Presbyterian church,' Snyder said. 'And I seriously doubt that I ever will.' 'For people to believe that pastors somehow hold the key to heaven and hell it's an unhealthy amount of power,' she said. 'It's been a long time and this was my time to come forward, this is what was right for me.' Struggling with mounting debt and flagging sales, the 120-year-old department store chain Bon-Ton Stores filed for bankruptcy protection on Sunday, just days after announcing more than 40 store closures. Even as it plans to reduce its store foot print, jazz up its store label assortments, reduce its debt load and explore a potential sale, Bon-Ton still struggles with making itself stand out in a fiercely competitive market place. Bon-Ton has 267 locations serving smaller communities in 26 states across the Northeast, Midwest and Great Plains under banners including Bon-Ton, Younkers and Bergner's. End of an era: Founded in 1898, Bon-Ton Stores on Sunday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to restructure its debt and look into a possible sale Bon-Ton has 267 locations serving smaller communities in 26 states across the Northeast, Midwest and Great Plains There have been signs for some time that Bon-Ton was in trouble and that did not ease heading into the most recent holiday season. Sales at established Bon-Ton stores, a critical gauge of a retailer's health, slid 2.9 per cent in the nine-week period before the New Year. Those sales had tumbled 6.6 per cent in the prior quarter. While some of the retail and department stores that have sold Americans goods have struggled, Amazon for the first time booked more than $1billion in profits during its most recent quarter. Bon-Ton, which has dual headquarters in York, Pennsylvania, and in Milwaukee, is now in talks with debt holders about restructuring $1billion in debt. It's closing about 47 stores early this year in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana and elsewhere. 'We are currently engaged in discussions with potential investors and our debt holders on a financial restructuring plan, and the actions we are taking are intended to give us additional time and financial flexibility,' CEO Bill Tracy said in prepared comments Sunday. Bon-Ton received a commitment of $725million in debtor-in-possession financing to operate during its restructuring process. During the court-supervised process, the store chain plans to continue operating in the normal course, it said. Bon-Ton said its brick-and-mortar locations, e-commerce and mobile platforms under the Bon-Ton, Bergner's, Boston Store, Carson's, Elder-Beerman, Herberger's and Younkers nameplates are open and operating as usual. The bankruptcy filing makes Bon-Ton the largest retailer to file for bankruptcy so far this year. It joins several dozen others that filed for Chapter 11 last year, including Toys R Us, Payless ShoeSource and Gymboree Corp. More are expected to follow as many retailers are struggling with similar challenges, including big debt loads. The US retail and apparel industry had 11 defaults last year, compared with seven in 2009 as a result of the Great Recession, according to Moody's. In the meantime, Moody's has about two dozen distressed retailers on its watch list so far this year, which includes Nine West Holdings Inc. and Claire's Stores Inc. That means stores with poor credit ratings or liquidity, weak credit and what the agency calls challenged competitive positions. That surpasses the 19 from last year and during the Great Recession. The bankruptcy filing makes Bon-Ton the largest retailer to file for bankruptcy so far this year 'In the current environment of pricing transparency, cutthroat pricing and more-demanding consumers, retailers must have strong balance sheets if they're to remain competitive,' Moody's Christina Boni notes. In a note published Monday, Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, says that the Bon-Ton brand - and all of its banners that include Elder-Beerman and Carson's - are far from healthy. 'Even with breathing space, the future of Bon-Ton is uncertain. In our view, there are many stores and locations, which are in terminal decline and where closure is the only sensible option,' Saunders wrote. 'They are undifferentiated, unclear and have become increasingly irrelevant to consumers. Even if the debt load was cut and unprofitable divisions culled, Bon-Ton would still be running up a down escalator to survive.' Founded in 1898 by a York, Pennsylvania, milliner Samuel Grumbacher and his son Max, Bon-Ton has survived a score of severe economic downturns, including the Great Depression, but finds itself in uncharted territory today. While Amazon.com has revolutionized the way people shop, the behavior of Americans had already been diverging radically both in terms of what they buy and where they buy it. The changes have been so sweeping they've left many stores, particularly department stores, fighting for customers. However, some of Bon-Ton's peers like Macy's and J.C. Penney and plenty of other retailers saw sales rebound this past holiday shopping season, lifted by the tail winds of an improving economy. All department stores are attempting to overhaul their appearance, along with what they are offering customers and how they get it to them. In a recent regulatory filing, Bon-Ton said it would accelerate that campaign as it tries to catch up with Kohl's, Macy's and J.C. Penney, who are devoting major resources to better compete online. 'Many of Bon- Ton's stores were in areas where the availability of branded fashions and homewares was traditionally poor,' said Saunders. 'However, while this once made them a focal point and a destination for local shoppers, the internet has done much to change this dynamic and has made the stores less relevant, and arguably less necessary, than they once were.' Footage has emerged showing police officers dancing with wedding guests, after reportedly arriving at the New South Wales event for a 'raid'. The footage was posted to Snapchat from an account called 'Lebo Memes', and was shared to Facebook on Sunday with the caption 'raiding an Arab wedding'. 'When the police come to raid a wedding, but the cousins distract them with the dabke (Arab folk dance),' the caption read. Scroll down for video The video shows a male police officer sitting on a guest's shoulders, waving his arms in the air (left and right) The video shows a male police officer sitting on a guest's shoulders, waving his arms in the air. The footage then pans to a female officer who is also dancing happily, hand-in-hand with wedding guests. New South Wales Police told Daily Mail Australia they were looking into the footage. When the video was shared to Facebook on Sunday, it was met by a mixed reaction. The footage then pans to a female officer who is also dancing happily, hand-in-hand with wedding guests Some slammed the officers saying it was unprofessional, but most praised them for being 'human'. 'Good on them they were humble, and it shows that they are only human too. Well done, these are the kind of cops we need in society today,' one man said. 'This is fantastic on their part. Real cops,' another supporter said. 'Police are supposed to work with the people and for the people, not against the people. This video makes me so happy. God bless our Australian Police forces for their hard work.' Australian women tolerate men 'asking for sex' and 'wolf-whistling' more than women from other countries. Just 26 per cent of Australian women are against men asking for sex at a 'social event' according to a study published by Curtin University. This compares to 100 per cent of women in Egypt, 99 per cent in Indonesia, 97 per cent in Japan and 88 per cent in Portugal. Australian women don't mind men asking them for sex at a social venue such as a bar Buying a drink in the bar was offensive to just 12 per cent of women in Australia, compared to 71 per cent in Indonesian women. Wolf-whistling was unsuitable according to just 25 per cent of Australian women compared to 98 per cent of Egyptian women. Egyptian and Italian women in contrast were more accepting of stalking behavior compared to Australians. Just seven per cent of Italian and six per cent of Egyptian women found 'visiting places because he knows you may be there' inappropriate compared to 64 per cent of Australian women. Buying a drink is popular with Australian women. Only 12 per cent are against this KEY STUDY FINDINGS Male behaviours 'inappropriate' to Australian women by percentage: 26 % - asking for sex at social event 12 % - buying woman a drink at a bar 25 % - wolf-whistling in the street 74 %- sending strange parcels 64 % - stalking places you may be Advertisement Co-author Dr Adrian Scott said: 'These results suggest that culture may take precedence over personal interpretations of the unacceptability of intrusive behaviour that is not obviously harmful or benign in nature.' Only 23 per cent of Italian women found a man 'giving or sending you strange parcels' was a problem, while 74 per cent of Australians were against such activity. Undergraduate women from Armenia, Australia, England, Egypt, Finland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Scotland and Trinidad were surveyed by the researchers at the psychology department at the Western Australian University. Lead author Dr Lorraine Shridan said most female undergraduates across the world agreed on the most inappropriate behaviours, but there was 'little consensus' about 'less explicit actions'. Women in Egypt, Indonesia, Japan and Portugal do not like being asked for sex at a bar 'There was no unanimous agreement among the surveyed women from around the world on any of the different behaviours surveyed, even for those relating to forced sexual violence,' she said. Forced sexual contact (97 per cent), physically hurting someone you care about (96 per cent) and making death threats (95 per cent) were most frowned upon by women in all 12 countries. However less than 16 per cent found asking you out just as friends, talking about you to mutual friends after meeting you just once and telephoning you after one initial meeting were unsuitable. A Russian pilot downed by rebel fighters in Syria killed himself with a grenade to avoid being captured by the jihadists, Moscow has confirmed. Video footage filmed by the rebels themselves, sees Major Roman Filipov shouting 'This is for our guys!' before detonating the explosives as the fighters surround him. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the 33-year-old was 'fighting the rebels until the last minute' and detonated the grenade when they approached. Maj. Filipov, from Vladivostok, east Russia has been awarded Kremlin's highest honour - the Hero of Russia medal - posthumously. No escape: Video shot by the Al-Nusra Front show the jihadists moving in on Roman Filipov, who opts to detonate a hand grenade rather than be captured Maj. Filipov's last words caught on the video, filmed by the Al-Qaeda linked group Al-Nusra Front, were: 'This is for our guys' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was too early to say who had supplied the weapons system which rebels had used to shoot down the plane In a statement seen by Russia Today, the Ministry said the pilot had ejected from his Sukhoi 25SM fighter jet after being hit with a missile from a portable surface-to-air system in Idlib, Syria. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was too early to say who had supplied the weapons system which rebels had used to shoot down the plane, but that it was extremely worrying that such rockets were falling into the hands of 'terrorists.' After landing, Maj. Filipov remained in radio contact with the Russian airbase in Khmeimim, Syria, and reported shooting and killing two jihadist fighters with his hand gun as they closed in on him. But realising his situation was hopeless, he pulled the pin on his grenade to kill himself, reportedly killing more rebels in the blast. 'Brave' pilot praised by his teacher Hero pilot Roman Filipov was 'brave as a lion' and had followed in the footsteps of his father as a combat air force man, it was revealed today. As the Kremlin saluted him, Russian defence officials vowed to support his widow Olga and their two young children, along with his parents. The 33 year old had wanted to be a pilot from the moment he first went to school, said his class teacher today. He came from a military family and his father Nikolay was a decorated air force pilot who flew combat missions during the war in Chechnya. His mother Elena and younger sister Marina also served in the Russian military. The director of School No. 85 in Voronezh, Galina Klepikova, said: 'He got mainly the highest marks His class teacher Lyudmila Lazareva (pictured) said: 'He was never childish, but adult, serious, reasonable, and balanced. He was among the best' 'Teachers speak of him only well: he was fit, modest, blue-eyed, fair-haired, neat. The boy was fond of sports, he studied well. He dreamed of being a pilot.' His class teacher Lyudmila Lazareva said: 'He was never childish, but adult, serious, reasonable, and balanced. He was among the best. 'He had a sense of justice. That was how he behaved - he knew what was right.' When she heard to his heroic death she said: 'I was so shocked. I was just in panic. For me, my pupils are always children. 'This poor child - that's what I think now.' His classmate Roman Dudin said his father had been his inspiration. 'When we were studying [at school], there was a conflict in Chechnya and his father took part in hostilities. He was a combat pilot.' Major Filipov lived with his wife and two children in the Far East off Russia in Chernigovka, Primorsky region. Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu called on Vladimir Putin to posthumously grant the Su-25 pilot the Hero of Russia honour, the country's highest award. A spokesman for Shoigu said the defence ministry 'will fully support' his widow and children and also his parents. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: 'The pilot died heroically. We are proud of our heroes.' His commanders saw him as a 'brave pilot' who 'enjoyed well-deserved authority in his regiment and amongst his subordinates in the squadron' A military source said: 'He was brave as a lion and died a hero. We have only pride in him.' A spokesman said: 'The pilot did his best to keep the plane in the air as long as he could. He managed to report to his commanders he had been attacked with a missile. 'Filipov ejected himself and landed near the terrorists-held village of Tell-Debes. Until the last moments of his life he fought agianst the terrorists with his hand weapon. 'Filipov blew himself up with a grenade after being heavily injured and surrounded by terrorists when the attackers were meters away.' He was 'an experienced pilot - it was not his first tour in Syria.' 'Major Roman Filipov accomplished dozens of combat missions in Syria with flying colours to destroy international terrorist fighters and escort humanitarian convoys of the Russian centre for reconciliation of opposing sides to populated localities liberated from terrorists.' His commanders saw him as a 'brave pilot' who 'enjoyed well-deserved authority in his regiment and amongst his subordinates in the squadron.' He was a graduate of the Krasnodar Military Aviation Institute, and had climbed every step of the career ladder, from a senior pilot to a squadron deputy commander, said the defence ministry. Advertisement Maj. Filipov's last words caught on the video, filmed by the Al-Qaeda linked group Al-Nusra Front, were: 'This is for our guys'. Maj Filipov, who leaves behind a wife and a four-year-old daughter, was flying at 4,000 metres (13,123ft) when he was hit, and the jet crashed nearby. Downed: The 33-year-old old pilot had come under fire from rebel fighters from the Al-Qaeda linked group as he flew over the Idlib province in Syria Crashed: A Rebel fighter is seen taking a picture of the downed Sukhoi-25 fighter jet in the the Syrian city of Saraqib, southwest of Aleppo Different stories: It was initially reported that Maj Filipov had been captured after his fighter jet was shot down over Idlib Video and photos from the scene shows rebel fighters celebrating as the wreckage burns on the ground. Fighter: Maj. Filipov reportedly shot and killed two rebel fighters with this handgun before he killed himself Earlier reports suggested Maj. Filipov had been captured by rebels and separately that he had been killed in fighting. But later it became clear that he had exploded his grenade to take his own life rather than be captured. Syrian and Russian forces were reported to be on the ground at the scene of the incident aiming to retrieve the pilot's remains. Russia's defence ministry confirmed the pilot had been shot down, saying: 'A Russian Su-25 aircraft crashed during a flight over the Idlib de-escalation zone. 'The pilot had enough time to announce he had ejected into the zone, under the control of al-Nusra Front fighters. 'The pilot was killed in fighting against terrorists.' Russia has been supporting the Syrian government in Idlib where President Bashar Al-Assad's forces have been fighting against the Al-Nusra Front. After Maj Filipov was shot down on Saturday, Russian jets intensified their raids on rebel-held towns and cities in the province Proof: Documents belonging to Maj. Filipov appeared in footage shot by the jihadist rebels Honoured: Maj Filipov, from Vladivostok, has been posthumously nominated for the Kremlin's highest honour - the Hero of Russia Russia's Defence Ministry denies aiming at civilians and says it targets only hardline Islamist militants in Syria. Pictured: Maj Filippov Civil defence sources in Idlib said air raids struck the towns of Kafr Nubl and Maasran, as well as the cities of Saraqeb, Maarat al Numan and Idlib, and that several deaths and dozens of injuries were reported as rescuers dug through the rubble. A hospital was hit in Maarat al Numan, witnesses and residents said, and at least five people were feared killed in another attack that damaged a residential building in Kafr Nubl. Video recorded by rescuers showed babies on stretchers being rushed by civil defence workers out of the damaged hospital while other rescuers fought to extinguish a fire. In Idlib city, the provincial capital, one witness said a five-storey building was leveled and that at least fifteen people were feared dead. Russia's Defence Ministry denies aiming at civilians and says it targets only hardline Islamist militants in Syria. A jealous husband threatened to put his estranged wife's new 'friend' in a coma after he became convinced she was seeing a 'tanned man' at the gym. Julie Horridge was stalked over a four-month period by David Horridge, 58, who 'wanted answers' after the pair split up after more than 25 years together. The builder suspected Mrs Horridge was dating a man from the gym and confronted his ex and her lover outside her new flat, yelling: 'what the f*** are you doing'. Manchester Magistrates Court heard how Horridge had given Mrs Horridge a black eye in a previous assault, and had threatened to put her in a coma. He made similar threats after they broke up, claiming he would also put her 'friend' in a coma or stab him. Mrs Horridge also spoke of her fear that Horridge could launch an acid attack against her, after he left a note to say there was graffiti on her wall and she should clean it off with the corrosive substance. Julie Horridge (shown left) was stalked over a four-month period by David Horridge (right, seen leaving Manchester Magistrates Court), who 'wanted answers' after the pair split up Suspecting the mother-of-one (pictured) was dating a 'tanned' man at the gym, Horridge tracked down her new home and confronted his ex and her new lover He also left a note on his wife's car, reading: 'Ring me I need to talk to you, if you don't ring I'll come to the shop or gym. 'The more I don't hear the madder I'm getting. I need to put this to bed after 26 years.' Having confronted Mrs Horridge and her lover, he only retreated back to his vehicle when he realised he accidentally left the handbrake off and was forced to jump back when the vehicle started rolling away. It emerged Horridge had previously been convicted of assault after giving his wife a black eye. In a statement to police Mrs Horridge, who is in her 40s, said: 'I'm worried and anxious all the time about where David is and whether he's watching me. 'He's made threats he will go to my gym and salon. I do worry he will go to the salon this could cause disruption to my clients. It seems he is at a low point. 'He had threatened to put me in a coma when he gave me a black eye and said if I had a "friend" he would put him in a coma too or stab him in the back. The court heard the couple had split up in 2015 after 22 years of marriage but Mrs Horridge (shown) continued living under the same roof as her husband at the family's 200,000 home 'David has put someone in a coma before too so I take these threats seriously. I didn't like the fact he was going to use acid, I didn't like the fact he could get his hands on acid.' Horridge admitted stalking between October 1, 2017 and January 29 this year and was banned from contacting her for three years. The court heard the couple had split up in 2015 after 22 years of marriage but she continued living under the same roof as Horridge at the family's 200,000 home in Tottington near Bury. Prosecuting, Joanne Moore, said: 'This was not without some difficulties. There was a conviction for assault on November 4 2016 for which he received a community order. 'Mrs Horridge went to Spain, she later returned and on October 1 when leaving the home address she noticed the defendant's keys were by the door. 'She saw he had a key to her bedroom door. Without her consent he got her bedroom door key cut. It emerged that Horridge had previously been convicted of assault after giving Mrs Horridge (pictured) a black eye 'A few weeks later in the gym she was made aware of the fact that the defendant had been in reception asking whether she trains with a guy who is tanned. 'He said he was just at the gym checking up on her. She noticed that whilst driving she would pull over because the defendant would be behind her driving past and he would ask her what she was doing. 'She wouldn't tell him and she started to come to the conclusion that the defendant was following her. 'She was called from an unknown number and it was the defendant asking where she was. 'It escalated to the point she had moved out and didn't tell him where she had moved to. Horridge (pictured) was given a restraining order banning him from contacting his wife 'But he contacted her and told her she needs something to clean the graffiti off her outside wall. There is indeed graffiti on her outside wall so he must know where she is living. The court heard Horridge had developed an 'obsessional need' to find out why the relationship his wife ended with a probation report saying he was 'feeling she might have been cheating or had gone on to form a new relationship shortly after'. But district judge James Hatton told Horridge: 'You have engaged in is a long lasting campaign of stalking the victim in this case. You attended the work, home and a number of different addresses. 'Because of your inability to deal with the relationship breakdown you have invaded her personal circumstances and adversely affected her quality of life. 'You have precious convictions, one is not that old and relates to this individual. It's clear to me Mrs Horridge requires protection from you and I'm going to give her that. 'Rest assured if you continue with this behaviour you are going to find yourself in prison. 'You are 58 and a grandfather, if that doesn't hit home how ridiculous it is that you have acted in this way and how you have made your grandchild's grandmother feel, then nothing is.' The restraining order stops Horridge from contacting his wife, going to her home address, going to a store where she cleans in the mornings and going to the salon she works at. He was also sentenced to 12 weeks in custody suspended for 12 months and ordered to pay 200 in costs and surcharges. The national police association in Germany has called for cannabis use to be decriminalized. The head of the Association of German Criminal Officers (BDK) said banning cannabis had historically never been implemented in an 'intelligent and effective manner'. As of last March, marijuana has been available as a prescription medication to a limited number of patients. The tide is high: The head of national police association in Germany said the law against cannabis use had never been implemented effectively or intelligently Officials have stressed that the legalization of medical marijuana did not mean the drug would be made available for non-medical purposes. BDK's Andre Schulz told newspaper Bild that the group favors a 'complete decriminalization of cannabis consumers.' Legalize it: German police wants to decriminalize marijuana Mr Schulz argued that the current system stigmatizes people and 'allows criminal careers to start.' He added that banning cannabis use 'has historically been seen as arbitrary and has not yet been implemented in an intelligent or productive manner. 'In the history of mankind there has never been a society without the use of drugs; this is something that has to be accepted. 'My prediction is cannabis will not be banned for long in Germany.' However, he told the newspaper that marijuana must remain off-limits for drivers. SAS Iranian Embassy siege hero Bob Curry has been given a tour of his new home after hundreds of thousands of well-wishers petitioned his council to find him a place to stay. The 64-year-old was left homeless and had to rely on his old regiment to fund his bed and-breakfast accommodation after a long-term relationship broke down, leaving him without a place to stay. But he is now the proud occupier of a one-bedroom bungalow four miles outside his former regimental base in Hereford. Bob Curry was left homeless and had to rely on his old regiment to fund his bed and-breakfast accommodation after a long-term relationship broke down, but now has a new house (pic) Mr Curry, who got the keys on Friday and has been putting together flat-pack furniture, told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'It felt fantastic getting the keys - it's a long journey coming to an end. 'It has been overwhelming, I've had thousands of text messages emails and everything, the public response has been amazing.' The special forces hero also took the chance to raise awareness of the struggles of other homeless servicemen, adding: 'The experience that I went through, no serviceman should have to go through. 'We need to see local authorities getting a grip of it. The 13,000 servicemen on the streets need to get into homes. Mr Curry, who got the keys on Friday and has been putting together flat-pack furniture, said: 'It felt fantastic getting the keys - it's a long journey coming to an end'. Pic: The kitchen Pictured is the bungalow living room, where Mr Curry has been assembling furniture 'I feel fantastic and I can't help people enough for what they've done to help me. I'm humbled.' Mr Curry was pictured in an iconic image of the 1980 siege in London, leading comrades into the South Kensington building after 26 people were taken hostage. He was nicknamed 'Backdoor Bob' after bravely entering the rear of the embassy - as his comrades abseiled down the front of the whitewashed property. Mr Curry served in the Falklands War and is pictured here in an undated photo in uniform The veterans plight was revealed last month after he was left homeless when his long-term relationship broke down. Council officials in Hereford had failed to find him suitable accommodation. Last May, a friend of Nejad said he 'lives off benefits and is on disability because he has a bad back'. Nejad was captured after pretending to be a hostage. The SAS killed the other five dissidents from the Democratic Revolutionary Front for Arabistan, a group who opposed the Iranian regime led by Ayatollah Khomeini. Herefordshire Council previously offered Falklands hero Mr Curry accommodation at two properties - a hostel populated by drug addicts or a house said to be four miles from the nearest shop - which he declined. Mr Curry told The Sun: 'I've been in tough spots through my career but with my health now I wouldn't have survived long on the streets - SAS training or not. I was sat in the council offices explaining my life to someone who looked at me as though I was nothing.' 'We provide a range of support to ex-service personnel We've had prosecco flavoured crisps and even a gin and tonic version. Now Doritos is making lady-friendly tortilla chips that are quieter to eat, less messy and come in a packet designed to fit in handbags. The company says women do not like to crunch loudly or lick their fingers in public while eating the snacks unlike men. Doritos are designing a lady-friendly crisp, which are quieter, less messy, and will also come in different packs - so they can fit in handbags more easily Indra Nooyi, Global Chief Executive of PepsiCo, which owns Doritos, revealed to Freakonomics podcast: They dont like to crunch too loudly in public. And they dont lick their fingers generously and they dont like to pour the little broken pieces and the flavour into their mouth. The female-friendly crisps will also come in different packs - so they can fit in handbags more easily. She said the company was looking to launch the product soon, but it was unclear whether it would be released in the UK. Indra Nooyi, Global Chief Executive of PepsiCo, which owns Doritos, said: They dont like to crunch too loudly in public. And they dont lick their fingers generously and they dont like to pour the little broken pieces and the flavour into their mouth Miss Nooyi added: Its not [a question of] male and female as much as are there snacks for women that can be designed and packaged differently? And yes, we are looking at it, and were getting ready to launch a bunch of them soon. 'For women [its about] low-crunch, the full taste profile, not having so much of the flavour on the fingers and how can you put it in a purse. Because women love to carry a snack in their purse. But the decision has been met with outrage - with people confused as to why it needs to be marketed to women. One Twitter user questioned if the decision could be real - whilst another felt the decision to use 'sexist stereotypes' was an advertising tactic. 'This can't be real?!': One woman took to social media to voice her disbelief at the decision One skeptic felt the company were using a marketing tactic: 'Doritos is baiting women with sexist stereotypes to get women to do their advertising for them. Don't fall for it' Another said there were more important things that women need: 'We asked for equal pay, we didn't ask for this' If the product does hit the shelves in Britain, new laws will enable the Advertising Standards Authority to prohibit the crisps being branded as specifically for women. The concept was met with a mixed reaction last night. The Womens Equality Party hit out at companies that perpetuate tired gender stereotypes. The idea of shrinking products for women is as old as the ad men making these decisions, said a spokesman. Former Tory MP Ann Widdecombe defended the low-crunch version of the triangular corn snacks. She told the Daily Telegraph: 'I never lick my fingers in public or in private as I think its a ghastly habit. 'I think the idea of crisps for women is a bit daft, although I do think women are generally a bit fussier than men about these things. I am a cruncher, but I'm fussy about where I crunch. Bully for them (Doritos), they've introduced polite crisps.' The EU's chief negotiator today warned that leaving the customs union will mean 'barriers' to trade - as he demanded 'clarity' from the UK about what it wants. Michel Barnier said friction on trade was 'inevitable' after Theresa May made clear Britain will be leaving the customs area. And he said Brussels was still waiting to hear exactly what Britain was seeking from the talks about the future relationship, adding: 'The time has come to make a choice.' The comments came as Mr Barnier made a statement to journalists after meeting David Davis and Theresa May in Downing Street. The issue of the customs union and what will replace it has emerged as a crucial battleground in the struggle over Brexit. The arrangements allow EU states to exchange goods without tariffs, and imposes common tariffs on imports from outside the bloc. But they also prevents countries from striking deals outside the union. Downing Street today moved to assuage mounting concerns among Tory Eurosceptics about a softening of Mrs May's position. The PM's spokesman said the UK would be leaving the existing EU customs union - and also went further by ruling out creating a new customs union with the bloc. No10 also played down claims that the Prime Minister is floating the idea of a time-limited extension on key parts of the customs union. Addressing journalists alongside David Davis this afternoon, EU negotiator Michel Barnier (pictured left) said friction on trade was 'inevitable' if Britain decided to leave the bloc, adding: 'The time has come to make a choice.' Theresa May, Michel Barnier (centre) and David Davis held discussions in Downing Street today - the trio's first face-to-face meeting since December Boris Johnson (pictured right out jogging in Westminster today) is expected to push for a tough line when the Cabinet's Brexit sub-committee meets later this week. Mr Gove (pictured running near his London home this morning) is thought to be open to a compromise deal on the customs arrangement Environment Secretary Michael Gove (pictured running near his London home today) will be at the crucial meetings of the Brexit war Cabinet this week Speaking alongside Mr Davis after their lunch meeting today, Mr Barnier said trade barriers were 'unavoidable' if Mrs May follows through on her pledge to leave the customs union. 'Without the customs union and outside the single market, barriers to trade in goods and services are unavoidable.' He added that the EU needed more 'clarity' about what kind of deal the UK was seeking. But Mr Davis insisted the government had already been 'perfectly clear' and published a lot of detail about its desire for a 'deep and special' relationship, covering customs arrangements and trade in services. Mrs May's spokesman said she wanted trade to be 'as frictionless as possible'. Government sources told the Times last night that opposition to the proposal from Boris Johnson could be overcome as fellow Brexiteer Environment Secretary Michael Gove is thought to be open to the idea. However, No10 sources played down the prospect of a phased withdrawal, describing it as 'noise'. Members of the Cabinet Brexit sub-committee will meet on Wednesday and then again on Thursday as they seek to thrash out an agreement on what future relationship the UK will seek. The subject is so sensitive that the Prime Minister has previously declined to authorise any formal discussion in the group. According to The Times, members of the sub-committee believe a compromise could be struck with a proposal for a time-limited extension to elements of the existing customs union. A senior government source said that No 10 was prepared to play the pair off against each other and do 'what any good leader does: divide and rule'. The tensions on the issue were underlined yesterday when Home Secretary Amber Rudd and housing minister Dominic Raab appeared to strike different positions. Michel Barnier (pictured at London St Pancras Station today) said the EU and the UK must 'accelerate' progress on Brexit talks Ms Rudd seemed to back a form of customs relationship with Brussels, but Mr Raab insisted there will be no form of customs union. The EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier came to Downing Street for lunch with Mrs May and Brexit Secretary David Davis today. It was first time the trio have met met since EU leaders gave the green light for the second phase of negotiations to start at a summit in December. Fresh frictions have emerged after the European side insisted that EU law must continue to apply in the UK throughout the post-Brexit transition period - expected to last around two years. Mrs May has already made clear that she intends to push back against the bloc's demands that EU citizens who come to the UK during the transition should enjoy the same rights as those who come before Britain leaves the EU on March 29 2019. Ministers have complained that the demand goes beyond what was agreed at the December summit but senior EU figures - including the European Parliament's Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt - insist it is 'not negotiable'. The Government has also come under fire from its own backbenchers for agreeing that any changes to EU law which are passed during the transition will apply in the UK - even though Britain will have had no say in the decision-making process. As he boarded a Eurostar in Brussels this morning, Mr Barnier told reporters: 'We have not a minute to lose, because we want to achieve a deal. 'There is so much work. We have decided for this reason to accelerate the contacts.' He added: 'We have to respect the red lines of the British government. But they have to respect the rules of the union.' The intervention by Downing Street sought to draw a line after days of sometimes confused messages from the top of Government about the approach to future customs arrangements. David Davis said Britain had already provided a great deal of clarity about what it wanted from the future relationship with the EU David Davis welcomed Michel Barnier to Downing Street today as they held talks on the Brexit process, before giving statements to the media Mr Barnier's scarf appeared to have become shut in the door of his chauffeur-driven car as it drove between St Pancras station and Downing Street earlier today The chairman of the Commons Exiting the EU Committee, Hilary Benn, said further detail was still needed from ministers if the terms of a future deal with Brussels are to be agreed by October as hoped. 'I wish it was clarity but I don't think it is. I think the Government is in a state of open disagreement, the Prime Minister has been immobilised,' the Labour MP told BBC Radio 4's Today. 'We are 19 months since the referendum, we are nine months to go and we still don't know what it is we want.' It was a 'profound mistake' to leave a customs union, he said, and it would create the need for checks at the Northern Irish border. Tory Brexit rebel Anna Soubry urged Number 10 to 'do the maths' and listen to company bosses. She claimed the 'hard Brexit' European Research Group (ERG) of Tory MPs, led by Jacob Rees-Mogg, had a 'deeply unattractive' plan which involved leaving the customs union 'to chase unicorn trade deals' at the expense of existing relations with the EU. Theresa May (pictured arriving at Downing Street today) is trying to keep her Cabinet in line as the negotiations with Brussels reach a critical stage Jennifer Redgrave-Scott, 53, was charged under dangerous dog laws after her Labrador Shar Pei cross savaged PC Simon Banks as he was leaving the rural property following a call from her estranged stepson A wealthy landowner's wife, whose guard dog savaged a policeman in a bitter family feud, has been ordered to pay damages. Jennifer Redgrave-Scott, 53, was charged under dangerous dog laws after her Labrador Shar Pei cross savaged PC Simon Banks as he was leaving the rural property following a call from her estranged stepson. Her dog tethered a 65ft chain, pounced on the officer and dragged him to the ground, before sinking its teeth into his thigh. The hound refused to let go of PC Banks until Mrs Redgrave-Scott pulled it away. The police officer suffered puncture wounds to his leg and required a booster injection and stitches in hospital, because he was struggling to walk. At Stockport Magistrates' Court Mrs Redgrave-Scott, a mother of seven, wept as she admitted have a dog dangerously out of control and was ordered to pay damages and serve a 12-month community order. The court heard the incident arose out of a long running dispute between Mrs Redgrave-Scott and her stepson Adam after she married his widowed father Richard Scott, now 81 in 2015 following a 23 year courtship. It was claimed Adam, 55, - who lives at a luxury farmhouse on the complex - had feared he would lose out on inheriting his father's farm Moat Hall as a result and reported his stepmother to police on various occasions. Mrs Redgrave-Scott had herself previously signed a 'no biting' behavioural contract after the dog jumped up at guests staying at her B&B on the farm in the tiny village of Marthall, near Knutsford, Cheshire. The 10-year old animal has since been destroyed. She was ordered to pay the injured officer 100 compensation, complete a 12-month community order and abide by nine week curfew demanding she remain inside Moat Hall Farm from 9pm to 6am, seven days a week. She escaped disqualification from keeping dogs. The court heard the incident occurred last December 6 after Mr Scott jnr called police about an issue at the farm. Prosecuting Lynn Rogers said: 'PC Simon Banks and another officer attended the property but upon realising this was a civil matter, left the bungalow on the farm. 'Upon leaving, Pc Banks was walking to the police car to collect some paperwork when he heard galloping feet coming towards him at speed. The dog flew at his left leg and bit him on the back of the thigh dragging him to the floor. 'The incident happened so fast that the officer did not have time to react, he didn't put his arms out to protect his fall so he caused injury from the fall and from the dogs bite. 'He suffered injury to his left thigh, elbow, knee and calf. The dog refused to let him go until the owner came and removed it. Once he stood up he struggled to walk and could feel his leg physically shaking as he attempted to move. The officer noted that the dog was attached to a 20m chain that was attached to a kennel, but there was no muzzle.' Jennifer Redgrave-Scott (with husband Richard, left and right) a wealthy landowner's wife has been ordered to pay 100 damages after her guard dog mauled a policeman It was claimed Adam, 55, - who lives at a luxury farmhouse on the complex - had feared he would lose out on inheriting his father's farm Moat Hall (pictured) as a result and reported his stepmother to police on various occasions Mrs Redgrave-Scott later said she forgot to put a muzzle on the dog after becoming distracted when she came back from walking it. But in a statement PC Banks said: 'I have felt this has effected me mentally and physically. I went round to the property at Moat Hall Farm following a call from the defendant's stepson. My partner and I realised this was a civil matter so we left. 'I was walking towards the police car to gather some documents for them to sign when I heard galloping coming from behind me. I turned around and this huge black dog jumped at me and pulled me down to the ground. 'I remember putting my arm up to protect my head and shouting at the dog to get off me. It had hold of the back of my leg. 'I managed to shake it off and pushed it away from me before its owner came over to calm it down. I could feel myself shaking. I hurt my right side and my elbow from falling. 'I had to go to hospital to have an injection because of the bite. I had stitches also.' Jennifer Redgrave-Scott outside Stockport Magistrates' Court In mitigation defence lawyer Angelo Saponiere said: 'My client hasn't slept and has had to maintain her employment and caring for her husband full time, whilst looking after a family. She runs a B&B with her eldest son and has seven children with her husband, who is 81 - but she has had a lot of trouble from her stepson Adam. 'On that day in question he called the police because work was being done on the farm that he wasn't happy about. He has taken them to the social services, to the courts of protection, he has got the police, involved on a number of occasions. 'It is my thinking that he wants some part of the inheritance. He lives across the road from the family and is constantly calling the police trying to report them. She came back from walking the dog, chained him up and saw the police. In her own words they 'frogmarched' her into the living room, so she got distracted and couldn't go back to the dog and put his muzzle on. 'She was distracted by the police officers and did not have time to put the muzzle on.' Mr Saponiere added: 'She is a full time carer for her husband who suffered from a stroke a number of years back. 'He has slowly lost his speech. He cannot dress, bathe, shave himself so she has to do everything for him. She has a farm to run, a B&B to run, a family to look after and a husband to care for. 'She is not one of those people who walks around the town centre with a big scary dog used to fight and intimidate people. It was on a chain in the yard, out of public way. This experience has been awful for her and she expresses the utmost remorse and apology to the victim. 'She works hard to look after her family and it would be pointless to see her put in prison, especially as she provides so much for her family and the community.' Redgrave-Scott was also ordered to pay 170 costs. Her husband - whose family have farmed in the area for generations - became well known across Cheshire after he held controversial car boot sales on his land in the 1990s. Pope Francis' claim that no victims of a Chilean paedophile priest had come forward to accuse the church of a cover-up, has been called into question after members of his own sex-abuse commission confirms he was handed a letter from a victim. The eight-page letter written by Juan Carlos Cruz graphically detailed how Rev. Fernando Karadima sexually abused him, and how other Chilean clergy ignored it. Cardinal Sean O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston, told Pope Francis' Commission for the Protection of Minors that the letter had been handed to the pontiff in 2015. This contradicts Pope Francis' recent insistence that no victims had come forward to denounce the cover-up, and challenges his insistence that he has 'zero tolerance' for sex abuse and cover-ups. Accusation: Pope Francis claimed he had never heard from any of the victims, despite members of his own sex-abuse commission confirming that he received a victim's letter in 2015 that graphically detailed how a priest sexually abused him and how clergy ignored it It also calls into question his stated empathy with abuse survivors, compounding the most serious crisis of his five-year papacy. The scandal exploded last month, when Pope Francis' trip to South America was marred by protests over his vigorous defense of Bishop Juan Barros, who is accused of covering up the abuse by the Rev. Karadima. During the trip, Francis callously dismissed accusations against Barros as 'slander,' seemingly unaware that victims had placed him at the scene of Karadima's crimes. On the plane home, confronted by a reporter, the pope said: 'You, in all good will, tell me that there are victims, but I haven't seen any, because they haven't come forward.' But members of the pope's Commission for the Protection of Minors say that in April 2015, they sent a delegation to Rome specifically to hand-deliver a letter to the pope about Barros. Marie Collins, a member of the pope's sex-abuse commission, hands a letter to Cardinal Sean O'Malley detailing the abuse of Juan Carlos Cruz and a cover-up by Chilean church authorities, at the Domus Santa Marta on April 12, 2015. Commission members and Cruz say O'Malley later confirmed he gave the letter to a Pope Francis, contradicting the pope's recent insistence that no victims had come forward The letter from Mr Cruz detailed the abuse, kissing and fondling he says he suffered at Karadima's hands, which he said Barros and others witnessed and ignored. Four members of the commission met with Cardinal O'Malley, Francis' top abuse adviser, and explained their objections to Francis' recent appointment of Barros as a bishop in southern Chile, and gave him the letter to deliver to Francis. 'When we gave him (O'Malley) the letter for the pope, he assured us he would give it to the pope and speak of the concerns,' then-commission member Marie Collins told the AP. 'And at a later date, he assured us that that had been done.' Cruz, who now lives and works in Philadelphia, heard the same later that year. 'Cardinal O'Malley called me after the pope's visit here in Philadelphia and he told me, among other things, that he had given the letter to the pope - in his hands,' he said in an interview at his home Sunday. Neither the Vatican nor O'Malley responded to multiple requests for comment. While the 2015 summit of Francis' commission was known and publicized at the time, the contents of Cruz's letter - and a photograph of Collins handing it to O'Malley - were not disclosed by members. Cruz provided the letter, and Collins provided the photo, after reading an AP story that reported Francis had claimed to have never heard from any Karadima victims about Barros' behavior. The Barros affair first caused shockwaves in January 2015 when Francis appointed him bishop of Osorno, Chile, over the objections of the leadership of Chile's bishops' conference and many local priests and laity. They accepted as credible the testimony against Karadima, a prominent Chilean cleric who was sanctioned by the Vatican in 2011 for abusing minors. Barros was a Karadima protege, and according to Cruz and other victims, he witnessed the abuse and did nothing. Anger: Juan Carlos Cruz, who now lives in Philadelphia, U.S., wrote an eight-page letter to Pope Francis in which he detailed the abuse he suffered as a child at the hands of a Chilean priest and stated that other members of the clergy covered it up 'Holy Father, I write you this letter because I'm tired of fighting, of crying and suffering,' Cruz wrote in Francis' native Spanish. 'Our story is well known and there's no need to repeat it, except to tell you of the horror of having lived this abuse and how I wanted to kill myself.' Cruz and other survivors had for years denounced the cover-up of Karadima's crimes, but were dismissed as liars by the Chilean church hierarchy and the Vatican's own ambassador in Santiago, who refused their repeated requests to meet before and after Barros was appointed. After Francis' comments backing the Chilean hierarchy caused such an outcry in Chile, he was forced last week to do an about-face: The Vatican announced it was sending in its most respected sex-crimes investigator to take testimony from Cruz and others about Barros. In the letter to the pope, Cruz begs for Francis to listen to him and make good on his pledge of 'zero tolerance.' 'Holy Father, it's bad enough that we suffered such tremendous pain and anguish from the sexual and psychological abuse, but the terrible mistreatment we received from our pastors is almost worse,' he wrote. Cruz goes on to detail in explicit terms the homo-eroticized nature of the circle of priests and young boys around Karadima, the charismatic preacher whose El Bosque community in the well-to-do Santiago neighborhood of Providencia produced dozens of priestly vocations and five bishops, including Barros. He described how Karadima would kiss Barros and fondle his genitals, and do the same with younger priests and teens, and how young priests and seminarians would fight to sit next to Karadima at the table to receive his affections. 'More difficult and tough was when we were in Karadima's room and Juan Barros - if he wasn't kissing Karadima - would watch when Karadima would touch us - the minors - and make us kiss him, saying: 'Put your mouth near mine and stick out your tongue.' He would stick his out and kiss us with his tongue,' Cruz told the pope. 'Juan Barros was a witness to all this innumerable times, not just with me but with others as well.' 'Juan Barros covered up everything that I have told you,' he added. Barros has repeatedly denied witnessing any abuse or covering it up. 'I never knew anything about, nor ever imagined, the serious abuses which that priest committed against the victims,' he told the AP recently. 'I have never approved of nor participated in such serious, dishonest acts, and I have never been convicted by any tribunal of such things.' For the Osorno faithful who have opposed Barros as their bishop, the issue isn't so much a legal matter requiring proof or evidence, as Barros was a young priest at the time and not in a position of authority over Karadima. It's more that if Barros didn't 'see' what was happening around him and doesn't find it problematic for a priest to kiss and fondle young boys, he shouldn't be in charge of a diocese where he is responsible for detecting inappropriate sexual behavior, reporting it to police and protecting children from pedophiles like his mentor. Mr Cruz claims Cardinal O'Malley personally assured him that Pope Francis had received the letter he wrote Cruz had arrived at Karadima's community in 1980 as a vulnerable teenager, distraught after the recent death of his father. He has said Karadima told him he would be like a spiritual father to him, but instead sexually abused him. Based on testimony from Cruz and other former members of the parish, the Vatican in 2011 removed Karadima from ministry and sentenced him to a lifetime of 'penance and prayer' for his crimes. Now 87, he lives in a home for elderly priests in Santiago; he hasn't commented on the scandal and the home has declined to accept calls or visits from the news media. The victims also testified to Chilean prosecutors, who opened an investigation into Karadima after they went public with their accusations in 2010. Chilean prosecutors had to drop charges because too much time had passed, but the judge running the case stressed that it wasn't for lack of proof. While the victims' testimony was deemed credible by both Vatican and Chilean prosecutors, the local church hierarchy clearly didn't believe them, which might have influenced Francis' view. Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz has acknowledged he didn't believe the victims initially and shelved an investigation. He was forced to reopen it after the victims went public. He is now one of the Argentine pope's key cardinal advisers. Catherine Bonnet, French child psychiatrist and a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, speaks at Charles de Gaulle airport outside Paris, France By the time he finally got his letter into the pope's hands in 2015, Cruz had already sent versions to many other people, and had tried for months to get an appointment with the Vatican ambassador. The embassy's Dec. 15, 2014, email to Cruz - a month before Barros was appointed - was short and to the point: 'The apostolic nunciature has received the message you emailed Dec. 7 to the apostolic nuncio,' it read, 'and at the same time communicates that your request has been met with an unfavorable response.' One could argue that Francis didn't pay attention to Cruz's letter, since he receives thousands of letters every day from faithful around the world. He can't possibly read them all, much less remember the contents years later. He might have been tired and confused after a weeklong trip to South America when he told an airborne press conference that victims never came forward to accuse Barros of cover-up. But this was not an ordinary letter, nor were the circumstances under which it arrived in the Vatican. Francis had named O'Malley, the archbishop of Boston, to head his Commission for the Protection of Minors based on his credibility in having helped clean up the mess in Boston after the U.S. sex abuse scandal exploded there in 2002. The commission gathered outside experts to advise the church on protecting children from pedophiles and educating church personnel about preventing abuse and cover-ups. The four commission members who were on a special subcommittee dedicated to survivors had flown to Rome specifically to speak with O'Malley about the Barros appointment and to deliver Cruz's letter. A press release issued after the April 12, 2015, meeting read: 'Cardinal O'Malley agreed to present the concerns of the subcommittee to the Holy Father.' Commission member Catherine Bonnet, a French child psychiatrist who took the photo of Collins handing the letter to O'Malley, said the commission members had decided to descend on Rome specifically when O'Malley and other members of the pope's group of nine cardinal advisers were meeting, so that O'Malley could put it directly into the pope's hands. 'Cardinal O'Malley promised us when Marie gave to him the letter of Juan Carlos that he will give to Pope Francis,' she said. O'Malley's spokesman in Boston referred requests for comment to the Vatican. Neither the Vatican press office, nor officials at the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, responded to calls and emails seeking comment. But O'Malley's remarkable response to Francis' defense of Barros and to his dismissal of the victims while he was in Chile, is perhaps now better understood. In a rare rebuke of a pope by a cardinal, O'Malley issued a statement Jan. 20 in which he said the pope's words were 'a source of great pain for survivors of sexual abuse,' and that such expressions had the effect of abandoning victims and relegating them to 'discredited exile.' A day later, Francis apologized for having demanded 'proof' of wrongdoing by Barros, saying he meant merely that he wanted to see 'evidence.' But he continued to describe the accusations against Barros as 'calumny' and insisted he had never heard from any victims. Even when told in his airborne press conference Jan. 21 that Karadima's victims had indeed placed Barros at the scene of Karadima's abuse, Francis said: 'No one has come forward. They haven't provided any evidence for a judgment. This is all a bit vague. It's something that can't be accepted.' He stood by Barros, saying: 'I'm certain he's innocent,' even while saying that he considered the testimony of victims to be 'evidence' in a cover-up investigation. 'If anyone can give me evidence, I'll be the first to listen,' he said. Cruz said he felt like he had been slapped when he heard those words. 'I was upset,' he said, 'and at the same time I couldn't believe that someone so high up like the pope himself could lie about this.' Russian billionaires living in Britain have begged Vladimir Putin to be allowed back into Russia without being arrested. It is understood that more than ten oligarchs have contacted the Kremlin asking for safe repatriation back home after fleeing the country to escape court proceedings. It comes amid a crackdown in Britain on businessmen suspected of corruption who cannot account for how they accumulated their vast wealth. Russian business tsar Boris Titov said the list was 'with the president' and contained names of those 'who managed to leave and not end up in a pre-trial detention centre'. Russian billionaires living in Britain have begged Vladimir Putin to be allowed back into Russia without being arrested 'As yet, the list is not final, as we continue receiving applications,' he told the news agency Tass. 'Some people live outside for 20 years without a chance to return, as the criminal proceedings continue. 'There may be no claims against them, even Interpol may take them off the list, but the case in Moscow still continues.' Last week it was announced that Russian oligarchs suspected of corruption will be forced to account for their luxury lifestyles in the UK in a new crackdown on crime. Security minister Ben Wallace said the 'full force of government' would be brought to bear on foreign criminals and corrupt politicians who use Britain as a haven. Officials will use new unexplained wealth orders - which came into effect this week - to seize suspicious assets and hold until they have been properly accounted for. It was reported in Russia that Mr Titov met with about 40 businesspeople in London on Saturday, including Yevgeny Chichvarkin (left) and Georgy Trefilov (right) In an interview with The Times, Mr Wallace said: 'When we get to you, we will come for you, for your assets and we will make the environment that you live in difficult.' The move comes as London's role as a playground for Russian gangsters and the super rich has been highlighted by the BBC drama series McMafia. It was reported in Russia that Mr Titov met with about 40 businesspeople in London on Saturday. It is not known if any of the attendees were named on the list. Among those to attend were mobile tycoon Yevgeny Chichvarkin, who has lived in London since fleeing Russia while facing charges for kidnapping and extortion. Georgy Trefilov, considered among the 100 richest Russians, is also in the English capital while facing charges of fraud. Trefilov maintains that the charges, dropped in 2011, were politically motivated, with an attempt to extradite him back to Russia from the UK denied by a British court. In 2013, he was arrested at Gatwick Airport after trying to cross the border with a fake passport and ID card. He received an 18-month suspended prison sentence. Advertisement Hundreds of bargain hunters gathered for an auction designed to pay back the victims of crime to get their hands on designer shoes, an Hermes bag and luxury watches. The unreserved Government auction in Newport on Wednesday raised over 100,000, with around 90 per cent of the 113 lots taken from one crime duo in Scotland. Ahsan and Nafeesa Shahid were arrested at their home near Glasgow after an investigation into fraudulent telephone calls made to members of the public. Victims were falsely informed that their bank accounts had been compromised, and that they should transfer the balance of their accounts to supposed safe accounts; which in reality were private accounts held by others involved in the conspiracy. Designer handbags, shoes and a Rolex watch are among the luxury goods once enjoyed by criminals that are due to be auctioned off this month, with the red Hermes bag (left) retailing at approximately 6,000, whilst nude, peep toe Louboutins can cost up to 600 The unreserved Government auction at Wilsons Auctions in Newport was taking bids for expensive items, with around 90 per cent of the 113 lots taken from one criminal couple in Scotland. Christian Louboutin leopard print boots can retail for around 1,000, while the Versace shoes with Medusa's face (right) retails for 775 During the auction, a diamond bracelet which sold for 3,400, 6,600 under what it would have retailed for, while a gold iPhone 5s with Swarovski crystals (right) which can cost around 1,700 A used Mercedes-Benz C Class 2014 can cost around 20,000 (left), while a new 2015 Mercedes-Benx GLE can cost up to 86,000. Wilsons Auctioneer Aidan Larkin said: 'Whatever we achieve at auction, that money is then put back into the public purse' Ahsan Shahid received a total of 64 months imprisonment for fraud and money laundering. His wife Nafeesa Shahid received 22 months (suspended) for money laundering. When they were arrested in January 2015, stolen property, counterfeit goods and 10,000 in cash was seized from their home in Glasgow, along with designer shoes, handbags, clothing, and expensive jewellery valued at over 100,000. Investigations into the couple's finances showed that over 250,000 cash had been paid into their personal bank accounts at a time when they were supposedly dependent on benefits. This money was used to fund a luxurious lifestyle, including holidays abroad in Dubai. Ahsan (left) and Nafeesa Shahid (right) were arrested at their home near Glasgow after an investigation into fraudulent telephone calls made to members of the public, and after the arrest thousands of pounds worth of designer shoes, handbags, clothing, and expensive jewellery were seized Those goods were seized by police and are now being sold under the Proceeds of Crime Act. During the auction, a Jacob and Co watch which retails for 20,000 went for 2,750, while a Seat car was purchased for only 7,500 and a Range Rover was bought for 16,500, reports the South Wales Argus. Other bargains included a diamond bracelet which sold for 3,400, 6,600 under what it would have retailed for. Lily Stephens, 47, from Cheltenham, bought a Chanel handbag for 1,400. Auctioneer and group asset recovery manager at Wilsons, the company who ran the auction, Aidan Larkin, explain how the event works: 'Wilsons Auctions act as the contractor for various law enforcement agencies across the UK, especially in Wales and the south west [of England]. 'Anything seized under Proceeds of Crime legislation is often, after a criminal trial (and after a number of years in some cases) identified by the court as being available to sell. Our job is to take these expensive assets and put them on the market for the highest possible price. Wilsons Auction Newport Limited, where merchandise from criminal activity is being sold to the public, sold a raft of luxury designer handbags, including a Prada handbag (left), which can retail for up to 600. One woman bought a Chanel handbag for 1,400, even though the designer accessory can cost over 2,000 Luxury shoes were available at the auction, with the Gucci shoes pictured on the right costing up to 280 when bought new 'Whatever we achieve at auction, that money is then put back into the public purse. In some cases, like with the assets we're selling this evening, people who were victims have been identified, and anything raised tonight will eventually make its way back to them. 'We'll often move the assets from the jurisdiction where they were received, so that we're not rubbing people's noses in it, and to make sure we get the highest possible price.' Sitting in the front row, 15-year-old Shauna Thomas, from Cardiff, was on the hunt for a Louis Vuitton brown and gold buckle belt worth 415. 'I've always liked designer clothes,' she says. 'But there's not many designer places in Cardiff and Newport where you can get and buy stuff. A man admires the red Hermes Birkin bag that costs approximately 6,000, which was on auction in Newport Hundreds of bargain hunters gathered at an industrial estate for an auction designed to pay back the victims of crime 'I've been to an auction before, but not for designer clothes. When I saw this, I needed to come. The best advice I was given was by my mum - to not go over what it's worth.' Mandy Connors, 18, from Cardiff, is also ready to add to her designer wardrobe. She said: 'I'm probably after the leopard print Christian Louboutins and the pink Jimmy Choos. Dad's paying, so I don't have a budget. But you don't necessarily need to be all in designer. I'm wearing Primark jeans and a cardigan. You can always dress things up.' Bargain hunter Shauna Thomas explained: 'I've been to an auction before, but not for designer clothes. When I saw this, I needed to come' Bargain hunters attended the auction in Newport, Wales, in a bid to get a good deal on luxury times Those looking for a steal were at the auction at Wilsons in Newport (pictured: The sales being noted down as the evening progresses) Auctioneer Aidan Larkin revealed that over 100,000 was taken on Wednesday's sale, which saw people bidding on luxury items Picking up a Cartier watch worth over 10,000 for around a quarter of the price - an impressive 2,620 - was 42-year-old Natalie Payne, from Cardiff. 'We're here to get some bargains and, really, for the atmosphere,' mum Natalie says. 'At the end of the day, it's nice to have this near Cardiff. I've seen a nice pair of Gucci shoes and I had my eye on the Cartier watch. There are bargains to be had. 'Things go for more in the second hand market, especially if you get a Rolex, you're not going to lose money. It's a future investment.' Customer wait to choose their purchase at the auction in Newport, Wales, with one woman picking up a 10,000 Cartier watch for just 2,620 Bilal Ali, 28, from Birmingham, has made the near 100-mile trip especially to see the goods in person. 'I've had a look at a couple of lots,' he says. 'And I've got my eye on a couple of watches. It's what comes along at the right money - them I'm willing to buy.' Although this is Bilal's first auction in Wales, he is no stranger to sales around the country. By the end of the night, it seems the trip was worth it - he's going home with a load of designer clothes and a watch. Auctioneer Aidan revealed that over 100,000 had been taken at the sale. A woman has been on the receiving end of a nasty letter describing her as an 'a**hole'. New Zealand woman Jo Clarke expressed her amusement in a public Facebook post on Sunday night. 'A nice little note was left for me at Shore City car park today. I was even within my white lines,' she wrote on Facebook. Jo Clarke received a note calling her an a**hole despite parking accurately between the lines 'Thanks for parking so close. Next time leave a f***ing can opener so I can get out', the letter read. 'A***holes like you should take the bus', it finished. The woman insists she parked accurately at the Westfield car park in Takapuna near Auckland. The typed note raised concerns other road users may end up a victim of the nastiness. Deb Nagelli noted the letter was clearly pre-written unless the culprit had a printer in the car. 'Wonder what other complaints they have laying around on their backseat,' she said. 'Why does it always happen to them?' Jo herself joked she had health brochures in the car she could provide the man, while another man suggested he should 'seek help'. The woman found the note on her car at Westfield Shore City in Takapuna near Auckland 'If they only knew of all health advice I could have given them,' she said. Clare Lethaby posted: 'Someone has typed and (has) abusive notes waiting to hand out? What the?' Dana Pau commented: 'Wow they must travel with a printer in the car waiting for such occasions.' And Liz Brown said: 'Funny that it's typed, I would say that they have a few of these in the car to hand out, just some person that has a miserable life.' The EU's chief negotiator today warned that leaving the customs union will mean 'barriers' to trade - as he demanded 'clarity' from the UK about what it wants. Michel Barnier said friction on trade was 'inevitable' after Theresa May made clear Britain will be leaving the customs area. And he said Brussels was still waiting to hear exactly what Britain was seeking from the talks about the future relationship, adding: 'The time has come to make a choice.' The comments came as Mr Barnier made a statement to journalists after meeting David Davis and Theresa May in Downing Street. Addressing journalists alongside David Davis this afternoon, EU negotiator Michel Barnier (pictured left) said friction on trade was 'inevitable' if Britain decided to leave the bloc, adding: 'The time has come to make a choice.' Theresa May, Michel Barnier (centre) and David Davis held discussions in Downing Street today - the trio's first face-to-face meeting since December David Davis (right) welcomed Michel Barnier to Downing Street today as they held talks on the Brexit process Mr Barnier waved to photographers as he arrived in Downing Street for the talks today It is the first time the trio have met since EU leaders gave the green light for the second phase of negotiations to start at a summit in December. The encounter was expected to be difficult amid tensions over free movement rules and EU laws during a mooted transition period. Earlier, Mr Barnier said Brussels and the UK must 'accelerate' progress on Brexit. As he boarded a Eurostar in Brussels this morning, Mr Barnier told reporters: 'We have not a minute to lose, because we want to achieve a deal. 'There is so much work. We have decided for this reason to accelerate the contacts.' He added: 'We have to respect the red lines of the British government. But they have to respect the rules of the union.' Fresh frictions have emerged after the European side insisted that EU law must continue to apply in the UK throughout the post-Brexit transition period - expected to last around two years. Mrs May has already made clear that she intends to push back against the bloc's demands that EU citizens who come to the UK during the transition should enjoy the same rights as those who come before Britain leaves the EU on March 29 2019. Ministers have complained that the demand goes beyond what was agreed at the December summit but senior EU figures - including the European Parliament's Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt - insist it is 'not negotiable'. Theresa May (pictured returning to Downing Street today) will join Mr Barnier and David Davis (pictured right today) for talks later Mr Barnier's scarf appeared to have become shut in the door of his chauffeur-driven car as it drove between St Pancras station and Downing Street earlier today Boris Johnson (pictured right out jogging in Westminster today) is expected to push for a tough line when the Cabinet's Brexit sub-committee meets later this week. Mr Gove (pictured running near his London home this morning) is thought to be open to a compromise deal on the customs arrangement The Government has also come under fire from its own backbenchers for agreeing that any changes to EU law which are passed during the transition will apply in the UK - even though Britain will have had no say in the decision-making process. Mr Barnier was greeted by Mr Davis, before Mrs May joined them for talks. They were expected to discuss potential ways forward on the 'end state' relationship with the EU. Downing Street today moved to assuage mounting concerns among Tory Eurosceptics about a softening of Mrs May's position. A spokesman for the PM said the UK would be leaving the existing EU customs union - and also went further by ruling out creating a new customs union with the bloc. Members of the Cabinet Brexit sub-committee will meet on Wednesday and then again on Thursday as they seek to thrash out an agreement on what future terms the UK will seek. There are claims Mrs May is plotting to 'divide and rule' Cabinet Brexiteers by proposing a compromise deal on links to the EU customs union. The Prime Minister is reported to be floating the idea of a time-limited extension on key parts of the existing customs arrangements. Government sources told the Times that opposition from Boris Johnson could be overcome as fellow Brexiteer Environment Secretary Michael Gove is thought to be open to the idea. Michel Barnier (pictured at London St Pancras Station today) said the EU and the UK must 'accelerate' progress on Brexit talks A heart-broken mother in China has been kneeling in cold weather to sell her breast-feeding service - so she could raise funds to treat her sick baby. Despite her own weak health, the 24-year-old new mother offers to nurse strangers' babies at a rate of 10 yuan (1) per minute on the street of Shenzhen, one of China's richest cities. Talking to local reporters, the desperate mother said she gave birth to twin girls, but her younger daughter was very sick and under intensive care. Ms Tang and her husband kneel on the street to beg for strangers' help in China. A signboard says the couple's daughter is sick and the mother is willing to feed other babies to raise money The couple need 100,000 yuan (11,262) to save their younger twin daughter (pictured) The mother, known by her surname Tang, said she had been forced to beg because she and her husband couldn't afford the expensive medical bills charged by the hospital. When reporters talked to Ms Tang at the end of January, she had just given birth a month before and her health had not fully recovered. Her husband told a reporter from Pear Video that doctors had told them to prepare at least 100,000 yuan (11,262) should they want to save their younger child. The couple are both migrant workers and live in a tiny 79-per-month rental flat. Ms Tang also sells her breast milk in bags to passersby in Shenzhen. The woman, a migrant worker, is pictured pumping breast milk at her tiny 79-per-month rental flat Ms Tang gave birth just over a month ago. Despite her own weak health, she kneels on the street to beg for help from complete strangers so that she could save her newborn child The couple have been spotted on a street of Shenzhen (file photo), one of China's richest cities They claimed that Ms Tang had spent all her savings on treating her father, who had cancer, and Ms Tang's husband also needed to support his sick mother. Because Ms Tang and her husband are not from Shenzhen, they and their children are not entitled to receiving local social welfare - a result of China's strict household registration system. As a result, they had no other means to get their baby treated, but to ask for help from complete strangers. Pictures from Chinese media show the sad couple kneeling down in public, with a signboard placed in front of them to explain their story. Ms Tang held her elder daughter, who is understood to be healthy. She wore a scarf to cover her face so she wouldn't be recognised. Next to them, several bags of Ms Tang's breast milk were displayed for passersby to purchase. Ms Tang said people could 'occasionally' pay her to feed their babies. A sanitation worker walks past the couple as he looks at the signboard explaining their story People could 'occasionally' pay Ms Tang to feed their babies at the rate of 1 per minute Although life has been hard on the family, Ms Tang's husband, who is the pillar of the family, has not been discouraged by the challenges. Speaking to a Pear Video reporter from their flat, the determined man said: 'I believe as long as we try hard, we could overcome the difficulty.' The man said he would find more part-time food-delivering jobs, and her wife would go back to work in two or three months. After the story became viral on the internet, the local authorities have stepped in. In an online statement, the Shenzhen Internet Information Office confirmed that the couple's claims were true. The statement stressed that the hospital had been carrying on treating their daughter despite they couldn't pay the medical bills. The statement also said officials from local authorities have visited the couple and the authorities would provide them with suitable help allowed by the Chinese regulations. Former Richmond police officer Charles Church, 41, was sentenced Friday after being convicted last July of object sexual penetration of a child under 13 and indecent exposure A former Virginia police officer and Marine Corps veteran has been sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting a child. Former Richmond police officer Charles Church, 41, was sentenced on Friday after being convicted last July of object sexual penetration of a child under 13 and indecent exposure, The Richmond Times reported. He was acquitted of sodomy and a second count of object sexual penetration. Defense attorney William A. Efird III is considering an appeal, as he says the key piece of evidence - a pair of Barbie underwear containing the victim and Church's DNA - cannot be connected to the child as the victim couldn't recall what underwear she wore during the attack. Investigators say the incident occurred on November 2, 2015, according to WTVR. Prosecutors said she was merely 11-years-old at the time of the incident. The mother of the alleged victim, who testified during Churchs three-day trial this summer, said 'I just want my life back. I want my daughter to have her life back. Her biggest fear is that (her friends) will find out.' Church was also accused of receiving child pornography which resulted in separate federal charges. Those charges were dismissed however after a judge said the evidence gathered was obtained through an illegal search. He was one of the world's most-wanted money launderers and it was Australian taxpayers which helped uncover his network. The sting which brought down Altaf Khanani, a criminal who washed more than $1 billion worldwide, was a high risk play fronted by Australia. It paid off as his global operation funding some of the world's biggest organised crime gangs was dismantled and Khanani was jailed. Altaf Khanani(pictured centre) criminal washed more than $1 billion worldwide was brought to justice thanks to Australian taxpayer dollars Altaf Khanani, who is originally from Pakistan, was one of the most wanted money-launderers in the world The operation to snare Khanani was the subject of an Australian Story episode aired on the ABC on Monday night. It included the Australian government putting up $1 million and creating a fake drug cartel which needed to clean some money into legitimate assets. His links to criminal groups in Australia included motorcycle gangs, ice traffickers, Lebanese groups and other groups operating out of Italy, Vietnam and Mexico in Melbourne and Sydney. But the biggest risk to the whole operation was the use of Australian taxpayer dollars being handed over to one of the world's most elusive and notorious criminals. The obvious risk was that it could be a hugely expensive mistake if the trap could not be set and prise Khanani, originally from Pakistan, from his Dubai hideout. The plan was to send an Australian undercover and build up a rapport with the man known to have a thriving offshore laundering operation. The US Drug Enforcement Administration makes the arrest of Khanani (pictured centre) in Panama after a year-long operation Investigators first noticed millions of dollars leaving Australian accounts and connections to businesses overseas through off-book transactions. The necessity to infiltrate Khanani's organisation would be key to catching him and the international law enforcement network knew Australia's role would be crucial. He was wanted in the USA and Australia due to his links to organised drug crime with a network spreading as far and wide as Dubai, Birmingham in the UK and Karachi. But the American Drug Enforcement Administration could not raise the cash. In 2013, a Mexican from the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel arrived in Melbourne and carried out two operations which saw AU$1m handed over in broad daylight to an Indian representative and Italian man. The operation to catch him involved more than 100 people from law enforcement agencies in Britain, Australia, USA, Canada and New Zealand. Organised bike gangs have been connected to money laundering operations run by Altaf Khanani In order to catch Khanani and extradite him to the USA, the operation had to prove he had laundered US$1m. The trap was set for various money drops to take place - the first of which taking place for $100,000 in a parking lot in New Jersey. A nervous five days later and the money had been cleaned and returned via an apparently legitimate business minus Khanani's commission. Further cash drops were carried out in Houston, Atlanta and New York and each time, Khanani came up with the goods without suspecting a thing. Richard Grant from the Australian Crime Commission was running the covert operation for the sting The final drop came in Texas taking the amount to be laundered past the boundary of US$1m. He was convinced to travel to Panama for a new business opportunity by the undercover agent based in Sydney where a team of agents from the USA were waiting for him. Khanani was jailed for five and a half years. A mother has broken down in tears as she thanked Kate Winslet for setting up a charity to raise 300,000 to pay for treatment to get rid of her cancer. The actress, 42, clubbed together with Leonardo Di Caprio to raise funds for an experimental treatment for 29-year-old Gemma Nuttall's ovarian cancer after coming across her fundraising page online. In an emotional live television interview after Ms Nuttall was given the all clear, Winslet said: So much good has come out of this situation. Look at Gemma, she is beautiful, and cancer free. Gemma Nuttall, (left) has been given the all-clear from cancer after Hollywood A-lister Kate Winslet stepped in to help. Ms Nuttall is pictured speaking on This Morning today with Winslet on the phone Ms Nuttall, pictured here with daughter Penelope in an undated image, was given the all-clear from ovarian cancer And Ms Nuttall today told her on ITV's This Morning: I just want to say thank you so much for all your hard work. You saved my life.' Ms Nuttall, from Rossendale, Lancashire, refused potentially life-saving drugs because they would have terminated the pregnancy. Her daughter Penelope was born healthy but NHS doctors later delivered the devastating news to Ms Nuttall that there was nothing more they could do and she was put on end-of-life care. But she and her mother launched a 300,000 fundraising campaign after hearing about a German 'wonder clinic'. Winslet heard about Ms Nuttall's story and along with Leo, auctioned off three 'Jack and Rose' date nights, named after their characters in Titanic. Winslet, who lost her mother in May, said: At the time I came across Gemma's story my mother was given a very bad prognosis after a four-year battle. Ms Nuttall was told she had aggressive ovarian cancer while pregnant. She refused life-saving treatment because it would have terminated the pregnancy We decided to look elsewhere and also stumbled across this treatment in Germany. And simultaneously I found a petition from someone on behalf of Gemma campaigning to have immunotherapy on the NHS. I thought, this poor woman, who is probably years away from being able to access that kind of treatment. Then I came across the Go Fund Me page. At that point there was just 9,000 in the fund, so I thought I just could not let this happen. My own mother was very unwell and I just thought she would be incredibly proud if I could help another young mum.' The Hollywood star said she began exchanging texts with Ms Nuttall's mother, Penelope, during which they agreed a way forward. I started putting word out there amongst people I know who are very charitable and equally touched by Gemma's story,' she said. 'We reached 200,000 so at that point I thought it was time to call my friend, Leo, to ask if we could do a charity dinner or something. Ms Nuttall launched the fundraising campaign so Penelope did not have to grow up 'without a mummy' - and is now cancer free Ms Nuttall launched a fundraising campaign for treatment in Germany. Kate Winslet heard about her plight and enlisted Leonardo Di Caprio to help 'He said, "We can do one better" and asked me to come to St Tropez so we could auction off some Jack and Rose date nights.' The prizes went under the hammer at a private dinner in July held in St Tropez for DiCaprio's conservation foundation. And Ms Nuttall finished her treatment five months ago and has now been given the all-clear. Winslet added: 'In the end we raised 3.5million which we split half way half for his foundation and the rest for other purposes. As we rose enough money for Gemma I set up another foundation to help other people in the same situation. So much good has come out of this situation. Look at Jemma, she is beautiful, and cancer free. The stars auctioned off three 'Jack and Rose' date nights, named after their characters in Titanic. Ms Nuttall paid for the treatment and is now cancer-free I could not be more thrilled and honours to have been able to help you and your mum. It shows things can be done even after a devastating prognosis. There are miracles out there. Penelope weighed 4lbs 5oz when she was born on March 24, 2014. Two weeks later dental nurse Ms Nuttall began six months of chemotherapy. She was cancer free for more than a year but then found a lump on the back of her head. Doctors at Royal Blackburn Hospital later confirmed that Ms Nuttall had a stage four tumour. In an earlier interview, Ms Nuttall remembered the moment vividly and sobbed: 'I could see the devastation on the consultant's face when he told me. 'Then my mum and I burst into tears. I faced brain surgery and was told I might not be the same person afterwards. It was terrifying.' Ms Nuttall and her mother Helen, who sold off her house to help pay for treatment in Germany Ms Nuttall gave birth to Penelope after 26 weeks and the baby weighed 4lbs 5oz when she was born on March 24, 2014. Two weeks later she began six months of chemotherapy The brain operation went well at Preston Royal Hospital but the tumour could not be fully removed because of its position. The rest would be targeted by radiotherapy. Swollen by steroids, with one eye closed for six months, Ms Nuttall began a job as a soft play centre manager. A -lister Winslet and Ms Nuttall text from time to time and have even spoken about meeting up soon But months later she started having headaches and doctors found eight new tumours dotted around her head. The mother, who had recently split up with her partner saying she had 'shut down' her emotions, was given more chemotherapy and radiotherapy, losing her hair for a second time. Finally, she was told nothing more could be done. She adds: 'I was told I needed to make a will and put things in place for Penelope when I was gone. 'I felt written off completely. But my mum thought 'I'm not having this. I'm not going to let my daughter die'.' Ms Nuttall will have her next scan later this month. Depending on the result, she is planning to have more immunotherapy to strengthen her position even more. Her GoFundMe page is reopening for donations. Winslet and Ms Nuttall text from time to time and have even spoken about meeting up soon. Ms Nuttall said: 'I think we would just have a general chit chat if we met up, she'd want to take my mind off it all. I'd love to introduce her to Penelope. I have been asked if I regret having Penelope. But I'd never think that. She saved my life. If it wasn't for her I might not be here now. You can support Gemma at gofundme.com/teamgemma More than 822 staff will be made redundant as a result of the collapse of Carillion, the construction firm that dramatically collapsed last month. Last week the Official Receiver announced 377 staff would be made redundant and in a further blow to workers, it has announced today a further 452 jobs will be lost. The huge company went into compulsory liquidation on January 15 with debts of up to 5billion including a black hole in its pension fund of around 2.6billon. The Official Receiver, which is now in control of the company, has promised some 1019 positions will be safeguarded. The receiver in charge of collapse firm Carillion says a further 452 jobs are being lost Carillion workers line up outside a staff office to check on the status of their jobs in London in January Carillion is one of the UK's largest construction companies - employing around 43,000 staff globally including 20,000 in Britain. The staff whose jobs had been saved are involved in infrastructure projects, central and local government, and construction contracts and are transferring to new employers who have taken on this work. Those set to be made redundant are understood to be back-office employees such as sales staff who tried to win new contracts for the company. Of the 377 who lost their jobs last week, 253 worked in public sector roles while 124 worked on private sector contracts. The Official Receiver said 29 workers are being made redundant in Scotland, 19 in Wales with the remaining 329 across the rest of the UK. A further 452 staff in private and public sector contracts and back office roles have been made redundant today, across areas including London, Newcastle, Southampton and Thameside. Those who have lost their jobs will be entitled to make a claim for statutory redundancy payments. Carillion went bust last month with huge debts, putting a number of projects in jeopardy One of Carillion's projects in Britain was the famous doughnut building of the UK's Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. File pic WHERE DID IT ALL GO WRONG? HOW THE COLLAPSE OF CARILLION UNFOLDED July 10, 2017 Carillion chief executive Richard Howson quits as Carillion issues profit warning and pulls out of three construction markets in the Middle East July 11, 2017 Carillion tumble by 30% as questions were raised about the future of the company July 17, 2017 Carillion wins a 1.4 billion contract to help build Britain's High Speed 2 railway as part of a consortium July 18, 2017 A Carillion joint venture wins two Ministry of Defence contracts worth 158m for catering and leisure services Sept 11, 2017 Carillion's finance chief Zafar Khan leaves as the firm announces major shake-up of its top team Sept 29, 2017 Carillion issues a second profit warning sparking fresh fears over its future Nov 6, 2017 State-owned Network Rail gave Carillion a contract worth around 320m to upgrade track on the London to Corby line Nov 17, 2017 Shares fall another 34% after Carillion issues its third profit warning Jan 3, 2018 The Financial Conduct Authority said it is investigating Carillion's statements to the market in the 7 months before it issued its first profit warning Jan 15 2018: Carillion announces it has gone into liquidation sparking concerns over the 450 public sector contracts it has and the 20,000 people it employs Advertisement A spokesman for the Official Receiver said: 'As part of the ongoing liquidation of the Carillion group, we have reviewed additional public and private sector contracts, as well as core divisions of the business. 'We can confirm that we have safeguarded a further 100 jobs and these roles are linked to public sector contracts. Most staff will be transferring on existing or similar terms, something I will continue to facilitate wherever possible as we work to find new providers for Carillion's remaining contracts. 'Unfortunately, 452 posts are being made redundant. 'They cover a variety of roles connected with private and public contracts across different parts of the country, as well as back-office functions. 'We appreciate this will be a difficult time for those who have lost their jobs. Jobcentre Plus' Rapid Response Service stands ready to support any of these employees by providing advice and information so people can move into a new job as quickly as possible. 'People who have been made redundant will also be entitled to make a claim for statutory redundancy payments. 'Our efforts are focused on the smooth transfer of Carillion's contracts to new providers and we will continue to keep Carillion's workforce updated as these arrangements are finalised.' The Wolverhampton-based company also offers many outsourcing services for the public sector, with contracts to provide school dinners, maintain and operate buildings and estates, security and housekeeping, as well as cleaning and catering at NHS hospitals. Carillion saw its shares price plunge more than 70 per cent in the past six months after making a string of profit warnings and breaching its financial covenants. It was also struggling under a pension deficit of around 600m. The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) said yesterday that 553 of the 1,400 apprentices affected by the crisis had been offered a role with another employer. Asked about job losses at Carillion, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'These are obviously decisions that the Receiver is taking, but we appreciate these are very difficult times for the people working at Carillion. 'Where the Government can provide support, we will of course do so.' This comes amid an official investigation launched into top bosses at Carillion who changed the rules so they could keep their bonuses as the firm collapsed and put 23,000 jobs at risk. This infographic shows how Carillion's share price stayed broadly stable from 2013 to 2016 before dipping up to the start of 2017 and then plunging after that The risky contacts that backfired at Carillion Carillion is dependent on large contracts, some of which have significantly underperformed. In 2017, the value of its contracts were reduced by 845m, leading to debts soaring to 900m. In December, the firm struck an agreement with its lenders to defer a crucial financial covenant test, but failed this past week to secure 300m from banks Carillion is believed to have asked the Government to provide funds of 20m to help it secure more money from the banks and avoid going into liquidation, but ministers were unwilling to offer financial support. Neil Wilson, senior market analyst at ETX Capital, said: 'This was a case of bad management and pitching for contracts at any price, but the Government and banks could, or maybe should, have done more.' There are questions as to whether this was an issue of perception, as funding would look like the Government was bailing out yet another private firm. It is a particularly sensitive topic in the wake of the financial crisis when the UK bailed out major lenders including Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Lloyds. Advertisement The watering down of so-called 'clawback conditions', which would have allowed investors to demand the return of bonuses in the event of company failure, came in 2016 when the firm was already showing signs of financial stress. The bonus changes, as well as bumper pay packets for senior staff, were last month branded 'highly inappropriate' by leading business lobby group the Institute of Directors. Richard Howson, who headed the company from 2012 until July 2017, pocketed 1.5 million in 2016 - including a 122,612 cash bonus and 231,000 in pension contributions. As part of his departure deal, Carillion agreed to continue paying him a 660,000 salary and 28,000 in benefits until October - even though he left the company for good last autumn after a brief spell as an adviser. Former finance chief Zafar Khan, who left Carillion in September, will receive 425,000 in base salary for 12 months. And Interim chief executive Keith Cochrane will be paid his 750,000 salary until July, despite leaving the company in February. He was not at the company when the rules governing bonuses were relaxed. The collapse of Carillion on January 15 threw 450 construction projects across the public sector into chaos, from the running of prisons to the building of HS2. Jobs in the UK and overseas are at risk after the firm ran out of time to find a way to restructure its 1.5bn debt burden following failed talks last month. 'Highly inappropriate' steps Carillion fat cats took to make sure they kept their bonuses Richard Howson,(left, in an undated social media image) who stepped down as CEO in July but stayed in an advisory role until the autumn. Philip Green,(right, file photo) who became chairman of Carillion in May 2014 Carillion introduced tougher rules that protect bonuses paid to bosses when the firm was already under financial strain. The company changed the wording of its pay policy to make it harder for investors to claw back bonuses paid to executives in the event it ran into financial difficulty. In recent weeks Carillion has been under pressure from investors to recoup some of the millions of pounds in bonuses paid to former chief executive Richard Howson and ex-finance chief Richard Adam when they were in charge. A probe by the Mail has found that previously bosses could have been forced to hand back their annual bonus and share awards in 'circumstances of corporate failure'. Keith Cochrane (left, file photo) became interim CEO in July. He will net a 750,000 salary until July despite leaving the firm next month. Andrew Davies (right, file) will become CEO on Jan 22 But in the group's 2016 annual report this wording was tightened. It says deferred bonuses may be reduced in circumstances of corporate failure but goes on to say the so-called 'malus' and 'clawback' provisions can be applied in two circumstances: if results have been misstated or the participant is guilty of gross misconduct. At this time hedge funds had already realised there were problems at Carillion, with one London firm borrowing more and more of Carillion's stock to take out bets against its fortunes. A Carillion manager, who requested anonymity, told City AM the hedge fund interest was a product of leaks from senior meetings. Roger Barker, Head of Corporate Governance at the Institute of Directors, said: 'The relaxation of clawback conditions for executive bonuses in 2016 appears in retrospect to be highly inappropriate. 'It does no good to the reputation of UK business when top managers appear to benefit in spite of the collapse of the organisations that they are responsible for.' Former financial officer Zafar Khan stepped down in September, yet will continue receiving a 425,000 base salary a year after leaving Advertisement CARILLION PROJECTS Carillion is known for having worked on the Royal Opera House, the Channel Tunnel, Tate Modern, and the famous doughnut building of the UK's Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in Cheltenham. Current projects Carillion is working on include the Aberdeen Bypass and the Angel Gardens in Manchester, which Carillion were offered 745m and 75m to build respectively. Internationally Carillion has been responsible for Oman's parliament - the Majlis, Alvito Dam in Portugal and the Yas Marina Hotel in Abu Dhabi. As recently as January 2, the firm celebrated the completion of what it described as 'another successful project' at Edinburgh Waverley Station. Advertisement Philip Green, who became chairman of Carillion in May 2014, advised David Cameron on corporate responsibility under the Coalition Government. He was appointed in 2011 - the same year he joined the board at Carillion - but axed by Theresa May when she carried out a review of Mr Cameron's appointments in December 2016. The businessman, who should not be confused with the Philip Green who owned BHS, was educated at the University of Swansea before completing an MBA at the London Business School. He was CEO of United Utilities Group plc from 2006 to 2011. His earlier corporate experience includes serving as CEO of Royal P&O Nedlloyd, a Director and Chief Operating Officer at Reuters Group PLC and Chief Operating Officer at DHL for Europe and Africa. Mr Green is also a Non-Executive Chairman of Logicor, a European logistics real estate business owned by a New York-based investment management firm. A Carillion worker at the Midland Metropolitan Hospital in Smethwick where construction work is being carried out by the firm Carillion saw its shares price plunge more than 70 per cent in the past six months after making a string of profit warnings and breaching its financial covenants. Pictured, A Carillion employee at a staff office in London A cleaver-wielding man in south China was shot by police as he attempted to attack members of public at a market last Saturday. Footage shows the police firing three bullets towards the man before capturing him. The assailant's family claimed he had mental illness and was unclear of the reason of the attack. A cleaver-wielding man, right, is having a standoff with the policemen for over five minutes A policeman can be seen firing bullets to Huang, as he approaches closer with the cleaver According to Nanguo Morning Post, the man grabbed a cleaver from a butcher in a supermarket at around 9pm on February 3. The incident happened at Danzhu town, Pingnan county, Guigang of Guangxi Province. A statement from Danzhu Police stated that, the man, surnamed Huang, was chasing people on the street with the cleaver and challenged the policeman to battle 'one-on-one'. They were in a standoff for over five minutes before the man ran towards a nearby tea shop. Police officers, carrying poles and shields, are chasing the assailant after he got shot Huang is captured and the police are still investigating into the matter Officers then fired warning shots into the air before the attacker approached closer. Video emerged online shows a policeman firing three bullets towards the man's lower body before capturing him. It's said Huang was injured. His family told the police that he had mental illness in the past. The incident is still under investigation. Dominic Egre (pictured with Princess Anne) was entrusted with large sums of money to develop a new metal pin badge A volunteer police officer who designed a new type of Remembrance Day poppy has been jailed for stealing over 35,000 from the Royal British Legion. Dominic Egre, 43, was entrusted with large sums of money to develop a new metal pin badge for the annual poppy appeal. But suspicions grew after several large cash advances were made to Egre while very small returns were seen by the charity. Egre, from St Helier in Jersey, was arrested after a police investigation and later admitted pocketing 35,448, and has now been jailed for 18 months. He was caught out after a lengthy investigation which discovered that he 'misappropriated' around 10,000 of funds. It also emerged that he failed to pass on 25,448 of sales proceeds, which were paid into his bank account. Egre became involved in the Poppy Appeal in 2006 after his sister suggested that a more 'robust' poppy should be designed to be worn on the fire service uniform. He designed and produced the metal lapel pin poppies for the 2006 sale and they proved to be a 'resounding success', the Royal Court heard. It emerged that just 6,731 was received from sales in 2008, compared with 23,607 in the previous year and 25,712 in 2009. It was also discovered that Egre had set up an unofficial website to sell merchandise, which purported to be associated with the Royal British Legion. In December 2008, the defendant wrote to the Royal British Legion admitting that the website company owed them 21,634 from the sale of poppy pins. Egre was eventually arrested in 2016, following intervention from the then Lieutenant-Governor General Sir John McColl. During police interviews he admitted that he had spent the charity's money on 'everyday living expenses and debts', as well as computer equipment and paying staff working on his website project. He was also charged with two data protection offences, which he denied, and charges were dropped by the Crown. Crown advocate Conrad Yates, prosecuting, said that Egre's actions had undermined public trust in the Royal British Legion and pointed out that he had still not returned the money he had stolen. Egre designed and produced the metal lapel pin poppies for the 2006 sale and they proved to be a 'resounding success', the Royal Court (pictured) heard He said: 'He has expressed remorse but despite the opportunity to repay the money since 2008 he has not done so.' Advocate Michael Haines, defending, said that Egre had made a 'significant' contribution to public life in Jersey. He undertook voluntary work for the Royal British Legion and served in the honorary police, which is the Jersey equivalent to special constables in Great Britain. He added that in a sworn statement Egre had admitted that he had 'brought shame' on the Royal British Legion Jersey. Delivering the court's sentence the Bailiff, William Bailhache, said that the fact Egre stole from a charity was an 'aggravating factor'. He added: 'This is a very, very sad case. We are going to send you to prison.' The Royal British Legion told MailOnline: 'We were saddened and disappointed to hear of the theft of Royal British Legion funds in Jersey. 'This loss deprives those in the Service and ex-Service community and their families of much-needed assistance and support from the Legion' Donna Ryan, 49, from Fordsham in Cheshire, lost her beloved sproodle, Bindi (pictured together), who was found five days later in April 2016 A 'real-life Ace Ventura' has helped hunt down and rescue hundreds of missing dogs to reunited them with their owners. Donna Ryan, 49, from Fordsham in Cheshire, lost her beloved sproodle, Bindi, who was found five days later in April 2016. Following her ordeal, Ms Ryan set up Bindi's Lost and Found, a lost dog group on Facebook. Since then, she and her huge team of volunteers have helped rescue over 600 dogs and continue to work together in a race against dog wardens. And she's now been dubbed 'Ace Ventura' after the popular Jim Carrey film. In Liverpool and its surrounding areas, the price for a dog to stay in a kennel for one day if it is picked up by a warden ranges from 68 to 110 per night, then 10 - 25 per night after that. Ms Ryan's team aim to find the dog, rescue it and reunite it with their owner before the warden gets involved. When a dog is missing for a prolonged period, she enlists Drone SAR for Lost Dogs UK, a group of volunteer drone pilots, who attend searches with their equipment and use high-tech thermal imaging cameras to locate animals that may be in dense woodland. Ms Ryan said: 'We laugh when I'm called Ace Ventura. It's not just me. We're a whole community who come together and help each other. 'We have a number of lost and found groups for the area and the one that my friends and I run has 26,000 members. We work across all of the North-West. 'One of our biggest drivers is to stop the dogs going to the dog warden because they can charge anything from 68 to 110 per night, then it goes up by 10 to 25 for each night after that. 'If an elderly person or a child lets out a dog by accident, people often don't have that kind of money going spare.' Following her ordeal, Ms Ryan set up Bindi's Lost and Found, a lost dog group on Facebook. Pictured is Donna Ryan, with her own dog Ozzy After having treatment for breast cancer in 2015, Ms Ryan decided to turn 'pet detective' while off work recovering. Since then, her commitment has helped reunite thousands of owners with their much-loved pets. Although she is the admin for many groups, she insists it is all about coming together and showing good team work at the vital moment. Ms Ryan said: 'After my treatment, I had a few months off work to recover and I threw myself into this to keep busy. 'When I'd survived and won the battle I realised life should be grabbed with two hands so that's why I set up my group. 'We get the community involved and we've got tens of thousands of members. Since then, she and her huge team of volunteers have helped rescue over 600 dogs and continue to work together in a race against dog wardens. Pictured is Cookie with her family and Ms Ryan Patterdale Terrier Jess reunited with owner after Ms Ryan's volunteers found her 'We have a great network where someone will post saying 'we've had a dog go missing' and within minutes another person will write that it has been scanned and taken in. 'If the dog doesn't have a microchip, we do have to inform the dog warden unfortunately. 'We still try to get to the dogs before the wardens and in 90 per cent of cases, we are successful. 'If a dog is lost for up to 48 hours, we'll even use scenting, which involves an owner spreading urine outside of their homes to attract the dog back. They might also drag old clothes along the floor or leave the dog's bed outside so they recognise the smell. 'If we suspect a dog has been stolen, our main thing is to make the dogs too hot to handle as soon as they are reported missing by sharing their pictures on Facebook. 'We have such good connections among the lost and found groups that we have massive power. 'This often means that the groups that do sell stolen dogs often struggle to do anything with them because we watch the pages like hawks.' A dog found in a nearby forest, reunited with owner 9left) and Cookie's owner Trevor and his wife (right) making a BBQ to entice her back Working with Drone SAR for Lost Dogs UK and using their state-of-the-art equipment to help give her searches an extra push by ruling out large sections of woods or farmland. Pictured is a dog found by drone footage Working with Drone SAR for Lost Dogs UK and using their state-of-the-art equipment to help give her searches an extra push by ruling out large sections of woods or farmland. Ms Ryan said: 'I deal with the searches. If a dog has been lost for a few days, I have access to the drones and we use pilots who help us on the searches. 'The drones use thermal imaging to detect dogs that might be hiding in forests or dense woodland. They cost 25,000 each to buy. 'The drones we use are operated by volunteers - my main assistants are Carl Brierley and Drone SAR (Search and Rescue) - a network of volunteers who are amazing. Bindi and Ozzy on a search with Donna Ryan 'They kindly help and we are indebted to them as it adds another dimension when dogs are missing for some time.' Ms Ryan believes in the last two and a half years she has come to understand just how brilliant her community can be. She claims on searches she has attended or ran, she has worked with members of the emergency services who have come along even on their days off, parents with babies on their back and even disabled people in wheelchairs. She said: 'At a recent search in Delamere Forest, near Cheshire, we had doctors, nurses, mums and dads with their children in prams. We've even had people in wheelchairs. 'In St. Helen's, we recently had shop owners going out on their lunch breaks to help. 'The ones that can't get help out on the searches outside are on social media searching groups. 'Over 60 people turned up on that Sunday morning to help. 'Most don't know the owners or the dogs but the majority are dog owners and they just want them to be reunited with their owners. 'Pet Detective' Jim Carrey in a scene from the 1995 film Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls 'Every single owner we reunite with their dog says they can't believe the community spirit. 'Even my own dog, Ozzy, a Bijon Frise, comes out with me. 'Importantly, a key part of our function is to support families and individuals, particularly children who are deeply distressed when their family member and pet is missing. 'When a family pet is stolen it is devastating and they need support and guidance.' Devin Nunes has been accused of abusing his office by issuing the release of the controversial FBI memo. Former CIA Director John Brennan said the GOP lawmaker denied Democrats to their side of the story - something he described as 'appalling'. He said the document was made public to 'protect' President Donald Trump amid the ongoing probe into Russian meddling during the Republican's successful race to The White House in 2016. Democrats have chimed in on the argument over the weekend too, calling it a 'political hit job' and an attempt to 'undermine and discredit the FBI'. Devin Nunes (pictured) has been accused of abusing his office by issuing the release of the controversial FBI memo Former CIA Director John Brennan (pictured) said the GOP lawmaker denied Democrats to their side of the story - something he described as 'appalling' Talking to NBC on their Meet The Press slot, Brennan said: 'I think it, it really underscores just how partisan Mr Nunes has been. 'He has abused the office of the chairmanship of HPSCI. And I don't say that lightly.' Brennan - who served with the CIA under George W Bush and Barack Obama - added that Nunes 'has been engaged in these tactics purely to defend, make excuses and try to protect Mr Trump'. Responding to the claims, which also included that Nunes had cherry-picked the memo to put aside a one-sided, selective memo, the lawmaker's spokesman said: 'There was an abuse of power, but it was not by the Chairman, who strictly followed House rules to make the Committees memo public. 'The abuse of power was the use of unverified information bought and paid for by one political campaign to justify government surveillance of associates of the opposing political campaign.' The President's son, Donald Trump Jr, said the release of the memo was 'sweet revenge' for him and his family. Talking to Fox News, he said document's release highlighted the collusion at the top of the FBI. Brennan said the document was made public to 'protect' President Donald Trump (pictured) amid the ongoing probe into Russian meddling during the Republican's successful race to The White House in 2016 Democratic lawmakers have also weighed in on the argument, saying President Donald Trump was wrong to assert that a GOP-produced classified memo on FBI surveillance powers cleared him in the Russia investigation. They expressed hope Sunday that special counsel Robert Mueller's work would continue without interference. Democrats could seek a vote on publicly releasing their rebuttal memo when the GOP-led House Intelligence Committee meets late Monday afternoon. The committee rejected that move last week, with one Republican member saying revisions were needed so the memo would not endanger national security. The Senate's Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, urged Trump to back the public release and said that refusing to do so would show the president's intent to undermine the Russia investigation. The committee's top Democrat, California Representative Adam Schiff, branded the GOP memo 'a political hit job'. He questioned whether Nunes had coordinated with the White House in drafting the document seized on by the President to vent his grievances against the nation's premier law enforcement agencies. 'The goal here is to undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI, discredit the Mueller investigation, do the President's bidding,' Schiff said. 'I think it's very possible his staff worked with the White House.' Nunes was asked during a January 29 committee meeting whether he had coordinated the memo with the White House. 'As far as I know, no,' he responded, then refused to answer when asked whether his staff members had communicated with the White House. He had previously apologized for sharing with the White House secret intelligence intercepts related to an investigation of Russian election interference before talking to committee members. The Senate's Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, urged Trump to back the public release and said that refusing to do so would show the President's intent to undermine the Russia investigation The memo released Friday alleges misconduct on the part of the FBI and the Justice Department in obtaining a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to monitor former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page and his ties to Russia. Specifically, it takes aim at the FBI's use of information from former British spy Christopher Steele, who compiled a dossier containing allegations of ties between Trump, his associates and Russia. The underlying materials that served as the basis for the warrant application were not made public in the GOP memo. Even as Democrats described it as inaccurate, some Republicans quickly cited the memo - released over the objections of the FBI and Justice Department - in their arguments that Mueller's investigation is politically tainted. The memo's central allegation is that agents and prosecutors, in applying in October 2016 to monitor Page's communications, failed to tell a judge that the opposition research that provided grounds for the FBI's suspicion received funding from Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Page had stopped advising the campaign sometime around the end of that summer. Steele's research, according to the memo, 'formed an essential part' of the warrant application. But it's unclear how much or what information Steele collected made it into the application, or how much has been corroborated. Republicans say a judge should have known that 'political actors' were involved in allegations that led the Justice Department to believe Page might be an agent of a foreign power - an accusation he has consistently denied. The memo confirms the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign began in July 2016, months before the surveillance warrant was sought, and was 'triggered' by information concerning campaign aide George Papadopoulos. He pleaded guilty last year to lying to the FBI. The confirmation about Papadopoulos is 'the most important fact disclosed in this otherwise shoddy memo,' Schiff said Saturday. Schiff and Hurd spoke on ABC's 'This Week.' Stewart appeared on 'Fox News Sunday,' Gowdy was on CBS' 'Face the Nation' and Wenstrup was interviewed on CNN's 'State of the Union.' Mount Everest is famous as the tallest mountain in the world, but just how tall is it? Officially the peak stands at 29,029ft above sea level, though that measurement dates from the 1950s and teams from around the globe have attempted to have it moved up and down ever since. But now, for the first time, a team of Nepalese researchers are preparing to make their own calculation in an attempt to put the debate to rest once and for all. A team of Nepalese researchers is preparing to measure Everest, the first time a team from the country will have calculated the height of the peak Everest was first named the world's tallest mountain back in 1856 after Sir George Everest, the British former surveyor general of India, took a team of Indian mathematicians to calculate the height. Radhanath Sikdar used triangulation to work out the height of the peak using objects surrounding the mountain whose height was known to be at sea level. The angle between those objects and the top of Everest, then known only as Peak XV, provided him with a height of 29,002ft. Mr Everest published the findings and the mountain was renamed in his honour. After Nepal opened its borders to foreigners in the 1950s scientists were able to move their instruments closer and calculated the peak at 29,029ft, as it is recognised today, the New York Times reports. Since then teams of eager foreigners have attempted to adjust the height. The researchers will spend the next month calculating sea level before trekking to the summit of Everest where they will use a GPS beacon to calculate the height In 1992 an Italian team measured the mountain at seven feet less, while in 1999 American scientists added six feet to the official measurement. China, which shares ownership of the peak with Nepal, also laid claim to a measurement in 2005, saying Everest was 29,017ft - though it retracted this after a fall in the number of climbers. Nepal has been largely excluded from all previous attempts to measure Everest, and has recently turned down another offer from India in favour of doing it themselves. A team will spend the next month measuring objects in the land-locked country's southern plains in order to calculate sea level. Once that task is complete, they will scale the mountain and place a GPS receiver on the summit for an hour. Using data from satellites and gravitational measurements from the base, the team will be able to calculate the height of the mountain. The measurement will also be the first taken since the earthquake of 2015, which scientists believe will have lowered its height. The estimated cost of the expedition will be $250,000. Waleed Aly has been sensationally scorched by an interviewee on The Project. Speaking to economist Stephen Duckett on the show on Monday, the controversial host was the butt of a joke gone awry. Dr Duckett was on the show to speak about the privacy of hospital safety data, and whether or not it should be made public. The show took a slippery turn when Peter Helliar jumped in and threw his co-host under the bus. Scroll down for video Waleed Aly (pictured) has been sensationally scorched by an interviewee on The Project 'Doctor, Waleed has just been in hospital. I'm not sure what for, I think it was cosmetic. He still looks a bit dodgy to me,' Helliar said. 'Should I keep my distance?' Without hesitation, Dr Duckett quipped back saying 'Well, some might say you should always keep your distance from Waleed'. Without hesitation, Dr Duckett (pictured) quipped back saying 'Well, some might say you should always keep your distance from Waleed' The Project co-host and comedian, Peter Helliar (pictured) kicked the joke off with a jibe about Aly undergoing cosmetic surgery The live audience reacted with a gasp. Carrie Bickmore ran with the joke, saying 'that's a medical diagnosis there'. Waleed Aly appeared offended, but took it in stride asking: 'what did I do to you?' As Christine Forster prepared to marry her long-term partner Virginia Edwards, the sister of Tony Abbott made a cheeky quip about the former prime minister's attendance at her same-sex marriage. Mr Abbott - who is famously opposed to gay marriage - was pictured beaming as he congratulated his sister at their Sydney ceremony at the weekend. But in the lead up to the big day Ms Forster joked that her eager brother had banked on an invitation, without having officially been asked by the in-love couple. Christine, (centre) a passionate marriage equality campaigner, wed her partner Virginia Edwards (left) at a ceremony in Sydney attended by her politician brother Tony Abbott (right) and his family Christine Forster (right) officially tied the knot with her partner of 10 years only months after Australia passed the landmark same-sex marriage bill Tony Abbott (pictured) a fierce campaigner against gay marriage, said he was 'very happy' for the newlyweds Speaking in parliament after same-sex marriage was legalised in Australia, Mr Abbott declared he didn't pretend to be an 'overnight convert' to support it, but was looking forward to attending the marriage of his sister Christine to her partner Virginia. 'I thought that was a bit presumptuous - you haven't got your invite yet buddy,' Ms Forster told ABC's Australian Story on Monday night. During the program Ms Forster spoke about putting aside her and her brother's opposing views and instead uniting over their family bond. 'Tony and I we were, I hope, able to demonstrate that even though you have diametrically opposed views and sometimes one or the other of you might say something that really pisses off the other one, ultimately you keep it respectful, still love each other, you're still family, and it's not any reason to have a cataclysmic bust up. Newlyweds Christine and Virginia made a majestic arrival down a floral staircase and Tony and Margie posed for a family photograph on stage following the vows The smitten couple dressed for the occasion in matching navy outfits, with Christine (right) choosing a long tailcoat jacket while Virginia opted for a hooded gown 'I'm really optimistic,about the fact, that everybody now, is starting to understand where we all sit in this new shared future,' she said. Tony Abbott's sister Christine Forster officially tied the knot with her partner of 10 years only months after Australia passed the landmark same-sex marriage bill. Christine, a passionate marriage equality campaigner, wed her partner Virginia Edwards on February 2nd at a ceremony in Sydney attended by her politician brother and his family. The fierce campaigner against gay marriage said he was 'very happy' for the newlyweds. Their nuptials were the first high-profile same-sex wedding since marriage equality law was passed in Australian Parliament on December 7 last year. 'I'm very happy for Chris and Virginia and I'm looking forward to having a new sister-in-law,' he told reporters outside the ceremony. The 200-strong guest-list did include most of the Abbott family, including Tony and his wife Margie, her mother Fay, sister Pip and Tony's two other daughters Louise and Bridget. Newlyweds Christine and Virginia made a majestic arrival down a floral staircase and Tony and Margie posed for a family photograph on stage following the vows, the ABC reports. It was the first high-profile same-sex wedding since marriage equality law was passed in Australian Parliament on December 7 last year. Christine, a passionate marriage equality campaigner, wed her partner Virginia Edwards on February 2nd at a ceremony in Sydney attended by her politician brother and his family Kiera-Ann Parry, who previously starred in a Channel 4 warship documentary, attacked her boyfriend with a bottle before threatening to kill her ex-partner with two screwdrivers A drunk Royal Navy sailor who previously starred in a Channel 4 warship documentary was sentenced for hitting her boyfriend with a bottle before threatening to kill her ex-partner with two screwdrivers. Kiera-Ann Parry starred in the TV series Warship, which followed the crew of the Navy's flagship HMS Ocean on deployment to Yemen and the Gulf sea, when she was just 17. Now 19, the sailor had just five days before she was due to be discharged from the Navy when she attacked her boyfriend Stuart Green then threatened to kill her former partner Zach Carroll, both submariners, after telling Mr Carroll she still loved him. Portsmouth Military Court, Hampshire, heard Parry had drunk five pints of cider and seven shots of Sambuca liqueur when she turned up at a pub in Plymouth, Devon, where her boyfriend and some friends were drinking on July 5. Prosecutor Captain John Atwill said Parry, from Oxford, became aggressive with Able Seaman (AB) Green, telling him she was going to punch him. Captain Atwill said: 'He had invited Parry, but she had not replied to his text messages. 'When she did turn up, she had drunk five pints of cider and seven shots of Sambuca, and she was saying she was going to punch Green. 'Green and Parry returned to HMS Drake [a shore base in Plymouth] with the group and ended up in another sailor's cabin. 'Bottles of Stella were handed around the room; Parry started telling Green "I am going to f***ing hit you in a minute". 'Then she struck him in the left cheek with the bottle she was holding, which knocked him back and made him dizzy. 'She then said she was going to be sick and ran to the toilet. 'After being sick, she asked Green to take her back to her cabin; as Green was helping her back to her room she became extremely aggressive again. 'She called him a "c***" and told him to "f*** off", he let her go and she turned to him and hit him in the ribs with her left fist. Able Seaman Parry was sentenced to 14 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered her to complete 120 hours unpaid work 'This was followed by eight to ten more punches, one of which chipped a tooth when she hit him in the cheek. 'Green did not want anything more to do with her, so he went to find someone else to help her to her room. '[Parry] came round the corner to see him asking someone else to help her and she called him a "f***ing grass" and hit him eight to ten more times.' Captain Atwill told the court that later the same night Parry went to her ex-boyfriend Zach Carroll's cabin to tell him she still loved him. The prosecutor said: 'At around 1.15am, the duty Leading Hand came and told Green the police were on their way and asked where Parry was. 'He did not know so he tried to text her, he then called her and she shouted abuse at him - telling him she had two screwdrivers with her and she was going to "f***ing kill him". 'Parry had left her cabin and went to the room of another sailor, AB Zach Carroll. 'In her left hand she had a flat head screw driver and in her right hand a Phillip's screw driver. 'She pointed at him and said "I am going to f***ing kill you" as she entered the room she said to him "you are the reason I am getting kicked out the Navy". 'Parry again said "I am going to kill you, my family hates me and it's all your fault". 'AB Carroll told her to leave his cabin but she said she did not care if she got into trouble - at this point she got a phone call asking where she was. 'AB Carroll then called a friend for help, telling him that Parry was going to kill him; she then started stabbing apple and orange juice cartons that had been left on the side in his room. Assistant judge advocate general Robert Hill added: 'If you appear in court again over the course of the next two years in reality you will not be going straight home' 'Parry told him she loved him. She said she had a new boyfriend but she still loved him and he said he loved her. 'However, he did not mean it but was just trying to get her to calm down. 'She then approached him, held the two screwdrivers in her left hand and up to his throat and said she was either going to take his life or hers. 'At this point, the police arrived and she tried to hide under his bed, but after threatening to release the police dog they had with them she came out and was arrested.' Parry admitted one count of ABH and one count of making threats to kill. Mitigating, Michael Green told the court Parry had suffered physical and emotional abuse as a child, but was trying to deal with her issues. He added: 'She was featured in a documentary about Navy life and was marked as someone who showed potential and was a very likeable person. 'She is now getting help and in my submission, sending her to prison would not allow her to continue that. 'Her and Mr Green, who is mentioned in the first charge, are also still together and are very much looking to the future and not the past.' Assistant judge advocate general Robert Hill sentenced her to 14 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered her to complete 120 hours unpaid work. He added: 'If you appear in court again over the course of the next two years in reality you will not be going straight home.' A mother with dwarfism is facing the prospect of being taken to court because she struggles to get her son to school on time. Michelle Harris, 32, blames her disability for her seven-year-old being late. But the 3ft 6in mother's pleas have fallen on deaf ears with education bosses, who are trying to fine her for her son's 'failure to regularly attend school'. She is due in court later this month. Michelle Harris is being taken to court by education bosses trying to fine her over her son's school punctuality. She blames her dwarfism for his lateness Ms Harris, of Ilford, east London, claims the boy was marked absent because he was too late for registration at Nightingale Primary School in South Woodford, reports the Sunday Mirror. She claims senior school figures told her to leave earlier to make it in on time. But Ms Harris hit back and said: 'I'm a dwarf, I can't go any faster. I can't run like other people. I already get up at 6.30am but when I wake my hip is in agony. 'I can only go as quick as I can. I can't walk fast, I can't walk far. They should be asking how I cope and if they can help, not pointing the finger at me. 'I need help but there's no provision for people who have my condition. It's unjust to fine someone on the basis of their limitations.' Ms Harris was born with the degenerative joint condition pseudoachondroplasia. Ms Harris says her disability is the reason her son is often late to Nightingale Primary School in South Woodford It means she has a curvature of the spine, a knee misalignment and she will need a hip operation. Ms Harris endures agonising pain and must take a bath when she wakes up to cope. Redbridge Council raised concern about the situation and put Ms Harris, a freelance writer, in touch with a voluntary organisation - but she declined help because it would have meant a different person escorting her son to school each day. During the last term of 2016/17 academic year, Ms Harris' son attended 71 per cent of a possible 114 school days. She due back at Barkingside Magistrates Court on February 16 and MailOnline approached Redbridge Council for comment. A microwave oven might be the last thing one would expect to see in a public bathroom, but it has appeared in facilities in China - together with flat-screen TVs, crystal chandeliers and advanced facial-recognition paper dispensers. Many Chinese cities and tourist attractions have built 'five-star' restrooms for residents and visitors. This comes after their President Xi Jinping in 2015 called for a 'toilet revolution' to modenise the nation's notoriously grotty public loos. A throne fit for a US president: Eastern China's Fuyang city has built an impressive public toilet that looks like the US Capitol building amid the nation's ongoing 'toilet revolution' This picture taken on November 19, 2015 shows the first public toilet in China that is equipped with Wi-Fi, a cash machine and chargers for mobile phones and electric vehicles in Beijing This high-end public toilet, spotted in Chongqing in south-west China, provides users with a microwave, refrigerator, comfortable sofas and a drinking water dispenser in its lounge area Chongqing has plenty of luxury toilets as the above facilities are decorated with flowers In fact, many cities seemed to have gone so far in offering extravagant toilet-going experiences that last month, a senior official had to stop local authorities from flushing away large sum of money in building ultra-luxury WCs, reported People's Daily Online. The nation-wide campaign has seen 20 billion yuan (2.3 billion) being spent on building and renovating some 68,000 toilets in the past three years, reported Xinhua News Agency. A further 64,000 toilets are on the drawing board and would be complete by the end of 2020, said the same report. The picture, taken in Fuyang, shows the interiors of the public bathroom that looks like US Capitol the US Capitol building. The restroom is built by a local alcohol factory The 5th Space is a luxury public toilet in Taiyuan, the provincial capital of Shanxi. Visitors to the facilities could have their mobile phone charged for free after going to the toilet The flower-themed public toilet in Chongqing has a well-equipped powder room for women The machine recognises a man's face to give out toilet paper automatically at a toilet in Beijing One such 'five star' toilet in Chongqing is equipped with a refrigerator, a microwave, a drinking water dispenser. In addition, visitors to the solar-powered bathroom could charge their mobile phones with one of the five power docks. The same municipality, in south-west China, also spent 800,000 yuan (90,000) constructing a fancy public bathroom in 2016 which came with marble floor, chandeliers, exquisite wooden panels and a sophisticated audio system. The local authority was said to have taken inspiration from high-end facilities in Singapore. While in Fuyang, Anhui Province, an alcohol factory constructed an eye-catching toilet that looks like the US Capitol building in Washing, DC. Elsewhere in China, the Jiangsu government reportedly splurged 200,000 yuan (23,000) on each cubicle in an impressive public toilet in 2015. Vending machines, cash machines and shoe-shining machines have also been spotted Aerial view of a four-star public toilet resembling a ladybird at a tourism spot in Xiangyang city A public toilet which is shaped like a giant camera was built in Chongqing in 2015 Men urinate in front of sexily-dressed mannequins in the restroom of a restaurant in Taiyuan Facial recognition software has also been used in the loos by multiple cities. However, the advanced AI technology was applied to prevent toilet-goers from stealing toilet paper - apparently a common problem across China. In addition, vending machines, cash machines and automatic shoe-shining machines have also been spotted. Flat-screen TVs have been installed on top of urinals in some bathrooms so gentlemen could keep themselves entertained while going to the toilet. While another three years of 'toilet revolution' was planned out by China's central government late last year, which is due to run until the end of 2020, the trend of 'super bling bogs' have been discouraged by the China's National Tourism Administration. Li Jinzao, the Chairman of the Administration, said during a national tourism conference on January 9 that cities' authorities should stop wasting money on the 'evil' trend, reported People's Daily Online. Mr Li reportedly called on the decision makers to build 'practical', 'functional' and 'enduring' public toilets. Queensland is set to swelter over the weekend as temperatures reach 40C. Beaches will be packed on Saturday and Sunday with sunny conditions expected for much of Australias east coast. Brisbane is bracing for temperatures upwards of 40C on Sunday, with 41C predicted at Laidley in the state's south-east. Beaches will be packed on Saturday and Sunday with sunny conditions expected for much of Australias east coast (Sydney pictured) Queensland is set to swelter over the weekend as temperatures reach 40C (Brisbane pictured) Queensland is set to swelter over the weekend as temperatures reach 40C (Brisbane pictured) Sydney is set for a sunny 31C day on Saturday, before cooling back down to 24C on Sunday. January was Sydney's second-warmest in the last 24 years, while western parts of the city set records for high temperatures, with some places soaring into the mid-40s. It is predicted to rain in Melbourne on Saturday but still reach 30C, before cooling right down to 21C on Sunday. Temperatures are set to drop in most of the capital cities in February with below average levels expected for Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Darwin. Sydney has a 65 per cent chance of below-average temperatures this month according to the Bureau of Meteorology. The city's usual average for February is 26C. Sydney is set for a sunny 31C day on Saturday, before cooling back down to 24C on Sunday January was Sydney's second-warmest in the last 24 years Sydney has a 65 per cent chance of below-average temperatures this month according to the Bureau of Meteorology Lower than average temperatures are also expected in Melbourne, with BOM giving the Victorian capital a 60 per cent chance of having colder than usual temperatures in February. One of the exceptions to the cold February trend is Brisbane, with temperatures expected to remain consistent with the average for the last month of summer. Hobart is expected to get hotter this month, with temperatures warmer than average for Tasmania predicted. Parts of western Victoria and north Queensland will also experience hotter conditions than is average for February. Kentucky State Police have apologized for a Super Bowl-themed tweet that joked about prison rape in an attempt to discourage drunk drivers. The state police account tweeted: 'Enjoy watching Rob Gronkowski (TE) play but if you drink & drive ... your tight-end may end up in jail!' Sunday night to its more than 50,000 followers. Accompanying the distasteful post was a gif of a bar of soap tied to a rope and being dropped. The implication is 'don't drop the soap,' which is a crude reference to a male inmate making himself vulnerable to anal rape. Kentucky State Police have apologized for a Super Bowl-themed tweet that joked about prison rape in an attempt to discourage drunk drivers The state police account tweeted: 'Enjoy watching Rob Gronkowski (TE) play but if you drink & drive ... your tight-end may end up in jail!' Sunday night to its more than 50,000 followers The tweet, which remained up for nearly two hours, quickly drew condemnation from Kentucky's Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes Gronkowski plays tight-end for the New England Patriots, who eventually lost to the Philadelphia Eagles. The tweet, which remained up for nearly two hours, quickly drew condemnation from Kentucky's Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes. 'Rape & sexual assault are not joking matters. Citizens expect & deserve better of law enforceent,' Grimes tweeted. 'An apology to victims everywhere from @kystatepolice is needed.' The department later apologized - posting a statement to its Twitter that called the tweet unacceptable. 'Making light of sexual assault is never acceptable,' the statement said. 'We apologize for the distress this tweet caused, particularly to the victims of these heinous crimes. KSP is committed to protecting against sexual assault and fighting for justice for victims.' 'Rape & sexual assault are not joking matters. Citizens expect & deserve better of law enforceent,' Grimes tweeted The department later apologized - posting a statement to its Twitter that called the tweet unacceptable The department also said the tweet was posted by an individual employee, and 'does not represent KSP or our mission.' An estimated 80,600 prison and jail inmates reported that they experienced sexual victimization, according to a 2011 to 2012 survey conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The survey, 'Sexual Victimization in Prisons and Jails Reported by Inmates,' was conducted as part of the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003. Women in combat units is not 'in the best interests of Australia's national security' according to controversial Australian Conservatives Senator Cory Bernardi. He was slammed by his former colleague Western Australian Senator Linda Reynolds in Parliament on Monday. 'I want to say to Senator Bernardi: shame on you,' she said while labelling his comments appalling. Senator Linda Reynolds slammed Senator Cory Bernardi in parliament on Monday Senator Bernardi spoke against removing an exemption in the Sex Discrimination Act which allows discrimination against women being given combat roles. 'It's about blurring the lines between political correctness and sound tactics in the name of what I think is social justice,' Senator Bernardi told parliament. He said he had deep concerns about the dangers of women serving in combat roles. Senator Cory Bernardi is against women serving in combat roles 'I don't believe incorporating women into combat units is in the best interests of Australia's national security,' Senator Bernardi said. Senator Reynolds, who was Australia's first woman brigadier in the Army Reserve, branded the Australian Conservatives' leader a 'complete and utter disgrace'. 'He could not have chosen a more insulting or demeaning topic, not only to all of our women who now serve in uniform, but all those women who want to put their hand up, she said. Senator Reynolds said entry standards had not been reduced as part of a push to get more women in the ADF, including in combat roles. Women in action defending Australia's interests on the frontline 'For the future of defence forces and the security of our nation we need more women,' she said. The change is part of a largely non-controversial omnibus bill which makes technical changes to a wide range of civil justice legislation. Today's first day in Parliament was busy for Senator Bernardi, who is forming a new 'right wing' voting block with Senators David Leyonhjelm and Fraser Anning. Advertisement This is the adorable moment a baby elephant clung to his sedated mother after being rescued from a pit in Zambia Vets had been forced to knock the mother out as they rescued her calf from a man-made pit in South Luangwa National Park because she was so agitated. Once the calf had been lifted to safety he ran over to his mother and clung on to her ear with her trunk until she could be revived. This is the heartwarming moment a baby elephant laid a tender trunk on its mother's ear after being rescued from a man-made pit in South Luangwa National Park in Zambia Vets were called to a village in the national park after locals heard the mother's cries and noticed that her calf had fallen into the pit and was unable to get back out When medical teams arrived both the mother and baby had been up all night struggling, and they decided the safest way to rescue the baby was by sedating the mother first Villagers were alerted to the baby's plight after hearing the mother's cries, and called rescue workers to the scene. Vets arrived the following day to find both animals very distressed, having been struggling at the pit all night. They were forced to immobilize the anxious mum in order to safely help the baby. Rachel McRobb, CEO and co founder of CSL said: 'Once the mum was down, the baby was small enough we could just lift her out of the pit and carry her about 30 metres back to mum.' Rescue workers attempt to remove the baby elephant from the pit, having sedated its mother several metres away The baby was terrified, exhausted, and desperately hungry having been trapped in the pit all night before the team arrived Once the mother had been sedated rescuers were able to lift her calf out of the pit and carry her to safety The calf was brought to be by the sleeping mother's side while doctors administered the drugs needed to wake her up At first the baby was reluctant to let doctors near her mother, but soon realised they were helping, and so stood by their side until the mother was back on her feet As vets were administering drugs to bring the mother around, the calf walked up alongside them and place a tender trunk on her mother's ear. Rachel added: 'She got a bit defensive for a minute when we put her down and then decided our vet was helping and wouldn't leave him alone. 'The baby did not mind Dr Sichande administering the antidote in his presence and ended up getting in the way trying to help. 'We reversed the mum with the antidote and as soon as she started to get up the baby suckled immediately. 'She must have been really hungry from all night in the pit. Everyone then happily wondered off.' Workers from the Teams from Conservation South Luangwa, the organization that helped rescue the baby elephant A Republican primary challenger in Illinois' gubernatorial race is under fire for her campaign advert mocking transgender people, feminists and immigration activists. State Rep. Jeanne Ives, who is running against Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner in the Republican primary, released the ad on Saturday. Titled 'Thank you Bruce Rauner', it features actors dressed up as different stereotypes to to mock the governor who has faced criticism from some in his own party for being too moderate on certain issues. A Republican is under fire for her campaign advert mocking transgender people, feminists and immigration activists. Thank you Bruce Rauner', it features actors dressed up as different stereotypes to to mock Gov. Bruce Rauner 'Thank you for signing legislation that lets me use the girls' bathroom,' an actor, dressed as a transgender woman, with a visible five o'clock shadow said A woman, wearing one of the pink 'pussyhats' associated with the Women's March movement, thanked Rauner for 'making all Illinois families pay for my abortions' 'Thank you for signing legislation that lets me use the girls' bathroom,' an actor, dressed as a transgender woman, with a visible five o'clock shadow, said, referring to the House Bill 1785. In fact, that bill does not refer to bathroom rights but allows transgender people to change the gender on their birth certificates, with a doctor's approval. Next a woman, wearing one of the pink 'pussyhats' associated with the Women's March movement, thanked Rauner for 'making all Illinois families pay for my abortions.' The feminist stereotype was referencing the House Bill 40 which expanded state-funded abortion coverage for women on Medicaid. State Rep. Jeanne Ives, (left) who is running against Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (right) in the Republican primary, released the ad on Saturday The ad has sparked outrage online, with many slamming it as transphobic, sexist and bigoted. Her fellow Republicans were quick to distance themselves from the offensive ad, with Tim Schneider, the chairman of the state's GOP, called for Ives to apologize, saying it 'does not reflect who we are as the Party of Lincoln and as proud residents of our great and diverse state.' 'She should pull down the ad and immediately apologize to the Illinoisans who were negatively portrayed in a cowardly attempt to stoke political division,' he said, according to the Huffington Post. The advert continued with other stereotypes, including a man, his face covered by a red bandanna and wearing a black hoodie, representing anti-Trump protesters and activists, which have been very active in Illinois recently at conservative events. He thanked Rauner for 'opposing law enforcement and making Illinois a sanctuary state for illegal immigrant criminals.' Illinois is not actually a sanctuary state, although Chicago is a sanctuary city. A man, his face covered by a red bandanna and wearing a black hoodie, representing anti-Trump protesters and activists, which have been very active in Illinois recently at conservative events A woman in a teacher's union T-shirt said 'thanks' for supposedly making the state 'bail out Chicago teacher pensions' The segment ends with a series of negative press clips criticizing the current governor, as the 'teacher' thanked Rauner for 'betraying' Republicans The activist character is referring to the SB-31 Illinois Trust Act on Immigration, signed by Rauner in August, which prevents law enforcement from arresting someone based solely on their immigration status. A woman in a teacher's union T-shirt said 'thanks' for supposedly making the state 'bail out Chicago teacher pensions' and another character thanked Rauner for allegedly increasing tax payers' electric bill by $300. The segment ends with a series of negative press clips criticizing the current governor, as the 'teacher' thanked Rauner for 'betraying' Republicans. Pat Brady, the former Illinois Republican chairman, branded the ad 'racist, bigoted and homophobic' in a tweet. The ad sparked outrage online where many branded it 'bigoted' and 'disgusting' Equality also hit out at Ives for attacking transgender individuals for her own gain. However, Ives' spokeswoman Kathleen Murphy told AP that they stand by the ad, saying 'Rauner betrayed Illinois conservatives. He and his paid-for mouthpieces don't like his betrayals being illustrated and his radical left-wing social agenda being exposed. 'Rauner is the one who owes Illinois families in general and conservatives, in particular, an apology.' The 2018 midterms are still nine months away, but if this ad is anything to judge by, then the fight will be a dirty one. The adorable new recruits of Police Scotland have melted hearts after footage of the eight-week-old German Shepherd puppies emerged on twitter. Two unnamed pups, simply referred to as 'double trouble' for now, had their first visit to the Dog Training Centre in Glasgow on Saturday. The force shared a behind the scenes clip of the pair getting up to mischief and running around the inside of the training centre. The adorable new recruits of Police Scotland have melted hearts after footage of the eight-week-old German Shepherd puppies emerged on twitter The curious canines were snapped sniffing their new surroundings, and play fighting with each other. Social media users went wild for the pups, and suggested a variety names for the pair - including 'Tango and Cash' and 'Alba and Caledonia.' However, the final names will be officially decided by kids at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh. The short 20-second clip, which has now been viewed over 35,000 times, shows the two pups running around a kitchen area with their tails wagging. Two unnamed pups, simply referred to as 'double trouble' for now, had their first visit to the Dog Training Centre in Glasgow on Saturday Police Scotland Dogs also shared pictures of the two at the training centre, and yesterday posted a snap of one of them on Twitter (pictured) Police Scotland Dogs posted the video with the caption: 'The double trouble have arrived at The Dog Training Centre.' The German Shepherd puppies, who are siblings, share similar markings and have a dark coat on their body, but lighter colouring on their faces. One of the pups wanders off while the other stands looking curious but the first pooch soon returns to cause trouble and starts to play fight with their sibling. Police Scotland Dogs also shared pictures of the two at the training centre, and yesterday posted a picture of one of them on Twitter with the caption: 'Boy pup has settled in well with his handler and is strutting about the place making himself at home. Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity will update us as soon as possible with the chosen names.' Today the pup's sister had a share of the limelight, with the force sharing a picture of the girl pooch (pictured) Today the pup's sister had a share of the limelight, with the force sharing a picture of the girl pooch and writing: '600 plus new followers in last 48 hours. Girl pup says welcome to you all.' Social media users were quick to comment on the posts. Linda Brown said: 'I think that's a brilliant idea for the kids to pick a name. Keep up all the good work that your officers and fantastic dogs do.' Another added: 'I'd like to apply for position of puppy cuddler.' One commented: 'Oh they are adorable.' While Gavin Byers joked: 'PC Pupper and Constable Doggo.' Rapper Professor Green has accused ministers of 'not giving a s***' about poor people after he took part in a protest against anti-homeless bars on public benches. The 34-year-old, who is worth around 2.8million, accused the Government of not doing enough to tackle homelessness. It comes after footage was posted on his Instagram account last week which showed the removal of an 'anti-homeless' bar attached to a bench in Bournemouth. And speaking today in Shoreditch, east London, he said: 'We should be looking to the Government for an answer. 'I don't think the Government gives a s*** about poor people. I don't think they're doing enough at all.' Professor Green was with his grandmother Patricia Robbens as she got a temporary tattoo and accused the Government of not doing enough to tackle homelessness He was speaking at the opening of a Coca-Cola tattoo studio where he joined his grandmother, Patricia Robbens, as she got a temporary tattoo. Green, whose real name is Stephen Manderson, has fronted a BBC documentary on homelessness in the UK and was critical of the Government's approach to the issue. Asked about the reasons behind the recent rise in homelessness, Green identified the Universal Credit system as a particular problem. He said: 'People who are not used to getting large sums of money get their benefits all at once. 'It's been proven, it puts people into rent arrears, more people are being evicted, more people are ending up homeless. Our Government's the problem.' The rapper also spoke about his decision to focus again on music after several BBC documentary projects. It comes after footage was posted on his Instagram account last week which showed the removal of an 'anti-homeless' bar attached to a bench in Bournemouth He explained: 'I realised seven films back to back has taken up quite a lot of time and I'd spent quite a lot of time in other people's lives and immersed in other people's worlds, so I've decided to get back in my own shoes and get back in my own world - do what makes me happy, and the focus is returning to music and I can't tell you what or when, but I can tell you very soon and it's unapologetic.' He was reluctant to reveal too much information about his forthcoming work, but said 'the album is well under way'. He added: 'I'm not going to tell you the title, I'm not going to tell you anything. It's going to be a big surprise.' Maryland Sgt. Christopher Barnett, 45, was arrested for allegedly stealing opioid pills A Hagerstown police sergeant in Maryland has been arrested after stealing prescription opioids from a paralyzed woman, who caught him on video. Sgt. Christopher Barnett, 45, stole the woman's pills after entering her home to allegedly question her about an unrelated case. When she alerted police, he returned to her offering replacement pills and $35 in hush money. Barnett, who has worked for the force for 15 and a half years, has been placed on unpaid leave for his charges. Police arrested Barnett on Thursday after receiving a video that showed Barnett distribute opioids and hush money to the woman he allegedly robbed. Barnett first contacted the paralyzed woman at a residence in the Potomac Towers housing complex in Maryland to question her about a friend's brother. The woman, paralyzed in a car crash, was prescribed oxycodone and OxyContin to control her pain and muscle spasms. According to the woman, he asked to enter her home and began 'messing' around with two of her pill bottles. After he left, her friend checked the bottles and found three oxycodone pills missing. The bottle originally held seven pills as it was filled for seven days of usage. Police Chief Victor Brito said 'I am sickened by this betrayal of this criminal act' to the press After realizing her pain medication was stolen she phoned police for his contact and Barnett showed up at her door minutes later, promising to 'make this right' and saying he would return in 15 minutes. The robbed woman and a friend set up a camera to record the sergeant's third visit to her home. When he returned he offered her four more potent replacement oxycodone pills and $35 in hush money. The camera, hidden behind papers, caught Barnett on tape removing a medication bottle from his coat and offering pills to the paralyzed woman's male friend. He then directs Barnett to place the pills in the woman's hand, according to Herald Mail Media. Barnett has been charged with one felony count of distribution of a controlled-dangerous substance, two counts each of malfeasance in office and possession of a controlled-dangerous substance, as well as theft of less than $100. The paralyzed woman lived in one of the Potomac Towers housing complex buildings (above) The unamed woman was paralyzed in a car crash and was prescribed oxycodone and OxyContin to control her pain, with Barnett allegedly stole before offering her replacements Police Chief Victor Brito says they acted quickly after seeing the video, putting Barnett on leave without pay and having him arrested at his home in Three Springs, Pennsylvania on Thursday. 'I am sickened by this betrayal of this criminal act,' Brito said at a news conference. 'I know in my heart and in my soul that the men and women of the Hagerstown Police Department serve HPD with integrity, and do so in a selfless fashion each and every day,' he added. Barnett was released from custody Friday. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on theft and drug charges. A woman has revealed her horror at discovering hookworms had burrowed into her feet while on holiday in Vietnam. The Sunshine Coast woman said she could feel the parasites moving underneath her skin, a sensation she described as 'horrific'. The 42-year-old, who did not want to be named, contracted the parasite during a three-day vacation at Vietnam's Anh Bang Beach. Despite not having much contact with the sand, the woman said she must have unknowingly stood on hookworm larvae from animal faeces. The 42-year-old (legs pictured) contracted the parasite during a three-day-long vacation at Vietnam's Anh Bang Beach The Queenslander said it was a week before she noticed anything was wrong. 'I woke up and went "What is wrong with my feet?". It was the worst feeling I have ever had, they were swollen, the most intense itching I have ever experienced in my life, swelling, my veins were poking out,' she told the ABC. 'I had patches of pin prick-looking blisters all through my toes and that was obviously the point of entry it was just horrific.' Aside from the pain, she said 'I could actually feel movement in my feet'. The Sunshine Coast woman immediately took herself to the pharmacist who gave her cream to stop the itching, but advised her to see a doctor. The doctor prescribed her medication to treat the hookworm, which needed to be sent in from interstate. The Queenslander woke up to see track marks, resembling red veins, across her foot (pictured) The 42-year-old, who did not want to be named, contracted the parasite during a three-day-long vacation at Vietnam's Anh Bang Beach With a diagnosis and treatment, the woman said she thought the worst was over. She soon learned the pain would get a lot worse before it got better. A few hours after she took the medicine, she said the pain grew uncontrollable. In response to the medication, the hookworm was dying and trying to escape her body. She said it was the most excruciating pain she had felt in her life. The Sunshine Coast woman said it was the most excruciating pain she ever felt in her life The next morning, the Queenslander woke to alarming track marks, resembling red veins, across her foot. The marks were made by the worms 'migrating' through the body. The woman, who is now back home on the Sunshine Coast, said she was fortunate she caught the infection as early as she did. Two weeks after contracting the hookworm on the Vietnam beach, she said she was expected to make a full recovery. A toddler has frozen to death while playing on her front porch in Ohio. Wynter Parker, two, was found unconscious outside her home by her mother who called police Friday. The little girl was without a coat, hat or gloves in the freezing temperatures that fell between 12 to 19 degrees Fahrenheit in Akron, Ohio. Freezing: A two-year-old girl froze to death while outside a home (above) in Akron, Ohio The girl froze in 12 degree Fahrenheit weather and was often seen playing outdoors The mother said to police that she left the child with the father while she ran errands. However the father, who works night shifts, fell asleep. She said she was absent for about two hours, during which the little girl wandered outside of the home. When the mother returned at 3:30pm she found the child unresponsive on the porch and called police, who then instructed her on how to perform CPR on the child. 'Youre gonna carefully tilt the head back, youre gonna pinch her nose closed and completely cover her mouth with your mouth and then blow two regular breaths into the lungs,' police instructed. The child was taken to Akron Children's Hospital where she died. Parker suffered severe hypothermia, according to the medical examiner's office. An autopsy is scheduled to determine official cause of death. Neighbors of the Doty Drive home said they often saw the two children of the home, a girl and a boy, playing outside without parent supervision. 'Ive had to take the baby home cause shell be outside playing. It was a few times that I had to take both of her kids home,' neighbor Crystal Lucas said. Neighbor Crystal Lucas said she often brought the unsupervised children to their home Neighbors on Doty Drive also reported occasionally hearing people arguing outside the home Neighbors also said they occasionally heard people arguing outside of the apartment, according to Kron4. 'I cried because I just dont understand how a two year old could be outside and you not know,' Lucas said. Authorities came to Lucas' door to inquire about the children of the home where the incident took place. 'It was freezing and that was my biggest worry when the cops came, when they started asking about the kids, they didnt divulge what was really going on, but when he asked about the kids, obviously something was going on and I was worried,' Lucas said. The Summit County Medical Examiners Office in northeast Ohio will determine cause of death. Viewers tore into a militant vegan who claimed the dairy industry rapes and 'sexually violates' cows on This Morning as he sat next to two farmers who received death threats after posting photos of their calves online. Joey Carbstrong, 31, an Australian 'celebrity' vegan activist with tens of thousands of YouTube and Instagram followers, lectured dairy farmers Jonny and Dulcie Crickmore about their rearing methods. The campaigner, who just days ago attacked Jeremy Vine for eating a ham sandwich, claimed artificial insemination - during which semen are injected into the female cow's 'reproductive tract' - was equivalent to 'sexual abuse' as the animal could not give consent. Joey Carbstrong, 31, an Australian 'celebrity' vegan activist with tens of thousands of YouTube and Instagram followers, lectured dairy farmers Jonny and Dulcie Crickmore about their rearing methods Carbstrong said: Cows are artificially inseminated with a fist up their anus. When she cant produce any more, she is murdered for her body.' When asked by presenter Philip Schofield if the process could really be described as 'rape', as activists had said online, Carbstrong said: 'If the victim is a human being we would call it that. 'It is sexual abuse. We are sexually violating a sentient being against their will. That is amoral they cannot give consent to this. Carbstrong's comments were savaged by viewers on Twitter, who accused him of behaving in an unreasonable and aggressive manner. 'Jess' said: 'If you want to be vegan, absolutely fine. If you dont want to be, again, absolutely fine. Leave people alone for god sake.' Another viewer wrote: 'This militant vegan on This Morning has me howling. His eyes are going to pop out of his head any minute. The campaigner, who just days ago attacked Jeremy Vine for eating a ham sandwich, claimed artificial insemination - during which semen are injected into the female cow's 'reproductive tract' - was equivalent to 'sexual abuse'. He is seen on the programme next to Mr and Mrs Crickmore 'He doesnt even listen. Just looks for a moment to interject & shove his views, quite aggressively, down everyones throats. What an arrogant man. And Jennifer Down, a farmer, tweeted: 'Were not forcing vegans to eat meat so why are they forcing us to be vegan!? We farmers have no issues with the lifestyle they choose.' Farmers are Jonny and Dulcie Crickmore also defended their trade against Carbstrong's slurs. Mrs Crickmore said: We uploaded a social media post showing three triplets, and quickly received a lot of abuse from vegans. Words like rape, murder and slavery were consistent. Rape is an act of sexual predation; murder is one human being purposely killing another human being; and slavery is one human being enslaving another human being. Carbstrong's comments were savaged by viewers on Twitter, who accused him of behaving in an unreasonable and aggressive manner Mr Crickmore: I find those words like rape and murder very offensive. We have billions of people in this world and they have to be fed. Like 270-odd other species on this planet, we eat meat. Carbstrong recently hit the headlines after lecturing BBC Radio 2 host Jeremy Vine for having a ham sandwich on his desk. The self-proclaimed 'vegan educator' has come to prominence recently because of his clashes with farmers who he has likened to 'slave owners'. Carbstrong, from Adelaide in south Australia, is currently touring the UK and Ireland because he has an 'obligation' to convert meat eaters to veganism. He said: 'If you stand by and watch, that's akin to standing by and watching someone abuse their wife and not saying anything. If you didn't intervene, then you become complicit.' Carbstrong was set to discuss that but was instead distracted by the ham sandwich Vine had brought in for his lunch. Who is militant vegan Joey Carbstrong? The 31-year-old, a former gang member, spent time in prison before turning his life around and turning 'full vegan' for both ethical and health reasons Joey Carbstrong, whose real name is Joey Armstrong, is a 'celebrity' vegan activist from Australia with tens of thousands of YouTube and Instagram followers. The 31-year-old, a former gang member, spent time in prison before turning his life around and becoming 'full vegan' for both ethical and health reasons. After dropping out of school aged 14, Mr Carbstrong fell in with the wrong crowd, eventually turning to 'more serious, hardcore, organised crime gangs' and dealing drugs to support his own habit. He is said to have spent much of his youth using methamphetamine and drinking alcohol. Aged 26, he spent six months in jail for possession of a firearm, which he had hidden down his trousers while on house detention. Discussing his gang related crime, he said: 'I still had compassion in my heart but it was clouded by the environment that shaped me and people around me.' While holed up in prison he had 'an epiphany' and became determined to turn his back on the criminal world. He said: 'It was the longest I'd been sober for the past 12 years of my life. I began seeing my life with new eyes. I'd seen all the other prisoners in there and didn't want to be there, I wanted to leave the gangs.' Mr Carbstrong turned to the teachings of Dan McDonald, an American advocate for raw food and fasting who formerly had a drug problem. Following his release from prison he then went 'full vegan'. The 31-year-old said: 'I'd always said that it's hypocritical to say you love animals save the whales, dolphins, dogs but then have a piece of an animal that's suffered and had a bolt gun to the head on your plate. I was a walking hypocriteI decided to align my actions and my morals.' Since then he has become a militant vegan campaigner and has been touring the world to encourage people with his radical message. He is currently on tour of the UK and Ireland, attending daytime vigils and protests alongside fellow activists. He hit the headlines this week because of his clashes with farmers, likening them to 'slave owners'. He has posted YouTube videos showing him confronting farmers and meat industry workers, saying they 'should be scared'. Advertisement Inspecting it, the former gang member who spent six months in prison, said: 'I'm a bit upset to see your sandwich has a piece of a pig's body in there. A dead pig that didn't want to die. 'Ham is a euphemism that actually comes from the flesh of a dead pig.' Commenting on the incident, Carbstrong said: The passion was justified, Jeremy has not spent as many hours as I have seeing pigs being lowered into gas chambers and thrashing around as they die. 'If he had seen things I have seen he wouldnt have been so insensitive about it and pointed out this piece of dead meat. An 18-year-old woman suffered serious injuries after allegedly being dropped into a witch's cauldron of boiling water during a carnival in southwest Germany. The teenager was badly scalded on her feet and calves after the incident in Eppingen, Baden Wurttemberg, over the weekend. Police are looking for two people dressed in witches costumes who reportedly fled the scene. Shocking: The 18-year-old was reportedly dropped into this cauldron as it was filled with boiling hot water during the 'witchcraft' carnival in Eppingen, southwest Germany The cauldron had been placed on a carnival cart which was being pulled along by several people dressed up in witch costumes. Local media reports that the girl's friends had 'handed her over' to two of the people dressed up as a joke, who carried her to the cart. One of the 'witches' is said to have held her over the cauldron while another lifted the lid. This was reportedly done to mimic he scene told in fairy-tales and legends where witches would boil their victims alive. Witchcraft: Police in Eppingen are now looking for two people dressed like witches who reportedly disappeared after the incident (stock image) It is not known how the teenager ended up with her feet in the cauldron, TheLocal.de reports. Police said in a statement that the people involved in the carnival who dragged the cart with the cauldron simply continued the procession without caring for the victim. She has been hospitalised and is expected to need to remain in specialist care for more than a week. The organisation behind the carnival, Hexenzunft Eppingen - meaning 'Witchcraft Eppingen' - have been organizing the annual event with hundreds of participants since 2003, according to The Local. An outside audit of the Pentagon's Defense Logistics Agency has found the agency unable to account for hundreds of millions of projects. The outside audit, conducted by Ernst & Young, found a stunning $465 million in misstatements on the books of the Defense Department, Politico reported after obtaining the audit report. The Defense Logistics Agency provides billions in services to the military, from uniforms to aircraft parts and construction materials. But its accounting has lagged, according to the outside audit of the 2016 fiscal year. The agency did not have sufficient documentation for an additional $384 million worth of spending deemed 'in progress.' An outside audit of the Pentagon's Defense Logistics Agency has found the agency unable to account for hundreds of millions of projects Computer equipment assets worth $46 million were 'inappropriately recorded,' according to the audit, while the agency was unable to produce documentation for $100 million in computer systems. The Army provided a written response that accompanied the audit. 'The initial audit has provided us with a valuable independent view of our current financial operations," wrote agency director Army Lt. Gen. Darrell Williams. 'We are committed to resolving the material weaknesses and strengthening internal controls around DLA's operations,' he wrote. The Army's response to the problem is to provide an army of accountants to get a grip on the situation. That accounting surge will itself cost on the order of $1 billion, a senior budget official testified. An estimated 1,200 auditors are expected to join the massive effort. Representatives from military units, government organizations and private industry gather for a meeting at DLA Headquarters at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, Dec. 18-19. DLA Troop Support held the event to discuss improvements to the supply chain that provides food to troops in Europe and Africa Massive Pentagon agency lost track of hundreds of millions of dollars in projects ? as DOD hires 1,200 auditors to clean up the mess " An internal audit found more than $800 million in military projects without proper documentation " $465 million of misstatements on books of Defense Logistics Agency " $384 million without 'sufficient' documentation " The agency provides supplies and materials across the military " Need for $1 billion accounting effort " Annual audits to commence this year Members of the Defense Logistics Agency's rapid deployment Red Team brave the gas chamber to conduct a functions test on personal protective equipment during nuclear, biological and chemical training at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, Jan. 16-20 Senator Charles Grassley (Republican of Iowa) has doubted whether the Pentagon will be able to pull off its first agency-wide audit "Beginning in 2018, our audits will occur annually, with reports issued Nov. 15," the Pentagon's Chief Financial Officer, David Norquist, told Congress last month. Norquist said it will cost an estimated $367 million to carry out the audits including the cost of hiring independent accounting firms like Ernst & Young and an additional $551 million to go back and fix broken accounting systems that are crucial to better financial management. "It is important that the Congress and the American people have confidence in DoD's management of every taxpayer dollar," Norquist said. He told Defense News last year he looked forward to the Pentagon's first-ever overall audit. 'I think of its as a great opportunity. And thats part of the difference in how I approach it versus others, which is, I have a chance for someone to come through and look at financial practices and let me know where inside a service or defense agency there is a problem,' he said. Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley told Politico, 'I think the odds of a successful DoD audit down the road are zero," Grassley said in an interview. "The feeder systems cant provide data. They are doomed to failure before they ever get started.' A sophisticated search vessel tasked with tracking down Malaysia Airlines flight 370 disappeared mysteriously after turning off its tracking system, sparking conspiracy theories. The Seabed Constructor's Automatic Identification System (AIS) went offline on January 31 - just ten days into its search. Bizarrely, it reconnected last night after 80 hours of undocumented travel. The reason for this temporary disconnect remains unclear. The Seabed Constructor (pictured) left the Port of Durban on January 2 and began searching for Malaysia Airlines flight 370 The Constructor left the Port of Durban on January 2 and began searching for the plane, which vanished en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur on March 8 2014 with 239 people on board. The plane vanished after its aircraft communications, addressing and reporting system (Acars) was switched off less than an hour after taking off. The vessel had been contracted on a 'no find, no fee' deal by Texan exploration company Ocean Infinity. It planned to use sonar scanning equipment to find the aircraft, after a multinational search cost Australian, Malaysian and Chinese $200million. Working for the Malaysian Government, the US company was offered more than $55million if it found the plane within 90 days, told Fox News. The freelance boat's designated search area was located just outside the 120 square kilometres previously scoured along the 7th Arc - the zone aviation specialists say is most likely to be where MH370's fuel reserves were exhausted. No sign of the plane was found and an Australian-led hunt - the largest in aviation history - was called off in January last year. The vessel was tasked with searching the zone aviation specialists say is most likely to be where MH370's fuel reserves were exhausted, dubbed the 7th Arc The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) attempted to find missing aircraft MH370 for two years. A private company has renewed its pledged to locate the wreckage on a 'no find, no fee' basis Malaysia Airlines flight 370 (pictured) vanished en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur on March 8 2014 with 239 people on board. The plane vanished after its aircraft communications, addressing and reporting system (Acars) was switched off less than an hour after taking off The Constructor is not the first to comb over this patch of ocean. Fugro Equator, Fugro Discovery and Havila Harmony have all attempted to find the presumably downed plane. Only three confirmed fragments of MH370 have been found, all of them on western Indian Ocean shores, including a two-metre wing part known as a flaperon. Each ship's progress was tracked meticulously by aviation enthusiasts and conspiracy theorists. Keeping tabs on the Constructor has proved more challenging: the vessel went dark on Wednesday, causing massive speculation. One online user speculated the vessel it had found MH370 but planned to keep its location secret until it had confirmed its government-funded fee. Another speculated Ocean Infinity had failed to find the missing Boeing 777 and had instead detoured towards the wreckage of what is believed to be the S.V Inca - a Peruvian transport ship that vanished on the way to Sydney more than 100 years ago. Four kilometers inside the 7th Arc, the century-old ship was spotted by one of the Constructor's predecessors, the Havila Harmony, which mistook the shipwreck for the lost plane's fuselage. A multinational search cost Australian, Malaysian and Chinese taxpayers $200million. This piece of aircraft debris discovered on the island of Pemba, off the coast of Tanzania MH370 was tracked by amateur aviation enthusiasts and conspiracy theorists alike Inevitably, on its discovery there were chatters about lost treasure and Inca gold. The Constructor's involvement in this new chapter in the aircraft's bizarre disappearance has not be to everyone's liking. Aviation journalist Jeff Wise was critical of the new search in his blog. As a former member of the independent group of investigators tasked with advising the Australian Transport Safety Bureau in its search for MH370, Wise is personally invested in the case. 'As I write this, the scan of the innermost section of the Primary Search Area has been completed, but the assessment has not yet been released. 'However, the fact that Seabed Constructor has moved on to another area suggests that probably nothing was found there, either. 'A big caveat: we don't really know how long it takes the search team to assess the data collected during each pass. When the Constructor turned its AIS back on last night it was heading for Perth where it is scheduled to dock at Fremantle on February 8. With little to no information coming from the ship, it remains unclear what, if anything, it has found. Seabed Constructor is expected to dock in Freemantle to refuel and top up supplies before returning to the search area. Sudip Sarker, 48, pictured outside Kidderminster Magistrates Court last year, lied to job interviewers about how many keyhole operations he had performed alone to land an 84,000-a-year job A disgraced surgeon who lied to land an 84,000-a-year hospital job which led to 'disastrous consequences' has been jailed for six years. Sudip Sarker, 48, duped an expert panel of interviewers, telling them he had performed 51 out of 85 keyhole bowel operations working solo, when in fact the true figure was just six. His 'gross exaggeration' has since led to his former employer, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, facing more than 2 million in medical negligence pay-outs. Sarker was convicted after a trial on Friday at Worcester Crown Court of one count of fraud. He was fired from his job after a two-year probe started by health chiefs in 2012 after concerns were raised when ten of his patients died. The Royal College of Surgeons looked at 43 and 50 cases for two of Sarkers colleagues and found he had an 8 per cent 28-day death rate. Six of his patients in the sample died within that period - double one of the other doctors who had a 4 per cent mortality rate. The RCS also found that 16 per cent of Sarkers patients returned to theatre within 30 days of surgery, compared to 4.7 per cent with one of the other doctors and none with the third doctor. Prosecutor Jacob Hallam QC said the trust had already shelled out 1,970,574 to 18 claims connected to Sarker's work, while a 19th was still to conclude. He was fired from his job after a two-year probe started by health chiefs in 2012 after concerns were raised when ten of his patients died The Royal College Surgeons found that 16 per cent of Sarkers patients returned to theatre within 30 days of surgery, compared to 4.7 per cent with one of the other doctors they compared his results with and none with a third doctor Judge Robert Juckes QC, sentencing on Monday, said Sarker had 'told significant lies'. He told Sarker: 'You plainly understood what it was the hospital wanted you to talk about, and you grossly exaggerated your experience of that particular operation.' DEATHS OF SARKER'S PATIENTS Three of Sarkers patients died within months of each other following operations at the Alexandra Hospital in 2012. William Jones (above) was treated by Consultant general surgeon Sudip Sarker in 2012. The grandfather-of-seven appeared to make a reasonable recovery but remained in intensive care before suffering a rapid deterioration. Jean Thomas, 80, a widow from Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire, was operated on by Sarker after being diagnosed with colon cancer. She died in September of multiple organ failure brought on by sepsis. And Daphne Taylor, 81, a mother-of-three from Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, died after an operation on October 19. Advertisement The judge said no criticism could be attached to the trust for appointing Sarker, who had arrived with proper references from previous employers at Whittington Hospital, and the Royal Free Hospital, London. Quoting a senior Worcestershire hospital surgeon, the judge said the idea anyone would falsify their clinical experience 'was so reckless and dangerous, you just do not expect to come across it'. Judge Juckes added: 'It was you who exaggerated your level of experience and competence with disastrous consequences.' Sarker, who took up the job in August 2011, but lasted only a year because of his incompetence, was stopped from working after another surgeon at the Alexandra Hospital blew the whistle. An internal investigation and two expert-led independent reviews then followed, with the Royal College of Surgeons uncovering Sarker's failings. Mr Hallam told the court Sarker had a 'higher mortality rate' among his patients, and a far higher complication rate. University of Glasgow graduate Sarker was stopped from working and eventually sacked, but it cost the trust another 304,019, while he was suspended and investigated on full pay. The court heard that three of Sarker's patients had subsequently died, although experts concluded there was 'no evidence to support a case for manslaughter', his barrister Martin Hicks QC said. In mitigation, Mr Hicks added Sarker had until he lied in the interview performed a 'great service' to patients over many years. But passing sentence, Judge Juckes told Sarker, of Broadstairs, Kent: 'You fought this at every stage and no doubt will continue to do so.' A man has been charged with dangerous driving causing death after his car hit and killed a 17-year-old girl who was on her way to school north of Newcastle. Emergency services raced to Brandy Hill, a suburb in the Port Stephens area, about 7.30am on Monday to treat the girl but she died at the scene, police said. The 42-year-old driver was taken for mandatory testing and subsequently charged with dangerous driving causing death and negligent driving causing death. Scroll down for video A man has been charged with dangerous driving causing death after his car (pictured) hit and killed a 17-year-old girl who was on her way to school north of Newcastle. Flowers placed at the tragic scene on Monday The man's passengers, two girls aged 17 and 12 and a 10-year-old boy, were uninjured in the crash. His licence has been suspended and he is due to face Raymond Terrace Local Court on March 27. Videos posted to social media on Monday afternoon show friends and family laying flowers at a makeshift roadside memorial for the teen. Meanwhile, a woman has died in a single-vehicle car crash in northern NSW. The 42-year-old driver was taken for mandatory testing and subsequently charged with dangerous driving causing death and negligent driving causing death (car pictured) Emergency services were called to Summerland Way near Whiporie about 12.30pm on Monday. The female driver, believed to aged in her 20s, died at the scene. She was the only occupant. Police have established a crime scene and have called for any witnesses to come forward. Her death comes after a 62-year-old grandmother died on the NSW south coast on Sunday when she was dragged down a hill after being caught between a motorhome and another vehicle it was towing. The former cellmate of Salim Mehajer says he thinks the disgraced businessman is too polite and feminine for prison. Alex Arnold, who shared a jail cell with Mr Mehajer, exposed how the former deputy mayor of Auburn in west Sydney would walk around half-naked in just a towel. Mr Arnold spent four days with Mr Mehajer in Surry Hills Police Station and described the pair sharing back massages with one another. Alex Arnold spent four days with Salim Mehajer (pictured) sharing a cell together at Surry Hills Police Station in Sydney He is now on bail after being accused of a jewellery theft in Kings Cross last month. The 40-year-old denies the offence and gave an interview with The Australian saying Mr Mehajer seemed 'lonely but talkative'. 'He was really, really lonely,' Mr Arnold said. 'He said he was going to neck himself if they didn't move someone in. 'I don't know if it was a figure of speech but he had some serious depression. 'He was lying around in just a towel with no underwear, like one of those Egyptians.' Mr Arnold also revealed how Mehajer's hygiene habits were lacking, and how the cell smelt of faeces and urine. Mr Mehajer, who was arrested on January 23 is said to be lonely but talkative in his jail cell 'He should have done what he could to clean it but he was sleeping around half-nude so I cleaned it with bedsheets and two towels,' Mr Arnold told the paper. The pair also talked about life before bars, buildings and property development. Mr Arnold claimed Mehajer said if the $80 million western Sydney development he is planning did not go ahead then he went be left broke. Alex Arnold said Salim Mehajer (pictured) would walk around half naked in a towel in his Surry Hill cell Former cellmate of Salim Mehajer says he thinks the disgraced businessman is too polite and feminine for prison Mr Mehajer, who was deputy mayor for Auburn in west Sydney, has denied deliberately staging a car crash Mehajer was arrested on January 23 for allegedly staging a car crash and has been locked up without bail since. Police claim Mehajer staged the crash in Lidcombe in October last year in order to avoid facing court over an alleged assault on a taxi driver. His current home is a stark contrast to the sprawling four-storey Lidcome property and waterfront Vaucluse apartment he has previously called home. This is the shocking moment when a group of thrill-seekers being trapped upside down in a ride at an amusement park in southwest China. Footage emerged showing over 10 tourists left sitting on a spinning ride for about five minutes before staff workers freed them. A staff member confirmed that a faulty generator had put the ride to halt, just eight days after it officially opened to public. A faulty attraction at Daqian Paradise Amusement Park has trapped over 10 tourists on the ride (left). They were forced to sit upside down on the machine for five minutes (right) The incident took place at Daqian Paradise Amusement Park in Neijiang of Sichuan Province on February 4. Video uploaded on social media shows the ride, named 'Perfect Storm', has two rows of suspended seats offered to riders to a thrilling experience of freedom. However, over 10 thrill-seekers were trapped and left dangling upside down. Staff workers tried to provide stools and ladders to the riders before fixing the faulty parts. A female worker told Pear Video that they were freed five minutes later and no injuries were reported. A member of staff said it's caused by a faulty generator but technicians fixed it in five minutes The theme park had finished a safety inspection three days before it opened to the public According to Sichuan News, the amusement park safety inspection was carried out by Neijiang district's administration of quality supervision on January 25. Sun Shixuan, head of the supervision, aimed to check on the safety regulations of the rides and the emergency procedure given to the workers. Daqian Paradise Amusement Park has not yet given a statement in regarding the matter yet. A black-car driver has killed himself with a shotgun outside City Hall in New York, after posting a lengthy suicide note online blaming Mayor Bill de Blasio and Uber for driving him to despair. The man, 61, killed himself with a single gunshot to the head inside a black Nissan Altima just outside the east gate to City Hall around 7.30am Monday, in what cops believe is an isolated incident. The man's rant also took aim at New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, 'treasonous Republicans' and Russia. The man did not ram or hit the gate to City Hall with his vehicle, police said. He died at the scene. Scroll down for video A man with a shotgun killed himself inside a black Nissan Altima outside New York City Hall on Monday. Police are seen investigating the scene Police respond to the incident at City Hall. Traffic was temporarily shut down on Centre Street and Park Row Investigators are seen working at the car where a man killed himself on Monday morning Detectives and crime scene technicians were seen working around the vehicle where it sat outside the gate for several hours on Monday morning 'Now the politicians have flooded the streets with unlimited cars and some 3,000 new ones every month still coming. There is not enough work for everybody that pays a living,' the man, who has not been publicly identified, wrote on Facebook around 4.30am, the New York Post reported. 'De Blasio stopped a traffic study on the impact of Uber. That would have revealed the true traffic impact of so many cars and shown the need to freeze car levels,' he wrote. 'Now there are too many feeding off the same pie and there is not enough for every one,' the lengthy note continued. 'I hope with the public sacrifice I make now that some attention to the plight of the drivers and the people will be done to save them and it will have not have been in vain and also that we must stop what is happening to Government while we still have one we can vote out,' the suicidal man wrote. The noted added: 'America is under attack by Russia.' Manhattan-bound traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge, which exits near City Hall, was shut down from about 8.25am to 9.06am as police secured the scene of the shooting. NYPD investigate a suicide by gun inside a car that pulled up to the entrance and is reported to have killed himself with a gunshot to the head early Monday Officers and crime scene investigators are seen outside City Hall were a man shot himself Police towed the Nissan Altima away after they finished examining it at the scene The suicide occurred just outside one of the two main security checkpoints to City Hall. All visitors to City Hall must pass through metal detectors before entering the building. Security in the building was tightened after a gunman killed a city Councilman in 2003. Police responded in force to the incident, temporarily shutting down traffic on Centre Street and Park Row. All roads reopened around 9am with residual delays. Detectives and crime scene technicians were seen working around the vehicle where it sat outside the gate for several hours on Monday morning. Mayor Bill de Blasio was not in City Hall at the time, and was on his way to Albany. 'Information is preliminary, more to follow when available,' police said in an initial statement. For confidential support call the National Suicide Prevention Line: 1-800-273-8255 The Brooklyn Bridge is seen in a file photo looking toward Manhattan. All Manhattan-bound lanes on the bridge were shut down for about 40 minutes following the suicide An Afghan asylum seeker has been accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in Germany. The 18-year-old man was arrested on Thursday last week after the girl contacted police to say he had attacked her inside a home in Esslingen, near Stuttgart. The man previously served a year in juvenile detention for attempted rape and was released in December last year under court supervision. An 18-year-old Afghan asylum seeker has been accused of raping a 13-year-old girl at his apartment in the town of Esslingen, near Stuttgart, in Germany (stock image) Police and prosecutors in Esslingen said the girl visited the man at his apartment in the city on Monday after becoming friends. It was in the apartment that he allegedly forced her to have sex against her will. The girl saw the man in the city's downtown area again on Wednesday when he threatened her, before she reported the attack to police. He was arrested at his home the following day, Suddeutsche Zeitung reports. He has denied the allegations. Police say the girl was attacked in Esslingen (pictured) on Monday, and reported the crime to officers on Wednesday. The man was arrested the following day and is in custody A spokesman of the German Interior Ministry said it is not possible to tell whether the man will be deported while the investigation is ongoing. But, the spokesman pointed out, deportation is mandatory for any asylum seeker handed a prison sentence of three years or more. Asylum seekers can also be deported if they have received a prison sentence between one and three years for crimes directed against another person's physical integrity or sexual self-determination. The story of a humble cul-de-sac which was described by the King as 'the bravest in England' after 161 men signed up for the First World War has been told in a new book. The inhabitants of Chapel Street in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, displayed an unrivalled devotion of duty when Lord Horatio Kitchener made his famous rallying call. From the tight-knit community of just 60 houses, a staggering 161 men volunteered - 81 of them on the first day. They included seven brothers from the same family, who all somehow survived the conflict. The surviving heroes from Chapel Street in Altrincham were photographed celebrating after the war in 1919 A blue plaque was unveiled in 2009 on the site of where Chapel Street once stood The 'roll of honour' published the names of the men from Chapel Street who fought in the war Men from the 8th Battalion Cheshire Regiment were photographed marching in the desert in 1917 Tragically, however, 29 men from the street were killed in action, more than from any other street in England. The men who lived in the terraced houses were of various different nationalities. There was a large contingent of Irish lodgers, and a handful from Wales and Italy. Some of them had previously fought in the Boer War and were decorated soldiers. The Norton family led the way with seven brothers signing up - Michael, Thomas, Jack, Joe, Robert, David and the youngest boy Peter. Peter had been granted exemption from military service at the request of his mother Charlotte on the grounds she needed his help in caring for his invalid sisters. But he went against his mother's wishes and joined the Gordon Highlanders in 1916. Older brother Joe, of the 4th Battalion of the Grenadier Guards, was shot in both thighs at the Somme in 1916. But after recuperating from his injuries, he returned to the front line and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for carrying wounded personnel to safety under heavy fire. After the war, Chapel Street was a very different community as it struggled to cope with its huge loss. The street was filled with widows and fatherless children, and without breadwinners in families there was much poverty. A penny coin was issued after the war to the next-of-kin of those who died which was made of bronze and became known as the 'Dead Man's Penny'. But this could not be spent and families had to rely on relief from the local churches to help with food parcels, children's clothing and days out. Their enormous sacrifice was acknowledged by King George V who called Chapel Street 'the bravest little street in England' in a 1919 telegram following a visit to Manchester. Families of those who fought in the war campaigned for many years to get the street recognised for its efforts. In 2009 they were finally rewarded with an English Heritage plaque which read: 'In memory of the 161 men who volunteered and fought in the Great War 1914-18 and the 29 who gave their lives. We will remember them.' Four military service medals were put on display and one of them was handed out for 'bravery in the field' 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles Ration Party were seen communicating in a trench on July 1 1916 A soldier from the Company 11th Battalion, Cheshire, was photograph in a German trench on July 1 1916 Men from the Lancashire Fusiliers crammed on to a boat during the Gallipoli Campaign in May 1915. Author Sheila Brady, who has written 'Chapel Street; The Bravest little Street in England', has a personal connection to Chapel Street as her great uncle Private James Riley lived there. He enlisted with the 2nd Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment and received the Military Medal after rescuing an injured officer in Salonika in January 1918. He left his trench and went into no man's land where he carried the officer on his back through barbed wire to safety while under heavy sniper fire from the Bulgarians. Ms Brady, a former local councillor from nearby Urmston, said: 'At the outbreak of the First World War, Chapel Street stood as a long row of 60 Georgian and Victorian terraced houses in Altrincham. 'From here, 161 men heeded Kitchener's rallying cry and volunteered to fight for 'King and Country'. 'George V, recognising their patriotism in a telegram, was moved to call it 'The Bravest Little Street in England'.' Proceeds raised from the book will help support the charity Walking With the Wounded and its housing, health, employment and training programmes for ex-service personnel. Chapel Street, by Sheila Brady, is published by History Press and costs 16. Matthew Huff, 28, faced three charges of inappropriate contact with a minor A Stockton police officer has been arrested by his fellow officers for inappropriately contacting a minor. Matthew Huff, 28, who has worked for the Stockton Police Department for five years, has been charged with seducing a female minor. He was arrested based on three charges: contacting a minor with the intent of sex, sending harmful matter to seduce a minor, and annoying or molesting a child under 18. Huff, who has been with the department since 2012, shocked his peers who had to arrest him on Saturday morning. He was booked into San Joaquin County Jail with a bail set at $253,000. However, he was released from custody later in the day. Huff worked for the Stockton Police Department (above) since 2012 and was arrested by peers Stockton Police Public Information Officer Joe Silva said: 'These actions are a major departure from the values and professionalism of the Stockton Police Department.' 'Accountability is critical to maintaining public trust,' he added. Although the nature of the charges haven't been released, the news surprises Huff's neighbors who described him as a 'great man'. Huff has lived in Galt, California for the past three years and neighbors say they 'never thought he would be involved in something like this', according to Fox 40. Neighbors also say that Huff has a wife and a baby. Huff has been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation. His father and brother also work for the Stockton Police Department. Israel has started handing out notices to 20,000 male African migrants giving them two months to leave the country or risk being thrown in jail. The government is offering the migrants, most of whom are from Sudan and Eritrea, 2,500 and a plane ticket to an unnamed 'safe destination' in another country in sub-Saharan Africa. The demands do not apply to men with family in Israel, or men who are still having their asylum applications processed by the state, who are allowed to stay - for now. Deportation notices: An African migrant sits on the street in Tel Aviv as thousands of men are handed deportation notices giving them two months to leave the country The first eviction notices were handed out yesterday, and job advertisements for immigration inspectors to implement the deportation plan have been posted on government websites. The fate of some 37,000 Africans in Israel is posing a moral dilemma for a state founded as haven for Jews from persecution and a national home. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government is under pressure from its nationalist voter base to expel the migrants, while others are calling for them to be taken in. The government says the migrants are 'infiltrators' looking for work rather than asylum, but there is a growing liberal backlash against the plan, including from rabbis, a small group of survivors of the Nazi Holocaust and ordinary people who say Israel should show greater compassion to the migrants. Rights groups advocating on behalf of the migrants say many fled abuse and war and their expulsion, even to a different country in Africa, would endanger them further. The deportation notices do not name the country migrants will be flown to but Netanyahu has said it will be a safe destination. Rights groups have named Uganda and Rwanda as possible host countries. Safe: Deportation notices are only being handed out to men with no dependents in Israel who have not been awarded asylum. All women and children are allowed to stay - for now. Pictured: African migrant children in Tel Aviv last week 'I don't know what to do. Rwanda, Uganda are not my countries, what will a third country help me?' said Eritrean Berihu Ainom, after receiving an eviction notice on Sunday. In a poor neighbourhood in the south of Tel Aviv that has attracted thousands of African migrants, shops are dotted with signs in Tigrinya and other African languages while abandoned warehouses have been converted into churches. 'I came to Israel to save my life,' said Eritrean Afoworki Kidane, sitting on a street bench. He said he would rather go to jail than take the cash and plane ticket on offer to leave the country that has been his home for nine years. Interior Minister Aryeh Deri said Israel's first obligation was to its own citizens, rather than the migrants. 'They are not numbers, they are people, they are human and I am full of compassion and mercy,' Deri told Army Radio. 'But the small state of Israel cannot contain such a vast number of illegal infiltrators.' But opposition to the plan has been building and some Israelis are now offering to take migrants at risk of expulsion into their homes. On Thursday, a group of 36 Holocaust survivors sent a letter to Netanyahu asking him not to deport the migrants. The U.S.-based Anti Defamation League has also urged Israel to reconsider the plan, citing 'Jewish values and refugee heritage'. Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, chairman of the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and a Holocaust survivor, said in a statement the issue required 'as much compassion, empathy and mercy that can possibly be marshalled. The experiences of the Jewish people over the ages underscore this commitment.' Rabbi Susan Silverman has launched a campaign called Miklat Israel (Israel Shelter) for Israelis to take migrants into their homes. 'It's unconscionable for the Jewish state to deport people to harrowing vulnerability,' she said. Miklat Israel's Rabbi Tamara Schagas said 600 Israeli families had already signed up and the organisation would begin to connect migrants with potential hosts this week. The Supreme Court ruled in August that Israeli authorities can hold illegal migrants for up to 60 days in custody. Immigration officials have said women, children and men with families in Israel were allowed to stay for now, as was anyone with outstanding asylum requests. Out of 6,800 requests reviewed so far, Israel has granted refugee status to 11 migrants. It has at least 8,000 more requests to process. Israeli authorities have said Israeli officials will keep in touch with migrants accepted in a third country to oversee their progress. Rwanda has said it will only accept migrants who have left Israel of their own free will. Nonetheless, the U.N.'s refugee agency has urged Israel to reconsider, saying migrants who have relocated to sub-Saharan Africa in the past few years were unsafe and ended up on the perilous migrant trail to Europe, some suffering abuse, torture and even perishing on the way. Rights groups in Israel say the government is simply ridding itself of people it should be recognising as refugees in Israel and that there was no real guarantee for their safety. A fence Israel has built over the past few years along its border with Egypt has all but stopped African migrants from entering the country illegally. Beginning in the previous decade, when the border was porous, a total of 64,000 Africans made it to Israel though thousands have since left. Emmanuel Asfaha from Eritrea crossed into Israel in 2011 with his wife and baby son. His second child was born in Israel. A narrow grocery store stockroom stacked with bags of flour leads to their two-room apartment in Tel Aviv, a poster of Jesus hanging on the cracked walls above his son's bed. Asfaha is concerned Israel will eventually deport families too. 'I am worried about the situation,' he said while cooking Shiro, a traditional stew. 'Tomorrow it will be for me also.' A few kilometres away, in a hip, upscale part of Tel Aviv, Ben Yefet, a 39-year-old stockbroker, said he had signed up with Miklat Israel to house two or three migrants in his two-room apartment. 'As Israelis and Jews we are obligated. We have a moral compass, we just have to do it,' he said. A distraught father claims a hospital is 'rushing to kill' his brain-damaged baby before he has a chance to appeal the decision to withdraw treatment. Lanre Haastrup said that King's College Hospital was preparing to take his 11-month-old son Isaiah off of his ventilator on Monday following last week's court judgment. A judge has ruled that doctors can stop providing life-support treatment, describing it as 'futile, burdensome and not in his best interests'. Isaiah's mother Takesha Thomas and father Lanre Haastrup, who are both 36 and from Peckham, south east London, wanted treatment to continue. Lanre Haastrup said that King's College Hospital was preparing to take his 11-month-old son Isaiah (shown with his mother Takesha) off of his ventilator on Monday Now, Mr Haastrup has accused bosses at the south London hospital of 'rushing' to take away the boy's treatment. He told the Guardian: 'Why are you in a rush to kill him? Wait. Once you kill him, that's the end. You can't bring him back.' The judge ordered that treatment continue until 2pm on Friday to allow Isaiah's parents to apply for an appeal to the court's decision. Mr Haastrup, a lawyer, said he missed the deadline due to an illness, and said that he should be allowed 14 days to lodge his appeal, as set out in British law. 'What we are dealing with here is the issue of the law, and the law says you have a right of appeal with 14 days,' he told the Guardian. 'What I am saying to them is hold off for a few days. Let's find out what the court of appeal says. What is wrong with that? I don't think the public will say it is wrong for that to happen.' Isaiah's mother Takesha Thomas and father Lanre Haastrup (pictured arriving at court), who are both 36 and from Peckham, south east London, wanted treatment to continue Barrister Fiona Paterson, on behalf of the trust, told the court how Isaiah was born at King's College Hospital on February 18, 2017 and was severely disabled. She said nobody could understand the pain and suffering Isaiah's parents had endured. But she said overwhelming medical evidence showed that stopping treatment was in Isaiah's best interests. Doctors told the judge that Isaiah suffered 'catastrophic' brain damage due to being deprived of oxygen at birth. They said Isaiah was in a low level of consciousness, could not move or breathe independently and was connected to a ventilator. Hospital bosses have said their priority will be to provide Isaiah with the care he needs following the ruling Doctors said Isaiah did not respond to stimulation. But Miss Thomas told the judge: 'When I speak to him he will respond, slowly, by opening one eye.' She added: 'I see a child who is injured. He needs love. He needs care. I have it. I can give it. Mr Haastrup (right) said he missed the deadline due to an illness, and said that he should be allowed 14 days to lodge his appeal, as set out in British law 'To say it is so poor, it is not worth living, that is not right. It is not their decision to make.' Mr Haastrup had fought back tears at the trial as he outlined a series of complaints about the hospital to Mr Justice MacDonald. He said the trust had 'harmed' Isaiah at birth, told the judge that a 'negligence case' was under way and complained about the way he had been treated. 'There have been failings,' he said. 'But for them Isaiah would be at home having a lovely meal with me, with his lovely mum, playing around.' Mr Haastrup said 'everything' was 'about full control' for hospital bosses and accused doctors of not taking account of his views or those of Miss Thomas. A spokesman for King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: 'This is an extremely difficult time for Isaiah's parents but we cannot comment on Mr Haastrup's appeal. 'That is a matter for Mr Haastrup. The decision handed down on Monday 29 January, following a three-day hearing, ruled that it was in Isaiah's best interests to transfer him to palliative care. 'We are trying to engage with the family regarding Isaiah's transfer and will continue to offer them our support.' President Trump pooh-poohed the latest bipartisan immigration deal, set to be introduced in the Senate Monday, as government funding runs out again on Friday and DACA expires in exactly a month. 'Any deal on DACA that does not include STRONG border security and the desperately needed WALL is a total waste of time,' Trump tweeted Monday morning. 'March 5th is rapidly approaching and the Dems seem not to care about DACA. Make a deal!' Sens. John McCain, an Arizona Republican and Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, are rolling out legislation that provides a pathway to citizenship for the so-called 'Dreamers,' while also ordering a study, which would look at what measures are needed to secure the southern border. Additionally this week, lawmakers are putting together another stop-gap, as a longer-term funding bill is being written, news that disappointed the White House too. 'Moving from stop-gap measure to stop-gap measure is no way to govern,' Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah told reporters riding Air Force One Monday to Ohio with the president. 'Were disappointed in Congress that were potentially facing something like that.' President Trump, seen leaving the Oval Office on Monday, isn't thrilled with the latest immigration proposal to come out of the Senate as two important deadlines loom President Trump dismissed the latest bipartisan effort on immigration to come out of Capitol Hill, a Senate bill sponsored by Sen. John McCain and Sen. Chris Coons The latest bipartisan bill on immigration was sponsored by Democratic Sen. Chris Coons (left) of Delaware and Republican Sen. John McCain (right) of Arizona 'We also extend this message to Democrats, which is that last time we got to the brink, they chose to, you know, kind of prefer the interests of people who are here illegally over people here lawfully and the government they depend on, including the military, vulnerable children, border patrol agents and federal workers,' Shah continued. 'We hope they don't make that decision again,' the deputy press secretary added. And so the 'Dreamers'-heavy bill, which doesn't provide funding for the actual border wall, is not capturing the White House's interest. A White House official told CNN that it takes 'a lot of effort' to write up a bill that's worse than its bipartisan predecessor, a deal etched out by Sens. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, and Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, but 'this one is worse.' Last month, Trump administration officials outlined four pillars for which a successful immigration deal would need to stand on. First, a fix for DACA the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program an Obama-era policy that provided undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, the 'Dreamers,' a legal way to stay. On September 5, Trump's Justice Department ended the DACA program and gave Congress six months to provide a fix. And as Trump pointed out this morning, March 5 is 'rapidly approaching.' Trump said he would grant a pathway to citizenship to 1.8 million illegal immigrants who arrived in the U.S. in their youth which the president says was 'generous' because it would go beyond the people who were eligible for DACA in return for the $25 billion he requested for his border wall and for border security. The White House also wants chain migration contained to just the nuclear families of green card holders and wants to end the visa lottery program. The McCain-Coons bill's contents fall short on that, but what the legislation does have going for it is a near identical bill in the House that has bipartisan support. That legislation, sponsored by Reps. Will Hurd, a Republican from Texas, and Pete Aguilar, a Democrat from California, is supported by 27 Republicans and 27 Democrats. In a statement released by his office Monday, McCain is clear about his priorities, explaining that he wants to get these immigration items off the table so that Congress can come up with a longer-term budget solution to fund the troops. 'For months, I have been calling on my colleagues to complete a bipartisan budget agreement to lift the caps on defense spending and fully fund the military,' McCain, a Vietnam War veteran, explained. 'While reaching a deal cannot come soon enough for Americas service members, the current political reality demands bipartisan cooperation to address the impending expiration of the DACA program and secure the southern border,' he added. At last week's GOP retreat, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota had mentioned that a two-prong solution dealing with DACA and the border 'may be the best we can hope for.' But Rep. Mark Meadows, the chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, immediately rejected that. 'To suggest that we're going to give, in my mind, a clean DACA for a few billion dollars, that will not really secure our border is a non-starter,' Meadows told reporters at the West Virginia retreat. Last month, lawmakers' inability to etch out an immigration deal led to a three-day government shutdown, with Democrats blaming Trump for the breakdown and Republicans shaming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for the mess. The next government funding deadline is 12:01 a.m. Friday. With another government shutdown looking politically poisonous for both parties, lawmakers will likely sign off on yet another short-term bill on February 8. Nathaly Ramos, 22, is accused of stabbing her two-year-old son to death on Sunday before trying to kill herself. Her mugshot shows a wound to the neck A South Florida mother attempted to kill her boyfriend and stabbed her two-year-old son to death before turning the weapon on herself, police say. Nathaly Ramos, 22, was arrested on Sunday afternoon and charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder after killing her son Alphonse at his home near Homestead, jail records show. Police received a 911 call at about 6am that day, with the caller saying family members took the boy and his mother to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Ramos was taken to Homestead Hospital in critical condition, but has since been released and is being held in jail without bond. Her mugshot shows a wound on her neck. Miami-Dade Police added that Ramos had a knife in her hand at the hospital which has since been confiscated as evidence. The unidentified male victim was airlifted to Jackson South Community Hospital in unknown condition. According to police reports cited by CBS12, he was Ramos' boyfriend, who told investigators he woke up in his home to severe pain in his body on Sunday morning and realized his girlfriend has stabbed him multiple times. Scroll down for video Alphonse was taken by family members to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead Ramos admitted to stabbing her boyfriend and then going to her mother's house, where she stabbed her son in the throat before trying to kill herself, police said She then allegedly chased the man around the house armed with a knife and a taser before fleeing when he locked himself in a bathroom. Ramos admitted to stabbing her boyfriend and then going to her mother's house, where she stabbed her son in the throat before trying to kill herself, police told WPLG. Neighbors told local news outlets the child lived in the government housing complex with his grandmother because Ramos was unstable and lived in a shelter. 'The daughter, who is the mother of the baby, she's very depressed,' a neighbor who did not want to be identified told 7News. 'She's not right in her mind, so Grandma wouldn't let her come see the baby like that.' Ramos' Facebook posts show her going from doting mom to a depressed state The mother once documented family outings, such as their time on a cruise, but began posting about depression and aliens sometime last year 'It's beautiful how much comfort and love emanates from your children,' Romas once wrote Ramos often shared posts about aliens and depression on her Facebook, including images that read 'you must betray the humans' and 'suicide is badass'. She wrote on November 29: 'Can you save. Can you save my heavy dirty soul, For me?' But, despite her latest posts, her Facebook once showed her in a happier place, and doting over Alphonse. 'I love the time of the day when my son throws himself on me and gets all comfy'd up next to me. It's beautiful how much comfort and love emanates from your children,' she wrote on August 2016. The mother also documented family outings, such as their time on a cruise. Neighbors told local news outlets the child lived in the government housing complex with his grandmother because Ramos was unstable and lived in a shelter The 'man in the white shirt' accused of punching a female protester at a Jacob Rees-Mogg speech has said he stepped in to protect the MP due to a lack of security. Earlier this week the Conservative backbencher was speaking at an event at Bristol's University of West of England (UWE) when a scuffle broke out in the audience. Footage of the incident posted online shows a man in a white shirt appearing to strike a female protester before a fight ensues, with Mr Rees-Mogg being dragged from side-to-side as he attempts to stop it. Paul Townsley, 55, was attending the event with his son, a sixth form student and said his reaction was prompted by a lack of security during the break and that he feared for an attack on Mr Rees-Mogg in the wake of Jo Cox's murder. The 'man in the white shirt' accused of punching a female protester at a Jacob Rees-Mogg speech earlier this week has said he stepped in to protect the MP due to a lack of security Paul Townsley, pictured, said: 'It was a disgraceful event. I'm going to write a letter to UWE asking why there was no security' Mr Townsley said: 'He was vulnerable. From the guy in the sunglasses' body language he was getting more aggressive and getting into Mr Rees-Mogg's personal space. 'It was a disgraceful event. I'm going to write a letter to UWE asking why there was no security. 'I went along with my son who studies politics. He should not be subjected to that behaviour. 'At the entrance there were two students behind a desk who you handed tickets to before going in.' Irish-born Mr Townsley, who left Belfast because of the Troubles, said: 'I was worried about Mr Rees-Mogg's safety. I knew there was no security.' In a clip posted to Twitter, a man in a white shirt appears to punch a female protester during Mr Rees-Mogg's speech at Bristol's University of West of England (UWE). A scuffle then ensues, which Mr Rees-Mogg attempts to stop Responding to allegations that he punched a female protester, the martial arts expert said: 'I didn't hit anybody. 'She was too close and I put my hand up to protect myself. She wanted to be there. 'People will think what they want to think. I never hit anybody. She got so close that I could feel spittle in my face and I put my hand up to stop it. 'They broke in, in masks, I was intimidated but I was not going to back down to bullying or intimidation.' He denied being a grey haired man pictured standing behind Mr Rees Mogg in a photograph taken on a separate occasion. Mr Townsley, a 'working class family man' who lives in, Bristol, added: 'If you don't like what someone's saying you vote against it. 'That's democracy. The only good thing to come out of the altercation was that nobody got hurt. 'I'm not a fan of politicians, I think they should be questioned at every opportunity.' An FBI agent has surrendered his badge over what he described as the politicization of the bureau amid the furore of a controversial memo made public by Congress. Josh Campbell, once special adviser to the director, has resigned in order to have his say over the concerns he has without fearing the backlash his opinions might cause. The FBI is reeling after the Trump administration went public with the document, which claims to show the bureau colluded with the Democrats to gain information which would allow agents to spy on the Republican campaign party during the 2016 election race. Democrats have chimed in on the argument over the weekend, calling it a 'political hit job' and an attempt to 'undermine and discredit the FBI'. But President Trump claimed the document vindicated his insistence there was no collusion with the Russians and no obstruction during the race to The White House. Josh Campbell, once special adviser to the director, has resigned in order to have his say over the concerns he has without fearing the backlash his opinions might cause Campbell, who wrote a column for the New York Times, said his former colleagues at the bureau were 'dogged', a-political people who needed the pubic's backing. 'Scorched-earth attacks from politicians with partisan goals now threaten that support, raising corrosive doubts about the integrity of the FBI that could last for generations,' he wrote. Campbell was an agent with the FBI for more than a decade, and said it was one of the greatest honors of his life. Campbell was an agent with the FBI for more than a decade, and said it was one of the greatest honors of his life He worked on counter-terrorism, was part of kidnapping rescue teams and was a special assistant to the director during his time. But he said he felt forced to turn in his badge to join the 'growing chorus of people' who believe the 'relentless attacks on the bureau undermine not just Americas premier law enforcement agency but also the nations security'. 'My resignation is painful, but the alternative of remaining quiet while the bureau is tarnished for political gain is impossible,' Campbell wrote. He goes on to say that agents at the FBI make mistakes like any human, but that this is not one of them. These political attacks on the bureau must stop,' he said. 'If those critics of the agency persuade the public that the FBI cannot be trusted, they will also have succeeded in making our nation less safe.' Campbell wasn't out of work for long, having joined CNN as a law enforcement analyst and will appear on air to discuss crime, justice, and national security issues. Donald Trump Jr has described the releasing of the controversial FBI memo 'sweet revenge' for him and his family. His father President Trump claimed the document vindicated his insistence there was no collusion and no obstruction during the 2016 election. Trump Jr, talking after the memo was made public over the weekend, said he was pleased the information had come out, saying the only collusion had been at the top of end of the FBI. He accused the FBI of spying on the Trump campaign in an attempt to prove the Republicans were working with the Russians. Donald Trump Jr has described the releasing of the controversial FBI memo 'sweet revenge' for him and his family President Trump claimed the document vindicated his insistence there was no collusion and no obstruction during the 2016 election Talking to Fox News, he said document's release was a good thing because it meant the alleged practices had been highlighted. 'It's pretty incredible,' he said. 'What I want people to do is think about what if Bush had done this to Obama - what would the reaction be?' Trump Jr said the Democrats worked with the FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ) to attain surveillance warrants which would allow agents to spy on his father's campaign team. 'They weaponized the FBI and the DOJ to attack the duly-elected President of the United States,' he said, talking of Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama's officials. Dick Durbin, the number two Senate Democrat, warned on Sunday against removing senior officials Democrats on Sunday sharpened their rhetoric in the clash over the investigation into Trump campaign links to Russia, warning the president that firing top law enforcement officials could 'lead to a confrontation we do not need in America'. The warnings came two days after the Republican-led House intelligence committee released a declassified memo that claims that Democrat-funded research prompted the FBI to spy on a former Trump campaign aide, Carter Page. Democrats stoutly resisted the memo's release, saying it was misleading, and possibly intended to lay the groundwork for President Donald Trump to fire senior officials and subvert the Russia meddling investigation led by Robert Mueller. Dick Durbin, the number two Senate Democrat, warned on Sunday against any such move. 'The question at that moment is whether or not the majority Republicans in the House and the Senate will stand up for the rule of law and the Constitution if the president takes that extreme position,' Durbin said on CNN's State of the Union. 'If the president takes this extreme action, I'm afraid that it could lead to a confrontation we do not need in America.' Both he and the ranking Democrat on the intelligence committee, Representative Adam Schiff, contested the suggestion that the FBI's request to a special court for authority to surveil Page failed to note that it was based in part on a dossier paid for by Democrats. 'The court was notified there was a political actor involved,' Schiff said. 'The goal here is to undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI, discredit the Mueller investigation, do the president's bidding,' he said on ABC's 'This Week.' He said it was 'very possible' committee Republicans had 'coordinated the whole effort with the White House.' Talking of the Democrats' alleged involvement, Trump Jr said: 'What I want people to do is think about what if Bush had done this to Obama - what would the reaction be?' Trump tweeted Saturday that the memo 'vindicated' his insistence that there was 'no collusion and there was no obstruction.' But some Republicans, while supporting the gist of the memo, took pains to show support for Mueller, deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein and FBI chief Christopher Wray at a time the FBI and Justice Department are facing almost unprecedented criticism from the president. 'I've had my differences with Rod Rosenstein, and I still think that he is fully capable of helping run a Justice Department that we can all have confidence in,' said Representative Trey Gowdy, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, on CBS's 'Face the Nation.' And Representative Will Hurd, a Republican on the intelligence committee, told ABC, 'I want to stress Bob Mueller should be allowed to turn over every rock, pursue every lead so we can have trust knowing what Russia did or didn't do.' Blundering race organisers were left red-faced after T-shirts handed out to runners had a rude shape printed on them. Competitors attending the Dewsbury 10K in West Yorkshire were rewarded a commemorative piece of clothing once they crossed the finish line. The dark blue T-shirt featured the outline of Dewsbury Town Hall and clock tower - but some runners complained it bore a striking resemblance to the shape of the male sex organs. One of the runners Adrian Harker, 38, said: 'I think a lot of people were shocked when people who were already finished pointed out the design. This is the commemorative T-shirt handed out to competitors of the Dewsbury 10K race. Runners pointed out the design resembled a rude image This is Dewsbury Town Hall, which the T-shirt is supposed to show. One runner said: 'I just couldn't believe it when I crossed the line and was handed one of the blue shirts' 'It's not the town hall at all - it's a bloody c**k and balls man. 'It wouldn't be too bad if the clockface was also was in white - but it's black for some reason which makes the shape look really prominent against the dark blue material.' Father-of-two Mr Harker had attended the event and completed the course in just over an hour. Mr Harker, of Darlington, added: 'I just couldn't believe it when I crossed the line and was handed one of the blue shirts. 'I do usually collect these, this one is quite memorable though so definitely need to keep it to show the grandkiddies.' Another runner, a female in her 20s who wished to remain anonymous, said she will bin the cheeky t-shirt. She added: 'I was in shock - it's not one of the finisher t-shirts which I think that I will want to keep so it's going to be going straight in the bin.' A handful of runners also took to Twitter to poke fun at the design. Runner Rachel Cullen poses with her T-shirt. Race organisers joked about the gaffe online Paul Dalton posted: 'Anyone else spotting an ill-advised design on the front of the commemorative #Dewsbury10K t-shirt then? No? Just me then..' Tim Baxter also posted: 'Enjoyed the Dewsbury 10K this morning and smashed my PB [personal best] Like the penis t-shirt too.' Despite the comical gaffe taking a ribbing on social media - even the race coordinators managed to see the funny side. Dewsbury 10K race director Bernard Disken responded: 'We are always anxious to raise the profile of the race, but some runners are getting a bit over-excited.' The race, which had over 1,000 people taking part, has been held annually since 2001. Mohammed Abu-Reezek won the men's race with a time of just under half an hour, completing it in 29 minutes and 42 seconds. Charlene Thomas won the women's competition in 34 minutes and 50 seconds. Theresa May was rebuked by the UK's official statistician today over her repeated jibes about the Welsh NHS at PMQs Theresa May was rebuked by the UK's official statistician today over her repeated jibes about the Welsh NHS at PMQs. Mrs May went on the attack during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons last month with figures apparently showing that more than seven times as many patients were waiting over 12 hours in Welsh casualty departments than in England. But the chair of the UK Statistics Authority Sir David Norgrove today insisted the comparison used by the Prime Minister was 'not valid'. In a letter to Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones, who complained about the PM's comments, Sir David said: 'You are right to say that the comparison is not valid. 'The figure used for England refers to the accident and emergency wait time from the decision to admit to admission into another part of the health service. 'The figure used for Wales represents the entire time patients wait from arriving to leaving accident and emergency services, including the time from decision to admit to actual admission.' Downing Street acknowledged Sir David's assessment and said it 'accepted' his ruling. Mrs May's spokesman could not confirm whether the Prime Minister planned to correct the official record in Parliament. The chair of the UK Statistics Authority Sir David Norgrove today insisted the comparison used by the Prime Minister was 'not valid' Sir David said Mrs May's figures did not match up and said it was hard to directly compare the two health services because of the way statistics are record on either side of the border Ministers including Mrs May have repeatedly highlighted what they see as the poor performance of the NHS in Labour-run Wales as they sought to defend their stewardship of the health service in England. On January 25, Mrs May was responding to questions from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn about a winter crisis which he said had seen NHS England record its worst-ever A&E waiting time figures. She said: 'If he wants to talk about figures and about targets being missed, yes, the latest figures show that, in England, 497 people were waiting more than 12 hours, but the latest figures also show that, under the Labour Government in Wales, 3,741 people were waiting more than 12 hours.' Mr Jones wrote to the Statistics Authority to complain of the PM's 'misleading' comments, and warning: 'Selective misuse of statistics like this does not allow for a fair debate on the NHS. 'Research such as the OECD Review of Health Care Quality showed that there was no consistent picture of one nation's health system performing better than another.' A video captures the horrifying moment a suspected car thief runs over a San Francisco police officer and his own accomplice during an attempted auto burglary. A plainclothes officer spotted two burglary suspects attempting to break into an SUV on Thursday while a third remained behind the wheel of a car. One of the suspects got back in their car, and police moved in on the third suspect. The video shows an officer tackling a suspect and the driver backs up, running both the cop and his own accomplice. The driver then pulls forward and runs over the two men for a second time. Another officer can be seen hitting the car with his baton before pulling his gun out. Three suspected car thieves are charged with attempted homicide after video appears to show them deliberately running over a San Francisco police officer 'This incident is a stark reminder of the dangers SFPD officers face on a daily basis,' said Grace Gatpandan to ABC 30. 'What began as a property crime quickly turned into a violent assault which could have had deadly consequences.' The three suspects have been identified as Devonta Lofton, 25, Adrian Landers, 23, and Jamon Butler, 19. Lofton has was been charged with attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, assault upon a peace officer with firearm, second degree burglary, reckless evading, hit and run causing injury, conspiracy and misdemeanor driving with a suspended license. The video shows an officer tackling a suspect and the driver backs up, running both the cop and his own accomplice The driver then pulls forward and runs over the two men for a second time. Another officer can be seen hitting the car with his baton Landers is charged with attempted homicide charges, assault with a deadly weapon and multiple other assault charges in addition to second degree burglary, a parole violation and misdemeanor possession of burglary tools. Butler was booked on felony attempted homicide charges, assault charges and second-degree burglary. Police have not yet released their booking photos. The injured officer is an 11-year veteran of the department. He was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries and has since been released. The suspect is still being treated for his injuries. The San Francisco Police Officers Association released a statement expressing frustration with the restrictions on use of force allowed by police. 'The video below shows a clear and deliberate assault on SFPD officers that rises to the level of attempted murder. It is outrageous that the policy imposed on our officers, by the Police Commission, prohibits us from protecting our own lives by firing at a suspect in a moving vehicle who is trying to kill us,' the group wrote. A driving theory test scam that involves cheaters using hidden Bluetooth headsets so they can be 'fed' answers has been slammed by a court after a kebab chef admitted cheating using the scam twice. Turkish national Isa Yazgi, 23, admitted cheating in his theory test on two separate occasions at the North Staffordshire Justice Centre. Yazgi was caught by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) using a Bluetooth device linked to a mobile phone to get the answers. Concerned magistrate chair Christopher Dalton fumed: 'The court views this seriously. 'It's alarming that people are driving around who don't understand the rules and the road signs. Turkish national Isa Yazgi, 23, admitted cheating in his driving theory test on two separate occasions by using Bluetooth headphones such as these (stock photo) to be fed the answers 'We have to send a signal out that this is not acceptable.' Prosecutor Moira Bell said: 'On each occasion he tried to use a Bluetooth device linked to a mobile phone. 'The first was at Chatham Theory Test Centre, in Kent. On that occasion he was caught on CCTV attempting to use a device inside the headphones provided for the test. 'Nothing seemed to happen after the first attempt, as far as an investigation was concerned. 'The second attempt was a month later, at Hanley test centre, in Staffordshire. He arrived, and was asked by the staff whether he was in possession of a mobile telephone or devices. 'He rolled up his sleeves and answered, "No", and was allowed to commence the test. 'He was identified as what they call a "cheat risk", presumably because of what had happened at Chatham, so was closely monitored. 'He was seen removing something from his waistband which he put into the headphones. How do Bluetooth cheats beat the driving theory test? The driving theory test has two parts, the first of which involves a series of multiple choice questions about the Highway Code. For example: You've been involved in an argument that has made you feel angry. What should you do before starting your journey? Open a window Turn on your radio Have an alcoholic drink Calm down Other questions give you examples of common signs or road markings you might encounter while driving, or they may provide you with scenarios and ask you how you should react. For the scam, the cheater has to use tiny Bluetooth earpieces linked to a hidden mobile phone. They can then hear someone from outside the test centre telling them information to help them pass the test. The Bluetooth devices are generally hidden in glasses, headbands and hair-clips as they can be positioned over the ears with ease. Test takers don't usually wear headphones, but you are allowed to request them to complete the test with a voiceover if you have reading difficulties, so in some cases cheaters will use these to hide their Bluetooth device. Advertisement 'A member of staff immediately went to him and removed the headphones, where she found and seized the Bluetooth earpiece.' His defending solicitor said the scam was set up by Turkish fraudsters in London, who Yazgi had agreed to pay 1,000 if he passed. Last Friday, Yazgi - who owns a Turkish driving licence but was after a UK one - admitted two charges of possessing or controlling an article for use in fraud. The takeaway chef narrowly avoided jail and instead was slapped with 12-month community order and 180 hours unpaid work. Yazgi, of Cobridge, Staffordshire, must also pay 185 court costs and an 85 victim surcharge. The Bluetooth earpieces recommended by the London crooks can be very small and generally go undetected. The court heard a DVSA investigation was launched following the incidents, which happened in 2016. As a result, Yazgi was interviewed by Staffordshire Police in October 2017 and told them he was desperate to get a better job. He was said was advised by 'his Turkish community' that the 'best way to pass his theory was to arrange a Bluetooth cheat'. The court heard another man that he knew had arranged with the London fraudsters for them both to cheat in the test. He said he had not been able to get a mobile phone connection during the Chatham test, and therefore subsequently failed. Hayley Keegan, defending, said Yazgi - who came to the UK in 2014 - had merely wanted to improve his work prospects. She added: 'He currently works as a chef in a kebab shop, so he does make contributions to society through gainful employment. 'Mr Yazgi holds a full driving licence in Turkey. He wanted to pass his test to improve his work prospects. 'He didn't organise this - someone else made contact with the arrangers. This offence was some time ago and there have been no offences since.' The defiant DVSA have recently announced plans to clamp down on crooks using Bluetooth to cheat during their driving theory test. Prosecutor Moira Bell said Yazgi was caught on CCTV at Chatham Theory Test Centre in Kent (pictured) trying to use a device inside the headphones provided for the test In 2016 the DVSA has investigated 467 cases of fraud using wireless technology - a rise of 52 per cent from 308 in 2015. Since 2016, 50 people have been handed prison sentences for fraud during their theory test. This includes Zaid Sultan, 46, of Sheffield who was jailed last year for four months after being caught using a Bluetooth earpiece he had connected wirelessly to a phone stuffed down his sock. Gareth Llewellyn, DVSA's chief executive, said: 'We need evidence and we are changing the CCTV in the test centres to enable us to do that. 'I have to say that people who invigilate those tests are very good at picking out people with Bluetooth earphones. 'It is just the odd behaviour like scratching your ankle constantly because your mobile phone is in there.' While Andy Rice, the DVSA's Head of Fraud and Integrity, said: 'Although instances of Bluetooth fraud are rare in relation to the 1.8m theory tests which are taken each year, the DVSA continues to take them seriously and work closely with the police to bring offenders to justice. 'Theory test centre staff are trained to spot the signs of fraud.' Frank Clark, 24, revealed on Sunday that his father died in a house fire last week A Seattle Seahawks player has said that his father and three other family members were killed in an 'arson fire' in Cleveland last week. 'My father was killed in an arson fire along with 3 other members of my family on the East Side of Cleveland. Pray for me and my family during this time,' defensive end Frank Clark, 24, tweeted on Sunday. Cleveland police and fire officials have not disclosed whether they suspect the fire on last Tuesday was intentionally set. Four victims died in the house fire on on Hillview Road, including Clark's father Frank Clark III, 46. Also killed in the blaze were Alfonso Lathan Jr, 46; his son, Alfonso Lathan III, 4, and his granddaughter Niayah, 8. All were identified by family. Lathan Jr is Clark III's uncle. Another resident of the house, Lathan Jr's wife Gianna Lathan, escaped the fire by jumping out of a second-story window. The fire broke out at about 1am on January 30, Cleveland.com reported at the time. Clark posted this family photo of himself with his father and claimed the fire was 'arson' The home did not have working smoke detectors, and the residents awoke to smoke The fire started around 1am on January 30. Fire crews arrived to find it fully involved The freezing cold and high winds made fighting the fire especially difficult, officials said The extra-alarm fire in Cleveland took 38 firefighters about 90 minutes to put out Gianna Latham told fire officials that she and her husband woke as the smell of smoke was filling the house. The home did have smoke detectors, but they were not working at the time, Cleveland Fire Department spokesman Mike Norman said. Gianna Lathan claimed that both she and her husband tried to get to their children's rooms, but were unsuccessful. She then jumped out of a second-story window, was taken to the Cleveland Clinic and flown by emergency helicopter to MetroHealth. The extra-alarm fire took 38 firefighters about 90 minutes to put out. Fire crews battled freezing conditions and high winds as they battled the blaze. Part of the home's roof collapsed, making the search for victims difficult and time consuming. Seahawks defensive end Frank Clark (left) is seen with his father Frank Clark III Fire crews worked into the early hours to put the fire out as it ripped through the structure Cleveland firemen are pictured at the scene of a fire that killed four people Crews searched the house for victims, but the heavy damage to the structure made it difficult Slide me Slide to view: The house is seen before and after the fire that killed four on January 30 As is typical in a fatal fire, the Ohio fire marshal brought an accelerant-sniffing dog as part of the investigation into the cause of the fire. It was the most deadly fire in Cleveland since 2009. 'The entire Seahawks family is mourning with Frank Clark and his loved ones after their tragic loss,' the team said Sunday in a statement. 'Our thoughts and prayers will be pouring out to Frank and his family during their time of grieving.' Clark was a second-round pick by the Seahawks out of Michigan in 2015. He has 22 sacks in three seasons with Seattle. In 2017, Clark recorded 32 tackles and nine sacks in 16 games. James Leon Wood, 50, was found dead buried underneath concrete in his backyard in Winchester, Tennessee Six people have been charged in connection to the murder of a man who was buried under a concrete slab in his back yard. James Leon Wood, 50, was reported missing in January by his mother who lives in New Mexico. Investigators obtained a search warrant for Wood's home in Winchester, Tennessee, and found his body in the backyard. His remains were discovered underneath a concrete slab several feet away from the home's outdoor pool. The forensic examination on Friday found Wood died from blunt-force trauma to the head and had been buried for an estimated five months. The Winchester Police Department charged six people Monday, including Wood's wife and son-in-law, in connection with his death. Winchester Police Department Assistant Chief Kelly Gass said police began investigating the disappearance of 50-year-old James Leon Wood when his mother reported him missing on January 18. Shawn Hampton (pictured) was arrested in Madison County, Alabama, and was charged with first-degree murder along with three other people related to Wood Gass said the investigation led officers to obtain a search warrant for the home and they found his body on Jan. 24 buried in the backyard. The police charged arrested Wood's wife, Glenna Yvonne Wood; his stepdaughter, Mikayla Danielle Harmon; Harmon's husband, Grant Matthew Poole; and another man, Shawn Michael Hampton, were charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and abuse of a corpse. Two others, Kisha Evelyn Anderson and Joseph Scott Newingham were charged with being accessories after the fact. Hampton was arrested Friday in Madison County, Alabama, and the others were arrested in Thornton, Colorado. Wood was found buried behind his home in Tennessee (pictured) underneath a concrete slab. Investigators said he died from blunt-force trauma to the head Winchester Police Chief Ritchie Lewis said in a press release: 'We would like thank the Thornton Colorado Police Department and the Madison County Alabama Sheriff's Department. 'These agencies were instrumental in apprehending these individuals. 'We also want to thank members of our local community for providing information that has been beneficial to our investigation into this matter.' The police determined that the last time Wood had been heard from was July 2017. He declined to discuss a possible motive in the case. CAROLINE GRAHAM: Her platinum-dyed hair is now a softer baby blonde, arranged in a natural wave. The red power lipstick is gone in favour of a fresh-faced nude. The message it sent was clear: arriving at court this week for Silicon Valley's 'Trial of the Century' was a very different Elizabeth Holmes (pictured). The mesmerising 37-year-old Theranos founder, once dubbed 'the female Steve Jobs', has seen her meteoric star fall swiftly since becoming embroiled in one of the most extraordinary sagas of hubris, ambition and deception the tech world has ever seen. Once celebrated as a paragon of tech culture's 'disruptive magic', the Stanford University drop-out was destined to go down in history after building a blood-testing company which had the potential to revolutionise global healthcare. But the bubble of self-belief has now well and truly burst. Holmes is accused of fraud and theft to the tune of $700 million, apparently pulling the wool over the eyes of wealthy investors, patients and the entire scientific community by flogging a technology which, as it turned out, simply didn't work. The circus-like atmosphere on Wednesday at San Jose's courthouse in California, where the trial will play out over the next 13 weeks, was almost appropriate, given the circumstances. The Senate Judiciary Committee released a heavily redacted document on Monday in which Republicans claim the author of the infamous anti-Trump 'dirty dossier' gave the FBI a second memo about the president's Russia contacts. The infamous dossier, compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele, was funded by Hillary Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee. The Judiciary Committee's document confirms that the second memo was the result of coordination between Steele, a longtime Clinton fixer, and an Obama State Department official. Christopher Steele, the author of the infamous anti-Trump 'dirty dossier,' gave the FBI a second memo about the president's Russia contacts according to top Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee Longtime Clinton family confidant Cody Shearer allegedly wrote the document and passed it to Steele via an Obama State Department official Committee chair Chuck Grassley and fellow Republican member Lindsey Graham asked the Justice Department last month to investigate whether Steele lied to the FBI about 'the distribution of claims contained in the dossier.' The document released Monday is a declassified version of that criminal referral. Buried in the referral is the revelation that Steele's second memo was based on information from a foreign source who sent it to him through an unnamed Clinton confidant and an Obama State Department official. The Guardian reported last week that Steele gave the result to the FBI in October 2016. President Trump, seen on his way to Ohio on Monday, has denied all claims that he or his campaign aides colluded with Russians in the 2016 election The larger dossier also ended up in the hands of the FBI. According to a House Intelligence Committee memo released Friday, the Justice Department used it to justify a Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant against former Trump adviser Carter Page. Former Obama-era State Department official Jonathan Winer Published reports in The Washington Post and the Guardian suggest that the middle-men were Clinton associate Cody Shearer and former State Department official Jonathan Winer. Winer was deputy assistant secretary of state for international law enforcement, and the U.S. Special Envoy for Libya. Shearer is a longtime Clinton family operative whose brother was a Bill Clinton-era ambassador and whose late sister married Clinton State Department official Strobe Talbott. He was tied closely to Hillary Clinton-whisperer Sidney Blumenthal during Clinton's tenure as secretary of State, collecting intelligence in Libya that Blumenthal would pass on to the future Democratic presidential nominee. The criminal referral unveiled Monday is heavily redacted, with large sections blacked out for public release. A Grassley spokesman said Monday that some of the redactions include 'verbatim quotes' from the DOJ's secret applications to the FISA court. 'Specifically, the referral quotes the government's description of Steele's statements to the FBI about his contacts with the media.' A pervert who sent a photo of his penis to a teenage girl and asked if he could 'teach her' about sex, only to be confronted by online vigilantes, has been jailed for two years. Dock worker Paul Moore exchanged explicit messages with the 12-year-old, known as Gemma, after finding her profile on the dating app, Qeep. Maidstone Crown Court in Kent heard the 34-year-old was fully aware of the girl's age when he asked her if she wanted to have sex with him. Moore even referred to her as his girlfriend and said he would book a hotel room for them. But having arranged to meet the girl at Chatham railway station in Kent on November 3 last year, he was confronted by online paedophile hunters, Protecting Kids Online UK. Footage of the moment he learned of Gemma's true identity - an adult, female member of the team - was later posted on social media and viewed more than 40,000 times. Moore, who separated from his wife shortly after the birth of their son two years ago, admitted meeting a child following grooming. He was jailed for two years on Friday, February 2. Prosecutor Ian Foinette told the court the exchange of sexual messages began on October 24, and Moore arranged to meet 'Gemma' after she told him she would turn 13 on October 30. Dock worker Paul Moore exchanged explicit messages with the 12-year-old, known as Gemma, after finding her profile on the dating app, Qeep He asked her if she would be 'ready for sex' and told her he would use a condom so she would not get pregnant. 'He asked her to confirm she had deleted the picture of his penis in case her mother saw it,' said Mr Foinette. 'He asked about her breasts and explained oral sex to her. Other messages suggested she should watch porn to get herself in the mood, and to play with herself.' Arrangements were then made to meet up, although Moore, of Queensway, in Sheerness, Kent, failed to show. Moore asked the girl if she would be 'ready for sex' and told her he would use a condom so she would not get pregnant Having arranged to meet the girl at Chatham railway station in Kent on November 3 last year, he was confronted by online paedophile hunters Moore, who separated from his wife shortly after the birth of their son two years ago, admitted meeting a child following grooming It was at the second planned meeting at the train station on November 3 that Moore, who works unloading cargo at Sheerness Docks, was confronted. The court heard he had been in custody for his own protection since his arrest. 'The confrontation was recorded and ended up on Facebook, which no doubt caused considerable trouble for this defendant,' added Mr Foinette. Moore must sign on the sex offenders' register on his release and will be barred from working with children and vulnerable adults. Dr Flavio Uribe was one of the people in the photo with several graduate students. The selfie was taken in June at the Yale School of Medicine during a training workshop Dental school students and a top orthodontics professor were busted taking a selfie with two severed heads being used for medical research at Yale University last year. The selfie, which was taken in June at the Yale School of Medicine during a training workshop, has been described by Yale officials as 'disturbing' and 'inexcusable'. Dr Flavio Uribe was one of the people in the photo. He is a top University of Connecticut orthodontics professor and a visiting associate professor at the Yale School of Medicine. In the photo, Uribe and several graduate students are looking at the camera, while others continue to work. All are wearing surgical masks and the two severed heads are on tables, face up. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the photo from a person who received it through a private group chat. But that person, who demanded anonymity because of potential harm to their career, said the person who took the selfie did not give permission for it to be published for fear of being expelled. Dr Uribe said he was teaching students how to place screws in the cadaver heads at the time during the 2017 DePuy Synthes Future Leaders Workshop, which focused on dental-related facial deformities. He said at one point, someone took a photo. 'Somebody unfortunately took a photo,' Uribe said. 'It was so quick. I wasn't sure of the surroundings or scenery at that point.' Officials at Yale and UConn Health said the universities have taken steps to ensure it doesn't happen again. The selfie, which was taken in June at the Yale School of Medicine during a training workshop, has been described by Yale officials as 'disturbing' and 'inexcusable' Yale officials said they are improving oversight at such training events and making participants agree in writing to ethical standards of conduct. Christopher Hyers, UConn Health's chief communications officer, said in a statement that 'UConn Health was made aware of the matter at the time it happened and took appropriate internal steps.' Asked what those steps were, Hyers said: 'UConn Health does not comment on personnel matters.' Uribe said he has never been disciplined by UConn for any reason. Yale spokesman Thomas Conroy said the School of Medicine took the matter very seriously. He said there is clear signage forbidding photography at each entrance to the laboratory. He also said the symposium was not part of Yale's anatomy program, and the heads in the selfie were not donated to Yale. 'The photograph taken at a symposium at Yale was disturbing and an inexcusable deviation from anything Yale would expect to occur,' Conroy said in a statement. 'Yale is developing a centralized coordinating function to ensure adequate oversight is provided for use of anatomical parts in any training conducted at the school. 'The faculty member who was involved in the training at which the photograph was taken has been informed of Yale's expectations in this regard,' he said. It was not clear how the heads were obtained. Dr Lawrence Rizzolo, a surgery professor and director of medical studies at the Yale School of Medicine, called the selfie 'an egregious violation of Yale policy' in an email responding to a person who made a complaint about the photo. Medical students and professionals taking inappropriate photos is nothing new. Schools and hospitals across the country now have social media policies about what can and cannot be posted online. Last year, a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center hospital in Bedford, Pennsylvania, was cited by health officials for multiple violations after staff took photos and videos of a patient being treated for a foreign object lodged in their genitals. One doctor was suspended for 28 days and another was suspended for seven days. In 2010, a resident doctor at Stony Brook University Medical Center in New York was asked to remove a Facebook photo showing a former classmate next to a cadaver giving a thumbs up sign. The incident led the medical school to develop a social media policy. David Vincent Akins was convicted last week of four counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child A Texas man was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences after being convicted of filming the rape of a 3-month-old child. David Vincent Akins, from Magnolia,, Texas, was convicted last week of four counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child. The 38-year-old opted to let a judge, rather than a jury, render his punishment. Akins was arrested in 2016 after his former landlord reported finding child pornography on his computer. Investigators determined Akins made images and videos of sexual acts with an infant between 1 and 3 months old. The judge sentenced Akins to four life sentences to run consecutively and without the eligibility of parole. 'This baby was raped before she could roll over,' said Mary Nan Huffman, Chief Prosecutor of the Internet Crimes Against Children Division in Montgomery County, to ABC 7. 'For the sake of our county and our children, I hope we never have another David Akins, Jr. in my entire career as a prosecutor.' While undergoing the punishment phase of the trial, five other child victims came and gave their testimonies. Included were two female relatives who said that Akins raped them. One claimed that the raping occurred when she was five while the other stated that there were incidents. Akins was said to have served some time in a juvenile detention center for the rapes when he was 14. He will not be eligible for parole. The woman known around Atlanta as the 'Freedom Fighter Bandit' has been captured, the FBI announced Monday. Nilsa Marie Urena was arrested Saturday shortly after robbing a credit union just outside Nashville, Tennessee, FBI spokesman Kevn Rowson said, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The 25-year-old was wanted in connection with a string of nine bank robberies in metro Atlanta over the past three-and-a-half months. She is referred to as the 'Freedom Fighter Bandit' because she says she is robbing banks for 'the movement' and 'for the streets.' At each location Urena allegedly tells bank tellers she needs money for a variety of social causes. Nilsa Marie Urena, the woman known around Atlanta as the 'Freedom Fighter Bandit' has been captured, the FBI announced Monday The 25-year-old was wanted in connection with a string of nine bank robberies in metro Atlanta over the past three-and-a-half months. She is pictured in Dallas Georgia on January 25, her most recent alleged robbery Her alleged crime spree began on October 30 at a Wells Fargo Bank in Stone Mountain, where she presented a demand note to tellers. When they didn't give her the cash, she drove about 20 miles to Ellenwood to do the same at an Associated Credit Union, police told the AJC. If tellers didn't give her the money, police said she would tell them she had a bomb and was going to blow up the bank. 'As the bank teller gathered the money, the robber stated to the teller that she would pray for her and also reiterated that the bomb would go at any time,' Clayton County Sgt Ashanti Marbury said in a press release after the first incident. She is referred to as the 'Freedom Fighter Bandit' because she says she is robbing banks for 'the movement' and 'for the streets.' At each location Urena allegedly tells bank tellers she needs money for a variety of social causes If tellers didn't give her the money, police said she would tell them she had a bomb and was going to blow up the bank Urena was identified as the primary suspect in November when two teenagers were arrested in connection with a bank robbery, according to the AJC. Urena was identified as the primary suspect in November when two teenagers were arrested in connection with a bank robbery, according to the AJC. She is a Facebook photo One of the two told Channel 2 Action News that Urena threatened him and forced him to help her. He was arrested at school with the stolen money and a handgun on his person. 'In the first bank I went in, she told me to give the people the notice,' the 17-year-old said, explaining that he was scared because 'I didn't want to do it.' Police said she got more and more brazen with each robbery, and said that she's unusually successful - of all nine she's only been denied the money once, the during the first attempt. 'One thing we're convinced of is she's not going to stop,' Rowson said during a news conference on Thursday. 'She looks pretty average, but she is very bold.' She did not pull a gun during any of her alleged robberies, police said. Urena's latest robbery before being caught was area allegedly happened on January 25 at the Hamilton State Bank in Dallas, Georgia. Police said she entered the bank wearing a white hoodie pulled over her head and told employees she had a bomb, ordering them not to call the police. During that hit, Rowson said she was with a thin man in his 20s who was wearing all black. Graham Virgo, pro-vice-chancellor for education at Cambridge, admitted there was a sexual misconduct problem at the university The University of Cambridge has admitted it has a 'significant problem' with sexual misconduct after receiving almost 200 complaints in just nine months. Following the launch of a new anonymous online reporting system the elite institution received a staggering 173 complaints. The revelations come as universities across the country face pressure to tackle sexual harassment, with growing numbers introducing anonymous reporting methods. The majority of complaints at Cambridge (119) alleged student-on-student misconduct, while seven complaints were made by staff against colleagues, and two by students against staff. The remainder of complaints which were made via a public website - involved neither staff nor students. This is because visitors to the campus are also able to complete online questionnaires. Some of the reports are thought to be historic. The University of Cambridge received 173 complaints in just nine months after launching an anonymous online system where victims can report the crimes The university said it had expected a high number of reports because of the anonymous nature of the system - introduced last May as part of its Breaking the Silence campaign. Just six allegations were formally reported at Cambridge last term, between October and December. Graham Virgo, professor of English private law and pro-vice-chancellor for education at Cambridge, told The Guardian: 'The challenge is that one or two complaints a year do not give a university much information with which to formulate a response to the wider problem. 'Through the anonymous reporting tool, we now have a large number of Cambridge voices who have reported the issues they've faced. 'It supports our belief that we have a significant problem involving sexual misconduct what we now need to ensure is that those who have been affected receive the support and guidance they need.' A number of other universities, including Manchester, have introduced similar anonymous reporting tools, but Cambridge is the first to publish such a high number of reports. While at Oxford, eleven current and former officeholders of the OUCA have warned that a number of members 'feel able to treat women with disrespect and discourtesy'. The statement proposed by the most senior female officer in the association, Social Secretary Lucy Boland was submitted at a meeting of the society last Thursday, according to student newspaper, Cherwell. The university said it had expected a high number of reports because of the anonymous nature of the system (stock photo) It claims 'there is a common perception that the association has a problem with sexism, and that this perception is right'. The statement cites 'numerous reports' that several attendees at the society's Port and Policy event last week 'groped, touched, kissed (or attempted to), or otherwise harassed female guests'. It also alleges that this has been a recurring issue. However, when these issues were raised to other senior officers, it is claimed they were 'dismissed due to fears of bad PR'. The signatories include Treasurer, James Olney, and Political Officer, Connor Beattie. Ms Boland said: 'One may easily dismiss reports of harassment of unnamed women but I am sure that if one of the victims was one of your own sisters you would feel very differently, and you should extend the same concern to all of our members.' Solutions suggested included banning from events those members 'guilty of groping and harassment' and mandating sexual assault prevention courses for all officers and committee members. OUCA president Timothy Doyle told Cherwell: 'The Association takes allegations of misconduct at its events very seriously indeed. 'Where the Association receives an allegation of an incident of sexual harassment at one of its events, the only action it can take is to refer it to the University authorities. 'I am not aware of any Member's [sic] having been discouraged from making a complaint for the sake of avoiding bad publicity. I should deplore such an attitude.' An Oxford University spokesman said: 'All registered University clubs and societies are expected to act in accordance with an agreed Code of Conduct and with the University of Oxford's Policy and Procedure on Harassment. 'This states clearly that all members of registered clubs are expected to treat other members with dignity and respect, discourage any form of harassment by making it clear that such behaviour is unacceptable, and support other members who feel that they have been subject to harassment.' Alfie's parents Tom Evans (pictured) 21, and Kate James, 20, are determined for him to be transferred from Alder Hey hospital in Liverpool to a hospital in Rome The parents of a critically ill baby sat solemnly in court as they were told there was 'no hope for recovery' for their little boy. Brain scans of the 20-month-old found that the neurological condition he is suffering from has progressed. Alfie Evans had already suffered 'catastrophic degradation' to his brain from a 'relentless' condition, leaving him in a semi-vegetative state. Despite continuing efforts from his medical team to prolong Alfie's life they have stated that keeping him alive through ventilation is 'unkind, unfair and inhumane.' His parents Tom Evans, 21, and Kate James, 20, are determined for him to be transferred from Alder Hey hospital in Liverpool to a hospital in Rome. Vatican-linked Bambino Gesu Paediatric Hospital in Rome, offers treatment which may prolong his life. Alder Hey hospital has applied to the High Court in Liverpool to end Alfie's life support. Alfie's parents are certain that their son responds to them doctors have argued that this is simply the child suffering seizures. Pictured: Alfie's father arriving at court Reviewing the application Mr Justice Anthony Hayden ordered MRI scans of the young boy's brain which found that the disease had destroyed more of his brain. The previous set of scans, taken last August, showed Alfie's brain had reduced by more than 70% of normal size. A consultant at Alder Hey, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court the latest scans showed further deterioration of the boy's brain. He said more brain matter had disappeared and the spaces inside Alfie's skull filled with fluid had increased. Alfie's parents were joined by a group of 20 supporters at Liverpool Crown Court Two key parts of his brain, the Thalamus and Basal Ganglia, had also reduced in size to the point that they had almost gone. The expert continued: 'It shows us visibly the destruction of vital structures of the brain which are required for any normal sensory processing. 'Alfie is unaware, in a deep coma, not able to sense, touch, to see or to hear. His clinical impression has not changed over many months.' As this was announced Alfie's parents, who are not being represented by lawyers, sat in court with the heads looking at the floor. Although Alfie's parents are certain that their son responds to them doctors have argued that this is simply the child suffering seizures. Around half a dozen of Alfie's family, including his father, burst into tears and had to leave court as it was announced how Alfie's death would be handled Mr Justice Hayden asked the Alder Hey consultant if the Italian approach to the 'preservation of life' was different to the 'more secular' UK, asking the witness, 'why are they wrong?' The doctor replied: 'In my opinion it does not serve the purpose. It is not in Alfie's best interests. If there's no hope for recovery, there's no hope even for stabilisation. 'No hope for any development process. No hope for him to achieve anything you would regard as a meaningful life; to communicate, to learn, even to be able to sense. I don't think we should prolong life. 'Alfie is alive because we are interfering. That's something we must not forget. 'It does not help. It does not cure. It does not make better.' Alfie's father questioned whether 'every avenue' had been explored for his son. The doctor replied: 'I honestly believe we have done everything. One can argue we have done more than everything. 'I believe we have explored every avenue. I believe the diagnoses of a relentlessly progressive neurological disease is demonstrated very clearly. 'It's my belief we have done everything possible.' Later, following questions from the judge, a second doctor from Alder Hey described how the removal of ventilation and Alfie's death would be handled. She said: 'It would be managed so that the family are looked after...' At that point around half a dozen of Alfie's family, including his father, burst into tears and had to leave court. The hearing continues. Dr. Brooke Mascagni teaches American Political Institutions at California State University-Dominguez Hills A political science and feminist studies professor at California State University-Dominguez Hills has described Donald Trump as a white supremacist and an orange reality star in a class syllabus. Dr. Brooke Mascagni teaches American Political Institutions at the university and said in the syllabus that by the end of the class students will know 'how Americans form their political beliefs. They will also understand 'how democracy is threatened when it is taken for granted,' why politics matters' and be able to 'understand how U.S. government and political processes promote and constrain liberty, equality, and popular sovereignty,' according to the syllabus obtained by Campus Reform. A section called 'Why is this class important?' goes on to explain that 'Future generations will wonder how the greatest democracy in the world elected a white supremacist, misogynist, narcissistic, volatile, belligerent, uninformed, stubborn, failed businessman and orange reality star to the highest office.' She continues by asking the question 'How will you explain it?' She described Trump as a white supremacist, orange reality star in a syllabus for a political-science class A section called 'Why is this class important?' goes on to explain that 'Future generations will wonder how the greatest democracy in the world elected a white supremacist, misogynist, narcissistic, volatile, belligerent, uninformed, stubborn, failed businessman and orange reality star to the highest office' Mascagni then rails against Trump and the Republican party at large, pointing to the ever-increasing scandals shaking Congress and the White House. 'The President of the United States won the 2016 election by appealing to bigotry and hatred,' she wrote. 'Just about everyday, a new scandal breaks or evidence of corruption emerges. Moreover, the Republican Party controls the executive and legislative branches of government, yet couldn't manage to keep the government running on the one year anniversary of Trump's inauguration.' Mascagni continued: 'And, oh yeah, Russia interfered with the U.S. electoral process and our president is under investigation for obstruction of justice.' 'How did we get here? What facilitated Trump's rise to power? How is California challenging these threats to democracy?' she asked in the syllabus. Scandal has followed Trump this year after news broke that Trump lawyer Michael Cohen had paid $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who claimed in earlier interviews she had an affair with Trump (pictured Feb 5) Scandal has followed Trump this year after news broke that Trump lawyer Michael Cohen had paid $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who claimed in earlier interviews she had an affair with Trump. At the same time, Robert Mueller and Trump are approaching a showdown after Republicans in congress released a memo alleging abuse of government surveillance powers by the Justice Department. It includes revelations that might complicate efforts by Trump and his allies to undermine the special counsel's inquiry. Mascagani wrote students would learn 'how Americans form their political beliefs,' 'how democracy is threatened when it is taken for granted,' and why politics matters' The four-page document released Friday contends that the FBI, when it applied for a surveillance warrant on a onetime Trump campaign associate, relied excessively on an ex-British spy whose opposition research was funded by Democrats. However, the memo also confirms that the investigation into potential Trump links to Russia actually began several months earlier, and was 'triggered' by information involving a different campaign aide. DailyMail.com has reached out to Mascagni for comment. A man has been injured after losing control of his car and crashing through a cemetery. Several tombstones were destroyed when the man's Mercedes Benz flew off the road into Randwick Cemetery in South Coogee, in Sydney's east, at 2.30am Tuesday. A man in his 40s allegedly returned a positive result after being breath-tested at the scene and police are investigating the crash. A man in his 40s allegedly returned a positive result after being breath-tested at the scene and police are investigating the crash (pictured) At least four gravestones were damaged, including some dating back to the 1920s (pictured is the scene) The car is believed to have lost control at a roundabout, smashed through a concrete wall and landed upside down among the graves. The driver suffered facial and abdominal injuries and was taking to St Vincent's Hospital in a stable condition where he will undergo mandatory testing. At least four gravestones were damaged, including some dating back to the 1920s, Nine News reported. Police are urging anyone with information on the crash to come forward. A man has been injured after losing control of his car and crashing through a cemetery (pictured) The driver suffered facial and abdominal injuries and was taking to St Vincent's Hospital in a stable condition where he will undergo mandatory testing after the crash (pictured) The car is believed to have lost control at a roundabout, smashed through a concrete wall (and landed upside down among the graves (pictured) Three hundred U.S.-bound Central Americans migrants, including dozens of children, were found over the weekend inside two trucks in Mexico without proper ventilation or enough food or water. Mexicos National Institute of Migration, known as INM, informed that 198 migrants from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador were found Saturday morning inside a truck as they were being transported in the state of Tamaulipas, border with Texas. They were traveling in overcrowding conditions, said the INM. Scroll down for video Of the 198 foreign nationals found inside the truck, 76 came from Guatemala, 103 from Honduras and 19 from El Salvador. There were 80 men, 39 women, 40 boys and 39 girls. Of the minors, 55 were traveling with their parents while 24 were unaccompanied On Friday, officials found another truck with 102 Central Americas with signs of dehydration and asphyxia Three people were arrested suspected of human trafficking. On Friday, officials found another truck with 102 Central Americas with signs of dehydration and asphyxia. On Monday, President Donald Trump renewed his calls for his promised wall with Mexico, saying on Twitter Any deal on DACA that does not include STRONG border security and the desperately needed WALL is a total waste of time. Congress has until March 5th to reach an agreement on the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which protects thousands of young people who were brought to the U.S. when they were minors by their undocumented parents. Sens. John McCain, a Republican, and Christopher A. Coons, a Democrat, introduced a bill Monday that would grant permanent legal status to the so-called Dreamers as well as tighten security along the U.S.-Mexican border. The proposal, however, doesnt include changes to what Trump calls chain migration, the ability of greencard-holders and naturalized immigrants to legally bring relatives to the U.S. The plan doesnt put an end to the diversity lottery program either, something Trump has been strongly requesting in exchange for any DACA deal. On his Twitter account, McCain referred to the bill as a potential important starting point towards reaching a bipartisan immigration compromise so we can end the gridlock and move on to completing a budget agreement. Immigration reform talks in Congress hit a low point last month when at a closed-door meeting Trump reportedly complaint about the arrival of Haitians and immigrants from African nations, referring to them as shithole countries, according to sources present at that meeting. Thousands of Honduran and Salvadorian immigrants currently live and work legally in the U.S. under a Temporary Protected Status, but that designation is set to expire next year in the case of Salvadorians, while a decision on Hondurans is still pending. The Department of Homeland Security determined in January that El Salvador no longer meets a TPS designation on the basis of an environmental disaster. El Salvadors TPS designation will end on Sept. 9, 2019. Hondurass TPS is good until July 5, when the DHS will decide whether to extend, redesign or terminate their protection. The route followed by the trucks, from Ciudad Victoria to Linares, is popular among human traffickers that avoid police controls on their way to the bordering state of Tamaulipas Advertisement Royal Navy helicopters landed on HMS Queen Elizabeth's four-acre flight deck as Britain's mightiest warship finally got aircraft in time for its first set of sea trials. Merlin Mk 2 helicopters were seen in action today as the First Naval Air Squadron took their place on board the 3.1billion vessel. 'Big Lizzie', as she is affectionately known, was launched in December but is yet to have its F-35B fighter jets on-board, with deck trials due to begin later this year. The pearl of the British fleet has suffered a troubled start to its service, with a leak found as a result of a faulty seal around a propeller shaft just weeks after the vessel was commissioned. However, defence minister Gavin Williamson was quick to reassure the public that repairs would not cost the 'British taxpayer a penny'. The arrival of the Merlin MK 2's will allow Royal Navy personnel to train with the aircraft at sea as well provide search and rescue cover 24 hours a day. HMS Queen Elizabeth's helicopters will also provide protection from potential threats and can send information back to the ship from hundreds of miles away. Crews can detail exactly what is in the water space for thousands of square miles around the ship, presenting the war fighting team on board with all the information they need to keep the ship safe. Royal Navy helicopters land on HMS Queen Elizabeth's four-acre flight deck as Britain's mightiest warship begins sea trials The Merlin helicopters will help crew on HMS Elizabeth with training as well as providing 24/7 search and rescue suppport HMS Queen Elizabeth's aircraft will also provide protection from threats and can send information back to the the ship from hundreds of miles away Crews can detail exactly what is in the water space for thousands of square miles around the ship, presenting the war fighting team on board with all the information they need to keep the ship safe A Merlin MK 2 sits below deck on HMS Queen Elizabeth after the First Naval Air Squadron landed for sea trials The Squadron's Senior Pilot, Lt Cdr Steve Moseley, said : 'For us as maritime helicopter pilots, it has been an amazing experience being the first to work with our new aircraft carrier from the beginning. 'We have been itching to get on the ship rather than operate with her from ashore. 'We all joined the Fleet Air Arm to operate aircraft at sea, and to be the first to do it on-board HMS Queen Elizabeth is very exciting.' LAET Chris Lewis is an engineer on 820 NAS. He added: 'Maintaining aircraft at sea is always challenging. 'We have to work in confined hangar spaces on a pitching and rolling deck you can't even put a screwdriver down without it rolling away and getting lost! 'But having just joined HMS Queen Elizabeth, I'm gobsmacked at how good our facilities are on here. 'There's so much space, it makes our lives significantly easier.' Hundreds of people braved the cold this lunchtime as HMS Queen Elizabeth left Portsmouth for her latest sea trial Royal Navy Merlin Mark 2 helicopters from 820 Naval Aviation Squadron landed on the vessel's four-acre flight deck today They are joined by a pair of twin rotor CH-47 Chinooks which will also train onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth this month HMS Queen Elizabeth sailed out of Portsmouth earlier this week to conduct the sea trials. The aircraft carrier made its way into the Solent at lunchtime with after a pair of CH-47 Chinooks as well as the Merlin Mk2's. This latest sea trial will involve the the first flight operations from on board the vessel. The trial was delayed after sprinklers onboard the vessel started operating because of a computer glitch. Naval divers have also repaired a leaking stern shaft seal which began weeping during an earlier sea trial. he departure will see 'Big Lizzie' at sea for the next month for rotary wing trials involving helicopters taking off and landing on the four-acre flight deck while at sea. There is also the possibility the vessel will visit Gibraltar during this sea trial. Later this year, the UK's F-35s, the world's most advanced fighter jet, will undertake flight trials from the deck of the aircraft carrier while it is at sea off the east coast of the US. The UK is currently embarked on a 9.1 billion programme to buy 48 by 2025 of the F-35Bs from American aviation giant Lockheed Martin. Britain currently has 14 of the warplanes being tested and flown in the US. The two Chinooks are from the Aircraft Test and Evaluation facility at MOD Boscombe Down. The four aircraft will all be carrying specialist testing equipment. Queen Elizabeth's departure had been slightly delayed after a technical glitch with its computerised sprinkler system Helicopters will operate from the vessel's four-acre flight deck over the next month to train alongside her crew HMS Queen Elizabeth, pictured, will spend the next month performing flight operations with four helicopters The carrier's commander Captain Jerry Kyd said: 'After the excitement of our commissioning ceremony in December, my ship's company and our industry partners are looking forward to taking the ship to sea to conduct first of class rotary wing flying trials. 'These trials will involve operating different types of helicopter from the ship in all weather conditions and fully testing the myriad of on board systems that are designed to support aviation. This is an important milestone in the ship's progression towards embarking the F35-B Lightning jets later this year, and ultimately the achievement of carrier strike capability.' The Chinooks also carried Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force personnel. This sea trial will test the ability of the helicopter crews to operate during different conditions The Queen Elizabeth, pictured, may pay a visit to Gibraltar during its month-long sea trial Commander Matt Grindon, Royal Navy co-pilot of one of the aircraft said: 'It is a tremendous honour to have been part of the first deck landing on HMS Queen Elizabeth by Chinook. 'I am really looking forward to the opportunity to take part in the forthcoming trials. I have landed on previous carriers, but this flight deck is so much bigger it certainly made for an easy landing on a very impressive ship.' According to the Royal Navy, the trials will assess the conditions which the aircraft can safely operate while at sea. A spokesperson said: 'They will collect data about the landings, take-offs and manoeuvres in different wind and sea conditions, before processing the information and ultimately declaring that the ship can safely operate the aircraft.' HMS Queen Elisabeth may stop in Gibraltar during her latest month-long sea trial HMS Ocean, right, arrived in Portsmouth head of Queen Elizabeth's departure this lunch time The massive aircraft carrier was escorted from its berth by several tugs until she reached open water Helicopters will take off and land on Queen Elizabeth's four-acre flight deck during this latest month-long sea trial Detectives investigating the suspicious death of Hollywood star Natalie Wood said on Monday that Robert Wagner's account of what happened 'didn't make any sense'. At a press conference in Los Angeles, Lieutenant John Corina announced that police had two new witnesses who point to Wagner as the last person to see Natalie alive on her yacht in 1981. The late star's husband is now a 'person of interest' to the death investigation, after changing his story and refusing to speak to police. But the true story of what happened that night in 1981 may never be revealed, as the lead detective on the case said the investigation was on its last legs. 'We're doing our last shot here, seeing if anybody else will come forward with any more information,' said Corina. 'We can't keep working this case. We work where we can, where there's information to follow up we will, and when the tips all dry up then I guess we move on to the next case.' The detective confirmed that Wagner was 'the last person with [Natalie] before she ends up dead,' and added that his account 'didn't make any sense'. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Detectives investigating Natalie Wood's death said on Monday that her husband Robert Wagner's account of that night 'didn't make any sense'. Pictured: The Hollywood couple in 1970 The late star's husband is now a 'person of interest' to the death investigation, after changing his story and refusing to speak to police. Wagner (pictured in 2017) was the last person to see Natalie alive on her yacht in 1981, according to officials Lieutenant John Corina (pictured) said: 'We're doing our last shot here...We can't keep working this case. We work where we can, where there's information' The detective said the yacht's captain, Dennis Davern, told police Wagner was so angry that night he was afraid for his and Wood's safety. 'What Dennis Davern heard sounded like a fight going on in the salon and in their state room, their bedroom,' said Corina. 'It sounded like Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood were fighting. He came down from the top of the boat because he was so worried. 'He said Robert Wagner looked so angry, so crazy, that he told us he was afraid for his own safety, so he went back up. 'Robert Wagner told him ''get out of here'', so he went back up to the top of the boat. And then they end up on the back of the boat arguing, and everything went quiet.' Corina said there was evidence that Wood was assaulted before she ended up in the water. 'There were bruises on Natalie Wood's body. The coroners say they're not mechanical, they were caused probably by another person,' he said. 'We're closer to understanding exactly what happened that weekend, and how it went down.' 'I think before we were all believing the story that she must have gone in a dinghy tried to go into town in her nightgown and her socks by herself when it's raining out and the seas are really rough and you can't even see, at midnight. 'It made absolutely no sense if you really think about it. I think we have a better understanding now what happened.' Corina said the police did not have enough evidence to arrest anyone, and 37 years later are still treating the case as a suspicious death rather than a murder investigation. Officials said: 'There were bruises on Natalie Wood's body. The coroners say they're not mechanical, they were caused probably by another person' West Side Story actress Natalie was found washed up on an island off the coast of California in 1981 amid mysterious circumstances following an alleged blazing row with her husband, Wagner, on their yacht (pictured) The detective said the yacht's captain, Dennis Davern (pictured), told police Wagner was so angry that night he was afraid for his and Wood's safety 'This is a suspicious death investigation, we're not putting charges on anyone we're just trying to figure out what happened,' he said. West Side Story actress Natalie was found washed up on an island off the coast of California in 1981 amid mysterious circumstances following an alleged blazing row with her husband, Wagner, on their yacht. The case captivated the public and Wagner has been dogged by intrigue ever since. 'I just want the truth,' Natalie's sister Lana told DailyMail.com and claims her former brother-in-law still has lots of questions to answer. Lana had previously said she had no choice but to believe Wagner was somehow involved. 'I've always believed Natalie was killed, nothing has come up to change my mind on that,' she said. 'It's easier for me to believe RJ (Wagner) has nothing to do with it, because the other possibility is heart-breaking, heart-wrenching, horrendous, horrific, that this man that she had known and was married to twice, might be responsible, it's horrendous for me to even imagine that. 'I would prefer to believe the other, but unfortunately it doesn't point that way.' A few years ago Lana was filmed confronting Wagner in a hotel lobby and asking him: 'Why won't you speak to the detectives?' In video released on Radar Online, Wagner appears furious, saying to his former sister-in-law that she accused him of murder. Natalie's sister Lana told DailyMail.com that her former brother-in-law still has lots of questions to answer. In the past Lana has said she believes Natalie's husband Robert Wagner, in her mind, is the prime suspect, a claim she is less vocal about Natalie Woods' death investigation being reopened Lana Wood told DailyMail.com that she is 'frustrated' that the LA District Attorney's Office has yet to press charges against anyone for her sister's murder 'Lana, why would you even bring up anything like that?' said Wagner. 'Do you realize what you've done? ...You have accused me! You have accused me of murdering her! 'I can't believe that you'd do something like that. I'm amazed that you even talk to me.' 'I don't accuse you of anything,' Lana replied, 'but RJ [Wagner's nickname] you've changed your story... You never for one minute stopped and said, 'this is what happened.'' 'Of course I did!' snarled Wagner, before leaving while muttering, 'I can't do this.' Lana said the encounter made her feel 'sick to my stomach'. 'I was nervous beyond belief and the whole moment was surreal,' she said. 'I felt sick to my stomach. It was also a very jarring experience because I realized in that moment that I wasn't talking to the same RJ I once knew. 'I've made it very clear over the years what my thoughts are about what happened that night.' Three-time Oscar nominee Natalie, who starred in Miracle on 34th Street and Rebel Without a Cause, drowned aged 43 after going missing during a boat trip to Santa Catalina Island off the coast of California. She was with her husband Wagner, actor Christopher Walken and the boat's captain, Dennis Davern on the evening of November 28, 1981. Natalie Wood was with her husband Wagner (pictured together in 1972), actor Christopher Walken and the boat's captain, Dennis Davern on the evening of November 28, 1981 Natalie's death was originally ruled 'an accidental drowning' by a coroner at the time. But the case was reopened in 2011 when the captain of the yacht, from which she fell to her death, came forward with new evidence. Skipper Dennis Davern had originally told detectives in 1981 that Natalie got in a dinghy and rowed away, despite the actress being famously petrified of dark water. But in a sworn statement in 2011 he claimed he saw Wagner having a blazing row on deck with Natalie before she fell, and that Wagner had bullied him into keeping quiet. Davern was alone in his claim, but now two new witnesses who were in a nearby boat at the time have told detectives Lt John Carina and Ralph Hernandez that they also saw or heard the two Hollywood stars fighting on the deck of their yacht. This new evidence will be revealed in a documentary by US broadcaster CBS to be aired on Saturday night. Newsweek has fired its editor-in-chief, his deputy and three reporters after they worked on stories about a probe into suspected financial fraud at the magazine's parent company. Johnathan Davis, the co-founder and chief executive of Newsweek Media Group, fired editor Bob Roe, deputy editor Ken Li and reporters Celeste Katz and Josh Saul, as well as Josh Keefe, a reporter for the International Business Times, on Monday. Katz, Saul and Keefe had all been writing about the investigation by the Manhattan district attorney's office into the fraud allegations. The stories were all edited by Row and Li. Newsweek has fired editor Bob Roe (left) and deputy editor Ken Li (right) after they edited stories about a probe into suspected financial fraud at the magazine's parent company Johnathan Davis (pictured), the co-founder and chief executive of Newsweek Media Group, fired the group on Monday 'This whole entire staff feels it's clearly retaliatory,' a source told the LA Times. Editors have told their staffers not to work until the company tells them exactly what is happening. Another source told New York Daily News that staffers had been concerned about the impact of their stories and had directly asked Row and Li if they would lose their jobs over the coverage. The editor and his deputy pledged to protect their staff and would quit if the reporters were fired. But it doesn't look like anyone predicted that Newsweek would have cut the editors too. Newsweek (pictured are the New York City offices of the magazine) are being investigated for alleged fraud Staff at the International Business Times also report that they were not paid Monday. 'The entire staff is angry, frustrated and confused,' the source said. A defiant Katz tweeted to thank her brave colleagues and editors who supported her work, adding that she'd 'sleep well', knowing she'd done the right thing. 'My warmest thanks to the brave Newsweek editors and colleagues who supported and shared in my work especially our recent, difficult stories about the magazine itself before my dismissal today. Ill sleep well tonight... and Im looking for a job!' she tweeted. The investigation into allegations of fraud at the Newsweek Media Group, began around a year and a half ago. It is focused on, what Katz, Saul and Keefe reported, was a possible 'money trail' between former Newsweek Media Group executives and Olivet University, a Christian college in California. Last month, the Manhattan district attorney raided the Newsweek offices, removing 18 computer servers and examining the equipment inside the server room. Newsweek also fired reporters Celeste Katz (pictured) and Josh Saul, as well as Josh Keefe, a reporter for the International Business Times, on Monday A defiant Katz tweeted to thank her brave colleagues and editors who supported her work, adding that she'd 'sleep well', knowing she'd done the right thing The search was not focused on the editorial side of the company, but the Media Group's finances, including loans the company took out to purchase the servers, sources told Newsweek. Both Etienne Uzac and Johnathan Davis, the IBT founders who bought Newsweek in 2013, and reportedly have large debts, stood down earlier this month. Uzac was formerly the treasurer at Olivet University, then the vice chairman in 2011. In recent years, the Newsweek Media Group has paid the school more than $2.8 million in licensing and research agreements, according to tax records. The DA are now looking at any potential ties between the school and the media group. The IRS also filed a $1.2 million lien against Uzac in December, and $800,000 lien against his cofounder in October. Newsweek's Chief Content Officer Dayan Candappa is also currently on leave following sexual harassment allegations. Newsweek did not respond to reporters' requests for comment. Armed police officers raided a Melbourne apartment complex for several hours on Monday before arresting two people for questioning. Officers wielding machineguns and chainsaws swarmed the Docklands high-rise at 2.30pm before removing numerous bags of evidence and seizing a damaged white Audi SQ 5 hatchback. The raid is believed to be part of a larger operation conducted by the Special Operations Group, the Armed Crime Squad and the anti-gang Echo Taskforce and is reportedly linked to stolen guns, according to The Herald Sun. Scroll down for video Armed police officers raided the Docklands high-rise at 2.30pm on Monday before removing numerous bags of evidence and seizing a damaged white Audi SQ 5 hatchback Police guarded the apartment building until 9pm. All cars leaving the complex were searched (pictured) Victoria police have not confirmed if the search was related to recent gun thefts, including a 'targeted attack' on a north Melbourne gun shop in January where 60 weapons were taken. A witness saw told Channel Seven he saw a man being arrested by 'half-a-dozen or so heavily armed policemen' during the raid. A second person was also arrested and remained in police custody overnight, according to The Herald Sun. Police guarded the apartment building until 9pm. All cars leaving the complex were searched. Two women have died after being overpowered by the ocean while digging for clams on the Washington coast. The two separate incidents took place on Friday and were reported around four minutes apart. The search for their bodies was hampered 'due to rough surf and inclement weather conditions,' but a team dispatched from the Coast Guard was able to cover their bodies the following day. High tide: Two women, ages 61 and 70, died after being swept away by the powerful surf along the Washington Coast while digging for clams on Friday night At least one of the women was an experienced clammer, according to social media tributes The first incident took place in the north county near Ocean Park. Police received a call at 8:57pm for a missing 70-year-old female who got lost in the surf while digging for clams. Her body was recovered Saturday at 5pm near Westport, about two hours away by drive. Officers immediately responded by dispatching a rescue team as well as a helicopter, which was later unusable after being struck by a bird. The second female from Toledo, 61, was reported missing on Long Beach peninsula at 9:01pm, after being swept in the surf. Her body was recovered between Cranberry and Midway beach, two hours away from where she was lost, at 5:38am on Saturday. Both were accompanied by their spouses while clamming but had been briefly separated at the time of the surf. Rescue personnel from several agencies including the Coast Guard were immediately dispatched to the scene and began searching the area, but struggled with the rough water conditions. Pacific County Sheriff's Office released a statement saying the accident should warn other clammers of the dangers of the waves at night. 'These incidents serve as a tragic reminder that one must always be vigilant of the powerful surf and waves that are often present on our ocean beaches,' the statement said. 'Always stay close to other clammers, bring a flashlight or lantern, a waterproof cell phone, and never turn your back on the surf as "sneaker waves" can appear at any time,' the statement continued. Dear friend: A friend posted a Facebook tribute to the 61-year-old woman (left) Sneaker waves are unanticipated waves that reach the coast with great height and force. Friends of the victims have taken to social media to share their condolences to the families of the women. The woman from Toledo is believed to be named Sharon and was an experienced clam digger, according to social media posts. She leaves behind a husband, daughter, and son. Her friend Debby Loers Esty took to Facebook to share a tribute to her dear friend. She also changed her profile picture to commemorate the woman. 'My friend was the Toledo woman. She had a cabin down here with her husband. Was going to be her forever home when she retired. She was an experience digger and had respect for the ocean. She was last seeing walking back to their truck by her husband. We spent all night looking for her (sic),' she wrote. 'Only 1 sheriff showed up and just for a short time. There were a lot of crab boats out with their lights on. Very confusing. We are at a loss but we think she got turned around by the lights. Very devastated by it all (sic),' she added. The identities of the two women have not yet been released. Pacific County Police did not respond to Dailymail.com's enquiries regarding the two women. A bungling thief robbed a stash of cash wearing a pair of thongs and a mask that hardly covered his face. Police are hunting for the man who broke into a cafe about 15km south-west of Melbourne and stole a 'quantity of cash' from the safe. Security footage shows the man wearing a bandanna style mask over his mouth while the top half of his face is on display. Police are hunting for the man (pictured) who broke into a cafe about 15km south-west of Melbourne and stole a 'quantity of cash' from the safe However, the mask didn't last long as the thief appeared to take it off completely as he stole the cash from the cafe. 'Why has he gone to the trouble of putting on a mask, and then taking it off?' Ross Stevenson said on 3AW Tuesday morning. The man is believed to be aged in his 20s and was wearing light coloured shorts and a long sleeved shirt and back pack at the time of the robbery. The burglary happened on Ferguson Street, Williamstown, on January 13. Anyone with information is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers. Natalee Holloway's mother is suing Oxygen, claiming the NBC-owned network produced a 'fake' show and got samples of her DNA under false pretenses. Beth Holloway is asking for at least $35million from the producers of Oxygen's The Disappearance of Natalee Holloway, who she says lied to her so they could get samples of her DNA. According to the long-missing teenager's mom, she was told by Oxygen that people associated with the docu-series had discovered human, female remains that they believed could be her daughter's, the lawsuit obtained by TMZ shows. Beth Holloway filed a lawsuit against the producers of The disappearance of Natalee Holloway, claiming they knowingly lied to her about her daughter's remains(June 8, 2010, file photo) Beth claims she was told by Oxygen that people associated with the docu-series had discovered human, female remains that they believed could be her daughter's In reality, Beth claims, producers knew the remains found in Aruba weren't Natalee's when they contacted her to request the DNA sample. She is seeking $10 million in compensation and $25million in punitive damages against Oxygen Media and Los Angeles-based Brian Graden Media, which produced the show. The suit, filed in Natalee's hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, adds that Beth was subjected to 'agonizing weeks' of uncertainty that 'completely and utterly destroyed' her. In the six-episode docuseries , Natalee's father Dave digs back into his daughter's 2005 disappearance with the help of private investigator T.J. Ward In the six-episode docuseries, Natalee's father Dave digs back into his daughter's 2005 disappearance with the help of private investigator T.J. Ward (pictured) Only one out of the four bone samples tested turned out to even be human remains (Image courtesy of Oxygen) It goes on to say the show was a 'scripted, pre-planned farce calculated to give the impression of real-time events.' In the six-episode docuseries , Natalee's father Dave digs back into his daughter's 2005 disappearance with the help of private investigator T.J. Ward. After meeting an informant who claimed to know someone with information on the murder, the two traveled back to Aruba to search for Natalee's body. They did in fact find remains, but they turned out to not be Natalee's - and only one out of the four bone samples tested turned out to even be human remains. Natalee, 18, was last seen during a night out while in Aruba for her senior trip. The case was never solved, and it has sparked the public's curiosity for over a decade Joran Van der Sloot has long been the lead suspect in the case but has never been charged Beth says she would have never willingly provided a sample of her DNA if she had known the remains weren't her daughter's. Natalee's parents divorced in 1993, long before her disappearance, and Beth wasn't involved with the show. NBC and Oxygen have yet to comment on the lawsuit. The 18-year-old was last seen during a night out while in Aruba for her senior trip. The case was never solved, and it has sparked the public's curiosity for over a decade. Joran Van der Sloot, a Dutch citizen, has long been the lead suspect in the case but has never been charged. He is currently serving a 29-year jail sentence in Peru for killing business student Stephany Flores in 2010. A random breath test left a sober driver in shock after returning a positive result due to a popular mouth ulcer cream. Melbourne driver Chris Holloway blew 0.5 - ten times over the legal limit - when pulled over by police at lunchtime on Australia Day. He had applied Bonjela, an ointment used for treating mouth ulcers or teething babies, while waiting in the queue to be tested. Scroll down for video A random breath test left a sober driver (pictured) in shock after returning a positive result due to a popular mouth ulcer cream 'I was terrified, it gave me such a fright, embarrassment, and more just the shock of them saying I'd blown over,' Mr Holloway told Seven News. While being questioned by police the shocked motorist realised the cream must have been to blame for the positive reading. 'While I was in the queue I put some Bonjela on an ulcer I had on my tongue, and a couple of minutes later when I was breath tested I blew over the limit. 'I'm still really surprised, I just assumed a product for babies wouldn't have had alcohol in it.' The driver had applied Bonjela (pictured, stock image), an ointment used for treating mouth ulcers or teething babies, while waiting in the queue to be tested Mr Holloway now recommends applying mouth creams containing alcohol 15 minutes before driving. Victoria Police said in a statement: 'The driver blew a positive reading, but stated he had not consumed any alcohol. He said he had recently used a form of oral anaesthetic. 'A roadside evidentiary breath test was conducted and the driver returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.00 per cent. 'A positive preliminary breath test reading can be caused by the presence of residual alcohol in a person's mouth. While being questioned by police the shocked motorist realised the cream (pictured) must have been to blame for the positive reading 'For instance, if a person regurgitates alcoholic vapours or liquid, or has used mouthwash, breath spray or certain medicines that contain alcohol. 'Police will always conduct a secondary evidential test following an initial positive reading. 'Police cannot prosecute someone on the evidence of a preliminary breath test alone.' According to the label, Bonjela Mouth Ulcer Gel contains choline calicylate, alcohol and saccharin, and cetalkonium chloride as a preservative. Daily Mail Australia contacted Bonjela distributor Reckitt Benckiser for comment. A pack of angry teens left a cameraman seriously injured after launching a viscous attack on him when he intervened in them picking on a smaller child in Maryborough, north of Brisbane. The group were picking on someone 'half their size', lensman Allen Taylor told Seven News, but when he stepped in to stop it, they turned on him instead. One juvenile yelled abuse across the street, calling Mr Taylor a 'maggot' before ditching a small blue plastic skateboard in his direction. Allen Taylor was seriously injured after a pack of teens launched a viscous attack on him when he intervened in them picking on a smaller child in Maryborough The teens, who were riding around on skateboards and scooters, yelled abuse and used a heavy metal plate as a weapon Aggravated at the camera capturing their every move, the pack made another move towards Mr Taylor, throwing a heavy metal plate which narrowly missed him. When the cameraman refused to retreat or turn off the camera, they launch the plate at him again, this time striking his leg. 'It's a good gash, right on the shin, pretty sure I can see bone,' Mr Taylor said. The injured lensman, who won't be pressing charges against the gang, was thankful their target wasn't someone more vulnerable than himself. The group were picking on someone 'half their size', lensman Allen Taylor (pictured) said, but when he stepped in to stop it, they turned on him instead 'I'm glad it wasn't an elderly person or someone younger.' 'If it was someone else, those people would've had no chance.' Mr Taylor said if the teens continued on their gang-style warpath, they were likely to end up behind bars. Former NYPD officer Gilberto Valle, better known as 'the Cannibal Cop' has defended his fetish in a new exclusive interview with DailyMailTV. Valle, who was an NYPD cop when he created the account 'Girlmeat Hunter' on a fetish website in 2009, recalled how he used the website for his fetish. 'I had this thing that I was living with this fetish for cannibalism, for bondage, just basically domination. And there are websites that cater to that kind of stuff,' he told DailyMail TV's host Jesse Palmer in part one of their interview. Valle was jailed in 2012 for kidnapping conspiracy after his then wife, Kathleen Mangan, told the authorities that he was planning to kill and eat more than 100 women, including herself. Former NYPD officer Gilberto Valle (pictured), better known as 'the Cannibal Cop' has defended his fetish in a new exclusive interview with DailyMailTV Valle (left) was jailed in 2012 for kidnapping conspiracy after his then wife, Kathleen Mangan, told the authorities that he was planning to kill and eat more than 100 women, including herself 'It's disturbing stuff. It's something that would shock and disturb people for sure. It's graphic imagery,' Valle admitted. Mangan had grown suspicious of his late-night computer sessions, Valle recalled and installed spyware on their PC, leading her to the horrific discovery. 'What she found was not an affair. She found my chats with other people about cannibalism and bondage and I was using photos of women and things like that,' Valle said on Monday' show. Valle said his wife was 'very upset and crying' when she found the chats and despite him telling her that 'it's not real'. He said his wife decided to leave home and when she was at the airport she text him: 'I do love you.' In 2012 Valle was fired from his job at the NYPD following his arrest and now works at a friend's construction company Those words led Valle to believe that everything was going to work out between them. 'I was like okay. She's going to take a couple of weeks and come back. We'll go to a therapist and everything will be alright. 'But that's not how it played out,' he told Palmer. That's not how it played out at all. Valle's wife went to the FBI with the information that she found on his computer. Valle immediately made national headlines when he was charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping and for violating a federal hacking statute for using the computer at his precinct improperly. 'It was a nightmare. It was a total, total nightmare,' he recalled. Valle said the two charges made him seem like a monster because the media portrayed him as a cop using law enforcement equipment to hunt, kill, cook and consume women, including women he knew. 'That was one of the biggest things that was misreported early on and that's something that I think scared people when it was misreported,' Valle said. 'It was like okay he's using his work computer and he's gathering this information about these women and he's recording their addresses and clearly there's something going on here, but that never happened,' the former cop added. Valle said all he ever did was look up a female friend's accident report number. In 2013, he was convicted on both charges and spent 21 months in jail before a judge overturned the guilty verdict, ruling that the former cop was only indulging his sexual fantasies in a cannibalism chat room. Valle claimed the disturbing fantasies he detailed on the site, such as 'letting her bleed out then butcher her while she hangs', was not something he ever planned on carrying out in reality. 'It's not a crime to fantasize. It's not a crime fantasize about people you know. It's not a crime to fantasize about the most disturbing things as long as their fantasies and not real life actions,' he added. Valle said he's not in the chat rooms any more, nor is he doing role play like he used to. Mangan (right) had grown suspicious of his late-night computer sessions, Valle recalled and installed spyware on their PC, leading her to the horrific discovery The 33-year-old has a new book, titled A Gathering of Evil, that explores his cannibalism-themed fetish through a completely fictional plot involving sadists who kidnap two women in New York. Valle has openly defended his fetish in the years since he was acquitted of plotting to kidnap, kill and cook 100 women. Valle's new book, which he said is 'very graphic' and 'not for everyone' went on sale last week and received a positive review from crimefeed.com. The review said that Valle was 'quite a good writer' and is 'flying his freak flag proudly'. Valle said that if the book sells well, 'there will definitely be a sequel'. In an interview with Crime Watch Daily last year, he told Chris Hanson that he had 'talked about kidnapping women, putting them in a suitcase' and 'delivering them for gang rape'. 'Then killing, them, cooking them and eating them?' Hansen asked, adding, 'This isn't normal.' 'Would it matter if I was a plumber or if I was an accountant?' Valle asked, to which Hansen said: 'But you were a cop'. Valle said that he was a 'very good husband' to his wife, who he is now separated from. In 2013, he was convicted on both charges and spent 21 months in jail before a judge overturned the guilty verdict. Valle recently published his book A Gathering of Evil The couple have a young child together. In a tell-all book released last year, Valle wrote about how he tried to hide his dark secret and speaks about the freedom he felt when he found an online community of like-minded people. On publisher WildBlue Press's website, Valle said: 'The issue of thought crimes is one reason I wanted to write this book.' 'Maybe a more important reason for me, personally, is the feeling that I owe it to myself and everyone who wholeheartedly believed in my innocence from the day I was arrested to finally get the accurate, true story out there.' Valle has claimed he is not alone in this desire and stated in 2016 that many women contacted him online because of his cannibal fantasy. In 2012, Valle was fired from his job at the NYPD following his arrest and now works at a friend's construction company. President Donald Trump took a machete to his political rivals Monday, claiming Democrats 'don't care' about 'killer' MS-13 gang members flooding into the country. With just days before government funding is once again set to expire, and little headway on a deal between the the White House and Democrats and Republicans in Congress over immigration, Trump blasted Democrats on immigration, saying they 'don't care' about the nation's security. 'The ones that don't want security at the southern border or any other border are the Democrats. They don't care about the security of our country. They don't care about MS-13 killers pouring into our country and we bring them out almost as fast as they come in, but nobody was bringing them out before us,' Trump said. Trump made the comments while speaking in Ohio where he toured a plant and touted his tax cut. President Donald Trump said Democrats ''don't care' about the nation's security He went off on Democrats after an audience member brought up the border wall, saying: 'You got to build that wall.' 'Oh, we're building the wall. Believe me. We're building the wall. Don't even think about it,' Trump said. In his immigration proposal to Democrats, Trump said he would agree to a 12-year path to citizenship for DREAMers in exchange for $30 billion for the wall and other policy changes, something Democrats rejected as a ransom. Continuing highlighted the 'killers' that make up the gang, which has been blamed for horrific attacks on rivals gang members as well as civilians who dare to challenge it. 'And these are killers, but our guys are tougher than them and that's what we need. Sorry. And our Democrats ought to get smart and they ought to get tough or the situation's going to get very bad. But we're going to win,' Trump said. Trump's attacks on Democrats came after he said in his State of the Union he had an 'open hand' to negotiate Handcuffed inmates, members of MS-13 and Barrio 18 gangs, are made to wait upon arrival at the maximum security prison in Zacatecoluca, 65 km east of San Salvador, on August 30, 2017 Roughly two dozen accused members of the violent MS-13 gang were arrested before dawn Wednesday as federal and local investigators forced their way into homes across Los Angeles County in a sweep that came as a result of a two-year racketeering investigation 'America will not overcome this epidemic overnight. But just like Americans always will I do think we have to change our ways, and we will but we will prevail. We're going to beat it. We're going to get tough. We're going to get angry and we're going to win. Our children are being decimated,' the president said. 'You know, one drug dealer can kill thousands of people. One drug dealer. If you ever did an average, nobody's ever seen this. You probably never heard this before,' Trump said. 'If you ever did an average, a drug dealer will kill thousands of people. And we don't even come down on these people. So it's time to start. And that time is now. Right now,' he said. Trump also brought up MS-13 in his State of the Union speech, where he pitched an immigration deal that he termed 'a fair compromise one where nobody gets everything they want, but where our country gets the critical reforms it needs.' His speech came hours after he ripped the latest bipartisan immigration effort as a 'total waste of time.' GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware released the proposal Monday morning. It provide a 'pathway to citizenship' for dreamers and sets up a study for how to improve border security but does not fund a new border wall. Government funding runs out Friday and DACA protections expire next month. 'Any deal on DACA that does not include STRONG border security and the desperately needed WALL is a total waste of time,' Trump tweeted Monday morning. 'March 5th is rapidly approaching and the Dems seem not to care about DACA. Make a deal!' Sens. John McCain, an Arizona Republican and Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, are rolling out legislation that provides a pathway to citizenship for the so-called 'Dreamers,' while also ordering a study, which would look at what measures are needed to secure the southern border. Exactly 100 years ago today, after decades of bitter struggle, the Representation of the People Act gave British women the vote for the first time thanks to the brave and tireless actions of the suffragettes. Well, not all women got the vote: only those who were over 30, who owned property or were graduates in a university constituency. But it was a start. It took another ten years for the vote to be extended to ALL women, on the same terms as men enjoyed. The campaign had been savage, with many suffragettes resorting to measures such as torching politicians houses, chaining themselves to railings, slashing works of art, stone-throwing and even planting bombs. Many of those who were imprisoned and went on hunger strike were force-fed. Famously, one woman made the ultimate sacrifice: Emily Wilding Davison threw herself in front of the Kings horse at the Epsom Derby. These were warriors to the female cause paving the way for full female emancipation, women MPs and two female Prime Ministers. So what would these lionhearts make of the fact that of their descendants, several have chosen to make their careers on the catwalk, of all places? CATHERINE OSTLER examines the unlikely story of the heroines of female suffrage and their pouting, barely-clad successors CAMPAIGN COLOSSUS AND THE PARTY GIRL Ishbel, the Marchioness of Aberdeen, and 27-year-old Edie Campbell, her first cousin, four times removed. Lady Aberdeen was a colossal figure of the womens movement. The third daughter of the 1st Baron Tweedmouth, her tutors picked up on her intellect and wanted her parents to send her to university. Her father, however, shared the widely held opinion that university was no place for a woman. Countess, Lady Aberdeen (right) the former Ishbel Majoribanks, active in political and social affairs and her 27-year-old cousin Edie Campbell, four times removed Attending her parents social events allowed Ishbel to meet the famous politicians of the day and sparked her interest in politics and womens rights. In 1877, she married John Campbell Hamilton-Gordon, the 7th Earl of Aberdeen, and the couple became famous for their altruism. Lady Aberdeen organised literacy classes for her servants while campaigning for womens education, health, better housing, jobs and pay. As head of the Womens Liberal Federation, she preferred the less confrontational wing of the womens suffrage movement. A mother-of-five, she only resigned her post a few days before she died in 1939, at the age of 82. Almost 80 years on, model Edie Campbell (she is descended on her fathers side from Florence Hogg, her fathers great-great-grandmother, while Lady Aberdeen was Florences niece) made headlines last year, along with her sister Olympia and father Roddy (himself dressed as a Bunny Girl), at a louche Absolute Filth themed birthday party. Edie was dressed in red boots and knickers with FILTH written across her bare chest. She has been model of the year, the face of Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium perfume and appeared on German, Italian, Chinese, French and British Vogue covers. She has recently spoken up, in an open letter and an interview, about sexual harassment in fashion. REBELLIOUS BLUE BLOOD AND THE PLAYBOY MODEL Lady Constance Lytton and her great-great-great niece Morwenna Lytton-Cobbold, 28. Lady Constance was a suffragette of the most hard-core variety, with some truly blue blood flowing through her veins. Lady Con, as her fellow sisters dubbed her, was the daughter of the first Earl of Lytton and grew up in the splendour of a stately Tudor house, Knebworth in Hertfordshire. Her rebellious streak seems to have started in 1892 when she was refused permission to marry a man from a lower social order. She spent years waiting in vain for her family to change their minds. Lady Constance Lytton (right) pictured during Suffragette Procession in London in 1909 and her great-great niece Morwenna Lytton-Cobbold (left) 28 She caught politics when she was nearly 40 and campaigned for prison reform, birth control and votes for women. She once threw a stone at a car, thinking Lloyd George was in it. She was imprisoned four times and was force-fed through a tube while on hunger strike a shockingly grim process that she described afterwards in print. In Holloway, she used an alias, Jane Warton an ugly London seamstress (her words) to avoid special treatment, and carved a V for votes into her bleeding chest with a hairpin. She remained unmarried and died at the age of 54. With her weak heart possibly as a result of spending so much time on hunger strike she was seen as a martyr to the cause. The same blue blood runs through Morwennas veins, and her family seat is still Knebworth but thats as far as similarities between the two women go. Spotted in a feature for Teen Vogue in 2006, posing with a Mickey Mouse doll, the 5ft 10in winsome redhead has modelled for Burberry, Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen. She was also shot by Rankin for French Playboy in 2008 she described having to feign an orgasm face for the camera. Latterly, shes turned her hand to photography and working as a DJ. And like her great-great- great aunt, she remains unmarried. Possibly the only thing the less jolly Lady Con would have approved of! MAN ON THEIR SIDE AND A RISQUE BRIDE George Wyndham and great-great-great niece Lady Mary Charteris, 30. The Conservative politician, one-time soldier and MP for Dover for 24 years, Wyndham was once rumoured to be Prime Minister Antony Edens father because he looked so much like him (and enjoyed a close friendship with his mother, Sybil). Wyndhams stirring speech in Parliament in 1892, advocating suffrage, is said to have started the debate, and he became one of its most trusted supporters in the House. George Wyndham (left) and his great-great-great niece Lady Mary Charteris, 30 (right) His great-great-great niece, Lady Mary Charteris, 30, is the girl whom wives love to hate. According to one newspaper report, the blonde model, DJ and musician was pushed into a swimming pool by Kate Moss because she thought she was flirting with Mosss then husband, Jamie Hince. And Victoria Beckham is said not to be too fond of Mary either (due to the younger womans close friendship with David). The party-loving socialite is married to musician Robbie Furze, and she sings with his band, the Big Pink. She raised aristocratic eyebrows when she wore a very risque see-through Pam Hogg dress on their wedding day in 2012. Brought up at beautiful Jacobean manor house Stanway, in Gloucestershire, Lady Marys parents are James Charteris, 13th Earl of Wemyss, and his ex-wife, Catherine Guinness. Her bloodline to Wyndham is via his sister, Mary, who was her great-great-grandmother. Pouty and half-dressed on Instagram, Mary has modelled for Topshop, LOreal, Iceberg and others. She is best friends with Poppy Delevingne from school days. PUBLICITY SHY RADICAL AND THE CATWALK STARS Muriel, Countess de la Warr and her great-great-granddaughters Idina Moncreiffe, 25, and sister Alexandra, 21. The Countess was born into an illustrious family. She was the daughter of Thomas Brassey, the 1st Earl of Brassey, Lord of the Admiralty. Her grandfather was the tycoon railway contractor Thomas Brassey. She made an appropriate match, aged 18, with Gilbert, the 8th Earl De La Warr, with whom she had three children. Eleven years later, however, when she found her husband had cheated on her with an actress, she divorced him and joined the Labour Party. It was unheard of for a woman of her class and time. Muriel, Countess de la Warr and her great-great-granddaughter Idina Moncreiffe Muriel, her younger sister Louise and her daughter Idina were all founder members of the East Grinstead Suffrage Union in 1913. Muriel originally supported the Womens Social and Political Union (WSPU) but left during their arson campaign, of which she disapproved. The heiress, a peaceful sort who preferred to remain in the background, bankrolled the only news-paper on the womens side, the Daily Herald, thus ensuring vital publicity. Her great-great-granddaughters, however, have chosen a life in the limelight. Idina Moncreiffe, 25, and her sister, Alexandra, 21, are both models with Select agency. Educated at Yorkshire Catholic public school Ampleforth, they were brought up on a Scottish estate. They are the daughters of City grandee the Hon Peregrine Moncreiffe and his wife, artist Miranda Fox-Pitt. Idina (right) has appeared in Vogue and modelled for Vivienne Westwood and Simone Rocha. Alexandra has been a Tatler cover girl and modelled for Lanvin, Diesel and Fred Perry. DEAL BROKER AND TATLER COVERGIRL Lady Frances Balfour and her great-great niece Sabrina Percy. Lady Frances came from campaigning stock her mother and grandmother had been abolitionists. Outraged that she could not vote, let alone be an MP, she became president of the National Society for Womens Suffrage for 18 years; it was the first national group to campaign for womens right to vote. A non-violent suffragist, she married Eustace Balfour, whose uncle, Lord Salisbury, had been Prime Minister and whose brother, Arthur, would follow him into the highest office in the land. Lady Frances Balfour and her great-great niece Sabrina Percy Lady Frances believed in using her position to broker the deal for women. Her sister-in-law, Betty Balfour, was Constance Lyttons sister, but she disapproved deeply of Constances methods. My gifts, such as they were, lay in being a sort of liaison officer between Suffrage and the Houses of Parliament, and being possessed of a good platform voice, Lady Frances said. Her great-great niece, Lady Sabrina Percy, has chosen a rather different lifestyle. The model is the covergirl of this months Tatler magazine. The slender, 28-year-old brunette, whose ancestral home, Alnwick Castle, featured in the Harry Potter movies, was on the catwalk for Dolce & Gabbana twice last year. She is a graduate of the London College of Fashion and is also an illustrator, with clients such as Rolls-Royce and Lululemon, the upmarket yoga clothing label. Lady Sabrinas father is the second cousin to the Duke of Northumberland and her mother was a fashion designer. CLASS WARRIOR AND A 'BISEXUAL PIRATE' ACTRESS Hilda Campbell Vaughan and her great-granddaughter Clara Paget, 29. Vaughan was born in Mid Wales to a prosperous family. Educated privately, she seemed destined for a gentle, privileged life until the outbreak of World War I, when she volunteered in a Red Cross hospital and for the Womens Land Army. Her work brought her into contact with rural families and opened her eyes to the injustices of life for women. She opted to use a pen as her tool and wrote extensively on womens issues. Her works are beloved of gender studies courses still. Hilda Campbell Vaughan (right) and her great-granddaughter Clara Paget, 29 Today, her great-granddaughter is a sharp-cheekboned model and actress. Lady Clara (she doesnt use the title professionally) is the daughter of the Marquess and Marchioness of Anglesey. Her paternal grandmother was Hildas daughter. A highlight of her career was when she donned a pinafore and stockings to play posh totty in the St Trinians 2 movie. Shes also appeared in Midsomer Murders, starred in a U.S. TV series called Black Sails (a prequel to Treasure Island) as bisexual pirate legend Anne Bonny, and has modelled for Burberry and Gucci. PS. AT LEAST THE PANKHURSTS ARE STILL FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT Emmeline Pankhurst and her 23-year-old great-great granddaughter, Laura Pankhurst. Emmeline Pankhurst is probably the most famous suffragette of all. Alongside her daughter Christabel, she led the movement to victory. Emmeline Pankhurt and her great-great-granddaughter, Laura Pankhurst, 23 Her descendant Laura has stayed true to the Pankhurst path. A Cambridge law graduate, she and her mother Helen (right) a womens rights and international development activist were advisers to the 2015 film Suffragette, in which Meryl Streep played their ancestor, and themselves had small parts in it. Laura is a feminist and a trainee human rights lawyer. A pulley system will be added to the Swan River pedestrian bridge so disabled people can enjoy the view over Perth from a 70-metre viewing platform. The Matagarup Bridge, which is currently under construction, will link East Perth to the city's new stadium in Burswood. WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti told The West Australian the pulley system for people with disabilities was added when the bridge's design was revised. A pulley system will be added to Matagarup Bridge so disabled people can enjoy the view over Perth from a 700-metre viewing platform (pictured) 'I understand there will be capacity to accommodate a hoist operation that will allow people with disabilities to access the viewing platform at the apex of the two primary arches,' she said. 'When the operation of the bridge walk is publicly tendered, I expect a condition will be that the operator must provide disability access to the platform.' Tourism Council Chief Executive Evan Hall told the publication it is not always feasible or safe to cater to such rules when building a new structure. 'We end up having no attractions because there are all these rules that say it's got to be available to everyone, even though everybody doesn't want it and it just makes it commercially unviable or illegal,' he told The West Australian. Mr Hall said he agreed with the rules of the Disability Discrimination Act, but argued for more market research to see if there is a demand for such features. The pedestrian bridge, which links East Perth to the city's new stadium in Burswood, is under construction (pictured) It is illegal for the operator of a structure to exclude access for disabled people, unless creating access would be an 'unjustifiable hardship'. 'Discrimination is allowed if premises are existing, and alterations required to make them accessible would impose unjustifiable hardship on the person providing the accessibility,' according to the Disability Discrimination Act. Construction of the bridge is expected to end in March and is expected to cost at least $90 million. It was originally budgeted at $54million. Perth company Civmec was granted the bridge contract. The son of hair care mogul Paul Mitchell has been accused of sexual harassment in a lawsuit that claims he turned his late father's company into 'a hunting ground to find women to date and have sex with'. Angus Mitchell, the 47-year-old co-owner of John Paul Mitchell Systems and son of the company's founder Paul Mitchell, was sued by ex-employee Tally Rossi on Monday in California state court. Rossi, a former media project manager at the company, claims that in September of 2015, Mitchell invited her over and gave her a glass of wine while he told her about his contentious divorce from his 21-years-younger British ex-wife Sian. The complaint claims that Mitchell 'grabbed [her] by the face and forcibly kissed her without her consent,' according to The Fashion Law. On another occasion, Rossi claims that Mitchell pressured her into taking ecstasy and 'had sex with her,' saying she felt she had to in order to keep her job. Tally Rossi (left) sued Angus Mitchell (right), the 47-year-old co-owner of John Paul Mitchell Systems and son of the company's founder Paul Mitchell, on Monday in California court She claimed Angus Mitchell (pictured) turned his late father's company into 'a hunting ground to find women to date and have sex with' Rossi worked as a media project manager at John Paul Mitchell Systems. She claims Mitchell pressured her into taking Ecstacy and having sex, and paid her $50,000 in hush money Over the next several months, Rossi says she engaged in a sexual relationship with Mitchell until January 2016, when she broke it of and alleges she was retaliated against, including being 'demoted and transferred'. Two months later, in March 2016, Rossi says she met with Mitchell to discuss the situation. Rossi claims Mitchell convinced her to have sex 'one last time', and feared the professional consequences if she refused. The next day, after Mitchell 'begged Rossi not to say anything', he wired her $50,000, the lawsuit claims. Rossi says that when she approached company president Luke Jacobellis a few days later about her concerns, he terminated her employment. The lawsuit claims discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex, failure to prevent harassment or discrimination, and constructive wrongful termination all in violation of California state law. The events of the suit date back to the time of Mitchell's contentious divorce with Sian and a custody battle over their son Dylan, then just six months old. Angus Mitchell is seen with his ex-wife Sian. Rossi says he plied her with wine and discussed their divorce before he 'forcibly kissed her' Sian Mitchell is seen with son Dylan in December 2015, during the bitter custody battle Mitchell appears to have prevailed in the custody battle. He is seen with Dylan in November The marriage ended with Mitchell having his personal chef serve his wife with divorce papers, a full six weeks after he had secretly filed them in court. Sian claimed Mitchell wouldn't stop drinking despite two trips to rehab. She said he even smuggled vodka and red wine into her hospital room within hours of the birth, and drunkenly pulled a chair out from under her while she was pregnant. (He claimed he assistant brought the wine to celebrate with visitors.) According to San Diego court documents Mitchell's first trip to rehab came in 2004 when he was ordered to attend a threemonth course by a San Diego court. The criminal file, seen exclusively by Daily Mail, shows that the hair-care tycoon was arrested in October 2003 and charged with reckless driving, DUI and one count of cocaine possession. After pleading no contest to the charges, Mitchell, who admits in the documents that he 'possessed cocaine in a usable quantity' and 'drove in a reckless manner having consumed alcohol', was fined $1,814 and placed on probation. He was also ordered to complete a three-month First Offender program aimed at tackling alcohol abuse and present a certificate of completion to the court. The program, which he completed at a facility in Santa Monica close to his Pacific Palisades home, included 12.5 hours of alcohol drug education and required him to attend six meetings at Alcoholics Anonymous. John Paul DeJoria and Paul Mitchell founded John Paul Mitchell Systems in 1980. The elder Mitchell died of pancreatic cancer in 1989. A recent Newspoll has shown citizens overwhelmingly want the controversial Australia Day holiday to remain on January 26 - despite public outcry over the date's historical significance. The survey, conducted by The Australian, shows a two-thirds majority do not want the celebration moved, including a staggering 77 per cent of Coalition voters. Activists have been calling for a changing of the date because to many Aboriginals it represents white oppression, labelling the occasion 'Invasion Day'. A recent Newspoll has shown citizens overwhelmingly want the controversial Australia Day holiday to remain on January 26 - despite public outcry over the date's historical significance Activists have been calling for a changing of the date because to many Aboriginals it represents white oppression, labelling the occasion 'Invasion Day' The poll questioned 1,616 across Australia, finding 65 per cent of total people in favour of Australia Day remaining on its current date. Liberal and National Party-aligned citizens and their representation in the poll has been strongly backed by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull who 'assured' people the date would not change under his leadership. 'The overwhelming majority of Australians want to keep Australia Day on the 26th of January and agree with the patriotic sentiments we're expressing,' he said last week. Greens voters predictably mostly wanted the January 26 day moved, but the majority was slightly lower than anticipated, with 63 per cent wanting it moved. The poll questioned 1,616 across Australia, finding 65 per cent of total people in favour of Australia Day remaining on its current date Greens voters predictably mostly wanted the January 26 day moved, but the majority was slightly lower than anticipated, with 63 per cent wanting it moved Labor supporters backed the current date to the tune of 57 per cent, backed by party leader Bill Shorten who last month added his voice to the day remaining as it currently is. 'I understand there's a range of views about when Australia Day should be,' Mr Shorten said. 'I'm on the record as supporting Australia Day staying on January 26. I can respect that different people have different views. 'You're not going to see me sneering at indigenous Australians who want to have a discussion about a different date for Australia Day.' One Nation unsurprisingly polled a 92 per cent majority in the day staying. A total of 6 per cent of voters were undecided on the issue, suggesting Australians are beginning to take sides. Advertisement Nasa has transformed 'selfies' taken by its Mars rover Curiosity into a stunning self-portrait. The photo shows Curiosity in the middle of the dusty, red Martian terrain, with Mount Sharp in the background. The rim of Gale Crater is also visible. A small, self-focusing camera on the end of the research vehicle's arm took the selfies, with dozens of pictures, all snapped on January 23, used to create the mosaic. This self-portrait or shows the vehicle on Vera Rubin Ridge, which it's been investigating for the past several months. Directly behind the rover is the start of a clay-rich slope scientists are eager to begin exploring. In the coming week, Curiosity will begin to climb this slope. North is on the left and west is on the right, with Gale Crater's rim on the horizon of both edges. Poking up just behind Curiosity's mast is Mount Sharp, photobombing the robot's selfie The new self-portrait, released by Nasa, shows the research vehicle on Mars's Vera Rubin Ridge, which it has been investigating for the past several months. Curiosity has been roaming Mars since 2012, and its next stop is the slope shown directly behind it, where it will probe what's believed to be clay-rich soil. In a statement on the photograph, Nasa said: 'Directly behind the rover is the start of a clay-rich slope scientists are eager to begin exploring. 'In coming weeks, Curiosity will begin to climb this slope. In the image, north is on the left and west is on the right, with Gale Crater's rim on the horizon of both edges. 'Poking up just behind Curiosity's mast is Mount Sharp, photobombing the robot's selfie.' Images used to create the selfie were taken using Curiosity's Mars Hands Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera, which helps it to identify the minerals in samples of Martian rock. Images used to create the selfie were taken using Curiosity's Mars Hands Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera, which helps it to identify the minerals in samples of Martian rock. Pictured is a previous Curiosity 'selfie' stitched together using images taken by the camera in October 2012 Wrist motions and turret rotations on the arm allowed MAHLI to snap the mosaic's component images, with the arm itself positioned out of the shot in each picture used. When Curiosity landed on Mars five years ago, the team's intention was to study lower Mount Sharp, where the rover will remain for all of its time on Mars. The mountain's base provides access to layers formed over millions of years, allowing Nasa scientists to investigate the red planet's mysterious geological history. Scientists think Mount Sharp's layers formed in the presence of water - likely due to a lake or lakes where sediments accumulated, which formed these layers inside Gale Crater. Curiosity was initially intended to be a two-year mission to gather information to help answer if the planet could support life, has liquid water, study the climate and the geology of Mars. Pictured are 'selfies' taken by the rover's MAHLI camera in May 2014 (left) and January 2016 (right) Curiosity was initially intended to be a two-year mission to gather information to help answer if the planet could support life, has liquid water, study the climate and the geology of Mars. Due to its success, the mission has been extended indefinitely and has now been active for over 2,000 days, sending back thousands of pictures during its lonely mission. Last week, Nasa released an incredible panoramic view of the surface of Mars created using images taken by the rover's array of cameras. One of the on-board cameras captured 16 separate scenic images that show various points on its journey, as seen from the top of the Vera Rubin Ridge, which were then stitched together to form the sweeping image. Due to its success, the mission has been extended indefinitely and has now been active for over 2,000 days, sending back thousands of pictures during its lonely mission. Last week, Nasa released an incredible panoramic view of the surface of Mars (pictured) created using images taken by the rover's array of cameras Thanks to some clever visual effects that give the scene a blue hue, rather than the distinctive rusty red normally associated with Mars, the vista looked strangely similar to the surface of Earth. Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, released the panorama, which gives an overview of the rover's path along the crater's outer edge, although the photos themselves were all taken on October 25, 2017, by Curiosity's Mast Camera, or Mastcam. At an elevation of 327 metres (1,073 feet) the image looks over the crater, which is about 3.5 to 3.8 billion years old and covers an area 96 miles (154 kilometres) in diameter - about the same size as Rhode Island and Connecticut combined. This aerial shot shows the area that the Mars Curiosity rover (blue star) is in and where it has travelled so far on its journey (black line). The 'hill outside gale crater' at the top of the shot is visible in recent panoramic image taken by Curiosity and is over 50 miles (80 km) away from the rover THE NASA MARS CURIOSITY ROVER LAUNCHED IN 2011 AND HAS IMPROVED OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE RED PLANET The Mars Curiosity rover was initially launched from Cape Canaveral, an American Air Force station in Florida on November 26, 2011. After embarking on a 350 million mile (560 million km) journey, the 1.8 billion ($2.5 billion) research vehicle touched down only 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away from the earmarked landing spot. After a successful landing on August 6th, 2012, the rover has travelled about 11 miles (18 km). It launched on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft and the rover constituted 23 per cent of the mass of the total mission. With 80 kg (180 lb) of scientific instruments on board, the rover weighs a total of 899 kg (1,982 lb) and is powered by a plutonium fuel source. The rover is 2.9 metres (9.5 ft) long by 2.7 metres (8.9 ft) wide by 2.2 metres (7.2 ft) in height. The Mars curiosity rover was initially intended to be a two-year mission to gather information to help answer if the planet could support life, has liquid water, study the climate and the geology of Mars an has since been active for more than 2,000 days The rover was initially intended to be a two-year mission to gather information to help answer if the planet could support life, has liquid water, study the climate and the geology of Mars. Due to its success, the mission has been extended indefinitely and has now been active for over 2,000 days. The rover has several scientific instruments on board, including the mastcam which consists of two cameras and can take high-resolution images and videos in real colour. So far on the journey of the car-sized robot it has encountered an ancient streambed where liquid water used to flow, not long after it also discovered that billions of years ago, a nearby area known as Yellowknife Bay was part of a lake that could have supported microbial life. Advertisement Most of the scene's horizon is the crater's northern rim, around 1.2 miles (two kilometres) above the rover. Due to the incredibly thin atmosphere of the planet, a mountain that is more than 50 miles (80 km) away can be seen in the background of the stunning shot. As well as stitching the photos together to create a seamless shot, Nasa also adjusted its white-balance so that the colour of the rock strewn inclines and flat surface of the crater's interior appear as they would under daylight conditions on Earth. In a written statement, Curiosity project scientist Ashwin Vasavada said: 'Even though Curiosity has been steadily climbing for five years, this is the first time we could look back and see the whole mission laid out below us. 'From our perch on Vera Rubin Ridge, the vast plains of the crater floor stretch out to the spectacular mountain range that forms the northern rim of Gale Crater.' The Mars Curiosity rover was initially launched from Cape Canaveral, an American Air Force station in Florida, on November 26, 2011. After embarking on a 350 million mile (560 million km) journey, the rover touched down only 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away from the earmarked landing spot on August 6, 2012. The 1.8 billion ($2.5 billion) rover has since travelled about 11 miles (18 km). The mission has subsequently approached the southern edge of the ridge and examined several outcrop locations along the way. Advertisement A new study of the tightly-packed family of planets 40 light years from Earth has confirmed that it could be the best place to find life outside our solar system. The 'holy grail' Trappist-1 planetary system hit the headlines a year ago when astronomers revealed that it contained a multitude of Earth-like worlds. Since then, the Hubble Space Telescope has been used to capture faint tell-tale light signals as the planets passed in front of their star. The new study claims that the planets in the system have the potential to host life, although they caution that they are 'far from establishing' this for certain. Analysis of the way starlight interacted with the planets' atmospheres showed that all seven worlds were mostly made of rock, like the Earth, with water accounting for up to 5 per cent of their mass. Scroll down for video A new study of the tightly-packed family of planets 40 light years from Earth have confirmed that it could be the best place to find life outside our solar system. The system's seven planets orbit an ultra-cool dwarf star, called TRAPPIST-1 By comparison the oceans account for just 0.02 per cent of the mass of the Earth. Experts agree that water, ideally in its liquid state, is a prerequisite for life as we know it. The researchers also found that the seven planets are considered temperate, meaning that under certain geological and atmospheric conditions, all could have conditions that allow water to remain in liquid form. The system's seven planets orbit an ultra-cool dwarf star, called TRAPPIST-1, about 40 light-years away in the Aquarius constellation. One, Trappist-1e, stands out as being the most Earth-like in terms of its size, density and the amount of light energy received from its star. Astronomers used Hubble to analyze light from the nearby star TRAPPIST-1 that passed through the atmospheres of four Earth-sized planets in the star's habitable zone. Top: A model spectrum containing the signatures of gases the astronomers would expect to see if the exoplanets' atmospheres were puffy and dominated by primordial hydrogen from the distant worlds' formation. Bottom: the flat spectrum shown indicates that Hubble did not spot any traces of water or methane These spectra show the chemical makeup of the atmospheres of four Earth-size planets orbiting within or near the habitable zone of the nearby star TRAPPIST-1. The habitable zone is a region at a distance from the star where liquid water, the key to life as we know it, could exist on the planets' surfaces. The purple curves show the predicted signatures of gases such as water and methane that absorb certain wavelengths of light Dr Amaury Triaud, from the University of Birmingham, a leading member of the international team, said: 'Of the seven planets, and of all the exoplanets that have been identified so far, Trappist-1e is the most resembling Earth, when we consider the amount of energy a planet receives from its star, and its density, which reflects its internal composition. 'As our next step we would like to find out whether the planet has an atmosphere, since our only method to detect presence of biology beyond the solar system relies on studying the chemistry of an exoplanet's atmosphere.' He stressed that despite the speculation scientists were still 'far from establishing' whether Trappist-1e really does have conditions suitable for life. Clearer answers are expected after Nasa's powerful James Webb Space Telescope is launched into orbit next year. It will be the first of a new generation of telescopes with the ability to seek chemical sign-posts of life in exoplanet atmospheres. WHAT IS THE TRAPPIST-1 SYSTEM? TRAPPIST-1 is a planetary system consisting of seven planets orbiting an ultra-cool dwarf star, called TRAPPIST-1, about 40 light-years away in the Aquarius constellation. TRAPPIST-1 is named after the Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST) in Chile, which discovered two of the seven planets we know of today - announced in 2016. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, in collaboration with ground-based telescopes, confirmed these planets and uncovered the other five in the system. The TRAPPIST-1 planets huddle so close to one another that a person standing on the surface of one of these worlds would have a spectacular view of the neighbouring planets in the sky, which would sometimes appear larger than the Moon looks to an observer on Earth. TRAPPIST-1 is a planetary system consisting of seven planets orbiting an ultra-cool dwarf star, called TRAPPIST-1, about 40 light-years away in the Aquarius constellation. TRAPPIST-1 is named after the Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST) in Chile, which discovered two of the seven planets we know of today - announced in 2016 The researchers found that the seven planets are considered temperate, meaning that under certain geological and atmospheric conditions, all could have conditions that allow water to remain in liquid form They may also be tidally locked, meaning the same side of the planet is always facing the star, and each side is in perpetual day or night. Although the planets are all closer to their star than Mercury is to the Sun, TRAPPIST-1 is such a cool star that its planets are temperate. Based on available data, here are scientists' best guesses about the appearance of the planets: TRAPPIST-1b : The system's innermost planet is likely to have a rocky core, surrounded by an atmosphere much thicker than Earth's. : The system's innermost planet is likely to have a rocky core, surrounded by an atmosphere much thicker than Earth's. TRAPPIST-1c : Also likely has a rocky interior, but with a thinner atmosphere than planet b. : Also likely has a rocky interior, but with a thinner atmosphere than planet b. TRAPPIST-1d : The lightest of the planets - about 30 per cent the mass of Earth. Researchers are not certain whether it has a large atmosphere, an ocean or an ice layer. All three of these would provide the planet an 'envelope' of volatile substances. : The lightest of the planets - about 30 per cent the mass of Earth. Researchers are not certain whether it has a large atmosphere, an ocean or an ice layer. All three of these would provide the planet an 'envelope' of volatile substances. TRAPPIST-1e : Researchers suspect that this planet is most like Earth. It is slightly denser than Earth, suggesting it might have a denser core than our planet. Like TRAPPIST-1c, it doesn't necessarily have a thick atmosphere, ocean or ice layer - making these two planets distinct in the system. In addition, the planet is a lot rockier than the rest of the planets. In terms of size, density and the amount of radiation it receives from its star, this is the most similar to planet Earth. : Researchers suspect that this planet is most like Earth. It is slightly denser than Earth, suggesting it might have a denser core than our planet. Like TRAPPIST-1c, it doesn't necessarily have a thick atmosphere, ocean or ice layer - making these two planets distinct in the system. In addition, the planet is a lot rockier than the rest of the planets. In terms of size, density and the amount of radiation it receives from its star, this is the most similar to planet Earth. TRAPPIST-1f, g and h : Far enough from the host star that water could be frozen as ice across these surfaces. If they have thin atmospheres, they would be unlikely to contain the heavy molecules of Earth such as carbon dioxide. Advertisement The Trappist-1 planets circle a cool red-dwarf star just 9 per cent as massive as the sun. Because it is so faint, the star's 'habitable zone' - the orbital region where water can exist as a liquid - is much closer in than the sun's. As a result the seven planets are all nearer their star than Mercury is to the sun, yet enjoy relatively mild climates. The worlds are also so huddled together that a person standing on any one of them would have a spectacular view of their celestial neighbours. In some cases, the planets could appear larger than the moon seen from the Earth, said the astronomers. This handout image obtained from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) shows size comparison of the planets of the TRAPPIST-1 system, lined up in order of increasing distance from their host star. The planetary surfaces are portrayed with an artists impression of their potential surface features, including water, ice, and atmospheres.Seven planets recently spotted orbiting a dim star in our Milky Way galaxy, are rocky, have water, and are potentially 'habitable' This illustration shows the seven Earth-size planets of TRAPPIST-1. The image does not show the planets' orbits to scale, but highlights possibilities for how the surfaces of these intriguing worlds might look The planets may also be tidally locked, meaning the same face is always pointing towards the star. According to the researchers, five of the planets appear devoid of an atmosphere consisting of Hydrogen and Helium, like Neptune or Uranus have. Dr Triaud, however, told the MailOnline that these five planets may still have a more compact atmosphere. 'An atmosphere like that of Earth or Venus would remain undetectable in our current data. 'The five planets are b, c, d, e, and f. ' The TRAPPIST-1 planets huddle so close to one another that a person standing on the surface of one of these worlds would have a spectacular view of the neighbouring planets in the sky, which would sometimes appear larger than the Moon looks to an observer on Earth The planets d, e, f and g are the newly analysed, with d, e, and f seen without hydrogen/helium atmospheres. 'For g, the data was not sufficiently good to rule-out hydrogen and helium (and) planet h was not observed.' This reinforces the idea that TRAPPIST-1's seven planets are similar to the rocky worlds of our solar system. 'When we first found the planets we did not know what composition they had, or what they would look like,' said Dr Triaud. 'They could be like Earth and Venus, like Mercury, or like Neptune and Uranus. 'The new data removes the possibility they are small version of Uranus and Neptune. 'It only leaves options that are similar to planets we know are mostly rocky.' According to the researchers, the form that water takes on TRAPPIST-1 planets would depend on the amount of heat they receive from their star, which is only 9 per cent as heavy as our sun When asked if oxygen was required for life to form on these planets, Dr Triaud said it was not. 'Oxygen is not required for life to exist, however, if present oxygen gas is useful to reveal that biological processes such as photosynthesis are active,' he said. 'The vast amount of oxygen on Earth appeared a long time after life first emerged. 'When astronomers refer to life, we often mean any sort of organism, including micro-organisms and plants, which are the living beings that have most profoundly changed the chemistry of our atmosphere.' When asked whether humans could ever inhabit TRAPPIST 1-e, Dr Triaud said that we are 'really farm from the possibility' and that any thought on the matter 'remains speculation.' As a next step, the researchers plan to use NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which will be able to help answer the question of whether these planets have atmosphere and, if so, what those atmospheres consist of and whether they allow adequate surface conditions for liquid water to form 'Humans definitely need oxygen to live, but we need oxygen at a certain concentration,' said Dr Triaud. 'For instance it is harder to breath atop mountains.' When asked whether humans could live in the system if we built support structures, Dr Triaud said it may be possible. 'In the ALMA observatory, in Chile, the buildings compensate for the lack of oxygen concentration,' he said. 'Another point to consider is the atmospheric pressure (oxygen or no). 'Too much pressure and we would need a space suit, too little (like on Mars, or like in space where pressure is 0) and we also need space suits. Researchers suspect TRAPPIST-1e is most like Earth. It is slightly denser than Earth, suggesting it might have a denser core than our planet. Like TRAPPIST-1c, it doesn't necessarily have a thick atmosphere, ocean or ice layer - making these two planets distinct in the system. In addition, the planet is a lot rockier than the rest of the planets 'In those two situations, then the construction of structures would help, in similar way that capsules in space allow humans to survive. ' The findings from a series of four studies appear in the journals Nature Astronomy, and Astronomy and Astrophysics. Co-author Professor Brice-Olivier Demory, from the University of Bern in Germany, said: 'Our study is an important step forward as we continue to explore whether these planets could support life.' Trappist-1 is named after the Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (Trappist) in Chile, which discovered the first two planets in the system. Organisms, found on our planet in hot vents within the darkest depths of our oceans, use hydrogen and carbon dioxide as fuel in a process called 'methanogenesis.' However, researchers do not know whether these basic ingredients for life exist on the TRAPPIST-1 planets 'Oxygen is not required for life to exist, however, if present oxygen gas is useful to reveal that biological processes such as photosynthesis are active,' said Dr Amaury Triaud, one of the leaders of the research When asked whether humans could ever inhabit TRAPPIST 1-e, Dr Triaud said that we are 'really farm from the possibility' and that any thought on the matter 'remains speculation' Spine-tingling spiders with scorpion-like tails have been found in amber dating back 100 million years. The primitive creatures have been named after a monster from Greek mythology that was made of the parts of more than one animal. The creepy crawlies scurried around the undergrowth of the rainforests of Burma during the age of the dinosaurs. Their tails were longer that their bodies and were used as a sensory device to seek out prey or escape predators. Called a telson, similar tails are seen it today in scorpions, but they have never been known before in a spider. Researchers say it's possible that descendants of the creatures might still be alive today in the rainforests of southeast Asia. Scroll down for video A spine-tingling spider with a scorpion-like tail has been found in amber dating back 100 million years. The primitive creature has been named after a monster from Greek mythology that was made of the parts of more than one animal The finding was made by an international team, including the University of Kansas and colleagues from China, Germany, Virginia and the United Kingdom. The newly discovered species also had fangs, just like today's arachnids, through which it would inject venom into insects it trapped in pincer like claws. Four fossils were so perfectly preserved scientists could also identify specialised male sexual organs called pedipalps. Similar to a tiny hypodermic needle they are used to transfer sperm to females. While creeping through the forest, the spiders became enveloped in a pool of resin oozing from conifer trees. The foursome were entombed in stunning detail. The head, fangs, male pedipalps, four walking legs and silk-producing spinnerets at the rear could all be observed. But the most striking feature was the long flagellum, or tail, which no living spider has. The specimens are all tiny, about 2.5 millimetres (0.1 inches) in body length, excluding the nearly three millimetre (0.2 inch) tail. Palaeontologist Professor Paul Selden, of Kansas University, said: 'Any sort of flagelliform appendage tends to be like an antenna. 'It's for sensing the environment. Animals that have a long whippy tail tend to have it for sensory purposes.' The spider has been christened Chimerarachne after the mythological Chimera, a hybrid beast composed of the parts of several animals. It scurried around the undergrowth of the rainforests of Burma during the age of the dinosaurs. The tail was longer that its body and was used as a sensory device to seek out prey or escape predators It's usually depicted as a lion with the head of a goat arising from its back and a tail that might end with a snake's head. Professor Selden said it lies one step closer to modern spiders on account of its possession of spinning organs. It lived on the islands of Myanmar, formerly Burma, during the mid-Cretaceous when T Rex ruled the planet. It's the latest in a series of Cretaceous-period fossils from the amber deposits in northern Myanmar's Hukawng Valley. Amber, often used in jewellery, is fossilised tree resin, the oldest dating back more than 300 million years. In the past few years the region has also yielded several beautiful bird wings, the spectacular feathered tail of a small carnivorous dinosaur and the outline of an entire hatchling bird. Called a telson we see it today in scorpions - but it has never been known before in a spider. Experts say the creature lies one step closer to modern spiders on account of its possession of spinning organs Researchers say it's possible that descendants of the creatures might still be alive today in the rainforests of southeast Asia. Pictured is an artist's impression In December researchers even revealed ticks in amber that may have feasted on dinosaurs. Professor Selden said: 'There's been a lot of amber being produced from northern Myanmar and its interest stepped up about ten years ago when it was discovered this amber was mid-Cretaceous. 'Therefore all the insects found in it were much older than first thought. It's been coming into China where dealers have been selling to research institutions. 'These specimens became available last year to Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology.' The discovery confirms a prediction made a few years ago by Professor Selden and colleagues when they described a similar tailed arachnid, which resembled a spider but lacked spinnerets. These animals from the much older Devonian, about 380 million years ago, and Permian, about 290 million years ago, formed the basis of a new arachnid order, the Uraraneida, which lies along the line to modern spiders. The newly discovered species also had fangs, just like today's arachnids, through which it would inject venom into insects it trapped in pincer like claws. Four fossils were so perfectly preserved scientists could also identify specialised male sexual organs called pedipalps Professor Selden said: 'The ones we recognised previously were different in that they had a tail but don't have the spinnerets. 'That's why the new one is really interesting, apart from the fact that it's much younger - it seems to be an intermediate form. 'In our analysis, it comes out sort of in between the older one that hadn't developed the spinneret and modern spider that has lost the tail.' Spiders have been an extremely successful lineage but some aspects of their development remain unclear. Chimerarachne sheds fresh light on that, but little of the tiny spider's day-to-day behaviour can be determined from its form alone. Professor Selden said: 'We can only speculate that, because it was trapped in amber, we assume it was living on or around tree trunks. WHAT FOSSILS HAVE BEEN TRAPPED IN BURMESE AMBER? Often used in jewelry, Amber is fossilized tree resinthe oldest of which dates back more than 300 million years. In recent years the Hukawng Valley in northern Myanmar, formerly Burma, has yielded numerous finds. In January 2017, researchers discovered a 100-million-year-old insect preserved in amber which bore a passing resemblance to ET. Its features, including triangular head and bulging eyes, were so unique that researchers placed in into a new scientific order, Aethiocarenodea. The eyes on the side of its head would have given the insect the ability to see at almost 180 degrees simply by turning its head. In June 2017, researchers revealed a stunning hatchling trapped in amber, which they believe was just a few days old when it fell into a pool of sap oozing from a conifer tree in Myanmar. The incredible find showed the head, neck, wing, tail and feet of a now extinct bird which lived at the time of the dinosaurs, 100 million years ago, in unprecedented detail. Researchers nicknamed the young enantiornithine 'Belone,' after the Burmese name for the amber-hued Oriental skylark. The hatchling belonged to a group of birds known as the 'opposite birds' that lived alongside the ancestors of modern bird. Archaeologists say they were actually more diverse and successful until they died out with the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. They had major differences from today's birds, and their shoulders and feet had grown quite differently to those of modern birds. In December 2017, experts discovered incredible ancient fossils of a tick grasping a dinosaur feather and another dubbed 'Dracula's terrible tick' - swollen after gorging on blood. The first evidence that dinosaurs had bloodsucking parasites living on them was found preserved in 99 million-year-old Burmese amber. The newly-discovered tick dates from the Cretaceous period of 145 to 66 million years ago. In 2021, researchers announced they had discovered a new species of land snail from 99 million years ago preserved in amber moments after giving birth. The gastropod's 'marshmallow-like' soft body of Cretatortulosa gignens was preserved in the sap, as were her five offspring. The same week, scientists in Myanmar announced another the discovery of a new species of ancient lizard trapped in amber at roughly the same time. 'Oculudentavis naga' was confirmed as a lizard following CT scans analyzing its skull and partial skeleton. Advertisement 'Amber is fossilised resin, so for a spider to have become trapped, it may well have lived under bark or in the moss at the foot of a tree.' While the tailed spider was capable of producing silk due to its spinnerets it was unlikely to have constructed webs to trap bugs like many modern spiders. Professor Selden said: 'We don't know if it wove webs. Spinnerets are used to produce silk but for a whole host of reasons - to wrap eggs, to make burrows, to make sleeping hammocks or just to leave behind trails. 'If they live in burrows and leave, they leave a trail so they can find their way back. These all evolved before spiders made it up into the air and made insect traps. 'Spiders went up into the air when the insects went up into the air. I presume that it didn't make webs that stretched across bushes. 'However, like all spiders it would have been a carnivore and would have eaten insects, I imagine.' Professor Selden said the spider's remote habitat made it possible that tailed descendants may still be alive in Myanmar's back country to this day. He said: 'We know a lot about the Burmese biota during the Cretaceous. It was a pretty good tropical rainforest and there are a great many other arachnids we know were there, particularly spiders, that are very similar to the ones you find today in the southeast Asian rainforest. 'It makes us wonder if these may still be alive today. We haven't found them, but some of these forests aren't that well-studied, and it's only a tiny creature.' The full findings of the study were published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. A record-setting Russian spacewalk ended with a critical antenna facing the wrong way outside the International Space Station. Cosmonauts Aleksandr Misurkin, 40, and Anton Shkaplerov, 45, had to venture outside to swap out an old comms module with a new communications rod. But when they installed the antenna, designed to improve comms with Russia's Mission Control in Moscow, it was left facing 180 degrees from its intended position. The trouble arose toward the end of a spacewalk lasting more than eight hours - the longest ever by Russians and the fifth longest overall. Nasa's Mission Control has reported the antenna is still working, but Russian space officials are now assessing whether the device needs re-positioning. Scroll down for video A record-setting Russian spacewalk ended with a critical antenna facing the wrong way outside the International Space Station. Pictured is one of the cosmonauts as they wrestled with the malfunctioning part during a live Robocosmos video broadcast on Friday Issues arose after Misurkin and Shkaplerov successfully replaced an electronics box to upgrade the antenna on Friday. The new antenna - a long boom with a 4-foot (1.2-metre) dish at the end - had been folded up before the repair work. The pair watched in dismay as the antenna got hung up on the Russian side of the complex and could not be extended properly. The cosmonauts pushed, as flight controllers tried repeatedly, via remote commanding, to rotate the antenna into the right position. Finally, someone shouted in Russian, 'It's moving. It's in place.' Nasa Mission Control said from Houston that the antenna wound up in a position 180 degrees farther than anticipated. Cosmonauts Aleksandr Misurkin (left) and Anton Shkaplerov (right) had to venture outside to swap out an old comms module with a new communications rod. But when they installed the new antenna it was left swivelled 180 degrees from its intended position The spacewalk dragged on so long - lasting 8 hours and 13 minutes - that Misurkin and Shkaplerov ended up surpassing the previous Russian record of 8 hours and 7 minutes, set in 2013. It was only supposed to last six-and-a-half hours. 'Are you kidding us?' one of them asked when they heard about the record. Nasa still holds the world record, with a spacewalk just shy of nine hours back in 2001. The spacewalk dragged on so long - lasting 8 hours and 13 minutes - that Misurkin and Shkaplerov ended up surpassing the previous Russian record of 8 hours and 7 minutes, set in 2013 Misurkin and Shkaplerov also asked flight controllers whether the antenna was operating 'or have we just wasted our time?' The response: 'It's being evaluated.' It was the second spacewalk in as many weeks. On January 23, two US astronauts went out to give a new hand to the station's big robotic arm. Nasa had planned another spacewalk this week, but bumped it to mid-February because engineers needed extra time to get the mechanical hand working. The new antenna - a long boom with a 4-foot (1.2-metre) dish at the end - had been folded up before the repair work. The pair watched in dismay as the antenna got hung up on the Russian side of the complex and could not be extended properly. Pictured is a still from the live feed EXPLAINED: THE $100 BILLION INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION SITS 250 MILES ABOVE THE EARTH The International Space Station (ISS) is a $100 billion (80 billion) science and engineering laboratory that orbits 250 miles (400 km) above Earth. It has been permanently staffed by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts since November 2000. Crews have come mainly from the US and Russia, but the Japanese space agency JAXA and European space agency ESA have also sent astronauts. The International Space Station has been continuously occupied for more than 20 years and has been expended with multiple new modules added and upgrades to systems Research conducted aboard the ISS often requires one or more of the unusual conditions present in low Earth orbit, such as low-gravity or oxygen. ISS studies have investigated human research, space medicine, life sciences, physical sciences, astronomy and meteorology. The US space agency, NASA, spends about $3 billion (2.4 billion) a year on the space station program, with the remaining funding coming from international partners, including Europe, Russia and Japan. So far 244 individuals from 19 countries have visited the station, and among them eight private citizens who spent up to $50 million for their visit. There is an ongoing debate about the future of the station beyond 2025, when it is thought some of the original structure will reach 'end of life'. Russia, a major partner in the station, plans to launch its own orbital platform around then, with Axiom Space, a private firm, planning to send its own modules for purely commercial use to the station at the same time. NASA, ESA, JAXA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) are working together to build a space station in orbit around the moon, and Russia and China are working on a similar project, that would also include a base on the surface. Advertisement After removing the old, obsolete electronics box from the antenna - an original part, launched in 2000 - Misurkin shoved it away from the space station. The bundle tumbled harmlessly away, 250 miles (400 km) above the North Atlantic. The 27 kg (60 lb) box - measuring just a couple of feet, or less than a meter - was hurled in a direction that will not intersect with the space station, according to Nasa. While the Russians routinely toss old equipment and used towels overboard during spacewalks, Nasa prefers to secure no-longer-needed items or, if possible, bring them inside. Misurkin and Shkaplerov also asked flight controllers whether the antenna was operating 'or have we just wasted our time?' The response: 'It's being evaluated' Except for SpaceX's cargo ships, empty supply capsules are filled with trash and set loose to burn up in the atmosphere. The discarded electronics box will re-enter and burn up, too; Mission Control said it did not know when that will occur. Misurkin will return to Earth at the end of this month with two Nasa crewmates. The space station is currently home to two Russians, three Americans and one Japanese. YouTube has started labelling news broadcasts that get government money as it vows to be stricter about content. A feature currently being rolled out in the US displays notices below 'propaganda' videos uploaded by news broadcasters that receive government or public money. The move is likely to affect videos from services such as Russia-backed RT, which critics call a propaganda outlet for Moscow. The flagging may also apply to state-chartered news organisations such as the BBC and AFP, and US-based public broadcasters. Scroll down for video YouTube has started labelling news broadcasts that get government money as it vows to be stricter about content (stock image) 'Our goal is to equip users with additional information to help them better understand the sources of news content that they choose to watch on YouTube', according to a blog post by YouTube News senior product manager Geoff Samek. 'News is an important vertical for us and we want to be sure to get it right.' The blog post included a screen shot with a disclaimer about the US government-funded Radio Free Asia. Notices displayed with state-sponsored news broadcasts will include links to Wikipedia online encyclopedia so viewers can find out more about agencies behind the reports, according to Mr Samek. The feature is nascent and will be refined based on feedback from users. It follows a series of changes made last year by YouTube intended to 'better surface authoritative news,' according to Mr Samek. YouTube priorities for this year include tightening and better enforcing rules at the service, according to chief executive Susan Wojcicki. 'The same creativity and unpredictability that makes YouTube so rewarding can also lead to unfortunate events where we need to take a clear, informed, and principled stance,' Ms Wojcicki said in an online post. A feature being rolled out in the US displays notices below videos uploaded by broadcasters which receive government or public money, such as Radio Free Asia (RFA) (pictured) 'We realise we have a serious social responsibility to get these emerging policy issues right.' Solutions being worked on include enhanced software smarts and more human review of videos uploaded to YouTube, according to Ms Wojcicki. The number of workers at YouTube and Google focused on content that might violate policies was to increase to more than 10,000. 'We're also currently developing policies that would lead to consequences if a creator does something egregious that causes significant harm to our community as a whole,' Ms Wojcicki said. 'As part of our ongoing efforts to provide greater transparency to viewers around news sources on YouTube, we're rolling out notices on the watch page for each video uploaded by news broadcasters that receive public or government funding', a YouTube spokesperson told MailOnline. The company declined to comment on whether it would be rolled out outside the US. WHAT'S THE CONTROVERSY OVER YOUTUBE'S CONTENT? YouTube has been subject to various controversies since its creation in 2005. It has become one of Google's fastest-growing operations in terms of sales by simplifying the process of distributing video online but putting in place few limits on content. However, parents, regulators, advertisers and law enforcement have become increasingly concerned about the open nature of the service. They have contended that Google must do more to banish and restrict access to inappropriate videos, whether it be propaganda from religious extremists and Russia or comedy skits that appear to show children being forcibly drowned. Child exploitation and inappropriate content By the end of last year YouTube said it had removed more than 50 user channels and has stopped running ads on more than 3.5 million videos since June. In March last year, a disturbing Peppa Pig fake, found by journalist Laura June, shows a dentist with a huge syringe pulling out the character's teeth as she screams in distress. Mrs June only realised the violent nature of the video as her three-year-old daughter watched it beside her. Hundreds of these disturbing videos were found on YouTube by BBC Trending back in March. By the end of last year YouTube said it had removed more than 50 user channels and has stopped running ads on more than 3.5 million videos since June. One of the deleted videos was the wildly popular Toy Freaks YouTube channel featuring a single dad and his two daughters All of these videos are easily accessed by children through YouTube's search results or recommended videos. YouTube has been getting more stringent about deleting videos. One example is the wildly popular Toy Freaks YouTube channel featuring a single dad and his two daughters that was deleted last year. Although it's unclear what exact policy the channel violated, the videos showed the girls in unusual situations that often involved gross-out food play and simulated vomiting. The channel invented the 'bad baby' genre, and some videos showed the girls pretending to urinate on each other or fishing pacifiers out of the toilet. Adverts being shown next to inappropriate videos There has been widespread criticism that adverts are being shown on some clips depicting child exploitation. YouTube has now tightened its rules on who qualifies for posting money-making ads. Previously, channels with 10,000 total views qualified for the YouTube Partner Program which allows creators to collect some income from the adverts placed before their videos. But YouTube's parent company Google has announced that from February 20, channels will need 1,000 subscribers and to have racked up 4,000 hours of watch time over the last 12 months regardless of total views, to qualify. This is the biggest change to advertising rules on the site since its inception - and is another attempt to prevent the platform being 'co-opted by bad actors' after persistent complaints from advertisers over the past twelve months. In November last year Lidl, Mars, Adidas, Cadbury maker Mondelez, Diageo and other big companies all pulled advertising from YouTube. An investigation found the video sharing site was showing clips of scantily clad children alongside the ads of major brands. One video of a pre-teenage girl in a nightie drew 6.5 million views. Issues with system for flagging inappropriate videos Another investigation in November found YouTube's system for reporting sexual comments had serious faults. As a result, volunteer moderators have revealed there could be as many as 100,000 predatory accounts leaving inappropriate comments on videos. Users use an online form to report accounts they find inappropriate. Part of this process involves sending links to the specific videos or comments they are referring to. Investigators identified 28 comments that obviously violated YouTube's guidelines. According to the BBC, some include the phone numbers of adults, or requests for videos to satisfy sexual fetishes. The children in the videos appeared to be younger than 13, the minimum age for registering an account on YouTube. Advertisement Last month YouTube agreed to manually review all videos in its preferred section so advertisers are sure they are not promoting harmful videos. The move comes amid criticism that adverts are being shown on some clips depicting child exploitation. As well as manual reviews, YouTube has tightened its rules on who qualifies for posting money-making ads. Previously, channels with 10,000 total views qualified for the YouTube Partner Program which allows creators to collect some income from the adverts placed before their videos. But YouTube's parent company Google has announced that from February 20, channels will need 1,000 subscribers and to have racked up 4,000 hours of watch time over the last 12 months regardless of total views, to qualify. This is the biggest change to advertising rules on the site since its inception - and is another attempt to prevent the platform being 'co-opted by bad actors' after persistent complaints from advertisers over the past twelve months. In November last year Lidl, Mars, Adidas, Cadbury maker Mondelez, Diageo and other big companies all pulled advertising from YouTube. An investigation found the video sharing site was showing clips of scantily clad children alongside the ads of major brands. One video of a pre-teenage girl in a nightie drew 6.5 million views. By the end of last year YouTube said it had removed more than 50 user channels and has stopped running ads on more than 3.5 million videos since June. One of the deleted videos was the wildly popular Toy Freaks YouTube channel featuring a single dad and his two daughters. Though it's unclear what exact policy the channel violated, the videos showed the girls in unusual situations that often involved gross-out food play and simulated vomiting. The channel invented the 'bad baby' genre, and some videos showed the girls pretending to urinate on each other or fishing pacifiers out of the toilet. This sounds like the plot for a disaster movie: an invisible magnetic force-field that defends life on Earth against killer rays from space goes awry. Blasts of radiation destroy our satellite communications and bring the worlds electricity supplies crashing down. Chaos reigns. Human cancer cases multiply as unshielded radiation from the sun devastates peoples DNA. Billions of creatures the world over die because their ability to migrate becomes fatally confused by changes in our planets magnetic field. Ultimately, Earths atmosphere itself could be blown away by fierce solar winds, as happened long ago to our sister planet Mars when its magnetic field dissipated. High-tech monitoring equipment is showing multiple signs that the Earths magnetic poles are about to flip, thanks to changes in the swirling iron core at the heart of our planet But hold the popcorn. This is not a sci-fi movie. Leading scientists warn that this may really happen, because of an imminent revolution at the Earths core. High-tech monitoring equipment is showing multiple signs that the Earths magnetic poles are about to flip, thanks to changes in the swirling iron core at the heart of our planet. If this happens, Earths magnetic field will literally turn upside down. During the thousand years it will take for this change to complete, our vital protective magnetic shield will become significantly weaker with potentially disastrous consequences. Scientists predict that it could wither to as little as a tenth of its usual force, radically diminishing Earths defence against radiation and streams of charged energy particles called the solar wind. Evidence from ancient rocks indicates that this reversal in the worlds magnetic field has occurred hundreds of times in our planets long history. Beneath Earths solid crust is a rolling layer of liquid iron kept molten by heat escaping from the planets core. The swirling currents of this mass of metal act as a gigantic electromagnet. This creates a force field that expands tens of thousands of miles into space and acts as an energy shield against viciously powerful radiation from the sun. All life on Earth depends on this shield. Without it, solar rays would simply rip apart the fragile DNA that creates animals and plants. These liquid-iron currents beneath our feet are not stable. Over millennia the electromagnetic field they create can completely reverse itself. The process is believed to take several centuries an age in human terms, but the blink of an eye in cosmic time. Evidence indicates that the next reversal is already under way. Earths magnetic shield is currently weakening ten times faster than previously thought, at 5 per cent per decade, according to satellite data gathered by the European Space Agency (ESA). The magnetic field is particularly weakening over South America, an area that scientists call the South Atlantic anomaly. Satellites flying over this area have already had their circuits frazzled by localised radiation spikes. Data from ESA monitoring has also revealed restless activity in the liquid iron currents beneath Earths surface, which suggests the field could be about to flip. Evidence from ancient rocks indicates that this reversal in the worlds magnetic field has occurred hundreds of times in our planets long history Scientists such as Daniel Baker, director of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder, warn that if signs of a reversal are correct, areas of the planet may become uninhabitable. This is not least because Earths weakened magnetic field will allow powerful blasts of magnetic radiation to knock out electrical power-supply grids worldwide and fry the communications satellites that nowadays are used to regulate them. Three years ago, Earth experienced a shock mini-preview of the type of damage that might occur if Earths shield, called the magnetosphere, continues to weaken. When it happened, few outside the scientific community realised its import. In 2015, a massive two-hour superstorm of galactic cosmic rays caused by a huge solar flare from our sun forced temporary cracks in the magnetosphere. Immensely high-energy radiation, which shoots through space at nearly the speed of light, triggered a severe geomagnetic storm in our atmosphere that blacked out radio signals in the parts of North and South America that are closest to the poles. A year later, a study of satellite data by scientists at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in India discovered the burst of cosmic rays had pushed back Earths magnetic shield. The shield shrank back from its normal size of 11 times the radius of the Earth to only four times. The solar blast also prised open weak spots, temporarily, allowing destructive radiation through. This indicates a transient weakening of Earths magnetic shield, the scientists warned in the authoritative journal, Physical Review Letters. Future superstorms could cripple modern technological infrastructure on Earth and endanger the lives of the astronauts in space. Historically, Earths North and South magnetic poles have flipped every 200,000 or 300,000 years. The next flip is overdue because magnetic fingerprints in ancient volcanic rocks reveal that the last one was some 780,000 years ago. Back then, our sparsely scattered ancestors were just learning to make fire. The fossil record does not tell us how their lives were affected, but they survived. But the next magnetic shift will confront civilisation with a wholly new challenge. For nowadays the Earths teeming human population depends on a vast technological web of infrastructure to ensure its daily survival. But none of the systems that ensure our life-giving supplies of power and water has been built to withstand being blasted by cosmic rays. The delicate fabric of our global civilisation could be torn asunder by the onslaught, leaving us without phones, computers, transport, heating or food. The danger has been highlighted by Alanna Mitchell, author of a new book The Spinning Magnet: The Electromagnetic Force That Created The Modern World And Could Destroy It. Mitchell warns: The consequences for the electrical and electronic infrastructure that runs modern civilisation will be dire. She explains: The satellite timing systems that govern electric grids would be likely to fail. Ultimately, Earths atmosphere itself could be blown away by fierce solar winds, as happened long ago to our sister planet Mars (pictured) when its magnetic field dissipated The grids transformers could be torched. Because grids are so tightly coupled with each other, failure would race across the globe, causing a domino run of blackouts that could last for decades. Richard Holme, the professor of earth, ocean and ecological sciences at Liverpool University, has concerns similar to Mitchells: This is a serious business, he told the Mail. Imagine for a moment your electrical power supply was knocked out for a few months very little works without electricity these days. The survivors of such a global catastrophe would face another peril as they foraged among civilisations wreckage for food, warmth and water. Radiation levels could soar as though there had been a nuclear catastrophe. Some estimates suggest that during the polar flip, our overall exposure to cosmic radiation would double. As a result, researchers predict that 100,000 people could die every year from diseases such as cancer. Experts are divided as to whether we really will face such catastrophe, however. Officials at NASA say that while the magnetic shield may well weaken, they predict the resulting increase in solar radiation on Earth would only be small but nothing deadly. The agency adds: Moreover, even with a weakened magnetic field, Earths thick atmosphere also offers protection against the suns incoming particles. Professor Holme also thinks that any radiation rises will be relatively slight much less than lying on the beach in Florida for a day. So if it happened, the protection method would probably be to wear a big floppy hat. Technology experts worried about the dangers posed by social networks and smartphones are taking on the companies they helped to establish. Ex-Google and Facebook workers are campaigning to raise awareness of the negative effects of using products made by their former employers. Among their concerns are addiction to technology and its impact on individuals, particularly children and younger users, as well as society as a whole. Scroll down for video Tristan Harris (pictured), a former in-house ethicist at Google is spearheading a new group, called The Center for Humane Technology, campaigning to raise awareness of the negative effects of smartphones and social media Tristan Harris, a former in-house ethicist at Google is spearheading the new group, called the Center for Humane Technology. The newly-launched initiative, which is working with the nonprofit media watchdog group Common Sense Media, is planning to lobby the United States government over tech addiction. It is also undertaking an advertising campaign aimed at 55,000 public schools in the US, to raise awareness with parents, students and teachers over its concerns. These include the mental health effects of overuse of social media, including depression, stress, anxiety, self-image and self-worth, according to the group's website. The campaign, called The Truth About Tech, also seeks to address more wide-ranging problems caused by technology, including its power to influence our relationships and even our political beliefs. Speaking to the New York Times Mr Harris, said: 'We were on the inside. We know what the companies measure. We know how they talk, and we know how the engineering works. 'The largest supercomputers in the world are inside of two companies Google and Facebook and where are we pointing them? The campaign, called The Truth About Tech, also seeks to address more wide-ranging problems caused by technology, including its power to influence our relationships and even our political beliefs (stock image) 'We're pointing them at people's brains, at children.' This is not the first time that a high profile figure from a technology company has expressed concerns over its products. In December, former Facebook executive Chamath Palihapitiya spoke out against the social network he helped to create, saying it is 'ripping society apart'. Mr Palihapitiya, who joined Facebook in 2007 and became its vice president for user growth, said he feels 'tremendous guilt' for the influence Facebook has had and its ability to manipulate users. ARE YOU ONE OF THE NEARLY 50% OF SMARTPHONE USERS ADDICTED TO THEIR HANDSET? Worrying research published in December 2017 revealed we reach for our smartphones around 4,000 times a year for no apparent reason. Each day we unlock our phone 28 times - and over a third of the time this is compulsive and unnecessary. The apps we crave most are Facebook, followed by WhatsApp, Gmail and Instagram, the survey found. Experts from Malta-based online casino Casumo.com looked at 2,000 UK smartphone users in order to find out whether checking their device was out of habit or necessity. They found more than 40 per cent of the 10,000 times users check smartphones each year is 'compulsive'. The top ten per cent of users check their phones more than 60 times a day. More than one in three people think they are addicted to checking their phone with the average user spending nearly an hour each day on their phone. The survey also found Google Maps is considered the most useful app while WhatsApp and Gmail come second and third. Google Chrome is fourth and Facebook comes in fifth. Advertisement He also suggested users take a break from using social media altogether. Facebook itself has admitted that the social network may pose a threat to democracy, through the spread of fake news. In a series of blog posts in January 2018, Facebook execs said the site was far too slow in identifying negative influences that rose with the 2016 US election, citing Russian interference, 'toxic discourse,' and the dangerous consequences of misinformation. The firm is set to roll out major changes to the News Feed, with plans to prioritise content from friends and family, and make posts from business, brands, and media less prominent and, ensure the 'news people see, while less overall, is high quality.' Advertisement Apple employees have revealed stunning new images of the firm's $5 billion (3.5 billion) 'spaceship campus' in California. The behind-the scenes photos reveal the site's enormous curved glass walls up close, as well as its leafy green internal grounds which feature 9,000 trees, two miles (3.2 km) of running tracks, as well as an orchard and meadow. Much of the large construction equipment seen in previous images has disappeared as it is no longer needed. The building will eventually house 12,000 employees in a giant ring-shaped campus designed to blur indoors with outdoors. Scroll down for video Apple employees have revealed stunning new images of the firm's $5 billion (3.5 billion) 'spaceship campus' in California. The behind-the scenes photos reveal the site's enormous curved glass walls up close. The glass used on the campus and seen in this image is 'the largest piece of curved glass in the world', according to the company's chief designer Jony Ive Although its still under development, parts of the futuristic Apple headquarters are now being used by staff. Captions written by staff alongside their online posts frequently reference the site's futuristic design, which has earned it the nickname 'Apple's spaceship campus'. Commenting on one image taken of the site's stunning curved interior windows, Instagram user eugandeug wrote: 'Welcome to the future'. Alongside a picture they took of the campus'swhite staircases, Instagram user wiltordle wrote: 'Ground control to Major Tom'. Apple received temporary occupancy permits five of the site's 12 sections in December, with the firm expecting to receive permits for the remaining seven section by March, according to a January report from Venture Beat. The entrances of the campus have been described as having a 'regal feel'. Alongside this picture taken of the campus's white staircases, Instagram user wiltordle wrote: 'Ground control to Major Tom'. The building will eventually house 12,000 employees in a giant ring-shaped campus designed to blur indoors with outdoors Pictures of the firm's innovative new campus, which is closed to the public, capture the doughnut-shaped site's enormous curved glass exterior that let you peek into the first floor A view from inside the 'spaceship'. Captions written by staff alongside their online posts frequently reference the site's futuristic design, which has earned it the nickname 'Apple's spaceship campus' Much of the large construction equipment seen in previous images has disappeared as it is no longer needed. Officially known as 'Apple Park', it is believed some staff moved into the Cupertino campus as early as April last year Officially known as 'Apple Park', it is believed some staff moved into the Cupertino campus as early as April last year. The building was the brainchild of Steve Jobs, who came up with the design months before his death in 2011. The parklands offer walking and running paths for employees, plus an orchard, meadow and pond within the ring's interior grounds. The park includes a 100,000-square-foot (9,300-square-metre) research centre for staff, secure research and development facilities and more than 9,000 trees. Apple received temporary occupancy permits five of the site's 12 sections in December, with the firm expecting to receive permits for the remaining seven section by March. Shown here is one of the stunning entrances to the building The building was the brainchild of Steve Jobs, who came up with the design months before his death in 2011. This image shows the campus' limestone staircase with a carved, recessed handrail The park includes a 100,000-square-foot (9,300-square-metre) research centre for staff, secure research and development facilities and more than 9,000 trees David Muffly, dubbed 'Apple's tree whisperer', last year revealed the incredible lengths Apple went to in a bid to fulfil Jobs' vision - even buying a Christmas tree farm in Nevada. The process of moving more than 12,000 people will take over six months on top of construction of the buildings and parklands which has taken Apple several years Muffly said the biggest challenge was finding enough trees, especially as the number rose from Jobs' original 6,000 to the current goal of 9,000. When Jobs presented his plan to the Cupertino City Council in June 2011, he said that Apple would add to the 3,700 existing trees for a total of 6,000 - but this proved impossible, so new trees had to be brought it. The process of moving more than 12,000 people will take over six months on top of construction of the buildings and parklands which has taken Apple several years. Before his death in 2011, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs set out to create one of the most futuristic buildings ever created. 'Steve was exhilarated, and inspired, by the California landscape, by its light and its expansiveness,' his spouse Laurene Powell Jobs said in an interview last year. 'It was his favourite setting for thought. Apple Park captures his spirit uncannily well.' 'He would have flourished, as the people of Apple surely will, on this luminously designed campus.' To 'honour his memory and his enduring influence on Apple and the world', the 1,000-seat theatre at Apple Park will be named the Steve Jobs Theater, Apple said last year. The entrance to the auditorium is a 20-foot-tall (6-metre) glass cylinder, 165 feet (50 metres) in diameter, supporting a metallic carbon-fibre roof, and opened last year for the launch of the iPhone X. Drone footage of Apple Park released in September 2017 revealed the incredible landscaping inside the giant ring. Apple Park contains over 9,000 native and drought-resistant trees, and is powered by 100 per cent renewable energy The Steve Jobs Theater is situated on top of a hill one of the highest points within Apple Park overlooking meadows and the main building. 'Steve's vision for Apple stretched far beyond his time with us,' Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a speech at the tehatre during Apple's latest product launch event last September. 'He intended Apple Park to be the home of innovation for generations to come.' 'The workspaces and parklands are designed to inspire our team as well as benefit the environment. 'We've achieved one of the most energy-efficient buildings in the world and the campus will run entirely on renewable energy.' The campus' ring-shaped, 2.8 million-square-foot main building is clad entirely in the world's largest panels of curved glass, and the firm's fanatical attention to detail is seen throughout. 'Steve invested so much of his energy creating and supporting vital, creative environments,' said Jony Ive, Apple's chief design officer. 'We have approached the design, engineering and making of our new campus with the same enthusiasm and design principles that characterise our products.' 'Connecting extraordinarily advanced buildings with rolling parkland creates a wonderfully open environment for people to create, collaborate and work together. 'We have been extremely fortunate to be able to work closely, over many years, with the remarkable architectural practice Foster + Partners.' The Spaceship, officially known as Apple Park, has 360-degree curved glass fronted walls and central courtyard as well as a 1,000-seater auditorium, a gym and 300,000 square feet of 'research' space. Pictured is the site i September 2017 The parklands offer two miles of walking and running paths for employees, plus an orchard, meadow and pond within the ring's interior grounds Since Apple unveiled its plans in 2011, the move-in date has slowly receded. Jobs' initial projection was 2015, but this spring now seems most likely, according to people involved in the project. More than 800 million ($1 billion) was allocated for the interior of the main building alone, according to a former construction manager. The campus is something of an exception to the trend of radically open offices aimed at fostering collaboration, said Louise Mozingo, a professor and chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning at University of California, Berkeley. Its central office building - a massive ring of glass frequently likened to a spaceship - could be a challenge just to navigate, she noted. When Jobs presented his plan to the Cupertino City Council in June 2011, he said that Apple would add to the 3,700 existing trees for a total of 6,000 - but this proved impossible, so new trees had to be brought it. Underground, the site's Steve Jobs Theatre auditorium will be where Apple's CEO Tim Cook presents the company's keynotes ahead of product launches 'It's not about maximizing the productivity of the office space, it's about creating a symbolic center for this global company,' she said. 'They are creating an icon.' Technology companies have long favoured generic office parks, but the Apple Campus 2 marks a new chapter in Silicon Valley architecture. The main building - which boasts the world's largest piece of curved glass - is surrounded by a lush canopy of thousands of trees. Little remains from the cement-laden campus Apple acquired from Hewlett-Packard, though the iPhone maker preserved a century-old barn that remained intact. But what was most striking to those who worked on the project was Apple managers' insistence on treating the construction of the vast complex the same way they approach the design of pocket-sized electronics. Apple said it will take six months to move all 12,000 staff into the $5 billion (4 billion) 2.8 million-square-foot campus, which features a 1,000 seat auditorium named the Steve Jobs Theatre Apple's in-house construction team enforced many rules, including a strict ban on any vents or pipes being reflected in the glass. And guidelines for the special wood used frequently throughout the building ran to some 30 pages, reports suggest. The company's keen design sense enhanced the project, but its expectations sometimes clashed with construction realities, a former architect said. 'With phones, you can build to very, very minute tolerances,' he said. 'You would never design to that level of tolerance on a building. Your doors would jam.' The Steve Jobs Theater (artist's impression) is situated on top of a hill one of the highest points within Apple Park overlooking meadows and the main building. Opening later this year, the entrance to the 1,000-seat auditorium is a 20-foot-tall glass cylinder, 165 feet in diameter, supporting a metallic carbon-fibre roof Apple's novel approach to the building took many forms. Architect German de la Torre, who worked on the project, found many of the proportions - such as the curve of a rounded corner - came from Apple's products. The elevator buttons struck some workers as resembling the iPhone's home button; one former manager even likened the toilet's sleek design to the device. But Mr de la Torre ultimately saw that Apple executives were not trying to evoke the iPhone per se, but rather following something akin to the Platonic ideal of form and dimension. The circular, four-storey building will be around a mile in circumference and a third of a mile wide and was recently described by the San Francisco Weekly as a 'massive glass doughnut' 'They have arrived at design principles somehow through many years of experimentation, and they are faithful to those principles,' Mr de la Torre said. Early in construction, Apple managers told the construction team that the ceiling - composed of large panels of polished concrete - should be immaculate inside and out, just as the inside of the iPhone's audio jack is a finished product, a former construction manager recalled. Each of the thousands of ceiling panels had to win approval from both Apple's in-house team and the general contractor, once at the shop and then again at the construction site. Technology companies have long favoured generic office parks, but the Apple Campus 2 (right) marks a new chapter in Silicon Valley architecture. Pictured left is Apple's current Cupertino campus Covering 175 acres, Apple's 'Campus 2' headquarters will replace its current offices at 1 Infinite Loop (pictured) 'The things you can't see, they all mattered to Apple,' the former construction manager said. One of the most vexing features was the doorways, which Apple wanted to be perfectly flat, with no threshold. The construction team pushed back, but Apple held firm. 'We spent months trying not to do that because that's time, money and stuff that's never been done before,' the former construction manager said. Signage also required a delicate balancing act, as Apple wanted all signs to reflect its sleek, minimalist aesthetic, but the fire department needed to ensure the building could be swiftly navigated in an emergency. Engineers from a company that specialises in tearing down technology to see how it works have issued damning comments about Tesla's latest electric vehicle. Tesla took the wraps off its long-awaited Model 3 in January debuting it to customers in the US, but experts say they cant imagine how the car was ever released. Problems identified with the newly released machine include issues with the its fit and finish, ranging from gaps in its panels to flaws with its door handles. Scroll down for video Engineers from a company that specialises in tearing down technology to see how it works have issued damning comments about Tesla's latest electric vehicle. Problems identified with the newly released Model 3 include issues with the its fit and finish The firm behind the assessment, Munro and Associates, is known for dismantling everything from aircraft to household appliances to see how well they function. Sandy Munro, chief executive officer of the Auburn Hills, Michigan, company put his skills to work with the Model 3 in a recent YouTube video. According to the automotive veteran some of the gaps between the Model 3's panels, a particular issue on the trunk of the car, were so big he could fit his thumb in. Taking a jab at Tesla CEO Elon Musk's ambitions for space exploration, he quipped that they were large enough to be seen 'from Mars.' Mr Munro also took issue with vehicle's exterior front and interior rear door handles, as well as a generally poor build quality. Speaking to Detroit motoring industry specialists Autoline, Mr Munro said: I dont understand how it got to this point. 'These are flaws that we would see on a Kia in the 90s or something. 'I cant imagine how they released this. Its just a surprise. A really big surprise for me. More than 455,000 orders have been placed for the Model 3 in the US, which starts at $35,000 (35,000 expected UK price), since the car was put into production in October 2017. Tesla has experienced significant delays in getting promised Model 3s to anxious customers, which it had hoped to be producing at a much higher volume by now. Tesla took the wraps off its long-awaited Model 3 in January debuting it to customers in the US, but experts say they cant imagine how the car was ever released. The firm behind the assessment is known for dismantling everything from aircraft to household appliances CEO Sandy Munro took aim at problems ranging from gaps in the Model 3's panels to problems with its door handles, as well as a generally poor build quality. This image shows the interior of the Model 3 Customers have shelled out as much as $1,000 (700) to reserve a Model 3, but few have received them as Tesla continues to face production issues. Billionaire technology magnate Elon Musk has faced some major roadblocks in getting the Model 3 into customers hands, calling it 'manufacturing hell,' as the company has been unable to meet several of its ambitious sales targets. Musk's initial hope was to be putting out 5,000 Model 3s per week by the end of 2017, and he later bumped that product target date to March 2018. Now, the new goal is to produce 2,500 Models 3s each week by March and to hit the 5,000 per week stride by the end of June. Tesla is under enormous pressure to meet expectations for the Model 3, which is pegged as the company's most affordable model yet. The Model 3 is Tesla's first mass market car, coming at a deep discount to its higher-end, $68,000 (66,730) Model S and the $79,500 (72,280) Model X SUV. The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has successfully launched the world's smallest rocket to carry a satellite into orbit. The experimental SS-520 rocket blasted off from JAXA's Uchinoura Space Center on Saturday at about midnight (EST), the agency said. Aboard the SS-520 rocket was an 'ultra-small' TRICOM-1R satellite, measuring just 13.6-inches, that was launched into low Earth orbit. The CubeSat, which the agency says is in 'nominal' condition, will now be used to collect images of the Earth's surface via multiple cameras. Scroll down for video The Japanese Space Exploration Agency launched an experimental SS-520 rocket off from its Uchinoura Space Center on Saturday afternoon. It carried a teeny tiny satellite as its payload 'Unit 5 of the SS-520 flew as planned, succeeding in separating the TRICOM-1R (Trichom One Ear) micro satellite in orbit for about 7 minutes 30 seconds after the experiment,' JAXA explained. According to the Japan Times, the rocket is about the size of a 'utility pole,' measuring about 10 meters in length and 50 centimeters in diameter. Interestingly, JAXA cobbled together components found in home electronics and smartphones to build the rocket. A third stage was added to the rocket to help carry the satellite. With Saturday's successful flight, it became the smallest rocket ever to launch an object into orbit around the Earth. The launch comes just one year after the Japanese agency tried and failed to launch the super small SS-520 rocket. Last January, JAXA was able to easily fire up the rocket's first stage, but due to electrical communication issues, the second stage stalled and was unable to ignite. Japan joins a growing number of space industry leaders who have embraced tiny space exploration vehicles. NASA and private space firm Rocket Lab are just a few firms that plan to launch a tiny satellite or rocket in the near future Pictured, the SS-520 blasted off from Japan's Uchinoura Space Center this weekend. The launch comes almost one year later after the agency failed to send the rocket into space The agency was ultimately forced to abort the mission. The event comes as more and more players in the space industry have started to embrace tiny rockets that can deliver miniature payloads. Smaller rockets are supposed to be more efficient and are designed to bring down the cost to get to orbit, according to the Verge. NASA has embraced tiny satellites, saying in 2016 that it planned to launch swarms of miniature satellites. ARE TINY ROCKETS THE FUTURE OF SPACE EXPLORATION? The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is the latest firm to join the movement of launching tiny rockets. JAXA successfully launched its ultra-small SS-520 in February 2018, making it one of the first to make headway in launching a tiny rocket. The SS-520 was also carrying a 13.6-inch satellite that's now orbiting the earth. NASA has also embraced super small satellites. The agency said in 2016 it wants to launch a 'swarm' of tiny satellites that can track weather and climate change patterns. Private space company Rocket Lab has been working to launch its small rocket, with a likely launch date of November 2018. The rocket, called Electron, will have three payloads on board: an imaging satellite and two tracking satellites. Advertisement The mini 'cube satellites' would orbit the Earth to collect weather and climate change data. Meanwhile, aerospace firm Rocket Lab has plans to re-launch its tiny rocket, called the Electron, sometime this year. Electron will launch with three payloads on board, including an imaging satellite and two satellites collecting data to track ships and weather. Japan has made some strides ahead of its competitors by successfully launching the SS-520. Since 2009, China has been upping its work in space exploration. This image shows China's Tianzhou-1 cargo spacecraft preparing for launch in Wenchang, Hainan province, on 17 April 2017. It successfully docked with the country's Tiangong-2 space laboratory on 22 April The country has recently doubled down on its efforts to win the intensifying 'Asian space race.' Last year, Japan announced that it plans to put a man on the moon by 2030. China has said it intends to put a man on the moon by 2036 and hopes to land a rover on the planet by 2020. India also hopes to land an unmanned rover on the moon by mid-2018. China may be testing a ship-mounted electromagnetic railgun. Leaked photos posted on Twitter last week have revealed what appears to be the massive, hypersonic weapon atop a Peoples Liberation Army Navy tank landing ship. While the US has spent millions of dollars and the better part of a decade working to develop a railgun, recent reports suggest the efforts may have been scrapped. If China truly is testing a ship-mounted railgun, the move would make it the first to develop a superweapon of this kind. Scroll down for video China may be testing a ship-mounted electromagnetic railgun. Leaked photos posted on Twitter last week have revealed what appears to be the massive, hypersonic weapon atop a Peoples Liberation Army Navy tank landing ship Railguns have long been touted as one of the future technologies of warfare, with the ability to launch projectiles at Mach 6 - or, more than 4,500 miles per hour. Because the missile is fired using kinetic energy this eliminates the risks associated with keeping explosives on a ship. It has been described by the US Navy as a true warfighter game changer. The photos shared by Twitter user Dafeng Cao show what appears to be a railgun atop the Haiyang Shan ship, according to Ars Technica. According to the social media post, which the Twitter user claims is a translation of an analysis from the most well-known former PLAN officer, the EM gun is a formal project approved by PLAN, with a 5-6 year timeline. The photos suggest it is on schedule for its test aboard the ship, the post notes. If China truly is testing a ship-mounted railgun, the move would make it the first to develop a superweapon of this kind. The photos were shared by Twitter user Dafeng Cao The US Navys own plans for a railgun recently ran into a roadblock after roughly a decade of work and more than $500 million. A report from Task & Purpose late last year claimed the project may not get the funding it needs to become a reality. Instead, it says the funds for the project are likely to be funnelled away to other systems, such as laser weapons. HOW DOES THE RAILGUN REACH SUCH HIGH SPEEDS? Railguns use electricity instead of gunpowder to accelerate a projectile at six or seven times the speed of sound. Using an electromagnetic force known as the Lorenz Force, the gun accelerates a projectile between two rails that conduct electricity, before launching it at ferocious speed. The technology uses electromagnets to send its projectiles hurtling off at thousands of miles per hour. The force generated can be adjusted, depending on the range of the target This means the railgun can fire further than conventional guns and maintain enough kinetic energy to inflict tremendous damage. Tests have shown that the weapons can fire a shell weighing 10kg at up to 5,400mph over 100 miles - with such force and accuracy it penetrates three concrete walls or six half-inch thick steel plates. The video below shows tests of BAE's model. Advertisement The EMRG has been described as 'Star Wars technology' by researchers, as the powerful missiles don't rely on chemical propellants. Instead, they are fueled by electricity alone. Strong magnetic fields are created by electricity on the ship and a 'pulse power system' to sent propellants flying at Mach 6, or 4,500mph. 'Wide-area coverage and exceptionally quick response will extend the reach and lethality of ships armed with this technology, the Office of Naval Research has explained in the past. 'A future weapon system at this energy level would be capable of launching a 100+ nautical mile projectile'. Prague is an ideal city in which to spend time browsing markets. As well as several farmers markets where you can buy interesting local produce, there are also quirky flea markets selling everything from vintage clothes and souvenirs to furniture, as well as some seasonal markets. These are some of our favourites. An insider's guide to the best markets in the capital city of Czech Republic Havels Market Dating back to 1232 and close to Old Town Square, this ancient market started selling produce. Over the years it has evolved into a great place to pick up souvenirs and gifts such as local honey, Czech crystal jewellery and wooden toys, as well as leather goods and ceramics. Flowers and fruit and veg are also available, and in the weeks before Easter, colourfully painted eggs are also on sale. The market is open daily 06001830. Metro: Mustek Kolbenova Flea Market One of the biggest flea markets in Europe, this market away from the city centre is open every Saturday and Sunday from 0700 until 1400 and there is an entry fee of a few crowns (less than 1). Opened in 2003, it now covers more than 538,195 square feet (50,000 square metres) and stalls offer everything from items dating back to the communist era to kitchen appliances, as well as general bric-a-brac. Metro: Kolbenova Street food is very popular in Prague especially during the Easter and Christmas markets Prague Market (Prazska Trznice) Also a little out of town, set in a historical area of buildings near the river, this outdoor market sells just about everything you can think of from the largest selection of vegetables in Prague to electronic items. Open Monday to Saturday from 0800 to 2000, there are also plenty of Czech and Asian restaurants to call in at if you get hungry while you browse. At the weekends there are also stalls selling local produce such as sausage and cheese. Its less touristy than many markets in the city and a little run down, but it offers the chance to see how and where the locals like to shop. Metro: Vltavska Farmers' Market at Naplavka On the New Town side of the river and a pleasant, 20-minute riverside stroll from the city centre, this Saturday-morning market, which runs from 0800, attracts a mainly Czech clientele. Theres plenty of organic produce on offer as well as meat, cheese, beer, wine and artisanal bread and pastries, plus eggs from home-raised chickens. Therell often be a band playing, and there are plenty of places to stop for coffee. The market is open mid-February until December; opening hours in winter depend on the weather. Tram stop: Palackeho Christmas and Easter markets If youre visiting over the Christmas period, you wont want to miss the main Christmas markets in Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, around a five-minute walk apart. Wooden huts are packed with gifts such as ceramics, jewellery, lace and toys, as well as Christmas tree ornaments and dolls dressed in traditional costume. Whilst there, try some of the ham roasting on large spits, barbecued sausages, or traditional cakes and pastries, while a cup of mulled wine can help keep you warm. The Christmas markets run from early December to early January and also feature stunning Christmas trees, carols and a stable in Old Town Square with real animals. Easter markets are on for around three weeks with similar stock and food, but with Easter-themed childrens activities such as painting eggs and making Easter chicks. Metro: Muzeum or Mustek Discover lots of freshly made treats at the Prague Market Jirak Farmers Market Set in a pretty square in front of the Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord, visiting this market in the affluent residential neighbourhood of Vinohrady away from the centre will allow you to see an area off the tourist trail. Running from Wednesday to Saturday, its also less busy and hectic than some of the larger farmers markets. There are plenty of benches scattered around where you can sit and enjoy whatever produce you buy or simply pause and people-watch. There are also several great bakeries selling traditional Czech pastries, plus fruit, vegetables, handicrafts and flowers. Metro: Jiriho z Podebrad Holesovice Market Next to the river, this market is on the site of what was once the main slaughterhouse and cattle market for the city while it was under Austro-Hungarian rule. Today there are around 70 booths in the famous Hall 22 selling locally grown produce including herbs, spices, honey, mushrooms, fruit and vegetables. The market also offers an eclectic selection of items, from fake designer perfume and sunglasses to second-hand furniture. Open all day Monday to Saturday (with Saturday being the busiest day with more goods on offer), there are also several Czech and Asian restaurants. Metro: Vltavska Budget carrier Flybe is the quietest and greenest airline operating at Heathrow, according to the airport's new eco-league table. The London airport ranked 50 of the busiest airlines on a number of metrics including noise, emissions and operational efficiency, with 1,000 being the maximum score. Devon-based Flybe scored an impressive 930 points in the 'Fly Quiet and Green' table, putting it a tailwind ahead of Aer Lingus (924 points) and British Airways short haul (920 points), which came in at second and third place respectively. Flying results: Budget carrier Flybe is the quietest and greenest airline in the world, according to a new eco-league table released by Heathrow The rest of the top ten included Finnair (917 points), Scandinavian Airlines System (917 points), Etihad Airways (904 points), Delta Air Lines (899 points), United Airlines (896 points), Air India (888 points) and Qantas Airways (884 points). At the other end of the scale, the lowest ranking airlines were Turkish Airlines long haul (468 points), Turkish Airlines short haul (425 points) and Kuwait Airways (421 points). By publishing the green table each quarter, Heathrow aims to recognise good performance and identify specific areas to be targeted for improvement. Flybe - Europes largest regional airline, which flies from Heathrow to Edinburgh and Aberdeen - debuted 29th place in Heathrow's first league ranking mid-2017. But thanks to ongoing engagement with technical teams at Heathrow, the carrier has quickly climbed up the ranks. Flybe worked particularly well with Heathrow to increase its use of 'continuous descent approaches' into the commuter hub. By publishing the green table each quarter, Heathrow aims to recognise good performance and identify specific areas to be targeted for improvement This flight procedure reduces noise as it requires less engine thrust and keeps the aircraft higher for longer. Flybe pilots have also been more successful in keeping their flights within the corridors of 'noise preferential routes' designated by the Government referred to in the league table as 'track keeping'. Cooperation with Heathrows noise technical teams also led to marked improvements in track keeping for other carriers. Cathay Pacific is up 11 places this quarter and now has a perfect score in that metric and Oman Air climbed 15 places due to its nearly perfect (99 per cent) score. The latest Fly Quiet and Green scores also reflect the marked decrease in the number of aircraft departing during sensitive night hours in 2017. From January to December last year, Heathrows airline partners reduced the number of late running departures between 23.30 and 04.30 by over 30 per cent versus 2016. Chapter number scores the metric which tracks the make-up of airlines fleets - across the league table improved by 10 per cent over the last year, showing airlines are using modern aircraft types in their Heathrow routes. Polish airline LOT, for example, achieved a 20 per cent improvement in its scores after introducing a newer Boeing 737 Max at Heathrow for some of its services in the last quarter of 2017. Commenting on Flybes stellar rankings, the company's chief operating officer, Luke Farajallah, said: 'We are naturally delighted to have topped the rankings at Heathrow as the best operator in noise and emissions performance, especially so early on in our operations there. 'Flybe acknowledges and takes seriously its environmental responsibilities. It is central to what we do. 'As one of Heathrows smaller operators, we are obviously very proud to have outperformed most of the biggest and best airlines in the world.' Heathrow Chief Executive John Holland-Kaye celebrated the results saying: 'The latest Fly Quiet and Green results show the great progress that Heathrows airlines have made to help us be a better neighbour. 'Last year we announced our intention of halving the number of late running flights over five years I hope that the 30 per cent reduction in the first year alone will give confidence that we say what we will do and we do what we say.' Do you ever struggle to juggle rolling your suitcase while attempting to take a phone call or slurp coffee? Well never fear, as one inventor has designed a gadget that allows you to wheel a case using your torso so you can keep both hands free. Omar Abass from Columbus, Ohio, said he came up with the idea for his RetraStrap in 2013 during a long trip to Europe and now he has raised more than 15,000 to bring his design ideas to life via Kickstarter. The RetraStrap is a device that allows you to wheel your case using your torso so you can keep both hands free The device attaches to the handle of your luggage case with a Velcro loop and an extendable strap is fixed around your torso in a similar position to a seat belt. Mr Abass said along with finding it difficult to multi-task, he was also suffering from pain in his shoulder blade, neck and upper back from constantly pulling a carry-on case with a twisted arm. After years of innovation, the keen traveller finally came up with his RetraStrap design. He said along with making it easier to pull a bag, it will help forgetful travellers who might leave their case somewhere. Omar Abass from Columbus, Ohio, said he came up with the idea for his RetraStrap in 2013 during a long trip to Europe and now he has raised more than 15,000 to bring his design ideas to life via Kickstarter The device simply attaches to the handle of your luggage case with a Velcro loop and an extendable strap can be fixed around your torso in a similar position to a seat belt Mr Abass plans to sell the RetraStrap for $34.99, with worldwide shipping available It could also act as an anti-theft device and stop bags from tipping over while on a bus or train. Commenting on his finished product, Mr Abass said: 'The hands-free carry-on strap will make your travel much easier, relaxing, and more enjoyable. 'Having that extra hand while travelling is definitely a significant help, whether you want to reach to your pocket, carry your passport, phone, computer, coffee, breakfast or hold your loved one's hand. 'Not to mention, it is less likely that you might forget your bag somewhere and get it confiscated. 'Our RetraStrap can be used by anybody, irrespective of shape, size and height. You can adjust it easily to fit your specific body size and layers of clothing.' Mr Abass plans to sell the RetraStrap for $34.99, with worldwide shipping available. They say if you want to know a man, walk a mile in his shoes. If you want to know an Amsterdam man, youre probably better off riding a mile on his bike. Bikes are a major part of the citys transportation system. Youll find them chained to bridges, propped up outside shops, and stacked up in multi-story racks outside Central Station. Each one has its own personality, too. Youll see everything from candy-coloured ones with bunting on the handlebars to cycles that look like antiques with battered baskets on the front. Riding a bike in the city will give you a taste of local life. Its easy to hire one or join a bike tour, but before you get on the saddle there are a few things you should know. She hosted Saturday Night Live once again. And Natalie Portman seemed to be in a celebratory mood as she headed to the SNL afterparty in New York City. The 36-year-old was all elegance in a short black velvet dress as she arrived to the cast party. SNL vet: Natalie Portman seemed to be in a celebratory mood as she headed to the SNL afterparty in New York City During the show just hours before the Oscar winner violently defended her Star Wars prequels as she brought back her famous expletive-filled rap video before hilariously spoofing Stranger Things. The 36-year-old mother-of-two showed off her hip-hop skills as she starred in a second Natalie Raps digital short for the famed NBC sketch series following her 2006 appearance. SNL alum Andy Samberg also returned as Carl along with a young boy he claimed was The Star Wars alum's love child with him. Chic: Natalie donned a chic black mini dress as she arrived at the event Celebrations: The crushed velvet number accentuated her petite frame as she arrived to the SNL After Party the Wayfarer in Midtown The actress is married to Benjamin Millepied, who she met on the set of Black Swan in 2009; they have two children, Aleph, six, and 11 month-old Amalia. Last month, Portman turned her hand from acting to directing. In a picture the mother-of-two posted to Instagram, she is seen on the set of her film A Tale of Love and Darkness, in Jerusalem. Portman, who called out the all male lineup of directing nominees at the Golden Globes last month, hashtagged the post '#femalefilmmakerfriday'. Queen Amidala's angry! Oscar winner Natalie violently defended her Star Wars prequels as she brought back her famous expletive-filled rap video on Saturday Night Live Psychokinetic sensation: Natalie then wowed the audience as she spoofed Millie Bobby Browns Jane 'Eleven' Ives character in a faux trailer for Stranger Things 3 Walk this way: She teamed the look with a pair of pointed black pumps Vintage: Natalie worked her brunette locks into a soft vintage style Bachelor reject Tara Pavlovic has sparked relationship rumours with Davey Lloyd after several flirty social media interactions. But it seems as though there may be another guy in the 28-year-old's life. Hosting a bogan-themed birthday bash last week, photos have shown the reality star up and personal with none other than Bachelorette contestant Sam Cochrane. Scroll down for video New love: Last week at her bogan themed birthday party, former Bachelor contestant Tara Pavlovic was seen up and close to Bachelorette reject Sam Cochrane According to Woman's Day, the pair 'looked suspiciously close while celebrating at Tara's "bogan" themed birthday party'. Sporting a fake pregnancy belly, the pair were seen hugging and in close proximity, Tara's baby bump the only thing keeping the distance between herself and the Tinder enthusiast. And it seems as though the love went beyond the party, with Tara even asking Sam to move up to Queensland from his Sydney abode. All thanks to the belly: Sporting a fake pregnancy belly, the friends were seen hugging and in close proximity with her baby bump the only thing keeping the distance between herself and the Tinder enthusiast Moving in? 'Move here Sammy you bloody legend,' she commented on a photo he posted of Tara and other reality stars Cobie Frost, Simone Ormesher and Nina Rolleston 'Move here Sammy you bloody legend,' she commented on a photo he posted of Tara and other reality stars Cobie Frost, Simone Ormesher and Nina Rolleston. And if fighting to win Matty J's heart wasn't enough, Tara may have competition from Simone, the former topless waitress referred to Sam as 'legit Funniest and best dude I know!' Daily Mail has contacted Tara and Sam for comment. All want a piece of Sam: And if fighting to win Matty J's heart wasn't enough, Tara may have another competition with Simone after the former topless waitress referred to him as: 'legit Funniest and best dude I know!' Real love? The brunette beauty recently shared a private photo of herself chatting on FaceTime, with the stud using the word 'couple' to caption the screenshot The news comes amid rumours Tara found love with Davey on spin-off show The Bachelor In Paradise. The brunette beauty recently shared a private photo of herself chatting on FaceTime, with the stud using the word 'couple' to caption the screenshot. Clearly comfortable with each other, they were both seen pulling silly faces as Tara jokingly wrote: 'Couple of tens.' The official launch date for the show which will also feature Sam is yet to be announced, but is due to air over the next few months. He arrived in Los Angeles earlier this week ahead of his girlfriend's 21st birthday. And Brooklyn Beckham looked remarkably fresh-faced as he ditched the guy-liner for a lunch date with Chloe Moretz on Saturday. The 18-year-old, who recently sported a bold black eyeliner on a dinner date at Beauty & Essex LA with the American actress, cut a low-key figure in a white Kent & Curwen T-shirt. Scroll down for video Stylish: Brooklyn Beckham looked remarkably fresh-faced after ditching the guy-liner for a lunch date with Chloe Moretz on Saturday Featuring a red rose embroidered over the pocket, the amateur photographer looked effortlessly stylish as he paired the look with charcoal denim jeans. Meanwhile, Chloe was casually-clad in a slogan blue top and skinny jeans as the pair headed to Good Neighbor restaurant in Studio City. The Kick Ass star shielded her eyes with a pair of black sunglasses and styled her blonde locks in loose waves. Loved-up: The 18-year-old, who recently sported a bold black eyeliner on a dinner date with the American actress, cut a low-key figure in a white Kent & Curwen T-shirt Smoky: Later that evening, the couple took to their social media to document her thrilling birthday celebrations, but he stole the show by rocking a smudged black eye-liner Cool: Featuring a red rose embroidered over the pocket, the amateur photographer looked effortlessly stylish as he paired the look with charcoal denim jeans Lunch date: The pair paid for a parking ticket before heading to Good Neighbor restaurant in Studio City Casual: The Kick Ass star shielded her eyes with a pair of black sunglasses and styled her blonde locks in loose waves Later that evening, the couple took to their social media to document Chloe's thrilling birthday celebrations, but Brooklyn stole the limelight by rocking a smudged black eye-liner. Amping up his usual edgy sartorial choices with the dark smudged liner, the eldest Beckham styled his signature brunette tresses were styled high into a messy 'do. He paired the statement look, with a crisp white shirt tucked into sharp pinstriped suit trousers and embellished with green braces as he walked hand-in hand with Chloe. Handsome couple: His signature dapper style was on full display once again, with a crisp white shirt tucked into sharp pinstriped suit trousers, embellished with green braces Sweet: The son of David and Victoria has been happily dating the American screen star after they confirmed their reunion in late 2017, after first dating in their early teens in 2014 Brooklyn has been sharing his time Chloe on Instagram, uploading a sweet selfie with the blonde beauty which was simply captioned: 'Birthday girl' on Saturday. Meanwhile Chloe posted up a storm on her social media, sharing images of Brooklyn soaking-up the sun before her big party and another of him relaxing on a leather armchair, which was captioned: 'Look who's so excited for this birthday tonight'. The son of David and Victoria has been happily dating the American screen star after they confirmed their reunion in late 2017, after first dating in their early teens in 2014. Despite a year passing since they were last an item, Chloe recently insisted that nothing has changed between herself and Brooklyn. She told HELLO in November: 'I think we chose each other... you come back and it's like no time spent away from each other at all.' Selfie time: Brooklyn shared a sweet selfie with Chloe, cuddled up on a day bed which was simply captioned: 'Birthday girl' via his Instagram story on Saturday. Chilling: While Chloe posted up a storm on her social media, sharing images of Brooklyn soaking-up the sun before her big party She had a ball over the weekend celebrating her birthday with a 'Burning Girl' themed bash. But it wasn't all smooth sailing for Imogen Anthony, finding herself in the middle of a online war after posting a photo of herself riding a horse. Taking to Instagram, the 27-year-old was nothing but smiles in the action shot, but it wasn't long until a follower slammed her for 'pulling too hard on the reins'. Scroll down for video War of words: Imogen Anthony engages in online war of words after she posts a picture of herself riding a horse... so just what is wrong with her photo? 'Yikes someone needs to teach you to soften your hands and go easy on that poor horses mouth before they just let you get on with no helmet.. this whole pic is yikes,' they commented. Immediately, Imogen hit back, calling the follower a 'f**k yard'. 'It's an obvious action shot you f**k yard. Don't teach me how to suck eggs you obviously lonely loser,' she replied. Not staying silent: Immediately, Imogen hit back, calling the follower a 'f**k yard' 'Take your negative a** outta here and let me know how many horses you rescued from slaughter this week? Lick my a**hole.' Although the commenter replied, Imogen opted to not respond. The party, organised by her boyfriend Kyle Sandilands, was held at the couple's new Southern Highlands property. Time to celebrate: The party, organised by her boyfriend Kyle Sandilands, was held at the couple's new Southern Highlands property Special birthday: Imogen said the Burning Girl party was a 'success' Captioning the controversial action-shot photo, Imogen said the Burning Girl party was a 'success'. 'When my man said he was throwing me a birthday party I didn't know what to expect, but wow, to celebrate my birthday on our new farm with animals, family & amazing people was absolutely everything,' she captioned the lengthy post. And it seemed to be one big party with the fashion designer taking to Instagram Stories after 4am with the music still pumping and friends still dancing. It's been a long wait. But Star Wars fans were delighted on Sunday, when they got their first look at the new movie, Solo: A Star Wars Story. Screened during the Super Bowl, the footage was a short teaser ahead of the release of the trailer, which will screen Monday on Good Morning America. Scroll below for video It's Chewy! Star Wars fans were delighted on Sunday, when they got their first look at the new movie, Solo: A Star Wars Story; the film tells the story of Han's early adventures as he first crosses paths with Chewbacca Alden Ehrenreich stars as a younger version of the titular Star Wars character made iconic by Harrison Ford. The plot will chart his early adventures as he first crosses paths with Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian, played by Donald Glover. The film will also see him acquire the famed Millennium Falcon. Woody Harrelson, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Emilia Clarke, Paul Bettany and Thandie Newton are also featured in the cast. In the preview, an Empire official asks Solo, 'Which branch are you interested in joining?' to which he replies, 'I want to be a pilot - best in the galaxy.' Prequel: Alden Ehrenreich plays the aspiring pilot Han Solo in this anticipated movie Not long now: The film is set for release on May 25, which marks the 41st anniversary of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope in which Harrison Ford first appeared as Han Solo Key role: A shot of Donald Glover portraying Lando Calrissian, played in the original film by Billy Dee Williams, was creating online buzz Out of this world: However making the latest film in the Star Wars series has proven to be far from straightforward A look inside: The teaser included a shot from inside a ship the young Solo presumably trained on The preview takes viewers on a cursory ride of what to expect in the prequel, showing a young Solo as he established himself as a pilot for the Empire. Also seen in younger form is the character Lando Calrissian, as Donald Glover takes over the role of the Solo associate played in the original film by Billy Dee Williams. Among the brief glimpses in the clip include that of a young Solo staring up at the ship he'd come to be synonymous with, the Millennium Falcon; honing his craft as a pilot on Imperial aircrafts; and getting a pat on the back from his trusty Wookie companion, Chewbacca. The events in the film pave the path that set up the moment Solo and Chewy encountered Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Mos Eisley Cantina in the original 1977 Star Wars film. Millennium man: A young Solo takes a gander at the Millennium Falcon, a key vessel in the Star Wars films Learning to fly: A young Solo is seen at the helm of an aircraft in the teaser First look: Emilia Clarke plays Qi'Ra in the highly-anticipated prequel in the Star Wars universe Exotic: The teaser included a quick flash on a singer in elaborate garb, reminiscent of the entertainers in Jabba's palace Making the latest film in the Star Wars series has proven to be far from a smooth process, as Solo: A Star Wars Story has seen its original directors sacked from the job and faced a multitude of rumors concerning re-casting, re-shooting and re-scheduling. Howard appeared in a video posted on Twitter to announce the film's title and confirmed filming had wrapped in October - giving only a few months for editing. Then, last month, fans were left furious when Howard hinted that a trailer was about to finally be released, only to disappoint them with a vague description of the plot. A long time ago: This shot shows an Imperial congregation, a world the young pilot immersed himself in Feedback: The hashtag #SoloAStarWarsStory was quickly trending, with users sharing their enthusiasm on the topic Early reactions were overwhelmingly positive, with the hashtag #SoloAStarWarsStory trending high via Twitter, and many fans showing their enthusiasm for Glover commandeering the role of Calrissian. The film is set for release on May 25, which marks the 41st anniversary of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope in which Harrison Ford first appeared as Han Solo. It's been one of Australia's worst kept secrets. Now it seems Bachelor In Paradise stars Megan Marx and Jake Ellis have all but confirmed their new relationship. The oair were seen getting very touchy-feely with each other while enjoying a day out with rumoured new Bachelor Cameron Camley. Scroll down for video So, it's confirmed! Bachelor in Paradise contestants Megan Marx and Jake Ellis can't keep their hands off each other during lunch date after finding love again on reality spin-off The trio were spotted enjoying some drinks at a popular beach side bar in Perth. Former Bachelor contestant Megan showed off a hint of her toned stomach by pairing a grey crop-top with a flowing white skirt and sandals. Jake, who appeared on Georgia Love's season of The Bachelorette, looked every bit the beach bum pairing and black singlet with black shorts and finishing off his look with a straw hat. Meanwhile, Cam kept his look casual wearing a white t-shirt and black polka-dot boardies. The new couple appeared unable to keep their hands off each other, with both Jake and Megan regularly reach over to cup one another's derriere while they sat at the pair. Cop a feel: It seems former Megan Marx and Jake Ellis have all but confirmed their new relationship Three's a crowd: Megan and Jake (left and middle) were seen getting very touchy-feely with each other while enjoying a day out with rumoured new Bachelor Cameron (right) Cheers to that! The trio were spotted enjoying some drinks at a popular beach side bar in Perth At one point Jake appeared so enamored with his new love that he can be seen leaning over and nuzzling into her hair. They ramped up their PDA once they left the bar with Megan reaching around her man's midsection and holding him tightly as they walked. Jake also showed his affection by placing a protective arm around his new love's shoulders. Keeping it casual: Megan and Jake opted for casual attire while enjoying drinks with Cameron Habit forming: Jake could also be seen enjoying a cigarette during their stroll He could also be seen enjoying a cigarette during their stroll. Rumours of the pair's relationship began swirling last November after they were pictured filming scenes together for the spin-off Bachelor In Paradise in Fiji. Jake rose to fame after appearing on The Bachelorette in 2016, making it to the top three before being sent home by Georgia. Beach bums: They ramped up their PDA once they left the bar with Megan reaching around her man's midsection and holding him tightly as they walked Together at last? Rumours of the pair's relationship began swirling last November after they were pictured filming scenes together for the spin-off Bachelor In Paradise in Fiji Meanwhile, after quitting Richie Strahan's 2016 season of The Bachelor, Megan began a high-profile romance with former contestant Tiffany Scanlon. The romance was short-lived with the couple splitting in February last year. Daily Mail Australia has reached out the Megan and Jake for comment. He's a ballroom stalwart who left fans shocked after he was unceremoniously axed from Strictly Come Dancing after 13 years and 15 series. But Brendan Cole could be in line for a career resurrection across the pond after former Strictly judge and current Dancing With The Stars expert Len Goodman reportedly sang his praises to US bosses, reports The Sun. A source told the website that Brendan, 41, was keen on a move to Los Angeles to appear on the hit ABC show, and sees the opportunity as his 'fresh start'. Cha-cha-ing across the pond? Brendan Cole could be in line for a career resurrection across the pond after former Strictly judge Len Goodman sang his praises to DWTS bosses, reports The Sun Claim: A source told the website that Brendan, 41, was keen on a move to Los Angeles to appear on the hit ABC show (above Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli), and sees the opportunity as his 'fresh start' They said: 'Its a real compliment that they are interested and would be a big two fingers up to Strictly who unceremoniously dropped him. 'He sees it as a fresh start potentially and a way to make a new career for himself. 'Dancing with the Stars attracts massive US names and is on twice a year so financially he could be so much better off, as well as all the other opportunities it would open him up too.' MailOnline has contacted representatives for Brendan and Dancing With The Stars for comment. Axed: They said: 'Its a real compliment that they are interested and would be a big two fingers up to Strictly who unceremoniously dropped him. He sees it as a fresh start potentially and a way to make a new career for himself' Len, 73, who left Strictly in 2016, has reached out to Brendan to offer his support with the New Zealand born dancer revealing Len had texted him in the aftermath of his sacking: 'Len said: I hope youre okay. Dont worry. Bigger and better things will come to you. That means a lot' said Brendan. Brendan also voiced his praise for Len, calling him 'irreplaceable.' The emotional star, who famously rowed with new head judge, Shirley Ballas, during the last series, as well as Bruno Tonioli, talked about his shock sacking on rival channel, ITV, and said: 'This is hard to talk about. The BBC havent renewed my contract.' He added: 'They have made an editorial decision not to have me back on the show. I have had 15 incredible series on the show, they are a great team. Pals: Len, 73, who left Strictly in 2016, has reached out to Brendan to offer his support with the New Zealand born dancer revealing Len had texted him in the aftermath of his sacking 'I am very disappointed. Its an editorial decision. I will never know the ins and outs.' Meanwhile, a second source told MailOnline: 'The judges did not want him back. 'The rows he had in the last series with judges Shirley Ballas and Bruno Tonioli were the last straw. 'Brendan was stubborn and did not back down, which created an atmosphere backstage at the last series. 'The producers believe no one is bigger than the show. Not one judge has reached out to him which says a lot. He was not popular. His time was up and it seemed like Brendan was the last to know.' The BBC told MailOnline on Tuesday: 'Wed like to thank Brendan for being part of the show since the beginning - winner of the first series - and for the contribution he has made to its success. We wish him all the very best for the future.' Brendan, who was partnered with GMB host Charlotte Hawkins on the last series, implied that his strong opinions may have had something to do with him losing his position on the show. He famously locked horns with new head judge Shirley Ballas when he took her to task over her criticism of his and Charlotte's tango, to Danger Zone by Top Gun. 'I have strong views, Im a character on the show. I have always said as long as Ive got a passion for it, I want to be there. I want to still be there.' 'I will miss being a Strictly dancer. Its very odd to say this out loud. Its still very raw.' Her father is famed for his role as Mick Carter in EastEnders. But Danny Dyer's daughter Dani is reportedly set to become a star in her own right after 'landing a spot in the line-up for ITV2's new reality show, Survival Of The Fittest'. According to The Sun, the Essex actress, 22, will be one of the hot singletons to battle it out in a series physical and mental challenges on the Love Island spin-off show. Up and coming: Danny Dyer's daughter Dani is reportedly set to become a star in her own right after 'landing a spot in the line-up for ITV2's new reality show, Survival Of The Fittest' Dani, who was working in a pub in between acting gigs last year, is the oldest of soap star Danny's three daughters. And the busty brunette could certainly be a hit with the boys, as she regularly teases her 19k Instagram followers with a number of sultry snaps. Dani is no stranger to the screen, having previously secured roles in Bonded By Blood 2 and We Still Kill The Old Way but the reality show could help propel her career even further. MailOnline has contacted Dani's representatives for comment. Famous family: According to The Sun, the Essex actress, 22, will be one of the hot singletons to battle it out in a series physical and mental challenges on the Love Island spin-off show It was previously reported by The Sun the 40-year-old actor was hoping to secure his daughter a role on EastEnders seeing how good she was on screen. A source said: 'Danny reckons he has the power to get Dani in as a permanent star on EastEnders. 'He has been putting the odd word in with the producers and has even brought her down to the set once or twice. 'Dani has the potential to be a big star and her dad is hugely supportive of her. Given how popular he is on the show she is in a great position, too.' Battling it out: The new series Survival of the Fittest will swap Love Island's location of Majorca for South Africa The new series Survival of the Fittest will swap Love Island's location of Majorca for South Africa but keeps the same winning formula with the contestants living in a villa battling for a cash prize. But while Love Islanders spent their days lounging in the pool topping up their tans - Survival of the Fittest will see them pitted in physical and mental challenges to find out which sex has the upper hand. And when they're not competing for supremacy, contestants will be set up on dates to test out their loyalty to their team. In the spotlight: It was previously reported by The Sun that the actor was hoping to secure his daughter a role on EastEnders seeing how good she was on screen On the prowl? The busty brunette could certainly be a hit with the boys as she flirts up a storm in a number of sultry Instagram posts Much like Love Island, viewers are expected to be in control of who stays, goes and dates amid the tough terrain of South African Savannah. Head of Digital Channels and Acquisitions, Paul Mortimer said: 'ITV2's younger audience will no doubt relish the escapism this immersive physical game show from sunny South Africa will provide next winter. 'Like Love Island before it, this series' nightly mixture of fun challenges and burgeoning relationships ought to be must see.' They've already hinted at their desire to add another bundle of joy to their family. Now it appears Grant Denyer and his wife Cheryl are planning to expand their family. According to Woman's Day, Grant and Cheryl are preparing to give their two young daughters either a new brother or sister. Scroll down for video Our baby surprise! Grant Denyer and wife Cheryl give the biggest hint yet that they're expecting their THIRD child with a cryptic Instagram post The magazine is speculating that Cheryl is getting ready for a new baby based upon an Instagram comment she made last week. Alarm bells began ringing amongst her fans when the mother to daughters Sailor, six, and Scout, two, commented that she can't look at her feed 'without wanting another baby'. 'Oooooh! Is this a cryptic pregnancy announcement?!?!?' asked one follower. While another wrote: 'It would be so cute seeing a mini Grant running around' Daily Mail Australia has reach out to the couple's management for comment. Cheryl has been open about her desire to expand her brood. Feeling clucky? Alarm bells began ringing amongst Cheryl's when the mother to daughters Sailor, six, and Scout, two (both pictured), commented that she can't look at her feed 'without wanting another baby' Three's a crowd: Cheryl has been open about her desire to expand her brood A boy? In September last year Cheryl told TV Week said Grant would 'love a son' In September last year she told TV Week said Grant would 'love a son'. 'He'd love a little boy running around the house,' she said. 'Grant's an amazing dad, and we've spoken about it, so who knows.' While Cheryl spends her time living on her 27 acre farm just outside of Bathurst, Grant juggles hosting Family Feud, which is taped in Melbourne, along with his racing obligations. They are currently critiquing a range of acts for Britain's Got Talent auditions alongside fellow judges Simon Cowell and Alesha Dixon. And after watching a pair of male dancers perform in the trial stages of the show, Amanda Holden and David Walliams suggested that rival BBC show Strictly Come Dancing should include same-sex couples in the show's lineup. Describing David and Javier's performance as 'beautiful', the panel were impressed by the pair's sultry salsa dance. Scroll down for video Calling for change: BGT's Amanda Holden and David Walliams suggested that rival BBC show Strictly Come Dancing should include same-sex couples in the show's lineup Enthusing about two men dancing together, Amanda, 46, said: 'Strictly should do it. I love the moves and how you toss each other around on stage.' The comedian, also 46, declared: 'It was beautiful and shows theres nothing funny about two men dancing together. I dont know why the BBC doesnt have two men dancing together because its fantastic.' MailOnline has contacted a Strictly representative for comment. This comes after dance veterans James and Ola Jordan slammed talks of introducing same sex couples to the show. Last year's favourite: The latest series of the dance show saw stunning displays from singer Alexandra Burke and Gorka Marquez Wow factor: Describing David and Javier's performance as 'beautiful', the BGT panel were ecstatic as they watched the pair's sultry salsa dance The outspoken couple claimed the move - proposed by judge Craig Revel-Horwood, would take away from the 'masculine and feminine' aspect of dancing, branding it an 'insult to our profession'. Speaking to the Daily Star in September last year, James said: 'No, there definitely shouldn't be same-sex couples on Strictly. 'Ballroom and Latin dance is about masculinity and femininity. It's not about sexual orientation. It's not a dating show. Why can't a gay man dance with a woman? Not for it: Ola and James Jordan claimed the move- proposed by judge Craig Revel-Horwood, would take away from the 'masculine and feminine' aspect of dancing, branding it an 'insult to our profession' Controversial: In an interview with Daily Star last year, James said: 'Ballroom and Latin dance is about masculinity and femininity. It's not about sexual orientation. It's not a dating show' 'It's actually insulting that you're trying to change our profession with people saying same-sex couples should definitely be on there when it doesn't need to be.' This year's Strictly Come Dancing series saw actor Joe McFadden crowned as the winner of the dance show, making him the oldest ever contestant to scoop the Glitterball Trophy. The Glaswegian star made history as he took the record from 2009 winner Chris Hollins in the action-packed final and triumphed over fellow celebrities Gemma Atkinson, Debbie McGee and Alexandra Burke. Oscar nominee Margot Robbie was reportedly paid less than $20,000 to star in the Crocodile Dundee-inspired trailer for Tourism Australia. The Hollywood megastar, 27, was allegedly convinced by 'chief recruiter' and co-star Hugh Jackman to appear in the commercial, which is part of a $36 million campaign. The I, Tonya actress was paid the minimum SAG (Screen Actor's Guild) rates to make her cameo as 'Lil 'Donk' in Dundee: The Son Of A Legend Comes Home Scroll down for video Rumour has it: Oscar nominee Margot Robbie was reportedly paid less than $20,000 to star in the Crocodile Dundee-inspired trailer for Tourism Australia Fellow cameo stars Russell Crowe and Ruby Rose were also paid less than $20,000 each, according to the Daily Telegraph. Daily Mail Australia has contacted reps for Margot, Russell and Ruby for comment. In the trailer, a fresh-faced Margot is seen hurtling towards a man across a bar and into a table before yelling 'nobody talks about Mick like that!' The blonde beauty, who wears a white single and khaki-shorts in the clip, is of course referring to Mick Dundee, the hero of the original Crocodile Dundee franchise. She is later seen in the clip brandishing what appears to be a large knife and leading a cheer of 'free beer' while banging her schooner on the bar. Claims: The I, Tonya actress was paid the minimum SAG (Screen Actor's Guild) rates to make her cameo as 'Lil 'Donk' in Dundee: The Son Of A Legend Comes Home Cameo: In the trailer, a fresh-faced Margot was seen hurtling towards a man across a bar and into a table before yelling 'nobody talks about Mick like that!' Tourism Australias managing director John OSullivan said A-listers like Robbie were quick to sign up to the project to support their home country. 'What we found with this project was just how proud Australian talent are of their origins and country, [and] having them involved just gives us that talkability,' O'Sullivan told the Daily Telegraph. 'We've already seen on digital channels and social media, we've reached over 369 million people. We've already earned $30million in free publicity, so we're already paying for the campaign through their use ... it's been great.' The new star-studded Crocodile Dundee-inspired TV commercial aired for a potential 110 million Super Bowl viewers in the US on Monday. It is the federal government's most ambitious and expensive tourism campaign for a single overseas market. Man of the hour: Margot, 27, was allegedly convinced by 'chief recruiter' and co-star Hugh Jackman to appear in the commercial, which is part of a $36million campaign Most advertisers paid US TV network NBC around $US5 million for a single 30 second slot in Sunday's clash between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles. Tourism Australia, however, negotiated a two-year $A15 million deal with NBC for the Super Bowl spot and other opportunities using NBC's vast platform. The Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home ads, starring Chris Hemsworth, Hugh Jackman, Margot Robbie and other Australian A-Listers, are the central plank of Tourism Australia's $US27 million campaign designed to make Australia the most desired destination to visit among US travellers by 2020. The new Super Bowl ad is a continuation of faux trailers that have emerged online in recent weeks to make it appear a Crocodile Dundee film sequel would soon land in cinemas. Pay packet: Fellow cameo stars Russell Crowe and Ruby Rose were also paid less than $20,000 each, according to the Daily Telegraph The Super Bowl ad features a humorous appearance by the original Crocodile Dundee Paul Hogan, who also headed Australia's successful 'shrimp on the barbie' tourism ads of the 1980s. Australia's Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Steven Ciobo, is confident the investment will pay off. 'Creative ideas such as this are what we need to captivate our key target audiences,' Mr Ciobo told AAP. 'I am confident that many Americans are looking at booking their next holiday to Australia right now.' Isla Fisher, Liam Hemsworth, Isla Fisher, Luke Bracey and Jessica Mauboy also appear in the ads and faux trailers. The Super Bowl is by far the biggest TV broadcast in the US each year with last year's drawing 111.3 million viewers. Star-studded: Isla Fisher, Liam Hemsworth, Isla Fisher, Luke Bracey and Jessica Mauboy also appear in the ads and faux trailers Tourism Australia said the campaign, before the Super Bowl ad aired, already had a social media reach of 412million people, the faux trailers were viewed 68.8million times and double the number of any other Super Bowl ad online. American comedic actor Danny McBride plays the central role in the ads as Dundee's long lost doofus son returning to the outback to save his dad. In the Super Bowl ad Hemsworth takes McBride to see '37,000 miles of pristine beach, mate,' and taste 'some of the finest wines in the entire world'. As they sit at a Sydney harbourside restaurant it finally clicks with McBride he is in a tourism commercial and won't be the star of a Crocodile Dundee film. 'Yes, but listen,' Hemsworth, trying to calm McBride, said. 'You're the best Crocodile Dundee since Crocodile Dundee.' The camera then crosses to a disapproving Hogan sitting at the bar holding a schooner of beer. Bound for the big screen? The NT News has launched a petition to turn a purported commercial for Tourism Australia into a feature film, starring the likes of Chris Hemsworth (pictured) Pregnant former Big Brother star Krystal Hipwell (nee Forscutt) has shared a beautiful photo of herself bonding with her two-year-old son Sunny. The retired glamour model, who is expecting her second child, posted an Instagram snap on Sunday of herself sleeping topless alongside her firstborn. In the caption, Krystal described how her babymoon holiday in Fiji had taken an unexpected turn that day when Sunny suffered a nasty swimming pool injury. Scroll down for video Mummy moments: Pregnant former Big Brother star Krystal Hipwell (nee Forscutt) has shared a beautiful photo of herself bonding with her two-year-old son Sunny The 31-year-old wrote in the caption: 'My poor baby! So day four of our babymoon was quite eventful and saw us being rushed off in an emergency boat from an island off the mainland of Fiji back to a local hospital. 'Our little Sunny managed to pull off a typical pool injury with his top teeth going through the underneath of his bottom lip! 'He ended up getting stitches and ice cream which always miraculously fixes everything, and is now on the mend! Ouch! In the caption, Krystal described how her babymoon holiday in Fiji had taken an unexpected turn when Sunny (centre) suffered a nasty swimming pool injury 'Thanks everyone for all the lovely messages from my Insta Story. I was a total mess just seeing a bit of blood. (It was) so hard to see him in pain, so heaven forbid if anything bad was to ever happen to him, or our little girl on the way! 'What a reminder it was of how blessed we are to have a healthy and happy little boy.' In December 2017, Krystal revealed that she was expecting a baby girl - who is due in June this year. Another on the way! In December 2017, Krystal revealed that she was expecting a baby girl - who is due in June this year. Pictured: A throwback snap of Krystal and Sunny She wrote on Instagram at the time: 'Our prayers have been answered. 'The past 15 months have been the most challenging time in my life, after having a miscarriage last September at 10 weeks and then discovering we had lost another angel at 12 weeks earlier this year.' Krystal added: 'I felt broken and defeated but then found a new sense of strength and resilience. I discovered a part of myself that I never knew existed. 'Although life went on, not a day went by that I didn't think about our angels and whether we were going to be able to have another child at all.' Claim to fame: Krystal appeared on the 2006 series of Big Brother Australia Krystal admitted she was feeling 'terribly anxious' during her most recent pregnancy and had been 'preparing herself for the worst possible news'. 'When I saw our baby girl's heartbeat and her moving around inside my tummy today it was such a beautiful moment and I now feel like I can finally breathe again,' she previously wrote. 'I know we have a long way to go and in any pregnancy there can always be complications but I am now so hopeful that it will work out this time. We cannot wait to meet you baby girl, we already love you beyond measure.' Krystal appeared on the 2006 series of Big Brother Australia. She is now married to builder Neil Hipwell. She finally settled weeks of engagement speculation by flashing her diamond sparkler at lunch on Friday. And there was no way of hiding Jasmine Yarbrough's mammoth $120,000 engagement ring on Saturday, the huge rock hard to miss as the former model made her way to a wedding in Sydney. The 34-year-old was joined by her beaming fiance Karl Stefanovic, 44, the Today host appearing in high spirits as the pair made their way to the function. There's no hiding it now! Jasmine Yarbrough flaunts her $120,000 engagement ring as she and fiance Karl Stefanovic attend a friend's wedding Designer rock: According to Woman's Day, the three-carat sparkler was designed by celebrity jeweller Patrick Nader Jasmine's engagement ring was on full display as she took a phone call on Manly Wharf, located in Sydney's Northern Beaches. Despite the summer temperatures Jasmine opted to wear a fashion-forward velvet dress which featured a plunging neckline. The blonde also donned a pair of Valentino studded pumps rather than shoes from her line Mara & Mine. On display: Jasmine's engagement ring was on full display as she took a phone call on Manly Wharf, located in Sydney's Northern Beaches Preoccupied: Appearing engrossed in her phone call Jasmine's blinding ring was on full display to onlookers Appearing engrossed in her phone call, Jasmine's blinding ring was on full display to onlookers. According to Woman's Day, the three-carat sparkler was designed by celebrity jeweller Patrick Nader, who also made engagement rings for Jesinta Campbell and Sylvia Jeffreys. The Sydney-based jeweller is also close friends with Karl's manager, Sharon Finnigan. Taking time out: Jasmine took the phone call as her and Karl attended a friend's wedding Shady business! Jasmine shielded her eyes from the sun's glare behind a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses What about Mara & Mine? Jasmine chose not to wear a pair of shoes from her own label, instead wearing Valentino studded stilettos Jasmine and Karl were all smiles as they headed into a friend's wedding ceremony at Cerreti Chapel at North Head. They later headed to Manly Wharf for a late lunch at The Bavarian and the wedding reception. On Friday, The Daily Telegraph quoted a friend who confirmed the engagement, and claimed it was 'very new'. Earlier, Jasmine appeared to confirm the engagement while at lunch in Sydney's Woolloomooloo on Friday afternoon. Thinking of their own nuptials? Jasmine and Karl were all smiles as they headed into a friend's wedding ceremony at Cerreti Chapel at North Head Busy day: They later headed to Manly Wharf for a late lunch at The Bavarian and the wedding reception In a celebrating mood? On Friday, The Daily Telegraph quoted a friend who confirmed the engagement, and claimed it was 'very new' She flashed her huge diamond ring on her wedding finger while posing for an Instagram photo with Karl and a group of glamorous female friends. The Sydney Morning Herald's Private Sydney column previously reported that the couple's engagement was not a secret among their social circle. 'Their pals started receiving text messages featuring a shot of the couple kissing and, for all intents and purposes, announcing their engagement,' it was claimed. New Idea previously claimed Karl popped the question at Kokomo Island Resort in Fiji on January 14. Appeared to confirm speculation: On Friday, Jasmine flashed her engagement ring while out at lunch Arriving in style! Jasmine and Karl made an entrance in a white Range Rover Advertisement It was teased during the Super Bowl and now the full first trailer for Mission: Impossible - Fallout has been released. The two-and-a-half minute video shows Tom Cruise taking a lot of punishment as he revives his character Ethan Hunt. The sixth installment of the franchise looks packed with incredible stunts and action sequences as well as exotic locations and a bunch of famous faces. The movie is directed by Christopher McQuarrie who directed Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation and the plot sees Ethan once again facing off against the Syndicate's Solomon Lane, played by Sean Harris. Scroll down for video Super Bowl debut: The full first trailer for Mission: Impossible - Fallout has been released and once again Tom Cruise does some incredible stunts in the action-filled video Old foes: The sixth installment of the franchise follows on from 2015's Rogue Nation and sees Ethan Hunt once again facing off against the Syndicate's Solomon Lane, played by Sean Harris The movie opens with a series of shots of Cruise on a motorbike, in a helicopter and driving a truck along with aerial views of Paris and mountainous landcsapes. Lane provides the voice over for the first part of the trailer. He is heard saying to Ethan: 'Your mission should you choose to accept it... I wonder, did you ever choose not to?' Lane continues: 'The end you always feared is coming... and the blood will be on your hands. The fallout of all your good intentions.' Fast-paced: The sixth installment of the franchise looks packed with action sequences as well as exotic locations and a bunch of famous faces Daredevil: Cruise is in full action mode Scene is set: Lane provides the voice over for the first part of the trailer. He is heard saying to Ethan: 'Your mission should you choose to accept it... I wonder, did you ever choose not to?' Most personal challenge: 'The end you always feared is coming... and the blood will be on your hands. The fallout of all your good intentions,' Lane continues Back for another round of action is Ving Rhames along with Rogue Nation stars Alec Baldwin, Simon Pegg and Rebecca Ferguson. Michelle Monaghan, who was in Mission: Impossible 3, makes a comeback. This time around, Vanessa Kirby and Henry Cavill both join in the ride along with Angela Bassett. They're back: Rebecca Ferguson and Simon Pegg reprise their roles from Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation Old friend: Michelle Monaghan, who was in Mission: Impossible 3 in 2006, makes a comeback Cruise's right hand man: Original castmember Ving Rhames, who's appeared in all six movies (though not credited in Ghost Protocol) plays Luther again Not off to a good start: Alec Baldwin as IMF director Alan Hunley is seen telling Ethan: 'You had a terrible choice to make in Berlin - one life over millions - and now the world is at risk' Baldwin as IMF director Alan Hunley is seen telling Ethan: 'You had a terrible choice to make in Berlin - one life over millions - and now the world is at risk.' Hunley is then shown in conversation with the CIA Director played by Bassett, who tells Hunley: 'If he had held on to the plutonium, we wouldn't be having this conversation. 'His team would be dead,' Hunley replies. 'Yes they would,' she says. 'That's the job.' New characters: Angela Bassett joins the franchise as the CIA Director and Henry Cavill is also on the team Straight talk: Hunley is shown in conversation with the CIA Director who tells him: 'If he had held on to the plutonium, we wouldn't be having this conversation' Pushed too far: 'How many time's has Hunt's government betrayed, him disavowed him, cast him aside? How long before a man like that had had enough?' Cavill's character asks Bassett Out on his own: So the scene is set for Hunt to be on a mission both battling the Syndicate and his own people Not much is known about the character Cavill plays but he seems to be on Hunt's side - as he's seen with Bassett's CIA Director. He asks her: 'How many time's has Hunt's government betrayed, him disavowed him, cast him aside? How long before a man like that had had enough?' So the scene is set for Hunt to be on a mission both battling the Syndicate and his own people. But it's Cruise's stunts that are always going to take center stage and he doesn't hold back. There's even a glimpse in the trailer of the moment he broke his ankle while jumping between buildings in London. Mission: Impossible - Fallout, which is still filming in London, is slated to hit movie theatres on July 27. Man on a mission: Cruise's stunts take center stage and he doesn't hold back Risk taker: There's even a glimpse in the trailer of the moment he broke his ankle while jumping between buildings in London Cliffhanger: The trailer ends with Hunt seen driving a truck at speed towards an incoming big rig He's an Australian male supermodel who has worked for some of the biggest names in the fashion business. But it appears that Jordan Barrett has forgotten one of showbiz's golden rules - never work with animals or children - while taking photos with friends in Sydney on Monday. The 21-year-old tried his best to console model Kendal Lee-Schuler's nine-month old son Ryka Lee Pedrana, after the baby burst into tears while taking photos. Scroll down for video That's awkward! Model Jordan Barrett attempts to console a friend's baby after it burst into tears while taking a photo Jordan Barrett caught up for breakfast with model besties Tahnee Atkinson and Leonardo DiCaprio's ex-girlfriend Kendal. Arriving at Bondi's The Porch cafe, the 21-year-old dressed casually while trying his hand at babysitting Kendal's nine-month old son Ryka Lee Pedrana. Jordan could be seen nursing the baby on his knee, the male model having little success in comforting the bub after it burst into tears. Baby wants out! Arriving at Bondi's The Porch cafe, the 21-year-old dressed casually while trying his hand at the babysitting Kendal's nine-month old son Ryka Lee Pedrana Oh dear! The Byron Bay-native lifted Ryka up to his face as he tried to console the sobbing little boy The Byron Bay-native lifted Ryka up to his face as he tried to console the sobbing little boy. Fortunately Jordan took the bad reaction in his stride, the model laughing animatedly at Ryka's bad reaction. Kendal also appeared to find her son's response to Jordan funny, bending over with laughter. All in good fun: But it didn't appear as though the Vogue star or mum Kendal was too worried, taking the opportunity to capture the hilarious moment Enough babies for one day! Handing back the bub to his mum, it gave Jordan a free hand to smoke his cigar Keeping it casual: Jordan sported a white Saint Laurent t-shirt for the catch-up Jordan sported a white Saint Laurent T-shirt for the catch-up, appearing happy and relaxed despite only being in Australia for a 48 hour visit. Tahnee wore a frayed blue and white mini-dress for the date and keptwarm for the cooler temperatures with long sleeves. She paired the look with red slip on sandals that sported gold studs throughout. Stylish: Tahnee sported a frayed blue and white mini-dress for the date Fashionable: She paired the look with red slip on sandals that sported gold studs throughout Lighting up: Jordan was seen smoking a cigar during the breakfast catch up Natural beauty: Flaunting her clear and luminous complexion, the Australia's Next Top Model winner had her dark locks slicked back into a high bun Known for his love of flashing the bird, he made the rude symbol while getting into a black car with Tahnee. The genetically-blessed star has previously graced the runway for Dolce & Gabbana, Moschino and Versace. Jordan's appeal lies beyond the catwalk, having been linked to the likes of 'it' girls Bella Hadid, Hailey Baldwin, Sofia Richie and Megan Blake Irwin. Byron Bay beach hair: Jordan's blonde maine was left out and he donned slight chin stubble That's cheeky! Known for his love of flashing the bird, he walked off with his takeaway drink Now known for his jet-setter lifestyle, the Byron Bay native was first scouted at 13 when he was skipping class and trying to steal matches from a local supermarket. Luckily caught by a talent manager and not security, the scout gave him his business card before he scurried off. 'He was asking me all these questions about my mum and stuff I didn't understand. I thought he was security, and I sort of scampered away,' Jordan previously told Vanity Fair. A-list stars: Jordan's appeal lies beyond the catwalk, having been linked to the likes of 'it' girls Bella Hadid, Hailey Baldwin, Sofia Richie and Megan Blake Irwin Lucky break! Now known for his jet-setter lifestyle, the Byron Bay native was first scouted at 13 when he was skipping class and trying to steal matches from a local supermarket. He recently got snapped flipping off photographers while walking out of a New York City hotel. But on Monday, model fashion 'bad boy' Jordan Barrett put on a far more affable display when he was spotted with fellow fashion star, Tahnee Atkinson. The 'It' model wrapped his hands around his long-time bestie, who was the winner of season five of Australia's Next Top Model. Copping a feel! Fashion's latest bad boy Jordan Barrett, 21, has been spotted putting on a handsy display with Australia's Next Top Model winner Tahnee Atkinson while walking on a Bondi street Enjoying Sydney's summer weather, Jordan's trademark blonde hair blew freely in the wind as the pair chatted and strolled along a Bondi street. At times, Jordan put his hands around Tahnee's waist and arms around her shoulders - with the 6ft 2inch model towering over his reality show winning friend. Jordan cut a relaxed figure in a plain white T-shirt and loose-fitting camouflage pants. Touchy, touchy: At one point, the 21-year-old Byron Bay model put his arms on the brunette beauty's shoulders He finished the look with a pair of tan, lace-up boat shoes. Tahnee, meanwhile, opted for a seasonal choice of a short but billowing blue-and-white dress that showed off her trim pins. The layered, figure-hugging garment featuring eclectic detailing, with long white T-shirt-style sleeves. Models inc: The pair laughed and exchanged smiles as they strolled along a Bondi street The 26-year-old model, however, choosing to complete the look with red studded gladiator-style sandals and a vintage handbag worn over her shoulder. Jordan and Tahnee are known to be close, with the pair snapped last month acting playful on a mobility scooter while shopping together at the Pacific Fair shopping centre on the Gold Coast. Model Jordan is known to have a close relationship with a number of big names in the fashion world. On Friday, fellow US-based Aussie model Cheyenne Tozzi shared a snap of the two on a road trip on the west coast of the country. The grainy photo of the high-profile duo featured Jordan holding one of the restaurant's famous burgers while he and Cheyenne guzzled down their drinks. Tziporah Malkah defiantly declared that she will 'fight back' as she appeared in court over assault charges. The ex-fiancee of billionaire James Packer had claimed South Australia police left her with bruised arms during her arrest for biting her ex-partner Guy Vasey. And the 44-year-old told reporters she refuses to be 'bullied' as she faced charges at Victor Harbor Magistrates Court, south of Adelaide, on Monday. Scroll down for video On a mission: Tziporah Malkah defiantly declared that she will 'fight back' as she appeared in court over assault charges 'What I can say is that I'm a woman who stands up for herself these days,' she said outside court. 'I've been bullied a lot. 'If I was maybe six inches shorter and meek and crying and all the rest of it I think I would've been treated a little differently. 'Instead, I'm a woman who chooses to fight back. I don't deny fighting for myself, and I don't deny standing up for myself.' The former model, who was previously known as Kate Fischer, has yet to plead to one basic count of assault and one count of resisting police. Defiant: And the 44-year-old told reporters she refuses to be 'bullied' as she faced charges at Victor Harbor Magistrates Court, south of Adelaide, on Monday Shock allegations: The ex-fiancee of billionaire James Packer had claimed South Australia police left her with bruised arms (pictured) during her arrest last month for biting her ex-partner Guy Vasey Volatile relationship: The former Nineties model was pictured in good spirits with Guy just weeks before the incident She has also been charged with three counts of assaulting a police officer and one count of disorderly behaviour. She was arrested for biting Guy at their Port Elliott home last month. Following her release on bail, she claimed on social media that she was mistreated by police. She posted an Instagram photo that showed bruises on both her arms and wrote in the caption: 'About 48 hours ago I bit my partner Guy Vasey. '24 hours later, as I was quietly on screen in my room, he called the police and had them come over, arrest me for assault, handcuff me and throw me into the Paddy wagon. Allegations: She was arrested for biting Guy at their Port Elliott home last month. Following her release on bail, she claimed on social media that she was mistreated by police Claims: She claims Guy called the police after she bit him, alleging that officers then 'pushed and shoved' her and made her 'lie in my own urine in a cold room' She continued: 'I was finally taken to the... cop shop where amongst other things I was dragged along the floor, pushed and shoved and made to lie in my own urine in a cold room with no blanket. They would not allow me to take my medication or see a Dr.' During her court appearance on Monday, Tziporah asked for her case be adjourned for three weeks so her lawyer could assess the charges. She added: 'My ex wants my stuff out of there (the house). I've got a whole apartment full of stuff. I need to go back to collect it once I have a new place to live or at least stay in. Malkah also asked for permission to leave South Australia. The judge granted each application and remanded Malkah on $500 bail - she will face court again in April. Facing the music: The former model, who was previously known as Kate Fischer, has yet to plead to one basic count of assault and one count of resisting police Not happy: Outside court, she said: 'I'm a woman who chooses to fight back. I don't deny fighting for myself, and I don't deny standing up for myself' Snap-happy star: The Sirens actress then bizarrely decided to take selfies with reporters and photographers Outside court she would discuss her mistreatment allegations against the police with her lawyer. 'If I believe I'm unfairly accused of something and I'm not being accorded correct treatment by authorities, I will fight back against them too,' she said. 'If I've been assaulted, there's a good chance I'm going to fight back. I shouldn't have been put in that position in the first place. This whole thing was botched and mishandled from the very beginning - from the very beginning.' Malkah said she had received very little support which she found 'quite strange in this politically correct environment' and said she was suffering mentally. Suffering emotionally: 'I'm used to things taking mental tolls on me,' she said while discussing the case. 'You try living my life and not being stressed. I've had a doozy' Heading out: She dressed casually in a printed sundress and trilby for her first court appearance, which she arrived at in a taxi 'I'm used to things taking mental tolls on me,' she said. 'You try living my life and not being stressed. I've had a doozy.' The I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here star also hinted that she will move to Sydney, which she dubbed a 'nanny state'. 'I've done my dash in Melbourne, I've done my dash in SA, I may as well burn a new path of craziness through Sydney,' she said. 'It's become such a nanny state, it doesn't take much to upset them down there... blow your nose after 10pm it's "oh God!".' Moving on: Tziporah previously claimed she will be leaving South Australia and hopes to relocate to Sydney (pictured last year on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!) The Sirens actress then took selfies with reporters and photographers before heading home. South Australia police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that a '44-year-old woman from Port Elliot was arrested and charged with aggravated assault following a domestic incident at a Port Elliot home last night (26 January).' They stated that: 'She was also issued with a Police Interim Intervention Order and was bailed to appear in Victor Harbor Magistrates Court on 5 February.' Police made no further comment in relation to Tziporah's accusations of mistreatment and are 'not aware of any official complaint having been made'. In her post, Tziporah also added that she will leave South Australia, where she has been living in part since she began her relationship with Guy last year. Turbulent story: One of Australia's most prominent models of the 1990s, Tziporah suffered a dramatic fall from grace following the end of her five-year relationship to James Packer in 1998 'Once I have organised moving vans and a police escort, I'll be packing my stuff & leaving Port Elliot. I'll most likely relocate to Sydney. Edgecliff, Double Bay hopefully,' the former model claimed. 'As for Guy Vasey, I wish him all the best', she concluded. Tziporah first dated Guy when they were teenagers, resuming their romance partway through last year. Their relationship has been filled with fiery confrontations, with Tziporah acknowledging to New Idea last month that they are 'like a pair of lovers in a Latino soap opera' and 'we fight hard, we love hard!' Last month they became embroiled in a public war of words on Facebook. Accused of driving while intoxicated: Last December she faced court for a driving offence after her second-hand Holden Commodore was pulled over by police in Melbourne Revelations: Court documents revealed the beauty was getting by on payments on just $200 a fortnight One of Australia's most prominent models of the 1990s, Tziporah suffered a dramatic fall from grace following the end of her five-year relationship with James Packer in 1998. After relocating to Los Angeles, the star was swindled out of $2 million dollars she gave to a lover, later finding out that he had a wife and family in another country. In 2011 she returned to Australia and was briefly homeless, living in a women's shelter. In 2017 Tziporah re-emerged in the spotlight, appearing on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! Where she shed 19 kilograms. Her shock arrest isn't the first time Tziporah has had a brush with the law. Last December she faced court in Melbourne for driving while intoxicated after her second-hand Holden Commodore was pulled over by police. Court documents revealed the beauty was getting by on payments on just $200 a fortnight. He played the long-lost son of Crocodile Dundee in a Tourism Australia commercial. And Danny McBride has spoken about his involvement in the $36 million mega ad, which aired for the first time during the Super Bowl on Sunday. The 41-year-old spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about how the star-studded spot made people believe a sequel to the classic 1986 film was in development. Scroll down for video Star: Danny McBride has spoke about his involvement in the $36 million Tourism Australia mega ad, which aired for the first time during the Super Bowl on Sunday 'People were confused and wondering what it was,' he said of the buzz surrounding the commercial. 'They were talking and speculating. Ultimately thats what a good ad is supposed to do,' he continued. The Georgia-born actor noted the concept 'seemed silly enough' as something Hollywood would execute. 'People were confused and wondering what it was,' he explained of the buzz surrounding the commercial 'To get peoples attention by doing a fake movie trailer for a fake franchise seemed like a great idea,' he added. According to advertising firm Droga 5, who teamed up with Tourism Australia to produce the project, Chris Hemsworth contacted Danny to feature in the campaign. In addition to Danny and Chris, Australian stars like Hugh Jackman, Margot Robbie, Ruby Rose, Liam Hemsworth and Dundee himself, Paul Hogan, participated. 'They were talking and speculating. Ultimately thats what a good ad is supposed to do,' he continued Star-studded: In addition to Danny and Chris, Australian stars like Hugh Jackman, Margot Robbie, Ruby Rose, Liam Hemsworth and Dundee himself, Paul Hogan (pictured) participated The Super Bowl is by far the biggest TV broadcast in the US each year, with last year's event drawing 111.3 million viewers. Tourism Australia said the campaign, before the Super Bowl ad aired, already had a social media reach of 412 million people. The faux trailers were viewed 68.8 million times and double the number of any other Super Bowl ad online. She's the much-loved Australian star who's known for frequently changing up her looks. And on Sunday, Dannii Minogue debuted her brand new metallic grey locks. Leading the pack of stars at the L'Oreal Colour Trophy Awards, the 46-year-old beamed as she showed off her glossy silver locks. She's gone grey! Dannii Minogue shocks as she debuts her new silver hair while attending L'Oreal Colour Trophy Awards Looking good! Dannii also flaunted her trim physique in a blue Lillian Khallouf belted mini dress. Meanwhile, Dannii also flaunted her trim physique in a blue Lillian Khallouf belted mini dress. Completing her look with silver strappy heels, she ensured all eyes were on her long and lean legs. Taking to Instagram to showcase her hair transformation, the final look saw Danni's strands curled into lose waves and pinned back into a messy updo. Peepers: Bringing out her deep-set blue eyes, the age-defying star applied a metallic blue eyeliner Bringing out her deep-set blue eyes, the age-defying star applied a metallic blue eyeliner. Meanwhile, the pop star also cuddled up to Havana Brown at the balloon photo wall. The DJ opted to wear a sexy matching two-piece set to the event. Friends: The stunner was also spotted alongside DJ Havana Brown at the balloon photo wall Stunner: Flaunting a modest amount of ample cleavage, her low V one-button top also drew attention to her washboard abs Flaunting a modest amount of ample cleavage, her low V one-button top also drew attention to her washboard abs. She completed her ensemble with matching coloured silk-like pants that flared out at the bottom. With a radiant complexion, Havana was nothing but luminous. Only smiles: With a radiant complexion, Havana was nothing but luminous Has she found love? And while she's awaiting her Bachelor In Paradise appearance to air on Ten later this year, Laurina Fleure spent her Sunday night joining the stars at the L'Oreal event Adding a pink eye shadow to her look, her voluminous blonde locks were styled out into large loose waves. And while she's awaiting her Bachelor In Paradise appearance to air on Ten later this year, Laurina Fleure spent her Sunday night joining the stars at the L'Oreal event. All dressed in white, the stunner flaunted her enviable trim physique in the form-fitting dress. Trim and toned! All dressed in white, the stunner flaunted her enviable trim physique in the form-fitting dress Keeping it simple: The brunette beauty's hair was left out and her makeup luminous and finished off with a nude pink lip Laurina's long and bronzed legs were also out on display, and she completed the look with nude strappy heels. The brunette beauty's hair was left out and her makeup luminous and finished off with a nude pink lip. Recently updating his do to a bleach blonde, comedian Joel Creasy was nothing but smiles when he posed alongside Dannii at the awards. Wouldn't miss the show! Recently updating his do to a bleach blonde, comedian Joel Creasy was nothing but smiles as he posed alongside Dannii at the awards Dressed to impress: Letting his locks take centre stage, he looked incredibly dapper in a maroon-coloured suit with black tie Tips from Dannii? Standing in front of the balloon wall, the star looked incredibly stylish Letting his locks take centre stage, he looked incredibly dapper in a maroon-coloured suit with black tie. And the night wouldn't be complete without Melbourne's hair God Joey Scandizzo himself. Arriving solo, the father-of-two donned a striped T-shirt with white shorts. His kind of night! And the night wouldn't be complete without Melbourne's hair God Joey Scandizzo himself Pretty in pink! Former Miss World Australia Beza Mickan also had heads thanks to \ her bold ensemble. Ensuring he wasn't dressed too casually, he opted for Gucci sneakers. Pretty in pink, former Miss World Australia Beza Mickan also had heads thanks to \ her bold ensemble. Wearing a two-piece pant suit, she flashed her lacy white bra and struck a model pose. Whether she's dressed for the red carpet or a casual day out, Megan Fox always looks like a perfect 10. The Jennifer's Body actress, 31, looked understated-yet-fashion forward while heading to Sunday church service in Los Angeles. There, the Hope & faith star cozied up in a furry black jacket and matching slides. Faith in fur: Megan Fox looked understated-yet-fashion forward while wearing a furry jacket to Sunday church service in Los Angeles The wife of actor Brian Austin Green continued her comfortable look with black joggers and a camouflage top that matched her fuzzy olive-green footwear. She accessorized with aviators sunglasses and a knit hat while carrying a bottle of water in her hand. Megan, who was raised in Tennessee, has been very open about her Pentecostal upbringing and faith in God. Back in a 2013 interview with Esquire, the starlet revealed that she began speaking in tongues at the tender age of eight. Holy water! She accessorized with aviators sunglasses and a knit hat while carrying a bottle of water in her hand Church mouse: Megan, who was raised in Tennessee, has been very open about her Pentecostal upbringing and faith in God, The star is seen in September 2017 in Mexico City above 'I have seen magical, crazy things happen [at church],' the star explained. 'Even now, in the church I go to, during Praise and Worship I could feel that I was maybe getting ready to speak in tongues, and I'd have to shut it off because I don't know what that church would do if I started screaming out in tongues in the back.' Describing the experience, she said 'You just start speaking, but you're not thinking because you have no idea what you're saying. 'Words are coming out of your mouth, and you can't control it. The idea is that it's a language that only God understands. It's the language that's spoken in heaven. It's called "getting the Holy Ghost."' Happy family: The actress and her Beverly Hills, 90210 star husband Brian Austin Green, 44, welcomed their latest addition, son Journey River, in August 2016 Faith and family are of the utmost importance to the Transformers actress. Megan and her Beverly Hills, 90210 star husband welcomed their latest addition, son Journey River, in August 2016. The couple began dating in 2004 after they met on the set of Hope & Faith when he was 30 and she was 18, and they tied the knot on June 24, 2010. They raise sons Noah, five, Bodhi, three, and Journey, 17 months, while Brian also has son Kassius, 15, from his relationship with actress Vanessa Marcil, 49. The cast of Marvel's Black Panther are proudly sharing the message of the Wakandan people with the world. Lupita Nyong'o, 34, smiled for photographers during the South Korean press conference for the new superhero film in Seoul on Sunday. She wore a sparkly grey and silver dress with long sleeves and Christian Louboutin heels. Shine bright: Lupita Nyong'o sparkled at the premiere and press conference of Black Panther in South Korea on Sunday Co-stars: She was joined by other members of the cast including Michael B. Jordan and Black Panther himself Chadwick Boseman Happy times: Lupita laughed while looking at a toy made in the image of her character Nakia Hey, that's me: Boseman also spoke about the action figure made of his character Black Panther Lupita was joined by director Ryan Coogler and castmates Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan. The fancy foursome spoke with members of the local media hot on the heels of their big United States premiere on Monday. The film tells the story of T'Challa aka Black Panther, the king of the fictional African nation of Wakanda. His super powers include enhanced speed, strength, night vision, and healing. We love you: The cast and director had so much fun talking to the members of the local media Stunning: The Kenyan star couldn't help but smile throughout the whole event From Ryan, with love: Director Ryan Coogler smiled for the cameras as Lupita strikes a pose in Christian Louboutin heels Former love: T'Challa is the former lover of Nakia, who Lupita portrays in the film Lupita stars as Nakia, T'Challa's former lover and an operative of the all female special forces of Wakanda. 'I can say that Nakia, when we meet her, is a war dog, which means shes one of Wakandas CIA agents,' she told Slashfilm. 'Her job is to spy around the world and report back to Wakanda to keep Wakanda safe and keep Wakanda informed.' Glowing: Lupita's makeup was flawless with just a hint of red on her lips for a pop of color Birthday boy: Michael arrived to find a strawberry tart in his hotel room that said Happy Birthday Let's party: Chadwick and his castmates enjoyed some Korean BBQ after an eventful day Red carpet star: The fashionista has been getting lots of positive attention for her stunning red carpet gowns South Korea is receiving special attention from the Black Panther family since some scenes from the film were shot in the Asian country. Action scenes were filmed in the southern coastal city of Busan, where Asia's largest film festival takes place yearly. The cast has been having a fantastic time as is evident by the wide grins they placed throughout the packed event. Girl power: Her character is an operative of the Dora Milaje, the all-female special forces of Wakanda who serve as T'Challa's bodyguards Watch this: Black Panther opens in the United States on February 16 Jordan, who'll celebrate his 30th birthday on February 9, got the party started early with a strawberry tart and some Korean BBQ with the cast and some friends. He also took some time to watch Super Bowl LII where a special Black Panther and Lexus advertisement aired. Black Panther will premiere stateside on February 16. The enemy: Michael plays a Wakandan exile who became an American black-ops soldier and seeks to overthrow T'Challa On Sunday's episode of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, Shannon Noll blamed Simon Cowell for his lack of success in the UK. And it appears controversial radio duo Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson have taken the Australian Idol star's side in the feud. Kyle branded music mogul Simon an 'a**ehole' on Monday, and argued he played a significant role in Shannon missing out on international exposure in the mid 2000s. Scroll down for video 'Simon Cowell lost him millions of dollars': It appears Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson (pictured) have taken Shannon Noll's side in his feud with Idol judge Simon Cowell 'Simon Cowell lost him millions of dollars,' Jackie remarked after playing Shannon's signature song What About Me. 'And a whole career in another country!' Kyle added. Shannon, 42, has enjoyed success in his home country after placing second in the inaugural season of Australian Idol in 2003, but didn't find fame in the UK. And he personally blames Simon Cowell for it. Feud: On Sunday's episode of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, Shannon told told his fellow campers: 'F**k Simon Cowell! Tell him I said "Get f**ked" if he can hear' Not happy! Shannon explained that, after his debut single What About Me hit No. 2 on Ireland's music charts back in 2004, Simon was reluctant to release it in the United Kingdom On Sunday's episode of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, Shannon told told his fellow campers: 'F**k Simon Cowell! Tell him I said "Get f**ked" if he can hear'. He then explained that, after his debut single What About Me hit No. 2 on Ireland's music charts back in 2004, Simon was reluctant to release it in the United Kingdom. Shannon said: 'Simon Cowell was going, "Just because it works in Ireland don't mean it'll work in England".' He then went on to explain that Simon 'signed the runner-up of X Factor and cut What About Me on his own. Sold a million albums'. As Shannon's version of What About Me was itself a cover, there was nothing he could do. Jackie said she understood why Shannon 'was still p****d' after all these years because he could have 'been rolling naked in cash' by now. It was revealed on Sunday that the 'trailer' for Dundee: The Son Of A Legend Comes Home was actually an elaborate commercial for Tourism Australia after it aired to 110 million Americans during Super Bowl LII. And the $36 million advertisement promptly sent social media into a meltdown, becoming a trending topic on Twitter. Thousands reacted in disappointment that the commercial wasn't actually promoting a real film, with Donald Trump Jr., Busy Phillips and Magda Szubanski offering their verdict on the 60-second ad. Sensational! The $36 million Tourism Australia ad which aired during the Super Bowl on Sunday promptly sent social media into a meltdown, becoming a trending topic on Twitter The commercial featured stars such as Danny McBride, Chris Hemsworth and Hugh Jackman in a mock movie trailer for a 'reboot' of the Crocodile Dundee franchise. Donald Trump Jr. was one of the first to petition that the film actually be made, writing on Twitter: 'Not gonna lie, Kenny Powers as Crocodile Dundee would be the best thing to home (sic) out of Hollywood in decades'. His sentiment was echoed by Australian comedian Magda Szubanski, who enthusiastically tweeted: 'I know I'm late to this but OMG I HAVE TO SEE THIS FILM PLEASE MAKE THIS FILM'. He's a fan! Donald Trump's oldest son and namesake took to Twitter to support a real Crocodile Dundee reboot 'Best thing to home (sic) out of Hollywood in decades': If the Tourism Australia commercial is a success, Donald Jr. may soon be sending time Down Under Expressing her enthusiasm! Comedian Magda pleaded with producers to bring a reboot to the big screen Suicide Squad star Ike Barinholtz also took to Twitter, claiming he was disappointed there would be no new Crocodile Dundee film coming to cinemas. 'I am legitimately bummed there is not a new Crocodile Dundee movie with Danny McBride', he wrote. Actress Busy Phillips soon replied: 'YOU HAD ME CONVINCED IT WAS REAL'. All-star cast: Chris Hemsworth was among the many A-listers who appeared in the Tourism Australia ad, disguised as a Crocodile Dundee commercial 'Bummed': Actor Ike reacted like many other Americans who were watching along at home 'Convinced': The marketing ploy got many, including Busy Phillips, talking Trolled! A Twitter user summed up the sentiments of many Their sentiments were echoed by thousands more, with one Super Bowl viewer saying he felt he had been 'trolled' by Australia as he believed that the trailer was for a real film, rather than a commercial for the country's tourism industry. Despite their disappointment, it appears the expensive advert may have achieved its goal of making Americas travel Down Under on their holidays. 'Well now I really want to visit Australia! Even though this wacky Crocodile Dundee fake movie thing is just a tourism marketing campaign, it got me. I want to visit! It looks lovely there', one fan wrote. Will they turn the commercial into a movie? If Twitter users have their way, Paul Hogan and Margot Robbie could be reuniting to shoot a movie They recently enjoyed a fleeting trip to Milan as part of her work with drinks brand Campari. But Zoe Saldana and her husband Marco Perego looked overjoyed at being reunited with their little ones as they enjoyed some quality time in Los Angeles on Sunday. The family of five made the most of a sunny afternoon by stepping out for lunch together, with matriarch Zoe, 39, looking beyond chic in a white sundress. Back in their arms: Zoe Saldana and her husband Marco Perego looked overjoyed at being reunited with their little ones as they enjoyed some quality time in Los Angeles on Sunday The Avator actress looked sensational in the billowing number, which boasted ornate lace detailing. She paired the frock with a simple black cardigan and toughened up her style with T-bar sandals that were adorned with gold studs. Amplifying the glamour, Zoe styled her raven tresses pin-straight and sported a slick of red lipstick, a shade that complemented her quirky scarlet glasses. Bonding: The family of five made the most of a sunny afternoon by stepping out for lunch together, with matriarch Zoe, 39, looking beyond chic in a white sundress Her husband Marco, an Italian artist, sported a typically alternative style in a black T-shirt and drop crotch jeans, finished with combat boots and aviator shades. The couple looked to have their hands full as they carried two of their three sons out of the restaurant, relying on one of their friends to hold their youngest, Zen, one. Zen's surprise arrival was announced by the couple - who married in London in June 2013 after a whirlwind three-month romance - on February 13 via Instagram. Romantic break: The couple recently enjoyed a fleeting trip to Milan as part of her work with drinks brand Campari Previously opening up about her family to People, Zoe admitted she was 'very meticulous' about how she and Marco discussed the way they completed their brood, until their youngest son is older. She explained: 'When were there, when the time comes and our third baby is a little older, and all the forces that helped us have him with us are comfortable, then we will share it because we know it would be very positive and inspiring to many families that are looking to complete themselves and are not able to do it in the conventional way. 'Seeking alternative ways to start a family should be encouraged, should be empowered and I think we should spread that education, that information out there, when the time is right.' As well as Zen, Zoe and Marco are also the parents of three-year-old twins Bowie and Cy. Helping hand: The couple had their hands full as they carried their twins Cy and Bowie, both three, out of the restaurant, relying on one of their friends to hold their youngest, Zen, one Zoe stars in Campari's new short film, The Legend of Red Hand, and on Tuesday she was spotted making her way to the brand's photo call in Milan with her husband. The actress donned a beautiful red silk gown at the event, but wore a long black and white plaid coat with white beaded embellishment during her walk there. Marco meanwhile sported a black suit, gray patterned collared shirt, and a short black tie. Classy: On Tuesday in Milan, Zoe kept warm in a long black and white plaid coat with white embellishment, while Marco warded off the cold in his black suit Gentleman: Marco held his wife's hand and helped escort her to the event as she walked cautiously in her red gown Loving couple: The lovebirds held hands the entire way to Campari's photo call in Milan Cold: Zoe was likely colder than her husband as her feet were exposed in the heels she wore Stepping it up: The actress appeared to be taking one step at a time as she tried to navigate the street in her long delicate gown Married At First Sight viewers were introduced to yet another quirky groom on Monday night. Nasser Sultan, who runs a fitness group for over-50s, stole the show by boasting about his ageless complexion and youthful looks. The 50-year-old also revealed that moisturising for almost an hour a day is the secret to his flawless appearance. 'For fifty years old, I'm pretty hot!' Viewers were introduced to the vain but likable Nasser Sultan on Monday's episode of Married At First Sight 'I'm VERY attractive,' he boasted in his introduction. 'I think about a seven out of ten,' he continued, humbly under-scoring himself. The pint-sized Adonis added: 'For fifty years old, I'm pretty hot!' 'I'm VERY attractive': The fitness instructor wasn't shy about showing off his flawless physique 'I think about a seven out of ten': Nasser struck a few muscular poses for the cameras Nasser wasn't shy about his flaunting his toned physique, with one scene showing the fitness instructor flexing his muscles by the beach before skipping into the ocean. 'I take care of myself, and I'm in touch with my feminine side,' he explained. 'My secret to looking young is to moisturise,' continued the tanned Lothario as he demonstrated his skincare routine for the cameras. 'I take care of myself, and I'm in touch with my feminine side': The hunky fitness instructor also gave viewers a glimpse into his skincare routine 'My secret to looking young is to moisturise,' continued the tanned Lothario, who admitted to spending 45 minutes a day on his skin 'I spend about 45 minutes just on my skin!' he said. 'That's it, that's my beauty tips from Nas.' The ageless Egyptian was paired with plus-size model and alopecia-sufferer Gabrielle Bartlett on the series. Married At First Sight continues Tuesday night at 7:30pm on Channel Nine She has spoken about her Hollywood career and celebrity rivalries during her stint on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! But things took a sombre turn on Monday's episode when Kerry Armstrong spoke about her marriage to her first husband, Australian Crawl guitarist Brad Robinson. Kerry was only 23 years old when she walked down the aisle in 1981, but the couple were pressured to separate so that Kerry could obtain a Green Card in the United States. 'I think everyone should hold on to their first great love': Kerry Armstrong (R) spoke about her first marriage to Australian Crawl guitarist Brad Robinson on Monday's I'm A Celebrity 'What happened in Hollywood is I kept getting pulled out of play after play after play and someone pulled Brad (Robinson) aside and said, "The only reason she can't work is because you are married and she needs to have a Green Card",' Kerry, 59, told fellow camper Peter Rowsthorn. 'And so there was a great deal of pressure on us to not stay married. We had a pact that we would do it for a certain amount of time and get back together. As it is in life, that didn't work out.' Kerry ended up marrying actor Alexander Bernstein in 1985 in order to sort out her visa issues, before divorcing him a year later. Her first love: Kerry was only 23 years old when she married Brad Robinson (pictured), but the couple were pressured to separate so that Kerry could get a Green Card in the United States But she ultimately returned to Australia after her grandmother passed away in 1987. 'I think everyone should hold on to their first great love and be grateful,' she said. The Lantana star went on to have three sons with two different men, writer-producer Mac Gudgeon and builder Mark Croft. Brad Robinson died in 1996 at the age of 38 after a battle with cancer. Kerry is a veteran of the silver screen, winning two Australian Film Institute Awards in 2001 for her roles in Lantana and SeaChange. And on Sunday, she revealed that winning Best Actress at the AFI Awards displeased Nicole Kidman so much she 'left the room'. He's the quirky over-50s fitness trainer and she's the plus-size model with alopecia. But it looks like opposites attract, with Married At First Sight's Nasser Sultan and Gabrielle Bartlett hitting it off after meeting at the altar on Monday's episode. However, it wasn't all smooth sailing for the pair, with Nasser growing concerned after learning that the 44-year-old is divorced and has a daughter. Fireworks: Nasser Sultan and Gabrielle Bartlett experienced instant fireworks upon meeting at the altar on Monday's episode of Married At First Sight 'We already love each other!' Nasser exclaimed in front of the guests at the nuptials. 'He seems like a really warm, chatty, bright spark,' said a happy Gabrielle after the ceremony. Nasser returned the compliments, gushing over his 'darling' Gabrielle. 'We already love each other!' The 50-year-old couldn't hide his excitement 'She's just a really warm lovely person,' he said. However, things took a turn when she admitted to having an 11-year-old daughter with her ex-husband. 'Okay there's a daughter there, and there's an ex hanging around,' he confessed to the camera. 'He seems like a really warm, chatty, bright spark!' Gabrielle was more than happy with her pint-sized husband 'Okay there's a daughter there, and there's an ex hanging around': Nasser was left stunned after discovering that his new bride had a child from a previous relationship 'I'm concerned about it,' he continued. 'That's a hurdle that I'm still processing.' Nasser later brought the issue up to his mates when he was safely away from Gabrielle. 'She's beautiful, she really is lovely,' he said. 'She has a child.' 'I'm concerned about it,' he explained. 'That's a hurdle that I'm still processing' 'I've dated women with kids, and it's not easy,' he said. 'It's a massive challenge' 'I've dated women with kids, and it's not easy,' he continued. 'It's a massive challenge.' Gabrielle's twin sister also expressed her concerns that Nasser wasn't ready to take on the responsibility of a child. 'I really don't think that Nasser is the kind of guy that Gab needs,' she said. 'I'm not sure that he's willing to take on the child.' After months of secrecy, Kylie Jenner took to Instagram to announce the birth of her baby daughter with boyfriend Travis Scott, born on February 1, 2018. After speculation about her pregnancy, Kylie revealed that pregnancy has been the most beautiful, empowering, and life changing experience Ive had in my entire life and Im actually going to miss it. In addition to the social media post, the Lip Kit entrepreneur shared an announcement video that also provided the first glimpse of Kim Kardashians new baby Chicago West. Travis Scott awaiting for the arrival of his daughter, seen in Kylie Jenner's announcement video Kylie was also wearing a diamond ring in the video, sparking rumours that she is engaged to the Goosebumps rapper Travis. Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner went public with their relationship back in April 2017 after Kylies on-off three-year romance with Tyga ended. But who is Travis Scott? Kylie Jenner announced the birth of baby daughter with boyfriend Travis Scott on Instagram Who is Travis Scott? Born Jacques Webster Jr. on April 30, 1992, in Houston, Texas, the rapper is better known by his stage name Travis Scott, or Travi$ Scott. After dropping out of the University of Texas at San Antonio, Travis moved to New York City to start his music career but months later, moved to Los Angeles because of lack of progression. Lack of funds resulted in Travis having to move back to Houston where his parents, who had already cut him off financially, kicked him out of their house and he returned to LA. Kylie and Travis were first spotted together in Texas as they enjoyed a basketball in April 2017 T.I., the Atlanta-based rapper and owner of Grand Hustle Records, then heard the track Lights (Love Sick) and Travis was invited into the studios for a meeting. Travis Scotts first full-length release was a mixtape called Owl Pharaoh and a year later, another mixtape, Days Before Rodeo, was released. Soon after, he took to Twitter to announce his first studio album, Rodeo. After the success of his first few productions, Travis went on to headline a concert tour across the US in 2015, renowned as the wildest rap tours of all time, with special appearances from Kanye West, Wale, Chris Brown and Birdman. Rodeo was released in 2015 with guest appearances from Quavo, The Weeknd and Justin Bieber and debuted at the top of the Billboard Rap Albums chart. In 2016, Alexander Wang revealed that Travis Scott would be part of WANGSQUAD for the Spring campaign and he continued to produce more music. His album Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight was released in the same year and was number one on the US Billboard 200 which led to Universal signing a worldwide deal with the Butterfly Effect rapper. He also was an executive producer on Kanye Wests album Cruel Summer. 2017 saw Travis Scott announce a worldwide concert tour called Birds Eye View and the launch of his own imprint, Cactus Jack Records. In an interview, Travis said: Im not doing it to have financial control over my music. I want first and foremost to help other artists, launch new names, to provide opportunities. I want to do for them what happened to me, but better. As well as working on an album with Quavo from the hip hop trio Migos, he announced his third studio album AstroWorld, worked with Drake on More Life and released new music on Soundcloud. What is Travis Scotts net worth? Travis Scotts net worth has accumulated to approximately $8 million (5.7 million), according to Celebrity Net Worth. After his parents cut him off financially, Travis built up his fortune after deciding to pursue music full-time and today, produces tracks for the likes of Jay-Z, John Legend and Madonna. Travis also produced the hit single B**** Better Have My Money by Rihanna, has won a BET Hip Hop Award and a Teen Choice Award and was nominated for the Album of the Year Grammy in 2017 for being a featured artist on Justin Biebers Purpose. His girlfriend Kylie Jenner is worth around $50 million (35 million), according to Forbes Celebrity 100 Earnings list, on which she ranks at number 59. Channel Nine has confirmed it has axed House Husbands in the latest blow for scripted Australian drama. The network's program director, Hamish Turner, made the announcement on Monday, citing funding issues as the primary reason why the show would not return for a sixth season. The series - which began airing in 2012 and starred Julia Morris, Hugh Sheridan and Delta Goodrem - is the latest series to be dropped, as reality TV franchises continue to dominate the ratings. Another one bites the dust! Channel Nine announced it had axed its drama House Husbands on Monday, making it the latest locally produced scripted drama to be cancelled Speaking with TV Tonight on Monday, Hamish stated: 'House Husbands had a great run over five seasons, and it certainly could continue with the numbers it was getting.' However, 58 episodes of the show have already been made and there were concerns as to whether it would be financially sustainable to extend the show beyond its 65th episode. According to TV Tonight, current funding models for locally produced dramas offer a 65 episode refundable tax offset, meaning that any series which goes on to produce more episodes automatically loses a rebate, causing costs to blow out by 20 per cent. It's over: Not even the star power of Delta Goodrem, who joined the show for its fifth season, could save the series The Secret's out: Jessica Mauboy's drama The Secret Daughter has been dropped by Seven It comes as Channel Seven has similarly decided to cut scripted drama in favour of more reality TV fare, which is popular with viewers and far cheaper to produce. The network has dropped its series The Secret Daughter, and a source has told The Herald Sun that another of its dramas, 800 Words, 'is unlikely to return to the screen anytime soon'. The most recent season of 800 Words saw its average audience dip below 800,000 while the current season of My Kitchen Rules is bringing in over one million viewers per episode. Not returning anytime soon: The most recent season of 800 Words saw its average audience dip below 800,000 TV commentator David Knox told The Herald Sun that 'Australia is unique for its zeal for reality TV', which indeed appears to be true, with The Voice, The Block, The Bachelor, House Rules and Ninja Warrior all set to return later in the year. New reality TV series expected to hit screens on free-to-air television in 2018 include Bachelor In Paradise, Love Island, Dance Boss, Instant Hotel, Australian Spartan, and Back With The Ex. However, scripted Australian drama is still drawing in viewers on subscription services. Wolf Creek and Romper Stomper are currently in production on Stan, while Wentworth and A Place To Call Home are set to return for new seasons on Foxtel. She's been a staple of the big screen since making her debut in the critically-acclaimed 1993 film Much Ado About Nothing. And Kate Beckinsale was spotted back at work as she filmed scenes for her latest project in Cape Town, South Africa, on Monday - her first TV role in 20 years. The 44-year-old actress donned a more rugged look while filming the new Amazon series The Widow. Acting mode: Kate Beckinsale, 44, rocked a khaki yellow shirt and jeans while filming The Widow in South Africa on Monday The Pearl Harbour star rocked a khaki yellow shirt over two casual vest tops as she worked alongside Inglorious Basterds actor Jacky Ido. She slipped her lithe pins into a pair of dark grey skinny jeans, while she strolled through the cobbled streets in brown lace-up boots. Kate tied her glossy brunette locks in a high ponytail with soft curls, while her makeup gave the illusion of an effortlessly fresh face with a light touch of nude lip colour. Co-starring: The Pearl Harbour star rocked a khaki yellow shirt over two casual vest tops as she worked alongside Inglorious Basterds actor Jacky Ido In late January, she was seen touching down in South Africa, as she prepared to shoot scenes for the upcoming drama mini-series. Eight-part series The Widow, set to hit screens next year, is the newest project from screenwriting brothers Harry and Jack Williams - responsible for hits Liar and The Missing. In a statement to Deadline, the Williams Brothers said: 'Kate Beckinsale is a brilliantly talented actress and we're thrilled she's joining us on this journey we couldn't imagine anyone more perfect for the role. Good chemistry: She slipped her lithe pins into a pair of dark grey skinny jeans, while she strolled through the cobbled streets in brown lace-up boots Rugged style: Kate tied her glossy brunette locks in a high ponytail with soft curls, while her make-up gave the illusion of an effortlessly fresh face with a light touch of nude lip colour 'The Widow is our most ambitious and cinematic piece to date and we can't wait to bring the dark heart of the Congolese jungle to the screen' they continued. Kate plays Georgia Wells, who attempts to uncover the truth behind her husband's disappearance, after he is reported dead following a plane crash in the Congo. This is the first time the Total Recall star has landed a role on the small screen in two decades - her last TV role being in 1998's Through the Looking-Glass. The production schedule will see Kate fly over to Wales and Rotterdam for the project, which will air on ITV before being available on Amazon Prime. Small screen role: Eight-part series The Widow, set to hit screens next year, is the newest project from screenwriting brothers Harry and Jack Williams - responsible for hit show Liar Meanwhile, the actress was seen jetting to the sun-soaked location with her mother Judy - clearly spending time away from rumoured comedian beau Matt Rife, 22. The pair were last pictured sharing an embrace at the Westfield Century City mall in Santa Monica in November - three months after Us Weekly reported their romance had 'fizzled out'. An insider said at the time: 'They went on a couple of fun dates. It fizzled out weeks ago. She's happily single and has a lot going on.' The stunning SAG Award nominee began dating the TRL host sometime around March after reportedly meeting through a mutual friend. She has candidly discussed her battle with alcoholism while in the South African jungle on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! And on Monday's episode, Fiona O'Loughlin revealed the depths of her addiction during a conversation with Real Housewives of Melbourne's Jackie Gillies. The comedian said she would conceal small bottles of vodka in her bra and the lining of her handbag while drinking continually throughout the day. Scroll down for video On Monday's episode of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, recovered alcoholic Fiona O'Loughlin (pictured) demonstrated how she used to conceal small bottles of vodka in her bra The 54-year-old said: 'I would hide it in my bras (and) handbag linings, I would always cut the lining and hide it in there.' In a shocking revelation, the stand-up also confessed she was homeless 'at the very end' before finally getting sober. She has described alcoholism as a 'deadly disease' and an 'allergy', and claims 'there are people out like like me who simply cannot drink'. Rock bottom: In a shocking revelation, the stand-up comedian, 54, also confessed she was homeless 'at the very end' before finally getting sober. Pictured in the South African jungle Fiona's language appears to suggest that she has sought help for her addiction through a 12-step recovery program. In 2011, she referenced being a part of Alcoholics Anonymous, wryly observing that 'AA is a great tool but there are a lot of tools in it.' On Wednesday's episode of I'm A Celebrity, Fiona revealed that she had originally been cast for the show two years ago but had to drop out after 'screwing it all up and going on a bender'. Candid: On Wednesday's episode, Fiona revealed she had originally been cast for the show two years ago but had to drop out after 'screwing it all up and going on a bender' 'This disease is shrouded in shame,' she said. 'It is particularly shameful being a mother. When you're a chronic alcoholic like I am, there is only three endings. There is death, jail or institution. That is it.' I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! continues Tuesday at 7:30pm on Ten He has a reputation for being one of the world's most straight-talking journalists, with his seemingly tough exterior meaning he's never one to shy away from the big questions. But Piers Morgan's wife, Celia Walden, painted the star in a whole new light as she made a series of shocking revelations about him during her appearance on Lorraine on Monday morning. Divulging what the Good Morning Britain star, 52, is really like behind closed doors, she admitted that he has a tendency to tap dance around the house - though it wasn't long before Piers stormed onto the set in an apparent bid to break up the candid chat. 'He tap dances around the house': Piers Morgan's wife, Celia Walden, painted the star in a whole new light as she made a series of revelations about him during her appearance on Lorraine on Monday morning 'He's sweet,' she said of the TV presenter. 'He puts his shoes on before he puts anything else on and then he tap dances around the house before finally slamming the door so hard that sometimes the letterbox falls off.' Asked if she felt she was the more dominant of the two, she confessed, after some hesitation: 'Yes, I think so! 'I think women are always quietly in charge, I just think its best to let the men think that they are.' Shocker! Divulging what the Good Morning Britain star, 52, is really like behind closed doors, she admitted that he has a tendency to tap dance around the house But before things could turn too cosy, Piers hijacked his wife's interview, storming on set in a pair of household gloves. 'Sorry, I've just been doing the housework,' he remarked, a tongue-in-cheek reference to his stance on feminism. 'Has she told you I'm a feminist?' he then quipped, before giving his take on the news that grid girls will be banned from Formula One. Leading lady: Asked if she felt she was the more dominant of the two, she confessed, after some hesitation: 'Yes, I think so!' Look who it is! Before things could turn too cosy, Piers hijacked his wife's interview, storming on set in a pair of household gloves He enthused: 'Im surrounded by strong women, and I dont get how the grid girls for example are somehow letting women down, while Kim K [Kim Kardashian] and Emily Rat [Emily Ratajkowski] are empowering to women.' The interview came after Lorraine spoke via a video link to Piers ahead of her show and teased him about his novelist wife's appearance. 'You had better fasten your seatbelt!' the TV presenter quipped. Celia and Piers began dating in 2006, before tying the knot in Oxfordshire in 2010. They have since welcomed six-year-old daughter Elise, while Piers also shares sons Spencer, 24, Stanley, 20 and Albert, 17 with ex-wife Marion Shalloe. Melissa McCarthy has been happily married to Ben Falcone since 2005. But in her new movie, Life Of The Party, the Hollywood vet has eyes for a much younger man. In the clip, which she shared on Ellen DeGeneres' show, the 47-year-old actress is seen making out with a college student - played by 22-year-old Luke Benward - in a library when she attends college with her daughter. Scroll down for video Cougar lady: Melissa McCarthy makes out with a student, played by Luke Benward, in a teaser for her new movie Life Of The Party, which premiered on Ellen on Monday On the show: The comedienne wore a pink paisley coat over a white top with dark leggings and platform shoe as she stepped on to Ellen's show Melissa and the boy make out furiously among the books in a library. The former stand-up comedienne told Ellen this was weird because her husband was watching the scene as he was directing the film. 'It's always fun working with my husband,' she began. How it all begins: After her husband asks for a divorce, Melissa decides to go back to college New life: But her daughter gets irritated that her mom is coming to campus When asked what it was like making out with Luke in the film as her husband was behind the camera, she said: 'Professionally speaking, it was amazing. We meet and kind of hit it off. We are in a relationship, there is some making out in a library.' And to make it even more awkward, it was shot on the day of her 11th wedding anniversary with Ben. 'He's weirdly yelling out things like, "Can you grab his butt in the next take." And we kept going Happy Anniversary?' Makeover: Her little girl gives her a new haircut and dresses her differently to fit in As far as the movie, Melissa says it has a lot of heart. 'We're tasking our daughter to college it's the first time she's going away which I can't even imagine. 'My character is very excited and her husband immediately says I want a divorce. She's crushed by it... She regretting not finishing school. 'My best friend is played by Maya Rudolph, she helps me pick me up and I go back to college, the same school as my daughter. Her take: When asked what it was like making out with Luke in the film as her husband was behind the camera, she said: 'Professionally speaking, it was amazing' Behind the scenes: And to make it even more awkward, it was shot on the day of her 11th wedding anniversary with Ben. 'He's weirdly yelling out things like, "Can you grab his butt in the next take." And we kept going Happy Anniversary?' 'But it's really sweet and hopeful. I love that concept that it's never too late to do anything to change or accomplish anything.' The synopsis from the film supplied by Warner Bros reads: 'When her husband suddenly dumps her, longtime dedicated housewife Deanna turns regret into re-set by going back to college - landing in the same class and school as her daughter, who's not entirely sold on the idea. 'Plunging headlong into the campus experience, the increasingly outspoken Deanna - now Dee Rock - embraces freedom, fun, and frat boys on her own terms, finding her true self in a senior year no one ever expected.' Money gals: Plus, in honor of Melissas mother-daughter college-themed movie, the two surprised audience members Chassidy Jackson-Goodwin and her daughter Jaida Jackson from Lincoln, Nebraska with $75,000 The comedienne wore a pink paisley coat over a white top with dark leggings and platform shoe for her sit-down with DeGeneres. Ellen and Melissa talk about Ellens upcoming 60th birthday party and Melissa apologizes in advance for any dance challenges and chest bumps that may occur. Melissa tells Ellen about how her seven-year-old daughter, Georgette, tries to leave the house wearing a full-face of makeup and also constantly 'plans for Armageddon.' Her older daughter, Vivian, is a clone of Melissa with a passion for interior decorating. Yes, she wore a beer apron: Melissa and the guests played a Life Of The Party version of beer pong game to raise money This happened: The mom did well and was thrilled with her winnings Melissa also hilariously chats about her two new beautiful, but dumb Golden Retriever dogs, which she calls 'horses,' Homer and Harper. 'Everyone gives them things because they're pretty,' she said. Plus, in honor of Melissas mother-daughter college-themed movie, the two surprised audience members Chassidy Jackson-Goodwin and her daughter Jaida Jackson from Lincoln, Nebraska to play a Life Of The Party version of beer pong. Backstage: Ellen and Melissa also talked about Ellen's birthday party, which The Heat star will attend Jaida, a Junior at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, wrote to Ellen about how Chassidy put her education on hold to focus on raising her as a single parent, but has always dreamed of going back to college. Since Chassidy is unable to afford their tuitions, Ellen surprises the mother and daughter with $25,000 to put toward their education, courtesy of Shutterfly. The surprises continue when Melissa announces Life of the Party will donate an additional $25,000 and on top of that, Melissa and Ben are personally giving $25,000 for a total of $75,000. We've always known it was coming, but fans were left heartbroken on Sunday night, after NBC finally revealed how Jack Pearson dies on This Is Us. And it seems they weren't alone, with the cast sharing their distress at the development. Mandy Moore, who plays Jack's wife Rebecca Pearson, spoke on Monday's the Today Show about the emotional roller coaster the scene promoted. 'None of us could speak afterwards, we were sort of speechless,' she said live from Minnesota, where the cast attended the Super Bowl. This is Mandy: Mandy Moore talks about the big death scene reveal of This Is Us during the Super Bowl She continued: 'We were recounting some of our favorite parts of the episode and favorite lines, and we would all start crying. It affects us too.' The New Hampshire-born star admitted that she and co-star Milo Ventimiglia have known the method of Jack's demise from the start. And she felt it was only appropriate that all was revealed on Super Bowl Sunday, Jack's favorite day of the year. I think all of us are tremendously relieved. @TheMandyMoore talks about details of Jacks death finally being revealed on @nbcthisisus pic.twitter.com/DB6Ggp1SG4 TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 5, 2018 So emotional: Moore admits the cast is relieved the secret is finally out and they can move on to tackling other questions Fan reaction overwhelming: 'It's pretty mind blowing to feel people's direct connection to this family,' she said on the Today Show 'I think all of us are tremendously relieved,' she said. 'Milo and I have known since the very beginning. 'But it's nice to pop that bubble a little bit and now we can move forward with the show and answer more pressing questions as well.' One of those questions is how Rebecca ends up married to Jack's best friend Miguel (Jon Huertas). Also how their three children Randall (Sterling K. Brown), Rebecca (Chrissy Metz) and her twin Kevin (Justin Hartley) coped through the years without their beloved father. True love: Rebecca and Jack Pearson are one of the most beloved couples on television RIP: Even though Jack has officially died, fans will continue to see the character since the show bounces back and forth between the past, present and future Moore admits that the fan connection to their characters has been a nice surprise. The Pearson family has touched many lives and they can't help but want to discuss it with her when they meet her. 'It's pretty mind blowing to feel people's direct connection to this family,' she told show hosts Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie. 'They always want to have in-depth conversations with you as well... They really want to connect with you.' He masterminded his talented daughter's rise to fame in Destiny's Child, before helping her get started on a solo career. Now Beyonce's father Mathew Knowles has spoken out about colorism in the music industry, saying that his superstar daughter and her sister Solange wouldn't be as famous if they had darker skin. Talking to Ebony, he said the biggest black female stars all had lighter skin. 'Think about this': Beyonce's father Mathew Knowles says she wouldn't be as famous if she had darker skin; teh two are seen together at the Grammys in 2005 'When it comes to Black females, who are the people who get their music played on pop radio? Mariah Carey, Rihanna, the female rapper Nicki Minaj, my kids [Beyonce and Solange],' he told Ebony magazine. Since parting ways with Beyonce professionally in 2011, African-American Knowles has reinvented himself as a college professor, and is promoting a new book about race relations, titled Racism: From the Eyes of a Child. In his interview the 66-year-old also addressed his own deep-rooted attitudes to skin color, saying that when he first met Beyonce's mother, his ex-wife of 31 years, he assumed she was white. Former manager: Since parting ways with Beyonce professionally in 2011, African-American Knowles has reinvented himself as a college professor, and is promoting a new book about race relations, titled Racism: From the Eyes of a Child; his daughter is seen last year Music's first family: Beyonce is seen with her husband Jay Z and daughter Blue Ivy at last month's Grammy Awards Sister Solange: Knowles was also referring to his younger daughter with Tina 'I actually thought when I met Tina, my former wife, that she was White. Later I found out that she wasnt, and she was actually very much in-tune with her Blackness.' He said that his preference for white or light-skinned black women was embedded in his childhood in Gadsden, a small town near the city of Birmingham, Alabama. Said Knowles: 'When I was growing up, my mother used to say, "Dont ever bring no nappy-head Black girl to my house." In the deep South in the 50s, 60s and 70s, the shade of your Blackness was considered important. So I, unfortunately, grew up hearing that message.' Former love:Knowles said that when he met Beyonce's mother Tina Lawson he wrongly thought she was white; the two were married for 31 years And this had a lasting effect. 'I used to date mainly White women or very high-complexion Black women that looked White... I had been conditioned from childhood. 'With eroticized rage, there was actual rage in me as a Black man, and I saw the White female as a way, subconsciously, of getting even or getting back. There are a lot of Black men of my era that are not aware of this thing.' Beyonce's rise to stardom began in 1988 when she won the Baby Junior Award at the Sammy Awards, a ceremony held to honour Sammy Davis Jr. Stars: But Knowles said that their lighter skin helped Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Rihanna find fame, as he claimed it did with his own daughters - Beyonce and Solange She signed up to join a girlband, Girls Tyme, when she was eight, with Knowles quitting his full-time sales job to co-manage the band two years later. The band became Destiny's Child, which three years later signed a seven-album deal with Columbia/Sony. Knowles co-managed Destiny's Child throughout, and was also credited as executive producer on Beyonce's first solo album Dangerously In Love, before she ended her working relationship with her father in 2011. Corey Feldman has been cleared in an LAPD sexual battery investigation centered around an alleged incident last year. The 46-year-old former child star's attorney Perry Wander told The Blast on Monday that the criminal complaint has been rejected. The lawyer told the publication: 'After a comprehensive investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles City Attorneys office rejected the filing of a criminal complaint against my client Corey Feldman.' The Blast also received confirmation from the LA City Attorney. Scroll down for video Vindicated: Corey Feldman (pictured last month in Utah) has been cleared in an LAPD sexual battery investigation centered around an alleged incident last year according to a Monday report from The Blast The publication reports that Feldman is pleased with the decision as his attorney Wander stressed the star has 'long been a vocal advocate against sexual harassment and abuse, and has maintained his innocence and now is vindicated.' The former child star - who has recently been speaking out about child molesters being the 'number one secret' in Hollywood - had been named by an unidentified woman in a report filed on January 8. Feldman had been accused of grabbing a woman's buttocks in early 2017. Feldman's rep told TMZ at the time that the star 'vehemently denies these egregious claims'. The actor married Courtney Anne Mitchell, 28, in 2016 and shares 13-year-old son, Zen with ex-wife Susie Sprague. Since the recent Harvey Weinstein sex scandals sparked a surge of Hollywood heavyweights getting toppled from their positions of power, Corey's previous accounts of abuse at the hands of showbiz executives have gained new traction. Spouse: Feldman married Courtney Anne Mitchell, 28, in 2016 and shares 13-year-old son, Zen with ex-wife Susie Sprague. The actor is pictured with Courtney, a musician, in February 2016 Feldman first came forward with his account in his 2013 memoir, Coreyography, claiming that both he and Haim were repeatedly abused as up-and-coming actors. Back in December, the actor was vindicated again as police in California said they had uncovered a tape in which Feldman listed the names of men who had abused him in the past. Moving on: The star, 46, had been accused of grabbing a woman's buttocks in early 2017 but 'vehemently denied' those claims The former child actor had claimed in October that he had given the names of sexual predators in Hollywood to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office in 1993 during their investigation into Michael Jackson's molestation charges. But the sheriff's office previously denied the claims, saying they had no records of Feldman revealing such information, however they changed their tune and stated that an audio recording has been found in a container from the original Michael Jackson child abuse investigation. Feldman had insisted in a Today show interview back in October that he 'sat down and I gave them names. They're on record. They have all this information.' Then in November the actor, who became a household name by starring in such blockbuster hits as Stand By Me and The Goonies, revealed the identities of two alleged child molesters he claims took advantage of him and other adolescent screen stars years ago during an interview on Dr. Oz. He claimed that his former assistant and actor Jon Grissom was the first to take advantage of him in the 1980s. Feldman also named former child talent manager and convicted sex offender Marty Weiss in a separate interview with Megyn Kelly on the Today Show. However, Weiss has not commented publicly on the allegations. Weiss was arrested in 2011 after one of his clients told police he had been sexually abused by the man starting when he was just 11-years-old, claiming the incidents happened 30 to 40 times over a roughly three years period. He eventually pleaded no contest to two counts of child molestation in 2012 and was sentenced to a year in jail and five years probation however he was immediately released after entering his plea for time served. Feldman told multiple media outlets that he reported members of a supposed Hollywood pedophile ring back in 1993 with the Santa Barbara Police Department, but until December, such an account was disputed by the SBPD. Feldman has also been trying to raise $10 million to finance a film that he says will expose the ring of Hollywood pedophiles who Feldman claims molested him and Corey Haim, who later died of suicide, when they were young boys. She's fresh from a charity campaign trip to Nigeria. And Sienna Miller was seen stepping out in New York City on Monday, rocking a cool and casual ensemble as she enjoyed a shopping spree with a friend. The Hollywood beauty was wrapped up warm against the winter chill, donning a fur lined khaki coat. Scroll down for video Low-key: Sienna Miller was seen stepping out in New York City on Monday, rocking a cool and casual ensemble as she enjoyed a shopping spree with a friend Sienna completed her ensemble with a statement $750 Rag & Bone handbag complete with fluffy detailing. She donned a pair of black skinny and jeans and lace-up leopard print boots. The blonde star went make-up free and wore her tresses down loose, hiding behind a pair of shades. Arm candy: Sienna completed her ensemble with a statement $750 Rag & Bone handbag complete with fluffy detailing Last month, Sienna lent her star power to a charity campaign in Nigeria that helps those affected by terrorist organisation, Boko Haram. The 36-year-old actress beamed broadly as she met with victims in northeast Nigeria's hard-hit Borno State on Monday. The Burnt star, who has been an International Medical Corps Global Ambassador since 2009, looked in good spirits as she helped give out supplies. Helping out: Last month, Sienna lent her star power to a charity campaign in Nigeria that helps those affected by terrorist organisation, Boko Haram Sienna dressed conservatively for the mission in a utility vest and jeans, whilst she covered her hair with a navy headscarf. As well as meeting with survivors, the mother-of-one spoke with vaccinators, and mothers and children suffering from severe malnutrition. The International Medical Corps (known also as IMC) is a global humanitarian nonprofit organization established by volunteer doctors and nurses that provides disaster relief, health care and training to vulnerable communities. Charitable: The 36-year-old actress beamed broadly as she met with victims in northeast Nigeria's hard-hit Borno State on Monday Conservative: Sienna dressed conservatively for the mission in a utility vest and jeans, whilst she covered her hair with a navy headscarf Sienna joined IMC as an Ambassador in 2009 after joining the group to volunteer at the war-stricken Democratic Republic of Congo. She said at the time: 'After seeing International Medical Corps courageous work up-close I was determined to become more involved, devoting my energies and my name to bring more attention to the challenges they face around the world. 'These people work in the toughest conditions imaginable, saving lives every single day, and helping bring self-reliance and hope. The question for me was, how could I not take action?' Learning: As well as meeting with survivors, the mother-of-one spoke with vaccinators, and mothers and children suffering from severe malnutrition Maternal: Sienna was also seen speaking with children at the camp, and looked at ease with the children as a mother herself to daughter Marlowe Ottoline Layng Sturridge Helping: The Burnt star, who has been an International Medical Corps Global Ambassador since 2009, looked in good spirits as she helped give out supplies Sienna was also seen speaking with children at the camp, and looked at ease with the children as a mother herself, after welcoming daughter, Marlowe Ottoline Layng Sturridge, in July 2012. The American Sniper actress called off her engagement to Marlowe's father Tom Sturridge in 2015 but are often spotted out together as they continue to co-parent their daughter. The Journey's End actor was engaged to Sienna for three years and they remain friends. Advertisement The 90th Academy Awards are a month away. But on Monday the nominees were already gathering to congratulate each other during a glamorous lunch at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills. Margot Robbie and Saoirse Ronan lit up the red carpet in stylish dresses and ankle-strap heels, both ladies are nominated for best actress awards at the upcoming 90th Academy Awards. Scroll down for list of nominations... They made it! Margot Robbie and Saoirse Ronan lead the celebrity arrivals at the annual Oscar lunch held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on Monday Saoirse, 23, who is nominated for Best Actress in a Leading role for Lady Bird wore a orange spaghetti-strap pencil dress and pink ankle-strap heels. Margot, along with her I, Tonya co-star Allison Janney are nominated for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress respectively. Margot wore a white and black mini dress with strappy black heels and a black Chanel purse while Allison showed off her lovely figure in a fitted black dress and pointy black pumps. Mary J Blige was one of the first on the carpet as she stunned in a white suit. The singer turned actress added a wide belt and knee-high boots. The 47-year-old star has been nominated twice for the film Mudbound: for Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song. Pretty lady: Mark J Blige looked lovely in white as she posed away Double the rewards: She has been nominated twice for Mudbound: for Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song. Also there was Best Actor nominee Gary Oldman, who was dapper in a dark suit. The 59-year-old actor has been nominated for his performance in the drama Darkest Hour, in which he plays Winston Churchill (Oldman). In the film, Churchill must face one of his most turbulent and defining trials: exploring a negotiated peace treaty with Nazi Germany. Best Director nominee Greta Gerwig looked lovely in a pencil dress with checked pattern while star of her movie Lady Bird, Saoirse Ronan, looked stylish in an orange spaghetti-strap dress with high heels. Looking elegant: Greta Gerwig, left, was there for her Best Director nod for her work in Lady Bird along with star of the movie Ronan Understated chic: Lead Actress nominee Sally Hawkins opted for a polka-dot two-piece outfit Celebration: Also there was Best Actor nominee Gary Oldman, who was dapper in a dark suit, and Molly's Game director Aaron Sorkin The nominations were announced in January. The Shape Of Water led the nominations with 13 nods as this year's contenders were announced in Los Angeles. They are closely followed by Dunkirk and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. There were several surprise nominations and snubs. Christopher Plummer, 88, the actor who replaced disgraced Kevin Spacey at the very last minute, received a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his part in All The Money In The World. A-list guest list: Allison Janney, 58, nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for her role in I, Tonya, looked amazing in a chic little black dress with stylish pumps Happy to be there: Richards Jenkins also made the event; he is nominated for his work in The Shape Of Water as is the movie's director Guillermo del Toro (right) So chic for her lunch: Octavia Spencer wore a pretty black dress and sparkling jacket; she has been nominated for her work in The Shape Of Water Good suits: Kimberly Peirce wore lather slacks and a blazer while Daniel Kaluuya had on a brown suit with matching shoes In the running: Laurie Metcalf looked lovely in a black and gold gown. She is nominated for Best Supporting Actress in Lady Bird So close: Actors Patton Oswalt (L) and Meredith Salenger attend the luncheon side by side Other shock names included, Blige who received her first Oscar nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category, and Octavia Spencer who became the first black actress to receive multiple nods ahead of the 90th annual awards. Tiffany Haddish and Andy Serkis revealed the full list live from the Academys Samuel Goldwyn Theater. The 90th annual Academy Awards will be held live from Los Angeles' Dolby Theater on March 4, 2018 and hosted by talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. Snubs included Angelina Jolie's Cambodian drama First They Killed My Father in the Best Foreign Language Film category and directors Steven Spielberg and Ridley Scott were also missed when the 2018 nominations were announced. Sophisticated chic! Laura Dern rocked a leather pencil skirt and cream blouse for the event Catching up: Dern posed alongside Call Me By Your Name star Timothee Chalamet inside the Beverly Hilton Hotel Hugs! Janney was super excited to meet basketball superstar Kobe Bryant What a line-up: Steven Spielberg (left) came along despite The Post being snubbed. Best Supporting Actor nominee Sam Rockwell arrived in a grey suit while Get Out director Jordan Peele looked sharp in navy. Get Out is nominated for multiple awards Tying the record set by Titanic in 1998, 13 nominations for The Shape of Water means the fantasy drama has surpassed awards season buzz. The film was recognised in categories including Original Screenplay, Original Score, Cinematography, Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress, among others. Set in the 1950s, the film follows a strange and beautiful relationship between an amphibious creature and a local janitor. Talent: Songwriter Diane Warren (left) is nominated for Best Original Song for Stand Up For Something from the movie Marshall performed by Common (right) All together now: The luncheon attendees gathered for a massive group photo alongside a life-size Academy Award 90TH ACADEMY AWARDS CLASS PHOTO: WHO'S WHO Front Row Left to Right: Mike Meinardus, Evelyn ONeill, Glen Gauthier, Ziad Doueiri, Katja Benrath, Lou Sheppard, Marco Morabito, Brad Zoern, Scott Neustadter, Laura Checkoway, Kobe Bryant, Ildiko Enyedi, Raphael Saadiq, Paul Denham Austerberry, Josh Lawson, Michael Green, Vanessa Taylor, James Mangold, Richard King and Reed Van Dyk Second Row: Thomas Lennon, Peter Spears, Sidney Wolinsky, Jacob Schuh, Scott Frank, Jan Lachauer, Scott Benza , Darla K. Anderson, Alex Gibson, Gary Rizzo, Daniel Phillips, Laurie Metcalf, Nora Twomey, David Malinowski, Luis Sequiera, Christopher Townsend, Daniel Barrett, Stephen Rosenbaum, Jeff White, Mark Bridges, Tobias Rosen, Ron Bartlett, Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani. Third Row: Ru Kuwahata, Jonathan Amos, Douglas Urbanski, Dana Murray, Justin Paul, Richard R. Hoover, Carter Burwell, Matthew Wood, David Heilbroner, Feras Fayyad, Kate Davis, Eli Bush, Paul Machliss, Eric Fellner, Megan Ellison, Richard Jenkins, Ren Klyce, Timothee Chalamet, Ruben Ostlund, Shane Vieau, Dan Lausten, Elaine McMillion Sheldon, Kerrin Sheldon, Dave Mullins, Rachel Shenton, Mark Mangini, Anthony Leo and Mark Weingarten. Fourth Row: Michael Semanick, Mike Mulholland, Gabriel Grapperon, Lisa Bruce, Kazahiro Tsuji, Julie Goldman, Nathan Robitaille, Bruno Delbonnel, Victor Caire, Sally Hawkins, Diane Warren, Bryan Fogel, Lee Smith, Kevin Wilson Jr., Arjen Tuiten, Daniel Lupi, Saoirse Ronan, JoAnne Sellar, Nelson Ferreira, Ivan Mactaggart, Emilie Georges, Doug Hemphill, Katie Spencer, Daniel Kaluuya, Dennis Gassner, Lucy Sibbick, Gregg Landaker, Christian Cooke, Graham Broadbent, Max Porter, and Stuart Wilson. Fifth Row: Virgil Williams, Mark Mitten, Frank Stiefel, Lori Forte, Chris Overton, Tom McGrath, Glen Keane, Chris Corbould, John Nelson, Dee Rees, Lee Unkrich, Margot Robbie, Dan Cogan, Paul Thomas Anderson, Hugh Welchman, Gary Oldman, Dan Lemmon, J. Miles Dale, Taura Stinson, Jacqueline Durran, Yance Ford, Willem Dafoe, Allison Janney, Sebastian Lelio, Rachel Morrison, Jordan Peele, Kristen Anderson Lopez, Robert Lopez, Michael H. Weber, Joslyn Barnes, Sean McKittrick, Thomas Lee Wright, Benj Pasek, Dan Sudick and David Parker Sixth Row: Alexandre Desplat, Mary J Blige, Amy Pascal, Gary Fettis, Octavia Spencer, Guillermo del Toro, Ben Morris, Aaron Sorkin, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Jeff Melvin, Hoyt van Hoytema, Andrey Zvyagintsev, Sarah Greenwood, Jason Blum, Chris Nolan, Sam Rockwell, Emma Thomas, Steve James, Joe Letteri, Carlos Saldanha, Meryl Streep, Greta Gerwig, Agnes Varda (cutout), JR, Tatiana S.Riegel, Steven Spielberg, Luca Guadagnino, Ramsey Naito, Julian Slater, Lonnie Lynn, Ron Bartlett, Pete Czernin, and Theo Green. Advertisement Strike a pose! In another less serious snap the Hollywood stars and collaborators cheered and threw their hands in the air They have been dating for more than a year, having celebrated their first anniversary last November. And Professor Green and his girlfriend Fae Williams looked stronger than ever as they attended the GQ Car Awards in London on Monday night. The stunning model wowed in satin blue jumpsuit as she cosied up to her 33-year-old beau, who rocked a tailored black suit to the glitzy event. Cute couple: Professor Green and his girlfriend Fae Williams looked stronger than ever as they attended the GQ Car Awards in London on Monday night Pairing the look with clear strappy sandals, the fashionista cinched in her trim waist with a belt and showed off her decolletage with the jumpsuit's deep v-neckline. She styled her sleek blonde hair in a poker straight look and accentuated her glowing complexion with deftly touches on make-up. Meanwhile, Professor Green -real name Stephen Manderson - appeared in high spirits as he posed alongside Fae and a giant Michelin man at the award ceremony. Turning heads: The stunning model wowed in satin blue jumpsuit as she cosied up to her 33-year-old beau, who rocked a tailored black suit to the glitzy event Michelin man: Meanwhile, Professor Green -real name Stephen Manderson - appeared in high spirits as he posed alongside Fae and a giant Michelin man at the award ceremony Funny: The television personality grinned for the cameras as he posed for a photo on his own with the Michelin man Their united display comes after the rapper has been keeping his fans updated on his flame with regular loved-up selfies via his Instagram. The pair are believed to have started dating late in 2016, which came after released a new track One Eye On The Door which fans believed contained some thinly-veiled jibes at ex-wife Millie Mackintosh. The Just Be Good To Green hitmaker-split from wife Millie in February 2016 after a three-year marriage, with the former Made In Chelsea star, 28, going on to find love with her former flame Hugo Taylor, 31. Glitzy: TV presenter Nicki Shields slipped into an emerald green dress for the swanky bash Making friends: Styling her hair in loose waves, the pitlane reporter beamed for the camera as she posed alongside journalist Dylan Jones The rapper contacted Millie through her agent and the pair went public at the Brit Awards in February 2012, with Stephen proposing on holiday in Paris just over a year later. They tied the knot in a lavish ceremony at Babington House in Somerset in September 2013, before their marriage was dissolved in just 30 seconds with a decree nisi. In a statement at the time, they said: 'It is a mutual decision, we still care deeply about each other and would like it to be known that it is on amicable terms and we wish each other well.' Keeping it casual: Actor Tom Holland dressed down in black jeans and a matching hoodie Handsome: Model Richard Biedul looked suave in a camel suit while photographer Alistair Guy rocked a grey patterned jacket Moving on: Professor Green split from wife Millie in February 2016 after a three-year marriage, with the reality star, 28, going on to find love with her former flame Hugo Taylor (pictured above) He's the bubbly bachelor who owes his youthful appearance to his stringent skincare regime. And Married At First Sight's Nasser Sultan revealed he has high expectations for what his partner will be like, including what she will wear. The 50-year-old Bachelor told The Fix that he wants his future wife to 'wear a beautiful dress' and 'look after the house'. 'The wife will look after the house': Married At First Sight's Nasser wants his partner to 'wear a beautiful dress' and only don activewear 'at certain times' On Monday night's episode of Married At First Sight, Nasser 'wed' 44-year-old single mum and plus size model Gabrielle Bartlett. While the two only had time to exchange a few pleasantries during their 'wedding', Nasser told The Fix that he had certain expectations about how his wife will behave. 'The wife will look after the house, go shopping and wear a beautiful dress,' he explained. 'The wife will look after the house, go shopping and wear a beautiful dress': Nasser told The Fix that he had certain expectations about how his wife will behave 'Not the bloody weekend like everybody else. Wear some clothes, for gods sake! Gym wear is only for the gym': Nasser, who works as a fitness instructor, also argued that women should only wear activewear 'at certain times' 'In our relationship, the man works, the man provides and the man is the person who goes out and protects the family.' Nasser, who works as a fitness instructor, also argued that women should only wear activewear 'at certain times'. 'Not the bloody weekend like everybody else. Wear some clothes, for gods sake! Gym wear is only for the gym,' he said. Happy couple: On Monday night's episode of Married At First Sight, Nasser 'wed' 44-year-old single mum Gabrielle Bartlett. Meanwhile during Monday night's episode Nasser revealed he took skincare very seriously. Describing himself as 'very attractive', Nasser explained that he spent plenty of time on his skincare. 'I spend about 45 minutes just on my skin!' he said. 'That's it, that's my beauty tips from Nas.' Looks after himself: Meanwhile during Monday night's episode Nasser revealed he took skincare very seriously She's known for looking primped and primed for her role as Seven's popular breakfast host on Sunrise. But on Tuesday, Sam Armytage suffered a wardrobe malfunction that resulted in the journalist being mocked by her panel of co-hosts. The 41-year-old explained she had spilled liquid down her crisp white blouse, joking with viewers: 'I have a drinking problem.' Scroll down for video 'I have a drinking problem': Sam Armytage is forced to change outfits after she spills coffee on her white blouse on Sunrise on Tuesday Returning from an ad break in a new outfit, co-host David 'Kochie' Koch wasted no time in pointing out the change to viewers, to the dissatisfaction of Sam. 'I know I'm old, but I thought you were wearing a white blouse?' Kochie, 61, joked playfully with Sam, who was now wearing a red frock. Sam sighed while responding to the sarcastic comment: 'Kochie is the worst... do you not know how to just pretend?' 'Thought you were wearing a white blouse?': Returning from an ad break in a new outfit, co-host David 'Kochie' Koch wasted no time in pointing out the change to viewers, to the dissatisfaction of Sam 'I've had to change outfits, because I spilled coffee all down the front of the first one... again,' she admitted. News presenter Natalie Barr interrupted Sam: 'That is, I have to add... that is two, twice, in one week!' Sam laughed and jokingly confessed: 'I have a drinking problem... I'm not old enough to wear white.' 'That is two, twice, in one week!' News presenter Natalie Barr pointed out that the journalist had already ruined two outfits in the past two days due to her coffee-drinking habit 'As soon as I wear white, I spill coffee, so yes I have changed outfits': Sam joked she wasn't 'old enough' to be trusted in white on the show 'I just raced down to makeup and said, "Girls, find me another dress!"' she said. Leaving her co-hosts in stitches, Sam added: 'So, as soon as I wear white, I spill coffee, so yes I have changed outfits, thank you Kochie for keeping that secret.' Sam also shared the comedic slip with her 197k Instagram followers, writing: 'When you spill coffee down your front & have to change outfit mid-show.' Sunrise appears on Channel Seven from 5.30am weekdays She has garnered attention in Hollywood with her age-defying looks and sizzling on-screen presence. And Monica Bellucci turned heads once again as she showed off her incredible physique at the 23rd Lumieres Award Ceremony at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris on Monday night. Clad in a full-length red gown, the Italian actress, 53, ensured all eyes were on her as she graced the red carpet in the glittering ensemble. Vision in red: Monica Bellucci showed off her incredible physique at the 23rd Lumieres Award Ceremony at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris on Monday night The dress clung to her eye-popping curves with a ruched design at the hip and shoulders, while a racy split teased a glimpse of her lean limbs. She paired the glamorous gown with sheer black tights and tied the look together with velvet black heels and a simple clutch bag. While her sleek brunette bob framed her face, she accentuated her incredibly smooth complexion with smudged black eyeliner, blush-swept cheeks and a glossy pink lip. Wow factor: Clad in a full-length red gown, the Italian actress, 53, ensured all eyes were on her as she graced the red carpet in the glittering ensemble Hourglass figure: The dress clung to her eye-popping curves with a ruched design at the hip and shoulders, while a racy split teased a glimpse of her lean limbs Glam: While her sleek brunette bob framed her face, she accentuated her incredibly smooth complexion with smudged black eyeliner, blush-swept cheeks and a glossy pink lip The actress has been in blockbuster hits such as The Passion of the Christ and The Matrix Reloaded, as well as TV series such as Mozart in the Jungle and the Twin Peaks revival. And at the age of 51 she became the oldest Bond girl in the 007 franchise when she starred in 2015's Spectre. But despite her looking decades younger than her 53-years, the brunette beauty has been vocal about how little effort she puts into staying in shape. Screen siren: The actress has been in blockbuster hits such as The Passion of the Christ and The Matrix Reloaded, as well as TV series such as Mozart in the Jungle Close friends: The screen siren posed with Jean-Paul Belmondo before cheekily planting a kiss on the French actor In an interview with the Daily Telegraph in 2015, she said she doesn't favour the gym in a quest to stay slim, instead preferring to enjoy life and eat pasta and cake. 'Im not someone who wakes up at 6am to go to the gym,' she revealed. 'The truth is that I like cakes and pasta, the odd glass of wine and a very occasional cigarette. 'My advice is: eat well, drink well, have good sex and laugh a lot. The rest comes all on its own.' Sweet: The 84-year-old beamed as the brunette beauty tenderly kissed him on the cheek The screen siren has been busy having presented her latest project, On the Milky Road at the annual Virna Lisi Awards in Rome last week. She told Extra at the award ceremony: 'I shot this movie for three years... in Serbia,' the Citta di Castello, Italy native said. 'It's a beautiful love story between two adult people who have nothing left to lose. 'They're not young anymore, but the moment they meet something magical happens and the film proves that love and sensuality is a matter of energy, not age - so, its a beautiful message, I think.' She was full of praise for her man during an appearance on Lorraine earlier in the day. And Myleene Klass looked like the cat who'd got the cream when she attended the star-studded Cirque Berserk! Gala Performance in London on Monday night on the arm of her fashion PR beau Simon Motson. The 39-year-old star looked elegant in a simple black dress with sheer embellishment on the bodice as she walked the red carpet arm-in-arm at the Peacock Theatre with her boyfriend. Scroll down for video Smitten kitten: Myleene Klass looked like the cat who'd got the cream when she attended the star-studded Cirque Berserk! Gala Performance in London on Monday night on the arm of her fashion PR beau Simon Motson Myleene kept warm in a chic camel coat and pulled her simple yet sophisticated look together with a pair of leather boots. The brunette beauty wore her tresses down loose in a sleek bob and kept her make-up natural save for heavy eyeliner. Simon cut a dapper figure in a smart suit and a pink shirt, teamed with brown brogues. On trend: Myleene kept warm in a chic camel coat layered over her elegant black dress Sheer delight: The beauty covered up in the below-the-knee number, paired with slouchy leather boots Night on the town: The 39-year-old star looked elegant in a simple black dress with sheer embellishment Dynamic duo: Simon cut a dapper figure in a smart suit and a pink shirt, teamed with brown brogues Strike a pose: Myleene was in her element as she posed for snaps Stepping out: Myleene was smartly dressed, toting a smart black handbag On Tuesday, Myleene looked fresh-faced as she arrived at Global Radio studios in London. The radio presenter cut a low-key figure in a khaki parka jacket, denim shirt and loose black trousers as she pulled a leopard print suitcase. She added a touch of glamour to her casual ensemble with an over-sized pair of black sunglasses and toted a black Chanel handbag. The brunette beauty opted for comfort with a pair of white trainers and finished off the look with a slick on pink lipstick. Glowing complexion: On Tuesday, Myleene looked fresh-faced as she arrived at Global Radio studios in London Casual: The radio presenter cut a low-key figure in a khaki parka jacket, denim shirt and loose black trousers Glam: She added a touch of glamour to her casual ensemble with an over-sized pair of black sunglasses and toted a black Chanel handbag Low-key look: The brunette beauty opted for comfort with a pair of white trainers and finished off the look with a slick on pink lipstick On Monday night, the talented pianist rubbed shoulders with the likes of TOWIE beauty Lauren Pope, who wowed in a sparkly gold jumpsuit. Cirque Berserk is the UK's biggest theatre/circus spectacular, this year it celebrates the 250th anniversary of the circus. Myleene was quick to gush over her 'hot' boyfriend as she spoke about her new relationship during an interview on Lorraine on Monday. Golden girl: Also in attendance at the event were the likes of TOWIE beauty Lauren Pope, who wowed in a sparkly gold jumpsuit Wrapping up warm: Imogen Thomas put in an appearance at the event Glamorous: Cirque Berserk is the UK's biggest theatre/circus spectacular, this year it celebrates the 250th anniversary of the circus Leggy ladies: Mecklenburgh (left) and Watson (right) showed off their long limbs The former Hear'Say star admitted she's head over heels for Simon, before opening about her decision to launch a new workout DVD ahead of her milestone 40th birthday. Speaking about her romance with Simon, with whom she went public back in May 2017, she gushed: 'I think I do deserve it. Look how hot he is!' Myleene - who shares daughters Ava, ten, and Hero, six, with her ex-husband - also gave an insight into family life with Simon, who has two children from his previous marriage Anna Walton. Date night: JB Gill and his wife Chloe Tangney enjoyed a romantic evening out Leggy: Vicki Hope looked stylish in tweed coords worn over a black bralette Enjoying themselves: Love Island's Tina Stines and Celebs Go Dating love guru Lady Nadia Essex were also spotted at the event Slender: Chloe Crowhurst was showing off her figure in leggings and a fluffy jacket Arm candy: She accessorised with a Louis Vuitton handbag and zip detailing boots She enthused: 'There's six of us no nobody invites us over, we're like a travelling circus.' To mark her milestone 40th birthday, Myleene has released her very own fitness DVD, My Body by Myleene, which sees her spill her workout secrets. Explaining her decision to finally release an exercise programme after years of rejecting offers, she explained: 'I've been asked for a decade now to do a fitness programme, but, now I have my milestone birthday, I want to really look after my body. 'It gets results and it's a shout out to mums. I got that body from doing that work.' Making a statement: Love Island's Georgia Harrison and EastEnders star Maisie Smith both opted for faux fur jackets Keeping cosy: Love Island star Gabby Allen also opted for an eye-catching jacket Cosying up: Gabby and her boyfriend Marcel Somerville proved they were still going strong Stepping out: Former X Factor winner Matt Terry was looking cool and casual He made a youthful debut on Monday's Married At First Sight. And although Nasser Sultan revealed his 'perfect' skin was all thanks to his 45 minute moisturising regime, some fans believe there's more to it. Taking to Twitter, a slew of followers slammed the 50-year-old, claiming he had Botox and fillers as well. Scroll down for video 'Can't help but think Nasser's skincare routine involves Botox and fillers as well': Fans question MAFS star, 50, after he claims his age-defying looks are down to 45 minutes of moisturising a day 'I can't help but think Nasser's skincare routine involves Botox and fillers as well as moituriser,' tweeted one fan. 'Ooo, calling it now. Nasser has had the Botox,' another wrote. 'Oh for sure. you can see it right away, it's soooooo obvious,' one follower added. They don't buy it: Taking to Twitter , a slew of followers slammed the 50-year-old, claiming he had Botox and fillers as well Even if his excessive skincare regime does just come down to moisturiser, Nasser seems to be keeping his secrets tight lipped. After fans also took to his Instagram page to ask about the products he uses to give him his age-defying complexion, he refused to spill. 'It's top secret,' he wrote. Daily Mail has reached out to Nasser for comment. What's his secret? Monday night's episode saw the over-50s personal trainer steal the show after boasting about his youthful looks More to his youth that he showed: Monday night's episode saw the over-50s personal trainer steal the show after boasting about his youthful looks Monday night's episode saw the over-50s personal trainer steal the show after boasting about his youthful looks. 'I'm VERY attractive,' he said in his introduction. 'I think about a seven out of ten,' he continued, humbly under-scoring himself. 'For fifty years old, I'm pretty hot!' 'My secret to looking young is to moisturise.' continued the tanned Lothario as he demonstrated his skincare routine for the cameras. They say not to mix business with pleasure. But it seems nobody told that to Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky. The actor has revealed exactly what it was like filming love scenes with his 41-year-old wife Elsa when the couple played husband and wife on the film 12 Strong. Scroll down for video 'It's not a usual setting for us': Chris Hemsworth reveals exactly what it was like filming a SEX SCENE with his wife Elsa Pataky for their new movie 12 Strong Appearing on breakfast TV show Sunrise, the 34-year-old said his wife would 'boss him around' on set. 'We had about seven or eight year's rehearsal time to play these characters,' he said. 'If we didn't have any chemistry we'd be in trouble.' The Thor star added that starring in the movie together acted as a mini-holiday 'away from the kids'. The couple share three children together: India Rose and twins Tristan and Sasha. Reel life love: The actor has revealed exactly what it was like filming love scenes with his 41-year-old wife Elsa when the couple played husband and wife on the film 12 Strong Who's the boss? Chris revealed that wife Elsa would 'boss him around' on set adding that if they didn't have any chemistry on camera 'we'd be in trouble' When it came to filming the film's love scenes, Chris told Sunrise hosts Samantha Armytage and David 'Kochie' Koch that it wasn't exactly the kind of environment they were used to. 'How do you do a love scene with your own wife with a crew standing around?' Sam asked the star. Mission men: 12 Strong tells the story of the first Special Forces team that's deployed to Afghanistan following the events of 9/11. Love spilled over: 'We had about seven or eight year's rehearsal time to play these characters,' Chris said of him and his Elsa playing husband and wife in the movie 12 Strong 'Yeah, that'd be the big difference,' Chris replied adding 'the cameras and the lights that we weren't accustomed to. Sam cheekily added: 'Well we should hope so'. 'It's not a usual setting for us definitely,' Chris said. Working life?As for whether or not he would work with his wife again, Chris kept his answer rather cryptic telling the hosts: 'Of course I would. How am I supposed to answer that?' As for whether or not he would work with his wife again, Chris kept his answer rather cryptic telling the hosts: 'Of course I would. How am I supposed to answer that?' 12 Strong tells the story of the first Special Forces team that's deployed to Afghanistan following the events of 9/11. In the film, Chris plays the role of Captain Mitch Nelson, who has the task of leading his team of 12 soldiers to take down the Taliban. Police were called after former child star Haley Joel Osment had a meltdown at Las Vegas airport on Monday. The 29-year-old missed his original flight out of Sin City on Sunday night following the Super Bowl and was put on standby for a flight out the next day. When Osment arrived at the airport on Monday morning, the flight was full and the furious actor allegedly proceeded to yell obscenities in the gate agent's face before police were summoned. Causing a scene! Police were called after former child star Haley Joel Osment had a meltdown at Las Vegas airport on Monday 'I'll destroy you!' Haley Joel Osment 'yells obscenities' after being told flight is full... before police are called to deal with former child star Haley left the gate area before the police arrived only to return an hour laterwhen he reportedly repeated his threatening behavior. 'I'll destroy you,' he was overheard saying to the gate agent, according to a report on TMZ. Again, police were called, but the Los Angeles native had removed himself before they could take him into airport custody. 'Haley Joel Osment goes with 'do you know who I am' at the Vegas airport...and nobody did...' a bystander tweeted after the incident Neither Osment nor his actress sister Emily Osment who is in Paris on vacation have made a comment about the incident. Osment's urgency to return home may have something to do with his shooting schedule for his new film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Brian Cubana Dallas attorney and brother to Mark Cuban amused his Twitter followers with a tweet about the outburst. 'Haley Joel Osment goes with 'do you know who I am' at the Vegas airport...and nobody did...' Radio silence! He nor his sister Emily Osmentwho is in Paris on vacation have made a comment about the incident She agreed to marry a complete stranger in her attempts to find love on Monday's controversial dating show Married At First Sight. And Gabrielle Bartlett has voiced her thoughts on new TV 'husband' Nasser Sultan's age-defying looks in his 50s. The blonde stunner appeared on Nine's Today show on Tuesday, claiming she had never met a male who was so interested in maintaining his youthful appearance. Scroll down for video 'I have never met a man who likes face masks and moisturisers so much!' MAFS Gabrielle Bartlett comments on TV 'husband' Nasser Sultan's beauty routine after fans accused the 50-year-old of 'Botox and fillers' Gabrielle told Today show hosts Karl Stefanovic and Georgie Gardner: 'I have never met a man who likes face masks and moisturisers so much.' Nasser gushed about meeting his bride to the hosts, 'It was like I just saw this beautiful person walk down and I was like, "oh my God".' Karl then asked Gabrielle: 'And how could you not be attracted to those (Nasser's) Egyptian lips?' Gabrielle laughed as she added: 'with the Chapstick!' Pucker up! Gabriella joked about Nasser's use of the Chapstick on his lips, as he affectionately pecked the blonde stunner on her cheek during the live interview She then went on to disclose: 'Yeah, we have done a couple of face masks together.' 'I've really embraced meeting... I have never met a man who likes face masks and moisturisers so much. I thought, you know what, when in Rome let's just run with it,' Gabrielle added. Karl, impressed by the couple's apparent affection for each other, he said: 'I love it, I love it. You guys like very lovely.' 'We have done a couple of face masks together': Gabrielle says she has 'embraced' her new husband's penchant for beauty and has learnt to 'just run with it' Nasser made a youthful debut on Monday's Married At First Sight. And although he revealed his 'perfect' skin was all thanks to his 45 minute moisturising regime, some fans believed there's more to it. Taking to Twitter, a slew of followers slammed the 50-year-old, claiming he had definitely had Botox and fillers as well. More than moisturiser? On Monday, fans slammed Married At First Sight star Nasser Sultan for having Botox and fillers after he claimed his skincare regime solely came down to moisturiser 'I can't help but think Nasser's skincare routine involves Botox and fillers as well as moituriser,' tweeted one fan. 'Ooo, calling it now. Nasser has had the Botox,' another wrote. 'Oh for sure. you can see it right away, it's soooooo obvious,' one follower added. Even if his excessive skincare regime does just come down to moisturiser, Nasser seems to be keeping his secrets tight lipped. After fans also took to his Instagram page to ask about the products he uses to give him his age-defying complexion, he refused to spill. 'It's top secret,' he wrote. Daily Mail Australia reached out to Nasser for comment at the time. What's his secret? Monday night's episode saw the over-50s personal trainer steal the show after boasting about his youthful looks Monday night's episode saw the over-50s personal trainer steal the show after boasting about his youthful looks. 'I'm VERY attractive,' he said in his introduction. 'I think about a seven out of ten,' he continued, humbly under-scoring himself. 'For fifty years old, I'm pretty hot!' 'My secret to looking young is to moisturise,' continued the tanned Lothario as he demonstrated his skincare routine for the cameras. Their romance has been going from strength to strength since tying the knot on Married At First Sight. And MAFS' couple Sarah Roza, 38, and husband Telverne Williams, 33, looked loved-up as ever during a romantic photo-shoot by the beach in Sydney on Monday. The picture-perfect duo were spotted joking and giggling as they strolled hand-in-hand in front of the sparkling water. Romance isn't dead! MAFS' couple Sarah Roza, 38, and husband Telverne Williams, 33, looked loved-up as ever during a romantic photo-shoot by the beach in Sydney on Monday Beauty therapist Sarah was dressed to impress for the occasion, flaunting her curvaceous figure in a powder-blue pencil dress with a sweetheart neckline. Sarah left her striking auburn locks to hang in tousled waves, while enhancing her facial features with a dramatic makeup look. Father-of-two Telv also looked chic for the sun-soaked outing, donning a snug-fitting white shirt and a pair of black jeans. Cute couple alert! The picture-perfect duo were spotted joking and giggling as they strolled hand-in-hand in front of the sparkling water Getting cosy: The twosome were also seen wearing different outfits while posing on the sand during the shoot The twosome were also seen wearing different outfits while posing on the sand during the shoot. Clad in a cleavage-baring lace dress, Sarah perched on her man's lap with her arm around his shoulder. At one stage, Telv appeared to cheekily point at his wife's prodigious cleavage. Doing it together! Earlier this week, Sarah told The Sunday Telegraph that she had been watching the series unfold alongside her 'husband', 33 'We watch it with the rest of Australia': Sarah and Telv admitted they were looking forward to seeing how the other couples' relationships worked out, after their own pairing appeared to be such a success Earlier this week, Sarah told The Sunday Telegraph that she had been watching the series unfold alongside her 'husband', 33. 'We watch it with the rest of Australia so we see it when everybody else does. We cannot wait,' she said. Sarah and Telv admitted they were looking forward to seeing how the other couples' relationships worked out, after their own pairing appeared to be such a success. Married At First Sight continues on Tuesday night at 7pm on Channel Nine. Former One Nation senator Fraser Anning has confirmed his defection to sit as an independent, while Lucy Gichuhi has moved to the government benches in the upper house. Senator Anning filled the vacancy left by former Queensland MP Malcolm Roberts after he fell victim to the citizenship fiasco, but sensationally split with Pauline Hanson's party when he was sworn in last year. South Australian Senator Gichuhi, who was formerly an independent, confirmed her decision to join the Liberals on Saturday. The duo announced their shifting allegiances to the Senate on Monday. Senator Gichuhi's move, along with Monday's swearing-in of retired major-general Jim Molan, restores the government's numbers to 30 in the upper house. Meanwhile, Labor senator Sam Dastyari's resignation following a scandal over his links to a Chinese political donor was confirmed. His replacement, former NSW premier Kristina Keneally, will have to be endorsed by a joint sitting of state parliament before she can be sworn in. Both houses of the NSW parliament are not scheduled to sit until next Monday. Melting ice poses one of the greatest threats to the modern world, a top Australian climate change professor has warned. UNSW Sydney professor Matthew England is one of six keynote speakers at an international conference in Sydney starting on Monday which is addressing climate change and in particular looking for solutions to problems in the Southern Hemisphere. Prof England says up to 15 metres of Antarctica ice could melt into the oceans if the Earth gets hot enough over the next several centuries. "And that's enough to make many of the world's coasts unviable if we do nothing to limit atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations," Prof. England told AAP. "Tens of millions of people could be displaced." It comes after 2017 research showed about eight islands in the Pacific Ocean have disappeared due to rising sea-levels, with many others being drastically reduced in size as their shorelines are swallowed by creeping oceans. Past meetings of scientists at the national forum have led to global policies to ban the use of ozone-depleting chemicals, managing commercial activity to protect Southern Ocean ecosystems and have informed international discussions on climate change. The other five keynote speakers have expertise in subjects ranging from space studies, atmospheric research, coral reef studies, climate science and weather extremes. The 25th AMOS-ICSHMO 2018 will be the largest ever meeting of meteorologists, oceanographers and climate scientists in the Southern Hemisphere involving 35 countries. Prof England will also receive the Tinker-Muse Prize for Science and Policy in Antarctica for his research, leadership and advocacy in Antarctic science on Monday. The conference runs until Friday at the University of NSW. Domestic violence victims should be allowed time off work so they can take action and leave their abusers, federal Greens MP Adam Bandt says. The Member for Melbourne is seeking parliamentary support for his private member's bill giving workers 10 days of paid domestic violence leave each year. Women shouldn't be forced to take unpaid leave, Mr Bandt told the lower house on Monday. "This impossible choice is a false choice. There is another option for these women if this place has the courage to choose it," he added. In December, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten committed a future Labor government to introducing the 10 days of domestic violence leave for workers. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has so far ruled out matching Labor's pledge. Domestic violence leave is already granted to employees at some workplaces, including Medicare, CUB, Telstra, NAB, Virgin Australia, IKEA and Qantas. National domestic violence helpline: 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT. In an emergency call triple-zero. MUSICAL CHAIRS IN THE AUSTRALIAN SENATE COALITION * JIM MOLAN - The retired major-general was sworn-in on Monday. He was second in line to take the seat of former Nationals deputy leader Fiona Nash who was disqualified over her UK citizenship. Molan's fellow Liberal, Hollie Hughes, was also struck out by the High Court over her government job. * LUCY GICHUHI - Confirmed her move to the Liberals on Monday. The Kenyan-born South Australian senator was catapulted into federal parliament to replace disqualified Family First senator Bob Day, but left the party to sit as an independent when Family First merged with Cory Bernardi's Australian Conservatives. * GEORGE BRANDIS - Will give his valedictory speech on Wednesday as he prepares to replace Alexander Downer as Australia's High Commissioner to the UK. LNP preselection nominations have closed to fill the former attorney-general's Queensland seat. * RICHARD COLBECK - The former tourism minister is expected to re-enter federal parliament, replacing Stephen Parry after the ex-Senate president resigned over dual citizenship. Before his path back to Canberra is confirmed, Colbeck must wait until Jacqui Lambie's potential replacement, Steve Martin, has his eligibility tested by the High Court. LABOR * KATY GALLAGHER - The ACT senator could be forced to wait until March to find out whether the High Court will rule her to be ineligible. She argues she took all possible steps to renounce her British citizenship before the 2016 election. If Gallagher gets the boot, union boss David Smith shapes as her replacement. * KRISTINA KENEALLY - Has been chosen to fill the vacancy to be created by Sam Dastyari's resignation over his links to Chinese political donors. The former NSW premier will have to be endorsed by a joint sitting of state parliament before she can be sworn-in to the Senate, with both houses not scheduled to sit until next Monday. CROSSBENCH * FRASER ANNING - Elected as a replacement for former One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts, Anning sensationally split with the party on his first day in parliament last year. He confirmed on Monday he will sit as an independent. * STEVE MARTIN - Due to replace colourful former Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie, Martin faces questions over his eligibility because he is mayor of Devonport. That could be considered an "office of profit under the Crown", ruling him out of contention. The government is in Martin's corner, arguing local councillors are entitled to sit in parliament. His case will be heard in the High Court on Tuesday. * SKYE KAKOSCHKE-MOORE - The former Nick Xenophon Team senator is seeking to replace herself. Kakoschke-Moore quit in November over her British citizenship. Her legal team will argue the next candidate on the NXT's 2016 Senate election ticket, Tim Storer, is ineligible because he has quit the party. The case is due to be heard in the High Court on February 13. THE NUMBERS NOW * Coalition - 30 * Labor - 25 * Greens - 9 * Independents and parties with one senator - 4 * Pauline Hanson's One Nation - 3 * Nick Xenophon Team - 2 * Vacancies - 3 Gold Coast vineyards are toasting their increasing popularity among wine drinkers locally and overseas. Wine lovers don't need to travel to Europe to experience boutique varieties like Tempranillo or Verdelho, better known for coming from vineyards in Spain and Portugal. Nestled in the hinterland of Queensland's Gold Coast, a number of award-winning vineyards are producing these wines too. And the Gold Coast-grown varieties of Verdelho, Tempranillo and Semillon are increasingly tantalising the Australian wine industry and wine lovers, creating a niche tourism market. Queensland is still a fledgling player in the Australian wine industry, with about 70 commercial wineries compared to around 700 each in Victoria and South Australia, according to the Australian and New Zealand Wine Directory of 2017. However, change could be fermenting. One of the fastest growing wine regions in Queensland, the Gold Coast wine country encompasses the cooler climate of Mt Tamborine and Springbrook through to the milder climates of Albert River and Canungra Valley. The region allows a range of grape varieties to be grown. Mike Hayes, from Ballandean in south-east Queensland's Granite Belt, was recently named Winemaker of the Year by the Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology. He has long been an advocate for alternative varieties of wine. On the Gold Coast, Shane O'Reilly, managing director of O'Reilly's Canungra Valley Vineyards and chair of the Queensland Tourism Industry Council - shares this view. He says the future of Queensland's wine industry lies in establishing these alternative wines. "We're not trying to compete against the shiraz, cabernet and chardonnay varieties here in Queensland," he says. "We're trying to propagate wines that really suit our region, similar to the wines coming from other parts of Europe, like Portugal and Spain, where the climate is hotter and drier like ours. "We've tried to establish our wines as a point of difference." This approach is succeeding for Mr O'Reilly and his vineyard, which recently won gold in the Tourism Wineries, Distilleries and Breweries category at the 2017 Queensland Tourism Awards. Australia is among the top 10 global wine producers and exporters. Wine Australia's Export Report for 12 months to December 2017, shows that the Australian wine export market grew by 15 per cent to $2.56 billion (the highest level since the global financial crisis in 2008) and volume increased by eight per cent to 811 million litres. Premium wines are driving demand with the Export Report citing it had experienced the biggest growth. According to the Queensland government most Queensland wine is sold domestically, but overseas exports to China, Japan, Taiwan, and the UK are increasing. O'Reilly's wines are catering to international interests. In the past four years, the company has shipped 15 containers -- or 211,680 bottles -- to Chinese clients. Mount Nathan Winery owner Peter Gibson, who has been working with the Chinese market for ten years, believes Queensland's market share is increasing. "A lot more Queensland wineries are exporting than they did five years ago. It's difficult to compete with commercial wineries so we rely on boutique fortified honey and port type wines rather than table wine products," he says. "Last year our sales to mainland China grew by 25 per cent. We have a warehouse in Shanghai and a division at the winery solely devoted to growing exports within greater China." Witches Falls Winery owner Jon Heslop says being a small producer affords him more flexibility to adapt to changing customer palates. "Consumers are looking for greater connection to the origin and producer of their wines - they have a preference for locally produced and support the use of quality ingredients," he said. While flexibility comes with its risks, the winery has had success with its niche Wild Ferment Range; growing it from one variety (Chardonnay) in 2005 to 12, including lesser known varieties Gamay and Tempranillo. "We encourage fermentation to take place using only the indigenous yeast present on the grapes at the time of harvest - often too risky for commercial wineries as the outcomes of such actions, though often spectacular, can't be predicted." Cedar Creek Estate Vineyard and Winery owner John Penglis is making a difference with Verdelho and Semillon. His most popular variety, Revelation Red, is grown from a French-American hybrid grape called Chambourcin, which was given to him by the CSIRO in 1999. Mr Penglis established a career as a winemaker just seven years ago after he retired from three decades in television, most of this time with Channel 9 in Brisbane. "Our difference is you can enjoy a variety of wines without having to travel to Europe for the taste experience," says Mr Penglis. "You can have a lot of fun with winemaking when you have the chance to experiment." At 84, Mr Penglis isn't slowing down. In April he will be part of the Queen's Baton Relay for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, and he continues to work seven days a week at Cedar Creek Estate. "If you want to grow old, then that's when you stop work," he says. Top boutique wines on the Gold Coast include: - Witches Falls Winery, 2017 Wild Ferment Viognier $34.00 (French Rhone variety that produces a crisp, dry wine which has great complexity, richness and character) - Heritage Estate, Rabbit Fence Red $22.50 (blend of shiraz, cabernet and merlot with red berry and black current and plum aromas) - O'Reilly's Canungra Valley Vineyards, "Vince" Verdelho $35.90 (tropical fruit and pineapple on the nose with guava and passionfruit flavours) - Cedar Creek Estate Vineyard & Winery, Revolution Red $22 (subtle fruit flavours of estate grown Chambourcin blended with South Burnett Merlot) - Mount Nathan Winery, Bubbly Brut $35 (award winning semi-dry sparkling white wine - crisp strong flavour, pleasant aftertaste and light bubbles making it an easy-drinking drop). AAP, in collaboration with the City of Gold Coast and Gold Coast Tourism, is publishing a range of newsworthy content in the lead-up to the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has promised changes that she hopes will reduce inequality for the country's indigenous Maori in a historic speech marking Waitangi Day. The 37-year-old became the first female prime minister to be granted the right to speak during the traditional Maori welcoming ceremony held at a Maori meeting house in Waitangi. The small settlement on the tip of the North Island is where the country's founding document, a treaty between Maori chiefs and the British Crown, was signed on February 6, 1840. "I do not take lightly the privilege extended to me to speak from the veranda today, not only as prime minister but as a wahine (woman)," she said. The Labour leader spoke about the inequalities that still existed between Maori and the rest of the population. There was unemployment and poverty that existed among whanau (family) and rangatahi (youth), Ardern said. She also raised access to mental health services and the rate of Maori incarceration as important issues. "So long as this (inequality) exists, we have failed in our partnership. But I inherently believe in our power to change," she said. The Labour politician, who is pregnant with her first child, urged the assembly of Maori dignitaries to hold her accountable for her work. "Because one day, I want to be able to tell my child that I earned the right to stand here, and only you can tell me I have done that," she said. About 15 per cent of New Zealand's population identify as Maori. DPA The Australian Greens say Malcolm Turnbull is scamming the Australian people when it comes to government plans for electoral donations reform. The Greens are in discussions with Labor regarding the broad-ranging legislation, which they claim unfairly targets civil society and small parties. "Clearly it needs to be rejected," Greens senator Lee Rhiannon told reporters in Canberra on Monday as parliament returned for the first sitting day of the year. "We need to start again. Political donation reform is urgently needed, but this is a con job." The Greens are concerned the legislation means Australians could face 10-year jail terms and massive fines if "they don't get some paperwork right". "Meanwhile, big multinationals, foreign companies, are not captured at all by what the prime minister's bill will do," Senator Rhiannon said. "Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is running a major scam on the Australian people." The Greens are maintaining their call for the establishment of a national corruption watchdog to tackle reform. Attorney-General Christian Porter said on Monday the government was "open-minded" to the idea of a watchdog, but there needed to be broad public consultation on it. Last week, chief advocate of World Vision Australia, Tim Costello, compared the government's foreign donation legislation with attempts to stifle dissent in Putin's Russia. He described the bill as a "very serious infringement" on "what we regard as civil society's voice". Among other measures, the bill will establish public registers for non-party political actors and prohibit donations from foreign governments and state-owned enterprises. It has been referred to a Senate committee which is due to report its findings by March 2. A woman accused of seriously injuring an elderly dog walker in Melbourne has smiled and giggled during her failed bail bid, with a court being told the alleged victim is unlikely to survive. Le Le, 77, was attacked while walking her dogs at St Albans, and found in a neighbour's driveway on Thursday night with "serious head injuries". Amy Tran, 30, faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday charged with intentionally causing serious injury. The court was told Tran has schizophrenia, a significant mental health and drug use history and prior convictions for drug-related matters, violence and committing serious offences while on bail. Homicide detective Scott Riley said CCTV footage and a witness placed Tran at the scene, acting bizarrely. When magistrate Andrew Capell told the accused there was every chance the victim would die and her charge may be upgraded to murder or manslaughter, she replied: "Oh, yeah". Tran smiled during the hearing, giggled and had to be told by Mr Capell to stop interrupting. Detective Senior Constable Riley opposed Tran's bail bid, adding she had no appropriate place to live and had spent the past two weeks living at a St Albans "halfway house for drug users". Mr Capell refused her release, saying she posed an unacceptable risk of endangering public safety and further offending. Tran told the court: "I haven't hurt anyone at all", and asked "hurt who?" after a police summary of the crime was read. She said she should be granted bail to "prove" her innocence. "I hope God is listening," she said. The prosecution and defence tried unsuccessfully to have the court closed for the bail hearing. The case was adjourned to May. Indigenous girls are missing out on hot breakfast programs and excursions, unlike their male classmates, because of a "significant disparity" in funding. A report by the federal house standing committee on indigenous affairs is now calling for gender equality in funding for support programs. Committee deputy chair and Labor MP Warren Snowdon, whose Lingiari electorate covers almost all of the Northern Territory, says the situation is ludicrous. "It is ludicrous to walk into a school anywhere in Australia and find boys, young men, being given these fabulous opportunities with these full-time mentors in the school and to walk into the corridor and see young women don't have that same opportunity," he said. Other recommendations in the committee's report include making English-as-a-second-language training mandatory for new teaching students and a component of mandatory professional development. Committee member Liberal MP Ann Sudmalis said teachers should be better equipped to build and strengthen relationships with indigenous students and connect to the communities they work in. Another layer of regulation on the financial sector will detract from Australia's global competitiveness, says a federal government MP. Nicolle Flint fears the Banking Executive Accountability Regime (BEAR), a scheme aimed at making banks more accountable, goes against world's best practice. She says the financial sector has faced 24 reviews, reports and inquiries and is subject to almost 40 regulators at any one time. Additionally there have been 16 recent changes to banking and regulation legislation. "The banking executive accountability regime adds yet another layer of regulation to the ever-growing compliance faced by our financial institutions, adding another detractor to our competitiveness relative to those international sectors," she said. "It does this having only been subjected to a three-week consultation paper on the idea of the regime followed by a one-week consultation period on the draft legislation itself." Ms Flint also spoke out against the banking royal commission, saying while "bank bashing mentality" might be politically beneficial in the short term it would hurt Australian businesses, shareholders, employees and customers in the long-term. QUESTION TIME IN FEDERAL PARLIAMENT WHAT WE LEARNED * Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce says he spent his summer break helping unload steel for the new inland rail project. * Thousands of Australians families are already saving hundreds of dollars off their energy bills thanks to the government dressing down electricity retailers last year, according to the prime minister. * The government's second priority in Defence - after building force capability - is to use the heft of that $200 billion military build-up to create jobs in manufacturing and advanced technology. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTED TO SPIN * The largest annual jobs growth on record - 403,000 new jobs, three-quarters full-time - occurred under the coalition's watch in 2017 and we continue to deliver economic leadership. WHAT LABOR WANTED TO TALK ABOUT * Last year company profits increased 20 per cent while average wages grew just two per cent - yet the government wants to give the top end of town a $65 billion tax cut. THEY SAID WHAT "Manual labour, they think, is a Mexican bandit." - Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's assessment of the working class credentials of Labor MPs. "They don't have an economic plan to grow the economy; they just have an envy plan to dice it up and spread it around in accordance with their own prejudices." - Treasurer Scott Morrison on the economic credentials of same. "Isn't it time, prime minister, to stand up for refugees, equality and a safe climate by bringing a bit of Bernie (Sanders) to Batman and electing the Greens member Alex Bhathal?" - Greens MP Adam Bandt does a bit of spruiking for the woman he hopes will join him on the crossbenches after a by-election. "People in Sydney are not looking for the prime minister's harbour views - they just want to be able to afford their first home." - Emma Husar, Labor MP for Lindsay. TWEETED @karenlsweeney: Adam Bandt's getting booed from both sides on his first question of 2018. Speaker interjects and says he can't hear the question. "It wasn't a good one anyway," someone tells him. Wayne Swan - @SwannyQLD: Turnbull lectures the nation on the virtues of manual labour, but his only exposure to shovel-ready projects involved a silver spoon #auspol #qt @workmanalice: Highlight of #SenateQT - Mathias Cormann bringing back the Wibble Wobble. Hormone-releasing IUDs are significantly more effective than the contraceptive pill for treating heavy or abnormal menstrual bleeding in women still wanting to have a baby, a research review has found. With one in 20 women experiencing abnormal uterine bleeding, such as heavy or long periods or bleeding in between periods, it's important clinicians and patients are informed on the best available treatment options, says lead researcher Dr Annabelle Brennan. "This is an issue women are struggling with every day," she said. "Heavy menstrual bleeding has a significant impact on a woman's quality of life. We know women miss work, face bleeding through clothing, often take a change of clothes with them and miss out on activities with friends and family as a result of their heavy bleeding." Published in the Medical Journal of Australia, the research review conducted by researchers at Royal Women's Hospital found that the use of IUDs as a treatment for abnormal uterine bleeding had almost doubled in the past five years. While a hysterectomy provides the most effective treatment for women who have completed their family, the review found that hormone-releasing IUDs, such as the Mirena, is the most effective form of non-surgical treatment for women still wanting to remain fertile. Dr Brennan said the research showed more than 97 per cent of women experienced a reduction in blood loss and around half of patients stopped having their menstrual cycle altogether which is what an IUD - a form of contraceptive - is supposed to achieve. "They reduce blood loss significantly," she said. The IUD is far superior when compared to oral contraceptives, Dr Brennan said. "In terms of the oral contraceptive we're not seeing nearly that level of improvement in blood loss, they really don't compare," she said. It's hoped the finding of the research review will give clinicians more confidence with the treatment options available to them and empower women to make more informed decisions. Hormone-releasing IUD's steadily release low levels of progesterone to keep the lining of the womb thin. Dr Brennan said women should feel confident using the IUDs but recommended women chat to their GP if they had any concerns. "They do need to be inserted by a trained clinician and within medical treatment we would say they do have potential risk but certainly the data shows that those risks are less than one per cent," she said. Manly's salary cap saga will drag on even longer after they were granted a third extension to respond to an NRL breach notice. The Sea Eagles were on Monday expected to enter their formal response to preliminary findings of potential cap breaches during the past five seasons. That deadline has been pushed back to the end of this week after an NRL spokesman confirmed the club had requested more time. It's the third time the Sea Eagles have done so. They originally asked if the five-day window could be extended to the end of January when the breach was handed down on December 11. The response was postponed again last week to Monday before the latest request. It's not uncommon for the NRL to grant extensions in the case of serious matters. It's understood they prefer to give clubs the time they require to make a full response. At the time of the original breach notice, the NRL threatened a significant fine on the club and a potential adjustment of their salary cap for 2018. Manly have long denied any wrongdoing and chairman Scott Penn claimed last week the matters were "really technicality issues". Regardless, the drama appears to have already hurt the club after former NSW Origin halfback Trent Hodkinson penned a one-year deal with Cronulla from Newcastle on Monday. Hodkinson had been targeted by Manly for a possible return to partner Daly Cherry-Evans in the halves following the departure of Blake Green. It means rookie Lachlan Croker will now likely fill the No.6 jersey, while former Sydney Rooster Jackson Hastings remains another option. Two fishermen have been rescued from a life raft after their vessel caught fire off the West Australian coast. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority detected a distress beacon for fishing vessel Conquistador just before 2.30am on Monday. Less than three hours later, AMSA's Challenger jet found a life raft from the Conquistador about 40km west of Lake Macleod, north of Carnarvon, and both men were brought onboard bulk carrier Ikan Senyur for a medical assessment. AMSA search and rescue manager Alan Lloyd said the men were lucky to be alive and he thanked the Ikan Senyur crew for responding to AMSA's request for help. "Every minute counts in search and rescue, and often the best-placed people to respond to a distress situation are those nearby," he said. Actor Paul Hogan has forced an Australian burger chain to cough up $10,000 for charity after he tried to sue them for using one of his most famous lines. The original Crocodile Dundee made an application in the Federal Court in December accusing Grill'd of misleading or deceptive conduct. The company used a variation of the line "That's not a knife ... that's a knife" from the 1986 movie on the sleeve of their cutlery. The case was scheduled for a hearing on Friday but has been settled. Grill'd has agreed to donate $10,000 to Cure Cancer Australia. Mr Hogan is an ambassador for the organisation. It's understood that was the entire sum of the settlement. "We are pleased to have settled this issue with Paul Hogan and proud to donate the money to Cure Cancer and such a worthwhile cause," Grill'd managing director Simon Crowe said in a statement to AAP on Monday. It comes as the 78-year-old appeared in a new Crocodile Dundee-inspired tourism commercial that aired during the Super Bowl in the United States. It is part of a multi-million dollar Tourism Australia campaign targeting American travellers, featuring the likes of Chris Hemsworth, Hugh Jackman and Margot Robbie. A 28-year-old man has been charged over a crash that killed a 47-year-old South Australian man at a beach in Western Australia's south. Police allege the man was driving a ute at Kennedy Beach in Howick, about 116km east of Esperance, at 6pm on December 31 when one of his four passengers fell from the rear tray and died. The driver, from Madora Bay, has been charged with dangerous driving occasioning death and is due to appear in Esperance Magistrates Court on March 28. The Turnbull government's plan to overhaul political donations risks angering its own voters, with research showing a majority of coalition voters support charities that publicly highlight issues. The government has pitched its proposed bill as a way to ensure only those with a meaningful connection to Australia, rather than foreign interests, can influence domestic politics through political donations. But the move has charities up in arms over the administrative burden and the drain on resources it would impose in being defined as a "political campaigner". A YouGov-Galaxy poll shows 53 per cent of coalition voters believe charities play a "vital role in highlighting social issues to government, and act fairly towards all political parties." Just 22 per cent of coalition supporters thought charities were one-sided. "This research demonstrates that there is widespread opposition to this bill from every corner of Australian society," Australian Council for International Development chief executive Marc Purcell told AAP on Monday. But the survey of more than 1000 Australians found just 19 per cent of voters believed charities take one-sided and unbalanced positions or favour some political parties over others. "This is an issue that concerns people across party lines," Mr Purcell said. "What is at stake here is the voice of the voiceless in Australia." The polling, commissioned by The Fred Hollows Foundation for the Hands Off Our Charities Alliance, found 61 per cent of women were opposed to the changes, and 61 per cent of Australians over 65 year olds felt the same. When asked specifically about the government's plan to restrict charities' ability to advocate, 48 per cent of coalition voters opposed the plan, while 36 per cent supported it. Labor voters were 69 per cent opposed, while Greens voters were 82 per cent against it. The polling was taken from January 29 to February 2, about the same time Galaxy was collecting the latest Newspoll that showed a swing in support for the coalition. Special Minister of State Mathias Cormann has previously told AAP all "political actors" - including parties and campaigners - would be subject to the same new rules. The government says the laws were aimed at improving public confidence in the political system, which had been undermined by reports of foreign influence. An Australian soldier shot in the ankle on the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea refused a stretcher and crawled in agony for three weeks. Federal politicians were told the story of Corporal John Arthur Metson, as they took a moment's pause on the first day of parliament's return to reflect on Australians sent to war. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten were among MPs and senators who attended the Last Post ceremony at the Australian War Memorial on Monday evening. "Everything we do across the lake, the right to legislate for our nation, to debate, discuss and decide our destiny, we owe to all of those who are honoured here," Mr Turnbull said. Australia's military history stretched across an epic canvas, the prime minister said. "It's only within each brush stroke that the personal cost of such sacrifice is revealed," he said. Mr Turnbull paid tribute to the courage of Corporal Metson. "John refused to be carried, so on padded hands and padded knees and in silent agony he crawled for nearly three weeks through a 7000-foot mountain range," Mr Turnbull said. Corporal Metson, was killed by Japanese troops at Sengai, aged 24. Mr Shorten urged MPs to do better at honouring the nation's oldest promise - to remember them. "Let all of us who serve in the parliament of a free people promise to do better when it comes to caring for the brave sons and daughters who have kept Australia free," he said. Ministers laid floral wreaths during the ceremony. Labor is promising to heap more pressure on the NSW government over its health and schools spending as state parliament resumes for 2018. MPs in the lower house return on Tuesday while their upper house colleagues will be back at work next week. This year - 2018 - is the last full year of sittings before the next state election due in March next year. Opposition Leader Luke Foley says Labor will be pursuing the government over its "failure" to deliver key services and its planned stadiums spend. "This is a government that has the wrong priorities led by a premier who thinks there's nothing wrong splashing $2 billion on stadiums while kids in the regions struggle to find work and the cost of living continues to rise," Mr Foley said. "Labor will continue to hold this government to account on its failures and over the course of the year we will be announcing positive policies that will deliver for all of NSW." Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who said housing affordability was her top priority when she was thrust into the job, labelled 2017 a big year for the state. "The good news for the people of NSW is that 2018 is going to be even bigger," she said in a statement. "The government looks forward to sharing its exciting agenda with the community, including in parliament as it resumes for the year." Ms Berejiklian had a somewhat turbulent first year in the top job after taking over from Mike Baird in early 2017. She had to deal with the remnants of Mr Baird's tenure including the doomed council amalgamations policy, cost blowouts to the controversial WestConnex roads project and a handful of by-elections. But she was able to follow through on her promise to ramp up spending on infrastructure thanks to the privatisation of half the state's electricity poles and wires. Meanwhile, parliament isn't expected to formally approve Kristina Keneally as Labor's replacement for Sam Dastyari in the federal Senate until next week. The former NSW premier, who unsuccessfully contested the by-election for the federal seat of Bennelong last year, was the only nominee for the vacancy. "One of a kind" animal welfare advocate Dr Hugh Wirth has died from Parkinson's disease aged 78. Dr Wirth, the president of RSPCA Victoria for 43 years until 2015, died on Monday. The organisation's chief executive Dr Liz Walker said Dr Wirth was "one of a kind", and made immeasurable contributions to veterinary science and animal welfare. "Dr Wirth was a tireless worker and a forthright, strong leader who was not afraid to stand up for what he believed was right," she said in a statement. "(He) was at the forefront of many of the improvements we have seen in animal welfare in my lifetime." Dr Wirth joined the RSPCA as a junior member in 1949 and became president in 1972. He drove campaigns to ban puppy tail docking and end the export of horses to Japan for slaughter, and in 1985 was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). Dr Wirth was also named Victorian of the Year in 1997. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews paid tribute to Dr Wirth's many contributions to animal welfare. "More than anyone, he helped turn the RSPCA into the institution it is today - and he helped develop a culture in our country that said animal abuse is wrong, wrong, wrong," the premier tweeted. "He also changed a lot of human lives, too, by bringing pets into our homes and back into our arms." A retired brigadier turned Liberal senator has launched a stinging attack on upper house colleague Cory Bernardi for claiming that women should not serve in combat roles in the Australian Defence Force. WA Senator Linda Reynolds, who was Australia's first woman brigadier in the Army Reserve, branded the Australian Conservatives' leader a "complete and utter disgrace" after he said women in combat could pose risks to the nation's national security. Senator Bernardi spoke against removing an exemption in the Sex Discrimination Act which allows discrimination against women being given combat roles. "It's about blurring the lines between political correctness and sound tactics in the name of what I think is social justice," Senator Bernardi told parliament. He said he had deep concerns about the dangers of women serving in combat roles. "I don't believe incorporating women into combat units is in the best interests of Australia's national security," Senator Bernardi said. Senator Reynolds made an impassioned speech targeting the South Australian senator over his comments, which she said were appalling. "I want to say to Senator Bernardi: shame on you," she said. "He could not have chosen a more insulting or demeaning topic, not only to all of our women who now serve in uniform, but all those women who want to put their hand up." She said entry standards had not been reduced as part of a push to get more women in the ADF, including in combat roles. "For the future of defence forces and the security of our nation we need more women," Senator Reynolds said. The change is part of a largely non-controversial omnibus bill which makes technical changes to a wide range of civil justice legislation. Liberal Senator David Fawcett, who served in the defence force for 22 years, said he had worked alongside women in the RAAF Aircraft Research and Development Unit who were fantastic contributors. While agreeing with Senator Bernardi any program driven by political correctness should be opposed, Senator Fawcett said denying women the right to serve in combat roles could limit the force's efficacy. "If somebody is capable, willing and able to do the task to the required standard with the same amount of training and support that any other member has, then I don't think their gender should necessarily disqualify them," Senator Fawcett said. Premier Gladys Berejiklian is promising an "even bigger year" for NSW as state parliament returns for 2018. MPs in the lower house return on Tuesday while their upper house colleagues will be back at work next week. Labor is promising to heap more pressure on the government over its health and schools spending during what will be the last full year of sittings before the next state election, due in March 2019. Opposition leader Luke Foley says Labor will be pursuing the government over its "failure" to deliver key services and its planned $2 billion spend on knocking down and rebuilding two Sydney stadiums. "This government has been the beneficiary of a Sydney property boom and yet it has resolutely failed to invest and deliver key public services," he said. "Labor will continue to hold this government to account on its failures and over the course of the year we will be announcing positive policies that will deliver for all of NSW." Ms Berejiklian said after a record investment in schools and hospitals and an unprecedented 154,000 new jobs in 2017 things were going to be "even bigger" in 2018. "The government looks forward to sharing its exciting agenda with the community, including in parliament as it resumes for the year," she said. Meanwhile, parliament is expected to formally approve Kristina Keneally as Labor's replacement for Sam Dastyari in the federal Senate next week during a joint sitting. The former NSW premier, who unsuccessfully contested the by-election for the federal seat of Bennelong last year, was the only nominee for the vacancy. A report into alleged sexual misconduct by former Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has been pushed back after the embattled public figure quit his job from hospital. Mr Doyle, who strenuously denies allegations of harassment and indecent assault by three women, resigned as mayor and as chairman of Melbourne Health on Sunday night after being hospitalised for stress-related conditions. The 64-year-old's alleged behaviour is the subject of two independent probes, one by Ian Freckleton QC for the City of Melbourne and another ordered by Health Minister Jill Hennessy. Acting Lord Mayor Arron Wood said the Freckleton investigation had been slowed by Mr Doyle's ill health and resignation. "We were hoping it would be done before the meeting tomorrow night but that is not the case," he told reporters on Monday. The former mayor sounded "very flat" when he phoned Cr Wood from hospital on Sunday night. "I don't think the public commentary has been particularly helpful", the acting mayor said. "A lot of people have been affected by this process." Councillors will still discuss the Freckleton probe at Tuesday's meeting. Former premier Jeff Kennett said Mr Doyle had been "trialled publicly". The former mayor's wife, Emma Page Campbell, said her husband was a "good and decent man" who had been hospitalised "on the brink of being broken". "I am disappointed that Robert has been given no benefit of the presumption of innocence - a resort to foregone conclusions, and with none of the protections afforded even to those accused of the most horrible crimes," she said in a statement. Mr Doyle stepped aside as mayor in December after councillor Tessa Sullivan quit over his alleged behaviour to her and another woman. "For seven weeks now all parties have engaged with a top QC and leading law firm, to participate in a comprehensive investigation - an investigation that was welcomed by both the accuser and accused," Ms Sullivan said in a statement to the Age. A third woman later accused Mr Doyle of touching her leg and making inappropriate comments at a 2016 Melbourne Health awards ceremony, sparking a second investigation. A by-election will need to be held to determine Mr Doyle's replacement but no date has been set for the poll. The Turnbull government is on the verge of overhauling the welfare system after negotiating with the Senate crossbench over the long summer break. Debate on 200 pages worth of proposed welfare changes is due to recommence in the Senate on Tuesday after stalling at the end of last year. Drug testing of welfare recipients has been dumped from the bill, and the vast bulk of remaining measures are expected to pass with the crucial backing of the Nick Xenophon Team. However, sources say several sticking points have emerged during talks in recent months. The proposed changes include a major overhaul of compliance measures, including a demerit-point system for people who persistently dodge job-seeking obligations. The coalition also wants to remove "intent to claim provisions", which protect people who are entitled to welfare but cannot lodge a claim due to personal circumstances. Community organisations fear these changes, among others, could further punish vulnerable people as well as dependent family members of welfare recipients. The legislation also seeks to tighten exemptions for drug and alcohol dependence, increase wait times for unemployment payments, and axe the wife pension and bereavement allowance. A spokeswoman for Rebekha Sharkie, who has played a leading role in negotiations for the Nick Xenophon Team, said some concerns about the bill remained. "They (NXT) are still in discussions with the government and there is no position at this moment," she told AAP. However, new Social Services Minister Dan Tehan is sounding hopeful of a positive outcome. "We are working constructively with the crossbench senators to secure the passage of this important reform," he said. Labor and the Greens are fierce critics of most of the changes and the Australian Council of Social Services is urging the crossbench to hold firm against the bill. Cory Bernardi has been branded a "complete and utter disgrace" over his view women serving in combat roles within the defence force could be against Australia's national security interests. Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds, who was Australia's first woman brigadier in the Army Reserve, launched a blistering attack on her Senate colleague after he told parliament he had deep concerns about women in combat. "I don't believe incorporating women into combat units is in the best interests of Australia's national security," Senator Bernardi said. The Australian Conservatives senator was arguing against removing an exemption in the Sex Discrimination Act which allows discrimination against women being given combat roles. The change is part of a largely non-controversial omnibus bill which makes technical changes to a wide range of civil justice legislation. Senator Reynolds zeroed in on Senator Bernardi's speech, saying his "appalling" comments would have a serious impact. "I want to say to Senator Bernardi: shame on you," Senator Reynolds said. "He could not have chosen a more insulting or demeaning topic, not only to all of our women who now serve in uniform, but all those women who want to put their hand up." She said entry standards had not been reduced as part of a push to get more women in the ADF, including in combat roles. "For the future of defence forces and the security of our nation we need more women," Senator Reynolds said. Reynolds' fellow Liberal senator David Fawcett, who served in the defence force for 22 years, said women had made a fantastic contribution to the ADF. While agreeing with Senator Bernardi any program driven by political correctness should be opposed, Senator Fawcett said denying women the right to serve in combat roles could limit the force's efficacy. "If somebody is capable, willing and able to do the task to the required standard with the same amount of training and support that any other member has, then I don't think their gender should necessarily disqualify them," Senator Fawcett said. New Liberal senator Jim Molan has defended sharing anti-Islam videos by far-right UK group Britain First, insisting he is not a racist. The retired major-general shared the videos, which purport to show Muslim violence in Europe, on Facebook in March last year. "I am not a racist and I am not anti-Islam," Senator Molan told parliament after he's swearing in on Monday,. He said he shared the videos because he was against violence and anti-social behaviour rather than Islam. "Supposedly I'm asked to apologise for being anti-violent. Bizarre," the NSW senator said. Senator Molan said he could not have served in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Iraq, where he was chief of operations for coalition forces for a year, if he was a racist. "I fought for Muslims in Iraq and many Iraqis were alive when I left because of the actions I took," he said. "I've had many Muslim friends through periods of intense conflict." Last month, US President Donald Trump apologised for retweeting Britain First videos, claiming he didn't know who the group was. Senator Molan said he had shared the clips long before Mr Trump had brought the group to the world's attention. While the authenticity of the videos has been disputed, Senator Molan invited his upper house colleagues to draw their own conclusions. "To me they look to this day very, very real," he said. Greens senator Nick McKim tweeted Senator Molan was "a blatant racist who brags about the cruelty of offshore detention, and revels in trampling rights and freedoms". Senator Molan, the co-author of the coalition's Operation Sovereign Borders immigration policy, called on Senator McKim to withdraw the claims, saying they were totally untrue. Seven people in NSW have been charged with a total of 127 offences relating to the historical alleged child sexual and physical abuse of three boys under the age of eight. Four women, two men, and a teenage girl were arrested on Monday evening by detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad operating under Strike Force Baillieu. Police allege the group participated in the ongoing sexual and physical abuse of the three boys, who were known to them, between 2014 and 2016 in the Blue Mountains. All seven were refused bail to appear in various courts on Tuesday. A 17-year-old girl, an 18-year-old Katoomba man and a 20-year-old Canterbury woman will appear at a children's court. Two women, one aged 26 and another 58, and a man, 52, all from Katoomba, will appear at Penrith Local Court. A Canterbury woman, 29, will appear at Burwood Local Court. The charges range from assault and kidnapping to aggravated sexual assault in company (child under 10) to using a child under 14 to make child abuse material. Victorian criminals would have to pay a tax that could pump $88 million into a compensation fund for victims under a proposal by the Victims of Crime Commissioner Greg Davies. Both major political parties have backed the idea, the Herald Sun reports on Tuesday. Mr Davies' radical plan, which does not include measures to tax juveniles, has been submitted to Victoria's Law Reform Commission. State Attorney-General Martin Pakula says he has previously discussed the issue with the commissioner "and we will work with him as we develop a scheme". WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will learn on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT) if he has succeeded in having a warrant for his arrest in the UK dropped. If his bid is successful he could eventually leave the Ecuadorian embassy in London where he's been holed up for more than five years because of fears he'll be extradited to the US. Assange, 46, fled to the embassy in the British capital in 2012 after skipping bail to avoid being sent to Sweden to face an allegation of rape, which he denied. He had feared Sweden would hand him over to the US to face prosecution over WikiLeaks' publication of classified military and diplomatic documents, one of the largest information leaks in American history. In May last year, Swedish prosecutors dropped their investigation into the allegation and withdrew their European Arrest Warrant. But British police have insisted Assange would still be arrested for breaching bail conditions should he leave the embassy. Assange's lawyers went to court last month to argue that the British warrant serves no purpose because he is no longer wanted for questioning in Sweden over alleged sex offences. Assange's lawyers also said in court papers that five years in conditions "akin to imprisonment, without access to adequate medical care or sunlight" had left his mental and physical health "in serious peril". Judge Emma Arbuthnot said she would make her ruling on the arrest warrant on February 6. The search for a man who was swept out to sea on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula two days ago is set to resume. Rescue teams spent Monday looking for the 23-year-old Narre Warren man after he and two friends got caught in a rip at London Bridge beach at Portsea on Sunday, but the search was called off due to high tides and strong currents about 1:30pm. Ground, air and water police will resume the search for the man at the beach on Tuesday, which has been described by Life Saving Victoria as "not suitable for safe bathing". Outback NSW residents say the health of the Darling River and communities along the waterway are being impacted by irrigation schemes and a proposed $500 million pipeline will make the problem worse. A Broken Hill delegation, including the town's mayor Darriea Turley, grazier Katherine McBride and Barkandji man Uncle Badger Bates have travelled to Sydney to hand a 13,308-signature petition to the Berejiklian government on Tuesday. They're calling on Premier Gladys Berejiklian to stop the planned Murray-Broken Hill water pipeline until all inquiries into alleged corruption and water theft have been completed. In one year Christine Keepence's mother, father and sister were all dying of cancer under the same roof. Such was the devastating impact of the BRCA2 gene on her family. Ms Keepence shared her remarkable experiences with the disease at an ovarian cancer breakfast at Parliament House on Tuesday. She asked the audience who of them had done their family tree. "How much fun can that be. Diving into the past and learning about your heritage, relations and hidden skeletons and maybe dual-citizenships," she joked to the MPs and senators present. "Well there was a time when that was fun. Now instead of doing a family tree, I've had to do a family cancer tree." Ms Keepence's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at 50, her father suffered liver cancer and her little sister Elisha Neave died of ovarian cancer at 36. "In one horrible year actually my mother, my father and my sister were all dying of cancer under the same roof," she told the politicians. "My nephew Jack he was living in that house, 11 years of age at that time, and didn't know anything else in his short life but living with cancer." Ms Keepence herself was diagnosed with cancer on her 50th birthday, but unlike Elisha - who was keen for a second child - she and her sister Veronica had both breasts removed and hysterectomies. "Suffice to say the BRCA2 gene is rather rampant in our lineage," she said. Elisha's son Jack told the audience said there was a 75 per cent chance his mother would die in under two years, but she beat that by months. "I think she held on three more months just for me," he said. Health Minister Greg Hunt used the breakfast to announce $3 million for a program to test if relatives of those who have suffered ovarian cancer have a higher risk themselves. Under the Traceback program at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australian women diagnosed before 2013 and their families will be offered genetic testing for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. "It's about giving people that sense of relief or opportunity to take action," Mr Hunt said. Labor leader Bill Shorten, whose mother dealt with cancer, said he'd been "woken" up to the need for genetic testing. "I'm going to go back and just make sure I'm doing the tracing which needs to be done,' he said. Mr Shorten announced a future Labor government would contribute $12 million for greater research and clinical trials. While Labor leader Bill Shorten has hardened his stance against the planned Adani coal mine, his shadow cabinet hasn't reached a final position. Mr Shorten last week walked away from his previously non-committal stance when he said he was "increasingly sceptical" of the Queensland project, casting doubt over the economic case in light of a struggling world coal market. Now Labor is calling on the Turnbull government to investigate allegations Adani altered a lab report relating to a coal-water spill at its Abbot Point shipping terminal. However, the party's leadership team didn't reach a final position on the project during discussions on Monday night. Deputy leader Tanya Plibersek says all frontbenchers had a chance to outline their positions and "when we make a collective decision, we'll make a collective announcement". "We've got more than one opportunity to consider new information and as new information comes in we need to take our time and consider properly," she told ABC radio on Tuesday. "I don't think it's reasonable to expect us to make snap decisions on issues as important as this." The whole Labor caucus meets on Tuesday. Mr Shorten cast further doubts on the project's viability ahead of the meeting, saying Adani hadn't convinced a single Australian bank to finance the massive mine. "I'm beginning to wonder if the people of north Queensland are being led on with this promise of fake jobs and they're never going to materialise," he told reporters in Canberra. "I also believe that we need to make sure that all scientific approvals have been diligently researched." Labor is under pressure from anti-Adani campaigners and the Greens, who want the opposition to give an iron-clad promise it won't allow the mine to go ahead. The issue has magnified as Labor battles the Greens in a by-election in the inner-city Melbourne seat of Batman. But the party could also face a by-election in the demographically-different Queensland electorate of Longman if its MP Susan Lamb is forced to quit over citizenship issues. Angela Gui, who is studying in the UK, says she fears for her father's safety after he was snatched by Chinese security forces The daughter of missing Swedish publisher Gui Minhai who was snatched in China last month says she fears she may never see him again and has urged the international community to take action. Gui was arrested on a train to Beijing just over two weeks ago while accompanied by two Swedish diplomats -- the second time he has disappeared in murky circumstances into Chinese custody. His daughter Angela Gui, 23, told AFP she had heard nothing from him since and had received no information about where he might be. "There are all sorts of awful scenarios that could be unfolding," she said, speaking from England, where she is a student. The United States and European Union have called for Gui's immediate release and his disappearance has sparked a diplomatic row between Stockholm and Beijing. Hong Kong bookseller But Chinese authorities have so far publicly parried requests for information, suggesting only that Swedish diplomats had somehow violated Chinese law. Civil society has come under increasing pressure since President Xi Jinping took office in 2012, with authorities rounding up hundreds of lawyers and activists. "I just hope that Sweden and other governments will be as vocal as possible," Angela said. "I want them to demonstrate actual consequences, instead of just repeating how unacceptable it is." It is the second time 53-year-old Gui, who was born in China but went on to become a Swedish citizen, has been snatched. He first disappeared in 2015, one of five Hong Kong-based booksellers known for publishing gossipy titles about Chinese political leaders who went missing and resurfaced in the mainland. Gui vanished while on holiday in Thailand and eventually surfaced at an undisclosed location in China, confessing to involvement in a fatal traffic accident and smuggling illegal books. Chinese authorities declared they had released him in October but his daughter said he was under "loose house arrest" in the eastern mainland city of Ningbo, where some of his relatives still live. Angela Gui as a child with and her father Gui Minhai Angela told AFP she had spoken to her father on Skype multiple times a week in the past three months and that he was able to move around the city, but was followed by police. He had been allowed to go to the Swedish consulate in Shanghai three times to apply for documentation, including a new passport, and Angela said she did not believe he had been told explicitly to stay in Ningbo. Angela graduated from England's Warwick University with a master's degree the day before her father disappeared again and had spoken to him ahead of the ceremony. "He said: 'I'm very sorry that I can't be there'. I told him it was alright because I'm doing my doctorate now, so there was another one for him to come to," she said. "I was hoping that there would be an end to this soon and that he might be able to come home." - Medical help - On January 20, Gui was grabbed by plainclothes police while on a train between Ningbo and Beijing, where he was due to have a medical appointment. Chinese officials have given no public reason for his detention. Angela fears he may now be put on trial and receive a longer sentence, jeopardising his health. Doctors in Ningbo said her father may have the neurological disease ALS -- he had been on his way to Beijing to see a Swedish specialist. It is the second time Gui Minhai has been snatched in murky circumstanced following his 2015 disappearance from Thailand The muscles in his hands had begun to atrophy and he had lost some sensation in the soles of his feet, Angela said. "If he does have ALS, perhaps he might not have that much time left," she told AFP. China was widely criticised after veteran rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo died from liver cancer while on medical parole in July last year. Rights groups had pushed for him to be allowed to seek medical treatment abroad. It was the first time a Nobel laureate had died in custody since Nazi Germany. Angela said the international community must snap out of its "paralysis" over the case, describing her frustration that more had not been done to get her father out of China sooner. "He shouldn't have been abducted again in the first place -- there should have been a way of getting him home before that," she said. "Or there should have been a way of making sure he was safe when he was travelling." A spokesman for the Swedish government told AFP that "intense efforts" were underway, but would not say if they had received any information as to Gui's whereabouts. A Western diplomat in Beijing said he feared Gui would not be released "any time soon". "The circumstances of his abduction are unprecedented," he told AFP. This market stall on a Libreville street is piled high with rat poison, but some vendors readily sell kobolo under the table -- a cheap, easy but potentially dangerous high Misuse of a powerful painkiller has spread like wildfire among schools in the west African state of Gabon, where teachers blame it for violent changes in mood among normally placid and motivated teenagers. Known as "kobolo" by local youths, the drug comprises high doses of anti-inflammatory medicine, usually washed down with soda or alcohol. In the United States, abuse of such opioid drugs, say experts, has abetted a crisis of addiction and misery. "It's easier to ask who in our state schools is not taking kobolo," said a young music teacher in a Libreville high school, who gave her name as Chantal. "It starts at secondary level, from the age of 12 or 13. The children go through changes almost overnight -- they become aggressive and violent under the effects of kobolo, which we regularly find when we go through their schoolbags," she adds. "The worst thing is that the kids not only use it, they sell it, too." - Knife fights and arrests - Almost every week, the press report knife fights between pupils, largely blamed on their use of kobolo, and on arrests of drug dealers, often deemed to be connected to the pharmaceutical business or from Cameroon. "Kobolo is a combination based on painkillers that act directly on the brain. It induces feelings of well-being due to the secretion of dopamine, the pleasure hormone," said Marie-Louise Rondi, who chairs the National Order of Pharmacists in Gabon. "This explains addiction and the tendency to increase daily doses, until all the safety fuses in the brain have been blown." When used by young Gabonese as a recreational drug, the painkiller Tramadol or a generic equivalent is taken in large doses, sometimes mixed with alcohol and a range of juices. In 2017, its popularity began to spread fast in a country where consumption of cannabis and other substances is very limited. By July, concern had become so great that prescriptions for the drug became compulsory, and social support was beefed up. "We had meetings with the parents of students to warn them of the scale of the problem," Rondi said. - 'You're a super-hero' - Under the pseudonym Ted, a self-described "ex-user" of kobolo in his 20s, who comes from a poor neighbourhood, described what it was like to take the drug. "With a soft drink, it's like you're asleep, having a waking dream. But if you drink it down with a little alcohol, well then...!" he guffawed. "It awakens your sleeping senses, when you take it you become hot. You can't control yourself, you imagine you're a super-hero, you lose your feelings," laughs the young man. "It gives you too much courage... You don't even feel pain." Proof of this risk, he displayed a large scar on a forearm -- the legacy of an accident when he "went through a car windscreen without feeling hurt." Other collateral damage includes loss of appetite and sleep, itching, "epilepsy attacks, liver problems and and memory lapses," he said. Others say unsafe sex is another risk. - 'Pink baby' - The legal painkiller Tramadol became a prescription-only drug in Gabonese chemists' stores in July 2017. The version available on the streets has led to alarming behavioural changes including knife fights Despite regulatory efforts, the painkiller is easy to obtain on the streets of Libreville. Known as the "little red", "pink baby" or "kemeka," pills are sold for between 250 and 500 CFA francs (0.40 to 0.80 euros / $0.50 to $1.00) apiece. Around the bus station, regular traders and ambulant salesmen help make acquiring kobolo a simple formality. In the maze of narrow streets, the drug is sold not only by the usual dealers but also at little stalls that sell medication along with rat poison. For lack of official statistics, the kobolo business is difficult to put into figures. Since getting high requires no more than swallowing some cheap pills, the phenomenon is more discreet than smoking pot. The wholesale dealers are above all Nigerians and Lebanese, Chadians and Guineans, people say in the working-class districts. "Everybody sells it under the counter," said Ted, who described kobolo as "the high-school favourite". The media gives ample coverage to anti-kobolo operations and the police say they are on the job, reporting the seizure of 5,952 illicit pills in 2017. "But the silence of health authorities is deafening," protests the director of a state-run hospital. "Not even a simple video clip on the TV to raise awareness among young people." - 'Right kind of laughter' - By contrast, "Goudronier," a video about kobolo by rapper Don'zer, has given the drug nationwide prominence. It has been even broadcast at meetings of political parties. "What this song is about, with its words and the video full of violence, is what's happening now in our society and our schools," said the teacher Chantal, distraught. "The drug has become fashionable -- kobolo users are no longer hiding." Kobolo users are typically aged from 12 to 16 or 17, but there are many who come outside this age range, said a psychologist who has seen many users in her private practice. "All social classes are affected, including the French and the Lebanese," she said, referring to two large expatriate communities. The drug has increased the risk of unsafe sex and unwanted pregnancies for girls, the psychologist added. "Me, I gave it up because of the violence, trouble with my parents," Ted said. "You laugh a lot, but it's not the right kind of laughter. And you lose friends who die in fights, getting stabbed or having their throats cut." China has launched an anti-dumping investigation into sorghum imports from the United States China has launched an anti-dumping investigation into sorghum imports from the United States, spurring worries of a brewing tit-for-tat trade war between the world's top two economies. The commerce ministry announced the self-initiated probe on Sunday, just weeks after President Donald Trump's administration slapped its latest batch of tariffs on Chinese goods. The ministry did not immediately announce any new tariffs on the grain, though, and the results of the dumping investigation are not expected until next February. China is the US's largest buyer of crops like sorghum and soybeans, and tariffs on their import would hurt American farmers. The US shipped China 4.8 million tonnes of sorghum last year, valued at almost $1 billion, according to China's customs data. That was a sliver of the $14 billion in US soybean imports. Some analysts have predicted China may aim new tariffs at the Republican-leaning states that make up Trump's base. Kansas went heavily for Trump in 2016 and was by far the US's largest sorghum producer last year. The state's vast sorghum crop was followed in size by Texas, Colorado and Oklahoma. "The US government is providing sorghum subsidies," said Wang Hejun, director of the trade remedy and investigation bureau at the Ministry of Commerce. "Since 2013, the US's sorghum exports to China have substantially increased and the price has fallen, harming China's sorghum industry," Wang said. The ministry said the US has exported more than 50 percent of its sorghum crop since 2013. China's move to self-initiate a dumping investigation rather than by request from industry comes after the Trump administration launched its own self-initiated trade case against Chinese aluminium sheet imports last year, the first such case by the US in over a quarter century. China said it did not need to receive a request to investigate dumping in "special circumstances" with ample evidence. Syrian-Kurds attend an impromptu parade in Afrin as civilians enlist to fight an assault by Turkish troops and allied rebels on the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in Syria's border region on January 28, 2018 Ammunition belts slung over their shoulders, voices cracking from the chanting, dozens of young Syrian Kurds amassed in Afrin's town square to enlist in the "resistance" movement against a Turkish-backed assault. They wore mismatched military gear, some in jeans and others with scarves wrapped around their faces. A few admitted it was the first time they had ever touched a weapon, but said they felt compelled to defend their hometown. "Afrin is where I grew up, just like my parents and my grandparents before me. This is why it's a duty for me to fight for it," says Asmaa, 19. The first-year journalism student at Afrin University decided last month to leave her studies behind and respond to a call to arms by local Kurdish authorities. Town officials called for a "mass mobilisation" of civilians to fight an assault by Turkish troops and allied rebels on the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in Afrin. They estimate hundreds have joined so far -- some deployed to the front lines while others have volunteered for hospital shifts or rescue teams that search for survivors after bombardment. Asmaa, a black-and-white scarf wrapped around her neck, says she enlisted to take part in the fighting. "Today, I don't see myself as a student. I see myself as a fighter," she says assertively. The crowd around her splits into two lines -- one for young men and one for women -- and begin marching through Afrin for an impromptu military parade. As shopkeepers look on, the youth wave YPG flags and chant, "No to occupation!" and "Long live the heroic resisters!" - Fighting, food distribution - "There has been an increasing number of volunteers, and each young man or woman can choose which institution they want to volunteer for depending on their experience and capacities," says Rezan Haddu, a media adviser to YPG in Afrin. Hundreds have answered the call to defend Afrin from a Turkish-backed assault since officials in the northern Syrian town appealed for a "mass mobilisation". "Some volunteered as YPG fighters, others provide logistical support like food, transportation, and clothes," he tells AFP. Turkey and allied Syrian rebels began their cross-border assault on the Afrin region on January 20, and most of the fighting has been concentrated along the mountainous frontier. Ankara has blacklisted the YPG as a "terror" group for its ties to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged a deadly and decades-long insurgency against the Turkish government. Local authorities had to act quickly to hold off the offensive, says Jinda Tulhaldan, a leader in the Kurdish Youth Movement's Afrin branch. "We give them a week of military training and teach them how to use weapons," says Tulhaldan. "We know a week isn't enough, but we were attacked and had to defend our city with whatever we had in front of us." The Afrin region juts out from Syria's northern Aleppo province, but it is governed under a semi-autonomous system established by Kurdish factions in 2013. Under that system, people between the ages of 18 and 32 must spend one year in military conscription, says the YPG's spokesman in Afrin, Birusk Hasakeh. Hasakeh says "hundreds" of recruits had now fully enlisted in the YPG and allied groups, including members of local government who had closed public office and taken up arms. "Others decided to prepare tea and food to distribute to the fronts, and others are volunteering in the hospitals," he says. - 'First time I carry weapons' - "We were trained in light weapons from the youth centre in Afrin," says Tirij Hassan, a 22-year-old attending the recruitment rally. "It's the first time I carry weapons, but I'm happy about it because I'll be defending Afrin, its people, and its children." Turkey says it does everything it can to avoid hitting civilians. Some volunteered to defend Afrin as fighters in the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), others to support the provision of food, transportation and clothes, according to officials. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 68 civilians have been killed including 21 children since Turkey launched operation "Olive Branch" last month. At least three civilians have also been killed by rocket fire from Syria onto Turkish territory. More than 100 YPG fighters and about the same number of pro-Turkey rebels have also died in the fight, the Britain-based monitor said. "Turkish warplanes are bombing Afrin. They are bombing civilians and attacking us and our forces," says Farhad Akid, a 21-year-old agricultural engineering student in the Afrin city centre. "As young men, we've pledged ourselves to resist, to protect Afrin and our people. We won't allow a single Turkish occupier to enter our blessed land." A report by several leading humanitarian organisations said measures to send refugees back to Syria were increasingly prominent on the agenda of host countries International aid groups on Monday warned countries hosting Syrian refugees in the Middle East and the West against forcing them to return or discussing measures to that effect. A report by several leading humanitarian organisations -- including the Norwegian Refugee Council and CARE International -- spoke of an alarming trend advocating for deportations. "Hundreds of thousands of refugees are at risk of being pushed to return to Syria in 2018, despite ongoing violence, bombing and shelling that are endangering the lives of civilians," it said. The report, entitled "Dangerous Ground", observed that measures to send refugees back to their homes in Syria were increasingly prominent on the agenda of host countries. "As the military situation changed in Syria, and against a backdrop of increased anti-refugee rhetoric and policies across the world, governments began in 2017 to openly contemplate the return of refugees to the country," it said. The number of refugees who returned to Syria -- which has been racked by a conflict that killed at least 340,000 people since 2011 -- rose to 721,000 in 2017, from 560,000 the previous year. But the report warned that three times as many Syrians were displaced last year and that a further 1.5 million people were expected to be forced from their homes in 2018. "Now, return would neither be safe nor voluntary for the vast majority who fled the war and the violence," NRC Secretary General Jan Egeland said. "Currently, even in certain so-called de-escalation areas, we've seen bloodshed, targeting of hospitals and schools, and death," he said of regions that were selected last year for truces meant to pave the way for an end to the war. The report expressed concern over measures being discussed in Europe, including in Denmark and Germany, that could lead to forced returns. Only three percent of vulnerable Syrian refugees so far have been resettled in wealthy countries. Most remain in countries bordering Syria, including Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey, but rhetoric on refugee return has also picked up there. "In Syria's neighbouring countries, the push to return refugees has manifested itself in closed borders, deportations and forced or involuntary returns," the report said. Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the head of the Save the Children aid group that also co-authored the report, warned that many children risked being sent straight into harm's way. "No child should have to return home before it is safe. Right now, many parts of Syria are unsafe for children. Bombs are still falling and basic services like schools and hospitals lie in ruins," she said. Action Against Hunger and Danish Refugee Council also contributed to the report. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled from Myanmar to bordering Bangladesh since last August, escaping alleged abuses that have stoked fears for the security of the region The UN human rights chief warned Monday that possible acts of "genocide and ethnic cleansing" against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority could fuel a religious-based conflict that spreads beyond the country's borders. "Myanmar faces a very serious crisis -- with a potentially severe impact on the security of the region," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said during a speech in Jakarta. His remarks follow the publication of a report last week about mass graves of Rohingya in Myanmar's crisis-hit Rakhine state, where government troops have been accused of waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against the minority. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled to bordering Bangladesh since last August. Myanmar denied the mass grave report and wider allegations of rights abuses, saying it launched a proportionate crackdown on Rohingya rebels. But it has blocked reporters and UN investigators from independently accessing the conflict zone and investigating refugee claims about a genocide. Zeid on Monday said Myanmar had enjoyed strong growth including a focus on socio-economic development in the Rakhine region, but that this could not mask "institutionalised discrimination" against the minority. The UN rights chief is due to meet with Indonesian President Joko Widodo as well as top government officials and rights groups during his three-day visit. Among the issues expected to be discussed is a crackdown on the LGBT community in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country. Parliament is set to pass a long-dormant bill to make sex outside marriage illegal. Gay marriage does not exist in Indonesia, meaning homosexual relations would be effectively outlawed. Thanh's first life sentence was handed down last month in a separate trial, where he was accused alongside others of causing $5.2 million in losses for the state during an investment by state-run PetroVietnam into a thermal power plant A Vietnamese former oil executive allegedly kidnapped from Germany was jailed for life Monday for embezzlement, state media reported, his second life sentence tied to a corruption crackdown in the communist country. The one-party state has convicted scores of business and political elites as part of an anti-graft drive observers say is driven by political infighting as much as a commitment to fight crime. Trinh Xuan Thanh is one of the biggest names to go down as part of the purge, which mirrors a similar crackdown in neighbouring China. Thanh, the former head of PetroVietnam Construction (PVC), was found guilty of pocketing $620,000 of state funds from a real estate project. Thanh was convicted alongside seven others who all got lighter sentences following a two-week trial in Hanoi, according to state-controlled VNExpress news site. "The jury board found all eight defendants guilty of embezzlement. Because he was ultimately responsible, Trinh Xuan Thanh was given a life term," VNExpress quoted the prosecutor as saying. Embezzlement carries a maximum sentence of death in Vietnam, though Thanh was spared because he cooperated with the court, according to state media. The other defendants were given between six and sixteen years in jail. "The defendants' actions were a symbol of ethical degradation and corruption by civil servants for their own benefit," the prosecutor added. Thanh's case has grabbed international headlines since Germany said he was kidnapped from a Berlin park by Vietnamese security agents last year, slamming the move as a "scandalous violation" of its sovereignty. Hanoi denies the accusation, and said Thanh -- who had been seeking asylum in Germany -- returned to Vietnam to voluntarily hand himself in. Thanh's first life sentence was handed down last month in a separate trial, where he was accused alongside ex-politburo member Dinh La Thang and 20 others of causing $5.2 million in losses for the state during an investment by state-run PetroVietnam into a thermal power plant. Thang -- the former head of PetroVietnam, the country's largest oil firm -- is the most senior official convicted of graft in recent years. He was handed 13 years in prison in the case that captivated a nation unused to seeing misdeeds of high-profile figures play out in public. Both men have appealed their sentences in that case. Though Vietnam has long vowed to tackle graft, a conservative leadership in place since 2016 has convicted scores of bankers, officials and former executives at an unprecedented pace. This week, 46 bankers face sentencing for allegedly causing millions of dollars in losses. Vietnam ranks 113th out of 176 on its corruption perception index, worse than its Southeast Asian neighbours Thailand and the Philippines, Transparency International said. A South Korean appeals court on Monday upheld Samsung heir Lee Jae-Yong's bribery conviction but cut his prison sentence to a suspended term, ordering his immediate release A South Korean appeals court on Monday upheld Samsung heir Lee Jae-Yong's bribery conviction but cut his prison sentence to a suspended term, ordering his immediate release. Lee, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, the world's biggest smartphone and memory chip maker, was convicted of bribery in connection with the sprawling corruption scandal that brought down former South Korean president Park Geun-Hye. The 49-year-old was given five years in prison when his original trial concluded in August, making him the first Samsung chief to serve prison time, even though his father was twice convicted of criminal offences and his grandfather was earlier embroiled in scandal. He had been convicted of a range of offences, including bribery, embezzlement, money laundering and perjury of parliament. The case centred on payments Samsung made to Park's secret confidante Choi Soon-Sil, with prosecutors arguing they were intended to secure government favours. But the appeals court on Monday struck out several of the convictions and reduced the penalty on the remainder to a suspended prison sentence of two and a half years. "Park Geun-Hye and Choi Soon-Sil should be seen as the main players in this scandal," said the ruling, read out in court by one of the judges. Four other Samsung Electronics executives convicted alongside Lee also had their convictions reduced, with the two who had been given prison terms similarly having their sentences suspended. Since his father was left bedridden by a heart attack in 2014 Lee has been the de facto head of the sprawling Samsung group, by far the biggest of the family-controlled conglomerates known as chaebols that dominate Asia's fourth-largest economy, with its revenues equivalent to around a fifth of the country's GDP. Smoke rises from a house after a Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force's AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crashed in a residential area in Kanzaki, Saga prefecture One crew member was confirmed dead and another was missing Monday after a Japanese military helicopter crashed in a residential area in the southwest of the country, reportedly injuring a local girl and setting a home on fire. A 26-year-old co-pilot was found unconscious following the crash in the town of Kanzaki and later confirmed dead, a defence ministry spokesman said. "We are still searching for the 43-year-old pilot," the spokesman told AFP, retracting earlier remarks made by Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera, who said both crew members on board were retrieved "in a state of cardiac and respiratory arrest." That language is often used by Japanese officials before deaths are officially confirmed. Quoting local fire department officials, the Asahi Shimbun daily said an 11-year-old girl who was in the house when the helicopter crashed was sent to hospital after injuring her knee. Immediate confirmation of the report was not available. Japan's NHK television showed a thick plume of grey smoke rising from the site of the crash in between the rooftops of local houses, some 300 metres (1,000 feet) away from an elementary school. Local firefighters could be seen running through the streets with red fire hoses as people were evacuated from the area. "I heard something like a rumbling of the earth," a woman living near the crash site told NHK. "I rushed out there and saw a blaze and black smoke. It's impossible that this happens in such a place." Onodera earlier told reporters the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter had gone down in Japan's Saga region and "burst into flames". Local officials confirmed the crash site was a residential area, adding one home had caught fire. The local fire authority said it had sent 14 fire engines and three ambulances to the site. The incident revived memories of a 2016 crash in which a Japanese air force jet with six people aboard went missing in mountainous terrain. Four bodies were later recovered. There has also been a string of accidents involving US military helicopters that have fuelled opposition to their presence in the country. The latest was a UH-1 helicopter that was forced into an emergency landing last month on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa. No one was hurt in that incident, which officials blamed on a faulty rotor blade. Japan's Self-Defence Forces (SDF) have been banned from waging any kind of combat beyond defence of the nation since the US-imposed constitution of 1947 that followed the carnage of World War II. They have been deployed overseas in peacekeeping missions, some of which have proved controversial at home. And while the SDF is strictly limited in terms of the scope of its military activity, Japan nonetheless boasts an impressive array of weaponry with highly trained personnel. The pope, who has railed against the horrors of war and weapons of mass destruction, was likely to raise the Afrin issue during his meeting with Erdogan. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Pope Francis on Monday while police enforced a protest ban in central Rome as feelings run high over Turkey's offensive against Kurdish militia inside Syria. For the first such visit by a Turkish leader for 59 years, the Italian authorities have imposed a 24-hour ban on demonstrations which covers Erdogan's arrival late Sunday to his departure on Monday evening. A total of 3,500 police have been deployed for the visit. Nevertheless a sit-in protest by 200 people, organised by a Kurdish association in Italy, was scheduled to take place on Monday not far from the Vatican. Turkey on January 20 launched its "Olive Branch" operation against Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a terror group and a threat to Turkish territory. The Turkish army and allied Ankara-backed Syrian rebel forces are seeking to oust the YPG from its western border stronghold of Afrin but the operation has faced fierce resistance. "In Afrin, a new crime against humanity is under way," the Kurdish association said. The pope, who has railed against the horrors of war and weapons of mass destruction, was likely to raise the Afrin issue during his meeting with Erdogan. Ahead of the meeting, Erdogan's convoy arrived at a deserted Saint Peter's Square, which was under heavy police protection. The YPG, while considered a "terrorist" group by Ankara, is allied to the United States in its battle against Islamic State group jihadists. The visit is the first by a Turkish leader to the Vatican in 59 years. Thousands of Kurds gathered in Syria's Afrin on Saturday to mourn fighters and civilians killed in a blistering Turkish assault on the region. Those killed included female combatant Barin Kobani whose mutilated body appeared in a shocking video, prompting accusations by her family and Kurdish officials that she was "defiled" by Turkish-backed rebels. Erdogan for his part will probably thank the pontiff for opposing the decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. "We are both in favour of the status quo and we have the will to protect it," Erdogan said in an interview published Sunday. - Armenian 'genocide' spat - Pope Francis visited Turkey in 2014. Here he is seen at Istanbul's Holy Spirit Cathedral Erdogan's flying visit to Italy will also include a meeting with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, with illegal immigration, defence and EU membership likely on the agenda. Pope Francis, a strong proponent of inter-faith dialogue, visited Turkey in November 2014, holding friendly talks with Erdogan, a devout Muslim. While in Istanbul the pope acknowledged that current global crises had made Muslims vulnerable to being stigmatised. Francis denounced those who said "all Muslims are terrorists". Relations were not so cordial in June 2016 when the pope, during a visit to Armenia, referred to the 1915-17 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman forces as "genocide". The Vatican was then forced to refute claims from Turkey that Pope Francis had showed a "mentality of the Crusades" over his use of the term. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine arrive at the Vatican Turkey -- the Ottoman Empire's successor state -- argues that it was a collective tragedy in which both Turks and Armenians died. On Sunday, Erdogan also insisted in a newspaper interview that Turkey wants "full membership of Europe" and did not rule out joint Italian-Turkish action in Libya. In October 2013, the Bab al-Tabbaneh district in Tripoli saw deadly clashes between supporters and opponents of the Syrian regime Militants resisting arrest by the Lebanese army in the restive Tripoli neighbourhood of Bab al-Tabbaneh sparked clashes that killed one on each side, a statement said on Monday. The violence broke out late on Sunday when the army entered the Sunni stronghold with the aim of arresting wanted militants. "One soldier was killed and several others wounded" when the unit was targeted by militants, the army said, adding that hand grenades were used against its men. The army said "one terrorist" was killed and his brother arrested. Weapons and ammunition were also seized. Lebanon's second city has been directly affected by the violence raging in neighbouring Syria, where the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, who is from the Alawite minority, has been battling mostly Sunni groups since 2011. Recurring clashes pitting residents from Bab al-Tabbaneh against those of Jabal Mohsen, an adjacent and mostly Alawite neighbourhood, led the army to deploy in the area in 2014. Security forces stand guard outside the Supreme Court in Male after Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen declared a state of emergency The Maldives' highest court Tuesday revoked an order to release high-profile political prisoners a day after President Abdulla Yameen declared a state of emergency in the honeymoon islands and arrested two top judges on corruption charges. The remaining three judges of the Supreme Court said they were rescinding their February 1 order to release the prisoners "in light of the concerns raised by the President". "The Supreme Court bench hereby rescinds number 5 of its order to release the individuals," a statement said. The court's original decision signed by all five judges of the apex court had quashed a terrorism conviction against former president and opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed, among others. The shock move was seen as clearing the way for Nasheed to end his self-imposed exile and return to the country to contest elections later this year. But Yameen refused to comply with the order and instead declared the 15-day state of emergency, giving sweeping powers to troops to arrest and detain individuals while curtailing the powers of the judiciary and the legislature. Maldives Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and another judge were then arrested at dawn Tuesday, after security forces stormed the court complex in the capital Male. The latest U-turn of the court would take Nasheed back to square one, and is seen by opposition activists as a blow to their attempts at toppling Yameen -- accused of plunging the tiny Indian Ocean nation into political turmoil. However, the Supreme Court made no change to their other order to restore the seats of 12 legislators sacked for defecting from Yameen's party. This in theory gives the dissidents a majority in the assembly, but they are prevented from ousting the president because the declaration of a state of emergency takes away parliament's power to impeach. - Military intervention - Nasheed has accused Yameen of acting illegally and called on the international community to step in and help remove him from office. On Tuesday, he urged India to send troops to the strategically located archipelago, which has grown increasingly close to regional rival China under Yameen's leadership. "President Yameen has illegally declared martial law and overrun the state. We must remove him from power," said Nasheed, the first democratically elected leader of the Maldives, in a statement. "We would like the Indian government to send an envoy, backed by its military, to free the judges and the political detainees." Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said the U-turn of the Supreme Court was due to pressure brought on the three judges. "Yameen has used coercion to get the original decision revoked," MDP spokesman Hamid Abdul Ghafoor told AFP in Colombo. Yameen has presided over an escalating crackdown on dissent since he came to power in 2013, battering the image of the upmarket holiday paradise. London-based Amnesty International called for the immediate release of the detained judges warning that the "eyes of the world" were on the worsening crisis in the troubled archipelago. The United States said earlier it was "troubled and disappointed" at the declaration of a state of emergency and called on Yameen to comply with the rule of law. Several countries have warned against travel to the country, which depends heavily on tourism, at the peak of the season. - Coup plot - In a televised address to the nation, Yameen accused the judges of being part of a plot to overthrow him. Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had sided with the opposition, was arrested Monday as the crackdown deepens "I had to declare a national emergency because there was no other way to investigate these judges," he said. "We had to find out how thick the plot or coup was." Yameen has had almost all the political opposition jailed since he came to power. On Monday he ordered the arrest of his estranged half-brother and former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had sided with the main opposition. The 80-year-old -- president for 30 years until the country's first democratic elections in 2008 -- was taken from his home in the capital Male around midnight on Monday, hours after the emergency was declared. "I have not done anything to be arrested," Gayoom said in a video message to supporters posted on Twitter. "I urge you to remain steadfast in your resolve too. We will not give up on the reform work we are doing." Boko Haram has taken scores of women and girls hostage. Many have been rescued, but some remain in captivity Boko Haram fighters stormed a village in northeast Nigeria and killed two people, a local resident and a security source said Monday, as the military again maintained the jihadists had been defeated. The attack happened on Sunday evening at Alau-Kofa village, some 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) from the Borno state capital, Maiduguri. "Boko Haram came to our village last night at about 8:00 pm (1900 GMT) firing guns and RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades)," Bulama Bukar, who lives in Alau-Kofa, told AFP. "Two people were burnt alive and the whole village was burnt, along with our food." Bukar, whose father was shot in the leg during the attack, said the jihadists "specifically came to steal our cattle" but were forced to abandon the herds when soldiers arrived. "Last Wednesday they attacked the village, killed three people and took away 50 cattle. And now they came back," he added. A security source in Maiduguri, who asked not to be identified as he was not authorised to speak to the media, confirmed Bukar's account. "It is part of the fightback strategy by the terrorists, who are facing mounting pressure from the military," he said. Nigeria's military said last week they had cleared the Sambisa Forest in Borno state of Boko Haram fighters -- just over a year after making a similar claim. - Human shields - Theatre commander Major General Nicholas Rogers was reported as saying in Nigeria's media on Monday that the Islamic State Group affiliate was "completely defeated". But the security source warned against premature triumphalism, despite recent successes. "Saying they have been completely defeated is pushing it too far," he said. "They have indeed been pushed out of Sambisa. They have relocated their camps to Dubur and Yuwe on the rear fringes of Sambisa." But the source said troops remained cautious about hunting down Boko Haram factional leader Abubakar Shekau, as he was using hostages as human shields. They include some of the schoolgirls abducted from the Borno town of Chibok in April 2014 and female police officers seized in an ambush last year. "They don't want to harm them, which is why they are limiting aerial offensives," he added. In January, troops from Nigeria and its neighbours Cameroon, Chad and Niger got as far as Lagara village, across the river from Shekau's hideout in Parisu. But they were forced to abandon the mission because of landmines and the discovery of the human shields, the source added. Indonesia has suffered a string of extremist attacks in the past 16 years, including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people A landmark reconciliation meeting between survivors of terror attacks and the perpetrators will be held in Indonesia this month, Jakarta said Monday. The meeting, announced by chief security minister Wiranto, is being touted as a first for Muslim-majority Indonesia, which has long struggled with Islamist militancy and attacks. "This meeting is quite unique -- it has not ever happened before," Wiranto, who like many Indonesians goes only by one name, told reporters in the capital Jakarta. People currently incarcerated for terror-related offences and ex-convicts will get the chance to apologise to survivors at the meeting, he said. The government did not release the names of the militants or the survivors, and it was not clear for how long or where the two groups would meet. It also did not say if any family members of those killed in such attacks would participate. Indonesia, which has the world's biggest Muslim population, has suffered a string of extremist attacks in the past 16 years, including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists. A crackdown has weakened the most dangerous networks but fears have grown of a resurgence in militancy after hundreds of Indonesians flocked to the Middle East and the Philippines in recent years to join the Islamic State group. The spectre of a flood of battle-hardened militants returning to Indonesia has driven a push for effective programmes aimed at deradicalising hardliners. Local media have reported some 150 convicted militants will be involved in this month's reconciliation talks. It was not immediately clear how many survivors would attend. Rescued Nepali women, who have filed complaints against an unnamed Saudi diplomat for abusing and raping them in his house in New Delhi, arrive in Kathmandu airport in September 2015 Nepal's restrictions on woman migrating for work are discriminatory and inconsistent with international law, a United Nations rights official said Monday during a visit to the country. Nepal last year introduced a ban on women working as domestic helpers in the Gulf, one of various laws passed over the last decade to protect female migrant workers from sexual exploitation. "These bans are ineffective and create the consequence that women migrate through irregular channels and become victims of trafficking," said the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Felipe Gonzalez Morales. "They (the government) don't realise it's discrimination, but these policies are inconsistent with international law and should be lifted." Nearly half a million Nepalis migrated for work in 2015/16, according to the latest available government data, and migrant remittances account for over a third of the country's GDP. The vast majority are men working in construction in the Gulf and Malaysia, but around 20,000 women also left that year despite various laws that restrict female migration. In recent years Nepal has introduced a minimum age limit for female migrant workers, prevented mothers with children under two from leaving the country for work, and most recently banned women from domestic work in the Gulf, though enforcement has been patchy. "The government is trying to make a statement that they are protecting (women). But this can be done through other means," Morales said. Morales was speaking after an eight-day visit to the impoverished Himalayan nation to assess the recruitment processes for Nepalis working abroad. Nepal's government has been criticised for failing to protect migrant workers from exorbitant fees charged by recruitment agencies that leave them mired in debt and trapped in jobs overseas. In 2015 it banned agencies from charging migrants for flights and visas, but enforcement has been weak. Some suspect authorities are reluctant to clamp down on the lucrative industry. "Everyone agrees that there is a big problem in the recruitment process, but there doesn't seem to be a concrete plan to take steps to have the employers paying for this, which would be the solution according to international standards," said Morales. Nepal's reliance on the cash flow from citizens overseas leaves it vulnerable to changes in host countries. Political instability in Qatar and an economic slowdown in Saudi Arabia -- the two largest recipient countries of Nepali workers -- saw the number of new arrivals from Nepal slump at the end of last year. Remittances declined by 1.4 percent in the same period, a tiny drop that still resulted in Nepal's current account balance slipping into the red, according to central bank figures. Love, who has dual British and Finnish citizenship, was arrested at his home in Britain in October 2013. British judges on Monday rejected a US request for the extradition of a man accused of hacking into thousands of US government computers in a ruling that could set a precedent for similar pending cases. Lauri Love, 33, faces charges in the United States for allegedly hacking into the networks of the US Federal Reserve, US Army and NASA, among others, in 2012 and 2013. "The reason I've gone through this ordeal is not just to save myself from being kidnapped and locked up for 99 years in a country I've never visited, said Love, who has dual British and Finnish citizenship. Love suffers from Asperger's syndrome and has also been diagnosed with depression. He was arrested at his home in Britain in October 2013. "But it's to set a precedent whereby this will not happen to other people in the future," Love told reporters outside High Court in London. "If there is suspected criminality then it will be tried here in the UK and America will not try to exercise exorbitant extra-territorial jurisdiction." Kaim Todner, the law firm representing Love, hailed what it called a "landmark judgement". "The British justice system has taken the stance that we should deal with the matter ourselves, rather than accept the US government's demands," it said. "It has also been recognised that mental health provisions in US prisons are not adequate to satisfy us that Lauri would not have come to serious harm if he were extradited," the firm said in a statement. Judge Ian Burnett handed down the ruling, to cheers from people in the court's public gallery. The defence said the United States now has 14 days in which to appeal the ruling at the UK Supreme Court. Love had appealed against a 2016 British court ruling that he could be extradited to the United States to face the charges. Malian authorities have banned motorbikes and pick-up trucks in some areas of the centre and north to prevent further jihadist attacks Suspected jihadists killed two Malian soldiers overnight in the country's unstable north, military sources said Monday, adding that they also attacked a police station. Mali's deteriorating security situation is of growing concern as Al-Qaeda-linked groups mount increasingly deadly attacks on domestic and foreign forces. "Terrorists on motorbikes opened fire" on two soldiers from the National Guard at Gossi, south of Gao, a major city in the region, a military source told AFP. Another source said the two men were shot in the head. On Sunday evening, suspected jihadists also attacked a police station at Hombori, about 90 kilometres (55 miles) south of Gossi. "The army responded. To the best of our knowledge, there are no victims," a security source told AFP. At least four civilians were killed in the north on Friday and Saturday and authorities have banned motorbikes and pick-up trucks in some areas to prevent further jihadist attacks. Such vehicles are often used by Islamist fighters, in the north and the centre of the country. The ban applies to a dozen "circles" in the central regions of Segou and Mopti and northwest Timbuktu region, a military statement said. Islamic extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of the desert north of Mali in early 2012, but were largely driven out in a French-led military operation launched in January 2013. In June 2015, Mali's government signed a peace agreement with coalitions of non-jihadist armed groups. But Islamist insurgents remain active, and large tracts of the country are lawless. India's Minister for Women Maneka Gandhi is working to halt the practice of FGM Survivors called on India's government Monday to ban female genital mutilation, an age-old ritual practised by a small Muslim sect in the country. Female genital mutilation (FGM) involves removing the clitoris partially or completely, leading to psychological, sexual and physical complications including low libido, infections, infertility and even death. It is not widespread in India, but is practised by the Dawoodi Bohra community which believes that the removal of the clitoris -- or the "manifestation of the devil" -- is the will of God. India currently has no law against FGM, which the Bohras call "khatna", a religious obligation. WeSpeakOut, a survivor-led movement by Bohra women to end FGM, said legislation was needed to stop the centuries-old custom. "We realise that we need a strong law which will (ban) this practice," said WeSpeakOut founder Masooma Ranalvi, who was cut at the age of seven. Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, she described it as a "cruel, very, very painful experience". India's Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said last year she would legislate against the practice unless the Bohra spiritual leader issued a ban. But Ranalvi said Gandhi's ministry had made no headway. WeSpeakOut said that of 81 Bohra women surveyed across four Indian states, all had been cut and up to three-quarters of their daughters had also been subjected to the practice. It gave the figures in a report released before the UN's International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM on Tuesday. The practice is widespread in Africa and the Middle East but international efforts have led to bans in 18 countries including Egypt. More than a dozen Bohra communities in Europe and the US have passed resolutions against it. Bohra, a sect of Shia Islam that originated in Yemen, is followed by over one million people worldwide. The rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta outside the Syrian capital has faced escalating bombardment in recent weeks, including on the town of Afrin where civilians fled their homes after an air strike on February 2, 2018 At least 23 civilians were killed on Monday as Syrian government air strikes pounded a rebel-held enclave near the capital Damascus, a monitor said. The region of Eastern Ghouta is home to an estimated 400,000 people living under government siege and facing escalating bombardment in recent weeks. "Dozens of air strikes hit several areas in Eastern Ghouta, killing 23 civilians including four children," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. The deadliest raids hit a market in the town of Beit Sawa, killing nine civilians including two children. Another six civilians, including a young girl, were killed in bombardment on the town of Hazzeh. The remaining eight were killed in strikes across the rest of the besieged region, and more than 80 people were wounded, the Observatory said. An AFP correspondent in Eastern Ghouta could hear warplanes above, circling around the town every few minutes. Eastern Ghouta is supposed to be one of four de-escalation zones agreed last year, but violence has ramped up there in recent weeks. This month alone, chlorine is suspected of having been used on two occasions in munitions launched by the regime on Eastern Ghouta, causing respiratory problems among civilians. On Friday, Syrian regime bombardment killed at least 11 civilians. The state news agency SANA said Monday that a woman was killed and three people wounded in rebel rocket fire from Eastern Ghouta onto the capital's regime-controlled district of Bab Touma. Syria's war has killed more than 340,000 people and displaced millions since it began in March 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. The pope, who has railed against the horrors of war and weapons of mass destruction, was likely to raise the Afrin issue during his meeting with Erdogan. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Pope Francis on Monday while police enforced a protest ban in central Rome as feelings run high over Turkey's offensive against Kurdish militia inside Syria. During the 50-minute audience, Pope Francis gave Erdogan a medallion embossed with an angel strangling a "demon of war" -- a symbol of peace and justice. For the first visit by a Turkish leader for 59 years, the Italian authorities have imposed a 24-hour ban on demonstrations which covers Erdogan's arrival from late Sunday to his departure on Monday evening. Erdogan's convoy arrived at a deserted Saint Peter's Square, which was under heavy security as a total of 3,500 police have been deployed for the visit. Nevertheless a small sit-in protest by some 30 people, organised by a Kurdish association in Italy, took place on Monday not far from the Vatican. Turkey on January 20 launched its "Olive Branch" operation against Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a terror group and a threat to Turkish territory. The Turkish army and allied Ankara-backed Syrian rebel forces are seeking to oust the YPG from its western border stronghold of Afrin but the operation has faced fierce resistance. "In Afrin, a new crime against humanity is under way," the Kurdish association said. - 'Angel of peace' - The fighters and civilians killed in the Turkish assault on the region included female combatant Barin Kobani whose mutilated body appeared in a shocking video, prompting accusations by her family and Kurdish officials that she was "defiled" by Turkish-backed rebels. The YPG, while considered a "terrorist" group by Ankara, is allied to the United States in its battle against Islamic State group jihadists. The visit is the first by a Turkish leader to the Vatican in 59 years. The pope, who has railed against the horrors of war and weapons of mass destruction, gave Erdogan the gift of a medallion with "an angel of peace strangling the demon of war". "It's a symbol of a world based on peace and justice," the pontiff said, according to two journalists present during the meeting. Erdogan for his part was expected to thank the pope for opposing the decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. "We are both in favour of the status quo and we have the will to protect it," Erdogan said in an interview published Sunday. - Armenian 'genocide' spat - Pope Francis visited Turkey in 2014. Here he is seen at Istanbul's Holy Spirit Cathedral Erdogan's flying visit to Italy was also set to include a meeting with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, with illegal immigration, defence and EU membership likely on the agenda. Pope Francis, a strong proponent of inter-faith dialogue, visited Turkey in November 2014, holding talks with Erdogan, a devout Muslim. While in Istanbul the pope acknowledged that current global crises had made Muslims vulnerable to being stigmatised. Francis denounced those who said "all Muslims are terrorists". Relations were not so cordial in June 2016 when the pope, during a visit to Armenia, referred to the 1915-17 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman forces as "genocide". The Vatican was then forced to refute claims from Turkey that Pope Francis had showed a "mentality of the Crusades" over his use of the term. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine arrive at the Vatican Turkey -- the Ottoman Empire's successor state -- argues that it was a collective tragedy in which both Turks and Armenians died. On Sunday, Erdogan also insisted in a newspaper interview that Turkey wants "full membership of Europe" and did not rule out joint Italian-Turkish action in Libya. No caption Regime bombardment killed nearly 30 people in a rebel enclave near Damascus on Monday, as Syria's seven-year conflict left civilians paying a heavy price. Residents across several Syrian battlefronts have reported escalating bombardment and have accused Syrian troops of deploying toxic chemicals against rebel-held zones. The United States on Monday said there was "obvious evidence" of multiple chlorine gas attacks in recent weeks, including in the opposition-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus. On Monday, dozens of air strikes and artillery fire battered Eastern Ghouta, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. "Twenty-nine civilians were killed and dozens were wounded," said the war monitor's head, Rami Abdel Rahman. In nearby Zamalka, another devastated Eastern Ghouta town, a man could be seen carrying the body of his child, wrapped in a blood-soaked white sheet, through the streets The deadliest raids on Monday hit a market in the town of Beit Sawa, killing 10 civilians including two children. Another nine civilians, two of them children and one a local rescue worker, were killed in Arbin. Eastern Ghouta is included in a de-escalation deal agreed last year by rebel ally Turkey and government supporters Iran and Russia. But violence has ramped up there in recent weeks, and this month alone, chlorine is suspected of having been used on two occasions in munitions launched by the regime on Eastern Ghouta. - 'Multiple' chlorine - A third accusation of toxic gas use came from Idlib, an opposition-controlled province in the country's northwest that also falls in a de-escalation zone. Nearly a dozen people were treated for breathing difficulties on Sunday after Syrian government raids on the town of Saraqeb, the Observatory said. Mohammad Ghaleb Tannari, a doctor in a nearby town, said his hospital had treated 11 people. Children stand over shrouded bodies in the rebel-held besieged town of Arbin, in the eastern Ghouta region, following airstrikes "All the cases we received had symptoms consistent with inhaling the toxic chlorine gas, including exhaustion, difficulty breathing, and coughing," he told AFP. The United States and Russia clashed at the UN Security Council on Monday over a push by Washington to condemn reported chlorine gas attacks in Syria. The US proposed a draft statement condemning the use of chemicals as a weapon, but Syrian government ally Russia added amendments that made no mention of the attack, according to a draft seen by AFP. In the end no statement was adopted. US ambassador Nikki Haley slammed Russia for balking at a statement that she described as a "simple condemnation of Syrian children being suffocated by chlorine gas". The rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta outside the Syrian capital has faced escalating bombardment in recent weeks, including on the town of Afrin where civilians fled their homes after an air strike on February 2, 2018 But Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia hit back. "It's completely clear to us the goal is to basically accuse the Syrian government of chemical weapons use where no perpetrators have been identified," he said. The UN has found that Syria's government carried out chlorine gas attacks in 2014 and 2015, and also used sarin against a town in Idlib last year. Syria's government has vehemently denied ever deploying chemical weapons in the country's seven-year war. - Canadians released - More than 340,000 people have been killed in Syria's conflict, which began with anti-government protests but morphed into an ugly civil war. Thousands of children are among the victims, and the UN's children agency on Monday decried yet another bloody month for Syria's children. UNICEF said at least 83 children were killed in conflicts across the Middle East in January, including 59 in Syria alone. In Arbin on Monday, an AFP correspondent saw the lifeless bodies of young children laid out on the floor in the local hospital. And in nearby Zamalka, another devastated Eastern Ghouta town, a man could be seen carrying the body of his child, wrapped in a blood-soaked white sheet, through the streets. In apparent retaliation for Monday's bombardment, rockets and mortars rained down on government-controlled districts of Damascus, Syria's state news agency SANA reported. One woman was killed and four people were wounded in mortar fire on the Bab Touma neighbourhood and the capital's Mariamite Cathedral, a Greek Orthodox church, a police source told the agency. Another person was killed in rocket fire on the regime-held part of Harasta district. Also on Monday, two Canadian citizens who were being held by jihadist factions in the country's northwest were released to Turkish authorities. Jolly Bimbachi and Sean Moore had crossed into Syria in December 2017 from Lebanon, where Bimbachi was fighting a custody battle for her two sons, she told AFP. They were picked up by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an alliance dominated by Al-Qaeda's former Syrian affiliate, and handed over to a civilian authority. "They're going to take us into Turkey, and in Turkey we are going to meet someone from the Canadian embassy," Bimbachi said. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has articulated support for an independent Palestinian state existing peacefully alongside Israel Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet the Palestinian leader during a brief tour of the Middle East, the foreign ministry said Monday, just weeks after hosting Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu. The Indian premier will visit Ramallah first on his three-day tour of the region between February 9 and 12, which will also take in Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Modi will hold talks with Mahmud Abbas in an overture seen as India's effort to balance its decades-old support for the occupied territories against its growing closeness to Israel. Foreign ministry official B. Bala Bhaskar said Modi's visit would be his first, though the Indian premier has met Abbas on three previous occasions. The leaders are expected to discuss information technology, health and tourism during the brief visit, Bhaskar added. Modi will also address a joint press conference and attend a banquet. New Delhi has long backed the Palestinian territories' quest for nationhood and Modi has articulated support for an independent state existing peacefully alongside Israel. Bhaskar said India's refusal in December to support US moves to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital was consistent with its unwavering support. Ahead of the first visit by an Israeli leader to India in 15 years, Netanyahu said he was "disappointed" by India's decision. But any tension appeared forgotten as the two leaders embraced in New Delhi last month and heralded a "new era" between Israel and India as deals were signed on cybersecurity and energy. Modi became the first Indian leader in history to visit Israel in July 2017. He will depart for the UAE on Saturday, where he will address a summit in Dubai and meet business leaders before travelling to Oman for further engagements. The Gulf is a critical region for New Delhi. India sources more than half its oil and energy supplies from the region, and around 9 million Indians live and work there, sending home billions of dollars in remittances annually. Broadcom CEO Hock Tan is seen at a November 6 White House meeting with President Donald Trump, at which Tan announced plans to move the chipmaking company back to the United States Broadcom raised its bid for rival computer chipmaker Qualcomm on Monday to $121 billion, offering the richest-ever takeover effort in the tech sector in an effort to become the dominant player in the fast-growing market for connected devices. Singapore-based Broadcom, which has begun a process to reincorporate in the United States, called the hostile bid its "best and final offer." The price hike steps up the pressure on California-based Qualcomm, the dominant producer of chips for mobile devices, which is set to hold its annual shareholders meeting next month. In a letter to Qualcomm board members, Broadcom chief executive Hock Tan called the offer "extremely compelling compared to any other alternative available to Qualcomm" and called on the board to open talks on the proposal. But he said the deal would be off the table if it fails to win approval next month by shareholders. The new bid represents $82 per Qualcomm share, up from a previous offer of $70 a share, and was said to be 50 percent higher than Qualcomm's share price before the tie-up was proposed in November. "We continue to hope you choose to engage with us for the benefit of your stockholders," Tan said. "However, we will withdraw this proposal and cease our pursuit of Qualcomm immediately following your upcoming annual meeting unless we have entered into a definitive agreement or the Broadcom-nominated slate is elected." Broadcom last year proposed a slate of 11 new Qualcomm board members as part of its effort to win approval. - Qualcomm to review - Smartphone chipmaker Qualcomm now has a sweetened offer from its Singapore-based rival Broadcom Qualcomm said in a statement it had received the new proposal and would evaluate it "consistent with its fiduciary duties" and "in consultation with its financial and legal advisors." Up to now, Qualcomm has rejected the tie-up, with CEO Steve Mollenkopf arguing last year there was "no real path to value" with Broadcom. Mollenkopf, in comments in December, maintained that Qualcomm, the leading global supplier of smartphone chips, is well-positioned for emerging technologies for connected devices and 5G, or the fifth generation of wireless networks. If completed, the deal would be the largest-ever in the tech sector and create a powerful player in the booming sector fueled by growth in smartphones and an array of connected devices from cars to wearables. Any merger deal would need to pass muster with Qualcomm shareholders and could face regulatory scrutiny in the United States and other markets. Broadcom said its offer stood whether Qualcomm's $47 billion bid for Dutch rival NXP was completed or is terminated. European regulators this month said they had approved the merger subject to conditions. The Singapore-based firm said it was prepared to pay a "significant" fee to Qualcomm if the two companies agree but the deal is blocked by regulators. It also said it would offer a "ticking fee" giving Qualcomm shareholders extra cash if the deal is not consummated within a year. Broadcom's November 6 proposal followed a visit by its CEO to the White House, where he met President Donald Trump and announced plans to move the tech company back to the United States from Singapore. South Africa's under-pressure leader, Jacob Zuma, is due to deliver the annual state of the nation address on Thursday South Africa's ANC party will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday, officials said, in a move that could force Jacob Zuma from office after the embattled president reportedly refused to resign. Zuma, whose tenure has been engulfed by corruption scandals, is due to deliver the annual state of the nation address on Thursday, despite growing calls for him to quit before the speech. The African National Congress said that its national executive committee would discuss preparations for the address and "management of the transition" of power between Zuma and his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa. The national executive committee is the ANC's highest decision-making body and can "recall" Zuma from the post of president -- though he could refuse to comply. Wednesday's special meeting was announced after top ANC officials gathered at Luthuli House, the party headquarters in Johannesburg, on Monday. Scuffles erupted outside the building as Zuma supporters clashed with rival ANC activists, with at least one woman kicked and beaten with sticks, an AFP reporter witnessed. Jacob Zuma's presidency has been dominated by corruption scandals Many ANC members are pushing for Ramaphosa, the new head of the party, to replace Zuma, 75, as president immediately. But Zuma loyalists have said that the serving president should complete his second and final term in office, which would end when elections are held next year. - Power struggle? - Zuma's presidency has been dominated by corruption scandals. He faces several court cases, including over 783 payments he allegedly received linked to an arms deal before he came to power in 2009. Many graft allegations against Zuma have centred on the wealthy Gupta family, who are accused of unfairly obtaining lucrative government contracts and even being able to choose ministerial appointments. Supporters of South Africa's Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa hold placards outside the ANC party headquarter in Johannesburg Mcebisi Ndletyana, politics professor at the University of Johannesburg, described Zuma as a "major liability" for the ANC. "I doubt that he will go quietly because his presidency has been troublesome -- he has essentially used it to protect himself and evade accountability," Ndletyana told AFP. "When he will no longer have largesse to dish out, he becomes complete vulnerable and that increases his chances of imprisonment." Julius Malema, a former ally who left the ANC to form the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, said the president had refused to resign at late-night talks on Sunday. "He told them to take a decision to remove him if they so wish to do so because he didn't do anything wrong to the country," Malema wrote on Twitter, without naming his sources. - Economic slowdown - The EFF, which has often disrupted parliament, has demanded that Zuma does not deliver the state of the nation address in Cape Town. The main opposition Democratic Alliance party has called for the event to be postponed. Scuffles erupted outside the ANC party headquarters as Zuma supporters clashed with rival ANC activists Zuma's hold on the ANC was shaken when his chosen successor -- his former wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma -- lost out to Ramaphosa in a closely-fought race to be party leader in December. On January 26, Ramaphosa said that Zuma was "naturally feeling anxious" about the transfer of power. The process would be handled "very carefully," Ramaphosa vowed. Ramaphosa is looking to revive the economy and tackle record unemployment before the 2019 elections that come amid falling public support for ANC. Zuma, in power since 2009, could leave office either by resigning, through losing a vote of no-confidence in parliament or impeachment proceedings. He could also be "recalled" by the ANC -- but that would not constitutionally unseat him. The 80-member national executive committee is seen as finely balanced between supporters of Zuma and Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa, 65, is a former trade unionist who led talks to end white-minority rule in the early 1990s and then became a multi-millionaire businessman before returning to politics. He has admitted that there has been serious corruption within the government and pledged to clean up state companies such as debt-laden power monopoly Eskom. The ANC, which has ruled since 1994 when Nelson Mandela won the first multi-racial election, recorded its worst-ever results in 2016 local polls. The Nyumanzi transit centre in Adjumani, Uganda, has housed thousands of refugees from South Sudan Uganda is investigating allegations of widespread fraud in its refugee aid programme, a government official said Monday, as the UN also raised concerns over human trafficking in Ugandan camps. "The office of the prime minister has received reports alleging that there could have been acts of mismanagement of funds and other resources meant to cater for refugees and host communities in the country," said Musa Ecweru, Uganda's minister of state for relief, disaster preparedness and refugees. "Government has already commenced measures to investigate these reports with a view to taking action against any culprits," he said. Aid workers have long suspected Uganda of inflating refugee figures in order to attract more aid which is then syphoned off by corrupt officials. "Let's say you say there are 1,000 refugees but in fact there are only 800 of them, then the food and relief for 200 you can go and sell," one aid worker explained on condition of anonymity. Uganda has been widely praised for its progressive refugee policy. It claims to house 1.4 million refugees, a million of whom have fled the ongoing civil war in South Sudan. Although among the world's poorest countries, Uganda has welcomed refugees, giving them land and the opportunity to work, in stark contrast to many richer nations. Only last week, UN refugees chief Filippo Grandi hailed Uganda for having, "one of the most progressive policies for refugees, not only in Africa but also in the world". But diplomatic sources told AFP that one large Western donor has already suspended aid because of the graft allegations, and others are threatening to follow suit. The donors are demanding the implementation of a UN-controlled biometric system of refugee identification. The European Union said Monday it has referred the allegations to its own anti-fraud office. - 'Girls and women sold' - An internal Ugandan government document, dated 29 January and circulated by the prime minister's office and seen by AFP, also raises corruption allegations including that Ugandan officials extort money from newly-arrived refugees, insisting on payment before providing the free registration service that allows access to aid. The UN's top official in Uganda, Rosa Malango, said the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and World Food Programme (WFP) were undertaking internal audits of their Uganda operations over the claims. The Ugandan investigation follows Malango writing to the prime minister on January 26 raising allegations ranging from "corruption to fraud, from trafficking of women and girls to intimidation and harassment of UN personnel". "The moment anybody raises anything that looks or smells like sexual exploitation or abuse I must demand for an immediate investigation, and I must demand for immediate action because we have zero tolerance," she told AFP, adding Ugandan authorities have promised to investigate these claims too. So far, Uganda has not publicly addressed the sex trafficking allegations, although they do feature in the government's internal memo of January 29. "Trafficking of minor girls and women is high on the radar," it said. The specific allegations, said a diplomat familiar with the charges, are that South Sudanese girls and women are being trafficked from the refugee camps of northern Uganda back across the border. There, they are sold as "wives" to combatants with the possible knowledge or complicity of Ugandan officials, the diplomat said. A top dozen French chefs have incorporated sake nouveau into their menus For decades France has exported millions of bottles of Beaujolais to Japan every November, with some people celebrating its arrival by bathing in the fruity young red wine. Now Japanese rice wine makers hope to turn the tide by bringing sake nouveau to France. While wine critics are apt to turn up their noses up at overly young banana-scented Beaujolais, the sake nouveau being sent to France is one of Japan's best-kept secrets, its promotors claim. A dozen top French chefs are so passionate about Japan's national drink that they have incorporated sake nouveau into their menus this week, either serving it with French food or including it in their recipes. "Sake nouveau is unpasteurised and only lasts for six weeks or so after it is bottled. But it has much more body, taste and nose than classic sake," said Youlin Ly, the Parisian restauranteur behind the drive. It is almost unknown to most Japanese drinkers, he admitted, where sake has been losing ground in recent decades to beer and wine. "Sake is very much a local drink in Japan. People traditionally tend only to drink the sake of their region or village," Ly told AFP. "There are local events in little villages for the sake nouveau but nothing national. Sake is always made in winter because you need steady low temperatures to control the fermentation and the first sake tends to mature in January and February," added Ly, who owns the Maison du Sake in the French capital. Michelin-starred chef William Ledeuil, who is famed for his fusion cuisine, is using sake nouveau in a dish of lacquered beef and foie gras, adding it to a broth infused with cedrat, yuzu and lemongrass. - Modern sake drunk like wine - "I also use it like peasants did long ago with wine by adding a bit to the bottom of a saucepan of soup," said the owner of the KGB and Kitchen Ter(re) restaurants in Paris. Two-starred chef Alexandre Gauthier was so taken with sake nouveau that it is the only non-French beverage allowed onto the wine list of his acclaimed La Grenouillere restaurant near Le Touquet in northern France. And it has also been included on the menu of the Mirazur at Menton on the French Riviera, which came fourth in the British-based list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants. Unlike some classic sakes which are served warm, modern styles of sake and sake nouveau are served cold in wine glasses, said Ly. "Most Japanese people unfortunately have no great knowledge of sake, and fewer still know about sake nouveau. But there is real rise in interest now with new generation of producers making sake in a very different way. "Classically the taste of sake was not meant to get in the way of the food. In general it wouldn't have much nose, or any real aroma at all. Nor was it very long in the mouth," Ly added. Unlike some classic sakes which are served warm, modern styles of sake and sake nouveau are served cold But that was changing. "Nouveau sakes and modern sakes are much more aromatic and are very much made to be drunk like a wine," he said. For now only one brand of sake nouveau, Dassai, made in the small town of Iwakuni near Hiroshima, is being brought to France. But next year Ly said he hoped to have at least ten others. "For the last five years we have seen a real surge of interest in sake in France. The volume being sold is still very small (around 50,000 bottles a year), but it is going up all the time," with the country's leading wine retailer now stocking sake. Brussels Airlines has been told to reduce the number of its flights to Kinshasa from seven to four Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday told Brussels Airlines to reduce by nearly half the number of its weekly flights to Kinshasa, in a ramping up of tensions with its former colonial power Belgium. The move comes after Belgian and EU officials condemned a violent DRC government crackdown on protests against President Joseph Kabila, who has ruled since 2001. The number of Brussels Airlines flights to the capital will be "reduced from seven to four a week from Monday, February 5, 2018," said Civil Aviation Director General Jean Tshiumba Mpunga, in a letter to the airline's representative in Kinshasa. Congolese aviation officials blamed a lack of "reciprocity" in flights between DRC and Belgium, the letter said. A Brussels Airlines spokesperson responded: "We are going to find solutions for our passengers. We regret that our passengers are obviously victims." Belgian-Congolese relations had already deteriorated after the government in Brussels, on January 10, said it would carry out a "fundamental revision" of cooperation with the DRC until "credible elections" were held. The European Union has likewise been a highly vocal critic of Kabila, whose regime has been widely criticised for corruption, repression and incompetence. Kabila's second and final term in office expired more than a year ago, but he has stayed in power. Under a deal brokered by the Catholic Church, Kabila was meant to step down by the end of last year. Instead, the election to replace him, originally scheduled for 2016, has now been delayed until December this year. Tensions began to spiral two weeks ago when Congolese authorities told Belgium to end its consular arrangement in Kinshasa, named "Schengen house". Under it, Belgium handles visa requests for the EU's border-free Schengen zone. "Schengen house has had to suspend its activities," the EU said on Friday, but indicated it was open to talks to resolve the situation. The Congolese government has also asked for Belgium's new development agency, Enabel, to be shut down. The Belgium Embassy in Kinshasa said it had set up a telephone number for Congolese who want to request a three month short-stay visa, but a person answering the phone said they are "not taking any more files at the moment". The Nigerian military has made repeated claims about defeating Boko Haram Boko Haram fighters stormed a village in northeast Nigeria and murdered two civilians, while six people were killed in an attack in northern Cameroon, a local resident and security sources told AFP on Monday. The attacks came as Nigeria's military again maintained the jihadists had been defeated, and that its repeated raids and suicide bombings were "a sign of weakness". At least 20,000 people have been killed in nearly nine years of violence and more than 2.6 million made homeless, triggering a humanitarian crisis across the Lake Chad region. Bulama Bukar said Boko Haram fighters stormed his village, Alau-Kofa, about 8:00 pm (1900 GMT) on Sunday, firing guns and rocket-propelled grenades. "Two people were burnt alive and the whole village was burnt, along with our food," he told AFP. Bukar, whose father was shot in the leg during the attack, said the jihadists "specifically came to steal our cattle" but were forced to abandon the herds when soldiers arrived. "Last Wednesday they attacked the village, killed three people and took away 50 cattle. And now they came back," he added. A security source 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) away in the Borno state capital Maiduguri, confirmed Bukar's account. "It is part of the fightback strategy by the terrorists, who are facing mounting pressure from the military," he said. Another security source in Cameroon said "six people were killed and the attackers burnt down more than 100 houses" in the village of Hitawa, at about 11:00 pm on Sunday. - Repeated claims - Nigeria's military said last week they had cleared the Sambisa Forest in Borno state of Boko Haram fighters -- just over a year after making a similar claim. Major General Rogers Ibe Nicholas, leading operations against the jihadists, was reported as saying on Monday that the Islamic State affiliate was "completely defeated". Asked about the claim, he told AFP: "In the Sambisa Forest where we have them, we have completely defeated them." The military was "taking them on wherever they go outside that area, he added. He attributed Sunday's attack in Alau-Kofa to "criminals who came to steal goats". At a meeting with the military and security agencies in Maiduguri, Nigeria's Information Minister Lai Mohammed said: "The last phase of the war with Boko Haram is now on. "The military is punching deep into the enclaves of the insurgents," he said, adding that the group was only able to mount "cowardly attacks on soft targets". "That, in itself, is a sign of weakness," he added. There have been repeated assertions that military operations were in the final stages dating back even further to the previous administration. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari first claimed the jihadists were "technically defeated" in December 2015. But the security source warned against triumphalism, despite recent successes. Scores of girls kidnapped by Boko Haram have been freed "They have indeed been pushed out of Sambisa. They have relocated their camps to Dubur and Yuwe on the rear fringes of Sambisa." - Chibok girls 'at risk' - Boko Haram's capacity has been weakened since it controlled swathes of territory in northeast Nigeria in 2014 but it still poses a threat. The BBC last month said the militants killed at least 967 people in 150 attacks in 2017, up from 910 deaths in 127 attacks the previous year. Civilians remain at risk, particularly in remote rural areas and even in more well-guarded camps for people displaced by the conflict. This and a recent federal government request for an extra $1 billion for security funding have led to questions about the veracity of claims about the end of the conflict. Similarly, the military has been asked why it needs 12 Super Tucano A-29 ground aircraft from the United States if the militants are scattered and on the run. The air force said last month the aircraft were required "to consolidate on successes recorded so far." Boko Haram has taken scores of women and girls hostage. Many have been rescued, but some remain in captivity The security source said troops on the ground remained cautious about hunting down Boko Haram factional leader Abubakar Shekau, as he was using hostages as human shields. They include some of the schoolgirls abducted from the Borno town of Chibok in April 2014 and female police officers seized in an ambush last year. "They don't want to harm them, which is why they are limiting aerial offensives," he added. A Syrian boy holds an oxygen mask over an infant's face at a makeshift hospital in Eastern Ghouta, where three reported chlorine attacks have occurred in recent weeks The United States and Russia clashed at the UN Security Council on Monday over a push by Washington to condemn reported chlorine gas attacks in Syria that have left many injured in recent days, including children. US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the council that there was "obvious evidence from dozens of victims" to corroborate the chlorine attacks in rebel-held Eastern Ghouta. "Now we have reports that the Assad regime has used chlorine gas against its people multiple times in recent weeks, including just yesterday," Haley said. The United States proposed that the council adopt a statement condemning "in the strongest terms" the reported February 1 chlorine attack in the town of Douma that injured more than 20 civilians including children, according to the draft seen by AFP. Russia hit back and accused the United States of waging a "propaganda campaign" aimed at falsely blaming President Bashar al-Assad for chemical attacks. "It's completely clear to us the goal is to basically accuse the Syrian government of chemical weapons use where no perpetrators have been identified," said Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia. Russia proposed an amended draft statement that made no mention of the attacks in Eastern Ghouta and stressed that the reports should be "credibly and professionally investigated," according to the text seen by AFP. The United States rejected the changes and no statement was adopted, diplomats said. Haley slammed Russia for balking at a statement that she described as a "simple condemnation of Syrian children being suffocated by chlorine gas." - 'Gravely alarmed' - Map of Syria locating alleged chemical attacks by the regime since August 21, 2013, according to Human Rights Watch The US-drafted statement expressed grave concern over three reported chlorine attacks in Eastern Ghouta in recent weeks and asserted that those responsible for using chemical weapons must be held accountable. The Russian ambassador said that while Moscow was ready to condemn chemical weapons use, it could not support the draft statement "in its current form" because it pointed the finger of guilt to Damascus. A "gravely alarmed" US State Department said it was the sixth such attack in the past 30 days in Syria. "By shielding the Syrian regime from accountability, Russia has not lived up to its commitments," spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement. "The use of chemical weapons by all parties in Syria must unequivocally stop. The people of Syria are suffering; the rest of the world is watching." The council met to discuss chemical weapons use in Syria after Russia used its veto power twice in November to block the renewal of a UN investigative panel tasked with identifying those responsible for the deadly gas attacks. Last month, Russia put forward a draft resolution to establish a new investigation, but Western diplomats have raised questions about the impartiality of the proposed panel. "This is not an impartial mechanism. It is a way to whitewash the findings of the latest investigation that Russia desperately wants to bury," Haley told the council. The previous probe, vetoed by Russia, had found that Syrian forces were responsible for the April 2016 sarin attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun, that killed scores of people. The panel, known as the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM), also found that Assad's forces used chlorine in attacks on rebel-held villages in 2014 and 2015. It also found that Islamic State group (IS) jihadists had used mustard gas in 2015. A displaced Libyan woman from the city of Tawergha walks on February 1, 2018 in the desert where thousands of people are stranded Libya's UN-backed government on Monday accused gunmen of "terrorising" thousands of displaced after armed groups opened fire at them to prevent them from returning to their town. The displaced people are from Tawergha, a town that backed veteran dictator Moamer Kadhafi during the 2011 uprising that ousted and killed him. The Government of National Accord (GNA) had said the displaced could return home after it struck an agreement with representatives of the western city of Misrata, which has jurisdiction over Tawergha. But since February 1, the displaced have been stranded in a desert area after armed groups from Misrata blocked their return. On Sunday, several media reports quoting witnesses said gunmen had opened fire at families near the oasis town of Bani Walid to intimidate them and prevent them from going to Tawergha. Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj denounced the incidents. A GNA statement said he "strongly condemns attempts by armed men to terrorise the Tawergha families" who have set up a makeshift camp in the desert region of Qararat al-Qatf near Bani Walid. "These groups... are trying to sabotage reconciliation efforts between Misrata and Tawergha," Sarraj said. The armed groups accused Tawergha residents of joining Kadhafi's forces to besiege Misrata for more than two months during the 2011 NATO-backed revolt. They claim that during that time several people were killed while others were tortured and raped. The 40,000 residents of Tawergha have been kept in camps on the outskirts of Tripoli or scattered across the country for the past seven years, living in wretched conditions. Their plight has sparked concern from the United Nations and rights groups. The UN agency for refugees, UNHCR, said Sunday it had delivered "much needed emergency relief", including blankets and sleeping mats, to 5,000 people stranded near Bani Walid, southeast of Tripoli. Human Rights Watch Middle East and North Africa director, Sarah Leah Whitson, urged the GNA to help them return to Tawergha "after seven years of forced displacement". The GNA "needs to urgently ensure that thousands of families from Tawergha already on their way home are able to proceed in safety and are not stranded in towns and at checkpoints without shelter and with dwindling supplies," she said. The Turkish offensive has sparked demonstrations in many countries Eight top members of Turkey's main medical association, including its chief, were Monday freed from detention for denouncing Ankara's military offensive Syria against a Kurdish militia, their organisation said. Turkey launched operation "Olive Branch" on January 20 to support Syrian rebels with ground troops and air strikes against the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in its western enclave of Afrin. Ankara views the YPG as a "terrorist" offshoot of outlawed Kurdish militants in Turkey. Turkish authorities last week detained all 11 members of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) central council for a statement which said that "war is a man-made public health problem" and called for peace. On Friday, three members were released under observation. A TTB official told AFP the remaining eight, including the TTB head Rasit Tukel, were released under the same conditions on Monday after giving statements to an Ankara prosecutor. The TTB had said that conflicts lead to "irreparable problems" and ended its declaration with the words: "No to war, peace right now". The association has over 83,000 members representing 80 percent of Turkey's doctors. Authorities launched an investigation into the TTB last week. The members are accused of "propaganda for a terror organisation" and "inciting hatred and hostility". President Recep Tayyip Erdogan previously hit out at the body, saying: "They are not intellectuals, they are a gang of unthinking slaves." He had called for national unity and warned those who responded to calls for protests would pay a "heavy price". - 'No war, peace now!' - Last week co-founder of Ankara-based gay rights group Kaos GL Ali Erol was among 13 detained for supporting the TTB, according to local media. On Monday, civil society groups and trade unions in the Kurdish-majority southeastern city of Diyarbakir expressed solidarity with the TTB. "No war, peace now! We, as components of democratic forces and representing unions... from Diyarbakir, sign the declaration," drafted by the TTB, Dogan Hatun, president of the local chapter of the Chamber of Mining Engineers, told reporters. The TTB statement was also supported by two other unions. Abbas Sahin, head of the Diyarbakir branch of leading education union Egitim Sen, said the conflict would "cause very serious difficulties between peoples." Earlier on Monday, the interior ministry said 449 people had been detained since the offensive for "terror propaganda" on social media. Another 124 people were taken into custody for taking part in protests since the operation was started, the ministry added. Guillaume Gomez, head chef at France's Elysee palace, answers questions during a cooking class for teenage members of an Israeli NGO that supports LGBT rights, at the French embassador's residence in Tel Aviv on February 5, 2018 The head chef of the French presidential palace was in Israel on Monday to teach Jewish and Arab gay people rejected by their families how to cook for themselves. A dozen excited young people were on hand at the French ambassador's residence in Jaffa, south of Tel Aviv, waiting timidly for Guillaume Gomez's instructions. The 39-year-old chef, who has been working for French presidents at the Elysee Palace for 20 years, visited the Jewish state for the class. "I will teach you simple recipes that you can remake," Gomez told the youths. One of those listening intently was a young man from an ultra-Orthodox family who has had no contact with them since he announced his homosexuality at the age of 16. "Meeting this chef is an extraordinary experience," said the young man who asked to be named only as "O". O lives at Beit Dror, an organisation which supports gay people in Israel, while attending cooking classes at a school in the centre of the country. Gomez taught the young people to make cannelloni spinach gratin and apple pie. "What a chance to cook alongside a chef of this level," said O, who speaks French and thus helped others in the class to understand Gomez's instructions. Gomez is taking part for the sixth year in a row in the "So French, So Food" festival in Israel, which brings around 20 prominent French chefs to work with Israeli counterparts. "Every year I support a charitable cause and put my name at the service of an organisation," Gomez said. He was the youngest person to win the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France award for chefs in 2004, when he was just 25. "It's good for them to participate in this workshop. This moment of happiness for these young people is not insignificant," said Yael Doron, director of Beit Dror. Beit Dror has 14 beds for young people rejected by their families who are homeless and sometimes even forced into prostitution, Doron said. Most come from religious Jewish or Muslim families. "Beit Dror saved my life," said an 18-year-old referred to as "L" and wearing ripped jeans and a black T-shirt. His father is Muslim and his mother Christian and he said he was a victim of physical violence during his adolescence. "I don't believe in religion any more; I believe in myself now," he said. Left to right: US House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan need to strike deals on immigration, funding the government and raising the debt ceiling Bitterly divided US lawmakers on Monday faced a shrinking window to reach elusive deals on immigration and federal spending, as President Donald Trump threatened to walk away from any immigration proposal that does not meet his demands. Just days before a government shutdown would kick in at midnight Thursday absent a spending agreement, an impasse over immigration was overshadowing negotiations on multiple fronts. Trump vowed during his State of the Union address last week to "extend an open hand" to both parties in pursuing an immigration deal that shields 1.8 million undocumented migrants from deportation -- in exchange for curbs on legal immigration. But Democrats have savaged his proposal, and Trump was soon wagging an accusatory finger at an opposition he blames for refusing to help replace the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals before a March deadline. "Any deal on DACA that does not include STRONG border security and the desperately needed WALL is a total waste of time," Trump tweeted, referring to his long-sought wall on the US border with Mexico. "March 5th is rapidly approaching and the Dems seem not to care about DACA. Make a deal!" Congress has also been haggling over spending caps for domestic programs and the military, as lawmakers seek to finalize a budget for the remainder of 2018. Republican and Democratic leaders have already acknowledged they will not meet Thursday's deadline, and will have to pass yet another stopgap to avoid a new government shutdown. Showdowns are brewing in Washington on multiple fronts, but President Donald Trump's Republicans and opposition Democrats are digging in their heels Lawmakers are smarting from an embarrassing three-day shutdown last month, when Democrats refused to back a spending measure that did not address the situation of the "Dreamers" -- hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the country as minors. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said this time he did not expect a repeat of the shutdown, for which both camps have traded blame. "There's no education in the second kick of a mule," the Kentucky lawmaker said. - Debt ceiling limit looms - Complicating the legislative schedule, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has warned Congress that the Treasury has only enough cash to pay its bills through February 28, without hitting the debt limit and using extraordinary measures to keep payments flowing. That is earlier than expected, the Congressional Budget Office said, because last year's $1.5 trillion tax cut is resulting in less federal revenue. US President Donald Trump has stood firm on his offer to provide a pathway to citizenship for 1.8 million undocumented immigrants, in exchange for funding a border wall and curtailing legal immigration The crammed to-do list is further jeopardized by partisan feuding over an explosive Republican memorandum that Trump declassified Friday. In a letter to the president, top Democrats -- including Congressman Adam Schiff -- warned of a "constitutional crisis" should he use the memo as a pretext to fire the special prosecutor heading an investigation into possible collusion between Trump's presidential campaign and Moscow. Trump fired back, calling Schiff "one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington." - 'Not sufficient' - Against this toxic backdrop, lawmakers are bracing for a heavyweight brawl on immigration. In September, Trump decided to end DACA, meaning that its beneficiaries, the "Dreamers," could face deportation if Congress fails to act. Democrats invited a group of so-called Dreamers to attend President Donald Trump's State of the Union address last week He unveiled a proposal last week that puts Democrats in a bind. It would place 1.8 million immigrants, including nearly 700,000 Dreamers, on a pathway to citizenship -- a top priority for the opposition. But it would also require tightening border security including through $25 billion for Trump's border wall, ending the green card visa lottery, and curtailing the family reunification procedure that prioritizes relatives of US citizens in immigrating to the country. In a bipartisan push to break the deadlock, Senate Republican John McCain and Democrat Chris Coons announced a plan that both offers a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and boosts border security, but does not address family reunification or the visa lottery. The White House quickly doused the plan -- which does not specifically fund a border wall -- with legislative affairs director Marc Short telling reporters it was "not sufficient" to gain Trump's support. Democrats say the president's demands amount to holding Dreamers hostage in exchange for anti-immigrant policies. But Republican Senator John Cornyn essentially accused Democrats of negotiating in bad faith over the issue. "We want to achieve a solution that can become law, and so far we haven't had a willing dance partner in our Democratic colleagues," he said. Trump warned Democrats against blocking his proposal. "We'll either have something that's fair and equitable and good and secure, or we're going to have nothing at all," he said last week. House Republicans were set to meet late Monday to address a path forward, aides said. But defiant Democrats warned against a plan being floated by Ryan that would temporarily cover domestic spending but fund military spending through the end of the year as a way to rally support from his fractured caucus, including conservatives who oppose concessions on immigration. Such a move would equate to "barreling head first into a dead end," top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said. Violence has raged in Ituri province for years More than 30 people have been killed and hundreds of homes torched in an explosion of ethnic violence in a DR Congo province where the EU launched a landmark peacekeeping mission, multiple sources told AFP on Monday. The clashes erupted on Friday in the eastern province of Ituri, between the Hema and Lendu ethnic groups, resulting in at least 23 Hema being "massacred", said Hema spokesman Hadji Ibrahim Ruhigwa Bamaraki, denouncing the deaths as "a terrorist aggression". "Hundreds of homes have been burned down in several villages," he said, adding that 12 people were also seriously injured. Hema herders and Lendu farmers have been locked in violence in Ituri for decades, with tens of thousands killed from 1999 to 2003. A high-ranking provincial official, who did not wish to be named, confirmed the death toll since Friday and said 10 Lendu fighters also died. "Four people (from the Hema community) died this morning. A police captain died from gunshot wounds and three police were injured," the official said. "Between 500 and 800 families have been displaced," he added. Ituri is part of DRC's deeply troubled eastern region that includes the restive North and South Kivu provinces, where militias hold sway over huge areas. In 2003, the violence was so great it triggered Operation Artemis, a three-month operation by the European Union, its first military mission outside Europe. It succeeded in the goal of avoiding a humanitarian catastrophe, but the fighting never came to a total halt, and occasional flare-ups still wrack the area. On Monday, the Catholic charity Caritas said more than 30 people had been killed in the Djugu area and blamed the new clashes on "Lendu combatants." "They come naked and in silence. They burn down huts, take away possessions and kill people they see or who resist them," Caritas said. It called on the Congolese government to protect civilians and property and arrest those responsible. The UN peacekeeping mission in DRC, MONUSCO, said it would conduct an air reconnaissance mission to assess the situation. The Hema community has begun two days of mourning and stopped all commercial activity as a mark of respect. The latest violence comes amid uncertainty over the future of President Joseph Kabila, who has ruled since 2001. Kabila, whose regime has been widely criticised for corruption and repression, was meant to finish his second and final term in office more than a year ago, but has stayed in power. Under a deal brokered by the Catholic Church, he was meant to step down under elections that should have been held last year. Instead, the polls have been postponed until December this year. The opposition have accused Kabila of seeking to remain in power as long as possible. "We are approaching the elections and there are hotbeds of tension all over the country, Kasai, in the Kivus and now there is renewed violence in Ituri. We must remain on our guard," said opposition MP Juvenal Munubo. Ituri has remained a "breeding ground for violence, because there has been no real reconciliation between Lendu and Hema," he added. Canadian citizens Jolly Bimbachi (L) and Sean Moore, who were being held by a jihadist-dominated alliance in northwest Syria, speak to journalists at the Bab al-Hawa border crossing on February 5, 2018 after being released to Turkish authorities Two Canadian citizens who were being held by a jihadist-dominated alliance in northwestern Syria were released on Monday to Turkish authorities, the pair said. Jolly Bimbachi and Sean Moore were held for several weeks by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an alliance dominated by a former Al-Qaeda affiliate. They had crossed into Syria in December 2017 from Lebanon, where Bimbachi was fighting a custody battle for her two sons, she told AFP. "Things were going a long way, so I decided to take an illegal route and bring my kids through Syria into Turkey, and hopefully the Canadian embassy in Turkey will help us out," Bimbachi said. "It didn't work out quite as I planned but I came into Syria on December 31 with a friend of mine, Sean Moore," she said at Syria's Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey. "They're going to take us into Turkey, and in Turkey we are going to meet someone from the Canadian embassy." She did not explain the whereabouts of her children. Her husband reportedly took their two sons to Lebanon in 2015 and never returned, in what has been described in the Canadian media as a case of international child abduction. Canada confirmed the pair's release. "We are relieved that two Canadian citizens have left Syria safely," foreign affairs ministry spokeswoman Amy Mills told AFP. A high-ranking figure involved in the transfer told reporters on Monday that the pair were picked up in northwest Syria by HTS. Bassam Sahyouni said HTS then transferred them to affiliated civilian authorities known as the Salvation Government. "For 20 days, we were communicating with the Turkish and Canadian governments to guarantee the safety of the two Canadians, and hand them over to the Canadian government via the Turks," Sahyouni said. He insisted no money was paid for their release. International child custody battles are not uncommon in Lebanon. In 2016, an Australian woman was detained in Lebanon for allegedly abducting her two children from their Lebanese father in an operation filmed by an Australian television crew. Pakistani paramedics push a stretcher carrying a Chinese national to an hospital after an attack by gunmen in Karachi on February 5, 2018 Unidentified gunmen on Monday fired multiple shots at two Chinese nationals, killing one of them in a targeted attack in an upmarket area of Pakistan's southern city of Karachi, police said. The two Chinese were in their car in the Zamzama district when the attackers in another car opened fire on their vehicle. One of the Chinese suffered two bullet wounds to his head and later succumbed to his injuries, doctor Seemi Jamali, the head of the government hospital where he was brought, told AFP. "Apparently it seems to be a targeted attack," senior police officer Azad Khan told AFP. "Police collected nine bullet casings." Police earlier said both Chinese nationals had been injured in the attack but later clarified that one had escaped unhurt. However, they confirmed that a Pakistani passer-by suffered minor injuries. The two Chinese were working for a shipping company. Thousands of Chinese engineers and technicians are working in Pakistan. China is ramping up investment as part of a $54 billion project known as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, upgrading infrastructure, power and transport links between its far-western Xinjiang region and Pakistan's Gwadar port. Last October Pakistan confirmed the death of two Chinese nationals who were kidnapped in the southwestern city of Quetta, months after the Islamic State group claimed it had killed them. The pair, a man and a woman, had been dragged into a car in May 2017 by three men, witnesses said, adding that another Chinese woman managed to escape. Mohamed Salem Ould Salek, foreign minister of the self-declared Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic said a Polisario delegation had met in Berlin on January 25 with the UN envoy on Western Sahara, Horst Koehler The Polisario Front which seeks independence for Western Sahara said Monday it is ready for direct negotiations with Morocco on the future of the disputed territory. Mohamed Salem Ould Salek, foreign minister of the self-declared Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic which controls a thin strip of the territory, said a Polisario delegation had met in Berlin on January 25 with the UN envoy on Western Sahara, Horst Koehler. "This is a new phase of discussions aimed at preparing for a new phase of direct negotiations," he told a news conference in Algiers, which supports the Polisario. The Polisario is "ready for direct negotiations with the Kingdom of Morocco to make peace", Ould Salek said. Morocco has also said it would meet with Koehler, a former German president appointed in August as special envoy to lead a new UN push for talks, but without giving a date. The Polisario and Morocco fought for control of Western Sahara from 1974 to 1991, with Rabat taking over the desert territory before a UN-brokered ceasefire in the former Spanish colony. Rabat considers Western Sahara an integral part of Morocco and proposes autonomy for the resource-rich territory, but the Polisario Front insists on a UN referendum on independence. The two sides have not held direct talks since 2012. Placards showing missing bookseller Lee Bo (L) and his associate Gui Minhai (R) are seen in Hong Kong in January 2016 Stockholm on Monday condemned Beijing over the "brutal" seizure of its citizen and book publisher Gui Minhai in mainland China while being accompanied by Swedish diplomats and demanded his release. Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said the "brutal intervention" against Swedish consular support for Gui last month took place "despite China's repeated assurances" that he "was free at that time". Gui, 53, was arrested on a train to Beijing just over two weeks ago while being assisted by two Swedish diplomats -- the second time he has disappeared in murky circumstances into Chinese custody. "China's actions were in contravention of basic international rules on consular support," Wallstrom said, adding the incident "raises questions about the application of the rule of law" and "the prohibition of arbitrary deprivation of liberty". One of five Hong Kong-based booksellers known for publishing gossipy titles about Chinese political leaders, Gui first vanished in 2015 while on holiday in Thailand. He eventually surfaced at an undisclosed location in China, confessing to involvement in a fatal traffic accident and smuggling illegal books. Chinese authorities declared they had released him in October but his daughter Angela Gui, 23, told AFP that he was under "loose house arrest" in the eastern mainland city of Ningbo, where some of his relatives still live. "There are all sorts of awful scenarios that could be unfolding," she said, speaking from England, where she is a student. Civil society has come under increasing pressure since Chinese President Xi Jinping took office in 2012, with authorities rounding up hundreds of lawyers and activists. The United States and European Union have called for Gui Minhai's immediate release and his disappearance has sparked a diplomatic row between Stockholm and Beijing. - Health in jeopardy - Hong Kong bookseller Gui Minhai On January 20, Gui was grabbed by plainclothes police while on a train between Ningbo and Beijing, where he was due to have a medical appointment. "We demand that our citizen be given the opportunity to meet Swedish diplomatic and medical staff, and that he be released so that he can be reunited with his daughter and family," Wallstrom said. Chinese officials have given no public reason for his detention. Angela Gui fears he may now be put on trial and receive a longer sentence, jeopardising his health. Doctors in Ningbo said her father may have the neurological disease ALS -- he had been on his way to Beijing to see a Swedish specialist. "If he does have ALS, perhaps he might not have that much time left," she told AFP. China was widely criticised after veteran rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo died from liver cancer while on medical parole in July last year. Rights groups had pushed for him to be allowed to seek medical treatment abroad. It was the first time a Nobel laureate had died in custody since Nazi Germany. Angela Gui said the international community must snap out of its "paralysis" over the case, describing her frustration that more had not been done to get her father out of China sooner. "He shouldn't have been abducted again in the first place -- there should have been a way of getting him home before that," she said. "Or there should have been a way of making sure he was safe when he was travelling." The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket rests on Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on February 5, 2018, ahead of its demonstration mission the following day SpaceX is poised for the first test launch Tuesday of its Falcon Heavy, which aims to become the world's most powerful rocket in operation, capable of reaching the Moon or Mars some day. The launch, scheduled for 1:30 pm (1830 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida, is the most ambitious yet for SpaceX, and has been hailed by industry experts as a game-changer because of its potential to propel the California-based company to the very forefront of the modern day space race. "NASA may decide to use it (the Falcon Heavy) as a way of fast-tracking its plans to get to the Moon and Mars," Erik Seedhouse, assistant professor of applied aviation sciences at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, told AFP. Tuesday's launch is a "huge deal, even for a spaceflight company that routinely accomplishes huge deals," said Jason Davis of the Planetary Society, describing the Falcon Heavy as "mythical." No people are on board, just a mannequin wearing a futuristic spacesuit, strapped into CEO Elon Musk's very own cherry red Tesla car. "Starman in a Red Roadster," Musk posted on Instagram Monday, showing the rocket's payload on a pedestal, aiming skyward. Musk has also said David Bowie's hit "Space Oddity" would play in the vehicle during the launch. Elon Musk, CEO of Space X, shows off a mockup of the Falcon Heavy rocket, which is finally ready for its first launch An animated video released by SpaceX to preview the launch showed all three rocket boosters returning to upright landings on Earth, while the car and mannequin emerged from the protective nose cone and sailed into orbit. The car is destined for an elliptical orbit around the Sun, taking it into the vicinity of Mars. "At times, it will come extremely close to Mars, and there is a tiny, tiny chance that it will hit Mars," Musk told reporters. "Extremely tiny." Musk reiterated his warning that the maiden launch of the Falcon Heavy -- a project he first unveiled in 2011 -- may indeed fail. It may even explode on the launchpad. "I would consider it a win if it just clears the pad and doesn't blow the pad to smithereens," he said. There is also a chance the Tesla might not make it beyond low-Earth orbit. First it has to go through the violent Van Allen belt where it will be pummeled by charged particles for about six hours. "It is going to get whacked pretty hard," Musk said. Even if there is a disaster Tuesday, Seedhouse said it is unlikely to harm the reputation of SpaceX -- already a top cargo supplier to the International Space Station under a $1.6 billion contract with NASA and busy with a steady stream of satellite clients and government payloads. "Last year, they had more launches than any other country in the world -- never mind any other company," Seedhouse said. "Every failure they have had they have bounced straight back." - Most powerful in operation - The Falcon Heavy is essentially three Falcon 9 rockets in one, with a total of 27 Merlin engines. These engines "together generate more than five million pounds of thrust at liftoff, equal to approximately eighteen 747 aircraft," said SpaceX. The 230-foot (70-meter) tall rocket is designed to carry nearly 141,000 pounds (64 metric tonnes) into orbit, more than the mass of a fully loaded 737 jetliner. Falcon Heavy, the most powerful rocket Although SpaceX has said the Falcon Heavy was "designed from the outset to carry humans into space and restores the possibility of flying missions with crew to the Moon or Mars," the plans for it to one day carry people appear to have changed. Musk said another massive rocket under development, called BFR -- short for "Big F*****g Rocket" -- may be the one to transport crew, while Falcon Heavy may be reserved for equipment. In any case, when the Falcon Heavy lifts off, "it will be the most powerful operational rocket in the world by a factor of two," SpaceX said. The Falcon Heavy is designed to lift more than twice the payload of the next closest operational vehicle, the Delta IV Heavy, at a far lower cost. The Delta IV Heavy costs about $350 million per launch, according to United Launch Alliance. SpaceX's Falcon Heavy starts around $90 million. "That is way, way, way below anything else in the government launch industry," Seedhouse said. Previous rockets that are no longer in commission have been more powerful than the Falcon Heavy -- including the Saturn V moon rocket, last flown in 1973, which delivered more payload to orbit. The Soviet era Energia, which flew twice in 1987 and 1988, was also more powerful than the Falcon Heavy. The United States has been unable to send its own astronauts to space since 2011, when the 30-year shuttle program ended, leaving the world's astronauts to rely on Russian Soyuz rockets for transport to the International Space Station. NASA is building its own massive rocket, called the Space Launch System, but costs are high and the project is years away from completion. Musk said he was feeling "giddy" about Tuesday's launch, and was not feeling the dread and anxiety he usually experiences ahead of time. "It is guaranteed to be exciting, one way or another. Either it is going to be an exciting success or an exciting failure," he told reporters. "I'd say tune in. It is going to be worth your time." A live webcast of the launch is scheduled to begin around 1:00 pm (1800 GMT) on SpaceX.com. Parents of Otto Warmbier, Fred and Cindy Warmbier are acknowledged during the State of the Union address US Vice President Mike Pence has invited the father of the late former North Korea prisoner Otto Warmbier to the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. "Honored that Fred Warmbier, father of Otto Warmbier, will join us at @pyeongchang2018 in S Korea," Pence tweeted as he departed for a five-day visit to Asia. "He & his wife remind the world of the atrocities happening in N Korea," he wrote. "We pledge to honor Otto's memory w/ American resolve." The young US student was arrested in North Korea for a petty offense and held for more than a year before he was released in a comatose state. Warmbier died, aged 22, shortly after he body was flown home unconscious. Although North Korea claimed he had contracted botulism in detention, Trump has since alleged that he was tortured in custody. Pence is visiting Alaska, Tokyo and Seoul before attending the opening ceremony in Pyeongchang on Friday. This is Pence's second visit to the region as vice president and comes amid the administrations bid to put "maximum pressure" on the North Korean regime. Washington wants to prevent leader Kim Jong-un from marrying ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities, which would put the continental United States within striking distance. A Malian migrant woman with her children is transferred by bus to a temporary shelter upon their arrival in Bamako after being repatriated from Libya by the IOM Human trafficking is on the rise in Libya, according to a report by a UN panel of experts which found that Libyan forces may be helping rebel groups tighten their control of smuggling routes. The confidential report sent to the UN Security Council also said the Islamic State group is seeking to join migrant smugglers in southern Libya after it was pushed out of Sirte in 2016. "Human trafficking is on the rise in Libya, resulting in major human rights violations," said the 157-page report by the panel of experts, seen by AFP on Monday. The panel raised concern "over the possible use of state facilities and state funds by armed groups and traffickers to enhance their control of migration routes." Libya has long been a transit hub for migrants, but smugglers have stepped up their lucrative business in the years that followed the 2011 ouster of Moamer Kadhafi. The fate of migrants has come under intense security since film footage emerged last year of Africans auctioned off as slaves in Libya, drawing outrage from African governments. The report cited accounts from Eritrean migrants who were arrested in 2016 in Tripoli by agents of a special force affiliated to Libya's interior ministry who handed them over to migrant smugglers "against payment". Four Bangladeshi migrants arrested by the Special Deterrence Force (SDF) in Tripoli were held in a government detention center in 2015 even though they held valid work visas. The migrants paid $300 US each to the SDF and were sent to another Libyan city where they were loaded on boats for Europe "against their will", the report said. "The panel is assessing whether the SDF's leadership was aware of collusion and trafficking being conducted within its ranks," said the report. - Armed groups are stronger - The UN-backed authorities in Libya have set up a department to combat illegal migration (DCIM) which is responsible for 24 detention centers and a staff of 5,000. "According to international agencies, the DCIM has no control over its detention centers," said the report. A minister of the UN-backed government of national unity admitted to the panel that "the armed groups are stronger than the authorities in handling the flow of migrants." The panel found that IS cells "continue to operate in central and southern Libya" despite their defeat in Sirte. Mostly comprised of foreign fighters, IS has recently been trying to re-establish a foothold further south, sending envoys with "large quantities of cash" to develop contacts, said the report. The "emissaries also tried to link up with smuggling groups, offering protection and seeking long-term sources of financing," it said. Despite international backing, the government in Tripoli has been unable to assert its authority in the east, where a rival group is refusing to recognize the UN-backed administration. The report raised questions about "diversion of public funds" through fuel smuggling and letters of credit in the oil-rich country. "A political solution in Libya remains out of reach in the near future," said the report. "Military dynamics in Libya and conflicting regional agendas show a lack of commitment to a peaceful solution." Two tech giants racing for a lead in autonomous driving clashed Monday in court as former Google car unit Waymo's lawyer argued that Uber's boss deliberately chose 'to cheat' to get a leg up on competitors. The accusations flew in the opening day of a trial in which Google parent Alphabet's Waymo division is seeking at least $1 billion over the theft of trade secrets from its self-driving car program. In opening remarks before the jury in San Francisco federal court, Waymo lawyer Charles Verhoeven maintained that Uber's founder and former chief executive Travis Kalanick made the decision to use stolen trade secrets to enable the global ridesharing giant to move into autonomous driving. Google parent Alphabet's Waymo division is seeking at least $1 billion over the theft of trade secrets from its self-driving car program. Pictured, Waymo CEO John Krafcik, right, exits Phillip Burton Federal Building after day one of the trial 'He made a decision and the decision was to cheat,' Verhoeven said. 'He made the decision that winning was more important than the law.' Uber has denied the allegations, which stem from a lawsuit claiming that former Google car executive Anthony Levandowski took thousands of files before leaving the unit for a startup called Otto later acquired by Uber. Verhoeven said Kalanick -- who was ousted as CEO last year amid a move to reform Uber's workplace culture -- realized his company was lagging in efforts to develop autonomous technology and decided to take a dishonest route. Kalanick told his colleagues that 'this all about winning,' the lawyer argued, and that Uber knew it could not catch Waymo because the Google car unit was 'ahead of the pack.' Uber attorney Bill Carmody sought to downplay the accusations and said the evidence would prove 'there's no conspiracy.' Waymo lawyer Charles Verhoeven maintained that Uber's founder and former chief executive Travis Kalanick (pictured) made the decision to use stolen trade secrets to enable the global ridesharing giant to move into autonomous driving Carmody said evidence would show Google and Waymo were failing to invest enough to keep the most talented staff, enabling Uber to hire them. The Uber lawyer pointed to one email shown in court in which the former head of Google's car unit complained that 'we have stopped playing to win' and noting that Uber 'is acquiring the people I suggested we hire 1.5 years ago.' WHAT IS THE WAYMO-UBER TRIAL? Waymo sued Uber in February 2017, claiming that former Waymo executive Anthony Levandowski downloaded more than 14,000 confidential files before leaving to set up a self-driving truck company, called Otto, which Uber acquired soon after. Uber denied using any of Waymo's trade secrets. Levandowski has declined to answer questions about the allegations, citing constitutional protections against self-incrimination. Waymo claims former Waymo executive Anthony Levandowski downloaded more than 14,000 confidential files before leaving. Levandowski, then-head of Uber's self-driving program, is pictured above in 2016 The trial had been scheduled to begin on Dec. 4., but Waymo said it learned of new evidence after the U.S. Department of Justice shared it with Alsup. As a result, judge said in November that Uber withheld evidence in the lawsuit, delaying a trial to give Waymo time to review a letter alleging Uber trained employees to steal trade secrets and hide their tracks. In Feb 2018, Uber the two firms settled the lawsuit after Uber agreed to pay about $245 million to Waymo. The move brought the four-day civil trial to an abrupt end. Google's Waymo unit said Uber agreed to take steps to make sure Waymo technology isn't used in Uber's autonomous vehicles. Uber's CEO said in a printed statement that the company doesn't believe trade secrets made their way from Waymo to Uber - but, he insisted the firm is taking steps to make sure its self-driving vehicle research represents only Uber's work. Advertisement In this context, Carmody, said that for Uber, 'spending hundreds of millions for (Otto) to get trade secrets, it doesn't make sense.' If Waymo prevails, the trial could deal a severe blow to Uber's efforts to widely deploy self-driving vehicles as part of its ridesharing operations -- a field which also includes Waymo and other rivals. Uber has denied the allegations, which stem from a lawsuit claiming that former Google car executive Anthony Levandowski took thousands of files before leaving the unit for a startup called Otto later acquired by Uber The trial comes with Uber seeking to turn the page following a series of scandals over alleged misconduct and a cut-throat workplace culture, as new chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi strives to get the company on course and prepare for a stock market debut in 2019. The trial could last up to three weeks, with witnesses likely to include Kalanick, Levandowski and key Google executives. To prevail, Waymo must show not only that documents were misappropriated but also used for 'unjust enrichment.' BLACK REPUBLICAN BLOG - The Republican Party is the party of civil rights and the four Fs: faith, family, freedom and fairness. The Democratic Party is the party of the four Ss: slavery, secession, segregation and socialism (Quote By Author Michael Scheuer). UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned of "negative trends" that could "create an irresversible one-state reality" in the Middle East UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Monday that recent developments in the Middle East could create "an irreversible one-state reality" that would bury the two-state solution of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. "Negative trends on the ground have the potential to create an irreversible one-state reality that is incompatible with realizing the legitimate national, historic and democratic aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians," Guterres told a UN meeting of a committee on Palestinian rights. The UN chief said the global consensus on settling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "could be eroding, making effective concerted action more difficult to achieve, at a time when it is more important than ever." The Middle East peace process was upended when US President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, ignoring the internationally-held view that the status of the holy city would be decided in peace negotiations. The General Assembly adopted a resolution last month rejecting the US decision by a vote of 128 to nine with 35 abstentions. The United States has also cut back its funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), prompting Guterres to appeal to countries to step in to fill the gap. Israel's ongoing construction of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, violent attacks and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza are dimming prospects for a long-term peace, said the UN chief. "There is no Plan B," Guterres told the meeting. "A two-state solution is the only way to achieve the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and secure a sustainable solution to the conflict." Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas is due to address the UN Security Council later this month after US Ambassador Nikki Haley said he lacked the courage needed for a peace deal. US President Donald Trump says lawmakers who did not applaud his State of the Union speech last week are treasonous US President Donald Trump described lawmakers who did not applaud his State of the Union address as unpatriotic and treasonous Monday. During a speech in Cincinnati, Trump suggested Democrats were "un-American" because they did not full-throatedly embrace his address to a joint session of Congress last week. "They would rather see Trump do badly, okay, than our country do well," he said."It's very selfish. And it got to a point where I really didn't even want to look." "They were like death and un-American. Un-American. Somebody said, 'treasonous.' I mean, yeah, I guess, why not?" "Can we call that treason? Why not? I mean, they certainly didn't seem to love our country very much," he added. Trump has falsely boasted that his generally well-received speech had the highest television audience numbers in history. But Nielsen ratings show that three of Trump's predecessors surpassed his audience numbers during their first time giving the high-profile speech before Congress. Trump did see a slight bump in the polls however, with his Gallup approval rating edging up two points to 40%, its highest level in months. US President Donald Trump had criticized the New START treaty as 'one-sided' The United States and Russia are pledging to abide by a treaty limiting strategic nuclear weapons that took effect on Monday, but foreign leaders and experts fear a new arms race may be looming. Concern over a potential conflict with nuclear-armed North Korea is also growing following a series of bellicose statements between Washington and Pyongyang. The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) signed in 2010 requires the United States and Russia to have reduced the number of their deployed nuclear warheads to 1,550 each by February 5, 2018. The State Department said Monday the United States has lived up to the deal and it has "no reason to believe" Russia has done otherwise. Russia for its part said it was committed to the treaty and would provide Washington with data on its strategic nuclear arsenal in "the near future." The New START treaty calls for inspections and for the world's two leading nuclear powers to exchange data on their arsenals to verify compliance. The treaty signed by president Barack Obama was aimed at ushering in a new era in US-Russian relations and promoting the goal of doing away with nuclear arms. But those twin objectives appear distant and President Donald Trump has little room for maneuver with Moscow as he grapples with allegations his campaign may have colluded with the Kremlin to get him elected. The New START treaty, the State Department said, is "critically important at a time when trust in the relationship has deteriorated and the threat of miscalculation and misperception has risen." - 'Bloody nose' - Mistrust of Russian intentions was reflected on Friday in a Nuclear Posture Review released by the Pentagon that called for a revamp of the US nuclear arsenal and development of new low-yield atomic weapons. While the document underscored the administration's concerns about North Korea, Iran and China, the focus fell largely on Russia. "This is a response to Russian expansion of their capability and the nature of their strategy and doctrine," Defense Secretary Jim Mattis wrote. Moscow denounced what it called the "bellicose" and "anti-Russian" nature of the new US nuclear policy, warning that it would take the necessary measures to ensure its own security. German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel warned of the dangers for Europe of a "renewed nuclear arms race." "Signs that Russia is re-arming, not only conventionally but with nuclear weapons, are obvious," Gabriel said. "We in Europe must begin new initiatives for arms control and disarmament." But instead of developing new weapons, Germany's top diplomat called for "existing arms control treaties to be upheld unconditionally." Rachel Bronson, CEO and president of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said the Nuclear Posture Review "is a spruced-up Cold War document, responding in dated ways to current threats." Among the greatest of the current threats is that of North Korea, and the standoff between Washington and Pyongyang has many uneasy. "If you believe that nuclear weapons deter and bring peace and stability, then we should welcome North Korea," Beatrice Fihn, executive director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, said mockingly. "There are no acceptable nuclear weapons to use," Fihn, whose organization won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, told AFP. "Any use will trigger a nuclear weapons conflict with catastrophic humanitarian consequences for civilians." Alicia Sanders-Zakre of the Arms Control Association said she was worried by "a president who repeatedly boasts about the size of his nuclear button on Twitter" and his "loose talk about nuclear weapons." The White House last week dropped its nominee to be ambassador to South Korea, Victor Cha, after he publicly criticized a potential preemptive strike on North Korea. Eighteen Democratic senators also came out against what has been called a "bloody nose" strike against North Korea. "We are deeply concerned about the potential consequences of a preemptive military strike on North Korea and the risks of miscalculation and retaliation," they said in a letter. The senators noted that in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last week, expert witnesses found that "such a 'bloody nose' strategy carried extreme risks." The battle for Raqa in 2017: a new US study suggests many American recruits to the Islamic State were not well-prepared for the conflict US recruits to the Islamic State group struggle more than their European counterparts, lacking support networks and field experience and being assigned to menial jobs, a report on American jihadists said Monday. The study by the George Washington University Program on Extremism said that online social networks were more essential to Americans in reaching Syria and Iraq, as they often had limited personal connections that could help them reach the battlefield. Once there a number found disappointment in an unfamiliar terrain and faced significant culture clashes; many, if they stayed alive, soon sought to return to the United States despite facing near-certain imprisonment. "For many of the returnees, life in jihadist-held territory did not live up to their expectations," said the study entitled "The Travelers". "Living conditions were much harsher than they saw in the online magazines and videos, and the promises of companionship and camaraderie were rarely fulfilled," the study said. "Instead, cultural clashes, bitter infighting and suspicion among recruits and leadership abounded. Many of the Americans had little to no combat experience and were assigned duties such as cleaning safehouses, cooking, and caring for the sick and injured." - Low number of American 'foreign fighters' - The study examines the experience of 64 of the estimated 300 Americans who made their way to the Islamic State fight, or in some cases to join other jihadist groups like Jahbat al-Nusra, an al-Qaeda affiliate. That is a fraction of the 5,000-6,000 who traveled from Europe to join the fight, including 900 from France and 750 from Britain. The report draws on court documents, interviews, and a huge database of online postings and a catalogue of one million tweets by the jihadists. It finds few threads tying the US jihadists together: they had disparate backgrounds, came from many states, and emerged from a generally wealthier and better-integrated Muslim community, compared to their counterparts in Europe. Of the 64, the average age was 27, 89 percent were men, and 70 percent were US citizens or permanent residents. At least 22 died in Syria and 12 returned on their own or under arrest. The whereabouts of the rest aren't known, and some could also be dead. The authors found three types of joiners: "pioneers", early, strongly self-motived and knowledgeable enlistees in the IS fight; "networked travelers" with some family and friends providing support; and "loners" enabled by online communications. One reason for the low number of American "foreign fighters," the study says, is that US law makes it easier for police to intervene early, on the grounds of a hopeful jihadist's professed support for an outlawed extremist group. Another is the difficulty of personal networking, compared to Europe. There was one "cell" in heavily Muslim Minnesota, where some 15 personally connected Americans tried to join IS. Elsewhere, they struggle with often just one friend or relative helping out, depending more on guidance from IS recruiters online. - Tired of running errands - Once in Syria, some Americans succeeded in the IS hierarchy, especially so-called pioneers. More were like Mohamad Jamal Khweis, who was lured mostly online and, once there, "grew tired of running errands and became frustrated that he was not receiving any military training." Khweis eventually gave up and escaped back to the US, where he was jailed for 20 years. The authors of the study say the lack of an archetype for an Islamic state recruit continues to confound counter-extremism efforts. "If history is a guide, there will be another large-scale jihadist mobilization in the future. The US must develop a proactive and comprehensive strategy to address jihadist travel," the said. SYDNEY (AP) - The Court of Arbitration for Sport says it will "thoroughly examine" concerns raised by International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach over the court's decision to overturn lifetime doping bans on 28 Russian athletes. In a statement Monday the president of the International Council of Arbitration for Sport, Australian John Coates, acknowledged Bach's concerns which will likely lead the IOC to appeal the court's decision. The CAS, sport's highest court, ruled on Thursday there was insufficient evidence to uphold supsensions imposed by the IOC on the 28 Russians after an investigation into state-sponsored doping at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Doping violations were confirmed against a further 11 athletes but their lifetime bans were reduced to cover only the 2018 Winter Olympics which open Friday in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Bach said the IOC would wait for a reasoned decision from the CAS before launching any appeal but called the decisions "extremely disappointing and surprising." "We only know about the reasons for a very few sentences in a press release. So far the panel was not able to produce a reasoned decision which we are eagerly waiting for." The CAS is not expected to produce that reasoned decision until the end of the month. "We need the reasoned decision to see whether we have any prospect of success," Bach said. "If we have any such prospect, we will appeal." In his statement Monday, Coates sought to assure Bach that the reasoned decision would be forthcoming shortly. "The reasoned decisions in high profile cases are critically important," he said. "The panels in the cases of the 39 Russian athletes are working on them and we look forward to their publications as soon as possible." Coates said athletes "are entitled to have confidence in judicial processes at all levels, more particularly before the CAS." JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesian paramilitary police fatally shot a woman in what they said was a clash with stone-throwing villagers in the troubled Papua region, but a relative of the victim disputed their account of events. Police said in a statement Monday that the 61-year-old woman was among villagers who intervened to help an 18-year-old man who jumped out of a boat to escape custody after being detained on suspicion of theft. The statement said police fired warning shots during the clash with villagers on Saturday. The woman died from a gunshot to the head, police said. A cousin of the dead woman said that there was no clash and that she was shot as an innocent bystander when police fired on the escaping suspect. In a separate statement, Papua police spokesman Ahmad Kamal said seven officers were being questioned by the police internal affairs unit in connection with the incident. Conflicts between indigenous Papuans and Indonesian security forces are common in the impoverished region, which Indonesia annexed more than half a century ago. Police said the 18-year-old was one of three people suspected of stealing ore concentrate in Mimika district from the cargo dock of U.S. mining company Freeport-McMoRan, which operates the giant Grasberg gold and copper mine in Papua, and was captured after a hunt by police, security guards and navy officers. The handcuffed man jumped out of the speedboat he was being transported in on Saturday evening and villagers from a nearby island came to his aid and prevented him from being apprehended again, according to police. Cornelia Emakefaro, the cousin of the victim, said the woman and her husband were in a small boat on an errand to fetch fresh water when the woman was hit by police gunfire after the theft suspect jumped into the water. "Based on information from my cousin's husband as the only witness and the village head, there was no attack from villagers to the officers," Emakefaro said. "We understand they are carrying out the task of catching suspects who may have been involved in the theft, but they are not entitled to shoot people like chasing game animals." In September, Indonesian police demoted two officers who fired at a crowd of protesting Papuan villagers, killing one man, in a decision that rights groups said was too lenient and showed a chronic lack of accountability for abuses in Papua. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the woman's age was 61, not 60. With Congress barreling into yet another big budget battle this week, Vice President Mike Pence is headed halfway around the world to Asia. During the government shutdown last month, he was in the Middle East. And even as special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation draws closer to President Trump himself, vacuuming up interviews and documents from senior Trump advisers, Pence largely has stayed out of the conversation. He has not been asked to speak with Mueller, according to a person familiar with the vice president's operation who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Both by coincidence and design, Pence has managed to skirt some of the biggest controversies of the Trump administration. Vice President Mike Pence will benefit from good timing yet again this week, as he heads to South Korea for the Olympic Games as yet another government shutdown looms and Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe draws closer to President Trump On Friday, when Washington was in a frenzy over the release of a disputed GOP memo on the Russia investigation, Pence was campaigning in western Pennsylvania on behalf of Republican state legislator Rick Saccone And he's got a full schedule of political and international travel for the rest of 2018 that could help keep him at arm's length from domestic troubles. Pence has maintained an almost Teflon-like quality in the Russia probe that has cast a long shadow over Trump's White House. Investigators on the House Intelligence Committee have pored over thousands of emails from the Trump transition team but can't find Pence's name in any of them, even though he led the transition, said a Democrat familiar with the House's Russia probe. The Democrat was not authorized to detail private documents and spoke on condition of anonymity. Pence departs Monday for consultations with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Toyko and South Korean President Moon Jae-in Seoul before leading the U.S. delegation to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Pence tweeted Friday that he's going to Asia to cheer on Olympic athletes but also to 'make it clear all options are on the table' with regard to North Korea's ballistic missile program. White House officials said Pence is looking to ensure North Korea doesn't 'hijack' the games as it participates jointly with the South. The vice president will be holding symbolic events of his own to highlight the North's human rights abuses and nuclear ambitions. But the trip also provides him with an eject button as the threat of another big budget battle looms because of a standoff on Capitol Hill over spending and immigration. Last month, Pence jetted to the Middle East shortly before the start of what turned out to be a three-day government shutdown, using the trip to outline plans to accelerate moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. His office maintained that the trip was 'integral to America's national security and diplomatic objectives' at a time when all but essential government services were shutting down. While there, Pence used an event at a military base near the Syrian border to criticize members of Congress - without mentioning Democrats by name - for using the shutdown to 'to play politics with military pay.' Among Trump supporters and loyalists, Pence has developed a reputation as a dutiful soldier who stays out of trouble. It fits the risk-averse pattern that Pence developed even before he became vice president. Mueller's recent interview with Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the first Cabinet member to be questioned in the probe, and growing expectations that the president may sit for an interview raise the possibility that the investigation could ultimately touch Pence. But even if Pence can avoid legal pitfalls, skating past any future political fallout as Trump's wingman will be more difficult. Republican strategist Steve Schmidt said the notion of a 'differentiated brand' for Pence is difficult to achieve because he has been at the heart of the administration's policies as vice president. 'He's in the thick of it,' Schmidt said. Pence has a long track record of largely avoiding the Russia entanglements that have ensnared other members of the Trump administration. When Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, ordered incoming national security adviser Michael Flynn to call the Russian ambassador for guidance on how to handle a U.N. Security Council matter during the president's transition, other top aides were on the call from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida - but Pence was home in Indiana. When Kushner, Donald Trump Jr. and campaign chairman Paul Manafort met with Russian operatives at Trump Tower in June 2016, Pence wasn't on the campaign yet - a point that his aides underscore. And when the president huddled with advisers aboard Air Force One last summer to craft a misleading statement explaining the Trump Tower meeting, Pence was riding horses in Washington's Rock Creek Park with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo. In firing Flynn from his White House position as national security adviser last year, Trump cited Flynn's lies to Pence about his discussions with the Russian ambassador, an answer that shielded the vice president from culpability. And when Flynn later reached a plea deal with Mueller's team, Pence's office said that proved Flynn had lied to them. Pence's arm's-distance approach on Russia is part of a cultivated strategy to avoid unnecessary political peril. This is a politician who has a rule against dining alone with any woman other than his wife. The vice president and his team have purposefully avoided television appearances recently if they think he'll face tough questions on Russia or if an explosive new story about the Trump White House is about to land, according to the person familiar with the vice president's operation who wasn't authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition on anonymity. On Friday, when Washington was in a frenzy over the release of a disputed GOP memo on the Russia investigation, Pence was campaigning in western Pennsylvania on behalf of Republican state legislator Rick Saccone. When he got asked about the memo during a local TV interview, Pence was ready with a carefully worded answer that was a rehash of the statement issued earlier in the day by White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The vice president said the president 'has made clear: we have great respect for the rank-and-file men and women of law enforcement in our Justice Department and the FBI who serve every day.' SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong was freed Monday after a South Korean appeals court gave him a 2 -year suspended jail sentence for corruption in connection with a scandal that toppled the country's president. The Seoul High Court softened the original ruling against Lee, rejecting most of the bribery charges leveled against Lee by prosecutors who sought a 12-year prison term. While the ruling clears the way for the Samsung vice chairman to resume his role at the helm of the industrial giant founded by his grandfather after a year in prison, he faces a slew of challenges outside prison. Lee Jae-yong, center, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, arrives at the Seoul High Court for a hearing in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. The court handed down a 2 year suspended jail sentence for corruption to Samsung's billionaire heir Lee. Lee, the only son of Samsung's ailing chairman, was given a five-year prison term in August on bribery and other charges linked to a political scandal that took down former South Korean President Park Geun-hye. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon. Pool) Chief among them will be winning trust that he is capable of running South Korea's biggest company, and assuaging public anger among those who viewed the court's surprise decision as a setback in the war on corruptions. "The past year was a precious time for personal reflection," Lee told reporters waiting outside the gates of a detention center in southern Seoul. Lee's first stop from the prison was a Samsung hospital where his father has been hospitalized after suffering a heart attack in 2014. Lee was charged with offering $38 million in bribes to former President Park Geun-hye and her confidant Choi Soon-sil, embezzling Samsung funds, hiding assets overseas, concealing proceeds from criminal activities and perjury. The appeals court said Lee was unable to reject the then-president's request to financially support her confidante and was coerced into making the payments. The court still found Lee guilty of giving 3.6 billion won ($3.3 million) in bribes for equestrian training of Choi's daughter and of embezzling the money from Samsung funds. Lee's lawyer, Lee Injae, told reporters that the Samsung vice chairman still plans to appeal his conviction. Prosecutors also were expected to appeal the court's ruling, making it almost certain the case will go to the Supreme Court. Lee, 49 and the only son of Samsung's ailing chairman, was given a five-year prison term in August on bribery and other charges linked to a political scandal that took down former South Korean President Park Geun-hye. Lee has pleaded not guilty to charges he used Samsung corporate funds to bribe Park and a confidante, seeking to consolidate his control over Samsung and facilitate a smooth transfer of corporate leadership from his father. The appeals court rejected the lower court's view that corporate succession was one of the issues at stake. Many South Koreans were expecting a tough stance from the appeals court and took to social media and online news portals to vent their anger at the ruling and the judge who issued the verdict. "Republic of Samsung" and the name of the judge who handed down Monday's verdict were among the top trending words on Twitter in Korean. The earlier ruling against Lee was seen as a departure from the previous court cases that had been criticized for being too soft toward white-collar crime and toward executives of chaebol, the big conglomerates that helped South Korea's rapid industrialization. Lee's case and the current trial of the former president are seen as tests of the country's commitment to ending cozy ties among South Korea's political and business elite. Such links once were seen as the key to South Korea's impressive rise from the ashes of its 1950-53 war but now are blamed for corruption, inequality and stifling innovation. Before the final hearing at the appeals court Lee paid back 8 billion won ($7.3 million) to Samsung Electronics. The lower court had said Lee embezzled that amount from Samsung to bribe Choi. Lee Jae-yong, center, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, arrives at the Seoul High Court for a hearing in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. The court handed down a 2 year suspended jail sentence for corruption to Samsung's billionaire heir Lee. Lee, the only son of Samsung's ailing chairman, was given a five-year prison term in August on bribery and other charges linked to a political scandal that took down former South Korean President Park Geun-hye. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon. Pool) NEW DELHI (AP) - India has sought the help of the Nigerian and Benin navies to find an oil tanker that has gone missing with 22 Indian crew members off Benin's coast. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj confirmed late Sunday that the tanker, Marine Express, went missing in the Gulf of Guinea. It's not known whether the ship was hijacked for ransom or to steal the nearly 13,500 tonnes (15,120 tons) of gasoline on board. The ship, owned by a Mumbai company, has been missing since Jan. 31 with no contact with the crew so far, according to Indian media reports. In January, another oil tanker, MT Barret, went missing off the coast of the West African nation of Benin. That crew of 22, mostly Indians, was released within days after a ransom was paid to the pirates, the Press Trust of India news agency said. It didn't give any details. Ship hijackings and kidnappings of crew are common in the region, with hostages often released unharmed after a ransom is paid. Bandits usually target oil tankers and sell the crude. International efforts have brought down the threat of piracy off Somalia's coast in recent years. Concerns about piracy off Africa's coast have now largely shifted to the Gulf of Guinea. For our first issue of 2018, the R&L editorial board wanted to put together a very special green issue. We traveled across the country and talked to many experts to bring you essays, interviews, reviews and more, focusing on the environment, good stewardship and the importance of property rights. For the cover story, Director of Communications John Couretas and I ventured to Bozeman, Montana, and Yellowstone National Park. In Growing pains in the Romance Lands, Couretas describes the difficulties of preserving land while also allowing for businesses to grow and new communities to be built. In an accompanying feature, Betting the ranch, Couretas profiles John and Ramona Baden, who put their Montana ranch into a conservation easement rather than cashing it in. Last year, I visited Washington state where I spoke with Todd Myers, director of the Center for the Environment at the Washington Policy Center. We discuss everything from dolphin-safe tuna, leaded gasoline and the importance of where people who care about the environment actually live. You can find all that in A conversation about the best policies for the environment. For our transatlantic sections, you can find an essay from Bishop Dominique Rey about why our language is so important when discussing environmental concerns in Going back to the grammar of creation. Philip Booth talks about Pope Francis Laudato Si and what its missing. Laudato si would have been a more rounded document if it had considered the importance of private property for the protection of the environment, Booth argues. Bruce Edward Walker reviews The Death and Life of the Great Lakes and discusses why these bodies of water are so important to us in the midwest. Featured in our green liberal tradition is Aldo Leopold, the father of ecology. Leopold truly practiced what he preached and used his own land to test conservation and restoration efforts. He spoke about the importance of individual responsibility for the health of the land and the importance of private property rights for the good of the land Featured Image: Mammoth Springs by John Couretas BRUSSELS (AP) - The man accused of being a would-be Islamic State attacker who was once Europe's most wanted fugitive defied a Belgian court Monday, refusing to rise or answer questions during his first public appearance since his arrest nearly two years ago. Salah Abdeslam is facing attempted murder charges in Brussels from a police shootout four months after the Paris attacks. Abdeslam and an accomplice fled while another man sprayed automatic gunfire and was killed. The pair was captured a few days later in the same neighborhood where Abdeslam and many of the dead attackers grew up. Abdeslam arrived in the Belgian capital Monday morning after being transferred from a prison in France. Security was high at the Brussels courthouse, with armed guards and multiple checkpoints leading to the courtroom. In this courtroom sketch, Salah Abdeslam appears at the Brussels Justice Palace in Brussels on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Salah Abdeslam and Soufiane Ayari face trial for taking part in a shooting incident in Vorst, Belgium on March 15, 2016. The incident took place when six members of a Franco-Belgian research team investigating the attacks in Paris were conducting a search in an allegedly empty safe house of the terrorists and were attacked. (Petra Urban via AP) "I do not wish to respond to any questions. I was asked to come. I came," said Abdeslam, who stayed seated for the hearing, flanked by police in balaclavas. "I defend myself by keeping silent." Asked why he was refusing to stand, Abdeslam said: "I'm tired, I did not sleep." Abdeslam, now with a full beard and longer hair than in pictures released before his March 18, 2016 arrest, refused to answer questions beyond a few formalities and stared straight ahead for much of the hearing. "Muslims are judged and treated without pity. There is no presumption of innocence," he said. "I'm not afraid of you. I'm not afraid of your allies. I place my faith in Allah." He is being tried alongside a second defendant, Sofiane Ayari. The judge's questions Monday were oriented toward establishing which of the two also fired on officers during the shootout. Federal prosecutors in Belgium are seeking 20-year prison sentences for both men, formally citing a terrorist link in the shootout. Abdeslam has previously refused to speak to investigators in France about the attack there that killed 130 on Nov. 13, 2015. In the aftermath, Abdeslam slipped through a police dragnet and for four months stayed in a series of hideouts with Ayari and other jihadis. By then, his photo along with the dire warning "armed and dangerous" was plastered throughout Europe. Ayari, a Tunisian who fought with IS for a year before heading to Europe, repeatedly refused to name accomplices, nor would he explain why he had traveled with others from the group to Belgium, where a fake ID with his photo awaited his arrival. By the time Abdeslam and Ayari moved into the upstairs apartment, police had raided more than a dozen locations in Belgium with little to show for it. On the afternoon of March 15, 2016, they battered down yet another door. This time, it was to the staccato of an assault rifle. An IS fighter opened fire on the officers, who had only service weapons, while Abdeslam and Ayari darted onto a rooftop, broke into a neighboring apartment and escaped, authorities said. The fugitives left behind a Kalashnikov, ammunition clips, a cellphone and a tunic - their DNA was everywhere, according to court testimony. Three officers were wounded. Three days later, Abdeslam and Ayari were caught in Molenbeek at the home of Abdeslam's cousin. That was the last time most of France and Belgium would see Abdeslam, long-distance television shots showing him limping from a gunshot wound to the foot as he was led to a waiting police car. Four days after his capture, extremists struck in Brussels. The same bomb-maker who had built the explosives in Paris packed even more deadly material into suicide bombs at the airport and metro. Thirty-two people died along with the three bombers. In all, the sprawling network killed 162 people in Paris and Brussels, cities that were home to most of the attackers. Family members of victims and survivors of the attacks had hoped this week's trial would clarify the ties between the attacks and their planning. "This trial is one of the pieces of a global puzzle which will answer some of our questions," said Guile Denoix de Saint Marc, a member of V-Europe, a victims' association. "But at the same time, we expect to be very disappointed and to learn nothing." Ayari took pains to avoid saying anything that would clarify the plot, implicate Abdeslam or criticize IS, which was at the height of its recruitment drive at the time of the attacks. The extremists have since lost control of their strongholds in Iraq and Syria, but the pull of their propaganda continued to inspire Europeans to kill at home and abroad. He said he spent his five months in Belgium doing "nothing in particular" and had wanted only to return to Syria. "Why did all these people put up with you if you were so useless?" asked the exasperated presiding judge, Marie-France Keutgen. "That has no logic." Abdeslam was even less cooperative. Keutgen said she didn't understand why he came to the court if he had nothing to say. "My silence makes me neither guilty nor a criminal," he answered. "Now go ahead and judge me." ___ Lorne Cook in Brussels, and Sam Petrequin in Paris, contributed to this report. In this courtroom sketch, Soufiane Ayari appears at the Brussels Justice Palace in Brussels on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Salah Abdeslam and Soufiane Ayari face trial for taking part in a shooting incident in Vorst, Belgium on March 15, 2016. The incident took place when six members of a Franco-Belgian research team investigating the attacks in Paris were conducting a search in an allegedly empty safe house of the terrorists and were attacked. (Petra Urban via AP) A general view of the courtroom prior to the trial of Salah Abdeslam at the Brussels Justice Palace in Brussels on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Salah Abdeslam and Soufiane Ayari face trial for taking part in a shooting incident in Vorst, Belgium on March 15, 2016. The incident took place when six members of a Franco-Belgian research team investigating the attacks in Paris were conducting a search in an allegedly empty safe house of the terrorists and were attacked. (Emmanuel Dunand, Pool Photo via AP) A police convoy carrying Salah Abdeslam and other members of the trial arrives under police guard at the Brussels Justice Palace in Brussels on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Salah Abdeslam and Soufiane Ayari face trial for taking part in a shooting incident in Vorst, Belgium on March 15, 2016. The incident took place when six members of a Franco-Belgian research team investigating the attacks in Paris were conducting a search in an allegedly empty safe house of the terrorists and were attacked. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) A police convoy carrying Salah Abdeslam and other members of the trial arrives under police guard at the Brussels Justice Palace in Brussels on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Salah Abdeslam and Soufiane Ayari face trial for taking part in a shooting incident in Vorst, Belgium on March 15, 2016. The incident took place when six members of a Franco-Belgian research team investigating the attacks in Paris were conducting a search in an allegedly empty safe house of the terrorists and were attacked. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) Police guard the outside a trial of Salah Abdeslam at the Brussels Justice Palace in Brussels on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Salah Abdeslam and Soufiane Ayari face trial for taking part in a shooting incident in Vorst, Belgium on March 15, 2016. The incident took place when six members of a Franco-Belgian research team investigating the attacks in Paris were conducting a search in an allegedly empty safe house of the terrorists and were attacked. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) A police convoy carrying Salah Abdeslam and other members of the trial arrives under police guard at the Brussels Justice Palace in Brussels on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Salah Abdeslam and Soufiane Ayari face trial for taking part in a shooting incident in Vorst, Belgium on March 15, 2016. The incident took place when six members of a Franco-Belgian research team investigating the attacks in Paris were conducting a search in an allegedly empty safe house of the terrorists and were attacked. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) Police guard as they await a convoy carrying Salah Abdeslam and other members of the trial arrives under police guard at the Brussels Justice Palace in Brussels on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Salah Abdeslam and Soufiane Ayari face trial for taking part in a shooting incident in Vorst, Belgium on March 15, 2016. The incident took place when six members of a Franco-Belgian research team investigating the attacks in Paris were conducting a search in an allegedly empty safe house of the terrorists and were attacked. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) FILE - In this Friday Nov. 13, 2015 file photo a victim under a blanket lays dead outside the Bataclan theater in Paris. Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving member of the 10-man Islamic State cell that attacked Paris in November 2015, is going on trial on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018 in Belgium. The trial covers a shootout that led to his capture in March 2016. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay, File) Belgian lawyer Sven Mary arrives for the trial of Salah Abdeslam at the Brussels Justice Palace in Brussels on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Salah Abdeslam and Soufiane Ayari face trial for taking part in a shooting incident in Vorst, Belgium on March 15, 2016. The incident took place when six members of a Franco-Belgian research team investigating the attacks in Paris were conducting a search in an allegedly empty safe house of the terrorists and were attacked. (Emmanuel Dunand, Pool Photo via AP) Belgian lawyer Sven Mary, right, and lawyer Romain Delcoigne, left, attend the trial of Salah Abdeslam at the Brussels Justice Palace in Brussels on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Salah Abdeslam and Soufiane Ayari face trial for taking part in a shooting incident in Vorst, Belgium on March 15, 2016. The incident took place when six members of a Franco-Belgian research team investigating the attacks in Paris were conducting a search in an allegedly empty safe house of the terrorists and were attacked. (Emmanuel Dunand, Pool Photo via AP) Belgian judge Marie-France Keutgen presides over the trial of Salah Abdeslam at the Brussels Justice Palace in Brussels on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Salah Abdeslam and Soufiane Ayari face trial for taking part in a shooting incident in Vorst, Belgium on March 15, 2016. The incident took place when six members of a Franco-Belgian research team investigating the attacks in Paris were conducting a search in an allegedly empty safe house of the terrorists and were attacked. (Danny Gys, Pool Photo via AP) PARIS (AP) - Online retailer Amazon has reached a deal with French authorities to pay about $250 million in back taxes. Amazon was asked in 2012 to pay the amount over earnings made in 2006-2010 and has since been involved in a dispute with tax authorities. Details of the deal have not been revealed. The company said Monday it has reached an "overall settlement agreement with the French tax authorities on past issues, and our main objective remains to provide the best possible buying experience for our customers in France, where we have invested more than 2 billion euros since 2010, and created more than 5,500 permanent jobs." Amazon last year reached a similar deal with Italian authorities to end a 100-million-euro ($118 million) dispute over its tax payments from 2011-15. THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - The Dutch foreign ministry says attempts to heal a diplomatic rift between the Netherlands and Turkey have faltered. The ministry issued a statement Monday saying that recent talks did not reach agreement on how to normalize relations. As a result, the Dutch government is officially withdrawing its ambassador, a largely symbolic gesture as the diplomat has been barred from Turkey since March 2017. The ministry added that as long as there is no Dutch ambassador in Ankara, it will not allow a new Turkish ambassador in the Netherlands. Relations between the two countries were plunged into crisis last year over the Dutch refusal to allow Turkish ministers to campaign in the Netherlands ahead of a referendum that gave Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan more power. LONDON (AP) - The British government is divided over whether to stay in a customs union with the rest of the European Union after Brexit, with the prime minister backing a plan to leave. The customs union is different from the single market, which is one of the key features keeping trade free within the EU. Here's a look at the two concepts and how they differ. The European Commission's Chief Negotiator for the UK exiting the European Union, Michel Barnier and Britain's Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis, left, pause as they walk for a meeting to 10 Downing Street, London, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland) ___ SINGLE MARKET This is one of the pillars of the EU and guarantees freedom of movement for goods and services between all 28 EU countries. That means no tariffs or barriers to trade. Some non-EU countries, like Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, are also part of the single market, but have to agree to the EU's other rules - like the freedom for EU citizens to cross their border. Also, they have to pay into the EU budget and abide by rulings by the European Court of Justice. ___ CUSTOMS UNION The customs union is a somewhat looser trade arrangement under which many, but not all, exports face no charge when sold in the EU. Turkey is an example of a non-EU state that is part of a customs union with the bloc. However, being part of the customs union affects how members trade with countries outside it. Industrial goods coming in from countries outside the customs union are charged a tariff. The charge on cars, for example, is 10 percent. Being part of the customs union also constrains members' ability to strike trade deals with other countries. That is because the EU executive negotiates trade deals on behalf of members of the customs union. That is one point that British Conservative politicians are divided over, with some preferring the liberty to negotiate new deals with countries around the world. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Associated Press on Monday named Lisa Mascaro as chief congressional correspondent, a senior reporting role leading AP's coverage of Capitol Hill. The appointment was announced by Julie Pace, AP's Washington bureau chief. "Lisa is a tireless reporter and a graceful writer who brings years of experience covering Congress to her new role," Pace said. "I'm excited for her to join our talented team covering Capitol Hill." The Associated Press on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, named Lisa Mascaro as chief congressional correspondent, a senior reporting role leading AP's coverage of Capitol Hill. (Los Angeles Times via AP) Mascaro joins the AP from the Los Angeles Times, where she has covered Congress since 2010. She's also traveled the country covering congressional races and presidential politics. Mascaro previously served as Washington correspondent for the Las Vegas Sun and also worked at the Los Angeles Daily News. She is originally from the Los Angeles area and graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a degree in economics and political science. In her new role, Mascaro will lead a team of AP journalists covering all facets of Congress, including legislative maneuvering, elections and the relationship between party leaders and the White House. "Lisa, along with the other members of AP's Congress team, will provide readers key insights and analysis on one of the busiest and most important beats in Washington," Pace said. ___ Follow The Associated Press on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/ap ___ Online: http://www.ap.org LONDON (AP) - An alleged computer hacker from Britain won a court appeal Monday to block his extradition to the United States, where he faces charges in three states. The High Court in London ruled against allowing Lauri Love to be extradited, although judges said it would still be possible to prosecute him in England. Love, 32, has Asperger's syndrome and a depressive illness. His lawyers said it would be "unjust and oppressive" to send him to the U.S. to face trial. Lauri Love waves outside The Royal Courts of Justice in London, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. The ruling in Lauri Love's appeal against extradition to the United States, where he faced solitary confinement and a potential 99 year prison sentence, was ruled in his favour on Monday Feb. 5 at the Royal Courts of Justice.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) U.S. officials requested Love's extradition on cyber-hacking charges alleging he compromised government networks between October 2012 and October 2013 and stole data. The decision in his favor Monday was greeted with cheers in the courtroom. Love said outside the London courthouse he hopes his case spurs discussion about how people with mental health issues are handled by the justice system. "This decision is important for the appropriate administration of criminal justice and also for the humanitarian accommodation of people whose brains work differently," he said. He criticized prosecutors for suggesting his mental issues were fabricated, saying that only served to stigmatize people with similar problems. Love is alleged to have stolen large quantities of data from various American agencies, including the Department of Defense, the Federal Reserve and NASA, and the U.S. Army. He has been charged in three U.S. states: New Jersey, New York and Virginia. At a hearing in November, his legal team said there was a high risk Love would kill himself, if he were extradited. In their ruling, the High Court judges raised the possibility that Love could be prosecuted on home turf. Imprisonment and a trial in England wouldn't be "oppressive" and would pose much less of a suicide risk because he would be close to loved ones. The judges said the Crown Prosecution Service "must now bend its endeavors to his prosecution, with the assistance to be expected from the authorities in the United States, recognizing the gravity of the allegations in this case, and the harm done to the victims." Prosecutors haven't indicated whether charges will be brought against Love in Britain. Rebecca Niblock, an extradition expert at London law firm Kingsley Napley, said the High Court judgment sets a valuable precedent for future cases. "It is right for British courts to deal with individuals who are alleged to have committed crimes whilst in the U.K.," she said. Lauri Love speaks to the media as he leaves with parents Alexander Love, left, Sirkka-Liisa Love, second left, and girlfriend Sylvia Mann, right, from The Royal Courts of Justice in London, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. The ruling in Lauri Love's appeal against extradition to the United States, where he faced solitary confinement and a potential 99 year prison sentence, was ruled in his favour on Monday Feb. 5 at the Royal Courts of Justice. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Lauri Love smiles as he leaves with parents Alexander Love, left, Sirkka-Liisa Love, second left, and girlfriend Sylvia Mann, from The Royal Courts of Justice in London, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. The ruling in Lauri Love's appeal against extradition to the United States, where he faced solitary confinement and a potential 99 year prison sentence, was ruled in his favour on Monday Feb. 5 at the Royal Courts of Justice. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Lauri Love, who is accused of hacking into U.S. government computers, poses for the media outside The Royal Courts of Justice in London, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. The ruling in Lauri Love's appeal against extradition to the United States, where he faces solitary confinement and a potential 99 year prison sentence, will be handed down on Monday Feb. 5 at the Royal Courts of Justice. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Lauri Love waves to supporters outside The Royal Courts of Justice in London, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. The ruling in Lauri Love's appeal against extradition to the United States, where he faces solitary confinement and a potential 99 year prison sentence, will be handed down on Monday Feb. 5 at the Royal Courts of Justice. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) PARIS (AP) - After the floods, now the cold. France's national weather agency Meteo France said Monday about half the country is on alert for dangerous levels of snow and ice. The area includes 45 departments from the Atlantic coast to the German border, and from Paris down toward southern France. Urging people to limit their movement, Meteo France is also maintaining its orange alert - the second-highest warning level - for floods along the Seine River basin. Floodwaters peaked in Paris last week but the decrease in flood level has been very slow. Meanwhile, the French Alps and Pyrenees are under a lower-level alert for avalanches. The weather agency says the snow episode in lower-lying France is not exceptional but serious enough to make roads dangerous. Sporadic snow forecast throughout the week. DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) - Swiss President Alain Berset says the return of Rohingya Muslims who have fled violence in Myanmar must be voluntary. Berset, who is on a four-day visit to Bangladesh, said after meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday that the situation of Rohingya in Bangladesh refugee camps is of great concern. Berset pledged to provide an additional 12 million francs ($12.9 million) for Rohingya this year. He is expected to visit Rohingya refugee camps on Tuesday. More than 680,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from Buddhist-majority Myanmar since the military launched a crackdown in August. In November, Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed to gradually repatriate them. The returns were scheduled to begin in January, but were delayed by incomplete preparations and concerns that the Rohingya were being forced back. LONDON (AP) - British officials reacted angrily Monday to President Donald Trump's stark criticism of the U.K. health care system, which he said was breaking down. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he is proud of the National Health Service and rejected Trump's claim that it's collapsing. The "NHS may have challenges but I'm proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage - where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance," he said. FIlE - In this Jan. 30, 2018 file photo, President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington. It's beginning to look like Congress' election-year battle over immigration could end up in stalemate or a narrowly focused bill. The kind of broader measure that Trump has proposed is running into trouble. The reasons: Deep gaps between the two parties, internal divisions particularly among Republicans and political incentives that might leave each side content with a minimal compromise or even nothing at all.(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn called Trump's comments "wrong" and said Britons love the NHS. The latest dispute between Trump and Britain started when Trump criticized Democrats and the British approach to health care in a single tweet. "The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working," he tweeted Monday. "Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks!" His comments followed a march in London on Saturday that drew thousands of people demanding more government funding for Britain's NHS, which has been badly overstretched this winter, in part because of a rise in severe flu cases. Emergency rooms have at times been overwhelmed, causing long waits. The march was organized by the People's Assembly and Health Campaigns Together group, which on Monday condemned Trump's comments. "We don't agree with your divisive and incorrect rhetoric. No thanks," the group said in a statement. It said the marchers wanted to show their support for the principle of universal, comprehensive medical care that is free to the user and paid for through general taxation. Trump has sought to repeal the health care law of his predecessor, Barack Obama. Congress repealed the unpopular requirement that most Americans carry insurance or risk a tax penalty. That takes effect next year. But other major parts of the overhaul remain in place. Trump's relationship with Britain has been strained by his retweeting of videos by the far-right group Britain First and disagreements over his policies on climate change, immigration and other matters. Nonetheless, officials in both countries are working on plans for him to visit Britain later this year. This week marks the 100th anniversary of womens suffrage in the UK. Just before the centenary, the Foundation for the Advancement of Liberty evaluated each nations electoral system in its first-ever World Electoral Freedom Index. It found that four separate freedoms correlate with a nation having free and honest elections. The report analyzed 50 components of electoral laws, broken down into four categories: a nations political development, freedom to vote, ability to run for office, and the extent voters could hold elected officials accountable. Its findings are as follows: The 10 nations with the most electoral freedom: Ireland Iceland Switzerland Finland Australia Denmark Portugal Dominican Republic United Kingdom Lithuania The 10 nations with the least electoral freedom: United Arab Emirates North Korea Oman China South Sudan Eritrea Qatar Thailand Saudi Arabia Brunei In all, it ranks the electoral freedom in 104 of the 198 countries insufficient or lower. (The United States ranks a disappointing 44th place for its convoluted election system but in the top 10 for ease of voting, a feat so unrestricted the dead sometimes exercise it.) The existence of effective electoral freedom is of the essence for a governance systems credibility and legitimacy, wrote Roxana Nicula, the foundations chair. The ability to participate in a free election correlated with four other freedoms and had no relationship with another. What did NOT improve electoral freedom? Social libertinism: A more socially progressive regime did not necessarily coincide with electoral freedom. The organization compared electoral freedom with the results of its World Index of Moral Freedom, which measures how free citizens are from government constraints on moral issues like abortion, euthanasia, marijuana legalization, pornography, legalized prostitution, same-sex marriage, and limitations on transgender expression. Only Portugal coincides in the top ten of both indices, it reports. Ultimately, it found, there is no direct correlation between socially permissive policies and a free electorate. What mattered? Freedom of the press: The report found a high correlation between its rankings and those of the World Press Freedom Index, produced by Reporters Without Borders. Economic liberty: Overall, it may be said that countries with greater economic freedom tend to have a high level of electoral freedom, and vice-versa, the report says. The greatest coincidence is recorded at the bottom of the tables. North Korea and Eritrea coincide in one of the worst scores in both indices. The study is yet more evidence that economic liberty acts as a guarantor of other freedoms. Religious liberty: After reviewing the Pew Research Centers most recent study on religious restrictions, the report concluded, The countries in the first spots in electoral freedom tend to be among those who enjoy low or moderate state restrictions on religious freedom. However, the countries with a state religion or with a communist system in which the state religion is atheism coincide near the bottom of both indices. Culture: While the nations with the most electoral freedom also had a predominance of Christians, the report notes that many Christian nations rate poorly. Meanwhile nations with a Hindu (India), Jewish (Israel), and Buddhist (Japan) predominance score well. What made the difference, the report found, was the nations culture. Twelve of the thirty countries of the world with greater electoral freedom belong to the Anglo-Saxon cultural area, it stated. The legal tradition of origin affects electoral freedom to a considerable extent. Specifically, there seems to be a more favourable trend toward electoral freedom in the field of Anglo-Saxon law or Common Law, than in the areas of continental law, composite law (with elements of Common Law and continental law), or Islamic law (fiqh). Overall, the better positioned nations tend to be European ones that experienced the Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th centuries, either directly or indirectly, and were able to terminate the old regime of absolute monarchies, replacing them by parliamentary monarchies or republics, wrote Carlos Alberto Montaner, the foundations honorary president, in his foreword. The report notes how the West influenced the development of North and Latin American nations and the Japanese and South Korean democracies in the postwar era. Among the countries with Islamic majorities, only three European ones have a good performance in terms of electoral freedom, it notes (Kosovo, Albania, and Bosnia). Among those electors and elected with less freedom, wrote Montaner, the Islamic religion predominates. Even worse is the spot, overall, of non-European countries that were part of the Soviet bloc, the report said, including Vietnam and Laos. Western culture, springing from a Christian root, flowered through a specific historical and philosophical process to produce the worlds most robust respect for individual conscience, freedom of association, and freedom of expression. The reports conclusion calls to mind the words of Montesquieu, the Enlightenment philosopher whose theory of the separation of powers so influenced Americas Founding Fathers: The Christian religion is a stranger to mere despotic power. The mildness so frequently recommended in the Gospel, is incompatible with the despotic rage with which a prince punishes his subjects, and exercises himself in cruelty. [Its princes] are more disposed to be directed by laws, and more capable of perceiving that they cannot do whatever they please. While the Mahometan princes incessantly give or receive death, the religion of the Christians render their princes less timid, and consequently less cruel. The prince confides in his subjects, and the subjects in the prince. How admirable the religion, which, while it only seems to have in view the felicity of the other life, continues the happiness of this [life]! (The Spirit of the Laws, Book 24, ch. 3) We owe to Christianity, he concluded, benefits which human nature can never sufficiently acknowledge. The interlaced freedoms documented in these reports underscore the value of the Western, Judeo-Christian cultural inheritance. (Photo credit: Public domain.) WASHINGTON (AP) - The House intelligence committee's probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election spun further into charges and counter-charges among angry U.S. lawmakers and President Donald Trump Monday as the panel voted to release a second classified memo about whether the FBI and Justice Department conspired against him. This memo was written by Democrats on the panel who are pushing back against a GOP document, declassified by Trump last week, that criticizes the methods the FBI used to obtain a surveillance warrant on a onetime Trump campaign associate. The Democratic document attempts to counter some of the arguments and evidence put forward by the Republicans. The battle of classified memos has further deepened the partisan divide on the committee, which is supposed to be jointly investigating the Russian meddling and possible connections between Russia and the Trump presidential campaign. It also takes attention from the separate investigations by special counsel Robert Mueller and the Senate intelligence committee. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., ranking member of the House Committee on Intelligence, speaks during a media availability after a closed-door meeting of the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Trump said over the weekend that the GOP memo "totally vindicates" him. Both Republicans and Democrats disputed that, and Democrats also bemoaned the release of formerly classified information and the possibility the precedent could compromise future investigations. After the House committee's Monday evening vote, which was unanimous, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the panel's top Democrat, said he believed the Democratic document would "help inform the public of the many distortions and inaccuracies in the majority memo." But he also said he was concerned about "political redactions" the White House might make before its release. The president now has five days to decide whether to allow the material's publication. Schiff said he would compare any deletions the FBI and the Department of Justice might request with any White House edits to try to identify any attempts to withhold information for political purposes. Texas Republican Rep. Mike Conaway, a leader of the panel's Russia probe, said after the vote that parts of the document should not be released. "There are things in the memo that I would be uncomfortable with if the White House did not redact," he said. Tensions between Trump and the Democrats were high before the vote, as the president and Schiff traded insults on Twitter Monday morning - less than a week after Trump called for more bipartisanship in his State of the Union address. Trump tweeted that Schiff is "one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington" and "must be stopped." Schiff quickly shot back: "Instead of tweeting false smears, the American people would appreciate it if you turned off the TV and helped solve the funding crisis, protected Dreamers or ... really anything else." White House spokesman Raj Shah said merely that consideration of a release would "allow for a legal review, national security review led by the White House counsel's office." As a second week of memo-watching commenced, the committee was also prepared to interview Steve Bannon, Trump's former chief strategist, as part of the Russia probe. But that meeting was put off, according to two people familiar with the committee's schedule. They declined to be named because the schedule is private. It was unclear if the House would hold Bannon in contempt. He has been subpoenaed and has now delayed answering the panel's questions three times as the committee negotiates with his lawyer and the White House over the terms of his interview. At issue is whether the White House will allow him to answer questions about his time in the Trump administration. As the committee continues to negotiate Bannon's interview, Democrats have been raising questions about whether the committee chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes of California, coordinated with the White House in drafting the GOP memo. After the document's release last week, the president quickly seized on it to vent his grievances against the nation's premier law enforcement agencies. "The goal here is to undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI, discredit the Mueller investigation, do the president's bidding," Schiff said. "I think it's very possible his staff worked with the White House," Schiff added, referring to Nunes. Nunes was asked during a Jan. 29 committee meeting whether he had coordinated the memo with the White House. "As far as I know, no," he responded, then refused to answer when asked whether his congressional staff members had communicated with the White House. He had previously apologized for sharing with the White House secret intelligence intercepts related to an investigation of Russian election interference before talking to committee members. Trump praised Nunes in a separate tweet Monday, calling him "a man of tremendous courage and grit, may someday be recognized as a Great American Hero for what he has exposed and what he has had to endure!" The Republican memo released last Friday alleges misconduct on the part of the FBI and the Justice Department in obtaining a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to monitor former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page. Specifically, the memo takes aim at the FBI's use of information from former British spy Christopher Steele, who compiled a dossier containing allegations of ties between Trump, his associates and Russia. The underlying materials that served as the basis for the warrant application were not made public. Even as Democrats described that memo as inaccurate, some Republicans quickly cited it - released over the objections of the FBI and Justice Department - in their arguments that the FBI investigation that Mueller inherited is politically tainted. Still, some Republicans, including Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina and House Speaker Paul Ryan have said the memo should not be used to undermine Mueller's probe. The GOP memo's central allegation is that agents and prosecutors, in applying in October 2016 to monitor Page's communications, failed to tell a judge that Steele's opposition research was funded in part by Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Page had stopped advising the campaign sometime around the end of that summer. Steele's research, according to the memo, "formed an essential part" of the warrant application. But it's unclear how much or what information Steele collected made it into the application, or how much has been corroborated. ___ Associated Press writer Catherine Lucey contributed to this report. President Donald Trump waves as he participates in a tour of Sheffer Corporation to promote his tax policy, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump boards Air Force One, Friday, Feb. 2, 2018, in Andrews Air Force Base, Md., en route to Palm Beach International Airport, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) A intelligence memo is photographed in Washington, Friday, Feb. 2, 2018. After President Donald Trump declassified the memo, the Republican-led House Intelligence Committee released the memo based on classified information that alleges the FBI abused U.S. government surveillance powers in its investigation into Russian election interference.(AP Photo/Susan Walsh) President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive on Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport, in West Palm Beach, Fla., Friday, Feb. 2, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) - Gunmen opened fire on two Chinese nationals in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Monday, killing one and wounding the other, police said. Senior police officer Azad Khan said the two employees of a shipping firm were targeted in an upscale neighborhood while out shopping for groceries. The perpetrators fired nine shots before fleeing in a car, Khan said. He said one victim was shot twice in the head and died at a hospital while the other was shot in the leg. It was not clear what motivated the attack. China has invested heavily in transport projects in Pakistan as the two countries have strengthened ties in recent years. STOCKHOLM (AP) - In search of a new and different vacation spot, with great food and cultural delights? Look no further. A theater in Stockholm is playing host to a Klingon delegation seeking to promote tourism to Qo'nos (pronounced "Kronos"), the home planet of the ruthless yet honorable race of warriors from the cult TV franchise "Star Trek." The event shows off the best of the race's culture, including opera, martial arts and culinary delights such as Gagh - a delicacy of well-seasoned live worms - and blood wine. In this photo taken in Stockholm on Saturday, Feb. 3 2018, 'Klingon ambassadors' hold a presentation of Klingon culture. A theater in Stockholm is playing host to a Klingon delegation seeking to promote tourism to Qo'nos (pronounced "Kronos"), the home planet of the ruthless yet honorable race of warriors from the cult TV franchise "Star Trek." (AP Photo/David Keyton) Along with a stage presentation - offered four times a week in English and Klingon - the lobby of the Turteatern has displays offering vacation packages to Qo'nos, extolling the merits of Klingon culinary tours ("the best kept secret of the Beta Quadrant"), and seeking to attract students to courses at the military academy ("find your inner warrior in outer space"). Star Trek fans were out in force on Saturday for the show's premiere, eager for first contact with Klingons. "I think it was a really good show," said Urban Andersson, chairman of the Stockholm Trekkers association, dressed in his Star Fleet uniform. Many fans were relieved to see that the visitors from Qo'nos resembled the Klingons from the 1990s "Star Trek: The Next Generation," rather than from "Star Trek: Discovery," the latest instalment produced by CBS. "They are exactly the way I expected them to be," said Snoret Linden, dressed as a Star Fleet 'Trill,' a humanoid species from the planet Trill. It was a point stressed by the Klingons themselves, who had a message for Quentin Tarantino, director of the upcoming "Star Trek" movie. "We have seen Discovery. We do not approve of this malicious portrayal of Klingons," said Ambassador Ban'Shee of the House of Duras. "Treat our race honorably in your upcoming picture and we will let you lick our feet. Fail, and pray for mercy." The show runs until the end of March. In this photo taken in Stockholm on Saturday, Feb. 3 2018, a man in a Star Fleet uniform distributes tickets to a presentation of Klingon culture. A theater in Stockholm is playing host to a Klingon delegation seeking to promote tourism to Qo'nos (pronounced "Kronos"), the home planet of the ruthless yet honorable race of warriors from the cult TV franchise "Star Trek." (AP Photo/David Keyton) In this photo taken in Stockholm on Saturday, Feb. 3 2018, Star Trek fan Eva Friberg poses for a photo next to a poster seeking to attract students to courses at the military academy on the Klingon home world ("find your inner warrior in outer space"). A theater in Stockholm is playing host to a Klingon delegation seeking to promote tourism to Qo'nos (pronounced "Kronos"), the home planet of the ruthless yet honorable race of warriors from the cult TV franchise "Star Trek." (AP Photo/David Keyton) LONDON (AP) - British actor Hugh Grant has settled his phone-hacking damages claim against Mirror Group Newspapers. Grant was at the High Court on Monday when the details of the settlement were provided at a hearing. Grant said the newspaper group had engaged in "industrial scale" phone hacking. "This newspaper group has misled the public and its shareholders for many years; and it has let down its readers and its hard-working journalists," Grant said outside the court. Settlement details weren't made public. British media said the payment involved a six-figure sum which the actor donated to the anti-hacking activist group Hacked Off. Grant's claim involved the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People newspapers. He has for a number of years spoken out against intrusive and sometimes illegal British press activities. QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) - Police in Pakistan say a roadside bomb has killed one person and wounded seven others in the country's southwest. Police officer Afzal Buledi says the bomb was planted near a garbage bin at a crowded intersection in the town of Panjgur and detonated remotely on Monday. He says eight passers-by were wounded and one later died. Two were in critical condition. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Baluch separatists and Islamic militants have carried out previous attacks in the region. MEXICO CITY (AP) - It was an archaeological adventure: a 12-day family trip to Mayan and Aztec pyramid cities, from Mexico City to the Yucatan jungle. Our timeline spanned from the ancient city of Teotihuacan, founded before the birth of Christ, to sites like Chichen Itza, Tulum and Templo Mayor, built in the centuries before the Spanish conquest of the early 1500s. Dozens of these sites dot Mexico. But we didn't want to go completely Indiana Jones. We looked for variety and ease of access. To get the most out of our visits, we hired English-speaking guides at every stop. In this July 22, 2016 photo, tourists are dwarfed by El Castillo at the Chichen-Itza ruins in Yucatan, Mexico. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) TEMPLO MAYOR AND TEOTIHUACAN We started in Mexico City. Visiting Templo Mayor, just off the Zocalo or main square, we had the site almost entirely to ourselves on a weekday morning. It's the newest of the pyramids we saw, but in worst shape, having been destroyed and built over by the Spanish 500 years ago. Visually it's not even a pyramid, but a below street-level ruin of seven multi-layered pyramid foundations. Electricians working in a basement discovered it in 1978 when a floor collapsed, revealing a round stone depicting Aztec goddess Coyolxauhqui. That piece and thousands more are displayed in a museum overlooking the ongoing excavation. The excavation site displays stone-carved snakes and a few other sculptures, their faded colors giving just an inkling of Aztec Technicolor grandeur. More impressive visually was Teotihuacan, an hour outside Mexico City. Teotihuacan, which predated the Aztecs, was established in the second century B.C. in the Mesoamerica era and lasted almost 1,000 years. Lurching skyward and seen for miles around, two giant pyramids anchor the once-thriving city where 100,000 to 200,000 people lived in more than 2,000 buildings. The Pyramid of the Sun is 213 feet tall (65 meters) and is connected by the Avenue of the Dead to the smaller Pyramid of the Moon. The place is an archaeological bonanza, with digs and research ongoing. Unlike many other pyramids, you can climb to the top of both Teotihuacan behemoths. But it's not easy. The shorter ascent up the moon pyramid is steeper and more treacherous than the climb up the sun pyramid, which teems with tourists, but is easier to navigate. The payoff for both climbs: incredible vistas. Near one entrance inside a cavern is La Gruta restaurant. TULUM From Mexico City we flew to the Yucatan. Avoiding the tourist mecca of Cancun, we stayed in an Airbnb in Playacar, a gated community south of Playa Del Carmen, and rented a car. The roads we took were in great shape, including a new four-lane highway from Cancun to Merida (be warned, there are few offramps) on the route to Chichen Itza, and a new two-lane road from Chichen Itza to Tulum. Area maps are full of pyramid sites but we kept it simple, stopping first to see the beautiful, breathtaking seaside ruins of Tulum in Quintana Roo. Situated on an expansive bluff overlooking the ocean, the old city was a fishing, trade and religious center. Several thousand Mayans lived here from the year 975 until the Spanish arrival. Today giant iguanas sun themselves on the stone floors and the collapsed walls of decaying buildings that once housed priests, the wealthy and scientists. The main pyramid, El Castillo (the castle), occupies the best cliff in Tulum but is off limits to pedestrians. Tourist meander elsewhere. A crowded beach sits below the ruins. CHICHEN ITZA From Tulum, we drove three hours across the Yucatan jungles to Chichen Itza, a Mayan city that thrived for centuries before the Spanish conquest, when it was abandoned. It virtually disappeared into the jungle, known to just a few locals, until the 19th century. Now it's the most developed of all the pyramid attractions, with 2 million visitors annually. There's ample parking so ignore the hand-waving vendors en route to the park. You'll know when you've arrived. The pyramid shoots skyward from the jungle floor and is in wonderful condition. Adjacent to the main pyramid is a ball court where a sport was played, something like soccer meets basketball, complete with post-game sacrifice. Surrounding temples include Temple of the Warriors, El Caracol observatory and smaller buildings. Many are off limits to prevent vandalism and graffiti. Several spots have amazing acoustics. Clap at the foot of Chichen Itza's main pyramid, also called El Castillo, and the sound reverberates back. At the ball court, el Juego de Pelota, whispers and claps will echo all over. Hearing those noises bouncing off the wall was said to be part of the sport's appeal. The stone carvings and statues are enthralling, despite their violent depictions of severed heads and spurting blood. Other sites to consider visiting include the ruins at Coba, located between Valladolid and Tulum over several miles of thick jungle and best navigated with a guide; the caves at Grutas de Loltun in the Ruta Puuc region, 70 miles (113 km) from Merida, where the Mayans performed religious ceremonies; the pyramids at Monte Alban in Oaxaca and a round pyramid, Cuicuilco, in Mexico City. Our archaeological adventure took us time-traveling across the centuries. But most of all, it filled us with wonder to behold the mysteries and monuments of these vanished civilizations. ___ If You Go... PRICES, TOURS AND GETTING AROUND: Admission fees range from $3.50 at Tulum to $13.50 at Chichen Itza. English-speaking tour guides can be hired at various sites for $35-$50 for a couple of hours. You'll pay more for customized, longer tours and private transportation. Tour companies like Gray Line charge $40-$50 round-trip from Mexico City's hotel district to Teotihuacan, including an English-speaking guide. Buses from the city's main northern terminal to Teotihuacan cost about $5; Uber is about $45 one way. Options for getting to Templo Mayor in downtown Mexico City include the double-decker Turibus, with a $10-a-day hop-on, hop-off pass. In this July 27, 2016 photo, with archaeology work going on in the background, tourists descend the Pyramid of the Moon at the ruins of Teotihuacan in Teotihuacan, Mexico. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) In this July 21, 2016 photo, an iguana suns itself on carved building stones in the ancient city ruins of Tulum in Tulum, Mexico. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) In this July 28, 2016 photo, a tour guide is silhouetted in front of skull sculptures at the Templo Mayor Museum in Mexico City. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) In this July 21, 2016 photo, a tour guide walks the tunnel through the wall protecting the ancient city ruins of Tulum in Tulum, Mexico. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) In this July 22, 2016 photo, tourists are dwarfed by El Castillo at the Chichen-Itza ruins in Yucatan, Mexico. The right portion of the pyramid shows the restored pyramid, while the left portion of the pyramid is left unrestored. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) In this July 28, 2016 photo,tourists read an information plaque among the pyramid ruins at Templo Mayor in Mexico City. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) In this July 27, 2016 photo,tourists climb the Pyramid of the Moon at the ruins of Teotihuacan in Teotihuacan, Mexico. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) In this July 27, 2016 photo, tourists walk and pose for pictures on the Avenue of The Dead as the Pyramid of The Moon looms in the background at the ruins of Teotihuacan in Teotihuacan, Mexico. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) In this July 28, 2016 photo, a tour guide explains the ruins site at Templo Mayor in Mexico City. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) In this July 28, 2016 photo, the vast Templo Mayor pyramid complex ruins sit in the middle of the the bustling metropolis in Mexico City. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Stone-carved jaguars flank a staircase at the Chichen-Itza ruins Friday, July 22, 2016, in Yucatan, Mexico. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) In this July 27, 2016 photo,tourists flock to the ancient Pyramid of the Sun at the ruins of Teotihuacan in Teotihuacan, Mexico. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) JERUSALEM (AP) - A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli man to death at a bus stop near a West Bank settlement on Monday before fleeing the scene, Israeli officials said. The military said an army officer chased the assailant after the stabbing at a bus stop near the entrance to Ariel, hitting the attacker with his vehicle, but the attacker managed to get away. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the Israeli man died from the stabbing wounds shortly thereafter. Israeli media identified the stabbing victim as Itamar Ben Gal, a 29-year-old father of four. Channel 2 News aired footage from the scene showing the attacker crossing a busy road and then lunging at the man, taking him by surprise. Israeli soldiers search for Palestinian attacker in the village of Kifl Haris near Ariel settlement, Monday, Feb 5, 2018. A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli man to death at a bus stop near Ariel settlement on Monday before fleeing the scene, police said. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered his condolences and said security forces are "currently chasing the murderers." Last month, an Israeli was killed in a drive-by shooting near a settlement outpost in the West Bank. Palestinians seek the West Bank, which Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war, as part of their future state. Most of the international community views Israeli settlements there as illegal and an obstacle to peace. Israel says the fate of settlements must be resolved through negotiations. There has been a spike in Palestinian violence since President Donald Trump's Dec. 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The move sparked outrage across the Muslim world, where it was seen as the U.S. taking Israel's side on the most contentious issue of the decades-old conflict. Palestinian demonstrators have clashed with Israeli troops in the West Bank and along the Gaza-Israeli border, and 19 Palestinians have been killed in the violence since Trump's announcement. Israeli soldiers search for Palestinian attacker in the village of Kifl Haris near Ariel settlement, Monday, Feb 5, 2018. A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli man to death at a bus stop near Ariel settlement on Monday before fleeing the scene, police said. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Israeli soldiers search for Palestinian attacker in the village of Kifl Haris near Ariel settlement, Monday, Feb 5, 2018. A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli man to death at a bus stop near Ariel settlement on Monday before fleeing the scene, police said. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) VATICAN CITY (AP) - The letter was graphic not just in describing how the priest kissed and fondled the boy, but also in how other priests who saw the abuse tried to hush it up. Pope Francis said recently that none of the victims had come forward to denounce the cover-up, so the news that the letter was hand-delivered to Francis in 2015 is adding fuel to one of the biggest scandals of his five-year papacy. The Associated Press obtained the eight-page letter, written in Francis' native Spanish, and was told by both the victim who wrote it and by members of the pope's sex-abuse commission that Francis' top adviser assured them he gave it to the pope. The pope's trip to Chile last month was marred by protests over his vigorous defense of Bishop Juan Barros, who is accused by victims of witnessing and ignoring the abuse of young parishioners by the Rev. Fernando Karadima. During the trip, Francis callously dismissed accusations against Barros as "slander," seemingly unaware that victims had placed him at the scene of Karadima's crimes. Juan Carlos Cruz reads from his tablet during an interview with The Associated Press in Philadelphia, Sunday Feb. 4, 2017. Cruz says Pope Francis received a letter he wrote in 2015 detailing the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of a priest and efforts by the Chilean church to cover it up, contradicting the pope's recent insistence that no victims had come forward. (AP Photo/Yvonne Lee) On the plane home, confronted by an AP reporter, the pope said: "You, in all good will, tell me that there are victims, but I haven't seen any, because they haven't come forward." But members of the pope's Commission for the Protection of Minors say that in April 2015, they sent a delegation to Rome specifically to hand-deliver the letter from Juan Carlos Cruz because they were alarmed by Francis' recent appointment of Barros as a diocesan bishop. Cruz's account of the abuse he suffered at Karadima's hands had helped Vatican investigators decide to remove him from ministry and sentence him in 2011 to a lifetime of "penance and prayer." Barros was a Karadima protege, and according to Cruz and other victims, he witnessed the abuse and did nothing. "Holy Father, it's bad enough that we suffered such tremendous pain and anguish from the sexual and psychological abuse, but the terrible mistreatment we received from our pastors is almost worse," Cruz wrote the pope. On April 12, 2015, the members of the sex-abuse commission met with Francis' top adviser, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, explained their objections to Barros' appointment as bishop of Osorno, and gave him the letter to deliver to the pope. "He assured us he would give it to the pope and speak of the concerns," then-commission member Marie Collins told the AP. "And at a later date, he assured us that that had been done." Cruz, who now lives in Philadelphia, heard the same. "Cardinal O'Malley called me after the pope's visit here in Philadelphia and he told me, among other things, that he had given the letter to the pope - in his hands," he said in an interview at his home Sunday. Neither the Vatican nor O'Malley responded to multiple requests for comment. After Francis' comments backing Barros caused such an outcry in Chile, he was forced last week to do an about-face: The Vatican announced it was sending in its most respected sex-crimes investigator to take testimony about Barros from Cruz and others. In the letter to the pope, Cruz described how Karadima would kiss Barros and fondle his genitals, and do the same with younger priests and teens. "More difficult and tough was when we were in Karadima's room and Juan Barros - if he wasn't kissing Karadima - would watch when Karadima would touch us - the minors - and make us kiss him, saying: 'Put your mouth near mine and stick out your tongue.' He would stick his out and kiss us with his tongue," Cruz told the pope. "Juan Barros was a witness to all this innumerable times, not just with me but with others as well." Barros has repeatedly denied witnessing any abuse or covering it up. "I never knew anything about, nor ever imagined, the serious abuses which that priest committed against the victims," he told the AP recently. "I have never approved of nor participated in such serious, dishonest acts, and I have never been convicted by any tribunal of such things." But that's hardly the question Barros' opponents are asking - Barros was a young priest and had no authority over Karadima when the abuse was occurring. Instead, many question how a prelate who didn't recognize a priest's abuse of young boys can run a diocese where he is responsible for protecting children from pedophiles. ___ Vergara reported from Santiago, Chile. Yvonne Lee in Philadelphia and Jeffrey Schaeffer in Paris contributed. Marie Collins, a member of the pope's sex-abuse commission, hands a letter to Cardinal Sean O'Malley detailing the abuse of Juan Carlos Cruz and a cover-up by Chilean church authorities, at the Domus Santa Marta on April 12, 2015. Commission members and Cruz say O'Malley later confirmed he gave the letter to a Pope Francis, contradicting the pope's recent insistence that no victims had come forward. (Catherine Bonnet via AP) In this frame taken from video, Juan Carlos Cruz speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Philadelphia, Sunday Feb. 4, 2017. Cruz says Pope Francis received a letter he wrote in 2015 detailing the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of a priest and efforts by the Chilean church to cover it up, contradicting the pope's recent insistence that no victims had come forward. (AP Photo) BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) - Libya's U.N.-backed government in Tripoli has condemned attacks against hundreds of displaced black Libyans known as Tawergha who were still stranded in a camp on Monday after militiamen prevented them from returning home. In a statement late Sunday, it said it is still working to ensure that the hundreds of families taking refuge in a camp near the town of Bani Walid can return to their home city, also known as Tawergha. Witnesses reported that the Tawergha, who were due to return on Feb. 1 under an agreement with the neighboring city of Misrata, were barred from entry by militias who fired in the air and even shot up some cars. "Yesterday evening, an armed group attacked the camp and drove the families back while shooting in the air, robbing cars and an ambulance," said Naser Alwafi, a Tawergha resident and eyewitness. "When some of Tawergha youth tried to stop them, the militias targeted them directly, injuring many and damaging some of the cars." Misrata militiamen blame the Tawergha for siding with Libya's longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi during the 2011 uprising that overthrew and killed him. The Tawergha have been living in camps and makeshift housing across Libya since then, facing threats and extortion. Libya was plunged into chaos after the uprising, and today is split between two governments, each of which relies on myriad militias. In December, the Tripoli government said Tawergha families would be able to return to their hometown in February following a reconciliation deal. The U.N. has called for the deal to be implemented. Tawergha was used as a staging ground for attacks on Misrata during the uprising. Anti-Gadhafi militias, mainly from Misrata, later drove out its residents, believing they had aided Gadhafi's forces. The town has been largely deserted since then. Human Rights Watch estimates that about 40,000 have been displaced from the town. On Wednesday, the municipal council of Misrata called on the Tripoli government to postpone its decision to allow Tawergha residents to return, saying escalations by unnamed parties had disrupted security arrangements. The government said it was looking into the issue and urged parties to the agreement to coordinate with the relevant authorities to ensure the safe return of Tawergha's residents. BERLIN (AP) - A family of four has been found dead in southwestern Germany, and police say their house had elevated carbon monoxide levels. Police in Esslingen, near Stuttgart, were alerted on Monday by a relative who got no response when he rang and knocked on the door, and then saw two people lying on the floor through a window. Fire officers found the bodies of a man and woman, both 29, their 3-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son inside. Rescue workers stand outside a house in Esslingen near Stuttgart, southern Germany, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018 after four people were found dead there along with indications of elevated carbon monoxide levels in the building. (Sven Kohls/SDMG/dpa via AP) Esslingen police say the high carbon monoxide levels in the house indicate poisoning from the gas likely killed the family. They say the deaths are being investigated as accidental. When asked to think about how new inventions might shape the future, says economist Tim Hartford, our imaginations tend to leap to technologies that are sophisticated beyond comprehension. But the reality is that most influential new technologies are often humble and cheap and new inventions do not appear in isolation: To understand how humble, cheap inventions have shaped todays world, picture a Bible specifically, a Gutenberg Bible from the 1450s. The dense black Latin script, packed into twin blocks, makes every page a thing of beauty to rival the calligraphy of the monks. Except, of course, these pages were printed using the revolutionary movable type printing press. Gutenberg developed durable metal type that could be fixed firmly to print hundreds of copies of a page, then reused to print something entirely different. The Gutenberg press is almost universally considered to be one of humanitys defining inventions. It gave us the Reformation, the spread of science, and mass culture from the novel to the newspaper. But it would have been a Rachael an isolated technological miracle, admirable for its ingenuity but leaving barely a ripple on the wider world had it not been for a cheap and humble invention that is far more easily and often overlooked: paper. The printing press didnt require paper for technical reasons, but for economic ones. Gutenberg also printed a few copies of his Bible on parchment, the animal-skin product that had long served the needs of European scribes. But parchment was expensive 250 sheep were required for a single book. When hardly anyone could read or write, that had not much mattered. Paper had been invented 1,500 years earlier in China and long used in the Arabic world, where literacy was common. Yet it had taken centuries to spread to Christian Europe, because illiterate Europe no more needed a cheap writing surface than it needed a cheap metal to make crowns and sceptres. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Former Orlando police officer Gerry Realin isn't the same since he spent five hours in the Pulse nightclub among the bodies of those killed in what was then the nation's deadliest mass shooting. He's been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and sometimes still thinks he smells the dead bodies that lay in the hot club as police processed the crime scene. The once fun, mischievous practical joker now is a recluse. He rarely goes out, and when he does, it's to paddleboard alone to enjoy nature or to spend time at a park with his wife and children. He avoids crowds. "My husband isn't the same person he was before June 12, 2016," said his wife Jessica Realin. "I get very rare glimpses of who he was. I'm mourning the loss of who he was then, and I'm falling in love with the person he is now." In a Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018 photo, Leslie Dangerfield, left, whose husband was a firefighter who took his own life, and Jessica Realin, whose husband is now disabled after PTSD brought on by the Pulse nightclub massacre, leave the Florida Capitol after testifying for a bill that would extend workers compensation benefits to first responders who suffer from PTSD, in Tallahassee, Florida. (AP Photo/Brendan Farrington) She's convinced if he was given treatment for his PTSD immediately, he'd be in a much better place. But his insurance company said the psychological treatment he needed was a workers' compensation issue, and the city said workers' compensation doesn't cover PTSD - only physical injuries. So now she's pushing Florida lawmakers to pass a bill that would expand workers' compensation benefits for first responders who suffer from PTSD. "I think we would be having a different conversation," Realin said. "Early detection and early treatment can make a big difference when you're dealing with something that has to do with the brain." The House sponsor of the bill is Democratic Rep. Matt Willhite, whose fulltime job is serving as a captain at Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. The bill also would require pre-employment screening of first responders for PTSD and training on mental health awareness, prevention, treatment and mitigation. It's not just events like the Pulse massacre that can trigger PTSD, and it doesn't just affect police officers. Lawmakers have heard stories from the spouses and relatives of firefighters who have taken their own lives after repeatedly witnessing horrific scenes as the first to respond to an emergency. Willhite knows firsthand how firefighters and paramedics are subject to traumatic scenes that often are never publicized. "A lot of things don't make the newspaper. The first week in January I ran a call on a mother who called because her 5-week-old was not breathing. I held that baby in my hands," he said. "I had to stand in the emergency room where the doctor told the mother that they could do no more. To see my crew visibly shaken up by that, the press never heard about that. That's just a daily thing that happens in the life of first responders." Willhite said that the constant exposure to bad events takes a toll, especially in a profession where many have the attitude that they just have to suck up the pain. "It's inherently in our nature where we want to help and take care of people, and if we can't we have a feeling of failure," he said. "We take these issues and we're supposed to bottle them up inside and never talk about them and think about them and think that they'll never bother us." That was the case with David Dangerfield, who took his own life after leaving a warning for other firefighters about the dangers of PTSD. His wife Leslie has been urging lawmakers to pass the bill by telling the story about how the man she loved changed after 27 years of seeing death firsthand, including having to carry the body of a teenager out of the ocean after he'd been decapitated by a shark. Through tears, Dangerfield read lawmakers his last Facebook post, which he wrote just before taking his life. "PTSD for firefighters is real. If your loved one is experiencing signs, get them help quickly. Twenty-seven years of deaths and babies dying in your hands is a memory that you will never get rid of. It haunted me daily until now," she read. "One day you or a loved one will need a first responder. They are always there to take care of you. Who is willing take care of them?" In a Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018 photo, Leslie Dangerfield, left, whose husband was a firefighter who took his own life, and Jessica Realin, whose husband is now disabled after PTSD brought on by the Pulse nightclub massacre, leave the Florida Capitol after testifying for a bill that would extend workers compensation benefits to first responders who suffer from PTSD, in Tallahassee, Florida. (AP Photo/Brendan Farrington) VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis received a victim's letter in 2015 that graphically detailed how a priest sexually abused him and how other Chilean clergy ignored it, contradicting the pope's recent insistence that no victims had come forward to denounce the cover-up, the letter's author and members of Francis' own sex- abuse commission have told The Associated Press. The fact that Francis received the eight-page letter, obtained by the AP, challenges his insistence that he has "zero tolerance" for sex abuse and cover-ups. It also calls into question his stated empathy with abuse survivors, compounding the most serious crisis of his five-year papacy. The scandal exploded last month when Francis' trip to South America was marred by protests over his vigorous defense of Bishop Juan Barros, who is accused by victims of witnessing and ignoring the abuse by the Rev. Fernando Karadima. During the trip, Francis callously dismissed accusations against Barros as "slander," seemingly unaware that victims had placed Barros at the scene of Karadima's crimes. Marie Collins, a member of the pope's sex-abuse commission, hands a letter to Cardinal Sean O'Malley detailing the abuse of Juan Carlos Cruz and a cover-up by Chilean church authorities, at the Domus Santa Marta on April 12, 2015. Commission members and Cruz say O'Malley later confirmed he gave the letter to a Pope Francis, contradicting the pope's recent insistence that no victims had come forward. (Catherine Bonnet via AP) On the plane home, confronted by an AP reporter, the pope said: "You, in all good will, tell me that there are victims, but I haven't seen any, because they haven't come forward." But members of the pope's Commission for the Protection of Minors say that in April 2015, they sent a delegation to Rome specifically to hand-deliver a letter to the pope about Barros. The letter from Juan Carlos Cruz detailed the abuse, kissing and fondling he says he suffered at Karadima's hands, which he said Barros and others saw but did nothing to stop. Four members of the commission met with Francis' top abuse adviser, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, explained their concerns about Francis' recent appointment of Barros as a bishop in southern Chile, and gave him the letter to deliver to Francis. "When we gave him (O'Malley) the letter for the pope, he assured us he would give it to the pope and speak of the concerns," then-commission member Marie Collins told the AP. "And at a later date, he assured us that that had been done." Cruz, who now lives and works in Philadelphia, heard the same later that year. "Cardinal O'Malley called me after the pope's visit here in Philadelphia and he told me, among other things, that he had given the letter to the pope - in his hands," he said in an interview at his home Sunday. Neither the Vatican nor O'Malley responded to multiple requests for comment. While the 2015 summit of Francis' commission was known and publicized at the time, the contents of Cruz's letter - and a photograph of Collins handing it to O'Malley - were not disclosed by members. Cruz provided the letter, and Collins provided the photo, after reading an AP story that reported Francis had claimed to have never heard from any Karadima victims about Barros' behavior. The revelation could be costly for Francis, whose track record on the abuse crisis was already shaky, after a botched Italian abuse case he intervened in became public, and more recently after he let the abuse commission lapse at the end of last year. Vatican analysts now openly question whether he "gets it," and some of his own advisers privately acknowledge that maybe he doesn't. The Barros affair first caused shockwaves in January 2015 when Francis appointed him bishop of Osorno, Chile, over the objections of the leadership of Chile's bishops' conference and many local priests and laity. They accepted as credible the testimony against Karadima, a prominent Chilean cleric who was sanctioned by the Vatican in 2011 for abusing minors. Barros was a Karadima protege, and according to Cruz and other victims, he witnessed the abuse and did nothing. "Holy Father, I write you this letter because I'm tired of fighting, of crying and suffering," Cruz wrote in Francis' native Spanish. "Our story is well known and there's no need to repeat it, except to tell you of the horror of having lived this abuse and how I wanted to kill myself." Cruz and other survivors had for years denounced the cover-up of Karadima's crimes, but were dismissed by some in the Chilean church hierarchy and the Vatican's own ambassador in Santiago, who refused their repeated requests to meet before and after Barros was appointed. After Francis' comments backing Barros caused such an outcry in Chile, he was forced last week to do an about-face: The Vatican announced it was sending in its most respected sex-crimes investigator to take testimony from Cruz and others about Barros. In the letter to the pope, Cruz begs for Francis to listen to him and make good on his pledge of "zero tolerance." "Holy Father, it's bad enough that we suffered such tremendous pain and anguish from the sexual and psychological abuse, but the terrible mistreatment we received from our pastors is almost worse," he wrote. Cruz goes on to detail in explicit terms the homo-eroticized nature of the circle of priests and young boys around Karadima, the charismatic preacher whose El Bosque community in the well-to-do Santiago neighborhood of Providencia produced dozens of priestly vocations and five bishops, including Barros. He described how Karadima would kiss Barros and fondle his genitals, and do the same with younger priests and teens, and how young priests and seminarians would fight to sit next to Karadima at the table to receive his affections. "More difficult and tough was when we were in Karadima's room and Juan Barros - if he wasn't kissing Karadima - would watch when Karadima would touch us - the minors - and make us kiss him, saying: 'Put your mouth near mine and stick out your tongue.' He would stick his out and kiss us with his tongue," Cruz told the pope. "Juan Barros was a witness to all this innumerable times, not just with me but with others as well." "Juan Barros covered up everything that I have told you," he added. Barros has repeatedly denied witnessing any abuse or covering it up. "I never knew anything about, nor ever imagined, the serious abuses which that priest committed against the victims," he told the AP recently. "I have never approved of nor participated in such serious, dishonest acts, and I have never been convicted by any tribunal of such things." For the Osorno faithful who have opposed Barros as their bishop, the issue isn't so much a legal matter requiring proof or evidence, as Barros was a young priest at the time and not in a position of authority over Karadima. It's more that if Barros didn't "see" what was happening around him and recognize it was problematic for a priest to kiss and fondle young boys, he shouldn't be in charge of a diocese where he is responsible for detecting inappropriate sexual behavior, reporting it to police and protecting children from pedophiles like his mentor. Cruz had arrived at Karadima's community in 1980 as a vulnerable teenager, distraught after the recent death of his father. He has said Karadima told him he would be like a spiritual father to him, but instead sexually abused him. Based on testimony from Cruz and other former members of the parish, the Vatican in 2011 removed Karadima from ministry and sentenced him to a lifetime of "penance and prayer" for his crimes. Now 87, he lives in a home for elderly priests in Santiago; he hasn't commented on the scandal and the home has declined to accept calls or visits from the news media. The victims also testified to Chilean prosecutors, who opened an investigation into Karadima after they went public with their accusations in 2010. Chilean prosecutors had to drop charges because too much time had passed, but the judge running the case stressed that it wasn't for lack of proof. While the victims' testimony was deemed credible by both Vatican and Chilean prosecutors, some in the local church hierarchy clearly didn't believe them, which might have influenced Francis' view. Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz has acknowledged he didn't believe the victims initially and shelved an investigation. He was forced to reopen it when the victims went public, and has since apologized. He is now one of the Argentine pope's key cardinal advisers. By the time he finally got his letter into the pope's hands in 2015, Cruz had already sent versions to many other people, and had tried for months to get an appointment with the Vatican ambassador to relay concerns about Barros' suitability for diocesan work. The embassy's Dec. 15, 2014, email to Cruz - a month before Barros was appointed - was short and to the point: "The apostolic nunciature has received the message you emailed Dec. 7 to the apostolic nuncio," it read, "and at the same time communicates that your request has been met with an unfavorable response." One could argue that Francis didn't pay attention to Cruz's letter, since he receives thousands of letters every day from faithful around the world. He can't possibly read them all, much less remember the contents years later. He might have been tired and confused after a weeklong trip to South America when he told an airborne press conference that victims never came forward to accuse Barros of cover-up. But this was not an ordinary letter, nor were the circumstances under which it arrived in the Vatican. Francis had named O'Malley, the archbishop of Boston, to head his Commission for the Protection of Minors based on his credibility in having helped clean up the mess in Boston after the U.S. sex abuse scandal exploded there in 2002. The commission gathered outside experts to advise the church on protecting children from pedophiles and educating church personnel about preventing abuse and cover-ups. The four commission members who were on a special subcommittee dedicated to survivors had flown to Rome specifically to speak with O'Malley about the Barros appointment and to deliver Cruz's letter. A press release issued after the April 12, 2015, meeting read: "Cardinal O'Malley agreed to present the concerns of the subcommittee to the Holy Father." Commission member Catherine Bonnet, a French child psychiatrist who took the photo of Collins handing the letter to O'Malley, said the commission members had decided to descend on Rome specifically when O'Malley and other members of the pope's group of nine cardinal advisers were meeting, so that O'Malley could put it directly into the pope's hands. "Cardinal O'Malley promised us when Marie gave to him the letter of Juan Carlos that he will give to Pope Francis," she said. O'Malley's spokesman in Boston referred requests for comment to the Vatican. Neither the Vatican press office, nor officials at the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, responded to calls and emails seeking comment. But O'Malley's remarkable response to Francis' defense of Barros and to his dismissal of the victims while he was in Chile, is perhaps now better understood. In a rare rebuke of a pope by a cardinal, O'Malley issued a statement Jan. 20 in which he said the pope's words were "a source of great pain for survivors of sexual abuse," and that such expressions had the effect of abandoning victims and relegating them to "discredited exile." A day later, Francis apologized for having demanded "proof" of wrongdoing by Barros, saying he meant merely that he wanted to see "evidence." But he continued to describe the accusations against Barros as "calumny" and insisted he had never heard from any victims. Even when told in his airborne press conference Jan. 21 that Karadima's victims had indeed placed Barros at the scene of Karadima's abuse, Francis said: "No one has come forward. They haven't provided any evidence for a judgment. This is all a bit vague. It's something that can't be accepted." He stood by Barros, saying: "I'm certain he's innocent," even while saying that he considered the testimony of victims to be "evidence" in a cover-up investigation. "If anyone can give me evidence, I'll be the first to listen," he said. Cruz said he felt like he had been slapped when he heard those words. "I was upset," he said, "and at the same time I couldn't believe that someone so high up like the pope himself could lie about this." ___ A previous version of this story corrected that the commission members' trip to Rome was paid for by the commission, not themselves. ___ Eva Vergara reported from Santiago, Chile. Yvonne Lee in Philadelphia and Jeffrey Schaeffer in Paris contributed to this report. Juan Carlos Cruz reads from his tablet during an interview with The Associated Press in Philadelphia, Sunday Feb. 4, 2017. Cruz says Pope Francis received a letter he wrote in 2015 detailing the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of a priest and efforts by the Chilean church to cover it up, contradicting the pope's recent insistence that no victims had come forward. (AP Photo/Yvonne Lee) Pope Francis stands in his private library at the Vatican, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Pope Francis received a victim's letter in 2015 that graphically detailed how a priest sexually abused him and how other Chilean clergy ignored it, contradicting the pope's recent insistence that no victims had come forward to denounce the cover-up, the letter's author and members of Francis' own sex- abuse commission have told The Associated Press. (Alessandro Di Meo/Pool photo via AP) In this frame taken from video, Juan Carlos Cruz speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Philadelphia, Sunday Feb. 4, 2017. Cruz says Pope Francis received a letter he wrote in 2015 detailing the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of a priest and efforts by the Chilean church to cover it up, contradicting the pope's recent insistence that no victims had come forward. (AP Photo) Catherine Bonnet, French child psychiatrist and a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, gestures as she speaks during an interview with the Associated Press at Charles de Gaulle airport outside Paris, France, Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018. Commission members and a church sex-abuse victim say Pope Francis received a letter from the victim in 2015 that graphically detailed his abuse and a cover-up by Chilean church authorities, contradicting the pope's recent insistence that no victims had come forward. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) MIAMI (AP) - Police in Florida say a 22-year-old woman is accused of fatally stabbing her 2-year-old son and slashing her boyfriend before she tried to kill herself. Miami-Dade police did not identify a motive for the attacks in a news release Monday. Police spokeswoman Robin Pinkard says Nathaly Ramos is charged with second-degree murder and attempted second degree-murder. She's being held without bond. An attorney isn't listed on jail records. The report says Ramos' boyfriend told police he was awakened by pain to his body and saw his girlfriend with a knife and a stun gun. He says she chased him but he locked himself in a bathroom. He was in critical condition. Police say Ramos was treated for self-inflicted cuts on her throat. No further details were immediately available. JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel's education minister said Monday that Poland cancelled his visit to the country amid uproar over proposed Polish legislation that would outlaw blaming Poland for crimes committed during the Holocaust. "The blood of Polish Jews cries from the ground, and no law will silence it," Naftali Bennett said in a statement late Monday. "The government of Poland cancelled my visit, because I mentioned the crimes of its people. I am honored." The cancellation of Bennett's trip scheduled for Wednesday came several days after Israel's Foreign Ministry requested the postponement of the planned visit of the head of the Polish National Security Council that was set to take place in coming weeks. The bill proposed by Poland's ruling conservative Law and Justice Party calls for fines and prison sentences of up to three years for purposely trying to attribute the crimes Nazi Germany carried out during the nearly six-year occupation to the Polish nation as a whole. Poland's government has argued that it is fighting against the use of phrases like "Polish death camps" to refer to the camps Nazi Germany operated on Polish soil. Poland has also sought to highlight its own suffering at the hands of the Nazis. The bill sparked outrage in Israel, raising tensions with a close ally. Israel sees it as an attempt to whitewash the role some Poles played in the killing of Jews during World War II. "Yes, the death camps in Poland were built and operated by the Germans, and we cannot allow them to evade responsibility for these actions," Bennett said. "However, many Polish people, all over the country, chased, informed or actively took part in the murder of over 200,000 Jews during, and after, the Holocaust. Only a few thousand people, Righteous Among the Nations, risked themselves to save Jews." The Nazis and their collaborators systematically murdered six million Jews, wiping out a third of world Jewry. PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) - Authorities say "Mallrats" and "7th Heaven" actor Jeremy London has been arrested in Mississippi and charged with domestic violence. Jackson County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Marcia Hill tells the Sun Herald that London was arrested following a fight with his wife, Juliet London. London was released from custody Friday night on a $2,500 bond after being arrested earlier that day. FILE - In this April 25, 2013 file photo, actor Jeremy London arrives at the 17th Annual Prism Awards Ceremony in Beverly Hills, Calif. Authorities say the "Mallrats" and "7th Heaven" actor was arrested in Mississippi and charged with domestic violence. Jackson County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Marcia Hill tells the Sun Herald that London was arrested following a fight with his wife, Juliet London. London was released from custody Friday, Feb. 2, 2018, on a $2,500 bond after being arrested earlier that day. (Photo by Vince Bucci/Invision/AP, File) TMZ first reported the story. Dominic Friesen, a representative for London, told TMZ that the arrest was a private matter. It is unclear if London has a lawyer. London also starred in the television series "Party of Five" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth." ___ Information from: The Sun Herald, http://www.sunherald.com COLUMBIA, Maine (AP) - Two Maine game wardens and two hunters have come to the aid of a moose trapped up to its neck in a muddy spring. WGME-TV reports the hunters were searching for deer antlers in a cedar swamp in Columbia last week when they discovered the moose. The female moose was buried in mud in the spring hole and couldn't move its legs. Wardens Bayley Grant and Scott Osgood helped the hunters rescue the moose. The wardens got its front legs out of the mud and then fixed a rope around its body. They say its hind legs were stuck on some tree roots. The men created a winch using a tree and pulled the moose out. The moose slowly trotted away from the area once it was freed. ___ Information from: WGME-TV, http://www.wgme.com The engineer killed when the Amtrak train he was driving slammed into a parked freight train in South Carolina had seen a counselor to help him cope after being rattled by a previous train wreck, his mother said. Within the past year, Michael Kempf 's train hit a vehicle at a rail crossing, Catherine Kempf, 86, said in a Monday telephone interview from the Savannah, Georgia, home she shared with her son and his wife. Catherine Kempf said she didn't remember specifics about the collision on her son's normal route in the Carolinas, but she said the wreck left him upset. Michael Kempf, 54, knew "he had people's lives in his hands," she told The Associated Press. The site of Sunday's early morning train crash between an Amtrak train, bottom, and a CSX freight train, top left, in Cayce, S.C. Federal investigators are planning to give an update on their probe into a deadly crash between a freight train and a passenger train in South Carolina. The National Transportation Safety Board says on Twitter that the agency will hold a meeting briefing at 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, near the Columbia Metropolitan Airport.( AP Photo/Jeff Blake) Kempf and conductor Michael Cella, 36, of Orange Park, Florida, were killed in the train crash early Sunday near Cayce, South Carolina. More than 100 passengers were treated at hospitals for injuries. It was the third fatal Amtrak train crash in less than two months. Cella's wife, Christine, declined to talk to the AP about the man who had been her partner for about 20 years. "There's just ... it's too much right now," she said by phone. Asked for details about Kempf's previous accident, Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said, "We will not be confirming that assertion." Another Amtrak spokeswoman, Kimberly Woods, said the company does not to provide information about employees. Federal Railroad Administration data show at least four crashes in North Carolina and three in South Carolina during 2017 involving Amtrak trains and cars or trucks on the tracks. One last month left two motorists dead after they tried to cross railroad tracks ahead of an oncoming Amtrak train in rural North Carolina. Catherine Kempf said her son previously worked for CSX but joined Amtrak because the passenger rail service gave him adequate notice about when he was needed to work. CSX expected Michael Kempf to "stand by the phone all the time, so he had to be on call. At Amtrak, they didn't do that," Catherine Kempf said. Michael Kempf began working for railroads after retiring from the Army, where he worked as a tank driver. As a child in North Dakota - where is father worked for the Air Force - Michael liked to ice skate and play hockey, but his more recent passion was riding his motorcycle, his mother said. Sunday's crash happened after a switch was left locked in a position and sent the Amtrak train off the main line and on to a side track where it hit the parked freight train, investigators said. The National Transportation Safety Board is reviewing whether a signal further up the track was red to warn the passenger train it needed to stop. Authorities investigate the scene of a fatal Amtrak train crash in Cayce, South Carolina, Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018. At least two were killed and dozens injured. (Tim Dominick/The State via AP) Authorities investigate the scene of a fatal Amtrak train crash in Cayce, South Carolina, Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018. At least two were killed and dozens injured. (Tim Dominick/The State via AP) MOSCOW (AP) - Several top officials in the province of Dagestan in Russia's North Caucasus were arrested on embezzlement charges Monday, part of the Kremlin's efforts to strengthen control over the volatile region. The Investigative Committee said acting regional Cabinet head Abdusamad Gamidov was arrested along with two of his deputies and several other senior officials. They were accused of embezzlement and fraud. The arrests were made by the Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor to the Soviet KGB, which then flew the suspects to Moscow on its plane in a swift, military-style operation. Russian state television showed masked members of the FSB special forces armed with assault rifles as they inspected Gamidov's lavish mansion in the provincial capital, Makhachkala. The footage also featured a gold-plated pistol that allegedly belonged to Gamidov. Monday's pre-dawn bust followed the detention last month of Makhachkala's mayor and several other top officials in an investigation by federal prosecutors. Observers saw the latest arrests as part of Kremlin efforts to rein in the local elites and establish a degree of control over the economically struggling Caspian Sea region. In the past, the Kremlin largely turned a blind eye to signs of public funds being misused, apparently fearing to upset a status quo. Following two separatist wars in neighboring Chechnya, Dagestan has become a breeding ground for an Islamist insurgency that includes frequent attacks on police and public officials. Hundreds of local residents are also thought to have joined the Islamic State group and other militants in Syria. Widespread poverty and unemployment have been described as key factors in the region's violence. Russian President Vladimir Putin named senior federal lawmaker Vladimir Vasilyev as the new head of Dagestan in October. Before his election to parliament, Vasilyev served as a deputy interior minister in the early 2000s following a long policing career. He dismissed the entire regional Cabinet after Monday's arrests. ST. LOUIS (AP) - The man whose then-wife had an affair with Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens has been subpoenaed to testify before a St. Louis grand jury, the man's attorney said Monday. "It's been stepped up a notch," attorney Al Watkins said. "It means a grand jury is seated and is hearing evidence about the investigation against Gov. Greitens." He declined to say when his client will testify. FILE - In this Jan. 29, 2018, file photo, Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens speaks in Palmyra, Mo. The attorney for the man whose wife had an affair with Greitens says a grand jury is investigating the case. Attorney Al Watkins says a subpoena issued Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, asks that his client testify before a grand jury in St. Louis. Greitens' attorney, Jim Bennett, says neither he nor Greitens have been contacted by any law enforcement agency seeking information on the governor. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File) Greitens, a Republican, admitted on Jan. 10 to a monthslong affair with his St. Louis hairdresser in 2015, before he was governor. The woman's ex-husband secretly recorded a conversation with her in which she claimed that Greitens took a compromising photo as potential blackmail if she spoke about the relationship. Greitens has repeatedly denied threatening to blackmail the woman. He has not answered directly when asked if he took a photo. A spokeswoman for the St. Louis circuit attorney's office declined to confirm or deny if a grand jury is investigating. Greitens' attorney, Jim Bennett, said in a statement that neither he nor Greitens has been contacted by law enforcement seeking information on the governor. He noted that while Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner has previously announced an investigation, he is confident there is no federal investigation. "In any event, any inquiry would result in the same conclusion, which is that this is a private issue of no legal or public interest from three years ago," Bennett said. It wasn't clear if the woman with whom the governor had the affair has been called to testify. A message left with her attorney was not immediately returned. Jack Sharman, the lawyer who headed the Alabama House Judiciary Committee's impeachment investigation of then-Gov. Robert Bentley, said that in a grand jury case, prosecutors present evidence in complete secrecy. The decision to file charges is made by a panel of regular citizens, not the prosecutor. "In general, it's safe to say being associated with a grand jury as its subject or target is not a good thing and at best will cause considerable distraction and difficulty in the coming weeks and months," Sharman said. Several lawmakers, including five fellow Republicans, have called on Greitens, a 43-year-old former Navy SEAL officer, to resign. He has said he will not, characterizing the affair as a "personal mistake" that he and his wife have worked through. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable has called for a new ring-fenced tax specifically to pay for the NHS and social care. The new levy which could replace national insurance forms the central recommendation of an expert report commissioned by the Lib Dems on future healthcare funding in England. Launching the document, Sir Vince who has faced criticism for a lack of policy initiatives since becoming leader last year said there was growing recognition that healthcare needed a protected funding stream. Sir Vince Cable with chief executive of Kingston Hospital Ann Radmore (Steve Parsons/PA) This specialist report provides some convincing answers on arguably the greatest domestic crisis facing the country how to deal with the severe pressures on health and social care services, he said. We must never again be in a position whereby funding is so short that more than 50,000 operations have had to be postponed over the course of a single month. The health and care budget should be financed by an earmarked tax, which could replace national insurance. Many of those previously strongly opposed now accept that, in the case of the NHS, there is a strong argument for a form of ring-fenced tax. The 10-member panel which drew up the report included former NHS England chief executive Sir David Nicholson, Dr Peter Carter, former chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, and Professor Clare Gerada, former chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs. It concluded that the NHS in England needs a real-terms increase of 4 billion in 2018-19 with a further 2.5 billion in each of the two following years. While in the short-term, the shortfall could be met by raising income tax, it said that in the longer term health and care funding should be brought together in a single ring-fenced tax to replace national insurance. In other measures the report calls for the creation of an office for budget responsibility for health, new incentives to encourage people to save more towards adult social care, and the reinstatement of the cap on care costs. Scotlands national bard hid his radical and progressive political opinions in plain view while working in the civil service during the turbulent years of the late 18th century, according to an expert. Professor Gerard Carruthers will argue that Robert Burns political leanings were an open secret when he worked as an excise man. Prof Carruthers, co-director of the Centre for Robert Burns Studies at the University of Glasgow, made his revelations after studying recently-unveiled letters and will set out his views in a talk in Edinburgh on Tuesday. Professor Gerard Carruthers will set out his theories in a speech (University of Glasgow/PA) The talk examines the bards place in what would be todays HM Customs and Excise, around the time of the French Revolution. A passionate believer in the rights of ordinary people, Burns secured a job as an excise man in the late summer of 1788. Prof Carruthers will say: There are lots of near-conspiracy theories through two centuries have sought to account for Burns career in the excise service. The common idea in these theories is that the government had Burns where they wanted him: under their control and politically silenced. In fact as the new letters, by contemporaries of Burns, show he was delighted and not reluctant to be given his position. Also, the new material reveals that Burns progressive political views were an open secret in the civil service. Indeed, some of those intelligent and educated colleagues with whom he worked shared his views. Event, 6 February: Robert Burns, the Excise Services & Politics in a time of Revolution. Talk by Professor Gerard Carruthers, University of Glasgow, on the poet's views & how these were expressed during the turbulent 1790s https://t.co/bHESE5IHmi @ScottishCeltic @UofGlasgow pic.twitter.com/F1pUsTd7hg NatRecordsScot (@NatRecordsScot) January 18, 2018 The two letters were written by John Mitchell, the bards excise boss, to one of the poets most important patrons, Robert Graham of Fintry. The university said the new letters have helped to inform the debate on the extent of the bards radicalism. Burns was an opponent of monarchy and slavery, and a champion of democracy and the rights of man. The last four years of his life coincided with a movement for democratic and parliamentary reform that directly involved ordinary Scots in politics for the first time, experts said. Like other poets at that time, many of his political poems and songs, such as Scots Wha Hae, were published anonymously or under a pseudonym. As a paid government officer, he seemingly was forced into public silence, especially after the French Revolution. He was even questioned by his superiors on his politics after he was accused of being a radical a claim he refuted at the time and he was exonerated. Stained glass window of Robert Burns (University of Glasgow/PA) Prof Carruthers said: In this space Burns writes some of his most political songs, including Scots Wha Hae and A Mans A Man. Here in song, where the texts might be read as historic or masonic, he was actually commenting on contemporary politics of that time. In both these songs and surrounded by his like-minded excise colleagues, he was hiding his politics in plain view. The letters are located at the National Records of Scotland. They came to light as part of the University of Glasgow/Oxford University project, Editing Robert Burns for the 21st Century, which began in 2009 and will take at least 15 years to complete. A rise in the number of students applying to do degrees in Scotland has been hailed as a sign of the the global reputation of its universities. Higher Education Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville welcomed new data from the university admissions body Ucas, which showed a 1% rise in the total number of applications to Scottish institutions. But she said there was more work to do to increase the number of Scots from deprived backgrounds who want to go on to higher education. Students at a university lecture (monkeybusinessimages/Getty) The figures, produced after the January 15 application deadline, showed a 1% fall in the overall number applying to UK universities. Did you send your undergrad application by the 15 Jan deadline? If so, your chosen unis have until 3 May to make a decision https://t.co/zu2MjktLyW pic.twitter.com/FuB8EBZN6r UCAS (@ucas_online) February 2, 2018 Ms Somerville said: While it is good to see Scotlands universities outperforming those across the UK, it is also vitally important that we continue to drive forward our ambition to widen access to university for people from our most deprived communities. In 2017, we saw a 13% increase in the number of people from the most deprived communities getting places to study at university. Todays application rate shows that there is more work to do if we are to see a similar increase in 2018. She added: Universities must do all they can to promote the opportunities available for learners from our most deprived backgrounds and to make them aware where there is still a chance to apply before the June 30 deadline. It is equally important that universities push ahead with the implementation of minimum entry thresholds so that the potential of those who do apply is recognised fairly within the application process. As well as a 1% rise in Scots bidding to study at a Scottish university, there was also a 13% increase in applications to Scotland from international students from outside of the European Union. Ms Somerville said: These figures are a significant indicator of the strength of Scotlands global reputation as a welcoming and world-class study destination. As I set out to Parliament last week, we remain a country where people want to come and work in our universities and also to study here. A diverse student population is an integral and valued part of our universities and indeed our colleges too. A new campaign raising awareness about the silent killer condition sepsis has been launched by the Scottish Government. With someone dying from sepsis every four hours in Scotland, the initiative has been hailed as a milestone in increasing public knowledge. The Scottish Government is spending 70,000 on the campaign, with posters and leaflets being sent to pharmacies and GP surgeries, as well as adverts in print, radio and social media. Health Secretary Shona Robison (Andrew Milligan/PA) Sepsis is a rare but serious complication of an infection, and without quick treatment, it can lead to multiple organ failure and death. Symptoms can include a very high or low temperature, uncontrollable shivering, cold or blotchy hands or feet and not passing urine as frequently as normal. Health Secretary Shona Robison said the new campaign, which has been created with the help of FEAT, Scotlands Sepsis Charity, would highlight the symptoms of this often-silent and often-deadly condition to millions of Scots. FEAT founder and chairman Craig Stobo said: This is a milestone day for sepsis awareness in Scotland. FEAT, Scotlands Sepsis Charity, is delighted to be launching this nationwide campaign in partnership with the Scottish Government. We have pressed for the need to raise awareness of this killer condition and are confident that this Scotland-wide campaign will be a game changer in increasing the publics understanding of the symptoms of sepsis and the quick action needed to save lives. We are proud to provide additional funding for this vital campaign and while we cant bring back those lost to the condition, we dedicate this campaign to them and pledge to continue working towards the eradication of sepsis. Calum McGregor, a consultant with NHS Lanarkshire and national clinical lead for acute care with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said: Sepsis can be difficult to recognise, and many of the symptoms can be attributed to other conditions. Five symptoms and signs to be aware of are a change in behaviour such as confusion, cold or blotchy hands and feet, uncontrollable shivering, very high or low temperature, and reduced urine output. Recent data suggests that for every hours delay in antibiotics, the chances of dying from sepsis increase so it is vital we get people the treatment they need as quickly as possible. Ms Robison added: While mortality rates from sepsis have fallen by 21% since 2012, there is still more to be done and I am confident this campaign will play its part in equipping the public with a better understanding of the signs and symptoms. The upfront charges paid by temporary migrants to the UK to use the NHS are to double, the Government has announced. Ministers said the move would raise around 220 million a year for the health service while ensuring migrants made fair contribution towards its costs. The increase to the immigration health surcharge payable by people from outside the European Economic Area staying in the UK for six months or longer means the main rate will rise from 200 to 400 a year. The NHS surcharge for temporary migrants is to double (Yui Mok/PA) The discounted rate for students and those on the youth mobility scheme will go up from 150 to 300. The surcharge was originally brought in by the Government in 2015 in a clampdown on so-called health tourism. Health Minister James OShaughnessy said: Our NHS is always there when you need it, paid for by British taxpayers. We welcome long-term migrants using the NHS, but it is only right that they make a fair contribution to its long-term sustainability. By increasing the surcharge so that it better reflects the actual costs of using health services, this Government is providing an extra 220 million a year to support the NHS. Gary Woodland beat Chez Reavie in a play-off to win the Waste Management Phoenix Open. A spectacular closing 64 looked to have given Woodland a third PGA Tour title as those in the last few groups struggled to reach his 18 under par clubhouse target. However, Reavie found birdies on the last two holes converting from 20 feet at the 18th to force a play-off. Woodland took the title with a par at the first extra hole as Reavie missed a clutch putt and bogeyed. Gary Woodland, right, shakes hands with Chez Reavie, left (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) The 33-year-old Woodland had five birdies in a sensational front nine 30 as well as chipping in for par on the sixth. Despite bogeys on the 11th and 14th, he made gains on the 13th, 15th, 16th and 17th before keeping his cool in the play-off. Woodland and Reavie finished three clear of Ollie Schniederjans and Brendan Steele in third, with Phil Mickelson delighting the crowds on the stadium 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale with a birdie before a closing double-bogey saw him finish in a share of fifth. Scotlands Martin Laird was the top European on 13 under after a closing 6 gave him a share of ninth place. A weekend-long snowstorm in Moscow has delayed flights, cut power supplies to nearby villages and even prompted authorities to call a snow day a highly unusual occurrence in the frost-resistant Russian capital. The Meteorological Office said on Monday that more than a months average fell on Moscow over the weekend, with the height of snow now reaching up to 55 centimetres (22 inches) in some parts of the capital. Children ride inflatable rings in Moscow (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr /AP) In a city where school is rarely ever cancelled, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said parents were not expected to take children to school on Monday. More than 60,000 households in regions around Moscow were left without electricity over the weekend but the power supply was restored by Monday. The only surviving member of the Islamic State cell that attacked Paris in November 2015 is appearing in public for the first time since his arrest nearly two years ago. Salah Abdeslam is going on trial in his hometown of Brussels on charges of attempted murder over a police shootout from which he fled. The man who covered his getaway with a spray of automatic gunfire died. Abdeslams escape was short-lived he was captured on March 18 2016, in the same neighbourhood where he and many of his Islamic State fighter colleagues grew up. Abdeslam arrived in the Belgian capital on Monday morning after being transferred from a prison in France. Security was high at the Palace of Justice in Brussels, with armed guards and multiple checkpoints leading to the courtroom where he is to appear. Police stand guard outside the court (Virginia Mayo/AP) Abdeslam has refused to speak to investigators in France about the attack there that killed 130 people. Days after his capture, extremists struck in Brussels. In total, 162 people died in the two attacks. The trial relates to the 2016 shooting in Brussels, some four months after the Paris attacks. Abdeslam and two suspects were hiding in an apartment when police arrived for a routine search. In this courtroom sketch, Salah Abdeslam appears at the Brussels Justice Palace (Petra Urban via AP) Three officers were injured in the shootout that followed and one suspect was killed. Abdeslam was captured a few days later in the flashpoint Brussels neighbourhood of Molenbeek. A councillor who alleged she had been assaulted and bullied has resigned from Sinn Fein. Noeleen Reilly, who has a seat on Dublin City Council, said she was quitting after the party hierarchy suspended her for six months over a complaint against her. Ms Reilly, who represents the Ballymun and neighbouring areas, was disciplined by the Sinn Fein national executive at the weekend and then took to social media to claim an assault. A councillor has resigned from Sinn Fein (PA) She also claimed she complained of being bullied four years ago. Dessie Ellis, TD in the Dublin North-West constituency, was also censured by party chiefs over a long-running dispute with Ms Reilly and apologised for comments he made about his former party colleague. Ms Reilly said she was resigning after 17 years as a Sinn Fein member. I have been the victim of an orchestrated bullying campaign by a number of people in Dublin Northwest, Ms Reilly alleged. I first went to the party in Feb 2014 over this bullying and have consistently done so to try and get it stopped. Every time I did so it was either ignored or an angle was found to blame me for their treatment. Unfortunately I was just up against the wrong people and this was never a battle I was going to win. My treatment included physical assaults, verbal abuse, total isolation, smear campaigns, the list goes. I was always told to keep these matters internal and I did so for 4 years hoping that Justice would take place. Ms Reilly said she would continue her work as a councillor. A rescue mission was launched after a car crashed into a sea loch in Dumfries and Galloway. Emergency services were called to the west side of Loch Ryan near Stranraer from about 1.30am on Monday after receiving reports of a woman trapped inside the vehicle. Police Scotland tasked firefighters, lifeboat and coastguard crews to help out in the operation. The incident happened at about 1.30am on Monday (Police Scotland) The woman had managed to escape the vehicle and was found near the waters edge. She was suffering from mild hypothermia and taken to Galloway Community Hospital in Stranraer for treatment. A woman has been sexually assaulted in a park in Dundee. The incident took place at Orchar Park during the early hours of Saturday. Police Scotland has since announced it has launched an investigation after receiving reports of the attack. Officers have urged anyone with information to contact them (Andrew Milligan/PA) We are aware there has been widespread speculation on social media. We can now confirm we are carrying out enquiries into a report of a sexual assault at Orchar Park in Dundee in the early hours of Sat morning. Anyone info is asked to contact Tayside Div on 101 quoting 611/03. Dundee Police (@DundeePolice) February 5, 2018 Officers urged anyone with information to contact 101 quoting reference number 611/03. Star Wars actor John Boyega has said he once waited to meet Get Out star Daniel Kaluuya at the stage door of a theatre. The London-born actors were both recently honoured at the Santa Barbara Film Festival and Boyega shared a photograph of the two of them as he reminisced about the advice he was once given by the Oscar nominee. A few years ago I waited at the stage door to meet Daniel after his phenomenal performance and he was kind enough to speak to me giving me much needed wisdom for the future. Cut to 2018 and were both Being honoured on the same night Congrats king pic.twitter.com/5SG0tAFm0C John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) February 5, 2018 He wrote: A few years ago I waited at the stage door to meet Daniel after his phenomenal performance and he was kind enough to speak to me giving me much needed wisdom for the future. John Boyega (Ian West/PA) Cut to 2018 and were both Being honoured on the same night. Congrats king. Boyega and Kaluuya were both presented with Virtuoso awards at the film festival, alongside Call Me By Your Name star Timothee Chalamet, Mudbound actress Mary J Blige, Downsizing star Hong Chau and The Big Sick star and co-writer Kumail Nanjiani. SBIFF 2018 Recap: Virtuosos Award Presented by @UGG It was a pleasure to honor Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out), Hong Chau (Downsizing), John Boyega (Detroit), Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick), Mary J. Blige (Mudbound), and Timothee Chalamet (Call Me by Your Name) at last nights event! pic.twitter.com/jheAOhsSUy SBIFF (@SBIFF) February 5, 2018 Boyega was honoured for his work in Kathryn Bigelows film Detroit, while Kaluuya was recognised for his breakout role in Jordan Peeles race satire Get Out, which bagged him a best actor nod at the Academy Awards. Sinn Fein have demanded that a councillor hands back her seat after she resigned following a row over allegations of bullying and assault. Noeleen Reilly, who serves on Dublin City Council, said she was quitting after the party hierarchy suspended her for six months over a bullying complaint she faced. Ms Reilly, who represents the Ballymun and neighbouring areas, was disciplined by the Sinn Fein national executive at the weekend and then took to social media to claim she suffered an assault. Ms Reilly was disciplined by the Sinn Fein national executive (PA) She also said she first complained of being a victim of bullying four years ago. Dessie Ellis, TD in the Dublin North-West constituency, was censured by party chiefs for his involvement in the long-running dispute with Ms Reilly and apologised for public comments he made about his former party colleague. After Ms Reilly announced her resignation, party bosses called on her to give up the council seat. I am resigning from Sinn Fein with immediate effect. Today I hand in my resignation from Sinn Fein after 17... https://t.co/4JHBssMtkK Cllr Noeleen Reilly (@NoeleenReilly) February 5, 2018 The party is now requesting that she hands the Sinn Fein Dublin City Council seat back to the party. Sinn Fein will not tolerate bullying, the party said in a statement. Ms Reilly said: I have been the victim of an orchestrated bullying campaign by a number of people in Dublin Northwest. She added: Unfortunately I was just up against the wrong people and this was never a battle I was going to win. My treatment included physical assaults, verbal abuse, total isolation, smear campaigns, the list goes. I was always told to keep these matters internal and I did so for four years hoping that justice would take place. Ms Reilly has vowed to work on as a councillor. Sinn Fein said she was told on numerous occasions to report allegations of assault to gardai. The parents of a boy left profoundly disabled following mismanagement of his birth have reached a multimillion-pound settlement with hospital bosses, a High Court judge has been told. Mr Justice Jay heard that the couple had reached agreement on compensation after taking legal action against bosses at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust. Barrister William Latimer-Sayer QC told the judge at a High Court hearing in London that the trust had admitted clinical negligence as a result of mismanagement of the boys birth. Mr Justice Jay approved the settlement at the High Court (PA) He said the boy, now in his teens, was profoundly disabled. Lawyers representing the trust told the judge that bosses had apologised. Mr Justice Jay approved the settlement. He said the boy could not be identified. Little detail of the background to the case emerged at the hearing. Outside court, lawyers representing the couple said the boy was now in his teens. They said a multi-million settlement had been agreed. TV watchdog Ofcom has launched an investigation into One Night With My Ex following complaints that the show featured a potentially emotionally abusive relationship. Former couples spend the night alone in a luxury apartment to confront their past and decide whether to get back together. An Ofcom spokeswoman said the scenes in one episode of the Channel 5 show, which aired in January, sparked 146 complaints. She said: We are investigating whether this programme broke our rules on offence. Ofcom has also assessed, but decided not to investigate, Kay Mellors ITV drama Girlfriends following complaints about a storyline depicting the murder of a cat. The scene showed the killer standing over the cat with a bloody knife. Ofcom said: We considered complaints about cruelty to an animal in this fictional drama programme. While we recognise some viewers were troubled by this scene, it was brief and inexplicit and aired after the watershed. It did not, therefore, raise issues under our rules. Zoe Wanamaker, Phyllis Logan and Miranda Richardson in Girlfriends (ITV/Rollem) The watchdog also decided not to investigate complaints that the behaviour of Celebrity Big Brother contestant India Willoughby was racially offensive when the transgender newsreader suggested the sight of men in drag was as offensive as the Black And White Minstrel Show. The spokeswoman said: We assessed complaints about a contestants behaviour. We found it was likely to be within most viewers expectations of this long-running reality programme, which includes clear warnings about potentially offensive content. A disgraced surgeon who lied to land an 84,000-a-year hospital job with what a judge called disastrous consequences has been jailed for six years. Sudip Sarker, 48, duped an expert panel of interviewers, telling them he had performed 51 out of 85 keyhole bowel operations working solo, when in fact the true figure was just six. What a judge described as his gross exaggeration had since led to his former employer, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, facing more than 2 million in medical negligence pay-outs. Sudip Sarker, 48, at Worcester Crown Court, where he was jailed after being convicted of lying to job interviewers about how many keyhole operations he had performed. (Matthew Cooper/PA) Sarker was convicted after trial on Friday at Worcester Crown Court of one count of fraud. Prosecutor Jacob Hallam QC said the trust had already shelled out 1.970,574 to 18 claims connected to Sarkers work, while a 19th was still to conclude. Judge Robert Juckes QC, sentencing on Monday, said Sarker had told significant lies. He told Sarker: You plainly understood what it was the hospital wanted you to talk about, and you grossly exaggerated your experience of that particular operation. The judge said no criticism could be attached to the trust for appointing Sarker, who had arrived with proper references from previous employers at Whittington Hospital, and the Royal Free Hospital, London. Surgeon Sudip Sarker, who previously worked at #Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, has been convicted of fraud at Worcester Crown Court, after lying about the no. of operations he'd performed to land a lucrative job at the trust. Richard Vernalls (@rvernallsPA) February 2, 2018 Quoting a senior Worcestershire hospital surgeon, the judge said the idea anyone would falsify their clinical experience was so reckless and dangerous, you just do not expect to come across it. Judge Juckes added: It was you who exaggerated your level of experience and competence with disastrous consequences. Sarker, who took up the job in August 2011, but lasted only a year because of his incompetence, was stopped from working after another surgeon at the Alexandra Hospital blew the whistle. An internal investigation and two expert-led independent reviews then followed, with the Royal College of Surgeons uncovering Sarkers failings. Mr Hallam told the court Sarker had a higher mortality rate among his patients, and a far higher complication rate. Disgraced surgeon Sudip Sarker has been jailed for six years for fraud at Worcester Crown Court, after landing a lucrative #Worcestershire hospital job by lying to interviewers about how many keyhole operations he performed. Richard Vernalls (@rvernallsPA) February 5, 2018 University of Glasgow graduate Sarker was stopped from working and eventually sacked, but it cost the trust another 304,019, while he was suspended and investigated on full pay. The court heard that three of Sarkers patients had subsequently died, although experts concluded there was no evidence to support a case for manslaughter, his barrister Martin Hicks QC said. In mitigation, Mr Hicks added Sarker had until lying in interview performed great service to patients over many years. But passing sentence, Judge Juckes told Sarker, of Broadstairs, Kent: You fought this at every stage and no doubt will continue to do so. A curry house owner attacked a customer by throwing chilli powder in his eyes after he complained about rubbery chicken, a court has heard. Chef Kamrul Islam, 47, has gone on trial at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, accused of causing David Evans actual bodily harm while he was dining at the Prince of Bengal in Tonypandy, South Wales, on January 21 2017. Opening the case on Monday, Stephen Donaghue, for the prosecution, said Islam, who claims he acted in self-defence, started swearing at Mr Evans and his wife Michelle after they complained about their food. He said: The defendant was the owner of the Prince of Bengal curry restaurant and, as a result of a complaint about the food, a dispute arose. The prosecution case is that this defendant grabbed a handful of chilli powder and threw it in the face of David Evans, thereby causing him difficulties with his eyes. Jurors were told Mr and Mrs Evans went for their meal at around 7pm and were eating their main dishes when a waiter approached them to ask if they were happy with their food. Mr Donaghue said: It was reported to the waiter that they were not really happy and it was said that the chicken in particular was tough and rubbery. Chef Kamrul Islam arrives at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court (Ben Birchall/PA) The court heard that the waiter left the table and returned with Islam, who asked them what the problem was in an aggressive and difficult manner. Mr Donaghue said Islam was using foul language and swore at Mrs Evans, before turning round and walking towards the kitchen. Mr Evans was unhappy that his wife had been spoken to in that manner and was demanding an apology from him, he said. The court heard that Mr Evans followed Islam and stood in the doorway of the kitchen. Mr Donaghue said: It was at this point that the defendant had some chilli powder in his hand that he had acquired in the kitchen and then threw it in the face of Mr Evans. Mr Evans reaction was immediate and obvious and he doubled up in pain, Mr Donaghue added. He was taken to hospital where a saline drip was used to clean his eyes and he was found to have suffered burns where the spice landed on him. Islam, of Llewellyn Street, Pentre, was arrested later that night. Kamrul Islam is on trial at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court (PA) In interview he told officers he acted in self-defence because he thought Mr Evans was going to attack him, and denied swearing at the couple, the court was told. Mr Donaghue said: He was always polite, he said, and they, he thought, were simply trying to get a free meal or something like that, but he simply walked away. He felt that Mr Evans pursued him with a view to violence. He said he picked the chilli powder up because he thought Mr Evans might throw a punch at him and, as he turned around, Mr Evans was forming his hand into a fist as if to punch him. Mr Donaghue told jurors their task would be to look at the two areas of dispute what was said at the table, and whether or not Islam had acted in lawful self-defence. Islam denies assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The trial was adjourned until 10.30am on Tuesday. A drug dealer who used the dark web to supply customers including four that later died with the powerful synthetic opiod fentanyl has been jailed for eight years. Kyle Enos, 25, of Newport, south Wales, sold the drug to 168 people in the UK, Europe and the US between May 2016 and May 2017. Cardiff Crown Court heard that following his arrest, police went through Enoss customer database due to the potentially lethal effects of fentanyl. Kyle Enos admitted using the dark web to buy and supply a drug 50 times more potent than heroin (National Crime Agency /PA) Four people on his database had died but it cannot be proven that the fentanyl supplied by Enos was related to their deaths. The court heard Jonathon Robinson, 25, from Northumbria, was found dead at home, while university student Jack Barton, 23, died in Cardiff in January 2017. Aaron Rees, 34, from Ammanford in Carmarthenshire, Wales, was found dead last March. The fourth person, who was not named in court, died in Scotland. Sentencing Enos, judge Eleri Rees, the Recorder of Cardiff, told him: It is 25 times more powerful than heroin as is evidenced by the deaths of at least four young people who were your customers. None of those deaths can be attributed to fentanyl supplied by you but it is evidence of how dangerous a drug it is. Enos admitted importing, supplying and exporting fentanyl in August last year. The judge said the delay in sentencing Enos was to consider whether further charges would arise from the deaths of four of his customers, as well as to obtain more information about the effect of fentanyl. Charges will not be brought against Enos for the deaths that occurred in England and Wales, but investigations are continuing in Scotland. A district judge has urged the parents of a teenager convicted of a terror offence: Dont blame yourselves after the boy broke his bail conditions by getting up to his old activities. Emma Arbuthnot, district judge at Westminster Magistrates Court, made the comments during a youth court hearing after the 16-year-old suspect admitted illegally accessing the internet while awaiting sentence for another terror matter. The boy, who cannot be identified because of his age, previously pleaded guilty to booking a one-way flight to Istanbul with the aim of fighting for a banned organisation in Syria. A general view of Westminster Magistrates Court, London. He appeared before the district judge at the youth court on Monday where he admitted using the internet without adult supervision. The court heard police believed the boy was posting inflammatory comments on the Telegram messaging service he later told investigators he was bored. Addressing the boys family as he was remanded in custody, Ms Arbuthnot said: They must not blame themselves. Look at the time hes been accessing (the internet) theyll have been asleep. This court trusted him, his parents trusted him, I thought we wrapped him up quite carefully. This young man was given conditional bail he breached it hes been up to his old activities. But I have to protect the public and what hes doing is grooming himself. I wont have that on my watch. Defending, David Gottlieb said there were flickers that he would not offend again, his most recent internet use coming days before he pleaded guilty to the original terror offence in January. He said the boys father wasnt able to keep an eye on (his son) 24/7 because he worked during the day. Addressing the family including the father, who appeared to rub his eyes as details of the bail breach were briefly read out in court the district judge repeated: Dont blame yourselves, dont blame yourselves. Prosecuting, Kristel Pous told the court how the youth was not allowed to access the internet without adult supervision, and unless it was for an educational purpose. She said he was arrested at the weekend after police became suspicious, during which he admitted breaching the terms of his bail. Ms Pous said: He said that he had been bored and had been seeking information from a theological perspective. She said the teenager had yet to surrender the password to his Dell laptop, and that he was also being investigated for disseminating terrorist material. The boy will be sentenced for both offences at Birmingham Youth Court on March 26. He will also attend another administrative hearing at the same court on February 26. US President Donald Trump has triggered another extraordinary spat with Theresa Mays government after claiming the NHS was going broke and not working. Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt hit back by saying he was proud of the British system despite the challenges it faced. The US president said thousands of people are marching in the UK because of concerns about the state of the NHS. US President Donald Trump has attacked the state of the NHS (Matt Cardy/PA) Mr Trump made the attack as he targeted Democrats pushing for a British-style universal health system in the US. But Mr Hunt responded to Mr Trumps Twitter attack with a post of his own, saying no-one protesting about the state of the NHS wanted a US-style system. NHS may have challenges but Im proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance, he said. I may disagree with claims made on that march but not ONE of them wants to live in a system where 28m people have no cover. NHS may have challenges but Im proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage - where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance https://t.co/YJsKBAHsw7 Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) February 5, 2018 The US presidents comments were also condemned by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and the organisers of the NHS demonstration highlighted by Mr Trump. The presidents comments came shortly after former Ukip leader Nigel Farage appeared on one of Mr Trumps favourite US TV news shows to talk about the NHS. Mr Farages appearance on Fox And Friends appeared to be the reason for Mr Trumps Twitter comment. In a follow-up message, the president thanked the show for exposing the truth. Mr Trumps social media messages came after a crowd of thousands chanting Save the NHS descended on Downing Street on Saturday to demand more funding for the health service. The demonstration, called NHS In Crisis: Fix It Now, was organised by the Peoples Assembly and Health Campaigns Together. Responding to Mr Trumps comments the groups said they were campaigning against moves to an expensive, inefficient and unjust US-style system. In their message to Mr Trump, the groups said in a statement: This is what our demonstration was about on Saturday February 3 and tens of thousands of British people want to show their love for the principles of universal and comprehensive care free at the point of use, paid for through general taxation. We dont agree with your divisive and incorrect rhetoric. No thanks. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mr Trump was wrong and people were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it. Wrong. People were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it. Healthcare is a human right. https://t.co/Pmo2xYSqZh Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) February 5, 2018 The public row with Mr Hunt is the latest controversial episode in Mr Trumps presidency ahead of a UK visit later this year which is expected to be marked by mass protests. He had previously caused consternation in Whitehall when he announced on Twitter he would not be attending the opening of the new US embassy in London, saying it was a bad deal and he did not like the location of the new building. It led to speculation he was unhappy after being rebuked by Mrs May for retweeting videos posted by the far-right Britain First group. However, following his talks with Mrs May in Davos, Mr Trump reaffirmed his commitment to the special relationship with Britain. The special relationship between the US and UK has lurched from cordiality to open criticism since Donald Trump entered the White House. The US president again risked inflaming tensions with one of his countrys closest allies by deriding the NHS as broke and not working. He rarely minces his words about UK affairs, a habit which has posed a diplomatic headache for Theresa May as she seeks to forge stronger relations with Brexit looming. Theresa May with Donald Trump (Stefan Rousseau) Here are the key moments of his premiership: 2016 November Mr Trump is elected as president of the United States, forcing UK politicians to quickly change tack in their handling of the billionaire businessman. Prime Minister Mrs May congratulates Mr Trump on his victory and says Britain and America will remain strong and close partners. I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next President of the United States. Full statement: https://t.co/7W2feuodUE Theresa May (@theresa_may) November 9, 2016 Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader of whom Mr Trump is an admirer, embarrasses Mrs May by beating her to a meeting with the new president. 2017 January The Prime Minister becomes the first world leader to meet the president following his inauguration. She faces criticism for offering President Trump a state visit just seven days into his presidency. But they are photographed holding hands outside the White House, and Mrs May gets a significant commitment from the president to Nato. Mrs Mays spokesman says she does not agree with Mr Trumps refugee ban, an executive order signed just hours after their meeting, and will make representations if it affects Britons. February Cracks begin to appear in the relationship when Mrs May eventually denounces Mr Trumps travel restrictions on Muslims as divisive and wrong, echoing statements from her ministers. And she reportedly pokes fun at the size of Mr Trumps hands, telling a Conservative fundraising party in response to applause from donors: Thank you very much for that wonderful reception. I dont think I have received such a big hand since I walked down the colonnade at the White House. March Mrs Mays spokesman denounces ridiculous allegations made by the White House press secretary that GCHQ spied on Mr Trump before the presidential election. The president refuses to give a public apology. May The PM rebukes Mr Trump after intelligence shared with the US in the wake of the Manchester terror attack is leaked to American media. Mr Trump later describes the PM as very angry about the leaks, which prompted British police to temporarily suspend sharing information across the Atlantic, and promises to investigate. June In a bad month for relations, the Prime Minister tells Mr Trump of her disappointment at his decision to pull America out of the Paris Accord on climate change. She then directly condemns Mr Trumps attacks on Sadiq Khans handling of the London Bridge terror attack as wrong. September Mrs May delivers a rebuke to the US president after he claimed the Parsons Green Tube bomber was in the sights of Scotland Yard. The Prime Minister said: I never think its helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation. November Mrs May and Mr Trump fall out spectacularly over his retweeting of anti-Muslim videos posted online by the deputy leader of the far-right Britain First group, Jayda Fransen. The PM said Mr Trump was wrong to retweet the videos, and the US president hits back at Mrs May on Twitter by telling her to focus on destructive radical Islamic terrorism in the UK, rather than on him. 2018 January The US president says he has cancelled plans to travel to the UK to open the new American embassy, hitting out at the location of the project. Later in the month, Trump blows hot and cold with the Prime Minister during a trip to the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. Following talks with Mrs May, the president appears keen to clear the air about tensions between the two nations, declaring: We love your country. But then, in an interview with Piers Morgan, he pours scorn on Britains approach to Brexit negotiations and says he would take a tougher approach with Brussels. February Mr Trump uses the NHS as an example of why universal health care should not reach US shores. A drug dealer who used the dark web to supply customers including four who died later with the powerful synthetic opiod fentanyl has been jailed for eight years. Kyle Enos, 25, of Newport, South Wales, sold the drug to 168 people in the UK, Europe and the US between May 2016 and May 2017. He used the psedunym sovietbear to sell fentanyl online and offered same day delivery to customers around the world, who he urged to leave positive reviews. Kyle Enos (National Crime Agency/PA) His customer service was such that he promised to refund or resend for free any packages that were seized by customs. Officers wore bio-hazard suits and respirators due to the danger of the drug when they searched Enoss home and arrested him in May 2017. They went through his database and found four UK customers had died, though it is not possible to say whether their deaths were linked to fentanyl that he supplied. Materials found at the home of Kyle Enos (National Crime Agency/PA) Jonathon Robinson, 25, from Northumbria, was found dead at home, while university student Jack Barton, 23, died in Cardiff in January, the court heard. Aaron Rees, 34, from Ammanford in Carmarthenshire, Wales, was found dead last March. The fourth person, who was not named, died in Scotland. Enos admitted charges of importing, supplying and exporting fentanyl and was jailed for eight years at Cardiff Crown Court. A general view of Cardiff Crown Court, Wales (Antony Stone/PA) Judge Eleri Rees, the Recorder of Cardiff, told him: It is 25 times more powerful than heroin as is evidenced by the deaths of at least four young people who were your customers. None of these deaths can be attributed to fentanyl supplied by you but it is evidence of how dangerous a drug it is. You were fully aware of the potency and the high risk involved. This was a sophisticated, complex operation in that you supplied fentanyl to over 160 addresses to the UK, Europe and the US. The profits were such that you were able to rent a luxury apartment in Cardiff city centre. You were advertising your products and sought customers reviews about them on the dark web. Items found at the home of Kyle Enos (National Crime Agency/PA) Enos imported fentanyl from illegal sellers in China and prepared packets himself, before sending them either first class or via air mail. Officers have identified a total of 168 customers 92 in the UK and 78 overseas. The court heard the amount of fentanyl sold by Enos contained 45 times the estimated lethal dose of fentanyl the equivalent to more than 25,000 fatal doses. On his online advert, Enos stated: We all have varying tolerances. What could give me a nice little high could knock someone on their arse for half a day. I sell seriously strong, potent drugs. Handwritten note written by Kyle Enos (National Crime Agency/PA) In April last year the month before his arrest Enos attempted to import up to 2kg of fentanyl at a time. One supplier told Enos: So much is very dangerous. You are very dangerous. Enos replied: I know its very dangerous. I supply a lot of people. He also attempted to enlist people to work for him by selling the drug. The court heard Enos used money from selling fentanyl estimated by his barrister as 16,000 to rent a luxury flat in Cardiff. National Crime Agency image of items found at Kyle Enoss address (National Crime Agency/PA) Following his arrest, he contacted suppliers saying that he had been raided by the police but wanted to re-start his business. He also searched online for how to programme computers in prison and how to smuggle phones and drugs inside. No cases as serious as this have been reported involving fentanyl, Nicholas Gareth Jones, prosecuting, said. It was a sophisticated operation on a commercial scale. Items discovered at the home of Kyle Enos (National Crime Agency/PA) Enos, who has no previous convictions, hopes to complete a maths degree while in prison, the court heard. Following the hearing, Colin Williams, operations manager from the National Crime Agency said: Four people identified from his customer list are known to have since died from fentanyl related deaths, although it cannot be said with certainty that the fentanyl they took was supplied by Enos. Kyle Enos was a significant distributor of fentanyl within the UK and overseas. He knew exactly how dangerous it was, yet continued to play Russian roulette with the lives of his customers. 25-year old man from #Gwent jailed for eight years. Kyle Enos boasted he could arrange for the highly toxic synthetic opioid #Fentanyl to be shipped anywhere in the world the same day. Full story - https://t.co/fhuwvS0AeN pic.twitter.com/CV0V1n31hx National Crime Agency (NCA) (@NCA_UK) February 5, 2018 John Davies, from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said Enos had attempted to disguise his illegal activity by using the dark web. The evidence presented by the CPS showed that Enos was well aware of the risks of taking fentanyl as he warned users when advertising the product, he said. Despite this knowledge he continued selling large quantities of the drug and even invited eBay-style reviews from his customers. Kurdish and Italian protesters have clashed with police as Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan met the Pope in the Vatican to discuss the status of Jerusalem, human rights and refugees. Officers in riot gear blocked around 150 protesters near Romes Tiber River as Mr Edrogan paid the first Vatican visit by a Turkish head of state in 59 years. One protester suffered a bloody gash on his head in the scuffle. Police said another was detained. President Erdogan at the Vatican Apostolic Palacehttps://t.co/dOwY0snyLV pic.twitter.com/98Q1m9xvyW Turkish Presidency (@trpresidency) February 5, 2018 Turkey last month launched a military offensive in a Kurdish-held enclave in Syria. The Turkish government said the US-backed Syrian Kurdish militia there is a terrorist organisation and an extension of Kurdish insurgents fighting within Turkey. Both the Turkish and Vatican sides described the private talks as cordial. Francis and Mr Erdogan have made plain their concern over the Trump administrations decision two months ago to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Mr Erdogan, in an interview with Italian daily newspaper La Stampa, said he and the Pope had already spoken by telephone about the Jerusalem issue and said both of them favoured working to maintain the status quo for the city considered holy by three religions. Pro-Kurdish demonstrators held a sit-in near the Vatican in Rome (AP) In a brief statement, the Holy See said Francis and Mr Erdogan discussed the Middle East with particular reference to the status of Jerusalem, highlighting the need to promote peace and stability in the region through dialogue and negotiation, with respect for human rights and international law. The pope and Erdogan previously met in Turkey in 2014. The Vatican communique issued on Monday made no mention of the widespread international criticism of Turkeys human rights record, including the arrests and firings of tens of thousands of Turkish citizens after a failed coup in 2016. The Vatican said Mr Erdogan and Francis also discussed Turkeys reception of the many refugees and the challenges linked to this. Turkey agreed to try to hold back the flood of refugees trying to reach Europe as part of a three billion euro deal with the European Union. The state-run Anadolu Agency said Mr Erdogan and Francis also expressed the need to avoid provocative statements that link Islam with terrorism. Referring to Jerusalem in December, Francis emphasised that the city is sacred to followers of Christianity, Judaism and Islam and prayed that no new elements of tension would be added to a world already suffering many conflicts. Formula One has announced grid kids will be used this season after the sport controversially abolished its long-standing association with grid girls. F1s American owners Liberty Media denounced the long-standing practice of using female models before grands prix as at odds with modern-day societal norms. The grid kids scheme, which will come into effect at F1s season-opening race in Melbourne next month, will be formed of competitors already in the junior categories of motor racing. Grid girls will no longer be used by F1 (Rui Vieira/PA) The youngsters will be selected by local motor racing authorities, and F1 bosses hope the change will be of greater appeal to the sports younger fans. This will be an extraordinary moment for these youngsters, F1s American commercial chief Sean Bratches said. Imagine, standing beside their heroes, watch as they prepare to race, and to be there, alongside them in those precious few minutes just before the start. The Grid Kids will be chosen at every @F1 race, and where possible, also for the major feeder series like @FIA_F2 and @GP3_Official . They will be accompanied by their immediate family who will have paddock access for race Sunday.https://t.co/MiqWbOS7OW FIA (@fia) February 5, 2018 What an unforgettable experience, for them, and their families. An inspiration to keep driving, training and learning so that they can dream of one day being there themselves. What better way to inspire the next generation of Formula One heroes. Jean Todt, president for F1s governing body, the FIA, added: Formula One is the pinnacle of motor sport and the dream of every young racer competing in the junior series that make up the FIAs single-seater pyramid, from karting all the way to F1. We are therefore delighted to bring that dream a little closer by giving the future champions of our sport the opportunity to stand alongside their heroes on the grid in the build-up to the race start. For the wider FIA, this is an excellent initiative. Jean Todt believes `grid kids is an `excellent initiative (David Davies/PA) The tradition of using grid girls, which has gone hand in hand with the sport for a number of decades, was scrubbed from the F1 calendar with immediate effect last week. Liberty Medias decision to remove the female models follows in the footsteps of the Professional Darts Corporation, which also announced that women would no longer escort male players to the stage. The overhaul by Liberty, the American media conglomerate which took over the sport in January 2017, will apply to other motor racing events that take place at a Formula One grand prix weekend. Formula E, the FIA-backed electric series, also uses young people who are coming through the motor sport ranks to hold the grid placards. Welcome to F1, Grid Kids! https://t.co/FmCAlAroxM Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) February 5, 2018 Bernie Ecclestone, F1s former supremo, was among those critical of removing the grid girls, but three-time world champion Sir Jackie Stewart recognised the need for change. Sometimes it is better to take preventative medicine and that is what Formula One is doing, Stewart, 78, told Press Association Sport. Every day I read about a different scandal. F1s blue-chip partners do not need to be involved with that. I dont think it is a shame or a controversial decision and I understand what Liberty are saying. These are different times that we are living in. A Palestinian has stabbed an Israeli man to death at a bus stop near a West Bank settlement before fleeing the scene, officials said. The Israeli military said an army officer chased the assailant after the stabbing at a bus stop near the entrance to Ariel, hitting the attacker with his vehicle, but the culprit managed to get away. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the Israeli man died as a result of the stabbing wounds shortly thereafter. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker is being hunted (AP) Israeli media reported that the Palestinian was armed with two knives, and identified the stabbing victim as a father of four. Channel 2 News aired footage from the scene showing the attacker crossing a busy road and then lunging at the man, taking him by surprise. The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered his condolences and said security forces are currently chasing the murderers. Last month, an Israeli was killed in a drive-by shooting near a settlement outpost in the West Bank. Palestinians seek the West Bank, which Israel captured in the 1967 war, as part of their future state. Most of the international community views Israeli settlements there as illegal and an obstacle to peace. Israel said the fate of settlements must be resolved through negotiations. There has been a spike in Palestinian violence since US president Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital on December 6. The move sparked outrage across the Muslim world, where it was seen as the US taking Israels side on the most contentious issue of the decades-old conflict. Palestinian demonstrators have clashed with Israeli troops in the West Bank and along the Gaza-Israeli border, and 19 Palestinians have been killed in the violence since Mr Trumps announcement. A Barclays bank worker was murdered by her uncle after being dragged into his warped yearnings for another young woman, a court has heard. Celine Dookhran, 20, was allegedly kidnapped, raped, and killed by Mujahid Arshid who then stuffed her into a freezer at a house he was renovating in Kingston, south-west London. Another woman, who cannot be identified, escaped the same fate, despite Arshid saying she had 10 minutes to live as she lay bleeding on the bathroom floor, the Old Bailey has heard. In his closing speech, prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC said the 33-year-old builder had been obsessed with the surviving victim for years and fantasised about raping her in chat logs with an undercover police officer. The married man had researched murder on the internet as he plotted to snatch both women, the court heard. On July 19 last year, he allegedly seized his opportunity after Ms Dookhran became distraught at a family meeting aimed at forcing her to give up her boyfriend. Mr Aylett said the fact Arshid had fantasised about raping the survivor in chat logs some four years before was the most sinister aspect of what were already hideous events. He told jurors: Bear in mind that when (the surviving victim) gave her account to police she would not have known anything of the sexual fantasy (Arshid) had been festering over all those years. He went on: The prosecution suggest Arshid had been obsessed with (the surviving victim) for years. After all he was so jealous of (her boyfriend) he actually punched him in the mouth. And he had become rather fond of Celine. He had come into her dressing room half dressed and sat in the room in a rather creepy way, certainly over familiar. Celine Dookhran. Mujahid Arshid is on trial accused of the kidnap, rape and murder of his niece and the attempted murder of another woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, in July last year (Family handout/Metropolitan Police/PA). If his plan had been to rape (the surviving victim), somehow Celine got dragged into his warped yearnings as well. The family meeting did create a situation that Arshid could take advantage of. Celine was distraught, looking to run away. (The surviving victim) had her own issues with her family. He had in fact been planning for such a situation for some time. You know from the internet searches Mr Arshid had been planning all of this for three weeks or so before it happened. Arshid, formerly of south-west London, denies murder, attempted murder, rape of both women and the previous sexual assault and assault by penetration of the surviving woman when she was about 13. Vincent Tappu (left) and Mujahid Arshid in the dock of the Old Bailey, as a young woman has told how Arshid a "psycho" builder slit her throat and said she had "10 minutes to live" after killing her friend (File court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook). Together with labourer Tappu, 28, from Acton, west London, he has also pleaded not guilty to the womens kidnap and false imprisonment, and possession of a firearm with intent. The jury is expected to retire to consider its verdict on Wednesday afternoon. Kenyas government has restored transmission to two of the four TV stations it shut down seven days ago, as police fired tear gas on crowds demonstrating against violations of constitutional freedoms. The Kenya Television Network and Nation Television News (NTN) both transmitted again following talks with the government. Service has not been restored to Citizen TV and the vernacular language service Inooro TV, said NTN chief Linus Kaikai, who is also the chairman of the Kenya Editors Guild. Meanwhile, police have fired tear gas at a peaceful demonstration of about 100 protesters expressing outrage over the governments blatant violation of the constitution, rights activist Njonjo Mue said. Premier Uhuru Kenyattas government had shut down transmission of the four popular TV channels last week when they attempted to broadcast the mock inauguration of opposition leader Raila Odinga as the peoples president. The mock inauguration was held last week (AP) Mr Odinga charges that Mr Kenyatta won elections last year through fraud. The government ignored court orders to restore the remaining two stations transmission and to release opposition activist Miguna Miguna. Mr Miguna was arrested after standing beside Mr Odinga during the protest inauguration and signing the document as a witness. Mr Odingas fake inauguration last week was attended by tens of thousands of opposition supporters in the capital, Nairobi. The government responded to Mr Odingas event by declaring his opposition movement a criminal organisation and investigating conspirators in the ceremony. Opposition MP TJ Kajwang, who stood beside Mr Odinga and wore a judicial robe, was arrested on Wednesday and taken to court, where police fired tear gas at his supporters. It is not clear what charges were pressed against Mr Kajwang, but he has been released on bail. Kenyas supreme court nullified Mr Kenyattas election in August after Mr Odinga claimed that hackers infiltrated the electoral commissions computer system and changed results in favour of Mr Kenyatta. The ruling, citing irregularities and illegalities, was the first time a court had overturned a presidential election in Africa. The court ordered a fresh election in October which Mr Kenyatta won after Mr Odinga boycotted it, claiming a lack of electoral reforms. A police watchdog is to recruit more staff after its resources were stretched to the limit last year. Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) Kate Frame said she welcomed an increase in her budget in recognition of the acute demands facing staff. The body currently has about 30 full-time equivalent investigators working on 31 live investigations, some of which have required more than 100 witness statements to be taken. Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) Kate Frame (Scottish Parliament/PA) In a letter to Margaret Mitchell, convener of Holyroods Justice Committee, Ms Frame said recruitment would be under way shortly, with additional staff to be in position by April 2018. She said the growth in investigations referred to Pirc in 2016/17 and 2017/18 has made it particularly difficult to deliver our investigation reports as quickly as I would have liked. Ms Frame said: Throughout 2017, I continued to witness an increase in the scale and complexity of investigations referred to me and a considerable rise in the number of senior officer (ie above the rank of Assistant Chief Constable) misconduct referrals to me by the Scottish Police Authority. Being aware that our resources were already stretched to the limit and as I was extremely concerned about the unsustainability of the situation, I raised this issue on several occasions with our sponsor team at the Scottish Government. Ms Frame welcomed extra funds including a budget increase of 1,068,000 which she said meets the current business demands of the Pirc. She added: Whilst it is always almost impossible to predict with any degree of certainty how long it will take to complete any investigation, the shortage of resources throughout 2017 has undoubtedly impacted on the speed at which the investigation team has been able to complete its work. The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner has informed the Justice Committee the organisation's resources were "stretched to the limit".@Liam4Orkney said "SNP ministers must take responsibility for the delay to these cases."https://t.co/mKMwUCsZDc pic.twitter.com/VcMxgPdSyg Scottish Lib Dems (@scotlibdems) February 5, 2018 I trust that this letter gives you some indication of the acute pressure that staff here have been working under, in order to meet the ever-increasing demand placed on this organisation and provide you with some reassurance that these demands have now been recognised by the latest funding allocation. The Pirc said it was hoped that the additional staff would allow us to progress investigations more timeously but the situation would be monitored. Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Liam McArthur said: While the Scottish Government has now given it a fresh financial package, it is clear that Pirc could have done with this much earlier. Pirc does critical work and SNP ministers must take responsibility for the delay to these cases. A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: As Cabinet Secretary made clear to parliament last week, we received a business plan from PIRC in late 2017 on the increasing demand that it is facing and the resources needed. We considered that and with the support of Parliament, we intend, if the budget is agreed, to increase the PIRCs budget by more than 1 million in the forthcoming financial year. That would increase its budget by almost 30 per cent, in order to allow it to increase the range of staff that it has to deal with the investigations and demands that it is experiencing at present. A Palestinian has stabbed an Israeli man to death at a bus stop near a West Bank settlement before fleeing the scene, Israeli officials said. The military said an army officer chased the assailant after the stabbing at a bus stop near the entrance to Ariel, hitting him with his vehicle, but the attacker got away. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the Israeli man died from stab wounds shortly after. Benjamin Netanyahu (AP/Alexander Zemlianichenko) Israeli media identified the victim as Itamar Ben Gal, a 29-year-old father of four. Channel 2 News aired footage from the scene showing the attacker crossing a busy road and then lunging at the man, taking him by surprise. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered his condolences and said security forces are currently chasing the murderers. Last month, an Israeli was killed in a drive-by shooting near a settlement outpost in the West Bank. Palestinians want the West Bank, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war, as part of their future state. Most of the international community views Israeli settlements there as illegal and an obstacle to peace. Israel says the fate of settlements must be resolved through negotiations. There has been a spike in Palestinian violence since President Donald Trumps December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital. The move sparked outrage across the Muslim world, where it was seen as the US taking Israels side on the most contentious issue of the decades-old conflict. Palestinian demonstrators have clashed with Israeli troops in the West Bank and along the Gaza-Israeli border, and 19 Palestinians have been killed in the violence since Mr Trumps announcement. Byron McGuigan has been ruled out of Scotlands match against France with a hamstring injury. The wing has returned to Sale for treatment after picking up the injury during the second half of Scotlands opening NatWest 6 Nations defeat by Wales. The Scottish Rugby Union also confirmed that lock Richie Gray (calf) and centre Duncan Taylor (head) have still not shaken off injuries and will not join up with the squad ahead of Sundays BT Murrayfield encounter. Sarah Silverman has announced that she and Michael Sheen have split up after four years of dating, joking that they had consciously uncoupled. The US comedian borrowed the phrase Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin used to describe their split, as she told fans on Twitter about the break-up. The great @michaelsheen & I consciously uncoupled over Christmas. I mean, not over Christmas - like that wasnt the fight that ended it. No fight. We just live in different countries & it got hard. Felt we should just tell yall so u stop askin, Hows Michael/Hows Sarah? Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) February 5, 2018 The 47-year-old said: The great @michaelsheen & I consciously uncoupled over Christmas. Sarah Silverman and Michael Sheen (PA) I mean, not over Christmas like that wasnt the fight that ended it. No fight. We just live in different countries & it got hard. Felt we should just tell yall so u stop askin, Hows Michael/Hows Sarah?' Silverman started dating British actor Sheen, 49, in 2014 and is close friends with his ex Kate Beckinsale. Rehan Wijeratne Jayawickreme, contesting under the UNP ticket from the Weligama-Hettiweediya ward is concerned about the drug menace Many new faces have taken up the challenge to make a change in the upcoming Local Government polls. Representing the late Major Montague Jayawickreme and late minister Ranjan Wijeratne generation is Rehan Wijeratne Jayawickreme who will be contesting under the United National Party (UNP) ticket from the Weligama-Hettiweediya ward. Having studied at S. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia and the British School of Colombo, Rehan is also armed with a Diploma in Media and Communication at the Deakin University, Melbourne. He later worked as a tea taster and his political background eventually inspired him to step in to politics.Following are excerpts of an interview the Daily mirror did with Jayawickreme during which he shared his plans for Weligama. QWhat inspired you to contest this time? Both my granduncles were in politics and I have seen them working ever since I was small. I also think that not many youngsters are involved in politics at a lower level. So I thought I should contest and also encourage many other youngsters as well. QWhat are your plans for Weligama? Some of the main issues include the garbage problem. It is a huge issue here. Its piling up and everybody has neglected it. If I am elected I will implement a waste-to-energy project to convert garbage to energy. Also the beaches in Weligama are some of the best you could find in the South. They could be promoted for surfing and other water sports, targeting tourists. I am planning to develop tourism since it is already picking up like in other destinations such as Mirissa. QThe beach boys and the drug issue are main problems in the coastal areas. How will you take action to control these issues? The beach boy issue in Weligama is not as bad as that in other areas. Beach boys have now started their own surfing schools and are earning well. But the drug issue is prevailing and I hope to work with law enforcement authorities to put a stop to this menace. QHow challenging is the new electoral system for newcomers? This is the first time that our generation is contesting under this system and I see many positives in it. The candidate that is elected is the sole representative for his ward and therefore the individual has a bigger scope. It is less challenging than having to look after an entire electorate. You are only responsible for your ward. Our mindset is such that we will definitely win. The corrupt system mainly applies to the main elections. But for this election, people have to use their vote wisely if they want a change. The elected candidate will look after his/her ward. So those who want to see Good Governance should go ahead and vote for the UNP. QThe South, especially areas such as Matara and Weligama, is known to be an SLFP voter base. Isnt it a challenge to contest from the UNP? The Pohottuwa list got rejected from the Weligama Urban council. The UNP, despite being not popular in the South, has slowly started to reach the people. During the past regime the UNP didnt have the power to work in this area. So this time I see that more UNPers are interested in voting for the UNP because the Government too is part of the UNP. QDuring the time of your granduncles there was much political hatred. How do you see this now and in the future? During their time there was a major JVP insurrection. But now there is technology and the society is more educated. I dont think youngsters would want another war. They believe in education rather than in violence. QPeople have less hopes on politics now and the majority has doubts about voting. How confident are you that the UNP will win? So far we have received much feedback. Our mindset is such that we will definitely win. The corrupt system mainly applies to the main elections. But for this election, people have to use their vote wisely if they want a change. The elected candidate will look after his/her ward. So those who want to see Good Governance should go ahead and vote for the UNP. Says should establish national movement against corruption Emphasizes need for financial discipline in managing govt. coffers Says politicians, public servants should adhere to fiscal discipline President Maitrhipala Sirisena delivering his Independence Day speech President Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday the fight against corruption is the self-defence of the nation and stressed that it has become one of the main impediments to the progress towards prosperity, which is the aspiration of all citizens. Addressing the nation on the occasion of the 70th independence anniversary celebrations at the Galle Face in Colombo, President Sirisena said a broad national movement against corruption is essential for the country achieve prosperity. Interestingly, two of the key suspects of the Central Bank bond scam, arguably the biggest fraud in Sri Lankas recent history, were arrested yesterday morning by the officials of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). President Sirisena said bribery, corruption, frauds and malpractices are biggest hindrances to the economic independence Sri Lanka and hence all politicians should fulfil their duties in an exemplary manner. He said there is a requirement of a national movement against corruption in order to establish a clean political culture and such a movement must be mobilized with the participation of the intellectual community of the country, he said. Meanwhile, President Sirisena emphasized the need for financial discipline in managing the government coffers and pointed out that there were adverse repercussions due to implementation of personal agendas in development strategies in the past. Stating the importance of identifying development priorities, he said politicians as well as public servants including every head of department fulfilling the responsibilities towards the people must act with utmost fiscal discipline. He added that the experiences gained during the past 70 years must be used to face the future challenges. One of the main challenges is poverty and every government implemented different programmes to free the people from poverty and they have made positive contributions. With those experiences, we have launched such programmes and there is a need to make them more intelligent and efficient and I am sure with such measures we can win this challenge, he said. President Sirisena also paid his tribute to the members of security forces who made immense sacrifices to defeat the LTTE terrorism. He further stressed the need for communal harmony among the Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher communities to build the nation. Pointing out the right of the people to live as equal citizens, he said fullest commitment and support of every section was essential to achieve true reconciliation. New currency note presented to President The new currency note with a face value of Rs.1000 issued by the Central Bank in order to commemorate the 70th independence anniversary was presented to President Maithripala Sirisena by Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy at the Presidential secretariat recently. This is the fourth commemorative currency note issued by the Central Bank. The Central Bank said this currency note will be in circulation through licensed commercial banks from February 6. The Head of the Public Debt department of the Central Bank, Deepa Senevirathne, Senior Deputy Dr .P. Nandalal Weerasighe accompanied the Governor. Ceylon Roots (Private) Limited, together with the Sunflower Travel Company of the Peoples Republic of China, created history by hosting one of the largest incentive groups from China for a week in Sri Lanka. The tourist group comprised of the best performing sales force of Jiong Aplhay Bio Company of China which is renowned to be the largest mushroom manufacturing and distributing company in the world. Over the last 15 years, Jiong Aplhay Bio Company has been taking their best performing employees to Malaysia on incentive tours. However, this year, Ceylon Roots managed to convince Jiong Aplhay to send their delegates to Sri Lanka. During their stay, the team explored some of Sri Lankas historically and culturally-rich tourist attractions. The group visited the cultural city of Dambulla, Kandy, Colombo as well as the Southern coastal strip. They were warmly welcomed at a special reception and gala dinner which was held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH). Tourism Minister John Amaratunga graced the occasion as a special guest. In his address to the gathering, the Minister extended his gratitude to Ceylon Roots for their outstanding effort and contribution towards the Sri Lankan tourism sector through strengthening partnerships with thriving markets such as China. Commenting about the economic impact of the visit, the Director of Ceylon Roots, Nishantha Perera revealed that the total package was worth over US $ 1.2 million, whereas the guests have spent an estimated equal amount on recreational activities in the island. The Chief Executive Officer of Ceylon Roots, Dishan Perera, elaborating about the significance of hosting the enormous tour group said, We are truly happy that we were able to convince Jiong Aplhay to break their 15-year tradition and choose Sri Lanka over Malaysia. The response we received from the Group is heartwarming and we are delighted that they enjoyed their stay in Sri Lanka and concluded a very successful and a memorable tour. President Maithripala Sirisena said the fight against corruption was the self-defence of the countrys march towards prosperity and the country must be fully prepared and dedicated to put an end to corruption, theft and waste once and for all. He added that each and every politician in Sri Lanka had a responsibility to carry out his or her service to society in an exemplary manner sans mischief, corruption and theft, because it was the duty of the hour of all politicians. In his address to the nation at the 70th Independence Day celebrations held at the Galle Face Green today, President Sirisena went onto say that a broad national movement against corruption was essential as a safeguard to achieve Sri Lankas objectives of economic development and social, cultural and spiritual happiness. Bribery, corruption, fraud, mismanagement and malpractices were the most adverse impact on economic independence of the country, hence all the politicians should fulfill their duties in an exemplary manner, President Sirisena stressed. Emphasizing the importance of identifying development priorities, President Sirisena pointed out that there were adverse repercussions due to implementation of personal agendas in development strategies. Therefore, the need of the hour is to maintain financial discipline. Politicians as well as Public Servants including every Head of Departments fulfilling the responsibilities towards the people must act with utmost fiscal discipline, he said. There was a requirement of a national movement against corruption in order to establish a clean political culture and such a collective movement must be mobilized with the participation of the collective of intellectuals and professionals of the country, he said. There is no doubt that the desire of each and every Sri Lankan is to achieve a speedier progress in every aspect of life. Far-reaching reforms in the Public Sector are required to realise that objective with the assistance and cooperation of the Private Sector. The true development cannot be restricted to economic progress alone. Achieving a true national development means the growth and advancement in living, social and cultural standards while maintaining a healthy balance in enjoying the environment resources and at the same time protecting it, he said. President Sirisena said that the experiences gained during the past 70 years must be used to face the future challenges. One of the main challenges is poverty and successive Governments in the past implemented different programmes to free the people from poverty and they have made positive contributions. With those experiences, we have launched programmes to achieve that end and there is a need to make them more intelligent and efficient and I am sure with such measures we can win this challenge, he said. The President paid his tribute to the members of security forces who made immense sacrifices to defeat terror unleashed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). When the LTTE attempted to break our country, our Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and Civil Defence Services sacrificed their lives and limbs and many became handicapped, even denied their children and families a proper family life, suffering many painful experiences on behalf of future of the nation, freedom of the nation and the territorial integrity, he said. President Sirisena pointed out the need for communal harmony among the Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and Burgher communities to build the nation and stressed the need to protect the rights of the people to live as equal citizens. He said fullest commitment and support of every section was essential to achieve true reconciliation. President Sirisena noted the importance of reshaping of administrative, legislative and executive bodies such as Local Government bodies, Parliament and the office of Executive Presidency in order to provide the opportunity for the people to get maximum possible benefit from those establishments. Financial crimes and multifaceted corruption engulfed in politics have prevented people enjoying full dividends of democracy and freedom, President Sirisena emphasized. Freedom must not be restricted only to enjoy democratic rights. People must also be provided with economic freedom, freedom from poverty and freedom from discrimination. New technology is an integral part of development. To apply technology to achieve economic progress we will have to rely on foreign countries. But in doing so we must never ever forget the nations self respect, dignity, our heritage and culture. While remaining committed to realise an accelerated development we must also be determined to preserve and safeguard our culture, civilization and traditional values, he said. All Sri Lankans must act bravely and diligently to realise their respective aspirations of life, while contributing with dedication and patriotism towards national progress. It is extremely imperative to maintain inter communal interfaith harmony, understanding and mutual respect. Communal mistrust and discrimination breed hate and vengeance among communities which is the biggest motivation for terrorism. That is why this Government always promotes and protects peace and friendship among Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Malays and Burghers. Then only we can build patriotism and exclusiveness among all Sri Lankans, President Sirisena stressed. President Sirisena paid tribute to three armed forces, the Police and Civil Defence Force for their numerous sacrifices made to eradicate LTTE terrorism from the soil of motherland and restoring nations independence and territorial integrity. The special invitees to the 70th Independence Celebrations of Sri Lanka, Prince Edward Earl of Wessex and the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth I and his wife Countess of Wessex, Sophie Rhys-Jones were conspicuous in their presence at the ceremony. A noticeable absentee of this year was the TNA. The members of the joint opposition did not participate in the ceremony as usual. After the Address to the Nation by President Sirisena, a Guard of Honour, 21 Gun Salute, an armed forces, police and school cadet parade and a cultural display were followed. The ceremony was made more colourful and exciting with a parachute jumping, an air show by the Sri Lanka Air Force and naval craft display in the sea by Sri Lanka Navy. The ceremony was concluded with the singing of the national anthem in Tamil. (Sandun A Jayasekera) Kesaralal Gunasekara United Peoples Freedom Alliances Mayoral candidate for the Dehiwala- Mount Lavinia Municipal Council Kesaralal Gunasekara in an interview with Daily mirror spoke about the progress of his campaign and presented his analysis on the upcoming elections. Excerpts: QWhat is your impression of the campaign so far? The election procedure has changed this time. Earlier, there was intra-party rivalry. Today, people can vote for the party of their choice. As a result, intra-party fighting is all gone. The best candidate can put forward his manifesto and get the support of the masses, who are ultimately going to gain. There is a shift as far as voting is concerned. Traditionally, UNPers and SLFPers detested each other when it came to voting. By and large, we have had a good campaign. We have enough material. We have a good team. I am coming forward as the mayoral candidate. I have enough experience both in Parliament and the local administrative system. We are more equipped to handle local government issues than any other party. QNow, the anti-UNP vote base has been divided. One group is contesting under the betel leaf and the other contests under the flower bud symbol. How will it affect the final outcome? This is fundamentally a city. Many people are of the view that this will not have any bearing. Some of the people whom we met arent aware whether there is any other party. I must tell you that it isnt easy to get a party and its symbol familiar with the people. In that context, I doubt the new partys performance. QYou are contesting for the second largest municipal council of Sri Lanka. What are the specific issues you have identified in the area? There are so many issues. Main among them is the garbage issue. Its a serious issue. If we set a date for the collection of waste, it has to be done as predetermined. So far, we havent been able to implement something of that nature. Once we secure power in the council, we intend to do something in this regard. Secondly, there are instances where people turn to the councils seeking solutions to the matters of their concern. Then, the municipal authorities direct them to take legal action. We need to have a departure from that practice. The judicial process is a costly exercise. What we plan is to create a situation where there is a committee to look into such concerns. After that, a decision can be taken regarding what to do. QGoing by your interactions with the people during the canvassing process, are they merely concerned about the local issues or national issues? They are very much concerned about local issues. I hardly came across anyone talking about the cost of living. May be, it is because this is a city area. People came up with issues like garbage disposal, street lighting, and sewerage disposal. QBut the leaders of the main political forces always speak about national issues when campaigning for the elections. Some even ask people to see this as a referendum. What is your view? This is an election for people to elect representatives to run their localities. You cannot ask people to forget about these matters. This is not a local election. You need a team. QThe UNP and the SLFP are critical of each other. How will it affect the future of the Unity Government? A similar question was directed to me at a recent TV talk show. It was attended by experts in the field of economics. One must understand that there is no other alternative. You have to go ahead whether you like it or not. As far the statements by any party threatening to form its own Government, I must say that they arent experienced enough in politics. There is no way the Government can be taken in this manner. The best thing is for the two parties to get together and work. You may have issues all over. You need to manage them all. We need to move in the correct direction. We need to understand that fighting each other is not going to provide the answer. QDo you mean to say that the Unity Government should continue? It has to run its full term. Both parties are looking forward to each others goals. The course of action should be to get together and see how we can take the country forward. So many people are coming up with theories as to what happened during the past few months. The local authorities arent for them. In fact, I detest certain politicians coming and talking at our meetings. They are talking nonsense. Some senior members of the party absolutely talk rubbish when they address our meetings. They must concentrate on local affairs. QThe Dehiwala- Mount Lavinia Municipal Council has always been with the UNP barring on a few occasions. How do you see it this time? There are two electorates falling under this municipal area. One is Dehiwala and the other Ratmalana. They are two contrasting electorates. They would not come out the same. One party may do better in Dehiwala and the other party in Ratmalana. If you look at the results of the last elections, we were stronger in Ratmalana than in Dehiwala. That is why we could establish the administration. It isnt easy to get a party and symbol familiar National Unity Govt. should continue as there is no other alternative- UPFA candidate for Dehiwala Garbage disposal, street lighting are key issues to be addressed New Election Law is better There is no intra-party rivalry QDo you think it will work the same way this time? Yes, we have a better team. We are much more equipped. QFormer Mayor Danasiri Amaratunga is contesting from the other party. How will it affect the UPFA as a whole? I have categorically said that the party is not going to be the strongest in the area. QIn your view, the UPFA is the party to win? Yes, it is. QWhat is your assessment of the new election law? The change is good. There is no intra-party fighting. Yet, the number of people to be elected is too big. It is too heavy. QWhat are the pluses and minuses of the new election law as far as campaigning is concerned? The advantage is that it is easy for us to drive a point. You go from house to house. You do not need to have massive meetings. It is easy to visit households in a limited area. When you see Geetha Kumarasinghe dancing away, her own way, dazzling us, you wonder whether this could be the same performer whose father, an editor of a conservative Sinhala Buddhist magazine, prohibited her and her siblings from going to the theatre. Then you realise that Geethas career, in the movies and also, to a considerable extent, in politics, has been built on a contrapuntal, at times contradictory mixture of daringness and prudishness. She formed part of our wildest fantasies, got us to picture her running from one romance to another in those fantasies, and yet succeeded at creating a welter of security, of stability, around her. Malini Fonseka never faced this problem, because she came from a different time: she was the guiding star that everyone else after her had to follow, so she had the prerogative to be whoever she wanted to be. Geetha was different. In a rather exhilarating way. Malini Fonseka, when she took to directing and producing films, provoked empathy from her female protagonists And to me, that explains the kind of paradoxical world she operates in, in whatever movie and under whatever director. Malini was discovered by two cineastes Tissa Liyanasuriya and Joe Abeywickrama after she took part in a play staged at the Lumbini. She came to the cinema, in other words, with the theatre. Geetha never dallied onstage like this or like her other contemporaries, but got film producer after producer to help her graduate in the industry with a beauty contest held at her village. If you cant think of another actress who could be drafted into 21 films and at the same time be extended a marriage offer from a well-to-do engineer from England without taking part in a single production, its not because Sri Lanka lacks capable actresses, but because it lacks capable actresses who can choose to dare. Geetha is paradoxical as a performer, and also a politician, because she is never who she seems to be with her life and career. At one point she can dance away on her own terms with whatever man cast opposite her; at another point, she can confidently refuse a tentative offer by no less an outfit than Playboy magazine to feature her on their cover. Thats where her package lies: in her ability to give out while never giving in. Geethas career, in the movies and also in politics, has been built on a contrapuntal, at times contradictory mixture of daringness and prudishness Most of our popular actresses learn to perform a balancing act between commercial and serious flicks rather early on. Malini was like that (her first role, in Punchi Baba, wasnt exactly mainstream; she had to wait some time for that kind of role); so was Swarna Mallawarachchi (who never really operated in the mainstream film industry) and Swineetha Weerasinghe and Swarna Kahawita and Anula Karunatilake. Geetha, strangely enough, though, had to wait for a decade before she could get out of the populist canvas that K.A.W. Perera (Wasana) and Neil Rupasinghe (Lassana Kella) had got her into. These two directors conceived her as a side player; she won us as that side player. It was in Kolamba Sanniya, as the daughter, that she epitomised her image as a freewheeling girl (an image you conjure up when you see her dancing, crazily, to the bitingly witty lyrics in Clarence Wijewardenas Nelum Pokuru Wage, which ends with these suggestive lines: fof;d, r;g f,a jf.hs / uqK yyka ,S jf.hs). Malini was seductive in a kinder, gentler way: her coy eyes, her careful, cautious, but warmly encouraging smile, and her childlike strut were qualities that existed almost solely to convince the men who figured in her life that they were destined for her (or rather, that she was destined for them). Geetha, whether in Wasana or Lassana Kella or Kolamba Sanniya, acted differently: forceful, manipulative, at times cunning. She contorts our expectations of her as a peaceable lover because she is, frankly speaking, never really at peace. Here I quote the inimitable D. B. S. Jeyaraj: She was not prepared to play the coy maiden if and when a scene warranted close encounters of the physical kind. She never shies away, and can get provocatively loud or candid when she wants to. Malini provokes empathy, even when shes in the wrong; Geetha provokes infatuation. This difference, vague to some, explains the incongruous contradictoriness of her more serious forays, right down from Karumakkarayo. In Karumakkarayo she starred opposite Vijaya Kumaratunga; she would croon with him again and again, in Jaya Sikuru, in Raja Wedakarayo, in Jaya Apitayi, and more memorably than in any of these, in Anjana, the latter of which also starred Swarna Mallawarachchi (both she and Geetha dance in Anjana; for Geetha it was usual fare, while for Swarna it was not). So fixated she was on getting the men she wanted (who almost always happened to be played by Vijaya) that even in those serious forays of hers, she can never get away from the playful streak it compels in her. As Dotty in Palama Yata and as Punna in Loku Duwa both of which she produced she is almost always frail, vulnerable to abuse. But when the moment of reckoning does come in Palama Yata, when she faces up to the indomitable, cruel Walaha (Sanath Gunatilake), and in Loku Duwa, when she tenders her resignation to her lascivious boss (Gamini Fonseka) she is ready to unleash her fury. We see this happen with respect even to her closest friends and acquaintances, as with the brother in Loku Duwa (Kamal Addararachchi) and the lowlife husband in Ran Diya Dahara (Jackson Anthony). In the mainstream cinema she was always provocative while maintaining a welter of security; in these serious outings she was always frail and fragile while only at the last minute unleashing that provocative character in her. Its a subtle inversion at one level, and it helps us understand her forte as a performer and even a politician. She contorts our expectations of her as a peaceable lover because she is, frankly speaking, never really at peace Malini Fonseka, when she took to directing and producing films, provoked empathy from her female protagonists. Geetha wasnt ready like that to portray women as forever-hard-done-by-weepers, which is why, in Palama Yata and Loku Duwa, she asserts her desperate need to be through with her miseries and at the time makes us aware of the fact that she has been schooled by her terrible experiences. (In a manner of speaking, both Dottie and Punna meet with the same tragic encounters, though they hail from two completely different milieus.) Perhaps it had to do with the fact that these films were better received by critics, here and abroad, than Malinis directorial ventures, but when I see them today, I am reminded of the commonly held view that they were associated with her, that they were considered as directorial ventures on her own part. Geetha is Geetha in both these flicks, so much so that they become her. She pushes for what she wants, and becomes who she acts, even when shes off-screen. With four major political parties going into the last two days of their unprecedented battle for the control of 341 local councils, Parliament would today hold a special session to debate a vital issue. The much awaited debate will be on the lengthy bombshell reports of the Commission which investigated alleged Bond scams at the Central Bank from February 2015 to March 2016 and the Commission which inquired into allegations of serious acts of fraud or corruption. These events took place after the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), in a dramatic move on Independence Day, raided the residences of the Perpetual Treasuries Limited owner Arjun Aloysius and its Chief Executive Officer Kasun Palisena. The two multi-millionaire businessmen are among the main suspects in the Bond scams in which they are alleged to have unethically obtained inside information to make a staggering profit of more than Rs. 11.1 billion. The two suspects were questioned for several hours at CID headquarters, later arrested and on Sunday night they were produced at the residence of Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne who remanded them till last morning. Yesterday morning Mr. Aloysius and Mr. Palisena were produced in Courts and the same Magistrate remanded them till February 16. That means more than 10 days in jail for those who lived in the lap of luxury. Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne also ordered that the Central Banks former Governor Arjuna Mahendran, father-in-law of Mr. Aloysius, to return to Sri Lanka before February 15 and make a statement to the CID. The Commission has said that the former Central Bank Governor had allegedly given inside information to his son-in-law so that the PTL could make a huge profit at the bond auction. Mr. Mahendran is now in Singapore, where he is a citizen besides being a citizen of Sri Lanka. Reports indicate that if he does not make a statement or return for the court inquiry, a warrant may be issued for his arrest. In this election week and on the eve of the debate another important event took place. That was the arrest in Dubai of Udayanga Weeratunga, Sri Lankas former Ambassador in Russia. He had been evading arrest after being accused of involvement in corruption in the multi-million dollar deal for the purchase of MiG aircraft for the Sri Lanka Air Force in 2005. These three arrests are seen as major steps in the battle against corruption, the battle being lead by President Maithripala Sirisena who is pledging at every election rally that he is determined to clean up Sri Lankan politics and ensure that effective legal action is taken against those allegedly involved in serious fraud or corruptions. The President has also pledged to introduce laws to recover the billions plundered from public money. Prime Minister and United National Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe also is pledging full support for the Presidents battle against corruption though some Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) seniors and other opposition leaders are calling on Mr. Wickremesinghe to resign because it was he who recommended the appointment of Mr. Mahendran as Governor of the Central Bank. But Mr. Wickremesinghe and other UNP leaders are denying that the party as such had any connection with the bond scam though some related charges have been made against for the former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake. Meanwhile the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) also fighting hard for control of a substantial number of local councils, is accusing the UNP, the SLFP and former President Rajapaksas Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) of staging a drama on the corruption issue, a sort of drama that even Bollywood would find hard to produce. JVP leaders say there are deals within deals and wheels within wheels on the corruption issue with some leaders of the other three parties having backdoor deals with each other though it is not clear as to who is trying to protect whom and from what. Amid such high drama, more than 15 million people are registered to vote at the February 10 local council elections and we hope they will be wise and prudent in exercising their right in choosing their representatives, mindful of the fact that the prevailing culture of bribery, corruption and abuse of privileges instigated by those in power is sadly, but surely a reflection of peoples own actions and choices. The Maldives is an archipelago of hundreds of tiny, idyllic islands, many of which are luxury resorts attracting Westerners in search of a quiet retreat. But the quietness of the country appears to be restricted to its physical features. Maldives politics has been one of the noisiest and volatile in the South Asian region in recent times. The volatility and the instability that one is seeing presently, and has been seeing frequently in the last decade, could be attributed to a variety of factors, but fundamentally they appear to stem from the fact that democracy is new to the country, just ten years old. And power is still concentrated in the hands of an elite, which like all power elites, constantly scheme against each other to grab and monopolize power. Maldives is now on the verge of political chaos with President Abdulla Yameen facing a sudden onslaught from, not just the opposition parties which he is used to, but from institutions like the Supreme Court and the Election Commission, which were thought to be firmly under his control. The loyalty of the police, a vital arm of the State, came under suspicion and its chief was changed twice in two days last week. Manifestation of the crisis The Supreme Court last Thursday ordered the government to immediately release from prison nine top opposition political leaders. Among them was former President Mohamed Nasheed. The Court also re-instated 12 MPs who had been sacked earlier for crossing the floor. If implemented, these orders would have greatly strengthened the opposition parties both inside and outside Parliament and helped the opposition carry out its threat to impeach President Yameen. On Sunday, Attorney General Mohamed Anil told the media that government has information about the Supreme Courts plan to pass an order to arrest and impeach Yameen. Anil dubbed the move as unconstitutional and said that as per the constitution, only parliament can impeach and remove the President. He warned that the government and the police would not carry out illegal and unconstitutional orders. Army Chief, Maj.Gen. Ahmed Shiyam, who was by Anils side, said that the Security Forces would stand by the government in upholding the law and constitution. The Maldives Parliament minus a number of opposition MP, was thought to be firmly under Yameens control. Vital resolutions of far reaching domestic and international import, such as the China-Maldives Free Trade Agreement (CMFTA), were passed in ten minutes flat without a debate. AG Mohamed Anil warned the Govt. and police would not carry out illegal and unconstitutional orders But then, suddenly on Thursday, the Supreme Court passed an order re-instating twelve MPs who had earlier been unseated for cross floor crossing. If they do come back to Parliament and sit with the opposition, the latters power to pass an impeachment motion against the President with the required two thirds majority would have been enhanced. To add to Yameens woes, the Secretary General of Parliament, Ahmed Mohamed, resigned, as he had been of the view that the reinstated MPs could start attending parliament. Fearing trouble, the Speaker decided to postpone the parliament session indefinitely and the Security Forces surrounded parliament. Two reinstated MPs, Abdulla Sinan and Ahmed Ilham, who had arrived from abroad, were arrested at the airport. Maldives is now on the verge of political chaos with President Abdulla Yameen facing a sudden onslaught from Supreme Court and Election Commission Earlier, the Election Commissioner, Ahmed Sulaiman, resigned amidst former President Maumoon Abdul Gayooms allegation that Yameen is planning to rig the September 2018 Presidential election. After Sulaimans exit, the President decided to have an entirely new Elections Commission and called for applications.. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court refused to accept the governments plea that the nine political leaders ordered to be released by the court cannot be released because of certain legal and other concerns and that a mutually acceptable way has to be found to implement the release order. The government had pointed out that the leaders in question had been jailed for serious offences like terrorism, bomb attacks, bribery, embezzlement and fraud. But the Supreme Court said on Sunday that it did not accept the governments concerns as valid because the court was only asking for release prior to a retrial. The courts point is that the trials which had ended in conviction were not fair. Meanwhile, in an effort to intimidate the Supreme Court, the government started investigating the allegedly questionable purchase of properties by Justice Ali Hameed and the Judicial Administrator Hassan Saeed Hussain. There were reports that Chief Justice Abdullah Saeed may also have been involved in such transactions. The Criminal Court passed an order to arrest the Judicial Administrator, but the Supreme Court annulled it saying that the lower court had not followed the correct procedure. Thirst for monopolistic power These events are a culmination of more than four years of authoritarian rule of President Yameen. Though he has rendered yeoman service for the economic development of the Maldives by trying to diversify its fisheries and tourism-based economy, there has been a palpable deficit in his skills in handling of men and matters. Like his predecessors, Yameen has been high-handed and arbitrary and hungry for monopolistic power, alienating even his principal supporters in the process. Yameen enacted and enforced harsh restrictions on free speech and assembly. In 2015 former President Nasheed was arrested on terrorism charges and was jailed for 13 years. Though the trial was not seen as being fair, the Supreme Court validated it in June 2016. In November 2015, Vice President Ahmed Adeeb was arrested and jailed for alleged involvement in a plot to kill Yameen. The courts and Election Commission (EC) also announced decisions that benefited the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM). The EC deregistered almost half of all MDP members, citing their failure to adhere to a law requiring them to submit their fingerprints to it. In December 2016, a civil court ruled that the EC must postpone local council elections set for January 2017 because the ruling party, embroiled in a leadership dispute, was not sufficiently prepared for them. Parliament approved and Yameen ratified a new act criminalizing and raising fines for defamation to up to Rufiyaa 2 million (US$130,000). Those who fail to pay the fines can be jailed for up to six months. Several media outlets were forced to close following decisions by the courts or by regulators, prompting alarm among press freedom advocates. In 2016, Nasheed had been given leave to go to the UK for medical leave but is yet to come back to serve his sentence. The Jumhoory Party leader Gasim Ibrahim , who was with Yameen, was alienated and subsequently arrested for bribery and sentenced to three years in prison. Recently Gasims resorts were denied critical supplies and a huge tax bill of US$ 200 million was slapped. Gasim too was given leave to go abroad for medical treatment but is yet to come back. In February 2016, the Adaalath Party leader Sheikh Imran was charged with terrorism for organizing a rally and sentenced to 12 years in jail. Supreme Court refused to accept Govts plea that nine political leaders ordered to be released by the court cannot be released From the UK, Nasheed gathered all the opposition parties and vowed to unseat Yameen through constitutional methods. In this he has the full support of the powers which are looking at Yameens lurch towards China with alarm. Opposition no better But opposition leaders have not been pure as driven snow either. They behaved the same way when they were in power. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom ,who is now a senior leader of the anti-Yameen movement, ruled with an iron hand for 30 years. Nasheed had to fight hard to get him to draft a democratic constitution and hold fair elections in 2008. But in January 2012, Nasheed ordered the arrest of the Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed known as Libertys Shield. Judge Abdullas arrest triggered a police and military mutiny forcing Nasheeds resignation on February 7, 2012. Circulation of elites The problem in the Maldives appears to be that though democratic institutions have been put in place, and the 2008 constitution is impeccably modern, implementation by the political leaders and institutions have been grievously flawed. The entrenched and historic thirst for dictatorial power has not gone away with the advent of democracy. This is partly because politics is still in the hands of the countrys socio-economic and political elite, which has been ruling dictatorially for decades. For example, President Yameen is the half-brother of former dictator and now the opposition patriarch, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. And several of Yameens relations are on the opposition due to family quarrels over the spoils of office. Maldivian politics lacks in loyalty, with the result, no leader is sure of his supporters. He has to be on guard all the time and nip opposition in the bud, which in turn, generates intense animosity and triggers the urge for revenge. Signal, Unilevers iconic oral healthcare brand, embarked on an ambitious journey to take our unique Sri Lankan smile to the world as part of its legendary Signal Sina Bo Wewa initiative this year. Collecting smiles from around the island, the Signal Sina Bo Wewa will be appointing six Sri Lankans with the most appealing smiles as the countrys first ever smile ambassadors to undertake this mission together with the brand. A host of distinguished celebrities and public figures including Bathiya Jayakody, Santhush Weeraman, Dinakshie Priyasad, Umaria Singhawansa and Raveen Kanishke pledged their support to this landmark initiative at the grand launch ceremony that was held at the Arcade Independence Square.The event witnessed Signal Sina Bo Wewa float being flagged off to all corners of the nation to collect peoples smiles. Stopping by several major cities and towns including Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Colombo, Dambulla, Galle, Jaffna, Kandy, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya, Rathnapura, Trincomalee and Vavuniya, the Signal Sina Bo Wewa teams will be inviting members of the public to come onboard the floats and submit their smiles. People can also join in by sending their smiles to 0766555666 over WhatsApp and Viber or by posting them on the Signal Facebook page. We Sri Lankans are world renowned for our hospitable nature. The Sri Lankan smile is known to evoke emotions of warmth and serenity. Signal is a brand that has committed itself to protecting this smile for over 55 years and Sina Bo Wewa is at the centre of our efforts in this regard. We have had the privilege of touching the lives of over one million Sri Lankans over 14 years through this oral hygiene drive, said Unilever Sri Lanka Personal Care Marketing Director Nilushi Jayatileke. As a brand that takes great pride in the Sri Lankan smile, we seek to take this around the world. Our teams will be travelling to every corner of the island to collect your smiles. Six individuals will be selected as the countrys first ever smile ambassadors and will be sent on a mission to spread the Sri Lankan smile to different parts of the world, Unilever Sri Lanka Oral Category Head Imeshika Kariyawasam added. The six chosen smile ambassadors will be travelling to the six continents, namely; Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. Spreading the Sri Lankan smile all through the world, they will also be collecting smiles from each of these locations and bringing them back home.Further, 100 finalists will be rewarded with cash prizes worth one million Rupees. Signal invites all Sri Lankans to join in on this landmark initiative by visiting the float traversing the island or by sending their smiles in over WhatsApp, Viber or Facebook. MOSS POINT, Miss. -- Moss Point police are searching for suspects involved in a home invasion of a Super Bowl party on Sunday, according to Moss Point Police Chief, Calvin Hutchins. Around 10:44 p.m. on Sunday night, a group of armed men ran into a home on Bellview Street across from Moss Point High School. According to police, numerous calls stated that several people had been shot during the armed robbery. Witnesses say that five or six armed males entered the residence and began robbing individuals who were there attending a Super Bowl party. During the robbery, a 50-year-old male was shot and killed. Two other victims received gunshot wounds and were taken to Singing River Hospital. One victim was taken into surgery and is listed in stable condition. The other was treated and released. Jackson County District Attorney Tony Lawrence released the following statement on Monday regarding Sunday's shooting: "There have been far too many victims of gun violence in Moss Point in the last few weeks. I am shocked, disturbed and deeply concerned about the events that occurred just last night in the city. People have a right to feel safe in their homes. I want the public to know that there are a lot of law enforcement agencies working together to investigate this case. Those who committed this senseless and violent act will answer in a court of law." Police are asking anyone with information to call Detective Kimberlee Snowden with the Moss Point Police Department at 228-475-1711. You can also contact Crime Stoppers at 800-787-5898 or visit the Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers website at mscoastcrimestoppers.com. Sri Lankas leading fizzy drinks maker suffers double-digit volume drop after new tax The recently introduced sugar tax has begun to eat into the food and beverage sector businesses as the demand for sugary carbonated drinks has dropped by a significant marginan indication that the higher prices have pushed away consumers from high sugar fizzy drinks. Reviewing the most recent data of Ceylon Cold Stores PLC (CCS), a unit of John Keells Holdings (JKH), Mirror Business observed a volume drop of as high as 21 percent in its beverages during the October to December 2017 period from the same period a year ago. The company cited the sugar tax, which was imposed on carbonated beverages on November 9, 2017, caused the pull back. Sri Lanka on November 9, 2017 gave effect to a budget proposal, which slapped a sugar tax of 50 cents per gram of sugar contained in sweetened carbonated drinks. However, this tax did not apply to the non-carbonated drinks in the market, which also contain sugar in high quantities. While the subdued consumer discretionary spending affected Sri Lankas consumer food retailers during 2017, the volume decline in the beverage business was further exacerbated by the implementation of a sugar tax from November 2017, which resulted in substantial price increases across the industry, said JKH Chairman Susantha Ratnayake in his recent earnings review. Besides the significant beverage volume decline, CCS, which sells ice cream under the Elephant House brand, said its ice cream volumes had also declined by 6.0 percent during the quarter. CCS is the market leader in the carbonated soft drinks, ice cream and processed meats and its numbers offer a close proxy for the overall demand for fizzy drinks and other consumer foods in the country. Sri Lankas sweetened beverage makers indicate the sugar content of different products visually on the packaging on three scales based on the level of sugar contained in them high, medium or low after the Health Ministry mandated such last year. This has given the Sri Lankan consumers the much-needed latitude to choose products based on their sugar content. Even before the ruling came into play, Sri Lankan consumers have demonstrated a tendency towards more organic and natural food and beverage products over high sugar contained alternatives and packaged foods. This trend prompted CCS and many other players in the market to turn into more organic alternatives but they are still behind the fast-changing consumer tastes, analysts say. Whilst over the years we have taken measures to reduce a significant quantum of sugar in our beverages, we will continue to aggressively expand our low sugar product range by accelerating the launch of such new products. As a continuing part of our beverage portfolio strategy, we will also launch more non-carbonated beverages to broaden our offerings, Ratnayake said. For the quarter ended December 31, 2017, CCS reported earnings of Rs.5.93 cents a share or Rs.563.2 million, a decline of a sharp 32 percent in earnings against the same period last year. Top 100 Scholarships and Other Programs For Women... Books for $0.99 and up Watch what happens in any Emergency Room. Patients arrive. Medical professionals examine, categorize, and route to treatment. That routing may be to a bed in that facility, perhaps an operating table, or a transfer to a more appropriate facility. That same description would work for any cross-dock operation in the world. Go to any cross-dock facility, or even a break bulk location, and you will see the same process flow. Goods arrive. They are identified, categorized, and routed. That routing may be to points of use, a queue, or matched to another facility. Top notch distribution centers move through this process at the speed of light. This weekend, my mother and I experienced the full spectrum of logistics in health care. We rode an ambulance to one facility, spent a couple of hours in an examination process, then routed to another facility 10 miles down the road, where we went through the examination, categorization process all over again. Lets say it didnt feel like we were running through the medical analogue to a Wal-Mart DC. Good logistics practice applies where ever there is flow. Whats moving can be a physical item, or a logical concept, or even person. Everything fits in a flow, and best-in-class logistics principles are universal. Maybe somebody should ask the insurance companies, who seem to have distorted good logistics principles when it comes to patients in hospitals. Or maybe we should ask the government folks who write the regulations. But, given what we saw, I think I understand why medical costs are spiraling out of control. As we were idling in one of the stops along the way, my mother looked at me and said, What is so hard about this? All I could do was smile, and then go hunt down somebody to expedite. Washington The Every Student Succeeds Act highlighted partnerships beween states and districts and researchers to find more effective ways to use education data and improve instruction. On paper, at least. In reality, researcher access to data has become an even more complex dance, with an unprecedented flow of education data that is balanced out by heightened concerns about privacy and the potential fallout of negative results, as researchers and officials discussed during the annual conference of the National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research. A majority of states have tightened legal restrictions around the use of education data in recent years to protect student privacy, with some states, such as Louisiana, creating highly debated limits on data in education research. Katharine Strunk, an education policy professor at Michigan State University who has researched in partnership with the Los Angeles Unified school district for more than a decade, said researchers often dont do enough to build trust among districts and state education agencies. I think there have been a lot of instances where districts have felt like researchers just want to do their cool study, and they dont care if it actually impacts kids or is useful to [the districts] in any way, she said. In Massachusetts, which has a reputation of providing data to researchers regularly, research director Carrie Conaway said it can be tough to prioritize her staffs time to provide data and walk researchers through how to use it. That often means studies focused on more general education topics take a back seat to those with more immediate or long-term policy implications for the state, such as career and technical education. Theres a fine line, though, between states doing triage with limited staff capacity and avoiding research studies because they are worried about negative results. I think sometimes that data is not provided because of concerns about what it might say, and I think sometimes data is not collected by places out of concern for what it might say, said Dan Goldhaber, CALDERs director and University of Washington education researcher. Ive never had a district or state say, Oh, you cant say that, said Tim Sass, an economics professor at Georgia State University who heads the Metropolitan Atlanta Policy Lab for Education, a research partnership with Atlanta public schools. But I have had circumstances where government agencies chose not to allow research to start, and it was never explicit but it seemed pretty clear they were simply concerned it might give them an answer they didnt want to know. So the research never moved forward. Creating longer-term research partnerships can help build capital to convince districts to move forward in research, he said. In our new partnership in Atlanta, we made very clear that if you want to participate, if you tell us you want to study something, then youve got to live with the results, whatever they are. I think its important to get that up front,' Sass said. Conaway agreed. She said that even when state education officials are wary about a program evaluation or study of a sensitive topic, working with researchers can help educators be a bigger part of policy debates on education in state government. There are benefits to being a place known for taking empirical evidence seriously, she said. Could not establish database connection. DB: bostonimc and SQL: --> The administrator has been notified and will resolve the problem ASAP. This item is available in full to subscribers. Attention subscribers We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription. If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site. If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account by clicking here. Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing. Posted 2/4/18 Farmers for Free Trade, the bipartisan, grassroots campaign released a new report that outlines specific threats the states most dependent on NAFTA agriculture trade with Mexico would face if the Even after over 635,000 have died in the U.S. as a result of the coronavirus, some celebrities have continued to loudly protest against the advice of doctors and other medical professionals. Over 4.5 million around the world have died as a result of the pandemic. Posted 2/4/18 Theres a growing need for mental health practitioners across the country, and Cox College is implementing a new strategy to help fill the gaps. The college soon will launch a new nurse New scooter joins the company's other products including popular scooterette Scooty Pep, scooter TVS Jupiter, We Go. Chennai: Expanding it's product portfolio, two and three wheeler manufacturer TVS Motor today forayed into the 125cc scooter segment, with the launch of NTORQ, here, priced at Rs 58,750 ex-showroom New Delhi. The new scooter joins the company's other products including popular scooterette Scooty Pep, scooter TVS Jupiter, We Go. According to company officials, the overall scooter category in domestic market was growing at 17.4 per cent CAGR over the last six years. "I am happy to launch the latest offering (from TVS Motor) for the young audience 18-24years..", TVS Motor President and CEO, K N Radhakrishnan told reporters here. Stating that the product was positioned for young customers, he said, the vehicle 'will be available all India in a week's time'. To a question, he said, the company was expecting to sell more than two lakh units in the first year of launch. He replied in the affirmative that the product would also be shipped to overseas markets besides catering to domestic market. He said the company was holding 17 per cent market share in the scooter segment and was "growing" more than the industry. The central government is making funds available keeping in view the demand. New Delhi: The Centre has released more than Rs 51,600 crore to states under rural employment guarantee scheme MGNREGA till January 31 in financial year 2017-18, Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday. In written reply to a question, Minister of State for Rural Development Ram Kripal Yadav said that the release of funds to states for the implementation of various projects under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was a continuous process. "The central government is making funds available keeping in view the demand. The ministry has released Rs 51,616.99 crore as on January 31, 2018 to States/UTs for liquidating the pending liability of wage component and for running the programme during 2017-18," Yadav said. In reply to another question, he informed the house that a sum of Rs 75.89 crore has been paid as compensation towards delay in the payment of wages under MGNREGA, so far. The delay in payment of wages are due to various implementation issues in states including inadequate staff, non-timely recording and reporting of attendance, wage list, public financial management system and others, he said. Under MGNREGA, wage seekers are entitled to receive compensation at the rate of 0.05 per cent of the unpaid wages per day. He added that various efforts were being made by the ministry to reduce the delay in the payment of wages to the workers, such as timely release of funds, payment through national electronic fund management system for direct payment of wages into workers' accounts. He also informed that all wages under MGNREGA were not paid through Aadhaar-based payment system and those workers who do not have Aadhaar were paid electronically by transferring amount into their post office or bank accounts. Mumbai: Actor-comedian Vir Das who is currently gearing up for his finale act in Delhi of the Boarding Das world tour has been honoured with a doctorate for his incredible achievements in the world of performing arts. Vir Das who has studied from Knox in Galesburg, Illinois has been conferred with the prestigious title of Dr. Vir Das by his ex-university making it a rare achievement for an actor-comedian. The ceremony is scheduled to take place in June 2018. Vir also becomes the first alumnus since 1971 to serve as a commencement speaker for their annual commencement ceremony. In the past the list of speakers includes the likes of ex-President Barrack Obama and actress Eva Longoria. Speaking about this honour, Vir said, "Knox was this wonderful place that catered to kids like me who couldn't otherwise afford to study in the US. They had an amazing faculty that made me love performing. They took an economics student and turned him into an actor and comedian. I'm not sure I'm even remotely deserving of this honour. They've had speakers like Obama and Clinton and I'm not sure what comparative wisdom I'm going to have to offer. But I'm gonna work hard to let the students know that there is a world of choices available to them if they just step out of their box. That's what Knox did for me. It's a cool full circle moment in life. And an honorary doctorate is fun. The wife is already calling me 'Honorary Dr Das'". Some time back, Vir also shared that he has made it to English textbook, in spite of having spoken about his academic track record time and again. Heres the tweet: Wow. I'm in a CBSE textbook. Thank you Sakshi for sending this. Given my academic track record, you've got no idea how ironic this is pic.twitter.com/qbbbQPtL2W Vir Das (@thevirdas) January 28, 2018 Vir, last seen in Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi with Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal, will soon start shooting for Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se with the Deol family. Mumbai: Tigmanshu Dhulia's romantic drama Milan Talkies has been in talks for a while having gone through several changes. After rumours of several actors doing the film including the likes of Shahid Kapoor, Ayushmann Khurrana and Aditya Roy Kapur, its finally actor Ali Fazal, most popular for his roles in Fukrey, Happy Bhag Jayegi and Victoria and Abdul, who will be assuming the lead role in the much talked about romantic drama to be helmed by Tigmanshu Dhulia. Sources say that Ali has read the script and given a thumbs up to it and will commence shooting for the film in March. Sources closer to the actor said, "He has given his dates and Tigmanshu is currently on the lookout for the leading lady. It is set in North India and Ali will start shooting in the second week of March after he returns from the Academy Awards ceremony to be held on March 4." Ali is soon to take off to the U.S. to work on his next project after his impeccable lead debut in Victoria and Abdul and will also attend the Oscars as Victoria & Abdul has been nominated for two prestigious categories. Apart from this, the actor has recently wrapped up the shooting for Prakash Rajs Tadka with Nana Patekar, Taapsee Pannu and Shriya Saran, and soon will be starting his reading sessions and prep for Milan Talkies. He will also be seen opposite Diana Penty once again in the official sequel of 2016's hit comedy Happy Bhag Jayegi. Mumbai: Rana Daggubati will soon start shooting for his next film Haathi Mere Saathi which is a tribute to the 1971 original featuring Rajesh Khanna and Tanuja, with a story inspired by real life events. The actor is set to spend some time with his elephant as part of his prep. Yes, Ill need to do more for this film. Ill be taking 15-20 days before the shoot to stay with the elephants in the jungle and get familiar with them before I start filming. At the same time, we are also doing a bunch of workshops because the story is inspired by two events, so we are trying to get as authentic as we can in the filming process, said Rana. The actor also reiterates that the film is in no way similar to the source. It is a tribute to the old classic but nothing in terms of the script or content is similar. It works on the ideologies of elephants and humans being friends, Rana clarified. The film marks the Hindi foray of Tamil filmmaker Prabhu Soloman. The unit starts shooting in mid-February in Thailand along with 15-18 elephants and Rana will be there till the first week of April. The makers are looking towards a Diwali release and the objective is to wrap up by late summer. Mumbai: Theyve been warily examining each others territory through the making of Padmaavat. And now, the Ranveer Singh-Shahid Kapoor war is out for everyone to see. Recently, both the actors broke an old protocol followed by co-stars, who share the same screen space. They spoke about doing each others roles. It was Ranveer who set the ball rolling by saying he would have done Shahids 'Kaminey' better than Shahid. Not to be left behind, Shahid responded by saying he would have played Ranveers Khilji in Padmaavat differently. A source close to Padmaavat is not amused by Shahids comment. Of course, Shahid would have played it differently. Every actor brings his own skills into every character. That is why you cant compare Dilip Kumars Devdas with Shah Rukh Khans Devdas. But why talk about a co-actors role? Did Amitabh Bachchan speak about how he wouldve played Rajesh Khannas role in Namak Haraam? Even when two actors are fierce rivals, its an unwritten rule that two actors dont discuss one anothers roles in the same film. Another source says Shahid was hounded by insecurities all through the making of Padmaavat. He had reservations about Ranveer playing the author-backed role, but Sanjay Leela Bhansali convinced him. But the twinge of doubt remained throughout the making of the film, and Shahid would anxiously look over his shoulder at Ranveers role, says the source. Mumbai: Twinkle Khanna has constantly admitted that she is not exactly proud of her acting career, and soon, she quit to become a housewife, an author and now a producer (with Akshay Kumars upcoming release Padman). Her family, be it her husband, mother or son, doesnt shy away from embarrassing her and Twinkle recollected one such incident where her son Aarav Bhatia reminded her of a scene where she kissed a mans nipple. The scene can be seen in Ajay Devgn starrer Jaan. Narrated the incident to Mid-Day, Twinkle said, "I don't even like my children watching my movies. And my son is such an a**. He keeps replaying a clip from the film Jaan (1996), where I am kissing around a man's nipple. He made a collage out of this for one of my birthdays. It's sick [laughs]. I don't think my family has been supportive of what you think has been a great career!" Twinkle, the author of Mrs. Funny Bones, had recently delivered a speech at Oxford. Allu Arjuns next, Naa Peru Surya, is progressing quite quickly over the past few months. With the actor going the extra mile to transform himself physically for the film, the latest is that the team is battling some extreme weather conditions for some key sequences. The team is shooting in locations near Kashmir where the temperatures are as low as minus 12 degrees. This is a week-long schedule after which the team will return to Hyderabad. Interestingly, the initial plan was to shoot in Darjeeling but the necessary permissions werent given and thats why Kashmir was chosen, shares a member of the films unit. Bankrolled by Lagadapati Sridhar, Bunny Vaas and Naga Babu, the film is directed by Vakkantham Vamsi. United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. JAMES EDDIE PALMER, Defendant - Appellant. No. 17-7541 Decided: February 02, 2018 Before MOTZ and KEENAN, Circuit Judges, and HAMILTON, Senior Circuit Judge. James Eddie Palmer, Appellant Pro Se. Andrew Curtis Bosse, Stephen Westley Haynie, Darryl James Mitchell, Randy Carl Stoker, Assistant United States Attorneys, V. Kathleen Dougherty, OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Norfolk, Virginia, for Appellee. James Eddie Palmer seeks to appeal the district court's order denying relief on his 28 U.S.C. 2255 (2012) motion. The order is not appealable unless a circuit justice or judge issues a certificate of appealability. 28 U.S.C. 2253(c)(1)(B) (2012). A certificate of appealability will not issue absent a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right. 28 U.S.C. 2253(c)(2) (2012). When the district court denies relief on the merits, a prisoner satisfies this standard by demonstrating that reasonable jurists would find that the district court's assessment of the constitutional claims is debatable or wrong. Slack v. McDaniel, 529 U.S. 473, 484 (2000); see Miller-El v. Cockrell, 537 U.S. 322, 336-38 (2003). When the district court denies relief on procedural grounds, the prisoner must demonstrate both that the dispositive procedural ruling is debatable, and that the motion states a debatable claim of the denial of a constitutional right. Slack, 529 U.S. at 484-85. We have independently reviewed the record and conclude that Palmer has not made the requisite showing. Accordingly, we deny a certificate of appealability and dismiss the appeal. We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before this court and argument would not aid the decisional process. DISMISSED PER CURIAM: 'Ville Provencale' was first exhibited at Venice Biennale in 1956, before it was secreted away into private collections for many decades. New York: Hidden from public view ever sinceits first appearance in 1956, 'Ville Provencale', one of Syed Haider Raza's rare works, will go on sale for the first time at Sotheby?s Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art Sale here on March 19. 'Ville Provencale' was first exhibited at Venice Biennale in 1956, before it was secreted away into private collections for many decades. Created during Raza's formative years in France, the painting, distinguished by its vivid colors, displays a semi- abstracted view of a town in rural Provence. Terming the art a "momentous, museum-quality work", Yamini Mehta, International Head of South Asian Art, said that the painting is "a unique hybridisation of Raza's deep rooted Indian heritage with the post-war modernism that was blossoming in the French art scene". "It is extremely rare for works by S H Raza from the 1950s of such size and calibre to come to the market. From its illustrious beginnings when painted under the patronage of renowned gallerist Lara Vincy, who was responsible for establishing the artist in the European art market; to its unveiling at the 1956 Venice Biennale, and finally the time spent in a private collection, Ville Provencale is a masterpiece," Mehta said. Raza, along with M F Husain, Dinkar Kaushik and Akbar Padamsee, represented India at the Venice Biennale, where Ville Proven?ale was first displayed in 1956. S H Raza's influential relationship with France began in 1950, when he left India for Paris with a bursary from the French Government to study at the ?cole Nationale des Beaux- Arts. This was to be Raza's first experience of France, during which he was exposed to the works of Post-Impressionist artists, in particular, Paul C?zanne and Vincent Van Gogh, who became major sources of inspiration to the artist. Raza's move to France provided him with the foundation on which to grow and flourish as an international artist; however it also encouraged him to reconnect with his Indian heritage. These compound influences proved most significant. Ville Provencale will be exhibited at The Oberoi Hotel in New Delhi on February 22-23 as part of a traveling exhibition of highlights from the sale. The incident was twice as tragic since the gun was bought for the familys protection (Photo: AFP) Gun control has been the subject of a heated debate for a while now as recent public shootings have intensified the conversation. While children across the globe do play with toy guns, kids getting their hands on real firearms points towards an alarming state of affairs. In yet another shocking tragedy from South Africa, an 11-year-old ended up shooting his sister dead while playing with their fathers gun before killing himself with it. The boy died on the spot and his two-year-old sister passed away at the hospital. The police are investigating it as a case of murder as they urged all licensed firearms owners to safeguard their guns. The incident was twice as tragic since the gun was bought for the familys protection. Gun Free South Africa director said that keeping a gun in a house with children is lethal as they are curious by nature. Bengaluru: Last week, the city witnessed the launch of a unique campaign called cup and cloth campaign to bring the government and the nations attention to sustainable menstrual choices. The campaign was launched by, Green The Red, a group of eco-activists and healthcare professionals working in areas related to menstrual hygiene management. The group will send the Prime Ministers Office a set of sustainable menstrual products as part of its awareness campaign and will urge the government to replace disposable sanitary napkins with reusable menstrual hygiene products in its schemes and programmes. It is not the first time that this group has launched such a campaign, and has been working relentlessly since 2016 to bring awareness about menstrual health and sustainable living. The whole idea behind launching this citizen-backed activism was to spread awareness about alternative products safe for the environment. Sadly, there is a huge gap in information about healthy alternatives to sanitary napkins, which are also safe for the environment. However, over the last two years we have been able to successfully fill the gap and a lot of people now know about menstrual cups and cloth pads and also many have converted to these products," says Sindhu Naik, who along with Shilpi Sahu started the Green The Red campaign in the city. The campaign now has close to 110 active members or volunteers across the country and 30 in the city who actively work in various campaigns or awareness sessions. Last year, her team conducted 150 sessions about sustainable ways of menstruation management across the country including close to 90 sessions and workshops in Bengaluru. It is estimated that a woman uses up to 10,000 sanitary pads during her reproductive age. Most sanitary pads contain a lot of plastic and each may take 500-800 years to decompose. Indian villages and cities have no means to manage this waste. Incineration is being proposed as a solution, but the cost of scientifically-managed incineration is prohibitive. Bio-medical waste incineration firms charge as much as Rs 22 for one kg of sanitary waste in Bengaluru. Some schools, colleges and workplaces have installed mini-incinerators that are a lot cheaper, but burn waste at temperatures far lower than the 800 degrees Celsius, recommended by the WHO, which may lead to harmful emissions. Some women flush down disposable sanitary napkins after use, clogging underground drains. The environment always takes a beating. Thankfully, in the city we have people who not just think about safe and healthy ways to menstruate, but also the environment," says Sindhu. Sindhu said that through the Cup and Cloth campaign, the group aims to reach out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spread the message about sustainable menstrual products. Entrepreneurs who produce green menstrual products have each donated either a menstrual cup or cloth pad to the campaign. Also, the group is requesting the government to evaluate these alternatives and to provide them in their menstrual hygiene schemes, a move that may prove to be financially more sustainable, considering the non-recurring nature of the expenditure and huge cost savings in waste disposal. The future for these eco-warriors is to reach out to more rural women and girls. This movement has to grow and we have to reach even rural areas. We need to start looking at small outreach movements through NGOs. Recently, we did a few sessions in Magadi and similarly we are going to focus on government schools in and around the city. But the biggest challenge in rural areas is accessibility and how do we make such products accessible," she rues. Gemma Nuttall, from Lancashire, was newly pregnant when doctors diagnosed her with an aggressive form of ovarian cancer. (Photo: AP) Actors Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio have come forward to save the life of a British woman who was told she would die by delaying cancer treatment. Gemma Nuttall, from Lancashire, was newly pregnant when doctors diagnosed her with an aggressive form of ovarian cancer. Gemma decided to not accept the drugs that could potentially save her life as it would have terminated her pregnancy. Gemma eventually gave birth to her baby daughter Penelope at 26 weeks, after doctors informed her cancer had spread to her cervix and it was too late to save her own life. The 29-year-old new mum was given only six to nine months to live and placed on palliative care. However, rather than accepting the verdict at face value, Nuttall and her mother researched their options - and after hearing of a wonder clinic in Germany where Gemma could undergo immunotherapy treatment, the pair started a fundraiser to raise the 300,000 needed for treatment. In a surprising twist of fortune, the cost of Nuttall's treatment was covered by Kate Winslet and Leo Di Caprio, after Kate heard about the fundraiser. The two stars auctioned off dates with their Titanic sweethearts, Jack and Rose. After finishing her final round of treatment five months ago, Gemma has officially been declared cancer-free - and she credits Kate with saving her life. Speaking to Daily Mirror, Nutall said that she cant thank Kate enough. She went on to add, Without her donations, and the public's, my story would be very different. We thought it was a wind-up, but then she called and I realised she was serious. For her part in saving a life, Kate Winslet received an Actors Inspiration Award from the Screen Actors Guild and told an awards' ceremony: The greatest privilege has been learning how to use my voice to help others. The owner of the vehicle is given a challan of Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 or a jail time of three months. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: A 12-year-old boy, who fell off the pillion seat of a two-wheeler, when the scooty his 14-year-old friend was driving dashed into a lorry, was crushed under the vehicle, on Sunday in Kishanbagh of Bahadurpura. The police will be booking cases against the parents for allowing their under-age son to drive. The deceased, identified as Mohd Riyaz was a madrasa student; the driver was 14-year-old Junaid. The scooty belonged to his relative. The two boys were heading towards Kishanbagh on Sunday at around 11:30 am and as they crossed Katta Maisamma temple, Junaid tried to overtake a lorry. The lorry driver was already driving at a high speed and dashed their bike, said sub-inspector of Bahadurpura police station, M. Shiva Krishna. The impact caused Riyaz to fall off and he was crushed under the lorry. The 12-year-olds head was crushed under the tyre of the lorry, which was being driven by K. Somala, police added. Police has booked a case under section 304 A (death by negligence) of IPC and arrested the driver. Furthermore, cases under section 181 and 180 of Motor Vehicle (MV) Act will be booked against the owner of the scooty used by the minors. We will wait for a day or two as the family is busy with the rituals at present and are going through emotional trauma of losing the kid, said the investigating officer of the case. Vehicle owner likely to be held Speaking about the MV Act section of the offence, joint commissioner of Hyderabad traffic police, V. Ravinder said that in such cases, we definitely booked cases against the vehicle owner. The owner is liable to punishment in the offence as he will be held responsible for handing over the vehicle to minors, he said. When offences are committed by juveniles, the guardian/owner is held responsible, and the juvenile will be tried under the JJ Act, and the registration of the vehicle is cancelled. The owner of the vehicle is given a challan of Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 or a jail time of three months. If driver allowing any person to obstruct his control of the vehicle, his licence will be held, said a senior traffic policemen. Eight accidents were caused due to rash driving by minors leaving one person dead, and at least eight, including a couple, injured from December 2016 till last year. Dreaded Lashkar-e-Tayyaba operative and one of the suspects in the 2002 tiffin bomb blasts outside Saibaba temple at Dilsukhnagar, was arrested by the Interpol in Doha. Hyderabad: Dreaded Lashkar-e-Tayyaba operative and one of the suspects in the 2002 tiffin bomb blasts outside Saibaba temple at Dilsukhnagar, was arrested by the Interpol in Doha. He was deported to India and was handed over to the TS CID, who produced him before a city court. The court remanded him to 14 days judicial custody. He was shifted to the Cherlapally Central Prison amidst high security. According to sources, Shafiq Muzabir hails from Yemen and mobilised the funds for the twin blasts outside Saibaba temple. He funded the entire operation. After the blast, he fled India and a red corner notice was pending against him. A few days ago, the Interpol caught him in Doha and alerted the ministry of home affairs. He landed at Delhi on Sunday and was brought to Hyderabad. Terrorists placed explosives in a tiffin box and concealed it in a scooter in front of the busy Saibaba temple. Another bomb was placed a few metres away from the temple in another tiffin box. While the first bomb killed a couple, the second did not explode. Former Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) president Syed Salahuddin Salar was arrested earlier in this case. The police has also arrested the main accused Abdul Razzak alias Masood. Two other alleged LeT members, Azam Gori and Syed Abdul Aziz, were shot dead in separate encounters by the police in Karimnagar and Hyderabad. SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday filed charge-sheet against eight Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) cadres including a Hindu resident from Uttar Pradeshs Muzaffarnagar district for their alleged involvement in June 15, 2016 terror attack in which six policemen were killed in southern Anantnag district. Meanwhile, a 22-year-old youth Aarif Ahmed Lone was injured when the Army opened fire on a violent crowd in southern Kulgam district on Monday. The incident occurred in Mishipora village of Kulgam. The police said that a patrol party of the Army came under stone-pelting by the local youth while passing through the village. The soldiers tried to chase the miscreants away without using any force but that didnt yield any desired result. The stone pelting intensified on which the soldiers first fired their rifles in the air and then directly into the violent crowd, said a police official. A statement issued by the police here said that the comprehensive charge-sheet was filed before a court in Anantnag which is hearing the case registered by the police under various sections of Ranbir Penal Code including 302 (murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 427 (causing mischief), Arms Act and other relevant laws. According to the charge-sheet, a group of LeT terrorists attacked a police vehicle in which Station House Officer of Acchabal (Anantnag) and five other policemen were travelling using automatic weapons including AK 47 rifles resulting into their on-the-spot death. During the course of investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the police it was establish that Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists headed by Bashir Lashkari were involved in the attack. Further, on the basis of evidences collected during the course of investigation complicity of eight persons was established, of which two persons were arrested in the instant case, the statement said. The accused are Sandeep Kumar, a resident of Muzaffarnagar (UP), Muhammad Ashraf Wani alias Moulvi, Bashir Ahmad Wani alias Bashir Lashkari, Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, Merajuddin Bangroo, Sahir Ahmed Makroo and Zeenat-ul-Islam-all local Kashmiris- and Pakistani national Abu Maaz. During the investigation incontrovertible evidence has been brought on record establishing complicity of above mentioned accused persons in the instant crime, the charge-sheet said. The police said that the main accused Bashir Lashkari and Pakistani national Abu Maz were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Anantnags Branti Batpora village on July 1, 2017. While Sandeep and Ashraf were arrested and are presently in the judicial custody, the other accused are absconding. Meanwhile, the police has claimed arrested a former Pakistan trained militant Sajad Ahmed Bhat in southern Anantnag district. He was on the basis of specific input arrested by a joint party of the J&k police, the Armys 50 Rashtriya Rifles and the CRPFs 110 Batallion, said a police spokesman here. He added that during the questioning Bhat disclosed that he along with other over-ground workers of outlawed Jaish-e-Muhammad were involved in the grenade throwing incidents in Pampore and Khrew area of Pulwama. All of them were subsequently arrested by the security forces along with arms and ammunition, the police said. The alleged OGWs of the Jaish have been identified as Umar Gani Sheikh, Jan Muhammad Khanday alias Jehangir, Owais Ahmed Bhat and Muzaffar Hussain Bhat. Ankit's father Yashpal Saxena said, 'I had a tiny hope that maybe he (Ankit) is alive and just unconscious, maybe by some miracles doctors can save him. But nothing like that.' (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: Days after 23-year-old photographer, Ankit Saxena, was brutally stabbed to death by the family of his Muslim girlfriend in west Delhi's busy area Khyala in full public view, the bereaved father of Ankit said that the murder should not be given a communal twist and exploited to whip up trouble. "I don't want any inflammatory statements. I feel very saddened by what happened, but I don't want anyone to create a hostile environment against Muslims. I have nothing against any religion," Ankit's father Yashpal Saxena told NDTV. Griefing at the loss of his only son, Yashpal said: , "Yes, those who killed my son were Muslim...but every Muslim can't be branded for this. Don't use me to spread communal tension, don't drag me into it...I appeal to everyone not to link this to religion and vitiate the atmosphere." Ankit was attacked and stabbed by his girlfriend, Shehzadi's father, mother, uncle and 14-year-old brother on a road near his home in west Delhi on Thursday February 1. In CCTV footage, he was seen talking on the phone just moments before he was attacked. Also Read: CCTV shows Delhi photographer frantic, on call, minutes before lover's kin stab him "It is very sad...A person's throat is slit, that too with such planning and precision that a man dies within two-three seconds. There were thousands there, but not one person helped or tried to take him to a hospital," lamented Yashpal condemning that people were just watching his son die. Ankit, he said, kept shouting to his girlfriend's mother, "Aunty, I have done nothing... I didn't take your daughter. Whatever you want to do, I am here." But seconds later, he was on the street, his throat slit. Finally, it fell on a shattered father to carry his son's limp body to the hospital. Also Read: 23-yr-old Delhi photographer killed by girlfriend's kin in full public view "I was in shock at the sight of my son's bloodied body. Crying, screaming, I somehow took him to hospital. I had a tiny hope that maybe he is alive and just unconscious, maybe by some miracles doctors can save him. But nothing like that," he said, breaking down. Yashpal said he was unaware of Ankit's relationship, though he knew his son was friends with Shehzadi. Ankit and his girlfriend Shehzadi were neighbours a few years ago. The family moved away but the two continued seeing each other, the police believe. The woman's family was strictly opposed to the relationship because Ankit was Hindu. "Ankit told me, don't worry. If there is anything, I will tell you myself. You can arrange my marriage but I will be the one to choose. I felt reassured that everything was fine...I had no idea...," Yashpal said. Ankit's father wants his son's killers to be hanged. On Thursday evening when Ankit's mother was informed about her son being stabbed by Shehzadi's family, she rushed out of their home and trying to stop the assault, but she too, was attacked. In front of his helpless mother, Ankit was stabbed in the neck with a knife by his girlfriend's father and uncle. Also Read: Tension prevails in Delhi's Khyala after Muslim girl's kin kill 23-yr-old Hindu man The situation remains tense in the area in west Delhi and police personnel have been deployed to check any possible fallout of the killing. She was admitted to the Government Hospital in Tirupattur from where Railway police arrested her. She would be taken under custody after her treatment, police sources said. Chennai: Transgender Swetha, who was hunted by the police in connection with the death of a passenger who allegedly died after kicked by Swetha from a moving train on Saturday near Krishnagiri, attempted suicide by consuming rat poison on Sunday. She was admitted to the Government Hospital in Tirupattur from where Railway police arrested her. She would be taken under custody after her treatment, police sources said. Earlier on Saturday, Railway police had registered cases of murder and attempt to murder against Swetha after a 32-year-old man died after being kicked by the transgender from a moving train. The incident happened near Samalpatti in Krishnagiri district. The victim, S Kalu Sathyanarayana (32) and his friends - all from Vijayawada - were travelling in a Jamshedpur to Alappuzha (Bokaro) Express train to reach Tirupur. When the train was nearing Samalpatti railway station near Uthangarai, a group of transgenders including Swetha had allegedly demanded money from the passengers. Sathyanarayana and his friends, who were standing near the footboard, refused to give money and in the argument that ensued Swetha had allegedly kicked Sathyanarayana. In the melee, the man fell from the moving train and died near Samalpatti. His friend, Karam Veera Babu (20) was injured when he attempted to save his friend. Salem Railway police who were investigating the case registered a case of murder against Swetha and secured her on Sunday from Tirupattur where she lives. Her condition is said to be stable, police sources said. Jana Samanyara Paksha members stage a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Sunday against PM Narendra Modi on Mahadayi issue. (Photo:KPN) Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modis recent remark that selling pakodas was part of job creation continues to draw protest from various quarters. On Sunday too, Modi pakodas, Amit Shah pakodas and Yeddy pakodas were sold by some college students at the Mekhri Circle, a few metres away from the Palace Grounds, where Mr Modi was to address the BJPs Parivartana rally. Wearing degree robes, the protestors sold pakodas to the passers-by at Rs 10 plus GST. However, the police took them into custody before the Prime Ministers arrival. Recently in an interview to a TV news channel, Mr Modi had said that selling pakodas is also a form of employment and can be seen in the light of job creation. Even an individual selling pakodas at a roadside stall earns Rs 200 a day and is employed, Mr Modi had remarked while commenting about job creation. Selling pakodas or tea isnt bad, but you dont need degrees for that. The Prime Minister should speak with responsibility, a protester said. Recently, a group of youth from Karnataka for Employment (KFE) had set up makeshift pakoda stalls in front of the state BJP office in Malleswaram to protest against the remark. United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. OMAR DUPRAZ CRITTINGTON, Defendant - Appellant. No. 17-4361 Decided: February 02, 2018 Before WILKINSON and KEENAN, Circuit Judges, and SHEDD, Senior Circuit Judge. Sean P. Vitrano, VITRANO LAW OFFICES, PLLC, Wake Forest, North Carolina, for Appellant. Jill Westmoreland Rose, United States Attorney, Anthony J. Enright, Assistant United States Attorney, UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, Charlotte, North Carolina, for Appellee. Omar Dupraz Crittington appeals from the district court's judgment revoking his supervised release and imposing a 7-month prison term and 1-year term of supervised release. He contends that his due process rights were violated because the district court failed to ensure he made a knowing and voluntary admission to violating the terms of his supervised release and waiver of his rights under Fed. R. Crim. P. 32.1 to a revocation hearing. He also challenges the district court's imposition of the 1-year term of supervised release, arguing that the court plainly erred in sentencing him to a supervised release term that did not account for a 24-month prison term imposed on him following a prior revocation of his supervised release and the 7-month prison term imposed as part of his current revocation sentence. For the reasons that follow, we affirm in part, vacate in part, and remand with instructions. Because Crittington did not raise any objections in the district court to the adequacy of its inquiry, our review of his first contention is for plain error. See Henderson v. United States, 568 U.S. 266, 272-73 (2013) (discussing plain error review). A defendant's supervised release cannot be revoked without a full hearing unless the defendant knowingly and voluntarily admits to the allegations against [him] and waives [his revocation hearing] rights under Rule 32.1 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. United States v. Farrell, 393 F.3d 498, 500 (4th Cir. 2005). A knowing and voluntary waiver of the right to a full revocation hearing may be inferred from the totality of the circumstances and without a formal colloquy with the defendant. Id.; see United States v. Stehl, 665 F.2d 58, 59-60 (4th Cir. 1981) (holding that Fed. R. Crim. P. 11 has no application to [supervised release] revocation proceedings). After a thorough review of the record and the parties' briefs, we conclude that the totality of the circumstances establishes that Crittington's admission to violating the terms of his supervised release and waiver of his rights to a full revocation hearing were knowingly and voluntarily made. We therefore discern no plain error by the district court. We also review for plain error Crittington's challenge to the district court's imposition of the 1-year term of supervised release. United States v. Maxwell, 285 F.3d 336, 338 (4th Cir. 2002). The relevant statute-18 U.S.C. 3583(h) (2012)-provides that, when a district court revokes a defendant's term of supervised release and imposes a term of imprisonment, it may require the defendant to serve an additional term of supervised release. The length of such a term, however, shall not exceed the term of supervised release authorized by statute for the offense that resulted in the original term of supervised release, less any term of imprisonment that was imposed upon revocation of supervised release. Id. [T]he plain meaning of the phrase less any term of imprisonment that was imposed upon revocation of supervised release is that the prison term in the current revocation sentence, together with all prison time imposed under any prior revocation sentence or sentences, must be aggregated. Maxwell, 285 F.3d at 341. Here, the maximum term of supervised release authorized for Crittington's conviction for the underlying felony of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is 3 years. See 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1), 924(a)(2), 3559(a)(3), 3583(b)(2) (2012). Crittington received a 24-month prison term after his initial revocation of supervised release and a 7-month prison term in his current revocation sentence, for a total of 31 months. Section 3583(h), therefore, authorized Crittington to receive a supervised release sentence of no longer than 5 months. Crittington's 1-year term of supervised release exceeds the applicable statutory maximum by 7 months. Our precedent establishes that imposition of this sentence amounts to a plain error warranting correction when challenged for the first time on appeal. Maxwell, 285 F.3d at 341-43. Crittington has not argued that the district court's error in imposing a supervised release term requires resentencing. We therefore conclude that the most appropriate remedy is to vacate this portion of the revocation judgment and remand to the district court for the limited purpose of reducing Crittington's term of supervised release to 5 months. See United States v. Zoran, 682 F.3d 1060, 1065 n.7 (8th Cir. 2012). Accordingly, we affirm the revocation judgment in part, vacate in part, and remand to the district court with instructions to reduce Crittington's term of supervised release to 5 months. We grant Crittington's motion to expedite the decision and dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before this court and argument would not aid the decisional process. The clerk's office is directed to issue the mandate forthwith. AFFIRMED IN PART, VACATED IN PART, AND REMANDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS PER CURIAM: Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad also claimed that the largest number of ceasefire violations have occurred during the NDA government's tenure. (Photo: Twitter | ANI) New Delhi: The Opposition in the Rajya Sabha accused the BJP-led government of polarising the country and creating a "fear psychosis" among the people, alleging that it was just renaming the earlier policies without delivering their benefits to the poor and the needy. It is not a "game changer" but a "name changer government" which has failed to deliver on all fronts be it providing relief to farmers and poor, generate jobs or addressing the Kashmir issue, it said. Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the President's address, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad attacked the government for creating fear, not only among people but also among the bureaucrats and opposition leaders. "A fear psychosis has set in. You cannot see when you are in power. If someone is scared to talk to the Opposition or transact with them, it is not good for democracy or freedom of speech or even freedom of business," he said. Azad alleged that opposition party leaders were being treated as "potential terrorists" and their phones were being tapped. "No one today talks to me over phone because they say your phone is tapped," he claimed. The government is not only polarising the country, but also dividing parties in the opposition and intimidating them by using the CBI and the ED, the senior Congress leader said. While supporting the draft triple talaq bill, Azad objected to the stringent punishment it proposes for a man for ending marriage through instant triple talaq. He said, "You have divided Shias and Sunnis. Now, you are dividing husband and wife. You cannot polarise the nation. ... What kind of division are you involved in? Why are you intimidating the minority community who are victims of fear psychosis?" "You should spare some section. We don't want this New India. You have polarised it. Return us India of Gandhi where no fear existed," Azad said. Expressing concern over the Kashmir situation, he attacked the government for not framing any clear policy for the troubled state. "The situation is pathetic. ...Borders are in a sad state of affairs. People are homeless and suffering. The government does not have any clear policy," he said, blaming the BJP government for being "weakest" in last 70 years. He claimed that the largest number of ceasefire violations have occurred during the NDA government's tenure. New Delhi: As honour killings continue to rock North India, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra warned khap panchayats on Monday not to be conscience keepers and said nobody should interfere if two adults want to get married. The CJI was hearing a plea to ban family killings over honour, filed by NGO (non-government organisation) Shakti Vahini. The CJI said: "Whether it is parents, society or anyone, they are out of it. No one, either individual or collective, or group, has the right to interfere with the marriage." The Supreme Court was speaking on the petition filed by Shakti Vahini, which has asked for a ban on such crimes and on khap panchayats or self-appointed village courts in parts of north India, especially Haryana, which believe it is their duty to protect medieval-era traditions and act like a law unto themselves while "punishing" couples who marry against their families' wishes. A lawyer, representing khap panchayats, told the apex court they are against such killings. He also said they never oppose inter-caste or inter-religious marriages. They only oppose marriages between sapindas (marriage between two cousins). As per Section 5(v) of the Hindu Marriage Act, marriages between sapindas are prohibited. The lawyer said: Khap panchayats encourage inter-caste and inter-religious marriages. Marriages between sapindas are opposed because they are considered siblings. SC, however, objected to the same. Law will take its own course. Who are you to interfere? asked CJI Dipak Misra. We are conscience keepers, replied the lawyer appearing for khap panchayats. Dont be conscience keepers. If two adults want to get married nobody should interfere, shot back CJI Misra. We are not concerned with the khap panchayat. We are only concerned with the rights of a couple to get married. Whether marriage is good or bad or is it advisable, we are out of it, the top court added. The top courts hearing coincides with shock in Delhi over the killing of a 23-year-old Hindu man by the family of his Muslim girlfriend. Photographer Ankit Saxena was attacked and stabbed to death on a busy road near his home in west Delhi. The murder was raised before the judges, but the CJI Dipak Misra said immediately, Do not get into it. That case is not before us. The Supreme Court has adjourned the matter for February 16. 'You don't want the House to run. You don't want Question Hour,' M Venkaiah Naidu told the agitated members as he called for Zero Hour mentions. (Photo: ANI/File) New Delhi: Irked over slogan shouting by opposition MPs from the Well, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday adjourned proceedings till 2 pm, an unprecedented move which even saw the Question Hour not being taken up. The proceedings begin at 11 am with the tabling of the listed papers, after which the Zero Hour is held where members raise issues of public interest. The Question Hour, where MPs can ask the government questions about various policies takes place at noon. Usually when the proceedings are disrupted soon after the House assembles for the day, the Chair adjourns the proceedings for shorter durations, generally till 12 noon. At noon, the Question Hour is announced and if the disruptions recur, the proceedings are adjourned again. But on Monday, when Samajwadi Party MPs trooped into the Well raising slogans against alleged encounter killings by the police in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, Naidu adjourned the proceedings straightaway till 2 pm. Also read: Noida: 2 shot at by cop, police deny 'fake encounter' claim by family Members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) too were in the Well, apparently raising the issue of sealing of commercial establishments in Delhi. Congress member Ramachandra Rao too came into the Well holding a banner that read "Do Justice to Andhra Pradesh" in protest against the state not finding a mention in the Union Budget for 2018-19 presented last week. Naresh Agrawal (SP) had given a notice under rule 267 seeking adjournment of proceedings to take up a discussion on the issue of fake encounters, which was rejected by Naidu who said the matter could be raised through a different notice. "I don't want to run the House like this," Naidu remarked as SP, AAP and the lone Congress member trooped into the Well of the House. Also read: AAP-BJP meet over Delhi sealing drive fails, Kejriwal says will move SC "Let us not have an encounter of Zero Hour," he said as members shouted slogans. "This is not the way," he said and ordered that slogan shouting would not go on record. He asked Rao to go back to his place and sternly told Agrawal, who insisted on being allowed to at least mention the issue, that "nobody can dictate" to him. "You don't want the House to run. You don't want Question Hour," he told the agitated members as he called for Zero Hour mentions. Derek O'Brien (TMC) rose to make his Zero Hour submission but nothing could be heard in the din. An upset Naidu remarked that the members were determined not to allow the proceedings and wanted to create trouble to get publicity. He then adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm. Bengaluru: The residents of Somasundarapalya claim that Karnataka Compost Development Corporations plant in the vicinity poses a fire risk as the plant has stored Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) way beyond its capacity. Last year, the RDF stored in the plant caught fire, spreading panic among residents. In addition, the Somasundarapalaya lake has shrunk to one-fourth of its size from 16 acres to four acres, thanks to large-scale encroachments. The water body has also become an illegal garbage dumping area With no sight of Refuse Derived Fuel being removed from the sight, the residents of Somasundarapalya claim they are sitting on a biological bomb. Last year in February, on Mahashivratri day there was a huge fire outbreak at the Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC). The residents allege that the though the plants capacity is only 70 tonnes, the intake is around 180-200 tonnes. The KSDC, however, maintains that the plants capacity is 500 tonnes. The Somasundarapalaya lake, the only water body in the vicinity, has shrunk from 16 acres 29 guntas to four acres and one gunta, thanks to encroachments. The lake has also become an illegal garbage dumping area and the residents allege that the leachate enters the water body. The members of Kudlu, Haralukunte, Hosapalya, Somsundarapalya and Parangipalya (KHHSP) Resident Welfare Association have been fighting against the alleged violation of norms by the KCDC. KCDC chairman maintains that the plant was set up in 1975 and the apartments came much later. But does he not know that the occupancy certificates were given to all the apartments by the BBMP. Why do the authorities not talk about the lake encroachment? said Kamesh Rastogi, a resident and member of KHHSP. After the prolonged row between the officers of the regulating agencies and the residents, a Joint Action Team (JAT) was formed on September 16, 2017, comprising officials of BBMP, KCDC and the residents. Though the team was expected to hold a meeting fortnightly, the residents say that now the meeting is conducted only on demand. Rastogi also suggested that there are no Operation Managers of the plant. Our movement is apolitical and every single party is responsible for the rot. We will only vote for the party who is will find a permanent solution to this menace, said Krishna Kumar, another member of KHHSP. Though in the JAT meeting the officials assured to end the stench by January 18, the problem persists with the foul smell affecting residential complexes within the radius of 1.5 kilometres. The KCDC is tasked to remove 100 tonne of processed waste, out of which only 30 tonne is removed on a daily basis. The RDF is covered with mud and size of the mound is increasing daily. In the past three years, the lake has been encroached and the condition has worsened, said Lalithaamba, another member of KHHSP and a local resident. Automatic sprayer will be installed to control odour Interview with BBMP Joint Commissioner, Bommanahalli Zone, Veerbadraswamy The residents allege that the mound of RDF is not being removed as per the norms. Does the plants intake exceed capacity? The average amount which we reduce is 50 tonnes daily and in the coming days, we will gradually increase it to 100. Our intake is 500 tonnes, but due to protests, we are only accepting 130 tonnes, which is hardly 26% of our capacity. The stench emanating from the compost plant engulfs the area. Is the bio-filter effective? Practically, the filter is running round the clock, but the workers in the plant feel uncomfortable, since the outlets remain closed. We have planned to erect 60-feet mesh with nets across the plant to prevent flies. The automatic spray would be installed to control the odour and the estimate of the entire project is Rs 3 crore. It would be ready by the end of this month. The residents are planning to take out a rally on February 11. What is your message? We have removed over one lakh litres of leachate from the old stock. Local people, barring few, are happy with the improvement we have shown in the past one year. Attacking the BJP on ease of doing murder remark, Siddaramaiah said wherever BJP is in power, there is no protection for minorities. (Photo: ANI) Bengaluru: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack at the ruling Congress government in Karnataka, state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that Modi is morally not right to be countrys Prime Minister. What moral right does Narendra Modi have to talk on Lokpal when he did not have a Lokayukta for 9 years when he was CM? He is facilitating corruption. He is morally not right to be PM of the country, Siddaramaiah said. The chief minister also accused the BJP of telling lies and asked Modi to furnish facts substantiating the claims he levelled against the Karnataka government. Dear Narendra Modi being the PM of the country your words should carry high credibility. I would therefore request you to substantiate your allegation corruption & misgovernance are rampant with facts. Let us fight this election with dignity & based on just facts, Siddaramaiah said. Also read: Karnataka doesn't need Cong culture anymore, time for party to exit: Modi Attacking the BJP on ease of doing murder remark, Siddaramaiah said wherever BJP is in power, there is no protection for minorities. How many died during their tenure in Godhra? 2000 dead. Also, is there any law and order in Haryana? Wherever BJP is in power there is no protection for minorities, the chief minister said. Siddaramaiah also said, BJP President (Amit Shah) was involved in murder case, he only speaks lies. Here also they are projecting a CM candidate who has been to jail. PM has hurt pride of Kannadigas by uttering lies about the state. The chief minister also criticised Modi over his remarks regarding funds given to Karnataka. PM keeps making comments that he has given so much money to the states. Where do you think this money is coming from? Its the taxes collected in the states which was sent to Centre. Its our money which comes back, he said. Kochi: Finance Minister Thomas Isaac in his budget speech on February 2, 2018 spent more than 10 minutes to highlight the allocation of resources to the scheduled caste (SC) and tribe (ST) community in the state budget. Dr Isaac prefaced his detailed exposition of the allocation by referring to the rising tide of Dalit agitations across the country and their manifestation in the emergence of new organizsations and new cultural and academic studies. The points raised by Dr Isaac in the budget speech are highly relevant and deserve attention of all people concerned with the matter of equitable distribution of social wealth and dignity of human life. Equally important is the need for a social audit of the utilisation of the funds allocated for the SC and ST community over the years. The matter assumes importance amidst allegations that the bulk of the funds allocated for the welfare of the SC and ST community has been squandered in projects without any relevance to the community by the politician-bureaucrat-business nexus. The information gathered by RTI activist and former deputy drug controller N.S. Alexander reveals that allocation of resources and the well-being of the members of the SC and ST community are moving on parallel tracks in the state. According to the information provided by the Directorate of Scheduled Castes Development, the amount allocated by the central and state governments to the SC community between 2000-01 to 2016-17 was a whopping Rs 20,096.89 cr. This is a huge amount in a state like Kerala, perennially complaining about resources crunch. According to Mr Alexander, much of this allocation has been pocketed by vested interests. "The pitiable condition of the social and physical infrastructure in Dalit settlements across the state itself is a manifestation of the pilferage of the funds", he said. "We need to understand that a major infrastructure like a flyover at Vyttilla in Ernakulam, considered as the busiest traffic junction in the state, cost around Rs 80 cr only. So imagine the possibility of improving the social and physical infrastructure with an amount like Rs 20,000 cr", he said. C.S. Murali, president of the Kerala Dalit Mahasabha, during the Self-Respect Convention of Dalit Self-respect convention at Vadayambadi near Puthencruz said the matter deserved serious scrutiny. "I think the Dalit organizations in the state need to devise a mechanism to monitor the allocation of funds and its utilization", he added. Dr Isaac while detailing the fund allocation for the SC and ST communities in his budget speech pointed out that the maximum allocation was made for the housing sector. "As in the previous year, now also the largest amount provided in SCP and TSP is for housing, which comes to Rs. 651 crore and Rs. 236 crore respectively. Besides this, Rs.110 crore under P.K. Kalan project is provided through micro plans to help those Scheduled Tribes living in isolated homes", Dr Isaac said. If the statement by Dr Isaac can be taken as an indication, the maximum amount of the Rs 20,000 cr spent in the past 18 years might have gone for the construction of houses for the community. "Is there one single house in the state that could be described as a model for the SC or ST community despite spending such huge amounts of money", asks Mr Alexander. "I have pointed out the pathetic condition of the houses built for the SC and ST communities in the state as it has always been a favourite subject for the media over the years," he said. The information gathered under RTI from the Directorate of Scheduled Tribe Development shows that the fund allocated for the community during 2000-01 to 2016-17 amounted to Rs 2,731.48 cr. The information furnished is only for 17 years as under RTI the base year or cut-off year for providing the information is 2000-01. "If we take into account the amount spent for the SC and ST community from 1956 it would be much higher," added Alexander. The enormity of the systemic corruption in the name of SC and ST community will also be much higher, he added. Minister makes big promises for them Extracts from budget speech of Dr Thomas Isaac on the welfare of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe: 75: The entire Dalit community of India is awakening. There are struggles against class discrimination, protests against oppression, emergence of new organisations and cultural and academic studies. During this period, the Central Government special component plan (SCP) for SC and Sub Plan for ST (STP) ceased to exist consequent to the abolition of the Five Year Plan. Provisions proportionate to the population of SC and ST communities have never been made in Central Budgets. During 2016-17, only 11.5 per cent of the Central plan was allocated to the Scheduled Tribes which comprise 25.2 per cent of the population. With the introduction of new reforms, the allocation of funds for SC and ST schemes has considerably gone down again. Kerala Budget stands apart in this context. 76: The outlay for SCP is raised to Rs.2859 crore from Rs. 2599 crore. This comes to 9.8 per cent of the total plan. The outlay for TSP is raised to Rs. 826 crore from Rs.751 crore. This comes to 2.83 per cent of the total plan outlay. It may be noted that the Scheduled Caste category is 9.1per cent and Scheduled Tribe Category is 1.45 per cent of the population. Social welfare indices of the Scheduled Castes in Kerala are higher than the general social welfare indices of certain north Indian States. But, it is behind the general average of Kerala. Comparatively a larger outlay is included in the budget with an aim to overcome this. "Your fate is also the wages in the father's column", the curse which resounded in the classroom like a proverb was echoed by Bilu. C. Narayanan in her poem 'Pulapank'. We should respond to this by raising the social indices of the scheduled caste to the general standard. 77: 45 per cent of the SCP and 2.34 per cent of TSP are earmarked to local self-government institutions. This fund allocation is for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories to participate in planning process to formulate plans as desired by them. 78: As in previous year, now also largest amount provided in SCP and TSP is for housing, which comes to Rs. 651 crore and Rs. 236 crore respectively. Besides this, Rs.110 crore under P.K.Kalan project is provided through micro plans to help those Scheduled Tribes living in isolated homes. New Delhi: Heated exchanges among senior advocates Dushyant Dave, Pallav Sisodia and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud marred the days proceedings on Monday in the Supreme Court hearing the petitions seeking an SIT probe into the death of Judge B.H. Loya. Even as Mr. Dave objected to Mr. Sisodias submissions, Justice Chandrachud intervened and told Mr. Dave, Let us not reduce the dialogue in this court to the level of fish market; at least not before the two portraits (in the court hall) of the first CJI H.L. Kania and his successor B.K. Mukherhjea. You should not shout down the judge. You have to listen to me Mr. Dave. No, I will not. Your Lordship should have stopped them from appearing in this court. You will have to answer your conscience, Mr. Dave retorted. Dont teach us about our conscience, Justice Chandrachud said. The hearing before the Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra commenced with senior counsels V. Giri appearing for petitioner, Tehseen Poonawalla. After V. Giri made his submissions, Mr. Sisodia advanced his arguments on behalf of another petitioner, Bandhuraj Lone, journalists. He took exception to the insinuations made against judiciary and said that an independent probe cannot be a one-way traffic when people make allegations of hit and run. Senior counsel Indira Jaising appearing for vice-admiral Ramdas said, if Mr. Sisodia does not want an enquiry then why has he come here. New Delhi: Heated exchanges among senior advocates Dushyant Dave, Pallav Sisodia and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud marred the days proceedings in the Supreme Court hearing the petitions seeking an SIT probe into the death of Judge B.H. Loya. Mr Dave intervened and told the court that the purpose of filing this petition by Mr. Sisodia was to prevent a hearing of the petition filed in Bombay High Court. He objected to Mr Sisodia and Mr Salve appearing for BJP President Amit Shah and now appearing for other parties. He said, the Bar Council of India has issued notice to me for misconduct for raising voice of truth while people who have indulged in misconduct like them get away. I wont be cowed down. Mr Sisodia turned towards Mr. Dave sand said, Dave, we dont care what you say... you can go to hell or heaven or wherever you want. Justice Chandrachud then turned to Mr. Sisodia and said, Even your language was improper. Courtesy begets courtesy. Mr Salve said, Sometimes courtesy does not beget courtesy. However, Mr Sisodia expressed his sincere apologies. Mr Dave said, It is disappointing that the State is opposing the probe. And what is even more disappointing is that all those who are appearing for the State today appeared for Mr. Amit Shah. But your Lordships dont want to hear that. Earlier Mr Giri pressed for an independent probe saying there are inconsistencies in the discreet probe conducted by Maharashtra intelligence. He said the story presented by the state of Maharashtra does not inspire confidence and requires investigation. New Delhi: Observing that khap panchayats cannot play the role of conscience keeper of the society and take law into their hands, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to step in to protect such couples from khaps. The CJI Dipak Misra heading a three-judge bench told the counsel where two consenting adults agree to enter into matrimony, no individual rights, group rights or collective rights shall interfere therein or harass couple. You dont have to play the conscience keeper of the society. Law and courts will take care of all relationships. Whether it is parents, society or anyone, they are out of it. The bench, which includes Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud was hearing a petition filed by NGO Shakti Vahini in 2010 seeking courts intervention to stop the menace of khap panchayats in killing couples. Additional Solicitor General for the Centre said the government would submit its proposals within a week and file an affidavit and pleaded for short adjournment. Counsel for the Sarv Khap Panchayats of Rohtak said the main culprits for honour killings are not the representatives of Khaps but the near and dear ones of the affected couples. Hyderabad: Pedestrians are a neglected lot while the state boasts of Metro facilities. Only a few Metro stations have footpaths for pedestrians and that too are occupied by the Metro travelers to park their vehicles. Road safety experts are of the opinion that authorities are compromising on pedestrian safety in the name of city development. Vehicles are haphazardly parked in footpaths of few Metro stations such as Mettuguda, NGRI, Rasoolpura, and Ameerpet. However, the officials of the Traffic Dept said that they have detained many vehicles for improper parking near the metro stations. Metro Rail authorities are also looking for space to increase parking facilities. A special drive was conducted by Hyderabad traffic police soon after the Metros launch as many vehicles were seen improperly parked near the stations, main roads and on footpaths. Many vehicles were towed down by the traffic cops from pavements, footpaths constructed outside metro stations in Secunderabad, Ameerpet, Paradise, Tarnaka, Prakash Nagar, Begumpet, and Mettuguda. Ahsan Pasha, Trustee of Traffic Sense Foundation said that the statistics show that around 40 per cent fatalities on our roads are pedestrians. Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has no plans to build any new footpaths. Our metro rail is supposed to be the most advanced in the world as per press reports, but their commitment to passenger safety is almost negligent, he said. S. Adishankar, a road safety expert, said that it is the job of the traffic authorities, GHMC and HMR to ensure that parking does not interfere with pedestrian movement. NVS Reddy, Managing Director Hyderabad Metro Rail Hyderabad said that they have created enough parking space near all the metro stations. People should have more discipline. For the first time in the city, we have created facility for pedestrians in a systematic and organised manner, he said. For a short time, we had allowed to park vehicles near the metro stations but now we are regulating this and there is enough parking space. If anywhere, pedestrians face difficulty, we will remove the vehicles from the spot. We have already informed the traffic police about the misuse of sidewalks and pedestrains facilities. In future, we may think of imposing fines for improper parking near metro stations but before that people should be more disciplined, he added. Posted Monday, February 5, 2018 9:43 am Sept. 23, 1927-Jan. 29, 2018 Services: None planned under the direction of Bland-Brumback Funeral Home, Stockton. Violet Nadine Adams was born in Chelsea, Oklahoma, Sept. 23, 1927, and received Monday, Jan. 29, 2018, at Heavens gates. Her 90 years spanned over time, through residing in Illinois, Colorado, Oklahoma, California and settling in Missouri for the past 20 plus years. A celebration of her life was shared throughout the remaining week of Jan. 29, by singing hymns from the past, humorous camp songs and sharing fond memories from Lake Stockton Heathcare Facility with staff and nurses. Pastor of First Southern Baptist Church shared in scripture and prayer. Stories were shared of how she impacted their lives. She gave of herself through her love of cooking, sewing, waitressing and helping others. She was strong, sharp, an avid speller, runner-up and winner of nursing home spelling bees, a human GPS, courageous, a virtuous woman and polite to the end. This beautiful, caring woman will be missed by all whose lives she has touched. Proverb 31:31. She is survived by a son, Win (Jan) Kerby of Florida; daughters, Debra Colvin and Connie Stines (John) of Illinois; a son-in law, Art Reser; a sister-in-law, Arlene Kerby of Oklahoma; grandchildren, Stephen, Brian, Sandy, Darren, Eric, Carrie, Kimberly, Monica and Michele; great-, and great-great-grandchildren; many cousins and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Sharon Reser; husband, Matt Adams; parents, Finis and Minnie Hemphill; sisters, Mae, Mamie and Ruth; and brothers, Finis, Ernest, Robert, Louie and Versil We love you, we miss you and we will carry you in our hearts and on our lips-2gether 4ever XO xs infinity. John 11: 25-26 Psalm 9:10 Psalm 34:8. Thank you for the care and prayer support to Pastor Jason of First Southern Baptist Church; CMH-LSHF administration and staff, nursing staff, facilities and housekeeping; Hospice of Bolivar; roommate, Blanchie; and to Michael (MJ) for helping with this loving tribute to his great-grandma (g-grams). Online condolences can be made at www.brumbackfuneralhome.com. (6c) Hyderabad: Nearly 30 lakh acres of agricultural land that figures in revenue records will be excluded from farm sop of Rs 8,000 per acre per year. Agriculture secretary C. Parthasarathi held a video conference on Monday with the officials from all districts. He directed the officials to verify revenue records of agricultural lands and to conduct field-level inspection of each agricultural land to detect whether cultivation is being done. Give the data of uncultivated lands to the government and they will be excluded from farmers sop. Only cultivable lands will get Rs 8,000 per acre per year sop. Based on this data, the government will prepare Agricultural Budget for 2018-19 and sanction the required funds, he said. He asked the officials of the agricultural department to coordinate with revenue department staff during inspections. The agriculture extension officers and village revenue officers should jointly inspect lands and provide accurate data on cultivable land, Mr Parthasarathi said. In mid 2017, the agricultural department had conducted ground-level survey to find out the number of farmers doing agriculture and calculated the extent of lands suitable for cultivation. It was found that 55 lakh farmers were cultivating in 1.25 crore acres of agricultural land. Of them, only 45 lakh farmers have error-free pattadar passbooks and they will be eligible to claim the Rs 8,000 per acre sop per year. However, the land records purification drive taken up by the revenue department found out that there were 1.62 crore acres of agricultural land in the state. Thus there is a mismatch of around 37 lakh acres. With this, the government directed the agricultural department to take up inspection with revenue officials to detect cultivated area. Thiruvananthapuram: The delegates at the CPM district conference came down heavily on party general secretary Sitaram Yechury and the CPI during their meeting held here on Sunday. They accused Mr Yechury of being greedy for positions and status. It was alleged that vested interests were behind Mr Yechury pushing for a CPM-Congress alliance to overcome BJP surge in the country. The delegates from the CPM Nedumangad area committee alleged that CPI district secretary G.R. Anil had made attempts to have their candidate C Divakaran lose in the Assembly elections. The CPI leaders held a meeting to ensure propaganda against Divakaran. Mr Divakaran, becoming aware of the move against him, had sought CPM's help, which ensured him victory in the elections, they said. Criticisms were also raised against the home department handled by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The main allegation was that there was a high presence of RSS members amongst policemen who were enforcing Sangh Parivar agenda. The Chief Minister was reluctant to control them, said the delegates. The party representatives also criticised Finance Minister Dr. Thomas Isaac saying that he realised many disadvantages of the GST only at a later stage, by which time things had already gotten out of hand, the delegates said. BJP President Amit Shah also pitched for simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha elections, besides touching upon a host of measures taken by the government. (Photo: ANI | Twitter) New Delhi: The BJP and the Congress locked horns in Rajya Sabha on Monday while participating in a Motion of Thanks on the Presidents address to the joint sitting of Parliament. Last month the PM had said that his government had emphasised self-employment and job creation, for which loans had been disbursed, and that selling pakodas, too, is a job. To this, Mr Chidambaram had said: By that logic, even begging is a job. Lets count poor or disabled persons who are forced to beg for a living as employed people. Asserting that a lot of the governments effort in the last three years had gone into paving the potholes that the Congress had dug in India over 55 years of one-family rule, Mr Shah attacked the Congress over its chief Rahul Gandhis mockery of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) as the Gabbar Singh Tax. The GST is not a loot, instead it is for the benefit of the economy, Mr Shah said and went on to add that canards are being spread that the BJP was against GST when it was in Opposition. He also asked the Congress whether it was inciting people not to pay taxes. Is a dacoity taking place here? Is legally claiming taxes from people a dacoity? Is this the understanding of people? And where does this Gabbar Singh Tax/GST go? It goes in the bank account of a jawan for giving One Rank, One Pension, it goes in the bank account of widows of martyrs. It goes towards giving the poor women Ujjwala Yojana, Mr Shah said. Mr Shah also pitched for simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, besides touching upon a host of measures taken by his government. The BJP chief also pitched for simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, besides touching upon a host of measures taken by his government, including Triple Talaq and the OBC Commission Bill that are stuck in the Upper House. Mr Modi, who sat in the Upper House for nearly three hours, later tweeted, A wonderful speech by BJP President Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader, took on the ruling party over various issues, including systemic attempts to polarise the nation. Mr Azad said that the Modi government is not a game changer but just a name changer, and listed out schemes of the Congress governments that have been renamed. There is only one party and people of their choice and those belonging to them are getting employment and opportunities, Mr Azad said, and attacked the government saying that today a different form of appeasement is taking place. A fear psychosis has set in. You cannot see when you are in power. If someone is scared to talk to the Opposition or transact with them, it is not good for democracy or freedom of speech or even freedom of business. Mr Azad also touched upon the agrarian crisis, condition of farmers and situation prevailing in Kashmir. Hyderabad: A five-member committee constituted by AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu met with Union home minister Rajnath Singh in Parliament on Monday to represent the injustice done to the state in the Union Budget. After the meeting, the committee briefed the CM about the proceedings. The committee comprises Union ministers P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Sujana Chowdary, Thota Narasimham, Nimmala Kishtappa and Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu. It has been charged with dealing with the Union Government to get justice for Andhra Pradesh. We have clearly been told not to disclose the details of our meetings with Union ministers. Only the Chief Minister will address the media, one member of the committee told this paper. According to sources, Mr Rajnath Singh has promised the committee to arrange a meet with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Finance minister Arun Jaitley within a few days and said that it would be more appropriate for the CM to attend the meeting to resolve the issues. Earlier on Monday, as a part of their agitation for justice for the state, MPs of the Telugu Desam gave notice under Rule 193 asking for the conduction of a special discussion on the implementation of promises made to Andhra Pradesh. If the request is approved by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha Sumitra Mahajan, time will be allotted on a specific day for a short discussion on the issue. Health freaks can be quite a pain. You know the type: they turn up their nose at nihari, count their calories and crusade against carbohydrates. Given half a chance theyll bore you with tales of their gym exploits, preach the cult of CrossFit and the benefits of boot camp, all the while counting steps on their accursed Fitbits. Because, much like vegans, they seem to feel that its not enough to simply practice; one must also preach. And of course, its no fun just competing against yourself: thanks to fitness apps that record and share the details of your workout, you can now show off your regimen to virtual strangers. Which brings us to the latest: while fitness evangelists have always been annoying, now theyre a bona fide security threat. Take the online fitness tracker Strava: Using your mobile phones GPS and also data from other fitness devices like Fitbit and Jawbone, it publishes heat maps showing the routes taken by its users as they jog, walk or bicycle, with the more frequently used routes showing up as brighter lines. Now thats fine when it comes to a public park or jogging track, but less so when it comes to military bases like the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan. A nerve centre of US operations in the Forever War, Bagram has been targeted by the Afghan Taliban, insider attacks and espionage, but now it seems that the latest security threat comes from jogging US military personnel sharing their location data with the world. When you look at the map, you can tell which routes in the bases are used most frequently, and can even work out which nearby roads are more frequently patrolled useful information for attackers and infiltrators. A similar problem was seen in the US forward bases in Helmand, and the base at Tanf in Syria. By contrast, few lights show up on Russian bases and none on Iranian bases in Syria: apparently being less wired has its upside. Moreover, a hacker who accesses Stravas data can also potentially track individual users and if they happen to be military personnel can come up with a fairly accurate picture of military deployment schedules. This isnt the first time apps have rung alarm bells in security circles. The Pokemon Go! fad sparked similar concerns in China, the US and Israel to name just three countries. The Israeli army banned soldiers from playing Pokemon Go for fear that they could inadvertently expose military secrets. The US, for its part, also warned military personnel of the dangers and also cautioned them to make sure they had installed the original game, and not one of the many counterfeit apps that one can find on the internet. But even if youre using original apps and being careful about not displaying your location or allowing those apps access to your camera, youre still streaming tonnes of information about yourself to anyone with a capability of tapping that stream. And the worlds top intel agencies very much have that capability: according to classified documents leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden Americas National Security Agency and the UKs Government Communications Headquarters have spent billions developing the ability to scoop up user data from commercially available apps like Angry Birds mining metadata and user submitted profile data allowing them to develop accurate profiles of users and even potentially track their movements. This then is the brave new world of global surveillance; one where our very phones can be used to compromise us. For militaries and governments across the world it poses a new challenge to operational security and also provides an opportunity for the more technologically advanced. Its not just loose lips that can sink ships anymore. By arrangement with Dawn On Sunday, Telugu Desam supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu took a step close to the brink and then retracted, although he appears deeply upset with the BJP for not reciprocating his pursuit of coalition dharma. He did not announce the breaking of ties with the saffron party for the next general election like the Shiv Sena, the BJPs oldest ally, did recently, though this was seriously speculated. But he gave the BJP a fright. Thats why Union home minister Rajnath Singh and BJP president Amit Shah telephoned to ask him not to take a hard decision, and hinting his states demands could be favourably considered in the discussion on the Budget in Parliament. But Mr Naidu was visibly upset with the 2018-19 Budget presented last week. Although this was the NDAs last full-fledged Budget before the next Lok Sabha polls, the BJP hasnt agreed to any of Andhra Pradeshs demands: special status for the state after the creation of Telengana in 2014 and the resultant loss of revenues, financial support for establishing Amravati, the new state capital, and the Polavaram project. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the CM recently, after ducking him for a year and a half. This has rankled. Politically, the TD seems all too aware that the Centres stock is down with many sections of society, especially farmers. The Gujarat election was a pointer, and has been followed by the BJPs drubbing in the recent Rajasthan byelections. There are two other considerations the BJP is not growing in Andhra Pradesh and cannot be a thorn in the TDs side in an election. Besides, the TD is confident of winning the Muslim vote, as was demonstrated in the Nandyal byelection. Thus, its the BJP which should be running after the TD, not the other way around. After the Centre rebuffed the TD in the Budget, Mr Naidu called a meeting of all party MPs, state legislators and other leaders on Sunday to discuss ties with the BJP. The TD decided not to pull the plug, and wait instead to see what the Centre offers as financial support to keep the relationship going. Nevertheless, in Parliament during the Budget Session, the TD plans to play a demonstrative role to highlight Andhra Pradeshs demands, almost like an Opposition party. It should be remembered that well before the Budget on February 1, the Telugu Desam, a part of the ruling NDA coalition, had voted with Opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha on the triple talaq issue. Lately, the Akali Dal has also spoken of coalition dharma and supported the TDs cause. The BJPs ties with key allies the Shiv Sena, Akali Dal and the TD are under strain. This is partly because the allies realise the ruling party is faltering. Rating: Have you noticed how many of the big mobile phone brands, no longer bundle a free pair of earphones with the handset? In spite of charging Rs 3,000 and more, they make you buy this key accessory separately. Samsung, while offering earbud-type phones with most of its handsets, still sells a range of earphones with added value features. They have a basic in-ear rectangle design headphone with three buttons volume up, volume down, play/pause and a 10mm - 8mm woofer-tweeter combo for Rs 1,899. For a more active lifestyle, they offer a wireless Bluetooth model, the Level Active, which is good for jogging etc., because it comes with a hook that clips behind your ear and ensures it doesnt fall off. The earphones can be synced to Samsungs health app to keep track of workouts and the 100mAh battery is good for about five to six hours of talk. The in-ear tips sit snuggly and the whole thing is reasonably water proof. It costs Rs 4,999. Like good cholesterol and bad cholesterol, we now have good sound and bad sound. Good sound is what you like to hear, like music. Bad sound is the ambient noise of your surroundings creeping in. Active noise cancelling or ANC cuts this unwanted sound by creating an equal and opposite sound (mathematically) to neutralise it. Samsungs Level In ANC earphones do this rather well, cutting off almost 90 per cent of the outside noise. You can, however, allow a little of this to trickle in it can be useful in traffic. And three sizes of ear tips, means at least one will fit snuggly. Good value at Rs 3,799 keeping in mind this is a wired model. IndiaTechOnline Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. British Prime Minister Theresa May has said Britain should take a serious look at digital currencies such as Bitcoin because of the way they can be used by criminals. Lloyds Banking Group Plc said it would ban its credit card customers from buying Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Across Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland, Halifax and MBNA, we do not accept credit card transactions involving the purchase of cryptocurrencies, a company spokeswoman said in an email. Britain's biggest mortgage lender will ban its credit card customers from buying Bitcoin amid fears that they could run up huge losses. The company will block any attempts to buy Bitcoin with a credit card, but digital currencies could be purchased with debit cards, the newspaper said. Credit card customers of the bank will be blocked from buying Bitcoin online through a blacklist that will flag sellers. The company fears that credit card owners will buy Bitcoin hoping to make a profit when its value goes up, but will be laden with debt if its price falls, the paper reported. British Prime Minister Theresa May has said Britain should take a serious look at digital currencies such as Bitcoin because of the way they can be used by criminals. Digital currencies plunged with Bitcoin at one point sliding below $8,000 and headed for its biggest weekly loss since December 2013, amid worries about a global regulatory clampdown. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Tesla will soon provide around 50,000 South Australian homes with solar panels and Powerwall batteries, which ultimately will contribute to a larger and enhanced power network for the area. The company wants to give the region a virtual power plant which will supply electricity to around 50,000 homes over the next four years. The individual units which will be set up to generate power will also contribute extra power to the grid, which can be used as a surplus and be sourced if some other location needs it. The Powerwall can detect an outage, disconnect from the grid, and automatically restore power in homes in a fraction of a second. The lights and appliances will continue to run without interruption. It also has the capability of providing more than seven days of power supply during an outage. The device stores the excess solar energy and makes it available on demand, even post sunset. The whole process has been made easy to understand through the Tesla app, which will give the user the full details about the consumption and distribution of power. By installing these panels, the dependence on and consumption of electricity is aimed to be reduced by approximately 30 per cent. This program by Tesla has already started and a trial period has been introduced to 1,100 homes. With predictions of the countrys temperature only rising, this definitely appears to be a solution which one should look towards adopting. More than 4,000 people have already signed up on the website for this program, which indicates that the country can soon look towards being power efficient. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. The legendary Third Eye is said to provide heightened insight and the gift of enlightenment. Smart phones in 2018, will go one better and increasingly sport four eyes two apiece, fore and aft. And while it might not match the celestial gaze of Lord Siva, a quad-camera phone can still perform a mini miracle: turning dummies like us into semi professional clickers. Huawei is something of a pioneer here, having launched the first ever dual-camera system in 2016 with the P9 phone. It went quadruple for the first time, last year with the Honor 9i, with twin lenses both front and rear. This was a product that at just under Rs 18,000 was out of the reach of many buyers. But following a practice it started with the Honor 8, Huawei has just launched the 'lite' avatar of its four-eyed flagship: The Honor 9 Lite costs just Rs 10,999 in its most affordable configuration (with 32GB of on-board storage) but otherwise does almost everything that you can do with the 9i. Fueled by an octa-core Kirin 2.36GHz processor, the Honor 9 Lite 'feels' bigger screen-wise than it really is, thanks to the bezel-less 5.65-inch full HD (2160x1080 pixel) screen. This is the phone equivalent of an infinity swimming pool and the 18:9 length-to-width ratio is how things are going to be in future. This is a 4G VoLTe phone that takes either two SIMs one nano + one micro or one nano SIM with 256GB of micro SD storage. Both front and rear cameras are twin lens: 13MP + 2MP and while the rear has phase detection auto focus, the front provides a panoramic selfie mode. Twin lenses allow phone cameras to do some task sharing: dividing the field of view and achieving razor sharp focus, even when handled by the shaky hands of the amateur or the aged. I have been groping discover the real edge that multiple lens cameras on phones like the 9 Lite offer. Now I think I have it: the senior citizen's friend lightweight (at 149g) and arthritic finger-friendly shooting! This is one of the first phones that comes with the new Android 8 Oreo OS. But Huawei has its own user interface which it calls Emotion UI or EMUI 8. It is also among the early exploiters of Artificial Intelligence in some small but subtle ways: It adjusts screen brightness for day or night; it recognizes 13 different image scenarios sunrise, sunset, beach, snow, portrait, food etc and shoots to optimise this. It offers live wallpapers that change with the time of the day and perhaps most usefully, it harnesses Microsoft's translate-on-the-fly tool, including many Indian languages. For Rs 3000 more you can opt to double the onboard storage to 64 GB. The India R&D team of Huawei has developed most of the features of EMUI 8 and added some of local interest like a panchang plus 14 desi-language support and the mandatory SOS feature ( press on-off button thrice). This is one compelling bundles of specs and brings quad cameras to a much lower price band. Technology's moving goalposts will soon see other brands compete but right now the Honor 9 Lite is a shining exemplar of how much value can be packed into a device costing less than Rs 11,000. IndiaTechOnline Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Cleveland State Community College will be hosting a Nursing Information Session on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. in the George R. Johnson Cultural Heritage Center. Representatives from the CSCC Nursing Department, Financial Aid, Admissions and the Student Nurses Association will be available during the session to answer questions about entering the nursing program in the Summer or Fall semester. Prospective students will learn about admission testing, ways to deal with anxiety associated with test taking, the requirements to enter the nursing program and how to apply to the CSCC nursing program. Anyone interested in learning more about nursing at Cleveland State is welcome to attend. These sessions are open to the public and not just Cleveland State students. We look forward to meeting anyone who is interested in becoming an RN said Nancy Thomas, interim director of Nursing. For more information or to R.S.V.P. for the Nursing Information Session, visit mycs.cc/nursingsession. You can also visit the CSCC website for information on the Nursing department at www.clevelandstatecc.edu. The Silver Star was on its way from New York to Miami with nearly 150 people aboard around 2:45 am when it plowed into the CSX train at an estimated 59 mph. (Photo: AP) Cayce: An Amtrak passenger train slammed into a freight train parked on a side track in South Carolina early Monday, killing two Amtrak crew members and injuring more than 110 people, authorities said. It was the third deadly wreck involving Amtrak in less than two months. The Silver Star was on its way from New York to Miami with nearly 150 people aboard around 2:45 am (local time) when it plowed into the CSX train at an estimated 59 mph, Gov Henry McMaster said. The crash happened around a switchyard about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Columbia. The governor said investigators have yet to determine how the Amtrak train ended up on that stretch of track. "The CSX was on the track it was supposed to be on," McMaster said. The National Transportation Safety Board sent investigators to the scene. In an emailed statement, Amtrak said that it was "deeply saddened" by the deaths and that it was cooperating fully with the NTSB. It did not address the cause of the crash but said CSX maintains all of the tracks and signal systems where the accident happened and controls access to the sidings and yards. CSX did not immediately return an email and telephone call. The conductor and engineer aboard the Amtrak locomotive were killed, the coroner's office said. And 116 people were taken to four hospitals, according to the governor. The main trauma hospital in the area had three patients in critical or serious condition, with the rest treated for minor injuries such as cuts, bruises and whiplash, said Dr Steve Shelton, Palmetto Health director of emergency preparedness. The locomotives of both trains were left crumpled, the Amtrak engine on its side. One car in the middle of the Amtrak train was snapped in half, forming a V off to one side of the tracks. "It's a horrible thing to see, to understand the force involved," McMaster said after touring the scene. Many passengers were asleep with the train began shaking violently and then slammed to a halt, passenger Derek Pettaway told CBS. "You knew we'd hit something or we'd derailed," he said. Elliot Smith told The State newspaper of Columbia that he was staying with a friend when they heard what sounded like a propane tank exploding. "The sound was so loud, you instantly knew it was bad," he said. Smith said he and his friend saw passengers limping along the tracks, while others tried to get everyone out of the cars. Amtrak officials gathered up luggage and other belongings and within hours put passengers aboard buses to their destinations. Before being sent on their way, those who were not hurt were taken to a shelter set up at a middle school, and local businesses provided coffee and breakfast. "We know they are shaken up quite a bit. We know this is like nothing else they have ever been through. So we wanted to get them out of the cold, get them out of the weather get them to a warm place," sheriff's spokesman Adam Myrick said. The dead were identified as engineer Michael Kempf, 54, of Savannah, Georgia, and conductor Michael Cella, 36, of Orange Park, Florida. Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher's voice caught as she released the names of the dead. "Any time you have anything that happens like that, you expect more fatalities. But God blessed us, and we only had the two," Fisher said. On Wednesday, a chartered Amtrak train carrying Republican members of Congress to a strategy retreat slammed into a garbage truck at a crossing in rural Virginia, killing one person in the truck and injuring six others. And on December 18, an Amtrak train ran off the rails along a curve during its inaugural run on a route south of Tacoma, Washington, killing three people and injuring dozens. It was going nearly 80 mph, more than twice the speed limit. After the latest crash, Democratic Sen Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said the nation's railroads must be made safer, declaring, "Business as usual must end." He said proven technology, including positive train control, cannot continue to be delayed. US-Russia ties are strained at best, as the controversy over what US intelligence says was Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election drags on. (Photo: File) Washington: The United States, which just unveiled a new aggressive nuclear strategy, has met the limits set on its arsenal under the New START Treaty, which enters a new phase Monday, and reminded Russia to uphold its commitments. The strategic arms reduction treaty was signed by Washington and Moscow in 2010, and took effect in February 2011. It calls for the gradual reduction over 10 years of the number of nuclear warheads held by both sides, limits on the number of delivery systems, a strict verification regime and data exchanges. "The United States of America and the Russian Federation have implemented the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START Treaty) for seven years," the State Department said in a statement. "February 5, 2018 marks the date that the treaty's central limits on each country's strategic nuclear arsenal take effect." Washington said it had already fulfilled its commitments by August 2017, said the statement issued by department spokeswoman Heather Nauert. Russia has "repeatedly stated its commitment" to the treaty, including meeting the central limits, and we expect our upcoming data exchange under the treaty to reaffirm that commitment." On Thursday, Nauert had said that Washington had "no reason to believe" that Russia would not meet its goals. "Within the next month or so, both countries will exchange their data under the strategic nuclear arsenals, as we have done bilaterally under the treaty's terms for the last seven years," she said. "We hope each country will confirm the compliance of the other as soon as possible after this data exchange." The beginning on Monday of the new "central limits" phase under the New START Treaty comes just days after the Pentagon announced its new nuclear policy. The Defence Department said Friday it wanted to revamp the US nuclear arsenal and develop new low-yield atomic weapons, largely in response to Russian actions in recent years. According to Washington, Moscow is in the process of modernizing its arsenal of 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons. Those efforts are not monitored by the New START Treaty, which only accounts for strategic weapons that serve as deterrents. The treaty was reached under the administration of Barack Obama, President Donald Trump's predecessor. The State Department said Monday that implementation of the accord "enhances the safety and security of the United States and our allies and makes strategic relations between the United States and the Russian Federation more stable, transparent, and predictable." US-Russia ties are strained at best, as the controversy over what US intelligence says was Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election drags on. The State Department said adherence to the treaty was "critically important at a time when trust in the relationship has deteriorated, and the threat of miscalculation and misperception has risen." Prime Minister Abbasi in the official message also expressed solidarity with the people of Kashmir. (Photo: File) Islamabad: Pakistan on Monday said the dream of peace and prosperity in the region would remain elusive without resolving the Kashmir issue and reaffirmed its support for the people in the Valley in their struggle for the right to "self-determination". President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi made these remarks in their separate messages on Kashmir Solidarity Day. The president said, "Pakistan reiterates its unwavering political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of Occupied Kashmir in their struggle for self-determination right in accordance with UN resolutions." Prime Minister Abbasi in the official message also expressed solidarity with the people of Kashmir. He said even after the passage of more than seven decades, the people of Jammu and Kashmir continue to be "deprived of the fundamental right to self-determination in stark contradiction to the promise made to them by the international community through the United Nations Security Council Resolutions". The prime minister said India refused to allow the visit of the team of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the OIC to Kashmir, thus denying the international community an opportunity to evaluate the situation on the ground. "India obviously has much to hide," he claimed. The two leaders said that the dream of peace and prosperity in the region will remain elusive without resolving the Kashmir dispute. Pakistan called upon the international community to urge India to "respect the Human Rights Charter, put an immediate end to the gross human rights violations of Kashmiris...and ensure expedited resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with the UNSC Resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people." Meanwhile, Pakistan declared official holiday and the government as well as various groups announced to organise rallies and seminars to highlight the issue of Kashmir. Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal in a tweet said that Kashmir should become a part of Pakistan. Amidst some 18 deadly encounters with alleged criminals in less than 48 hours over the weekend, Uttar Pradesh police shot at and critically injured an innocent man in Noida and beat up his friend for no fault of theirs. The two men, a gym trainer and his friend, were not even caught in any crossfire. They were stopped by policemen while they were on their way home after attending a wedding and shot at deliberately. Four policemen have been suspended and arrested for the crime. In January, UP police shot dead an eight-year-old boy during one of their staged encounters with alleged robbers. Since the BJP won the elections last March and Yogi Adityanath became chief minister, UP has seen some 900 encounters between police and alleged criminals. India's largest state has been a lawless state for years, but that lawlessness was the doing of criminals. Now, even the police has joined the gangsters, robbers and assorted other criminals in the lawlessness. Uttar Pradesh has become the 'Encounter State', India's own Wild West of the 21st century. This state-sponsored lawlessness is the direct outcome of Chief Minister Adityanath's publicly stated policy of eliminating alleged criminals through a "bullet for a bullet" strategy. As a result, the state government and its police have begun to wear encounter killings, many of them staged by the police, as a badge of honour. After a recent review meeting with Adityanath, the state police chief had boasted that the killing of 31 alleged criminals in these encounters was a key achievement of the BJP government in less than a year. This is unacceptable. The law allows policemen to use 'minimum force' in the discharge of their duties. No one, including the elected chief minister, can give them unbridled powers to pick and kill people, even alleged criminals, like this. It is shocking that such extra-judicial killings should be happening at a time when capital punishment even at the hands of the justice system is increasingly being looked upon unfavourably. In the Adityanath case, the National Human Rights Commission has taken note suo motu of the endorsement of brutal violence against citizens and killing in the name of action against alleged criminals and sought response from Adityanath himself and his senior officers. It must probe if the stringent guidelines issued by the apex court in the PUCL vs State of Maharashtra case have been observed by the UP government and police and order punishments where they have been violated. It is also perhaps time the Supreme Court took note of these encounters and ordered a probe, just as it did over a similar series of encounter killings - some 22 of them - in Gujarat during 2003-2006. Joining fellow disgruntled BJP leader Yashwant Sinha in a protest over farmers' issues, MP Shatrughan Sinha today questioned viability of the health insurance scheme announced in the Union Budget. The actor-turned-politician on Sunday reached Narsinghpur in Madhya Pradesh, where former finance minister Yashwant Sinha has launched a sit-in protest for farmers whose lands would be acquired for a thermal power plant. The National Health Protection Scheme announced by finance minister Arun Jaitley would require Rs 1,25,000 crore for premium payment, which is more than the allocation for health sector in the budgets of the Centre and the states put together, Shatrughan Sinha said. "Where would this money come from," he asked, addressing the gathering. The BJP MP recently joined Rashtra Manch, a political platform floated by Yashwant Sinha. Rashtra Manch has organised the sit-in outside Narsinghpur collector's office since February 1. Earlier in the day, the Madhya Pradesh unit of AAP joined in Sinha's agitation. "I am sitting with Yashwant-ji. Our party also took out a mock funeral procession of the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh for its anti-farmer policies," state AAP convener Alok Agrawal told PTI over phone from Narsinghpur. Agrawal added that Sinha's protest is to press for several demands, among them jobs for farmers who will be displaced by the upcoming coal-fired power project. Six wagons and the locomotive of a goods train today derailed on the Kirandul-Visakhapatnam railway section in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district after Naxalites removed tracks to disrupt train traffic on the eve of a bandh called by them, an official said. The Maoists uprooted tracks between Bhansi and Bacheli, leading to the derailment of six wagons and the engine of the goods train, a senior police official told PTI. The train, loaded with iron ore, was on its way to Visakhapatnam from Kirandul, the official said, adding the incident took place around 7 pm in the forests under Bacheli police station limits, located about 450 kms from here. There was no report of any casualties, he said. A team of security personnel, including jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force and local police, and railway officials rushed to the spot to restore services, he said. Officials said that the Maoists had called for a bandh in the region tomorrow protesting against government policies. In view of the bandh call, security forces had intensified search and combing operations in the Bastar region, the official added. Global bond credit rating agency, Moody's, has said that India's new roadmap for fiscal consolidation is shallower than the previous one. "The revised fiscal consolidation path is modestly shallower than the previous roadmap, but does not fundamentally alter India's overall fiscal strength," says William Foster, Moody's Vice President -- Senior Credit Officer. However, Moody's, in a report on Monday said that it believes that India's budget for the fiscal year ending March 2019 (fiscal 2019) strikes a balance between fiscal prudence and growth. "Slight slippage in the budget deficit targets has no material impact on the country's overall fiscal strength and is in line with Moody's expectations," it said. The government had pushed its deadline for 3% fiscal deficit by one more year, after the slippages in 2017-18 led to revision of fiscal deficit to 3.5% from 3.2%. For 2018-19, the government has envisaged a consolidation of 20 basis points, to 3.3% from 3% which was envisaged earlier. In real terms, while the deficit for 2017-18 has been revised to Rs 5,94,849 crore, for next fiscal it has been pegged at Rs 6,24,276 crore. For FY18, total revised estimates for expenditure are pegged at Rs 21.57 lakh crore as against the Budget Estimates of Rs 21.47 lakh crore. For the purpose of fiscal discipline, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley proposed to accept key recommendations of the Fiscal Reform and Budget Management Committee, that includes bringing down Central Government's Debt to GDP ratio to 40%, from the current level of 50%. The government has also accepted the recommendation to use Fiscal Deficit target as the key operational parameter. "Furthermore, the medium-term target to reduce the Central government debt-to-GDP ratio to 40% is supportive of the sovereign credit profile," Foster added. Though Moody's expects that the government will meet next year's deficit target, it fears shortfall as well. "However, some ambitious revenue assumptions and uncertainty about some spending items could result in a shortfall to overall fiscal consolidation," Moody's said in the report. Earlier, domestic wealth advisory Motilal Oswal, had also raised concerns over government meeting the envisaged fiscal deficit target for 2018-19. Sharp revisions in almost all budget items for FY18 raise doubts over the sanctity of FY19BE numbers, according to Motilal Oswal. The government has also pegged Rs 80,000 crore of its revenue from ad-hoc measure of divestment, which according to IMF's Government Finance Statistics Manual should be considered as financing item, and not a revenue item. A "fake encounter" in Noida rocked the Rajya Sabha leading to a washout of the morning session on Monday with chairman M Venkaiah Naidu admonishing MPs for disrupting the proceedings. As soon as the House assembled for the Zero Hour, Samajwadi Party MPs, led by Naresh Agrawal, were on their feet demanding that the business of the House be suspended to discuss the near-fatal shooting of a gym instructor on Saturday night. Jitendra Yadav (25) was shot by Sub Inspector Vijay Darshan in Noida, near Delhi, while the gym instructor was returning home on Saturday night. Naidu did not permit the motion and asked the SP members to raise it through other means, prompting them to rush to the Well of the House and start shouting slogans. Meanwhile, Congress MP K V P Ramachandra Rao also rushed to the Well with a silent protest placard demanding justice for Andhra Pradesh in the Union Budget. "Let's not have an encounter with the Zero Hour...you don't want the House not to runNobody can dictate to me," Naidu said, asking SP MPs and Rao to return to their seats so that he could take up Zero Hour matters. The SP MPs did not relent and Naidu called Trinamool Congress' Derek O'Brien to raise the issue of stoppage of eight railway routes in West Bengal. Naidu then tried to go to the second speaker, CPM's K K Ragesh, but the sloganeering intensified. "You are determined not to run the House. You are not interested in people's problems. You want to disrupt the House. You want to get some publicity. I am adjourning the House," the chairman said. A civilian was injured after the army reportedly opened fire on protesters in south Kashmir's Kulgam district on Monday morning. Reports said incident occurred after some youths pelted stones on an army patrol in Hawoora-Mishpora village of Qaimoh in Kulgam, 65 km from here. The injured youth, identified as Arif Lone, was hit by a bullet in his mouth, hospital officials said. Locals claimed that the army ransacked several houses and thrashed the inmates. An army spokesperson said they were ascertaining the details about the incident. In a similar incident on January 27, three civilians died while several others were injured when the army fired at a stone-pelting mob in Ganawpora, Shopian. The army had then claimed that they were "constrained to open fire after its convoy came under heavy stone pelting by a group of 100-120 people who tried to lynch an army official and snatch his weapon." The killing of three civilians became a bone of contention between the army and the state government after the Jammu and Kashmir Police filed an FIR against Major Aditya of 10-Garwal and his unit on murder (Section 302) and attempt to murder (section 307) charges over the incident. Subsequently, the army gave the J&K police their version of the incident and filed a complaint in response to a police FIR against Major Aditya and others. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit the UAE later this week which authorities and business leaders say signifies the special importance India attaches to its ties with the oil-rich nation and will help in furthering cooperation in diplomatic, economic and security issues. Modi will be in the UAE on February 10 and 11 and will address the sixth World Government Summit in Dubai. This will be Modi's second visit to the UAE. He first visited the country in August 2015. "Prime Minister Narendra Modis second visit to UAE is an indication of the special importance we attach to the India- UAE relationship," India's Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri said. According to him, the visit builds in the momentum that has developed since India hosted Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed as chief guest on Republic Day in 2017. Besides bilateral engagements, Modi is scheduled to address members of the Indian community at the Dubai Opera House. "During the year, we have seen major UAE investments into India, a significant increase in defence and security cooperation, a transformation in our energy ties from a buyer seller relationship to a strategic partnership. "For the community, the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi will be great news," Suri said. Echoing Suris sentiments, the UAE ambassador to India Ahmed Al-Banna said the visit "tells us the direction that India and the UAE have in mind and also the characteristics of our respective leaderships." "The leadership has put us on a challenging and interesting track where the relationship is very important, on many sectors, and our leaders are pushing to rewrite future plans for both nations," Al-Banna said. While Ambassador Suri highlighted the trade and investment component of this rapidly-evolving relationship, Ambassador Al-Banna chose to emphasise on the connectivity aspect of it. "There are 1,076 flights a week between India and the UAE, which is the largest operation of its kind. More than 50% of Indians, who travel outside India to different destinations, such as Europe or America, use Dubai and Abu Dhabi as their transit hub," he said. It is obvious that both sides are banking on prime minister's visit to go over and above the 17 bilateral agreements signed in January 2016, and 14 agreements in February 2017. With an eye on India, some leading Gulf businesses with Indians at the helm see this as realisation of long-held dreams. Yusuffali MA, chairman Lulu Group International and member of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, said India had been on an aggressive forward march with regard to attracting FDIs. "The recent report by leading rating agencies and financial institutions have all lauded India's fiscal policies and ease of doing business, so obviously India does look like a hot destination for investment. As far Indo-UAE business relationship is concerned, it is at all time high with both countries being each other's top trading partner," Yusuffali said. According to him, till recently India was seen as an investment destination only, but of late UAE has been trying to woo Indian businesses to invest and set up operations here. "This move shows the kind of confidence UAE has on Indian economy and I am sure business houses in both countries will be eagerly looking forward to this visit to open up new areas of co-operation," Yusuffali said. Manoj Prasad, executive chairman, of DIFC-based investment banking firm, Que Capital Limited, believes this visit truly signifies the seriousness among top Indian leadership toward making an ever growing relationship between two countries more meaningful. "The ambition is obviously growth to which both countries have already started contributing, be it through India investing in infrastructure or the bilateral investment fund which is in the process of being setup," says Prasad. According to him, businesses among the two countries have witnessed unprecedented growth in recent years. "The comfort and mutual respect for leaders of both the countries are clearly visible and the visit of Prime Minister Modi to the land with highest NRI diaspora in the world would further enhance it," he said. A wide spectrum of companies stands to gain from improving bilateral relations facilitating business climate on both sides, he said. Kulwant Singh, the founder and managing director of Lama Hospitality group, feels the visit signifies that we are serious about our relationship and take our commitments, business associations, joint opportunities and strategic tie-ups seriously. "We see the formula of successful businesses matching with the perfect platform of opportunities available in India. With the new budget in place, NRIs will have huge opportunities in sectors like healthcare, education, and infrastructure," Singh told PTI. Prasanth Manghat, CEO and executive director, NMC Health Plc, says the visit will not only develop his outreach to the Arab world but also offer a prospect to further the strategic partnerships in the region. According to him, the visit is seen by many as cementing the close relationship Modi shares with the UAE leadership, also furthering cooperation in diplomatic, economic and security issues. "At the ground level of delivery, the strategic partnership is being expanded and the UAE has announced plans to invest $75 billion over a decade to meet India's infrastructure needs," he said. Indian expatriates in the UAE actively participate in projects toward the development of the UAE and this visit will help further evolve the deep and historic relationship shared between the two countries, said Mehirr Nath Choppra, CEO Qasbah Group. "It would certainly help to get an overview of the projects that have been announced in the past and their current status so serious players can set their timelines accordingly," Choppra said. Art glass is defined as glass that goes beyond the mere functional form of an object. The artist or designer adds to the utility of the piece an expression of artistic vision, creating an art glass object. When art glass lovers and professional and novice antiques collectors from all over the region flock to Chattanooga each February to shop at and hear from glass experts, they are treated to a three-day Antiques Show & Sale at Stratton Hall, 3146 Broad St., and hosted by the Houston Museum, a boutique museum nestled in the heart of the Bluff View Arts District. Featured at the 2018 show is Tom Jiamachello, an expert on American-made art glass circa 1883-1963. His topic will be the 1883-1887 Phoenix Glass Company line called Webb Art Glass, which an array of shapes and colors of colorful Victorian art glass pieces, as well as the art glass objects made by the Consolidated Lamp & Glass Company from 1893-1963 considered to be the Masters of Cased Glass in America at the time. He also will give verbal appraisals. Admission is $10 and gives access to all three days: Friday, Feb. 23, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Feb. 24, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Feb. 25, 12-4 p.m. The show and sale kicks off with a preview party that isnt included in the cost of admission to the show and sale -- Thursday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m. Tickets to the preview party are $75, which also gives unlimited access to all three days of the show. Attendees come to the show and sale to shop at the dozens of richly adorned booths from some of the countrys top antiques dealers and specialists, said Amy Autenreith, executive director of the Houston. Visitors will find everything from pottery to furniture, books and maps to china and silver, linens, blown glass and many other artistic creations. She added that many of their patrons are looking forward to Mr. Jiamachellos presentation about the Phoenix Glass Company of Monaca, Pa., and the Consolidated Lamp & Glass Company of Coraopolis, Pa., two companies which produced designs in art glass from 1883-1963. After teaching high school French for 38 years, Mr. Jiamachello now teaches, writes about and lectures about antiques and collectibles. He started his own antiques business Yesteryear Here in 1981 in Essex Junction, Vt. All the artistry and technical expertise of the same glass makers who made the stunning pieces held by the Houston Museum, also were applied to everyday Victorian table adornments like pickle castors, spooners, celery vases, covered butters, said Mr. Jiamachello. I am excited to be able to view the famous hanging pitcher collection at the Houston Museum. Mr. Jiamachello is a national expert in the art glass patterns made by the Consolidated Lamp & Glass Company (1893-1963) and the Phoenix Glass Company (1883-1980). This glass went far beyond the practical utilitarian function of the glass item and showcased the artistry of the glass maker and glass decorator yielding amazing objects of everlasting beauty that graced many American homes in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. This technical mastery and artistry most likely will never come together to produce utilitarian art glass items again, he added. Its not only cost prohibitive, but the skills of making this type of glass have been lost. In 1883, the Phoenix Glass Company lured Joseph Webb from England to be in charge of all glass making for them, hoping to enter the booming Victorian art glass market. For lecture times and verbal appraisals from Mr. Jiamachello, please visit www.thehoustonmuseum.org. A special court here today sent Indrani Mukerjea, a prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, to two days CBI custody in connection with a case related to INX Media. Special CBI Judge Sunil Rana allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to interrogate Indrani for two days after the agency sought three days custody and directed that she be brought before it on February 7. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram's son Karti's name has also cropped up in the case, which relates to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval granted in 2006 for receipt of funds by INX Media. During the proceedings, the probe agency submitted before the court that Indrani has to be questioned and confronted with other accused in the case. It said that during an earlier interrogation in the matter, it was revealed that further investigation requires her custodial interrogation. There is a voluminous record in the case and permission to interrogate had been granted earlier also, the CBI said. However, the Mumbai Police told the court that Indrani has to be produced before a Mumbai court on February 13 and cannot be kept in Delhi beyond that. The ED has registered a case against INX Media, its founders Peter Mukerjea, former media baron and his wife Indrani, and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). INX Media has been accused of violating FIPB guidelines while receiving investments from Mauritius. The Mukerjeas are facing trial in Mumbai for allegedly conspiring to kill Sheena Bora, Indrani's daughter from an earlier relationship, in April 2012. The UN human rights chief warned on Monday that possible acts of "genocide and ethnic cleansing" against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority could fuel a religious-based conflict that spreads beyond the country's borders. "Myanmar faces a very serious crisis- with a potentially severe impact on the security of the region," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said during a speech in Jakarta. His remarks follow the publication of a report last week about mass graves of Rohingya in Myanmar's crisis-hit Rakhine state, where government troops have been accused of waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against the minority. Nearly 7,00,000 Rohingya have fled to bordering Bangladesh since last August. Myanmar denied the mass grave report and wider allegations of rights abuses, saying it launched a proportionate crackdown on Rohingya rebels. But it has blocked reporters and UN investigators from independently accessing the conflict zone and investigating refugee claims about a genocide. Zeid on Monday said Myanmar had enjoyed strong growth including a focus on socio-economic development in the Rakhine region, but that this could not mask "institutionalised discrimination" against the minority. The UN rights chief is due to meet with Indonesian President Joko Widodo as well as top government officials and rights groups during his three-day visit. Among the issues expected to be discussed is a crackdown on the LGBT community in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country. Parliament is set to pass a long-dormant bill to make sex outside marriage illegal. Gay marriage does not exist in Indonesia, meaning homosexual relations would be effectively outlawed. A paramilitary BSF officer was injured in a fresh ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. Deputy Commissioner Rajouri Shahid Choudhary said Pakistani troops intermittently fired shells on Indian posts throughout the night the LoC. A BSF sub-inspector was injured in Keri forward area in Rajouri due to the shelling. He has been hospitalised, the DC said. The district administration has ordered the closure of all educational institutions within five km of the border in Rajouri for three days. The latest violation comes a day after four soldiers, including an army officer, were killed and two others injured in the same district due to Pakistani shelling. On December 23, 2017, an army major and three soldiers were martyred in Keri sector of Rajouri. Since the third week of January, 18 people, including 10 security personnel and eight civilians, have been killed in Pakistani ceasefire violations along the LoC and international border (IB) in Jammu. Firing and shelling by Pakistan on the LoC and the IB has become a regular feature. Governor Vajubhai Vala on Monday said that his government had taken effective steps to maintain law and order and dealt firmly with sporadic incidents of communal violence in the state. "My government has taken effective steps to maintain law and order and has ensured communal harmony and public order. Sporadic incidents of communal violence have been firmly dealt with," Vala said during his hour-long address to the joint session. The Governor delivered his address in Hindi. The statement by the Governor in his address has come in the wake of the BJP targeting the government over the deteriorating law and order situation and accusing the ruling dispensation of protecting those killing its workers. With Assembly polls round the corner, the government also utilised the Governor's address to the joint session as a platform to place its report card listing out achievements during the last four-and-a-half years. The government also used the address to counter corruption charges made by the opposition. "My government continues to fight corruption in public service. A series of e-governance initiatives has increased the transparency and efficiency of public service," Vala said. The governor defended the setting up of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), stating that the investigating agency was initiating action without delay on the receipt of complaints. On the financial front, Vala said frequent changes in the Goods and Service Tax (GST) regime was affecting collections. He said the state was making efforts to increase non-tax collections, with departments revising rates to boost revenue. Non-tax collections include earnings through royalty, service charge, user fee among others. JD(S) MLCs took exception to the Governor delivering his speech in Hindi. Reactions to the Governor's address The government has made the governor read out a bundle of lies. False information has been furnished pertaining to Arogya Bhagya, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department, infrastructure department among others. As many as 3,500 farmers have committed suicide during the last four years, but the government is yet to wake up from its slumber. - Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar The government is misleading the public. While grants have been released for the Hyderabad-Karnataka region, it has not been utilised. Of the 50,000 vacancies in the region, only 18,000 have been filled. The social welfare department was given a budgetary allocation of Rs 22,703 crore for 2017-18, but only 30% of it has been spent. - Leader of the Opposition in the Council K S Eshwarappa It is just a rehash of the speech made last year. The government should have made an announcement on resolving the Mahadayi River water dispute. The government has made tall claims in various sectors, but nothing has happened on the ground." - JD(S) floor leader in the Council Basavaraj Horatti The only surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, refused to answer questions on Monday as he went on trial in Brussels over a bloody shootout with police that led to his capture. Tight security surrounded the start of the trial of the 28-year-old, who was transferred overnight from a jail near the French capital Paris and arriving in Belgium in a convoy of police vehicles. Abdeslam, who has declined to speak to investigators since his arrest in March 2016, immediately signalled his defiance on Monday by refusing to stand when asked by the judge and saying he would not cooperate. "I do not wish to answer any questions," Abdeslam, bearded and wearing a long-sleeved white polo shirt, said when the presiding judge, Marie-France Keutgen, asked him to confirm his identity. The judge told the court that Abdeslam has also refused to have photos or video taken of him during the four-day trial in Brussels. The Belgian-born French national of Moroccan descent faces charges of attempted terrorist murder of police officers and carrying banned weapons over a gunbattle in the Forest district of Brussels on March 15, 2016. Three police officers were wounded and a jihadist was killed in the fight, which came as Abdeslam was on the run four months after the Paris attacks. He was captured three days later. Abdeslam and the man arrested with him, Tunisian national Sofiane Ayari, 24, could serve up to 40 years in prison if convicted. Hundreds of Belgian security forces turned the Palais de Justice court building in Brussels into a virtual fortress while a helicopter with searchlights circled overhead as he arrived. "This must remain an ordinary trial," said the official who presides over the court, Luc Hennart. "If there is the slightest problem I will order the courtroom to be evacuated." The non-jury trial is the prelude to a later one in France and prosecutors hope the Brussels trial will yield clues not only about the attacks that killed 130 people in Paris but also the suicide bombings months later in Brussels. Abdeslam has refused point-blank to speak to investigators throughout the nearly two years since his arrest, which capped a four-month hunt for Europe's most wanted man. But he has insisted on attending the Brussels trial, where three judges are to lead proceedings for four days, which had raised hopes, now apparently dashed, that he would use it to break his silence. Hennart insisted that the trial would only focus on the shootout, saying: "That is what we will talk about, we will not talk about either the Brussels or Paris attacks." The plans for transferring Abdeslam from Fleury-Merogis prison in the Parisian suburbs, and then back to a prison just across the border in northern France every night, were shrouded in secrecy. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said Narendra Modi was "morally unfit" to hold the post of India's prime minister. In a stinging rebuttal to Modi's speech in Bengaluru on Sunday, in which he accused the Congress of running a corrupt government, Siddaramaiah claimed that Karnataka was the best-performing state across various sectors. "Modi's speech was filled with a bunch of lies against our government. He has made baseless and irresponsible accusations," Siddaramaiah told a press conference here. "What moral right does Modi have to point fingers at our government when he had B S Yeddyurappa next to him? Modi should have asked Yeddyurappa what happened when the BJP was in power here," he said. It is "shameless" for a prime minister to stoop to the level of Yeddyurappa, Siddaramaiah said. "Modi misled the people of Karnataka with his lies. It is a big disrespect to the chair of the prime minister." Siddaramaiah also brought up the 2002 Godhra riots, in reference to Modi's remarks that Karnataka's law and order situation had deteriorated to 'ease in murdering'. "How many people died in Godhra? He (Modi), was the chief minister then. More than 2,000 people were burnt alive," Siddaramaiah said, pointing out that it was BJP-ruled states that topped the list of crime-prone states. Flanked by key ministers of his Cabinet at the press conference, Siddaramaiah charged that Modi was "supporting and facilitating corruption" while saying that the Centre was yet to appoint a Lokpal. "For nine years, Gujarat did not have a Lokayukta when Modi was CM due to fear that corruption would be unearthed." Targeting young Indians, TVS Motor Company on Monday launched its first 125cc scooter TVS NTORQ 125. It has been developed based on the TVS Racing pedigree and comes with CVTi-REVV 3 Valve engine. Priced at Rs 58,750 (ex-showroom Delhi), the company plans to sell over 2 lakh units in a year. At the launch in Chennai, KN Radhakrishnan, President and CEO, TVS Motor Company said, TVS NTORQ 125 is a one-of-its-kind offering, designed to meet the desires of the youthful customers. "It's a great addition to our scooter portfolio," he said. Seeing doesn't always take eyes. The brittlestar Ophiocoma wendtii, a relative of starfish, can scan the seafloor, thanks to light-sensitive cells scattered across its skin, rather than by using eyelike structures, a study suggests. The research, published last month in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B1, upends a long-standing hypothesis about how Ophiocoma sees its surroundings. Although it has no brain, this reef-dwelling animal - consisting of five arms joined to a central disk - can detect light and move away from it. Ophiocoma's skeleton, which is draped in a thin layer of skin, is covered in beadlike crystal structures, which scientists thought worked together as a big compound eye. By focusing light onto nerve bundles that researchers thought ran below these 'microlenses', the arrangement would allow the animal to form an image. But when a team of evolutionary biologists took a closer look at the brittlestar's skeleton, they realised that the tiny crystal structures probably had nothing to do with vision. The latest study offers 'striking evidence' that contradicts this previous interpretation, says zoologist Gordon Hendler of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, USA, one of the first scientists to come up with the idea of a compound eye in Ophiocoma . "It's a good example of how nature surprises us," adds Todd Oakley, an evolutionary biologist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, USA, who wasn't involved in the research. "Sometimes, the closer we look, the more unexpected things we find." Skin deep The researchers first confirmed that Ophiocoma could respond to visual cues. "Not only do they move away from light, but they can pick out a dark shade at a distance of about 40 cm and move towards it very rapidly," says neurobiologist Lauren Sumner-Rooney at the University of Oxford, UK, who led the study. When the team peered into the brittlestar's body, they saw that the nerve bundles ran between, rather than below, the crystal structures - contrary to what they expected. Because of the crystal structures' location, it's unlikely that they can focus light onto the nerves, as previously thought, Lauren says. What's more, the researchers spotted plenty of cells packed with light-sensitive molecules in the skin covering the skeleton of the brittlestar's arms, but no such cells at the base of the skeletal crystal structures. Because these light-sensitive cells are in close contact with nerve bundles, they might be the ones responsible for detecting visual cues and sending the signal along the nerves, Lauren says. Exactly how the nerves produce a response, such as moving an arm away from light, is still unclear, says Elizabeth Clark, an evolutionary biologist at Yale University, USA. A larger question is whether the brittlestars can resolve shapes. The researchers are conducting ongoing experiments that suggest they can, similar to animals equipped with eyes, Lauren says. Look, no eyes! "There's a growing understanding that the ability to see without eyes or eyelike structures, called extraocular photoreception, is more widespread than we thought," says Julia Sigwart, an evolutionary biologist at Queen's University Belfast, UK, and a study co-author. Many animals, including sea urchins and some small crustaceans, use this mechanism to sense their surroundings. Brittlestars are just the latest addition to the list. "Sensing the environment and responding to a stimulus without having to wait for that signal to go all the way to the brain can save a lot of time," Julia says. And the idea could inspire the development of robots and image-recognition technology that don't rely on a central control system, she adds. As for the crystal structures that researchers thought acted as microlenses, "they're just part of the skeleton," Julia says. Their transparency and ability to focus light is "completely coincidental," she adds. But Gordon disagrees. "They could still conduct light into the skeleton," he says. "I'm not ruling out the possibility that they have some optical function." Bryan College has announced The Vogel School of Engineering will open its doors to students in the upcoming fall semester. The school is named for alumnus Brigadier General George B. Vogel who, with his wife Doris, provided a substantial gift for the new school. Dr. Vogel graduated from Bryan College in 1958 and earned a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from the Talbot School of Theology with additional course studies at Golden Gate Baptist Seminary. Dr. Vogel served as a chaplain in the National Guard for 36 years, with five years of active duty. Dr. Vogel continues his calling in ministry as chief of Chaplain Service at the Long Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Dr. Vogel was named the 2015 recipient of the Department of Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Healths Award for Excellence in Chaplaincy, The Lifetime Achievement Award. In May of 2015, George Vogel was honored with the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Bryan College in recognition of his lifetime of ministry and service to his God and his country. He and his wife Doris have an adult daughter and teen-aged granddaughter. Bryan College provided a strong foundation for my career and service to my country, said Dr. Vogel. It was a life-changing experience that prepared me for my future. Doris and I are grateful for the work that continues on Bryan Colleges campus. Its an honor to be able to provide the funding for the School of Engineering and its very humbling to have it bear our name. The Vogel School of Engineering will be the third school within the College. Degrees offered within the School will include options in civil and mechanical engineering, and will feature a Biblical worldview curriculum with a missional focus. Students will gain expertise in their area of focus while learning how to utilize engineering as a way to share the Gospel and glorify God, said officials. Part of the Colleges Making a Difference: Vision to Reality initiative includes renovations to the third floor of Mercer Hall to provide additional classroom space and lecture halls. Other campus renovations will provide an additional makerspace for engineering students to apply their knowledge and skills to practical projects. The College is currently seeking partnerships with firms in the region to provide students with hands-on experience and internships. Dr. Tom Marshall, P.E. will serve as dean of the School. He received a PhD in Engineering from the Oregon Institute of Science and Technology; an MS in Engineering from Loyola Marymont University; and, a BS in Engineering from Ohio State University. Dr. Marshall also received a Master of Divinity degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. "The Mission of the Vogel School of Engineering is Bible-based, academic excellence, said Dr. Marshall. Equipping our engineering graduates to solve problems and improve lives as ambassadors for Christ, building God's Kingdom to the ends of the earth; Engineering the Great Commission." As a result of the addition of a third school, a national search has been launched to find a new provost to provide academic leadership and direction for the College. Bryan College President Dr. Stephen Livesay said, We are overjoyed with the blessings the Vogel School of Engineering will provide for our students. Educating students to become servants of Christ to make a difference in todays world is our mission. The Vogel School of Engineering will further this mission and we couldnt be more excited about what the Lord has for Bryans future. Clipped wings, dried pools of blood, a scattered pile of feathers. What used to be this bird's neck - the white stalk that boasts an inflated gular pouch during a male's mating display - is now reduced to a bone sticking out between a sliced head and torso. This is all that was left of the regal bird that is the ambassador of our grasslands, one scorching summer in the Thar desert, under a high-tension power line. This crime scene is of one critically endangered bird, the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), whose global population hovers at around the hundreds. The culprit yet again is the 220kV power line it flew into in the Khetolai village of Rajasthan's Pokhran district, in December 2017. This event's occurrence in the last week of 2017 reflects the bird's fate and foreshadows its future: in the past decade, nine GIBs have been found dead due to collision with power lines. Don't let the single digit take away from its bearing, for it represents the wiping out of close to 9% of its global population. Looking at the data The Thar desert is a battleground for the GIB, which is also its last refuge. Its skies have armies of high-tension power lines criss-crossing through the aerial corridors of the birds' habitat, closing in on the bird's remaining populations. For a low-flying bird with poor frontal vision, the mesh of thin power lines is difficult to spot from a distance, making collision or electrocution all too easy. On the ground, where the bird lays one egg a year and only in grasslands, its offspring have a low survival rate due to the threat of nest predation by feral dogs. A vision for developing the Thar, and increasing accessibility of electricity, water and roads to the remotest corners of the landscape have pushed its flagship species to the brink of extinction. What's great about the Great Indian Bustard? One of the heaviest flying birds of the world, it once roamed far and wide across rural landscapes and grasslands of India. Today, it has been wiped out from 90% of its previous range. A few birds still exist in Gujarat's Kutch and Maharashtra's agricultural landscapes. The Thar desert grasslands, on the other hand, are home to around 75% of their remaining population. These places are the bird's last hope for survival. In the Thar, these birds are largely concentrated in two patches. While one set of the bird lives in less than a third of the 3,162 sq km under Desert National Park, the other set lives in the grasslands of the Indian army's Pokhran field firing range. The area between these ranges is dotted with heavy presence of power lines and wind turbines, further isolating the two populations. Deserts and grasslands are unique and thriving ecosystems where hundreds of species of mammals, birds and reptiles have adapted to survive. The Thar too has a unique biogeographic construct: it shows high avifaunal diversity and falls in the migratory flyway of many bird species. It is no surprise, then, that the drastic alteration of the desert and grassland ecosystems over the last decade, in big part due to infrastructural expansions, has come at a massive cost for its wildlife. By 2022, the government aims to reach its renewable energy generation target of 175 GW, of which nearly 160 GW is expected to be met via solar and wind energy. Infrastructure associated with both these forms of 'green' energy now defines the Thar expanses, and has been fatal for its rich avifauna. Can this be called green energy, if it is driving a critically endangered species to extinction? An unpublished study on bird mortality due to power lines in the Thar was conducted by Dr Sutirtha Dutta, a wildlife biologist at Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and Mohib Uddin, a Master's student at University of Kota. It was found that for GIBs and other endangered birds, rates of mortality due to collision with high and low-tension power lines were high. For the study, 100 km of power lines in the GIB habitat in Thar were surveyed and carcass detections were carried out in this landscape. A total of 98 bird carcasses were detected in one month, including that of two GIBs. Worryingly, the highest number of carcasses found were of the Egyptian vulture and common pigeon. Carcasses of other endangered birds like the white-rumped, red-headed and Indian vultures were also spotted. Extrapolating this collision rate from 100 km to 3,600 km of power lines in the GIB habitat, it was found that an estimated 18,778 birds are dying due to power lines every month. Power line mitigation "There are solutions to the power line issue," remarks Dr Sutirtha Dutta, "but the rate of implementation is nowhere near it should be, given the striking urgency of the problem." When WII began highlighting the issue in 2013, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change published the 'Bustard Recovery Plan' which is the central advisory document for GIB conservation planning. In a May 2016 meeting between the Rajasthan Forest Department, the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited (RREC) and scientists from WII, consensus was reached that no new energy infrastructure would be established in GIB priority habitat. It was also agreed that existing power lines will be marked with diverters and that the possibility of undergrounding power lines will be explored. After a pilot installation of 30 diverters, they were to be installed across power lines in the Thar that exist in GIB habitat, by the RREC and associated power companies. "Everything is agreed upon on paper," adds Sutirtha, "but implementation is extremely slow. As of January 2018, after much delay, the pilot diverters have been installed, but it remains to be seen how expeditiously the large-scale installation is done." Down south in Gujarat's Kutch in 2017, a bustard radio-tagged by WII flew into a 33kV transmission line, which is associated with wind turbines in Naliya, and died. This turbine is located at nearly one km away from the LalaaParjan Sanctuary - the only refuge for GIB in Gujarat. Due to pressure from the Forest Department and conservation organisations, the companies that had installed the power lines agreed to put the electricity line underground. Here too, says Sutirtha, the power companies are shifting responsibilities and passing the buck on implementation, due to the costs associated There aren't many studies in India, but power line mitigation by underground-cabling and usage of diverters has shown positive results for avian populations in other parts of the world. Time is running out for the GIB - some argue that it already has. The question, then, is whether timely, immediate and organised action by all stakeholders will save the bird or if we will silently watch the bustard vanish from its grasslands. Two priests at a temple in Mayiladuthurai in the district have been suspended for decorating the main deity of the goddess in salwar-kameez with sandal paste, reportedly going against 'agama' traditions. The priests had gone about the decoration on February 2, an auspicious day in the Tamil month of Thai, when a sandalwood decoration is done, as they were encouraged by the positive response they got to one done in Gujarati style on January 26, another propitious day. However, the move backfired after a photograph of it went viral in the social media, receiving flak from a section of devotees. Though the decoration was not derogatory, some temple officials and devotees opined that it was against the temple agama rules, as per which the goddess should be decorated only with saree. Following this, the head of Thiruvavaduthurai adheenam mutt Ambalavana Desiga Paramacharya Swamigal ordered the suspension of the two priests today, temple officials said. The Mayooranathaswamy temple in that town is one among the ancient Shiva temples located in the riverbed of Cauvery, built during the Chola period. A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that farmers were his top priority, the Congress on Monday targeted him for farmers' suicides in Maharashtra. To mark the conclusion of the BJP's 90-day Nava Nirman Parivarthan yatra across poll-bound Karnataka, on Sunday, Modi, while addressing a rally in Bengaluru, had said: "Farmers are my top priority, and by 'TOP' I mean 'Tomato', 'Onion' and 'Potato'. If Yeddyurappa, the son of a farmer, becomes the chief minister of Karnataka, the projects for farmers will work at its best because he has the farmer's best interest at heart." However, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President and former chief minister Ashok Chavan in a tweet countered Modi's statement. "More than 13,000 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra during last the 3.5 years of the BJP regime. Does that indicate the government's priority towards the issues of farmers," Chavan, an MP from Nanded, tweeted. Under Home for the Urban Migrants (HUM) project of Selco Foundation, two houses were handed over to migrant labourers at Mullikatte in Hosadu village of Baindur. Selco Foundation chairman Harish Hande said the houses are 12 feet wide and long. They are made of waste material similar to tetra pack and are resistant to fire and heat. They can be constructed within an hour and can be extended and carried. Every house has a hall, kitchen and a bathroom. The cost of per unit is Rs 1.6 lakh. As many as 13 such dwellings will be constructed. They will also be provided with a solar light. He said "we consider the beneficiaries as partners in Selco. Their experiences in the houses will also help us to learn." A typical house occupied by a low-income urban migrant is made out of a tarpaulin sheet fitted on top of a framework made out of casuarina or bamboo poles which provides no channel for ventilation and lighting. However, these new houses aim to provide an improvement in the living conditions of the poor by providing ample amount of natural light and ventilation, and thereby increasing the livelihood productivity for the beneficiaries. The same material will be used for constructing toilets and a water supply system will also be provided. Selco Foundation has constructed similar houses in slums of Bengaluru, Belagavi, Mumbai, Assam and Manipur. The 13 migrants who were living in huts constructed on the government land at Mullikatte highway will be benefited from the Hum project. Students appearing for the ICSE and ISC examinations will not be allowed to wear smart and digital watches to exam halls from this year. The Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has recently sent a circular to this effect to the principals of affiliated schools, Nabarun Dey, the general secretary of the Bengal chapter of the Association of Heads of ICSE Schools, told PTI. "The circular, issued by CISCE chief executive and secretary Gerry Arathoon, said the respective institutions should ensure that candidates from their schools do not carry digital watches during examinations. They are only allowed to wear analogue watches," Dey said. The move will ensure that candidates do not resort to unfair means while writing their exams, he said, adding that students will be apprised of the CISCE circular when they collect admit cards. Welcoming the move, Sujoy Biswas, the principal of Ram Mohan Mission School, in the southern part of the city, said gadgets of any kind should not be allowed in the exam hall. The ICSE exams for Class X are scheduled to begin on February 26 and end on March 28 whereas the ISC exams for Class XII have been slated between February 7 and April 2. The Army today clearly indicated it would take retaliatory action against the killing of four army men in heavy shelling by Pakistani forces along the LoC in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, saying that its action would speak for itself. Vice chief Lt Gen Sarath Chand said the Army has been responding appropriately to Pakistan shelling, asserting that India will continue to give a "befitting reply" to such acts. "That (retaliation) goes without saying, I think I don't have to say that. (Our) action will speak for itself," he said when asked about the killing of a Captain and three other Army men in the Rajouri sector. The Captain and three jawans were killed and at least four people injured yesterday in the heavy Pakistani shelling along the LoC. Chand also accused the Pakistani Army of supporting the infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir. "We will continue with our process of giving a befitting reply (to such acts)," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event here, adding that there were even incidents of mutilation of bodies of jawans last year. "We have been responding appropriately," he said. "There has been cross-border shelling from their (Pakistan's) side. And one of the shells landed near the officer and his men, leading to the casualties," he said when asked about yesterday's shelling. Captain Kapil Kundu, a resident of village Ransika in Haryana's Gurgaon district, was killed just six days before his 22nd birthday, Army officials said. Havildar Roshan Lal, 42, a resident of Samba district, Jammu and Kashmir, Riflemen Ramavatar, 27, of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, and Subham Singh, 23, of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district were also killed in the shelling. Home Minister Rajnath Singh said earlier today Indians had full faith in the valour of the Army. "People of the country have full faith in the valour of the Indian Army," the minister told reporters outside Parliament when asked about the steps India would take in response to the attack. Analysing Indian regulatory records, they found that out of 118 fixed dose combinations (FDC) being sold in India, 64% were not approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation. Only five of the formulations were approved in the UK or US. The 118 FDC formulations gave rise to over 3,300 branded products made by almost 500 pharmaceutical manufacturers, including multinational companies. By 2011-12, the FDC made up a third of total antibiotic sales in India, yet 34.5% of these sales were unapproved medicines. Many of the FDC combined two antimicrobials, often poorly chosen and likely to exacerbate resistance problems. "Selling unapproved, unscrutinised antibiotics undermines measures in India to control antimicrobial resistance. The companies should explain the sale of products that didn't have the approval of their own national regulators and, in many cases, did not even have the approval of the Indian regulator," said Patrician Gigantic, lead author of the study at Queen Mary University of London. The study comes a month after the Supreme Court asked the Centre to examine 349 FDC medicines - banned by the government, but the order was stayed by the court - to find out if there is any "therapeutic justification" to make these DCMS in the first place. The researchers examined figures for the FDC antibiotics (formulations composed of two or more drugs in a single pill) and single drug formulation (SDF) antibiotics (composed of a single drug) on the market in India. They reported that multinational drug companies manufactured nearly 20% of the FDCs and SDFs. As many as 28 FDC manufactured by then had no record of the CDSCO approval, and only 4 of the 53 FDC made in India by these firms had UK or US regulatory approval. In contrast, 94% multinational companies' single drug formulations were CDSCO-approved, and over 70% had the UK or US regulatory approval. Each year, irrational FDCs worth Rs 40,000-50,000 crore is sold in India as against nearly Rs 10,000 crore worth of scientific combinations, according to estimates by pharmaceutical industry watchers. The study carried out jointly by the researchers at Queen Mary and Newcastle universities have been published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Thousands of unapproved antibiotics are being sold in India by the multinational pharmaceutical companies in violation of the regulatory rules, British researchers have reported. Buoyed by the good response to its pre-election rally addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, the state BJP now wants to keep the momentum and launch a more aggressive second phase of its poll campaign. To start with, the party is planning to take the government head-on on a day-to-day basis. Constituency-wise rallies for communities and target groups like IT professionals are being planned. According to party sources, a series of meetings to be attended by state leaders and functionaries have been lined up this week to work out the modalities. The BJP considers the Navakarnataka Nirmana Parivarthana Yatra, which culminated with the Modi rally, as the conclusion of the first phase of its poll campaign. "The show of strength at Palace Grounds has helped in galvanising and boosting the morale of the party cadre. We have decided to hold a series a community rallies in the coming days," BJPastate generalasecretary NaRavi Kumar said. Separate conventions of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs and women are on the cards. The first such rally is likely to be a convention of Koli Samaja in the name of Ambigara Chowdaiah, the follower of 12th century social reformer Basavanna in Yadgir. Manifesto The BJP will also step up the 'Nava Karnataka Janapara Shakti' programme, which will form the basis while framing the party's manifesto for the Assembly elections. It is an exercise that involves extensive interaction with voters from across the state. Alongside, the party will come out with a roadmap in 40 sectors ranging from infrastructure, education, tourism, public finance to industries after consulting domain and subject experts. Charge sheets Constituency-wise charge sheets on the "failures" and "non-implementation" of the promises made by the Congress government are being readied at the party's state headquarters in Malleswaram and will be released soon. The party's I-T cell, on Monday, launched a hashtag campaign #Modimaatu #KarnatakaTrustsModi on social media, highlighting excerpts from Modi's Sunday speech in Bengaluru. The BJP'sastate leaders are also keen to cashing in on Brand Modi early and has sought that he address two to three rallies in each of the seven regions of the state later this month and in March. As many as 40 people, including children, who had been treated by a quack, tested positive for HIV infection in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district, about 60 km from here. According to sources, the victims got infected with HIV after the quack used the same needle to inject drugs in many patients. The quack went absconding after an FIR was registered. Sources said that the matter came to light during a health camp organised by a voluntary organisation at Bangarmau town in the district a few months back. ''Some people showed symptoms of HIV infection during preliminary investigation at the camp....the blood samples were sent for further examination and HIV was confirmed,'' said a health official in Unnao. The official said that more health camps were organised in the area to ascertain if more people had contracted HIV thereafter. ''So far 40 people have tested positive for HIV....the number may rise as blood test reports of many people are still awaited,'' he added. Cycling quack District officials said that an FIR had been lodged in this connection and the police had launched a hunt to nab the quack. The quack, sources said, travelled by cycle and visited people's homes to treat them. Health directorate sources here said that action would also be taken against the district health officials for their failure to crack down on the quacks operating in the district. ''We are investigating the matter and will ensure action against those found guilty of inaction,'' said a senior health official here on Monday. Hospice of Chattanooga is hosting a memorial service on Sunday, Feb. 18, for anyone who has gone through the death of a loved one. This service is for all in the community, who are experiencing grief, regardless of whether their loved one died under hospice's care or not. The service will begin at 2 p.m at First Christian Church on McCallie Avenue. If possible, please arrive by 1:45 p.m. for registration. Contact Christy Bonner at Christy_Bonner@hospiceofcha ttanooga.org with questions. India on Monday asked its citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Maldives, which has declared a state of Emergency after the government and the country's Supreme Court clashed over the release of political prisoners. New Delhi expressed concern over the political crisis consequent law and order situation in Maldives. In a travel advisory, the Ministry of External Affairs said late Monday, "Indian nationals are advised to defer all non-essential travels to Male and other atolls until further notice." India had last week joined United States and the United Kingdom to ask Maldives to abide by the order of its Supreme Court to release all political prisoners, including former President Mohamed Nasheed. "Indian expatriates in Maldives are also alerted to the need for heightened security awareness, and urged to exercise due caution in public and avoid public gatherings," the MEA stated. SC order Maldives' Supreme Court late on Thursday ordered immediate release of all nine political prisoners. It also reinstated the 12 parliamentarians, who had earlier been stripped off their membership of the Majlish a the Parliament of the tiny island nation in the Indian Ocean. The government of President Abdullah Yameen, however, declined to adhere to the order of the Supreme Court, citing legal challenge. Yameen also declared a state of Emergency in Maldives on Monday. India's strategic reach in the western Indian Ocean is poised to take a leap with Seychelles allowing India to develop, manage, operate and maintain military facilities on its Assumption Island. Under an agreement signed recently, India will finance and build an airstrip and jetties for use by its navy. The two countries will work together in anti-piracy operations and surveillance of Seychelles' Exclusive Economic Zone to prevent intrusions by potential economic offenders such as poachers and drug and human traffickers. The agreement is a revised version of the one reached in 2015 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Seychelles. That agreement ran into trouble due to objections from Seychelles' opposition parties. It was renegotiated to address Seychelles' apprehensions over sovereignty issues. Valid for 20 years, the agreement provides both parties the right to pull out after giving a year's notice. India's acquisition of naval base facilities in Seychelles marks an important milestone in its efforts to project naval power in distant waters to secure its interests. The Indian Ocean has always been important in India's strategic calculations, especially since much of its sea-trade, especially oil, traverses its waters. If in the past India was keen to keep super-power rivalry out of the Indian Ocean, now it is apprehensive about China's mounting presence in this ocean. In addition to its strong economic and defence ties with over a dozen Indian Ocean littorals, China now has a naval base in Djibouti in Africa. It is in the context of this growing threat to India's security that Delhi decided to speed up the process of clinching a deal with Seychelles. While the base agreement is a commendable achievement, India's access to the facilities is conditional. In addition to having the right to suspend the agreement in the event of India going to war, Seychelles can allow its other "international partners" to use the facilities on Assumption Island. This means that China, for instance, which is a close partner of Seychelles, could get to use the facilities, too. Seychelles follows a policy of "positive non-alignment". It does seem that it doesn't want to be seen as taking sides between India and China. Projecting naval power in distant waters is welcome. But India appears to be neglecting its immediate neighbourhood. It has allowed China to dig deep into its neighbouring countries through loans, construction and management of deep-sea ports in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, etc. Chinese naval vessels, even submarines, are docking at ports in the neighbourhood and Delhi seems to have no plan to counter this. Projecting naval power in distant waters is fine but is a tad meaningless when the enemy is in ports at our doorstep. The Indian Air Force and Progress Harmony Development Chamber organised a seminar and exhibition on "Indigenisation of Indian Air Force Aviation Requirements" on Monday. The chief guest, Air Marshal Sanjay Sharma, said the domestic industry must grab the opportunity offered by the armed forces. HAL chairman Suvarna Raju said, "We must ensure that our Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises dramatically increase their footprint in the Aerospace and Defence Sector." Raju said HAL is here to support the Indian industry and that that they are willing to transfer technology. Property owners in the city can now obtain khata transfers online by applying for it through the Sakala service. The state government with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) included khata transfer under Sakala, the government's time-bound service, following complaints of delay by property owners. "From now on, they can obtain it (khata transfers) online and at Bangalore One centres," said BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad. Although the khata transfers were a part of the Sakala scheme, the officers used to harass property owners. Owners have also complained about corruption, said Prasad. Now, they can upload all documents such as Aadhar and related documents online and generate a one-time password (OTP) and get an authentication through an e-sign. When the khata is ready, the officer concerned will digitally sign it and it will be available online for the owner, he said. Under this scheme, the property owners are entitled to receive their services within a month. "If they submit an application through Sakala for khata transfer, they will now get a Sakala acknowledgement number. This number will ensure that the citizen's application electronically reaches the BBMP official concerned. The number will also enable property owners to check the status of their application at various levels," said an official release by BBMP. Property owners will also receive an SMS informing them the status of their application. If a property owner's application is rejected, a valid reason has to be communicated to them by an officer. "This is an attempt to reduce the use of paper and also ease the process to some extent," said Prasad. Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said on Monday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had "understated" the percentage of commission the Congress government allegedly charges to clear projects. "It's actually 30% and not 10% as the prime minister said," Gowda told reporters. "This includes 10% advance and another 20% at the time of billing." BJP leader and former minister C T Ravi concurred. "If we knew Modi was going to talk about commissions, we would have informed him that it can go up to 23% at the time of bill payment," he said. Gowda also hit out at Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy on the law and order situation in the state. "When we ask him to focus on the situation here, why does he refer to Uttar Pradesh? After Yogi Adityanath became the chief minister there, things have improved," he said. On the Mahadayi issue, Gowda said it was former Congress president Sonia Gandhi who had politicised the issue. "When Amit Shah came forward to solve the issue, the Congress tried to politicise it. Our stand is that the issue has to be resolved outside the tribunal." Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar mocked the ruling Congress for putting up hoardings in the city, claiming the state was top ranked in industrial investments. "This is a lie. Only 15.7% of the investments have been realised so far," he said. Leader of the Opposition in the Council K S Eshwarappa accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of violating protocol during Modi's visit. "As chief minister, he did not show the basic courtesy of receiving the prime minister," he said. Hundreds of advocates and senior counsels began a relay hunger strike on Monday, demanding that long-pending judicial vacancies in the Karnataka High Court be filled up. The eight-day-long strike is led by former advocate generals and senior counsels. The advocates launched the strike in front of the Golden Jubilee Gate of the High Court of Karnataka. Speaking to DH, senior counsel B V Acharya said, "It is the litigant citizen who is suffering the most as justice is being denied to him. Lakhs of cases are pending in the high court. Given the present circumstances, it will easily take 15 years for those cases to be disposed of." Acharya expressed disappointment, saying that the government talked highly about access to justice, but here justice was being denied to its citizens. The judiciary is in a state of chaos, which is leading to the public losing faith in the judiciary. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too extended his support to the strike when he met the protesting advocates on Monday. "The central government is adopting a step motherly attitude towards the grave issue of appointing judges to the high court of Karnataka. I extend my support to this cause. I, along with the law minister, will meet the prime minister and the union law minister next week and take up this issue with them," he said. The chief minister said the 62% vacancy in the high court was affecting the judiciary at large. Earlier in the day, D V Sadananda Gowda, Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation, also visited the protest venue. He requested the advocates to withdraw the protest and said he would bring the matter to the notice of the higher authorities. "At least 3.24 lakh cases are pending in the Bengaluru bench alone. This will have an adverse effect on the judiciary and the public at large,"said AP Ranganath, president of Advocates' Association, Bengaluru. Against the sanctioned strength of 62 judges, only 24 posts are filled in the high court. Out of this, eight judges are serving at the Dharwad and Kalaburagi benches. Members of The Advocates Association, Bengaluru and the Karnataka State Bar Council are taking part in the strike. The Karnataka government on Monday claimed that it has not violated the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal's order and requested it to dismiss the contempt petition filed by the neighbouring state Goa on the issue. The tribunal is set to resume final arguments of the sharing of Mahadayi river water on Tuesday. Karnataka, in its affidavit, said that it never made an attempt to divert the Mahadayi water violating the tribunal's order. Refuting Goa Water Resources Minister Vinod Palyekar's statement that Karnataka violated the Tribunal order, Karnataka said that Goa contempt petition should be dismissed since the allegations made by the neighbouring state are vague and baseless, both in fact and law. In the affidavit, Karnataka also said that the tribunal, in its order April 17, 2014, has not restrained it from continuing with the construction of the ongoing works of the interconnecting canal --- a part of the Kalasa-Banduri project --- but only asked it to plug both the vents of the cut and cover section of the reach within Mahadayi basin of the interconnection canal with a brick masonry embankment. Karnataka has also told the tribunal that Goa's minister and officials are visiting the project site without seeking its permission. The state also said that the charges made by Goa minister that the works are going on war footing basis are totally incorrect. Seeking the dismissal of contempt petition filed by the Goa government, Karnataka said Goa filed this petition to create a prejudice to the case of Karnataka at the crucial stage of final hearing of the case. The Chattanooga Womens Leadership Institute has confirmed Jennifer Fleiss, co-founder of Rent the Runway and CEO and co-founder of Code Eight, as the keynote for their 13th annual IMPACT Leadership Dinner. Jennifer Hyman, the original speaker, had a scheduling conflict preventing her from attending. No other details have been affected. The event will take place on Feb. 22 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Chattanooga Convention Center. In 2009 Ms. Fleiss co-founded Rent the Runway, a company that introduced clothing rental as a utility in womens everyday lives to the $1.7 trillion fashion industry. In her role at the start-up, Ms. Fleiss wore many different hats, serving as president, head of Logistics, head of Business Development and gead of Special Projects. Ms. Fleiss remains a Rent the Runway board member and advisor. Currently at Code Eight, the first portfolio company within Walmarts startup incubator, Ms. Fleiss leads a team focused on developing highly-personalized, one-to-one shopping experiences. I am so excited to welcome Jennifer Fleiss to Chattanooga to speak about strong female leadership in the start-up, fashion and tech industries, said Julie Baumgardner, 2018 IMPACT chairperson. Jennifer Hyman sent her sincere apologies for the conflict. Her former partner Jennifer Fleiss stepped in without hesitation and will be speaking about her personal journey in the start-up world. Her message on female entrepreneurship will be inspiring to hear first-hand. Ms. Fleiss has been honored with numerous recognitions including: Inc. Magazines 30 Under 30; Fortune Magazines 40 Under 40 and Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs; and Fast Companys Most Influential Women in Technology. Rent the Runway was named one of the 25 Most Disruptive Brands by Forbes, one of the 50 companies disrupting the status-quo by CNBC, one of the 10 Most Innovative Fashion Companies by Fast Company and one of the 50 Best Websites by TIME. Prior to Code Eight and Rent the Runway, Ms. Fleiss worked at Lehman Brothers and Morgan Stanley as part of their Strategic Planning Groups. Ms. Fleiss earned her MBA from Harvard Business School and graduated Cum Laude from Yale University. She is co-founder of the RTR Foundation, an advisor to several female-founded startups, serves on the advisory board of the Harvard Business School Startup Studio and is a guest lecturer at Yale, Princeton, NYU, Columbia and Harvard Business School. A limited number of tables and individual tickets are currently available for purchase online at www.cwli.org or by calling 394-8173. For more information about the event, including sponsorship opportunities call 394-8173. Special thanks to the 2018 corporate partners, First Tennessee Bank, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee Community Trust, EPB, The Womens Network of Miller & Martin, Synovus, SunTrust, Merrill Lynch, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Husch Blackwell, Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union, CHI Memorial Foundation, Chambliss Bahner & Stophel, P.C., Chase and J.P. Morgan. PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, 31 January 2018 (AP) Soldiers in northeastern Cambodia, an area where illicit logging and smuggling are rife, killed a forest protection ranger, a military police officer and a conservation worker in apparent retaliation for their seizure of equipment from illegal loggers, officials said Wednesday. Keo Sopheak, a senior environmental official in Mondulkiri province, said the three-person team was attacked late Tuesday afternoon after patrolling in the Keo Siema wildlife conservation sanctuary. He said the dead civilian was a Cambodian employee of the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society. The three are the latest victims of an alarming trend in recent years, the murder of environmental defenders by parties seeking the financial exploitation of natural resources. Roughly 200 activists have been killed worldwide in each of the past two years, according to the U.K.-based watchdog group Global Witness. The three were killed not by robbers or a guerrilla group but they were shot by government armed forces who backed the illegal timber cutting, Keo Sopheak said. The conservation team had earlier confiscated chain saws and motorcycles from some Vietnamese logging illegally, he said.A copy of a report sent by Mondulkiri police chief Ouk Samnang to National Police Chief Neth Savouen seen by The Associated Press identified three border security officials who it said had shot and killed the conservation team.The report named Phal Penh, a border police officer, Keut Vehar and Ngur, border military officers, as the shooters. Cambodian security forces are known to collaborate with illegal loggers who smuggle the wood to neighboring Vietnam. [ more ] Cambodian forest protectors slain after confronting loggers By Morgan Erickson-Davis 31 January 2018 (Mongabay) Three people have been shot and killed by soldiers in northeastern Cambodia, according to officials as reported by The Associated Press. Those killed were a conservation worker, a military policy officer and a forest protection ranger, reportedly because they had seized equipment from illegal loggers.Keo Sopheak, a senior environmental official in Cambodias Mondulkiri province, said the attack happened Tuesday afternoon as the conservation team was patrolling in Keo Siema Wildlife Sanctuary. Keo Sopheak said of the men killed was a Cambodian employee of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). The U.S.-based NGO is running a project at Keo Seima aimed at conserving its forests and wildlife through capacity-building initiatives with local communities.According to a statement provided by WCS, those killed were Ministry of Environment ranger Teurn Soknai, military police officer Sek Wathana, and WCS SMART officer Thul Khna.Keo Sopheak said the three-person team had confiscated chainsaws and motorcycles from illegal loggers from Vietnam. He reportedly asserted that they were killed by soldiers: The three were killed not by robbers or a guerrilla group but they were shot by government armed forces who backed the illegal timber cutting.A report sent by Mondulkiri police chief Ouk Samnang to National Police Chief Neth Savouen and read by The Associated Press names three border security officials as responsible for the killings: Phal Penh, Keut Vehar and Ngur. Phal Penh was reportedly a border police officer while Keut Vehar and Ngur were border military officers.Illegal logging and timber smuggling is commonplace between Cambodia and Vietnam. According to the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), a UK-based NGO, around 300,000 cubic meters of logs were smuggled from Cambodia to Vietnam between November 2016 and May 2017.Most of Mondulkiri province is officially protected, but satellite data from the University of Maryland show areas of heavy tree cover loss along its border with Vietnam. Officials on both sides of the border are often complicit, according to watchdog groups like EIA, and reap huge financial rewards for enabling timber trafficking. [more] Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Subscriber content preview By JOHN SOWELL Idaho Statesman Photo by IndieDwell [enlarge] IndieDwell offers a two-bedroom, one-bath, 640-square-foot house for $65,000, uninstalled. BOISE, Idaho When people visit IndieDwells factory in south Boise to see a home made from a steel shipping container, they envision how it will look: Boxy. Unattractive. Filled with low-end improvements. . . . 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe USAF chief Gen Goldfein takes India's Tejas out for a spin In a sign of a strengthening defence relationship between US and India, Chief of Staff of the US Air Force General David L Goldfein on Saturday flew the 'Made in India' light combat aircraft Tejas at the Air Force Station in Jodhpur. Goldfein arrived in India on Thursday, on a visit to boost defence ties between the two nations. Shortly after he boarded the aircraft, the Indian Air Force (IAF) in a tweet said, ''General David L Goldfein, Chief of Staff of the US Air Force, is on an official visit to India. He flew a sortie in 'Made in India' LCA Tejas aircraft at AF Stn Jodhpur today.'' Goldfein became the first foreign military chief to fly Tejas aircraft. In November last year, the Defence Minister of Singapore, Ng Eng Hen was flown in a Tejas. The Tejas is a single-seat, single-jet engine multirole light fighter. Indigenously developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency and produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, it is a fourth-generation aircraft that can fly at 1,350 km per hour with a payload capacity of 4,000 kg. General Goldfein was given a guard of honour on his arrival at Air Force headquarters in New Delhi. He was accompanied by General Terrence O'Shaughnessy, Commander of the US Pacific Air Force. The US officials interacted with Indian Air Force chief B S Dhanoa. Acknowledging that the IAF operates the world's second-largest US-made C-17 fleet, General David L Goldfein in a tweet said, ''Grateful for the welcome reception from @IAF_MCC. We look forward to deepening the relationship between our two air forces.'' He later tweeted, ''Had many great meetings with our @IAF_MCC partners to deepen the relationship between our two air forces. The IAF operates the second largest C-17 fleet in the world & continues to mature their fleet. ''We take pride in having helped @IAF_MCC strengthen their air mobility capabilities provided by their C-17 and C-130J fleets.'' He also tweeted, ''I'm also very proud of the strong ongoing relationship forged between the @IAF_MCC and the Rhode Island Air National Guard's 143rd Airlift Wing.'' Guest Commentary Local coalition aspires to achieve smokefree air for all More than 1 in 5 Indiana adults smoke cigarettes (21.5%), one of the highest rates in the nation, while the number of youths using vaping products remains a concern for anti-smoking advocates. Secondhand smoke is estimated... Voice of the People Well so much for the Tribune allowing only letters focusing on local issues. Tuesdays letter giving Biden a pass on his totally irrational screw-up of the Afghanistan withdrawal, ends if under the circumstances if they could do better. The answer is absolutely. The... Voice of the People Recently four members of Porter County Board of Zoning Appeals approved to give an Iowa company special exceptions and variances to build a THIRD gas station at U.S. 6 and Indiana 149, on the northwest corner adjacent to Liberty Township. In this growing age of... Voice of the People We havent betrayed the Afghan people; they betrayed us. Monday morning quarterbacks criticizing our government and military are nothing more than cheap shot malcontents. Id like to see or at least hear how, under these same circumstances, they could do better. Joel Sutlin Chesterton September... A policy document released on Friday calls on the United States to expand its nuclear capabilities, in view of Concerns about Russia's growing tactical nuclear weapons. Titled the Nuclear Posture Review, it represents the latest sign of hardening resolve by President Donald Trump's administration to address challenges from Russia, at the same time he is pushing for improved ties with Moscow to rein in a nuclear North Korea. The document also focuses on China and North Korea, and is said to be in line with the Pentagon shifting priorities from the fight against Islamist militants to "great power competition" with Moscow and Beijing. "Our strategy will ensure Russia understands that any use of nuclear weapons, however limited, is unacceptable," the review. The rationale for building up new nuclear capabilities, US officials said, is that Russia currently perceives the United States' nuclear posture and capabilities as inadequate. ''America confronts an international security situation that is more complex and demanding than any since the end of the Cold War. In this environment, it is not possible to delay modernization of our nuclear forces ...,'' the secretary of state's introduction to the document reads. ''For decades, the United States led the world in efforts to reduce the role and number of nuclear weapons. The 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) set a ceiling of 6,000 accountable strategic nuclear warheads a deep reduction from Cold War highs. Shorter-range nuclear weapons were almost entirely eliminated from America's nuclear arsenal in the early 1990s. The 2002 Strategic Offensive Reduction Treaty and the 2010 New START Treaty further lowered strategic nuclear force levels to 1,550 accountable warheads. During this time, the US nuclear weapons stockpile drew down by more than 85 per cent from its Cold War high. Many hoped conditions had been set for even deeper reductions in global nuclear arsenals, and, ultimately, for their elimination. ''While Russia initially followed America's lead and made similarly sharp reductions in its strategic nuclear forces, it retained large numbers of non-strategic nuclear weapons. Today, Russia is modernising these weapons as well as its other strategic systems. Even more troubling has been Russia's adoption of military strategies and capabilities that rely on nuclear escalation for their success. These developments, coupled with Russia's seizure of Crimea and nuclear threats against our allies, mark Moscow's decided return to Great Power competition. ''China, too, is modernising and expanding its already considerable nuclear forces. Like Russia, China is pursuing entirely new nuclear capabilities tailored to achieve particular national security objectives while also modernising its conventional military, challenging traditional US military superiority in the Western Pacific. ''Elsewhere, the strategic picture brings similar concerns. North Korea's nuclear provocations threaten regional and global peace, despite universal condemnation in the United Nations. Iran's nuclear ambitions remain an unresolved concern. ''Globally, nuclear terrorism remains a real danger. ''We must look reality in the eye and see the world as it is, not as we wish it to be. This NPR reflects the current, pragmatic assessment of the threats we face and the uncertainties regarding the future security environment,'' the document says. Effectiveness, not size According to The Economist, the document seeks to expand America's nuclear options, but not the overall size of its arsenal. The review largely confirms the wide-ranging modernisation programme that Barack Obama approved in exchange for Senate ratification of the New START strategic arms-control treaty with Russia. That programme, the Congressional Budget Office estimates, will cost $1.2 trillion over 30 years. It has its critics; the requirement for a new, stealthy air-launched cruise missile has been questioned, for instance. Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday it was very disappointed by the content of the document, which, it said, has a confrontational feel and anti-Russian orientation. "We, of course, will have to take into account the approach enacted now in Washington and to take the needed measures to secure our own safety," the ministry said. It denied accusations against Russia made in the US document. The ministry added that Russia was ready to work constructively with the Americans. By expanding its own low-yield nuclear capability, the United States would deter Russia from using nuclear weapons, US officials argue. Low-yield nuclear weapons, while still devastating, have a strength of less than 20 kilotons. The atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima had about the same explosive power. The argument for these weapons is that larger nuclear bombs are so catastrophic that they would never be used and do not work as an effective deterrent. With less power and destruction, the low-yield option would potentially be more likely to be used, serving as an effective deterrent. The Pentagon document, which is largely in line with the previous review in 2010, said the United States will modify a small number of submarine-launched ballistic missile warheads with low-yield options. In the long term, the US military will also develop a new nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile. The missile could have the less powerful option, but a decision has not been made, and will take up to a decade to develop, officials said. Greg Weaver, deputy director of strategic capabilities at the Pentagon, said the United States would be willing to limit developing the missile if Russia would "redress the imbalance in non-strategic nuclear forces". Weaver said the most difficult task for those working on the review was trying to address the gap between Russian and American non-strategic nuclear weapons. Russia has a stockpile of 2,000 non-strategic nuclear weapons, according to the Pentagon. The US has a few hundred active low-yield weapons deployed in Europe. The US State Department said it had briefed Russian and Chinese officials on the review. Unmarked Israeli warplanes and helicopters have carried out dozens of covert attacks against the Islamic State and other terrorist groups inside the Egyptian Sinai, The New York Times reported citing two former senior US officials. The airstrikes have the support of Egypt's president Abdel Fatah al-Sissi, who has been trying to crush Islamic militant groups inside Egypt often in brutal crackdowns, but has struggled to defeat them. In November, gunmen from the Egyptian affiliate of the Islamic State launched a brazen attack on the al-Rawdah mosque. Nearly 40 militants stormed the mosque in Egypt's sparsely populated Sinai, killing over 300 worshipers. According to US officials, the collaboration helped the Egyptian military gain the upper hand in its nearly five-year battle with the militants. The report said the need for secrecy is so great that only a small number of military and intelligence officers know about it. The report added that some of the aircraft fly circuitous routes to their targets so that they do not appear to come from Israel according to the report. JSW, Tata Steel vie for Bhushan Steel as Singapore fund backs employees' offer JSW Steel, Tata Steel and the employees of Bhushan Steel, possibly backed by a Singapore-based fund, have submitted bids for debt-laden Bhushan Steel as binding bids closed on Saturday. ArcelorMittal, which was earlier seen as the front-runner for Bhushan steel, said it had not put in a bid for the company. JSW had last week claimed that the L N Mittal-led company had made a bid after the bid deadline of 6 pm on Saturday, leading to high drama over the weekend in the race for Bhushan Steel. However, an ArcelorMittal spokesperson said, ''ArcelorMittal can confirm it has not bid for Bhushan Steel, but we remain interested at looking at future opportunities in India.'' A JSW Steel spokesperson had even threatened legal action if Mittal's offer was allowed after the deadline. A legal team from JSW headquarters was flown to New Delhi on Saturday night to take action, if necessary. Bhushan Steel, which had accumulated debt of over Rs50,000 crore, was put under bankruptcy process for debt resolution under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code after it failed to repay Rs44,000 crore debt. The bids were submitted on Saturday at the Gurgaon office of Deloitte, whose Vijaykumar V Iyer is the IRP (insolvency resolution professional) for Bhushan Steel. Besides ArcelorMittal, UK-based Liberty House and Steel Authority of India, who had earlier submitted expressions of interest, also did not submit bids in the final round. While the exact bid amounts couldn't be ascertained, reports said, it could be around the Rs28,000-30,000 crore mark. That is nearly twice the liquidation value of Rs15,000 crore. Industry officials say JSW Steel might be ahead in the race. About 400 of Bhushan Steel employees have also put up a bid for the bebt-ridden steel maker, reports quoting a senior official from the company said. The report also said while the employees have the backing of a Singapore-based fund, the identity of the fund couldn't be ascertained. Bhushan Steel has a steel facility and mining lease in Odisha. The bids will now be opened on Tuesday. Melbourne-based EduTech startup Typsy is on track to reach 500% year-on-year sales growth this year after successfully courting its largest client to date Switzerlands prestigious hospitality management school, Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL). Launched in May 2016, Typsy an online hospitality training platform is the brainchild of serial entrepreneur Jonathan Plowright, whose previous businesses include Up Finance, a broker providing finance and insurance to the hospitality sector. To date, he has raised $5 million from private investors for Typsy. According to Plowright, the deal with EHL will help fast-track his global expansion plans for Typsy by enabling it to offer its online video courses to a cohort of more than 2800 hospitality students from 114 countries every year. He spoke to Dynamic Business about the origins and rapid growth of Typsy, the service it is providing the hospitality sector and the significance of being backed by EHL. He also discussed the importance of kicking arse for clients and the demand from generation Netflix for engaging, authentic video learning. DB: What circumstances led you to found Typsy? Plowright: Through Up Finance, I was exposed to the challenges faced by businesses such as pubs, bars and restaurants. When a customer mentioned they were struggling to work out TripAdvisor, I resolved to produce a video course to help them. My marketing guy knew how to work a camera and with his help, I pulled something together the video was less than great but it was a fantastic learning experience! At the time, I was aware of Lynda[dot]com, the training platform now owned by LinkedIn and probably one of the greatest success stories in online learning. Seeing an opportunity to fill a gap in the hospitality sector for an offering like Lynda[dot]com, I ditched the calculators, sold Up Finance, bought some cameras and, taking my team with me, started Typsy. DB: What is the elevator pitch for the business? Plowright: The Typsy platform makes it easy for customers from individual users and small venues with 20 staff through to large hospitality groups such as Solotel to access training from the industrys best thought leaders. In the case of academic institutions such as EHL, Typsy serves as a tool for them to support the learning outcomes and industry-readiness of their students through a blended learning approach. Essentially, what we do is engage with hospitality businesses, learn what their biggest challenges are and then find the people who are world experts when it comes to addressing those challenges. We then fly to wherever those experts are in the world and film an online video course with them, which we make available to users through the Typsy desktop and mobile apps so they can learn and upskill as they need to. We currently have around 300 video lessons on our platform, across what we call whole of house. For example, we have courses on management, marketing, finance, leadership for head office; courses on greeting customers and serving alcohol for front of house; and culinary courses for back of house. DB: How are you approaching user engagement? Plowright: Having been raised on Netflix subscriptions and shows like Game of Thrones, the people entering the industry wont settle for boring or functional training content they want to be engaged, entertained. As such, weve tailored educational video content to capture their attention. As part of this approach, we subscribe to the show, dont tell philosophy. In other words, we act as a fly on the wall to the experts we film. We also know that people appreciate authenticity. For this reason, if were doing a course on German beer, we wont film it in a studio in Melbourne no, well travel to Germany and shoot it on location in a German beer house with German beer expert. Were also driving user engagement in the way we approach professional development; namely, people earn skills credits when they complete a video lesson on Typsy and when they complete a course, they earn a certificate. Critically, anyone who uses Typsy builds a profile they can share with prospective employers employers have told us they really like being able to see where a prospective employees interests lie, that theyve taken the time to learn certain topics and that theyve got that basic knowledge. DB: How was the deal with EHL struck? Plowright: One of our business development managers reached out to a contact at EHL who basically said Typsy had been on their radar, which was great. I then flew to Switzerland and meet them and we built a good relationship, so kept the conversation going. It took about six months to bring them on board. DB: What validation does the deal provide? Plowright: Having the worlds oldest and largest hospitality school research all the available platforms across the industry and see in Typsy something that resonated with them a vision they were confident to invest in was very reassuring, especially as EHLs Head of Innovation is very switched on to the changing education landscape. DB: What value will the deal create for Typsy? Plowright: EHL have amazing commercial contacts globally as well as a lot of clout in terms of brand; however, the reality is that the were not sitting here waiting for EHL to create value for us, were focused on kicking arse and delivering value for their faculty members and students. As JFK said, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. I feel if we approach relationships like this and we do a great job, new and exciting opportunities will open up. DB: EHL aside, what success has Typsy enjoyed? Plowright: Our sales tap really got turned on six months ago. Since then, weve been moving very fast with some great wins. By the end of this year, EHL will represent about 10% of recurring revenue, so theres a lot of growth happening elsewhere. We expect see growth in enterprise-level sales, so relationships with players like Solotel, EHL and William Blue, but where a lot of our sales growth is coming from is the SME side of our business. DB: How will you reach 500% YOY sales growth? Plowright: One of the things were doing is expanding into North America this month. As part of this push, John Robertson the former head of enterprise sales for Lynda[dot]com has joined us to head up or North America sales and well be adding staff in LA. In the Australian context, for $179 per month, SMEs gain unlimited access to the Typsy platform, with the ability to upload their own courses, so the value proposition is really strong for the market. To capitalise on this, were hiring more sales reps across Australia. DB: How do you see 2018 playing out for Typsy? Plowright: Were looking to have between 35,000 and 50,000 from across 1000 venues on our platform by the end of the calendar year. Thats the goal, but the most important thing for us is that well be honing the user experience by tracking course review ratings and making sure we deliver really engaging video content. The value we create for our customers is as important as the growth we experience. China said Monday its cooperation with Venezuela has benefited local people, refuting a U.S. accusation as "groundless" and "irresponsible." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang made the remarks after a U.S. Treasury senior official accused China of "supporting poor governance" in Venezuela through loans. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng holds a press conference in Beijing, February 5, 2018. [Photo: fmprc.gov.cn] Geng said the financing cooperation between China and Venezuela was carried out by financial institutions and companies on both sides in a win-win spirit. "The loan contracts of both countries comply with international norms, laws and regulations, and the outcomes have benefited local people," he told a daily press briefing. China-Venezuela cooperation has brought more than 10,000 units of public housing for Venezuelan people, and cooperative power projects account for 10 percent of the country's total installed capacity, according to the spokesperson. More than 3 million low-income Venezuelan families have been provided with household appliances at preferential prices, and over 700,000 families gained access to satellite television services, the spokesperson said. The China-Venezuela cooperation has promoted Venezuela's socio-economic development and has been welcomed and supported by all walks of society, Geng said. A stable Venezuela conforms to the interests of all sides, he said, adding that China does not interfere in the domestic affairs of other countries. China supports the various parties of Venezuela to properly settle their problems through dialogue, he said, adding that China is willing to continue to help with the country's economic and social development through practical bilateral cooperation. Things are seldom as easy as they seem. For instance, standing in line some six years ago to board our very first cruise, my husband and I were filled with excitement. This holiday couldnt have come at a better time. We were exhausted and fatigued and with one week before we moved house, this was going to be the week of relaxation we so desperately needed. How lovely it was that my in-laws could look after the children while we celebrated our wedding anniversary, and how nice it was going to be to have no cooking or cleaning to do. Yes, I was excited. This was to be the holiday I had dreamed of! That was, of course, until we decided to use our time waiting in line to prepare the paperwork. I reached into the backpack and pulled out the passport covers. Much to our horror and disbelief, only one passport was inside! Thats weird! I said, we even stopped the car to double check we had them just after we left the house. It turns out that it was the passport cases we had seen and not the actual passport! But waitit gets worse Now, the predicament gets worse. Not only were we in line for a cruise that was to leave in only two hours, but our house was one hours drive away! So if we work out the mathwe had exactly one hour for someone to drive to our house and (if they were lucky enough to even find the passport), one hour for them to drive back in time for us to board the ship. This was not going to be easy. It was, however, our only hope. We made a call to my in-laws who had positioned themselves with our children beside the river to wave us off when the ship left. Thankfully they were up for the challenge! While my mother-in-law drove to their house nearby to see if we had left it there, my father-in-law took our car and began the drive to our house an hour away to see if the passport was there. At least we couldnt say we didnt try! When all else fails We stood in line, unable to do anything but waitand panic! Then the phone rang. We had to stop for petrol! Aaah! This was getting worse by the minute. Of course, we had not worried about putting more petrol in the car as we were going to be away. The clock was ticking and we were losing valuable minutes. While we waited, we watched as the other passengers finalised their paperwork and boarded the ship. We watched the staff pack down all the chairs and tables leaving the room looking once again like an empty warehouse. We stood at the edge of the dock with one of the ships officers and last remaining staff who were hoping as much as we were that the passport would arrive in time, but it was not looking good. Our bags had been removed from the ship and were with us. Tears were shed and I began imagining my week not on that boat. Working for our good While we waited however, things were working for our good. When all things seemed to be working against us, the energy and determination of those we loved were working overtime for us. We really have only two minutes before we have to board, said the officer, but Ill stay until the last possible second. With less than a minute to go, the ropes had been released and the gang plank prepared for final removal. We could hear the engines revving in anticipation of the pull-away. The Captains second in-charge stood beside us looking at her watch for the last possible seconds. Just at that moment my sons silhouette appeared in the distant doorway calling Dad! Weve got it! My husband ran like never before to meet him. Without even a second for an embrace, the exchange was made and my husband was running back towards the ship and in one swift movement we leapt onto the ship with our bags like a scene in a movie, the door shutting behind us as the ship left the dock. Recovery Needless to say, it took us three days to recover from that incident, but thankfully we were on a holiday well suited for recovery. On the final evening of the cruise, we were invited to have dinner with the captain of the ship. When we told him our story, his response (after a good belly-aching chuckle) was Oh! So youre that couple! Unfortunately we were that couple. But I can safely say, we learnt our lesson, and never again have we, nor anyone who has heard our story, ever forgotten their passport again. Now for the biblical relevance Have you ever noticed when things seem really bad, at some point the bad is met with equal good that has the power to override it. Its like how climbing to the precipice of a mountain, with all its painstaking effort to get there, ends up being so very much worth the trial. While our trial was intense, it was only for a short and momentary time. To get the breakthrough, required efforts of extraordinary measures and things beyond our power. When we are in the midst of lifes intense trials, and they seem to only escalate, at some point extraordinary measures meet the bad intensity with greater good intensity and something breaks and bad gives way to good. Strength rises to meet its adversary and in the process we realise how much we have grown with the experience. While it is not our own strength that we can brag about in the overcoming of these obstacles, these trials are used by God to grow our strength and our faith in Him. If we are never wanting or needing of anything, there is no reason to grow. We stay stagnant, and everyone knows that when water stands stagnant for too long, it begins to smell. Ive often wondered why such things happen in the first place, but with some distance from the experience, looking back you realise that all things do work out for good for those who love the Lord. While smooth-sailing sounds nice, its the bumps in the road that make us stronger and brings us together. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verses 17-18 Rebecca and her husband, have four children and live on the Sunshine Coast, Australia. Rebecca writes for various publications including print, online and commercial. She has recently published her first book titled First to Forty which is available on Amazon and Kindle. For more information: http://www.rebeccamoore.life Rebecca Moore's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/rebecca-moore.html Most governors with a history of poisoning an entire city of Black people, an administration full of corruption and ineptitude, and with a laundry list of pro-corporate policies that have harmed the state in myriad ways would probably spend their final months in office being as non-controversial and quiet as possible. Not so with Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder. Despite his legacy of the Flint Water Crisis, the epic corporate outsourcing experiment failures, the decline of our states schools under his watch, and the combined catastrophes of Emergency Management and the Education Achievement Authority, he has decided to have at least another bite at the rotten Apple of Fail. This past week he appointed a known homophobic bigot, Bishop Ira Combs, Jr. of Jackson, to the states Civil Rights Commission: Gay-rights activists and some state lawmakers said they were shocked by one of Gov. Rick Snyders appointments to the Michigan Civil Rights Commission last week a minister who opposes same-sex marriage. Bishop Ira Combs Jr., who heads the Greater Bible Way Temple in Jackson and was among those opposing his own citys new ordinance that bans discrimination against gays and lesbians was unapologetic about his beliefs. Combs said that the gays that are complaining about his opposition to gay rights are economically advantaged, earning more than most Americans. I think thats good, but theyre not my focus because theyre not disadvantaged, as are other minority groups, he said when reached by phone at his home Sunday night in Jackson. The eight-person Civil Rights Commission investigates civil rights complaints and recommends new laws to the governor. Equality Michigan, our states premier LGBTQ advocacy group pulled no punches in their response to this outrageous move: Equality Michigan condemns the appointment of Ira Combs to the Michigan Civil Rights Commission in the strongest possible terms. His twenty-year track record of demonizing and vilifying LGBT Michiganders is embarrassing. It should go without saying that someone so committed to depriving a group of Michiganders of their basic civil rights has no business on the Civil Rights Commission. Moreover, Governor Snyders appointment comes at a time when LGBT rights are at the forefront of the Commissions agenda as they continue to consider the question of whether the Elliott-Larsen Civil Right Acts prohibition on sex discrimination extends to LGBT Michiganders. Equality Michigan calls on the Michigan Senate to exercise its constitutional advice and consent powers to disapprove this dangerous appointee. In his work to undermine and attack the basic civil rights of LGBT people, Mr. Combs frequently relies upon discredited pseudoscience and blatant misrepresentations about LGBT people, their families, and their lives. As recently as 2017, Mr. Combs was one of the leading opponents of the City of Jacksons LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance. He has been amicus curiae in anti-LGBT lawsuits, including defending marriage discrimination targeting same-sex couples. He fought the formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance at Jackson High School, despite the fact that the federal Equal Access Act protects such student organizing. The list goes on and on and on. If Governor Snyder was looking for a person more hostile towards LGBT Michiganders, he would be hard pressed to find anyone who exceeds Mr. Combs record. When asked why on earth he would appoint someone who has no interest in the civil rights of LGBTQ Michiganders, Gov. Snyder issued this statement: The governor appoints people of various backgrounds and experiences to many different boards and commissions, and that includes the Civil Rights Commission, where appointees bring their own distinct backgrounds to discussions and actions that work to protect the rights of Michiganders. Apparently having the you dont deserve civil rights perspective on the Civil Right Commission is important to Gov. Snyder. Please keep in mind one thing: The only thing worse for Michigan than Gov. Rick Snyder would be Gov. Bill Schuette. As bad as this decision is and it IS bad Bill Schuettes notorious homophobia would set us back decades in terms of civil rights gains for minority communities. Hold that thought firmly in your mind for the next nine months. [Caricature by DonkeyHotey from photos by Anne C. Savage for Eclectablog] Nola is a remarkable story. Nola turned to sex work after becoming a single mother while she was still a teenager. Selling her body was her desperate way of getting enough money to support her children with special needs. Nola progressed from sex worker to being the madam. Then Nola met a group of Christian women who began visiting the brothel. It was through conversations with these women she discovered the joy of loving and be loved by God. She was introduced to the Bible, a pink one in fact, and regularly read it. Impacted by these women, Nola started holding exit programmes to help women who wanted to leave the sex industry. Amazingly, she now hosts the breakfast show each day and loves it. She is hosting a special called Fighting for our Daughters. An inspiring story of transformation. Nola calls to stop the sex slave trade and to protect women. To do so we must call on our Governments to enact laws like Sweden where the pressure goes to the powerful it becomes illegal for men to buy sex. Put the focus on those who use women and children in this way. Rev Dr Ross Clifford AM is the Principal of Morling College (NSW Baptist) and author of numerous books many of which focus on Christian Apologetics. He is a Vice President of the Baptist World Alliance, President of the Asian Baptist Association, an acclaimed international preacher and speaker, a columnist in many Christian publications, winner of many national and international awards and for many years the Sunday evening Sydney Radio 2CH host. Ross is married to Bev, father and grand father. (Photo: Peter Williams / WCC)On 18-19 January 2016, some 80 leaders from governments, UN agencies, faith-related as well as non-religious civil society organizations from countries affected by the current refugee crisis in Europe, Middle East, and Africa met at a conference hosted by the World Council of Churches in partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Fund for Population (UNFPA), and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to discern how they can proactively influence and shape coordinated collective practical responses. There are currently over 65 million people around the world who have been forced from their homes, according to the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, but all those who are displaced are not mere statistics. They are people, something that can be missed by the mass media in reporting on them. This observation was highlighted in a discussion at the World Council of Churches on Jan. 30 when representatives of church groups, the United Nations and a Christian media organization discussed media coverage of refugees at a presentation. The discussion was titled: "Changing the narrative: Media, Migrants and Refugees" under the moderation of WCC director of communications, Marianne Ejdersten. Participants discussed "Refugees Reporting", a research and advocacy project conducted in 2017 to support the communication rights of refugees seeking safe passage into and through Europe. The project seeks to challenge public attitudes of intolerance and discrimination against them. Peter Prove, director of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, commended the "very important research project". "This report gives us empirical evidence that can be used in reengaging in a more constructive manner the public discourse on refugees," he said. "Migration has always been a feature of human society, but it is going to be even more of a feature in the future. "We have no choice but to manage these population movements and make migration work for us all," said Prove, citing a recent report by UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres. WORLD ASSOCIATION FOR CHRISTIAN COMMUNICATION The project coordinators are the WCC-backed World Association for Christian Communication - Europe Region (WACC Europe) and the ecumenical Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME). Sara Speicher, development manager for WACC and a WCC communication officer said, "We believe that the representation of refugees and migrants in the media plays a major role in the tone of the public debate and, ultimately, in the welcome and integration of refugees and migrants into their new countries." She noted that in Europe, while the number of arrivals in 2017 have dropped from its peak of more than 1 million in 2015, the welcome and integration of refugees and migrants remains a highly divisive political, economic, and cultural topic. Stephen Brown, President of WACC Europe said, "We want to spark debate and look at the global response to the research." He outlined how, "WACC believes that everyone has the right to communicate and to be in communication, in the same way that they have the right to food, shelter, and security. "In strategic alliances, we aim to be a catalyst for change for the common good, sharing information, knowledge, and experience in the field of communication. We call this 'communication rights'." Nigerian Archbishop David Fabusoro of the Church of the Lord, Aladura (Prayer Fellowship) provided concrete examples of people on the move and noted that since Boko Haram attacks intensified in 2013, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced across the region around the north-east of Nigeria. NIGER DELTA CONFLICT He also cited decades-old conflicts in the Niger Delta in the southwest and the emergence of Fulani herdsmen's forceful occupation of farmlands and properties that have "resulted in massive killings and displacement of people". "Unfortunately, media representation is confusing and incomplete in all cases," said Fabusoro, noting "The insurgency of Boko Haram and the Niger Delta were reported as religious crises." But he said the plight of displaced people many of whom move to Europe "are not reported and thereby made the people die in silence." Leigh Foster, chief, Events, Campaigns and Goodwill Ambassadors, UNHCR said, "The WCC and LWF (Lutheran World Federation) have been amazing in mobilizing their membership," over refugees and migrants. 'SPEAKING FOR THEMSELVES' She praised the discussion on the report as encouraging UNHCR's #WithRefugees campaign which aims to reinforce the message that refugees can speak for themselves. Foster said it comes as there is "an increasingly toxic narrative, not only about refuges but anyone who is on the move." Cornelia Kastner, senior communications officer for the Lutheran World Federation spoke of how her experience as a journalist encouraged her in covering refugees in her work to, "let the people talk". She noted, "Refugees are not victims," but human beings and that in writing about them "how do we counter the numbing of society?" "How do we prevent having the same story over and over again?" asked Kastner. Only 21 percent of news items on asylum and migration reference a refugee or migrant: This points to a pattern of invisibility that creates a clear divide between the policies being discussed at the political level and the effects of those policies on people. Certain groups of people are even more invisible: Women and some other groups of people are disproportionately absent from news articles about refugees and migrants. Of the 21 percent of the news items that reference migrants or refugees, less than half (40%) of the articles quoted them directly: Direct quotes are the most accurate way to represent people, while inaccuracy of representation can easily lead to misunderstanding. Refugees and migrants are most often only identified by their "displacement": When media does not go beyond the refugee label, and when the public tacitly accepts refugee as an occupation, people are deprived of their humanity and dignity. The project was made possible with financial support from the Otto per Mille (OPM) fund of the Waldensian Church in Italy. Additional financial support came from the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland, Germany, the World Council of Churches, and CCME, in collaboration with the Conference of European Churches and WACC Global. Latest News Karnataka to offer 4-year BSc course in 60 Engineering colleges this year There is a proposal to select students through the Common Entrance Test NEET 2021 UG exam tomorrow; check NTA guidelines here Candidates must follow NEET UG dress code, wear face masks and follow instructions as mentioned on the exam Alert: NTA releases admit card for ICAR entrance examinations 2021 The examination will be conducted in the Computer Based Test (CBT) mode on September 17 It would be little surprise to many that 2016s Oxford dictionary word of the year was post-truth. That was the year when Britain left that European Union and Donald Trump went against the odds to become President of the United States. But fast forward a year to 2017s Macquarie dictionary word of the year, and we somehow find ourselves wondering what and why on earth something called milkshake duck has been awarded such a title. Even if you don't know the word, you know the phenomenon. Its defined as a person who is initially viewed positively by the media but is then discovered to have something questionable about them. So, when the truth finally gets out about them, what do you do? Do you acknowledge the reality or just ignore it? Grappling with truth There are several ways that society often seeks to grapple (or maybe do away) with the truth. As political comedian Stephen Colbert says we just need truthiness which he defines as the belief in what you feel to be true rather than what the facts will support. Or as Oprah Winfrey put in at the 2018 Golden Globes its important to speak your truth note the emphasis on your. Our responses to a milkshake duck can also be viewed through the lens of post-truth, that is if someone continues to keep ignoring whats real and conforming to the mirages of fake news. Obvious examples of a post-truther would be a person refusing to come to terms that the Democratic Peoples Republic of North Korea is anything but free or democratic. Looking beyond the government propaganda reveals a vastly different truth to life in North Korea. So, what will you do? Will you seek out the truth? Will you bring out your magnifying glasses or do you not care? Have you found the truth? The Christian faith gives us the guide to finding the truth the Bible (basic information before leaving earth as described by a Sunday school teacher). In fact, contrary to the secular world it is only through Christianity that we can know absolute truths rather than just layers of truthiness waiting to be deconstructed humanly. To quote the Baptist Reverend Martin Luther King from the chapter titled A Knock at Midnight in his book Strength to Love: For modern man, absolute right and absolute wrong are a matter of what the majority is doing. Right and wrong are relative to likes and dislikes and the customs of a community. We have unconsciously applied Einsteins theory of relativity, which properly described the physical universe, to the moral and ethical realm. Christianity also says that theres a ground to the truth which is not just a stack of data subject to interpretation. Rather this universe is a creation by a creator; its made by a maker, that gives it a wholeness. The Bible reminds us through Colossians chapter 1 verses 16 to 17 that For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him, all things hold together. We are also told that because God loved us so much that despite our rebellion and rejection of the creator, we still have a chance of redemption through Jesus Christ. The truth about us The Bible also touches on other truths regarding our human nature such as our sinfulness and the free gift of salvation only attainable through the grace of God. No matter what others may think or believe, as the followers of Jesus what are you doing to be the hands and feet of Gospel? Have you sought out the truth for yourself? Do you intend to help others learn more about the truth? Colossians chapter 1 verses 21 to 23 lays a fundamental truth that Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. But now he has reconciled you by Christs physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. Lets ask, test and seek the truth so that we can have a firm grasp not to keep it for ourselves but to be a bearer of the Good News of Christ into the world. Roydon Ng is a Christian and multimedia journalist from Western Sydney. He is part of the Harrow Road Christian Community in Auburn. Roydon Ngs previous articles may be viewed at: http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/roydon-ng One of the world's top three most popular sailing events, the Volvo Ocean Race, made port at the cosmopolitan city of Guangzhou on Feb 1. Guangzhou is the only city in the Chinese mainland to be included in this year's event, which has a total of 11 stopovers with Guangzhou being the sixth. This is the fourth time for the event to include a stop in China, first with Qingdao in 2008-09 and Sanya taking up the baton in 2011-12 and 2014-15. A special ceremony is held in Nansha Marina, Guangzhou on Feb 1 in celebration of the Guangzhou leg of the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race. [Photo/Chinanews.com] Six participating teams set out from Alicante, Spain on Oct 22 last year on a journey that will span 45,000 nautical miles and seven oceans. The event will conclude in June of this year as the teams make their final stop in Hague of the Netherlands. The fleet is currently based at Nansha Marina on the Pearl River and will treat Guangzhou locals to a thrilling sailing competition on Feb 3 before embarking on the next leg of their journey on Feb 5. The six international teams, including Team Akzonobel of the Netherlands, Team Dongfeng of China, Mapfre of Spain, and Vestas 11th Hour representing both the USA and Denmark, dock at Nansha Marina. [Photo/Chinanews.com] According to a press conference held at Nansha Marina, the Spanish team Mapfre currently ranks first in this year's event, with the Chinese Dongfeng Racing Team claiming second and the American-Danish team Vestas 11th Hour in third. Team Dongfeng, back for its second round under the leadership of French captain Charles Caudrelier, far exceeded expectations with a podium finish in 2014-15. Caudrelier's diverse crew features three Chinese sailors -- Chen Jinhao, Liu Xue and Yang Jiru and hopes to make history this year by claiming the top prize for China. The Dongfeng Race Team currently ranks second in this year's Volvo Ocean Race. [Photo/Chinanews.com] James MinchinWillie Nelson fans hoping for a chance to catch the country legend live this month will have to wait a little longer. A month after cancelling his January tour dates, Willie has also cleared his calendar for February. A statement from his longtime publicist reveals that Willie requires "a few extra weeks to recover completely from the flu." While Willie is reportedly "up and about and looks healthy as ever," doctors have advised that his voice needs more time to recover. He is set to resume the tour in March. "I will see you all down the road," Willie says in a statement. The news comes nearly a month after Willie walked off the stage during a concert in California unable to perform due to coughing and wheezing. The 84-year-old returned to his ranch in Texas to recover. His tour was set to resume on February 7 at the Macon City Auditorium in Georgia, according to his website. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Manila (CNN Philippines Life) The Rohingya crisis is known to be the worlds fastest growing refugee crisis. The mass exodus ensued in August 2017 when Myanmars military carried out what they called clearance operations, which burned down villages and forcibly displaced the Rohingya people from their homes in the Rakhine State of Myanmar. By October 2017, over 600,000 Rohingya people arrived in Bangladesh, carrying almost nothing but their desire to survive. The main challenge in covering the Rohingya crisis was reaching the southernmost tip of Bangladesh where the Rohingya were landing by boat, says Cheryl Diaz Meyer, a Filipino photojournalist who was in Teknaf, Bangladesh for two weeks to cover the plight of the most persecuted minority in the world. All of the refugees were arriving dehydrated and hungry. Many had been waiting on the Myanmar side for days, drinking sea water, and only eating rice. I saw women and children who simply fell unconscious, she recalls. Many were weeping, the children were crying, there were injured, [and] many of the feeble, aged or incapacitated were being carried in slings that two others would carry by stick on their shoulders. This scenario, Meyer explains, was just a small, perceptible part of the Rohingyas more horrific experiences: refugees seeing their houses being firebombed, family members dying in burning homes, walking through jungles for weeks, and waiting in fear as Bangladeshi boat smugglers help them cross the waters. Cheryl Diaz Meyer, now based in the United States, won the Pulitzer Prize in 2004 for her coverage of the war in Iraq. She also recently took home a total of five awards from the White House News Photographers Associations Eyes of History contest for her coverage of the Rohingya crisis. Photo by CONCHITINA MIGUEL I was only getting about four hours of sleep each night, so it was wearing me very thin. I was with my translator almost always. He was my guide, my eyes, my ears. If I return, I will pace myself differently. But it was hard as the news was incredibly intense as continuous, she says. Meyer, now based in the United States, won the Pulitzer Prize in 2004 for her coverage of the war in Iraq. She also recently took home a total of five awards from the White House News Photographers Associations Eyes of History contest for her coverage of the Rohingya crisis. CNN Philippines Life talked to Meyer through e-mail about her experiences in working on the Rohingya crisis, what she went through as a photojournalist in the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as how she navigates emotions when covering the most unfortunate states of the human condition. Below are edited excerpts from the interview. Can you share how you were able to get access to the refugees and what the experience of covering their journey was like? I was held in immigration for five hours for requesting a journalist visa upon arrival. I was eventually granted a visa and flew on to Coxs Bazar, where a lot of NGOs were based. I had no contacts upon arrival because I left the US in such haste, so I needed to get acquainted with the situation on the ground, hire a translator, and determine a plan of action. From Coxs Bazar, I took a local bus to Teknaf, a small town about four hours away, but that was still another 45 minutes from ground zero of the refugee crossings. I stayed in a hotel in Teknaf, hired a local journalist as my translator/driver and we would ride his motorbike to the southern tip of Bangladesh to an area called Sabrang. At times, wed take a local motorboat from Sabrang and meet the refugees in Chalpuridip. The weather was extremely hot and despite drinking as much water as possible, I often felt sick from the heat. The refugees kept coming and coming at that time in mid-October, over 1,000 a day Families had been separated and parents were searching for children and spouses. It was utter chaos. And it was honestly, emotionally overwhelming not be lost in the sheer pain these people were experiencing. And all of this, after they had experienced the worst terror of their lives. The mass exodus ensued in August 2017 when Myanmars military carried out what they called clearance operations, which burned down villages and forcibly displaced the Rohingya people from their homes in the Rakhine State of Myanmar. Photo by CHERYL DIAZ MEYER What were the challenges that you had to face while covering the Rohingya? The main challenges in covering the Rohingya Crisis were the excessive heat, the lack of sanitary food, the mosquitoes, the suicidal drivers who liked to drive straight at each other until the very last moment on minuscule roads, and in Teknaf, power outages and no WiFi. It was hard to transmit images, it was hard to conduct research with the power cutting in and out. The simple logistics of functioning day to day much less trying to do work was a constant battle. On the upside, Bangladeshis are some of the loveliest people you will ever meet. They are friendly, helpful and genuinely kind. I could not have worked on that story if it had not been for some very good Samaritans who stepped in to help me. How different was this experience from your coverage of Iraq or Afghanistan? On the other hand, were there any similarities? The main difference between my coverage of the Rohingya Crisis and my previous coverage in Iraq and Afghanistan is that Bangladesh is not a war zone. I was not in fear for my life while I was covering this story. There were no bullets flying, no Myanmar army attacking the Rohingya on Bangladeshi soil. The Rohingya were arriving to a safe zone, and for the most part, were being welcomed by Bangladeshis. Another notable difference from my previous experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan was the sheer number of refugees fleeing. I had never witnessed such a mass movement of people from one country to another. And they were in pitiful condition. They were carrying very few belongings, and only had the clothes on their backs, yet they moved forward with stoic determination. "Ive always been drawn to women and children in conflict zones. They are usually the most vulnerable in any society under stress. As a mother myself, I empathize with how vulnerable one is when a little one is depending on you for everything," says Meyer on her affinity to photographing women in her work. Photo by CHERYL DIAZ MEYER As with other experiences Ive had with refugees who have survived much, many continued to smile despite tremendous adversity. The children are the most resilient, making toys of bottle tops or a simple piece of plastic, and ironically, it is they who would give me hope. Finally, I had never seen a receiving country like Bangladesh so welcoming of refugees. So many people went to the camps on their own to distribute aid to refugees. Mullahs from all over the country would walk through the camps and distribute monetary aid directly to the needy. Bangladesh has its own internal political struggles, but it was the citizens who stepped in [to] assist. You have an extensive coverage of women facing adversity across the globe. When taking photos of situations like the Rohingya crisis, I noticed that your subjects were mostly women and children. Was this deliberate and is this something that you always consider in your work? Ive always been drawn to women and children in conflict zones. They are usually the most vulnerable in any society under stress. As a mother myself, I empathize with how vulnerable one is when a little one is depending on you for everything. For the Rohingya who believe in large families, this usually means that mothers have multiple young ones fully dependent on them. So ripping ones family out of their home, and running through forests for days in search of safety, is harrowing to say the least. As in most parts of the globe, mens voices speak for everyone, but I strive to give an ear to the tiny voices, the voices that have been silenced, so we can better understand the world in ALL its complexity. You see human suffering in some of their most dire states. Have you felt desensitized? How do you navigate around personal emotions when covering humans in a time of war or crisis? I have witnessed a lot of suffering through my work as a photojournalist. And yes, sometimes I do try to turn off my emotions when working. At times, that is possible, while other times, Im consumed by it. Its a difficult thing to manage. But Im no good as a storyteller if Im unable to function. What good can I do for the victims of war, the refugees, if I cannot be their voice? I must stay strong when Im covering these harrowing stories. Simultaneously, I am human. And when it becomes too much, then I have learned to forgive myself, to allow myself to feel and process the emotions. We can only take so much before we overflow. The key is knowing how to be kind to oneself, even as each day Im pushing and demanding higher and higher standards of myself. By October 2017, over 600,000 Rohingya people arrived in Bangladesh, carrying almost nothing but their desire to survive. Photo by CHERYL DIAZ MEYER You've also covered the Philippines in the past. What was it like covering a country that you once called your home? Ive covered a few stories in the Philippines, namely the Abu Sayyaf in Mindanao, and a reporter and I tracked a couple of Filipino priests who had abused children in the US, but were allowed by their Bishops to return and hide in the Philippines to escape US authorities. I do love working in the Philippines. There are different issues in how a journalist works in the Philippines, but for the most part, Filipinos welcome journalists. During the Abu Sayyaf assignment, I had the opportunity to work alongside my Filipino colleagues in the field, and they have the deadliest sense of humor. Its one of the things I do miss about the culture. Filipinos may live a simple life, but we do love a good laugh. Even when things are dire. It all helps keep things in good perspective. For the record, I still call the Philippines home. "The children are the most resilient, making toys of bottle tops or a simple piece of plastic, and ironically, it is they who would give me hope," says Meyer. Photo by CHERYL DIAZ MEYER Is there a particular subject or situation now in the Philippines that interests you? Definitely. I think the Mayon Volcanos current eruption and the aftermath of how the affected villages will recover are worth a long form narrative picture story. I think its fascinating that you have a volcano in the midst of a populated region, (Mt. Pinatubo is another), where people live decade after decade knowing that that the volcano will erupt. There are many families who call the volcano home, and dont have another place to go. What will happen to them? How will the ash affect people living in the vicinity? I grew up on community journalism, and the Mayons eruption is screaming for good, old-fashioned storytelling with powerful visuals. *** For more information on Meyer's work, visit her website. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 5) What would you do if you hailed a cab whose driver turns out to be driven by the President? Or at the very least, an impersonator who you could hardly tell the difference? Taxi driver Elcias Bugsad goes viral on social media after netizen Rachelle Dequina uploaded an 8-minute video of him mimicking the President's quotable lines, and adding his own punchlines. "Drugs, my God, I hate drugs. Wag talaga kayong pumasok diyan, talagang papatayin ko kayo," Bugsad said, parroting even the President's accent. [Translation: Drugs, my God, I hate drugs. Do not go into it, or else I will kill you.] Aside from drugs, he even has qualms about staying in Malacanang. "Paano naging palasyo yan, kaharap mo Pasig River, andiyan yung mga patay na daga. Yan ba yung tawagin mong palasyo," said Bugsad, who describes himself as a President by day and taxi driver by night [Translation: How can you call it a palace when it's facing the Pasig River which is full of dead rats. Is that what you call a palace?] The video has more than 11 million views, and 216,000 likes as of Monday morning. It was uploaded Thursday. Watch the full video here: Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 5) The maker of Dengvaxia turned down the Health Department's demand to refund used dengue vaccine vials. Sanofi Pasteur on Monday said agreeing to the demand will mean Dengvaxia does not work. "Agreeing to refund the used doses of Dengvaxia would imply that the vaccine is ineffective, which is not the case," it said in a statement. The pharmaceutical company added when it agreed to refund the initial P1.161 billion for unused vaccines, it was to show its commitment to cooperate with Health officials. It reiterated the vaccine remains beneficial for those previously infected. Sanofi's earlier study showed those with no previous dengue infection and got vaccinated could contract "severe diseases." During the hearing of the House Committees on Health and Good Government and Public Accountability on the Dengvaxia mess, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III explained why they were demanding a refund for the used vaccines. "We thought the claimed protection provided by Dengvaxia was not completely there. We were losing confidence in the claimed protection," he said on Monday. Sanofi Pasteur Asia Pacific head Thomas Triomphe said they looked into the demand before declining it. "Reimbursing the used doses will give the wrong signal and will create more fear. It will also create more concern for other vaccination programs in the Philippines," he said. A group of doctors earlier said parents are refusing vaccines following the scandal over Dengvaxia. Last December 1, the government halted its nationwide dengue vaccination program that began in 2016, after 837,000 children were immunized. Sanofi Pasteur said it is willing to provide free doses of the vaccine if the government decides to bring back the immunization program. "If the Department of Health decides to reinstate the community-based dengue vaccination program following a more complete evaluation of the new data on the vaccine, Sanofi Pasteur would be willing to provide new doses of the vaccine free of charge," it said. Sanofi won't support compensation fund The Dengvaxia maker also rejected the Department of Health's request to financially support hospitalized vaccinated children. Citing Philippine General Hospital (PGH) experts' findings, it said there is no evidence to directly link Dengvaxia to 14 child deaths after taking the vaccine. "As for the indemnification fund, there are no safety or quality concerns about the Dengvaxia vaccine... Should there be any case of injury due to dengue that has been demonstrated by credible scientific evidence to be causally related to vaccination, we will assume responsibility," it said. The PGH's Dengue Investigative Task Force on February 2 reported 3 out of the 14 children died of what is called dengue shock syndrome after receiving the vaccine. Experts said two of the three deaths may be caused by vaccine failure. Triomphe said the efficacy of Dengvaxia against severe dengue is at 93.2 percent, adding UP-PGH's findings are aligned with theirs. The Health Department said the experts panel only investigated 14 deaths, with 15 more cases left to be looked into. The Health Department and Philippine Health Insurance Corp. will shoulder the cost of hospitalization of those who had Dengvaxia. CHPs leader Kilicdaroglu: Elected dictator Kemal Kilicdaroglu was re-elected by his party members as the head of (CHP) in Turkey, despite the fact that he had lost 8 elections against AK Party. The main opposition Republican Peoples Partys (CHP) 26th Congress has re-elected Kemal Kilicdaroglu as its chairman. Voting was held in the capital, Ankara, at the partys 36th ordinary congress chaired by Yilmaz Buyukersen, mayor of Eskisehir Metropolitan Municipality. Main opposition leader Kilicdaroglu received 790 out of 1,237 valid votes. His main opponent -- Muharrem Ince, a lawmaker from northwestern Yalova province -- secured 447 votes. Kilicdaroglu, who calls President Erdogan dictator consistently, insists on not to resign the presidency. He has lost 8 general elections against Turkeys ruling AK Party for the duration of his leadership. Let alone quitting, he's still president of his party by electing the party's delegation. He has been insistent on the same name despite 4 general assemblies over 7 years. OTHERS ARE ALWAYS THE SHEEP While CHP members, who insult to AK Party supporters by saying sheep for the assertion that they have no free will on their Partys decisions, are re-electing their leader over and over again. Kilicdaroglu, 60, has been in office since 2010. The Star Wars galaxy is expanding its universe this year. In May, Lucasfilm will showcase a new chapter in a legendary character's life. Solo: A Star Wars Story Debuts On 'Good Morning America' Many Americans woke up to the first official trailer of Solo: A Star Wars Story, which debuted on ABC's morning newscast Good Morning America. The trailer opens with the young Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) describing his questionable character traits to the viewers. The future Rebel Alliance leader is seen with Kira (Emilia Clarke) as they are running away from stormtroopers. Over the course of the trailer, fans get to see Solo's first encounter with the Millennium Falcon and hear him make a solemn vow that he would be the best pilot in the galaxy. Fans also meet Solo's mentor, Beckett (Woody Harrelson), who invites the pilot-in-training to be a part of his crew. The footage also shows a bunch of new characters who are introduced to the audience. There is one scene, however, that pulls at a Star Wars fan's heartstrings as Beckett encounters Solo and Chewbacca together for the first time. The trailer concludes when the Millennium Falcon first encounters the Imperial Empire's TIE Fighters. Fans React On Twitter When Star Wars posted the trailer on Twitter on Feb. 5, fans immediately took to the social network to share their opinions on the sneak peek of the upcoming science-fiction spin-off film. Watch the new teaser trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story and see it in theaters May 25. #HanSolo pic.twitter.com/4QSJUPi8SO Star Wars (@starwars) February 5, 2018 "Looks fantastic! Bradford Young did a terrific job shooting it," posted one Twitter user. Other Twitter users posted GIFs from the classic scenes of Star Wars. In addition, countless parody accounts portraying characters such as Boba Fett, Lando Calrissian, and Obi-Wan Kenobi were either trolling or celebrating the trailer's release. Meanwhile, some Star Wars fans were not exactly thrilled with the trailer. "I have a bad feeling about this," wrote another Twitter user. Rotating Doors Solo: A Star Wars Story overcame a lot of obstacles to debut its first official trailer. Veteran Ron Howard picked up the pieces after Lucasfilm dismissed the film's original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Lord and Miller caused chaos on the set of the Star Wars spin-off as the duo made Ehrenreich second guess his performance. They also had numerous disagreements with veteran screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan on the direction of the movie. Kasdan assisted Lucasfilm in bringing both The Empire Strikes Back and the franchise's first film in 10 years, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The film will focus on Han and Chewbacca's misadventures before they met Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi on Tatooine. Solo: A Star Wars Story is expected to hit theaters on May 25. Sex and the City actress Kim Cattrall announces that her younger brother Christopher has been found dead after going missing last week. Missing In Action The actress, 61, posted on social media Sunday, Feb. 4, asking for assistance in finding her 55-year-old brother, who hasn't been seen since Tuesday, Jan. 30. Christopher's front door was discovered unlocked, while a few of his essential belongings were left in the house including his keys, wallet, and cell phone. "This is not like Chris," Cattrall says on Instagram. "He would never leave his unlocked home without those items nor his [seven] beloved dogs." Along with her impassioned plea, the actress included details of her brother's appearance and his clothing the last time he was seen. She had hoped the public would be able to help the family locate Christopher safe and sound. Christopher's step daughter, Katie Osmond, also took to social media to share photos in hopes of finding him. Found Dead At 55 Just several hours Cattrall's social media post, Christopher was discovered deceased on his own property. The actress took to social media to make the announcement and express her gratitude at her followers' support. She also asked for privacy during the family's mourning period. It is with great sadness that myself and my family announce the unexpected passing of our son and brother, Chris Cattrall. At this time we ask for privacy. We want to thank you all on social media for your outpouring of love and support in this trying time. pic.twitter.com/n4dQAMrTvS Kim Cattrall (@KimCattrall) February 4, 2018 The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) of Alberta, who earlier made a statement saying that the police were looking for Christopher, revealed that Cattrall's missing brother was found dead at his property in Lacombe county in Alberta, Canada on Sunday morning. "We don't believe there is anything suspicious about the circumstances," Laurel Scott, RCMP Alberta media relations officer, says. "We are not putting out any further information." Cattrall Leaves 'Sex and the City' Cattrall is most known for playing the sexually promiscuous Samantha Jones in the iconic Sex and the City television and film series. She received five Emmy nominations for the role. While the franchise remains very popular, the actress has repeatedly expressed her unwillingness to return for a third film. Instead, Cattrall revealed the top three actresses she wants to take up the role of Samantha: Oprah, Sofia Vergara, and Tiffany Haddish. While Cattrall is closing the door on Sex and the City, fans of the star can still catch her on television playing U.S. president Helen Tyler on the second season of Swedish crime drama Modus. The show premieres this month. Director and actor Jordan Peele recently announced that he will be retiring from acting, no thanks to The Emoji Movie. In his rather shocking acceptance speech during the 70th Directors Guild Awards on Feb. 3, Peele made the audience well aware of his upcoming big decision that he said was because of a job offer. In a striking irony, the comedian was getting his best first-time director award for his Oscar award winning film Get Out. "Daniel Day-Lewis and I are both out. Acting is just nowhere near as fun for me as directing," Peele said and revealed that what prompted his decision was the Tony Leondis-directed film, The Emoji Movie, which got a 3 out of 10 rating in IMDb. Peele went on to explain his drastic decision to quit appearing on screen and credited this to the offer he got when The Emoji Movie was still getting its cast. "I was offered the role of Poop," Peele divulged. After thinking about the offer, he called back his manager to inquire about the role offered him, but much to his surprise, the team had already tapped Logan actor Sir Patrick Stewart for the said character. However, this was not the only mention for The Emoji Movie during the event. During his comedic speech, actor Judd Apatow slammed what had been harrowing the Hollywood industry that started when victims spoke out against film producer mogul Harvey Weinstein last year. "What happens when women direct movies? You get Lady Bird. You get Mudbound. You get Wonder Woman. You get a man directing a movie, you get The Emoji Movie with a character who is a literal piece of s-t," Apatow said. 'The Emoji Movie' The Emoji Movie, however, had some fans, despite echoes of boos and denouncement. Brains behind the Razzie Awards have decided to give the movie four nominations, and one of which was the first for an animated film. Satirically, Razzie Awards are given to the worst films released in the industry. The Emoji Movie got the nominations for worst director, screenplay, and screen combo. Worse, it got the nomination for the Golden Raspberry Award, the top prize accorded by the body. 'Get Out' Meanwhile, Peele's Get Out was warmly welcomed and heavily lauded, considering the number of award-giving body nods the film had recently earned. "This whole thing is a very surreal, conflicting experience. This has been the best year of my life, hands-down," Peele said. Uma Thurman recently accused director Quentin Tarantino of making her do a stunt that had led to an injury, and actors are expressing their support for her. In a lengthy piece published by the New York Times on Saturday, Thurman narrated how Harvey Weinstein had sexually assaulted her. She also revealed that she had hurt herself after Tarantino had forced her into doing a stunt in Kill Bill. Along with the article, Thurman also released a video showing the accident that had transpired. She divulged that it happened after she told the director of the actions of Weinstein, who also produced the film. Thurman said that she had already expressed her discomfort over doing the stunt and even asked for a stuntman to do the scene, but the acclaimed director had demanded she do the act. As a result, the car crashed, and the incident had given her a concussion among many others. "When I came back from the hospital in a neck brace with my knees damaged and a large massive egg on my head and a concussion, I wanted to see the car and I was very upset," Thurman continued. Out of anger, the 47-year-old actress revealed, she had then alleged the director of planning to kill her. She also recalled that she had gotten into numerous nasty fights with the Pulp Fiction director. Unfortunately, the accident had done more damage to Thurman than she had imagined. "When they turned on me after the accident, I went from being a creative contributor and performer to being like a broken tool," she said. This was not the only horrendous thing that had happened in the set of the infamous 2003 movie, where Thurman played the lead role Beatrix Kiddo. She also claimed that Tarantino had spit in her face and chained her neck, scenes that came out in the movie but only done by actors Michael Madsen and Gogo, respectively. In a stand against the abuse of power, many actors have expressed their disgust over what had happened to their fellow and rushed to Thurman's side to support her. The spitting incident was what specifically earned the ire of actress Jessica Chastain. In a tweet, she denounced the picture and wondered how this kind had been a norm in the industry. Italian actress Asia Argento made herself heard with a few words when she tweeted "FUCK TARANTINO FOREVER." Westworld star Evan Rachel Wood also took to Twitter to share her admiration for Thurman's bravery and for revealing the "risks we sometimes take with our lives." Judd Apatow slammed Tarantino and cited Daryl Hannah's case where she made claims against Weinstein. Apatow also said that nobody helped Hannah during the hard time. After Nicole Eggert hit Scott Baio with a stunning come-back to his Good Morning America interview, the actor had to fight back tears. Baio spoke with TMZ about the latest comment from Eggert that ultimately caused him to stop the interview. The War of Words Continues Eggert may have hit a new low when TMZ caught up with the actress on Friday, Feb. 2, and was asked about Baio's latest comments. The actress maintained her story and stated that Baio should "come clean for his daughter's sake." During his interview with TMZ live, the actor was overcome with sorrow after hearing the actress's remarks. Baio felt so distraught and tried his best to hold back the tears, that eventually he abruptly ended the interview. The harsh exchange of words began when Eggert accused the actor of sexually molesting and assaulting her during the production of the show Charles in Charge. Eggert made the allegation on her Twitter page after responding to another user's tweet that questioned Baio's loyalty to President Donald Trump. Eggert continued to elaborate on the alleged abuse by posting more tweets. The Baywatch star appeared on Megyn Kelly Today where she stated that the abuse began when she was 14. The actress claimed Baio began molesting her after the two were in his car and he "fingered" her. Baio then went on Good Morning America to defend himself and slam Eggert's claims. Baio stated that it would've been impossible for him to even act inappropriately towards Eggert since the set for Charles in Charge had many parents and chaperones around. Baio continued that he wanted to spare his daughter from any bullying she could possibly receive because of these allegations, which led to Eggert's comments. Baio and Eggert did date briefly after the show ended. Scott Baio denies sexual misconduct allegations: "My 10-year-old daughter does not need to be hearing about this from friends at school - these false allegations...that's why this has got to stop." pic.twitter.com/5jdJgalA9z Good Morning America (@GMA) January 31, 2018 Baio wife's, Renee Baio, recently spoke out about the allegations and is standing by her husband. "She's disgusted. Scott has always been there for Renee, and she knows him inside and out -- he's an amazing husband and father, he's a good Christian, and she has no doubt at all that Scott is innocent," a source stated. Baio challenged Eggert to take her claims to the authorities, which Eggert is planning to do. Letters Community paramedicine may be what is needed to save lives The impact of the closure of the hospital in Oakland is already being felt across the area, with patients in emergency situations facing longer wait times before getting to a hospital and receiving Community paramedicine may be what is needed to save lives The impact of the closure of the hospital in Oakland is already being felt across the area, with patients in emergency situations facing longer wait times before getting to a hospital and receiving Letter to the editor Upon reading the article concerning the junior high football programs at Lyons Decatur Northeast (LDNE) and Oakland-Craig (O-C) I was inspired to write a short note. It gives one a Peterson Hospital The Balanced Budget Act passed in 1997 included provisions for rural hospitals to become Critical Access Facilities. It was recognized by our Federal lawmakers that rural hospitals were crucial to Doctor suggest community regain ownership of hospital It is now old news that Mercy One Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa, affiliated with Trinity Catholic Corporations of Novi, Michigan, has made a final decision to close out Oakland acute care Read more letters Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 5) Former Health Secretary Janette Garin on Monday said the attempted attack by mothers of children vaccinated with Dengvaxia was just for show. "Obvious ba? Nakita niyo naman siguro kung ano nangyari," she said of the incident. [Translation: Isn't it obvious? I believe you saw what happened.] The four mothers lunged at Garin after a hearing on the controversial dengue vaccine at the House of Representatives. Garin was inside an elevator when the women attempted to grab her, screaming and accusing her of killing their children. The former Health Secretary's lawyer shielded Garin from the raging women, who eventually admitted that none of their children had actually died. They said, however, that some of their children have not been feeling well since their vaccination. "Naintindihan ko kung sakali na 'yung nanghampas sa akin, nanuntok sa akin ay kung talagang nanay siya ng bata, naintinidhan ko 'yun," Garin said. [Translation: I would've understood if those who attempted to hit and punch me were actual mothers of those who died.] She added people should stop spreading lies to sow panic. "At the end of the day, the ultimate victims of misinformation, the ultimate victims of people calling for panic and making this whole issue exaggerated, ang biktima dito pagdating ng panahon, Pilipino pa rin at taong bayan (the victims here are still the Filipinos)," Garin said. The mothers' fears stem from the announcement of French pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur in November that Dengvaxia could cause "severe disease" on those who had not been infected by dengue before they were immunized. READ: DOJ to consolidate PAO, experts' Dengvaxia findings DOH The Public Attorney's Office had found "strong links" between the deaths of immunized children to Dengavaxia, but admitted the results were inconclusive. The Philippine General Hospital's Dengue Investigative Task Force, meanwhile, reported there are no direct links to the vaccine. The Food and Drug Administration has since suspended the sale and distribution of the dengue vaccine, while the Department of Health suspended its national immunization program. Health officials said about 800,000 students received the vaccine since the start of the P3.5 billion program that began in April 2016. Both the Senate and House of Representatives are conducting separate probes on the issue, which have now involved former President Noynoy Aquino, and other former health officials. CNN Philippines' Joyce Ilas contributed to this report. The American Renaissance: Chapter Eight: Americas Second Civil War By Michael Moriarty President Donald Trump, last week, gave what I consider to be the finest State of the Union speech of my lifetime. For the fifty some years of my politically aware life (out of my 76 years on Earth), no President, particularly in the critically divided nation that America is right now, has ever shared both the impressive achievements of his own first year in office but simultaneously had to deliver his inspiring message to such a pugnaciously and, in fact, disgustingly hate-filled opposition party, one which also included the Bush-inspired, resentful Republicans in Name Only. R.I.N.O.S! Donald Trump, having met him once, has, admittedly, one of the most contemptuous and dismissively arrogant personal styles I have ever encountered in my entire lifetime. The content and achievements of his first year in office, however, inspires not only my approval but also my most heartfelt admiration and gratitude that after 20 years of post-Reagan insanity in office the Presidencies of two Bushes, one Clinton and one Barack Hussein Obama after those nightmares, the meat and potatoes, American priorities for the traditional United States are now being returned to the White House by President Donald Trump! Even before the healthy and refreshing Presidency of Ronald Reagan, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy signaled a level of corruption in high office that, despite both Reagan and Trump, has yet to be overcome. THIS VERSUS THIS In my opinion, the Democratic Party of the United States is now a proven traitor to the central meanings of the United States which are contained in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States and its Bill of Rights. Therefore, America is now, most undeniably, plunged deeply into its Second Civil War. Its Second, treasonous Confederacy: The entire Democratic Party and the Bush Familys Republicans in Name Only. Here is the incontrovertible evidence of over 20 years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txukr5zgHnw In that speech, President George H. W. Bush, without one ounce of Congressional approval, is more than willing to hand American sovereignty over to the United Nations and the treasonous concept of a New World Order. Four New World Order Presidents The Founding Fathers of America on, from Washington to Jefferson to Abraham Lincoln to FDR, to Reagan and, yes, to Donald Trump, laid down and have maintained the most divine principles of government ever seen implemented with such universal success. However, the Democrats and Republican George H. W. Bush apparently have a much better idea than those contained in Americas founding principles. For world peace, according to the N.W.O. Presidents, America must apparently surrender to the United Nations and do so without defending herself, her principles, her way of life or her divinely founding documents?! In a situation like this, perhaps it takes a man like Donald Trump, with his bottomless self-confidence and possibly justifiable arrogance, to drag the American government out of the swamps of its corruption, up into the daylight and safely onto her profoundest identity as the finest and strongest protector of individual human rights worldwide. The United States of America is and has been, for over 225 years, the most indomitable protector of worldwide rights for the individual in human history. Michael Moriarty is a Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actor who starred in the landmark television series Law and Order from 1990 to 1994. His recent film and TV credits include The Yellow Wallpaper, 12 Hours to Live, Santa Baby and Deadly Skies. Contact Michael at rainbowfamily2008@yahoo.com. He can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/@MGMoriarty. Home Beware the conservative who grows in office By Michael R. Shannon The maddening problem facing conservatives fighting the growth of Big Government is that much of the growth is fertilized by former conservatives who start growing first. The phenomena is most evident in benighted lands that dont impose term limits and have legislative bodies that meet year around. And just as a cancerous growth is no respecter of persons, politician growth isnt limited to the federal government. Symptoms are evident on the state and local level. In Virginia we have a politician who initially ran for office as a smallgovernment, conservative and unfortunately failed to resist temptation to meddle and build a legacy the longer he stayed in the capital. Bill Stanley promised to fight to reduce state spending and the size of state government in his first race for the Virginia Senate. Two crucial promises that work in tandem. Without increased spending, government cant grow and expand its interference. Cutting spending also cuts the size of government since the Commonwealth must balance its budget. Stanleys first legislative session was promising, considering hes a defense lawyer. He introduced a bill that would require local courts to try repeat juvenile violent offenders as adults. Choosing the right health insurance policy may be so daunting that it takes 26 years to prepare for the decision, but choosing between right and wrong is binary and consequences should apply at a much earlier age. Six years later it appears Stanleys fallen under the influence of Social Justice Warriors. Hes gone from toughoncrime to touchyfeely. Hes introduced a bill that would forbid local school districts from suspending any student in preschool through the third grade. I wanted to ask the senator a number of questions regarding this state government expansion into the affairs of local school boards, but eight days wasnt long enough to work me into the schedule. I did speak with a staffer and as far as he knew there is no epidemic of pintsized suspensions in the district. It might have been useful for Stanley to interview a few teachers before he began meddling. My daughters is and teachers classroom discipline experiences are instructive. For example, there is the thirdgrade boy who made an obscene gesture as he exited the bus and entered school. This violation was reported and when the vice principal asked him about it, the boy struck the principal. That earned him his third suspension for this year. One might be tempted to say that three suspensions prove suspensions dont work. Its time to try the gentle Stanley Rule, which would force elementary schools to create an alternative, inschool behavior program. That ignores the immediate benefit of a suspension: It gives his teacher a break. When not taking a swing at administrators, this child routinely shouts in class disrupting the room and destroying the learning environment. He bullies other children and exhibits disrespectful behavior that other, easilyled boys imitate. The prospect of his moving into fourth grade is so foreboding that more than one fourth grade teacher has applied for a transfer to another school. Taking away suspensions removes the only leverage administrators have these days. (Historical note: When I was in elementary school, discipline problems were solved with a paddle. Thats why there were routinely 35 students in a class. Today, teachers ask for UN Peacekeepers when they have more than 25.) Suspending this kid doesnt bother him bit, but it bothers the parents a great deal. It means stay home from work, arrange shortterm daycare or dial 1800ImUrJailer. Enough suspensions and parents may finally become engaged and discipline their delinquent. Stanleys meddling means the punishment is inflicted on the children in the delinquent darlings classroom who obey the rules and are trying to learn. An impossibility because the teachers time and attention is spent trying to deal with Rosemarys Baby. Stanleys staffer contends the outbursts mean there are other issues going on at home. Exactly. And a conservative response, that respected the rights of wellbehaved children, would have directed school administrators to make a referral to the dreaded Child Protective Services after the second suspension. Classroom decorum is preserved and conditions in the home are investigated without disrupting the school or creating inhouse discipline programs that siphon more money away from the education of the kids who arent a constant problem. Conservative legislation seeks to serve the lawabiding, rulefollowing majority without imposing new burdens or taking away their ability to act independently. Stanleys bill fails that simple test. Its legislation in search of a problem. It also may put him in search of a new job when the parents of kids who follow the rules learn what hes done to their childs classroom. Michael R. Shannon is a public relations and advertising consultant with corporate, government and political experience around the globe. He is a dynamic and entertaining keynote speaker. He can be reached at mandate.mmpr (at) gmail.com. He is also the author of Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now with added humor!). Home Harpoon Inside the Covert War Against Terrorism's Money Masters By Nitsana Darshan-Leitner and Samuel M. Katz Hachette Books HC, 352 pgs. US$35 ISBN: 0-3163-9905-1 Cutting the arteries of terrorism By Steven Martinovich Bullets and bombs have long been held to be the lifes blood of terrorism but without money it would be nearly impossible for terrorist groups to launch the spectacular attacks they hope to cow society with. Since September 11, 2001 the United States has paid particular attention to terrorist funding but the state of Israel, long experienced with attacks from a colorful gallery of terrorist groups, was the pioneer in tracking where the money comes from and where it eventually ends up. It was they who first realized that if you manage to cut off or limit the money that terrorist groups live off, you can diminish or eliminate their effectiveness. Nitsana Darshan-Leitner and Samuel M. Katz chronicle the history of Israels efforts in Harpoon: Inside the Covert War Against Terrorism's Money Masters, an insightful and often gripping account filled with characters straight out of a classic John le Carre novel. Joining the spies, high-tech equipment and soldiers, however, were people who became just as terrifying sometimes even more so -- to the banks and bagmen of terrorism: accountants and lawyers. The signing of the first Oslo Accord in 1993 created the Palestinian Authority and granted it limited self-governance in area of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In return, among its other obligations, the Palestinian leadership promised that it would end the bloody terrorist war it waged against Israel. The ink was barely dry on the deal when terrorists, often with the tacit or even approval of the PA, launched yet another wave of attacks. Aided by rogue states like Iran and Syria, more advanced arms and a seemingly limitless pool of suicide bombers, various terrorist groups launched attacks across Israel. While the prowess of the Israeli military is well-known, there was a growing sense among some in the security apparatus that exclusively employing force was like playing an endless game of wack-a-mole, with another approach needed. Maverick soldier turned spy Meir Dagan realized that even low-tech attacks like suicide bombings required an infrastructure to function and any organization required money for logistics, salaries and supplies. Dagans strategy, which required fighting his own nations reliance on military strikes and Mossad assassinations, was to cut off the money and therefore stop the attacks before they could be launched. Thus Operation Harpoon was born. Dagan and Israels money war saw some successes but it wasnt until 9/11 that the United States bought in. The Bush administration unleashed not only bombs but new laws and experts in tracking money. Both nations, though the more innovative ideas seemed to come from Israel, realized that the legal system could be used against terrorism but targeting the banks that held and transferred the money the terrorist groups needed to fund their activities. Any terrorist attack that saw an American harmed immediately allowed a U.S. court jurisdiction to target banks even if they had no physical presence in the U.S. As Harpoon relates, even banks openly friendly to terrorists quickly realized that bad publicity and massive legal bills were bad for business. The investigations also turned up the extensive links between criminal enterprises, drug smugglers, failed states like North Korea and Venezuela, and the terrorist groups. Success built upon success and lawyers who initially thought lawsuits targeting the bankers for terrorists were a high-hanging fruit quickly jumped in with massive lawsuits with hundred of plaintiffs in both the U.S. and Israel. Co-author Darshan-Leitner was one of the initial Israeli weapons that Dagan assisted and helped turn loose in his legal war. Harpoon is not a step-by-step guide for countries and legal systems looking to enter the financial war against terrorism. Indeed, the reader wont actually learn much about the nuts and bolts of Dagans campaign. They will, however, be taken for a fairly thrilling ride as Darshan-Leitner and Katz weave espionage, the law and fascinating personalities from all sides into a gripping true-crime story that continues on to this day. Harpoon shows that is possible to attack terrorism not only with raw force, but with the cudgel of the law. It will be up to the reader to determine which is the more effective weapon. Steven Martinovich is the founder and editor of Enter Stage Right. Home Federally mandated parental leave? Look to Norway? By J.K. Baltzersen On Wednesday January 10, President Donald Trump welcomed Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway at the White House. Norway has the oldest written constitution still in effect outside the United States. The federal U.S. and three state constitutions of New England are older. In Norway, we celebrated our constitutional bicentennial in 2014, and the profits from sales of commemorative coins from this bicentennial year were recently announced allocated as initial funding for a project at Constitution Hall (about 40 miles from the capital of Oslo, where our Constitution was written and signed) for exhibitions, seminars, publications, some research, etc. on the constitutional differences between the United States and Norway. When Norway and Scandinavia are brought up in an American context, the Scandinavian welfare state model is what often the fuss is about. This is one of the key features where America and Norway differ. Nima Sanandaji has written the book Scandinavian Unexceptionalism, with a follow-up book Debunking Utopia: Exposing the Myth of Nordic Socialism. One of Sanandajis interesting findings is that Americans with Scandinavian ancestors are more prosperous than Scandinavians in Scandinavia today. Something to think about when claims are made that America should copy the government ways of Scandinavia. Perhaps, just perhaps, there may be something in Scandinavian culture that makes Scandinavians thrive, and they thrive more when government is less involved. Sweden seems to be the country most often mentioned when American liberals want more welfare benefits. Sweden, however, has rolled back its welfare state to some extent, arguably due to economic necessity. Norway is a different story. Norway lives the high life as an oil and gas exporting country with a population of only about five million to support with an extremely lucrative North Sea production, taxed with especially high rates for this sector. Norway has a sovereign wealth fund, administrated through a special division of its central bank. A Swede once exclaimed to me in person Norway is a welfare state high on oil. The Norwegian government has a balance sheet in its favor, but that is if you ignore all the unfunded liabilities. Norway has a relatively generous welfare state. One of the benefits is an extensive parental leave, with ten weeks reserved the father (to be extended according to a recent coalition platform). Now, you have no duty to report what you do on your leave, but stories of families going off to Thailand and other warm places on their government-paid leave are not uncommon. Travel expenses are not covered, but the salary is compensated fully (up to about USD$70,000, but often the employer fills the gap). One would think people who can afford to go off on exotic vacations could fund their own time off with newborns, but not so in Norway. This brings us to the issue of introducing parental leave in the United States. The argument often goes that the United States is the only country in the industrialized part of the world that does not have any form of government-mandated parental leave. Since everyone else has something of the kind, so must the United States. Or so the argument seems to go. Here, were back to the constitutional differences between the United States and other countries. In particular, every single country that has the Nordic welfare state model is a unitary state, as opposed to a confederation or union of states. Of course, if one values individual responsibility over collective, forced arrangements, this certainly is an issue between the employee and the employer; keep the government out of it. If we leave that aside, when considering yet another federally mandated benefit scheme, note that the federal government is not supposed to do everything. That is a major feature of a federal system, distinguishing it from unitary states, such as the Nordic countries. What have Americans come to, wanting all sorts of stuff from the government, even from the federal government? The United States may be struggling with big government, particularly on a federal level. This is a problem; just look at the federal debt. The solution is not to include more in that big government, rather the opposite. This is not a question of expedience but a question of liberty versus government involvement. Remember the quote attributed to Alexander Fraser Tytler: A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the majority discovers it can vote itself largess out of the public treasury. FDR may have said, Look to Norway! On the matter of welfare state issues, please dont! J.K. Baltzersen writes from the capital of the Oil Kingdom of Norway. He is the editor of the book Grunnlov og frihet: turtelduer eller erkefiender? (in Norwegian and Swedish; translated title: Constitution and Liberty: Lovebirds or Archenemies?), with Cato Institutes Johan Norberg amongst the contributors. Follow him on Twitter. Home Time to remove socialist huddled masses plaque from Statue of Liberty By Selwyn Duke With storied statues having come down from sea to shining sea the past year, its time for the same to happen with something somewhat newer: the socialist-born plaque in the Statue of Libertys pedestal. Yeah, its the one with the huddled masses bit. There are good reasons for it to be removed, too above and beyond the fact that our whole nation is being turned into a huddled mass. The plaque contains the poem The New Colossus, written by socialist writer Emma Lazarus. It didnt come with the statue, a gift from France unveiled in 1886, but was slapped on smack dab in the middle of the Progressive Era (in 1903). This was also the period that gave us other things as American as Lazarus poem, such as entry into WWI, the income tax and the notion that the Constitution could be considered a living document (Woodrow Wilson loved to bloviate about this). The poem remained relatively obscure for decades, and wed be well served if it stayed that way. Alas, though, its now well known. Whats not so well known is that the Statue of Liberty had nothing to do with immigration. That the poem helps create the confusion that it does is enough of a reason to remove it, but there are others as well: 1. Many now see the poems most famous line, Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, as a policy statement. In fact, former secretary of state Madeleine Albright (Halfbright?) tweeted last year, There is no fine print on the Statue of Liberty. America must remain open to people of all faiths & backgrounds. #RefugeesWelcome. Fine print, of course, is the way you speak of law or a contract. That the poem is being used this way should give everyone pause. 2. The New Colossus was an example of 19th-century virtue signaling. Its also more than troubling that policy is being influenced by sentiments that most dont even know have a socialist pedigree. In fact, as a socialist, Lazarus could be seen as having been an (unwitting) enemy of America. Having said this, shes not the only 19th-century socialist shaping policy theres Bernie Sanders, too. 3. Today, the huddled masses arent yearning to breathe free; theyre yearning for free stuff. Immigration aint what it used to be, and romanticizing immigrants distorts reality; being people, they include the good, the bad and the ugly. Id sooner see the romanticizing of citizens, though truth beats incessant pep talks any day. 4. Created by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the Statue of Liberty was originally intended to symbolize the principles of international republicanism; again, it had nothing to do with immigration. And as with the Constitution, wed do well to return to original intent. This is especially true because the huddled-masses bit now buttresses what I dubbed immigrationism, the bizarre notion that immigration is always good, always necessary and should be the one constant in an ever-changing universe of policy. Yet with 85 to 90 percent of todays immigrants hailing from the Third World and 70 to 90 percent of them voting for freedom-squelching Democrats upon naturalization, theres an irony here: The phenomenon now represented by the Statue of Liberty is destroying liberty. This, of course, is why leftists love todays immigration. If most of these huddled masses voted GOP, the Democrats would have long ago changed the statues plaque to read, America is full. Stay wherever the heck you are. Regardless, immigration is far from as American as apple pie. In fact, 21 years after Lazarus poem was placed on the statue, immigration was severely restricted via the enactment of the National Origins Act in 1924. Back then our population was only 114 million, mind you. Now, having almost tripled, its 327 million and counting. And with our stable fertility rate, it only grows because of immigration. When will we say enough is enough? When our population is 400 million? A half-billion? One billion? George Soros may want to make our population stats look like his bank account, but, cmon, really, talk about teeming shores. This is yet another reason why the socialist plaque should be removed from the Statue of Liberty. Oh, dont worry, Im not proposing it be destroyed. To echo the opponents of Confederate monuments, it can be put in a museum where it belongs. Contact Selwyn Duke, follow him on Twitter or log on to SelwynDuke.com. Home Regionalism and nationalism in Canada a reassessment (Part Five) By Mark Wegierski Stephen Harpers Conservatives won minority governments (a plurality of seats in Parliament) in Ottawa in 2006 and 2008, and a majority government in 2011. Stephen Harper is often considered to be emphatically a Western Canadian. He has also certainly been a person of great political skill who did not lack what are considered the major attributes for the Prime Ministership in Canada (such as being fluently bilingual, and being friendly to Quebec). Although Joe Clark was geographically from Western Canada, most Western Canadians increasingly came to view him as playing the role of a collaborator with the Eastern elites. In Western Canada, the terms Eastern or Easterner or Eastern Canada refer mainly to Ontario and Quebec. Such terms frequently have a pejorative feel. In Ontario, the terms Eastern Canada or from the East, are usually a reference to the Atlantic provinces. They are not considered pejorative. Perhaps Western Canadian alienation will now reach a boiling point again, as it could be seen that in the 2015 federal election, that Stephen Harper has been done in by the hostile, Eastern media and intellectual elites. Western Canada has waited for a very long time for a so-called place at the table in Ottawa, and if there are widespread feelings in the West that Harper has been unfairly savaged, it will indeed be the hour of fury in Western Canada, and especially in Alberta. Once a large portion of the federal Conservative caucus was elected from Ontario seats (which obviously was a precondition for Harper winning a parliamentary majority in 2011), the influence and representation of Western Canada in the Conservative Party it could be argued diminished somewhat. But it was substantially more than under the current Trudeau Liberals. It may also be unfortunate that Harper delivered so little of what so-called small-c conservatives might have expected from a big-C Conservative majority government. Harper continued with policies that were, in many cases, not substantially different from those of the more centrist Liberals. Indeed, were it not for the various penumbra of longstanding, inflamed partisanship, and longstanding historical voting patterns, it could be argued that probably close to eighty percent of Canadians could have supported Harpers rather moderate and centrist policies. The Wildrose Alliance was a more decidedly right-wing party (that existed only at the provincial level in Alberta), that indeed achieved considerable electoral successes. However, the NDP has, amazingly, recently won a majority government in Alberta. Now, however, the Wildrose Alliance and the provincial Progressive Conservative party have merged, forming the United Conservative Party. To be continued. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home 'Our new American moment' President Trump's 2018 SOTU By Mark Alexander Last Tuesday evening, President Donald Trump delivered his 2018 State of the Union Address (SOTU) to the nation, and as was the case with his joint address to Congress last year, he again left Democrats shell-shocked. He declared then, "My job is to represent the United States of America," and indeed he has. Frankly, he understated his administration's long list of first-year successes, which I detailed in "Making America Great Again First Year Report." He focused on the economy, and cuts to taxes and regulations, infrastructure, immigration, trade and national security. In my opinion, there were two most striking aspects of this SOTU. First, Trump crafted his remarks around genuine tributes to gallery guests, and that helped drive his points home on a very personal level as evident in the high marks he received from viewers. Second, it was astounding that, in moments when the whole house should have risen in applause, Democrats sat on their hands, scoffing, booing, groaning and glowering at Trump. We understand that Republicans don't applaud Democrat presidents when they propose statist policies, and Democrats don't applaud Republicans when they propose policies that promote Liberty and free enterprise. But when President Trump noted economic improvements that have, in the words of JFK, "lifted all boats," Democrats did not budge. The president noted early in his speech: "[Our economy has] created 2.4 million new jobs, including 200,000 new jobs in manufacturing alone. ... After years and years of wage stagnation, we are finally seeing rising wages. Unemployment claims have hit a 45-year low. ... African American unemployment stands at the lowest rate ever recorded. And Hispanic American unemployment has also reached the lowest levels in history." Not a peep out of the Demo Black or Hispanic caucus members, and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was peering over her shoulder throughout the evening as if to say, "There better be no applause." President Trump channeled former President Ronald Reagan, and began his remarks with a call to unity: "Tonight, I call upon all of us to set aside our differences, to seek out common ground, and to summon the unity we need to deliver for the people. This is really the key. These are the people we were elected to serve." But there was no sense of unity forthcoming from the Democrats. Within minutes of the SOTU conclusion, a fundraising email from Democrat National Committee chairman Tom Perez hit my inbox with this declaration: "Let me be very clear about something: We can stop the terrible, divisive agenda that Trump laid out tonight in his State of the Union but only if we take back Congress this year." Perez confirmed precisely what we have argued for months that Democrats are going to have to run against "peace and prosperity" in the 2018 midterm. Yes, they have the significant benefit of the full force of their MSM propaganda machine churning and re-churning attacks on Trump 24/7, but it is going to become clear to more moderate Democrats (yes, there are some), that opposing Trump is opposing prosperity for all Americans. Notably, the day before the SOTU, even The Washington Post's Charles Lane conceded: "The approval rating polls on Donald Trump are causing a lot of us ... to rethink how we read that particular indicator of American politics because ... with all this tumult, with the tremendous controversy around him, a lot negative press ... and so on ... he seems not to just have a base but a bedrock of 42% of the American people behind him. ... That's pretty darn high [given the bad press]." As is my practice after SOTUs, here are some key excerpts from President Trump's remarks: "Less than one year has passed since I first stood at this podium, in this majestic chamber, to speak on behalf of the American people and to address their concerns, their hopes and their dreams. That night, our new administration had already taken very swift action. A new tide of optimism was already sweeping across our land. Each day since, we have gone forward with a clear vision and a righteous mission to make America great again for all Americans. "Over the last year, we have made incredible progress and achieved extraordinary success. We have faced challenges we expected, and others we could never have imagined. We have shared in the heights of victory and the pains of hardship. We have endured floods and fires and storms. But through it all, we have seen the beauty of America's soul, and the steel in America's spine. Each test has forged new American heroes to remind us who we are, and show us what we can be. "Let's begin tonight by recognizing that the state of our Union is strong because our people are strong. And together, we are building a safe, strong and proud America. "This, in fact, is our new American moment. There has never been a better time to start living the American Dream. So to every citizen watching at home tonight, no matter where you've been, or where you've come from, this is your time. If you work hard, if you believe in yourself, if you believe in America, then you can dream anything, you can be anything, and together, we can achieve absolutely anything. "Tonight, I want to talk about what kind of future we are going to have, and what kind of a nation we are going to be. All of us, together, as one team, one people, and one American family can do anything. We all share the same home, the same heart, the same destiny, and the same great American flag. Together, we are rediscovering the American way. In America, we know that faith and family, not government and bureaucracy, are the center of American life. The motto is, 'In God We Trust.' "Young patriots ... teach all of us about our civic duty as Americans ... reverence for those who have served our nation reminds us of why we salute our flag, why we put our hands on our hearts for the Pledge of Allegiance, and why we proudly stand for the National Anthem. "Tonight, I call on Congress to empower every cabinet secretary with the authority to reward good workers and to remove federal employees who undermine the public trust or fail the American people. "In our drive to make Washington accountable, we have eliminated more regulations in our first year than any administration in the history of our country. "[Companies returning their manufacturing operations to the U.S.] is news Americans are unaccustomed to hearing. For many years, companies and jobs were only leaving us. But now they are roaring back. They're coming back. They want to be where the action is. They want to be in the United States of America. "America has also finally turned the page on decades of unfair trade deals that sacrificed our prosperity and shipped away our companies, our jobs, and our wealth. ... The era of economic surrender is totally over. "As we rebuild our industries, it is also time to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. ... I'm calling on Congress to produce a bill that generates at least $1.5 trillion for the new infrastructure investment that our country so desperately needs. Every federal dollar should be leveraged by partnering with state and local governments and, where appropriate, tapping into private sector investment to permanently fix the infrastructure deficit. "We want every American to know the dignity of a hard day's work. We want every child to be safe in their home at night. And we want every citizen to be proud of this land that we all love so much. We can lift our citizens from welfare to work, from dependence to independence, and from poverty to prosperity. "Struggling communities, especially immigrant communities, will also be helped by immigration policies that focus on the best interests of American workers and American families. For decades, open borders have allowed drugs and gangs to pour into our most vulnerable communities. They've allowed millions of low-wage workers to compete for jobs and wages against the poorest Americans. Most tragically, they have caused the loss of many innocent lives. "Here tonight are two fathers and two mothers: Evelyn Rodriguez, Freddy Cuevas, Elizabeth Alvarado and Robert Mickens. Their two teenage daughters Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens were close friends on Long Island. But in September 2016, on the eve of Nisa's 16th birthday such a happy time it should have been neither of them came home. These two precious girls were brutally murdered by the savage MS-13 gang while walking together in their hometown. "Evelyn, Elizabeth, Freddy and Robert: Tonight, everyone in this chamber is praying for you. Everyone in America is grieving for you. ... I want you to know that 320 million hearts are right now breaking for you. (In yet another disgraceful display of political disunity Democrats did not stand for these families.) "The United States is a compassionate nation. We are proud that we do more than any other country anywhere in the world to help the needy, the struggling and the underprivileged all over the world. But as president of the United States, my highest loyalty, my greatest compassion, my constant concern is for America's children, America's struggling workers, and America's forgotten communities. I want our youth to grow up to achieve great things. I want our poor to have their chance to rise. "So, tonight, I am extending an open hand to work with members of both parties, Democrats and Republicans, to protect our citizens of every background, color, religion and creed. My duty, and the sacred duty of every elected official in this chamber, is to defend Americans, to protect their safety, their families, their communities and their right to the American Dream. "Because Americans are dreamers too. "Here are the four pillars of our plan: The first pillar of our framework generously offers a path to citizenship for 1.8 million illegal immigrants who were brought here by their parents at a young age. ... The second pillar fully secures the border. ... The third pillar ends the visa lottery, a program that randomly hands out green cards without any regard for skill, merit, or the safety of American people. ... The fourth and final pillar protects the nuclear family by ending chain migration. ... This vital reform is necessary, not just for our economy, but for our security and for the future of America. ... These four pillars represent a down-the-middle compromise, and one that will create a safe, modern and lawful immigration system. Most importantly, these four pillars will produce legislation that fulfills my ironclad pledge to sign a bill that puts America first. (Of course, this extension of an open hand across the political aisle was met with nothing but contempt, especially after the Schumer Shutdown failed. As I have noted regarding the Democrats' real immigration agenda, "As their lower- and middle-income voter blocs are hemorrhaging, the Democrat Party is turning its back on those traditionally supportive groups and opening a socialist voter pipeline to flood America with their most promising future constituency Latinos.") "Around the world, we face rogue regimes, terrorist groups, and rivals like China and Russia that challenge our interests, our economy and our values. In confronting these horrible dangers, we know that weakness is the surest path to conflict, and unmatched power is the surest means to our true and great defense. For this reason, I am asking Congress to end the dangerous defense sequester and fully fund our great military. "Last year, I pledged that we would work with our allies to extinguish ISIS from the face of the Earth. One year later, I am proud to report that the coalition to defeat ISIS has liberated very close to 100 percent of the territory just recently held by these killers in Iraq and in Syria and in other locations, as well. (President Trump introduced Army Staff Sergeant Justin Peck and related his story of exceptional bravery in combat. Of note, Staff Sergeant Peck serves in the unit of a Green Beret commander, who, when he was a cadet at West Point, launched the academy's Patriot Post club.) "Our warriors in Afghanistan have new rules of engagement. ... Our military is no longer undermined by artificial timelines, and we no longer tell our enemies our plans. "The yearning for freedom nearly 250 years ago gave birth to a special place called America. It was a small cluster of colonies caught between a great ocean and a vast wilderness. It was home to an incredible people with a revolutionary idea: that they could rule themselves; that they could chart their own destiny; and that, together, they could light up the entire world. That is what our country has always been about. That is what Americans have always stood for, always strived for, and always done. "Atop the dome of this Capitol stands the Statue of Freedom. She stands tall and dignified among the monuments to our ancestors who fought, and lived, and died to protect her. Monuments to Washington, and Jefferson, and Lincoln, and King. Memorials to the heroes of Yorktown and Saratoga; to young Americans who shed their blood on the shores of Normandy and the fields beyond; and others, who went down in the waters of the Pacific and the skies all over Asia. And freedom stands tall over one more monument: this one. This Capitol this living monument this is the moment to the American people. "We're a people whose heroes live not only in the past, but all around us, defending hope, pride, and defending the American way. They work in every trade. They sacrifice to raise a family. They care for our children at home. They defend our flag abroad. And they are strong moms and brave kids. They are firefighters, and police officers, and border agents, medics, and Marines. But above all else, they are Americans. And this Capitol, this city, this nation, belongs entirely to them. "Our task is to respect them, to listen to them, to serve them, to protect them, and to always be worthy of them. "The people built this country. And it's the people who are making America great again. "As long as we are proud of who we are and what we are fighting for, there is nothing we cannot achieve. As long as we have confidence in our values, faith in our citizens and trust in our God, we will never fail. Our families will thrive. Our people will prosper. And our nation will forever be safe and strong and proud and mighty and free. "Thank you. And God bless America. Goodnight." The president's remarks were a fitting tribute to what America has been and should be, which is why Democrats scurried out of the Capitol as quickly as they could. And despite his now-waning propensity to shoot himself in the foot on social media, which derailed the success of his joint address last year, his administration now has a powerful record to stand on! I note two differences in President Trump's remarks in sharp contrast from those of Barack Obama's SOTUs. Trump referenced "we" and "our" 233 times, and scarcely referenced himself. Conversely, Obama referenced "I" and "me" endlessly in his SOTUs. And the other difference... Trump referenced "America" and "Americans" 88 times, prompting complaints from the Democrat's legal division, the ACLU. Notably, the "Democrat response" was delivered by Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-MA), named for the corrupt Kennedy family patriarch. It is always amusing to hear classist rhetoric from another inheritance welfare Kennedy, who also inherited his political seat. Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post. Home Why is the shale industry still not profitable? By Nick Cunningham Echoing the criticism of too much hype surrounding U.S. shale from the Saudi oil minister last month, a new report finds that shale drilling is still largely not profitable. Not only that, but costs are on the rise and drillers are pursuing "irrational production." Riyadh-based Al Rajhi Capital dug into the financials of a long list of U.S. shale companies, and found that "despite rising prices most firms under our study are still in losses with no signs of improvement." The average return on asset for U.S. shale companies "is still a measly 0.8 percent," the financial services company wrote in its report. Moreover, the widely-publicized efficiency gains could be overstated, at least according to Al Rajhi Capital. The firm said that in the third quarter of 2017, the "average operating cost per barrel has broadly remained the same without any efficiency gains." Not only that, but the cost of producing a barrel of oil, after factoring in the cost of spending and higher debt levels, has actually been rising quite a bit. Shale companies often tout their rock-bottom breakeven prices, and they often use a narrowly defined metric that only includes the cost of drilling and production, leaving out all other costs. But because there are a lot of other expenses, only focusing on operating costs can be a bit misleading. The Al Rajhi Capital report concludes that operating costs have indeed edged down over the past several years. However, a broader measure of the "cash required per barrel," which includes other costs such as depreciation, interest expense, tax expense, and spending on drilling and exploration, reveals a more damning picture. Al Rajhi finds that this "cash required per barrel" metric has been rising for several consecutive quarters, hitting an average $64 per barrel in the third quarter of 2017. That was a period of time in which WTI traded much lower, which essentially means that the average shale player was not profitable. Not everyone is posting poor figures. Diamondback Energy and Continental Resources had breakeven prices at about $52 and $37 per barrel in the third quarter, respectively, according to the Al Rajhi report. Parsley Energy, on the other hand, saw its "cash required per barrel" price rise to nearly $100 per barrel in the third quarter. A long list of shale companies have promised a more cautious approach this year, with an emphasis on profits. It remains to be seen if that will happen, especially given the recent run up in prices. But Al Rajhi questions whether spending cuts will even result in a better financial position. "Even when capex declines, we are unlikely to see any sustained drop in cash flow required per barrel due to the nature of shale production and rising interest expenses," the Al Rajhi report concluded. In other words, cutting spending only leads to lower production, and the resulting decline in revenues will offset the benefit of lower spending. All the while, interest payments need to be made, which could be on the rise if debt levels are climbing. One factor that has worked against some shale drillers is that the advantage of hedging future production has all but disappeared. In FY15 and FY16, the companies surveyed realized revenue gains on the order of $15 and $9 per barrel, respectively, by locking in future production at higher prices than what ended up prevailing in the market. But, that advantage has vanished. In the third quarter of 2017, the same companies only earned an extra $1 per barrel on average by hedging. Part of the reason for that is rising oil prices, as well as a flattening of the futures curve. Indeed, recently WTI and Brent have showed a strong trend toward backwardation in which longer-dated prices trade lower than near-term. That makes it much less attractive to lock in future production. Al Rajhi Capital notes that more recently, shale companies ended up locking in hedges at prices that could end up being quite a bit lower than the market price, which could limit their upside exposure should prices continue to rise. In short, the report needs to be offered as a retort against aggressive forecasts for shale production growth. Drilling is clearly on the rise and U.S. oil production is expected to increase for the foreseeable future. But the lack of profitability remains a significant problem for the shale industry. Nick Cunningham is a writer for Oilprice.com where this originally appeared. Home Sixty-nine organizations have been invited to pick up packets of Duck Race adoption forms Thursday, March 1 and receive instructions on sales. These organizations have been chosen as beneficiaries of the 2018 Estes Park Rotary Duck Race Festival. Distribution Night begins at 6 p.m. at The Ridgeline Hotel, 101 South St. Vrain Ave. The Duck Race Festival Committee encourages each of the 69 organizations to send a representative to the meeting and to note the new start time and new location. I look forward to working with the charitable organizations to maximize their adoption sales and have a successful race, said Larry Williams, Duck Race Committee member in charge of beneficiary organizations. Beginning Friday, March 2 groups will begin distributing paper adoption forms and encouraging their members and friends to adopt ducks. The Estes Park Rotary Duck Race Festival website and Facebook page will launch online sales on March 2 in tandem with paper sales. The annual Estes Park Duck Race Festival will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 5, with the Estes Park Running Clubs 5K Duck Waddle, a family fun run and race. At 10 a.m. Duck Race Festival charities will welcome duck fans to Bond Park for interactive activities, music and duck adoption sales. Action will move to the starting line at Nickys Resort on Highway 34 around 11:30 a.m. Thousands of little yellow ducks will drop into Fall River and float about 2 miles to Riverside Plaza downtown. There, they will be fished out of the river by volunteers and cheered by the crowd at the finish line. Each adopted duck is assigned a number, and hundreds of prizes will be awarded. This years all-inclusive travel prizes, funded by many generous corporate sponsors, will transport winners to exciting destinations, including Costa Rica, Mexico, Seattle, San Diego, Santa Fe and Las Vegas. New this year, major sponsor Delaware North, Companies, Inc. will provide four additional travel prizes that include stays and activities at their properties around the country, including The Pine Lodge at Glacier National Park, the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite National Park, and Yellowstone National Park in winter. Delaware North is the parent company of The Ridgeline Hotel in Estes Park. For every duck adopted with a paper form for $20, the charity checked off on the adoption form will receive $19. The other $1 is retained by the Rotary Club of Estes Park to offset operational costs of the next years Duck Race Festival. Adoptions charged to a credit card online at www.epduckrace.org will cost $22. The Noon Rotary Club sponsors the race as a way to support Estes Valley charities. While our Rotary Foundation is one of the 69 beneficiaries, our goal is to let the ducks swim for the communitys benefit. 2018 Big Duck Brad Rosenbaum said. The 2017 race brought the total funds raised in the 29-year history of the event to $2.5 million. Social media will spread the word internationally. To help this effort, the Duck Race Festival has a Facebook presence to propel adoptions at https://www.facebook.com/EPDuckRace. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 5) It is up to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to consolidate the findings on the dengue vaccine Dengvaxia controversy, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Monday. Some lawmakers during the hearing of the House Committees on Health and Good Government and Public Accountability on the dengue program expressed concern on reconciling the different results of separate investigations by the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) and the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital's (UP-PGH) panel of experts. PAO's findings state the deaths showed "strong links" to Dengvaxia, although it added the results are inconclusive. Meanwhile, the findings by the UP-PGH found no direct link between the deaths and the vaccine. The UP-PGH's Dengue Investigative Task Force on January 2 reported three out of the 14 children died of what is called "dengue shock syndrome" after receiving the vaccine. Experts said two of the three deaths may be caused by vaccine failure. Related: 2 deaths may be due to Dengvaxia failure experts Duque said PAO is doing the autopsies, while UP-PGH experts only analyzed and audited clinical charts and medical records of the 14 deaths. He said the UP-PGH's findings will be submitted to the DOJ. "I'd like to believe there should be commonalities of findings when they juxtapose the findings of PGH and PAO. We're hopeful there will be a lot of synergy and complementation of our findings," the Health Secretary said. Duque also appealed to the public to not add to the misinformation surrounding Dengvaxia and other vaccination programs of the agency. "The innocent vaccines of the DOH must not be tainted by this one single controversy," he said. Related: Doctors says parents refusing vaccines due to Dengvaxia scare A group of doctors on Saturday appealed to the PAO to stop performing autopsies on children who allegedly died after receiving the controversial vaccine. The group Doctors for Public Welfare, who counts former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral as member, said PAO should leave the determination of cause of death to "competent forensic pathologists." PAO Forensic Director Erwin Erfe in January responded to criticism about their qualifications to conduct such autopsies. He said most autopsies in the Philippines are conducted by non-pathologists. Erfe also clarified that while there were no pathologists on their team, they tapped pathologists at a training hospital to examine tissue samples from the bodies. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque refused to heed the call of the group of doctors. "We're not telling anyone to stop what they are doing. We are just saying that we are flatly rejecting the call of the physicians to put an end to the exhumation because the position of the government is we're in search of the truth. We will resort to autopsy when it is needed," he said in a media briefing Monday. Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre of the Department of Justice, which also oversees PAO, said he will not order to stop the PAO autopsies. Duque met with Aguirre on Monday afternoon to discuss the findings. An all-round effort from the bowlers restricted Zimbabwe to a below-par score in Sharjah, following which Nabi's 27-ball blitz ensured Afghanistan chased the target down with more than five overs to spare Afghanistan 121 for 5 (Nabi 40*, Muzarabani 2-36) beat Zimbabwe 120 for 9 (Mire 34, Rashid 3-19) by five wickets Mohammad Nabi hits over the top AFP Mohammad Nabi 's 27-ball 40 made quick work of the 121 target set by Zimbabwe, helping Afghanistan take a 1-0 lead in the two-match T20I series in Sharjah. Five Afghanistan bowlers were among the wickets, with legspinner Rashid Khan collecting three as Zimbabwe fell away after a rollicking start in the Powerplay to end their 20 overs with a below-par total. Despite the humid conditions, Afghanistan's batsmen were not made to break a sweat - the chase was completed with 32 balls to spare. Rashid leads from the back At first, Afghanistan's decision to field looked like it would come back to bite them. At first, Afghanistan's decision to field looked like it would come back to bite them. Solomon Mire and Hamilton Masakadza were batting like they'd help Zimbabwe to a big total as 16-year-old Mujeeb Zadran and pacer Sharafuddin Ashraf took some early blows. Yet the captain Asghar Stanikzai held his trump card back. As Zimbabwe's middle order crumbled in the space of seven balls - falling from 65 for 1 after 8.5 overs to 68 for 4 at the end of the 10th - Stanikzai introduced Rashid in the 12th over. With the lower-middle order exposed, Rashid's rippers and wrong 'uns proved too much for Ryan Burl, and then Kyle Jarvis and Tendai Chatara; he eventually finished with 3 for 19. With the other bowlers collecting five wickets among them, Afghanistan's bowling, after a long time, wasn't just a one- or two-man show. Mire, Waller save face If one removes Mire's 21-ball 34 and Malcolm Waller's unbeaten 27, then Zimbabwe's batting paints a sorry picture. From 52 for 0 in 5.4 overs, they finished at 120 for 9 after 20, adding only 68 runs in the final 86 balls. That they even made 120 was courtesy's Mire's blitz at the top, which included a 23-run fourth over - that is, three sixes and a four off right-arm pacer Sharafuddin Ashraf. But Mire fell just before the Powerplay ended, and with that Zimbabwe's flow of runs screeched to a halt. Six wickets and 53 balls later, Waller came to the crease with Zimbabwe reeling at 81 for 7 after 15 overs. He saw the first few balls off by nudging them around for ones and twos, doing enough to ensure the team's total went past 100. With six balls of Zimbabwe's innings left, Waller took strike and extracted 17 off the final over - including two fours, and a six muscled over point - to set Afghanistan a target of 121. Afghanistan stumble, but do not crumble Hard-hitting wicketkeeper Hard-hitting wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad , who returned after serving a ban for a doping code violation, gave Afghanistan's chase a flying start after his partner Karim Sadiq perished for five. Shahzad top edged a four and smacked two big sixes in his 11-ball stay of 20 before bottom edging one to the keeper. Stanikzai and Sharafuddin then fell victim to Chatara and Burl respectively as Afghanistan went into the 12th over at 85 for 5, but an unbeaten 36-run sixth-wicket partnership between Mohammad Nabi (40*) and Shafiqullah (14*) ensured Afghanistan chased the target down with more than five overs to spare. Nabi hit four fours and three sixes in his 27-ball innings while Shafiqullah hit one apiece as Afghanistan took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. 2008-02-05 Maeci NEGOTIATING FRAMEWORK AND COOPERATION INITIATIVES 1. Ordinary Cooperation Programme: The cooperation programme currently being implemented is defined by Agreements (1997-98) which envisage aid credits amounting to over 132 million (mainly in the water, environmental protection, cultural heritage and agro-industry sectors) and donor aid totalling about 5 million, for use mainly in the health and agricultural sectors. AID CREDITS Current initiatives: The main projects envisaged by the cooperation agreements currently in force concern the water sector, which absorbs the lions share of the available funding. Worthy of note is the initiative for the sewage treatment plant for the town of Zahle (23 million euros), a contract awarded to Degremont. The first tranche of the funding, amounting to 10.6 million euros, is due to be delivered soon. Forthcoming initiatives: - drinking water and sewage network (39.5 million). The credit for this project was approved by a decree issued by the Ministry for the Economy and Finance in April 2007, with the agreement itself signed last November; - Tripoli/Koura drinking water network (6 million), for which the agreement was signed recently. In the technology up-grade sector, an initiative currently under way envisages the supply of IT equipment and operational programmes to the Central Bank, a project being handled by Elsag. To this should be added a training component, again funded through an aid credit, worth 5.6 million. Funding for this programme, which is not included in the current Cooperation Protocol, was granted in view of the urgency of the situation described by the local authorities. DONOR AID As regards donor aid, delivered in full or currently being implemented, the following programmes are worthy of note. - health sector: refresher courses for nursing staff (over 1 million); improvements to Health Ministry institutional structure (500,000); creation of a central laboratory for the Health Ministry (800,000) and support for a basic national healthcare plan (3.471 million); - agricultural sector: integrated agricultural development in the Baalbeck/Hermel region (2 million) to replace the illegal crops that were developed during the last conflict; and the production of certified vegetable products (1.2 million), a programme entrusted jointly to the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute in Bari, with its International Centre for Advanced Agronomic Studies, and the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute; - to respond to the Lebanese Governments appeal for measures to combat poverty and provide support in the most depressed parts of the country, since 2006 a UNDP initiative entitled Socio-Economic Development of Depressed Areas (6.7 million) has been under way. The programme is part of the new approach to Italy/Lebanon cooperation and operates both in northern Lebanon (Akkar and Minieh, Dinniyeh and Tripoli-Bab el-Tebbaneh), and in the south of the country (Marjeyoun, Bint Jbeil, Nabatiyeh, Sour, Rashaya, Hasbaya and West Bekaa), areas formerly occupied by Israel. The initiative is linked to a similar multilateral exercise (ART-GOLD) coordinated by UNDP in collaboration with UNESCO, UNIFEM and other UN bodies. Its goal is to channel the input from the various donors and participants in decentralised cooperation initiatives with a view to coordinating initiatives to promote governance and development. An initial allocation of 2.7 million was transferred to UNDP in August 2006. Forthcoming initiatives already approved A second programme to combat poverty, approved in February 2006 and intended to provide social-economic support for producers and their households in Lebanons marginal olive producing regions (3.3 million), has been entrusted to the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute. However, implementation has been delayed as a result of political events in the country and the on-going political situation. 2. EXTRAORDINARY COOPERATION PROGRAMME 1st Extraordinary grant. In August 2006, in response to the appeal launched by the Lebanese Government during the Stockholm Conference, Italy allocated 30 million to tackle the emergency and the need for regeneration and reconstruction following the conflict of summer 2006. This sum was shared out as follows: - directly managed emergency projects (15 million). These envisage the involvement of Italian NGOs for social-economic initiatives (education, services, health, environment) and initiatives in priority sectors indicated by the Lebanese Government; - through the multilateral channel (10 million) to finance the activities of the UN agencies and other international organisations (UNMAS, UNICEF, CIHEAM-IAM, UNFPA, UNRWA and UNDP); - support for the Lebanese state budget (5 million) to repair the damage suffered by the national road infrastructure 2nd Extraordinary grant. As part of the support announced at the Paris Conference of January 2007 (120 million), an extraordinary allocation of 30 million was made available for 2007-08 and is currently being delivered. This extraordinary funding, arranged through Law 38 of 29 March 2007 on funding for peace missions, was allocated to donor aid initiatives in the social sector (health, community development, vocational training, support for micro-entrepreneurship) and in the agricultural/environmental sector (agricultural innovation, transformation and commercialisation of agricultural products and repair and recovery of infrastructure in the water and energy fields). They include a strong vocational training element. In detail, the 30 million can be broken down as follows: - 9 million for a directly managed initiative for the implementation of emergency actions (ROSS 2) with a high socio-economic content (education, services health, environment, construction of networks for a national reconciliation dialogue). These are to be implemented in the Bekaa Valley, to the south of Beirut and in the south of the country; - 1 million for an Expert Fund for technical assistance activities, as envisaged by law 38/2007; - 10 million for activities envisaging direct support for the state budget and the National Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform Programme. These are intended essentially for basic services for the population (access to drinking water, health services, and social protection networks); - 10 million for initiatives on behalf of the Palestinian population in the refugee camps and the Lebanese population living in the vicinity of these camps, to enable those occupational groups most affected by the conflict of summer 2006 to return to employment and promote the sustainable development of the agricultural sector. To this end, funding has been provided for the work of the following international bodies: UNRWA (2 million), ILO (2 million), FAO (3 million), UNFPA (0.7 million), UNDP (1.3 million) and UNMAS (1 million). An agreement was signed by the Italian and Lebanese Governments last November to ensure that the funding under the third and fourth points is used correctly. 2018-02-05 Maeci Italys rotating Presidency of the AII (Adriatic and Ionian Initiative) and of EUSAIR. On 1 June 2017, Italy took over the rotating Presidency of the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative and of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), which will end with the Ministerial Meeting and with the EUSAIR Forum scheduled for 24-25 May 2018 in Catania. The Adriatic and Ionian Initiative (AII) is a forum of political dialogue which began in Ancona in May 2000. It currently counts on 8 Participating Countries: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia. Upon the decision of the Initiatives 8 Participating Countries, since June 2008 Ancona has been the headquarters of the Permanent Secretariat of the Initiative, which is directed by Ambassador Castellaneta and has received the support of the Marche Regional Council, the Municipality of Ancona and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation through the Foundation for the Permanent Secretariat of the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative (AII), which was established in Ancona in December 2010. The decision-making body of the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative is the Council of Foreign Ministers, which convenes annually. The AII also has an assembly format structured in the form of ad hoc Conferences of the Presidents of Parliaments and Parliamentary Delegations. In the last few years, the AII has consolidated its intergovernmental profile and its role in the EU accession process of non-EU AII Countries. It plays an intergovernmental anchor role in the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region, which has translated into its crucial contribution in drafting the Strategy itself and in its adoption by the European Council on 24 October 2014, under the Italian 6-month rotating presidency of the EU Council. Promoted by Italy ever since 2010, the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region unites 8 Participating Countries (4 EU: Italy, Slovenia, Greece and Croatia; and 4 non-EU: Albania, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro), which are the same members of the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative (AII). The Strategy has a strong political significance for the Countries involved and for the very EU: although it does not envisage dedicated funds or additional agencies, it aims to systematize available resources (at European, national and regional level) by giving impulse to both the European integration process of the Balkan Countries (by fostering cooperation on converging policies) and to make better use of EU and national funds. The Strategys priority sectors are four: fishing and the blue economy, infrastructure and energy, the environment, appealability (tourism and culture). The Strategy is in the implementation phase and is characterised by an articulate and complex governance system. Italy is strongly committed to identifying a number of priority projects (in particular in the energy and transport sector) and in seeking the funds needed to implement them. In addition to a number of meetings and events that will end with the Ministerial Meeting in Catania on 24-25 May, the Italian Presidency of the AII and of the EUSAIR has on its agenda: enhancing the ownership of EUSAIR participating states, strengthening the strategic interconnectivity sector, enhancing dialogue and the possible harmonisation of EUSAIR with other national and European territorial cohesion programmes through EU structural funds, improving the Strategys governance system and focusing attention on managing the migration phenomenon. The Strategy benefits from the over decade-long experience in the Adriatic and Ionian intergovernmental Initiative, which is already capable of creating strong ties between participating countries as well as regional spin-offs through cooperation between cities, chambers of commerce and universities. In addition to developing specific projects for different areas of cooperation (tourism, the environment, education, culture), the AII is a reference point for civil society organizations operating in the Adriatic and Ionian region. In this context, it coordinates with local authorities and with Adriatic-Ionian networks and fora (Forum of the Chambers of Commerce; Forum of Cities; UniAdrion-University Network). More information on the AII is available at the following link: www.aii-ps.org More information on the EUSAIR is available at the following link: http://www.adriatic-ionian.eu/ Written by ACM *Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- Even the after-vote "Exit Polls" had not really predicted the Bigger than expected Electoral Win of Cyprus' President Nicos Anastasiades (the Experienced Leader of Center-Right, ChristianDemocrat/EPP DHSY Party) for a New Period on 2018-2023, versus his main Competitor, Genetician Technocrat Stavros Malas (backed by the Leftist AKEL Party), with 56 % against 44 % of valid Votes : I.e. with an Advance of + 12 %, (the Double of the 1st Round : +6%), and on the Upper limits even of this 2nd Round's "Exit Polls", (while Malas droped down to their Lower limits). The obvious Question is how Anastasiades succeeded to do so, even wihOut any Backing by anOther Political Party, i.e. withOut any Bargaining and/or backstage Deal, for the 1st Time in History (as observers noted) ? Because all Other Parties had either left their Voters Free to Chose, without indicating Any Preference, Neither for Malas, nor for Anastasiades, (as both Left's Lillekas' "Alliance of Citizens" : 2,2% at the First Round, and Rightist Christou's ELAM : 5,7% ibid), or even explicitly Denied Support to Both Candidates qualified for the 2nd Round, (as Nicolas Papadopoulos' Centrist "DHKO", allied to MEP Theocharous "Solidarity", Perdikis' "Greens" and Sizopoulos' "EDEK", with almost 26% at the First Round). So that Both Malas and Anastasiades, apparently had to count only with their Own Forces for this 2nd Round of the 2018 Presidential Election, (Contrary to a "de facto" Tradition of Aliiances involving the Political Parties' top officers). ----------------------- Even if Participation became +2% Higher in this Second Round than in the First (circa 74% instead of 72%), nevertheless, Invalid/Blank Bulletins appoached almost 6% of the Casted Votes. I.e. about 30% of the Registered Voters chose to Abstain or cast a Blank/Invalid bulletin : Almost Equal to Leftist Competitor Malas' percentage in terms of Registered Voters (also 30%) ! So that a great part of 166.000 Citizens might, eventually, be claimed by Centrist Dissidents (around Nicolas Papadopoulos' DHKO Party), who had Denied Support to Any among the 2 Candidates Qualified for this 2nd Rounf, as a kind of Symbolic "3rd Pole", (which, in fact, might almost Equal Leftist Malas' "2nd Pole").... ------------------ But, on the Contrary, President Anastasiades holds even there a clear Lead of + 9% More Valid Votes, among Registered Voters (with a 39% percentage, and about 215.300 valid Votes, i.e. +46.040 More than Leftist Malas). And he Won +20,5% More valid Votes in this Final Round, than what he had Already Won previously at the First Round, (while Malas' grew only +13%). + In Addition, the most Surprizing New Fact is that, while Back on 2013, Anastasiades had already Won against Malas with Similar Percentages, but Thanks to an Alliance with the Centrists of "DHKO", Nowadays, on 2018, he Succeeded to get almost the Same Winning Electoral Result, but withOut Any Other Party's backing (Comp. Supra)... => That's naturally one of the main reasons for which, President Anastasiades Confirmed, just After being re-Elected, his earlier expressed Will to Govern with a "Wider Cooperation" in Cyprus' Society, (but without yet explicitly revealing his precise intentions in this regard, which are expected to surface during the Forthcoming formation of a New Government asap). Experts noted ToNight that More Voters came towards Anastasiades in the 2nd Round, Both from the Centrist "DHKO" Party and from the Rightists' "ELAM", but also from almost "Everywhere"... ------------------------ However, a kind of Mystery still remains about What did really Happen, and Why ? The Reply to such a Question is obviously Important also for the Final Determination of the Concrete Way and Direction in which Cyprus' New Government will be soon Forged, and at least some among its Key Policies will be concretely Shaped. >>> Certain Surprizing, Last-Minute Moves, UnExpectedly made almost at the Eve of this crucial Electoral Day, (which were noted, but not yet sufficiently explored, by some observers), may Hold the main Key, able to explain this apparent paradox : A Questionaire on various Topical Issues, send to Both Candidates by "ELAM"'s Rightists (almost 6% at the First Round), got a Brief Letter of Reply by Anastasiades, (who Simply send them a Copy of his Electoral Program), but Nothing from Malas. This made them React by clearly noting that they had "Basic Disagreements" vis a vis Anastasiades, while also Accusing Malas to behave as in the "Soviet" era of the Past against Dissidents, with "Fascist" refusals. In conclusion they left their Voters Free to Decide what to do, withOut giving Any explicit Preference to Anyone among the remaining 2 Candidates. The point is that the above-mentioned "Questionaire" included also Queries about whether anyone among the 2 Top Candidates might, eventually, plan to Authorize "Adoptions" of Children by Homosexuals, or "Identity Cards" with mention of Homosexual tendencies, even for UnderAge Children, and other such Topical BioEthical Issues, which have notoriously Shaken the Political Debate some Years ago, both in Europe (f.ex., France, UK, Netherlands, "Visegrad" Countries, Romania, Slovenia, etc), as well as in the USA, but also Africa, etc. Together with the notorious Controversy about "Same Sex Mariage", etc., all this obviously Risks to create Thousands of captive Clients for a wide use of Artificial Reproduction Technologies, given Homosexuals' Sterility, that some Technocratic Lobbies attempt to Exploit in order to obtain a Control over Human Births, (normally Not Needed by Natural Reproduction among Traditional Heterosexual Couples of a Man and a Woman), which may provoke Serious Risks for Humankind, particularly after the New Bio-Technologies of "Gene-Editing", (such as "CRISPR/Cas9", etc), can Manipulate the Human Genome with obvious Dangers of Abuse. However, Leftist "AKEL"s Candidate Malas' Electoral Program (that he Abstained from Sending to "ELAM", Contrary to what Anastasiades did with his own Program : Comp. Supra), contained, indeed, various Mentions related to the above-mentioned BioEthical Issues : - F.ex., a whole Heading explicitly Dedicated to "Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Trans-Gender, Intersex : LGBTI", for whom Dr. Malas (who is a Genetician Technocrat himself), promised to take several undetermined "Measures ...in All Areas of Life" (sic), in order to "Fight (any) Discriminations against LGBTI". This stood side by side with a promise to Reform and "Modernize the Law on Family", (i.e. es if it implied the Legalisation of controversial and unpopular "Same Sex Mariage", "Adoptions" of Children by Homosexual couples, perhaps even the Atrocity of "Surrogate Mothers", etc). And Malas' Program went on, there, to Add also a "Right for Legal Recognition of Gender Identity" (sic !), without saying if it included, or not, even UnderAge Children (Comp. Supra), as well as what he curiously called "Principle of Gender Equality" (Not just between Men and Women), etc... + Coming from a Genetician Technocrat as Dr. Malas, (who has used all his life on Bio-Technologies, both in Studies at the UK, Work in Cyprus' "Nevrology and Genetics" Institute, EU Commission's Expert on BioTechnologies in the Past, Consultant for Financial Investments in that sector, etc), all this, obviously, could not be totally unrelated with the above-mentioned Risks about Artificial Technologies for Human Reproduction, (Comp. Supra). Particularly when Dr. Malas' brief appointment as Minister of Health in Cyprus by controversial and unpopular former President Dimitri Kristophias from the Leftist "AKEL", (against whom many Thousands of People had notoriously staged systematic Mass Demonstrations of Protest, asking his Resignation and/or Impeachment, after a Deadly and Destructive Explosion of a confiscated Cargo destinated to Syria, Controversial Dealings with Turkey on Cyprus' Issue under UN auspices at Geneva on July 2011, a sudden Collapse of the island's Economy, various incidents against Press Freedom, Cronyism, etc.: See, f.ex.: ...), had come, in the Past, only one Year after the notorious pro-"Cloning" Genetician Panos Zavos (a US Technocrat also originating from Cyprus !) had Shocked the European and International Public Opinion by claiming, back on 2009, that he had managed to already "Clone 11 Human Embryos" and transplant most of them to certain "Surrogate" Women's womb somewhere around the Middle East... Something which made the American Professor of BioEthics at the University of Pennsylvania,, Arthur Caplan, in an official testimony to US Congress, to Denounce Dr. Panos Zavos as "the most Dangerous, of the current fringe proponents of Cloning", that Gemany-based Professor Spyros Simites, (brother of former Prime Minister Costas Simites of Greece), has Criticized as a Technologic "Barbarism", as "Wikipedia" reminds. Dr. Panos Zavos, (who has also a Brother in Cyprus Recently making some Exceptionally Huge and Ambitious Investments on Real Estate related to Foreign Networks, which were destinated to Start moving After the Presidential Elections), apparently has Focused, Nowadays, much more on Technologies of Artificial Procreation of Human Beings, (including IFV and/or Sperms for "Surrogate Mothers" even in India, etc.) as his own Website indicates, i.e. came even Closer to some well-known "Hot" and Topical BioEthical Controversies in several key Countries, (including, f.ex. France, etc), as well as Fellow and Compatriot Genetician Dr. Malas' probable areas of interest, at his "Nevrology and Genetics" Institute (where he's working from 2003 until now : 2018), so that the above-mentioned Electoral Program controversies could not be ignored and should be examined seriously, particularly when a Crucial Choice had to be made by the People about all the Future Policies of an EU Member Country so Strategically located and Networked as Cyprus... => Immediately after that row on the above-mentioned Questionaire and Dr. Melas' Program about "Hot" BioEthical Issues, (Comp. Supra), suddenly, Suddenly, the ArchBishop of Cyprus, rushed at President Anastasiades' Office and declared to all Medias that the Country's Christian Church had collectively Decided to Support him in the 2nd Round of this 2018 Election ! That UnExpected, last-minute Move was certainly Important for the Election, because ArchBishop Chrysostomos B' is also Personally well known for his traditional Sympathy and Links particularly with the Sociopolitical area related to the Centrist Party of "DHKO", already from the times of the Historic former President of Cyprus, Tassos Papadopoulos, Father of the current Centrist Leader Nicolas. So that, inevitably, this development would have Interessed many among the Voters of that "3rd Pole" which had scored 26 % at the First Round of the Election, (Comp. Supra). And, given the above-mentioned Facts, a main Reason for such a Last-Minute move by the ArchBishop of Cyprus, (who has, Traditionally, a quite large influence in the Society, given the particular History of the Country, which had gained its Independence back in the 1960ies with 1st President Mgr. Makarios, one of the Historic Leaders of the initial "Non Aligned" Movement at an International Level), was, most probably, if not certainly, Related to the cited "Hot" BioEthical Issues, which suddenly came at the Lime-Light of the Actuality in an unexpected manner. ---------------------------- + This was made even more clear, when, all out of a sudden, it's also anOther UnExpected Event, which broke out at the Last-Minute before this Election, in what seems to be a kind of "Chain-Reactions" apparently provoked mainly by the Same BioEthical Controversies : - EU Parliament's MEP Pitsillides, (to whom Anastasiades' Center-Right, EPP Party of "DHSY" had curiously attributed a very confortable Seat in Strasbourg's European Organisation some Years ago), decides to ...Resign from that Party, (while, however, still Sticking to that MEP's Seat that it gave him..), and Runs Fast to ... Leftist "AKEL"'s Candidate Dr. Malas' Electoral Headquarters, in order to proclaim, in front of the Mass Medias his Sudden Conversion in Favor of the Genetician's Presidential bid ! What For ? And why Now ? Nothing known could rationally and seriously Explain such a Move, except only of one Fact : - Indeed, Mr. Pitsillides has been notoriously accused in the Past for allegedly "Examining whether Saints Sergios and Bakhos were Homosexuals" (sic !), and even ... officially "ExCommunicated" by the Church of Cyprus on 2015, (a very Exceptional, Rare Measure), after a series of Questions, raised by a Committee of 5 Bishops and Metropolitan Priests, which included his Public Statements and controversial Propaganda also about ... "Human Embryos", "Marriage", and "Homosexuals"... I.e., once again, matters obviously related to the above-mentioned "Hot" and Topical BioEthical Issues, which are the Only Key Facts omni-Present and Linking together all that Series of UnExpected, Last-Minute Events which concern the otherwise Surprising Results of this 2018 Presidential Election (Comp. Supra). -------------------------------- Traditionally, Cyprus was Already marked at the PanEuropean level of the CoE, in Strasbourg, by being the only Country which immediately and openly Supported ... Germany's strong Criticism against certain Troubling Shortcomings and Lacunas in the Draft of the Convention on Human Rights and Bio-Medicine (the World Famous "Oviedo" Convention), particularly on the Protection of "Human Embryos", the scope of Interdiction of Genetic Manipulations on the "Germ-Line", the "Consent" of Persons hindered to freely, knowingly and consciously Speak for themselves, (as Children, some Elders, Prisoners, Wounded People), etc., as "Eurofora"s co-Founder already witnessed as Early as Back on 1997 in the CoE : I.e. from the era of Historic Christian-Democrat/EPP Leaders such as Helmut Kohl in Germany, and Glafcos Clerides in Cyprus, (who have Both Worked closely together with Chancelor Angie Merkel and President Anstasiades, respectively, as well as cooperated even with "Eurofora"s co-Founder several times : Comp. Kohl's and Clerides' various Statements that they gave us, most if which were Published particularly at "TCWeekly" and/or "MPA" Agency then). A Huge Picture of Clerides was, by the way, Topically Brandished by enthousiast People also this very Evening in Cyprus, right in front of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP "DHSY" Party's Headquarters, where President Anastasiades made his First Statements just afte his Victory, (See relevant Photo). +Moreover, also the current, Twice Elected (as Clerides), Cyprus' President Nicos Anastasiades himself, speaking to "Eurofora", already as early as since the Eve of his 1st Election of 2013, back on December 2012 at the ChristianDemocrats/EPP's Heads of State/Government Summit in Brussels, had a crystal-clear opportunity to express his Personal Interest for basic BioEthical Principles and Values, as he told us then, (See relevant Photo from that event, attached herewith). --------------------- But, Today, a Big Positive Difference between Clerides and his long-time closest collaborator Anastasiades, is that Glafcos, after a Strong 1st term as President between 1993-1998, on the Contrary, was later obliged, during his 2nd term of 1998-2003, to make some Controversial Coalitions with certain Political Parties, (even of the Center-Left : as, f.ex., one whose remnants now backed ... Malas !), which, apparently, did Not let him a sufficient Liberty to Decide Energetically in all fields, as he initially had been able to do during his 1st Mandate. On the Contrary, the current President Nicos Anastasiades has succeeded, Today, to be brillantly re-Elected withOut being previously Obliged to make Any controversial Concession to Any Other Political Party, (Comp. Supra), but Standing clearly Autonomous, based on the good electoral results of his own, ChristianDemocrat/EPP "DHSY" Party. However, President Anastasiades clearly appeared Conscious also of the Fact that the +20% of More valid Votes at the 2nd Round, than what he had initially got at the 1st, was largely due also to various Influx of Voters from almost "Everywhere" else (Comp. Supra), and particularly from the Centrist "DHKO", the Rightist "ELAM", but also among former Abstentionists, "Solidarity", "Citizens' Alliance", etc. Therefore, even in the Absence of an Otherwise necessary Coalition at the Top of Political Parties, Anastasiades clearly Understood that it's now Appropriate to Find some adequate Solution for a "Wider Cooperation" and acceptance also from certain Other Key Parts of the Society. He Symbolically repeated that Key point, not only at a 1st Statement in his DHSY Party's Headquarters, Earlier this Evening, but also Afterwards, at the Stadium "Liberty - Tassos Papadopoulos", (named after the Father of nowadays' Centrist Leader of "DHKO" Party, Nicolas Papadopoulos, from which reportedly came several Votes towards Anastasiades on the 2nd Round : Comp. Supra), where he also Added mentions including "Religious"-minded People, etc. A main Key point in his 2018 Victory being the some "Hot" and Topical "Bio-Ethical" Issues, also debated Nowadays in various Other Countries across Europe and he whole World, as we found according to the Facts cited above, (Comp. Supra), this gives a Natural new Lead on some Horizons towards which President Anastasiades might Direct his forthcoming Search of a "Wider Cooperation" with the Society. In fact, such "BioEthical" Issues have become, in Today's 2018 Election, almost as Important as the "Citizens"' issues were in the Past during Anastasiades' First Election, back on 2013, (See "Eurofora"s analysis on that point f.ex. at: ... + http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/cypruselectionboostsconservativesnewpartiesandcitizens.html, etc). Moves in that Direction may be Facilitated by the Parallel Fact that even USA has Recently re-Started to Change its Policies on several such "BioEthical" Issues, f.ex. by Dropping former President Barack Hussein Obama's controversial "Push" which sought to Oblige European and even ... African poor Countries, to Import, nonens-volens, his UnPopular "Same Sex Marriage" recipes extended to "Adoptions" of Children by Homosexuals, Artificial Procreation Techniques, "Surrogate Mothers", etc, "Gender" Theories, Genetic Manipulations on Human Embryos' practices (Opposed Earlier by former Conservative US President GSBush), etc. Indeed, New US President Don Trump, doesn't seek, no more, Today, to ever oblige any other Country to accept such controversial practices, Contrary to what Obama used to do, (and he even said that he searches to find ways to eventually Reverse at least some among the most Controversial such Anti-BioEthical measures of Obama, as also Most Other former Candidates of the Conservative GOP Party had Vowed to do, already since the Primaries Elections of 2015-2016). And even from a purely Economic and Scientific point of view, "Bio-Ethics", if adequately used, can also Help to Boost the Development of Economy, New Technologies and Science : F.ex., even a Key EU Commission's Expert on the Funding of ST-Research had earlier agreed with "Eurofora", on the sidelines of a relevant Conference at the CoE in Strasbourg, that a well-known and Basic "BioEthical" rule as that of the "Principle of PreCaution", could Stimulate a lot of Scientific Research and/or the Development of New Technologies, inter alia, also by Urging to Seek and Make Sure about the Middle-Long term possible (positive, Risky or Negative) Effects of one or another Measure, and/or how to Invent Efficient Ways to Protect People's Lives and Health from any eventual such risk in the Future, (etc). This leads Not towards Less, but towards More Science ! + Moreover, in this regard, it's certainly Not for Nothing that the New US Administration under Conservative President Don Trump has Recently presented, on 2017, a whole "Strategy" and a corresponding Budget, seeking to Face the Challenge not only of "Bio-Warfare", but also of eventual "Bio-Terrorism", as well as of possible "Abuse" of Modern Bio-Technologies by some Actors, either on Purpose or by gross Negligence, in order to Protect the Safety both of Nations and People, as well as Humanity at large, from such possible Risks, (Comp. relevant "Eurofora"s NewsReport at: http://www.eurofora.net/brief/brief/trumpagainstbiotechabuse.html, etc). ++ And the recent EU's Agreement, among 25 Member Countries, including Cyprus, to Start Funding various Technological Innovations and/or Scientific Research also on Security and Defense Policy, (which was recently Celebrated with a special Event at EU Heads of State/Government's Summit last December 2017 in Brussels : See "Eurofora"s NewsReport from the spot at ... + ... etc), notoriously includes also several "Medical" matters. In this regard, wouldn't it be, f.ex., both Useful and Necessary for Europe to Fund Scientific/Technological Research on how to Protect Human Embryos from Hostile Attempts to impose them some Genetic Manipulations, and/or to Safeguard People (naturally including Soldiers) from various contemporary possible Attempts to eventually Manipulate their Brain, Conscience, and/or Body's functioning and Health ? The Fact that a Majority of People in Cyprus apparently became Aware and strove to Act, even at the Last Minute before Today's crucial Vote, against possible Risks to impose them some Technocratic Geneticians' Lobbies' shady Interests, via Controversial and UnPopular Measures against basic BioEthical Principles and Values (Comp. Supra), naturally adds a Good Point both on Democracy and on Safety. + Symbolically, by a Timely "Coincidence" or on purpose, for the 1st Time in the History of the Country's Elections, it's even a ...Traditional Marriage of a Natural Couple between a Man and a Woman, which spectacularly evolved through an Electoral Office, where the Bride and the Groom, dressed in Classic White long robe and Black costume, walked in, facing Press Photographers, in order to cast their votes, before going to a nearby Church, (as a relevant Photo shows)! Hopefully, they won't need any Genetician Technocrats in order to make their own Healthy Baby, later-on, by Natural Birth... (../..) ----------------------------------------------- A San Antonio federal grand jury has indicted a local man on charges that he defrauded Apache Corp. and Lone Star Bank in a scheme that caused the oil and gas exploration company to pay for the same work invoices multiple times. James Clyde Mann, 42, was charged in a 23-count indictment with bank fraud, mail fraud and wire fraud last month. He turned himself in Friday and, after his initial hearing, the charges were made public. Mann was released on a $50,000 unsecured bond and is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 15. His lawyer, John Convery, said Monday that his client didnt intend to defraud anybody. The charges stem from business relations. Work was certainly done and completed, Convery said. The issue is whether there was overbilling or multiple billing. We dont believe that he engaged in criminal conduct. Apache vice president Castlen Kennedy said in an email it is grateful for the efforts of the U.S. Attorneys office and the FBI. As evidenced with Mr. Mann, Apache will seek all legal redress available to it when it has been defrauded, including cooperating with the prosecuting authorities, Kennedy said. The indictment alleges that Mann, who worked for now-defunct Stag Energy Services, defrauded Houston-based Apache and Lone Star by submitting duplicate work tickets for the same services. That resulted in Stag getting paid twice, and even three times, for the same work, according to the indictment. Lone Star had entered into various agreements to ultimately purchase up to $2.5 million of Stags receivables for their face amount, less an approximately 2.5 percent service charge. Mann would submit the receivables to Lone Star and then the bank would transfer the amount, minus the roughly 2.5 percent, to Stags checking account, in anticipation of receiving the full amount from the invoiced businesses, the indictment said. Apache, though, began to realize around early 2014 that some of Manns submitted work tickets were duplicates of tickets it had already paid for, the indictment adds. Further investigation by Apache auditors led it to arrive at Stag unannounced to conduct an audit of the Apache accounts. Apache and Stag employees discovered that Mann had been defrauding Apache and Lone Star by resubmitting duplicate field tickets for payment, according to the indictment. Stag employees confronted Mann with their discovery in March 2014. The alleged scheme lasted about a year, according to the indictment. The following month, Apache sued Mann and Stag in Bexar County District Court alleging the company was the victim of a massive fraud. It accused the defendants of stealing more than $1 million. Last month, Apache obtained a default judgment against Mann after he failed to appear for the civil case. Judge Antonia Arteaga ruled Apache should recover about $746,000 for fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud, along with about $254,000 in punitive damages and prejudgment interest of about $102 a day since April 30, 2014. Manns lawyer at the time said Apaches complaints boiled down to a billing dispute. They drafted (the lawsuit) like its something out of a Grisham novel, said the lawyer, who no longer represents Mann. Were pretty confident that when all the dust settles at the end, James is going to be vindicated. Mann and Stag separately filed for Chapter 7 liquidation in July 2014, a month after Apache sued them. Manns bankruptcy was closed the following year after the trustee determined there was no property to distribute. Lone Star Bank of Moulton was consolidated with two other banks in 2015 and is now known as SouthStar Bank. pdanner@express-news.net | gcontreras@express-news.net The governments star witness in state Sen. Carlos Urestis criminal fraud trial finished testifying Monday, with the lawmakers lead lawyer trying to dissect her testimony to show jurors that it doesnt square with what happened. Attorney Michael McCrum challenged Denise Cantus earlier testimony that the lawmaker initiated a sexual relationship with her by commenting that she looked sexy while the two were in an elevator in San Antonio for a deposition she gave in late 2011. McCrum produced documentation that the deposition actually took place in a one-story building in Brownsville. I wasnt all there at that time, Cantu said. I was going through a lot. The deposition related to a civil lawsuit that she had filed over the deaths of her two young children in a vehicle wreck in 2010. Asked by McCrum if FBI agents took her to point out the building or elevator where she gave the deposition, Cantu said, No, sir. Uresti is charged with 11 felonies, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering, over his involvement in FourWinds Logistics. Uresti served as FourWinds legal counsel, was a 1 percent owner and recruited investors. The San Antonio company, which bought and sold sand used in hydraulic fracturing for oil production, went bankrupt in 2015 amid investors allegations that they had been defrauded. Gary Cain, Urestis co-defendant and a FourWinds consultant, was indicted on nine felony charges. Both have denied the charges against them. Four FourWinds officials already have pleaded guilty, including CEO Stan Bates. He pleaded guilty to eight felonies rather than stand trial with Uresti and Cain. He was accused of misspending investors money. Uresti was part of the legal team that helped Cantu obtain a large legal settlement over her two childrens deaths. Uresti, a San Antonio Democrat, later recommended that Cantu invest some of the settlement proceeds with FourWinds. She lost about $800,000 of her $900,000 and has sued Uresti for fraud. Regarding Cantus earlier testimony that Uresti instructed her not to cooperate with the FBIs investigation, McCrum asked Cantu if she had told that to investigators during any of the three occasions she met with them. She just said no. McCrum also questioned Cantus testimony that she was paid profits from the same money she had invested with FourWinds. McCrum displayed Chase Bank statements and spreadsheets from FourWinds that showed money that was wired to her out of the companys own account rather than from the account set up for her investment. The FourWinds bank statements listed a couple of different payments to Cantu in the last quarter of 2014. Thats correct, but there was no more money in my account at that time, Cantu responded. An IRS investigator testified last week that none of Cantus money went to buy sand. Questioning Cantu after cross-examination, lead prosecutor Joseph Blackwell showed a $28,000 transfer from her FourWinds joint ventures bank account to her personal account at Lone Star National Bank to support her suspicion that she had been paid with her own money. Blackwell had Cantu read a May 16, 2014, text that Uresti sent her to back her testimony that the two were intimate. Love you, she said, quoting the text. McCrum later implied that the text was part of a spiritual message sent to multiple people, including Cantu, pointing out for jurors that the text went to other phone numbers that Cantu didnt recognize. Attorney Oscar R. Alvarez, who represents Cantu in her lawsuit against Uresti, said he was pleased with her testimony. I think shes spoken the truth as she sees it, Alvarez said. Im eager to see the defenses evidence. Uresti collected a $27,000 commission and stood to get a cut of the profits in Cantus investment with FourWinds. Cantu has testified that she didnt know that Uresti stood to profit off the deal she entered into with FourWinds. Prosecutors say Uresti, under financial strain, groomed Cantu before defrauding her gaining her trust over time, seducing her and persuading her to invest with FourWinds. Uresti has denied having a sexual relationship with Cantu. Charles Chad Muller, who represents Cain, sought to show jurors that his client informed Cantu about troubles with the business after oil prices plunged in late 2014. If the company does not sell sand and control the inventory it has on hand all will be lost, Cain texted Cantu on March 31, 2015. The company does not have the money to repay investors without sales. The only choices I see is to either sell the sand, get new financing or deliver the sand to the investors, Cain added. We are doing our best but we cannot control the oil industry. Cantu took the witness stand Thursday and was the lone witness on both Friday and Monday. Urestis wife, Lleanna, attended Mondays proceedings after missing Cantus testimony last week. Lleanna Uresti sat behind her husband. Cantu is the 22nd and penultimate witness in the prosecutions case. FBI agent Monroe Giese is expected to be the last witness called by prosecutors. Urestis defense team has about 15 witnesses who may testify on his behalf. No decision has been made on whether Uresti will testify, McCrum said Friday. McCrum tentatively expects to call as his first witness Raymundo Valdez, a McAllen lawyer who briefly represented Cantu in a lawsuit against FourWinds and Bates in May 2015. Uresti referred Cantu to Valdez. The suit later stalled after FourWinds and Bates each entered bankruptcy. Uresti is fighting for his political career, his livelihood as a lawyer and his freedom. He faces the potential of years in prison and millions of dollars in penalties if convicted by a federal jury. pdanner@express-news.net | gcontreras@express-news.net One of Mexicos NAFTA negotiators said a years worth of lobbying to preserve key parts of the $1.2 trillion trade pact is starting to pay off as the countries make some of their first headway after months of talks. Just in the past few weeks, theres been high-level pressure on President Donald Trump not to throw out provisions that have benefited U.S. companies, especially in the agriculture and automobile manufacturing sectors whose supply chains have become intertwined with Mexico and Canada. The sixth round of negotiations wrapped up last week in Montreal and reportedly had the most forward momentum yet. In the past year, the pro-NAFTA Mexican private sector has met with 27 U.S. governors, had some 190 meetings with the U.S. private sector, 40 meetings with the Trump administration, and more than 80 meetings with U.S. senators and members of the House of Representatives, Moises Kalach, a Mexican industrialist who has now led private sector negotiations through six rounds of talks, told the Express-News in an interview in San Antonio last week. During his campaign, Trump slammed the North American Free Trade Agreement as the worst trade deal ever, but Mexicos business sector knew it didnt want to lose a deal that has dramatically increased agricultural and manufacturing exports. In the 24 years since NAFTA took effect, trade between the U.S., Mexico and Canada has more than quadrupled. So some 15 months ago, the election of President Donald Trump and his threat to pull the U.S. out of NAFTA had Mexicos private sector scrambling. The good news was every sector of Mexican business lobbies under the Consejo Coordinador Empresarial, an umbrella organization of chambers of commerce and other trade groups. So by the time of Trumps inauguration, there was a plan to lobby directly in the U.S. for an updated and not abandoned NAFTA, by meeting with agricultural groups, automobile manufacturers, cross-border bankers, politicians and others who have a stake in keeping duty-free trade between the U.S., Canada and Mexico. That has really changed the political scene, he said Thursday before giving a NAFTA update to the Association of Mexican Entrepreneurs at the Hyatt Regency. Governor Abbotts letter was an example of that. So after a year of work, finally that letter came out. Abbotts Jan. 25 letter to the Trump administration stressing NAFTAs benefits to Texas was followed by one signed by 36 U.S. senators that was sent hours before Trumps first State of the Union. U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, R- The Woodlands, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, on Jan. 24 told the newly launched Trade For America group that trade agreements such as NAFTA were contributing, no doubt, to the economic momentum thats building in our economy right now It is creating jobs and stimulating investment in communities across the country, Brady said. Kalach added that the U.S. agricultural sector, to include groups like the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Pork Producers Council, has been very aggressive in supporting NAFTA. I like the new one, by the way, he said. Not only Farmers for NAFTA, but also the one that says, No NAFTA, no re-election. The primary goal for the Mexican sector is keeping a three-nation NAFTA, but just like for the U.S. and Canada there were things Mexico wasnt about to budge on. Two key issues that some U.S. farmers and activists have pushed for from Mexico are nonstarters, he said. The country has given a flat-out No to the idea of changing pricing on its produce when U.S. crops are in season and wage hikes for Mexican workers isnt on the table, Kalach said. We gave an answer to seasonality, just a plain, No, he said. So its very straightforward, this is not going to go anywhere. First of all, its against (World Trade Organization) rules, he said. But its also something that is just unacceptable for Mexico, given that we are now one of the main exporters of foods to the U.S. And weve been very successful with those products, and by the way the U.S. consumer really likes our Mexican produce. The other nonstarter is any push to use NAFTA to raise wages in Mexico, he said. U.S. companies that have moved operations to Mexico have done so largely to take advantage of a dramatically cheaper labor force. We all know that the same as other products salary has to be part of demand and supply, Kalach said. Second, I would say that no (Free Trade Agreement) or not any commercial agreement has anything to do with salaries. They have to do with trade, not salaries. Kalach said that the word salary has not come up during any rounds of the negotiation. Mexico is a big country and it has its differences between the north and the south, and salaries have been coming up over the years, he said. The labor chapter has to do more with making sure we have the right labor standards and of course labor rights that our workers need, the right to have unions, the rights on working hours. We dont want any child labor, so we want those high standards too. Still another is a U.S. call for a sunset clause that would essentially force all three nations back to the table every five years to continue the pact. Mexico has proposed a business-type review that would allow for tweaks to the agreement, he said, but is not OK with the sudden death proposal. Kalach said the private sector was particularly proud of progress made on an anticorruption platform that would give U.S. companies more confidence about doing business in Mexico. Rule of law and (lack of) anticorruption laws are really one of the key issues that is holding back development in Mexico, he said. Sometimes its easier to change the country from the outside in. Overall, he said, there were at least a half dozen chapters ready to close on less controversial topics such as agriculture, telecommunications, trade facilitation, and sanitary and phytosanitary standards. In the end, theres the ministers that close the chapters, he said. So if Ambassador (Robert) Lighthizer or any of the other two ministers are not ready to push it over the finish line, they wont close. But technically, theyre basically ready. The brutal lynching of James Byrd Jr. has been chronicled in a movie and several popular songs in the 20 years since he was chained to a pickup and dragged to death by three white supremacists on a remote country road in Jasper. For aspiring playwright Jon-Marc McDonald, those old times of his youth in Southeast Texas are not forgotten. McDonald, a former Texas political operative raised in a deeply conservative Southern Baptist family, is staging a play in the New York Theater Festival this month recalling one of the most shocking hate crimes of modern U.S. history one that left permanent scars on a sleepy town of 7,600. The tragedy also coincided with McDonalds brief stint on the 1998 campaign of now U.S. Rep. Brian Babin, a conservative Republican then making an unsuccessful bid to represent the rugged patch of Gulf Coast between Houston and the Louisiana state line. Babins chances were not helped by McDonalds decision, made at age 21, to abruptly quit the campaign with a news release announcing that he was gay. Babin abhors homosexuality, McDonald wrote. I am a homosexual. Therefore, I can no longer work for someone who thinks that my sexuality is a disease, a sin and unnatural. Byrds murder and McDonalds resignation unquestionably shook small-town, rural East Texas in the summer of 1998. Both episodes come back to light in McDonalds play, Relatively Conscious. The common thread: fear and intolerance fatal in Byrds case spaced apart by two months and a few miles of country road. The memories are not happy for anyone involved, including Babin, now in his second term in Congress. He declined comment on the production other than to dispute, through a spokesman, pretty much the entirety of McDonalds account of the 1998 campaign against Democrat Jim Turner including the charge that Babin was virulently anti-gay. But the legacy of Byrds lynching is undisputed. Dragged semi-conscious along an asphalt road until a culvert severed his right arm and head, Byrd became a catalyst for Texas hate crimes law and, later, the federal Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which President Barack Obama signed into law in 2009. McDonalds play picks up the story in the aftermath of Byrds death, when the FBI, politicians, Jesse Jackson, Ku Klux Klan sympathizers, and the state and national media corps descended on Jasper. Residents suddenly were reeling in tragedy, suspicion and racial tension. Byrds murder and my resignation are what sparked the rage that gives this play its fire, said McDonald, now a 41-year-old writer, theater student and gay activist. The semi-autobiographical play, which runs Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday at the Hudson Guild Theater in New York, is set against the backdrop of the investigation into Byrds killers, who all faced either death or life in prison. By coincidence, the production is being mounted as one of the three men convicted in Byrds killing, John William King, is appealing his death sentence before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Another participant, Lawrence Russell Brewer, was executed in 2011. The third man, Shawn Berry, is serving life in prison. Newton County Sheriff Billy Rowles, portrayed by Jon Voight in the 2003 TV movie Jasper, Texas, said the town has learned to live with the continuing notoriety, however painful. Jasper got a big, old scar back in them days, said Rowles, who was the sheriff when Byrd was killed. Its healing; but its like any other scar. Its still there. You bump that old injury, and it flares up again. Combined with Kings appeal and the periodic anniversary remembrances the 20th anniversary comes June 7 the past doesnt seem to stay in the past. Were like everybody else, Rowles said. When you get hurt, you wish you could heal up and it would be totally gone forever. But unfortunately, this has been with us for 20 years. Hopefully, one day it will all be gone. But right now, its still a problem. The action in McDonalds play takes place in a fictitious diner in Jasper, where four disparate characters encounter each other by chance. One of them is based on McDonald, the ex-campaign manager making his way out of town after his dramatic outing and resignation. The real-life McDonald was on an epic journey, running not only from Jasper, but from his roots in Fort Worth, where he was raised as a conservative Southern Baptist. He was taught to love the sinner, but hate the sin the two chief sins being abortion and homosexuality. Those were the two main issues driving their thought process, McDonald said of his family, including his grandfather, the late James E. Coggin, a prominent Southern Baptist minister. In that social environment, McDonalds sexuality was clearly a problem, though he says he didnt see it at the time. Turning to alcohol, he dropped out of Baylor when he was 20. He knocked about several jobs in Washington, D.C., until his aunt, former congressional candidate Olivia Eudaly, recommended him for Babins campaign. At the time, McDonald still identified outwardly as a Republican Christian conservative. But inside, he had a secret. That conflict culminated in his break from Babin, whom he publicly accused of once having said that homosexuals should be shot. Babin denied the charge. But the two never spoke about McDonalds resignation, either before or after. In his only public remarks at the time, Babin called McDonalds departure a truly bizarre incident. He also was quoted as saying that it highlighted a major difference between him and Turner, his Democratic opponent. Turner, as a state senator, had voted to create a hate crimes law that includes protections for gays. Babin said he opposed the gay rights agenda. For McDonald, something about the Byrd killing stirred a feeling of menace at the time. That was heightened by a 3 a.m. telephone call he received one night on the campaign trail. We know who you are, said the caller, who remains anonymous to this day. Were going to out you. I was 21, and I freaked out, McDonald recalled. I sat on it for a day. The following day, I went to campaign headquarters. I was the only one there, and I issued a press release. Blast-faxed it out. At that time, we were faxing. I blast-faxed it out to the media without telling Babin. Then he left the campaign headquarters in Woodville, where Babin, a local dentist, had served as mayor and a city councilman. Intending to drive back to D.C., McDonald stopped at local gas station in Jasper, where he heard that the news of his resignation was already on the local radio. I was already a story, and I freaked out, McDonald said. Because all of a sudden it came to me. If they can drive a black man behind a truck in a place like this The top of my mind was what happened to Byrd. The next thought was, who was threatening to out him and why? Was he in physical danger? Former Congressman Steve Stockman, a Republican who represented the district until 2014 before his federal indictment on money laundering and fraud charges once characterized the region as staunchly pro-gun, pro-life and committed to smaller government. Politically, what is now the 36th Congressional District has always shown an aspect of rugged individualism, famously represented by political legends Good Time Charlie Wilson and Fighting Marine Jack Brooks. The district elected Babin to Congress on his third try in 2014. He briefly joined the conservative Freedom Caucus, before an internal dust-up over an unsuccessful GOP effort to repeal President Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act. Despite McDonalds differences with the conservative politics of East Texas, he says he has no desire to cast Jasper in a bad light. There are really good people there, he said. Texas, meanwhile, has tried to move on. A year after the lynching, lawmakers took up new hate crimes legislation using the testimony of Byrds family forcing them to relive their personal tragedy. Sometimes you have to go beyond your pain for what is best, Byrds sister, Louvon Byrd Harris, said last week. If you dont talk about it, young people growing up now will never know what happened in our generations time. They need to be aware so it stops. Even as the town has sought to heal, Harris said, her brothers grave has on occasion been vandalized and desecrated. Its still alive. It will never go away, said Booker T. Hunter, the longtime head of the Jasper branch of the NAACP. This community will never get over it. Byrds family went on to create the James Byrd Foundation for Racial Healing. The 10th anniversary of the murder was marked by a remembrance held in Jaspers newly renamed James Byrd Jr. Memorial Park. The family also took part in another tribute in 2008, organized by the San Francisco-based James Byrd Jr. Racism Oral History Project, which conducted 2,600 oral histories on racism in America. McDonalds play will take its place in a long list of cultural tributes to Byrd, including the Voight movie co-starring Louis Gossett Jr. A number of recording artists also have paid tribute, including Lori McKenna, Matthew Mayfield, Ross Durand and Houston rapper E.S.G. McDonald credits writer James Baldwin with helping him understand the root causes of intolerance, racial or otherwise. In 2016, he wrote a school paper titled, Relatively Conscious: The Enduring Rage of Baldwin and the Education of a White Southern Baptist Queer. The play followed. And the play calls out a lot of people, some of whom you wouldnt expect, he said. This play is going to be controversial, and I meant it to be. I want people walking out of the theater questioning everything, especially themselves. BOERNE Forget about SoHo in Manhattan; this Hill Country town has SoBo, the booming commercial district that flanks U.S. 87 south of town. The roughly 500-acre area is attracting promising new development, including a 120-room artisan boutique hotel that features a long-sought conference center. After all these many years and after all this discussion it will be here, Mayor Mike Schultz told attendees at a groundbreaking last week at the site. The $25 million Bevy hotel is forecast to boost the broader economy by drawing conventioneers and other guests Monday through Thursday, when hotel bookings and retail activity are typically slow. The hotel is among several new projects in SoBo, as the city has branded the zone bordered by Interstate 10 to the west and Texas 46 to the north and extending beyond U.S. 87 to the east. The city hired consultants in 2016 to assist in creating a common vision for SoBo, inviting property owners and developers to discuss working cooperatively, municipal records say. Before settling on SoBo, officials considered South Town as a moniker for the area that became more attractive to developers with the recent construction of a westbound frontage road on I-10, with local access, between U.S. 87 and Texas 46. The extension of Herff Road from Old San Antonio Road west across U.S. 87 to the hotel site also created new frontage sites for commercial development. Misty Mayo, president of the Boerne Kendall County Economic Development Corp., said agency recruitment efforts focus on high-tech, light manufacturing, health care and office projects that correlate with primary job creation. Already, there are new medical offices and brand-name retail outlets, and more is on the way. But the hotel is seen as a coup that has city leaders cheering. Its lead developer, Phoenix Hospitality Group, began planning for it in 2010 initially eyeing a downtown site to include sorely needed local meeting space large enough to lure conventions and other gatherings, said Ed McClure, company founder and CEO. That just didnt materialize, said McClure, who subsequently opened hotels in Live Oak and at Brooks City Base before reviving the Boerne project in 2015 with Ross Partlow and Tim Lange on a 4-acre parcel they owned beside I-10. The trio joined forces with Hilton on The Bevy, a DoubleTree Hotel designed by Cooper Carry architects. Its slated to open next year with a 7,200-square-foot conference center, a full-service restaurant, a bar, outdoor event spaces and wraparound porches, all with Hill Country styling, not to mention a swimming pool. Cast as a public-private endeavor, the city approved $4.75 million in incentives for the developers, and Kendall County commissioners followed suit by agreeing to rebate 75 percent of new county taxes paid on the site for a decade. County Judge Darrel Lux noted that the hotel partners reside locally and said, This venture isnt about a group coming into our community and trying to change the Hill Country. They are our neighbors, he said. They have an interest in keeping the flavor of Kendall County unique. County resident Sue Morris said shes excited about the new hotel, noting, It will bring conventions and other visitors to Boerne. She commented outside the former Boerne Civic Center, one of the towns larger meeting venues before it was repurposed last year into a YMCA. It had run a deficit of at least $220,000 for three straight years as a municipal events venue, officials say. Morris preferred the Ys old storefront location in SoBo, she said, over the new Adler Road site thats being leased for a nominal amount from the city. The YMCA project was hailed as a great urban renewal thing thats working out very well, by City Manager Ron Bowman. The civic center was old, it lacked amenities, it was too small, he noted. Kerrie Williams, another Y patron, said she favors its new location, which is closer to home. But she said shes not crazy about the new hotel. The city is overdeveloping, but they dont care because all they care about is the (tax) money, she said. Tax incentives are often key to bringing in large-scale new development, but city leaders say they dont have a take-all-comers approach. We have specific targets for recruitment that marry what the community is seeking, whether its retail convenience or medical services, with what the data is telling us about our community needs, the economic development corporations Mayo said. City tax incentives of up to $100,000, for example, were approved for a three-story office building, to include an ambulatory surgery center, thats now being constructed near the hotel site by Palomar Boerne, a partnership led by Dr. Ramiro Sonny Cavazos. I work with doctors who wanted to practice in Boerne and to be part of a project like one wed done before in San Antonio, Cavazos said last year. The project will fill a local void in services, Mayo said, noting, If youre going to have a day surgery now, youre going to have to leave Boerne for that. In other development, a ribbon-cutting was held last week on a new SoBo clinic opened by Northeast OB/GYN Associates beside the hotel site. It replaced a rented office. Mayo also helped convince James Avery Jewelry to build a retail outlet nearby on Bandera Road. It opened in November. They are a strong, well-respected brand, she said. Bowman, the city manager, said hed like to attract a large sporting goods store to help stop the bleed of sales tax revenues when locals shop at the Rim or other areas of San Antonio. Its the hope of Bowman and other city officials that the ad valorem and sales tax revenues generated in the growing commercial zone will relieve pressure on residential taxpayers, who now account for just over 70 percent of the citys tax base. Sightly less than 30 percent is commercial. But calls for slower development are a familiar refrain in this fast-growing city among those who see its small-town character and quality of life under threat. Youll find a certain segment of people here who are opposed to any growth, especially commercial, said Bob Vollmer, a resident since 1980. Personally, I think growth is natural and normal, but I fault the city for not controlling growth more aggressively. Bowman believes that the city is planning properly. Were never going to be like a Frisco, Texas, that explodes, he said, referring to the suburban community north of Dallas. Were going to grow gradually here. zeke@express-news.net Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 5) If President Rodrigo Duterte insists on suspending the Deputy Ombudsman by force without a Supreme Court ruling, it can become an impeachable offense, a constitutional expert said Monday. Atty. Christian Monsod explained that the 2014 Supreme Court ruling says the President holds no disciplinary action over the Deputy Ombudsman still stands and it will continue to be the law until the high court overturns the decision. "If the Ombudsman refuses to enforce it, then the ball is in the court of the government to go to the Supreme Court," Monsod, a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission, told CNN Philippines' The Source. When asked if the suspension order was impeachable, Monsod said yes, on account of "doing something that is contrary to law, and therefore a violation of his oath [as President]." Malacanang Palace on January 29 announced the suspension of Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Carandang, citing grave misconduct and dishonesty for confirming an allegation that Duterte has over P1 billion in his bank account. Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales refused to implement the suspension, citing the independence of her office. The clash sparked a debate on whether the President can exercise disciplinary action over the position. Those who sided with Malacanang argued the 2014 decision was itself a reversal of a 2012 ruling that allowed the President to make such suspensions. The Supreme Court reiterated the 2014 decision still stands and is "final, executory, and binding until it is set aside." Related: SC Spokesman: President has no disciplinary power over Deputy Ombudsman However, government officials continue to argue for the suspension. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Thursday that Carandang would have to seek and be granted a temporary restraining order for the suspension to be stopped. "If (Carandang) wants to go to court... let him. But we will not go to court, because our reading is the Office of the President has the power to discipline him," said Roque. Last year, Carandang said he received a report from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) that Duterte's bank account had over P1 billion, but the AMLC denied issuing any report. The Office of the Executive Secretary charged the Deputy Ombudsman with grave misconduct and grave dishonesty for misuse of confidential information and disclosing false information. This was in line with the complaint of Manuel Luna and Eligio Mallari filed in October 2017. "It's especially notable that the President in this case is not protecting a subordinate, but seems to be protecting himself," said Monsod. CNN Philippines Correspondent Ina Andolong and digital producer Chad de Guzman contributed to this story. Testimony enters its second week in the civil case against a prominent San Antonio funeral business owner and his wife in the 2015 disappearance of a young womans body from a casket at their Northwest Side facility. Robert Dick Tips, the owner of Mission Park Funeral Chapels and Cemeteries and his wife Kristin, who is president of the company, are being sued by the family of Julie Mott, 25, who died Aug. 8, 2015, of complications from cystic fibrosis. Her family had her embalmed so that she could be cremated, a sentiment she expressed before her death. After her funeral, the casket where she had been kept before being cremated was damaged, and her body was missing. Timothy and Sharlotte Mott have accused the couple of gross negligence and hiding the use of third-party contractors in mortuary services that customers believed were done by Mission Park. The trial began Tuesday with Mott attorneys alleging the Tipses did not hold true to the motto of their funeral business, which states they would maintain care, custody and control of their loved one, from start to finish. The argument is that Mission Park, which also does business as MPII Inc., for years has worked with Beyer & Beitel Mortuary Services. The San Antonio company would transport bodies for Mission Park to be prepared for burial or cremation, and their employees, in addition to those of Mission Park, had the keys, security codes and unrestricted access to all of the Mission Park funeral homes seven days a week, 24 hours a day. The couple dispute the assertions, and Dick Tips adamantly maintained last week on the witness stand that he considers Beyer & Beitel to be representatives of his company, described as a family business. Kristin Tips also took the stand last week. Her testimony that all Mission Park locations were searched following the disappearance, and on the use of third-party contractors directly contradicted previous testimony in sworn depositions before the trial began. Attorneys for the funeral home owners allege that the Mott family did not disclose that their daughters former boyfriend, Bill Wilburn, was physically and mentally abusive, and obsessed with Julie Mott and did not want for her to be cremated. They assert that he had motive for stealing Julie Motts body. Wilburn, who reportedly called Mission Park staff more than 200 times in one day in the weeks following the disappearance, was named early on as a person of interest in the case. He was issued a criminal trespass notice on Sept. 2, 2015, forbidding his entrance to Mission Park property. He was arrested after breaking the conditions of the trespass notice 10 months after the body disappeared. He is awaiting trial on that charge. San Antonio police have investigated several others in the disappearance of Julie Mott, but still have not made an arrest. Officials said last week that the case remains under investigation. The trial is being heard in the 131st Civil District Court, presided by Judge Norma Gonzales. It is expected to last two more weeks. ezavala@express-news.net | @elizabeth2863 Backers of a proposed bullet train to Dallas are having a rough ride through rural Texas but are expecting a warmer welcome in the Houston area. Two public hearings one in the Houston metro and the other in Madisonville are being held on the same night but are expected to highlight the divide over whether the state needs the project planned by Texas Central Partners. The Monday night hearings are being held so Federal Railroad Administration officials can finalize the environmental report on the project, expected to cost between $15 billion and $18 billion to build. Theyre part of a series of meetings that are being held along the proposed route. The Cypress meeting is in a more favorable part of the state than those held last week along the mostly rural portions of the proposed route. Like the Dallas region, local elected leaders and business groups largely back the plan, calling it necessary to handle travel between the two metro areas. In Madisonville, about 25 miles northwest of Huntsville, opposition is expected to be strong and near universal. Residents there want to hold on to their rural way of life, undisturbed by trains passing by at 200-mph atop berms and elevated tracks. Texas Central, in advance of the first federal meeting held in Dallas, announced its northern station would be on a vacant 60-acre plot south of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, on the southern side of downtown. A final decision on the exact location of a station in Houston has not been made, though the federal review largely has narrowed it to two sites: Northwest Mall and the Northwest Transit Center maintained by Metropolitan Transit Authority. Texas Central CEO Carlos Aguilar said in a statement it will generate economic activity, especially as Dallas competes to lure Amazons oft-discussed second headquarters. Its an amazing way to accelerate transit-oriented development that sets Texas apart from any other state and provides businesses with unparalleled access to workers, suppliers and other critical needs, Aguilar said. For the private project to move forward, it must receive approval from federal regulators, who released a draft environmental report last month saying there is sufficient demand for the line, though it will disturb hundreds of acres along its 240-mile path. About 8,000 acres of land is needed for the project, which backers say will be entirely privately funded, though the company may apply for federal loans to finance construction. Public comment on the project has been extended from Feb. 20 to March 9. Company officials and federal regulators said they expect hundreds, if not thousands, of comments for and against the proposal. If the two regions grow to 10 million each, as predicted by 2035, estimates of travel times on Interstate 45 expand to more than six hours, from around 3 hours today. Developing safe, dependable rail transportation system is in the best interest of the traveling public, said Michael Morris, transportation director for the North Texas Council of Governments, reading from the agencys official letter to federal officials during a meeting last week. This project will be a catalyst for economic development, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said last August, when he signed a memorandum with Texas Central to share planning information. Residents between Houston and Dallas do not share the enthusiasm. Few in Madisonville see benefits of a train that will stop in Houston and Dallas, with the only other station between College Station and Huntsville in Grimes County, especially when tickets will compare with airline prices. The average one-way ticket is $199. Who is going to pay $1,600 for a family of four, said Michelle Whitesides, a Madison County resident and critic of the proposal. Texas Central officials said tickets will be priced similar to airline prices, so sales and advance purchases could reduce costs. Officials expect a similarly cool reception to meetings scheduled for Tuesday in Waller and Navasota, where rural residents have voiced similar concerns to those in northern ranching and farming communities. Grimes County Judge Joe Fauth, a longtime opponent of the trains, encouraged rural residents to stick together. If you quit, it will happen, he told a crowd in Fairfield last week. If you fight, it will not. The League of United Latin American Citizens is no novice to internal strife. Some of its national elections have been nothing short of chaotic; and some of its leaders have shown too little embrace of recognized ethical standards. As noble as its history is, as lauded as LULAC has been for fighting discrimination and bias in the U.S. courtroom, as hardworking as its individual chapters are, with LULAC, theres always something. This time its national president Roger Rocha, who last week went rogue in contradicting one of the organizations central tenets by unilaterally sending a letter on LULAC stationery to the Trump White House in support of the presidents immigration plan. It was met with immediate, overwhelming, visceral opposition from the U.S. Latino community and seen as anti-Latino, anti-people of color and anti-American. It was no different within LULAC, the nations oldest, largest Latino civil rights organization. Opposition was clear and swift. Trumps plan offers to secure the futures of 1.8 million Dreamers, young people brought to the country illegally as children, which he put in jeopardy by ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. His plan also comes with a $25 billion border wall, heightened border militarization, cuts to legal immigration and family reunification and an end to diversity visas, which have brought people of color from underrepresented countries to the United States. In what can only be described as pandering to a Republican White House, perhaps for no other reason than self-interests, Rochas actions have been called unacceptable, disgraceful and an affront to the organizations mission. Rochas letter congratulated Trump for setting out a reasonable framework on immigration reform and border security. It thanked him for taking a lead on the issue. Rocha even told the president to stay engaged and that LULAC will do our part in making your vision a reality. LULACs members have called for his resignation or impeachment. Rocha issued an apology calling the letter the worst mistake of my life. But in a telephonic meeting Saturday of the national board, in which Rocha was asked to resign, he reportedly became entrenched. He brought his lawyer into the call. Rocha was given 24 hours to resign, a period that ended Sunday. The board also stripped Rocha of his duties, cut off his stipend and put the organizations reigns in the hands of its longtime executive director and CEO Brent Wilkes, who, in an unusual move, also wrote a letter stating his opposition to Rochas letter. Rocha reportedly ended the call after more than three hours, but at least a few state directors sided with him. For some, it made no difference. Rocha is already out. Were cleaning house, said Nancy Vera of Corpus Christi, a LULAC member. She called Rocha a persona non grata. Those with a long history in the organization suspect it may take more time and angst before it can remove Rocha. Theyre also clear in saying LULAC has Republican members and has had Republican national presidents. But all of them, regardless of their personal political party affiliation, are required to back the organizations agenda. Rochas letter was a breach. One longtime LULAC member called it arrogance. California State Director Dave Rodriguez said, We are not for sale. LULACs resolve on immigration is clear. It wants a stop to all deportations, excluding those of violent felons. It stands against the business of immigrant detention, calling for the repeal of the bed-detention quota language included annually in the Department of Homeland Security appropriation legislation. It stands against family detention, the criminalization of immigrants and border vigilantes. LULAC supports strong family reunification standards and fair and balanced immigration processes to take into account future flows of workers. And its resolve is clear in this short sentence. LULAC opposes any efforts to construct a border wall. eayala@express-news.net | Twitter: @ElaineAyala AUSTIN Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacquelyn Callanen has received hundreds of vote-by-mail applications that dont specify whether the voters want a Democratic or Republican primary ballot. Shell have to send them new applications, formally rejecting their primary-election applications and giving them a chance to try again. It means additional time and expense for her office and for others around Texas dealing with the same issue and potential confusion for voters who may not have noticed that there was a primary-election box to check off on their application. But the incomplete applications arent coming out of nowhere. They stem from a mail-in ballot push by Gov. Greg Abbotts campaign as the Republican incumbent works to drive up the margin of his expected victory in November. Abbotts campaign sent voters a number of mail-in ballot applications his spokesman wouldnt say how many that didnt have the primary-election box checked, as a partisan mailout typically would. That was by design, according to Abbotts campaign, which among its efforts is trying to attract voters who may not vote in the GOP primary in a non-presidential year but could be wooed for the general election. If voters dont check either the Republican or Democratic primary election, they still will be eligible for mail-in ballots for the Nov. 6 general election, assuming they meet other criteria. But thats not the end of it for local officials who oversee elections. They have to get a rejection letter because the only election were running right now is the primary. We have to send it to them and say, You didnt put a party on it, said Callanen. What we have to do is send them another application. Election supervisors cant assume that the voters want a GOP primary ballot just because the application form includes Abbotts campaign logo. Theres a good reason for that, as demonstrated by Callanens experience a handful of those who sent the Abbott-initiated applications filled in the primary box themselves and requested Democratic ballots. The Abbott campaigns mail-in ballot drive targets voters who are 65 and older, said campaign spokesman John Wittman. They are among those allowed to vote by mail. Our campaign is running the most aggressive primary and general election mail-in ballot application drive possible and sent both non-checked and pre-checked applications depending on the modeling, Wittman said. In addition to mail pieces, we are targeting these voters via phone calls and digital ads. Now is the perfect time to drive up turnout for both elections. We will continue to target these voters throughout the election to ensure the greatest margin of victory for Governor Abbott, Wittman said. Texas Democratic Party officials took a dim view of the matter, which they discovered after voters sent them the application, concerned that Abbott put his campaign logo on the paperwork that went to clerks. Glen Maxey, the partys vote-by-mail director, emailed county clerks and election administrators around Texas to ensure they know the requirements for handling the applications and that they dont assume voters should get GOP primary ballots because of the Abbott connection. Abbott has railed about problems with voting by mail, especially about candidates and campaign operatives misleading vulnerable seniors, Maxey said in a statement to the San Antonio Express-News. Maxey said that what he called a screw up means thousands of seniors applications for the Republican Primary must be rejected, and these voters will have to reapply to vote in the primary. He estimated the cost of the bureaucratic snafu will be thousands of dollars statewide for county election offices. Abbott will be just fine. He has more than $50 million for his campaign to send endless campaign mailers. Unfortunately, Texas taxpayers dollars will be expended to make up for his campaigns mistakes, Maxey said. Callanen said it will cost $1 to $1.25 for each rejection letter and application that goes out, including staff time. Howard County Elections Administrator Jodi Duck -- who said she got about 50 to 60 such applications with the Abbott logo and the primary election not filled out - also said it would cost time and postage to process the rejections. Southern Methodist University political scientist Cal Jillson said the Abbott campaign is soaking up the time and attention of county officials at a busy juncture. It could create some chaos, Jillson said. They (the Abbott campaign) either didnt think it through, or theyve got their own priorities ahead of the officials who run the elections and the voters who participate in them. pfikac@express-news.net Volunteers are needed to help monitor Piping Plovers and other shorebirds from early April until late August at beaches across Connecticut. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Wildlife Division and the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds will hold a training and orientation session for new volunteers from 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 31 at Audubon Connecticut at Stratford Point, 1207 Prospect Drive, Stratford. Past volunteers will be offered a refresher from 9 to 10:15am. The sessions will review the following: biology of the piping plover, how to monitor breeding pairs and chicks, volunteer organization and logistics, and law enforcement information. While there are only a few changes to the process this year, attendance by everyone planning to join us for the 2018 season is important. Atlantic Coast populations of Piping Plovers return to the Connecticut coast in March from their wintering grounds on the Gulf Coast and Caribbean. The cryptic nests of the piping plover are extremely susceptible to human disturbance, predation, and tidal wash outs, according to Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds Connecticut . To enhance the survival and productivity of birds breeding in Connecticut, volunteers work at locations across the shoreline to observe the shorebirds, record and report nesting data, and educate the beach-going public about the monitoring program. Volunteers work four-hour shifts from April until the end of the breeding season (usually in August) and must donate a minimum of four hours per month. The work can be very rewarding, as volunteers will have the opportunity to positively affect the nesting success of threatened shorebirds across the state. For more information on the training session or for directions, please email the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com. Reservations are not required; but an e-mail letting us know you will be attending is appreciated. Tim Gannon wants to be Iowas next agriculture secretary By Diego Flammini News Reporter Farms.com A farmer from Jasper County, IA has thrown his name into the running to become Iowas next Secretary of Agriculture. Tim Gannon farms about 900 acres of cash crops and wants to bring the lessons hes learned on the farm to the state legislature. My values come from my family farm and the small town in which I was raised, Gannon said in a statement announcing his candidacy. I know firsthand the critical role agriculture plays in the success of Iowa. It is the foundation on which sustainable growth and job creation comes to all corners of our state. Though a farmer first, Gannon also brings a wealth of political experience. The 41-year-old Democratic candidate worked under then-U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack as an associate administrator from 2009 to 2017 within the USDAs Risk Management Agency. Should he win the job later this year, Gannon will look to find additional market access for Iowa producers. As Secretary of Agriculture, I will strengthen support for the pillars of Iowa agriculture and I will fight to expand the market so that producers of all types and sizes can thrive, according to his statement. His other areas of focus will include strengthening the agricultural economy and encouraging the next generation to consider farming as a career option, according to the Des Moines Register. If we arent ensuring that the rural economy continues to grow and stay strong, its going to be harder and harder for folks who face long commutes to jobs, kids who face longer stretches on school buses, or folks who need critical health care, longer trips to and from the doctor, he told the Des Moines Register on Thursday. It all starts with agriculture. Gannon is the only official Democratic candidate announced in the election to replace incumbent Bill Northey, whos in line to accept a position within the USDA. Three Republicans are also vying for the position. The candidates are Craig Lang, a dairy farmer and former president of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Ray Gaesser, chairman of the American Soybean Association, and Mike Naig, Iowas deputy agriculture secretary. Top photo: Tim Gannon/Facebook The future of the provincial beef industry will be the focus at the 39th Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) Annual General Meeting Feb. 8-9 at the Victoria Inn in Brandon. With the theme of Building Our Future, the AGM will centre on helping producers improve and expand their operations. As an association we are continuing to look at ways to push our provincial industry forward, said MBP President Ben Fox. The goal of growing the herd in Manitoba remains at the forefront and we are focused on creating an environment in which our members have the confidence to expand their operations. The speakers and panel discussions we have scheduled for the AGM will provide attendees with information and ideas they can apply directly to their operations. The Industry Knowledge Session on Feb. 8 will look at expanding markets for Canadian beef and dealing with change in the industry. Fred Gorrell, the Assistant Deputy Minister, Markets and Industry Services Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will speak about market access while Marty Seymour with Farm Credit Canada will talk about disruption and agriculture. After a positive response last year, General Manager Brian Lemon says MBP will again have a youth forum focused on the opportunities for younger and new producers and will challenge participants to look at the world differently than past generations. The theme for this years forum is Challenging the Capital Paradigm with Peter Manness of MNP. The business portion of the meeting will be held on the afternoon of Day 1. Along with an update on MBPs activities over the past year and look at the financial report, members will vote on over 20 resolutions brought forward at the fall district meetings. Rick Wright of the Manitoba Livestock Marketing Association will provide an update on movement reporting while Virgil Lowe, the Business Manager of Verified Beef Production Plus will update attendees on that program. An update on Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives will be given by Don Guilford, MBFIs Management Committee Chair. Capping off Day 1 of the AGM is the annual Presidents Banquet. Along with the presentation of The Environmental Stewardship Award and recognition of five retiring directors, Keynote Speaker Robert Sopuck, the Member of Parliament for Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa will talk about his recently released video Eating Canadian Beef is good for the Environment which discusses the incredible environmental benefits our industry provides. Day two of the AGM will be highlighted by the panel discussion Adding Value Without Acres. Dr. Derek Brewin of the University of Manitoba Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences will facilitate the discussion which will include presentations from Dr. John Crowley of the University of Alberta, Dr. Bart Lardner, with the Western Beef Development Centre and Mark Klassen, Director of Technical Services, Canadian Cattlemens Association. As we all know, one of the biggest issues many producers face is a lack of land, or the inability to purchase additional land, Lemon said. This discussion will provide producers with information on how to maximize what resources they have. We are excited for this discussion and feel there will be some worthwhile information for our members. Officials from CanFax, Canada Beef and the National Cattle Feeders Association will also provide reports on Feb. 9. Fox said he encourages all members to attend the meeting and have a say in the future of their association. The AGM is where policy is discussed and our direction gets set, he said. It is a chance to shape the priorities of MBP and for our sector. It is also an opportunity to get together and share time with fellow producers. This year we are also retiring four directors who have given six years to the organization and who have volunteered their time and contributed to our sector. Source : Manitoba Beef Producers The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike. We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 5) A number of residents lost their livelihood since Mayon increased activity, so government has stepped in to provide temporary work. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has implemented the "Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Displaced Workers" program or TUPAD, wherein evacuees earn P290 per day sweeping rooms, taking out the trash, and doing some construction work in evacuation centers. Residents get paid P1,450 every fifth work day. "We are not strict with the time. What is important is they engage themselves doon sa trabaho...The only condition is one, nandoon sila sa evacuation center. Pangalawa kasama sila sa work program ng camp manager," said Rosalinda dela Rosa, DOLE-Bicol assistant regional director. Since the program started on January 29, DOLE has profiled about 4,000 evacuees, and plans to increase its coverage to over 10,000 evacuees. The Labor Department added they will implement TUPAD as long as Mayon's unrest continues. Since the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported a steam-driven ash eruption from Mayon on January 13, some 84,000 residents were forced to stay in evacuation centers. President Rodrigo Duterte has given the local government P70 million to help the evacuees. Volcanologists said Mayon may remain restless for a few more weeks, or even months. The volcano remains on alert level four, which means a violent eruption could still happen within days or weeks. CNN Philippines' Xianne Arcangel contributed to this report. 2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning -- 4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS. We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover. We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come. When I first heard the term domestic thriller, I thought it was in contrast to something like an international thriller. Instead, its intended to capture dark stories that unfold close to home. I love books that play with the dark possibilities that lurk within our closest relationships. Joining a healthy cluster of books that explore the danger of secrets kept within a marriage, my new book is about a wife forced to ask how well she knows her husband after he is accused of sexual misconduct. Other authors have cast similar questions within biological families. Here are a few of my favorites: Alafair Burke by Deborah Copaken Kogan In Lisa Ungers Die for You, a husband inexplicably disappears, and his wife, Isabel, is left to piece together the truth about him. When a homicide detective shows up for questioning, Isabel is forced to really ask herself what she knows (or doesnt know) about her partner. Daphne du Mauriers Rebecca. Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again, recalls the vulnerable Mrs. de Winter, whose recent marriage to a rich widower has landed her a life at his country estate. In this timeless classic, psychological warfare is waged under the dark, inescapable shadow of the late first Mrs. de Winter. While Scott Turows Presumed Innocent is known as a legal thriller, it could well be read as a domestic thriller. The personal and professional lives of Rusty Sabich merge when he is accused of raping and murdering a colleague with whom he had an affair. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. Even before Gone Girl threw down the gauntlet for the domestic-thriller subgenre, Flynns debut was a dark and subversive look at a relationship between a young journalist and her distant mother. In Lori Roys The Disappearing (hitting shelves summer 2018), the main character is haunted by her fathers crimes during his time as the director of a northern Florida boys reform school. This riveting thriller explores history, family, and the wobbly secrets we carry throughout our lives. In Karin Slaughters The Good Daughter, violence returns to a small town, stirring up memories of an attack on the Quinn family home nearly thirty years ago. Slaughter expertly peels back the layers of a complex relationship between sisters. In Mary Kubicas outstanding debut, The Good Girl, a one-night-stand turns into the worst mistake of free-spirited Mias life. Told through four alternating perspectives, the narrative unfolds with suspense and surprise. Liane Moriartys Big Little Lies is juicy, funny, and terrifying. The lives of three wealthy, suburban moms, each facing her own struggles, come to a head when there is a death at school fundraising night, putting a spotlight on the secrets they have been carrying. S.J. Watsons powerful debut, Before I Go To Sleep, is the story of a woman whose memory disappears every night when she falls asleep. Each morning, she desperately tries to reconstruct her identity in a journal, delving into the quotidian details of her own life in an attempt to understand who she is. You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott. How far is a mom willing to go in the name of her daughters dream? Competitive gymnastics takes a sinister turn and casts a dangerous light on ambition and parenthood in Abbotts smart, subtle thriller. The Wife by Alafair Burke is published in February by Faber & Faber (12.99) Ryan Coogler fulfilled a "lifelong dream" when he made 'Black Panther'. Ryan Coogler The 31-year-old director helmed and co-wrote the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movie - which is based around the first ever African superhero - and while shooting the film, Coogler admitted he kept asking himself "what does it mean to be African?" Coogler got to visit Africa for the project and it meant a lot to him to visit the continent as an African American man. Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, Coogler said: "The film is possibly the most personal film I've made to date. To me it deals with the answer to a question that I've been asking myself since I was very young - what does it mean to be African? That idea, that concept, I was very interested in and drawn towards. I was able to explore that in making this film. It enabled me to fulfil a lifelong dream of going to the continent of Africa - researching - for the first time. The things that I learned about the continent and the things that I learned about myself were invaluable. I tried to put some of that energy into the project." The Black Panther character was created by legendary Marvel Comics writer Stan Lee and the equally iconic artist-and-writer Jack Kirby and first appeared in 'Fantastic Four #52' back in 1966. The motion picture is expected to expand on the storyline that was first introduced in 'Captain America: Civil War' of how T'Challa aka Black Panther - played by Chadwick Boseman - becomes the superhero. T'Challa's father T'Chaka is king of Wakanda and has the ceremonial title Black Panther as the chief of the Panther Tribe, but is killed when a bomb goes off at the UN making his son the Black Panther. The film stars Lupita Nyong'o, Letitia Wright, Forest Whitaker, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis - who are both reprising their roles as Everett K. Ross and Ulysses Klaue respectively in the new film. Duchess Catherine will co-host a London Fashion Week event at Buckingham Palace with Sophie, Countess of Wessex, on behalf of Queen Elizabeth. Duchess Catherine The 36-year-old beauty - who is expecting her third child with husband Prince William - has been chosen by the British monarch, along with the wife of Prince Edward, to strengthen relations with the Commonwealth by putting on the Fashion Exchange Reception at the royal household on February 19, ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said: "The initiative uses fashion as a common language and platform to help people understand the modern Commonwealth in a different way. "The reception at Buckingham Palace will showcase the best of Commonwealth contemporary fashion and creativity with an exhibition of some of the bespoke fashion 'looks' which are the result of these exchanges." Both women are style icons in their own right and are the perfect fit for the event, which will see renowned designers including Stella McCartney, Bibi Russell and Karen Walker, work together with producers from less developed countries to "exemplify traditional handcraft techniques and trades". Whilst Catherine - who has two-year-old Princess Charlotte and four-year-old Prince George with the queen's grandson - and Sophie have been enlisted to help, the 91-year-old royal is still going to be on hand to formally kick off the meeting and host dinners with other members of the royal family being drafted in to help improve communication with the Commonwealth. Just at the time of year when we most need a warm and idyllic escape, allow me to introduce you to my own personal haven, the one resort in the world keeps me returning year after year, Conrad Maldives Ranhali island. Sabrina Chakici at the Conrad Maldives The Maldives has long been known as one of the most romantic and picturesque destinations on earth and no matter which island you chose to book for your holiday youre able to enjoy the mesmerising blues of the sea and skies, the beautiful white sandy beaches and the vibrant under-water world. Having visited more than one resort in the stunning collection of islands Im personally of the opinion that your choice of hotel really does have a huge impact on your entire stay. Even though the Indian Ocean can be well admired and enjoyed from every island, when choosing to stay at Conrad Maldives its like ordering your favourite ice cream sundae; the desert itself is incredible but the cherry, sprinkles and sauce on top are what really seal the deal! The award winning luxury resort is split between two private islands offering guests the option to explore both and enjoy the two unique characteristics of each, one is more activity and family focused and the other is strictly for adults with a relaxed and mature approach to island living. Rather uniquely to the Maldives the hotel boasts 15 restaurants and bars, 2 large pools with ocean views, countless water activities and sports, a bountiful house reef with colourful marine life to spy on, an outdoor yoga pavilion and 2 stunning over-water spas. Then theres the option to book day and evening excursions by adventuring out to sea in search of some of the incredible marine mammals that love to greet visitors. You can spot dolphins daily and if you are lucky enough even glide side by side a pod of pilot whales. If relaxation is higher on your list than exploring then keep calm in the utopia of your very own water villa and take in the stunning scenery that surrounds you. The Maldives is the perfect place to holiday if your main desire is to switch off and enjoy the tranquility of being in the middle of nowhere whilst sampling all of lifes luxuries at the raise of a hand. The service at Conrad is so perfect it feels staged, youll never see a member of staff without a smile on their face and the warm, positive vibes are quite simply contagious! I have now travelled to The Conrad Maldives three times and I already have plans to return this year. There is something about the Maldives that no other location in the world has quite matched for me. The idea of a truly relaxing holiday where your days can be as calm or action-packed as you like is so appealing and the picture perfect moments available at every single footstep really do take your breath away! Read more about The Beauty of The Maldives on my blog: www.clutchandcarryon.com Written by Sabrina Chakici, TV Host & Travel Expert, Follow her on Instagram @sabrina_chakici Our pick of the news from Fethiye and around Turkey over the last week. News Super blue blood moon A blue moon (a second full moon in a calendar month), a supermoon (when the moon is unusually close to Earth, making it bigger and brighter) and a blood moon (a moment during an eclipse when the moon appears red) all coincided on Wednesday for the first time since 1866. Although we werent able to see the eclipse in Fethiye, heres a shot of the super moon taken by Steve Parsley. Click here for the Lunar Calendar 2018 for Turkey. Statue of Fethi Bey moves to new recreation area The statue of Captain Tayyareci Fethi Bey, the first pilot in the history of Turkish aviation who gave his name to Fethiye, was moved to its new home on Tuesday. The statue will be on display in the new recreation area currently under development opposite the Devlet (State) hospital. Fethiye Mayor Behcet Saatci, who was present to observe the work, said The sculpture will stay here for as long as it is in Fethiye. The yearly commemoration ceremony for Fethi Bey will be held in the recreation area on February 27, 2018. The Turkish Air Forces Solo demonstration team will be in Fethiye to honour the memorial day. An unusual place to park A minibus rolled into the water in the Babatas district of Fethiye last Saturday when the driver did not pull his handbrake on properly when parking on the slope leading to the canal. The minibus was later removed with the help of a crane. The rescue work was watched with interest by a crowd of onlookers. Source: SonDakika Grizzly bear prints at Girdev Plateau Large footprints found in the snow at Girdev Plateau left locals believing there was an Anatolian leopard living in the area. Mugla University Wildlife Specialist, Dr Yasin Ilemin, has recently confirmed that the footprints belong to a grizzly bear. Research carried out between 2010 and present has identified a population of grizzlies in the Mugla Province he went on to reassure people that they are not aggressive. One of the oldest churches in Anatolia found in northern Turkey Possibly one of the oldest churches in Anatolia has been unearthed in the northern Turkish province of Karabuk. According to Anadolu Agency (AA), the discovery was made during excavation works in the ancient city of Hadrianopolis located in Karabuks Eskipazar district. Hadrianopolis used to be an important site of pilgrimage for early Christians until the city lost its importance in 8th century A.D. Researchers found a 1,500-year-old structure believed to one of the earliest churches built in the Anatolian peninsula, AA said. Karabuk University Archeology Department teaching member Assist. Prof. Dr. Ersin Celikbas said the ancient church is 20 meters long and is situated in a significant location. Celikbas added that the construction of the church coincides with the period of Saint Alypius the Stylite, who is believed to have lived between 6th and 7th centuries A.D. He was one of the pillar-saints of Christian faith, who climbed on top of pillars and spent the rest of their lives with preaching, fasting and praying. The excavations of the 1,500-year-old structure are ongoing. Source: Daily Sabah Sport Basketball Fethiye Belediyespor won their away match against Bilgilendirme/Yeni Mamak yesterday. The final score was 64-72. Fethiyespor Thank you to Brian Lloyd for the Fethiyespor updates. Fethiyespor had a busy time during the January transfer window. They gained 14 new players and 10 players left the club. Fethiyespor lost their away match against Gumushanespor. yesterday. The final score was 4-1. A disappointing result as Fethiyespor had a 0-1 lead at half-time. After yesterdays result, Fethiyespor dropped to 15th position on the league table. They are now only two points away from the relegation zone. The next league matches are: Saturday 10th February 2018 at home against Zonguldak Komurspor. Kick off is 13:30. Wednesday 14th February 2018 away against Kahrahmanmarasspor A.S. Kick off is 13:00 (please note the earlier kick-off time) For more information about Fethiyespor please visit Fethiyespor Yabancilar on Facebook. Turkish Money Turkish Lira (TL) exchange rates: The British Pound bought 5.32 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 5.31 TL. The US Dollar bought 3.76 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 3.75 TL. The Euro bought 4.69 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 4.66 TL. Weather Forecast Heres your weather forecast for the week ahead. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Story updated to include statement of Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 5) Malacanang said China intended to use reclaimed islands in the South China Sea as military bases and only friendly ties will prevent Beijing from using the arms buildup against the country. "Whether or not we like it, they intended to use them as military bases. So, what do you want us to say?" Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a media briefing on Monday. Roque was reacting to the Inquirer story, saying China has "finished transforming seven reefs claimed by the Philippines" in the contested Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The story includes photos, most of which taken between June and December 2017, showing reefs "in the final stages of development as air and naval bases." Roque said war against China is not an option. "Right now, the posture of the President is to maintain close ties so they wouldn't have reasons to use those arms in those islands," Roque added. The spokesperson said he also hopes no force will be used in the South China Sea. "We'll also continue to rely on the general prohibition on the use of force, which is also found under international law and we expect that China, being, not just a member of the United Nations, but also a member of the Security Council, will adhere to the prohibition on use of force," he added. In addition, Roque said the Philippines is relying on China's obligation of good faith, as well as briefings on activities in contested waters. "We know what ships are plying where. We know about the work. But the question is, what can you do? You can protest, and I think there is a protest already filed even before. What else can be done?" Roque said. PH should protest Senator Bam Aquino, however, said it may be time for the Senate to investigate on the direction of the country's foreign policy, particularly relating to China. "While their war ships are in our seas, we continue to give in to their whims and, all the while, we are kept in the dark as to our government's dealings with China," Aquino said. Meanwhile, Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said "a policy of appeasement" by the Philippines will embolden China to further militarize artificial islands in the Spratlys. "Any statement from the Philippines that it cannot stop China from militarizing its artificial islands, or from undertaking new reclamations, is actually telling China to proceed because the Philippines will not stand in the way," Carpio said in a Monday statement. "At the very least the Philippines should protest, and keep on protesting, to preserve its sovereignty and sovereign rights. Otherwise, if the Philippines remains silent, it may be deemed under international law to have waived or abandoned its sovereignty or sovereign rights." Warmer ties Prior to the Duterte administration, China has been at odds with the country after it continues to insist claims over the disputed waters. This is despite a 2016 ruling from the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal recognized the country's extended continental shelf in the South China Sea, particularly what the country calls West Philippine Sea. President Rodrigo Duterte restored warm ties with China, especially with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In November 2017, Duterte said the South China Sea issue is "better left untouched," rejecting confrontation and instead pushing for "cooperation." READ: South China Sea issue 'better left untouched' - Duterte Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, in January, said the military will pursue the rehabilitation of facilities on Pag-asa Island one of the islands in South China Sea, in the first quarter of 2018. This was after China complained of shelters for Filipino fishermen being built in Pag-asa Island in November. READ: Defense chief: Military to build facilities on Pag-asa Island in 2018 HON ATTORNEY-GENERALS SPEECH ON BEHALF OF HON PM BAINIMARAMA AT THE OPENING OF ABU 2018 MEDIA SUMMIT ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND PACIFIC MEDIA PARTNERSHIP CONFERENCE The Honourable Attorney General and Minister responsible for Climate Change,Honourable Ministers,The Secretary General of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, Dr, Javad MottaghiYour Excellencies, members of the Diplomatic Corps,Distinguished guests,Ladies and Gentlemen,Bula vinaka and a very good morning to you all.The threat that climate change poses to the entire world is undoubtedly the greatest collective challenge humanity has ever faced. The resulting natural disasters pose a particular threat to vulnerable nations everywhere, including those of us in the Asia Pacific. So Im pleased to welcome so many of you from throughout the Asia-Pacific region to Fiji for the 4th Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Media Summit on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction. And the 9th Pacific Media Partnership Conference.I do so not only as the Fijian Prime Minister but as the President of COP23 the ongoing UN negotiations to reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide that are driving these events. Whether it is extreme weather like cyclones and droughts that pose an acute risk to our people and our development; rising seas swamping our arable land; acidity and bleaching destroying our coral reefs; or changes to agriculture threatening our food security.It is an unprecedented crisis that we must face together - every single person on earth helping to reverse the damage to our planet that we have all inflicted with our lifestyles. And replacing the current culture of abuse with a culture of preservation and care.As my team and I preside over the global negotiations to reduce net carbon emissions to zero as soon as possible, you in the media have a critical role to play. And I ask you all to focus your complete attention this week on what you can do - individually and collectively - to assist your own nations, our region and the world to confront this challenge head on. To tell the stories that need to be told. To generate the action that needs to be taken.Friends, you have the power through the keyboard, the camera and the spoken word to make a genuine difference. To highlight the urgency of concerted action at every level to avert catastrophe. But also to highlight the wonderful opportunities that lie ahead if we have the courage and imagination to fully embrace the transition to clean economies.There are plenty of stories out there about the negative effects of climate change. Of current or impending disaster. Of gloom about the prospects of change. Of doom about what will happen if we dont. But I ask you all to think outside the box - as Im fond of saying -and in your storytelling, fire peoples imaginations about the positive. Of what is possible if we alter our mindsets from doom and gloom to working together effectively as people and as nations to meet this challenge.This is the message I am taking everywhere I go as COP President: that great things are happening in the global quest to make the transition from dirty energy such as fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy such as hydro, solar and wind.The technology is already emerging- such as battery storage - to ensure adequate energy supply and still make the cuts in carbon emissions that are needed to meet the most ambitious target of the Paris Agreement - to limit the average global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius above that of the pre industrial age. The challenge the world faces is to scale up that technology with a lot more investment to make it more affordable and more widely available. And especially in developing countries such as our own.It can be done, it must be done and in many cases, is already being done, though not nearly as fast as it should be. Here in Fiji - off the back of our COP Presidency - we are making it a priority with the assistance of our development partners to bring clean, renewable energy to as many Fijians as possible. One of those partners is the Leonardo Di Caprio Foundation of the United States, which is working with us on a plan to bring solar power to Fijian communities who because of their isolation cannot be connected to the National Grid in the medium and long term. I salute this great actor and humanitarian for his generosity and vision and call on other men and women of means to follow his example.You all have a list of the COP23 outcomes achieved at the November session in Bonn under Fijis leadership and you can find a lot more on our website - cop23. com. fj. But I continually make the point that I am determined as COP President to link the global with the local. To match the calls for action in global political forums with genuine action on the ground. Whether it is access to affordable, clean energy; access to affordable insurance; or all manner of resilience building that can be replicated throughout the world and benefit as many people as possible.My team and I are totally focused on delivering these outcomes, not only for Fijians but vulnerable people everywhere. We are certainly not resting on our laurels after our success in Bonn. The Fijian-led negotiations will continue right up until we hand over the Presidency to Poland in December. And we intend to work closely with our Polish friends at COP24 to make sure we deliver maximum ambition and momentum.We are doing this with our joint stewardship of what the world has agreed to call the Talanoa Dialogue. It is a process that I hope will urgently raise ambition in the Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs that each country is making to reduce its own carbon emissions. As those of you from the Pacific will know, talanoa is the word we use in Fiji, Tonga and Samoa to describe an inclusive process in our own countries of sharing stories and experiences and achieving best practice in the decisions we make. And now we have taken this process to the global level to encourage everyone to move closer to our goal of keeping the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above that of the pre industrial age.It is vitally important that all members of the Grand Coalition we are building for decisive action take part in the Talanoa Dialogue - governments at every level, civil society, the private sector and ordinary men and women. And to enable this global conversation to take place, Im delighted to highlight the launch last week of a special UN Internet portal where all stakeholders can put forward their ideas.Its at talanoadialogue.com, where you will find all the information you need plus the deadlines for submissions. And as COP President, I urge everyone - no matter where you are in the world - to talanoa with us in the Talanoa Dialogue. Talanoa for ambition. Talanoa for action.It is a great honour that this Pacific way of doing things has resonated so strongly with the global community as a whole. And we fervently hope that this inclusive, participatory process - devoid of finger pointing and blame - will deliver the greater ambition we need to save our planet.Friends, I also ask you all as members of the media to scale up your own ambition in telling our collective stories. To motivate our governments and people into action and help get the message out. There are inspirational stories everywhere of ordinary people banding together to confront the climate challenge and build the resilience of their own communities. So lets lead the way in the Asia Pacific and talanoa as much as we can about what needs to be done.As I keep saying: We are all in the same drua the same canoe. We are all vulnerable and we must all act. And we can best act by working together harder and with a lot more focus. Because its no exaggeration to say that our lives depend on it.In 15 days time, here in Fiji, we will mark the second anniversary of the deaths of 44 of our loved ones in Tropical Cyclone Winston - the biggest storm ever to make landfall in the southern hemisphere. Two years on, we still mourn the loss of our people and we are still in the process of recovering. Still rebuilding our schools and other public infrastructure. Only this time, were determined to build them to a much higher standard to withstand the more frequent and more destructive cyclones that we know are coming because of climate change.Much of the rebuilding has been completed and it has required a great deal of planning, perseverance and patience. But our young people whove waited so patiently for their new classrooms know that we just couldnt do what we used to do - a quick-fix that doesnt meet proper building standards and will only blow away in the next cyclone.In Fiji - and the same applies to all vulnerable nations - we have had to rethink the way we do things. To reject the quick fix and invest in infrastructure that is strong enough to meet the challenge we face.We need better cooperation with each other and our development partners to build our resilience across the board. And as you are doing here in Nadi this week, we need to bring our best minds together to swap stories and swap ideas. To learn from our collective experiences and chart a way forward together that is smarter, more adaptable and more sustainable.So friends, I wish you the very best in your deliberations on the challenges the media faces in dealing with climate change and natural disasters.I also have the great pleasure to use this event to launch a set of new Fijian postage stamps to commemorate our presidency of COP23. You wont be surprised to learn that they include a stamp depicting a drua - the ocean-going Fijian canoe that is the symbol of our presidency. We had a drua in the foyer in Bonn to remind the whole world of the urgent need to fill its sail with a collective determination to move the climate agenda forward. And well be taking a smaller version to present to the people of Poland in December as we continue to work together for greater ambition at COP24.Above all, I hope theyll be a reminder of our collective obligation to each other, to our region and the world to do whatever we can to advance the cause of climate action. And I now have the equally great pleasure to formally open the 4th ABU Media Summit on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction and the 9th Pacific Media Partnership Conference.Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you. LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / February 4, 2018 / If you are looking to buy a new home, you already know that location makes all the difference in status and in price. But as you know the saying "Location, location, Location" is everything. The downside of a fabulous location is the amount you have to pay for the most desirable areas. Annually Forbes puts out a list of the most expensive zip codes out of 29,500 zip codes in the United States. The top 10 of their list are some of the most desirable residences in the country. Coming in at number 10, according to Forbes' article, " The Ten Most Expensive Zip Codes in America 2017", is 10013. Which are the highly fashionable New York City neighborhoods of Tribeca and SoHo. This ranking is up from number 12 in 2016. Just because this is number 10, don't let it fool you. The Median price to reside in this zip code is a trifling $6,289,099. Closely following its neighbor at $ 6,415,146 is zip code 10065, New York City' Upper East Side. California's Beverly Hills, 90210, made Forbes' top ten list which is not shocking at all, not even a little bit. It came in at number 8 with a median price of $6,442,914. This is just behind the centennial state's Woody Creek CO, 81656, with a price of $6,651,269. Then it's back to New York State with number 6, 11962, Sagaponack. Next, we go all the way back out to the west coast's golden state of California for numbers 5, 4, and 3. In respective order, there is Ross CA 94957, Palo Alto CA 94301, and Los Altos Hills CA 94022. All three are located in the beautiful northern part of California making it a very desirable place to live if you can afford to. For number 2, we have to travel all the way back to the east coast to the shores of the sunshine state. Forbes ranked Manalapan FL 33462 as the number 1 most expensive place to live in 2016. But in 2017 it moved down to number 2 at a mere $8,368,431 median price tag. This is the only Florida zip code to make it on to Forbes list in 2017. Drum roll, please. Coming in at Forbes' number 1 most expensive zip code in America to live in is 94027 Atherton CA. If you want to live in this zip code, you are going to have to pay an outrageous $9,686,154 median price. This is the high end of the high-end real estate market. Launching NMS Properties in 1988, Neil Shekhter assumed the role of CEO in January 1995. The real estate management company focuses on multi-family and mixed-use properties in the Greater Los Angeles area and in Santa Monica. At present, NMS properties manage more than 70 properties. Neil Shekhter - Founder and CEO of NMS Properties Apartments For Rent in Los Angeles http://www.nmsresidential.com/ Apartments For Rent in Santa Monica http://www.nmsresidential.com/nms-1539-santa-monica-ca/ NMS Properties - Real Estate Management Firm: http://www.nmsproperties.com Contact Information: news@neilshekhter.com info@neil-shekhter.com SOURCE: NMS Properties, Inc. LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / February 5, 2018 / Millennials are defined generationally as the group of children born between the years of 1981 and 2000. This generation is unfairly characterized as lazy and entitled, and as likely to live at home with parents well into adulthood. However, this group accounts for half of homeowners under 36 and half of sellers under 41 according to Zillow. Zillow executives insist that this points to an active force in the real estate market. As they become thirty-somethings, they largely decide to become homeowners. Because this generation does live at home longer than previous generations, they are normally more stable and have higher incomes when they enter the market. It also means they have more money saved to purchase these homes, and it is an emerging trend that because of these factors, they are skipping the traditional starter hones for more expensive models. Slightly more than a third of millennials are estimated to be homeowners with a vast majority buying in suburbs and rural areas. Interestingly, the amount of millennials choosing to buy in small towns mirrors the number buying in urban areas at around 15 percent. The vast majority of millennials purchasing homes are married with only slightly more than 10 percent of millennial singles purchasing, and this is mostly comprised of millennial women. Initially, this group entered the market buying urban real estate, but now, approximately 50 percent live in suburban areas. Millennials are also more apt to purchase stand alone homes rather than apartments and multifamily dwellings. They are also choosing what are termed secondary markets. These are mid sized to small cities that are experiencing rapid growth like Austin and Seattle with these two cities being the most sought after markets. That this group is highly nomadic is really anecdotal because the data does not reveal that this is the case. With this generation as with prior generations, as they age and become parents with families, purchasing homes begins to become more necessary. This makes this behavior a significant driver in the housing market currently. Some forecasts missed this because they assumed participation in the sharing economy meant this group would shun home ownership. Millennials also prioritize the quality of their neighborhoods as well as their neighborhood's proximity to workplaces and resale value, and they require these in suburban and rural spaces. Other significant selling points are school quality, and proximity to family and friends. This behavior is different than prior generations who were more apt to move to where jobs were regardless of that location's ability to deliver a quality lifestyle. Millennials know that employers will relocate to exploit their work base. Millennials also find their homes differently than any previous generation. Practically all millennials employ online real estate resources not only in finding an actual home but also in navigating the loan process. Almost three quarters of those that originate their efforts online eventually utilize the services of a real agent. They have more choices than previous generations because the market is willing to cater to their needs unlike previous generations who expected a choice from what was available. Launching NMS Properties in 1988, Neil Shekhter assumed the role of CEO in January 1995. The real estate management company focuses on multi-family and mixed-use properties in the Greater Los Angeles area and in Santa Monica. At present, NMS Properties manages more than 70 properties. Neil Shekhter - Founder and CEO of NMS Properties Apartments For Rent In Los Angeles NMS Residential: http://www.nmsresidential.com NMS Properties - Real Estate Management Firm: http://www.nmsproperties.com SOURCE: NMS Properties Regulatory News: Eurofins Scientific (Paris:ERF) (EUFI.PA), a global leader in bio-analytical testing, and a key player in the European clinical diagnostics market, announces the acquisition of Labo Van Poucke ("LVP"), a leading laboratory performing human medical testing covering all branches of clinical biology. LVP was founded in 1969 and has been a 100% family-owned business ever since. LVP performs almost all medical analyses commonly requested by general practitioners and specialists. The Company offers testing for hematology, serology, chemistry, immunology, microbiology and molecular biology. Furthermore, LVP also offers analysis of drinking water as well as veterinary analysis. LVP offers a wide range of state-of-the-art medical testing services, while delivering industry-leading turn-around-times as a result of their state-of-the-art technology and equipment. LVP is licensed by the Belgian Scientific Institute of Public Health (WIV-ISP) for clinical pathology testing. The Company is also licensed by the Belgian Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) for isotopic tests. LVP has been accredited by the Belgian Accreditation Body (BELAC) since 1997, and operates in compliance with the ISO 15189 standard for medical laboratories. LVP employs 34 staff and generated revenues close to EUR 5m in 2017. This acquisition provides Eurofins an entry platform into the clinical testing market in Belgium and a license to operate and sell its specialties in this market. LVP's broad range of testing services, combined with LifeCodexx's and Genoma's clinical genetics capabilities acquired in 2017, in particular in non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), as well as Biomnis' broad portfolio of clinical diagnostic solutions, significantly strengthens Eurofins' growing footprint in the specialty clinical diagnostics testing market in Europe. Comment from Dr. Gilles Martin, Eurofins CEO: "We are extremely pleased to welcome Labo Van Poucke, a family-owned clinical diagnostics specialist, to Eurofins' family of businesses. This acquisition provides Eurofins with a valuable entry into the Belgian clinical diagnostics market; in return LVP will gain access to the full range of services and capabilities of the Eurofins Group, which will significantly increase LVP's testing portfolio for the benefit of medical practitioners and their patients". For more information, please visit www.eurofins.com Notes for the editor: Eurofins a global leader in bio-analysis Eurofins Scientific through its subsidiaries (hereinafter sometimes "Eurofins" or "the Group") believes it is the world leader in food, environment and pharmaceutical products testing and that it is also one of the global independent market leaders in certain testing and laboratory services for agroscience, genomics, discovery pharmacology and for supporting clinical studies. In addition, Eurofins is one of the key emerging players in specialty clinical diagnostic testing in Europe and the USA. With over 30,000 staff in 400 laboratories across 42 countries, Eurofins offers a portfolio of over 150,000 analytical methods for evaluating the safety, identity, composition, authenticity, origin and purity of biological substances and products, as well as for innovative clinical diagnostic. The Group objective is to provide its customers with high-quality services, accurate results on time and expert advice by its highly qualified staff. Eurofins is committed to pursuing its dynamic growth strategy by expanding both its technology portfolio and its geographic reach. Through R&D and acquisitions, the Group draws on the latest developments in the field of biotechnology and analytical chemistry to offer its clients unique analytical solutions and the most comprehensive range of testing methods. As one of the most innovative and quality oriented international players in its industry, Eurofins is ideally positioned to support its clients' increasingly stringent quality and safety standards and the expanding demands of regulatory authorities around the world. The shares of Eurofins Scientific are listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN FR0000038259, Reuters EUFI.PA, Bloomberg ERF FP). Important disclaimer: This press release contains forward-looking statements and estimates that involve risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements and estimates contained herein represent the judgment of Eurofins Scientific's management as of the date of this release. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees for future performance, and the forward-looking events discussed in this release may not occur. Eurofins Scientific disclaims any intent or obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements and estimates. All statements and estimates are made based on the information available to the Company's management as of the date of publication, but no guarantee can be made as to their validity. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180204005075/en/ Contacts: Investor Relations Eurofins Scientific Phone: +32 2 766 1620 E-mail: ir@eurofins.com Automating fraud loss avoidance and recoveries created a better customer experience, cut costs and led to commendation for Best Industry Innovation of the Year distinction. Ethoca, along with partners Capital One UK and TSYS, announced today that it has been highly commended for Best Industry Innovation of the Year at The Card & Payments Awards held in London, UK. With rising ecommerce fraud, financial institutions today are increasingly focused on fraud mitigation, the customer experience and their cost/ability to recover losses. Early in 2016, Ethoca and TSYS collaborated to launch the Transaction Recovery Network (powered by Ethoca). This gave Capital One UK, as well as other card issuing banks, a completely automated way to stop and recover card-not-present (CNP) fraud losses through a simple and highly effective integration. As a result, participating merchants on the Ethoca Network were able to stop and refund/avoid settlement on 394% more fraudulent transactions on a monthly basis (compared to the previous manual file process). Meanwhile, Capital One UK ensured the best possible experience for its cardholders and eliminated unnecessary operating expenses while also making the most of its existing IT investments. Speaking on the commendation, Keith Briscoe, Ethoca's Chief Marketing Officer, commented: "We're thrilled to be acknowledged for our work with TSYS and Capital One UK to reduce fraud and improve the customer experience. We're pleased the judges recognised the power of the TSYS Transaction Recovery Network (powered by Ethoca), which provides near real-time notification of confirmed fraud that empowers issuers like Capital One UK, as well as merchants, to quickly recover lost revenue and eliminate the need for expensive and time-consuming chargeback processes." "With the continued growth of online commerce, it takes a constant effort to develop new, and innovative ways to combat the corresponding increase in fraud," says Karim Ahmad, EVP Global Product and Innovation for TSYS. "The TSYS Transaction Recovery Network powered by Ethoca was developed as a collaborative, efficient solution that reduces online fraud and the operational expenses associated with chargebacks. This recognition by The Card Payments Awards is a testament to the value we have been able to create in this area though our partnership with Capital One UK and Ethoca." "Capital One is delighted to be highly commended in the Industry Innovation of the Year category in partnership with Ethoca and TSYS," says Rob Harding, Managing Vice President, Capital One (Europe). "The team have worked together to automate notifications of fraudulent purchases in real-time to retailers so that orders can be quickly cancelled, reducing fraud throughout the payments ecosystem." The annual Card Payments Awards, which took place on Thursday, 1st February at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London's Park Lane, recognise excellence and innovation in the UK and Irish card and payments industries. This commendation recognises the performance of the TSYS Transaction Recovery Network (powered by Ethoca) and Ethoca Alerts a faster, more cost-effective and customer friendly alternative to the chargeback process. It provides an early warning on fraud and disputes that have already been confirmed between cardholders and their issuing bank, giving merchants the opportunity to stop fraud, halt the delivery of goods and services, and refund cardholders to avoid impending chargebacks. Card issuers who use the service benefit by avoiding chargeback processing costs and recovering fraud losses including 3D Secure and low-value transaction write-offs much more quickly and inexpensively than ever before. About Ethoca Ethoca is the leading, global provider of collaboration-based technology that enables card issuers, ecommerce merchants and online businesses to increase card acceptance, stop more fraud, recover lost revenue and eliminate chargebacks from both fraud and customer service disputes. Through the Ethoca Network the first and only of its kind in the industry we are closing the information gap between card issuers and merchants. This unique capability makes fraud and customer dispute insight available and actionable in real time. Our suite of services delivers significant revenue growth and cost saving opportunities to more than 5,400 merchants in 40+ countries and more than 580 card issuers in 20+ countries. Eight of the top ten North American ecommerce brands, 14 of the top 20 North American card issuers and six of the top ten UK card issuers rely on Ethoca solutions and the network that powers them. About TSYS TSYS (NYSE: TSS) is a leading global payments provider, offering seamless, secure and innovative solutions across the payments spectrum from issuer processing and merchant acquiring to prepaid program management. We succeed because we put people, and their needs, at the heart of every decision. It's an approach we call 'People-Centered Payments'. Our headquarters are located in Columbus, Ga., U.S.A., with approximately 11,800 team members and local offices spread across 13 countries. TSYS generated revenue of $4.9 billion in 2017. We are a member of The Civic 50 and were named one of the 2017 World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere magazine. TSYS is a member of the S&P 500 and routinely posts all important information on its website. For more, visit tsys.com. About Capital One Capital One UK is part of Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE: COF), a Fortune 500 company trading on the New York Stock Exchange and is included in the S&P 100 index. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Capital One is a diversified financial services company whose principal subsidiaries, Capital One, N.A., Capital One Bank (USA), N.A., and Capital One Auto Finance, Inc., offer a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients. Capital One's UK Registered Office: Trent House, Station Street, Nottingham, NG2 3HX For more, visit https://www.capitalone.co.uk/. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180205005335/en/ Contacts: Media: Ethoca Keith Briscoe, +1 416-312-8105 Chief Marketing Officer keith.briscoe@ethoca.com or TSYS Media Relations Cyle Mims, +1 706-644-3110 cylemims@tsys.com or Capital One UK Media Contact: Citigate Dewe Rogerson Patrick Evans, (+44) 7774 133934 Patrick.Evans@citigatedewerogerson.com MUNICH, February 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- From February 5-9 , discussions about the role that financing plays in digitalization and sustainability will be held each day Events in Erlangen ( Feb. 5 / small and medium-sized enterprises and digitalization), Dubai ( Feb. 7 / the sustainable energy industry) and New York ( Feb. 8 / infrastructure for cities) Online topic days with a new study on hurdles to investment in digitalization ( Feb. 6 ) and the implementation of sustainable projects in challenging regions ( Feb. 9 ) All information will be provided in real time on Twitter under the hashtag FinanceWeek - including a Twitter Periscope live stream from Erlangen, Germany , on Monday, February 5, 2018 , 15:45pm CET : http://www.twitter.com/siemens_SFS During the week of February 5-9, Siemens is exploring a core topic each day that companies can use to add new momentum to the digital transformation and the transition to increased sustainability: The week began on Monday, February 5, with a podium discussion in Erlangen about financing models for the future of manufacturing. On Tuesday, February 6, discussions will tackle the challenges associated with the digital transformation. In addition, a new study containing a specific plan for introducing Industryie 4.0 in small and medium-sized enterprises will be presented. On Wednesday, February 7, the Siemens Finance Week will make a stop in Dubai to discuss how the future of energy production can be achieved. On Thursday, February 8, it will move to New York where discussion partners will talk about ways that investors can help cities achieve sustainable growth. The week will be concluded on Friday with answers to the question regarding how financing expertise can help bring complex and dynamic projects to fruition around the world. You will find real-time updates about Siemens Finance Week on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/siemens_SFS / hashtag FinanceWeek as well as on http://www.siemens.com/financeweek Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for 170years. The company is active around the globe, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world's largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is a leading supplier of efficient power generation and power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. The company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment - such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems - and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2017, which ended on September 30, 2017, Siemens generated revenue of 83.0billion and net income of 6.2billion. At the end of September 2017, the company had around 377,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at: http://www.siemens.com. Werner-von-Siemens-Strasse 1 Siemens AG 80333 Munich Communications Head: Clarissa Haller Germany Press Release No.: PR2018020145FSDE Contact for journalists: Hartmut Hubner Tel.:+49-89-636-34183; E-mail: hartmut.huebner@siemens.com Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/siemens_press SAN FRANCISCO, February 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The globalbreakthrough therapy designation marketis anticipated to reach USD 144.6 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Breakthrough Therapy (BT) designation is granted to drugs that display substantial results in the treatment of life-threatening diseases in initial stages of the drug development process. Expedited regulatory process in North America and EU regions is driving growth. Increase in the number of innovative molecules receiving the BT status, coupled with rise in the demand for orphan drugs as well as those for the treatment of cancer, is anticipated to boost the market over the forecast period. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160524/371361LOGO ) The development time of BT therapy is 30.0% to 50.0% lesser than those without the designation. This significantly increases the net present value of investigational molecule. Reduction in the development time of these drugs is expected to accelerate their approval process as compared to standard drugs as well as boost growth opportunities. The BT tag also increases the value of the drug due to its high scientific value. There has been a consistent rise in the number of drugs receiving BT status in the U.S., and this trend is also expected to drive the number of applications submitted for the same, thereby contributing to the market growth. Browse full research report with TOC on "Breakthrough Therapy (BT) Designation Market Analysis Report By Application (Oncology, Infectious Diseases, Rare Diseases, Autoimmune Diseases, Pulmonary Diseases, Neurological Disorders), And Segment Forecasts, 2015 - 2025" at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/breakthrough-therapy-bt-designation-market Further Key Findings From the Report Suggest: The infectious diseases segment dominated the market in 2016. However, it is expected to exhibit moderate growth in the forecast period owing to decline in sales of blockbuster drugs such as Harvoni and Sovaldi Oncology is expected to be the dominating segment over the forecast period owing to rise in the demand for cancer medicines and increase in the number of oncology molecules gaining BT status. As of 2017, the number of molecules gaining BT status is the highest in this segment The rare diseases segment is estimated to exhibit fastest growth owing to rise in demand and increase in the R&D pipeline of orphan drugs North America is expected to dominate the market over the forecast period owing to well-established intellectual property laws and preference of patients and healthcare professionals for innovative medicines is expected to dominate the market over the forecast period owing to well-established intellectual property laws and preference of patients and healthcare professionals for innovative medicines Some of the key players are F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd; Gilead; Novartis AG; Pfizer, Inc.; AbbVie, Inc.; Janssen Global Services, LLC; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; Eli Lilly and Company; Sanofi; Regeneron; AcadiaPharmaceuticals, Inc.; Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH; Amgen, Inc.; AstraZeneca; and GlaxoSmithKline plc. Browse related reports by Grand View Research: Aquaculture Therapeutics Market- The Culturing or farming of aquatic animals like fishes, crustaceans, mollusks, algae, aquatic plants, and the other aquatic organisms in different types of water is termed as "Aquaculture". Pharmaceutical Analytical Testing Outsourcing Market - The global pharmaceutical analytical testing outsourcing market size was valued at USD 4.4 billion in 2015 and is expected to grow with CAGR of 8.1% over the forecast period. Botulinum Toxin Market- The global botulinum toxin (BNT) market was valued at USD 3.4 billion in 2015 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.9% over the forecast period. Medical Marijuana Market - The global medical marijuana market size was valued at USD 11.4 billion in 2015 and is projected to grow with CAGR of 17.1% during the forecast period. Grand View Research has segmented the breakthrough therapy market report on the basis of application and region. Breakthrough Therapy Designation Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2025) Oncology Infectious Diseases Rare Diseases Auto Immune Diseases Pulmonary Diseases Neurological Disorder Others Breakthrough Therapy Designation Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2025) North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany UK Asia Pacific Japan China Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East and Africa (MEA) South Africa Saudi Arabia Read Our Blog By Grand View Research: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/blogs/healthcare About Grand View Research Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. Thecompany provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc Phone: +1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Studio City, California--(Newsfile Corp. - February 5, 2018) - Petroteq Energy Inc. (TSXV: PQE) (OTCQX: PQEFF) (FSE: A2DYWC) (the "Company"), a company focused on the development and implementation of proprietary technologies for the environmentally safe extraction of heavy oils from oil sands, oil shale deposits and shallow oil deposits, announced today that the Company has received funds equal to the first tranche of the financing contemplated in the memorandum of understanding (the "MOU") with Deloro Energy LLC ("Deloro"), previously announced by the Company on November 23, 2017. Pursuant to the terms and conditions of the MOU, and subject to all applicable director, shareholder and regulatory approvals, including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"), Deloro has agreed to loan Petroteq Energy CA, Inc. ("Petroteq Energy CA"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, US$10 million under a convertible debenture which will, subject to the terms and conditions of the debenture, be convertible into up to 49% of Petroteq Energy CA. Petroteq Energy CA is the sole shareholder of Petroteq Oil Sands Recovery, LLC and TMC Capital, LLC. The Company has received US$2.5 million from Deloro which is equal to the first tranche Deloro is required to lend the Company according to the MOU. Pursuant to the MOU, upon receipt of the entire first tranche, Deloro shall be entitled to receive an economic royalty equal to 25% of the net profits of the Company's heavy oil extraction facility (the "Facility") located at Asphalt Ridge, Utah, from the date that the Facility is operational. The MOU indicates that at least US$2,000,000 of the first tranche shall be allocated by the Company towards the capital costs and related expenses associated with the Company's planned expansion of the Facility's processing capacity to at least 1,000 barrels/day. Until such time as the transaction contemplated by the MOU is approved and completed, the US$2.5 million will be recorded by the Company as a loan. "The beauty of our technology is that our production capacity is defined by the design of the plant. There are no external geologic factors that impact our revenues. Traditional drilling of oil wells creates a risk of drilling a "dry hole" or even if a well is successfully drilled, there is usually a steep decline curve in production. The Company has an estimated contingent resource of 87,817,000 barrels of bitumen," explained Alex Blyumkin, CEO. "We look forward to sharing the details of our new plant assembly, as we move towards turning on the new facility," he continued. While the Company continues to work towards completing the transaction contemplated by the MOU, there can be no assurance that a viable transaction will result or successfully conclude in a timely manner, or at all. Additional information will be released by the Company as it occurs. The MOU contains a number of conditions precedent to the obligations of Petroteq Energy CA and Deloro, including, but not limited to, board of director and TSXV acceptance. Unless all such conditions are satisfied or waived by the party for whose benefit such conditions exist, to the extent they may be capable of waiver, the transactions contemplated by the MOU will not proceed. There is no assurance that the conditions will be satisfied or waived on a timely basis, or at all. About Petroteq Energy Inc. The Company is a fully integrated oil and gas company focused on the development and implementation of a new proprietary technology for oil extraction. The Company has an environmentally safe and sustainable technology for the extraction of heavy oils from oil sands, oil shale deposits and shallow oil deposits. The Company is engaged in the development and implementation of its patented environmentally friendly heavy oil processing and extraction technologies. Our proprietary process produces zero greenhouse gas, zero waste and requires no high temperatures. The Company is currently focused on developing its oil sands resources and expanding production capacity at its Asphalt Ridge heavy oil extraction facility located near Vernal, Utah. The Company also owns a minority stake in an exploration and production play located in southwest Texas held by Accord GR Energy Inc. In addition, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary PetroBLOQ, LLC, is seeking to develop the first blockchain based platform created exclusively for the supply chain needs of the oil & gas sector. For more information, visit www.Petroteq.energy and PetroBLOQ.com. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this news release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. and Canadian securities laws. Words such as "may", "would", "could", "should", "potential", "will", "seek", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions as they relate to the Company, including the successful completion of the transactions contemplated in the MOU, the Company successfully increasing production capacity of its Facility to 1,000 barrels per day, the Company successfully developing an advanced blockchain solution for the Energy industry, are intended to identify forward-looking information. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information. Such statements reflect the Company's current views and intentions with respect to future events, based on information available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, approval of the TSXV of the of the transactions contemplated in the MOU and the Company having the working capital and access to labour and equipment necessary to complete the work on its Facility. Material factors or assumptions were applied in providing forward-looking information. While forward-looking statements are based on data, assumptions and analyses that the Company believes are reasonable under the circumstances, whether actual results, performance or developments will meet the Company's expectations and predictions depend on a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results, performance and financial condition of the Company to differ materially from its expectations. Certain of the "risk factors" that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation: the TSXV or the directors or, if applicable, shareholders of the Company, not approving the transactions contemplated in the MOU; the; changes in laws or regulations; the ability to implement business strategies or to pursue business opportunities, whether for economic or other reasons; status of the world oil markets, oil prices and price volatility; state of capital markets and ability by the Company to raise capital; litigation; the commercial and economic viability of the Company's oil sands hydrocarbon extraction technology, the SWEPT technology, the S-BRPT technology, and other proprietary technologies developed or licensed by the Company or by Accord which are of experimental nature and have not been used at full capacity for an extended period of time; reliance on suppliers, contractors, consultants and key personnel; the ability of the Company and Accord to maintain their respective mineral lease holdings; potential failure of the Company's business plans or model; the nature of oil and gas production and oil sands mining, extraction and production; uncertainties in exploration and drilling for oil, gas and other hydrocarbon-bearing substances; unanticipated costs and expenses, availability of financing and other capital; potential damage to or destruction of property, loss of life, and environmental damage; risks associated with compliance with environmental protection laws and regulations; uninsurable or uninsured risks; potential conflicts of interest of officers and directors; and other general economic, market and business conditions and factors, including the risk factors discussed or referred to in the Company's annual Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ending August 31, 2017, filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedar.com. Should any factor affect the Company in an unexpected manner, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, the actual results or events may differ materially from the results or events predicted. Any such forward-looking information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Moreover, the Company does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this press release is made as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable law. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The securities referred to in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities. Any public offering of securities in the United States must be made by means of a prospectus containing detailed information about the company and management, as well as financial statements. Contact: Petroteq Energy Inc. Alex Blyumkin, Chief Executive Officer Tel: (800) 979-1897 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 5, 2018 / Global Cannabis Applications Corp. ("GCAC" or the "Company") (CSE: APP, FRA: 2FA, OTCQB: FUAPF), a leading developer of innovative data technologies for the cannabis industry, is pleased to announce that it has engaged Crypto Tax & Legal based in Vilnius, Lithuania. Crypto Tax & Legal will represent GCAC and its wholly owned subsidiary, GCAC Europe, regarding ICO regulatory compliance and intellectual property, including patent applications, in the European Union. Crypto Tax & Legal was co-founded by Antanas Guoga, also known as "Tony G," Modestas Kaseliauskas and partner in the firm, Anastasija Plonikova. Guoga is a well know global entrepreneur, tech visionary, and angel investor. He serves as a Member of the European Parliament for Lithuania and currently sits on the GCAC ICO Advisory Board. Kaseliauskas served as Director General of the State Tax Inspectorate in Lithuania from 2005-2014 and is responsible for tax compliance for GCAC Europe operations. His extensive EU legal and tax experience are great assets to ensure world class taxation and accounting services. Both Guoga and Kaseliauskas are members of the Bankera ICO Advisory Board. Bankera is one of the largest global ICOs raising approximately $100M USD to date. Plotnikova has worked previously for Europol, Eurojust, and EU law firms before stepping into blockchain circles including consultation with the European Union on cryptocurrency and blockchain regulatory adoption. She is also responsible for strategic partnerships to help grow the ETHLend ICO brand which raised more than $23M EUR in just under 72 hours and reached a high of 44 x increase in four weeks. The team also includes legal advisor, Monika Kriunaite, who is a leading Lithuanian lawyer for financial compliance and obtaining of IP patent licenses. Dovydas Bernotas, COO and Communications Consultant, is a member of CTL team as user satisfaction and community manager. Bernotas worked on the Lympo ICO, which raised more than $5M USD during the pre-ICO. The Crypto Tax & Legal team will be working on the implementation of best world practices of the GCAC Citizen Green initial coin offering. "I am absolutely delighted to engage CyrptoTax & Legal to represent GCAC's interests in Europe and beyond," stated Brad Moore, CEO of GCAC. "In the emerging blockchain and cryptocurrency market, it is imperative that GCAC has the best and brightest minds working to ensure the success of the Citizen Green ICO. With GCAC now firmly established in the global blockchain community, we are creating relationships across global crypto markets via existing relationship between world class investors, exchanges, and companies." About Crypto Tax & Legal Blockchain technology and crypto-based activities moved faster than national legal systems, but legislative and regulatory pressure is becoming more prevalent around the world. Even though legal regulation has not yet been established, Crypto Tax & Legal team's experience allows them to anticipate a few steps forward. The Crypto Tax & Legal team has deep understanding and passion for cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology with significant experience to provide first class solution to crypto-based clients. The team unites active people from different successful and well-known projects in the crypto world. As people and companies in the crypto world face challenges Crypto Tax & Legal can help. Governmental institutions knowledge about crypto is obscure and decisions can be blunt. CTL is helping the crypto industry to set up and regulate best legal business practices working with partners and research centers across the globe. For more information, please visit: http://cryptotaxlegal.com. About Global Cannabis Applications Corp. Global Cannabis Applications Corp. is a global leader in designing, developing, marketing, and acquiring innovative data technologies for the cannabis industry. The Citizen Green platform is the world's first end-to-end - from patient to regulator - medical cannabis data solution. It uses six core technologies: mobile applications, artificial intelligence, reg tech, smart databases, blockchain, which ensures transparency, accountability, and fraud free environment, and digital reward tokens, to qualify candidates for clinical studies. These technologies facilitate the proliferation of digital conversations by like-minded people in medical cannabis. Managed by digital and cannabis industry experts, GCAC is focused on viral global expansion by providing the best digital experience in the cannabis market. For more information about the Company, please visit online at www.cannappscorp.com, or review its profiles www.sedar.com and on the Canadian Securities Exchange's website (www.thecse.com). To schedule an interview, please contact: Bradley Moore Chief Executive Officer Telephone: 514-5619091 Email: bmoore@cannappscorp.com For more information, please contact: Corporate Communications Canada & Europe Telephone: 1.855.269.9554 Email: info@cannappscorp.com www.cannappscorp.com Corporate Communications United States Hayden IR Telephone: 1.917.658.7878 Email: hart@haydenir.com Forward-Looking Information This news release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of GCAC. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of GCAC. Although management of the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because GCAC can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. GCAC disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy and accuracy of this information. SOURCE: Global Cannabis Applications Corp. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 5) The Public Attorney's Office (PAO) on Monday filed a civil case against two former health officials and Dengvaxia maker Sanofi Pasteur over the dengue vaccine mess. The PAO filed the case before the Regional Trial Court in Quezon City on behalf of the family of Anjielica Pestilos who contracted severe dengue after getting vaccinated. Government defense lawyers accused former Health Secretary Janette Garin, former Undersecretary Kenneth Uy, and other health officials of implementing the program in undue haste even if "the product has no proven safety and efficacy." The PAO also said the former officials violated the right of the patients to informed consent and should be held liable for administering Dengvaxia without "appropriate screening" of children. As for Sanofi and distributor Zuellig Pharma Philippines, the PAO said they knowingly sold, traded, and released an unsafe product that is still in the clinical trial stage. They are also accused of failing to inform the public of such risks. The PAO is seeking at least P4.1 million in damages. Those named in the civil case have yet to respond. PAO Chief Persida Acosta said they are filing more cases against those responsible for the purchase of Dengvaxia and for implementing the dengue program. PAO officials are, however, still deciding if they will file a case against former President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III. Both Garin and Uy were in office during his term. Acosta said their strongest case is that of nine-year-old Pestilos. Acosta said, based on their forensic exams, the child died due to Dengvaxia, adding she should have been excluded from being immunized since exams indicated she had a weak immune system and lupus. PAO forensics chief Erwin Erfe said Dengvaxia aggravated the child's condition, leading to her death due to acute respiratory failure. Parents not giving up To assure themselves that what happened to Pestilos does not happen to their children, thousands of parents of Dengvaxia-vaccinated children gathered at the PAO Monday to seek medical and legal assistance. They waited all day long, desperate to get help for their children. To help the parents and relatives of the children, the PAO promised to provide free legal assistance, medical check-ups, and vitamins for the kids. Susan Turtur said she was worried about the health of her grandson Prince, who was vaccinated in 2016. "Nagkalagnat po siya ng tatlong araw tapos nagkarashes din po siya tapos sumakit din po yung lalamunan niya," she said. [Translation: He developed a fever that lasted for three days and he got rashes as well, and his throat got sore.] Erly Beldad was just as concerned even if her niece, Princess, does not show symptoms of dengue. But since Princess received Dengvaxia thrice since 2016, Beldad wanted to make sure she will be safe. "Siyempre po nakakatakot po kasi eh lalo na po 'yung sa kapitbahay namin na patay nga po gawa nang sa Dengvaxia po," she said. [Translation: Of course it's scary especially since our neighbor died because of Dengvaxia.] Acosta said the gathering was a show of force against responsible for the scandal. More importantly, it's for parents calling for justice for their kids who died allegedly because of Dengvaxia. "Gusto ko pong malaman kung ano po ang nangyari sa aking anak at gusto ko pong ipaautopsy siya para malinawan po kami," said one of the parents, Maricel Manresa. [Translation: I want to know what happened to my child and I want an autopsy so we can understand.] Autopsies continue The government is rejecting calls to stop the PAO from conducting autopsies on children who received Dengvaxia. On Saturday, a group of doctors said only "competent forensic pathologists" should determine the cause of death and called on the Department of Justice to put a stop on the autopsies. Ferdie Topacio, legal counsel of Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, said: "Bakit ititigil ang autopsy? Ano ang itinatago nila na ayaw nilang malaman ang totoong sanhi ng pagkamatay nitong mga batang ito?' [Translation: Why should the autopsies be stopped? What are they hiding that they don't want to know how these children died?] Pursuant to article L-223-8 II of the French "code de Commerce" and 223-16 of the AMF's General Regulations. Regulatory News: Median Technologies (Paris:ALMDT): Total number of shares 11,974,903 Number of real voting rights* (excluding treasury shares**) 11,931,693 Theoritical number of voting rights* (including treasury shares**) 11,951,703 (*) Class E preference shares are non-voting (**) pursuant to article 223-11 of the AMF's General Regulations About Median Technologies: Median Technologies provides innovative imaging solutions and services to advance healthcare for everyone. We leverage the power of Imaging Phenomics to provide insights into novel therapies and treatment strategies. Our unique solutions, MediScan for Patient Care, iSee for image management in clinical trials and iBiopsy for imaging phenotyping, together with our global team of experts, are advancing the development of new drugs and diagnostic tools to monitor disease and assess response to therapy. Median Technologies supports biopharmaceutical sponsors and healthcare professionals around the world to quickly and precisely bring new treatments to patients in need, with an eye on reducing overall care costs. This is how we are helping to create a healthier world. Founded in 2002, based in Sophia-Antipolis, France, with a US subsidiary in Boston, Median has received the label "Innovative company" by the BPI and is listed on Euronext Growth market (ISIN: FR0011049824, ticker: ALMDT). The company is eligible for the PEA-PME SME equity savings plan setup and has received the label Pass French Tech Promotion 2017-2018. Median Technologies has been awarded the 2017 Tech 40 Label, has joined the EnterNext Tech 40 Index and is a winner of the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 2017 EMEA program. Median is a member of the Bpifrance Excellence Network. For more information: www.mediantechnologies.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180205005390/en/ Contacts: Median Technologies Marjorie Kooman VP, Head of Investor and Media Relations +1 312 282 3923 marjorie.kooman@mediantechnologies.com or Press - ALIZE RP Caroline Carmagnol /Wendy Rigal + 33 1 44 54 36 66 median@alizerp.com or Investors - ACTIFIN Ghislaine Gasparetto +33 1 56 88 11 11 ggasparetto@actifin.fr DUBLIN, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Photoacoustic Microscopy Systems Market 2018-2022" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global photoacoustic microscopy systems market to grow at a CAGR of 39.77% during the period 2018-2022. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global photoacoustic microscopy systems market for 2018-2022. To calculate the market size, the report presents a detailed picture of the market by way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. One trend in the market is growing importance of tele-imaging. Medical imaging devices have high demand as the procedures form the basis of diagnosis and treatment of various medical conditions. Tele-imaging enables physicians to perform and interpret medical images in remote areas where the technology is difficult to reach. According to the report, one driver in the market is increased need for early diagnosis and preventive medicine. Imaging devices, including photoacoustic microscopy systems, in the current healthcare environment play a vital role as their role has undergone rapid transformation. From early detection and improved diagnostics and treatment, the imaging industry has moved to imaging informatics, hybrid modalities, and follow-up treatment. Imaging systems, including photoacoustic microscopy systems, help physicians to follow up with the patients and monitor their medical condition on a regular basis. It helps in detecting the effect of the therapy for cancer patients. Market trends Growing importance of tele-imaging Growing demand for multimodality/hybrid medical imaging equipment Growing demand for portable imaging equipment Key vendors Advantest kibero Micro Photo Acoustics Key Topics Covered: Part 01: Executive Summary Part 02: Scope Of The Report Part 03: Research Methodology Part 04: Introduction Part 05: Market Landscape Part 06: Market Sizing Part 07: Five Forces Analysis Part 08: Market Segmentation By End-User Part 09: Market Segmentation By Modality Part 10: Geographical Segmentation Part 11: Decision Framework Part 12: Drivers And Challenges Part 13: Market Trends Part 14: Vendor Landscape Part 15: Vendor Analysis For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/s8tt2h/global?w=5 Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 02/05/18 -- Canadian Metals Inc. (the "Company") (CSE: CME)(CSE: CME.CN)(CNSX: CME) is pleased to announce that it has filed on SEDAR a Technical Report in compliance with National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101) on a mineral resources update of the Company's 100% owned Langis near Amqui, Quebec. The technical report was prepared by Goldminds Geoservices Inc. ("GMG"). Highlights: -- High-grade silica sandstone deposit at surface open-pit constrained resources: -- 3,900,000 tonnes Measured @ 99.01% SiO2 and 3,700,000 tonnes Indicated @ 98.92% SiO2 for a total of 7,600,000 tonnes M&I @ 98.96% SiO2 at a cut-off grade of 97% SiO2; -- 14,000,000 tonnes Inferred @ 98.97% SiO2 -- Major increase in resource estimates 217% for Langis vs. October 2016 resources. -- Quarry permit in place with an average of 84,286 tpy with a maximum of 100,000 tpy with extraction of 590,000 Tonnes, now 674,000 Tonnes in the M&I at 99% SiO2 in the original quarry design based on resource update. -- Fully permitted with the BEX and the Certificate of Authorization from the MDDELCC. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. However, the reported mineral resources are considered by the qualified persons to have reasonable prospects for economic extraction as per CIM 2014 definitions. Canadian Metals Inc. news release dated December 20th, 2017 summarizes the assumptions and key results contained in the technical report. The same results of the press release are presented in the technical report. Qualified Person Claude Duplessis, Eng. of Goldminds Geoservices, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, is responsible for the Langis Silica exploration program, mineral resource update and has approved the technical information contained in this news release. The company also announces that the Board of Directors has approved the grant of an aggregate of 1,250,000 stock options to be distributed among directors, officers and consultants of the Corporation under the terms of the Corporation's Stock Option Plan, each option being exercisable at $0.14 per share for a period of five years. About Canadian Metals Canadian Metals is focused on the development of its Langis project, a high-purity silica deposit located in the province of Quebec. The Company is rapidly positioning itself as a supplier of high purity silica and silicon alloy in North America. Silicon based materials can be formulated to provide a broad range of products from more durable, faster building materials with smarter electronic devices, solar panels and more efficient wind turbines. We expect to become a global supplier for a number of industries and applications but without limitation: glass, ceramics, lighting, oil and gas, paint, plastic and rubber. We also want to become an integrated supplier to metallurgical industries including foundries, and participate in a wide range of civil, industrial, environmental and related applications. These target markets are an integral part of the lives of millions of people every day. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information Certain statements included herein may constitute "forward-looking statements". All statements included in this press release that address future events, conditions or results, including in connection with the pre-feasibility study, its financing, the hybrid flex project, job creation, the investments to complete the project and the potential performance, production and environmental footprint of the silicon plant, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "must", "plan", "believe", "expect", "estimate", "think", "continue", "should", "will", "could", "intend", "anticipate" or "future" or the negative forms thereof or similar variations. These forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by management in light of their experiences and their perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors they believe are appropriate in the circumstances. These statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those mentioned in the Corporation's continuous disclosure documents, which can be found under its profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). Many of such risks and uncertainties are outside the control of the Corporation and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In making such forward-looking statements, management has relied upon a number of material factors and assumptions, on the basis of currently available information, for which there is no insurance that such information will prove accurate. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth above. The Corporation is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Canadian Metals Inc. Hubert Vallee President and CEO hvallee@canadianmetalsinc.com Canadian Metals Inc. Stephane Leblanc Chief Investment Officer sleblanc@canadianmetalsinc.com www.canadianmetalsinc.com The Board of Directors of Arion Bank HF to day decided to summon a shareholders' meeting of the bank, which shall take place on 12 February. The Board, firstly, proposes that the Board be provided with a temporary authority to purchase shares issued by the Bank. The authority, if granted, will be adopted as an addendum to the Bank's current articles of association. Secondly, the Board proposes that the shareholders' meeting resolves to conditionally distribute dividends to shareholders. The text of the propsals are as follows (in english): A) A proposal for authority for the Board of Directors of Arion Bank to purchase shares issued by the Bank which shall be adopted into an addendum to the Bank's current articles of association. Addendum no. 1 to the Articles of Association of Arion Bank hf. pursuant to clause 9.3, hereof. Authority to purchase own shares provided by a shareholders' meeting held on 12 February 2018 A shareholders' meeting of Arion Bank hf., which was convened on 12 February 2018, hereby empowers and authorises the Board of Directors of the Bank to purchase, whether in one transaction or many, during the validity period of this authority, up to an aggregate maximum of 10% (ten per cent) or 200 million shares (each with a nominal value of ISK 1), whichever is lower, of the Bank's issued, registered and fully paid up shares. The Board of Directors is further empowered and authorised to enter into such transactions at any time and with any party (including some, but not all shareholders of the Bank) without the (other) shareholders of the Bank being entitled to demand equal treatment in that they are permitted, in connection with, or as a result of such a transaction, to require the Bank to purchase some or all of their respective shareholdings of the Bank. The maximum price per share which the Board of Directors of the Bank may pay by way of consideration for shares thus acquired may not exceed ISK 94.177 per share. The minimum price per share which the Board of Directors of the Bank may pay for these purposes shall be ISK 1 per share. This authority is provided on the basis of Art. 55 of Limited Liability Companies no. 2/1995. This authority shall be valid until 15 April 2018. B) Proposal that a sharesholders' meeting of Arion Bank resolves to conditionally distribute dividends to the bank's shareholders. Resolution to distribute dividend to shareholders, adopted by a shareholders' meeting of Arion Bank held at 12 February 2018. A meeting of the shareholders of Arion Bank hf. convened on 12 February 2018 hereby resolves to distribute dividend in cash to those parties who are electronically registered shareholders of Arion Bank at 12 o'clock noon (GMT) on the immediate working day (each working day a day on which Banks in Reykjavik, Iceland, are generally open for business) after the date of the Private Placement, as defined below, (Record Date). The dividend payment date shall be the day which falls on the tenth (10.) working day after the closing of the Private Placement. The aggregate amount distributed as dividend to shareholders shall be ISK 25 billion, less any amounts used by Arion Bank as consideration for shares of the Bank repurchased by the Bank in the period from the date hereof until Record Date, on the basis of the authority provided by its Articles of Association as amended on 12 February 2018. The dividend amount distributable to each shareholder shall be his pro rata share (as determined by ratio of the number of shares held by each of them respectively on the Record Date, divided by the total number of shares in the Bank) in the aggregate distributable amount, so determined. The distribution of dividend to each shareholder will be subject to withholding of Icelandic Financial Income Tax. The allocation of dividend will be notified to individual shareholders by Arion Bank in a written notification sent to each shareholder no later than on the fifth (5.) working day after the closing of the Private Placement. The foregoing distribution of dividend is conditional upon Kaupskil ehf. having sold and transferred (i.e. closed the sale of) not less than 2% of the share capital of Arion Bank in a private placement (Private Placement) no later than on 15 April 2018. Should such transfer not have taken place on the said date, this resolution to distribute dividend shall be held to have been revoked at the end of that date and consequently deemed null and void thereafter. No shareholder shall be entitled to assert or base any right or claim for payment of dividend until this condition has been fulfilled. For further information please contact Haraldur Guni Eisson of Arion Bank's Communications division at haraldur.eidsson@arionbanki.is or tel: +354 444 7108. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 5, 2018) - Carube Copper Corp. (TSXV: CUC) (the "Company") announces today that its Board of Directors has decided to postpone its Annual General Meeting scheduled for March 8th, 2018 due to certain pending corporate developments. The meeting will be rescheduled in the near future, once the pending corporate developments are finalized. About Carube Copper Carube is focused on the exploration and development of copper and gold projects in Jamaica and Canada. In Jamaica, Carube Copper holds a 100% interest in 11 licenses, totalling 535 square kilometres. In Canada, it holds a 100% interest in three porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum properties, totalling 492 square kilometres within the Tertiary-aged Cascade Magmatic Arc in southwestern British Columbia. Contacts Jeff Ackert, President and CEO 1-613-839-3258 jackert@carubecopper.com www.carubecopper.com Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. DISCLAIMER & FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, and by their very nature involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on currently available information, Carube Copper Corp. provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Factors which cause results to differ materially are set out in the Company's documents filed on SEDAR. Undue reliance should not be placed on "forward looking statements". IMPORTANT NOTICE: Carube Copper hereby incorporates the entire disclaimer set forth on its website at http://www.carubecopper.com/uploads/1/6/5/2/16521880/disclaimers-and-forward-statements.pdf Paige.AI, a a NYC-based start-up advancing clinical diagnosis and treatment in oncology through use of artificial intelligence (AI), raised $25m in Series A funding. Among the lead investors is Jim Breyer, founder and chief executive officer of Breyer Capital, a premier global venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California. Led by Thomas Fuchs, PhD and David Klimstra, MD, Paige.AI will develop computational solutions across diagnostic pathology, initially focusing on clinical applications in breast, prostate and other major cancers. The company signed a comprehensive license agreement with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) to gain exclusive access to MSKs intellectual property in the field of computational pathology, as well as exclusive rights to MSKs library of 25 million pathology slides. Paige.AI also expects to partner with other leading academic medical centers, commercial labs and pharmaceutical companies as it develops a full suite of AI applications in pathology. FinSMEs 05/02/2018 Moody's says medium-term target to reduce central govt debt-to-GDP ratio to 40 percent is supportive of sovereign credit profile New Delhi: The Budget for 2018-19 strikes a balance between fiscal prudence and growth, and a "slight" slippage in fiscal deficit has no material impact on overall economic strength. The government has revised its 2018-19 fiscal deficit projections to 3.3 percent of GDP and for the current fiscal to 3.5 percent of GDP, against original targets of 3 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively. "The revised fiscal consolidation path is modestly shallower than the previous roadmap, but does not fundamentally alter India's overall fiscal strength," says William Foster, Vice President-Senior Credit Officer at Moody's. The medium-term target to reduce the central government debt-to-GDP ratio to 40 percent is supportive of the sovereign credit profile, Foster said. Moody's in a statement said India's budget for the fiscal year ending March 2019 strikes a balance between fiscal prudence and growth. "Slight slippage in the budget deficit targets has no material impact on the country's overall fiscal strength and is in line with Moody's expectations," it said. The budget benefits corporates as well as infrastructure and insurance sectors, said Joy Rankothge, Vice President -- Senior Analyst. Moody's expects that the government will meet next year's deficit target, based on achievable budget assumptions and demonstrated commitment to fiscal prudence. "However, some ambitious revenue assumptions and uncertainty about some spending items could result in a shortfall to overall fiscal consolidation," Moody's said. "The projected expenditure restraint and strong revenue growth are likely to be broadly achieved, although some measures such as the rule guiding increases in Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) and ambitious GST revenue targets could result in some further slippage," Foster said. The formal adoption -- as stated by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley when he announced the budget -- of key recommendations by the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Committee (FRBM) as "credit positive". These include the objective to bring down the central government debt-to-GDP ratio to 40 percent (from about 50 per cent today) and use of the fiscal deficit target as the government's key operational parameter, Moody's said. For most of India's corporates, the budget's measures of higher rural spending, lower corporate taxes, and relaxing restrictions on the ability of financial intermediaries to invest in lower rated corporate bonds are credit positive, it added. The infrastructure sector will benefit from a boost in spending and the government's continued focus on public investment will also help galvanise India's upturn in capital spending, Moody's said. Finally, the insurance market will benefit from the launch of a national health scheme and the merger, as well as listing, of three state-owned insurers. "The insurance, and in particular non-life market, is set to benefit from the growth prospects provided by the widening of universal health insurance cover," it added. Click here for full coverage of Union Budget 2018. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 5) The country's chief of police denied that they were using religious items as props in the war against drugs. Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald Dela Rosa on Monday responded to the Catholic Bishop's Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) statement, where it accused the police of resorting to theatrics in bringing Bibles and rosaries while conductiong Oplan Tokhang operations. "Ginawa na nga namin ito lahat para ipakita sa inyo na totoo ang aming ginagawa...kami ay maka-Diyos tapos sabihin niyo theatrics," Dela Rosa said. [Translation: We did this to show you that what we are doing is real...and we are Godly but you say it's theatrics.] Dela Rosa also said the Catholic Church was not only for the clergy. "Wow. Kayo lang ang banal, porke't kayo ang mga pari, kami mga makasalanan na, hindi kami karapat dapat maghawak ng Bibliya at magsuot ng rosaryo?" he added. [Translation: Wow. You are the only ones who are holy because you care priests and we are sinners we have no right to hold a Bible and wear a rosary?] Dela Rosa said he was disappointed by the Church, adding he could not blame anyone for leaving the Roman Catholic religion because of this. CBCP to PNP: Follow the law In their statement last week, the CBCP said the police should take out "theatrics" and "exaggeration" when doing their duties and stick to the job at hand. Earlier, the Eastern Police District said police taking part in the government's anti-illegal drug campaign would be bringing Bibles and rosaries, hoping these items would help convince suspects to surrender peacefully. "Bringing those religious items during police operations is good only for theatrics. They are not essentially necessary," said Fr. Jerome Secillano, CBCP executive secretary of the Committee on Public Affairs. He added police should follow the guidelines set with or without the use of religious items. RELATED: New guidelines 'encourage' police to use body cameras in drug ops Oplan Tokhang, the government's flagship anti-illegal drugs campaign was relaunched on January 29, and the police said there were no casualties in the intelligence-gathering operation so far. READ: PNP: Bloodless first week for Oplan Tokhang New guidelines on the drive said no operations would be conducted at night and on weekends, and police were encouraged to use body cams in operations. RELATED: New PNP guidelines ban Oplan Tokhang at night, weekends The PNP said the new rules will promote transparency and safety both for the suspects and the so-called Tokhangers, or police officers involved in operations. Report says despite re-introduction of LTCG tax, investments made in equity related mutual funds still remained profitable. In his Union Budget 2018 speech, finance minister Arun Jaitley revealed that the government was bringing back tax on long term capital gains made on equities, equity linked mutual funds or equity related business trusts. Long term capital is a holding that is with the investor for more than one year and profit made on its sale after the period is considered gain. The tax on LTCG was repealed back in 2004 when the government introduced securities transaction tax (STT) in its place. The LTCG tax will be charged at 10 percent. As a result of the announcement related to the LTCG tax in the budget, the markets reacted negatively with the benchmark Sensex falling more than 800 points as investors sentiments dampened and they rushed for selling their holdings. Broader Nifty also was trading lower on the news. According to this Times of India report despite the re-introduction of LTCG tax, the investments made in equity related mutual funds still remained profitable. As these instruments have the potential of doing far better than many other equity related saving schemes in the market, the report added. The Times of India report cites CRISIL AMFI Equity Fund Performance Index to back its claim that such investments still remained profitable. According to this report, for December 2017, equity funds had a CAGR of 35.59 percent in one year, 13.08 percent in three years, 17.64 percent in five years, and 8.94 percent in 10 years. Presently there is no tax on equity or equity related holdings that an investor has with them for more than one year. Besides, the government says it was hopeful that the revenue on account of LTCG levy will grow substantially. Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia echoes the same viewpoint as he said the government hopes to double its revenue from LTCG tax on stocks to Rs 40,000 crore in 2019-20 as more share transactions come in its fold, PTI reported on Sunday. The government has made it clear that with re-introduction of LTCG tax, the STT will remain in place and there was no plan to abolish it. Interestingly, STT was brought in after the government decided to withdraw LTCG tax. At present, a 0.001 percent STT is charged at the time of selling of mutual fund unit holdings. Besides, a 0.1 percent STT is charged at the time of buying and selling equity share units, according to this Mint report. It may be noted that the LTCG tax has been imposed with a grandfather clause that gives certain relaxation to the identified stock market investor. Under the norm or the grandfather rule, the government has said there will be no LTCG tax on equities held as of 31st January, 2018. The government defends introduction of the new tax after a gap of 14 years on select equity holdings saying, If the salaried class pays up to 30 percent income tax after toiling, it is only fair that those who make huge returns on stock market investment are brought into the tax net, Adhia added. Adhia said a huge Rs 3.67 lakh crore, as per the I-T returns filed for Assessment Year 2017-18, has been exempted from tax as it under the LTCG from listed shares, according to PTI. Click here for full coverage of Union Budget 2018. Hasmukh Adhia, who is also Revenue Secretary, said income of government from Securities Transaction Tax (STT) is a paltry Rs 9,000 cr The sell-off in equity markets is due to a weak global sentiment and not because of long term capital gains tax announced in the budget, Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia has said. Adhia said the 10 percent tax on long term capital gains (LTCG) is a subsidised rate as such gains on sale of unlisted scrips and immovable property are taxed at 20 percent. It is very unfortunate that our move came in at a wrong time because of global markets also going down. There is a strong connection of all equity markets. The MSCI all country index of equity markets went down by 3.4 percent last week, especially on Thursday and Friday'', Adhia said a post-budget meet organised by industry body CII on Monday. If the entire world index has gone down by 3.4 percent, naturally it would have ripple effect on Indian stock market also. It is not LTCG tax effect, he said. Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty on Monday dropped up to 1.6 percent in the morning trade, continuing their decline for a third session on heavy profit-booking by investors. Indian stock market was no exception to global markets which also suffered losses of up to 2.4 percent on Monday after deep correction in the US markets last week triggered by a sharp rise in Treasury yields. The Budget for 2018-19 imposed a 10 percent tax on LTCG of over Rs 1 lakh made on sale of shares from April 1. However, all gains made up to January 31, 2018, have been grandfathered -- meaning no tax will be imposed till that date. LTCG effect because we have grandfathered it should not be there. Why should anybody do a distressed sell now, because we have grandfathered, there is no hurry to sell. There is nothing that you are going to lose by selling it immediately. So its not the effect of LTCG tax, it is the overall index of the equity market which has changed in other countries of world, Adhia said. Adhia, who is also the Revenue Secretary, said the income of government from Securities Transaction Tax (STT) is a paltry Rs 9,000 crore. In equity market, there are more number of short term capital gains transactions, so income of Rs 9,000 is mostly from short term transactions, he said. Currently India imposes a 15 percent tax on short term capital gains made of sale of shares within a year of purchase. However, gains made after a year of purchase is exempt from the levy. The Budget 2018-19 has reintroduced the provision of taxing long term capital gains after a gap of 14 years. Meanwhile, explaining the reason behind imposition of LTCG, the government said that exempting such income from tax was inherently biased against manufacturing and encouraged diversion of investment to financial assets. Click here for full coverage of Union Budget 2018. Narendra Modi is set to visit the UAE later this week which authorities and business leaders say signifies the importance India attaches to the oil-rich nation. Dubai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit the UAE later this week which authorities and business leaders say signifies the special importance India attaches to its ties with the oil-rich nation and will help in furthering cooperation in diplomatic, economic and security issues. Modi will be in the UAE on 10 and 11 February and will address the sixth World Government Summit in Dubai. This will be Modi's second visit to the UAE. He first visited the country in August 2015. "Prime Minister Narendra Modis second visit to UAE is an indication of the special importance we attach to the India-UAE relationship," India's Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri said. According to him, the visit builds in the momentum that has developed since India hosted Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed as chief guest on Republic Day in 2017. Besides bilateral engagements, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to address members of the Indian community at the Dubai Opera House. "During the year, we have seen major UAE investments into India, a significant increase in defence and security cooperation, a transformation in our energy ties from a buyer seller relationship to a strategic partnership. For the community, the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi will be great news," Suri said. Echoing Suris sentiments, the UAE ambassador to India Ahmed Al-Banna said the visit "tells us the direction that India and the UAE have in mind and also the characteristics of our respective leaderships." "The leadership has put us on a challenging and interesting track where the relationship is very important, on many sectors, and our leaders are pushing to rewrite future plans for both nations," Al-Banna said. While Ambassador Suri highlighted the trade and investment component of this rapidly-evolving relationship, Ambassador Al-Banna chose to emphasise on the connectivity aspect of it. "There are 1,076 flights a week between India and the UAE, which is the largest operation of its kind. More than 50 per cent of Indians, who travel outside India to different destinations, such as Europe or America, use Dubai and Abu Dhabi as their transit hub," he said. It is obvious that both sides are banking on prime minister's visit to go over and above the 17 bilateral agreements signed in January 2016, and 14 agreements in February 2017. With an eye on India, some leading Gulf businesses with Indians at the helm see this as realisation of long-held dreams. Yusuffali MA, chairman Lulu Group International and member of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, said India had been on an aggressive forward march with regard to attracting FDIs. "The recent report by leading rating agencies and financial institutions have all lauded Indias fiscal policies and ease of doing business, so obviously India does look like a hot destination for investment. As far Indo-UAE business relationship is concerned, it is at all time high with both countries being each other's top trading partner," Yusuffali said. According to him, till recently India was seen as an investment destination only, but off late UAE has been trying to woo Indian businesses to invest and set up operations here. "This move shows the kind of confidence UAE has on Indian economy and I am sure business houses in both countries will be eagerly looking forward to this visit to open up new areas of co-operation," Yusuffali said. Manoj Prasad, Executive Chairman, of DIFC-based investment banking firm, Que Capital Limited, believes this visit truly signifies the seriousness among top Indian leadership toward making an ever growing relationship between two countries more meaningful. "The ambition is obviously growth to which both countries have already started contributing, be it through India investing in infrastructure or the bilateral investment fund which is in the process of being setup," says Prasad. According to him, businesses among the two countries have witnessed unprecedented growth in recent years. "The comfort and mutual respect for leaders of both the countries are clearly visible and the visit of Prime Minister Modi to the land with highest NRI diaspora in the world would further enhance it," he said. A wide spectrum of companies stands to gain from improving bilateral relations facilitating business climate on both sides, he said. Kulwant Singh, the founder and managing director of Lama Hospitality group, feels the visit signifies that we are serious about our relationship and take our commitments, business associations, joint opportunities, and strategic tie ups seriously. "We see the formula of successful businesses matching with the perfect platform of opportunities available in India. With the new budget in place, NRIs will have huge opportunities in sectors like healthcare, education, and infrastructure," Singh told PTI. Prasanth Manghat, CEO and Executive Director, NMC Health Plc, says the visit will not only develop his outreach to the Arab world but also offer a prospect to further the strategic partnerships in the region. According to him, the visit is seen by many as cementing the close relationship Modi shares with the UAE leadership, also furthering cooperation in diplomatic, economic and security issues. "At the ground level of delivery, the strategic partnership is being expanded and the UAE has announced plans to invest USD 75 billion over a decade to meet Indias infrastructure needs," he said. Indian expatriates in the UAE actively participate in projects toward the development of the UAE and this visit will help further evolve the deep and historic relationship shared between the two countries, said Mehirr Nath Choppra, CEO Qasbah Group. "It would certainly help to get an overview of the projects that have been announced in the past and their current status so serious players can set their timelines accordingly," Choppra said. The Delhi Police arrested Kasganj sharpshooter Munawwar alias Tanwir in an early Monday morning encounter in the Okhla Mandi area in Delhi The Delhi Police arrested a sharpshooter in an early Monday morning encounter in the Okhla Mandi area in Delhi. The arrested criminal was carrying a reward of Rs 70,000. #Delhi: An encounter took place between police and a criminal in Okhla Mandi area in the early morning hours. Criminal carrying a reward of Rs 70,000 was arrested following exchange of fire. ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 The Delhi Police said that they had received information on Monday morning that Munnawar alias Tanwir, a sharpshooter of the notorious "Chhenu" gang in Uttar Pradesh, hails from Kasganj. Tanwir would come to Okhla. The police surrounded the area and tried to stop him when he entered the area. However, Tanwir hit the barricade and started firing at the police. In the resulting police firing, Tanwir was hit twice but was apparently wearing a bulletproof vest. One of his accomplices was successful in escaping. NDTV reported that Tanwir has a dozen cases of murder and loot against him. Besides other cases, the police will investigate if Tanwir had any role to play in the communal violence in Kasganj in which a 22-year-old was shot dead. Republic Day celebrations in Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj district had been marred by a spurt of violence, as members of two communities clashed, leading to the death of a one person, and leaving several people injured. One of the prime accused, Salim Javed, was arrested on 31 January from a hideout in Kasganj, an officer of Uttar Pradesh Police had said, adding that based on leads provided by him, police are looking for the other accused as well. An illegal pistol was also recovered from his house during a raid. The police are also looking for his two brothers Naseem and Waseem, who are reportedly close to the Samajwadi Party. On Saturday, Rahat Qureshi, another accused was arrested, the police had said. A countryside pistol and some cartridges were also recovered from Qureshi's possession. A major fire broke out at a LED bulb factory in an industrial area in Akola in eastern Maharashtra in the early hours. Nagpur: A major fire broke out at a LED bulb factory in an industrial area in Akola in eastern Maharashtra in the early hours. The blaze was brought under control by 6.30 in the morning, a fire officer said. Though no casualties were reported, the factory, Ashlesha Power Control Pvt Ltd, suffered extensive damage, he said. Fire officer Ramesh Thakre of the Akola Municipal Corporation told PTI that they were informed about the fire around 1.45 am. "It was a major fire. Seven fire tenders were pressed into service to douse it. The company is involved in LED bulb assembling and the fire could have been triggered by a short circuit," he said. Six wagons and the locomotive of a goods train derailed on the Kirandul-Visakhapatnam railway section in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Sunday after Naxalites removed tracks to disrupt train traffic on the eve of a bandh called by them, an official said. Raipur: Six wagons and the locomotive of a goods train derailed on the Kirandul-Visakhapatnam railway section in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Sunday after Naxalites removed tracks to disrupt train traffic on the eve of a bandh called by them, an official said. The Maoists uprooted tracks between Bhansi and Bacheli, leading to the derailment of six wagons and the engine of the goods train, a senior police official told PTI. The train, loaded with iron ore, was on its way to Visakhapatnam from Kirandul, the official said, adding the incident took place around 7 pm in the forests under Bacheli police station limits, located about 450 kilometres from Raipur. There was no report of any casualties, he said. A team of security personnel, including jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force and local police, and railway officials rushed to the spot to restore services, he said. Officials said that the Maoists had called for a bandh in the region on Monday protesting against government policies. In view of the bandh call, security forces had intensified search and combing operations in the Bastar region, the official added. A stranded fishing vessel, 'Mariyam', with 11 fisherfolk on board that was rescued on Sunday by the Indian Coast Guard off Maharashtra, is now safe and proceeding to Kochi Mumbai: A stranded fishing vessel, 'Mariyam', with 11 fisherfolk on board that was rescued on Sunday by the Indian Coast Guard off Maharashtra, is now safe and proceeding to Kochi, an official said on Monday. The ICG swung into action after receiving a distress call from the Tamil Nadu registered vessel, stranded in the high seas, sometime on Sunday afternoon. Later in the evening, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman also tweeted a request to help out the vessel, registered in Tuticorin. Help needed urgently! @IndiaCoastGuard @DefenceMinIndia @CMOMaharashtra @indiannavy This TV report claims fishermen from TN stranded 100 nautical miles away from Ratnagiri, Maharastra. https://t.co/vebv1bzcx8 Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) February 4, 2018 "The fishing boat had run out of fuel and the ICG diverted one of its ships in the vicinity to render all required assistance to it, around 170 kilometers off Ratnagiri coast," an ICG spokesperson told IANS. "By the time, the ICG ship reached, another fishing vessel had helped 'Mariyam' with fuel and it has now started its voyage to Kerala," he added. The ICG ship would accompany it for sometime and the fishing vessel was expected to reach Kochi after a couple of days. 'Mariyam' had set sail from Tamil Nadu on 7 January, but after running out of fuel near Ratnagiri, it was drifting around in the area since late Friday. Indias diplomatic choices in West Asia are being guided by shifting global geopolitics. During Prime Minister Narendra Modis three-nation tour to the Arab world from 9 to 12 February, his visit to Palestine will be the most significant. This visit, the first ever by an Indian prime minister, comes at a time when bilateral relations between India and Israel are on an extremely upward trajectory. Modis Palestine visit underscores the significance of Indias historic support to the Palestinian cause. As part of the Modi governments declared policy of de-hyphenating New Delhis relations with Israel and Palestine, Modi will not visit Israel. Last year, Modi became the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel on a standalone visit, but chose not to travel to Ramallah. When Modi became the prime minister in 2014, he began a policy toward Israel which came to be referred to as de-hyphenation, which meant that Indias ties with Israel would stand on its own merits, separate from New Delhis relationship with Palestine. In other words, it would no longer be Indias relationship with Israel-Palestine. But as time progressed, Indias pro-Israel voting pattern in some global governance bodies as well as growing personal bonhomie between Narendra Modi and Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to be interpreted as downgrading of Indias ties with Palestine. When Modi visited Israel in July, though, he went to Jerusalem but did not feel the need to balance it with a trip to Ramallah. However, it was seen in many Arab capitals as abandonment of Indias historic support to the Palestinian cause. Therefore, Modis forthcoming standalone visit to Palestine should be seen as a robust diplomatic attempt to silence the critics of his governments Palestinian policy. India has come a long way in acknowledging Israel and forming strategic partnership with it. India, which voted at the UN against the creation of Israel, instead suggested a minority plan for a federal Palestine State with two separate autonomous regions for the Arabs and Jews. The Indian government only reluctantly recognised Israel in 1950; two years after the Jewish nation came into being. However, that did not prevent Israel prime minister David Ben-Gurion from offering his support to Jawaharlal Nehru during Indias disastrous war with China in 1962. Again in 1971, then Israeli prime minister Golda Meir secretly supplied weapons when India was preparing for a war with Pakistan. In other words, India-Israeli ties for decades have been covert and behind-closed-doors, anchored in military and intelligence discussions. It was former prime minister Narasimha Rao who established full diplomatic relations with Israel. Since then, ties have become better, but have not risen to their fullest potential. When the UPA government came to power in 2004, New Delhi again returned to being surreptitious about its strategic ties with Tel Aviv; India tried to push its ties with Israel underneath the carpet. But then came Modi in 2014; he brought the India-Israel ties in full public domain. Under his stewardship, Indias foreign policy establishment realised that forging close ties with Israel is not going to offend Indias Arab friends, as many of them have also transformed their ties with Israel. Besides being the first non-Arab country to recognise Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as the sole representative of the Palestinian people, India was one of the first countries to recognise the Palestine State in 1988. In 2012, India called for Palestinian Statehood to be recognised by the United Nations. On his Palestine visit in October 2015, then president Pranab Mukherjee said Indias solidarity with the Palestinian people and its principled support to the Palestinian cause is rooted in our own freedom struggle. When Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas visited India in May, Modi reassured him of Indias unwavering support towards the Palestinian cause. In late December, India upheld its support to the Palestinian cause by favouring a United Nations resolution condemning American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. It was a crucial vote just before Netanyahus impending State visit to India in January 2018. Many in New Delhi felt that it would cause embarrassment to Netanyahu, who is prioritising ties with India. But the Modi government went ahead with the vote. As is often felt both by the left-leaning liberals and influential right-wing voices, Indias support to Palestine has not entirely been dictated by considerations of domestic politics, particularly its perceived reluctance to alienate considerably large Muslim minority. First of all, this assumption is very simplistic that Indias Muslims choose to vote on foreign policy issues. Indias electoral history clearly points that Indian voter does not care about foreign policy issues. In fact, New Delhis Palestine policy has been an essential component of Indias energy diplomacy with oil-rich Gulf countries, Indias Kashmir dispute with Pakistan as well as for ensuring the safety of the Indian diaspora in the Gulf countries. And now, Indias diplomatic choices, including in West Asia, are being guided by shifting global geopolitics. India is not oblivious to Chinas diplomatic initiatives towards the counties of West Asia. Chinas growing global influence continues to rattle Indian policy makers. Beijing does not miss any opportunity to reiterate Chinas commitment on the two-state solution. Addressing a United Nations Security Council quarterly debate on Palestinian question last month, Chinas deputy permanent representative to the United Nations said that the question of Palestine was at the core of West Asia peace, noting that the two-state solution was the right approach. China also has a special envoy to West Asia, who is pushing the Chinese plan that seeks to achieve a two-state solution, with a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital. The Chinese often claim that they are interested in helping find a solution that will ensure rights for the Palestinians and security for Israel. In December, Beijing hosted a symposium for Palestinian and Israeli peace advocates. Even though Chinas involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is mainly symbolic, can India afford to ignore this? Moreover, the Modi governments forceful counter-terrorism policy towards Pakistan has seen New Delhi once again seeking strong Arab support for the Indian case against Pakistan-backed terrorism by extending its support to the Palestinians. Recently, after Palestines ambassador to Pakistan Walid Abu Ali attended a Jerusalem-related rally organised by the Difa-e-Pakistan Council, along with the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind and global terrorist Hafiz Saeed, India was forced to register a strong protest with the Palestinian authorities. Resultantly, Palestine recalled its Pakistani ambassador. A spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants issued a statement saying, The ministry considers the participation of our ambassador in Pakistan in a mass solidarity rally with Jerusalem held in Rawalpindi on Friday and in the presence of people accused of terrorism as an unintended mistake but not justified. Accordingly, the ministry decided directly, from the sovereignty of the President of the State of Palestine, to summon the Palestinian ambassador to Pakistan immediately. Hence, India cannot afford to let the perception gain ground in Palestine and elsewhere in West Asia that New Delhis growing closeness with Tel Aviv is tantamount to abandonment of even the moral support to the Palestinian cause. It is no secret that India-Israel counter-terrorism cooperation has grown substantially. But New Delhi is not unmindful of the fact that the nature and source of terrorism are not similar for both the countries. If Iran is viewed in Tel Aviv as supporting terrorism against Israeli interests, Iran is seen in New Delhi as of huge strategic importance to India, particularly for providing an alternative land access to Afghanistan and resource-rich Central Asian region. The opening of the Chahbahar port, giving Afghanistan a route to the sea bypassing Pakistan, is a shining example of India smartly balancing its relations with both Israel and Iran. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani is slated for a State visit to India after Modi returns from his Arab tour. This diplomatic pragmatism does not remain a one-way street. Tel Aviv actively engages with Beijing, welcoming Chinas ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), while ignoring Indias concerns about Chinas growing influence in South Asia. When Netanyahu describes India-Israeli ties a marriage made in heaven, it does not escape attention that he said the same thing to Xi Jinping about China-Israeli ties during his March 2017 visit to China marking 25 years of diplomatic relations. There is a feeling in Israel that BRI would spur new construction and urban development that would translate into more business for Israeli companies. India allocated $4.5 million for establishing the Palestine Institute Diplomacy, which is likely to be inaugurated by Modi during his fvisit. New Delhi is also helping Palestine build a technology park in Ramallah. India is also among the handful of counties that has a mission in Ramallah. In 2016, India also pledged $1.25 million humanitarian assistance to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). In view of US president Donald Trumps decision of slashing American funds to UNRWA, Indias support to UNRWA is a clear reflection of New Delhi charting its own path in West Asia. As the Israeli-Palestinian conflict sees no sign of being resolved in the foreseeable future, the Modi governments efforts to de-hyphenate between the two sides can be sustained without much difficulty. The author is an assistant professor at the Department of International Affairs and Security Studies, Sardar Patel University of Police, Security and Criminal Justice, Rajasthan. He is also the coordinator at the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies in Jaipur. A special court on Monday sent Indrani Mukerjea, a prime accused in the Sheena Bora case, to two days CBI custody in connection with a case related to INX Media. New Delhi: A special court on Monday sent Indrani Mukerjea, a prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, to two days CBI custody in connection with a case related to INX Media. Special CBI Judge Sunil Rana allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to interrogate Indrani for two days after the agency sought three days custody and directed that she be brought before it on 7 February. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram's son Karti's name has also cropped up in the case, which relates to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval granted in 2006 for receipt of funds by INX Media. During the proceedings, the probe agency submitted before the court that Indrani has to be questioned and confronted with other accused in the case. It said that during an earlier interrogation in the matter, it was revealed that further investigation requires her custodial interrogation. There is voluminous record in the case and permission to interrogate had been granted earlier also, the CBI said. However, the Mumbai Police told the court that Indrani has to be produced before a Mumbai court on 13 February and cannot be kept in Delhi beyond that. The ED has registered a case against INX Media, its founders Peter Mukerjea, former media baron and his wife Indrani, and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). INX Media has been accused of violating FIPB guidelines while receiving investments from Mauritius. The Mukerjeas are facing trial in Mumbai for allegedly conspiring to kill Sheena Bora, Indrani's daughter from an earlier relationship, in April 2012. On Monday, terrorists attacked an army camp in Pulwama's Kakpora in a ceasefire violation, media reports said. On Monday night, terrorists attacked an army camp in Pulwama's Kakpora region, ANI reported. There were no casualties, according to the report. J&K: Terrorists lob grenade at an Army camp in Pulwama's Kakpora, Army retaliated. No loss of life reported, more details awaited. pic.twitter.com/rd7RwYLm0z ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 On Sunday, four Indian soldiers, including a 22-year-old officer, were killed and four others were injured after Pakistani fired on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri and Poonch districts, army officials said. Army officials have been combing the Rajouri area after Sunday's attack. #WATCH Army helicopter patrolling border areas of Rajouri after four soldiers lost their lives in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in BG sector yesterday #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/SmnMXrgJe6 ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 As many as 97 people, including 41 civilians, were killed and 383 others injured in 834 ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops in the last three years, the Jammu and Kashmir government said on Monday. In a written reply to a question by a PDP MLC in the Legislative Council on Monday, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that 379 ceasefire violations took place along the LoC and the International Border (IB) last year, while 233 violations took place in 2016 and 222 in 2015. With inputs from PTI Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 5) - Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Monday formally asked for a Senate investigation on a possible violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) by President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. Trillanes, a strong critic of the President, filed Senate Resolution No. 602 directing the Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions, and Currencies to conduct a probe on bank documents showing "undisclosed transactions" by the Dutertes. The probe will be in aid of legislation, Trillanes said in his resolution, "with the end view of recommending further legislative measures to promote efficient compliance with the AMLA" and to improve the law. "Despite numerous attempts to improve the AMLA, violations thereof have been frequently perpetuated and remain undiscovered," Trillanes added. Senator Francis Escudero chairs the banks committee. The Palace said Trillanes' accusations are nothing new. "Lumang tugtugin, lumang balita, para nang sirang plaka (Old music, old news, just like a broken record)," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said. Sara Duterte said she "feels sad for Trillanes and his tireless attempt to rehash and recycle an issue that has already been proven as gossip." "The senator cannot file a case because there is no basis for it. I have said this before and I am saying it again - Trillanes is lying," the Davao City Mayor said. She also questioned Trillanes' evidence, including a supposed witness and how he obtained his documents from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC). "(Trillanes) also says (the AMLC) is the source of his documents and yet he twits President Duterte for not executing a waiver for AMLC. So how come he has a copy of a purported AMLC document without the waiver?" the younger Duterte said. Trillanes has accused the President of having unexplained wealth even before his election in May 2016. The senator called the President a "fraud" for failing to declare in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) at least P211 million in bank deposits. He said the money is in Duterte's joint account with his daughter Sara, in the Julia Vargas branch of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI). READ: BPI Julia Vargas face-off a dud: No records released In a privilege speech in October 2017, Trillanes also detailed Duterte's alleged bank transactions from 2006 to 2015, with the highest amount transacted in one day reaching up to P193 million. READ: Trillanes details Duterte's alleged hidden wealth Trillanes has since been calling on Duterte to sign a waiver to be able to probe his accounts, which Duterte refused. The President has denied all allegations, throwing back accusations at the senator of having offshore bank accounts. READ: Duterte: Trillanes' waivers useless Senate President Koko Pimentel, meanwhile, said the Senate is not the proper venue for Trillanes' complaint, and even called it a "tragic waste of time by the Senate." "If he really has the evidence then he should bring an actual case in the proper body," Pimentel said. "If this is part of just making this issue land in the news then this should not be allowed." Pimentel currently heads Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban), which is also the party under which Duterte ran. Trillanes said he filed a valid resolution, adding that Pimentel, even as Senate President, does not have the power to disallow its referral. "It was Duterte himself who challenged the Senate to investigate his bank account. So, ito na ang sagot sa hamon ng amo niya," he added. (Translation: It was Duterte himself who challenged the Senate to investigate his bank account. This is the answer to his boss' challenge.) A door of a religious place in Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj district was set ablaze by some persons on Monday in an attempt to disrupt the communal harmony. Lucknow: A door of a religious place in Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj district was set ablaze by some persons on Monday in an attempt to disrupt the communal harmony in the area singed by violence, police said. The incident occurred near Sabzi Mandi, a police officer said. Senior district and police officials lead by District Magistrate RP Singh and Superintendent of Police Piyush Srivastava rushed to the mosque in Ganjdundwara and pacified the angry residents. Violence had erupted in the district on Republic Day during the 'Tiranga Yatra' taken out by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) after which one person was killed and many injured. Shops in the area have been closed and police patrolling has been increased, an official said. Senior officials said they were monitoring the situation but added that there was no violence. "The situation is being closely monitored. The district administration is on the spot. "Peace was returning to the area. No one behind this mischief will be spared," a state Home Department official told IANS. For New Delhi, this is a moment of reckoning. Should it continue with its policy of non-interventionism, or should it interfere in Maldives to restore democracy? Recent developments in Male where the Maldivian Supreme Court has sought Indias help to tide over the threat posed by authoritarian president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom to the nations institutions, people and political system present India with an ideological and diplomatic challenge. In the shadows, lurches the Dragon. China, which didnt even have an embassy in Maldives until 2011, has lately emerged as a key player in the domestic politics of the tiny island nation in Indias backyard. Xi Jinpings signature moves are evident. Much to Indias chagrin, Beijing has already signed a free-trade agreement with Maldives. It is hugely ramping up trade and diplomatic links with a nation proximate to the Indian mainland and considered firmly within New Delhis strategic sphere of influence. Chinese companies are ousting Indian ones in infrastructure projects, the Maldivian political system is tilting away from democracy towards authoritarianism and its leadership is showing signs of falling into Chinas lap. It is obvious that for China, a tiny nation of around 400,00 people holds little economic promise. Beijings interest is strategic. It has been pulling strings to wean Maldives away from New Delhi with a series of barely disguised steps. Ever since Mohamed Nasheed, Maldives first democratically elected president was ousted in 2012 following a military coup, the new regime led by President Abdulla Yameen has been tilting towards China. An Indian companys contract to develop Ibrahim Nasir International Airport was prematurely terminated and given to Chinese entities. GMR later won the first round of arbitration proceedings in Singapore. The tiny archipelago, which still claims to have a special relationship with India, has joined Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and has allowed Chinese companies to invest heavily in infrastructure development projects. There have been media reports that China is considering opening a base in Maldives after acquiring one of the islands on lease. In December last year, the Abdulla Yameen government signed an FTA with China that was reportedly fast-tracked through the Parliamentary procedure with lawmakers on the ruling side barely getting time to read the papers and those on the Opposition kept in darkness. The details of the agreement are yet to be shared with the Opposition and even the public. The government allowed for less than 1 hour for the entire Parliamentary process to approve the 1000-page document, reported Sachin Parashar in The Times of India quoting deposed president Nasheed. The tiny island nation is also heading towards a familiar debt trap with over 70 percent of its total debt hypothecated to China that takes up nearly 20 per cent of its budget. Sudha Ramachandran writes in The Diplomat that China-funded and built mega infrastructure projects in Maldives include the Friendship Bridge linking Male to Hulhule Island and a 1,000-apartment housing project on Hulhumale, a suburb built on reclaimed land. Moreover, the FTA will allow Chinese firms and investors to operate hotels, restaurants, yacht marinas, as well as travel agencies and transport services and open up the tourism sector. Economic prowess is followed by political influence. Signs that Maldives is becoming vulnerable to Chinese manoeuvres are evident. A Maldivian pro-government newspaper has recently described China as Maldivess new best friend and India, with whom it shares a century-old trade and cultural exchange, as an enemy nation. The Abdulla Yameen governments open defiance of the Supreme Court has transformed a slow churn into a fast-paced thriller. Yameen has interpreted a landmark SC ruling as a move to impeach him, and has gathered the military and police in his corner. In response to the apex courts decision to quash the cases against former President Nasheed and eight other Opposition politicians whom the court has deemed to have been unlawfully imprisoned, Yameen has fired two police chiefs since Thursday and set the cops on Hassan Saeed, the head of Maldivess judicial administration department. The Supreme Court also ordered the Yameen government to restore 12 members of Parliament who had been stripped of their seats. This could turn the Yameen government into a minority one. In response, Yameen has accused the family members of Supreme Court Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed of corruption. Senior members of Yameens ruling party are trying to shut down independent TV channel Raajje TV saying it was spreading discord, according to news agency Reuters. We need India to take tough measures to ensure that rule of law is implemented in the Maldives," The Times of India quoted a top source in Maldives Supreme Court in saying. Indias moves are keenly awaited. US ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives Atul Keshap tweeted: What security risk prevents the #Maldives #Majlis from meeting tomorrow? Why are MPs pepper sprayed in the streets and arrested on arrival at airport? When will Government, police, & army implement Supreme Court orders freeing jailed MPs and restoring suspended MPs privileges? Atul Keshap (@USAmbKeshap) February 4, 2018 The Ministry of External Affairs has so far chosen reticence over action, restricting itself to a statement In the spirit of democracy and rule of law, it is imperative for all organs of the Government of Maldives to respect and abide by the order of the apex court. We also hope that the safety and security of the Indian expatriates in Maldives will be ensured by the Maldivian authorities under all circumstances. As a close and friendly neighbour, India wishes to see a stable, peaceful and prosperous Maldives. For New Delhi, this is a moment of reckoning. Should it continue with its policy of non-interventionism, or should it interfere to restore democracy and sanctity of institutions? If non-alignment or strategic autonomy remains one of the major strands of Indias foreign policy, non-interventionism is the other one. Partly owing to a colonial past and partly due to an abiding commitment towards democracy, India has by and large sought to balance own strategic interests in nations within its sphere of influence with a hands-off approach in domestic politics of sovereign nations. Oftentimes, this ideological position has resulted in strategic paradoxes. India wants to be recognised as a global power but still cannot let go of its Nehruvian isolationism. It has repeatedly shied away in the past from taking steps that an aspiring global power must exercise. This wasnt too much of a problem in the post Cold War paradigm but Chinas rise has altered the equation. If India fancies itself as a security guarantor in Indo-Pacific (a role that the US, Japan and even the ASEAN nations want it to play) it must develop a more proactive policy in its immediate neighbourhood. Maldives is too strategically important for India to allow it to lapse within Chinas stratosphere. India must act to secure its backyard and also to ensure the survival of democratic liberalism as a template for national development and maintenance of geopolitical order. Prakash, one of India's well-known hackers, is a bug bounty hunter i.e he finds security loopholes in websites and online applications, reports it to the concerned authority, and gets paid handsomely for it. At a time when the term 'hacker' is synonymous with digital pranksters, iCloud busters, and foreign spies (sometimes even affecting election results as certain Americans would claim), the story of Anand Prakash, a "white hat hacker" (ethical hacker), is refreshing. Prakash, one of India's well-known hackers, is a bug bounty hunter i.e he finds security loopholes in websites and online applications, reports it to the concerned authority, and gets paid handsomely for it. The 23-year-old is essentially a one-man tech security help desk for some of the most powerful software companies in the world. "Bug bounty hunting is a collaboration between ethical hackers and companies. These companies start a bug bounty hunting program where they say they will pay these hackers who report valid security loopholes," explains Prakash. "For example, I found a bug in Twitter using which I could have tweeted from anyone's account without their username and password. So I reported the security bug to Twitter's security team and the team paid out for that bug," he adds. In 2016, Prakash set up his own security auditing company called AppSecure India. The Bengaluru-based startup, which employs some India's best white-hat hackers, has already worked with multiple companies such as Flipkart, Paytm, etc., to find loopholes in their security system. Prakash's startup has also been listed on Facebook's "White Hat Bug Bounty Program" -- a list acknowledging users who have reported security vulnerabilities. With India ushering in the digital revolution, from Digital India to Aadhaar to demonetisation, the importance of cyber security -- the need to have a stable and safe system -- has also grown tremendously. Yet, white hat hackers within the country, are yet to be taken seriously. "If you find a bug in another country, they will recognise you and give you a bounty. The scene is different in India," says Prakash. "Most of the times, bounty hunters or ethical hackers are threatened with legal notices. So when we try to report a security bug leaking data of the company to the founder or the security team of the company, instead of recognising us, they try to threaten us." Prakash, who featured in the 2017 Forbes 30-under-30 Asia list, believes the best way ahead is to tap into the immense potential that lies within the country, rather than curb these 'out-of-the-box' thinkers. "Instead of threatening these bounty hunters with legal notices, our companies and governments should collaborate with these ethical hackers or bounty hunters," he says. With tech-related jobs harder to come by, it might be time for the technically gifted Indians to find alternate spaces in the industry. In cyber-security, Prakash has identified such a space where he believes India has a great potential to be a leading force. "All you require is a laptop, good internet and a cup of coffee to make millions," he concludes with a smile. The NCPCR report suggests that while most adolescent boys are unable to attend school because they are in all likeliness working, a majority of the girl children are not getting school education because they are either forced to stay at home or engaged in begging A majority of Indian adolescent girls are not attending any educational institution, and it's not because they are working, but because they are either forced to do household duties, are dependent or engaged in begging, suggests a recent report by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights' (NCPCR). The report has now raised questions over the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-year-old ambitious programme, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, which sought to address gender imbalance and discrimination against the girl child, the state of girl's education in the country remains bleak. The NCPCR report states that around 39.4 percent of adolescent girls in the 15-18 age group are not attending any educational institution, and a vast majority around 65 percent of them are "either engaged in household activities, are dependents, or, are engaged in begging, etc". The total number of out-of-school boys stands at 35 percent, of whom 33.4 percent of the out-of-school boys are non-workers, said News18, while referring to the study. What this essentially suggests is while most adolescent boys are unable to attend school because they are in all likeliness working, a majority of the girl children are not getting school education because they are either forced to stay at home or engaged in begging, a finding which is a complete contrast to popular belief. Additionally, around 2.5 crore children, especially adolescent girls, are not involved in any of the schemes run by the government, according to this India Today report. The Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls is the only scheme at present that provisions vocational as well as skill development of out-of-school adolescent girls, added the report. When Modi launched the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme in January 2015, the objectives of this initiative were the prevention of gender-biased sex-selective elimination, ensuring survival and protection of the girl child and ensuring education and participation of the girl child. However, the scheme has not been able to bring any positive outcome in terms of increasing enrolment rate of adolescent girls in the country. "Adolescent Girls in India are especially disadvantaged given their low enrolment rate and educational attainment levels. They are among the most economically vulnerable groups who typically lack access to financial capital and have more limited opportunities to gain the education, knowledge, and skills that can lead to economic advancement," said the NCPCR report. The eleventh Annual Status of Education Report (ASER 2016) released in New Delhi on 18 January 2017, by Pratham Education Foundation had revealed similar findings. The report had said that in some Indian states the proportion of girls (age group 11-14) out-of-school remained greater than 8 percent. These states were Rajasthan (9.7 percent) and Uttar Pradesh (9.9 percent). Joining them in 2016 was Madhya Pradesh (8.5 percent). In September 2017, The Times of India had reported that 8.4 crore children in the country didn't attend school at all. Contrary to popular belief that children don't go to school because they are forced to work, the Census data had shown that just 19 percent of them were forced to work. Recently, another analysis had found that out-of-school children in Asia had a negative impact on GDP growth, The Hindu Business Line Reported. Indias annual loss of GDP due to out-of-school children could up to 0.30 percent, or worth $6.79 billion, the report had said. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday claimed that the state got more than expectation from the Union budget in terms of share in tax revenue. Patna: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday claimed that the state got more than expectation from the Union Budget in terms of share in tax revenue. Addressing a press meet, Kumar also said he stood by the demand for grant of special status to Bihar though it was 'not proper' to expect that it would have been granted as a consequence of his party JD(U)'s tie-up with the BJP, which is in power at the Centre. "It would not be correct to say that Bihar has been ignored in the Union Budget. The state's share in tax revenue has been put at Rs 76,000 crore. Our own expectation was much less than that. The decision (for the political realignment) was taken in the interests of Bihar," said Kumar, also the JD(U)'s national president. He was replying to a query about the RJD and other Opposition parties' allegation that Bihar got a raw deal in the Union Budget despite Kumar joining hands with the BJP dumping its pre-poll allies. About special status, which has been a poll plank for Kumar for quite some time, he said, it is a demand that has the support of the people of Bihar and both Houses of the state legislature have passed resolution in support of it. "But there is a process involved. It is not proper to expect that special status would come as an automatic consequence of the political realignment," the chief minister said. Kumar had returned to power in 2015 after forming the Grand Alliance with former adversaries RJD and Congress. He walked out of the coalition last year following corruption cases against his then deputy and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. A new government was formed by him in alliance with the BJP, with which he had snapped 17-year-old ties in 2013. The BJP had, during the Assembly polls, promised that special status will be granted to Bihar if the party came to power in the state. The chief minister also claimed that concerns of the state government have been duly heeded by the Centre whenever meetings have been held with the Union ministers concerned. "The decision (for political realignment) was taken at a speed that has baffled many and I have been criticised for it. But it must be remembered that the decision was taken after I endured for long attempts to misuse power for money, and interference in the lower rungs of administration," he said. Four Indian soldiers, including a 22-year-old officer, were killed and four other persons were injured on Sunday in Pakistani firing on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri and Poonch districts, Army officials said. Jammu: Four Indian soldiers, including a 22-year-old officer, were killed and four other persons were injured on Sunday in Pakistani firing on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri and Poonch districts, Army officials said. Indian Army also said that "heavy damage" was inflicted on Pakistan Army posts in retaliatory action. A statement said Pakistan Army initiated "unprovoked" and "indiscriminate" firing around 3.30 pm in Bhimber Gali sector in Rajouri. "Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively and heavy damage has been inflicted on Pakistani Army posts," said a defence statement. "However, in the exchange of fire, one officer and three jawans were grievously injured and succumbed to their injuries..." The killed soldiers include Captain Kapil Kundu, who would have celebrated his 23rd birthday on February 10. Hailing from Haryana's Gurugram, he is survived by his mother Sunita. The others were Riflemen Ramavatar, 27 from Baraka village in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior, Subham Singh, 23 from Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua, and Havilder Roshan Lal, 43 of Jammu and Kashmir's Samba. "Martyrdom of Indian Army soldiers will not go in vain. The unprovoked action by Pakistani Army will be given a befitting response," the statement added. Earlier on Sunday, a 15-year-old girl and a soldier were injured in Pakistan ceasefire violation in Shahpur area of the LoC in Poonch district. According to army officials, the firing started around 11 am with Pakistani soldiers using small arms, automatics and mortars. Indian troops retaliated strongly, they added. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday condemned the cross-border firing by Pakistan in which four Indian soldiers, including a Captain, were killed, saying he has full faith in the valour of the Indian Army and they shall 'give proper reply' to the neighbour. New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday condemned the cross-border firing by Pakistan in which four Indian soldiers, including a Captain, were killed, saying he has full faith in the valour of the Indian Army and they shall "give proper reply" to the neighbour. "Have full faith in the valour of our soldiers, and they shall give proper reply," Rajnath Singh told reporters. Earlier, Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir also condemned Sunday's ceasefire violation in Jammu and Kahsmir's Rajouri and Poonch districts saying that it shall "cost Pakistan dearly". "Pakistan has been violating ceasefire along the LoC. And this year the number of ceasefire violations are high," Ahir said. "Yesterday (Sunday) also, they again violated ceasefire. We will not forgive Pakistan's actions," the minister said. "The ceasefire violations would prove to be Pakistan's foolishness and will cost them dearly," he added. Union Minister for MSME, Giriraj Singh also slammed Pakistan for the ceasefire violations and said, "Have faith in the Indian Army. When the right time comes they shall give a proper reply to them." Referring to the 2016 surgical strikes, the Minister said, "When the Army carried out surgical strikes it didn't tell the media about it. Similarly they shall act accordingly at the right time." He said India has been following international laws. "There is a Hindi saying in Bihar 'latkhor' (addicted to being beaten), and similarly Pakistan is 'latkhor' and thus proper reply would be given to them," he added. The Minister's remarks came in the wake of the increased cross border firing in Kashmir valley. On Sunday, four Indian soldiers were killed and four others were injured in firing in Rajouri and Poonch districts. The killed soldiers included Captain Kapil Kundu, who would have celebrated his 23rd birthday on 10 February. Hailing from Haryana's Gurugram, he is survived by his mother Sunita. The others were Riflemen Ramavatar, 27, from Baraka village in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior, besides Subham Singh, 23, from Kathua and Havilder Roshan Lal, 43, from Samba in Jammu and Kashmir. When placed in perspective, Rajnath Singh's brave words address a major issue in the armed forces. Home Minister Rajnath Singh's assertion that India will respond to each Pakistani shot with limitless bullets is flawed on two counts: The first is grammatical. Although to many the words unlimited and limitless are identical, there is a difference. The unlimited supply is subject to change: There might be an unlimited amount today but it could be curtailed by a prescribed limit tomorrow. Limitless suggest a more infinite supply: Forever, with no chance of the supply deteriorating. For those that see this as nitpicking, the fact remains: We do not have a limitless supply of bullets and it is doubtful whether it is, at present, unlimited. When placed in perspective, Singh's brave words address a major issue in the armed forces. Recall the furore last year over the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General of India) report which unequivocally stated we were woefully low in 61 of the 152 categories of firepower. That is a 40 percent shortfall across the board. In fact, it was a worrying revelation that instead of the requisite 40 days of capability in an all-out conflict, we'd be scraping the bottom of the ammunition box by day 10. With the defence budget not as robust as expected in 2018, it became a matter of deep urgency that we import ammunition of different calibres or make in India. To this effect, eight selected munitions ranging from 30 mm bullets to 125 mm armour-piercing shells to a variety of grenades and mortars were chosen for indigenous manufacture some months ago. The shortage of the standard 7.62 bullets for the armys SLR (self-loading rifle) and 9mm sten guns also needed to be addressed. It is not clear, as of now, to what extent that slack was covered in these few weeks. A 10-year contract was given for indigenous manufacture of ammunition in order to reduce the dependence on imports and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman gave it the go-ahead. The problem then, is quality control of the make in India endorsement and there is nothing worse for morale than sub-standard firepower. If a soldier has no faith in his weapons ability to hold its own and not jam or play dud on the firing pin, his efficiency is dramatically reduced. Earlier this week, news emerged that 1,430 out of 4,600 bulletproof vests ordered by the Maharashtra police from a Kanpur-based manufacturer were returned after being easily penetrated by bullets from AK-47s. And herein lies the test. Whenever we buy from abroad, the stench of scandal never seems to be far behind. The Bofors 155 mm scoot and shoot field gun, the Czech pistols, the Agusta choppers, now even the poor Rafale fourth-generation fighter: They all paid the price of human folly. If we decide to make in India, not only do we often get it wrong (remember the Kirkee factory .12 gauge shells as compared to the Eleys from the United Kingdom?) and ironically, there are not many contenders in the military shopping arcade in India. Last year, the army rejected the 7.62 mm assault rifle made in Ishapore because of weak firepower and below-par quality. Prior to that, it dumped the Excalibur, a 5.56 mm rifle made by the Defence Research and Development Organisation because it failed to meet standards. Even the Arjun and Bhishma armour have been assessed as mediocre and we carry on with Russian T-90s. Having lagged behind for seventy years the military (inferiority) complex has now become a mindset. Even though Modi encouraging the manufacturing sector to pick up the slack on military assembly lines has seen nods of assent, the absence of a nationwide infrastructure and the shortage of trained personnel on the shop floor and high quality and hugely expensive machines to make weapons generate commercial hesitation. Dealing with the military is always a bit intimidating and civilians often balk. We are far behind where we should be. For one of the largest standing forces in the world to not be self-reliant makes no sense. It is a sobering thought that we spend seven times the money on maintaining our forces than we do on weaponry. Christophe Jaffrelot talks about what's exceptional about current resurgence of Dalit assertiveness, and why right-wing politics will always have limited appeal for backward castes By Praveen Chakravarty On 1 January, 2018, Dalits, the most disadvantaged community at the bottom of the Hindu caste ladder, had gathered in large numbers at Bhima Koregaon, a village in Pune, to mark a historical event. Two hundred years ago, Mahars, a Dalit sub-group, had helped the British defeat the forces of the Brahminical Peshwa dynasty at the site. The Dalits at the event were attacked by right-wing groups who claimed to be furious at a celebration of British victory. What followed the next day was a strong retaliation by Dalit groups protesting the attacks that brought Mumbai, Indias financial capital, to a halt. This was the third such occasion in two years when it became clear the Dalits could respond strongly to upper caste atrocities. Two years ago, in January 2016, there had been a spurt of nationwide student agitations against the suicide of Dalit Hyderabad student Rohith Vemula. Then, in July 2016, there were violent protests against the public flogging of Dalits in Una by cow vigilantes. This rise in Dalit assertiveness is buoyed by rising levels of education and employment. There has been an overall increase of 51 percent in the number of literate persons among scheduled castes, IndiaSpend had reported on 13 December, 2013. In urban areas, the number of literates among SCs increased by 62 percent. The worker participation rate for SCs is above the national average (39.8 percent) at 40 percent. Dalit converts to Buddhismalso called neo-Buddhistsenjoy better literacy rates, greater work participation and sex ratios than scheduled caste Hindus, the group from which most converts emerge, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of 2011 Census data. French scholar and columnist Christophe Jaffrelot, 53, has been studying the Dalit and Muslim communities in India and their marginalisation for three decades now. Currently a senior research fellow at CERI-Sciences Po/CNRS in Paris, Jaffrelot became interested in Indic philosophies when he was 18 and ended up doing his PhD on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Sangh Parivar. French scholar and columnist Christophe Jaffrelot, 53, has been studying the Dalit and Muslim communities in India and their marginalisation for three decades now. His first book on right-wing politics was The Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics: 1925 to the 1990s. Jaffrelot has also written extensively on OBC (other backward classes) politics and Indian Muslims, who he terms as the new Dalits, comparing the ghettoisation of the two communities. The place of Islam in Pakistans politics is the subject of his last book, The Pakistan Paradox. In India recently for the launch of an anthology, Dr Ambedkar and Democracy, and a co-edited volume, The Islamic Connections, he spoke to IndiaSpend on the recent phase of Dalit mobilisation, why it is exceptional and why right-wing politics will always have limited appeal for backward castes. After the suicide of Rohith Vemula, there has been a marked resurgence of Dalit assertiveness and mobilisation. What do you see different this time? Do you see this as a stronger movement than before? Dalit mobilisation has been experienced in several cycles in Indias modern history, not only in terms of demonstrations in the street since Ambedkars Mahad satyagraha in 1927, but also in electoral terms. In 1962 and 1967, the Republican Party of India was very successful in Uttar Pradesh. The current resurgence of Dalit assertiveness is remarkable because it develops simultaneously in several states not only Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, but also Gujarat. Long-term and short-term factors explain this state of things. After several decades of reservation policy, Dalits are getting some education and with it comes a new awareness of ones rights. Circumstances explain their mobilisation too: first, Dalits are facing dominant castes antagonistic attitude, like the questioning of the 1989 Anti-Atrocities Act by the Marathas; second, they are collateral victims of the rise of Hindutva forces and some of their programmes, including cow protection, as evident from what happened in Una in Gujarat. Dalit leadership now appears to be in the hands of the young Chandrashekhar Azad of Bhim Army and Jignesh Mevani, for example. The older names in the movement, particularly Mayawati, appear to have lost their shine and strength. Why is this? What marks the younger leaders apart from the earlier generation of Dalit leaders? This perception is partly true, partly due to the media which tend to focus on personalities of their liking. The remarkable young leaders you are mentioning have not replaced older ones, simply because they do not have large organisations behind them. It takes time to build an organisation. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is more than 30 years old and shows a remarkable resilience, in spite of lack of funds. After all, it got 20 percent of the votes in the Uttar Pradesh elections last year. In Gujarat, Mevani won his seat partly because Congress did not nominate any candidate against him and Congress jumped from two to seven SC seats, partly because of organisations like the Dalit Shakti Kendra that Dalit leaders like Martin Macwan have built in the course of several decades. Journalists should pay more attention to this kind of groundwork, and investigate more about the circumstances in which Dalit NGOs have been deprived of the FCRA. In a recent article, after the Bhima Koregaon tensions in Pune, you said that caste identities and hostilities in many parts of the country Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra are now almost entirely between Dalits and dominant castes. In most cases, the upper castes are simply not a part of the dynamics. To what do you attribute this? A definition of the dominant castes may be needed first: these castes are those which have land and numbers. They may belong to the Savarnas (like Rajputs in West Uttar Pradesh); they may be Shudras with some of their sections classified as OBCs (like the Patels). These castes have one thing in common: they are still predominantly rural and their members which are engaged in agriculture are experiencing socio-economic challenges, because of the agricultural crisis and because of their comparatively low rate of education resulting in joblessness. They feel under pressure from the OBCs and the Dalits who are benefiting from reservations in the university and job quotas. Dominant castes resent competition from the SCs not only for socio-economic reasons but also because of their attachment to their status. That said, the Dalits are not catching up yet, far from it, and they definitely need states protection (in terms of physical safety too). In an ongoing investigation into caste violence, IndiaSpend has found that there has been a sharp rise in crimes against Dalits. This could be higher reporting but the acquittals are high as well. Do you believe there is a sense of impunity about caste crimes today, the sense that the establishment doesnt care? This is not only true of crimes against Dalits, a similar problem arises in the case of Muslims, as evident from the limited number of criminals responsible for lynching who have been prosecuted. Many variables need to be factored in to make sense of this state of things: the police bias, the slow pace of the judiciary and, even more importantly, the fact that testimonies are not easy to gather publicly. The Sangh is seen as being largely upper caste and anti-Dalit but the BJP has managed to win Dalit votes in Uttar Pradesh, wresting them from BSP. Do you think this is an isolated alignment or could it replicate elsewhere as well? Some Dalits have always voted for BJP, in Uttar Pradesh or elsewhere for all kinds of reasons: first, the demonstration effect (that you can call Sanskritisation, to use MN Srinivas phrase) that harks back to the Shuddhi movement of the 19th and 20th century when Hindu Mahasabha leaders agreed to have food with Dalits. Second, clientelism, a process through which some Dalits support BJP notables who help them economically or otherwise. Thirdly, a combination of inter-caste rivalries and factionalism: if one jati supports a Dalit party, another one will turn to another one. In Uttar Prades, the Valmikis (rechristened in a Sanskritisation process cultivated by the Vishva Hindu Parishad) have voted for BJP in response to the association of the Jatavs with BSP. In Maharashtra, Mahars have supported RPI and Mangs as well Chambhars other parties, including Shiv Sena and BJP. That said, Dalits have not been attracted by BJP in large numbers. Only one-fifth of them supported BJP in 2014, and in their midst, we do not observe the rule that applies to other caste groups, that is the richer I am, the more BJP-oriented I am too. Why do you believe that the early socialist dream of a casteless society fell by the wayside? Do you see caste becoming irrelevant anytime soon in India? Caste is transforming itself to some extent. The stigma of impurity remains strong in some milieus, especially in villages, but it does not prevent people from travelling on the same bus anymore. But caste sentiments are perpetuated by endogamy: most Indians continue to marry within their caste. And this matrimonial practice reflects a strong sense of caste identity that is nurtured by attitude vis-a-vis food, vis-a-vis history (see the Rajputs pride of their history). In some ways, castes have become a pressure group, as evident from the way some of them have lobbied for reservations. But in some other ways, they have become mini-nations with a strong sense of their kinship and culture. The proponents of Hindu nationalism have not transcended caste differences in spite of their efforts to promote a unifying sense of belonging. The socio-economic differentiation of castes along class lines may be the ultimate antidote to casteism if, after the urbanisation and industrialisation process is completed, there is too little left in common between the rich and the poor of the same caste. This became clear in the visible urban/rural divide between how the Patels voted in the recent Gujarat elections. Every political party, including BJP of late, has been keen to appropriate Ambedkar. Why hasnt this resulted in a better life for Dalits? The BJP co-opted him only because it became difficult to ignore Dalits as a vote-bank. But they found that he simply wouldnt fit the Hindutva agenda. Ambedkar had left Hinduism because the caste hierarchy was so inherent in it that, according to him, it left no scope for change within the religion. And they also realised that Dalits who were voting for them werent doing it because they were talking about Ambedkar, whereas some of their supporters would be alienated by too many references to him. The Rajputs in Uttar Pradesh were a case in point after they clashed with Dalits in Saharanpur and elsewhere. So, BJP took to other routes, they talked of Dalit entrepreneurs. Dalit activists like Manoranjan Byapari have pointed out that those of the community who make their way up in life using education dont always look out for those who are still marginalised. That education, which Ambedkar strongly recommended as a way out, isnt the answer to Dalit struggles. There are those who come up and look back and give back to those in the ghettos. And yes, there are some who forget. But BAMCEF (the All India Backward (SC/ST/OBC) and Minority Communities Employees Federation set up in 1978 to deal with workplace injustice and exploitation) was remarkable in this regard, Kanshi Ram was remarkable in this regard. The author is a consulting editor with IndiaSpend. The CBI charged the juvenile offender with the murder of Pradyuman Thakur, who was a class II student of the Ryan International School in Sohna Road area. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a 5,000-page chargesheet in the murder of an eight-year-old student at Gurugrm's Ryan International School, charging a Class 11 student of the same school with murder. The Gurugra session's court hearing the matter, also rejected the accused's bail plea saying the stage was not fit for granting bail. The CBI charged the juvenile offender with the murder of a Class 2 student, who apparently killed the child in a bid to postpone exams. The agency, however, said that a separate investigation around the dubious role of Haryana Police in the preliminary investigation of the case and the school administration's role is still ongoing. The current chargesheet only relates to the murder of the child. Bus condutor Ashok given clean chit The agency also gave a clean chit to school bus conductor Ashok Kumar, who was earlier arrested by the Gurgaon Police, and made him one of the prime witnesses in the case, Hindustan Times reported. "He further stated that he had confessed to have committed the murder under coercion and threat of police officers concerned of Gurgaon police. He further stated that he was tortured and beaten by Gurgaon police officers," the agency said. "During CBI investigation, no evidence has come on record to substantiate involvement of conductor Ashok Kumar in committing the murder of Prince in the ground floor washroom/toilet of the school or having attempted to commit sexual assault on the victim before committing murder. "No blood stain was found on his cloths or his person before he had lifted the victim. Ashok Kumar's presence inside the washroom has been explained and found to be justified and true based on independent version of several witnesses and minute analysis of CCTV footages," the charge sheet said. 'Sufficient incriminating evidence against juvenile offender; accused tried to escape law' In its charge sheet filed before Additional Sessions Judge Jasbir Singh Kundu, the agency said that sufficient oral, documentary and forensic evidence has come on record to substantiate that the 16-year-old accused had committed the murder on 8 September last year. The final report also referred to the confessional statement of the accused where he had disclosed that he had used his mobile phone for making internet searches about poisoning, their effects and sources. Subsequently after the incident on 8 September, he had also made searches for removal and changing of finger prints on various websites, it said. "The search of internet before and after the commission of murder for the above mentioned purpose thrown light on Bholu's (a fictitious name given to the juvenile offender) conduct before the commission of crime, his intention to commit the crime and his conduct to escape from the clutches of law," the CBI said. The teenager, however, relaxed after Ashok's arrest and did not follow through on his plans to destroy the evidence trail, News18 reported. The agency said that the investigation revealed that the juvenile offender was not good in studies and he had attempted to avoid mock examination in February 2016 by complaining that someone had mixed obnoxious substance in the water bottle because of which he was feeling drowsy. "The documents collected from the school prove that he did not appear in the mock examination conducted in February 2016 and during the examination period, he was admitted in hospital for about three-four days. "Academic records of Bholu were obtained from the the Vidyalaya (school) in which he was studying. It was found that he was not good at studies and was below average in terms of academic performance," the agency said. The CBI also quoted the statement of one of accused's close friend who had said that the accused was happy that a student of his school was murdered and the parent-teachers meeting was cancelled and that he would get 10-15 days' leave in the school. The agency also claimed that the accused knew the victim very well prior to the incident and cited photographs collected from the school in which both were seen performing together in a function, which was corroborated by the school. Earlier, the court had barred the media from using the name of the 16-year-old juvenile accused in the case and asked it to use fictitious names instead. The court, which also rejected the bail plea of the accused, will consider the charge sheet on 12 February. Victim's family disappointed over 'weak chargesheet' According to the report in Hindustan Times, the victim's family was disappointed with the CBI chargesheet, which it thought was 'very weak'. They have not named the school management, owners of the school and the Gurgaon police SIT officials who are also culprits in the case. Giving clean chit to Ashok does not speak about the foul play by the cops. Why were they not found guilty? Sushil Tekriwal, counsel of the victims family told the newspaper. The sessions court had earlier too taken a tough stance against the accused teenager. On 8 January, the court had rejected the bail plea of the 16-year-old student, declined the bail plea of the accused and imposed a cost of Rs 21,000 for "wasting court's time" in baseless litigation and directed the father of the accused to deposit the amount. The CBI took up the case from the Gurgaon police on 22 September, following a nationwide uproar over the gruesome killing. The 16-year-old is being tried as an adult in the case after the Juvenile Justice Board held on 20 December that the teenager was mature enough to recognise the consequences of his actions. If convicted, the accused will stay in a correctional home till he is 21 years old after which the court can shift him to a jail or grant him bail, it had said. The court had set up a committee which included a psychologist from the PGI, Rohtak, for an expert opinion on the accused who was taken into custody by the CBI in November 2017. The seven-year-old was found dead with his throat slit in the school's washroom on 8 September. Initially, bus conductor Ashok Kumar was arrested by the Haryana Police in connection with the crime. Later, a Class 11 student, who allegedly wanted a parent-teacher meeting and an examination at the school postponed was apprehended by the CBI in connection with the killing of the seven-year-old boy. Kumar was granted bail by a Gurugram civil court in November. With inputs from agencies 1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war. 2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war. 3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength. 4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war. 5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites. 6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination. 7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N. 8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N. 9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress. 10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N. 11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.) 12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party. 13. Do away with all loyalty oaths. 14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office. 15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States. 16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights. 17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks. 18. Gain control of all student newspapers. 19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack. 20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions. 21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures. 22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms." 23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art." 24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press. 25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV. 26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy." 27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch." 28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state." 29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis. 30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man." 31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over. 32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc. 33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus. 34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities. 35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI. 36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions. 37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business. 38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand. 39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals. 40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce. 41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents. 42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems. 43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government. 44. Internationalize the Panama Canal. 45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike. Poonawala and Lone have filed PILs seeking an independent probe into Loya's death in 2014 New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday warned that the courtroom should not be reduced to the level of a "fish market" after heated exchanges broke out during the hearing in the cases relating to the death of special CBI judge BH Loya. As the hearing in the cases heated up again, the apex court took umbrage at the verbal duel between two senior lawyers Dushayan Dave and Pallav Shishodia, calling it "unacceptable". Loya, who was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case, had died allegedly of cardiac arrest in Nagpur on 1 December, 2014 when he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleague's daughter. "Let us not reduce the dialogue in this court to the level of a fish market. You should not shout down a judge who is saying something. You will have to listen to me, Mr Dave... You address when your turn comes," Justice DY Chandrachud, who was part of the bench presided over by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, told Dave, representing Bombay Lawyers Association. "No, I will not. Your Lordships should have stopped them (Pallav Shishodia and Harish Salve) from appearing in this case. You will have to answer your conscience," Dave retorted. "Don't teach us about out conscience," the bench, which also comprised Justice AM Khanwilkar, responded. Shishodia, appearing for Maharashtra-based journalist Bandhuraj Sambhaji Lone who has filed a PIL also seeking probe into the case, referred to two conflicting news reports and said that they have led to "insinuations on the integrity of our judicial system". Shishodia then referred to the unprecedented press conference of four Supreme Court judges last month and said it also led to "open aspersions (being) cast on some of the judges of this court hearing the matter." "In the circumstances, it is submitted that an independent probe cannot be one way traffic in which persons making allegations can just 'hit and run' without any responsibility to damages caused to the reputation, prestige and faith in institutions including this court and judiciary as whole," the senior lawyer said. The assertions did not go down well with senior advocates Dushyant Dave and Indira Jaising who took a dig saying that if he (journalist) did not want an enquiry then what was the need to file a petition. Dave also criticised Shishodia by using some harsh words and said that the submissions have exposed him alleging that the plea was filed to ensure that the matter is buried. "You had appeared for Amit Shah and now you are appearing for the petitioner," Dave continued. "Mr Dave, we don't care what you say. You go to hell or heaven or wherever you want," Shishodia said in his response, prompting the court to intervene. Justice Chandrachud asked Dave to listen and maintain the decency in court proceedings, saying "you will have to listen to the judge." "I won't hear," Dave said, adding that Bar Council of India is issuing notices and is trying to infringe rights of lawyers like him from raising the voice and submitted that the bench should stop lawyers (Salve and Shishodia) from appearing in the instant matter as they have represented Amit Shah. Taking note of exchange of words, the bench said, "This is unpardonable" and told the two lawyers (Dave and Shishodia) that their language was not good as this kind of dialogue would shame even a fish market. "Courtesy begets courtesy," the bench said, adding that sometimes, the words used are "unbecoming" of a lawyer. "Sometimes courtesy does not beget courtesy", Salve, who was appearing for Maharashtra, said. Dave said that the State should be protecting citizens and only it has the resources to conduct an enquiry. At the outset, senior advocate V Giri, appearing for Congress supporter Tehseen Poonawala, referred to alleged deficiencies in the probe conducted by Maharashtra State Intelligence Department (SID) in the case which had commenced after a letter was sent to the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court by the SID. The senior lawyer referred to the sequence of events leading to the death of Loya on 1 December, 2014 at Nagpur. "The State Intelligence Department has failed to explain how post mortem Report dated 1 December, 2014 notes the date of death as December 07," Giri said. The bench fixed the matter for further hearing on 9 February. Poonawala and Lone have filed PILs seeking an independent probe into Loya's death in 2014. The top court had earlier transferred to itself other pleas pending in the Bombay High Court and had restrained other courts from entertaining any petitions. The judgment by Bombay High Courts Justice Revati Mohite Dere lifting the ban on media reporting of the Sohrabuddin Shaikh trial comes as a big relief. It had become a trend of sorts for trial courts to impose blanket restrictions on reporting by the media in high-voltage trials. The courts were issuing gag orders quite indiscriminately, often at the accused persons and defence counsels mere expression of apprehension of prejudice, without considering the cascading effect they have on the concept of an open trial, which is integral to justice being not only done but also seen to be done. In such a scenario, the judgment by Bombay High Courts Justice Revati Mohite Dere on 24 January, which was made available to the public on 3 February comes as a big and essential relief to the media and journalists whose fundamental right to freedom of expression by reporting was being severely and arbitrarily curtailed by a plethora of gag orders. Justice Deres judgment came in the case of a writ petition filed by nine Mumbai-based journalists and the Brihanmumbai Union of Journalists against the 29 November order by Additional Sessions Judge SJ Sharma which imposed a complete prohibition on reporting the proceedings of the trial in the Sohrabuddin Shaikh encounter case, in which BJP president Amit Shah is one of the main accused. In quashing judge Sharmas gag order, Justice Dere referred to various Supreme Court judgments and turned down the pleas of those who wanted a blanket ban on reporting. Interpretation of Section 327 CrPC According to Section 327 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, all criminal trials should be open trials, unless, as the exception in Section 327(2) provides, the court orders that the proceedings should be in-camera where offences as defined by various categories of rape are being tried. Nowhere does it provide for a ban on media reporting, that too by a trial court which is hearing a case brought under the Indian Penal Code. However, it must be said that there are provisions in special laws which allow for restrictions on media reporting, such as Section 16 of Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act , Section 17 of the National Investigation Agency Act, and Section 18 of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. Senior Advocate Mihir Desai and Advocate Aabad Ponda, appearing for the writ petitioners, argued that judge Sharma had no legal power to restrict media reporting since the trial was not being conducted under any special laws like the ones mentioned above. Justice Dere referred to the fundamental principles justifying the publics access to criminal trial as laid down by the Supreme Court in the Khehar Singh case that they perform a sunshine function, helping build the publics belief and confidence in the judicial system, and also encourage witnesses to perform more conscientiously. She categorically agreed with the principle of open trial as provided in Section 327, and also pointed out that the trial was not an in-camera one. She said that there are only three or four contingencies in which a court i.e. the High Courts and the Supreme Court, can restrain the media from publication and that too, for a short duration, that is. when there is a real and imminent danger to a fair trial; that there is real and substantial risk of prejudice to the administration of justice or to the fairness of trial; and where reporting by the press would shift the burden of innocence. The language of Section 327 itself indicates that the place where the Criminal Court is held for the purpose of inquiry and trial of any offence shall be deemed to be an open court. An open trial is the rule and wherever exceptions are carved out, they are made only to secure the ends of justice, she held. Power to gag only with superior courts In the Bindeshwari Prasad Singh case (1977), the Supreme Court held that trial courts in criminal cases have no inherent power to issue gag orders against the media this power is vested only in high courts and the apex court. Moreover, the top court held in the case of SEBI v Sahara (2013) that such powers to impose restrictions on reportage through postponement orders shall be exercised only in cases of real and substantial risk of prejudice to the proper administration of justice or to the fairness of trial, and that too, for short durations, and not for the entire course of the trial. Referring to these two decisions, Justice Dere held that judge Sharma was essentially swayed by the sensationalism of the said case. Sensationalism, by itself, cannot be the sole ground for banning the media from publishing, posting and/or reporting proceedings. She held that the accused persons and defence counsel had failed to submit concrete evidence that their apprehensions regarding prejudice caused by reporting of proceedings were reasonable. Stating that the media performs a public service by reporting on court proceedings, Justice Dere quoted from the House of Lords decision in Scott v Scott (1913) : Only in proportion as publicity has place can any of the checks applicable to judicial injustice operate. Where there is no publicity there is no justice...Publicity is the very soul of justice. It is the keenest spur to exertion and the surest of all guards against improbity. Union minister Hansraj Ahir on Monday condemned the firing across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, in which four Indian soldiers were killed, saying it shall 'cost Pakistan dearly'. New Delhi: Union minister Hansraj Ahir on Monday condemned the firing across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, in which four Indian soldiers were killed, saying it shall "cost Pakistan dearly". "Pakistan has been violating ceasefire along the LoC. And this year the number of ceasefire violations are high," the Minister of State for Home Affairs said. "On Sunday also, they violated ceasefire. We will not forgive Pakistan's actions," Ahir told reporters ahead of Parliament's Budget Session. "The ceasefire violations would prove to be Pakistan's foolishness and will cost them dearly," he added. On Sunday, four Indian soldiers were killed and four other persons were injured in the firing in Rajouri and Poonch districts. The killed soldiers included Captain Kapil Kundu, who would have celebrated his 23rd birthday on 10 February. Hailing from Haryana's Gurugram, he is survived by his mother Sunita. The others were Riflemen Ramavatar, 27, from Baraka village in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior, besides Subham Singh, 23, from Kathua and Havilder Roshan Lal, 43, from Samba in Jammu and Kashmir. As a researcher for Human Rights Watch with a special focus on the Middle East and North Africa, Rothna Begum documents heart-wrenching crimes and some heartwarming triumphs | #FirstCulture As a researcher with Human Rights Watch, Rothna Begum has documented some heart-wrenching crimes against women and a few heart-warming triumphs too. It is with these stories, collected over the past decade or so, that the young activist has set out to spread awareness about the evils that haunt the women of our world more specifically, the Middle East and North Africa. Rothna was one of the speakers at the 8th edition of TEDxGateway that took place on 4 February 2018 in Mumbai, and in an interview with Firstpost, said a major obstacle she faces, is the idea that human rights do not matter. We have presidents or populist leaders who dont believe in womens rights. They are dismantling news and making it very difficult for immigrants and people of different faiths and backgrounds. When you see this kind of rhetoric used by the leaders, it becomes very problematic, she says. As someone who works in the Middle East region, Rothna believes that Saudi Arabia is a particularly difficult area. It is a country which has no criminal court and has the male guardianship system. Its like, if you are in Saudi Arabia and if you are a woman, you must have a male guardian from birth to death. You cant travel abroad, you cant marry or pursue higher education without the permission of your male guardian. They have to be present your entire life. Over the years, activists have hammered out some wins. So now women can stand for elections and will also be allowed to drive. A major part of Rothnas brief involves looking out for migrant workers in the Middle East who fall prey to the dreaded kafala system. In other words, surrender entirely to the will of the employer who takes away your passport and dictates terms of your job, which could be completely different from what was stated in the contract. This could mean that you work for 20 people instead of two, get paid half of what was offered or worse, not get paid at all. This is apart from the physical and sexual abuse that many of the workers endure. However, theres hope. Now there is an International Domestic Workers Union made of unions and associations around the world. This is a huge step forward, says Rothna. In 2015, Rothna was in Iraq documenting some of the worst episodes of human oppression the abuse of Yezidi women by Islamic State. Recounting the horror she says, Yezidi women and girls were captured in 2013 when the IS came and took up towns. They executed a lot of young men and arrested women, girls, boys and men. They separated them and detained them in houses and hotels. Then they started to check how long their hair was or how tall they were and documenting those details. They did this for the IS markets where IS men would come and choose the women they would marry or turn into their sex slaves. They were trying to wipe out the entire community by raping the girls. To add to that, abortion is illegal in Iraq, even in cases of rape. So, what happens to women who are impregnated through rape? Since then, activists efforts have led to the establishment of a network of psychologists who help these women cope with the trauma. But theres a lot more that needs to be done, stresses Rothna. It is however, in such times of horror that suddenly, one sees a ray of hope however bleak. Of one such instance Rothna says, I was interviewing this 16-year-old girl who was subjected to terrible abuse by the ISIS in Iraq. Her entire community was executed or detained to be sold as slaves including her. She befriended a girl who faced similar situations and they tried to commit suicide before they were sold. They ended up being sold to the same house, to two brothers. The girls finally escaped together. Now they live miles away from each other in Iraqi tents but they are in touch on a daily basis, over phone. Uplifting as they may be, such episodes are far and few and Rothna admits that there are times when the process gets emothionally draining. It just weighs on you. You carry everyones story. You write about it, document it and it stays with you. Sometimes, I feel drained. There have been moments when I have lost the thought of what humanity is all about. But you need to take care of yourself so that you can work on championing your rights. I turn to three different things duirng times like these - nature, children and animals. They are very reviving. These three things are all about life and they remind you that there is innocence around and that beauty exists, even when you see the most horrific stuff. Rothna is also very appreciative of the #MeToo movement that has garnered mixed reactions from different quarters. The hashtag started on social media to garner attention towards abuse and discrimination at work, is the beginning of a longer battle, she hopes. The #MeToo movement has been incredibly important for the issue of sexual harassment against women particularly at the work place and public. I think it brought to light what we, as women need. Some men were not aware of what they were doing in terms of their actions and didnt realise the enormity of what was going on. As women you know that this happens to every other woman. We know that there is a certain sense of sexual harassment that is normalised at work place. This movement helped to break and pierce that image. This is the first ever retrospective of the ceaselessly inventive artist Dhanraj Bhagat, with more than 400 landmark drawings and sculptures on display | #FirstCulture The opening evening of the retrospective celebrating the trailblazing work of Dhanraj Bhagat at the National Gallery of Modern Art last December drew in droves of young and old art aficionados, Satish Gujral, Jatin Das and many other iconic artists, curators, his students and children. Titled, Journey from the Physical to the Spiritual, this exhibition presented a stunning range of creations that resonated in the dervish-like dance movements of Kalbelia dancers from the deserts of Rajasthan. It will be on view till 20 February 2018. This is the first ever retrospective of the ceaselessly inventive artist, with more than 400 landmark drawings and sculptures on display. Born in penury in 1917 in Lahore, Dhanraj Bhagat apprenticed with a commercial sculptor at the age of 16 and managed to save enough money to be able to study at the Mayo School of Arts in Lahore. Studying and later teaching there, he plugged into the art movements of his time but also stood apart. By the time he joined the college of Art, Delhi in 1947, modernism became the defining aesthetic of his body of work. Most of his work looks as contemporary now as it must have then. The artist drew simple, childlike forms with infinitesimal precision in a ruminative, poetic tone, keeping a tight lid over excesses. Drawn with pencil or ink on paper, with the exception of drawings like Kaliya Murdan and Krishna with Gopees most others from the artists personal collection are untitled. Two beautiful 1981 drawings of birds sitting on naked wire are endearingly titled 'Bird no I' and 'Bird no II'. These were made when immobilised in his room after a paralytic stroke, Dhanraj Bhagat continued to sketch to escape the claustrophobia of confinement. Dhanraj Bhagat played with different genres, techniques and mediums like wax, plaster of paris, wood, papier mache, aluminium, copper, cement with iron filings and even a combination of wood and steel as in a 1967 sculpture titled Musical Construction, keeping his art well beyond the quagmire of definitions. He seemed to delight in sculpting abstract, interlocking forms that have figurative echoes, some of them dealing with the pangs of partition. The most striking of these is Burden, created in 1953 depicting a tired, woman with flaccid, slumped breasts and a distended stomach carrying a child on her hip. Quasi-human square and quadrangular forms that speak emphatically of geometric abstractions and elongated forms that seem to crave for infinity are also on display. Sensual female forms and juxtaposed with these, a few stunning and provocative Siva figures grab eyeballs as well. In the words of the famous Hungarian critic, Dr Charles Louie Fabri, it was in the dancing Siva images that Dhanraj Bhagat rose to his greatest height. Siva Dance, a sculpture created in 1956, is certainly a showstopper Sivas tandava takes on a body-less form, transformed into powerful dynamic movement. The passion and vitality with which Dhanraj Bhagat sculpted was at odds with his mild persona. He lived surrounded by his work, most of which he owned. His shows travelled to London (1947-48), Eastern Europe (1956) and the VIth Biennale at Sao Paulo (1961). Adwaita Gadanayak, director general of NGMA and himself a renowned sculptor, found Bhagat's drawings and sculptures crammed in a precarious storage space of the Jaipur House. I was surprised at the collection and absolutely fascinated by his compositions and their interior lives. I got in touch with his children, Pramod and Rajini for access to his personal collection. My team also searched the warehouse of Indian Railways in Delhi to salvage the remains of his repousse panels that once adorned the facade at the New Delhi Station and the Railway Board bulding. A few sculptures were pulled out from collections at the Lalit Kala Akademy, AIFACS and the Delhi Art Gallery and this exhibition was created. We even managed to recreate his studio space, Gadanayak says. NGMA seems to have got a new lease of creative life after Adwaita Gadanayak has stepped in as DG. He has his finger on the pulse of Delhis art scene and has been organising talks, hands-on workshops, live music, dance and art-related film screenings. His restless experimentation with novel methods of curation have been evident for a while now and given his extraordinary interest in art history, every exhibition that he curates, turns into an archaeology of knowledge in a Michel Foucault-like manner. In this exhibition, the abstract biomorphic elements in Adwaita Gadanayaks curation are reflected in bier-like sculptural bases made with cartons, filled with fields of rice and lit with neon-lights or burning coal embers. This is an original show that liberates imagination and addresses the most exacting set of expectations. The curatorial design breathes new life into Dhanraj Bhagats posthumous centenary collection. Sujata Prasad is an author and civil servant. She is currently Additional Secretary, Culture. Akali Dal claims that they have a sting operation incriminating Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case The Akali Dal claimed on Monday that they have a sting operation incriminating Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. "We have a sting of Jagdish Tytler in which he is admitting his role in the killings of 1984. We are handing over all proofs to the Central Bureau Investigation," Shiromani Akali Dal leader and Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee president Manjit Singh GK said to ANI. "They should arrest him immediately," he added. The SAD leader said that if action was not taken against Tytler after providing the evidence, the party would raise the issue in Parliament and raise protests against the issue. Tytler had allegedly provoked public fury against the Sikh community after the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1984. According to News18, the CBI had filed a closure report on 29 September, 2007 regarding the Congress leader's role in the riots. This was after one witness was untraceable and another was not willing record his statement. However, on 18 December, 2007, then additional chief metropolitan magistrate Sanjiv Jain ordered the CBI to re-investigate the matter. Tytler is also embroiled in an alleged corruption and forgery case. Tytler had moved the top court against the framing of charges by the trial court for allegedly using a forged letter addressed to then prime minister Manmohan Singh in 2009 on the letterhead of the then minister of state for home affairs Ajay Maken. The letter was said to have been written by controversial businessman Abhishek Verma, seeking the easing of business visa norms. On 4 January, 2018, the Supreme Court directed a Delhi trial court to complete these proceedings against Tytler and Verma in a year. In another recent development, the BJP filed a complaint with the Delhi Police against senior Tytler on Monday in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. BJP national secretary RP Singh met the Additional Police Commissioner, New Delhi, and filed a complaint which was based on purported video clips concerning the Congress leader. "It has been requested in the complaint that since the accused can leave the country any time hence he should be arrested immediately and prosecuted under IPC sections 302, 147/149 and 120-B," RP Singh said in a statement. With inputs from agencies Telugu Desam Party chief (TDP) and chief minister of Andhra Chandrababu Naidu called for an emergency meeting of MPs because the chief minister was angry over the 'raw deal' meted out to Andhra Pradesh. The day Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented the Union Budget in Parliament, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Chandrababu Naidu called for an emergency meeting of MPs because the chief minister was angry over the "raw deal" meted out to the state. For the next three days, what the nation witnessed was a tepid attempt by the TDP to break the alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party. The TDP, a partner in the BJP-led NDA government, however, acknowledged was not yet ready to pull the plug on the alliance, but only wanted to make the Centre "realise" its "strong displeasure", a senior party leader told PTI. Naidu, on Thursday, reviewed the Budget with some senior ministers and also held a teleconference with party MPs, he said. All the party leaders expressed "serious displeasure" over the Union Budget as it "gave nothing" to the state. TDP MPs, who earlier met at the residence of Union Minister of State for Science and Technology YS Chowdary in New Delhi, flayed the Centre for handing out a raw deal to the southern state in the Budget. Naidu also spoke with them via teleconference. A couple of MPs reportedly suggested that they would quit their posts in protest but Naidu, as reported by PTI, told them everything would be discussed at the TDP parliamentary party meeting on Sunday, according to the leader. A few senior state ministers, who were closetted with the chief minister after the Budget presentation, noted that the Centre only "meted out injustice" by not honouring any of the promises made over the past four years. "Jaitley seems to have completely forgotten Andhra Pradesh while presenting the Budget though we have given him a detailed report on the funds due from the Centre to the state," Agriculture Minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy said after the meeting with the chief minister. "We are very much pained that the Centre turned a blind eye whereas Andhra Pradesh should have been looked at specially. We will let the Centre realise our displeasure. We will have no objection if it responds favourably. But if it continues to behave the same way it has been doing over the (past four) years...it is not justified," Somireddy noted. TDP is BJP's biggest ally in the South and the BJP is sharing power with the TDP in the state. Naidu expressed his unhappiness over the lack of thought given to his state by the Centre and said, "I am sticking to the coalition dharma and keeping quiet. I am also restraining my colleagues from speaking out against the BJP. But if they do not want us, I will say namaste and walk away. This is no way to treat a coalition partner." The discussion at the meeting (held on Thursday) centred around the Narendra Modi government's treatment of Andhra Pradesh and the "injustice" heaped on the state in the Budget proposals, he sources said. PTI report said that that a few senior TDP leaders said that almost everyone, including many district unit chiefs, wanted the TDP to end the alliance with the BJP after the budget "ignored" the state. Party sources, however, added that Naidu apparently dissuaded his senior party colleagues from speaking about the fate of the alliance with BJP and dwelt on the Rajasthan bypoll results where the BJP tasted defeat. The TDP sources said that according to Naidu, the bypoll results are a clear example that people will be unsparing if governance is not good. The state leaders of the BJP have been criticising the TDP on various issues. Some of them have even indicated that they were ready to work with the opposition YSR Congress Party. Naidu's remarks were also crucial as they came close on the heels of YSR Congress Party chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy's statement that he would support the BJP if Andhra Pradesh was given special status. However, on Sunday, after the TDP parliamentary meeting, the party said its alliance with the BJP in Andhra Pradesh and the Centre was very much alive. "As and when it is required, the chief minister and party chief will take the decision appropriately. As of today it (the alliance) is just going on. We never said (about snapping ties)...it's all speculation," Chowdary said on Sunday. "Our state is in a disadvantageous position due to bifurcation (of united Andhra Pradesh). People are dissatisfied because there is no specific mention of state issues in the Union Budget. All this was discussed," Chowdary said. The meeting was attended by party MPs, a few state ministers, senior TDP leaders and senior bureaucrats. "We have already taken up the issues with the Union Finance Minister, Railway Minister (on setting up a railway zone in Visakhapatnam). Definitely, in the next two-three days we are hopeful everything will be resolved," he added. The Indian Express quoted Kambhampati Rammohan Rao, TDP Central Committee member and the partys special representative in New Delhi, who said that they had "decided to take up the TDP-BJP alliance issue at a later date". "Right now, we have to focus on why the Centre has not addressed issues like bridging the revenue deficit, hastening funds for Polavaram project, additional funding for Amaravati capital city and new railway zone for Visakhapatnam." However, a caveat was inserted. Still upset over the "injustice", TDP decided to raise the issue in the Parliament. TDP members were given instruction to take a political decision on the issue as Naidu told leaders to pressurise BJP-led NDA. He, however, advised his ministers to exercise restraint and not to speak whatever they like. The nearly three-hour-long meeting, which ended at 8.30 pm, discussed in detail the meagre allocations made to the state in the budget despite repeated demands for last four years to fulfill the commitments made at the time of the state's division. Naidu noted that compared to the northern states, the budget allocations for the southern states were meagre. He said among the southern states, Andhra Pradesh has the lowest revenues and he had been demanding the Centre to handhold the state till it came up to par with other states. The meeting felt that the Centre ignored the demands for release of funds under special assistance measure announced last year in lieu of special category status, allocation for Polavaram project and financial assistance for development of state capital Amaravati. The ministers were of the view that the Centre should have at least sanctioned Metro project for Visakhapatnam. News about TDP breaking away from the BJP garnered steam days before the Union Budget was presented and if the so-called "divorce" happened, it wouldn't have been the first time for the two parties. The TDP had first walked out on the BJP in 2004 after which Chandrababu spent a decade out of power in virtual wilderness. He returned to the NDA fold in 2014 and won, riding on a Modi wave. The current TDP-BJP alliance resembles lot of what was left of the Shiv Sena and the BJP's relation in Maharashtra just before the former decided to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections on its own strength. Confirming that his party would go it alone in the 2019 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, Shiv Sena's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut predicted that the Shiv Sena would win at least 25 of 48 the Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra as well as 125 of the 288 seats in the state Assembly. Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray also announced that henceforth the party would broaden its horizons beyond Maharashtra to fight all state elections. Even though for a while it seems that the TDP might not break away with the BJP, but TDP leaders creating a ruckus in Parliament to "pressurise" an ally is as unprecendent as Sena mouthing off criticism against the Centre over its decisions in Jammu and Kashmir, the Doka La standoff or over every other issue, very similar to how a party opposing BJP would. A Firstpost article argued, in a bid to increase its footprint from South India to the North East, the BJP is trying to compensate for the potential losses from anti-incumbency. However, "in doing so, the saffron party runs the risk of ignoring its old allies. Its party may be up for a rude shock in the upcoming elections due to its separation with its old allies." Amid an unease in its ties with the BJP, a delegation of TDP MPs, including Union ministers Ashok Gajapathi Raju and YS Chowdary, met Home Minister Rajnath Singh, leaders of the two parties said. New Delhi: Amid an unease in its ties with the BJP, a delegation of TDP MPs, including Union ministers Ashok Gajapathi Raju and YS Chowdary, met Home Minister Rajnath Singh, leaders of the two parties said. They said the meeting was an attempt to address the strain in ties after the TDP publicly voiced unhappiness over the Union budget not offering any special benefits to Andhra Pradesh. Though what transpired at the meeting was not immediately known, a TDP leader said talks were "helpful". Chowdary had on Sunday played down speculation that TDP will break its alliance with the BJP. "As and when it is required, the chief minister and party chief will take the decision appropriately. As of today it (the alliance) is just going on. We never said (about snapping ties)...it's all speculation," he had said following a meeting of top party leaders. TDP sources said the party was unhappy with the BJP because the NDA government had not given Andhra Pradesh any special assitance despite assurances made earlier. 'Making and selling pakodas is not shameful, but equating it with begging is certainly shameful,' Shah said. BJP chief Amit Shah on Monday tore into the Congress over its "failure" to tackle unemployment and other problems and its criticism of the GST, saying it was not a 'Gabbar Singh Tax' but the revenues go to pay for 'one rank, one pension' and subsidises the poor. In his maiden address in the Rajya Sabha, he also asked whether the Congress was inciting the people not to pay taxes, as he listed out the NDA government's achievements on various fronts. Initiating the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the President's address, Shah took on senior Congress leader P Chidambaram for his 'pakoda' jibe and said that selling pakodas (fritters) is not shameful but comparing it with begging was. "Some people are saying things about selling pakodas. I also read P Chidambaram's tweet. Yes, I agree that selling pakodas is better than being unemployed. "Making and selling pakodas is not shameful, but equating it with begging is certainly shameful," Shah said. "Today if a person is earning livelihood by selling pakodas, tomorrow his son would become a big industrialist. A tea vendor's son can became the prime minister of this country," he added amid Opposition's hooting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a television interview just ahead of the Budget session had said that people earning Rs 200 a day selling pakoras can be considered employed. Modi's claim drew widespread flak from the opposition with leaders calling it a "cruel joke" and as good as begging. Senior Congress leader and former finance minister Chidambaram had tweeted: "Even selling pakodas is a 'job', said PM. By that logic, even begging is a job. Let's count poor or disabled persons who are forced to beg for a living as 'employed' people." Shah also blamed the "55 years long" Congress rule for the widespread unemployment. "It was Congress government in the country for 55 years. We have been in power for only seven to eight years. This problem (unemployment) would not have become so humungous if effective steps were taken during those 55 years," Shah said. The BJP President said that the Narendra Modi government had inherited a "big crater" and most of the government's time and resources have gone into "filling that crater" that it inherited. "It is pertinent to recall what were the circumstances in 2013. Even those guarding the borders of this country could not show their valour due to government's indecisiveness. There was complete policy paralysis," he said. In his almost 90-minute speech, Shah termed GST as a big reform which "realised the dream of 'One Country, One Tax' and castigated the politics over the new indirect tax regime. Referring to Congress President Rahul Gandhi's comment terming GST as Gabbar Singh Tax, Shah pointed out that Gabbar Singh was a dacoit in the Bollywood blockbuster Sholay. "Is a dacoity taking place here? Is legally claiming taxes from people a dacoity? Is this the understanding of people? And where does this Gabbar Singh Tax/GST go? It goes in the bank account of a jawan for giving One Rank, One Pension, it goes in the bank account of widows of martyrs. It goes towards giving the poor women (clean cooking fuel) Ujjwala Yojana," he said and asked whether inciting people not to pay taxes was a symbol good politics. "Where are we taking the country? We will all have to think, this is not just a matter of one party. Today we are in power, tomorrow you may come. Yes, you can come. Our mindset is not such that we will remain in power till eternity. "This is democracy, the citizens can vote anyone to power. You have also remained in power for 55 years. The country does not run like this. On certain issues, one has to rise above party politics for the country to run," Shah said while responding to opposition remarks. He sought to dismiss the notion that BJP-ruled states had earlier opposed GST when the idea was floated by Congress-led UPA government, saying there was lack of trust as the Congress did not fulfill its promise of compensating states. "It is said that the BJP (state) governments opposed the GST when the Congress government was in power. This is not true. The BJP never opposed the GST but only opposed its ways. "The state governments did not trust because the UPA government brought this tax reform, reduced CST from 4 percent to 2 percent, you (UPA) had to compensate states for the losses incurred by them. But you did not fulfill your promise. The BJP-led NDA Government compensated Rs 37,000 crore to states," Shah said, adding that the states were not scared but worried over the losses on account of GST's rollout. Observing that GST was being projected as if small businesses will be shut, he assured that nothing of the sort will happen and said the small businesses and MSMEs will become stronger. The BJP president agreed that there are teething problems in the GST implementation due to the scale of the reform, but observed that the government was sensitive and said over 30 procedural changes were effected through the GST Council meetings. The prices of 400 items were reduced in the 23 Council meetings whereas 150 items made tax free. He dared the Opposition to make public the minutes of the GST Council meetings, saying it was speaking a different language in the Parliament when Ministers of states it ruled were supporting it. "One language in the GST Council meeting, another in the Parliament and a different language in the meetings. What kind of the politics is this? Shall we publish the minutes of the GST Council meetings and make them public," Shah said. The BJP President also pitched for simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha elections, besides touching upon a host of measures taken by the government ranging from power supply, toilets, gas, employment and health facilities to the people. He said in 2013, the situation in the country was such that the future was uncertain, women felt unsafe and the morale of jawans guarding the border could not display their valour due to the government's indecisiveness. A series of scams worth Rs 12 lakh crore was raising big questions in the citizen's minds and over policy paralysis. On the issue of unemployment, he said the problem was persisting even after 55 years of Congress rule but so intense that 8 years (of NDA rule) were not enough to resolve it. Shah referred to the initiatives taken by the government in this regard including Skill India, Stand Up India, Start Up India and MUDRA schemes. While appreciating the nationalisation of banks unleashed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Shah said the doors of banks were not opened for the poor, which has been done now. Referring to the Ayushman Bharat scheme announced in the Budget to provide insurace cover of Rs 5 lakh to 40-50 crore people, the BJP President said no government had the courage till now to introduce a scheme of this scale, therefore the scheme has been christened 'NaMo Healthcare' by the people. "This government has a principle. We do not take decisions that people like. We have seen governments which took decisions for vote bank (politics) to suit people's likes but this government takes decisions that are good for the people, not decisions that they may like," Shah said. Referring to the cowardly Uri attack by Pak-sponsored terrorists when 12 jawans were burnt alive while sleeping, he said the Prime Minister displayed exemplary political will and the attack was avenged within 10 days through a surgical strike in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Shah appealed to the Opposition Congress to support the bill to give constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) for its smooth passage in both Houses of Parliament, saying there was no politics involved. Referring to the Triple Talaq legislation, Shah said Muslim women were battling for their rights in courts since last many years. He said in the Shah Bano case then Congress government framed a law to oppose the court's verdict and the party was again opposing the Triple Talaq legislation, although the manner of opposing may be different. "When the Prime Minister brings a legislation to protect the rights of Muslim women, the Bill was stalled in the Rajya Sabha," the BJP chief said. Shah said the government was being run in a transparent manner and in the last 3.5 years, even the opposition has not been able to accuse the government of any scam. He said dynastic politics, casteism and appeasement were three problems plaguing the country. With inputs from agencies The BJP filed a complaint with the Delhi Police against senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. New Delhi: The BJP filed a complaint with the Delhi Police against senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. BJP national secretary RP Singh met the Additional Police Commissioner, New Delhi, and filed a complaint which was based on purported video clips concerning the Congress leader. The video clips were released in a press conference by Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee president Manjit Singh GK. "It has been requested in the complaint that since the accused can leave the country any time hence he should be arrested immediately and prosecuted under IPC sections 302, 147/149 and 120-B," RP Singh said in a statement. Earlier, Manjit Singh GK said that they would send copies of the video clips to various authorities and demanded arrest of the Congress leader. The Budget Session of the Parliament is set to resume on Monday after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley tabled the Union Budget 2018-19 on 1 February Auto refresh feeds The Budget Session of the Parliament is set to resume on Monday after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley tabled the Union Budget 2018-19 on 1 February, the Narendra Modi's government's last full Budget before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. "People (of Andhra Pradesh) are looking forward with anticipation. They (the Centre) have done something, but much more needs to be done. We will discuss these things in the next two-three days and try to work out a solution," Chowdary added on Sunday. Some of the issues over which TDP is miffed are the implementation of a special financial package for the state, setting up of a railway zone, deficit finance, and schemes related to the development of Amaravati as the state capital. "Our state is in a disadvantageous position due to bifurcation (of united Andhra Pradesh). People are dissatisfied because there is no specific mention of state issues in the Union Budget. All this was discussed," TDP leader and Union minister Y Satyanarayana Chowdary said. The dissatisfied Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Sunday decided to retain alliance with BJP after top leaders from the saffron party, including Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, called up Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and brokered peace, for now. The Lok Sabha had passed the bill seeking imprisonment for Muslim men convicted of practising instant triple talaq, but a united Opposition had stalled it in the Rajya Sabha, where the NDA lacks a majority. According to reports , the Narendra Modi government has said it hopes to get the controversial triple talaq bill passed in the Rajya Sabha this Budget Session. The government on Friday made it clear in Parliament that it will keep away from the tussle between the Chief Justice of India and the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, saying the judiciary is capable of handling its "internal matters". According to reports, the Congress and some Opposition parties have made it clear that they will press for discussion in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on the "crisis in judiciary" following the issues raised by four senior judges of the Supreme Court in an unprecedented press conference in January this year. The following members will take oath in the Lok Sabha today: Dr. Karan Singh Yadav (Alwar Parliamentary Constituency, Rajasthan); Raghu Sharma (Ajmer Parliamentary Constituency, Rajasthan); and Sajda Ahmed (Uluberia Parliamentary Constituency, West Bengal). MPs who won Rajasthan, West Bengal by polls to take oath in Lok Sabha today The BJP hopes to consolidate its support among backward classes by according constitutional status to the OBC commission, which, it believes, will give it more teeth. Besides the triple talaq legislation, which criminalises instant talaq by Muslim men, the government is also likely to make a pitch for the passage of the OBC bill, which seeks to give a constitutional status to the OBC commission. The six-member PAC sub-committee on defence is looking into the non-compliance of certain aspects of the CAG report of 1989 and 1990 on the Bofors Howitzer gun deal. The report has been delayed as action taken notes were not submitted before the panel by the concerned ministry and government organisations, said a member of the sub-committee, chaired by the BJD's Bhartruhari Mahtab. A parliamentary panel looking into the Bofors gun deal for almost 27 years is likely to finalise its report on the issue in the current Budget Session, members said. The CAG report on Bofors is the oldest "pending" matter before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), PTI reported. There have been reports of about 15 police shootouts from 10 districts of the state in 48 hours. The family of one of the victims, Jitendra Yadav said that caste animosity might have been a cause behind the 'fake encounter'. The case in point is here is that two men in Noida Sector-122 were allegedly shot at by a sub-inspector of the Uttar Pradesh police on Saturday, leading to the suspension of four policemen on Sunday. While one has sustained injuries on the leg, the other one is critically injured. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Monday gave a notice for suspension of all businesses in the Rajya Sabha, demanding a special discussion on the reorganisation package for Andhra Pradesh, reported News18 . TDP turns up the heat on BJP, wants special discussion on budgetary allocation for Andhra Pradesh TDP MPs held a silent protest in front of the Gandhi statue near the Parliament, reported CNN-News18. Sloganeering demanding adjournment of the Rajya Sabha takes place in the House. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu admonishes MPs. Meanwhile, TMC Derek O'Brien begins speaking while Opposition members continue shouting in the House. You cannot force the Chair like this: Venkaiah Naidu to Opposition Admonishing the protesting Samajwadi Party MPs, Rajya Sabha Chair M Venkaiah Naidu said: "You have just come to seek publicity," thus, adjourning the Rajya Sabha. Last year, he had stirred up a major controversy by claiming that 346 families had to flee Kairana in Uttar Pradesh because of threats from a 'particular community' and also released a list of Hindus who had to leave the town. However, he later claimed that the exodus was not communal in nature. He had reportedly been undergoing treatment at the hospital for a month and that he had been facing breathing difficulties. The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day after the House paid a tribute to late BJP MP Hukum Singh. Bharatiya Janata Party leader and member of Parliament (MP) from Kairana, Hukum Singh , passed away at the JP Hospital in Noida on Saturday. "This government works for the upliftment of the poor. And the first thing we did is introduce the 'Jan Dhan' bank accounts," said Shah. "It's been three and a half years and looking back, we are surprised. Our democratic history is 70 years. Many governments have come and gone. The Narendra Modi government has achieved a lot in this short span of time," said Shah. In 3 and half years, we have done a lot: Amit Shah 'For first time since Independence, non-Congress party given mandate by the public' "When Modi was elected a house leader, he gave a historic speech, stating that these governments would be the government of Gandhi and the Deendayal. I am proud to say that for three and a half years, this government has been running on the principle of Antyodaya," says Amit Shah. "I am elated to say that one crore 30 lakh people given up their gas subsidy on the request of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," says Shah. "What sort of mentality is this? There is no shame in selling pakodas. Comparing him to a beggar is shameful," says Shah. 'It's better to sell pakodas, than not work at all': Amit Shah "I believe there is a problem of unemployment in the country... We just had eight years of rule but why you (Congress) could not solve this problem in your 55 year-rule?" says Amit Shah. "The Congress, backed by the left-government, did not even increase the minimum wage as much as the Narendra Modi government has done," says Shah. "Delivering electricity to every poor household, delivering health services, delivering toilets, delivering employment... I am proud that this government is moving in that direction," says Amit Shah. "So many people came to power from the slogan of 'Garibi Hatao' but the task of removing poverty and raising the living standards of the poor has been done by the Modi government," claims Shah. "14% revenue growth was not an empty promise. Its a constitutional guarantee we have given. People revolted against GST because people had no faith, but we created that faith. I have studied about GST in-depth and I can tell you businesses are going to grow," says Shah. "We are in power today, tomorrow you can be too. Our mentality is not such that we don't believe it can't happen. It is a democracy. I want to appeal to everybody that GST is an excellent economic reform. What is Gabbar Singh Tax? Gabbar Singh was a villain in Sholay. This Gabbar Singh Tax is used to pay people their pensions, schemes etc," says Amit Shah. 'Gabbar Singh Tax is being used to pay people's pensions, schemes etc,' "One can go through all the democracies in the world, but none of them had the courage to give health insurance of Rs 5 lakh to 50 crore people," said Shah. "I know some people will make noise about this but we have decided to call Ayushmaan Bharat as Namo healthcare now." "No one dared touch the subject of One Rank One Pension except around elections. When NDA came to power, we introduced One Rank, One Pension within one year," says Shah. "Sleeping jawans lost their lives. People were enraged. Narendra Modi made no statement but within 10 days, he decided upon the surgical strike and took revenge upon the erring agents," says Shah. "For India, Kashmir is a very important issue. Today, Kashmir is the most secure state in the country. Terrorists are spending their days behind Tihar jail's bars. We have handled the Kashmir issue very well," says Shah. 'We have handled the Kahmir issue very well,' claims Shah "Triple talaq was challenged several times in the various courts across the country. When Narendra Modi government brought the triple talaq bill in the Rajya Sabha, the Opposition stalled it. If you don't protest, we will bring it back tomorrow," says Shah as members erupt in protest. 'When we go to Congress, people will ask them why they opposed the OBC bill': Amit Shah World saw India from a different perspective at the time of surgical strikes, says Amit Shah "Every year from DBT, the country has saved Rs 57,000 crores. I believe that this is a very big achievement," says Shah. 'Some people see victory even in defeat': Shah takes a jibe at Congress' electoral defeats across the country Speaking of demonetisation, Amit Shah said: "Notebandi is a huge jab at black money. We have worked to close over 3 lakh shell companies". Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad countered the claims made in Amit Shah's speech. He said that the BJP government has only rebranded the schemes made by UPA government. If this is your new India, we are ashamed of this new India: Ghulam Nabi Azad tells BJP He said that the Swacchh Bharat scheme was a rebranded version of the Nirmal Bharat scheme introduced by the UPA, and its state is such that 550 Crore rupees were spent on just publicity. "You are so adept at repackaging that we are impressed. We were idiots, we didn't know anything about packaging, forget repackaging. We have just known how to work, politics of press conferences and publicity is your speciality," Azad said. He also said that the much touted Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme was being strangled in the lack of fund. Citing data he said, when the scheme was to be implemented in 161 districts the Budget was 200 crore, now when you plan to expand it to 640 districts, it is 280 crore. "What is the math," he said. Slamming the flagship schemes of the NDA government, Azad said that the healthcare scheme introduced in the Budget is not going to yield any results for the common man. He said that the healthcare scheme was, in essence, a health insurance scheme which would benefit insurance companies and not the common man. He said that looking at the preceding examples of much richer nations, he can predict that the scheme will prove to be another hollow promise. Concluding his speech, Azad taunted the BJP on its promise of new India. "We don't need your new India. We are better off without it. Please return our old India where there was no fear, Gandhi's Bharat where Hindus and Muslims could die for each other," Azad said. Atal Bihari Vajpayee palyed a key role in creating new states in India. We created Chhattisgrah, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand. His deft handling of the creation meant there were no issues with the separation. Hitting back at the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Congress has been responsible for dividing the country for politcal gains. "We too supported Telangana and the bifurication of Andhra Pradesh. But we never did it for political gains." He said that Congress's actions have led to issues between the two states. "You had no Opposition at your time. you had the opportunity to do something for the country. But you (Congress) spent your time in serving only the Nehru-Gandhi family. Had you worked for the people, we would have been an advanced country by now," Modi said. "When your former PM Rajiv Gandhi insulted T Anjiah at Hyderabad airport. You people should not talk about democracy. Your leader says that if Jehangir goes, then there is Shah Jahan. If not Shah Jahan, then you will have Aurangazeb. Is this democracy?" Modi said while criticising it over the lack of democracy in the party. "India did not get democracy due to Pandit Nehru, as Congress wants us to believe. Please look at our rich history. There are many examples of rich democratic traditions that date back centuries ago. Democracy is integral to this nation and is in our culture," Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha during motion of thanks speech. Democracy not due to Nehru but existed before too, says Modi "In the previous government, 11 kilometres of national highway was created everyday. In the last three years, we have created 22 kilometres national highways. every day, When it comes to railway lines too, we created 2100 kilometres of new lines in three years, while UPA created only 1,100 kilometres of line in their final three years," Modi said. We created more rail lines, road in last three years Modi ups the ante and said that if Sardar Patel had been Indias first leader, Jammu and Kashmir wouldnt be divided today. He said ruckus created by the Opposition won't be able to suppress my speech in Lok Sabha. "How did the Congress act in Kerala, how did they treat the Akali Dal in Punjab, how did they behave in Tamil Nadu? Why did Congress dismiss so many state governments at their will. This is no commitment to democracy," Modi in Lok Sabha. "In December, did we witness an 'election' or coronation for the post of Congress President?" Modi taunts Rahul Gandhi over his elevation as Congress party president. "We cannot deny that every party has contributed to the country. But Congress Prime Ministers have not said it during their speech in Red Fort. But I, as the prime minister, have always said that even Congress governments have helped in developing the country. Even Congress has contributed to the country, says Modi "The West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala and Karnataka governments claim that nearly 1 crore Indians have got employment in these states. So will you not consider that employment. I am not talking of BJP or NDA government. But will you ever say that the employment stats provided by non-BJP governments are wrong?" Modi said while talking about employment issue in India. "Irrespective of who heads the government, the aspirations of the brimming middle class youth should always be the top priority," says Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha. "Those who were talking of 21st Century India in the1980s could not bring an aviation policy for the country despite being in power. We converted 16 airstrips for operational use. We have seen the potential in bringing aviation in Tier I and II cities too. India has given order to buy over 900 aircrafts in India. We use technology to fasten the pace of development," says Modi Employment is increasing but you had closed your eyes as you are busy singing your songs. Atal ji has said chhote Mann se koi bada nahi hota aur toote Mann se koi khada nahi hota: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha during motion of thanks speech. Modi said that the Congress feared that he would scrap the programme. However, after he continued with the programme, the Opposition is raising issues of poor implementation. "You doubt that farmer incomes will increase by 2022 because you never though of such a scheme. Such ideas cannot happen with a small and parochial mind," Narendra Modi said while answering Opposition's criticism over farmer issues. "There are rumours and disinformation about BJP being against the middle class. They are aspirational class. They want best quality education, quality of life, housing and other facilities. This is my government's endeavour. We have given various tax benefits to the middle class" says Narendra Modi over reports of middle-class being angry over the Budget 2018. "We distributed 28 crores led bulbs to middle-class families which saved their electricity bill by Rs 15,000 crore, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha during motion of thanks speech. "I want to tell people. What is this NPA issue. They should know that it is UPA which is responsible for the NPAs. They made such laws which created pressure on banks to give loans to cronies in India. These cronies used to restructure debts but banks never got any money back. If I had to play politics, then I would have done it on the first day itself. But that would have created a crisis in India. So, I was silent for the sake of the country. This NPA is your deeds," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. "The more you spill dirt over us, the more BJP will strengthen. I urge the Opposition to continue to do so. I don't mind," Modi said in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. "When there was standoff at Doka La, you (Congress) were talking to the Chinese," says Narendra Modi while hitting back at the Congress. While referring to the 1972 Shimla Agreement, he said that Indira Gandhi negotiated the deal with Benazir Bhutto. However, it was her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who negotiated the deal. "We have to create a New India. Let us work together to fulfill the dreams of the people," said Modi while hailing ASEAN leaders presence during Republic Day. With that Modi concluded his speech in the Lok Sabha. Reacting to the speech made by the prime minister in the Lok Sabha, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that there was nothing new in Modi's statements. "We wanted to listen to Modi's speech. One is Andhra issue which we raised. Then there is the issue of Rafale deal. Something has gone wrong there. He spoke for over an hour but did not talk on it. He gave a political and campaign type speech. He did not talk on employment crisis. he did not talk of farmer distress. This is about protecting the poor. His speech are basically focussed on Congress party," he said. "The two hours speech was historic.The data he had was a black and white data to show what the Congress has done. It is appalling that the Congress continued to shout and create ruckus in the Parliament. This happened when the prime minister was giving a vote of thanks to the president's speech," Babul Supriyo told News18. What Congress did in Lok Sabha was appalling, says Supriyo "Arun Jaitley had said that protest is a form of democracy. So we are doing the same thing now. We have raised some pertinent points on various issues. May be the BJP needs to do some research to know how the Parliament functioned during Vajpayee era," Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said. We are following what Arun Jaitley said in Opposition, says Congress "Narendra Modi left the MPs in lurch over the Andhra Pradesh issue. We thought the MPs will get some respite in Budget 2018. But yet nothing happened. Congress works for the sake of some ideals. BJP leaders do not walk the talk," Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge said on Wednesday. "Nothing new in what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said...People are interested to know about the questions," said Sonia Gandhi reacting to prime minister's speech WATCH: The LIVE proceedings of Rajya Sabha, where Modi is expected to speak soon "Questions are being asked by the country from the prime minister, but he is not answering... here (in Parliament) you have to give answers and not ask questions to the country instead," he said. He seems to have forgotten that he is the prime minister not an opposition leader, Gandhi told reporters after Modi's reply in the Lok Sabha to the motion of thanks on the president's address, PTI reported. Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs to answer the country on questions posed to him on the Rafale deal, farmers and jobs instead of making allegations in Parliament. Reacting to the President's address, Congress leader Anand Sharma said that the address was the most dry speech by a president since Independence. "Devoid of prose or comment on concrete achievements, the President's address was only making new promises," Sharma said. Sharma said that the JP wants only to speak not to hear. They don't want to hear any Opposition or be answerable to any questions. All they talk about is new schemes that will only yield result by 2022. Has the BJP forgotten math? You are answerable in 2019, who will report to the people in 2022, only time will tell. 'BJP's math of five years seems to have gone wrong,' says Congress leader Anand Sharma Listing out accomplishments of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira gandhi, Congress leader Anand Sharma said that the BJP is too arrogant to actually acknowledge the contribution made by his predecessors but India has not forgotten. He wondered when Modi said that he inherited a stagnant economy and a 'pichda bharat', was he talking about a different India. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Congress leader Anand Sharma raised the issue of Rafale deal. "Are there two different definitions of corruption, one for Congress and one for you," Sharma said. He said that the government was using the government machinery to act against its opponents. Questioning why the government was shying away from revealing basic facts about the Rafale deal, Sharma said that scrapping the old deal has not been sufficiently justified. Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his speech in Rajya Saha. He thanked the members for debating on the President's address. Modi said that as many as 38 members have expressed their views and he listened to all of them. "Ghulam Nabi Azad ji mentioned Ayushman Bharat in his speech and compared it to the models tried in Britain and US. This is wrong. Somethings that have failed there can work in our nation and vice versa. The scheme is for the nation and all Opposition parties are invited to form task forces and give us any suggestions for the scheme's improvement," Modi said. Prime minister said that in introducing new healthcare schemes, his intention was to improve on the existing infrastructure. He said that this does not mean Ghulam Nabi Azad or previous governments, did not do anything. But no one can deny that a lot more needs to be done in the healthcare sector," Modi said. Lots more needs to be done in healthcare: Modi "Opposition has the political right to criticise me, but in the enthusiasm to criticise BJP, they cross the line and inadvertently criticise India. This is not good for nation," Modi said. 'Opposition obsessed with Modi but in criticising me they cross the line,' says PM He said that the BJP wants the nation run on Gandhi's idols. The prime minister then added on a lighter vein that it was Mahatma Gandhi who had once remarked that after Independence, Congress has lost its relevance, it should be disbanded. Modi said that when his party talks about Congress-mukt bharat, they are building upon Gandhi's ideals only. "Congress was taking about the old India and new India. They said that they wanted the old India back, I want to ask them what India do they want. The India where army's jeep scam happened or the one where submarine corruption took place," Modi said. He said that the past governments implemented schemes in a hurry due to political compulsions. "You said that we are name-changers and not game-changers, but I would add we are actually aim-chasers," Modi said. "You complain that I don't give enough credit to your party and its legacy. Well, starting projects and then putting them on the backburner is your legacy and I give you credit for it," Modi said. He also asked the Opposition why it took them so long to honour Patel and Ambedkar with a Bharat Ratna. "During Gujarat elections, I could see that everywhere Congress used Sardar Patel's name. I was actually happy that we got to see the day when the Congress party actually valued him, Modi said as BJP members chuckled. But after the elections, in none of the programs, you mentioned or used Patel's or Dr. Ambedkar's name. When you accuse us for something, when you point one finger at us, remember that four fingers are pointing at you too," Modi said. Congress ignored Sardar Patel's memory for years, invoked him for political gain: Modi on Gujarat elections "I have heard Congress party vociforously batting for change in triple talaq law, what specific changes nobody knows. But if you feel so strongly about bringing changes to the triple talaq Bill, then you should have brought the law yourself when you were in power for so many years. What stopped you," Modi said. "Look at what all you (Congress) mocked - Swachh Bharat, Make in India, surgical strikes, Yoga Day. You are free to mock as you please, you are bound by your politics. But why are you blocking the bill for OBC Commission? Why are you blocking Triple Talaq Bill? Are you not sensitive to the aspirations of OBCs,' PM Modi asks the Congress," Modi said. "We are not able to take the real benefit of federal structure because of repeated elections. Polls draw near in one or another state every six months and it creates undue pressure on both state and central governments. Politcal calculations take over policy decisins that shoudl be made for welfare," Modi said. Ruckus in Rajya Sabha as House votes on amendments to Motion of Thanks on President's address "The Prime Minister's speech was factually wrong when he said One Rank One Pension scheme for retired soldiers was an NDA scheme. It was initiated by former prime minister Manmohan Singh," Antony said. A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vote of thanks speech in Parliament, session in both the Houses is expected to be stormy. Launching a tirade against the Congress, Modi on Wednesday said he was pursuing Mahatma Gandhi's dream of a ' Congress-mukt Bharat ' and accused the grand old party of eulogising the Gandhi family when in power, at the cost of India's development. Day after Narendra Modi's speech, session in both Houses expected to be stormy Today, MPs of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) are expected to hold protests in the Parliament complex over financial allocation for Andhra Pradesh in the Union Budget 2018-19, according to media reports. The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has also called for protests across the state to express solidarity with its MPs, who have been trying to stall the proceedings in both the Houses of Parliament to demand justice to the state. Authorities in Andhra Pradesh have tightened the security in view of the shutdown called by the Left parties on Thursday to protest the injustice meted out to the state in the Union Budget 2018-19. The Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India-Marxist and several other smaller parties have called for the shutdown. YSR Congress and Congress have backed the shutdown call. 'Modi's speech shows he is ready to take over a Opposition leader': Chattisgarh Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel Galla hinted that if the party's demands are not meant, the TDP will leave the alliance. "We are allies - we fought the 2014 general elections together, based on the promises made to the people of Andhra Pradesh," he said. - IANS Participating in a debate on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP Jayadev Galla said they have been fulfilling the "alliance dharma" (with the National Democratic Alliance) since 2014, and after five Union Budgets have been presented, this is the last chance for Andhra Pradesh to get what it was promised ahead of its bifurcation to carve out a separate state of Telangana. Smiling broadly, Modi requested Naidu not to restrain the Congress MP. "It is for the first time after the Ramayana serial that we are having the good fortune of hearing such laughter today," Modi said without elaborating, but apparently hinting at a negative character in the serial. As Modi sought to shear the previous Congress government of the credit for Aadhaar, Chowdhury burst into a guffaw, drawing disapproval of Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu. "If you have some problem, go to a doctor, please," an irritated Naidu told Chowdhury. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday took a dig at fiesty Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury , saying her laughter reminded him of epic serial 'Ramayana'. Rajya Sabha chair M Venkaiah Naidu leads the session with an obituary reference to the deceased MP Frida Topno, who passed away on 6 February. Modi on Wednesday took a dig at fiesty Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury, saying her laughter reminded him of epic serial 'Ramayana'. The Congress MPs in the Rajya Sabha raised a protest over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments on MP Renuka Chowdhury on Wednesday. Due to this, the House chair adjourned the session till 12 pm. Congress MPs in the Rajya Sabha seek an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his comments on MP Renuka Chowdhury on Wednesday. TDP, YSR Congress MPs still continue to raise slogans in the Lower House, shouting "We want justice" for Andhra Pradesh. Responding to a question, Panchayati Raj minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that 8,117 gram panchayats in Rajasthan have internet connectivity. AP Jeetendra Reddy, an MP from Telangana says roads in Telangana have not been constructed with safety in mind. Road accidents in the state have been on a rise. In 2014, 4,89,400 accidents took place in the state. In Mehboobnagar district, at least one person dies on the roads every day. In response, Road and Highways minister Nitin Gadkari says, in 2017, 4,60,000 accidents took place in the country. Most accidents occur due to riders not wearing helmets on bikes. Education, engineering, enforcement and emergency clear these are four aspects we take into account. 787 black spots have been identified. "As a chairman, I will not suspend Question Hour. But since there is a broad consensus, we will move on to discussion on the General Budget," says Venkaiah Naidu. YS Chowdary, MoS said in the Rajya Sabha: "The AP Reorganisation Act was passed unscientifically. It cannot be partly cooperative. In last three and half years, we could not fulfill some promises." KVP Ramachandra Rao, Congress MP says in the Rajya Sabha, "I'm representing the anguished people of Andhra Pradesh. I'm worried about the propriety. The House that passed the AP Reorganisation Act, is incapable protecting the rights of our own people, what are we supposed to do sitting here?" 'If we are incapable of protecting rights of Andhra people, why are we sitting here?' Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar asks TDP, YSR Congress MPs, protesting in the Lok Sabha, to go back to their seats and proceed with the discussion on the Union Budget, amid loud protests. "You ask me to suspend Question Hour but then ask me to hold it. You can't eat the cake and have it again," said Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu. 'You can't eat the cake and have it again': Rajya Sabha chair Meanwhile, TDP MPs increase the volume of their protests saying they don't believe them. Ananth Kumar, Parliamentary Affairs minister in the Lok Sabha said, "Narendra Modi is very sensitive to the issues raised by the people of the Andhra Pradesh. The finance minister Arun Jaitley will address his concerns in his reply to the House. I request TDP MPs, led by Chandrababu Naidu, to have a healthy debate." 'Narendra Modi is sensitive to the issues raised by the people of Andhra Pradesh' TMC leader Dinesh Trivedi says in the Lok Sabha, "Every body is against notebandi. It is not going to be good for the poor. Raghuram Rajan predicted the 2008 meltdown. If you want to have 'sabka saath, sabka vikas', you have to have the trust of the people. I must tell you, in West Bengal we live and deliver with this slogan. What Bengal thinks today, the rest of the country thinks of it tomorrow." 'Budget comes out of only jumlas': TMC MP Dinesh Trivedi in Lok Sabha "Entire needs lot of incentive that if we don't have pure air, water, our next generation will be affected. None of this has been mentioned in this year's Budget," says Trivedi. "Muslims are also citizens of this country. They are also loyal," says TMC leader Dinesh Trivedi in the Lok Sabha. Rajan Baburao Vichare, a Shiv Sena MP said in the Lok Sabha: "This year's Budget is not middle-class friendly." "I also request the Government of India to allocate funds to open an AIIMS in Tamil Nadu. Also, the Centre has not provided any allocation for Cyclone Ockhi relief in this Budget," he added. AIADMK MP J Jayavardhan says in the Lok Sabha, "I oppose GST imposed on projects executed by states. It is an additional burden." BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar says in the Lok Sabha, "In all its years of existence, Aligarh Muslim University doesn't provide reservation to SCs. When Indira Gandhi annoucned nationalisation of banks, she said it would benfit the poor. But it wasn't until the Jan Dhan scheme was announced that 30 lakh people had a bank account." SAD MP Prem Singh Chandumajura says, "73 percent of wealth is with the one percent rich. The rich are getting richer and the poor, poorer". "With relation to income tax, people from the middle classes faced disappointment. Meanwhile, the government provided a five percent tax reduction for corporates," he said. Samajwadi MP from Uttar Pradesh, Tej Pratap Yadav said, "More than a Budget, it sounds like sounding the poll bugle for 2019 general election." More than a Budget, it sounds like election manifesto, says Tej Pratap Yadav "In 2017, there were situations where citizens didn't feel safe. Defence has received very less allocation in the Union Budget 2017-18. In times like this when China is all set in the border areas, the governement should be more considerate towards security." "Opposition is unnecessarily is accusing that the government does not want to run the House. We want to discuss the General Budget," says Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar. "It is a total failure of the government to run this House," says Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition. "BJP MPs are disrupting the House because they have no answers to the Budget questions," says TMC leader Derek O'Brien. 'NDA MPs disrupting House as they have no answers to questions': Derek O'Brien Congress MP Anand Sharma said, "It is unprecendented in the history of Parliament that the Parliamentary Affairs Minister is leading the disruption of the Rajya Sabha. He is not the right person to tell us we are not supporting democracy. We cannot be bullied." At this, the Chair requested the MPs to restore order to the House. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar stood up and said that the members' are agitated and will continue to register there grievances, but this should not deter the former finance minister and Congress member from speaking. He said that after all the prime minister's speech was disrupted all through on Wednesday. The ruckus in Rajya Sabha continued even after the House was reconvened. The BJP leaders were seen protesting and raising slogans in the time allotted to P Chidambaram to speak. Meanwhile, from whatever we could make out of the former finance minister's speech, he asked 12 questions related to the state of the economy as he claimed that the real GDP of the country, in various sectors, has not changed since 2014. The real GDP values are adjusted for inflation, while the nominal GDP figures are not. Chidambaram started speaking, using the economic growth metric's used in the prime minister's speech as a takeoff point, his voice barely audible on television over slogans of "Pradhan mantri ka apman nahi sahega Hindustan" and "Congress Valo Maafi mango Maafi mango." On Tuesday, during the reply, Modi had questioned the Congress's claim of being the originator of the biometric national ID Aadhaar when he said that the then home minister LK Advani had in 1998 spoken about an all-purpose national ID in Rajya Sabha. This led to Chowdhury bursting into loud laughter. Hitting out at the PM outside Parliament, Chowdhury said, My party is with me. I will continue to laugh as there is no GST on laughter. Will Keep Laughing, No GST On it: Renuka Chowdhury on PM Modis 'Ramayana Jibe' "Where have all the jobs gone? what is this mystery? I will tell you," Chidambaram said as he read out a data about a slew of vacancies across government departments. Mocking the government's economic policies, Chidambaram said that we are the only country that claims that the jobs have gone down but the GDP has gone up. 'Where have all the jobs gone?,' P Chidambaram answers Quoting a report published in The Pioneer , Yadav said that Chidamabaram should have answered the allegations against him instead of questioning the government. He said that the Congress was an opportunist party which feasted on Hindu and Muslim vote bank when it suited its political goals. Yadav said that the former finance minister was heard complaining about the fiscal deficits in the BJP's regime. Quoting a poetic verse, Yadav said that Chidambaram should look in the mirror and pay some attention to the fiscal deficit figures of his government before complaining about ours. 'Look in the mirror before complaining about us,' Bhupender Yadav tells Chidambaram On one hand, TDP MPs stormed the Well in Rajya Sabha seeking special package for Andhra Pradesh, on the other hand, BJP members continued there sloganeering against the Congress party seeking their apology. TMC MP Dinesh Trivedi on Thursday criticised the Union Budget calling it a "jumla" (rhetoric) and alleged that several issues like the plight of farmers, better health services and education are yet to be addressed. Disapproving of remarks by Prime Minister Narendra Modi against his predecessors Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi in the Lok Sabha while replying to the debate on presidential address on Wednesday, Trivedi said there could be a difference of opinion but there should not be biases. In Rajya Sabha, BJP's Bhupender Yadav raised the Aircel-Maxis scam to counter Chidambaram's questions on the economy. His party colleague Abhishek Singh asked the Congress to refrain from insulting those selling pakoras or else they will be reduced to just five seats in Lok Sabha. BJP MP Ganesh Singh defended the budget and said the Congress and its president Rahul Gandhi should reply to the issues raised by the prime minister on Wednesday. "You are asking about the Rafale deal but who will reply on Bofors and the submarine scam. "There have been many misdeeds during the Congress rule and the prime minister is trying to taking the country on the path of the development. People of the country are looking towards the prime minister," Singh said. "The narratives which we had inherited & the narrative which we have now is entirely different. Nobody at that time mentioned that India is the fastest growing economy. It has only happened now. Data speaks for itself," Jaitley said. Arun Jaitley, responding to the discussion on the Union Budget, said "You (Congress) have been talking about Aadhaar but all you could achieve was formulate how such an ID would be created. You were not able to pass a law, you had no vision whatsoever to use it in the way we have, Your draft law was silent on privacy, whereas we have a full chapter on citizens' privacy and the iron balls around Aadhaar," Jaitley argued. You prepared incomplete draft Aadhaar law; BJP improvised it to make it usable: Jaitley to Congress India's growth was 7.1 % before demonetisation and now the GDP fallen. This is also the impact of GST. On Budget, Jaitley says in every Budget he has tried to give relief to the middle class. How can same tax slab be implemented on a luxurious item & a necessity, asks Jaitley We know how to bite the bullet when tough decisions have to be taken, says Jaitley Within a matter of months, we have been able to stabilise GST; we reduced rate with increase in revenue. We have been able to stabilise GST, says Jaitley Ruckus begins in the Parliament as Sumitra Mahajan requests members to let Jaitley finish. Jaitley says,"They must learn to listen if they have questions." Jaitley says the government is extremely sympathetic to issues of the people of Andhra Pradesh amid ruckus in the House. The House is adjourned for the day as ruckus continues Hitting out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi over the Rafale deal, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said : "Amit Shah ji said Rahul ji's style of politics is undemocratic. Hence, such kind of disruption during Prime Minister Modi's speech." BJP president reportedly said this during the BJP Parliamentary meet that took place on Friday morning. Both Houses in Parliament are in session now TDP MPs continue to shout 'We want justice' in the background in Lok Sabha In protest TMC leader Derek O'Brien said that the Opposition wants to discuss the Budget and should be given the opportunity to do so. Rajya Sabha chair M Venkaiah Naidu says: "I don't want these scenes to be viewed by the entire country. I can't do anything if this becomes competitive politics." 'I don't want these scenes to be viewed by entire country'; Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 pm Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan continued with legislative business even as TDP MPs gathered around the Well with placards in hand demanding a special package for Andhra Pradesh. Protests can also be heard in the Rajya Sabha. Even as Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan attempted to continue with legislative business for the day, Congress MPs could be heard shouting slogans over the Rafale deal. demanding answers from Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Lok Sabha adjourned for the day over disruptions; will resume session on 5 March at 11 am Both Houses in Parliament are in session now TDP MPs continue to shout 'We want justice' in the background in Lok Sabha In protest TMC leader Derek O'Brien said that the Opposition wants to discuss the Budget and should be given the opportunity to do so. Rajya Sabha chair M Venkaiah Naidu says: "I don't want these scenes to be viewed by the entire country. I can't do anything if this becomes competitive politics." 'I don't want these scenes to be viewed by entire country'; Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 pm Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan continued with legislative business even as TDP MPs gathered around the Well with placards in hand demanding a special package for Andhra Pradesh. Protests can also be heard in the Rajya Sabha. Even as Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan attempted to continue with legislative business for the day, Congress MPs could be heard shouting slogans over the Rafale deal. demanding answers from Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Lok Sabha adjourned for the day over disruptions; will resume session on 5 March at 11 am Odisha MP AV Swamy fell down in the Parliament premises, he has been moved to the hospital, reason being ascertained: Venkaiah Naidu in Rajya Sabha pic.twitter.com/Pm2hnzu64M In his Rajya Sabha debut, BJP president Amit Shah hit back at Congress' "Gabbar Singh Tax" barb and said that tax collected is used to fund pension, development schemes. The Budget Session of the Parliament is set to resume on Monday after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley tabled the Union Budget 2018-19 on 1 February, the Narendra Modi's government's last full Budget before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The first leg of the session will be held between 29 January and 9 February. Following a recess after 9 February, the Parliament will convene again between 5 March and 6 April. Some of the issues likely to find limelight on Monday in both Houses are listed here: TDP-BJP alliance Upset over "injustice" to Andhra Pradesh in Union Budget 2018-19, the TDP, a key ally of the BJP, on Sunday decided to raise the issue in Parliament. Andhra Pradesh chief minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu asked his party MPs to pressurise the BJP-led NDA government to undo the injustice. At the TDP Parliamentary Board meeting in Amaravati on Sunday, Naidu said the party would begin its fight by raising the issue in Parliament, sources revealed. He made it clear that this was only the first step. The TDP chief said the party's next course of action would depend on the response of the Modi government. The Board discussed in detail the Union Budget and the Centre's failure to address the pending issues of the state. Some TDP leaders suggested that both the central ministers of the TDP should quit to put pressure on the BJP. Naidu, however, said the party should first raise the issue in Parliament. TDP leader and Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Y Sujana Chowdhary told reporters MPs would try to put pressure on the Centre to honour all commitments made to the state at the time of its bifurcation from Andhra Pradesh in 2014. Judiciary crisis According to reports, the Congress and some Opposition parties have made it clear that they will press for discussion in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on the "crisis in judiciary" following the issues raised by four senior judges of the Supreme Court in an unprecedented press conference in January this year. The government on Friday made it clear in Parliament that it will keep away from the tussle between the Chief Justice of India and the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, saying the judiciary is capable of handling its "internal matters". Responding to three separate questions in the Rajya Sabha on the "rift" in the higher judiciary, the government said it has not received any information about it from the Supreme Court. Minister of State for Law PP Chaudhary replied in a negative when asked whether the government has "assessed the impact of the rift" in the apex court. "Judiciary, being an independent organ under the Indian Constitution, is capable of handling its internal matters. The government is committed to the independence of judiciary," he said in a written reply to one of the questions. Triple talaq bill According to reports, the Narendra Modi government has said it hopes to get the controversial triple talaq bill passed in the Rajya Sabha this Budget Session. The Lok Sabha had passed the bill seeking imprisonment for Muslim men convicted of practising instant triple talaq, but a united Opposition had stalled it in the Rajya Sabha, where the NDA lacks a majority. OBC bill Besides the triple talaq legislation, which criminalises instant talaq by Muslim men, the government is also likely to make a pitch for the passage of the OBC bill, which seeks to give a constitutional status to the OBC commission. The BJP hopes to consolidate its support among backward classes by according constitutional status to the OBC commission, which, it believes, will give it more teeth. Apart from the above issues, the Opposition has also protested the absence of bills for women's reservation in Parliament and the quota for SC/ST. With inputs from agencies Opposition members, including those from the Congress, Samajwadi Party, NCP and the Left parties, have moved as many as 324 amendments to the president's speech as part of the debate on the Motion of Thanks. New Delhi: The opposition in the Rajya Sabha on Monday accused the BJP-led government of polarising the country and creating a "fear psychosis" among the people, alleging that it was just renaming the earlier policies without delivering their benefits to the poor. It is not a "game changer" but a "name changer government" which has failed to deliver on all fronts be it providing relief to farmers and poor, generate jobs or addressing the Kashmir issue, the opposition leaders said. Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the President's address, Leader of Oppositon Ghulam Nabi Azad attacked the government for creating fear, not only among people but also among the bureaucrats and opposition leaders. "A fear psychosis has set in. You cannot see when you are in power. If someone is scared to talk to the Opposition or transact with them, it is not good for democracy or freedom of speech or even freedom of business," he said. Azad alleged that opposition party leaders were being treated as "potential terrorists" and their phones were being tapped. "No one today talks to me over phone because they say your phone is tapped," he claimed. Opposition members, including those from the Congress, Samajwadi Party, NCP and the Left parties, have moved as many as 324 amendments to the president's speech as part of the debate on the Motion of Thanks. In his speech, Azad said the government was not only polarising the country, but also dividing parties in the opposition and intimidating them by using the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate. While supporting the draft triple talaq bill, Azad objected to the stringent punishment it proposes for a man for ending marriage through instant triple talaq. "You have divided Shias and Sunnis. Now, you are dividing husband and wife. You cannot polarise the nation. ... What kind of division are you involved in? Why are you intimidating the minority community who are victims of fear psychosis?" "You should spare some section. We don't want this New India. You have polarised it. Return us India of Gandhi where no fear existed," he said. Expressing concern over the Kashmir situation, he attacked the government for not framing any clear policy for the troubled state. "The situation is pathetic. ...Borders are in a sad state of affairs. People are homeless and suffering. The government does not have any clear policy," he said, dubbing the NDA government for being "weakest" in 70 years. Stating that the recently announced national health insurance scheme is another "jumla" (rhetoric) of this government, Azad said it will only benefit insurance firms and not the ordinary citizens. Instead of an insurance scheme for 50 crore people, he suggested that the Centre should focus on building more government hospitals to provide cost effective treatment to the poor. Attacking the government for being insensitive towards farmers, Azad said the government making "false promises" of doubling income by 2022, which cannot be implemented with the current budget allocation to the farm sector. A government panel, studying ways to double farmers income, has recommended that farmers income cannot be raised without an investment of Rs 6.4 lakh crore in the farm sector and achieving growth 10-12 percent per annum, he said. "You cannot achieve farm growth of 10-12 per cent even if you rule next 50 years. You cannot invest Rs 6.4 lakh crore. There is no chance of doubling farmers income. Why do you make such promises which cannot be fulfilled," he asked. "Farmers are committing suicide. You are not doing anything. You are offering only false promises. We object to this," he said, adding that the government has kept the deadline of 2022 for several schemes as it does not want to be held accountable. While Naresh Aggarwal (SP) said the Ayushman medical insurance scheme announced in the budget would give advantage to private insurance companies and not the people, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray (TMC) quoted a latest CIA report on India to say that the country had performed badly on all major socio-economic fronts. Supporting the Motion of Thanks, Vinay P Shasrabuddhe (BJP) said the government is providing governance through inspiration, innovation and tranformation and the Prime Minister does not have any "personal agenda". On a tweet by Congress leaders on selling of pakoda by some students during a recent prime minister's rally in Karnataka, he said those students did not compromise their self respect and were working hard. Accusing the government for "repackaging" the UPA schemes, senior Congress leader listed out the schemes like Swachch Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padao and Mudra which the Modi dispensation changed their names and taking credit. "It is not a game changer but a name changer government....Where are the new schemes? ...You are implementing only our schemes and trying to take credit. You don't have anything of your own," he said while referring to a series of schemes started by the erstwhile UPA government. Azad said the President's speech does not mention of the unfulfilled promises -- be it depositing Rs 15 lakh in poor people's bank accounts, creating of 10 crore jobs, providing MSP 50 per cent more than cost of production or ensuring lower fuel prices. Highlighting the government's failures, he said it has been able to construct only 50 per cent of the targeted 12 crore toilets under the Swachch Bharat so far. "I don't know how are you going to achieve the target in the next 9-10 months. Moreover, 60 per cent of the constructed toilets are unusable as there is no water, no flush and sewage tank," he said, questioning the government for the need to spend Rs 550 crore for publicity of this scheme. He also attacked the government for allocation meagre budget to implement the Beti Bachao Beti Padao scheme while expressing concern over incidents of recent rapes in BJP ruled states. "What is government doing? Rapes are happening every minute. What kind of New India you are making. If this is new India, we regret," he said. Countering BJP charges against Congress on dynastic politics, Azad said there has not been any prime minister or minister from the Gandhi family in last 22 years. He also said the current government was afraid of current leadership of the party. He also said the truth has come to the fore in the 2G spectrum case, while nothing has been found yet by the highest court in the Bofors case. Taking a dig at the government on high petroleum products prices, Naresh Aggarwal (SP) said petrol and diesel prices have risen by Rs 9 and Rs 7 per litre while under UJJAWALA scheme, only one cylinder is being given to the poor at higher refilling price of Rs 800 per cylinder. He strongly opposed the government's idea of 'one nation, one election' for conducting simultaneous polls to state Assemblies and the Lok Sabha. "Will Yogi Baba (UP CM Yogi Adityanath) be ready for that? First you should amend the Constitution that no assembly would be dissolved before completion of its terms." On digital transactions, he said only 3 percent of the population pay tax and attacked the government for giving overarching power to taxmen and introducing jail term under tax laws. He also attacked the government for tightening the noose around the realtors saying this sector gave employment to 12 crore people. AIADMK leader A Navaeethkrishnana said the government should allow the states to amend law in the concurrent list and should not sit over the amendments passed by assemblies for long. Giving an example, he said Tamil Nadu assembly passed a bill unanimously to give exemption to students from National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) but it is been pending with central government for approval. Sukhendu Sekhar Ray (TMC) said GST and demonetisation have broken the back of the common man and they are not told how they would cope up with issues arose after that. He dubbed the President's Address as "nothing but a compilation of 'Mann ki Baat' speeches of the Prime Minister." On holding assembly and Lok Sabha elections together, he said there is no law to provide for it and, in a sarcastic note, said the government should hold online elections under Digital India. On triple talaq bill, he said no party was opposed to it, but it should be scrutinised by the parliamentary panel as the government cannot abolish the standard parliamentary process. Observing that there was no reference of black money in the President's address, Ray said "In Panama papers names of 500 Indian appeared and around 900 come on Paradise papers. These all are Indians and not from paradise. The government should come out with a white paper on what action it has taken against the people whose names have appeared in the list." India's NPA is growing and has gone above Rs 10 lakh crore and the government had done nothing to declare "wilful default as a criminal offence," he said. TK Rangarajan (CPI-M) the number of farmers committing suicide is increasing and the government is seeking time till 2022 to double their income. "The survey says, wait four more years and by then suicides would be multifold." He said till now, the government has not set up Cauvery Management Board and the farmers of Tamil Nadu are suffering. While T G Venkatesh (TDP) said the government has ignored several important projects of Andhra Pradesh, D P Tripathi of NCP raised the problems of the girl child, saying India has 21 million unwanted girl child. The Congress government in Karnataka denied Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charge that it could not implement the housing scheme for the poor under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in the state Bengaluru: The Congress government in Karnataka on Monday denied Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charge that it could not implement the housing scheme for the poor under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in the state. "Karnataka had been allotted 3.36 lakh houses for the poor under the scheme, but the state government has constructed only 38,000 houses," Modi said at a Bharatiya Janata Party rally in Bengaluru on Sunday. In a statement a day after Modi's attack on the ruling Congress in the poll-bound southern state, the Siddaramaiah government said that housing was its priority and it was working on it even without the central government's help. "The government had promised to construct 15 lakh houses during its tenure from 2013-18, out of which it has already completed 13.71 lakh houses, spending Rs 14,300 crore," a government statement said. By the end of March, Karnataka would complete the construction of all 15 lakh houses for the urban and rural poor, the statement said. Under the PMAY (urban) scheme, the state had so far constructed 2,90,507 houses at a cost of Rs 14,765 crore, it said. "The central government's share in the urban housing was meant to be Rs 4,357 crore, of which it released only Rs 345 crore, which is not even 10 percent," the state government claimed. For the past two years, 1,45,349 houses were sanctioned to be built in rural areas of the state under the PMAY (rural), of which 1,37,968 houses were completed, it added. "The central government released only Rs 696 crore against its supposed share of Rs 1,088 crore, despite which we have built 1,37,968 houses in villages by utilising our own funds," the state government said. For 2017-18, the state built 63,843 houses in villages as part of the PMAY (rural) scheme, despite the Centre giving less than 10 percent of its supposed share, it added. The PMAY, under the Ministry for Housing and Urban Affairs, aims to provide affordable housing to everyone in the country by 2022. These are just a few cases of favouritism and financial profligacy being indulged in by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government since it came to power in May 2016 with a promise to weed out corruption from all levels of government. Until recently, Prashant Nair was one of the 35,541 engineering graduates languishing without a job in Kerala. His hunt ended last week when the state cabinet offered him a government job. Prashant received special consideration from the government: His father, KK Ramachandran, who passed away last month due to liver cirrhosis, was a Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA. The cabinet also decided to help unburden the family from its debt and settle the loans availed by Ramachandran, who represented Chengannur constituency in Pathanamthitta district for 20 months, by sanctioning money from the Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). Social activists pointed out that this was done in flagrant violation of norms. According to the rules governing CMDRF, the money should be used only for providing relief to families of accident victims, those affected by natural calamities, or for the treatment of the poor who are grievously ill. According to the guidelines, only those below the poverty line are eligible for relief. KM Shajahan, a former aide of senior CPM leader VS Achuthanandan, accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of treating the CMDRF like his party fund. Only last month Vijayan used Rs 8 lakh from the fund for a helicopter he hired to travel to and from the state capital to a conference of his party in Thrissur. The CMDRF was also used to provide relief to the families of a CPM worker who was killed in an accident last year and Uzhavoor Vijayan, the head of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) (a CPM ally), who died in July. Both families were given Rs 25 lakh each. Uzhavoor, state NCP chief, was neither an elected representative nor an office holder in the government. These are just a few cases of favouritism and financial profligacy being indulged in by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government since it came to power in May 2016 with a promise to weed out corruption from all levels of government. That promise was proved hollow when reports of back door appointments to relatives of party leaders in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) under the industry department rocked the government within five months. Though the government quelled the controversy by seeking the resignation of the then industry minister EP Jayarajan, the practice of apportioning spoils of administration to the relatives of ministers and MLAs continued unabated. Shajahan told Firstpost that the most senior leaders of the ruling front placed close family members in various public undertakings. The chief minister himself set the trend by appointing his sister-in-laws son Naveen as a legal advisor of the Beverages Corporation and standing counsel of the Pollution Control Board. Kerala health minister KK Shailaja and Fisheries Minister Mercykutty Amma also appointed their relatives in departments under them. Shajahan said this was the practice followed by the CPM whenever it came to power. But this time they have crossed all limits. The Pinarayi Vijayan government is not only extending favours to the leaders but also hardcore criminals. Nine party functionaries who are serving a life term in connection with the murder of rebel leader TP Chandrasekharan are having a good time in jail," Shajahan alleged. Kodi Suni, the main culprit in the case, was found even leading criminal gangs from Viyur Central Jail. Investigations revealed that he planned and executed a 3 kilogram gold robbery with the help of a mobile phone he was given in jail. Call records showed he made as many as 244 calls to the leader of the gang and 200 calls to the jeweller who bought the gold. Chandrasekharans widow K Rema said two other convicted leaders of the party were spending most of their time outside jail. PK Kunhanandan, the main convict, was granted parole for 134 days and his fellow convict KC Ramachandran got three months parole in violation of norms. The two were also allowed rejuvenation treatment in ayurveda hospitals without any police security. Rights activist DB Binu accused the CPM ministers and MLAs of pocketing public money any way they could. Binu told Firstpost they were using public money to lead lives of luxury. He alleged gross misuse of the provision for medical reimbursement by most ministers and MLAs. Replies to his queries under the RTI Act revealed that many made huge claims for the treatment they or their family members received at private hospitals. There have been complaints that the health minister even forged documents to claim Rs 3.9 lakh for the treatment of her husband at a private hospital. The complaint made by BJP state secretary K Surendran in this regard is now under the scrutiny of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau. Shailaja also courted controversy by claiming reimbursement of Rs 28, 000 for spectacles she recently bought. However, the critics spared Shailaja after reports emerged about Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan purchasing spectacles worth Rs 50,000. Kerala finance minister Thomas Isaac kept the row in the headlines by claiming a reimbursement of Rs. 1.2 lakh for an ayurvedic treatment at a private hospital. The reports came after he presented the budget with a series of austerity measures to tide over the acute financial crisis faced by the state. The minister could have got free treatment at the government panchakarma hospital in Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram. Though many people from outside the state come to Poojappura, the minister went all the way to Kottakkal in Malappuram district for the 14-day treatment, said Shajahan, who wondered how the minister could preach austerity when he himself was indulging in avoidable expenditure. Shajahan, who was expelled from the CPM in connection with the leak of party documents, said he did not expect this from Isaac as he is very eloquent on social justice and has been maintaining a clean image in public life. The party has double standards. While the top leaders appeal to the ordinary workers to lead simple lives, they are indulging in excess. Leaders and family members are on a spree of accumulating wealth, Shajahan alleged, pointing out the Rs 13 crore financial fraud case pending against party secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnans son Binoy Vinodini Balakrishnan. He said that the top leaders of the party, including the politburo, were trying to protect Binoy by washing the partys hands off the deal. But they had a moral obligation to explain to poor party workers who consider the party above reproach as to how the son of a leader with no income other than what he gets from the party could deal in millions of rupees, Shajahan said. The leaders and their family members are trying to take maximum advantage. They seem to believe that they cannot return to power after their term ends. If the leaders go on this way, it might spell the end for communist rule in the state, said Shajahan. Suspended Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said party president Rahul Gandhi's visits to temples and assertion that he and his family members were 'Shiv Bhakts' were not acts of communalism which, he alleged, was being propagated by the BJP. Bengaluru: Suspended Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said party president Rahul Gandhi's visits to temples and assertion that he and his family members were "Shiv Bhakts" were not acts of communalism which, he alleged, was being propagated by the BJP. "If Rahul Gandhi regards himself and his family members as 'Shiv Bhakts' (devotees of Lord Shiva), what is wrong in that?" he asked. "Can this be held as communalism? And the party which is propagating communalism is the saffron party (BJP)," Aiyar told PTI on the sidelines of a function. Aiyar was asked about his opinion on Gandhi's temple visits during the Gujarat Assembly polls and reported plans to meet religious heads in poll-bound Karnataka this month. The BJP had termed Gandhi's frequent temple visits during the Gujarat election campaign as an attempt to attract Hindu votes. "My grandmother (late Indira Gandhi) and my family are Shiv Bhakts. But we keep such things private, because we think it is a very personal matter and we don't need anyone else's certificate about it," Rahul Gandhi reportedly told traders in Gujarat ahead of the Assembly polls. Recalling that he had visited a number of temples along with former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, Aiyar said, "I used to go myself along with my friend Rajiv Gandhi because I am a believer. I did not impose this on any other human being." Aiyar said if Rahul Gandhi wanted to visit a temple, he was entitled to do so. "If he wants to wear a sacred thread, he is entitled to do so," he said."If I don't worship cows, why should I stop others from worshipping? There is nothing wrong in personal religious belief, unless part of their belief is to put down somebody," Aiyar said. Asked how soon the Congress could revoke his suspension from the party, Aiyar, a former Union minister, said, "It could be any time. It could be revoked in six hours. It could be revoked in six years, but someday I will be back in the Congress." He was suspended from the primary membership of the Congress on 7 December for his "neech" remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Gujarat poll campaign. While no CM has returned to power in Karnataka since 1985, Siddaramaiah's aggressive countering has surprised even BJP strategists. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's grand rally in Bengaluru on Sunday did heat up the election season in Karnataka. Hashtags like #KarnatakaTrustsModi and #NammaKarnatakaFirst were trending on the micro-blogging site throughout the day. In his inimitable style, the prime minister called the Congress-ruled Karnataka government as '10 percent government' and used acronym 'TOP' (tomato, onion and potato) to highlight the agricultural problems in the state. The Karnataka election, which is slated for this year, is turning out to be a cracker of an election after an intense battle in Gujarat witnessed the BJP scrape through. Congress is buoyed by its performance in Modi's home state and an improved ratings of Rahul Gandhi as per India Today Mood of The Nation poll. Karnataka is the last big turf Congress holds along with Punjab. These two states are the only big states sending more than ten MPs to Parliament, where party is in power. A loss in this southern state would send out a wrong message for the three state elections to be held at the end of the year in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh which are also being considered as the semi-finals to the Lok Sabha elections of 2019. While no chief minister has returned to power in Karnataka since Ramakrishna Hegde in 1985, and there is a strong trend of people in the state throwing out incumbent governments, Siddaramaiah's aggressive countering has surprised even BJP strategists. He is using the same tricks used by BJP in other states and seems to have learnt lessons from Amit Shah, giving him back at each occasion. Here are six reasons why Siddaramaiah is proving to be a tough nut to crack. Surprise welcome or a rude shock? Modi landed in Bengaluru to a surprise welcome a tweet from chief minister Siddaramaiah welcoming Modi to Karnataka highlighting the achievements of his government. Normally, BJP leaders and party handle put up such tweets, but the chief minister's tweet stole the day. I welcome PM @narendramodi to Namma Karnataka - the no. 1 state in investments,innovation & progressive policies. Through a unique model of development, we have scripted several national firsts across key sectors. I am confident that Karnatakas success makes India proud. Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) February 4, 2018 .@narendramodi , I am glad you are making time to visit the countrys start up & innovation hub, Namma Bengaluru today. On behalf of my people, I urge you to find the time for Karnatakas drinking water needs & help us resolve the #Mahadayi dispute. #NammaKarnatakaFirst Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) February 4, 2018 Siddramaiah also tried to set the agenda for Modi's speech, asking him taking a position on the uncomfortable Mahadayi dispute. This is not the first time Siddaramaiah has pulled off something of this sort. When BJP president Amit Shah landed in Mysuru to attend a rally last month, Congress backed a bandh called by farmers on the water sharing dispute with Goa, causing low attendance. A fine example of proper (mis)use of government machinery inspired by Shah. Backing separate religion demand of Lingayats While the BJP is trying to consolidate Hindu votes and ensuring Congress AHINDA plan fails, Siddaramaiah is countering this move by trying to split BJP's anchor Lingayat votes. He is backing a demand by a section of community to accord separate religion status to Lingayats who account for 15 percent to 17 percent of the state's population and are a dominant political force along with Vokkaligas. At least, 63 percent Lingayats voted for BJP in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. BJP chief minister candidate BS Yeddyurappa is a Lingayat. The matter has been referred to State Minorities Commission. Congress retained the two Lingayat dominated seats in by-polls held last year. Hindutava versus the Kannada pride BJP's plans to polarise the Hindu vote by playing the Hindutava card is being countered by Siddaramaiah by playing the Kannada pride card. "He is bringing in the element of Kannadiga pride in the tolerance, shared heritage and social harmony that the state is known for," a Congress leader told Firstpost. He has raised issues like separate flag for state, reviving and preserving the language, Hindi signboards and the Mahadayi water sharing issue to ignite the Kannada sentiment. This is very similar to the Gujarati Asmita card played by BJP in Gujarat. Siddaramaiah started the same by making Kannada a compulsory subject in schools (including ICSE and CBSE), 5 percent reservation for Kannada medium students in state civil services and printing of government hospital cards in Kannada. Kannada is the common thread that binds all LIBRA, Vokkaligas and AHINDA. He has advocated use of a separate state like Jammu and Kashmir and constituted a committee to examine its legality. Taj Hotel has already hoisted the same in its premises. The Mahadayi river is the lifeline of North Karnataka, and the dispute between Goa and Karnataka has put the BJP on back foot. He supported the agitations against imposition of Hindi sign boards on Metro and they were finally removed. All this has put the BJP strategists in a quandary. BJP and RSS believe Hindi is the common language that binds all of India. Caste census has left BJP guessing Siddaramaiah government has undertaken a massive caste census, the results of which are not available publicly. This is similar to caste census done at central level. The data has not been put in public by NDA government despite opposition demanding the same. Siddaramaiah government is doing deliberate selective leaks suggesting massive reduction in population of dominant caste groups of Lingayat & Vokkaligas. This is creating a lot of confusion among voters and BJP-JDS strategists. Siddaramaiah and Congress party are likely to benefit from insider knowledge, findings of the survey. Increase in reservation up to 70 percent Siddaramaiah has promised to raise reservation to up to 70 percent for backwards, Dalits and minorities based on Tamil Nadu formula. Currently it is 50 percent. A similar posturing in Gujarat didn't work, however it is not deterring the Karnataka chief minister. In Gujarat, Patels, a dominant caste was promised reservation which antagonized dalits and OBCs. Here he is suggesting an expansion in reservation for existing beneficiaries based on census data. He feels this has the potential of consolidating the AHINDA vote bank further. Gujarat versus Karnataka model Siddaramaiah is aggressively positioning the achievements of his government. Charts, WatsApp messages showing how Karnataka has performed better than Gujarat were widely circulated during Gujarat elections on social media. This way the chief minister is not shying away from directly taking on the BJP's best governance model. In the graphics released on Karnataka versus Gujarat on key socio-economic parameters, Karnataka is seen ahead on most factors. While Modi conducted a huge rally on Sunday in Bengaluru, we have seen in the past these may not necessarily translate into votes. Additionally, urban areas have always been a strong point of BJP. The aggressive posturing of Siddaramaiah reminds of two chief ministers who took on the BJP might strongly, Delhi's Arvind Kejriwal and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. No chief minister has returned to power in Karnataka since 1985. Can Siddaramaiah reverse the trend? Interesting battle ahead. A day after BJP in-charge for Nagaland polls Kiren Rijiju and Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) announced a seat-sharing alliance, the BJP's state unit on Sunday sent a letter to the party high command, saying it cannot accept any pre-poll alliance with a party without any 'grassroots influence' at the grassroots. Guwahati: A day after BJP in-charge for Nagaland polls Kiren Rijiju and Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) announced a seat-sharing alliance, the BJP's state unit on Sunday sent a letter to the party high command, saying it cannot accept any pre-poll alliance with a party without any "grassroots influence" at the grassroots. Nagaland BJP president Visasolie Lhoungu, in the letter to BJP national president Amit Shah, said that the party state unit has decided to contest the polls polls without any pre-poll alliance and suggested that it can later opt for post poll alliance depending on necessity. This came a day after Rijiju and NDPP chief Neiphu Rio on Saturday addressed the media in Guwahati and said that the BJP has sealed the pre-poll alliance with the NDPP. While the NDPP will contest in 40 of Nagaland's total 60 assembly seats, the BJP will contest the remaining in the 27 February polls. "BJP Nagaland has so far 45 potential intending candidates seeking party ticket. The party prospect is gaining day by day and we are confident of achieving resounding success across the state, much better the NDPP," said the letter also signed by party state General Secretary Eduzu Theluo. "If the BJP goes alone, there are scopes for legislators from other party joining BJP. Taking these into consideration, the Nagaland BJP cannot accept any pre-poll alliance with any party," the letter said adding that the decision was taken in consultation with the district units and morchas of the party. Saying the result of the recent bypolls was a wake up call, Vasundhara Raje directed party MLAs to spread awareness among masses about developmental works Jaipur: Saying the result of the recent bypolls was a wake up call, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Sunday directed party MLAs to spread awareness among the masses about developmental works done by the state government. Addressing a BJP legislative party meeting, Raje said there was no need to lose hope over the bypolls, in which the BJP lost two Lok Sabha seats and one Assembly constituency to the Congress, party sources said. BJP state president and MLA Ashok Parnami said the party was analysing the results. The government left no stone unturned in carrying out development in the state and hoped that the party would retain power in the next Assembly elections due later this year, he added. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore, government chief whip Kalulal Gurjar, and deputy chief whip Madan Rathore also addressed the meeting held ahead of the budget session of the assembly which commences tomorrow. The Congress won the Ajmer and the Alwar Lok Sabha seats and the Mandalgarh Assembly constituency in recently held bypolls. The seats were with the BJP earlier. The dissatisfied BJP-ally TDP decided to retain the TDP-BJP alliance after top leaders from the saffron party, including Rajnath Singh, called up party president N Chandrababu Naidu and brokered peace, for now The dissatisfied Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Sunday decided to retain alliance with BJP after top leaders from the saffron party, including Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, called up Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and brokered peace, for now. As Naidu held a crucial parliamentary board meeting with the party MPs and senior MLAs to review the alliance, he reportedly received Singh's call with an assurance that he will make a statement about provisions earmarked in this year's Budget for Andhra Pradesh, reported The Times of India. Calling on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the 16-minute conversation, Singh, according to a TDP leader reassured Naidu that "all grievances of TDP will be heard and addressed". BJP president Amit Shah had reportedly also dialed Naidu and asked him not to make any hasty decisions. TDP's meeting had come two days after the party, BJP's biggest ally in the South, expressed disappointment over finance minister Arun Jaitley's Budget, which it said, "did not address Andhra Pradesh's needs". Following the internal meeting on Sunday, TPD stated that will not snap ties with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). "The TDP will not break its alliance with the BJP-led NDA," party leader and Union minister YS Chowdary said after the meeting. He also clarified that Naidu did not speak to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, the BJP's bickering ally, as some media reports had claimed. Responding to the reports of TDP being upset with BJP, Jaitley on Sunday, in an interview with CNN-News18, had said that the differences with the alliance partner will be amicably resolved and had exuded confidence that NDA will remain intact to face the 2019 General Elections to Lok Sabha together. Irked over slogan shouting by opposition MPs from the Well, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday adjourned proceedings till 2 pm New Delhi: Irked over slogan shouting by opposition MPs from the Well, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday adjourned proceedings till 2 pm, an unprecedented move which even saw the Question Hour not being taken up. The proceedings begin at 11 am with the tabling of the listed papers, after which the Zero Hour is held where members raise issues of public interest. The Question Hour, where MPs can ask the government questions about various policies takes place at noon. Usually when the proceedings are disrupted soon after the House assembles for the day, the Chair adjourns the proceedings for shorter durations, generally till noon. At noon, the Question Hour is announced and if the disruptions recur, the proceedings are adjourned again. But on Monday, when Samajwadi Party MPs trooped into the Well raising slogans against alleged encounter killings by the police in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, Naidu adjourned the proceedings straightaway till 2 pm. Members of the Aam Aadmi Party AAP too were in the Well, apparently raising the issue of sealing of commercial establishments in Delhi. Congress member Ramachandra Rao too came into the Well holding a banner that read "Do Justice to Andhra Pradesh" in protest against the state not finding a mention in the Union Budget for 2018-19 presented last week. Naresh Agrawal (SP) had given a notice under rule 267 seeking adjournment of proceedings to take up a discussion on the issue of fake encounters, which was rejected by Naidu who said the matter could be raised through a different notice. "I don't want to run the House like this," Naidu remarked as SP, AAP and the lone Congress member trooped into the Well of the House. "Let us not have an encounter of Zero Hour," he said as members shouted slogans. "This is not the way," he said an ordered that slogan shouting would not go on record. He asked Rao to go back to his place and sternly told Agrawal, who insisted on being allowed to at least mention the issue, that "nobody can dictate" to him. "You don't want the House to run. You don't want Question Hour," he told the agitated members as he called for Zero Hour mentions. Derek O'Brien (TMC) rose to make his Zero Hour submission but nothing could be heard in the din. An upset Naidu remarked that the members were determined not to allow the proceedings and wanted to create trouble to get publicity. He then adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm. Joining fellow disgruntled BJP leader Yashwant Sinha in a protest over farmers' issues, MP Shatrughan Sinha today questioned viability of the health insurance scheme announced in the Union Budget. Bhopal: Joining fellow disgruntled BJP leader Yashwant Sinha in a protest over farmers' issues, MP Shatrughan Sinha on Sunday questioned viability of the health insurance scheme announced in the Union Budget. The actor-turned-politician on Sunday reached Narsinghpur in Madhya Pradesh, where former finance minister Yashwant Sinha has launched a sit-in protest for farmers whose lands would be acquired for a thermal power plant. The National Health Protection Scheme announced by finance minister Arun Jaitley would require Rs 1,25,000 crore for premium payment, which is more than the allocation for health sector in the budgets of the Centre and the states put together, Shatrughan said. "Where would this money come from," he asked, addressing the gathering. The BJP MP recently joined Rashtra Manch, a political platform floated by Yashwant Sinha. Rashtra Manch has organised the sit-in outside Narsinghpur collector's office since 1 February. Earlier in the day, the Madhya Pradesh unit of AAP joined in Sinha's agitation. "I am sitting with Yashwant-ji. Our party also took out a mock funeral procession of the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh for its anti-farmer policies," state AAP convener Alok Agrawal told PTI over phone from Narsinghpur. Agrawal added that Sinha's protest is to press for several demands, among them jobs for farmers who will be displaced by the upcoming coal-fired power project. The BJP had become 'indirectly' responsible for journalist Santanu Bhowmik's death after entering into an alliance with the IPFT as the scribe was allegedly hacked to death by the members of the tribal party Agartala: The BJP had become "indirectly" responsible for journalist Santanu Bhowmik's death after entering into an alliance with the IPFT as the scribe was allegedly hacked to death by the members of the tribal party, CPM politburo member Brinda Karat said on Sunday. Bhowmik (28), a correspondent of local TV channel "Dinrat", was allegedly beaten to death on 20 September last year when he had gone to Mandai, near the Patnibazar area, to cover an agitation by the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT). Four activists of the tribal party were arrested the day after in connection with incidents of violence and Bhowmik's killing. "The BJP is now indirectly involved in the killing because it has forged an alliance with the IPFT, which was responsible for Bhowmik's killing," Karat said at a poll rally at Patnibazar, 30 kilometres from Agartala. Tripura is set to go to the polls on 18 February and the results will be declared on 3 March. The saffron party was aiming to win the upcoming polls by terror, Karat alleged and appealed to the voters of the state to defeat the BJP-IPFT alliance. Attacking the IPFT over its demand for a separate state of "Twipraland", the Left leader alleged that the party had plans to divide the state. "The BJP, RSS and its Hindutva affiliates were involved in attacks on adivasi communities and persecution of Christians in the name of 'ghar-wapsi' in different parts of the country," she said. Karat also claimed that there was not even one instance of communal attacks during the CPM-led government's rule in the north-eastern state in the last 20 years. "The election is not just important for the state, but also for the country as it will decide the course of development, peace and integrity," she said. A fresh controversy over Taj Mahal broke out after the Uttar Pradesh government announced to open the 'Taj Mahotsav' festival with a dance-drama based on Lord Ram A fresh controversy over the iconic Taj Mahal broke out on Monday after the Uttar Pradesh government announced to open this year's 'Taj Mahotsav' festival with a dance-drama based on Lord Ram. Considered a major departure from the tradition of highlighting Mughal culture at the festival, the event will be held between 18-27 February at Shilpgram. #BREAKING -- Questions over Taj Mahotsav are wrong. Nothing like ignoring Taj. Local administrators and organisers are responsible for event, not government: UP Govt. | @pranshumisraa with more details pic.twitter.com/Dh02ISbkQ6 News18 (@CNNnews18) February 5, 2018 According to CNN-News18, the state government said that the local officials were the ones in charge of the 'Taj Mahotsav' and that the Yogi Adityanath-led government plays no role in it. They also added that the festival will be held with the Taj Mahal in the cultural backdrop. Both Adityanath and Governor Ram Naik have been invited to attend the inauguration ceremony, reported Times Now. Dismissing the allegations of saffronising the festival, deputy director of the state tourism department, Dinesh Kumar said the 'Taj Mahotsav' committee executes the themes chosen, according to the Times Now report. "This year, ideas on themes were invited from the people of the city. The committee had received some 180-185 theme ideas from which the selection committee chose the 'Dharohar' theme," the report quoted him as saying. Speaking to News18, BJP leader Vijay Shivhare justified the theme of the festival and said: "I want to ask Opposition leaders, arent they Hindu? Dont they take Lord Ram's name when the wake-up? What better way to start a programme than by taking Lord Ram's name? Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Ghanshyam Tiwari chastised the move and said the saffron party had failed to deliver its promises and was trying to divert people's attention, the report stated. This is not the first time the Taj Mahal has at the centre of a controversy. In October last year, the central government chose not to name the historic monument in its first list of 14 heritage sites to be named under the 'Adopt a Heritage' scheme. The heritage sites were to be adopted by private companies in the tourism ministry's idea, but the Taj Mahal was not one of them. Subramanian Swamy earlier said that Shah Jahan "stole" the Taj Mahal from the king of Jaipur. "There is evidence on record that Shah Jahan forced the Raja-Maharajas of Jaipur to sell the land on which Taj Mahal is standing, and he gave them a compensation of forty villages, which is nothing compared to the property's value," he said. BJP MP Vijay Katiyar went to the extent of refusing to even call it the Taj Mahal. "It is Tejo Mahal. Taj Mahal used to be a temple of Shankar. Shah Jahan then buried his wife there. Hindu kings had built the Tejo Mahal. It was so famous that Shah Jahan later captured it," Katiyar said. tech2 News Staff Maruti Suzuki has teamed with Google for the much anticipated Auto Expo 2018. As part of the team-up, Google Assistant will be able to tie in with Maruti Suzuki to serve important information about the company. The Maruti Suzuki Assistant will help the people attending the Expo with information about the different products that the company is planning to launch at the event. This is not the only type of information that Maruti Suzuki Assistant will help attendees with. It will take care of the entire experience right from booking passes to informing users about the location of the different Maruti Suzuki launches. Users can also ask it about the philosophy that the company follows and all its models. It also offers to set a reminder about the launch events for users. According to a report by News18, Maruti Suzuki Assistant can also book a test drive for the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Swift or the car itself in the first place without visiting any website or app. The range of questions and the comprehensive answers to those questions confirm that it is not a mere experiment and Maruti Suzuki invested a good amount of work at creating this Google Assistant-powered support experience. tech2 News Staff India's motoring trade show Auto Expo 2018 is about to start in few days and companies have started teasing vehicles to be showcased during the event. Toyota has teased a sedan which is expected to be the Indian Asia-spec Toyota Yaris. The company has teased a picture which shows the silhouette of the top portion of the car. According to a report on Overdrive the company was expected to enter the C segment with Toyota Vios sedan but now its clear that it will come as Toyota Yaris in India. The teased picture shows sleek headlights, taillights, wide grille and pinched roof-line. The interior comes with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, 4.2-inch MID and analogue clocks. Bolstered steering and sleek air-conditioning vents have been spotted on the sedan. An all-black layout of the cabin is also expected on the Indian version of the Toyota Yaris. It is expected to come in two variants a 1.5 L petrol engine and a 1.4 L diesel engine. The petrol variant of the India bound sedan is expected to be based on the 2NR-FE motor, same as seen on Etios sedan. It is going to vary in terms of valve timing on intake and exhaust port, the website reported. The Toyota Yaris engine is expected to produce 107 PS and 140 Nm of torque. According to Overdrive, the diesel variant of the sedan will be exclusive to India and will borrow the 1.4 L D-4D drive-train from the Corolla. It will deliver 90 PS of power and 205 Nm of torque, same as seen on Toyota Corolla. The price of the sedan is expected to be placed between Etios and the Corolla. Yaris will compete with Hyundai Verna, the Honda City and the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. Reuters Broadcom Ltd plans to unveil a new approximately $120 billion offer for Qualcomm Inc on 5 February, aiming to ratchet up pressure on its US semiconductor peer to engage in negotiations, people familiar with the matter said on 4 February. The move comes ahead of a Qualcomm shareholder meeting scheduled for 6 March, when Broadcom is seeking to replace Qualcomms board of directors by nominating its own slate for election. Broadcom is scheduled to meet with its advisers later on 4 February to finalise an offer that values Qualcomm between $80 and $82 per share, two of the sources said. Broadcoms previous $70 per share offer consisted of $60 per share in cash and $10 per share in stock. Broadcom also plans to offer Qualcomm a higher-than-usual breakup fee in the event regulators thwart the deal, according to the sources. Typically, such break-up fees equate to approximately 3 percent to 4 percent of a deals size. The sources cautioned that Broadcom Chief Executive Officer Hock Tan may decide to significantly change the terms at the last minute. The sources asked not to be identified because the deliberations are confidential. Broadcom and Qualcomm did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Broadcom has said it is very confident a deal can be completed within 12 months of signing an agreement. Qualcomm counters that the regulatory review processes required around the world would take more than 18 months and be fraught with risks. Qualcomm provides chips to mobile carrier networks to deliver broadband and data, making it an attractive acquisition target for Broadcom, which hopes to expand its offerings in so-called 5G wireless technology. Qualcomm has argued to its shareholders that Broadcoms hostile bid is aimed at acquiring the company on the cheap. Qualcomm reported quarterly profit and revenues last week that beat analysts expectations as demand surged for its chips used in smartphones and cars. However, its forecast was below estimates due to tepid mobile phone sales in China. Qualcomm is engaged in a patent infringement dispute with Apple Inc. Qualcomm has said the litigation is necessary in order to defend is licensing programs. Qualcomm is also trying to clinch an acquisition of its own, proposing to buy NXP Semiconductors NV for $38 billion. The deal was approved by European Union antitrust regulators last month, and only China has yet to approve it. Qualcomm expects the governments blessing later this month. The NXP deal still faces an uncertain future as some of its shareholders, including activist hedge fund Elliott Management Corp, have asked Qualcomm to raise its offer. Qualcomm is expected to make a decision later this month. Sheldon Pinto It has been four days since the Union Budget was presented and it seems to have caused enough confusion in the smartphone space. As with all things budget, the governments move to hike the customs duty on imported smartphones will affect not just consumers but smartphone makers as well. As it happens every time after a customs duty hike is announced, a lot of online users started panicking considering the inevitable price hike on smartphones. However, most smartphone manufacturers played it cool, supporting the governments Make in India campaign and stated how almost every one of them will not be affected by the hike, as most of the smartphones are already made (read: assembled) in India. At OnePlus, we are fully committed to the Indian market and welcome the proposed regulations. Currently, all OnePlus smartphones are produced locally and we are already exploring ways to further increase the share of local manufacturing to ensure there is minimal cost impact of any new regulations to the end customer, said OnePlus India GM, Vikas Agarwal. Local smartphone brand Micromax was least worried about the hike in import duty. The governments measures towards the import duty on printed circuit boards (PCBs), camera modules, connectors and other components that go into making smartphones, will boost the 'Make in India' initiative and will relentlessly pursue in curbing imports and building value addition in the country, said Rajesh Aggarwal, the companys co-founder. So it appeared that most companies would pass that extra 5 percent (the customs duty has been hiked from 15 percent to 20 percent) in import duties to the customer. Indeed, its not as easy for smartphone manufacturers to simply hike the price tags of existing smartphones. At the same time, a hike in customs duty affects every smartphone maker (currently operating in India) differently. So if you are an Apple iPhone fan, the hike will affect your next iPhone purchase a lot differently than it would for a Samsung smartphone customer as every smartphone manufacturer sources components (or entire smartphones) differently. iPhones and Pixels Google, for example, could possibly see a hike in prices. Both Apple and Google, import smartphones to India, which means that these among all manufacturers are expected to be the worst hit. Apple has been chasing sweetheart deals with the Indian government for more than a year now and after the pilot with the iPhone SE assembling, rumours hint that Apple wants to begin manufacturing its two-year-old iPhone 6s in India next. As for Google, it is unclear whether the search giant is serious about hardware yet in the Indian market. A recent report in the Economic Times did hint that Google is looking to open its own stores. Note that I said possibly, because now that the new rules have been set, manufacturers will have to brainstorm and come up with solid plans as to how this cost can be adjusted in their manufacturing processes. Then theres also the option that a brand like Apple or Google decides to be generous and absorb the extra costs, leading to a negligible hike in price. This is more so in the case of Apple as the brand recently hiked the price of its smartphones when the government revised its import duty in December by 5 percent (bringing it to 15 percent until yesterdays budget took it a notch higher). Here's a list of Apple's updated prices for its iPhones selling in India. It has seen an average hike of 3 percent in the prices. Chinese smartphones Chinese smartphone manufacturers like Xiaomi, Oppo, OnePlus and the lot, manufacture (or rather, assemble) devices in India, but need access to certain components (like PCBs and camera modules) to sell a working smartphone to customers. The strategy works well in the sense that it works with the governments Make in India initiative and not against it like in Apple and Googles case. Almost 3/5th of total handsets out of 300 million sold last year were assembled in India. The increase in duty will further increase the local assembling share as brands will ramp up their current output from local electronics manufacturing services (EMS) facilities as capacity is already there, said Tarun Pathak, associate director with Counterpoint Technology Market Research. He also pointed out how the Budget 2018 meant good news for local electronics manufacturing service (EMS) facilities, which should expect a greater participation and long-term engagement from an OEMs perspective. Sadly though, instead of forcing Chinese brands into component manufacturing (ie manufacturing chips, camera modules here instead of assembling them) locally themselves, the budget will end up ramping up production for EMS facilities that currently enjoy manufacturing smartphones for these brands. EMS facilities still provide plenty of jobs, so it's still a win-win for the government here (or at least it appears to be that way). This hike in duty was an expected move but it would have been great if duty hike was also on some of the components as well like PCB assembling of phones, camera modules and others, added Pathak. The almost local This is the third category of "manufacturers" who are into component manufacturing using their own factories in India. Samsung is one of them and brands like these that should see the least disturbance in product pricing. Making this possible is not easy but comes only after years of commitment (22 years to be precise for Samsung) to a certain market as the machines that build these critical components need to be imported into the country. However, once set up, it makes for a smoother ride especially when the rules change because you simply operate like a local instead of an outsider. Budget smartphones In the end, it all depends upon whether the smartphone brand is willing bear the extra burden or simply pass it on to customers by hiking the consumer price tags. Navkendar Singh, associate research director at the IDC says, This depends on the brand. We believe at the mid and premium end, the market can absorb certain price hike. At the entry level, it must be absorbed by the manufacturers. Indeed, the only smartphone brand that really needs to worry here is Apple, as it desperately needs a piece of the worlds fastest-growing smartphone and soon. tech2 News Staff Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei is expected to unveil its P-series smartphones on 27 March, well ahead the Mobile World Congress 2018. The smartphones expected to be launched by Huawei at the event are reportedly called the P20 and the P11. Huawei is expected to launch three variants of these smartphones at the event. According to the leaked images of the case which was revealed, courtesy SlashLeaks, the smartphone is expected to come with a triple camera setup. The images show that the cameras will be aligned vertically with a dual-LED flash at the bottom of the three cameras . The fingerprint lies on the front side of the smartphone. Previous reports suggest that the triple camera smartphone in the P-series might come with 40 MP resolution and 5X optical zoom. The camera would be developed by Leica, which has already partnered with the company for Mate 10 camera earlier. One of the case cutout also highlights about the absence of a 3.5 mm jack port on the device. As reported earlier the smartphone might come in three variants Huawei P11/P20, a P11/P20 Plus, and a P11/P20 Lite. A P11/P20 Pro, which will have iPhone-X like notch is also expected to be launched by by the company. The colour options of the new smartphones were also leaked earlier. The Huawei P20 which was code-named as Emily is expected to be available in Ceramic Black and Twilight colour options. The P20 Plus code-named as Charlotte is expected to come in Ceramic Black and Twilight colour options. Whereas the P20 Lite code-named "Anne", is expected to come in three colours including an exclusive Sakura Pink colour option. The Huawei P-series of smartphones are expected to come with an 18:9 aspect ratio display and a HiSilicon Kirin 970 SoCs inside. tech2 News Staff Indian car manufacturer Mahindra and Mahindra has won an order to supply 1000 e-Verito to a Bengaluru-based fleet operator Bhagirathi. It is the largest order taken by the company for its electric vehicle. According to a report on Livemint the order value exceeds Rs 100 crore, more than the previous highest revenue of Rs 16 crore generated by the state-owned company Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) in the first phase of the deal in September. The second phase has not been announced yet. The previous e-Verito supplied to EESL had a range of 110 km on a single charge. The new upgraded model has 30 percent more range and can travel up to 140 km in one full charge. The report mentioned that the e-Verito will be supplied in a batch of 100 from mid-February to Bhagirathi, which was founded in 2003 and owns a fleet of 2,000 vehicles. The fleet-operator provides services to companies, schools and inter-city demands. Mahindra Electric Mobility Ltd, the subsidiary of Mahindra and Mahindra is the only commercial electric car manufacturer in India. The company has sold electric vehicles to various transport related companies including Bengaluru-based electric cab company Lithium Urban Technologies Pvt Ltd, car rental company Zoomcar, ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc and Ola. Mahesh Babu, chief executive at Mahindra Electric said that the company is charging a premium on the upgraded version of e-Verito but pricing details were not disclosed. According to the report, Mahindra didn't make any profit in the EESL deal at the price point of Rs 10.6 lakh but is expected to make the new deal profitable. Mahesh Hariharan, the managing director at Bhagirathi, said the company is planning to replace its entire fleet with electric vehicles in next three to five years (as changing infrastructure allows), beginning with 20 percent conversion in 2019 fiscal year. He mentioned that the biggest operational challenge of the project was the charging infrastructure. He added, "15 charging points are being placed at 'strategic locations' to cater to the first batch of EVs. Karnataka government is looking into it and working out the modalities. The report mentioned that greater uptake of EVs is expected by the fleet owners as it's easy to operate compared to the private owners. IANS Taking a firm stand against workplace harassment, NASA has launched a new campaign for its employees saying that the space agency will not tolerate any kind of harassment. "Harassment, including sexual harassment, has no place here at NASA and will not be tolerated. It's not consistent with our values, our employee engagement, and our high-performance culture. It's wrong and it's not acceptable," Robert Lightfoot, Acting NASA Administrator, was quoted as saying in a video message released at the space agency's YouTube channel this week. Lightfoot outlined the procedures for all NASA employees and contractors to report harassment of any kind. He also encouraged all NASA members to be "vigilant and immediately report any inappropriate conduct" in helping towards preventing and stopping workplace harassment. "All reports will be treated appropriately, with a prompt, impartial and thorough investigation. Individuals reporting harassment will have their identity kept confidential," Lightfoot said. The new campaign requires all current and new members of NASA to undergo anti-harassment training by the end of 2018. Besides, NASA will also partner with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to learn about current developments in anti-harassment. "We need to provide a safe workplace so that our workforce is effective," Lightfoot said. In October 2017, media reports emerged about Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein's numerous sexual misconduct accusations, following which several victims of harassment worldwide united and shared their stories under the social media hashtag #MeToo. According to space.com, Lightfoot's message comes after the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology requested that the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate anti-harassment practices at science-based federal agencies. The GAO letter, signed by Chairman Lamar Smith and Ranking Member Eddie Johnson, asked several agencies (including NASA) to report how many cases of harassment were there at each agency, what anti-harassment policies existed and how grant recipients learn about anti-harassment policies, among other requests. tech2 News Staff Sony has announced the launch of its latest smartphone, the Sony Xperia L2 in the Indian market. The company is aiming to target selfie lovers with the Xperia L2 and has priced the device at Rs 19,990. The Xperia L2 will be available starting today and potential customers have the option to choose the device in either Black or Gold colours. Xperia L2 will sport a 5.5-inch HD display with Image Enhance Technology and Corning Gorilla Glass to prevent the display from any damage. Sony has added 3 GB RAM along with the 32 GB internal storage and an option to expand the internal storage with a dedicated microSD card slot (up to 256 GB) if they are running out of space. The device is powered by MediaTek MT6737T chipset and it runs on a 3,300 mAh battery. Similar to other devices in the Sony line-up, the Xperia L2 also comes with STAMINA mode to extend the battery backup along with Qnovo Adaptive charging to increase the speed of charging the battery. One thing that stood out was that the Xperia L2 will come with Android 7.0 Nougat out-of-the-box in 2018! This is quite surprising as Sony was among the first smartphone makers to release the Xperia XZ1 with Android Oreo 8.0. Moving to the camera section, Xperia L2 packs a camera sensor with 13 MP resolution and f/2.0 aperture and 3x Clear Image Zoom on the back of the device along with a camera sensor with 8 MP resolution and 120-degree super wide-angle lens with f/2.4 aperture. The company has added Wi-Fi, VoLTE-enabled dual nano-SIM slots, Bluetooth v4.2, Google Cast, NFC, USB Type-C port and FM Radio as connectivity options in the Xperia L2. Last but not the least, Xperia L2 also comes with a fingerprint scanner on the back of the device. tech2 News Staff After Logan Paul's 'Suicide Forest' video, YouTube has pulled up it socks to deal with creators in case they damage the website's reputation. YouTube intends to bring stricter actions for those who violate its community guidelines. According to a YouTube blog post, the video sharing platform and Google are adding 10,000 people to address content-related issues. They will make sure that people do not post content that violates YouTube community guidelines and consequently its reputation as well. Meanwhile, it will also use machine learning to help creators in reviewing their content and offensive comments that come up on videos. Apart from that, YouTube has also sought help from social service government agencies like the Anti-Defamation League and National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to overlook at these policies. After Logan Paul's video went viral, YouTube removed the vlogger's video after close to a day of it being on the platform. YouTube only addressed the issue 10 days after the video was taken down. However, Paul is still very much a part of YouTube, although as a punishment, he has been removed from Google's Preferred program. Twelve militants were killed as Afghan military warplanes pounded Taliban hideouts in the northern Badakhshan, Faryab and Sari Pul provinces on Monday, an official said. Kabul: Twelve militants were killed as Afghan military warplanes pounded Taliban hideouts in the northern Badakhshan, Faryab and Sari Pul provinces on Monday, an official said. The government forces bombed Taliban hideouts in Badakhshan province's Wardoj district, killing six insurgents, said Army spokesperson Nasratullah Jamshidi. In similar raids, the warplanes targeted Taliban compounds in Shirin Tagab district of Faryab, killing four militants, Xinhua reported. Two more militants were killed in Sangcharak district of Sari Pul province. Several militants sustained injuries in the bombings, the spokesman said, saying the security forces warplanes would continue to target the enemies positions in the conflict-hit country. The trial of the sole surviving suspect from the 2015 Paris terror attacks began on Monday at a Belgian court over the gunfight that led to his arrest. Brussels: The trial of the sole surviving suspect from the 2015 Paris terror attacks began on Monday at a Belgian court over the gunfight that led to his arrest. Salah Abdeslam, 28, was escorted by two masked police officers, and refused to stand when requested to, reports the BBC. "I do not wish to answer any questions," Abdeslam said when asked to confirm his identity. He has refused to speak to investigators since his arrest on 18 March, 2016. Judge Marie-France Keutgen told the court that the suspect had also refused to have photos or video taken of him during the court proceedings. The charges Abdeslam now faces are not related to events in Paris, but to a shootout he had with police while on the run in Belgium. Abdeslam, a French citizen born to Moroccan parents in Brussels, and his suspected accomplice Sofian Ayari, 24, are accused of possessing illegal weapons and the attempted murder of police officers in a terrorist context. The men allegedly fought a gun battle with officers who raided the flat where they were holed up in the Belgian capital. If found guilty, they face up to 40 years in prison, the BBC reported. Abdeslam became Europe's most wanted man after the Paris attacks on 13 November, 2015, where gunmen and suicide bombers targeted a concert hall, stadium, restaurants and bars, killing 130 people and injuring hundreds more. Abdeslam's brother, Brahim, was among the attackers and died in a suicide blast outside a cafe. Abdeslam has been held at a jail near Paris. He left the prison under armed guard in the early hours of Monday, accompanied by tactical police vehicles, reports the BBC. He will return to France every night during the trial, but will be held at another jail just across the border. The trial is expected to last four days. An Amtrak passenger train apparently travelling on the wrong track collided with a parked CSX Corp freight train in South Carolina on Sunday. Cayce, South Carolina: An Amtrak passenger train apparently travelling on the wrong track collided with a parked CSX Corp freight train in South Carolina on Sunday, killing the engineer and conductor and injuring at least 116 in the railroads third fatal crash in as many months, authorities said. Amtrak Train 91 was carrying 139 passengers and eight crew members to Miami from New York when it hit the freight train at about 2.35 am local time (0735 GMT) near Columbia, South Carolinas state capital, and derailed, the railroad said in a statement. Killed were Amtraks engineer Michael Kempf, 54, of Savannah, Georgia, and conductor Michael Cella, 36, of Orange Park, Florida, Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher said on Sunday. Autopsies are under way, she said at a news conference. It appears Amtrak was on the wrong track, South Carolina governor Henry McMaster told a news conference. He said the freight train, which had no one aboard, was on the track it was supposed to be on. The area has three rows of tracks, and the freight train was parked on a loading track or a side track and not the main track, McMaster said. Its a horrible thing to see, to understand what force was involved, he said. The first engine of the freight train was torn up, and the single engine of the passenger train is barely recognisable. The southbound passenger trains locomotive was lying on its side, and the first car was bent and also derailed, although it remained upright, according to images from the scene in the small city of Cayce, South Carolina. At least four cars of the freight train, which was northbound before it was parked, were crumpled, looking like crushed tin foil, but remained on the tracks. The passenger train was part of Amtrak Silver Star Service, and the wreck occurred about 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Columbia. Officials said some 5,000 gallons of fuel leaked as a result of the collision, but it was under control and no threat to public safety. The number of injured rose to 116 from a previous count of 70, said Lexington County spokesman Harrison Cahill. The injuries range from cuts and bruises to severe broken bones, said Derrec Becker, public information officer for the South Carolina Emergency Management Division. All the injured have been transported to local hospitals. US President Donald Trump was getting regular updates on the crash while at his resort in Palm Beach, Florida. My thoughts and prayers are with all of the victims involved in this mornings train collision in South Carolina, he tweeted. Thank you to our incredible First Responders for the work theyve done! McMaster said he had been told the Amtrak trains speed was about 59 miles (95 kilometres) per hour upon impact, although the National Transportation Safety Board would investigate the crash. One priority is recovering data recorders from the Amtrak train that will indicate its speed upon impact, NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt told Fox News. The Lexington County Sheriffs Department said a shelter for passengers was set up at a nearby middle school. Everyone was off the train, and the Red Cross was assisting them, the department said on its website. Derek Pettaway, a passenger in one of Train 91s rear carriages, told CNN he was sleeping as he headed for Orlando but was awakened by the impact. He said the crew came through the cars really quickly and got everybody off the train. Nobody was panicking, said Pettaway, who was discharged from a hospital with minor whiplash. I think people were more in shock than anything else. In December, three people were killed when an Amtrak passenger train derailed in Washington state. The engineer later told the NTSB he had misread a signal and tried to brake before the accident. In late January, an Amtrak train carrying Republican members of the US Congress killed one person in a garbage truck with which it collided in Virginia. Bitterly divided US lawmakers return this week to face a shrinking window for reaching deals on immigration, federal spending and the debt. Washington: Bitterly divided US lawmakers return this week to face a shrinking window for reaching deals on immigration, federal spending and the debt, as Republican infighting swirls and President Donald Trump complains he is getting zero cooperation from Democrats. Trump vowed during his State of the Union address last week to "extend an open hand" to both parties in pursuing an immigration deal that shields 1.8 million undocumented migrants from deportation. But his proposal has been savaged by opposition Democrats, and Trump's "open hand" soon wagged an accusatory finger. "They Resist, Blame, Complain and Obstruct - and do nothing" to break the immigration stalemate, Trump tweeted a few days after his 30 January speech. Congress has also been haggling over spending caps for domestic programs and the military as they seek to finalise a budget for the remainder of 2018. But Republican leaders have acknowledged they will not meet a Thursday deadline for a spending bill, and will have to pass yet another stopgap measure this week with help from Democrats to avoid a government shutdown. House Speaker Paul Ryan said that while both sides were "making progress" on a budget agreement, a temporary spending bill was necessary to keep the lights on in Washington. "We're still negotiating the contents and the duration of that," he said. Lawmakers are smarting from an embarrassing three-day shutdown in December, when Democrats refused to back a spending measure that did not break the immigration impasse. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said this time he did not expect another threat of a government shutdown, which Trump critics blamed on Republicans but McConnell pinned on Democrats. "There's no education in the second kick of a mule," the Kentucky lawmaker said. A four-page memo penned by a Republican lawmaker Devin Nunes has targetted the premier agency for allegedly witch-hunting the Republicans. Even as the Federal Bureau of Investigation continues to investigate Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 US presidential elections, a four-page memo penned by a Republican lawmaker Devin Nunes has targetted the premier agency for allegedly witch-hunting the Republicans. Here is a rundown of the the controversy around document, dubbed "Nunes memo" the release of which has sent shock waves across Washington DC. Who is Devin Nunes? The 44-year-old lawmaker from California, who is in his eighth term in Congress, served on Donald Trump's presidential transition team. Several critics have blasted Nunes, a staunch supporter who defends the president at all costs, as 'Trump's lapdog'. "Nunes is an agent of the White House instead of an independent investigator," House Democrat Mike Quigley, a member of the intelligence panel, told CNN. What does the memo contain? Trump on Friday allowed the memo to be made public, days after the House Intelligence Committee, headed by Nunes, voted to release it. The document was distilled from a much larger volume of documents used by the FBI to get a so-called FISA national security warrant to spy on Trump campaign official Carter Page, who was suspected of espionage. Page, a foreign policy advisor to the Trump campaign, was also suspected to have flown to Moscow and met with Russian officials. This triggered the suspicion of the FBI and the Department of Justice, which sought the FISA warrant to track the movements of Page. The request was granted, according to The Washington Post. The memo alleges that to obtain the warrant, the FBI submitted as evidence the contentious and unproven "Russia dossier." According to The Week, the memo insinuates that the top members of the FBI and the Department of Justice were keeping Carter under illegal surveillance. The dossier includes information on contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia, which was compiled by former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele. Steele was partially financed in part by Democrat Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, which the memo stated is a major problem. According to The Guardian, the memo noted that the FBI did not include in its warrant application that the dossier was partly funded by Democrats. Reports suggest that the memo implies that the FBI chose to ignore that some "political actors" (a reference to the Democrats) were involved in funding the dossier. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said the document "raises serious concerns about the integrity of decisions made at the highest levels of the Department of Justice and the FBI." The memo has provided the Republicans with a new weapon to hit back at the Democrats. The memo is claimed to be providing evidence that the Justice Department, allegedly full of pro-Clinton officials, actively sought to undermine Trump. Before it was released on Friday, Paul Ryan, the top Republican in the House of Representatives, supported the memo's release as an act of transparency. Worries over discrepancies in memo The Democrats and a few Republican lawmakers claim the document has glaring holes. The FBI itself said it had "grave concerns" over its accuracy. Some have even dismissed its release as little more than a stunt, and another thinly veiled effort to undermine the investigation into the Trump campaign's ties with Russia. According to a Vox report, the discrepancy in the report can lead to more leaks which can discredit the memo. The FBI had previously issued an extraordinary public warning against the memo's release, saying it contained "material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo's accuracy." Meanwhile, Trump's hand-picked FBI Director Christopher Wray shrugged off attacks on the FBI's independence and pledged to defend his agents in an internal letter sent to staff on Friday. "Talk is cheap; the work you do is what will endure," Wray wrote. "Let me be clear: I stand fully committed to our mission... I stand with you." Will it impact Mueller's investigation? The Justice Department and the FBI have actively lobbied against the release of Nunes memo, which has the potential to taint special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russians. There are divided opinions about the impact of the memo on the ongoing investigation. Security expert Barbara McQuade believed that the memo will not impact the probe as it relates to only one person Page and that the investigation into the Russian interference had already begun in July 2016. In similar vein, The Guardian reported that Trump will continue to face many other hurdles despite the revelations in the Nunes memo. The wide angle of Mueller's probe includes the obstruction of justice, collusion with Russia, money laundering and fraud. Ed Rogers, a veteran of the Reagan and Bush Sr era, wrote in The Washington Post that the memo has challenged the entire premise of Mueller's investigation. "The Nunes memo challenges the entire premise of the special counsels investigation especially if there is now a serious inquiry about whether the president obstructed justice of an investigation that was inappropriately initiated by the government in the first place," he wrote. What is in it for Trump? Critics say it contains material that could give the president cover to fire officials such as Deputy Attorney-General Rod Rosenstein or even special prosecutor Robert Mueller. The memo came as a relief to the embattled Trump, who claimed vindication in the ongoing probe over alleged Russian interference in US elections. In a series of tweets, Trump said: This memo totally vindicates Trump in probe. But the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on. Their was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction (the word now used because, after one year of looking endlessly and finding NOTHING, collusion is dead). This is an American disgrace! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2018 Great jobs numbers and finally, after many years, rising wages- and nobody even talks about them. Only Russia, Russia, Russia, despite the fact that, after a year of looking, there is No Collusion! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 4, 2018 The four page memo released Friday reports the disturbing fact about how the FBI and FISA appear to have been used to influence the 2016 election and its aftermath....The FBI failed to inform the FISA court that the Clinton campaign had funded the dossier....the FBI became.... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 4, 2018 With inputs from AFP A Chinese national, the managing director of a shipping firm in Pakistan, was killed on Monday after being shot in the head by unidentified gunmen here in what police are calling a targeted attack. Karachi: A Chinese national, the managing director of a shipping firm in Pakistan, was killed on Monday after being shot in the head by unidentified gunmen here in what police are calling a targeted attack. The victim, 46-year-old Chen Zhu, was shot by gunmen who opened fire on his car when he was out on a grocery shopping with another Chinese national in Karachi's Clifton area. The second Chinese national was buying vegetables at the time of the attack and took refuge in a nearby superstore when he heard the firing. Senior police officer Umar Khattab said Chen was shot in the head, while a 30-year-old passer-by was shot in the leg. "It appears to be a targeted attack and we found nine bullet casings from the spot," he said. "Chen, who was managing director of a shipping company, was taken to the Jinnah hospital in critical condition and died there," Khattab said. Dr Seemin Jamali, the medical superintendent at the Jinnah hospital, said Chen died during a critical operation. Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal took notice of the incident and ordered deputy inspector general south to start an inquiry into the matter. "All measures should be taken to ensure that the suspects are arrested," the minister said. The Sindh inspector general of police has assigned the investigation of the incident to Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). He also directed CTD to register a first information report of the killing. The incident comes nearly two months after China warned its citizens in Pakistan to be on alert after receiving intelligence reports about possible attacks targeting Chinese. Last year, two Chinese nationals, believed to be Christian missionaries, were abducted from Quetta and killed by the Islamic State group in the restive Balochistan province. The couple had reportedly been "preaching" in Balochistan under the garb of learning Urdu. Thousands of Chinese workers are employed in the development of about $60 billion worth of infrastructure projects under Beijing's 'Belt and Road' initiative. The port and road-building projects have come under frequent attacks in Balochistan. No wall, no deal, says Trump. Gridlock week has arrived again as bickering US lawmakers face a tight deadline for reaching deals on what to do with 700,000 immigrants who were brought into America illegally as children while Donald Trump is wagging an accusing finger at his opponents as a government shutdown looms. No wall, no deal, says Trump. Gridlock week has arrived again as bickering US lawmakers face a tight deadline for reaching deals on what to do with 700,000 immigrants who were brought into America illegally as children while Donald Trump is wagging an accusing finger at his opponents while a government shutdown looms. Into this toxic mix where Trump will likely turn up the volume on the word "illegal" will descend a swoop of Indians on valid work visas in the green card queue restless for a breakthrough after years of waiting. The 500 odd Indian workers are hoping that timing their advocacy at a time of swirling DACA headwinds will work in their favor. Yet, Senators are privately saying "First DACA, then everything else." Link: H1B workers from 30 states will rally for expedited Green Card processing Feb 8 Government funding, meanwhile, runs out Thursday night and a vote to fund the government could come as soon as Tuesday. This playbook for Indian H1B workers looks at the key alignments ahead of this week's tightrope in Washington D.C. The latest we are hearing on the immigration standoff is that Congress is seriously considering leaving ~ 1.8 million immigrants, including some 700,000 recipients of the Obama era temporary protection for children in limbo for another year. If that's how the current impasse ends, it gives Trump a weapons grade persuasion tool to rile his base further before the 2018 midterm elections where Democrats needs just two wins to tip the scales. Will a bipartisan plan to grant permanent legal status to immigrant dreamers and start bolstering security along the U.S.-Mexico border work if it does not lay out the detailing on the $ 25 billion Trump is seeking to fortify the border with new wall and fence construction? Trumps Twitter says no. Any deal on DACA that does not include STRONG border security and the desperately needed WALL is a total waste of time. March 5th is rapidly approaching and the Dems seem not to care about DACA. Make a deal! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2018 From the legal side, we asked ace immigration attorney Cyrus Mehta what might kind of stew he expects to be cooked this week and he seconded the view about a partial limbo: Could be some sort of compromise by extending DACA short term as is in exchange for some border security, without tearing down family immigration and creating a merits system - this kicks the can down the road. In a fight that's as wide as Trump has made this, what is the pie that's being sliced? What's on the table and what can be taken off? Is there a pie at all? Is a negotiated settlement possible? To understand this, we spoke to Professor Barry Nalebuff, Milton Steinbach Professor of Management at Yale and world renowned negotiation expert. Here's what he has to say: "The current debate on immigration is not about creating the pie. Imagine the disruption to the US economy if a million dreamers were deported. Wed lose teachers, healthcare workers, and many more. The challenge is that some Republicans view giving permanent status to DACA as a gateway drug to open immigration. Others see this as an issue that energizes their base. In such an environment, it is hard to negotiate with people who would rather not reach any resolution. Meanwhile, on the Democrat side, I fear that the folks there dont fully appreciate what is reversible and what is irreversible. Deporting someone is irreversible. In contrast, limiting chain migration or ending the visa lottery is reversible. The fact is that the Democrats are not in power. Thus they should focus on finding ways to mitigate irreversible losses and then focus on winning power to reverse the reversible decisions." If we take Nalebuff's twin themes of reversible and irreversible and apply it to the Indian cohort we are focusing on, where does it leave the 500 odd H1B workers and families who will be flying down from 30 states to push for an expedited Green Card process? On the upside, they will arrive into a Washington DC sandbox which is geared towards immigration issues. On the other side, the term H1B has come to represent steel wool on an open wound in the Trump era. Just take a cursory glance at the USCIS Twitter handle speaks to the theme of how rotten apples can corrupt the wider arc of the entire H1B narrative. Yet, it's probably safe to say that the H1B will endure and shutting it down is one of those "irreversible" decisions which is costly to do and may take forever. What's reversible is the H4 EAD rule - far more easily done than killing the H1B, for instance. That is why, on balance, the H4 community is the worst hit in the H1B story. The H-1B program helps U.S. companies recruit foreign workers only where theres a shortage of highly-skilled U.S. workers. Fraud and abuse of the program wont be tolerated: https://t.co/IILya9OzAI #ReportFraud USCIS (@USCIS) February 5, 2018 From his American carnage inauguration speech Trump to the dark themes of equating immigration with gangs (State of the Union, 2018) and now the nationwide crackdown on illegal immigrants by ICE, Trump has seeded the delusion that all immigrants (legal and illegal) are dangerous. For legal immigrants / non immigrants to push back against the notion and deal with taking on the might of the US President's mighty megaphone on social media is part of the package of living in Trump's America. By now, a year of Trump has convinced even hardwired left wingers that persuasive skill is different from effectiveness. Trumps initial stand was that he would deport millions of undocumented immigrants who were otherwise obeying the law and then he rescinded DACA last September, forcing a March 5 deadline on Congress to make a deal. We are likely to see more of this Trumpian dealmaking on display this week - asking for the moon and then pedaling back to his side of the middle. Outlawed Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief and Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed on Monday dared the Pakistani government to arrest him if it can and said he will not stop fighting the case of Kashmiri people. Lahore: Outlawed Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief and Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed on Monday dared the Pakistani government to arrest him if it can and said he will not stop fighting the case of Kashmiri people. "If the Pakistani government wants to arrest me...come and go for it but I will not stop dedicating 2018 for Kashmiris," Saeed said while addressing a rally. "We will emerge more strongly if you try to suppress us," said Saeed, who was listed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US. He criticised ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif for not playing his role on the issue of Kashmir. "We may initiate efforts to make you (Sharif) prime minister again if you pledge to work for freedom of Kashmir," he said. He also claimed that on the pressure of the US and India "our media coverage is banned in Pakistan". Saeed, who was released from house arrest in Pakistan in November, carries a $10 million bounty on his head. He asked the government to allow the UN Security Council monitoring team to visit JuD and FIF centres in the country so that it could come to know about their charity work. "We welcome the international monitoring teams to our centres." The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack that killed 166 people. It has been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. India plans to attack installations along the CPEC to sabotage the multi-billion dollar mega project, Pakistan's Interior Ministry has claimed. Islamabad: India plans to attack installations along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to sabotage the multi-billion dollar mega project, Pakistan's Interior Ministry has claimed. The Ministry, in a letter to Gilgit-Baltistan's Home Department warned of possible terrorist attacks on the CPEC route, including bridges at Karakoram Highway and other important points. It issued directives for making foolproof security arrangements to avoid any untoward incident, Dawn online reported on Monday. An official of the Home Department said that the letter claimed that "India had sent 400 Muslim youngsters to Afghanistan for receiving training to be able to carry out attacks". The Gilgit-Baltistan government said it enhanced security on the CPEC route, including two dozen bridges built on Karakoram Highway from Khunjerab Pass to Diamer district. Police officials said the movements of foreigners in Gilgit-Baltistan would be monitored and their documents would be verified. The letter said that police personnel deputed for the security of bridges at Karakoram Highway needed to be put on high alert. It said that local police officers should conduct combing operations, supervise checking at vulnerable points, hotels and guest houses. The project, a key artery of Beijing's mega Belt and Road initiative, has caused much friction between India and China over the past few years. The CPEC links China's Kashgar in Xinjiang province with Pakistan's Gwadar port in Balochistan through a network of roads, railways and highways. India strongly objects to the route of the corridor, which goes through Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Iranian security forces shot and wounded a man who tried to enter the president's office in central Tehran by force on Monday, local media reported. Tehran: Iranian security forces shot and wounded a man who tried to enter the president's office in central Tehran by force on Monday, local media reported. "An individual wearing a shroud tried to push through the doors of the president's office and was warned by security guards," Tehran's deputy governor for security Mohsen Nasj-Hamedani told the Fars and Tasnim news agencies. "The person was prevented from going further and was wounded by police gunshots," Nasj-Hamedani said, adding that authorities were trying to determine the individual's identity and motive. Tasnim reported that it had received phone calls from witnesses saying the man was carrying a machete. Some ultra-conservative activists in Iran wear shrouds during protests against the West or to denounce perceived insults to Islam, as a symbol of their determination to defend a cause to the death. Senior members of South Africa's ANC party will hold an emergency meeting Monday to discuss whether President Jacob Zuma should stay in office after he reportedly refused to resign. Johannesburg: Senior members of South Africa's ANC party will hold an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss whether President Jacob Zuma should stay in office after he reportedly refused to resign. Zuma, whose presidency has been engulfed by corruption scandals, is due to deliver the annual state of the nation address on Thursday, despite growing calls for him to step down. Some African National Congress (ANC) members are pushing for Cyril Ramaphosa, the new head of the party, to replace Zuma as president immediately. But Zuma loyalists have said that the president should complete his second and final term in office, which would end when elections are held next year. The ANC's 26-person National Working Committee was due at meet at Luthuli House, the party headquarters in Johannesburg, at 2.00 pm (1200 GMT). "Yes, it is happening, it will be dealing with this situation," a party official told AFP, declining to be named, in reply to a question about the meeting and media speculation over Zuma's possible exit. Power struggle? Zuma's presidency has been dominated by graft scandals. He faces several court cases, including over 783 payments he allegedly received linked to an arms deal before he came to power in 2009. His hold on the ANC was shaken when his chosen successor his former wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma lost out to Ramaphosa in the closely-fought race to be party leader in December. Julius Malema, a former ally who left the ANC to form the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters party, said that the president had refused to resign at late-night talks on Sunday. "He told them to take a decision to remove him if they so wish to do so because he didn't do anything wrong to the country," Malema wrote on Twitter, without naming his sources. Ramaphosa is looking to revive the economy before the 2019 elections that come amid falling public support for ANC. He recently said that Zuma, 75, was "naturally feeling anxious" about the transition of power, and vowed the process would be handled "very carefully". Zuma, in office since 2009, could leave office either by resigning, through losing a motion of no-confidence in parliament or impeachment proceedings. He could also be recalled by the ANC, forcing him to step down. Ramaphosa, 65, is a former trade unionist who led talks to end white-minority rule in the early 1990s and then became a multi-millionaire businessman before returning to politics. A Japanese military helicopter crashed on Monday in a residential area in the southwest of the country, setting at least one home on fire Tokyo: A Japanese military helicopter crashed on Monday in a residential area in the southwest of the country, setting at least one home on fire, local officials said. "A Self-Defence Force helicopter crash-landed on a residential area. A house has caught fire," local government official Katsuhide Tanaka told AFP. There was no immediate confirmation of any casualties in the crash in the town of Kanzaki. Japan's NHK television showed a thick plume of grey smoke rising from the site of the crash in between the rooftops of local houses. Local firefighters could be seen running through the streets with red firehouses as people were evacuated from the area. Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera confirmed a helicopter had gone down in Japan's Saga region. "The helicopter crashed and burst into flames," he told reporters. "Images show that the helicopter appears to have crashed in a residential area and we are checking that." "We're still confirming the scale of casualties," he added. A defence ministry spokesman told AFP there were two people on board the Apache helicopter when it crashed. The local fire authority said it had dispatched 14 fire engines and three ambulances to the site. The crash raised memories of a 2016 incident in which a Japanese air force jet with six people aboard went missing in mountainous terrain. Four bodies were later recovered. Japan's Self-Defence Forces (SDF) have been banned from waging any kind of combat beyond defence of the nation since the US-imposed constitution of 1947 that followed the carnage of World War II. They have been deployed overseas in peacekeeping missions, some of which have proved controversial at home. And while the SDF is strictly limited in terms of the scope of its military activity, Japan nonetheless boasts an impressive array of weaponry with highly trained personnel. Tens of thousands of Greeks staged a mass rally in Athens on Sunday, urging the government not to compromise in a festering name row with Macedonia. Athens: Tens of thousands of Greeks staged a mass rally in Athens on Sunday, urging the government not to compromise in a festering name row with neighbouring Macedonia. Organisers claimed some 1.5 million people from across Greece and the Greek diaspora turned out to express their opposition to attempts by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' government to broker a deal. But police put the figure at around 140,000. "The million protesters that the organisers imagined was wishful thinking," Tsipras said in a statement released by his office. "The crushing majority of Greek people conclude that foreign policy issues should not be dealt with with fanaticism." Earlier in the day a huge Greek flag flew over central Syntagma Square from atop a crane, and Greeks from all over the country and abroad chanted "Hands off Macedonia", "Macedonia is Greek" and "We won't leave until we are vindicated". Among those in the cross-generation crowd were former PM Antonis Samaras who was foreign minister when the name row began in 1991 in addition to mayors, senior clerics, army officers and monks. Keynote speaker Mikis Theodorakis, the renowned Zorba the Greek composer and resistance icon, called on the government to hold a referendum before taking a decision. "Macedonia was, is and will forever be Greek," 92-year-old Theodorakis told the cheering crowd of protesters. "If a government considers signing on behalf of our country... there is no doubt it must first ask the Greek people," he said, calling the neighbouring northern state "illegitimate". Athens objects to Macedonia's name, arguing it suggests that Skopje has claims to the territory and heritage of Greece's historic northern region of the same name. "Macedonians united Greece against the (Persian Empire)," said Nina Gatzoulis of the US Pan-Macedonian Association, arguing that a Greek climbdown on the name issue would create "permanent instability" in the region. However, leftist Tsipras has been considering a resolution to the 27-year-old dispute, angering many opposition members and his own nationalist coalition partners. Unresolved dispute Several protesters wore traditional garb, including the uniform of Greek guerrillas who fought Bulgarian bands and Ottoman forces in Macedonia in the early 20th century. "Cretan eagles lie in the earth of Macedonia," a Cretan representative told the crowd. "We tell our sister, Macedonia, we will not allow anyone to carve you up." The protest the second on the Macedonia issue in a fortnight was organised and funded by Greek diaspora groups, with the support of retired officer associations, cultural unions and church groups. Anarchists stationed a counter-protest nearby, with riot police deployed to keep the two crowds apart. Two weeks ago, tens of thousands had protested in Thessaloniki, the capital of Greece's Macedonia region. Police had estimated the turnout at over 90,000, while organisers claimed at least 400,000 attended. The dispute has remained unresolved since the former Yugoslav republic's independence in 1991. Greece considers the name "Macedonia" to be part of its own cultural heritage, as the province was the core of Alexander the Great's ancient empire. Athens seeks guarantees that the use of the name by its neighbour implies no claim to parts of its own territory. The government has accused far-right hardliners and the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party of trying to exploit the issue. Boost Balkan stability The government insists the rallies will not affect its determination to solve the issue and boost stability in the often tense Balkan region. Athens says it is ready to accept a composite name that will establish a clear distinction from Greek Macedonia. "The government is trying to give a patriotic solution to a problem that has troubled the country, its international relations and its diplomacy for over 25 years," government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said Sunday. "Not having a solution undermines our national interest," Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said last week. Because of Greece's objections, Macedonia in 1993 joined the United Nations as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). To break the deadlock, long-term UN mediator Matthew Nimetz has now proposed several alternative names in Macedonian, including "Republika Nova Makedonija" or the "Republic of New Macedonia". A resolution of the issue is needed before Macedonia can join NATO or the EU. "They seek to join NATO and the EU with our own vote, so they can threaten us tomorrow from a position of strength," Theodorakis said. Greece in 2008 threatened to veto Macedonia's NATO entry. Skopje subsequently took the issue to the International Court of Justice, which said Athens had been wrong to block its land-locked neighbour's aspirations. Maldives Army surrounded Parliament as opposition lawmakers tried to make their way into premises following resignation of parliamentary secretary general Male: The Maldives Army on Sunday surrounded the island's Parliament as opposition lawmakers tried to make their way into the premises following the resignation of the parliamentary secretary general. The media reported that some opposition lawmakers had been allowed to enter the premises, despite the heavy military presence, Xinhua reported. Parliamentary Secretary General Ahmed Mohamed announced his resignation on Sunday morning without citing any specific reason. The move came after the first parliamentary session for 2018, which was due to be held on Monday, was cancelled indefinitely due to security concerns. The Maldives has been plunged into a fresh round of political turmoil after the Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the immediate release of jailed political leaders including self-exiled former president Mohamed Nasheed. The Maldivian government on Sunday revealed an imminent move by the country's top court to have President Abdulla Yameen arrested with the police and army insisting that such an order will not be enforced, local media reported. Attorney General Mohamed Anil, seated beside the army and police chief on Sunday morning, told reporters that the government has received information that a Supreme Court order to arrest President Yameen was imminent. However, the Attorney General labelled the move as "unconstitutional" and said the police and the army would reject any order by the Supreme Court to have the president arrested. President Abdulla Yameen has declared a 15-day state of emergency in the Maldives, a few days after the island nation was pitched deeper into a crisis caused by Yameens failure to obey a Supreme Court court order to free jailed opponents Maldivian president Abdulla Yameen has declared a state of emergency in the country on Monday, a few days after the island nation was plunged deeper into a crisis caused by Yameens refusal to obey a Supreme Court court order to free jailed opponents. The beleaguered Maldivian president has declared a 15-day state of emergency, his aide Azima Shukoor announced on state television on Monday. Shukoor read out the declaration shortly after Yameen sent three letters to the judges asking them to reverse their decision. According to AFP, the move gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects and comes amid a deepening political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation. The Maldivian Supreme Court had on Thursday ordered the immediate release of former president Mohamed Nasheed and eight other opposition leaders, saying their trials had violated the constitution and international law but it also ordered new trials. The Maldives president has since fired his second police chief in three days, making the opposition fear that he was resisting the verdict and that it would lead to violence in the nation. In a letter addressed to the international community, Maldives opposition lawmakers appealed for external support in persuading Yameen to end the tense standoff with the country's highest court. "We request the international community, including India, Sri Lanka, the US, Britain, the EU... to do everything in their power to help return power to the people of the Maldives and restore democracy," the statement read. Yameen has faced increasing pressure to respect the landmark court ruling, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the weekend calling for "restraint" as the crisis escalated. Yameen's hesitation to abide by the verdict stems from the fact that the court orders restoration of the seats of 12 government MPs who defected to the opposition, which would effectively reduce Yameen's party to a minority. The opposition having a majority in the 85-member parliament would make the president vulnerable to impeachment. This is the second time Yameen has declared a state of emergency. He last took the step in November 2015 after an alleged attempt to assassinate him. MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar has warned Indian nationals to avoid "non-essential" travel to Male. The ministry said that it was "closely monitoring" the evolving situation in the Maldives. Indian nationals are advised to defer all non-essential travel to Male and other atolls untill further notice. Detailed travel advisory at https://t.co/DCdCkojESK Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) February 5, 2018 India had said it was imperative for "all organs" of the Maldivian government to abide by the country's Supreme Court order to release all political prisoners "in the spirit of democracy". In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it hoped that the safety and security of Indian expatriates in the island nation would be ensured by the Maldivian authorities under "all circumstances". "We have seen last nights order of the Supreme Court of Maldives releasing all political prisoners. In the spirit of democracy and rule of law, it is imperative for all organs of the Government of Maldives to respect and abide by the order of the apex court," MEA had said. With inputs from agencies Authorities in northern Mexico say gunmen shot up a clandestine cockfight arena in the Chihuahua state capital, killing six people and wounding 14. Mexico City: Authorities in northern Mexico say gunmen shot up a clandestine cockfight arena in the Chihuahua state capital, killing six people and wounding 14. The state prosecutor's office says in a statement that several masked attackers fired at people gathered at the "Santa Maria" cockfight club late on Sunday off a highway on the southern edge of Chihuahua city. Prosecutors said that four victims were killed at the scene and two more died while receiving medical treatment. Two children ages 7 and 10 were among the wounded. There were no immediate arrests. The only surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, refused to answer questions on Monday as he went on trial in Brussels. Brussels: The only surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, refused to answer questions on Monday as he went on trial in Brussels over a bloody shootout with police that led to his capture. Tight security surrounded the start of the trial of the 28-year-old, who was transferred overnight from a jail near the French capital Paris and arriving in Belgium in a convoy of police vehicles. Abdeslam, who has declined to to speak to investigators since his arrest in March 2016, immediately signalled his defiance on Monday by refusing to stand when asked by the judge and saying he would not cooperate. "I do not wish to answer any questions," Abdeslam, bearded and wearing a long-sleeved white polo shirt, said when the presiding judge, Marie-France Keutgen, asked him to confirm his identity. The judge told the court that Abdeslam has also refused to have photos or video taken of him during the four-day trial in Brussels. The Belgian-born French national of Moroccan descent faces charges of attempted terrorist murder of police officers and carrying banned weapons over a gunbattle in the Forest district of Brussels on March 15, 2016. Three police officers were wounded and a jihadist was killed in the fight, which came as Abdeslam was on the run four months after the Paris attacks. He was captured three days later. Abdeslam and the man arrested with him, Tunisian national Sofiane Ayari, 24, could serve up to 40 years in prison if convicted. Hundreds of Belgian security forces turned the Palais de Justice court building in Brussels into a virtual fortress while a helicopter with searchlights circled overhead as he arrived. "This must remain an ordinary trial," said the official who presides over the court, Luc Hennart. "If there is the slightest problem I will order the courtroom to be evacuated." The non-jury trial is the prelude to a later one in France and prosecutors hope the Brussels trial will yield clues not only about the attacks that killed 130 people in Paris but also the suicide bombings months later in Brussels. Abdeslam has refused point-blank to speak to investigators throughout the nearly two years since his arrest, which capped a four-month hunt for Europe's most wanted man. But he has insisted on attending the Brussels trial, where three judges are to lead proceedings for four days, which had raised hopes, now apparently dashed, that he would use it to break his silence. Hennart insisted that the trial would only focus on the shootout, saying: "That is what we will talk about, we will not talk about either the Brussels or Paris attacks." The plans for transferring Abdeslam from Fleury-Merogis prison in the Parisian suburbs, and then back to a prison just across the border in northern France every night, were shrouded in secrecy. President Donald Trump attacked the UK's state-funded National Health Service (NHS), angering British politicians across party lines. Trump took to Twitter in response to television coverage of an 'NHS in Crisis' march over the weekend in London, claiming it showed how the universal healthcare system offered by NHS is not working. London: President Donald Trump attacked the United Kingdom's state-funded National Health Service (NHS), angering British politicians across party lines. Trump took to Twitter in response to television coverage of an "NHS in Crisis" march over the weekend in London, claiming it showed how the universal healthcare system offered by NHS is not working. "The (Opposition) Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working. Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks," Trump tweeted early Monday morning. But UK health minister Jeremy Hunt sprung to the defence of the country's much-venerated health service, highlighting that it was better than the US where millions were without any cover. "I may disagree with claims made on that march but not ONE of them wants to live in a system where 28 million people have no cover," Hunt tweeted in his reply. "NHS may have challenges but I'm proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance," he added. Opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn also hit back on Twitter, saying: "People were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it. "Healthcare is a human right." Speaking as his party released a new report into healthcare reform in Britain calling for a new ring-fenced tax to fund the NHS, Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable also spoke out in favour of service. "If he (Trump) wants to understand how the system works in Britain and wants some solutions he should come and read our report," he said, adding that the US leader "obviously doesn't understand it (the NHS) but I live in hope". The issue of a funding crunch facing the UKs NHS has been at the centre of the countrys political debates, with the government claiming a high level of investment into the service while the Opposition demanding more funds. Trump's latest comment comes as the UK government announced plans to charge migrants twice as much to use NHS services, raising nearly 220 million pounds a year for the UK tax-payer funded health service. Pakistan on Monday said the dream of peace and prosperity in the region would remain elusive without resolving the Kashmir issue Islamabad: Pakistan on Monday said the dream of peace and prosperity in the region would remain elusive without resolving the Kashmir issue and reaffirmed its support for the people in the Valley in their struggle for the right to "self-determination". President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi made these remarks in their separate messages on Kashmir Solidarity Day. The president said, "Pakistan reiterates its unwavering political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of Occupied Kashmir in their struggle for self-determination right in accordance with UN resolutions." Prime Minister Abbasi in the official message also expressed solidarity with the people of Kashmir. He said even after the passage of more than seven decades, the people of Jammu and Kashmir continue to be "deprived of the fundamental right to self-determination in stark contradiction to the promise made to them by the international community through the United Nations Security Council Resolutions". The prime minister said India refused to allow the visit of the team of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the OIC to Kashmir, thus denying the international community an opportunity to evaluate the situation on the ground. "India obviously has much to hide," he claimed. The two leaders said that the dream of peace and prosperity in the region will remain elusive without resolving the Kashmir dispute. Pakistan called upon the international community to urge India to "respect the Human Rights Charter, put an immediate end to the gross human rights violations of Kashmiris...and ensure expedited resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with the UNSC Resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people." Meanwhile, Pakistan declared official holiday and the government as well as various groups announced to organise rallies and seminars to highlight the issue of Kashmir. Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal in a tweet said that Kashmir should become a part of Pakistan. Thousands protested in Syria's Afrin on Sunday as local authorities called on world powers to intervene to halt a Turkish-led assault, accusing Russia of complicity in civilian deaths in the region Afrin: Thousands protested in Syria's Afrin on Sunday as local authorities called on world powers to intervene to halt a Turkish-led assault, accusing Russia of complicity in civilian deaths in the region. Ankara and allied rebels launched operation "Olive Branch" on 20 January against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey has blacklisted as "terrorists". Afrin's local administration the semi-autonomous government in place since 2013 shot back the accusation on Sunday and urged Moscow to take a firm stand. "We ask the Russian Federation in particular to rescind its support for the Turkish state's terrorism against the people of Afrin," it said in a statement. "It bears responsibility for the massacres the fascist Turkish state is carrying out against innocent civilians." Russia, which intervened militarily in Syria's war in 2015, had troops positioned in Afrin but withdrew them as Turkey launched the assault. The YPG and Afrin officials say that withdrawal amounted to tacit approval of the Turkish offensive. Officials on Sunday also called for the United States, European Union, United Nations Security Council and the US-led coalition fighting jihadists to "immediately intervene to stop Turkey's aggression". Ankara says it launched the operation to protect its southern border and insists that it is doing everything it can to avoid civilian casualties. But the campaign has sparked mass protests, including in Afrin. Thousands of people marched to the sound of drums through central Afrin, holding YPG flags and posters of Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Turkey is vehemently opposed to the YPG because of its ties to the PKK, which has waged a three-decade insurgency against Turkish forces. "We're holding the whole world responsible because we fought terrorism on behalf of everyone, but today the world agreed to kill Syrians," said Ali Mahmoud, 45. Men, women and children thronged main roads in central Afrin for Sunday's demonstration, many chanting slogans. "We will not bow our heads to (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan, we are not afraid of him and will never fear him," said one protester, Amina Mohammed. Some demonstrators clutched olive branches, a symbol of Afrin which is known for its abundant olive groves but which are also now associated with the name Turkey gave its offensive. "They named their attack 'Olive Branch'. It's a thorn in their hand, but in our hands, it's a gun," said Fikrat Afdal, 33. At least 68 civilians, including 21 children, have died in Turkish shelling as part of the assault, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. More than 100 pro-Ankara rebels and a similar number of YPG fighters have also died, the British-based monitor says. Democrats cautioned Donald Trump that firing top law enforcement officials over the investigation into his campaign's links to Russia could spark a dangerous 'confrontation'. Washington: Democrats on Sunday cautioned US president Donald Trump that firing top law enforcement officials over the investigation into his campaign's links to Russia could spark a dangerous "confrontation," as Republican lawmakers broke ranks to say the probe should go on unhindered. The warnings came two days after the Republican-led House intelligence committee released a declassified memo that claims Democrat-funded research prompted the FBI to spy on a former Trump campaign aide, Carter Page. Democrats stoutly resisted the memo's release, saying it was "deliberately misleading" and possibly intended to lay the groundwork for Trump to fire senior officials and subvert the Russia election meddling investigation led by Robert Mueller. In a sign of an emerging split in the president's party, four Republican members of the intelligence committee Representatives Trey Gowdy, Chris Stewart, Will Hurd and Brad Wenstrup said on Sunday that the memo should not be allowed to undermine Mueller's investigation. Dick Durbin, the number two Senate Democrat, warned that any move by Trump against senior law enforcement officials involved in the inquiry could have grave consequences. "The question at that moment is whether or not the majority Republicans in the House and the Senate will stand up for the rule of law and the Constitution if the president takes that extreme position," Durbin said on CNN's State of the Union. "If the president takes this extreme action, I'm afraid that it could lead to a confrontation we do not need in America." Durbin contested the suggestion that the FBI's application to a special court for authority to surveil Page failed to note that the request was based partly on a dossier funded by Democrats. The senior Democrat on the intelligence committee, Representative Adam Schiff, insisted that "the court was notified there was a political actor involved." The United States said on Sunday it has not ruled out sanctions on Venezuelan oil as it turns the screw on President Nicolas Maduro, but is wary of hurting the country's people. Buenos Aires: The United States said on Sunday it has not ruled out sanctions on Venezuelan oil as it turns the screw on President Nicolas Maduro, but is wary of hurting the country's people. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is in Argentina during a tour of Latin America to bolster a common front against Venezuela's bid to hold a presidential election that opponents deem illegitimate. The top US diplomat has received support from other governments in the Americas, including on Sunday from his Argentine counterpart Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie, but some are cautious about sanctions. At a joint news conference, Tillerson a former chief of oil giant ExxonMobil confirmed the ultimate option of sanctioning Venezuela's key oil sector is under consideration, but that Washington shares its allies' concerns. Oil-rich and once one of the wealthiest countries in Latin America, Venezuela under Maduro faces economic collapse and widespread popular protest. The US, Canada and the European Union have imposed economic sanctions targeting Maduro loyalists seen as profiteers or human rights abusers. Tillerson did not push back against the suggestion that sanctions on oil might also hurt US companies that have built refineries in the southern United States geared to accept Venezuelan crude. "Obviously sanctioning oil or prohibiting the oil to be sold in the United States ... is something we continue to consider," Tillerson said, while acknowledging Faurie's concerns. "As the foreign minister indicated, our disagreements are with the Venezuelan regime not with the people, the Venezuelan people are suffering mightily in the current circumstances." Tillerson said oil sanctions could be deployed if it is decided that this would bring the crisis to a more rapid end "because not doing anything to bring this to an end is also asking the Venezuelan people to suffer for a much longer time." But he added that Washington was also looking at how to "mitigate the impact on US business interests." Faurie agreed with Tillerson that Maduro's attempt to call an election on terms set by Venezuela's non-elected Constituent Assembly was illegitimate and would be rejected by Argentina. "As for the sales of oil and trade in oil that exist, that is particularly important, we should closely follow up on this to ensure appropriate balance between what the Venezuelan nation needs and what is being used by the leaders of the Venezuelan government," he said. Maduro shot back, in a video on Facebook, saying that Tillerson "has just threatened us with an oil boycott. Well, we are ready. Nothing and nobody is going to stop us." Tillerson is due to meet Argentina's President Mauricio Macri on Monday before flying on to Peru and then Colombia, which has already received around half a million Venezuelan refugees. He will then visit Jamaica for talks on how regional powers can replace the subsidized oil that Venezuela ships to Caribbean nations, in the event it is hit by sanctions or economic collapse. The recently released US' Nuclear Posture Review is a masterpiece in reconciling contradictions and making the unreasonable seem perfectly understandable. The recently released United States' Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) is a masterpiece in reconciling contradictions and making the unreasonable seem perfectly understandable. But to be fair, nuclear strategies of great powers have always been so, particularly during the Cold War, when both the Soviet Union and the United States had enough nuclear weapons between them to destroy the world twice over. More than 1,25,000 have been built since 1945, with 97 percent of them in the inventory of the United States and the Soviet Union/Russia. Barrack Obama fans should take heart. His nuclear policy seems to be the only aspect of the previous government that the Trump administration approves of. The NPR follows the modernisation drive started under Obama, but with some significant changes. The present NPR's objective is said to be to 'recapitalise' the Cold War legacy of nuclear weapons and modernise them to suit modern conditions. The underlying belief is that US nuclear weapons are far too destructive to be used in today's threat context. Shorn of pretty language, what it means is that potential adversaries will not be deterred by the threat of use of weapons that could potentially wipe off a large portion of their territory, for infractions that are of the 'less than war category'. A smaller, 'more usable' warhead would, however, serve to deter, precisely due to the lower destruction they inflict. This, therefore, translates into a 'credible' threat, which is the very essence of deterrence. On the other side of the coin, however, is that the more usable a weapon is, the more unstable the situation. The present program of modernisation is slated to cost $1.2 trillion, which constitutes a considerable amount at a time when the Congressional Budget Office is warning that nuclear forces would have to compete with other arms for funding. The areas of modernisation include a new Long Range Standoff Cruise missile which would be forward deployed on new aircraft for 'regional' protection as well as with other arms. Since cruise missiles of this kind were withdrawn from the US Navy in 2011 on the assumption that they were no longer needed, this is definitely a walk back. Plans also include a new ground-based ICBM class missile and more forward deployment of nuclear-capable bombers. The NPR's backing of such a revitalised triad seems to point to a Cold War Redux. Nuclear bureaucracies are known to create, reinvent or resurrect threats to suit their department's budget demands and sometimes their existence. This was truly a quandary at the end of the Cold War when there were simply not enough threats to be found. That contributed directly to the identification of a new threat together with the usual tables and bar charts from 'loose nukes' in the former Soviet space moving out elsewhere. Today's NPR works around a threat perception arising from 'nuclear and non-nuclear threats'. The persistent reference to this phrase through the document means that the new arsenal has to be flexible enough to confront a number of old threats in presumably new ways. Thus the 'recapitalised' inventory is presumably to produce weapons from the lowest range upwards that can be used to deter conventional attacks over a certain 'strategic' non-nuclear threshold. This seems to point to the re-development of what are sometimes called "tactical" nuclear weapons. That was also part of the Cold War checklist. The shift to developing lower yield weapons begs the question as to whether the US would be the first to use nuclear weapons in a situation, and further, whether this would be used against a non-nuclear state. The reference to 'non-nuclear strategic attacks' is an interesting concept to include in a deterrence calculus. Would nuclear weapons play a role in in the South China Sea dispute if Japanese 'strategic' lines are crossed? Probably not, since conventional weapons' early positioning can do the job as well, if not better. Will usable nuclear weapons deter Pakistan from supporting the Haqqanis? Again, probably not. A truism that India has learnt with difficulty is that nuclear weapons can only deter other nuclear weapons. That's why Kashmir is still burning, and our surgical strikes only just cross the border. The NPR's primary list of antagonists comprises Russia, China and North Korea. Iran has only a distant mention. Unsurprisingly Russia has reacted with bitterness. Foreign Minister Lavrov termed the NPR as confrontational, while other Russian experts called it 'dangerous' in upsetting power balances. Faced with severe conventional weakness, Russia is modernising its nuclear weapons to the extent it can with shrinking resources. The Russian economy grew at 1.7 percent in 2017, and dramatic growth is not expected in the immediate future. Russian may choose to further modernise it's own 'usable' arsenal and thus increase European discomfort, or shift heavily to other forms of warfare such as cyberwar and space. China reacted similarly, with Defence Ministry spokesman calling it a document made up of "wild guesses" on Beijing's capability. To give China its due, it has more than learnt from the Soviet Union's distressing arms race and subsequent collapse by avoiding the path of seeking parity with the US. With an estimated 270 warheads to the US's 6,800, China will probably choose to build upon its existing asymmetric capabilities, dispersal programs, and increasing its sea-based deterrent capability. The closing arguments for a 'flexible' nuclear armoury is that tailored deterrence that is sought to be put in place with each potential antagonist. In regards to Russia, the tailored strategy clearly arises from the "Crimea complex", with the US stating without ambiguity that any attack on NATO countries keeping in mind that NATO boundaries have moved far closer to Moscow would be met with resolve. The other tailored deterrence is against China, where the threat is clear that the US is prepared to respond strongly against both nuclear and non-nuclear threats, with the NPR supposed to give the president a wide range of capabilities to choose from. This is confusing, to say the least, and the Chinese are not one to refrain from probing the deterrence envelope, particularly with the South Koreans and Japanese watching. The strategy for North Korea is, however, much clearer and therefore far more convincing. It states baldly that any attack by that country against the US allies or partners will result in the end of the Kim regime. There are few who will cavil against that. For the rest, the US offers extended deterrence by the return of a full-fledged triad but with a mix of high and low yield weapons, together with consultation with friends and allies to reinforce that deterrence. In the final analysis, the NPR is a walk back to the 1980s when nuclear weapons formed the centre for US military strategy and policy. After the end of the Soviet Union, successive presidents have placed nuclear weapons at the periphery of military policymaking, acknowledging its worth as a deterrent, but underlining that it could only match 'sword for the sword'. The present NPT fudges the line between the conventional and the nuclear to a degree where it is difficult to understand it clearly. A strategy that is not understood by the enemy is one that makes the situation even more complex and therefore dangerous. Though meant to make nuclear deterrence more credible than before, it risks turning it into one that will not even convince the credulous. King Abdullah II of Jordan said that the US remains essential to any hope of a peaceful solution between Israel and the Palestinians Washington: King Abdullah II of Jordan said on Sunday that the United States remains essential to any hope of a peaceful solution between Israel and the Palestinians, despite widespread criticism of the new US stance on Jerusalem. "We cannot have a peace process or a peace solution without the role of the United States," the monarch said on the CNN programme "Fareed Zakaria GPS". This was true even after President Donald Trump decided to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv where nearly every other country has its embassy to Jerusalem, he said. In December, Jordan had called Trump's move "a violation of decisions of international law and the United Nations charter," and Abdullah re-iterated his concerns to Vice-President Mike Pence who visited West Asia in January. And Abdullah noted on Sunday that Trump's decision had "created a backlash" by leaving Palestinians feeling "that there isn't an honest broker". But, he added, "I'd like to reserve judgment, because we're still waiting for the Americans to come out with their (peace) plan." Trump's decision was warmly embraced by Israel but widely decried around the world, sparking outrage and protests from Arabs and Muslims. Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of an eventual Palestinian state and had hoped that peace talks might someday bring international recognition of that status. "I think we have to give the Americans the benefit of the doubt and all work together" once the White House issues a peace plan, Abdullah said, while adding that "if it is not a good plan... I don't think we've got a Plan B at this stage." Jordan occupied the city's eastern sector in 1948, but Israel took control in the 1967 Six-Day War and has occupied it ever since. The United States has long seen Jordan as a source of moderation and stability in the region. Iran accused US of threatening Russia with new atomic weapons after Washington published a document outlining plans to expand its nuclear capabilities Dubai: Iran accused the United States on Sunday of threatening Russia with new atomic weapons after Washington published a document outlining plans to expand its nuclear capabilities to deter others. The review of US nuclear policy published on Friday has riled Russia, which viewed the document as confrontational, and raised fears that it could increase the risk of miscalculation between the two world powers. The Americans are shamelessly threatening Russia with a new atomic weapon, Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, a pragmatist who opened the way to Tehrans 2015 nuclear deal with world powers including longtime adversary Washington, said in a speech. The same people who supposedly believe that using weapons of mass destruction is a crime against humanity ... are talking about new weapons to threaten or use against rivals, he said in his televised address. Foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif earlier warned in a tweet that the US policy document posed the risk of bringing humankind closer to annihilation. The US military has put countering China and Russia, dubbed revisionist powers, at the centre of a new national defence strategy unveiled earlier this month shifting priorities away from fighting Islamist militants. By expanding its own low-yield nuclear capability, the United States would deter Russia from using nuclear weapons, according to American officials. Russias Foreign Ministry said on Saturday it was very disappointed by the content of the document, which, it said, has a confrontational feel and anti-Russian orientation. German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said the US decision showed the spiral of a new nuclear arms race is already under way and added that Europe was, much like during the Cold War, especially vulnerable. Thats why we need to start new initiatives in Europe for arms control and disarmament, Gabriel said in a statement, adding that developing new weapons sent the wrong message and risked triggering an arms race. Zarif also said in his tweet: (US President Donald)Trumps obduracy in killing the #JCPOA (Irans nuclear deal with world powers) stems from the same dangerous imprudence. Trump gave the Iran nuclear deal, negotiated before he took office, a final reprieve last month but warned European allies and Congress they had to work with him to fix the disastrous flaws in the pact or face a US exit. He said he would waive sanctions against Iran that were lifted as part of the international deal for the last time unless his conditions were met. The ultimatum put pressure on European Union powers - key backers and parties to the 2015 international agreement to curb Irans nuclear programme to satisfy Trump, who wants the pact strengthened with a separate agreement. . - , - . - , . ""? ? " " , ... Google today on the occasion of Safer Internet Day launches a new public safety initiative in India; #SecurityCheckKiya to ensure data protection targeted at young and first-time web users. Google brings three simple actions to users to protect and prevent themselves from account hijacking, safeguarding their Android phones from malicious apps and also secure data even if the device is lost. Keep your logins close, your passwords closer, and your data closest. This #SaferInternetDay, if your answer to #SecurityCheckKiya is no, complete these 3 steps to do so. https://t.co/7yspEUDged pic.twitter.com/FBQZdecPnd Google India (@GoogleIndia) February 5, 2018 Google believes that Indian users who are coming online for the first time are increasingly getting vulnerable to bad actors and abuse on the web. With the new three steps, the company aims to protect the internet safety and online experience. The company further said that it will make this initiative available on its home screen (www.google.com) to encourage users to take the first step of security check. The three steps for safer web experience including for all Android mobile users, Gmail users. Google is asking users to review the security settings and Google account activity with one click in the My Account section on Desktop and in Gmail app for Android mobile users. Google Security check helps you to automatically scan for any vulnerability and suggests you required changes. At the I/O 2017, Google introduced the new Play Protect for Android mobiles which run safety check to see if the installed apps are secure. It also scans all apps for malware before and after you install them. It is automatically enabled on your device. Alternatively, you can also enable it from Phone Settings > Security & Location > Google Play Protect. Finally, Google is also asking users to download Find My Device from the Play Store. This app from Google helps you to easily locate a lost Android device and keeps your device and information secure. Google is promoting these three steps as a part of its new #SecurityCheckKiya initiative for India for data protection. This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Nvidia Corp and German auto supplier Continental AG said on Monday they had teamed up to develop a self-driving system based on the U.S. chipmaker's artificial intelligence platform, underscoring the need for collaboration in the fast-moving industry. The announcement is the latest of many collaborations for Nvidia, whose Drive platform that helps enable autonomous driving is ubiquitous in the industry. The Silicon Valley-based company known for its graphics chips said last month that 320 companies involved in the development of self-driving cars use Nvidia Drive. Automakers and their suppliers have sought alliances to share the high costs of developing self-driving cars, which are expected to start appearing in the marketplace over the next few years as so-called robo-taxis at first. Still, experts expect the transition from human-driven to automated cars could take a decade or more. Nvidia and Continental said in a statement their self-driving vehicle system, which will integrate a range of Continental sensors, will be introduced in 2021, after a period of collaboration between engineering teams from both companies. The companies did not disclose financial terms for the partnership. At CES in Las Vegas last month, Nvidia announced partnerships with Uber Technologies and Volkswagen AG . The company also works with electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc and China's Baidu. Continental - which also works on self-driving with Baidu - is part of a separate consortium of automakers and suppliers working together to develop full autonomous driving systems. Led by BMW, that alliance also brings together Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV Intel Corp and Intel's vision systems subsidiary Mobileye, with Continental handling integration of components and software. U.S. auto supplier Aptiv is also part of the alliance. (Reporting by Alexandria Sage; Editing by Matthew Lewis) A group of tech pioneers who were some of the first employees at Silicon Valley giants Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) and Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) have now come together to form a coalition against the very thing they builta tech driven society. The organization called The Center for Humane Technology was announced Sunday, in an attempt to reverse the digital attention crisis among Americans and realign technology with humanitys best interests. We have built a world-class team of deeply concerned former tech insiders and CEOs who intimately understand the culture, business incentives, design techniques, and organizational structures driving how technology hijacks our minds, the organization said. The group also said its starting a campaign called The Truth About Tech, which is funded in part by a $7 million donation by the non-profit media watchdog group Common Sense Media. Major media corporations such as Comcast and DirecTV have also stepped up to help by donating upwards of $50 million in free media and airtime to help the organization spread its message about the negative side effects, The New York Times reported. Experts said they are especially worried about the effects social media and other apps will have on children. The race to keep childrens attention trains them to replace their self-worth with likes, encourages comparison with others, and creates the constant illusion of missing out, the organization wrote on its website. As for adults, the increased use of technology has amplified their stress and anxiety levels, even causing some to lose sleep. The Truth About Tech campaign, which will be similar to anti-smoking crusades, will first focus on reaching students in 55,000 public school across the country, according to The New York Times. Additionally, lobbying will also play a huge role in the groups efforts. The Times said organizers will focus their attention on two upcoming pieces of legislation from Massachusetts and California that could potentially fund research on the impact that technology has had on childrens health. The latest on Ecuador's national referendum (all times local): 8:15 p.m. Ecuadoreans have voted overwhelmingly to limit presidents to two terms in a nationwide referendum that is seen as a critical test of former President Rafael Correa's enduring political strength. Quick count results showed voters in Sunday's national referendum approved by an almost 2-to-1 margin a measure reinstating term limits that Correa eliminated from the constitution in 2015. The result had been expected and is a big boost for President Lenin Moreno, who was a protege of Correa until taking office last year. They've been feuding bitterly almost ever since over Moreno's decision to build bridges with business leaders and others who were bullied by Correa. Six other questions on the ballot seeking to limit Correa's influence and limit mining activity in protected areas also easily passed. The reinsurance industry can be a rather lucrative business, and several reinsurance stocks have great track records of delivering market-beating performance over long periods. After a rough year for the reinsurance industry in 2017, here are three reinsurance stocks that could be excellent additions to your portfolio for decades to come. What is reinsurance? In simplest terms, reinsurance is insurance for insurance companies. Reinsurance can protect insurance companies from excessive losses resulting from catastrophic events -- such as major natural disasters. For example, the major hurricanes of summer 2017 could have potentially caused several smaller insurers to become insolvent if it wasn't for reinsurance. There are two basic ways reinsurers make money, and they are the same ways that apply to traditional insurers as well. If a reinsurer collects more money in premiums than it pays out for claims, it generates an underwriting profit. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, reinsurers invest the premiums they collect and generate income while they're waiting to pay claims. A tough year in 2017 for reinsurers As you can probably gather, 2017 was a difficult year for reinsurers. In fact, insured catastrophe losses reached $135 billion in 2017, an all-time high. Between the damage from Hurricane Harvey in Texas, Hurricane Irma in Florida and the Caribbean, and wildfires in California, natural disasters were an especially destructive force. To be clear, reinsurers had more than enough capital to absorb these losses and only took a mild hit. However, it was enough to drive down stock prices and create some attractive long-term investments in the industry. Three top reinsurance stocks With that in mind, here are three great ways to invest in reinsurance. One has been beaten down by disaster-related losses, one has several other businesses to pick up the slack, and the third didn't feel the sting from 2017's disasters at all. 1. Everest Re Group Everest Re provides reinsurance solutions to a wide variety of property and casualty insurers and had significant exposure to 2017's natural disasters. In the third quarter, the company had losses of $1.2 billion related to the year's major hurricanes and the Mexico City earthquake -- a pretty large amount for a company with a market cap of less than $10 billion. As a result, the company's stock plunged, and it currently trades for roughly 15% less than it did before the losses were revealed. However, Everest is a strong reinsurer that should do just fine over the long run. The company is well capitalized and has excellent credit ratings (A+/A1 from S&P and Moody's). Over the past five years, Everest's book value per share has grown by 75% on 41% growth in gross written premiums. And over the past two decades, the company has operated at an average 11.8% return on equity and has grown shareholder value at a compound annual rate of 12.4%. 2. Berkshire Hathaway Although it's not a pure play on the reinsurance business, no discussion of the industry's best companies would be complete without mentioning Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate led by Warren Buffett. Insurance has been Berkshire's core business for some time. In fact, the reason for the company's long-term success is savvy investing of its insurance business' float. And although its Geico auto insurance subsidiary is perhaps the best-known component of its insurance business, reinsurance makes up more than two-thirds of the company's insurance operations, in terms of float size. Geico is actually Berkshire's third-largest insurance subsidiary, behind the Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group and General Re. Berkshire wasn't immune to the disaster-related losses by any means. In fact, the company said it lost $3 billion (pre-tax) to natural disasters during the third quarter, more than most analysts had been expecting. Even Geico took a big hit. However, Berkshire's collection of dozens of non-insurance subsidiaries and its massive stock portfolio have helped to lessen the impact, and this diversification should continue to provide some cushion if another bad year for reinsurers happens. In fact, Berkshire's stock price is up 31% over the past year, handily beating the S&P 500. 3. Reinsurance Group of America Given the major catastrophe losses plaguing other reinsurers, it may seem odd at first that Reinsurance Group of America's stock price has risen by 24% over the past year. However, the company focuses on the life and health insurance industries, not property-casualty, so the impact of the disasters was minimal. In fact, while most of the industry reported massive losses in the third quarter, Reinsurance Group of America (also known as RGA) reported EPS that increased by 13% year over year. As of the end of 2017, RGA has approximately $3.3 trillion of life reinsurance in force, is the third-largest life and health insurer in the world by revenue, and is the only pure-play life and health reinsurer with global operations. About 61% of the company's revenue comes from the U.S. and Latin America, with the other 39% coming from many international markets. RGA has an excellent track record of creating shareholder value. Over the past 15 years, the company has grown book value per share total returns at a 11.4% annualized rate, and since its 1993 IPO, the company has generated roughly double the return of the S&P 500. 10 stocks we like better than Berkshire Hathaway (A shares)When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Berkshire Hathaway (A shares) wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of January 2, 2018 Matthew Frankel owns shares of Berkshire Hathaway (B shares). The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Berkshire Hathaway (B shares). The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. A New York judge rejected a bail request Monday for a prominent Hong Kong businessman charged in a United Nations-linked bribery scandal, saying he was too great a risk to flee. U.S. District Judge Katherine B. Forrest, who set trial for Nov. 5, listened to more than an hour of arguments before saying no bail conditions could guarantee Dr. Chi Ping Patrick Ho would be at his trial. The 68-year-old Ho, once Hong Kong's home affairs secretary, was arrested in November. He has pleaded not guilty to charges that he helped arrange millions of dollars in bribes to the president of Chad and the Ugandan foreign minister on behalf of a Chinese energy conglomerate to secure business advantages. His defense lawyer, Edward Kim, insisted his client would never try to flee. He said Ho "would rather be convicted at trial than flee in disgrace." The judge, though, said she viewed the evidence as "extremely strong" and believed it might motivate him to flee. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Richenthal said Ho is trading emails regularly from prison with the company that's central in the case against him, "talking about mounting a public relations campaign for his case" and talking about the company. The prosecutor said claims from abroad, including anonymous sources from the company itself, that the prosecution is politically motivated, "gives us great concern." He said he believes those abroad who believe the prosecution is unfair might be motivated to help Ho escape the United States. He said it would not be hard to flee because an electronic bracelet can be easily cut off and he also can seek refuge at the embassies of countries with no extradition treaty with the United States. Forrest also said she was concerned about claims from abroad that the prosecution is politically motivated. "It might not be embarrassing to flee to Hong Kong if you think the current prosecution was politically motivated," she said. Authorities have said Ho and a co-defendant conspired in October 2014 to bribe the African government officials after wiring almost $1 million through New York's banking system. They say the Ugandan scheme was created at the United Nations in New York when Uganda's current foreign minister served as president of the U.N. General Assembly. Boeing (NYSE: BA) is thriving today, thanks in part to strong demand for its latest and greatest commercial jets, but the company is also focused on the future. While many in the auto industry were accused of resting on their laurels as upstart Tesla stormed in with its electric-car offering, Boeing is taking steps to make sure history doesn't repeat itself in the aerospace business. The details Boeing's HorizonX venture capital unit last week announced an investment in Cuberg, a Berkeley, California-based battery development company. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the investment reportedly totaled about $2 million. The engineering challenge of electric flight is more complicated than electrifying cars, because of the heavy energy demand from a propulsion system powerful enough to keep a large plane at altitude, the risk of catastrophe should there be a fire, and the importance of keeping weight to a minimum. Current batteries are simply too heavy -- and potentially too unstable -- to be deployed in a commercial jet. That's where Cuberg comes in. The company is developing a lithium metal anode, proprietary electrolyte, and high-voltage cathode battery that it hopes will be lighter and less flammable than what is now available, with what Boeing HorizonX head Steve Nordlund in a statement called "some of the highest energy density we've seen in the marketplace." The work is still early, with Cuberg expected to test its prototype before year's end, but Nordlund said "its unique chemistries could prove to be a safe, stable solution for future electric air transportation." Boeing could find uses for Culberg products beyond just commercial aviation should the batteries work as hoped. The company in 2016 acquired Liquid Robotics, a maker of ocean drones, and its defense arm could find applications for the batteries on various aircraft and deep-sea platforms. Joining HorizonX in what was described as a second-seed round is existing investor HPC Energy Services, a Calgary-based integrated oil and gas product and service company that hopes to use Cuberg batteries to power in its future gear. Established in April 2015, Cuberg, according to Boeing, also has a "multimillion-dollar joint development agreement" with an unnamed battery manufacturer. Placing bets This is HorizonX's eighth investment since being formed last April, and its first focused on batteries. The company last year invested an undisclosed amount in Zunum, a Washington-state based start-up that hopes to build 10- to 50-seat hybrid-electric aircraft that could more affordably serve commercial service to smaller markets. JetBlue Technology Ventures, a unit of JetBlue Airways, is also an investor in Zunum. HorizonX has also invested in start-ups focused on artificial intelligence, next-generation alloys, testing and training simulators, and autonomous flight projects. The plan for Boeing, as the giant incumbent in an established industry, is to be a part of any disruptive change in aerospace technology instead of being caught off guard by it. "Our ability to identify, shape, and harness game-changing innovations wherever they are developed is key to sustaining and growing our leadership in aerospace," company Chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said last year. "Boeing HorizonX is tasked with ensuring we are fully engaged with opportunities from early-stage companies, market trends, and emerging technologies while also fostering more rapid and effective internal innovation." One for the future While the prospects of electric flying are enticing, don't expect Boeing to become the Tesla of the skies anytime soon. Cuberg's technologies may prove to be the breakthroughs needed in terms of battery weight and performance, but even if so, it will take years, if not decades, before commercially viable electric planes are cruising the skies. Development work is needed in other areas as well. Boeing archrival Airbus in November teamed with Siemens and engine maker Rolls-Royce to develop a hybrid-electric propulsion system for commercial planes, part of a growing electrification partnership between Airbus and Siemens. These moves by the industry are the early steps of a transformation, and not anything that is going to affect the bottom line anytime soon. Fortunately for Boeing investors, its current lineup of jets, including the 737 and 787, are selling strong, leading to a phenomenal year for the company. With free cash flow totaling $2.5 billion during the recently completed quarter and $11.6 billion for all of 2017, Boeing can afford to make investments like Cuberg to try to help future-proof its business. 10 stocks we like better than BoeingWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Boeing wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of January 2, 2018 Lou Whiteman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends JetBlue Airways. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Highway tolls, spending cuts and a range of tax changes, including a higher levy on cigarettes and a 25-cent-per-bottle deposit on wine and liquor, are part of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's final state budget proposal. Malloy, a Democrat, unveiled the details of the $20.73 billion plan on Monday, two days before he will address the General Assembly in his last State of the State address. He is not seeking a third term in office. He said fiscal integrity remains the "guiding principal" in the adjustments his administration is proposing to square the budget, which begins July 1. It's the second year of the two-year bipartisan budget agreement lawmakers approved in October, which he estimates is now out of balance by $266 million. "Our main objective in this proposal is to provide legislators with workable solutions that will bring the budget into balance and keep it there," Malloy said. Malloy said his plan reduces future projected state budget deficits by half, but red ink will still remain. Deficits of $1.3 billion, $1.4 billion and nearly $1.5 billion would be expected in fiscal years 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively. Early reviews of the governor's proposed budget adjustments were mixed. "The reality is that, starting Wednesday, the legislature takes over, and we all know some of those ideas will likely survive and many won't," said House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin. This year's legislative session ends on May 9. Republican Senate Leader Len Fasano, of North Haven, had sharp criticism for the governor's proposal, which he said will move Connecticut backward after the steps Democratic and Republican lawmakers took in October to shed its reputation for being a high-tax state. "What the governor released today is nothing more than a continuation of his legacy of tax increases, economic decline and penalties on the most vulnerable," Fasano said. Malloy's budget proposal includes the following tax changes: While the plan doesn't increase the state's income tax or sales tax, it does repeal the sales tax exemption for nonprescription drugs. It also eliminates the $200 property tax credit against the personal income tax. It increases the cigarette tax from $4.35 per pack to $4.60 per pack. The plan includes possible legislation that would cushion the impact of the federal tax bill's elimination of state and local tax deductions. For example, cities and towns would be allowed to set up charitable organizations to which taxpayers could donate their property taxes to obtain the federal tax deduction. An estimated 181,000 Connecticut taxpayers are expected to be affected by the federal changes. The proposal would increase the state's gasoline tax from 25 cents per gallon to 32 cents per gallon over four years, would impose a $3-per-tire fee for new tires in fiscal year 2019 and calls for statewide electronic tolling by fiscal year 2023 to help shore up the state's transportation fund and cover infrastructure fixes. Malloy is suggesting Connecticut become the first state in the region to impose a 25-cent deposit on wine and liquor bottles, a move he said could generate $13 million. Connecticut's so-called Bottle Bill currently applies to beer, carbonated soft drinks and noncarbonated beverages, including water. The budget adjustments also include the following spending reductions: Thirty-three of Connecticut's wealthiest communities would no longer receive various state grants, including for local education, under Malloy's plan. The move would save about $14 million. The communities would still be eligible for state aid to pay for school construction and local road repairs. Expected growth in local aid to municipalities also would be reduced. Malloy's plan includes $11.4 million in savings from the anticipated closure of the Connecticut Juvenile Training School in Middletown. Juvenile justice staffing also would be reduced, saving about $1.2 million. There is some limited new spending under Malloy's proposal. For example, he is calling for $100 million in additional state bonding to continue rehabilitation of the XL Center in Hartford, $5 million in additional funding to help people with developmental disabilities waiting for housing services, $1.5 million to improve prison inmate nutrition programs and $400,000 to continue providing temporary housing assistance to about 40 Puerto Rican families displaced by Hurricane Maria. Retail warehouse chain Sams Club is putting a heavier emphasis on its digital operations as competition with its own parent company, Walmart (NYSE:WMT), has caused growth to stall at brick-and-mortar venues. Walmart announced in January that it will close 63 of its 660 Sams Club locations, as it effected changes to its real estate portfolio to better align its locations with its strategy. They were under pressure from Walmart stakeholders ... because growth numbers had flattened out, James R. Bailey, professor at the George Washington University School of Business, told FOX Business. In the first quarter of Walmarts fiscal 2018, net operating income at its Sams Club division expanded just 0.2% year-over-year, while net sales rose 2.8%. Bailey added that Walmart stores are often positioned within miles of Sams Club locations, which produces internal competition and splits customers. While customers are split, the company is paying double to maintain the costs of both locations. Twelve of the impacted Sams Club locations will be transitioned into e-commerce fulfillment centers in order to speed delivery of online orders, as Sams Club looks to expand its online presence to compete in a marketplace that some of its rivals have already begun to thrive in. Costco, for example, reported in the first quarter that its online sales rose more than 40%, after expanding 21% in the fiscal quarter prior. BJs Wholesale Club, which offered discounted memberships to shoppers whose Sams Club locations were closing, has been strategic about the placement of its brick-and-mortar locations, Bailey said. However, the companys chief executive recently told the media that while his emphasis is still on physical trips, BJs has invested in its online presence as well. Meanwhile, e-commerce giant Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) reigns supreme in online sales, even entering the grocery sector last year with its acquisition of organic grocer Whole Foods Market (NYSE:WFM). Amazons dominant presence has put pressure on traditional retailers, which have struggled to keep up with rapidly shifting consumer tastes. However, Bailey believes there is enough room in the durable goods sector for all of these brands to survive the digital transition. The market is going to do nothing but grow I dont think Sams Club is going away, its retooling, Bailey said, adding that he is surprised Walmart has been so slow to make the digital transition. Walmart recently started to push further into the e-commerce sector, purchasing Jet.com in August 2016. Moving forward, additional Sams Club store closures could be possible if the company needs more distribution centers, Bailey noted. Something that differentiates these wholesale clubs and helps drive profits are membership dues. These fees create a steady stream of revenue whether the customer visits the store once a year or once a week. Amazon has a similar model with its Prime memberships. Looking further into the future, international markets could also provide a big opportunity for companies like Costco and Sams Club. Its a big space its just going to grow and grow, Bailey said. I spoke too soon. In the previous installment of this series, I stated that we were about to enter a fallow post-earnings season period with fewer dividend raises. Whoops. Last week we saw a fresh batch of raises, including three top names in their respective industries -- consumer-goods giant Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL), high-rolling casino operator Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ: WYNN), and powerhouse chipmaker Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM). Read on for the details. Colgate-Palmolive Saying that Colgate-Palmolive is raising its quarterly dividend is almost like saying the grass is green. The consumer-goods megalith is one of the most regal of the Dividend Aristocrats, with an annual dividend raise streak that stretches back over 50 years. The latest in a very long line of increases will see the company lift its payout by 5% to $0.42 per share. That's the good news. The bad news is the company's recent performance. In all, 2017 was a relatively weak year. Net sales inched up by only 1.7% to $15.5 billion, while adjusted net profit increased by over 4% to land at $2.5 billion. Cost-cutting and increased advertising spend were two of the key reasons for these fairly modest increases. My colleague Brian Stoffel has speculated that Colgate-Palmolive's long-established dividend might be at risk because of changes in technology and the shifting tastes of consumers. I think he's got a good argument there; although the company has sufficient cash flow to keep up those dividend raises for the time being, I'm not 100% sure this is a buy-and-hold-forever income play. Colgate-Palmolive's upcoming distribution is to be handed out on on May 15 to stockholders of record as of April 20. Its payout ratio is 56%, and it would yield 2.4% on the most recent closing stock price -- comfortably above the current 1.8% average yield of dividend-paying stocks on the S&P 500. Wynn Resorts 2018 has already been quite a year for Wynn Resorts. The company's top global region is on a serious upswing, yet its founder and namesake, Steve Wynn, stepped down abruptly, following allegations of sexual misconduct. Nonetheless, Wynn Resorts declared a dividend increase, saying its quarterly distribution would get a hefty 50% increase to $0.75 per share. These days, most of Wynn's take comes from the busy Chinese gaming enclave of Macau. After years of serious revenue declines because of a government crackdown on casino junket operators, the region has come roaring back. Its full-year 2017 take was 19% higher on a year-over-year basis, the first annual increase since 2013. This propelled Wynn's revenue 44% higher to just over $6.3 billion, while adjusted net profit rose by 62% to over $560 million. The loss of Steve Wynn, a towering figure in the industry, is going to sting. But the company is well primed for future growth; Macau should remain a vibrant market, while a new casino near Boston is scheduled to open its doors next year. But Wynn the company has a bright future ahead of it. Barring another government crackdown in Macau, I'd bet that the new dividend will at least be maintained for now. Wynn hasn't yet set the record and payment dates for the new dividend. Regardless, it would yield 1.6% and boast a payout ratio of only 36%. Qualcomm Qualcomm is dialing up a new quarterly dividend. The company has declared that its next payout will be $0.62 per share, a 9% increase. Qualcomm is very profitable, netting $1.5 billion in profit on $6 billion in revenue in its most recently reported quarter. It's a power player in the field of chips for mobile devices, and it draws much of its revenue from technology licensing activities. That's not what has driven up the stock's price over the past few months, however. In late 2017, acquisitive Asian chipmaker Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO) made a play to buy out Qualcomm with a mix of cash and stock. This and a subsequent higher bid from Broadcom were rejected, but the soap opera is still playing out. Complicating matters is Qualcomm's own acquisition activity. Apparently, it's about to land its own large takeover target, auto-computing specialist NXP Semiconductors. So there are deals whipsawing back and forth, and we don't yet know how the whole mess is going to settle. As for Qualcomm's internal resources, it has more than enough free cash flow to pay for this raised dividend, plus a round of share buybacks. Still, given that the company's future ownership and structure is up in the air, it's hard to gauge the viability of this new payout. Income investors should exercise caution here. The new $0.62-per-share amount will, in the company's words "be effective for quarterly dividends payable after March 21, 2018." It didn't get more specific. The theoretical yield is 3.9%, while the payout ratio stands at 63%. Positive development I like it when my pessimistic assumptions turn out wrong. Last week turned out to be another good one for dividend increases, after all. 2018 has been a great year for lifts so far. Let's hope that trend will last. 10 stocks we like better than QualcommWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Qualcomm wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of March 5, 2018 Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Qualcomm. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom Ltd and NXP Semiconductors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Since the election of Donald Trump, one sector of the S&P 500 has been notably absent from the subsequent stock rally. Versus S&P 500 returns of 33%, large telecommunications firms Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and AT&T (NYSE: T) have returned 14% and 1%, respectively. Perplexingly so, as this sector will disproportionally benefit from the president's signature tax cut legislation. As such, telecommunications providers remain true value plays. Now, we may be learning why investors have an aversion to the sector. According to a bombshell report from Axios, the Trump administration is considering nationalizing the wireless industry to compete with other countries, most notably China, which the report notes "has achieved a dominant position in the manufacture and operation of network infrastructure." You have two options, but you can only pick option one Per the document, there are two options for the nationalization of 5G communications. The first: The U.S. government pays for and builds the single network. The second option: Wireless providers build their own 5G networks that compete. According to Axios, though, "option two is not really an option at all," and it states that "a centralized network" is what's needed to compete with China. Option one is the more problematic choice. Per the memo, option one would entail having the federal government build out the network and then rent access to AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, although rate access fees were not discussed in the article. In the short run, this could be a positive for 5G rollout if the U.S. government picks up the tab for the capital expenditure build-out, but would most likely come at the expense of long-term innovation. As for investors, it would most likely be the most disruptive to Verizon, which has for years sold its superior network as what differentiates it from AT&T and T-Mobile. In the event a national 5G network is built with equal access for all wireless providers, then Verizon loses its advantage, and all providers will need to compete on price. Option two isn't much better, as it appears the federal government would get involved with project planning for private industry, as the memo wants a build-out within three years with no concerns about project profitability. This comes as the telecommunication industry is still struggling to justify the collective $275 billion in capital expenditures for 4G, as it has failed to produce significant returns. Essentially, it appears the Trump administration wants to convert the telecommunications sector to another public utility. Still in the planning phases In fairness to the Trump administration, there are benefits to other stakeholders from this potential action. The first is universal access to lightning-fast 5G. Rural areas, aka "Trump Country," continue to fall behind cities and urban areas in high-speed internet access, which hampers the ability to lure 21st-century companies and jobs to those areas. Second, the memo raises pertinent points. It's likely the economy of the next 20 years will rely heavily on big data, artificial intelligence, driverless cars, the Internet of Things, etc. The amount of data transmitted will be immense, and waiting for wireless providers to decide if it's profitable for them to build out the network, and where to build it, will continue to hurt us as an innovation-driven economy. It's important to note this plan is still in the embryonic phase, and most Washington plans rarely make it into laws and/or rulings. Additionally, it's likely this idea will face considerable opposition, most recently from Trump's appointed FCC commissioner, Ajit Pai. However, telecommunication providers and their investors should watch these actions closely because it's likely any governmental interference will lead to losses in the sector. 10 stocks we like better than Verizon CommunicationsWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Verizon Communications wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of January 2, 2018 Jamal Carnette, CFA owns shares of AT&T. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool recommends T-Mobile US. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Trucks may be expensive these days, but theyll protect your money better than any other vehicle. Just dont leave any cash sitting in the bed. According to the latest report from Kelly Blue Book, the top nine vehicles for resale value are pickup trucks and SUVs. FOLLOW FOX NEWS AUTOS ON FACEBOOK Toyota took the top three spots with the Tacoma and Tundra pickups followed by the 4Runner. The Tacoma is predicted to retain 69.6 percent of its value at the end of three years and 61.1 after five, with the other two trucks coming in at 64.7/54.2 and 65.8/54.2. The Toyotas were followed by the Jeep Wrangler, GMC Sierra, Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Colorado and Honda Ridgeline. Even the Hondas marks of 60/7/46.7 were better than the top car on the list, which was the low-volume Subaru WRX that the report says will be worth 56.8/46.2 of its original price by the time youre done making payments on it. Toyota won the award for best brand overall for the second year in a row, notching three additional category wins, but its Lexus division was dethroned as the top luxury brand for the first time in five years by Porsche. READ THE FULL LIST HERE Jeremy London has been arrested for domestic violence. The 45-year-old actor, who is best known for starring in the 1995 comedy Mallrats" and the television series "7th Heaven," was booked in Jackson County, Mississippi. Its unclear who may have also been involved in the incident. Reps for the 90s star did not immediately respond to Fox News request for comment. "London was released from the Jackson County Adult Detention Center at 7:40 central time [Friday] on a $2,500 bond," Sheriff Mike Ezell told Fox News in a written statement. "The charge against him is a misdemeanor that will be heard in Jackson County Justice Court." Jackson County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Marcia Hill also told the Sun Herald that London was arrested following a fight with his wife, Juliet London. Dominic Friesen, a representative for London, told TMZ that the arrest was a private matter. It is unclear if London has a lawyer. This isnt the first time London has had trouble with the law. The celebrity gossip site reported London was originally charged with domestic violence in 2012 after a fight with his estranged wife, 7th Heaven co-star Melissa Cunningham. He allegedly pulled her hair and hit her on the head. However, the charges were dismissed a year later. The pair appeared on Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew in 2011 in hopes of working out their marriage. The couple officially divorced in 2014. That same year, the UKs Daily Mail reported London went on to marry actress Juliet Reeves. They welcomed a son named Wyatt. London is the twin brother of fellow actor Jason London. He also starred in the television series "Party of Five" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Josh Campbell penned a New York Times Op-Ed on Friday, claiming he was leaving the FBI because of relentless attacks on the bureau, but on Monday he proved his column was disingenuous by quickly signing with CNN. CNN named Campbell the networks new law enforcement analyst, according to TVNewser, and he will reportedly start immediately. However, industry insiders are quick to point out that deals with on-air analysts dont simply appear out of thin air, especially over a weekend, so CNN and Campbell were presumably in cahoots before he tried to pin his departure from the FBI on attacks that undermine not just Americas premier law enforcement agency but also the nations security. I am reluctantly turning in my badge and leaving an organization I love. Josh Campbell Campbell, who was special assistant to former FBI Director James Comey, penned his essay amid increased scrutiny on the FBI from Republicans following the release of Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., memo. I am reluctantly turning in my badge and leaving an organization I love, Campbell wrote in the Op-Ed. A small number of my current and retired colleagues have said that we should simply keep our heads down until the storm passes. I say this with the greatest respect: They are wrong. Its safe to assume that most of his current and retired colleagues dont have cushy gigs as a CNN commentator waiting for them. He now joins a significant number of outspoken Trump critics employed by CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker. CNN did not respond to a request for comment. Campbell was a hero of the liberal media after he claimed his resignation is painful but necessary because the alternative of remaining quiet while the bureau is tarnished for political gain is impossible. He blamed political attacks on the bureau for his resignation but never mentioned that he was going to sign with CNN, or take a media job in general. The polarizing Nunes memo has been mocked by Comey, while President Trump and his supporters feel it vindicates him in the Russia probe. The FBI fought the release of the memo, which details alleged surveillance abuse by the FBI and Justice Department. Campbell appeared on CNN on Friday to explain why he was leaving the FBI -- but failed to mention he would soon be an employee of the network. While Campbell most likely had agreed to join CNN before he was even aware of the memos content, the now-former FBI employee had no problem using the document as a factor in his decision when he penned his Op-Ed in the Times. Comey may have even hinted at the move, tweeting that Campbell will be an important addition to the national conversation on Friday afternoon. Dozens of news organizations covered Campbells resignation, painting him as a man of integrity for leaving the bureau over reasons of principle, as opposed to bolting for a high-profile TV gig. Pro-Campbell headlines that have been published since his Op-Ed appeared include Special assistant to Comey quits FBI with powerful message against GOP attacks and FBI agent in Op-Ed says hes leaving over relentless attacks on the bureau. Its safe to assume Campbell wouldnt have gotten so much free publicity if he simply announced he was quitting the FBI to join CNN. He will provide punditry about crime, justice, breaking news and national security issues, according to TVNewser. Why are so many late-night talk-show hosts liberal? Just ask Jimmy Kimmel. Because it requires a level of intelligence, Kimmel, host of ABCs Jimmy Kimmel Live, told an audience Saturday night. The occasion was an episode of Pod Save America, an openly progressive podcast created by former Obama administration officials Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett and Daniel Pfeiffer. It describes itself as a no-bulls--- conversation about politics that breaks down the weeks news and helps people figure out what matters and how to help. Social media users quickly jumped to criticize Kimmel for equating conservative politics with a lack of intelligence. Really? Because Kimmel's a host and is stupid enough to think political party is a proxy for intelligence. Tribalism makes people dumb, Shoshana Weissmann wrote. National Review magazine columnist Dan McLaughlin tweeted: This is what Kimmel, a college dropout, really thinks of anyone who isn't liberal & watches his show. That moment when Jimmy Kimmel called half the country (and his potential audience) unintelligent, Josh Jordan wrote. Kimmel has long attacked Republican-minded people, saying last year that he would not be too upset if Republican-leaning viewers stopped watching his show over his views on health care and guns. As a talk show host, [losing viewers is] not ideal, but I would do it again in a heartbeat," Kimmel told CBS. "I don't say I don't mind. ... I want everyone with a television to watch the show. But if they're so turned off by my opinion on health care and gun violence, then I don't know, I probably wouldn't want to have a conversation with them anyway," he added. "Not good riddance, but riddance." Kimmel also received assistance from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in helping to criticize the GOP's Obamacare replacement plan, which was introduced by Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C, and Bill Cassidy, R-La., according to the Daily Beast. Schumer reportedly provided technical guidance and info about the bill, as well as stats from various think tanks and experts on the effects of [the bill]. Natalee Holloway's mom is suing Oxygen Media saying the network used false pretenses to get a sample of her DNA. In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Beth Holloway claims the NBC-owned channel told her that people associated with a docuseries about her daughter discovered what they believed were Natalee Holloway's remains in Aruba. As a result, the show requested a DNA sample from Beth Holloway. The sample was used during the taping of Oxygen's six-part docuseries titled "The Disappearance of Natalee Holloway." Natalee Holloway went missing in Aruba in 2005. A judge declared her dead in 2012. Her mother states she believed the show had found her daughter's remains and therefore gave Oxygen a saliva sample. However, the skeletal remains did not end up belonging to Natalee. In fact, only one out of the four bone samples tested were found to be human remains. Her mother claims in the lawsuit that Oxygen lied to her and that she would never have participated in the series or provided DNA sample if she had known the truth. Natalee's father, Dave Holloway, was a big part of the series. Beth and Dave Holloway divorced in 1993, long before their daughter vanished. Dave Holloway traveled to Aruba with private investigator T.J. Ward for 18 months to search for Natalee's body. A rep for Oxygen told Fox News they were "disappointed to learn of the complaint and its inaccurate depiction of how the series was produced, and we want to reiterate our deep compassion and sympathy for all members of the Holloway family." Their statement continued, "The documentary series was developed by a production company in close collaboration with Dave Holloway and his long-time private investigator. The show followed his continued search to find answers about his daughter Natalee from a lead he had received. We had hoped, along with Mr. Holloway, that the information was going to provide closure." Natalee's father spoke to Fox News in August 2017 while awaiting the DNA test results. He told us at the time he was not optimistic it would yield answers. "Weve chased a lot of leads and you have your hopes up, but when they fall through, you basically go to a funeral. Over and over again," he said. "So you have a wall built up, which I do, and so you just wait and see and try not to think about it. And thats the only way I can cope with it. Im sure when that day comes very soon Ill probably be disappointed once again, if its not [Natalee's]." Joran Van der Sloot, a Dutch national, has long been considered a suspect in the case. In the Oxygen series, Dave Holloway met with an informant who was friends with an individual who had personal knowledge from Joran van der Sloot." Van der Sloot is currently in a Peruvian prison serving a 28-year sentence for killing business student Stephany Flores. Flores was killed just five years after Natalee Holloway vanished. Peter Turner has zero regrets falling in love with Oscar-winning actress Gloria Grahame in the late 70s when he was nearly 30 years younger than her at age 26. Grahame passed away at age 57 in 1981 from cancer. Their relationship, which the British writer and director chronicled in his memoir, Film Stars Dont Die in Liverpool, has been turned into a film of the same title. It stars Oscar-nominated actress Annette Bening as Grahame. EXCLUSIVE: ANNETTE BENING SAYS SHE 'ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A MOM' BEFORE SHE DREAMED OF PURSUING ACTING Turner recently told Closer Weekly he first met the famous blonde during a British stage production in 1978. By then, the star of Its a Wonderful Life and Oklahoma! was a fading Hollywood star looking to revive her career as an actress. It was the most wonderful relationship, he explained. It changed my life enormously and resonates with me even now. And when Turner first met Grahame, she had already faced plenty of hardships with love. According to the magazine, the Bad and Beautiful actress had already four failed marriages under her belt, including to director Nicholas Ray and his son Tony Ray. The Hollywood Reporter revealed Nicholas had allegedly caught Grahame in bed with his 13-year-old son, Tony, from his first marriage after he returned from military school. That scandal would reportedly cause the marriage to end in 1952. The magazine added Grahame married Tony nine years later and they shared two children. The couple divorced in 1974. Grahame spent her final years focusing on television and British theater, as well as raising her children away from Hollywood scandal. It affected her big time, and I dont think its anything she ever got over, said Turner. But she was brave, courageous, and continued trying to work as an actress The idea of love meant a lot to her. She wrote me a lovely letter that said, In this life, when we die, its only loving thats important.' Closer Weekly added the couple remained together for more than three years. And when Grahame was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer, she reportedly stayed by Turners side in Liverpool. The New York Times previously reported Grahame died at St. Vincents Hospital in Manhattan after arriving aboard a commercial flight from London. Dr. William R. Grace revealed at the time Grahame slipped into shock aboard the flight and physicians on the plane said her death was imminent. Turner said Grahame would be content with having their romance depicted on the big screen so that audiences can finally understand the woman behind the wisecracking persona. She learned about love in her lifetime, and she was honest and true, said Turner. She would be terribly honored and proud by this film being made. Its bringing a lot of attention back to Gloria, which is lovely, isnt it? Uma Thurman posted the dramatic footage of the car crash she suffered while filming the 2003 movie Kill Bill," which she says put a strain on her relationship with director Quentin Tarantino. While the star believes the director has made things right, she called out three people she still holds responsible, including now-disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. Thurman first discussed the car crash in a revealing New York Times article in which she detailed her experience with Weinstein and made claims he sexually assaulted her. In the article, she revealed that the crash, which can be seen below, was the result of utter negligence on the set and a disregard for her safety. She even detailed how Tarantino convinced her to do the stunt despite her misgivings. The steering wheel was at my belly and my legs were jammed under me, she said of the moments after her car skid out of control and slammed into a palm tree. I felt this searing pain and thought, Oh my God, Im never going to walk again. The star says that the incident left her with permanent neck and knee damage. Thurman said that she and Tarantino fought for years over the footage, which he initially refused to give her. However, he eventually relented and the star noted in her latest post that he seems to regret his role in the calamity. Quentin Tarantino, was deeply regretful and remains remorseful about this sorry event, and gave me the footage years later so I could expose it and let it see the light of day, she wrote in her caption. Regardless of it most likely being an event for which justice will never be possible. Tarantino responded late Monday in an interview with Deadline. She wanted clarity on what happened in that car crash, after all these years. She asked, could I get her the footage? I had to find it, 15 years later. We had to go through storage facilities, pulling out boxes, he said. The director continued, I came in there all happy telling her she could totally do it, it was a straight line, you will have no problem. Umas response wasOkay. Because she believed me. Because she trusted me. I told her it would be okay. I told her the road was a straight line. I told her it would be safe. And it wasnt. I was wrong. Thurman explained she was proud of the director for doing the right thing and releasing the footage with full knowledge that it might hurt him. She did not, however, let producers Lawrence Bender, E. Bennett Walsh and Weinstein off the hook. Thurman named all three solely responsible. Additionally, she alleges that they engaged in a cover up designed to suppress the incident from ever getting out. They lied, destroyed evidence, and continue to lie about the permanent harm they caused and then chose to suppress, she wrote. The cover up did have malicious intent, and shame on these three for all eternity. Thurman said her lawyer sent Weinsteins company, Miramax, a letter summarizing the event and reserving the right to sue. The company offered to show her the footage on the condition she signed a document releasing them of any consequences for any future pain and suffering. She refused. Indra Nooyi, the CEO of PepsiCo, told WNYCs Freakonomics last week that Frito-Lay a subsidiary of the soda giant would release a low-crunch female-friendly version of Doritos because, she claimed, women would prefer to eat politely in public. But after the idea received harsh criticism online, the company is now contradicting her statements. In the interview, Nooyi told host Stephen Dubner that men lick their fingers with great glee after eating Doritos chips, and when they reach the bottom of the bag they pour the little broken pieces into their mouth, because they dont want to lose that taste of the flavor, and the broken chips in the bottom. MCDONALD'S FRENCH FRIES CONTAIN CHEMICAL THAT MAY CURE BALDNESS, STUDY SAYS Women would love to do the same, the CEO said, but they choose not to because they dont like to crunch too loudly in public. She continued, They dont lick their fingers generously and they dont like to pour the little broken pieces and the flavor into their mouth. Nooyi, when asked if the company is looking to create male and female versions of the chips, said that its not a male and female thing, but did add: Are there snacks for women that can be designed and packaged differently? The answer is yes, according to Nooyi, and the company is preparing to launch chips for women that will be low-crunch with a full taste profile that will not have so much of the flavor stick on the fingers and can fit in a handbag because women love to carry a snack in their purse. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS When asked about Nooyis comments and the new chips, a spokesperson for PepsiCo told Fox News the reporting on a specific Doritos product for female consumers is inaccurate. We already have Doritos for women theyre called Doritos, and theyre enjoyed by millions of people every day. At the same time, we know needs and preferences continue to evolve and were always looking for new ways to engage and delight our consumers, the spokesperson said. While the company seems to be sending contradictory messages about whether or not it will release a new low crunch women-friendly chip, the Internet seems to be largely against the idea, mocking it on social media. A cafe is dishing out scoops of the world's most dangerous ice cream -- which is so hot that customers need to sign a disclaimer. The Aldwych Cafe and ice cream parlour launched a Valentine's Day ice cream special called "Respiro Del Diavolo" (Breath of the Devil). But the frozen treat is so spicy that customers must be 18 years of age or older and sign a legal waiver before it is handed over the counter. Words in the disclaimer mention having the ice cream "could be a risk of personal injury, illness and possible loss of life." And staff at the cafe even need to wear gloves when they dish out scoops. The handmade treat comes in at a whopping 1,569,300 SHU on the Scoville scale -- a measurement of the pungency (spicy heat) of chilli peppers. NO MEN ALLOWED ON EXOTIC WELLNESS ISLAND IN FINLAND It means the ice cream is 500 times hotter than Tabasco sauce. The family business based in Glasgow, Scotland says the idea behind it comes from Italy. Lee Bandoni, 38, brother of Cafe owner Martin, said: "It started in Italy. "There was a place called Devils Bridge and with that, the Italian ice cream families used to meet up once a year and discuss how the year went for them. "At that point, if there were any men that showed bravery then they would eat this ice cream. So, because of the Devils Bridge, they called this the Breath of the Devil. "Every year it still happens over there and this year when Martin was away earlier in the month he brought back the idea that was passed down to him. "The recipe is very secret, very few of us know it and when the time is right Martin's children will get to find out about it and they will go to Italy and learn the ins and outs of it." The ice cream itself is a traditional Italian recipe from 1936 and is made from scratch every day using local ingredients and certain elements from Italy. The brothers said they look forward to seeing what it will bring to the people across the country. PRO GOLFER PAIGE SPIRANAC CLAIMS SHE GETS DEATH THREATS FOR SHOWING HER CLEAVAGE Lee added: "This is the first one in Scotland and we know that people in Glasgow love spicy stuff. "We had to check with the standards agency to explain what was in it and explain that it is like a thermal nuclear explosion in your mouth. "That took a bit of time to get it sorted but they were happy as long as we included a disclaimer. "Our family in Italy see it as an honour to bring something like this here." Martin Bandoni, 50, Aldwych Cafe owner, said: "We wear gloves for protection, chilli can have different effects on the skin especially if you leave it for too long. "Our ice cream is just a standard price just like the rest of our ice creams. It's 2 (about $2.83) for a scoop in a tub and a cone is 1.90 ($2.69). "There's no premium to be paid for it, just a standard price. We wouldn't overcharge our customers. "They call the flavour a cream spice but it's really a flavour sensation, it's almost to trick your brain, well that's the whole idea for it. "I think everyone is different when they taste it because we hear various types of suggestions." FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Lee added: "A lot of Italian guys go and have a romantic evening with their girlfriends or wives and they will have some this ice cream because it is a well-known fact that chilli is an aphrodisiac and it is nice with a glass of wine bubbling in your mouth. "So we will sell it here until just after Valentine's Day, people should come try it." NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! With the release of the Nunes Memo, America is engaged in yet another round of debate over the Steele dossier and the FBIs handling of its contents. Predictably, responses are falling on partisan lines, with Republicans hammering the FBIs senior leadership while Democrats remain strongly supportive. If youre wondering whos right, the preponderance of evidence leans towards the Republicans. Heres why. For the past year, the GOP has argued that the senior leadership of the nations intelligence community the FBI, CIA, NSA, and ODNI has been biased in its engagement of matters related to Trump. Their concerns include: Strzok & Page: Senior FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page have caused great consternation over their private text messages. Strzok, a self-described conservative Democrat, was a long-time counterintelligence agent with lead assignments on three key investigations. These included 1) the Hillary Clinton email scandal, 2) the Michael Flynn inquiry, and 3) the special counsels investigation into possible Trump Russia collusion. His influence at the FBI is hard to understate. According to the New York Times, Strzok was one of the most experienced and trusted agents within the entire organization. Meanwhile, his colleague and secret lover Ms. Page served as an attorney within the Bureaus Office of the General Counsel and, for a time, on Robert Muellers investigation. She was also a Clinton supporter. Its also a dubious political strategy. If senior FBI officials are rightfully under indictment next November rather than Trump, election night may not be as kind to The Resistance as one might hope. In exchanges between Strzok and Page, both expressed views that are at the very least wildly inappropriate given their roles. For example, Page and several FBI colleagues discussed a vague path forward where candidate Trump would never be elected. Strzok was unconvinced. Im afraid we cant take that risk, he said, before making an equally cryptic reference about needing an insurance policy instead. Page went on to say that Strzok should focus on protect(ing) the country from that menace (Trump). Her paramour agreed, adding, I can protect our country at many levels. In another exchange, Page warned Strzok that the FBI might be too aggressive in its investigation of Clinton and her handling of classified emails. Page feared that the Democratic nominee would likely strike back in vengeance after she became president. The last thing you need [is] going in there loaded for bear, Page said. You think shes going to remember or care that it was more [DOJ] than [FBI]? McCabe: Recently departed FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe also faces concerns of bias. First, his wife received political donations from a group tied to Hillary Clinton during a failed bid for the Virginia state senate in 2016. Additionally, he may have been present when Strzok and Page discussed the aforementioned path and related insurance policy. Why? According to text messages, the meeting where the conversation was held was in Andys office. This may or may not have been Andrew Andy McCabe. The Ohrs: Department of Justice (DOJ) senior official Bruce Ohr and his wife Nellie also have peculiar connections to the Russia dispute. Mr. Ohr met with Mr. Steele both before and after the FBI dismissed the British national for exposing his dossier to the media. He also relayed Steeles information to other officials within the FBI. Mrs. Ohr, for her part, conducted opposition research on Trump on behalf of her employer, Fusion GPS. Mr. Ohr shared this reporting with FBI colleagues too. Comey: Former FBI Director James Comey has acknowledged that, on at least one occasion, he served as an unauthorized source for a New York Times story critical of the president. Recall that Comey possessed numerous memos regarding his meetings with Trump, with some of those interactions leaving him alarmed. But rather than pass the memos to Congress, he provided them first to a friend in New York with instructions to relay them to the Times. This conduct was a clear violation of FBI rules and protocol. It was also a possible violation of U.S. law given the sensitive, proprietary nature of the information leaked. Comey, Brennan, & Clapper: In January 2017, Director Comey was also involved in another worrying episode when he, then-CIA Director John Brennan, and then-DNI James Clapper briefed the Steele dossier to a large number of elected officials in D.C. As the New York Times highlighted, this move was odd in that, by spreading the dossiers uncorroborated allegations, Comey and company virtually assured the dossier would leak and be given a degree of credibility that it didnt otherwise deserve. Their decision is all the more perplexing given that each of the men downplayed or rejected the dossiers claims within days of their briefing it. Mueller: Though Mueller is widely regarded as fair-minded, some of his team members may not be. Of Muellers 15 known staffers, nine have faced scrutiny over their donations to Democrats (in general) and Hillary Clinton (in particular). Meanwhile, some Republicans express discomfort at Muellers longtime friendship with Comey. Given the latters possible misdeeds, GOP officials worry that Mueller might not be able to separate his friendship from his investigation in the event Comey becomes a person of interest. For many Democrats, however, none of this warrants particular concern. Indeed, they argue that Trump and Republicans have engaged in nothing but partisan smears against a wholly innocent FBI. Indeed, some have gone so far as to warn Trump and Republicans about the consequences of angering the Bureau. Consider the words of CNN analyst and former CIA and FBI officer Phillip Mudd, who said the following just days ago when referring to the Russian collusion investigation: You think you can push us off this? You better think again, Mr. President, Mudd asserted. Youve been around for 13 months, weve been around since 1908. I know how this game is going to be played. Were going to win. None of this is to argue that Trump, his administration, or Republicans have acted with unquestioned integrity or even common sense during the Russian imbroglio. Trumps admission of firing Comey to stop the collusion investigation fanned fears of not just obstruction of justice but a hidden crime. The guilty pleas of former staffers Flynn and George Papadopoulos did nothing to dissuade those concerns. Moreover, the Nunes Memo may have highlighted FBI shenanigans but did nothing to dismiss the underlying allegations of treason. Accordingly, Republicans like Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., still support Muellers continued investigation. Reasonable people including 71 percent of Americans agree with him. But make no mistake, Republicans will continue in their efforts against the FBIs senior leadership. Part of that calculus is political, no doubt. But its also reflective of coming reports likely to support their claims of bias. Specifically, the DOJs Office of Inspector General is investigating many of the aforementioned allegations against Strzok, Page, McCabe, Ohr, and perhaps Comey. Those results should be released this spring. Its thus disappointing that Democrats in D.C. might minimize or dismiss the FBIs questionable behavior. Our democracy deserves an airing of the unvarnished truth, even if frustratingly helpful to a president in the other party. Its also a dubious political strategy. If senior FBI officials are rightfully under indictment next November rather than Trump, election night may not be as kind to The Resistance as one might hope. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! The memo released Friday by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., is remarkably short and uncluttered, and more people should be reading it than talking about it. Since that doesn't often happen in Washington, here are the basics: In October, 2016, Carter Page, who was briefly a Trump campaign operative, was placed under electronic surveillance by the FBI as the result of a warrant issued by the special court created by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The Nunes memo does not quote the warrant, but it does indicate that the surveillance hoped to obtain derogatory information on Donald Trumps ties to Russia. Collusion, in other words. Step backward for a moment and look at the Act. FISA actually dates to 1978, and emerged from the controversies over President Nixons free-wheeling use of federal agencies to spy on political opponents. FISA limited the objects of such surveillance to any agent of a foreign government...engaged in international terrorism or...the international proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. It also permits surveillance of U.S. citizens suspected of acting for or on behalf of foreign governments. But in that case, a warrant from a special FISA court is required, along with a sign-off by the FBI Director and the Attorney General. Now, lets understand the target: who is Carter Page? He is a 1993 U.S. Naval Academy graduate who served in the Navy for five years (much of it in intelligence-gathering activities), afterward went to work for Merrill Lynch, and eventually set up his own small-scale energy consulting firm with ties to the Russian natural-gas developer, Gazprom. In March, 2016, then-candidate Donald Trump named Page to his five-member foreign policy adviser team. This lasted only until September. Page made no secret of his enthusiasm for the Russian annexation of Crimea and Russias Ukraine policy, and this eventually prompted a letter in August from the Senates Democratic minority leader, Harry Reid, asking for an investigation of Page as an example of the methods Russia is using to influence the Trump campaign. A month later, Page was gone. A month after that, the FBI sought the FISA warrant. Just as in Watergate, the actual details of the Page warrant turn out to be banal a small-time burglary, a low-level political operative. They were both the equivalent of using a 2x4 to swat a fly. That prompts a second question: why Carter Page? Page was so low-level a player, and so far from having any involvement with international terrorism or weapons of mass destruction that only something unusually frightening about him would seem to justify a FISA warrant. But the evidence in this application consisted (in essential part) of a dossier assembled by a foreign intelligence operative, Christopher Steele, and funded to the tune of $160,000 by the Democratic National Committee. Just how much of the FISA warrant application was comprised of the dossier is not specified in the Nunes memo. But the exact percentage may not matter, since the FBIs then-deputy director, Andrew McCabe, testified before Nunes House committee in December that no surveillance warrant would have been sought from the FISA court without the Steele dossier information. This does not make the FBI or the top officials of the Justice Department look particularly good. In effect, they presented to a FISA court shabby evidence gathered by a foreign intelligence operative from foreign sources on a bit-player on the Trump political team who, by the time the warrant was issued, was no longer even part of that team. This smacks of precisely the Nixon-style enemies list surveillance which FISA was supposed to prevent. Ironically, the dossier that was used to obtain the surveillance warrant on Page had more Russian collusion fingerprints on it than Page himself did. Whats more damaging, however, is Nunes assertion that a variety of DOJ officials, indiscreet enough to reveal their animus for Donald Trump, knew quite well that the dossier was hired political gossip when they made the application. Lets be clear: there are some conclusions the Nunes memo does not justify. It does not automatically derail the Mueller investigation (although it throws a birds-of-a-feather shadow over it). It does not relieve the Trump campaign and administration from the embarrassment of having made a number of unwise hires. And it does not point any fingers directly at Hillary Clinton and her campaign. The DNCs hiring of foreign intelligence operatives to perform opposition research raises questions that involve federal election laws, but that is not what is at stake here. What the Nunes memo does indicate is a spirit of politicization within the Justice Department, starting in the waning months of the Obama administration, which falls to levels not seen since Watergate. Just as in Watergate, the actual details of the Page warrant turn out to be banal a small-time burglary, a low-level political operative. They were both the equivalent of using a 2x4 to swat a fly. The real danger is that the 2x4 could be used with so little hesitation. Which means that it could be used on you and me. Thats worth worrying about. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Now that we know what the declassified House memo says about government misconduct, we also know what it means: The Washington swamp the deep state is bigger, more vicious and more dangerous to American liberty than even a cynic could have imagined. Because of the memo and previous revelations, we know that swamp creatures are embedded in the top of the FBI and the Department of Justice. Some used their power to try to tip a presidential campaign based on their personal politics. They conducted a sham investigation of the Democratic candidate and misled federal judges to spy on at least one associate of her Republican challenger. To block exposure of their misdeeds, these officials falsely claimed that national security would be damaged. Add that despicable lie issued in the name of the FBI itself to their shameful records. Thanks to the battle over the memo, we also know with 100 percent certainty that the mainstream media is part of the swamp. The efforts by The New York Times and The Washington Post, among others, to keep the memo from ever seeing sunshine were appalling. Before it saw the memo, the Times editorial page called it proof of The Republican Plot Against the FBI. A Washington Post columnist warned President Trump he would be making a historic mistake in releasing it. To the Trump haters, these facts dont matter. He is, in their minds, unfit to be president, so nothing short of assassination is out of bounds. Presidents dont win fights with the FBI, Eugene Robinson wrote, seemingly endorsing the blackmailing habits of the disgraced J. Edgar Hoover. Oddly, the campaign by those papers coincided with the celebration of their roles in releasing the Pentagon Papers nearly 50 years ago, as heroically depicted in the movie The Post. Then, those papers took great risks in standing up for the First Amendment in the face of government threats and financial pressures. Now, those same papers take the side of butt-covering secrecy and demonize those who demand transparency. Those organizations are betraying their legacies and their duties as journalists. They share with corrupt officials a hatred of Donald Trump and believe that ending his presidency justifies any and all means. Their motives are as partisan as that of the Democrats who fought tooth and nail to scuttle the memo. Talk about being on the wrong side of history. The details of the memo make a strong case that current and former officials committed crimes by misleading FISA court judges in seeking four surveillance warrants against Carter Page, a bit player in the Trump campaign orbit. Those details seal the sordid legacy of former FBI Director James Comey. He signed off on three warrant requests, reportedly without informing the judges that the essential piece of evidence against Page was the infamous Russian dossier paid for by Hillary Clintons campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Months later, Comey himself told Congress the dossier was salacious and unverified, yet was secretly willing to use it in court against Page. Its author, Christopher Steele, a former British spy, never went to Russia to interview his paid sources, some of whom were Kremlin officials. Did the judges know any of that before letting the FBI read Pages emails and listen to his phone calls? Steele was hired by the FBI, then fired when he shared his dossier with the press and lied about it. He also confided to an agent that he loathed Trump and was passionate about him not being president. Did the agent, Bruce Ohr, whose wife worked for the same firm as Steele, Fusion GPS, tell the judges that? Did Comey? The memo says no. Without knowing that partisan link, the court was deprived of evidence that would have called into question the surveillance request. Indeed, the memo claims that Andrew McCabe, the former deputy FBI director removed for his conduct during the separate Clinton investigation, testified that no warrant would have been sought without the Steele dossier information. Not incidentally, current FBI Director Christopher Wray and his team read the memo before it was released, and did not dispute McCabes claim. To the Trump haters, these facts dont matter. He is, in their minds, unfit to be president, so nothing short of assassination is out of bounds. Yet it is a mistake to view the memos revelations through the lens of whether you like Trump, or what you think of Carter Page. The ultimate issues are no more limited to them than were other landmark moments in American history limited by the personal interests of the parties involved. The case in which Nazis were permitted to march in the Jewish neighborhood of Skokie, Ill., was not an approval of Nazis. The issue was whether repugnant speech has the same rights as popular speech. The Supreme Court effectively said it did in a 1977 ruling that strengthened First Amendment rights for all Americans. Similarly, the Miranda warning that allows a suspect in police custody to remain silent to avoid self-incrimination stems from a case involving a hideously violent criminal. Ernesto Miranda ultimately was convicted of kidnapping and rape, yet all suspects, innocent and guilty, benefit from the 1966 Supreme Court ruling in his favor. Rulings like those weave the Founders ideals of equality into the fabric of contemporary life and make America the beacon of hope to the world. Something even larger is now at stake. Trump is the great disrupter who has overthrown the established political order like no one in modern history, and many opponents have lost their bearings in resisting his presidency. In their rage and bigotry, they are willing to abandon fundamental principles. We only know this because he won the election; none of this shocking misconduct would have been revealed under a Hillary Clinton presidency. The claims in the memo that FBI and Justice officials acted corruptly should concern all fair-minded Americans, regardless of political preference. Those claims force us to ask whether we are a nation of laws that apply equally to all. If not, we are no longer America. We are a banana republic where its acceptable for the government to use its police powers against political opponents. The choice we face is especially stark given that the case at hand potentially implicates other top aides to former President Barack Obama. Recall that Page and others linked to Trump were accused of having ties to Russia, then their names were leaked to the media in a bid to sway the election and then to topple the president. There may be other flimsy FISA applications covering other Trump associates we dont yet know about. The memo is a giant step in uncovering what appears to be an unprecedented conspiracy, but it is not the endgame. More documents, congressional hearings, investigations and criminal prosecutions are unavoidable. Hysterical Trump haters greeted the memos release by declaring that we face a constitutional crisis. They are right and they are creating it. To read more Michael Goodwin on the New York Post click here. As the investigation into Russias involvement in the 2016 election continues, President Trumps former campaign adviser Carter Page has found himself at the center of the controversy. Page was asked last year by congressional investigators to turn over records from the past seven years pertaining to Russian contacts and communications. And Page also was the subject of a surveillance warrant obtained by the FBI and Department of Justice as part of their probe, according to a memo released by House Republicans earlier this month. Heres a look at who Page is and how hes connected to Trump and the Russia investigation. Who is Carter Page? Page, 46, is the founder and managing partner at Global Energy Capital LLC, an investment service company in New York. He was an investment banker for Merrill Lynch for seven years, having spent time in London and Moscow, in addition to New York, his biography on the companys website states. Much of Pages life is relatively unknown. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and has an MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business. What is his connection to Trump? Page is a former foreign policy adviser to Trump. He left the campaign after only a few months, following questions about his connections to Russian officials. He also was mentioned in former British spy Christopher Steele's controversial dossier -- a 35-page document he compiled for opposition research firm Fusion GPS. White House officials have sought to downplay the role he played in the campaign. "I did nothing that could even possibly be viewed as helping them in any way," Page has told Fox News about his conversations with Russian officials. He also told Fox News he became a liability pretty quick on the campaign because of his Russian connections. What do we know about Page's connections to Russian officials? Page spent three years in Moscow, where he opened a Merrill Lynch office, according to his biography. Russian intelligence agents once unsuccessfully tried to recruit Page as a spy in 2013, Foreign Policy has reported. Page contended that any information he shared with Russians was nothing more than "the same energy documents that [he] sent [and] gave" to his students at NYU. In a 2013 letter, Page bragged that he was an informal adviser to the Kremlin, TIME reported. He was questioned about his Russian contacts by the FBI in 2013, as well, according to the magazine. Page testified before the House Intelligence Committee that he had contact with a high-level Russian official while on a trip to Russia in 2016, according to transcripts of the hearing. During the trip, Page said he briefly said hello to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich. Page also testified that he had alerted then-Sen. Jeff Sessions now the U.S. attorney general of the trip he took to Russia, contradicting previous testimony given by Sessions. Additionally, Page testified that he did not have information about Russian election interference. Why was Page under surveillance? According to the memo released by the House Intelligence Committee earlier this year, the infamous Trump dossier "formed an essential part" of applications by the FBI and DOJ to spy on Page. The dossier claimed Page met with Russian oil magnate Igor Sechin; Page told Fox News that hes never met the man. In requesting the surveillance warrant, investigators did not reveal the partisan nature of the dossier or that it was paid for, at least in part, by the Democratic National Committee and the campaign for Hillary Clinton, the memo alleged. Republicans have said the memo showed improper surveillance techniques used by the Justice Department and FBI; Trump said the document totally vindicates him in the Russia probe. But Democrats hope to release their own rebuttal memo soon that purportedly shows distortions and inaccuracies in the first documents. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Clinton associates were "feeding" allegations to former British spy Christopher Steele at the same time he was compiling the controversial anti-Trump dossier paid for by the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign, according to an unclassified memo from senior Senate Republicans who recently made a criminal referral. Those Republicans, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., had asked the Justice Department in January to investigate Steele based on evidence they say suggests he lied to the FBI about his contacts with the media (a violation of 18 USC 1001) -- or the FBI misrepresented Steeles statements. The lawmakers are now asking the FBI for an emergency review of their criminal referral so it can be made public, with limited redactions. Steele already is under scrutiny over the unverified Trump dossier, which a House Intelligence Committee document released last Friday alleged was at the heart of the FBI and DOJs request for a surveillance warrant for a Trump associate. The memo from Grassley and Graham, which is now public for the first time, provides new insight into Steeles circle of contacts during that time. While heavily redacted, the memo states Steele said he received information that came from "a foreign sub-source who 'is in touch with (redacted), a contact of (redacted), a friend of the Clintons, who passed it to (redacted). "It is troubling enough that the Clinton Campaign funded Mr. Steele's work, but that these Clinton associates were contemporaneously feeding Mr. Steele allegations raises additional concerns about his credibility," the senators wrote to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees the Russia probe, and FBI Director Christopher Wray. "...there is substantial evidence suggesting that Mr. Steele materially misled the FBI about a key aspect of his dossier efforts, one which bears on his credibility, the senators wrote. Entire sections of the memorandum were redacted by the FBI on the basis that it contained classified information, though a review of the document shows the FBI redacted references to media reporting, including a Washington Post story available on the Internet. The senators are asking for a declassification review because much of the information was declassified by the president when the House Intelligence Committee memo was released Friday. The memo found the dossier was used to obtain a surveillance warrant on Trump campaign aide Carter Page -- and neither the FBI nor Justice Department told the national security court that it was financed by the DNC and Clinton campaign, and bureau contact with Steele was terminated over his contact with the media. While the FBI fought the release of that memo, the senators also say the FBIs claims mischaracterize and misstate the amount of classified information in the Steele referral. The senators are asking that the FBI and Justice Department immediately review the classified referral in light of [Fridays] declassification and provide the Committee with the declassified version by no later than February 6, 2018. In a heavily redacted Jan. 19 letter, Gregory A. Brower, assistant director for FBI congressional affairs, said the FBI "respects" the committee's commitment to transparency but the bureau "cannot and will not weaken its commitment" to protecting classified information because it is in the public domain. "Public reporting about (redacted) does not affect the FBI's policy with respect to classification (redacted) nor does it diminish our obligations (redacted), he wrote. The House Intelligence Committee has long struggled with the FBI and Justice Department over access to Trump dossier and surveillance records. After August subpoenas were ignored, the committee threatened to hold Wray and Rosenstein in contempt of Congress before a deal was reached. The memo detailing alleged surveillance abuse by the FBI and Justice Department was fully declassified after the committee followed a long-standing congressional rule which asks the president whether he objects to the record's release. In this case, the president exercised his powers as commander-in-chief to immediately declassify the document. Once upon a time, former intel chiefs employed a restrained and nonpartisan tone in the public eye. Now, they're diving right into the mud of today's rancorous political fights. And the current battle between law enforcement circles and congressional Republicans over the controversial memo on alleged surveillance abuse has pulled Obama-era spy guys even deeper into the brawl. Former CIA Director John Brennan, just before the memo was published, scorched House Republicans for their vote to release it. I had many fights with Congressional Dems over the years on national security matters, he tweeted last week. But I never witnessed the type of reckless partisan behavior I am now seeing from Nunes and House Republicans. Absence of moral and ethical leadership in WH is fueling this government crisis. This came on the heels of Brennans criticism of President Trump reportedly labeling some African nations as s---hole countries. Lady Liberty, our founding fathers, and generations of right-thinking Americans are all weeping tonight over the atrocious comments attributed to Donald Trump, who continues to demonstrate daily that he is a deeply flawed person, he tweeted. Brennan, recently hired as an NBC News/MSNBC analyst, has also blasted inane campaign pledges on illegal immigration, and last week called for legislation to protect Special Counsel [Robert] Mueller from political interference as he conducts his investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election. These are no ordinary times, to be sure. The officials are speaking up as the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress are increasingly critical about what they see as evidence of a bias within the intelligence and law enforcement communities against the president. Critics have suggested the administration has tried to hamper the Mueller probe and unfairly maligned the integrity of the intelligence community. But this climate, in turn, has seen a transformation in the role played by leading ex-intelligence and law enforcement officials. Obama figures like Brennan are playing an active part in the 'resistance' on social media and cable news. Former FBI Director James Comey, fired by Trump last year, tore into Republicans over the memo release -- first likening them to "weasels and liars" and Joe McCarthy, and then declaring the "Dishonest and misleading memo wrecked the House intel committee ... and inexcusably exposed classified investigation of an American citizen." Meanwhile, he has been subtweeting the president on a regular basis. Comey has a tell-all book out later this year, not coincidentally titled: A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership. After former colleague and Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe stepped down last Monday, Comey gave a blistering critique of small people he claimed were trying to tear down Americas institutions. Former attorney general Eric Holder also has taken aim at the Nunes memo, calling its release "dangerous and irresponsible." He also voiced support for McCabe and attacked those who criticized him. Former director of national intelligence James Clapper, meanwhile, slammed Trump for what he called his reprehensible claim that the Justice Department was part of the so-called deep state. "I think it's pretty reprehensible to use that phraseology in any event," Clapper told CNN earlier this month, calling Trumps remarks disturbing. He seemed to question Trump's fitness for office after a fiery speech last August. On Monday, Trump took a swipe at the class of former intel chiefs while ripping Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, calling him "one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper!" The clash comes amid increasingly heated rhetoric from the Trump administration and allies in the Republican Party -- who have pointed to what they see as bias from the intelligence community. Trump has not shied from blasting the Deep State Justice Dept., and the administration has said he wants to change the culture at the FBI. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., decried a palace coup against the president. Even House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., speaking about the release of the surveillance memo, called for the agency to undergo a cleanse. Let it all out, get it all out there. Cleanse the organization, he said. This kind of rhetoric, former officials say, have put them in an awkward stance which has necessitated speaking out. "For most of us throughout our careers, we maintained a neutrality. But if you have a genuine conviction that the country is endangered, you can't help but speak out about it, former acting CIA Director John McLaughlin told The Washington Post. No one from the intelligence community who speaks out about Trump does it with joy or satisfaction. It's against the grain of the culture we've grown up with." But in turn, the role of former intel officials may only serve to fuel claims that the agencies are biased against Trump. Those suspicions already have plenty of fuel. In addition to concerns about FISA abuse, Republicans have pointed to anti-Trump texts between top FBI investigator Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page. The release of those texts, sent during the presidential campaign, has not only raised questions about the impartiality of Robert Muellers Russia probe (where both officials once served) but the investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server -- where Strzok was a top investigator. The Washington Post also reported Wednesday that McCabe appeared to sit on the discovery of Clinton emails found on former Rep. Anthony Weiners computer for three weeks. While Comey would later inform Congress of the FBIs discovery, the inspector general is now investigating why McCabe acted as he did, and if he and other agents were attempting to stifle the revelation until after the Nov. 8 election. It is not unprecedented for ex-intelligence chiefs to speak out in the political sphere. Bush-era CIA boss Michael Hayden, for instance, was known to criticize the Obama administration's policies and responses in recent years. Former Bush attorney general Michael Mukasey penned a Wall Street Journal op-ed Monday defending the surveillance memo release as a "product of necessity, not choice." But with the rhetoric heating up, others have called for their former colleagues to refrain from firing from the hip, with former Defense Secretary Robert Gates warning that it could easily harm the institutions they are working to defend. I think that people who have been in these positions, and I would include retired military, need to be very careful in terms of political commentary because you can be looked upon as representing that institution, not just yourself, he said on NBCs "Meet the Press." So I think, I think people who have occupied senior positions in the intelligence community, in the military and others, need to be very cautious about getting involved in the political process, he added. NEWS Pentagon transforms Campia Turzii unit into a NATO air hub at the Black Sea A former Soviet airbase in central Romania could become a hub for US Air Force operations in south-eastern Europe, where the Pentagon is seeking to Mai mult Nuclearelectrica shareholders approved to terminate negotiations with Chinese for building reactors 3 and 4 from Cernavoda Nuclearelectrica's Board of Directors has been mandated to initiate proceedings to terminate negotiations with China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), as well as legal effects Mai mult Renault holds expansion of its plant in Romania, 15,000 jobs cancelled at global level "Putting capacity growth projects planned in Morocco and Romania on hold" - is one of the measures included in the draft plan of Renault Group Mai mult Romania is a net importer of electricity in 2020 as well Romania imported an amount of electricity of almost 796 GWh in the first month of this year, by more than 36% above what it exported Mai mult Shareholders of Galati steel plant promise investments of one billion euros GFG Alliance has committed to invest one billion euros to upgrade Galati steel plant in order to reduce emissions and increase production. Another EUR 1 Mai mult Top 3 reasons why young people leave Romania Lack of trust in authorities, corruption and low living standards are the main reasons why young people leave Romania. The data is part of a Mai mult IMM Invest Romania program implementing rules have been published The Ministry of Public Finance announces that it has issued the methodological norms for the implementation of the Program for supporting small and medium-sized enterprises Mai mult Pollution import and car park expansion: comparisons with the other EU states Romania is the EU country with the fewest cars in terms of the number of inhabitants, according to data recently published by Eurostat. We appear Mai mult Laura Codruta Kovesi remains alone in the race for European Chief Prosecutor French Prosecutor Jean-Francois Bohnert will be appointed as head of the European Financial Prosecutor's Office, a position for which he was heard on Thursday, 11 Mai mult The furor over House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes' push to release the "surveillance memo" is only the beginning. The Republican chairman said Monday the release of the long-awaited document on alleged law enforcement surveillance abuse was just phase one of his investigation, and the next phase will involve probing the State Department for what he called irregularities. What we will do in phase two is follow the facts where they lead, and when we get enough facts, we will figure out a way to let the American people know, Nunes told Fox & Friends. Nunes, R-Calif., has come under heavy fire in recent weeks for making public the four-page Republican-authored memo on the use of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act under the Obama administration. But after the memo was published Friday with the blessing of the White House, Nunes and GOP committee members made clear they're just getting started. Phase one of our investigation was getting to the FISA abuse. What were looking at now is the State Department and some of the irregularities there, Nunes said Monday, noting that the committee has several other areas to probe. He first mentioned the next "phase" of the investigation Friday on Fox News' "Special Report." TRUMP SLAMS 'LITTLE' ADAM SCHIFF AS 'ONE OF THE BIGGEST LIARS AND LEAKERS' IN WASHINGTON It is unclear what exactly the House Intelligence Committee might investigate with regard to the State Department. But in the past several months, numerous congressional Republicans have called for the appointment of a second special counsel to investigate issues involving the Clinton State Department such as Uranium One, and potential pay-to-play practices between State and the Clinton Foundation. In November, Attorney General Jeff Sessions directed senior federal prosecutors to evaluate certain issues requested by congressional Republicans, leaving the door open for the appointment of another special counsel. The Uranium One deal, which was covered extensively in 2015, concerns the 2010 approval of the sale of Canadian mining company Uranium One to Russias Rosatom nuclear company. The U.S. was involved because the sale gave the Russians control of part of the uranium supply in the U.S. The controversy returned to the headlines following a report that the FBI had evidence before the approval that Russian operatives used bribes and other dirty tactics to expand Moscows nuclear footprint in the U.S., related to a Rosatom subsidiary. Republican lawmakers in turn revived questions about payments to both Bill Clinton and the Clinton Foundation from interested parties. Last month, Fox News reported that the Justice Department also was investigating allegations that the Clinton Foundation used pay to play politics while Hillary Clinton was secretary of state. But regardless of the findings in the committees State Department probe, Nunes said his committee would not go through the same process as it did for the FISA memo. I dont want the American people to think were going to have another memo go through this process, Nunes said. In order to get the FISA memo approved for release, the committee had to put the release to a vote. Once approved, along party lines, the committee sent the memo to the White House for review and potential redactions. The White House ultimately did not make redactions, and the memo was published as prepared. The FISA memo released Friday showed what Republicans call government surveillance abuse under the Obama administration. It included purported testimony from former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe that the FBI and the Justice Department would not have sought surveillance warrants to spy on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page without the now-infamous anti-Trump dossier. The memo stated that the information on the dossier, like its funding from Democratic sources, also was omitted when seeking a FISA warrant for Page. The Democrats on the Intelligence Committee are meanwhile pushing this week for the release of their 10-page staff memo on the FISA debate. Ranking Member Adam Schiff, D-Calif., has urged Nunes to release the Democrats work. A source close to the Republican staff on the House Intelligence Committee told Fox News on Monday that their investigation is ongoing. Were letting the findings guide us, the source told Fox News. The committee might not be the only entity getting involved. After its release, Sessions said he is determined that the department will fully and fairly ascertain the truth. Accordingly, I will forward to appropriate DOJ components all information I receive from Congress regarding this, Sessions said. A senior U.S. official told Fox News that this means Sessions would send a referral to DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz to look into the issues raised in the memo. Fox News Jake Gibson contributed to this report. Former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus on Sunday denied news reports that President Donald Trump tried to fire special counsel Robert Mueller last summer. Of all the things that we went through in the West Wing, I never felt that the president was going to fire the special counsel, Priebus said on NBC's "Meet The Press." It was Priebus' first interview since abruptly leaving the White House July 31 after the dramatic verbal fight with short-lived communications director Anthony Scaramucci. His comments followed a recent New York Times story claiming that Trump sought to fire Mueller in June but relented after White House counsel Don McGahn threatened to resign. Priebus became part of the controversy after the Washington Post reported that he and then-White House strategist Steve Bannon allegedly became wary of Trumps inclination to fire Mueller and tried to encourage others to change Trumps mind. But Priebus rebuked the Post story, saying Sunday that I would know the difference between a level-10 situation as reported in that story and what was reality, and to me that wasnt reality. I think it was very clear by the presidents own words that he was concerned about the conflicts of interest that he felt that the special counsel had and that he made that very clear," he added. "Perhaps someone interpreted that to mean something else but I know the difference between, Fire that person, why isnt that person gone? to what I read. Priebus also defended the president from allegations of attempts to obstruct justice, saying he never felt that there was some sort of collusion or some kind of obstruction situation going on in the West Wing. As well as standing behind Trump, Priebus defended his explanation of the controversial June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort, Jared Kushner and Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. Priebus previously told Fox News that the meeting was about Russian adoption and after about 20 minutes, the meeting ended and that was the end of it." The former chief of staff stood behind his past statements, saying Sunday he believed the meeting was truly about these issues of Russian adoption. Subsequently released emails later indicated Veselnitskaya believed she was also meeting the campaign officials regarding the Magnitsky Act, the Wall Street Journal reported. Many have criticized the Trump campaign officials for taking the meeting after music publicist Rob Goldstone said he had damaging information on Hillary Clinton coming from the Russian government as part of its support for Mr. Trump. Priebus defended his time at the White House, telling NBC that he never felt that I was involved in something nefarious. The whole way through, from the beginning to the end. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday denied a request from Pennsylvania Republican lawmakers to put on hold an order from the state Supreme Court striking down the states congressional map. The GOP lawmakers asked Justice Samuel Alito last month to halt the order from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which struck down the states congressional map. Republicans accused the state Supreme Court of attempting to play the role of lawmaker and asked the justices to intervene. But Alito rejected the plea from the Pennsylvania Republicans. The state legislature now has until Feb. 9 to draw new district lines. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled last month the states congressional map plainly and palpably violated the state constitution. The map was drawn by the Republican-led General Assembly in 2011. Read more at WashingtonExaminer.com President Trump blasted the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee Monday amid the mounting fight over the panel's 'surveillance' memo, calling Little Adam Schiff one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington. The president's early Monday tweet came as Democrats, led by Schiff, continued to condemn majority Republicans for publishing the memo claiming authorities used a salacious anti-Trump dossier to obtain a warrant to monitor a Trump associate. Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! Trump tweeted. Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped! Schiff, D-Calif., fired back within minutes, tweeting: "Mr. President, I see youve had a busy morning of 'Executive Time.' Instead of tweeting false smears, the American people would appreciate it if you turned off the TV and helped solve the funding crisis, protected Dreamers or...really anything else." Schiff sits as the ranking member on the intelligence committe. He is expected Monday to officially request the committee release Democratic members own 10-page memo, with the promise to send it to the Justice Department for redactions. Trump's tweet came shortly before Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., said on "Fox & Friends" that almost "100 leaks" have seemingly come from Democrats. Trump's tweet also reflected frustration with a host of figures, including Schiff's Senate counterpart Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who sits as ranking member on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which conducted its own Russia probe. He also named former FBI director James Comey, former CIA director John Brennan, and former director of national intelligence James Clapper. Comey, Clapper and Brennan all criticized Nunes. FISA MEMO: STEELE FIRED AS AN FBI SOURCE FOR BREAKING 'CARDINAL RULE' --LEAKING TO THE MEDIA Thats it? Dishonest and misleading memo wrecked the House intel committee, destroyed trust with Intelligence Community, damaged relationship with FISA court, and inexcusably exposed classified investigation of an American citizen. For what? DOJ & FBI must keep their jobs, Comey tweeted on Friday. Clapper called the move a blatant political act on CNNs New Day, and Brennan said Nunes abused his office by making the memo public. I think it, it really underscores just how partisan Mr. Nunes has been, Brennan said on NBCs Meet the Press Sunday. He has abused his office of the chairmanship of HPSCI. And I dont say that lightly. JAMES COMEY SLAMS FISA MEMO AS 'DISHONEST' AND 'MISLEADING' The memo showed what Republicans describe as government surveillance abuse under the Obama administration. It included purported testimony from former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe that the FBI and the Justice Department would not have sought surveillance warrants to spy on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page without the dossier. The memo stated that information on the dossier also was omitted when seeking a FISA warrant for Page. The dossier was written by ex-British spy Christopher Steele, who was hired by research firm Fusion GPS. The Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee paid for the opposition research through law firm Perkins Coie. SCHUMER URGES TRUMP TO ALLOW DEMS' 'FISA MEMO' TO ALSO BE RELEASED Neither the initial application in Oct. 2016, nor any of the renewals, disclose or reference the role of the DNC, Clinton campaign, or any party/ campaign in funding Steeles efforts, even though the political origins of the Steele dossier were then known to senior DOJ and FBI officials, the memo read. The memo stated that on Oct. 21, 2016, the Justice Department and the FBI sought and received a FISA probable cause order authorizing electronic surveillance on Page. According to the memo, the FBI and DOJ obtained one initial FISA warrant targeting Page, and three FISA renewals from the FISA court. The statute required that every 90 days, a FISA order on an American citizen must be renewed. The memo states that Comey signed three FISA applications for Page and McCabe signed one. Trumps current Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein also signed at least one FISA application for Page along with former deputy attorney general Sally Yates and former acting deputy attorney general Dana Boente. Later Monday, Trump tweeted that Nunes is a man of tremendous courage and grit and may someday be recognized as a Great American Hero for what he has exposed and what he has had to endure! President Trump is known for giving his political opponents and critics nicknames, especially on social media. Read on for a list of Trump's most iconic nicknames. Wacky Omarosa Omarosa Manigault-Newman lasted one year in the White House, and her departure has been anything from cordial. In particular, Manigault-Newman has been under fire from the Trump administration for secretly recording the chief of staff John Kelly in the Situation Room, raising national security concerns. She's since released some of the tapes. Trump, in a series of tweets, called Manigault-Newman "wacky" and a "lowlife." "Wacky Omarosa, who got fired 3 times on the Apprentice, now got fired for the last time. She never made it, never will. She begged me for a job, tears in her eyes, I said OK," Trump said. "People in the White House hated her. She was vicious, but not smart. I would rarely see her but heard really bad things." "Nasty to people & would constantly miss meetings & work. When Gen. Kelly came on board he told me she was a loser & nothing but problems. I told him to try working it out, if possible, because she only said great things about me - until she got fired!" Trump said. "While I know it's 'not presidential' to take on a lowlife like Omarosa, and while I would rather not be doing so, this is a modern day form of communication and I know the Fake News Media will be working overtime to make even Wacky Omarosa look legitimate as possible. Sorry!" he continued. Slippery James Comey Trump dubbed former FBI Director James Comey the "worst" in history while blasting his new tell-all book, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership." In a series of tweets, Trump also nicknamed the former FBI chief "Slippery James Comey." Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far! Trump tweeted. Trump fired Comey in May 2017, citing the ex-director's handling of the FBIs investigation into Hillary Clintons email practices. Trump also called Comey a slimeball and suggested the former FBI director deserved jail time for mishandling the Clinton email probe. Animal Assad In the aftermath of a suspected chemical attack in Syria, Trump blasted Syrian President Bashar Assad and warned that those responsible would pay a big price. Trump also nicknamed the Syrian president Animal Assad. Many dead, including women and children, in mindless CHEMICAL attack in Syria. Area of atrocity is in lockdown and encircled by Syrian Army, making it completely inaccessible to outside world, Trump alleged in a tweet. President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad. Big price to pay. Open area immediately for medical help and verification. Another humanitarian disaster for no reason whatsoever. SICK! Trump also blamed former President Barack Obamas foreign policy decisions for Animal Assad. And in a later tweet, Trump warned Russia against shooting down any missiles the U.S. would fire at Syria in retaliation for the purported attack, saying the country shouldnt be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it! Little Rocket Man Trump has never really had kind things to say about North Korea leader Kim Jong Un referring to him on Twitter as a maniac a whack job" and "rocket man" which is a President Trump original," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told Fox News. Trump tried out the "rocket man" nickname at the 2017 United Nations General Assembly. He's also tried out the moniker on Twitter. "The Chinese Envoy, who just returned from North Korea, seems to have had no impact on Little Rocket Man. Hard to believe his people, and the military, put up with living in such horrible conditions. Russia and China condemned the launch," he tweeted. In addition, Trump has called the North Korean leader a "sick puppy." Lamb the Sham Ahead of a tight special House election in Pennsylvania, Trump visited the Keystone state to stump for Republican Rick Saccone and hit Democrat Conor Lamb. Trump accused Lamb of saying nice things in order to get elected in Trump country, but promised those at a rally that the Democrat is not going to vote for us if elected. And the president dubbed the 33-year-old Marine Lamb the Sham. Lamb the Sham. Lamb the Sham. He is trying to act like a Republican. He won't give me one vote, Trump said. Trump also said he is better looking than Lamb. Sloppy Steve Steve Bannon used to be in the presidents good graces, but the pair has had a very public falling out. Bannon, the former White House chief strategist and ex-Breitbart executive, was quoted in a blistering tell-all book, painting the presidents son in a negative light. Trump heavily rebuked Bannon in a public statement, saying Bannon lost his mind after he was fired from the White House. Steve was rarely in a one-on-one meeting with me and only pretends to have had influence to fool a few people with no access and no clue, whom he helped write phony books, Trump said. Ahead of the release of the controversial book by Michael Wolff, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, Trump slammed both the author and Bannon on social media giving Bannon his nickname. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve, Trump warned. Trump reiterated the Sloppy Steve nickname in other tweets, including one which he praised the Mercer family wealthy conservative mega-donors for having dropped the leaker known as Sloppy Steve Bannon. Pocahontas The president reused one of his favorite nicknames for Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., while he honored Navajo code talkers at the White House in November. At the event held to honor the Native Americans who used their native language during World Wars I and II to help the U.S. Trump mocked Warren as Pocahontas. Trump has often criticized Warren, specifically over her claim to be of Native American heritage. Shes got about as much Indian blood as I have. Her whole life was based on a fraud, Trump told The New York Times in May 2016. Warrens potential Native American heritage was first questioned during her 2012 Senate run. Trump also calls Warren goofy. Dicky Durbin Trump made waves when he referred to Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., as Dicky Durbin online. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our military, said Trump in a tweet. Durbin was part of a group of lawmakers who visited Trump at the White House in January to discuss immigration reform. After reports surfaced that Trump referred to certain nations as s---hole countries at the bilateral meeting, Durbin accused the president of saying things that were hate-filled, vile and racist. Trump has admitted to using tough language at the meeting but denied certain remarks attributed to him. Sneaky Dianne Feinstein A transcript of a Fusion GPS official's August interview with the Senate Judiciary Committee was unilaterally released by the committees ranking member, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. The release of the bombshell interview drew ire from some Republicans, including the president and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. In a tweet following the release, Trump blasted the 84-year-old senator and called her Sneaky Dianne Feinstein. The fact that Sneaky Dianne Feinstein, who has on numerous occasions stated that collusion between Trump/Russia has not been found, would release testimony in such an underhanded and possibly illegal way, totally without authorization, is a disgrace, Trump tweeted. Must have tough Primary! Jeff Flakey Like Trump and Sen. Bob Corker, Trump and Republican Sen. Jeff Flake have been feuding for quite some time. In announcing his retirement from the Senate, Flake slammed both the Republican Party and Trump. Flake was also caught on a hot mic saying if the GOP becomes the party of Roy Moore and Donald Trump, were toast. That comment gave Trump the opportunity to dub the Arizona senator Jeff Flakey. Sen. Jeff Flake(y), who is unelectable in the Great State of Arizona (quit race, anemic polls) was caught (purposely) on mike saying bad things about your favorite President. Hell be a NO on tax cuts because his political career anyway is toast, Trump tweeted. Al 'Frankenstien' After Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., was accused of kissing and groping Los Angeles radio host Leeann Tweeden during a USO tour in 2006, Trump blasted the lawmaker on Twitter. "The Al Frankenstien picture is really bad, speaks a thousand words. Where do his hands go in pictures 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 while she sleeps?" Trump wrote, including an apparent misspelling of "Frankenstein." "And to think that just last week he was lecturing anyone who would listen about sexual harassment and respect for women. Lesley Stahl tape?" Liddle' Bob Corker The feud between Trump and Sen. Bob Corker has been going on for some time, but the Tennessee senator finally got a nickname. The Failing [New York Times] set Liddle Bob Corker up by recording his conversation. Was made to sound a fool, and thats what I am dealing with! Trump tweeted on Oct. 10. Corker slammed Trump in an interview with the newspaper and said the president is so reckless that he might be on the path to World War III. A transcript from the interview revealed that Corker acknowledged the conversation was on the record. Wacky Congresswoman Wilson Trump and Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., became locked in a public feud involving a Gold Star family earning the Florida congresswoman her nickname. The Fake News is going crazy with wacky Congresswoman Wilson (D), who was SECRETELY on a very personal call, and gave a total lie on content! Trump tweeted. Wilson accused Trump of making insensitive remarks to the pregnant widow of one of the four American soldiers killed during an attack in Niger. The White House, including chief of staff John Kelly, has ardently defended the presidents comments. Jerry Moonbeam Brown Trump hasn't seen eye-to-eye with California Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, throughout much of his time in office but the president was especially critical after Brown pardoned 56 convicted felons, including five ex-convicts facing deportation. Trump blasted the pardoning on Twitter, calling the governor Jerry Moonbeam Brown. Is this really what the great people of California want? Trump said. Trump cant take full credit for Browns nickname. The Moonbeam moniker was given to the governor first in the 1970s by a columnist who said Brown was garnering the "moonbeam vote," or the younger, more idealistic voters in his gubernatorial campaign, according to The New York Times. The nickname continued as Brown pressed for California's space programs. Crazy Joe Biden It all started when former Vice President Joe Biden addressed an anti-sexual assault rally in Florida and cited lewd comments Trump made about women in the infamous Access Hollywood tape more than a decade ago. Biden, who has crusaded against sexual assault and harassment, said, If we were in high school, Id take him behind the gym and beat the hell out of him. A few days later, Trump lashed out on Twitter, nicknaming the former senator Crazy Joe Biden. Crazy Joe Biden is trying to act like a tough guy. Actually, he is weak, both mentally and physically, and yet he threatens me, for the second time, with physical assault, Trump said on March 22. He doesnt know me, but he would go down fast and hard, crying all the way. Dont threaten people Joe! In the past, Trump has referred to Biden on social media as our not very bright vice president. Little Adam Schiff Trump accused Rep. Adam Schiff of leaking confidential information from closed committee hearings and called for him to be stopped. The president also referred to the Democrat from California as Little Adam Schiff. Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, Trump said in a tweet, comparing him to former FBI Director James Comey, former National Intelligence Director James Clapper and former CIA Director John Brennan. Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped! Schiff is the ranking minority member on the House Intelligence Committee which released a controversial memo that detailed alleged improper surveillance techniques used in the Russia investigation. Schiff was critical of the memos public release supported by Republicans calling it misleading and undermining of the probe. Crooked Hillary Throughout the presidential campaign, Trump would often hit his opponent, Hillary Clinton, with criticisms on social media. Trump gave her the nickname Crooked Hillary, usually when he mentioned her use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state. The first time Trump tweeted about Crooked Hillary was in April 2016. Sometimes Trump switched it up and would call the former first lady Lyin Hillary. Wild Bill Clinton While criticizing former FBI Director James Comey's memoir, Trump referenced the now-infamous meeting between former President Bill Clinton and Loretta Lynch on a Phoenix airport tarmac in June 2016. The meeting was questioned because the then-attorney general was leading the investigation into Hillary Clintons email scandal. Comey throws AG Lynch under the bus! Why cant we all find out what happened on the tarmac in the back of the plane with Wild Bill and Lynch? Trump said. Was she promised a Supreme Court seat, or AG, in order to lay off Hillary. No golf and grandkids talk (give us all a break)! Lynch has said she and Clinton discussed only innocuous things on the tarmac but acknowledged that her speaking to the former president raised concerns in peoples minds about whether or not there was going to be any impact on the email investigation. Cheatin Obama Trump praised his own approval ratings on social media while taking a jab at former President Barack Obama. The president said the honest polling of Rasmussen shows his approval rating at 50 percent, which is higher than Cheatin Obama at the same time in his Administration. The April 2 Rasmussen poll showed 50 percent of likely U.S. voters approved of Trump. However, 49 percent disapproved. Little Marco The rhetoric among the Republican presidential contenders hit a different kind of low as Florida Sen. Marco Rubio went after Trump for having small hands and Trump started to call the senator Little Marco. The two also discussed the size of Trumps hands and other things during a GOP debate in March 2016. Trump first tweeted the Little Marco nickname in February 2016. Lyin Ted Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Trump didnt start out as enemies during the 2016 campaign, but the two Republican contenders were soon at each others throats. Trump dubbed Cruz Lyin Ted when he went after him for his immigration policies in a campaign ad in March 2016. Low Energy Jeb Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush also got a Trump nickname when he was a 2016 Republican presidential contender Low energy Jeb Bush. Despite the exclamation point in Bushs campaign logo, Trump started to use the nickname to criticize his opponent during the campaign. Trump told Business Insider that there wasnt a backstory to the nickname, he just seemed like a low energy person to Trump. 1 for 38 When Ohio Gov. John Kasich attempted to team up with Cruz during the Republican primary to deny Trump the partys nomination, Trump took to Twitter to dole out a new nickname. And Kasich became 1 for 38. Trump assigned Kasich the name because he won only one state in the primary and lost the others, Trump said in a statement in August 2016. Eventually Kasich would also be referred to as 1 for 42 by the eventual president. Crazy Bernie Sen. Bernie Sanders, the white-haired Independent socialist who became a progressive icon during the 2016 election, earned himself the nickname Crazy Bernie from Trump. Trump first tweeted about Crazy Bernie in May 2016 when he criticized Crooked Hillary for looking very bad against Sanders. Crying Chuck After Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, N.Y., criticized Trump for firing F.B.I. Director James Comey, Trump hit him right back with an original nickname. Cryin Chuck Schumer stated recently, I do not have confidence in him (James Comey) any longer. Then acts so indignant, he tweeted on May 9, 2017. Schumer shed some tears when he discussed Trumps immigration ban earlier in 2017. But Schumer wasnt crying after Trump agreed to the Democrats short-term debt-limit increase and Hurricane Harvey aid. Crazy Jim Acosta Trump had a surprising tweet of gratitude Tuesday morning for CNNs White House correspondent, Jim Acosta while also bestowing a nickname on his media adversary. Even Crazy Jim Acosta of Fake News CNN agrees: Trump World and WH sources dancing in end zone: Trump wins againSchumer and Dems cavedgambled and lost. Thank you for your honesty Jim! Trump tweeted. Trumps tweet referenced Acostas earlier social media post. The president and his administration has often slammed Acosta and CNN for coverage they deem unfair or fake news. Trump has also kicked Acosta out of the Oval Office. Sleepy Eyes Trump has thought NBC reporter Chuck Todd has looked sleepy long before the election or campaign. He first dubbed Todd sleepy in a 2001 tweet, but upgraded his nickname to Sleepy Eyes by 2012. And in 2018, at a campaign rally for a Republican congressional candidate, Trump slammed the NBC anchor as a son of a b-----. Trump mentioned a 1999 "Meet the Press" appearance when he discussed North Korea. Its 1999, Im on 'Meet the Press,' a show now headed by sleepy-eyes Chuck Todd, Trump said. Hes a sleeping son of a b----, Ill tell you. Dumb as a Rock Mika From writer Toure to National Review, Trump has called many things dumb as a rock. But Mika Brzezinski, co-host of MSNBCs Morning Joe earned the nickname in July after she and Joe Scarborough criticized the president. Crazy Joe Scarborough and dumb as a rock Mika are not bad people, but their low rated show is dominated by their NBC bosses, he tweeted. Too bad! His attack on the news anchor continued, as he called her low I.Q. Crazy Mika and said she was bleeding badly from a face-lift when she came to Mar-a-Lago around New Years Eve. Psycho Joe In a Twitter rant about his dislike of MSNBCs Morning Joe program, Trump dubbed host Joe Scarborough Psycho Joe. Crazy Megyn Trumps comments about then-Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly were often criticized and deemed misogynistic by critics. During their feud, Trump took to calling Kelly Crazy Megyn. Little Jeff Zucker Trump criticized CNN in an April tweet and called its president Little Jeff Zucker. Check out the fact that you cant get a job at ratings challenged [CNN] unless you state that you are totally anti-Trump, the president alleged on social media. Little Jeff Zucker, whose job is in jeopardy, is not having much fun lately. They should clean up and strengthen CNN and get back to honest reporting. Fox News' Matt Richardson and The Associated Press contributed to this report. The controversial memo detailing alleged federal surveillance abuses was declassified and released Friday following approval by President Trump. The memo, put together by House Republicans, shows improper surveillance techniques used by the Department of Justice and the FBI in the Russia investigation, GOP lawmakers said. Democrats have dismissed the memo, arguing that it was selectively edited by Republicans to push a narrative that the Russia investigation is biased against the president. They have their own rebuttal memo they hope to soon release. Heres what we know about the memo and its connection to the Russia investigation. So what is this memo? The four-page memo, put together by the staff of House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., reveals improper use of surveillance by the FBI and the Justice Department in the Russia investigation, GOP lawmakers said. The memo did raise concerns with the legitimacy and legality of certain DOJ and FBI interactions with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) and represent a troubling breakdown of legal processes established to protect the American people from abuses related to the FISA process, it said. Some key points of the memo include: Christopher Steele, who compiled the controversial dossier containing colorful but unverifiable claims about Trump, confirmed to former associate deputy attorney general Bruce Ohr that he was desperate that Donald Trump not get elected and was passionate about him not being president." The dossier was key to the FBIs FISA warrant in its surveillance of members of Trumps team, according to the memo. The FBI and DOJ obtained an initial FISA warrant targeting Carter Page, a former foreign policy adviser to Trump. The surveillance warrants and renewals did not mention that the dossier was paid for, at least in part, by the Democratic National Committee and the campaign for Hillary Clinton. The memo says the DOJ was aware at the time of the initial FISA application that political actors were involved with the Steele dossier. While Ohr met with Steele, Ohr's wife was employed by Fusion GPS, the firm contracted to produce the dossier, and was assisting in opposition research on Trump, according to the memo. This information was also not included in the warrant. Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe told the House Intelligence Committee in December 2017 that a surveillance warrant would not have been sought without the dossier and what it purportedly revealed. The House Intelligence Committee voted to release the classified memo on what Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said was a party-line vote. Trump later approved its declassification. Republicans who support the release of the memo do so in the interest of "transparency" for "anyone who cares about America and our democratic system of government," Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said in a letter signed by 65 other lawmakers. What was the argument against releasing it? Democrats cautioned against releasing the memo, calling into question its factual accuracies and warning that it could be detrimental to national security. And after its release, they said it was misleading and its importance overblown. The most important thing weve learned from these GOP talking points is that the White House and its Republican allies are determined to undermine a badly-needed investigation into Russias election meddling, Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., said. The Nunes memo is partisan and misleading, simple as that, said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. To use it as pretext for firing Deputy AG Rosenstein, Special Counsel Robert Mueller or other DOJ leadership would be viewed as an attempt to obstruct justice in the Russia investigation. How has Trump reacted to the memo? Trump declassified the memo without redactions on Friday. A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves and much worse than that, he said. Trump also claimed that "this memo totally vindicates 'Trump' in probe. But the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on." And the FBI? In a statement, the FBI said it has grave concerns with the memo. With regard to the House Intelligence Committees memorandum, the FBI was provided a limited opportunity to review this memo the day before the committee voted to release it, the statement said. As expressed during our initial review, we have grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memos accuracy. Justice Department officials had asked the White House to block the memo's release. But what is so controversial about the FISA surveillance program in the first place? Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) allows intelligence officials to oversee communications of foreigners outside of the U.S. without a warrant. Congress reauthorized Section 702 earlier this year reigniting a debate over the controversial program. Critics argue that although the law cannot be used to target Americans, U.S. citizens are often swept up in the data collection which can be viewed without a warrant. While that particular section of FISA wasnt used to obtain the warrant detailed in Nunes memo, lawmakers still point to it as a dangerous example of violations against Americans Fourth Amendment rights. Section 702 is far more dangerous. It permits the FBI and other agencies to conduct unconstitutional, warrantless searches on millions of innocent Americans (whose communications were incidentally collected while targeting foreigners overseas), Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., said in a series of tweets. If the speaker and others believe abuses are occurring the execution of one section of FISA, then why would they insist on reauthorizing another section of FISA (702) that has far greater potential for abuse? The Associated Press contributed to this report. Modern-day Mexico City is built on top of centuries of previous settlements, so it's not unusual for ancient tombs to occasionally be uncovered beneath the city's streets. It is, however, strange to find 10 ancient skeletons arranged in a spiral with their bodies interlocked, as archaeologists recently did. The 2,400-year-old burial was discovered during salvage excavations of an ancient village beneath the campus of the Pontifical University of Mexico, in southern Mexico City, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) announced. The archaeologists said the burial is the "most peculiar finding" they've made since they began unearthing the ancient settlement of Tlalpan in 2006. There has never been a grave with so many individuals from this era (the Preclassic period) discovered in the region, according to the statement from INAH. Video footage from the excavation trench showed how the archaeologists found the collection of human bones. Arranged in a circular grave, 6.5 feet (2 meters) in diameter, the bodies had been buried with some grave goods, including stones and ceramic jars and bowls. The 10 individuals include males and females, mostly young people, as well as an infant and a toddler. [25 Grisly Archaeological Discoveries] The researchers have not yet determined the cause of death for the individuals or how they might be related to one another, but they have observed some signs of body modification: intentional skull deformationin two cases, and tooth mutilation in a few others. These practices which might have involved binding children's growing skulls with cloth and filing teeth into different shapes were common among several cultures in Mesoamerica. [In Photos: Deformed Skulls Reveal Odd, Ancient Tradition] The archaeologists think the unusual burial layout was perhaps part of an ancient ritual. The age range of the deceased signals that the arrangement could symbolize the stages of life, the director of the excavations, Jimena Rivera, told the news channel Televisa. The village of Tlalpan was among the earliest settlements to crop up in the Basin of Mexico (also called the Valley of Mexico), INAH researchers said. Close to the ancient shore of Xochimilco Lake, the village would have had abundant freshwater, trees for construction and fertile soil for agriculture. This settlement was located east of Cuicuilco, an important urban center at the time, known for its pyramids. These sites predated Teotihuacan, one of the biggest cities of the ancient world, which rose to its peak in the Basin of Mexico a few centuries later, during the Classic period. Original article on Live Science. For the first time, scientists have discovered planets in galaxies beyond the Milky Way. Using data from NASAs Chandra X-ray observatory, a team of astrophysicists from the University of Oklahoma identified the extragalactic planets about 3.8 billion light years away. The space observatory helped scientists find about 2,000 objects with comparable mass to the Moon and Jupiter. A light year, which measures distance in space, equals 6 trillion miles. SCIENTISTS 'GOOGLED' DATA FROM NASA'S KEPLER SPACE TELESCOPE TO DISCOVER NEW PLANET The Oklahoma University team used a technique called microlensing, which identifies the gravitational signature of planets orbiting extremely distant stars. We are very excited about this discovery. This is the first time anyone has discovered planets outside our galaxy, said Oklahoma University professor Xinyu Dai in a statement. These small planets are the best candidates for the signature we observed in this study using the microlensing technique. We analyzed the high frequency of the signature by modeling the data to determine the mass. Dai made the discovery with Eduardo Guerras, a postdoctoral researcher, and their findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. ASTRONOMERS MAY HAVE DISCOVERED THE FIRST EXOMOON Guerras said that the breakthrough highlights the power of the microlensing technique. There is not the slightest chance of observing these planets directly, not even with the best telescope one can imagine in a science fiction scenario, he explained in the statement. However, we are able to study them, unveil their presence and even have an idea of their masses. This is very cool science. The Chandra X-ray observatory, which was launched into space in 1999, is controlled by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. The Milky Way, the galaxy containing our solar system, has hundreds of billions of stars, according to NASA. ALIEN LIFE LOOMS? NEWLY DISCOVERED EXOPLANET MAY BE BEST CANDIDATE, EXPERTS SAY Other scientists have also published fascinating space research in recent years. In a separate project, researchers announced last year that they may have spotted the first moon outside of our solar system. By harnessing data from the Hubble Space Telescope, researchers identified exomoon candidate Kepler-1625b. The moon, which is orbiting the star Kepler-1625, is approximately 4,000 light years away, Also last year, scientists used data from NASAs Kepler space telescope and machine learning technology from Google to discover a new planet outside of our solar system. Researchers identified Kepler-90i, a hot, rocky planet circling Kepler-90, a Sun-like star 2,545 light years from Earth. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers YouTubes powerful recommendation algorithm may be optimizing for outrageous, salacious and often fraudulent content or easily manipulated by bad actors, including foreign intelligence entities, a top-ranking Democrat on the Senates intelligence committee said. Virginia Sen. Mark Warner made the statement after a Guardian investigation reported that the Google-owned video platform was consistently promoting divisive and conspiratorial videos damaging to Hillary Clintons campaign before the 2016 election. Companies like YouTube have immense power and influence in shaping the media and content that users see, Warner told the Guardian. Ive been increasingly concerned that the recommendation engine algorithms behind platforms like YouTube are, at best, intrinsically flawed in optimizing for outrageous, salacious, and often fraudulent content. He added: At worst, they can be highly susceptible to gaming and manipulation by bad actors, including foreign intelligence entities. YouTubes recommendation algorithm, a secretive formula that determines which clips are promoted in the Up Next column beside the video player, drives a large percentage of traffic on YouTube, where over a billion hours of footage are watched each day. US COURT DISMISSES LAWSUIT BLAMING TWITTER FOR AIDING ISIS However, critics have been warning that the recommendation algorithm has developed alarming biases or tendencies, pushing viewers toward disturbing content that depicts violence against children or hateful rhetoric or conspiracy theories. However, up until this point, the algorithms role in the U.S. presidential election has gone mostly unexplored. The Guardians research, based on a previously unseen database of 8,000 videos recommended by the algorithm in the months leading up to the election, suggested the algorithm was six times more likely to recommend videos damaging to Clinton than Trump, while also amplifying wild conspiracy theories about the former secretary of state. All the videos in the database shared with the Guardian were watched more than 3 billion times before the election. Many of them have since disappeared from the video platform, which has prompted some experts to question whether the algorithm was manipulated or gamed by Russia. One of the most recommended channels in the database of videos was that of Alex Jones, the far-right conspiracy theorist. Guillaume Chaslot, a French computer programmer and ex-Google employee who worked on the YouTube recommendation algorithm, has used a program he designed to explore bias in YouTube content promoted during the French, British and German elections, global warming and mass shootings. FACEBOOK ENABLES 'FAKE NEWS' WITH ITS DIGITAL ADVERTISING PLATFORM, REPORT SAYS His findings are available on his website, Algotransparency.com. YouTube, however, has challenged the British publications research, saying that it strongly disagreed with the findings. It appears as if the Guardian is attempting to shoehorn research, data and their conclusions into a common narrative about the role of technology in last years election, a YouTube spokesperson told the outlet. The reality of how our systems work, however, simply doesnt support this premise. In his statement, Warner added: The [tech] platform companies have enormous influence over the news we see and the shape of our political discourse, and they have an obligation to act responsibly in wielding that power. Warners latest warning is noteworthy given the fact that Google largely played down the extent of Russian involvement in its video platform during Senate testimony late last year. The committees investigation into Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election is ongoing but has focused mostly on Facebook and Twitter. The 8,000 YouTube-recommended videos were also analyzed by Graphika, a commercial analytics firm that has been tracking political disinformation campaigns. It concluded many of the YouTube videos appeared to have been pushed by networks of Twitter sock puppets and bots controlled by pro-Trump digital consultants with a presumably unsolicited assist from Russia. YouTube told Fox News that it has sophisticated systems to detect and prevent manipulation of its platform, including its recommendation algorithms. "Less than 5 percent of all YouTube views come from external sources like social media platforms, search engines, and embeds," explained a YouTube spokesperson, via email. "Put simply, views from social networks do not have a significant impact on overall viewership. As we've reported to investigators, we've seen no evidence of manipulation by foreign actors. If theres one rule you should always follow in the air, its to always be polite and courteous to your airline staff. Or face the consequences. Michael Minko, who was flying from Newark to Fort Lauderdale on Spirit Airlines, is now facing jail time for threatening a flight attendant and calling her a number of disparaging names, including racial slurs, the Miami Herald reported. Minko had apparently taken Alprazolam, the generic name for anti-anxiety drug Xanax, and had about half a bottle of bourbon (which he may have brought onto the flight) within the first hour of the flight, which may have contributed to his aggravated state. When the flight attendant told Minko he could not drink from the bottle of bourbon on the plane, thats when Minko began yelling. Bottles of alcohol from outside the aircraft are prohibited on Spirit Airlines, and most other airlines. Court documents stipulate that [Minko] said he was going to kill R.N. [the flight attendant] and everyone else by blowing up the plane. The Miami Herald also reported that Minko referred to the flight attendant as a slave and a n----- bitch several times, along with his other threats, as well as punching neighboring seats and the airplane window. Minko told the flight attendant that he felt sick, so she gave him a vomit bag. About 45 minutes before landing, the flight attendant rounded up three men to restrain Minko and put him in plastic handcuffs for the duration of the flight. Minko will now serve two months in federal prison, after finishing an alcohol and drug treatment program. So, what are you doing the next couple of months? You think maybe it's time for a trip? To London, Paris or Rome, perhaps? Dont say no just yet: This winter, there are tons of flights deals for travel between the U.S. and Europe if you know how to find them. FIVE THINGS TO DO IF YOUR FLIGHT IS DELAYED OR CANCELED Here are five things to keep in mind as you shop for deals: #1. Sometimes, the city you like best will be the most expensive And if that is the case, you could fly to one of the cheaper destinations, then plan your trip so the journey to your favorite European city is part of the adventure. For example, if you fly into Paris but want to see London, there are discount airlines that can get you there (including Ryanair and Easyjet) or take a Eurostar train under the sea via the Channel Tunnel, sometimes called the Chunnel. If youve got your heart set on Rome, see if theres a cheaper Italian city to fly to (Milan can be a bargain) and take a train from there. #2. Most of the best fares depart from big cities If you live in a smaller town, see if you can drive to a large hub airport; if thats too far, see if you can find a cheap flight on an ultra discount airline to a bigger airport. Sometimes, even if you have to pay for an additional flight, it can still work out to be cheaper than flying from your hometown to Europe, but always compare fares from different airports to be certain. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS #3. Fares can and do change with little warning Here are just a few fares found on an airfare comparison site late last week, which were good for travel in February and March. Boston London, $388 Chicago Paris, $476 Denver Paris, $443 Los Angeles Rome, $476 New York Rome, $394 San Francisco London, $408 Seattle Paris, $545 That said, you may not find the airfare prices seen above, because the airlines are sometimes quick to change them. Anytime they see a surge in demand for certain routes, they will raise their prices because they are confident people will pay the higher prices, and when demand wanes, prices drop, too. The price hikes (and drops) can happen anytime and with no notice, so if you see a price you love, act fast. #4. Look for inconvenient flights on inconvenient travel dates Often, the deals include a stop (or even two) so you may have to skip the convenience of a non-stop in favor of a connecting flight. It can also pay to have some flexibility in your itinerary; next time you shop, try using a tool that finds cheapest travel dates by month. 5 WAYS TO AVOID SCREWING UP YOUR SPRING BREAK #5. Find your passport now Do you have to renew it? You may, even if its valid through your trip because some countries refuse entry to visitors whose passports expire within six months of entry. See more on this at the U.S. State Departments site, Travel.State.Gov, along with a step-by-step guide on getting or renewing passports plus useful info about countries around the world. Europe is easier and cheaper than you think. Have a wonderful time. Fred Warmbier, the father of Otto Warmbier, reportedly will travel to South Korea to attend the Winter Olympic Games as a guest of Vice President Mike Pence. Warmbier, according to a report by The Washington Post Sunday, will make the trip to Pyeongchang this week to attend the Opening Ceremony the official kickoff to the two-week long Games, scheduled for Feb. 9. Freds son, Otto, was 22 years old when he died in June following 15 months of imprisonment in North Korea. Fred and his wife, Cindy, have said their son a University of Virginia student who was arrested in North Korea in 2016 while studying abroad was tortured while detained, as he came home blind and deaf, and with mangled teeth. The Warmbiers were guests of President Trumps at his first State of the Union address on Tuesday, where he recognized the couple in the audience calling them incredible people. You are powerful witnesses to a menace that threatens our world, and your strength inspires us all, Trump said of the Warmbiers. Tonight we pledge to honor Ottos memory with American resolve. Fred and Cindy received a standing ovation from those in attendance in the U.S. Capitol. Pence is set to lead the U.S. delegation to the Winter Olympics to reinforce Americas strong presence on the Korean Peninsula, and to send a clear signal to the North Korean regime. Fox News Kaitlyn Schallhorn contributed to this report. The U.S. military is pulling its forces from an American-led coalition base in Iraq and shifting them to Afghanistan following the defeat of Islamic State group militants in the country. Western contractors at the base say U.S. troops began the drawdown over the past week, with groups of soldiers leaving the base on daily flights. The exact scale of the redeployment was unclear. According to various estimates, as of 2016, there were more 5,000 U.S. military personnel stationed in Iraq, with nearly 4,000 deployed to support and assist local groups fighting ISIS militants. The remaining personnel included special operations forces, logistics workers and troops on temporary rotations, the BBC reported. Iraqi officials reportedly said their government reached an agreement with the U.S.-led coalition to reduce the number of troops in Iraq. The reported military buildup in Afghanistan is the latest sign of a growing U.S. focus on Afghanistan as the primary conflict. The White House reportedly signed off in August on deploying an additional 4,000 troops in Afghanistan. The U.S. Army is also floating plans to increase the total U.S. force in the country by 1,000 in a bid to boost Afghan forces' fight against the Taliban, the Washington Post reported. President Donald Trump introduced a new Afghanistan strategy in August, hinting at relaxing the rules of engagement, acceleration of strikes and other military actions aimed at producing an honorable and enduring outcome in Afghanistan. He warned against premature drawback of troops, referencing to the Obama administrations decision to withdraw forces from Iraq in 2011. A hasty withdrawal would create a vacuum that terrorists, including ISIS and al Qaeda, would instantly fill, just as happened before September 11th. Since Trump took office, the number of troops has nearly doubled in Afghanistan from 8,500 in early 2017 to 14,000 today. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A man from Mexico and another from Guatemala tried to smuggle five Romanians into the United States from Canada along a remote stretch of the border in Vermont, federal prosecutors said Monday. U.S. Border Patrol agents were alerted Friday night that a group of people had been spotted entering the United States in Canaan, Vermont. Agents said six people the Mexican citizen and five Romanians they found hiding in the snow and brush admitted they had entered the U.S. illegally. The Mexican man told agents he had permission to live in Canada, but had been asked by people in Montreal to smuggle the Romanians into the United States. The group was dropped off near the border earlier Friday. The Romanians were supposed to pay the man who brought them across the border and he was supposed to give that money to the people in Montreal who had recruited him. At around the same time, the agents arrested a Guatemalan who said he was being paid $1,000 to drive the Romanians to Rhode Island. The two men are facing charges they conspired to bring into the United States and transport people who did not have permission to be in the country. Prosecutors asked a judge to detain three of the Romanians as material witnesses. In a separate case in November, another Mexican man was apprehended by Border Patrol agents in the same area of Canaan, a remote area near where Vermont, New Hampshire and Quebec meet. In October, in Derby Line, Vermont, about 20 miles west of Canaan, the Border Patrol apprehended a group of 16 people from Central America and Mexico, some of whom had illegally entered the United States from Canada. It was the largest case of its kind in the memory of border agents who patrol the Vermont-Quebec border. Following a third fatal Amtrak crash in recent months, the railroad's boss said Sunday that freight railroad CSX was responsible for Sunday's collision in South Carolina that left two dead and scores injured. Amtrak President and Chief Executive Richard Anderson said CSX was responsible for the tracks and signals in the area south of Columbia, S.C., including one switch that diverted the Amtrak train onto an occupied track, Reuters reported. CSX had lined and padlocked the switch off the mainline to the siding, causing the collision, Anderson said in a statement. CSX did not address Anderson's comments, but said it was working with federal investigators, the report said, adding that both Amtrak and CSX offered condolences to the families of the two Amtrak employees who died. Engineer Michael Kempf, 54, of Savannah, Ga., and conductor Michael Cella, 36, of Orange Park, Fla., were killed, Lexington County, S.C., Coroner Margaret Fisher said. President Donald Trump also sent condolences. "My thoughts and prayers are with all of the victims involved in this mornings train collision in South Carolina. Thank you to our incredible First Responders for the work theyve done!" the president tweeted Sunday. Anderson also pointed his finger at the federal government, saying it needs to ensure that a high-tech safety system that railroads have been urged to install for years is finally in place by the end of 2018. He deferred to investigators about whether the system, called Positive Train Control, would have stopped Sunday's crash. "Theoretically, an operative PTC system would include switches in addition to signals, so it would cover both speed and switches," Anderson said. The South Carolina crash followed at least two other recent deadly Amtrak crashes: One in Washington state in December that killed three people, and one in Virginia in January that killed one person. Meanwhile, the nation's transportation safety chief agreed Sunday that the South Carolina crash and others could have been prevented if Positive Train Control had been implemented on time. Robert Sumwalt, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, said PTC, under consideration for more than 40 years -- which is supposed to slow down or stop a train when there is a problem on the tracks -- could have saved lives. "Every one of these accidents, in fact, could have been prevented. How many years have we been calling for PTC?" Robert Sumwalt, chairman, National Transportation Safety Board Every one of these accidents, in fact, could have been prevented by Positive Train Control, Sumwalt said, the State newspaper in South Carolina reported. How many years have we been calling for PTC? The system is designed to automatically stop a train before an accident occurs. It uses GPS tracking to monitor train locations, activate the brakes, if a train exceeds a speed limit, and ensure no collision with other trains. Congress in 2008 instructed Amtrak and other rail operators and agencies to install PTC by the end of 2015, but the plans were delayed in part due to the price tag reportedly more than $22 billion over 20 years. In 2015, the lawmakers extended the deadline for the technologys implementation to Dec. 31, 2018, but it remains unlikely the system will be widely in place by the end of the year. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, the system is in use in just on just 16 percent of tracks for freight railroads and just 24 percent of tracks for passenger railroads. Federal authorities investigating Sunday's collision claim a railroad switch was locked in a wrong position, making the passenger train go on the wrong track. No evidence of foul play has been found, but the investigation is still underway. Sumwalt said the passenger train hurtled down a side track near Cayce, S.C., around 2:45 a.m. Sunday after a stop 10 miles north in Columbia because a switch was locked in place, diverting it from the main line. A crew on the freight train had moved the switch to drive it from one side track where it unloaded 34 train cars of automobiles to the side track where it was parked. The switch was padlocked as it was supposed to be, Sumwalt said. The key to this investigation is learning why that switch was lined that way, Sumwalt said during a news conference, the State reported. He added that our goal is to find out not only what happened, but why it happened so we can prevent it from happening again. The Associated Press contributed to this story. A derailment, a vehicle or distracted pedestrian on the tracks, human and mechanical errors are just a few causes of deadly train crashes that have occurred in the U.S. in recent years. Amtrak, which operates a nationwide rail network that serves an average of 85,700 passengers per day, has had a string of incidents in recent years. At least 26 Amtrak derailments were reported between 2014 and 2017. Heres a look at some of Amtraks deadliest accidents in recent years. Each of these train crashes killed at least two people on board. Feb. 4, 2018 2 people killed An Amtrak train collided and derailed with a CSX freight train in South Carolina just after 2:30 a.m., killing two Amtrak personnel and injuring at least 100 others, officials said. The Amtrak train was traveling between New York and Miami with approximately 139 passengers on board. It appears to me that the CSX train was on the track it was supposed to be on, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said at a news conference following the incident. It appears Amtrak was on the wrong track. Thats what it appears to me. But Amtrak President and Chief Executive Richard Anderson said CSX was responsible for the deadly collision. "CSX had lined and padlocked the switch off the mainline to the siding, causing the collision, Anderson said in a statement. CSX did not address Anderson's comments, but said it was working with federal investigators. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also said it was launching a "go team" to investigate the deadly crash. Dec. 18, 2017 3 people killed An inaugural ride on a new Amtrak line meant to speed train service in Washington state turned deadly. The train, which was carrying more than 80 people, derailed outside of Tacoma causing several train cars to tumble from a highway overpass. Three people were killed. The NTSB said the train was going 80 mph in a 30 mph zone when it derailed along a curve. The 55-year-old engineer at the controls of the train said he knew he needed to slow down, but didnt recall seeing any signposts or signals warning him of the slow curve ahead, according to a federal report. The official investigation into the crash has not yet been concluded. It's expected to take between 12 to 24 months to complete, according to the NTSB. June 24, 2011 6 people killed A tractor-trailer driving on U.S. Route 95 in Nevada slammed into the side of an Amtrak train at a crossing roughly 70 miles east of Reno, killing six people and injuring 15. The collision occurred because the driver, 43-year-old Lawrence Valli who was killed instantly in the crash, was inattentive behind the wheel and delayed braking, NTSB investigators found. They also cited the failure of John Davis Trucking to adequately maintain the brakes on the accident truck. The train was traveling from Chicago to California. June 23, 2014 3 people killed An Amtrak train traveling at 125 mph slammed into a vehicle that apparently was driving on train tracks, killing all three passengers inside the car. The crash derailed the train, which had 180 people onboard. Investigators said at the time that the trio may have been joyriding on the train tracks. The accident unfolded in Mansfield, about 24 miles southwest of Boston. May 12, 2015 8 people killed An Amtrak train that was traveling at 106 mph more than 50 mph speed limit derailed in Philadelphia, killing eight people and injuring more than 200 others. It was determined by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) that Amtrak engineer Brandon Bostian was distracted during the ride and lost track of where he was before accelerating to 106 mph while turning into a sharp curve with a 50-mph speed limit. Bostian didnt face criminal charges in the crash after investigators said they couldnt determine he acted with "with criminal 'intent' or criminal 'knowledge'" when the train derailed. April 3, 2016 2 people killed Two Amtrak maintenance employees in Chester, Pa., were killed in April 2016 after an Amtrak train traveling at more than 100 mph struck them. About 40 passengers aboard the train headed from New York City to Savannah, Ga., were injured. The employees were working on a backhoe that was on the same track the train was traveling, the NTSB said. Federal investigator Mike Hoepf noted that a foreman failed to make sure dispatchers were rerouting trains in an area that was undergoing repairs and blamed the crews failure to use a device which wouldve blocked entry to those train tracks. Fox News' Jennifer Earl and Katherine Lam contributed to this story. A California political science professor reportedly called President Trump a white supremacist and an orange reality star in a syllabus for her class, and at one point asked how students "will explain" the current political era. Dr. Brooke Mascagni, who teaches American Political Institutions at California State University-Dominguez Hills, rails against Trump in the shortened version syllabus, according to Campus Reform. PROFESSORS SLAM TRUMPS STATE OF THE UNION AS CARNAGE PORN, KLAN RALLY ON TWITTER Future generations will wonder how the greatest democracy in the world elected a white supremacist, misogynist, narcissistic, volatile, belligerent, uninformed, stubborn, failed businessman and orange reality star to the highest office, Mascagni wrote under a section titled Why is this class important? She continues by asking How will you explain it? The course description does not read like a standard political science course. The President of the United States won the 2016 election by appealing to bigotry and hatred, wrote Mascagni. Just about everyday, a new scandal breaks or evidence of corruption emerges. Moreover, the Republican Party controls the executive and legislative branches of government, yet couldnt manage to keep the government running on the one year anniversary of Trumps inauguration. The political science professor continued: And, oh yeah, Russia interfered with the U.S. electoral process and our president is under investigation for obstruction of justice. How did we get here? What facilitated Trumps rise to power? How is California challenging these threats to democracy? ENGLISH PROFESSOR PLEDGES SHE WONT DISCLOSE IMMIGRANT STATUS OF HER STUDENTS Mascagni writes that students, by the end of the class, will know how Americans form their political beliefs, how democracy is threatened when it is taken for granted, why politics matters and be able to understand how U.S. government and political processes promote and constrain liberty, equality, and popular sovereignty. A student in Mascagnis class told Campus Reform about the unbelievable blatant liberal bias in the syllabus, adding that while the student has had liberal professors before, this class represented the most extreme case. FROM ANTI-TRUMP PROFESSORS MOUTHS, 2017S MOST EXPLOSIVE QUOTES The document was designed to provoke thought and classroom participation and was not meant to discourage any particular beliefs, the university told Fox News. This university respects the right to academic freedom, critical analysis and research, and healthy debate on all sides of a subject. On her website, Mascagni boasts of teaching and researching The American Presidency and Congress and U.S. Politics and Government. She also teaches feminist studies and social movements, as well as researching Title IX and campus violence. CSUDH touts their academic excellence on their website along with well-balanced curriculums that build well-rounded knowledge. Mascagni did not return Fox News request for comment. A Dallas man set to turn 59 on Wednesday is in custody for allegedly smashing a dozen police squad cars with a sledgehammer over the weekend. The spree was eventually stopped by an unarmed officer and Dallas cops ended up giving the suspect, Gregory Simpson, an early birthday present: An arrest and time in jail. "He's very lucky that that guy didn't turn the sledgehammer and assault him," Michael Mata, president of the Dallas Police Association, told WFAA. "The Marshals would have had to come out and it could have turned into a deadly force confrontation." Dallas police say Gregory Simpson broke into the parking lot at the Dallas City Marshals Office detention center just after 5 a.m. Sunday morning before turning into a one-man wrecking crew. It was not immediately clear why police believe Simpson starting swinging the sledgehammer, but he was charged with criminal mischief and is being held at the North Tower Detention Facility on $50,000 bond. The incident has sparked calls from the union for tighter security at Dallas police facilities and fixes including the installation of bulletproof glass and better fencing, according to FOX4. We're seeing this time and time again. An individual, who either has the onset or the mindset to either injure officers or injure property shows up...and we roll the dice, Mata said. And we are lucky that he didn't try to kill an officer or an officer didn't have to kill him. Police and their facilities in Dallas have been targeted in recent years, most notably in 2016 when a sniper killed five officers at an anti-police brutality march. The citys south central patrol station was also fired at in a drive-by shooting in 2017, and Dallas Police Headquarters was shot at two years earlier, FOX4 reported. A former Indianapolis police officer has pleaded guilty to aggravated battery in the shooting of a detective who was investigating a domestic violence incident involving the officer and his estranged wife. Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry says 44-year-old Adrian Aurs also pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of pointing a firearm. Those charges in the July 29, 2016, incident involved the threatening of Aurs' estranged wife and a neighbor. Curry says Aurs faces a maximum of 16 years in prison. He'll be sentenced March 23. A probable cause affidavit says Sgt. Robert Pearsey was interviewing Aurs' wife when Aurs forced his way into the apartment and opened fire. Pearsey suffered non-life-threatening wounds to his right side and arm. Pearsey returned fire and missed. Aurs was arrested in Cincinnati hours after the shooting. As testimony gets underway in the trial of a former Virginia Tech student charged with killing a 13-year-old girl, jurors could hear from an unlikely witness for the defense: his alleged accomplice. David Eisenhauer, 20, of Columbia, Maryland, is charged in the 2016 stabbing death of Nicole Lovell, a middle school student from Blacksburg. A jury was chosen Monday, and opening statements are scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. As prospective jurors listened to a list of potential witnesses Monday, one name jumped out: Natalie Keepers. She is the former Virginia Tech student prosecutors say met with Eisenhauer before Lovell disappeared and discussed ways to kill her. Eisenhauer's lawyers have filed a subpoena for Keepers to testify at Eisenhauer's trial, but her lawyers are fighting the move. In court documents, they said if called to testify, Keepers will invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. "Most, if not all, of the testimony elicited from Keepers at the defendant's trial by either the prosecution or defense counsel would be incriminating," attorney Kristopher Olin wrote in a motion asking Judge Robert Turk to quash the subpoena. The judge did not immediately rule. Keepers, 21, of Laurel, Maryland, faces a separate trial in September on charges of being accessory before the fact and concealing a dead body. According to court documents and testimony during pretrial hearings, Keepers told police she discussed killing Lovell with Eisenhauer after he told her he feared she could be pregnant. Keepers said Eisenhauer told her he may have had sex with the girl at a party, but couldn't remember because he blacked out and woke up the next day in a ditch, the testimony and documents indicated. Officers previously testified that Keepers said in police interviews that she was not present for the killing, but had helped Eisenhauer clean Lovell's body and dump it just over the state line in North Carolina. Prosecutors have said Lovell climbed out her bedroom window to meet Eisenhauer in 2016 after the two communicated through an instant messaging app. Her body was found three days later. Eisenhauer, of Columbia, Maryland, acknowledged meeting her, but told police he left when he saw how young she was. The judge on Monday denied Eisenhauer's motion to suppress statements he made to police. Eisenhauer has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, abduction and concealing a dead body. The Atlanta FBI agents announced Monday the capture of the Freedom Fighter Bandit who they said robbed nine banks, and told the tellers it was for a social cause. Nilsa Marie Urena, 25, was taken into custody Saturday after allegedly robbing a bank in Tennessee Saturday. Shes wanted for a bank robbery spree that began last October, and was concentrated in the Atlanta area. Atlanta FBI spokesman Kevin Rowson said Urena earned her moniker because she states that she is robbing the banks for a cause. He wasnt saying what that cause was, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. Her spree is alleged to have begun Oct. 30 in Ellenwood. Hiding her eyes behind black sunglasses and wearing all black, she passed the teller a note demanding money for the streets and for the movement, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported last week before she was caught. At each heist, she would claim to have a bomb, police said. She also was said to have used different accomplices young males she recruited online, Fox 5 reported. 'FREEDOM FIGHTER BANDIT' SOUGHT IN GEORGIA BANK ROBBERIES The FBI said it learned of her identity after the arrest of two teens who it said helped her rob a bank in Douglasville. Rowson said Urena was wearing a white hoodie and her face partially was covered with a bandana two weeks ago when she robbed a bank in the town of Dallas, outside Atlanta. She is alleged to have made off with cash in each case, but the FBI didnt say how much. Rowson told Fox 5 Atlanta that a car-service driver helped local police nab Urena. He said Urena had used the driver in the getaway. The driver then told police her name. Click for more from Fox 5 Atlanta. Over the past few years, colleges have rolled out stringent policies that have had a chilling effect on free speech on campus and now the Trump administration and Republican members of Congress want to loosen those rules. A higher-education reform bill proposed in the House would force colleges to scale back rules critics say have severely restricted free speech on campus. The bill would give speakers, especially ones deemed controversial like Ben Shapiro or Ann Coulter more leniency to speak at colleges and would allow religious groups to choose members that actually share their religious beliefs. U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., the committee chairwoman and the chief author of the Promoting Real Opportunity, Success and Prosperity Through Education Reform (PROSPER) Act, said the bill will roll back many ill-conceived mandates handed down by the Obama administration and be replaced by policies that will help current students. A spokesperson for the Committee on Education and the Workforce told Fox News the bill would reverse overreaching rules that have suppressed free speech on college campuses. The PROSPER Act is sending a strong message to the higher education community that these important issues cannot be ignored and campuses across the country, must do more to stand by First Amendment principles, the spokesperson said. The PROSPER Act ensures Congress intent is clear, and that students and organizations have the mechanisms necessary to help protect their rights. The Trump Administration released a statement trumpeting the bill. Congress should create a framework for reforming Americas higher education law that protects academic freedom and promotes the exercise of free speech on college campuses for faculty and students, the White House said. NOT JUST IVY LEAGUE: COMMUNITY COLLEGES ALSO VIOLATE STUDENTS RIGHTS, EXPERT SAYS Conservative speakers Some controversial conservative speakers who have been invited to speak on campus in recent years have seen their invitations rescinded by college administrators who have feared a backlash. The Young Americas Foundation, a student group that invites conservative speakers on campuses across the country, said it welcomes the bill. Colleges and universities routinely violate the First Amendment rights of YAF students on the basis of viewpoint, said Young Americas Foundation spokesman, Spencer Brown. Its an unconstitutional practice and school administrators need to be held accountable. Free speech zones Another rule the bill may roll back is so-called free speech zones at college campuses, which critics say has allowed colleges to censor speech. Joe Cohn, the legislative and policy director for the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, or FIRE, a free-speech advocacy group, told Fox News he hopes the bill eliminates them. Free speech zones have been used to censor students from all parts of the political spectrum, Cohn said. Weve seen them used to silence students who wanted to distribute copies of the U.S. Constitution to their classmates. Weve seen them used against students who wanted to engage their classmates on animal rights, against students who wanted to protest the National Security Administration, and weve seen them used against students who wanted to advocate for gun rights. BRAND: WHERE FREE SPEECH SHOULD BE PROMOTED, FREE SPEECH IS UNDER ATTACK Cohn said FIRE is also working with Congress to strengthen campus due process rights and bolster freedom of association, allowing college groups to be able to choose their members and leadership positions based on their values or interests. Expressing the sense of Congress that free speech zones and restrictive speech codes are inherently at odds with the First Amendment and public institutions receiving funds under the HEA should not restrict the speech of their students, the PROSPER act reads. Religious liberty The act would allow religious groups to pick people for leadership positions based on his or her values, which is currently not common practice on college campuses. Religious groups are now denied funds or meeting spaces if they dont let students -- even ones opposed to their mission and values -- a leadership position. A Christian student group at the University of Iowa recently sued the university for discrimination after it was booted from campus for requiring student leaders to embrace Christian religious beliefs including a clause on sexual morality. UNIVERSITY EVICTS CHRISTIAN CLUB OVER LEADERSHIP FAITH REQUIREMENT Prohibiting any public institution that denies a religious student organization any right, benefit, or privilege generally afforded to other student organizations on the basis of the organizations religious beliefs, practices, speech, membership or leadership standards, or standards of conduct from receiving funding under the HEA, the bill says. The bill has drawn sharp criticism from college administrations who fear a loss of authority over their own campuses and from LGBT groups who see the bill as a license to discriminate. David Stacy of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights group, told the New York Times the implications could be far-reaching. Youre not just talking about a little Bible college, Stacy told the Times. When you think about Catholic universities, there are a lot of those, and quite a few of these universities would discriminate against same-sex student relationships. Foxx said she expects the bill to make it through the House, though it will need bipartisan support in the Senate in order to make its way to the president's desk. Authorities in Ohio are trying to figure out how a 2-year-old girl died after she was found unresponsive in frigid weather Friday laying on the front porch of an apartment building. The girl was found by her mother outside the building in Akron, and the woman then frantically called 911. Akron Police told FOX8 they were called to the home around 3:30 p.m. by a woman who told the 911 dispatcher she found her daughter "frozen" outside. You're gonna carefully tilt the head back, you're gonna pinch her nose closed and completely cover her mouth with your mouth and blow two regular breaths into the lungs," said the dispatcher, trying to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation instructions, on the 911 call obtained by FOX8. The Summit County Medical Examiners Office identified the girl Monday as Wynter Parker, according to FOX8. The medical examiner's office said the toddler suffered severe hypothermia, but an official cause of death has not yet been determined. Temperatures in Akron on Friday ranged between 12 and 19 degrees. Akron Police have not yet released the mother's name, and said they are still investigating the incident. NEW MEXICO MOM ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY GIVING DAUGHTER, 13, POT EDIBLES A neighbor told FOX8 she would occasionally hear people arguing outside the apartment and the woman, who lived in the apartment with the toddler and a boy, had left both children outside alone before. "I've had to take the baby home because she'll be outside playing, it was a few times that I had to take both of her kids home," Crystal Lucas told FOX8. Lucas said she was surprised when police officers knocked on her door Friday. "I cried because I just don't understand how a 2-year-old could be outside and you not know," she said. Federal authorities say a 25-year-old woman dubbed the "Freedom Fighter Bandit" who's wanted for a string of Georgia bank robberies has been arrested in Tennessee. The FBI said in a news release Monday that Nilsa Marie Urena was apprehended Saturday shortly after robbing a Nashville-area credit union branch. It was not immediately known if Urena had an attorney to represent her. The FBI says Urena is suspected in at least eight bank robberies in Georgia since October. It says Urena is called the "Freedom Fighter Bandit" because she says she's robbing banks for a cause. An earlier FBI news release says she was suspected in a Jan. 25 robbery at Hamilton State Bank in Dallas, Georgia. The suspect said she had a bomb and ordered employees not to call police. Deb Ferrara of Vacaville, Calif., has lost her everything. Rex, an 18-month-old Bichon and Maltese mix puppy, had been missing for a couple of hours after escaping her home while she was at a funeral, Fox 40 reported. It turns out Ferraras puppy was hurled out of a car Thursday on a California interstate -- with its back legs tied up. He was the sweetest little dog, she told Fox 40. He was my 24/7 companion. Id had him since he was just a pup. Monica Andersen and her fiance, Erik Gow, according to Fox 40, found Rex. All we saw was this white thing come flying out of a blue [Toyota] Prius, Anderson told the news station. Andersen said Rexs two back legs were tied with plastic. She got out to save him, but another car hit Rex before she got to him. One of the things I thought of right away was how scared was he, how frightened was he especially when this guy is tying him up and throwing him out of the window, Ferrara told KCRA. Its such a cruel way to end a little dogs life. A $460 reward from Paws for Paws is available for anyone with information leading up to an arrest, according to KCRA. Back in 2000, police said a 27-year-old man tossed a Bichon Frise named Leo from a car into oncoming traffic near the airport in San Jose, Calif., killing the dog. Andrew Burnett was sentenced to three years in prison for animal cruelty, CBS News reported. Police said anyone with information about Rexs death should contact them. A right-wing extremist suspected in the shooting rampage that wounded six Africans in central Italy was lucid and determined, aware of what he had done and exhibited no remorse for his actions, an Italian law enforcement official said Sunday. Luca Traini, 28, remained jailed as police investigated him on multiple counts of attempted murder with the aggravating circumstance of racial hatred for the Saturday attacks in the Italian city of Macerata. The five men and one woman were wounded in the two-hour drive-by shooting spree were from Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia and Mali, according to RAI state television. Italian authorities said they seized Adolf Hitlers Mein Kampf, other publications linked to Nazism and a flag with a Celtic cross, a symbol commonly used by white supremacists, from Trainis home Sunday. Traini, who is Italian, was an unsuccessful candidate last year in a local election for the anti-migrant Northern League political party. Italys ANSA news agency quoted acquaintances saying he previously had ties with the neo-fascist Forza Nuova and CasaPound parties. Photographs released by police showed Traini with a neo-Nazi tattoo prominently on his forehead and an Italian flag tied around his neck. Col. Michele Roberti, the Carabineri commander in Macerata, told Sky TG24 that Traini demonstrated no remorse for the two-hour rampage and its likely that he carried out this crazy gesture as a sort of retaliation, a sort of vendetta for the gruesome slaying of a teenager a few days earlier. A Nigerian man has been arrested in the death of Pamela Mastropietro, 18. Mastropietros dismembered remains of were found in two suitcases days after she walked away from a drug rehab community. Police said her bloody clothes, a receipt from a pharmacy where she bought a syringe and knives consistent with the crime were found in the Nigerian suspects apartment. Roberti ruled out any personal connection between Traini and the slain woman. One of the people wounded Saturday, a 29-year-old woman identified only as Jennifer, told Italian daily newspaper La Stampa from her hospital bed that she no longer feels free to walk around the city with peace of mind. I never hurt anyone. I was talking and laughing with three other people when she was struck by the bullet, she told the Turin-based newspaper. One of the six victims was treated and released Saturday. The remaining patients were all in stable condition, with one in intensive care and Jennifer facing surgery on her shoulder, doctors said Sunday. Her boyfriend told La Repubblica they were waiting at a bus station when he saw a man pointing something at them from a black car. He realized then that it was a gun. I gave Jennifer a push to get her out of the way and threw myself down. And I heard a shot: Boom! said Ogie Igbinowania. Jennifer told the newspaper she arrived in Italy seven months ago and joined her boyfriend in Macerata. I have always been comfortable here. People are friendly. I dont know why that guy fired at us, she said. A Nigerian community leader in Macerata, Sammy Kunoun, said he heard the shots as he was going to meet with cultural mediators about organizing a sit-in to support Mastropietros family. They called off the event after the shootings for fear of further racist attacks. Now, we are all victims in this story, said Kunoun, adding that the immigrant community has been well-integrated in Macerata. Official statistics put the population of foreigners in the city at 9.2 percent of the 43,000 residents. The shooting spree also came amid a heated electoral campaign in Italy where anti-foreigner sentiment has become a key theme. Italy has struggled with the arrival of hundreds of thousands of migrants in the last few years coming across the Mediterranean Sea in smugglers boats. Italy has a general election scheduled for March 4 and the head of the rebranded League party, Matteo Salvini, had capitalized on the teens killing in campaign appearances even before the shooting Saturday. Salvini is pledging to deport 150,000 migrants in his first year in office if his party wins control of parliament drawing sharp rebukes that he is using the migrant crisis to foment xenophobia for political gain. Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni warned in Rome after the attack that the state will be particularly severe against whoever thinks of feeding the spiral of violence. An American investigator trying to shed light on the notorious underground ivory trade threatening elephants and rhinos with extinction worldwide was found stabbed to death in his home in Kenya. A family member went to Esmond Bradley Martin's house Sunday to check on him after he did not respond to phone calls and found the body on a bed with a stab wound to the neck, Nicolas Kamwende, head of criminal investigations in Nairobi, said Monday. Martin, a former U.N. special envoy for rhino conservation, had recently returned from a research trip to Burma and was in the process of writing up his findings, the BBC reported. The 75-year-old was known for his undercover work investigating the ivory trade, and had risked his life to document illegal sales in far-flung corners of the globe. Martin would pose as a buyer and obtain details of black market prices, the BBC reported. Conservationist Paula Kahumbu told the Associated Press that Martin was at the forefront of exposing ivory traffickers in the U.S., Congo, Vietnam, Nigeria, Angola, China and recently Burma. Police are investigating Martins death as a botched robbery, according to the BBC, which said he first went to Kenya in the 1970s during a surge in elephant killings. "A passionate and committed man who made a big difference to our planet. May he rest in peace," British High Commissioner to Kenya Nic Hailey said in a Twitter post. "Esmond was a true giant of conservation and a champion for African elephants and rhinos," U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec said in a statement. "His extraordinary research had a profound impact and advanced efforts to combat illegal wildlife trafficking across the planet." Conservation group Save the Elephants described Martin as "a longtime ally," a passionate champion of wildlife and meticulous researcher. Illicit demand for elephant ivory has led to devastating losses from illegal poaching as the natural habitat available for the animals to roam has also dwindled by more than half, according to the Associated Press. As a result, the number of African elephants has shrunk from about 5 million a century ago to about 400,000 today. And that number continues to decline each year. The tusks fetch huge sums of money in black markets. In January, Thai authorities seized 326 pounds of African elephant ivory, including three large tusks worth around $469,800 from a Bangkok airport, the Associated Press reported. Less than 30,000 rhinos also are estimated to remain in the wild due to poaching. The price of rhino horn skyrocketed as demand has grown in Asian countries, mainly China and Vietnam, where consumers believe that the horn made of the same substance as fingernails has powerful healing properties. The price was believed to be at its highest in 2012, when it was worth around $65,000 per kilogram (2.2 pounds), The Guardian reported. In an interview with National Public Radio in 2007, Martin said his greatest contribution academically to conservationism would be to show that except for one small area in India, rhino horn has never been used by Asians for sexual purposes. Martin Mulama, a rhino expert with the WWF conservation group and former Kenyan government official who worked with Martin, said the American did the legwork to prove rumors about the illegal wildlife trade, thereby encouraging officials to take action. "He tried to unearth some of these difficult things," Mulama said. "He would actually come with evidence to show that this is actually happening." The Associated Press contributed to this report. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 The Associated Press has learned that Pope Francis received a victim's letter in 2015 that graphically detailed his sexual abuse and a cover-up by Chilean church authorities contradicting the pope's insistence that no victims had come forward. AP obtained the letter from Chilean survivor Juan Carlos Cruz. Members of the pope's sex-abuse advisory commission say they flew to Rome in 2015 specifically to hand-deliver the letter to a top papal adviser, Cardinal Sean O'Malley. Cruz and commission members say O'Malley assured them he had delivered it to the pope. Francis recently sparked an outcry by vigorously defending Bishop Juan Barros, who is accused by victims of covering up for Chile's most notorious pedophile priest. Francis said he had never heard from victims about Barros' behavior. The picturesque port city of Cape Town, South Africa has long had the distinction of being one of the worlds top tourist destinations. But now, the city is on track to top another list it doesnt want to be included in: The first major city in the modern era to have its water supply chain switched off. The city is experiencing a record-low water drought and city officials say soon they may have to take extraordinary steps to restrict water usage. Experts say this kind of drought only comes once in 300 years. Dam water levels are dangerously low, at an average of 25 percent. In some areas, levels are dropping by as much as 1 percent a day. Under Level 6B restrictions introduced this week, residents and tourists can only use about 13 gallons or 50 liters of water a day, or face stiff fines. Thats the equivalent of a small to medium-sized tub of water. So taking a bath as is out. People are being urged to take only two short showers a week, or use washcloths to clean themselves. They are also being asked to flush the toilet only once a day. Many restaurants have shut off the water at sinks and are asking customers to use bottled hand sanitizers. Long lines are forming at two wells in the city, where residents can get some water, about six gallons each. A brewery that owns the land where one of the wells sits offers limited water on a first-come, first-served basis. Many residents are trying to stock up because, even with these restrictions, Day Zero is likely to come. Barring a miracle, on May 11 or sooner most of the citys water taps will be shut off. Already, police and security agencies are bracing for possible civil unrest. "It will be honestly horrific when day zero comes, said Wendy Swiel, a local resident told reporters while in line at one of the wells. It's going to be very scary but I think it's a reality, unfortunately. Analysts are blaming the ANC-led national government, which is responsible for supplying water, for not acting sooner, despite being warned several years ago about the issue. Some analysts claim that the ANC is punishing Cape Town's voters for recently booting the party in local elections. Cape Town was the first of South Africas major cities where voters turned their back on the ruling party in local elections, ostensibly because of corruption, nepotism and mismanagement by the late Nelson Mandelas party. Three of South Africas other largest cities, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Port Elizabeth have also dumped the ANC. Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille, a leader of the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, claimed that for months she has been trying to get a meeting with the countrys President, Jacob Zuma, to get national help to no avail. The municipality purchased new desalination plants, but they wont be ready in time to avert Day Zero. Theres a growing panic in town. The price of bottled water has shot up if someone is lucky enough to find one. Shops sell out as soon as supplies enter stores. Even large chain stores are being heavily criticized for price gouging bottled water. In Johannesburg, so many locals are collecting water for family and friends in Cape Town that authorities are asking people to stop doing so, because Johannesburg itself is in danger of running low in this arid country. But many are most concerned about the poor, many of whom collect water from communal taps instead of individual taps at home like in the richer suburbs, according to the Associated Press. The rich are already trucking in tankers of water, and filling their swimming pools, or converting them to operate on salt water. In the Cape township of Khayelitsha, however, poor residents have always had to stand in line for water. So, for them, there is an ironic satisfaction that many in the more affluent areas of the city will now have to make lines for water. Experts say they foresee clashes between those desperate for water and those hoarding it. Paul Tilsley is a freelance correspondent covering Africa for Fox News. You can follow his African stories on Twitter @paultilsley Two candidates with the same last name and opposing stances on gay marriage, an issue that came to dominate Costa Rica's presidential campaign, led election returns and appear headed to a runoff to decide who will be the Central American nation's next leader. With nearly 81 percent of the ballots counted late Sunday, Fabricio Alvarado, an evangelical whose political stock soared after he came out strongly against same-sex marriage, had 24.8 percent of the vote. Carlos Alvarado no relation had 21.6 percent and was the only candidate among 13 to support gay marriage. Costa Rican election rules say that if no one in the 13-candidate field finishes above 40 percent, the top two advance to a runoff that would take place April 1. Israeli officials say a Palestinian stabbed an Israeli man to death near a West Bank settlement before fleeing the scene. The military says a soldier chased the assailant after he stabbed a civilian at a bus stop near the entrance to Ariel, hitting the attacker with his vehicle. The attacker then got away. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says the Israeli man who was stabbed died of his wounds shortly thereafter. Last month, an Israeli was killed in a drive-by shooting near a West Bank settlement outpost. Since 2015, Palestinians have killed over 50 Israelis, two visiting Americans and a British tourist in stabbings and other attacks. Over 260 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in that time. Israel says most were attackers and the others died in clashes. A Japanese military helicopter crashed in southwestern Japan on Monday, ripping the top floor off a house and setting the building on fire, officials said. The two crewmembers who were aboard died after suffering heart and lung failure, according to Japanese military officials. The Boeing AH-64 combat helicopter crashed in Kanzaki city in Saga prefecture, defense officials said. Public broadcaster NHK showed orange flames and black smoke rising from the charred house, which had its upper floor torn off. Witnesses reported a big boom and ripping noises coming from the sky before the crash. The four residents of the damaged house were believed to have been away at the time of the accident, Masaki Endo, a disaster official at the Saga prefectural government, told the Associated Press. No one else on the ground was believed to have been hurt, he added. CAPE TOWN PUSHES POSSIBLE TAP CLOSURE ON 'DAY ZERO' TO MAY The helicopter fell nose down after losing contact with air traffic control and the cause of the accident is under investigation. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered the grounding of all 12 helicopters of the same type for safety checks, Kyodo News agency reported. The crash follows a series of emergency landings and other incidents involving U.S. military aircraft on Japan's southern island of Okinawa. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Dutch foreign ministry says attempts to heal a diplomatic rift between the Netherlands and Turkey have faltered. The ministry issued a statement Monday saying that recent talks did not reach agreement on how to normalize relations. As a result, the Dutch government is officially withdrawing its ambassador, a largely symbolic gesture as the diplomat has been barred from Turkey since March 2017. The ministry added that as long as there is no Dutch ambassador in Ankara, it will not allow a new Turkish ambassador in the Netherlands. Relations between the two countries were plunged into crisis last year over the Dutch refusal to allow Turkish ministers to campaign in the Netherlands ahead of a referendum that gave Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan more power. An Indian-owned oil tanker that vanished Thursday off the coast of the West African country of Benin may have been hijacked by pirates, and officials Sunday pleaded for help finding the vessel. India's External Affairs minister Suchma Swaraj confirmed late Sunday the tanker, Marine Express, disappeared in the Gulf of Guinea with 22 Indian crew members on board. "Merchant Ship Marine Express with 22 Indian nationals is missing off the Coast of Benin in the Gulf of Guinea," Swaraj wrote on Twitter. "We are making all out efforts in coordination with Nigerian and Benin naval authorities to trace the missing ship." On Monrday, Swaraj wrote she has spoken to the foreign minister of Nigeria, who has " promised all help and assistance in locating the missing ship." It is unclear whether the ship was hijacked for ransom, or to steal the nearly 15,000 tons of gasoline on board. The ship, owned by a Mumbai company, has been missing since Feb. 1 and no contact has been made with the crew so far, according to Indian media reports. The ship's Mumbai-based manning agent, Anglo-Eastern Ship Management, confirmed on Twitter it had lost contact with the vessel. "We regret that contact has been lost with the AE-managed MT Marine Express while at Cotonou, Benin. Last contact was at 03:30 UTC, Feb 1," the company said. "Authorities have been alerted and are responding. Our top priority is the safety of the crew, whose families have been contacted." According to tracking data, the last contact with the vessel was while it was anchored at Cotonou, Sky News reported. SHIP HIJACKED AND THEN FREED BY SOMALI PIRATES, AT SAFE PORT In January, another oil tanker, MT Barret, went missing off Benin. That crew of 22, mostly Indians, was released within days after a ransom was paid to the pirates who hijacked the tanker, the Press Trust of India news agency said. Ship hijackings and kidnappings of crew are common in the region, with hostages often released unharmed after a ransom is paid. Bandits usually target oil tankers and sell the crude. International efforts have brought down the threat of piracy off Somalia's coast in recent years. Concerns about piracy off Africa's coast have now largely shifted to the Gulf of Guinea. The Associated Press contributed to this report. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Pakistan's prime minister has pledged his government's continued support for the struggle of the people of Kashmir, saying the residents of the divided Himalayan region have rendered great sacrifices in their fight for freedom, which cannot be suppressed. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi spoke on Monday to the local parliament in Muzaffarabad, the seat of the Pakistani-controlled part of Kashmir. Political and religious groups across Pakistan marked the annual Kashmir Solidarity Day. Abbasi urged the lawmakers to be united for the cause and said the Indian government has tried but failed to suppress the Kashmir struggle. Pakistani army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa says that Kashmiri people's "struggle is destined to succeed.' Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, which fought two wars over it, and claimed by both it in entirety. The lone surviving member of the ISIS terror cell behind the deadly 2015 attacks on Paris refused to stand in a Belgian court Monday, daring the media to "judge me" during his first appearance in public since his arrest nearly two years ago. Salah Abdeslam appeared in a Brussels courtroom on charges of attempted murder stemming from a police shootout in March 2016 from which he fled, four months after the coordinated Paris terror attacks that killed 130 people at a theatre, the national stadium and cafes. Abdeslam and two suspects were hiding in an apartment at the time when police arrived for a routine search, authorities said. Three officers were wounded in the shootout that followed and one suspect was killed. Abdeslam was captured a few days later in the flashpoint Brussels neighborhood of Molenbeek. The 28-year-old, now wearing a full beard and longer hair than in pictures released before he was arrested, was flanked by masked guards on Monday and refused to answer questions beyond a few formalities, Sky News reported. When asked by a judge why he refused to stand, Abdeslam said: "I'm tired, I did not sleep." He later declared his Muslim faith and cited his right to silence before accusing the media of condemning him ahead of his trial. Judge me. Do as you want with me, he told the judge. He also told the courtroom he defends himself "by keeping silent." "Muslims are judged and treated without pity, there is no presumption of innocence," said Abdeslam, who stared straight ahead for much of the hearing. "I'm not afraid of you, I'm not afraid of your allies. I place my faith in Allah." TIMELINE OF RECENT TERROR ATTACKS AGAINST THE WEST Abdeslam has previously refused to speak to investigators in France about the attacks there. In the days after his capture, ISIS terrorists struck in Brussels in bombings at the Brussels airport and metro station. In total, 162 people died in the two attacks. His trial in France is not expected to take place until next year, according to Reuters. The 28-year-old arrived in the Belgian capital on Monday morning after being transferred from a prison in France. Security was high at the Brussels courthouse, with armed guards and multiple checkpoints leading to the courtroom. He is being tried alongside a second defendant, Sofiane Ayari, in relation to the shootout. The judge's questions Monday were oriented toward establishing which of the two had also fired on officers. Ayari, a 24-year-old Tunisian, told the court that he had been with ISIS forces in Syria. He said he had been with Abdeslam at the site of the shootout, but only the third man who was killed by police fired on officers who raided their hideout. TIMELINE OF RECENT VEHICLE ATTACKS IN US, EUROPE The trial in Brussels drew relatives of victims of the Paris attacks to hear the case, according to Sky News. "We want to see what elements will be provided in order to have a better understanding of this series of events and terror attacks, in France and in Belgium," said Guillaume Denoix de Saint Marc, a member of V-Europe, a victims' association. "This trial is one of the pieces of a global puzzle which will answer some of our questions. But at the same time, we expect to be very disappointed and to learn nothing." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Paul Bremer is not well known in his own country, but in Iraq, the longtime American diplomat is a household name. It was Bremer, as head of the Coalition Provincial Authority, who led Iraq for just over a year in the early stages of the U.S. occupation in 2003. In the years, critics of the U.S invasion have faulted Bremer-led policies for the chaos and instability that followed for more than a decade. From the purge of longtime dictator Saddam Hussein's Baath Party to the dismantling of the Iraqi Army, U.S. policies implemented under Bremer are sometimes blamed for everything from dissolution of civil society in Iraq to the 2014 rise of ISIS. Yet, despite the tremendous cost in lives and money, much has worked. In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Bremer reflected on the lessons learned almost 15 years since the Iraq war began what went right and what went wrong and the role the U.S. can play in preventing another ISIS-like insurgency. Fox News: Looking back at your governance of Iraq and what has happened since then, what worked and what did not? BREMER: The unwritten story of Iraq is how successful they have been despite all the problems, ISIS and everything else. Here is a country that has held four elections, a referendum, and provincial elections. When (current Prime Minister) Haider Alabadi came into the position (in August, 2014) it was the fourth successful peaceful transfer of power in Iraq, which is pretty much a record in the Arab world, perhaps with the exception of Lebanon. They wrote a Constitution and they got it approved, and they have been following the Constitution in terms of its electoral provisions. In Iraqs history, its the first time and in the Arab world, that is pretty unusual. Their political commitment to trying to have a representative government is pretty impressive. Fox News: Nonetheless, people often look back at the Iraq war as a mistake. BREMER: It seems to me that the conventional wisdom about Iraq being a big mistake is not focusing on the facts on the ground. In fairness, one also has to add that they like all of the oil producers have really been hammered by the drop in the oil price. They still get something like 90 percent of the government revenues from oil. So the economic pressures, which affect everything else, has also been a problem. Security also continues to be a big problem. The lesson there we have been through. I felt we were understaffed on security right from the start. That problem was not really fixed until 2007 when President Bush changed strategy, and implemented the Counter Terrorism (CT) strategy which defeated Al Qaeda in Iraq by the end of 2008, so effectively in 2009 when the new administration came in, the President said they inherited a relatively stable and peaceful Iraq which was true as of 2009. Fox News So in your view, what then went wrong? BREMER: The big mistake then was pulling the troops out in 2011, which opened the door for ISIS to come in and take over a third of the country. President Obama realized that was a mistake and began the buildup again that has led us to where we are now and has kept the training going for the Iraqi counter-terrorism units. So we are back again to a more stable Iraq. So where to go from here? The thing that didnt work was America effectively withdrawing its visible and political support of the Iraqi government in 2011. We needed to have a sustained commitment to helping the Iraqis develop their own forces and train them to defeat first Al-Qaeda and then ISIS, which is effectively Al Qaeda version two. We cant repeat that mistake. Fox News: Critics often point fingers at the policy of de-Baathification in Iraq, which was ushered in under your watch and subsequently left scores of well-trained Baath party leaders without jobs or prospects, and many in turn became ISIS. What should you have done differently? BREMER: There was no question there was going to be a heavy degree of de-Baathifcation. That is what all Iraqis consulted by the State Department before the invasion said. That order was drafted in Washington before I even came into government. But I did make a mistake, and that was turning over the implementation to the Iraqi Governing Council which then put in place a de-Baathification committee that expanded very gravely the actual scope of the order. Reconciliation is always the hardest thing in any post-conflict situation and effectively dealing with the Baath party involves the question of reconciliation. Fox News: There are widespread concerns that Tehran has too much influence in Baghdad. Is this something you foresee as a big problem going forward? BREMER: The significant Iranian involvement, particularly through the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) poses a real challenge for Baghdad. The question now that the job of defeating ISIS is largely done, what do we do with them? There are more than 100,000. It raises the issue of reconciliation, and that goes in two dimensions there is the ethnic dimension of Kurds and Arabs, and the sectarian dimension of Shia and Sunnis. The large-scale Iranian presence, particularly through the security forces, complicates that problem for the Prime Minister. Fox News: There are a lot of arguments for the notion that a unified Iraq wont work, thus the Kurds and others are making a case for Iraqi to be broken up. Could this improve the security situation, or make it worse? BREMER: I think it would lead to a worse situation. If Iraq breaks up and the most visible place that could happen is if the Kurds were to carry out their program of seceding from Iraq two things will be of consequence. First of all, it is likely to provoke internal disruption within the rest of Iraq. Second, it is likely to bring in some of the neighboring countries. Turkey and Iran, both of who have some very large and uncomfortable Kurdish minorities. Neither of those countries are going to tolerate an independent Kurdistan, and it would probably draw them in more than they already are, so I dont think it is a very good idea. Fox News: After the Shia Muslim Nouri Al-Maliki came into office in 2006, did you have any indications into the type of sectarianism he promoted? BREMER: If you look at what Al-Maliki did, he came to Washington and learned from President Obama that we were going to withdraw at the end of 2011. He then did three things. He went home and put an arrest warrant out for his senior Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, who is still in exile in Turkey. He cut off cooperation with the Kurds [and] didnt send them their money. And most importantly, he began a large-scale purge of the American-trained Iraqi Army. I have heard from Iraqis that the purge tended to go in the direction of putting Shia-supporters of Al-Maliki into Officer level positions which goes a fair way to explaining how an American-trained army, which defeated Al Qaeda, suddenly collapsed when ISIS took Mosul. Fox News: Now with ISIS officially defeated territorially in Iraq, should the U.S. maintain a presence there long-term? BREMER: I think we should make it clear to the Iraqi Government and to its neighbors that we intend to stay there as long as the Iraqi government wants us to be there. How long that is, I dont know. But it is in Americas interests. We are not just doing it as a favor to the Iraqis. In our interests, we have invested a great deal in Iraq. It has by-and-large been successful in terms of its political structure, the economy is a problem but that is not something we did wrong or the Iraqis did wrong, that is the world oil market. We should be prepared to stay and defend those successes as long as the Iraqi government wants us to be there. Fox News: Reflecting on your time governing Iraq, despite all that may have gone wrong, of which aspect are you most proud today? BREMER: I think helping the Iraqis realize and then draft a modern Constitution with checks and balances, some path to a representative government chosen by the Iraqi people. That Constitution they are still following, and that was the most successful thing we did. And Iraqis themselves dont get as much credit for what they have done, particularly in the heroism they showed in those first couple of elections when Al Qaeda was saying, you vote we kill you. But they still went out there with their purple fingers. We all remember it. They are tough people. Some of the PENAMA 2017 female health retirees. They have been serving the government for more than 30 years Pope Francis in 2015 was handed a letter from a man who claimed he was sexually abused by a priest and that Chilean clergy ignored his allegations, the letter's author and members of the popes Commission for the Protection of Minors said, despite Francis insisting recently that no victims have come forward. Francis' trip to South America last month was marred by protests over his vigorous defense of Bishop Juan Barros, who is accused by victims of covering up the abuse by the Rev. Fernando Karadima. During the trip, Francis dismissed accusations against Barros as "slander." On the plane ride home, confronted by an AP reporter, the pope said: "You, in all good will, tell me that there are victims, but I haven't seen any, because they haven't come forward." But members of the pope's Commission for the Protection of Minors said that in April 2015, they sent a delegation to Rome specifically to hand-deliver a letter to the pope about Barros. The letter from Juan Carlos Cruz detailed the abuse, kissing and fondling he said he suffered at Karadima's hands. He claimed Barros and others witnessed the abuse but ignored it. Four members of the commission met with Francis' top abuse adviser, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, explained their objections to Francis' recent appointment of Barros as a bishop in southern Chile, and gave him the letter to deliver to Francis. "When we gave him (O'Malley) the letter for the pope, he assured us he would give it to the pope and speak of the concerns," then-commission member Marie Collins told the AP. "And at a later date, he assured us that that had been done." Cruz, who now lives and works in Philadelphia, heard the same later that year. "Cardinal O'Malley called me after the pope's visit here in Philadelphia and he told me, among other things, that he had given the letter to the pope in his hands," he said in an interview at his home Sunday. Neither the Vatican nor O'Malley responded to the Associated Press multiple requests for comment. While the 2015 summit of Francis' commission was known and publicized at the time, the contents of Cruz's letter and a photograph of Collins handing it to O'Malley were not disclosed by members. Cruz provided the letter, and Collins provided the photo, after reading an AP story that reported Francis had claimed to have never heard from any Karadima victims about Barros' behavior. The Barros affair first caused shockwaves in January 2015 when Francis appointed him bishop of Osorno, Chile, over the objections of the leadership of Chile's bishops' conference and many local priests and laity. Barros was a Karadima protege, and according to Cruz and other victims, he witnessed the abuse and did nothing. "Holy Father, I write you this letter because I'm tired of fighting, of crying and suffering," Cruz wrote in Francis' native Spanish. "Our story is well known and there's no need to repeat it, except to tell you of the horror of having lived this abuse and how I wanted to kill myself." Cruz and other survivors had for years denounced the cover-up of Karadima's crimes, but were dismissed as liars by the Chilean church hierarchy and the Vatican's own ambassador in Santiago, who refused their repeated requests to meet before and after Barros was appointed. After Francis' comments backing the Chilean hierarchy caused such an outcry in Chile, he was forced last week to do an about-face: The Vatican announced it was sending in its most respected sex-crimes investigator to take testimony from Cruz and others about Barros. In the letter to the pope, Cruz begs for Francis to listen to him and make good on his pledge of "zero tolerance." Cruz goes on to detail in explicit terms the homo-eroticized nature of the circle of priests and young boys around Karadima, the charismatic preacher whose El Bosque community in the well-to-do Santiago neighborhood of Providencia produced dozens of priestly vocations and five bishops, including Barros. He described how Karadima would kiss Barros and fondle his genitals, and do the same with younger priests and teens, and how young priests and seminarians would fight to sit next to Karadima at the table to receive his affections. "More difficult and tough was when we were in Karadima's room and Juan Barros if he wasn't kissing Karadima would watch when Karadima would touch us the minors and make us kiss him, saying: 'Put your mouth near mine and stick out your tongue.' He would stick his out and kiss us with his tongue," Cruz told the pope. "Juan Barros was a witness to all this innumerable times, not just with me but with others as well." "Juan Barros covered up everything that I have told you," he added. Barros has repeatedly denied witnessing any abuse or covering it up. "I never knew anything about, nor ever imagined, the serious abuses which that priest committed against the victims," he told the AP recently. "I have never approved of nor participated in such serious, dishonest acts, and I have never been convicted by any tribunal of such things." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Saudi Arabia's air force intercepted a ballistic missile launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, the Kingdom's military said Monday. Col. Turki Al-Maliki, a spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition supporting the Yemeni government, told state media that the missile was launched from Yemen's northern government of Sa'adah and targeted the city of Khamis Mushait, about 100 miles north of the Saudi-Yemen border. Maliki accused the Houthis of targeting densely populated cities and accused the Iranian regime of violating international law by providing "tangible capabilities" to the rebel group. He also called on the international community "to hold Iran accountable for its support and blatant defiance of international norms, values, and laws." The Houthis had no immediate comment. The group has launched dozens of missiles into Saudi Arabia since it entered the conflict in 2015 at the head of an Arab coalition heavily backed by the United Arab Emirates. Some of those missile attacks have caused casualties in Saudi border towns. The civil war in Yemen has killed more than 10,000 people and displaced two million more. In three years of fighting, the front lines of the conflict have hardly moved. The rebels largely control the capital, Sanaa, and much of the north of Yemen. Meanwhile, the country's internationally recognized president, President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, is based in Saudi Arabia and his rule is largely confined to the southern port city of Aden. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Swiss President Alain Berset says the return of Rohingya Muslims who have fled violence in Myanmar must be voluntary. Berset, who is on a four-day visit to Bangladesh, said after meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday that the situation of Rohingya in Bangladesh refugee camps is of great concern. Berset pledged to provide an additional 12 million francs ($12.9 million) for Rohingya this year. He is expected to visit Rohingya refugee camps on Tuesday. More than 680,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from Buddhist-majority Myanmar since the military launched a crackdown in August. In November, Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed to gradually repatriate them. The returns were scheduled to begin in January, but were delayed by incomplete preparations and concerns that the Rohingya were being forced back. Treading lightly on Tanna We go on a new ecotourism adventure tour in North Tanna Jonas Cullwick, a former General Manager of VBTC is now a Senior Journalist with the Daily Post. Contact: jonas@dailypost.vu. Cell # 678 5460922 Yes. I will do my part to conserve household energy usage, even if I'm uncomfortable in my home. No. It is too hot to conserve household energy usage. I already conserve, even before ERCOT requested it. Maybe, depending on the reason ERCOT provides and whether or not I am home during that time. Vote View Results Free Freightnet Membership List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours. European farm leaders are battling plans to give South American countries greater access to the EUs beef market in return for the EU being given more open access to their car and dairy markets. The EU is in the final stages of negotiations with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay in order to secure a new EU-Mercosur trade deal. The EU says a future agreement will represent a win-win for both sides, creating opportunities for growth and jobs. See also: Outlook 2018: Farm policy will be dictated by Brexit deals But European farm leaders have reacted with horror to the news that the EU has upped the amount of beef it would be prepared to see imported with reduced tariffs applied from 70,000t to 99,000t. This would be in return for an end to prohibitively high tariffs on EU exports of goods such as cars, machinery, dairy products and wine to the South American trading bloc. Not the time The European farmers organisation Copa-Cogeca said increasing the beef offer was unacceptable. Jean-Pierre Fleury, chairman of the beef working party, said more than 75% of beef imports (246,000t) already came from South America. Now is not the time to propose this when we do not know the impact of the talks of the exit of the UK from the EU, he said. With 52% of Irish beef destined for the UK market, we cannot put further pressure on the EU beef market in a trade pact with the Latin American countries. Mr Fleury also pointed out the commissions own monitoring had shown that some of the Mercosur countries had been unable to respect the EUs phytosanitary rules. Barclay Bell, president of the Ulster Farmers Union, agreed the EU Commission had already conceded too much ground to the Mercosur countries. There seems to be no regard for the impact on food safety standards or the economic impact on European farms, he said. These countries have no interest in adopting European traceability standards. They do not comply with EU animal welfare standards and Brazil in particular has not dealt appropriately with a huge food fraud incident involving rotten meat. Mr Bell said if a deal was struck it should not be at the expense of an industry that was the backbone of rural communities. The negotiations must also not set a trend that is considered acceptable by the UK government for any future trade deals, he added. The fear within parts of the EU is that any increase in beef imports from South America could lead to significant market disruption, particular if extra access is grated to high-value cuts of meat. Analysis carried out by the NFU in 2016 concluded that while reducing tariffs for dairy products might open up some opportunities for EU exports of high-quality cheese to Mercosur counties, the opportunities for the UK were limited. Overall, its conclusion was that in agricultural terms, Mercosur countries represented a serious threat more than an opportunity for EU farmers due to the lower cost base and production capacity in South America. Brexit concessions Meanwhile, it has emerged that some of the UKs trading partners may seek trade concessions from Britain during any post-Brexit transition period. During this period the UK will be required to abide by existing EU trade agreements, but third countries will not be bound to do the same. It is understood that South Korea and Chile may seek concessions in the agricultural sector as a result. The Scottish government will not support the banning of live exports of livestock, according to rural economy secretary Fergus Ewing. This comes just a week after more than 50 MPs took part in a reception at the House of Commons on Monday 29 January, calling for an end to live animal exports for slaughter. A Private Members Bill on the issue of livestock exports was due to be heard at Westminster on Friday (2 February), but it was withdrawn by sponsor and former Conservative minister Theresa Villiers. See also: MPs urged to ban live animal exports for slaughter Mr Ewing has stated he will not support anything that creates further challenges or difficulty for our farming sector or puts Scottish agriculture at a disadvantage. He said the move would potentially do substantial harm to the livestock sector, as well as farming in the Western Isles, Shetland and Orkney, and trade with Northern Ireland. He said: The Scottish government will, therefore, not support the banning of live exports of livestock, but will remain committed to the welfare of all animals during transport adhering to the current rigorous standards which apply standards and regulations provided by the EU, that are already world class and protect us all through animal, plant and chemical health measures and enabling our produce to be traded around the world. Defra secretary Michael Gove spoke out in support of restricting live exports of animals for slaughter at last years Conservative Party Conference. It is part of the governments plan to deliver world-leading standards on animal welfare. Complete non-starter However, Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) president, Barclay Bell, said the idea was a complete non-starter for the Northern Ireland farming industry and must be strongly opposed by MPs. The live export of cattle and sheep forms an integral part of the Northern Ireland livestock sector, injecting in excess of 70m into local farm businesses per year. Over 50,000 cattle and 500,000 sheep are exported live annually for further production or slaughter in other regions of the UK and to EU member states such as the Republic of Ireland and Spain. A Westminster Hall debate on the issue is scheduled to take place on 26 February, which has been secured after a petition started by Janet Darlison, a pensioner from Romford, gained more than 62,000 signatures. Galveston, TX (77553) Today Cloudy this morning with showers during the afternoon. High 86F. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Periods of rain. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 79F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall may reach one inch. kacylee at 5-02-2018 08:27 PM (3 years ago) (f) LoccaDiamond, the girlfriend of a 28-year-old Nigerian student, Kennedy Toomwabwa Dede who was brutally murdered in Cyprus, paid a touching tribute to him by tattooing his name on her arm and finger. LoccaDiamond, the girlfriend of a 28-year-old Nigerian student, Kennedy Toomwabwa Dede who was brutally murdered in Cyprus, paid a touching tribute to him by tattooing his name on her arm and finger. Dede was kidnapped by a gang comprising of eight people, on Tuesday night, January 30. The suspects took him to the Canakkale Pond, where they brutally attacked and and killed him. His body was recovered the next morning. Three persons were arrested in connection with the murder. See previous report here See her touching tributes below, along with pictures of them together. Dede was kidnapped by a gang comprising of eight people, on Tuesday night, January 30. The suspects took him to the Canakkale Pond, where they brutally attacked and and killed him. His body was recovered the next morning.Three persons were arrested in connection with the murder. See previous report hereSee her touching tributes below, along with pictures of them together. Post Reply I have been reporting for several years now and I am very interested in visual news reportage with strong inclusion of photos and video multimedia. Posted: at 5-02-2018 08:27 PM (3 years ago) | Addicted Hero In Milwaukee, an offender committed murder while released on supervision. In Seattle, questions remained over how a deadly police encounter unfolded. In New York City, fatigued officers made questionable decisions during a routine traffic stop. We can agree that these scenarios reflect system failings. However, the criminal justice system lacks a mechanism to examine these events and effectively prevent their recurrence.When a significant negative outcome, or "sentinel event," happens in the criminal-justice system, it is rarely the result of a single actor or mistake. Rather, many small misjudgments, oversights and other errors compound to create a context in which a death in custody, a wounded police officer, a failure to provide sufficient probationary supervision or other negative event can occur.Traditionally, the American criminal-justice system has taken a "bad apple" approach to error that assigns blame after a negative event. Although focusing on individual performance is appropriate in some instances, this approach fails to address the multiple system flaws that may have contributed to a problem. Errors are often caused by many individuals making decisions based on what they see as the best course of action in a given set of circumstances. Often, systems have set up these front-line actors to fail. If we merely punish a single individual without examining larger systemic issues, we miss a crucial opportunity to learn from error and prevent future negative outcomes.Shifting the criminal-justice culture away from blame and toward safety and improvement is the goal of the National Institute of Justice's Sentinel Events Initiative , which mobilizes a system-oriented approach to error. This is not a "one-size-fits-all-jurisdictions" federal effort. Rather, the Sentinel Events Initiative supports the local development of a review process in which all actors -- law-enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, victims, advocates and others -- conduct a forward-looking review of a sentinel event to identify and mend contributing system weaknesses.Rather than simply assigning blame, these reviews ask the question, "How can we keep this from happening again?" Reviews have been implemented to examine the near-miss prosecution of a father wrongly accused, but then cleared, of murder in Illinois; a homicide committed by a minor under supervision in Milwaukee; and wrongful-conviction cases in New York City.Although it is impossible to put a price tag on justice-system failings, scattered studies give a sense of the magnitude of the cost to taxpayers. Texas, which has paid more than $93 million in compensation, has one of the most generous compensation statutes for wrongfully convicted individuals, allowing a lump-sum payment equal to $80,000 for each year an individual was wrongfully incarcerated as well as monthly annuity payments. Illinois has spent more than $250 million on wrongful convictions, including $156 million for legal settlements. In addressing factors that will eliminate the need for future compensation and lawsuits, sentinel-event reviews can help mitigate these costs, as well as the unquantifiable impact on the lives of the wrongfully convicted, the toll sentinel events can take on officer welfare, and the danger of the real perpetrators walking free.The Sentinel Events Initiative draws inspiration from medicine and aviation, which have used these reviews to increase safety, lower costs and instill a culture of continuous improvement. As one seminal patient-safety paper put it, these reviews take the approach that "every defect is a treasure."After years of scientific research, practitioner outreach and pilot efforts, last month the National Institute of Justice launched a $1.6 million national sentinel-event demonstration project in partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance. This project will enable state and local sentinel-event review panels across the country to learn how to best empower jurisdictions to explore system weaknesses and generate locally tailored solutions to mitigate risk and improve system-wide performance.In viewing negative outcomes as opportunities for learning, local policy influencers can shift the focus of the criminal-justice system away from blame and toward safety and system improvement. In doing so, they have a genuine opportunity reduce risk, save taxpayer money, earn public trust and improve the future administration of justice. Indiana on Friday became the second state to win federal approval to add a work requirement for adult Medicaid recipients who gained coverage under the Affordable Care Act, but a less debated lockout provision in its new plan could lead to tens of thousands of enrollees losing coverage.The federal approval was announced by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar in Indianapolis.Medicaid participants who fail to submit in a timely manner their paperwork showing they still qualify for the program will be blocked from enrollment for three months, according to the updated rules.Since November 2015, more than 91,000 enrollees in Indiana were kicked off Medicaid for failing to complete the eligibility redetermination process, according to state records. The process requires applicants to show proof of income and family size, among other things, to see if they still qualify for the coverage. Until now, these enrollees could simply re-apply anytime. Although many of those people likely were no longer eligible, state officials estimate about half of those who failed to comply with its re-enrollment rules were still qualified.Indianas Medicaid expansion began in February 2015, providing coverage to 240,000 people who were previously uninsured, helping drop the states uninsured rate from 14 percent in 2013 to 8 percent last year. The HHS approval extends the program, which was expiring this month, through 2020.The new lockout builds on one already in place in the state for people who failed to pay monthly premiums and had annual incomes above the federal poverty level, or about $12,200 for an individual. They are barred for six months from coverage. During the first two years of the experiment, about 10,000 Indiana Medicaid enrollees were subject to the lockout for failing to pay the premium for two months in a row, according to state data.In addition, more than 25,000 enrollees were dropped from the program after they failed to make the payments, although half of them found another source of coverage usually through their jobs.Another 46,000 were blocked from coverage because they failed to make the initial payment.The lockout is one of the worst policies to hit Medicaid in a long time, said Joan Alker, executive director of the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. Forcing people to remain uninsured for months because they missed a paperwork deadline or missed a premium payment is too high a price to pay. From a health policy perspective it makes no sense because during that period, chronic health conditions such as hypertension or diabetes are just likely to worsen.Indianas Medicaid expansion is being closely watched in part because it was spearheaded by then-Gov. Mike Pence, who is now vice president, and his top health consultant, Seema Verma, who now heads the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.The expansion, known as Healthy Indiana, enabled non-disabled adults access to Medicaid. It has elicited criticism from patient advocates for complex and onerous rules that require these poor adults to make payments ranging from $1 to $27 per month into health savings accounts or risk losing their vision and dental benefits or even all their coverage, depending on their income level.Indiana Medicaid officials said they added the newest lockout provision in an effort to prompt enrollees to get their paperwork submitted in time. The state initially requested a six-month lockout.Enforcement may encourage better compliance, the state officials wrote in their waiver application to CMS in July.The new rule will lead to a 1 percent cut in Medicaid enrollment in the first year, state officials said. It will also lead to a $15 million reduction in Medicaid costs in 2018 and about $32 million in savings in 2019, the state estimated.The number of Medicaid enrollees losing coverage for failing to comply with redetermining their eligibility has varied dramatically each quarter from a peak of 19,197 from February 2016 to April 2017 to 1,165 from November 2015 to January 2016, state reports show. In the latest state report, 12,470 enrollees lost coverage from August to October 2017.The Kentucky Medicaid waiver approved by the Trump administration in January included a similar lockout provision for both failing to pay the monthly premiums or providing paperwork on time. Penalties there are six months for both measures. But the provision was overshadowed because of the attention to the first federal approval for a Medicaid work requirement.Like Kentucky, Indianas Medicaid waivers work requirements, which mandate adult enrollees to work an average of 20 hours a month, go into effect in 2019. But Indianas waiver is more lenient. It exempts people age 60 and over and its work-hour requirements are gradually phased in over 18 months. For example, enrollees need to work only five hours per week until their 10th month on the program.Most Medicaid adult enrollees do work or go to school or are too sick to work, studies show.Indiana also has a long list of exemptions and alternatives to employment. This includes attending school or job training, volunteering or caring for a dependent child or disabled parent. Nurses, doctors and physician assistants can give enrollees an exemption due to illness or injury.Three patient advocacy groups have filed suit in federal court seeking to block the work requirements.Robin Rudowitz, associate director for the Kaiser Family Foundations Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured, said its difficult to gauge whether work requirements or renewal lockouts will have more of an impact on coverage. She noted both provisions apply to most demonstration beneficiaries. (KHN is an editorially independent program of the foundation).Any documentation requirement could lead to increased complexity in terms of states administering the requirements and individuals complying, she said, adding that it could result in potentially eligible people falling off of coverage. Baltimore's law department filed a lawsuit Wednesday against opioid manufacturers and distributors over the marketing of addictive pain pills, adding the weight of the Maryland jurisdiction hardest hit by the overdose crisis to the legal campaign to hold the pharmaceutical industry accountable.In announcing the lawsuit, filed in Baltimore Circuit Court, City Solicitor Andre Davis said he would personally be part of the team handling the case. Davis, a former federal judge, said the companies marketed the pills knowing they would be "destructive of lives.""They were reckless, they were intentional, it was marketing, it was greed," Davis said.More than 3,000 people have died of opioid overdoses in Baltimore since 2007 -- 523 of them between January and September of last year. The crisis, which has worsened as more drug users are exposed to the potent synthetic opioid fentanyl, shows no sign of easing.Several counties in Maryland and jurisdictions across the country have brought similar cases. Anne Arundel County filed a lawsuit in state court and Cecil County filed one in federal court. Baltimore County is preparing a suit -- the County Council will vote Monday on a contract to hire a private law firm with the goal of joining federal litigation in Ohio.Gov. Larry Hogan has authorized Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh to bring a case for the state. Frosh says he is investigating but has too few resources to tackle the full scope of the overdose crisis.Baltimore is asking the court to order drug companies to change how they do business. Davis said any money won by the city would go into municipal coffers as recompense for the policing and health costs associated with addiction and overdoses.The city alleges that the drug manufacturers have funded unscrupulous research that led to biased findings about the dangers of opioid pills and spread false information to doctors and consumers. The city accuses distributors of failing to properly report suspicious pill orders as required under federal and Maryland law.The city's lawyers say the result was an overdose epidemic in which Baltimore is one of the places hit hardest in the nation.The companies targeted in the case "bear significant responsibility for the epidemic of substance abuse and death that has devastated much of the country."The city names as defendants the drug makers Purdue, Cephalon, Janssen, Actavis and Endo Health Solutions and distributors McKesson, Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen.Reached for comment Wednesday, representatives of the drug firms denied any wrongdoing. They said the companies are committed to making sure that the pills they make or distribute are used safely.Unusually, the city also named two doctors who operate a pain clinic with locations in Towson and Owings Mills. The city alleges that the clinic was a "pill mill" -- an operation that "prescribers controlled dangerous substances without a legitimate medical purpose."Dr. Norman B. Rosen, one of the doctors, denied the allegations. He called the claim that he was running a pill mill "absolutely ridiculous."While Rosen was on the phone with a Baltimore Sun reporter Wednesday, a television news crew showed up at his office. He called his colleague, Dr. Howard Hoffberg, to brief him."People want a fight, I'll give them a fight," Rosen said.Hoffberg, reached later, said his lawyers had told him not to make any comment on the case."I'm not in any way trying to hide," he said.At its heart, the case revolves around how dangerous prescription opioids are, and what people involved in supplying them to the public knew about the risks.Rosen said the number of overdose deaths is low when compared to the number of prescriptions written, and that limiting the supply of the pills would hurt people who need help treating their pain."The whole opioid crisis is overstated," Rosen said.When OxyContin, one of the brands of pills, hit the market in the mid-1990s, studies have found, it was marketed as not especially addictive. But for many patients that turned out not to be true.Relatively few deaths are attributed directly to overdoses of prescription pain pills. But the widespread practice of prescribing the drugs has been blamed for turning patients into opioid addicts, leaving them vulnerable to heroin and its powerful additive fentanyl.The chances that the city and other jurisdictions have of succeeding in court remains unclear.Earlier rounds of personal-injury lawsuits have found little success. Drug companies have been able to argue that individual patients didn't use the pills properly, or laid responsibility to the doctors who wrote the prescriptions and the regulators who signed off on the drugs.Rebecca Haffajee, who teaches law and public health at the University of Michigan, says the cities and counties now suing might have more success. They have the resources to take on a long fight in court, and might be able to uncover evidence that manufacturers knowingly minimized the dangers of the pills."We've seen a number of settlements that are increasing in frequency," she said.And while some jurisdictions might be willing to settle cases for cash payments, others could be motivated to see a case through to trial."Many are quite aggressive and do want to publicly hold these companies accountable beyond the money," Haffajee said. Gov. Scott Walker's administration estimates that implementing his proposed limits on welfare could cost state and federal taxpayers nearly $90 milliona year, plus millions more in startup expenses.Walker and GOP lawmakers have said that the bills will shift more welfare recipients into the workforce at a time when unemployment is at the historic low of 3%. Critics say the bills will be costly to implement and less effective than using the money for programs like training for workers or public transportation to get them to jobs."The governor thinks that going after struggling families is the best way to fire up his base ahead of a tough 2018 election," state Rep. Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) said in a statement. "Instead of wasting (millions in) taxpayer money on an election-year gimmick, Governor Walker and Republicans ought to finally start addressing the real struggles of hardworking Wisconsin families."State Health Services spokesman Julie Lund responded by pointing to the cases in which workers got jobs through new requirements that Walker has placed on welfare recipients. "This is an administration that has taken an aggressive approach to making sure people who want to work get the support they need to overcome any barrier," Lund said in an email.Walker is pushing for a series of welfare bills, including requiring able-bodied parents of children on food stamps to work or get training to receive more than three months of benefits and increasing the existing work requirement for all able-bodied adults from 20 hours a week to 30.This existing requirement -- proposed by Walker in 2013 and implemented in 2015 -- has led so far to about 3.5 recipients losing benefits for every one who secured a job through the program. It's not known whether the recipients who lost benefits found jobs later.Lund pointed to a series of videos that her agency has produced highlighting success stories from the work requirement and training program. One video featured Charlotte Watts, an out-of-work certified nursing assistant who went through the program and transitioned to a registration job at the Beloit Health System.A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel review of state agency cost estimates found the 10 welfare bills proposed by Walker would cost:* $37.9 million a year for state and local taxpayers when fully implemented and $35.5 million for federal taxpayers, for a total of $87.5 million. These operating costs would cover a range of expenses, from additional state staff to the cost of mailing out Food Share cards with photos as an added security procedure.* The Walker administration said it didn't have enough data to estimate "the potentially significant increases in costs" from a bill that would require able-bodied applicants to have a job and undergo drug testing to receive public housing.* In addition, the bills would cost a total of $21.7 million in state and federal money for one-time costs such as computer upgrades. That figure doesn't include an up to $20 million fund that Walker has proposed to pay private welfare and corrections contractors for reaching big cost savings or improvements in performance.In some cases, state taxpayers might get part of their money back in savings when people fall off the rolls of some welfare programs like Medicaid health coverage. Medicaid programs like nursing homes for the elderly and health benefits for needy families will cost about $20 billion in state and federal money over the two-year state budget.But in other programs like food stamps, it would be difficult for state taxpayers to recoup the costs since the $887 million in Food Share benefits paid out to Wisconsin residents last year were covered by federal taxpayers. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf has forced out the leader of the state's Democratic Party after newspaper columnist criticized him for not supporting and protecting women from sexual harassment and sexual assault in the workplace.Democratic Party Chairman Marcel Groen announced in an emailed letter Friday he was stepping down as state party leader at Wolf's request."I have always believed that the commonwealth's chief executive should have final say on whom the chairman of the party should be," Groen wrote."The governor's staff informed me that he no longer wants me to serve as chairman of the party. While I have done no wrong and disagree with the governor's assessment, I do not wish to be a distraction to a party that has to rectify gerrymandered maps and elect strong and civically responsible candidates throughout Pennsylvania. As such, I will honor his request and will immediately resign my position as party chair."On Tueday, Philadelphia Inquirer/Daily News columnist Will Bunch wrote a scathing column accusing Groen of having a laissez-faire attitude toward the #MeToo and #Timesup movements that seek to end unwanted sexual harassment and assault in the workplace.Bunch wrote that Groen has shown an unwillingness to hold elected officials accountable for using taxpayer money to settle harrasment-related legal claims, specifically noting that state Sen. Daylin Leach and and state Rep. Thomas Caltagirone have been accused of misconduct and still plan to be on the ballot as Democrats.He also claimed Groen has dragged his feet in devising workplace safety rules for party functions.Bunch quoted the 72-year-old Groen as saying: "The governor is already pissed off at me."On Friday, Wolf ordered Groen terminated.Here is a full copy of Groen's resignation letter:Dear State Committee Members;I accept full responsibility for comments attributed to me in an article printed several days ago in The Philadelphia Inquirer by Will Bunch. Some of my comments were taken out of context and some were inaccurate. They were certainly in artful and in hindsight were not offered with the level of clarity I would have liked.I have been involved in Democratic politics for 47 years. I am proud of my record in helping build a party and political infrastructure, first in Montgomery County, and for the last two and a half years throughout the Commonwealth. I have met with wonderful Democratic Committee members, elected officials and activists in every county of the state, I am proud of helping women run, win and serve in government. I am especially proud that I was instrumental in helping four women win seats on our Appellate Court this year, including the first African American woman to serve on the Superior Court. On both the County and State levels, I have always sought to foster a party that is inclusive and tolerant. I am proud of our accomplishments as a party and community.I have always believed that the Commonwealth's Chief Executive should have final say on whom the Chairman of the Party should be. The Governor's staff informed me that he no longer wants me to serve as Chairman of the Party. While I have done no wrong and disagree with the Governor's assessment, I do not wish to be a distraction to a Party that has to rectify gerrymandered maps and elect strong and civically responsible candidates throughout Pennsylvania. As such, I will honor his request and will immediately resign my position as Party Chair.I came to this Country by boat, when I was only ten years old. I spoke no English and was raised by parents who endured the Holocaust, and continued to suffer from the effects of tyranny and hate the remainder of their lives. That formed my convictions and my values. I have always believed in the strength of our country and the values of our institutions to fight that hate and instead work to our best inclinations. In this time of division, I feel more strongly than ever that united fronts will serve our greater good in the legislative and social battles to come. I look forward to assisting our many fine candidates and public servants in the weeks, months, and years to come.I am honored to have served as Chairman of the Democratic Party and thank the State Committee members, elected officials and many others with whom I have come in contact. I wish all of you success not only this year, but in the years to come. Utahs chief law enforcement officer was deep in the fight against opioids when he realized that a lack of data on internet sales of Fentanyl was hindering investigations. So the officer, Keith D. Squires, the states public safety commissioner, created a team of analysts to track and chronicle online distribution patterns of the drug.In Philadelphia, hidebound ways of confronting iPhone thefts let thrive illicit networks to distribute stolen cellphones. Detectives treated each robbery as an unrelated street crime known as apple picking rather than a vast scheme with connected channels used by thieves to sell the stolen phones.And in Nashville, investigators had no meaningful statistics on a nasty new swindle of the digital age: The cheating husband email scheme. In it, anonymous extortionists mass email large numbers of men, threatening to unmask their infidelities. The extortionists have no idea if the men have done anything wrong, but enough of them are guilty, it turns out, that some pay up, sometimes with Bitcoin.Each case demonstrates how the tools used to fight crime and measure crime trends in the United States are outdated. Even as certain kinds of crimes are declining, others are increasing yet because so many occur online and have no geographic borders, local police departments face new challenges not only fighting them, but keeping track of them. Politicians often tout crime declines without acknowledging the rise of new cyber crimes. When a federal lawsuit challenging Kansas's proof of citizenship voter law goes to trial in March, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach plans to be in the courtroom.He'll be the attorney defending the law he crafted.Rarely, if ever, do statewide elected officials represent themselves at trial.The unusual situation is made possible by Attorney General Derek Schmidt.Kobach, who is being sued in his official capacity as secretary of state, received permission from Schmidt to represent himself at the trial-court level in the lawsuit after he agreed that the secretary of state's office will pay for all costs of the case, Schmidt's office said.Kobach said his self-representation saves tax dollars. The attorney general's office likely would also have to hire outside attorneys because it doesn't have experts on election law, adding hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs, he said."The advantage is the state gets an experienced appellate litigator who is a specialist in this field and in constitutional law for the cost the state is already paying, which is my salary," Kobach said.At stake in the trial: a 2011 law that requires people to provide documentary proof they're a citizen, often through a passport or birth certificate, when they register to vote. Kobach says the law keeps non-citizens from voting. But critics say voter fraud is relatively rare and the requirement makes it more difficult for citizens to vote.If the law is ultimately thrown out, people won't have to present as much documentation when registering to vote.A Wichita Democrat has raised questions about whether allowing Kobach to lead the defense is best for Kansas. Schmidt's office often defends state laws or contracts with outside lawyers."The attorney general, I'm sure, took Mr. Kobach at his word that he would provide proper representation to the state," said Rep. John Carmichael, a Wichita Democrat who is an attorney."But in view of what appears to be violation of rules of professional responsibility, I would hope that Attorney General Schmidt gives this very serious consideration."Carmichael is referring to Kobach's previous conduct in the case. Last year, a federal judge fined him $1,000 for misleading the court about documents he took into a meeting with then President-elect Donald Trump. The American Civil Liberties Union, which is spearheading the lawsuit, has also filed a contempt of court motion against Kobach alleging he has disregarded court orders to register voters. Kobach says the motion is without merit.Schmidt stands by allowing Kobach to take the lead in the case. Jennifer Montgomery, a spokeswoman for the attorney general, said it is not uncommon for state agencies to represent themselves in lawsuits."Because agencies sometimes have specialized expertise in the subject matter at issue in a particular lawsuit, the attorney general may agree to let willing agencies handle their own defense as a way of managing limited legal resources," Montgomery said.Kobach's decision to represent himself in the lawsuit is "rather unusual," said Dale Ho, director of the ACLU's Voting Rights Project and one of the attorneys involved in the case.Ho emphasized that everyone has a right to their choice of counsel, but said Kobach's self-representation creates complications. He is sometimes the person best-positioned to testify about what happens in the secretary of state's office.The plaintiffs in the lawsuit have called Kobach as a witness."I have litigated against many government officials, including many who are lawyers, but I have never litigated against any other government official who has represented him- or herself. I'm not even aware of another one doing so," Ho said.In addition to litigating the case, Kobach continues to lead the secretary of state's office and campaign for governor.Kobach made clear he believes he has enough time to work on the case and fulfill his other responsibilities. The duties of secretary of state "ebb and flow" he said, adding that the judge worked with the parties in the lawsuit to find dates that work well.If the trial was held in the couple months before a general election, it would interfere, he said. But in March, it isn't a problem.Kobach also said he suspends his campaign when he works on briefs in the case and would do so for the trial."I believe that winning the lawsuit on behalf of the people of Kansas and on behalf of our proof of citizenship law is more important than the time I spend on the campaign. It's that important to me that I'm willing to sacrifice campaign time," Kobach said.If Kobach becomes governor, he said he would reassess his personal involvement in lawsuits.But he didn't rule out continuing to litigate."The governor's duties -- they're more 24-7 than the secretary of state's duties. I anticipate that if I were governor, I would probably be unable to find the time to do this, but I don't want to say 100 percent," Kobach said."It's conceivable, but I think it's far less likely." After years of court wrangling over the dangers of unmitigated summer heat in cellblocks, Texas prison officials have reached a tentative settlement to provide air conditioning at a geriatric prison outside of Houston along with resolving lawsuits involving inmates who died or were injured by excessive heat in several other prisons.U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison, who has overseen the cases since the start, offered,"enormous congratulations all around," during an impromptu hearing Friday via teleconference in Houston to the lawyers involved in the settlement negotiations.Spokesman Jason Clark, from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, said afterward that the deal, which is subject to court approval, resolves the 2014 class action lawsuit over air conditioning as well as individual lawsuits involving heat deaths and injuries during heat waves in 2011 and 2012.Clark said, "The agreement would end the protracted legal proceeding and provide additional safeguards for offenders at the Pack Unit who may be susceptible to extreme heat. In the coming weeks, the department and plaintiffs will be working to finalize details of the agreement which will be presented to the court."Jeff Edwards, lead attorney for a group of inmates at the Wallace Pack Unit who sued over oppressive heat, said he was gratified by the state's willingness to come to the negotiating table, and thrilled for his clients."Six inmates took on a state system with $3 billion in resources and accomplished what they sought out to do from the very start," he said. "Unless we provide the same basic rights to inmates in terms of dignity, safety and medical care, everybody's rights are at risk."At the brief status hearing Friday, Ellison told the lawyers via teleconference that he was extremely heartened by news of the deal.Upon learning of the settlement agreement earlier, Ellison told the Chronicle, "It seems like a very big deal and it surprises me. I didn't realize they were close. It's huge.""It's nothing less than fundamental change in the daily existence of hundreds of men -- transformative change," the judge said.Ellison congratulated the lawyers for finding common ground."I think its lawyering at its absolute best by people who worked through many disagreements to reach a just settlement," Ellison said.For the inmates, a resolution would mark significant progress.The comprehensive deal could end a civil rights lawsuit prompted by a string of fatalities at Texas prisons.The agreement was hammered out during several days of intensive negotiations in Austin between a team of lawyers from state Attorney General Ken Paxton's office and lawyers from Edwards Law and the Texas Civil Rights Project, who represent a group of Pack inmates.The deal calls for temporary cooling systems to be installed at the Pack Unit dormitories with permanent systems to be installed with approval from the legislature. The cost of the systems is still being assessed.The state also agreed to transport heat sensitive inmates from Pack in air conditioned buses.In terms of the wrongful death cases, the state has agreed to settle for varying amounts with the victims' family members based on the circumstances of their deaths, how long they expected to remain in prison and other factors.At an emergency injunction hearing in June, inmates testified they became dizzy and vomited from the heat. Texas prison officials provided documentation that 22 inmates had died from heat stroke at 15 Texas prisons since 1998.Elllison ruled in July that the indoor heat at Pack was life-threatening for vulnerable inmates, writing in a scathing opinion that the summer conditions amounted to "cruel and unusual punishment."He ordered the prison to provide cool housing units during the summer months for medically sensitive inmates, but he gave TDCJ officials the flexibility to fulfill his order as they saw fit.Citing the prohibitive cost of installing air conditioning, officials opted to ship more than 1,000 inmates from the Pack Unit to prisons that already had air conditioning on site. Additional inmates were transferred to make room for the Pack evacuees.But Ellison's ruling was only temporary, and the case had been set for trial March 5.That trial has now been canceled. Inmates this afternoon were expecting to hear the news from their lawyers about major changes in the months to come. Description GIS - 05 February, 2018: The EnergyNet Ltd of UK will hold the 20th Africa Energy Forum in Mauritius in June 2018. The Forum will bring together policymakers, investors, power companies, banking institutions and international and regional agencies. Some 2,000 delegates are expected to attend the Forum. The EnergyNet Ltd of UK will hold the 20th Africa Energy Forum in Mauritius in June 2018. The Forum will bring together policymakers, investors, power companies, banking institutions and international and regional agencies. Some 2,000 delegates are expected to attend the Forum. The EnergyNet Ltd organises investment meetings, investment forums and executive dialogues focused specifically on the power and industrial sectors across Africa and Latin America. It also facilitates investment summits where international investors can build relationships with credible African public sector stakeholders. In his address on that occasion, Mr Jugnauth lauded the achievement of laureates and acknowledged their efforts, sacrifice and hard work. The success of laureates can also be attributed to the family environment as well as the support of parents, teachers and rectors, he pointed out. Now these students will be given the opportunity to study in the best universities abroad, he remarked. The Prime Minister appealed to students to return to Mauritius after their studies to serve the country. We would undoubtedly need young people who have acquired a certain know-how and competency, especially at a time when Mauritius is undergoing further development and would thus require the necessary expertise, he emphasised. Moreover, the Prime Minister spoke of his faith in the talent and competencies of all young Mauritians as it is the youth who will embody the future. A new reform has been initiated in the education sector so that precisely all talents have the chance to thrive at their own pace and find their place within the society, he recalled. Prime Minister Jugnauth called upon all young university-goers and those embarking on training programmes and entering the job market to take heed that the world is evolving. Today, he observed, Mauritius has to face complex challenges related to climate change, digital transformation, food security, ageing population as well as social ills (drug scourge and criminality). Government, in all decision-making and actions, is taking all these issues into consideration as we want to ensure the sustainable development of the country, one which is based on modernity and on social justice, the Prime Minister highlighted. We are paving the way for our future and all young people will be called upon to take up important responsibilities tomorrow and we rely on you to continue on that pathway, he added. HSC 2017 Results A total of 11 304 candidates sat for the 2017 HSC examinations that is, 11 038 for Mauritius and 266 for Rodrigues, with 2 137 students competing for the State Scholarships. Two colleges have produced laureates for the first time and they are namely: Triolet (Boys) State Secondary School in Mauritius under the State of Mauritius Scholarships, and College Marechal (Boys) in Rodrigues under the Rodrigues Open Scholarships. Additionally, Rodrigues College has produced three laureates (two girls and one boy) under the Rodrigues Open Scholarships, while under the State of Mauritius Scholarships, the same college has produced, for the first time, a laureate (Economics Girls side) who competed for a scholarship at national level. Government offers 68 scholarships each year based on the HSC examinations. A scholarship is also offered by the Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB) under the MCB Foundation Scholarship. Forty-five scholarships are offered purely on the basis of performance and merit. Twenty-four additional scholarships are allocated later on an academic, merit and social criteria basis. This list is proclaimed after a selection exercise by the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research and the Ministry of Social Security. The list for 2017 will be made public once the exercise is completed. Description GIS - 05 February, 2018: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of consumer protection aimed at promoting better economic and trade ties between Mauritius and China was signed on 2 February 2018 in Port Louis between the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce of the Peoples Republic of China. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of consumer protection aimed at promoting better economic and trade ties between Mauritius and China was signed on 2 February 2018 in Port Louis between the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce of the Peoples Republic of China. The signatories were the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection, Mr Ashit Gungah, for the Mauritian side and the Minister of State Administration for Industry and Commerce, Mr Zhang Mao, for the Chinese side. A high level delegation led by Mr Mao was in Mauritius from 30 January to 2 February on an official visit. The objectives of the MoU are to elaborate a work plan, promote consumer protection through exchange of information and regulations, and conduct workshops and training between the two countries. In a statement, Minister Gungah recalled that diplomatic relations between Mauritius and China date back to 46 years. He highlighted that the Peoples Republic of China which is witnessing constant and rapid progress in the commercial field will assist Mauritius in promoting consumer protection. This new cooperation, he said, will enable the two countries to collaborate in many areas. Speaking about the Consumer Act 1991, Minister Gungah stated that a new piece of legislation will soon replace the existing one since there is a need take into account new types of consumers. For his part, the Minister of State Administration for Industry and Commerce, Mr Zhang Mao, pointed out that consumption contributes to 64% of the Chinese economy while adding that the Chinese government encourages a good consumption environment and consumer protection. As regards the MoU, Mr Mao underlined that it will reinforce commercial, economic and cultural relations between Mauritius and China. Roadside sign in Cape Town, South Africa, from February 2017 (source) As the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1, residents of Cape Town, South Africa, ushered in 2018 the start of a new year and the start of the citys stringent new water regulations. The Level 6 restrictions came into effect to combat an unprecedented drought which threatens to make Cape Town the first major city devoid of water. The slew of new measures include limiting individuals municipal water usage per day and threatening to impose fines on those who exceed it. They also reduce agricultural water use by 60 percent and commercial use by 45 percent, compared to pre-drought allocations. The drought and water stress across most of South Africa follows a strong El Nino in 2015 and 2016. The weather pattern characterized by warmer-than-normal ocean water in the equatorial Pacific resulted in extreme heat and spells of dry weather. Beneficial rain eventually returned in late fall for much of the country, including the drought-stricken western Cape. But according to the South Africa Water and Sanitation Department, it failed to restore the water supply in the countrys dams. As of Dec. 18, the combined level of dams supplying the city was at a mere 31 percent of capacity. At the current rate of consumption, officials warn April 29, 2018 will become Day Zero, the day the citys taps will be turned off. The city of Cape Town could conceivably become the first major city in the world to run out of water, and that could happen in the next four months, Dr. Anthony Turton, professor at the Centre for Environmental Management at the University of the Free State, told the New York Times. Its not an impending crisis were deep, deep, deep in crisis, he said. In Cape Town, South Africa, they're calling it the day the water taps could be turned off. They're also calling it, not an impending crisis, but a "deep deep deep" crisis now.It's also a vision, perhaps, of the future of California and the American Southwest. Is it time yet to take this matter seriously? Or is the writing on the wall not yet visible enough for people to rebel against their political leaders and act The drama is unfolding before us, with South Africa leading the way.I write this in February 2018. On April 29, 2018, even under strict water rationing, Cape Town could become the first major city in the world to entirely run out of water. This story comes from the AccuWeather website , but we could have taken it from several other sources First, the extent of current water rationing:California was given a brief reprieve from its own years-long drought by the recent El Nino of 2015-2016, but dry conditions there are now back and the water table has already fallen drastically, as much as 50 feet under the crop-growing Central Valley."In some parts of the Central Valley, water tables have fallen 50 feet or more in the past five years, prompting wells to stop producing and even land to sink, dragging down roads and bridges," wrote the SF Chronicle at the start of 2016. "The collapsed aquifers in many cases cant be resurrected to store water or at least store as much as they did in the past."Though new Central Valley aquifers have recently been found, they too will be emptied if the ongoing drought isn't reversed, and a virtual flood of new, usable water isn't added. Absent the years-long drought becoming a years-long recovery, the trajectory for water in California hasn't changed. After all, even absent anthropogenic global warming, the American Southwest has already seen droughts lasting more than a generation What Cape Town is seeing now, Californians could very well see before the next decade ends. (For a look at the structural problems with water in California and the American Southwest, read " California Drought, the "Bigger Water Crisis" & the Consumer Economy .")Americans, and in particular Californians, should therefore consider the following as a real-life preview. Note that the El Nino that brought water to California brought drought to South Africa:Which leaves them where, exactly?"At the current rate of consumption" means after current restrictions on water use are accounted for. Absent new water from somewhere, and a lot of it, it would seem the writing is on the wall for Cape Town.There's a short-term problem here, and a long-term one.The article addresses the short-term problem starkly. First, rationing involves trust and voluntary measures, like flushing the toilet much less frequently, and not everyone trusts that if they do their part, including going the "extra mile" in restraint, their neighbors will do the same. This creates social tensions that, as the crisis deepens, will inevitably become political problems as well.Translate that to a California context and as we've noted many times, a kind of real war could erupt between farmers (and the hedge funds that increasingly own California farming estates), who feel that water is their due, and city dwellers, who greatly outnumber them. When it finally dawns on Californians that the writing is indeed on the wall for a near-term crisis as it is for Cape Town those conflicts will become, as noted, a kind of real war.Second, Cape Town has a short-term problem that Californians may avoid. Cape Town, as a city, is a tourist destination, and derives almost 10% of its revenue from tourism. As Cape Town resident and travel blogger Kerry Kopke told AccuWeather: [T]hink about it. If you were coming on a holiday to an amazing international destination, having spent thousands of dollars of your hard-earned money to get there, would you really want to stand in a shower for two minutes with a bucket under you and use that bucket to flush the toilet?The answer is obviously No. Either tourism will, excuse the metaphor, dry up, or tourists will ignore the restrictions. Or both.As to the long-term problem, it's simply this: Sometime in 2018 Cape Town may run completely out of water. What then?As you ponder the answer to that question, consider this as not just a water problem, but a real estate problem as well. At some point, if not this year then in a year coming soon, Cape Town may be a ghost town. Who will live in a city that runs out of water?And as people flee, its former residents will have lost much of what they've invested in their homes and businesses, if not all of it. And worse barring debt relief from the kind hearts of their bankers, their mortgage debt will emigrate with them.Does insurance cover that? Can government even begin to repair the damage?Now translate that picture to much of the state of California, the part served by the Colorado River. It's not just a town-sized problem we're talking about. And when the inevitable political conflicts come, they won't be town-sized either.GP Labels: California, chaos, climate change, drought, Gaius Publius, global warming, South Africa Description GIS - 05 February, 2018: The Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, made a statement on the Chagos issue during his participation at the 30th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) which was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 28 to 29 January 2018. The statement was made during the Session of the Assembly on peace and security. He reiterated the gratitude of the Government and the people of Mauritius towards the AU Member States, for their unflinching support to the struggle to complete the decolonization process. Prime Minister Jugnauth made a request to the Assembly for a decision to be taken urging all Member States to make written submissions to the International Court of Justice. A decision was unanimously approved by the Assembly calling upon AU Member States, the Regional Economic Communities, the League of the Arab States, the Islamic Conference Organization and all AU partners to make written submissions to the International Court of Justice. In the margins of the Assembly, the Prime Minister had bilateral meetings with Heads of State/Government, and Ministers of several AU Member States, as well as the Chairperson of the AU Commission. The main focus of the discussions was in relation to the Chagos issue. The theme of the AU for 2018 is Winning the Fight Against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africas Transformation. The Assembly examined, inter alia, the following issues, namely, the Institutional Reforms and the Financing of the AU; the Negotiations on the Proposed Setting up of a Continental Free Trade Area; the Reports on Peace and Security in Africa; and the Situation in Palestine and the Middle East. IF YOU GO (TNS) The Eugene Water & Electric Board's commissioners on Tuesday may revise their nearly five-year-old policy on so-called "smart" meters as the utility ramps up its community-wide installation of the sometimes-controversial devices.With the proposed change, EWEB customers would have to opt out by contacting the utility and asking it to stop the wireless meters at their home or business from sending usage data and receiving instructions, once they're installed over the next eight years.Under the current opt-in policy, adopted in October 2013, customers must give their permission before EWEB can turn on the meters' communications features.Those features allow EWEB to connect and disconnect water and electricity remotely, collect electric and water usage data for billing remotely, and detect power outages and water leaks.The meters are controversial in part because some people consider the radio waves from them to be dangerous to human health, including possibly being carcinogenic.The meters over the long haul could benefit EWEB's finances, however, by greatly reducing the need for meter readers who drive to each customer each month to collect usage data from their meter.EWEB has already installed more than 4,000 smart meters, but at about a third of them, the customers have not given their approval for usage of the remote features, so instead, meter readers must visit those properties each month.The board's discussion and the public's chance to comment Tuesday come as EWEB prepares this year to ramp up its installation of the smart meters in most of its service area.The utility already has spent millions of dollars to install the antennas and computer systems to collect and store the usage data the meters can send.The discussion is certain to rekindle opposition by the remote meters' local critics, who cite health, privacy and cost concerns. They showed up in force during the discussion that preceded commissioners' adoption of the current opt-in policy.Board President John Brown said the utility's recently adopted strategic plan presents arguments on why commissioners could accelerate use of smart meters, but they still need to hear from the public."I don't know where we're going to end up," he said. "I'm not counting votes until the hands are up, but (the new direction) may happen."If commissioners agree to a change, the opt-out policy wouldn't take effect immediately. EWEB would still need to review customer service policies later this year.EWEB employees began installing smart meters last year after contracting with Sensus USA in May 2015 to purchase the new meters and install the equipment that runs the system.Commissioners authorized the project at the same time they adopted the opt-in policy.Through December, EWEB said it spent a total of $7.1 million on the project -- $1.7 million on meter purchases and $5.4 million on completing other elements of the system.Prior to May 2015, the utility spent about $1 million, primarily for consulting services.Over the next eight years, under the conversion schedule commissioners adopted last summer, EWEB estimates it will spend nearly $19.5 million on smart electric and water meters. EWEB has a total of 93,000 electric meters and 61,000 water meters.The utility estimates at the end of that process, it will see a net savings of $1.5 million in annual operating costs as EWEB lays off meter readers. It now has 20 meter readers.To date, employees have installed 3,900 smart electric meters and 800 smart water meters, focusing on replacing old devices that are failing or are in unsafe areas that put meter readers at risk of injury.About two-thirds of those meters are transmitting usage data to EWEB, according to the utility's statistics, meaning those customers have opted into the smart-meter usage. The remainder of those new meters need to be read by a staff meter reader.EWEB General Manager Frank Lawson made clear that with its current opt-in policy, EWEB isn't realizing the full potential of the new technology.He noted in a report that installing and then activating a smart meter under the opt-in policy is inefficient because employees have to drive around to individual homes rather than swap out entire blocks of homes at one time.Also, residents often don't return calls to EWEB after smart meters are installed, to authorize EWEB to transmit usage data, requiring more calls and work hours to try to secure the customer's approval.Lawson said his staff estimated that over the course of the eight-year accelerated deployment of smart meters, the opt-in policy would cost the utility about $600,000 more a year than the alternative. That's because of the staff time and fuel costs to seek the authorization and then have employees drive to individual homes a second time to activate the devices for remote usage, Lawson said.The opt-in policy is contrary not only to EWEB's initiative to keep rates down by holding down costs, Lawson said, but also its recently adopted strategic plan that prioritizes quickly restoring power after storms and major disasters and making electric use as efficient as possible.Currently, EWEB doesn't know if a customer has lost power unless he or she reports it. Smart meters automatically report outages so crews can initiate repairs in less time, the utility said.In addition, wide distribution of active smart meters would open the door to EWEB adopting in the future "time of use" pricing -- setting different electric rates depending on the time of day, the utility said.EWEB's current rates are based on how much total electricity a customer uses each month.The aim of time-of-use pricing is to curb electricity use during the day by charging higher prices in the morning and after work. The resulting customer shift to avoid higher rates would reduce the peak loads that EWEB -- and ultimately customers through higher rates -- pay to buy or produce more power to handle the increased demand at those peak times.Lawson said the smart meters EWEB has installed so far have proven reliable and accurate.In addition, the meters have identified water leaks at 68 homes, according to Lawson's report. In two cases, the meters have pinpointed problems with a home's connection to EWEB's grid that utility crews repaired, it said.But concerns continue to persist about smart meters, which emit radio waves, a type of electromagnetic radiation.The American Cancer Society cites the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which classified this radiation has "possibly carcinogenic to humans." The organization noted it's possible smart meters could increase the risk of cancer, although it's difficult to quantify the risk.Critics have also raised concerns about more immediate health effects from electromagnetic hypersensitivity that can disrupt sleep and can cause headaches, fatigue, dizziness and an inability to concentrate.Lawson said he doesn't want to minimize the possibility that certain environmental conditions can cause people to fall ill or feel unwell, and believes some people are sensitive to radio frequencies.But he said the amount of radio waves the smart meters emit is tiny as they "talk" a few seconds a day at most. And Lawson said EWEB chose a system that minimizes the "talking" as much as possible.He noted people already are bombarded with radio waves from smartphones, wireless routers and other devices."I would ... equate (smart meters) to me driving my go-kart down the L.A. freeway," he said. "There's so much else around it that's just going to drown it out," he said.Michael Lee, a Eugene resident affiliated with Families for Safe Meters, the local group that objected to the devices in 2013, said the concern is the cumulative effect of this radiation on the human body."It's like money in the bank. You keep putting it in and it all adds up, and the argument that we already have a bunch of that stuff is not a good argument to have more. There are critical points where the straw breaks the camel's back," he said.Critics also have noted an opt-out policy falls short because while they can choose not to have the devices, they can still be impacted by neighbors who opt in.Lee also said smart meters could be vulnerable to hacking. EWEB said it hired a cybersecurity firm to test the system. The review identified one vulnerability that the utility will fix soon with additional software, according to the staff report.Lee characterized smart meters as a solution looking for a problem."I know that the people would like to have a toy and they love the power of sitting at headquarters and being able to shut off with a button and that sort of thing, and the other utilities have it, but I just don't understand why they want it."What: Eugene Water & Electric Board commissioners will discuss changing its opt-in policy on "smart" meters.When: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Residents can speak to the board for three minutes during the meeting's public input session, which precedes the commissioners' discussion and possible vote.Where: EWEB Board Room, 500 E. Fourth Ave.Information: The staff report is available online at http://bit.ly/ewebmeter. This is a DHS news release:February 5, 2018WASHINGTON, D.C. Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen today met with Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada Ralph Goodale in Washington, D.C. Secretary Nielsen and Minister Goodale discussed U.S. and Canadian cooperation on raising global security standards, including in regards to counterterrorism and information sharing, cybersecurity, and facilitating legitimate cross-border trade and travel.The Department of Homeland Security remains committed to raising global security standards in partnership with our strong allies in Canada, said Secretary Nielsen. Today, we reaffirmed our joint commitment to counterterrorism and cybersecurity, as well as managing our shared border. We will continue to work together to ensure the safety and security of our countries, and build upon the successes of our many joint efforts.Canada and the United States share the worlds longest secure border in the world and enjoy a productive and mutually beneficial trading relationship, said The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. During my meeting with Secretary Nielsen we had an opportunity to discuss how our countries can continue to work together to expand preclearance to improve the flow of legitimate trade and travel across our borders, work collaboratively to protect our national security interests, and ensure the integrity of our borders while upholding our international obligations.Then-Acting Secretary Elaine Duke and Minister Goodale met in October 2017. Todays meeting was a continuation of those discussions.### (TNS) PLATTSBURG, Mo. The need for rural broadband services in Missouri was highlighted Saturday during a visit to Clinton County by Sen. Roy Blunt.The state's senior senator, a Republican, stopped by the USDA Farm Service Center on the west side of Plattsburg. His purpose was to seek updates on community battles in Northwest Missouri to secure broadband for schools, medical facilities, small businesses and other facilities.Fresh reports from the nation's capital show that there is a more persistent push for broadband, including a layout of addressing the areas that most need the service and attempts to secure funding.Blunt told a large crowd that he has been touring the region, holding a series of roundtable discussions. He said partners have been meeting regularly to consider a plan of attack in erasing the rural broadband deficit. The Missouri Farm Bureau, along with USDA's Farm Service Agency and Rural Development office, are among the partners.Richard Fordyce, the state's current Farm Service director and former Missouri agriculture director, said 4-H youth members are even talking about broadband for their communities."It's on everyone's mind," Fordyce said. "I know we have the right people to do it. We're going to be able to compete with anybody."Blake Hurst, president of the state's Farm Bureau, said it's been difficult to determine which areas are in the direst situations with their lack of internet connections. But he said that hasn't stopped proponents from spreading the gospel of broadband and attempting to pinpoint the greatest vacuums."We're seeing lots of movement across the country," Hurst said. "We need to know the situation a little bit better."Rep. Delus Johnson, R-St. Joseph, has authored a bill in the Missouri House of Representatives that would establish a state fund for the expansion of rural broadband. He attended Blunt's visit along with state representatives and fellow Republicans Jim Neely of Cameron and J. Eggleston of Maysville.Johnson said his proposal is designed to mirror federal legislation, which carries requirements mandated by the Federal Communications Commission.Blunt agreed with that endeavor."Somehow, we have got to get better," he said, adding that new FCC Chairman Ajit Pai "really gets this" need for extending broadband to all areas of the nation. "I believe we have an open door at the FCC."Mayors and officials with the region's rural electric cooperative network also attended. Plattsburg Mayor Dave Schauer expressed frustration at slow progress at bringing the internet to the city."It's very difficult for us to get it," he told Blunt.Yet Gower Mayor Chip Holman spoke of recent broadband gains in his city."Now half of the city of Gower is covered" thanks to work by United Fiber, he said.Others told Blunt accessible internet is crucial for students at all levels.Missouri ranks near the bottom of all states in terms of broadband coverage."That's absolutely, totally unacceptable," the senator said.Nonetheless, Blunt offered up optimism that the state will become more competitive in its services in the years ahead -- due in part to the work done by rural electric cooperatives. (TNS) On Thursday, the Senate Energy, Environment and Technology Committee unanimously approved a bill intended to bring improved internet connections to rural Washingtonians.Senate Bill 5935, sponsored by Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Potlatch, would create a new state Office on Broadband Access and create an advisory group tasked with identifying barriers and opportunities for express Internet and 5G service. The bill, cosponsored by committee chairman Sen. Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle, would also provide funding to spur immediate action.Superfast broadband service is just around the corner, and we need to make sure rural communities are not left behind as new technologies are deployed, Sheldon said in a press release. Access to high-speed service is just as important in rural areas as it is in the states biggest urban markets. This legislation will help ensure everyone shares in the benefits high-speed service will provide.According to Carlyle, Everyone is in favor of high quality, affordable broadband, but we continue to have too many small communities and rural areas without quality service. Sen. Sheldon has taken strong action to kick deployment of broadband into high gear for the 15 percent of our state population without service. Im excited to partner together to get this important bill to the governors desk.With that first round of approval out of the way the bill will now move to the Senate Ways and Means Committee.If approved, the new Office on Broadband Access would operate under the direction of the governors office in order to coordinate public and private efforts to promote broadband services and access. The officer would also set goals for high speed broadband service while identifying underserved areas in the state. The bill would set a target of at least 25 mbps download speed and 3 mbps upload speed initially, with increasing goals as technology improves.The broadband office would also be charged with establishing a competitive grant program for local governments and tribes interested in building broadband infrastructure in underserved areas. Funding for those efforts would be derived from existing taxes paid by telecommunications providers and federal grants.Sheldon and Carlyle were recognized by the Association of Washington Cities in December for their work on improving broadband access.All of us recognize the importance of broadband to this states economic development, Sheldon said. None of us want this state to be divided between Internet haves and have-nots.The complete bill can be reviewed online at app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5935&Year=2017. In the House, State Rep. Ed Orcutt has proposed another bill to address the issue of broadband in rural communities. (TNS) U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry told Savannah River Site workers on Friday that cybersecurity is the biggest challenge Ive got in the national security scope of his job.Perry spent Thursday and today touring both SRS and the Savannah River National Laboratory in his first visit to the facilities since assuming office last March.The former Texas governor and U.S. presidential candidate mentioned cybersecurity during a private question-and-answer session with more than 80 SRS and SRNL employees.The thing that Im really most concerned thats in our wheelhouse (is) cybersecurity, and our ability to protect and defend this country, Perry said. Statutorily, were the agency responsible for the electrical grid and the protection of it, the resiliency of it, etc. Our national labs are obviously involved in concentric circles out from that, from the standpoint of cybersecurity, and working with other agencies in the government about how to defend our country against cyberattacks.Cybersecurity the protection of computer networks and programs from attack or unauthorized access is becoming a booming part of the Augusta areas economics.By 2020 the vast U.S. Army Cyber Command will transfer to Fort Gordon, the regions largest employer.Also, the $95 million Hull McKnight Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center, now under construction downtown on Reynolds Street, will be the centerpiece of Augusta Universitys Cyber Campus.The SRNL is the research and development arm of SRS, and Perry said he considers its future very bright. He said he has spoken with two South Carolinians in Congress U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham about other options for the SRNL to continue its work. Both Wilson and Graham, and U.S. Rep. Rick Allen of Georgia, accompanied Perry to SRS Friday.Perry also praised other programs being advocated for continuation at SRS.Area governmental support is growing to manufacture replacement plutonium pits at SRS. Plutonium pits are triggers placed in the cores of nuclear weapons, and Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico wants to compete with SRS to continue their production.Another proposed SRS project would send spent nuclear fuel from Germany to SRS for reprocessing into a form rendering it unusable for nuclear weapons.Theres just some really interesting things that we can do together, and we know the community is supportive of this, we know the lab and its employees are very much supportive of this, Perry said.Perry spent more than half an hour delivering remarks to assembled workers, and relaying President Trumps commitment to a strong nuclear arsenal.Thats one of the chores he gave to me, Perry said. He said, I want to make sure that we have the most modern, up-to-date nuclear program in the world. And it will be because of people like you that that occurs. Imagine if your town had been especially fire prone with fires that threatened to spread to the rest of the city. City officials created a fire prevention fund for nearly 40 parts of town prone to fire. While work remained to be done, the funds ran out. Elected political leaders decided that since the town had not experienced a significant fire for two years, there was no need to spend any more money. That strategy make little sense, but it appears to be the one the Trump administration is adopting by failing to renew funding for CDC and USAID disease prevention efforts in about 40 countries around the world. Those funds will run out in 2019. Unlike climate change, global health made it into the Trump Administrations new National Security Strategy: We will work with other countries to detect and mitigate outbreaks early to prevent the spread of disease. It appears that the Trump Administration is not taking the threat seriously. This underscores what Tom Wright recently observed in The Atlantic that the Trump Administration is undermining its own national security strategy by failing to act to address threats such as the rise of revisionist powers. The same goes for pandemic preparedness. How did we get here? Remember that it was not that long ago2014when the Ebola virus emerged in West Africa and over two years claimed the lives of 11,000 people and infect more than 28,000, with real fear that it might not be contained to Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. In December 2014, Congress appropriated $5.4 billion for Ebola response, including $1 billion to help developing countries prevent disease outbreaks to support Global Health Security Agenda or GHSA. The Washington Posts Lena Sun reported that the CDC began notifying partner countries that the money would not be renewed: Two weeks ago, the CDC began notifying staffers and officials abroad about its plan to downsize these activities, because officials assume there will be no new resources, said a senior government official speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss budget matters. The Wall Street Journals Betsy McKay reported that the lack of funds would force the CDC to reduce work from 39 to 10 core countries: The 10 countries where global health security activities will remain are India, Thailand, Vietnam, Kenya, Uganda, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Jordan and Guatemala, according to the emailcountries of strategic or regional importance for the CDC. Some of the countries likely affected by the lack of new funding include the Democratic Republic of Congo (which recently had a new Ebola outbreak) and China, which recently experienced another bird flu outbreak. The countries on the expanded priority list should CDC get some more money include, China, the DRC, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Sierra Leone. What did the money pay for? Roughly 2/3 of the $1 billion supported the CDC with the remaining $300 million allocated to USAID. The Atlantics Ed Yong reported that funds supported a number of activities: Thanks to the GHSA, Uganda now has a secure lab for studying dangerous germs. Tanzania has a digital communications network so people can phone in information on potential outbreaks from remote locations. Liberia has more than 115 frontline disease detectives trained by the CDC. Cameroon shortened its response time to recent outbreaks of cholera and bird flu shortened from 8 weeks to just 24 hours. The DRC controlled an outbreak of yellow fever and built an emergency operations center (EOC)a kind of war room for responding to outbreaks. Here are some other activities The Wall Street Journal reported that the program supported: Professionals trained in the initiative have helped quickly contain an anthrax outbreak in Kenya and yellow fever in Uganda and identify over 4,000 cases of measles in Sierra Leone. The Atlantic reports that this money has been spent well: That money has been used well, to train epidemiologists, buy equipment, upgrade labs, and stockpile drugs. If it disappears, progress will halt, and potentially reverse. The CDC, for example, would have to pull back 80 percent of its staff in 35 countries, breaking ties with local ministries of health. What are the consequences? We are more likely to end up fighting disease outbreaks over here if we do not contain them at the source in other countries. It will cost more and like lead to needless loss of life. Former CDC director Tom Frieden warns of the consequences in The Atlantic: Well leave the field open to microbes, says Tom Frieden, a former CDC director who now heads an initiative called Resolve to Save Lives. The surveillance systems will die, so we wont know if something happens. The lab networks wont be built, so if something happens, we wont know what it is. We cant be safe if the world isnt safe. You cant pull up the drawbridge and expect viruses not to travel. Echoing my fire defense metaphor, Carolyn Reynolds of the NGO PATH was quoted in the Post about the unfinished work in the DRC on the operational center that was built there last year but where officials still need to be trained: This next phase of work may be at risk if CDC cuts back its support, she said. It would be akin to building the firehouse without providing the trained firemen and information and tools to fight the fire, Reynolds said in an email. Concluding Thoughts As Jeremy Youde wrote here on the Duck ,the Trump administration has not put its best foot forward of late with the CDC. The new CDC director, Brenda Fitzgerald, resigned all of a sudden last week, when it was revealed that she had bought stock in tobacco companies after she took the CDC job. Good grief. The Trump administration, under OMB budget cutter in chief Mick Mulvaney has proposed vast cuts to foreign aid. The CDC has about $150 million left for the GHSA. Lets hope that their next budget proposal includes more money for preparedness efforts. If the Trump Administration budget wont fund this core threat properly, lets hope Congress does. Postscript: I wanted to come back to Tom Wrights piece on the liberal order. Wright warned that the America-first approach of the Trump Administration has a major downside: But if the United States follows the examples of Russia and China and elects to define its interests so narrowly, it reduces the appeal of the American model of international order. Little would differentiate America from the other great powers that aspired to leadership, either now or in the past. Both the Obama administration and the previous George W. Bush administration backed ambitious global health policies that were not only good for the United States, they were good for the world. There were tangible benefits for people in partner countries that created a reservoir of goodwill towards the United States. By lowering its sights to whats in it for us?, the Trump Administration will not only hurt its only interests in stopping pandemic diseases but make it harder for other countries to cooperate on issues it cares about. 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for young writers. Some 14 Greenwich students won Gold Key Awards and will advance to the National Scholastic Writing Awards. In the Hudson to Housatonic region, which includes Greenwich, 168 Gold Keys were awarded. Nine of the Gold Key recipients were Sacred Heart Greenwich middle schoolers. Sacred Heart Greenwich eighth graders Sophie Broll, Dylan Drury and Annie OConnor were recognized for their poetry, eighth graders Jessica Thompson and Camilla Truesdale for their memoirs and eighth grader India Harris and seventh grader Elsa Latrille for their short stories. Sacred Heart Greenwich eighth grader Catriona Marangi collected two Gold Keys, one for poetry and one for memoir. In addition, Greenwich Academy sophomore Brooke Lange won a Gold Key for her poetry, junior Helene Leichter for her short story and senior Elizabeth Winkler for her personal essay/memoir. For his critical essay, Greenwich High School sophomore Alexander Kosyakov received a Gold Key. Greenwich Country Day School freshman William Schenck earned two Gold Keys, one for his personal essay/memoir and another for a short story. Two of these students were among six writers to receive additional recognition from the Village Bookstore of Pleasantville, New York. Broll collected a poetry prize and Harris, a fiction prize. Silver Key awards were given to 38 Greenwich students from Sacred Heart Greenwich, Greenwich Academy, Greenwich Country Day School, Greenwich High School and Western Middle School. Fifty students won honorable mentions from Greenwich High, Greenwich Academy, Brunswick School and Sacred Heart Greenwich. Overall, Sacred Heart Greenwich posted more winners than any other Greenwich school and more than most schools in the region. The school had 64 students who were honored with 82 awards this year its highest number of honorees ever. Last year, Sacred Heart Greenwich had the highest number of awarded works in the area, with 58 works from 42 students receiving recognition. A panel of professional novelists, editors, teachers, poets, librarians, journalists and other literary professionals selected the winning writings from 2,009 works submitted this year. Former honorees include Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath and Joyce Carol Oates. All award-winners, along with their guests and teachers, will be recognized at a ceremony at Manhattanville College, a sponsor of the competition, in Purchase, New York on March 4 from 2 to 4 p.m. Author Sarah Darer Littman, a Greenwich resident who writes books for teens and teaches creative writing in Western Connecticut State Universitys Master of Fine Arts program, will give a keynote speech at the event. GREENWICH Town residents are at risk without a public health emergency preparedness coordinator but the Health Department is not asking that Greenwichs budget pay for one. Instead, Health Department Board chairman Robert Carangelo sent a letter to the towns Board of Estimate and Taxation to let them know the position is in danger. It is short-sighted for Greenwich not to have a dedicated public health professional to plan for or respond to a public health disaster, whether that disaster is natural or man-made, Carangelo wrote in the letter. The odds of Greenwich being impacted in some way by a terrorist attack, radiological disaster or bioterrorism incident, should one occur, are unfortunately higher than we would like. The public health emergency preparedness coordinator, currently an open position, is funded by grants which have decreased over the past 15 years. Federal grant funds that partially fund the coordinators position and are distributed by the state have dropped from $105,000 to less than $40,000 within the last 15 years, the letter states. The board has requested funding for a full-time coordinator in past budgets but has been denied by the BET. Without more money, the board may have to eliminate the position, which could have potentially significant adverse consequences, Carangelo said. Greenwich has a high profile, Carangelo said. It is close to New York City and the soon-to-be decommissioned Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, is home to many high-profile and influential residents and, since many town residents travel extensively, they could be vulnerable to epidemics. The town has an emergency management director, former fire chief Dan Warzoha. Carangelo said a public health emergency preparedness coordinator has different duties: to prepare for and manage recovery from public health emergencies bioterrorism, an infectious disease or foodborne outbreak or a natural catastrophe like a hurricane or flood. The board fears that the decision makers responsible for deploying the towns resources have grown complacent due to a lack of catastrophic event since Sept, 11, Carangelo wrote. While we should all hope for the best, wise people plan for the worst. Carangelo and the six other health department board members signed the letter and sent it to BET Chair Jill Oberlander and the other 11 members of the budget board on Jan. 31. On Monday, Oberlander said she was set to meet with Carangelo Tuesday morning; the Board of Healths personnel issues were scheduled to be discussed Tuesday afternoon by the BETs Human Resources Committee. The BET Budget Committee will look at the town Department of Healths Budget on Feb. 12. These are three opportunities to understand the priorities identified by the Board of Health and the Department of Health, Oberlander said, adding she wanted to hold off on additional comment until after she had met with Carangelo. Carangelo could not be reached for additional comment on Monday. The Board of Health had mentioned the lack of a health emergency coordinator in a letter to First Selectman Peter Tesei last December. I think the Board of Health and Director of Health are elevating the conversation to the funding authorities, because it is a funding issue, Tesei said on Monday. The merits of the position, I think, speak for itself in terms of planning for and responding to health emergencies. We are in flu season and its a case where the resources of the position can be applied should a major epidemic break out. Tesei said the BETs guidelines for the 2018-19 budget talks include having a modernized health department. Personally, I think this (coordinator) role is critically important and is distinct from the emergency management directors position which deals more with overall logistical and operational preparedness, Tesei said. This has to do with public health and thats what theyre charged with statutorily. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com GREENWICH Stanwich senior Henry Hittle is at the finish line of a two-year project that brought him a presidential award, diving certification, and thousands of dollars in donations. The 18-year-old began planning his Moral Leadership Project as a sophomore, as all Stanwich students do. Hittle wanted to use social media to educate others about threats to the coral reef. But he was able to dive deeper into his topic, and his project culminated with a diving trip to Florida with 12 of his classmates last month and volunteer work for the Coral Restoration Foundation. Its a follow-up to everything he's been doing, said his mother, Lisa Bailey. The CRF crew was on board (the boat) speaking to the students and diving with Henry. The rest of the (students) snorkeled. During the trip, Hittle helped to educate his classmates on the dangers faced by coral reefs and how they were impacted by Hurricane Irma off the coast of Florida. He and his classmates also joined forces with the Reef Gallery in Key Largo, which donated $2,300 from sales from its Under the Sea artwork show to the CRF on behalf of his project, Cool Coral. One aspect of the project did not going according to plan. Hittle had planned to plant coral to mark the final checkpoint of his project the water was too rough and cold but he did other volunteer work instead. We are so grateful for Henrys efforts on our behalf, CRF Chief Development Officer Martha Roesler said. He has not only generated critical funds that will support our work, but, more important, he has introduced his classmates to the wonder of our coral reefs, helping generate a passion for marine conservation in a new generation." Despite the uncooperative Florida weather, Hittle is pleased with the fruits of his labor. When I first started this project, he said, I really expected it to just be a social media outreach project ... it changed over time. My goals have changed, but I think the end result is fantastic. I'm really thrilled at what weve done, Stanwich School, through this project and I'm really happy to be supporting Coral Restoration Foundation. Creating the Cool Coral Facebook page was the first step for Hittle, with a main goal of spreading awareness about the dangers that threaten coral reefs. The page has garnered almost 1,500 followers. Then Hittle added other components to his project. He has been volunteering at CRF planting coral and assisting with the foundations coral nurseries while pursuing diver certifications along the way. Now as his project wraps up, the high school senior is tallying his accomplishments, which include: a Presidents Volunteer Service Award, Master Diver certification, and more than $6,710 in donations for his project through a Crowdrise funding campaign and donations. The amount surpassed his $5,000 goal. We beat that goal, and I'm really happy with the result, Hittle said. And so is the administration at Stanwich School. With all of these things going on hes continued to take a very rigorous course of study, said Jerome Murphy, Head of the Upper School. Hes operating on a high level at all points; hes just knocking it out of the park. What I take away from Henry that really distinguishes him is his commitment every day, said Murphy. Hes currently at the top of his class and is in the running to earn the valedictorian award. Hes a humble and somewhat introverted young man ... and hes not doing it for awards. Hes not doing it for accolades or the praise. Hittle is about to dive into the next chapter of his life after graduation. He is hoping to study business not science although Hittle wants to continue his work to protect coral reefs. I guess my next move is to figure out where I'm going to go to college, Hittle said. I have heard back from a few schools ... and have quite a few others I'm waiting to hear from come spring. I'd love to continue my volunteer work with CRF and other organizations, he said, maybe through continuing my Cool Coral Facebook outreach program. Email Jennifer Turiano at jturiano@greenwichtime.com and follow her on Twitter: @jturianoGT and Instagram: @greenwichgreen. // NORWALK, Conn. Every time Robert Deluca of Westport thinks of the ocean, he thinks of his father. The two loved to scuba dive together, and Delucas father had a passion for all things related to the sea. So when his father passed, Deluca didnt think a traditional burial was fitting. Instead, he went online in search of something special. Thats how he discovered Eternal Reefs, a company that incorporates cremated remains into structures designed for coral reefs to grow over. His father is now part of a reef off the shore of Florida, between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Its just beautiful, because its so much better than a regular cemetery, Deluca said. When you drive past a regular cemetery, you think, what a waste. But with a reef, its great youre creating something new, something alive. Its a great way to remember loved ones. He has already made arrangements in his will to do the same with his body after he dies. More and more, people are prearranging their own funerals and moving away from traditional burials, funeral directors throughout Fairfield County told the Hearst Connecticut Media Group. People want to find more personal meaning in their funerals, said Rebecca Lautenslager, funeral director of Shaughnessey Banks Funeral Home in Fairfield. I think its just part of society now. Everything is tailored to be unique to each person, which is a good thing. The number of burials, which had long been the most common type of funeral in Connecticut, fell behind the states number of cremations in 2014, according to statistics from the National Funeral Directors Association. As of 2018, 58 percent of dead bodies in the state are cremated. And funeral directors only see that trend rising the NFDA projects that 80 percent of dead bodies in Connecticut will be cremated by 2030. The Connecticut Department of Public Health has already reported seeing the number of funeral homes licensed to provide cremation services rise over the past few years. With the rise of cremations came the rise of the question of what exactly to do with those cremains. While a burial necessitates a plot and a casket, a cremation opens both to deliberation. A casket can be rented to show the body before the cremation for considerably less than the $2,000 the Federal Trade Commission estimates to be the cost of an average casket, but the step can also be skipped all together. And while a plot eventually works out to be cheaper for urns than caskets (three urns are allowed per plot, according to John Lesko, the director of the Hoyt-Cognetta Funeral Home in Norwalk), the decision of whether or not to inter often comes down to religion. Hinduism embraces cremation and families often scatter ashes in a meaningful location, while the Catholic Church maintains that cremains should be kept together and placed in a grave or a tomb. Cremation is off-limits to Orthodox Jews altogether. A changing society has also impacted decisions to purchase plots. As Gary Miraldi pointed out, You have no idea where your kids are going to be ... will your kids really visit it like we used to? Also, with population growth, theres less free land. If not in a cemetery, then where? Miraldi has been designing jewelry in Connecticut for 36 years, and his work has unexpectedly led him to grapple with the question. Over two decades ago, a customer who had lost a son in a car accident came to him with what was then an unusual request. The person wanted to create a piece with the ashes that didnt seem religious, and Miraldi was able to help. Since then, objects incorporating peoples ashes known as keepsakes have become a significant part of Miraldis business, A Soul to Heart. Its more acceptable, he said. Jewelry remains a common choice, but he once inserted ashes into a Disney Service Award and has also turned a microphone into a keepsake memorializing a karaoke-loving mother. You try to give them what they want that makes them connected to the person they lost, he said. At Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home in Stamford, Crematory Manager Anthony Notaro opened a case of urns ranging from the classic to the unconventional. Those are actual Harley Davidson parts, Notaro explained of an urn that resembled industrial tongs with drums on either end. The transmission pan and pistons. And inside the transmission pan can go cremated remains. Other options at the funeral home included an organically shaped vessel made of corn starch, salt and non-toxic glues, designed to dissolve in water for a burial at sea, and a metal rose which could unscrew to hold ashes within the stigma. The funeral home is one of only four in the state that has its own crematory on the premises and has witnessed cremations rise in popularity. Lesko said that now many people are surprised by all of the options. We ask: What would you like to do? Merchandise evolved for cremation out of the needs of people and what theyd like to have. But many, like Deluca, have already decided on the ritual that means the most to them. Dolly Curtis of Easton said that when her husband passes away, her family plans to cremate his body and incorporate it into one of her sons works of handblown glass. It would just be the natural thing to do for his dad, she said. I wouldnt think of anything else. Anthony Bourdain. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images In the current reckoning over sexism, gender inequality, sexual assault, and harassment, no industry is more deserving of scrutiny than restaurants. Hospitality workers file more sexual-harassment claims than workers in any other industry, and the question now facing critics is how to address these long-simmering issues in their reviews. Recently, the Washington Post published an article by Tim Carman addressing this topic, and in it, Carman quoted several restaurant critics, as well as Anthony Bourdain, whose critical comments about restaurant reviewers provoked a response from the New York Times critic Pete Wells which, in turn, caused a virtual food fight of its own. Actually, not one food critic I know gives a flying sunchoke about access, or goes to events where they are likely to observe anything worth talking about, let alone keeping silent about. pic.twitter.com/5vMrP65TiI Pete Wells (@pete_wells) February 3, 2018 In a tweet, seen above, Wells posted a screenshot of Bourdains comments to Carman along with a response of his own, writing, Actually, not one food critic I know gives a flying sunchoke about access. Bourdain replied that he considers the Times an exception, but could name a slew of access or freebie-hungry critics off top of head, and that those doing double duty as observers of the scene are more likely to be culprits. Wells, however, took issue with the fact that Bourdain was making a blanket statement about all of his colleagues. Well, I just thought [the comments] were factually wrong, Wells tells Grub. (Bourdain declined to comment any further.) And I also thought Anthony Bourdain is in no position to know whats factually right or wrong in the restaurant business these days How do critics work? What do we do? Whats our job? Do we need access? That was the thing that set me off, because critics spend all their time trying to avoid access. This is the issue. The claim is preposterous. Critics are, & have not been, covering up. Nor have they been enabling. The sin in the food writing world is to treat chefs as gods, as artists, as people who have things to teach us about the world we live in. https://t.co/3a4EKY5xPD Todd Kliman (@toddkliman) February 3, 2018 Lol watching critics get all defensive about a star system they helped build up and maintain is the funniest fucking shit why not just admit youve been shitty in small or big ways? Why not a little proper self-reflection? Jen Agg (@TheBlackHoof) February 3, 2018 Yep. But NYC (particularly the glossies) not immune to the temptations of cuddling up. https://t.co/MOYjfPudvX Anthony Bourdain (@Bourdain) February 3, 2018 Other critics and writers chimed in to agree with Wells, including Houston Chronicle critic Alison Cook, who was also quoted in the article, and New Orleans writer Todd A. Price. (Another Twitter user pointed out that the individual who broke the story of serial harassment at John Beshs restaurants was New Orleans Times-Picayune critic Brett Anderson. Others, however, offered support for Bourdains point, including chef and writer Richie Nakano, who pointed to longtime San Francisco Chronicle critic Michael Bauer. For his part, Wells says he isnt arguing about the suppression of unflattering stories to preserve access to notable subjects; he was arguing that its a leap to make assumptions about what critics may or may not know: I dont think it goes without saying that anyone who has come within 50 yards of these people has seen something, he says. He continues, I think there have been a lot of things assumed that should not have been. A lot of people who believe themselves to be in the know, or who would like to appear that way, have been saying a lot of seemingly sophisticated and completely off-base things. And thats the category I put Bourdains quote in. Weve already signed a lease, he warns. Photo: nusr_et/Instagram If you think New York would be vastly improved by more Salt Bae and yet another burger spot, then lucky you: Despite a less-than-warm welcome from both critics and the Health Department (which didnt care for his barehanded seasoning technique), the Post passes along word that Instagrams favorite chef is already expanding his global meat empire to include a chain of cheaper burger outposts in America. Salt Baes dinner-theater steakhouse chain which has New York and Miami locations right now is called Nusr-Et, after his own given name, Nusret Gokce. The burger chain, however, is allowing for no possible confusion among the chefs fans: Its simply called Salt Bae. If youre wondering how Salt Baes burgers are, know that Nusr-Ets menu does have a burger, a $30 offering topped with cheese and caramelized onions. Its sliced, then the halves are re-grilled so that the cut side gets charred, and critics have said its decent, if a little overpriced. At Salt Bae the restaurant, though, the fare wont just be for the wealthy, Gokce assures the Post. The description sounds Shake Shackish in caliber, but with table service and more booze options, in addition to a counter that you can order from directly. Los Angeles will get the first location a 4,000-square-foot space set to open this fall with a full liquor license. The second will arrive sometime later in Soho, but consider this just the start: An executive with the company behind Gokces restaurants says, Multiple locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn are next. The burger chain he already operates in Turkey just called Nusr-Et Burger has been a hit for several years over there. Tanker with 22 crew goes missing in pirate-infested African waters A Hong-Kong managed tanker with a crew of 22 and a cargo of 13,500 tonnes of petrol is missing in the Gulf of Guinea after contact was lost off Benin on February 2, owners Anglo-Eastern said in a statement. The cause of the loss of communication with the vessel, the Marine Express, was unknown and a search was under way with help from Nigerian and Beninese authorities, the company said. Stock image Indias ministry of external affairs said that 22 Indian nationals were on board and spokesman Raveesh Kumar said: Our mission in Abuja [Nigeria] is in touch with the authorities in Benin and Nigeria for their help in locating the ship and is constantly monitoring the situation. Anglo-Eastern said its top priority was the safety of the crew, whose families had been contacted. The ships cargo is worth about US$8 million. The Gulf of Guinea has become an increasing target for pirates who steal cargo and demand ransoms, even as piracy incidents fall worldwide, according to experts quoted by Reuters. Ships in the area were the target of a series of piracy-related incidents last year, according to a January report by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), which highlighted the waters off West Africa as an area of growing concern. There were 10 incidents of kidnapping involving 65 crew members in or around Nigerian waters, the IMB said. Globally 16 vessels reported being fired upon, seven of which were in the Gulf of Guinea. On January 10, a company lost communication with its tanker anchored in Cotonou, according to the IMB. After a six-day search, the tanker and crew were found safely in Lagos after the tanker owner negotiated with the hijackers, the IMB said. Spate of gas explosion incidents reported in West Africa According to Pulse, four people have reportedly been killed and many others injured in a gas station explosion in Edo state, in south central Nigeria. In a similar incident two weeks ago, a gas plant in Magodo, Lagos State, also exploded leaving two dead and many others injured. Stock image The Nigerian Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has urged the media to sensitise the public to the dangers of any form of explosion and provide guidance on how to respond in such situations. Over the same weekend two were killed and two others injured in a tanker explosion in Ghana. The incident took place after a tanker driver took his vehicle to a welding shop for repairs, according to Empire News. In Benin, three are feared dead after a gas explosion at an IDDS gas plant in Benin City. Two were injured and have been hospitalised. The Nation reported sources saying the explosion was caused by a leak in a pipe. (HedgeCo.Net) The Securities and Exchange Commission Friday charged a purported hedge fund manager in New York City with a brazen offering and investment adviser fraud thereby putting an end to an ongoing scheme. The SEC alleges that, since at least 2014, Nicholas Joseph Genovese and his hedge fund Willow Creek Investments LP raised more than $5.3 million from at least six investors by affirmatively misrepresenting his prior money-management, securities industry experience, and size of operations. In particular, the SEC charged that Genovese: falsely stated that he managed $4 billion of the Genovese Drug Store familys assets; falsely stated that his hedge funds investment adviser had $30-39 billion of assets under management, when, in reality, it appears to have had less than $10 million in assets under management; falsely stated that his advisory firm had between 42 and 60 employees, when, in reality, it had less than 10 employees; and falsely stated that his hedge fund had investment gains of 30-40 percent per year, when, in reality, it sustained losses. In addition, in furtherance of his scheme, Genovese lied about his education and prior work experience, and concealed his criminal past from investors. The SEC also alleges that Genovese and his advisory firm Willow Creek Advisors LLC misappropriated investor funds to fund securities trading in Genoveses personal brokerage account, which sustained over $8 million of trading losses between 2015 and 2017, and Genoveses lifestyle by paying approximately $263,000 for, among other things, ATM cash withdrawals, food, hotel and transportation charges, including being chauffeured in a Bentley. As alleged in our complaint, Nicholas Genovese represented himself as a successful hedge fund manager with a sterling pedigree and track record. In truth, he was a recidivist convicted felon who lost or outright stole most of the money that investors entrusted to him, said Marc P. Berger, Director of the SECs New York Regional Office. In this case, we quickly sought emergency relief to stop Genoveses ongoing fraud and to prevent the further dissipation of investors remaining funds. According to the SECs complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Genoveses fraud appears to be ongoing as evidenced by recent money coming into his account as well as a recent refusal of an investors redemption request. The SECs complaint charges Genovese and his hedge fund with violating Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and charges Genovese and his advisory firm with violations of Sections 206(1), 206(2) and 206(4) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and Rule 206(4)-8 thereunder. The SEC is seeking a temporary restraining order to freeze their assets and prohibit them from committing further violations of the federal securities laws. The SEC seeks a final judgment ordering them to disgorge their ill-gotten gains plus prejudgment interest, and for Genovese and his investment advisory firm to pay financial penalties. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York has filed parallel criminal charges against Genovese. The trade unions revealed yesterday that they are demanding 150 million euros in compensation for the bonus cuts in both 2018 and 2019. The Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors (JHL), the Finnish Union of Practical Nurses (Super) and the Union of Health and Social Care Professionals (Tehy) will go ahead with industrial action after collective bargaining talks in the public sector fell through due to a disagreement over measures to compensate for cuts in holiday bonuses. Local Government Employers (KT) rejected the demand as financially impossible, highlighting that the 300 million euros demanded over two years accounts for two per cent of wage costs in the public sector. An agreement on the holiday bonus cuts was struck in negotiations for the competitiveness pact at the initiative of trade unions. The sums demanded are also outright unreasonable, reads a press release from KT. Tehy and Super, by contrast, have argued that the cuts in holiday bonuses are unfair in light of the improved economic situation in Finland. The cuts in holiday bonuses are very unfair for public sector employees. They have even reduced everyday consumption because wages were small to begin with. We have repeatedly noted that the competitiveness pact took money from not only employees but also municipalities, argue Silja Paavola of Super and Millariikka Rytkonen of Tehy. The central administration cannot shirt responsibility, when the primary grounds for the cut is no longer applicable and the economic situation is better than expected. JHL will launch its overtime and shift-trading bans on Monday, and Tehy and Super their overtime bans on Tuesday. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Martti Kainulainen Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi The Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) and the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) have provided wildly differing estimates of the costs of the demonstration staged against the activation model for unemployment security in Helsinki on Friday. EK gauged the costs based on the net sales of the sectors affected by it on a typical Friday roughly 400 million euros and the daily value of foreign trade by sea roughly 290 million euros. It has estimated that over 150,000 wage earners were absent from work to participate in the demonstration and work stoppages, which affected the functioning of public transport services and shut down ports across Finland on Friday. Penna Urrila, the chief economist at EK, additionally drew attention to the far-reaching consequences of the labour market distortion for the reputation of businesses and the stability of the business environment in Finland. The costs have been exaggerated, responded his colleague from SAK, Patrizio Laina. The number does not come even close to resembling the reality. Although estimating the costs of a strike is difficult even in hindsight, EKs cost estimate of 120 million euros is absolutely overstated. If companies do not produce goods because of a strike, the companies can later produce them as overtime work and pay the appropriate overtime rate, he writes in his blog. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Jussi Nukari Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi "The Power of One Dram" to overcome childhood cancer Generation A 13 your chance to be the change President of the Artsakh Republic Arayik Harutyunyan met with Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Igor Khovayev "uDays" special offer at Ucom: discounts for all smartphones and accessories for 2 days only Google Ad For more than 3 hours, 50 or more Azerbaijani servicemen have blocked the interstate road Call on the international community for an adequate response against azerbaijani aggresssion Transformation and trust are important for success in modern banking. Artak Hanesyan UCOMS LEVEL UP 1700 REGIONAL TARIFF PLAN USERS TO RECEIVE MORE THAN THOSE IN YEREVAN Joint statement Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Covid-19: 163 new cases in Armenia Armenia: Remarks by Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi at the press point with Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan The United States Welcomes Azerbaijans Release of Armenian Detainees and Armenias Actions to Facilitate Demining The Coronavirus-Related Situation in Armenia International aviation: Council greenlights signing of major agreements with four countries With UCOMs level up tariff plans subscribers have unlimited access to Netflix, Duolingo and Zoom Google Ad Armenia: Statement by the Spokesperson on the early parliamentary elections Armenias Parliamentary Elections PRESS STATEMENT COVID19:77 new cases Armenias early parliamentary elections were competitive and well run, but polarized and marred by aggressive rhetoric, international observers say International election observers to Armenias early parliamentary elections held press conference Drop Charges Against Rights Defender Sashik Sultanyan The Coronavirus-Related Situation in Armenia The European Union in Armenia calls all parties to contribute to a peaceful Election Day to celebrate democracy 22 ventilators to Armenia PACE to observe the early parliamentary elections in Armenia With Ucom's level up tariff plans subscribers have unlimited access to Tiktok, Spotify and Coursera PACE rapporteur welcomes Azerbaijans release of Armenian captives and Armenias handing over of mine-maps to Azerbaijan Armenia/Azerbaijan: Statement by High Representative Josep Borrell on the latest developments "The Power of One Dram" to overcome childhood cancer Generation A 13 your chance to be the change President of the Artsakh Republic Arayik Harutyunyan met with Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Igor Khovayev "uDays" special offer at Ucom: discounts for all smartphones and accessories for 2 days only For more than 3 hours, 50 or more Azerbaijani servicemen have blocked the interstate road Call on the international community for an adequate response against azerbaijani aggresssion Transformation and trust are important for success in modern banking. Artak Hanesyan UCOMS LEVEL UP 1700 REGIONAL TARIFF PLAN USERS TO RECEIVE MORE THAN THOSE IN YEREVAN Joint statement Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Covid-19: 163 new cases in Armenia Armenia: Remarks by Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi at the press point with Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan The United States Welcomes Azerbaijans Release of Armenian Detainees and Armenias Actions to Facilitate Demining The Coronavirus-Related Situation in Armenia International aviation: Council greenlights signing of major agreements with four countries With UCOMs level up tariff plans subscribers have unlimited access to Netflix, Duolingo and Zoom Google Ad Armenia: Statement by the Spokesperson on the early parliamentary elections Armenias Parliamentary Elections PRESS STATEMENT COVID19:77 new cases Armenias early parliamentary elections were competitive and well run, but polarized and marred by aggressive rhetoric, international observers say International election observers to Armenias early parliamentary elections held press conference Drop Charges Against Rights Defender Sashik Sultanyan The Coronavirus-Related Situation in Armenia The European Union in Armenia calls all parties to contribute to a peaceful Election Day to celebrate democracy 22 ventilators to Armenia PACE to observe the early parliamentary elections in Armenia With Ucom's level up tariff plans subscribers have unlimited access to Tiktok, Spotify and Coursera PACE rapporteur welcomes Azerbaijans release of Armenian captives and Armenias handing over of mine-maps to Azerbaijan Armenia/Azerbaijan: Statement by High Representative Josep Borrell on the latest developments They want to file lawsuit - Volodya Avetisyan (video) The Reserve Colonel Volodya Avetisyan has information that a criminal case will be filed against him. Volodya Avetisyan, who was released just nine months ago, has warned about this. In 2013, Colonel Volodya Avetisyan was arrested and later found guilty of fraud. According to the criminal case file, he has received $ 2,000 from the citizen for helping his grandson get out of the army and, also another $ 500 for solving other issues in the army for him. Volodya Avetisyan continues to argue that the accusation was fabricated. "We all have seen how the case is brought out of the place. Two people come to me and then go and say that I said something illegal; so, let's go with this force to grab what we can get. Volodya Avetisyan did not stop the fight after leaving the penitentiary. He joined Jirayr Sefilyan's call For the Front of the State of Armenia. The Reserve Colonel knows exactly why the government does not tolerate him. They do not tolerate when you are fair, when you speak the truth. They tolerate those whom they can lead, said Volodya Avetisyan. The member of the For the Front of the State of Armenia, however, does not worry about warnings, he says he will continue the fight. Corner dedicated to freedom fighter is in more invisible place (video) The Corner dedicated to Artsakh war hero Davit Sarapian was in the most prominent place in the school after John Kirakosyan. The school, where David has learned, has now a place to commemorate the freedom fighter, but in a more invisible place. Today, in the school where Davit studied, the corner dedicated to the freedom fighter is in a more invisible place. On the question what the pupils knew about the hero, one of the pupils said, "He was a soldier, Turks took his mother's village; he liberated it. Then he wrote a letter to his mother, saying that the grandfather's village had been liberated. Then he went to save his father's village but failed." The devil, as his friends called him, from the very first days participated in the Artsakh liberation war. On December 10, 1991, he died in a fight for the village of Todan in the Shahumyan region. "Davit Sarapian's home was visited by many famous people in the city. Leonid Azgaldian often visited it," said Evelina Melkumian, Davit's biographist. But there is no apartment anymore. After the death of the Devil, his mother, Emma Pavlovna, left it to Davit's six companions. "Further events have shown that this was fatal. After the death of Emma Pavlovna, that house was sold very quickly. In addition to selling, they divided everything, greed blinded them and they destroyed everything they did not need," noted Evelina Melkumian. Davit Sarapian would become 52, on February 4. In World War I Africa, an obscure German officer became one of the worlds best unconventional warriors. Starting from the Engare-Nairobi, small detachments of eight to 10 men, Europeans and Askari, rode round the rear of the enemys camps, which had been pushed up as far as the Longido, and attacked their communications. They made use of telephones we had captured at Tanga, tapping in on the English telephone lines; then they waited for large or small hostile detachments or columns of ox wagons to pass. From their ambush, they opened fire on the enemy at 30 yards range, captured prisoners and booty and then disappeared again in the boundless desert. Thus, at that time, we captured rifles, ammunition and war materiel of all kinds. My Reminiscences of East Africa, by Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck When we think of great guerrilla leaders, the image that comes to mind is of unshaven types with burning eyes, dressed in scruffy fatigues, brandishing rifles for the news cameras. Pancho Villa, say, or even Che Guevara. The career soldier who was arguably the greatest guerrilla leader of World War II Britains General Orde Wingate of Burma Chindits famefits this irregular image. What we dont expect to see is a starchy, one-eyed, glaring German general with bristling moustache and trim uniform a product of the hard school of Prussian military tradition, with its emphasis on rigid discipline and conventional hierarchy. Successful guerrilla warfare, one might assume, demands just the oppositeflexibility, improvisation, individualism, low cunning and whatever-it-takes pragmatism. But appearances and an orthodox curriculum vita can deceive: This German generalPaul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck brought all the right qualities to his successful four-year guerrilla campaign in German East Africa. Historian John Keegan wrote of him, With Lawrence of Arabia, [he was] one of the few truly individualist leaders of the First World War; in duration and scale, his operations in East Africa far exceeded those of Lawrence in the desert. At the outbreak of war in August 1914 Lettow-Vorbeck, then a colonel, was already a seasoned professional soldier with two major colonial campaigns behind him. Born in 1870 in Saarlouis, Prussia, he came from a family of minor aristocrats with a strong soldiering tradition. Lettow-Vorbeck was educated at the Prussian military academies of Potsdam and Lichterfelde, outside Berlin, and commissioned a lieutenant in 1890. In 1900 Lettow-Vorbeck participated in the international military effort to relieve the American and European legations in Beijing besieged by Chinese nationalist rebels during the Boxer Rebellion. Four years later, he was among the German commanders who put down a rebellion by Herero and Namaqua tribesmen in German-ruled South-West Africa (present-day Namibia). It was a genocidal war of gun vs. spear, and it cost Lettow-Vorbeck his left eye. In April 1914, following a spell at home commanding a marine battalion in the port of Wilhelmshaven, Lettow-Vorbeck was appointed military commander of the Schutztruppe, the force garrisoning his nations largest African colony, German East Africa (centered on present-day mainland Tanzania). Officially, Lettow-Vorbeck was subordinate to the colonys civil governor, Heinrich Schnee. Acutely conscious that his territory was surrounded by hostile Allied coloniesBritish East Africa, the Belgian Congo, Southern Rhodesia and Portuguese East Africawhen the war broke out, Schnee favored a lowprofile policy of non-provocation in order to preserve the colonial status quo and infrastructure. In stark contrast, Lettow-Vorbeck decided to annoy and distract the Allies as much as possible. Cut off from his embattled fatherland, he had both the will and the military muscle to ignore Schnee and make his own policy. Lettow-Vorbecks mission, as he saw it, was to divert Allied resources and troops from the Western Front and tie them down in the distant backwater of Africa. We now had two mounted companies, composed of Askari and Europeans mixed, an organization which proved successful. They provided us with the means of sweeping the extensive desert north of Kilima Njaro with strong patrols who went out for several days at a time; they penetrated even as far as the Uganda and Magad Railways, destroyed bridges, surprised guards posted on the railways, mined the permanent way and carried out raids of all kinds on the land communications between the railways and the enemys camps. My Reminiscences of East Africa In implementing his strategy, Lettow-Vorbeck paid scant respect to Schnees precious infrastructure: The colonel-turned-guerrilla and his troops torched villages, demolished bridges, tore up railway tracks and chopped down telegraph poles to cut the wiresall to deny resources to the numerically superior enemy. All were classic guerrilla tactics, not, perhaps, to be expected from a by-the-book product of a Prussian military academy. In his swift adoption of this scorched-earth policy and his defiance of Schnee, LettowVorbeck gave early notice of the qualities that would make him an effective guerrilla leader. Lettow-Vorbecks own military resources were meager. At the outbreak of war, he had at his disposal just 260 German officers, NCOs and local volunteers and about 2,500 German-trained African auxiliary troops known as Askari (Arabic for soldier). Recruited from the local Wahehe and Angoni tribes and paid 10 times as much as native troops in British East Africa, the German Askari proved more resilient against the rigors of the climate and the ravages of disease than Europeans and were enduringly loyal. Organized into 14 companies and trained under harsh German discipline, Lettow-Vorbecks Askari were widely regarded as the best native troops in Africa. They demonstrated their abilities at the Battle of Tanga, their first major military test. On November 2, the British cruiser HMS Fox led more than a dozen troop transports into the port citys harbor, and by the next evening some 8,000 troops of the BritishIndian Expeditionary Force B had landed unopposed at the harbor and south of the city. Lettow-Vorbeck rushed reinforcements by rail to boost the single company of Askari defending Tanga, and although outnumbered 8-to-1, they beat back the attackaided by swarms of angry bees, which joined in the pursuitforcing the British to withdraw to their ships. Lettow-Vorbeck lost 16 Germans and 55 Askari to the invaders 360 dead and nearly 500 wounded; Tanga remained in German hands for 20 more months. The retreating British abandoned their equipment, handing Lettow-Vorbeck a rich haul of much-needed military booty, including hundreds of modern rifles, 16 machine guns and 600,000 rounds of ammunition. After beating another Anglo-Indian force at Jassin on the British East Africa border in January 1915, Lettow-Vorbeck realized that, with one-third of his officers dead or seriously wounded, he could not afford to lose any more staff. He decided to avoid further set-piece actions and switch entirely to guerrilla warfare. When he put the idea to his officers, they were enthusiastically supportive. Lettow-Vorbeck evidently had the personal magnetism and charisma of the classic guerrilla leader. A fluent Swahili speaker who addressed his Askari in their own tongue, he won the respect and loyalty of Germans and Africans alike. Lettow-Vorbeck next staged a series of destructive raids on British East Africas Uganda Railway, melting away into the bush before the British could muster sufficient forces to bear against him. In July 1915, the guerrilla leader carried out one of his most imaginative moves when he cannibalized the 4.1- inch guns of the German light cruiser SMS Konigsberg. After a brief career as a commerce raider in the Indian Ocean, the warship had run out of coal and hidden in the Rufiji River Delta. There the shallow-draft Royal Navy monitors HMS Severn and HMS Mersey trapped, blockaded and ultimately bombarded Konigsberg. Before scuttling his ship on July 11, Konigsbergs captain, Max Looff, in an astonishing feat of engineering, ingenuity and sheer grit, transferred his ships big guns to land and transported them to Lettow-Vorbeck. Directing the operation was Franz Kohl, in peacetime a land-lubbing Bavarian gunner. With the salvaged cannon mounted on wheels, Lettow-Vorbeck fielded the heaviest artillery in Africa. Determined to put his newly acquired heavy weapons to use, Lettow-Vorbeck deployed two of the makeshift field pieces to protect Lukuga, the main port city on Lake Tanganyika. Germany still controlled most of the vast lake, which was also bordered by British East Africa. Lettow-Vorbeck put a third gun aboard the lake steamer Graf von Gotzen and sent others to defend Dar es Salaam, where they fell into Allied hands after the capture of the colonys seaside capital in September 1916. Lettow-Vorbeck used yet another gun when attacked at Kahe in March 1916. After a fiveday battle, in his usual tip and run fashion (which won him the nickname Lettow-Fallback among his grudgingly impressed Allied opponents) the German commander withdrew in good order, leaving behind the disabled gun. The Germans sometimes used the salvaged naval cannon offensively to bombard South African lines from commanding positions in the Burungi Heights in May 1916, for example. Lettow-Vorbeck took the guns with him when he invaded Portuguese East Africa in fall 1917, so terrifying defenders of the town of Nangade with the bombardment that they turned tail and fled. LettowVorbeck was compelled to abandon his last two guns that November at Chiwata when threatened with encirclement. He again managed to elude his pursuers. Owing to the numerical superiority of the enemy in the actions which now took place, Ottos detachment frequently found itself exposed to an attack on its front while being enveloped on both flanks. The enemy did not always succeed in timing these movements correctly. At Mpapua the frontal attack got too close to our line and suffered severely; and the flank attack, even when directed on the rear of our positions, produced no decisive effect. The short range of visibility always enabled us either to avoid the danger or, if the opportunity was favorable, to attack the troops outflanking us in detail. In any event, these outflanking tactics of the enemy, when followed, as in this case, in extraordinarily thick bush and among numerous rocks, demanded great exertions and used up his strength. MyReminiscencesofEastAfrica Artillery was not all Konigsberg provided. The scuttled vessel yielded hundreds of sorely needed rifles, and Looff and his 180 surviving crewmen made a useful European addition to LettowVorbecks depleted army, which was then in the process of recruiting and training some 14,000 new Askari. The additional troops would prove vital, for the Britishstung as much by Lettow-Vorbecks bold attacks as by the bees at Tangawere determined to bring the German-led guerrilla army to heel. Their solution to the intrepid German commanders humiliation of the British Empire was to use a guerrilla to catch a guerrilla. Jan Christiaan Smutsa daring Afrikaner commando leader who had plagued the British in the 18991902 Boer War and then turned Loyalistwas given the task of hunting down his German guerrilla counterpart. Smuts strategy was to use his 45,000-man force of British, Indian and African troops in a convergent attack from several directions at once British East Africa, Nyasaland (present-day Malawi), the Belgian Congo and Portuguese East Africato surround Lettow-Vorbeck in the interior and force his surrender. But the dense bush, lakes and muggy marshes of East Africa presented challenges far different from those Smuts Boer horsemen had encountered on the wide-open South African veldt. Keeping his diverse army intact and supplied from his distant headquarters at Mombasa posed huge logistical problems for Smuts, and the campaign came to resemble a struggle between an elephant and a gadfly, with a cautious Smuts continually trying to outflank and trap Lettow-Vorbeck. Operating on familiar ground and living off the land, the more maneuverable Germans kept skipping maddeningly out of reach. After one brief visit to the forward theater, a dispirited Smuts remarked What a dismal prospect there is in front of me. Real fliesof the Tsetse variety proved an even deadlier foe for the British than the Germans, and Smuts lost to the disease-bearing insect thousands of the horses he had unwisely imported from South Africa. Thousands of his men also succumbed, not to combat wounds but to malaria, dysentery and other tropical ailments that flared when heavy seasonal rains turned much of the region into swamps. After a years inconclusive campaigning, Lettow-Vorbeck remained at large, and Smuts left for London to join the Imperial War Cabinet. The German commander had proved especially skilled at turning his enemys strengths into weaknesses. Like a lever shifting a heavy weight when applied at the right point, he had refused to hold to fixed positions or untenable territory, thus converting Smuts superiority in numbers into a cumbersome disadvantage that slowed Allied progress. Lettow-Vorbecks exploits had made him a hero in Germany, and he was promoted to general after his victory over a largely Nigerian force at Mahiwa in October 1917. The fight cost him more than 500 men, but he inflicted 2,700 casualties on the enemy. For reasons of pride and propaganda, if nothing else, the Allies were determined to crush the German commander and inexorably increased the pressure on the beleaguered guerrilla army. In November 1917, in a desperate bid to escape the Allied columns inexorably closing in from all sides, Lettow-Vorbeck led his men across the Ruvuma River from German East Africa into Portuguese East Africa. The Germansincluding Schnee had now abandoned all pretence of being an intact colonial administration and had become akin to a tribe of nomads, a wandering caravan living off the land and constantly on the move. Portugal had only recently entered the war on the Allied side, and in invading these virgin lands, Lettow-Vorbeck knew exactly what he was doing. He pillaged towns and villages, helping himself to whatever he found including a shipload of antimalarial quinine and more weapons and ammunition than his men could carry and was able to sustain his forces for almost a year. By September 1918, however, the jaws of the Allied trap were again closing, so once more Lettow-Vorbeck eluded his pursuers by striking out in a new and unexpected direction. Recrossing the Ruvuma, he drove west into Northern Rhodesia (present-day Zambia), a British colony previously uninvolved in the war. On November 1, an optimistic Lettow-Vorbeck launched what proved to be his final assault, on the settlement at Fife. By now his artillery was down to an old captured Portuguese gun and a decrepit trench mortar that blew apart when fired. He met unexpectedly strong resistance from a North Rhodesian police battalion and broke off combat after a few hours. On November 12, Lettow-Vorbecks adjutant, Captain Walter Spangenburg, leading his advance column, seized a bridge over the Chambezi River and prepared to attack a rubber factory defended only by a few invalids and some convicts released from a nearby jail. Lettow-Vorbeck himself, pursued by the British 1/4 Kings African Rifles, had vanished into the bush after a hot, four-hour firefight. On November 13, the German guerrilla commander took the town of Kasama, which the British had evacuated. The following day, a message from Lettow-Vorbecks British opposite number, South African Lt. Gen. Jacob van Deventer, informed the German commander the Armistice had been signed in France three days earlier. The war was over. Unbeaten, Lettow-Vorbeck proudly marched his men into captivity. His surviving command consisted of 30 German officers, 125 NCOs and other ranks, 1,100 Askari and some 3,500 porters, messengers and assorted camp followers. By wars end, the Allies had deployed a staggering 350,000 troops to pursue the elusive general and his tiny band. Lettow-Vorbeck had brilliantly fulfilled his goal of tying up Allied forces and resources. Our feelings were very mixed. Personally, as I had no knowledge of the real state of affairs in Germany, I felt convinced that the conclusion of hostilities must have been favorable, or at least not unfavorable, to Germany.All our troops, native as well as Europeans, had always held the conviction that Germany could not be beaten in this war, and were resolved to fight on to the last.The men were well armed, equipped and fed, and the strategic situation at the moment was more favorable than it had been for a long time. My Reminiscences of East Africa In March 1919, Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck returned to a heros welcome in a defeated and demoralized Germany. He, Schnee and Looff led their surviving Schutztruppe in a triumphant parade through Berlins Brandenburg Gate. Set against the grim industrialized slaughter on the Western Front, the East African campaign took on the clean lines of an old-fashioned, chivalrous sort of warfare, with Lettow-Vorbeck achieving the distinction of being the only German general to have fought throughout the war and ended it undefeated. The reality, of course, was grimmer, for Lettow-Vorbeck possessed that other quality necessary in a successful guerrilla chiefutter, single-minded ruthlessness. His scorched-earth methods had left German East Africa devastated and starving, leading directly and indirectly to the deaths of perhaps 1 million Africans. Even the relatively privileged porters employed to carry Lettow-Vorbecks supplies existed on fewer than 1,000 calories a day and had a death rate of 20 percent. Dr. Ludwig Deppe, a physician who had campaigned with Lettow-Vorbeck, compared the guerrilla armys progress to that of locusts: Behind us we leave destroyed fields, ransacked magazines and, for the immediate future, starvation. We are no longer the agents of culture; our track is marked by death, plundering and evacuated villages, just likein the Thirty Years War. A year after his Berlin homecoming, Lettow-Vorbeckhaving used his own Freikorps militia to put down a communist rising in Hamburgtook a leading role in the Kapp Putsch, an unsuccessful military coup aimed at returning Germany to an authoritarian, nationalist path. He was compelled to leave the army and took to right-wing politics, later becoming a Reichstag deputy, while scornfully steering clear of the rising Nazis and rebuffing Adolf Hitlers offer to make him ambassador to Britain. Lettow-Vorbeck lost his two sons in World War II, and by 1945 he had been reduced to destitution and near starvation. He was saved by none other than his admiring former foe Jan Smuts, then South Africas prime minister, who sent the old warrior lifesaving food parcels and arranged a pension that sustained him to the end of his long life. In 1953 Lettow-Vorbeck made a sentimental journey back to the East Africa where he had won military immortality. Honored by the British who had taken over his old colony in 1918, he was able to meet the surviving Askari. Lettow-Vorbeck died on March 9, 1964, at the age of 93. Two Askari were among the pallbearers at his funeral, a ceremony in which Germans paid homage to that 20th century rarity in their countrya military hero they could honor with pride. For further reading, Nigel Jones recommends: My Reminiscences of East Africa, by Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck, and Tip and Run, by Edward Paice. Originally published in the November 2010 issue of Military History. To subscribe, click here. Carlo Pacini, age 89, and a resident of Half Moon Bay, went home to be with our Lord on Dec. The first delivery of prescription marijuana in Texas went out last week, a historic but limited step in a state playing catchup to 29 others that already have legalized cannabis for medical use. For many of the 150,000-plus Texans living with intractable epilepsy, it felt like an answered prayer. "It has the potential to be life-changing for my family," a tearful Terri Carriker said, recalling the decade-long wait to treat her daughter's epileptic seizures with a low-THC strain of cannabis. Her 15-year-old daughter, Catherine, has suffered seizures daily since she was 3. The family tried just about every drug on the market to soothe the relentless pain, but the girl consistently failed to improve and the side-effects grew more severe. Under the state's Compassionate Use Program, Catherine now qualifies to receive prescribed low-THC cannabis medication - a promising, though not guaranteed, shot at a better life. Her family expects to pick up her first prescription from a local dispensary by the end of the month. "I can hardly think about it without getting emotional," Carriker said. MIXED MESSAGES: Marijuana business looks to take root in Texas The family's story highlights the hope of a new option for a devastating medical condition, but advocates worry about limited access to Texas' program. Because the Carrikers live in Austin, for example, their daughter won't have to leave her hometown to get care. But with just three dispensaries in a state as large as Texas, families in farther-flung locales could have a much more difficult time, they say. Signed into law in 2015, and overseen by the Department of Public Safety, Texas' Compassionate Use Program is limited to helping only patients diagnosed with intractable epilepsy who have exhausted all other medicinal options and can prove no negative side effects from the drug. This means the program excludes the son of Carriker's friend, Bonnie Jensen of League City. While 12-year-old Micah Jensen has epilepsy, his specific type and the frequency of his seizures disqualify him for medical cannabis under the program's narrow scope. "He would be close to qualifying, but it's hard to get a diagnosis for intractable epilepsy," said Jensen, who would like to try medical marijuana. Even if Micah were to qualify, Jensen, unlike Carriker, would need to either drive a longer distance or rely on a delivery service to physically get the medicine. Last year, DPS licensed only three dispensaries in the state which can grow, process and sell medical marijuana. Two are in Austin; the other is in Schulenburg, 80 miles west of Houston. Further restricting access, just 17 physicians - none in West Texas or south of San Antonio - were registered to prescribe cannabis as of Feb. 1. The dearth of both dispensaries and physicians concerns advocates and patients alike. "We simply can't go forward with three dispensaries for a state this size," Frank Snyder, a Texas A&M University law professor who studies the legal marijuana industry. When asked of the possibility of opening more in the future, a DPS spokesman pointed to the law enforcement agency's website where it states that "a decision to increase the number will be made if and when it is determined that more licenses are required in order to ensure reasonable statewide access." Health-care providers worry about patients' access to the consultations needed for a prescription in the first place. Under the program's regulations, an eligible patient must seek consultation from a doctor registered in the program, then acquire a second opinion. Only then can the registered doctor input the patient's information into a registry and prescribe low-THC cannabis. Since there isn't sufficient data regarding proper dosage amounts, doctors will want to monitor their patients carefully on a regular basis, said Valerie Coffman, coordinator at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic's Epilepsy Support Group. This could lead to costly trips out of town for families who don't live near a registered doctor, Coffman said. Kelsey-Seybold in Houston has two doctors registered with the program. There are six doctors total in the greater Houston region, including Katy and The Woodlands. While acknowledging concerns over lack of federally approved studies on the drug, Coffman noted that preliminary research points to some benefits with little downsides. "If it improves their quality of life in any way, that's the goal here," she said. Kelsey-Seybold is already getting calls from new patients seeking consultation. Coffman knows of at least 10 current adult patients who would qualify for the program. The clinic's Dr. Michael Newmark said he's not concerned of the possibility of losing his medical license for prescribing what is still a federally illegal drug. He noted that DPS is strictly monitoring the program, and that the level of THC allowed in the medicine is too low to serve any hallucinogenic purpose. Yet Heather Fazio of the lobbying group Marijuana Leadership Campaign warned that doctors could face an issue with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Unlike other states with medical marijuana programs, Texas requires doctors to prescribe, not recommend, the drug. In light of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' actions and rhetoric, seen by some as part of a larger effort to curtail marijuana legalization, Fazio and others worry about the DEA removing doctors' registration to prescribe all drugs. OPINION: Sessions in the weeds on marijuana policy Though the Texas program defines prescription differently than the DEA, it's still leaving doctors with only a technicality as protection, Fazio and others said. Despite their concerns, Fazio and other advocates see the Compassionate Use Program as a success. "There are legal marijuana plants growing in Texas. It's history," said Patrick Moran, co-founder of the Texas Cannabis Industry Association. He added that he sees no chance of the program being undone at the federal level. Moran points to the existing economic investment. Each of the three licensed dispensaries has invested a minimum of $4 million in building out their facilities and personnel, Moran said. The two-year renewable license alone costs $488,520. During the bidding process for the licenses, 40 other companies applied, marking at least $32 million of investment in the application process overall, Moran added. The licensed dispensaries are already shipping orders or soon will be, further adding to the program's economic impact. Cansortium Texas in Schulenburg delivered its first prescription to a 6-year-old girl in Central Texas on Thursday. The company charges $90 for 600 milligrams of its low-THC medication, and $135 for 900 milligrams. There is no delivery fee for orders above $250. Cansortium Texas is owned by Knox Medical, a Florida company with operations in Florida, Pennsylvania and Puerto Rico. CEO Jose Hidalgo said Texas was its next big target, with California on the agenda as well. On Thursday, Compassionate Cultivation in Austin, the only Texas-based dispensary of the three, will begin sales, said CEO Morris Denton. There, 750 milligrams will go for $105 and 1,500 milligrams will go for $200. Orders above $250 will be charged a flat $25 delivery fee. The other dispensary, Surterra Texas in Austin, did not respond to requests for comment. As orders continue to go through, and patients like Carriker's daughter at last get the medicine they've been waiting for, advocacy efforts will continue to push for an expansion to the program to include patients with more conditions such as other forms of epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and cancer. A bipartisan bill requesting such an expansion managed to exit committee in the Texas legislature last year and advocates hope to revive it during the next session. Carriker recalls being in the Capitol gallery in Austin when the deciding vote to create the Compassionate Use Program was cast nearly three years ago. She had first considered medical marijuana for her daughter in 2013, when a friend emailed her a Colorado news story about how the drug abated a little girl's seizures without the often-severe side-effects most other drugs tend to create. Now, Carriker hopes Jensen and other families currently excluded from the program can soon participate and judge it for themselves. Note: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Dr. Michael Newmark's name. I've been reviewing restaurants for more than four decades now, and usually my decision about whether to write one up is instinctive: the matter of a few minutes' reflection, a quick balance of pros and cons, a speedy mental arithmetic of how much my readers might benefit, or care. Not so with my choice to review Aqui, the new Southeast Asian restaurant from the well-known chef Paul Qui. The former Houston resident, who lived here during his early college days, went on to make his name in Austin: first working under the celebrated Tyson Cole at the contemporary Japanese Uchi; later heading up Cole's sister concept, Uchiko; and finally after winning a James Beard Award and triumphing on "Top Chef" going on to launch several Austin projects of his own. I admired Qui's work at both Uchiko and at his eponymous restaurant Qui when it opened in 2013. I was particularly thrilled by the Filipino currents that ran through Qui's menu, a reflection of Qui's family background. I had had an interest in Filipino food since I encountered my first wild halo-halo sundae at a bakery/cafe on West Holcombe, back in the late 1970s; and I had wondered over the years, as I got a taste for sisig, calamansi juice and banana turon, whether a new generation might emerge to push the cuisine forward here. It hadn't happened, but there at Qui in Austin, I began to sense the possibilities. I nursed the hope that Qui would return to his old stomping ground here to open a restaurant based on his roots. What I never imagined was that he would do so under highly fraught circumstances. Indeed, in the years following his victory on "Top Chef," he had seemed to float with his then-girlfriend, the glamorous Deana Saukam, on a rarefied cloud of luxury travel and international culinary events. From Norway to the tropics, Saukam's carefully curated Instagram account, which has over 27,000 followers, showed a glossy fairytale of spectacular food, cool culinary friends, stunning hotels and restaurants, dramatic landscapes. I thought of the pair, from a distracted distance, as the couple who had everything. I failed to notice that Qui disappeared from Saukam's Instagram timeline about the time of Qui restaurant's second birthday and the 2015 Aspen Food and Wine Classic. So I was shocked, in March of 2016, to read that Qui had been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence against a new girlfriend. The account of a drug- and alcohol-fueled fight set forth in a police affidavit wrenched my stomach: blood left on the walls; contusions to the woman; and perhaps worst of all, the presence of her young son as the struggle took place. As a woman, and as a survivor of male violence myself in the form of a sexual assault by a knife-wielding stranger when I was in my twenties I was horrified. I knew immediately I would never look at Qui in the same way. I wished desperately that it weren't true, that there were extenuating circumstances, that it hadn't happened. I was angry, too, because no matter what the courts ultimately decided, whatever the exact circumstances turned out to be, it was obvious there was damning evidence of malfeasance. When Aqui opened here in mid-August, I still felt unsettled, and in no rush to get in. Hurricane Harvey happened right afterwards, which postponed my moment of truth even further. Ordinarily, I might check into a significant new restaurant a month-and-a-half to two months into its life two months being the earliest I feel comfortable reviewing. Yet I didn't visit Aqui until December 8, nearly four months after it opened, most likely (I believe in retrospect) because I was trying to put off the inevitable moment of moral reckoning. I thought long and hard about what to do. When I finally did go in, it was out of respect to chef de cuisine Gabriel Medina and pastry chef Jillian Bartolome, whose careers I had been following with admiration for years. READ ALISON COOK'S FULL REVIEW OF AQUI Like Qui, both are of Filipino extraction. I knew both of them as thoughtful people who had displayed integrity as well as talent. That they had decided to work for Qui said something to me in the restaurant's favor. And I was curious, which is my default mode as a human being and as a professional. "You probably won't make a lot of money, but you're paid to be curious!" is how I have encouraged students who are interested in journalism over the years. That curiosity is a blessing and occasionally a curse, but it's at the heart of what I do and who I am. Walling myself off from a complex phenomenon like Aqui just felt wrong in my bones. Still, as I ate my way through my first visit, I was worried as well as exhilarated. Course after course, the food was terrific. The staff fairly vibrated with intelligence and esprit de corps, and together, the front and back of the house resembled the kind of miniature United Nations that perfectly reflects Houston. Working the raw bar was a guy from Colombia and another from Guatemala. Further back in the kitchen, I could see Medina, Bartolome and sous chef Niki Vongthong, who is Thai, working their stations. Steven Lo, whom I knew from Kata Robata, seemed to be everywhere at once at the front of the house, as proud as a mother hen. Qui was nowhere is sight, as was the case on two subsequent visits. I was told he comes in from Austin to taste, consult and plan every week or so. Otherwise, Aqui is in the hands of his Houston team, who have the latitude to contribute dishes from their own cultural backgrounds. While the food hopscotches through Southeast Asia incorporating ideas from Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Japan, China and Korea I was fascinated to see elements from Latin America sneaking in. A Colombian cook inspired the tuna arepa; and a tostada topped with crudo and avocado seemed like a surprisingly apt nod to the Mexican staffers. "We try to be as worldly and inclusive as our staff," Medina told me when I asked him about the menu, which constantly undergoes tweaks and changes. THE #METOO MOVEMENT AND THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY The food made a vibrant, eclectic kind of sense in precisely the way I have come to prize in latter-day Houston. Was it Paul Qui's cuisine? In a way, sure: the modular look of the menu reminded me of Uchi and Uchiko; the concentration on "perfect bites" (tiny dishes at single-digit prices) conjured up the sushi mode in which he made his name. But the more I ate, the more I realized Medina, Bartolome, Vongthong et alia had shaped the character of the menu, its flavors and textures. It was theirs; and it was Houston's. This struck me as a good thing. I was happy to see Medina and Bartolome in particular stepping into the first tier of Houston culinary talents. Medina first came to my attention at Kata Robata, where he worked with Manabu Horiuchi and Seth Siegel-Gardner after a skills-setting stint under Master Chef Fritz Gitschner at the Houston Country Club. After he left to head up the kitchen at Soma, Kata Robata's sister sushi restaurant, I had been intrigued by his monthly menus spotlighting various Southeast Asian cuisines. He did Vietnamese. He did killer ramen. You never knew. Then Medina went off for a year to travel and work at Narisawa, where the modern Japanese cuisine had earned two Michelin stars. When I dined there in the spring of 2016, staff there spoke respectfully of him. I wondered how he would bring all this experience to bear back home and whether he would eventually accomplish his dream of opening a Filipino restaurant here. Well, Aqui is close. The Filipino currents are strong and compelling. Bartolome is a big part of that, too. She did a spectacular job opening up Common Bond bakery and cafe under the late, lamented Roy Shvartzapel regime, working in a French-American mode gleaned from her experience at Thomas Keller's Bouchon, among other places. Yet Bartolome's work at Aqui is a great leap forward, and as she herself has indicated publicly it's hard to imagine where else in Houston (or indeed the country) she could have gotten the opportunity to expand in such a personal direction. To taste her thrilling green banana sorbet, with its flanges of sugared green-banana tostones, is to experience something new under the sun. It tastes like Houston, with all its wildly diverse promise. And it feels like a good thing for Houston to me, anyway. I can't turn away from that. But I respect my friends and acquaintances and readers who can. The choice is an individual one. I don't feel qualified to tell anyone else whether they should patronize Aqui; I can only explain why staying away ultimately didn't feel right to me. We're all kind of wandering in the wilderness at this fraught moment in America, and in the hospitality business, trying to think our ways through the revelations of the #MeToo movement to something better. For himself, Medina rejects the notion that he should never have gone to work for Qui. He notes that Qui's situation has been conflated with the kinds of systemic kitchen and front of the house abuses that have been alleged at the restaurants of John Besh, Mario Batali and others. "My staff wouldn't be okay with those things and I wouldn't be okay with those things," he says. He says he has made his peace with his own understanding of what happened that night. I haven't really. But I believe in Medina, and Bartolome, and Vongthong, and Lo, and the rest of the Houstonians who are making Aqui work so well. In the end, restaurants are complex organisms. For too long, they've been treated and written about as extensions of a chef-auteur's ego. I'm as guilty as the next person of that sin. And of forgetting to look sharply at the fairytale. But I'm still learning as I go, and my inner wrestling over whether to patronize and write about Aqui is part of that. Uncomfortable, yes; but in the end, healthy. I'll go out on a limb and assert that few, if any, Texas pitmasters speak seven languages fluently. But such is the case with Ara Malekian, who recently opened Harlem Road Texas BBQ among the booming suburban communities in Richmond, southwest of Houston. He speaks Armenian, Farsi, French, Italian, Swiss-German, Spanish and English. Malekian's family is from Armenia, the tiny, land-locked country that is often in the middle of geopolitical upheavals associated with its neighbors, Russia, Turkey and Iran. In the early 1970s, his family was living in Iran when the Shah of Iran was still ruling over a mostly secular society. In 1976, seeing political storm clouds on the horizon - the Iranian revolution would happen in 1978 - Malekian's parents sent him to boarding school in Switzerland. The school offered an elective in cooking and restaurant management, which inspired Malekian's lifelong career in the culinary arts. By the time he was 12 years old, he was apprenticing in the kitchen of a high-end French restaurant in the city of Lugano, in the Italian region of Switzerland. By 1987, Malekian's family had moved to Glendale, just outside Los Angeles, which has a large Armenian population. Malekian joined them and finished high school and college in Southern California and began working in restaurants there. During that time, he got his first taste of Texas barbecue, at Dr. Hogly Wogly's Tyler Texas BBQ in the nearby San Fernando Valley. It made a lasting impression. SMOKE-OUT: 2018 Houston Barbecue Festival announces lineup He got his big break in 2000, when celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck hired him as a corporate chef. Malekian traveled across the U.S. opening restaurants for Puck's burgeoning empire. He eventually moved to the San Francisco area and opened two restaurants of his own in the mid-aughts. In 2006, Malekian moved to Texas to be close to his brother and his family, who had recently moved to Sugar Land. Malekian bought a food trailer and started catering events and doing pop-ups across Houston. He often got requests to cook barbecue, and over the next few years gained experience and knowledge in the art of smoked meats. At the time, Malekian kept his food trailer in a storage unit on a dusty stretch of Harlem Road in Richmond. The owners of the storage facility, who also own 1,000 acres of nearby grassland mostly used to raise cattle, asked Malekian if he'd be interested in opening a barbecue joint on their land. After several years of additional catering jobs and pop-ups as well as perfecting the menu and building the structure himself, Malekian opened Harlem Road Texas BBQ in January. More Information Harlem Road Texas BBQ 9823 Harlem Road, Richmond 832-278-2101 Hours: 3 p.m. till sold out Wednesdays through Fridays, 11 a.m. till sold out Saturdays and Sundays See More Collapse The dining room is a welcoming, wood-paneled rectangle filled with soft light and picnic tables that Malekian designed and built himself. The menu features the standard trinity of brisket, pork ribs and sausage, in addition to chicken and beef ribs. The all-beef sausage is particularly noteworthy. Malekian makes it by hand using a recipe learned from a German chef during his apprentice days in Switzerland. The finely ground filling has an addictive flavor of black pepper and other spices. Tapping into his experience in fine dining, Malekian makes an excellent selection of side dishes, too, including coleslaw, beans and potato salad. If you meet Malekian today without knowing his background, you'd think he's just another rancher in the still-rural areas of Fort Bend County. His English is now tinged with a slight Texas drawl. He's always dressed in black - Johnny Cash style - from his cowboy boots to his cowboy hat. Though his background may be global, his story and his barbecue are now truly Texan. Three dishes into my first meal at Aqui, I realized I was eating the most exciting food in Houston right now. First came a tiny black bowlful of smoke-cured sea trout, the slippery fish pooled with a tart, surprising blend of buttermilk and blood orange. Gold drops of olive oil and a sweet cherry-tomato half hugged the margins. Fat pearls of the salmon roe called ikura rode on top, and when you bit them, they exploded with a rush of sake, soy and brine. At the end, exhilarated, I picked up the bowl and drank the last of the liquid shot-style. Next up: a spring-green ceramic bowl holding yellowfin tuna kinilaw, the Filipino cousin of ceviche. Crisp, pale hearts of palm and meaty slips of jackfruit met the satin slide of raw tuna, and a twinge of hot chile caught my throat. A milky fermented coconut sauce added a kicker of funky tang. This was lightning in a bottle. By the time my crudo tostada was set before me, I was agog, ready for anything. The tortilla crisp sat high on a thick daikon pedestal, spangled with yellowfin, avocado, bright yuzu emulsion and translucent sheets of jamon Iberico, sliced from a countertop haunch. Brittle, soft, citric, salty, oceanic, earthy, chile-hot ... my palate cycled through the sensations in a dizzy rush. These are the moments for which a restaurant critic lives. And yet, sitting at my raw-bar counter seat, I felt uneasy. Apprehensive, even. I knew people I respected wouldn't want to hear how good the restaurant was and that some wouldn't want to set foot in the place. More Information Aqui Four stars 520 Westheimer, 713-360-7834 Hours: 5-10 p.m. Sundays-Wednesdays; 5-11 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays Credit cards: all major Prices: starters $ Must-orders: yellowfin tuna kinilaw; mushroom salad; blood orange masu (smoked sea trout); crudo tostada; tapioca dumpling; madai (sea bream) with A5 Wagyu fat; chili crab and fried bao; tom yam noodles with cracklings and peanuts; Bibingka dessert; green banana sorbet with sugared tostones Reservations: vital on weekends; walk-ins welcome at bar and on patio Noise level: moderate Parking: valet only Website: aquihtx.com Four stars: superlative; can hold its own on a national stage. Three stars: excellent; one of the best restaurants in the city. Two stars: very good; one of the best restaurants of its kind. One star: a good restaurant that we recommend. No stars: restaurant cannot be recommended at this time. See More Collapse Aqui is the latest project from chef Paul Qui, the James Beard Award and "Top Chef" winner who was famously charged with domestic violence in Austin in March 2016 after a drug- and alcohol-fueled fight with his girlfriend ended with a police call. WHY I CHOSE TO REVIEW AQUI: READ ALISON COOK'S ESSAY The report cited injuries to the woman and blood on Qui's apartment walls. Worse, the woman's child was there. The charges remain pending, and a trial was on the docket in Austin this week. In the meantime, Qui has closed his namesake Austin restaurant, Qui; reopened the space as Kuneho and then closed it again last fall. He's been keeping a low profile. The answering machine at Aqui announces the restaurant as "the new project from Paul Qui," but he has not been a frequent presence at his Houston venue, dropping in to taste and consult with his team about once a week. I never saw him there over the course of three unannounced visits. That's smart. In this season of #MeToo, when harassment allegations have rocked the restaurant world and brought down some of the biggest figures in the business, it's no longer business as usual. Though nobody contends Qui's sins extended to the kind of systemic abuses now being exposed in some kitchens, he's a reminder of poisoned male/female relations at a time when sensibilities including mine are rubbed raw. Yet there I sat. Why? Most important, I've been following the careers of Qui's chef de cuisine at Aqui, Gabriel Medina, and the pastry chef, Jillian Bartolome, with great admiration for years now. They're not just wildly talented. They're both thoughtful, sensitive and resoundingly nice people who deserve the break Qui has given them and the chance to do work that is deeply meaningful to them and to our city. Like Qui, both Medina and Bartolome come from families of Filipino extraction. They've gathered a kitchen and front-of-the-house team that is a microcosm of modern-day Houston: Thai, Vietnamese, Guatemalan, Mexican, you name it. The menu, too, reflects that mini United Nations. Though the focus is Southeast Asian, weaving together threads of Filipino, Thai, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Lao, Japanese and even Korean cuisines, that crudo tostada that wowed me is a nod to the city's Mexican ties. And a festive little arepa of tuna with radish and fish sauce came from cook Alejandro Betancourt, who helped open the restaurant before returning to his native Colombia. That's how things work here. So I'm not inclined to judge this staff for choosing to work with Qui. I trust their judgment as much as I trust their cooking, and their palpable esprit de corps in the face of the inevitable controversy. I'm a fan of the prompt, welcoming front-of-the-house team; the well-informed service; the smart wine list; the well-made cocktails. I like the space, too, with its steep wooden roof gables and beams suggesting indigenous Filipino construction made very, very modern. I love the counter seats at the well-lit cold bar, where you can really see the beautiful plating take shape a pleasure that the dim murk of the dining room does not afford. And the food has kept me entranced throughout, almost without exception. The Spanish-Filipino riff on ensaymada, a brioche-type bun topped with jamon and a snowdrift of grated manchego cheese, never quite came together for me; and twin garnishes for a beautifully glazed Cornish hen, its meat supple and its skin savory, left me puzzled. Between the cupful of very salty chile broth and a ferocious rubble of raw chopped garlic and ginger, the appeal of these elements escaped. (Bonus points for a gripping cache of crusty black glutinous rice, though.) Other than those minor quibbles, Aqui's food sparkled all the way through. Chewy little tapioca dumplings popped with umami-rich ground pork, nearly caramelized with salted radish and crunchy peanut. Like many of the so-called "perfect bites" on the menu most priced between $3.50 and $5 the dumpling was served singly. Though there are larger-format crudos, vegetable and meat dishes on the menu, a succession of these small bites can provide the drama and pleasure of a mulitcourse sushi omakase, summoning up Qui's formative years at Uchi and Uchiko in Austin. It's a good introduction to the restaurant. You might gravitate to luminous slices of Japanese sea bream glossed with A5 Wagyu fat and a bit of hot Thai fish sauce, a combination both elemental and expansive. Or a pristine shigoku oyster jeweled with cold-smoked trout roe, lime and shallot. Or an intricate lattice of shaved, colorful beets, both raw and pickled, meshed with Norwegian mackerel, then splashed with honey, wasabi and calamondin juice from the tiny sour oranges beloved in the Philippines. It's a thrilling conjunction of earth and sea. From the plant kingdom, there's an eventful mixed-mushroom salad in a serious Thai chile vinaigrette, and a gentler bowl of Chinatown Market Vegetables that combines bitter melon, okra, shiitake, napa cabbage and Calabash squash in a rounded soy bean sauce. The few bits of luxury-priced foodstuffs on order might include a simple, sultry crudo of fatty tuna dressed with house-smoked tamari soy; or, earlier in the restaurant's life, a delicate torchon of foie gras, its richness countered by pickled pears and mustard seeds. Just as lush, in its way, is the Singaporean chili crab, presented as a tomatoey stew shot through with galangal root and astringent rau ram leaf, plus plenty of crab fat. Squeeze on a bit of lime to brighten the flavors and scoop it up with orbs of fried bao, the Chinese steamed bread. It's not for sissies. A neat twist of skinny tom yam egg noodles arrives with a dark, shiny pool of pork demiglace for dipping, sided by the crackliest little cubes of pork skin and a fleet of peanuts. The textures are as much fun as the flavors. That's the case with much of the menu, even unto the desserts. Bartolome, who did such a fine job at Common Bond, is doing brilliant work at Aqui. Her unusual green banana sorbet displays a beguiling tartness and tannic grip, and its sidekicks of candied cashews and sugared green-banana tostones made my eyes roll back in my head. Filipino bibingka, a pillowy coconut bread, is baked in a banana leaf with salted duck egg so that it acquires an elusive smokiness. With its counterpoints of salt and sweet, it is unforgettable. So, too, is a single "dessert bite" of Tsampurado, the Filipino chocolate rice pudding, that can send you home marveling. Bartolome makes a tiny chocolate dome and covers it with avocado cream, then places miniature fried anchovies on top. It's a thrill, like so much at Aqui. Though I certainly understand diners who feel they must stay away, I've approached the restaurant as a complex organism that's not dependent on a single auteur chef. And with each visit, I've come away happier, more at ease with my choice and more hopeful about the future. A man was stabbed in the stomach while choking another man during a fight Friday night in northwest Houston, according to police. Zachard Lopez was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after the altercation in the 9600 block of Grant. This March, I traveled to Barcelona as a member of the Rice University Global Urban Laboratory program to gain information for my research on healthcare systems around the world. Though I went to gain insight on the Spanish single-payer public healthcare system, I left with an understanding of prevalent issues faced all across Europe: the tension in NATO and EU alliances, the current refugee crisis, the impact of European social safety nets on the economy, among other topics. I was fortunate enough to travel with like-minded students who value cultural enrichment, but we live in a time where America seems to be creeping more and more into isolationist safe havens. Many Americans fear that engagement with and unbridled acceptance of cultures from around the world means being subservient to global interests. But as we enter an era of unprecedented opportunity and global connectivity, we have a chance like never before to lead the fight against the problems facing our world. It is my belief that American leadership in a global community requires engagement with and understanding of that community. Can universities like Rice do something about this? As student body president, I recently called for Rice to join others around the country and accept qualified Syrian refugees. I did so not just because American leadership and action in one of the biggest humanitarian crises of our time is the right thing to do, but because providing cultural enrichment opportunities for all students should be a priority in American higher education. HIGHER AMBITION: Renu Khator's climb Why? When universities accept students from around the world, we provide these students with a world-class education and encourage investment in the U.S., but we also give American students an opportunity to gain from understanding the intricacies of other cultures a global perspective that is crucial if we expect the U.S. to lead the world well into the 21st century. It is valuable for students around the world to view the U.S. as a nation worth investing in, a nation where one's talent and hard work will breed results. However, we should also be encouraging students to view the rest of the world as a hotbed of opportunity. Increasing Chinese engagement with American social media sites like Facebook and Twitter helps America stay connected. Selling American pharmaceuticals to countries around the world in order to curb disease helps Americans when epidemics spread. Exporting environmentally friendly American cars to countries looking to reduce their own carbon footprint solidifies American leadership in advancing green technology. We must understand that honest multicultural understanding, not just passive tolerance, is essential if we intend to be successful in any of these ventures. Banker Walter Wriston once said, "Capital goes where it's welcome and stays where it's well treated." This approach invites global investment, but also combats anti-American sentiments outside our shores. Every great civilization has viewed themselves as the center of the world Rome, Egypt, China. But these civilizations also had a profound understanding of other cultures. Speaking the language of other nations, recognizing what social taboos might sour relationships and understanding the cultural norms of other countries predicated their massive success. In short, American exceptionalism and American isolationism are mutually exclusive. You can't come out on top of a system, a global economy, you distance yourself from. AGAINST POLARIZATION: How do we heal our social divide? It starts with teachers. To ensure that all future transactions economic, social, cultural are conscious and serve American interests, universities should foster discussion and critical thinking in a global context. For some universities, this might mean bolstering language requirements. For others, it might mean requiring a semester or summer abroad for students or encouraging foreign students to come to the U.S. for exchange programs. However it's done, global competency should become an important centerpiece of university curricula. As we ask ourselves what it means to be educated, we must be open to the changing nature of this definition. As universities and students alike come to grips with conversations regarding the value of STEM degrees compared with those in the humanities, the value of a liberal arts education, the importance of encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation in college and even the role universities play in sexual education, global competency should enter the discussion as a cornerstone of American education of the future. Justin Onwenu is the president of the Rice University Student Association. Bookmark Gray Matters. It views itself as the center of the world. A Plantersville man will spend the rest of his life in prison after a Montgomery County jury found him guilty of four counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child. David Vincent Akins Jr., 38, was arrested in 2016, charged with sexually abusing a 3-month-old baby. The investigation began with a landlord's discovery of homemade videos depicting Akins sexually assaulting an infant. Akins had also been convicted of raping his 5-year-old sister, and investigators said he sought out single mothers with young children to victimize. NEW CASE: Parents accused of sexually assaulting 2-year-old Akins' jury trial began Jan. 29 in the 359th state District Court of Judge Kathleen Hamilton, and he was convicted Jan. 31. Akins elected to have Hamilton render his punishment and was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without parole for each charge of sexual assault of a child, which will be stacked on top of each other. Now Playing: Texas News & Crime Video: Houston Chronicle Akins was originally charged with possession of child pornography in Harris County, but those charges were dropped because of the charges filed in Montgomery County, court records show. According to the original complaint filed in Harris County on the child pornography charges, Akins' former landlord found his laptop at a rental property in Harris County which contained child pornography. The landlord turned the laptop over to Tomball PD, which forensically analyzed multiple images and videos depicting a man engaging in various sexual acts with an infant who was 1-3 months old. HIGH BOND: $1M bond set for third Conroe kidnapping suspect The Harris County District Attorney's investigators said the images and videos were not downloaded from the Internet but were instead homemade, court documents show. The investigators compared the man depicted in the photographs and a photo of Akins and determined he was the man in the images and videos. During the time of the offense in 2013, the victim was 3 months old and was 3 years old when the pornographic video came to light in 2016. But this young victim was not Akins' only sexual assault victim. Throughout the trial, several victims, including Akins' sisters and acquaintances, took the stand to share their stories. "There were a lot of other victims," Huffman said. "Akins went to juvenile detention when he was 14 years old for raping his 5-year-old sister. And when that happened, his other sister came forward with sexual assault allegations stating he had raped her since she was 3 years old. Both sisters testified during this trial, which was very powerful." According to Huffman, Akins continued to seek out single mothers with young children after he was released from juvenile detention and would stay home with the children while the mom went to work. "He was very manipulative and good at picking his victims, which is what happened in this case," Huffman said. One of Akins' sisters shared how David Akins ruined her childhood and should have protected her like some big brothers do. "My message to the other victims is do not let this define you," she said during her victim-impact statement Thursday. "You will be successful in life. [David] has no more control over you; we are not victims anymore. We will move past this." Before being led off by Montgomery County Sheriff's deputies, Akins thanked Hamilton, the prosecution and the court for giving him a fair trial while apologizing to the court and jury members for having to watch the sexual assault video submitted as evidence in the case. "This was a team effort with the Montgomery County Precinct 5 Constable's Office, the Tomball Police Department and the Homeland Security Investigators all involved," Mary Nan Huffman, chief of the Internet Crimes Against Children Division in the District Attorney's Office, said. "Judge Hamilton made the right decision and we are so proud. The amazing thing about technology is that this crime was caught and exposed before the young victim came forward." Akins' Defense Attorney E Tay Bond stated they have waited for this case to be litigated for 536 days. "Whoever said confession is good for the soul is not a lawyer; this was a very difficult piece of evidence to overcome when Akins' confession was corroborated with the video taped confession in this case," Bond said. "We knew this would be a long day with the possibility of a life sentence without parole on the table. Hamilton made sure Akins will not return to society, stacking four life sentences to run consecutively." A Houston gambling parlor operator was sentenced Monday to federal prison for running a string of illegal 8-liner gaming operations for nearly a decade and laundering the illegal profits. U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes handed down a one-year sentence to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered Melvin "Tiger" Askew to pay $600,000 in restitution immediately. Askew, 48, remains free on bond and agreed to surrender to officials at a date that is yet to be designated. Askew pleaded guilty Nov. 6, admitted he obtaining $600,000 after setting up slot and 8-liner electric gambling machine operations throughout Harris County, and then hiding his ownership of them. Askew leased the machines to others or rented properties that he knew would be used for illegal gambling. Now Playing: Texas News & Crime Video: Houston Chronicle Askew was a business owner who manufactured gaming equipment and previously ran game rooms in the Harris County area, said his defense attorney, Kent Schafer. But his lawyer said he had been out of the business for many years. "He reported the money he made and paid taxes on it," Schafer said. "However, under federal law it is still considered to be money laundering." Askew was linked to gaming clubs in Channelview, Clearview, San Leon and Galveston between 2003 and 2012, according to court documents. He set up the operations under the names of employees, using machines that paid out cash on the spot. Askew then made cash deposits on regular basis and then withdrew cash proceeds to buy a home in Baytown and a commercial property in Channelview, according to his plea. He failed to keep payroll records for his employees, attempting to keep operation off the radar of officials. A North Texas man had both of his feet amputated after being hit by the flu. Brian Herndon, 51, of Fort Worth also experienced pneumonia and septic shock, making his condition more severe. MUGSHOTS RELEASED: 5 charged in raid on alleged Aryan Brotherhood chop shop "... Brian will need prosthetics for both feet and special hand work as parts of every finger have been amputated," his GoFundMe page reads. "While this is a challenging complication, we can do this together." As of Monday, the page has raised $9,760 of its $22,000 goal. Now Playing: Many foods have nutrients and properties that help fight the flu. Watch the video to see which ones are best. Video: Health According to news station WFAA-TV, Herndon was diagnosed with the flu on Jan. 4 and was admitted to a Fort Worth hospital the next day. By Jan. 6, he was airlifted to Baylor Hospital in Dallas. The septic shock led to blood clots in his body, leading to his feet being amputated reports WFAA. His wife, Jaye Herndon, told the news station that her husband does not have any medical conditions that makes him more susceptible to the flu. She said he will most likely lose most of his fingers, too. Will Axford is a digital reporter for Chron.com. Read more of his stories here and follow him on Twitter. Here we are in the 21st century, but the Houston area has never elected a Hispanic politician to the U.S. House of Representatives. Decades ago, the 29th congressional district was carved specifically to create a golden opportunity for a Hispanic politician to win a seat in Congress. (Today it covers Hobby Airport, east Houston, Pasadena and Northside neighborhoods.) But a drawn-out electoral drama in 1992 produced one of the enduring ironies of Houston politics: The congressman for what was designed as a brown district turned out to be a white guy named Green. ENDORSEMENTS: See which candidates the Houston Chronicle editorial board supports Now U.S. Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston, has announced he will retire after serving in the House for 25 years. An open seat in Congress is the chance of a lifetime for ambitious politicians. So it's no surprise that seven candidates are hoping to capture the Democratic nomination for this job. The frontrunner is clearly state Sen. Sylvia Garcia, the only current elected official on the ballot, who has name identification with this area's voters that stretches back more than 20 years. The breadth of her experience as Houston city controller, a Harris County commissioner and a state senator gives her an almost insurmountable advantage in this race. Congress could use someone who so intimately understands the problems faced by city, county and state governments. So Garcia has our endorsement, but not without some reservations. Garcia was the only member of the state Senate willing to vote against Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's budget, which relied on a hike in property taxes. Democrats should lament losing that voice in Austin. STRAUS: Texans, make your voices heard in primaries It's also noteworthy that Garcia will be 68 years old on the day she hopes to be inaugurated into Congress. It's a safe bet she won't stay in Washington as long as her predecessor. When she retires, the Houston area will lose her seniority on Capitol Hill. And as a number of her opponents point out, young people are dropping out of the political process, rightly realizing that gerrymandering has rendered November congressional elections all but meaningless. Millennial voters might be drawn back into this election if they had the opportunity to support a dynamic younger candidate. We're especially impressed by Roel Garcia, a whip smart Latino lawyer who we hope to see back on the ballot running for another office. Also running are Hector Morales, a schoolteacher who interned with the Obama administration; Tahir Javed, a wealthy CEO of Riceland Healthcare Systems; Augustine H. Reyes, a U.S. marine and elevator mechanic. Candidates Dominique Michelle Garcia and Pedro Valencia did not meet with the editorial board. The Democratic nominee in this district will almost certainly win in November. So next month's primary is effectively the election. Today is the last day that Texans can register to vote in the primary. For more information, go to HarrisVotes.com or call 713-755-6965. Early voting runs from Tuesday, Feb. 20, through Friday, March 2. Election Day is March 6. A growing number of big U.S. credit-card issuers are deciding they dont want to finance a falling knife. JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Bank of America Corp., the nations two largest banks, said theyre halting purchases of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies on their credit cards. JPMorgan, enacting the ban Saturday, doesnt want the credit risk associated with the transactions, said Mary Jane Rogers, a spokeswoman for the firm. Bank of America began declining credit card transactions with known crypto exchanges on Friday. The policy applies to all personal and business credit cards issued by the bank, it said in a memo. The move doesnt affect debit cards, according to Betty Riess, a spokeswoman for the Charlotte, North Carolina-based lender. Unfriended: Facebook bans ads tied to bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies Allowing purchases of cryptocurrencies can create big headaches for card lenders, which can be left on the hook if a borrower bets wrong and cant repay. Theres also the risk that thieves will abuse cards that were purloined or based on stolen identities, turning them into crypto hoards. Banks also are required by regulators to monitor customer transactions for signs of money laundering -- which isnt as easy once dollars are converted into digital coins. Bitcoin has lost more than half its value since Dec. 18, falling below $8,000 on Friday for the first time since November. The drop occurred amid escalating regulatory threats around the world, fear of price manipulation and Facebook Inc.s ban on ads for cryptocurrencies and initial coin offerings. more techburger Get more tasty tech news at TechBurger. And follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe to the Chronicle for regular access to TechBurger stories and to be able to comment. See More Collapse Cutting off card purchases could exacerbate those pressures by making it more difficult for enthusiasts to buy into the market. Catching up on crypto: A field guide to digital-money culture Citigroup Inc., the nations third-biggest bank, is still reviewing its policy. Capital One Financial Corp. and Discover Financial Services previously said they arent supporting the transactions. Mastercard Inc. said this week that cross-border volumes on its network -- a measure of customer spending abroad -- have risen 22 percent this year, fueled partly by clients using their cards to buy digital currencies. The firm warned that the trend already was beginning to slow as cryptocurrency prices fell. Discover Chief Executive Officer David Nelms was dismissive of financing cryptocurrency transactions during an interview last month, noting that could change depending on customer demand. For now, its crooks that are trying to get money out of China or wherever, he said of those trying to use the currencies. 2018 Bloomberg L.P. Get more tasty tech news at TechBurger. And follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe to the Chronicle for regular access to TechBurger stories and to be able to comment. SAN FRANCISCO - A group of Silicon Valley technologists who were early employees at Facebook and Google, alarmed over the ill effects of social networks and smartphones, are banding together to challenge the companies they helped build. The cohort is creating a union of concerned experts called the Center for Humane Technology. Along with the nonprofit media watchdog group Common Sense Media, it also plans an anti-tech addiction lobbying effort and an ad campaign at 55,000 public schools in the United States. The campaign, titled The Truth About Tech, will be funded with $7 million from Common Sense and capital raised by the Center for Humane Technology. Common Sense also has $50 million in donated media and airtime from partners including Comcast and DirecTV. It will be aimed at educating students, parents and teachers about the dangers of technology, including the depression that can come from heavy use of social media. Protecting kids: Apple urged to help curb smartphone addiction in children more techburger Get more tasty tech news at TechBurger. And follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe to the Chronicle for regular access to TechBurger stories and to be able to comment. See More Collapse "We were on the inside," said Tristan Harris, a former in-house ethicist at Google who is heading the new group. "We know what the companies measure. We know how they talk, and we know how the engineering works." The effect of technology, especially on younger minds, has become hotly debated in recent months. In January, two big Wall Street investors asked Apple to study the health effects of its products and to make it easier to limit children's use of iPhones and iPads. Pediatric and mental health experts called on Facebook last week to abandon a messaging service the company had introduced for children as young as 6. Parenting groups have also sounded the alarm about YouTube Kids, a product aimed at children that sometimes features disturbing content. "The largest supercomputers in the world are inside of two companies - Google and Facebook - and where are we pointing them?" Harris said. "We're pointing them at people's brains, at children." Silicon Valley executives for years positioned their companies as tight-knit families and rarely spoke publicly against one another. That has changed. Chamath Palihapitiya, a venture capitalist who was an early employee at Facebook, said in November that the social network was "ripping apart the social fabric of how society works." The new Center for Humane Technology includes an unprecedented alliance of former employees of some of today's biggest tech companies. Apart from Harris, the center includes Sandy Parakilas, a former Facebook operations manager; Lynn Fox, a former Apple and Google communications executive; Dave Morin, a former Facebook executive; Justin Rosenstein, who created Facebook's Like button and is a co-founder of Asana; Roger McNamee, an early investor in Facebook; and Renee DiResta, a technologist who studies bots. The group expects its numbers to grow. Its first project to reform the industry will be to introduce a Ledger of Harms - a website aimed at guiding rank-and-file engineers who are concerned about what they are being asked to build. The site will include data on the health effects of different technologies and ways to make products that are healthier. 2017: The year we began to fall out of love with the smartphone Jim Steyer, chief executive and founder of Common Sense, said the Truth About Tech campaign was modeled on anti-smoking drives and focused on children because of their vulnerability. That may sway tech chief executives to change, he said. Already, Apple's chief executive, Tim Cook, told The Guardian last month that he would not let his nephew on social media, while Facebook investor Sean Parker also recently said of the social network that "God only knows what it's doing to our children's brains." Steyer said, "You see a degree of hypocrisy with all these guys in Silicon Valley." The new group also plans to begin lobbying for laws to curtail the power of big tech companies. It will initially focus on two pieces of legislation: a bill being introduced by Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., that would commission research on technology's impact on children's health, and a bill in California by state Sen. Bob Hertzberg, a Democrat, which would prohibit the use of digital bots without identification. McNamee said he had joined the Center for Humane Technology because he was horrified by what he had helped enable as an early Facebook investor. "Facebook appeals to your lizard brain - primarily fear and anger," he said. "And with smartphones, they've got you for every waking moment." He said the people who made these products could stop them before they did more harm. "This is an opportunity for me to correct a wrong," McNamee said. Get more tasty tech news at TechBurger. And follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe to the Chronicle for regular access to TechBurger stories and to be able to comment. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. Singapore The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is calling for urgent attention to address infrastructure challenges in order to secure the industry's future. "Having the infrastructure to grow is vital to our industry's future. But in many key places, it is not being built fast enough to meet growing demand. And there are worrying trends which are increasing costs. One of these is airport privatizations. We have not found the correct regulatory framework to balance the interests of the investors to turn a profit, with the public interest for the airport to be a catalyst for economic growth. All the optimism supporting strong aircraft orders will mean nothing if we don't have the capability to manage traffic in the air and at airports," said Alexandre de Juniac in his keynote address to the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit (SAALS). The theme of the Summit is 'Reimagining Aviation's Future'. De Juniac highlighted the lack of airport capacity in Jakarta, Bangkok and Manila as his top concerns in the Asia-Pacific region. "At the other end of the spectrum, we have Seoul's Incheon Airport. They recently added runway and terminal capacity without raising charges for airlines and passengers. And, Incheon has extended an airport charges discount introduced two years ago. This sets a very positive example for other airports to follow. It also demonstrates great understanding of the role aviation plays in linking the Korean economy to economic opportunities globally," said de Juniac. "The Singapore government is also showing great foresight with its expansion plans for Changi Airport, including Terminal 5 (T5). But there are challenges. We must ensure the plans for T5 are robust enough to meet the high standards of airline operations and passenger convenience users of Changi Airport have come to expect. And we need to get the funding model right to avoid burdening the industry with extra costs. The prize to keep in sight is the airport's contribution to Singapore's overall economy," said de Juniac. There have been reports on plans to introduce a tax on passengers and increases in charges to fund the construction of Terminal 5. The airline industry does not support pre-funding to finance in advance infrastructure projects. Ensuring sufficient and cost-efficient infrastructure in Asia-Pacific is a top priority. The region is center stage of the industry's overall growth. By 2036 we expect 7.8 billion people to travel (up from 4.3 billion expected in 2018). Of the 3.5 billion trips to, from or within the Asia-Pacific region in 2036, 1.5 billion will touch on China. As early as 2022 China will be the largest single aviation market. India is another emerging power-houseeven if it will take longer to mature. And nearly equal potential could be realized as the Indian aviation market continues to develop. In his keynote address, de Juniac also identified five fundamental areas that need to be protected when reimagining the industry's future, the theme for SAALS: Safety: "We had a stellar year in 2017. But there are always ways to improveparticularly as our data analysis capabilities grow. I would like to imagine a future for aviation with no accidents. We need to improve on safety, particularly as our data analysis capabilities grow," said de Juniac. Open Borders: "Aviation needs borders that are open to people and trade. The ASEAN single aviation market is an important development. I would like to imagine a future for aviation where airlines are as free as possible to meet the demands for connectivity. We must be a strong voice in the face of protectionist agendas," he said. Global Standards: "A common set of rules underpins the aviation industry's successin everything from safety to ticketing. And I would like to imagine a future where global standards continue to be strengthened by the cooperation of airlines and government through institutions such as the International Civil Aviation Organization and IATA," said de Juniac. Sustainability: "Our commitment to cut emissions to half of 2005 levels by 2050 is ambitious. And I would like to imagine a future where our net carbon impact is zero." Industry and governments have agreed on a Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) as one of its four pillars in a common strategy to ensure aviation meets this responsibility. Profitable: "I would like to imagine a future where airlines generating normal profits is the norm, not a rarity." 2018 is the ninth year of profitability since 2010, and the fourth consecutive year in which the return on invested capital is expected to exceed the cost of capital. The Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit is co-organized by IATA, Singapore's Ministry of Transport, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, and Experia Events. Find out more in Alexandre's speech or read the Op-ed. For more information, please contact: Corporate Communications Tel: +41 22 770 2967 Email: corpcomms@iata.org Notes for Editors: The property in question is on the southeast corner of Cole Avenue and Maple Street. Williamstown Housing Trust to Make Decision Thursday on Cole Ave. Property Editor's Note: On Tuesday morning, Affordable Housing Trust Chairman Tom Sheldon rescheduled the board's next meeting to Thursday, Feb. 8, in anticipation of Wednesday's snowstorm. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The board of the town's Affordable Housing Trust will vote Wednesday Thursday whether it wants Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity to build two or three homes on a Cole Avenue parcel acquired by the trust. The non-profit in December told the trustees that it was leaning toward building three three-bedroom homes on the property. Although the lot, at the corner of Cole and Maple Street, is zoned for two building lots, Habitat could subdivide it into three lots either by permission of the town's Planning Board or by applying the Chapter 40B provision in Massachusetts General Law. After January's community forum where a number of neighbors objected to the idea of three homes on the parcel, Habitat came back to the Affordable Housing Trust for direction before the non-profit goes any further in its design process. On Thursday, three of the four trustees who attended the meeting appeared willing to make that determination, but they voted unanimously to schedule one more meeting to give more neighbors a chance to attend. One Maple Street resident told the trustees that the neighborhood was not given sufficient notice that the board planned to make a final decision at the Feb. 1 session and accused the trustees of lacking transparency in their approach to the parcel. Trustee Stan Parese summarized the board's position that its process from the initial search for building lots to acquire to its development of a request for proposals to developers to its selection of Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity to its subsequent discussions with the non-profit has been conducted in the open. "Consistently, it's been an expression on the board's part to engage the neighborhood, and that's integral to Habitat's approach as well," Parese said. "In terms of us being a public body the Open Meeting Law requires us, two days before a public meeting, to post it. Period, full stop. The idea of Habitat sending you invitations was above and beyond that." Habitat did separately notify the abutters of the Feb. 1 meeting. Maple Street resident Madeline Levy objected that the invitation did not indicate that the trust would hold a vote on the matter at last Thursday's session. However, the single-item agenda posted on the town's website and on the front of Town Hall clearly indicated the possibility of a vote. "We just feel like we're being hoodwinked, and that's an awful feeling," Levy said. "That's an awful, awful feeling. If people knew this would be a voting meeting, I think this room would be filled." Given that level of concern on the part of some neighbors, Parese was the first trustee to suggest waiting a week to make a decision. "I don't want the neighborhood to feel like we're pulling a fast one," Parese said. "Goodness knows, that's so much removed from the imagination of anyone involved in this process. "We've all got any number of things we need to be doing at any given time But if saying, 'Let's all come back in two weeks,' doesn't hurt [Habitat] badly and makes the neighborhood feel better I say this, grudgingly, I could live with that. I really don't want anyone to feel like we're not being engaging." The co-chair of the Northern Berkshire Habitat board asked the trustees to consider making a decision at its Feb. 1 meeting, especially since the decision likely would be one that satisfies the majority of the neighborhood. "You guys can have another meeting," Elisabeth Goodman said. "But isn't the consensus two houses? If you hold a meeting in a week, isn't it still going to be two houses? We're not going to do one house, and I don't think anyone feels comfortable doing three. "I don't mind giving more notice, but, in my experience, you can give as much notice as you want, and someone will still say, 'I didn't get enough notice.' " Parese sympathized but still argued for another meeting on the topic. "I agree," he told Goodman. "Without taking a vote, it looks like it's heading in the direction of two [houses]. "If we can use that second meeting productively, as opposed to a wheel-spinning exercise, if we invite the neighborhood to come and say, 'Let's hear your thoughts,' If we vote two houses, when Habitat sits down with its architect, and it can say, Here are some design concerns that have been explicitly expressed "If we can get that level of participation and buy-in and people are feeling better about the process, that's worth it to me." Goodman told the trustees that the next Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity board meeting is Feb. 13, and it would be helpful for the non-profit to have the town's direction before then. Habitat already has begun marketing the first home [it plans to build sequentially] to income-eligible families and wants to build it during the 2018 construction season. The former automotive shop on Commercial Street is in such poor condition the interior can't be assessed. Adams Awards Commercial Street Demolition Bid ADAMS, Mass. The town awarded the demolition bid of 50 Commercial St. to American Environmental and plans to have the property torn down as soon as possible. Interim Town Administrator Donna Cesan told the Selectmen last week that the demolition bid was awarded to the Holyoke company for $66,000. "The town is able to award this contract and the town has worked with American Environmental in the past," she said. "They did a very good job for us, so we are very pleased the bids came in as they did." Late last year, the town deemed the building unsafe and ordered owner Charles Ransford do demolish it within 30 days. He did not do this, so the town will demolish it. Cesan said American Environmental was the lowest bidder out of seven. The other bids were all more than $100,000 with the highest being $153,000. Cesan said the town has funds allocated for the demolition along with some unused funds from slum and blight removal. The century-old building sits at the south entrance to the downtown on heavily traveled Route 8. Initially, officials were concerned that the bids would come in far above the $60,000 allocated for the demolition because of the inability to actually enter the building and conduct asbestos abatement. The entire building must be treated as hazardous and shipped away. Cesan said a lien will be placed on the property. She added that Ransford also owes taxes on the property and the town may look at taking it after conducting a contamination study. Ransford recently purchased the gas station next to Hoosac Valley Elementary School a property the town looked at acquiring to expand parking at the school. Selectman Joseph Nowak asked if Ransford would be able to open up a business there. "I have recently seen him going into the garage section with tools," he said. "I don't know how this works but I don't think it is very fair that a gentleman can start a business after his record in this community." Town Counsel Edmund St John III said without knowing specifics, he could not say for sure but believed the permitting process would be difficult for Ransford. "There will be be a few hoops he has to jump through with permits ... there are a lot of things I think would have to be done," he said. "Then there is that sticky issue of not having paid his taxes." In other business the Selectmen approved the Town Administrator Search Committee charged with looking over applications and selecting finalists to be interviewed by the selectmen. Selectwoman Christine Hoyt said the personnel subcommittee recommended Teresa Daignault, co-owner and CFO of Adams Plumbing and Heating; Paul Goyette, teacher and former fire chief; Jeff Grandchamp, attorney and former search committee member; George Haddad, former selectman, interim town administrator, search committee member and business owner; and Leah Thompson, director of development at Berkshire Arts and Technology Public Charter School. "I will be in touch with all of them very soon," Hoyt said. The Selectmen also addressed a recent issue at the transfer station. A few Saturdays ago, the station had to close early because all of the bins were full. "The bins were overflowing and a decision was made by the DPW that the best solution at the time would be to close," Chairman John Duval said. "In my opinion, it should not have closed and shame on us." Cesan said the hauler was contacted and the town will work out a more regular pick up schedule. She added it may be beneficial to have an auxiliary bin available for similar situations. She reiterated that the Transfer Station is still fairly new and there are still improvements that need to be made. Wes Gadson of Price Memorial AME Zion and Rev. Jennifer Gregg, of Cathedral of the Beloved, co-chairs of BIO's 2018 Annual Convention, as they opened the event at Congregation Knesset Israel in Pittsfield. Berkshires Beat: Berkshire Interfaith Organizing Adds New Group at Convention BIO meeting Berkshire Interfaith Organizing elected officers, welcomed its newest member group, and shared stories from the front lines of its work organizing throughout the county to advance social justice at its annual convention on Sunday, Jan. 28, at Knesset Israel in Pittsfield. BIO's newest member organization is Temple Anshe Amunim of Pittsfield; this brings the number of member groups to 18, spread around the county. They are joined by individual members of the group BIO Community Leaders. All work together to build strength within the community to address the root causes of struggles faced by many Berkshire neighbors, including hunger, transportation and the need for immigrant support. The convention also elected the following officers for 2018: President, Rev. Joel Huntington, South Congregational Church, Pittsfield; 1st Vice President (Personnel), Martha Congdon, Lee Congregational Church; 2nd Vice President (Fundraising), Jim Kolesar, St. John's Episcopal Church, Williamstown; Treasurer, Paula Morey, St. Stephens Episcopal Church, Pittsfield; Secretary: Myrna Hammerling, Congregational Knesset Israel, Pittsfield The convention also kicked off BIO's biennial Listening Campaign meetings throughout the county (small, medium, and large) to hear what new issues residents might be facing. The next two sessions are Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church, 59 Summer St., North Adams, and Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Christ Trinity Church, 180 Main St., Sheffield. Habitat homes in Williamstown Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity is now accepting applications for the first of several new affordable homes in Williamstown: three bedrooms, one and a half baths, located at the corner of Cole Avenue and Maple Street. The homes are part of a new multi-house Habitat project in Williamstown to be built on lots designated for affordable housing and transferred to NBHfH by the Williamstown Affordable Housing Trust. Groundbreaking on the first home is anticipated this spring. Applications and details about applicant qualifications are available online or by phoning the NBHfH office from 9 a.m. to noon at 413-664-4440. The application deadline is Friday, March 30. Information sessions will be held at the Williamstown Town Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 20, from 6 to 8 p.m. and at the Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity office in North Adams on Monday, March 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. Sessions are for family applicants to learn more about the project and eligibility for homeownership, as well as to get assistance with the application. Premium chance Each year, Simon Youth Community Scholarships are awarded in every community across the country that is home to a Simon Mall, Mills, or Premium Outlets center. The application period has begun and ends on February 15, 2018. Students can apply online. Any student who will be graduating in the class of 2018 and lives in the designated community surrounding a Simon property is eligible, including those near the Lee Premium Outlets. Applicants can check their eligibility by entering their ZIP code at syf.org/scholarships. Recipients will receive up to $1,500 toward tuition and other educational expenses at an accredited college, university, vocational or technical school. The SYF community scholarship program is one facet of the Simon Supports Education initiative, launched earlier this spring at all Simon properties. As part of this initiative, visitors at Simon centers can now purchase SYF Simon Visa gift cards, redeemable wherever VISA is accepted. One dollar from the sale of each bright orange, SYF-branded card will go directly to support SYF and its mission. Creative partnership Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and The Barr Foundation, a private foundation based in Boston, have announced the launch of Creative Commonwealth, a partnership among Barr, Berkshire Taconic and four other Massachusetts community foundations. This new initiative is rooted in the belief that investments in arts and creativity build thriving communities, and it aims to promote the vital leadership role community foundations can play to advance the arts. Share your input The City of Pittsfield Department of Community Development will be holding two public input sessions in February toward the preparation of the 2018 Consolidated Annual Action Plan. The Annual Action Plan, which is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, outlines how the city's federal Community Development Block Grant funds should be used to improve the quality of life in the community. Funded projects included in the plan are required to benefit under-resourced residents, eliminate slums and blight, or address an urgent need in the community. The first session will be held 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12. in the Community Room at Morningside Community School, 100 Burbank St. The second session will be held later that month at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, in the Community Room at Conte Community School, 200 West Union St. Those attending the sessions will have the opportunity to speak on a range of community issues including housing rehabilitation, public facilities, job opportunities, demolition of vacant buildings, sidewalk reconstruction, and park improvements, to name some examples. The Consolidated Annual Action Plan will be available in draft form in mid-April for public review and comment. It will also undergo a formal adoption process, including a formal public hearing that will be publicly advertised. The draft plan will also be available on the city's website during a 30-day public comment and review period in April. After the public comment period, the draft plan will be completed by the middle of May and the final plan will be submitted to HUD shortly after. If residents are unable to attend the sessions, they are welcome to submit their comments to the Pittsfield Department of Community Development, City Hall, 70 Allen St., Room 205, Pittsfield, MA at 413-499-9368 or by TTY at 413-499-9340. Comments can also be e-mailed. Individuals with special needs should contact the Pittsfield Department of Community Development and every effort will be made to accommodate their requests. Great grants State Rep. Smitty Pignatelli and Derrick Holt, chair of the Lenox Cultural Council, have announced the award of 20 grants totaling $4,579.00, for cultural programs in Berkshire County. The Lenox Cultural Council is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the commonwealth. The LCC Program is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences, and humanities every year. The state legislature provides an annual appropriation to the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, which then allocates funds to each community. Grants have been awarded to the following programs: Barrington Stage Company Youth Theater Program; Berkshire County Historical Society's Writing at Arrowhead; Berkshire Lyric Theater; Berkshire Music School's Painted Piano Project; Berkshire Pulse Intro to Dance In-School Program; Cantilena Chamber Choir's MLK concert; Children's Songs and Singing Games by Roger Tincknell; Community Health Programs' Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary Field Trip; From Jazz to Hip Hop by MUSIC Dance.edu; Intergeneration/Cross Cultural Chorus; Intergenerational Playshop: Cabin Fever by Jeanne Bassis; IS183 Art School of the Berkshires Scholarship Program; Learn Ukulele with Julie by Julie Stepanek; Mass Audubon Berkshire Sanctuaries' Bird Walks at Pleasant Valley; Nutshell Playhouse; Pittsfield Shakespeare in the Park; Shakespeare & Company's 2018 Fall Festival of Shakespeare; The Marble Collection; WAM Theater; and West Stockbridge Chamber Players. Decisions about which activities to support are made at the community level by a board of municipally appointed volunteers. Lenox residents who would like to help shape the arts programs in Lenox and the surrounding area can contact Arlene D. Schiff by email. Natalie Portman has revealed she has "100 stories" of sexual harassment in Hollywood - including receiving "rape fantasy fan mail" when she was just 13-years-old. The Oscar-winning actress opened up about her experiences in an interview with Porter Magazine, explaining she had endured harassment and manipulation from studio executives throughout her career. And her problematic experiences began when she was a child star, with one so-called fan sending her a rape fantasy. Recommended Natalie Portman portrayed Jackie Kennedy once more on SNL At 18, a local radio station made a countdown for her birthday - "the date I would be legal to sleep with" - and endured movie reviewers commenting on her "budding breasts" in their articles. Because she didn't want to do "kissing scenes" earlier in her career, Portman also explained she was perceived prudish, conservative, nerdy, serious, in an attempt to feel like my body was safe and my voice would be listened to." I felt the need to cover my body and to inhibit my expression and my work in order to send my own message to the world that Im someone worth of safety and respect, she said. The response to my expression, from small comments about my body to more threatening deliberate statements, served to control my behaviour through an environment of sexual terrorism. Recommended Natalie Portman delivered another explicit rap on Saturday Night Live Portman even remembered a time when one producer requested she come onto his private plane, and the circumstances made her uncomfortable. It was just the two of us, and only one bed was made up," she recalls. "Nothing happened, I was not assaulted." Still, she told the producer that the situation "didn't make me feel comfortable." While her concerns were voiced and respected, the situation still didn't sit well with her. Natalie Portman addresses her experience of 'sexual terrorism' at age of 13 at Women's Day march "That was really unacceptable and manipulative," she notes. "I was scared." The 36-year-old actress said that when the #metoo movement started, she didn't have a story of harassment to tell - until she realised that she had been experiencing it all along. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up "I went from thinking, I dont have a story to Oh, wait, I have 100 stories," she explains. "And I think a lot of people are having these reckonings with themselves." During the 2018 Golden Globes, the 36-year-old actress showed she was fed up with industry-wide sexism while prefacing the Best Director category nominations with, "And here are the all-male nominees." Since then, she's shown her commitment to ending Hollywood sexism and harassment as a part of the Time's Up campaign - a response to the slew of sexual harassment and abuse claims that have surfaced. After what feels like an eternity of waiting, the first full trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story has been released, teasing a race down the Kessel Run and a deceitful origin story. A 40-second TV-spot debuted during the Super Bowl, the latest trailer coming less than 24-hours later, released during ABCs Good Morning America. Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson, and Chewbacca all feature, while the titular nerf herder will be played by Alden Ehrenreich. Considering the movie is set for release 25 May, fans have wondered why the trailer took so long to appear online. Many have speculated that the firing of original directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller midway through the shoot replaced by Ron Howard was the main factor. 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Show all 27 1 /27 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Black Panther Released: 12 February 12 February Director: Ryan Coogler Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Forest Whitaker, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 The Greatest Showman Released: 1 January 1 January Director: Michael Gracey Cast: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Darkest Hour Released: 12 January 12 January Director: Joe Wright Cast: Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri Released: 12 January Director: Martin McDonagh 12 JanuaryMartin McDonagh Cast: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Caleb Landry Jones > Twentieth Century Fox 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Coco Released: 19 January 19 January Director: Lee Unkrich ,p>Cast: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Renee Victor 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Downsizing Released: 19 January 19 January Director: Alexander Payne Cast: Matt Damon, Christopher Waltz, Jong Chau, Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Early Man Released: 26 January 26 January Director: Nick Park Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Maisie Williams, Timothy Spall 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Fifty Shades Freed Released: 9 February 9 February Director: James Foley Cast: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Kim Basinger 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Maze Runner: The Death Cure Released: 9 February 9 February Director: Wes Ball Cast: Dylan O'Brien, Thomas Brodie Sangster, Kaya Scodelario, Giancarlo Esposito, Aidan Gillen 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 The Shape of Water Released: 16 February 16 February Director: Guillermo del Toro Cast: Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon, Michael Stuhlbarg, Doug Jones 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Annihilation Released: 23 February 23 February Director: Alex Garland Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Lee, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Oscar Isaac 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Dark River Released: 23 February 23 February Director: Clio Barnard Cast: Ruth Wilson, Mark Stanley, Sean Bean 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Red Sparrow Released: 2 March 2 March Director: Francis Lawrence Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Jeremy Irons 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Tomb Raider Released: 16 March 16 March Director: Roar Uthaug Cast: Alicia Vikander, Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu, Dominic West, 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 A Wrinkle in Time Released: 23 March 23 March Director: Ava DuVernay Cast: Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Zach Galifianakis 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Pacific Rim: Uprising Released: 23 March 23 March Director: Steven S. DeKnight Cast: John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Charlie Day, Burn Gorman 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Roman J Israel, Esq Released: 23 March 23 March Director: Dan Gilroy Cast: Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell, Carmen Ejogo Columbia Pictures 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Isle of Dogs Released: 30 March 30 March Director: Wes Anderson Cast: Bill Murray, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Scarlett Johansson 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Ready Player One Released: 30 March 30 March Director: Steven Spielberg Cast: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance, Simon Pegg 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Avengers: Infinity War Released: 27 April 27 April Director: The Russo Brothers Cast: Robert Downey, Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Josh Brolin 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Untitled Han Solo Film Released: 25 May 25 May Director: Ron Howard Cast: Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, Donald Glover 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Released: 8 June 8 June Director: J.A. Bayona Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pine, B.D. Wong, Toby Jones 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Deadpool 2 Released: 1 June Director: David Leitch 1 JuneDavid Leitch Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Zazie Beetz, Josh Brolin 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Ocean's 8 Released: 22 June 22 June Director: Gary Ross Cast: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Anne Hathaway, Olivia Munn, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna, Matt Damon 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Ant-Man and the Wasp Released: 29 June 29 June Director: Peyton Reed Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Soldado Released: 29 June 29 June Director: Stefano Sollima Cast: Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Jeffrey Donovan, Catherine Keener, Matthew Modine 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 The Incredibles 2 Released: 13 July 13 July Director: Brad Bird Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Samuel L. Jackson The official synopses for the spin-off reads: "Board the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in Solo: A Star Wars Story, an all-new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his mighty future co-pilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga's most unlikely heroes. Solo: A Star Wars Story is still set to open in cinemas 25 May. Travelling on an empty train from New York City across snow-strewn fields and frost-covered lakes to Asbury Park, New Jersey is a strangely cathartic experience. Listening to Brian Fallons new solo album Sleepwalkers is the perfect soundtrack, too; opener If Your Prayers Dont Get To Heaven is this big, uplifting folk-rock jam with Fallons rousing vocals, that seems as though it were written for a train journey. At the Brickwall Tavern we spot each other immediately (youre wearing a rucksack so I knew you werent from around here, he grins). We order two beers and the waitress asks to see our IDs, so the 38-year-old Fallon is positively beaming by the time she brings the drinks to the table. Over lunch pork rolls and grilled cheese sandwiches and with Stevie Wonder playing on the speakers, we natter about politics, his family, what its like living in New Jersey and how hed like to try living in London some day and his appreciation of the Twitter account Very British Problems. Its easy talking to Fallon; all his cards are laid out on the table from the beginning, and he has a cheerful disposition, buoyed perhaps by the thought of this upcoming album release. Across the road in a coffee shop that wouldnt look out of place in Hackney, talk turns to other interviews hes done, or reviews of Gaslight that have stuck with him, and the myth that surrounds other artists like the Gallagher brothers, Bob Dylan, Radiohead. He spends a lot of time chewing over a subject, working it out as he goes, and thats kind of how he landed on this second solo album. When I was writing I went through this blank spot. The first one was really quick - it was new, I had a lot of songs, he says. For Sleepwalkers I got jammed up, because all of a sudden I started thinking like, what am I doing? I dont have this band anymore am I the folk guy? It was super unimportant to the entire rest of the world, but to me it was a big problem. I think my writing part on this one is better, for sure. Before I was trying to figure stuff out, and it wasnt this move where I was like Im going solo. It was more: I dont know what to do now. I was also coming hot off the heels of this big band which had been praised, and then Get Hurt happened. Hes much less sensitive to critical reviews now, but a few from the past still seem to sting, most obviously around The Gaslight Anthems fifth album. It received a lot of praise by some publications, and incredibly savage reviews by a few others. Obviously it was the latter that stuck, and shortly after the album was released, the band announced an indefinite hiatus. It crushed me up, Fallon says frankly. Because I didnt understand what happened. For 59 Sound people really supported us, and that was unexpected. Those magazines kept supporting us after that, fans were cool: theyve always been really supportive. So we were all caught in this thing at the beginning where we didnt know what we wanted to be, how big we wanted to be. Then around the time of the Handwritten tour, our personal lives were going crazy. So I checked right out. It could have been anybody there. I dont remember it not because I was drunk I was just mentally elsewhere. He calls Get Hurt a reaction, but one where he wasnt fully healed. If it had been a physical injury, he says, he would have still been in the hospital not trying to work out those issues on the record. I look back on it and I dont hate it, he says, taking a sip of coffee. There are fans who like it so thats cool. But some songs arent finished. I know when Im not done. But when the backlash came from the press. I think I got ripped pretty good. I took it hard. Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Ive never talked about this before, but the thing that truly slammed me was one time where somebody said there were ageist, sexist overtones when I used the word baby. He shrugs, flummoxed. That review didnt give me a chance to respond. They didnt write about the band, it was about me, and they crucified me. I didnt release that record to offend anyone. I was going through some bad times, and it might have been incoherent, but... yeah, I took it hard. It crippled me as a writer and a creative person. And at the same time I was going through divorce, so I just felt like this huge failure. Hes still floored that Sink or Swim was The Gaslight Anthems first record. Its certainly an impressive debut, one that scored them the front cover of Kerrang! before being covered in the magazine previously; something no other band had managed before, and saw Bruce Springsteen one of Fallons biggest influences perform with them at Glastonbury Festival and Hyde Park. The Gaslight Anthem perform The '59 Sound with Bruce Springsteen at Glastonbury Im always on the way to self-doubt though, Fallon chuckles. So when Bruce Springsteen turned up when we were starting out, I wondered if we were selling out a place because of our music or because fans were hoping they might see him. You could hear the wind going through that hole in my chest, after that. Once I started thinking that, it was over. Hes had time and distance to recover from the Get Hurt saga, but you can see theres still some confusion, or residual anger at the sheer viciousness towards a band who started out as good as it felt possible for a punk-rock act to at the time. It was the build-up towards that record where Fallon realised that things werent working. We had Handwritten with Brendan OBrien, and the song 45 did pretty well here, which was cool because wed never had a lot of love in America, he continues. It took time to trickle over. I think Brendans feelings got hurt with us not doing the next record with him. I wanted to, the guys werent sure. And he stopped calling I havent talked to him in a few years, he says. And I miss him, I feel like I never got the time to explain. The guys wanted to do something more experimental and I dont even know if it was that much different to what wed done before, in the end. He stops and laughs: Poor Mike Crossey [Get Hurts producer], man, he didnt know what hed walked into. Fallon has led The Gaslight Anthem since 2006, but the band are now on hiatus (Supplied) It was the perfect storm for something bad to happen, Fallon says, quoting the film Talladega Nights (If you aint first, youre last) to give a light-hearted idea of the pressure from record labels to outperform their previous records, even if only by a small margin. I went to therapy and stuff. I recognised I had a problem. People will always say, why are you doing a solo record? And Im like, because I dont have anything to say with Gaslight. Those five records, thats what you got. Thats the piece. I feel its a lot like The Replacements. Theres no new music because thats all Paul [Westerberg] and the band has to say. When the book is over, its over. And I have like four-and-a-half records Im really proud of, he says with a laugh. Im bummed because I dont think I finished. Ive never felt like that with any of the other records. I didnt know I was going to do the first record, when Gaslight stopped, or completely quit music, he adds. He probably would have gone out to the middle of nowhere, where people couldnt get to him, and gone fishing. Only he hates fishing. Nah. I would have worked on amps and guitars. But I still loved songs, and still had ideas for them. So I felt I had to do something with that. I did the first record and had a great time, so I wanted to do another one. When I found myself out of it, I wasnt sure where to start. I went with folk music because I liked that, I like those simple songs. On Painkillers, I was so relieved when I met [producer] Butch Walker. He had a sign up on his desk which said F*** your bad vibes. To me that resonated thats him, and thats why so much flew out real quick. We released the raw version, let it go. That was such an opposite approach to how things worked with the band and what we were doing. Loading.... Painkillers got a positive reception from critics and fans, and Fallon felt as though he was back at square one. The shows were much smaller than what he was used to, but he enjoyed them. There was a fresh feeling of possibility. When he came around to thinking about a follow-up, however, Fallon got quite scared, and called up his old producer Ted Hutt, who he worked with on The 59 Sound, and asked if he wanted to make a record. I wanted to know who I was when we did The 59 Sound, before the Kerrang! cover, before the Hammersmith Apollo. Who was that kid who walked into make that record? Fallon says. And Ted laughed and said: The one thing I remember was, you did not give one thought to the idea that there could be press, or TV. You were concerned with what you loved. Putting a guitar part down because it sounded like a Motown record, or getting the guitars to sound like horns because of James Brown. So now I listen to the record, and I still really like it. That takes a lot of the pressure off on what other people say. If you love what youre doing, thats how you develop a thick skin, not from feeling all those insecurities and bad vibes. Its only taken me, what, 38 years to figure that out? Loading.... Hes heading out on the European and US legs of his solo tour later this month, before returning home to prep for The Gaslight Anthems 10th anniversary tour for The 59 Sound which includes a high billing at this years Governors Ball in New York City. Were going to be doing mad rehearsals for the Gaslight shows, I havent played the songs in, what, three years? he says. But Ive been taking piano lessons, and sometimes Ill sit down to check I remember all the words, and so far I havent stumbled. Theres a task now, with Gaslight, and were only doing it for a set number of dates. Its refreshing. We were talking about how to choose the songs, and I like all of them, so I dont care. It doesnt make me more happy to play certain songs over another. When I ask him what hes listening to at the moment: he looks guilty and says Red Hot Chili Peppers, but then hes only listening to the good stuff. He ignores the bad. When I see something I dont like, my brain just disavows all knowledge, Im like Nasa, he jokes. I do it with my own music too, which is great when I see a bad review. After he spoke about the beginning of Gaslight, and how they didnt know how successful they wanted to be, he doesnt have to think for too long before answering that same question now. If I could maintain where I am right now, where Im on tour, making enough money to live, get my kids what they need, and still be visible enough to find a young band to come out on tour with us, he says. And a big personal goal is to be able to afford a home. Thats success to me. Those two things. Things change when you have kids, and I dont need a lot of stuff. I feel much better now at 38 than I did when I was 28, Im much more content. But it took a lot of bad stuff to get there, a lot of low points. I remember finishing this record, feeling good about it. Some people will like it, some people wont. But Im OK with both. Sleepwalkers, the new solo album by Brian Fallon, is out on 9 February via Virgin EMI pre-order here Sarah Burgesss clued-up, razor-sharp comedy is set in the cut-throat world of high-finance and scrutinises a private equity firm thats being forced to grapple with the notion of equity in its broader, ethical sense. Is running a business still purely a matter of maximising profits? Or should a firm play a different game and take its social responsibilities into account, thus winning favour in the court of public opinion? KMM Capital Management has just had the worst week in its history. Its president, Rick, threw a lavish engagement party (with elephant) that unfortunately coincided with the announcement that the firms acquisition of a supermarket chain has forced massive layoffs. The result is a PR disaster that has Rick fighting off protesters and fielding calls from worried investors. But Seth, a founding director of the firm, has a publicity-friendly rescue plan. He proposes the leveraged buyout of a luggage company in Sacramento. Hes struck up a warm relationship with the CEO and negotiated an irresistible price. Seth genuinely believes in the potential of this outfit but he also sees the tactical benefits to KMM Capital Management: This is a slam-dunk growth play. An American family business. American designers. American-made. Wed be creating jobs right here in the US. Think about how helpful that would be to us right now. Anna Ledwich directs a slick, gleaming, snappily-acted production in which bewildering financial jargon disintermediation, zero based budgeting is pugnaciously batted about. (Dry powder means the remaining available capital in a private equity fund.) The irony, to my mind, is that the plays most entertaining character also shows up its main weakness. Hayley Atwell takes a glorious relish in conveying the conscience-free capitalist zealotry of Jenny, Seths fellow-founding director, who is described as a vampire with sociopathic tendencies. According to her, protests against bankers are motivated by envy rather than a thirst for justice. Free enterprise may not suit weak people, but its beautifully fair in that it asks nothing of you but that you show up and join the competition. The bottom line is the only thing that matters to this number-cruncher whos blithely unaware of her emotional inadequacies and who, of course, opposes Seth with an alternative asset-stripping plan that would entail moving production to Bangladesh and selling the customised luggage to the emerging middle-class consumers in China. The sparring between this pair is very funny in the way it often descends to embarrassing pettiness (such as squabbling over who got the higher score in the business school entry exam). The trouble is that Burgess has created an unbalancing caricature in Jenny who at moments seems to be consciously helping out in her satirising as a weirdly wired-wrong workaholic: Maybe I should take a vacation. Ive always wanted to fly over Antarctica and look out the window. Id be back in a day. In effectively discrediting this character from the outset, the play does not exactly complicate the question of which side it is on. (Whatever happened to the principle of giving the opposition the strongest arguments?) Aidan McArdle is very good as a testy Rick, cagily keeping his options open in this world where it is all about timing and perception. In the role of Seth, Tom Riley gives an attractively shaded portrayal of a man who has an idealistic vision and also a wariness about leaving his comfortable, compromised career when hes given the chance. Joseph Balderrama nicely charts the suspicion that rises up through the affable manner of the Landmark Luggage CEO. Theres a lot thats impressive in Dry Powder, but I ended up feeling that the debate is unduly rigged and that Burgesss verbal astringency has been put in the service of preaching to the choir. Until 3 March (hampsteadtheatre.com) The Belgian poet and artist Henri Michaux (1899-1984) was an intensely shy man. When he and the French novelist and filmmaker Georges Perec had dinner together, neither spoke a word. Michaux held his hand in front of his mouth. Perhaps even masticating was a private matter. When the American poet John Ashbery interviewed Michaux at his Paris apartment in 1961 he lived an itinerants life in Paris, moving from apartment to hotel room, seldom owning much, even destroying the scripts of his poems once hed typed them up the subject of the interview sat side-on to his questioner, head slightly averted, as if too bright a light was being shone upon him. What in heavens name then would Michaux have thought about being presented in the Guggenheim Bilbao, the worlds most extravagantly plated armadillo of a museum? Fortunately for Michaux, he is somewhat tucked away amongst the gods. The exhibition happens on the third floor, in three galleries which lead into each other. Most of the galleries at this Guggenheim pick up on the outrageously eye-catching architectural panache of the building itself, at least to some degree, the way it always seems to be falling in on itself or emerging out of itself like some squirmy, river-thirsty living thing. Not so these three galleries, not really except for the concave ceilings. Otherwise, it pretty much feels like gallery business as usual in here. And Michauxs works suit a lack of splash because they are small and regular in their formats many of them are framed rectangular pages extracted from notebooks, sketchbooks we see that from the perforations which run down the left-hand edges of the pages. Michaux has been described as a neo-surrealist which contains just the right amount of hedge-betting. He adopted what could easily be described as surrealist practices belief in the aleatoire, for example the role of chance in art-making, something known to every child who has ever been born. But his was chance combined with a degree of control. He would splatter-splash ink down on to a surface and then try to seek out the form a face perhaps? that was in the throes of being born. If he found it, he would encourage it along by adding a mark or two. He had no time for automatic writing or for the pronouncements of that petty dictator Andre Breton. He wanted to encourage the mysterious to emerge from the depths of himself. His drawings and his paintings feel small and secretive, as if they have taken some considerable risk by revealing themselves thus far. Ashbery had asked Michaux what surrealism meant to him. It gave me La Grande Permission, Michaux replied. That marvellous formulation doesnt need to to be translated. Untitled, 1981 (Private collection) The exhibition is in three parts. It shows us how he worked with signs and extrapolated from notions of the alphabet (he was fascinated by Chinese calligraphy). It presents drawings made under the influence of mescaline and other drugs in the 1960s. And it sets his own work alongside some of the various ethnographical objects that he owned, often primitive totemic figures. There are more than 200 works in all, scratchings, combings, ant-like swarmings of mark-making; ghostly, mirror-warped faces swimming into view. It all feels like an intense exercise in deep interior delving. But something is missing here. Something which makes this show much less of an achievement than it needed to be. For a start, quite a number of the works exhibited here are not very good. There are many others better than these. Who has done all the choosing? Was the Fondation Michaux in Paris properly consulted about this choice of works? There is also a total absence of poetry except for the odd passing reference to a few book titles. The consequence of this absence is that we see only part of Michauxs greatness. Half his life was devoted to poetry, and the other half to all this frenzied mark-making. The poetry opens up to us the full gamut of his extraordinary oddness in ways that the art often fails to do, and it is a world of bizarre humour. Why not quote from some of these poems? And why not humanise the man by putting a photograph of him on one of the walls of the gallery? (Yes, there are some tucked away down a side corridor). Untitled, 193839 (Archives Henri Michaux, VEGAP, Bilbao, 2018. Photo: Jean-Louis Losi) ( Archives Henri Michaux, VEGAP, Bilbao, 2018 Photo: Jean-Louis Losi) This is therefore much less of a Michaux than it needed to be. In fact, it is something of a wasted opportunity. Why? Because the rigid, three-fold categorisation gives an excuse for a good deal of tedious and often self-defeating intellectualising. And if the catalogue had been made available in more than merely Basque and Spanish, Michaux enthusiasts who inhabit linguistic worlds others than these, would understand all this all too readily. Until 13 May (henrimichaux.guggenheim-bilbao.eus) Since the peace agreement between the Colombian government and Farc (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) in November 2016, thousands of guerrilla troops have demobilised from many corners of the country, mainly from isolated areas full of rich ecosystems. This has opened up areas that just a few years ago were too dangerous to visit. With the aim of rediscovering my own country, I embarked on a winter trip to El Cocuy National Natural Park in north-eastern Colombia. A few years ago, it would have been unthinkable to do what I did just a few days ago: to drive 10 hours north-east from Bogota, passing through towns, remote villages and places that were attacked and even destroyed during the violent conflict, and spend three days in a national park walking more than 65km of trails. A protected area of 3,060 square kilometres, El Cocuy National Park hosts Colombias largest collection of glacier peaks, with 150 lakes and ecosystems that stretch from the dry forest at 500 metres up to the paramos ecosystems and glaciers above 5,000 metres. On my journey, I discovered not only incredible natural wonders that I never imagined existed in my country, but also the cultural richness of the Uwas indigenous communities who have lived there for centuries. The park now has almost 200 registered guides, and an excellent network of hotels, services and transportation During the Farc conflict, El Cocuy was a violent area that played host to various guerrilla and paramilitary groups. Local people told me how it provided a strategic corridor for illegal groups, as it connects the eastern Andes with the lower plains. In 2002, Farc bombed and destroyed a bridge over the Chicamocha river that connects Soata and Boavita, two small towns through which you have to pass to get to El Cocuy. It took the state two years to rebuild the bridge. In 2015, in the rural area of Guican today the starting point of the hiking trail to Laguna Grande de la Sierra (the Great Lake of the Mountain) there was a terrifying guerrilla attack on military troops that killed 12 professional soldiers. The park was closed and re-opened to the public over the years, but with violent groups perennially present, it was too risky to visit. The contradictions of peace With all this violence now finally part of history, I imagined most of the regions people would have supported the 2016 peace agreement. I was wrong: most who voted in the towns of El Cocuy, Guican and Chita voted against the deal. Many local people told me they were too angry at Farc for all its violent actions to get behind a peace plan. But at the same time, the deal has been a boost for the region. Tourism is already roaring there are almost 200 registered guides, and an excellent network of hotels, services and transportation. El Cocuy is joining other areas of Colombia that have opened up such as the Chiribiquete National Natural Park, another area where violent confrontation took place, which was recently featured by National Geographic. Not that there isnt plenty to argue about. Indigenous communities, farmers, local tourism organisations and the National Natural Parks agency all have their grievances: indigenous people demand respect for their sacred territories, the local tourism organisations demand the right to provide services in the park, and the parks agency asserts its mandate to conserve natural ecosystems. Colombians and tourists from abroad are exploring once off-limits areas But the point is that these so far non-violent conflicts are a far cry from the terror and misery of the Farc years. This time, competing interests are being reconciled through dialogue and negotiation rather than violence. It was only after negotiations between the Uwas communities and the national government that the park re-opened its doors to the public in April 2017. During my journey in El Cocuy, I crossed paths not only with other Colombian nationals but also with large numbers of foreign tourists including people from Germany, France, Belgium and the US. In what used to be a war-torn territory, today lives a new phase of openness for tourism, research and natural protection that has allowed me, other Colombians and foreign visitors the discovery and exploration of a unique natural and cultural area and with it, a country thats now returning to some measure of peace after five dark decades. Felipe Roa-Clavijo is a doctoral candidate in international development at the University of Oxford. This article was originally published on The Conversation (theconversation.com) Eighteen months ago, Marwan Fawaz became CEO of Nest. He spoke exclusively to The Independent. In a cool, almost antiseptic white office in Victoria, Im talking to Marwan Fawaz, CEO of Nest. The companys latest products, in a shimmery white finish that almost matches the walls, are on the table. Nest is part of the Alphabet group whose offices these are which also includes Google. Fawaz had previously worked for another company in the group, Motorola Home. The gleaming white gizmos include a suite of products called Nest Secure, announced in September and on sale in the UK soon. They look and feel appealing, part of Nests desire to make products which are elegant and approachable. Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty Nests first product, the learning thermostat, came about because the company recognised that people found it too complicated to set their heating system schedules, so they didnt bother. Now, its realised that the same applied to security systems. The company says that 75 per cent of US households lack a security system and of those that have one, 43 per cent dont bother to turn them on. I spent some time in the security space a little bit as an advisor, Fawaz tells me. One of the biggest things for this product is its simplicity. It is not an intimidating security product where you have to remember codes (although it has codes). You can use a Nest tag to activate or deactivate an alarm. Our sensors are much simpler, and they act as a motion sensor as well as an open-and-close sensor for doors and windows. A button on the sensor also activates and deactivates that particular device if you want to just have one door open without turning the whole system off. Theres a night light, also found on the companys smoke alarms which, thanks to a proximity sensor, comes on when you approach to guide you in the dark. It even knows where you are, if you give it permission to do so, which has a clever benefit. It makes this happen through spotting whether your mobile phone is at home or elsewhere. If you leave the home and forgot to set your alarm, we will remind you as you are outside your home, sending a message saying, We noticed youre outside your home, would you like to arm your Nest security system? The other thing about Nest is that it has always taken design seriously. I got introduced to Nest five or six years ago. At a trade show, I saw crowds gathered around a thermostat. I looked at it and it was the concept of the look and feel that was very impressive. But as important as the design was the concept. It was a thoughtful product: you dont have to schedule it, it learns your schedule, your occupancies and does all of that on its own. That was really industry-leading. Theres a theme here, though, as the products themselves, smoke alarms, home security cameras, thermostats, and now a home security system are not the first of their kind. Fawaz laughs: Youre right, these are not new products. We reinvent the product wheel according to how people interact with them. And thats the simplicity of it. And these products all talk to each other. Its important to us that consumers dont have to do something for these products to connect to each other. So, our Nest Protect smoke and carbon monoxide detector talks to the thermostat. Consumers dont have to do any set up around that. So, in the unfortunate event that you have a smoke or a fire in your home the Nest Protect will automatically tell your thermostat to shut off the boiler or turn off the air conditioning because we want to stop air circulation in the home because air circulation enables the fire to move faster. The latest product is called Nest Hello, a video doorbell which, like the other products, is designed to be easily installed. Fawaz explains its capabilities: Its not the typical doorbell. Its got the Nest look and design. Before you even press the button, just as you move closer to it when its dark, it will light up. This is a wired product, so if consumers are not comfortable with the wires because it has power on it, they can have the comfort of a certified technician to connect the wires to it. And unlike other doorbells this particular product continuously streams video, meaning it records all the time whether theres somebody there or not. So, you dont miss an event. You could see the before and after of somebody showing up at your door whether he or she rings the doorbell or not. And this is one big differentiator. So its not just the motion detection. There are places where people may appear on camera and go but might not trigger the motion sensors. But we will still capture that. Recommended Your smart home is trying to reprogram you Throughout, Fawaz is considered, straightforward and effortlessly courteous, knowing his products with a surgical precision and in great depth. He knows that one of the strengths of the Nest system is that its products can talk to each other to add extra functionality. Like in the case of a fire. Or how a security camera can tell your thermostat if youre at home or not and adjust the temperature automatically. Nest is no longer on its own in the smart home marketplace there are plenty of other smart cameras, for instance, and Nest requires a subscription for some of its services, which some rivals dont. Mind you, the extra features offered by the company include facial recognition, which is handy. Nest must hope that its increased product range, feature-rich and closely integrated, will mean it is the go-to brand for the connected home. Lloyds has banned customers from using its credit cards to buy bitcoin. The banking group is afraid people will be left in dangerous debt by buying cryptocurrency using credit and then losing out if the value continues to fall. Lloyds Banking Group is the first in the industry to ban people from using credit cards to buy cryptocurrencies. It covers all of the groups different banks, including Halifax, Bank of Scotland and MBNA. Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty Bitcoin rose to huge and record new heights in December, amid a flurry of interest that led to claims that bitcoin mania had struck the world. But much of that gain has now been lost, and the value has more than halved. The banking industry is worried that many people may use credit cards to buy bitcoin, but then see their holdings lose value amid the continuing slide in the price of cryptocurrency. As a result they could be left with large debts and little to show for it, analysts fear. Recommended Bitcoin value plunges after misleading report about Indian ban Significant numbers of people in Britain are thought to have bought bitcoin as it surged in value, peaking at nearly $20,000 (14,465) in December. As news of Lloyds ban emerged on Sunday the value was around $8,000 (around 5,700). A spokeswoman for the banking group said: Across Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland, Halifax and MBNA, we do not accept credit card transactions involving the purchase of cryptocurrencies. The move follows warnings by regulators in the US, South Korea, China, Russia and India over the cryptocurrency. Germanys Bundesbank has also called for global regulation of bitcoin and Frances finance minister wants tougher rules for cryptocurrencies. Meanwhile, Facebook banned adverts for bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies on its sites after recent criticism from users about scams and hoaxes being promoted in their newsfeed. Critics say cryptocurrencies are used by criminals and rogue states to carry out clandestine transactions. Earlier this month, US billionaire Warren Buffett ruled out a foray into cryptocurrencies, warning that the bitcoin boom will come to a bad ending. The chairman and chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway has joined the chorus of voices criticising the digital currency. His comments came just a day after JP Morgan chief executive Jamie Dimon said he regretted calling bitcoin a fraud. Despite the slide, bitcoins current value is significantly higher than its $900 (640) position recorded in January 2017. Additional reporting by agencies Weve teamed up with cryptocurrency trading platform eToro. Click here to get the latest bitcoin rates and start trading. Remember that returns are not guaranteed, so you could get back less than you invested. A set of planets not too far from Earth is the best place to find aliens outside our solar system, scientists have confirmed. New observations of the planets orbiting around the Trappist-1 star which caused a stir when scientists found a whole set of Earth-like worlds circling it last year show more detailed information than ever about what life could be like on those planets. When the system was found, scientists described it as a "holy grail" discovery. Scientists suggest that the planets are made mostly of rock, like the Earth. About 5 per cent of their mass is made up of water far more wet than Earth, which is only 0.02 per cent water. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region No one ever would have expected to find a system like this," said Hannah Wakeford, from Exeters Physics and Astronomy department. "Theyve all experienced the same stellar history because they orbit the same star. Its a goldmine for the characterization of Earth-sized worlds. One of these four could be a water world, one could be an exo-Venus, and another could be an exo-Mars. Its interesting because we have four planets that are at different distances from the star. So we can learn a little bit more about our own diverse solar system, because were learning about how the Trappist star has impacted its array of planets. Recommended Citizen scientists discover new system with planets similar to Earth Water is the key thing scientists look for on potential "second Earths", and all agree that water, ideally in its liquid state, is a prerequisite for life as we know it. At least four of the Trappist-1 planets are thought to have temperate climates, opening up the possibility of surface oceans, lakes or rivers. One, Trappist-1e, stands out as being the most Earth-like in terms of its size, density and the amount of light energy received from its star. Dr Amaury Triaud, from the University of Birmingham, a leading member of the international team, said: "Of the seven planets, and of all the exoplanets that have been identified so far, Trappist-1e most resembles Earth, when we consider the amount of energy a planet receives from its star, and its density, which reflects its internal composition. "Our next step is to find out whether the planet has an atmosphere, since our only method to detect the presence of biology beyond the solar system relies on studying the chemistry of an exoplanet's atmosphere." He stressed that despite the speculation scientists were still "far from establishing" whether Trappist-1e really does have conditions suitable for life. Clearer answers are expected after Nasa's powerful James Webb Space Telescope is launched into orbit next year. It will be the first of a new generation of telescopes with the ability to seek chemical sign-posts of life in exoplanet atmospheres. The Trappist-1 planets circle a cool red-dwarf star just 9 per cent as massive as the sun. Because it is so faint, the star's "habitable zone" the orbital region where water can exist as a liquid is much closer than that of our sun's. As a result the seven planets are all nearer their star than Mercury is to the sun, yet enjoy relatively mild climates. The worlds are also so huddled together that a person standing on any one of them would have a spectacular view of their celestial neighbours. In some cases, the planets could appear larger than the moon seen from the Earth, said the astronomers. The planets may also be tidally locked, meaning the same face is always pointing towards the star. The findings from a series of four studies appear in the journals Nature Astronomy, and Astronomy and Astrophysics. Co-author Professor Brice-Olivier Demory, from the University of Bern in Germany, said: "Our study is an important step forward as we continue to explore whether these planets could support life." Trappist-1 is named after the Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (Trappist) in Chile, which discovered the first two planets in the system. Additional reporting by Press Association SpaceX is about to shoot one of the most powerful rockets up into space, carrying a car. But the end could be just as much of a breakthrough. Today's rocket launch will see a massively powerful rocket launched into the sky. Inside will be a Tesla Roadster, which if all goes well will float around space for billions of years. But that same rocket will drop back down onto Earth, landing in three parts so that they can potentially be used again. If the rocket successfully manages to lift off and take its payload up into space, it will mark a major breakthrough. The rocket is twice as powerful as the ones in use today, and the most powerful used since Saturn V as such, it could be the perfect thing to carry us into deep space. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region But it will make a pioneering move on its way down too, SpaceX hopes. The return mission will be the first time that more than one rocket has successfully landed after taking off, if it manages to do so. The main rocket will come back to land on SpaceX's droneship, known as "Of Course I Still Love You", which can autonomously float around the Atlantic Ocean. SpaceX has successfully landed rockets on there before. Recommended Elon Musk shows off car he will fling into space for billions of years But it will also try and bring its two side cores back down to land at Cape Canaveral in Florida. SpaceX is trying to reliably land and re-use its Falcon rockets, to bring down the cost of spaceflight. If they can be successfully recovered from the ocean as has happened before then they can be sent back up again, rather than requiring a whole new booster. The company warned local residents that they might hear a number of strange noises as the rockets attempt to land. "There is the possibility that residents of Brevard, Indian River, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the landing attempts," it wrote in a statement. "Residents of Brevard County are most likely to hear one or more sonic booms, although what residents experience will depend on weather conditions and other factors. "A sonic boom is a brief thunder-like noise a person on the ground hears when an aircraft or other vehicle flies overhead faster than the speed of sound." The company also warned the public that the launch schedule could change, and that the launch could be delayed to another time, even at the last minute. Tesco on Monday forecast profit for the full 2017-18 year slightly ahead of analysts expectations and confirmed it would pay a final dividend. Ahead of the publication of the circular and prospectus for its 3.7bn takeover of wholesaler Booker, Tesco said it had traded in line with management expectations since it last updated on January 11. Tesco is buying Booker in the boldest move yet by its chief executive Dave Lewis, who took over in 2014, providing the supermarket group with access to the faster growing catering segment of Britains 195bn food market. After the deal, the well-regarded Booker boss Charles Wilson will become CEO of Tescos retail and wholesale operations in the UK and Ireland. The current UK boss, Matt Davies, will step down after supporting a handover and leave Tesco at the end of April. (Wilson) brings substantial commercial and retail experience and has an exceptional track record of increasing performance and driving growth in customer-focused businesses, Mr Lewis said. Tesco shareholders will vote on the deal at a meeting on February 28 and completion is expected to take place on March 5. The supermarket group forecast an operating profit before exceptional items of at least 1.575bn for the year to February 24 2018. That compares to analysts current average forecast of 1.564bn, according to Tescos website, and 1.28bn made in 2016-17. Tesco said it intended to pay a final dividend of 2.0 pence per share for the year, having announced an interim dividend of 1 pence in October. The interim payment was its first since the 2014-15 year when it was mired in crisis. Reuters Rick Jolly, who has died aged 71, proved to be the right man in the right place when he led the surgical team that patched up nearly 600 soldiers during the Falklands War in 1982. He established the Armed Forces field hospital in the only suitable space: the islands largest building: an abandoned slaughterhouse and refrigerated mutton-storage complex at Ajax Bay. There, for six weeks, medics principally of the Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment, were to toil doing surgery on a scale and of a kind few among them had witnessed before. Jolly tended to battlefield horrors suffered by British soldiers. He ensured this work continued even after Argentine pilots dropped two bombs on the hospital on its third evening of existence. The French-made devices lodged unexploded in the roof and had to be left there as casualties came in from the Battle of Goose Green on 28 May day five of the war. This was just about the moment, Jolly feared, when any time-delay switch on the bombs would have gone off. In the thick of urgent operating in makeshift theatres, the question of the bombs faded from his mind, but once 37 hours had passed since the air raid that delivered them the known length of time possible for delayed explosion Jolly handed round a tot of rum. The hospital had no red cross on its roof because the mutton factory and outbuildings were also the storage place for combat supplies, all legitimate targets. More bombs were to slice through it in the ensuing days, leaving holes in the structure that Jolly personally had to help secure against the islands driving rain and wind. This ebullient man of fierce loyalties thrived in the exacting conditions of front-line surgery. The then Surgeon Commander Jolly would brook no nonsense from traditional rivalries between Paras and Marines, and marshalled all personnel together to make that clear. Brigadier Julian Thompson, 3 Commando Brigades commanding officer, who led the land campaign in its first weeks, wrote of Jolly: No Brigade can have been better served by its Senior Medical Officer and the teams he led . Rick Jolly in 1983 (Rex) It was Jolly who closed the eyes of Colonel H Jones, VC, commanding officer of 2 Para, killed storming an Argentine trench at Goose Green. Winning that battle cost 20 British lives. Jolly performed post-mortems on the fallen at Ajax Bay, establishing the causes of death, and ascertained, contrary to rumour, that Jones had not been shot in the back. The Ajax Bay hospitals greatest test was the arrival of 170 casualties all at once after the bombing of the LSLs (landing ship logistics) Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram on 8 June at Fitzroy. Terribly burned Welsh Guardsmen who had been on board had to be treated by mixture of innovation and a protective cream called Flamazine, of which supplies were used up to the last tube. Also crucial for the saving of lives was access to transport, a headache for Jolly both because of uncomprehending officers farther from the front line, and the loss of much equipment in the Argentine attack on and sinking of supply ship, Atlantic Conveyor on 25 May. All but one of the British Task Forces Chinook helicopters had gone down with her. Jolly recalled a message that was brought to him on 29 May from an unnamed senior officer. It said: Request better assessment helicopter needs... give 24 hours notice of all further casevac [casualty evacuation] requirements. The wounded were treated first at Ajax Bay, then taken mostly by Sea King and Wessex helicopters to the hospital ship Uganda. In the crisis mass casualty situation caused by the bombing of Sir Tristram and Sir Galahad, however, Jolly relied on the willingness of old acquaintances from his days in the Fleet Air Arm to bring up enough helicopters to ferry the injured across. Jolly named the hospital the Red and Green Life Machine, after the Paras red caps and the Marines green ones, and painted the words in foot-high letters above the entrance. Rick Jolly, right, at Ajax Bay on East Falkland in 1982 (Rex) Of the more than 580 men treated at Ajax Bay, nearly 200 were Argentine soldiers, on whom there were 78 operations. When blood for transfusions ran short Jolly persuaded some of the fitter Argentine prisoners to help replenish supplies. Of all his skills called on in the Falklands, the least expected in the exclusively male surroundings of a war must have been Jollys training as an obstetrician. Yet before leaving the islands Jolly also performed an operation on a woman resident of the islands capital, Port Stanley. He returned to the islands in 2002, decorated not only with an OBE but also the Orden de Majo of Argentina, an honour conferred to him in 1999 by its then President Carlos Menem. Visiting the country with the Prince Andrew, he was greeted by 50 of the men he treated. After the Falklands war he stayed in the Royal Navy until 1996, reaching the rank of Honorary Surgeon Captain, with spells at Britannia Royal Naval College, and as a Defence Fellow at University College London. His ideas contributed to hospital arrangements during the first Gulf War in 1990, and soon after leaving he took a job as Ships Surgeon of the Royal Mail Ship St Helena. As well as The Red and Green Life Machine (1983), which detailed the field hospital he set up, he compiled a dictionary of naval slang, Jackspeak (1991), with cartoonist Tugg Willson. Both books are dedicated to his only child, James, who died in his late teens. Jolly gave up seafaring in 2002. Born in Hong Kong, Jolly was educated at Stonyhurst College, Lancashire, and qualified as a doctor from St Bartholomews Hospital, London, in 1969. He married his wife, Susie (nee Matthews), who survives him, a year later. He joined the Royal Marines after working as a Royal Navy Reservist in Malta. He was a Flight Surgeon with the Fleet Air Arm, trained in winter conditions in Norway, and in 1974 during the Troubles served some months in Belfast. Richard Tadeusz Jolly, Royal Navy surgeon, born 29 October 1946, died 13 January 2018 On 16 July 1969, a towering Saturn 5 rocket sat on Pad 39A at Nasas Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. At 9.32 am, the five enormous F-1 engines of its first stage ignited, expelling orange flame, dark smoke and 7.5 million pounds of thrust to lift the three astronauts of Apollo 11 into space. Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon four days later. Today, at that same launchpad, technicians working for SpaceX, Elon Musks upstart rocket company, are preparing for the maiden flight of what is by most measures the worlds most powerful rocket since the Saturn 5. The Falcon Heavy will be able to carry more than 140,000 pounds to low-Earth orbit, or more than twice as much as current competing rockets. Aboard the demonstration flight, which may take off in the weeks ahead, will be a whimsical, cross-promotional payload for Musk a cherry red Roadster built by his other business, the electric carmaker Tesla. The car is expected to travel around the sun in endless ellipses that extend as far out as the orbit of Mars. Musk said on Twitter last month: Payload will be my midnight cherry Tesla Roadster playing Space Oddity. Destination is Mars orbit. Will be in deep space for a billion years or so if it doesnt blow up on ascent. Recommended Japanese astronaut who said he might not fit in capsule measured wrong When asked why, Musk replied in a tweet, I love the thought of a car drifting apparently endlessly through space and perhaps being discovered by an alien race millions of years in the future. Some space advocates think the Falcon Heavy could offer a quicker, cheaper path for Nasa to send astronauts back to the moon. For SpaceX, the megarocket could help the company compete in new markets like the launching of large spy satellites for the US government. If successful, it continues SpaceXs very impressive run of achieving launch milestones that have been viewed as very difficult, says Carissa Christensen, chief executive of Bryce Space and Technology, a consulting firm that follows the space industry. But first, the Falcon Heavy has to get off the ground. That has been a long time coming, much longer than Musk originally promised. SpaceX successfully launched 18 Falcon 9 rockets last year, a remarkable recovery from a launchpad mishap in September 2016 that destroyed a rocket and the $200m satellite on top. After years of falling short of optimistic predictions, SpaceX seemed to fall into a consistent, accident-free flow of sending payloads to orbit. The cherry red Tesla Roadster on the Falcon Heavy, a beefed-up version of SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket (Space X) For 14 of the launches, SpaceX landed the boosters, to be reused for future flights. The Heavy described by SpaceX as far back as 2005 is essentially a Falcon 9 with two additional Falcon 9 boosters attached to the sides. That triples the horsepower of the rocket at liftoff. That approach allowed SpaceX to design a heavy-lift rocket largely by rearranging the same pieces. Because of the commonality between Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy were able to spread the overhead across both vehicles, Musk said at a news conference in 2011. Its able to use the same tooling, be made in the same line, and I think therefore significantly improves the probability of being able to hold to our cost numbers. SpaceX advertises a price tag of $90m for a Heavy launch. The modular design also cut the development costs of the rocket. It is essentially the first time the nation has gotten a super heavy-lift vehicle at essentially zero cost to the taxpayer, says Phil Larson, an assistant dean at the University of Colorados engineering school who previously worked at SpaceX. In 2011, Musk said he expected that the Heavy would have its first flight in 2014. Now he admits that putting together the Falcon Heavy proved more daunting than he initially thought. We were pretty naive about that, Musk said in July. At first, it sounds really easy. Just stick two first stages on as strap-on boosters. How hard can that be? But then everything changes. All the loads change. Aerodynamics totally change. Youve tripled the vibration and acoustics. The central core was redesigned to handle the stresses, one of the key reasons that the Heavy is more than three years behind schedule. While the two side boosters are reused from earlier Falcon 9 launches, the core is all new, as is the second stage. Another tricky aspect is the large number of rocket engines. A Falcon 9 booster has nine of SpaceXs Merlin engines, each putting out 190,000 pounds of thrust. The Heavy triples that to 27 engines and a total of more than 5 million pounds of thrust. After years of delay, the Falcon Heavy could be launched in the next few weeks (Space X) All of the parts of the Heavy finally arrived in Florida late last year. Since then, SpaceX has been modifying the launchpad to handle the larger rocket. In the coming days, the company is expected to conduct a critical test to light all 27 engines at once with the rocket anchored to the pad. If the test flight succeeds, SpaceX has four more Heavy launches scheduled, including one for the US air force. Some wonder how much business exists for a rocket as big as the Heavy. Ive always scratched my head, why would you do this? says Jim Cantrell, who was part of the founding team of SpaceX in 2002 but left soon afterward. He is now chief executive of Vector, which is building rockets much smaller than SpaceX. With advances in electronics and miniaturisation, satellites have been getting smaller, and the trend among rocket startups has been towards smaller and smaller rockets. (Jeff Bezoss Blue Origin is a notable exception.) For $1.5m, Vector will launch a 140-pound payload, with flights beginning this year. Other companies aiming at small payloads include Rocket Lab, which recently had its first successful orbital test flight, and Richard Bransons Virgin Orbit. Theres pretty good financial and technical reasons for going smaller, Cantrell says. Some suggest that Nasa could take advantage of the Falcon Heavy as a cheaper alternative to the Space Launch System it is developing to launch robotic probes and astronauts out into the solar system. Although the Nasa rocket would be larger and more powerful than the Heavy, it would fly only once every few years at a cost likely to exceed $1bn a launch. The Trump administration has declared that sending astronauts back to the moon is a priority and has advocated a greater role in the space programme for private companies. Its budget proposal for 2019 will be released this month. Charles Miller, a former Nasa official who served in the Trump transition team, thinks the agency should consider turning to cheaper, commercial alternatives. Its the core around which I would build a near-term return-to-the-moon strategy, Miller says. He spearheaded a Nasa-financed study in 2015 that laid out a plan that could accomplish that in five to seven years. Because the Heavy is smaller than the Space Launch System rocket, the proposed mission would be more complicated, but it would still be faster and cheaper, Miller says. So far, support for the Space Launch System has remained strong in Congress, and Jim Bridenstine, an Oklahoma congressman who has been nominated to be Nasas next administrator, has stated he favours the programme. But the first launch of the much-delayed Nasa rocket would probably not occur until 2019, and the first crewed flight would follow several years later. Beyond the uncertain commercial prospects, Musk may be driven more by his long-term dreams of colonising the solar system. He has already described plans of an even larger rocket that could be used for sending people to Mars. This year will be a busy one for SpaceX, which is aiming for more than 30 flights. SpaceX has also scheduled test flights of the Crew Dragon, the capsule it is building to carry Nasa astronauts to the International Space Station, although that date may slip again into 2019. For the first flight of the Heavy, Musk has tamped down expectations. There is a real good chance that that vehicle does not make it to orbit, Musk said in his July remarks. I hope it makes it far enough away from the pad that it does not cause pad damage. I would consider even that a win. New York Times A neo-Nazi has been convicted of planning a terror attack at a gay pride event after posting violent homophobic rants online. Armed police stopped Ethan Stables as he was travelling to the celebration at a pub in Cumbria, finding weapons including a machete and axe at his home. They had been tipped off by a member of a far-right Facebook group who saw the unemployed 20-year-old post a message saying he was going to war and planned to slaughter every single one of the gay bastards. The woman, who was added to the chat by Stables and did not support his views, phoned police and posted screengrabs of his messages on social media warning local people not to go to the pub. Ive had enough, I dont want to live in a gay world and I sure as hell dont want my children living in one, Stables wrote in the National Socialists Union standing against the New World Order group. What happened to our traditional qualities? Theyre f***ing ruined. I dont care if I die, Im fighting for what I believe in and that is the future of my country, my folk and my race. Ethan Stables poses with a Nazi flag at his flat in Barrow, Cumbria (Greater Manchester Police) Stables had already posted a photo of himself holding a machete and another taken from outside the The New Empire pub in Barrow showing it flying rainbow flags in preparation for the event. The venue was surrounded by armed police as officers spotted Stables walking towards his target from his flat on the evening of 23 June. Stables was initially arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill but the charge was later changed to preparing a terrorist act, with the defendant describing himself as a nationalist on Facebook and hitting out at the UKs totalitarian regime. Leeds Crown Court heard he had become fascinated with Nazi ideology by September 2016, being shown footage of Stables saying gays look nicer on fire while burning a rainbow flag. Prosecutor Jonathan Sandiford said Stables espoused homophobic, racist and Nazi views online, taking a selfie with a swastika flag hanging on his bedroom wall. The defendant searched online for information on joining neo-Nazi groups Combat 18 and National Action a banned terrorist organisation while researching how to prepare for a race war. The jury was told Stables was interested in the Columbine High School massacre and viewed graphic footage of terror attacks, torture, massacres, executions and extreme violence. Ethan Stables, 20, was found guilty of preparing an act of terrorism, making threats to kill and possessing explosives (Greater Manchester Police) Evidence presented in court showed he made a series of Google searches on a prospective attack, including one reading I want to go on a killing spree and another on how to be a terrorist. Police examination of his devices showed he also searched how to make chemical poison, what is prison like for a murderer and do you get haircuts in prison. Stables had also researched how to make a bomb at home, with investigators finding a collection of match heads in his flat. Footage taken by a police officer searching the property showed a huge Nazi flag hung on a wall by Stables bed, next to a dresser strewn with weapons including the axe and knives, alongside tools. His rifle was leaning against a bookcase and the machete was discovered under a coffee table. While swapping messages with fellow extremists, he blamed the fact that he was unemployed on faggots, n******, spastics and the Equalities Act. Stables also expressed hatred of Muslims and Jews, claiming in a WhatsApp message a month before his arrest: My country is being raped. I might just become a skinhead and kill people. Stables denied preparing terrorist acts and making threats to kill, claiming he was only venting his anger online. The defendant, who told the court he is bisexual and has an autism spectrum condition, said he was not carrying out reconnaissance of The New Empire when he was arrested. A machete found by police at Ethan Stables home in Barrow, Cumbria (Greater Manchester Police) Prosecutors said he became aware the venue was to host a LGBT+ pride night and travelled there to take photographs [and do] reconnaissance of that public house with a view to launching an attack later that evening. Defending Stables, barrister Patrick Upward QC said he was not a white supremacist but a white fantasist, describing him as lonely and inadequate. He told the jury Stables would sit at night on a wall outside the local jobcentre for six hours at a time as he had no wi-fi at his home, asking: How can that be regarded as normal? Footage also showed Stables, who was expelled from school after putting another pupil in a headlock and later thrown out of his family home, going into the local library to use public computers. Stables, of Egerton Court in Barrow, claimed he was a liberal and adopted a right-wing persona to fit in with people he chatted to online. His mother told the court he became radicalised after a trip to Germany to see a young woman, while Stables said he had been brainwashed by right-wing extremists he met while living in hostels. Judge Peter Collier QC said he would sentence Stables on Wednesday, adding: I do need to give this a lot of careful thought to come to an appropriate sentence. The verdict came after another far-right extremist, Darren Osborne, was jailed for life for launching the Finsbury Park terror attack. Items including an axe found by police at Ethan Stables home in Barrow, Cumbria (Greater Manchester Police) The father of our killed one man and injured several others when he ploughed a van into Muslim worshippers leaving Ramadan prayers in June. Campaigners said the latest case showed the continued focus on LGBT+ targets by elements of the far right, following neo-Nazi David Copelands bombing at a gay-friendly pub in Soho in 1999. Sabby Dhalu, joint secretary of Unite Against Fascism, said: If Stables hadnt been revealed by another far-right activist concerning his intentions, another terrorist atrocity may have happened. It is clear from his online threats to kill and maim that Stables is a dangerous neo-Nazi much attention has been focused on Islamist terror. Much greater focus must be made on the far right, given the propensity of terror cases involving individuals and groups like the banned National Action. Security services have warned of an increasing threat from both Islamists and the far right as the UKs terror threat level stands at severe, meaning further attacks are highly likely. The number of white people among a record number of terror suspects being arrested in the UK has risen dramatically over the past year, making up a third of the total. The spike was partly be accounted for by a series of crackdowns on National Action, which has several alleged members due in court. Among them are British soldiers accused of joining the organisation which was banned in December 2016 and a man who allegedly plotted to murder a Labour MP with a machete. In the wake of Osbornes convictions, Amber Rudd said the Government would soon be publishing a new counter-terrorism strategy setting out its approach to tackling anyone who seeks to attack Britain, its values and way of life. This Government will continue to be unwavering in our resolve to combat all forms of terrorism, whatever the underlying motivation, the Home Secretary added. Additional reporting by PA A man accused of launching cyber attacks on targets including the FBI, the US army, Nasa and the Department of Defence has won his battle against being extradited to the US. The High Court ruled that Lauri Love should be tried in Britain after Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and Mr Justice Ouseley heard he suffered severe mental illness and could kill himself. If proven, these are serious offences indeed, their judgment said. The experience of imprisonment in England would be significantly different for Mr Love from what he would face in the United States. The support of his family, in particular, would mean that he would be at far lower a risk of suicide in consequence. Speaking outside the court, an elated Mr Love expressed his thanks to the judges, adding: Im thankful for all the support weve had, without which Im not sure I would have made it this far. Flanked by his parents, girlfriend and supporters chanting his name, he added: The reason Ive gone through this ordeal is not just to save myself from being kidnapped and locked up for 99 years in a country Ive never understood, but to set a precedent whereby this will not happen to other people in the future, and that if there is suspected criminality it will be tried here in the UK and America will not try to exercise its extraterritorial jurisdiction. Lauri Love and his girlfriend Sylvia Mann outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London on 5 February (AP) Were hopeful that other people may be able to rely on this verdict to ensure they are treated more humanely by the justice system. The 32-year-olds family said they feared he would kill himself if sent to an American prison, following a long history of serious mental health issues including depression and psychotic episodes. Mr Love has been diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome and also suffers from severe eczema related to his anxiety. He and his parents were in court for the hearing, while supporters gathered outside holding signs reading trial at home and free Love. The student, who is studying electrical engineering at the University of Suffolk, says he wants to work in cyber security and helped combat the WannaCry virus that disabled large parts of the NHS last year. The case was a test for a legal measure called the forum bar, which was introduced to stop vulnerable British defendants being extradited in the interests of justice when their cases could be heard at home instead. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has 14 days to seek an appeal to the Supreme Court, but is expected to prosecute Mr Love itself after judges said the move would not be oppressive. If the forum bar is to operate as intended, where it prevents extradition, the other side of the coin is that prosecution in this country rather than impunity should then follow, the judgment added. Supporters of Lauri Love outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London (PA) The CPS must now bend its endeavours to his prosecution, with the assistance to be expected from the authorities in the US, recognising the gravity of the allegations in this case, and the harm done to the victims. Liberty, which was among the groups making representations in the case, said it was delighted with the result. Emma Norton, the groups head of legal casework, said: Where unlawful activity is alleged to have taken place in the UK, those suspected should be tried in the UK not packed off to foreign courts and unfamiliar legal systems. This is especially important in cases of vulnerable people like Lauri Love. This was always a case that could have been prosecuted here, and its shameful that Lauri and his family have been put through this terrible ordeal. Sarah Lambert, head of policy at the National Autistic Society, said the criminal justice system can often overlook the needs of autistic offenders and defendants. As we raised in evidence in Lauris case, autistic people need the right support so their needs are understood, particularly in prison, or they may develop complex and long-term mental health problems, she added. We believe autistic people need fair access to justice which takes their autism into account, and we hope that the UK courts will ensure that Lauri has the correct support in place through the next phase of the proceedings. A spokesman for Mr Loves solicitors, Kaim Todner, said mental health provisions in US prisons were not adequate. In this instance, the court was very sympathetic to our argument that there was no real reason that a trial could not take place in England, and that the effects on Lauris mental and physical health would render extradition highly oppressive, he added. This deterioration in health was likely to have meant that he would not have been fit to stand trial and that, therefore, extradition would not have been in anyones interests, least of all those of the alleged victims. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main PA UK news in pictures 23 July 2021 Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery's new free programme of art-inspired activities for families PA UK news in pictures 22 July 2021 Festivalgoers in the campsite at the Latitude festival in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk PA UK news in pictures 21 July 2021 A man walks past an artwork by Will Blood on the end of a property in Bedminster, Bristol, as the 75 murals project reaches the halfway point and various graffiti pieces are sprayed onto walls and buildings across the city over the Summer PA UK news in pictures 20 July 2021 People during morning prayer during Eid ul-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, in Southall Park, Uxbridge, London PA Representing Mr Love at a hearing in November, Edward Fitzgerald QC said there were overwhelming reasons of justice and humanity why any trial should take place in the UK. He argued that it would be unjust and oppressive to extradite the alleged hacker because of the risk of suicide. But Peter Caldwell QC, representing the US, made submissions inviting judges to dismiss Mr Loves appeal. Mr Love is accused of stealing data from American agencies including the Federal Reserve, the US army, the defence department, Nasa and the FBI in a spate of cyber attacks in 2012 and 2013. Mr Love was allegedly involved with #OpLastResort, which saw global hackers target the US government following the suicide of American computer scientist Aaron Swartz. Known for his work developing RSS feeds, Creative Commons and Reddit, as well as his online activism, Mr Swartz killed himself after being charged with fraud for unauthorised journal downloads. Mr Loves lawyers said he could be given a 99-year prison sentence if convicted in the US because he has been indicted in three judicial districts. Mr Loves father said his son fears for his life before the ruling was handed down. He is very distressed, he is obviously afraid because he has stated on more than one occasion that he fears for his life because he doesnt think he can cope with the trauma of being taken away from his family and his country and taken in exile to America, Rev Alexander Love told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. Mr Love outside the Royal Courts of Justice (AP) Mr Love lives with his parents near Newmarket in Suffolk, and his father said that although he should face the music ... it should be a British band. His supporters argued that the systems infiltrated in #OpLastResort had publicly known vulnerabilities and that rather than doing real harm, the bulk of costs were incurred by bringing protections up up to the standard of security that they should have been in the first place. Mr Love had appealed a ruling handed down in Westminster Magistrates Court in 2016, where District Judge Nina Tempia said he could be extradited. She identified a high risk of suicide but did not bar the move, on the condition that it could be managed in American facilities. Amber Rudd formally signed off on the extradition as Home Secretary, following opposition by 114 MPs of all parties who signed a joint letter to Barack Obama. Citing Mr Loves history of mental illness and autism, the letter said: If Mr Love has committed a crime, he should be prosecuted and justice should be served. MPs said Mr Love would be the first UK-based computer hacker to be extradited, with a dozen previous cases heard in Britain even though their attacks affected the US. As Home Secretary Theresa May blocked the extradition of Gary McKinnon, another hacker suffering Aspergers syndrome and depression who was judged to be a suicide risk. At the time, Ms May said Mr McKinnon was seriously ill and his extradition for accessing US government computers looking for evidence of UFOs would breach his human rights. The case sparked accusations of hypocrisy from critics citing other cases where British citizens with Aspergers had not been saved from extradition. A spokesperson for the Home Office said the current Home Secretary was not involved in current proceedings. Britains disability welfare system has come under some scrutiny over the past year following the introduction of Personal Independence Payment (PIP). PIP began in 2013 to replace the Disability Living Allowance (DLA). It brought in a new face-to-face assessment and regular reviews of a claimants ability to wash, dress, cook and get around as well as reading and communicating. While some claimants do report a positive experience, many have found the new process stressful and in some cases unfair, leaving them without support to do things independently. In November a court found some disabled people were not being offered enough financial support through the new system, prompting the Government to admit wrongdoing and announce new guidelines which would see certain PIP claimants receive higher benefit rates. A month later it emerged that the system was wrongly denying disabled people financial support at a higher rate than ever, with decisions not to award it overturned at 68 per cent of appeal hearings. Now The Independent has revealed the private firms contracted by the Government to carry out PIP assessments are being paid a record amount, with the figure having soared by 19 per cent in a year. Behind it all are people who have undergone the assessments themselves. Here some of them talk of what they experienced. Andy Knight, 26, Wymondham, Norfolk Ive had to fight to have some sort of independence (Andy Knight) My whole life had been turned upside down when at the age of 25 I found out Id been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a long-term, neurological condition. I went from being fit and healthy to now walking with a stick and struggling to get about. I walked into the assessment with a walking stick. I was asked to do some physical tests which didnt seem to make much sense. I was asked to stand straight on my right leg, even though the assessor could see this wasnt actually possible. I was asked how far I could walk. I said that depends on whether Im having a good or bad day. But she could only take one answer, she seemed to only take into account my good days. A month later I got a letter saying I didnt qualify for the mobility component, and only the lower rate for care. I was disgusted when I saw the report they clearly saw me struggle to walk at the assessment, yet they didnt believe I had mobility problems. Both my GP and consultant wrote letters to explain my condition and I submitted a Mandatory Reconsideration to make the Department of Work and Pensions look at my case again. I found out a couple of months later that the DWP had changed their mind to give me the higher rate for mobility and standard rate care. The whole process took seven months and it was an awful time as I didnt have any income whatsoever. I try to avoid stress as much as I can because it makes my symptoms worse, but this process caused me a lot of grief. The system clearly isnt working when you have to fight against them when you ask for help. Ive had to fight to be able to live, to have some sort of independence. Robert Price, 47, Hartlepool I risked my life for Britain, now I see a country I am ashamed of (Robert Price) I broke my back and neck while with the army. I have had mobility problems since that time, though I have to admit I am now about as immobile as I could be. Ive tried to retrain and get qualifications, but I now simply find myself in extreme ill health. Ive been housebound, and pretty much bed-bound for two years. As well as my physical health problems, I also have rather severe depression. I do not see this as something other than a pretty natural response to my current predicament. Last November I underwent a PIP assessment in my home. They were aware I had been on disability living allowance for 25 years for an accepted disability due to breaking my back and neck. Recommended Attempted suicides by disability benefit claimants more than double I explained my situation as best I could. The registered learning disability nurse kept me talking for nearly an hour, and then spent about two minutes on the physical assessment. During that assessment, she did not expect me to stand because she knew I couldnt, she did not inspect my legs or indeed anything other than the grip in my hands. This she did by means of a very cursory examination which must have been fraudulent in its analysis. I then received notification from the DWP that I would be awarded 0 points for mobility, because based on the assessments by the nurse, I was able to walk 50 metres unaided. So I went from having DLA for a quarter of a century, to being found fully mobile, by the assessment of a nurse who knew I could not stand up when she was examining me. This cannot be honest in any way. As a young man I would have served this country and would have risked my life for it, thats what it means to join a volunteer army. I now see a country I am ashamed of, which treats the most vulnerable as though they were subhuman. There is genuine sadness on my part that these same people, who care not for their compatriots, often hide behind this nations flag whilst doing so. Aliie Harpham, 26, Dorset 'It's enough to be told you will never get better. But then you have to fight tooth and nail' (Allie Harpham) I woke up one day and couldnt see anything. I felt completely paralysed, like someone had just pressed the off button on my body. I had to lie in bed for a week. I thought I was dying. I had been told the assessment would take an hour but mine lasted 15 minutes. I wasnt asked any questions about how my disability affects me. When I Googled the set of questions afterwards, I found out they are the ones used to diagnose Alzheimers. I wasnt asked to perform any physical tests. Ive told myself the assessor had no idea what MS is or what it is to live with it, because the thought of someone having a full understanding of this condition and still behaving the way she did is too cold and painful to think about. Someone Id never met before decided that although I have a lifelong disability, Im not disabled enough to receive any help, even though I wear a fitted orthotic piece every day for my foot drop. I also have permanent sensory issues. They didnt pick up any of my weakness of movement issues. Its enough being told that this is the rest of your life and its not going to get better. But then you have to fight tooth and nail to get any extra help. Horrific conditions of animal suffering have been revealed at a farm that supplied a brand of Spanish sausages that were sold in Morrisons and on Amazon UK. Investigators say they witnessed deformed, diseased and dying pigs in a centre producing meat for the El Pozo brand of meat products stocked by major stores, including Morrisons chorizo sausages. In sickening scenes of illegal cruelty, filmed by Animal Equality, they saw: Numerous animals with infected abscesses, ulcers and giant hernias Pigs with severe deformities Flies and larvae on open wounds Animals living alongside others already dead and dying Pigs too weak to fight back when trampled on or cannibalised by others Tiny piglets slowly dying Skips overflowing with corpses Animal Equality said that when it visited the Hermanos Carrasco, in the Murcia region last August, the farmer stated on film that meat goes into the human food chain and ultimately supplies Morrisons and Amazon UK. Some of the photos were the most shocking ever taken on a European farm, the campaigners claimed. Toni Shephard, head of the group and one of the investigators, said: As far as neglect goes, this is the worst Ive ever seen. To leave so many animals suffering for days and weeks on end defies belief. Ive never seen anything like it. We saw pigs deformed by giant hernias and abscesses, severely infected ulcers, cannibalism, dead animals in a state of putrefaction next to those still alive all apparently without veterinary care. This farm is a scandal of negligence in the face of severe animal suffering. But also these diseased animals could be sent to the slaughterhouse and the parts considered fit for human consumption and used in El Pozo products. I dont doubt that in the UK there would be prosecutions. Ms Shephard said the investigation, carried out in conjunction with Salvados, a Spanish investigative television programme, found that on the farm of about 900 pigs, there were at least a dozen with multiple hernias, abscesses and emaciated, and that they were scattered among the group and in filthy conditions. The farmer told the investigation that the diseased animals were isolated but denied any were suffering, she said. Some animals were suffering from giant hernias and cysts (Animal Equality) She described how she saw one pig with a growth so large that its rear legs could not touch the ground. The sheer negligence doesnt make any sense from an economic perspective its crazy. Those pigs would have been in sheer agony for weeks on end. This level of negligence and cruelty on any farm, let alone one in the EU, is an absolute scandal. The campaign group said the farmer stated on film that meat from the farm, Hermanos Carrasco, in the Murcia region, supplied El Pozo. Investigators say they saw cannibalism and dead animals in a state of putrefaction next to those still alive (Animal Equality) Morrisons has El Pozo chorizo sausages on sale on its website, priced 2.64 although the supermarket said that the farm no longer supplied the sausage brand. Two third-party Spanish Amazon Marketplace users have El Pozo products on sale, one of which is a set of cured meats for 49.99. Ms Shephard said Spanish farms were subject to EU legislation on inspections but few are unannounced. The EUs Food and Veterinary Office is in charge of health and hygiene inspections and enforcing animal welfare laws on farms. The animal welfare group called on Spanish authorities to act on the findings and prosecute those involved. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty After anger in Spain when the investigation aired on Sunday night, El Pozo issued a statement saying: The animals that appear in the images of the report would never enter the production chain. It said its vets inspect animals at farms before and after slaughter and that the footage was filmed in a monitored sanitary recovery area for animals that are diseased. Those that did not recover were slaughtered in accordance with the law, it said. Hermanos Carrasco, a farm in the Murcia region, supplies meat to El Pozo, a company which supplies Morrisons and Amazon UK (Animal Equality) A spokesman for Morrisons said: The welfare of animals is extremely important to us. The images in this video are deeply distressing and we are concerned to see the condition of these pigs. El Pozo have been clear that they stopped taking any animals from this farm last year. Amazon UK declined to comment. After more than three-and-a-half centuries of service to the nation, Her Majestys Corps of Royal Marines is in danger of being sacrificed to short-term Treasury bookkeeping, according to a highly critical Commons Defence Committee report that warns of the damage which may be caused to the nations security in an ongoing government review. The MPs hold that proposals to cut the numbers of the Marines and drastically reduce the size of the amphibious fleet would be an irreparable act of folly and a militarily illiterate act. It continues: The UK is one of the few nations that have a sovereign capability in this specialism. Reductions of the type and scale that are reportedly being contemplated would wipe this out, and there would be no going back. There have been leaked reports that up to 2,000 Marines out of a total force of 6,600 may be axed and the Royal Navys two amphibious assault ships, HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, could be put out of service in a cost-based restructuring process. The money saved is supposed to be used to free up crew for the two new aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. Theresa Mays national security advisor, Mark Sedwill, is carrying out a National Security Capability Review which is aiming to provide greater resources to counter-terrorism and cyberwarfare at a time when around 20bn needs to be saved from the defence budget. A key problem had been the fall in the value of sterling since the EU referendum which, by some estimates, has added up to 700m to defence costs with military equipment, including warplanes for the new carriers, having to be bought from the US priced in dollars. These will rise even more with the possibility of a further fall of the pound due to the continuing uncertainties surrounding the terms of Brexit. The Defence Committee report, titled Sunset for the Royal Marines?, maintains that losing amphibious capability jettisons both security and public money. It said: Disposing of our amphibious capability would not only put the interests of this country at serious risk, but would also be a drastic waste of tailor-made vessels, expensively refitted for another 15 years use, and of a military specialism that has been fostered across all three services. It continues that losing specialist amphibious vessels may put the lives of servicemen and women in jeopardy: There is no substitute for these dedicated and sophisticated platforms. Attempts to create stop-gap solutions, with vessels that are not designed for the purpose, will result in the assumption of wholly unacceptable levels of operational risk. The report concludes: At a time when the UK is seemingly considering divesting itself of these units and platforms, virtually every other international defence power is investing in them. "The world is changing and the Royal Navy and Royal Marines need to change with it. However, if the price of such change is the sacrifice of this countrys amphibious capability, we can only conclude this to be a short-sighted, militarily illiterate manoeuvre totally at odds with strategic reality. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Major General Julian Thompson, who commanded the Marines in the Falklands War, and is now professor of war studies at Kings College London, told The Independent: It seems crazy to contemplate losing these great assets we are fortunate to have. As far as cost is concerned, these ships have already been built, its not as if you have to have them built or buy them. These are very short-term, blinkered measures. We may well find that we shall need such a force again in the future. Then we will have to end up paying for new ships. But what you cant buy at short notice are trained, experienced Marines. We need very careful thinking in this review. The ultimate decision, of course, is the Prime Ministers. Dr Julian Lewis, Defence Committee chair, said: In January, we were told that the Albion and Bulwark were not due to leave service until 2033 and 2034 respectively. That such irreplaceable ships are in line for deletion 15 years early demonstrates, yet again, the desperate inadequacy of the defence budget. "We must reinstate a target of around 3 per cent of GDP the percentage which we spent right up to the mid-1990s, long after the peace dividend cuts, at the end of the Cold War, had been made. Nia Griffith MP, the Shadow Defence Secretary, said: This report underlines yet again that any more cuts to the Royal Marines would have a profound impact on our national security and any decision to sell off our amphibious assault ships would also compromise our ability to conduct essential operations and leave us trailing behind other defence powers. The Government cannot continue to dodge scrutiny and attempt to pass the buck on to the service chiefs. It is this Conservative Government who have forced through damaging defence cuts and it is the Defence Secretary who will have the final say. "The defence review that is currently underway must be driven by strategy and a clear sense of the personnel and equipment that are necessary to Britains defences. This cannot simply be about making further short-sighted and damaging cuts to our national security, the sad hallmark of Conservative defence policy to date. Maritime tracking apps that allow the public to monitor the movements of Western warships may pose a security risk, experts have warned. Live vessel tracking websites can be used to find the location, speed and route of Royal Navy and Nato vessels. The transponders are commonly used when manoeuvring in and out of port and switched off while at sea or on active operation, but the trackers, similar to those used to monitor commercial aircraft, could leave the vessels vulnerable, it is feared. The warning follows the release of data by running app Strava, which inadvertently highlighted the position of secret military bases by tracking soldiers' movements. Commercial vessels such as cruise ships and tankers routinely use an automatic identification system (AIS) to alert other boats to their position. The tracking system is a useful tool in preventing collisions at sea. But the use of AIS on military vessels is far less widespread and many nations such as China shun them entirely. The Independent was able to trace HMS Ramsey, a mine hunter craft, as it manoeuvred close to the Faslane nuclear base on the River Clyde in Scotland. A Dutch-registered Nato warship was also observed sailing close to the UK while the helicopter carrier and assault ship HMS Ocean was spotted in the Channel. HMS Ramsey maneuvering close to the HM Naval Base Clyde, which is home to the nation's nuclear deterrent (Shipfinder.co) A Nato official said it was 'fully aware of commercially available maritime trackers' (Shipfinder.co) Labour peer and former head of the Royal Navy, Lord West, said Western militaries may have become too transparent. Speaking to The Independent, he warned that Britains adversaries were likely to be harvesting the information, adding: I'm sure they look at it. Personally I would not put that data out there, but I don't think it is a threat. Recommended Russian fighter jet flies within 5ft of US Navy surveillance aircraft In some ways we have become too transparent [with our locational data]. But it could even be a good thing. People who rely on this data would be completely confused when you turn the AIS off. A Ministry of Defence (MoD) source said the navy was very aware of the risk that maritime tracking devices pose and had strong policies in place to mitigate it. Chronis Kapalidis, an international security expert at the Chatham House think tank, said the information risked making the jobs of criminals and terrorists much easier. But he added that the most pressing maritime security concern related to passenger vessels in the Mediterranean, which he said were vulnerable to a terror attack. The former naval officer said: There is a reason many warships have AIS on even if they are not obliged to do so - to establish maritime presence. When they stop operations and visit a port in Oman and Dubai, for example, they turn on AIS. It could be a way of attracting terrorists or pirates as the ship would be more vulnerable closer to shore [which is when AIS is usually switched on]. It is certainly a consideration, but the ships have internal processes for dealing with it. Steffan Watkins, a Canadian security analyst who regularly uses maritime trackers, said the public release of AIS data would have a limited impact on operational safety. The vast majority of military vessels have AIS off, but they're still being tracked by space-borne sensors, undersea sensors, and other technical means, he told The Independent. AIS is not required by the navies of the world to track their opposing forces, but it does help in a limited fashion, which is why Nato warships that frequently have AIS on when entering or exiting port turn AIS off when stalking Russian Navy vessels. Guidance for US vessels changed last year after a spate of collisions involving American warships. After the chief of US naval operations, Admiral John Richardson, admitted last year collisions involving two warships which cost the lives of 17 sailors were preventable, a review recommended that ships routinely transmit their positions using AIS to prevent collisions in high traffic areas such as when entering and leaving harbour. A Nato official said the organisation was "fully aware of commercially available maritime trackers" while a spokesperson for the MoD said it took the security of its personnel, assets and establishments very seriously and keeps them under constant review". A new tunnel bypassing Stonehenge could destroy a unique site where traces of humans living as far back as the last Ice Age have been preserved, experts have warned. Hoof prints of wild cattle known as aurochs were recently discovered at excavations a mile and a half from the famous stone circle in Wiltshire, University of Buckingham archaeologist David Jacques said. The 6,000-year-old marks, preserved in what appears to be a ritualistic manner, are the latest finds of a decade-long dig at Blick Mead, which Prof Jacques said form a "national archive of British history". However, the proposed tunnel and a flyover close to Blick Mead, which could be built under Government-backed roadwork plans to ease congestion on the A303, could irrevocably damage the site, he warned. Opponents of the plan fear it could harm the rich archaeological landscape. Mr Jacques said impacts on the Blick Mead site had not been assessed, despite it being the only place in Britain that can trace people living there since the end of the Ice Age, around 8,000 BC. He also accused the Government and Highways England of negligence or worse for a map of the plans which he claims put Blick Mead in the wrong place and called for a halt to construction plans. Professor Jacques said: If Highways England and the Government cant even locate Blick Mead in the right place how can we trust anything in this process? The Stonehenge world heritage site landscape is unutterably precious and you tamper with it at your peril you cannot make it come back. The tunnel scheme will clearly compromise the archaeology. New carbon-dating results of the latest hoof prints uncovered at the site reveal they are more than 6,000 years old. David Bullock, Highways England project manager, said: The document in question is a land ownership boundary plan. Druids, pagans and revellers gather at Stonehenge for winter solstice Show all 8 1 /8 Druids, pagans and revellers gather at Stonehenge for winter solstice Druids, pagans and revellers gather at Stonehenge for winter solstice Druids, pagans and revellers gather in the centre of Stonehenge Getty Images Druids, pagans and revellers gather at Stonehenge for winter solstice So they can take part in the winter solstice ceremony Getty Images Druids, pagans and revellers gather at Stonehenge for winter solstice People gather to witness the sunrise after the longest night of the year Getty Images Druids, pagans and revellers gather at Stonehenge for winter solstice The event is claimed to be more important in the pagan calendar than the summer solstice, because it marks the 're-birth' of the Sun for the New Year Getty Images Druids, pagans and revellers gather at Stonehenge for winter solstice This astronomical phenomenon occurs every year between 19 and 22 December in the run-up to Christmas Getty Images Druids, pagans and revellers gather at Stonehenge for winter solstice Despite a forecast for cloud and rain, a large crowd gathered at the famous historic stone circle PA Druids, pagans and revellers gather at Stonehenge for winter solstice Although the day symbolises the death of the old year, this is by no means a solemn occasion Getty Images Druids, pagans and revellers gather at Stonehenge for winter solstice They gather to celebrate the renewal of life and rejoicing in a moment of seasonal rebirth Getty Images The plan shows indicative general features and was never intended as a geographical map. We have just announced the start of statutory consultation on the A303 Stonehenge scheme and we welcome feedback from all interested parties during this process. This will help us to make sure we have got the best scheme, or highlight where we still need to make changes, before we make our application to build the scheme. Additional reporting by Press Association The Government has postponed the publication its plans for post-Brexit immigration until later this year, prompting criticism from MPs and business leaders. An immigration white paper was originally due to be published last summer, and then by the end of 2017, but will now be pushed back again until after a transition deal between the UK and the EU has been agreed. The delay prolongs uncertainty over the Governments intentions in relation to people entering the UK after Brexit and was condemned by hugely frustrated business groups. It also means the Government will not have revealed its immigration plans before the next phase of negotiations with Brussels begin in March. The question of mutual citizens rights will be a key issue during the talks, with a leaked document having revealed the Government wants to make it much tougher for EU nationals to settle in the UK after 2021. The hold-up means a new immigration bill, promised in the Queens Speech, is also likely to be delayed. The Governments decision to postpone the white paper was the subject of an urgent question in the House of Commons from Labour MP Yvette Cooper, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee. Responding, immigration minister Caroline Nokes told MPs there was plenty of time to settle the matter of immigration after Brexit. She said: We will publish a white paper in the coming months, when the time is right, and of course we will consider how we can update the House as negotiations progress. However, Ms Cooper said ministers had promised the paper would be published by the end of last year. She said: What on earth is going on? I have to say to the minister frankly this is a shambles. We know the Prime Minister wants people arriving after 2019 to be treated differently but we have no idea how. This is just not good enough keeping Parliament in the dark in this way. Brexit so far: in pictures Show all 53 1 /53 Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson led the VoteLeave campaign PA Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson MP, Labour MP Gisela Stuart and UKIP MP Douglas Carswell address the people of Stafford in Market Square during the Vote Leave Brexit Battle Bus tour on 17 May 2016. Their lead line on the tour was: We send the EU 350 million a week, let's fund our NHS instead. Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Voting day A man shelters from the rain as he arrives at a polling station in London on 23 June 2016. Millions of Britons voted in the referendum on whether to stay in or leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Referendum results Leader of Ukip, Nigel Farage, reacts at the Leave EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London as results indicated that it was likely the UK would leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Protesting the result A young couple painted as EU flags and a man with a sign reading Im not leaving protest outside Downing Street against the voters decision to leave the EU on 24 June 2016 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures David Cameron resigns British Prime Minister David Cameron resigns on the steps of 10 Downing Street on 24 June 2016 after the results of the EU referendum were declared and the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Theresa May Becomes the new Conservative Party leader Theresa May receives a kiss from her husband Philip, after becoming the new Conservative Party leader on 11 July 2016. May became Prime Minister two days later and although she voted to remain in the referendum was keen to lead Britains Brexit talks after her only rival in the race to succeed David Cameron pulled out unexpectedly. May was left as the only contender standing after the withdrawal from the leadership race of Andrea Leadsom, who faced criticism for suggesting she was more qualified to be prime minister because she had children AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Lancaster House keynote speech on Brexit British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers her keynote speech on Brexit at Lancaster House in London on 17 January 2017. Where she spoke about her offer to introduce a transition period after the UK formally leaves the European Union in March 2019. Despite repeating the pro-Brexit mantra of no deal is better than a bad deal, the Prime Minister claimed she wanted a tone of trust between the negotiators and said Britain was leaving the EU but not Europe. She said there should be a clear double lock needed for the transitional period to make sure businesses had time to prepare for changes to their trading relationships with the EU Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Triggering of Article 50 British Prime Minister Theresa May in the cabinet, sitting below a painting of Britain's first Prime Minister Robert Walpole, signs the official letter to European Council President Donald Tusk invoking Article 50 and the United Kingdom's intention to leave the EU on 29 March 2017 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Gibraltar nonsense Tensions have risen over Brexit negotiations for the Rock of Gibraltar. The European Council has said Gibraltar would be included in a trade deal between London and Brussels only with the agreement of Spain. While former Conservative leader Michael Howard claimed that Theresa May would be prepared to go to war to protect the territory. Spain's foreign minister stepped in only to assert that there was no need for the dispute Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Shock snap election Soon after triggering Article 50, Theresa May called on 18 April 2017 for a snap general election. The election would be on 8 June and it came as a shock move to many, with her reasoning to try to bolster her position before tough talks on leaving the EU AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Dissolution of Parliament for General Election Campaign Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement in Downing Street after returning from Buckingham Palace on 3 May 2017. The Prime Minister visited the Queen to ask for the dissolution of Parliament signalling the official start to the general election campaign Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Conservatives lose parliamentary majority An arrangement of British daily newspapers showing front page stories about the exit poll results of the snap general election. British Prime Minister Theresa May faced pressure to resign on 9 June 2017 after losing her parliamentary majority, plunging the country into uncertainty as Brexit talks loomed. The pound fell sharply amid fears the Conservative leader would be unable to form a government AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Labour gains Britains opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn gives a tumbs up as he arrives at Labour headquarters in central London on 9 June 2017 after the snap general election results showed a hung parliament with Labour gains and the Conservatives losing their majority AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit negotiations begin Brexit Minister David Davis and European Commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations Michel Barnier address a press conference at the end of the first day of Brexit negotiations in Brussels on 19 June 2017 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May speaks in Florence British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks on 22 September 2017, in Florence. May sought to unlock Brexit talks after Brussels demanded more clarity on the crunch issues of budget payments and EU citizens' rights AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU council summit insufficient progress German Chancellor Angela Merkel joins other EU leaders for a breakfast meeting during an EU summit in Brussels on 20 October 2017. The EU spoke about Brexit and announced that insufficient progress had been made AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures DUP derails settlement on the withdrawal part of Brexit DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds walks off after speaking to members of the media as a protester holding flags shouts after him outside the Houses of Parliament on 5 December 2017. British Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to pull out of a deal with Brussels after the DUP said it would not accept terms which see Northern Ireland treated differently from the rest of the UK Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May suffers defeat over EU (Withdrawal) Bill Theresa May suffers defeat in parliament over EU (Withdrawal) Bill on 13 December 2017. The Government was defeated by Conservative rebels and Labour MPs in a vote on its key piece of Brexit legislation. MPs amended the EU (Withdrawal) Bill against Theresa May's will, guaranteeing Parliament a meaningful vote on any Brexit deal she agrees with Brussels. Ms May's whips applied pressure on Conservative rebels who remained defiant in the Commons throughout the day and in the end the Government was defeated by 309 votes to 305 Brexit so far: in pictures EU council summit sufficient progress Britain's Prime minister Theresa May arrives to attend the first day of a European union summit in Brussels on 14 December 2017. European leaders discussed Brexit and announced there was finally sufficient progress at the end of the two days AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures The game moves to transition Brexit Secretary David Davis gives evidence on developments in European Union divorce talks to the Commons Exiting the EU Committee in Portcullis House, London, on 24 January 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures Trade deal is what May wants French President Emmanuel Macron gestures to Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May after they hold a press conference at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, on 18 January 2018. May and Macron agreed a new border security deal, through which the UK will pay more to France to stop migrants trying to reach British shores on 18 January 2018 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Transition period agreed The UK and EU agree terms for Brexit transition period on 19 March, 2018 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures No agreement on Irish border The EU and UK however failed to reach an agreement on the Irish border during the successful talks on other Brexit issues AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU attacks Mays fantasy strategy For months after the March deal is struck there is little significant progress in talks. One senior EU official tears into Britains fantasy negotiating strategy and accuses Theresa May of not even having a position on a variety of important issue Getty Brexit so far: in pictures UK releases Ireland plan Britain releases a new customs plan to solve the Northern Ireland border but Michel Barnier says it leaves unanswered questions and would not prevent a hard border EbS Brexit so far: in pictures Chequers plan agreed The cabinet agrees on a plan known as the "Chequers deal" on July 6 2018. The plan seeks regulatory alignment on goods and food, divergence on services, freedom from the European Courts of Justice and an end to free movement. Many were surprised that the hard Brexiteers of the cabinet would agree to this plan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Chequers plan sparks resignations Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and numerous ministers resign in the days following the Chequers agreement Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Davis out, Raab in On 9 July, Dominic Raab replaces David Davis as Brexit Secretary. Raab is a keen Brexiteer and was a housing minister before taking over from Davis Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Barnier's "deal like no other" EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier claims on August 29 2018 that they are prepared to offer Britain a trade deal like no other, though he stressed that they will not divide or change the single market to accommodate Britain AP Brexit so far: in pictures "My deal or no deal" In an interview on Panorama on September 17, the Prime Minister insists that any Brexit deal will be offered to the EU on her terms. She asserts this amongst continued attacks on her approach to Brexit by Boris Johnson and the European Research Group, headed by Jacob Rees Mogg BBC/Jeff Overs Brexit so far: in pictures EU leaders reject Chequers Quite the blow was dealt to the Prime Minister at a EU leaders summit in Salzburg on September 20. European Council President Donald Tusk stated that the Chequers deal "will not work" Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures May demands respect Following the rejection of her Chequers plan the day before, the Prime Minister voiced her anger that the EU had dismissed it without offering an alternative. She stated that throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it." Getty Brexit so far: in pictures People's Vote march As the People's Vote campaign and The Independent's Final Say campaign gain traction, 700,000 people turn out in London to demand a final say on the UK's Brexit deal on October 20 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures More resignations As the Prime Minister settles on a Brexit deal, Brexit secretary Dominic Raab resigns along with Work and Pensions secretary Esther McVey and many other ministers Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Final Say petitions delivered to Downing Street People's Vote supporting MPs Chukka Umunna, Justine Greening and Caroline Lucas and The Independent editor Christian Broughton deliver over a million signatures in favour of a People's Vote to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street on December 3 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures May delays vote On December 10, the Prime Minister delayed the vote on her Brexit deal as it was near certain not to pass through the Commons due to Tory rebels and lack of DUP support AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures No confidence motion Tory MPs triggered a confidence vote in the Prime Minister on December 12. She won by 200 votes to 117 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Commons rejects the deal Following the delay, the Prime Minister's deal was rejected in the Commons by a historic 230 votes AFP Brexit so far: in pictures Corbyn tables a no confidence motion Following the rejection of the Prime Minister's deal, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn tabled a motion of no confidence in the government, which the government won by a margin of 19 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Plan B The Prime Minister won the support of the commons to return to Brussels to renegotiate the backstop on January 29. In the same sitting, MPs also voted against a no-deal Brexit in a non-legally binding motion PA Brexit so far: in pictures EU council president savages Brexit campaigners who failed to plan for departure: Special place in hell There is a special place in hell for pro-Brexit campaigners who demanded Britain leave the EU without explaining how it should happen, Donald Tusk has said. The European Council president launched the scathing attack as he accused anti-EU campaigners of pushing for Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. Mr Tusk also dismissed suggestions that the EU could reopen negotiations over the controversial Northern Ireland backstop, dealing a blow to Theresa Mays hopes of securing fresh concessions as she tries to get her exit deal through parliament. Speaking in Brussels alongside Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Mr Tusk said: Ive been wondering what a special place in hell looks like for people who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. He also tweeted the accusation moments later Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU and UK announce talks to restart after Theresa May visits Brussels Both have agreed to restart Brexit talks to find a way through the deadlock in Westminster, following a visit by Theresa May to Brussels. In a joint statement the British government and European Commission said Ms May had had a robust but constructive meeting with president Jean-Claude Juncker, and that the pair would meet again before the end of the month. But the EU again refused to reopen the withdrawal agreement and its controversial backstop with any negotiations expected to focus on the future relationship between the UK and EU instead Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit strategy lost MPs voted down May's Brext plans, with a majority of 45. The prime minister did not appear in parliament to see another defeat PA Brexit so far: in pictures Labour and Conservative MPs resign and create the Independent Group Back row of Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker, Chuka Umunna and Mike Gapes, middle row of Angela Smith, Luciana Berger and Ann Coffey and front row of Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Joan Ryan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Non-biding votes on amendments to Brexit motion On February 27 he house held a series of votes, unanimously calling for the UK and EU to guarantee citizens rights in a no-deal scenario AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Attorney General publishes legal advice A hammer blow for May as Geoffrey Cox said her renegotiated deal can still leave UK in backstop against its will. Mr Cox did say the prime ministers efforts had reduced the risk of the UK being trapped in the backstop indefinitely. MPs went on to vote against her deal by 391 to 242 UK Parliament/PA Brexit so far: in pictures No-deal off the table MPs rejected a no-deal Brexit by 43 votes on March 13, with cabinet ministers rebelling in another humiliating defeat for Theresa May. A day later they voted in favour of the prime minister seeking an extension to Article 50 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures House speaker bans May from third Commons vote on same Brexit deal John Bercow sensationally told Theresa May he would stop her making another attempt to pass her Brexit deal unless she has secured changes. The Speaker said a further meaningful vote would be ruled out of order if the motion was the same or substantially the same under an ancient convention to stop the government bullying parliament on issues MPs have rejected Parliament Live Brexit so far: in pictures May writes to Tusk The prime minister wrote to Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, to ask for a three-month extension to give her more time to try to get her deal through parliament. However the European Commission advises the EU27 should offer a short extension to May 23 or a longer one meaning the UK would participate in European elections 10 Downing Street/AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures European Council summit Theresa Mays request to extend triggering Article 50 until the end of June was rejected by the EU, and instead offered a shorter time frame. She accepted the offer of a delay until May 22 if her withdrawal deal is approved by Parliament. If MPs rejected it for a third time, the EU said Britain must propose a new plan by April 12. Ms May said she will not support a long delay because it would mean Britain participating in elections for the European Parliament Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brussels confirms preparations for a no-deal Brexit are completed They warned that it is increasingly likely the UK will crash out. In a statement the European Commission (EC) said preparedness and contingency work, which the EC has been conducting since December 2017, was now finished. The announcement came days after EU leaders agreed to a request by Theresa May to extend the UKs Brexit date AFP Brexit so far: in pictures May resigns Reuters The former Shadow Home Secretary said ministers had refused to explain how they intend to replace membership of the single market and customs union and the existing free movement arrangements. At best ministers are cutting Parliament and the public out of this crucial debate about the future of our country, she said. At worst they seem to be stuck in negotiations without having agreed even among themselves what they want to achieve out of them. Ms Cooper said there was an obligation on the Home Office to tell the House, tell the public, tell EU citizens and tell employers what their negotiating objectives actually are. She added: There are practical questions that need answering soon not in good time, not when the time is right, but very soon. The clock is ticking and when you are running out of time you cannot keep kicking the can down the road. Ms Nokes hit back: We are not kicking the can down the road, what we are making sure we do is get a system that is right for people. It is absolutely imperative that when we come to the House with a white paper and indeed with an immigration bill, that they are the right pieces of legislation. Speaking before the delay was confirmed, Josh Hardie, the Deputy Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), warned: Businesses will be hugely frustrated by rumours that the Government wont reveal their plans on staff mobility until the last minute. From tech start-ups to care homes, not knowing what staff you will be able to access will deter investment. Firms need time to plan for change and that is why many will be deeply disappointed by any delays to the White Paper. It is perfectly possible to be clear on peoples rights to work in the UK, for the transition period at least. The Government should commit now that peoples rights to work wont change over the first two years from our date of departure from the EU. A Home Office spokesperson said: We are considering a range of options for the future immigration system and will set out initial plans in the coming months. In December, we reached a deal with the EU on citizens rights and our priority now must be to agree the detail of the implementation period. More than 100 elected officials from five political parties have issued a stark warning about the impact of Brexit on the NHS, saying leaving the EU is the biggest threat of all to the health service. In a letter seen by The Independent, MPs, MEPs, peers and assembly members from Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the SNP, the Green Party and Plaid Cymru said a hard Brexit would create challenges for the NHS for decades to come and could lead to further privatisation. A slowdown in economic growth, withdrawal from key EU health agencies, a loss of staff and increased difficulty in importing materials used to treat cancer will place the health service under growing strain and put patients at risk, they said. In the letter, which was signed by supporters of the pro-EU Open Britain campaign, the cross-party group said: As the winter crisis pressures continue it is increasingly clear that the biggest threat of all to the NHS is a hard Brexit. And the reason for this is clear. Brexit will act as a stress multiplier, exacerbating the many challenges facing the health service for decades to come. They said that, despite discredited claims a further 350m per week could be invested in the NHS after Brexit, a similar sum has been lost in lower economic growth since the EU referendum. This is already translating into lower tax receipts and will mean less money for the NHS, they wrote. Future generations will ask why, as our health service was crying out for more resources, we as a country embarked on a national mission to downgrade our economy. They added: At the same time, Brexit is also deepening the NHS staffing crisis. The prolonged uncertainty around the rights of EU nationals, coupled with the fall in the value of the pound, has led many European doctors and nurses to reconsider their future here. Statistics published by the Nursing and Midwifery Council have revealed an 89 per cent fall since the Brexit vote in applications from nurses in EU countries to work in the UK. Brexit so far: in pictures Show all 53 1 /53 Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson led the VoteLeave campaign PA Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson MP, Labour MP Gisela Stuart and UKIP MP Douglas Carswell address the people of Stafford in Market Square during the Vote Leave Brexit Battle Bus tour on 17 May 2016. Their lead line on the tour was: We send the EU 350 million a week, let's fund our NHS instead. Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Voting day A man shelters from the rain as he arrives at a polling station in London on 23 June 2016. Millions of Britons voted in the referendum on whether to stay in or leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Referendum results Leader of Ukip, Nigel Farage, reacts at the Leave EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London as results indicated that it was likely the UK would leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Protesting the result A young couple painted as EU flags and a man with a sign reading Im not leaving protest outside Downing Street against the voters decision to leave the EU on 24 June 2016 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures David Cameron resigns British Prime Minister David Cameron resigns on the steps of 10 Downing Street on 24 June 2016 after the results of the EU referendum were declared and the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Theresa May Becomes the new Conservative Party leader Theresa May receives a kiss from her husband Philip, after becoming the new Conservative Party leader on 11 July 2016. May became Prime Minister two days later and although she voted to remain in the referendum was keen to lead Britains Brexit talks after her only rival in the race to succeed David Cameron pulled out unexpectedly. May was left as the only contender standing after the withdrawal from the leadership race of Andrea Leadsom, who faced criticism for suggesting she was more qualified to be prime minister because she had children AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Lancaster House keynote speech on Brexit British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers her keynote speech on Brexit at Lancaster House in London on 17 January 2017. Where she spoke about her offer to introduce a transition period after the UK formally leaves the European Union in March 2019. Despite repeating the pro-Brexit mantra of no deal is better than a bad deal, the Prime Minister claimed she wanted a tone of trust between the negotiators and said Britain was leaving the EU but not Europe. She said there should be a clear double lock needed for the transitional period to make sure businesses had time to prepare for changes to their trading relationships with the EU Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Triggering of Article 50 British Prime Minister Theresa May in the cabinet, sitting below a painting of Britain's first Prime Minister Robert Walpole, signs the official letter to European Council President Donald Tusk invoking Article 50 and the United Kingdom's intention to leave the EU on 29 March 2017 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Gibraltar nonsense Tensions have risen over Brexit negotiations for the Rock of Gibraltar. The European Council has said Gibraltar would be included in a trade deal between London and Brussels only with the agreement of Spain. While former Conservative leader Michael Howard claimed that Theresa May would be prepared to go to war to protect the territory. Spain's foreign minister stepped in only to assert that there was no need for the dispute Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Shock snap election Soon after triggering Article 50, Theresa May called on 18 April 2017 for a snap general election. The election would be on 8 June and it came as a shock move to many, with her reasoning to try to bolster her position before tough talks on leaving the EU AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Dissolution of Parliament for General Election Campaign Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement in Downing Street after returning from Buckingham Palace on 3 May 2017. The Prime Minister visited the Queen to ask for the dissolution of Parliament signalling the official start to the general election campaign Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Conservatives lose parliamentary majority An arrangement of British daily newspapers showing front page stories about the exit poll results of the snap general election. British Prime Minister Theresa May faced pressure to resign on 9 June 2017 after losing her parliamentary majority, plunging the country into uncertainty as Brexit talks loomed. The pound fell sharply amid fears the Conservative leader would be unable to form a government AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Labour gains Britains opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn gives a tumbs up as he arrives at Labour headquarters in central London on 9 June 2017 after the snap general election results showed a hung parliament with Labour gains and the Conservatives losing their majority AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit negotiations begin Brexit Minister David Davis and European Commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations Michel Barnier address a press conference at the end of the first day of Brexit negotiations in Brussels on 19 June 2017 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May speaks in Florence British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks on 22 September 2017, in Florence. May sought to unlock Brexit talks after Brussels demanded more clarity on the crunch issues of budget payments and EU citizens' rights AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU council summit insufficient progress German Chancellor Angela Merkel joins other EU leaders for a breakfast meeting during an EU summit in Brussels on 20 October 2017. The EU spoke about Brexit and announced that insufficient progress had been made AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures DUP derails settlement on the withdrawal part of Brexit DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds walks off after speaking to members of the media as a protester holding flags shouts after him outside the Houses of Parliament on 5 December 2017. British Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to pull out of a deal with Brussels after the DUP said it would not accept terms which see Northern Ireland treated differently from the rest of the UK Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May suffers defeat over EU (Withdrawal) Bill Theresa May suffers defeat in parliament over EU (Withdrawal) Bill on 13 December 2017. The Government was defeated by Conservative rebels and Labour MPs in a vote on its key piece of Brexit legislation. MPs amended the EU (Withdrawal) Bill against Theresa May's will, guaranteeing Parliament a meaningful vote on any Brexit deal she agrees with Brussels. Ms May's whips applied pressure on Conservative rebels who remained defiant in the Commons throughout the day and in the end the Government was defeated by 309 votes to 305 Brexit so far: in pictures EU council summit sufficient progress Britain's Prime minister Theresa May arrives to attend the first day of a European union summit in Brussels on 14 December 2017. European leaders discussed Brexit and announced there was finally sufficient progress at the end of the two days AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures The game moves to transition Brexit Secretary David Davis gives evidence on developments in European Union divorce talks to the Commons Exiting the EU Committee in Portcullis House, London, on 24 January 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures Trade deal is what May wants French President Emmanuel Macron gestures to Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May after they hold a press conference at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, on 18 January 2018. May and Macron agreed a new border security deal, through which the UK will pay more to France to stop migrants trying to reach British shores on 18 January 2018 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Transition period agreed The UK and EU agree terms for Brexit transition period on 19 March, 2018 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures No agreement on Irish border The EU and UK however failed to reach an agreement on the Irish border during the successful talks on other Brexit issues AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU attacks Mays fantasy strategy For months after the March deal is struck there is little significant progress in talks. One senior EU official tears into Britains fantasy negotiating strategy and accuses Theresa May of not even having a position on a variety of important issue Getty Brexit so far: in pictures UK releases Ireland plan Britain releases a new customs plan to solve the Northern Ireland border but Michel Barnier says it leaves unanswered questions and would not prevent a hard border EbS Brexit so far: in pictures Chequers plan agreed The cabinet agrees on a plan known as the "Chequers deal" on July 6 2018. The plan seeks regulatory alignment on goods and food, divergence on services, freedom from the European Courts of Justice and an end to free movement. Many were surprised that the hard Brexiteers of the cabinet would agree to this plan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Chequers plan sparks resignations Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and numerous ministers resign in the days following the Chequers agreement Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Davis out, Raab in On 9 July, Dominic Raab replaces David Davis as Brexit Secretary. Raab is a keen Brexiteer and was a housing minister before taking over from Davis Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Barnier's "deal like no other" EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier claims on August 29 2018 that they are prepared to offer Britain a trade deal like no other, though he stressed that they will not divide or change the single market to accommodate Britain AP Brexit so far: in pictures "My deal or no deal" In an interview on Panorama on September 17, the Prime Minister insists that any Brexit deal will be offered to the EU on her terms. She asserts this amongst continued attacks on her approach to Brexit by Boris Johnson and the European Research Group, headed by Jacob Rees Mogg BBC/Jeff Overs Brexit so far: in pictures EU leaders reject Chequers Quite the blow was dealt to the Prime Minister at a EU leaders summit in Salzburg on September 20. European Council President Donald Tusk stated that the Chequers deal "will not work" Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures May demands respect Following the rejection of her Chequers plan the day before, the Prime Minister voiced her anger that the EU had dismissed it without offering an alternative. She stated that throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it." Getty Brexit so far: in pictures People's Vote march As the People's Vote campaign and The Independent's Final Say campaign gain traction, 700,000 people turn out in London to demand a final say on the UK's Brexit deal on October 20 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures More resignations As the Prime Minister settles on a Brexit deal, Brexit secretary Dominic Raab resigns along with Work and Pensions secretary Esther McVey and many other ministers Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Final Say petitions delivered to Downing Street People's Vote supporting MPs Chukka Umunna, Justine Greening and Caroline Lucas and The Independent editor Christian Broughton deliver over a million signatures in favour of a People's Vote to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street on December 3 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures May delays vote On December 10, the Prime Minister delayed the vote on her Brexit deal as it was near certain not to pass through the Commons due to Tory rebels and lack of DUP support AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures No confidence motion Tory MPs triggered a confidence vote in the Prime Minister on December 12. She won by 200 votes to 117 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Commons rejects the deal Following the delay, the Prime Minister's deal was rejected in the Commons by a historic 230 votes AFP Brexit so far: in pictures Corbyn tables a no confidence motion Following the rejection of the Prime Minister's deal, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn tabled a motion of no confidence in the government, which the government won by a margin of 19 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Plan B The Prime Minister won the support of the commons to return to Brussels to renegotiate the backstop on January 29. In the same sitting, MPs also voted against a no-deal Brexit in a non-legally binding motion PA Brexit so far: in pictures EU council president savages Brexit campaigners who failed to plan for departure: Special place in hell There is a special place in hell for pro-Brexit campaigners who demanded Britain leave the EU without explaining how it should happen, Donald Tusk has said. The European Council president launched the scathing attack as he accused anti-EU campaigners of pushing for Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. Mr Tusk also dismissed suggestions that the EU could reopen negotiations over the controversial Northern Ireland backstop, dealing a blow to Theresa Mays hopes of securing fresh concessions as she tries to get her exit deal through parliament. Speaking in Brussels alongside Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Mr Tusk said: Ive been wondering what a special place in hell looks like for people who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. He also tweeted the accusation moments later Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU and UK announce talks to restart after Theresa May visits Brussels Both have agreed to restart Brexit talks to find a way through the deadlock in Westminster, following a visit by Theresa May to Brussels. In a joint statement the British government and European Commission said Ms May had had a robust but constructive meeting with president Jean-Claude Juncker, and that the pair would meet again before the end of the month. But the EU again refused to reopen the withdrawal agreement and its controversial backstop with any negotiations expected to focus on the future relationship between the UK and EU instead Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit strategy lost MPs voted down May's Brext plans, with a majority of 45. The prime minister did not appear in parliament to see another defeat PA Brexit so far: in pictures Labour and Conservative MPs resign and create the Independent Group Back row of Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker, Chuka Umunna and Mike Gapes, middle row of Angela Smith, Luciana Berger and Ann Coffey and front row of Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Joan Ryan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Non-biding votes on amendments to Brexit motion On February 27 he house held a series of votes, unanimously calling for the UK and EU to guarantee citizens rights in a no-deal scenario AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Attorney General publishes legal advice A hammer blow for May as Geoffrey Cox said her renegotiated deal can still leave UK in backstop against its will. Mr Cox did say the prime ministers efforts had reduced the risk of the UK being trapped in the backstop indefinitely. MPs went on to vote against her deal by 391 to 242 UK Parliament/PA Brexit so far: in pictures No-deal off the table MPs rejected a no-deal Brexit by 43 votes on March 13, with cabinet ministers rebelling in another humiliating defeat for Theresa May. A day later they voted in favour of the prime minister seeking an extension to Article 50 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures House speaker bans May from third Commons vote on same Brexit deal John Bercow sensationally told Theresa May he would stop her making another attempt to pass her Brexit deal unless she has secured changes. The Speaker said a further meaningful vote would be ruled out of order if the motion was the same or substantially the same under an ancient convention to stop the government bullying parliament on issues MPs have rejected Parliament Live Brexit so far: in pictures May writes to Tusk The prime minister wrote to Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, to ask for a three-month extension to give her more time to try to get her deal through parliament. However the European Commission advises the EU27 should offer a short extension to May 23 or a longer one meaning the UK would participate in European elections 10 Downing Street/AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures European Council summit Theresa Mays request to extend triggering Article 50 until the end of June was rejected by the EU, and instead offered a shorter time frame. She accepted the offer of a delay until May 22 if her withdrawal deal is approved by Parliament. If MPs rejected it for a third time, the EU said Britain must propose a new plan by April 12. Ms May said she will not support a long delay because it would mean Britain participating in elections for the European Parliament Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brussels confirms preparations for a no-deal Brexit are completed They warned that it is increasingly likely the UK will crash out. In a statement the European Commission (EC) said preparedness and contingency work, which the EC has been conducting since December 2017, was now finished. The announcement came days after EU leaders agreed to a request by Theresa May to extend the UKs Brexit date AFP Brexit so far: in pictures May resigns Reuters A major academic study published late last year found Brexit posed major risks to the NHS, including funding cuts and falling staff numbers. Leaving the EU without a trade deal would be potentially catastrophic, researchers said. In the letter, the cross-party group wrote: If the NHS buckles further under this strain, the pressure for privatisation will steadily grow. As John Major said of prominent Leave campaigners during the referendum, the NHS is about as safe with them as a pet hamster would be with a hungry python. Among the signatories are 44 Labour MPs, plus numerous MEPs and assembly members, 15 Liberal Democrat representatives, including leader Sir Vince Cable, seven from the SNP, four from the Green Party and one from Plaid Cymru. They concluded by saying the public should ask whether the cost of Brexit to the NHS is too high a price to pay. Theresa May says the pessimistic analysis of post-Brexit trade is incomplete Brexit is not a panacea to the NHS crisis, they said. It is no longer even a placebo. Instead of providing answers, it simply creates more problems calling into question the ease with which we currently import medical isotopes to diagnose and treat cancer and the speed at which new medicines and treatments will be available once we have left the European Medicines Agency. This wasnt on the side of a bus but the public have a right to know. And ultimately, if it looks as though the cost of Brexit is irreparable damage to our health service, people have every right to ask whether that is too high a price to pay. The warning comes ahead of a crucial week that will likely shape the UKs future relationship with Europe. On Monday, Michel Barnier, the EUs lead negotiator, will visit London for meetings with Theresa May and David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, On Tuesday, Oliver Robbins, Ms Mays Brexit adviser, will travel to Brussels to begin talks on the next round of negotiations, which are set to begin next month. And on Wednesday and Thursday the Cabinets Brexit sub-committee will hold two crunch meetings to thrash out the Governments position in relation to the EU single market and customs union. Whether Britain should stay in the EUs customs union, has become the issue now levering Britains Brexit divisions open. Staying in is the only thing that guarantees the tariff-free trade the UK currently enjoys, but both the Conservatives and Labour have ruled that out. Leaving it, on the other hand, would guarantee the ability to agree new free-trade agreements with other nations. But what arrangements with the EU would come instead of it, is not something any party wants to spell out. In fact leaders in both main parties seem happy with a degree of ambiguity, vaguely talking about a not the customs union, a partnership or simply arrangements. For its part, the EU has made clear anything other full involvement in the customs union means increased barriers to trade. Here The Independent takes the temperature from key figures in the debate Prime Minster Theresa May Her spokesman said: The Governments position was set out in a future partnership paper on the customs union. We will be leaving the EU and the customs union and it is not the Governments policy to be members of the customs union or a customs union. That paper in August set out two possible options and they are a highly streamlined customs arrangement and a new customs partnership with the EU. Jacob Rees-Mogg, Conservative MP In leaving the European Union we must free ourselves from the Common External Tariff which protects inefficient Continental producers on the backs of the poorest UK consumers. Dominic Grieve, Conservative MP Tariff-free trade with our European Union partners and its maintenance is much more important than potential tariff-free arrangements with non EU countries. It will always, in my view, deliver a better economic boost to this country. The Government will look to maintain tariff-free access and do its own thing elsewhere. Thats a delicious ideal, but it may not be feasible. Matthew Elliott, former Chief Executive of Vote Leave When 17.4 million people voted Leave in 2016, they were voting to Leave the EU's custom's union, because a big part of Vote Leave's pitch was about taking back control of trade policy. The UK will not be able to negotiate trade deals if it remains in 'the' customs union, or even if it forms 'a' customs union with the EU. As a service orientated economy, the EU's tariff schedule does not suit the UK economy, because EU trade policy is focused on countries more reliant on agriculture and manufacturing. This means that UK consumers lose out by effectively paying higher tariffs (taxes) on the goods they buy. The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Show all 8 1 /8 The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Post-Brexit immigration workers sorting radishes on a production line at a farm in Norfolk. One possible post-Brexit immigration scheme could struggle to channel workers towards less attractive roles - while another may heighten the risk of labour exploitation, a new report warns. PA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Customs union A key point in the negotiations remains Britain's access to, or withdrawal from, the EU customs union. Since the referendum there has been hot debate over the meaning of Brexit: would it entail a full withdrawal from the existing agreement, known as hard Brexit, or the soft version in which we would remain part of a common customs area for most goods, as Turkey does? No 10 has so far insisted that Brexit means Brexit and that Britain will be leaving the customs union, but may be inclined to change its position once the potential risks to the UKs economic outlook become clearer. Alamy The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Northern Ireland-Irish border Though progress was made last year, there has still been no solid agreement on whether there should be a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. To ensure borderless travel on the island, the countries must be in regulatory alignment and therefore adhere to the same rules as the customs union. In December, the Conservative Partys coalition partners, the DUP, refused a draft agreement that would place the UK/EU border in the Irish Sea due to its potential to undermine the union. May has promised that would not be the case and has suggested that a specific solution would need to be found. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Transition period Despite protests from a small number of Conservative MPs, the Government and the EU are largely in agreement that a transitional period is needed after Brexit. The talks, however, have reached an impasse. Though May has agreed that the UK will continue to contribute to the EU budget until 2021, the PM wants to be able to select which laws made during this time the UK will have to adhere to. Chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said the UK must adopt all of the laws passed during the transition, without any input from British ministers or MEPs. EPA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Rights of EU citizens living the UK The Prime Minister has promised EU citizens already living in the UK the right to live and work here after Brexit, but the rights of those who arrive after Brexit day remains unclear. May insists that those who arrive during the transition period should not be allowed to stay, whereas the EU believe the cut-off point should be later. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Future trade agreement (with the EU) Despite this being a key issue in negotiations, the Government has yet to lay out exactly what it wants from a trade deal with the EU. Infighting within the Cabinet has prevented a solid position from being reached, with some MPs content that "no deal is better than a bad deal" while others rally behind single market access. The EU has already confirmed that access to the single market would be impossible without the UK remaining in the customs union. Getty The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Future trade agreements (internationally) The Government has already begun trying to woo foreign leaders into prospective trade agreements, with various high profile state visits to China, India and Canada for May, and the now infamous invitation to US President Donald Trump to visit London. However the UK cannot make trade agreements with another country while it is still a member of the EU, and the potential loss of trade with the world's major powers is a source of anxiety for the PM. The EU has said the UK cannot secure trade deals during the transition period. EPA The biggest issues facing UK on leaving EU Financial services Banks in the UK will be hit hard regardless of the Brexit outcome. The EU has refused to give British banks passporting rights to trade within the EU, dashing hopes of a special City deal. However according to new reports Germany has suggested allowing trade on the condition that the UK continues paying into the EU budget even after the transition period. Getty The UK needs to negotiate a fully comprehensive, highly liberalising trade deal with the EU, starting from a point of complete alignment but moving in a direction of mutual recognition of regulatory structures. Almost 98 per cent of goods entering the EU from the rest of the world are not inspected at the border, so a UK-EU trade deal is compatible with maintaining a frictionless border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. Chuka Umunna, Labour MP I have consistently called for the Labour frontbench to adopt a clearer position against this extremism and the unfolding Tory Brexit catastrophe by, at the very least, committing to ensure the UK continues to participate in the EU single market which protects workers, consumers and the environment and the customs union if Brexit happens. The overwhelming majority of our membership who voted for Jeremy Corbyn in the 2015 and 2016 Labour leadership elections also support staying in both entities. Just last week, the former Greek finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis who famously fell out with the EU came to Parliament at my invitation to make the Marxist case for the Labour Party to adopt a Norway-plus model as policy (i.e. staying in the single market). In truth, one of the biggest obstacles to the leadership adopting a less ambiguous position which would put clear red water between us and the Tories on Brexit is that so many people believe I and other Labour MPs make our Brexit arguments out of a desire to oppose the Labour leader. Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn A spokesman said: We want a final deal that retains the benefits of the Customs Union. Options for achieving the benefits of the Customs Union should not be swept off the table. The EUs chief Brexit negotiator has warned Theresa May that trade barriers are unavoidable if she carries out her plan to leave the customs union. Michel Barnier also told the Prime Minister that the time has come to make a choice reflecting growing Brussels frustration with the UK Governments failure to set out its aims clearly. After meeting Mrs May and David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, in Downing Street, Mr Barnier said the EU need clarity on the UKs hopes for a post-Brexit trading partnership. And, on No 10s insistence that it will not be part of any customs union, he warned: Without the customs union, and outside the single market, barriers to trade in goods and services are unavoidable. The time has come to make a choice. Mr Barnier also appeared to rebuff Mrs Mays apparent attempt to deny full settlement rights to EU citizens who arrive in the UK after Brexit day but before the end of a transition period. That dispute threatens the UK Governments hope of nailing down the transition agreement in the coming weeks, with businesses warning they will otherwise shift investment overseas. The conditions are very clear. Everyone has to play by the same rules in the transition, Mr Barnier said, at a brief joint press conference alongside Mr Davis. Brexit: the deciders Show all 8 1 /8 Brexit: the deciders Brexit: the deciders European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier Getty Brexit: the deciders French President Emmanuel Macron Getty Brexit: the deciders German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters Brexit: the deciders Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit: the deciders The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt Getty Brexit: the deciders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May Getty Images Brexit: the deciders Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond PA Brexit: the deciders After the first and second appointed Brexit secretaries resigned (David Davis and Dominic Raab respectively), Stephen Barclay is currently heading up the position PA The face-to-face talks the first to be staged in London followed the overnight announcement from No 10 that Britain would not be part of any customs union with the EU. The move appeared to be an attempt to calm the anger of Brexiteer Conservative MPs threatening a leadership bid if Mrs May seeks to keep close economic ties. At stake, believe hard Brexit supporters, is the prize of being able to strike free trade deals with non-EU countries, which cannot be done from within the customs union. However, business leaders fear an explosion in red tape and gridlock at Britains borders if goods can no longer flow freely to and from the continent. In an unwelcome message to them, Mr Barnier added: The certainty about this transition will only come with the ratification of the withdrawal agreement. That will not happen until the end of the year. But Mr Davis claimed it was perfectly clear what the UK wanted, saying: We have already published a great deal about our proposals, in terms of what the customs arrangements will be, what the other arrangements will be with respect to being outside the union. We have said in terms we want a comprehensive free trade agreement and we want a customs agreement and to make that as frictionless as possible, to make as much trade as currently exists as free as possible, while still giving ourselves the opportunity to make free trade deals with the rest of the world. The get-together came ahead of a crunch meeting of the inner Cabinet on Wednesday and Thursday, to thrash out in theory the Governments aims for the future partnership. Downing Street has left open hopes for a customs arrangement, which would still allow the Government to strike trade deals outside the EU even if only in services. Senior Tories who favour a customs union appear relaxed about the latest twist, believing the new arrangement will take many years to develop. They believe Britain will, therefore, ending up staying in an effective customs union with the EU long after the two-year transition period ends partly to avoid the return of a hard Irish land border. Close What is Article 50? Theresa May has held meetings with the EUs chief negotiator in London after Downing Street confirmed Britain will categorically leave the customs union after Brexit. After speaking with the Prime Minister over a working lunch, Michel Barnier then held a brief press conference with the Brexit Secretary David Davis. He warned Ms May that trade barriers are unavoidable if she carries out her plan to leave the customs union, adding that the time has come to make a choice. Mr Barnier also appeared to rebuff Mrs Mays apparent attempt to deny full settlement rights to EU citizens who arrive in the UK after Brexit day but before the end of a transition period. It comes as the Prime Minister prepares to meet her 11-member Brexit war-cabinet later this week to thrash out the Governments vision for the so-called end state. Reassuring Conservative Brexiteers on Sunday evening a Downing Street source insisted the UK would categorically [be] leaving the customs union after reports that Ms May had softened her stance. See below for live updates Brexit talks are back underway in earnest again, with European Commission chief negotiator Michel Barnier over in London for a change. If youre confused about where the talks are at the moment, here is an explainer to clear everything up. What are they trying to agree now? Since the start of the year the two sides have been trying to come to a deal on the transition period, or what is officially called the implementation period. This will start in March 2019 if everything goes according to plan, and will last about two years. Issues that need agreeing with regards to the transition are things like whether the UK will get a say over EU laws, exactly how long the period will last, and whether free movement continues in full during the transition period. The UK wants some say over EU laws, is considering asking for a slightly longer period, and doesnt want free movement rights to apply to citizens who move to the UK during the transition. The UK looked set to agree to Brussels on all this until a few weeks ago, with David Davis appearing sanguine at a recent parliamentary committee. But Tory Eurosceptics who generally tell the Prime Minister what to do have kicked up a fuss and briefed Tory-supporting newspapers that a leadership challenge could be close. Following that, Downing Street has said that actually, they dont agree with the EU at all. Do any other issues need resolving? Both the UK and EU especially the UK are also talking to their own sides about what they want the future trade relationship to look like. In Britain this takes the form of Cabinet rows and discussions within the Tory party. In the EU it is seminars to ask different countries what they want. Unresolved leftovers from the first phase of talks notably on citizens rights and the Northern Ireland border also need to be agreed. Didnt they solve Northern Ireland and citizens rights in the first phase of talks in December? No, they made sufficient progress on those issues to move to the next phase, but they havent been solved. On Northern Ireland, the solution they came up with was essentially to say they would find a solution in the future, and a UK pledge to guarantee an open border. What that solution actually looks like in practice is not a lot closer than before. Citizens rights looked closer to a solution, but the wound has been opened again after Theresa May said she would not guarantee citizens rights for anyone who arrives during the transition period. The EU wants the opposite. What about trade talks? Absolutely no discussions about the future trading relationship are taking place until the UK has decided what sort of trade relationship it wants. If it can decide soon, in March there will be talks about the trade framework, with emphasis on framework. These are essentially scoping discussions. The EU has repeatedly said it expects the actual negotiations of a free trade agreement to take place during the transition period, after the UK leaves the EU so from March 2019 onwards. Can Brexit be reversed? Why is everyone talking about the Customs Union? Theresa May ruled out membership of the EU customs union in her Lancaster House speech at the beginning of 2017, around a year ago. However, two developments have put it back on the agenda: Firstly, a leaked analysis by the civil service shows leaving the customs union would be an economic disaster and has led to some Tories, including a sitting minister, to question the wisdom of going through with this particular detail. Secondly, many people read the preliminary agreement inked in December on Northern Ireland as effectively requiring the UK to stay inside the customs union. This is because the UK said it would prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland, but also one between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland, and a customs union with the EU appears to be the only way to do this. Downing Street spent the last week prevaricating on this, but on Monday confirmed it would not stay in The customs union or even A customs union. Whats the difference between The customs union and A customs union? Mostly semantics. The EU customs union is what EU member are a part of, and also some places like the Isle of Man and Jersey that arent in the EU. It is an institution embedded in EU treaties. Meanwhile A customs union is like what Turkey has they havent signed any EU treaties, but they still have a common external tariff barrier. Membership of both The and A customs union could be functionally the same thing, or A customs union could omit some areas, depending on what was agreed. The distinction is ultimately a red-herring. Will there be a Brexit deal? At this stage, both sides say they think they can reach a deal in time for the deadline. However, the EU says the deadline is in October and the UK says actually, its December which sums the whole thing up quite nicely. Migrants from outside Europe will see the annual fees for using the NHS double under new plans, the Government has announced. Upfront charges for the health service will rise from 200 to 400 each year for overseas visitors who stay in the UK for six months or longer, which ministers say will generate an extra 220m a year for the NHS. Students and those on the youth mobility scheme for people aged 18 to 30 will see their charges increase from 150 to 300. Recommended Thousands march on Downing Street to demand funding to save NHS The fees were originally brought in to combat so-called "health tourism", where people travel to the UK to access free healthcare. Deliberate health tourism accounts for about 0.3 per cent of the NHS budget, according to FullFact, an independent fact checking organisation. The move represents a watering-down of a key Conservative manifesto pledge, which promised to hike the annual surcharge to 600 for overseas visitors using the service. After a disastrous election campaign, Theresa May was forced to row back on several commitments including the overhaul of social care policy that was branded a "dementia tax" by opponents. Health Minister Lord O'Shaughnessy said: "Our NHS is always there when you need it, paid for by British taxpayers. "We welcome long-term migrants using the NHS, but it is only right that they make a fair contribution to its long-term sustainability. "By increasing the surcharge so that it better reflects the actual costs of using health services, this Government is providing an extra 220 million a year to support the NHS." It comes after thousands of campaigners marched on Downing Street on Saturday to protest NHS funding shortages, as the health service was embroiled in a deepening winter crisis. Brexit so far: in pictures Show all 53 1 /53 Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson led the VoteLeave campaign PA Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson MP, Labour MP Gisela Stuart and UKIP MP Douglas Carswell address the people of Stafford in Market Square during the Vote Leave Brexit Battle Bus tour on 17 May 2016. Their lead line on the tour was: We send the EU 350 million a week, let's fund our NHS instead. Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Voting day A man shelters from the rain as he arrives at a polling station in London on 23 June 2016. Millions of Britons voted in the referendum on whether to stay in or leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Referendum results Leader of Ukip, Nigel Farage, reacts at the Leave EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London as results indicated that it was likely the UK would leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Protesting the result A young couple painted as EU flags and a man with a sign reading Im not leaving protest outside Downing Street against the voters decision to leave the EU on 24 June 2016 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures David Cameron resigns British Prime Minister David Cameron resigns on the steps of 10 Downing Street on 24 June 2016 after the results of the EU referendum were declared and the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Theresa May Becomes the new Conservative Party leader Theresa May receives a kiss from her husband Philip, after becoming the new Conservative Party leader on 11 July 2016. May became Prime Minister two days later and although she voted to remain in the referendum was keen to lead Britains Brexit talks after her only rival in the race to succeed David Cameron pulled out unexpectedly. May was left as the only contender standing after the withdrawal from the leadership race of Andrea Leadsom, who faced criticism for suggesting she was more qualified to be prime minister because she had children AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Lancaster House keynote speech on Brexit British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers her keynote speech on Brexit at Lancaster House in London on 17 January 2017. Where she spoke about her offer to introduce a transition period after the UK formally leaves the European Union in March 2019. Despite repeating the pro-Brexit mantra of no deal is better than a bad deal, the Prime Minister claimed she wanted a tone of trust between the negotiators and said Britain was leaving the EU but not Europe. She said there should be a clear double lock needed for the transitional period to make sure businesses had time to prepare for changes to their trading relationships with the EU Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Triggering of Article 50 British Prime Minister Theresa May in the cabinet, sitting below a painting of Britain's first Prime Minister Robert Walpole, signs the official letter to European Council President Donald Tusk invoking Article 50 and the United Kingdom's intention to leave the EU on 29 March 2017 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Gibraltar nonsense Tensions have risen over Brexit negotiations for the Rock of Gibraltar. The European Council has said Gibraltar would be included in a trade deal between London and Brussels only with the agreement of Spain. While former Conservative leader Michael Howard claimed that Theresa May would be prepared to go to war to protect the territory. Spain's foreign minister stepped in only to assert that there was no need for the dispute Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Shock snap election Soon after triggering Article 50, Theresa May called on 18 April 2017 for a snap general election. The election would be on 8 June and it came as a shock move to many, with her reasoning to try to bolster her position before tough talks on leaving the EU AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Dissolution of Parliament for General Election Campaign Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement in Downing Street after returning from Buckingham Palace on 3 May 2017. The Prime Minister visited the Queen to ask for the dissolution of Parliament signalling the official start to the general election campaign Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Conservatives lose parliamentary majority An arrangement of British daily newspapers showing front page stories about the exit poll results of the snap general election. British Prime Minister Theresa May faced pressure to resign on 9 June 2017 after losing her parliamentary majority, plunging the country into uncertainty as Brexit talks loomed. The pound fell sharply amid fears the Conservative leader would be unable to form a government AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Labour gains Britains opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn gives a tumbs up as he arrives at Labour headquarters in central London on 9 June 2017 after the snap general election results showed a hung parliament with Labour gains and the Conservatives losing their majority AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit negotiations begin Brexit Minister David Davis and European Commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations Michel Barnier address a press conference at the end of the first day of Brexit negotiations in Brussels on 19 June 2017 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May speaks in Florence British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks on 22 September 2017, in Florence. May sought to unlock Brexit talks after Brussels demanded more clarity on the crunch issues of budget payments and EU citizens' rights AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU council summit insufficient progress German Chancellor Angela Merkel joins other EU leaders for a breakfast meeting during an EU summit in Brussels on 20 October 2017. The EU spoke about Brexit and announced that insufficient progress had been made AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures DUP derails settlement on the withdrawal part of Brexit DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds walks off after speaking to members of the media as a protester holding flags shouts after him outside the Houses of Parliament on 5 December 2017. British Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to pull out of a deal with Brussels after the DUP said it would not accept terms which see Northern Ireland treated differently from the rest of the UK Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May suffers defeat over EU (Withdrawal) Bill Theresa May suffers defeat in parliament over EU (Withdrawal) Bill on 13 December 2017. The Government was defeated by Conservative rebels and Labour MPs in a vote on its key piece of Brexit legislation. MPs amended the EU (Withdrawal) Bill against Theresa May's will, guaranteeing Parliament a meaningful vote on any Brexit deal she agrees with Brussels. Ms May's whips applied pressure on Conservative rebels who remained defiant in the Commons throughout the day and in the end the Government was defeated by 309 votes to 305 Brexit so far: in pictures EU council summit sufficient progress Britain's Prime minister Theresa May arrives to attend the first day of a European union summit in Brussels on 14 December 2017. European leaders discussed Brexit and announced there was finally sufficient progress at the end of the two days AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures The game moves to transition Brexit Secretary David Davis gives evidence on developments in European Union divorce talks to the Commons Exiting the EU Committee in Portcullis House, London, on 24 January 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures Trade deal is what May wants French President Emmanuel Macron gestures to Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May after they hold a press conference at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, on 18 January 2018. May and Macron agreed a new border security deal, through which the UK will pay more to France to stop migrants trying to reach British shores on 18 January 2018 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Transition period agreed The UK and EU agree terms for Brexit transition period on 19 March, 2018 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures No agreement on Irish border The EU and UK however failed to reach an agreement on the Irish border during the successful talks on other Brexit issues AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU attacks Mays fantasy strategy For months after the March deal is struck there is little significant progress in talks. One senior EU official tears into Britains fantasy negotiating strategy and accuses Theresa May of not even having a position on a variety of important issue Getty Brexit so far: in pictures UK releases Ireland plan Britain releases a new customs plan to solve the Northern Ireland border but Michel Barnier says it leaves unanswered questions and would not prevent a hard border EbS Brexit so far: in pictures Chequers plan agreed The cabinet agrees on a plan known as the "Chequers deal" on July 6 2018. The plan seeks regulatory alignment on goods and food, divergence on services, freedom from the European Courts of Justice and an end to free movement. Many were surprised that the hard Brexiteers of the cabinet would agree to this plan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Chequers plan sparks resignations Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and numerous ministers resign in the days following the Chequers agreement Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Davis out, Raab in On 9 July, Dominic Raab replaces David Davis as Brexit Secretary. Raab is a keen Brexiteer and was a housing minister before taking over from Davis Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Barnier's "deal like no other" EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier claims on August 29 2018 that they are prepared to offer Britain a trade deal like no other, though he stressed that they will not divide or change the single market to accommodate Britain AP Brexit so far: in pictures "My deal or no deal" In an interview on Panorama on September 17, the Prime Minister insists that any Brexit deal will be offered to the EU on her terms. She asserts this amongst continued attacks on her approach to Brexit by Boris Johnson and the European Research Group, headed by Jacob Rees Mogg BBC/Jeff Overs Brexit so far: in pictures EU leaders reject Chequers Quite the blow was dealt to the Prime Minister at a EU leaders summit in Salzburg on September 20. European Council President Donald Tusk stated that the Chequers deal "will not work" Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures May demands respect Following the rejection of her Chequers plan the day before, the Prime Minister voiced her anger that the EU had dismissed it without offering an alternative. She stated that throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it." Getty Brexit so far: in pictures People's Vote march As the People's Vote campaign and The Independent's Final Say campaign gain traction, 700,000 people turn out in London to demand a final say on the UK's Brexit deal on October 20 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures More resignations As the Prime Minister settles on a Brexit deal, Brexit secretary Dominic Raab resigns along with Work and Pensions secretary Esther McVey and many other ministers Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Final Say petitions delivered to Downing Street People's Vote supporting MPs Chukka Umunna, Justine Greening and Caroline Lucas and The Independent editor Christian Broughton deliver over a million signatures in favour of a People's Vote to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street on December 3 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures May delays vote On December 10, the Prime Minister delayed the vote on her Brexit deal as it was near certain not to pass through the Commons due to Tory rebels and lack of DUP support AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures No confidence motion Tory MPs triggered a confidence vote in the Prime Minister on December 12. She won by 200 votes to 117 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Commons rejects the deal Following the delay, the Prime Minister's deal was rejected in the Commons by a historic 230 votes AFP Brexit so far: in pictures Corbyn tables a no confidence motion Following the rejection of the Prime Minister's deal, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn tabled a motion of no confidence in the government, which the government won by a margin of 19 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Plan B The Prime Minister won the support of the commons to return to Brussels to renegotiate the backstop on January 29. In the same sitting, MPs also voted against a no-deal Brexit in a non-legally binding motion PA Brexit so far: in pictures EU council president savages Brexit campaigners who failed to plan for departure: Special place in hell There is a special place in hell for pro-Brexit campaigners who demanded Britain leave the EU without explaining how it should happen, Donald Tusk has said. The European Council president launched the scathing attack as he accused anti-EU campaigners of pushing for Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. Mr Tusk also dismissed suggestions that the EU could reopen negotiations over the controversial Northern Ireland backstop, dealing a blow to Theresa Mays hopes of securing fresh concessions as she tries to get her exit deal through parliament. Speaking in Brussels alongside Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Mr Tusk said: Ive been wondering what a special place in hell looks like for people who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. He also tweeted the accusation moments later Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU and UK announce talks to restart after Theresa May visits Brussels Both have agreed to restart Brexit talks to find a way through the deadlock in Westminster, following a visit by Theresa May to Brussels. In a joint statement the British government and European Commission said Ms May had had a robust but constructive meeting with president Jean-Claude Juncker, and that the pair would meet again before the end of the month. But the EU again refused to reopen the withdrawal agreement and its controversial backstop with any negotiations expected to focus on the future relationship between the UK and EU instead Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit strategy lost MPs voted down May's Brext plans, with a majority of 45. The prime minister did not appear in parliament to see another defeat PA Brexit so far: in pictures Labour and Conservative MPs resign and create the Independent Group Back row of Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker, Chuka Umunna and Mike Gapes, middle row of Angela Smith, Luciana Berger and Ann Coffey and front row of Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Joan Ryan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Non-biding votes on amendments to Brexit motion On February 27 he house held a series of votes, unanimously calling for the UK and EU to guarantee citizens rights in a no-deal scenario AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Attorney General publishes legal advice A hammer blow for May as Geoffrey Cox said her renegotiated deal can still leave UK in backstop against its will. Mr Cox did say the prime ministers efforts had reduced the risk of the UK being trapped in the backstop indefinitely. MPs went on to vote against her deal by 391 to 242 UK Parliament/PA Brexit so far: in pictures No-deal off the table MPs rejected a no-deal Brexit by 43 votes on March 13, with cabinet ministers rebelling in another humiliating defeat for Theresa May. A day later they voted in favour of the prime minister seeking an extension to Article 50 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures House speaker bans May from third Commons vote on same Brexit deal John Bercow sensationally told Theresa May he would stop her making another attempt to pass her Brexit deal unless she has secured changes. The Speaker said a further meaningful vote would be ruled out of order if the motion was the same or substantially the same under an ancient convention to stop the government bullying parliament on issues MPs have rejected Parliament Live Brexit so far: in pictures May writes to Tusk The prime minister wrote to Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, to ask for a three-month extension to give her more time to try to get her deal through parliament. However the European Commission advises the EU27 should offer a short extension to May 23 or a longer one meaning the UK would participate in European elections 10 Downing Street/AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures European Council summit Theresa Mays request to extend triggering Article 50 until the end of June was rejected by the EU, and instead offered a shorter time frame. She accepted the offer of a delay until May 22 if her withdrawal deal is approved by Parliament. If MPs rejected it for a third time, the EU said Britain must propose a new plan by April 12. Ms May said she will not support a long delay because it would mean Britain participating in elections for the European Parliament Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brussels confirms preparations for a no-deal Brexit are completed They warned that it is increasingly likely the UK will crash out. In a statement the European Commission (EC) said preparedness and contingency work, which the EC has been conducting since December 2017, was now finished. The announcement came days after EU leaders agreed to a request by Theresa May to extend the UKs Brexit date AFP Brexit so far: in pictures May resigns Reuters Immigration minister Caroline Nokes said: It is only right that people who come to the UK should contribute to the running of the NHS. "The surcharge offers access to healthcare services that are far more comprehensive and at a much lower cost than many other countries. The income generated goes directly to NHS services, helping to protect and sustain our world-class healthcare system for everyone who uses it. Emergency care is always available from the NHS, regardless of a patient's immigration status, the Government insists. Private firms carrying out controversial disability assessments have received a 40m increase in funding despite widespread concerns with the system, it can be revealed. A freedom of information request by The Independent found the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) paid Independent Assessment Services (formerly known as Atos) and Capita nearly 255m last year to perform personal independence payment (PIP) assessments the highest amount spent on the scheme since its launch in 2013. A senior Labour politician said the figures were damning and showed the Government was rewarding failure, while others branded PIP assessments brutal, fear-provoking and destabilising. It comes after the High Court ruled the system was blatantly discriminatory against people with mental health conditions, prompting the Government to announce it will review 1.6 million disability benefit claims. It could see up to 220,000 claimants receive higher payments. Spending increased by 19 per cent in a year, from 214.7m in 2015-16 to 254.7m in 2016-17, figures showed. The latest available data from April-October 2017 revealed a further 145.9m spent. In total, the firms have been given 824m in government funding. The DWP said the reason for the year-on-year increase was due to a rise in the number of assessments. PIP was intended to replace the disability living allowance (DLA) to help pay for the extra costs of those living with a long-term health condition or disability. But the scheme has been dogged by controversy since its inception. Debbie Abrahams, Labours Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, told The Independent the Government was rewarding failure by increasing funding for assessments which leave lives in tatters. Disability cuts: People with mental health problems left behind as benefit changes take effect It is damning that the Government are spending more public money on private, profit-making contractors at a time when a record 68 per cent of PIP decisions taken to tribunal are being overturned by judges. They are rewarding failure at a time when the assessment process is getting worse, not better. She said a Labour government would end the privatisation of assessments and scrap PIP and the work capability assessment. A previous report by more than 80 organisations found 79 per cent of respondents said their assessments for PIP had made their health worse due to stress or anxiety. It also found more than a third of those who had their funding cut said they were struggling to pay for food, rent and bills. A small number also said the assessment process was so stressful it had caused them to have suicidal thoughts. Atos and Capita are profiting, quite literally, from the suffering of claimants, Dr Jay Watts, from the Alliance for Counselling and Psychotherapy, told The Independent. It is difficult to communicate quite how brutal, fear-provoking and destabilising the process of constant assessment is, the consultant clinical psychologist said. Many claimants report feeling more traumatised by the process than anything else that has happened to them. Campaigners have called on the Government to look at a new approach to assessments. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main PA UK news in pictures 23 July 2021 Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery's new free programme of art-inspired activities for families PA Ken Butler, welfare benefits adviser at Disability Rights UK, told The Independent: PIP is failing in a number of ways, including those who qualify for the benefit but are turned down because of poor assessments. Its no wonder around seven out of 10 appeals are successful. Atos and Capita rely on healthcare professionals who are cheaper than doctors or specialists because they are commercially driven contractors. Their priority is profit, rather than what helps disabled people get the support they qualify for. Its no surprise that occupational therapists or paramedics, for example, are wrongly assessing people with mental health conditions. The Government should be looking seriously at a new assessment approach, such as partnerships between qualified medical professionals and disabled peoples organisations. Until a robust assessment process is in place, PIP will remain a broken benefit, in a broken system, which fails disabled people. Without an urgent overhaul of the assessment process, the system will continue to work against disabled people, instead of for them, James Taylor, head of policy at disability charity Scope, said. A DWP spokesperson said: Were absolutely committed to ensuring that disabled people and people with mental health conditions get the support that they need. PIP is a modern, dynamic and fairer benefit than the former DLA and focuses the most support on those experiencing the greatest barriers to living independently. Approximately 66 per cent of PIP recipients with mental health conditions receive the higher rate of the benefit, compared to just 22 per cent under DLA. Following the High Courts judgment, the DWP said it would write to those who may be entitled to a higher rate of PIP, and any payments will be backdated to the effective date in each individual claim. It added: Supporting people with mental health conditions remains a top priority, which is why we commissioned two expert-led reviews and have invested a record 11.6bn into mental health services. Both Independent Assessment Services and Capita were contacted by The Independent but they declined to comment. Sinn Feins policing spokesman has faced calls to resign after he was caught on camera using bolt-cutters to remove a wheel clamp from his car. Gerry Kelly cut off the device after finding his vehicle had been immobilised while he was at a gym in Belfast city centre. The Northern Ireland Assembly member has been reported to the police for alleged criminal damage. Sinn Fein confirmed Mr Kelly removed a clamp from the front wheel of his car after footage emerged on social media. The video shows him kneeling down to remove the orange device from the cars right-hand front wheel before resting it against a nearby wall. A pair of bolt cutters appear to be lying beside the wheel of the vehicle, which was reportedly in a no parking area. A workman who filmed Mr Kelly told the Belfast Telegraph: Do the rules not apply to politicians the same way they do everyone else? I couldnt believe it when I saw it. I near dropped the phone trying to get it on camera. The private firm that runs car park, near St Annes Cathedral, reported the matter to police. A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) statement said: Police in north Belfast received a report of criminal damage in the Exchange Street area of Belfast at around 2.20pm, Friday 2 February. It is believed that damage was caused to the wheel-clamp of a car. Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister called for Mr Kelly to step down from his role and urged the police to take action. It must be demonstrated he is not above the law, he said. Mary Lou McDonald reacts to news of Gerry Kelly clamp incident Ulster Unionist assembly member Rog Beggs tweeted: Parking in a no-parking area, which reserves access for deliveries and emergencies, then damaging private property. Is Gerry special, above the rules that apply to you and me? A spokesman for parking firm PEA said: PEA is aware of this incident and has reported the matter to the PSNI [Police Service Northern Ireland] as we do in all such cases. After the footage was circulated on social media, a Sinn Fein spokesman confirmed Mr Kelly had removed the clamp. He added: He left the device nearby and drove off to pre-arranged meetings. His solicitor is dealing with the matter and he will be making no further comment at this time. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main PA UK news in pictures 23 July 2021 Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery's new free programme of art-inspired activities for families PA UK news in pictures 22 July 2021 Festivalgoers in the campsite at the Latitude festival in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk PA UK news in pictures 21 July 2021 A man walks past an artwork by Will Blood on the end of a property in Bedminster, Bristol, as the 75 murals project reaches the halfway point and various graffiti pieces are sprayed onto walls and buildings across the city over the Summer PA Mr Kelly is Sinn Feins policing spokesman and a former junior minister at Stormont. He was part of the partys negotiating team during the years leading up to the Good Friday Agreement and has been MLA for North Belfast since 1998. During the Troubles, the veteran republican was convicted for his part in the IRA bombing of the Old Bailey in 1973. Ten years later he took part in a mass escape from the Maze paramilitary prison. The head of the UK statistics watchdog has rebuked Theresa May over her use of NHS waiting times data during Prime Ministers Questions. Sir David Norgrove said the Prime Minister's comparisons between A&E waiting times in Wales and England were "not valid" after receiving a complaint from Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones accusing her of "selective misuse" of figures. Ministers including Ms May have repeatedly focused on the performance of the health service in Labour-run Wales in the face of criticism of their management of the NHS in England. It is the second time the Government has been called out over its use of statistics, after senior Tory Health Committee chair Sarah Wollaston attacked ministers for "disingenuous" use of figures on the scale of the winter crisis. Ms May made the comments on January 25 in the Commons, when she responded to questions from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn about a winter crisis which he said had seen NHS England record its worst-ever A&E waiting time figures. The Prime Minister said: "If he wants to talk about figures and about targets being missed, yes, the latest figures show that, in England, 497 people were waiting more than 12 hours, but the latest figures also show that, under the Labour Government in Wales, 3,741 people were waiting more than 12 hours." Hospitals in England measure 12-hour waits from when a doctor has seen the patient and decided they should be admitted, whereas in Wales the clock starts ticking as soon as the patient registers in A&E. Mr Jones wrote to the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) to complain of the PM's "misleading" comments, warning: "Selective misuse of statistics like this does not allow for a fair debate on the NHS. "Research such as the OECD Review of Health Care Quality showed that there was no consistent picture of one nation's health system performing better than another." Responding to Mr Jones, Sir David said: "You are right to say that the comparison is not valid. "The figure used for England refers to the accident and emergency wait time from the decision to admit to admission into another part of the health service. "The figure used for Wales represents the entire time patients wait from arriving to leaving accident and emergency services, including the time from decision to admit to actual admission." Sir David has previously spoken out against Vote Leave's disputed claim that 350m a week could be diverted to the NHS after Brexit - which has been repeated several times by Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We would accept the assessment of the UKSA, but the point that the Prime Minister was making - in terms of the fact that the A&E in England performed better than A&E in Wales in relation to this target - still stands." Theresa May will demand that companies like Twitter and Facebook step up and tackle online abuse as she warns that aggression is consuming British political debate. In a speech to mark the centenary of the suffragettes winning the vote for women, Ms May will announce a string of proposals that aim to make social media companies more accountable. Speaking in Manchester to mark the 100-year milestone, Ms May will set out how online abuse is more often directed at women and minorities. The Prime Minister will say that the anniversary of the 1918 Representation of the People Act which delivered the vote to women, should make us consider what values and principles guide our conduct of political debate. She will then add: While there is much to celebrate, I worry that our public debate today is coarsening. "That for some it is becoming harder to disagree, without also demeaning opposing viewpoints in the process." Outlining how abuse of political candidates and representatives is often targeted at women, gay people and ethnic minorities, she is expected to add: In the face of what is a threat to our democracy, I believe that all of us - individuals, governments, and media old and new - must accept our responsibility to help sustain a genuinely pluralist public debate for the future. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main PA UK news in pictures 23 July 2021 Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery's new free programme of art-inspired activities for families PA UK news in pictures 22 July 2021 Festivalgoers in the campsite at the Latitude festival in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk PA UK news in pictures 21 July 2021 A man walks past an artwork by Will Blood on the end of a property in Bedminster, Bristol, as the 75 murals project reaches the halfway point and various graffiti pieces are sprayed onto walls and buildings across the city over the Summer PA UK news in pictures 20 July 2021 People during morning prayer during Eid ul-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, in Southall Park, Uxbridge, London PA UK news in pictures 19 July 2021 Commuters, some not wearing facemasks, at Westminster Underground station, at 08:38 in London after the final legal Coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England PA UK news in pictures 18 July 2021 A view of spectators by the 2nd green during day four of The Open at The Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent PA "The social media companies themselves must now step up and set out how they will respond." The Prime Minister will announce plans for a Law Commission review of legislation to ensure that actions which are illegal offline are also illegal online. And she will pledge to establish a new annual internet safety transparency report, to provide data on how social media companies are dealing with abusive material. Ms May will endorse the recommendations of a report into intimidation produced last year by the Committee on Standards in Public Life, which called for legislation to shift the balance of liability for illegal content to the social media companies. A social media code of practice will be released later this year, while the Government will publish its Internet Safety Strategy in the spring. Reflecting on the centenary Ms May is expected to say: "As the woman at the head of our country's government, a century after my grandmothers were first given the right to vote, my mission is clear. Large crowd gathers for statue unveiling of Leicester suffragette Alice Hawkins "To build that better future for all our people, a country that works for everyone, and a democracy where every voice is heard." She will later address a reception in Parliament to launch a year-long Vote 100 programme of events to celebrate a century of female suffrage. All female MPs past and present have been invited, in what is expected to be the largest gathering of the UK's women politicians ever organised. Labour's shadow cabinet were meeting at the Museum of London, currently home to an exhibition on the suffragettes. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, said there are still too few women in Parliament (PA) Speaking outside the broom cupboard in the Palace of Westminster where Emily Davison hid overnight on census day in 1911 as part of the suffragette campaign, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "One hundred years later, the struggle for equality continues. "There are still too few women in Parliament, women still do not receive equal pay for equal work and many face discrimination in the workplace and in everyday life. "But the actions of Emily and other campaigners stay with us as we strive to build a truly equal society that works for the many, not the few." For the first time, the Parliamentary Archives will display four original Acts of Parliament extending the franchise. These are the 1918 Representation of the People Act itself, the 1918 Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act allowing women to be MPs, the Equal Franchise Act 1928 which gave women the vote on the same terms as men, and the Life Peerages Act 1958 which allowed women to sit in the House of Lords as life peers. Sex and the City actress Kim Cattrall has appealed for information about her brother, who went missing from his home in Canada almost a week ago. The actress used social media to ask for help, saying Christopher Cattrall had been reported missing from his home in Alberta since Tuesday. She said his keys, phone, and wallet were left on the table, the front door was unlocked, and his seven beloved dogs were unattended. This is not like Chris. He he would never leave his unlocked home without those items nor his 7 beloved dogs, she wrote. Chris is 55 years old, 6 feet tall, 200 pounds, blue eyes, short brown hair, goatee, average build and usually wearing a waist length hooded winter coat with black gloves, blue jeans and calf high black winter boots. She added: Hes a one of a kind brother. Help us bring him home safe. Please spread the world. Many thanks for reading this. Sarah Jessica Parker says she was heartbroken when she heard Kim Cattrall never considered them friends The 61-year-old actress, probably best known for playing the character of Samantha Jones in the New York-based television series Sex and the City, used her Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages to ask for help. Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage Show all 22 1 /22 Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318648.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318645.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318647.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318643.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318581.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318634.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318633.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318632.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318571.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318631.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318630.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318570.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318629.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318564.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318626.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318618.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318621.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318616.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318610.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318608.bin Getty Images Kim Cattrall on sex and the stage 318604.bin Getty Images She requested that anyone who knew where he was to contact the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in the town of Blackfalds, Alberta, or CrimeStoppers. His step daughter, Katie Osmond, also used social media to share photos of Mr Cattrall. She wrote: I know its hard to find people when theyve gone missing. Im praying that he comes home safe and unharmed. Former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar has been sentenced 40 to 125 years in prison for three counts of criminal sexual conduct in his third and final sentencing trial. Having also worked as a doctor at Michigan State, Nassar is said to have abused more than 265 young women and athletes including, often under the guise of medical treatment, and will spend the rest of his life behind bars. Judge Janice Cunningham said during the sentencing: "I am not convinced that you truly understand that what you did was wrong and the devastating impact that you've had on the victims, family and friends." Nassar apologised to the court and said the hundreds of victim impact statements read before him "impacted him to [his] innermost core." "With that being said, I understand and acknowledge that it pales in comparison to the pain, trauma and emotions that you all are feeling...It's impossible to convey the depth and breadth of how sorry I am to each and everyone involved. The visions of your testimonies will forever be present in my thoughts," he said. Some of his victims included 2012 Olympic gold medal-winning gymnasts McKayla Maroney, and Aly Raisman, who gave emotional statements in front of Nasser in his other sentencing trial along with 150 others. Father of victim lunges at Larry Nassar in shocking courtroom footage In that case, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said to Nassar: "Your decision to assault was precise, calculated, manipulative, devious, despicable. I dont have to add words because you survivors have said all of that and I dont want to repeat it." "Ive just signed your death warrant," Ms Aquilina said during the sentencing hearing. She sentenced Nasser up to 175 years in prison following the testimony of 160 women. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty He has also separately been sentenced in a federal court to 60 years in prison on three counts of child pornography as well. Per a deal reached last year with the 54-year-old, Nassar pleaded guilty to 10 sexual assault charges divided between two Michigan countries seven in Ingham County and three in Eaton County. In both plea deals, the minimum sentence was agreed to be 40 years. Separately, approximately 140 of his victims have filed a lawsuit against Nassar, USA Gymnastics (USAG), and Michigan State University (MSU) alleging the organisations knew about the abuse years before Nassar's arrest and failed to do anything about it. As a result of Nassar's crimes coming to light and criticism from victims, the US Olympic Committee has launched an independent investigation into USAG. The entire USAG board has resigned as well after the US Olympic Committee threatened to de-certify it as the governing body of the sport ahead of the 2020 Olympics. Sponsors have also backed out in light of the heinous scandal. Abuse survivor Annie Labrie had said "as detectives, attorneys and survivors have previously noted, a pedophile cannot flourish in the way Larry did in an environment that is not conducive to his behavior...He was prolific because surrounding authorities allowed him to be. Because the gymnastics world allowed him to be." The man the Trump administration has put forward to coordinate billions of dollars in assistance to migrants is alleged to have said on Twitter that Islam is a violent religion and that Christians should be given preferential treatment. The Washington Post says it has reviewed tweets, social media posts and radio appearances by Ken Isaacs, a vice president of the Christian relief organisation Samaritan's Purse, and found a number of derogatory comments about Muslims. The US media organisation claims that in June last year, following the terrorist attack in London Bridge, Mr Isaacs commented on a CNN International story claiming that the attack was "exactly what the Muslim faith instructs the faithful to do". In another tweet he is alleged to have said: "If Islam is a religion of peace, let's see 2 million Muslims in National Mall marching against jihad & stand for America! I haven't seen it!" And in response to Barack Obama's position on Syrian refugee relief in 2015, Mr Isaacs tweeted: "Refugees are 2grps. Some may go back and some can't return. Christians can never return. They must be 1st priority." Mr Isaacs has since made his Twitter account private, but screenshots of his tweets are being shared on the social networking site. He was announced on Thursday as the Trump administration's nominee to become director general of the United Nations' International Organisations for Migration (IOM), which has an annual operating budget of almost $1bn. In a statement to The Washington Post, Mr Isaacs said: "I deeply regret that my comments on social media have caused hurt and have undermined my professional record. "It was careless and it has caused concern among those who have expressed faith in my ability to affectively lead IOM. "I pledge to hold myself to the highest standards of humanity, human dignity and equality if chosen to lead IOM." Mr Isaacs comments are putting him at risk of being the first US nominee since the late 60s to lose an election to become the head of the IOM by the group's voting members. Eric Schwartz, president of Refugees International, told The Washington Post: "I don't know the nominee, but I've seen some of his statements and they reflect a troubling prejudice that is really incompatible with a position of leadership for the world's most important international migration agency. Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Show all 29 1 /29 Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Inauguration - 20 January 2017 US President Donald Trump acknowledges the audience after taking the oath of office as his wife Melania (L) and daughter Tiffany watch during inauguration ceremonies swearing in Trump as the 45th president of the United States on the West Front of the US capital in Washington on 20 January, 2017. Photographer Jim Bourg: "This photo was shot with one of two remote cameras. The cameras were monitored and triggered remotely and the pictures were transmitted to clients worldwide within minutes of being taken." Reuters/Jim Bourg Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Obama farewell address - 10 January 2017 US President Barack Obama wipes away tears as he delivers his farewell address in Chicago on 10 January, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "In his final days in office, Obama made a visit home to Chicago. As he spoke from the stage to his wife and daughter in the audience, he became emotional when he talked about what they had sacrificed during his time in office. I turned from photographing the Obama women embracing to find him onstage wiping away tears." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Inauguration - 20 January 2017 A combination of photos shows the crowds attending the inauguration ceremonies to swear in U.S. President Donald Trump at 12:01pm (left) on January 20, 2017 and President Barack Obama sometime between 12:07pm and 12:26pm on January 20, 2009. Reuters/ Lucas Jackson/Stelios Varias Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Liberty Ball - 20 January 2017 US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend the Liberty Ball in honour of his inauguration in Washington on 20 January, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "What I see when I look at this picture is the end of a very long day, not to mention weeks and months of preparation by many photographers, editors and network experts and the beginning of everything since." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception - 22 January 2017 US President Donald Trump greets Director of the FBI James Comey as Director of the Secret Service Joseph Clancy (L), watches during the Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception in the Blue Room of the White House on 22 January, 2017. Photographer Joshua Roberts: "I have covered the White House for 16 years and normally either the President or the pool is in position when an event starts. In this case the President was not where anyone expected him to be. In fact, he was almost blocking the door when the pool came in. We had to scramble to find a position without bumping him or the furniture as he greeted and thanked members of law enforcement for their security efforts during the inauguration. Luckily, he greeted FBI Director James Comey a few seconds after the pool had made its way into the room." Reuters/Joshua Roberts Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Private phone calls to world leaders - 28 January 2017 US President Donald Trump, is joined by his staff, as he speaks by phone with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in the Oval Office on 28 January, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "Very early in the Trump administration, weekends were as busy as weekdays. On Trump's second Saturday the official schedule said he would be making private phone calls to a number of world leaders including Russia's Vladimir Putin. I arrived early and, before sitting down at my desk walked up to Press Secretary Sean Spicer's office. He, too, was just taking his coat off. I gingerly made the suggestion that previous administrations had sometimes allowed photos of such phone calls through the Oval Office windows on the colonnade. To my mild shock, he didn't even think about it twice. "We'll do it!" he said. In truth, I really only expected the Putin call, but we were outside the windows multiple times throughout the day as the calls went on." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Senior advisor Kellyanne Conway - 27 February 2017 Senior advisor Kellyanne Conway (L) attends as US President Donald Trump welcomes the leaders of dozens of historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) in the Oval Office on 27 February, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "We're often asked how much access we have to the Trump administration, and the answer is we have an awful lot. President Trump himself is very comfortable in the spotlight, and his aides are similarly unfazed by cameras. In this instance, senior advisor Kellyanne Conway was so comfortable in our presence she seemed not to consider the optics of kneeling on a Oval Office sofa to take pictures with her phone." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Angela Merkel heads to Washington - 17 March 2017 Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump hold a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House on 17 March, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "Chancellor Merkel made one of the earliest important visits of any US allies to meet Trump in his first months in office. When world leaders give joint news conferences they don't always tend to give each other their full attention - but Merkel watched Trump intently at several key moments, and here seemed particularly rapt." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Trump welcomes truckers to the White House - 23 March 2017 President Trump reacts as he sits on a truck while he welcomes truckers and CEOs to attend a meeting regarding healthcare at the White House on 23 March, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "The White House organised a listening session with truckers and CEO's of major American companies, regarding healthcare reform. An 18-wheeler tow truck was parked on the South Lawn of the White House and as Trump welcomed the truckers someone invited the him to come and sit in the driver's seat. Trump jumped into the cab and started yelling and pretending to drive - creating one of the most memorable pictures of the year. A lesson learned, always be prepared for the unexpected." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Air Force One - 6 April 2017 US President Donald Trump talks to journalists members of the travel pool on board the Air Force One during his trip to Palm Beach, Florida on 6 April, 2017. Carlos Barria: "During the many trips to President Trump's residence in Florida it is usual to see the president coming to the back of the plane to chat with journalists. During one of the trips to the so called 'Winter White House', Trump had a long talk with reporters while the Air Force One entertainment system was playing one of the latest Star Wars movies. As I was listening to Trump talk I was also looking at the movie waiting for a part of the movie to frame the mood of the day. Of the many scenes, I choose the one with Darth Vader." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures 100 Days - 27 April 2017 US President Donald Trump speaks during an interview with Reuters in the Oval Office of the White House on 27 April, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "A day before President Trump's hundred days in office I was part of the team that interviewed the commander-in-chief in the Oval Office. I was only allowed to photograph Trump during the last five minutes of the interview. The time was very tight so I had to move fast as I had pictures in mind that I wanted to shoot. I walked into the Oval Office and saw that the President had printed maps of the country showing areas in red where he won. I raised my hands holding my camera as high as possible to get the best view of the scene using a 16mm wide angle lens." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures 100 Days - 27 April 2017 US President Donald Trump reacts as he arrives at Harrisburg international airport, before attending a rally marking his first 100 days in office in Pennsylvania on 29 April, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "President Trump travelled to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to celebrate his hundred days in office with a victory rally. He was in friendly territory as he won with a big difference over his opponent Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania, during the November elections. As usual when the commander-in-chief arrives local residents gather to greet him. This time a small group of military personnel attended the arrival. Surrounded by secret service agents Trump walked from the Air Force One and raised his hand in a sign of victory as the crowd cheered him on." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures White House staffers - 2 May 2017 White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer (L) and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus watch as US President Donald Trump presents the U.S. Air Force Academy football team with the Commander-in-Chief trophy in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on 2 May, 2017. Photographer Joshua Roberts: "Covering the White House does not just mean covering the President. White House staffers are an important part of the story and their relationship with the President and each other is an indicator of how things are going in the West Wing. The tendency is to focus exclusively on the President once an event starts but I always try to look around to see how people are reacting as things unfold." Reuters/Joshua Roberts Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Secret Service - 4 May 2017 Secret Service agents use a presidential limousine as cover from spraying water as US President Donald Trump lands via Marine One helicopter in New York on 4 May, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "The best part of any trip to New York City with the sitting US President is the helicopter ride into Manhattan. The ride out at night can be stunning. Here, Secret Service agents protect themselves from the spray from the East River as Trump lands on the helipad." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures NATO Summit - 25 May 2017 US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump wait the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron (unseen) before a lunch ahead of a NATO Summit in Brussels on 25 May, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "One of the best parts of travelling overseas for White House coverage is the chance to see the U.S. president in different environments and (literally) a different light. Here, Trump and his wife came out of the shadows to greet France's President Macron." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Trump meets Putin at G20 summit - 7 July 2017 US President Donald Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany on 7 July, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "On July 7, I witnessed one of the most important meetings of President Trump's first year in office. Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin during a bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Germany. The world's eyes were on these two leaders after speculation about Russian interference during the 2016 US elections. We entered the room for less than two minutes, where I took dozens of pictures. But there was this very interesting moment when Trump extended his hand to Putin for a handshake. Putin paused for a second and looked at Trump's hand. That was the picture that I was looking for, a little moment that seemed to say a lot." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures First lady - 8 July 2017 First lady Melania Trump chats with US President Donald Trump during their return from Germany at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on 8 July, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "After President Trump's trip to Germany he arrived back at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. First Lady Melania Trump said goodbye to Trump as she was heading off in a different direction that day. While chatting a breeze blew Melania's hair up in the air." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Made in America product showcase - 17 July 2017 Vice President Mike Pence laughs as President Donald Trump holds a baseball bat as they attend a Made in America product showcase event at the White House on 17 July, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "This summer the White House organized an event to showcase 'Made in America' products. All kinds of exhibitors brought their products as the President and Vice President toured the event. One of the companies was Marucci Sport, a manufacturer of baseball bats based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As Trump approached a table full of baseball bats, photographers at the event, including me, rushed to get a good angle hoping that he would pick up a bat. As we predicted, he did. He took one and joked around as though he was hitting something hard. The only thing closer to him right there, was the media." Reuters Donald Trump's first year: in pictures White House staffers - 25 July 2017 Former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski says hello to reporters as he and White House advisors including Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci accompany President Trump for an event celebrating veterans at AMVETS Post 44 in Ohio, July 25, 2017. Jonathan Ernst: "The most visible person in any White House is naturally the President, followed by the press secretary. But there are also the staff who support them. For those of us covering the Trump administration, there seem to be more compelling figures in the West Wing than ever before. It's crucial to know who's who and why they're important. When I raised my camera and back-pedalled ahead of the group to take this image Lewandowski gave me a hello. I liked the photo, but had no idea it would go a little bit viral, especially since Scaramucci, who was the biggest mover and shaker that week, was hidden back in the pack. But I guess the image catches a glimpse of what it's like to be a West Wing staffer on the road." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Campaign rally - 3 August 2017 US President Donald Trump arrives at a rally in West Virginia on 3 August, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "President Trump travelled to Huntington for one of his usual campaign rallies. While members of his family spoke to the crowd he was waiting under a black curtain to be introduced. Suddenly he walked onto the stage, one of the first frames that I took was of his hand. I set my exposure for the light on the stage hoping to create this dark background and it worked." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Staring into the solar eclipse - 21 August 2017 Without his protective glasses on, US President Donald Trump looks up towards the solar eclipse while viewing with his wife Melania and son Barron at the White House on 21 August, 2017. Photographer Kevin Lamarque: "On a day when everyone, and I mean everyone, was told not to look at the eclipse without protective glasses, Trump, President of the United States, couldn't help himself." Reuters/Kevin Lamarque Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Hurricane Harvey - 2 September 2017 US President Donald Trump poses for a photo as he and first lady Melania Trump help volunteers hand out meals during a visit with flood survivors of Hurricane Harvey at a relief centre in Houston, Texas on 2 September, 2017. Photohrapher Kevin Lamarque: "Trump, eager to deliver the image of a hands-on response to Hurricane Harvey, made this visit to a relief centre and obliged this woman with a selfie as Melania continued to work." Reuters/Kevin Lamarque Donald Trump's first year: in pictures White House - 15 September 2017 Donald Trump welcomes 11-year-old Frank Giaccio as he cuts the Rose Garden grass at the White House on 15 September. Frank, who wrote a letter to Trump offering to mow the lawn, was invited to work for a day at the White House along the National Park Service staff. Frank was so focused on his task that he did not notice the President arrive to surprise him. He took his father jumping in to grab his attention and point Trump out. Photographer Carlos Barria said: The image of Trump shouting at a kid who is mowing his lawn might have many interpretations in today's politically polarized United States. But for me it was just a kid who loved what he was doing, to the point he almost appeared to ignore the President." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Take a knee - 27 September 2017 A man kneels with a folded U.S. flag as the motorcade of U.S. President Donald Trump passes him after an event at the state fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S., September 27, 2017. In September, soon after Trump had made comments condemning NFL players who kneel during the national anthem, he made a day trip to a rally in Indianapolis. Jonathan Ernst managed to capture a man on one knee with a tri-folded flag and was able to use a portion of the sign on the building he was kneeling in front of to track the man down and tell his story in full. US Army veteran Marvin Boatright wanted to send a message against social injustice. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Hurricane Maria - 3 October 2017 President Donald Trump throws rolls of paper towels into a crowd of local residents affected by Hurricane Maria as he visits Calgary Chapel in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 3 October, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "During an afternoon visit to Puerto Rico for President Trump to survey damage from Hurricane Maria and greet some of its victims, Trump made a stop at a church where food and supplies were being distributed. Among the items were paper towels and Trump, apparently caught up in the moment, decided to distribute some of the rolls." Reuters Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Jared Kushner - 1 November 2017 White House Senior adviser Jared Kushner sits behind President Trump during a cabinet meeting in Washington on 1 November, 2017. Photographer Kevin Lamarque: "The role of Jared Kushner has gone through a series of changes. He began front and centre as a high profile adviser, but as time has passed and issues surrounding him have surfaced, he has become more of a background figure." Reuters/Kevin Lamarque Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Trump in China - 9 November 2017 Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands after making joint statements at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 9 November, 2017. Photographer Damir Sagolj: "It's one of those "how to make a better or at least different shot when two presidents shake hands several times a day, several days in row". If I'm not mistaken in calculation, presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump shook their hands at least six times in events I covered during Trump's recent visit to China. I would imagine there were some more handshakes I haven't seen but other photographers did. And they all look similar - two big men, smiling and heartily greeting each other until everyone gets their shot. But then there is always something that can make it special - in this case the background made of US and Chinese flags. The first time it didn't work for me. The second time I positioned myself lower and centrally, and used the longest lens I have to capture only hands reaching for a handshake." Reuters/Damir Sagolj Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Air Force One - 10 November 2017 US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One to depart for Vietnam from Beijing Airport in Beijing, China, November 10, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "There is a Reuters photographer in the tight pool covering the US president for every appearance he makes 365 days a year. This was just one of 32 images of mine that were transmitted on the Reuters wire of President Trump visiting China and Vietnam that day. You never know when a sudden interaction, a gust of wind or a unique facial expression will lead to a striking image that grabs peoples' attention." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures ASEAN handshake - 13 November 2017 Donald Trump registers his surprise as he realises other leaders, including Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte and Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, are crossing their arms for the traditional "ASEAN handshake" as he participates in the opening ceremony of the summit in Manila on 13 November, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "Having covered a few ASEAN summits, I knew to expect the ASEAN handshake. Not everyone in the room knew to expect the ASEAN handshake. A lot was written about this unscripted moment, and what deeper meaning it might have. The simple truth is that sometimes in life there are unscripted moments." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst "The person who leads this needs to be a symbol of the international community's support for humanity. "And that means dark-skin people and Muslim people have the same inherent worth as any other people." Mr Isaac is also alleged to have labelled the connection between national security and climate change "a joke". In reference to the Paris climate accord in 2015, he is said to have written on Facebook: "The meeting in Paris next week is not going to be a rebuke to ISIS. "It is going to be a dinner joke, a laughing stock, and a diversion of all the real issues." This apparent dismissal of climate change not being a 'real issue' might also cause a problem for Mr Isaacs and his nomination considering that the UN's official stance on international migration is that it is directly impacted by climate change and dwindling natural resources. However, the State Department has said it will continue to support the nomination of Mr Isaacs, citing his record of helping people through his Samaritan's Purse organisation. A statement to The Washington Post from spokesperson Heather Nauert said: "Mr Isaacs has apologised for the comments he posted on his private social media account. "We believe that was proper for him to do so. "Mr Isaacs is committed to helping refugees and has a long history of assisting those who are suffering. "We believe that if chosen to lead IOM, he would treat people fairly and with the dignity and respect they deserve." Carter Page, the former Trump campaign adviser referred to in the so-called Nunes memo, says he feels vindicated by its publication and believes it will help a defamation lawsuit he is pursuing. I feel great. I feel really happy, Mr Page told The Independent. I think [the memos publication] will do a lot. The memo, released last week by the US House Intelligence Committee, details what Republicans claim was an inappropriate effort by Barack Obamas Department of Justice in October 2016 to obtain a warrant to carry out surveillance against Mr Page, who served for several months as an adviser to the Trump campaign. The memo claims the application placed before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court had failed to make clear that some of the information used to make the request had been gathered by former British spy, Christopher Steele, who had been contracted by a Washington research company, which had in turn been paid to collect damaging information on Mr Trump first by a wealthy Republican donor and then by Hillary Clintons campaign. The memo also acknowledged the FBI had started its probe several months before it obtained Mr Steeles dossier, having been tipped off by Australian diplomats about another of Mr Trumps advisers, George Papadopoulos, claiming Russia wanted to provide incriminating material about Ms Clinton. Democrats on the committee are seeking to release their own memo, something they say would answer criticisms raised by Republicans but which the Republican leadership of the committee has so far declined to give permission for. Donald Trump says Nunes memo is declassified and Congress will "do whatever" with it Mr Page, 46, an American oil industry consultant was reportedly interviewed last year by the staff of Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller, who is investigating possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russias alleged interference in the 2016 election. He has always denied any wrong doing and has said he has zero concern he may among those to be charged by Mr Muellers team. The Special Prosecutor has so far issued indictments against four men linked to the Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and his associate Rick Gates, who have pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering and conspiracy, and former advisers Michael Flynn and Mr Papadopoulos, who have pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and are cooperating with the investigation. Last year, Mr Page filed a defamation lawsuit against Yahoo and the Huffington Post, over a story that said he was under investigation for meeting Russian officials who meddled in the election. The suit also targeted the Broadcasting Board of Governors, whose outlets Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, both controlled by the United States, wrote an account based off of the Yahoo article. The lawsuit claims the articles represented perhaps the most dangerous, reckless, irresponsible and historically-instrumental moments in modern-day sensational crime story journalism. Mr Page said he believed his legal case had been strengthened by the publication of the Republican memo. Im very optimistic, he said, speaking by phone. The legal process is just beginning. The fight for justice is just beginning. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Mr Page said although the person who made many allegations against him was a former member of MI6, he said he believed the strategic relationship between the US and UK could actually be strengthened. A former head of GCHQ was once quoted as suggesting that Snowdens accurate disclosures regarding mass surveillance represented the most catastrophic loss to British intelligence ever, he said. Assuming that assessment might be correct, the 2016 dodgy dossier-based fictional court submission had a similar impact on the Constitutional integrity of the US. But our countries and indeed the world are fortunate that the false gossip circulated by our respective intelligence communities did not inspire more geopolitical conflict this time, as the original dodgy dossier once helped inspire with the Bush/Blair Iraq disaster. He added: Instead, and as recently seen in Davos, each of our current national leaders have shown better judgment by focusing their efforts on far more productive endeavors this time around. Democrats are pushing to have their own memo on the FBI and its Russia investigation released by Congress, after a similar note penned by Republicans was made public with President Donald Trump's blessing. The Republican memo accuses senior FBI and Justice Department officials of using unverified information from a politically biased source when they sought a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to monitor the communications of former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page and his ties to Russia. Mr Trump said he was "vindicate[d]" by the memo drafted by the Republican House Intelligence Committee chair, Devin Nunes, after it was declassified on Friday. Tweeting from his resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, the President called special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation a "witch hunt" and a "disgrace". Despite it being embraced wholeheartedly by Mr Trump, the Republican memo features "mischaracterisations" of the FBI's actions and lacks crucial context, Democrats told the New York Times. They say their 10-page rebuttal would "correct" these errors. Last week, the Republican-controlled House Intelligence Committee rejected a move to release the Democrat memo. One Republican member said revisions were needed so it wouldn't endanger national security. The Senate's Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, urged Mr Trump to back the public release and said refusing to do so would show the President's intent to undermine the Russia investigation. Donald Trump says Nunes memo is declassified and Congress will "do whatever" with it The Republican memo takes aim at the FBI's use of information from former British spy Christopher Steele, who compiled a dossier containing allegations of ties between Mr Trump, his associates and Russia. The memo's central allegation is that agents and prosecutors, in applying in October 2016 to monitor Mr Page's communications, failed to tell a judge the opposition research that provided grounds for the FBI's suspicion received funding from Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Mr Page had stopped advising the campaign sometime around the end of that summer. Mr Steele's research, according to the memo, "formed an essential part" of the warrant application. But it's unclear how much or what information Mr Steele collected made it into the application, or how much has been corroborated. Republicans say a judge should have known "political actors" were involved in allegations that led the Justice Department to believe Mr Page might be an agent of a foreign power, an accusation he has consistently denied. The memo confirms the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign began in July 2016, months before the surveillance warrant was sought, and was "triggered" by information concerning campaign aide George Papadopoulos. He pleaded guilty last year to lying to the FBI. The committee's top Democrat, Adam Schiff, branded the GOP memo "a political hit job." He questioned whether the chairman, Mr Nunes, had coordinated with the White House in drafting the document seized on by the President to vent his grievances against the nation's premier law enforcement agencies. The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Show all 17 1 /17 The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Paul Manafort Mr Manafort is a Republican strategist and former Trump campaign manager. He resigned from that post over questions about his extensive lobbying overseas, including in Ukraine where he represented pro-Russian interests. Mr Manafort turned himself in at FBI headquarters to special counsel Robert Muellers team on Oct 30, 2017, after he was indicted under seal on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. Getty The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rick Gates Mr Gates joined the Trump team in spring 2016, and served as a top aide until he left to work at the Republican National Committee after the departure of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mr Gates' had previously worked on several presidential campaigns, on international political campaigns in Europe and Africa, and had 15 years of political or financial experience with multinational firms, according to his bio. Mr Gates was indicted alongside Mr Manafort by special counsel Robert Mueller's team on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. AP The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation George Papadopoulos George Papadopoulos was a former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, having joined around March 2016. Mr Papadopoulos plead guilty to federal charges for lying to the FBI as a part of a cooperation agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Mr Papadopoulos claimed in an interview with the FBI that he had made contacts with Russian sources before joining the Trump campaign, but he actually began working with them after joining the team. Mr Papadopoulos allegedly took a meeting with a professor in London who reportedly told him that Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. The professor also allegedly introduced Mr Papadopoulos to a Russian who was said to have close ties to officials at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Papadopoulos also allegedly was in contact with a woman whom he incorrectly described in one email to others in the campaign as the "niece" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Twitter The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Donald Trump Jr The President's eldest son met with a Russian lawyer - Natalia Veselnitskaya - on 9 June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York. He said in an initial statement that the meeting was about Russia halting adoptions of its children by US citizens. Then, he said it was regarding the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. In a final statement, Mr Trump Jr released a chain of emails that revealed he took the meeting in hopes of getting information Ms Veselnitskaya had about Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. He and the President called it standard "opposition research" in the course of campaigning and that no information came from the meeting. The meeting was set up by an intermediary, Rob Goldstone. Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort were also at the same meeting. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jared Kushner Mr Kushner is President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a key adviser to the White House. He met with a Russian banker appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December. Mr Kushner has said he did so in his role as an adviser to Mr Trump while the bank says he did so as a private developer. Mr Kushner has also volunteered to testify in the Senate about his role helping to arrange meetings between Trump advisers and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rob Goldstone Former tabloid journalist and now music publicist Rob Goldstone is a contact of the Trump family through the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which took place in Moscow. In June 2016, he wrote to Donald Trump Jr offering a meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalya Veselnitskaya, who had information about Hillary Clinton. Mr Goldstone was the intermediary for Russian pop star Emin Agalaraov and his father, real estate magnate Aras, who played a role in putting on the 2013 pageant. In an email chain released by Mr Trump Jr, Mr Goldstone seemed to indicate Russian government's support of Donald Trump's campaign. AP images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Aras and Emin Agalarov Aras Agalarov (R) is a wealthy Moscow-based real estate magnate and son Emin (L) is a pop star. Both played a role in putting on the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. They allegedly had information about Hillary Clinton and offered that information to the Trump campaign through a lawyer with whom they had worked with, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and music publicist Rob Goldstone. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Natalia Veselnitskaya Natalia Veselnitskaya is a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin. She has worked on real estate issues and reportedly counted the FSB as a client in the past. She has ties to a Trump family connection, real estate magnate Aras Agalarov, who had helped set up the Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant which took place in Moscow. Ms Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort in Trump Tower on 9 June 2016 but denies the allegation that she went there promising information on Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. She contends that the meeting was about the US adoptions of Russian children being stopped by Moscow as a reaction to the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Mike Flynn Mr Flynn was named as Trump's national security adviser but was forced to resign from his post for inappropriate communication with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. He had misrepresented a conversation he had with Mr Kislyak to Vice President Mike Pence, telling him wrongly that he had not discussed sanctions with the Russian. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sergey Kislyak Mr Kislyak, the former longtime Russian ambassador to the US, is at the centre of the web said to connect President Donald Trump's campaign with Russia. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Roger Stone Mr Stone is a former Trump adviser who worked on the political campaigns of Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Mr Stone claimed repeatedly in the final months of the campaign that he had backchannel communications with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and that he knew the group was going to dump damaging documents to the campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton - which did happen. Mr Stone also had contacts with the hacker Guccier 2.0 on Twitter, who claimed to have hacked the DNC and is linked to Russian intelligence services. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeff Sessions The US attorney general was forced to recuse himself from the Trump-Russia investigation after it was learned that he had lied about meeting with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Carter Page Mr Page is a former advisor to the Trump campaign and has a background working as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Mr Page met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Mr Page had invested in oil companies connected to Russia and had admitted that US Russia sanctions had hurt his bottom line. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeffrey "JD" Gorden Mr Gordon met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republian National Convention to discuss how the US and Russia could work together to combat Islamist extremism should then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump win the election. The meeting came days before a massive leak of DNC emails that has been connected to Russia. Creative Commons The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation James Comey Mr Comey was fired from his post as head of the FBI by President Donald Trump. The timing of Mr Comey's firing raised questions around whether or not the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign may have played a role in the decision. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Preet Bharara Mr Bahara refused, alongside 46 other US district attorney's across the country, to resign once President Donald Trump took office after previous assurances from Mr Trump that he would keep his job. Mr Bahara had been heading up several investigations including one into one of President Donald Trump's favorite cable television channels Fox News. Several investigations would lead back to that district, too, including those into Mr Trump's campaign ties to Russia, and Mr Trump's assertion that Trump Tower was wiretapped on orders from his predecessor. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sally Yates Ms Yates, a former Deputy Attorney General, was running the Justice Department while President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general awaited confirmation. Ms Yates was later fired by Mr Trump from her temporary post over her refusal to implement Mr Trump's first travel ban. She had also warned the White House about potential ties former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to Russia after discovering those ties during the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's connections to Russia. Getty Images "The goal here is to undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI, discredit the Mueller investigation, do the president's bidding," Mr Schiff said. "I think it's very possible his staff worked with the White House." Mr Nunes was asked during a committee meeting on 29 January whether he had coordinated the memo with the White House. "As far as I know, no," he responded, then refused to answer when asked whether his staff members had communicated with the White House. He had previously apologised for sharing with the White House secret intelligence intercepts related to an investigation of Russian election interference before talking to committee members. Additional reporting by agencies US President Donald Trump has accused the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee of "illegally leak[ing] confidential information" in a row over a Republican memo criticising the FBI. The President, who authorised the release of the previously confidential memo and said it "vindicated" his claims of unfair surveillance from the intelligence committee, also lashed out at a host of former senior intelligence chiefs in addition to Congressman Adam Schiff. Mr Trump tweeted: "Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped!" The tweet refers to ex-FBI director James Comey, senior Democrat Senator Mark Warner, former CIA director John Brennan and James Clapper, the former US Director of National Intelligence. Mr Schiff and Mr Brennan were among those who criticised the release of the Republican memo which, drafted by House Intelligence Committee Devin Nunes, accused senior FBI and Justice Department officials of using unverified information from a politically biased source when they sought a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to monitor the communications of former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page and his ties to Russia. Donald Trump says Nunes memo is declassified and Congress will "do whatever" with it The memo claimed that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) only issued a warrant to surveil Mr Page based on a dossier authored by former UK intelligence officer Christopher Steele. The memo said there was "clear evidence of [Mr Steele's] bias" against Mr Trump and his "anti-Trump financial and ideological motivations." In a statement, Mr Nunes had alleged "serious violations of public trust" by the FBI over their conduct in the Russia investigation. It also argued that Mr Steele should have been terminated by the bureau from his role as a paid FBI source at least one month earlier than he was because of he violated confidentiality rules by speaking to the media and that senior officials within the Department of Justice (DOJ) were aware of Mr Steele's biases. The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Show all 17 1 /17 The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Paul Manafort Mr Manafort is a Republican strategist and former Trump campaign manager. He resigned from that post over questions about his extensive lobbying overseas, including in Ukraine where he represented pro-Russian interests. Mr Manafort turned himself in at FBI headquarters to special counsel Robert Muellers team on Oct 30, 2017, after he was indicted under seal on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. Getty The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rick Gates Mr Gates joined the Trump team in spring 2016, and served as a top aide until he left to work at the Republican National Committee after the departure of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mr Gates' had previously worked on several presidential campaigns, on international political campaigns in Europe and Africa, and had 15 years of political or financial experience with multinational firms, according to his bio. Mr Gates was indicted alongside Mr Manafort by special counsel Robert Mueller's team on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. AP The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation George Papadopoulos George Papadopoulos was a former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, having joined around March 2016. Mr Papadopoulos plead guilty to federal charges for lying to the FBI as a part of a cooperation agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Mr Papadopoulos claimed in an interview with the FBI that he had made contacts with Russian sources before joining the Trump campaign, but he actually began working with them after joining the team. Mr Papadopoulos allegedly took a meeting with a professor in London who reportedly told him that Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. The professor also allegedly introduced Mr Papadopoulos to a Russian who was said to have close ties to officials at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Papadopoulos also allegedly was in contact with a woman whom he incorrectly described in one email to others in the campaign as the "niece" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Twitter The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Donald Trump Jr The President's eldest son met with a Russian lawyer - Natalia Veselnitskaya - on 9 June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York. He said in an initial statement that the meeting was about Russia halting adoptions of its children by US citizens. Then, he said it was regarding the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. In a final statement, Mr Trump Jr released a chain of emails that revealed he took the meeting in hopes of getting information Ms Veselnitskaya had about Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. He and the President called it standard "opposition research" in the course of campaigning and that no information came from the meeting. The meeting was set up by an intermediary, Rob Goldstone. Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort were also at the same meeting. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jared Kushner Mr Kushner is President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a key adviser to the White House. He met with a Russian banker appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December. Mr Kushner has said he did so in his role as an adviser to Mr Trump while the bank says he did so as a private developer. Mr Kushner has also volunteered to testify in the Senate about his role helping to arrange meetings between Trump advisers and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rob Goldstone Former tabloid journalist and now music publicist Rob Goldstone is a contact of the Trump family through the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which took place in Moscow. In June 2016, he wrote to Donald Trump Jr offering a meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalya Veselnitskaya, who had information about Hillary Clinton. Mr Goldstone was the intermediary for Russian pop star Emin Agalaraov and his father, real estate magnate Aras, who played a role in putting on the 2013 pageant. In an email chain released by Mr Trump Jr, Mr Goldstone seemed to indicate Russian government's support of Donald Trump's campaign. AP images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Aras and Emin Agalarov Aras Agalarov (R) is a wealthy Moscow-based real estate magnate and son Emin (L) is a pop star. Both played a role in putting on the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. They allegedly had information about Hillary Clinton and offered that information to the Trump campaign through a lawyer with whom they had worked with, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and music publicist Rob Goldstone. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Natalia Veselnitskaya Natalia Veselnitskaya is a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin. She has worked on real estate issues and reportedly counted the FSB as a client in the past. She has ties to a Trump family connection, real estate magnate Aras Agalarov, who had helped set up the Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant which took place in Moscow. Ms Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort in Trump Tower on 9 June 2016 but denies the allegation that she went there promising information on Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. She contends that the meeting was about the US adoptions of Russian children being stopped by Moscow as a reaction to the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Mike Flynn Mr Flynn was named as Trump's national security adviser but was forced to resign from his post for inappropriate communication with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. He had misrepresented a conversation he had with Mr Kislyak to Vice President Mike Pence, telling him wrongly that he had not discussed sanctions with the Russian. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sergey Kislyak Mr Kislyak, the former longtime Russian ambassador to the US, is at the centre of the web said to connect President Donald Trump's campaign with Russia. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Roger Stone Mr Stone is a former Trump adviser who worked on the political campaigns of Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Mr Stone claimed repeatedly in the final months of the campaign that he had backchannel communications with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and that he knew the group was going to dump damaging documents to the campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton - which did happen. Mr Stone also had contacts with the hacker Guccier 2.0 on Twitter, who claimed to have hacked the DNC and is linked to Russian intelligence services. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeff Sessions The US attorney general was forced to recuse himself from the Trump-Russia investigation after it was learned that he had lied about meeting with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Carter Page Mr Page is a former advisor to the Trump campaign and has a background working as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Mr Page met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Mr Page had invested in oil companies connected to Russia and had admitted that US Russia sanctions had hurt his bottom line. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeffrey "JD" Gorden Mr Gordon met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republian National Convention to discuss how the US and Russia could work together to combat Islamist extremism should then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump win the election. The meeting came days before a massive leak of DNC emails that has been connected to Russia. Creative Commons The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation James Comey Mr Comey was fired from his post as head of the FBI by President Donald Trump. The timing of Mr Comey's firing raised questions around whether or not the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign may have played a role in the decision. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Preet Bharara Mr Bahara refused, alongside 46 other US district attorney's across the country, to resign once President Donald Trump took office after previous assurances from Mr Trump that he would keep his job. Mr Bahara had been heading up several investigations including one into one of President Donald Trump's favorite cable television channels Fox News. Several investigations would lead back to that district, too, including those into Mr Trump's campaign ties to Russia, and Mr Trump's assertion that Trump Tower was wiretapped on orders from his predecessor. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sally Yates Ms Yates, a former Deputy Attorney General, was running the Justice Department while President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general awaited confirmation. Ms Yates was later fired by Mr Trump from her temporary post over her refusal to implement Mr Trump's first travel ban. She had also warned the White House about potential ties former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to Russia after discovering those ties during the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's connections to Russia. Getty Images "Our intelligence and law enforcement agencies exist to defend the American people, not to be exploited to target one group on behalf of another. It is my hope that the Committees actions will shine a light on this alarming series of events so we can make reforms that allow the American people to have full faith and confidence in their governing institutions," his statement said. The memo's release is also seen by many experts has another blow to the already fragile relationship between the FBI and Trump administration, which has been cause for public controversy since Mr Comey's sacking in May 2017. In the wake of the memo release, Mr Schiff said in a statement that "the Republican document mischaracterises highly sensitive classified information that few members of Congress have seen, and which Chairman Nunes himself chose not to review," Mr Schiff said. Democrats told CNN that former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe never said the Steele dossier was the basis for the FISA warrant. Asha Rangappa, a law professor at Yale and former FBI counterintelligence agent who has applied for surveillance warrants, told BuzzFeed News that in order to get the warrant there would have been a massive case file that could have been open for months or years with surveillance logs and interviews with sources...I just cant imagine they would have relied only on the dossier." President Donald Trump has appeared to jokingly accuse Democrats of treasonous behaviour for choosing not to applaud him during his first State of the Union address last week. During a speech in Blue Ash, Ohio, Mr Trump said the Democrats gave off bad energy during the address by failing to even clap at the positive economic news. The President called the reception un-American and went further by saying he would call it treason. Recommended Trump falsely claims record State of the Union speech TV ratings Shall we call that treason? Why not? he said, smiling as the audience laughed. It has become standard for members of the Presidents opposing party to give him a chilly reception as he updates the nation during the annual State of the Union address. But in a move that will likely play well with his base of supporters, Mr Trump said he believed Democrats were merely indicating their lack of patriotism. They certainly didnt seem to love our country very much, said Mr Trump, who has repeatedly made it clear that he loves applause and recognition. There was no question that Democrats were not as excited as Republicans to witness Mr Trumps address last week in-person. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus sat stone-faced in their seats as the President took credit for the USs record-low black unemployment rate even though the rate had decreased most significantly under former President Barack Obama. Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Show all 29 1 /29 Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Inauguration - 20 January 2017 US President Donald Trump acknowledges the audience after taking the oath of office as his wife Melania (L) and daughter Tiffany watch during inauguration ceremonies swearing in Trump as the 45th president of the United States on the West Front of the US capital in Washington on 20 January, 2017. Photographer Jim Bourg: "This photo was shot with one of two remote cameras. The cameras were monitored and triggered remotely and the pictures were transmitted to clients worldwide within minutes of being taken." Reuters/Jim Bourg Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Obama farewell address - 10 January 2017 US President Barack Obama wipes away tears as he delivers his farewell address in Chicago on 10 January, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "In his final days in office, Obama made a visit home to Chicago. As he spoke from the stage to his wife and daughter in the audience, he became emotional when he talked about what they had sacrificed during his time in office. I turned from photographing the Obama women embracing to find him onstage wiping away tears." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Inauguration - 20 January 2017 A combination of photos shows the crowds attending the inauguration ceremonies to swear in U.S. President Donald Trump at 12:01pm (left) on January 20, 2017 and President Barack Obama sometime between 12:07pm and 12:26pm on January 20, 2009. Reuters/ Lucas Jackson/Stelios Varias Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Liberty Ball - 20 January 2017 US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend the Liberty Ball in honour of his inauguration in Washington on 20 January, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "What I see when I look at this picture is the end of a very long day, not to mention weeks and months of preparation by many photographers, editors and network experts and the beginning of everything since." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception - 22 January 2017 US President Donald Trump greets Director of the FBI James Comey as Director of the Secret Service Joseph Clancy (L), watches during the Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception in the Blue Room of the White House on 22 January, 2017. Photographer Joshua Roberts: "I have covered the White House for 16 years and normally either the President or the pool is in position when an event starts. In this case the President was not where anyone expected him to be. In fact, he was almost blocking the door when the pool came in. We had to scramble to find a position without bumping him or the furniture as he greeted and thanked members of law enforcement for their security efforts during the inauguration. Luckily, he greeted FBI Director James Comey a few seconds after the pool had made its way into the room." Reuters/Joshua Roberts Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Private phone calls to world leaders - 28 January 2017 US President Donald Trump, is joined by his staff, as he speaks by phone with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in the Oval Office on 28 January, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "Very early in the Trump administration, weekends were as busy as weekdays. On Trump's second Saturday the official schedule said he would be making private phone calls to a number of world leaders including Russia's Vladimir Putin. I arrived early and, before sitting down at my desk walked up to Press Secretary Sean Spicer's office. He, too, was just taking his coat off. I gingerly made the suggestion that previous administrations had sometimes allowed photos of such phone calls through the Oval Office windows on the colonnade. To my mild shock, he didn't even think about it twice. "We'll do it!" he said. In truth, I really only expected the Putin call, but we were outside the windows multiple times throughout the day as the calls went on." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Senior advisor Kellyanne Conway - 27 February 2017 Senior advisor Kellyanne Conway (L) attends as US President Donald Trump welcomes the leaders of dozens of historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) in the Oval Office on 27 February, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "We're often asked how much access we have to the Trump administration, and the answer is we have an awful lot. President Trump himself is very comfortable in the spotlight, and his aides are similarly unfazed by cameras. In this instance, senior advisor Kellyanne Conway was so comfortable in our presence she seemed not to consider the optics of kneeling on a Oval Office sofa to take pictures with her phone." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Angela Merkel heads to Washington - 17 March 2017 Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump hold a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House on 17 March, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "Chancellor Merkel made one of the earliest important visits of any US allies to meet Trump in his first months in office. When world leaders give joint news conferences they don't always tend to give each other their full attention - but Merkel watched Trump intently at several key moments, and here seemed particularly rapt." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Trump welcomes truckers to the White House - 23 March 2017 President Trump reacts as he sits on a truck while he welcomes truckers and CEOs to attend a meeting regarding healthcare at the White House on 23 March, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "The White House organised a listening session with truckers and CEO's of major American companies, regarding healthcare reform. An 18-wheeler tow truck was parked on the South Lawn of the White House and as Trump welcomed the truckers someone invited the him to come and sit in the driver's seat. Trump jumped into the cab and started yelling and pretending to drive - creating one of the most memorable pictures of the year. A lesson learned, always be prepared for the unexpected." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Air Force One - 6 April 2017 US President Donald Trump talks to journalists members of the travel pool on board the Air Force One during his trip to Palm Beach, Florida on 6 April, 2017. Carlos Barria: "During the many trips to President Trump's residence in Florida it is usual to see the president coming to the back of the plane to chat with journalists. During one of the trips to the so called 'Winter White House', Trump had a long talk with reporters while the Air Force One entertainment system was playing one of the latest Star Wars movies. As I was listening to Trump talk I was also looking at the movie waiting for a part of the movie to frame the mood of the day. Of the many scenes, I choose the one with Darth Vader." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures 100 Days - 27 April 2017 US President Donald Trump speaks during an interview with Reuters in the Oval Office of the White House on 27 April, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "A day before President Trump's hundred days in office I was part of the team that interviewed the commander-in-chief in the Oval Office. I was only allowed to photograph Trump during the last five minutes of the interview. The time was very tight so I had to move fast as I had pictures in mind that I wanted to shoot. I walked into the Oval Office and saw that the President had printed maps of the country showing areas in red where he won. I raised my hands holding my camera as high as possible to get the best view of the scene using a 16mm wide angle lens." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures 100 Days - 27 April 2017 US President Donald Trump reacts as he arrives at Harrisburg international airport, before attending a rally marking his first 100 days in office in Pennsylvania on 29 April, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "President Trump travelled to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to celebrate his hundred days in office with a victory rally. He was in friendly territory as he won with a big difference over his opponent Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania, during the November elections. As usual when the commander-in-chief arrives local residents gather to greet him. This time a small group of military personnel attended the arrival. Surrounded by secret service agents Trump walked from the Air Force One and raised his hand in a sign of victory as the crowd cheered him on." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures White House staffers - 2 May 2017 White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer (L) and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus watch as US President Donald Trump presents the U.S. Air Force Academy football team with the Commander-in-Chief trophy in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on 2 May, 2017. Photographer Joshua Roberts: "Covering the White House does not just mean covering the President. White House staffers are an important part of the story and their relationship with the President and each other is an indicator of how things are going in the West Wing. The tendency is to focus exclusively on the President once an event starts but I always try to look around to see how people are reacting as things unfold." Reuters/Joshua Roberts Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Secret Service - 4 May 2017 Secret Service agents use a presidential limousine as cover from spraying water as US President Donald Trump lands via Marine One helicopter in New York on 4 May, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "The best part of any trip to New York City with the sitting US President is the helicopter ride into Manhattan. The ride out at night can be stunning. Here, Secret Service agents protect themselves from the spray from the East River as Trump lands on the helipad." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures NATO Summit - 25 May 2017 US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump wait the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron (unseen) before a lunch ahead of a NATO Summit in Brussels on 25 May, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "One of the best parts of travelling overseas for White House coverage is the chance to see the U.S. president in different environments and (literally) a different light. Here, Trump and his wife came out of the shadows to greet France's President Macron." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Trump meets Putin at G20 summit - 7 July 2017 US President Donald Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany on 7 July, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "On July 7, I witnessed one of the most important meetings of President Trump's first year in office. Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin during a bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Germany. The world's eyes were on these two leaders after speculation about Russian interference during the 2016 US elections. We entered the room for less than two minutes, where I took dozens of pictures. But there was this very interesting moment when Trump extended his hand to Putin for a handshake. Putin paused for a second and looked at Trump's hand. That was the picture that I was looking for, a little moment that seemed to say a lot." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures First lady - 8 July 2017 First lady Melania Trump chats with US President Donald Trump during their return from Germany at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on 8 July, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "After President Trump's trip to Germany he arrived back at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. First Lady Melania Trump said goodbye to Trump as she was heading off in a different direction that day. While chatting a breeze blew Melania's hair up in the air." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Made in America product showcase - 17 July 2017 Vice President Mike Pence laughs as President Donald Trump holds a baseball bat as they attend a Made in America product showcase event at the White House on 17 July, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "This summer the White House organized an event to showcase 'Made in America' products. All kinds of exhibitors brought their products as the President and Vice President toured the event. One of the companies was Marucci Sport, a manufacturer of baseball bats based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As Trump approached a table full of baseball bats, photographers at the event, including me, rushed to get a good angle hoping that he would pick up a bat. As we predicted, he did. He took one and joked around as though he was hitting something hard. The only thing closer to him right there, was the media." Reuters Donald Trump's first year: in pictures White House staffers - 25 July 2017 Former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski says hello to reporters as he and White House advisors including Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci accompany President Trump for an event celebrating veterans at AMVETS Post 44 in Ohio, July 25, 2017. Jonathan Ernst: "The most visible person in any White House is naturally the President, followed by the press secretary. But there are also the staff who support them. For those of us covering the Trump administration, there seem to be more compelling figures in the West Wing than ever before. It's crucial to know who's who and why they're important. When I raised my camera and back-pedalled ahead of the group to take this image Lewandowski gave me a hello. I liked the photo, but had no idea it would go a little bit viral, especially since Scaramucci, who was the biggest mover and shaker that week, was hidden back in the pack. But I guess the image catches a glimpse of what it's like to be a West Wing staffer on the road." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Campaign rally - 3 August 2017 US President Donald Trump arrives at a rally in West Virginia on 3 August, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "President Trump travelled to Huntington for one of his usual campaign rallies. While members of his family spoke to the crowd he was waiting under a black curtain to be introduced. Suddenly he walked onto the stage, one of the first frames that I took was of his hand. I set my exposure for the light on the stage hoping to create this dark background and it worked." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Staring into the solar eclipse - 21 August 2017 Without his protective glasses on, US President Donald Trump looks up towards the solar eclipse while viewing with his wife Melania and son Barron at the White House on 21 August, 2017. Photographer Kevin Lamarque: "On a day when everyone, and I mean everyone, was told not to look at the eclipse without protective glasses, Trump, President of the United States, couldn't help himself." Reuters/Kevin Lamarque Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Hurricane Harvey - 2 September 2017 US President Donald Trump poses for a photo as he and first lady Melania Trump help volunteers hand out meals during a visit with flood survivors of Hurricane Harvey at a relief centre in Houston, Texas on 2 September, 2017. Photohrapher Kevin Lamarque: "Trump, eager to deliver the image of a hands-on response to Hurricane Harvey, made this visit to a relief centre and obliged this woman with a selfie as Melania continued to work." Reuters/Kevin Lamarque Donald Trump's first year: in pictures White House - 15 September 2017 Donald Trump welcomes 11-year-old Frank Giaccio as he cuts the Rose Garden grass at the White House on 15 September. Frank, who wrote a letter to Trump offering to mow the lawn, was invited to work for a day at the White House along the National Park Service staff. Frank was so focused on his task that he did not notice the President arrive to surprise him. He took his father jumping in to grab his attention and point Trump out. Photographer Carlos Barria said: The image of Trump shouting at a kid who is mowing his lawn might have many interpretations in today's politically polarized United States. But for me it was just a kid who loved what he was doing, to the point he almost appeared to ignore the President." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Take a knee - 27 September 2017 A man kneels with a folded U.S. flag as the motorcade of U.S. President Donald Trump passes him after an event at the state fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S., September 27, 2017. In September, soon after Trump had made comments condemning NFL players who kneel during the national anthem, he made a day trip to a rally in Indianapolis. Jonathan Ernst managed to capture a man on one knee with a tri-folded flag and was able to use a portion of the sign on the building he was kneeling in front of to track the man down and tell his story in full. US Army veteran Marvin Boatright wanted to send a message against social injustice. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Hurricane Maria - 3 October 2017 President Donald Trump throws rolls of paper towels into a crowd of local residents affected by Hurricane Maria as he visits Calgary Chapel in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 3 October, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "During an afternoon visit to Puerto Rico for President Trump to survey damage from Hurricane Maria and greet some of its victims, Trump made a stop at a church where food and supplies were being distributed. Among the items were paper towels and Trump, apparently caught up in the moment, decided to distribute some of the rolls." Reuters Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Jared Kushner - 1 November 2017 White House Senior adviser Jared Kushner sits behind President Trump during a cabinet meeting in Washington on 1 November, 2017. Photographer Kevin Lamarque: "The role of Jared Kushner has gone through a series of changes. He began front and centre as a high profile adviser, but as time has passed and issues surrounding him have surfaced, he has become more of a background figure." Reuters/Kevin Lamarque Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Trump in China - 9 November 2017 Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands after making joint statements at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 9 November, 2017. Photographer Damir Sagolj: "It's one of those "how to make a better or at least different shot when two presidents shake hands several times a day, several days in row". If I'm not mistaken in calculation, presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump shook their hands at least six times in events I covered during Trump's recent visit to China. I would imagine there were some more handshakes I haven't seen but other photographers did. And they all look similar - two big men, smiling and heartily greeting each other until everyone gets their shot. But then there is always something that can make it special - in this case the background made of US and Chinese flags. The first time it didn't work for me. The second time I positioned myself lower and centrally, and used the longest lens I have to capture only hands reaching for a handshake." Reuters/Damir Sagolj Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Air Force One - 10 November 2017 US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One to depart for Vietnam from Beijing Airport in Beijing, China, November 10, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "There is a Reuters photographer in the tight pool covering the US president for every appearance he makes 365 days a year. This was just one of 32 images of mine that were transmitted on the Reuters wire of President Trump visiting China and Vietnam that day. You never know when a sudden interaction, a gust of wind or a unique facial expression will lead to a striking image that grabs peoples' attention." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures ASEAN handshake - 13 November 2017 Donald Trump registers his surprise as he realises other leaders, including Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte and Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, are crossing their arms for the traditional "ASEAN handshake" as he participates in the opening ceremony of the summit in Manila on 13 November, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "Having covered a few ASEAN summits, I knew to expect the ASEAN handshake. Not everyone in the room knew to expect the ASEAN handshake. A lot was written about this unscripted moment, and what deeper meaning it might have. The simple truth is that sometimes in life there are unscripted moments." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Some played on their phones as Mr Trump spoke. More than a dozen liberal members of the House of Representatives even boycotted the speech. But a few Democratic senators did applaud when they felt it was appropriate. For example, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a state that went to Mr Trump in 2016, even got to his feet when the President talked about infrastructure and reviving cities like Detroit. Mr Trump won more claps from Democrats by expressing his support for bipartisan issues. Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, for example, clapped when Mr Trump mentioned he was committed to lowering prescription drug prices, a cause she has championed. But the President never received anything close to the bipartisan standing ovation he appears to have been hungry for. Agencies contributed to this report The head of Germany's far-right Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) party has inadvertently helped a pro-refugee bill pass a vote in parliament. Last week German lawmakers voted to partially reintroduce a law allowing migrants who have been granted temporary refugee status to bring their closest relatives with them to the country. A maximum of 1,000 additional migrants will be allowed to settle in Germany every month as long as they are direct relatives of refugees already residing in the country. Unlike the AfD who voted against the government bill on family reunifications for people with subsidiary protection, the anti-Muslim partys own party manager accidentally helped the vote get through parliament. Bernd Baumann voted for the government bill which continued a moratorium on family reunifications until the end of July and permits a small number of reunifications beginning in August. The bill, which was tabled by Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrat Union and the Social Democrats (SPD), passed by a margin of 376 against 298. The AfD said Mr Baumann had not performed a drastic ideological U-turn but simply made an error. The mistaken way in which he voted naturally does not reflect his political opinion, AfD spokesperson Christian Luth told Spiegel on Friday. The AfD proposed their own alternative bill which suggested family reunifications should be totally abolished for individuals with subsidiary protection - many of whom are Syrians. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The AfD won seats in parliament for the first time in September by capitalising on a surge of discontent against Ms Merkels decision in 2015 to open Germanys borders to more than a million asylum-seeking migrants. The far right party is now the third largest party in parliament, recasting the German political landscape and taking voters from Ms Merkels conservatives and the centre-left Social Democrats. The party, which claims Islam is not compatible with the German constitution, was originally founded as a Eurosceptic party in 2013. Since then, it has focused its efforts on anti-refugee sentiment in the country by attacking Ms Merkels decision to open Germanys borders. The AfD, who wants a ban on minarets and the face-covering burqa, has taken an explicitly anti-Islam approach at times and has contacts with the far-right anti-Islam Pegida movement. It previously adopted some of Pegida's anti-press rhetoric such as the slogan "Luegenpresse", meaning "lying press", a term which Hitler applied in Nazi Germany. At the end of last month, an Afd politician quit his leadership role and converted to Islam. Arthur Wagner stepped down from his post in the eastern Brandenburg state. The consumption of cannabis should be decriminalised in Germany, according to a police officers organisation in the country. The head of the BDK organisation or The Association of German Criminal Officers said that the group favours a "complete decriminalisation of cannabis consumers". Andre Schulz told German tabloid Bild that the current system prohibiting marijuana use stigmatises people and "allows criminal careers to start." He argued that "the prohibition of cannabis was, viewed historically, arbitrary" and is "neither intelligent nor expeident." He added: In the history of mankind there has never been a society without the use of drugs. This is something that has to be accepted. My prediction is cannabis will not be banned for long in Germany. However, Mr Schulz insisted that the drug should remain off-limits for drivers. Germany does allow some patients to use marijuana as a prescription medication, but officials have made it clear that recreational use will not be legalised. Police officers in the UK are also calling for the decriminalisation of cannabis use, Steve Rolles, a senior policy analyst on drug policy at Transform, told The Independent. Break the law by using cannabis at Houses of Parliament, MP urges "It's always welcome to hear calls for drug welfare reform coming from the police, because they have the authority of frontline experience of the failure of the war on drugs," he said. "What's happening in Germany is also a case of what's happening in the UK, where we're seeing increasing numbers of serving police questioning the status quo and calling for a debate on reforms. "Several police authorities are putting in place de facto decriminalisation schemes, where people caught in possession of cannabis aren't prosecuted but are diverted into education or treatment programmes." He added: "If we want to deal with the problem of the illegal market we need to legalise and responsibly regulate the production and supply of cannabis and other drugs as well, and there are many police forces making that argument. "It's time for the Government in the UK to listen to those voices in the police and other experts and begin a meaningful debate on legalisation in the UK as well." The call comes after research found the legalisation of marijuana for medical purposes led to a significant reduction in violent crime in several US states bordering Mexico. Where cannabis is and isn't legal Show all 10 1 /10 Where cannabis is and isn't legal Where cannabis is and isn't legal UK Having been reclassified in 2009 from a Class C to a Class B drug, cannabis is now the most used illegal drug within the United Kingdom. The UK is also, however, the only country where Sativex a prescribed drug that helps to combat muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis and contains some ingredients that are also found in cannabis - is licensed as a treatment Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal North Korea Although many people believe the consumption of cannabis in North Korea to be legal, the official law regarding the drug has never been made entirely clear whilst under Kim Jong Uns regime. However, it is said that the North Korean leader himself has openly said that he does not consider cannabis to be a drug and his regime doesnt take any issue with the consumption or sale of the drug MARCEL VAN HOORN/AFP/Getty Images Where cannabis is and isn't legal Netherlands In the Netherlands smoking cannabis is legal, given that it is smoked within the designated smoking areas and you dont possess more than 5 grams for personal use. It is also legal to sell the substance, but only in specified coffee shops Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal USA Although in some states of America cannabis has now been legalised, prior to the legalisation, police in the U.S. could make a marijuana-related arrest every 42 seconds, according to US News and World Report. The country also used to spend around $3.6 billion a year enforcing marijuana law, the American Civil Liberties Union notes AP Photo/Ted S. Warren Where cannabis is and isn't legal Spain Despite cannabis being officially illegal in Spain, the European hotspot has recently started to be branded, the new Amsterdam. This is because across Spain there are over 700 Cannabis Clubs these are considered legal venues to consume cannabis in because the consumption of the drug is in private, and not in public. These figures have risen dramatically in the last three years in 2010 there were just 40 Cannabis Clubs in the whole of Spain. Recent figures also show that in Catalonia alone there are 165,000 registered members of cannabis clubs this amounts to over 5 million euros (4 million) in revenue each month Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal Uruguay In December 2013, the House of Representatives and Senate passed a bill legalizing and regulating the production and sale of the drug. But the president has since postponed the legalization of cannabis until to 2015 and when it is made legal, it will be the authorities who will grow the cannabis that can be sold legally. Buyers must be 18 or older, residents of Uruguay, and must register with the authorities Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal Pakistan Despite the fact that laws prohibiting the sale and misuse of cannabis exist and is considered a habit only entertained by lower-income groups, it is very rarely enforced. The occasional use of cannabis in community gatherings is broadly tolerated as a centuries old custom. The open use of cannabis by Sufis and Hindus as a means to induce euphoria has never been challenged by the state. Further, large tracts of cannabis grow unchecked in the wild Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal Portugal In 2001, Portugal became the first country in the world to decriminalize the use of all drugs, and started treating drug users as sick people, instead of criminals. However, you can still be arrested or assigned mandatory rehab if you are caught several times in possession of drugs Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal Puerto Rico Although the use of cannabis is currently illegal, it is said that Puerto Rico are in the process of decriminalising it RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images Where cannabis is and isn't legal China Cannabis is grown in the wild and has been used to treat conditions such as gout and malaria. But, officially the substance is illegal to consume, possess and sell Getty The study, published in The Economic Journal, found the rate of violent crime, including robberies, murders and aggravated assaults, fell by 12.5 per cent in counties close to the border following the introduction of medical marijuana laws (MMLs). Nine US states and the District of Columbia have legalised the recreational use of marijuana, while dozens of others permit its medicinal use. Thousands of Californians will have marijuana offences wiped from their records after voters eliminated criminal penalties in 2016, it was recently reported. However, earlier this month, the US Justice Department rescinded an Obama administration policy which eased enforcement of federal marijuana laws in states that legalised the drug. The move instead gives federal prosecutors wide latitude to pursue criminal charges and have spurred accusations of betrayal from states which have allowed recreational cannabis use. The founder of a new liberal mosque in Berlin has vowed to keep the building open in the face of death threats and heavy criticism from religious conservatives. Seyran Ates told The Guardian she was sent 3,000 emails a day full of hate about the Ibn-Rushd-Goethe Mosque which allows men and women to pray side by side, instead of segregating them. But the 54-year-old remained defiant. The pushback I am getting makes me feel that I am doing the right thing, she said. Open to both Sunni and Shiite worshippers, as well as members of the LGBTQ community, the mosque shares its premises with a protestant church. But Ms Ates said no-one wearing a niqab or burqa is allowed entry, claiming the garments are a political statement. The mosque's foundation was condemned by Egypts state-run Islamic organisation, Dar al-Ifta al-Masriyyah, which said that men and women praying side by side was incompatible with Islam The country's al-Azhar university responded to the new institution by issuing a law banning the foundation of liberal mosques. Diyanet, Turkeys religious authority, also criticised it. It said that its practices do not align with Islam's fundamental resources, principles of worship, methodology or experience of more than 14 centuries, and are experiments aimed at nothing more than depraving and ruining religion". The religious association linked the mosque to the network of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Turkish authorities have accused of being behind last year's failed coup. Ms Ates has denied any connection to Mr Gulen. Turkey's pro-government Sabah newspaper said the mosque practices "the so-called prayer of the perverse". Ms Ates, who moved from Turkey to Germany as a child, has criticised the oppression of women in certain Muslim communities and called for liberal values to be upheld. The German government called Turkish criticism of the new mosque, an interference in freedom of religion and opinion. "I want to be very clear in rejecting all comments that clearly intend to deprive people in Germany of their right to freely exercise their religion and to limit the right to free expression of opinion," said Martin Schaefer, spokesman for the country's Foreign Ministry World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Germany, which is home to an estimated 4 million or more people of Turkish origin, is already at loggerheads with Turkey on a number of issues. Turkish politicians were barred from campaigning in Germany for a referendum on expanding President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers. Turkey's arrest of a German-Turkish journalist working for a German paper also caused friction between the two nations, as did Turkey's refusal to let German parliamentarians visit an air force base hosting German planes. Mr Schaefer said it was not for the government to determine how people practiced their religion and that it would protect freedom of worship just as it protected freedom of opinion and press freedom. The only surviving member of the Isis cell that carried out the Paris attacks has refused to answer questions as a trial over a gun battle with police opened in Brussels. Salah Abdeslam became the worlds most wanted terrorist when he fled the massacres of 13 November 2015, calling friends to drive him back to Belgium after his own brother blew himself up at a restaurant. The 27-year-old passed through a police checkpoint unhindered and disappeared with the suspected help of accomplices linked to the criminal underworld, where he was formerly known as a drug dealer and thief. The trail went cold until March 2016, when Belgian and French police stormed what they believed was an empty terrorist safe house in the Brussels district of Forest. But they were met by a hail of bullets from a militant armed with a Kalashnikov, who was shot dead as two suspects fled across surrounding rooftops. A search of the flat resulted in the recovery of Abdeslams fingerprints on a glass, convincing authorities that he was still in Brussels, and the renewed search led police to his hideout just metres from his former home in Molenbeek. Abdeslam has been charged with involvement in the Paris attacks, while he and suspected accomplice Sofiane Ayari were separately charged with attempted terrorist murder over the gun battle in which Algerian Isis militant Mohamed Belkaid was killed. Suspects linked to Paris attackers sentenced in Belgium At Mondays hearing, Abdeslam refused to stand when told to rise and identify himself, adding: I do not wish to answer questions. Citing his right to silence and declaring his Muslim faith, he accused the media of condemning him before his trial: Judge me. Do as you want with me, he told the judge. I put my trust in my Lord. After a first session during which his alleged accomplice admitted to having fought for Isis in Syria and said both accused were present during the shootout with Brussels police, the judge again asked Abdeslam to speak. I remain silent. That is a right which I have, he said, adding: My silence does not make me a criminal or guilty. I am defending myself by remaining silent. Abdeslam asked the prosecution to base itself on forensic evidence and not swagger about to satisfy public opinion, adding: Muslims are judged and treated in the worst kind of ways. They are judged without mercy. There is no presumption of innocence. I'm not afraid of you, I'm not afraid of your allies. I place my faith in Allah. His participation in the November 2015 attacks will be the subject of a separate trial in France. Abdeslam has previously refused to speak to investigators about the shooting and bombing attacks that left 130 victims dead. In pictures: Paris attacks Show all 25 1 /25 In pictures: Paris attacks In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks French police with protective shields walk in line near the Bataclan concert hall Reuters In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Rescuers evacuate an injured person on Boulevard des Filles du Calvaire AFP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks French Vigipirate troops mobilize next to Place de la Bastille AFP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks French soldiers mobilize near to the Place de la Bastille AFP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Wounded people are evacuated outside the scene of a hostage situation at the Bataclan theatre EPA In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks People react as they gather to watch the scene near the Bataclan concert hall Reuters In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks French police secure the area outside a cafe near the Bataclan concert hall Reuters In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Rescuers workers evacuate victims near the Bataclan concert hall AFP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks French Prime Minister Manuel Valls and French President Francois Hollande attending an emergency meeting at the Interior Ministry AFP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Spectators invade the pitch of the Stade de France after explosions were heard outside AP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks A man lies on the ground as French police check his identity near the Bataclan concert hall Reuters In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Police officers man a position close to the Bataclan theatre AFP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Wounded people are evacuated from the Stade de France in Paris EPA In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Two men evacuate the Place de la Republique square in Paris as a police officer looks on AFP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Football fans are evacuated from the Stade de France stadium In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks An armed police officer Dan Gabriel In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks The Stade de France is evacuated after reports of an explosion In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks A member of the French fire brigade aids an injured individual near the Bataclan concert hall In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Wounded people are evacuated from the Stade de France in Paris In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Police are seen outside a cafe in 10th arrondissement of the French capital Paris, In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Rescuers assist an injured man on Boulevard des Filles du Calvaire, close to the Bataclan concert hall AFP In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks The scene at a restaurant in 10th arrondissement In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks The Bataclan theatre - where around 100 people are thought be held hostage In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks The Stade de France as it was evacuated In pictures: Paris attacks Paris attacks Forensic experts inspect the site of an attack outside the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis AFP The precise role of Abdeslam, a former small-time criminal who helped run his brothers bar in Molenbeek, is unclear but he is suspected of helping manufacture explosives, hiring cars, renting hideouts and transporting jihadists for the 13 November attacks. Investigators believe he drove three suicide bombers to the Stade de France before travelling to the 18th arrondissement and abandoning the hire car in Place Albert Kahn. Isis initial claim of responsibility listed an attack in the district that never materialised, and a suicide vest later found in a bin in Montrouge fuelled speculation that Abdeslam had violated orders and fled. Just four days after his eventual capture, Isis militants struck in Brussels. Mohamed Abrini, a childhood friend of Abdeslam who was filmed with him at a petrol station two days before the Paris attacks, was among the bombers but failed to detonate his device and went on the run. He became known as the man in the hat after footage showed him fleeing Brussels airport, and was arrested in the Belgian capital weeks later. The complex web of connections between the terrorists behind the Paris and Brussels attacks has led to analysts dubbing the group a supercell, which had been dispatched by Isis commanders in Syria with specific roles drawing on their criminal past. Armed officers during the police operation in the Forest area of Brussels following the 2016 shoot-out (EPA) Paris attacks ringleader Abdelhamid Abaaoud, Abdeslam and his brother Ibrahim were all involved in crime in the Brussels suburb of Molenbeek with Abdelhamid and Salah jailed together in 2010. Abdeslam was also known to be friends with Najim Laachraoui, the bomb-maker for the Paris and Brussels attacks, who blew himself up at Brussels Airport, and travelled to Hungary with Abdeslam and Belkaid in September 2015. The raided flat where Abdeslam and Ayari hid in Rue du Dries, Forest, had been rented by Brussels metro bomber Khalid el-Bakraoui, who also procured another flat used as a rendezvous ahead of the Paris attacks in Charleroi. The property contained DNA traces of both Abdeslam brothers, Stade de France bomber Bilal Hadfi, Abaaoud and Chakib Akrouh, who both died during a raid by Paris police five days after the attacks. Abdeslam denied previous knowledge of the Brussels bombings, but investigators have suggested the perpetrators may have been rattled by his arrest and struck early. His reluctance to engage with the court may prove a disappointment to Parisians who hoped he might end more than two years of silence to give some indication of how and why the attacks were organised. We want to see what elements will be provided in order to have a better understanding of this series of events and terror attacks, in France and in Belgium, said Guillaume Denoix de Saint Marc, a member of V-Europe, a victims' association. This trial is one of the pieces of a global puzzle, which will answer some of our questions. But at the same time, we expect to be disappointed and to learn nothing. Additional reporting by agencies More than two years after Islamist militants killed 130 people in their city, Parisians will be hoping for some new insight into the carnage when the sole surviving suspect appears in public for the first time on Monday. But Salah Abdeslam, who goes on trial under high security in his native Brussels in relation to a shooting that preceded his capture and Isis suicide bombings there in March 2016, has so far shown little inclination to talk. Kept under 24-hour suicide watch near Paris, the 28-year-old has been transferred to a high-security prison close to France's northern border so that he can be ferried to the Belgian capital's Palace of Justice daily. Hearings are scheduled to last all week in a case related to events four months after the Paris attacks of November 2015. Recommended Paris attacks suspect to stand trial in Belgium With a French trial not expected until next year, his Belgian appearance, along with alleged accomplice Sofien Ayari, a 24-year-old Tunisian, will be his first moment in public since his arrest on 18 March, 2016, close to his family home in the poor, western Brussels borough of Molenbeek. Both men face up to 40 years in prison for attempted murder linked to terrorism for shooting at Belgian and French police who raided a suspected hideout in the southern Brussels borough of Forest on 15 March, 2016. Prosecutors say Abdeslam and Ayari slipped away, leaving a third gunman holding out until he was killed by police marksmen. Lawyers for Abdeslam, a French citizen born to and raised by Moroccan immigrant parents in Brussels, accept he was in Paris on Friday,13 November, when gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 at a rock concert, near the national stadium and outside cafes. His elder brother, with whom he ran a bar in Brussels, was among those who blew himself up. Prosecutors believe the younger Abdeslam, whom they accuse of running logistics for the attack including ferrying fighters from Syria across Europe, would have met the same fate had his explosive vest not malfunctioned. How the pair, from a broadly secular background with a history of petty crime, were transformed into alleged cogs within extensive Isis cells operating in Belgium and France is unclear. A third brother, who has visited Abdeslam in prison, told a Belgian newspaper in December that he might be preparing to talk, inspired by a devout religious faith. The trial had been due to start in late December but was delayed after Abdeslam belatedly reappointed a defence counsel, who then requested more time to prepare the case. Lawyers do not rule out that there could be further adjournments this week. The trial has triggered a high alert in a city where 32 people were killed in suicide bombings at its airport and on its metro system by members of the same Islamic State-inspired group on 22 March, 2016. That came four days after Abdeslam's arrest and was prompted, officials believe, by fears among the Brussels cell that he might betray their plan under interrogation. More than 100 police are expected to be deployed in and around Brussels' mammoth 19th-century Palace of Justice, which dominates the skyline over the Renaissance city centre. Reuters An Iranian man has been shot and arrested after trying to break into President Hassan Rouhanis office, local news has reported. Initial reports say the attacker was carrying a knife or sword. He was shot in the leg attempting to bypass a security checkpoint at the Pasteur Street complex in Tehran city centre, which is home to several government offices. We are trying to identify the person and his motivation," deputy governor of Tehran, Mohsen Hamedani, told Fars news agency on Monday. It is now known whether the president was inside the building at the time. Protesters in Iran overturn vehicles and spread fires in anti-government action Swords and daggers are carried by Iranian men as part of traditional dress, although such items would be an unusual sight in downtown Tehran. Police have been known to confiscate weapons near official buildings. Protests are held outside the government complex on Pasteur street on a regular basis over rising inflation and joblessness. In 2016, a miner covered himself in petrol and tried to set himself on fire in protest against his unpaid wages. Iran has been restive in recent weeks since a new wave of protests against the government began in December over food prices. The demonstrations have morphed into calls for both President Rouhani and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khameni to step down. Iran protests in pictures Show all 11 1 /11 Iran protests in pictures Iran protests in pictures University students at an anti-government protest inside Tehran University, 30 December 2017 AP Iran protests in pictures A university student at a protest inside Tehran University while a smoke grenade is thrown by anti-riot Iranian police, 30 December 2017 AP Iran protests in pictures University students at a protest inside Tehran University, 30 December 2017 AP Iran protests in pictures University students run away from the police during an anti-government protest inside Tehran University, 30 December 2017 AP Iran protests in pictures An image grab taken from a handout video released by Iran's Mehr News agency reportedly shows a group of men pulling at a fence in a street in Tehran, 30 December 2017 AFP/Getty Iran protests in pictures Demonstrators gather to protest in Tehran, 30 December 2017 AP Iran protests in pictures Iranians chant slogans as they march in support of the government near the Imam Khomeini grand mosque in Tehran, 30 December 2017 AFP/Getty Iran protests in pictures Iranians chant slogans as they march in support of the government near the Imam Khomeini grand mosque in Tehran, December 30 2017 Iran protests in pictures Iranian clerics take part during a state-organized rally against anti-government protests in the country, in the holy city of Qom, south west Iran, 3 January 2018 EPA Iran protests in pictures In this photo provided by the Iranian Students' News Agency, a clergyman takes a picture of a pro-government demonstration in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, Iran, 3 January 2018 ISNA via AP Iran protests in pictures Pro-government demonstrators gather at the Massoumeh shrine in Iran's holy city of Qom, some 130 kilometres south of Tehran, 3 January 2018 AFP/Getty Almost 5,000 people have been arrested in connection to the protests to date, according to Tehran prison service figures quoted last week. Although Tehran and five world powers reached a landmark agreement to lift crippling international sanctions against the country in exchange for curbs on Iran's nuclear programme in 2015, the economic recovery has been slow and is yet to reach many Iranians' pockets. Unemployment rose to 12.4 per cent in 2017, up 1.4 per cent on the previous year, much to citizens' frustration. The Iranian rial hit a record low against the US dollar on Monday. News agencies contributed to this report Israeli authorities on Sunday tore down two EU-funded classrooms that were part of a school for Bedouins in the occupied West Bank because they said they were built illegally. Palestinians condemned the move. Israeli authorities say such demolitions carry out court rulings against unauthorised building by Palestinians. Palestinians see it as part of a broader move to seize land for potential Jewish settlement expansion. Recommended Israel issues deportation notices to thousands of African refugees The two classrooms, which stood separately from the rest of the hilltop school, were demolished early in the morning by a work crew while Israeli security officers closed off the area, according to residents of the Palestinian village Abu Nuwar. Tens of thousands of Bedouin, once nomads, live in villages across the desert region of southern Israel and in the West Bank. It was the fifth time the school has been demolished since 2016, Palestinian officials said. Residents, with the help of non-government organisations and EU funding, reconstruct it each time. The building was built illegally and without the necessary permits. In addition, the enforcement was approved by the Supreme Court, said a statement from Israels Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, the military-run authority that deals with Palestinian civilian issues. Shadi Othman, head of media in the EU office in Jerusalem, said: The European Union demanded from Israel more than once not to demolish projects the European Union funds and which aim to improve the living conditions of the Palestinians. Senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat said on Twitter the demolition was the continuation of Israels humiliation of international law and only aims to break the Palestinian will for freedom and life. Reuters Video purportedly showing the final moments of a Russian pilot whose fighter jet was shot down by al-Qaeda affiliated militants has surfaced from Syria. Major Roman Filipov was forced to parachute out of his Su-25 fighter jet on Saturday after it was hit by a shoulder-launched MANPAD missile while he was flying low over rebel-held northwestern Idlib province. The clip released by Hayet Tahrir al Sham - a group which includes fighters from the former al Nusra front, al Qaedas affiliate in Syria - shows several armed men running towards the site of the crash. Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Show all 8 1 /8 Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Sifting through plastic: the workshop uses plastic from bottles and other waste materials to produce liquid and gas fuels. The liquid is refined into gasoline, diesel and benzene fuels, which in turn are sold for domestic and commercial use Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Khodor, 20, at the workshop in the rebel-held and besieged neighbourhood of Douma, Damascus Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Back to basics: a man checks the heat of a pipe pouring with fuel Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Khodor, 20, must keep an eye on the burning plastic inside the workshop in Douma Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste A young man takes a container of the locally made fuel, which can be used for domestic heating and on farms and bakeries Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Abu Fahad on a rest break with his colleagues inside the workshop, where the air is heavy with toxic fumes Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Fuel drips into a container at the workshop. Most locals are glad of the family-run business, which has restored a degree of normality to the region Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Khodor extracts fuel from plastic in the workshop Reuters Gunfire is exchanged between the pilot and the advancing militants before he screams, This is for our guys. An explosion is heard, which the Russian Ministry of Defence said was Mr Filipov choosing to kill himself by detonating a grenade rather than wait to be captured. The 33-year-old from Vladivostock, has posthumously been awarded Russias highest honour, the Hero of Russia medal. The pilot died heroically. The pilots family and friends have our condolences, and we are proud of our heroes, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Monday. Saturdays incident took place in one of four de-escalation zones in Syria agreed and monitored by Turkey, Russia and Iran in May 2017. The Russian Ministry of Defence said the jet was on an observational flight, while opposition activists produced video they claimed proved it had dropped unguided air-to-surface rockets before it was shot down. Russia came to ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assads aid in the bloody civil war in 2015, a move widely credited with turning the tide of the conflict in the governments favour. Major Filipovs death is the first time a Russian jet has been shot down in Syria and rebel areas are now paying a heavy price. The incident has led to a wave of retaliation bombings across Idlib which have left dozens of fighters and civilians dead, according to UK-based monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Approximately 150 attacks struck the towns of Kafr Nubl and Maasran, as well as Saraqeb, Maarat al Numan and Idlib cities, in at least two incidences hitting medical facilities. In Saraqeb 14 people were admitted to hospital with symptoms of chlorine gas exposure. Video from the White Helmets civil defence service showed premature babies at an underground hospital in Maarat Al Numan fighting for life after their incubators were affected by the shockwaves from a strike on Sunday night. Another hospital in Kafranbel was hit on Monday morning, local activists said. This is revenge on peaceful civilians, Najm Khaled, a media activist from Idlib, told The Independent. It is unprecedented. Several sources on the ground said outlawed munitions, such as ballistic missiles and chlorine gas, had been dropped on Idlib in the last few days. Russian warplane 'shot down and pilot captured' by Syrian rebels While Idlib the largest remaining rebel-held zone in the country - is supposedly covered by the de-escalation zone agreement, Syrian government forces have pushed deeper into the region in the last week towards the main Damascus-Aleppo highway. Reaching it would cut off a major rebel supply line. The entire de-escalation process was clearly yet another effort - like the freezes, ceasefires, and cessations of hostility in years pastfor the pro-Assad coalition to sequence its war, Kyle Orton, a Syria analyst and research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society think-tank, told The Independent. The regime coalition allows a degree of calm so it can recover, consolidate the gains of past aggression, and concentrate resources on one front for new conquests. The situation in Idlib conforms to this past pattern. Around two to three million people are thought to live in Idlib, many of whom who have fled fighting elsewhere in the country. The intensified fighting has led thousands of people to leave the provinces towns and cities for makeshift camps further north, towards the Turkish border. Idlib has never been a safe zone, local activist Wissam Zarqa said. Thats an ironic name. British Airways parent company, IAG, is demanding that terminals at Heathrow should be divided up between rival owners. In a submission to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the airline consortium says the current monopoly on terminals held by the owner, Heathrow Airport Ltd, should be broken up, to spur competition on airport charges and the passenger experience. IAG says Heathrows expansion provides a great opportunity for independent companies to design, build and run commercial facilities like terminals. Last year Heathrow handled 78 million passengers, placing it well ahead of Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt as the busiest airport in Europe. It is the Governments choice for expansion in the London area, with plans for a new runway to the north-west of the existing pair. IAGs chief executive, Willie Walsh, said: Heathrows had it too good for too long and the Government must confirm the CAAs powers to introduce this type of competition. This would cut costs, diversify funding and ensure developments are completed on time, leading to a win-win for customers. This is not rocket science. Most major US airports have terminals owned or leased by airlines and there are European examples at Frankfurt and Munich airports. Theres absolutely no reason why this cannot happen at Heathrow. A Heathrow spokesperson dismissed the examples used by Mr Walsh, saying: Anyone who has had the misfortune of connecting through JFK airport will know this is not a passenger experience we should seek to replicate at Heathrow. At Munich and Frankfurt airports, only one airline dominates again, something which is against the interests of our passengers. We want to see competition and choice between airlines at Heathrow now and in the future. Expansion will open up opportunities for IAG, easyJet, Flybe, Virgin and dozens of international airlines with whom we are working closely to deliver expansion at close to current charges, while meeting all our commitments to local communities. Besides British Airways, IAG also owns Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling. Between them, these airlines own 54 per cent of take-off and landing slots at Heathrow the vast majority used by BA. It is 950 days since the Davies Commission on airport growth recommended a third runway at Heathrow. On the day the report was published, 1 July 2015, Mr Walsh said: Without political vision and leadership, it will end up on the shelf gathering dust like its predecessors. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main PA UK news in pictures 23 July 2021 Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery's new free programme of art-inspired activities for families PA UK news in pictures 22 July 2021 Festivalgoers in the campsite at the Latitude festival in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk PA The original cost of the project was put at 16.5bn, but Heathrow has identified 2.5bn in savings, saying: The revised 14bn option would be delivered without compromising on Heathrows local commitments or passenger experience. In October 2017, Mr Walsh called Heathrows third-runway plans a ridiculous glory project. He has backed proposals from a leading local businessman, Surinder Arora, who claims that the cost of expansion could be cut by up to 7bn. The Government has committed to holding a vote in the first half of this year on the National Policy Statement for Heathrow expansion. A formal planning application is expected to be submitted in 2020, with the third runway opening in late 2025 or 2026. British Airways parent company, IAG, has demanded that Heathrow be split up, with terminals run by rival operators. How might it work? And if its such a great idea, why has no-one done it before? These and other key questions answered. A (very) brief history of UK airport ownership? Until a decade ago, Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Londons three biggest airports were part of the same organisation, BAA, along with Scotlands three largest: Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. After a Competition Commission inquiry found passengers were suffering from a lack of competition, BAA was ordered to sell off Gatwick and Stansted, as well as either Edinburgh or Glasgow (it chose Edinburgh). In 2009, Gatwick was sold to Global Infrastructure Partners for 1.5bn. Four years later, Stansted was sold to the Manchester Airports Group (majority-owned by local authorities) for the same amount. Manchester has since overtaken Stansted as Britains third-busiest airport. Last year the top four UK airports were Heathrow (78 million passengers), Gatwick (46 million), Manchester (28 million) and Stansted (26 million). With the addition of Luton, Southend and City airports, London is the world capital of aviation. Far more passengers fly to, from or through London than the city in second place, New York. So theres already healthy competition between Londons airports? Stansted, Luton and Southend still have take-off and landing slots to offer, making it possible for them to compete against each other to attract airlines and their passengers. But Gatwick is rapidly running out of space, and the absence of any meaningful capacity at Heathrow makes it difficult for a free market to operate as it normally would for the benefit of airlines and their passengers. Heathrow cannot easily offer XYZ Airlines better terms than Gatwick because of the absence of slots, which are not allocated by the airport. Assuming plans for a third runway at Heathrow go ahead, capacity will increase by about 50 per cent, facilitating more competition. IAG which owns Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling as well as British Airways has appealed to the Civil Aviation Authority to meet its obligation to promote economy and efficiency. The airline consortium wants competition built into Heathrows expansion plans, with outside companies coming in to operate terminals. How would that work? Lets assume that an expanded Heathrow is served by the existing four terminals (2, 3, 4 and 5) and a completely new facility, able to handle 30 million-plus passengers annually. Were the new terminal operated by a competitor, it could bid for business from British Airways (current tenant of Terminal 5), Star Alliance (Terminal 2) or big airlines such as Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Delta, Virgin Atlantic and Qatar Airways that are currently located variously in Terminals 3 and 4. Airlines could negotiate on everything from passenger service fees and aircraft handling charges to the speed of security checks and quality of catering outlets. Suppose Terminal 4 was sold off: the new owner could turn it into a low-cost facility, offering easyJet and other budget airlines cheaper deals than they might find at Heathrows other, better-connected terminals. Are there any good examples of competition between terminals within the same airport? Plenty of airports, such as Lisbon and Marseille, have no-frills terminals for budget airlines. But in each case the low-cost part is owned by the same entity as the main, full-service terminal, so competition does not exist in the normal sense. New York JFK is the best example of large airports where airlines have built, developed and run their own terminals. They compete to deliver a better passenger experience, and, in the case of the TWA Flight Center, the aesthetic thrill of travelling through an architectural miracle. (Eero Saarinens futuristic masterpiece was built in 1962; it closed in 2001, the same year as TWA was taken over by American Airlines, and is being reborn as a hotel.) Willie Walsh, chief executive of IAG, says: Most major US airports have terminals owned or leased by airlines and there are European examples at Frankfurt and Munich airports. Heathrow disputes the validity of these comparisons, describing the need to connect through New York JFK as misfortune, and saying it has no wish to replicate that passenger experience. The airport also says that Munich and Frankfurt are dominated by Lufthansa, a state of affairs against the interests of our passengers. For an objective view, I turned to the aviation analyst John Strickland, who says: There are a number of cases of terminals being run by different operators, including airlines, at the same airport. However each case has its differences and opinion on what this actually means for competition differs widely. Why not try splitting up Heathrow or Gatwick right now, and see how it works out? Two prime candidates for a sell-off could be Heathrow Terminal 2 and Gatwick North, the strongholds respectively of Star Alliance and easyJet. But suppose a new firm took over: what happens next? Each terminal is close to capacity, with very limited scope for poaching airlines from rival terminals. They could compete for new airlines, but the shortage of slots would hamper this process. Only when a large amount of new capacity is created could the model be properly tested. Has anyone suggested this before? Yes. Ten years ago, the then-chief executive of BMI, Nigel Turner, demanded competition between individual terminals at Heathrow to mirror the intense rivalry between airlines. In March 2008, he told me: BA, BMI, Virgin, easyJet and Ryanair have been knocking seven bells out of each other. Who benefits? The airlines? Maybe. But the consumers definitely. If Terminal 1 competed against Terminal 3, you would get a far better Terminal 1 and a far better Terminal 3, as they fought for our business. But as the aviation analyst John Strickland says, that simple statement conceals a mass of complexity: The dynamics of airline/airport relationships are very much in evolution. Planning horizons for airport infrastructure are much longer than for airline route and schedule decisions, and this creates inevitable tensions. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main PA UK news in pictures 23 July 2021 Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery's new free programme of art-inspired activities for families PA UK news in pictures 22 July 2021 Festivalgoers in the campsite at the Latitude festival in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk PA UK news in pictures 21 July 2021 A man walks past an artwork by Will Blood on the end of a property in Bedminster, Bristol, as the 75 murals project reaches the halfway point and various graffiti pieces are sprayed onto walls and buildings across the city over the Summer PA At Heathrow the process has particular complexities as the future mix of airline business models could shift. The challenge lies in marrying adequate investor returns on infrastructure with acceptable user charges for airlines whilst fostering the desired outcome of competitive air services for travellers. His recipe for success? A transparent and collaborative approach between airports and airlines. Jamaicas State of Public Emergency for the Montego Bay area has been extended until 2 May. The order allows the islands military to support the police in joint security operations. It was first announced last month in response to a surge in violence in the parish of St James, which includes Montego Bay - the main arrival point for British holidaymakers and cruise passengers, and the islands premier resort. At the time, the Foreign Office advised UK tourists to stay in their resorts and limit travel beyond their respective security perimeters. Jamaicas House of Representatives voted unanimously to extend the State of Public Emergency for a further three months. The prime minister, Andrew Holness, said: It was not anticipated that all that is required would be accomplished in 14 days. It is reasonable to expect that even with extraordinary powers, it will take some time to affect the situation in St James. We will be targeting both the street-level criminal and the facilitators. While we acknowledge that there will be some disruption and fallout, we must take back control of our country and we must dismantle the network of organised crime. The Foreign Office has updated its advice, saying: Security operations are ongoing and further activity could occur with little or no notice. You should exercise caution if youre in the area, particularly if travelling at night, and follow the advice of the local authorities, including any restrictions. These may also result in road closures or travel delays, and the operating hours of some businesses may be subject to change. The islands police have announced that shops must close at 8pm, service stations at 11pm and clubs and fast-food restaurants at 2am. Jamaica has seen sustained growth in UK holidaymakers since 2012. Of around 200,000 annual British visitors to the island, 130,000 are tourists, while 55,000 are visiting friends and relatives. The peak months for visits from the UK are July, August and December. At the start of what is predicted to be one of the coldest weeks of the winter in Britain, airline schedules have been heavily disrupted. British Airways has cancelled more than 80 short-haul flights to and from Heathrow, including three round-trips to Aberdeen and Milans Linate airport, and multiple services to Manchester, Dublin, Edinburgh and elsewhere. More than 10,000 passengers have been rebooked on other services. The airline told passengers: Due to forecast snow and ice across many parts of the UK today, we have proactively made some adjustments to our short-haul schedules. During cold weather conditions aircraft have to be de-iced prior to departure to ensure that they are safe and additional measures are taken to ensure the safety of our operation is maintained at all times. Recommended Heathrow terminals should be run by rival owners says BA boss We are sorry for any disruption to our customers travel plans and will do all we can to minimise the effect the weather has on our operations. Many of the flights were cancelled proactively last night. Tony Atherton was one of a number of travellers who complained on social media about the problems rebooking, saying: For the second time in two months I have had to assist my family in rebooking a cancelled BA flight because they have been unable to get through on the designated phone line. British Airways responded: We are sorry our phone lines are extremely busy at the moment due to cancelled flights tomorrow. This is due to weather and so out of our control. From Milan, Les Brothwood tweeted: BA Our flight from Linate has been cancelled tonight and rebooked for tomorrow. The seats my wife and I booked together for medical reasons now split up! A lost day off work and extra expense. In Lyon, Sarah McKinnons flight to Heathrow was cancelled. She tweeted: We are now forced to stay overnight and catch a flight at 6.45am tomorrow. No one at the call centre can advise what compensation we are entitled to. Ms McKinnon was told: If your flight has been cancelled overnight youll be able to claim accommodation, food and taxi expenses. CloudNOW has teamed with Intel, Apcera and CB Technologies to provide a STEM Scholarship Fund for India-based Shanti Bhavan School. School director of operations Ajit George said the fund will allow us to further the important work were doing, empowering more and more children to break the cycle of generational poverty through education, leadership and compassion. (shantibhavanchildren.org photo) Drs. Bilal Khan and Pedro Torres of the American University of Antigua, along with a medical team, will head to Puerto Rico to help victims still reeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. (auamed.org photo) Washington's Ominous Credibility Implosion By Finian Cunningham February 04, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - All statecraft and politics is notoriously deceptive and duplicitous to a degree. Its part of the Machiavellian game and even at times, arguably, can be paradoxically key to success for good outcomes. But Washington's current problem is on an altogether different scale. Its rampant duplicity seems to be spinning itself into an ominous credibility crisis. A crisis that conveys historic existential consequences for American democracy and political function. Perhaps even a harbinger of world war. Take CIA director Mike Pompeo. Last week, he gave a big interview to Britain's state broadcaster, the BBC, in which he reiterated serious claims that Russia hacked into the American presidential election in 2016. Further, he forewarned that Russian state agents were planning to repeat their alleged meddling in the forthcoming mid-term Congressional elections later this year. However, within days of making such dire accusations against the Kremlin, the American spymaster was reportedly holding meetings in Washington DC with two senior Russian intelligence figures Alexander Bortnikov and Sergei Naryshkin. The two men represent Russia's federal and foreign intelligence services, the FSB and SVR, respectively. There was apparently nothing untoward about the top-level meeting. The American and Russian spy chiefs were reportedly exchanging views on counter-terrorism, which arguably is a positive thing. After all, a foiled terror attack in St Petersburg recently was thwarted by Russian security services reportedly following up on a tip-off from the American CIA. But here's the thing. Doesn't it seem a bit strange that the chief of the CIA is warning in very public media interviews that the Kremlin is meddling in US democracy through underhand means, yet virtually his next appointment involves hosting Russia's top spies? Not only that, but the two Russian intelligence chiefs in question have been put on an American government sanctions list and travel ban purportedly over Russia's "annexation" of Crimea and "aggression" in Eastern Ukraine. So, if American official concerns about alleged Russian subversion in the US and abroad are as vexed as they are made out to be in public announcements, then how does that square with Mike Pompeo greeting his Russian counterparts in a convivial professional setting? When the CIA director was challenged by Congressional Democrats about his meeting with the Russians he responded by claiming there was nothing incongruous about their cooperation in Washington, and, he said, it was tough-talking encounter. "You and the American people should rest assured that we covered very difficult subjects in which American and Russian interests do not align," stated Pompeo in a written reply to lawmakers. "We vigorously defend America in these encounters and pull no punches," he added. Still, there does seem to be something weirdly misplaced about the official words and actions of the CIA chief, and Washington's political class in general, with regard to Russia. Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter On one hand, the CIA and large sections of the US political establishment, including prominent news media outlets have been harping on about grave allegations of Russian meddling in American democracy for more than a year. Some Republican politicians have even gone as far as describing Russia's supposed interference as "an act of war" by Moscow. On the other hand, however, the head of the CIA seems to have no problem holding professional meetings with the Russian "arch enemies" right in the seat of American democracy. What we are talking about here is a stupendous lack of consistency, or put another way duplicity; which in turn undermines American credibility over the whole "Russiagate" narrative that has so dominated Washington's official discourse. No bigger discrepancy perhaps is the fact that the American head of state, President Donald Trump, maintains that the allegations of Russian collusion and interference are "fake news" or at least overblown. That puts the country's leader completely at odds with his head of foreign intelligence. How is the world supposed to take anything these people say seriously if they are so inconsistent about a matter which, we are told to believe, is a grave national security concern? They seem to have shot their own credibility to pieces. In his BBC interview, Pompeo also warned that North Korea was capable of a missile attack on the US "within months". This lack of American credibility and the danger of a catastrophic war are correlated. America's credibility problem is much bigger than President Trump or his CIA chief. It encompasses the entire American political class. This past week, the Trump administration released a so-called "Kremlin Report" which impugned 210 leaders of Russian politics and business. The figures included Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, as well as Foreign and Defense Minister Sergei Lavrov and Sergei Shoigu. The Washington report, drawn up by the Treasury Department, stems from the claims of Russian interference in US politics. No credible evidence has ever been presented to substantiate the "Russiagate" claims. Moscow has repeatedly rejected the claims as baseless. Indeed, there is plausible evidence buried by the US mainstream media that the alleged hacking of Democratic party computers during the 2016 election campaign was not a hack but rather was a leak from within the party by a staffer disgruntled with candidate Hillary Clinton's dirty tricks against rival Democratic nominee Bernie Sanders. It is also now emerging that the agencies which quite possibly interfered in the presidential election were not Russian, but rather America's own "finest" secret services, the FBI, CIA and NSA, who were allegedly trying to sabotage then Republican candidate, and future president, Donald Trump. For over a year, the provocative and reckless accusations of Russian interference in American democracy, and additionally in European democracy, have run and run without relent. Even though those accusations have no legs of credibility. Just this past week, as noted, the head of US intelligence solemnly reiterated those claims and is warning of more Russian meddling. Washington's political class and America's supposed bastions of journalism have indulged this dubious narrative to brain-numbing saturation point. But when Washington shows such rampant duplicity and inconsistency that's not just a problem of unfortunate public relations. It conveys a profound crisis of credibility, authority and legitimacy for the entire edifice of government. That is fatally corrosive to the essence of government and American democracy. And guess what? It has nothing to do with "Russian enemies". It is a credibility crisis made solely in America by its own morally and politically bankrupt system of governance. The resulting chasm in Washington's credibility has onerous implications for an historic political implosion. And surely the much misled American people will take their revenge. It's going to get raucous and it's going to get ugly. Paradoxically, a day of reckoning could be good for renewing American democracy, eventually. There again it also makes the world a very dangerous place. Because war, for example a US military strike on North Korea, is a proven Machiavellian escape route for political scoundrels facing a dead-end. Finian Cunningham has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. He is a Masters graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in newspaper journalism. He is also a musician and songwriter. For nearly 20 years, he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organisations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent. This article was originally published by " Sputnik " - ==== BBC: CIA Director, Mike Pompeo on Trump,Russia,North Korea Join the Discussion The Wisdom of Idiots: A Brief Morality Tale By Cesar Chelala February 04, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Idries Shah was a teacher in the Sufi tradition whose seminal work was The Sufis. He presented Sufism as a universal form of wisdom that predated Islam. In his writings, he frequently used teaching stories and humor to transmit this philosophy. His stories contained multiple layers of meaning, and were written with the idea that they could trigger insight and self-reflection in the reader. His son Tahir Shah quotes the explanation his father gave him at the end of a story: These stories are technical documents; they are like maps, or kind of blueprints. What I do is show people how to use the maps, because they have forgotten. The story Bahaudin and the Wanderer from his book Wisdom of the Idiots is a good example of this assertion, and may have some bearing on events now taking place in the United States. The story tells what happened when Bahaudin el-Shah, great teacher of the Naqshbandi dervishes (members of a Muslim, specifically Sufi, religious order who have taken vows of poverty and austerity) met a colleague in the great square of Bokhara, an ancient city in the central Asian country of Uzbekistan. Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter His colleague was a wandering Kalendar of the Malamati, also known as the Blameworthy. Bahaudin, who was surrounded by his disciples, asked the traveler, in the usual Sufi way, where he came from. The traveler, grinning foolishly, replied, I have no idea. Several of Bahaudins disciples murmured their disapproval of this lack of respect for their teacher. Unfazed Bahaudin continued, Where are you going? The dervish, almost shouting at him, replied I dont know. By then a large crowd had gathered and was intently following the dialogue. What is good? asked Bahaudin. I dont know, replied the traveler. What is Evil? continued Bahaudin. I have no idea, replied the traveler. What is right? asked Bahaudin. Whatever is good for me, replied the traveler. What is wrong? asked again Bahaudin. Whatever is bad for me, said the traveler. At this point, the crowd, irritated by the frivolous responses of the traveler, pelted him with rocks and drove him away. He left, striding purposefully in a direction that led nowhere, as far as anyone knew. On watching these events taking place Bahaudin shouted to his followers, Fools, this man is acting the part of humanity. While you were despising him, he was deliberately demonstrating heedlessness as each of you does, all unaware, every day of your lives. The reader is invited to replace the names in this story with those he considers appropriate to the present situation in Washington, D.C. Dr. Cesar Chelala is a New York writer. ==== Join the Discussion Nikki Haley Needs To Shut Up: Palestinian Official By Aiden Pink February 04, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - A senior Palestinian official accused the Trump administration of trying to cause a coup of Palestinian leadership and blasted the United States ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, telling her to shut up her criticism of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Saeb Erekat, the P.A.s lead peace negotiator and the secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, complained in an interview with the Palestinian news agency al-Watan that Haley had called for overthrowing the democratically elected Palestinian president. After Abbas gave a speech last month that denied the Jewish historical connection to Israel and blasted the Trump administrations recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital, Haley responded in a speech at the U.N. A speech that indulges in outrageous and discredited conspiracy theories is not the speech of a person with the courage and the will to seek peace, she said. Erekat claimed that such remarks amounted to a coup against the Palestinian political system, and that the U.S. and Israel wanted to undermine the Palestinian national project. Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Nikki Haley needs to shut up and realize that the Palestinian leadership is not the problem, he said. Instead, the problem is the Israeli occupation and the policies it continues to pursue. Im not saying that we dont make mistakes; every society and every government makes mistakes. Palestinian leadership boycotted Vice President Mike Pences recent trip to Israel, in protest of the Trump administrations policies, which also include cutting aid to the U.N.s Palestinian refugee agency. But Erekat said that they arent the ones being confrontational. The U.S. administration is itself saying that its not an honest broker in the peace process, Erekat added. Therefore, we are seeking, together with international parties, to convene an international conference for peace. Contact Aiden Pink at pink@forward.com or on Twitter, @aidenpink Trump Uses ISIS to Legitimize US Occupation of the Middle East Speech of the Hezbollah Secretary General By Hassan Nasrallah Transcript: February 04, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - [...] I also want (to raise) another point about this, (that is) the persistent conceit, morgue, arrogance, contempt and racism of the United States through the Trump administration and the statements that we have heard. As for Muslims and Islam, he has spared them no insult during the presidential campaign and after he won the elections. And his insistence on using the term "Islamic terror" is one of the most blatant evidence of his great hostility to Islam. There is no such thing as "Islamic terror". Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter For example, would it be acceptable on our side, that a Muslim proclaims that the use of atomic weapons in Japan by the United States, in Hiroshima and elsewhere constitutes "Christian terror"? All the killings in the past and up to now by the United States in many parts of the world, because they are Christians, can we say that it is "Christian terror"? We refuse to characterize the US terrorism as "Christian terror". We refuse it (categorically). [In an earlier speech, Hassan Nasrallah said the same thing about Israel, reminding that Hezbollah always denunces "Zionist terror" and not "Jewish Terror"]. This is not excessive zeal to please the Christians. If we said that this was Christian terror, we would be unfair to Christians and the Christian religion. (I do not say that) to please the Christians. But Christians must also reject the term ("Islamic terror"), and I claim that Trump deliberately describes terrorism as "Islamic". He does not say, for example, the "takfiri terror" or "Wahhabi terror", because they are his agents, his allies. He does not say "terrorism x or y", he keeps saying (on purpose) "Islamic terror" to smear Islam, Muslims and the Prophet of Islam, describing them as (inherently) terrorists. Well, today I say more regarding Muslims: in addition to the insult addressed at 1.4 billion Muslims and hundreds of millions of Christians with the issue of Al-Quds (Jerusalem, recognized capital of Israel), (Trump) starts insulting African countries and Haiti, with the degrading words he used against these peoples ["Shitholes countries"]. This is a continuation of the fatuity and morgue, of the arrogance of the United States, which some consider the (power) that solves problems in the world, that guarantees respect for law, justice and human rights... If the President of this country is a racist, hateful, arrogant man, contemptuous of the human kind, the children of Adam, because of their color, language, religion or geographical region, on whom do these pro-American rely? [...] Translation: www.unz.com/sayedhasan ==== Join the Discussion World is Burning While Western Left is Quarrelling By Andre Vltchek February 04, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - It really is a shame, and it is tiring, but it is actually nothing new: there is now total disarray amongst those countless progressive and semi-left Western intellectuals, publications, movements and political parties. Cowardice, bloated egos, lack of discipline and intellectual pettiness are often to blame, but that is not all. It is now absolutely clear that the Western left lost patently and shamelessly. It has almost no power, it has no courage to fight or to take risks, and it counts on no real political following in Europe, North America, Australia or New Zealand. The masses, those proverbial oppressed masses, have lately been electing and voting in various semi-fascist populists, unapologetic right-wing demagogues, and mainstream pro-business brutes. Entire Marxist theoretical certainties have been collapsing in front of our eyes. Or at least they have been in the West. To a great extent, what is now happening is absolutely natural. The European left betrayed as early as in the 1980s, by becoming too soft, too undisciplined, too cautious and too self-centered. It put pragmatism above the ideals. It rapidly adopted the lexicon of the liberal ideological establishment, complete with Western perceptions of human rights, democratic principles and political correctness. It ceased to be revolutionary; it essentially stopped all revolutionary activities, and it abandoned the core element of any true left-wing identity internationalism. Without at least some basic internationalist principles, the left is now essentially reduced to some sort of local trade union level: Let us fight for better labor conditions and health care at home, and to hell with all that neo-colonialist plunder of the world which is expected to pay for almost all of our benefits. As long as we eat well and have long vacations, why should we rebel, why should we fight? The Western left has also failed to honestly address global history and especially the role which both Europe and North America have been playing in it. Many so-called progressive Western thinkers have essentially adopted the imperialist rhetoric and revanchist interpretation of various key historic events, hence becoming anti-Communist themselves. After that, almost everything was lost, went down the drain. Revolutionary flags were burned, at least metaphorically. Good old slogans were ditched. Then, instead of marches and violent demonstrations and clashes with the authorities representing the regime, increasingly comfortable couches in front of the latest high-definition television sets got quickly filled with millions of flabby over-indulgent bodies. Now really ugly fights over the shrinking pie are raging. Theoretical Trotskyists and theoretical Maoists are at each others throats. There are, of course, Leninists, and others, many others. Things went much further, still: these days, in the West, most progressives go by the issues, refusing to commit to anything greater, full-heartedly. This position is increasingly in vogue, and it essentially shouts: I have my own philosophy. I dont need any ideology at all. No revolution has ever been won like this. But in the West, there is no desire for true revolution. Belonging to left is mainly just a pose, with a social media account and a selfie. It is not serious, and it is not intended to be. There are, of course, Anarcho-syndicalists with their air of superiority and lofty theories that would be outrightly rejected and laughed at by the great majority of the truly oppressed people in places like Asia or Africa. Lately, I dont even know, anymore, who is who, in that small and petty world. I am not monitoring it, I hardly participate in theoretical discussions. I write, using basically just two publications as my platform, from which my writing goes to the world, in various languages. But that small and petty world is obviously monitoring me. And what it sees, it does not like. After launching with one of the mightiest publications in the West (I dont really want to name the publication, but my readers, most likely know which one Im talking about) some 300 essays in the last 7 or 8 years, I was literally dumped by it at the very end of 2017. I will never find out the real reason, but most likely it was due to my too left wing convictions, and too anti-Western, too open rhetoric. And, yes, there was actually some hint: The editors did not like it that I write for Russian state-sponsored media, which in turn has some links to allegedly radical left-wing sites in the U.S. In the eyes of the anti-Communist, we-go-by-the-issues Western media, any state sponsored or state controlled media is bad, extremely bad! Even if it belongs to those countries that are heroically fighting against Western imperialism, trying to save our Planet. Or perhaps it is considered especially bad if it belongs to such countries. It obviously applies to the Chinese, Russian, Venezuelan, Cuban, or Iranian media outlets. In summary it applies to all media worldwide that is fighting to prevent the Western monstrous imperialist endgame from taking place; to the media that is fighting with force and zeal, and with (lately) tremendous success. Instead of obediently waiting for the Western right or Western left, to define the world, now the Chinese, Russians, Latin Americans and the Middle Easterners are suddenly daring to re-define events that are taking place on this Planet. They are interviewing Westerners themselves, while holding a mirror to those monsters that became both the European and North American societies. And instead of letting only Westerners speak, there are suddenly African, Asian, Russian, Arab and Latin American people appearing in front of the cameras. Instead of that noble look what we are doing to the world, the true victims but also true revolutionaries are leading passionate debates. Instead of some PhD professor in London debating whether China is truly Communist or not, it is now Chinese people speaking up, clarifying what their own country is and is not. And the Western left does not like it. It is clear that it does not like such developments at all. The Western left does not like any state-sponsored media. It does not like it when others are speaking. Well, it may be even deeper than that: it appears that it does not really like anyone who is really fighting and who is winning: it does not like the left that is actually holding power! Because the Western left is much more part of the West than of the left. Because deep down, it is comfortable, even obsessed with its exceptionalism. Because despite those horrid centuries of colonialist and imperialist plunder of the world by Europe and North America, it does not truly believe that the crimes were committed because of Western culture and way of thinking. Because, deep down, it really does not think that the non-Western nations and their media and thinkers are capable of defining and describing the world accurately, or even describing their own countries accurately. Non-Westerners simply cannot and should not be trusted. Only Western intellectuals have some sort of inherited right to make fully qualified decisions on such important topics as: whether China is Communist or not, whether Russia under President Putin is a progressive country or not, whether Iran is socialist or just a brutal religious state, whether Assads government is legitimate, whether the North Korean leadership is insane or whether President Maduro of Venezuela just went too far. As the world is finally preparing to defend itself against the inevitable Western aggressions, as the people of Asia, Russia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East are discovering their own voices silenced for centuries by colonialist barbarity, as it is while the governments of these countries are making such discussion platforms possible, the Western left is howling at the moon, beating its chest in self-righteous narcissist gestures, and essentially insulting those who are fighting, standing tall, building much better world and yes governing! In several countries of South America, the left has recently been defeated precisely because it was too influenced ideologically (or more precisely, anti-ideologically) by those weak, obsolete and overcautious Western pseudo-revolutionaries. Latin Americans should not, and hopefully will not, make similar mistakes in the future. No revolutionary country can aim at perfection, yet. Revolution is not a bed of roses, said Fidel. Defending ones country against brutal foreign invasions is not always a pretty business: it is thoroughly messy and bloody stuff. The weak and soft-skinned Western left can demand from non-Western revolutionary governments both purity and a silk-gloved-approach, simply because it has no idea (or it doesnt care) what it is like to govern in countries consisting of millions of men, women and children who have been forced to live in absolute shit, after being robbed of everything by European and North American slave drivers. One simple mistake which those governments make, one sign of weakness, and their countries will go up in smoke, end up in ruins, in oblivion: like Iraq, like Afghanistan, like Yeltsins Russia, or like China during the century of humiliation. The over-sensitivity of the Western left is actually only a facade, it is not real. Just as an example, the editors of the above-mentioned magazine, which has so unceremoniously stopped publishing my work, never showed any interest in my well-being or safety. I think if I would have dropped dead in one of the war zones I have covered, theyd hardly notice. Articles and essays signed by me would simply stop coming. Everyone is, after all, replaceable. To offer any support would be below their dignity. But to ask, regularly, for the readers financial support, never has been. The State-sponsored media in the revolutionary countries does treat their people differently. At least some of it does. And quarreling goes on. I lost interest in the details. It is all time consuming and irrelevant. In the meantime, I feel more and more comfortable writing for those new and proud media outlets, worldwide, edited far away from the West. I like it when my comrades are getting strong, when they are winning. I want them to govern and to govern well. And I want their countries to survive. Things are that simple! It is a great honor to show my films on TeleSur and Al-Mayadeen, to write for the New Eastern Outlook, China Daily, Countercurrents, and Russia Today. I enjoy appearing live, regularly, on PressTV. I feel that each word that I write and utter through those media outlets is intended for my friends, for my comrades, for our struggle and for a much better world. And let me repeat: I want my friends and comrades to win, to succeed, and yes, to govern! The Western left can keep quarreling, chewing itself: Who said what? Who is real left and who is not? Who is pure Marxist and who is simply some social democrat? Not all Western left media outlets are as described above. There are still some wonderful writers and editors in the West, too. But the overall situation in Europe and North America is deteriorating. The governing and struggling revolutionary and internationalist left in the independent countries does not usually have time for lofty debates. We have Moscow, Beijing, Caracas, Havana, La Paz, Damascus and many other wonderful cities behind our backs to defend. We will deal with the theory later, much later, after we win, after there is real peace, accompanied by justice, after all of us on this planet can proudly be what we really are ourselves and defined by ourselves! Andre Vltchek is a philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist. He has covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries. Three of his latest books are his tribute to The Great October Socialist Revolution a revolutionary novel Aurora and a bestselling work of political non-fiction: Exposing Lies Of The Empire . View his other books here . Watch Rwanda Gambit , his groundbreaking documentary about Rwanda and DRCongo and his film/dialogue with Noam Chomsky On Western Terrorism . Vltchek presently resides in East Asia and the Middle East, and continues to work around the world. He can be reached through his website and his Twitter . First published in New Eastern Outlook ==== Join the Discussion Nunes Memo Reports Crimes at Top of FBI and DOJ Exclusive: The newly released Nunes Memo reveals felony wrongdoing by top members of the FBI and DOJ for misrepresenting evidence to obtain a FISA warrant and may implicate other intelligence officials, writes Ray McGovern. By Ray McGovern February 04, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - The long-awaited House Intelligence Committee report made public today identifies current and former top officials of the FBI and the Department of Justice as guilty of the felony of misrepresenting evidence required to obtain a court warrant before surveilling American citizens. The target was candidate Donald Trumps adviser Carter Page. The main points of what is widely known as the Nunes Memo, after the House Intelligence Committee Chair Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), have been nicely summarized by blogger Publius Tacitus , who noted that the following very senior officials are now liable for contempt-of-court charges; namely, the current and former members of the FBI and the Department of Justice who signed off on fraudulent applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court: James Comey, Andy McCabe, Sally Yates, Dana Boente and Rob Rosenstein. The following is Publius Tacituss summary of the main points: The dubious but celebrated Steele Dossier played a critical role in obtaining approval from the FISA court to carry out surveillance of Carter Page according to former FBI Deputy Director Andy McCabe. Christopher Steele was getting paid by the DNC and the FBI for the same information. No one at the FBI or the DOJ disclosed to the court that the Steele dossier was paid for by an opposition political campaign. The first FISA warrant was obtained on October 21, 2016 based on a story written by Michael Isikoff for Yahoo News based on information he received directly from Christopher Steele the FBI did not disclose in the FISA application that Steele was the original source of the information. Christopher Steele was a long-standing FBI source but was terminated as a source after telling Mother Jones reporter David Corn that he had a relationship with the FBI. The FBI signers of the FISA applications/renewals were James Comey (three times) and Andrew McCabe. The DOJ signers of the FISA applications/renewals were Sally Yates, Dana Boente and Rod Rosenstein. Even after Steele was terminated by the FBI, he remained in contact with Deputy Attorney General Bruce Our, whose wife worked for FUSION GPS, a contractor that was deeply involved with the Steele dossier. From what Michael Isikoff reported in September 2016 it appears that the CIA and the Director of National Intelligence (as well as the FBI) are implicated in spreading the disinformation about Trump and Russia. Isikoff wrote: U.S. intelligence officials are seeking to determine whether an American businessman identified by Donald Trump as one of his foreign policy advisers has opened up private communications with senior Russian officials including talks about the possible lifting of economic sanctions if the Republican nominee becomes president, according to multiple sources who have been briefed on the issue. [] But U.S. officials have since received intelligence reports that during that same three-day trip, Page met with Igor Sechin, a longtime Putin associate and former Russian deputy prime minister who is now the executive chairman of Rosneft, Russians leading oil company, a well-placed Western intelligence source tells Yahoo News. Who were the intelligence officials briefing the select members of the House and Senate? That will be one of the next shoes to drop. We are likely to learn in the coming days that John Brennan and Jim Clapper were also trying to help the FBI build a fallacious case against Trump, adds Tacitus. Indeed, Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has already indicated that his disclosures in the Nunes Memo represent just one piece of a probably much larger mosaic of what went on. The Media Will Determine What Comes Next As for Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, it is now abundantly clear why he went to ridiculous lengths, as did the entire Democratic congressional leadership, to block or impugn the House Intelligence Committee report. Until the mid-December revelations of the text messages between FBI lovers Peter Strzok and Lisa Page turned Russia-gate into FBI/DOJ-gate, Schiff had been riding high, often hiding behind what he said he could not tell the rest of us. With the media, including what used to be the progressive media, fully supporting the likes of Adam Schiff, and the FBI/CIA/NSA deep state likely to pull out all the stops, the die is now cast. We are in for a highly interesting time over the next months. Ray McGovern works with the publishing arm of the ecumenical Church of the Savior in inner-city Washington. He was a CIA analyst for 27 years and co-founded Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS). This article was originally published by " Consortiumnews " - ==== Top officials in FBI & DOJ committed felonies CIA whistleblower Join the Discussion The Increasing Likelihood Of Nuclear War Should Straighten Out All Our Priorities By Caitlin Johnstone February 04, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - A Russian pilot has been killed by US-armed terrorists in Syria. The Ron Paul Institute's Daniel McAdams writes the following about this new development: "The scenario where a US-backed, US-supplied jihadist group in Syria uses US weapons to shoot down a Russian plane and then murders the pilot on the ground should be seen as a near-nightmare escalation, drawing the US and Russia terrifyingly closer to direct conflict." McAdams is not fearmongering; he is stating a plainly obvious fact. The Trump administration has just announced that it is restructuring its nuclear weapons policy to take a more aggressive stance toward Russia than that which was held by the previous administration. This is coming after this administration's decision to arm Ukraine against Russia , a move Obama refused to take for fear of escalating tensions with Moscow, as well as its decision to continue to occupy Syria in order to effect regime change, along with numerous other escalations . The Council on Foreign Relations, which is without exaggeration as close to the voice of the US establishment as you can possibly get, is now openly admitting that the United States is currently in a second Cold War with Russia." In a recent interview with The Real News, leading US-Russian relations expert Stephen Cohen repeated his ongoing warning that "this new Cold War is much more dangerous, much more likely to end in Hot War, than was the 40-year of Cold War, which we barely survived." In a previous interview with the same outlet, Cohen elaborated more extensively: "We are in new cold war that is much more dangerous than the last cold war for various reasons. One is that the new cold war today, as we talk, includes three fronts. U.S.-Russian fronts, they're fought with hot war. That's Syria. That's the reckless NATO military build-up on Russia's western boarders, which has resulted in a situation today that ordinarily artillery, not missiles, ordinary artillery, can hit Russia's second city of Saint Petersburg. Just think about that and the instability. And the third front is Ukraine." Cohen explains how the political pressures placed on Trump by the ongoing fact-free allegation that he is a Kremlin puppet makes it far more difficult for him to negotiate on these multiple fronts agilely, thus making it much more likely that Trump will choose to advance when he should retreat, hold his ground when he should back down, and generally be locked into patterns of aggression and forward movement rather than the back-and-forth finesse required for safe cold war negotiations with a nuclear superpower. We came within a hair's breadth of nuclear annihilation on more than one occasion during the last cold war, and the further things escalate in this new one the more likely we are to tempt fate again. The only reason we survived the extremely tense stand-offs in the last cold war ultimately boiled down to pure dumb luck in some cases, and there's no legitimate reason to believe we'll get lucky again. To be clear, I am not saying that the US or Russia actually want nuclear war. Two men with guns pointed at one another in a conventional standoff generally don't want either weapon to discharge, either. What I am saying is that we learned in situations snatched from the brink of disaster by men like Stanislov Petrov and Vasili Arkhipov that there are too many small, unpredictable moving parts involved in a nuclear standoff for cold war escalations to unfold safely and predictably, and the more tense things get the more likely it becomes that a nuclear warhead gets discharged in the chaos and confusion. Once a single warhead goes off, Mutually Assured Destruction comes into play. Add into that the hot war dynamics and political pressures described by Stephen Cohen and we're looking at some very uncomfortable odds as a species. Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter In my view most of the political disagreements I have with people ultimately boil down to this. I see us as facing an immediate existential crisis as a species that needs to be dealt with right now, and people say I should be more worried about this or that conservative figure saying rude things on Twitter. We are facing the very real possibility of near-term human extinction; I don't know how to care about the petty sectarian squabbles in America's various political factions. It really is time for us to all get over ourselves and grow up. This unprecedented crisis should be drawing us together, yet we're more politically divided than ever. It is evolve or die time, and we're all still arguing over airplane peanuts while the plane is in a full nose dive. Thought experiment: Imagine if you wake up one morning and turn on the TV to an emergency broadcast alert that a nuclear weapon has been discharged by either the US or Russia in the chaos and confusion of this convoluted new cold war, and saying that you need to seek shelter immediately. What thoughts will go through your head as the realization dawns that this is really happening? Do you imagine that you will be spending much time thinking about how Trump said "shit hole countries"? Will you spend your last moments on earth mentally shaking your fist at Antifa and "libtards"? Or will you instead perhaps wish that you and your brothers and sisters around the world had more aggressively opposed these new cold war games your leaders have been playing? It is entirely possible that you will one day in the near future find yourself in this very situation and answering the questions I just asked you for yourself. Let's skip that part of our story together, please. The reason they need to work so hard to manufacture consent for these escalations is because they require that consent. If we all loudly raise our voices and say "No. Enough. This ends now," they will necessarily have to obey. The Russiagate psyop exists because the western power establishment is trying to cripple the Russia-China tandem in order to ensure US hegemony, and if they tried to thrust us all into a new cold war without our permission they'd shatter the illusion of freedom and democracy they depend on to rule you. If we all rise as one voice and withdraw that permission, they will be forced to obey. Can we do this, please? Can we make ensuring our survival into the future a priority right now and put bickering over identity politics and the president's tweets on the back burner until then? We'll have a whole future ahead of us to sort that stuff out if we survive the urgent crisis we are facing right now Thanks for reading! My daily articles are entirely reader-funded, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, liking me on Facebook , following me on Twitter , bookmarking my website , checking out my podcast , throwing some money into my hat on Patreon or Paypal , or buying my new book Woke: A Field Guide for Utopia Preppers . The Syrian Madhouse Gets Even Crazier By Eric Margolis February 04, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Last summer, I was positioned just across the border from the Syrian town of Afrin around which Turkish and Kurdish and, possibly, American forces, are now poised for a head-on clash. It seems crazy to me that anyone would want to fight over this one-donkey farm town. We were there on a mission to rescue wild animals trapped in a zoo in war-torn Aleppo, Syria. Why on earth are at least 2,000 US troops mixed up in this fracas in darkest Syria? Because the pro-Israel neocons in Washington, who pretty much run US foreign policy these days, are determined to have revenge for the defeat of US-backed rebel forces in Syria. So its once more into the breach near Afrin and the town Manbij though America has zero national interests in Syria. The US first tried to overthrow Syrias governments in Damascus in 1948 because it was too independent and flirting with the Soviets. Todays intervention is part of Israels plan to fragment Syria and gobble up its water and fertile land resources. Worse, the Pentagon decided to enlist and arm rebellious Kurds in southern Turkey and Syria, and use them as native troops to fight first the rag-tag bands of ISIS, then the Turkish armed forces. This was a terrible idea compounded by US Secretary of State Rex Tillersons incredibly foolish recent announcement that the US would mobilize, arm and finance a border force of 30,000 Kurds that was closely tied to the Kurdish PKK rebel group. Washington has only a childs understanding of events in Turkey and the dangers involved. Washington bills the PKK terrorists. Clearly, it cant even keep its terrorists straight. The neocons under Trump have gutted the State Department. The Turks rightly fear that events in war-torn Syria may enflame demands by Turkeys restive Kurdish minority for an independent state. The very likely involvement of the US in the 2016 failed coup attempt to overthrow Turkeys president, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have deepened Turkish fears of another US-backed plot to divide Turkey. Turks recall post World War I efforts by Britain, France, Greece and Italy in 1918-19 to divide up post-Ottoman Turkey between them. Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter The Turks are in a rage. Turkey has been battling a wide-scale Kurdish insurgency since the 1980s. I was with the Turkish Army in eastern Anatolia (just north of Syria), witnessing the brutal, bloody guerilla war between the Turks and Kurds that left 40,000 dead, mostly civilians. Turkeys democratic leader, President Erdogan, had almost forged a peace with the rebellious Kurds and their PKK leadership when the western intervention in Syria rekindled the war. As often in the past, foreign powers used the warlike Kurds for their own aims, then abandoned them. Israel has been particularly active in arming and organizing Kurdish rebels since the 1970s as part of its grand strategy to fragment the Arab world and Turkey, and degrade them into feeble mini-states. Intervention by Russia, Iran and Lebanons Hezbollah into Syrian civil-war caused the defeat of US-Saudi-British-Israeli backed rebel Syrian forces. This, as noted, led the frustrated US war party to directly base US troops in Syria, an act that flagrantly violated international law. As US troops prepared to confront the forces from Damascus and their Russian air support, the Kurds declared all-out war. Involved were not only Syrian Kurds but large numbers of ethnic Kurds in Turkey, who make up about 17% of the total population. Irans Kurds are next to be stirred up. All this is a huge, dangerous mess. US and Russian forces are now at rifles shot from one another while their warplanes buzz the skies overhead. Iranian and US forces are nearing a confrontation, something that would delight the Trump White House. US and Turkish forces are nearing confrontation. Were it not for the steady hand of Russias leader Vladimir Putin, a US-Russian clash might have already occurred. While this dangerous game of chicken goes on, US and NATO forces are busy probing Russias border in the Baltic, Eastern Europe and the Black Sea. The hunger for war grows. Wretched, largely devastated Syria now faces more fighting. The captive wild animals we rescued from Aleppo, Syria (see www.ericmargolis.com ), are still in large part in shock from being trapped in the middle of a war zone. One of the hyenas we saved just died of organ failure. Think of the suffering of Syrias people as the great powers and their mercenaries turn this once lovely land into a giant cemetery. Eric S. Margolis is an award-winning, internationally syndicated columnist. His articles have appeared in the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune the Los Angeles Times, Times of London, the Gulf Times, the Khaleej Times, Nation Pakistan, Hurriyet, Turkey, Sun Times Malaysia and other news sites in Asia. Copyright Eric S. Margolis 2018 ==== Join the Discussion Four Days in Palestine: My Time with Bassem Tamimi Israeli forces killed more than twenty of my family members, arrested and tortured me, shot my son and now they are holding my wife and daughter, what do you say to that? The reporter admitted he had no reply. By Miko Peled February 04, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - JERUSALEM, PALESTINE When you encounter face to face the systems of oppression as they are imposed by Israel on Palestinians, the shock leaves you searching for words. The dirt roads, dusty in summer and muddy in winter; the cold iron gates; the cement blocks; the metal revolving doors that start and stop abruptly, even violently and as you try to pass through; and the darkened windows from which orders are barked at people. The waiting areas where you sit waiting endlessly, knowing that the authorities have complete control of your time and you have no recourse, exposed to the elements, too hot in summer and freezing cold in winter. Life under Israeli rule means total disregard for your humanity and dignity. It means that any rude kid with a gun can and will control your life. Living as I do in the sphere of the privileged, I encounter this each time I travel to see my Palestinian friends. I arrived in Jerusalem Tuesday afternoon and by Wednesday morning I was in Ramallah to meet my friend Bassem Tamimi. He was busy for a while so I sat at Stars and Bucks in Manara Square, had tea and argileh and watched the people in the street below. He told me that he had to be at Ofer military court at 4 p.m. for a hearing but at 1:30 p.m. he got a call from his attorney: Bassem where are you? The hearing for Ahed and Nariman is at 2! They had been in jail at that point for exactly a month and, hearing after hearing, they were denied release for reasons beyond understanding. That day was going to be yet another hearing. The Ofer military prison and court sit on land confiscated by Israel from the town of Bituniya, which is adjacent to Ramallah and just a few minutes drive from central Ramallah. I drove as fast as I could but the city streets are congested and because we are in a hurry it seems like its taking forever. As you approach Ofer there is an enormous open field. It was muddy from the rains and trucks and cars were parked everywhere. We got out of the car, walked between the puddles towards a gate and an enclosed walkway. It is about a mile to get to the court. We go through one revolving door, then through the metal detector and our IDs are checked. Then a van that transports people the mile or so distance to the court complex comes by. We leave our phones, belts and money with the driver so that we dont to have to take them off again at the next checkpoint. We get off and rush. Bassems phone is ringing again its the attorney: Where are you? They are already entering the courtroom. As we rush ahead I cant help thinking about Bassem his wife and daughter are being held in that military prison, handcuffed and shackled, probably mistreated. Its been a month and there is no end in sight. We arrive at the final gate and I dont have permission to go in. It takes twenty four hours to get the permission and I only arrived the previous day from overseas, so I wait in the open-air waiting area with a few Palestinians as Bassem rushes in. Waiting without knowing how long is part of the Palestinian experience. I see reporters and camera crews rushing in, wanting to report on what is now the biggest story coming out of Palestine: Ahed Tamimi, the 16-year-old girl who slapped an IDF officer. They have no idea that she is a daughter and that her father has to watch her small hands in handcuffs. He isnt even allowed to speak to her. My own daughter is one year younger than Ahed. I would lose my mind, I think to myself but I never lived under military rule, under occupation, so I dont know how to keep my composure when facing this sort of thing. After about an hour I see the camera crews starting to come out. Journalist Mariam Barghouti fills me in on what happened. The judge refused to release Ahed and she must remain in prison until the trial. The reason the judge cited was that Ahed refuses to cooperate and pleads her right to remain silent that makes her a danger, the judge said. And, as though things are not bad enough, her trial date is on her 17th birthday, January 31. Her mother, Nariman, is being held as well and her trial date is a week later, February 6. As I get this update and try to keep my head from exploding, Bassem is still inside giving interviews. Twenty minutes later I see Bassem through the chicken wire. He comes out looking exactly as any father would look. Are there words to describe this feeling? I am at a loss for words again as we rush back to the car and drive off. His phone rings nonstop and he gives interview after interview in Arabic, in English, then in Arabic again: How do I feel? My wife and my daughter are being held by my enemy! The Times of Israel calls for an interview. This is a radical Zionist rag. They ask Bassem about Ahlam Tamimi and her husband Nizar. The two are relatives of Bassem, and have served many years in Israeli military jails. Ahlam was involved in the bombing of Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem, which was located on a street corner I know well and often frequented. It is also across the street from the residence of the Israeli prime minister. Nizar was involved in the killing of a settler from the settlement Bet-El, which sits near Ramallah. They were both released from prison as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange deal . How was Ahed influenced by her aunt Ahlam? the reporter asked. Well, Bassem replied, both Ahlam and Ahed were influenced by the occupation and their want for freedom. But Ahlams actions resulted in the killing of 17 Israelis what do you say to that? Israeli forces killed more than twenty of my family members, arrested and tortured me, shot my son and now they are holding my wife and daughter, what do you say to that? The reporter admitted he had no reply. We kept driving, and fifteen minutes later the reporter called again: We decided not to print the interview. Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter That evening it was very cold and we stayed up late talking at Bassems house. Bassems three boys were home also. In the morning I could tell that the boys had been up late. When they got up they showed me videos of what transpired in the village while we were sleeping. Army jeeps screeching, engaged in what they call clashes with youth from the village. The army has a practice of entering villages late in the night, knowing this will disrupt peoples sleep, not to mention life. There were no arrests, the boys told us. The Palestinian Authority has decided to take Israel to the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the case of Aheds arrest, so Bassem and I go to the office of Abu Jihad Al-Aloul, deputy leader of the Fateh party, to discuss this. We step in to Abu-Jihads office, Bassem introduces me, and we all chat for a while. Abu-Jihad reaffirms that the PA intends to take Aheds case to ICC and asks Bassem to return on Sunday to talk more. This was Thursday. Its late Thursday night when I leave on my return to Jerusalem. The road is dark except for the soft lights of Palestinian villages and the glaring lights of the Israeli colonies. I arrive at Niilin checkpoint a quick hello to the security people who man it and I am back in the sphere of the colonizer, driving along route 443, also known as Apartheid Road , passing by Ofer prison again but from the other side, where the road is paved and clean. I love Fridays in Jerusalem. I have coffee with my mother, chat for a couple of hours, and then I am off to the city. My first stop is the Educational Bookshop on Salaheddin Street. Just think of the name for a moment. Salaheddin Street! Wow, a city that still has memories of this great Muslim warrior. What are you doing out in this cold weather? I am greeted as I enter the bookstore/cafe, which has become a sort of iconic meeting place. Its not that cold. I reply and order warm Sahlab and tea with Nana. The store is pretty empty when I enter but slowly it fills up. I contact my friend Munther Fahmi, who used to own another bookstore and was known as the Bookseller of Jerusalem . He owned the bookstore at the American Colony Hotel. Walking with him in the Old City of Jerusalem is a real delight. I know the city well, and I love it. For Munther the Old City is his backyard. He grew up running up and down the curvy alleys and stairways. He knows every shopkeeper and falafel stand and when he says a place has the best falafel, it really does have the best falafel in the city. Munther and I were both born in Jerusalem. My family arrived in the 1920s to colonize Palestine. His family traces its roots in the Old City of Jerusalem for centuries. I have full citizenship and full rights and he has no citizenship, not even permanent residence. He must leave the country in order to have his visa renewed. This is because, like me, he lived in the U.S. for many years and, also like me, he has a U.S. passport. Unlike me, Israel has taken away his Jerusalem ID because he is a Palestinian and even though he returned many years ago, had a business and has a home in the city they will not restore his legal right to reside in the city. But somehow all this did not hinder our joy of roaming the city on a cold wintery day. We ended up at the Jerusalem Hotel drinking tea before I drove him home. Saturday evening, Bassem and I had a lecture at the Alternative Information Center (AIC) in Beit Sahour and we decided to drive together. Its a long and sometimes harrowing drive from Nabi Saleh which is near Ramallah, in the northern part of the West Bank, to Beit Sahour, which is near Bethlehem and in the southern part of the West Bank. The connecting point between these two parts is Jerusalem and, unlike Jewish Israelis like me who are descendants of colonizers, Palestinians like Bassem, who have been residing in Palestine since Adam and Eve were chasing each other naked, are not permitted to enter the city, not even to drive through it. So we take an alternate route which is long, dangerous and annoying. Still, we make the most of it. We begin by driving through the windy old back roads enjoying Palestine in its full beauty which Bassem and I agree is unmatched. As we go from one small picturesque village to another, Bassem tells me the names and the history of each place. We arrive in Beit Sahour ten minutes early, just in time for a quick cup of coffee. Baha Hilo, local activist and friend, hosted us and introduced us at the lecture. The audience was made of young Europeans and Americans who were there to see and learn. We had a great deal to say, mostly that it is time to act. Palestine is bleeding and time is running out. Top Photo | Bassem Tamimi speaks in front of a poster showing his daughter Ahed at his home in Nabi Saleh near the West Bank city of Ramallah. Israels hard-charging prosecution of his 16-year-old daughter who slapped two Israeli soldiers has trained a spotlight on her family and its role in near-weekly protests against Israeli occupation staged in several West Bank cities. (AP/Majdi Mohammed) Miko Peled is an Israeli-American activist, author, and karate instructor. Peled authored The Generals Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine , and speaks at venues around the world. This article was originally published by " MPN " - ==== Join the Discussion Former Manager of defunct Psquare group, Jude Okoye, who welcomed a baby girl with his wife Ifeoma Michelle Okoye in United States last year, dedicated their baby christened Eleanor Chisom Okoye in church yesterday. Jude Okoye was in the news recently for reportedly paying the hospital of a lady identified as Aisha, who welcomed triplets. With that, Jude Okoye contributed his own quota to the #TAPchallenge. The challenge which is championed by Daddy Freeze means Tithe Against Poverty where a portion of your income is used to move someone from poverty. Daddy Freeze who shared the story on Instagram, further encouraged Nigerians to emulate Jude and help the less privileged in anyway they can so that poverty in Nigeria can be reduced. Source: Naijaloaded An article on the online tabloid site Celeb Dirty Laundry (CDL) is claiming that Meghan Markle and Kate Middletons friendship is being overblown by the media. The article claims that Middleton and Markle are playing nice for the cameras but that Middleton isnt happy about sharing the spotlight with the former Suits actress. The article reads: Of course, Buckingham Palace would love for critics to believe that Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are getting along quite well behind closed doors. But even royal observers know that it will take a very long time before Kate Middleton gets used to the idea that shes not the only female star of the royal family anymore. The article goes on to claim that Kate has been attending a lot more royal events even though she is pregnant and this is because she is trying to compete with Markles growing royal star power. They also claim that the Duchess of Cambridge feels threatened by Meghan because the former actress is more natural when meeting fans while Kate is more restrained. A People Magazine cover story earlier claimed that Middleton and Markle are becoming close. The People Magazine article reports that both women have bonded which may have something to do with the fact that they are both the same age and they are neighbors at Kensington Palace. It is believed the People Magazine cover story is what prompted the CDL article that the future sister-in-laws relationship is being faked for the press. CDL claims that the tabloid is exaggerating the Middleton-Markle friendship. Gossip Cop believes that the People Magazine story is more credible than the CDL article. The celebrity gossip watchdog points out that the article was penned by professionals who did a lot of research. Gossip Cop concludes that Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton may not be best friends ahead of the upcoming royal wedding, but it seems that they do have an authentic growing friendship. Source: Linda Ikejis blog Punch There was confusion on Sunday over two statements purportedly written by a former military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, which bordered on the 2019 elections, the herdsmen/farmers crisis and other issues plaguing the nation. Vanguard Former governor of Plateau State and the senator representing Plateau North senatorial zone, Senator Jonah David Jang, has said he will not hand over to a younger person in 2019 as according to him, the Senate is not for young people. The Sun The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has ordered for the arrest of Kassim Afegbua for the statement he issued on behalf of former President Ibrahim Babangida. Thisday Following the confusion that arose from a counter-statement purportedly issued by former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida yesterday retracting an earlier statement in the day Daily Times FEBRUARY 4, 2018 President Muhammadu Buharis reelection bid in 2019 suffered another setback on Sunday as former Military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), urged him not to extend his tenure beyond 2019 in order to allow a new breed of leadership take over the leadership mantle of the country. Guardian Daily Trust The Lagos State government yesterday announced it has released the sum of N5.563 billion to contractors to flag off the construction of 181 roads spread across the 20 local governments and 37 local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state. Tribune NIGERIANS have continued to comment on the contents of the letter written by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo to President Muhammadu Buhari assessing the performance of the present administration among others in the areas of the economy, Leadership Kano State governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has extended an invitation to Fulani herdsmen residing in Nigeria, specifically those in Benue and Taraba States to transfer their grazing operations and other activities to Kano State The Nation Update 2/23/18 The Cobb Planning Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved Brooks Chadwick Capitals request to add self-storage to its mixed-use project in Marietta, Ga. More than three dozen residents attended the meeting to oppose the development, according to the source. Jainet Morissett, who lives in the nearby Cutters Gap housing subdivision, said the project would result in a loss of privacy and peaceful enjoyment of her property. She also expressed her dislike for the facilitys design. Moore noted the building would be 130 feet from the nearest home property line. He also defended the structures design and assured residents the business impact would be minimal on the community. What it looks like, from all appearances, is an office building. What it is, is something thats far less intense than an office building, he said. Self-service storage facilities produce, essentially, from a statistical standpoint, almost zero traffic impact. Theyre used on such an infrequent basis from a traffic-impact standpoint. It also generates essentially no noise. Allen McCahren, who resides on Hunters Lodge Road behind the site, offered the commission a petition that included 336 signatures from people opposed to the project. He argued the structure doesnt fit this community and that there are already 15 storage businesses within the immediate area and four within 3.5 miles of the proposed site. Commissioner JoAnn Birrell, who represents the area, said possible competition shouldnt be a factor in the boards decision. To say theres enough storage facilities already is kind of like saying We have too many drugstores, or grocery stores or gas stations. Its free enterprise, she said. As long as they meet the requirements and no variances, its not for us to get into the profitability or the price per land. Thats not what were here to consider as far as zoning. In addition, the commission approved another mixed-use project in the county that will include self-storage. The $120 million development on the northwest corner of Powers Ferry and Terrell Mill Roads will also include nearly 300 apartments, retail spaces and a new Kroger grocery store, the source reported. 2/12/18 The Cobb Planning Commission voted 4-1 last week to recommend the special-use permit necessary for Brooks Chadwick to add self-storage to its project at the former Mountain View Elementary site. The recommendation came despite protests from residents of the Cutters Gap neighborhood who accused the developer of bait-and-switch tactics in adding the storage building after submitting its initial mixed-use plan, according to the source. Some residents asked planners to impose a two-story limit, but attorney Kevin Moore, representing Brooks Chadwick, indicated the structure would have a required height limitation of 45 feet. Its the quietest possible use there could be in this location, Moore told the commission. The Cobb Board of Commissioners will make a final decision on the permit on Feb. 20. An earlier report erroneously indicated the planning commission was set to review the zoning issue on that date. 2/5/18 Brooks Chadwick Capital LLC, a privately held real estate investment company, is seeking zoning approval to add a three-story self-storage facility to a mixed-use property its developing in Marietta, Ga. The company received the green light last fall to repurpose the 13.8-acre Mountain View Elementary School at 3448 Sandy Plains Road. The plans include the construction of seven buildings on the site, which is owned by the Cobb County School District, according to the source. The self-storage facility would be built on the southwest corner of the property, adjacent to the existing East Cobb Senior Center and The Art Place-Mountain View, a community art facility. Featuring a Colonial-style exterior, it would comprise 105,340 square feet of storage space and 13 parking spaces. Brooks Chadwick submitted a revised site plan and facility renderings in December after meeting with residents, the source reported. Brooks Chadwick also plans to raze the school building and construct a 103,000-square-foot structure in its place to house restaurants, retail, a bank and supermarket. Company officials held several meetings last fall with residents, who at first opposed the project. The planning board approved the proposal in October after the company agreed to a number of stipulations, including the types of businesses that would be allowed. It also agreed to add a buffer between the back of the property and residences. The Cobb Planning Commission will review the application on Feb. 20. The citys zoning staff has recommended approving it with conditions, such as authorizing the final architectural and landscape plan. It also suggested keeping the stipulations that were part of the original rezoning. Founded in 2003 and based in Marietta, Brooks Chadwick acquires and develops real estate in Metro Atlanta. Its services also include consulting and project management. Sources: Marietta Daily Journal, Storage Facility OKd for New Development on old Mountain View Elementary East Cobb News, Proposed Self-Storage Facility at Former Mountain View Elementary School Site Clears First Hurdle East Cobb News, Self-Storage Facility Proposed on Former Mountain View Elementary School Site East Cobb News, Former Mountain View Elementary School Redevelopment Approved First Neck Self-Storage Group LLC, a joint venture between asset-management and investment-advisory firm CSM Capital Corp. and real estate investment and management company Self-Storage Capital Partners (SSCP), has raised $50 million with the intent to acquire storage properties in primary and secondary markets. The funding round will be used to buy up to $160 million in assets, according to the source. Our investors are very well-heeled, wealthy individuals who have worked with us for a long time, Christopher Moore, founder and president of CSM Capital, told the source. Were going to spend this right now, and get back in the market probably when were within two-thirds of being done. The next round could be well north of $100 million. First Neck is examining opportunities in the top 100 Metropolitan Statistical Areas, though its primary focus will be in secondary markets. We saw a good opportunity to acquire stabilized facilities in primary and secondary markets, and to acquire relatively sophisticated operators and achieve management upsides through the management expertise of SSCP, said John Blizzard, an analyst at CSM Capital. The joint venture believes secondary markets are attractive due to the potential for higher yields. You get rewarded much better in the secondary market than in the top 10 major markets, but your operational risk is slightly more, Jake Ramage, CEO of SSCP, told the source. Maybe the rental growth is not as strong, but your reward is a higher yield. While First Neck could decide to sell its assets quickly, it could also pursue status as a real estate investment trust (REIT). Well happily entertain an industry sale to a third party, public or private. And well be happy to look at becoming a REIT ourselves, Moore said. Theres no shortage of people looking at the opportunity. At some point, everythings for sale. But were happy to hold it. Based in New York City, CSM Capital works with high-net-worth families and individuals. It has $1.1 billion in accounts under management. The firms partners have completed more than $150 million worth of direct-equity investments in multi-family properties, according to the source. Philadelphia-based SSCP is focused exclusively on the self-storage market. Founded in 2013, it operates the Snapbox Self Storage brand name. Its portfolio comprises 26 facilities in nine states. Its executives have more than 35 years of collective experience in acquiring, operating, repositioning and underwriting self-storage properties, according to its website. February 5, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Technical analyst Clive Maund charts a company developing a gold mine on Fiji. Lion One Metals Limited (LIO:TSX.V) has been working for years to develop a significant gold mine on Fiji, and is expected to bring it into production next year. Technically the stock is a buy in this area because it has reacted back over the past 18 months to the strong support at the upper boundary of a giant Head-and-Shoulders bottom that it earlier broke out of to embark on a major uptrend. Key Fundamental points relating to the company and the project are as follows: The company is in possession of a fully permitted high grade underground gold project advancing to production in Fiji at Tuvatu. Tuvatu previously owned by Australian listed Emperor Gold (Emperor also operated Vatukoula gold mine in Fiji) Vatukoula gold mine produced 7m oz. gold since 1930s; Fiji is seasoned and pro-mining jurisdiction Tuvatu taken through feasibility 1997-2000; over $20 million spent in 1999 dollars; Ivanhoe was biggest shareholder of Emperor Gold prices dropped under $300, Emperor taken over by DRD (Ivanhoe had moved onto Mongolian assets by then) DRD divested Fiji assets in 2006, acquired by Red Lion (Walter Berukoff) Red Lion sold Vatukoula gold mine in 2008, kept Tuvatu, took public with Lion One in 2011 Wally Berukoff: founder of Miramar, Northern Orion, La Manchacornerstone asset bases still valuable and productive Emperor feasibility included over 1km underground workings & 100,000 meters drilling Lion One updated database and previous technical studies Obtained 21 year surface rights from landowners and native land trust Obtained 10 year renewable mining lease over 400 hectares surround Tuvatu resource Secured surrounding district scale land position the Navilawa Caldera A 6x4 km caldera rivaling scale of most major volcanic occurrences in SW Pacific hosting likes of (Porgera, Lihir, Vatukoula, Gosowong etc) Current Status Now we will look at the charts. We start with a long-term 17-year chart which shows that the company has been around for a long time working towards its long-term goal of getting this gold mine up and running. The stock broke out of a base pattern and took off strongly higher early in 2016, at a time when the entire sector rose sharply from extremely depressed levels. Now we will proceed to look at the base pattern and subsequent action on the 5-year chart. This chart shows the fine large Head-and-Shoulders bottom that formed in the stock to advantage. Once the price broke out of this base early in 2016 it took off strongly higher as the entire sector recovered sharply, but after peaking in August of that year, it went into a stubborn downtrend that has persisted to this day, which means it has been going on for 18 months nowa long time, and we are at a good point for this downtrend to end, because the price has arrived back at a zone of strong support centered on the upper boundary of the Head-and-Shoulders bottom, which it dipped into late last year, before rallying back across its downtrend channel again. The 2-year chart shows the downtrend in its entirety in more detail. On this chart we can see that a rather feeble countertrend rally back across the downtrend has been in force since late September. It looks like it is going to make another step down on this chart, and has already started to, but because of the important support not far below in the C$0.40C$0.50 zone, there is a fair chance that it wont drop to new lows, especially as volume has been building up in recent months, which is viewed as bullish, and the AccumDistrib line is starting to look healthy, being not far off making new highs. There are two alternative potential developments here that would be buyers should look out forone is a breakout from the downtrend on good volume, which will be a buy signal, the other is another dip into the support in the vicinity of the September lows at about C$0.45, which will also be a buy signal with the possibility of placing a close stop to limit loss if it breaks lower again. In this case we will be looking for bullish volume action. The 6-month chart shows recent action in more detail, and on it we can see that the stock has gotten very close to making a bullish moving average crossover. Thus it is clear that if Lion finds support soon and turns up, we could quickly see a cross of the moving averages, leading to a breakout from the downtrend best seen on the 2-year chart, which is expected to trigger a new bullmarket in the stock. Conclusion: after its 18-month long reactionary downtrend back to strong support, Lion One is basically in buying territory, with the remaining challenge being to buy at the best price possible, which would be if its reacts back to the C$0.45 area near-term, or with the assurance provided by its breaking out of its downtrend, which would involve paying a slightly higher price. We will keep it under observation with these scenarios in mind. There are 101 million shares in issue, which is acceptable given how long the company has been around, and the stock trades rather thinly on the U.S. OTC market. Lion One Metals website. Finally, one advantage that the company has over many mining companies is that it is easier to get mining analysts to go there, rather than to say, Fairbanks or Norilsk in Russia. It is not known why the company is named Lion One, since, to the writer's knowledge there are no lions roaming free on Fiji and never have been. Lion One Metals Ltd, LIO.V, LOMLF on OTC, trading at C$0.54, $0.43 at 12.00 pm EST on 2nd January 18. Read what other experts are saying about: Clive Maund has been president of www.clivemaund.com, a successful resource sector website, since its inception in 2003. He has 30 years' experience in technical analysis and has worked for banks, commodity brokers and stockbrokers in the City of London. He holds a Diploma in Technical Analysis from the UK Society of Technical Analysts. Disclosure: 1) Clive Maund: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: None. I personally am, or members of my immediate household or family are, paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. My company has a financial relationship with the following companies mentioned in this article: None. CliveMaund.com disclosures below. I determined which companies would be included in this article based on my research and understanding of the sector. 2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: Lion One Metals. Streetwise Reports does not accept stock in exchange for its services. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. As of the date of this article, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports has a consulting relationship with Lion One Metals. 3) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The author is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. The author was not paid by Streetwise Reports for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. 4) This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article, until one week after the publication of the interview or article. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Lion One Metals, a company mentioned in this article. Charts provided by the author. CliveMaund.com Disclosure: The above represents the opinion and analysis of Mr Maund, based on data available to him, at the time of writing. Mr. Maund's opinions are his own, and are not a recommendation or an offer to buy or sell securities. Mr. Maund is an independent analyst who receives no compensation of any kind from any groups, individuals or corporations mentioned in his reports. As trading and investing in any financial markets may involve serious risk of loss, Mr. Maund recommends that you consult with a qualified investment advisor, one licensed by appropriate regulatory agencies in your legal jurisdiction and do your own due diligence and research when making any kind of a transaction with financial ramifications. Although a qualified and experienced stock market analyst, Clive Maund is not a Registered Securities Advisor. Therefore Mr. Maund's opinions on the market and stocks can only be construed as a solicitation to buy and sell securities when they are subject to the prior approval and endorsement of a Registered Securities Advisor operating in accordance with the appropriate regulations in your area of jurisdiction. Mr. Maund does not own securities of Lion One. More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. 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Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp 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. This collection features the arguments in favor of and against the renaming of Catt Hall on Iowa State's campus, which was named in This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. Close Allie Gross covers Teton County government. Originally from the Chicago area, she joined the News&Guide in 2017 after studying politics and Spanish at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons Cecilia Jimenez-Damary [official website] on Friday urged Libya to intensify efforts to aid Libyans [press release] who have been displaced as a result of the countrys ongoing conflict. Jimenez-Damary presented her findings in an end of mission statement [text]. The report lacks definitive data on exactly how many internally displaced persons (IDPs) there are in the country, but it estimates there are approximately 193,000. Since the fall of the countrys former dictator, in-fighting between independent militias and rebel factions escalated in 2014. This resulted in substantial displacement of civilians in both urban and rural areas. The report states there are refugee camps outside of cities as well as in urban areas. Within cities, many IDPs become squatters in abandoned buildings, warehouses, and factories. Some are even required to pay rent. The Special Rapporteur suggested such conditions can compound the widespread discrimination IDPs already are facing, making it difficult for IDPs to restart their lives. The report states that discrimination faced by IDPs include access to public services; lack of legal protection; discrimination in schools; and difficulties finding work. Many IDPs fled in haste and failed to carry their legal papers and documentation with them. Without their official documents and away from their homes of origin, it remains difficult to obtain public services. Due to political pressures, judges are often hesitant to hear cases addressing discrimination against IDPs. Employee discrimination against IDPs by employers is common, making it difficult for them to regain livelihood. Discrimination against IDPs also come in the form of arbitrary arrest, torture, unlawful killings, indiscriminate attacks, disappearances or forced displacement. Families fear their sons might be recruited by armed militias. The report commends the Libyan government for establishing a Minister of IDPs, Ministry of State for Displaced, and High Committee for the Return of IDPs. However, it stresses that the government still needs to intensify its efforts to resettle and stabilize its internally displaced civilians. [JURIST] Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Monday denied [docket] a request to stay [text, PDF] a Pennsylvania Supreme Court order to redraw the 2011 congressional map. If granted, the stay would have blocked the Pennsylvania Supreme Courts ruling [opinion, PDF] that the Congressional Redistricting Act of 2011 violated the state constitution. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court had ordered the Pennsylvania General Assembly to submit a new redistricting plan by February 9 or the court would create one. Alito did not refer [ABA report] the case to the rest of the Supreme Court. Multiple state officials outside of Pennsylvania had urged [JURIST report] Alito to block the gerrymandering decision. Although he was named as a defendant in the suit, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf [official profile] praised [press release] the decision. Gerrymandering is wrong and we must correct errors of the past with the existing map. My team is ready, willing and able to work with the General Assembly to ensure a new map is fair and within the clear orders given by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Last week the Pennsylvania Senate president refused [JURIST report] to turn over redistricting data to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. In this Jan. 21, 2018, file photo, lights illuminate the U.S. Capitol on second day of the federal shutdown as lawmakers negotiate behind closed doors in Washington. The era of trillion-dollar budget deficits is about make a comeback _ and a brewing budget deal hastened the arrival. Lawmakers are inching closer to a two-year, budget-busting spending pact that would give whopping budget increases to both the Pentagon and domestic programs have been inching closer to an agreement, according to aides and members of Congress. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) This Aug. 3, 2017 photo provided by Human Rights Watch shows Laurel Cline during a visit to her mother Lenora, who has Alzheimer's disease, in a nursing home in Whittier, Calif. Laurel says her mother, during stays at three different nursing homes in recent years, was sometimes left neglected for hours at a time in her wheelchair after being given antipsychotics. "Instead of seeing what's wrong with her, they just want to drug her up," said Cline. (Ed Kashi/Human Rights Watch via AP) Canada's Ambassador to the United States David MacNaughton attends a business luncheon in Montreal, Wednesday, November 16, 2016. MacNaughton says he believes NAFTA negotiators can reach an agreement in principle by the end of March.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes Former first lady Michelle Obama address the crowd during a conversation with poet Elizabeth Alexander at the second day of the Obama Foundation Summit, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017, in Chicago. Months after her husband delivered a speech to a sold-out crowd, it's former U.S. first lady Michelle Obama's turn to visit Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Charles Rex Arbogast A woman walks through a park during heavy snowfall in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018. Heavy snow and freezing rain have knocked down thousands of trees in the Russian capital and one person is reported to have been killed. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Pope Francis walks to his studio at the Vatican, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Pope Francis received a victimAos letter in 2015 that graphically detailed how a priest sexually abused him and how other Chilean clergy ignored it, contradicting the popeAos recent insistence that no victims had come forward to denounce the cover-up, the letter's author and members of FrancisAo own sex- abuse commission have told The Associated Press. (Alessandro Di Meo/Pool photo via AP) During the 8th meeting of the Vietnam-RoK Joint Committee for Cooperation in Nuclear power, Industry and Trade in Ho Chi Minh city on February 2nd, the two sides debated cooperation in projects related to oil and gas, renewable energy, energy safety, support industry, development of electricity plants under the form of build-operate-transfer (BOT). They also had a dialogue on the auto industry and cooperation mechanisms to promote Vietnams agro-aquaculture products and processed food export to the RoK. These were considered as foundation for the two countries to outline and carry out practical and specific projects of industrial, trade and energy cooperation in 2018 and subsequent years. At the 2nd meeting of the Vietnam-RoK Joint Committee on the implementation of the Vietnam-Korea Free Trade Agreement (VKFTA) on the same day, Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh and RoK Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Paik Un-gyu highly valued the development of economic, trade and investment relations between the two countries in recent years. Paik Un-gyu stressed after the VKFTA took effect, export value of the two sides to each other has increased remarkably, helping concretise cooperation in many fields. The two sides pledged to continue discussing ways to settle issues arising in the process of implementing the agreement, while reviewing committed contents to ensure that the deal will benefit the respective business communities, contributing to maintaining trade and investment growth. The officials also acknowledged efforts made by both sides in actively promoting activities of their cooperation sub-committees, and approved a joint statement of the 2nd meeting of the Vietnam-RoK Joint Committee on the implementation of the VKFTA. They also signed memorandums of understanding on establishing a joint website on the VKFTA, and on the establishment of a joint working group to solve difficulties for Vietnamese and RoK enterprises. The two ministers also witnessed the signing of a letter of intent (LOI) between Vietnams Industry Department and the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) on the formation of the Vietnam-RoK consultancy and technology solution centre, and other cooperation documents. According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, export and import turnover between Vietnam and the RoK in 2017 hit USD61.5 billion, a year-on-year increase of 41.3 percent. Vietnams export to the RoK reached USD14.8 billion, while its import from the RoK stood at USD46.7 billion, up 30 percent and 45.3 percent against 2016, respectively. The RoK is the second largest foreign investor, after Japan, in Vietnam in 2017 with total registered capital of USD8.49 billion. In terms of accumulative investments, the country ranked first among 125 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, with total investment capital of USD57.7 billion as of the end of December 2017./. SPRINGFIELD, Ore. Hundreds of people are gearing up to celebrate the big game Sunday. Springfield Police know that as people gather for watch parties it is very common for alcohol to be involved. That is why they're preparing to watch the roads and keep everyone safe. In Oregon, drivers are considered alcohol impaired if their blood alcohol level is .08 or higher. Traffic patrol officer with Springfield Police, Tom Speldrich, told KEZI 9 News if you are planning on drinking make a plan and designate a driver or consider other alternatives. He said spending the night at a friends or familys place is worth it even if you have work the next day. Speldrich said it is very important for people to take this advice seriously. Impaired drivers are normal everyday people that didnt want to hurt anybody, he said. Its too late, once it happens its too late. Police said in 2016 there were more than 10,000 deaths involving drunk drivers. Now they are urging people to prevent more tragedies by making responsible choices. Mr. Quan presents the Independence Order to Mr. Somdee Bounkhum. (Photo: nhandan.com.vn) Accordingly, the third-class Independence Order was presented to Somdee Bounkhum, Deputy Head of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Committee on External Relations, while 16 departments cadres and officers of the committee were awarded with Friendship Orders and Medals. Additionally, seven others received the insignia For the Party external relations work. Addressing the ceremony, Mr. Quan stressed that the awards expressed the Vietnamese Party and State recognition and deep gratitude towards individuals who had made considerable contributions to reinforcing and fostering the traditional, friendly and comprehensive cooperative relationship and special solidarity between the two Parties, States and peoples, especially the contributions to the successful organization of the Vietnam - Laos, Laos - Vietnam Friendship Year 2017. He confirmed the Vietnamese Party, State and people had a thorough awareness that Vietnams success in the previous struggle for national liberation, as well as in the current construction and renewal, is connected with the great assistance and loyalty from the Lao Party, State and people. According to Somdee Bounkhum, the awards will encourage cadres of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Committee on External Relations to continue to make contributions to the special relationship between Laos and Vietnam. Thanking the Vietnamese Party, State and people for the awards, he pledged to do his utmost in maintaining, protecting and developing the friendly relationship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries./. STILLWATER, Minn. (AP) A Minnesota man accused of fatally shooting his wife and staging her death to look like a suicide has been found guilty of premeditated murder. A jury in Washington County convicted Stephen Allwine Wednesday night. Allwine will be sentenced Friday. The conviction carries a mandatory life prison term. Forty-three-year-old Amy Allwine was found shot in the head in the bedroom of her Cottage Grove home in November 2016. Prosecutors say Allwine drugged his wife before shooting her in a hallway and moving her body to the bedroom where he tried to make her death look like a suicide by posing it. But, prosecutors argued there were no blood spatters on the bedspread or nightstand next to her body and the gun was resting on her left elbow even though she was right handed. MASON CITY, Iowa The First Citizens Bank Charitable Foundation has given $5,000 to the Salvation Army of Mason City. The money will go to support the Adult Day Health Center. The Salvation Army says the Center provides caregivers desperately needed respite from the stress of caring for aging family members, as well as offering a safe place where people can socialize, exercise, and take part in fun activities in a supervised setting. CHARLES CITY, Iowa A man is facing multiple charges after law enforcement responded to a reported fight at a pool hall. Charles City police say they were called to Hot Shots Billiards on Riverside Dr. around 5:30 p.m. Friday. Officers say they arrived to find 34-year-old Kjoe Joseph of Charles City yelling at the bartender. An officer says as he approached Joseph, the man turned and began swinging his arms. The officer drew his taser and says he ordered Joseph to get on the ground, at which point he says Joseph ran toward the door. Joseph was shot with the taser but police say he turned back toward the officers, who took him to the floor and handcuffed him. Joseph was reportedly resisting arrest the entire time. Joseph is now facing charges of assault on a peace officer with intent to cause serious injury, interference with official acts, disorderly conduct, and public intoxication. Police say a breath test showed Joseph with a blood alcohol content of .267, over three times the legal limit. Feb 5 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Financial Times. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. Headlines BoE deputy warns against 'bonfire of the regulations' after Brexit China's ecommerce giant JD.com to take on Amazon in Europe British Airways owner calls for break-up of Heathrow monopoly Overview The UK's top banking supervisor has warned against a "bonfire of the regulations" after Brexit, despite Eurosceptics calling for a more competitive regime when Britain leaves the EU. China's ecommerce giant JD.com Inc plans to challenge Amazon.com Inc in Europe as early as 2019, aiming to be ubiquitous across the continent within "a few years", says the company's chief. The chief executive of International Airlines Group , which owns British Airways, Heathrow's biggest single customer, has stepped up its stinging attack on high cost of expansion at the airport, calling for the break-up of Heathrow's monopoly as a way to cut costs. (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom; Editing by Peter Cooney) HANOI, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Here's a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchange rates in the official and unofficial markets, indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi and interbank offered rates at 0406 GMT. February 5 USD/VND mid-point 22,444 USD/VND interbank 22,709/22,712 USD/VND unofficial 22,705/22,720 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.63-36.83 Interbank offered rates Overnight 1.1-1.9 1 week 1.3-2.2 1 month 3.3-3.8 3 months 4.0-4.7 NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016 the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting the mid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in a band of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by a band. Interbank offered rates are the latest indicative bid/ask prices, quoted from market sources. One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold prices are quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co. For more interbank rate fixings released at 0400 GMT, click on . For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom) BOGOTA, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Canada's Frontera Energy has suspended operations at its Cubiro oilfield in northeastern Colombia after threats and attacks against workers, the company said on Monday. Protests, attacks by National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels and community and judicial efforts to ban extractive industries are widely considered the top threats to Colombia's oil industry. The Cubiro field, in Casanare province, produces 3,600 barrels per day (bpd). Average daily output in the Andean country fell 3.59 percent year-on-year in 2017 to 854,121 bpd, largely because of attacks and operational challenges at some fields. "Unfortunately excessive demands by a minority group of people in San Luis de Palenque, a group that does not represent the municipality's leaders or the community, have forced the company to make this decision," Frontera said in an emailed statement, adding some workers had been injured. The company did not provide details about how or when the workers were hurt. The Cubiro field employs 163 workers, the statement added, and has produced $30 million in royalties for the government since 2015. Frontera is willing to negotiate a re-opening of the field, it said, but not while workers are under threat. (Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta and Julia Symmes Cobb; editing by Grant McCool) Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (4th, L) and Prime Minister Thoonglun Sisulit (4th, R) and other delegates at the ceremony. (Source: VNA) The centre is a symbol of science and technology cooperation between Vietnam and Laos as it was built by the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology following the 35th meeting of the Inter-governmental Committee on Economic, Cultural, Educational, Scientific and Technological Cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in Vietnams Vinh Phuc province on December 19th, 2012. The Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam and Laos worked closely and launched construction of the centre in September 2015 and made the final touches on the work in December 2017. Built at the cost of over VND98 billion from the Vietnamese Governments ODA source, the centre is capable of training 600-800 scientific managerial officials a year and is a working place of a 70-member staff. In 2012-2017, 308 Lao officials received short-term and long-term training in Vietnam and the figure is modest compared with Laoss demands and orientations to develop a strong contingent of scientific and technological officials. Therefore, the centre will help the Lao Ministry of Science and Technology meet the development goals and tasks assigned by the Lao Party and Government to make use of science and technology as a main driver of the national socio-economic growth. Addressing the event, Minister of Science and Technology of Vietnam Chu Ngoc Anh expressed his hope that the Lao Ministry of Science and Technology will continue working closely with the Vietnamese counterpart on the centres operation. Lao Minister of Science and Technology Boviengkham Vongdara showed his profound gratitude to the Party, State and Government of Vietnam for their assistance and support to the Lao people. He also thanked the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology for its whole-hearted assistance to the Lao counterpart. The centres first course will be on creative renovation for 50 managerial officials from the Lao Ministry of Science and Technology, other ministries and sectors and businesses. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc is in Laos for the 40th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-government Committee to which he is the co-chair./. TORONTO, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index fell to a four-month low on Monday, pressured by a drop in financial and industrial shares as a selloff in global markets weighed on investor sentiment. Marijuana companies were among the most heavily traded stocks on the index. * At 10:12 AM ET (15:12 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index fell 77.19 points, or 0.49 percent, to 15,528.84. The index was trading at its lowest level since September. * The TSX posted no new 52-week highs and 27 new lows. Across all Canadian issues there were 4 new 52-week highs and 93 new lows. * The largest percentage gainer on the TSX was Canopy Growth Co , which rose 6.8 percent, while the largest decliner was Prometic Lfe Scn , down 5.9 percent. * Among the most active Canadian stocks by volume were Aurora Cannabis , up 7.3 percent to $9.12; Aphria Inc , up 5.0 percent to $14.58 and Canopy Growth Co , up 6.8 percent to $25.75. * Among industrial stocks, Bombardier Inc slipped 1.7 percent to C$3.23. * In the financial sector, Toronto Dominion Bank lost 1.3 percent to C$72.97, and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce gave back 1.4 percent to C$117.58. (Reporting by Fergal Smith and John Tilak; Editing by Bernadette Baum) (Kitco News) - While some have been shying away from the gold market, with prices seeing their biggest daily decline in two months Friday, one country is paying close attention to the precious metal -- Russia. According to Shae Russell, lead editor of Markets & Money, the countrys path to increasing its gold reserves is something that shouldnt be ignored. Even though the precious metal isnt at the center of the financial system today, gold still equals power, she wrote in a post Monday. Since July 2014, Russias central bank has increased gold stores by 75%, she added. Looking at the latest World Gold Council data, released in February, Russia currently holds 1,839.8 gold tonnes, making up 17.7% of its total reserves. The governments buying spree, as Russell pointed out, has made the country the seventh-largest gold holder. However, there is more to the Russia story, Russell noted. Why is Russia doing this? Increasing the gold holding was a way to diversify their foreign assets away from currencies, enabling Russia to get away from the oppressive U.S. dollar and euro, Russell explained. But that is not the only action the Russian government is taking. As Russell explained, Russia is exploring cryptocurrencies in an attempt not only to move away from the U.S. dollar but also to protect itself against sanctions and attract more foreign capital into the country. Russia plans to be the first country to embrace a national cryptocurrency. Less than two weeks ago, a bill was submitted to Russian parliament proposing a cryptoruble, a legal cryptocurrency that would work in tandem with the fiat ruble, she wrote. PARIS, Feb 5 (Reuters) - French plastics maker Novares priced its initial public offering (IPO) at between 6.30-8.00 euros per share on Monday, in a deal which it said would raise gross proceeds of 150 million euros ($187 million). Novares mostly produces plastic items for car interiors, such as door handles, dashboard components or air vents, and the company said the IPO would help fund future acquisitions. Trading in Novares shares is expected to start on Feb. 15. HSBC , Natixis and Societe Generale are advising Novares on its stock market flotation. Investment fund Equistone owns a 72.3 percent stake in Novares, while French state bank BPI holds 15.1 percent. ($1 = 0.8031 euros) (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta, editing by Louise Heavens) Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication. By Rajendra Jadhav MUMBAI, Feb 5 (Reuters) - India's gold imports in January dropped to their lowest in 17 months as prices rebounded and buyers postponed purchases in expectation of cuts in the import tax, provisional data from precious metals consultancy GFMS and bank dealers showed. The drop in purchases by India, the world's second-biggest consumer of gold after China, could weigh on global prices , which have risen over 7 percent in eight weeks. Lower gold imports could help the South Asian country to reduce its trade deficit that surged to the highest in more than three years in December. The country's imports were 30 tonnes in January, down 37 percent from 47.9 tonnes a year ago, Sudheesh Nambiath, a senior analyst with GFMS, a division of Thomson Reuters, said on Monday. "Last month the industry was expecting the duty cut in the budget. People were not willing to build inventory," Nambiath said. The expectation of the duty cut in January prompted traders to offer the highest discount in four months over official domestic prices. However, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley kept the import tax unchanged in the annual budget presented on Feb. 1. The rebound in overseas prices also kept buyers on the sidelines, said a Mumbai-based dealer with a private bank. "Jewellers were not comfortable with the spike in prices. They were expecting a correction," he said. After falling to the lowest level in five months in December, gold prices surged to the highest level in 17 months in January. Indian banks aggressively imported gold in December taking advantage of lower prices and a lot of the unsold bullion was available to fulfil January demand, said a Chennai-based bullion dealer. The country's overseas gold purchases in December stood at 80.4 tonnes, up 61 percent from a year ago, GFMS data showed. India's gold imports surged 69 percent in 2017 from the previous year to 863.2 tonnes. In February, imports could rise above 50 tonnes as jewellers have been replenishing inventory, the private bank dealer said. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ India's gold market ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) MILAN, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Italy's mid-sized lender Credito Valtellinese posted on Monday a 2017 loss of 332 million euros ($414 million) as it wrote down soured debt before launching a 700 million euro capital raise. Creval will test market demand for Italian banking stocks ahead of a general election which is expected to yield no clear winner by attempting to raise six times its market value in new capital this month. Italian banks have outperformed the wider European sector this year, though a group of hedge funds recently stepped up bets against them. Creval's stock has lost nearly two thirds of its value since Italy's 10th largest bank announced in early November the larger-than-expected share offer. It now trades at just one fifth of its assets' value, Reuters data showed. By 1128 GMT shares rose 4 percent against a lower sector with traders citing a better-than-expected 10.6 percent core capital ratio at the end of last year and a 17 percent annual cost reduction. Creval said its net interest income fell 7 percent in 2017 from a year earlier, but fees rose 4 percent. A more conservative approach in evaluating soured loans and the sale of nearly 1.5 billion euros in bad debts pushed Creval to book 405 million euros in writedowns last year. Under pressure from regulators to get rid of debts that turned sour during a deep recession which ended in 2014, Italian banks can only sell them at a loss. Creval, headquartered in the wealthy Lombardy region, will use the new capital to sell more doubtful loans and cut their weight over total debts to just below 10 percent in 2020 from nearly 22 percent at the end of last year. Creval said at the weekend that more banks had joined a consortium led by Milanese merchant bank Mediobanca which will take on unsold shares in the capital increase. Creval's cash call comes after rival Carige pulled off a 540 million euro new share issue in December thanks to accords struck with a number of new investors while shareholders took up only 66 percent of the offer. Creval last tapped markets in 2014, raising 400 million euros in capital. Since then the bank has shed its cooperative status, which granted each shareholder one vote regardless of the size of their stake, to comply with a government reform aimed at improving governance. ($1 = 0.8026 euros) (Reporting by Valentina Za, editing by Ed Osmond) Following are news stories, press reports and events to watch that may affect Poland's financial markets on Monday. ALL TIMES GMT (Poland: GMT + 1 hour): SUPPORT FOR HOLOCAUST ANTI-DEFAMATION BILL Thirty-nine percent of Poles would put on hold the implementation of the bill penalising the use of phrases suggesting Poland's complicity in the Holocaust, while 36 percent would enact the bill despite criticism from Israel and some other countries, a poll by Rzeczpospolita daily showed. PATRIOT MISSILE DEFENCE Poland may sign a deal with U.S. firm Raytheon to purchase the first two batteries of the Patriot missile defence system on March 30, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna reported. PKN ORLEN Changes in the supervisory board of Poland's top refiner PKN Orlen signal that the energy minister wants to have real control over the company which thanks to the strong political position of the company's chief executive has evaded this control, Puls Biznesu reported. ING BANK SLASKI ING is carrying out a strategy of organic growth in Poland, international head of ING, Ralph Hamers, told Rzeczpospolita daily. REGULATOR ON CRYPTOCURRENCY EXCHANGE Poland's financial supervisor KNF is analysing whether to inform the prosecutor's office that one of the country's cryptocurrency exchanges may be breaking the law on payment services, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna daily reported. SMOG Poland's energy ministry is analysing whether to lower the value added tax (VAT) on night-time electric energy to fight smog, Gazeta Wyborcza daily reported. ****Reuters has not verified stories reported by Polish media and does not vouch for their accuracy.**** For other related news, double click on: Polish equities E.Europe equities Polish money Polish debt Eastern Europe All emerging markets Hot stocks Stock markets Market debt news Forex news For real-time index quotes, double click on: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX (Reporting by Warsaw Bureau; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) * KOSPI index down more than 1 pct, foreigners sell * Korean won ends at 8-week low versus U.S. dollar * South Korea bond yields were up SEOUL, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets: ** South Korea's KOSPI stock index pared early losses but still fell over 1 percent on Monday as huge losses on Wall Street hurt global investment sentiment. The Korean won weakened to eight-week low, while bond yields rose. ** At 06:30 GMT, the KOSPI was down 33.64 points or 1.33 percent at 2,491.75. It had lost nearly 2 percent at one point. ** Tech giant Samsung Electronics , which lost over 3 percent earlier, ended 1 percent up as a South Korean appeals court suspended a jail sentence for the group's heir, Jay Y. Lee. ** The won was quoted at 1,088.5 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform , 0.81 percent weaker than its previous close at 1,079.7. ** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,087.79 per U.S. dollar, up 0.15 percent from the previous day, while in one-year non-deliverable forwards it was being transacted at 1,077.6 per dollar. ** MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 1.31 percent, after U.S. stocks ended the previous session with losses . Japanese stocks weakened 2.55 percent. ** The KOSPI is up around 2.3 percent so far this year, and up by 1.89 percent in the previous 30 days. ** The current price-to-earnings ratio is 12.10, the dividend yield is 1.28 percent and the market capitalisation is 1,242.04 trillion won. ** The trading volume during the session on the KOSPI index was 438,171,000 shares, and of the total traded issues of 881, the number of advancing shares was 116. ** Foreigners were net sellers of 454,632 million won worth of shares. ** The U.S dollar has risen 2.01 percent against the won this year. The won's high for the year is 1,056.67 per dollar on January 14 2018 and low is 1,092.3 on February 5 2018. ** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year treasury bonds fell 0.05 points to 107.52. ** The Korean 3-month Certificate of Deposit benchmark rate was quoted at 1.65 percent, while the benchmark 3-year Korean treasury bond yielded 2.276 percent, higher than the previous day's 2.25 percent. (Reporting by Dahee Kim; Editing by Kim Coghill) ZURICH, Feb 5 (Reuters) - The Swiss blue-chip SMI was seen opening 0.8 percent lower at 9,152 points on Monday, according to premarket indications by bank Julius Baer . The following are some of the main factors expected to affect Swiss stocks. DUFRY The Swiss stock exchange reported that activist hedge fund firm Elliott Management has trimmed what was a 5.6 percent stake in the Swiss duty-free retailer Dufry AG in December to less than 1 percent. The stock rose more than 10 percent from when Reuters reported Elliott's holding on Dec. 20 until late January, before trimming those gains. For more info, click on COMPANY STATEMENTS * DKSH Holding said its net sales grew by 4.8 percent in 2017 to 11.0 billion Swiss francs ($11.83 billion) while its operating profit increased 1.4 percent to 297 million francs. * Lastminute.com Group said it expects a net loss of 8 to 9 million euros for 2017 compared to a net profit of 6.7 million euros for 2016 due to higher investments, lower margins and extraordinary events. . * Schaffner said it remains on a growth path and its management confirmed the guidance it gave in Dec. 2017. * Energiedienst Holding reported a drop in its full year net profit to 30.6 million euros from 31.2 million euros a year previously. * Zehnder Group said Chief Executive Dominik Berchtold has decided to leave the company. Chairman Hans-Peter Zehnder will take over management on an interim basis. * U-Blox Holding said Andre Muller will be proposed for election as chairman at the AGM on April 24, to replace Fritz Fahrni who is stepping down. * Addex Therapeutics said it had a cash position of 6.5 million Swiss francs as at 31st January, 2018. ECONOMY * SNB releases latest sight deposits at 0900 GMT * The number of overnight stays in Switzerland could rise by 4 percent this winter season but an increase of 5 percent or more is unlikely, the new head of Switzerland Tourism, Martin Nydegger, said in an interview with SonntagsZeitung. ($1 = 0.9301 Swiss francs) (Reporting by Zurich newsroom) Daily Swiss stock market report in German................ All SMI constituent stocks............................ News on major Swiss stock price moves.................. FTSE Eurotop 300 index................................ DJ STOXX index........................................ Top 10 STOXX sectors............................. Top 10 EUROSTOXX sectors........................ Top 10 Eurotop 300 sectors....................... Top 25 European pct gainers... , losers... Swiss mid-cap index SMI futures Swiss all-share index Market statistics Swiss market digest Sector overview All Swiss news Swiss research news All equity news INTERNET ADDRESSES: Swiss Exchange / Eurex STOXX Ltd SPEED GUIDES: )) Keywords: MARKETS SWISS STOCKS/ By Stanley Carvalho ABU DHABI, Feb 5 (Reuters) - First Abu Dhabi Bank , the largest bank in the United Arab Emirates by assets, has been given the go-ahead by Saudi Arabia's regulator to conduct arranging and advising activities in the securities sector, a source close to the matter said. It is the latest foreign bank attracted by opportunities in Saudi Arabia, which is embarking on an investment drive to diversify its economy beyond oil revenues. FAB, created by last year's merger between National Bank of Abu Dhabi and First Gulf Bank, said last week that it was working on expanding its business in Saudi Arabia. In a statement on Monday, Saudi Arabia's Capital Market Authority said it had authorised First Abu Dhabi Investment Saudi Co to conduct arranging and advising activities in the securities business. It did not elaborate. The source close to the matter said the licence applied to FAB, which has participated in Saudi deals since its creation. Last month, it was one of eight international banks to provide a $2.6 billion bridge syndicated loan to state-controlled utility Saudi Electricity Co . The bank does not currently have a branch or representative office in Saudi Arabia. Other international banks to raise their presence in the kingdom in recent months include Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, with the latter last month winning formal approval from the CMA to begin investment banking business there. (Writing by Tom Arnold; Editing by Andrew Torchia) (Updates with Anglo comments) By Ed Stoddard CAPE TOWN, Feb 5 (Reuters) - A third of South Africa's largest mining companies are not considering any new investments in the sector in 2018 while one of them may even decide to pull out of the country, according to an industry survey published by the Chamber of Mines on Monday. The mining sector in the world's top platinum producer has in recent years been laid low by soaring wage and power costs, depressed prices, violent social and labour unrest as well as policy uncertainties. Underscoring the tough environment, the industry has shed 70,000 jobs in the past five years, with around 465,000 currently employed. The survey of 16 companies accounting for more than 80 percent of national mining output included all of the big players such as Anglo American and Sibanye-Stillwater . "Some specific company responses were particularly sobering," the chamber said in a presentation at the Africa mining conference in Cape Town. "Five companies responded that they were not considering any potential new investments, with one company contemplating from divesting from South Africa entirely - a decision which will be taken in 2018, if the situation does not improve," it said. Norman Mbazima, the deputy chairman of Anglo American South Africa, told the conference that regulatory uncertainties were hobbling the allocation of capital. "The relationship between the Department of Mineral Resources and the industry is at an all-time low ... we cannot underestimate the negative effects of poor and inconsistent regulation," he said. The industry is locked in a number of court battles with the department. Sources of contention include government revisions to an industry charter to raise the required level of black ownership to 30 percent from 26 percent and other new rules that companies say are too onerous. But Mbazima said the election of Cyril Ramaphosa has president of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in December was a "significant 'first step' towards stabilising the political dynamics in our country." President Jacob Zuma, whose administration has been marked by misgovernance and widespread allegations of corruption, has been under pressure to step down as head of state ever since the election of Ramaphosa, a former trade unionist and business tycoon who is highly regarded by investors. (Reporting by Ed Stoddard; Editing by Vyas Mohan and Louise Heavens) Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets General Secretary of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith on February 5th (Photo: VNA) The meetings were part of the 40th meeting of the Vietnam - Laos Inter-Governmental Committee, co-chaired by PM Phuc and his Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith, earlier the same day. Talking to General Secretary and President Vorachith, PM Phuc noted at the 40th meeting, the two sides reviewed their cooperation last year and reached consensus in various fields. They ordered relevant ministries, sectors and localities to coordinate with the countries businesses to carry out agreements so as to successfully implement the two Governments cooperation plan for 2018 and the Vietnam - Laos cooperation agreement for 2016-2020. He highly valued the major achievements that Laos has attained, affirming that the Communist Party of Vietnam, the State, Government and people of Vietnam always give the highest priority to the enhancement of the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Laos, considering these as priceless and vital for their countries revolutionary causes. General Secretary and President Vorachith appreciated the two Governments efforts to address difficulties and intensify bilateral cooperation. He expressed his belief that the successful 40th meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee right at the beginning of this year will be a basis for them to realise the cooperation plan for 2018 and the cooperation agreement for 2016-2020. At the meeting with Chairwoman of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotou, PM Phuc asked both sides to continue reinforcing the relations in politics, diplomacy, defence, and security while building a Vietnam - Laos border of peace, stability, cooperation, and comprehensive development. He also called for stronger education on the two countries time-honoured friendship, special solidarity and all-round cooperation, especially among younger generations. For her part, Chairwoman Yathotou welcomed the Vietnamese delegation to Laos and applauded the success of the Vietnam - Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2017. Following the meetings, PM Phuc visited workers at the construction site of the new headquarters of the National Assembly of Laos. The headquarters, covering 23,400 sq.m., is a present of the Vietnamese Party, State and people for Laos. Its construction began in November 2017. Later on February 5th, the Vietnamese delegation left Vientiane, wrapping up the trip to attend the 40th meeting of the Vietnam - Laos Inter-Governmental Committee./. * Gecamines wants renegotiations to start in second quarter * Congo is Africa's biggest miner of cobalt, copper * Foreign investors raise concern about new mining law (Updates with comments from interview, Ivanhoe reaction) By Barbara Lewis CAPE TOWN, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo's state mining company Gecamines said on Monday it wanted to start renegotiating contracts with its international partners to secure a bigger share of revenues and would seek international arbitration if they refused. Congo is Africa's biggest copper and cobalt producer and also mines gold and diamonds, but it is one of the world's least developed countries with an annual budget of roughly $5 billion. Parliament passed a new mining code last month to raise royalties and taxes, prompting international miners to say it would deter foreign investment. President Joseph Kabila has yet to sign the new law. Gecamines' partners include Glencore , China Molybdenum and Ivanhoe Mines . There was no immediate comment from the miners about Gecamines' call for new talks on contract terms. Gecamines Chairman Albert Yuma told a mining conference in Cape Town that talks on contract revisions should start in the second quarter, once an audit had been finalised, and should be completed by the end of 2018 or the start of 2019. Yuma did not name any companies, but he told Reuters on the conference sidelines that he expected Gecamines partners to agree to hold negotiations. "I think they are reasonable and will agree to negotiate. I start with the principle they are reasonable people," he said, adding that Gecamines would seek international arbitration if any companies refused. In his speech to the conference, Yuma said existing deals did not give Gecamines or the state "a sufficient share" of the nation's mineral wealth. "This imbalance is mainly the result of a history that has placed our state in a difficult situation and forced it to negotiate in a weak position," he said. "We therefore call for a rethink of our past partnerships to enable them to achieve the only purpose for which they were signed: to provide benefits for the state and Gecamines." GATHERING EVIDENCE Gecamines, which is heavily indebted and has consistently failed to meet production targets, has carried out contract audits in the past but has not revealed the results. This time, Yuma said he had gathered the evidence and the work was completed on four companies, which he did not name, saying it was only fair to disclose all the findings together. Regarding the new mining code passed by parliament, Ivanhoe Executive Chairman Robert Friedland said in a statement that if it became law there was "the distinct possibility of unified, industry-led actions". He did not give details. Friedland, whose statement did not touch on Gecamines call for new talks on contracts, is to address the Cape Town conference on Wednesday regarding the new code. Glencore declined to comment on Yuma's remarks. China Molybdenum could not immediately be reached. Since its heyday in the mid-1980s, Gecamines has sold most of its assets and entered joint ventures with foreign partners, which include 12 joint ventures and five mine leasing contracts. The U.S.-based Carter Center said in a report in November that Gecamines failed to internally register $750 million in income between 2011 and 2014, and that much of this was now untraceable. Gecamines denied the charge. Elisabeth Caesens, director of Resource Matters, a Brussels-based group that advocates better resource management, said any renegotiation had to ensure all Congolese people benefited. She said Gecamines had "little to show for the hundreds of millions it collected from the previous contract renegotiations in 2006-2009". Gecamines says international non-governmental organisations have overstated the firm's revenues while understating its contributions to the national treasury. (Editing by Aaron Ross and Edmund Blair) (Adds quote, background) OSLO, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Norwegian seasonally adjusted housing prices fell by 0.4 percent in January from December, resulting in a year-on-year decline of 2.2 percent, a real estate industry association said in a monthly report on Monday. Tighter mortgage regulations, lower population growth and a boom in construction have all contributed to a fall in housing prices in recent months. But as prices continued to drop, the number of sold units in January rose by 8.4 percent from the same month of 2017, pointing to a rebound in demand, Real Estate Norway said. "Combined with a decline in the number of homes for sale, this gives reason to believe that the price decline is about to level off," it added. Unadjusted prices rose by 2.0 percent in January from December. The housing data was compiled by Real Estate Norway, FINN and Eiendomsverdi. (Reporting by Camilla Knudsen, writing by Terje Solsvik, editing by Gwladys Fouche) WASHINGTON, Feb 5 (Reuters) - The White House said on Monday it respected Larry Lindsey's decision to withdraw from consideration as vice chair of the Federal Reserve Board. "We respect Dr. Lindsey's decision to withdraw his name from consideration at this time. As one of the nation's leading economic policy experts, Dr. Lindsey has been a valuable resource to the Administration. We wish him the best in his future endeavors," said deputy White House press secretary Lindsay Walters. (Reporting By Steve Holland Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication. It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover By Jhoo Dong-chan KEB Hana and KB Kookmin Bank are suspected of offering special favors to children of high-profile officials and their VIP clients in the recruiting process. Last year, Woori Bank was found to have recruited new employees with ties to high-ranking government officials and VIP clients for three years from 2015. Woori Bank CEO Lee Kwang-goo resigned amid the scandal in November, and the case is now widening across the industry. According to sources, Monday, the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) requested a prosecution investigation into the five of the country's major banks _ KEB Hana, KB Kookmin, BNK Busan, Kwangju and Daegu Bank. Of them, KB Kookmin Bank allegedly expanded the number of candidates in the document screening process when the bank CEO Yoon Jong-kyu's grandniece applied to the company. The union of KB Kookmin said that 20 names were included in the list. Along with Yoon's grandniece, children of a former KB Kookmin Bank outside director and executives were also included, it added. KB Kookmin declined to comment about the allegation. "KB Kookmin Bank will faithfully cooperate with the prosecution probe. The misunderstanding will be straightened out," an official said. KEB Hana Bank is also suspected of making a list of 55 candidates, and they all passed the company's document screening in 2016. Of them, six were left after its written test, and they all managed to get hired after the interview. "A number of unfair practices were found in our investigation. I believe our suspicion will be proven in the prosecution probe," FSS head Choi Heung-sik said. The unfair practice in the recruiting process is believed to be a delicate issue as it directly links to volatile social problems like youth unemployment and wealth polarization. Last year, Woori Bank was also suspected of giving special treatment to children of powerful people, including FSS and National Intelligence Service officials as well as the bank's VIP clients. The bank's unfair practice was unveiled during a National Assembly annual inspection of government, and Woori Bank CEO Lee resigned from the post in November. Lee took charge of the lender in December 2014, and was known to have successfully led the company's long-awaited privatization along with strong earnings in 2016. His term was also renewed in March last year for another two years, but he had to step down amid the strong public outcry. If the prosecution finds similar practices during its investigation, KB Kookmin and KEB Hana Bank CEOs could find themselves in the same dead end as Lee did. Especially, the bad blood between the FSS and KEB Hana Bank came to surface when the nation's third-largest banking group pushed ahead with its plan to nominate Chairman Kim Jung-tae for a third consecutive term last month. The finance watchdog requested the bank's nomination committee to delay the date for short-listing candidates for the post, questioning Kim's willingness to thoroughly carry out corporate governance restructuring, as he is known to have been involved in controversial decisions to extend loans for a local startup. The Financial Services Commission said it will recommend removing Kim if the unfair practice in hiring is proven by the prosecution. By Kwon Mee-yoo French artist Xavier Veilhan stands in front of his work "Great Mobiles" at the second passenger terminal of the Incheon International Airport. / Courtesy of the artist and 313 Art Project By Choi Ha-young North Korea has hacked one of the online virtual currency trading systems in South Korea, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) claimed Monday, without revealing the name of the system. Through the cyberattack, tens of billions of won were stolen and transferred to North Korea, the spy agency told the National Assembly Intelligence Committee. "Last year, a North Korean agency distributed emails to infiltrate the exchanges and customers' accounts. Some exchanges were robbed of virtual currencies worth of tens of billions of won," Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Kim Byung-kee, a committee member, told reporters after the meeting with NIS officials. The officials said North Korean hackers successfully accessed some private data, but it is uncertain whether each customer was notified about the data leak. "Capable cyber experts in the NIS are countering such attacks," Kim said. "The emails were camouflaged as job application letters, playing upon the exchanges' job openings," Kim said. "While doing so, North Korean hackers incapacitated anti-spyware vaccine programs." The NIS has urged security experts and North Korea specialists to take care of their email and social media accounts, following the North's continuous cyberattacks, according to Kim. "The NIS said it pre-emptively detected the North's intrusion attempts against a defense industry company and prevented any damage," Kim said. The committee members declined to reveal the names of the cryptocurrency exchange, citing confidentiality. Speculation has been rampant about the North's continued attacks on the virtual currency market. Last month, U.S. cybersecurity firm AlienVault claimed it found malware that mines a type of cryptocurrency called Monero. The virtual money, generated by compromised foreign computers, was sent to Kim Il Sung University in Pyongyang, the firm said. Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong walks into the Seoul High Court to hear the ruling on Monday. / Yonhap Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong returns to the prison bus a free man after the appellate court suspended his jail term, Monday. The Seoul High Court cleared him of major criminal charges, including bribery, overturning a lower court's five-year prison term. / Yonhap By Lee Kyung-min Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong was released from prison, Monday, after an appellate court overturned a lower court ruling in a corruption trial stemming from the scandal that removed former President Park Geun-hye from office. Seoul High Court Judge Cheong Hyung-sik reduced Lee's original five-year prison term that followed a bribery conviction to two-and-a-half years suspended for four years. Lee was released from custody 353 days after he was indicted for "offering" 43.3 billion won ($38.5 million) to Park and her longtime confidant Choi Soon-sil in return for political favors to help him consolidate control of the Samsung Group amid the deteriorating health of his bedridden father, Chairman Lee Kun-hee. Cheong said Lee did not seek illicit favors to advance his interest as group leader in return for the money, nor did the firm under his direction have any reason to seek comprehensive favors from the former president, key charges a lower court recognized. "The prosecution earlier claimed the firm had pressing matters that required government support with the ultimate objective of cementing Lee as the group leader; but no evidence exists to substantiate such a claim," he said. While the company's restructuring moves including the merger of two group units _ Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries _ helped Lee better control the firm, a key charge recognized by the lower court, the company planned and implemented such plans to better streamline management, not for the sole purpose of reinforcing Lee's control of the group, he added. "If the individual pressing matters (the merger) had been resolved successfully, there is little doubt that it would have helped Lee. But the company affiliates independently would have pursued this regardless of the impact it would have on Lee. Also, the degree to which he would have benefited following the merger is widely disputable, which is considerable grounds to drop the charges of responsibility and accountability." Lee gave money to support Choi's daughter Chung Yoo-ra only after a second one-on-one meeting with Park, during which he claimed he was blasted for not "following her request," which the court said was an indication that he was under severe pressure to promptly act on her demands. The court recognized only the 3.6 billion won he paid to support Chung as a bribe, reducing the amount by nearly half from the 7.3 billion won the lower court recognized as a bribe. Chung is a former equestrian competitor who stayed in Germany. It acquitted him on charges of hiding assets overseas, saying he wired the funds to support Chung in Germany, not for personal use. "In order for Lee to be punished under the said crime, he should have had clear intent to use the money for personal expenses, for which this court has found no related evidence." Cheong said Park and Choi conspired to commit extortion, while suggesting Lee only passively complied with the former president's demands. "The lower court determined this was corruption between politics and business at the highest level, but no slush fund was raised to benefit a few high-ranking figures, a typical aspect exhibited in prior cases." This, he added, was rather a case in which Park, the most powerful figure in the country, strong-armed the country's largest conglomerate and Choi, the closest confidant to Park, sought personal benefit based on the distorted affection towards her daughter. Lee, in the process, became embroiled in what later developed in to full-blown bribery as he was unable to refuse the demands sought by the two. "The key culprit in the influence-peddling scandal is Park who was derelict in her duty and abused the power vested in her by the Constitution and the people, and allowed a private individual Choi to benefit from this." Cheong said there was no evidence to suggest that Lee or the firm's key executives sought undue favors or personal benefit in return for the financial support provided to Chung, nor did they ask for specific favors concerning the group merger. However, he added that the case fundamentally betrayed the expectations required of business groups to uphold and maintain fairness and social responsibility. "Due to this influence-peddling scandal, the public is left to fundamentally question the principle of fairness and business ethics." Four former Samsung executives including Choi Gee-sung and Jang Choong-ki, who worked at the now-disbanded Future Strategy Office, the group's de facto control tower, were also released after having their prison terms suspended. Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong returns to the prison bus smiling after the appellate court suspended his jail term, Monday. The Seoul High Court cleared him of major criminal charges, including bribery, overturning a lower court's five-year prison term. / Yonhap Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong walks out of the Seoul Detention Center a free man on Monday. / Yonhap Rep. Cho Bae-sook, head of the preparatory committee for the Party for Democracy and Peace, explains the party's policy goals during their press conference, Monday. / Yonhap By Choi Ha-young By Kim Rahn President Moon Jae-in has ordered the government to prepare its own suggestions for a constitutional revision as related talks at the National Assembly are not making progress, Cheong Wa Dae said Monday. One of Moon's election campaign pledges was to hold a referendum on the revision in tandem with local elections in June. But the Assembly's special committee on the issue has not come up with a consensus as each party has different opinions on several key items, and it is unlikely to meet a set deadline. "Unless the committee reaches an agreement, there will not be enough time for the country to hold the referendum and local elections together," Moon said during a meeting with secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae. "It would be the best if the Assembly reaches an agreement, upholding the people's wishes. But we can't just wait forever until it does. Now I have no choice but to start preparing a constitutional amendment by collecting public opinion." Moon ordered a presidential policy planning committee to collect public opinion and come up with suggestions on the revision, so the government can talk with the Assembly based on these. A Cheong Wa Dae official said although the government's suggestions are prepared, it does not directly mean the President will submit the revision bill. According to the law, the Assembly or president can submit a constitutional revision bill, and this can be put to the referendum when two thirds of registered lawmakers agree to it. The chance for the President's bill, even if submitted, to be passed at the Assembly is not high as the ruling party is not an absolute majority and the opposition is against many of its suggestions. Analysts say Moon's order is aimed at spurring the Assembly to speed up its revision talks. Earlier last week, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea presented its suggestion for the revision, which included allowing two four-year presidential terms, and memorializing the candlelit protests which ousted former President Park Geun-hye, in the Constitution. By Lee Min-hyung Fred Warmbier On March 18, Russia will hold a presidential election. It will not be a cliffhanger. Rather, Vladimir Putin will be re-elected to his fourth presidential term (with a break after his first two terms during which he served as prime minister, because of term limits). If he finishes his next term in 2024, Putin would be his nation's longest-lasting leader since Josef Stalin. Stalin didn't bother to feign democracy. Putin does, but it's just campaign Kabuki, especially since the most legitimate opposition figure, Alexei Navalny, is ineligible to run because of a conviction that he and most Western experts believe was the result of trumped-up charges. "The existence of Russian democracy is a misnomer; Russia hasn't had free and fair elections during Putin's tenure," Mark D. Simakovsky, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, told an editorial writer. So instead of running, Navalny is urging Russians to sit this election out. But even calls for a boycott are too much for Putin's paranoid rule, so Navalny was brusquely arrested (not for the first time) before reaching his fellow protesters in Moscow on Jan. 28. Authorities (thugs, really) moved in similar fashion in other Russian cities, harassing anyone opposing Putin's Potemkin democracy. This internal suppression shouldn't surprise, since Russia has externally meddled in multiple elections in Europe and, according to a consensus assessment of U.S. intelligence agencies, in the 2016 presidential campaign in the United States. It won't end there, according to CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who told the BBC that regarding Russian interference in the 2018 midterm elections, "I have every expectation that they will continue to try and do that." In July, Congress rightly responded to Russia's attack by voting to impose sanctions on large purchasers of Russian military materiel. Unique for these deeply divisive times, the vote was overwhelming: 98-2 in the Senate and 419-3 in the House. And yet last Monday the Trump administration announced that at this time it didn't plan on imposing any new sanctions. The administration did comply with a requirement that it produce a list of "senior political figures and oligarchs" in Russia. Critics pointed out that it mostly mirrored a Forbes list of Russian billionaires, suggesting a lack of seriousness; just a slate, without any action taken. Still, in his own act of disgraceful gall, Putin called it "an unfriendly move." So is attacking democracies, including the ostensible one in Russia. The West must respond vigorously to Moscow meddling in elections abroad and smothering democracy at home. Ideally, such a response would be led by the putative leader of the free world. But President Donald Trump only mentioned Russia once in his State of the Union address, and only by grouping it with China as a "rival." If Trump continues to flinch, lawmakers should show resolve to uniformly implement punitive measures against Russian aggression. The above article appeared in the Star Tribune (Minneapolis). It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. By John Burton Korea is not normally known to be a big player in international financial markets. But there is one major exception: its trading in cryptocurrencies. Korea's importance as the world's third largest cryptocurrency market has been highlighted in recent weeks when a government threat to ban local cryptocurrency exchanges triggered a global crash in the prices of bitcoin and other digital currencies. But the cryptocurrency saga also provides insights into the sharp divisions emerging in Korea about the role of technology in society and response of regulators to rapid change. It may not be surprising that Korea along with its Asian neighbors China and Japan has been wrestling with issues raised by cryptocurrencies since these countries are at the forefront of global digital trends. Authoritarian China has decided to banish cryptocurrency trading, while liberal Japan has embraced it. Korea's response, in contrast, has been muddled. It is easy to see why the crypto craze has taken off in Korea. It reflects the country's impressive skills in navigating the digital economy, based on fast internet networks, the proliferation of smartphones and a tech-savvy population. But it also represents a popular rebellion against a stodgy political and financial establishment. The "get rich appeal" of bitcoin trading reflects growing frustration about the economic challenges facing the average Korean. Normal investment options in Korea are limited to equities and property. Until last year, the stock market was sluggish and did not offer attractive returns. Meanwhile, property prices have climbed to unaffordable heights for many people, particularly those just starting their careers. As a result, cryptocurrencies appeared to offer a short-cut escape route from these and other problems. The allure of investing a small amount of capital and getting a potentially outsized return seemed to offer an instant solution to such problems as high youth unemployment, rising household debt and the prohibitive cost of housing. Investors seeking richer returns overseas have also been hampered by capital controls, which officials have used to manipulate the value of the won to boost exports. Cryptocurrencies appear to offer a way around these controls. The government has adopted a moralistic tone in condemning speculative cryptocurrency trading, with the justice minister likening it to "gambling" and the prime minister warning it could facilitate drug dealing and other crimes. These comments reflected a deeper fear of officials that they are in danger of losing oversight over a financial system that they have fought to keep control over for the last 60 years. The rise of cryptocurrencies does pose a threat to the current financial system. Officials worry that the outflow of cash from the local stock market to virtual currency would weaken the performance of equities that account for most of the asset holdings of pension funds and the chaebol. There have been concerns that some investors were borrowing heavily to finance their cryptocurrency purchases. But a crackdown poses a dilemma. Korea also wants to be seen as keeping abreast of digital advances, including the use of blockchain technology that underpins the cryptocurrency sector. There is indeed something irrational in Korean investors paying up to 40 percent more for bitcoins than what they fetch on overseas markets in what has become known as the "kimchi premium." But their fervor reflects a desire to break out of the constraints of a conservative financial system. It is one reason why the recent suggestion of a virtual currency trading ban led to more than 200,000 people signing a petition protesting the proposed measure. Such government meddling may help explain the recent fall in public support for the Moon Jae-in government, particularly among those in their 20s and 30s who are Korea's biggest bitcoin investors but who also form the president's political base. The best course for the government would be to accept cryptocurrency trading under a fair regulatory system. It is already making steps in that direction by requiring registering trading accounts under investors' real names to be able to collect taxes on capital gains. But it should recognize virtual currencies as a valid means of payment and encourage the growth of licensed exchanges. At the same time, cryptocurrency investors should be warned that they should not expect the government to bail them out for any trading losses. Such a compromise regulatory framework would likely result in more people investing in digital currencies while enabling Korea to become a leader in the global fintech revolution. It could also help the Korean economy to become more efficient and competitive by helping reduce the protectionist barriers of capital controls. The government must recognize that the cryptocurrency genie is already out of the bottle and it must adjust to new digital trends. John Burton (johnburtonft@yahoo.com), a former Korea correspondent for the Financial Times, By Kang Seung-woo The nation's business organizations welcomed the appeals court's ruling on awarding a suspended sentence to Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Monday, with hopes his release will translate into improving the national economy. The Seoul High Court sentenced the 49-year-old to two and a half years in prison with a suspended sentence of four years. He was sentenced to five years in prison last August for bribing then-President Park Geun-hye and her close confidant Choi Soon-sil for help in strengthening his grip on Korea's largest conglomerate. Lee had been under detention since mid-February of last year. The Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) said it respects the court's ruling based on objective facts and legal principles. "The appeals court's suspended sentence of Lee will not only positively affect Samsung's credit rating and aggressive management, but contribute to the nation's whole economy," said Bae Sang-geun, an executive director of the FKI, formerly the nation's largest business lobby group. By Nam Hyun-woo Mercedes-Benz CSR Committee said Monday that it successfully completed the German automaker's seventh Mobile Academy headquarter visit program last week. CSR is short for corporate social responsibility. Mobile Academy is an industry-academy cooperation program aiming to deliver Mercedes-Benz's technologies and global education know-how to the students majoring in automotive in the local university. It has been providing selected students in each round with the opportunity to visit the head office in Germany. The visit program was carried out for the five nights and seven days beginning from January 28th with 15 students selected from the total 72 graduates from the 7thMobile Academy, who took the fall semester, the committee said. The students paid visit to various facilities, including Sindelfingen manufacturing plants, global training center, Mercedes-Benz Museum, Classic Center and Unimog Museum located in Stuttgart, Germany. Those who completed the official visit program learned the history and culture of Germany, the birthplace to the automobiles, while traveling its major cities, such as Frankfurt and Heidelberg. "I am greatly pleased to provide an opportunity for the participating students to take one step closer to their dream, leading the next generation of the automotive industry," said Dimitris Psillakis, chairman of the committee. "We will continue our efforts and attention to contribute nurturing the domestic automobile talents and developing the industry by offering various programs, including Mobile Academy and Ausbildung." Ausbildung refers to a German vocational training program. Participants showed their satisfaction. "I have long waited to visit the headquarter of the world's top premium automotive company, while taking the Mobile Academy," said Kim Chang-joon, a participating student from Yeungnam University. "Learning the brand's history and profession at Global Training Center and Mercedes-Benz Museum was a significant experience that made me confident about my future career path as a Mercedes-Benz professional technician." With a total of 455 graduates, Mobile Academy has joined hands with 12 automobile-related universities nationwide and strengthened its activities while boosting students' practical capabilities. By Oh Young-jin Kumho Asiana Chairman Park Sam-koo may stop monthly visits to Asiana Airlines' flight attendants following allegations that he made unwanted physical advances to female employees, the airline said Monday. The allegations came amid the #Me Too movement sweeping the world. "It is not an admission of any wrongdoing," a spokesman told The Korea Times. "But we will consider abolishing the visits, a tradition for our carrier for the past 20 years." Park, 74, has been visiting the carrier's headquarters in western Seoul on the first Thursday every month to cheer up the flight attendants. On the The Blind, an internet chatroom for company employees, comments have been made claiming that the executives encouraged the female employees to hug the leader of the second-biggest flag carrier. He also said no force was involved and that all the hugs took place in public. Meanwhile, the carrier's union has called for the chairman to apologize and for a probe into the allegations. By Jung Min-ho CHA Medical Group (CMG) has acquired the largest stake in a leading sub-fertility treatment center in Australia, becoming Korea's first medical institution to enter the Australian market. CMG announced last week that CHA Healthcare, its joint venture with Singapore Medical Group, has acquired 65 percent of CFC Global, which runs seven fertility clinics in Australia. With the deal, CMG has become manager of all the clinics across the country. It has also gained the business rights of CFC Global's Social Biobank (frozen egg storage) and genetic testing. CMG plans to send many clinical doctors and researchers to the Australian center to work with local researchers. The latest move is part of CMG's efforts to widen its global network. The group plans to continue making inroads overseas, including Taiwan, Vietnam and Indonesia. The goal is to become the world's largest In vitro fertilization (IVF) institution by 2022. IVF is a fertilization process in which an egg is combined with sperm outside the body. "We will continue to spread our sub-fertility treatment knowhow, widen our global network, train young researchers and create jobs," said CHA Global Institute Chairman Cha Kwang-yul. As a researcher, Cha has been recognized by many domestic and international organizations, including the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, for his contributions to developments in the stem cell and sub-fertility areas. He is founder and president of dozens of medical, educational and research institutions here and abroad. In 1999, CMG established CHA-Columbia Fertility Center at Columbia University in New York City the first Korean medical institution to do so there and, several years later, took over the CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in L.A. In 2014, CMG established the Tokyo Cell Clinic also the first time a Korean institution has done this in Japan. Rome, February 5 - Centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi called for the expulsion of thousands of migrants after a racist sooting that shocked Italy at the weekend. Luca Traini, a 28-year-old militant for the anti-migrant league, shot and wounded six migrants in a drive-by shooting spree in the Marche city Macerata days after the discovery there of the body of an 18-year-old Italian woman allegedly killed and dismembered by a Nigerian immigrant. "600,000 migrants are a social bomb that risks exploding," said Berlusconi, echoing League leader Matteo Salvini who said "those who fill us with migrants instigate violence" like Traini's. Salvini's critics have accused him with his incessant anti-migrant invective of "morally arming" Traini, who is now being held in the same jail as Innocent Oseghale, the alleged drug pusher who allegedly killed recovering drug addict Pamela Mastropietro before stuffing her hacked-up body into two suitcases and dumping them near Macerata. Berlusconi said Monday Traini's action was "madness". The three-time ex-premier and media magnate said "it's something incomprehensible: only an unbalanced person could do something like that, I don't see anything political because politics doesn't lead to these follies". It is a good idea to scrub the term 'race' from the Italian Constitution, Berlusconi went on. "Italians are not racists, we are hospitable," he said on Italian TV. "There is not a general climate of hatred but some people who are out of their heads, like the gentleman in Macerata, who wallow in this atmosphere". Article 3 of the Constitution says all citizens are equal without distinction of gender, race, language, religion, political opinions and personal and social conditions. Centre-right Lombardy governor candidate Attilio Fontana, of the League, recently defended himself in a row over his assertion that Italy's "white race is at risk" due to migration, saying that "the Italian Constitution itself speaks about race". Meanwhile Salvini said Monday being described as a "bad teacher" for allegedly fomenting Traini's racist hatred "recalls the (Red Brigades) BR". "I'm getting a lot of insults," said Salvini. "I would be careful about using such words (as bad teachers). "Evoking that period is not intelligent, it's better to comment with your head than your mouth". A copy of Mein Kampf as well as far-right insignia were found at Traini's home. He has reportedly confessed to the shooting "in revenge" for Mastropietro's murder. Rome, February 5 - Centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi on Monday toned down his call for thousands of migrant to ejected after Saturday's racist shooting of six migrants in Macerata as revenge for the murder of an Italian woman. Berlusconi described the shooting by rightist militant Luca Traini as an isolated act of non-political madness and did not repeat his call for 600,000 migrants to be deported after the shooting in the sleepy provincial city that shocked Italy and gained international headlines. Traini, a 28-year-old militant for the anti-migrant League, shot and wounded six migrants in a drive-by shooting spree in the Marche city days after the discovery there of the body of an 18-year-old Italian woman allegedly killed and dismembered by a Nigerian immigrant. "600,000 migrants are a social bomb that risks exploding," said Berlusconi, echoing League leader Matteo Salvini who said "those who fill us with migrants instigate violence" like Traini's. Salvini's critics have accused him with his incessant anti-migrant invective of "morally arming" Traini, who is now being held in the same jail as Innocent Oseghale, the alleged drug pusher who allegedly killed recovering drug addict Pamela Mastropietro before stuffing her hacked-up body into two suitcases and dumping them near Macerata. Apparently revising his deportation stance, Berlusconi said Monday Traini's action was "madness". The three-time ex-premier and media magnate said "it's something incomprehensible: only an unbalanced person could do something like that, I don't see anything political because politics doesn't lead to these follies". It is a good idea to scrub the term 'race' from the Italian Constitution, Berlusconi went on. "Italians are not racists, we are hospitable," he said on Italian TV. "There is not a general climate of hatred but some people who are out of their heads, like the gentleman in Macerata, who wallow in this atmosphere". Article 3 of the Constitution says all citizens are equal without distinction of gender, race, language, religion, political opinions and personal and social conditions. Centre-right Lombardy governor candidate Attilio Fontana, of the League, recently defended himself in a row over his assertion that Italy's "white race is at risk" due to migration, saying that "the Italian Constitution itself speaks about race". Meanwhile Salvini said Monday being described as a "bad teacher" for allegedly fomenting Traini's racist hatred "recalls the (Red Brigades) BR". "I'm getting a lot of insults," said Salvini. "I would be careful about using such words (as bad teachers). "Evoking that period is not intelligent, it's better to comment with your head than your mouth". Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI) President Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti said Monday "we must say no to xenophobia, social rancour and the 'entrepreneurs of fear'" amid migrant fears. "We must unite Italy, 'reknit' our communities," said the CEI chief. "In the name of God we invoke sobriety, peace and dialogue", he said. A copy of Mein Kampf as well as far-right insignia were found at Traini's home. He has reportedly confessed to the shooting "in revenge" for Mastropietro's murder. Rome, February 5 - Centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi on Monday toned down his call for thousands of migrant to ejected after Saturday's racist shooting of six migrants in Macerata as revenge for the murder of an Italian woman. Berlusconi described the shooting by rightist militant Luca Traini as an isolated act of non-political madness and did not repeat his call for 600,000 migrants to be deported after the shooting in the sleepy provincial city that shocked Italy and gained international headlines. Traini, a 28-year-old militant for the anti-migrant League, shot and wounded six migrants in a drive-by shooting spree in the Marche city days after the discovery there of the body of an 18-year-old Italian woman allegedly killed and dismembered by a Nigerian immigrant. "600,000 migrants are a social bomb that risks exploding," said Berlusconi, echoing League leader Matteo Salvini who said "those who fill us with migrants instigate violence" like Traini's. Salvini's critics have accused him with his incessant anti-migrant invective of "morally arming" Traini, who is now being held in the same jail as Innocent Oseghale, the alleged drug pusher who allegedly killed recovering drug addict Pamela Mastropietro before stuffing her hacked-up body into two suitcases and dumping them near Macerata. Apparently revising his deportation stance, Berlusconi said Monday Traini's action was "madness". The three-time ex-premier and media magnate said "it's something incomprehensible: only an unbalanced person could do something like that, I don't see anything political because politics doesn't lead to these follies". It is a good idea to scrub the term 'race' from the Italian Constitution, Berlusconi went on. "Italians are not racists, we are hospitable," he said on Italian TV. "There is not a general climate of hatred but some people who are out of their heads, like the gentleman in Macerata, who wallow in this atmosphere". Article 3 of the Constitution says all citizens are equal without distinction of gender, race, language, religion, political opinions and personal and social conditions. Centre-right Lombardy governor candidate Attilio Fontana, of the League, recently defended himself in a row over his assertion that Italy's "white race is at risk" due to migration, saying that "the Italian Constitution itself speaks about race". Meanwhile Salvini said Monday being described as a "bad teacher" for allegedly fomenting Traini's racist hatred "recalls the (Red Brigades) BR". "I'm getting a lot of insults," said Salvini. "I would be careful about using such words (as bad teachers). "Evoking that period is not intelligent, it's better to comment with your head than your mouth". Gunmen can't ensure security, Democratic Party (PD) leader Matteo Renzi said. "Gunmen can't guarantee security in Italy," said the ex-premier of League militant Traini. "We must invest in Carabinieri and policemen". He said "we propose hiring 10,000 men because those who wink at gunmen today blocked (police) hirings," referring to the centre right. "Above all there is Italy, the defence of Italy and the Italians and you defend them are the forces of order, not gunmen who fire wildly". Renzi responded to Berlusconi's calling migrants a "social bomb" by saying the three-time ex-premier had signed the Dublin Regulation in 2003 mandating that migrants be processed in their country of arrival. "So Berlusconi says that migrants in Italy are a social bomb? But immigration derives from two factors: with the Dublin treaties each country has to manage immigration alone, and the he signed the accords he now contests in 2003. "And if migrants are arriving in Italy it's because someone waged war in Libya, and the premier (at that time) was Berlusconi." Anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio agreed, saying "here's a message for the forgetful Berlusconi...he forgets that the main culprit for the social bomb of immigration was himself." Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI) President Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti said Monday "we must say no to xenophobia, social rancour and the 'entrepreneurs of fear'" amid migrant fears. "We must unite Italy, 'reknit' our communities," said the CEI chief. "In the name of God we invoke sobriety, peace and dialogue", he said. A copy of Mein Kampf as well as far-right insignia were found at Traini's home. Traini told police Monday he shot the migrants to avenge Mastropietro. "I wanted to avenge Pamela (Mastropietro), because the phenomenon of illegal immigration must be stopped," said Traini, according to police sources. Sources said police would request the confirmation of his arrest later today. A hearing for the arrest confirmation will be held tomorrow, they said. Rome, February 5 - Democratic Party (PD) leader Matteo Renzi on Monday responded to centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi's calling migrants a "social bomb" by saying the three-time ex-premier had signed the Dublin Regulation in 2003 mandating that migrants be processed in their country of arrival. "So Berlusconi says that migrants in Italy are a social bomb? But immigration derives from two factors: with the Dublin treaties each country has to manage immigration alone, and the he signed the accords he now contests in 2003. "And if migrants are arriving in Italy it's because someone waged war in Libya, and the premier (at that time) was Berlusconi." Gunmen can't ensure security, Renzi added after a rightist militant shot and wounded six migrants in Macerata at the weekend. "Gunmen can't guarantee security in Italy," said the ex-premier of League militant Luca Traini. "We must invest in Carabinieri and policemen". He said "we propose hiring 10,000 men because those who wink at gunmen today blocked (police) hirings," referring to the centre right. "Above all there is Italy, the defence of Italy and the Italians and you defend them are the forces of order, not gunmen who fire wildly". Naples, February 5 - Six people were found guilty Monday of failing to clean up the former Italsider steel plant area at Bagnoli in Naples. The six got jail terms ranging from two to four years. They were found guilty of environmental disaster, fraud and other crimes. Vatican City, February 5 - The status of Jerusalem was one of the main issues discussed by Pope Francis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Vatican Monday, the Vatican press office said. The leaders discussed "the situation in the Middle East, with particular reference to the status of Jerusalem, highlighting the need to promote peace and stability in the region via dialogue and negotiation, with respect for human rights and international legality," it said. The pair also discussed "bilateral ties between the Holy See and Turkey and the situation in the country, from the condition of the Catholic community, the commitment in receiving numerous refugees and the challenges linked to that," the Vatican press office said. Pavia, February 5 - Five migrants of North African origin said on Facebook they were pursued and attacked by around 20 skinheads in the northern Italian city of Pavia near Milan. The incident allegedly took place in the centre of Pavia after a row in a discotheque, they said. Police interviewed one of the five on Monday. Rome, February 5 - Centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi on Monday reiterated his warning over the numbers of migrants in Italy after Saturday's racist shooting of six migrants in Macerata as revenge for the murder of an Italian woman. Berlusconi described the shooting by rightist militant Luca Traini as an isolated act of non-political madness but appeared to stand by his call for 600,000 migrants to be deported after the shooting in the sleepy provincial city that shocked Italy and gained international headlines. Traini, a 28-year-old militant for the anti-migrant League, shot and wounded six migrants in a drive-by shooting spree in the Marche city days after the discovery there of the body of an 18-year-old Italian woman allegedly killed and dismembered by a Nigerian immigrant. "600,000 migrants are a social bomb that risks exploding," said Berlusconi on Sunday, echoing League leader Matteo Salvini who said "those who fill us with migrants instigate violence" like Traini's. Salvini's critics have accused him with his incessant anti-migrant invective of "morally arming" Traini, who is now being held in the same jail as Innocent Oseghale, the alleged drug pusher who allegedly killed recovering drug addict Pamela Mastropietro before stuffing her hacked-up body into two suitcases and dumping them near Macerata. Apparently revising his deportation stance, Berlusconi said Monday Traini's action was "madness". The three-time ex-premier and media magnate said "it's something incomprehensible: only an unbalanced person could do something like that, I don't see anything political because politics doesn't lead to these follies". But then he said that the centre left was to blame for the 630,000 migrants he said were now in Italy. The former premier and billionaire mogul said that immigration dropped sharply under his last government and then spiked under successive centre-left governments leading to a "vertical drop in security". "The centre right in government was able to stop immigration," he said, referring to a deal with former Libyan leader Muammar Gheddafi. "In 2010 only 4,400 illegal immigrants arrived, the same as one weekend last year. "Because of the centre-left governments we now have 630,000 illegals, with a vertical drop in security". It is a good idea to scrub the term 'race' from the Italian Constitution, Berlusconi went on. "Italians are not racists, we are hospitable," he said on Italian TV. "There is not a general climate of hatred but some people who are out of their heads, like the gentleman in Macerata, who wallow in this atmosphere". Article 3 of the Constitution says all citizens are equal without distinction of gender, race, language, religion, political opinions and personal and social conditions. Centre-right Lombardy governor candidate Attilio Fontana, of the League, recently defended himself in a row over his assertion that Italy's "white race is at risk" due to migration, saying that "the Italian Constitution itself speaks about race". Meanwhile Salvini said Monday being described as a "bad teacher" for allegedly fomenting Traini's racist hatred "recalls the (Red Brigades) BR". "I'm getting a lot of insults," said Salvini. "I would be careful about using such words (as bad teachers). "Evoking that period is not intelligent, it's better to comment with your head than your mouth". Gunmen can't ensure security, Democratic Party (PD) leader Matteo Renzi said. "Gunmen can't guarantee security in Italy," said the ex-premier of League militant Traini. "We must invest in Carabinieri and policemen". He said "we propose hiring 10,000 men because those who wink at gunmen today blocked (police) hirings," referring to the centre right. "Above all there is Italy, the defence of Italy and the Italians and you defend them are the forces of order, not gunmen who fire wildly". Renzi responded to Berlusconi's calling migrants a "social bomb" by saying the three-time ex-premier had signed the Dublin Regulation in 2003 mandating that migrants be processed in their country of arrival. "So Berlusconi says that migrants in Italy are a social bomb? But immigration derives from two factors: with the Dublin treaties each country has to manage immigration alone, and the he signed the accords he now contests in 2003. "And if migrants are arriving in Italy it's because someone waged war in Libya, and the premier (at that time) was Berlusconi." Anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio agreed, saying "here's a message for the forgetful Berlusconi...he forgets that the main culprit for the social bomb of immigration was himself." Accusing Berlusconi of "betraying the homeland", Di Maio said "Berlusconi created the social bomb by bombing Libya". Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI) President Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti said Monday "we must say no to xenophobia, social rancour and the 'entrepreneurs of fear'" amid migrant fears. "We must unite Italy, 'reknit' our communities," said the CEI chief. "In the name of God we invoke sobriety, peace and dialogue", he said. A copy of Mein Kampf as well as far-right insignia were found at Traini's home. Traini told police Monday he shot the migrants to avenge Mastropietro. "I wanted to avenge Pamela (Mastropietro), because the phenomenon of illegal immigration must be stopped," said Traini, according to police sources. Traini told police he had initially wanted to go to court and kill Innocent Oseghale. Traini said he changed his mind "at the last minute" and decided to target African migrants in the streets of the Marche city. Traini told police he had not meant to hit a Nigerian woman. "How is the girl, I didn't mean to hit her," said Traini, who is being held for multiple attempted murder aggravated by racial hatred. The young woman, Jennifer, was hit in the back near Macerat's railway station. Sources said police would request the confirmation of his arrest later today. A hearing for the arrest confirmation will be held tomorrow, they said. Rome, February 5 - Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Turkish President Tayyib Erdogan had "respectful and frank" talks in Rome on Monday, sources said. The sources said that long-standing positions were reiterated, Italy's in line with those of the EU, in relation to the main issues on the agenda. Bilateral relations are good and Italy remains committed to continuing dialogue with Ankara, the sources said. Rome, February 5 - Macerata Mayor Romano Carancini said Monday that he did not consider Saturday's shooting spree targeting black people by a rightwing militant to be an isolated episode. "We must call what happen on Saturday a Nazi-Fascist reprisal by a person who had said in a bar that he would go out and shoot black people," Carancini told a Democratic Party (PD) election rally in Rome. "It is not an isolated act. There is unrest that we must be able to stop and fight in an explicit, non ambiguous way". Vatican City, February 5 - Pope Francis was reportedly informed of allegations of child sex abuse by the clergy in Chile in 2015. A victim of Father Fernando Karadima, a serial predator whose abuse was covered up by the Chilean church, that year sent the pope an eight-page letter about Bishop Juan Barros, who is accused of witnessing and ignoring the abuse. Francis recently said he was sending Archbishop Charles Scicluna, a top child-abuse expert, to Chile to investigate the accusations against Barros. But during his recent trip to Chile and Colombia the pope said there was no evidence against Barros, adding that victims of the abuse had not come forward. The letter sent by victim Juan Carlos Cruz. The Associated Press reported that members of the Vatican's Commission for the Protection of Minors told it that they delivered the letter to the pope's top adviser on sex abuse, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, in April 2015. "When we gave him (O'Malley) the letter for the Pope, he assured us he would give it to the pope and speak of the concerns," Marie Collins, a former member of the commission at the time, told AP. "And at a later date, he assured us that that had been done." To pay tribute to the profoundly Mexican work of artist Raul Anguiano (1915-2006) and highlight the rich cultural region of San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, the La Jolla Riford Library will host an exhibition of Anguianos work this month. A reception for Anguianos Art: Tijuanas Legacy is set for 2 p.m. Sunday Feb. 11, but the exhibit is already hanging on the walls and open to public viewing when other events in the community room are not scheduled. Library patron Vincent Blocker helped coordinate the exhibition. The artist was significant and is known as being part of the second generation of Mexican muralists, he said. The people on this side of the border dont know anything about him, so having his work here is a true discovery. His art focuses on the people of Mexico and social issues. Branch manager Shaun Briley added: Its an opportunity to learn about our neighbors to the south. San Diego and Tijuana altogether is a rich cultural region. Part of the idea of this exhibit is to give people an opportunity to look at that region. The availability of Anguianos work for the show came from an art outreach project that started 10 years ago. Blocker explained that around 2008, there was period of heightened violence between drug cartels in Mexico, and a radical effort was underway to offset the global image. The solution was an expo-style event to highlight the environmental, cultural and youth-oriented offerings of the region. The first year, it was a huge event with participants from across the world, Blocker said. It has developed and new things have come into it to brand Tijuana internationally and get Tijuanans to be happier and more knowledgeable about their own city. To elevate the artistic aspect, an organization called Tijuana Innovadora and its initiative Arte En La Industria (Art in Industry) was brought on to install artworks in factories and businesses, Blocker said.These were to make the experience of going to work a little richer for the people. In the evolution of the art outreach, he added, Arte En La Industria would do shows in libraries in Tijuana, and a few in County libraries on our side of the border. Having donated his works to the City of Tijuana, Anguianos works were part of this effort. Blocker entered the picture around 2013, when he worked for a university in Los Angeles that was looking to expand into Tijuana. I played a role in building some of those bridges and I got to know a lot of leaders in different areas in Tijuana, in particular Tijuana Innovadora, and its board members Eduardo and Ana de Gurria. I got to know them really well. They are extremely involved in the cultural scene in Tijuana. Similarly, I got to know Shaun by being a library patron, and I see Eduardo and Ana quite a bit and heard about their work at other libraries. I thought we could make something happen, so I introduced them and we were able to make this exhibit a reality in La Jolla. In correspondence pertaining to the event, Mexican cultural attache Adriana Bacelis Sotomayor writes: Raul Anguiano was a visual artist of recognized international status, whose style, profoundly Mexican, is at the same time universal. The exhibit includes works from the collection that the artist donated to the city of Tijuana. The vision of Anguiano, considered as the last icon of muralism, is inspired by the indigenous past and the encounter of cultures that made what Mexico is today. This exhibit also celebrates the close historical ties that unite San Diego and Tijuana, as well as the cultural richness of the Cali-Baja mega region. Note: This exhibit joins the lineup of the La Jolla Library Art Committees regularly scheduled plein-air exhibits and single-subject shows. IF YOU GO: Anguianos Art: Tijuanas Legacy is on display through the month of February. The opening reception is 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11 at the library, 7555 Draper Ave. (858) 552-1657. lajollalibrary.org/events FROM EIR DAILY ALERT Chatham House Insists U.S.-Russia Relationship Grow Worse in 2018 Feb. 2, 2018 (EIRNS)Her Royal Majestys Royal Institute of International Affairs has again instructed her American lackeys to ensure no friendly, productive U.S.-Russian relationship be allowed to develop. The RIIA, dubbed Chatham House, posted an expert opinion on Jan. 25 by one of their minions to this effect. Author Mathieu Boulegue dismissed President Trumps personal deference to Vladimir Putin as (luckily) not reflecting the broader picture of tense U.S.-Russia relations. The political and military establishment in Washington sees Russia as a threat, as outlined in the recently published National Security Strategy (NSS) and National Defense Strategy (NDS), Boulegue wrote. His argument runs that Russia is getting confident, and pushing brinksmanship which could lead to war, and so escalation management is now paramount for United States and NATO. n this environment, the scope for improving the U.S.-Russia relationship or finding mutual interest appears limited. For now, Washington is raising the cost of Russias actions through sanctions and quick-fix policies, such as providing lethal weapons to Ukraine. But, this is not enough. Washington needs to devise a strategy for U.S.-Russia relations that effectively manages the threat posed by the Kremlin, he wrote, to then instruct: FROM EIR DAILY ALERT Empire Intelligence Tried Bullying U.S. Not To Release Nunes Memo, Feared Threat to War Plans Feb. 2, 2018 (EIRNS)The British daily Telegraph reported last night that British intelligence had threatened U.S. officials, including Members of Congress, that release of the Nunes House Intelligence memo exposing abuse of FISA surveillance, could harm the Anglo-American intelligence-sharing relationship. The U.K. will be less likely to share confidential information if the secret memo about the Russian investigation is made public, according to those opposing its release, the Telegraph reported. Further, it claimed that figures in Americas Justice Department were also warning that the U.K.-U.S. intelligence sharing relationship could be damaged by the move. Given that the Nunes memo exposed the lying, and criminal, FBI/Justice Department ntelligence sharing relationship with MI6 agent Christopher Steele at the center of the British interference into the 2016 U.S. general elections, the subsequent coup drive against President Donald Trump, and its associated Russiagate drive for war, shutting off that relationship is not a bad thing! Caught in the act, assets of the MI6 operation are screaming that the release of the Nunes memo on Steeles operation may sink the entire McCarthyite Russia is a threat campaign. Such is the argument of Steele promoter David Corn, Washington, D.C. chief at Mother Joneswho is named in the Nunes memowho whines in his article posted yesterday, that the Nunes memo prevents keep[ing] the spotlight from shining on a profound national security concern: the continuing threat from Russia. Vladimir Putin is gunning for the U.S. 2018 midterm elections, Corn repeats over and over, and this threat from Russia should be in the headlinesmore than the antics of Nunes. On cue, the discredited House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi joined Republican Sen. John McCain in denouncing the release of the Nunes memo as effectively a Russian operation. President Trump has surrendered his constitutional responsibility as Commander-in-Chief by releasing highly classified and distorted intelligence. By not protecting intelligence sources and methods, he just sent his friend Putin a bouquet, frothed Pelosi. McCains statement goes on and on about how the latest attacks on the FBI and Department of Justice serve no American interestsno partys, no presidents, only Putins. FROM EIR DAILY ALERT Ischinger: Congress Has Tied Trumps Hands To Stop U.S.-Russian Relations from Improving Feb. 3, 2018 (EIRNS)Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman of the Munich Security Conference, charged that the U.S. Congress has done everything it could to prevent President Donald Trump from being able to improve relations with Russia. Ischingers statement comes ahead of the 54th Session of the Munich Security Conference, formerly known as the Wehrkunde, which takes place on Feb. 16-18. The American side will be represented by Defense Secretary Mattis, National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, and Sen. John McCain, among others. Ischinger told TASS that the atmosphere between Washington and Moscow could not get any worse. I assess the current state of affairs as dangerous, deeply regrettable and in dire need of improvement, he said. Is there any chance for it? I hope that after the Presidential elections, the Russian side will have an opportunity to reach out to Washington. And I hope that after the midterm elections in the U.S. this coming November, the situation in the country will somewhat calm down. He continued that the current situation is the most dangerous since the collapse of the U.S.S.R. He then said it is very hard for the White House to come up with any initiative on the issue, because the U.S. Congress has tied the Presidents hands. But Moscow can do a lot. If Washington realizes that there is no need to fear any interference in its elections or any hybrid confrontation, then a serious cause for criticism would be removed. Both sides need to contribute a lot to normalizing their relations, Ischinger stressed. Thirty British publishers have signed a letter urging the foundation behind the Man Booker Prize for Fiction, one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, to exclude American writers from consideration. The Guardian reports that the publishers want to reverse a rule change announced in 2014 that opened the award to any novel published in English. Before that, only writers from the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations were eligible for the prize. The letter, which as of Friday had not yet been sent to the Booker Prize Foundation, argues that including American authors is leading to a homogenized literary future. The rule change, which presumably had the intention of making the prize more global, has in fact made it less so, by allowing the dominance of Anglo-American writers at the expense of others; and risks turning the prize, which was once a brilliant mechanism for bringing the worlds English-language writers to the attention of the worlds biggest English-language market, into one that is no longer serving the readers in that market, the letter reads in part. Advertisement Americans have won half of the Booker Prizes awarded since the rule change. Paul Beatty prevailed in 2016 for The Sellout, and George Saunders won the following year for Lincoln in the Bardo. The 2015 winner, Marlon James, is a Jamaican writer who lives in the United States. The letter was not meant to be public. The awards organizers have already responded in a statement published on the Booker Prize website. The Man Booker Prize expanded in 2014 to allow writers of any nationality, regardless of geography, to enter the prize providing that they are writing in English and published in the UK, the statement reads. The rule was not created specifically to include American writers. The foundation also pushed back against the letter writers claim that the rule change has led to a decrease in diversity among the finalists and winners. The 2014, 2015 and 2016 shortlists all included four (of six) non-US writers, and the 2014 and 2015 prizes were won by an Australian and Jamaican author respectively, the foundation said. Moreover, clear trends cannot be drawn from a mere four years of data. I want to be in the audience, Jonathan Lethem said into a microphone at Vromans Bookstore on Sunday afternoon. He slipped off stage and into a front row seat to watch musicians Cindy Lee Berryhill and Ben Arthur perform answer songs that theyd composed in response to a story from his collection Men and Cartoons. The performance was a kind of call and response, or ekphrasis, with lyrics and chords inspired by Lethems prose. Lethem read his short story Vivian Relf, which traces a series of chance encounters between two people who are certain at first that theyve met before. That certainty wanes, but the sense of thwarted fatefulness, and of a nagging missed opportunity, rises. The story unfolds over many years, with pauses between passages to mark the passage of time. Ill mime that part for you the breaks, Lethem said, stepping to the side of the microphone whenever the story was about to jump ahead. That was the most unnecessary dance, said Arthur after the reading, drawing a few chuckles of agreement from the two dozen attendees. Completely clear, start to finish. Advertisement Jonathan Lethem, left, and Ben Arthur at Vromans Bookstore. (Agatha French / Los Angeles Times ) The event was an installment of Arthurs Words and Music series, which he recorded for a forthcoming podcast. Previous iterations include readings by Roxane Gay and Susan Orlean and performances by other musicians. It was Berryhills first time. The musician, who began her career in the anit-folk movement of the 90s, admitted that she thought the end [of Vivian Relf] was kind of a bummer and one audience member described the plot as boy meets girl and then nothing happens, but Lethem looked unfazed. Hed forgotten, he said, that the protagonist was such a jerk. Its so old, Im like a reader of that story rather than its author, he said. In a way, the musicians read his work back to him. Both Berryhill and Arthur had composed their songs before the event but had not yet performed them publicly. Its my first time writing to a short story, Berryhill said. It is a long song, and I apologize for that right up front. She composed her response in the tradition of Woody Guthries Tom Joad, which summarizes John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath. Accompanied by her acoustic guitar, the lyrics to her own song were like musical Cliffs Notes, pulling salient lines and skipping the exposition. Ben Arthur and Cindy Lee Berryhill at Vromans Bookstore (Agatha French / Los Angeles Times ) Arthurs response, which he wrote in collaboration with Lethem, was less faithful to the chronology of the story, and, by his own description, more proto-punk than Berryhills folksy composition. (Arthur and Lethem have collaborated previously. Lethem, who was awarded a MacArthur Genius Fellowship in 2005 and is now the Roy Edward Disney Professor in Creative Writing at Pomona College, told Arthur in a Believer interview that I started writing lyrics with my musician friends in high school. And never stopped.) If the characters could only connect, went Arthurs chorus, they wouldnt be all by themselves a sense that Lethem is able to convey in Vivian Relf without ever explicitly saying. Advertisement The songwriting, in other words, cuts to the chase, where the prose takes its time to hint and intimate. The story morphed and conformed to the demands of various disciplines and the interpretations of different artists: In each instance, Vivian Relf became something new. But theres another reason, outside of artistic experimentation, for Words and Music, admitted Arthur. As a writer of any discipline songs, short stories, novels Its so much easier than starting with a blank page. agatha.french@latimes.com @agathafrenchy Germany was first. It shipped the Volkswagen Beetle to the United States in 1949. It got off to a slow start only to be embraced by an enthusiastic American public. Japan came next, winning U.S. customers in the 1970s with its own mass-market cars. After that, South Korea, offered its Hyundais and Kias. Now, its Chinas turn. Or is it? Advertisement Big, state-controlled Chinese automaker GAC Motor plans to start selling a gas-powered seven-passenger SUV priced around $40,000 in the U.S. next year. The company said more models will follow that vehicle, called the GS8 including all-electric cars. But a rough road lies ahead. Chinese automakers have tried to enter the U.S. market before and failed, crippled by sub-par quality, failure to meet tough U.S. safety standards, lack of consumer awareness and ill-conceived import partnerships. Plans were hopelessly optimistic, said Bill Hampton, editor of AutoBeat Daily. But GAC says this time is different. A few years ago, we were not ready enough to enter the U.S. market with our level of technology, quality and competitiveness, GAC Motor President Yu Jun told The Times via email. But, he said, things have changed: We are well prepared to face the challenges in the U.S. market. Thats a plausible assertion, said David Sargent, global quality research head for J.D. Power. Over the last 10 years, the quality of Chinese vehicles in China, as measured by Chinese consumers, has gotten dramatically better, he said. And GAC quality has been the best of the Chinese brands based on surveys of new-car owners on vehicle condition and performance. GAC stands for Guangzhou Automobile Group. Statistics vary by source, but the company tends to rank ninth or 10th on lists of Chinas biggest automakers. Located near the concentration of Japanese auto suppliers in Southern China, GAC was an early adopter of Japanese quality standards, analysts say. Advertisement Whether the quality proves good enough for the U.S. market is yet to be determined. Yu Zhang, managing director of Automotive Foresight in Shanghai, calls GAC a dark horse in the U.S. market with great potential. GAC made a splash at the recent Detroit Auto Show, with a spot covering 2,400 square feet on the main floor of the exhibition hall, a first for a Chinese car company. It was more than a token display: six vehicles were shown. Sexy models remain a fixture at auto shows in China, and they appeared onstage in Detroit at GACs appointed showtime. Two tall, slim young women in svelte red dresses stripped covers off several GAC cars, including the Enverge electric concept car, which GAC intends to introduce to the U.S. market following its SUV debut. First, though, the company must establish a U.S. dealer network. In March, GAC executives will fly to Las Vegas, where theyll glad hand potential distributors at the National Automobile Dealers Assn. annual convention. Advertisement Dealers have been teased by Chinese automakers before, most notably in 2005, when a colorful publicity hound named Malcolm Bricklin (best known for the Yugo) announced plans to import five vehicles from Wuhu, China-based Chery Automobile. But quality wasnt up to snuff, too few dealers signed up, investors dropped out and the deal died. Entering the U.S. market is like swimming in water that is too deep. We are scared of drowning, Chery President Yin Tongyue told a Reuters reporter at the time. We need more time to prepare. U.S. technology and U.S. consumer habits are too different. American car buyers tend to be brand loyal, and it has historically been difficult for newcomers particularly from overseas. Last year, Ford, GM and Ram pickup trucks topped the bestseller list, followed by the Toyota Camry, the Nissan Rogue and the Honda CR-V. The Japanese and Koreans both struggled to gain a foothold in the U.S., but now the Asian brands, with 46.3% market share, are neck and neck with U.S. automakers, at 44.4%. European companies account for the remaining 9.3%, according to Motor Intelligence. Advertisement But Chinas rise in production volume and quality has been breathtaking. A minor player as recently as the late 1990s, when it sold about 2 million vehicles, almost all of them in China, the country is now the worlds largest automobile producer. In 2017, 25.4 million passenger vehicles the vast majority made by Chinese automakers were sold in China, according to LMC Automotive. (In the U.S., 17.2 million vehicles were sold last year from U.S., Asian and European manufacturers.) As state-owned car companies entered into joint ventures with U.S., European, Japanese and Korean companies, production surged and quality improved. Meanwhile, leaner, meaner private Chinese companies such as Geely are turning up competitive pressure. We are well prepared to face the challenges in the U.S. market, GAC Motor President Yu Jun says. (Carlos Osorio / Associated Press ) GACs U.S. foray will test Chinese government ambitions to become a world-class, high-quality exporter of essential goods and services. The governments Made In China 2025 plan, released in 2015, identifies 10 key industries, motor vehicles among them, with an emphasis on electric cars and trucks. Advertisement Incentives and mandates issued from Beijing and local governments, including polluted mega-cities such as Shanghai, have boosted electric vehicle growth. Electrified vehicle sales expanded 53% in 2017, to 777,000 vehicles, said the China Assn. of Automobile Manufacturers 652,000 all-electric vehicles and 125,000 plug-in hybrids. In the U.S., almost 200,000 EVs and plug-in hybrids were sold last year, according to Inside EVs, up about 25%. While mass consumer demand for EVs remains tepid, automakers have launched ambitious electrification plans. A bill to require zero tailpipe emissions for all new vehicles sold in California by 2040 is in the legislative hopper. Although EVs are rising fast in China, overall passenger vehicle sales are flattening out up only 2.8% in 2017, compared with a 15.5% increase the year before. Advertisement That puts pressure on Chinese automakers to expand to new markets. Success in the U.S. will translate into more sales back in China, said Mark Wakefield of the consulting firm AlixPartners. The idea: If U.S. customers embrace a China-made car, it must mean the quality is high. Competition in China is tough and getting tougher, he said. Theres a premium for a brand that comes with a [U.S.] stamp of approval. If GAC succeeds with a 2019 U.S. launch, it wont have the China-made market to itself. Volvo Cars and Volvos Chinese owner, Geely, have joined forces to create a new line of automobiles, named Lynk & Co., designed in Sweden and manufactured in China. Lynk aims to export a compact SUV to Europe in 2019, while plans to distribute its cars through U.S. manufacturing plants outside China are under consideration. Advertisement Polestar, another Geely-Volvo endeavor, plans global distribution of high-end electric cars and could bypass the need for auto dealerships through online sales. SF Motors, an arm of Chinas Chongqing Sokon Industry Group and headquartered in Santa Clara, is planning its own technology-loaded luxury car line for the global market. SF Motors chief innovation officer is Teslas original founder, Martin Eberhard. Dozens of other small Chinese or China-funded companies want in, including Byton, headed by former BMW executives, which introduced an electric compact SUV concept car at CES in Las Vegas last month. Threatening all these plans is a political buzz saw on trade policy. President Trump has made clear his distaste for imported cars. Advertisement But Democrats might see political gain in knocking China too. Soon after GAC Motors Detroit event, Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) referenced GACs U.S. entry plan in a speech on the Senate floor, calling Chinas 25% tariffs on imported cars manifestly unfair, and a typically unfortunate example of Chinas rapacious trading policies. U.S. Auto import tariffs are set at 2.5% Were beginning to see a lot of bad press on China in the U.S., said Taiwan-based Greg Anderson of Pacific Rim Advisors. Right now, an anti-China position is going to play well politically. Asked about that, GACs Yu said, No comment. Hes more focused on a dealer network. Thats an expensive, time-consuming and complicated thing to do, said AutoBeat Dailys Hampton. Advertisement GAC has joint ventures with Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi and Fiat-Chrysler. Fiat-Chrysler dealers may be the companys best bet because it is dropping many of its sedans and coupes to focus on SUVs and trucks. The company is behind most other major car groups in electric car development. GAC could fill those gaps. Meanwhile, GAC Motors plans to replace the Trumpchi brand name outside China. The phonic similarity to the U.S. presidents name is a sheer coincidence, Yu said. Trumpchi is similar to GAC Motor in Chinese pronunciation. In Chinese, it means to deliver happiness and auspiciousness. russ.mitchell@latimes.com Advertisement Twitter: @russ1mitchell Ubers a cheat that used stolen trade secrets to boost a lackluster driverless car project in a craven attempt to keep its ride-hailing business competitive as robots replace human drivers. Waymos a crybaby that cant hang on to talented engineers and compensates by filing groundless lawsuits about stolen trade secrets. And Waymos trade secrets arent really secret just stuff any engineer trained in the proper technology would already know. That, in essence, is the argument each side is making as Waymo, the driverless car arm of Googles Alphabet, squares off in U.S. District Court against Uber. The long-awaited trial, which started Monday in San Francisco, pits two technology giants battling for supremacy in the emerging industry of driverless cars and trucks. Advertisement Plaintiff Waymo says that eight trade secrets were found in a cache of 14,000 documents allegedly stolen by its engineer Anthony Levandowski as he transitioned to Uber. The stakes of the case and the value of intellectual property to driverless technology is best illustrated in the price Uber paid Levandowski to lure him from Waymo: $592 million. That covered the driverless truck company Otto, controlled by Levandowski and sold to Uber, with Levandowskis engineering talents as part of the package. A swarm of Waymo engineers followed Levandowski to Uber. In opening arguments, Waymo lead attorney Charles Verhoeven noted that Uber saw Googles driverless technology as an existential threat to its ride-hailing business and needed to catch up fast. They decided to win at all costs, he told the jury. Uber founder Travis Kalanick made a decision that winning was more important than obeying the law. In Ubers opening statements, attorney Bill Carmody said bluntly that there was no cheating. The reason, he said, is that what Waymo claims are trade secrets are not trade secrets at all. Theres not a single piece of Google proprietary information at Uber, he said. Zero, period. Waymo will have to prove that the trade secrets are legitimate, and that they are or have been in Ubers possession. Waymo wants to stop Uber from using its technology for competitive advantage, and for Uber to pay $1.8 billion in damages. The Google offshoot can win its case if it can prove that Uber is using any of the supposed eight trade secrets in its own lidar technology. Advertisement Many market researchers predict the driverless market will be worth hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue by the end of the next decade, when all products and services are included. There is a big competition, and Google is in the lead because they developed it in the first place, Verhoeven said. To simplify the idea that Uber tried to catch up with Waymo by cheating, he told the story of Rosie Ruiz, who won the 1980 Boston Marathon by riding the subway part of the way. She was found out and disqualified. Throughout his opening statements, Verhoeven punctuated technical arguments with the phrase, they took the subway. Advertisement The first witness to take the stand was Waymo Chief Executive John Krafcik. Waymo attorneys tried to paint the 56-year-old silver-haired executive as a polished, accomplished gentleman whose utmost concern is improving automobile safety and saving human lives. Uber tried to cast Krafcik as a beleaguered team leader desperate to stanch an exodus of top talent from Waymo. Krafcik described his career to the jury an engineer, auto industry executive and Internet entrepreneur before joining Waymo in September 2015. Advertisement Asked by Waymos attorney how many children he had, Krafcik said two. Would he feel safe with them traveling inside a Waymo driverless car? Yes, I would. His demeanor shifted downbeat as an Uber attorney produced emails that showed Levandowski had attempted to set up a separate driverless car project within Google outside Krafciks authority. He was also grilled about several highly regarded engineers who left Waymo for other companies and start-up projects in the months after Krafciks arrival. In one early January 2016 email shown to the jury, Levandowski complained to Google Chief Executive Larry Page that the driverless car project is broken and we are losing our tech advantage fast. Advertisement Other emails show Page eager to keep Levandowski from leaving. Krafcik testified that Levandowski was someone I was getting to know and understand before the engineer left without notice late in January 2016 to join Uber. Later that year, he sold Otto, a new company to develop driverless trucks, to Uber for $592 million. When Levandowski quit, Krafcik said, the hotshot engineer became his enemy, though Krafcik adopted the maxim keep your friends close and your enemies closer. The two exchanged at least one phone call and 100 or so Twitter messages, and met for lunch at a Five Guys hamburger joint, Krafcik said. Advertisement The long-anticipated trial began with U.S. District Judge William Alsup criticizing a famous witness request to take the stand in a private room outside the view of the public. I wont name any names, but one witness who thinks hes important wanted a private room, the judge said. Neither of your sides is going to get a private room, just because theyre famous. There are only two people on the current witness list who could be considered famous. One is Krafcik, who sat in the courtroom when Alsup rejected the notion of private accommodations. The other is Kalanick, Ubers embattled co-founder. He was nowhere to be seen Monday. Advertisement russ.mitchell@latimes.com Twitter: @russ1mitchell UPDATES: 4:40 p.m.: This article was updated with additional testimony from the trial. Advertisement 10:20 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from Uber attorney Bill Carmody during opening statements. 9:45 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from Waymo attorney Charles Verhoeven during opening statements. This article was originally published at 8:55 a.m. Seven years ago, Los Angeles entrepreneur Elon Musk first publicly introduced the Falcon Heavy rocket, promising that the first launch of the 27-engine behemoth would be pretty epic. That day comes Tuesday, when SpaceX plans to launch the Falcon Heavy at 1:30 p.m. EST from Floridas Kennedy Space Center in its first demonstration mission. Falcon Heavy will be the most powerful U.S. rocket since the famed Saturn V, which took astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s. A successful launch would vault SpaceX into the small cadre of heavy-lift rockets available throughout the world, ranging from the European Ariane 5 to United Launch Alliances Delta IV Heavy in the U.S. But the commercial market for massive satellites is tight, meaning the Hawthorne space company will need to capitalize on lucrative national security launches and position itself to compete for new opportunities requiring heavy hauling capacity to maximize its investment in Falcon Heavy. Advertisement The world has changed since 2011 when Falcon Heavy was announced, said John Logsdon, professor emeritus at George Washington Universitys Space Policy Institute. Falcon Heavy has to create or facilitate a market different than the one that may have been the original intention. SpaceX already recognizes the changing market for large commercial satellites. The company initially thought it would fly the same numbers of Falcon 9s the rocket that forms the three engine cores of the new, larger rocket as Falcon Heavys. But that ratio is turning out to be about two to three times more Falcon 9 commercial missions, especially as upgrades to the Falcon 9 have made that rocket more powerful. There is a part of the commercial market that requires Falcon Heavy, Gwynne Shotwell, president of SpaceX, said during an interview with The Times last summer. Its there, and its going to be consistent, but its much smaller than we thought. New markets for Falcon Heavy could include NASA planetary missions. Last year, Musk said the rocket would be used to send two tourists around the moon, and analysts have questioned whether Falcon Heavy could factor into the Trump administrations call to NASA to return to the moon. In a press call Monday afternoon, Musk said Falcon Heavy will likely not be needed for crewed flights like the moon tourism mission since development of the companys even larger rocket system, known as BFR, is progressing quickly enough. SpaceXs BFR system a more than 500-foot-tall reusable booster and rocket that will eventually replace the Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and Dragon spacecraft is intended to be used for Musks Mars colonization plans. Once operational, Falcon Heavy will likely compete largely against a few heavy-lift rockets. On the commercial side, Arianespaces Ariane 5 heavy launcher can hoist more than 44,000 pounds to low-Earth orbit. (Raoul Ranoa ) Advertisement The Ariane 5s trademark is its ability to launch two satellites in a single mission, making it a popular and cost-effective option for commercial satellite operators, said Phil Smith, space industry analyst at Bryce Space and Technology. NASA plans to launch its $8.8-billion James Webb Space Telescope on an Ariane 5 rocket next year. The Ariane 5 is also considered extremely reliable, despite an anomaly during a late January launch that placed two satellites in different orbits than originally planned. Operators and manufacturers for the two satellites said plans were in place to get the satellites to the proper orbit, and Arianespace has said it set up an independent commission chaired by the general inspector of the European Space Agency to investigate the trajectory deviation. Massive U.S. national security satellites that require a bigger rocket than SpaceXs workhorse Falcon 9 or the Atlas V, made by a joint venture of Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp., rely on ULAs Delta IV Heavy. With 2.1 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and a payload capacity of 62,000 pounds to low-Earth orbit, the Delta IV Heavy has been the rocket of choice for the heaviest spy satellites and other sensitive payloads for the U.S. government. Advertisement However, the rocket is costly to produce its burnt-orange foam insulation must be applied by hand and the rocket production line is large and complex and is being phased out. The launch cost of a Falcon Heavy starts at $90 million, while its smaller Falcon 9 starts at $62 million. The starting price for ULAs smaller Atlas V is advertised at $109 million. On Monday, Musk said the low starting cost for the Falcon Heavy is derived from the ability to reuse elements such as the rocket booster cores. If the company is successful in offering increased heavy-lift capability for not much additional cost than a Falcon 9, Musk said it would be game over for other heavy-lift rockets. The Falcon Heavy could also compete against Russias Proton-M rocket for commercial launches, as well as several new heavy-lift rockets that are in development, said Smith of Bryce Space and Technology. These include ULAs Vulcan, which would eventually replace its intermediate and heavy-lift rockets, and Blue Origins New Glenn, which is being envisioned in two-stage and three-stage versions. Advertisement On Monday, ULA Chief Executive Tory Bruno and Jeff Bezos, head of Blue Origin, tweeted good luck messages to SpaceX, with Bezos saying he was hoping for a beautiful, nominal flight. Musk, SpaceXs chief executive, responded with a simple Thanks, along with a kissing face emoji. A failure on a new rockets first flight is not uncommon and likely would not doom the Falcon Heavy program, analysts said. Its not a make-or-break for the program, Logsdon said. If theres a failure, its not a catastrophe. Musk has already tried to temper expectations, noting the difficulties of wrangling the rockets three engine cores and saying there was a good chance Falcon Heavy did not make it to orbit on its first try. Advertisement On Monday, he posted on Instagram a video simulation of the launch, saying the rocket will launch toward Mars. In typical Musk fashion, the payload for Tuesdays flight is his midnight cherry Tesla Roadster, which will travel on a billion year journey through deep space, he said on Instagram, if it doesnt explode into tiny pieces. Musk said on the Monday call that it would be a real huge downer if it blows up, but that he hoped the company would learn as much as possible from the mission data. SpaceX will also attempt to land all three first-stage boosters two on land and one on a floating platform in the Atlantic Ocean. The rockets two side boosters have been recycled from previous Falcon 9 missions. For Logsdon, the launch will be a chance to compare powerful rockets from past and present. Years ago, he watched Apollo 11, 14 and 17 launch from Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. He will be there Tuesday to see Falcon Heavy launch from the same spot. Advertisement Logsdon remembers how the Saturn V seemed to hang in the air as it lifted off from the pad, unlike the quick acceleration of the space shuttle rocket and its solid strap-on boosters. Im very curious how this compares in terms of spectacle, he said. samantha.masunaga@latimes.com Twitter: @smasunaga Advertisement UPDATES: 3:25 p.m.: This article was updated to include comments from company Chief Executive Elon Musk during a press call Monday afternoon. This article was originally published at 11:40 a.m. Soylent is sidling up alongside Slurpee. The Los Angeles company, best known for chalky nutrition-rich shakes used by coders who are too busy to eat, is trying to fuel growth by pulling in mainstream customers at the convenience-store chain 7-Eleven. The move marks the brands biggest attempt to expand beyond its California roots. For the first time, Soylent Co.s bottled drinks, which pack 400 calories and are pitched as meal replacements, are now available in stores on the East Coast. The company is targeting busy New Yorkers who might otherwise opt for a fast-food breakfast or skip the meal entirely. Were coming for fast food, said Bryan Crowley, the companys chief executive. The growth will come from the masses. This isnt a tech product when people see it, we want them to think about food. Advertisement Soylent, which has raised more than $70 million from investors such as Andreessen Horowitz and Google Ventures, hit the market in 2014. Rob Rhinehart, the companys founder and former CEO, was trying to build a tech business and had come to see eating or at least acquiring the nutrition necessary to function as a waste of time. So he set out to develop meal replacements that could be consumed quickly. Bumps in the road Soylent initially generated buzz in tech circles with a powder that was made into tasteless shakes. It later pushed into flavored bottled drinks and snack bars. The company has suffered setbacks, though. It experimented with an algae ingredient that led to a recall. The presence of milk traces in products labeled lactose-free was another gaffe. And Soylent got kicked out of Canada because of a dispute over nutritional claims. Rhinehart stepped down as CEO in December, handing over the reins to Crowley, a food-and-beverage veteran with stints at Conagra Brands Inc., Mars Inc. and Pabst Brewing Co. For its first few years, Soylent was an online-only business. Last summer, it pushed into brick-and-mortar retail with a test of the bottled drink at a handful of 7-Elevens in Southern California. The products are now in hundreds of the convenience stores on the West Coast, and 2,000 outlets in total. The East Coast expansion will put Soylent drinks in 300 7-Elevens in New York City and on Long Island. The company also is talking to major grocery chains as it pushes further into brick-and-mortar retail. Soylent, wryly named after a 1973 science-fiction film that featured food made from human remains, is actually a vegan product. It offers convenience and portion control, capitalizing on food trends that will resonate among the harried masses in New York, Crowley said. Were targeting food as fuel, he said. Giammona writes for Bloomberg. The first major newspaper article about Donald Trump, in 1973, described him as surrounded by slinky fashion models. If you count former fashion models, he still is. Theres his wife, Melania, who started modeling at 5 and eventually landed on the cover of Vogue. Theres his daughter Ivanka, who walked various runways. Kristin Anderson, Temple Taggart McDowell, Ninni Laaksonen and Karena Virginia, some of the 20 women who have accused Trump of sexual harassment and assault, were once models. Even United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley and advisor Kellyanne Conway have beauty-pageant experience. But its Hope Hicks, the White House director of communications, whos most often referred to as a former model. Thats not wrong: Hicks, now 29, did indeed appear in Ralph Lauren ads before going on to model clothing from the Ivanka Trump Collection. Modeling is not, however, Hicks chief qualification for her job with Trump. Shes a publicist to the bone. By the time she was photographed in Ivanka Trumps line, she had already trained in a fierce Manhattan PR shop. Her first job with the Trump Organization was to expand Ivanka Trumps brand and promote Trumps resorts. In her mid-20s, she already had an office on the 25th floor of Trump Tower. Then one day in 2015, as Hicks told New York magazine, Mr. Trump looked at me and said, Im thinking about running for president, and youre going to be my press secretary. Press secretary. Trumps formal language belied what he knew well after a lifetime of litigation, depravity and scandal. Anyone who did communications for him would have to do more than stand at a podium. Shed have to be a human manganese steel plate built to obstruct anything that came for him: attacks, allegations, lawyers, journalists and even justice. Advertisement Hicks didnt just drift into her first PR job as some in the sheath set are known to do. Instead, shes to the manner born, third generation in a family of special-forces flacks. Her grandfather, Paul Hicks Jr., was a lifer at Texaco, eventually running public relations and advertising there. During his tenure, Texaco went bankrupt and in 1990 entered an unusual joint venture with the Soviet oil industry. Paul Hicks III, Hopes father, ran publicity for the NFL, blocking a labor impasse and tackling threats to the leagues antitrust exemption. Hes now managing director of the Glover Park Group, another communications firm, founded by Democratic operatives, which specializes in among other things crisis management and Complex Situations. So complex situations are the Hicks family business. Moreover, when it comes to protecting clients in chronic crisis, she was trained by the best: Matthew Hiltzik, who introduced her to the Trumps. And Hiltzik made his bones as chief publicist for, wait for it, Harvey Weinstein and Miramax. Hiltzik knows from damage control. PR at that level takes moral flexibility, callousness and charm. The flexibility (its all relative) and callousness (who cares?) allow you to sleep at night. But the charm is your real high card, especially when youre whitewashing the unsavory practices or grave misdeeds of Texaco, the NFL, Harvey Weinstein and Donald Trump. The catch is that whitewashing grave misdeeds, as Watergate showed, can tilt into a grave misdeed itself. On Wednesday, The New York Times reported that Hope Hicks, according to former Trump legal spokesperson Mark Corallo, may have taken part in an effort to obstruct justice. To wit, Corallo plans to tell special counsel Robert Mueller that Trump and Hicks co-wrote a July 2017 press release misrepresenting the purpose of a suspicious meeting a year earlier between Donald Trump Jr. and Russian government official Natalia Veselnitskaya. The truth emerged later: Junior had been promised Hillary Clinton kompromat to get him to the meeting, but when he and others with the Trump campaign showed up, Veselnitskaya and others tried to enlist him in the cause of undoing sanctions against Russia, especially the ones that under the Magnitsky Act punish oligarchs responsible for human rights abuses. She seems also to have held out the possibility that, if sanctions were lifted, the Kremlin would allow Americans to adopt Russian children again. When the story first broke, the 2016 meeting looked like a smoking gun for Trump-Russia ties and Hicks, in Corallos telling, moved quickly to hide the weapon. She and Trump, it seems, decided to tell the media that the meeting was not about Clinton kompromat (which suggested collusion) or lifting sanctions on oligarchs (which suggested quid pro quo), but about adoptions, which sounded innocuous. Advertisement Corallo presciently suggested that, if Juniors emails ever surfaced, the deception would too. But Hicks, in Corallos account, replied that the emails will never get out, according to the New York Times article. This showed Corallo that Hicks might be game to suppress Juniors correspondence, which would arguably qualify as obstruction of justice. A revered GOP spin doctor himself, Corallo is an old hand at managing crises. He was long known as the master of disaster, and he says he gets an adrenaline high superintending Republican nightmares. But maybe time has chastened him. Maybe hes ready to stop spinning, especially if it saves his own hide. Or maybe hes just aiming to best Hicks. In either case, Corallo is a PR man dropping a dime on one of his own, and suggesting that Hicks might be an accomplice in the crime of the well, lets get ahead of ourselves. Does Hicks promise to keep Juniors emails out of sight, and thus deceive the public if she actually made that promise rise to the level of obstruction? The answer to this question may double as a referendum on the whole thorny practice of public relations. We know its a crime to lie to the FBI. We know its a crime to lie to Mueller. But, as Hope Hicks knows and as her father and her fathers father knew lying to the media is traditionally called PR. A Glasgow cafe has come out with an ice cream so spicy that customers must be at least 18 years old to order it and must sign a waiver before its eaten. The Aldwych Cafe and Ice Cream Parlors Valentines Day ice cream special is about 500 times spicier than Tabasco sauce and measures at 1,569,300 SHU on the Scoville scale, the measurement used to gauge heat from chile peppers. The waiver warns that consuming the frozen dairy treat could be a risk of personal injury, illness & possible loss of life. Aldwych Cafe owner Martin Bandoni told the NY Post that when scooping Respiro Del Diavolo, which translates to Breath of the Devil, he and servers must wear protective gloves. Chile can have different effects on the skin especially if you leave it for too long. Advertisement Bandonis brother Lee told the Post that the spicy ice cream began in Italy. There was a place called Devils Bridge and with that, the Italian ice cream families used to meet up once a year and discuss how the year went for them. At that point, if there were any men that showed bravery then they would eat this ice cream. So, because of the Devils Bridge, they called this the Breath of the Devil. The recipe for the sweat-inducing cool treat is top secret and is made fresh daily using a traditional Italian recipe from 1936. Owner Martin thinks that its a great Valentines Day or dreamy date treat. A lot of Italian guys go and have a romantic evening with their girlfriends or wives and they will have some this ice cream because it is a well-known fact that chili is an aphrodisiac and it is nice with a glass of wine bubbling in your mouth, said Martin. So we will sell it here until just after Valentines Day, people should come try it. Although the ice cream is unusual, its price point isnt. A scoop of the sweet heat will cost you 2 or about $2.83 - not including airfare to Glasgow. If youve got that much to spend on a plane ticket for V-Day, your sweetheart might prefer one of these breathtakingly romantic Valentines Day getaways instead. Advertisement View slideshow More Spicy Stories USC names retired aerospace executive Wanda Austin as acting president, announces Nikias departure By Harriet Ryan USC appointed a retired aerospace executive as interim president and laid out a detailed plan for selecting a permanent leader Tuesday, ending speculation about whether outgoing President C.L. Max Nikias might remain in the post. Nikias, embattled over his administrations handling of a campus gynecologist accused of sexually abusing patients, relinquished his duties after a meeting of USCs board. The trustees tapped one of their own, Wanda Austin, an alumna and former president of the Aerospace Corp., to temporarily run the university. The trustees also approved the formation of a search committee and the hiring of firm Isaacson, Miller to coordinate the selection of a successor. A second search company, Heidrick & Struggles, will also advise trustees. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Ex-student sues elite Brentwood School after teacher is charged with sexually abusing him By Richard Winton A former student sued the elite Brentwood School on Monday in the wake of a female teacher being charged with repeatedly having sex with the minor, alleging that other faculty members encouraged the unlawful behavior and failed to report it to authorities. The lawsuit accuses the private school, whose students include the children of many of Hollywoods elite and L.A.s powerful, of acting negligently and allowing Aimee Palmitessa to abuse and batter the teenager sexually. The suit alleges that the student was abused in summer 2017 after one of the schools counselors offered words of encouragement to the then-17-year-old, identified in the suit as only John Doe, to engage in an illegal relationship with the teacher. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Civil jury vindicates fired Montebello school executives in whistleblower case By Howard Blume The Montebello school district is in dire straits at risk of insolvency and under apparent criminal investigation. An outside audit in July found some teachers earning more than $200,000 a year, as well as improper raises, excess paid vacation time and inappropriate overtime, sick leave and car allowances. Fixing the district and pinpointing blame could take time. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. schools fall short on safety measures, new report warns By Howard Blume After the mass shooting at Floridas Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February, Los Angeles school officials reassured parents that much had been done to keep local schools safe. California had tougher gun laws, after all, and the school district paid close attention to students mental health. But a new report issued Monday by a panel convened to take a close look offers some cause for concern, flagging inconsistent campus safety measures, thinly spread mental health staff and inadequate coordination between the school district and other public agencies. With the stakes this high, we must strive to do better, said L.A. City Atty. Mike Feuer, who assembled the panel. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement L.A. school district says more are graduating, but rate may not show it By Howard Blume The L.A. Unified School District has hopes of continuing its winning streak this year with another record graduation rate, but the official numbers may not show it. A senior district administrator warned the board Tuesday that graduation rates were likely to decline 2% to 3% across the state, even though L.A. Unified is likely doing better than ever in producing graduates, he said. The issue is that the state will now count high school students who transfer to adult school as dropouts, said Oscar Lafarga, who heads the districts office of data and accountability. Previously, schools treated these students as though they had simply enrolled in another high school, he said. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Betsy DeVos to California: Not so fast on that federal education plan By Joy Resmovits Education Secretary Betsy DeVos (Erik Lesser / European Pressphoto Agency) In April, Californias top education officials breathed a sigh of relief. After months of debate and back-and-forth with Betsy DeVos staff, they had finalized a plan to satisfy a major education law that aims to make sure all students get a decent education. The state focused on aligning its plan to fulfill the requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act with Californias Local Control Funding Formula, which gives extra money to districts to help students who come from low-income families, are in the foster system or are English learners. But this week, DeVos team said not so fast. Jason Botel, the U.S. Department of Educations principal deputy assistant secretary, sent California education officials a letter asking for more information in such areas as measuring student progress, graduation rates and English learners. In an unsigned statement, the California Department of Education declared itself surprised and disappointed because officials thought after a meeting with federal officials in Washington that they were on the right track to get approval. Now the Every Student Succeeds Act plan will be up for discussion once again at the July meeting of the State Board of Education. The U.S. Department of Education has already approved most state plans. Every Student Succeeds is the Obama administrations 2015 replacement for the No Child Left Behind Act. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. school board sets a new goal: prepare every grad to be eligible to apply for Cal State or UC By Sonali Kohli Last month, Los Angeles school board president proposed a spate of highly ambitious mandates aimed at ensuring that every district graduate be eligible to apply to one of the states public four-year universities by 2023. By the time the L.A. Unified school board unanimously approved the resolution Tuesday, the original language had been watered down. The goal is no longer that in five years 100% of students meet the long list of benchmarks, which include not just college eligibility for graduates but first-grade reading proficiency and English fluency by sixth grade for all students who enter the district in kindergarten or first grade speaking another language. The original college-readiness goal, for example, called for 100% of all high school students to be eligible to apply to one of the states four-year universities. Now the goal seems to offer more wiggle room: Prepare all high school graduates to be eligible to apply to a California four-year university. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement We have been hurt. More women say they were mistreated by USC gynecologist By Richard Winton USC student Anika Narayanan says she vividly recalls her first appointment with Dr. George Tyndall at the campus health center, alleging that he made several explicit comments during an examination she felt was inappropriate and invasive. When she came back for a second visit in 2016 after a nonconsensual sexual encounter, he allegedly chastised her, she said in a civil lawsuit and at a press conference Tuesday. He asked me if I had forgotten to use a condom again, said Narayanan, 21. At one point, she said, Tyndall asked if I did a lot of doggy style, she said. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. Unified gives inspector general brief contract extension By Howard Blume The Los Angeles school board on Tuesday extended the contract of Ken Bramlett, its inspector general, by three months, though his job is far from secure and questions remain about the future direction of his watchdog office. Board members also unanimously promoted Vivian Ekchian, who had been the runner-up for the superintendents job, to deputy superintendent the districts No. 2 position. Both moves had elements of peacemaking between different factions on the board. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print USCs handling of complaints about campus gynecologist is being investigated by federal government By Harriet Ryan The U.S. Department of Education announced Monday that it has launched an investigation into how the University of Southern California handled misconduct complaints against a campus gynecologist, the latest fallout in a scandal that has prompted the resignation of USCs president, two law enforcement investigations and dozens of lawsuits. In revealing the inquiry by the departments Office of Civil Rights, officials rebuked USC for what they alleged was improper withholding of information about Dr. George Tyndall during a previous federal investigation. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, who has been criticized for taking a less vigorous approach to examining sexual misconduct than predecessors, called for a systemic examination of USC and urged administrators to fully cooperate. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Judge to sentence woman and her boyfriend for the murder of an 8-year-old that led to L.A. child welfare reforms By Marisa Gerber A woman and her boyfriend are expected to be sentenced Thursday for the torture and murder of an 8-year-old boy whose killing in 2013 provoked public outrage, prompted sweeping reform of Los Angeles Countys child welfare system, and led to unprecedented criminal charges against social workers who handled the childs case. Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, 34, faces life in prison without the possibility of parole for her role in the death of her son, Gabriel. A jury decided last year that her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, 37, should be executed. When paramedics arrived at the boys Palmdale home in May 2013, Gabriel had slipped out of consciousness. He had a fractured skull, broken ribs, burned skin, missing teeth and BB pellets embedded in his groin. A paramedic would later testify that every inch of the boys small body had been abused. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. Unifieds spending out of step with similar school systems, task force says By Howard Blume The Los Angeles school district is out of step with similar school systems, spending more on teachers pay and health benefits and less on activities that could enhance student learning, according to a new report by an outside task force. The L.A. Unified School District Advisory Task Force did not make specific recommendations, but instead posed a series of questions it said the district needs to answer to make sure its funding is aimed at providing a full opportunity for all students to succeed. What were trying to say is: Lets put the data on the table. Lets look at the truth. Lets be transparent and here are the numbers, said task force member Renata Simril. This is not to say that we should cut teachers salaries. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Top USC medical school official feared dean was doing drugs and alerted administration, he testifies By Paul Pringle A former vice dean of USCs Keck School of Medicine testified Tuesday that he feared the schools then-dean, Dr. Carmen A. Puliafito, could be doing drugs and expressed concerns about his general well-being to the universitys No. 2 administrator before Puliafito abruptly left his job in 2016. Dr. Henri Fords testimony at a hearing of the state Medical Board marks the first suggestion that any USC administrator had suspicions about Puliafitos possible drug use before he stepped down. A Times investigation in 2017 found Puliafito led a secret second life of using illegal drugs with a circle of young criminals and addicts. Puliafito testified about his behavior at the hearing Tuesday, saying he took drugs with one young woman on a weekly basis. Ford said that he decided to alert USC Provost Michael Quick after receiving reports in early 2016 that Puliafito was partying in hotels with people of questionable reputation, and that he came to worry about his mental stability. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Why L.A. Unified may face financial crisis even with a giant surplus this year By Jessica Calefati With more than half a billion dollars socked away for next school year, the Los Angeles Unified School District hardly seems just two years from financial ruin. Its a scenario that is especially tough to swallow if youre a low-wage worker seeking a raise or a teacher who wants smaller classes. But budget documents show that todays $548-million surplus cannot be sustained and that even basic services face steep, seemingly unavoidable cuts because of massive problems barreling the districts way. Theres a disconnect between the rosy short-term picture and what we know is coming, said board member Kelly Gonez. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print We have failed: Top USC officials try to reassure students amid gynecologist scandal By Joy Resmovits Top administrators at USC are reaching out to students in the wake of misconduct allegations against the universitys longtime gynecologist, acknowledging failings and vowing reforms as they try to address growing outrage over the revelations. Several USC deans have sent out messages trying to reassure students and faculty that the university is committed to changing. We have failed, wrote Jack H. Knott, dean of USCs Sol Price School of Public Policy, in a May 24 letter. What happened is antithetical to everything we know is right. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Rick Caruso is named chair of USCs trustees, vows swift investigation of gynecologist scandal By Thomas Curwen The University of Southern Californias board of trustees has elected mall magnate Rick Caruso to be the new chair of the board, giving fresh leadership as the university navigates a widening scandal involving a longtime campus gynecologist. The move marks the latest effort by USC to address the case, which has sparked a criminal investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department and dozens of civil lawsuits. More than 400 people have contacted a hotline that the university established for patients to make reports about their experience with Dr. George Tyndall. In his first act as chairman, Caruso announced that the white-shoe L.A. law firm OMelveny & Myers would conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the gynecologists conduct and reporting failures at the clinic. He set an ambitious timeline for the review, pledging it would conclude before students return for the fall semester. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print UC Berkeley students persistence helps win more liberal rules for in-state tuition By Teresa Watanabe Ifechukwu Okeke thought shed be a shoo-in for in-state tuition when she was admitted to UC Berkeley for fall 2016. She had moved to the United States from Nigeria in 2012 to go to Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga. By the time she got her acceptance to transfer to UC to study molecular and cell biology, she had lived in California four years. She had a California drivers license, bank account and rental records as proof. UC Berkeley, however, ruled she was a nonresident which meant she would have to pay nearly $27,000 more. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement State medical board calls former County-USC doctor a sexual predator, suspends his license By Matt Hamilton A UCLA cardiologist has been temporarily stripped of his medical license after state regulators described him as a sexual predator who assaulted three female colleagues when he was working and training at L.A. County-USC Medical Center. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Global California 2030' aims to get more students learning more languages By Joy Resmovits Tom Torlakson (Andrew Seng / Associated Press) Outgoing state Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson on Wednesday announced a new statewide effort to encourage students to learn more languages. Called Global California 2030, its goal is to help more students become fluent in multiple tongues. Torlakson said that by 2030, he wants half of the states 6.2 million K-12 students to participate in classes or programs that lead to proficiency in two or more languages. By 2040, he wants three out of four students to be proficient enough to earn the State Seal of Biliteracy. Torlakson announced the initiative at Cahuenga Elementary School, which offers a dual-language immersion program in English and Korean. Californias public school students speak more than 60 languages at home, and 40% come to school with knowledge of a language other than English. Torlakson called his plan a call to action that invites parents, legislators, educators and community members to pool resources to expand language offerings in schools and get more bilingual teachers trained. He said the state already is working with Mexico and Spain to expand a teacher-exchange program. Fluency, the plan argues, can help students succeed economically and language acquisition can help their overall critical thinking. The initiative builds on Proposition 58, a ballot initiative passed in 2016 that undid an earlier requirement that English learners be taught in English-immersion classes unless their parents signed waivers. Torlakson recently visited Mexico and met with that countrys education secretary. They later signed a pact to increase collaboration, particularly in language education. This [Global California 2030] is great follow-through on Toms part and very important, Patricia Gandara, a UCLA education professor who hosted the Mexico meeting, said in an email. It hands over a plan to move forward in an area in which California has a unique advantage, but must seize the opportunity. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Jury convicts man of murder in 2015 slaying of UCLA student found inside her burning apartment By Marisa Gerber A jury on Tuesday convicted a man in the 2015 slaying of a UCLA student found dead inside her burning apartment a gruesome stabbing case that led to a fierce rebuke of the police response amid concerns that the killing could have been prevented. The panel deliberated for about six hours before finding Alberto Medina, 24, guilty of murder, arson, burglary and animal cruelty. On Sept. 21, 2015, firefighters found the charred body of Andrea DelVesco inside her apartment after responding to the complex a block from campus. The 21-year-old student an Austin, Texas, native known to her sorority sisters as a fearless giver who befriended others with ease was stabbed at least 19 times, authorities said. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print LAPD begins sweeping criminal probe of former USC gynecologist while urging patients to come forward By Adam Elmahrek The Los Angeles Police Department said Tuesday it is investigating 52 complaints of misconduct filed by former patients of USCs longtime campus gynecologist as detectives launch a sweeping criminal probe into the scandal that has rocked the university. LAPD detectives also made an appeal for other patients who feel mistreated to come forward, noting that thousands of students were examined by Dr. George Tyndall during his nearly 30-year career at USC. More than 410 people have contacted a university hotline about the physician since The Times revealed the allegations this month. Tyndalls behavior and practices appear to go beyond the norms of the medical profession and gynecological examinations, said Asst. Chief Beatrice Girmala. We sincerely realize that victims may have difficulty recounting such details to investigators. We are empathetic and ready to listen. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print At L.A.'s only school for the deaf, parents want leaders who speak the same language By Anna M. Phillips Ever since her son was 6 months old, Juliet Hidalgo has been bringing him to the Marlton School, a low-slung building in Baldwin Hills that for generations has been a second home for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Los Angeles. Marlton staff taught Hidalgos brother and sister, both of whom are deaf. The school was where her deaf son learned to make the signs for milk and food. Hidalgo had planned to enroll her daughter, taking advantage of a popular program that allows hearing children to learn American Sign Language alongside their deaf siblings. But after more than a decade of involvement, she and other family members are considering withdrawing their children. They are not alone. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Fueled by unlimited donations, independent groups play their biggest role yet in a California primary for governor By Ryan Menezes An unprecedented amount of money from wealthy donors, unions and corporations is flowing into the California governors race, giving independent groups unrestricted by contribution limits a greater say in picking the states chief executive than ever before. The groups have already spent more than $26 million through Thursday, the most ever spent by noncandidate committees in a gubernatorial primary, according to a Times analysis of campaign finance reports. California elections have always been expensive, and the future is even more expensive, said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College and a former state Republican leader. The stakes are very real. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 2 hurt in Indiana middle school shooting; suspect in custody, authorities say By Associated Press Authorities say two victims in a shooting at a suburban Indianapolis school are being taken to a hospital and the lone suspect is in custody. Bryant Orem, a spokesman for the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office, said in a news release that the victims in Friday mornings attack at Noblesville West Middle School are being taken to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis and their families have been notified. He says no other information is available about the victims. Orem said the suspect is believed to have acted alone and was taken into custody. No additional information about the suspect was made public. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print For new L.A. schools chief Austin Beutner, some key unions are giving no honeymoon period By Howard Blume In the less than two weeks since Austin Beutner took charge of Los Angeles schools, unions representing teachers and administrators have staged a job action and a protest. Theyve made it clear that they will not give the new superintendent the traditional honeymoon period, and they are bashing him for his wealth and lack of experience running either a school or a school district. Beutner is a billionaire investment banker with zero qualifications, local teachers union President Alex Caputo-Pearl told members in a phone alert urging them to participate in a Thursday afternoon rally in Grand Park. The board is saying that billionaires who made their money blowing institutions up and making money off it know best not the education professionals who have dedicated our careers to working with students. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Pressure grows on Board of Trustees amid USC gynecologist scandal By Paul Pringle USCs large and powerful Board of Trustees is coming under growing pressure to provide a stronger hand as the university faces a crisis over misconduct allegations against the campus longtime gynecologist that has prompted calls for President C.L. Max Nikias to step down. Allegations that Dr. George Tyndall mistreated students during his nearly 30 years at USC have roiled the campus, with about 300 people coming forward to make reports to the university and the Los Angeles Police Department launching a criminal investigation. USC is already beginning to face what is expected to be costly litigation by women who say they were victimized by the physician. So far, the trustees to whom Nikias reports have expressed sympathy for the women who have come forward and launched an independent investigation while also publicly backing the president. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print UC regents approve leaner budget for Janet Napolitano By Teresa Watanabe University of California regents on Thursday unanimously approved a leaner, more transparent budget for President Janet Napolitano, moving to address political criticism over the systems central office operations. The $876.4-million budget for 2018-19 reflects spending cuts of 2%, including reductions in staffing, travel and such systemwide programs as public service law fellowships, carbon neutrality and food security. Napolitano shifted $30 million to campuses for housing needs and $10 million to UC Riverside to support its five-year-old medical school. She also permanently redirected $8.5 million annually to help enroll more California students, as required by the state. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print USCs Academic Senate calls on university president to resign after a series of scandals By Matt Hamilton The body that represents USCs faculty called on President C.L. Max Nikias to resign Wednesday in the wake of relevations that the universitys longtime gynecologist faced years of accusations of misconduct by students and colleagues at the campus health clinic. The Academic Senate took the vote late Wednesday afternoon after a fiery town hall meeting attended by more than 100 faculty members, many of whom voiced outrage over Nikias and the Board of Trustees leadership. The vote came a day after the trustees executive committee stood firmly behind Nikias, saying it has full confidence in his leadership, ethics and values. At the town hall meeting, Senate President Paul Rosenbloom said he did not think Nikias or Provost Michael Quick committed wrongdoing but that the university president deserved criticism for a lack of transparency. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias public universities on the way to getting a big longed-for boost in funding By Teresa Watanabe The University of California and California State University systems are poised to get major funding boosts that will help them enroll thousands of additional state students and eliminate the need for tuition increases in the coming school year. A key Assembly budget panel on Wednesday approved $117.5 million in new funds for the UC. A Senate panel approved a similar sum last week. The same committees recently approved even more funding for the Cal State system. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement UC regents to scrutinize Janet Napolitanos office budget in a step toward stronger oversight By Teresa Watanabe University of California regents this week plan to scrutinize the budget of President Janet Napolitano, whose office came under political fire last year for questionable spending and murky accounting. Regents will vote on the proposed $876.4-million budget for 2018-19 during their two-day meeting, which starts Wednesday, at UC San Francisco. They also will discuss state funding, financial aid, online education and transfer student policies. Board Chairman George Kieffer said regents are stepping up to exert stronger oversight of the presidents office after a blistering state audit last year found financial problems including an unreported $175 million budget reserve. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print State legislative panels approve major funding boost for Cal State By Teresa Watanabe Cal State students protest against a tuition increase outside the chancellors office (Irfan Khan) After months of intensive lobbying, Cal State University has convinced two key legislative panels to approve funding to enroll nearly 11,000 more students, hire more faculty and expand housing aid to those without shelter this fall. An Assembly budget panel on Tuesday approved $215.7 million more for Cal State, adding to Gov. Jerry Browns proposed $92.1 million general fund increase. A Senate budget panel approved a similar increase last week. The extra funding which went beyond Cal States own request to the Legislature of $171 million is still subject to final budget negotiations with Brown. But the actions by the Senate and Assembly panels amount to a demand from Democrats that the governor hike higher education spending. Cal State University is the workhorse undergraduate university serving hundreds of thousands of Californians, said Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), who heads the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance. We need more graduates for the California workforce and higher education is the ticket to the middle class. Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White hailed the actions, but said it was too soon to celebrate. The CSU has a singular focus on helping students earn high-quality degrees sooner, and the entire university community has rallied to reinforce that message to our states lawmakers, he said in a statement. The actions taken thus far by the Assembly and Senate are promising and show that our message is being received, but there is still work to be done. Funding for the University of California was not taken up Tuesday as originally scheduled. McCarty would not comment on sticking points but said he was confident that a resolution would be reached this week. Were looking to provide resources above whats in the governors budget, but negotiations are ongoing, he said in an interview. State per-student funding is not what it once was, leaving both Cal State and the UC in a tough financial squeeze. Both systems raised tuition last year after a six-year freeze on higher costs. For this year, Cal State had asked for funding to enroll an additional 3,621 students, but both the Senate and Assembly panels approved three times that amount. Cal State, the largest public university system in the nation, turned away 32,000 eligible students last year because its campuses werent able to accommodate them. The panels asked that at least $50 million of the extra funding be used to hire more tenure-track faculty to help boost graduation rates. The Assembly panel also approved one-time funding of $5 million to ease hunger on campuses and $14 million for rapid rehousing pilot projects at three campuses, offering needy students rental support and short-term case management. Other items approved include $5 million to support the CSU Long Beach Shark Labs research on sharks and beach safety and $2 million for equal employment opportunity practices. This post has been updated to include comments from Assemblyman Kevin McCarty and Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Faculty members call for USC president to step down: He has lost the moral authority to lead By Matt Hamilton Two hundred USC professors on Tuesday demanded the resignation of university President C. L. Max Nikias, saying he had lost the moral authority to lead in the wake of revelations that a campus gynecologist was kept on staff for decades despite repeated complaints of misconduct. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Gun battle, negotiations lasted 15 minutes before Texas school shooter was apprehended, sheriff says By Molly Hennessy-Fiske Minutes after a school shooter opened fire in an art class last week, killing 10 people and wounding 13, including a local police officer, fellow officers returned fire in a protracted gun battle before isolating the suspect, the local sheriff said Monday. Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset praised first responders as well as Santa Fe Police Officer John Barnes, who was working as a resource officer at the school the day of the shooting. Their actions, he said, prevented the attack from spreading to other classrooms and potentially claiming additional victims. As officials continue to probe last Fridays shooting at Santa Fe High School, students are worried about returning to the scene of the attack when classes resume next week. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 6 women sue USC, alleging they were victimized by campus gynecologist By Richard Winton Six women filed civil lawsuits Monday alleging that a longtime gynecologist at the University of Southern California sexually victimized them under the pretext of medical care and that USC failed to address complaints from clinic staff about the doctors behavior. One woman alleged Dr. George Tyndall forced his entire ungloved hand into her vagina during an appointment in 2003 while making vulgar remarks about her genitalia, according to one of the lawsuits. Another woman alleged that Tyndall groped her breasts in a 2008 visit and that later he falsely told her she likely had AIDS. A third woman accused the doctor of grazing his ungloved fingers over her nude body and leering at her during a purported skin exam, the lawsuit states. The wave of litigation comes as USC continues to grapple with the scandal, which legal experts said could prove costly to the university as scores of former patients come forward about their experiences with the gynecologist. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Fatalities reported in Texas high school shooting; suspect arrested, officials say By Associated Press Houston-area media citing unnamed law enforcement officials are reporting that there are fatalities following a shooting at a local high school Friday morning. Television station KHOU and the Houston Chronicle are citing unnamed federal, county and police officials following the shooting at Santa Fe High School, which went on lockdown around 8 a.m. The Associated Press has not been able to confirm the reports. The school district has confirmed an unspecified number of injuries but said it wouldnt immediately release further details. Assistant Principal Cris Richardson said a suspect has been arrested and secured. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print This student followed the new L.A. schools chief on his first-day tour L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner is greeted by Van Nuys High School principal Yolanda Gardea. (Melissa Barales-Lopez) Melissa Barales-Lopez, a senior at Garfield High School followed Supt. Austin Beutner on his first day on the job, as he toured a variety of programs around the Los Angeles Unified School District. Heres what she took from the experience. LAUSD students and staff alike are looking for a personal champion, someone who will address and improve the difficulties afflicting their education. What LAUSD students need is someone whos willing to listen and learn, someone who can understand the current issues affecting their schools and act to efficiently amend them, someone who can unlock the full potential of LAUSD students and enable them to reach their goals. During the entirety of his first day, superintendent Austin Beutner did indeed demonstrate a willingness to learn. Posing questions to teachers and students, Beutner engaged with the student communities he encountered to gain a better comprehension of the minutiae and nuances that distinguish each school inside an overwhelmingly large district. From inquiries about Grand View Boulevard Elementary Schools dual language program to questions regarding the services of LAUSDs after-school program, Beyond the Bell, Beutner revealed he has a lot to learn about the system. But, Beutner also showcased a willingness to tackle challenges head-on on his first day. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print USC let a gynecologist continue treating students despite years of misconduct allegations By Matt Hamilton For nearly 30 years, the University of Southern Californias student health clinic had one full-time gynecologist: Dr. George Tyndall. Tall and garrulous with distinctive jet black hair, he treated tens of thousands of female students, many of them teenagers seeing a gynecologist for the first time. Few who lay down on Tyndalls exam table at the Engemann Student Health Center knew that he had been accused repeatedly of misconduct toward young patients. The complaints began in the 1990s, when co-workers alleged he was improperly photographing students genitals. In the years that followed, patients and nursing staff accused him again and again of creepy behavior, including touching women inappropriately during pelvic exams and making sexually suggestive remarks about their bodies. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Cal State trustees to discuss Browns latest budget proposal, which they say still falls $171 million short By Joy Resmovits Just how much money does California State University need to serve its students? In recent years, this question has been front and center for the nations largest public university system. Cal States leaders say that to keep their campuses quality from slipping, they need much more money than the state is giving them. This year, theyre also at odds with Gov. Jerry Brown on the question of whether any extra money should come in one-time bursts or be ongoing. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print On his first day as L.A. schools chief, Beutner plans a day of visits across the district By Howard Blume L.A. Unifieds new superintendent, Austin Beutner, will kick off his first day of work on Tuesday with a choreographed tour of the nations second-largest school district, from the San Fernando Valley to Carson. His day is scheduled to begin at 5:15 a.m. at a school bus depot and end more than 12 hours later at a parent meeting at Garfield High School. Along the way, Beutner is expected to be joined by school district administrators, L.A. Unified board members and the vice president of the union that represents school bus drivers. Though he will be covering a lot of ground, Beutners tour has him skipping Tuesdays school board meeting, when board members are expected to discuss labor negotiations in closed session. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Cal State trustees to discuss Browns latest budget proposal, which they say still falls $171 million short By Joy Resmovits Just how much money does California State University need to serve its students? In recent years, this question has been front and center for the nations largest public university system. Cal States leaders say that to keep their campuses quality from slipping, they need much more money than the state is giving them. This year, theyre also at odds with Gov. Jerry Brown on the question of whether any extra money should come in one-time bursts or be ongoing. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Why a handful of rich charter school supporters are spending millions to elect Antonio Villaraigosa as governor By Ryan Menezes California voters have seen a barrage of sunny television ads in recent weeks touting former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosas record on finances, crime and education, aired by Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor 2018. But the group is, in fact, largely funded by a handful of wealthy charter-school supporters. Together they have spent more than $13 million in less than a month to boost Villaraigosas chances in the June 5 primary at a time when his fundraising and poll numbers are lagging. Reed Hastings, the founder of Netflix, jump-started the group with a $7-million check, by far the largest donation to support any candidate in the election. Their efforts are part of a broader proxy war among Democrats between teachers unions longtime stalwarts of the party and those who argue that the groups have failed low-income and minority schoolchildren. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Talking schools with L.A. Unifieds new superintendent By Anna M. Phillips Al Seib / Los Angeles Times ( Incoming L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner talks to students at Belmont High School.) Austin Beutner, who officially starts Tuesday as the new superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, is taking on a famously difficult job at a particularly difficult time. The school board is divided and did not back him unanimously. The nations second-largest school district has deep-seated problems, including declining enrollment, lagging academic achievement and rising pension and healthcare costs that eat away at its budget. The 58-year-old former investment banker and former L.A. Times publisher has years of experience in the financial world but none as an educator. Earlier this week, he sat down with the Times education team to discuss the challenges facing the district, which has about 60,000 employees and 500,000 students in traditional public schools. He did not talk about his plans saying repeatedly, stay tuned but he spoke in broad terms about his mindset in approaching the tough decisions ahead. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Suspect detained, authorities search campus after reports of armed man at Palmdale high school By James Queally One person has been detained after a report of an armed man at a Palmdale high school sparked a massive law enforcement response Friday morning. The suspect was spotted at 7:05 a.m. on the campus of Highland High School in Palmdale, according to Sheriffs Department spokeswoman Nicole Nishida. The person was detained in a nearby parking lot, according to Nishida, who did not know whether that person was an adult or juvenile. Deputies at the scene are clearing the school methodically, and students will be transported home via school buses once the campus is deemed safe, Nishida said. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement The education of Bertha Perez: How a UC Merced custodians disenchantment led to a political awakening By Robin Abcarian Its the third day of a three-day strike, and UC Merced custodian Bertha Perez is taking a break from a picket line at the universitys unremarkable entrance, an intersection with stop lights. Photos from other UC campuses this week have shown big crowds of striking service workers members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees marching and chanting pro-labor slogans as they try to force the University of California back to the negotiating table. But here, at UC Merced, whose handful of big buildings rise from a flat expanse of farmland, the picket line is tiny, maybe two dozen workers and a few students. Its not a big-city-style show of force. Then again, a union sympathizer is banging relentlessly on a snare drum, so its noisier than youd expect. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Ref Rodriguez resigns from teacher credentialing commission By Howard Blume Ref Rodriguez appears during a court appearance. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles school board member Ref Rodriguez has resigned from the states Commission on Teacher Credentialing, which oversees the integrity and quality of Californias teachers. Rodriguez faces felony and misdemeanor charges for political money laundering. Separately, his former employer, a charter school organization, has accused him of improperly authorizing checks to a nonprofit under his control. Rodriguez has denied wrongdoing. Rodriguezs resignation from the state body was effective May 4, days after he cast a crucial vote as part of a narrow majority that voted to authorize contract negotiations with Austin Beutner to become superintendent of the L.A. Unified School District. Beutners first official day on the job is Tuesday. Rodriguez remains in his $125,000-a-year position on the Los Angeles Board of Education. The mission of the state body is to ensure integrity, relevance, and high quality in the preparation, certification, and discipline of Californias teachers. Critics had questioned Rodriguezs continued service on the commission, given that teachers can be suspended from work if they face criminal charges. They also can lose their jobs for lapses in personal behavior, such as excessive drinking, with the potential to affect their performance. Police in Pasadena arrested Rodriguez on a Friday afternoon in March for public drunkenness. He was not charged in the incident and has apologized. The state commission reviews teacher discipline cases and can take action to remove a teachers credential to work in a California classroom. The commission has 15 members. Rodriguezs departure was disclosed in a one-sentence announcement on the agencys website. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print School board members request for restraining order against blogger is rejected By Priscella Vega An Orange County Superior Court judge on Wednesday denied a school board members petition for a permanent restraining order against a Huntington Beach blogger. Attorney Jeffrey W. Shields filed the petition on behalf of Ocean View School District trustee Gina Clayton-Tarvin, 46, who alleged in court documents that Charles Keeler Johnson, 56, has threatened her on social media and at school board meetings, causing her to fear for my own safety and for that of my immediate family members. Johnson, who goes by Chuck and publishes HBSledgehammer.com, said the trustee tried to stifle his freedom of speech. He also contended that Clayton-Tarvin took his blog posts and Facebook comments too seriously and out of context, saying anyone who is afraid of metaphors has serious issues. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Deal with workers averts one-day strike that could have shut down L.A. schools By Howard Blume Los Angeles school district and union officials announced a contract agreement Tuesday night that averted a one-day strike planned for next week. The pact, which runs through June 2020, removes one labor problem from the desk of incoming Supt. Austin Beutner whose first day on the job would have coincided with the strike. Plenty of other challenges remain. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print UC labor strike expands with show of support from more unions By Teresa Watanabe Fong Chuu is a registered nurse who has assisted with countless liver transplants, kidney surgeries and gastric bypasses during 34 years at UCLA. Working with her are scrub technicians who sterilize equipment, hand medical instruments to the surgeon and dress patient wounds. They are a team, Chuu says, which is why she walked off her job Tuesday in support of those technicians and other members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299. The 25,000 member AFSCME local, the University of Californias largest employee union, launched a three-day strike Monday. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print We are humans too: Voices of UCLAs striking custodians, hospital aides and imaging technicians By Joy Resmovits Demonstrators parade in front of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) This week, thousands of UC employees are staging a three-day strike for better pay and working conditions. On Monday, more than 20,000 custodians, cooks, lab technicians, nurse aides and other members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 walked off their jobs. By Tuesday, two more unions joined in sympathy strikes. The union and UC reached a bargaining impasse last year. The university has said it wont meet the workers demands. The strikers said they wanted better pay, more equity in the allocation of work, stable healthcare premiums and an end to the universitys use of contract workers. These are their stories. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Massive UC workers strike disrupts dining, classes and medical services By Joy Resmovits A massive labor strike across the University of California on Monday forced medical centers to reschedule more than 12,000 surgeries, cancer treatments and appointments, and campuses to cancel some classes and limit dining services. More than 20,000 members of UCs largest employee union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, walked off their jobs on the first day of a three-day strike. They include custodians, gardeners, cooks, truck drivers, lab technicians and nurse aides. Two altercations involving protesters and people driving near the rallies were reported at UCLA and UC Santa Cruz. At UCLA, police took a man into custody Monday after he drove his vehicle into a crowd, hitting three staff members. They were treated for minor injuries at the scene and released, said Lt. Kevin Kilgore of the UCLA Police Department. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Sen. Kamala Harris to skip UC Berkeley commencement in support of striking workers By Teresa Watanabe Sen. Kamala Harris (Chris Dekmas) California Sen. Kamala Harris has canceled plans to deliver UC Berkeleys commencement address this weekend in support of UC workers who are on strike over wages and health benefits. Due to the ongoing labor dispute, Sen. Harris regretfully cannot attend and speak at this years commencement ceremony at UC Berkeley, said a statement from Harris office issued Monday. She wishes the graduates and their families a joyous commencement weekend and success for the future. They are bright young leaders and our country is counting on them. UCs largest employee union, the 25,000-member American Federation of County, State and Municipal Employees Local 3299, launched a three-day strike Monday and had earlier called for a speakers boycott. The union and university reached a bargaining impasse last year and subsequent mediation efforts have failed to produce an agreement. The union is asking for a multiyear contract with a 6% annual pay increase while the university is offering 3% annual increases over four years. UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ will deliver the keynote address instead, the university announced. About 5,800 students are expected to participate in the ceremony Saturday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement School mural depicting Trumps bloody, severed head sparks controversy By Gary Warth A Chula Vista school mural that depicts the bloody, severed head of President Trump on a spear sparked a controversy that prompted officials to cover it and issue a response distancing themselves from the work. The statement also said the artist will alter the painting. We understand that there was a mural painted at the event this past weekend that does not align with our schools philosophy of non-violence, read the statement from MAAC Community Charter School director Tommy Ramirez. We have been in communication with the artist who has agreed to modify the artwork to better align with the schools philosophy. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print New blackface incident at Cal Poly prompts calls for state investigation By Kim Christensen Cal Poly San Luis Obispo officials have asked the state attorney generals office to investigate after a new photo of a white student in blackface surfaced on a fraternity groups private Snapchat. I am outraged, Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong said in a video address Friday to the campus. These vile and absolutely unacceptable acts cannot continue. We must not allow these acts to define us as an institution. Armstrong said the latest photo was intended to imitate an incident last month in which a white member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity was photographed at a party wearing blackface. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print More than 50,000 UC workers set to strike this week but campuses will remain open By Teresa Watanabe More than 50,000 workers across the University of California are set to strike this week, causing potential disruptions to surgery schedules, food preparation and campus maintenance. The systems 10 campuses and five medical centers are to remain open, with classes scheduled as planned. UCs largest employee union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, plans to begin a three-day strike Monday involving 25,000 workers, including custodians, gardeners, cooks, truck drivers, lab technicians and nurse aides. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement New L.A. schools chief Beutner pledges to listen, learn and take action By Howard Blume New Los Angeles schools Supt. Austin Beutner proved Wednesday that hes a quick learner even without an education background. Like countless public officials before him, he appeared at an important event his first speech and news conference with a photogenic background of students. His message that he would put those students first seemed heartfelt if hardly original. Nor was it a huge surprise that he pledged to push cooperatively but unflinchingly to improve the districts academic performance and stabilize its finances. As an introduction, Beutner, a former investment banker who made a fortune on Wall Street, offered little flash, but that was partly the point. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print In a school lockdown, one student takes stock of the stressful scene (Phalaen Chang) At the beginning of lunch one day late last month, Duarte High School, Northview Middle School, and California School of the Arts-San Gabriel Valley were advised by the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department to go into lockdown mode due to police activity in the immediate area. Phalaen Chang, a junior at the California School of the Arts, wrote a series of notes on her iPhone while she sat in a room with her classmates. By the time the lockdown ended an hour later, she wrote, she knew which of her friends would hold open the door for others, be the ones calming others down, be the ones barricading the doors. She knew that all of them have the potential to be such strong people. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Tale as old as time: L.A. Unified superintendent pick follows a historical pattern of outside-the-box choices By Joy Resmovits Navy Vice Adm. David L. Brewer III, superintendent from 2006-2008. (L.A. Times file photo) L.A. Unified has long gone back and forth between picking insiders and outsiders to run the nations second largest school district. The choice of Austin Beutner, announced Tuesday, places the district squarely back in the outsider camp months after a consummate insider, Supt. Michelle King, announced that she had cancer and would not return to the job. Check out this timeline of former L.A. superintendents to see how the school board members have changed their minds, sometimes favoring leaders who come from the world of education and sometimes executives from elsewhere, recruited to shock the system into change. At one point, the district hired someone from the military retired Navy Vice Adm. David L. Brewer III, who served as superintendent from 2006-2008. In hiring Brewer, board members had opted for a non-educator largely because they sought a fresh thinker, unwedded to the bureaucracy, unafraid to make bold, even unorthodox moves, reads a 2008 Times story. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Austin Beutner named superintendent of Los Angeles schools By Howard Blume Austin Beutner, a philanthropist and former investment banker, on Tuesday was named superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nations second-largest school system. His selection was the biggest move yet by a Los Angeles school board majority elected with major support from charter school advocates. The decision came after lengthy public testimony, most of it in support of the other remaining finalist, interim Supt. Vivian Ekchian, who is well known within the school system. Beutner, 58, has no background leading a school or school district. Less than 2 years ago, a school board with a very different balance of power named Michelle King, a former teacher who rose through the district throughout her career, to L.A. Unifieds top job. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Hearing delay gives both sides more time in Ref Rodriguezs potential trial By Howard Blume Ref Rodriguez and his attorneys will have more time to prepare their defense against charges of political money laundering, a judge ruled Monday. The preliminary hearing in the case had been scheduled to begin May 9, but that date will now be pushed back to July 23 per the ruling from L.A. Superior Court Judge Deborah S. Brazil. Rodriguez, 46, faces three felony charges of conspiracy, perjury and procuring and offering a false or forged instrument, as well as 25 misdemeanor counts related to the alleged campaign money laundering. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement L.A. school board poised to name Beutner as superintendent By Howard Blume The Los Angeles Board of Education is poised to select philanthropist and former investment banker Austin Beutner to be the next superintendent of the nations second-largest school system. Barring a last-minute development, the only mystery is whether Beutner emerges with four or five votes from the boards seven members. Terms of his contract already have been under discussion, according to sources close to the process who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak. The selection of Beutner, 58, who has no experience managing a school or a school district, would be a signal that the board majority that took control nearly a year ago wants to rely on business management skills instead of insider educational expertise. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Teacher walkouts in Arizona and Colorado continue national debate on money for schools By Michael Livingston Following the lead of teachers who walked off the job in other states in recent weeks, thousands of teachers and their supporters took to the streets in Arizona and Colorado for the second day in a row to demand better pay and more funding for education. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Three decades before the #MeToo movement, UC San Diego led the way against sexual assault By Teresa Watanabe When Nancy Wahlig first started her fight against sexual assault, one company was marketing a capsule for women to stash in their bras and then smash to release a vile odor. Because of the very nature of society, the only person who can prevent rape is the woman herself, read a 1981 advertisement for the Repulse rape deterrent. Ideas about how to prevent sexual violence have come a long way since then, and Wahlig has helped lead that evolution on college campuses. In 1988, she started UC San Diegos Sexual Assault Resource Center (SARC), the first stand-alone program at the University of California. Today, she remains the systems most senior specialist. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Andres Alonso withdraws from consideration for L.A. schools job By Howard Blume Andres Alonso, believed to be one of three remaining finalists to lead the Los Angeles school system, has withdrawn from consideration. The remaining known candidates in the confidential search are former investment banker Austin Beutner and interim Supt. Vivian Ekchian. Alonso, 60, announced his decision on Twitter on Thursday night, saying he had notified the L.A. Unified School District on Monday. The exit of Alonso, the former Baltimore schools chief, seems to solidify the front-runner status of Beutner, who also was a former L.A. Times publisher and a Los Angeles deputy mayor. He held each of those positions for about a year. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Heres why the apparent increase in autism spectrum disorders may be good for U.S. children By Karen Kaplan The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among American children continues to rise, new government data suggest. And that may be a good thing. Among 11 sites across the U.S. where records of 8-year-olds are scrutinized in detail, 1 in 59 kids was deemed to have ASD in 2014. Thats up from 1 in 68 in 2012. Normally, health officials would prefer to see less of a disease, not more of it. But in this case, the higher number is probably a sign that more children of color who are on the autism spectrum are being recognized as such and getting services to help them, according to a report published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print UC shelves tuition increase for now, in hopes of getting more state funding By Teresa Watanabe University of California regents will not vote on a tuition increase next month, shelving the plan for now in hopes that state lawmakers will come through with more funding. Raising tuition is always a last resort and one we take very seriously, UC President Janet Napolitano said Thursday in a statement. We will continue to advocate with our students who are doing a tremendous job of educating legislators about the necessity of adequately funding the university to ensure UC remains a world-class institution and engine of economic growth for our state. Last week, Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White said the 23-campus system no longer would consider a plan to raise tuition for the 2018-19 academic year. But unlike Cal State, UC officials have not taken a tuition increase off the table entirely. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement A chemical spill, unchecked eyewash stations, poor training: Audit details Cal States lax lab safety By Joy Resmovits In May 2016, two bottles tumbled off a poorly supported shelf and broke, leading to a chemical spill in a Sacramento State University lab. The liquid got onto one students legs and soaked anothers feet. Five employees cleaned up the mess, even though no one knew for sure what it was and whether it was dangerous. They called fellow employee Kim Harrington, their union representative, to let her know what happened. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print After blackface incident, minority students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo say they dont feel welcome By Hailey Branson-Potts Aaliyah Ramos was walking through the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus last year when a prospective student approached her. Ramos was the only black person, the young woman said, that she and her mother had seen that day. They asked about the quality of education and the diversity of the student body. Ramos, a mechanical engineering student, didnt want to sugarcoat the truth: Cal Poly long has been predominantly white. But she told the young woman who also was black that she didnt want to discourage her from applying, because that wouldnt help with diversity at a school where only 0.7% of students are African American the lowest percentage of any university in the California State system. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills wins the 2018 U.S. Academic Decathlon By Carlos Lozano El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills has won the 2018 U.S. Academic Decathlon, officials said. The winner was announced early Saturday at a ceremony in Frisco, Texas. More than 600 students from the U.S., Canada, China and the United Kingdom gathered there over the last three days to compete in the 37th annual U.S. Academic Decathlon. Congratulations to El Camino Real Charter High School for another impressive victory, said Vivian Ekchian, interim superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Your academic stamina and competitive spirit to win is remarkable. The entire L.A. Unified family is so proud of you. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Anticipation mounts as L.A. school board meets over superintendent selection By Howard Blume L.A. schools superintendent candidate Andres Alonso got an endorsement Friday, but Austin Beutner and Vivian Ekchian also have supporters. (Elizabeth Malby) The Los Angeles Board of Education is reconvening in closed session Friday at noon as anticipation mounts about the choice of the next leader of the nations second-largest school system. The presumed front-runner is former investment banker and philanthropist Austin Beutner, but interim Supt. Vivian Ekchian and former Baltimore Supt. Andres Alonso also are in the running. Most district insiders appear to be rooting for Ekchian, who has spent her entire career in education within the school system. After her 10 years as a teacher, her roles have included head of human resources, chief labor negotiator and regional administrator for campuses in the west San Fernando Valley. Shes managed the district since September, when then-Supt. Michelle King went on medical leave and chose Ekchian to fill in for her. King, who is battling cancer, never returned and announced her retirement in January. Numerous influential civic leaders have urged and pressured the board to select Beutner. Also lending their weight have been advocates for charter schools, which are independently operated, growing in number and competing for students with district-operated campuses. Four of the seven board members enough to control the outcome were elected with major financial support from charter supporters. Beutner has two ongoing connections with the L.A. Unified School District. The first is his leadership of an outside task force that is making recommendations on how to improve the school system. The second is his charity, Vision to Learn, which supplies glasses to low-income students. The charity and the school system are in a dispute at the moment over who is responsible for delays in providing services to students as part of a $6 million contract, half of which is paid for by L.A. Unified. Unlike Ekchian and Buetner, Alonso, who currently teaches at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, has no deep-seated local constituency, but the prospect of his selection has generated some excitement. While in Baltimore, Alonso was recognized for pushing for progress at low-performing schools, and for being willing to take strong action. While in Baltimore, he also weathered a test-score cheating scandal and occasionally rocky relations with the teachers union. But by the time he resigned, after six years, he and union leaders seemed to be working together without rancor. Leaders of some community groups have split from the pro-Beutner camp. They worry that Beutners approach to confronting the districts financial problems could shut out their voices or involve severe economic cutbacks that would undermine programs that are helping students. Some prefer Ekchian; some Alonso. Theyve been reluctant to speak out publicly because theyll have to work with whoever is selected, but they have tried to get the ear of board members. On Friday morning, one leader of a community group decided to come out in favor of Alonso. L.A. Unified has the opportunity to bring in an instructional leader of color with a history of success, said Alberto Retana, president and chief executive of Community Coalition, which works on behalf of low-income students and families in South Los Angeles. If we have a shot at that, we should go for it because its in the best interests of our kids and of our community. Retana said his statement was not meant to criticize Beutner or Ekchian but to alert board members that there also is community support for Alonso. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Cal State leader shelves proposed tuition hike: Its the right thing to do, but its not without risk By Joy Resmovits Cal State, the nations largest public university system, will no longer consider a plan to raise tuition for the 2018-19 academic year, Chancellor Timothy P. White announced Friday. The decision is a bet that Sacramento will come through in the end. If Cal State loses that bet, it could mean cuts to campus programs. White said in an interview that Californias economy is strong enough that families should not be shouldering the burden of higher college costs. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. students to participate in national walkout activities on Friday By Joy Resmovits (Los Angeles Times) Students are taking to the streets again Friday to protest gun violence on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting. Starting at 10 a.m., students at many schools will spend 13 seconds honoring the 13 people 12 students and one teacher killed on that day in Littleton, Colo. After that, theyll participate in a host of different activities. Within L.A. Unified, one school is having an open-mic event for students to talk about school violence, and lawmakers are visiting campuses to hear students thoughts. According to a central hub for organizing the protests written by the students of Ridgefield High School in Connecticut the walkouts are intended to drive the political change necessary to curb school violence. The day is also a time for students to interact on an elevated platform they have never had before, the site states. It is a day of discourse and thoughtful sharing. Bringing together communities and students to get a national discussion rolling. Organizers have suggested using the event to convey the importance of curbing gun violence to legislators. They are encouraging students to push legislation that would ban assault weapons and tighten up rules around who can buy guns and how. Over 2,500 schools nationwide are expected to participate. In L.A., some students at campuses including Eagle Rock High School, the Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts and Bravo Medical Magnet plan to walk out. Students from various schools expect to join area marches, including those in Santa Monica and Huntington Park. Other schools are hosting career days and voter registration drives. At 1 p.m., students plan to start a rally in front of L.A. Unified headquarters. For the record: An earlier version of this article stated that 12 teachers and one student were killed in the Columbine shooting. The opposite is true: twelve students and one teacher died. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Stabbing of popular student devastates South El Monte High School; teen friend suspected in slaying By Sonali Kohli When administrators at South El Monte High School called Jeremy Sanchezs parents to say he never showed up for class Wednesday, his father began to worry. It was unusual for the 17-year-old junior to miss school, so his father filed a missing persons report and assembled two of Jeremys close friends to look for the popular student-athlete. Their search took them to a scenic stretch of the San Gabriel River Trail, where one of the friends a 16-year-old boy made a tragic discovery. Among the bushes in the riverbed near Thienes Avenue and Parkway Drive was Jeremys body, punctured with stab wounds, according to Lt. John Corina of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Racist fliers spark outrage at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo By Alene Tchekmedyian Soon after Neal MacDougall arrived on the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus Tuesday, the professor noticed university police standing outside a restroom near his office. A racial slur against African Americans had been scrawled in red marker on a stall wall. Later, he discovered a series of racist fliers pinned up next to his door. Someone had also slashed posters hed hung outside his office supporting students in the country illegally. The discovery was the latest controversy on the prestigious campus which the president said is less than 55% white that MacDougall said demonstrates a culture of racism at the university. Last week, photographs emerged of white fraternity members, including one in blackface, flashing gang signs. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement The superintendent waiting game, paying for L.A.'s College Promise, Princetons slave history: Whats new in education By Joy Resmovits Acting LAUSD superintendent Vivian Ekchian is a finalist for the permanent job. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) In and around Los Angeles: The L.A. Unified school board spent 10 hours interviewing and discussing candidates for superintendent. When they adjourned after 10 p.m., they said they would reconvene on Friday. Who is paying for Mayor Eric Garcettis much-touted College Promise, a program that promises two years of community college for LAUSD grads? In California: The Legislature is considering a proposal that would boost K-12 education funding for black students. When the cost of living is taken into account, California has the highest rate of child poverty. Nationwide: The families of two children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School are suing Alex Jones and Infowars for saying the school massacre never occurred. Princeton will name two spaces an arch and a garden after slaves who lived or worked on the campus. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. school board meets privately with finalists and debates choice for school district leader By Howard Blume The Los Angeles Board of Education adjourned late Tuesday after spending more than 10 hours interviewing candidates and trying to reach a decision on who would be the next leader of the nations second-largest school system. When the meeting finally recessed at 10:11 p.m., a spokesman announced only that the school board would reconvene Friday at noon. Going into the days meetings, there were apparently four finalists, according to sources who could not be named because they were unauthorized to speak. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Two Sandy Hook families sue Alex Jones and Infowars for saying the school massacre never happened By David Altimari Families of two children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School have filed lawsuits in Texas against controversial radio host Alex Jones for continually claiming the massacre never happened. Neil Heslin, the father of Jesse Lewis, and Leonard Pozner and Veronique De La Rosa, whose son Noah Pozner died in the massacre, filed separate lawsuits late Monday in Travis County, Texas. The lawsuits allege that Jones defamed the parents by constantly calling them crisis actors and insisting the shooting was a false flag operation; they also claim Jones accusations have led to death threats against the Sandy Hook families by Jones followers. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Beutner emerges as a top pick for L.A. schools superintendent amid last-minute jockeying By Howard Blume Austin Beutner has emerged as a leading contender to run the Los Angeles school district, with backers saying he is smart enough and tough enough to confront its financial and academic struggles. Though he does not have a background in education, the former investment banker has in the last year examined some of the districts intractable problems, serving as co-chair of an outside task force with the support of then-Supt. Michelle King. Sources inside and outside the school district said Beutner appears to have more support on the seven-member board than other finalists, and his name could come up for a vote as early as Tuesday. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Challenge at Chicago school construction site: Watch for 38,000 unmarked graves By Nereida Moreno A 15-year effort to build a school in Chicagos Dunning neighborhood is underway with an unusual complication: Construction workers are taking careful steps to avoid disturbing human remains that may lie beneath the soil. The $70-million school is to be built on the grounds of a former Cook County Poor House, where an estimated 38,000 people were buried in unmarked graves. Among the dead are residents who were too poor to afford funeral costs, unclaimed bodies and patients from the countys insane asylum. There can be and there have been bodies found all over the place, said Barry Fleig, a genealogist and cemetery researcher who began investigating the site in 1989. Its a spooky, scary place. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Oklahoma teacher walkout winds down despite lawmakers failure to meet demands By Washington Post Oklahomas largest teachers union has announced an end to a walkout that has drawn thousands of educators out of classrooms and to the state Capitol demanding greater investment in the states schools, which have endured the nations steepest funding cuts. The announcement Thursday from the Oklahoma Education Assn. does not necessarily end the protests at the Capitol, as teachers not affiliated with the union vowed to stay longer. Instead of a walkout, the union and school districts across the state have said they plan to send delegations of teachers to Oklahoma City to keep the pressure on lawmakers. Teachers and their supporters have also promised to push education issues to the forefront of November elections, when the state chooses a new governor. As school districts begin to reopen, the protests may lose steam. The Legislature is not in session Friday, and observers are waiting to see what happens Monday, when lawmakers return. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Most Californians are worried about school shooting threats and oppose arming teachers, survey finds By Joy Resmovits Hamilton High School student Aiyana Dabriel holds a sign during a March 14 walkout in support of the Parkland shooting victims. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Most Californians are worried that a school shooting like the one that occurred in Parkland, Fla., in February could shed blood closer to home, a new survey found. Some 73% percent of adults and 82% of public school parents said they were very concerned or somewhat concerned about school shootings. The Public Policy Institute of California surveyed 1,704 adults in the state by phone just after the March for Our Lives protest against gun violence. Latino and black respondents were significantly more likely to be concerned about school violence than white or Asian respondents, the institute found. Two-thirds of adults and public school parents said they opposed letting more educators carry weapons in school. The response differed across party lines, with 86% of Democrats and 69% of independents voicing their opposition, while 60% percent of Republicans said they would support a measure to arm educators. The poll, which had a margin of error of 3.2% in either direction, also asked Californians about school funding, educational issues in the governors race and the impact of immigration enforcement on students. You can find the full results here. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias largest virtual charter school network agrees to contract with its teachers By Anna M. Phillips Nearly four years after teachers at Californias largest online charter school voted to unionize, they have reached a deal to increase pay and create job protections, according to a spokesman for the California Teachers Assn. The contract, which is still tentative and subject to ratification, is a victory for the teachers union. Although charter schools are publicly funded, most are privately managed and their employees arent protected by labor contracts. Under the terms of the contract the result of years of negotiation and legal wrangling approximately 500 teachers working for California Virtual Academies will no longer be at-will employees who can be dismissed for almost any reason. Their average salary will rise to just over $45,000, according to union estimates, a figure that remains far below the norm for traditional public school teachers. Still, it is an improvement over the previous average of $38,000. The accord also places a limit on the number of students each teacher is responsible for monitoring in online homeroom classes. Were very satisfied with the gains we made, said teacher Brianna Carroll, president of California Virtual Educators United. I think were going to see some extraordinary changes in our schools. According to Carroll, teachers at California Virtual Academies better known as CAVA had grown frustrated with the organizations foot-dragging and were making preparations to go on strike when CAVAs leadership agreed to the deal. CAVA and K12, the Virginia-based for-profit company linked to its schools, did not immediately respond to an email Tuesday asking for comment. The network currently operates nine virtual charter schools across California. In 2016, the charter network agreed to pay $8.5 million to settle claims of false advertising, misleading parents and inadequate instruction. The state attorney generals office had also accused K12 of controlling the charters for its own financial benefit. Neither CAVA nor K12 admitted to wrongdoing in the settlement. A year later, the state imposed a $2-million fine on CAVA after an audit found that it had misspent public funds. The network disputed the findings. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement School board approves a new formula for funding high-need schools By Sonali Kohli L.A. schools will soon get more money if they are located in neighborhoods with such problems as high levels of gun violence and asthma. The Los Angeles Unified school board voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt a new formula to determine how to dole out some funding to schools, based not only on the characteristics of the student populations but on the traumas that affect the communities around campuses. The new formula will be applied to $25 million in funding next fiscal year and about $263 million annually in future years a small part of the districts $7.5 billion annual budget. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Protesters demand Ref Rodriguez resignation outside school board meeting By Sonali Kohli Students, parents, teachers and UTLA marching outside the board meeting chanting "Ref resign" pic.twitter.com/W0LRWZSIXY Sonali Kohli (@Sonali_Kohli) April 10, 2018 A few dozen parents, students and teachers marched outside the Los Angeles Unified School Board meeting Tuesday, some calling for board member Ref Rodriguez to resign the week after news broke that he was taken into custody on suspicion of being drunk in public at a Pasadena bar and restaurant. Rodriguez was not cited or charged in that incident, but was held for more than five and a half hours before being released. The school board member faces felony and misdemeanor charges for political money laundering. He is accused of getting more than two dozen people people to donate to his campaign for his school board seat with the understanding that he would reimburse them. He stepped down from his post as school board president after he was charged last fall, but he did not give up his seat on the board. He has pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of conspiracy, perjury, and procuring and offering a false or forged instrument, as well as 25 misdemeanor counts related to the alleged campaign money laundering. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May. He cant give his full focus to our students, said Rebecca LaFond, a Highland Park parent whose three children marched with her as she chanted, Ref resign. One daughter marched in front of her, using a drum stick to hit the bottom of a gallon-size empty water jug. Our kids deserve someone who has the utmost ethical standards representing them, LaFond said. The protests continued into the board meeting, where some addressed Rodriguez directly, calling on him to step down during public comment portions of the meeting. Rodriguez, through his chief of staff, declined to comment. Some parents outside the board meeting did not know about the charges against Rodriguez but came out to protest the possibility of sharing their school campuses with charter schools. Protesters also oppose colocation not all of the parents are here to ask Ref Rodriguez to step down pic.twitter.com/1Co8zQ9zSi Sonali Kohli (@Sonali_Kohli) April 10, 2018 Cynthia Martinez said her son, who goes to Christopher Dena Elementary School in Boyle Heights, has been bullied in the past by students from a charter school sharing the campus. She said she didnt know who Rodriguez was. Some parents and teachers are worried about losing computer labs, robotics rooms and fitness centers if they are required to share their campus with charter schools, said Ilse Escobar, a parent community organizer for United Teachers Los Angeles. The issues of Rodriguez and colocation are related, Escobar said. Rodriguez is part of a majority on the school board elected with financial backing from charter school supporters, and many parents, she said, feel that the school board is compromised if he is a part of it. Staff reporter Howard Blume contributed to this post. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Delaine Eastin tries to gain momentum in the California governors race, one voter at a time By Seema Mehta Delaine Eastin was a sophomore in high school when a drama teacher urged her to try out for a part in The Man Who Came to Dinner. She hesitated until he told her: This is a metaphor for your whole life. If you never try out, you will never get the part. Eastin auditioned and won the role. Decades later, the advice sticks with the former state schools chief, this time in her unlikely run for governor. Despite calls for more women in leadership roles in state politics following sexual misconduct allegations in Sacramento, Eastin has been largely overlooked in the race, lagging far behind her Democratic rivals in fundraising and the polls. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Arizona high court rejects in-state tuition for DACA recipients By Associated Press Young immigrants granted deferred deportation status under a program started by President Obama are not eligible for lower in-state college tuition, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled Monday. The unanimous ruling will affect at least 2,000 students attending the states largest community college district and hundreds more at other colleges and the states three public universities. The Maricopa County Community Colleges District and state universities said they would begin raising tuition immediately for the coming school year. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print New York high school students injured when bus strikes overpass By Associated Press A charter bus carrying teenagers returning from a spring break trip Sunday night struck a bridge overpass on Long Island, seriously injuring six passengers and mangling the entire length of the top of the bus. The crash happened shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday on the Southern State Parkway in Lakeview, according to New York State Police. One of the six injured passengers had very serious injuries, said State Police Maj. David Candelaria. Thirty-seven other passengers suffered minor injuries. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Some good news for California in national student test scores By Joy Resmovits National test scores for fourth- and eighth-graders were generally flat from 2015, but eighth-grade reading scores showed some improvement. Every two years, the nations fourth- and eighth-graders are tested in math and reading and newly released results from last years tests give California at least a little reason to be pleased. The 2017 results out Monday night were mostly flat nationwide compared with 2015, though the average score in eighth-grade reading went up. But while that improvement largely came from the increased scores of the highest-performing students, California eighth-graders showed some reading progress from the lowest levels to the highest. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Under state control, Inglewood school districts financial picture worsened By Anna M. Phillips When Eugenio Villa agreed to return to the Inglewood schools for a second tour last summer, he knew the district remained one of Californias most troubled. Inglewood Unified had been nearly insolvent when it was taken over by the state Department of Education in 2012. Six years later, its enrollment was still declining. Its school buildings were tired some edging into decrepitude. Its test scores and graduation rates were still below the state average. And the public was out of patience. Still, Villa, who had signed back on as the districts chief business official, was shocked at what he found when he arrived in June 2017. Two years earlier, he had left the school system on what he thought was firm ground. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Charter school group drops two lawsuits against L.A. Unified By Howard Blume A charter schools advocacy group last week announced that it would end two long-running lawsuits in which it was seeking more classroom space and construction money from the Los Angeles school district. The decision, the California Charter Schools Assn. said, reflects better relations between charter schools and the L.A. Unified School District. But the move also suggests that the litigation, which already contributed to significant gains for area charters, was unlikely to produce much more. It takes time, money and effort to litigate, said Ricardo Soto, general counsel for the charter group. Maybe its better to see if we can find the time and opportunity for collaboration. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. school board member Ref Rodriguez is arrested on suspicion of public intoxication By Richard Winton Los Angeles school board member Ref Rodriguez was arrested recently on suspicion of being drunk in public at a Pasadena restaurant, the latest trouble for an elected official who faces political money-laundering charges. Pasadena police took Rodriguez into custody on March 16, according to city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian. Officers arrested Rodriguez at about 4:30 p.m. at the Yard House restaurant and bar at the Paseo Mall and held him in jail for more than five-and-a-half hours. Rodriguez was ultimately released without being cited or charged, Derderian told The Times. Other details about the arrest were not available, she A woman who was sued by director Brett Ratner for defamation after she publicly accused him of rape alleged in a court filing Monday that the director was attempting to silence and intimidate her and other women from coming forward about his sexual misconduct. A federal judge in Hawaii is scheduled to hear a motion later this week in the lawsuit filed by Ratner against Melanie Kohler, who posted on Facebook in October that she was raped by the director about 12 years ago. Kohlers attorneys have asked the court to dismiss the case, saying Ratner did not have the factual basis to prove Kohler published the Facebook post with malice. They also contend Californias Anti-SLAPP law prohibiting lawsuits aimed at silencing critics should apply, even though the suit was filed in Hawaii, where Kohler now lives. If wealthy, powerful plaintiffs like Mr. Ratner can burden victims of sexual assault like Ms. Kohler based on nothing more than their own say-so, then our fundamental First Amendment protections will offer no sanctuary to those who need them most, attorneys for Kohler wrote in a filing Monday. Advertisement Ratner has denied raping Kohler and called her accusations false, fabricated, and fictional in his lawsuit. The suit was filed just hours after The Times published a report including the stories of six women, not including Kohler, who accused the director of misconduct. In their response to the motion for dismissal, Ratners attorneys said they would prove Kohler posted the rape claim on Facebook knowing it to be false. As a result, Ratner suffered injuries to his personal and professional reputations and emotional distress, worry, anger, and anxiety, the attorneys alleged. Mr. Ratner could and would submit evidence to show that Defendant has changed her rape story multiple times since she initially published it, and even took down her Facebook post when confronted about her inconsistent statements and implausible story, they wrote. Lawyers for the director contended Californias laws against strategic lawsuits against public participation did not apply because Kohler, a former marketing executive who now runs a scuba shop, lives in Hawaii and posted her allegations from the state. Kohlers attorneys, a team of star litigators including former attorney general of Hawaii David M. Louie and Supreme Court litigator Roberta Kaplan, contended California law should apply because the alleged rape took place in California and the case had significant implications here. They accused Ratner of trying to circumvent California laws by suing in Hawaii. He has effectively engaged in defendant-shopping by choosing to sue the only woman accusing him of misconduct who does not live in California, they wrote. U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor is scheduled to hear the case on Thursday. Advertisement victoria.kim@latimes.com For more California news, follow me on Twitter @vicjkim A gun authorities allege was carried by a 16-year-old boy who was shot and killed by sheriffs deputies in South Los Angeles during a foot chase may have been taken by someone in a crowd of people who converged on the scene, an official said Monday. A crowd of 30 or more people from the Westmont neighborhood swarmed deputies after the shooting Sunday night, Los Angeles County Sheriffs Capt. Chris Bergner said at a news conference. While waiting for backup, and trying to control the situation, its believed that somebody may have taken the gun that was in the possession of the juvenile at the time of the incident, Bergner said. Two deputies responded to a report of a young man in blue jeans and a black shirt pointing a handgun at a motorist about 8 p.m. in the 1200 block of 107th Street. The caller, according to audio released Monday, said he feared for his life. Advertisement While on foot, deputies encountered a 16-year-old boy who matched the description. They spotted a handgun tucked into his pants, according to statements by the Sheriffs Department. When they ordered him not to move, the teen ignored the deputies command and took off running into an apartment complex known as a gang hangout, Bergner said. The teenager led deputies into the courtyard, he said. During the chase, the young man turned toward the deputies and one of the deputies fired about 10 shots. The teenager was struck several times in the upper body, the department said in a statement. Neighbors flooded the courtyard, Bergner said. The two deputies called for additional help to control the crowd as it swelled to 30 or 40 people. It was in this mayhem that deputies believe the gun went missing, Bergner said. Officials have talked to residents and witnesses during the investigation, including one who validated the deputies accounts and observations, Bergner said Monday. The witness has stated that they were not able to tell if the subject had a gun but did hear deputies telling him Dont reach for it. Dont reach for it. Bergner said. Intimating that the subject did have a gun. Bergner said deputies were sure they saw a weapon on the teenager. Deputies were pretty articulate in describing specific features of the weapon that led us to believe they did see a gun, he said. The deputies were not wearing body cameras. The teenager, whom deputies did not identify due to his age, was an alleged gang member. Advertisement But other witnesses question the deputies accounts. They said that the teenager was seen throughout the day shirtless. Bergner said paramedics cut a shirt off the teenager as they were trying to save his life. Community activist Kevin Orange said that he personally knew the young man, who was known by neighbors to be a member of a gang. The teen was always respectful during their interactions, Orange said. All the challenges he was going through as a juvenile and all the prevention programs they have out there, wasnt enough to prevent him from going down that road of joining a gang, Orange, 54, a Westmont resident, said. Men in our community failed him. Orange said he saw the young man an hour before the shooting. He was bare-chested with a white shirt tied around his neck. He and a group of four or five friends were in the neighborhood celebrating the Super Bowl and bragging about their favorite team. Advertisement The area where the shooting occurred is known to law enforcement as death alley because it has one of the highest mortality rates in Los Angeles County. This is death alley, Orange said. People do carry guns, not to hurt somebody but to make sure they dont get hurt. Still, he said he never saw the 16-year-old armed. I have never seen him with a gun and I didnt see him with a gun that day, said Orange, who wondered whether deputies had the wrong suspect. Advertisement This is the first fatal deputy-involved shooting of 2018. Last year, there were eight, according to statistics released by the department Monday. Sheriffs officials as well as the Los Angeles County district attorneys office are investigating the shooting. angel.jennings@latimes.com Twitter: @AngelJennings Advertisement javier.panzar@latimes.com Twitter: @jpanzar UPDATES: 8:55 p.m.: This article was updated with information from a news conference and comments from a community activist. Advertisement This article was originally published at 6:40 a.m. A man died Sunday after jumping into the California Aqueduct in Hesperia to save his 9-year-old son, authorities said. The pair had been bike riding on an asphalt path near the aqueduct when the boy lost control of his bike and fell in, said Cindy Bachman, a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department. The 31-year-old father, who authorities did not name, immediately dove into the cold, swift-moving water but never resurfaced, Bachman said. The boy made it out safely. Dispatchers fielded several 911 calls, sending deputies to the scene a few minutes before 1 p.m. When they didnt see the man in the water, deputies called a dive team to help with the search. Advertisement Rescuers searched the aqueduct near Ranchero Road and 11th Avenue for nearly two hours before they recovered the mans body a short distance away. Its just kind of slippery, its not like if you fell in you could just climb back out, Bachman said. It had a very tragic ending, and if youre not a strong swimmer, then you really dont have a chance in that water. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek A Los Angeles-bound Metrolink train struck and killed a pedestrian in North Hollywood on Monday morning, authorities said. The person, who has not been identified, was on the tracks about half a mile east of Laurel Canyon Boulevard near Lankershim Boulevard when the train from Ventura County came through around 8 a.m., officials said. The person was in an area not meant for pedestrians, said Metrolink spokesman Michael Atchue. The stretch of track between Van Nuys and Bob Hope Airport was closed as investigators look into the death, he said. Authorities on Sunday found a body inside a Toyota Tacoma pickup that belonged to a man suspected of killing three people in Palmdale last month. Los Angeles County sheriffs officials could not confirm the identity of the deceased person, but they have been searching for the cars owner, James Todd Brown, for several weeks. Investigators believe Brown killed a married couple and a son who were found stabbed, beaten and suffocated to death in their Palmdale home. The familys three dogs had also been killed. James Todd Brown. (Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department ) Advertisement For about two years, Brown lived in a trailer on the familys two-plus-acre property, paying them rent and completing odd jobs for them. The killings may have stemmed from a dispute over rent, investigators have said. Authorities went to the Palmdale home on Jan. 13 after the sister of one of the victims became concerned about her brother and called the Sheriffs Department. There, investigators found the bodies of Richard Gardner II, 78; his wife, Pepper Gardner, 56; and the mans son, Richard Gardner III, 52. Brown was nowhere to be found. Two days later, authorities named him as a person of interest. Just over a week after that, they announced that Brown was a suspect in the slayings. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek Los Angeles County Sheriffs investigators say theyre closer to understanding exactly how actress Natalie Wood died while boating off Catalina Island nearly four decades ago, but say they would still like to hear from her husband, Robert Wagner. Were not pressing charges on anyone we want to figure out what happened, Lt. John Corina told reporters at a Monday news conference. Natalie Wood, the 43-year-old star of West Side Story, who couldnt swim, was boating off Catalina Island during Thanksgiving weekend 1981 with Wagner, actor Christopher Walken and others when she somehow went overboard and drowned. Officials at the time said her death was an accident, but speculation over whether there was more to the story has endured for more than three decades. The Sheriffs Department reopened its investigation in 2011 but no charges were ever filed, and officials said at the time they were not sure if a crime had occurred. Advertisement The last official change in the case came in 2013, when the Los Angeles County coroners office amended Woods cause of death from accidental drowning to drowning and other undetermined factors. The coroners report cited unexplained fresh bruising on the actress right forearm, left wrist and right knee, along with a scratch on her neck and a superficial scrape on her forehead. Officials said the wounds open the possibility that she was assaulted before she drowned. Last week, one of the investigators on the case, John Corina, reignited interest with comments about Wagner and his wifes death. He is a person of interest, because he was the last one with Natalie Wood. And somehow she ends up in the water and drowns, said Corina, a lieutenant in the Sheriffs Departments Homicide Bureau. Wagner, the lieutenant said, has refused to talk to investigators. The original story thats been told that Wood took a dinghy into town and fell into the water doesnt add up, Corina said. There was a rainstorm and rough waters the night Wood disappeared. She was one of four people on a large boat when she went into the water, but detectives believe Wagner was alone with her in one part of the vessel, Corina said. Some of the things we found that [Wagner] did afterwards, or didnt do, in the boat, cause us to say, This doesnt make any sense, Corina said. Were at the end of the investigation. Were at a standstill, so we thought wed give it one more shot to the public. Investigators received more than 100 tips since reopening the case, said Sheriffs Department spokeswoman Nicole Nishida. New witnesses told detectives they heard noises coming from the boat on the night of Woods disappearance, she said. Advertisement Wagners attorney, Blair Berk, said in 2013 that Wagner had nothing to do with the death. After 30 years, neither Mr. Wagner nor his daughters have any new information to add to this latest investigation, she said in a statement. She blamed publicity seekers for trying to exploit the case. Berk could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday. Alan Nierob, a spokesman for Wagner, declined to comment. UPDATES: Advertisement 11:30 a.m.: This article has been updated with Corinas comments at a news conference. This story was originally published at 8:10 a.m. Orange Countys first and only needle-exchange program has shut down after Santa Ana city officials denied its permit application, sparking concerns from public health advocates. City officials say the move was necessary because of an increased number of discarded syringes in the Santa Ana Civic Center, for which they blame the needle exchange. Kyle Barbour, co-founder and board member of the Orange County Needle Exchange Program, said the nonprofits permit application was denied by the city in mid-January. The group, which operated in the Civic Center, is determining how to continue and says needle exchanges are a crucial public health service. People are going to die and get infectious diseases, Barbour said. Theres no ambiguity that needle exchanges are an effective strategy. Advertisement Needle exchanges seek to provide drug users with clean needles to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, like HIV and hepatitis C, and other harm caused by dirty needles. The practice is endorsed by the American Medical Assn., the World Health Organization and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others. Santa Ana has the highest rate of HIV infection in the county, according to 2016 statistics from the Orange County Health Care Agency. There was a 201.2% increase in hepatitis C rates in Orange County from 2011 to 2015, according to the California Department of Public Health. Syringe services programs are an essential component of preventive health care for people who inject drugs, Matt Conens, spokesman for the state agency, said in an email. Scientific studies have consistently found that syringe services programs reduce HIV and viral hepatitis infection and are among the most cost effective tools available. While the California Department of Public Health cannot predict the specific results of closing Orange County Needle Exchange Program services, one could expect that it would negatively impact HIV, viral hepatitis, and opioid-overdose prevention efforts in Santa Ana and Orange County. The state health department is the supervising agency for the Orange County Needle Exchange and recertified the nonprofit on Jan. 12. But the city of Santa Ana decided the needle exchange posed a public health issue for visitors and the city and county employees who work nearby. Robert Cortez, Santa Ana deputy city manager, said by phone that syringe litter became a rampant problem since the needle exchange opened about two years ago. A lot of unintended consequences came with the program, Cortez said. There was needle debris everywhere in the center, to the point where some of the books at the Santa Ana library had needles inside of them. Advertisement Cortez said workers had been pricked by needles lying around the center. When asked whether needle litter had been an issue at the Civic Center before the arrival of the needle exchange, Cortez said, not to the extent that you see now. Heather Folmar, Santa Ana Public Library operations manager, said syringe littering was a huge problem. Before the needle exchange opened, library staff rarely found syringes in the facility, but began to find 40 to 50 a month after it opened, she said. Advertisement We found them on shelves, near planters, window sills, in books, Folmar said. A cleaning lady was pricked by one. She said theyve found fewer syringes since the needle exchange closed. The permit the city rejected was required of homelessness service groups operating in the Civic Center under a city ordinance that became effective in November. The needle exchange had been operating under a memorandum of understanding with the city that was terminated, with a 30-day notice, in early December, citing syringe litter. Advertisement When the needle exchange opened in February 2016, Santa Anas then-Police Chief Carlos Rojas told the Los Angeles Times that the Civic Center made the most sense as the site of the group. Its away from residential areas, he said at that time. We have a large homeless population there and a high concentration of IV drug users, so we saw this area as being more beneficial not only for the people who will be using the service, but also from a public safety aspect. Barbour said his group has made efforts over the programs lifespan to temper litter. The group educates each user on the importance of disposing of syringe litter and provides sharps containers to everybody for needles disposal despite not being legally required to do so, Barbour said. Advertisement These containers are also provided to neighboring businesses and the needle exchange offers to pick up and dispose of the containers free of charge, Barbour said. The organization also seeks to encourage people to return used needles to the exchange by providing them with more needles in return. Barbour said the group, which has about 15 core members and about 100 volunteers, is willing to do whatever needs to be done to rectify the situation, but it needs help. What we are doing is pretty comprehensive, but if we are going to be more comprehensive, we need the city to stop fighting the program and work with us, Barbour said. Advertisement The California Department of Public Health said the Orange County Needle Exchange was operating in a manner consistent with the expectations of syringe services programs supported by the State of California. When asked about the state agencys remarks, Cortez said he couldnt comment on anything other than the negative impact weve suffered here in our city. Cortez provided a document with dozens of photos of needles strewn about the public library and surrounding areas. Other homelessness advocacy leaders also said the closure of the needle exchange will cause negative health issues for the county. Advertisement The loss of the needle exchange will be a public health catastrophe, and people will absolutely die, said Aimee Dunkle, executive director and founder of the Solace Foundation of Orange County, which administers naloxone, a lifesaving overdose reversal drug, at the Civic Center. The Solace Foundation had partnered with the needle exchange since its opening. . Barbour said needle exchanges are generally considered to be the access point into communities of homeless drug users. Other advocacy and service organizations can be more effective in countering health hazards when partnering with them. The foundation, which started in 2015 after Dunkle lost a son to a drug overdose, recorded 12 overdose reversals before partnering with the needle exchange. Advertisement In 2016, the foundation recorded 420 reversals and reached more than 1,000 last year, Dunkle said. She believes the foundations effectiveness and reach will be significantly diminished with the shuttering of the needle exchange. Dunkle said she also expects to see a rise in infections like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and sepsis. The Orange County Health Care Agency declined to comment. The agency had listed the implementation of syringe services programs as a desirable strategy in its 2012-2014 Comprehensive HIV Plan to help lower HIV rates by 2015. Advertisement Such programs, implemented as part of a comprehensive approach to HIV prevention, have been shown effective in reducing HIV infection, the document stated. Brazil writes for Times Community News. A San Diego woman is suing her former pastor, alleging he duped her into having sex in the guise of sexual healing therapy. He alleges in his own lawsuit that she made private, graphic communications between them public as revenge when he ended their consensual relationship. The two lawsuits were filed Jan. 16 in San Diego Superior Court, with both acknowledging their sexual relationship lasted about a year, from the fall of 2016 until October 2017. Amy McClanahan and John Wright filed their separate suits anonymously, using only their initials as plaintiffs, but they each gave the others full name as defendants. McClanahan, now 24, went on camera for an interview with 10 News that was aired Friday night. She said she was doing so out of concern for other women. Advertisement She told an interviewer that Wright singled her out because, I was in a very vulnerable status. Her lawsuit alleges sexual battery, rape, gender violence and sexual harassment, as well as negligent supervision of Wright, who was then a pastor of the English-language congregation at Mid-City Church of the Nazarene, which is also named in the lawsuit. No one answered phone calls to the church Saturday, and Wrights name does not appear on the churchs website along with other staff. Wright also taught at Point Loma Nazarene University as a theology professor. The university is not named in McClanahans lawsuit. When asked on Saturday about the allegations against Wright, a university spokeswoman said that a complaint against a faculty member was filed in November and the school hired outside experts to investigate the complaint rather than conduct an internal probe. She did not name the faculty member and said she was prohibited by law from discussing further details. The complaint was made under Title IX, a federal civil law that prohibits sex discrimination in education programs. McClanahans lawsuit states that they met in 2014 and she attended Wrights church, where she confided that she had been the victim of childhood sexual abuse by a family member and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result. Wrights wife also was a pastor at the Nazarene church at that time. Advertisement McClanahan alleges that he offered to help heal her PTSD, and by 2016, was meeting with her privately, where they progressed from holding hands to kissing to having sex, according to the lawsuit. In his own lawsuit, Wright declares the sex was consensual and that they exchanged nude photos of themselves over Skype, as well as graphic emails and texts that expressed their love for each other. He and his wife are suing McClanahan for alleged illegal recording of confidential information and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Wright alleges that she agreed to keep their relationship secret, and when she asked him in October to have an open dating relationship, he said he wanted to end their sexual contact, his lawsuit states. Advertisement He further alleges that McClanahan illegally recorded a screen shot photograph of his genitalia without his permission and later threatened his wife with making the photo public. McClanahan also is alleged to have made a secret recording when she talked to Wrights wife about the sexual relationship with her husband, his lawsuit says. Wrights Los Angeles attorney, Alec Rose, said in an email Saturday that his only comment on the McClanahan lawsuit is that it has no legal merit whatsoever. My clients and I will litigate in court, not in the public media. Anything my clients and I have to say about these matters will be stated in court as testimony, legal argument, or written briefs. McClanahan says in her lawsuit that she had accepted the pastors offer to help her PTSD as a mentor, but in reality Wright was a predator who recognized plaintiffs vulnerability and took that opportunity to groom and coerce her into a sexual relationship. In her television interview, McClanahan said, He would say it was healing for me, healing my past trauma. I foolishly believed him. Advertisement Wright and his wife sought temporary domestic violence restraining orders against McClanahan in December, alleging she caused several public disruptions. McClanahan also filed for a restraining order against Wright, alleging he threatened to use force on her. McClanahans attorney, Dan Gilleon, said Saturday that she has graduated from college and wants to work as a pediatric nurse. She has been staying with her parents in Sacramento while undergoing psychological therapy, he said. Repard is a staff member of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Facing off in recent debates, the four Democrats and two Republicans leading the race to succeed Gov. Jerry Brown have sparred on the hot topics of the moment: President Trump, of course, as well as immigration, climate change, the proposed border wall, single-payer healthcare and the candidates own history of smoking marijuana. (In case you are wondering, half of them admitted to it.) Those are matters worth debating well, most of them are and it is fine to kick off a campaign by focusing on provocative issues that will rev up interest among voters. But now that the June 5 primary is on the near horizon, its time for the gubernatorial candidates to start expanding their talking points at public events and on their websites to address less sexy but equally important issues facing the Golden State over the coming decade. The next few years will be crucial for California, which is facing crises in water supplies, housing stock and the growing homeless population. The next governors actions on these issues, and on looming challenges in University of California funding, public pension obligations, crumbling infrastructure and other longer-term concerns, will help determine the fortunes of the state and its denizens. Now that the June 5 primary is on the near horizon, its time for the gubernatorial candidates to start expanding their talking points. Advertisement Will Browns successor be a penny-pincher like him or a Daddy Warbucks? It would be useful for voters to get specifics from the candidates on how they intend to govern during the next recession. Assuming the next governor serves two terms, its painfully likely that he or she will have to deal with an economic downturn and its effects on the state. Voters should also know what they would be getting from each candidate when it comes to two of Browns signature infrastructure projects, high-speed rail and the Delta tunnels. Will the candidates champion these projects, or let them wither and die? If they dont believe that building tunnels would ensure Californias future water reliability or that a bullet train would improve public transportation, they ought to spell out their ideas for what will. And though this might glaze over a few eyeballs, the candidates should offer their solution to soaring public pension obligations that are threatening to swamp state and local governments budgets. Where do they stand on bail reform? Do they plan to support rolling back the criminal justice reforms of Propositions 47 and 57? Whats the prospect for some overdue improvements to the state tax code and the California Environmental Quality Act? The list goes on and on. (This same message goes for candidates in other statewide and Los Angeles County races on the June 5 ballot. Voters will be casting ballots for nine statewide offices, and the race for lieutenant governor has drawn a surprisingly competitive lineup of candidates for such a useless job. County voters will be weighing in on the sheriff, assessor and two supervisors, plus judges.) The top candidates all have experience that could help them grapple with these important issues. Gavin Newsom is Californias lieutenant governor and a former mayor of San Francisco. In additional to leading Los Angeles for two mayoral terms, Antonio Villaraigosa was speaker of the California Assembly. John Chiang is state treasurer and has served as state controller and a member of the state Board of Equalization. Travis Allen is an Assembly member. Delaine Eastin, the sole woman among the races front-runners, is a former state superintendent of public instruction and Assembly member. Businessman John Cox is a veteran of multiple campaigns for state and federal office. Doug Ose, a Sacramento Republican who joined the race too late to have been included in the previous debates, served six years in the U.S. House of Representatives. It is very likely two of these seven people will end up facing each other in the November general election. Listen, there is room for glitz here. No one wants a gubernatorial race thats all wonk. After all, whoever is the next governor of California will be on the national and global stage; he or she should be capable of both enlightening people and keeping them from nodding off. But that person must be able to manage the more prosaic but no less important demands of the job as well. That test needs to start now. Advertisement Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook The case of a San Francisco senior citizen accused of stealing $5 and a bottle of cologne from his neighbor reveals the obvious injustice of Californias bail system, and may finally lead to reform. Kenneth Humphrey has languished in San Francisco County Jail for more than 250 days on $350,000 bail. His charges include robbery and residential burglary for allegedly stepping into his neighbors room in their senior housing complex. San Francisco is ground zero for the states battle over bail. But in late January, a panel of state appeal court judges ordered a new bail hearing for the retired shipyard laborer. The panel also stated that the laws governing bail are the antithesis of what the Constitution requires before a person may be deprived of liberty. Advertisement A defendant may not be imprisoned solely due to poverty, the court said, a revolutionary decision, if its upheld. San Francisco is ground zero for the states battle over bail. Since October, the citys public defenders have challenged bail amounts in virtually every criminal case, demanding that judges hold hearings to consider alternatives to incarceration and inquiries into their clients financial circumstances. They have found a sympathetic audience in the states appellate court judges, who have ruled that only an immediate threat to the public justifies setting unreachable bail amounts. Prosecutors and judges at the local level, however, continue to undermine these appellate decisions by exaggerating perceived public safety risk. Humphreys case is extreme in the sense that a $5 crime led to a several hundred thousand dollar bail, and even the district attorney concedes he poses no threat to society. But every day in every county criminal courthouse in California, prosecutors request sky-high bail amounts from judges who are happy to impose them. That makes a mockery of the presumption of innocence and equality before the law, as poor people accused of minor offenses wait in jail while wealthy people go free despite the seriousness of their charges. Money bail as its currently constituted punishes poverty, and too often results in coerced guilty pleas from those who cant get out of jail any other way. How did we get here? Humphreys incarceration is not an aberration or an accident; it stems instead from the unwillingness of our society, including the courts, the San Francisco panel wrote, to correct a deformity in our criminal justice system that close observers have long considered a blight. Advertisement That blight persists in part because of the for-profit bail industry and its powerful lobby. The published opinion includes a devastating critique of arbitrary bail schedules, casts doubts on the increased reliance on opaque algorithmic risk assessment tools, articulates the staggering costs of pretrial incarceration, and holds that the government must present clear and convincing evidence of immitigable risk in order to detain someone before trial. In Humphreys case, as in so many, the prosecutor presented no evidence that non-monetary conditions of release could not sufficiently protect public interests. The law, rooted in precedent, is often slow to correct itself. And while the appellate court decision put a crack in the foundation of the bail system, its up to the legislature to come up with something new. Legislation is desperately needed, the appeal panel wrote. Advertisement As it happens, legislation is at hand: Senate Bill 10, which would effectively outlaw money bail, passed the state Senate and is now being held in committee in the Assembly. It just needs a handful more votes and the governors agreement to become law. Humphrey is one of many people behind bars simply because hes poor, but he could be among the last. Jeff Adachi is the San Francisco Public Defender. Chesa Boudin is a Deputy Public Defender in San Francisco and on the board of the Civil Rights Corps, which challenges money bail across the country. Advertisement Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook The political crisis now confronting the United States is not the worst since Watergate. It is the worst since the Civil War. It is hard to escape the conclusion that President Trump is waging a relentless, self-preservation-driven campaign to discredit the core of our justice establishment and to unseat anyone he sees as a threat. This is not to minimize the damage Watergate did to America. Richard Nixon oversaw an illegal effort to gain electoral advantage and then covered it up. He placed himself above the law and sought to shut down those entrusted with the responsibility of bringing him and his team to justice. Watergate was, undoubtedly, the gravest constitutional crisis America had faced in the modern era, until President Trumps shenanigans began. At its heart, though, Watergate was also just a third-rate burglary, as then-White House Press Secretary Ron Ziegler termed it. It turned truly ruinous because of all that happened next. Todays situation is rooted in something considerably darker an effort by a hostile power to undermine American democracy. Advertisement Whats more, regardless of what we may learn about efforts within Trumps campaign to collude with the Russians, we can be certain our enemies have already benefited from his presidency. Just last week, the White House announced that it would not be enforcing congressionally mandated sanctions against Russia. In Moscow, an anchor on Russian State TV celebrated the decision: Trump is ours again, she told her viewers. Trump remains reluctant to accept the unanimous verdict of the intelligence community that the 2016 election was beset by Russian-sponsored attacks. Instead of recognizing an ongoing threat, he has offered Russian officials photo ops and dished out classified intelligence in private meetings. Worse, agencies of the U.S. government that are essential to protecting against further foreign attacks on our system the Department of Justice, our independent judiciary, the FBI, our intelligence services are now being undermined in unprecedented ways. Nixon lied; Trump lies pathologically. Nixon had his Saturday Night Massacre, in which he sought to shut down the investigation into Watergate by firing a special prosecutor only to have to reappoint another after two top Justice Department officials resigned in dramatic public protest. Trumps slow-motion massacre removed one FBI director, pressured a deputy FBI director into early retirement and pushed out an acting attorney general. He reportedly is demanding personal loyalty of many who remain in office, including Rod Rosenstein, who manages the Russia collusion investigation. As Watergate unfolded, Republican Party leaders stepped up and began to challenge Nixon. They eventually forced his resignation. Except for a very small minority, todays Republicans have actively joined in the presidents war on the justice and intelligence professionals. They are behaving much like an autoimmune disorder in which cells that are supposed to protect the body politic turn against it. Nixon lied; Trump lies pathologically. Fact-checkers have documented more than 2,000 falsehoods in his first year in office. Nixon offered racist slurs in private; Trump has made racism and misogyny a leitmotif in his administration. Nixon was an experienced politician and in many respects an effective president. Trump, despite majorities in both houses of Congress, has gotten precious little done and in some areas such as environmental, immigration, trade and foreign policy he has been a disaster. Above and beyond this, however, he manages to constantly debase the office daily in ways Nixon, for all his flaws, would never have dreamed of doing. Advertisement The more the White House tries to convince Americans that special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation is a hoax and a witch hunt, the clearer the danger to the nation becomes: The president and his supporters say he is fighting back against unfounded attacks, but in actuality, with cynical moves such as the release of California Rep. Devin Nunes memo, he is eroding our laws and values. We congratulate ourselves that the republic and its system of checks and balances withstood the likes of Nixon. Will it survive Trump? It is hardly a certainty that an effective firewall of conscience will finally emerge within the GOP. And while the minority party speaks out, Democrats have such limited power in Congress, their protests seem futile. We must hope the special counsels investigation and the judiciary will successfully play the independent role intended for them. And we must recognize that our last best line of defense in this crisis is the American voter. Our ballots will determine whether the damage inflicted by Trump will be temporary, as it was with Nixon, or catastrophic and enduring. Advertisement David Rothkopf is a senior fellow at the School for Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University and a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook Gavin Newsom releases ad that highlights his push to allow same-sex couples to marry By Phil Willon A new ad from Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom features Phyllis Lyon, who with her partner, Del Martin, received the first marriage license after Newsom vowed to allow same-sex couples to marry when he was mayor of San Francisco in 2004. The current lieutenant governors push for marriage equality thrust him into the national spotlight and he has emphasized that effort to portray himself as a bold, progressive leader. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Failed California housing bill was not a bad idea, Gov. Jerry Brown says By Liam Dillon Gov. Jerry Brown (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Earlier this month, high-profile housing legislation that would have allowed for four- to five-story apartments and condominiums near transit stops failed to advance in the state Legislature. But had it reached his desk, would Gov. Jerry Brown have signed it? Maybe. I think that was not a bad idea, Brown said of Senate Bill 827 at a meeting with business leaders from the Bay Area Council on Monday afternoon. The bill, written by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), attracted national attention and a maelstrom of opposition in part because it would have eliminated single-family zoning near transit stops in favor of apartments or condominiums. Brown said that a relative of his who lives in West Portal, a low-density neighborhood in San Francisco, told the governor he was horrified by the bill. Brown also lamented dramatically rising housing costs. He said he bought his first house in Los Angeles in 1973 for $75,000 at a time when his salary as secretary of state was $35,000. Now, he said, buying a house for a little over twice ones annual salary is virtually impossible anywhere in the state. FOR THE RECORD May 1, 9:32 a.m.: This post originally misstated the year Brown purchased his house as 1970. It was 1973. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print John Cox begins California barnstorm with the delivery of gas tax repeal signatures By Javier Panzar Gubernatorial candidate John Cox, left, and Assembly candidate Bill Essayli load boxes of signatures for the gas tax repeal initiative. (Francine Orr) GOP gubernatorial candidate John Cox strolled up to the stack of 12 boxes in front of the Los Angeles County registrar-recorders offices in Norwalk on Monday and placed his hands on top of his partys hope for success in 2018. The boxes, stacked four across and three high, contained 211,000 signatures for an initiative to repeal recent increases in Californias gas tax and vehicle fees. Cox says the effort has gathered more than 940,000 signatures from registered voters to put the measure on the ballot far more than the 585,407 signatures that are required. The aim: to bring out the partys base to the polls this November and help candidates in tough congressional and legislative races down the ticket. A USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll in November found 54.2% of registered voters surveyed said they would repeal the tax and fee hike, but a survey a month earlier by another group said a majority would vote to keep the higher taxes. Cox was flanked by Bill Essayli, a former federal prosecutor who is challenging Democratic Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes of Riverside in the June primary. Cervantes voted for the gas tax and Essayli plans to use that vote against her. He even launched his campaign at a 76 gas station in Norco. This is a central issue in my campaign, he said. Cox also submitted signatures in San Diego on Monday and is headed to Bakersfield, Fresno and Sacramento, as well as Shasta and Butte counties in coming days. We are going all across the state, Cox said. The whole state is paying this tax and the whole state wants it gone. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print All Californians would be able to serve on state boards even people in the U.S. illegally under new bill By Jazmine Ulloa Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) State lawmakers on Monday introduced legislation that would allow all Californians to serve on state boards and commissions regardless of immigration status. Senate Bill 174, by Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles), comes as the state is locked in a broader legal battle with the Trump administration over state immigration laws and his call for mass deportations. Lawmakers point to what they say is the states own discriminatory history as their basis for introducing the legislation. The proposal would amend an 1872 provision that was first adopted to exclude Chinese immigrants and other transient aliens from holding appointed civil positions. At the time, antipathy toward the Chinese had been building in California, though, Chinese immigrants opened hundreds of businesses across the state and would play a critical role in building the transcontinental railroad. The Senate bill would delete the phrase transient aliens from the government code and make clear that any person, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, can hold an appointed civil office if they are at least 18 years old and a resident of the state. That would allow any Californian to serve on hundreds of boards and commissions that advice in an array of policy areas, including farm labor, history and employment development. Californias two million undocumented immigrants are a source of energy for our state, Lara said in a statement. It is shocking to read the words of fear and exclusion that are still in California law but belong in historys trash can. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Tony Mendozas fundraising dries up after resignation amid harassment inquiry By Patrick McGreevy Former state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia). (Steve Yeater / Associated Press) Political contributions to Tony Mendoza, who resigned from the state Senate under pressure amid sexual harassment allegations, have nearly dried up. New documents he filed with the state in his bid to reclaim the seat he once held show that his support has eroded. As a result, five other candidates for the 32nd District senate seat in the June 5 election have raised more than Mendoza so far this year. With the June 5 election approaching, Mendoza has reported raising just $7,750 in cash from six supporters during the nearly four-month period from Jan. 1 to April 21. Mendoza, a Democrat from Artesia, went on a leave of absence from the Senate Jan. 3 and resigned a month later under the threat of expulsion from colleagues. An investigation ordered by the Senate found a pattern of unwanted flirtatious or sexually suggestive behavior based on testimony from six women. Mendoza has denied wrongdoing. Last year, Mendozas reelection campaign raised $412,600, or an average of about $34,000 per month, from more than 350 supporters. Most of Mendozas 2018 total was contributed by the political arm of the Southern California Pipe Trades District Council 16 on Jan. 22, a month before Mendoza resigned. Mendoza also reported that his campaign loaned $125,000 this year to his legal defense fund. That left him with $446,600 in his campaign account at the end of April. Mendoza is running against eight Democrats and two Republicans. Democrat Bob J. Archuleta, a Pico Rivera city councilman, raised the most, $210,000, during the period. On Monday, Mendoza suffered another setback when the State Legislative Womens Caucus endorsed Democrat Vicky Santana, a member of the Rio Hondo College Board. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Newsom and Villaraigosa affairs coming to TV ads in California By Phil Willon An independent political committee backing Republican John Cox for governor released an ad blasting both Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for their past sexual affairs. The California Deserves Better ad, which was first reported by Politico, criticizes Newsom for having an affair with a woman on his staff in 2005 while he served as mayor of San Francisco. It also goes after Villaraigosa for having an extramarital affair with a television reporter in 2007 while he was mayor of Los Angeles. The ad, which begins airing on Fox stations in the states top media markets Monday, links Newsom and Villaraigosa to the men accused of sexual impropriety in the #MeToo movement, including movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and disgraced Today show veteran Matt Lauer. Powerful men are finally being held to account, punished for inappropriate sexual conduct with women over whom they exercise power, the ad begins. Newsom and Villaraigosa think the rules shouldnt apply to them. The independent campaign committee, called Restore Our Values, already has raised more than $100,000, said Leigh Teece of Emeryville in Northern California, co-founder of the group. Teece, the CEO of a nonprofit that helps line up students with professional mentors, said the campaign will actively support Cox. She called him a true conservative and noted that he supports cutting taxes and opposes Californias sanctuary state policy. John is a business person who has demonstrated integrity, Teece said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Was that Cisneros in the voicemail? Dispute is latest espisode of Democratic infighting in crowded primary races By Christine Mai-Duc Gil Cisneros speaks during a forum at Fullerton College in January. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) With less than five weeks to go before Californias primary, insults and accusations are flying with abandon in the most crowded races Democrats hope to ultimately win. The latest example of this is in the 39th Congressional District, where a half dozen Democrats are vying for a chance to replace Rep. Ed Royce, whos retiring. Its one of several California contests where Democratic leaders are already worried that divisions could ultimately split votes and shut Democrats out of key pickup opportunities. In that race, millionaires Gil Cisneros and Andy Thorburn are going negative about going negative. Cisneros was recently elevated to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committees Red to Blue program in hopes it would serve as a signal to Democratic activists and donors that his campaign was the most viable. But both Cisneros and Thorburn have poured millions into the race, which promises to be a knock down, drag out fight through June 5. At the center of the latest controversy is a voicemail, allegedly left by Cisneros on Thorburns home answering machine earlier this month. The recording, which the Thorburn campaign turned over to media outlet The Intercept, lasts less than 10 seconds. Hi Andy, its Gil Cisneros. Im gonna go negative on you, a mans voice is heard saying. Cisneros campaign manager Orrin Evans denied the candidate made the call, posting a cease and desist letter to The Intercept on Twitter. The letter, sent by a Cisneros campaign attorney, called the voicemail fabricated and demanded that the story be taken down, calling it defamatory. It gave the publication until 3 p.m. Friday to take down the story before they pursue all legal rights and remedies. An attorney for The Intercept, in a letter to Cisneros, said the publication confirmed with multiple sources familiar with Mr. Cisneros that his voice was on the recording, and that it stands by its reporting. Thorburns camp says it flatly rejects Cisneros denial, and that the timing of a negative website filled with unflattering background on Thorburn, released three days later, suggests it was him. Track the California races that could flip the House According to The Intercepts report, Cisneros campaign manager did not respond to initial inquiries about the voicemail, calling its questions ridiculous. In a follow-up statement Friday, Evans said called the episode a dirty, desperate trick by the Thorburn campaign and said they are readying to pursue legal action for defamation and false light against both him and the publication. It sounded like him to me! said Thorburns wife, Karen, in a statement released by the campaign. She was the one who first heard the voicemail, they said. Thorburn campaign manager Nancy Leeds called Cisneros threats Trump-like tactics and accused the candidate of trying to harass and intimidate anyone who stands in his way. Its not the first time candidates from the same party have clashed in the lead-up to the June 5 primary, and its all but certain to not be the last. Cisneros sued two of his opponents, Thorburn and Sam Jammal, over their ballot descriptions until they had to change them. Earlier this month, Democrat Bryan Caforio asked his opponent, Katie Hill, to sign a pledge rejecting the use of independent expenditure committees, entities that neither of them can legally coordinate with, in the race to unseat Rep. Steve Knight (R-Lancaster). Hill refused and called the attempt hollow and likened it to political theater, while Caforio accused her of empty campaign promises. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California Politics Podcast: The money raised in the race for governor hints at a race thats now red hot By John Myers With less than six weeks before election day, the cash raised in the California governors race mirrors the overall dynamics: one major front-runner and a heated race for second place. This weeks podcast episode offers a glimpse into those cash reports and how the Republican field seems more settled in a new statewide poll than the battle between Democrats. We also examine the reasons why a nationally talked-about housing bill in Sacramento was killed by the Democratic authors own allies. Im joined by Times staff writers Melanie Mason and Liam Dillon. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud and Stitcher. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement L.A. County politician sexually assaulted woman when she was 16, lawsuit claims By Dakota Smith A woman sued an unnamed politician in Los Angeles County on Friday, alleging the man sexually assaulted her when she was a teenager after he gave her an unusual-tasting drink. The politician, identified as John Doe, was in his early 40s and a public figure at the time of the 2007 assault, according to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. The man is an elected official today and lives in Los Angeles, said attorney Lisa Bloom, who is representing the woman identified in the lawsuit as Jane Doe. Bloom declined to say what branch of government the man represents. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Villaraigosa touts his working-class upbringing, accomplishments as mayor in first TV ad By Phil Willon Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa released his first TV ad in the governors race Friday, touting his record and accomplishments as mayor of Los Angeles when up against the economic downturn during the recession. The 30-second television spot opens with a sweeping shot of Los Angeles and cuts to Villaraigosa sitting on a bus. In kindergarten, my sister and I took three buses to get to school. As mayor, I remembered that, Villaraigosa says into the camera. And despite the recession, we built more new schools and rail lines than any city in America, added 200,000 living wage jobs, built 20,000 units of affordable housing and nearly doubled graduation rates. Campaign spokesman Luis Vizcaino said the ad will air statewide over the next week at a cost of approximately $1 million. The commercial will being airing Saturday. Two Democratic rivals in Californias race for governor, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Treasurer John Chiang, also launched ads this week, signaling the biggest ramp-up of the campaign as the June 5 primary approaches. Newsom is the front-runner, while Villaraigosa is battling for second place with Republican John Cox. One recent poll has Villaraigosa trailing both Cox and Republican Assemblyman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach. Chiang has been stuck in the single digits in almost all polling in the race. Last week, an independent expenditure group called Families and Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor, funded largely by a trio of wealthy charter school backers, launched a spot in support of the former mayor of Los Angeles. That ad campaign is focused on increasing Villaraigosas chances of coming in second in the June 5 primary and moving on to the general election. Villaraigosas ad, titled Three Buses, emphasizes the struggles he faced growing up in East Los Angeles and addresses one of his central campaign themes that hes the candidate best suited to help working-class Californians. I know how far a bus can take you, Villaraigosa says in the ad. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Sen. Dianne Feinstein wont participate in pre-primary debate By Sarah D. Wire (Tom Williams / CQ Roll Call) California Sen. Dianne Feinstein will not participate in a proposed pre-primary debate because there are too many candidates in the race, her campaign spokesman said Thursday. Political activists with the group Indivisible Los Angeles said they had a venue and date May 5 reserved for a debate with four of the Senate candidates. But they said if Feinstein does not participate, it will be canceled. Feinstein faces 31 primary opponents in her bid for a fifth full term representing California in the Senate. Feinstein staffers initially said she had a prior commitment on May 5 in San Francisco. When organizers offered to let her campaign pick another date, her campaign said it wasnt fair for the group to invite only some of the candidates when there is such a big field, said Tudor Popescu, volunteer community organizer with Indivisible Los Angeles. The invited candidates, all Democrats, were Feinstein, state Sen. Kevin de Leon, political action committee director Alison Hartson and lawyer Pat Harris. They were selected based on fundraising and poll numbers. There are 11 Republicans, 10 Democrats, nine independents and 2 third-party candidates running for Senate on the June ballot. Indivisible Los Angeles is still hoping Feinstein will pick another date, Popescu said. Feinstein spokesman Jeff Millman pointed to a San Francisco Chronicle endorsement of Feinstein, which indicates that she told the editorial board she would be willing to have a debate ahead of Novembers general election. Senator Feinstein looks forward to debating her opponent in the general election, Millman said in an email. Feinstein holds a substantial lead in both fundraising and in the polls. Front-runners in statewide races have routinely declined to debate their challengers, knowing that its free publicity for candidates who dont have the cash to increase their name recognition on their own. De Leon spokesman Jonathan Underland said the state senator has done candidate forums before, but planned to attend the May 5 debate only if Feinstein did. We basically said well clear his calendar 100%, well clear his calendar if Feinstein shows up, Underland said. Wed love to make it happen, but we want her to be there. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement NRA, Olympic shooter sue California over its restrictions on ammunition sales By Patrick McGreevy Olympian Kim Rhode is a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by the NRA and its state affiliate against California. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) The National Rifle Assn. and its state affiliate have filed a fourth lawsuit against California over its gun control laws, this time challenging new restrictions on the sale and transfer of ammunition. The NRA and the California Rifle and Pistol Assn. filed a challenge in federal court to a requirement that ammunition sales and transfers be conducted face to face with California firearms dealers or licensed vendors, ending purchases made directly from out-of-state sellers on the internet. The lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California also challenged a requirement starting next year for background checks for people buying ammunition. The lawsuit was filed in the name of Kim Rhode, a six-time Olympic medal-winning shooter, and others. It challenges Californias new ammunition sales restrictions as a violation of the 2nd Amendment and the commerce clause of the United States Constitution. Restrictions on ammunition purchases were included in Proposition 63, approved by voters in 2016, and in bills approved by the Legislature. As a result of these laws, millions of constitutionally protected ammunition transfers are banned in California, Chris W. Cox, executive director of the NRAs Institute for Legislative Action, said in a statement. Californias law-abiding gun owners are sick of being treated like criminals and the NRA is proud to assist in this fight. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is running for governor, defended his initiative and vowed to fight the NRA lawsuit. We wrote Proposition 63 on solid legal ground and principle: If youre a felon banned from possessing guns in California, then you should not be able to purchase the ammunition that makes a firearm deadly, Newsom said in a statement. California voters said loudly and clearly that guns and ammunition do not belong in the hands of dangerous individuals but once again, the NRA has prioritized gun industry profits over the lives of law-abiding Californians. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Republicans hope to ride a gas-tax repeal to victory By Patrick McGreevy In a Central Valley barn decked out in red, white and blue, dairyman and state Senate candidate Johnny Tacherra drew cheers from a crowd of fellow farmers when he said he opposes the California Legislatures hike on gas taxes and vehicle fees. I would not have voted for that. It is not the time to be voting on (raising) the gas tax, said Tacherra, a Republican running against Democratic Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, who voted for the tax increase last year. Three hundred miles away the same week, a campaign mailer arrived at homes in Orange County from an Assembly candidate with a message blaring from the cover in bold type: Republican Greg Haskin tough enough to stand up to Jerry Brown and repeal the gas tax. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Treasurer John Chiang launches ad in governors race touting his record as a fiscal steward By Seema Mehta In his first television ad in the governors race, state Treasurer John Chiang touts his record on fiscal issues as California faced the recession. Some thought we were done, Chiang says in a voiceover in the 30-second spot he released Thursday, with images of him standing seriously at a lectern and complimentary headlines about his work as controller and treasurer. But I knew better. I made the tough calls. And brought California back from the brink of financial disaster because you trusted me to manage our economy. Chiangs campaign is spending about $500,000 to air the ad in Los Angeles and San Diego in coming days. That buy is dwarfed by seven-figure purchases for ads supporting Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Newsom is the front-runner, while Villaraigosa is battling for second place with Republican businessman John Cox. Chiang has been mired in the single digits in almost all polling in the race. His ad, called Quiet Storm, tries to portray Chiang as a progressive who is effective and can move policy in Sacramento. Chiang points to his work challenging Wells Fargo before arguing that he could accomplish what doubters say is impossible to improve the states healthcare, housing and schools. I say, we got this, Chiang concludes. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Been ignoring the race for California governor? Thats OK, in some ways its just starting By Mark Z. Barabak On a recent trip to Iowa, Eric Garcetti the mayor of Los Angeles and a possible 2020 White House contestant raised eyebrows with a bit of exuberant outreach. Los Angeles and Iowa, Garcetti insisted, have a ton in common, and he didnt simply mean both are inhabited by carbon-based life forms needing oxygen to survive. Urban or rural, farmer or fashion plate, all of us harbor the same hopes and dreams, the mayor suggested, and if it wasnt a terribly original thought it also wasnt the most egregious sort of political pandering like, say, ordering that every home in Los Angeles be powered by Iowa-produced ethanol. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California voters should expect to decide on an $8.9-billion water bond in November By Liam Dillon (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) A proposal to borrow $8.9 billion for improvements to Californias water quality systems and watersheds and protection of natural habitats is eligible for the statewide ballot in November, Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced in a press release Wednesday. Padilla said the measure, which is backed by agricultural interests, had exceeded the 365,800 valid signatures it needed to qualify for the general election ballot. The bond measure will appear on the ballot unless proponents withdraw it by June 28, the release said. The bond is one of many voters could decide on in 2018. A $4-billion bond for parks and water infrastructure improvements will appear on the June 5 ballot. State lawmakers approved it last year. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print They came for Darrell Issa. They stayed with their inflatable chicken, blue wall and signs for political therapy By Christine Mai-Duc (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) A mother of two turned ringleader of the resistance and more than a hundred of her faithful followers gathered on Tuesday morning outside Rep. Darrell Issas office in a northern San Diego County suburb. Across the street was her foil, a wedding DJ in a red Make American Great Again cap, setting up hefty speakers for an upcoming war of words. For about 65 weeks the deep divide in America played out along this 100-yard stretch of road in Vista. Here, at 10 a.m. every Tuesday, passersby found signs, chants, songs and, if they were lucky, sometimes a 20-foot-tall inflatable chicken with a Trump-esque coif. Theyd also glimpse the state of the body politic in 2018, a time when shock has turned to anger and post-2016 calls for reconciliation have morphed into grudging acceptance that each side might be better off in their respective corners. Or in this case, their sides of the street. On Tuesday, the anti-Issa, anti-Trump contingent fought this particular battle for the last time, declaring it their final protest at the congressmans office. They said they planned to use their energy to knock on doors and get out the vote, with an occasional protest on the side. Their pro-Trump rivals vowed to show up wherever they do. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Efforts to regulate bail companies have some unlikely allies: bail agents By Jazmine Ulloa Jane Un, chief executive and founder of Abba Bail Bonds, works with a client. ( Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) In recent years, the seriousness and number of official complaints related to the bail industry in California have significantly increased while bail agents and bounty hunters face limited oversight, putting vulnerable communities at risk of fraud, embezzlement and other forms of victimization. This year, as Gov. Jerry Brown has pledged to work with lawmakers in a push to overhaul how courts assign defendants bail and to better regulate bail agencies, even some who profit from the court practice admit its time for regulation. These bail and bail-recovery agents could become unlikely allies, saying they advocate for change because theyve seen the system abuse the poor. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California voters: Get ready for an onslaught of television ads By Seema Mehta After a sleepy campaign, California voters are now being bombarded with television advertisements in the governors race, an onslaught that is expected to ramp up in coming weeks. The ads most frequently seen on television are those promoting Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the front-runner in the race, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who is trying to secure the second spot in the June primary. Newsoms campaign and an outside group backing Villaraigosa are spending seven figures weekly on these efforts, according to filings with the California secretary of states office and a media buyer who asked not to be identified in order to freely discuss the ads. Other gubernatorial candidates are expected to hit the airwaves soon, the media buyer said. State Treasurer John Chiang has reserved a half-million dollars in the coming days in the Los Angeles and San Diego markets, and Villaraigosas campaign has requested availability in at least five of the states biggest TV markets. The GOP candidates in the race, who will be seeking the state Republican Partys endorsement at its convention next weekend, have been much less active. Businessman John Cox in recent weeks has been spending about $90,000 per week, but doubled that this week in Los Angeles and added small buys on KFI-AM radio and cable in markets including Fresno, Bakersfield and Salinas. State Assemblyman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach, who has been scooping up Republican Party endorsements across the state, has yet to make a notable television or radio buy, though he and Cox have received some attention as commentators on Fox News. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Republicans ready to turn in signatures for ballot measure to repeal California gas-tax increase By Patrick McGreevy A Chevron gas station in Sacramento shows prices last year. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Republican activists said Tuesday that they have collected at least 830,000 signatures for an initiative to repeal recent increases in Californias gas tax and vehicle fees, more than enough to qualify the measure for the November ballot. The activists need 585,407 signatures of registered voters to qualify the ballot measure. Because signatures are still being processed and counted by the campaign, backers hope to have 900,000 by the time they begin turning them in to the counties on Friday, according to Carl DeMaio, a former San Diego City Council member and organizer of the drive. The breadth and depth of voter anger over the car and gas tax hikes is just amazing, said DeMaio, who hosts a radio talk show. We are seeing Democrats, independents and Republicans sign the petition and volunteering to carry the petition, people from all walks of life. The initiative targets a law approved in April 2017 by the Legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown that is expected to raise $5.4 billion annually for road and bridge repairs and improvements to mass transit. The money comes from a recent 12-cents-per-gallon increase in the gas tax, a 20-cent increase in the diesel fuel excise tax and a new annual vehicle fee ranging from $25 for cars valued at under $5,000, to $175 for cars worth $60,000 or more. The petition drive raised more than $2 million with significant contributions from the California Republican Party and Republican members of Congress from California, including House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and Reps. Ken Calvert of Corona and Mimi Walters of Irvine. Republicans hope the issue will help their candidates for office in this years election and hurt Democrats who support the higher taxes. I think this is going to put Democrats in real bad spot, DeMaio said. A spokesman for Brown declined to comment until the signatures are filed. DeMaio said there were approximately 20,000 volunteer petition circulators who brought in more than 250,000 signatures, with the rest collected by paid circulators who received $1 to $2.50 per signature. Its a pretty comfortable margin [of signatures] that we have been able to hit here, DeMaio said. Opposition will grow, he said, as more Californians get their annual vehicle registration notice. The repeal campaign hopes to raise $5 million for the campaign to pass the constitutional amendment, which would not only repeal the increase in the gas tax and vehicle fees but require future increases to be submitted to voters. We know that Gov. Brown and his cohorts are going to spend an amazing amount of money to mislead voters, DeMaio said. But I feel pretty confident that we will repeal the gas tax. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Rep. Duncan Hunter sets up trust to raise money for legal expenses amid ongoing criminal investigation By Morgan Cook Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, has filed paperwork to establish a legal expense fund amid an ongoing federal criminal investigation into misused campaign cash. Hunter filed the required paperwork March 27, seeking a rarely granted Legal Expense Fund through which members of Congress under investigation or being sued in connection with doing their jobs or running for office can raise money for their legal expenses. Such funds are administered by an independent trustee and allow donors to give above the maximum amount they can contribute a candidates campaign. Hunter has spent more than $600,000 of campaign money on lawyers. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Kamala Harris says she wont take corporate donations anymore By Sarah D. Wire (Jose Luis Magana / Associated Press) California Sen. Kamala Harris says she will no longer accept money from corporate political action committees. In an interview with WWPM-FMs The Breakfast Club, in New York that aired Monday, the senator said she wasnt expecting a question at a town hall this month about whether she would accept money for corporations or corporate lobbyists. At the time, Harris said it depends, but she said on Monday that she had reflected on the matter and changed her mind. Money has had such an outside influence on politics, and especially with the Supreme Court determining Citizens United, which basically means that big corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money influencing a campaign, right? Harris said. Were all supposed to have an equal vote, but money has now really tipped the balance between an individual having equal power in an election to a corporation. So Ive actually made a decision since I had that conversation that Im not going to accept corporate PAC checks. I just Im not. You can watch the video of the interview here. (Harris corporate money comments come about 30 minutes in.) Harris wouldnt be on the ballot for a second Senate term until 2022, though its widely believed that she is planning a presidential bid in 2020. Other potential 2020 presidential candidates, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), have also ruled out taking corporate PAC money. Soon after Mondays show aired, Harris campaign sent out a fundraising request noting her new stance. As corporate PACs continue to corrupt our politics and twist Congress priorities at your expense, were going to focus on raising money from small-dollar, individual donors like you, the email says. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement With money tied up in court, California lawmakers try again with new plan to spend $2 billion on homeless housing By Liam Dillon A man sleeps on the sidewalk in front of the Union Rescue Mission in the skid row neighborhood of Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) A measure to spend $2 billion on housing homeless Californians could be on the November statewide ballot. State Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) is pushing the idea to deal with what he said was a burgeoning humanitarian crisis whose epicenter is here in California. De Leons new measure is a do-over for a 2016 plan passed by the Legislature to redirect $2 billion toward building homeless housing from a voter-approved 1% income tax surcharge on millionaires that funds mental health services. A Sacramento attorney sued over that decision, arguing that the move violated constitutional rules on approving loans without a public vote and that lawmakers shouldnt take money away from mental health treatment. The case remains active in Sacramento Superior Court and its unclear when, or if, the state will be able to spend the $2 billion. De Leons Senate Bill 1206 would put the $2-billion loan on the ballot in November, freeing up the money if voters approve the measure. De Leon said had he been able to predict the 2016 plan would end up in court, he would have sought a ballot measure at the time. We thought this was like apple pie and baseball and puppies, De Leon said. Who would oppose the idea of repurposing the dollars to build immediate housing as a permanent solution for homelessness? Obviously with a crystal ball, had I anticipated the litigation, I would have worked to place it on the ballot. De Leon noted that the 2016 plan had bipartisan supermajority support in the Legislature, something his new bill also will need to get on the ballot. Sen. John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa) is a coauthor of the plan. SB 1206 is scheduled for its first hearing in the Legislature on Wednesday. Should De Leons measure be approved, it will join a crowded list of housing issues before voters in November. Californians will decide on a separate $4-billion bond to help finance new low-income housing and home loans for veterans. De Leon said hes not worried those two measures will compete against each other because voters are aware of the scale of the states housing problems and the proposed homeless housing bond redirects existing dollars instead of raising taxes. Once [voters] know that the impact on their pocketbook is not existent, Im confident that theyll join me and my colleague John Moorlach in support of this measure, De Leon said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California lawmakers say too many former felons are being denied professional licenses By John Myers Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco) along with supporters of bills to allow more former felons to receive professional licenses. (John Myers/Los Angeles Times) A trio of California Assembly members urged colleagues on Monday to pass legislation that would prohibit state commissions and agencies from rejecting a professional license for those who were once convicted of less serious crimes. We cant say we want to rehabilitate people, and then block them from getting the jobs that they need when theyre released, said Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco). That leads to more recidivism and to more crime. The bills, scheduled to be heard in Assembly committees Tuesday, would ban the use of arrest or conviction records as the reason for denying a professional license. The bill would not apply to Californians who served time for any of the offenses on the states list of violent crimes. The authors, all Democrats, said that a government-issued professional license is required for some 30% of all jobs in the state. Their bills would change the licensing process at the California departments of Consumer Affairs and Social Services and agencies that certify emergency medical technicians. The bills would block prior convictions from leading to the delay or denial of a license unless that crime is directly related to the profession the person intends to pursue. Two of the bills also specifically say convictions less than 5 years old could continue to play a role in licensing decisions. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law that keeps private sector employers from inquiring about a job applicants conviction history prior to an offer of employment. Advocates joined the lawmakers at a press conference in Sacramento to point out that limits on awarding licenses should focus only on those whose prior criminal activity could pose a threat to consumers. Continuing to hold people back for crimes that are 6, 7, 8, 10, 20 years old does not actually make sense if youre looking at public safety, said Jael Myrick of the East Bay Community Law Center. One of the proposals, Assembly Bill 2293, seeks to make it easier for ex-felons to get a license allowing a job with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection the same agency that often uses prison inmates to battle blazes around the state. If a person is good enough to risk their life fighting fires for the state of California as an inmate, said Assemblywoman Eloise Gomez Reyes (D-Grand Terrace), their previous actions should not prevent from having a job utilizing the skill set that they learned. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Assembly speaker rebukes building trades union after it targets Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia By John Myers ( (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) The decision by a politically powerful labor group to openly campaign against an embattled Los Angeles-area lawmaker drew a sharp rebuke on Friday from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. The Lakewood Democrat lashed out hours after the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California filed paperwork for a political action committee to defeat Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens). Garcia, whos seeking her fourth term, took an unpaid leave of absence in February following allegations of sexual misconduct. She has denied the reports and an Assembly investigation remains underway. Rendon didnt criticize the labor group by name, insisting instead that the decision was driven by oil and gas industry interests. This is a thinly veiled attempt by Big Oil and polluters to intimidate me and my members. It is an affront to my speakership, Rendon said in a statement. We are proud of the work that the Assembly has done to increase jobs and wages while defending our environment. We will vigorously defend the members of our caucus from any ill-advised political attack. A statement from the labor group, which sparred with Garcia last year on her effort to link new climate change policies with a crackdown on air pollution, said it had decided to reverse past support for her. The Trades have thousands of hard working members in Garcias district, and we look forward to lifting up another Democrat in the 58th Assembly to better represent them and their families, said the statement. The political action committees campaign finance filing on Friday listed nonmonetary in kind contributions from Erin Lehane, a public affairs consultant aligned with the building labor group. Lehane said she had begun researching Garcia in November. In January, a former legislative staffer accused her of groping him in 2014. Lehane, who identified herself as a spokesperson for the labor groups political action committee, said on Friday that she believed Garcias hypocrisy threatened a movement that will dictate how much harassment and abuse my daughter will face in her work life. Garcia, who has been an outspoken advocate for women in the #MeToo movement, has complained that her political opponents helped fan the flames of the accusations. Through a campaign consultant, she declined to comment on Friday. Rendons critique came on the heels of a full-page ad in The Times on Friday, partly paid for by the Trades Council, that criticized well-funded ivory tower elites who push proposals that hurt the oil and gas industry. We are the real jobs that fuel the real California economy, read the advertisement. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Legal tiff breaks out over independent committees ad backing Antonio Villaraigosa for governor By Phil Willon An attorney representing Gavin Newsoms campaign for governor is demanding that California television stations cease airing an ad by an independent political committee supporting his Democratic rival Antonio Villaraigosa. Attorney Thomas A. Willis, in a letter to the stations, said the ad is false and misleading and violates California law because it uses snippets of video footage from Villaraigosas own campaign ads. Willis called that illegal coordination between the campaign and PAC. Under California law, advertisements made by entities other than a candidate are presumed to be coordinated and thus not independent expenditures when the advertisement replicates, reproduces or disseminates substantial parts of a communication, including video footage, created and paid for by the candidate, the letter states. A representative for the independent expenditure committee Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor fired back. Attorney Brian T. Hildreth says those allegations have no merit and accused the Newsom campaign of being misleading. Hildreth sent a letter to the television stations in response, urging them to ignore the Newsom campaigns accusations. He said the Newsom camp appears to intentionally misrepresent the law and that the video use was permissible. He said only six seconds of video from Villaraigosas campaign ads was used, which is well within the legal limits. The independent committee is sponsored by the group California Charter Schools Assn. Advocates, according to the California secretary of states office. The ad is airing on broadcast and cable stations statewide. The committees ad is focused on Villaraigosas record as Assembly speaker and as mayor of Los Angeles when there was a drop in crime. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Governors race snapshot: Californians are generally upbeat but not focused on the campaign By Mark Z. Barabak Armand Werden, a 29-year-old community college student who works the taps at Dust Bowl Brewery in Turlock, said the state is on the upswing. (Phil Willon / Los Angeles Times) As California chooses a new governor one of just a handful in the last 40 years not named Jerry Brown the state seems to be enjoying something unusual in these tumultuous political times: a feeling of relative contentment. Not to say things are perfect. Still, more than 100 random interviews conducted over the length and breadth of the state from Redding in the north to Santee in the south, from the Pacific coastline to the edge of the Sierra Nevada found most saying things are looking up, at least so far as Californias direction is concerned. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Sierra Club backs Gavin Newsom for California governor By Phil Willon Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks with members of the public following a debate at USC in January. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) The Sierra Club endorsed Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom in the race for California governor, with officials in the established environmental group praising the Democrats record on climate change and clean energy. He has a proven record for leading on environmental protection, public health and clean energy, Kathryn Phillips, director of Sierra Club California, said in a statement released by the Newsom campaign. He understands that we are feeling the effects of climate change and that California must reduce carbon emissions and reach 100% renewable energy to achieve our climate goals. Phillips said the Sierra Clubs extensive network of volunteers will campaign for Newsom as the June 5 primary approaches. Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune also praised the Democrat, saying he will protect California from Donald Trumps attacks on our clean air and water. The Sierra Club joins a series of other influential groups in California that have backed Newsom. The California Medical Assn., the powerful state doctors lobby, announced its endorsement of Newsom on Thursday. The California Nurses Assn. and the Service Employees International Union, one of the most powerful labor unions in the state, also support Newsom. Newsom is the races front-runner in polls and fundraising. A poll released earlier this month by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found that 26% of likely voters backed Newsom. John Cox, a Republican from Rancho Santa Fe, was favored by 15% of likely voters and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democrat, by 13%. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias GOP House members are taking their challengers more seriously and the numbers show it By Christine Mai-Duc For much of last year, consultants and campaign managers for some of Californias most vulnerable Republican incumbents maintained a bullish tone on the prospect that the GOP would hold the House in this years midterms. The National Republican Congressional Committee insisted that longtime Republican incumbents in California had built up reputations as effective champions of local issues that would help them weather a flood of Democratic enthusiasm. Since then Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) have decided not to seek reelection and the NRCC has opened a West Coast headquarters in Orange County. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California officials say Pentagon has confirmed National Guard funding despite Trump threat By John Myers (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) The awkward dance between Gov. Jerry Brown and the federal government over the National Guard jerked back toward discord on Thursday, when Trump said he would refuse to pay for a new deployment of troops just hours after his administration said otherwise. And a few hours later, California officials said they had received written confirmation from the Pentagon that the mission would indeed be funded. Trump had earlier called Browns decision to approve 400 troops for a mission focused on combating transnational crime and drug smuggling a charade in a tweet. We need border security and action, not words! the president wrote. Governor Jerry Brown announced he will deploy up to 400 National Guard Troops to do nothing. The crime rate in California is high enough, and the Federal Government will not be paying for Governor Browns charade. We need border security and action, not words! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2018 A spokesman for Brown pointed to a tweet written Wednesday night by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, thanking the California governor for his efforts. Trump was meeting on Thursday with Nielsen at his Mar-a-Lago estate not long after his tweet was posted. A tweet later posted by the California National Guard said that almost three hours after Trumps comment, the state received written confirmation from the Pentagon to fund the mission as outlined by Brown the day before. In short, nothing has changed today, said a subsequent Guard tweet. Just spoke w @JerryBrownGov about deploying the @USNationalGuard in California. Final details are being worked out but we are looking forward to the support. Thank you Gov Brown! Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen (@SecNielsen) April 19, 2018 Brown was the last of the nations border governors to respond to Trumps insistence earlier this month that National Guard troops were needed to assist with immigration-related duties at the U.S.-Mexico border. And he has consistently refused to allow California troops to engage in any mission related to federal immigration law. This will not be a mission to build a new wall, Brown wrote last week to Nielsen and Defense Secretary James N. Mattis. It will not be a mission to round up women and children or detain people escaping violence and seeking a better life. Exactly what the California operations will cost remains unclear, as state officials have said it will depend on decisions made once the mission begins. The funds would not be transferred to the state, but instead would be paid directly by the Department of Defense. Trump has critiqued California several times over the past few days, often writing tweets that embrace the actions by some cities and counties to join his administrations lawsuit against the states sanctuary immigration law. He made similar comments to reporters on Thursday afternoon. If you look at whats happening in California with sanctuary cities people are really going the opposite way, Trump said. They dont want sanctuary cities. Theres a little bit of a revolution going on in California. 2:26 p.m.:This article was updated with additional information from the California National Guard and with remarks from Trump. This article was originally published at 9:51 a.m. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Gay conversion therapy services would be banned under measure advancing in California By John Myers (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) The California Assembly voted Thursday to add gay conversion therapy to the states list of deceptive business practices, following a debate that focused on the personal experiences of several lawmakers and hinted at potential lawsuits to come. It is harmful and it is unnecessary, Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Campbell), the bills author and one of the Legislatures most vocal LGBTQ members, said of the practice. Low, who told Assembly members that he explored conversion therapy as a teenager and suffered depression over his sexual orientation, insisted that the bill would be limited to efforts that involve the exchange of money. Theres nothing wrong with me, he said in an emotional speech on the Assembly floor. Theres nothing that needs to be changed. The bill, which now heads to the Senate, has become the focal point of intense debate on social media. Some religious groups have said that such a law would be a violation of their constitutional rights, while advocates insist the provisions are narrow and theres no credible evidence that the services work. One key part of the debate centers on whether Assembly Bill 2943 would stretch beyond businesses that charge for these programs and extend to printed documents, even Bibles. An analysis by the Assembly Judiciary Committee says the bill would apply only to services that purport to change a persons sexual orientation and offered on a commercial basis, as well as the advertising and offering of such services. Lawmakers who spoke in support of AB 2943 also made clear that they believe those kinds of services have been discredited. This is fraudulent, it should not be occurring, said Assemblywoman Susan Eggman (D-Stockton). But you can still try to pray the gay away, if you like. Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), who said the bill addresses a difficult issue, nonetheless said that its important to ensure laws dont tamper with religious freedom. We have to think about the legitimate experience of people who have gone through conversion therapy and said this was a good thing for them, Gallagher told his colleagues. California law already bans the use of conversion therapy by mental health professionals on those under age 18. Lows bill would expand the states efforts beyond minors. It would join a list of commercial activities deemed unfair or deceptive acts or practices and therefore banned under state law. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gavin Newsom gets backing from doctors group, despite differences over single-payer healthcare By Melanie Mason Gavin Newsom speaks at the California Democrats State Convention in San Diego on Feb. 24. (Kent Nishimura) Californias doctors are siding with Gavin Newsom in the governors race, even though they dont see eye-to-eye on a defining issue of the campaign: single-payer healthcare. The California Medical Assn., the state doctors lobby and a political heavyweight, announced its endorsement of the lieutenant governor on Thursday. Gavin is a lifelong champion for health care in California, and we know he will continue to fight for pragmatic solutions to our most crucial health care challenges, including working to achieve universal access and tackling our states physician shortage, CMA President Theodore M. Mazer said in a statement. Newsom has made his support for state-financed healthcare a centerpiece of his campaign, and he earned the early backing of the most ardent single-payer supporters, the state nurses union. The doctors, meanwhile, oppose the nurses bill, SB 562, which emerged as a flashpoint in the healthcare debate last year. The CMA said the bill would dismantle the healthcare marketplace and destabilize Californias economy. Newsom has said SB 562 should advance in the Legislature, but also said it has open-ended issues that still need to be addressed. The doctors group is also battling with another prominent Newsom endorser, the Service Employees International Union, over a new measure that would impose price caps on an array of medical services paid for by commercial health insurers in the state. The SEIU is a leading sponsor of the proposal; the doctors fiercely oppose it. Newsom and the physicians group have a history of political alignment. Newsom was the first statewide official to support Proposition 56, a 2016 tobacco tax pushed by the CMA that raised revenue in part to increase money for doctors who saw Medi-Cal patients. That year, the association also endorsed two initiatives championed by Newsom: Proposition 63, which imposed new gun control measures, and Proposition 64, which legalized recreational marijuana. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Independent committee backing Antonio Villaraigosa for governor hits the airwaves with first ad By Phil Willon Antonio Villaraigosa speaks at the 2018 California Democratic Party Convention in San Diego in February.. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) A well-financed independent committee backing Antonio Villaraigosas bid to be Californias next governor released its first television ad Thursday, praising his record for working with Republicans and as a candidate for all of California. The ad, which is to air statewide on broadcast and cable stations, is focused on Villaraigosas record as Assembly speaker and mayor of Los Angeles, including on education and a drop in crime while he was at City Hall. To move California forward, we need to help more Californians get ahead, the ad says. Thats why Antonio Villaraigosa brought both parties together to balance the state budget with record investments in public schools and new career training programs. The independent expenditure committee behind the ad campaign, Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor 2018, is sponsored by the California Charter Schools Assn. Advocates, according to the California secretary of states office. The committee is spending seven figures per week on the ad buy, said Josh Pulliam, a political consultant for the committee. As mayor of Los Angeles, Villaraigosa clashed with teachers unions, starting with his failed attempt to take political control of the Los Angeles Unified School District. His fight with those unions continued after he left office in 2013. Money has poured into the committee this month from wealthy charter schools supporters: Reed Hastings, chief executive of Netflix, donated $7 million, and Los Angeles billionaire and philanthropist Eli Broad donated $1.5 million. On Wednesday, former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan donated $1 million. The independent expenditure committee is expected to provide a boost to Villaraigosas campaign. Democratic front-runner Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has a major advantage in fundraising over all other candidates in the race and has received the backing of the California Teachers Assn. and other education unions. A recent Public Policy Institute of California poll also showed Villaraigosa lagging in third place in the race, trailing Newsom and Republican businessman John Cox. The candidates who finish in the top two in the June 5 primary will advance to the November general election, regardless of their party affiliation. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Jerry Brown says Trump administration will fund his National Guard mission without immigration duties By John Myers (Alex Wong / Getty Images) Gov. Jerry Brown formally mobilized 400 California National Guard members Wednesday for transnational crime-fighting duties, thus preventing any effort by President Trump to have the troops focus on immigration enforcement on the Mexican border. The governor announced that federal officials have agreed to fund the plan he announced last week a mission to combat criminal gangs, human traffickers and illegal firearm and drug smugglers in locations around California, including near the border. The order Brown signed makes clear that the troops will not be allowed to perform a broader set of duties as envisioned by Trumps recent comments. California National Guard service members shall not engage in any direct law enforcement role nor enforce immigration laws, arrest people for immigration law violations, guard people taken into custody for alleged immigration violations, or support immigration law enforcement activities, the order read. The cost of the mission, a spokesman for Brown said, will be paid directly by the federal government. No initial estimate has been made, as the exact amount will depend on exactly how the troops will be used. Though the duties of California Guard members were outlined last week, the state had been waiting for an agreement by federal officials to pay for the operations. Since that time, the president has taken Brown and the state to task over its decision to avoid any immigration-related duties at the border. On Wednesday morning, Trump tweeted, Jerry Brown is trying to back out of the National Guard at the Border, but the people of the State are not happy. Want Security & Safety NOW! There is a Revolution going on in California. Soooo many Sanctuary areas want OUT of this ridiculous, crime infested & breeding concept. Jerry Brown is trying to back out of the National Guard at the Border, but the people of the State are not happy. Want Security & Safety NOW! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2018 Looks like Jerry Brown and California are not looking for safety and security along their very porous Border. He cannot come to terms for the National Guard to patrol and protect the Border, Trump tweeted Tuesday. There was no immediate reaction from the White House to Browns announcement. On Tuesday, Brown told reporters in Washington that his plan was consistent with a safer border. That sounds to me like fighting crime, the governor said. Trying to catch some desperate mothers and children, or unaccompanied minors coming from Central America, that sounds like something else. The order Brown issued Wednesday after returning from a brief trip to talk climate change in Toronto and to speak to a national trade union and visit with reporters in Washington is set to expire at the end of September. It specifically says no Guard service member may participate in a mission that would exceed the mission scope and limitations related to transnational crime activity. It also says troops cannot help build any new border barrier. 5:27 p.m.: This article was updated with information related to the cost of the Guard mission and Browns trip to Washington. This article was originally published at 5:13 p.m. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California bill aims to end practice that keeps workplace misconduct cases out of court By Melanie Mason A California bill would prohibit employers from requiring workers to use private arbitration to settle disputes, a practice that critics say shields improper workplace conduct from public view. The bill by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) would bar businesses from making employees, when they are hired, waive their future rights to take any harassment, discrimination or other claims to court. Arbitration can be a highly effective dispute resolution method when both parties can choose it freely, when both parties are equal, Gonzalez Fletcher said at a news conference on Wednesday. It is far less successful when the more powerful party forces the other to accept those terms, especially as a condition of employment. Forced arbitration has come under increasing scrutiny since the #MeToo movement, with high-profile figures such as former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson pointing to the practice as shielding workplace abusers from public disclosure because arbitration resolutions often include nondisclosure agreements. Last year, a bipartisan bill was introduced in Congress to end mandatory arbitration in employment agreements. Gonzalez Fletcher said she was pursuing an unusual tool to draw attention to the issue a subpoena issued by the Legislature to compel testimony from a worker bound by a nondisclosure agreement as a result of arbitration. The Legislature has subpoena power but it is rarely used. The bills sponsors believe lawmakers last issued a subpoena in 2001 while investigating price manipulation by Enron. Gonzalez Fletcher said she has requested Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) to issue the subpoena to require Tara Zoumer, who sued the company WeWork in 2016 for overtime pay, to testify before the Assembly Judiciary Committee next week. Zoumers suit was moved to arbitration and resolved. She is now subject to a nondisclosure agreement and could face a financial penalty for speaking publicly about her case. A spokesman for Rendon said the subpoena request is under consideration. Business groups oppose the bill, AB 3080. The California Chamber of Commerce has dubbed it a job biller, claiming it would dramatically increase legal costs for businesses. Banning such agreements benefits the trial attorneys, not the employer or employee, the group said. The bill must first advance from the Assembly Labor Committee on Wednesday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print At least 240 House lawmakers want a vote on immigration. California supporters say they arent ready to force one By Sarah D. Wire Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock), flanked by Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands) and Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas) speak about DACA legislation (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) Rep. Jeff Denham says at least 240 of the 430 current House members have signed onto his resolution to hold votes on four immigration bills, and he hopes House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and President Trump are paying attention to the show of support. But, the Republican from Turlock and his allies said Wednesday that they are not yet willing to commit to forcing Ryans hand through a little-used procedural move called a discharge petition; they acknowledged theres no guarantee that all of 47 Republicans and 193 Democrats House co-signers will back them up if they try to force the issue. Im sure that it is something that will be discussed in the coming weeks. You should not need a discharge petition. When you can show the overwhelming majority of the House, the support of it, you should not need a discharge petition, but it is something we would talk about in the future, Denham said. It is far too early to talk about next steps. Ryan said last week that he opposes Denhams effort, saying its a waste of time for the House to vote on bills the president might veto. Denhams resolution would prompt debate and votes on four very different immigration bills: one favored by the Trump administration, one preferred by Democrats, one bipartisan proposal and another immigration bill of Ryans choice. Whichever got the most votes would move forward to the Senate. All four bills would help Dreamers to differing degrees and include varying levels of border security or immigration enforcement. For example, the Trump-backed bill would also dramatically reduce legal immigration, while the Democrats would only deal with legal status for Dreamers. Democrats say they dont expect the show of support will sway Ryan. Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) said Tuesday night she expects Ryan will have to be forced into allowing a vote. It doesnt matter how many signatures we get. We could have every signature, technically, except his, on the floor of the House and... if he doesnt want to, it doesnt happen, Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) said. Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands), who gathered the Democratic co-sponsors for Denham, also wouldnt give a deadline for House leaders to act, but said the co-sponsors are only willing to wait weeks not months. We do want to give them an opportunity to bring up the rule and to use whatever process they want, Aguilar said. They do have options, but I think they need to understand that we have options too. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Billionaire Democratic activist Tom Steyer endorses Kevin de Leon in his insurgent bid against Sen. Dianne Feinstein By Seema Mehta Tom Steyer, left, and California state Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles). (Getty Images; Los Angeles Times) Billionaire Democratic activist Tom Steyer is endorsing state Sen. Kevin de Leon in his insurgent challenge to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and did not rule out funding an outside effort to boost De Leons chances. I think hes the kind of young progressive that reflects California and would be a very strong advocate for our state nationally, Steyer said in an interview on Tuesday, pointing to De Leons efforts on issues such as immigration, climate change and gun control while he was the state Senate leader. I know him well and hes a friend. We share a lot of values. Steyer, who flirted with running for the Senate seat, did not criticize Feinstein as he has in the past. Sen. Feinstein has been an outstanding public servant who has dedicated the bulk of her adult life to the service of our state and the country, he said. These are two strong, very good Democrats. I just believe Kevin is the true progressive and he reflects something we need representing California going forward. I have nothing bad to say about Dianne Feinstein. I have a lot of good to say about Kevin de Leon. De Leon faces enormous odds as he tries to oust Feinstein, who has served in the Senate for a quarter-century, is well known to the states voters and has daunting leads in polls and fundraising. But De Leon has gained notable endorsements, most recently from the 2.1-million-member California Labor Federation last week. Campaign finance reports released this week show that Feinstein has more than $10 million in the bank, while De Leon has just more than $670,000. Feinstein, a multimillionaire and one of the wealthiest members of the Senate, has already lent her campaign $5 million and could easily write another check. But Steyer, a billionaire former hedge fund manager, could write a larger one. He is among the largest Democratic donors in the nation and has already committed more than $50 million to push for the impeachment of President Trump and to register young voters. He was noncommittal when asked if he would fund an independent expenditure group on behalf of De Leon. I dont have any concrete plans for that, he said. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Californias largest pension fund sends next years invoice to state government: $6.3 billion By John Myers The California Public Employees Retirement System building (Max Whittaker / Getty Images) As part of a shift toward less optimistic expectations for investment returns to pay for government worker pensions, board members of the California Public Employees Retirement System voted Tuesday to require an almost $6.3-billion payment from the state budget in the fiscal year that begins on July 1. The action, which could receive final approval on Wednesday, reflects a gradually higher annual contribution to public employee pensions by the state and from local governments across California. In 2016, CalPERS approved a half-percentage point decrease in its official estimate of the long-term investment return on its $353.3-billion portfolio. That shift was designed to happen over several years, in hopes it would lessen the financial shock of shifting more of the costs onto government employers. The highest costs are also, in part, a reflection of increases in the size of the states payroll. The states CalPERS payment will be about $450 million more than the total paid in the current fiscal year and more than double what it was only a decade ago. CalPERS board members voted on Tuesdays staff proposal with little discussion, save for a question about the increase in contributions also required from workers hired after a pension overhaul that took effect in June. It seems like it will be a ding on peoples salaries, said Theresa Taylor, the chairwoman of CalPERS finance committee and a member of SEIU Local 1000, the union that represents some 96,000 state employees. The $6.299-billion payment required from Californias state government must now be factored into the budget crafted by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in late June. Brown had already assumed a similarly sized payment in his budget proposal unveiled in January. In February, a coalition representing city governments warned about the effects of rising pension costs under the expectations of less money from Wall Street investments. The report issued by the League of California Cities projected an average increase of more than 50% in annual pension payments made by the states largest cities over the next seven years. A CalPERS staff report notes that the net return on all of the funds investments for the fiscal year that ended in July was 11.2%. But expectations on profits over the next 30 years remain significantly more modest, and theres long been a robust debate about how to properly set those future expectations. The lower the rate of projected investment return, the larger the share of pension costs that must be covered by taxpayers and some employees. Overall, CalPERS officials believe the system has assets to cover 71% of its long-term obligations. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California warns legal pot sellers not to participate in unlicensed 4/20 events By Patrick McGreevy Marijuana on display at a dispensary in Los Angeles. ( (Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images)) The state issued a warning Tuesday that businesses holding licenses to sell marijuana could face penalties if they participate in unlicensed temporary events away from their stores, including on Friday, April 20, which has become an annual celebration for counterculture groups. The warning was issued ahead of 4/20 by the state Bureau of Cannabis Control. Since Jan. 1, the bureau has issued more than 700 state licenses to sell marijuana for medical or recreational use. The bureau has issued 47 temporary event licenses to groups that are limited to holding the marijuana celebrations on county fairgrounds that have authorized such events with city approval. Any bureau licensee participating in an unlicensed cannabis event may be subject to disciplinary action, the warning said, adding that lawful participation by bureau licensees in any temporary cannabis event that allows sales and/or consumption is dependent upon issuance of the appropriate licenses from the bureau. While many Californians have been issued medical approval to sell or use marijuana, the law does not allow them to participate in unlicensed events, also referred to as Proposition 215 events after the ballot measure that legalized medical pot two decades ago in the state. Participation in such events may lead to civil penalties for unlicensed commercial cannabis activity, the warning said. Meanwhile, a survey of some 1,000 marijuana users that was released Tuesday by the firm LendEDU found that the average 4/20 participant plans to spend $71 on marijuana to celebrate the unofficial holiday, and about 35% of respondents are planning to take off work Friday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California police groups shift position on officer discipline records, now consider support for making some of them public By Liam Dillon Los Angeles Police Department recruits at a graduation ceremony in April (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Some major law enforcement groups signaled Tuesday they are willing to support making part of police officer disciplinary records public, a dramatic departure from their past positions. Local and national attention on police shootings and misconduct has led law enforcement organizations to reconsider their blanket opposition to proposals that would give public access to some internal disciplinary investigations of officers. Were going to be open to supporting efforts that would allow for some records to be released, said Ryan Sherman, a lobbyist with the Riverside Sheriffs Assn. Debate over secrecy provisions in officer disciplinary files came during a legislative hearing on Senate Bill 1421 from Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley). Skinners bill, which advanced out of the Senate Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, would require public disclosure of all internal officer shooting investigations and confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. Currently, all police discipline information is confidential outside of a courtroom in California, which has some of the nations strictest standards against public disclosure. Unfortunately, the fact that we have such strict restrictions on any access to public records has affected certain communities trust towards our law enforcement, Skinner said during the hearing. Prior to Skinners effort, other have tried to loosen these rules, some of which date back 40 years. Most recently in 2016, a bid by then-Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) failed in a Senate committee. In debate two years ago, no major law enforcement groups indicated they would accept changes to state laws that would make individual internal investigations public, saying they were essential to protect officer privacy and safety. But Tuesday, Sherman and other lobbyists including those representing the states largest police labor organization, signaled they might be willing to entertain changes. They said they were negotiating with Skinner on the bills details. Law enforcement groups still have major concerns about SB 1421 as written. Ed Fishman, an attorney for the Police Officers Research Assn., told legislators that the bill would wrongfully expose police officers who acted within departmental policy to invasions of their privacy. It has unintended consequences that are extreme and will hurt the public, Fishman said. Tuesdays hearing featured testimony from many who have had relatives killed by police officers in recent years advocating for the bill. Senators on the Public Safety Committee also gave public rebukes to law enforcement lobbyists, criticizing them for a lack of diversity and insensitivity to concerns raised by communities of color. I think that you are completely and utterly out of touch with the realities of how those you are representing are perceived by major segments of California, said Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles). You are not going to be able to continue to lobby your way out of it. The bill faces at least one more committee hearing in the Senate before reaching the floor. It will have to pass both houses of the Legislature by the end of August. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Newest member of the California Assembly arrives ready to work on criminal justice issues By John Myers Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove prepares for the oath of office from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon with her husband, Austin Dove. (California Assembly Democrats) Two weeks after winning a Los Angeles special election, the newest member of the California Assembly says she hopes to focus on reforms to the states criminal justice system during her time in Sacramento. Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles) took the oath of office on Monday, filling one of three vacant seats representing Los Angeles County in the lower house. The Democrat, a former community college trustee and legislative staffer, thanked her mentors in remarks from the Assembly rostrum. So many women, and in my life so many black women, have paid in giving me the kind of morals and integrity and grit that is required to fight on behalf of people that you know, and people that you dont know, she said. Kamlager-Dove won handily on April 3, receiving 70% of the votes cast in the 54th Assembly District which encompasses communities west of downtown Los Angeles, from Crenshaw to Culver City and as far north as Westwood. She will serve the remaining eight months of the term of former Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, who resigned last year citing health concerns. She has said she hopes to focus her attention on poverty issues and on reform of the states criminal justice system. I think we have an opportunity to really push the needle in terms of how we look at rehabilitation, how we look at incarceration, and how we look at changing the lives oftentimes of poor men and women of color, Kamalager-Dove said on Monday in a video released by Assembly Democrats. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Survivors of violent crime raise their voices in California to call for a new approach to criminal justice By Jazmine Ulloa Aaliyah Smith marches with her cousins. (Jazmine Ulloa / Los Angeles Times) Her father, uncle, a cousin and two older brothers. Those are some of the family members 16-year-old Aaliyah Smith has lost to gun violence. Then there are her friends. Jermaine Jackson Jr., 27, was shot and killed in 2016 while he painted over graffiti in San Francisco. Toriano Tito Adger, 18, was shot there a year later at a bus stop. He called Smith, who was nearby, and warned her to run. She made it inside a library moments before the crack of gunfire. Last week, Smith was among hundreds who gathered in Sacramento for annual National Crime Victims Rights Week events, where calls were issued for a new approach to criminal justice and public safety in California, one that puts survivors at the center of policy. But a debate is brewing over what that entails. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California expects $14 billion in tax payments this month By John Myers State workers handle income tax returns at the California Franchise Tax Board offices. (Laura Morton / For The Times) Gov. Jerry Browns proposed state budget is built on what taxpayers might find an audacious assumption: almost $14 billion in tax payments in the month of April, an average of $83 million collected per hour on every business day of the month. Most of that money will come from the taxes Californians pay in advance of Tuesday nights filing deadline for income tax returns. If history is any guide, the rate of payment could quadruple by weeks end. While tax rules have shifted some of the payment schedules to other months, April remains a vitally important month to the fiscal health of state government. The state controllers office reports more than 15% of all personal income tax revenues in 2017 were collected in April. In the recession years of a decade ago, tax revenue predictions were frequently off the mark by hundreds of millions of dollars. The last two state budgets have seen significant windfalls of personal income tax revenue, thanks in part both to an improving economy and to the continuation of a temporary surcharge on the wealthiest taxpayers extended by voters in 2016. In the budget plan he sent to lawmakers in January, Brown projected a $6.1-billion windfall and proposed using a sizable amount to top off Californias rainy-day fund ahead of schedule. The independent Legislative Analysts Office reports that through the end of last week, the months income tax tally stood at $3 billion, slightly ahead of projections. By the end of the current week, a single days total could be almost that large. Lawmakers began reviewing the governors $190.3-billion spending plan during the winter, but few decisions are made until they get a look at Aprils tax revenues. The governor will release a revised plan based on the new data next month; lawmakers are required to send him a completed budget no later than June 15. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Feinstein war chest tops $10 million while Kevin de Leon struggles to keep pace By Sarah D. Wire Sen. Dianne Feinstein widened her already-massive fundraising advantage in the run-up to Junes primary, raising twice as much in the first quarter than her strongest Senate challenger has sitting in the bank. Feinstein raised $1.3 million between January and March, bringing her war chest to just over $10 million as Californias U.S. Senate race begins in earnest, according Federal Election Commission reports. Former state Senate leader Kevin De Leon, the best known of the more than 30 people who will appear with Feinstein on the June primary ballot, raised just $575,991 in that same period, bringing his cash on hand to $672,331, according to his quarterly FEC report. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump has met his match, says Gov. Jerry Brown in promoting climate action on a quick trip to Canada By John Myers (Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press) Gov. Jerry Brown told a Canadian audience Monday that he believes President Trumps efforts to reverse course on climate change policy are a momentary deviation as others in the United States seek limits on greenhouse gas emissions. Thats very temporary, I can assure you, Brown said at a joint event in Toronto with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. The governors quick international trip, announced only late last week, comes as Wynnes Liberal Party faces a stiff challenge in Junes election from the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and its leader, Doug Ford. Critics of Wynnes party have called for Ontario to pull out of the Western Climate Initiative, a cooperative agreement between three Canadian provinces and California on efforts to limit greenhouse gases. Brown sought to link the efforts of Canadian conservatives with Republicans in the United States who oppose existing climate change programs. In contrast, he told the audience, several GOP lawmakers voted last summer to renew Californias cap-and-trade program. I would say to the conservatives of Canada, wake up and see what your friends in California are doing, he said. The Democrat took particular notice of Trumps efforts to shift away from climate change policies from the administration of former President Obama, as well as a push by the Environmental Protection Agency to cancel Californias strict limits on automobile emissions. If Trump tries to change that, well have litigation well beyond his term in office, Brown said while also noting Chinese government efforts to produce more low-emissions vehicles. Between California and China, Trump has met his match. What hes saying is not going to happen. Many of the governors remarks, though, were aimed at the tough political situation in which Wynne finds herself with seven weeks to go before Ontarios parliamentary elections. Dangers abound, but success is right in our hands, Brown said. So dont blow it! Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California voters are getting to know the states attorney general through his aggressive stance challenging Trump By Patrick McGreevy Less than two months from his first statewide election, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra has become adept not only at challenging President Trump but at using the bully pulpit of his office to raise his profile with voters. The aggressive effort may help boost the former Los Angeles congressmans chances at winning a full term in office this fall, almost two years after he was appointed to replace Sen. Kamala Harris in 2017. Appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown, Becerra took office as attorney general four days after Trumps inauguration. Thats afforded him an opportunity to get in front of Californians and potential voters on an array of issues including immigration, healthcare and the environment. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Jerry Brown forms commission for 2020 census outreach By Melanie Mason In an effort to make sure California has a strong showing in the next national census, Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday established a state commission to prepare outreach for the decennial count. It is vitally important for California to do everything it can to ensure that every Californian is counted in the upcoming census, Brown said in a prepared statement. The commissions formation comes on the heels of a Trump administration plan to ask about citizenship status as a part of the census. State officials fear that such a question, which has not been asked in a census since 1950, could chill participation among California residents. That could result in the state losing billions of dollars in federal funds and a seat in Congress. The 23-member panel, appointed largely by Brown as well as picks by legislative leaders, comes from private- and public-sector backgrounds, including civil rights groups, religious institutions and educational institutions. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Garcetti kicks off Iowa visit with 2020 on his mind and a hardhat on his head LA Mayor - and 2020 prospect - Eric Garcetti makes his Iowa debut at the Carpenters Union Training Center. Fearlessly flaunts the never be photographed in head gear/safety glasses rule. pic.twitter.com/14bUOPXMvF Mark Z. Barabak (@markzbarabak) April 13, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Asm. Rocky Chavez takes the lead in race to replace Issa, while Doug Applegate slips By Joshua Stewart A new poll shows that Republican Assemblyman Rocky Chavez has taken a clear lead over 15 other candidates running to replace Rep. Darrell Issa in Congress and has overtaken Democrat Doug Applegate, the previous frontrunner. In a SurveyUSA poll by 10News and The San Diego Union-Tribune, Chavez, R-Oceanside, has support of 16 percent of likely voters, putting him ahead of Applegate, a lawyer, who was favored by 12 percent of voters and is in second place. The top two vote-getters in June, regardless of party, will proceed to a November runoff election. Competing with Applegate for the No. 2 spot is Democrat Mike Levin, also a lawyer, with support of 9 percent of voters. Several other candidates were right at his heels. Democratic Businessman Paul Kerr and Board of Equalization Member Diane Harkey, R-Dana Point, were tied for fourth at 8 percent each. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Pro-Kevin de Leon group launches ad castigating Dianne Feinstein By Seema Mehta A group that is supporting Kevin de Leons bid for the U.S. Senate launched a blistering ad against Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Thursday, questioning her progressive principles and tying her to President Trump. The ad buy from A Progressive California is minuscule $10,000 to air it in Los Angeles for one day on CNN and MSNBC during programming such as The Rachel Maddow Show, Hardball with Chris Matthews and Anderson Cooper 360. The minute-long ad features news clips about Feinstein not getting the California Democratic Party endorsement earlier this year, as well as footage of Feinstein saying that Trump can be a good president and appearing to share a laugh with Trump. That moment actually came during a White House meeting in the aftermath of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting when the president suggested an assault weapons ban should be included in a bipartisan bill to expand gun background checks. It also features extensive clips of de Leons speech at the state partys convention. De Leon, who just ended his final term as leader of the state Senate, announced last year he would run against fellow Democrat Feinstein as she seeks her fifth full term. Feinsteins longtime political advisor dismissed the ad, noting the size of the buy. Its not really a buy, said Bill Carrick. Ten thousand dollars in cable in L.A. Poof, its gone. Still, he said he planned to have the campaigns lawyers review the ad to see if it violates campaign law that limits what outside groups like A Progressive California can do. Such groups cannot coordinate with campaigns or candidates, and are limited in how much their messages can support a candidate. Ann Ravel, the former chair of the Federal Election Commission and the California Fair Political Practices Commission, said if the ad was in a state race, she is certain that the state commission would open an investigation into potential coordination with de Leons campaign because of the messaging and the types of footage in the ad. But the bipartisan federal commission cant agree on how to enforce the federal regulations, she said. The problem is [outside groups] understand that given the lack of very strong enforcement at the federal level, theres the ability to stretch the law, she said. A spokeswoman for the FEC declined to comment. Dave Jacobson, a spokesman for A Progressive California, disputed the suggestion that the ad violated campaign law. This frivolous allegation shows that Sen. Feinstein is afraid of the public seeing an ad which showcases her own words, that Donald Trump can be a good president, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Dispute over money emerges in campaign to repeal Californias gas tax increase By Patrick McGreevy A motorist prepares to gas up her vehicle in San Rafael, Calif., in 2015. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) A proposed initiative to repeal hikes to Californias gas tax has been caught in the middle of a dispute involving Republican rivals in the governors race. Assemblyman Travis Allen, a Republican candidate for governor, decided in January to drop plans for his own initiative and said he would urge supporters to sign a separate petition being supported by several Republican members of Congress. Then last week, the committee Allen formed to finance his ballot measure reported a $300,000 contribution from PISF Inc., a Novato, Calif., real estate firm. Now, an organizer of the still active Give Voters a Voice committee is urging the Allen committee to immediately donate their funds in support of the ongoing signature gathering efforts. There is only one gas tax repeal measure currently in circulation and that is the measure sponsored by the Give Voters a Voice Committee, said Dave Gilliard, a consultant to the group. PISF Inc., he said, gave to repeal taxes a When President Trump addressed congressional Republicans at their recent retreat, he marveled at how unified the party appeared, a great coming together, as Congress launches his 2018 agenda. But the presidents rosy outlook belied simmering tensions as the GOP majority charges into a daunting midterm election season with no clear strategy on Trumps priorities, such as infrastructure and immigration, and struggling over basic tasks, including preventing another shutdown when government funding expires Thursday. A controversial GOP memo alleging FBI surveillance abuses has unified and galvanized some Republicans, particularly in the House. But GOP senators are far less supportive of the memo, which the Justice Department has called inaccurate. And even House Republicans are uncomfortable with Trumps attempt to use the memo as evidence to shut down the probe into his campaigns possible collusion with Russia. GOP leaders say unity will be key if they are to hold onto their majorities in the House and Senate after November. Advertisement We were able to accomplish a lot last year when we functioned and worked as a team, said the third-ranking Republican, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota. If we want to get results this year, its going to require again for people to come together. Sometimes thats hard. Polling shows improvements in voter attitudes toward Republicans, particularly after the passage of the tax overhaul, narrowing what had been a widening gap in party preference before the fall elections. Democrats now have a negligible two-point edge over the GOP as the favored party, according to a Monmouth University poll. Scores of Republican retirements, particularly among seasoned lawmakers and committee chairmen, and Trumps disapproval ratings have put the partys control of the House at risk. At the same time, a handful of Senate Democrats running for reelection no longer seem as endangered in conservative states that Trump won. While some voters are beginning to see benefits of the tax cuts, such as bonuses or extra money in paychecks, the law still has not given Republicans the boost they anticipated, especially in the suburban districts where campaign officials acknowledge Democrats can make gains. Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, is counting on turning those numbers around. The committee is pillorying a quip by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that the tax benefits amounted to crumbs she was comparing ordinary Americans benefits to the billions companies will reap to help win back independent voters. Weve got a lot of work to do to sell the tax reform package, Stivers acknowledged. Outside groups, including one aligned with House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), have already spent more than $20 million backing the GOP effort, with more expected. The crumbs comment is something we can use pretty effectively. But passage of the tax cuts may only take Republicans so far. Ryan was ridiculed for having heralded one anecdote, of a workers meager $1.50 weekly pay boost, as an example of the tax laws accomplishments for Americans. To be sure, Democrats have their own party divisions, fueled by an increasingly vibrant liberal wing that pushed Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) into last months three-day shutdown. More moderate lawmakers have no interest in repeating a shutdown Thursday, when a stopgap spending bill expires. Advertisement Democrats had been using the funding measure as leverage to force an immigration debate, as Congress wrestles over protections for young Dreamers, the immigrants who arrived illegally in the United States as children and are now facing deportation. Trump will end the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program next month, though a court order is keeping it in place temporarily. The White House offered its own immigration proposal a path to citizenship for 1.8 million young immigrants in exchange for $25 billion in border security measures, including parts of the border wall, and deep reductions in legal immigration of family members and those using a diversity lottery. But Trumps framework fell flat among both parties. Immigration wasnt even on the agenda at the GOP retreat, despite the president pumping up his plan and telling Republicans he wanted it brought up for a vote. Instead, Republicans have been working privately in groups, including in a coalition with Senate Democrats that is meeting again Monday, to float alternatives. Advertisement One potential compromise offered Monday by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) mirrors a bipartisan effort in the House that has growing support from moderates, though it has been panned by conservatives. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) acknowledged to reporters that on immigration, we wont have a single unified position. More pressing, House Republicans are likely to present another stopgap funding measure, with votes as soon as Tuesday, to keep the government running past this weeks deadline. This would be the fifth temporary funding bill in the current fiscal year, and lawmakers of both parties have tired of running federal offices on autopilot. Advertisement Moving from stopgap measure to stopgap measure is no way to govern, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah told reporters. Were disappointed in Congress that were potentially facing something like that. GOP leaders are confident they can rely on their majority to muscle another weeks-long bill through Congress, even if House Democrats object as some are likely to do as the DACA fix stalls. I dont see a government shutdown coming, said Sen. Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the Democratic whip, said Sunday on CNN. But restless rank-and-file lawmakers, particularly conservatives who want more spending cuts, may withhold their votes, putting passage in jeopardy. Advertisement Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said the group has grown weary of promises from leaders that their priorities will be tackled in the next round of budget talks. We have to break that cycle of dysfunction, Meadows said. Even if breaking that cycle of dysfunction sends us home. lisa.mascaro@latimes.com Twitter: @LisaMascaro Advertisement ALSO: Congress will try again on immigration reform but will this time be different? Trump is transforming the GOP against legal immigration. Will Congress follow? Is this small-town congressman from New Mexico tough enough to win Democrats the House majority? Advertisement UPDATES: 2:20 p.m.: This article was updated with comments by White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah. This article was originally published at 12:15 p.m. President Trumps claim of exoneration in the Russia investigation was undercut Sunday by several Republican lawmakers, including one who helped draft a controversial memo the president has embraced, alleging the FBI abused its surveillance powers. Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina said in an interview on CBS Face the Nation that the memo, spearheaded by the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), did not have any impact on the Russia probe. Gowdy is a member of the committee, and the only Republican on it whos read classified documents that are the basis of the disputed four-page memo. On Saturday, Trump had seized on the GOP memo, which was publicly released Friday after hed declassified it over Justice Department objections, as confirming his own repeated contention that the investigation led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III is a witch hunt. In a tweet from his Florida resort, the president declared that the memo totally vindicates him. Advertisement Even before seeing it, the president also reportedly told associates that the memo bolstered the case for ousting Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein, a Trump appointee who oversees Mueller. Democrats as well as some Republicans have warned that such a move could spark a constitutional crisis. Gowdy, a former federal prosecutor, said the material the FBI used to win a secret surveillance courts approval for its surveillance of former Trump campaign associate Carter Page did not prompt the bureaus wider look at whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election. Gowdy, who has announced plans to retire, also said he supports Mueller 100%" in conducting the probe. A fellow Republican congressman, interviewed on CNNs State of the Union, also said that the overall Russia investigation is a separate issue from matters addressed in the memo. Its more looking within the agencies, something we have oversight over, said Rep. Brad Wenstrup of Ohio. A third Republican on the committee, Rep. Will Hurd of Texas, also said he disagreed that the memo bolsters the case the White House has been making for months against the impartiality of Mueller. I dont believe this is an attack on Bob Mueller, Hurd said on ABCs This Week. Hurd, who formerly worked for the CIA, added, I would say that [the Justice Department] should continue doing their job. The comments from Hurd, Gowdy and Wenstrup were not only a break with Trumps stance, but with that of many House Republicans whove suggested the entire investigation is corrupted. The three lawmakers reflected the more measured stance of House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, who insisted on Friday that the memo isnt an indictment of the FBI and Justice, nor does it impugn Muellers probe or Rosenstein. Democrats again decried what they call Nunes politicization of intelligence in the memos release, saying Trumps allies were inappropriately trying to use it to discredit Rosenstein and by extension Mueller. It is the duty of Congress to focus on the Russia investigation and not cherry-pick facts in a bid to exonerate the president, Senate Minority Whip Richard J. Durbin of Illinois said on CNN. Advertisement The information, the facts, tell a totally different story than the narrative put forth by Nunes with the support of Republicans on the Intelligence Committee, Durbin said. Nunes has come under heavy criticism from some former intelligence community leaders, including ex-CIA director John Brennan, who on Sunday termed the memo appalling. Speaking on NBCs Meet the Press, Brennan said Nunes had abused the chairmanship of the House Intelligence Committee. The committees ranking Democrat, Adam B. Schiff of Burbank, who is trying to win public release of a 10-page Democratic rebuttal to the memo, on Sunday said the Nunes-backed document was not a legitimate attempt to exercise congressional oversight of law enforcement. The interest wasnt oversight, Schiff said on This Week. The interest was a political hit job on the FBI in service of the president. Advertisement A former senior Trump aide, meanwhile, disputed news reports that the president had ordered Mueller fired last year but was dissuaded by White House counsel Don McGahn, who threatened to quit rather than carry out the order. Former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, who was pushed out in July, was still at his post in June when Trump was reported to have given the order. Priebus, interviewed on Meet the Press, said he never heard of any such contention. I never felt that the president was going to fire the special counsel, Priebus said. Many associates have implored Trump to stop talking and tweeting about the Mueller investigation, fearing his public statements offer ammunition to the special counsel in building a case of obstruction of justice. Advertisement Last month, the president startled aides with an off-the-cuff declaration to reporters that he was willing to be interviewed under oath. His lawyers quickly stepped in to say that would need to be negotiated. laura.king@latimes.com @laurakingLAT Susan Kennedy, the former top aide to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, has agreed to pay $32,500 in fines for shadow lobbying, or advocating for clients before a state agency without registering as a lobbyist, according to documents released Monday. The state Fair Political Practices Commissions enforcement staff says Kennedy failed to register though she attempted to influence the California Public Utilities Commission from 2012 through 2014 on behalf of her clients, Lyft Inc. and San Gabriel Valley Water Co. Kennedy was paid $201,000 for the lobbying work. Kennedy served on the California Public Utilities Commission from 2003 to 2006. She was chief of staff to Schwarzenegger from 2007 to 2011 before she became a consultant. She signed an agreement with the FPPC enforcement staff admitting to the violations of the state Political Reform Act. Advertisement In this case, the violations were serious since the public and other interested parties were not informed of Kennedys lobbying activity, the agreement says. While Kennedy maintains she did not intend to qualify as a lobbyist, given her experience and sophistication, she should have been aware at the time that her activity qualified as lobbying. The agreement and fines are expected to be approved by the Fair Political Practices Commission on Feb. 15. The panel has been investigating shadow lobbying for years at the state Capitol and has fined others who have tried to secretly influence state government. The state defines a lobbyist as someone who receives $2,000 or more in a calendar month to communicate directly, or through an agent, with state officials for the purpose of influencing legislative or administrative action. Such people must register as lobbyists with the state and periodically report who is paying them, how much and for what purpose. Kennedy failed to register and disclose her payments, resulting in eight violations of the Political Reform Act. In 2012, Lyft Inc. gave Kennedy a $15,000-a-month contract to help strategic management of Lyfts public policy interests, the report said. Lyft and other ride-hailing firms including Uber were under the scrutiny of the PUC for operating without its approval at the time, and Lyft agreed to pay a fine of $20,000 for operating without the agencys authority. After being retained by Lyft, Kennedy contacted CPUC President Michael Peevey, Executive Director Paul Clanon and other staff to convince them that the state should work with the ride-hailing firms, not shut them down. Advertisement At Kennedys prodding, the California Public Utilities Commission decided to adopt rules on the new industry regarding liability insurance, driver licensing and background checks, driver training programs and vehicle inspections. James C. Harrison, an attorney for Kennedy, said she moved immediately once the discrepancy was identified to provide the necessary information requested by the FPPC. Integrity and character are hallmark principles in how Kennedy conducts herself in business, which is why she is acting swiftly and looks forward to its resolution. Updates from Sacramento patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com Advertisement Twitter: @mcgreevy99 UPDATES: 3:15 p.m.: This article was updated to provide total amount of fines and a comment from Kennedys attorney, James C. Harrison. Advertisement This article was originally posted at 2:20 p.m. On Feb. 3 hundreds of people descended on Main Beach in Laguna Beach to protest the Trump administrations call for offshore oil drilling. Having served as the coordinator of the No on Offshore Oil Drilling coalition of cities and the county in 1985, I have a deep appreciation for the task these protesters are facing now. Our campaign started with the cities of San Clemente, Laguna, Newport Beach and Huntington Beach joining forces with the Orange County Board of Supervisors in total opposition to the Reagan administrations plan to open up the coastline to massive drilling. By the time Donald Hodel, the secretary of the Interior, arrived in Newport Beach for a public hearing, more than 20 Republican mayors and all five GOP supervisors publicly denounced the plan. I vividly remember Harriett Wieder, then-chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, dumping 14,000 postcards in front of the secretary. In order to shut down the Trump administrations plan to drill off our coast, it is going to take more than a coalition of elected officials this time around. Surfrider Foundation and others are going to need key business leaders in the county to work their back channels and communicate directly with the White House. Thats what happened more than 30 years ago. Offshore oil drilling not only poses an immediate risk to sea life along the coast, it also can cause longterm, serious economic chaos for the county. Lest anyone forget, if O.C. beaches are closed due to an oil spill, hundreds of thousands of tourists, spending billions of dollars locally, will find another place to visit for the day or vacation for a week. A far as we were concerned in 1985, that simply wasnt an ecological or financial risk anyone was willing to take. My hope is that same reaction still is true today. Denny Freidenrich Laguna Beach Process will stifle action on toilets for the homeless Re: Bathroom proposal requires more input: I disagree with Costa Mesa council candidate Brett Eckles assessment of the need for an extensive community input process. This would only delay any action on a pressing need. Further, I was disappointed that Mr. Eckles so broadly dismissed the organized efforts the city is making to help the homeless, calling the proposal for portable toilets a piecemeal approach. Costa Mesas Network for Homeless Solutions has been active in the community for some time. I do agree with Mr. Eckles that the bathrooms in Lions and Wilson parks should be re-opened under the same monitored conditions. I could not support a six-month period of community input for this matter. The toilets have been written about in the newspapers for some time, and further comments can be made at City Council meetings. Mr. Eckles seems to invoke a fear that our neighborhoods are going to be taken over by these portable toilets. Im sure they will be placed where they are most needed and not enough will be purchased to cover the city and invade our neighborhoods. Let our city get on with the task of helping the homeless rather than putting unnecessary roadblocks in the way. Margaret Mooney Costa Mesa Not-so-silent majority opposes over-development Re. Activists sometimes overlook property rights: In his letter to the editor, political donor Bob McCaffrey vilified activists as being anti-property rights and anti-development. However, he might be surprised at how much we have in common. For example, we both support property rights and sustainable development. If property has a specific development right delineated in the General Plan and zoning codes, we need to respect those rights. However, our opinions diverge from there. Mr. McCaffrey appears to feel that the term property rights is synonymous with build whatever you can get away with. I do not support this view, as evidenced by my vocal opposition to the Museum House and the latest high-rise condo tower, Koll Residences. The character of a city is the result of its General Plan, which determines the intensity of development and its zoning rules, which determines what buildings will look like. Our zoning rules should be consistently applied to all properties (unless unusual circumstances exist). We all benefit when the rules are applied consistently and equitably. When our city allows frequent exceptions to zoning rules, we end up with big-box houses that are not in character with their neighbors. When our City Council approves high-rise, high-density projects like the Museum House condo tower, our city creeps ever closer to looking like Miami. Mr. McCaffreys views will likely influence the Team Newport City Council members more than my own, given his extremely generous support of their election campaigns, but I hope that giving voice to the not-so-silent majority in our city who are concerned about over-development may someday level the playing field and result in a council that will hear my voice as clearly as his. Lynn Swain Newport Beach How to get published: Email us at dailypilot@latimes.com. All correspondence must include full name, hometown and phone number (for verification purposes). The Pilot reserves the right to edit all submissions for clarity and length. Many things can stand between a student and the ability to learn well. Physical causes are usually obvious, but emotional and social issues can be just as great barriers and are often harder to diagnose. As educators and parents, we all need to remember that we are working with a whole child. That means we need to teach not only the mind but also the social and emotional side of students. This can be a moving target. Which child do we have on our hands today? The kind gentle child, the raving banshee, or the quiet sullen sibling? Swings in mood are hardly unknown among healthy teens and preteens, but there is usually a degree of consistency. When the consistency is lacking, or the moods are extreme, its time for a closer look. Many factors can upset the emotional equilibrium, as pointed out in an Oct. 11 New York Times Magazine article, Why Are More American Teenagers Than Ever Suffering From Severe Anxiety? by Benoit Denizet-Lewis. (Excellent read, by the way.) When children are concerned about mom and dads relationship, a dying relative or pet, or have a sense of being bullied, its going to be very hard for them to stay focused on schoolwork. And dont underestimate the impact if they sense a lack of friendships or feel they are outsiders. Research has shown that a lack of good friendships is one of the biggest causes for emotional distress in young people today. What are some of the signs your son or daughter may have an emotional problem rather than a learning disability? Lack of interest in things that used to interest them, trouble focusing, an abrupt change in friends, trouble sleeping or being restless, appearing more angry or frustrated, coming home late without calling, a blatant disregard for house rules, isolating themselves, and of course greater alcohol and drug involvement. When there is an emotional or social problem affecting school, all the learning aides and tutors wont help because it is not an educational issue. So what do you do? A good first step is contacting a school counselor, letting them know what you think, and seeing if they concur, based on their observations. An alternative is to contact a licensed therapist, seeking one who specializes in children and adolescents and the family. Cognitive therapy can help children and adolescents understand what they are thinking or feeling and how to change it. Finding the right therapeutic match isnt always easy. Personal referrals are a good start, but what works for one teen doesnt necessarily work for another, so dont hesitate to interview several until you find someone whos a good match. Give it some time. It can take a few weeks to establish a relationship, especially if the student isnt excited about going to a psychologist. With that said, the therapist should not make an endless project out of the patient. Once the emotional and social issues are addressed, your students education will get back on track. Children are pretty resilient, but they do best with your support, guidance and love. ROBERT FRANK is the executive director of the Hillside School and Learning Center in La Canada. He holds a masters of science degree in special education and has more than 40 years of teaching experience. His column appears on the last Thursday of each month. He can be reached at frank@hillsideforsuccess.org. Last week I attended an Eagle Court of Honor at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, for JPL Boy Scout Troop 509. This ritual, a rite of passage, marked the transition from adolescence to adulthood. There is something ceremonial about nearing adulthood. The Court of Honor is an initiation, a mentorship where boys begin to understand what is sacred about becoming a man. At the court, they embrace the ethos of an Eagle Scout, appreciate their unique mission in life and realize what is entailed in serving family and community rather than self. Through the acceptance of the Eagle Ethos, they master their place in the order of things, the possibilities of their own greatness and the true limits of their own reach. They also learn what an empowering gift their own feelings can be. The rite of passage has dominated the evolution of civilization. In The Odyssey, one reads of Odysseus 500-mile journey from Troy to Ithaca. Odysseus travels for 10 years to reunite with his wife Penelope and undergoes constant challenges. Zeus gives Hercules 12 labors, which he must accomplish to become the most renowned hero. The timeless myths of King Arthur are steeped with the understanding of the rite of passage. Philosopher Joseph Campbell depicts this evolution as the Heros Journey. During the evening, younger boys were first recognized as they transitioned through the ranks of Tenderfoot, Second-Class, First-Class, Star, Life and Eagle. As they each came to the stage, I saw the sense of accomplishment in their eyes. Gayle Hagegard, the assistant scoutmaster of Troop 509, should be acknowledged for her encouraging mentorship as she guided John Moore and Joshua Perkins through the laborious process of the Eagle quest. As John and Joshua transitioned through the ranks, accumulated merit badges and leadership billets, they in essence were following their heroes journey. Joshua Perkins presented a mentorship pin to Nigel Angold for his role in helping Joshua surmount the challenges during his Eagle quest. John Moore presented his pin to David Van Slooten, the former scoutmaster of Troop 398 known for his exemplary service to young men. During the Eagle Court, each boy presents a film and slide show depicting their transition during their years of Scouting. It was interesting to view their evolution from mere children to adults on stage. I was very impressed by Joshua Perkins fathers remarks, when he revealed to the audience his boy is the best man he knows. On a humorous note, there were assorted technical difficulties while attempts were made to screen the films. Bruce Goldstein, an assistant scoutmaster, tried to correct the problem. Dave Walton quipped, Is there a rocket scientist in the house? I put much credence into the essence of an Eagle Scout, and I hope that John and Joshua will live up to the mythology of Eagle. I never made it to Eagle; I got as far as Life Scout. I wish I could have expressed to all the younger boys at the ceremony that they need to see the forest through the trees and go all the way. When I was a young lieutenant in Vietnam, invariably we would get replacements fresh from the States. As the platoon commander, I interviewed each Marine. I would ask if they were an Eagle Scout. I would typically develop those who were to be fire-team and squad leaders. Perhaps achieving the rank of Eagle Scout offers just another way to determine the measure of a man. John and Joshua, well done. Continue to soar in life. JOE PUGLIA is a practicing counselor, a retired professor of education and a former officer in the Marines. Reach him at doctorjoe@ymail.com. Visit his website at doctorjoe.us. Renowned American conservation investigator Esmond Bradley Martin, famed for his dangerous work uncovering illegal global trafficking of ivory and rhino horn, was stabbed to death over the weekend at his home in Kenya, the latest in a series of killings of high-profile environmental activists around the world. Police told local media the case was believed to be a robbery, though they did not make any arrests or identify any suspects. Authorities said a lock on the back gate of his house had been broken. Bradley Martin, 75, was known for his work infiltrating clandestine ivory and rhino horn markets, analyzing demand and prices for a product that has threatened elephants and rhinoceros with extinction. He was probably the single most knowledgeable person about both the ivory and rhino horn trade. He developed the methodology that many people use now, said Kenya-based American Dan Stiles, a wildlife trade expert and friend who had worked with Bradley Martin on reports quantifying the illegal wildlife trade. He cared about facts. He didnt care about opinions. Advertisement ENVIRONMENTAL WARRIORS: Defending the environment has become a suicide mission in many parts of the world His death comes amid an increase in killings of wildlife activists, rangers and conservationists. Last year, 197 people were killed standing up to governments and companies that confiscate land or harm the environment, according to a report last week from Global Witness. The group has documented a substantial increase in such killings total attacks last year had doubled from what they were five years ago. Attacks in 2017 leveled off for the first time in four consecutive years, their report said. Africa has been the scene of much of the violence. Of the 105 wildlife park rangers around the world killed over the 12 months that ended in July, most were in Africa, according to the nonprofit International Ranger Federation. In August, renowned South African elephant conservationist Wayne Lotter was killed in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Lotters work using intelligence to track poaching gangs helped bring about the arrests of several top poachers, and he faced a constant stream of death threats. Police have called Lotters killing a robbery. While Bradley Martins killing on the face of it resembles a home invasion robbery, friends and colleagues said it was too early to judge the motive for the crime. I dont think well ever know unless the perpetrators are caught, said Stiles. You never know. That might be framed up to look like a robbery and it was a hit. Bradley Martins work involved entering wildlife trafficking dens in such places as Yemen, Sudan and Asia, painstakingly counting the numbers of ivory and rhino horn items on sale, studying the prices, analyzing the buyers and the reason for demand. He sought out ivory and rhino horn traders, posing as a buyer, learning their secrets. Advertisement The only people who have the information I want are traders. I make a special effort to meet them and to socialize with them. I have been attacked for spending time with people when they are crooks, but where else do I get the information? he once told a journalist. He photographed shops with tourists gazing at piles of carved ivory beads, bangles and pendants. Esmond has been a towering figure since the 1980s in the first ivory poaching crisis that raged during the 70s and 80s and halved the population of Africas elephants. His work helped bring about the ivory trade ban, said Frank Pope, CEO of Save the Elephants, which has published a series of reports by Bradley Martin and longtime fellow researcher Lucy Vigne. Wildlife advocates say a number of recent arrests of top criminals in the global wildlife trafficking industry have made the situation even more dangerous for activists seeking to unmask them the stakes are now higher for those seeking to stop their work. Advertisement We are deeply saddened by the death of wildlife-trade researcher Esmond Bradley Martin who died yesterday in Nairobi. A long term ally for STE, passionate champion of wildlife and meticulous researcher, his loss will be deeply felt by all who knew him. https://t.co/8WUaOpdqmw pic.twitter.com/xBCNNDjUWQ Save the Elephants (@ste_kenya) February 5, 2018 Last year, Bradley Martin and Vigne traveled the jungles of northern Laos, where they spotted a gold Mercedes-Benz gliding up to a casino at a sprawling resort called Kings Romans on the banks of the Mekong River an indication of the spectacular wealth at play in an area known for illegal wildlife trafficking. Their report, published by Save the Elephants, found that Laos is the fastest-growing illegal ivory market in the world: As China has clamped down on illegal ivory, the trade has shifted there and to neighboring countries including Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar. In Laos there are these strange no mans lands where Chinese businessmen have bought up sections of the jungle and have turned them into little enclaves that are run on Beijing time, they run on Chinese currency and they are dens of iniquity for the kind of visitors from China who want to indulge in things theyre not allowed to do back home. So a lot of drugs, a lot of prostitution, a lot of gambling and a lot of wildlife trade, Pope said. Advertisement Bradley Martin and Vigne, the only Westerners in sight, stuck out like sore thumbs, he said. Thats the only time Ive ever heard Esmond say that he felt very threatened. They had people watching them, they had people following them, said Pope. His last investigation trip was a visit to Myanmar to study the ivory trade. Stiles met him just days ago, when they discussed the research each was doing there. The work was dangerous and intense, according to Stiles, who also visited the area recently. Hed found that the ivory was going right to the border of China. These Wild West towns spring up, where all kinds of illegal activity occur, Stiles said. Advertisement The U.S. ambassador to Kenya, Robert F. Godec, said Bradley Martins killing was a tragedy for Kenya and the world. Esmond was a true giant of conservation and a champion for African elephants and rhinos. His extraordinary research had a profound impact and advanced efforts to combat illegal wildlife trafficking across the planet, he said in a statement. robyn.dixon@latimes.com Twitter: @RobynDixon_LAT President Trump has a way of bringing Britons together. He united them in outrage when he retweeted anti-Muslim videos posted by a far-right British party. He galvanized popular support for Londons mayor when he accused the mayor of not taking terror threats seriously even as London was recovering from a deadly terror strike. And following a visit to the White House last year, Prime Minister Theresa May was mercilessly mocked in the British press for appearing overly sycophantic toward Trump, to the point of walking hand-in-hand with him. Now comes a presidential broadside against Britains National Health Service and Britons, by and large, are having none of it. After large-scale weekend protests in London demanding improvements and better funding for the public health service, which offers most medical treatments free of charge or at low cost, Trump tweeted Monday morning that the NHS was going broke and not working. Advertisement The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working. Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2018 The president, who has sought to scrap the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, one of his predecessors signature achievements, accused rival Democrats in the U.S. of pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK. Characterizing the protests as a call to get rid of NHS altogether, Trump said of any move to provide single-payer care for Americans: No thanks! Virtually no one in Britain considers the NHS perfect: The need for urgent reforms, such as reducing waiting times and adding doctors and hospital beds, was the declared point of the weekend demonstrations. But Trumps critique touched a raw nerve in a country that considers universal access to medical services to be something akin to a national treasure, under a system created just after World War II and now relied on by millions of people. After Trumps tweet, Britons went on social media and related personal stories of having received free or low-cost medical treatment for debilitating or life-threatening ailments, and denounced a U.S. system under which serious illness can lead to bankruptcy or death or both. Others pointed to Britains lower healthcare costs and longer life expectancy when compared with the United States. All due respect, sir, its working for me, filmmaker Colin Trevorrow tweeted from an NHS hospital, where he said he was recovering from an emergency appendectomy. He described his care as excellent. Another Twitter user whose handle is David Ellis wrote: I was born with a rare heart defect that would have killed me without NHS treatment. May has generally been reluctant to criticize Trump, with aides citing the longstanding special relationship with Washington, Britains closest ally, and noting Britains hopes of forging a strong trade relationship with the United States following a planned exit from the European Union. But May said through a spokesman that she was proud of our NHS and extolled the healthcare systems top world ranking. Advertisement May also publicly backed her health minister, Jeremy Hunt, who had earlier said on Twitter that he disagreed with some of the marchers, but not ONE of them wants to live in a system where 28m people have no cover. He added: NHS may have challenges but Im proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance. Similar views came from across the political spectrum. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition Labor Party, flatly declared Trump wrong and said people were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories Mays Conservative Party are doing to it. Like so many Trump tweets attacking something or someone, this one appeared to have been inspired by cable television, specifically Fox News. Before the president took to Twitter, Nigel Farage a right-wing politician and broadcaster who is an ardent Trump supporter appeared in a segment in which he castigated the health service as being pretty much at a breaking point. Touching on another favorite Trump theme, Farage once touted by Trump as a good choice to be the United Kingdoms ambassador to Washington, an idea Mays government politely ignored -- blamed the burdens placed on the healthcare system on the governments immigration policies. Advertisement Public opinion polls have consistently shown Trump to be a highly unpopular figure in Britain, and fear of hostile crowds may be one reason the president has yet to go to the country -- an unusual omission for a U.S. leader after more than a year in office. Last year, almost as soon as Trump was inaugurated, May was sharply criticized at home for inviting him to pay a state visit, a ceremonial, pomp-filled affair that would likely involve an audience with Queen Elizabeth II. Distaste grew in Britain when Trump launched Twitter attacks against Londons mayor, Sadiq Khan, after a terror attack in and near Londons Borough Market in June that killed eight people. In November, he told May, in essence, to mind her own business when her spokesman condemned the presidents retweet of virulently anti-Muslim videos posted by the extreme nationalist party Britain First. Theresa May, dont focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom! Trump wrote on Twitter. Both sides say a state visit will happen, but have not said when. Trump in January passed up a chance to visit London and inaugurate the new U.S. Embassy, complaining on Twitter that the new diplomatic facility was overpriced and located in an unsuitable neighborhood. He blamed that on former President Obama, although the deal to move the previous embassy, which was deemed too difficult to adequately protect, was made under the George W. Bush administration. Advertisement Another potentially awkward moment in U.S.-British ties awaits in May, when Prince Harry will marry American actress Meghan Markle, royal nuptials being depicted on both sides of the Atlantic as a swoon-worthy social event. Harry is friendly with Obama, and British tabloids speculated the prince would want to include the former first couple on the guest list, but had likely come under pressure from the palace to invite Trump and his wife, Melania, instead. Trump said last month in an interview with Piers Morgan that he didnt know if he was being invited to the wedding. laura.king@latimes.com @laurakingLAT At first glance, there is little indication of the vicious fighting that took place here. Gone are the barriers at the exit of the market, Souk al Zarb. The citadels courtyard, once a no mans land of dueling snipers, now is full of people taking selfies before a large #Believe_In_Aleppo sign. Instead of a haunting silence, there is the quotidian hum of traffic. But its immediately clear from the picture of Syrian President Bashar Assad hanging from the ramparts of the citadels tower who won the battle for this city, and perhaps the war that has engulfed Syria for seven years. Only when you look beyond the square, at the mountain of rubble that was the Carlton Hotel, or the hollowed-out remains of the historic municipal headquarters, the Grand Serail, do you begin to see the cost of that victory. Advertisement It has now been more than a year since the rebels who seized much of what was Syrias largest city were finally driven out. The four-year battle came to be known as Syrias Stalingrad, and for those here now its conclusion celebrated by the people who blamed the rebels for the onset of a ruinous war, lamented by the ones who saw the oppositions defeat as the end of hope for Syrias future has left little time to contemplate the philosophical differences between the two sides. People here are struggling to rebuild shattered lives facing crippling power cuts, material shortages and a reconstruction process that seems to be held hostage to political maneuverings between the government and the international community. A third of the Old City quarter, a 1.4-square-mile labyrinth of elegant souks, was obliterated in the fighting; the rest was severely damaged. The area is now the focus of the governments most vigorous efforts to rebuild. Bulldozers rumble by the perimeter of the Umayyad mosque, clearing away a 15-foot layer of dirt and debris to reveal the arches of ancient shop fronts. Its painstaking work, said Abdul Qader Mughrabi, a bespectacled worker making his way through a newly opened path leading to Souk al Saboun. We have to gather the ancient rocks from the dirt. We cant lose any of them, said Mughrabi. In some cases, confined spaces must be cleared with hands and shovels when a bulldozer wont fit, or might inflict further damage. Within the mosque, a craftsman hunches over a worktable, delicately placing alternating pieces of light and dark wood to form octagonal shapes; they will eventually make up a large wooden hemisphere for the mosques arches. (Each covering takes a month to make. Ill need 12 of them, says the craftsman with a smile. I come out of here feeling dizzy.) Advertisement The government, in cooperation with the Aga Khan Foundation and Germanys official relief agency, the German Technical Cooperation Agency, has prioritized the mosques restoration. But the astronomical expense of the renovation for other ancient areas (liable to run in the tens of billions of dollars, sums the cash-strapped central government in Damascus does not have) means residents and business owners must pick up the tab. Over in the Old Citys Khan Kheirbek, Mahmoud Meimeh, a 60-year-old rug merchant, watches a workman strike an interior wall with a tooth-edged hammer, stamping the characteristic perforations in the stones face. The rebels burned down Meimehs shop within days of taking over. He left, but soon returned to open a shop for army soldiers fighting nearby. There were only 200 yards between us and the militants, he said, pointing to the other end of a walkway. Advertisement Now he is overseeing repair work in the area for a number of merchants. It takes us two months to fix each of these with six workers, and it costs roughly $8,000, says Meimeh, pulling at a brick. It easily gives way, crumbling to the ground. He sighs. I was a man of means, I used to have four shops, and now I have to remove dirt? The uprisings that swept through Syria in 2011 as part of the so-called Arab Spring were slow to come to Aleppo. The tribal tensions in the countrys south and the explosive sectarian mix that had turned Homs into a bloodbath were largely absent here. Advertisement Instead the fight here became a battle of haves vs. have-nots: Antebellum Aleppo was Syrias economic engine, with a moneyed merchant class fiercely proud of its entrepreneurial spirit and its rivalry with Damascus. But the opposition attracted those in the countryside who had been left out of the economic prosperity and political power. Rebel factions many of them Islamist marched on sprawling industrial complexes outside the city, and finally entered it in July 2012. They overran government positions and, at their peak, controlled 66 of the citys 106 neighborhoods. Eastern Aleppo was touted as the foundation of their vision for Syria. Meanwhile, both sides pummeled each other, the rebels with rockets, mortars and explosive gas canisters. The government added airstrikes to that mix. Whole neighborhoods became wastelands. More than 33,000 were estimated to have been killed; hundreds of thousands fled. Advertisement Those who stayed navigated between east and west Aleppo, scurrying behind streetwide shrouds draped between buildings (a foil for snipers) in neighborhoods like Bustan al Qasr, which became known as the passageway of death. Eventually even this passageway was closed, forcing residents on an 18-hour trek to traverse what had been once been a walk across the street. By the end of 2016, the rebels, fragmented and exhausted by a government siege aided by Russia and Iran, relinquished control of the city, ending a battle that had come to symbolize the terrible cost of the war. And Aleppo now is a city of contrasts. Markets are busy. In the Tilal street market, one seller hawks brightly colored lingerie, his voice roaring through the street above the noise of the bustling pedestrians. Advertisement Hardware stores do brisk business as customers flock in to repair busted equipment. The citys best-known food and sweets are omnipresent, a reminder that the citys syncretic cuisine is a result of successive invasions and migrations. Only a few checkpoints mark where the demarcation line between the government and rebel-held areas of the city used to be. A more potent reminder of the division is the devastation that lies on the side of the city once held by rebels. In some neighborhoods, returning families catch their children toying with bullet casings as big as their hands. They play among buildings pocked like blocks of Swiss cheese. But even here there is progress. More than 200,000 people have returned to eastern Aleppo, according to the United Nations, and in 2017 the governorate that includes Aleppo witnessed the largest number of returnees in the country. Advertisement A full engineering assessment of east Aleppos structures will be released soon, but for now aid groups have focused on the least damaged neighborhoods, providing light assistance for rehabilitation. That means plywood, tarps and other items of an emergency shelter response kit. In some cases the U.N. gives up to $1,500 to homeowners, but even that is barely enough for lasting repairs. The key is that its called rehabilitation, not reconstruction, and the difference is politically tricky. With the rebels militarily weak, Assads Western and regional foes see offers of help in reconstruction, and the enormous funds it requires, as the only leverage they have to wring concessions from Damascus. Advertisement Sanctions have snarled rebuilding efforts too, with Syrian businesses unable to import many items or even pay for them in the first place. And although all is calm in Aleppo, the war isnt far away. A few dozen miles to the northwest and southwest there is still fighting and the legacy of that fighting is never far from peoples minds. Peoples psychology has changed. You just dont feel comfortable when you see the destruction, said Ahmad Bateetah, a 21-year-old law student working at the Khan Kheirbek. Were not like we were. Advertisement Bulos is a special correspondent. Twitter: @nabihbulos In a demonstration of the sometimes fleeting nature of populist power and political alliances, Ecuadoreans overwhelmingly voted Sunday to limit presidents to two terms, ending the chances of a return to office by the onetime popular Rafael Correa. The passage of the initiative put forward by President Lenin Moreno essentially ends the aspirations of his predecessor and former patron, Correa, who prodded the congress in December 2015 to legalize unlimited presidential runs, leaving open the possibility of a return to power. But much has changed in Ecuador since Moreno succeeded Correa in May. Correa once commanded a large and devoted following but has fallen from grace, as have many populist leaders in Latin America. (Just last month former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was sentenced to 12 years in prison for corruption.) In Ecuador, an economic crisis has deepened and Moreno blamed the huge debts taken on during Correas 10 years in office as the primary cause. Advertisement Most of the loans came from China in exchange for future deliveries of Ecuadorean crude oil. Correa kept specific amounts of the loans shrouded in secrecy, but Moreno has lifted the veil, revealing over the summer that Ecuador owed the Chinese about 500 million barrels of crude, the equivalent of three years production. In Sundays balloting a yes vote meant ending unlimited reelections for president. The yes side carried 64% of the vote. Voting yes is an opportunity to be part of the change because we cant continue with the same model of government of Rafael Correa who left the country broke, said Marjorie Chavez, a 35-year-old attorney, before voting in Quito, the capital. Morenos oil minister, Carlos Perez, recently told the nation the shocking truth: that 97% of Ecuadors 2018 oil production, the countrys leading export, is being shipped to Asia to reduce red ink. China isnt the only creditor: Petroecuador, the state-owned oil company, owed hundreds of millions of dollars to contractors including Schlumberger, the oil field services firm based in France and Texas. The criticisms of Moreno, who served as vice president under Correa from 2007 to 2013, ended his friendship with the man who handpicked him as his successor. Their back-and-forth accusations have led to bitter acrimony aired out during the campaign leading up to Sundays vote. Correas once-high poll numbers have also been beset by scandal. A former vice president, Jorge Glas, recently was sentenced to six years in prison after he was convicted of taking bribes from the disgraced Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht. On Wednesday, as Correa gave a radio interview in the small town of Quininde, 75 miles northwest of Quito, Moreno supporters surrounded the station and threw garbage as the ex-president tried to leave. He was forced to remain inside for five hours, until police were able to escort him out. Advertisement Correas reversal of fortune resembles the falls taken by other populist Latin American leaders in recent elections. Their costly social programs, such as those supported by oil revenue in Venezuela, have been undercut by plunging prices of commodities that once made them feasible. Before Correa came to power in 2007, Ecuadors presidents were limited to a single four-year term. But midway through his first term, Correa engineered a constitutional change that allowed more runs for office. He chose to not run again in 2017. Voters line up to cast ballots in the town of Cangahua, northeast of Quito, Ecuador. (Juan Ruiz / AFP/Getty Images ) On Sunday, heavy turnout was reported among the 13 million Ecuadoreans eligible to cast ballots. In addition to striking down indefinite reelection, voters also opted to terminate two other Correa-era laws. Advertisement One law dealt with the Council of Citizen Participation and Social Control, widely seen as a vehicle to place Correa partisans in key regulatory and judicial posts. The other was a capital gains tax that was touted as a measure to limit real estate speculation but that has had the effect of reducing home sales by 60%. Im going to vote [to end unlimited reelection] because I think the last 10 years have been very bad for the country and that this new government can recover something, said Cecilia Tello, a 44-year-old commercial engineer, before voting. Ending unlimited reelection will also improve due process of law, generate more jobs and give families more security. Special correspondents Jaramillo Viteri and Kraul reported from Quito and Bogota, Colombia, respectively. Feb 5, 2018, 8:47am ET Tesla says Fremont safety benchmark now meets industry average The company says its latest incident rate is less than half the average reported by the factory\'s previous tenants, General Motors and Toyota. Tesla has reported progress in achieving safety goals at its Fremont, California, production facility. Using the standard Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) for comparison, Tesla's reported incidents dropped by 25 percent in 2017 and are now on par with the industry average. Safety in Fremont has been a controversial issue since the United Auto Workers launched a campaign to organize workers at the factory. Tesla has suggested that many previous media reports were part of an elaborate lobbying campaign, however the latest TRIR data from 2016 showed the California newcomer lagging behind its established Detroit peers. CEO Elon Musk has blamed the UAW for contributing to the factory's previous closure in 2010 when it was known as NUMMI and operated by a joint venture between General Motors and Toyota. Tesla's TRIR in 2017 was 6.2, less than half the six-year NUMMI average before closure. As Tesla's Model 3 production ramp-up falls behind schedule, the company is forced to use manual labor for many tasks that are intended to be performed by robots. The company expects the Model 3 to be a safer car to build, however, thanks to a consideration for ergonomics during the initial engineering process. The rookie automaker has promised to keep improving to make Fremont the safest automotive factory in the world. Work to replace a Hamilton Street bridge in Allentown has been pushed back a week. Work to replace the bridge that carries the four-lane Hamilton Street (Route 222) over Cedar Creek, between 20th and 21st streets, will now begin Feb. 12, according to a news release. One lane of traffic will be open in each direction during the project, which is expected to last through December 2018. Detours will be in place to allow drivers to access businesses on either side of the bridge, which is near Yocco's and the Hamilton Family Restaurant. Drivers headed southbound can use Yocco Drive to Reading Road to South 21st Street. Drivers headed northbound can use North 20th Street to West Linden Street to North Saint Elmo Street. The bridge project is part of the state's Rapid Bridge Replacement Project, which seeks to replace 558 aging bridges in three years across Pennsylvania. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. The state auditor general's office has begun a review of the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts after Bethlehem Area School District officials raised flags over the school's estimated $25 million construction. Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale announced the move to reporters Monday at the Lehigh County Government Center in Allentown. He said the review would cover July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2017. "We're beginning to audit the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts and one of the reasons we're doing this audit is the issue with their school construction," DePasquale said. "It really came to our attention about ... an alleged contract problem. So when we go in and do the audit, that's one of the things we're going to look at because it was a $25 million construction tab." Asked specifically what the team would be reviewing at the school, DePasquale vowed a "deep dive" that would be more extensive than normal and checked off a list of certain criteria. "We really go in and audit the whole school. We make sure that they're meeting the grades they're supposed to have, the academic performance, that there's an appropriate school safety program," he said. Although Bethlehem Area School District alerted his office to potential issues with the charter school construction costs two years ago, DePasquale said the review is just beginning now due to a lengthy statewide audit of school bus drivers driving buses after being convicted of felonies. "We make sure the teachers have the appropriate certification and certainly if there's a contract issue, we make sure that everything done with the contract in the school construction was done appropriately," he added. DePasquale didn't give a timeframe on when the audit might be completed, noting, "I never give my team a precise day when I want it done, I say 'I want it to be as thorough and accurate as possible.'" He said the team also is being directed to analyze the finances of the school and leasing arrangements. "I reserve the right to expand the scope based on what my team finds," he added. Afterward, the findings, DePasquale said, would be available on the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General's website, as well as released to the media and the schools. The charter school has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. "We are confident that the auditor general's findings will confirm that the school's administration continues to efficiently and effectively operate a charter high school that fosters a creative academic approach to learning and a development of talent in the arts," said attorney Marie McConnell, representing the charter school, on Monday. "Both Charter Arts and the Charter Arts Foundation have complied with all Pennsylvania laws and requirements in building a state-of-art facility that serves students throughout the Lehigh Valley and beyond." Red Flags The Bethlehem School District first raised concerns about the charter school's land deal in January 2016. The school board announced during its meeting it would be notifying DePasquale of what they thought was an alleged violation and potential conflict-of-interest claim with the project's contractor. The company that sold Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts its land gave the charter a $570,000 loan toward the purchase. The principal of that real estate company is the president and vice president of the contracting company that was awarded the $17.6 million bid to build the school, Superintendent Joseph Roy had said. Roy then argued the state charter school law may need clarification, saying, "They should be doing things according to the law and in the same way school districts are doing them." Public schools, according to Roy, must bid the four major components of a construction project separately and accept the lowest bid. That is for taxpayer protection and to keep costs down, he had said. If one contractor is awarded the entire job, they can then hire subcontractors, who could potentially charge less than the bid award and a contractor could pocket that money, Roy had said. Clarification needed The charter school has argued that since its foundation built and owns the new $25 million school, it was not subject to public school bidding laws. Charter Arts has requested the Pennsylvania Department of Education clarify if the state's charter school law would apply to a charter foundation. "There was no intention to avoid compliance," McConnell said, noting the school was transparent, contacting the state Department of Education with its plans and making public presentations. McConnell added the foundation sought four general contractor bids and received three responsive bids. The contractors were required to submit bids based on plans and specifications numbering about 1,000 pages. Of the three contractors who submitted bids, the lowest responsible bidder was chosen for the project, she said. In a letter to DePasquale, school district attorney Donald Spry argued the foundation is an extension of the school. The foundation would not exist without Charter Arts and the school guarantees the loans the foundation took out. Additionally, the charter's board appoints the majority of the foundation's board, he stated. If Bethlehem had raised these issues prior to the project being bid, Charter Arts would have followed the state charter law, McConnell contends in her letter sent to DePasquale. "The district is muddying the legal issue by adding serious, inaccurate allegations to its letter and passing on these allegations to the public," McConnell had written. The Charter Arts' foundation bought the property at Third and Polk streets on Dec. 27, 2013. The foundation made the purchase from Third and Polk Development LP, and the school was given a $570,000 seller's assist loan that was to be paid back in six months. The school's June 2014 audit found it still had not been repaid and that "no official repayment schedule has been set," according to Spry's letter. Records indicate the debt was satisfied on Dec. 27, 2015. Charter Arts awarded the school's construction bid to Bucks Development and Contracting Corp., whose president and vice president is Leo DeLong. DeLong is also the managing member of the company that executed the sale agreement with the school. Freelance photographer Mike Nester contributed to this report. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Stock Market News Commodities: Hedge funds, money managers trimmed net long crude positions 05-02-2018 07:13 Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk Stock Market News FTSE 100 movers: Kingfisher rallies on Homebase woes; Randgold loses its shine 05-02-2018 12:46 Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk Stock Market News Premaitha's IONA test given green light by Brazilian regulator 05-02-2018 11:11 Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk Stock Market News Trinity posts double-digit production boost thanks to workover projects 05-02-2018 12:07 Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk Stock Market News Vodafone and Liberty may finally agree European deal, analysts say 05-02-2018 11:44 Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk Two children pose for a photo during the Tang Paradise Spring Lantern Festival in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Feb. 3, 2018. The Spirng Lantern Festival kicked off Saturday presented over 100 lanterns to the tourists. (Xinhua/Shao Rui) 5 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] A man looks at a destroyed bus outside a forensic laboratory after it was hit by airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, on Feb. 4, 2018. Two people were killed Sunday when the Saudi-led coalition warplanes hit a forensic laboratory in Yemen's capital Sanaa. (Xinhua/Mohammed Mohammed) SANAA, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed Sunday when the Saudi-led coalition warplanes hit a forensic laboratory in Yemen's capital Sanaa, residents and a Xinhua photographer at the scene witnessed. Twenty others were wounded in the two airstrikes on the forensic laboratory building in the northern part of rebels-held Sanaa, the photographer said. Residents said that many civilians were among the casualties. Houthi officials who control the laboratory declined to comment. The attack was the latest in a series of airstrikes conducted by the U.S.-backed coalition air force since the start of the war in Yemen three years ago. On Jan. 22, a Saudi-led airstrike killed a family of seven in the Yemeni northern province of Saada, according to provincial security officials. The Saudi-led coalition has intervened in the Yemeni conflict since March 2015 in an attempt to roll back the Houthi militants and support the internationally-recognized President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was forced into exile by the Houthis. The war has killed over 10,000 Yemenis, mostly children, and displaced 3 million others, creating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. 6 1 [ Editor: meng ] CANBERRA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- An Australian parliamentary committee has unanimously recommended that the government should move to modernize the nation's electricity grid. The cross-party report, released on Monday, said that properly modernizing the grid in "a period of rapid transition" such as this one would improve "the security, reliability and affordability" of electricity as well as contributing to reducing Australia's emissions. State governments in both Victoria and South Australia have been working for more than a year to supplement their respective power grids as they shift from relying on coal-fired generators to renewable energy sources. Residents of both states have experienced blackouts this summer as the grid failed to keep up with demand in peak seasons. A separate report released by the McKell institute on Monday found that Australians could be paying 340 U.S. dollars more for electricity than what is considered "reasonable" by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Andrew Broad, chair of the Standing Committee on Environment and Energy, said that the nine-person committee was "determined to rise above the political fray and work in the national interest." "The Committee sought to make recommendations that cover a range of concerns including generation, better planning, transmission and distribution networks, updating market rules and resolving policy uncertainty," Broad said in a media release on Monday. The committee heard submissions from all six mainland Australian states and four members travelled to Germanyand the U.S. to learn how those countries dealt with managing grid modernization. "A clear theme in the evidence to inquiry was that policy uncertainty, particularly regarding emissions reduction, has affected investment in the electricity sector. The Committee considers that resolving policy uncertainty would be of enormous value," committee deputy chair Pat Conroy said. The report was released on the same day that the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Climate Council praised South Australia's partnership with Tesla, which will see the world's largest virtual power plant built in the state, as a game changer for the energy market. Xinhuanet Aussie government advised to bring electricity grid up to date Source: Xinhua2018-02-05 12:38:40 CANBERRA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- An Australian parliamentary committee has unanimously recommended that the government should move to modernize the nation's electricity grid. The cross-party report, released on Monday, said that properly modernizing the grid in "a period of rapid transition" such as this one would improve "the security, reliability and affordability" of electricity as well as contributing to reducing Australia's emissions. State governments in both Victoria and South Australia have been working for more than a year to supplement their respective power grids as they shift from relying on coal-fired generators to renewable energy sources. Residents of both states have experienced blackouts this summer as the grid failed to keep up with demand in peak seasons. A separate report released by the McKell institute on Monday found that Australians could be paying 340 U.S. dollars more for electricity than what is considered "reasonable" by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Andrew Broad, chair of the Standing Committee on Environment and Energy, said that the nine-person committee was "determined to rise above the political fray and work in the national interest." "The Committee sought to make recommendations that cover a range of concerns including generation, better planning, transmission and distribution networks, updating market rules and resolving policy uncertainty," Broad said in a media release on Monday. The committee heard submissions from all six mainland Australian states and four members travelled to Germanyand the U.S. to learn how those countries dealt with managing grid modernization. "A clear theme in the evidence to inquiry was that policy uncertainty, particularly regarding emissions reduction, has affected investment in the electricity sector. The Committee considers that resolving policy uncertainty would be of enormous value," committee deputy chair Pat Conroy said. The report was released on the same day that the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Climate Council praised South Australia's partnership with Tesla, which will see the world's largest virtual power plant built in the state, as a game changer for the energy market. [ Editor: meng ] YANGON, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A carton factory fire in an industrial zone in Myanmar's Yangon on Sunday afternoon has burned down 17 motor vehicles owned by the factory, local media reported Monday. The fire razed the Grand Harvest paper box factory in Shwe Lin Pan Industrial Zone in Hlaingtharyar township at 4:15 p.m. local time, the Voice quoted the police as saying. A total of 30 fire engines were used to fight the fire which was brought under control after one and a half hours' fight, making it possible to prevent other nearby wards from catching fire. No casualties were reported in the tragedy. However, investigation is being made into the cause of the fire and the loss is yet to be estimated, the report added. Earlier on the same day, a kitchen fire broke out in Dala township, burning down six residential houses, according to other reports. Xinhuanet Factory fire burns down 17 motor vehicles in Myanmar's Yangon Source: Xinhua2018-02-05 12:08:37 YANGON, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A carton factory fire in an industrial zone in Myanmar's Yangon on Sunday afternoon has burned down 17 motor vehicles owned by the factory, local media reported Monday. The fire razed the Grand Harvest paper box factory in Shwe Lin Pan Industrial Zone in Hlaingtharyar township at 4:15 p.m. local time, the Voice quoted the police as saying. A total of 30 fire engines were used to fight the fire which was brought under control after one and a half hours' fight, making it possible to prevent other nearby wards from catching fire. No casualties were reported in the tragedy. However, investigation is being made into the cause of the fire and the loss is yet to be estimated, the report added. Earlier on the same day, a kitchen fire broke out in Dala township, burning down six residential houses, according to other reports. [ Editor: meng ] A San Antonio federal grand jury has indicted a local man on charges that he defrauded Apache Corp. and Lone Star Bank in a scheme that caused the oil and gas exploration company to pay for the same work invoices multiple times. James Clyde Mann, 42, was charged in a 23-count indictment with bank fraud, mail fraud and wire fraud last month. He turned himself in Friday and, after his initial hearing, the charges were made public. Mann was released on a $50,000 unsecured bond and is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 15. His lawyer, John Convery, said Monday that his client didnt intend to defraud anybody. The charges stem from business relations. Work was certainly done and completed, Convery said. The issue is whether there was overbilling or multiple billing. We dont believe that he engaged in criminal conduct. Apache vice president Castlen Kennedy said in an email it is grateful for the efforts of the U.S. Attorneys office and the FBI. As evidenced with Mr. Mann, Apache will seek all legal redress available to it when it has been defrauded, including cooperating with the prosecuting authorities, Kennedy said. The indictment alleges that Mann, who worked for now-defunct Stag Energy Services, defrauded Houston-based Apache and Lone Star by submitting duplicate work tickets for the same services. That resulted in Stag getting paid twice, and even three times, for the same work, according to the indictment. Lone Star had entered into various agreements to ultimately purchase up to $2.5 million of Stags receivables for their face amount, less an approximately 2.5 percent service charge. Last month, Apache obtained a default judgment against Mann after he failed to appear for the civil case. Judge Antonia Arteaga ruled Apache should recover about $746,000 for fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud, along with about $254,000 in punitive damages and prejudgment interest of about $102 a day since April 30, 2014. To read the full report, click here to visit ExpressNews.com. pdanner@express-news.net | gcontreras@express-news.net Bad enough we grown-ups glue ourselves to our computers, mobile devices and televisions. Think about all the screen time our kids spend binging that new show they heard about at recess, snapping that umpteenth selfie for a text, and firing up JUST ONE MORE YouTube video before bath time. National Public Radio correspondent and mother Anya Kamenetz feels our pain. So much so that she penned the new book, The Art of Screen Time: How Your Family Can Balance Digital Media & Real Life (PublicAffairs, $27). After months of rumors and questions, Kylie Jenner has officially taken to Twitter to confirm her pregnancy and the birth of her daughter. The rumors that she and her boyfriend, Houston rapper Travis Scott were expecting started in September of 2017. Scott, whose real name is Jacques Webster, is a former University of Texas at San Antonio student. ANOTHER BABY: Kim Kardashian officially announces her baby girl's name On Feb. 4, Jenner shared two posts on Twitter and Instagram, one apologizing to fans for keeping them in the dark for so long, and another of a video to the baby sharing the story of Jenner's pregnancy. "My pregnancy was one I chose not to do in front of the world," she wrote in the post. "I knew for myself I needed to prepare for this role of a lifetime in the most positive, stress-free, and healthy way I knew how...I knew my baby would feel every stress and every emotion so I chose to do it this was for my little life and our happiness." Jenner also thanked her family and friends for their support in keeping the pregnancy private and called the experience "beautiful, empowering and life-changing." Fans could not be happier and are wishing the new mom many congratulations and blessings. The name for the new addition to the Kardashian/Jenner clan has not yet been revealed but based on other baby names in the family we can only guess it'll be something unique. Take a look through the gallery above to see how the Kardashian/Jenner family has changed over time. Daniela Sternitzky-Di Napoli is a digital producer at Chron.com. You can read more of her stories here and follow her on twitter at @Dani_DiNapoli. KENS-TV will wave goodbye to another on-air news personality next month, adding to the local news exodus in San Antonio over the past few months. Traffic anchor Chelsey Hernandez, a groundbreaker at the station during her three years there, in March will head to Houston, the seventh-largest TV market in the country. Shell be a consumer reporter and anchor at Disney-owned ABC affiliate KTRK in Houston. Working for KENS 5 over the last three years has been filled with endless opportunities and so many blessings. San Antonians and everyone in the viewing area are like family and its going to be bittersweet saying goodbye to a city Ive called home for seven years, Hernandez said in the emailed release. RELATED: Anchors who left San Antonio in 2017 According to a station news release, Hernandez, a graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio, became the first traffic reporter in San Antonio to deliver time-saving information for drivers in the afternoon newscasts. We are excited to see Chelsey take this great step forward in her career. She has really connected with the people of San Antonio, and Im confident shell have the same success in Houston, said Tom Cury, president and general manager for KENS. Hernandezs departure will spur a couple of other changes at KENS, as well. In Hernandezs final weeks with the station, she will appear on KENS morning news block while working with the stations newest traffic anchor, Niku Kazori, who joined KENS as a reporter in November. Kazori has been highly visible to viewers of late as the newswoman on the scene of the scandal-rich Uresti fraud trial and will begin her morning traffic duties in March. RELATED: Current and former San Antonio TV news anchors come clean: No makeup! Kazori attended the University of St. Thomas in her hometown of Houston. She then worked as a weather anchor in Lubbock and Charleston, South Carolina. Prior to joining KENS, she was a multimedia journalist and fill-in anchor in Knoxville, Tennessee. Niku brings great energy and passion to the job. Her personality will fit in well with our morning team, said Jack Acosta, KENS 5 executive news director, in the emailed release. Moving into Hernandezs slot on the 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. newscasts will be a veteran of news at KENS: morning traffic anchor and newscaster Stacia Willson. Jeanne Jakles column appears Thursdays and Sundays in mySA. | jjakle@express-news.net | @JakleJ YANGON, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Some 3,300 civilians, who were trapped in conflict zones in Myanmar's northern state of Kachin, have been rescued and sent back home by the military, Myanmar News Agency reported Monday. The Kachin Independence Army (KIA), one of the non-ceasefire signatories to Myanmar government's Nationwide Cease fire Accord (NCA), were attacking the regional military headquarters and some security camps in the Kachin state over the past week. Injuries have been reported as dozens of the armed militants fired with small arms and heavy guns about 2,300 meters away from the military headquarters in Moekaung township in Myitgyina. The firing occurred on a daily basis between Wednesday and Saturday. Meanwhile, conflicts were also reported between the military and the ethnic armed group in Sumprabum, Waingmaw and Tanai townships in the same state over the same period, trapping over 150 other civilians in Tanai but they have also been rescued and sent back home by the military, reports said. [ Editor: meng ] A Madrid family member may be getting back into the burger business. Diana Madrid, sister of the late Chris Madrid, who founded the iconic burger stand Chris Madrids in 1977, has filed an application with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission that was published in Mondays edition of the Express-News. The application stated it was for: a Mixed Beverage Permit by Diana Madrids LLC dba (doing business as) Diana Madrids burgers and salads. The property at 2202 N. Zarzamora in the Woodlawn Lake area is the former home of Burgers, Brews & Blues, which opened in late 2015 and closed recently. Madrid said she has yet to sign a lease with the landlord but decided to file the TABC paperwork early because of the potential length of the application process. There is a lot that still needs to be done and decided, said Madrid, who wouldnt confirm if the business would operate similarly to Chris Madrids. The original Chris Madrids location at 1900 Blanco was sold by the Madrid family to Richard Peacock, who also owns Paloma Blanca in Alamo Heights, last September. Shortly after, a fire heavily damaged the restaurant, forcing Peacock into a lengthy reconstruction process that isnt expected to be completed until at least June. For now, Peacock has transformed the parking area next door into a tented dining area serviced by a mobile kitchen. cblount@express-news.net | Twitter: @chuck_blount | Instagram: bbqdiver After a lengthy renovation process and social media teases that date back to 2015, Texas 46 BBQ is finally ready to showcase its smoked meats and sides this weekend with a soft opening. The sprawling Spring Branch property off Texas 46 can seat up to 300 patrons in indoor and outdoor areas. and touts itself as a place with quirky ambiance and roadhouse charm. SEOUL, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- South Koreaon Monday welcomed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s dispatch of its high-ranking delegation to the South Korea-hosted Winter Olympics set to kick off later this week. Baik Tae-hyun, Seoul's unification ministry spokesman, told a press briefing that the government hailed the visit by the DPRK's high-ranking delegation to South Korea, saying it will provide necessary accommodations and guarantee security during their stay. The DPRK notified South Korea Sunday night of its decision to send the delegation, led by Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, from Friday to Sunday. The DPRK delegation will include three delegates and 18 supporting officials. Who will be the three delegates was not known yet. The 23rd Winter Olympics will start from Friday at South Korea's eastern county of PyeongChang. Baik said the South Korean government will prepare to let the DPRK delegation attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics as well as other competitions and events, while preparing to make it possible for high-ranking officials from the two Koreas to hold talks. The spokesman expressed South Korea's anticipation that the DPRK delegation's visit to South Korea can make the PyeongChang Winter Olympics a successful "peace Olympic" while restoring inter-Korean relations and establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula. Meanwhile, the DPRK's art troupe planned to visit South Korea by sea for performances during the Winter Olympic period, Baik said. The DPRK notified South Korea of its plan to send the 140-member Samjiyon orchestra on the Mangyongbong-92 ferry Tuesday and use the ferry as an accommodation for the art troupe, the spokesman said. The Samjiyon orchestra will hold two concerts, including one in Gangneung, an eastern city near PyeongChang, on Thursday and the other in the capital Seoul on Sunday. During the high-level, inter-Korean talks in January, the DPRK agreed to dispatch its athletes, a cheering squad and an art troupe to the Winter Olympics. Xinhuanet S.Korea welcomes DPRK's dispatch of high-ranking delegation to Winter Olympics Source: Xinhua2018-02-05 11:18:28 SEOUL, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- South KoreaDPRK)'s dispatch of its high-ranking delegation to the South Korea-hosted Winter Olympics set to kick off later this week. Baik Tae-hyun, Seoul's unification ministry spokesman, told a press briefing that the government hailed the visit by the DPRK's high-ranking delegation to South Korea, saying it will provide necessary accommodations and guarantee security during their stay. The DPRK notified South Korea Sunday night of its decision to send the delegation, led by Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, from Friday to Sunday. The DPRK delegation will include three delegates and 18 supporting officials. Who will be the three delegates was not known yet. The 23rd Winter Olympics will start from Friday at South Korea's eastern county of PyeongChang. Baik said the South Korean government will prepare to let the DPRK delegation attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics as well as other competitions and events, while preparing to make it possible for high-ranking officials from the two Koreas to hold talks. The spokesman expressed South Korea's anticipation that the DPRK delegation's visit to South Korea can make the PyeongChang Winter Olympics a successful "peace Olympic" while restoring inter-Korean relations and establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula. Meanwhile, the DPRK's art troupe planned to visit South Korea by sea for performances during the Winter Olympic period, Baik said. The DPRK notified South Korea of its plan to send the 140-member Samjiyon orchestra on the Mangyongbong-92 ferry Tuesday and use the ferry as an accommodation for the art troupe, the spokesman said. The Samjiyon orchestra will hold two concerts, including one in Gangneung, an eastern city near PyeongChang, on Thursday and the other in the capital Seoul on Sunday. During the high-level, inter-Korean talks in January, the DPRK agreed to dispatch its athletes, a cheering squad and an art troupe to the Winter Olympics. [ Editor: ] Texas House District 18 candidates Ernest Bailes and Emily Cook vied for votes at a forum on Jan. 29 at the Coldspring Community Center. The forum began with Nick Carter of the San Jacinto County Republican Party discussing the importance of forums over debates, which he says ties into today's political discussions. "We've suddenly forgotten how to disagree without being disagreeable," he said. "When hate comes in, no one can communicate." The first question for the candidates regarded the organization known as Texas Right to Life, which has allegedly forwarded an exception to a ruling to ban all abortions after 20 weeks. The exception involves children with severe abnormalities, which in some instances can resort in death upon birth. The candidates were asked if they agreed with the policy, with Bailes responding first and making note that this topic is proving to be a mainstay of a campaign against him. "We passed the largest piece of pro-life legislation this last legislative session that has ever passed in the state of Texas," he said. Bailes is one of the joint authors to help write the bill in question. He stated he voted for every piece of pro-life legislation that came on the House floor. He says one amendment came in that addressed an issue where there is no chance for life outside of the womb. "I did vote to amend that particular bill," said Bailes, explaining that this is meant to have the issue properly addressed later down the line. Cook, who works with Texas Right to Life, says there must be a mistake regarding who forwarded the exception. "You must be confusing us with Texas Alliance for Life, which is a fake pro-life group out of Austin," she said. Cook says she wants to close the exception that is presented for the bill. "We are not allowed to make that decision on whether someone's life is worth living," she said. "That is simply not up to us." A series of questions followed this with one asking if the candidates would run as Democrats if it were the only way to get elected and another asking if Bailes or Cook would vote based on their personal beliefs or what the citizens wanted. Both candidates answered no to running as Democrats and also made points that being representatives means representing the people first. A couple of questions addressed property tax reform in the state of Texas and what the candidates planned to do to help beleaguered property owners. Cook said that if she is elected she will help beleaguered property owners. Bailes says he is already fighting for this as the HD 18 Representative and will continue to do so should he be reelected. The follow-up question stated that many Texans believe property tax reform means to stop taxing property so the owner can actually own it. Should that happen, what would the candidates do to fund schools without a property tax? "The state's not doing an adequate job of funding their commitment to public education," said Bailes. Bailes stated that a sales tax comes up often in discussions at the House but he notes that this comes with another set of issues. "There is no great fix," he said. "However, that's what we're trying to do." Cook says she is in favor of trying to find a more equitable system of taxing as she believes it will help future homeowners. "It's preventing young folks from buying their first home," she said. A question asked what the candidates plan to do to reform imminent domain to protect landowners. Bailes answered first by stating the House heard every testimony on this issue and are working to correct it. "We got about 80 percent of the issues addressed," he said. Bailes stated that anytime someone addresses imminent domain they are also addressing the railroads, the oil and gas industry and many more. "We have to be very careful on how we address these issues," he said. "I spent over 40 hours on that issue alone last session and we've already started that again." Cook believes that imminent domain is out of hand with the government not always addressing how it impacts property owners when it comes to compensation. "Too often folks are actually not paid for market value for their land," she said. Cook made a point that there are supreme court decisions that limit the ability to take one's land and she wants to protect landowners from future instances of imminent domain. The final question asked what the definition of campaign ethics is to the candidates and whether or not if they believed they were running an ethical campaign. "Campaign ethics is about telling the truth," said Cook. Cook states that it's also about a voting record and commented that there are decisions she disagrees with that were made by Bailes as a representative. "Talking about voting records is ethical," she said. According to Cook, her campaign does not condone misrepresentation of Bailes. "We've been very clear on that," she said. Bailes says he ran an ethical race in the last election and is doing so once again. "I never once put out or condoned my opponent's picture being skewed on a mail-out like I've had mine done several times," he said. "I've never once knocked on someone's door and said anything about my opponent." In closing, Bailes says it's important to represent rural east Texas values and conservative values in the Texas House. He states he will continue to work just as hard in the sessions to come. Cook addressed the comments about misrepresentation in her closing argument, noting that her campaign has not put out any sort of misrepresentation. She states she and the interest groups she is aligned with only want to protect human life, the people's income from taxation and property rights. Visitors to the annual Harmony School of Innovation Katy STEM Festival and open house learned how science could be fun. After swallowing helium from a balloon, Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Constable Wayne K. Thompson's voice sounded Donald Duck-esque while sulfur hexafluoride lowered the pitch of Tori MacFarlan, a staff person representing District 22 U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land, so that she sounded like Darth Vader. Both Jan. 27 presentations kicked off the festival under the supervision of Mehmet Gokcek, STEM/PBL curriculum specialist, Harmony Public Schools, who uses experiments to draw and keep the interest of students. Gokcek later explained how his experiments with Thompson and MacFarlan worked. "Humans make sound by using special muscles that vibrate vocal cords in a certain way as the air from out lungs exit the lungs," he said. "Helium is less dense, less heavy than air so it helps vocal cords vibrate more freely, which results in a high pitch voice just like Donald Duck. "Thanks to magic of science we can reverse this effect by using another specialty gas, sulfur hexafluoride. Unlike helium gas, sulfur hexafluoride is way heavier than air. So vocal cords cannot vibrate as much, which leads to a very deep; low pitch voice that helped Pete Olson's representative sound like Darth Vader," said Gokcek. "None of these science demonstrations should be conducted without proper expertise as well as adult supervision," he added. "When exploring the amazing world of science we should always pay utmost attention to safety procedures and guidelines." Part of his personal mission, Gokcek said, is to bring about the fun side of science to all Harmony campuses in Texas. "In today's hectic world, kids are exposed to very highly stimulating content over the Internet," he said. "My personal working with kids for years had led me to find engaging ways that can compete with that content. So that kids are more engaged in school and learning in general. After seeing jaw-dropping science experiments they begin to perceive school as a fun environment to be at and the science classroom as a place of wonders." Audience members shared that wonder at the festival as Gokcek gave a fire-breathing demonstration that he explained relies on basic principles of combustion of carbohydrates. "I have used a common cooking supply, corn starch, for this spectacular science experiment. When corn starch particles are exposed to open flame they reach a critical temperature that starts a chain reaction, then comes the big burst of flame through my mouth," said Gokcek, who used that flame to pop balloons held by the program's guests, including Thompson, MacFarlan and District 28 State Rep. John Zerwas, R-Richmond. Both Zerwas and Thompson offered encouragement to students. "I'm seeing tomorrow's leaders in here today," observed Thompson. "Never stop learning. Don't take no for an answer because you're too young. You're proving them wrong in this school." STEM exhibitors included ninth-grader Suvel Muttreja who discovered a need for his Science Quiz App after he looked and failed to find what he wanted. Interested in science since fifth grade, he said he felt he had accomplished what he set out to do with his project. His app "consists of quizzes and a tutorial video to practice the fundamentals of science as well as to learn the concepts in a fun and interactive way." While his software is compatible with both Windows, Mac OS and Linux, he said he wants to take it further and make it available to other devices such as smart phones. Gokcek called the Katy STEM festival a success. "I strongly believe STEM Festivals play a key role in promoting STEM education not only in schools but also within our communities." Esmond Martin, an American investigator who spent years going undercover to expose the worldwide ivory trade from slaughter to marketplace, was found stabbed to death on Sunday inside his Nairobi home. Police in Kenya haven't made an arrest or released the name of a suspect, according to The Associated Press. They said it appears Martin, 75, was the victim of a botched robbery, but the investigation into his death continues. Martin's wife, Chryssee, was worried after Martin didn't respond to phone calls and went to check on him at their home in the Lang'ata suburb southwest of the city's business district. She found him in the afternoon, dead on the bed with a stab wound to the neck, authorities said. He had recently returned from a trip to Myanmar, according to the BBC, and was writing up his findings on the ivory trade there. It was word he'd been doing for decades: putting his life at risk to document the illegal sale of elephant ivory and rhino horn in Vietnam, Laos, China, African nations and the United States. He had been a United Nations special envoy for rhino conservation and had published reports funded by Save the Elephants. He often posed as a buyer, haggling with vendors to try to ascertain market prices for ivory, rhino horns and the things made from them. He watched as Chinese mine workers in Africa purchased ivory chopsticks and carvers in other countries fashioned ornate sculptures out of tusks, documenting illegal actions involving ivory that had slipped through borders. Martin took detailed photos of ivory shops and illegal carvings, meticulously documenting the trade that has been decimating populations of elephants and rhinos. According to the AP, syndicates from China, Vietnam, South Korea and Thailand have long been involved in the trafficking. As news of his death rocketed around the world, condolences poured in from others fighting similar conservation fights. Paula Kahumbu, the chief executive of WildlifeDirect and chair of the National Museums of Kenya, tweeted that Martin was "a global authority" on the illicit trade. A century ago, there were 5 million elephants roaming the plains and forests of Africa. Now fewer than 400,000 remain, devastated by poaching and the destruction of their natural habitats, the AP reported. Rhinos have had a similar fate. Less than 30,000 remain in the wild. For Martin, it was no secret where all that ivory was going. But he and his collaborators provided something that could motivate governments, policymakers and concerned citizens to act: detailed evidence and a road map of the trade. He told NPR in 2012 that he found nearly 4,000 illegal ivory pieces for sale in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. That's twice as much as he'd found in a similar survey a decade earlier. A recent report about the ivory trade in Laos gave a glimpse into how meticulous Martin's ivory research was. "We learned about where the ivory was being carved and processed and by whom," he wrote in the report for Save the Elephants co-authored by Lucy Vigne. "We visited towns and casino areas where we suspected there was trade in ivory to survey the retail outlets and ivory items on view for sale . . . We learned about the ivory trade from carvers, middlemen and vendors in shops selling ivory." Martin had been involved in conservation and research for the last half-century, and had increasingly focused on the supply side of the ivory and rhino horn market, hoping that decreasing demand for the products would ultimately help save animals. The efforts appeared to be working. Last year, China banned the ivory trade there, something The Washington Post's Simon Denyer said "has thrown a lifeline to African elephants and brought new hope in the battle to end the poaching of tens of thousands of animals every year for their tusks." The government closed nearly 200 ivory-carving workshops and retail outlets. "With the end of the legal ivory trade in China, the survival chances for elephants have distinctly improved," Esmond told the Star, a Nairobi-based newspaper, last year. WASHINGTON - House Republican leaders are proposing a long-term boost to military funding in a bill that would give other federal agencies only a short-term extension of current spending levels, a move that stands to heighten tension with Democrats and complicate plans to keep the government open past Thursday. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., pitched the plan to his GOP colleagues in a closed-door meeting Monday. The bill, set for a vote on Tuesday, would increase Pentagon funding by about $30 billion, to $584 billion, breaking existing spending caps as well as making funding available through September. The rest of the government would continue to be funded at 2017 levels through March 23. The spending bill would also provide two years of funding for the federal community health center program, which lapsed last year and is at risk of running out of spending authority, and would also extend several other programs. While House GOP leaders are confident the bill will pass their chamber with Republican votes, it is likely to be dead on arrival in the Senate. Democrats have refused to sign on to any defense spending increase absent an agreement to bolster non-defense spending alongside it. The budget agreement has also been stalled by unrelated policy disputes, primarily over immigration. "We want to fund defense, absolutely, but we also want to fund programs that help the middle class, like education, like infrastructure, like scientific research," Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said Monday. "We're standing up and saying we must do both. That's how this body works." The House's move is calibrated to both appease conservative lawmakers who have become increasingly frustrated at the string of temporary spending measures and to also nudge senators to boost defense funding. "It's time for the Senate to take action," said House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La. Government funding is set to run out Thursday at midnight, and though there were few fears of another shutdown as lawmakers scrambled Monday, the House maneuver stands to inject new uncertainty into the process. The House is set to vote Tuesday on its spending bill, sending it to the Senate, then recess for the week so Democrats can head to Maryland's Eastern Shore for their yearly policy retreat. But with the Senate unlikely to swallow the House bill, lawmakers could be forced to return to Washington to vote again before the deadline. The addition of military funding to the temporary spending bill stands to tamp down resistance from members of the House Armed Services Committee, who have pushed fiercely for more Pentagon funding, as well as from the conservative House Freedom Caucus, which typically uses its leverage to issue demands around critical votes. Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-Ala., an Armed Services Committee member, said it would have been "difficult" for Republican leaders to cobble together enough GOP votes for another temporary bill, known as a "continuing resolution." "One CR after another, at some point you have to say this is not working," he said. Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., the Freedom Caucus chairman, said Monday that the defense funding probably would be enough to win over at least half of the group's roughly three dozen members. GOP leaders can lose only about 20 votes from their party before they must rely on Democrats to pass legislation, giving the minority leverage to demand concessions. Democrats blasted the Republicans' move, arguing that a compromise measure could have gotten votes from both parties. "They don't want to work in a bipartisan fashion, and I think it's the message they've been sending for the last 13 months," House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said of Republicans. "They want to do it their way or no way." Democrats could be forced to curtail their retreat if the Senate, as expected, sends a different bill back to the House. "We'll be here to vote," Hoyer said. "We'll be here to vote if we need to vote." Still unresolved is the issue of protections for undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as minors, known as "dreamers." Negotiations on immigration continue, but after forcing a three-day government shutdown last month in an unsuccessful attempt to gain protections for dreamers, Senate Democrats seem to have little appetite to repeat the experience. They voted to reopen the government after Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.,agreed to allow immigration legislation to be debated on the Senate floor and remain satisfied with that commitment. "I don't see a government shutdown coming," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., a leader on the immigration issue, said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union." "But I do see a promise by Senator McConnell to finally bring this critical issue that affects the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in America, finally bringing it to a full debate in the Senate." Four months into the 2018 fiscal year, Congress has already passed four short-term spending bills called "continuing resolutions" that keep government agencies running on last year's budget levels. The situation particularly infuriates defense hawks, who argue the Pentagon is being deprived of necessary resources. It's a mess of Congress' own making: Lawmakers have been unable to come together around a broader deal to lift budget caps that would otherwise snap into place under a 2011 law that was intended to enforce fiscal discipline in the Capitol. Legislators are looking at enormous increases for military and domestic spending, but have been squabbling over figures in the tens of billions of dollars as Democrats push for increases for domestic agencies to match whatever the Pentagon gets. The immigration issue has complicated the negotiations, with some Democrats resisting a deal on spending until they have achieved protections for dreamers. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Fla., said House Republicans have run out of patience with the Senate and that lawmakers want to "impress upon them the significance of funding our defense." "I think we have an obligation for the defense of this country to keep doing this, and if it's a battle of wills, I hope that we will prevail," he said. Nonetheless, aides in both parties say a budget deal is in reach and could be finalized as soon as this week. Once that's in place, the spending committees could get to work writing the actual legislation funding the government through Sept. 30. Passage of that bill would probably get thrown together with several other must-do items awaiting action on Capitol Hill. Those including an $80 billion-plus disaster aid package for victims of last year's deadly hurricanes and wildfires and an increase in the government's borrowing limit. That deadline on the debt ceiling now looms sometime in the first half of March, according to the Congressional Budget Office, which recently announced it anticipated lower tax revenue because of the new tax law, meaning the government would reach the debt limit sooner than expected. A former City of Laredo employee accused of taking money from customers residential utility accounts has been released on bond, according to Laredo police. Beatriz Martinez, 39, was released Thursday from the Webb County Jail. She had turned herself into the Laredo Police Department earlier that day to be served with warrants charging her with theft and tampering with government records. READ ALSO: Laredo teacher accused of displaying harmful material to child An investigation by LPDs crimes against property detectives revealed she pocketed $1,400, according to police. The theft was reported Dec. 19. A police report states that two customers of the utilities billing division reported collection discrepancies. Specifically, two customers came forward indicating they had recently opened an account with (the) Utilities Department for water services. Both customers paid their deposits (at) the time they opened up the accounts, states the criminal complaint. It adds, Records showed that customer service representative, Beatriz Martinez, was the employee that had issued both receipts to the customers. The customers receipt showed a payment of $100 while the receipts entered into the system showed a payment of $50 and for that reason, the customers were being billed $50, the complaint states. RELATED: Former City of Laredo employee arrested on theft charge An audit investigation revealed that Martinez was transferring money from an Armadillo Homes escrow account to regular customers account. Police spoke to Martinez on Jan. 10. She allegedly confessed to transferring money from the escrow account to cover that she was taking cash deposits paid by the customers, according to court documents. Court documents also revealed that KRK Homes contacted the Utilities Department because they were billed $693.20 for meter installation services at a newly constructed home. KRK indicated they had already submitted the check for those services, the complaint states. A Nuevo Laredo man who pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute over 100 kilograms of marijuana has been sentenced to prison in a Laredo federal court. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana handed down a 14-month sentence to Daniel Ismael Villalba-Gonzalez, 20, for his involvement in an attempt to smuggle approximately 181.7 kilograms of marijuana. Due to the participation of another five unidentified individuals in the crime, Saldana agreed to base her sentencing only on the amount of drugs that Villalba-Gonzalez was carrying. She warned him against ever trying to commit any similar offense or illegally re-entering the country. READ ALSO: Border Patrol seizes over $5 million in narcotics, rescues missing child You are going to get prosecuted if you ever come back, Saldana said. You are forever banned. On July 31, three U.S. Border Patrol agents saw six individuals carrying five bundles near the City Ready Mix Company, located at the intersection of Man Road and Riverside Drive, near the riverbanks, according to the criminal complaint. The agents chased after the unidentified suspects but were only able to apprehend Villalba-Gonzalez. The other five suspects fled toward the Rio Grande, the complaint states. Although initially stating that he was going to be paid $2,000 Mexican pesos for scouting the area for the suspects to cross the marijuana, Villalba-Gonzalez later admitted to authorities that he had indeed carried one of the bundles across the river, court documents show. Joana Santillana may be reached at 956-728-2528 or jsantillana@lmtonline.com Scott Olson / Staff / Getty Images(DETROIT) -- Former Olympic doctor Larry Nassar was sentenced Monday to an additional 40 to 125 years in prison for abusing scores of girls and women in a serial sexual assault spree that went on for decades and was described as "incomprehensible and spans the county and the world." Before issuing the punishment, Michigan Judge Janice Cunningham told the 54-year-old Nassar that there was no evidence that he could ever be reformed. "I am not convinced you truly understand what you did is wrong and the devastating impact you have had on the victims, their families and friends," Cunningham told Nassar in Eaton County Circuit Court as many victims looked on from the courtroom gallery. "You are a doctor. You took an oath to do no harm and you harmed over 256 women, and that is beyond comprehension," she said. Last month a judge in neighboring Ingham County sentenced Nassar to 40 to 175 years in prison for multiple counts of sexual misconduct there. The sentencing came on top of 60 years he received after pleading guilty in December to federal charges of possession of child pornography. Combined, Nassar faces a maximum of 360 years in prison. "Locking up an individual so they can never harm anyone again and take away their freedom is an appropriate consequence," Cunningham told Nassar. "You have lived an idolized life. You were a prominent doctor in our society. You were the member of an Olympic team. You have been pampered and lived a high-class lifestyle," she continued. "And now the result will be spending the rest of your life in a small prison cell." Forty-eight victims appeared over the course of two days last week in Cunningham's courtroom to face Nassar. They told the judge how he sexually assaulted them under the guise that he was performing medical treatments. Randall Margraves, a father of three daughters who were victimized by Nassar, tried to attack him in court on Friday. "Your conduct when considered and looked at from the viewpoint of the victims with their families can only conjure up thoughts of public punishment in retaliation," Cunningham told Nassar. "When a crime involves ... harming a defenseless child, it is only natural to think in terms of an eye for an eye." Nassar pleaded guilty to multiple counts of sexual misconduct in both counties. "Your honor, will we ever truly know the breadth of the evil acts meted by this defendant," Angela Povilaitis, Michigan assistant attorney general, said in court before the judge issued punishment. "These women shared raw, emotional testimonies of not only what he did but what effect these had on their lives and those of their families." Before his sentencing, Nassar offered one final apology to his victims, reciting with no emotion what sounded like the same statement he read in Ingham County Circuit Court on Jan. 24. "It's impossible to convey the depth and breadth of how sorry I am to each and everyone involved," Nassar said. "The visions of your testimonies will forever be present in my thoughts." Cunningham said another reason for her sentence was to deter similar crimes. "The sentence in this case must send a message," she said. "If you molest and sexually abuse children and women, if you use your position of trust and authority to gain their confidence and then you betray them in the worst way possible, the result will be that you will spend the rest of your life in prison." As Nassar was being escorted out of the courtroom in handcuffs, Cunningham said, "Ladies and gentlemen, this now ends the criminal legal proceedings involving Larry Nassar." Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. TRIPOLI, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj on Sunday condemned the attack by armed groups on displaced families of Tawergha near the city of Bani Walid, some 180 km southwest of the capital Tripoli. "Head of the Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord strongly condemns the intimidation towards Tawerghan families by armed groups near Gararat Al-Gatf area, in an attempt to undermine the reconciliation agreement between Misurata and Touragha cities," Serraj said in a statement. "These groups have been and continue to fight efforts of the Libyans to achieve consensus," Serraj said, noting that support would continue for the implementation of the reconciliation agreement. "The Presidential Council praises the efforts of the Misurata Municipal Council, the local Council of Tawergha, and the reconciliation and elders committees of both cities, who continue to work to secure the return of the people of Tawergha," the statement added. Local media reported that armed groups attacked a temporary camp for the Tawargha refugees near the village of Gararat Al-Gatf of Bani Walid, where they burned families' tents, beat some of them, and stole some of their vehicles. The groups are suspected of belonging to Misurata Military Council, which refuses the return of the Tawerghans to their city. On Dec. 26, 2017, Serraj announced that Feb. 1 would be the date for the return of Tawerghans to their city, which they fled several years ago. However, the return was halted after armed groups from Misurata denied their entry into the town, despite the fact that the two neighboring cities signed a UN-sponsored reconciliation agreement in August 2016. During the 2011 uprising, some residents of Tawergha allied with the forces of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi against the rebels of the nearby city of Misurata. After Gaddafi's regime was toppled, those residents, accused by Misuratans of actively participating in the fighting against them, fled their homes to other cities in Libya. Since then, they have been internally displaced. Related News Xinhuanet Libyan PM condemns armed attack on displaced families Source: Xinhua2018-02-05 05:52:38 TRIPOLI, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj on Sunday condemned the attack by armed groups on displaced families of Tawergha near the city of Bani Walid, some 180 km southwest of the capital Tripoli. "Head of the Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord strongly condemns the intimidation towards Tawerghan families by armed groups near Gararat Al-Gatf area, in an attempt to undermine the reconciliation agreement between Misurata and Touragha cities," Serraj said in a statement. "These groups have been and continue to fight efforts of the Libyans to achieve consensus," Serraj said, noting that support would continue for the implementation of the reconciliation agreement. "The Presidential Council praises the efforts of the Misurata Municipal Council, the local Council of Tawergha, and the reconciliation and elders committees of both cities, who continue to work to secure the return of the people of Tawergha," the statement added. Local media reported that armed groups attacked a temporary camp for the Tawargha refugees near the village of Gararat Al-Gatf of Bani Walid, where they burned families' tents, beat some of them, and stole some of their vehicles. The groups are suspected of belonging to Misurata Military Council, which refuses the return of the Tawerghans to their city. On Dec. 26, 2017, Serraj announced that Feb. 1 would be the date for the return of Tawerghans to their city, which they fled several years ago. However, the return was halted after armed groups from Misurata denied their entry into the town, despite the fact that the two neighboring cities signed a UN-sponsored reconciliation agreement in August 2016. During the 2011 uprising, some residents of Tawergha allied with the forces of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi against the rebels of the nearby city of Misurata. After Gaddafi's regime was toppled, those residents, accused by Misuratans of actively participating in the fighting against them, fled their homes to other cities in Libya. Since then, they have been internally displaced. [ Editor: ] ISTANBUL - Russian and Syrian warplanes pounded rebel-held areas of Syria's Idlib province Monday in raids that struck hospitals, collapsed an apartment building and included a possible chlorine gas attack, residents and activists said. The onslaught - which began late Sunday and targeted multiple towns and cities - appeared to be in retaliation for the rebel downing of a Russian Sukhoi Su-25 fighter jet on Saturday. The stepped-up attacks against rebels were part of an increasingly complex web of military action and politics in northern Syria. Rebel factions are seeking to hold on to some of their last strongholds in Syria. Meanwhile, neighboring Turkey has opened an offensive against Syrian Kurdish militias that are backed by the United States as a proxy force against the Islamic State. On Saturday, militants downed the Russian plane using a man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS), according to Russia's Defense Ministry. It was a rare instance of rebel fighters bringing down either Russian or Syrian aircraft. "We are extremely worried that terrorists have man-portable antiaircraft missile systems in their possession," Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, said in a briefing Monday with journalists in Moscow. Russia often refers to groups opposing Syrian President Bashar Assad as terrorists. "This is a huge danger to all states," Peskov added. The latest bombardment by Russian and Syrian forces was one of the worst suffered by the opposition stronghold in weeks. Rescue workers said they were still digging through the rubble of destroyed buildings by nightfall Monday. At least 33 people have been killed by airstrikes in and around Idlib province since Saturday, reported the civil defense forces, also known as the White Helmets. At least one hospital, in Maaret al-Numan, was forced to close following multiple strikes, the Syrian American Medical Society said. A five-story building in Idilb city also collapsed, activists said. In the city of Saraqeb, near the location where the fighter jet was downed, doctors and local residents said 11 patients were hospitalized late Sunday with symptoms that indicated exposure to chlorine. The reports could not be independently verified. U.S. officials expressed alarm last week at a rise in reports that the Syrian military is using chlorine as a chemical weapon against opposition-held areas. Medical groups have recorded six alleged chlorine attacks since the start of the year. "The bombs were falling on our residential areas, which were packed because it was the evening," said Maysara al-Askar, an activist in the town of Kafr Nabl in Idlib province. "I was in the marketplace last night just before they bombed it. I heard the explosions as I was walking out my front door." Another strike, however, on Kafr Nabl's surgical hospital, was reported by doctors and activists Monday morning. Fighters loyal to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former al-Qa-da affiliate, control much of Idlib province, but many of Kafr Nabl's residents have resisted their rule. The group claimed responsibility for the downing of the Russian jet Saturday. Russia's Defense Ministry on Monday said that the pilot, Maj. Roman Filipov, "ejected and landed near Tell Debes held by the terrorists." "He kept firing his service-issue weapon at militants until he died," the statement said, adding that when the militants continued to advance, he "blew himself up with a grenade." - - - Loveluck reported from Sanliurfa, Turkey. Zakaria Zakaria in Sanliurfa and Anton Troianovski in Moscow contributed to this report. The memo published Friday may have been the most overhyped dud since Geraldo Rivera opened Al Capone's empty vault in 1986. But House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, whose Republican staffers prepared the partisan document, promises that it was just the beginning. He boasted on Friday that he now plans to train his fire on other targets. "We are in the middle of what I call 'Phase Two' of our investigation, which involves other departments, specifically the State Department and some of the involvement that they had in this," the California congressman told Fox News. "Republicans close to Nunes say there could be as many as five additional memos or reports of 'wrongdoing,'" Axios reported Sunday night. "A Republican source briefed on Nunes's investigation" told the site that one of the Democrats he plans to go after next is longtime Bill and Hillary Clinton associate Sid Blumenthal, who has been fending off inquiries from congressional investigators for more than two decades. Nunes - who stands accused of carrying water for President Donald Trump - told the Weekly Standard on Friday that he doesn't plan to use the same declassification process to put out future memos, which requires the formal approval of his members. This suggests that the material won't be particularly sensitive but merely the aggregation of already available information. The potency of the future releases depends on the answers to the following six questions: 1. How many more Republican lawmakers distance themselves from Nunes? The main takeaway from the Sunday shows was the degree to which prominent Republicans, including four members of the House Intelligence Committee, dismissed the idea that the memo exonerated Trump or undermined special counsel Robert Mueller's work. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, a former CIA officer who sits on the Intelligence committee and represents a district that Hillary Clinton won handily, was asked on ABC's "This Week" whether he thinks the memo "totally vindicates" Trump, as the president tweeted Saturday. "I don't," Hurd said. "I don't agree with some of my colleagues ... always using the words 'explosive' to describe the document. . . . I want to stress: Bob Mueller should be allowed to turn over every rock, pursue every lead so that we can have trust in knowing what actually the Russians did or did not do. . . . I don't believe this is an attack on Bob Mueller. I don't believe this is an attack on the men and women in the FBI. I've served shoulder-to-shoulder with them, and they are hardworking folks that keep us safe." "I actually don't think it has any impact on the Russia probe," said Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., who helped draft the memo, on CBS's "Face the Nation." He added that Trump should not fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, said the two are "very separate" issues and Mueller should be allowed to finish his work. "This memo, frankly, has nothing at all to do with the special counsel," he told "Fox News Sunday." Asked if he agrees that Trump's been "vindicated," Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, said on CNN: "I think this is a separate issue. In my opinion, what we're dealing with is a situation within our FISA court and how we process within our government agencies, and I don't think it really has anything to do with that." Nunes was noticeably absent from the Sunday show circuit. Some of the Republican Party's most respected elder statesmen see what Nunes is doing as an embarrassment. "The latest attacks on the FBI and Department of Justice serve no American interests - no party's, no president's, only Putin's," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said in a statement Friday after the release of the memo. He'd need to spend a little political capital, but Speaker Paul Ryan could muzzle Nunes if he wants to. "The memo was a disaster not only for the Trump-Nunes strategy but also for the country," conservative blogger Jennifer Rubin argues on The Post's Right Turn. "The only questions that remain are how long [Ryan] is going to let this humiliating spectacle go on and how much damage he will permit to be done to the oversight process so Nunes can flail about trying to protect Trump and ruin public servants' reputations." 2. Will Republicans allow the release of the Democratic rebuttal? Many who have seen the intelligence say that the GOP memo cherry picked intelligence to paint a misleading and incomplete picture. The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., is still pushing to release a 10-page rebuttal to the memo. This was rejected on a party-line vote last week, but Schiff will offer a motion to force another vote on declassifying their response during a committee meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday. If it passes, then it would go to the Justice Department and Trump would have days to block it. Nunes has claimed that he is willing to release the Democratic memo after it's scrubbed of classified information. A White House official told CBS on Sunday that their position is: "If [it's] voted out, we'll consider it." "I believe it is a matter of fundamental fairness that the American people be allowed to see both sides of the argument and make their own judgments," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in an open letter to the president on Sunday. "A refusal to release the Schiff memo . . . will confirm the American people's worst fears that the release of Chairman Nunes' memo was only intended to undermine Special Counsel Bob Mueller's investigation." The GOP memo claims that the Justice Department did not disclose key facts about former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele in the secret application to carry out surveillance on former Trump adviser Carter Page. Steele wrote the infamous dossier alleging ties between Trump and Russian officials. His research was initially funded by anti-Trump Republicans and later paid for by Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Republicans say the application would never have been approved without the information from the dossier and if a judge had known of its partisan origins. Government officials are adamant that this central allegation in the memo is baseless. "The court that approved surveillance . . . was aware that some of the information underpinning the warrant request was paid for by a political entity, although the application did not specifically name the [DNC or Clinton]," two U.S. officials familiar with the matter told The Post's Ellen Nakashima on Friday. The Justice Department made "ample disclosure of relevant, material facts" to the court that revealed "the research was being paid for by a political entity," said one official. "No thinking person who read any of these applications would come to any other conclusion but that" the work was being undertaken "at the behest of people with a partisan aim and that it was being done in opposition to Trump." "Only very select parts of what Christopher Steele reported related to Carter Page were included within the application, and some of those things were already subject to corroboration," said Schiff. Republicans also claim that then-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe testified before the committee during a private hearing in December 2017 that no surveillance warrant would have been sought from the FISA court without the information in the dossier. But the memo does not directly quote McCabe saying this. It paraphrases him. And Democrats on the committee say that McCabe's comment has been taken out of context. So there are also calls for the release of the hearing transcript, or at least that section. "There really doesn't seem to be any reason to paraphrase what McCabe said but not be able to quote him," writes The Post's Aaron Blake. "If the quote comes out and it turns out the paraphrase was misleading, the entire memo will be undermined. If the paraphrase is accurate, it bolsters the GOP's argument." 3. Will Republicans continue rallying to the defense of Carter Page? It's baffling that the former Trump adviser has become a cause celebre on the right. Beyond the dossier, the feds seem to have had a litany of legitimate reasons to surveil him. "Far from demonstrating that the FBI was out to get Trump, the memo suggests that the Trump campaign could have had an active Russian spy working as a foreign policy adviser," writes former FBI special agent Asha Rangappa, now a senior lecturer at Yale. "I used to obtain Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants, so I'm familiar with the procedures Nunes implies the FBI abused in this case," she explains in The Post. "To initiate surveillance on [Page] . . . the government would have had to demonstrate that Page was 'knowingly engaging in clandestine intelligence gathering activities for or on behalf of' Russia. It takes months and even years to obtain enough relevant evidence for a FISA application, which can include details from physical surveillance, phone and financial records, items recovered from the target's trash and intelligence obtained from other sources. So the FISA application would probably have outlined the bureau's efforts going all the way back to 2013, when Page was approached by the FBI, which warned him, based on recordings of Russian intelligence officers, that he was being targeted for recruitment as a Russian spy. "Nunes's memo also discloses that the government obtained three renewals of the FISA warrant, which occurred every 90 days after the initial authorization. In order for a judge to allow the surveillance to continue, the government has to demonstrate that the intercepted communications are, in fact, providing foreign intelligence," she continues. "Even worse for Nunes, he managed to showcase concrete proof that the FBI was looking into Trump's Russian connections before they heard from [Christopher] Steele. The memo confirms that Australian intelligence was aware of possible ties between George Papadopoulos, another Trump campaign foreign policy adviser, and Russian intelligence, and that the Australians were alarmed enough to alert the FBI, which opened an investigation in July 2016." Moreover, the surveillance on Page was not authorized until October 2016 - a month after he left the Trump campaign. Time reported this weekend that Page bragged in a 2013 letter to a publisher that he was an adviser to the Kremlin. Page, who denies wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime, told the magazine that he was offering the Russians "really plain-vanilla stuff." 4. How forcefully will the national security community push back on future memos? Former CIA director John Brennan declared on NBC's "Meet the Press" that Nunes has "abused the chairmanship." "It's just appalling and clearly underscores how partisan Mr. Nunes has been," said Brennan, who led the agency during the investigation into Russian interference. He said the FBI was "very forthcoming" to the FISA court about what it knew and added it knew much more than what was in the dossier. He said the FBI had its own sources of information, and that the intelligence community was gathering material "on multiple fronts." Trump and House Republicans chose to release the document despite the FBI publicly expressing "grave concerns" and intense private lobbying that this would set a bad precedent. "Bureau officials say the accusations in the document produced by House Republicans are inaccurate and - more damaging in the long term - corrode the agency's ability to remain independent and do its job," The Post's Devlin Barrett and Matt Zapotosky reported on the front page of Sunday's newspaper. "One law enforcement official summed it up bluntly: 'There's a lot of anger. The irony is it's a conservative-leaning organization, and it's being trashed by conservatives. At first it was just perplexing. Now there's anger, because it's not going away.'" Ousted director James Comey reacted this way on Friday, tweeting "That's it? Dishonest and misleading memo wrecked the House intel committee, destroyed trust with Intelligence Community, damaged relationship with FISA court, and inexcusably exposed classified investigation of an American citizen. For what? DOJ & FBI must keep doing their jobs." Former FBI special agent Josh Campbell, who worked for Comey, said he has turned in his badge so that he can speak out against the GOP attacks on the bureau. "FBI agents are dogged people who do not care about the direction of political winds," Campbell wrote in an op-ed for the Times. "But to succeed in their work, they need public backing. Scorched-earth attacks from politicians with partisan goals now threaten that support, raising corrosive doubts about the integrity of the FBI that could last for generations." 5. Will the attorney general continue to look the other way as the president attacks the Justice Department? John Ashcroft stood up to George W. Bush when DOJ lawyers concluded that a warrantless surveillance program was unconstitutional. Sessions has shown that he approaches the job more in the mold of Alberto Gonzales, Ashcroft's successor, who proved far more pliant to White House pressure (and eventually resigned in disgrace over his role in the firings of U.S. attorneys for political reasons.) "Sessions has been largely quiet and even yielding as the president leads the most public and prolonged political attack on the department in history, a silence that breaks with a long tradition of attorneys general protecting the institution from such interference," Katie Benner writes in the New York Times. "Current and former prosecutors say Mr. Sessions's tepid response reflects efforts to appease Mr. Trump, even at the expense of morale among the department's employees, and has raised fears that prosecutors cannot depend on protection from political interference." "I have great confidence in the men and women of this department. . . . But no department is perfect," Sessions said in a short statement after the memo was released Friday. Last month in Virginia, Sessions said during a speech that the "vast majority" of Justice Department employees are patriotic and hard-working. But he welcomed congressional scrutiny. Here are three notable quotes from DOJ alums in Monday's Times: "What is unusual is the F.B.I. and the Justice Department being attacked, the president leading the charge and the attorney general missing in action," said Jack Goldsmith, a Harvard law professor who headed the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel under Bush. "Why isn't he sticking up for the department?" "Attorneys general swear an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, not the president," said Matthew Axelrod, a partner at Linklaters and a former Justice Department official who began as a federal prosecutor under Bush. "Institutions like the DOJ rely on their leaders to be a voice that defends them. It's critically important to this institution that its leadership have its back." "Prosecutors and agents are extremely vulnerable if they're not properly supported by leadership, especially when it comes to investigations and attacks launched on the political side," said Daniel Petalas, a former prosecutor in the department's public integrity section and the United States attorney's office in Washington. 6. Will Trump try to move against Rosenstein or Mueller? Touting the memo on Fox News Saturday night, Donald Trump Jr. said: "There is a little bit of sweet revenge in it for me and certainly probably the family in a sense that if they wouldn't have done this, this stuff would be going on." Asked in the Oval Office on Friday if he's going to fire Rosenstein, who oversees the Russia investigation because Sessions recused himself, the elder Trump told reporters: "You figure that one out." In addition to Republicans saying Mueller should be allowed to finish his work, a chorus of Democrats said on the Sunday shows that firing either man would lead to "a constitutional crisis." But none of that may be enough to deter Trump if he thinks the special counsel is an existential threat to his presidency and he can get away with it. The Post's E.J. Dionne argues in a column that "Nunes is paving Trump's road to autocracy": "In her classic 1951 book, 'The Origins of Totalitarianism,' the philosopher Hannah Arendt offered two observations that help us understand the assumptions and purposes behind the memo," he writes. "The totalitarian method of the 1920s and 1930s, she noted, was to 'dissolve every statement of fact into a declaration of purpose.' She also said this: 'Mass propaganda discovered that its audience was ready at all times to believe the worst, no matter how absurd, and did not particularly object to being deceived because it held every statement to be a lie anyhow.' "Bear Arendt's warnings in mind in pondering the Nunes screed whose sole purpose is to discredit an investigation that appears to be getting closer and closer to Trump," E.J. concludes. "The cynicism of a significant part of the public, particularly Trump's supporters, leads them to believe that everybody in every institution lies. The Nunes talking points toss out distorted and disconnected facts, not to advance the truth but to cloud it in confusion." --- With Breanne Deppisch and Joanie Greve. A man who was sentenced to life in prison last year for his involvement in a hostage-taking kidnapping conspiracy has been apprehended at a Laredo port of entry. CBP, together with FBI special agents and U.S. Marshals, took custody of Luis Gerardo Betancourt, 21, at the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge. The Pharr man was wanted on outstanding federal warrants in connection with a hostage-taking kidnapping conspiracy and failure to appear for jury trial. It is not clear how Betancourt, a U.S. citizen, ended up in the custody of Mexican immigrations officers, who handed him off to authorities at mid-bridge. Border security is a top priority for CBP and (the) apprehension of a man sentenced to life for a violent hostage-taking kidnapping conspiracy perfectly illustrates our commitment to securing our community, said Port Director Alberto Flores, Laredo Port of Entry. The collaborative work with our federal law enforcement partners ensured a seamless and secure law enforcement action today. READ ALSO: LPD: Man wanted for fatal shooting in Laredo arrested A federal jury sitting in McAllen convicted Betancourt in absentia following a five-day trial and less than three hours of deliberation on March 30. A U.S. district court judge ordered Betancourt to serve life in prison. In handing down the sentence, the court noted how vulnerable one of the victims was, an 8-year-old child, and that the hostage taking conspirators exploited her age and vulnerability to pry additional ransom from family members. The investigation began Dec. 4, 2015, when authorities learned of people in other states being forced to pay for the release of family members being held hostage at an undetermined location. Testimony at trial revealed that an individual had paid approximately $17,000 for such release. The jury heard that some family members received threats such as to cut off body parts and kill the hostages, one of whom was an 8-year-old victim, if monetary demands were not met. Further investigation revealed Betancourts involvement in the conspiracy. The jury heard that he was responsible for recruiting and transporting co-conspirators as well as the receipt of money sent by the victims family members. The hostages held during the course of the conspiracy were eventually released Dec. 8, 2015. Betancourt was present upon the jurys selection, but failed to appear for trial, presentation of the evidence and his sentencing hearing. CAGUAS, Puerto Rico Texas and New Mexico Xcel Energy employees helping with the Puerto Rico power restoration effort received their first work assignments on Wednesday, and successfully restored service to more than 70 customers on Thursday. The 16 employees arrived early Tuesday morning in Puerto Rico as part of a larger, 65-person deployment from Xcel Energys eight-state service area. They are working a 21-day mission alongside linemen from several other U.S. mainland utility companies. A second group of roughly the same number of employees is scheduled to travel to the island once the first groups deployment is complete, and that group will also work for about 21 days. The Laredo Police Department has arrested three people in connection with what authorities are calling a car theft ring with ties to cartels. One suspect remains at large. The alleged four-man operation assisted in stealing cars from the Laredo-area and San Antonio, according to a news release. The stolen cars were then handed over to Mexican cartels, LPD said in the release. BUJUMBURA, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza on Sunday warned citizens against disrupting the country's unity. "Some citizens think that divisions can allow them access to some benefits. I assure them that all their ways are blocked," Nkurunziza in said a message to the nation, ahead of Monday's 27th anniversary of adoption of the Unity Charter. "I rather advise them to change their behavior," he said. The anniversary of the adoption of the Unity Charter comes at a time when the east African nation is peaceful and its citizens united. The president urged Burundians to consolidate unity through strengthening unity within their households. "If households are united, then the country is united." He also called for citizens' patriotism, saying that when a country moves ahead, so do its citizens. Burundi adopted the unity charter in a referendum On Feb. 5, 1991, when the country's three main ethnic groups -- Hutu, Tutsi and Twa --agreed to "live in harmony and avoid confrontations." Despite the adoption of the unity charter, one of the biggest crises broke out in 1993 with the assassination of the first democratically elected Hutu President Melchior Ndadaye, which sparked deadly violence between Hutu and Tutsi groups and a massive forced exile. Related News Xinhuanet Burundian president warns against dividing country Source: Xinhua2018-02-05 00:41:51 BUJUMBURA, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza on Sunday warned citizens against disrupting the country's unity. "Some citizens think that divisions can allow them access to some benefits. I assure them that all their ways are blocked," Nkurunziza in said a message to the nation, ahead of Monday's 27th anniversary of adoption of the Unity Charter. "I rather advise them to change their behavior," he said. The anniversary of the adoption of the Unity Charter comes at a time when the east African nation is peaceful and its citizens united. The president urged Burundians to consolidate unity through strengthening unity within their households. "If households are united, then the country is united." He also called for citizens' patriotism, saying that when a country moves ahead, so do its citizens. Burundi adopted the unity charter in a referendum On Feb. 5, 1991, when the country's three main ethnic groups -- Hutu, Tutsi and Twa --agreed to "live in harmony and avoid confrontations." Despite the adoption of the unity charter, one of the biggest crises broke out in 1993 with the assassination of the first democratically elected Hutu President Melchior Ndadaye, which sparked deadly violence between Hutu and Tutsi groups and a massive forced exile. [ Editor: ] Head of the Socialist Party of Ukraine Illia Kyva has called on the leadership of the country to nationalize regional energy supplying companies controlled by the Russian company VS Energy International Ukraine. "I officially address President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, NSDC Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov and Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Hrytsak with a demand to immediately return to the government control the strategic facilities of the energy sector, which are now in the hands of the Russian oligarchy," he said in an online streaming on his Facebook page on Friday. The Socialist Party head stressed that these companies "pumped out" $100 million from Ukrainians in 2017 alone, which "went to sponsor the war." "After all, the ultimate beneficiary of this company is Russian citizen Alexander Babakov, the same Babakov who was a member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation who voted for the annexation of Crimea and is actually involved in the war developments in Donbas," Kyva said. The politician also added that the "nationalization" of the energy facilities could halve electricity tariffs for the entire population and make electricity free for pensioners and combatants. VS Energy International Ukraine owns such enterprises as Kyivoblenergo, Rivneoblenergo, Khersonoblenergo, Kirovohradoblenergo, Zhytomyroblenergo, Odesaoblenergo, Chernivtsioblenerho, Sevastopolenergo. The company also owns significant stakes in Mykolaivoblenergo and Khmelnytskyoblenergo. Light peeking through stained glass windows illuminated the melancholy faces of the men of United Orthodox Synagogues as they put on their traditional tefillin and tallit to prepare for the temple's last morning prayer. They bowed their heads alongside the women in the congregation, separated by a cloth partition. After suffering damage from three floods in as many years, the synagogue's board of directors made a decision to demolish the sanctuary, school wing and offices. More than 150 congregation members gathered or tuned in to a web stream Sunday morning for the final service. "If someone had told me 10 years ago that it would all end like this, I would have thought they were telling a fantasy," congregant Denise Weinberg said. PRESERVATION: Rice University creates Jewish history archives The synagogue is located on Greenwillow Drive in the historic Jewish community in Meyerland, just hundreds of feet from Brays Bayou. About 1 in 13 Jewish families there - an estimated 2,000 households - were flooded by Hurricane Harvey. A tour through the synagogue makes clear the drastic effects of the floods of Memorial Day 2015, Tax Day 2016 and Harvey. Rust covers ovens in the kitchen. Watermarks stain memorial plaques that line the walls. In the library, only bare shelves remain after floodwaters ruined hundreds of sacred books. "You spend a whole lifetime collecting things that remind you of other things, just for the water to take it all away," Weinberg said. In an effort to save their synagogue, United Orthodox had engineers look at the building, received the help of over 500 volunteers and had many fundraisers. Rabbi Adir Posy said residents of 46 states and four Canadian provinces donated $400,000. Posy has worked closely to help the synagogue rebuild, and he flew in from Los Angeles on Saturday night so he could attend Sunday's services. "In 2015 and 2016, Houston came together to help us; in 2017 it was the entire American Jewish community," said board member Amy Goldstein. "It was so impacting we could not deal with it ourselves." Ultimately, the board decided repairing a building that repeatedly flooded would be a poor investment. The synagogue's goal for demolition is March. Freedman Hall, an elevated reception hall next door, will continue to serve as the temporary sanctuary. DECISION: Harvey-damaged synagogue faces demolition 'The story of a lifetime' Goldstein said the board of directors is exploring all viable options for a new building, such as rebuilding with elevated facilities or moving to a new location. A challenge is that since Orthodox Jews don't drive on the Sabbath, congregation members must live within walking distance of the synagogue. After Harvey, several congregants spent a significant amount of their savings to fix their homes in order to stay in the neighborhood. "Going anywhere else would be a significant religious choice to make," Goldstein said. On Sunday morning, old photos taken in the synagogue were spread across tables so worshipers could take a look into their building's past. Rabbi Barry Gelman had many pictures of his family on Jewish holidays and occasions celebrated in the synagogue, which he said were moments he would never forget. "I have fond memories of sitting with my three generations of family," Gelman said. "The walls in this room have absorbed the story of a lifetime." United Orthodox broke ground on the complex in 1961 when the congregations Adath Emeth, Adath Israel and Beth Jacob merged. The building's original plans were on display to honor the original days of the congregation. A photo of the synagogue when it was first built read, "Designed to Serve Forever." Many members of the congregation said they believe that though their sanctuary soon will be gone, their memories will always remain. "I have absolute faith that the things that mean the most to us are going to continue," said Dov Liberman, an official in the synagogue. 'I will never forget that day' After morning prayer, congregants reflected on a few of their favorite synagogue memories. They shared childhood stories of running behind the stained glass and emotional reflections of members who have died. When Holocaust survivor Alex Pollak reminisced about his second bar mitzvah last November, the crowd erupted in cheers. Two congregation members, Max Reichental and Steve Moore, are cousins who have been with the synagogue since its beginning. The two said the building has always been the hub of everything in their lives. Moore had his bar mitzvah at the synagogue in its second year, and he teared up when he thought back to his sister's wedding there. "She looked so beautiful," Moore said. "I will never forget that day." The sanctuary is filled with sacred decorative features that have played an important part in the building's history. The main stained glass window, memorial plaques dedicated to congregation members and other physical reminders of the synagogue's past are being kept in hopes they will be moved to a new building. In a final gathering of closure, the congregation sat in its old seats to listen to speeches from United Orthodox President Rick Guttman and Gelman. The two thanked everyone who made the service possible and spoke about what the synagogue means to them. Once the last words were said and the services were over, congregants talked and laughed with one another over their personal history with the synagogue. Gloria Ribnick, a member for "forever and then some," spoke of a brighter future in the congregation. "I think it's not the end," Ribnick said. "It's the beginning." WASHINGTON - The Trump administration plans to withdraw its nomination of Kathleen Hartnett White, a climate-change skeptic, to lead the Council on Environmental Quality, a White House official said. President Donald Trump in October appointed White, a former Texas environmental regulator who has said that carbon dioxide should be considered the "gas of life" rather than a pollutant, to be the White House senior environmental adviser. Studies show carbon dioxide emissions contribute to global warming. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved White on a party-line vote, but her nomination languished. That was in part, lawmakers acknowledged, because of White's performance at her hearing in which she not only espoused controversial views on climate change but also stumbled over science questions. When Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., asked White if she believes climate change is real, she said, "I am uncertain." She then corrected herself saying, "No, I'm not. I jumped ahead. Climate change is of course real." She then added she was uncertain about the extent to which humans cause climate change. When Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., asked White to estimate how much heat in Earth's atmosphere is stored in the oceans, she replied, "I don't have numbers like that," adding, "I believe that there are differences of opinions on that, that there's not one right answer." The most up-to-date scientific assessment on climate change, released by the Trump administration in November, found that the world's oceans have absorbed "about 93 percent of the excess heat caused by greenhouse gas warming since the mid-20th century, making them warmer and altering global and regional climate feedbacks." Democrats also assailed White's writings in which she called renewable energy "unreliable and parasitic," described global warming as "a creed, a faith, a dogma that has little to do with science" and asserted that science does not dictate policy in democracies. Democrats and environmental activists hailed the decision. "Withdrawing Kathleen Hartnett White's nomination is the right thing to do," Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware, the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said. He said the Council on Environmental Quality should have a "thoughtful environmental and public health champion" to lead it. The Ukrainian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (UVCA) predicts that the Ukrainian cryptocurrency business could move to the countries where the conditions for successful operations with cryptocurrency are created at the level of the state, in particular, Belarus, UVCA supervisory board Chairman Andriy Kolodiuk has told Interfax-Ukraine. He said that earlier the state through its law enforcement structures was actively pressing on IT companies. However, Ukrainian IT business managed to survive this stage. "Someone left, but in general, we managed to "fight back" with common efforts, because the truth was on our side and the fact that no case was brought to court, only confirms it," Kolodiuk said. According to him, during the Ukrainian House Davos as part of the World Economic Forum, the UVCA paid particular attention to the blockchain and cryptocurrencies, since this topic is a worldwide trend. "Returning to Ukraine, we see that all the achievements can be crossed out by the work of law enforcement agencies. If the pressure does not stop, then all business will move to, for example, Belarus, where all conditions for successful work are created at the level of the state. The question arises who works [Ukraine's Chief Military Prosecutor Anatoliy] Matis for: the Ukrainian business or [Belarusian President Alexander] Lukashenko, who unlike our authorities, contributes to the idea that miners should work in Belarus," Kolodiuk said. According to him, Ukrainian panels devoted to blockchain and cryptocurrencies have become one of the most popular. "The reason for this is not only the world trend, but also the fact that Ukraine already exists on the world map of crypto business. So, a week before the Forum, according to a study by Citi-Bank, Ukraine has entered the top five countries developing blockchain business," Kolodiuk said. He also said that visitors to the Ukrainian House's cryptocurrency panels came not simply to listen, but mainly to discuss joint projects. Style Commended for its unique fusion of jewellery and art collections, Maison Artinian celebrates 21 years of traditional skills and outstanding craftsmanship with a contemporary taste influenced by modern luxury lifestyles and feminine inspirations of today. Feb 04, 2018 | By LUXUO High-end Jewellery Atelier and jewellery manufacturer, Artinian presents the Parisienne Collection, its latest high jewellery line celebrating the brands 21 years anniversary and the first anniversary of Maison Artinian at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. Artinians Parisienne was specifically created and launched for the Maison Artinian showcase for discerning business clients and esteemed guests. Comprising of unique creations such as necklace, bracelet and earrings and ring matching set, the latest offerings speak of the endless source of inspiration for the Armenian label since its inception. Founded by Arto Artinian, who is at the helm of the fine jewellery atelier as President and CEO of Artinian, a company which he co-founded together with his brother Saro Artinian in 1997, LUXUO interviewed Arto Artinian to find out more about the qualities that most define the Artinians jewellery pieces with remarkable mechanisms, including how each gem exudes the Armenians greatest fine jewellery ateliers and the inspirations that are steeped in its traditional product development techniques. Artinian celebrates the very best of fine jewellery innovation and devotion to Maison Artinian LUXUO: You are celebrating one year of Maison Artinian, yet you have been established in Thailand longer. Can you tell us more about the Maison Artinian and its latest developments? ARTO ARTINIAN: Artinian was established in Thailand in 1997 and we have always been behind-the-scenes as B2B suppliers and manufacturers to other distributors, wholesalers, bespoke jewellery and brands. The Maison Artinian is our baby and it started out as a B2C retail POS, which actually represents our retail business and what we do as a company as well as a small part of our story and our collaborations with many other designers throughout all those years. This month, we celebrate the first year anniversary of Maison Artinian at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok where were perfectly situated for business. We think its a wonderful place in terms of both luxury address and travel destination. Almost every luxury traveller visiting Bangkok will pass by the Mandarin Oriental and get a sight of Maison Artinian through which we share our story. Tell us more about the La Parisienne Collection. The Parisienne Collection is a contemporary classic style diamond ensemble, which we created specifically for the Maison Artinian showcase. It consists of a spectacular necklace, bracelet and earrings and ring matching set. The significant-size Poire shape centre diamonds give a superior charisma to this high jewellery set. Designed with a classic idea, will let the vigour of the unique Pear Shape diamonds exude a true luxury silhouette and immaculate shine. Set to be a showstopper, the jewellery collection is created for a formal Soiree, red carpet or gala event. You have always had a passion for watches. Will we soon see a watch under the Artinian brand? Watches have always been included in our agenda and we have always been working on watches but indirectly, whether Artinian will produce our own watches at the moment or not, we have no plans. However, we have been in collaborations with other watch brands. You are celebrating Artinians fine jewellery and craftsmanship. How has Thailand played such an important role in your developments? I think there is no coincidence that the first French artisans chose Thailand as a good place to focus on the concept development and jewellery production. The Thais are dexterous; they are good with their hands, which is essential for art and craft. If you go around Thailand, you will see the people putting their talents to good use where they fashion art and craft with their pair of creative hands. The existence of Royalty and as a Kingdom, has always been a centre for creating beautiful things, and moreover the Thais have the passion and the patience for working with hands. We have taken these great benefits and added The Artinian touch, we have also helped our craftsmen hone their skills and refine their tastes as they evolve, and develop further by modernising their working technics. Hence, we are very proud to be working alongside a great team of artisans. You have Armenian roots. Can clients of Maison Artinian identify some of these specific Armenian DNA in your latest collection? Its very hard to identify the Armenian DNA in our collections, the Armenian DNA doesnt run in the designs, however it runs in the whole process of creation and the making of these jewellery pieces. Armenians have long been known as highly skilled craftsmen. For some reason it is in the DNA of our people to work on jewellery. Hence any jewellery connoisseur, who walks into Maison, knows about jewellery making and understands the details and complexity behind the final pieces, will recognise the Armenian DNA behind the pieces. What developments are in the pipeline for the year to come? Another boutique or expansion plans beyond Thailand? Thailand has become a home for Artinian family and we really enjoy working and developing beautiful pieces with our team. We are always in pursuit of developing more beautiful designs and I feel that sometimes it will be so wonderful to share these with the local connoisseurs who actually dont know how beautiful pieces can be crafted in Thailand. I will be very happy to expose that one day. Have you had a mentor who has influenced your creative path? I was very lucky to have two great mentors; one was my father who actually gave me the opportunity to understand how to work and communicate with people. Throughout his life, he taught me the values of life, work ethics, respect towards people, fairness and honesty which were all his number one priorities in life. All this paved the way for me to realise that the only way to build a company and grow it to 400 employees, is to treat each and everyone fairly in the organisation. In return, you will have great loyalty and trust. The other mentor was my uncle in Belgium; he groomed me during the start of my business career and mentored me on the whole diamond world and what it needed to become a respected Diamantaire, a French term to call a master diamond cutter/polisher many years ago. It was a very respected profession, his passion in diamonds, jewellery making, and work ethics who at his young age travelled the world to meet clients, and gave me the inspiration to continue his passion and travel the world and through to Asia to pursue my own future and career. What advise(s) would you give to a young jewellery creator looking at launching his own brand? Today the jewellery world has become a very challenging one and the creation of technology has brought this industry somehow to a difficult position. We are lacking of great craftsmanship and artisans, and patience is needed in our business to create beautiful things. Yet nothing can beat the hands. To keep the traditions of fine jewellery-making alive, be sure to understand your clients and the reasons why they would buy your jewellery pieces. Times have changed and consumers tastes and demands have changed too. But whatever you do, you must keep to fundamentals of this industry and keep its shine at all times. Most importantly, you must make sure the client trust you and what you deliver. For more information about Maison Artinian, please visit here. Ukraine since the beginning of February 2018 has reduced imports of natural gas by 50% compared with January, and by 66.7% from Slovakia, according to data of PJSC Ukrtransgaz. According to the calculations of Interfax-Ukraine, if during January the average daily import from Europe amounted to 25.856 million cubic meters, then on February 1-3 it fell to 12.513 million cubic meters. In particular, gas imports from Slovakia fell by 66.7%, from 19.248 million cubic meters per day in January to 6.313 million cubic meters per day for the first three days of February. According to the Slovak gas transportation operator Eustream, the application for gas supply to Ukraine on February 4-5 is also 6.304 million cubic meters per day, which indicates the intention of Naftogaz Ukrainy, which imports gas in this direction, to maintain such volumes of supply by the end of the month. It should be noted that gas reserves in Ukrainian underground gas storage facilities (UGS) as of February 3 of this year amounted to 12.269 billion cubic meters, while at the same date in 2017 the reserves were 9.639 billion cubic meters, in 2016 some 10.95 billion cubic meters, in 2015 some 9.171 billion cubic meters. Thus, gas reserves in Ukrainian UGS on February 3, 2018 were 27.3%, 12% and 33.8% more than for similar dates in 2017, 2016 and 2015 respectively. Daily gas taking from UGS in Ukraine is possible in the amount of about 1% of the total reserves. Thus, the existing reserves allow withdrawing from the storage facilities during February up to 100-120 million cubic meters per day. No conflicts or clashes were recorded during mass rallies held in central Kyiv on Sunday, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry's liaison department said. "No conflicts or clashes were recorded," First Deputy Interior Minister Serhiy Yarovy said on Sunday. According to police estimates, some 2,500 people took part in a March for the Future organized by supporters of a former president of Georgia and now leader of the New Forces Movement, Mikheil Saakashvili, who took to the streets to criticize Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. A thousand people took part in a car rally organized by Auto Euro Force civic movement to demand a lower tax on imported vehicles. "Around 3,500 citizens took part in mass events in the central part of the capital, 2,500 of them in the March for the Future and 1,000 in the Auto Euro Force. In all, some 2,000 National Police and National Guard officers were providing public order," Yarovy said. Managing IPs EMEA Awards dinner will be held on March 8 at The Savoy in London. Trophies will be presented to the firms of the year, with winners chosen from the shortlists below. Special awards will also be presented at the ceremony. Details of our awards research process are given below the shortlists. To reserve a table at the ceremony, please contact Nick Heath at nheath@managingip.com or +44 (0) 20 7779 8692. Managing IP has introduced some changes to the awards programme in 2018. Following feedback from guests, we are introducing a new ceremony in Hong Kong and changing the coverage of existing awards. You can read more here. The EMEA Awards dinner will be followed by our Americas Awards dinner in New York on March 15 and Asia-Pacific Awards dinner in Hong Kong on March 21. National Awards AUSTRIA Austria Contentious Gassauer-Fleissner Geistwert KWR Karasek Wietrzyk Schoenherr Schwarz Schonherr Taylor Wessing Wiltschek Austria Copyright Binder Grosswang Dorda Michel Walter Schoenherr Wiltschek Austria Prosecution Anwalte Burger & Partner Haffner & Keschmann Kliment & Henhapel Puchberger & Partner Schwarz & Partner Sonn & Partner Torggler & Hofinger Belgium Copyright Altius Bird & Bird CMS Crowell & Moring Hoyng Rokh Monegier Simont Braun Van Innis & Delarue Belgium Patent Contentious Altius Bird & Bird Crowell & Moring Hoyng Rokh Monegier NautaDutilh Simont Braun Belgium Patent Prosecution Arnold & Siedsma Brantsandpatents De Clercq & Partners Gevers Kirkpatrick VO Belgium Trade Mark Contentious Altius Bird & Bird Hoyng Rokh Monegier NautaDutilh Simont Braun Stibbe Van Innis & Delarue Denmark Patent Contentious Bech-Bruun Gorrissen Federspiel Horten Kromann Reumert Plesner Denmark Patent Prosecution Awapatent Budde Schou Guardian IP Consulting Hiberg Inspicos Plougmann Vingtoft Zacco Denmark Trade Mark Contentious Accura Bech-Bruun Gorrissen Federspiel Horten Lundgrens Plesner Denmark Trade Mark Prosecution Awapatent Bech-Bruun Lje Arnesen & Meedom Plesner Zacco Finland Patent Contentious Backstrom & Co Borenius Castren & Snellman Hannes Snellman Roschier Finland Prosecution Berggren Boco IP Heinonen & Co Kolster Papula-Nevinpat Seppo Laine Finland Trade Mark Contentious Borenius Castren & Snellman Eversheds Sutherland Krogerus Roschier Waselius & Wist France Patent Contentious Allen & Overy August Debouzy Bardehle Pagenberg Bird & Bird Gide Loyrette Nouel Hogan Lovells Hoyng Rokh Monegier Veron & Associes France Copyright Cabinet Christophe Caron Cabinet Vercken & Gaullier De Gaulle Fleurance & Associes Deprez Guignot Associes Gide Loyrette Nouel Nomos France Patent Prosecution Cabinet Beau de Lomenie Cabinet Plasseraud Casalonga Lavoix Regimbeau Santarelli France Trade Mark Contentious Allen & Overy Armengaud Guerlain Bird & Bird Cande Blanchard Ducamp Gide Loyrette Nouel Hogan Lovells Hoyng Rokh Monegier Jones Day France Trade Mark Prosecution Cabinet Beau de Lomenie Cabinet Plasseraud Germain & Maureau Lavoix Regimbeau Santarelli TMark Conseils Germany Patent Contentious Arnold Ruess Bardehle Pagenberg Bird & Bird Hogan Lovells Hoyng Rokh Monegier Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan Rospatt Osten Pross Taylor Wessing Germany Patent Prosecution Bardehle Pagenberg DF-MP Grunecker Hoffmann Eitle Isenbruck Bosl Horschler Maiwald Uexkull & Stolberg Vossius & Partner Germany Trade Mark Bardehle Pagenberg Bird & Bird Harmsen Utescher Harte-Bavendamm Hogan Lovells Jonas Klaka Lubberger Lehment Hungary Baker McKenzie Knight Bird & Bird Iroda Kovari Patent and Trademark Attorneys Sar & Partners SBGK Szecskay Attorneys at Law Iceland Arnason Faktor Fjeldsted & Blondal Logos Sigurjonsson & Thor Tego IP Consulting Ireland Contentious IP A&L Goodbody Mason Hayes & Curran McCann FitzGerald Whitney Moore William Fry Ireland Prosecution FRKelly Hanna Moore + Curley Purdy Lucey Tomkins Israel Contentious Adi Levit Dr Shlomo Cohen & Co Gilat Bareket & Co Liad Whatstein & Co Luthi+Co S Horowitz & Co Israel Prosecution Ehrlich & Fenster Ellen B Shankman & Associates Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer Baratz Reinhold Cohn & Partners Webb & Co Italy Patent Contentious Bird & Bird DLA Piper Franzosi Dal Negro Setti Hogan Lovells IP Law Galli Studio Legale Jacobacci & Associati Trevisan & Cuonzo Italy Patent Prosecution Barzano & Zanardo Bugnion Buzzi Notaro & Antonielli dOulx Jacobacci & Partners Modiano & Partners Societa Italiana Brevetti Studio Torta Italy Trade Mark Contentious Bird & Bird Hogan Lovells IP Law Galli Studio Legale Jacobacci & Associati Studio Legale SIB Studio Vanzetti e Associati Trevisan & Cuonzo Italy Trade Mark Prosecution Bugnion Buzzi Notaro & Antonielli dOulx GLP Jacobacci & Partners Racheli Societa Italiana Brevetti Studio Torta Netherlands Copyright Brinkhof Bureau Brandeis De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek DLA Piper Hoyng Rokh Monegier Visser Schaap & Kreijger Netherlands Patent Contentious Bird & Bird Brinkhof De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek Hogan Lovells Hoyng Rokh Monegier Simmons & Simmons Taylor Wessing Netherlands Patent Prosecution Arnold & Siedsma De Vries & Metman EP&C NLO VO Netherlands Trade Mark Contentious Brinkhof De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek DLA Piper Hofhuis Alkema Groen Hoyng Rokh Monegier Norway Copyright BA-HR Bull & Co Simonsen Vogt Wiig Thommessen Wiersholm Norway Patent Contentious BA-HR Grette Schjdt Thommessen Wikborg Rein Norway Prosecution Acapo Bryn Aarflot Hams Patentbyra Onsagers Protector IP Consultants Zacco Norway Trade Mark Contentious BA-HR Grette Schjdt Thommessen Wikborg Rein Poland Contentious Baker McKenzie Kulikowska & Kulikowski LDS Lazewski Depo & Partners LSW Lesnodorski Slusarek Sotysinski Kawecki & Szlezak Traple Konarski Podrecki & Partners Poland Patent Prosecution JWP Kulikowska & Kulikowski LDS Lazewski Depo & Partners Patpol Polservice Sulima Grabowska Sierzputowska WTS Patent Attorneys Poland Trade Mark Prosecution Baker McKenzie JWP Kulikowska & Kulikowski Patpol Polservice Skubisz Kancelaria Prawno Patentowa Sotysinski Kawecki & Szlezak Wardynski & Partners Portugal Contentious Baptista Monteverde e Associados CCA Ontier Garrigues Linklaters PLMJ Simoes Garcia Corte-Real & Associados Vieira de Almeida & Associados Portugal Prosecution AG da Cunha Ferreira Clarke Modet & Co J Pereira da Cruz RCF Protecting Innovation Simoes Garcia Corte-Real & Associados Romania Contentious Musat & Asociatii Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen Ratza & Ratza Razvan Dinca & Asociatii Zamfirescu Racoti & Partners Romania Prosecution Cabinet M Oproiu Enpora Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen Petosevic Rominvent Russia Contentious Baker McKenzie Dentons Goltsblat BLP Gorodissky & Partners Gowling WLG Hogan Lovells Sojuzpatent Russia Prosecution ARS-Patent Baker McKenzie Gorodissky & Partners Gowling WLG Sojuzpatent South Africa Adams & Adams Kisch IP Spoor & Fisher Von Seidels Spain Patent Contentious Bird & Bird Clifford Chance Gomez-Acebo & Pombo Grau & Angulo Hoyng Rokh Monegier Uria Menendez Spain Patent Prosecution ABG Patentes Curell Sunol Elzaburu Herrero & Asociados ZBM Patents & Trademarks Spain Trade Mark Contentious Bird & Bird Curell Sunol Elzaburu Gomez-Acebo & Pombo Grau & Angulo Hogan Lovells Hoyng Rokh Monegier Uria Menendez Spain Trade Mark Prosecution Baker McKenzie Balder BomhardIP Curell Sunol Elzaburu Herrero & Asociados Hogan Lovells Sweden Patent Contentious Lindahl Mannheimer Swartling Sandart & Partners Setterwalls Vinge Sweden Patent Prosecution Awapatent Brann Groth & Co Kransell & Wennborg Strom & Gulliksson Valea Zacco Sweden Trade Mark Contentious Baker McKenzie Heidenstam Legal Lindahl Sandart & Partners Setterwalls Vinge Sweden Trade Mark Prosecution Awapatent Brann Groth & Co Gulliksson Lindahl Zacco Switzerland Patent Contentious FMP Fuhrer Marbach & Partners Homburger Lenz & Staehelin Meyerlustenberger Lachenal Rentsch Partner Schellenberg Wittmer Times Attorneys Switzerland Prosecution Bovard E Blum & Co Hepp Wenger Ryffel Isler & Pedrazzini Rentsch Partner Switzerland Trade Mark Contentious FMP Fuhrer Marbach & Partners Homburger Lenz & Staehelin Meyerlustenberger Lachenal Troller Hitz Troller Walder Wyss Wild Schnyder Turkey Contentious Cahit Suluk Intellectual Property Law Firm Deris Attorney at Law Partnership Gun + Partners Kenaroglu Moroglu Arseven NSN Law Firm Turkey Prosecution Ankara Patent Bureau Deris Patents & Trademarks Agency Destek Patent Gun + Partners Istanbul Patent Stock Industrial Property Services United Arab Emirates Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property Al Tamimi & Company Clyde & Co Gowling WLG Rouse Saba IP United Kingdom (England & Wales) Copyright Baker McKenzie DLA Piper Fieldfisher Harbottle & Lewis Lee & Thompson Reed Smith RPC Wiggin United Kingdom (England & Wales) Designs Allen & Overy Bristows D Young & Co Fieldfisher Gowling WLG Mishcon de Reya United Kingdom (England & Wales) Patent Contentious Allen & Overy Bird & Bird Bristows EIP Legal Gowling WLG Herbert Smith Freehills Hogan Lovells Powell Gilbert United Kingdom (England & Wales) Patent Prosecution Boult Wade Tennant Carpmaels & Ransford Elkington and Fife Gill Jennings & Every J A Kemp Kilburn & Strode Mewburn Ellis Potter Clarkson United Kingdom (England & Wales) Trade Mark Contentious Allen & Overy Bird & Bird Bristows Browne Jacobson Gowling WLG Mishcon de Reya Pinsent Masons Taylor Wessing United Kingdom (England & Wales) Trade Mark Prosecution Barker Brettell Boult Wade Tennant D Young & Co HGF Keltie Kilburn & Strode Marks & Clerk Stobbs IP United Kingdom (Scotland) Contentious Brodies Burness Paull Dentons MacRoberts Pinsent Masons Shepherd and Wedderburn United Kingdom (Scotland) Prosecution HGF Hindles Lawrie IP Lincoln IP Marks & Clerk Murgitroyd United Kingdom (Scotland) IP Transactions & Advisory Brodies Burness Paull MacRoberts Pinsent Masons Shepherd and Wedderburn REGIONAL AWARDS Africa Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property Adams & Adams ENSafrica Inlex Africa Spoor & Fisher Baltic/Eastern Europe Bird & Bird Cobalt Petosevic Rott Ruzicka & Guttmann Turcu & Turcu Zivko Mijatovic & Partners Benelux Chiever Gevers Knijff Trademark Attorneys NLO Shieldmark Novagraaf VO Europe Copyright Baker McKenzie Bird & Bird CMS DLA Piper Hogan Lovells Hoyng Rokh Monegier Reed Smith Taylor Wessing Europe Patent Contentious Allen & Overy Bardehle Pagenberg Bird & Bird Hogan Lovells Hoyng Rokh Monegier Simmons & Simmons Taylor Wessing Europe Patent Prosecution Awapatent Carpmaels & Ransford Gill Jennings & Every Hoffmann Eitle Lavoix Maiwald VO Europe Trade Mark Contentious Allen & Overy Baker McKenzie Bardehle Pagenberg Hogan Lovells Hoyng Rokh Monegier Taylor Wessing Eurasia Baker McKenzie Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners Euromarkpat Gowling WLG Papula-Nevinpat Middle East Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property Al Tamimi & Company Cedar White Bradley Clyde & Co Rouse Saba IP Scandinavia Awapatent Groth & Co Njord Roschier Zacco Awards research process The shortlists for the Managing IP Awards are based on information obtained during the research for the 2018 edition of IP STARS. In the IP STARS surveys for 2018, we asked firms to self-nominate as well as nominate their competitors for a number of awards. We review all available information, including all survey submissions and interview notes, and conduct independent research before producing the shortlists and picking the winners. The research for IP STARS is rigorous and impartial. The Managing IP awards are not influenced by any commercial relationship with Managing IP or rankings in IP STARS. Any firm, regardless of ranking, can win any of our awards. A firm can also be shortlisted even if it did not make a firm survey submission, but in such case we may require further information from the firm. The 2018 awards will be based on research information available between September 2017 and January 2018. Where appropriate, information after this period may be considered. Read more about IP STARS research methodology at https://www.ipstars.com/general/about You can see details of previous years' awards at http://www.managingip.com/Awards.html The material on this site is for law firms, companies and other IP specialists. It is for information only. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Notice before using the site. All material subject to strictly enforced copyright laws. 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQs. Share this article North America awards 2017 168 The shortlists for the Managing IP Americas Awards 2018 are below. The awards dinner will be held at The Essex House in New York on March 15. To reserve a table at the dinner, please contact Kevin Dansky at kevin.dansky@euromoneyny.com or (+1) 212 224 3673. Managing IP has introduced some changes to our awards in 2018, including expanding our North America Awards into an Americas Awards that includes Latin America. You can read more details here. The Americas Awards dinner will follow our EMEA Awards dinner in London on March 8. We are also launching an Asia-Pacific Awards dinner this year, which will be held in Hong Kong on March 21. Details of our awards research process are given below the shortlists. CANADA Canada Copyright Blake Cassels & Graydon Cassels Brock & Blackwell Fasken Osler Hoskin & Harcourt McCarthy Tetrault Smart & Biggar/Fetherstonhaugh Canada Patent Contentious Aitken Klee Belmore Neidrauer Blake Cassels & Graydon Goodmans Gowling WLG McCarthy Tetrault Norton Rose Fulbright Smart & Biggar/Fetherstonhaugh Canada Patent Prosecution Bereskin & Parr Gowling WLG Norton Rose Fulbright Smart & Biggar/Fetherstonhaugh Canada Trade Mark Contentious Bereskin & Parr Blake Cassels & Graydon Gowling WLG Osler Hoskin & Harcourt Smart & Biggar/Fetherstonhaugh Canada Trade Mark Prosecution Bereskin & Parr Borden Ladner Gervais Gowling WLG Osler Hoskin & Harcourt Smart & Biggar/Fetherstonhaugh Canada IP Boutique Aitken Klee Bereskin & Parr Smart & Biggar/Fetherstonhaugh Canada Outstanding IP Practitioner Andrew Bernstein, Torys Gunars Gaikis, Smart & Biggar/Fetherstonhaugh Steven Garland, Smart & Biggar/Fetherstonhaugh Steven Mason, McCarthy Tetrault Anthony Prenol, Blake Cassels & Graydon Andrew Skodyn, Lenczner Slaght LATIN AMERICA NATIONAL Argentina Copyright Baker McKenzie Berton Moreno + Ojam G Breuer Marval OFarrell & Mairal Argentina Patent Berken IP Ferrer Reyes Tellechea & Bouche G Breuer Marval OFarrell & Mairal Palacio & Asociados Argentina Trade Mark Berton Moreno + Ojam Ferrer Reyes Tellechea & Bouche G Breuer Marval OFarrell & Mairal Richelet & Richelet Brazil Patent Bhering Advogados Daniel Legal & IP Strategy Dannemann Siemsen Bigler & Ipanema Moreira Gusmao & Labrunie Kasznar Leonardos Trench Rossi Watanabe Brazil Trade Mark Barbosa Mussnich Aragao Bhering Advogados Dannemann Siemsen Bigler & Ipanema Moreira Gusmao & Labrunie Kasznar Leonardos Chile Anti-counterfeiting Albagli Zaliasnik Alessandri Carey Estudio Villaseca Chile Copyright Alessandri Albagli Zaliasnik Carey Sargent & Krahn Silva Chile Patent Albagli Zaliasnik Alessandri Carey Estudio Villaseca Sargent & Krahn Chile Trade Mark Albagli Zaliasnik Alessandri Carey Estudio Villaseca Sargent & Krahn Silva Colombia Patent Baker McKenzie Brigard & Castro Castellanos & Co Cavelier Abogados Lloreda Camacho & Co Olarte Moure & Asociados Colombia Trade Mark Baker McKenzie Brigard & Castro Cavelier Abogados Lloreda Camacho & Co Mexico Copyright Baker McKenzie Goodrich Riquelme y Asociados Hogan Lovells BSTL Jalife Caballero Olivares Mexico Patent Arochi & Lindner Becerril Coca & Becerril Basham Ringe y Correa Dumont Bergman Bider Olivares Mexico Trade Mark Arochi & Lindner Dumont Bergman Bider Goodrich Riquelme y Asociados Olivares Uhthoff Gomez Vega & Uhthoff Von Wobeser & Sierra Peru Patent Allende & Garcia Abogados Barreda Moller Estudio Colmenares & Asociados Muniz Ramirez Perez-Taiman & Olaya Rodrigo Elias & Medrano Abogados Peru Trade Mark Allende & Garcia Abogados Barreda Moller Estudio Colmenares & Asociados Pierola & Asociados Rodrigo Elias & Medrano Abogados LATIN AMERICA REGIONAL Latin America Firm to Watch Allende & Garcia Barbosa Mussnich Aragao Berton Moreno + Ojam Calderon & De La Sierra Cervieri Monsuarez & Asociados Estudio Benedetti Minino Abogados US NATIONAL CATEGORIES US Copyright Durie Tangri Goodwin Procter Jenner & Block Kirkland & Ellis Weil Gotshal & Manges US Patent Contentious Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner Fish & Richardson Irell & Manella Jones Day Kirkland & Ellis Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan WilmerHale US Patent Prosecution Fenwick & West Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner Fish & Richardson Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto Haynes & Boone Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox US Trade Mark Contentious Arnold & Porter Fenwick & West Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu Kelly IP Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton US Trade Mark Prosecution Fenwick & West Haynes and Boone Katten Muchin Rosenman Kelly IP Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton US Appellate Fenwick & West Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner Gibson Dunn & Crutcher Hughes Hubbard & Reed Mayer Brown Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy Morrison & Foerster US ITC Adduci Mastriani & Schaumberg Alston & Bird Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner Fish & Richardson Foster Murphy Altman & Nickel Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton WilmerHale US Life Sciences IP Litigation Arnold & Porter Fish & Richardson Marshall Gerstein & Borun Morrison & Foerster Sidley Austin Winston & Strawn US Plaintiff Firm Desmarais Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner McKool Smith Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan US Transactional Firm Cooley Fenwick & West Gibson Dunn & Crutcher Goodwin Procter Ropes & Gray Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati US PTAB Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner Fish & Richardson Oblon McClelland Maier & Neustadt Paul Hastings Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox US Specialty IP Firm Desmarais Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner Fish & Richardson Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto Marshall Gerstein & Borun Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox US Firm to Watch Archer & Greiner Caldwell Cassady & Curry Erise IP Haley Guiliano RinLaures US REGIONAL AWARDS Copyright: East Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu Goodwin Procter Jenner & Block King & Spalding Kirkland & Ellis Weil Gotshal & Manges Winston & Strawn Copyright: West Arnold & Porter Durie Tangri Fenwick & West King & Spalding Kirkland & Ellis OMelveny & Myers Patent Contentious: Northeast Desmarais Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner Gibson Dunn & Crutcher Hughes Hubbard & Reed Paul Hastings Sullivan & Cromwell WilmerHale Patent Contentious: South Caldwell Cassady & Curry Duane Morris Haynes and Boone McKool Smith Winston & Strawn Patent Contentious: Midwest Jenner & Block Kirkland & Ellis Marshall Gerstein & Borun Sidley Austin Winston & Strawn Patent Contentious: West Fenwick & West Fish & Richardson Irell & Manella Jones Day Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear Paul Hastings Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan Patent Prosecution: Northeast Arnold & Porter Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner Fish & Richardson Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox Wolf Greenfield & Sacks Patent Prosecution: South Alston & Bird Baker Botts Haynes and Boone Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton King & Spalding Patent Prosecution: Midwest Banner & Witcoff Leydig Voit & Mayer Marshall Gerstein & Borun McAndrews Held & Malloy Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner Patent Prosecution: West Arnold & Porter Fenwick & West Fish & Richardson Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear Arnold & Porter Debevoise & Plimpton Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner Katten Muchin Rosenman Kelly IP Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton Kirkland & Ellis Trade Mark Contentious: South Alston & Bird Haynes & Boone Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton King & Spalding Pirkey Barber Trade Mark Contentious: Midwest Banner & Witcoff Brinks Gilson & Lione Katten Muchin Rosenman Loeb & Loeb Pattishall McAuliffe Newbury Hilliard & Geraldson Trade Mark Contentious: West Cooley Fenwick & West Holland & Hart Kirkland & Ellis Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear OMelveny & Myers Arent Fox Debevoise & Plimpton Dorsey & Whitney Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu Kelly IP Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton Trade Mark Prosecution: South Alston & Bird Haynes and Boone Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton King & Spalding Pirkey Barber Trade Mark Prosecution: Midwest Brinks Gilson & Lione Dorsey & Whitney Katten Muchin Rosenman Leydig Voit & Mayer Pattishall McAuliffe Newbury Hilliard & Geraldson Trade Mark Prosecution: West Fenwick & West Holland & Hart Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear Loeb & Loeb US OUTSTANDING IP LITIGATORS Outstanding Litigator: California Wayne Barsky, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher James Batchelder, Ropes & Gray Juanita Brooks, Fish & Richardson Yar Chaikovsky, Paul Hastings Daralyn Durie, Durie Tangri David Gindler, Irell & Manella Diana Torres, Kirkland & Ellis Jonathan Waldrop, Kasowitz Benson Torres & Friedman Outstanding Litigator: Colorado Timothy Getzoff, Holland & Hart John Posthumus, Sheridan Ross Evan Rothstein, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck Mindy Sooter, WilmerHale Jon Trembath, Lathrop & Gage Outstanding Litigator: Delaware Steven Balick, Ashby & Geddes Jack Blumenfeld, Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell Martina Tyreus Hufnal, Fish & Richardson Karen Jacobs, Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell Douglas McCann, Fish & Richardson Outstanding Litigator: District of Columbia David Kelly, Kelly IP William Jay, Goodwin Procter Adam Perlman, Williams & Connolly Matthew Wolf, Arnold & Porter William Zimmerman, Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear Outstanding Litigator: Georgia William Brewster, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton Patrick Flinn, Alston & Bird Woody Jameson, Duane Morris Mitchell Stockwell, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton Jeffrey Toney, Kasowitz Benson Torres & Friedman Outstanding Litigator: Illinois James Hurst, Kirkland & Ellis John Labbe, Marshall Gerstein & Borun George Lombardi, Winston & Strawn Bradford Lyerla, Jenner & Block Floyd Mandell, Katten Muchin Rosenman David Pritikin, Sidley Austin Robert Unikel, Arnold & Porter Outstanding Litigator: Massachusetts Douglas Kline, Goodwin Procter William Lee, WilmerHale Eric Marandett, Choate Hall & Stewart Lisa Pirozzolo, WilmerHale Frank Scherkenbach, Fish & Richardson Outstanding Litigator: Michigan Frank Angileri, Brooks Kushman Glenn Forbis, Harness Dickey & Pierce John LeRoy, Brooks Kushman Michael Palizzi, Miller Canfield Outstanding Litigator: Minnesota Alan Carlson, Carlson Caspers Jan Conlin, Ciresi Conlin John Dragseth, Fish & Richardson Christopher Larus, Robins Kaplan Devan Padmanabhan, Winthrop & Weinstine Dorothy Whelan, Fish & Richardson Outstanding Litigator: New Jersey Scott Christie, McCarter & English John Connell, Archer & Greiner David De Lorenzi, Gibbons Gerard Norton, Fox Rothschild Robert Rhoad, Dechert Bruce Sales, Lerner David Littenberg Krumholz & Mentlik Outstanding Litigator: New York Garrard Beeney, Sullivan & Cromwell Dale Cendali, Kirkland & Ellis James Dabney, Hughes Hubbard & Reed John Desmarais, Desmarais Michael Elkin, Winston & Strawn Christopher Gaspar, Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy Jane Love, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher Bruce Rich, Weil Gotshal & Manges Outstanding Litigator: Pennsylvania Martin Black, Dechert Dianne Elderkin, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld Dale Heist, BakerHostetler Eric Kraeutler, Morgan Lewis & Bockius Nicole McLaughlin, Duane Morris Outstanding Litigator Award: Texas Douglas Cawley, McKool Smith John Keville, Winston & Strawn David McCombs, Haynes and Boone Michael Newton, Alston & Bird Phillip Philbin, Haynes and Boone Louis Pirkey, Pirkey Barber Theodore Stevenson, McKool Smith Outstanding Litigator: Virginia William Atkins, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman Jack Barufka, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman Jeffrey Berkowitz, Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner Charles Lipsey, Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner Robert Mattson, Oblon McClelland Maier & Neustadt Larry Nixon, Nixon & Vanderhye Outstanding Litigator: Washington Geoffrey Godfrey, Dorsey & Whitney Jeffrey Johnson, K&L Gates Paul Meiklejohn, Dorsey & Whitney Brian Park, Stoel Rives David Tellekson, Fenwick & West Outstanding Litigator: PTAB David Cavanaugh, WilmerHale Eldora Ellison, Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox Scott McKeown, Ropes & Gray Naveen Modi, Paul Hastings Dorothy Whelan, Fish & Richardson Outstanding Appellate Practitioner James Barney, Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner Lisa Blatt, Arnold & Porter John Connell, Archer & Greiner James Dabney, Hughes Hubbard & Reed William Jay, Goodwin Procter Deanne Maynard, Morrison & Foerster Mark Perry, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher Andrew Pincus, Mayer Brown David Tellekson, Fenwick & West Awards research process The shortlists for the Managing IP Awards are based on information obtained during the research for the 2018 edition of IP STARS. In the IP STARS surveys for 2018, we asked firms to self-nominate as well as nominate their competitors for a number of awards. We review all available information, including all survey submissions and interview notes, and conduct independent research before producing the shortlists and picking the winners. The research for IP STARS is rigorous and impartial. The Managing IP awards are not influenced by any commercial relationship with Managing IP or rankings in IP STARS. Any firm, regardless of ranking, can win any of our awards. A firm can also be shortlisted even if it did not make a firm survey submission, but in such case we may require further information from the firm. The 2018 awards will be based on research information available between September 2017 and January 2018. Where appropriate, information after this period may be considered. Read more about IP STARS research methodology at https://www.ipstars.com/general/about You can see details of previous years' awards at http://www.managingip.com/Awards.html The material on this site is for law firms, companies and other IP specialists. It is for information only. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Notice before using the site. All material subject to strictly enforced copyright laws. 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQs. Share this article Dubai: Amid the financial fraud allegations against Binoy Kodiyeri, son of CPM State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, he has been stopped at the Dubai International airport by the immigration officials, following a travel ban. His passport has also been seized by the officials. Thus, Binoy, accused of cheating JAAS tourism LLC of 13 crore will not be able to return to Kerala from Dubai without settling the case. A civil case was also filed against Binoy in the Gulf country based on the company's complaint. Meanwhile, the JAAS Tourism company owner Abdulla Al Marzoqi cancelled the press meet in Kerala and reportedly returned to Dubai for filing a new case against Binoy. However, the issue has kicked up a political storm in Kerala, with the opposition demanding Kodiyeri's resignation from the post. click to go to homepage Participants in the March for the Future criticizing Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and the current administration, which was organized by the party New Forces Movement led by Georgia's ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, ended their march on the European Square in central Kyiv, where a rally has begun. A column composed of some 6,000-7,000 people went from Shevchenko Park along the streets Volodymyrska, Mykhailivska and Khreschatyk, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported. In the course of the march, the protesters chanted slogans calling for the resignation of the incumbent president and criticizing the authorities. Speakers supporting Saakashvili made speeches from a podium erected on the square. Details Alan Woods 05 June 2020 Alan Woods comments on the uprising in the USA, which was sparked by the police murder of George Floyd, and has become the catalyst for an explosion of anger by the downtrodden in America that has sent shockwaves throughout... A great victory has been won by striking workers of the Pepsi-Cola factory in Faisalabad, industrial hub of Pakistan. On 29 January 2018, almost 250 workers completely shut the factory down in solidarity with three colleagues who had been laid-off by the administration without prior notice. The three workers who were fired actively motivated their colleagues to raise the demand for an increase in their daily wages. The workers' militant action put the bosses under severe pressure and eventually forced them to buckle. Pepsi-Cola Pakistan gives workers neither permanent employment status, nor any kind of benefits. Workers share of profits can be measured by the fact that they cannot afford to buy three meals a day for their families. The daily wage of a precarious worker is 500 rupees (3.20) and if he or she is lucky enough to get work every day, his or her total salary per month, including one day-off a week, is 13000 rupees (83.20). The situation for permanent workers is not much different: they are paid 620 rupees (3.90) per day, and their monthly salary amounts to 18600 rupees (119). It is important to note that the very basic living cost in Faisalabad is more than double the salary these workers are earning. However, the greed of the multinational companies knows no bounds. Each bottle of Pepsi-Cola manufactured in Faisalabad contains the blood and sweat of workers toiling in dismal conditions in this factory. Pepsi-Cola workers standing firm / Image: own work The workers so-called legal guardian (the labour department) is just a silent partner of the multinationals, and makes a mockery of labour laws. Usually, workers are hired through middlemen or labour contractors of the factory administration and are offered daily, or monthly contracts: permanent workers are few. Unionising workers is a far-fetched dream under these circumstances. The EOBI (Government Pension Contribution System) and government social security system are also non-existent. Employees are forced to work more than 12 hours every day, and their hard-earned wages are subject to cuts and delays. Workers in Faisalabad fighting the bosses / Image: own work Even the massive exploitation of Pepsi-Cola was not enough, and they started laying off workers demanded a pay rise. This created widespread anger amongst the workers, and on 29 January they shut down the whole factory and went on strike. The principal demand of striking workers was to reinstate their laid-off colleagues. Overnight, workers staged a sit-in strike outside the factory gates. The bosses used all tactics to disperse the workers including a threat to crush them using factory cargo trucks, but not a single threat could budge the workers. The bosses also called a heavy contingent of the police to scare them (see below). Meanwhile, they tried to have a dialogue with the workers, in an attempt to force them to end the strike and withdraw their demands, but they all faced utter humiliation at the hands of the striking workers. The administration was never short of ideas and sent agents to the homes of the workers to bribe their families, but in a show of unanimous class unity they all shooed off these agents. Comrades from the Red Workers Front stood shoulder to shoulder with the striking workers of the Pepsi-Cola factory and electrified the atmosphere with their speeches. It was decided to hold another sit-in strike in front of the factory gates on 30 January. At 10am next morning, the workers started gathering as planned to sit in front of the factory gates. The enthusiasm and roars of the slogans against the owners of the factory were enough that the administration accepted defeat and announced to reinstate the laid-off workers but asked for a time extension until March to increase the workers wages. After negotiation, the workers ended the strike with the partial fulfilment of their demands, but they demanded back pay, including for the two days of the strike, which was unwillingly accepted by the administration. The workers have planned another meeting soon to discuss further strategies, including forming a union. Striking workers reading Worker Nama / Image: own work During the whole struggle, members of the Red Workers Front were successful in gaining support from all workers of the Pepsi-Cola factory. This heroic struggle and victory of Pepsi-Cola factory workers are an example to the thousands of workers facing dificult conditions in other industries: only through class struggle can you stand up to the bosses and multinationals and win your rights. Below, you can watch Comrade Abdullah Rehmat of Red Workers Front speaking (in Punjabi) during the Pepsi workers' sit-in strike in front of factory gates: HOLYOKE -- Massachusetts remains on schedule to offer legal recreational marijuana stores on July 1, the head of the state's Cannabis Control Commission said Monday. But growers are going to need their licenses much sooner than that or there won't be any legal product on the shelves when those pot shops open, said David Caputo, of Positronic Farms in Holyoke. At a public hearing on state recreational marijuana regulations the commission hosted at Holyoke Community College, Caputo asked for the application date for license to grow to be moved up to March instead of April 1. "You have to build your facility, then you have to start your plants, then you vegetate your plants and then you have to put your plants into budding cycle," Caputo said. "Then it takes at least 10 weeks for them to go through budding cycle to get finished. Then you have to harvest them and dry them and cure them which takes one to two weeks. "So it literally takes three to four to five months from the day somebody gets a license before there is any product to sell," Caputo said. No legal product ready to sell means no sales and no tax revenue for the state, he said. Caputo was one of the 150 or so people who attended the hearing on draft regulations released in December. State Reps. Aaron Vega, D-Holyoke, and John Velis, D-Westfield, were in attendance. Voters approved legalized adult recreational consumption of marijuana in a November 2016 referendum. Monday's hearing was the second on a series of 10 public hearings planned by the Cannabis Control Commission. The next is Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, William B. Allen Community Room, 12 Olive St., Greenfield. Steven J. Hoffman, commission chairman, said his panel is on track to get the stores open by the July 1 target date. "That date is not written into statute. And it isn't going to come down to doing this right or doing it quickly. We are going to do this right," Hoffman said. "But we are on a pace to meet that target." Hoffman chaired the hearing with Commissioner Kay Doyle. Caputo said he's invested $600,000 and is looking for $400,000 in additional funding for his growing operation at 5-13 Appleton St. in Holyoke. He plans to grow there and distribute product to other shops. "I know that Holyoke could use my 25 employees each making $25 an hour," he said. Entrepreneurs have looked to Holyoke -- with its ample cheap hydropower for grow lights and water pumps and available industrial space in old mill buildings -- as a good spot to set up commercial cannabis operations. Mayor Alex Morse has also been receptive to the industry. Michael Kroboch, of Acton, said Massachusetts' regulations on the whole are friendly for the mom-and-pop craft-style marijuana business he wants to create. "We have seen in other states where the rules were written for the big corporations," he said. "Massachusetts will allow for the small grower." Some speakers expressed concerns. Tina Lukasik, family outreach coordinator for the South Hadley Drug & Alcohol Prevention Coalition, worries about teens getting access to marijuana. The minimum age in Massachusetts for recreational marijuana is age 21. But medical marijuana is available to those age 18 and up. What happens, she asked, when a medical dispensary and a recreational retail store are located in the same spot? Constance Kruger, a member of the Amherst Select Board, said the college town she represents is likely to be impacted, and where and under what conditions to allow marijuana shops is a matter of some debate. She said she's also concerned that the small growers are protected. Other speakers want restrictions on how marijuana is advertised -- no cartoon characters, for instance. Vega testified that marijuana operations should have local ties and local partners before they can open. The communities should get some business benefit over and above taxes. Next month, for the first time in 180 years, the daily Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise may no longer have a physical office in Fitchburg. The newspaper, which is owned by Denver, Colorado-based Digital First Media, is switching to what it's calling a "virtual newsroom" model by the end of February or sooner. Jim Campanini, editor of the Sentinel and Enterprise and the Lowell Sun, told the Business Journal in an interview that the plan is intended to save money, but that the paper is in no danger of closing entirely. In fact, he boasted that the paper just hired a new reporter as well as two videographers. "It's our time to create this model of innovation," he said. "I look upon this as discovery. We're explorers, really." Campanini said that the publisher, Kevin Corrado, may seek a smaller space in Fitchburg just to maintain a presence in the city, but Corrado was not immeditely available to say whether that would happen before the current space is vacated over the next few weeks. Campanini said reporters are used to working outside the office -- and already do during snowstorms or when big news events happen outside of the paper's normal business hours. "These new journalists coming out of college are well-versed," he said. "They take video, they take pictures, they write stories. ... They file from home. They don't need to come into the newsroom." The newspaper traces its roots back to the Fitchburg Sentinel, founded in 1838, which merged with the Leominster Enterprise in 1973 and changed its name to its current one. The seven-day-a-week paper sold its building at 808 Main St. years ago, said Campanini, and has been leasing its current space for just over 10 employees ever since. The company prints its paper at Seacoast Media Group in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Campanini said the Fitchburg and Lowell newspapers have a combined editorial staff of 23 people, and that he still plans to have staff meetings "every other week" in the offices of the Lowell Sun or else in a small sales office located in Westford. Dan Kennedy, journalism professor at Northeastern University and author of the Media Nation blog, said that the idea of a virtual newsroom "doesn't sound like the worst thing (he's) ever heard of." "It all depends on the implementation," Kennedy said in an email. "It could be isolating and counterproductive if there aren't regular opportunities for reporters and editors to get together. Still, cutting rent is certainly better than cutting staff." Two major casino operators in New England accuse federal officials of blocking their expansion efforts, a move that helped a new competitor to the area. Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes - operators of Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino, respectively - joined together to open a third casino in Connecticut. The site, the former Showcase Cinemas building in East Windsor, was to compete with the MGM Springfield casino project just minutes north on Interstate 91. Plans have been halted after the U.S. Department of the Interior refused to approve them. The tribes have filed suit, arguing the Interior is illegally seeking to delay plans. The federal department has 45 days to approve or deny such projects. The delay occurred after Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and other senior interior officials had several phone calls and meetings with lobbyists for MGM and members of Congress who support the MGM casino project, reports Politico. MGM Resorts International spent about $3.8 million on lobbying efforts in Connecticut, reports the CT Mirror, three times the amount of any other gaming entity. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, of Connecticut, called the department "derelict in failing to give approval," adding, to Politico, "We asked for a meeting, but they were unresponsive. They never even responded." Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed legislation in June allowing the establishment of the East Windsor casino, but federal approval is still required for the casino to open. In addition to the MGM Springfield project, scheduled to open in September 2018, MGM has pitched opening another casino in New England. MGM held a press conference alongside Bridgeport mayor Joseph Ganim in September pitching a $600 million casino in the city. The project requires approval from state officials whom voted in support of the Mohegan and Foxwoods proposal. "We want to be here in Connecticut and we want to be here in Bridgeport," MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren, a Bridgeport native, said during the press conference at the city's Steelpointe Harbor. "I believe this project could turn the economic tide in the state. We just need to the political commitment to make that happen." The project would feature 2,000 slot machines, 160 table games, a 300-room hotel, a 700-seat theater, retail stores and restaurants, creating 7,000 jobs. A spokesperson for the tribes told Politico that federal officials were positive about their third casino project in early 2017, seeming to change their mind in mid-September. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told CT Mirror, of the shift, "MGM got to Secretary Zinke and convinced him to overrule the decision of a career public servant at the Department of Interior," he told the CT Mirror. "The timeline is pretty clear." Zinke is an appointee of President Donald Trump who has had negative interactions with the tribes in past years. In the early 90s, Trump called Connecticut's casino venture "a disaster." During a House subcommittee meeting in 1993, he said, of the Mashantucket Pequots, "They don't look like Indians to me." He claimed organized crime infiltrated tribe-owned gaming operations, saying, "There is no way Indians are going to protect themselves from the mob," adding, "This is gonna blow." Defense Minister of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak notes the importance of the bill on the national security of the country and expects that the Verkhovna Rada will be able to adopt this legislative initiative already in the first quarter of this year. "We are determined that (preferably) the parliament adopt this law in the first quarter," the minister told the Ukrainian service of the Voice of America. He recalled that on January 17 at a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine the draft law on national security was considered and approved, "which will be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada in the near future." "It clearly defines all the priorities that correspond to the Strategic Defense Bulletin, where it is clearly defined that the new civilian defense minister should be appointed from January 1, 2019," Poltorak said. Earlier, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis noted the priority of the law on national security of Ukraine and urged the authorities of the country to take this initiative as soon as possible. "He expressed his hope that the Presidential Administration and Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, take swift action and pass legislation that ensures a solid legal basis for the implementation of defense reforms in support of a secure and democratic Ukraine," said the head of the Pentagon at a meeting with Poltorak. As reported, on January 17, the National Security and Defense Council discussed and approved the draft law on Ukraine's national security, which should lay groundwork for drafting and upgrading the national security and defense legislation. According to NSDC Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov, the law on Ukraine's national security should summarize all the reforms of the country's security and defense sector that have already been implemented and are to be implemented, as well as combine not only the basic foundations of national security, but also the issues of democratic civilian control and the principles of planning in these spheres. He said that the bill was aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the activity of all elements of the security and defense sector in accordance with the norms and standards of NATO and the EU. "The speedy adoption of this bill should be an important element in the sphere of protecting Ukrainian statehood and counteracting Russian aggression," Turchynov said. SPRINGFIELD - Women in Western Massachusetts interested in seeking positions of leadership recently received some real encouragement - some $25,000 worth of it. This is the amount the Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts, which runs leadership programs for both women and girls, received in a grant from the Irving and Sulamith Blackberg Charitable Foundation. "This funding will directly support our ability to serve more program participants, helping us to grow and serve local women in need of professional development," said Donna Haghighat, WFWM chief executive officer, in a statement. WFWM runs the annual Leadership Institute for Political and Public Impact, which consists of 11 workshops over 10 months, to help women develop civic leadership. It has partnered with Longmeadow's Baypath University to offer academic credit to institute participants. The Young Women's Initiative, which was announced in December 2016, is part of a national effort by several women's funds to help identify and address economic and other barriers that prevent women from reaching their potential. The Springfield partnership is being funded in part by a $150,000 grant from the MassMutual Foundation Its initiative looks to work with women, ages 12 to 24, to help them remain in the area and improve their economic prospects. In her statement, Haghighat said, "Both programs are dedicated to serving local women and girls in their personal and professional leadership development." WFWM provides funds as well to organizations, in the four counties of Western Massachusetts, that work collaboratively to help empower women, and has awarded $2.5 million to more than 150 nonprofit organizations since 1997. Its funding comes from a variety of sources. "This fiscal year, our budget is just over a million dollars - $1,034,102 - and we have a very diversified revenue stream," said Ellen Moorhouse, WFWM program director, when asked about funding. "In addition to receiving some income from LIPPI tuition and investment income from our endowment, we also receive funding from individual donors, corporate underwriters, event sponsors, and public foundations." The Blackberg foundation is a private non-profit that was established in 2013, with Stanley Waxler, Joan Waxler and Bank of America, N.A., co-trustees. AMHERST -- For about 90 minutes after the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl Sunday night, it was pure chaos at the University of Massachusetts, Fire Chief Tim Nelson said. Capt. Stephen Gaughan, who was on campus treating and evaluating those who were injured, described it as "one of the angriest crowds I've ever seen." One man in town was so angry, Nelson said, he punched out a television set. About 2,000 gathered in the Southwest residential area at UMass following the Patriots' 41 to 33 Super Bowl LII loss. UMass police arrested six, according to a UMass press release. Five were treated on campus and seven were taken to the hospital for injuries that included lacerations, cuts, a broken nose, a broken arm, intoxication and a head injury. Nelson said first responders treated people in other areas of the campus in addition to Southwest as gatherings spread. Nelson said Eagles fans wearing team jerseys were wandering into the crowds as if to say "look at me" -- and were met with violence. "There were fights everywhere," Nelson said, adding that it was all unexpected. There hasn't been an incident like this on campus in a long time, and it was rainy and icy. Last year, about 3,000 flooded the Southwest residential area following the Patriots victory, in a celebration that university officials described as peaceful. Nelson praised UMass police and the university. "They did everything right," he said. "You couldn't have predicted this." UMass limited dorm visitors, had viewing parties and even took down some light poles to prevent students from climbing them. For police, "the challenge for them is to stop the chaos make sure no one gets hurt," Nelson said. Police used pepper-spray pellets to clear the disturbance after multiple dispersal orders. The area was cleared by 11:30 p.m. Nelson said "there's no reason in the world for them to be violent. To act out. It's just a game no one died." He said it seemed if the students were thinking "we are going to get nuts. It becomes a mob mentality." He was angry because there were others in town who needed care. "When kids do stuff like this they choose to do it," he said. "That's the thing that bugs me." Nelson said the department was so busy they had to bring in seven ambulances from five mutual aid communities -- Easthampton, South Hadley, Belchertown, South County and Northampton. UMass Police were assisted by Massachusetts State Police and Amherst Police. The fire department, meanwhile, had to put out a bonfire Sunday night at about 11:50 at the Townehouse of Amherst apartments on Meadow Street. Someone lit a pile of furniture on fire, according to the Amherst police log. Witnesses told police they didn't know who set it. Rain helped quell the blaze and Amherst fire extinguished what was left. The names of the students arrested and the charges have not yet been released. SPRINGFIELD - Last week, the American Heart Association released a 23-page statement in its journal, Circulation, warning breast cancer survivors to be aware that some treatments can increase their risk for cardiovascular disease even long after treatment ends. The document provides detailed information on how some breast cancer treatments may impact a woman's heart health., and calls for more funding for the emerging field of cardio-oncology. This field unites care of the cardiovascular system with that of cancer care and treatment. It advises providers that "long-term surveillance aims at monitoring those with preexisting and ongoing CVD and those at risk for late cardiotoxicity." Springfield Medical Associates Dr. Jay Burton sees the AHA statement as underscoring the importance of survivorship care plans. These plans aim to give primary care providers information on their patients undergoing cancer treatment so that as their care moves away from the hospital setting they continue to receive informed surveillance. "For me, this is a landmark article because it connects active cancer treatment to surveillance/survivorship care. It then actually provides methods of surveillance in one site in a manner that can be easily understood by subspecialists and primary care physicians and advanced level practitioners," Burton said. "For someone who is involved in primary care cancer survivorship care this is exciting." Elevated risks that some breast cancer therapies carry for cardiovascular disease has been previously reported. However, the AHA statement says that earlier cancer detection and treatment "have led to an increasing number of breast cancer survivors who are at risk of long-term cardiac complications from cancer treatments." It stresses, "In older women diagnosed with breast cancer, CVD is the leading cause of mortality, and breast cancer is the second most common cause." In a release about the document, Dr. Laxmi Mehta, who chaired the group writing it, said the document "should not deter or scare patients from undergoing breast cancer treatment, but should allow them to make informed decisions with their doctor on the best cancer treatment for them." The higher CVD risk for breast cancer survivors, particularly among post-menopausal women, comes seven years after diagnosis, something the statement says "highlights the need to reduce the additional burden of CVD during this time frame with early recognition and treatment of CVD risk factors." "For older women, CVD poses a greater mortality threat than breast cancer itself," notes the statement, AHA's first on cardiovascular disease and breast cancer, and released the day before Go Red for Women Day, the national fund-raiser and awareness day for heart health. It adds that "latent effects of CVD from cancer treatment can alter cancer survivorship," but that "discussion of CVD prevention and modification of these risk factors during and after cancer treatment is limited." It also highlights how breast cancer and heart disease share some of the same risk factors, such as sedentary lifestyle, family history of disease and obesity. There are about 15 million cancer survivors in the U.S. today, and Burton, who practices in the Enfield office of Springfield Medical Associates, is one of them. Besides being a primary care doctor, he is an eight-year survivor of adult acute myeloid leukemia, a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes abnormal white or red blood cells or platelets. He is also the founder of the Primary Care Cancer Survivorship Program of Western Massachusetts within his practice. He said such programs, whether in hospitals or community-based, require staff and administrative support and are crucial for the continuum of care for survivors. "The most recognized definition of a cancer survivor is the one that starts at the time of a cancer diagnosis," Burton notes. "That is when the patient goes into survival mode in trying to find ways to cure this disease, at the same time trying to live through their usual daily routine." Burton's program focuses on "the medical aspects of cancer survivorship" so the treating primary physician knows everything about the patient's cancer, from diagnosis to treatment to "what surveillance has to be done in the years after cancer treatment has been completed to look out for other complications or even secondary cancers." The AHA document, "Cardiovascular Disease and Breast Cancer: Where These Entities Intersect," gives detailed explanations of various breast cancer therapies, including chemotherapy and radiation and their risks and markers for cardiovascular disease. It stresses that "the expanding role of primary care physicians, oncologists, cardiologists, and allied healthcare providers in survivorship programs is essential to optimize the management of comorbidities (other diseases) to realize the gains seen in breast cancer treatment." "This partnership has been developing in major cancer centers that have a survivorship component as part of its mission. It has also caused to develop the fields of endocrinology, nephrology, and neurology. Hence the development of the medical disciplines of onco-cardiology, onco-endocrinology, onco-nephrology, and onco-neurology," Burton said. He added his hope for the AHA document is that oncologists will read it and "engage the cardiology community." "Then the cardiology community needs to read this and then partner with the oncologists in sharing the responsibility for the ongoing surveillance. This shared responsibility is more than a one-time consult. In many instances, this care and surveillance is for the lifetime of the cancer survivor," Burton said. He added the role of the primary is "complicated" in terms of surveillance and relies on the other specialties involved to provide information even as treatment is taking place. "What can't be lost here is that there also needs to be ongoing communication between cancer treating oncologists, subspecialists, and primary care physicians and advanced level practitioners all during active treatment," Burton said. "This usually is delivered in the form of office note, blood test, and imaging results confidentially emailed, faxed, or snail mailed. Most commonly this requires a click of a computer key, but it requires the subpecialist to think about this or have a system in place. It also requires the primary care physicians and advanced level practitioners to review the information." He added, "The major issue here is how can we best coordinate survivorship care for the cancer survivor." "Because I am a cancer survivor and a primary care physician, I recognize both sides of the multiple issues regarding coordinating and providing cancer survivorship care. Within my practice, I have developed the Primary Care Cancer Survivorship Program which is an attempt to provide cancer survivors with the most up-to-date survivorship care and surveillance," Burton said. "My cancer survivor office charts have in each note, listed in the medical history the following components: cancer diagnosis and treatment, complications of the cancer/treatment and survelliance, including long-term effects to be aware of." He added the program soon "will implement a yearly cancer survivorship office visit that will focus solely on cancer survivorship issues." He also noted that the Commission on Cancer, a program of the American College of Surgeons, has said that its accredited programs will be "expected to meet or exceed the delivery of survivorship care plans to 50 percent of eligible patients by the end of 2018." "One of these criteria is to provide a survivorship care plan to patients and their primary care providers at the end of active cancer treatment as a means to provide quality transitional care," Burton said. The percentage of deaths from pneumonia and influenza-like illnesses is considered epidemic across the country, according to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Based on National Center for Health Statistics mortality surveillance data available on Feb. 1, 9.7 percent of the deaths occurring during the week ending Jan. 13 were due to pneumonia and influenza viruses. This percentage is above the epidemic threshold of 7.2 percent for this week. Influenza-like illnesses continue widespread in most areas of the United States. The CDC has said it is the worst season in a decade in terms of hospitalizations, number of visits to outpatient clinics and the fact pediatric deaths related to confirmed cases of influenza-like illnesses, which now stand at 53, including one in the New England region, continue to rise. The mismatch of this year's flu vaccination is said partly to blame due to how viruses in circulation can genetically change. Type A and Type B flu viruses have many subtypes and flu vaccines do not offer equal resistance to all viruses, particularly against AH3N2, the prominent strain this year. Massachusetts flu vaccination rate is around 50 percent, with few states higher. U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) is reportedly going to ask Congress this week to invest $1 billion over five years for researchers to create a universal flu vaccine, whose aim would be to eliminate an annual vaccine. Markey visited Massachusetts General Hospital Friday, where, according to media reports, the hospital has already seen 10 deaths and 150 hospitalizations related to the flu this season. Laboratory confirmed year-to-date cases of flu as of Friday in the state total 5,708, although actual cases would be much higher as most people are never diagnosed. Vaccination is still recommended, especially for its protection against the Type B strains which are said to be increasing in circulation in some parts of the country. CDC estimates for the effectiveness of the flu vaccine show it was 19 percent effective for the 2014-season; 48 percent effective for the 2015-1016 season, and around 39 percent effective in the 2016-2017 season. Influenza viruses are particularly invasive for individuals with compromised immune systems and other medical issues. Among 1,708 hospitalized adults with information on underlying medical conditions between Oct. 1 and Jan. 27, 1,183 - 69.3 percent - had at least one reported underlying medical condition, according to the CDC. The most commonly reported were cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorder, obesity, and chronic lung disease. Among 180 hospitalized children with information on underlying medical conditions, 93 - 51.7 percent - had at least one underlying medical condition; the most commonly reported were asthma, neurologic disorder, and obesity, according to the CDC. Among 138 hospitalized women of childbearing age (15 to 44 years) with information on pregnancy status, 33 - 23.9 percent - were pregnant. Here is some other information from the CDC on its surveillance of influenza-like illnesses: For the week ending Jan. 27, 4.71 percent of outpatient visits to reporting providers were for influenza-like illnesses. This percentage is above the national baseline of 2.2 percent, and all 10 regions of the country reported percentages above their specific regional baselines. The percentage of regional visits ranged from 2.8 to 13.0 percent. Massachusetts' rate of During past seasons, approximately 80 percent of flu-associated deaths in children have occurred in children who were not vaccinated. Based on available data, the CDC says this remains true for the 2017-2018. There were 148 influenza-associated pediatric deaths for the 2014-2015 season; 93 for the 2015-2016 season; and 110 for the 2016-2017. CDC has characterized 1,289 influenza viruses collected from Oct. 1, 2017 to Jan. 27, and submitted by U.S. laboratories, including 253 influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses, 668 influenza A(H3N2) viruses, and 368 influenza B viruses, to determine genetic changes. While all influenza viruses undergo frequent genetic changes, the A total of 14,676 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations were reported to the CDC between Oct. 1 and January 27. The overall hospitalization rate was 51.4 per 100,000 population. The highest rate of hospitalization was among adults aged 65 years and older (226.8 per 100,000 population), followed by adults aged 50 to 64 (54.0 per 100,000 population) and children aged 0-4 years (33.3 per 100,000 population). Among those hospitalized with influenza A subtype information, 2,797 - 86.5 percent were A(H3N2) and 437 -13.5 percent were A(H1N1)pdm09 virus. States are not required to report individual seasonal flu cases or deaths of people older than 18 years of age to CDC, and seasonal influenza is not often listed on death certificates of people who die from flu-related complications. CDC EASTHAMPTON -- After months of discussion by the Planning Board, the City Council will begin its own evaluation of a proposal to allow, guide, and regulate recreational marijuana businesses in the city. The Ordinance Subcommittee, chaired by councilor Salem Derby, will discuss cannabis zoning this evening at 5:30 p.m. A proposed ordinance was forwarded to the City Council from the Planning Board on Dec. 7. The stated purpose of the ordinance is to allow state-licensed marijuana establishments in the city, provide "safe and effective access" to recreational cannabis, and "impose reasonable safeguards to govern the time, place, and manner" of marijuana businesses to protect public health, safety, and the environment. Any new zoning ordinance must ultimately receive a two-thirds vote of the full city council. The proposal that's currently on the table calls for a 200-foot buffer between marijuana establishments and any school or child care center; for odor control; security measures; discreet signage, and more. Marijuana retail would be allowed in the downtown business, highway business, and mixed-use mill zones with a special permit. Cultivators, manufacturers, and testing labs would be allowed in the industrial zone with site plan approval, and in the mill district with a special permit. Among potential city businesses, a recent business school graduate says she hopes to open a "Cannabis Cafe" in the Pleasant Street mill district. While the Planning Board ultimately included language in its proposal to allow "social consumption," city planning staff noted that there was no consensus on the matter, and recommended "greater debate at City Council." Although draft state regulations provide for social consumption, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission has yet to release its final regulations on recreational marijuana, so the on-site consumption piece remains up in the air. Planning staff also called for more debate on making cultivation facilities use renewable energy. Marijuana cultivation facilities are known for their intensive electricity demands, local officials have said. The medical marijuana outfit known as INSA is actively growing plants at the Keystone Mill and hopes to open its dispensary soon. Principals with INSA, the former Hampden Care Facility, have expressed interest in entering the recreational side of the market. The federal government under Republican President Donald J. Trump has not been supportive of state-led efforts to legalize marijuana. While Attorney General Jeff Sessions has rescinded the Obama-era "Cole memo" that allowed states to legalize adult use without fear of federal prosecution, U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling of Massachusetts has indicated he will maintain his focus on "bulk cultivation and trafficking cases, and those who use the federal banking system illegally." If you go: What: City Council Ordinance Subcommittee marijuana discussion When: Feb. 5, 5:30 p.m. Where: 50 Payson Ave., 2nd Floor Jerry Mercado, the escaped prison inmate who was apprehended in Georgia after 10 days on the run, has been returned to Connecticut to stand trial for new charges related to the escape, officials said. Mercado escaped from the medium-security Carl Robinson Correctional Institution in Enfield on Jan. 7. He was apprehended in Canton, Georgia on Jan. 17 after a nationwide search. Connecticut Department of Corrections officials say Mercado initially fought extradition in the Georgia courts, but later waived his right to a court hearing. He was brought back to Connecticut on Friday. "The inmate's capture and subsequent return to State custody is the culmination of tireless work by multiple public safety departments and agencies," said Department of Correction Commissioner Scott Semple. Mercado is being kept at the Northern Correctional Institution, a maximum security prison in Somers, and has been placed on restrictive status. He has been charged with first-degree escape, a felony charge. He has been placed on restrictive status at the new prison, and is facing new charge of felony first-degree escape. The Hartford Courant reports he is being held on $500,000 bail and is due to appear in Hartford Superior Court on Monday. He was sentenced in 2016 to three years in prison for burglary and had one year remaining at the time of his escape. He will now finish out that sentence and will likely face additional added on if convicted of escape. Under Connecticut laws, escape is considered a Class C felony, and a conviction results in a sentence from between 1 and 10 years. Mercado apparently escaped from the Robinson facility by hanging to the underside of a state vehicle that drove out of the facility. It was apparently allowed the leave without having its underside inspected, officials said. He was apprehended on Jan. 17 in Georgia at a gas station by local police after receiving information from the U.S. Marshals that he was in the area. While on the run, Mercado tried to disguise his appearance by bleaching his hair and eyebrows. LUDLOW - A 61-year-old man accused of stalking a young woman is being held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for next week. Gary Coelho, of Ludlow, was arrested shortly after 2 p.m., Wednesday, on East Street and charged with stalking and making a false crime report, according to the Ludlow Police log. Coelho was initially held on $100,000 bail after his arrest. After his arraignment in Palmer District Court a judge ordered him held without bail until the Tuesday dangerousness hearing. "He made threats of murder concerning a young adult female," Police Sgt. Daniel Valadas said. He did not give information about the specific threats or how long they had been continuing. Valadas said the law defines stalking as having made at least three threats that are malicious, directed at a specific person and cause emotional stress. "It was alarming. It was a very serious crime," he said. Three Ludlow detectives and a Massachusetts State Police detective together investigated the alleged threats before making the arrest, Valadas said. SPRINGFIELD -- The City Council tonight will consider approving more than $900,000 in funds for the Law Department to settle current and future court cases, including a $506,000 payment to a would-be bar owner in a decade-long legal dispute. The city denied a liquor license to Will J. Quarterman in 2006, halting his plan to convert the old Asylum nightclub at 1600 Main St. into the Halo Lounge. The state Appeals Court ruled in early 2017 that the city owes Quarterman $100,000 in "emotional distress damages." But interest, legal fees and other expenses accumulating over the past decade will bring the amount owed far higher, officials said. The $506,000 figure is the negotiated settlement. The council meeting begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The council will consider allocating a total of $917,597.55 to the Law Department, with the balance -- $411,597.55 -- listed as settlements for pending judgments and settlements. The funding for the Law Department would come from the city's fiscal 2017 "Free Cash" surplus. The city's total free cash is $6,440,788, said Timothy J. Plante, the city's chief administrative and financial officer. In 2014, a jury in Hampden Superior Court rejected Quarterman's claim that racial discrimination played a role in the license denial. However, the jury ruled the city, through former Mayor Charles V. Ryan, retaliated against Quarterman because he filed a Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination complaint against the mayor and the city . Quarterman identified himself as mulatto in the MCAD complaint. The state Appeals Court upheld the jury's award of $100,000 in emotional distress damages, but denied Quarterman's claim that he should receive an additional compensation of $250,000 for lost profits. Quarterman was represented by lawyer Leonard H. Kesten, who said last March that the court case "shows that an individual can win against the government when he has been unjustly treated. Mr. Quarterman feels vindicated." In 2006, Ryan testified before the city's License Commission against Quarterman's application, and recruited others to speak in opposition, according to a court summary. The New England Farm Workers Council bought the vacant Asylum building from the city in March 2013 for $450,000. The new owners converted the site into the 1600 Main International Biergarten-Cerveceria. The Asylum closed in 2004, and the building remained vacant for several years. The city bought the property in April 2009, demolishing the rear section of the building. The city, aided by state grants, completed significant renovations to the building including asbestos and environmental remediation, a new roof and upper story windows, a new boiler and installation of a sprinkler system, and creation of a 20-space parking lot. Stan Rosenberg can't return to one of the most powerful jobs in the Massachusetts Statehouse if a report on his husband having email access and involvement in Senate business is true, according to Gov. Charlie Baker. The Boston Globe over the weekend reported that Rosenberg's husband, Bryon Hefner, had extensive access to Rosenberg's email. Rosenberg pushed back on the Globe report but hasn't pointed out any specific inaccuracies. "If those allegations are true, and at this point they're allegations, then I don't see any way he can remain Senate president," Baker told reporters. Asked whether Rosenberg, D-Amherst, should resign from the Senate, Baker said, "Let's see what the investigation determines." But, he reiterated, if the allegations are true, Rosenberg "certainly shouldn't be Senate president." Baker was referring to the Senate Ethics Committee's investigation, launched last year after four men told the Boston Globe that Hefner had sexually harassed and assaulted them. Rosenberg stepped down from the presidency in December 2017 but remained a state senator and said that it was a temporary step while the investigation played out. He recently took out official papers to run for re-election in his Senate district, after confirming that he has separated from Hefner. The FBI, Attorney General Maura Healey and Suffolk District Attorney Dan Conley are also looking into the original allegations of harassment and assault, which Rosenberg said he was unaware of. Harriette Chandler, D-Worcester, has been serving as acting Senate president during the investigation as three senators - Sal DiDomenico of Everett; Eileen Donoghue of Lowell and Karen Spilka of Ashland -- eye the permanent job. Six people were arrested during an outdoor gathering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst on Sunday following the Super Bowl loss of the New England Patriots. Campus officials estimate approximately 2,000 people gathered in the Southwest residential area. In addition to a half-dozen arrests, 12 were taken to area hospitals for injuries. University spokesperson Ed Blaguszewski said need for medical care included alcohol intoxication, head injuries and lacerations. During the outdoor gathering, members of the crowd set off firecrackers and smoke bombs, fought with one another and climbed structures on campus. Campus police called in the Massachusetts State Police and used pepper spray to disperse the crowd after dispersal warnings were not followed. The university has yet to identify if the six arrested were students. Defense Minister of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak has said that at a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis the issue of an effective mechanism for the transfer of anti-tank complexes Javelin was discussed. "We talked about this today [with J. Mattis about the deliveries of Javelin], we discussed the mechanism for transferring anti-tank means ... I think the decision to transfer Javelin to Ukraine will be made very timely and correctly," Poltorak said in an interview with the Ukrainian service Voice of America. He expressed the opinion that "a temporary transfer schedule does not play an extremely important role." "We are working to ensure that the mechanism of transfer from the United States to Ukraine is implemented as effectively as possible, while preserving the inviolability of anti-tank assets, ensuring the preservation of technologies, and effectively preparing the use of calculations that will work on these funds," the minister said. As reported, on December 25, 2017, the ABC News channel, citing several sources in the U.S. State Department, informed of the intention of U.S. President Donald Trump to approve a plan for the supply of anti-tank missiles to Ukraine. According to sources, we are talking about the supply of 210 anti-tank missiles and 35 launchers worth $47 million. If the president formally agrees to the supplies, the plan will be submitted to Congress for consideration within 30 days and then transferred to the State Department, the TV channel reported. On January 29, 2018, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker reported that Ukraine and the United States were working together to transfer the Javelin missile systems to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but this requires time: It takes time to prepare everything: objects where everything will be preserved. We work together on how to transport and attract them to the work of the Armed Forces. On February 2, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov said that cooperation with the U.S. on the provision of the Javelin complexes was underway, but Ukraine had not received them yet. At the same time, he expressed hope for the speedy transfer of complexes to Ukraine. Two children were found fatally stabbed Monday in Brockton, the Enterprise is reporting. Police converged on Prospect Street after receiving a report that two children were dead from stab wounds, the newspaper reported. A police dispatcher said all supervisors and detectives were at the scene as the investigation continues. The Plymouth County District Attorney's Office said District Attorney Timothy Cruz is one the scene. "State police and Brockton police are conducting a death investigation at 247 Prospect Street, where two individuals were found deceased today," the district attorney's office said in a brief statement. In a press conference, Cruz said the children are between the ages of 5 and 8. He did not disclose the gender of the children, who were found in an apartment inside the building. There is a "relationship" between the two children, but Cruz declined to specify if the children are siblings. According to the Enterprise, the mayor's office sent out an automated messages to the Brockton City Council members Monday confirming the deaths. A city councilor confirmed the deaths to WBZ News. WEST SPRINGFIELD -- William "Bill" Whitney, a former city editor and award winning columnist for The Republican Co., died on Sunday. He was 84. Whitney died at Mercy Medical Center in Springfield after a brief illness. "Bill Whitney was one of the most dedicated editors I ever met," said Wayne Phaeuf, executive editor of The Republican. "He was dogged about the finding the truth." He worked for The Republican's predecessors, The Morning Union and Union-News. In addition to working as city edtior, he wrote the travel column Sunday Drive. Upon his retirement from the city desk in 2002, he penned the column Just Browsing for the newspaper for the next 10 years. Whitney was known for his skills as a writer and keen sense of humor. In a February 2010 column, Whitney wrote of childhood love of newspapers: "My fascination with newspapers began in grade school as an extension of a family ritual that included daily reading of the paper at breakfast and after Sunday Mass. Part of the deal was that dad usually gave me an item to read aloud and helped me with pronunciation and spelling, so it followed that I became the classroom journalist. I would use my composition book to create headlines and stories about our Three Stooge routines and discreetly pass them around to a select audience that did not include teachers or spiritual leaders who were often our targets." Whitney was stationed with the U.S. Air Force in Morocco in the 1950s. He worked in public information and filed stories for the base newspaper, The Air Force Times and Stars & Stripes. As a civilian, Whitney worked for The Troy Record in New York. Before joining The Morning Union in 1976, Whitney worked for a year in the public relations office of the New York Drug Abuse Control Commission, writing what he would later dismiss as "puff pieces highlighting the effectiveness of New York's anti-drug war." He is survived by his wife, Andrea. Funeral arrangements are pending. As the clock ticked down to kickoff on Super Bowl Sunday, a Framingham police officer made an impressive save with a special bundle. Officer Elizabeth Morrison helped deliver a baby boy at 5:55 p.m. The Framingham Police Department welcomed baby Christopher into the world on Facebook. "What makes working Super Bowl Sunday even more special," the department wrote. "How about helping this little guy into the world!!!" Morrison was called to a Framingham apartment Sunday when a mother was crowning and ready to deliver, according to the Framingham Source. Christopher and his mother are doing well and are now at MetroWest Medical Center, the source reported. The New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles faced off in Super Bowl LII shortly after Christopher's delivery. Unlike Morrison, the Patriots were not able to deliver a win, falling to the Eagles 41-33. Framingham police did not immediately return a call seeking more information. A robbery suspect's bulky winter clothes helped him avoid being tased by police, but Worcester police officers were eventually able to catch him. The search for the suspect began Saturday afternoon when officers were called to the Walgreens on Grafton Street in Worcester for a report of an unarmed robbery. The suspect, identified by police as 22-year-old Neksone Allah-Digui of Worcester, allegedly ran into the store and pulled open a cash register. He took money from the drawer, police said. "He grabbed candy and earrings, and fled the store," police said. Witnesses followed Allah-Digui and told police the suspect was hiding behind a wall on Barclay Street, counting the money. Police say Allah-Digui refused to show police his hands and then began struggling with officers. He slipped from their grip and got into a fighting stance, according to police. "One of the officers deployed his Taser, which had limited effect to the Mr. Allah-Digui's bulky winter clothing," police said. "Mr. Allah-Digui ran away with the Taser prongs still in his clothing." Witnesses grabbed Allah-Digui and eventually police put him in handcuffs. One officer was treated for an injured wrist. Allah-Digui was charged with unarmed robbery, defacement of property, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace. Bill Whitney, a retired city editor with The Republican and its predecessors The Morning Union and Union-News, died on Sunday at 84. Below are remarks that reporter Mike Plaisance delivered to Whitney and The Republican staff who gathered in the cityroom Dec. 21, 2001, shortly before Whitney retired. This comes with a warning because some of what follows will offend some people. But, then, we are dealing here with Bill Whitney. On my first day of work here in 1987, I walked into the cityroom, nervous and unsure of what to do. The first person to come over to greet me and shake my hand and lead me to where I was supposed to go that day was Bill Whitney. I've always remembered and appreciated the kindness. Of course, as I recall, Bill was wearing one of his brown leather vests that day, which should have been a clue that all was not necessarily as it seemed. Let's face it, Bill was no Miss Manners. If you worked with Bill for any length of time, you got yelled at. I recall one time while working in the Chicopee bureau, it was Christmas Eve. I'd written a story the day before and it wasn't in that day's paper. I called Bill to ask him why. The explosion went something like this: "Oh, I get it, you're one of these people who thinks just because you wrote something it has to run in the paper the next day. Well get your head out of your ass. It's the holidays and we need to hold stories to fill white space. Jesus Christ!" Tender loving care. There are three things I love about Bill and for which I'll miss him. 1. The first is he is such a good editor. When he had the proper time and not been under the assembly-line gun the city desk now so often faces, he's one of the best in my experience at taking copy and making it better. Of course, you can't edit well if you don't know how to write well and Bill is one of this paper's top writers. If you've read the travel pieces he was writing for the Sunday paper, you know that to be true. That means that as a reporter and someone who cared about the language, you were in good hands because Bill appreciated writing. 2. The second thing I loved about Bill and will miss was that he never committed what I consider to be the cardinal sin in the editor-reporter relationship: He never hung his reporters out to dry. When you were in the field, Bill was an editor who backed you up, unlike some others who figured if someone was calling to complain, you were guilty until proven innocent. Someone calling to complain and getting Bill on the phone was like having a trespassing violation answered with a nuclear missile. One time when I'd just started covering Holyoke, a city councilor called Bill to question whether I should be the one covering a particular, long-running issue. "He doesn't have the history of it, he hasn't been there right along," the councilor said. To which Bill replied, "He wasn't around when they drafted the U.S. Constitution, either, but we let him cover government." Another instance involved an upset Vietnam War veteran. This recollection comes courtesy of (colleague) Ray Kelly. The guy had called to complain about something and said Vietnam vets weren't appreciated in our news coverage. Bill said, "I'm a Korean War veteran and we didn't get a parade when we got back, either, pal." Then the guy said that he had returned from the war with a steel plate in his head. To which Bill shouted into the phone, "Come on down here and I'll give you another one." Then there was the copy desk. More than once a copy editor would approach me with a question about a story and I'd say, that went through the city desk already, did you talk to Bill? And the answer would be, well, Bill's in a bad mood and he might yell at me ... And if said copy editor was unlucky enough to be spotted by Whitney talking to one of his reporters, Whitney would amble over to the sorry soul. He'd shift into the Whitney Rant: "Did you ever hear of a thing called a dictionary? The library's right over there, for God's sake. I'll call the Mass. Association for the Blind and get you a seeing-eye dog. You probably didn't even know that the earliest known library was a bunch of clay tablets in Babylonia in 21 BC. See, that's the problem with these people," Whitney would say, walking away, "Jesus Christ!" 3. The third thing I love about Bill and will miss was that he could be so alarmingly and welcomely politically incorrect. We've all half-jokingly said at one time or another, "Be careful, you'll wind up in (former Republican personnel director) Judy Fraser's office." This, of course, was in reference to something having been said or done that someone might have considered offensive and which could get you in trouble and necessitate a meeting with Personnel. But, for all I know, Bill doesn't even know where the personnel office is. I'll miss turning to find Bill at my shoulder and launching into a joke, "So this little kid walks up to Santa Claus with a chainsaw, right ..." Sure, sometimes he would say stuff that would make you wince. But it wasn't about offending people merely for the sake of offending them -- well, not always, anyway. The point was that ultimately, Bill understood what we all should know, that freedom of expression is pretty much why we're in this business. Also Bill understood that it was OK to laugh and to have fun. So, indeed, Bill was the gumbo on the menu of oatmeal and rice cakes. He was the pimp suit fluttering in the store window dominated by button-down shirts and rep ties. The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation, in the words of Thoreau, but Bill insisted they rock and roll along the way. Or at least listen to Sinatra. So, take a good look at him, folks: He's the genuine article: a real old-time newspaper guy, the likes of which we will not see again. Long before he had even entertained thoughts of running for president, Donald Trump was a master of overpromising and underdelivering. Remember Trump Airlines? His Atlantic City casinos? Trump Mortgage? Trump University? GoTrump.com? Each, and more, were hyped to the heavens. All are long gone. Trump and his allies were at it again last week as they played up the significance of what's being called the "Nunes memo," a four-page document put together by the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif. On Saturday, a day after the release of the memo, Trump wrote the following on Twitter: "This memo totally vindicates 'Trump' in probe. But the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on. Their was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction (the word now used because, after one year of looking endlessly and finding NOTHING, collusion is dead). This is an American disgrace!" Though one might reasonably wonder why the tweeting president put his own name in quotation marks, why he incorrectly used "Their" instead of "There" at the start of the third sentence, and what's behind his, um, idiosyncratic use of capital letters, that would be a distraction from the rest of the foolish Twitter posting. A couple of points should be emphasized: The memo is far from a vindication of Trump. It's a one-sided and incomplete tale that endeavors to tar the FBI's surveillance methods by cherry-picking evidence and leaving much unsaid. Further, to say "after one year of looking and finding nothing" is little more than political spin colored by a decent-sized dose of wishful thinking. No one can say what, if anything, special counsel Bob Mueller has, or hasn't, found, because he's still working. Perhaps he's uncovered the crime of the century. Or maybe not. Or he may still be piecing together the disparate parts of an exceedingly complex puzzle. But until he files his report -- and there is no way to guess when that may be -- no one can know what it will assert. Here's what often gets lost in all the hubbub, all the partisanship, all the tweeting: Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted Trump to win our 2016 election. And he got what he wanted, after the Kremlin meddled in our campaign, if not also in the Republican Party's nominating contest. This isn't speculation, but fact, confirmed by those at the highest levels of our intelligence community. What isn't known is whether Russian meddling successfully changed the outcome, or whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russian operatives. That's why the probe must continue unimpeded. Any American citizen who isn't outraged by Russian interference in our electoral process simply hasn't been paying attention. And every American citizen should fear that the Kremlin will endeavor to do more of the same in the 2018 congressional elections, in our 2020 presidential contest, and beyond. In America, it's the people who are supposed to choose their elected leaders, not some foreign adversary. That's not a partisan issue. Those who treat it as such are doing a grave disservice to the entire nation. Don't believe the hype from Trump and his enablers. And don't believe the president's anti-Mueller, anti-FBI, anti-Justice Department tweets. New allegations have surfaced that support accusations that Bryon Hefner, the husband of now-former Senate President Stan Rosenberg, had undue influence on Massachusetts political matters. The Boston Globe reports that Hefner had "full access" to Rosenberg's Senate emails and sought to influence the state budget. The Globe report cites an unnamed source "with direct knowledge of the workings of Rosenberg's office." "He would boast about it, to show his power and influence over the operations of the Senate, and more importantly, over the Senate president," the source told the Globe. Rosenberg declined comment to the Globe prior to publication but released a statement after. "Ms. Abraham's story contains a number of significant factual inaccuracies," he said. "Out of respect for and deference to the investigation, we need to let that run its course. I will have further comment once the investigation is complete." He declined to elaborate on what portion of reporting was inaccurate. Hefner, who married Rosenberg last fall, has been accused by four men of sexual misconduct. Three of the four men who spoke to the Boston Globe on a condition of anonymity alleged Hefner groped them while one said Hefner kissed him without his consent. The Globe story was based on interviews with 20 people "who have dealt with Hefner or know his alleged victims," details incidents in 2015 and 2016, prior to when Hefner and Rosenberg were married. Rosenberg has since separated from Hefner. In one incident, Hefner is alleged to have grabbed a man's genitals while they were together in back of a Prius, while Rosenberg sat in the front of the vehicle. "He participates in official functions and he uses his influence with the Senate president as a part of his tool-belt of harassment techniques," one of the four men told the Globe. In a separate incident, MassLive learned Hefner had sent an unsolicited photo of male genitals to a political player in Boston. The Senate Ethics Committee hired an outside law firm, Hogan Lovells, to look into whether Rosenberg broke any Senate rules related to the allegations. A federal investigation has also been opened into the matter. Rosenberg has denied knowing of the sexual harassment allegations prior to publication. "I have repeatedly made clear that Bryon was to have no influence on what happens in the Senate," Rosenberg said during an emotional press conference the day after news broke. "He has no influence over policy, the internal operations of the Senate, or any Senate related business. If Bryon claimed to have influence over my decisions or over the Senate, he should not have said that." Rosenberg stepped down as Senate president as plans for an investigation were announced, though remains a state senator who is running for re-election. Massachusetts Sen. Stan Rosenberg on Monday reiterated his stance that husband Bryon Hefner had no influence after a report said Hefner had access to Rosenberg's emails. The report in the Boston Globe also alleged Hefner bragged about his influence and that he attempted to get involved in a state budget item. "I did not allow Bryon Hefner to influence my actions and decisions as Senate President, or to influence the Senate's actions and decisions, despite any suggestions to the contrary," Rosenberg said in a statement sent to MassLive. A Senate Ethics Committee investigation is underway, focused on whether Rosenberg, D-Amherst, broke any Senate rules. "I continue to rely on the Senate Ethics Committee investigation to determine all the facts, and I look forward to its completion," Rosenberg said in his statement. After the investigation started, Rosenberg separated from Hefner, who Rosenberg said is seeking treatment for alcohol dependency. Rosenberg's statement came out after Gov. Charlie Baker, speaking with reporters after an unrelated event, said if the allegations are true, Rosenberg should not be allowed to resume the Senate presidency. Rosenberg stepped down from the Senate presidency at the end of last year, after a Boston Globe report in which four men alleged Hefner sexually harassed and assaulted them. But Rosenberg has stayed on as a state senator, having moved from the opulent Senate president's office to several rooms in the Statehouse basement. Rosenberg, who has said his move is temporary, also took out papers to run for re-election in his Senate district. Harriette Chandler, D-Worcester, has been serving as acting Senate president during the Senate Ethics investigation. The FBI, as well as Attorney General Maura Healey and Suffolk District Attorney Dan Conley, are looking into the assault and harassment allegations. Senate President Harriette Chandler said Monday she is "deeply concerned" about allegations that former Senate President Stan Rosenberg's husband accessed his Senate email. "They seem to be a clear violation of the firewall, if they're true," said Chandler, D-Worcester. The Boston Globe's Yvonne Abraham reported that Bryon Hefner, who has been accused of sexual misconduct with men who had business before Rosenberg, had access to Rosenberg's emails and was involved with Senate affairs. Rosenberg has said he had a "firewall" that kept Hefner apart from his Senate business. Chandler said lawmakers will have to see whether the allegations are true. A Senate Ethics Committee investigation is currently looking into whether Rosenberg, D-Amherst, broke any Senate rules. Asked whether Rosenberg should resign from the Senate -- if the allegations are true -- Chandler said, "My major concern is the institution of the Senate, and that is a decision that would be made by the members." Chandler said she is "appalled" by the allegations in the Globe story, and the issue is "of great concern." Mirror response to Polish law on Institute of National Remembrance would be unworthy step for Ukraine Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze has said that the adoption by Ukraine of a response law to the new Polish law on the Institute of National Remembrance, which foresees, in particular, punishment for "crimes of Ukrainian nationalists," would be counterproductive. "It's primitive, it's unworthy... With such actions, we'll bring the situation to a deadlock," she said live on Ukraine's Channel 5 late on Friday, February 2. At the same time, she noted that the Ukrainian side would "demand quite rigidly, clearly, persistently so as to obtain changes to such a law, which was adopted by Poland." Klympush-Tsintsadze noted that it was not necessary to expect that Polish President Andrzej Duda would not sign this law. "There's a very cautious hope that, perhaps, it will not be signed, although I would not comfort myself with such hopes," she said. She noted that Kyiv "only begins to express its position" on this issue. "I think that our position will sound from the point of view of non-satisfaction, rejection, disagreement... At the same time, we will continue to proceed from our position, as we have done in recent years, when constant political interpretations of historical events started on the part of our Polish colleagues," she said. As reported, the Senate of Poland adopted early on February 1 without any amendments the law on the Institute of National Remembrance, which foresees, in particular, punishment for "crimes of Ukrainian nationalists." The bill was supported by 57 senators, mainly from the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) Party, 23 voted against the document, and two abstained. Amendments to the law envisage fines or imprisonment for up to three years for "sharing responsibility before the Polish people or the state, including for crimes committed by the Third Reich." In addition, the document envisages punishment for denial of the "Volyn massacre" and the use of the expression "Polish death camps" in relation to the camps that were located in Poland during the Second World War. The law will enter into force after signing by Polish President Andrzej Duda. Mitt Romney said in a Tweet that he would be making an announcement on February 15 "about the Utah Senate race." Many political insiders believe Romney will run to replace Orrin Hatch in the Senate. But critics think Romney should get out of politics altogether. After losing handily to Barack Obama in 2012 and repeatedly criticizing President Trump in 2016, many Republicans want Romney to go away so they can give someone new a chance on the political stage. What do you think? PERSPECTIVES Former Massachusetts governor, presidential candidate and businessman Mitt Romney will be making an announcement about "the Utah Senate race" on February 15. Many speculate Romney will be running for Orrin Hatch's Senate seat. Looking forward to making an announcement on February 15th about the Utah Senate race. https://t.co/OLXWZWREEK Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) February 1, 2018 Romney has been a figure in the Republican Party for a long time, but his reputation has been questioned as of late. Romney distinguished himself as being one of the few never-Trump Republicans who actually stuck to his guns post-election. Romney has called the president a "con man" and "a fake," and denounced Trump after he refused to condemn white supremacists in Charlottesville. Romney also warned Republicans against supporting Alabama Senate candidate and alleged child molester Roy Moore, stating "no majority is worth losing our honor." In the Trump era, many view Romney as the Republican Party's last hope. But Trump's defenders accuse Romney of being a RINO (Republican in name only) and think Romney needs to get on the Trump train or get out of the way. But as much as Romney tries to portray himself as a never-Trumper, some have also accused him of being a hypocrite. Romney famously held a fundraiser with Trump at the height of the racist birther movement. And does anyone remember his groveling to be Trump's Secretary of State? Romney carries a lot of political baggage with him wherever he goes, so it's hard to say whether or not he should stay in politics. Many believe Romney would make an excellent Senator. Romney's 2012 warning about Russia has proven true, and Romney would serve as a much needed check on President Trump. Given the Republican Party's many problematic figures, Romney feels like a breath of fresh air to many. Yay! In @MittRomney, wed get a GOP Senate nominee who is: 1. Not a sexual predator 2. Not Ignorant 3. Not Homophobic 4. Not Racist 5. Not Misogynist 6. Not Inexperienced 7. Not divisive 8. Not embarrassing 9. Not a Bannon puppet 10. Has good teeth 11. Has great hair Run, Mitt! https://t.co/DYbjQafSwX Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) January 2, 2018 But many Trump supporters haven't forgiven Romney for his attacks on the president or his loss to Barack Obama. To some, Romney represents the "establishment." NO to Romney in 2018. Utah needs a Senator that represents its ppl. Not another narcissist brown nose millionaire thats use in Utah as a stepping stone for yet another attempt to win WH in 2020. #GoAwayMitt pic.twitter.com/3TYgrbwm7u Cia Later #GoBlue (@Later__T) January 15, 2018 And unless he plans to get on the Trump train, Romney should get out of politics. The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Digital, Inc. property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. Two of the state senators hoping to replace Sen. Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, as Senate president called allegations that Rosenberg's husband accessed his Senate email troubling. The Boston Globe's Yvonne Abraham reported that Bryon Hefner, who has been accused of sexual misconduct with men who had business before Rosenberg, had access to Rosenberg's emails and was involved with Senate affairs. Rosenberg has said he had a "firewall" that kept Hefner apart from his Senate business. Rosenberg stepped down from the Senate presidency temporarily while the Senate Ethics Committee hired an outside law firm to look into whether he broke any Senate rules. A separate criminal investigation is ongoing into Hefner's conduct. Sens. Eileen Donoghue, D-Lowell, Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, and Sal DiDomenico, D-Everett, have all expressed interest in the Senate presidency, should Rosenberg not be able to return to the post. Former Sen. Linda Dorcena-Forry, D-Boston, had been interested, but left the Senate to take a job at Suffolk Construction. "The deeply disturbing allegations reported by The Boston Globe raise serious questions that deserve real answers," Donoghue said in a statement. "The investigation by the Senate Committee on Ethics remains the proper forum to explore these allegations. The conclusion and public reporting of the Committee's critical work will help to ensure that the integrity of the Senate remains above reproach." Spilka said in a statement, "The ongoing allegations in the Senate are deeply troubling. I encourage all potential witnesses to come forward to have their voices heard. We owe them our full attention and respect." Spilka added, "I am committed to working with my colleagues to continue the important work of the Senate and, more importantly, ensure the people's trust in the integrity of the Senate during this difficult time. I encourage the Senate Ethics Committee to continue conducting its investigation in a swift and professional manner. The people of the Commonwealth deserve nothing less." DiDomenico said in a statement, "These new reports are deeply troubling and upsetting. The integrity of the Senate should never be put at risk by anyone, and the public trust is at the core of our work. Most importantly, we have to ensure that any victims or anyone with relevant information feels safe and secure coming forward to the independent investigator." A spokesman for Spilka did not respond to a request for comment. Rosenberg continues to say Hefner did not influence Senate policy. "I did not allow Bryon Hefner to influence my actions and decisions as Senate President, or to influence the Senate's actions and decisions, despite any suggestions to the contrary. I continue to rely on the Senate Ethics Committee investigation to determine all the facts, and I look forward to its completion," Rosenberg said in a statement. Fred Hartline, 72, feels an affinity for what he describes as Buttes "informal, do-it-yourself, spunky atmosphere and denizens." He celebrates the citys comparatively low housing costs and the surrounding regions scenic beauty and its extraordinary opportunities for outdoors recreation. He appreciates the intellectual stimulation offered by Montana Tech, where his wife, Beverly, is vice chancellor for research and dean of graduate studies and where he helps out with the universitys public lecture series. DUNCAN ADAMS [email protected] http://mtstandard.com/butte/mentors-volunteers-and-health-care-clients-aging-population-in-southwest/article_8988b398-854c-5395-80fb-824290d18c79.html#tracking-source=home-top-story The fans still hum and neighbors are still bummed as controversy over the noise from a cryptocurrency server farm on the former Stimson Lumber mill site drones on. A representative of Project Spokane LLC; a mill owner; county commissioners, state legislators, and a wildlife biologist from the University of Montana are among those expected to be on hand Monday night at a town meeting at Bonner School. The special meeting of the Bonner Milltown Community Council starts at 7 p.m. in the school cafeteria. KIM BRIGGEMAN [email protected] http://missoulian.com/news/local/bonner-bitcoin-data-center-noise-a-continuing-concern/article_fbb8efe6-0261-54bf-8462-9482e8b03b48.html "Everyone on Earth is walking around life wearing an invisible sign that says, "Make me feel important." And your job is to understand the size of the font of this invisible sign and how brightly its lit. So make me feel important by leaving me alone. Make me feel important by letting me tell you everything I know about food. So its our job to read that sign and to deliver the experience that that person needs." Danny Meyer Founder of Shake Shack Anderson Cooper https://www.cbsnews.com/news/shake-shack-founder-on-changing-the-way-restaurants-do-business/ After Only Approving Three Loans in Three Years, Senator Takes Aim at USDA Rural Broadband Access Loan Program (U.S. Senate)U.S. Senator Jon Tester is pushing to fix a broken U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rural broadband initiative and expand access to high-speed internet across Montana. Tester is taking aim at USDAs Rural Broadband Access Loan Guarantee Program after reports surfaced that it only approved three loan applications during the past three years. Tester is demanding USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue identify the barriers that have kept the program from approving more loans for telecommunication companies to expand broadband access in rural America. "Broadband is essential to our way of life in Montana and rural America," Tester wrote. "It supports a wide range of activities with direct benefits to individuals, businesses and communitiessuch as healthcare delivery, education, commerce and economic development, and workforce training." The USDA created its Rural Broadband Access Loan Guarantee Program to help increase access to high-speed internet by administering low-interest loans and loan guarantees to construct and upgrade broadband infrastructure in rural areas. Tester specifically wants to use the upcoming Farm Bill reauthorization to tear down the barriers and to cut red tape so service providers can more easily access the loan program. "In the coming months, I look forward to working with you to enhance USDAs ability to help rural communities get connected to high-speed internet service," Tester added. As part of his #ConnectMT https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=4147 initiative, Tester is fighting to increase rural broadband access across Montana. Tester is sponsoring the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act https://www.daines.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Precision%20Agriculture%20Connectivity%20Act.pdf to direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a task force to identify gaps in high-speed internet connectivity for the nations cropland and ranchland. He also successfully pushed the FCC to modernize the Universal Service Fund to provide support to rural broadband carriers. Testers letter to Perdue is available HERE https://www.tester.senate.gov/files/Letters/2018-02-01%20USDA%20RUS%20Loan%20Ltr.pdf The Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development is pleased to announce marketing consultant and bestselling author Jay Baer will deliver the opening keynote of the 2018 Governors Conference on Tourism and Recreation, April 15-17 in Big Sky. Heres a preview of Jays presentation, which promises to leave you with actionable insights for your business or organization: https://t.e2ma.net/message/qgsxfb/qk7jif Russia's hybrid military forces have attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas five times in the past 24 hours, with three Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action, the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) headquarters has reported. "During the past day, the Russian occupation forces continued to shell the Ukrainian defenders, using different types of weapons, mortars of various calibers," the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) headquarters said on Facebook on Monday morning. "In general, over the past day, five shelling attacks of the defensive fortifications of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from illegal armed formations have been recorded," the ATO staff said. In the Donetsk sector, the enemy used heavy 120mm mortars against the Ukrainian positions near the villages of Kamianka and Novotroyitske, thus grossly violating the Minsk agreements. The militants also fired hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers on the Ukrainian fortified positions near the village of Vodiane. In addition, the enemy was active near Butovka coal mine in the evening hours of Sunday. In the said area, the invaders launched over forty 82mm shells and opened fire from grenade launchers of various types toward the positions of Ukrainian soldiers. In the Luhansk sector, the aggressors fired small arms on the Ukrainian defenders near the village of Zaitseve. The National Police of Ukraine have agreed to create a new unit to combat organized crime, the completion of the formation is expected before the end of the year, said First Deputy Head of the National Police of Ukraine Viacheslav Abroskin. "We have already agreed on the strategy for the creation of this unit [to combat organized crime] and by the end of this year we are waiting for the completion of its formation," the National Police said on Facebook on Saturday evening. Deputy heads of the National Police specified that the main tasks of the unit would include work on combating organized crime. He also added that all candidates for the service in the unit would pass the appropriate competitive selection. Verkhovna Rada Speaker Andriy Parubiy has said that it is necessary to adopt a law on Ukraine's national security, which is key to Ukraine's European and Euro-Atlantic integration. "Integration and preparation for joining NATO and accession to the EU remain priorities for us. I would like to mention the draft law on national security of Ukraine as one of the key ones in the direction of joining NATO," Parubiy said in a joint briefing with Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman in Kyiv on Monday. According to the chairman of the Ukrainian parliament, this law "is reforming Ukraine's security system, but it is also necessary for integration into NATO, since it brings Ukraine's security system to EU standards and to NATO standards." According to him, several meetings were held with Groysman about what laws should be adopted to fulfill Ukraine's obligations under the Association Agreement with the EU, during which it was decided to put them at the beginning of each session of the parliament as priority ones. "In particular, this week's session begins with the laws necessary for European integration - the draft law on limited liability companies and the draft law on the capital market and regulated markets. And we are demonstrating a joint approach, joint development and preparation for voting," Parubiy said. The Verkhovna Rada has registered a draft resolution on the appeal of the Verkhovna Rada to the international community in connection with the illegal preparation of presidential elections in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine - Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. The initiator of this draft resolution (No. 7546) is the leader of the People's Front faction Maksym Burbak. The document was received by the parliament and submitted to leadership on February 5. The text of the legislative initiative is missing. The election of the president of the Russian Federation is scheduled for March 18. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is considering Russia's request to open four polling stations on the territory of Ukraine for the presidential elections in Russia. The request concerned the opening of polling stations in the premises of the Russian Embassy in Ukraine (Kyiv) and the general consulates of the Russian Federation in Lviv, Odesa and Kharkiv. DENVER Feb. 5, 2018 Colorado Richard Kaufman David Sutton July 2017 Colorado Anne Donohoe Anne Szustek Talbot David Sutton Victor Goncalves /PRNewswire/ -- NanoSphere Health Sciences Inc. (CSE: NSHS, "NanoSphere") is pleased to announce that, in response to growing demand for the NanoSphere's Evolve NanoSerum product, itslicense partner has increased production capacity at its facility."NanoSerum is a state-of-the-art formulation that carries a full spectrum of cannabinoids and phytochemicals with precision-metered dosing, every time," said Dr., NanoSphere's Chief Science Officer. "This development is an extremely encouraging sign of market demand for new methods for cannabinoid delivery.""This is a watershed moment for our business," added, NanoSphere's Chief Operating Officer and President. "Our partner achieved the capacity increase by switching to an ethanol distillation process whereby the facility can process 30,000 units per month."NanoSphere is commercializing its disruptive, next-generation nanoparticle cannabis delivery system platforms under the brand Evolve Formulas. In, Evolve Formulas launched its acclaimed NanoSerum product, the first clinically tested transdermal cannabis product to relieve pain in minutes, for the adult use and medical cannabis markets in"As our company gains recognition in the market place, more and more customers are discovering and embracing our necessary delivery technology," NanoSphere Chairman and CEO Robert Sutton added. "The re-order rate of our Evolve NanoSerum product is testament to its quality and effectiveness."Evolve products are available in more than 70 accounts and are expected to be in over 250 accounts by year end throughout Colorado. Additionally, NanoSphere will be expanding to qualified manufacturers and operators in several states to license our delivery technology and bring the Evolve brand to new U.S. and Canadian markets, as well as, build on that success by further introducing new product applications. Each product application will deliver a unique pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of cannabinoid activity and therapeutic applications.NanoSphere Health Sciences LLC, a wholly owned operating subsidiary of the Company, is a biotechnology firm specializing in the creation of the NanoSphere Delivery System, a revolutionary platform using nanotechnology in the biodelivery of supplements, nutraceuticals and over-the-counter medications for the cannabis, pharmaceutical and animal health industries, and beyond. The patent-pending NanoSphere Delivery System represents one of the most important developments for advancing the non-invasive and user-friendly delivery of biological agents in over 25 years. For more information on NanoSphere, please visit http://www.nanospherehealth.com.:Robert Sutton, Chairman & CEOrsutton@nanospherehealth.com/ adonohoe@kcsa.com / 212-896-1265/ atalbot@kcsa.com / 212-896-1210, President & COO / dsutton@nanospherehealth.com / 303.887.9300, Executive Vice President /vgoncalves@nanospherehealth.com204-997-5517 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nanosphere-health-sciences-inc-increases-capacity-at-key-colorado-production-facility-300593235.html SOURCE NanoSphere Health Sciences Inc. Erelzi has been added to the Quebec Drug Insurance Plan based on specific criteria for the treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis and for reducing signs and symptoms of active ankylosing spondylitis. Erelzi also becomes the first biosimilar indicated for polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis1 in Quebec . BOUCHERVILLE, QC Feb. 5, 2018 Quebec April 2017 Sandoz Canada Canada August 2017 Denis Choquette University of Montreal Montreal Quebec Quebec Nadia Turchetta Sandoz Canada $332 million $1.81 billion Europe Sandoz Canada Sandoz Canada Sandoz Canada USD 10.1 billion Germany's Greater Munich Sandoz Canada November 15, 2017 Canada November 15, 2017 Paule Pelletier Sandoz Canada /CNW Telbec/ -is the most recent province to have added Erelzi(etanercept) 50 mg to its formulary of exception drugs covered by the province's Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan for the treatment of multiple inflammatory diseases. The provincial listing has been in effect since February 1, 2018. Sandoz, a Novartis division and the pioneer and global leader in biosimilar medicines, was granted Health Canada approval for Erelzi inandlaunched the biosimilar inin"The biosimilar Erelziadds to the options that patients and rheumatologists have to treat inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and juvenile arthritis," said Dr., Professor of Medicine at the, Quebec, and co-founder of the Institute of Rheumatology of. "is demonstrating its commitment to making therapy for these diseases more affordable and broadly available to improve the lives of more patients.""Sandoz is pleased thatrecognizes the important impact access to Erelzican have on reducing the burden of disease and delivering important savings to the healthcare system and the public drug plan," said, Executive Director, Biopharmaceuticals,Erelziis reimbursed under specific criteria for the treatment of moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults, and for reducing signs and symptoms of active ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Additionally, Erelziwill be the only biosimilar to be reimbursed for the treatment of polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in patients aged 4 to 17.JIA is a condition that affects about three in every 1,000 children and teenagers across Canada.Erelziis available in a pre-filled syringe (PFS) and in the SensoReadypre-filled pen (PFP), an ergonomic device for patients with limited dexterity.A biosimilar is a biologic that is launched after the loss of patent exclusivity on the reference biologic. It matches its reference biologic in terms of safety, efficacy and quality, having demonstrated therapeutic equivalence to a biologic reference medicine. Biosimilar medicines have the potential to increase access to effective treatments for patients, as well as reduce the ongoing economic burden currently existing in the Canadian healthcare system that is impacting patients, physicians and payers. Recently, Canada's Patented Medicine Prices Review Board estimated that the potential cost savings from biosimilars could range fromtoSandoz is committed to increasing patient access to high-quality, life-enhancing biosimilars. Sandoz currently markets five biosimilars in, more than any other company. As a division of Novartis, the first global healthcare company to establish a leading position in both innovative and off-patent medicines, Sandoz benefits strongly from this unique blend of experience and expertise in many different market environments.Erelziis the Sandoz biosimilar of the reference medicine Enbrel. Erelzihas been studied in a global development program, which included a comprehensive comparison of Erelziand Enbrelat the analytical, preclinical, and clinical levels. The program included preclinical studies, pharmacokinetic (PK) studies, and the Phase III confirmatory safety and efficacy EGALITY study between Erelzi and EnbrelHealth Canada approval was based on a comprehensive development program consisting of comparative analytical, preclinical, and clinical data demonstrating biosimilarity to the reference medicine, EnbrelThe totality of evidence demonstrates that Erelzimatches Enbrelin terms of structure, function, PK, efficacy, safety and immunogenicity. Based on this evidence, Health Canada granted market authorization to Erelziindicated for: treatment of moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults, reducing signs and symptoms of moderately to severely active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in patients aged 4 to 17 years and reducing signs and symptoms of active ankylosing spondylitis (AS).The foregoing release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "soon," "committed," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential additional marketing approvals or labeling for Erelzi, or any of the other potential products in the Sandoz biosimilar pipeline, or regarding potential future revenues from Erelzi, the other marketed products in the Sandoz biosimilar portfolio, and the potential products in the Sandoz biosimilar pipeline. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of management regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that Erelzior any of the other marketed products in the Sandoz biosimilar portfolio will be submitted or approved for sale in any additional markets, or at any particular time. Neither can there be any guarantee that any of the potential products in the Sandoz biosimilar pipeline will be submitted or approved for sale in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that Erelziif approved, any of the potential products in the Sandoz biosimilar pipeline will be approved for any or all of the indications in the respective reference product's label. Nor can there be any guarantee that Erelzi, the other marketed products in the Sandoz biosimilar portfolio, or the potential products in the Sandoz biosimilar pipeline will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, management's expectations regarding Erelziand such other biosimilar candidates and marketed products could be affected by, among other things, regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; competition in general, including potential approval of additional versions of Erelzi; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payer and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures; litigation outcomes, including intellectual property disputes or other legal efforts to prevent or limit Sandoz from selling its biosimilar products; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general economic and industry conditions; safety, quality or manufacturing issues, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.is part of Sandoz International GmbH, a global leader in generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars and a subsidiary of Swiss multinational Novartis AG. A leader in its field,develops, markets and distributes a broad line of generic, biosimilar, consumer and specialty products.www.sandoz.caSandoz is a global leader in generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars. As a division of the Novartis Group, our purpose is to discover new ways to improve and extend people's lives. We contribute to society's ability to support growing healthcare needs by pioneering novel approaches to help people around the world access high-quality medicine. Our portfolio of approximately 1000 molecules, covering all major therapeutic areas, accounted for 2017 sales of. In 2017, our products reached well over 500 million patients and we aspire to reach one billion. Sandoz is headquartered in Holzkirchen, inarea.: Erelzi is a trademark owned or used under license by Sandoz Canada Inc.: Enbrel is a trademark owned by Amgen.1 -did not seek a marketing authorization for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis or plaque psoriasis. Furthermore, it is important to note that Erelziproducts are not suitable for patients who weigh 63 kg or under according to the Ontario Rheumatology Association.2 - The Arthritis Society: https://www.arthritis.ca/about-arthritis/types-of-arthritis-(a-z)/types/childhood-arthritis. Accessed on3 - Potential savings for Biosimilars in: Government of Canada: http://www.pmprb-cepmb.gc.ca/view.asp?ccid=1304: accessed onFor interview opportunities, please contact(see contact information below).SOURCE Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The medical community has long debated the ideal treatment for AF, especially for patients who suffer from left ventricular dysfunction, a weakening of the left ventricle that supplies most of the heart's pumping power. Until now, no clinical studies have been conducted that support one definitive treatment."None of the traditional drug therapies are improving the patient's condition, a major medical dilemma when we see these patients in our clinics," Marrouche said.Marrouche and colleagues at the U of U Health and Klinikum Coburg, Germany conducted the eight-year CASTLE-AF clinical trial to compare catheter ablation to conventional drug therapies recommended by the American Heart Association and European Heart Society to control the heart's rate.Patients from North America, Europe and Australia with heart failure and a history of symptomatic atrial fibrillation were screened for the study. The research team selected 363 participants, characterized by heart function at less than 35 percent capacity, for the clinical trial. The patients were separated into two groups, receiving either radiofrequency catheter ablation (179) or a conventional drug therapy (184).The clinical trial's endpoint was set at all-cause mortality and worsening of heart failure, resulting in an unplanned overnight hospitalization. Patients in the ablation group experienced lower overall mortality (28%; 51/179) compared to the medication group (45%; 82/184). In addition, catheter ablation resulted in lower cardiovascular mortality (13%; 24/179) compared to the medication group (25%; 46/184).. In the clinical trial, ablation lesions were made at the discretion of the operators using their preferred ablation system.During the ablation process, a catheter is snaked through the patient's body to the site of abnormal heart cells. The doctor delivers a dose of radiofrequency energy, similar to microwaves, to destroy the abnormal cells, which restores the heart's regular rhythm."The CASTLE-AF clinical trial represents a landmark in the history of cardiovascular medicine because of its potential impact on our patients who are suffering from heart failure," said James Fang, M.D., Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Utah Health."For the first time in a randomized study, the strategy of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation may be better than the current approach for these patients."All of the participants included in the CASTLE-AF trial had previously received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), which allowed for continuous monitoring of heart rate. The ICD may have improved outcomes. Marrouche believes this is the primary limitation of the study and may have affected death rates in both groups."This clinical trial is the first time we can show with hard data that ablation is saving more lives than arrhythmia medications," said Marrouche. "It also lowers the cost of treating patients by keeping them out of hospital due to lower incidence of worsening heart failure."Source: Eurekalert Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added, "so is the cost of treatment that would drastically cut to just Rs 350 ($5.50) from the exiting Rs 35,000 ($545) per patient".The last week's World Health Organisation (WHO) update on rabies vaccines and immunoglobulins acknowledged the new low-cost treatment protocol established by Bharti, who is working at Intra Dermal Anti-Rabies Clinic and Research Centre of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital here.ed WHO acknowledged the new low-cost treatment protocol developed by a doctor from Himachal Pradesh As per earlier WHO guidelines, a dog or monkey bite victim was administered a vaccine intradermally along with rabies immunoglobulins that was injected both in the wound and muscle.The rabies immunoglobulins were calculated as per the patient's body weight, which was a costly proposition.While the vaccine part almost remains the same, the WHO new update involves injecting rabies immunoglobulins only in the wound. The rabies immunoglobulins neutralise the rabies virus in the wound within hours.The omission of rabies immunoglobulins administration intramuscularly would drastically reduce the cost of treatment from Rs 35,000 to Rs 350 per patient and will have a huge impact globally by sparing the overall cost, medicine and thus saving lives, Bharti explained.At present over $1.6 billion are annually spent on the rabies post-exposure prophylaxis across the globe, which is likely to come down to few million dollars as over 90 per cent of this cost is attributed to rabies immunoglobulins to be given as per the earlier WHO protocol that came in 1992.Around 59,000 persons die of rabies globally every year, out of which 20,000 deaths are reported in India alone.Most of these deaths occur due to unaffordability and unavailability of the medicine.The WHO update is based on recommendations of its Strategic Advisory Group of Experts committee, which met in Geneva in October 2017, and quoted Bharti's research papers, co-authored by late S.N. Madhusudana, head of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Rabies Research in National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru, and Henry Wilde, a WHO consultant in Thailand."We started practical research on administering rabies immunoglobulins in wound only in 2014 amidst acute shortage of this lifesaving medicine, with technical support of WHO Collaborating Centre on Rabies Research in NIMHANS," he said."We administered the anti-rabies vaccine intradermally as earlier along with local rabies immunoglobulins infiltration into wounds. We found that even the lab confirmed rabid dog bite victims survived without any adverse impact," Bharti said.It took 17 years for Bharti to conceptualise and implement the practical work in 2014, based on available literature review."What sensitised me towards the cause was that while there was shortage of lifesaving rabies immunoglobulins, its cost too was unaffordable for victims of dog and monkey bites, who were mainly the poor."I saw some deaths also, where victims got vaccine, but didn't get rabies immunoglobulins," Bharti, who is also the state master trainer for intradermal anti-rabies vaccination.Annually, the Intra-Dermal Anti-Rabies Clinic and Research Centre in Shimla gets more than 3,000 animal bite patients and 40 per cent of them are monkey bite cases.All the rabies prophylaxis is given free at the research centre, based on this new low cost protocol started in 2014, which has now been endorsed by the WHO.Source: IANS The Verkhovna Rada will begin the session with consideration of the draft resolution on the abrogation of the previously adopted law on securing the sovereignty of Ukraine in Donbas, chairman of the Ukrainian parliament, Andriy Parubiy said at a meeting of the conciliation council on Monday. "Before proceeding to the agenda, I will initiate that we consider the decision to reject the law on de-occupation, which was blocked by the relevant resolution of parliamentarians, which will take a little time. But I believe that this position is political and correct so that we rejected this decision and thus opened up opportunities for signing the law," he said. As reported, on January 18, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the law "On the peculiarities of the state policy to ensure the state sovereignty of Ukraine in the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions" and recognized the Russian Federation as an aggressor state. The next day representatives of the Opposition Bloc faction registered a draft resolution on the abolition of this law. According to the regulations of the Ukrainian parliament, before the parliamentarians consider the draft resolution on cancellation of the earlier adopted decision, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada cannot sign the voted legislative initiative. Kyoto Park, which is located in the Desniansky district of Kyiv, may be included in Ukraine's natural reserve fund, Kyiv City Council's press service has reported. "At a meeting of the standing commission of Kyiv City Council on urban planning, architecture and land use deputies agreed on a draft decision on declaring the natural area a park-monument of landscape art of local significance 'Kyoto Park,'" reads the report. The territory of the 9.17-hectare park is to be declared a park-monument of local importance. The project was developed by specialists from the Charitable Fund of the Dniprovsky District of Kyiv "Kyiv Ecological and Cultural Center." The park is owned by a utility company on maintaining the greenery of the Desniansky district. The Kyoto Park is located between the Chernihivska and Lisova metro stations and was founded in 1972 as a sign of friendly relations between Kyiv and the cultural capital of Japan - Kyoto. Companies that manufacture original medicines deliberately block the access of high-quality generics to the Ukrainian market, retaining high prices, legal advisor in Organosyn pharmaceutical company Stanislav Pidkovych has said. "The companies that manufacture original medicines deliberately block all possible legitimate (and sometimes not so) ways to allow more affordable high-quality generics to enter the market. Forced licensing and ensuring a real mechanism for implementing this law in practice will make it possible to move the problem off the ground," he told Interfax-Ukraine, commenting on the initiative of the Health Ministry to improve the mechanism for the use of compulsory licensing of socially important medicinal products with patent protection. The lawyer said that at present, a significant number of patients with the diseases like hepatitis B and C, HIV/AIDS, as well as with cancer who do not have access to generics, are forced to purchase original drugs at high prices, or apply to the services provided by illegal generic suppliers from other countries at more affordable prices. "Often this provider is just a phone number in a link in a forum on the Internet. One can only guess how this drug gets into Ukraine. Of course, there cannot be any conditions for transportation and temperature regime, and as a result, the patient buys not rather cheap drug and cannot be sure of what's inside the package, and whether it will work later," he said. As reported, the Health Ministry of Ukraine seeks to improve the application of forced licensing of socially important medicines that are protected by patents in Ukraine. This concerns medicines for treating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis B and C, for treating military servicemen participated in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO), as well as medicines used during emergencies or epidemics. Leader of the Movement of New Forces and former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has said he will no longer attend court hearings on his status in Ukraine after the Kyiv Administrative Appeals Court declined his and his lawyers' request that the hearing of an appeal of a ruling of the Kyiv District Administrative Court be postponed. "The court is rejecting one request after another. We still haven't received an answer as to how the judges in these hearings could be replaced. I don't see any point in my continued presence at this hearing. They want to imitate a legal procedure, so my lawyers will stay there. I also keep coming to court for the people who come to support me. But even they advised me not to attend these hearings orchestrated from above," Saakashvili wrote on Facebook. Saakashvili intends, instead, to concentrate on preparing for the protests in Kyiv and regional centers of Ukraine planned for Sunday, February 18. "I'd do better to focus on implementing your and our plan for February 18, which we agreed on during the March for the Future," he wrote. An Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported on Monday that the Kyiv Administrative Appeals Court had declined a request from Saakashvili and his lawyers that the hearing of an appeal of the Kyiv District Administrative Court's ruling regarding his status in Ukraine now that he has been stripped of Ukrainian citizenship be postponed. President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree depriving Saakashvili of Ukrainian citizenship in July 2017. HURON COUNTY Authorities have identified two ice fisherman that died Sunday, according to the Huron County Sheriff's Office. The victims have been identified as Dennis W. Shaw, 73, of Fowlerville, and Willard E. Slider, 69, of Caro. According to Huron County Sheriff Kelly J. Hanson, his office responded at about 2:30 p.m. Sunday to the area where the fisherman were missing at the shoreline community of Rose Island in Fairhaven Township. "The search had been initiated after it was learned that a local resident who was a friend of one of the missing, had received a voicemail from that victim, which indicated he and another male had broken through the ice and were requesting immediate help," Hanson stated in a news release Monday morning. "With the friend searching and the responding deputies arriving, as well as our Airboat #152, the believed scene was located with an ATV and fish shanty in the water about (a) half of a mile west of Rose Island. With no sight of the fishermen and the water being about four feet deep, two Tuscola Deputies aboard #152 in cold water gear tethered themselves to the airboat and got into the water to walk around in search of the victims, while our divers were on there way." After searching that hole with no luck, they re-boarded the airboat and a search of the surrounding ice was conducted, according to the news release. At about 4:30 p.m., the airboat crew found both victims about 900' northeast of the original scene, in the water of similar depth, deceased. "They were hoisted aboard and transported to shore and then transported to the Scheurer Hospital by the Sebewaing Ambulance Service," the release states. "There, deputies and a Huron County Medical Examiner's Office investigator eventually met with the family members of one of the victims and were also able to learn who the other victim was. Notification of next of kin for that victim then began." Preliminary investigation is indicating that this incident may have actually occurred at around 9:30 a.m. Sunday. "It appears that the victim who originally called his friend for help was only able to reach the friend's voicemail and that voicemail didn't arrive until (2:30 p.m.)," the release states. "Inclement weather consisting of snow squalls, strong north winds and very cold temperatures were also believed to have played a big part in this tragedy." Hanson reports investigation into this incident will continue. Also assisting were the Caseville Fire Department and the Michigan DNR. "With repeated warnings over the last couple of weeks about unsafe ice already being issued, we once again remind anglers that the ice conditions are very unpredictable," Hanson stated in a news release. "The thaws we've experienced this season and refreezes with added snow covering have made for unstable ice. Please do not take the ice for granted just because colder temperatures are once again occurring. The reward is in no way worth the risk." Valentines Day Paint-at-Perk MIDDLETOWN A Valentines Day Paint-At- Perk, with romantic chart-toppers: art and chocolate, will be held Feb. 14, 6-8 p.m. at Perk on Main, 344 Main St., Middletown. A skilled art instructor will guide guests step-by-step through the artistic process to create a work of art no skill or experience needed. Seating is limited. Reserve your spot today by calling203-350-3717. The cost is $35 per person Price includes all art supplies and the evenings instruction, plus light refreshments. The kitchen will be open for dinner. All participants will leave with a completed painting. School selling LED bulbs PORTLAND The Brownstone School PTO, in collaboration with Energize CT, is selling 6-packs of 60-watt, warm, dimmable, LED light bulbs for $10. Orders will be accepted through Feb. 5. The offer is available to Connecticut residents with a limit of four 6-packs (24 bulbs total) per household. Orders will be ready in March. Pickup dates and time will be communicated. To purchase by check, send your order with name, e-mail address, and phone number to Brownstone School, Attn: PTO LED Fundraiser, 314 Main Street. For an order form or more information, contact shannonlapila@yahoo.com or visit Portland CT PTO on Facebook. Nursing scholarships available The Wethersfield-Rocky Hill Professional Nurses Association (WRHPNA) is pleased to announce its 2018 nursing scholarships program. These scholarships are available to qualified nursing students currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree in nursing and to registered nurses currently enrolled in RN to BSN programs. For further information or for an application packet, contact Judith Sartucci, WRHPNA Scholarship Committee Chairman at nursescholarships@cox.net. Deadline for submission of applications is March 16. Kenny scholarship applications available NEW BRITAIN The Robert T. Kenney Scholarship Program at the American Savings Foundation is currently accepting applications from current high school seniors, current college students, and nontraditional adult students who will be enrolled in college for the 2018-19 academic year. Applications are due by March 31. In 2018, the Foundation expects to award over $750,000 in support to nearly 400 new and renewing scholars who will be studying at a wide range of 4-year colleges and universities, 2-year colleges, and at accredited technical/vocational programs. Students can apply online at www.asfdn.org. The website also has links to other area scholarship programs as well as resources for learning about financial aid. This scholarship is renewable, and most of our scholars receive support for all four years of college, said Maria Falvo, President and CEO of the American Savings Foundation. Our goal is to help reduce some of the financial stress that can keep hard-working students from achieving their dream of a college education. Scholarships are awarded primarily based on financial need, with consideration given to academic performance, community involvement, and other indications of a strong desire to achieve goals through education. Applicants must live in one of the 64 Connecticut towns served by American Savings Foundation. Current high school seniors must be ranked in the top 1/3 of their graduating class or have a 2.5 GPA or higher. Current college students must be maintaining a 2.5 GPA or higher. Throughout its history, the Foundation has provided over $11 million to 2,229 students through its scholarship program. The American Savings Foundation is a permanent charitable endowment that also awards grants to area nonprofit organizations. The foundation accepts scholarship applications from residents of any of the following 64 Connecticut towns: Andover, Ashford, Avon, Barkhamsted, Beacon Falls, Berlin, Bethlehem, Bloomfield, Bolton, Bristol, Burlington, Canton, Chaplin, Chester, Clinton, Colebrook, Columbia, Coventry, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Granby, East Hampton, East Hartford, Essex, Farmington, Glastonbury, Granby, Haddam, Hebron, Killingworth, Madison, Manchester, Mansfield, Marlborough, Meriden, Middlebury, Middletown, Naugatuck, New Britain, Newington, Old Saybrook, Oxford, Plainville, Portland, Prospect, Rocky Hill, Seymour, Simsbury, Southbury, Southington, Thomaston, Tolland, Torrington, Waterbury, Watertown, West Hartford, Westbrook, Wethersfield, Willington, Winchester, Windham, Wolcott, and Woodbury. For more information and to apply, students and parents can visit www.asfdn.org or call the foundation at 860.827.2556. Foundation to host program on heart disease MIDDLETOWN The Womens Wellness Fund at Middlesex Hospital will hold Heart-to-Heart, a conversation about heart disease in women, Feb. 28, 5:30 p.m. at Middlesex Community College. The events guest speaker will be Rekha Mankad, MD, of Mayo Clinic. Middlesex is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. WFSB anchor Denise DAscenzo will be master of ceremonies. To register, call 860-358-8856 or email womenswellnessfund@gmail.com. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for registration and light refreshments. The event will begin at 6 p.m. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States, and this event will focus on how cardiovascular disease affects women and how it can be prevented and treated. To register, call 860-358-8856 or email womenswellnessfund@gmail.com. For more information on the Womens Wellness Fund, visit middlesexhospital.org/womenswellnessfund. Wall Street Gallery announces exhibit MADISON Recent watercolor paintings by Earl Grenville Killeen are on view at the Wall Street Gallery in Madison through the month of February, until March 3. Mr. Killeen, who makes his home on the Connecticut shoreline, is the author of The North Light Book of Acrylic Painting Techniques (1995) and the recipient of numerous awards for his art. The paintings on exhibit are part of a series called TOTEMICS. These renderings blur the genre line between still-life and portrait. Each is a rusted-metal segment of a heavy earth-moving machine, inert and still. But each is also enlivened by a sense of latent energy and the suggestion of an animate creature, whether it seems a familiar or a fanciful one. The mood or state of being or the identity of the depicted creature gives each painting its title. The techniques used to create these renderings are also somewhat unconventional. The artist actually applies a piece of machinery to the surface of the painting: Earl uses a power tool, a palm sander, to create a burnished layer of paint that acts like a polished shield to resist bleeding when subsequent colors are applied. With layering and sanding, he achieves the appearance of worn paint and rusted metal in a naturalistic way (though in a span of hours rather than years). For information, call Jim Reinhart: Wall Street Gallery, 203-245-2912. The gallery is located at 91 Wall St., Madison, the corner of Bradley and Wall streets. HARTFORD Seventeen Greater Middletown organizations and individuals were awarded 2018 state grant funds last week to support projects taking place in Middlesex County. In all, the Connecticut Office of the Arts gave out 205 grants totaling $1,040,588 through its four programs: Supporting Arts in Place, Arts Learning, Arts Projects and Regional Initiative, according to a press release. Arts Learning monies provides funding for the planning and implementation of new or expanded arts in education-based projects that promote teaching and learning in the arts and engage partners to advance teaching and learning for birth to grade 12, the release said. Grant requests range from $700 to $5,000. The COA awarded 24 Arts Learning grants totaling $37,466 statewide. The Arts Project program funds the planning and implementation of arts-based projects for Connecticut audiences. The project must be accessible and relevant to the audience and community and must engage at least one Connecticut artist in a significant project role, according to the COA. Grant requests range from $5,000 to $15,000. The COA awarded 27 Arts Project grants totaling $290,650. The Supporting Arts in Place program awards grants to arts organizations and municipal arts offices to strengthen the states nonprofit arts industry. Funds provide general operating support. The COA awarded 121 Arts in Place grants totaling $599,500. The Regional Initiative grant program provides funding for the planning and implementation of small community art projects that align with the Relevance, Equity, Access, Diversity and Inclusion framework in combination with a strong community engagement plan, according to the release. The COA awarded 33 Regional Initiative grants totaling $122,745. Supporting Arts in Place grants were given to Centerbrooks Con Brio Choral Society ($2,429) and Clintons Opera Theater of Connecticut ($3,928). In East Haddam, the I-Park Foundation earned a $2,212 Supporting Arts in Place award, while artist Kandie Carle, won a $4,000 Regional Initiative. The Essex Art Association ($1,580) and Essex Winter Series ($3,792) were supported by Supporting Arts in Place grants. Six Middletown groups were awarded Supporting Arts in Place grants: Artists for World Peace, $2,889; the City of Middletown Arts & Culture $9,358; Greater Middletown Chorale $3,432; Middletown North End Arts Rising/The Buttonwood Tree, $2,711; Oddfellows Playhouse, $6,230; and Middletown Wesleyan Potters $5,506. Regional Initiative monies were given to artist Marc Pettersen, $3,000; and Resonant Motion, $4,000. Wilbert Snow Elementary School earned a $700 Arts Learning: Access award. In Old Saybrook, two organizations won Supporting Arts in Place funding: Chestnut Hill Concerts, $1,935, and the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, $15,385. For information, visit cultureandtourism.org. The Verkhovna Rada's statement on the Polish law, which foresees, in particular, punishment for "crimes of Ukrainian nationalists," will be considered on Tuesday, February 6, Verkhovna Rada Speaker Andriy Parubiy has said. "The committee [on foreign affairs] prepared the text of the statement, which has already been proposed for consideration by factions and groups... Today this decision will be registered... so that tomorrow we could adopt it in parliament," he said at a meeting of the parliament's conciliatory council on Monday. He noted that a draft resolution was considered at a meeting of the foreign affairs committee on Monday in the presence of representatives of all factions and groups, as well as representatives of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and experts. As reported, the Senate of Poland adopted early on February 1 without any amendments the law on the Institute of National Remembrance, which foresees, in particular, punishment for "crimes of Ukrainian nationalists." The bill was supported by 57 senators, mainly from the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) Party, 23 voted against the document, and two abstained. Amendments to the law envisage fines or imprisonment for up to three years for "sharing responsibility before the Polish people or the state, including for crimes committed by the Third Reich." In addition, the document envisages punishment for denial of the "Volyn massacre" and the use of the expression "Polish death camps" in relation to the camps that were located in Poland during the Second World War. The law will enter into force after signing by Polish President Andrzej Duda. The Opposition Bloc faction in parliament insists on the implementation of the PACE resolution on humanitarian consequences of the war in Ukraine and proposes respective measures to approve a resolution of the Ukrainian parliament. "We insist that the parliament implement the PACE resolution on humanitarian consequences of the war in Ukraine and take into account the positions of the Minsk agreements when correcting the law. We are categorically against the laws that complicate the work of missions aimed at ensuring a diplomatic solution to the conflict," faction head Yuriy Boiko said at a meeting of the parliament's conciliatory council on Monday. Faction members registered a draft resolution on the implementation of PACE resolution 2198 (2018) "Humanitarian consequences of the war in Ukraine." According to the document, parliamentarians propose instructing the Verkhovna Rada committee on national security and defense to prepare amendments to the law on ensuring state sovereignty over temporarily occupied territories of Donbas so that the document is based on the Minsk agreements and fully guarantees the social protection of the civilian population. In addition, the authors of the draft resolution propose instructing the Cabinet of Ministers within two months to offer the parliament a draft of amendments to the Criminal and Criminal Procedural Codes in order to bring them into line with international humanitarian law and international criminal law, amend Ukrainian legislation to facilitate the provision humanitarian assistance to war-affected territories, as well as to facilitate humanitarian demining. At the same time, the draft resolution proposes ordering the approval of the procedure for the payment of pensions and all types of state social assistance to citizens who live in temporarily occupied territories. In addition, the document contains a number of other proposals that were reflected in the PACE resolution. In January 2017, the PACE adopted a resolution on humanitarian consequences of the war in Ukraine calling on the country to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and revise the new Ukrainian legislation on enforcing sovereignty in Donbas to make sure it is based on the Minsk agreements. "The Assembly urges the Ukrainian authorities to revise the Law 'On the peculiarities of the State policy to ensure the State sovereignty of Ukraine over the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions,' to be based on the Minsk agreements and to fully guarantee the social protection and the basic humanitarian needs of the civilian population in the temporarily occupied territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions," PACE said in its resolution. It also urged Ukraine to ratify the Rome Statute and bring the Ukrainian Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code into line with international humanitarian and criminal law. The resolution also calls on Ukraine to free Russian citizens detained in the course of hostilities and, until this is done, to allow independent international observers to monitor their condition. WYOMING, MI - Land & Co., which operates 19 apartment communities in West Michigan, announced it will give its employees a special bonus of up to $1,000 in response the federal tax cut legislation signed recently by President Donald Trump. "Land & Co. believes the Trump Tax Cut has generated a more optimistic vision for the future of business in West Michigan and the United States of America and wants their wonderful employees to be a part of and share in that vision," the company said in a statement attributed to its owners, Roger Lucas and Dan Hibma on Monday, Feb. 5. Land & Co.'s 151 full-time employees will each get $1,000; its 17 part-time workers will get $500 and its nine seasonal workers will each get $250. Lucas and Hibma said they would not comment beyond the announcement. Hibma is married to Terri Lynn Land, a former Michigan Secretary of State and Republican who staged an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate in 2014. Land donated $12,500 to the Trump Victory Political Action Committee in October of 2016, according federal campaign finance records. Hibma and Land also each donated $2,700 to Republican Presidential candidate Jeb Bush in 2015, according to campaign records. Hibma and Lucas each donated $1,000 to the National Apartment Association Political Action Committee in 2015 and 2016, according to campaign finance records. Lucas also is the developer behind the Grand Castle Apartments, a 500-unit apartment complex being built near the intersection of Int. 196 and 28th Street SW in Grandville. The 15-story project, which originally was to have been completed in the summer of 2017, is accepting reservations but no move-in date has been announced. The property is being managed by Land & Co.. Lucas modeled the turreted complex after the Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany. The Bavarian castle is one of the most popular of European castles and the inspiration for Disney World's Cinderella Castle. With more than 1 million square feet when completed, Grand Castle will rank as the second largest castle structure in the world, said Lucas, a castle aficionado who he estimates has visited Neuschwanstein at least 10 times. WYOMING - Students, teachers and administrators within Wyoming Public Schools may have the opportunity to engage in a multifaceted Chinese exchange program as early as summer 2018. That's because, for the last few months, the school district has been looking into a cultural exchange program similar to the one employed by the Wisconsin School Districts Alliance, which provides international education exchange and cooperation activities for students from various schools in Wisconsin and China. Superintendent Thomas Reeder said he is on board with the idea of the program being instituted within Wyoming Public Schools, but that it will be up to the individual schools in the district if they would like to participate or not. Members of the Board of Education received an informational packet on the exchange program at an early January meeting and were asked to review that document so the matter might be discussed further going forward. Student, teacher and administrator exchange programs, as well as the opportunity to become a "sister school," are among the options available under the umbrella of the program being discussed, which would also see the school district work directly with educators overseas rather than through companies, as it has done for the past couple years. "We've had a partnership with two different student exchange companies that we're transitioning out of at this time as a result of logistics," said Craig Hoekstra, assistant superintendent of instructional services. Hoekstra listed those two companies as Educatius and Weiming, saying the district has had a good experience with both but that some issues sprang up in terms of graduation requirements for exchange students. Additionally, the partnerships with those companies have only allowed a one-way exchange program, where Chinese students were coming to Wyoming, but the district hadn't been sending its own students abroad. Partnering directly with the Chinese school districts that have formed a longstanding relationship with Wisconsin schools -- which includes the Nanjing and Zhangjiagang educational departments and Jiangsu International Education Department, among others -- would change that. "There's a lot of options and opportunity (and) it just depends on what we feel, if this is a direction we would like to continue, what would be the best fit for Wyoming Public Schools," Hoekstra said. "Our school board, of course, has that packet and they'll be part of the decision process. (We're) at the very initial stages of pursuing what this would potentially look like. "The Chinese exchange system has been successful working with districts in Wisconsin ... (and) this would be a new opportunity for our district, (where sending students) could be pursued as an option." Hoekstra said there is no timeline for making a decision on the matter but that it will most likely be discussed again during upcoming school board work sessions and meetings. Should they move forward with the program in any manner -- that is, get any and all possible programs with the Chinese school districts up and running or pick and choose among the various options available -- Hoekstra said they could get started as soon as summer 2018. "It's open-ended in regards to dialoguing what would work best, because they have a model but there's a number of options within the model," he said. "If it's something that we do move forward on, there of course would be opportunity to visit (China) but also to have their representatives come our way, as well. "It's just very appealing on both ends." Our Blueberry Ambassadors were busy doing good in their community. A few Blueberry Ambassadors spent Martin Luther King, Jr. Day volunteering to help feed those in need, and another decided to spent time to write a child cancer patient a Christmas card. Our Blueberry Ambassadors never cease to amaze us. This week's Ambassadors included Amy Hackett's group from Mott Middle College, Allison Frey's group from Bentley Middle School, Anne Strong's group from Linden Middle School, and Mary-Kennedy Jacob's group from Grand Blanc West Middle School. Below is an excerpt of just some of the Blueberry Moments from each of the classes moments. Being a Blueberry Ambassador means students are obligated to do at least three random acts of kindness -- to look for three ways to go out of their way to positively impact someone or the community. The actual number of good deeds is immeasurable actually much higher than that because each Blueberry Ambassador also asks those they help to pay it forward. Through a partnership with MLive, the students' stories are published online. Below is an excerpt of just some of the Blueberry Moments. Check out all the teams' good work at http://topics.mlive.com/tag/flint-blueberries/. To find out more about "I'm Concerned About the Blueberries," email BlueberryAmbassador@gmail.com. Mott Middle College, coordinator Amy Hackett Ngozi Womack Blueberry Moment 14428 For my second random act of kindness, I was one of the two kids helping make Christmas ornaments in the Student Life Center for Harley Brown, a student worker there. First Ms. Hackett introduced us to the Student Life coordinator, Dawn Vanniman. Then Harley showed us how to create the ornaments. I also helped wipe down tables with disinfecting wipes. I decided to do it because I talked to Ms. Hackett and she said she needed a couple of people to help out there and I thought I could help. I was at the Student Life Center in the Prahl building. Harley was happy that we helped him and later found another student to actually put the ornaments up. The experience impacted me because I wanted to help Mr. Brown with his task of putting up Christmas decorations. Darissa Renee Ward Blueberry Moment 14440 For one of my acts of kindness, I have decided to look up a funny but kind quote and put it in a hallway. I felt amazing doing this because I was able to have fun all throughout this act of kindness. I was also able to witness the conversation that it started up. When students saw the poster, they immediately started up a conversation with people around them. Making new friends just because they had similar interests. I am very happy that just a simple act of making a poster and sticking it on a wall can bring people closer together. Courtesy of "I'm Concerned About the Blueberries" Kalianna Munerlyn Blueberry Moment 14491 For my act of kindness, I decided to help my friend with algebra. He's not the best at math, and neither am I, but since I was getting it, I decided to help him. At first, it was kind of difficult. We weren't really on the same page, and it was a little frustrating. But as we continued, he was starting to understand and by the end he was actually able to do the sets. I'm glad I was able to help him and at the same time I was able to spread kindness. To view all of Mott Middle College Blueberry Ambassador Moments, go to Mott Middle College Blueberry Moments Bentley Middle School, coordinator Allison Frey David Pines Blueberry Moment 12394 Courtesy of "I'm Concerned About the Blueberries" I gave a winter hat to a homeless man. I gave him one because he did not have one. I gave him hat when he was by the gas station. He was thankful for the hat and cried. That made me happy because I was able to help people. Sarah Marshall Blueberry Moment 12365 On November 4th, my church, St. John, held a Polish dinner in the hall. I volunteered to help work it with my mom. I gave my first Blueberry Card to Becky Beck, the young adult youth leader. I helped by serving water, collecting dinner tickets, and cleaning up tables when the guests finished their meals. We volunteered to work for four hours and fifteen minutes. I really liked working the dinner. Some people joked around with me when I collected their dinner tickets. It was a very fun experience for all the volunteers and guests. To view all of Bentley Middle School Blueberry Ambassador Moments, go to Bentley Middle School Blueberry Moments Linden Middle School, coordinator Anne Strong Ella Miner Blueberry Moment 11986 My teacher, Mrs. Molnar, was stressed out because the kids were giving her a hard time about the field trip and I felt bad for her and I wanted to do something nice. Something to show her that we are happy for what she's doing and we do appreciate it. So, I asked her what her favorite treat was and wrote a note telling her how great a job she was doing dealing with us annoying kids. I gave it to her the day of the field trip right when we were ready to get on the bus to go back to school. She was very happy and she gave me a hug. The next day she wrote me and my mom a thank you note. She told me that she ate all the candy I had given her when she got back to her classroom. I was really glad that I was able to make her happy and it made me happy too. Caden Ball Courtesy of "I'm Concerned About the Blueberries" Blueberry Moment 12943 My first Blueberry Moment was found online. On Sunday, November 5, my mom read an article on a news website. She told me that a young boy has cancer in his brain. The doctors said that he would die before Christmas. His wish was to celebrate Christmas early. His message to everyone across the U.S. that he told was to celebrate his last Christmas. He loved and cared for Christmas very much. The story touched me very much, so I decided to send him a Christmas card. I also put a little message to spread the Blueberry Card I gave to him. The card was nicely written with love and care. I hope that his wish came true! Grant Bentley It was late on a Wednesday night, when I was heading to my Catechism class, that I saw the bell ringer at Walmart. We drove to the closest McDonalds and ordered one large hot chocolate. We drove back to Walmart where the man still stood ringing the bell. We approached with the hot chocolate. He had a nice tone to his voice when he responded he couldn't have it. Since there is a VG's across the street, we drove over there and offered the lady the hot chocolate. When we gave her it, she asked why we did it. I responded, "A random act of kindness." When I gave her the Blueberry Card, I was about to tell her about Blueberry Ambassadors when she said she had heard of us before in the newspaper. This experience helped me realize people can even show joy over the smaller things of life. To view all of Linden Middle School Blueberry Ambassador Moments, go to Linden Middle School Blueberry Moments Grand Blanc West Middle School, coordinator Mary-Kennedy Jacob Tommy Bettys Blueberry Moment 13518 On a cold day during winter break was when I completed my good deed. As I was pushing my shopping cart back to the station in the freezing temperature I saw an older lady struggling to put her groceries into her car. I politely walked over to her and asked if she needed help. She looked at me with a surprised look on her face. She nodded as I put her groceries into her car and pushed her cart away. After I finished the deed I felt extremely good, but I could not help but keep thinking about the surprised face she displayed it made me think about how we do not do enough good deeds for are the community and fellow humans. I don't think anybody should be surprised by a good deed because this kind of things should happen to everybody regularly. This opportunity to be able to do a good deed has opened my eyes and showed me that everybody should try and do a random act of kindness every day if possible. Overall, I learned we should always strive to be the best human we can be and help people out whenever it is possible. Charles Powers Blueberry Moment 13523 "Are you ready to get started?" Jenny, the announcer, asked us. "Yes!" everyone in the stands shouted back energetically. It was Martin Luther King Junior Day, so there were a lot of people volunteering. It was about 9:00, so Jenny started to call our table numbers to come down to the turf and put on our aprons and hairnets. After we had filed down the stairs, we put on the hygiene clothing and washed our hands with hand sanitizer. I then walked over to my table with my mom and brother and we introduced ourselves. I looked down at the table and there were so many bins of food, it was like a grocery store! When everyone in our group got to the table, our team leader, Dylan started to explain the process of making the meal. A moment later, Jenny spoke over the microphone explaining that there needed to be a 'runner' from each group. We had a couple of high schoolers from Bentley, and they volunteered. The runners had a couple of different types of jobs; some of them would refill the food, some would collect the full boxes and replace them with empty boxes, and others would take the boxes to the trucks to be loaded up. After Dylan finished explaining the process of making the meal, we made a system, like an assembly line. First, my brother, Henry, would put a packet containing vitamins and minerals inside a bag. Then, someone would put a scoop of vegetables, then my mom would put a scoop of beans, then someone else would put a scoop of rice, and then it would go to a scale to get weighed. That was my job, and how it worked was that you had to weigh the bag and add or take out rice to get the weight between 388 and 390 grams. Next, the bag would get the air squeezed out of it and get sealed by a heat machine. I also did that part too. Once, on accident, I brushed my finger against the metal of the heating part and it hurt a lot. After it was sealed, it would go to a person who would put on a label, and then put it in a box. Once a box had 36 bags in it, our whole table would call "Box!" and a runner would come grab the box and replace it with an empty one. There were 25 tables, so there was a lot of work getting done towards our goal of making 80,000 meals. There were two types of meals: oatmeal and rice and beans. Around 11:00, Jenny announced that we were halfway to our goal. Immediately, everyone started working faster. With every bag that I weighed and sealed, it seemed like time was speeding up. All of a sudden, we started to run out of vegetables. We had to use more rice and fewer vegetables. All of the runners started to come around with big bags of vegetables. After they refilled everyone's containers, progress resumed. Around 11:50, we started to get low on beans. A couple of other tables had to stop because they didn't have any beans. We kept going, and at 11:55, we had reached our goal! I was so glad that we had made it because it saddens me to think of world hunger. I was also glad that the meals would be going to Genesee County. It felt really good to help people in need and volunteer. There was a lunch provided there, but my family left early to go eat at home. I am very thankful that I can have food on my table at every meal. I learned that I should really appreciate my blessings and be grateful for what I have. To view all of Grand Blanc West Middle School Blueberry Ambassador Moments, go to Grand Blanc West Middle School Blueberry Moments A student runs off the school bus on Wednesday, April 12, 2017. Matt Weigand | The Ann Arbor News Don't Edit What's ahead for the new school year By Lauren Slagter | lslagter@mlive.com The 2018-19 school year will bring the launch of the states first International Baccalaureate Career Programme, more preschool classes and opening a 40-acre outdoor learning center for Ann Arbor Public Schools. Superintendent Jeanice Swift outlined changes planned for the coming school year as well as whats in the works for the 2019-20 school year at a board of education meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 31. Don't Edit Freeman School will become an Environmental Education Learning Center After decades of leasing out Freeman School, Ann Arbor Public Schools will start using the building again and turn it into an Environmental Education Learning Center for the 2018-19 school year. Ann Arbors Environmental Education program will move to the 40-acre property, where students in preschool through 12th grade will have hands-on learning opportunities in nature through habitat and life cycle walks and lessons on winter survival, climate and forestry as well as farm-to-school food initiatives. The learning center also will house some Rec & Ed programs. We'll take this program that's been out there and does great work in lots of locations, and actually anchor it into this beautiful location," Swift said. AAPS stopped using the Freeman School in 1984. Since 1987, Go Like the Wind Montessori school has rented the building at 3540 Dixboro Lane in Superior Township from AAPS. The director of Go Like the Wind could not immediately be reached to comment on where the school will relocate. Freeman School was originally built in 1953, became part of the Ann Arbor school system five years later, and then a large addition was completed in 1974 - when the school was renamed after former Dixboro school board president Glen A. Freeman, according to a 1996 article in the Ann Arbor Observer included in the Ann Arbor District Library's archives. Ann Arbor Schools has offered an environmental education program since 1960, working with students in kindergarten through seventh grade most recently. The program is supported by an endowment and several community partnerships. Volunteers work with Dave Szczygiel, the program's education consultant, to lead field trips and school visits to teach students about the natural environment. Don't Edit A Huron High School student celebrates after he receives his diploma during commencement on Wednesday, June 8, 2016 at the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center in Ypsilanti. Katy Kildee | MLive.com Don't Edit Huron High will launch International Baccalaureate Career Program After becoming authorized as an International Baccalaureate World School in December 2016, Huron High School will add to its IB offerings with a Career Programme. The IB Career Programme will be for high school juniors and seniors who are interested in automotive, business/marketing or engineering. AAPS will be the first district in Michigan to offer the option, Swift said. Students in the Career Programme will complete some of the same classes as high school students in the IB Diploma Programme, as well as complete activities designed to develop personal and professional skills and a career-related study in their area of interest. The first cohort of Huron students to go through the Career Programme will graduate in 2020. "The experiences and connections associated with the (Career Programme) certificate purposely prepare students for college admission and for direct employment application," Swift said. What is International Baccalaureate? Don't Edit Don't Edit Mitchell Elementary School principal Kevin Karr greets kindergartner Dominique Berry, 5, as she makes her way into the school in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, September 6, 2016. Melanie Maxwell | The Ann Arbor News Don't Edit More Young Fives classes Young Fives programs will be added at A2STEAM at Northside, Angell Elementary, Bach Elementary and Wines Elementary schools. That means Young Fives will be available at all Ann Arbor elementary schools starting in the 2018-19 school year. Don't Edit Students walk from a school bus to school at the newly renovated Allen Elementary School on Wednesday, April 12, 2017. Matt Weigand | The Ann Arbor News Don't Edit Project Lead the Way comes to Young Fives classes Ann Arbor Schools implemented Project Lead The Way curriculum K-12 starting in the 2016-17 school year, and now the district will offer the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) lessons for Young Fives too. Ann Arbor Schools expands Project Lead The Way in 2015-16 Don't Edit Students wait for the bell to ring on the first day of school at Carpenter Elementary School in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, September 5, 2017. Melanie Maxwell | The Ann Arbor News Don't Edit Don't Edit Coming in the 2019-20 school year Re-imagining the "super pair" Community members are participating in envisioning new programming for Bryant and Pattengill elementary schools, which are two miles from each other on Ann Arbor's southeast side. In addition to new programming, both school buildings will receive upgrades. The community engagement process will continue through the 2018-19 school year, with the goal of implementing the changes in 2019-20. Carpenter Elementary transitions to a PK-8 school In the 2019-20 school year, Carpenter will begin transitioning from a PK-5 school to a PK-8 school, adding one new grade level each year. K-8 schools have been popular among AAPS families, and Carpenter was selected to expand due to anticipated enrollment growth in that area. Carpenter also will be physically redesigned and enhanced to serve the growing student population. Don't Edit Harold Wimberly, an intervention specialist at Scarlett Middle School, talks with students in between classes on Friday, September 29, 2017. Matt Weigand | The Ann Arbor News Don't Edit Ongoing work In addition to the new programs and other changes planned for the next couple of school years, Swift said district staff remain committed to ongoing projects. Below is a list of the items she highlighted: Repair and replace schools' infrastructure, supported by the sinking fund millage increase voters passed in May 2017. Election was 'defining moment' for Ann Arbor Schools, superintendent says In December 2017, the school board approved spending $210,700 to have a commercial real estate consultant assess the current state of every AAPS building. The findings of that assessment should be shared with the community this fall, Swift said, and then improvements to the buildings will take place in 2019 and beyond. Continue spending revenue from the 2015 bond and 2012 technology bond Revenue from the 2015 bond will go to buying new classroom furniture replacement and musical instruments, auditorium improvements, restoring outdoor fields and learning space and replacing the aging bus fleet. The third and final phase of spending the 2012 technology bond revenue begins this year, and the focus will be on upgrading teachers' technology. Maintain social and emotional supports Ann Arbor Schools boosts mental health support after difficult year Continue world language and international learning Explore options for enhancing middle school programs Continue work on the comprehensive high school schedule that gives students the option to start school later. Only 3 percent of Ann Arbor high schoolers choose later start time ANN ARBOR, MI - State Rep. Donna Lasinski, D-Scio Township, testified in front of the House Military and Veterans Affairs Committee Tuesday, Jan. 30, in favor of her House Resolution 191, which supports the initiative to bring the first Fisher House to Michigan. The Fisher House Program provides free lodging to families of VA patients, to act as a "home away from home" for family members of patients receiving medical care, according to a press release. The Fisher House would be established in Ann Arbor to provide lodging for the family of veterans who visit the Veterans' Administration Ann Arbor Healthcare System, per the release. Lasinski said the Fisher House would be an excellent way to show support for local veterans. "Michigan is home to hundreds of thousands of veterans, many of whom come home from serving in Iraq and Afghanistan with uniquely critical health care needs," she said in the release. "We should be doing all we can to support our veterans and their loved ones when they make the transition back to civilian life and face a lifetime of health care needs." The VAAAHS provides more than 800,000 outpatient visits and more than 5,000 inpatient stays at their hospital and extended care center every year. Already, 200 to 300 families are requesting lodging at the VAAAHS every month due to the distances traveled to receive care, the release said. UPDATE: This incident was cleared. MONROE COUNTY, MI - A crash has blocked the left two lanes along northbound l-75 after Nadeau Road Sunday, Feb. 4, in Monroe County. The Michigan Department of Transportation reported the incident at 11:11 p.m. Sunday night. Details of the crash were not immediately available. WHITMORE LAKE, MI - A Northfield Township police lieutenant is on unpaid leave and the township is investigating to see if the officer violated policies and procedures. Lt. Timothy Greene also is being investigated by the Michigan Attorney General's Office for his role as a salvage vehicle inspector in neighboring Hamburg Township, according to a letter by Hamburg Township's attorney John W. Drury contained in township records. Andrea Bitely, spokeswoman for the Attorney General's Office, declined to comment or confirm if the state is investigating Greene. Greene, who is not charged with any wrongdoing, could not be reached for comment. Greene initially was placed on paid leave by Northfield Township in November 2016, according to township board records. He was being paid $73,278 per year at the time, according to Northfield Township Manager Steve Aynes. On June 27, 2017, the Northfield Township board of trustees voted 6-1 for Greene to "be placed on unpaid leave and (the board) to initiate an investigation to determine if he has violated Northfield Township policies and procedures." Township Supervisor Marlene Chockley and Aynes declined to comment on the nature of the investigation. Public Safety Director William Wagner also had no comment. Northfield Trustee Wayne Dockett said Greene was being investigated by Northfield Township for his salvage vehicle inspection work in Hamburg Township. Hamburg Township Police Chief Richard Duffany said the township's contract with Greene was terminated by a vote of the Hamburg Township board in November 2016, the same month the Northfield Township board put him on paid administrative leave. Greene, along with two other individuals who inspected vehicles with him, "acted inconsistent with (Hamburg) Township's interests in performing the services that they had been authorized to conduct," according to a memo written by Duffany. Greene started doing the inspections for Hamburg Township in 2012, according to township records. Damaged or old cars and trucks that have been rebuilt are required, per state law, to be inspected by a "specially trained law enforcement officer" before they can transfer the title to another owner, according to Secretary of State's website. It's a service police departments are not required to offer, but each county in Michigan has a handful that do, according to the SOS. Greene currently is not listed on the state's website of certified inspectors for either Washtenaw or Livingston counties. Northfield Township's police department doesn't have such a program, but Hamburg Township's police department does. Greene's 2012 contract stipulated he charge $100 per inspection, pay Hamburg Township $1,000 each month and keep anything he earned over that, according to township records. Duffany wouldn't elaborate on what Greene is accused of doing that led the board to terminate the contract. Northfield Township has retained Canton-based private investigation firm, Fifer Investigations, to conduct an internal investigation, according to a letter written Aug. 1, 2017, by Drury, Hamburg Township's attorney, to the company. In the letter, Drury also references a state investigation. "(A) criminal investigation into Mr. Greene's actions as a salvage vehicle inspector has been initiated by the Michigan Attorney General's Office," Drury wrote. "As of this date, the status or scope of the Attorney General's investigation is unknown to me or (the Hamburg Township Police Department)." The letter states that the Michigan Secretary of State first began making inquiries about Greene in May 2015. The Attorney General's investigation then prompted Hamburg Township to sever its contract with Greene, and the Northfield Township police department to launch its own investigation, the letter states. Greene remains employed by Northfield Township. "Lt. Greene is still an employee," Aynes, the township manager, wrote in an email. "He has not been suspended. An internal investigation is still underway. There are a number of false rumors on social media." One of those rumors was that the entire township was under investigation. "Northfield Township is not under investigation," Aynes wrote. Greene's absence leaves an empty position in the department, which staffs 10 full-time officers, four part-time officers and around five reserve officers, according to Wagner. It will be up to the board to fill Greene's position if he is dismissed, Wagner added. The department is not without a lieutenant during the investigation, however. Sgt. Martin Smith was promoted to lieutenant a few months ago and is overseeing day-to-day police operations in the township under Wagner's supervision, according to the public safety director. The department covers the unincorporated community of Whitmore Lake in Washtenaw County, a few miles north of Ann Arbor. The Northfield Township website still lists Greene as a lieutenant. The website says Greene has been with the department since 1991, and that he served four years as a road patrol officer before being promoted to sergeant. Greene was interim police chief in 2009 while the department transitioned to a department of public safety model, according to the website. He served as lieutenant for at least four years. The matter is not currently on the agenda for the upcoming township board meeting Feb. 13, according to Chockley. Click on the links below to read the township attorney's letter and the memo written by the Hamburg Township police chief: LODI TOWNSHIP, MI - Police are investigating a bomb threat directed at a middle school in Lodi Township. Lodi Township deputies investigated the threat about 10:10 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 4, at Emerson Middle School, according to a news release from the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office. A threatening email circulated from one unknown student to another while playing an online game, the release said. The unknown suspect reportedly threatened to blow up the victim and Emerson Middle School, where he attends, located at the 5400 block of Scio Church Road. The school was not open at the time the email was opened. The case is under investigation, per the release. Further details were not immediately available. This was the second reported bomb threat at a local school in three days. Washtenaw International Middle Academy and Washtenaw International High School in Ypsilanti Township were both evacuated on Friday, Feb. 2, after a bomb threat was found written on a bathroom door. Police searched the building and found no explosives. Students were allowed to return later that afternoon. Police identified a student of interest and spoke to him and his parents, but no charges have been filed, according to director Derrick Jackson of the sheriff's office. The two incidents are not believed to be related, Jackson said. FAIRHAVEN TWP, MI -- Police have released the names of two fishermen who died after plunging into the icy waters of Saginaw Bay. Huron County Sheriff Kelly J. Hanson has said the victims are Dennis W. Shaw, 73, of Fowlerville, and Willard E. Slider, 69, of Caro. Shaw and Slider were reported missing at about 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 4. Huron deputies responded to the shoreline community of Rose Island in Fairhaven Township, where the men had been reported missing. The incident came to authorities' attention after a friend of either Shaw and Slider had received a voicemail from one of the two men, saying they had broken through the ice and needed help. Deputies from Huron and Tuscola counties deployed their airboat and found an ATV and fishing shanty in the water about a half-mile west of Rose Island. There was no sign of the fishermen, Hanson said. Two Tuscola County deputies donned cold water gear, tethered themselves to the airboat, and jumped into the 4-foot-deep water. Their search of the hole was fruitless, prompting them to reboard the airboat and search the surrounding ice. At about 4:30 p.m., the airboat crew found Shaw and Slider about 900 feet northeast from the original scene, in water about 4 feet deep. Both men were already dead, Hanson said. An airboat owned by the Huron and Tuscola County Sheriff's Offices is pulled off the ice after recovering the bodies of two men who fell through the ice on Feb. 3, 2018. Deputies brought the victims aboard and took them to shore. Sebewaing Ambulance Service subsequently transported them to Scheurer Hospital. Though the investigation is ongoing and autopsies are scheduled for Tuesday, preliminary findings indicate the men entered the water around 9:30 a.m. "It appears that the victim who originally called his friend for help was only able to reach the friend's voicemail and that voicemail didn't arrive until 2:30," Hanson said. "Inclement weather consisting of snow squalls, strong north winds, and very cold temperatures were also believed to have played a big part in this tragedy." Caseville firefighters and Michigan Department of Natural Resources officers assisted. Hanson urged anglers to continue exercising caution when venturing onto the ice. "With repeated warnings over the last couple of weeks about unsafe ice already being issued, we once again remind anglers that the ice conditions are very unpredictable," the sheriff said. "The thaws we've experienced this season and refreezes with added snow covering have made for unstable ice. Please do not take the ice for granted just because colder temperatures are once again occurring. The reward is in no way worth the risk." Date of new hostage swap in occupied Donbas not yet set The date of the next round of the swap of hostages kept in occupied areas in Donbas has not yet been decided, Verkhovna Rada commissioner for human rights Valeriya Lutkovska has said. "As of now, the date of the next round has not been established yet. The date mentioned in the media is sheer torture for [the hostages'] relatives," she said at a press conference in Kyiv on Monday, February 5. The issue is on the agenda of Trilateral Contact Group meetings, she said. "I'm present there as an expert. I'm not a key negotiator," she added. As reported, 74 illegally detained Ukrainians were released on December 27, 2017. A total of 233 persons were transferred to the occupied areas of Donbas. This is the largest exchange of detainees between the parties since 2015. In addition, Ukrainian serviceman Roman Savkov, who was held hostage by militants, was released on January 24, 2018. SAGINAW, MI -- Catholic Diocese of Saginaw Bishop Joseph R. Cistone has been diagnosed with lung cancer. According to the Catholic News Agency, Cistone on Feb. 1 sent a letter to his priests and diocesan leaders informing them of his affliction. The diagnosis followed a series of tests Cistone submitted to after suffering a persistent cough since September. "Over the past two months, I have undergone a series of tests and have now learned that I have lung cancer," Cistone said, according to the CNA. "The good news is that, since I have never been a smoker, it is a form of lung cancer which is treatable and potentially curable." Cistone was ordained as a priest for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1975. He served as an auxiliary bishop there from 2004 through 2009. In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Cistone as bishop of the Saginaw Diocese, making him the sixth man to hold that position. Cistone is to undergo a six-week treatment plan including chemotherapy and radiation, and thus may need to step aside from certain scheduled events. However, he has said he plans to maintain his administrative responsibilities and involvement in pastoral concerns "to the best of my ability." Cistone said that he was told by his doctors that he will experience relief of his symptoms within the first two weeks of treatment, which is expected to end before Easter. In the meantime, Cistone is asking for prayers of support from his parishioners. UPDATE: Police ID two fishermen who died after falling through Saginaw Bay's icy waters HURON COUNTY, MI -- Two fisherman died Sunday afternoon after falling through the ice on Saginaw Bay near Rose Island in Huron County. Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Yaw, a public affairs specialist with the U.S. Coast Guard Ninth District, confirmed the Huron County Sheriff's Office called for helicopter assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station in Detroit. An MH-65 Dolphin Helicopter crew was called off as it prepared to leave when the Huron Count Sheriff's Office rescue team notified Coast Guard officials that the two men had been found in a few feet of water along with a four-wheeler. A message left by an MLive-The Flint Journal reporter late Sunday night for comment on the incident from Huron County Sheriff Kelly Hanson was not immediately returned. The fatal incident comes roughly one week after two men were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard on Jan. 27 from the Saginaw Bay off around one-quarter of a mile north of the "hot ponds" and one nautical mile east of Consumers Energy's Karn Generating Plant in Bay County's Hampton Township. Both men were rescued by an airboat crew and brought back to the Saginaw Bay station where they were treated by emergency medical technicians after being exposed to chest-deep water. They are expected to be OK. Officials have urged anyone heading out onto the bay in the winter to follow three tips they referred to as the acronym ICE before making the journey: I - Information: Check the weather and ice conditions, leave an ice plan with a friend or loved one ashore identifying where you are going and when you plan to return. C - Clothing: Wear anti-exposure clothes with multiple layers. If possible, wear a dry suit to prevent hypothermia, which can occur within minutes after falling through the ice. E - Equipment: have the proper equipment such as a marine band radio, life jackets and ice picks or screwdrivers to assist in climbing out of the water and onto the ice. "Communication was key in this case, but cell phones are unreliable for emergency communication on the ice or water and can quickly lose charge or service in the cold temperatures of a Great Lakes winter," read the release. The U.S. Coast Guard recommends residents carry a waterproof hand-held model VHF-FM radio or Personal Locator Beacon to contact local emergency responders in case of an emergency. FLINT, MI - Eighty percent of Legionnaires' cases in Flint between 2014 and 2015 have been linked to the city's drinking water supply switch to the Flint River - and the outbreak may have been more widespread than previously believed, a new study shows. Additionally, those consuming water supplied by the Flint River were seven times more likely to contract the potentially fatal pneumonia-like disease, the research concludes. The new findings come from two scientific, peer-reviewed reports authored by Wayne State University's Flint Area Community Health and Environment Partnership and published in two academic journals. Analyzing data showing Legionnaires' cases in Genesee, Oakland and Wayne counties from 2011-2016, researchers determined that there was an "increase in the risk of acquiring Legionnaires' disease across the Flint water distribution that is consistent with a system-wide proliferation of Legionella bacteria," according to a release issued by the university. An estimated 72 out of the 90 Legionnaires' cases in the city - which led to at least 12 deaths - between 2014 and 2015 are attributable to the change in Flint's water supply, researchers found. However, state officials and independent third-party oversight say the research has "numerous flaws," calling the study "inaccurate" and "incomplete." The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issued a press releases stating that both the MDHHS and third-party KWR Watercycle Research Institute found the university's study to have "numerous flaws." "The researchers not only failed to accurately describe conversations with MDHHS, but utilized variables in their dataset that inaccurately reflect the timing associated with cases of Legionnaires in Flint," MDHHS said in a press release. Flint's Legionnaires' outbreak coincided with a change in water source in the city from April 2014 until October 2015. While state-appointed emergency managers ran the city, Flint's water source changed to the Flint River in April 2014. But the river water was never treated to make it less corrosive to pipes and plumbing in the water system. "Our study shows that during the water crisis, the risk of a Flint resident having Legionnaires' disease increased as the amount of free chlorine in their water decreased," said Shawn McElmurry, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Wayne State University and the study's principal investigator. "Since municipalities typically evaluate the risk of waterborne illnesses by measuring free chlorine, a better understanding of how chlorine is deactivated can inform future water management policies and practices." However, KWR found that the study's focus on the link between the switch to the Flint River water and increase in Legionnaires' disease "...raises a number of serious critical questions with regard to the applied methodology, and gives little insight in the actual crude numbers in the various analyses," according to the MDHHS release. The Wayne State University researchers were named the dedicated research group for Flint and its contract with the state was designed to verify or invalidate the hypothesis that Legionnaires' outbreaks in the area in 2014 and 2015 were related to the city's use of the Flint River as its water source. The state has renewed its contract with the researchers to continue their work studying the connection between the Flint River and Legionnaires' outbreaks in 2018, but with the added oversight of Netherlands-based KWR. This is the second academic study in the past six months point to the city's water supply switch to the Flint River as the cause of the coinciding Legionnaires' disease outbreak. An August 2017 study by professors and students at Virginia Tech University concluded that the use of the Flint River for drinking water was "a likely trigger contributing to the increase in Legionnaires' disease incidence" in Flint between 2014 and 2015. Although the Virgina Tech study says there remains a lack of data directly linking drinking water to the disease, it presents evidence that city water was conducive to the growth of Legionella bacteria. FLINT, MI - The Flint Police Department is relying on a mystery donor to furnish its officers with new bulletproof vests - 90 of which are set to expire this month. According to city emails obtained by MLive-The Flint Journal through the Freedom of Information Act, 90 of the department's 152 bulletproof vests expire in February - which carries an estimated $70,000 replacement cost not currently planned for in the city's budget. But the department is holding out hope that the anonymous gift of 41 vehicles and 152 vests, with an estimated value well over $1 million, will come through. News of the large donation was first made public in November at a press conference when Chief Timothy Johnson announced to the media and public that an anonymous "private citizen and private business owner" planned to supply each of the city's officers with all-new bulletproof vests and a fleet of police-outfitted SUVs. "It's a big safety issue, and we didn't have the funding to go buy new ones," Johnson said in a Nov. 3 interview with ABC 12 discussing the anonymous donation. "You know, I really didn't know what we were going to do, and it was just a blessing that he stepped up and offered to buy them." But few details have been released on the donation or donor since, and the city has yet to secure the funds for the vests or vehicles. The donor, who spoke to MLive-The Flint Journal on Thursday, Feb. 1 in a call facilitated by Flint Police Deputy Chief Devon Bernritter, said he isn't making the donation for publicity, but because "it's the right thing to do." The man, who said he had no connection to Flint, declined to identify himself during the phone call with MLive-The Flint Journal, but he agreed to answer questions about the proposed donation. However, the donation to the Flint Police Department could be rescinded if his identity becomes public, the donor said. City officials redacted information identifying the man in emails released to MLive-The Flint Journal through a Freedom of Information Act request made in December, citing Michigan law prohibiting disclosure of records providing an unwarranted invasion of an individual's privacy. Max Chiddister, executive director of the Flint Police Foundation - which coordinated the donation - said that the man reached out to Flint through Randy Wills of Florida-based Point Blank Enterprises, the company working with the donor and Flint Police Foundation to fit the city's officers with all-new level 3A body armor. "They reached out March 2, 2017, so it's been about a year in the making now," Chiddister said. When they arrive, Chiddister said the new police vests will be "state-of-the-art." The donor also intends to supply several vests which can protect from bullets from a high-powered rifle, Chiddister said. Flint police have declined to comment on the matter, with Bernritter stating via email that the department "will not be making any comment on possible donations until the items are received." But Flint Police Union President Kevin Smith said he's "aware of the situation" regarding the impending expiration on the officers' vests and working with the department's administration to resolve the issue. "I have complete faith that the administration will continue to make safety of the officers that work to protect the citizens a top priority," Smith said in a statement. Expired vests can mean compromised safety for officers, said Nick Groat, president of Las Vegas-based Safe Life Defense body armor manufacturing. As vests age, they chemically break down, making them less protective against blunt-force trauma, Groat said. "Any date before the expiration date means that the vests are safe for use to defend against ballistic impact," Groat said. "Something is better than nothing, but the level of protection [provided by a bulletproof vest] is up in the air once the expiration date passes." Groat added that "a lot of factors" play into how quickly a vest can erode over time, including how the vest is used, stored, cared for and whether it has up-to-date waterproof technology. City emails show that the donor intended to furnish the department with 41 new police vehicles and 152 new bulletproof vests for 90 males, 22 females, 28 reserves, 1 IT technician and 11 non-sworn officers supporting the areas of Flint with the highest crime. The emails do not contain a price tag on the total vest donation, but the outfitted vehicle gift alone is valued at nearly $1.45 million. Initially, according to city emails, the vest donation was expected in January, while funds for the vehicles were slated to come to the city in February. But the donation has been delayed, said Wills. Now, he estimates officers will receive the new body armor within the next three months. During the phone conversation with MLive-The Flint Journal, the donor - who said he is a former part-time police officer and part-time police chief - said he chose to donate to Flint after hearing about the city's financial strife and high violent crime rates but said he knew little else about the Vehicle City. Adding that Johnson should not have disclosed information about the proposed donation at the November press conference, the man said the proposed donations to the Flint Police Department would be funded by "financial instruments" he acquired. However, he declined to address the details of the financial instruments, which he valued at several-hundred-million dollars, because of a "non-disclosure agreement." The man said his broker initially told him he would have the funds available to give the city by December, but they have experienced a delay in getting the money. He said he still anticipates giving money to the city through his family's charitable trust, but declined to name the trust involved with making the donation, because he said the information could end up on the internet and potentially be traced back to him. Flint isn't the only place where the donor said he is looking to spend his money. The man said he is also eyeing a $200 million project at an undisclosed location that could provide up to 1,500 jobs. Despite his willingness to donate his money, protecting his identity would prevent other police departments from sending him unwanted solicitations for donations, he said. "It almost brought tears to my eyes," Johnson told ABC12 regarding the donation. "None of it came out of our city budget, which we don't have ... this was all stuff that was given to us, brand-new equipment, to move this city forward and help in fighting crime." Police have finally identified the remains of a mid-Michigan couple nearly 40 years after they were found dead near the Missouri-Arkansas border. The remains of James Hendricks, of Flint, were found in Missouri while the body of Kimberlin Mills, of Millington, was discovered 12 miles away in Arkansas on June 17, 1978. However, police believe they were both killed by the same suspect. Neither Mills or Hendricks were reported missing from Michigan at the time, according to Michigan State Police. Hendricks, a parole absconder, was thought to have fled the Midwest with Mills, his girlfriend at the time of their deaths. A break in the case came in May 2017 when Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators re-ran samples using new fingerprint matching technology that connected Hendricks's fingerprints on file with the Michigan Department of Corrections. Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Sarah Krebs said no arrests have been made in the case because until now "they were Jane and John Does for 40 years." "There was never anything to go on," she commented, noting the Federal Bureau of Investigations began using a different algorithm for the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, or AFIS, that allows for low quality samples to be checked. The previous identification system required higher quality prints from both hands that were not available in this case. Fingerprints of Hendricks were already on file in Michigan because he was a parolee, but there were none for Mills. The Wexford County Sheriff's Department notified Hendricks' family living in the Cadillac area and learned of Mills. DNA was collected from a brother of Mills and sent to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System lab at the University of North Texas. The information was then uploaded into the Combined DNA Index System and compared to Mills' remains. The Arkansas State Crime Lab, State Medical Examiner confirmed Mills' identification in December 2017. Krebs stressed the importance of DNA in being able to connect the pieces that led to the identifications. An ID the Missing event is scheduled for Feb. 15 at Berston Field House in Flint to try and help find the families connected to unidentified remains from medical examiner's offices throughout the state. "All we need is their DNA and we might be able to solve (their case)," said Krebs. FLINT, MI -- Genesee County officials warned Flint's top leaders about problems with their water treatment plant just weeks before the facility was pressed into service for the first time in decades, a witness told a Genesee District Court judge Monday, Feb. 5. John O'Brien, division director in the Genesee County Drain Commissioner's Office, said he and other top officials in his office warned city leaders, including former emergency manager Darnell Earley and former mayor Dayne Walling, about equipment and personnel concerns in the March 2014 meeting. O'Brien's testimony came during the third day of preliminary examinations for four current and former employees of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, each of whom is charged with crimes related to the Flint water crisis. The county drain executive joins former Flint Utilities Director Michael Glasgow as the second government insider to say they warned city and state officials of trouble ahead if the plant was allowed to return to service. O'Brien told Judge Jennifer Manley that he saw a rush of construction inside the water plant just weeks before it was put into service while Earley was running the city. Even though work was being done, O'Brien said major chlorination and clarifying equipment was not in operation and several employees who were brought into the facility to help "were happy to have a job" after having been transferred from the city's sanitation division. "They (had all been) riding shotgun on a garbage truck," before they were transferred to bulk up staffing, O'Brien said. "The main difficulty with trainees (like this is) you're collecting data all day long (but) they can't interpret it. They don't know if they are producing good water or not." Drain Commission Jeff Wright, O'Brien and David Janson, senior assistant director, met with Earley, Walling, former finance director Gerald Ambrose, former Department of Public Workers director Howard Croft, and former Utilities Director Daugherty Johnson in March, O'Brien said. Earley, Ambrose, Croft and Johnson were all charged with crimes related to the water crisis. "After we made the ... presentation to the gentlemen at the meeting -- these are the concerns, these are the things you need to consider when making the switch" to treating water from the Flint River -- we also wanted to encourage and remind them that this was not the only option, O'Brien testified. The drain official said Earley listened to their remarks and turned to the other city officials in the room. "(He) looked at Howard Croft. (Croft) stated, we have all these things taken care of," O'Brien recalled. "He looked to Jerry Ambrose. (Ambrose) was the financial controller for the city at that time. (He) said this is a good deal for the city of Flint. "He looked at Dayne Walling. (Walling) said, this is good for the city of Flint. (Earley) informed us -- these concerns we had are taken care of ... They were going to continue with the switch to the river." O'Brien was the lone witness Monday in the preliminary examinations for Stephen Busch, Michael Prysby, Patrick Cook and Liane Shekter-Smither -- current and former DEQ employees charged with wrongdoing related to the water crisis. In addition to working with a new source of water, the change coincided with the first attempt by the city to operate its water plant since the 1960s. DEQ officials never required the city to treat river water to make it less corrosive to transmission lines and home plumbing, causing lead to leach into the water supply. The use of the water is also suspected as the trigger of Legionnaires' disease outbreaks that killed at least a dozen people in Genesee County in parts of 2014 and 2015. O'Brien testified Monday that he called Busch before the Flint water plant was returned to service and asked for an explanation why the DEQ was allowing Flint to use the old plant to treat water. "We believed that plant was not ready to go based on conversations we had with the state and city" previously, he said. Busch told him, "he was directed to" allow the plant to operate. How did you perceive that message ...," special prosecutor Todd Flood asked O'Brien. "My perception was either someone higher up at the DEQ or someone in (the state Treasury Department) gave the go-ahead," he answered. Flint was being run by a collection of emergency managers appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder and overseen by the Treasury Department from 2011 until 2015. Snyder declared a financial emergency that allowed for the appointments, giving Earley, Ambrose and others the authority to act in place of the elected mayor and city council. Earley was in the position in April 2014 when the water switch took place. The move was meant to be a temporary, cost-saving step to supply the city with drinking water while the Karegnondi Water Authority pipeline was under construction. Although the KWA pipeline has been completed, Flint late last year -- under pressure from the state -- signed a new 30-year contract to continue purchasing pre-treated Lake Huron water from the Great Lakes Water Authority. O'Brien is scheduled to continue his testimony Friday, Feb. 9 in the DEQ exams. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- The Harry Potter Film Concert Series is returning to DeVos Performance Hall in downtown Grand Rapids. The latest Harry Potter concert will feature "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," the third film in the series. During the Feb. 9-10 performances, the Grand Rapids Symphony will perform the score live while the entire film plays in high-definition on a 40-foot screen. Last year, the symphony sold out its three performances of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in Concert", said Peter Perez, the orchestra's chief executive officer. "Afterwards, the symphony's Facebook page lit up with comments from fans who said it was 'absolutely phenomenal.' We're thrilled to be able to bring the Harry Potter Film Concert Series back to DeVos Performance Hall along with our fabulous Grand Rapids Symphony," Perez said. In "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", Harry, Ron and Hermione, now teenagers, return for their third year at Hogwarts, where they are forced to face escaped prisoner, Sirius Black, who seems to pose a great threat to Harry. Earning an Oscar-nomination for the score, the music composed by John Williams became an instant classic, conjuring beautiful, soaring motifs that continue the adventures of Harry Potter on his magical journey. The film concert series, created by CineConcerts in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, will be conducted by its creator and producer, Justin Freer. He has quickly become one of the most sought-after conductors of film music with a long list of full symphonic live to projection projects. Freer has appeared with some of the world's leading orchestras including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony and Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Freer started CineConcerts with Brady Beaubien, who serves as the producer/writer of the concert series. Their other concert experiences include Gladiator, The Godfather, It's a Wonderful Life, DreamWorks Animation In Concert, Star Trek: The Ultimate Voyage 50th Anniversary Concert Tour, and Breakfast at Tiffany's. "The Harry Potter film series continues to be a once-in-a-lifetime cultural phenomenon that delights millions of fans around the world," Freer said in a statement. Tickets, starting at $18, can be purchased online at GRSymphony.org for performances at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 9, and at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The Kent Intermediate School District is receiving $432,000 from the state to help enhance the skills of students in Career and Technical Education programs. The state has been on a mission to close the talent gap and change the perception some students and parents have about the professional trades. The goal is for more young people to pursue the in-demand, good-paying skilled trades jobs. Kent ISD is among 14 districts and intermediate districts, out 62 applicants, recently awarded a share of $5 million in grants to purchase specialized equipment and expand programs. "Schools need state-of-the-art equipment so students can get the training they need for great careers," said State Superintendent Brian Whiston, in a recent press release. "These grants will help schools modernize, with the guidance from local partners who know the skills - and equipment - needed to be successful today and moving forward. We appreciate the support from the Legislature to make this happen." The competitive innovation and equipment grants will assist with programs in manufacturing with an emphasis on mechatronics, computer numerical control machining, and welding. John Kraus, principal of the Kent Career Technical Center (KCTC), said its $300,000 in funding will go toward a virtual welding lab, including robotic equipment. He said the upgrade will enhance traditional welding training by allowing students to improve the precision and accuracy of their technique in a safer, simulated and immersive environment. "Welding is a skill that is beneficial across many trades,'' said Kraus, citing furniture manufacturing as an example. "The reason robotic welding is important is because of its presence in almost any manufacturing environment.'' Professional trades will account for more than 500,000 jobs in the Michigan economy by 2024 - 16 percent of all job growth during that period, according to the Michigan Bureau of Labor Market information and Strategic initiatives. "We need to increase career and technical education classes so even more students can benefit from these opportunities,'' said Roger Curtis, director of the Michigan Department of Talent and Economic Development "We also want to encourage partnerships with local employers.'' Curtis said it's more difficult for students to get the training they need if they are learning on outdated equipment. He said the grants will help schools modernize with the guidance of local partners. Kraus said Kent ISD works closely with employers in the region to make sure students are learning all the necessary skills to help them fill jobs in the industry. The grant request was for $950,000 but Kraus said KCTC will still be able to make inroads into other initiatives, including programs to expose middle school students to the trades, initiatives targeting adult learners, and for summer camps. Michigan is investing a total of $12.5 million to help students gain careers in skilled trade, boost awareness, and provide more training opportunities. In addition to the competitive grants, $7 million is being distributed equally to Career Education Planning Districts across the state. Kraus said KCTC will use its $132,000 to purchase additional training equipment to support their Mechatronics and Engineering and Architectural Design programs. In June 2017, Snyder set up the Michigan Career Pathways Alliance, under the MDOE and the Michigan Department of Talent and Economic Development. The alliance, which includes more than 100 education, business, economic development and labor organizations from across the state, recommended additional funding for CTE equipment. Districts selected for the competitive grants demonstrated they could do the following: GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Four librarians from across the country have been selected as finalists to be the next director of the Grand Rapids Public Library. The library's longstanding director, Marcia Warner, retired in late 2017 after the library system successfully gained voter approval for a 20-year tax to support its operations. Right before the November election the Board of Library Commissioners was close to finding a replacement for her - but the board's division over an internal versus external candidate prompted them to re-initiate the search. The four finalists are: -Jeremy Andrykowski, formerly the deputy director of the Arlington Heights Memorial Library in Arlington Heights, Illinois. He was fired in 2017. Matthew Hortt (Courtesy photo) -Matthew Hortt, city librarian for the city of Santa Clarita Public Libraries in Santa Clarita, California. He has held that position since April 2017. -Tonya Kennon, director of Riverside Public Library in Riverside, California. She has held that position since 2011. -Sarah Sugden, director of the Waterville Public Library in Waterville, Maine. The four candidates will make presentations to the library board at an 11 a.m. public meeting Tuesday, Feb. 6, at the main library. The library's next director will be tasked with drafting a new strategic plan to lead the library through the next five years - and to direct the organization on how to spend the revenue from the millage voters just approved. Tonya Kennon (Courtesy photo) "We've held back on any major changes until the new director makes a strategic plan," said Jim Botts, library board president. "I think it's wise on our part to say we want to wait to hire a director to do the strategic plan." In the next director, Botts said the board is looking for someone who has experience managing a budget, maintaining facilities, conducting strategic planning and listening to the needs of patrons. The lack of "directorial" experience among candidates was an issue as the board considered the first round of candidates, Botts said. The board, in working with its consultant Bradbury Miller Associates, was considering three finalists in October: GRPL Assistant Library Director Marla Ehlers and two external candidates: Mary Ellen Icaza and Charles Pace. Sarah Sugden (Courtesy photo) The library's six-member board was divided between Ehlers and Pace - and the board could not come to a resolution after hours of discussion, Botts said. The board was six members due to a member's resignation. The board's consultant re-did the search at no cost. One other internal candidate emerged - Asante Cain, an assistant to the Grand Rapids city manager who formerly worked at GRPL. Botts said Cain wasn't considered to be a finalist because Cain had not managed a library before. The library director position carries a starting salary of $117,279. With Warner's retirement in 2017, the board appointed Jason Hendrix, the human resources director, as the interim director. The board hopes to have a new director in place by mid-April. IONIA, MI -- John Skelton, the father of three missing boys from Morenci, is standing by his story that he gave his children away, but admits he regrets his decision. Skelton's three sons, Andrew, Alexander and Tanner, have been missing for more than seven years after visiting their father for Thanksgiving. They boys were ages 9, 7 and 5, respectively, when they disappeared. Skelton spoke to WDIV-Detroit reporter Sandra Ali for a story that was published Sunday night. Ali reports that during her interview with Skelton, he cried multiple times while detailing his final evening with his children before they disappeared on Thanksgiving Day, 2010. He said the night before Thanksgiving he made the boys their favorite meal and a cake to celebrate Andrew's birthday. The next evening, Skelton says he sent the boys to an "underground sanctuary" near the Indiana and Ohio border to live with two women and a man in their 60s. Although he stands by his story, Skelton says he regrets sending the boys away and that it was a mistake. "I miss their voices," Skelton said. Skelton was sentenced to 10-15 years in prison in 2011 for unlawful imprisonment. However, because the boys have never been found, police have been unable to bring any further charges against Skelton. Last year, police began exploring a possible link to the boys when the remains of three children were found in Montana. Testing of the remains determined the ages of the children were 2-4 years old, 5-8 years old and 6-10 years old, according to a report. The remains have been sent to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System for additional testing. Human rights activists have stressed the need for legislative regulation of the rights of all civilians affected by the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The head of the board of the Luhansk regional human rights center "Alternative," Valeriy Novikov, said at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday that servicemen injured as a result of hostilities in Donbas were very carefully counted, but civilians are not taken into account. "Many who were in captivity and were illegally detained by illegal armed groups have injuries and disabilities. They need help from the state in regulating their status. Today it can be said that at the legislative level the status of civilians affected by the conflict is not regulated. There is no law on compensation or social protection for such people," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday. At the same time, he noted that in some cases, civilian casualties are paid one-time assistance, "but after leaving hospitals, people remain alone with their problems, and often it is hard for such people to find a new job." "Disability as a result of injury is registered only for military personnel, and they write 'general trauma' to civilians. This is humiliation. I would like to remind you that the PACE adopted a resolution in which it recommended that the Ukrainian authorities develop a mechanism of compensation for civilians who were injured or lost relatives as a result of hostilities," he said. In turn, the head of the board of the Civil Committee for the Protection of Constitutional Rights and Freedoms of Citizens, Mykola Kozyrev, said that the Social Policy Ministry had already drafted a bill to protect those affected by the fighting. "But this document does not take into account those who were held captive, so we plan to develop a correct document that will take into account the interests of all people affected by the conflict, and we will try to submit it to parliament," he said. He added that two lawsuits had been filed with Kyiv courts for assistance from the state. "One of the lawsuits is to protect the interests of a civilian who 'was kept in the basement' in Luhansk, where he spent six months The second lawsuit concerns two people wounded in a landmine explosion. Article 20 of the law on combating terrorism provides for compensation for the harm caused by a terrorist attack," Kozyrev said. Director of the Kharkiv Human Rights Group Yevhen Zakharov noted that the group considered it necessary to compile an accurate list of civilians affected by the conflict in Donbas. According to him, about 2,500 civilians have been killed, 11,000 wounded, and 1,500 missing in Donbas since 2014. About 5,000 houses have been destroyed as a result of hostilities. Michigan State University Interim President John Engler on Monday reaffirmed his pledge to cooperate with state and federal investigators examining MSU's response to the Larry Nassar sex-abuse scandal, and he told employees to do the same. And that extends to preserving documents that fall under the scope of those investigations, he said. "If you are contacted by the Office of the General Counsel for assistance in responding to any such inquiry, you are expected to provide full assistance and give that request your prompt attention," Engler said in an open letter posted online. "You are also instructed to preserve any and all documents, records, or electronically stored information that relate to these inquiries." Monday marked Engler's first day as interim president. The former Republican governor was appointed to the position by the board of trustees on Wednesday, Jan. 31, following the resignation of longtime President Lou Anna Simon amid growing outcry over the university's handling of the Nassar scandal. Engler characterized recent events at MSU as "likely the most difficult times ever faced" by the university, and he urged employees to use caution in an attempt to not dispose of any record that could be relevant to investigations of sexual abuse or misconduct. MSU is facing numerous investigations in response to its handling of the Nassar scandal. That includes an investigation by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, a U.S. Department of Education Cleary Act compliance review, an examination of potential violations of NCAA legislation, and requests for information and records from state and federal lawmakers, according to Engler's letter. On Friday, members of Schuette's team executed a search warrant at the university to collect records related to the investigation. The event was captured on camera by several local media organizations in attendance when the search was conducted. Schuette's office, in a statement, suggested the information being sought was related to William Strampel, the former Dean of MSU's College of Osteopathic Medicine who served as Nassar's boss. The items were not immediately turned over to the attorney general's office, despite a request from Schuette, his office said. John Truscott, Engler's spokesman, said Schuette's decision to conduct the search in such a manner was "completely unncecessary," because the university was in the process of collecting and turning over the materials Schuette's office was after. "It was a highly unusual tactic to drag a gaggle of cameras along," he said. "That's not something normally done." Truscott said Engler's message related to document retention is unrelated to the events that unfolded Friday. "As we talked to lawyers and police, we wanted to emphasize that everyone is expected to keep a hold of" records that are pertinent to the investigations, he said. A group of faculty from Michigan State University's College of Education are planning a protest march on Tuesday in response to the university's board of trustees' decision to hire former Gov. John Engler as interim president. Their request: Engler should step down as interim president, and the board should resign for failing to seek and consider input from faculty, staff and students about how the university should move forward amid the fallout from the Larry Nassar sex-abuse scandal. "We're disturbed by the unilateral decision making by the board of trustees," said Terah Venzant-Chambers, an associate professor at the college of education who's helping organize the march. "We have no confidence they can make the decisions needed right now." Engler, a Republican who served as Michigan's governor from 1991 to 2003, was unanimously appointed interim president by the board on Wednesday, Jan. 31, following the resignation of longtime President Lou Anna Simon. John Truscott, a spokesman for Engler, said it's "unfortunate" that some people have "rushed to judgement within the first 48 hours of him taking office." "We ask that faculty withhold judgement until they see his actions," he said. While Engler's appointment has been praised by some state lawmakers and board members who say he has the skill needed to make swift changes at the university, faculty have been less enthused. On Saturday, prior to Engler's first day as interim president - which is today - faculty overwhelmingly approved a motion to put a vote of no confidence targeting the board on the agenda of the next Faculty Senate meeting. They said the decision to hire Engler was rushed, he lacks the necessary academic leadership experience, and that the interim president should have "significant experience devising and implementing programs to mitigate sexual harassment and sexual abuse." The no confidence vote, if approved, is a symbolic way for faculty to express disapproval with the board. Tuesday's march is expected to kick off at 10 a.m. at Erickson Hall, where the College of Education is based. Participants will walk to the Hannah Administration Building where they are expected to deliver a list of demands, including the resignation of the board and Engler. The demands also include creating a process, with the assistance of counselors and sexual assault professionals, to support "each and every patient who was seen by Nassar" during his time at MSU, changing the university's "protectionist and managerial culture," and creating a collaborative process of "appointing an Interim President and Board of Trustees." Venzant-Chambers said Tuesday's march is not about Engler's politics or party affiliation. "To suggest that this is about some kind of political motivation is disingenuous," she said. "Our main motivation right now is doing what's right for students and survivors. This is not about making some kind of political attack." She said she's unsure who many people will attend Tuesday's march. About 25 people were involved in organizing the event, some of whom are graduate students, Venzant-Chambers said. Truscott said Engler, during his first day as interim president, has met with the provost and has taken steps to show deans "there are now open lines of communication" with his office. He said Engler has not yet met with faculty, but plans to do so in the future. CHEBOYGAN COUNTY, MI - Michigan's much-anticipated 2018 sturgeon season on Black Lake might have been a tad short this past weekend - just 2 1/2 hours - but it was a thrill for the seven fishermen who each caught one of the prehistoric-looking fish. Black Lake is one of only a few spots in Michigan where there is a catch-and-keep season for sturgeon. There is a specific catch limit set for this lake, and this year it was seven fish. Any other times these huge fish are caught, they must be immediately released. Lake sturgeon are a threatened species in Michigan. Overfishing, dam construction and other issues forced their once-robust numbers to dwindle over decades. The population of Michigan's oldest-lived fish is now carefully monitored by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. For annual seasons like this past weekend, the DNR works with tribal agencies and nonprofits like the Sturgeon For Tomorrow's Black Lake Chapter to determine a safe number of fish to harvest. The Sturgeon for Tomorrow group used social media to keep fans from afar apprised of Saturday's tally. Sturgeon season opened at 8 a.m. and closed by 10:30 a.m., the group said. There were 426 registered anglers on the 10,000-acre lake that straddles both Cheboygan and Presque Isle counties, the DNR reported. For information on the DNR regulations for sturgeon fishing, check here. Bolstering the sturgeon numbers in Michigan and Wisconsin - the last stronghold for this fish - has not been a quick turnaround. Though they might live 100 years or more, sturgeon don't reach spawning maturity until their 20s. And some only spawn every four or five years. During spring spawning runs, their massive size attracts unscrupulous anglers, who might try to hook a sturgeon and keep it. There's where the Sturgeon Patrol comes in. Each spring, the DNR works with citizen volunteers to protect sturgeon that spawn in the upper Black River in Cheboygan County. Some sections of the river are monitored around-the-clock to prevent anyone from harming the fish. For many in that area, preserving this species is a cultural touchstone. "Local citizens, volunteers from the Michigan National Guard, and members of the local chapter of Sturgeon for Tomorrow use cell phones to report suspicious activity to the DNR Report All Poaching hotline. The information is then immediately forwarded to conservation officers patrolling the area," the DNR said. Rewards of up to $1,000 have been offered for information leading to the conviction of any person illegally taking sturgeon. HILLSDALE, MI - Jay Scott Clark was sentenced early Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole in the death of 37-year-old Jeremy Barron, boyfriend of Clark's friend and co-defendant Ashley Hoath. Hillsdale County Circuit Judge Michael Smith had no choice in the sentencing; a jury convicted Clark, 41, in January of first-degree murder, which mandates the lifetime penalty, the state's harshest. He was further sentenced to two, consecutive years in prison for possessing a firearm in the commission of the felony. Amish children found Barron's body in April in rural Camden Township southwest of Hillsdale, sparking a homicide investigation that quickly led county sheriff's deputies to Hoath and Clark, arrested within about a week of the discovery. Clark, a floor layer from Bryan, Ohio, admitted to firing at Barron as he drove his Chevrolet Tahoe in February. He said he then let the body fall out of the SUV on a wooded lane. Monday, Clark said he feels sorry for Barron's family members and what he has done to them, his lawyer, Kimm Burger said. In an interview, he told deputies he melted the weapon, a .45-caliber revolver, with a torch and burned the back seat of the SUV, later traded for a Ford Mustang, according to testimony and a recording played during trial. Smith in January called the actions of Clark and Hoath "unconscionable and reprehensible." Burger, has contended Hoath exploited Clark. Hoath blamed Barron, her on-again, off-again boyfriend, for losing her three children, who were placed in foster care. He was said to be violent and involved in drugs, but Hoath, 37, too has a history of drug use and other problems, court records show. "Three lives have been destroyed by drugs, manipulation and lies - mostly done by Ashley..." Burger wrote in an email Monday. "Mr. Clark is an adult and made the choices he did, so the consequences of those choices is prison." Smith sentenced Hoath last month to 25 to 40 years in prison for second-degree murder. She pleaded guilty to the crime in October and was to testify against Clark, but refused to do so and told the judge she wanted to withdraw her plea, which Smith did not allow. Prosecutor Neal Brady has said the two were both "entirely culpable." The doctor who performed the autopsy said five gunshot wounds killed Barron. One of them was different than the others, leading to suggestions Hoath also fired at Barron. Some evidence did not align with Hoath and Barron's statements to police; neither were proven entirely truthful. The pathologist, for one, did not see what she would expect of a body that had spent about two months in the woods, moving the defense to question Barron's date of death. Clark already is serving a prison term. Found with methamphetamine and a knife at the time of his arrest, during a traffic stop April 9 on M-99 in Hillsdale County, Smith sentenced him in October to at least a year and 10 months. Admittedly, Clark used methamphetamine. He had started doing so after a long period of sobriety, a period his lawyer said was marred by Hoath. Clark told police he cared about Hoath and wanted to help her. She had nothing and no one, he said. Burger said she never feared Clark; he has been nothing but polite and courteous. "It was pure evil, a pure evil act," Barron's mother Debbie Crawford earlier said of his and Hoath's crime. KALAMAZOO, MI -- Brandon Clevenger has been sentenced to 3 1/2 to 15 years in prison for the I-94 crash death of Comstock Township Fire Chief Ed Switalski. Kalamazoo County Circuit Court Judge Paul Bridenstine said Clevenger acted with a willful and wanton disregard for Switalski June 14, 2017, when he struck the fire chief, who was working a crash scene on I-94, with his car and killed him. Bridenstine said Switalski's death was not an accident. "He never had a chance," Bridenstine said. "The force of the impact due to your speed and inability to control the vehicle resulted in the fatal wounds to chief Switalski." Clevenger, 24, of Springfield, pleaded guilty Dec. 14 to one count of reckless driving causing death. On Monday, Switalski's family and around two dozen firefighters filled the gallery of the courtroom as Clevenger was sentenced. Holly Switalski, Ed Switalski's wife, said June 14, 2017 changed both her life and Clevenger's. For her, she said, it was the day she lost the love of her life, a man she was married to for 26 years. He was the person she was supposed to grow old with, she told Clevenger. As she spoke, she wore ashes of her husband in a cross necklace. Clevenger turned around to face Switalski during her victim impact statement. "Losing him is like losing a piece of myself," Switalski said. She said Ed Switalski dedicated 37 years of his life to fire service, first in the western suburbs of Chicago and then in Comstock Township. She said he applied to the fire chief job because their daughters attended Western Michigan University and he wanted the family to be together. Switalski said Ed's motto was "safety first." "His mantra was 'everybody goes home' but we know that's not what happened," Switalski said. Switalski said her husband didn't go home because Clevenger chose to drive close to 90 miles an hour in an emergency vehicle zone. Nora Switalski DePaola, Ed Switalski's sister, said Switalski wanted to be a firefighter from the age of 5. She said her heart breaks for her sister-in-law and her nieces, who will not have their father to walk them down the aisle when they get married. "Your choices and your decisions that night are why we are here and Ed is dead," Switalksi DePaola said. When it was his turn to speak, Clevenger apologized. "I just want to say I take full responsibility for what I've done," Clevenger said. Police say Clevenger was driving 90 miles per hour and was distracted by his cell phone in the moments that led up to the crash that killed Switalski in the eastbound lanes of I-94 near the 81 mile marker. A witness told police Clevenger was driving his 2006 Mercury Montego and lost control of the car around 10:08 p.m., slamming into a concrete median wall. The force of the crash propelled the car across the highway and caused it to strike Switalski, who was on the highway near a fire truck responding to an emergency. Switalski, 55, was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators looked at the data recorder in Clevenger's vehicle and determined he was driving 90 mph 11 seconds before the crash and slowed to 87 mph three seconds before striking the median, according to police. Data taken from Clevenger's cell phone showed he was talking to his fiance while driving and disconnected seconds before the crash, according to the police reports. KALAMAZOO, MI -- An advisory commission is considering whether an energy company should survey for oil in a public park. During a Thursday, Feb. 1 meeting, the Kalamazoo County Parks and Recreation Commission voted 7-2 to continue discussing a request from Wolverine Oil and Gas Corp. to look for subterranean oil reserves in Scotts Mill Park. The idea has since drawn harsh criticism from environmentalists and county officials. Parks Director David Rachowicz said these concerns have been intensified by misinformation spread through social media. Any recommendation from the parks commission would require an agreement to be drafted, then approved by the Board of Commissioners. "We listened to a company that came to a parks commission meeting and basically shared what their request is; that's where we're at right now," Rachowicz said. "There has been absolutely no decision made." In January, the parks commission decided it wouldn't consider allowing Wolverine to drill for any oil discovered. Minutes from the meeting show commissioners voted 4-4 on consideration of an oil and gas lease. The Grand Rapids-based company came back in February to ask if it could perform seismic surveys on park property to complete data being collected on a six-mile line in Pavilion Township. Wolverine Gas & Oil has been granted no permission to use or be on county park property. The role of the commission is to fully vet Wolverine's request to survey, Rachowicz said. That hasn't happened yet. "It's not as simple as saying 'yes we want to do it' or 'no we don't want to do it,'" Rachowicz said. "Our role is to understand state law, environmental issues and due what is in the best interest of Kalamazoo County and the parks department." The process could also include public hearings, notification of neighbors and discussions with local jurisdictions. "Wolverine has no permission to be on our property; they have no permission to do any testing on our property," he said. "There's lots of pieces that have to fall into place before there is an agreement to consider." County Commissioner Kevin Wordelman plans to raise the issue at a Tuesday, Feb. 6 board meeting at 7 p.m. Wordelman is also a liaison to the parks commission. In a post to his campaign committee's Facebook page after the Feb. 1 vote, Wordelman said he opposes any drilling, surveying or other activities that promote the extraction of fossil fuels from county property. "Global climate change is not a myth, nor is it a far off distant concern," the post read. "Reducing both the supply and demand for fossil fuels is the only way to slow the damage we are causing to our planet." On social media, Chairwoman Stephanie Moore and Commissioner Julie Rogers, both Democrats, voiced their opposition to an agreement with Wolverine. Meanwhile, activists are preparing to attend the Feb. 6 county board meeting to encourage public participation and prevent the possibility of drilling. Organize West Michigan and ProKzoo invited more than 175 people to attend through Facebook. In an email to MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette, Drain Commissioner Pat Crowley said she can't understand why anyone would be alarmed by the decision to consider seismic surveys. She also said there are financial benefits to drilling. In January, she argued that the money could be put toward parks improvements. If the surveys are approved, two methods would be used to generate waves that are bounced off underground rock formations and recorded with sensors. The data is analyzed to glean information about rock types and possible gases or fluids in rock formations. Small explosive charges would be detonated in several 6-foot-deep holes. At other locations, a truck with a specialized plate would vibrate to create seismic waves. Rachowicz said there is no data on how much oil could be present in Scotts Mill Park, though Wolverine has been conducting seismic tests in the area for years. "I would tell the public to have faith in their county parks department and county commission," Rachowicz. "We're going to do the best for the parks system and the people who live in Kalamazoo County." During a January parks commission meeting, Wolverine expressed interest in signing a 3-year agreement to extract oil from the 110-acre park, located near Scotts. Under a proposal presented by a Wolverine representative, if oil is found the county would be given $150 per acre, $16,500 total, and 1/6th of royalties. Commissioners agreed not to pursue an oil lease with Wolverine. Private property owners have active oil wells in parts of Kalamazoo County. This is the first time a company has approached the county with proposals to survey or drill, to Rachowicz's knowledge. Scotts Mill County Park was acquired by the county and opened to the public in 1976. It features a historic 1870s water-powered mill, trails, fishing, a picnic space, and boasts one of the best outdoor wedding spots in the area, according to its Kalamazoo County webpage. DECATUR, MI -- A 32-year-old South Bend, Indiana, man faces charges of open murder and arson in connection with the Nov. 30 homicide of a 31-year-old Decatur woman, police say. Glenn Russell Tett Jr. Glenn Russell Tett Jr., 32, of South Bend was arrested Thursday, Feb. 1, as part of the investigation of the homicide of 31-year-old Jessica Lynn True, the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office reports. He was arraigned on the charges of open murder and second-degree arson Feb. 2 in Van Buren County District Court in Paw Paw. A preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 20. Bond was set at $5 million. The investigation remains open. A fire was reported at about 8 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, at 201 E. St. Mary's Street in the village of Decatur. While the flames were being extinguished, police found a body in the living room of the home, Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott said. Decatur Police Department, Van Buren County Major Crimes Task Force, Van Buren County Sheriff's Office, Michigan State Police, Benton Harbor Safe Streets Task Force and Van Buren County Prosecutor's Office took part in the investigation. Anyone with information can contact the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office at (269) 657-3101, Crime Stoppers 1-800-342-7867, Silent Observer (269) 343-2100 or your local Police Department. Mobile phone users and online users can provide anonymous crime tips to the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office by sending a text Tip Soft message by sending a text message to "CRIMES" (274637) with the keyword VBCTIP from a mobile phone. To submit an online tip, go to www.vbcsheriff.com and at the top of the homepage follow the directions to submit a tip. KALAMAZOO, MI -- A man accused of perpetrating a violent crime spree across Kalamazoo County has pleaded guilty but mentally ill. Matthew Steppenwolf, 29, of Plainwell, pleaded guilty but mentally ill Thursday, Feb. 1 in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court to six felony charges: armed robbery, carjacking, second-degree arson, discharging a firearm at a building causing injury and two counts of felony firearm, according to court records. In exchange for his plea, felony charges of ethnic intimidation, two counts of felony firearm and another count of second-degree arson were dismissed. In accordance with a plea agreement, Steppenwolf faces 17 to 32 years in prison when he is sentenced March 12, Kalamazoo County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Scott Brower said. Police say Steppenwolf told them he "just lost it" in the Jan. 24, 2017 series of crimes across Kalamazoo County. In an interview with police, Steppenwolf admitted to robbing a gas station, trying to set two houses on fire, shooting a woman in a Kalamazoo house and carjacking a woman in a church parking lot, according to a police report obtained by the Kalamazoo Gazette through the Michigan Freedom of Information Act. "He had been going through a lot with his wife and thinking about her and his kids he advised he just couldn't take it anymore and felt 'I was doing what God wanted me to do ... the right thing,'" Public Safety Officer Tim Millard wrote in a police report. "He would get emotional then admit he had made a mistake." Steppenwolf admitted to robbing a Citgo gas station at East Michigan Avenue and M-96 in Comstock Township of just under $10 of gas. Steppenwolf told detectives he then went to a house on East G Avenue in Cooper Township and lit a container of kerosene in an attempt to burn down the house. He said he did it to "do good" and that his mother had been injured when a woman who had lived at the house struck her while she was riding a motorcycle. "Steppenwolf said he wanted to hurt the insurance company but they are already suing the company," Det. Karen Rivard said in a report. He said he knew the woman lived in G Avenue house because he followed her home after she was released from the Kalamazoo County Jail following the crash that injured his mother, Kalamazoo Public Safety Detective Cory Ghiringhelli wrote in a report. Steppenwolf admitted to then firing seven shots at a house in the 2500 block of Monterey Drive in the city of Kalamazoo with his 20-gauge shotgun, the same gun he used at the gas station. He admitted he had been watching the house on different occasions, and had driven by at least five times. Neighbors told police they had seen the red minivan he was driving Jan. 24 in the neighborhood previously. Steppenwolf told police he believed his wife was cheating on him with one of the men who lived in the Monterey Drive house, according to the police report. KALAMAZOO, MI -- The nurses union will meet with administrators at Borgess Medical Center this week to try to get a better idea of what will happen with a specialized team of nurses and others. "The hospital seems to be changing their mind every day on the status of the SWAT team in particular," said Jamie Brown, president of the Borgess Staff Nurse Council. "Nurses are feeling a lot of anxiety." The council is part of the Michigan Nurses Association and represents the hospital's 650 nurses. Brown said the 12 nurses who make up SWAT (Service With A Task) began wondering about their futures when they were told in a Jan. 29 meeting that the team would be discontinued, their responsibilities would be transferred to another unit, and they would be absorbed into other critical care assignments. But late last week, she said they were told the hospital intends to keep SWAT "but it's not going to be like it is. So I don't know what that means." SWAT is a 17-year-old department of skilled nurses who help tackle crisis situations at the 1521 Gull Road hospital - from incoming heart attacks to post-surgical care emergencies such as rapid drops in blood pressure. Brown, who has been a nurse for 14 years, 13 of them at Borgess, said, "We're feeling betrayed, uncertain of our jobs and extremely concerned for our patients' safety." Ruth Kremer, marketing manager for Borgess Health, which is part of Ascension Health, said Borgess will not comment on issues that it considers personnel matters. Christine Gleason, regional public relations manager for Ascension Michigan, echoed that idea. Asked about SWAT and if staff was to be reduced at Borgess, they referred to a statement made previously by the healthcare organization: "We continually review staffing models, within the parameters of our collective bargaining agreements, to ensure efficiency of our resources, while providing the highest quality and most compassionate care. At this time, we have no information to share regarding personnel matters." Brown said Borgess appears to have a plan designed to realign staffing and reduce the number of nurses altogether. As part of that, she said, "The nurses in the whole hospital are being asked to take more patients." The changes, which are to be implemented on March 4, are intended to cut costs in line with recommendations made by a consultant, she said. Brown said among the changes, the plan calls for a 1-to-7 nurse-to-patient ratio in post-operative care. That would include patients who have just had surgery or treatment for such things as heart attacks, strokes, respiratory issues and pneumonia. "We told them that was unsafe," she said. Depending on the floor, she said the ratio now ranges between 1 nurse to 4 patients and 1-to-6. ROYALTON TOWNSHIP, MI -- Berrien County Sheriff's deputies are looking for four suspects who stole a large amount of prescription medication from a grocery store pharmacy. The incident occurred about 1 a.m. January 11 at Roger's Foodland, 4039 Hollywood Road in Berrien County's Royalton Township. The sheriff's office is sharing the breaking and entering as its "crime of the week." Police said four men entered the business by prying their way through the front door. The suspects went directly to the pharmacy and stole a large amount of prescription medication. Crime Stoppers is looking for the persons responsible and will pay up to $1,000 for information leading to their arrest. Michiana Crime Stoppers is a donor-funded program that serves 12 counties in the northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan region. People can submit an anonymous tip online at www.michianacrimestoppers.com, the free P3 Tips mobile app or toll free at 800-342-STOP. Callers will be given a code number and won't be asked for their name. The Justice Ministry of Ukraine has told lawyers of former Georgian President and Movement of New Forces Party leader in Ukraine Mikheil Saakashvili about the extension of the extradition check of their client at the request of Georgian law-enforcement agencies prior to the completion of court cases involving the decision to strip Saakashvili of Ukrainian citizenship and status in Ukraine. "I recently received a response from Ukraine's Justice Ministry saying that the extradition check is extended for the period until court rulings involving the State Migration Service of Ukraine and the status of Saakashvili's citizenship are handed down. We hope that the state agencies will adhere to all time limits until these court cases end," Saakashvili's lawyer Ruslan Chernolutsky told journalists on Monday. Chernolutsky said that on February 6, 2017, Kyiv's District Administration Court would hear one more suit case initiated by Saakashvili in which he requests recognition of the dereliction of duty by the State Migration Service in responding to requests to check the actions of the Kyiv regional office of the service. According to the complaint, the service refused to grant him the status of a person in need of additional defense. Chernolutsky also said that on February 16, 2017, the Cassation Administrative Court in Ukraine's new Supreme Court would continue hearing Saakashvili's complaint against Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko about the illegality of the president's decision to strip Saakashvili of Ukrainian citizenship. "We are hoping that while these legal cases are being heard in court, the decision on extradition will not be enacted, because if it happens so, it will be unlawful," the lawyer said. KALAMAZOO, MI -- The wife of a fire chief killed while working a crash scene on I-94 said his death was preventable and urged drivers to slow down for emergency vehicles. Holly Switalski spoke following the sentencing of Brandon Clevenger in the June 2017 crash death of Switalski's husband, Ed Switalski. She wore a cross necklace around the neck that held the ashes of her late husband. "The words 'blatant disregard for the emergency vehicle zone' has been in my mind," Switalski said. "I really, truly feel that this could have been preventable." At his sentencing, Kalamazoo County Circuit Court Judge Paul Bridenstine said Switalski's death was not an accident, and said Clevenger drove with "willful and wanton disregard." Bridenstine said Clevenger chose to drive around 90 miles an hour, 20 miles an hour over the posted speed limit on the stretch of eastbound I-94 near the 81 mile marker. Bridenstine said Clevenger came upon a crash where multiple emergency vehicles were staged and while fellow drivers slowed down, he did not. Bridenstine said Clevenger continued to speed then lost control and struck the center barrier, then "the laws of physics took over." Clevenger's car careened into the crash scene, striking Switalski, who was standing by his SUV. Switalski, a 37-year firefighter, was pronounced dead at the scene. "He never had a chance," Bridenstine told Clevenger before sentencing him to 3 1/2 to 15 years in prison. "The force of the impact due to your speed and inability to control the vehicle resulted in the fatal wounds to Chief Switalski." Clevenger, 24, of Springfield, pleaded guilty Dec. 14 to one count of reckless driving causing death in the June 14, 2017 crash. Police say he was driving 90 miles per hour and was distracted by his cell phone in the moments that led up to the crash. Holly Switalski said she was relieved that the sentencing was over, and said she and her family hoped Clevenger would get at least three years in prison for the crash. Switalski's youngest daughter, Emily Switalski, said at Clevenger's sentencing she always worried as a child about whether her firefighter father would return home from work. She said a small part of that worry went away awhen he became chief. "Never in a million years growing up is this how I pictured I would lose my dad in the line of duty," she said. Holly Switalski said she hopes the crash will cause people to slow down and move over. "I really hope every time someone sees whether it's a single squad car or a fire truck or an ambulance or a wrecker, anybody with lights on, you have to slow down," she said. "There's no ands, ifs or buts about it." She said even over the weekend, she was driving home on I-94 from Chicago and saw cars speeding by a state trooper who was pulled over on the side of the road. "Please just slow down, move over," Holly Switalski said. "Those are people's lives. That's what I hope." SAGINAW, MI -- It was graduation day in 2016 when Duane Hutton's life changed drastically after he was charged with his third driving while under the influence offense. The 60-year-old Vietnam-era U.S. Army veteran was "basically homeless" when he was charged but now he has a house with a pool, a Harley Davidson motorcycle, a girlfriend and has been clean and sober the entire time. It wasn't school Hutton was graduating from. Hutton was graduating from an intense probation sentence handed down by the Saginaw County Veteran's Treatment Court. "It's an awesome court," Hutton said. "I owe a lot to this court." 'Hands-on approach' Saginaw County District Court Judge David Hoffman oversees the county's Veteran's Treatment Court, which is a specialty court designed to cut the recidivism rate and stop recommitment of crime. Although it's one of four specialty courts in the county, his is strictly for veterans who have mental health or substance abuse problems that contribute to their criminal conduct. It takes veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserves. Last year five veterans graduated from his program and a total 16 are currently under his court. Saginaw County also has Mental Health Court and Adult Drug Treatment Court as well as the Swift and Sure program, all which work collaboratively with other agencies and the offender to offer resources that could keep them from breaking the law again. Hoffman said the court is more than just sentencing those who violate the law and hoping they learn their lesson. "It's a much more hands-on approach," Hoffman said. "We see them on a weekly basis so we get a lot more contact with them and get them treatment and resources they need. Whether it helps with work, school or sobriety." The court accepts offenders who have been charged with misdemeanors and felonies that are non-violent. Participants are referred by judges, attorneys, prosecutors or community agencies on behalf of the veteran. Veterans who are referred stay in the program 12-18 months. The judge meets with prosecutors, mental health officials, representatives from community services that offer resources to veterans and law enforcement from 9- 9:45 a.m. each Monday. Then mentors, who have served in the armed forces and try to help the offenders stay on track, appear in front of Hoffman with the offending veteran. The day of Hutton's graduation, Hoffman had to remind one of the participants that he can't put off treatment just because he has other things going on. The offender had been missing treatment while working at a local animal shelter. "Everyone's trying to work with you here, but we need some compliance," Hoffman said. "Yes sir," the man responded. Another man announced that he had a job interview the next day, to which he was met with cheers from the rest of the courtroom. "What can we do to make sure you get there?" Hoffman asked. "I have a license, but no transportation," the man answered. "I have a car you can use," Saginaw County Prosecutor John McColgan chimed in. 'You went out and you did it' Kimberly A. Napoleon, commander of VFW Post 9931, served in the U.S. Army for eight years and now serves as a mentor for the veterans in Hoffman's courtroom. Napoleon said as a mentor her job is to help the veterans enroll in the healthcare system, apply for benefits, link them with case managers and social workers, bus passes, food and an assortment of other resources. "We provide moral support as well," she said. Napoleon said it's rewarding to see their growth. "Because a lot of times when they come in, they are afraid and don't know what to expect," she said. "Our job is to get them on a path so that they can be productive citizens." Hoffman recognizes the growth in the participants as well. "You'll even see a change in their appearance," Hoffman said. "They look happier and more presentable. I think the change is visible as well as internal." Before Hutton's celebration with cake in Hoffman's courtroom, he again thanked the judge and the rest of the team as well as praised the program. "It showed me that you can live again," Hutton said. "If it wasn't for this court my life would probably have went in a different direction. Hoffman placed Hutton's success back on him. "You say it's due to the courts, but it's due to your efforts as well," Hoffman said. "You went out and you did it." The recently tabled Union Budget did not talk about the power sector directly. But it did mention the fact that farmers with solar pumps would be able to sell the power their solar panels generate to the grids, especially during months when the solar power would not be required to draw water from tubewells. But look close and you begin to see the first stirrings of policy change which could overhaul the power sector. In a way, the first move came in February 2016 when the Power Ministry decided to keep aside 40 GW of solar power generation exclusively for rooftop solar. Behind this step was the awareness that the maximum bang-for-the-buck would come from rooftop solar rather than from large solar farms. But rooftop solar has another advantage. If harnessed properly, it could be a big employment generator as well. In an earlier article, I wrote how it has the capacity of generating over 83 million jobs within a couple of years. Post the tabling of the Budget, Subhash Chandra Garg, Secretary Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India concurred with this view. Yes, we see a future for micro-grids, he told Moneycontrol in an exclusive interview. He admitted that all calculations done by the Finance Ministry show that rooftop solar through the distributed micro-grid model is a far cheaper way to generate electricity than supplying the remotest villages through the conventional grids. That may not be easy. It is well known that while technical losses through the grids are not high, the real losses take place when the grid power is taken into the distribution network and that is where losses and theft take place. Decentralised cluster of solar power modules will automatically step in and reduce losses and theft. But the manner in which the bureaucracy has tried to derail solar power is there for everyone to see. But Garg is optimistic that the Budget provisions on the one hand and the to-be-announced measure on the other could sort out this problem. But the biggest beneficiaries of such theft are powerful people well-connected with politicians. Will they agree to switch over from supply through the grid to off-grid micro-grid solutions? That is something we need to work out with the power ministry, explains Garg. But I see no reason why this cannot be done. Thus the grid will continue to supply to high tension users like industry. But consumer power consumption will be transferred to micro-grids, and the main grids will be required to stay off such supplies. The model Garg has in mind is one which allows entrepreneurs to take up the management and operation of these micro-grids. That way, the entrepreneurs will have a very profitable business to work on. They will provide electricity to villages, which fits is perfectly with the governments vision of power for all. And most importantly such moves will also generate employment. Since the main grid and the discoms will no longer be required to supply subsidised power to the rural areas this will be taken over by the micro-grids the cross-subsidisation pattern adopted by the entire country will gradually become a thing of the past. This would mean that industry would now be able to get power at under Rs 5/unit, which in turn could improve their competitiveness in the global market as well. Currently, industry pays around Rs 8/unit while commercial enterprises pay around Rs.12. Hoardings and malls are required to pay as much as Rs 15. These higher tariffs were meant to cross subsidise cheap power offered to the rural population. Garg agrees with this analysis. He believes that with cross-subsidisation out of the way, there is no reason why industries should not be encouraged to generate their own solar power. Today, state governments and discoms do not like this idea because then industry would gain access to cheap power, which in turn would prevent the state from getting the money with which they subsidise rural power. The micro grid will change all this. Garg confirms this. He also believes that the next few months should see the roll out of policy initiatives aimed at encouraging microgrids on the one hand, and keeping way the main grid from supplying power directly to rural customers. Garg believes that the micro-grids are so profitable for entrepreneurs, that the need for further incentives will not arise. And should there be a need, his ministry already has in place, through the Solar Energy Corporation of India, various forms of viability gap funding. This could mean less smog caused by coal consuming and smoke belching power plants. It could mean reduced import bills for diesel which is used by gensets in the rural areas. And it could mean a lot more employment than many seemed feasible till now. Amazon said on Monday it had settled a long-running dispute with French tax authorities, who have been seeking nearly 200 million euros ($249 million) from the online retail giant. Neither Amazon nor the French authorities would say what the settlement was worth. Amazon first acknowledged in 2012 that the French government was seeking back taxes, interest and penalties for the fiscal years from 2006 to 2010 in relation to "the allocation of income between foreign jurisdictions". "We have reached an overall settlement agreement with the French authorities on past questions," an Amazon France spokeswoman said in an email to Reuters. Amazon has in the past been criticised for minimising its tax bill in France and other European countries by channelling sales through Luxembourg, which offers tax breaks to foreign companies which base themselves there. It said that it had set up a branch in France in 2015 and now booked retail sales, charges and profits in the country. The French government has opened the door to negotiating settlements in long-running tax cases after it lost a court case against Google last July. A French court ruled that Google was not liable to pay 1.1 billion euros in back taxes demanded by the French authorities as the company did not have sufficient taxable presence in France. Since then the French government has also been pushing hard at the EU level for new rules to tax online companies based on their revenues, rather than only on their profits at present. Such companies are often taxed on profits booked by subsidiaries in low-tax countries like Ireland or Luxembourg, even though the bulk of their sales comes from other EU countries. Separately, EU competition regulators told Luxembourg in October to recover about 250 million euros in back taxes from Amazon, accusing the country of giving illegal tax benefits. Luxembourg has lodged a legal challenge against the move. The Ukrainian parliament is continuing to hold consultations on possible candidates for the posts of ministers who have tendered their resignation, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said. "Consultations are underway. We will see what is necessary to determine the final candidates for those posts on which the ministers will be dismissed by parliament. Maybe someone will continue to work. There will be dialogue as part of the coalition. Let's see how it ends," he said at a joint briefing with Verkhovna Rada Chairman Andriy Parubiy on Monday before the beginning of a meeting of the parliament's coordinating council. He also noted that there was only one vacant post of minister - the health minister, whose duties are performed by Ulana Suprun. "In fact, we only have one vacant position - the acting health minister. Other ministers who decided to change their place of work have not yet been dismissed by the Ukrainian parliament," Groysman said. As reported, Agricultural Policy and Food Minister Taras Kutoviy and Information Policy Minister Yuriy Stets handed in their resignation letters last year, but the Verkhovna Rada did not make decisions regarding their resignation. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Tata Motors and Warburg Pincus mutually decide to call off the transaction in Tata Technologies Limited.In furtherance to our letter vide June 15, 2017 bearing sc no. 15088 and pursuant to Regulation 30 of SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 ('the Regulation'), we would like to inform that the Board at its meeting held today decided not to proceed with the transaction for divesting its stake in Tata Technologies Limited to Warburg Pincus. Press release relating to the said matter is attached herewith as Annexure A.This is for the information of the exchange and the members.Source : BSE Read More Mitessh Thakkar of miteshthacker.com told CNBC-TV18, "I have a buy and a sell. Buy Ashok Leyland if it starts trading past Rs 126.50. Buy then with a stop loss at Rs 124 and look for target of Rs 131." "In Fortis Healthcare anything close to Rs 120 would be a good level to sell. Keep a stop loss at about Rs 124 and look for target of Rs 110." "Bharti Airtel has corrected big time from levels of around Rs 550 to as low as about levels of Rs 420 and is bouncing back. This is also the level where strong gap support exist, so my sense is that the decline in the Bharti might be coming to an end, at least I don't think todays low being violating immediately. The idea now should be to trade Bharti more on the long side, close to about Rs 430-425 would be the ideal levels to buy. Keep a stop loss below Rs 410 and on the upside try to exit around Rs 460-465 levels." "Different stocks with different fortunes have different chart patterns. HDFC now looks like has completed a leg of up move. I think breaking below Rs 1,850 is a negative thing, so even if somebody is holding out now can exit. Rs 1,775-1,770 should be the area where stock can take support." "I think PSU banking lot has been weak but SBI has outperformed but I dont see much upside happening over here. Rs 285 should be lower end of the range and Rs 325 should be the upper end. So it might just do a consolidation of about 40 points," he added. Sudarshan Sukhani of s2analytics.com told CNBC-TV18, "The markets are having an intraday rally. Sometimes we can have an intraday up move and a larger downtrend which is what is happening. So today for the short, for the day trader, I have two buy ideas. One is Infosys. In the morning also I had suggested that largecap IT stocks will outperform and we should be buying them. That theme continues in the midday. So Infosys is a buying opportunity. This is just intraday." "DLF which is bouncing back from the lows is also a buy. Again intraday only." "One short sell idea is Engineers India (EIL). It has been cracking, but please keep your trades only till the end of the day. Except for the index do not carry anything else forward." "Dabur India in the next three to six months should see an increase in prices. So my suggestion would be hold on to this, keep it as a long term investment. Even after six months you should be a winner here." "My view on LIC Housing Finance is fairly bearish. So for the next three to six months, I do not see any significant price gains. Prices will remain subdued." Sudarshan Sukhani of s2analytics.com told CNBC-TV18, "ITC is a buying opportunity, the stock has shown surprising strength. It has been an outperformer on Friday and today and maybe this stock will do its own thing even if and when the Nifty starts falling again. So, ITC is a buy and you could actually consider going long in it whenever you can." "The second buying idea is Bajaj Auto. A large trading range, a breakout, a setback to that price on Friday, everything fell, but again today it is showing some strength. So there are two buying ideas, try to keep them intraday but in ITC you could focus on again and again on other days also." "One short sell is on Hindustan Petroleum Corporation . We have BPCL as a short sell. Hind Petro is in the same category, falling day after day and that is an easy short," he said. Mitessh Thakkar of mitesshthakkar.com told CNBC-TV18, "I have one buy and one sell. United Breweries is a buy. I think the stock is just trying to get past the earlier highs of Rs 1,190-1,200. Buy with a stop loss below Rs 1,175 and look for Rs 1,300 as the target." "I have a sell on Vedanta. It has recovered very nicely. The structure still remains weak, so, that is a short. Keep a stop loss just above Rs 331 and look for targets close to about Rs 310-306." "I have Godrej Consumer as a buy recommendation. Rs 1,020 is a good support, so buy with a stop loss just below that. Look for targets from Rs 1,060." "While Marico appears to be getting into some kind of a declining mode, it is a sell keep a stop loss at Rs 305 and look for target of Rs 285." Representative image January was full of news on the energy front. For instance, the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) was held in Abu Dhabi. 15-17 January. That was where the government of India announced the setting up of a whopping $350 million (around Rs.2.275 crore at Rs.65 to a US$) solar development fund to enable financing of solar projects in the country. New target of 175 GW? The announcement was made by Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy, RK Singh at the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Forum, part of the WFES. India has one of the fastest growing renewable energy plans in the world and would achieve 175 GW target of installed renewable energy capacity well before 2020, declared Singh at the ISA. The Modi government had talked about 100 GW, and the current cumulative capacity of solar power installation in India is around 19.5 GW as of December 2017. Before the Modi government came to power, India had an installed capacity of 2.5 GW of solar power. This means that the present government has pushed through the installation of 17 GW of solar power during the past three years. Achieving 175 GW will require some major policy decisions and some very bold steps. On the sidelines of the event, nine MoUs/LoIs were signed between bankers and the project developers. The companies are: Vyonarc Development Ltd., Greenko Solar, Gensol Group and SOLARIG from Spain, Shakti Pumps, Refex Energy, Amplus Solar, Tata Power, Jakson Solar and Zodiac Energy, reports Mercom Comunications India in its January 23 2018 Market Intelligence report. During the session, YES Bank also committed to financing solar projects of over $5 billion. Both CLP and NTPC Limited announced they were forging partnership deals with the ISA and committed to make a voluntary contribution of $1 million each to the ISA fund corpus. IEA and GCF also announced entering into partnership with the ISA. The interim director general of the ISA, Upendra Tripathy (formerly secretary renewable energy, ministry of power, government of India), said that under the ISA umbrella, over 100 projects will be signed by April 2018. Where is the policy? Making declarations and signing MoUs is one thing. Getting capacity augmented, and making solar power relevant to India is quite another. For instance, ever since Tripathy announced his ministrys plans to push rooftop solar in February 2016, little sensible policy work has been undertaken either by the ISA or by the ministry. Instead the ministry came out with a draft paper on rooftop solar on December 18, 2017. The proposals called SRISTI an acronym for Sustainable Rooftop Implementation for Solar Transfiguration of India suggested absurd guidelines which will not allow solar rooftop power generation to take off in any meaningful way because they fail to address the issue of power subsidy and the need to bring in micro-grids or decentralised cluster power generation units. This author wrote about it in December 2017. At the same time, there is a huge dichotomy between what the Prime Minister spoke of at the recently concluded Davos Summit and what the governments solar power manadarins practice at home. Modi talked about the need to do away with protectionism. Yet, his own ministry has been pushing for a 70% import duty on imported solar panels (it was subsequently stayed by the Madras High Court). If this is not protectionism, maybe our mandarins will have to bring out a new dictionary. Now compare the import duty rate imposed by India with that of the US which calls this levy a safeguard tariff on imported solar modules and cells. It starts at 30% in the first year, declines to 25% in the second, 20% in the third and ends at 15% in the fourth. Suddenly, the US method of protectionism looks a great deal more reasonable than the Indian governments espousal of free trade. There is no attempt to introduce a reasonable import duty, and some tapering off aimed at making the domestic industry that much more competitive. In fact there are good reasons why the power ministry should work on a refurbished power policy on a war footing. First, the railways has announced an ambitious plan to convert all its engines to run on electricity rather than coal and diesel. At least some of that power will come through solar power because the railways itself owns huge tracts of land and rooftops which can be intelligently used to generate solar power throughout the year. Second, the ministry for transportation has also announced its plans to promote electric vehicles across the country. Both the ministries of power and that of roads must sit down together along with the ministry of Petroleum. Oil and Natural Gas (MoPNG) to work out the infrastructural requirements that have to be in place for the electric vehicles plan to sail through smoothly. Third, the solar power capacities announced desperately require norms for promoting rooftop solar, and the manner in which rural electrification will henceforth involve micro-grids. The power ministry will also have to work out with power distributors the manner in which micro grids with smart-grid technologies can be introduced. There has apparently been no meeting as yet to work on such policies. Fourth, there are reports (Parched Power: Water Demands, Risks, and Opportunities for Indias Power Sector by the World Resources Institute) which point out that at least 40% of Indias thermal power plants had to shut down because of freshwater shortage or scarcity. More power plants all in water stressed areas could be expected to shut down in the coming years. As the report puts it, Fourteen of Indias 20 largest thermal utilities experienced at least one shutdown due to water shortages between 2013-2016, costing the companies $1.4 billion, Solar could provide the alternative solution. Finally, there is no denying that solar is a gift horse that India has been looking at in the mouth for long. India has a potential for producing 748 GW of solar power. It has set up capacities for just 19.5GW. It has a 100 GW target announced by the prime minister, and a recently announced target of 175GW. The total capacity for India is just 303GW inclusive of thermal, hydro, nuclear and other forms (see chart). Obviously, the need for a policy rethink is urgent. Charging points or battery swapping? The three ministries will have to decide whether they will adopt the charging points route or the battery swapping route. The first will allow car owners to charge their cars at parking lots and at homes. That will mean augmenting solar panel charging capacities at homes and at parking lots to ensure that the current grid is not overburdened. The other alternative is the battery swapping route (recommended by Shai Agassi and Shimon Peres in Israel in 2012). This model works on the same premise that hydro-carbon fuelled cars use today. When you buy a car today, said Agassi in 2011, you dont buy an oil refinery, do you? You just purchase the amount of gas required to make the car move and reach a destination. The same way, people must be allowed to surrender a depleted battery and pick up a new one, with net tariffs being paid by consumers (energy surrendered with the old battery deducted from the total energy supplied with the new battery). Thus existing fuel stations will be encouraged to become battery swapping stations where old batteries are dropped off, and new ones picked up. The entire costing includes recharging, battery lease, transportation, interest on inventories and insurance. Charging of the batteries could then be centralised, and done through solar power and/or grid power. That would bring down the price of the car (and recharging) by more than a half. To help existing petrol pumps transition towards becoming battery stations will require the help of the MoPNG. It will along with the other two ministries try find out if the range of batteries can be streamlined, and only a fixed number of automobile batteries are used to reduce inventory and replacement costs. And the power ministry could lay down norms for using these fuel stations as energy dumps from where it can draw power during peak load times. That would reduce the need to set up peaking power stations. Clearly, making declarations of capacity, and coming out with half-baked concept notes, is not enough. India needs to be more cogent about policy making. It needs to synchronise its efforts towards making the transition towards solar as painless as possible even though the disruption will be massive with major implications across sectors. (The author is consulting editor with Moneycontrol) Unocoin | One of the leading exchanges in India, Unocoin serves a customer base of over a million. It is a member of NASSCOM and has featured among the top 20 out of 350 companies in The FinTech 20: India list. Users are also given a chance to earn free bitcoin by referring the exchange to friends and family. One of the economists who is credited for correctly predicting 2008 global financial crisis said that the recent plunge of Bitcoin exchange rates affirm that cryptocurrency was the biggest bubble in history and is destined for a crash. Nouriel Roubini, professor of economics at New York University, said Bitcoin was the mother of all bubbles favoured by charlatans and swindlers as the currency dropped to a level below USD 8,000 on Friday in certain exchanges. In the last seven days, the currency has dropped by 26 percent. On January 29, Bitcoin was trading at USD 11,300 level which is now at USD 8,200 level. Roubini who is dubbed as Dr Doom predicted that the value of the digital currency would plummet all the way down to zero. Incidentally, Bitcoin has 'travelled' far down south from its height of USD 20,000 in December last year. The currency has been affected by a flurry of negative news coming from across the world. Attackers stole about 500 million from Coincheck exchange in Japan. Authorities have clamped down on major exchanges in South Korea. Closer home, banks have frozen the accounts of major exchanges in India. Also Read: Noose on cryptocurrency exchanges tightens as RoC stops registration The Indian finance minister Arun Jaitley in his budget speech said that the country does not recognise cryptocurrencies as a legal tender. He added that the government will fight the use of cryptocurrencies for illegitimate activities. Talking to Bloomberg Television, Roubini said, Policymakers and regulators are getting worried. Pretty much every G20 policymaker is talking about a crackdown. We cant allow it to become the next Swiss bank account for use by criminals and people evading tax. He added that over 1,500 cryptocurrencies which exist in the market were nothing but a scam. Most of them are even worse [than Bitcoin] and dont have any intrinsic value like Bitcoin. So if Bitcoin is a bubble, its a bubble to the power of two or three. The US regulators are investigating if the spike in the price of Bitcoin was a result of market manipulation. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Westlife Development Ltd, which owns the master franchisee of McDonald's outlets in west and south India, today reported a net profit of Rs 7.75 crore for the quarter ended December 2017. The company had posted a net loss of 1.71 crore during the same period of the previous fiscal, Westlife Development said in a regulatory filing. Net sales during the quarter under review grew 27.6 per cent to Rs 303.71 crore as against Rs 238.03 crore in the year ago period. The company said the numbers mark the tenth straight quarter of positive same store sales growth with margins expanding by over 280 basis points. "The company has delivered record numbers in the October December quarter with double digit comparable sales growth of 20.7 per cent, the highest in the QSR industry," Westlife Development Ltd Vice-Chairman Amit Jatia said. Cash profit of the company during the quarter rose 82.1 per cent year-on-year to Rs 27.02 crore as against Rs 14.84 crore. Westlife Development Ltd, through its subsidiary Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt Ltd (HRPL), operates 271 (as of December 31, 2017) McDonald's restaurants across 37 cities in the west and south regions. The company's stock was trading 5.06 per cent up at Rs 348.95 apiece on BSE today. Finance minister Arun Jaitley has said that he is worried about rising protectionism in the United States because of the possibility of other countries following suit, he said in an exclusive interview to News18 Network. The finance minister pointed out that opening up the economy has proven to be advantageous for India. The Donald Trump administration has been toughening its stance on H-1B visas, which are used by foreign workers employed by technology companies in the US. Any change in H-1B visa policy could impact around 7 million Indians. "Once this tendency picks up then all countries would try and play the same game and eventually we have seen from our Indian experience, integration in opening out has helped us," Jaitley said. The finance minister, who presented the Union Budget for 2018-19 on Thursday, said that today, India does not view a foreign investor as a detriment, but as someone who will bring in capital, which will in turn create jobs in India. "Amongst the various things in the last two and a half decades that has helped the Indian economy is the fact that we have become more confident, we have become more open, we are open to investment," Jaitley said. The government recently approved 100 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) in single brand retail. It also changed the FDI holding limit on Air India to allow foreign companies to buy up to 49 percent in the national carrier. When asked whether India should consider replacing foreign internet companies like Google and Facebook, much like what China has done, the finance minister said that he didnt know if India has reached that stage yet. I dont know because we havent applied ourselves really to it. India has not been thinking on these lines, Jaitley said. In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Richard Harris, Chief Executive of Port Shelter Investment Management and Albert Leung, Asia ex-Japan (AEJ) Rates Strategist at Nomura shared their views and outlook on the global markets. Harris said that the market not in bubble territory despite the sharp rise in asset prices. Talking about rates, he said that we expect a rate hike in March by the US Fed. We are expecting three rate hikes from the US Fed in 2018, he added. According to him, bull market in emerging markets is likely to continue. Nomuras Leung expect Asian yield curves to steepen following the US. Tymoshenko goes to U.S. for prayer breakfast with U.S. President Trump A delegation of Batkivschyna parliamentarians led by the Ukrainian party's leader, Yulia Tymoshenko, is in the United States to attend National Prayer Breakfast events and hold a number of working meetings. "The leadership of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has been informed of the Batkivschyna delegation's business trip in line with the established procedure," a party spokesperson said on Monday. The National Prayer Breakfast is an annual event organized by U.S. Congress members and the U.S. president. Naveen Kukreja Being the last budget of the present government before the 2019 elections, expectations from the public and industry had built up. While this Budget has hit the right chords for reducing rural distress and increasing government expenditure in infrastructure, healthcare and education, it has been disappointing on other fronts. Here is my take on some of the major hits and misses of this years budget. Major Hits Healthcare: Initiates the worlds biggest public funded healthcare system The budget proposal to set up National Health Protection Scheme would be the boldest announcement of this years budget. By providing 10 crore poor families with a health cover Rs 5 lakh per annum, India can now proudly claim the title of having the largest public health care program in the world. Currently, the central government provides a health cover of Rs 30,000 for poor families under Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), which is grossly insufficient to cover most medical procedures. By the scaling up this cover to Rs 5 lakh, Finance Minister has taken a big step towards providing Universal Health Coverage. MSMEs: Lower corporate taxes and higher credit outlay The Budget 2018 announcement of extending 25% corporate tax slab to firms having annual turnover of up to Rs 250 crore will provide the much needed relief to the micro small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector. Till now, the 25% tax slab was available to firms with annual turnover of Rs 50 crore. The reduction in tax slab will help increase their investible surpluses, which then would be available for capacity expansion and job creation. The allocation of Rs 3 trillion under the Mudra Scheme for FY 2018-19 will also address the issue of insufficient disbursal of institutional credit to MSMEs. Senior Citizens: Higher deductions for healthcare and interest income Among all tax payers, senior citizens will benefit the most from Union Budget 2018. The steady decline in bank and post office fixed deposit rates has hit them hard as most of them park their retirement savings in bank and post office deposits to generate regular income for their expenses. This budget has tried to address this issue by raising the deduction of interest income on senior citizen bank and post office deposits from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 50,000. The increase in Section 80D deduction for health insurance premium and/or medical expenditure from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 will also help them to buy old-age health covers and cope with rising health costs. The Budget has also merged the existing separate deduction limits available under Section 80 BB for treating certain critical illness and increased the upper limit to Rs 1 lakh for all senior citizens. This would certainly prove as a helping hand for senior citizens copping with various critical illnesses. Major Misses: Equities: Return of LTCG will discourage retail investor participation Long Term Capital Gains (LTCG) tax exemption on equities has played a major role in increasing retail investor participation in equity markets. Despite this, the proportion of retail investor segment remains dismally low when compared to advanced economies. With the reintroduction of this tax, equity investing will become less attractive to the retail investors, thereby slowing down the shift of household savings towards equities. Instead, increasing the holding period for claiming LTCG exemption from one year to threee years would have yielded better results. This would have promoted long term equity investing and generated higher revenues through short-term capital gains tax. Currently, short term capital gains on equities attracts a higher taxation rate of 15%. Housing: No relief for home loan borrowers Urban housing shortage for low income groups (LIG) and economically weaker sections (EWS) contribute about 95% of the total housing shortage in India. While setting up a dedicated affordable housing fund in the NHB is certainly commendable, making Section 80EE a permanent feature would have boosted the demand in this segment. Under this Section, first time home buyers of properties below Rs 50 lakh and loan amount within Rs 35 lakh can claim an additional deduction of Rs 50000 for home loan interest payment over and above the Section 24b deductions. Similarly, extending tax deductions available under Sections 80C and 24b to pre-construction period would have allowed borrowers to claim higher deductions, thereby increasing their disposable income for investment and consumption. Digital transactions: No fiscal incentives to promote digital platforms Promoting digital transactions was one of the major aims of demonetisation. Since then, both the government and the RBI has taken several initiatives to incentivise digital transactions. Budget 2018 was a perfect opportunity to announce more incentives for digital payments, such as waiving off MDR on transactions of up to Rs 2,000 on credit cards or waiving off 2 Factor Authentication (2fa) for digital transactions of up to Rs 5,000 for increased ease of use. It could have also implemented the proposal of 1-3% waiver in GST rates for digital transactions to nullify the higher cost of digital transactions for smaller merchants and informal sectors. The Enforcement Directorate has started an investigation against Essar Oil for delay in the allotment of Global Depository Shares (GDS). The probe by ED was initiated after a request by the Reserve Bank of India. The development has been confirmed by an ED official. GDS, generally denominated in the local currency (and occasionally in US dollars), are typically registered with local regulators and may be traded on an exchange and over the counter. ED has issued a summon to Ruias (erstwhile owners of Essar Oil) after RBI wrote a letter to us, said an official on the condition of anonymity. RBI had written a letter after the company breached the limit of Liberalised Remittance Scheme while issuing Global Depositary Shares. There are certain clarifications/information sought by ED in relation to a technical delay in the allotment of GDS by Essar Oil Limited. The compounding application for the same has already been filed by EOL with the RBI in May 2017. We are in the process of responding to ED in this regard, Essar Group said in response to Moneycontrols queries. In 2010, the company allotted equity shares in two tranches - 9,28,44,531 at a price of Rs 144/- per share aggregating to Rs 1,336.96 crore on 27th April, 2010 and 7,12,92,951 equity shares at a price of Rs 144/- per share aggregating to Rs 1026.62 crore on 28th May, 2010 to an overseas depository. The funds were raised for part financing the cost of refinery expansion project and for other general corporate purposes. Essar Oil inked a deal with Russian energy giant Rosneft and a consortium led by Trafigura-United Capital Partners for Rs 338.28 per share in October 2016, which was completed in August last year. The Essar Group concluded sale of its crown jewel Essar Oil which runs the second largest refinery in the private sector in the country with a 20 million tonne capacity and the adjacent captive 58 million tonne oil terminal, a 1,010-MW power plant and over 3,500 fuel outlets to the Russian government-controlled Rosneft for an enterprise valuation of USD 12.9 billion. The amicus curiae in the Jaypee insolvency case informed the Supreme Court on Monday that homebuyers who had invested in Jaypee Infratech Ltd have claimed refund worth Rs 1150 crore on the portal and the embattled real estate firm has until now deposited Rs 550 crore out of the Rs 2000 crore with the court registry. The next date of hearing has been fixed for February 12. The Supreme Court also did not stay the bidding process with regard to Jaypee Infratech. It will continue before the resolution professional. The amicus also mentioned that the raising of demand by resolution professional Anuj Jain for more money from homebuyers is not right to which the Supreme Court did not comment but said that it would deliberate on the matter at the next hearing. The demand for Rs 1150 crore by homebuyers of Jaypee Infratech who have sought for a refund is only the principal amount, said Pawanshree Agarwal, amicus curiae in the Jaypee case. The court was hearing an application filed in a public interest litigation by Delhi-based Chitra Sharma, who has booked a home in a Jaypee Infratech project. The Supreme Court also refused Jaypees plea to stay the bidding process before the resolution professional. The NCLT-appointed resolution professional (RP) Anuj Jain has until now received 21 bids from investors willing to pump in at least Rs 2,000 crore to complete the projects floated by Jaypee Infratech that involves nearly 32,000 apartments, plots, and villas. Among the parties that have expressed interest include Adani Group, Hindujas, Sajjan Jindals JSW Group, Vedanta Group, Essel Highways, IDFC, Lodha Group, Puravankara, SARE Homes, L&T Infra, Cube Highways from Singapore, Kotak Infra, SARE Group, Deutsche Bank, Asset Reconstruction Company (India) Limited, Suraksha Realty, Tata Realty, National Infrastructure Investment Fund (NIIF) among others. Today (February 5) is the last date for bidders to submit bids for Jaypee Infratech assets. Out of the Rs 2000 crore that the embattled company has been ordered to submit to the Supreme Court registry, the firm has only deposited Rs 550 crore. The Supreme Court bench is expected to decide on the remaining amount of Rs 1450 crore to be deposited by Jaypee at the next hearing, legal sources said. Complying with the Supreme Court order, the parent company Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL) had deposited Rs 125 crore with the Supreme Court registry on January 25, 2018. JAL had deposited Rs 425 crore with the Apex Court registry by December 15 and had to deposit another Rs 125 crore by December 31 for which it had asked for an extension. At an earlier hearing, the Supreme Court had ordered that a portal should be set up for homebuyers to register their claims relating to housing projects of JIL. The SC had asked the interim resolution professional to submit its report to the court and said homebuyers' interest would be protected first, followed by that of other investors. On January 10, the CJI-led bench had asked amicus curiae Pawanshree Agrawal to set up another portal to enable JAL homebuyers to lodge their claims. "Homebuyers with JAL cannot be left without an option," the bench had said. The Supreme Court at a hearing on January 10 had also said that it will decide on Reserve Bank of Indias plea seeking to start insolvency proceedings against JAL on the next date and that the central bank should not act on it. This issue also did not come up in Mondays (Feb 5) hearing, legal sources said. A decision on RBIs application was deferred by the apex court on the ground that the court needs to ensure the protection of interests of the home buyers. On August 9 last year, the Allahabad bench of the NCLT had accepted lender IDBI Banks plea and admitted Jaypee Infratech as a case under insolvency resolution for defaulting Rs 526 crore. It appointed Anuj Jain as the insolvency resolution professional from BSSR & Co. The SC ruling came after over 20,000 home buyers in the Jaypee Infratechs projects raised concerns of not getting back their money as the first right of dues would go to the banks and other operational creditors. While some buyers have paid the full amount to the company, there are others who may have paid either 60 percent or perhaps 90 percent of the amount. Prakash Gaba of prakashgaba.com told CNBC-TV18, "Britannia Industries is still weak. It is still typically sideways zone, there is selling pressure. Possible target on the downside could be Rs 4,450 in the short term. It is purely a trading play out here, it looks certainly weak to me and is trading on the lower side of the trade." "Bharti Infratel looks weak to me. There is a very good chance that the stock can see a slide to maybe around Rs 320 zones. Keep loss stop above Rs 344, just Rs 2, but that is what is needed." "Hindustan Unilever (HUL) is another stock that looks weak to me. There is very good chance that we can see a slide to levels closer to Rs 1,325. It is cracking, stop lloss above Rs 1,360 on HUL should be fine," he said. "Tata Motors looks good to me, looks like it can climb to a levels closer to Rs 403 zones, keep stop loss below Rs 395." CNBC-TV18 brings you a brand new week of Bull's Eye. It's the popular game show where market experts come together to dish out trading strategies for you to make your week more exciting and compete with each other to see whose portfolio is the strongest. Remember these are midcap ideas not just for the day, but stocks that look attractive in the medium-term as well. This week, Ruchit Jain, Kunal Saraogi and Jay Thakkar battle it out for top honours. Below their top stock picks and analysis: Ruchit Jain of Angel Broking Buy Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) with a stoploss at Rs 755 and target of Rs 798 Sell Nalco with a stoploss at Rs 74.20 and target of Rs 62 Sell V-Guard Industries with a stoploss at Rs 224 and target of Rs 201 Sell Motherson Sumi with a stoploss at Rs 363 and target of Rs 334 Kunal Saraogi of Equityrush Sell Pidilite Industries with a stoploss at Rs 870 and target of Rs 845 Sell Page Industries with a stoploss at Rs 20500 and target of Rs 19500 Sell Muthoot Finance with a stoploss at Rs 415 and target of Rs 380 Sell TVS Motor with a stoploss at Rs 655 and target of Rs 630 Jay Thakkar of Anand Rathi Securities Sell Interglobe Aviation (IndiGo) with a stoploss at Rs 1212 and target of Rs 1110 Sell Vedanta with a stoploss at Rs 342 and target of Rs 315 Sell Britannia Industries with a stoploss at Rs 4805 and target of Rs 4560 Sell Container Corporation (Concor) with a stoploss at Rs 1376 and target of Rs 1264 The BJP today filed a complaint with the Delhi Police against senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. BJP national secretary R P Singh met the Additional Police Commissioner, New Delhi, and filed a complaint which was based on purported video clips concerning the Congress leader. The video clips were released in a press conference by Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee president Manjit Singh GK. "It has been requested in the complaint that since the accused can leave the country any time hence he should be arrested immediately and prosecuted under IPC sections 302, 147/149 and 120-B," R P Singh said in a statement. Earlier on the day, Manjit Singh GK said that they would send copies of the video clips to various authorities and demanded arrest of the Congress leader. The Bhartiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance currently seems to be grappling with discontent among its coalition partners. Recently, the Shiv Sena announced its partition with the BJP in Maharashtra. Now, the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has also threatened to walk out of the coalition. Ahead of the Union Budget 2018, Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP party chief Chandrababu Naidu had made many demands from the Centre for additional funds for the state. The party was, however, disappointed with the final allocations. The ties between the two parties have gotten worse in three years, ever since Andhra Pradesh was denied the special state status and the Polavaram project funding was found inadequate by the state government. After the budget, relations have gone further downhill. After the Budget was presented in the Parliament, Naidu had said: I am sticking to the coalition dharma and keeping quiet. I am also restraining my colleagues from speaking out against the BJP. But if they do not want us, I will say namaste and walk away. This is no way to treat a coalition partner. Naidu had even called for a meeting with senior party members, where he asked them to put pressure on the centre and highlight our issues, even if it meant getting thrown out of the Parliament. Senior TDP leader Y S Chowdary was hopeful of some response from the centre within a few days. The CM has issued some guidelines to party MPs on how to bring to the Centres attention to the state, including protests in Parliament. That is our strategy right now. The state has been struggling with a dearth of funds ever since Hyderabad went to Telangana. Andhra Pradesh government has claimed that ever since the division of the state, they have not received enough funds and incentives for Andhra Pradesh. BJP chief Amit Shah delivered his first address in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. In his usual combative tone, he first highlighted the party's achievements and then took the opportunity to slam Opposition's recent criticism of BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks. Here are the highlights of his speech: Defending PM Modi's remark on selling pakodas Modi, in an interview with Zee News, had said: "If someone opens a pakoda shop in front of your office, does that not count as employment? The person's daily earning of Rs 200 will never come into any books or accounts. The truth is massive people are being employed." 5. Even selling pakodas is a 'job' said PM. By that logic, even begging is a job. Let's count poor or disabled persons who are forced to beg for a living as 'employed' people. P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) January 28, 2018 On this comment, the Opposition reacted by saying that if selling pakodas is a job, then begging should be a job too. Shah defended Modi on the jibes made by Congress. "I believe it is better to work hard by selling pakodas than remaion unemployed." Defending India's employment status in Modi's regime Shah pointed that the employment scenario in India has become better only after 55 years. He said that this was the first time in 55 years that a non-Congress party member was given the mandate by the public to rule since the employment is at least better than what it used to be. He said, "I am not denying the unemployment. But this is after you ruled the country for 55 years. Why couldn't Congress find the solution to this?" Batting for Modi's Swachh Bharat Mission Modi's landmark scheme Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan aims to not only clean India but also to make sure there easy accessibility to toilets in the country. On this, the party and Modi have been criticised by the opposition often. Taking a dig at the opposition, Shah said, "Those living in Lutyens Zone will not understand the importance of toilets in every house." On the newly announced National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced a massive-funding health scheme in his Budget speech. The scheme will fund Rs 5 lakh to close to 50 crore people who require hospital care. On this, Shah said that the ruling party is considering to name the scheme as 'Namo healthcare' now and commented saying that he is aware that the initiative of naming the scheme according to what has been decided will lead to 'some people making noise.' On Goods and Services Tax (GST) Taking a dig at BJP, the Congress termed GST as 'Gabbar Singh Tax.' Shah said that it is because of Modi that GST became a reality because it had been undergoing long debates for years now. He later questioned the Opposition's mentality and explained Gabbar Singh's character from the movie Sholay. A special court here today sent Indrani Mukerjea, a prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, to two days CBI custody in connection with a case related to INX Media. Special CBI Judge Sunil Rana allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to interrogate Indrani for two days after the agency sought three days custody and directed that she be brought before it on February 7. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram's son Karti's name has also cropped up in the case, which relates to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval granted in 2006 for receipt of funds by INX Media. During the proceedings, the probe agency submitted before the court that Indrani has to be questioned and confronted with other accused in the case. It said that during an earlier interrogation in the matter, it was revealed that further investigation requires her custodial interrogation. There is voluminous record in the case and permission to interrogate had been granted earlier also, the CBI said. However, the Mumbai Police told the court that Indrani has to be produced before a Mumbai court on February 13 and cannot be kept in Delhi beyond that. The ED has registered a case against INX Media, its founders Peter Mukerjea, former media baron and his wife Indrani, and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). INX Media has been accused of violating FIPB guidelines while receiving investments from Mauritius. The Mukerjeas are facing trial in Mumbai for allegedly conspiring to kill Sheena Bora, Indrani's daughter from an earlier relationship, in April 2012. IMA Ponzi scheme case: A multi-crore scheme run by Karnataka-based I-Monetary Advisory (IMA) and its group entities allegedly duped lakhs of people by promising higher returns using Islamic ways of investment. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently investigating the case and has filed at least three FIRs. (File image of the CBI headquarters) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted a search at the residence of Delhi Dental Council Registrar in which they recovered documents and bank deposit slips of around Rs 2 crore related to Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain and companies where he was a director. The investigating agency arrested Dr Rishiraj of Dental Council Registrar and N Pradeep Sharma (Advocate, Delhi Dental Council) on Saturday when they were found to be taking Rs 4.73 lakh as bribe from a doctor for giving him a favourable order from Delhi Dental Council. CBI , @SatyendarJain CBI ? Saurabh Bharadwaj (@Saurabh_MLAgk) February 4, 2018 However, Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Dilip Pandey tweeted that the BJP is trying to malign Jains image and he had nothing do with the accused arrested by the CBI. A spokesperson of AAP in a tweet said the paper that CBI has been referring to are those that Jain had himself given to CBI twice and are declared in the income tax returns for the past many years. According to CBI spokesperson Abhishek Dayal, the accused fell into the agency trap while demanding and accepting bribe from the complainant. After their arrest, the CBI raided their homes the agency officials found documents and cheque books in the name of the minister, his wife and JJITL Estate Private Limited. CBI found IDBI Bank slips showing deposits worth Rs 2 crore in the name of Jain's companies in 2011. The Ukrainian president's representative in the Verkhovna Rada, Iryna Lutsenko, has asked the parliament to determine the date of a report to be delivered by Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) Valeriya Gontareva. "We ask factions to make the decision and soon hold consultations with candidate for this post [Yakiv Smoliy] so as not to delay the appointment process," she said at a meeting of the parliament's conciliatory council of the heads of factions, committees and groups in Kyiv on Monday. She also asked MPs to call the date of the report by Gontareva in the Rada. "Valeriya Gontareva is ready to report in parliament on her activities. I ask you to decide on the date when this can be considered in the coming parliamentary weeks," Lutsenko said. As reported, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko submitted a motion to the Verkhovna Rada on Gontareva's dismissal as NBU governor and Smoliy's appointment to this post. Finding budgetary allocation to fund the ambitious National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS), also known as Modicare, will not be a problem, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told News18 Network in an exclusive interview. "I have left a lot of leverage for additional budget measures in this budget, from a budget of Rs 24-25 lakh crore to take out Rs 10,000 crore isn't a big deal," Jaitley said. "I have given a provision of Rs 2,000 crore for the scheme to kickstart, but once if more is required, then we definitely will give that from the budget." The finance minister said he will be able meet the funding requirement through the 1 percent increase in education cess on income tax, which was imposed to garner an additional Rs 11,000 crore, and the newly re-imposed long term capital gains tax, which is expected to bring another Rs 20,000 crore to the governments coffers. The NHPS aims to provide 10 crore poor and vulnerable families, constituting 40 percent of Indias population, with Rs 5 lakh health insurance cover to avail secondary and tertiary care. The government estimates the premium outgo to cost anywhere between Rs 11,000-12,000 crore. However, the allocation made in the budget was just Rs 2,000 crore, which seemed a paltry sum for a scheme of this size, thereby pushing the Opposition to call this yet another 'Jumla' or an empty promise of the Modi government. Jaitley also dismissed skeptics who expressed doubts on the government's ability to pull-off the implementation of a programme of such magnitude, given its past experience with poor execution of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), a similar below poverty line health insurance scheme on a much smaller scale. "Today, this country has 25 crore families. The country has the entire socio economic data. Out of 25 crore, the lower 10 crore, which is 40 percent, these can be arithmetically removed and now through the means of Aadhaar and digital methods, these people can be directly contacted," Jaitley said. "It is not necessary that every family will need to visit the hospital every year. Earlier, whenever the poor went to the government hospital and was not treated, then in that case he or she waited for god to decide the fate of their lives, so now if we give the insurance card to this category of the poor and if our insurance scheme works out, then the premium will be given by the government in fact the volume will be so high that the per capita insurance is generally less," the finance minister added. Jaitley said that NHPS will improve healthcare access and bring massive private healthcare investments to rural and semi-urban areas. "Today, the hospitals of this country are getting built around tier 1 and tier 2 cities. To take these hospitals to the rural cities and districts is how the people of this country will be able to flourish," he said. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the judiciary is resilient and he is sure it will recover from the present crisis. "I know I am not worried about it because it is resilient and I know they will get out it," he told News18 Network in an exclusive interview. The comment came in response to a question on whether he enjoyed the Parliament more or the courtroom. "I enjoy both, to be fair both are great institutions of the Indian democracy and I think both have a huge amount of resilience. Parliament I can tell you is a great forum, unfortunately whats projected is only the song, noise and dance in the Parliament, but the seriousness of the debates that take place in the Parliament I think is also exemplary", the Finance Minister said. Addressing the crisis in the judiciary for the first time, Jaitley added that this was not the first time or the last time that the judiciary has experienced internal conflict. He also said that the judges are competent enough to resolve it themselves". The crisis in the Supreme Court began last month after four judges held a press conference expressing concerns about the functioning of the apex court. Justice Jasti Chelameswar, Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Madan B. Lokur, Justice Kurian Joseph in a press conference released a letter they had written to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra. The judges even said they were unhappy with the way CJI Misra allocated cases. They even said that they tried expressing their concerns to the Chief Justice but he refused to listen. The handling of the case of Justice Loya's death was one of the grievances mentioned in the judges' letter. Jaitley was previously a practicing senior advocate with the Supreme Court. He was also the Law Minister under Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government. Tea plantation Nepal's orthodox tea exports will no longer have the logo 'Darjeeling, India' and will be sold abroad with its own identity, 154 years after tea cultivation commenced in the Himalayan nation, a media report said today. Nepal has received its own logo or trademark, with the long-standing efforts of the Nepal Tea and Coffee Development Board, organisations associated with tea production, and experts in the field, The Himalayan Times reported. The trademark comprises an image of mountains with 'Nepali Tea Quality from the Himalaya' written below it. Prior to this, Nepal's orthodox tea was being exported with the logo of Darjeeling, India, the report said. Nepal produces certain varieties of teas that are somewhat related to Darjeeling tea in its appearance, aroma and fruity taste. Ministry of Agricultural Development, with the support of Himalaya Tea Producers Association and Nepal Tea and Coffee Development Board, has developed the logo. Preparations have begun to hold an event at the base camp of Mt Everest to establish the logo in the international market. Bigger buyers and world's journalists are scheduled to attend the logo inauguration event at the Mt Everest Base Camp. However, using and establishing the logo is still a big challenge, shared Chandra Bhusan Subba, a tea expert involved in the development of the logo. For the implementation of the logo, the Ministry has issued Nepali Orthodox Tea Certification Trademark Implementation Directive 2074. The directive has fixed certain standards for the use of the logo including that the produced tea must be fully organic. Nepalese tea producers wanting to use the logo must submit an application after which the process will move forward, the report said. "Standards such as the quality of tea produced, employment security of the workers, sensitivity toward environmental protection must be met in order to use the logo," said Subba. "The logo and the directive have been approved, now Nepali tea will carve its niche in the international market." With this move, Nepali tea would get good price in the international tea market and farmers would directly be benefited, therefore all should stress proper implementation of the logo, Subba said. The tea farmers have become elated with the development of Nepal's own trademark, also hoping that this will induce good business and sustainability, the report said. According to the National Tea and Coffee Development Board, Nepal produces tea in over 66700 acres of land. Nepal mainly exports tea to India, Canada, Germany, the US and China. Tea cultivation that began in Nepal from Ilam since 1920, has spread to 44 districts. The then chief of the district 'Badahakim' Gajaraj Singh Thapa had first cultivated tea in Ilam, after which a factory was set up in 1935 that started tea production from the district. Ilam is also home to the oldest and historical tea factory of the country, the report said. The New Delhi government drafted a new set of rules that direct vehicles that are more than 15 years old, to be dismantled and sent to scrap dealers. Implementation of this rule will make Delhi the first Indian city to have an end of vehicle life policy. These new directives have been framed to facilitate implementation of an order by the National Green Tribunal issued in 2014 that vehicles older than 15 years should stay off roads and not be parked in public spaces, according to a Hindustan Times report. If the draft is approved, this project will start early next year. Government data suggests that out of over one crore registered vehicles in New Delhi, 37 lakh are older than 15 years. Varsha Joshi, commissioner of transport in the capital was quoted saying \the new rules will create a mechanism to ensure proper disposal of old vehicles after they are impounded. There is no rule at present to guide the police or the government as to what is to be done with the vehicles after they are impounded. This is going to be a first-of-its-kind policy in India, she added. All dismantled two and four-wheelers will be sent to scrap dealers and the vehicle owners will be paid a scrapping charge, which is yet to be decided, as per the Delhi Scrapping of Vehicles Rules, 2018. The Delhi traffic police and the municipal corporations will help in the enforcement of these new rules. Despite the order being issued in 2014, it could not be complied with because of the absence of a proper mechanism to dismantle the vehicles and lack of space to park. Analysed by HT, the draft rules state the government will issue licenses to scrap dealers with at least 1,000 square yards scrapyards in non-residential areas in Delhi-NCR to start the new rules. These yards will necessarily have CCTV cameras to make sure the scrapping is done in an environment-friendly way. The draft says the licences will be issued to dealers against a bank guarantee of Rs 10 lakh. Owners can give up their old vehicles voluntarily through an online portal, which will be developed by the government soon for this move. KK Dahiya, special commissioner for transport said any junk vehicle found in a public space will be impounded and the registered owner will be intimated later, and he will have to submit an undertaking for scraping within 15 days. If the vehicle owner does not come forward, the impounded vehicle shall be scrapped through an authorised scrap dealer and the value will then be credited to the government account, Dahiya added. India's Under-19 cricket team players gesture for the lensmen upon their arrival at the airport in Mumbai, after winning the Under-19 Cricket World Cup against Australia. (PTI) Artists perform during the 132nd IOC Session ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. (Reuters) Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro dances during a rally to commemorate the 26th anniversary of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez failed coup attempt in Caracas. (Reuters) Sri Lanka's navy fires a gun salute during the Sri Lanka's 70th Independence day celebrations in Colombo. (Reuters) North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un attends the trial of a trackless tramway in Pyongyang. (KCNA/Reuters) Myanmar's military troops take part in a military exercise at Ayeyarwaddy delta region in Myanmar. (Reuters) President Ram Nath Kovind and First Lady Savita Kovind stroll at the Mughal Gardens at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, a day before the opening of the gardens for the public view. (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with other ministers and members, pays tribute to veteran BJP member Hukum Singh in the Lok Sabha in New Delhi on Monday. Singh, an MP from Uttar Pradesh's Kairana, died of breathing problems in Noida's JP Hospital on Saturday. (PTI) Zhang Beiwen of USA poses with her gold medal after winning the women singles final match of the Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2018 in New Delhi on Sunday. (PTI) Newly elected Trinamool Congress MP Sajda Ahmed takes oath as a member of the Lok Sabha, in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI) A woman clears snow from her car during heavy snowfall in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018. Heavy snow and freezing rain have knocked down thousands of trees in the Russian capital and one person is reported to have been killed. (AP/PTI) Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and other Congress party members in the Lok Sabha in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI) The moon is seen behind the Palace of Justice, ahead of the trial of Salah Abdeslam, one of the suspects in the 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, in Brussels and in Belgium. (Reuters) Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav being presented a mace during the party's "Desh Bachao Desh Banao" rally in Mumbai on Sunday night. (PTI) This Dec. 6, 2017 photo made available by SpaceX shows a Tesla car next to the fairing of a Falcon Heavy rocket in Cape Canaveral, Fla. For the Heavy's inaugural flight, the rocket will carry up Elon Musk's roadster. In addition to SpaceX, Musk runs the electric car maker Tesla. (AP/PTI) A fisherman with his family rows his boat during sunset in Dal Lake, Srinagar on Sunday. (PTI) Voting polling EVM election No political party candidate has filed nomination for the February 27 Nagaland Assembly election till today, even as only two days are left for it, state Chief Electoral Officer Abhijit Sinha said on Monday. However, political parties including the ruling Naga People's Front, BJP, National Democratic Police Party (NDPP) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said they would contest the ensuing election. The filing of nomination started with the issuance of the election notification by the Election Commission on January 31 and February 7 is the last date for it. "No nomination paper is filed in the state till today," Sinha said. The NPF working president Apong Pongener told reporters here that they will contest all the seats in the state. The NPF today declared the first list of 58 candidates for the polls. Asked whether the NPF would take the lead in submitting nominations, Pongener said, "Since the Naga tribal organisations have left the decision to political parties whether or not to participate in the election, we will file the nominations." Pongener exuded confidence saying "the NPF will surely cross the magic figure to return to power even this time". The newly-floated NDPP which has entered into electoral alliance with BJP has named 40 candidates. The BJP had already announced that it would contest the poll and announced a list of 20 candidates while the NCP has declared names of six candidates. NCP Nagaland unit president Vanthungo Odyuo said the party will field at least 10 candidates and its high command has approved the first six names. On the delay in filing of nominations, he said, "We will wait for the major political parties, including the BJP and NPF, to file nomination first." Odyuo also declared that the NCP will not have any pre- poll alliance. The NCP, which released the partys manifesto for the election, said it is committed to uphold and protect the interest of Nagaland. A public interest litigation (PIL) seeking an independent Muslim body to look into the arrangements for Haj pilgrims and quashing of the government controlled Haj Committee has been filed in the Delhi High Court. The plea referred to a recent notification of the Centre, scrapping the subsidy for pilgrims to get cheaper flights to-and-fro. Since it has been scrapped, it said, there was no need for a government-controlled panel to manage its affairs and the Haj Committee Act, 2002 was also liable to be quashed. The plea seeking the court's nod for an independent panel and quashing of the Haj committee was filed by Delhi-based advocate Shahid Ali last week. The central government had, in 1959, introduced a subsidy for air travel between Bombay and Jeddah. Other flights on Air India, the state-owned carrier, were added over time. "Pass order or direction or issuance of an appropriate writ, thereby quashing the present Constitution of Haj committee and further allowing the Muslim citizens of India to formulate their own body in the similar manner as the Sikh minority of India is allowed to formulate their own body to manage their minority affairs under the Act known as Sikh Gurudwara Act, 1925," the plea said. The question of whether the government should continue to look at all affairs of the Haj Committee, right from inviting applications for Haj till the return of Hajis after the pilgrimage, had acquired importance after the Centre scrapped the subsidy, the petition said. It said an independent agency without any control of the government should be substituted. The plea also sought direction to the Ministry of Civil Aviation to either float open tenders inviting bids from all existing airlines flying between India and Saudi Arabia or allow pilgrims to directly purchase tickets for their Haj flights. This would enable Hajis, who perform an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca - the most holy city for Muslims - to purchase air tickets at best competitive rates, it said. The PIL further said if open tenders were not invited by all airlines, Haj pilgrims will continue to be forced to buy air-tickets at much higher rates than otherwise available in the open market. If the Haj Committee Act is not set aside, Muslims of India will suffer adversely, it added. The petition also alleged that the aviation ministry has been exercising monopoly in purchasing air tickets for pilgrims by getting them at two-six times higher rates than the prevalent rates in the market. It sought an enquiry on why the air tickets were being purchased at higher rates and alleged that there was possibility that this could be of one of the biggest scams in India. Tuticorin Alkali Chemicals & Fertiliser | Promoter entities Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation, Twinshield Consultants and South India Travels to sell 1,05,72,513 equity shares of the company via offer for sale on November 3-4. (Image: Reuters) Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said the state government has cleared a policy to provide gas through pipeline for every kind of usage to the urban population in the state. The minister said the government was framing progressive policies to provide every amenity to the urban sector. He further elaborated that the petroleum and natural gas regulatory board (PNGRB) accords permission for supplying gas through pipeline and also that the powers to supply the same to the urban consumers rest with the concerned Municipal Corporation/Municipal Council/Nagar Panchayat. After the PNGRB gives permission, the concerned company would pay rent on per year basis to the urban local bodies under newly framed policy and thus resulting in the economic self-dependence of the urban bodies, he said. The minister said, "in the earlier proposed policy, the companies would have paid entire lifetime rent in one go which would have proved a colossal amount". The Punjab and Haryana High Court and PNGRB suggested fixing reasonable rates and it is in this context that the department has now decided to extract rent on per year basis instead of onetime payment, he said. The minister also added that every consumer of urban population whether belonging to the domestic, transportation, business and industrial category would get the gas. In the first phase, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Bathinda, Mohali, Fatehgarh Sahib and Rupnagar have seen the permission being granted by the PNGRB to the companies for supplying gas through pipeline and the work has been started. In the second phase, the PNGRB has selected Patiala, Moga, Sangrur, Barnala, Kapurthala and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar to give sanction to the companies to begin the initiative in these areas, which would take off soon. He said that the department would cover all 167 cities/ towns in the state. Capt Pradeep Shoury Arya was decorated with Shaurya Chakra, India's third-highest peacetime gallantry award, on Republic day this year. Moneycontrol spoke to this Indian officer from the Indian Revenue Service (IRS), also the only one to have the honour of simultaneously serving the Ministry of Finance and the Defence Ministry, about his achievements, and his journey so far. A modest man, Captain Pradeep Shoury Arya is immensely thankful to his family, and the department for their support. He said I am thankful that income tax department gave me chance to work with Army also simultaneously with Income tax department." When asked how it feels to achieve the Shaurya Chakra, an esteemed bravery award in the country changed his life, he said The entire department is congratulating me. Even Central Board of Direct Tax chairman Sushil Chandra called to congratulate me. But, I am still thinking why I was selected for this award since, in that operation, everybody had given their hundred percent." On what keeps him inspired, he said, You have to keep thinking of a higher and higher path for yourself that helps you as well as the whole nation to grow." Captain Arya has always been known for his good work. During his Post Commission Training at Indian Military Academy [IMA], Dehradun, he was adjudged the Best Officer Trainee in the overall order of merit, and awarded the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose gold medal. Capt Arya is also a recipient of the 2013 National Award for Best Electoral Practices instituted by the Election Commission of India for effectively controlling large quantities of cash during elections in Karnataka and the North-Eastern State of Nagaland. Capt Arya, belongs to the 2004 Batch of the Indian Revenue Service and is currently posted as the Additional Commissioner of Income-Tax, International Taxation, Mumbai. He holds a Masters degree in Sociology, a Masters in Business Administration, a Masters in Law, a Masters in Taxation, and a Phd (Doctorate ) in Sociology. Capt Arya, a father to two lovely daughters, loves to write, and plans to write on his experiences in the Army and the Indian Revenue Services. Although he regrets his busy schedule leaves him with little time for his family, he also considers himself lucky to be part of a joint family as it gives him the scope to do all that he wants to without having to worry much. Interesting facts about the gallant warrior - Capt Arya was commissioned into 106 TA [Parachute Regiment], Infantry Battalion, through the Territorial Army Entry, after clearing the Service Selection Board [SSB] Examination, Bhopal. - As part of the Special Forces (Parachute Regiment) at Northern Command, Udhampur, Capt Arya generated sufficient Intelligence in coordination with the Indian Army and other Statutory Authorities to launch special operations for neutralizing terrorists/ militants. - He has been conferred the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Commendation, in recognition for his devotion to duty/ distinguished service for contribution in investigation and tracking money laundering and flow of funds, for terrorism and anti-national activities in the hostile state of Jammu & Kashmir. - He has been awarded the *Shaurya Chakra* for Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorism (CICT) Operations as part of *Parachute Regiment (Special Forces),* for valour and gallant action in the face of enemy. - He is also a commercial pilot and has been awarded *Private Pilot's License Scholarship* from the NCC Directorate, Karnataka and Goa. - He has passed the National Eligibility Test [NET] Lectureship and awarded the University Grants Commission [UGC] Fellowship to pursue Doctoral Programme. Uma Bharti | The former Madhya Pradesh CM was arrested in connection with a riot that took place in Hubli, Karnataka. (Image: PTI) The government has received more than Rs 600 crore as contribution to its Swachh Bharat Kosh in the last three years till November 2017, Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister Uma Bharati told Parliament on Monday. In 2015, the SBK received 313.54 crore, in 2016, it received Rs 97.47 crore and in 2017 till November - a total of Rs 614.63 crore, she informed the Rajya Sabha. "The objective of the government for setting up Swachh Bharat Kosh is to facilitate channelisation of philanthropic contributions and corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds towards achieving the objective of clean India by the year 2019", she said. The minister also said funds from SBK have been released for projects on repair, construction of dysfunctional toilet in government schools and households. In 2014-2015, the government has released Rs 86.09 crore, in 2015-2016, Rs 272.80 crore, in 2016-2017, Rs 136.42 crore and in 2017-2018 (till November 30, 2017) Rs 138.67 crore. On Wednesday, February 7, at 11.00, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference entitled "Retail Market of Medicines: Results of 2017 and Forecast for 2018." The participants will include: President of the Medicines Manufacturers of Ukraine association Petro Bahriy, Director of the Pharmaceutical Professional Association of Ukraine Volodymyr Rudenko, Marketing Director of Business Credit Olena Karchevska (8/5a Reitarska Street). Registration requires press accreditation. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More State-owned general insurance company New India Assurance posted a net profit of Rs 617.28 crore for the third quarter compared to a loss of Rs 23.69 crore in Q3 of FY17. In an interview with Moneycontrol, G Srinivasan, chairman and managing director of New India Assurance, talks about the numbers and growth prospects. Excerpts: The profits posted in Q3 are a direct result of the drop in underwriting losses. What was the reason for this drop? If you look at the third quarter, the combined ratios have come down to 109.1 percent from 123.9 percent, a drop of 14 percent. This was largely due to the drop in claims and management expenses ratio. Claims have come down by 12 percent and expense ratios by almost 3-3.5 percent. This is how profits have gone up for the quarter. Upto the quarter too, combined ratios have come down to 110.8 percent from 121 percent. The claims ratio has come down by about 7 percent for the nine months while expense ratios have down by 4 percent. Has there has been a reduction in the segment-wise losses as well? The adjusted combined ratios have also come down for New India. This is due to a drop in loss ratios in key lines of businesses like health, motor and fire. For the first nine months, health loss ratios came down by 13 percent, motor own damage by 10 percent and fire by 20 percent. This led to a drop in claim ratios. Is there a price correction in the market? The whole market has now improved and there is a price correction happening in the market. For us, the retail health segment was also re-priced this year and this has led to an improvement in our results. On the motor segment too, we are focusing on risk selection and avoiding businesses and dealers where loss ratios are high. Being a big player, isnt it a challenge for you to be too choosy? There are good businesses available and we are moving towards them, while avoiding the loss-making ones. We are focusing on the retail business and that is helping us in the growth path. Has there been an increase in the business from the direct channel? About 15 percent of the business is direct digital and about 20,000 of our agents use the digital portal and we are a strong player in that space. Revenues from crop insurance also seem to be stabilising. What portion of your portfolio does it constitute? For the industry, crop insurance has grown by 20 percent. It is not like the last year where growth was phenomenal. For us, about 8 percent of our business is done through crop insurance. Its growth is stabilising and now its growth is similar to the other lines of the business. The reinsurance renewals will happen now. How do you see the rates moving? While the reinsurance season is just about to begin, the global experience is that though there were huge losses due to the hurricane in the Western hemisphere, it has not impacted the rates across the world. Coming to India, this year has been a good year in terms of a natural catastrophe perspective, so some softening in rates should occur. What are your international expansion plans? In Myanmar, we are hopeful of getting a full license by the end of this year. However, when it comes to Qatar, we have put it on the backburner for the time-being. The Budget has announced the National Health Protection Scheme that will offer Rs 5 lakh insurance for about 10 crore families below poverty line. Do you believe insurers will play a role in this? It is the states that will have to decide whether they choose an insurance or a trust model. This option is available even now, under the health insurance scheme. However, we believe that if they go through insurers, there will be a lot of efficiencies achieved. I am sure that this will done through the insurance model. There has also been an announcement to merge three of your peers in the public sector. What is your take? The decision to merge the three public sector general insurers is good for the market because India needs companies with huge capital. But we are still awaiting the details on the how the whole process will be conducted. To make revenue officers more accountable, the Uttar Pradesh government is mulling to provide them smart-phones with an app through which they can upload information about their villages and superiors can track their location. This was announced yesterday by state agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi at a Pension Mela in Tarkulwa block here. "The BJP government will provide CUG (Closed User Groups) number smart-phones through the agriculture department to lekhpals (revenue officers). In these, smart-phones there will be an app, which will help the lekhpals to upload all the information pertaining to their village. "The officers concerned will also be able to know the location of the lekhpals, and the lekhpals cannot give any excuses," he said. The app on the smart-phone would enable lekhpals to provide relevant information to parties concerned, Shahi said. "These smart-phones would be made available by May-June by the agriculture department," the minister said He also said, "The UP government is helping everyone without making any discrimination. Instead of religion and caste, the poverty status of people has been made the criteria. After recently toppling Intel as the world's largest chip-seller, global manufacturing giant Samsung has forayed into the booming cryptocurrency. TechCrunch reported that the company confirmed it is making ASIC chips, which specialise in mining cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, ether, etc. Samsungs foundry business is currently engaged in the manufacturing of cryptocurrency mining chips. However we are unable to disclose further details regarding our customers, TechCrunch quoted a spokesperson from the company. Samsung has already been in the industry of manufacturing GPU chips which are used not only in handling a computers graphics requirements but can also mine cryptocurrencies. However, the companys latest foray is into ASIC chips or application-specific integrated circuits chips which are manufactured with the sole purpose of mining cryptocurrencies. ASIC market is largely dominated by Chinese companies such as Bitmain and Canaan Creative who function together with Taiwanese TSMC or Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company which has more than 50 percent share of global chip foundry market. However, Samsungs entry into the market will most likely bring a large shift in market positioning. Samsung has announced its entry at the right time as cryptocurrencies across the world have been in the spotlight, and as appetite for computing power keeps increasing for miners -- programmers that create new currency and settle transactions. The move may also likely bring a relief to the personal computer (PC) industry which was facing severe shortage of GPUs owing to huge demands by cryptocurrency miners. For example, it was recently reported that Nvidias GeForce GTX 1070 which should cost around USD 380 (price may vary with different model), now costs approximately 80 percent more at about USD 700 mainly due to lack of supply in the market. Samsungs jump onto the cryptocurrency bandwagon is expected to boost the already impressive chip business it enjoys. The company clocked USD 69 billion just on chip sales thanks to the high-growth smartphone industry. Source: www.kremlin.ru Chinese government mouthpiece Global Times has threatened India by saying that Beijing could use its economic muscle to deal with India's presence in Arunachal Pradesh. The write-up published in Global Times on Monday came as a response to Indias plans to build a high-altitude tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh. The article says India's plans were a 'violation of the status-quo in the border'. In response to this construction and built up in Arunachal Pradesh, which it addresses as Southern Tibet, the article asks China to take effective action. According to the report, from the various options that China has up its sleeve, the best option will be to use its economic superiority to its advantage by investing heavily in Arunachal Pradesh. China has plenty of chips with which to bargain with India, through political, military and economic means. From an economic perspective, more efforts to shore up the development of south-western Tibet will help increase the bargaining chips on the Chinese side if people in "Arunachal Pradesh" see better economic development in southwestern Tibet. What's more, China can try to step up investment in South Tibet to increase its presence. The article states that Chinese products which enter the region through neighbouring countries have high demand among the population in the region. China should use two methods i.e. pressure these neighbouring countries with economic might to hurt India and demonstrate its economic prowess to the population of the region to influence their opinion in favour of China. While it is no secret that Beijing is using its economic power through projects like CPEC and BRI to bully other countries, the article is probably the first open admission of such intention by any Chinese source who often claim that China has no political motive behind large-scale investments. Namibian President Hage Geingob has banned politicians and civil servants from travelling abroad for business. The decision comes days after the country, which is facing a severe economic crisis, asked its troops to go on a leave due to their inability to pay for their food. As per a report in Deutsche Welle, the President, who had taken a commercial flight to cut down the expenditure of travelling in his private jet to attend the African Union summit is taking the action to cut down government spending. As per the report, Presidents spokesperson was quoted saying in an agency report that the ban will prevail at least till the end of the month. The actions are a result of an unprecedented economic crisis that has befallen on the country situated in South-West Africa. As per economic expert Henning Melber, the crisis is a result of external factors that were made worse by internal mismanagement of the economy. These included the drought caused by the El Nino weather effect, decline in fish stocks and the issues in the mining industry that has resulted in the rise of unemployment. In addition, the recent bad performance by the South African currency with which the nations currency is pegged in has further aggravated the situation. "It's clearly an indication that the government continues to face a strong economic crisis and is not able to mobilize funds to enhance growth by investing in infrastructure, Melber was quoted as saying in the report. However, he alleges that the policies taken by the President including the decision to expand his ministry and increase the number of advisors made matters worse. The unsustainable public sector and civil servant wage bill amounts to more than 50 percent of the annual budget." He also stated that more stern cuts will be required to salvage the country from the crisis. Meanwhile, people have different opinions about the actions. While some welcomed the move, others considered it as a mere publicity stunt. Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Monday assured the minority Tamil community that his government was not running any secret detention and torture camps in the country. Sirisena said he was concerned about the persons who are still missing years after the end of nearly three-decade-long brutal civil war. "I have several times met the relatives of the disappeared persons. I am concerned about their problem of the missing relatives," Sirisena said while campaigning in the Tamil-dominated Jaffna city for the February 10 local council election. "They have told me that the missing people are being held by the government in secret detention camps. I made inquiries and I tell them on behalf of the government that there are no such camps run by the government," he said. Sirisena said his government had addressed the concerns of the Tamils by returning to them their land that had been held for military purposes since the mid 1980s. The Tamil and international rights groups had blamed the former Mahinda Rajapaksa government of running secret detention and torture camps. The relatives of the missing persons have regularly held public demonstrations, demanding urgent government attention to their concerns. The government has set up an Office of Missing Persons (OMP) which is yet to become operational. The OMP was one of the accountability mechanisms advocated in UN Human Rights Council resolutions on Sri Lanka since 2013. The UN panel called for the establishment of independent international court to probe alleged war crimes committed by both the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the government troops during the last stages of the civil war which ended in 2009. According to the government estimates, around 20,000 people are still missing due to various conflicts including the 30-year-long separatist war with Lankan Tamils in the north and east which claimed the lives of at least 100,000 people. The LTTE, which led the separatist war for a separate Tamil homeland, was finally crushed by the Lankan military in 2009 with the death of its supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran. Salah Abdeslam, one of the suspects in the 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, appears in court during his trial in Brussels, Belgium February 5, 2018. REUTERS/Emmanuel Dunand/Pool ATTENTION EDITORS - THE DEFENDANT'S FACE HAS BEEN PIXELATED BY JUDICIAL ORDER. - RC1FB63B3ED0 The only surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, defied Belgian judges on Monday and said he put his "trust in Allah" on the opening day of his trial for a shootout that led to his capture. The 28-year-old, who was transferred under heavy security from a jail near the French capital overnight for the trial, refused to answer questions about the gun battle in Brussels or stand for the court. "I am not afraid of you, I am not afraid of your allies," said a defiant Abdeslam, who has grown long hair and a beard during his nearly two years behind bars. "I put my trust in Allah and that's all." The Belgian-born French national of Moroccan descent alleged that the court in Brussels was biased against Muslims as he explained why he would not cooperate despite having asked to attend the trial. "My silence does not make me a criminal, it's my defence," Abdeslam said. "Muslims are judged and treated in the worst of ways, mercilessly. There is no presumption of innocence." He also refused to allow photographs or video images to be taken of him. He has point-blank refused to speak to investigators since his arrest in Brussels March 2016, three days after the gun battle in the Forest district of the city for which he is on trial. Abdeslam and Sofiane Ayari, a 24-year-old Tunisian arrested with him, face charges of attempted terrorist murder of police officers and carrying banned weapons. Three police officers were wounded and an Algerian fellow jihadist was killed. The pair face up to 40 years in prison if convicted. Abdeslam's arrest ended four months on the run as Europe's most wanted man following the November 2015 Paris attacks that killed 130 people, and in which his brother Brahim carried out a suicide bombing. Police officers wearing body armour and black balaclavas with eye- and mouth-holes stood guard next to them as the trial started. Abdeslam, wearing a long-sleeved light shirt and dark trousers, launched into his diatribe after presiding judge Marie-France Keutgen asked why he insisted on attending the trial where he refused to answer questions about the charges against him. The judge rejected his accusations of bias, insisting he was presumed innocent. Hundreds of members of Belgian security forces turned the Palais de Justice court building into a virtual fortress while a helicopter with searchlights circled overhead as he arrived. The non-jury trial is the prelude to a later one in France and prosecutors hope the Brussels case will yield clues not only about the Paris attacks but also the Brussels bombings on March 22, 2016. Investigators believe Abdeslam's capture three days after the shootout caused members of his jihadist cell to bring forward plans for the attacks on Brussels airport and a metro station in which 32 people were killed. Washington: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks at the 2017 Atlantic Council-Korea Foundation Forum in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017. AP/PTI(AP12_13_2017_000095B) U.S. President Donald Trump's call this week to cut aid for countries where drugs are produced or trafficked could cast a shadow on Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's South America visit as he heads for top cocaine-producing nations Peru and Colombia. Tillerson already raised eyebrows on the eve of his five-nation tour of Latin America, when he suggested that Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro could be toppled by his own military, comments that overshadowed his first stop in Mexico. Trump said on Friday that unnamed countries were "pouring drugs" into the United States. "I won't mention names right now ... but I look at these countries, I look at the numbers we send them and we send them massive aid, and they are pouring drugs into our country and they are laughing at us," Trump said at a televised round-table in Virginia. "So I'm not a believer in that, I want to stop the aid," Trump said after Kevin McAleenan, acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, told him that cocaine was primarily coming from Colombia and Peru, and trafficked through Mexico and Central America. Tillerson did not mention Trump's comments in a news conference in Buenos Aires on Sunday but a senior state department official on the trip who declined to be identified said that they were "not helpful." Trump has at times contradicted Tillerson on foreign policy issues involving North Korea and Syria, and the administration has been criticized for sending mixed messages to Latin America, particularly on Venezuela. Tillerson lands in Peruvian capital Lima on Monday and on Tuesday heads to Colombia, which received some $10 billion in funding between 2000 and 2015 for military and social programs through the so-called Plan Colombia. Former U.S. President Barack Obama had approved $450 million in 2017 aid for Colombia, up 25 percent from 2016, to help support a peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, a former leftist rebel group. Peru, which has seen cocaine output increase and trades the title of top producer with Colombia, has received less assistance from the United States. Tillerson ends his trip in Jamaica, a growing drug trafficking hub. The U.S. is the world's largest market for cocaine. Trump has threatened to cut aid around the world, questioning what the United States gets in return for its support. Earlier this year, he promised to end assistance for Pakistan. Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla Motors, has decided to change the name of flamethrower which was on sale as some custom agencies objected to it. Apparently, some customs agencies are saying they wont allow shipment of anything called a Flamethrower. To solve this, we are renaming it Not a Flamethrower. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 2, 2018 In a tweet, Musk wrote, Apparently, some customs agencies are saying they wont allow shipment of anything called a Flamethrower. To solve this, we are renaming it Not a Flamethrower. In another tweet, he added, Or maybe Temperature Enhancement Device. Or maybe Temperature Enhancement Device Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 3, 2018 The website of the Musk-owned company which is selling the flamethrower reflected the change in the name. Last week, Musk had announced the sale of worlds safest flamethrowers - a massive black and white gun - which is priced at USD 500 or Rs 31,800 and had asked to pre-order it. Within a few days, the sale was over and 20,000 orders were completed. The followers of Musk on Twitter, however, had their own clever ideas to deal with the situation. Suggestions which poured in included calling it anti-water gun, "free world democracy spreading tool" and "harmless". One of the followers suggested Musk to create or buy your own postal shipping company. This is not the first mass product from the whimsically named construction company. Earlier, Musk had sold 50,000 The Boring Company hats. >>> PM visits Laos to co-chair Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committees 40th meeting The visit, made at the invitation of Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, is considered an important political event, demonstrating a reaffirmation of the priorities in foreign affairs between both countries. Of main importance is the sustained consolidation and development of the Vietnam-Laos traditional friendship, with special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation while enhancing political credibility and creating a unified steering channel to promote the implementation of high-level agreements in strengthening the cooperation between the two nations. As close neighbours and friends, the traditional friendship, solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos have been perennially nurtured by successive generations of leaders and people of the two countries such that they have become a common property of the two nations; an important factor to ensure the success of the cause of national construction and defence in each country, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and around the world. The Vietnamese people sincerely congratulate the significant achievements of the Lao Party, State, and people in past years. In 2016, Laos successfully organised the 10th Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the 10th National Congress of the Lao Front for National Construction. The Lao economy continues to report a positive growth rate with the average rate of annual GDP growth at about 7% in recent years. The solid, trusting, loyal, and transparent relations between Vietnam and Laos have been increasingly developed and promoted in an effective and substantive manner in all fields. The two sides maintain sound bilateral cooperation mechanisms, such as the Inter-Governmental Committee on Bilateral Cooperation, and regularly exchange delegations at all levels. The two sides completed the project to expand and rejuvenate the Vietnam-Laos border marker system and agreed a protocol on the Vietnam-Laos border line and border markers, as well as on the border and border gate management. Cooperation on trade, investment, education-training, transportation, culture, and healthcare are all accelerated. In the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity Year 2017, the two sides held a range of cooperative activities and exchanges, affirming the meaning of the traditional friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two. Vietnam and Laos have worked closely together and supported each other in regional and international forums, while they continue to strengthen cooperation with other ASEAN member states to build a robust ASEAN Community and maintain ASEAN unity on regional strategic issues. The 40th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee to be held in Vientiane is the inter-governmental committees second meeting to be co-chaired by the two PMs. It aims to promote cooperation between the two countries in a more in-depth, practical, and effective manner. At the meeting, the two sides will assess the implementation of the agreement on the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Plan in 2017, exchange on directions and tasks for cooperation in 2018, and sign cooperation documents between the two countries. May the visit to Laos by PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc be a success in once again contributing to the strong and stable trust forged between the two countries' senior leaders and foster the ever-green and ever-sustainable traditional friendship and solidarity between Vietnam and Laos, which meets the interests of both peoples, and promotes the values of peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and to the whole world. The only surviving couple from New Zealand's Married at First Sight have welcomed a new member into their family. Brett Renall and Angel Star-Heron are now the proud new owners of Cashew, a little adorable French Bulldog. The pair showed off their dog in a professional photoshoot shared to their Instagram accounts. An Auckland school is urging parents to ban their kids from social media - and not just on the school grounds. Kowhai Intermediate is asking students to cut off Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat for the two years they attend the school, according to NZME. It's a response to a number of "social media incidents", a school newsletter published online says. "These incidents have occurred outside of school hours on private social media accounts that we have no rights or responsibility for." "When things do go wrong, we often find that parents contact the school with the expectation that we can and will sort the problem out. "This is a legal and ethical minefield that would require full, unfettered access to all the social media accounts and devices involved to be fair and just in establishing a true and accurate record of what has occurred." The school already has an 'off at the gate' policy where students must switch devices off as they enter the grounds. The phones are then placed in a box at the start of the day, and returned at hometime. Now, the school is encouraging parents to extend this to at home too. The school is for children in years 7-8 - so around 10-13 years old. The minimum age for joining most social media platforms is 13. Many young people make accounts using a fake date of birth. Newshub. >>> PM visits Laos to co-chair Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committees 40th meeting Minister Dung made the suggestion during a working session with his Lao counterpart Phet Phomphiphak on February 4 which was held during Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs visit to attend the 40th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee in Laos. He urged the two offices to accelerate the implementation of signed memorandum of understanding on cooperation, focusing on sharing experience and organising workshops, thus increasing the role of the offices in pushing the bilateral relations. Sharing Minister Dungs opinions, Lao Minister and Head of the Prime Minister's Office Phet Phomphiphak hoped the two sides will bolster their cooperation in the future, contributing to fulfilling assigned tasks. Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. This is the second year that the two PMs have co-chaired the joint committee, demonstrating their determination to effectively implement their cooperation agreements in 2018. The Lao PM valued the significance of the Inter-Governmental Committee meeting while expressing his belief that the meeting would contribute to promoting the bilateral cooperation and lifting the relationship to a new level. Meanwhile, PM Phuc affirmed that Vietnam always attaches special importance to its cooperation with Laos and Vietnam will make every effort to consolidate the friendship and relationship with Laos. Both sides also expressed their delight at the comprehensive cooperation achievements in 2017, particularly the successful organisation of the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2017. In addition, Vietnamese enterprises have invested in 411 projects in Laos with a total registered capital of US$3.7 billion. Vietnam and Laos also reported a two-way trade revenue of US$935 million in 2017, up nearly 13.6% compared to 2016. At the meeting, the two PMs witnessed the signing of 12 cooperation documents including an agreement on a cooperation plan between Vietnamese and Laos Governments in 2018, an agreement on investment in Vietnam's Vung Ang seaport, and agreements between ministries, agencies and localities of the two countries, among others. After the meeting, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his counterpart chaired a joint press conference to announce the results of the 40th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee. They also attended a ceremony to present certificates of merit from the two governments to individuals and units who performed outstanding achievements in the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2017. The meetings were part of the 40th meeting of the Vietnam Laos Inter-Governmental Committee, co-chaired by PM Phuc and his Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith, earlier the same day. Talking to General Secretary and President Vorachith, PM Phuc noted at the 40th meeting, the two sides reviewed their cooperation last year and reached consensus in various fields. They ordered relevant ministries, sectors and localities to coordinate with the countries businesses to carry out agreements so as to successfully implement the two Governments cooperation plan for 2018 and the Vietnam Laos cooperation agreement for 2016-2020. He highly valued the major achievements that Laos has attained, affirming that the Communist Party of Vietnam, the State, Government and people of Vietnam always give the highest priority to the enhancement of the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Laos, considering these as priceless and vital for their countries revolutionary causes. General Secretary and President Vorachith appreciated the two Governments efforts to address difficulties and intensify bilateral cooperation. He expressed his belief that the successful 40th meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee right at the beginning of this year will be a basis for them to realise the cooperation plan for 2018 and the cooperation agreement for 2016-2020. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets Chairwoman of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotou on February 5 (Photo: VNA) At the meeting with Chairwoman of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotou, PM Phuc asked both sides to continue reinforcing the relations in politics, diplomacy, defence, and security while building a Vietnam Laos border of peace, stability, cooperation, and comprehensive development. He also called for stronger education on the two countries time-honoured friendship, special solidarity and all-round cooperation, especially among younger generations. For her part, Chairwoman Yathotou welcomed the Vietnamese delegation to Laos and applauded the success of the Vietnam Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2017. Following the meetings, PM Phuc visited workers at the construction site of the new headquarters of the National Assembly of Laos. The headquarters, covering 23,400 sq.m., is a present of the Vietnamese Party, State and people for Laos. Its construction began in November 2017. Later on February 5, the Vietnamese delegation left Vientiane, wrapping up the trip to attend the 40th meeting of the Vietnam Laos Inter-Governmental Committee. Archaeologists have spent more than a century traipsing through the Guatemalan jungle, Indiana Jones-style, searching through dense vegetation to learn what they could about the Maya civilization that was one of the dominant societies in Mesoamerica for centuries. But the latest discovery - one archaeologists are calling a "game changer" - didn't even require a can of bug spray. Scientists using high-tech, airplane-based lidar mapping tools have discovered tens of thousands of structures constructed by the Maya: defense works, houses, buildings, industrial-size agricultural fields, even new pyramids. The findings, announced Thursday, are already reshaping long-held views about the size and scope of the Maya civilization. "This world, which was lost to this jungle, is all of a sudden revealed in the data," said Albert Yu-Min Lin, an engineer and National Geographic explorer who worked on a television special about the new find. "And what you thought was this massively understood, studied civilization is all of a sudden brand new again," he told the New York Times. Thomas Garrison, an archaeologist at Ithaca College who led the project, called it monumental: "This is a game changer," he told NPR. It changes "the base level at which we do Maya archaeology." The findings were announced by Guatemala's Mayan Heritage and Nature Foundation, which has been working with the lidar system alongside a group of European and U.S. archaeologists. The lidar system fires rapid laser pulses at surfaces - sometimes as many as 150,000 pulses per second - and measures how long it takes that light to return to sophisticated measuring equipment. Doing that over and over again lets scientists create a topographical map of sorts. Months of computer modeling allowed the researchers to virtually strip away half a million acres of jungle that has grown over the ruins. What's left is a surprisingly clear picture of how a 10th-century Maya would see the landscape. Scientists used similar scans to unearth a network of ancient cities in Angkor, the heart of the Khmer empire in Cambodia that includes the famed Angkor Wat, according to the Times. Lidar has the potential to unearth civilizations even in the densest jungles of Brazil. And Garrison said the lidar data can be used in other fields. "We don't use about 92 percent of the lidar data. We just throw it out to make our maps," he told The Washington Post. "But there is incredibly valuable information in that forestry data. You're just seeing the archaeology part because that's what we focused on, but that data can be used to determine how jungles recover from forest fires, what's the carbon footprint." Still, that 8 percent of data was as astonishing as it was humbling, he said. The planes that shot lidar pulses at pieces of the Guatemalan jungle did so in a matter of days, Garrison said. It unearthed Maya structures researchers had literally walked over before, including a temple they thought was a hill. "There was this fortress in our area," Garrison told The Washington Post. "In 2010, I was within 150 feet of this thing, which would have been a massive discovery in 2010." Using the data, researchers have been able to refine their thoughts about Maya civilization. According to the Associated Press, researchers now believe that as many as 10 million people may have lived in the area known as the Maya Lowlands - two or three times as many as scientists had thought. And because all those people needed to eat, in some areas, 95 percent of available land was drained - including areas that have not been farmed since the Maya fell. "Their agriculture is much more intensive and therefore sustainable than we thought, and they were cultivating every inch of the land," Francisco Estrada-Belli, a research assistant professor at Tulane University, told the AP. During the Maya classic period, which stretched from A.D. 250 to 900, the civilization covered an area twice the size of medieval England, according to National Geographic, and was much more densely populated. "Most people had been comfortable with population estimates of around 5 million," said Estrada-Belli, who directs a multidisciplinary archaeological project at Holmul, Guatemala. "With this new data, it's no longer unreasonable to think that there were 10 to 15 million people there - including many living in low-lying, swampy areas that many of us had thought uninhabitable." Lidar revealed a previously undetected structure that Garrison said "can't be called anything other than a Maya fortress." That and other newly discovered fortresses indicate that the Maya may have been involved in more conflict - even outright warfare - than previously believed, and at earlier points in history. "While we've known that the Maya practiced warfare, we haven't see this investment in warlike things," Garrison said. "Here we have these features at the beginning of the apex of their civilization. That's really interesting. What role does warfare play in society? Is it actually a catalyst for growth and development?" Researchers also have a newfound way of thinking about the jungle: as both impediment and preserver. The remains of other cultures have been destroyed by generation upon generation of farming. But after the Maya abandoned their empire in A.D. 900, the jungle grew over abandoned fields and structures. It hid them but also helped to conserve them. "In this, the jungle, which has hindered us in our discovery efforts for so long, has actually worked as this great preservative tool of the impact the culture had across the landscape," Garrison said. At the meeting co-chaired by PM Phuc and his Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith, the two PMs showed the delight at the results of comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. They will double efforts to achieve a 10% growth in two-way trade, while expanding collaboration in human resources training, investing in transport infrastructure projects to connect the two countries, and coordinating in managing the sustainable use of water and natural resources. After the meeting, the two PMs witnessed the signing of 12 cooperation documents of ministries, departments and localities in the fields of economics, trade, investment, education-training and energy the highest number signed in a meeting between the two sides. Also in Vientiane, PM Phuc met with General Secretary of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith and Chairwoman of the countrys National Assembly Pany Yathotou. He affirmed that the Communist Party of Vietnam, the State, Government and people of Vietnam always give the highest priority to the enhancement of the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Laos, considering these as priceless and vital for their countries revolutionary causes. PM Phuc and his Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith joined about 1,000 Vietnamese people in Laos at a celebration for the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) festival in Vientiane on February 4 They also visited telecommunications company Star Telecom, a joint venture between Lao Asia Telecom and Vietnams Viettel Group. In Focus with Allison Walker is a 30-minute public affairs program, featuring a roundtable of newsmakers representing a range of perspectives, including local officials and expert analysts as they tackle topical issues of importance to Floridians. In Focus airs Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., right after Political Connections. Orlando Police have identified the person who was shot and killed early Saturday in the Lake Nona area. Kvonte Dowe, 18, was found lying on the ground along Kensington Row Court just before 1 a.m. The person who found him called 911 and also reported hearing gunshots. Dowe was a student at Lake Nona High School, police said. No other details were immediately available. The trial for the man accused of murdering a 16-year-old girl in Orange County began Monday. Sanel Saint Simon is charged in the murder of Alexandria Chery and dumping her body in a wooded area back in 2014. The Orange County deputies say Chery's mother found blood in her room, along with bleach that appeared to be used to cover up the blood splatter. She also found a pair of men's underwear that the mother's boyfriend, Saint Simon, took from the room. Rosie Joseph, the victims mother, was the first to be called to the stand after opening arguments. She was questioned about the day of her daughters death, her relationship with Saint Simon, and other details surrounding the case. Do you remember how many years ago, or what year you met him? asked the prosecution. What I remember when I met him, Alex was 5 years old, said Joseph through a translator. Deputies originally arrested Saint Simon on charges of providing false information to law enforcement and attempted destruction of evidence. He has been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. In August of 2017, a judge denied a motion to remove State Attorney Brad King from the case against the accused killer. Gov. Rick Scott removed State Attorney Aramis Ayala from this and other cases after she said she would not seek the death penalty for any defendant. After starting our Monday with plenty of clouds around, drier and slightly cooler air invaded and brought Central Florida a magnificent Monday afternoon. Fog possible every morning this week Tuesday to see high temp of 80 degrees SEE BELOW: See our 7-day forecast We picked up a really nice round of steady rain Sunday. The weak front responsible dragged drier, slightly cooler air across the area and scoured out most the clouds. High pressure building over the mid-Atlantic will quickly swing our light wind around to be more onshore. As we tap into a little Atlantic moisture and watch temps fall close to the dew point overnight, areas of dense fog will be possible. We may actually see fog every morning this week, so keep that in mind when prepping for your morning commute. Above average temps return with highs Tuesday close to 80, then into the lower 80s Wednesday. A weak boundary stalled to our north will bring us a low-end rain chance Thursday into the upcoming weekend. Well keep highs in the upper 70s both Thursday and Friday. WEATHER ON THE GO: Download the News 13+ app and get StormTracker 13 & Safety Net alerts wherever you are. GET WEATHER ALERTS: Sign up to receive weather text alerts from News 13 Our overall surfcast looks fair the next couple days, with wave heights around waist to chest high and an east-northeast to easterly swell. The rip current threat remains moderate for the week ahead as well, so be careful if youre hitting the waves or braving the chilly Atlantic waters. The UV index is expected to climb into the high category, so under 30 minutes for a burn. View LIVE Interactive StormTracker 13 Radar Map We want your pictures! Show us what the weather looks like in your neighborhood. Your photo could end up on News 13 and mynews13.com/weatherpics. Willie Nelson has cancelled his February tour dates as he requires a few extra weeks to recover completely from the flu. Nelson reportedly looks healthy, but his doctor determined that his voice needs more time to recuperate before performing. He will resume the tour in early March. In a statement, Nelson said: "I will see you all down the road." Dates that are cancelled or postponed: Feb 7 Macon, GA Macon Centreplex Coliseum Feb 9 Biloxi, MS IP Casino Resort & Hotel Feb 10 Panama City, FL The Marina Civic Center Feb 12 Estero, FL Germain Arena Feb 13 Pompano Beach, FL Pompano Beach Amphitheatre Feb 15 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall Feb 17 Cocoa, FL Space Coast State Fair Feb 18 Saint Augustine, FL Saint Augustine Amphitheatre In Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, Vietnamese expatriates joined together in Phat Tich pagoda on February 4 to pray for peace and happiness in the upcoming New Year. Speaking at the event, Venerable Thich Minh Quang, head of the pagoda highlighted the need to preserve Vietnams cultural identity and traditions. Built in 1957, the pagoda is serving religious demand of overseas Vietnamese (OVs) living in Vientiane and adjacent areas. It is a place for exchange, thus promoting unity in the Vietnamese community in the country. On February 4, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Vu Quang Minh, as entrusted by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, presented more than 700 gifts to Vietnamese and Cambodian families in difficult circumstances in Kampong Chhnang and Kampong Thom provinces, Cambodia, ahead of Tet. On this occasion, Ambassador Minh visited a number of Vietnamese families in Kampong Chhnang province. He also had a working session with the local authority during which he asked them to create conditions for the Vietnamese in the locality to lead a stable life, contributing to local economic development. Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Vu Quang Minh presents gifts to Vietnamese and Cambodian families in difficult circumstances in Kampong Chhnang and Kampong Thom provinces, Cambodia. (Photo: NDO) On February 3, the Vietnamese permanent representative delegation to the UN and the Vietnamese Consulate General in New York jointly held a get-together for OVs and international friends to welcome the new spring. In her speech at the event, Head of the Vietnamese permanent representative delegation to the UN Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga looked back Vietnams great achievements in 2017 across fields from economy, socio-culture, diplomacy, to defence and security. The Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership has witnessed fruitful developments through Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs visit to the US and President Donald Trumps official visit to Vietnam in the year. She stressed contributions made by Vietnamese expats in the US as well as international friends to promoting the relations between the two countries. The ambassador took the occasion to wish OVs in New York and adjacent areas and international friends a happy New Year. The same day, Vietnamese expats in Buenos Aires of Argentina and Moscow of Russia gathered at ceremonies to celebrate the traditional Tet. Overseas Vietnamese in Australia also gathered in Canberra to celebrate the traditional Lunar New Year festival on February 3. Also on February 3, Vietnams Embassy in Japan and the Vietnamese Consulate General in Fukuoka city of Japan hosted similar events, providing opportunities for Vietnamese expatriates to meet each other after one year of hard work. A 21-year-old Fort Worth man admitted to police that he punched a one-year-old baby in the head twice because the child would not stop crying, local media reports. Derrick Pete Silva, 21, was arrested Thursday after confessing to police that he struck the 19-month-old baby last November in a fit of rage, according to the Star-Telegram and CBS DFW. Police said Silva was involved with the infant's 16-year-old mother, who told authorities Silva would tell the one-year-old not to cry "like a little bitch" and also threatened to have the child's "pee pee" chopped off. POLICE: Texas City man arrested in connection to bomb threat made to preschool Silva told investigators he punched the baby "really hard on the back of his head," causing the child's hands and feet to begin to twitch and shake. The 21-year-old then left the room to watch television and calm down, police said. Shortly after, Silva's cousin found the crying baby on the floor and alerted Silva, who carried the one-year-old baby to his mother and told her something was wrong, according to the suspect's interview with police. STANDOFF: Suspect who shot a deputy while handcuffed identified An ambulance was called to take the child to a local hospital where he died from blunt force injuries, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office. The child's mother told hospital staff she believed the one-year-old fell from his bed. Hospital officials alerted police when they noticed the child's injuries were not consistent with a two to three-foot fall. See some of the most shocking crimes that occurred near the Houston area in recent years. By Lauren Sellew Record-Journal staff MERIDEN A city man faces charges after police said he threatened a teacher at Platt High School and was later found with a knife. Michael Letizio, 21, of 30 Windsor Ave., was charged Jan. 30 with possession of a weapon at school, second-degree threatening, second-degree criminal trespass, second-degree breach of peace, and possession of less than half an ounce of marijuana. Letizio went to Platt on Jan. 30 to speak with an ex-girlfriend, said police spokesman Sgt. Darrin McKay. He was speaking with his ex-girlfriend in a hallway when a teacher told the two to go to class. Letizio became combative and threatened to assault the teacher, McKay said. Letizio left the building and was met by the school resource officer while he was walking on Coe Avenue, McKay said. The officer found he was carrying a steak knife and the remains of a marijuana cigarette. Letizio was taken into custody and then released on $500 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Meriden Superior Court on Feb. 14 SOUTHINGTON A section of South End Road is closed this morning after a car struck a utility pole. The crash was reported around 7:22 a.m. and involved one vehicle, Lt. Stephen Elliott, police spokesman, said. There are no reported injuries. South End Road is closed between South Borough Road and Brownstone Drive. A memorial service was held on Sunday for air force personnel killed in the crash of a military aircraft during a training flight in Guizhou on January 29th. According to a report published on the official Weibo account of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), family members were accompanied at the memorial by defense force leaders and fellow soldiers. The PLAAF expressed its condolences to the families of those killed, who were posthumously awarded the title Revolutionary Martyr by military authorities on Friday. It said the accomplished personnel had made a great contribution to the PLAAF. The weekend brought the kind of California warmth and sunshine that makes the rest of the country jealous. As temperatures plummeted elsewhere, Bay Area residents pulled out their cutoff shorts and tank tops. Runners sprinted through Golden Gate Park, and young people lounged in the grass drinking beer. For February, the temperatures were unheard of. They broke records for both Saturday and Sunday, forecasters said. Ironically, Monday is the 42nd anniversary of the last time there was sea level snow in the Bay Area. But this past week and the coming week could hardly be more different from that, forecasters wryly noted. Its probably going to be pretty similar. It may cool off a few degrees tomorrow, but itll be similar, said Anna Schneider, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service. On Sunday, San Francisco heated up to 74 degrees, breaking its record of 73 for the date. It was 74 degrees Saturday, too, breaking its record of 71. The average temperature for this time of year in downtown San Francisco is 59 degrees. San Francisco International Airport hit 75 degrees and beat its record of 71 in 2009 Sunday. On Saturday, it was 76 degrees, up from 70 in 1984. Records were also broken in Santa Rosa, with temperatures reaching 76 degrees on Saturday and 77 degrees on Sunday. Oakland International Airport crushed its record of 70 degrees Saturday, hitting 76 degrees in the afternoon. On Sunday, it hit 70 degrees, up from 69 degrees in 1980. San Jose International Airport reached 78 degrees Saturday, surpassing a previous record of 74 in 2009. On Sunday, it hit 76 degrees, tying with the same temperature in 1963. Temperatures will mostly hover in the upper 60s to low 70s for most of the Bay Area throughout the week, with lower temperatures set to arrive next weekend, Schneider said. No rain is in sight for the foreseeable future. As far out as we can see, it looks dry, Schneider said. Pretty much dry weather for the rest of the week. Some forecast models show little to no rain through Feb. 20, according to the National Weather Service. Rainfall averages remain below normal for the region, Schneider said. We are usually a little wetter in February, Schneider added. For the water year, the entire region is 50 to 70 percent below normal, she said. San Francisco normally receives up to 13 inches of rain from October to February, but the city has received only about 8 inches of rainfall so far. The normal amount of rainfall for Oakland is about 11 inches by now, but only about 8 inches has fallen there. The normal precipitation at this point for San Jose is 8 inches, but so far the city has recorded just a little under 5 inches. Santa Rosa, which normally would have 21 inches of rain by now, has received only 13 inches. Much of the dryness is attributed to a ridge an elongated area of high atmospheric pressure that was in place above of the region for the month of December and appears to be setting up to stay for February, Schneider said. Around areas of high pressure, you get compression of air underneath it, and that tends to prevent any kind of precipitation, Schneider said. So youre usually going to get not as many clouds and kind of have a little bit warmer weather. Lizzie Johnson and Sarah Ravani are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com, sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @lizziejohnsonnn, @SarRavani The Home Depot plans to hire 2,050 workers in the Houston area to prepare for its busy spring selling season. Interested applicants can apply online at careers.homedepot.com, or text HOMEDEPOT to 52270. Texas community health officials urged Congress to act this week to reauthorize funding for clinics that serve the state's neediest patients who might not have access to health care otherwise. "We urge Congress to find a sense of urgency around funding community health centers, which have enjoyed bipartisan support for decades," Katy Caldwell, CEO of Legacy Community Health, the state's largest network of clinics, said in a statement Monday. "Further delays will impact our bottom line and service to our communities. Let's not break what's working in health care today," she said. RELATED: Texas children deserve better than this from Congress Roughly 1.2 million people in Texas are treated at the state's 72 community health clinics, which offer primary care, mental health and addiction treatment, and even dental services. Nationally, more than 25 million mostly low-income patients get their care from community health clinics, with about half of those in rural areas where the clinics are their main access to treatment. The federal government provides the largest majority of funding to the clinics, a provision of the Affordable Care Act. That funding expired Sept. 30, leaving clinics both in Texas and across the country in limbo, health officials have said. A stopgap funding measure was approved but will only last through next month. Funding for another health program, CHIP, the Children's Health Insurance Program, also expired Sept. 30 but its fate garnered much more attention. Funding for CHIP was reauthorized for six years as part of the compromise late last month to reopen the government after the last shutdown. Caldwell and others are urging lawmakers to come up with a more lasting solution this week for community clinics. House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., told The Hill on Friday that lawmakers "hope" to add money for the health centers to the short-term spending bill. The Federal Reserve just devised a harsh new punishment after Wells Fargo & Co. landed in scandal after scandal -- one that may haunt every big bank. The San Francisco-based lender was banned late Friday from growing until it convinces authorities its addressing shortcomings -- an action that could cost it $400 million in profit this year. Untested is how the cap on total assets will affect the firm long term by handing its largest competitors an advantage in pursuing new business. Even as the Trump administration signals a loosening of regulations across industries including Wall Street, the Feds move sets a scary tone. In an industry where public scorn seems to shift every few years to another colossal U.S. firm, without necessarily hampering growth, this year its Wells Fargo -- next year, who knows? The Fed just put the fear of God into bank boardrooms across the country, Capital Alpha Partners LLC analyst Ian Katz said in a Sunday note. Since the financial crisis, bank boards have gradually become more serious and less rubber-stampy. But the Wells scandals indicate that some boards still arent vigilant enough. Shares of the company tumbled more than 9 percent in early trading in New York on Monday, dropping to $58.12 at 7:07 a.m. Wells Fargo is moving to rectify the regulators concerns, said spokesman Oscar Suris. As Fridays consent order acknowledges, Wells Fargo has made progress in enhancing its board governance and compliance and risk management, and that work continues through the consent-order process and ongoing actions such as recent key outside hires and additions to the board, Suris said Sunday in an emailed statement. The company is confident that under Chair Betsy Duke and CEO Tim Sloan we will move swiftly to address the issues. Read more: Wells Fargos rehabilitation requires change at the top: Gadfly Major U.S. banks have bounced back from past crackdowns. In 2013, JPMorgan Chase & Co. agreed to more than $23 billion in legal and regulatory settlements as the bank sought to resolve probes in areas including energy trading, oversight of services to Ponzi-scheme operator Bernard Madoff and mortgage-linked dealings by the bank and firms it acquired. The next year its assets grew by $157 billion. In late 2011, mounting fines and liabilities over Bank of America Corp.s role in the housing collapse pushed its stock price below $5. Still, the bank was able to add more than $80 billion in assets the following year. The Wells Fargo sanction -- called unprecedented by Fed officials -- arguably marks an apex for central-bank enforcement actions that have been ratcheting up in recent years. The Fed has at times put a banks growth in check, such as in 2005 when it told Citigroup Inc. that it was expected to not undertake significant expansion until it addressed the issues that gave rise to numerous compliance failures. But before the 2008 financial crisis, the Fed wasnt known for punishing lenders. During former Chair Janet Yellens tenure it changed course, routinely banning bankers from the industry who had been accused of misconduct and joining other regulators in imposing billions of dollars in fines on Wall Street firms. Whats unclear is whether Wells Fargos sanction reflects how the Fed will do business going forward, or if its the capstone of a more aggressive enforcement posture that could now start receding. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly said he wants to loosen constraints on the financial industry, is increasingly putting his stamp on the central bank. His pick, Jay Powell, succeeds Yellen. Former Carlyle Group LP executive Randal Quarles is now responsible for the Feds oversight of large banks, and last month the Trump appointee laid out his road map for easing aspects of the Dodd-Frank Act and other rules. Quarles said his plans include altering regulations that have forced lenders to hold bigger capital cushions, revising Volcker Rule trading restrictions and making annual stress tests that examine whether firms can endure another economic meltdown less burdensome. Quarles, who became the Feds vice chair of supervision in October, had no involvement with the Wells Fargo case because family ties have prompted him to recuse himself from all matters tied to the lender. Representative Maxine Waters of California, the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, said the Feds action shows that regulators must be vigilant across the industry. We need more regulators to be willing to use all of the regulatory tools at their disposal to deal with bad actors like Wells Fargo, she said. The Feds move presents an opportunity for other banking giants, according to Betsy Graseck, an analyst at Morgan Stanley. Wells Fargo is coming off a year when its loans fell for the first time since 2010 as the bank grappled with fallout from the scandals and pulled back in auto lending. Any reliance on the consumer business for growth would come as the bank is shrinking its branch network. I would think every competitor is looking at this saying, OK, Wells is going to be on the back foot for the full year so lets go after market share, Graseck said Friday as analysts grilled Sloan on Wells Fargos conference call. A very small number of Wells Fargos existing customers will be affected by the banks need to dial back some activities, Sloan said on the call. Among them will be other banks that have parked some of their money at Wells Fargo, said Chief Financial Officer John Shrewsberry. Ditching those high-cost deposits could end up boosting Wells Fargos net interest margin, Shrewsberry said. Sloan, the banks chief executive since October 2016, isnt in imminent danger, said Charles Peabody, an analyst at Compass Point Research & Trading. Sloan can stay as long as there is no additional scandal, Peabody said. Youve got to have the shareholders on board to change management. I dont sense you have it there yet. Still, in a Sunday note, Jefferies analyst Ken Usdin summed up concerns about the potential for more sanctions or nervous investors dumping shares by asking whether the Feds action was the end of the beginning or beginning of the end. A traditional "1,000-meter-long banquet" was held over the weekend in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality as locals welcome the Lunar New Year. Local residents send self prepared food to the banquet for the relatives and tourists to taste in the old town of Zhongshan in Chongqing City on Feb 3, 2018.. [Photo: chinanews.com] More than 800 tables of delicacies were presented at the banquet along a street that stretches more than a kilometer in Chongqing's Zhongshan Old Town. The food was for the hosts' relatives as well as more than 30,000 tourists. Residents of the town traditionally hold these banquets to welcome the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 16 this year. In the past, the town was a busy port, and locals would prepare food along the street to cater to business people and porters who could not make it home for family gatherings. Tourists enjoy the food at the "1,000-meter-long banquet" in the old town of Zhongshan in Chongqing City on Feb 3, 2018. [Photo: chinanews.com] In 2005, locals decided to boost local tourism by resuming the tradition. Each year, on weekends before the Spring Festival, families cook their best dishes beside their homes to entertain visitors. Resident Li Chunmei prepared smoked pig trotters and sausages on Sunday. She prepared 45 tables of food for visiting gourmands. "Hosting the banquet has always been the busiest day in town," Li said. "Business has been really good." TOLEDO, Ohio Hemmed in by a growing number of states that block mandatory union fees in workplaces, holdout states in the Midwest are facing renewed attempts to enact so-called right-to-work laws. Missouris new law will go to a statewide referendum in November, while a pair of Republican lawmakers in Ohio announced last month they want to put the issue before voters in two years. With many of their neighboring states some with deep ties to organized labor already adopting right-to-work laws, the question is whether unions and their Democratic supporters will able to stop the next domino from falling. Right-to-Work laws guarantee that no person can be compelled to join or not join a labor union. It wasnt long ago that Indiana became the first Rust Belt state to enact right-to-work in 2012. Nearby states including Michigan, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Kentucky followed leaving Ohio, Illinois and Missouri nearly surrounded. Right-to-work backers in those three remaining states contend theyre now at a disadvantage and in danger of being left behind because they believe the laws make nearby states more business friendly and attract jobs. My fear is that if we dont do this, we will see states like Indiana and Michigan pull away, said Rep. Craig Riedel, an Ohio Republican who wants the GOP-controlled the legislature to put six right-to-work amendments on the 2020 ballot. Waiting until then, he said, will give their side time to explain the details and show how theyre different from proposed collective bargaining restrictions that failed overwhelmingly in a statewide vote in 2011. Ohios Republican Gov. John Kasich, who has said right-to-work isnt a priority, also will be out of office by then. Union leaders in the state who contend that right-to-work rules mean lower wages and less protection for workers already have started pushing back, putting up billboards around Ohio. Economists and labor researchers say its difficult to determine the true impact of such laws because dozens of other factors influence where companies decide to locate, such as energy costs and access to transportation. The evidence is slim that it helps, said Roland Zullo, a labor relations professor at the University of Michigan. Its being sold as a way to improve the economy, but the real agenda is to undermine the power of labor unions. Still, advocates for right-to-work in the Rust Belt are quick to point to nearby states like Kentucky, where the head of an aluminum company that announced plans last spring to build a $1.3 billion plant there said it wouldve gone elsewhere if it hadnt become a right-to-work state earlier in the year. The fact were surrounded by right-to-work states is very meaningful to Illinois economic future, said Todd Maisch, president of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. It doesnt mean we have to have it to be competitive, but weve got to do something. Few companies are willing to say the lack of right-to-work plays a role in their decision, Maisch said, but he believes it was a reason why Toyota and Mazda chose Alabama last month instead of Illinois for its new $1.6 billion joint venture plant. Among the three states without right-to-work in the industrial Midwest, Illinois is the least likely to change because Democrats have a tight grip on its legislature. The dominant factor in terms of right-to-work is who has control of state government, said labor researcher Jake Rosenfeld, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis. That has been play book thats worked. Republicans in Missouri made right-to-work a priority after winning the governors office, but unions put a stop to the new law by collecting enough signatures to get a public vote. In Ohio, Republicans control the states elected offices, but some party leaders are hesitant to take on labor again after the collective bargaining defeat just over six years ago. But backers think they can be successful this time by convincing voters that Ohio is losing out to neighboring states. AFL-CIO Ohio president Tim Burga said he and other union leaders are preparing for a fight. We wont be caught by surprised that there are these extreme legislators that want to drive these anti-worker proposals, he said. This will be met with great opposition. GREENWICH Raising middle schoolers can require a toolbox filled with behavioral strategies and developmental understanding, pediatricians Marcie Schneider and Sara Levine of Greenwich Adolescent Medicine said during a meeting with parents at Sacred Heart Greenwich. The doctor duo offered insights into physical and neurological child development. For example, girls growth spurts come at the beginning of puberty, whereas boys spurts fall near pubertys conclusions resulting in the height differentials often observed between the sexes in middle school. The job in middle school is to look the same as everybody else because thats what makes them feel good, like they belong, said Schneider. Body image is really a prime thing. Think about what I just said as they are growing and developing its a real challenge to look the same when they are all at different stages. Schneider and Levine said they often have patients coming to their office with somatic complaints headaches, stomach aches, frequent fatigue. They said reducing childrens tightly packed schedules and adding activities just for fun can reduce stress. Adolescent should also get 9 hours of sleep per night for growth, Schneider said. Schneider and Levine also serve as medical consultants to the Center for Discovery residential eating disorder programs for adolescents in Fairfield and Southport. Anorexia peaks at 13 and 17 (years old), said Schneider. Bulemia generally starts older, but it certainly starts in the teenage years. Levine emphasized setting boundaries around childrens media use and screen time, and suggested the creation of a family media plan. The average 8 to 12 year old spends eight hours per day consuming media, she said. What is really different for this generation is that online and offline rules are much more different than ours are, she said. Head of the Middle School at Sacred Heart Greenwich Dave Olson said many students as young as fifth grade have cellphones. It is important for families to set firm ground rules for phone use and revisit them often, he said. Schneider was recruited by Greenwich Hospital in 1999 to start an adolescent program, after serving as associate chief of the Division of Adolescent Medicine and medical director of the Eating Disorders Day Program at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, New York. In 2005, Schneider launched Greenwich Adolescent Medicine. Levine joined Schneider in 2008 after completing her pediatric training and adolescent medicine fellowship at the Childrens Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx, New York. emunson@greenwichtime.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson TRUMBULL - A postal worker has been charged with stealing credit cards from local residents and then using the cards to charge hundreds of dollars in merchandise and services from local businesses. Felicia Rogers, of Cedar Street, Bridgeport, was charged with multiple counts of identity theft, credit card theft and forgery. She was released after posting $25,000 bond. Police said they received complaints from four residents that they had gotten notice of numerous charges on credit cards they had been waiting to receive through the mail. The credit cards had been used at Target stores, Victorias Secret and other stores in the area, police said. In one instance, police said a stolen credit card was used at the Bridgeport Veterinary Hospital to purchase medication for seven cats. Police said they put out a surveillance photograph of the woman using the credit card at the veterinary hospital and she was subsequently identified as Rogers who worked in local post offices. Officers went to the post office to talk to Rogers but were told she had just left before they got there, police said. Police said Rogers later surrendered at the Police Department. They said she told them she had gotten the credit cards from a man she knew only as Devin but couldnt identify him further. Joe Visconti is a proud stage dad sort of. No other Republican gubernatorial candidate in Connecticut is more pro-Trump than Visconti. So when Viscontis son, who goes by the same name, recently won an Emmy for film production work on Saturday Night Live, it was a punchline. From Alec Baldwins combover to Melissa McCarthys portrayal of Sean Spicer, no other show enjoys trolling the president as much as SNL does. And when the crew found out that one of their own is related to a Trump diehard who got 11,456 votes in the 2014 governors race as a petition candidate, well it provided additional comic relief. This crazy Trump guy has your name, the elder Visconti quipped, quoting his sons coworkers. Yeah, hes my father. Visconti had raised $2,995 for his 2018 gubernatorial as of Jan. 1, an amount that the states top Republican J.R. Romano has said wasnt enough to merit an invitation to debate the other GOP candidates in the race. Despite his early allegiances to Trump and volunteer work, Visconti was also left off the delegate roster for the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Both the elder Visconti, 61, a former West Hartford town councilor and thespian, and the younger Visconti, 30, now have Emmys. The elder Viscontis Emmy came in 1997 for a documentary he produced on people with disabilities. Jan. 18 At 11:01 a.m., Officer D.Rocha conducted a traffic stop on a gray-colored 4 door vehicle in the 6800 block of South Rice Ave. This vehicle had defective equipment (brake light). Contact was made with the driver who was subsequently found to be operating a motor vehicle while her Texas Driver's License currently invalid / suspended. The driver was arrested and taken to the Bellaire Jail where she was booked for the charge of driving while license suspended / enhanced with no insurance (Class B misdemeanor). At 6:07 p.m., Officer Salinas observed a rental vehicle with the engine running, and unattended in the parking lot of Randall's at 5130 Bellaire Blvd. Officer Salinas made contact with a representative of the rental company that owned the vehicle. After conducting an investigation it was determined the vehicle was rented in October 2017, and was never returned. The vehicle was towed to a PV Holding Corp affiliated company location in Houston. A Dell Inspirion 24 3000 Series "All in One" desktop was found in the rear cargo area of the vehicle and held by Bellaire Police Department until a property hearing can be held. Jan. 19 At 12:53 a.m., Officer Clisham initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for displaying and expired registration sticker in the area of 4600 Bellaire Blvd. After making contact with the driver and further investigation, the driver of said vehicle was placed into custody and charged with driving while license suspended enhance, a class b misdemeanor. At 1:45 p.m., Officer Liccketto conducted a traffic stop on a blue Ford focus for expired registration in the 4800 block of Bissonnet Street. During the investigation, the driver was found to have a suspended driver's license with no proof of financial responsibility. The driver was arrested for driving while license invalid enhanced and was transported to the Bellaire Police Department for booking. At 3:39 p.m., Officer Younger made contact with the victim who advised an unknown suspect forced entry into his vehicle in the 5000 block of Cedar Street and stole a work bag. At 8:51 p.m., Officer Younger was dispatched to the 4900 block of Elm Street in regards to a death investigation. The subject was found to have passed away due to complications of cancer and was transported by the funeral home. Jan. 20 At 1:06 p.m., Officer Schwausch was dispatched to 5910 West Loop South in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle. Upon arrival, Officer Schwausch made contact with the victim who stated her purse was taken out of her vehicle while she was pumping gas. The purse contained a red wallet with 2 VISA cards and approximately $40. The suspect was seen leaving the scene south bound on the IH 610 West Service road in a black Toyota 4runner, 2014 or newer with a temporary license plate. The suspect is described as a tall black male Jan. 21 At 12:01 a.m., Officer Clisham initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area of 4800 Bissonnet St. for having two broken tail lights (both lights had broken lenses causing each light to emit white light to the rear of the vehicle). After making contact with the driver of said vehicle and further investigation, said driver was placed into custody and charged with driving while intoxicated. Jan. 22 At 2:09 a.m., Officer Clisham observed a vehicle in the area of 5400 Bellaire Blvd., exit the public roadway and continue to drive through a private parking lot and then back onto the public roadway in order to avoid a traffic control devise (red light) said vehicle was also displaying an unreadable temporary license plate. Officer Clisham initiated a traffic stop on said vehicle. After making contact with the driver and further investigation, said driver was placed into custody and charged with driving while intoxicated. Jan. 24 At 1:07 a.m., Officer Barrientos responded to a burglary of a motor vehicle which just occurred in the 4400 block of Verone. The vehicle in which the suspect was driving was a silver pickup truck. Ofc. Barrientos observed a vehicle in the 4500 block of Bellaire Blvd matching the description and initiated a traffic stop. Upon further investigation, the driver was found with items belonging to the victim inside the pickup truck. Ofc. Barrientos placed the driver in custody and he was charged with multiple counts of burglary of a motor vehicle. At 1:07 a.m., Officer Salinas was dispatched to the 4400 block of Verone Street in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle that had just occurred. The suspect was located and placed in custody by Bellaire Police Officers a few minutes later. At 3:09 a.m., Officer Salinas located a black Ford Expedition parked in front of a residence in the 4300 block of Mildred Street that had been burglarized. The stolen items from the Ford Expedition were recovered inside the suspect's vehicle. The suspect was charged with an additional charge of burglary of a motor vehicle for this case. At 8:32 a.m., Officer Vorhees was dispatched to the 5600 block of Saint Paul Street to meet with the reportee in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle. The reportee stated an unknown suspect'(s) broke the passenger side window of her vehicle and stole her purse from the front passenger side floor board. At 8:10 a.m., Officer Andrade was dispatched to Bellaire Police Department Lobby in reference to burglary of a motor vehicle in the 4300 block of Mildred Street. Officer Andrade met with the victim who stated between 6:30 p.m. Jan. 23 and 7:30 a.m. Jan. 24, an unknown suspect entered her unlocked vehicle and stole several items. After further investigation, the suspect was identified and charged with Class B misdemeanor burglary of a motor vehicle. All of the victim's stolen items were recovered. At 1:24 p.m., Officer Andrade was dispatched to the 4600 block of Pine Street in reference to a burglary of a building. At 1:32 p.m., Officer Andrade meet with the reportee who stated sometime between 10:30 p.m. Jan. 23 ant 6 a.m. Jan. 24, an unknown suspect broke the lock to the construction site and stole roofing material from the front yard. After further investigation, this was determined to be a theft. At 4:42 p.m., Officer Younger initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for failing to stop at a designated point at 6800 S. Rice Ave. The traffic stop investigation found the driver in possession of marijuana and various types of prescription medications. The driver was placed into custody and transported to the Bellaire Jail to be processed. At 11:16 p.m., Officer Schwausch was patrolling the intersection of Chimney Rock Drive and Bissonnet Street. Officer Schwausch was traveling northbound on Chimney Rock Drive behind a black Nissan Maxima and observed the Maxima run the left turn light and turn west bound onto Bissonnet Street. Officer Schwausch's investigation in the traffic stop found one of the passengers to possess 9 grams of marijuana, a marijuana grinder, and a glass bong. The suspect was deferred to the Marijuana Diversion Program offered by the Harris County District Attorney's Office and the drugs/paraphernalia were seized. Jan. 25 At 2:50 a.m., Sgt. D. Hollie was patrolling the 5200 block of Bissonnet Street (E/B), when he observed Dodge traveling eastbound. Sgt. Hollie observed this vehicle fail to obey sign: no left turn at the intersection Bissonnet St. and Bellaire Blvd. Sgt. Hollie made a traffic stop on the vehicle for this reason. After further investigation, the driver was arrested for Driving While License Invalid (DWLI) and the driver could not provide proof of financial responsibility at the time of the offense. At 12:40 p.m., Officer Vorhees was dispatched to a shoplifting in progress at 5002 Bellaire Blvd, Walgreen's Drug Store. Officer Vorhees made contact with the store manager who stated a H/M filled a hand basket with condoms and walked out of the store fleeing in a brown older model Jeep. Jan. 26 At 1:27 p.m., Officer Andrade was dispatched to 5104 Bellaire Blvd. in reference to a theft. Officer Andrade met with the victim who stated an unknown suspect broke the front right passenger side window and stole cash from his interior door pocket of his parked vehicle. Jan. 27 At 10:54 a.m., Officer M. Santillanes was dispatched to the 4600 block of Pine in reference to a theft call. Upon arrival, Officer M. Santillanes met with the reportee who advised an unknown suspect stole roof decking materials from the property after cutting a metal lock off the gate which was securing the property. After speaking with the reportee and contractors on scene it was determined the incident occurred sometime between 6:10 p.m. Jan. 26 and 7:20 a.m. Jan. 27. Jan. 28 At 7:17 p.m., Officer Liccketto conducted a traffic stop in the 5300 block of Bissonnet Street on a brown Hyundai Santa Fe for expired motor vehicle registration. During the investigation, the driver was found to be in possession of marijuana. The driver was arrested for possession of marijuana and transported to the Bellaire Police department for booking. The passenger was also arrested for city of Bellaire municipal warrants. At 7:53 p.m., Officer Delgado observed a blue 1995 Cadillac in the 5400 block of the IH 610 N/B with an obscured license plate. Officer Delgado conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and made contact with the driver. After further investigation, the driver was placed into custody for suspicion of driving while intoxicated and transported to Bellaire Police Department's Jail for processing. The mother told the 911 operator she had no idea how long her 2-year-old daughter had been outside in the freezing cold. She knew only that the toddler was not breathing after finding her Friday on the family's front porch in Akron, Ohio, where temperatures had been hovering around 15 degrees. "My daughter, she was outside! My daughter, she's not breathing!" the mother is heard saying in a heart-wrenching 911 recording obtained by The Washington Post. "She is ice cold! She's not responding to me!" "She's frozen! She's frozen!" the mother screamed frantically. The toddler, who was identified by the Akron Police Department as 2-year-old Wynter Parker, was rushed to Akron Children's Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, authorities said. The child's death is under investigation, and authorities on Monday had not said whether charges may be filed in the case. Police responded about 3:30 p.m. Friday to the family's home on Doty Drive. The mother - who has not been publicly identified by authorities - told police she had found her young daughter unconscious and cold to the touch on the front porch, authorities said. The mother later told investigators that she had gone out with her 4-year-old son, leaving Wynter with the child's father, according to a statement from police. The father, who also wasn't publicly identified by police, "works a night shift job and fell asleep," police said in the statement. "The two-year-old wandered outside the house and was found by the mother when she returned home." The mother had been away from the house for about two hours, police said. In the eight-minute audio recording, she told the dispatcher that her daughter "left and went outside." Asked how long the toddler had been out there, she replied, "I have no idea!" The dispatcher patiently instructed the hysterical mother to breathe into her child's mouth and start chest compressions while she waited for help, counting with her: "One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four." "I'm pumping! I'm pumping!" the mother cried, pleading for paramedics. "Where are they? Oh my God, she's not responding!" After the incident, neighbors grappled with what had happened. "I cried because I just don't understand how a 2-year-old could be outside and you not know," Crystal Lucas told Fox affiliate WJW. She added: "It's just a very sad situation. It literally broke my heart." The Summit County medical examiner's office said it was performing an autopsy Monday afternoon to determine the cause of death. --- Audio A woman in Akron, Ohio, called 911 after she found her 2-year-old daughter unresponsive outside on Feb. 2. (City of Akron Police Department) http://wapo.st/2E3MWqf NEW HAVEN While people crowded into Claires Corner Copia Monday morning to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act, they were there also to urge both Congress and Connecticut to take action on paid family leave legislation. Surrounded by local leaders and advocates, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3, said over the past 25 years American workers have used the Family and Medical Leave Act more than 200 million times, whether it be to take care of a family member, recover from a serious illness or welcome a new child . While the 200 million people may sound like a large number, she said, eight out of 10 eligible workers cannot afford to take FMLA leave. For those who do qualify, workers are only offered unpaid leave. While FMLA was a landmark step in the 1990s, DeLauro said if (people) lose a weeks worth of wages, or more than a week, several weeks, in order to care for a sick loved one, that would push families over the financial edge, and some past the point of no return. Danielle Morfi of North Haven has been affected by the lack of paid leave three times. The first time she had to help care for her terminally ill father, traveling back and forth to New York and working from his hospital room, so the time she spent there would be clocked as working hours. Morfi said when her father was brought home, she again worked from his apartment in Queens. As a caregiver and a human being, it is absolutely torturous to watch your loved one die and simultaneously worry about the time youre taking off, she said. The second was when her first son was born, and she was allowed 16 weeks off, but only two of those weeks paid. Morfi said during this time she suffered financially as she still had to pay insurance premiums, explaining they nickeled and dimed everything for months just to afford the time with her newborn. When she gave birth to her second son last year, she hemorrhaged and wasnt able to do anything strenuous for two weeks. She said she had to care for both a newborn and a 2-year-old and her husband could only take off one week of paid vacation. We didnt have family nearby who could take time off from work to help, so we basically took a risk and hoped the last week of my recovery did not result in another hemorrhage. The fact that we have to play Russian roulette with our health is disturbing and unacceptable, she said. Morfi said her family is one of the lucky ones, as others across the state have gone bankrupt. DeLauros bill in Congress, the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, would establish national paid family and medical leave so all workers would have access. The Connecticut General Assembly has considered paid family leave legislation in its past two legislative sessions in an effort to join the ranks of neighboring states that have enacted paid family leave laws, including New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island, according to DeLauro. State Rep. Robyn Porter argued Connecticut is supposed to progressive and a leader, and she questioned why the state isnt leading this charge. Its about humanity and treating people with dignity and respect. You cant just love them when theyre able to work; you have to love them when theyre in pain, when theyre struggling, when theyre sick, when theyre not able to be their best, Porter said. Thats when love is real, thats when love is strongest. Its easy to love people at their best, but lets love them when theyre not. Claire Criscuolo, owner of Claires Corner Copia, said her restaurant is a small, family-owned business. She said she has an amazing staff and, over the years, several employees have had to take leave. While her employees were fortunate for paid leave, she said not all employees are guaranteed the same. Just because you want to work in a small business where we cant write a grant, where we cant pass legislation, we have to make the money ourselves, and were struggling. If we had a paid family leave act then people like us who want to do the right thing, who are going to, would have some help, Criscuolo said. You cant take someone whos built your business, who you work with every single day, who you love, who loves you back, and you cant just love them when theyre working, when theyre able to work. Otherwise, youre just sucking the life out of them, and I just dont want to be that person. I dont think anyone wants to be that person. Eric Gjede, counsel for the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, said in previous testimony CBIA is opposed to inflexible one-size-fits-all paid leave mandates that arent practical in the modern workplace. Fewer and fewer employees work traditional workweeks, with many businesses already offering flexible work hours or options such as telecommuting, with these developments happening organically, he said. If business wants to voluntarily provide family and medical leave on their own, Gjede said CBIA strongly encourages that, but the organization opposes an across-the-board mandate, as some businesses dont have the resources. Gjede added it sounds great until people realize just how much its going to cost them. He said what is being proposed at the state level is very expensive, especially when the state cant afford all of the programs it has now, let alone a new program. Were talking about something that needs at least 125 state employees to run it. Were talking about at least $13 million in start-up costs, $18 million in ongoing costs every year, Gjeded said. Were talking about cutting peoples pay to pay for this thing. I mean, thats how this is funded. Youre going to have businesses that will have to explain to employees why their paychecks are suddenly lower. The National Federation of Independent Business previously testified in a public hearing that such a change is both unnecessary and could have unintended consequences and costs for employees, as the organization believes Connecticuts existing provisions are already more generous than that of federal or other states laws. Expanding Connecticuts FMLA laws, NFIB testified, will create considerable burdens on small businesses. DeLauro said shes heard from opponents of paid family leave that there isnt a need, but these stories are not Democrat stories or Republican stories. They are family stories and tales that are told. Kim Edwards of New Haven is one of those stories. In August 2017, her 14-year-old son was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor. He was in the hospital for 36 days and had two surgeries, followed by physical and occupational therapy and radiation after being released from the hospital, she said. Edwards was fortunate enough to have some sick and vacation time left, she stated, but it didnt take her very far. She said when it first happened she wasnt thinking about her bills, just taking care of her son. She said by the end of it, her son had more money in his savings account than she did, as he had saved money from his summer job. No one should have to make a choice, Edwards said. Its not enough to say, Oh my god, isnt that terrible. Oh my god, look what they went through. Thats not the issue. Lets do something about it. You dont leave just feeling sorry. You get up and you do something about it and you change the way we live today, DeLauro said. jessica.lerner@hearstmediact.com; @jesslerner on Twitter All Chinese cities at the county level or above will disclose safety conditions of drinking water this year as the country makes further efforts in curbing water pollution, the environmental minister said. Remediation of drinking water sources is listed among the priorities in China's water pollution control for 2018, Minister of Environmental Protection Li Ganjie said at a two-day national environmental protection work conference that concluded over the weekend. The remediation has made headway in the past five years, with a total of 490 related issues discovered in cities along the Yangtze River Economic Belt settled, according to the minister. By the end of 2017, 97.7 percent of cities at the prefecture level and above had set up signs and notices to bring attention to drinking water sources, Li said. Li said that China will work to ensure that over 80 percent of the country's water meets at least the Level III standard by 2020. To achieve the goal, the Ministry of Environmental Protectionwill launch supervision of severely-polluted regions, focusing on the treatment of "black odorous water" and drinking water sources. The ministry will push "black odorous water" remediation in 36 major cities and the Yangtze River Economic Belt this year and improve environmental infrastructure, Li said. China classifies water quality into six levels, ranging from level I, which is suitable for drinking after minimal treatment, to level VI for water that is severely contaminated. The government has passed its toughest-ever environmental protection law, and introduced a "river chief" system to protect water resources. Ecological "red lines" will also be drawn in certain regions to strengthen environmental protection, according to earlier planning. Seven Connecticut nursing homes have been fined by the state Department of Public Health for violations that endangered or injured residents. Talmadge Park Healthcare in East Haven was fined $1,635 after a resident fell from a wheelchair, suffering a broken hip and other injuries. The resident required two-staff assistance with transfers. But on Dec. 26, 2016, a nurse aide was changing the resident when the fall occurred. The resident was taken to a hospital and found to have a broken left hip and six skin tears on the left arm. The nurse aide no longer works at the facility. Officials at the facility didnt return a call seeking comment. Hewitt Health & Rehabilitation Center in Shelton was fined $1,530 after a student nurse witnessed a nurse aide calling a resident an expletive on Feb. 23, 2017. According to DPH, an investigation substantiated the student nurses claim that the aide became frustrated and used the expletive while trying to move the resident out of bed, violating the facilitys abuse policy. Officials at the facility didnt return a call seeking comment. Harbor Village North Health and Rehabilitation Center in New London was fined $3,000 for four violations. On Aug. 1, 2017, a resident with pulmonary heart disease was hospitalized with low blood pressure and incontinence after a registered nurse administered medication intended for another resident, according to DPH. On that same date, a second resident was mistakenly given long-acting insulin instead of fast-acting insulin by a licensed practical nurse. On June 15, 2017, a resident with schizophrenia was seen opening a bottle of Tylenol that an LPN had left on top of a medication cart. The resident had 10 tablets in hand and was unable to state if any had been ingested, according to the citation, which said the medication cart should have been locked. In October 2017, a resident with schizo-affective disorder and major depressive disorder went 21 days without receiving a medication. A physicians note directed staff to decrease the residents dose beginning Sept. 29, 2017, but staff stopped administering the medication altogether on Oct. 2, according to DPH. An official at the facility declined to comment. Bridgeport Health Care Center was fined $3,000 after a resident with alcohol-induced dementia, cerebral vascular disease and other diagnoses left the facility from 10:45 a.m. until 3:47 p.m. Aug. 16, 2017, despite wearing a WanderGuard sensor. According to DPH, the sensor was operable, but no staff recalled it setting off any alarms when the resident left. Doors that lead to an elevator and exterior patio should have been locked but werent that day due to an inoperable fire alarm system. With the doors unlocked, staff was directed to guard the exists, but no one observed the resident leaving, the citation said. The resident was found exiting Bridgeport Manor, a neighboring facility owned by the same company, and taken to an emergency department before returning to Bridgeport Health Care Center. The facility completed a corrective action plan by Aug. 19, including updates to its fire watch policy, regular WanderGuard audits, testing of all door locks and other precautions, according to DPH. Officials at the facility didnt return a call seeking comment. Bridgeport Manor was fined $1,950 after a resident was hurt falling from a lift. On Aug. 24, 2017, the resident, who required the use of a Hoyer lift by two staff members for transfers, fell when one of the lifts straps came unhooked, according to DPH. At a hospital, the resident was treated for several fractures in the pelvic area. An investigation found staff didnt ensure hooks were properly placed in the loops of the Hoyer lift pad, the citation said. Facility official didnt return a call seeking comment. Bloomfield Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation was fined $1,740 after a resident was given the wrong medication, which resulted in a delay in a procedure. The resident was scheduled to have a biliary (bile duct) stent changed during an outpatient procedure on July 19, 2017, and a physicians note directed staff to give the resident nothing by mouth after the midnight prior and to skip the residents doses of an anticoagulant medication for two days prior to the procedure, according to DPH. Staff did, however, administer a dose of Novolog insulin the morning of the scheduled appointment. The resident, while at the facility for the procedure, became lethargic and had an unresponsive episode, the citation said. The resident was hospitalized for three days and discharged back to the Bloomfield Center with diagnoses of hypoglycemia and biliary stent obstruction. Bloomfield Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation takes the care of its patients and residents very seriously and has a zero-tolerance policy in regards to any lapse of care, said spokesman Tim Brown. We are confident that the issues raised in the report were isolated and not consistent with the care and customer service at our center. We have retrained the staff involved in policies, procedures and expectations for our care. Regal Care at Greenwich was fined $330 after several bathroom sinks were tested during inspections and had excessively high hot water temperatures on Aug. 19 and Sept. 18, 2017. According to DPH, a maintenance assistant told investigators the water temperatures were checked daily but the assistant didnt know what the temperatures should be. Officials at the facility didnt return a call seeking comment. Cara Rosner is a Connecticut Health I-Team writer. This story was reported under a partnership with the CHI (c-hit.org). The manila envelope arrived on Mary Olsen's doorstep the day after Christmas, and in its top left corner were three words that stopped her: "THE WHITE HOUSE." It was addressed to her daughter, Ava, but Olsen opened it and scanned the letter first to make sure the message didn't include anything that might trigger her second-grader's debilitating anxiety. Olsen then called her little girl into their living room, where they sat together on the couch. She gave Ava the note, which, at the top, included the presidential seal. "Dear Ava," it read. "Thank you for your letter. It is very brave of you to share your story with me. Mrs. Trump and I are so sorry to hear of the loss of your friend, Jacob." Fifteen months earlier, on a fall afternoon in tiny Townville, South Carolina, Ava had just walked outside her school for recess when, police say, a 14-year-old drove up to the playground in a Dodge Ram, jumped out of the pickup and pointed a gun. The accused teenager - who is expected to learn this month whether he'll be tried as an adult - continued firing for just 12 seconds before his pistol jammed. By then, three people at Townville Elementary School had been shot. RELATED VIDEO: Boy Killed In SC School Shooting Receives Superhero Farewell One bullet struck Ava's first-grade teacher in the shoulder, and another hit a classmate in the foot. A third struck 6-year-old Jacob Hall, who wore thick-lensed glasses and, at 3 feet tall, was the smallest kid in their class. Ava had decided to marry him when they grew up. He was the only boy she'd ever kissed. Three days later, Jacob died. Ava was so overwhelmed by the loss, and the terror of what she'd witnessed, that a doctor later diagnosed the girl with post-traumatic stress disorder and recommended that she be home-schooled. In the months that followed, the torment - described in a Washington Post story about the shooting - often consumed her. She yanked out her eyelashes and used stickers to cover up scary words in "Little House on the Prairie": gun, fire, blood, kill. Although she didn't go to school anymore, her younger brother, Cameron, who had also been outside that afternoon, did. Ava, her brown eyes serious and her mind seldom at rest, worried about him and the millions of other children still spending their days in classrooms and cafeterias and playgrounds. So, one morning last summer, she sat at her kitchen table with a pencil and a sheet of notebook paper. "Dear Mr. President," Ava printed in neat block letters, before explaining that she'd lived through a school shooting. "I heard and saw it all happen and I was very scared. My best friend, Jacob, was shot and died. That made me very sad. I loved him and was going to marry him one day. I hate guns. One ruined my life and took my best friend." She asked how the president would protect children from more school shootings. "Please," she concluded, "keep kids safe from guns." The boy accused of firing the gun that ruined Ava's life grew up in Townville and even attended the same elementary school, where teachers remembered him as a model student. But Jesse Osborne had found trouble when he left. In seventh grade, his family said in interviews last year, he was kicked out of middle school after bullies harassed him, and another student spotted a hatchet in his backpack. That's why he was at home on that Wednesday in late September 2016. For reasons that remain unclear, his mother said, Jesse retrieved a gun from his father's nightstand, shot him in the back of the head and then, investigators allege, drove to the elementary school and opened fire. On that day, Townville's kids joined a group that now includes more than 150,000 students, attending at least 170 primary or secondary schools, who have experienced a shooting on campus since the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, according to a Post analysis of online archives, state and federal enrollment figures and news stories. That doesn't count dozens of suicides, accidents and after-school assaults that have also exposed children to gunfire. After months of psychological analyses and legal delays, a judge is expected to review testimony and evidence the week of Feb. 12 before deciding whether Jesse should be tried as a juvenile or an adult. If it's the latter, he could face decades in prison. The shooter is never far from Ava's mind. She remembers him as a towering and terrifying figure, and he often appears in her nightmares. She sometimes repeats what she heard him say on the playground - "I hate my life" - and once, after Ava accidentally pushed her brother and he hit his head on a stone well, she blurted: "I'm just like Jesse." Now, though, she was sitting on her couch just after Christmas, staring at a reassuring letter signed by the most powerful man in the world. "Wow," said Ava, now 8. Trump receives thousands of letters, including many from children, said a White House spokeswoman who requested not to be named. Some have made news, including one from a 10-year-old who asked to mow the White House lawn (and did), and another, from a 9-year-old nicknamed "Pickle" who wanted the president to know he had a Trump-themed birthday party. "The president gets lots of drawings," she said. "He loves those drawings." Letters from ordinary Americans were central to the daily life of former President Barack Obama, who read 10 of them each night and often sent personal handwritten responses. Trump's spokeswoman wouldn't say how many letters the president reads or whether he contributes to the typed replies that bear his name, but she noted that "the president plays a role in correspondence that have been elevated to his desk," as Ava's was. Initially, for the girl, nothing was more fascinating than Trump's massive, jagged signature, scrawled in black marker at the bottom of the page. "Is that real?" she asked her mom. It was. "Schools are places where children learn and grow with their friends. Their halls should be free of fear," the letter read. "It is my goal as President to make sure that children in America grow up in safe environments, giving them the best opportunity to realize their full potential. I will continue to focus on protecting Americans and improving the safety of our Nation. "Mrs. Trump and I hold you close in our hearts," it continued. "We hope you always remember that no matter what may happen, there are so many people in your life who love you, support you, and want to see you fulfill all your dreams." The note made her feel better, at least for a few days, before she started to think more about it. "He didn't say how he could keep kids safe," Ava told her mom. So on Jan. 8, she sat down to write another letter. Ava thanked him for the response and the promised prayers. "I sometimes still think about that day in my head thinking it will happen again," she wrote. "If you have the time, I have some ideas to help keep kids and schools safe. Sometimes people who live through a school shooting have better ideas." Ava told him what they were: Move schools to safer places, give children a place they can run to if something bad happens, build schools in circles and put the playgrounds in the middle. She stuffed the letter in an envelope, and her mother mailed it, and Ava hoped that everything would get fixed before any more kids were hurt. Then two weeks later, in Kentucky, police say another teenager at another school fired another gun, killing two students and wounding a dozen others. At the White House, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters that Trump believed all Americans deserved to be safe in their schools and communities. "Students fearing for their lives while they're attempting to get an education is unacceptable," Sanders said, but she offered no specific plans the administration had to stop school shootings. In South Carolina, Ava heard nothing about the carnage in Kentucky. Her mom didn't mention the news and kept the TV turned off. She didn't want her to daughter to know. On Saturday, 2-3-18, the skeletal remains of an individual were found approximately 14 feet below the surface in the second pit that was under excavation in the 5000 block of W C R 116. At approximately 4:40 pm, while removing debris from the second pit, deputies observed a skeletal skull roll out from underneath the excavator jaws and immediately called a halt to the activities. Several months ago, the students, parents, teachers and administrators at College Hill Elementary set out with an important goal in mind: to raise at least $25,000 to replace the schools aging playground equipment. Over the last several months, those connected to school worked feverishly to obtain the funds necessary to purchase the equipment. Led by the schools Parent Teacher Association, which originally had some $8,500 in previous fundraising receipts at the beginning of the school year, the school worked throughout the fall collecting donations for its Playground Pledge Fund. With assistance from students, who raised over $1,500 themselves, a generous grant from the Plainview Area Foundation in the amount of $5,000 and other significant private donations, the group was able to achieve its $25,000 goal. According to College Hill Parent Teacher Association President Terra James, playground equipment was selected, but the cost was around $33,000. The group though has a potential ace in the hole in the form of a grant application the group had submitted to Parkhill, Smith & Cooper for the project. We knew we had the grant application out there, James said. But we knew we couldnt rely on it unless we were selected for the grant. Recently, James received word that College Hills playground project had in fact been selected to receive the grant. In total PSC had selected the project to receive $20,000 in cash and $5,000 in pro-bono services. According to PSC Director of Civil Engineering John Hamilton, who hails from Plainview, the pro-bono work will consist of PSC providing a landscape architect to determine the best placement and design for the schools new playground. Hamilton said he was privileged to be able to present the award check to a school in his hometown. During the presentation of the $25,000 check to the school Friday afternoon, both Hamilton and fellow PSC employee Kristi Laverty, who have both worked closely with the City of Plainview on a number of local projects, were on hand to present the check to school officials. For the presentation ceremony, the school called a special assembly of students and teachers. At times during the presentation the roar from students, excited about the prospect of having a new playground was deafening. This (the grant from PSC) definitely puts us well over the top, James said noting that with the funds in excess of the amount necessary to purchase the playground equipment, the PTA might seek to replace the blacktop on the playground, or for other necessary improvements. I think with the money the students raised themselves we may ask them how they want to spend it. PSCs Community Investment Initiative is a program whereby PSC returns 1 percent of its revenue to the communities it serves. According to literature provided by PSC, the grant and pro bono application process begins in the fall, this year the deadline for applications was Dec. 4. Since the inception of the initiative, PSC has donated more than $400,000 to fund a variety of projects throughout their coverage area, which includes locations in Texas and New Mexico. WASHINGTON - The House Intelligence Committee voted unanimously Monday to release a Democratic rebuttal to GOP accusations that the FBI misled a secret surveillance court. President Donald Trump now has five days to decide whether the information will become public. The vote means the political rancor roiling Congress is likely to continue. Each party has accused the other of misrepresenting sensitive intelligence surrounding the ongoing probe into whether any Trump associates coordinated with Russia to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. The panel's senior Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, Calif., announced the vote results, saying Republican attacks on the Justice Department and the FBI show desperation on the part of the president's defenders. "We think this will help inform the public of the many distortions and inaccuracies" in the GOP memo released last week, Schiff told reporters after Monday's vote, adding that he was concerned the Trump administration could still try to stymie the Democrats' response. "We want to make sure that the White House does not redact our memo for political purposes," Schiff said. "There is a rising sense of panic, clearly, within the White House and as well on the Hill." Schiff said that he gave copies of the Democrats' memo to the FBI and the Justice Department days ago and that he expected it to go to the White House on Monday night for review. In announcing the vote, Schiff blasted the Intelligence Committee's Republican chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, Calif., for his handling of Russia-related intelligence issues. He said Nunes had blocked efforts to obtain testimony from key witnesses and refused to answer repeated questions about whether he had coordinated with the White House in preparing the GOP memo. Nunes did not address the media after Monday's vote. One Republican on the panel, Rep. Michael Conaway, Texas, said he was not aware of any coordination between Nunes and the White House. "I just can't imagine Devin would be involved in that," Conaway said. In an interview Friday with Fox News, Nunes blasted Democratic critics, saying they were trying to conceal abuses of surveillance powers by the FBI and the Justice Department. "These guys tell so many lies, you can't keep track of them,'' Nunes said. Even with the committee voting to make the Democrats' memo public, Trump could decide to keep it secret. Under congressional rules, the president has five days to consider whether to block the memo's release. If he blocks it, Nunes could then ask the full House to override the president's decision. A White House spokesman said the Democratic memo would undergo the same review as the GOP memo before it. Before Monday's vote, Trump charged in a tweet that Schiff "leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information" and "must be stopped" - suggesting that the president may decide not to allow the Democrats' assertions to be made public. And during a speech about tax cuts Monday in Ohio, Trump went off script to talk about the Nunes memo. "Oh, but did we catch them in the act or what?" he asked his audience. "You know what I'm talking about. Oh, did we catch them in the act. They are very embarrassed. They never thought they were going to get caught. We caught them. Hey, we caught them. It's so much fun - we're like the great sleuth." In the same speech, Trump ratcheted up his rhetoric against congressional Democrats, suggesting they were "treasonous" for not applauding during his State of the Union address last week. Nunes has indicated to other committee members that the president might make significant redactions before allowing the Democrats' memo to be released, according to one person familiar with the discussion, though accounts differed. Rep. Thomas Rooney, R-Fla., said that he did not think the president would block the memo's release but that Trump should redact information about sources and methods of intelligence collection. Such details do not represent the bulk of the Democrats' memo, he added, calling it an inaccurate representation of what's contained in underlying intelligence documents. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said last week that he supports the rebuttal's public release once it goes through the same process the Republican memo was put through. The GOP memo was available to House members to read in a secure facility for 11 days before the panel voted to make it public. On Jan. 29, the House Intelligence Committee voted to make the Democrats' memo available to all members to peruse in a secure facility as well. The four-page GOP document released Friday accuses the FBI and the Justice Department of misusing information from a British ex-spy during the 2016 election to help justify their warrant application to surveil a former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page. The Democrats' 10-page rebuttal, written by Schiff and staffers, suggests that the Republicans' memo is misleading and relies on cherry-picked information intended to discredit the ongoing probe into possible links between Russian agents and the Trump campaign. In his Monday tweet, the president accused "Little Adam Schiff" of being "one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington," along with former FBI Director James Comey; Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee; former CIA Director John Brennan; and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. All had spoken out against releasing the GOP memo. The committee is scheduled to interview former White House adviser Steve Bannon on Tuesday - the third time it has scheduled him for a return trip to Capitol Hill after he refused to answer the panel's questions related to the Trump transition team. But lawmakers were unsure Monday evening if Bannon was going to show and indicated that they were starting to lose patience. Rooney warned that if Bannon did not comply with the committee's subpoena, it could prompt talk about "contempt of Congress," which could trigger a showdown between the legislative and executive branches. A person familiar with Bannon's plans said he would not appear Tuesday because the White House and the House counsel have not come to an agreement about whether Bannon is covered by executive privilege, as the White House insists. This person said, however, that Bannon will meet with Special Counsel Robert Mueller before the middle of the month and will answer his questions with no restrictions. In the Senate on Monday, Sens. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., released a heavily redacted version of their memo urging the Justice Department to investigate whether the British ex-spy, Christopher Steele, lied to the FBI. Steele authored a now-famous dossier alleging ties between Trump associates and the Kremlin, a document at the center of Republicans' complaints about the bureau. The two senators also made clear that they are probing whether officials at the State Department may have helped Steele. Nunes has indicated that he is investigating this as well. The document made public by Grassley on Monday indicates that the Senate Judiciary Committee launched its inquiry in response to reports published by The Washington Post about Steele and the firm that hired him, Fusion GPS. It accuses Steele of misleading the FBI about his contact with reporters during the campaign. Steele declined to comment. A lawyer for Fusion GPS did not immediately comment on the document. --- The Washington Post's John Wagner contributed to this report. --- Video Embed Code Video: Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) on Feb. 5 said the House Intelligence Committee voted to release Democrats' response to a GOP memo alleging surveillance abuses. Embed: --- Video Embed Code Video: Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) on Feb. 5 said the House Intelligence Committee voted to release a Democratic memo in response to a GOP memo that alleges surveillance abuses by the FBI.(The Washington Post) Embed code: Two women look at a flight information board at the Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan county, in Taiwan, on January 29. Photo: IC Instead of preparing gifts for their relatives, many Taiwan residents working on the Chinese mainland are rushing to find a way back home after their flights were cancelled just days ahead of Spring Festival. Less than a month before the most important family gathering in China, the island's aviation authority has decided not to approve 176 additional cross-Straits flights operated by China Eastern Airlines and Xiamen Airlines, citing security concerns regarding the M503 route. All the 106 additional flights, mainly covering routs in Shanghai and cities in East China's Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, were cancelled, China Eastern Airlines confirmed with the Global Times on Thursday. For Xiamen Airlines, the affected route mainly covers Central China's Hunan Province and East China's Fujian and Zhejiang provinces. The two airlines announced that they will fully refund or help with ticket changes for passengers affected by the cancellations. Though the cancellation does not affect routine flights between mainland cities and the island, it is expected to make things very difficult for around 50,000 people looking to return home during the holiday, the Xinhua News Agency reported. Xue Qingde, a Taiwan businessman who has been investing in Fujian's Pingtan county for over a decade, told the Global Times that his social media pages have been bombarded with messages complaining about the inconvenience caused by the cancellation. The separating of family members in peacetime should not happen at all, and many feel they have been used by Taiwan authorities as human shields for leverage over the M503 route, said Xue, who is also the president of a department store in Pingtan and leader of a local association of Taiwan businessmen. The cancellation has forced those affected to turn to other alternatives, such as taking last minute flights from other airlines or transferring through Hong Kong, Macao or Fujian's Kinmen county, making their week-long vacation shorter and more costly. Placing additional cross-Straits flights for the festival have been a regular practice since 2008 when direct flights between the two sides began after Taiwan authorities lifted a partial ban on Chinese mainland tourists visiting Taiwan. Unite together What Xue did not expect was the support from mainland authorities, companies and people for those looking to go home for the reunion. In a poll of more than 2,500 users by tianya.cn, one of the most popular social networking sites in China, 83 percent said they were willing to postpone travel plans to Taiwan so that Taiwan residents could make the trip back home on time. "Coming back home to celebrate Spring Festival is of utmost importance for Chinese. Taiwan compatriots have been busy working the whole year and their time for family reunion should not be affected by the Taiwan move," wrote "yangyiws". Flights and ships between Taiwan and Fujian, which faces the island across the strait, were also added to meet the demand during chunyun, or the Spring Festival travel rush that lasts from Thursday to March 12. Flights from Fujian cities to Taiwan carry as many as 590,000 passengers and ships sailing from the province's Pingtan and Xiamen to the island could carry over 60,000 passengers during the period, Xinhua reported. State-level and local Taiwan affairs offices are also asking affected Taiwan compatriots about their trips and offering support to those who have not yet found a way home, said Xue. In a separate poll on Taiwan-based news website udn.com, nearly 75 percent of the more than 8,000 surveyed said Tsai Ing-wen's government should not make a fuss about the M503 and hurt the interests of Taiwan compatriots. Taiwan authorities are looking to use the refusal as leverage to negotiate with the mainland, but have ignored the fact that those most affected by the decision are Taiwan residents, Yang Lixian, deputy secretary-general of the National Society of Taiwan Studies, told the Global Times. Dead end The current Taiwan authorities are coming to a dead end but they still lack a clear understanding of their influence on cross-Straits relations, including what they are capable of doing and what they should not do, Yang noted. The cancellation of flights has brought huge complaints from the media and public in the island, with many writing on social networks that it is the most "unbelievable" and "worst ever" decision from a Taiwan leader. It's only a matter of time before the Taiwan people teach the Democratic Progressive Party a lesson with their votes, said Yang. In 2017, Taiwan residents made a record-breaking 5.87 million visits to the mainland, and from January to November last year, more than 3.6 million Taiwan residents chose the mainland for their first overseas trip, Xinhua reported. A Midland teenager was arrested Jan. 30 after allegedly robbing a juvenile at knifepoint, according to court documents. Jordan Wendell Tyler Williams, 18, was released on a $50,000 bond for a first-degree felony charge of aggravated robbery. Midland police officer responded at about 4:15 p.m. Jan. 29 in reference to a reported aggravated robbery. A juvenile met with a male later identified as Williams to purchase Xanax bars, according to his arrest affidavit. The two were in a vehicle when Williams allegedly reached for a knife and told the juvenile he was being robbed. The juvenile handed over his cellphone, and Williams forced him to give up its code, according to his affidavit. Williams allegedly held the knife to the juveniles throat during the robbery. If convicted of the first-degree felony charge, Williams could face up to life imprisonment. Converse police are asking for the public's help finding a 15-year-old mother who has gone missing with her infant child. Police did not release many details about the circumstances surrounding Shyan Brook's disappearance. She was last seen on Jan. 25, according to a police news release. A woman was arrested after Bexar County investigators said she tried lighting a home on fire after receiving a text from the house's occupant that he wanted nothing to do with her. Dayna Johnson, 30, was arrested Friday on suspicion of arson, a day after fire crews put out the blaze on the far West Side. The man living in the home told authorities Johnson left the house around 7 a.m. Thursday. She received the upsetting text message about an hour later, according to an arrest affidavit. RELATED: Man stabbed friend in neck twice at S.A. park, took his truck, police say Johnson returned around 10 a.m., knocking on the door and ringing the doorbell, authorities said. The man told investigators he didn't want her in his home so he didn't answer the door. Minutes after Johnson stopped knocking, the man smelled smoke in his home. He called 911, according to the affidavit, thinking the fire was electrical. The man ran outside and discovered the rear door of his home was set on fire. He noticed a bottle of lighter fluid near the door, officials said. He also saw that his gate door was open when it should have been closed, according to the affidavit. A neighbor told investigators she saw Johnson knock on the door and then go into the backyard before leaving in her car, according to the affidavit. The man suspected Johnson was responsible and called her in front of Bexar County deputies, according to the affidavit. He asked her if she set his home on fire, and she allegedly responded "where's my money" before hanging up on him. Johnson was arrested and a judge set bail at $20,000. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com A second person has died after a double shooting near a South Side school last week and authorities have released the name of one of the deceased. On Thursday, several witnesses described hearing up to six gunshots in the 4100 block of South Presa Street, across the street from the Frank L. Madla Collegiate Academy. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said officers found one person dead in the backyard of the home and rushed another man to the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. The man who was pronounced dead the scene was identified Monday as Oscar Gomez, 36. READ MORE: 1 killed, 1 wounded in shooting near South Side school A police report obtained by mySA.com revealed the second gunshot victim died in the hospital later that day. His identity was not known Monday. Gomez suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the abdomen, according to the police report. Next to his head police found a black handgun. Multiple witnesses heard the gunshots, but no one got a solid suspect description, according to the report. One witness told police he he saw a suspicious vehicle, described by McManus as a black car with chrome wheels, circle the block several times before stopping at the home. One witness pointed out the second gunshot victim's car at the scene, the report revealed. The car was still running when police found it. No one has been arrested yet in connection with the shooting Monday and the investigation is ongoing. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com | Twitter: @FaresInSA All prefab buildings to ship for Xiongan's 1st construction project All modular buildings used for the construction of civic service center in Xiongan New Area will be shipped to the site by mid-February, manufacturers said Thursday, marking a milestone in the construction of the national-level new area. The civic service center is the first construction project since the establishment of the new area, which was announced by the central government in April. The project includes 89 serviced apartments covering 4,475 square meters and six office buildings. Nearly 600 modular buildings are needed. The modular buildings will be shipped from Jiangmen, southern Guangdong province, to ports in Tianjin via Guangzhou or Dongguan. After arriving in Tianjin, they will be transported to the site by road. CIMC Modular Building Systems Holding, which produces the modular buildings, said 80 percent of the modular buildings required by the project have already been shipped. The rest will be finished and shipped by the middle of this month, the company said. Modular buildings are a type of prefabricated building model. Instead of doing all the construction work on-site, it allows up to 90 percent of a building project to be finished in the factory, thereby saving time and reducing construction waste. A 56-year-old man was stabbed twice in the neck Monday morning in the parking lot of a South Side park, police said. The victim and his friend were sitting in the victim's pickup truck in the parking lot of Frank Tejeda Park in the 500 block of Division Avenue around 7:10 a.m. when the friend attacked, police said. A man was shot outside of his apartment unit on the Northeast Side after confronting three people he said were attempting to break into a neighboring unit Sunday night, police said. San Antonio Police Sgt., David Renn, said police received multiple calls around 6:40 p.m. for a shooting at the Saddlewood Apartments, in the 2000 block of N.E. Loop 410, near Perrin Beitel Road. A teen girl from Orange County whose November disappearance sparked a nationwide search has died, family members announced on social media. Heaven Ray Cox, 15, died Saturday. She was a student at Little Cypress-Mauriceville. Cox's family did not disclose her cause of death in the post. Heaven was reunited with family on Dec. 1 after being reported missing the month before. Officials feared she had left with an internet predator met through Snapchat. Family believed Heaven was going to meet the "much older" man in San Antonio during the Thanksgiving holiday before leaving for California with him, family said. She was found safe in Louisiana on December 1, 2017 and reunited with family. Services have not yet been announced. RELATED: Texas teen disappears for second time in 4 months SAVANNAH, Ga. - The bridge that carries Highway 17 into Savannah is hard to miss: Its H-shaped towers are among the tallest structures for miles. But many people in the city would like never to lay eyes again on the green and white signs that say the span honors the segregationist former Gov. Eugene Talmadge. Residents of Savannah have been trying for decades to get the state to rename it, only to see their efforts sputter and die in the backrooms and boardrooms of Atlanta, the capital. But this year is different, and state lawmakers could vote in the coming weeks to give the bridge a less controversial name. And it all may be because of two new factors in the equation: a bit of legal detective work and the Girl Scouts, hundreds of whom are planning to descend on the Capitol this week to argue that the bridge should celebrate Juliette Gordon Low, the Savannah native who founded their organization. The Scouts will hold a milk-and-cookies reception at the Capitol on Tuesday, when Ron Stephens, a Republican state representative from Savannah, is expected to introduce a proposal to name the bridge for Low. In a region known for painful battles over monuments to controversial historical figures, even the persuasive power of Tagalongs and Thin Mints might not win the day, though, except for a recently uncovered quirk of history. It seems that lawyers have found no proof in state records that the formalities of naming the bridge were ever completed. So, technically, it may not have been the Eugene Talmadge Memorial Bridge in the first place. Talmadge's white supremacist views and staunch segregationism make for a troubling legacy. For example, he vowed to purge the state university system of any employee who supported "Negroes in the same schools with white folks in Georgia," a stand that helped cost the state's white colleges their accreditation. He staged an electoral comeback with a pledge to restore all-white primary elections. He used martial law to wage political turf battles, and he was implicated in corruption. None of that stopped the state from naming a bridge over the Savannah River for Talmadge, a Democrat, in the 1950s, when his son Herman Talmadge was governor. By the 1980s, that cantilever-truss bridge was posing problems for large new container ships headed for the Port of Savannah. So the state replaced it in 1991 with the cable-stayed bridge that appears in so many postcards and snapshots today - and kept on using the Talmadge name, perhaps out of no more than habit. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump was wrong to assert that a GOP-produced classified memo on FBI surveillance powers cleared him in the Russia probe, Democratic and Republican lawmakers said Sunday. They expressed hope that special counsel Robert Mueller's work would continue without interference. Democrats could seek a vote on publicly releasing their rebuttal memo when the GOP-led House Intelligence Committee meets late Monday afternoon. The committee rejected that move last week, with one Republican member saying revisions were needed so the memo would not endanger national security. The Senate's Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, urged Trump to back the public release and said that refusing to do so would show the president's intent to undermine the Russia investigation. The committee's top Democrat, California Rep. Adam Schiff, branded the GOP memo "a political hit job." He questioned whether the chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., had coordinated with the White House in drafting the document seized on by the president to vent his grievances against the nation's premier law enforcement agencies. "The goal here is to undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI, discredit the Mueller investigation, do the president's bidding," Schiff said. "I think it's very possible his staff worked with the White House." Nunes was asked during a Jan. 29 committee meeting whether he had coordinated the memo with the White House. "As far as I know, no," he responded, then refused to answer when asked whether his staff members had communicated with the White House. He had apologized for sharing with the White House secret intelligence intercepts related to an investigation of Russian election interference before talking to committee members. Trump's Saturday tweet that the memo "totally vindicates 'Trump' in probe" even as "the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on" found no echo from four committee Republicans who appeared on the Sunday talk shows. Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, said, "I think this is a separate issue." Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, said, "No, it doesn't end that." Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, said, "I don't," when asked whether he agreed with Trump. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., asked whether the memo affected the investigation, said, "No, not to me, it doesn't, and I was pretty integrally involved in the drafting of it." The Democratic response was more expected: "Of course, not at all," said Schiff. Added Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.: "No, of course it does not." The memo released Friday alleges misconduct on the part of the FBI and the Justice Department in obtaining a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to monitor former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page and his ties to Russia. Specifically, it takes aim at the FBI's use of information from former British spy Christopher Steele, who compiled a dossier containing allegations of ties between Trump, his aides and Russia. The underlying materials that served as the basis for the warrant application were not made public in the GOP memo. Even as Democrats described it as inaccurate, some Republicans quickly cited the memo in their arguments that Mueller's investigation is politically tainted. An intelligence memo is photographed in Washington, Friday, February 2, 2018. (Photo: AP) Washington (People's Daily) - The release of a four-page memo alleging FBI abuse of surveillance authority, which has roiled Washington for weeks, has also triggered hot debates within Washington political circles. The memo alleges how FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ) officials abused their surveillance authority, especially when it tried to get a court order allowing them to surveil onetime advisor to US President Donald Trump, Carter Page. In Washington, people believe anger and partisanship have replaced truth and justice. The memo release will not only widen the gap between the two parties but also further aggravate relations between the White House, FBI and the DOJ. Trump tweeted on Saturday that the memo totally vindicates him in the special counsel investigation regarding alleged collusion between Russia and his presidential campaign. Trump said the it was an American disgrace. However, GOP House Speaker Paul Ryan said on Thursday that the memo has no bearing on the Russia probe. Ryan spoke during a news conference that the memo was focused on potential misuse of FISA and does not impugn the Mueller investigation or the deputy attorney general. Ryan has also supported releasing the Democratic rebuttal to the memo. Democratic Representative Jerrold Nadler released a six-page rebuttal memo he's circulated to colleagues and media. The document claims the memo is deliberately misleading and deeply wrong on the law. It also says the memo does not provide a single shred of evidence that the information in the Trump-Russia dossier was inaccurate in any way. Bureau officials say the accusations in the document are inaccurate and will corrode the agencys ability to remain independent and do its job in the long term. FBI, known for its non-political stance and has been trusted for decades to investigate corruption inside the government, including the White House, is now undergoing a political crisis. The public attacks from the president have diminished morale inside the FBI. Former FBI Director James Comey, who was fired by Trump last May said that this memo was underwhelming and not worth the damage it did. Christopher Wray, who was hand-picked by Trump to replace Comey, opposed the release of the memo and has encouraged FBI officers to keep calm and tackle hard in an internal video on Friday, saying that in the end, actions speak louder than words. Wray still believes in relying on long-standing law enforcement policies and procedures, thinking the FBI can navigate through the current political storms. Former Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein said the memo is a disingenuous partisan document. A CNN op-ed claims that many of the criticisms excited in the memo may not even be relevant at all. The earth-shattering, Watergate-like revelations are equally empty claims. Senator John McCain, who has always opposed the release of the memo, warned that attacks on the FBI and the Justice Department undermines the law and works as a favor to Russian President Vladimir Putin. But for Trump, the release of the memo is more like a personal victory, and the Republican Party has finally fought for him. Analysts have said that Muellers goal is to deliver a report that will be seen as legitimate has been made harder with public opinion, and Republicans are likely to follow. Despite differences and contradictions, it seems both sides all agree on one thing, America is going through a disgraceful period. Re: Short-term rental ordinance Dear Mayor Ron Nirenberg: We have a concern with the short-term rental ordinance the city is contemplating imposing on homeowners. My family grew up in the Victoria Courts and have lived for over half a century in the Lavaca Neighborhood. In the mid-60s our neighborhood was undesirable because of its proximity to the Victoria Courts. Homeowners were emptying out their houses and moving to the suburbs. My family, instead of running, stayed to live, purchase and renovate dilapidated houses. Our aim was to spur economic development and secure housing for low- to middle-income families. Because of a physician shortage in the East Side, I opened my medical practice on the corner of South Alamo and South Presa two blocks from the Victoria Courts where I grew up. Once the housing project was razed, our neighborhood became desirable! Many began moving back into the neighborhood and paying outrageous prices for small houses. Now my family visits the Bexar Appraisal District every year to protest property taxes. It was a choice of either keeping up with the maintenance or paying property taxes. If we wanted both, we needed to go to the bank to borrow money to pay the Bexar Appraisal District. One focus we did not want to lose was our mission to provide affordable housing for low- to middle-income families. On June 22, 2016, we met at Bexar Appraisal District to protest our property taxes. We showed officials that from 2014 to 2016 our property taxes had increased by 68 percent. We showed other evidence to support lower values, but to no avail. I explained to Bexar Appraisal District representatives that the increasing tax expense would hamper our mission to provide affordable housing. Ronald Foerster, the Bexar Appraisal District representative at the hearing, responded, Get them out and bring in better tenants. I retorted, The city will not have enough shelters to house the added number of homeless people. To keep up with property taxes, the family decided to continue to provide housing for low- to middle-income families and place some of our properties on HomeAway, a vacation rental marketplace. We have had guests from around the world stay at our houses. These guests provide an economic boost not only to the local businesses but to our overall city economy. And not one neighbor has complained about our guests. On the contrary, our neighbors enjoy conversing with people from other cultures and countries. Our properties can now afford to pay the four levels of government taxes: property taxes and hotel state, county and city taxes. And we can still provide affordable housing. It has been a win for tourism, a win for local government, a win for our tenants and a win for our housing business. So we respectively ask that the city of San Antonio not burden homeowners with more regulations and restrictions. Yours truly, Roberto P. Trevino, physician and homeowner Texas lawmakers have sought to tie necessary disaster-relief aid for Hurricane Harvey with price controls for cotton. Its a particularly rich maneuver because in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, which hit New Jersey and New York especially hard in 2012, so many Texas lawmakers inaccurately criticized relief for that storm as filled with unnecessary pork and other expenditures. Yet, here we are, with the so-called cotton fix somehow tucked into an $81 billion disaster relief package that recently passed the U.S. House. Texas lawmakers apparently see no problem, disconnect or irony. This is likely because cotton is a big deal in the Lone Star State, generating about $2.2 billion in crop value in 2016, according to Kevin Diaz, a reporter with Hearst Newspapers Washington bureau. Much of that cotton production is in West Texas, far from the ravages of Hurricane Harvey. The cotton fix would put the crop back into the Price Loss Coverage program, ensuring a minimum price. Cotton had been removed from the program in the 2014 farm bill after the U.S. lost a challenge with the World Trade Organization. Since then, cotton growers have relied on a special crop insurance subsidy to backup crop prices Cotton and disaster relief are two separate issues, and should be treated as such. Or as Daren Bakst of the Heritage Foundation told Diaz, This is a major policy change that shouldnt be buried in some disaster relief bill. The appropriate venue would be upcoming debate over the farm bill. The industry says inclusion in the program is needed. But reinstating the price support program could invite another WTO challenge and provoke a trade war with other cotton-producing countries. A down market could cost taxpayers. Whatever the case, it has nothing to do with disaster relief for those hit so hard by hurricanes and wildfires. Maneuvers such as these leveraging disasters and hardship to invoke a major policy change for an unrelated issue is a chief reason why distrust of Congress is so strong. The right thing to do is expeditiously pass an appropriate amount of disaster relief for Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and California. And then debate the merits of the cotton fix with other agriculture issues. There is some justified concern that treated sewage from the city of Dripping Springs could eventually end up in San Antonios drinking water. Dripping Springs is a good 90-minute drive to the north of San Antonio, but the flow of water connects this region even as water fights divide it. In this case, Dripping Springs is pursuing a permit that would allow it to discharge up to a million gallons of treated effluent a day into Onion Creek. Onion Creek is in the Edwards Aquifer contributing zone, meaning its headwaters eventually recharge the aquifer. While state law makes it illegal to discharge sewage into the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, thats not the case for contributing zones. The concern is this sewage will travel down into the recharge zone through fractures and sinkholes in creek beds, spoiling a crucial, regional water supply. RELATED: SAWS chief's salary, now at $468,194, draws scrutiny The Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance has spoken against the plan, saying the effluent could also lead to algae blooms in pristine creeks and an increased presence of pharmaceutical chemicals in the water. A campaign, No Dripping Sewage, has been launched, including an online petition against dumping effluent into creeks above the Edwards Aquifer. Advocates say a much better approach would be to discharge treated effluent onto land, so it can irrigate, evaporate and percolate through soil, which is a natural filter. State Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, proposed legislation last session that would have prevented the discharge of any water in the contributing or recharge zone of the Barton Springs segments of the Edwards Aquifer. It would have also prevented increasing existing permits to discharge sewage in these Edwards Aquifer zones. The legislation should be filed again and merits full support from the Bexar County delegation. As the Hill Country grows and develops, bringing opportunity and challenges, its paramount the region protects its water supply. GREENWICH A Greenwich woman, following a fourth arrest on drinking-and-driving charge, is looking at four years in prison on the latest offense. Miriam Rodas, 38, of Armstrong Court, had over three times the amount of alcohol in her system than the legal standard for intoxication in Connecticut for her last offense on Jan. 18, according to a criminal affidavit. Prosecutors say she could now face four years in jail for the repeat offenses. Rodas was picked up in Greenwich on charges of driving under the influence three other times, in February of 2017, as well as twice in 2013, according to court records. She has also been charged with evading responsibility, interfering with a police investigation and driving without insurance after a minor accident in March of 2017. Other charges were also filed for violation of probation and driving offenses. A felony was filed against her in 2017 when a youngster was found in her vehicle while she was legally unfit to drive, according to court records. The latest arrest came about when Rodas was observed at the Boys and Girls Club around 5:20 p.m., walking in the parking lot and staggering, according to court papers. A security officer at the Boys and Girls Club prevented her from driving away in a 2012 Toyota Sienna minivan, and police were called, as well as an ambulance. A blood sample was taken after the Jan. 18 incident, and after a search warrant was obtained for the blood sample, an arrest warrant was issued. Rodas had a blood alcohol content of .28, which is three times the legal limit. She was picked up by police on Friday. Rodas was unable to post bail, set at $200,000, and she was being held in state custody as of Monday. At a court appearance last week, Judge John Blawie ordered that she could no longer drive, and he ordered an alcohol evaluation. Rodas works at a local fast-food restaurant, according to court papers. With Staff Reporter John Nickerson Johannesburg (Peoples Daily) - The African Union (AU) launched last week the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). The SAATM is the first flagship project of the AU Agenda 2063 and aims to create a single and unified market for air transport on the continent, to liberalize civil aviation and to advance the economic integration agenda of the African Union. 23 African coutries launched together this initiative which is largely based on the agreements of Yamoussoukro Decision of 1999. Amani Abou-Zeid, the AU Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, said the aviation industry is generating 8 million jobs. The launch of the single market will boost trade promotion opportunities, cross-border investment in the production and service industries, including tourism, resulting in the creation of 300 000 additional direct jobs and 2 million indirect jobs , an important contribution to the continent's integration and socio-economic growth, she said. Today, 80 percent of air traffic in Africa is provided by non-African airlines. Continental airlines carry less than 3 percent of global air traffic, although the continent accounts for more than 17 perecent of the world's population. In 1999, the Yamoussoukro Declaration was adopted to allow full liberalization of market access between African States, the free exercise of traffic rights, the elimination of restrictions on ownership and the full liberalization of frequencies, tariffs. This is the largest reform initiative ever launched by African governments in the area of air transport, but its implementation has been difficult. Two decades later, SAATM marks a milestone. 23 African countries out of 55 have already subscribed to the African single air transport market while 44 others have signed the Yamoussoukro Declaration. SAATM should directly benefit major African airlines such as Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, SAA, Egypt Air or RAM. Canada's ambassador to South Sudan, Alan Hamson, lauded the service of Chinese peacekeepers on Friday, after meeting them on an inspection tour to a South Sudanese town. Screenshot of Hamson's tweet "It has been my pleasure to have met these brave Chinese peacekeepers in the town of Yei in South Sudan. This region has been tormented by horrid violence in the past two years, but its people are now protected by Chinese peacekeepers. I saw them patrol the areas and they were all friendly toward local people. Among the permanent members of the UN Security Council, China is the biggest contributor to the UN peace keeping mission," Hamson wrote in Chinese on Twitter. Yei is approximately 160 kilometers southwest of South Sudan's capital Juba. A large number of people have fled the town due to armed conflicts in the ongoing civil war. Refugees wait for daily rations as a Chinese soldier stands guard in Juba, South Sudan, December, 2014 (File photo: Xinhua) Civil war broke out in South Sudan in 2013, leaving tens of thousands of people dead and some 4 million displaced. Warring parties agreed to end the fighting in December 2017, but attacks have continued. China started to send peacekeeping troops with the former UN mission in Sudan in 2006. After the independence of South Sudan in July 2011, China continued to dispatch peacekeepers to South Sudan, including military engineers and logistics staff, police and medical personnel. Their mission in Yei started in 2015. Chinese peacekeepers have greatly contributed to protecting civilians and building durable peace in South Sudan. The third and sixth Chinese Peacekeeping Battalion with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) received UN medals for their exemplary service in the war-torn nation on October 2 and November 30, 2017, respectively. Chinese peacekeeping soldiers wait for the glorious moment at the medal-receiving ceremony on Oct. 3, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Zan) Chinese peacekeepers have sacrificed their lives and time in the service of the people of South Sudan. In July 2016, two Chinese peacekeepers died and five others injured after their vehicle was hit by a shell during clashes between militia groups. Over almost three decades, China has contributed more than 30,000 UN peacekeepers to 24 different missions. It is also the second largest financial contributor to peacekeeping. A rebel fighter takes a picture of a downed Sukhoi-25 fighter jet in Syria's northwest province of Idlib. Rebel fighters shot down the Russian plane and the pilot was killed during a ground fight with terrorists, according to Russia's Defense Ministry. OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AGENCE FRANCEPRESSE MOSCOW - Massive Russian air strikes have killed at least 30 militants in northwest Syria, where a Russian fighter jet was shot down, Russia's Defense Ministry said in a statement on Saturday. A series of high-precision weapon strikes has been delivered in the area controlled by the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group, which brought down the Russian Su-25 jet by using a portable anti-aircraft missile system in the Syrian province of Idlib, said the statement. "According to radio intercepts, more than 30 Jabhat al-Nusra militants were killed," said the statement. Earlier on Saturday, the ministry said a pilot survived the fighter jet crash but was later killed in a ground fight with terrorists. "The pilot died in a fight with the terrorists," an earlier statement said. "The Russian center for reconciliation of opposing sides in Syria and the Turkish side overseeing the Idlib de-escalation area are working to bring the Russian pilot's body home," it said. The incident requires finding out which countries could have equipped the militants with the man-portable air defense system, Yury Shvytkin, deputy chairman of the Russian lower house's defense committee, was quoted by Sputnik as saying. In May 2017, the guarantors of the Syrian ceasefire, Russia, Iran and Turkey, agreed to set up the Syrian de-escalation zones in Syria, which includes Idlib province. In December 2017, the Russian military announced that Syrian troops supported by Russian servicemen had completed the destruction of Islamic State terrorists in the war-torn country. Later, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of a partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria. Russia reportedly spent an average of 156 million roubles ($2.6 million) every day in the past few years on military operations against terrorist groups in Syria. The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Saturday rejected US claims about the Syrian government using chemical weapons in the war as "lies". 'False claims' The ministry said in a statement that the US remarks about the use of chemical weapons in the Eastern Ghouta region east of the capital Damascus were "false claims". Such allegations were timed to undermine the efforts to resolve the Syrian war through a peaceful settlement between the Syrians without foreign interventions, it noted. The Syrian government reaffirmed its position against the use of chemical weapons, and Syria has handed over all its chemical arsenals to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the ministry said. The US and its allies are "desperately" searching for a pretext to target Syria, following the success of the Syrian army in its war against terror-designated militant groups across Syria, it pointed out. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis recently threatened Syria with military action if hard evidence is found to back up the claims of another sarin attack in Syria. Last month, activists claimed the Syrian forces used chlorine in an attack on the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta countryside of Damascus, causing 21 people to suffer from breathing difficulties. In April last year, the US struck a military base in central Syria with more than 50 Tomahawk missiles, in retaliation for an alleged chemical attack by the government forces on a rebel-held town in the northwestern province of Idlib. The Syrian government denied the accusations, saying rebels mounted the attack to frame the government and cause the US to take military action. On January 29, 2018, Wuhan University made an announcement after 2 rounds of investigations that Li Hongliangs team had not conducted any academic fraud. The investigations were launched due to an academic misconduct report from Ho Wen-Zhe, who suspected academic misconduct in 2 Nature Medicine papers (CFLAR and TMBIM1 papers) published by Li Hongliangs team. Li Hongliang is the distinguished professor of Cheung Kong Scholar Award of Wuhan University. His team has been focusing on liver metabolic diseases for more than 10 years. Since 2016, Li Hongliangs team has published 4 papers on Nature Medicine in the field of liver diseases. Ho Wen-Zhe holds full professorship in both Wuhan University and Temple University. He lost his position as director of the Center for Animal Experiment of Wuhan University when competing with Li Hongliang and other candidates in 2015. On April 2017, a report from Huo Wen-Zhe alleged that the CFLAR and TIMBIM1 papers of Li Hongliangs team had academic misconduct. The Academic Committee of Wuhan University (hereafter referred to as the Committee) immediately launched an academic investigation according to the Detailed Rules of Wuhan University for Investigation and Treatment of Academic Misconduct (hereafter referred to as the Rules). Li De-Rren, Fellow of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the Chairman of the Committee, said: Li Hongliang is a doctor and professor of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University. We therefore asked the Hospital to lunch the investigation after an internal investigation for 8 months. On December 18, 2017, an independent panel including 5 experts (3 Fellows of Chinese Academy of Sciences from other universities), examined the original documents related to monkey purchase, verified original records of experiments and raw data, inspected monkeys used in the two papers, and listened to the presentations of Li Hongliang and the main experiment operators. After the detailed investigation, the panel came to the unanimous conclusion that there had been no forgery of scientific data. However, on January 18, 2018, Ho Wen-Zhe published his suspicions again on a personal social network even without any direct evidence. The Committee then started a second investigation according to the report and further held an enlarged meeting of the Committee, attended by 14 members of the Committee (including 7 external peer experts) on January 26, 2018. The relevant records and data have been sealed up for safekeeping while the academic investigation was conducted to guarantee that all materials and data are real and valid. Wu Shi-Jjing, the secretary of the Committee, said. As for the actual number of monkeys involved in the two papers, the committee members verified the relevant documents on the purchase of monkeys, examined the original records endorsed by operators and the raw data, and listened to Li Hongliangs presentation on the issue. The main experiment operators Fang Jing, Tian Song, Zhang Rui, Shen Lijun, and Wang Pixiao were inquiried by the committee at site. The verification made clear that 26 monkeys were used in 2 papers, including 10 in AAV8-GFP control group, 8 in AAV8-CFLAR (S1) group and 8 in AAV8-TMBIM1 group; the two papers share the same control group. Wu Shij-Jing said: The original documents for application, purchase, transportation, feeding and the whole experimental process of the monkeys involved in the report are authentic. The records of the experiments are valid with complete procedures. No acts of counterfeiting has been found. Ho Wen-Zhe also suspected the monkey experiment periods in the two papers were less than 30 weeks and 32 weeks respectively. Li Hongliangs team presented all original records of the experiments, surgical records and original data to the committee. The committee members also inquired the main experiment operators about the experiment details at site, and inspected original documents for the submission, revision and publication of the two papers. The whistleblower thought the time of the first AAV injection was at May 2016. said Li De-Rren, In fact, they (Li Hongliangs team) performed the first portal vein injection in March, 2016. The injection in May, 2016 was the second time. Their first submission clarified the period as 20 weeks. Their monkeys were kept alive after 20-weeks examination, and the monkey experiment was still going on. When revising the papers, they updated the monkey data to 30 weeks and 32 weeks respectively, according to reviewers suggestions. Therefore, there is no academic fraud. After two rounds of investigations up to 9 months, the committee finally made an unanimous conclusion that Li Hongliangs team had not conducted any academic fraud on the related contents involved in the report. There were some negligence in the writing of the papers and Li Hongliangs team has been advised to be more rigorous and meticulous in the future. BROOKFIELD A Catholic school on the verge of closing is exploring something new in Fairfield County, reviving the fabled methods of the one-room schoolhouse. With an infusion of technology, of course. But the clock is ticking. And if St. Joseph School is to launch a new teaching model in the fall that emphasizes individualized learning, it will have to overcome the reluctance of teachers and the apprehension of parents, who are used to the traditional model of age-based grades. And with customizable and interactive technology, teachers can guide students through individualized lessons and keep track of their progress. We are going to make this happen, to be honest, said the Rev. George ONeill, the pastor of St. Joseph Church. This model addresses each student not by age, but by stage, so you can use an iPad to make a track for each child and the child follows that track. St. Joseph made headlines in January when Bishop Frank Caggiano gave the under-enrolled diocesan school until March to replace its traditional grade structure with more fluid groupings of students who would learn at their own paces. Fewer teachers would be needed, since grades would be combined much like recent changes at the Burnham School in Bridgewater, and at St. Peter/St. Francis School in Torrington, both of which were also on the verge of closing due to low enrollment. At the beginning it is very hard to wrap your head around how to meet the needs of each learner, with two grades in one classroom, said Cathie Mastrogiovanni, a 20-year veteran who teaches a blend of 6-, 7- and 8-year-olds at St. Peter / St. Francis. What is great about it is I have them for two years, so when they come to me in their second year, I already know where theyre at and what they need, so I can keep taking them as far as they need to go. The multi-age classroom model has been around for decades, but recently has become more popular, particularly with the advent of touch-screen technology. More for you Bishop envisions new education model to keep St. Joseph's open This is a very interesting approach not just for Catholic schools but for Connecticut in general, where many districts are looking at declining enrollment, said Catherine OCallaghan, chair of the Education Department at Western Connecticut State University. The key to making this work is going to be professional development for the teacher. Caggianos idea is to revitalize the 150-student St. Joseph School by making it an attractive alternative to quality public education in Brookfield. The enrollment crisis at St. Joseph is part of a larger problem driven by families having fewer children, and a Connecticut economy that has not recovered from the Great Recession as fast as other parts of the country. As a result, parochial schools here and across the Tri-State area are typically left with two choices: to close or to merge. The irony for St. Joseph School is its been given a chance to start over at a point where it was out of options. Sometimes out of a crisis comes opportunity, said Steven Cheeseman, the superintendent of schools for the Bridgeport Diocese, which has pledged $250,000 toward technology and teacher training costs. A parent who serves on a task force that will present a plan for a new St. Joseph School to parents in early March said she was optimistic about the future. The bishop has given us a clean slate to build a model that will appeal to more people, said Allyson Kane, who has two children in the school. Kids learn at different levels, and the way they learn can be addressed individually. Some might do better with manipulatives, while others might do better putting on the headphones and learning a lesson on the computer. It remains to be seen what specific components of the multi-age classroom the St. Joseph task force will incorporate when it presents its recommendation to school parents. Principles of blended learning include: Grouping students by learning stages rather than by ages. Integrating technology to make learning individualized. Helping kids meet learning standards at their own pace. More one-on-one time with teachers. Student group collaboration. Giving kids multiple ways to demonstrate their learning. Frequent assessment. Caggiano said the pilot program at St. Joseph could be a model for parochial schools in the diocese, which covers greater Danbury and all of Fairfield County. You will have a smaller school with personalized learning for our children that is financially solvent and doesnt require you to make a magic (enrollment) number, Caggiano told parents during a late January meeting. It is innovative, it is creative, it is new, and you have to take a leap of faith. The challenge of change Principal Jo-Anne Gauger recalls the tense situation three years ago when dwindling enrollment forced St. Peter / St. Francis School to choose the multi-age education model as the only way to survive. At the time, there was only one Catholic school in the Hartford Archdiocese that taught blended classes, and that school abruptly closed. My parents were up in arms, saying, There is our model and now they are closing, recalls Gauger. The worst part about it was we had to let teachers go ... But we also lost quite a few students, because parents felt this was the last nail in the coffin. Gauger saw her enrollment go from 120 students in pre-K through 8th grade to 80 students the first year of the multi-age classes. Today, enrollment has climbed to 93. Our first year was rough, Gauger said. I had parents say, This isnt going to work for my child. But since then they have all been great about it. I mean, we have not lost students because they werent happy. In Brookfield, Caggiano and the members of the task force understand there might be teachers who do not want to work in a multi-age classroom, and there might be parents who feel it would be a bad fit for their children. But advocates believe in the multi-age model for St. Joseph, which is running a $200,000 annual deficit. In a traditional classroom everyone teaches to the middle because you have to engage as many students as possible so the very bright students often times could easily get bored and the ones who need particular help in a subject get frustrated, Caggiano told parents during a Jan. 20 meeting to announce the initiative. Technology allows us to motivate each child to their capability. Mastrogiovanni agrees. There is no ceiling to the learning, Mastrogiovanni said during a recent visit to her classroom. She taught a younger group math at the smartboard while older groups solved math problems at two round tables on the other side of the classroom. This is really the way learning should be, because they are pushed, and they are getting exactly what each of them needs, Mastrogiovanni said. In the classroom next door, 16-year veteran Christine Kupcho said the multi-age model gives her the flexibility to teach to the students strengths. They are not on my level they are all on their own indivicual level, said Kupcho, who teaches 3- and 4-year-olds. I can create my own lesson plans and can be as accommodating or as creative as I need to be. In Brookfield, the proof of the models appeal will come when the school looks at its registration in the fall. Although there is no minimum enrollment number Caggiano suggested the new school could run as well with 80 students as 300 the school cannot survive without the commitment of families. Mastrogiovanni shared some advice. As rough as it is to get started you need to just embrace it and go with it and do what you can to keep Catholic education alive, she said. Because we need it. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342. New Milford Public Library will hold its next poetry book club led by the towns poet laureate, James Scrimgeour, Feb. 22. The club will meet the third Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at the Main Street library. Want some apples? Here's where you can pick your own in Newport County It's the season for apple picking and these spots will send you home with plenty of varieties. Columnist Tom Kacich is a columnist and the author of Tom's Mailbag at The News-Gazette. His column appears Sundays. His email is tkacich@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@tkacich). Recently, a group of U.S. lawmakers nominated three leaders of the illegal "Occupy Central" movement for the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize. The Foreign Ministry in Beijing in a statement on Friday urged the U.S. lawmakers to stop meddling in Chinas domestic affairs, saying the 2014 protests were "downright illegal." The nomination letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee was signed by a dozen members of the U.S. Congress, including Senator Marco Rubio and Representative Chris Smith, the chair and co-chair, respectively, of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. This is not the first time that the Commission has openly tried to undermine China in the name of human rights, nor is it the first time that the Nobel Peace Prize has been used to attack China. From the Dalai Lama to Liu Xiaobo to the current nomination, the Nobel Peace Prize has become a big joke, at least in the eyes of many Chinese it looks like a prestigious prize for peace, but it is really a political tool to promote the Western agenda. The letter makes clear the ideological nature of the Nobel Peace Prize and shows how it has become a major channel for political and ideological infiltration into China. Thus, there is no surprise that the U.S. Congress members who penned the letter expressed their deep appreciation for the Nobel Committees past willingness to interfere in Chinas internal affairs. Nor is there surprise that the U.S. lawmakers celebrated the protest leaders as champions of peace and freedom. The illegal movement that the U.S. Congress members think deserves the Nobel Committees recognition was far from universally supported by the more than 7 million citizens of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. In late October 2014, the Alliance for Peace and Democracy collected over 1.8 million signatures over a nine-day period of Hong Kong citizens who opposed the protests. And in November, a survey conducted by the University of Hong Kong found that close to 83 percent of Hong Kong citizens wanted the protests to end. Rather than promote fraternity, as Alfred Nobel had wished, the peace prize has deepened ideological rifts. The decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo, who was seen by many as a pawn of the West, has brought discredit on the prize. Now, the West is trying to weaponize the prize again. The U.S. lawmakers attempted to demonize China, assuming that the pressure would promote political change in China. This is all a fitting reminder that anti-China forces remain committed to undermining China. As described in the will of Alfred Nobel, the Nobel Peace Prize should be awarded to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses. If the purpose of the Nobel Peace Prize is to promote peace, there are thousands of Chinese who are qualified to receive the prize. One must ask why only those who oppose Chinas ruling party and the Chinese government and who seek separation are chosen for the prize. One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 Hero Electric, the countrys largest electric two-wheeler manufacturer, has unveiled three of its global products in India, ahead of Auto Expo 2018. The company plans to launch these products throughout 2018, in a phased manner. The unveiled products are AXLHE-20, A2B Speed, A2B Kuo Boost. Speaking on the occasion, Naveen Munjal, Managing Director, Hero Electric said, The AXLHE-20 is a high-speed e-bike that promises the perfect blend of performance and efficiency. On the other hand, A2B Speed and Kuo Boost are premium electric bicycles that cater to upwardly mobile youth who value adventure and fitness. The company also launched 10 Years Ahead campaign to mark 10 years of manufacturing electric two-wheelers. Over the past decade, Hero Electric has launched 15 electric two-wheelers in India. With 65% share of the countrys electric two-wheeler market, Hero Electric leads Indias market. Commenting on the unveilings, Sohinder Gill, Chief Executive Officer, Hero Electric said, Hero Electric has been leading Indias electric mobility revolution over a decade now. Our commitment to sustainable mobility is manifested in the consistently superior products that we have launched over the years. Our new product range is an extension of this commitment. The AXLHE-20, A2B Speed and Kuo Boost are developed keeping in mind the needs and aspirations of such customers. These products are part of Hero Electrics plan to double sales every year over the next five years. The company will add to its current manufacturing capacity by setting up multiple manufacturing plants in that time period. AXLHE-20 Hero Electrics upcoming high-speed e-bike, codenamed AXLHE-20, is powered by a 4,000 Watt motor that produces peak power of 6,000 Watts. The e-bike can reach a top speed of 85 kilometres per hour and has a range of up to 110 kilometres on a single charge. The lithium-ion battery on the e-bike can get fully charged from empty in around four hours. It also features regenerative braking, improving its performance. A2B Speed Hero Electric A2B Speed. (Photo: Hero Electric) A2B is the UK-based electric bicycle-making subsidiary of Hero Electric Vehicles Pvt Ltd. Its A2B Speed e-bicycle is powered by a 500-watt motor. The Speeds 36-volt battery lasts for 700 full charge cycles and gives the electric bicycle a range of 70 kilometres along with a top speed of 45 kilometres per hour. A2B Speed has an aluminium frame and eight gear Shimano XT rear derailleur transmission. It comes with Tektro Dorado hydraulic disc brakes. A2B Kuo Boost Hero Electric A2B Kuo Boost. (Photo: Hero Electric) The Kuo Boost electric bicycle is powered by a 350-watt motor and has a top speed of 32 kilometres per hour. Its lithium-ion battery gives the Kuo Boost 60 kilometres of range per charge. The battery lasts up to 700 full charge cycles. Kuo Boost has an aluminium frame and weighs 20 kilograms. It is a foldable electric bicycle and offers unparalleled portability and convenience. The bicycle has an eight-speed Shimano Derailleur gearbox to assist riders. The Kuo Boost is renowned world over, as the most successful premium foldable electric bicycle. Also Watch: New Delhi: Nouriel Roubini, chairman of Roubini Macro Associates and the economist who, in 2006, predicted the collapse of US' housing market and worldwide recession, has taken to Twitter to call bitcoin the "biggest bubble in human history". Roubini backed his claim by showing a graph of bitcoin's historic run, as compared to others such as the infamous tulip bulbs. "Now bitcoin crashing below 8000, headed towards 7000. Down 60% from the peak, 40% in a month and over 10% today. The Mother of All Bubbles and Biggest Bubble in Human History Comes Down Crashing," he wrote on the micro-blogging site. Bitcoin price heading south over the weekend towards a $7K handle (now down over 10% in last 24 hours to $8.2K). Will the wash traders react on Monday as they did on Friday and manipulate again the price upwards?https://t.co/0BHJWj7zWV Nouriel Roubini (@Nouriel) February 4, 2018 Nicknamed "Dr Doom", Roubini in 2006 made an address to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in which he predicted that, among other things, the US economy was at risk of a housing bust and deep recession that would have dire consequences for the rest of the world. On Friday, cryptocurrencies plunged, with bitcoin at one point sliding below $8,000 and headed for its biggest weekly loss since December 2013, amid worries about a regulatory clampdown globally. The currencies had come off their lows but analysts said the sell-off was probably not over. Last week's slump brought the total market value of cryptocurrencies down to around $400 billion, half the high it reached in January, according to industry tracker Coinmarketcap.com. The market value of cryptocurrencies is calculated by multiplying the number of digital coins in existence by their price, although many question whether that is the right way to value them. Bitcoin, the biggest and best-known cryptocurrency, fell as much as 15 percent on Friday to a two-month low of $7,625 on the Luxembourg-based Bitstamp exchange. It clawed back some losses and was down around 5.6 percent at $8,498 in late New York trading. The virtual currency is down by close to 25 percent this week and almost 40 percent in 2018. It surged more than 1,000 percent though in 2017. For some market participants, bitcoin may be down, but it is not likely to fade. "Bitcoin has become, and will continue to be, primarily a speculative asset class," said David Moskowitz, Co-founder and Director of Indorse, the decentralized social network for professionals. He added that the recent drops in transaction fees have made it easier to use bitcoin for payments once again. And if a payment solution can help the congestion, bitcoin may once again become an effective payment network, Moskowitz said. The second and third largest virtual currencies, Ethereum and Ripple, also plunged more than 20 percent at the session low, Coinmarketcap.com said. Ethereum was last down 13.2 percent, at $888.22, while Ripple last traded at 83 US cents, down 14.7 percent. Retail investors have poured money into digital coins, enticed by the huge run-up in prices. Regulators say cryptocurrencies are highly speculative and dangerous investments. On Thursday, India vowed to eradicate the use of crypto-assets, joining China and South Korea in promising to ban parts of the nascent market where prices have boomed in recent years. Social media website Facebook said this week it would ban cryptocurrency advertisements because many were associated with misleading or deceptive promotional practices. US regulators have sent a subpoena to two of the world's biggest cryptocurrency players, Bitfinex and Tether A massive $530 million hack of a Japanese cryptocurrency exchange last week renewed worries about the security of the industry. Critics of virtual currencies have called the run-up in prices a speculative bubble, but supporters of cryptocurrencies say short-term price volatility is to be expected, and the blockchain technology underpinning these assets maintains its power and value. Going back to 2011 and including the current selloff, bitcoin's price has been halved nine times on the Bitstamp exchange before recovering. The last time was from November 2014 to January 2015. Lucknow: As per official data, ever since the Yogi Adityanath-led government came to power 10 months ago, there have been more than 1100 police encounters in the state. These shootouts have caused the death of 34 criminals, left 265 injured and led to the arrest of 2744 history-sheeters. On the other hand, four police personnel have been killed and 247 injured in these 10 months. The UP chief minister had said that police will have full freedom to deal with rising crime rates in the state and asked criminals to either surrender or leave the state. The police promptly launched Operation Clean and took no time in beginning to deal with the wanted men. According to information released by Uttar Pradesh Police, there were 1142 police encounter in Uttar Pradesh between March 20, 2017, and January 31, 2018. The highest numbers of encounters were reported from Meerut zone where 449 encounters took place, which was followed by Agra zone which had 210. Third on the list was Bareilly zone with 196 encounters and then came Kanpur zone with 91 shootouts. The least number of police encounters were in the CMs constituency of Gorakhpur. Apart from this, the police have imposed National Security Act (NSA) against 167 criminals and seized assets worth nearly 150 crores. There have been voices raised against the encounters, especially when a police officer shot a gym owner in Noida to get a promotion. The death of Sumit Gurjar, who was also shot dead by the police in Noida, has raised eyebrows. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) even sent a notice to the UP Government over the encounter of Sumit Gurjar seeking answers. If the burgeoning number of encounters are not kept a strict vigil, it could lead to a repeat of the 1991 Pilibhit fake encounter case. In 2016, a special CBI court found 47 police officers guilty of killing 12 people who were travelling back from a pilgrimage. The police, reacting to a speculative story about militants travelling the route, stopped their bus and took the group to different spots. All 12 were later found dead. Meanwhile, opposition parties have been critical of the polices alleged free reign. Talking to News18, Samajwadi Party spokesperson, Rajendra Chaudhary said, The recent encounter in Noida was fake and we seek strict action against the culprits. CM Yogi had warned the criminals but instead, crime has risen in the state. This is just government propaganda to hide their failure to crime control. This is a smokescreen created by the BJP but on the contrary, the crime graph is rising. Law and order situation has gone out of the hand in the state. New Delhi: Setting the alarm bells ringing for Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, whose government will face the electorate later this year, the Kota district unit of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is now divided over her leadership ability. While BJPs OBC wings president in Kota district has written a letter to BJP President Amit Shah, demanding a change in leadership in the state, the district president of the party has issued a statement in support of the CM. On February 1, the results for the Rajasthan bypolls came and they disappointed the hardworking workers of the BJP. Some workers, such as me, knew that the result would not go in the partys favour. The people of the state are not happy with Chief Minister Vasundhara Rajes way of working and the morale of party workers is going down, Ashok Chuadhary, OBC wings president said in his letter. He also hit out at BJP state president Ashok Parnami, alleging that he works like a slave of the CM. State BJP President Ashok Parnami, working like a slave of the CM, is doing immeasurable damage to the party organisation in the state. His hold on the organisation is also weakening. Party workers and office bearers are not happy with his style of working, Chaudhary added. He further alleged that Vasundhara Raje is surrounded in a bureaucratic chakravyuh (trap) and is leading the party on a path where it will only find loss. BJP Kota district president Hemant Vijay, on the other hand, defended the CM. Rajasthan has seen path-breaking development work being undertaken under the leadership of Vasundhara Raje Ji. Similarly, the organisation has only been strengthened under the leadership of (state BJP President) Ashok Parnamai. Ashok Chaudhary later told me that the letter he wrote was a mistake and he would like to take it back, he said. The Congress has clinched success at the bypolls which were dubbed semi-final before the Assembly elections in Rajasthan later this year. Congress candidates Raghu Sharma and Karan Singh Yadav won the Lok Sabha by-elections from Ajmer and Alwar respectively. The Congress also defeated the BJP in the Mandalgarh Assembly by-polls. Lucknow: The Agra administration has denied permission to a Tiranga Yatra organised by social activist Shabana Khandelwal in which hundreds of Muslims were supposed to take part. Members of Muslim community who had gathered to take out the Tiranga Yatra handed over memorandum addressed to the President of India to the Agra administration. Amid chants of Hindustan Zindabad and Madre Watan Zindabad, the Tiranga Yatra was stopped by the police at Shaheed Smarak due to the absence of a permission. In the memorandum, they demanded that raising obscene chants and slogans against Muslims should be brought under the category of crime and to keep religion away from politics. Atrocities on Muslims in the name of nationalism should be stopped and so should the debate on Vande Matram, it said. Upset over allegations of not respecting the national flag, Agras Muslim community had decided to take out a Tiranga Yatra. Khandelwal, who was pained by the recent Kasganj communal clashes, said such incidents are shameful for the society and Indian Muslims are patriots and are committed to the nation. A few days ago, the district administration didnt give permission to Vishwa Hindu Parishad for a Tiranga Yatra in the city. New Delhi: The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship claims that 65% of Indias population is in the working-age group. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, though, has found that adolescent girls are not included in this percentage. The NCPCRs National Colloquium Report, Vocational & Life Skills Training of Out-of-School Adolescent Girls in the age group 15-18 years tells a story of gaps that exist in our educational and vocational schemes. For instance, the Right to Education Act ensures compulsory elementary education till the age of 14 years but skill development programmes in India engage teenagers only at the age of 18. Herein exists a gap. Teenagers in the 15-18 age group should be mobilised early to prevent wastage in terms of their education and resources. For this, we recommend to the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) the need to engage at the right age, extension of WCDs schemes to adolescent girls and formulation of the National Level Life Skill Framework, said a member of NCPCRs Education Division Priyank Kanoongo, who headed the National Colloquium Report. The NCPCRs recent report also states that 39.4% of adolescent girls in the 15-18 age group are not attending any educational institution, while among boys of the same age, it is 35%. The report further added, Out of the total population of 15-18 year old Out of School girls, 65% do not attend any educational institution and are either engaged in household activities, dependents or engaged in begging. On the other hand, 33.4% of Out of School boys are non-workers. The study was undertaken to delve upon and discuss the ways in which vocational, life skill training can be extended to the girls in question. He added, There is a need to develop Life Skills Curriculum framework at the national level, which can be adopted at the state level as per state-specific requirements. While framing the Curriculum, the life-skills syllabus by NCERT for classes IX-XII should be included. The life skills training may be provided by WCD as a bridge course to the skill development programmes or under independent life skills training programme. Some of the immediate steps listed in the report are: Providing opportunities for transition rather than re-engaging the Out of School Adolescent Girls As per U-DISE 2015-16, 88.66% girls transit to secondary level. The remaining do not continue studies for various reasons. Hence, it is important to target children at the completion of elementary education, so that they can be engaged at an early age. For this, it is recommended that children between 14-18 years of age are not allowed to work in hazardous occupations as specified in the rules. The Ministry of Labour should clarify working conditions of children in non-hazardous occupations through a Standard Operating Procedure. Redefining entry-level age The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship needs to redefine the entry level in various vocational training programmes. For this, it is important that the eligibility criterion as per the job roles be laid down considering the kind of work that can be taken up by children after completing 14 years of age. Engaging at the right age The Right to Education Act, 2009, ensures compulsory elementary education till the age of 14 years and the skill development programmes in India engage children at the age of 18 years. Hence, it is important to fill this huge gap and children in the age 15-18 years should be mobilized early to prevent wastage in terms of their education and resources. Extending SABLA Scheme for AGs in the age-group of 15-18 years Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG), SABLA, aims to empower adolescent girls by improving their nutritional status, providing vocational education, sensitise them regarding health, hygiene, nutrition and re-engaging out-of-school children. The scheme is approved for implementation in the age group of 11-14 years but is silent on the age group of 15-18 years. New Delhi: Does health issues, debt and unemployment worry you? The RSS Gau Sewa cell has one-stop solution to all your problems the cow. Taking forward the central governments flagship National Health Protection Scheme, the Gau Sewa cell members plan to visit various temples and mutts on March 31 to spread awareness on the benefits of cow urine and cow dung. The outfit is scheduled to organise a Gau Jap Mahayagya (cow chant ceremony) on the occasion. According to a WHO report, India accounts for 21% of the worlds global burden of disease. Hence, the cell has decided to focus on Rog Mukt Bharat (diesease-free India) and has also printed a handbook, Srishti ki Sangrakshak Bharatiya Gai (Indian cow The protector of nature), to give an impetus to its campaign. The book has been translated into various languages like Odiya, Telugu, Kannada and has sold almost two lakh copies in Hindi. According to the outfit members, their work has been inspired by the granths. They added that the Gau Anusansadan Kendra in Nagpur is also conducting research work to prove the benefits of cows. The Indian cow is a doctor itself. From its urine to dung and even oxygen exhaled by the cattle is beneficial for us, said Shankar Lal, chief of RSS Bharatiya Gau Sewa. Besides, the cell has framed eight broad points to fight crime, unemployment and other problems with the help of cattle. Lal shared some keys points of their campaign with News18. Cancer: Presently, cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in India. According to the cell chief, it can be cured by making a mixture of 20 gm of gau mutra (cow urine), 40gm water, and 25 tulsi leaves. This should be taken thrice a day with cow milk. Mental Health: According to reports, 7.5% Indians suffer from mental problems. But applying pure desi ghee over forehead can cure ailments like depression, and other mental health issues, Lal said, adding that it is also beneficial for people suffering from sleeplessness and snoring. Child Birth: The Sangh outfit claims it has made sure that women give normal birth within two hours of being treated with cow urine. In eight years, we have helped 3,000 women to go for normal delivery. All we did was give cow urine mixed with 25 leaves of tulsi, he said. Tuberculosis: According to World Health Organisation report in 2017, India continues to be worst affected by the disease. But, Lal suggests, Make a paste with certain herbs and keep it close to a cow for some time as the oxygen exhaled by it has medicinal properties. This method is really useful to recover from TB. Hypertension: India has shown alarming rise in cases of hypertension, but cows on roads can solve this problem too! Just go and rub yourself against the body of a cow, Lal said, adding that methods of rubbing are different for high and low blood pressure. Miscellaneous: The outfit chief enlisted other goals like karz mukt bharat to reduce the burden of debt by producing ones own products with the help of cows and apradh mukt bharat to check crimes by avoiding milk from jersey cows and other non-Indian breeds as they make people violent. University lecturers are told to censor their courses in case they are transphobic in bid to appease equality campaigners At least a dozen institutions have issued guidance to professors and lecturers Classes must not contain material that is discriminatory to transgender people It is part of a drive to appease equality campaigners and tackle 'transphobia' Universities are ordering academics to delete all material from their courses which could be considered transphobic in a drive to appease equality campaigners. At least a dozen institutions have issued guidance to professors and lecturers stating that classes must not contain material that is discriminatory to transgender people those who identify as another sex to the one they were born. Data published today lays bare the extent to which academics speech is being restricted on transgender issues in a potential breach of the law on academic freedom. Almost half of universities now have policies in place that regulate speech on the topic. Last year the proportion was a third. One institution City, University of London has even banned lecturers from using terms such as mate, guys, Sir or Madam because it might upset transgender students. Many universities ban all forms of transphobia, while others attempt to limit discussion or insist students use gender-neutral pronouns such as they or ze. The universities say the policies aim to make courses more inclusive of transgender students. The findings were uncovered by online magazine Spiked as part of its annual Free Speech University Rankings (FSUR). The report authors said the vast majority of transgender-related speech regulation was imposed by the universities, rather than by students unions. The instructions for avoiding transphobia in course content have been given to lecturers at a number of elite Russell Group universities, including Leeds, Southampton, Kings College London and Cardiff. Others include St Andrews, Sussex, Bath, Glasgow Caledonian, Liverpool Hope, Oxford Brookes, Aberystwyth and the University of the West of England in Bristol. Under the Equality Act, all institutions have a duty to ensure transgender students are not discriminated against. FUSR coordinator Tom Slater said: In some of our most esteemed universities, supposed citadels of free-thinking and scientific endeavour, administrations are demanding that debate about transgenderism be shut down and courses be cleansed of un-PC material. How any course about, say, biology, can coexist with this is unfathomable. Anthony Glees, professor of politics at the University of Buckingham, said imposing such rules on lecturers on what they can say about transgenderism risked breaching the 1988 Education Reform Act, which guarantees academic freedom. This is outrageous, he said. It comes after feminists including Germaine Greer and Linda Bellos and scientists such as fertility pioneer Lord Winston were banned by union officials from speaking at student events because of concerns they have raised about transgender issues. Campaign group Stonewall said: Trans people face huge levels of abuse every day. Given this, we welcome institutions that put policies in place to create inclusive environments and take a stand against transphobia. Almost one ban per week is being imposed on offensive material, events or speakers at universities, according to FSUR. It found that 81 bans have been created in the past three academic years equal to almost one for every week in term time. Neemuch: Well known for his contentious remarks, BJP MLA T Raja Singh on Sunday said that each and every Hindu should attend RSS shakhas and those who refuse to do so, are not Hindus. Those who do not attend an RSS shakha, are not Hindus, the BJP lawmaker from Hyderabad said. A video of the MLA making the controversial remark at a Hindu Dharmasabha event held in Neemuch district of Madhya Pradesh on Sunday has gone viral. "Jo shakha mein nahi jaata, vo apne aapko hindu kahna bhool jaye, main nahi maanta voh desh ya dharm ke liye kuchh kar sakta hai (Those who do not go to RSS shakhas should stop calling themselves Hindus. I dont think he can do anything for the country or his religion), the firebrand MLA was heard saying. Singh has asked every Hindu to attend RSS shakhas wherever possible. He further urged the Modi government to take stringent action against those who kill cows and chant anti-India slogans. He also talked at length about religious conversions. Unnao MP Sakshi Maharaj, who was also present at the event claimed that a concept of Hindu nation is shaping up in the country gradually and it calls for strict imposing of birth control. She claimed the central government would now work on its Hum Do, Hamare Do and Sabke Do policy. Raja, the Goshamahal MLA in Hyderabad has triggered many a controversy with his stinging remarks in 2017 and was recently booked for one of his inflammatory speeches in Hyderabad. New Delhi: With the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces engaged in peace missions in at least eight nations across the world, there is now a need to ensure post-conflict resolutions bring lasting peace. One way, experts believe, is to involve more women in the peace process. One of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping missions, India, is all set to take the lead in terms of involving more women. Lt. General Sarath Chand, Vice-Chief of Army Staff (VCoAs), told News 18 India was going to double the number of women it currently involves in UN Peacekeeping Missions. From deciding the mandate of the peacekeeping missions to negotiating ceasefires and post-conflict resolution, women need to play a larger role. Currently, women constitute under 4% of the military component of peacekeeping missions. The United Nations Secretary-General wants it to be 8% by next year. We (Indian Army) have also been instructed to double the number of women on our end and we will keep up our end of these commitments. Speaking earlier at a UN Women event in New Delhi, which is hosting a workshop on gender integration in peacekeeping missions, Lt Gen Chand, who has also served on UN peacekeeping missions, recalled horrors of conflict-related sexual violence on the battlefield. I have also been a part of UN peacekeeping missions and I have witnessed first-hand the suffering of women. Rape and sexual violence are used as tactics of war by rebel groups. This isnt something that the UN didnt know. This was happening despite UN resolutions being passed against it. Currently, United Nations Peacekeeping Missions are going on simultaneously in the Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), Iraq, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Syria. More and more, we see the nature of international conflict change. We are moving from inter-state conflict to intra-state conflict, said Lt. Gen. Chand, adding, We need to take care that when we include women in peacekeeping missions, they also need to be provided adequate security as part of the mission. Currently, women are not allowed to serve in the Indian Armys combat units like the Infantry, Armoured Corps, and the Mechanised Infantry. The Indian Army inducted within its ranks a female officer for the first time in 1993. In 2007, the first all-woman United Nations Peacekeeping Force was sent to Liberia, which had 105 Indian policewomen. India has been one of the largest troop contributors to the UN Peacekeeping Force, with 1.8 lakh troops deployed over 43 missions since the inception of the UN Peacekeeping Mission. New Delhi: Can you recollect another time in the year when you would think or worry about the Vrindavan widows if its not Holi? Perhaps not. Because Holi is the only time when theres an excellent photo-op for shutterbugs to catch these hapless women draped in white, enjoying a rare touch of colour. Otherwise, they are just spending their remaining days. Widows living in Vrindavan have been rendered invisible in the discourse on poverty with the negligible data available on them. A Supreme Court-appointed panel to look into the rehabilitation of Vrindavan widows recently submitted its report and came up with the above observation and suggested that a Widows Cell be framed to look at the shortcomings. The panel members have further proposed that Census data should include additional indicators on widows apart from the constitution of Widows Cells at the district, state and the national levels. In August 2017, when the Supreme Court formed a panel to devise a working plan to uplift the condition of the widows of Vrindavan, the division bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta stressed that the committee should suggest ways to encourage widow remarriage. The six-member committee comprises Suneeta Dhar of NGO Jagori, Meera Khanna of Guild for Service, activist and lawyer Abha Singhal, lawyer Aparajita Singh and one nominee each from NGOs HelpAge India and Sulabh International. The copy of the report, which has been accessed by News18, shows how the panel members had urged that data on widows be made available to fulfil the aim of their upliftment. The differing forms of violence against widows is known and still there is, astonishingly, very little data available. This is probably due to the myth that widows are taken care of by family households and so the deprivations of widows are well hidden in economic and social statistics. Without adequate data it will be impossible to underscore the economic, social and political vulnerabilities of widows. Dearth of data renders widows invisible in the discourse on poverty. Data on the status of the widows across a large sample size, indicating both core and relative deprivations can be both a management tool and a report card for conceptualizing, implementing and monitoring interventions to empower widows, reads the report. The panel suggests that on registration of the death of a male, the name, age and contact details of the widow be recorded. The Registrar General of India should issue a direction to the states so that census data collection should be upgraded with additional indicators on widows. The database should be uploaded on the Ministry of WCD digital database. The expert panel has also found out that widows were not a homogeneous group concentrated in the shelter homes alone as more than half of the widows surveyed reside independently and constitute the most neglected category. Further, the panel has proposed that a single window system be put in place for access of services and schemes meant for the widows. The Widows Cell would have all shelter homes maintained by the Centre, state or an NGO, registered under it. A dedicated widows cell to be constituted at the District level under the District Legal Services Authority. Ministry of WCD has already formulated a One Stop Centre Scheme to converge services for women affected by violence and it would be integrated with the present recommendations, the report proposes. The panel has also proposed a hike in the food allowance for widows as the current Rs 1300 per month is not enough, according to a UP-based survey. Food allowance for widows is Rs 1300 per month and it needs revision. In a survey conducted by Mahila Kalyan Nigam, UP with HelpAge India, food requirement of a resident was Rs 4050 per month and hence widows food allowance needs revision, notes the SC-appointed panel. The Guild of Service, an NGO was also a part of the panel meeting that has called out for the dole scheme for widows to be stopped. The Guild of Service is against the practice of giving dole to underprivileged as it only reinforces the marginalized status of the widows. Pension as a social security intervention of Rs 5,000 payment to widows to meet their boarding expenses is a dole which will be an obstacle to empowerment and self-dependence, reads the report. Mumbai: A total of 1430 bullet-proof jackets out of 4600 received by the Maharashtra Police in the aftermath of the 26/11 terror attacks are returned to their manufacturer as they failed the AK-47 bullet test during trials. "We have sent back more than 1400 bullet-proof jackets to their manufacturer as they did not pass our test with AK-47 bullets," Additional Director General of Police (Procurement and Coordination), V V Laxminarayana told PTI. The jackets returned to a Kanpur-based manufacturing firm were from three different batches. The police department had ordered 5,000 bullet-proof vests from the company, which also provides such jackets to other Central security forces, for Rs 17 crore but received 4600 pieces after factoring in Customs duty and other charges. During the trials conducted at the Chandigarh-based Central Forensic Science Laboratory, only around 3,000 jackets passed the test, another official said, adding that the rest 1,430 jackets were rejected as AK-47 bullets pierced through them during the tests. "We have asked the manufacturer to replace the 1,430 jackets with a fresh stock. There will be no compromise on the quality and standards of the bullet-proof jackets and we will take a delivery from the same manufacturer after testing those bullet-proof jackets again," the official said. A major controversy had erupted on the quality of bullet-proof jackets after the death of ATS chief Hemant Karkare in the 2008 terror attacks. Karkare was seen putting on the bullet-proof vest in the last visuals, before the jeep he was travelling in was attacked in south Mumbai. The controversy was one of the main reasons that no company was willing to supply the jackets in multiple tenders floated by Maharashtra Police since the 2008 attacks, according to the official. The jackets are primarily meant to be used by police personnel during anti-Maoist operations in Gadchiroli district and in other pockets, by the Quick Response Team (QRT) of Mumbai Police and the Force One, the elite commando force raised after the terror strikes, he said. The state police started receiving the consignment of jackets in the last quarter of 2017---the ninth anniversary year of the attacks. In a major embarrassment to the Kerala unit of CPM, United Arab Emirates (UAE) has imposed a travel ban on Binoy Vinodini Balakrishnan, the elder son of its state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who is in an imbroglio after an alleged financial deal in the Gulf country. The UAE government has imposed the travel ban on February 1, 2018, based on the request of Dubai police. A Dubai-based firm, JAAS Tourism LLC, filed a civil case against him alleging fraud amounting to Rs 13 crore. "We are sorry to inform you that an order of travel ban has been issued against you in case no. 102/2018/69 order on a petition - commercial due to the enforceable sum of 10,00,000 Dirhams," said the translation of a note issued to Binoy. The complaint stated that Binoy knew his partner which is how he approached them for a loan. Binoy assured them that the money, which included approximately Rs 53 lakhs for the car and an additional Rs 45 lakh for other business deals, would be paid by June 2016 but that never happened. Cheques submitted by him bounced due to lack of funds. He was forced to file two criminal cases at the Dubai Police General Headquarters in 2016. The complainant claimed that the court then instructed approaching the Interpol to bring Binoy back since the Dubai public prosecution had declared him a wilful defaulter. The news has been confirmed by Binoy's brother Bineesh Kodiyeri who took pains to defend his father. "There is a travel ban on Binoy over a case following a deal worth one million AED which is equivalent to 1.72 crore INR. We have not denied the case in UAE. However, some people with vested interest are trying to create a smokescreen that there is a case of Rs 13 crore against Binoy. Moreover, it is not the responsibility of my father. For example, if I commit a murder, how will it fall on my father's shoulder? My brother and I are adults. The good and bad of our deeds are ours," he told reporters here on Monday. Some party leaders from Kerala slammed CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury at the District meet in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, a day after he confirmed that a complaint has been received against Balakrishnan's son for alleged fraud. The opposition attacked the ruling party saying that the CPM must issue an explanation on the allegations. Earlier, Speaking to News18, BJPs national executive committee member and former state president V Muraleedharan said that he had written to the Enforcement Directorate to launch a probe into the allegations, adding that the allegations were grave. New Delhi: A day after four Indian Army troops, including an Army Captain, was martyred in Pakistani shelling, Vice-Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Sarath Chand, said Indias "action will speak for itself". "Since the beginning of last year, we have not only had cases of infiltration, but also cases where our soldiers were mutilated. So we have also started responding appropriately. Recently, there was a statement laid in the Parliament that we are responding in equal or even greater measure," Lt. Gen. Sarath Chand said. Chand further said, In the incident that happened yesterday (Sunday), there was cross-border shelling. One of the shells landed where the officer and his men were stationed and unfortunately, we lost them. We will continue giving a befitting reply. Our action will speak for itself. In a fresh round of ceasefire violation by Pakistan, four Army personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri sector. Capt Kapil Kundu, riflemen Ram Avtar and Subham Singh and Havildar Roshan Lal died in the firing. The one injured has been identified as Lance Naik Iqbal Ahmed. Pakistani forces opened unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics, and mortars around 1110 hours along LoC in Bhimbher Gali sector of Rajouri district on Monday, said a senior army official. Srinagar: The National Conference and PDP on Monday batted for dialogue between India and Pakistan to bring peace, normalcy to border tensions between both countries. Amid protest over continuous cross-border firing and killing of four army personals on Sunday, the BJP demanded resolution of condemnation on Pakistan. However, NC legislators were of the opinion that it would further provoke the neighbouring country, who have been resorting to heavy shelling along the borders. As BJP MLAs continued to stick to their demand, NC legislators said that the resolution should come through chief minister Mehbooba Mufti. Let the CM being the condemnation resolution against Pakistan. It should not come from you (BJP). She is the leader of the house, NC legislator Devender Singh Rana told his BJP counterparts. PDP leader Javed Beigh also was of the opinion that passing a resolution against the neighbouring country will not yield anything as people will continue to suffer due to continuous ceasefire violations. Beigh suggested that the house should jointly make an appeal to Pakistan to bring an end to the continuous cross-border firing and further advocate dialogue between both countries. Jammu and Kashmir assembly deputy speaker Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi chipped in at this point and suggested that if the whole house was concerned about cross-border firing, then there should be no objection in bringing a resolution of condemnation against Pakistan. To this Devender Rana again reiterated that a resolution was something that should be moved by the chief minister. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman of PDP also called for dialogue saying that nothing is better than peace and reconciliation. He strengthened his stand by stating that even former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had advocated for talks. After multiple voices were raised in support of dialogue rather than resolution, deputy speaker Gurazi asked PDP legislator Ajaiz Ahmed Mir to clarify if he was part of the ruling government or against it. If the parliamentary affairs minister has already issued a statement, you have no right to speak over it, said Gurazi to Mir. The state government will now bring in a resolution requesting both India and Pakistan to maintain peace on borders. However, the government did not specify when it intended to bring it in. Dubai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is heading for a three-day, three-nation visit to West Asia this week. The visit will start on the 10th of February with Palestine from where the PM will travel to the UAE and round-off the trip with a stopover in Oman. In UAE, the Prime Minister will participate in the foundation stone-laying ceremony, via video-conferencing, of Abu Dhabi's first Hindu temple. The UAE government reportedly granted 20,000 square metres of land for the temple. The UAE government had made the announcement of the land allocation, just outside Abu Dhabi city, during Modi's first visit to UAE in 2015. "This reflects the commitment of the UAE government in diversity and tolerance," said Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs. Not wanting to comment on the deity that will be worshipped in the temple, MEA simply stated that the nature of the temple and funding will be worked out between the Indian community and UAE authorities. In Oman, too, the Prime Minister has a religious engagement. He will be visiting the ancient Shiva temple in Muscat. The Shree Shiva Temple is believed to have been built 109 years ago by the merchant community from Gujarat that settled in Muscat centuries ago. But all eyes will be on the PMs half-day visit to Ramallah. While this will be the first visit ever by a Prime Minister to Palestine, what is also being highlighted by the Ministry of External Affairs is that this is a stand-alone visit. "We have de-hypenated Palestine and Israel," said Joint Secretary (West Asia and North Africa) Bala Bhaskar. The Prime Minister had made his first stand-alone visit to Israel last year in July, just weeks after hosting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in New Delhi. Before holding talks in Ramallah, the Prime Minister will lay a wreath at the memorial of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The two sides are expected to sign MoUs on Palestine reconstruction and health. New Delhi: The practice of female genital mutilation among Dawoodi Bohras has been a long-standing debate, while a recent report by a non-profit group has established that India is a hub of the practice with no laws to put it in check. It is one of the first studies to document the impact that female genital mutilation has on the victims. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), FGM comprises "all procedures that involve the altering or injuring of female genitalia for non-medical purposes and is recognised internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women". A majority of Bohras practice Type 1 FGM/C (partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or clitoral hood/prepuce). Though supporters of khafd or female genital mutilation (FGM) in India claim Bohras practice the removal of clitoral hood (Type 1a) and pricking, piercing, cauterization (Type 4 FGM/C); participants in the study, including a doctor (OBGYN) observed that while both practices are prevalent among the Bohras, there are a very few cases of pricking, piercing, cauterization. The survey on the prevalence of FGM or "khafd" among the Bohras in the country also highlighted that in the urban areas increasingly doctors in medical facilities also performed F`GM in addition to traditional cutters. One of the key findings of the report titled "The Clitoral Hood a Contested Site: Khafd or Female Genital Mutilation in India" was that India was viewed as a hub for the performance of female genital mutilation (FGM) on Bohra expat/foreign girls. This was primarily due to the recent legal action on FGM/C among Bohras in Australia and USA, and the lack of an anti-FGM/C law in India. While India has no law recognizing female genital cutting or mutilation, other countries do. In 2016, Australia sentenced three Dawoodi Bohras to 15 months in jail under the countrys female genital mutilation law. In 2017, United States officials arrested two doctors in Detroit for allegedly cutting the private parts of at least six girls. The trial is still underway. In India, advocate Sunita Tiwari began the fight in 2017 when she filed a PIL seeking a ban on the practice. In December, the Ministry of Women and Child Development informed the apex court that there was no official data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) or other sources acknowledging the existence of FGM in India. However, the new study released by the social activists reveals that 75% of the daughters (aged seven years and above) of all respondents in the sample group were subjected to FGM/C. These young girls are usually subjected to khafd when they are about seven years old. The report was prepared by social activists Lakshmi Anantnarayan, Shabana Diler and Natasha Menon, along with WeSpeakOut and Nari Samata Manch. The study had 94 participants, of which 83 were women and 11 men. The report, which includes personal stories of survivors, has revealed that FGM was a painful experience that left a physical scar on them even after years. Khafd was remembered as a painful experience by 97% of the women who took part in the study. Women reported painful urination, physical discomfort, difficulty in walking, and bleeding immediately following the procedure. Some women suffered from recurrent Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) and incontinence in the long-term, the report notes. The respondent women hailed from thirteen locations across five states: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Kerala. Additionally, Bohra expats from three countries (Canada, United Arab Emirates, and the United States of America) also took part in the study. The sample group also includes traditional circumcisers, healthcare professionals, and teachers. The report further highlights how the removal of the clitoris in women resulted in them lacking any sexual drive or activity. Approximately 33% of the women subjected to khafd in the study believe FGM/C has negatively impacted their sexual life. Low sex drive, inability to feel any sexual pleasure, difficulty in trusting sexual partners, and over sensitivity in the clitoral area were some of the problems identified by several women, say the researchers. There is approximately one million Dawoodi Bohras globally and the study says about 88 women victims have identified 1,248 others in their immediate family circles to have undergone the practice. Moreover, while the practice is known to have been confined only to women, it also has men playing a key role in it. Bohra men do participate in khafd (actively and passively) and have an integral role in its maintenance and/or propagation, both at personal and political levels, notes the report. The report further states that the words used by women to describe what they felt during the procedure were mostly, nose prick, pinch, injection, prick of a needle, nick, strongly pinched, ant bite, injection or piercing pain. Materials used after khafd is performed, as recalled by the women, are talcum powder, ash, turmeric, Dettol, white antiseptic powder, Soframycin, boric powder, ether/spirit, Tincher Benzoine, painkillers, black ointment, red ointment, cotton or diaper cloth. Lucknow: Luminous light is streaming down on the white walls, a white jeep is parked nicely in a corner, and a white cow is seen observing the frantic proceedings with a calm demeanour. It all makes for a wonderful setting, except that the relative calm is broken by the ring of a doorbell and the subsequent action that follows. On Sunday, a woman in Lucknow opened fire to save her husband from the goons in Amrapali Vihar in the Kakori area of the state capital, revealed the close circuit television cameras. The video footage of the incident shows how a person rings the bell and when Abid Ali, a local journalist, comes out, five more people join in and start beating him with sticks. After a few seconds, Abid's wife emerges from inside the house with a service revolver and starts firing on the goons to rescue her husband. No one was injured in the firing, though. As soon as the wife opened fire, the miscreants ran away leaving an injured Abid in front of the house. Abid Ali suffered multiple injuries on his neck, back, head and hands in the incident. The video also shows Abid taking the revolver from his wife and firing at his assailants. According to SSP Lucknow, Deepak Kumar, the dispute is regarding the rent. Reports from the aggressor and the aggrieved have been filed and the case is being investigated. Meanwhile, a case has been registered against the attackers of Abid. However, there have been no arrests in this regard so far. China has charted a roadmap for rural vitalization, with a package of policies for 2018 known as the No.1 Central Document, an official said at the State Council Information Offices press conference on Monday. The document outlines a multi-pillar model of rural vitalization, including a series of significant strategies, tasks, and projects, said Han Jun, director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group. Rural vitalization was proposed as one of the major aspects of developing a modernized economy in a report delivered at the 19th CPC National Congress in October 2017. More capital will be introduced to the rural areas by steadily rising fiscal input, improving financial services, and broadening financing, Han added. To further implement the polices, China will carry out the National Strategic Plan for Rural Vitalization (2018-2022), specifying the targets from 2020 to 2022 and promoting rural vitalization in a practical and orderly manner. The first draft of the plan has been submitted and is waiting for approval, said Wu Hongyao, Deputy Director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group. The No.1 Central Document traditionally is the name of the first policy statement released by Chinas CPC Central Committee each year. The 2018 document is the 15th one in a row devoted to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, according to Office of the Central Leading Group for Rural Affairs. Mumbai: A woman on Sunday through a video on Twitter sought police help against "torture" by her husband, an automobile businessman. Police said they were looking into the matter and would take necessary action after investigations. In the video posted on Twitter by filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, the woman, a Khar resident, is seen weeping for "help and justice". I have been "tortured" both mentally and physically by my husband. He has been "torturing me" for several years. I have been in the relationship just for the betterment of my children. But this man refuses to do the needful for my living, the woman said in the video. She further alleged that despite registering an FIR, police have not taken any action against her husband. "Kindly help me, because this man will torture me mentally and end up my life. If I dont get justice I will end up tomorrow in the streets of Khar. Please give me justice," the woman said in the video. Cry of a women goes unheard with #KharPoliceStation. @MumbaiPolice @CPMumbaiPolice. Please do the needful immediately before something untoward happens. #BetibachaoBetiPadao. pic.twitter.com/9DK5Bn1nJz Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) February 4, 2018 A senior police official said the woman and her husband had a domestic dispute. "The couple has three children and stay in a duplex apartment in Khar. While the husband and two kids stay on the eleventh floor, the woman along with their daughter stay on the 12th floor," the officer said. He said the woman has recently registered two cases against her husband. "One case was registered for house breaking, while another for criminal intimidation," he said, adding police is probing the matter and whatever action is needed will be taken. Like ace designer Anamika Khanna said during the grand finale show, Kareena Kapoor Khan can make something really simple come alive. And there's quite no one like Kareena Kapoor Khan when it comes to a pulling off the simplest of outfits with utmost elan and elegance. The actor, who is gearing up for the release of her film Veere Di Wedding, turned showstopper for Khanna and sashayed down the runway in a black impeccable-fit outfit. She made a grand entry in the finale show sporting a modern-age sari drape- in which a combination of a palla and pants- steals the show. The actor oozed out confidence and looked at ease as she walked from one side to another and struck a pose for the shutterbugs. The corset belt and lace-work on it made her 'Reinventing Nudes' look even more ravishing. On being asked about the evolution of fashion in the film industry, Kareena told reporters that it's become the top-most priority for actors now. "Whether in terms of films or in an actor's personal life, fashion is a top-priority. In films, it's different because we're playing different characters and all actors are playing different roles- so the costumes make a character come alive," she said. "Of course the youth of India loves fashion and everyone is discussing it, so why not. The actors have become more fashion conscious, as long as you are comfortable in what you wear. Because if you're comfortable in what you're wearing, it's automatically considered stylish and fashionable," she said. The collection explored the diverse nude palette in association with the beauty brand and played with heritage of craft and texture alongside depicting a modern take on orthodox fashion with edgy cuts and traditional aesthetics. Credit: @ Kareena Kapoor Khan Credit: @ Kareena Kapoor Khan Credit: @ Kareena Kapoor Khan New Delhi: BJP President Amit Shah, during his first speech in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, hailed the work done by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and also lashed out at the Congress for 55 years of misrule. We must remember the situation of the country in 2013, before we came to power. There was policy paralysis and the Army was being held back from displaying their true valour. All that has changed in the last three and a half years. When Narendra Modi was chosen as the Leader of the House, then Narendrabhai said this would be a government of poor, farmers and the backward. This would be a government that would fulfil the dreams of Gandhi and Deen Dayal. In the last three and a half years, we have walked on the path of Antodaya, Shah said. He said that in just three years the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has done things which will go down in history as a success story. The first big achievement is opening of Jan Dhan accounts. For the first 55 years, the country had one-party, in fact, one-family rule. Despite that, 60% people did not have bank accounts. But our government has opened 31 crore bank accounts. When we started this scheme, there were 77% zero-balance accounts. Today, there are less than 20% zero-balance accounts. Shah likened PM Modi to former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri. During the 1965 Pakistan war, Lal Bahadur Shastri had asked the country to fast for one day and the country listened. For the first time since then, the nation has listened to a PM. When Prime Minister Modi asked them, 1.3 crore people gave up gas subsidies and the government used it to bring out the Ujjwala Yojana. 3.3 crore people have already been given gas cylinders and we have changed our goal from 5 crore people to 8 crore, he added. The BJP chief also hit out at the countrys political elite and said those who live in Lutyens Delhi wont know the importance of a toilet. Our Swachh Bharat Mission has built toilets for the poor. Hitting back at detractors and those making fun of PMs pakodanomics, he said, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi nationalised banks, which was a good thing. She said it would open the doors of banks for the poor, but that did not end up happening. Now the Mudra loan scheme is helping the poor get capital. I saw a tweet by Chidambaram Ji. He said will the poor now have to sell pakodas? I want to say that working hard and selling pakodas is better than being unemployed. Today, that man is selling pakodas, his next generation will become big industrialists. After all, this is a nation where the son of a tea seller can become Prime Minister. New Delhi: The ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) would be looking at the East as a fertile catchment area in the next Lok Sabha polls to make up for the short-fall in states where it has already peaked. "We can gain in Odisha, West Bengal, those states from where we did not win many seats," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told News18 Network on being asked to comment on BJP's plans for the upcoming elections, especially in states the party registered very high strike rate in the last Lok Sabha polls. The BJP won more than 250 of the 300 Lok Sabha seats up for grabs in north, west and central India with a strike rake of almost 90% to form the first single-party majority government in India since 1984. However, there have been concerns in the BJP after the recent Rajasthan by-polls and Gujarat Assembly elections regarding the partys prospects in states where local anti-incumbency may impinge on the General Elections 2019. So West Bengal and Odisha which together send 63 MPs to the Lok Sabha are being seen as virgin territory where the party is making renewed attempt to increase political and electoral footprint to mop up numbers in 2019. In both the states, the BJP has emerged as the main opposition to the ruling dispensation. Both states are governed by regional parties where the BJP is not facing political constrains due to the presence of a dominant NDA ally as in the case of Andhra Pradesh. The BJP also sees a scope to improve its tally in the north-eastern states which together elect 25 MPs to the Lok Sabha. "In the north-east our party is gaining momentum. Modiji has presented a corruption-free government and the kind of governance our party has given, I am sure we will win the next LS elections of the basis of our performance," Jaitley told News18 Network. The BJP and its allies now have 14 MPs from the region. Party preparations in seven NE states are being led by Assam Minister for Education and Health Himanta Biswa Sarma. New Delhi: A Rajya Sabha Member of the Congress said he is feeling "depressed, dejected and ashamed" at being called "mad and a laughing stock" by the Chair on Friday, even though the remarks were later expunged by the Chair. In a letter to Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien, dated February 3, and shared with the media on Sunday, Congress MP KVP Ramachandra Rao has lashed out at Kurien. He said the use of those words were "not any humiliation for me but... certainly a great humiliation for the people of my state (Andhra Pradesh), who were agitating for fulfilment of their legitimate rights". On Friday, after the Upper House of Parliament met for the day, Rao stood near the Chairman's podium, displaying a placard to the House. While a number of opposition members from various parties stood to the left of the podium raising the issue of police high-handedness against Muslims in Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj, Rao stood silently on the right side, with his back to the Chair and flaunting a placard. Rao was apparently expressing his displeasure at the alleged "continuous apathy" of the Central government towards Andhra Pradesh and the non-implementation of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 in its "true spirit". The state, that was bifurcated in 2014, had been seeking special development packages from the Centre. As Rao stood near the podium, he caught the attention of Kurien who was presiding over the House. Kurien asked Rao to stop but when the latter ignored his instructions, Kurien wondered if Rao had gone "mad" and is thus behaving this way. Kurien also asked Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad to intervene and ask Rao to go back to his seat. However, Kurien had shortly afterwards expunged the word "mad" and its subsequent references from the records of the House. In his letter, Rao wrote: "For the first time in life, I could not console myself last night with a deep feeling of depression and dejection and felt ashamed being the Member of Parliament who was compelled to stay a silent spectator during the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in the name of parliamentary customs and conventions... "...And now being referred to by Chair as 'mad and laughing stock' solely because of democratically demanding the Central government to implement the A.P. Reorganisation Act and fulfil the constitutional commitments made to the people of the state." After seeing the "apathy" of the Central government towards Andhra Pradesh and its people during the last four years, "I wish I would have been mad rather than sitting idle in the House" witnessing the injustice being done to the state by the Union government, which has the constitutional obligation to fulfil the promises made during the process of bifurcation, Rao said. While Rao began his letter on a philosophical note, quoting Plato who called madness as the "divine release of the soul from the yoke of custom and convention", the Congress MP concluded by saying that he wished to continue his fight for the rights of the people of his state and felt "proud even when termed as mad for the sake of people". Patna: Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar on Monday said that recent bypoll results were of no consequence and no one should be in doubt about the results of 2019 general election as the NDA would sail through comfortably. Addressing the press after weekly Lok Samvad Program at his office in Patna, Nitish Kumar reminded how he had predicted BJPs victory in Gujarat. "Result of the 2019 (Lok Sabha election) is a forgone conclusion. Rajasthan by poll results carry no significance. Remember how we lost bypolls before 2010 assembly elections, but registered landslide victory just months after that. Let the opposition feel that they have a chance but the real result will be different," said Nitish. The Rajasthan bypoll result seems to have emboldened NDA allies in Bihar to seek a bigger share of seats for the next Assembly elections. Jitan Ram Manjhis, Hindustani Awam Morcha, has demanded 50 seatsfor his party in 2020 Bihar elections. The other NDA constituent vying for a bigger share of the electoral pie is Upendra Kushwaha. Kushwaha had also been critical of Nitish Kumar, but seemed to have warmed up to the CM after the JD(U)'s return to the NDA, despite his party not getting any state ministerial berths. But now Kushwaha has upped the ante and his party leaders claim that no government can be formed in Bihar without its support. They have also pitched Kushwaha as a CM probable. Nitish Kumar, though, has played down differences within the NDA constituents in Bihar. "This is an open arena. Every political party has right to do what they like. These are not so important issues but being created by few for their vested interest," Nitish said. The Bihar chief minister lauded initiatives taken in the budget saying thrust on rural sector and farmers would eventually benefit Bihar. On the issue of special category status for Bihar, he said that this demand was still intact but the Narendra Modi led central government was helping us in a big way. "We are preparing state budget and had an idea about how much we will get from the Centre. Now we have come to know that Bihar will get RS 76,000 crore. I would like to tell you that this figure is higher than we had expected," said Nitish. Imphal: Manipur chief minister Nongthombam Biren Singh, whos also the states first chief minister from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is confident that his party would form governments in Tripura and Nagaland in the Assembly elections scheduled this February. About Meghalaya, though, he has his doubts and hopes to do a repeat of Manipur in that state. In an exclusive interview to News18, Singh said, Well surely be ahead of the Left Front in Tripura and will be forming the government with our alliance partner, the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT). People in Tripura want change, like they have seen in Assam and Manipur. Anti-incumbency will be one of the reasons for the Lefts defeat. The Manipur chief minister felt that the efforts put in by BJP General Secretary, Ram Madhav, and Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor, Himanta Biswa Sarma, would ensure the partys victory in Tripura. Biren also sounded confident that his party would form the government in Nagaland with support from the newly formed National Democratic Peoples Party (NDPP), led by former CM and Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio. BJPs election in-charge for Nagaland and Union Minister of State for Home, Kiren Rijiju on Saturday, announced BJPs alliance with NDPP on a 20-40 seat-sharing formula. The chief minister was also hopeful of finding a peace formula to the Solution before Election demand by all major Nagaland parties in the context of the long pending Naga political issue. Meghalaya, though, remained a worrying spot at the moment for the leader. For the BJP in Meghalaya, theres a chance of post-poll alliance with the National Peoples Party (NPP). We know what happened in last years Manipur assembly polls. There is very much a possibility of doing a Manipur in Meghalaya this time, he said. Over the past few years, NPP has emerged as a regional political force to reckon with in the Northeast. It is a part of the BJP-led coalition government in Manipur, and appears set to contest the upcoming state polls in Meghalaya as Congress primary opponent. Ahead of the polls, NPP chief Conrad K Sangma decided to go alone but political observers feel the possibility of a post-poll alliance with the BJP cannot be ruled out. While Vikas (development) and Parivartan (change) remain the top issues for voters in all three poll-bound states, Biren says development has reached the region late and work has only just begun. Development is taking place, but we are yet to catch up with what we want. Geographic barriers in Manipur need to be knocked down for development to take place, and in this context, Assam is doing far better. Manipurs socio-political environment is complex; we have to solve many issues while promoting development, he said. Tripura will go to the polls on February 18, followed by Nagaland and Meghalaya on February 27. Counting of votes in all three states will take place on March 3. New Delhi: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday told Parliament that the government will not be able to divulge certain details, such as the per unit cost of the Rafale twin-engine fighter jet. This, according to the defence minister, was due to a secrecy pact between the governments of India and France. Congress party's Rajya Sabha MP MV Rajeev Gowda, in a written question to the Ministry of Defence, asked Sitharaman, "Whether Dassault (the French aircraft manufacturer) was penalised for refusing to fulfil its contractual obligations under the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft Request (MMRCA) deal; if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefore." To this, the Defence Minister replied saying, "There was no contract with Dassault for medium multi-role combat aircraft." However, it was Sitharaman's reply to the third part of the MP's question that raised eyebrows. Gowda asked the minister the "the cost per aircraft under the Inter-Governmental Agreement for 36 Rafale aircraft". To this, the Defence Minister said, "As per 'Article-10' of the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) between Government of India and Government of France on the purchase of Rafale aircraft, the protection of the classified information and material exchanged under IGA is governed by the provisions of the Security Agreement signed between the two nations in 2008." The first squadrons of the Rafale are set to join the Indian Air Force (IAF) fleet by 2019. While the Rafale will bring much-needed respite for the IAF, the deal has raised several questions. The Congress had alleged that the government had struck the deal by overpaying for the aircraft. India bought the 36 aircraft at a price of 7.1 billion. Hyderabad: Keeping up the pressure on its ally BJP, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has given a notice for suspension of all business in Rajya Sabha on Monday to discuss the Andhra Pradesh reorganisation package and special grants to the state. This comes a day after the TDP decided to remain in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and said it will continue to demand a special package for Andhra Pradesh. Addressing the media after Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu chaired a crucial meeting of party MPs and senior leaders on Sunday, TDP minister YS Chowdary said the matter would be raised in Parliament if needed. During the meeting, the Union Budget and the absence of allocations to Andhra Pradesh were discussed. We will continue pressurising the Centre for it. We will also raise the matter in Parliament if needed, Chowdary said. The emergency meeting had been called by Naidu after Andhra Pradesh failed to get substantial budgetary allocations in the Union budget for many key projects. This was the Modi governments last complete Budget before the 2019 General Elections. We are going to declare war (on the BJP). We now have three options. One is to try and continue. The second is that our MPs resign and the third is breaking off this alliance. We will decide (our course of action) in a meeting with CM Naidu on Sunday, TG Venkatesh, TDP MP, said outside Parliament on Friday. Lack of Andhra-centric sops in the Budget had brought the rift between the TDP and the BJP out in the open. Naidu has been disappointed for a long time that Andhra Pradesh is being denied promised financial assistance by the BJP-led Centre, despite the state reeling under financial crisis ever since its bifurcation. The resentment grew after state BJP leaders started making public comments against "friendly" ally in the state. The opposition had been quick to take advantage of the situation. YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy said, The Budget is approved by the Union Cabinet which has two TDP ministers. The theatrics of Chandrababu Naidu will not work. The Union Budget is a collective decision and TDP cannot refrain from taking back the blame that state interests have been ignored. He is acting as if NDA government has presented Budget for the first time and they served a raw deal to the state." "Did he not feel the pinch when he watered down on the demand of special status? Chandrababu Naidu may promise the moon to the people, but use your discretion in ensuing elections," Reddy added. With elections just around the corner, the pressure is building on Naidu to deliver on his promises of development, which brought the TDP-BJP alliance to power in the state. Singapore Airlines plans to use blockchain technology to give its frequent flyers a new way to spend their accumulated miles, it said on Monday. The company said a digital wallet app for its KrisFlyer loyalty programme would be launched in about six months and it would be signing up retail partners in the Singapore market to begin with. "I think we are the first airline to do it," Chief Executive Goh Choon Phong told the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit, a gathering of aviation leaders on the eve of Asia's largest air show. Singapore Airlines last month said it will invest "hundreds of millions" of dollars in digital technology over several years as part of a broader transformation designed to remain competitive against global rivals. Blockchain functions as an online record-keeping system or digital ledger maintained by a random group of peers rather than any central agency or authority. While best known for underpinning bitcoin and other alternative currencies, blockchain holds promise for changing how transactions are handled in many industries. Also read: UP Govt Considers Using Smartphone App to Track Lekhpal Work The Singapore Airlines technology is its own private blockchain involving only merchants and partners, it said in a statement. Both German airline group Lufthansa and Air New Zealand last year teamed up with Switzerland-based start-up Winding Tree to build blockchain-based travel apps as the companies look at new ways of distributing tickets and services to customers. European travel group TUI has also developed its own blockchain-based inventory system for hotel bookings. Watch: Tech and Auto Show Ep 29 | Maruti Suzuki Swift, Honda Grazia, Honor 9 Lite & More What can a 7-year-old boy do? Sun Chuyang has been practicing yoga for about three years, and has earned over 100,000 yuan ($15,875) by teaching yoga, Xinhuanet.com reported. Sun became a qualified yoga teacher at the age of six, the youngest in China and also the world. He started to learn yoga in order to overcome autism. When he was two years old, his parents spent less time with him as they were tied up with work. Sun was introverted and was diagnosed with autism. However, Sun showed talent in yoga when he was taken by his mother to attend yoga class. Two years of practicing not only made Sun outgoing, but also brought him fortune as a qualified yoga teacher. A 43-year-old Chinese national who lived in the US has pleaded guilty to taking part in a counterfeiting operation out of China that involved selling fake iPhones and iPads to customers in the country. "Jianhua 'Jeff' Li, pleaded guilty before US District Court Judge Kevin McNulty of New Jersey to one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods and labels and to smuggle goods into the US, and one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods," the US Department of Justice said in a statement late on Friday. Also read: Google Hiring More People Outside Silicon Valley in US Li also received payments worth over $1.1 million in sales proceeds from US accounts into his bank accounts. The case has been ongoing since 2015, when Li was charged and taken into custody. From July 2009-February 2014, the Chinese national, working through his company "Dream Digitals", conspired with Andreina Becerra, Roberto Volpe, Rosario LaMarca and others to smuggle and traffic into the US from China more than 40,000 electronic devices and accessories. The smuggled devices included Apple iPads and iPhones, along with labels and packaging bearing counterfeit Apple trademarks, according to the documents filed in this case. He shipped devices separately from the labels bearing counterfeit trademarks for later assembly to avoid detection by US Customs and Border Protection officials, the documents filed in the case added. The counterfeit devices were then shipped to conspirators all over the country. Li will be sentenced on May 30 while LaMarca, another member of the conspiracy, was the first to be sentenced in July 2017, receiving a prison term of 37 months. Both Becerra and Volpe, Li's other conspirators, are still awaiting sentence. Also Watch: Motorola Moto X4 (6GB RAM) Review: Its Better And More Powerful Now The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is focussed on conducting five launches in as many months, including the Chandrayaan-2 mission, and its "hands are full", said its Chairman K Sivan. The missions planned in the first half of 2018 from Sriharikota spaceport are: GSLV-FO8 (GSAT-6A satellite), GSLV -MkIII (second development flight), Chandrayaan-2 and PSLV (IRNSS-1I navigation satellite), he said. The Bengaluru-headquartered space agency has also awarded a contract to Arianespace to launch the 5.7-tonne GSAT-11 satellite from the European space consortium's spaceport at Kourou in French Guiana by June. "Right now, our hands are full", Sivan, also Secretary in the Department of Space and Chairman of the Space Commission, told PTI. India currently has a fleet of 45 orbiting satellites and the space agency chief said the demand is for a similar number of spacecraft. "We are planning to have 15-18 launches per year from next year," he said, but hastened to add that it's an "ambition and target". "In reality, there are so many other issues. Currently, it (ISRO's launches per year) is less than half of that (goal of 15-18 launches)". The GSAT-11 is widely perceived to be the last heavy satellite to be launched by a foreign launcher, but Sivan cautioned against jumping to conclusions. Also read: Cosmonauts Break Record of Longest Russian Spacewalk "We cannot say we will not go (for a foreign launcher). Right now, we have the capability to launch satellites of up to 4 tonne," he pointed out. "We are trying to reach that (higher) capability. We are thinking of reducing the size of the satellite. Whatever we are getting through 5.7-tonne satellite, the same thing we can get through 4-tonne (satellite) if we use electric propulsion. And it will be within the capability of our GSLV. Different strategies are being worked out," he said. The noted space scientist said the second developmental flight of GSLV-MkIII is scheduled before June. To declare this "fat boy" operational needs two consecutive successful developmental flights. The space agency, Sivan said, has taken up the work on design and development of a small rocket to cut cost, and ISRO officials said it's a compact launch vehicle, weighing around 500 kg. The ISRO Chairman, however, said its early days as far as this small rocket initiative is concerned, and it would take time. "Work is going on; it will take some time...design work, realisation...qualifying model....that work is going on. We are trying to manage (work relating to small rocket) with existing money itself. We the are not taking it as a project." On the benefits of such a small rocket, ISRO officials said it cuts cost and waiting period of small satellites for launch would shrink significantly. "Small satellites need not wait for bigger vehicles (for launch). Waiting will not be there. The ISRO does not have to use bigger, dedicated launch vehicles to orbit small satellites", one of them noted. Watch: Tech and Auto Show Ep 29 | Maruti Suzuki Swift, Honda Grazia, Honor 9 Lite & More OnePlus has brought the latest Google Android features to its OnePlus 5T devices. The Chinese smartphone maker has started rolling out Android 8.0 Oreo update wherein the users of the OnePlus smartphone will be able to avail the Android Oreo features on their smartphones. In addition, as OnePlus promised earlier, the Face Unlock feature that debuted with the OnePlus 5T is now available on the OnePlus 5 devices as well. The new Google Android 8.0 Oreo update is being made available to the devices through an OTA (Over-The-Air) Update via OxygenOS V5.0.3. The version has been rolled out after a brief period of dismissal of its previous version V5.0.2 following some bug fixes. The new Oreo update offers a CPU Security Patch, Bug Fixes as well as a new design for Quick Settings. In addition, the update carries a new version for the Weather, Launcher, Gallery as well as File Manager apps. The update will also offer the basic Oreo features like the Picture-in-Picture, Notification Dots, Autofill and more. A new addition for local font compatibility has been mentioned by OnePlus in its forum: Weve added an APK called Mkey, this is a font resource that was provided officially for India for local font compatibility needs. This can be uninstalled by users if not needed or wanted, but we are required to provide it. Watch: Tech and Auto Show Ep 29 | Maruti Suzuki Swift, Honda Grazia, Honor 9 Lite & More A Russian man accused of operating a network of infected computers used by cyber criminals has been extradited to the United States from Spain and will make an initial court appearance on Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice said. U.S. prosecutors said Peter Levashov, 37, ran the Kelihos botnet, a network of more than 100,000 infected devices used by cyber criminals to distribute viruses, ransomware, phishing emails and other spam attacks. Levashov denies the charges in an eight-count indictment handed down by a federal grand jury in Connecticut in April. Also read: OnePlus 5T Receives Android Oreo Update Via OTA; OnePlus 5 Gets Face Unlock Levashov, who fought the extradition, told Spain's High Court in September that he had worked for Russian President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party for the last 10 years, Russia's RIA news agency reported. He told the court that investigators in the United States would torture him for information about his political work if he was sent there to face the charges, RIA said. Levashov was charged by U.S. prosecutors with causing intentional damage to a protected computer and wire fraud, which carry a potential prison sentence of up to 52 years if he is convicted at trial. Also read: New Price List of Apple iPhones After Budget 2018 Customs Duty Hike He was arrested while on holiday in Barcelona last April and in October, Spain's High Court granted a U.S. request to extradite him. Levashov was scheduled to appear in court in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the Justice Department said. Watch video: Motorola Moto X4 (6GB RAM) Review: Its Better And More Powerful Now A South Korean appeals court on Monday suspended a jail sentence handed down to Samsung Group heir Jay Y. Lee, setting him free after a year's detention amid a corruption scandal that brought down the former president. Seoul High Court jailed Lee for two and a half years, reducing the original term by half, and suspended the sentence for charges including bribery and embezzlement, meaning he does not have to serve time. Also read: Chinese Found Guilty of Selling Fake Apple Products in US Lee, 49, heir to one of the world's biggest corporate empires, had been detained since last February. President Park Geun-hye was dismissed in March after being impeached in a case that brought scrutiny to the nature of the ties between South Korea's chaebols - big family-owned corporate groups - and its political leaders. Park, who denies wrongdoing, is standing trial accused of bribery, abuse of power and coercion. A lower court in August convicted Lee for bribing Park for help in strengthening his control of Samsung Electronics, the crown jewel of the country's largest conglomerate and one of the world's biggest technology companies, as well as embezzlement and other charges. The court said Samsung's financial support for entities backed by a friend of Park's, Choi Soon-sil, constituted bribery, including 7.2 billion won ($6.4 million) to sponsor the equestrian career of Choi's daughter. Also read: Chinese Found Guilty of Selling Fake Apple Products in US Presiding senior judge Cheong Hyung-sik on Monday called the nature of Lee's involvement in Samsung's monetary support for Choi a "passive compliance to political power". Prosecutors and Samsung did not have an immediate comment. Lee, whose face was noticeably worn, did not show any emotion when the ruling was announced. Prosecutors had sought a 12-year jail term for Lee. The ruling is expected to be appealed again to the Supreme Court, legal experts said. With the end of his year-long detention, which according to local media he adjusted to with physical workouts and reading books, Lee could continue with his existing roles including director of Samsung Electronics. However he has been found guilty of some lesser charges and is prohibited from travelling outside South Korea without a judge's approval, according to law firm Cho & Partners. The lower court ruling in August had said while Lee never asked for President Park's help directly, the fact that a 2015 merger of two Samsung affiliates did help cement Lee's control over Samsung Electronics implied he was asking for the president's help to strengthen his control of the firm. His lawyers had strongly challenged this logic and said that the merger was done for business reasons. Some criminal lawyers had expected Lee to be found innocent of most of the charges, as much of the evidence at the trial has been circumstantial. But although he was set free from detention by the appeals court, the stigma may stick, lawyers say. "Public opinion will get riled up and people will keep thinking there was some quid pro quo between Samsung's Lee and the president," Lee Jung-jae, a lawyer at law firm Jung said. Also Watch: Motorola Moto X4 (6GB RAM) Review: Its Better And More Powerful Now South Korea said on Monday that North Korea last year stole cryptocurrency from the South worth billions of won and that it was still trying to hack into its exchanges. "North Korea sent emails that could hack into cryptocurrency exchanges and their customers' private information and stole (cryptocurrency) worth billions of won," said Kim Byung-kee, a member of South Korea's parliamentary intelligence committee. Kim did not disclose which exchanges were hacked. He added that the country's spy agency assumed that North Korea was continuously trying to hack into exchanges to steal cryptocurrency and that it was trying its best to prevent further hacking. Also read: Samsung Scion Lee Walks Free as South Korea Court Suspends Jail Term In addition to this, the country had just last week uncovered illegal cryptocurrency foreign exchange trading worth nearly $600 million. The country's customs service had said in a statement on Wednesday that about 637.5 billion won ($596.02 million) worth of foreign exchange crimes were detected. Illegal foreign currency trading of 472.3 billion formed the bulk of the cryptocurrency crimes, Customs said, but gave no details on what action authorities were taking against the rule breaches. Watch: Smartron t.phone P Review | A Tough Budget Player With a Massive Battery A South Korean appeals court will rule on Monday on Samsung Group scion Jay Y. Lee's conviction and jail term for corruption in a case that led to the ouster of the nation's president last year. Seoul High Court is due to decide the fate of the 49-year-old Samsung Electronics vice chairman, who has been detained for a year on charges arising from a scandal that shone a light on cosy ties between family-run conglomerates and political powers, as well as bringing down President Park Geun-hye. Also read: Google Hiring More People Outside Silicon Valley in US It is a scandal South Korea would like to put behind it days before it hosts the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. A lower court in August convicted Lee and jailed him for five years for bribing Park for help in strengthening his control of Samsung Electronics, the crown jewel of the country's largest conglomerate and one of the world's biggest technology companies, as well as embezzlement and other charges. The court said Samsung's financial support for entities backed by a friend of Park's, Choi Soon-sil, constituted bribery, including 7.2 billion won ($6.4 million) to sponsor the equestrian career of Choi's daughter. In return for the contributions, prosecutors say, Samsung sought government support for a controversial 2015 merger of two of its affiliates, which helped Lee tighten his control of the conglomerate. Lee's lawyers had argued that the merger was carried out on merit but the lower court did not accept that. Also read: Chinese Found Guilty of Selling Fake Apple Products in US If the appeals court sentences Lee to a jail term longer than three years, his detention will continue as he awaits a final appeal to the Supreme Court, legal experts said. The appeals court could decide on a jail term of less than three years, or it could award a suspended sentence, which would mean Lee could go free for the first time since he was detained last February. The court could also overrule the conviction and declare Lee innocent on all charges, but the legal experts see the chances of that happening as slim. "If nothing else, Samsung money was used to sponsor the equestrian career," said Son Soo-ho, a lawyer. Whatever the decision, the case is expected to go to the Supreme Court, as prosecutors in December called for a 12-year jail term after Lee appealed. The third-generation de facto head of the Samsung Group, Lee has effectively directed large-scale operations at Samsung Electronics since his father, Lee Kun-hee, was incapacitated by a heart attack in 2014, such as the $8 billion acquisition of auto electronics maker Harman in early 2017. Faced with investor worries about a leadership vacuum with Lee in detention, Samsung Electronics appointed a new generation of top managers at its three main businesses, including semiconductors, in October. Former President Park, who denies wrongdoing, is standing trial accused of bribery, abuse of power and coercion, having been forced to step down in March after parliament voted to impeach her at the end of 2016. Also Watch: Motorola Moto X4 (6GB RAM) Review: Its Better And More Powerful Now Beijing: China wants to modernise its farm sector by 2035 as part of a plan to boost rural incomes and living standards, according to a government policy statement that comes amid growing concern about a widening wealth gap and slowing economy. The statement called for significant progress in rural rejuvenation by 2020, agricultural modernisation by 2035 and a "strong agriculture sector and full realization of farmers' wealth" by 2050. "Without the modernisation of agriculture there is no national modernization," said the government's first policy statement of the year. China has the largest agriculture sector in the world and hundreds of millions of people work as farmers but productivity is low. The statement published by state news agency Xinhua late on Sunday is called the Number One document and sets out Beijing's priorities for the year. China has already taken steps to modernise its sprawling farm sector in recent years in a bid to make it more efficient and better able to supply changing tastes in a wealthier, urban population. It has been overhauling support for grain production, abandoning state stockpiling schemes and cutting support prices for major crops, such as wheat and rice, after years of bumper harvests saddled the government with overflowing reserves. It is also trying to shift the focus to quality rather than quantity by promoting varieties in higher demand, such as high-gluten wheat, or corn used to make silage for dairy cows. Those efforts will continue, said the document, which also called for upgrading of farm machinery, accelerating the development of modern crops and the development of digital agriculture. It also reiterated recent efforts to better protect water and soil, strengthen management of resources and said China will deepen land reforms, allowing for more transfer of land. China is trying to improve financing in rural areas to support modernisation. The document said Beijing would guarantee "strategic financial input" into the revitalization, with public finance prioritising rural areas. It also wants to improve China's agricultural trade policy system and support large grain importers and agribusinesses, it continued. London: US President Donald Trump today attacked the UK's state-funded National Health Service (NHS), angering British politicians across party lines. Trump took to Twitter in response to television coverage of an "NHS in Crisis" march over the weekend in London, claiming it showed how the universal healthcare system offered by NHS is not working. "The (Opposition) Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working. Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks," Trump tweeted early this morning. But UK Health Minister Jeremy Hunt sprung to the defence of the country's much-venerated health service, highlighting that it was better than the US where millions were without any cover. "I may disagree with claims made on that march but not ONE of them wants to live in a system where 28 million people have no cover," Hunt tweeted in his reply. "NHS may have challenges but I'm proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance," he added. Opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn also hit back on Twitter, saying: "People were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it. "Healthcare is a human right." Speaking as his party released a new report into healthcare reform in Britain calling for a new ring-fenced tax to fund the NHS, Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable also spoke out in favour of service. "If he (Trump) wants to understand how the system works in Britain and wants some solutions he should come and read our report," he said, adding that the US leader "obviously doesn't understand it (the NHS) but I live in hope". The issue of a funding crunch facing the UKs NHS has been at the centre of the countrys political debates, with the government claiming a high level of investment into the service while the Opposition demanding more funds. Trump's latest comment comes as the UK government today announced plans to charge migrants twice as much to use NHS services, raising nearly 220 million pounds a year for the UK tax-payer funded health service. Male: The Maldivian Supreme Court dealt another blow to beleaguered President Abdulla Yameen, asking him to comply with its order to release political prisoners and reinstate dissident lawmakers. The government had expressed "concerns" over the judicial order and resisted complying with it, but the court on Sunday said there can be no excuses. Dissidents must be released because their trials were politically motivated and flawed, the Supreme Court said in a statement. "There is nothing preventing the prosecutor general from seeking a re-trial after the order has been implemented (and prisoners released)," it added. Thursday's order to restore the seats of 12 government MPs who defected to the opposition would effectively reduce Yameen's party to a minority and expose him to the risk of impeachment. Police detained two opposition lawmakers who returned to the country Sunday as the political crisis in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation deepened with its top court pitted against the president. The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said its MPs tried to stage a meeting in defiance of a weekend order suspending parliament, but they were pushed back by armed troops. Security forces have been deployed inside the national parliament -- known as the People's Majlis -- since March last year when Yameen ordered them to evict dissident lawmakers. 'Unconstitutional and Illegal' The president's crackdown on dissent has tarnished the Maldives' image as an upmarket holiday paradise and sparked calls from the United Nations and several countries to restore the rule of law in the fledgling democracy. But the Yameen government has so far refused to comply with the shock ruling, resisting international pressure. In a national television address on Sunday, Attorney General Mohamed Anil remained defiant. "Any Supreme Court order to arrest the president would be unconstitutional and illegal," Anil said. "So I have asked the police and the army not to implement any unconstitutional order." Yameen also sacked two police chiefs after the court's decision. Atul Keshap, the US ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, led international criticism of the Yameen government's refusal to respect court orders. "What security risk prevents the #Maldives #Majlis from meeting tomorrow? Why are MPs pepper sprayed in the streets and arrested on arrival at airport?" he tweeted Sunday. Political Pressure Former president and current opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed described the government's refusal to obey the Supreme Court as a "coup". Nasheed, who was controversially convicted of a terrorism charge and jailed for 13 years in 2015, urged police and troops to uphold the constitution. "Statements made today by AG Anil... to disobey SC orders is tantamount to a coup. They, and President Yameen must resign immediately," he tweeted on Sunday. "Security services must uphold the constitution and serve the Maldivian people." Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected leader, was toppled in 2012. He was barred from contesting elections after his 2015 terrorism conviction, which was internationally criticised as politically motivated. He has been in exile since 2016, when he left on prison leave for medical treatment. He is currently in Colombo, meeting Maldivian dissidents based in Sri Lanka. The MDP -- which is led by Nasheed -- has expressed fears that any move by the government to resist the Supreme Court's order may trigger unrest in the nation of 340,000 Sunni Muslims. China on Feb. 4 launched an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation into imported grain sorghum from the United States, the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced on its the official website. This is a single case of trade remedy investigation, Wang Hejun, director of the ministrys Trade Remedy and Investigation Bureau, told Chinanews.com. The evidence shows that low-price sorghum exports to China increased dramatically since 2013, harming the domestic sorghum industry. Therefore, the MOFCOM decided to launch the investigation according to related laws and regulations of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Wang also stressed the importance trade partnership and win-win cooperation between the US and China, the two largest economies, and noted that China is willing to deal with trade conflicts through dialogue and negotiation with its counterpart. Vatican City: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan flew to Italy on Sunday ahead of talks with Pope Francis that are expected to centre on Jerusalem after US President Donald Trump recognised the holy city as the capital of Israel. Jerusalem is home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions, and Trump's recent announcement that he would move the US embassy to the city alarmed many allies, who say the decision could doom Middle East peace efforts. Erdogan previously clashed with the pope when Francis, in 2015, became the first head of the Roman Catholic Church to publicly call the 1915 killing of as many as 1.5 million Armenians "genocide" -- something Turkey has always denied. But the two men have found common ground over Jerusalem, speaking by phone after Trump made his announcement in December and agreeing that any change to the city's status should be avoided. Before leaving Turkey, Erdogan said the United States had isolated itself over Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want to share with the Israelis as their future capital. "In the process ahead, come on and accept Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. This is the point that is to be reached. We are now working for this," he told reporters in Istanbul. Erdogan is due to see the pope on Monday in what will be the first visit to the Vatican by a Turkish president in 59 years. The two men are also expected to discuss the situation in Syria and Iraq as well as humanitarian aid and refugees. Turkey last month sent troops into neighbouring Syria to attack Kurdish YPG fighters near its southern border. Turkey sees the militia as a terrorist group and an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and has shrugged off criticism at home and abroad over the operation. Demonstrations are expected in Rome to mark Erdogan's visit and some 3,500 police and security forces will be on duty. In an interview with La Stampa newspaper, Erdogan dismissed the likely protests. "I dont speak to people who support terrorism. I only speak to those who fight it," he was quoted as saying. The Turkish leader is also due to meet Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni on Monday, as well as local business leaders. "You are only 11th when it comes to the number of foreign companies active in Turkey, we need to improve that," he told La Stampa. Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb (Left) meets with Mr. Jiang Jianguo, Vice Minister of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of CPC, and Minister of State Council Information Office (SCIO) in Beijing on February 4 Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that CPEC was a harbinger of shared economic prosperity and peace in the region. She said this in her meeting with Mr. Jiang Jianguo, Vice Minister of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of CPC, and Minister of State Council Information Office (SCIO) in Beijing on February 4. She is on a four day visit to China on the invitation of the Chinese government. Welcoming the Minister of State, Mr. Jiang Jianguo said that it was a pleasure to receive her on her first official visit to China. He said that their two people and countries shared a high level of mutual trust, respect and friendship. He further said that CPEC, being flagship project of Belt and Road Initiative, was an initiative for their shared future. Minister Jiang also shared pleasant memories of his visit to Pakistan in 2017. Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb thanked minister of SCIO for their warm hospitality. She termed this visit to China as a visit to her home. She said that Pakistan and China were carrying a legacy of cooperation, the foundations of which were laid by their ancestors. She said that BRI, a vision of President Xi Jinping would change not only the destiny of people of China but would also benefit the people of the region and beyond. She said that CPEC represented a great leap forward for further cementing ties between two countries. The MOS said that Pak-China relationship was perennial as it was anchored in respect and mutual progress. This relationship, she added, has been interwoven in Pakistani culture through folk lore, which is a testament to the tensile, enduring, unique and special relationship. She said that since assuming power in 2013, the PML (N) government had successfully added 11,000 MW electricity to overcome the energy crisis with the assistance of their good friend China. She informed the hosts that irrespective of party affiliations, all political parties in the country supported CPEC, which augured well for the region as it promoted connectivity among the people which would go a long way towards peace and prosperity in the region. She also assured that the Pakistani Government was making all out efforts to ensure security of all Chinese nationals. She expressed her desire for enhanced cultural and media contacts by sharing cultural norms and exchanging media delegations. She called for closer co-operation in the field. The Minister said that Pakistan condemned terrorism in all its manifestations and forms and had achieved success in combating it, which was borne out by the fact that terrorist attacks which were 2600 in 2013, had reduced by 82% to 160. Ambassador of Pakistan Masood Khalid was also present on the occasion and said that SCIO was playing a very important role in sharing the Chinese vision with the world. He said that support of SCIO was crucial in enhancing media cooperation. Ambassador said that currently 22,000 Pakistani students are studying in China and they will be permanent ambassadors of Pak-China friendship. Apart from ambassador, senior officials from both sides were also present on the occasion. The number of new print magazines started in the U.S. fell by more than half in 2020 to 60, compared t Army generals feared for their lives after putting former president Robert Mugabe under house arrest as they believed the 93-year-olds loyalists were plotting a counter operation, newly released secret details of last years dramatic events reveal. According to minutes of delicate meetings between Mugabe and the generals led by then Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, General Constantino Chiwenga, there was deep mistrust among the security forces during the so-called Operation Restore Legacy that toppled Zimbabwes long time ruler. The generals told Mugabe former Justice minister Happyton Bonyongwe, then police chief Augustine Chihuri and former Airforce commander Perrance Shiri at some point plotted a counter offensive against the military takeover of government. There was also fear among the generals that former Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo was holed up at Mugabes Blue Roof mansion and was advising him to dig in, the minutes revealed. The documents were made public on Friday as Mugabes loyalists launched an audacious continental and regional offensive against President Emmerson Mnangagwas government, challenging its legitimacy. The minutes are part of a petition sent by victims of Mugabes ouster to the African Union and the Sadc leaders requesting that a commission of inquiry be set up to probe and establish the constitutionality or otherwise of the change of leadership in Zimbabwe. Mugabe resigned in the midst of an impeachment process led by parliamentarians. Through a political outfit calling itself New Patriotic Front the victims have dispatched a 79-page document through a Johannesburg-based lawyer, Marius van Niekerk. The document contains minutes of all meetings between Mugabes negotiation team and military commanders and reveals tension between the military and the other two security bodies. The minutes contain reasons why the army launched Operation Restore Legacy that ended Mugabes 37-year rule and saw Mnangagwa taking over. It is alleged that Bonyongwe approached then Airforce head Shiri who was outside the country to come back so that they could mobilise a counter. The president was informed that the command element (military leadership) had made it clear that a counter-force against their operation would constitute an escalation which was bound to lead to a bloody outcome read the minutes. The papers state that a text message purported to have been from Bonyongwe to Shiri was intercepted The president was informed about mounting tensions and concerns within the command element triggered by a mobile communication message attributed to the new minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and former director-general of the Central Intelligence Organisation [Rtd] General Happyton Bonyongwe to Air Marshal Perrance Shiri who is in Dubai on official business, allegedly urging him to fly back and join in efforts towards a counter operation whose backbone would be the police force commanded by Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, read the minutes of the meeting. Bonyongwe has since disappeared into thin air while Chihuri was retired from the police force. According to the minutes, Matanga attended one of the inaugural meetings held by top military bosses as they plotted to mount the military operation against Mugabe. Matanga has since been appointed acting Police Commissioner-General while his other peers within the force who were perceived to be loyal to Chihuri and Mugabe have been retired. After his ouster, Mugabe retreated to private life but on Tuesday he held a private meeting with Joice Mujuru an opposition leader raising questions on his support of the new leadership. According to minutes, the military bosses were also afraid that Mugabe wanted to charge them with treason for their acts a threat which they alleged was being pursued by Bonyongwe. When Mugabe was put under house arrest, the military tasked Catholic cleric, Father Fidelis Mukonori and then acting CIO director-general, Aaron Nhepera as well as presidential spokesperson, George Charamba to mediate between them and their Commander-in-Chief. The process resulted in Mugabe stepping down. The president was told, hard decisions could not be stalled any longer, and had to be made in the interest of survival of the party and its revolutionary traditions, the minutes read. The military according to documents, was worried that the G40 cabal had captured the intelligence and police commanders through Chihuri and Bonyongwe as they misinformed Mugabe through their briefings and made the National Joint Operations Command dysfunctional. The military bosses, the minutes allege, were worried over non-availability of work contracts and threats that they would be fired from the military due to political allegiances. The Commander-in-Chief was informed that only the positions of the commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army, Commander Airforce of Zimbabwe, Commissioner-Generals of police and prisons and the Director General of the Central Intelligence Organisation, had term limits in terms of the new Constitution. However, the command element could not understand why there seemed to be an attempt to invoke the term limits clause retrospectively, and in ways that selectively applied to the security establishment only, the report says. The minutes further alleged that Mugabe was accused by the military commanders that he was hiding Jonathan Moyo and Saviour Kasukuwere at his private residence. He was warned of dire consequences if he did not release them to the commanders who wanted to ensure that they were arrested on allegations of corruption and abuse of office. The duo, however, resurfaced outside the country with Moyo claiming he was saved by angels and owed his gratitude to Mugabe and his wife Grace. His Excellency the president was informed of the anger and frustration of the command element following confirmed reports that both the ruling partys political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere and Jonathan Moyo and their families had been granted refuge at the First Familys Blue Roof residence, the minutes read. The president was also told of the fears on the part of the command element that the duos continued stay at the Blue Roof represented its lingering hold and influence on the First Family at a time when delicate attempts were underway to reopen clogged channels of communication between the two sides. The army also reportedly stated that they were afraid that Zanu PF would lose the forthcoming general elections. In any case, Zanu PF needed to muster votes from all provinces for a resounding victory, and thus could not afford alienating entire communities and regions through divisive political rhetoric, the minutes read. While Bonyongwe and Charamba were not reachable yesterday, Acting Information minister, Simon Khaya Moyo dismissed the petition made to the AU by the new political outfit whose backers are believed to be G40 members. I cant comment on a mirage. I dont know who NPF is and the so-called party. I dont know if the people you think are the authors of the document are real ones. So really, it would be impossible for me to comment on that, Khaya Moyo said. Standard The move by toppled despot Robert Mugabe to join hands with his former deputy Joice Mujuru to mount a presidential electoral challenge against President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF has stirred strong emotions and widened fissures along regional lines, the Daily News can report. Mugabes electoral alliance with Mujuru, consummated last Tuesday, is being seen as strong enough to rock the Zanu PF ship, now dominated by security sector interests and the Team Lacoste faction, loyal to the new president. Zimbabwes military ousted Mugabe late last year, nearly four decades after he took power. This culminated in the elevation of Mnangagwa, once one of Mugabes most erstwhile trusted lieutenants, to the helm. Analysts told the Daily News yesterday that Mugabe could be using primitive tribal politics to play Mujuru against Mnangagwa, saying if proven to be true, this could be retrogressive. They said the strange bedfellows who fell out in 2014 could be out to use the strength of the Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East and Central provinces dominated by the Zezurus to increase their leverage in torpedoing Mnangagwas presidential bid. The ruling party has always been a cauldron of ethnic politics, with Zanu PF deeply divided along clan lines, mainly between Zezuru and the Karanga, the two largest clans of the wider Shona tribal grouping. The erstwhile Zezuru dominance was a consequence of the 1980 division of Zimbabwe into 10 provinces. Mashonaland (Zezuru) was cut up into four provinces: West, East, Central and Harare; and Masvingo (Karanga) into only two Masvingo and Midlands (Mnangagwas home province); while Manicaland (Manyika) remained undivided and Matabeleland (Ndebele) into three: North, South and Bulawayo. Members of the Ndebele related to South Africas Zulus, and Zimbabwes second largest tribe after the Shona are also grumbling over long-standing marginalisation which they assert persists under Mnangagwa. Ndebeles dominated Zapu, until the party was swallowed up by Zanu PF in 1987, in a deal that followed an army assault on Zapu supporters in western Zimbabwe, costing 20 000 lives. Analysts said Mugabe could be attempting to re-assert Zezuru dominance by giving the Mujuru camp an edge in the forthcoming elections, a move seen as exacerbating clan tensions that risk erupting into conflict at the national level in the post-Mugabe era. Pedzisai Ruhanya, a post doctoral research fellow with the University of Johannesburg, told the Daily News there are tribal undercurrents over the Mugabe-Mujuru alliance. Mujuru, the opposition National Peoples Party (NPP) president, has told the media that during their meeting at his Blue Roof mansion in the leafy suburb of Borrowdale, Harare, on Tuesday last week - the first since they broke ranks in December 2014 - Mugabe told her he is not happy with what happened to him which he said is not constitutional. Ruhanya, a media and democracy scholar, said: Although Mugabes meeting with Mujuru and his purported support appears to be largely a poisoned chalice, it should worry Zanu PF and president Mnangagwa because of the ethnic fault-line that the party has been refusing to address for a long time where the Zezuru group thinks they are destined to rule Zimbabwe forever. This is a coming together of an ethnic group that knows that Mashonaland provinces are the citadel of Zanu PF social base. They want to use that to torpedo Mnangagwa. However, we have to take note of the presence of critical Zanu PF players from Mashonaland provinces who can douse this ethnic conspiracy by Mugabe and such characters like (Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement minister Perrance) Shiri, (Vice President Constantino) Chiwenga will play a significant role. The other thing is that if Mugabe and Mujuru are framed as ethnic politicians who want to promote Zezuru hegemony on the State, that could backfire, especially given the control of the propaganda and coercive force that Zanu PF has. Most significantly, the military will be the decisive factor in the fight. Ruhanya said Mujuru should know that Mugabe is now virtually a political cadaver whose physical and mental mortality suggest that he is no longer fit for purpose and whose national sentimental value has been washed away by 37 years of misrule and economic plunder. Stephen Chan, a professor of world politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, said there was always going to be a series of complex realignments after the change in presidency. Mugabe and Mujuru worked closely once, and (ailing opposition leader Morgan) Tsvangirai cannot bring himself to work fully with Mujuru. The so-called alliance is not therefore surprising. I do not see it being more than a temporary measure, Chan said. It cannot gain electoral weight in a short time, and the nation does seem to have moved on from Mugabe. Sentimentalists, and those who missed out in the new alignments around Mnangagwa are jostling for platforms on which to stand. Political analyst Maxwell Saungweme said the Mugabe-Mujuru alliance discredits Zanu PFs Team Lacoste faction and questions Mnangagwas legitimacy. Other Zanu PF members who were just hanging on to Lacoste due to lack of options will find a home and this weakens Lacoste further. This development also makes people start comparing between Mugabes police state and Mnangagwas military junta. I am sure people can choose what is better but a comparison between a police and military state is revealing, he said. Saungweme said Mugabe still has some followers. This alliance, if anything, is good news to the opposition. Now the opposition has to be organised under one coalition and take a shaken Lacoste military regime head-on, he said. Piers Pigou, senior consultant at the International Crisis Group said, unsurprisingly, the reports of this Mugabe-Mujuru meeting have raised more questions than answers. Whilst Mugabe may be uncomfortable now he is experiencing being politically out in the cold, it seems highly unlikely that he would risk jeopardizing the handsome golden parachute he has been given by teaming up with Joice Mujuru who remains politically untested, he said. Asked if he got a sense that this all tribal and identity politics by Mugabe playing Mujuru against ED, Pigou said: I think there are serious unresolved issues relating to ED consolidation in many parts of the country. Ethnic, tribal issues may well be in play. Australia-based Zanu PF propagandist and controversial correspondent with the State-run Herald Reason Wafawarova, who fiercely backs Mnangagwa, rejected suggestions that the ruling party was running scared of the Mugabe-Mujuru alliance. If there is any panic, the panic is over the possibility of tribal sentiment and rhetoric as a way of trying to mobilise a regionalistic vote for both the NPP and NPF, Wafawarova said, referring a new party called New Patriotic Front (NPF) believed to be led by former Zanu PF members who were expelled when the military intervened leading to Mugabes ouster. The NPF, linked to the Generation 40 faction, has petitioned the African Union (AU) and Sadc protesting the manner the veteran leader was toppled, and seeking to de-legitimise Mnangagwas government and asking the key African blocs to cancel all diplomatic ties with Zimbabwe. I do not think this will get any more traction than Zim People First did before it broke into even more irrelevant two tiny little parties, Wafawarova said, adding: I do not think those in Zanu PF leadership think Mujuru can bring any form of rejuvenation to G40, let alone to Robert Mugabe. The general perception is that Mugabe is now endorsed as part of our history, domestically and internationally. Daily News He Spent Weeks on the Pile After 9/11. What Did It Do to His Brain? (Newser) It had all the makings of an upbeat story: A girl turns 18, then seeks out and reunites with the parents who had given her for adoption as a baby. But as WNCN reports, the ending of this tale now involves incest charges and accusations that a father impregnated his own biological daughter and planned to marry her. Court documents lay out the circumstances: Back in 1998, Steven Pladl and his unidentified wife had a baby girl but gave her up for adoption. That girl, Katie Pladl, located them near Richmond, Virginia, in 2016 and even moved in with the couple and their two daughters (her sisters). A few months later, Steven Pladl and his wife legally separated, and the wife moved out. She subsequently learned Steven had gotten Katie pregnant, and he told her that he planned to marry their daughter, per the warrants. story continues below At some point after that, Steven and Katie Pladl moved to North Carolina, where they were arrested on a warrant issued by police in Henrico County, Virginia. Both face extradition to Virginia on incest charges. "It's a class five felony if that occurs in Virginia and that means you can get up to 10 years in prison," a legal analyst tells WTVR. When police arrested them, the Pladls had a baby boy with them. Pladl's wife made the discovery of the pregnancy after reading the journal of one of her other daughters. She said she had no inkling of anything inappropriate until after the separation, though she said Steven had begun sleeping on the floor of Katie's bedroom, per court documents. The journal allegedly included the tidbit that Steve Pladl wanted his other daughters to begin calling Katie Pladl their step-mother. (Read more incest stories.) (Newser) "I hate Illinois Nazis," declared John Belushi's character in The Blues Brothers. He would not have liked Arthur Jones. Jones, a neo-Nazi who describes the Holocaust as an "extortion racket," is set to win the Republican nomination for the state's 3rd Congressional District, which includes parts of Chicago. The 70-year-old former leader of the American Nazi Party has lost heavily in the district's GOP primary seven times over the last 20 years, but he'll be running unopposed in the March 20 primary, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider says the party strongly rejects Jones' views and "his candidacy for any public office, including the 3rd Congressional District." story continues below Nominations closed in December, meaning Jones, who openly states his anti-Semitic and white supremacist beliefs on his campaign website, is almost certain to appear on the ballot. He was removed after running unopposed for the GOP nomination in 2016 when members of the Illinois Republican Party questioned the legitimacy of his nominating petitions, but he appears to have obtained legitimate signatures this time, the Chicago Tribune reports. Jones has denounced Republican Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, as well as President Trump, whom he describes as having "surrounded himself with hordes of Jews." The Washington Post reports that the district is strongly Democratic and Jones is expected to lose heavily to Rep. Dan Lipinski or Democratic primary challenger Marie Newman in November. (Read more Illinois stories.) (Newser) 'We are the children of Syed Ahmed Jamal, and we are requesting on behalf of our family for your kind help to get back our father." So wrote one of the Lawrence, Kansas, man's three kidstwo of whom watched as their father was arrested as he was about to take his daughter to school on Jan. 24. The 55-year-old Bangladesh native was taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, and in reporting on his case, the Washington Post sees it as "the latest example of ICE agents abruptly targeting noncitizens with no criminal record who have, in the past, been allowed to stay in the country because they were seen as contributing positively to society." Some 500 members of the community came out to detail Jamal's positive contributions to their city in notarized letters they hope a federal immigration judge will consider. story continues below Jamal, an adjunct chemistry professor at a Kansas City university, arrived in the US 30 years ago on a student visa and has throughout the years been here on H-1B visas and temporary work permits. In 2011 he was given a "voluntary departure" order. The Post reports a judge in 2012 allowed him to just continue checking in with ICE officials as a way of keeping the work permit active, but a statement from ICE picked up by Fox 4 states "Jamal violated the judge's [2011] order and failed to depart the United States, and the voluntary departure order instead became a final order of removal." Now, he sits in a Missouri jail, and the immigration lawyer working on his case says "these stay of removal applications are rarely, rarely ever approved." The Kansas City Star reports on the fears that his deportation could lead to his death due to his family being part of an ethnic minority in Bangladesh. (Read more Immigration and Customs Enforcement stories.) (Newser) If President Trump has any plans to give North Korea a "bloody nose" with a preemptive nuclear strike, he'd better go through the proper channels first. That's the gist of a letter, due to be delivered to Trump Monday, from 18 Democratic senators that warns of the "enormous gamble" of such a strike and notes that the senators are "deeply concerned about the potential consequences of a preemptive military strike on North Korea and the risks of miscalculation and retaliation," per the Washington Post. The letterput together by Sen. Martin Heinrich and signed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Kamala Harris, among otherssays that without Congress' OK, a Trump administration strike of this nature would lack both "constitutional basis" and "legal authority." story continues below The letter comes after the seemingly abrupt removal last week of Victor Cha as Trump's nominee for the ambassadorship to South Korea, per the AP. Although the White House didn't offer its reasons for dismissing his nomination, Cha had reportedly expressed in private to members of the National Security Council that he was wary of such a strike, which was followed by his op-ed in the Washington Post last week detailing why he had concerns. In their letter, the senators say the removal of Cha's name as Trump's pick is "disturbing," adding: "We ask that you provide a clear reasoning and justification for his removal from consideration." Meanwhile, during a meeting Friday with a group of North Korean defectors, Trump said he would see how things pan out after Pyeongchang. "We'll get through the Olympics and maybe something good will come out of [it]." (Read more North Korea stories.) The changes we have seen in the watch retail landscape over the past week or so put the relatively modest adaptations to the format of our newsletter into the shade. As you hopefully noticed last week, we have aimed to streamline the appearance and content of our weekly newsletter, which we will continue to send out every Monday morning with a look ahead to the week's news. One of the main changes is that you have to click through to the site to read my editorial in full. That editorial will, however, be more focused on a particular theme each week. Another change is that one article from the previous week is singled out at the top of the list below. The choice of which article appears will be made based on the simple criteria of popularity or the relative importance of a particular subject or watch in our view. Beyond that you will find the usual links to our monthly competitions, our unique pieces on the WorldTempus shop and the video and watches of the week. The layout has been designed to reflect that of the site, which celebrates one year in its new guise. We hope you like the new look and welcome your feedback. E-commerce came in at number three in my list of challenges that the watch industry faces in 2018, behind shaky demand and political uncertainty. Announcements in just the first few weeks of the year suggest that I may have underestimated its significance. The management of jd.com were out in force during the SIHH, signing up several new brands for their luxury platform in addition to the big names they already have. Barely had watch retailers returning from the SIHH touched down on their home tarmac, their money freshly invested in the 2018 collections, when Richemont announced its intention to acquire the remaining shares in YNAP (YOOX Net-A-Porter Group) that it didn't already own. Less than one week after Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari, told me its better to be leading [in e-commerce] than following!, the management of the Richemont Group seems to be taking e-commerce equally seriously. But the consolidation is not confined just to e-commerce: last week came the news that Bucherer had acquired leading US retailer Tourneau and with it 28 new retail locations in the United States. After the take-over of the Watch Gallery in the UK last year, this continues the Swiss group's expansion into the English-speaking markets with a strong presence in the world's second biggest market for watch exports. With brands, retailers and even news websites embracing e-commerce, the competition for the customer gets ever fiercer. Luckily there is no let-up in the supply of watches for those customers, as the content available on WorldTempus this week shows with coverage of the 150th anniversary collection from IWC, the hidden jewellery beauties and the various extremes seen at this years SIHH. (Newser) The two calls were placed to 911 in Pacific County, Wash., within a four-minute period on Friday night. First, at 8:57pm, a call from north of Ocean Park on the Long Beach Peninsula, where a 70-year-old woman who'd been digging for clams with her husband disappeared into the surf. At 9:01pm, a nearly identical story: A 61-year-old who'd been digging for clams with her husband near Grayland but became separated from him was reported as missing, per a Facebook post from the Pacific County Sheriff's Office. It reports the search for the women was hampered by bad weather; their bodies were found about 12 hours apart, around 5:30am and 5pm Saturday. story continues below Willamette Week reports the women were clamming just 8 miles apart from each other at opposite ends of the Willapa Bay's mouth, which sits in the southwest corner of the state. The warning from officials: "These incidents serve as a tragic reminder that one must always be vigilant of the powerful surf and waves that are often present on our ocean beaches. Always stay close to other clammers, bring a flashlight or lantern, a waterproof cellphone, and never turn your back on the surf as 'sneaker waves' can appear at any time." (Read more clams stories.) (Newser) The temperature never got above 19 degrees in Akron, Ohio, on Friday, and on that frigid afternoon, a 2-year-old girl lost her life. The Akron Beacon Journal reports police are investigating the death, which occurred after the mother found the toddler unresponsive on a porchwhich the paper describes as essentially a roof over the doorwayat the Willow Run Apartments around 3:30pm. WKYC reports the mother described her child as "frozen" in a 911 call and was told to begin CPR. The girl was taken to the hospital and later died. No official cause of death has been provided. (Read more Akron stories.) (Newser) A woman who made headlines by accusing Donald Trump of planting an unwanted kiss on her mouth in 2005 now hopes to make more headlines as an elected official. Rachel Crooks, one of three women to come forward last year to accuse the president of sexual misbehavior, is running for the Ohio state legislature, reports the Columbus Dispatch. Crooks maintains that when she was a 22-year-old receptionist at Trump Tower, the future president kissed her on the cheeks upon meeting her, then kissed her on the mouth. She says she felt violated. I think my voice should have been heard then, and I'll still fight for it to be heard now," Crooks tells Cosmopolitan. Trump has denied the allegations. story continues below The 35-year-old Democrat has a tough fight. She would have to unseat two-term Republican Bill Reineke, though the seat isn't exactly a GOP stronghold. The district voted for Trump in 2016, but it went for Obama in 2008 and 2012, notes Politico. Crooks, a political newcomer, currently directs the recruitment of foreign students at Ohio's Heidelberg University, but she thinks the #MeToo movement gives her a strong chance of winning. "Women are uniting," she says. "I want to be part of it. (Read more Ohio stories.) Sorry! This content is not available in your region Here are the winners! Here are the winners! Thousands of people entered our big summer competition from 1 July to 31 August this year. Were you one of the winners? Find out below! Thousands of people entered our big... Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Sunny to partly cloudy. High 66F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 49F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. New Delhi: A 28-year-old third-year graduation student of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has lodged a complaint stating that an unidentified man misbehaved and intimidated her, police said on Sunday. The woman is a student of French and stays in Ganga Hostel. She alleged that on January 27, when she was roaming near North Gate of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, an unidentified man misbehaved with her and when she raised an alarm, he fled along with four other men, said police. A case has been registered on the basis of her complaint and police are on the lookout for the accused. (With PTI inputs) Raipur: Six wagons and the locomotive of a goods train on Sunday derailed on the Kirandul-Visakhapatnam railway section in Chhattisgarhs Dantewada district after Naxalites removed tracks to disrupt train traffic on the eve of a bandh called by them, an official said. The Maoists uprooted tracks between Bhansi and Bacheli, leading to the derailment of six wagons and the engine of the goods train, a senior police official told PTI. The train, loaded with iron ore, was on its way to Visakhapatnam from Kirandul, the official said, adding the incident took place around 7 pm in the forests under Bacheli police station limits, located about 450 kms from here. There was no report of any casualties, he said. A team of security personnel, including jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force and local police, and railway officials rushed to the spot to restore services, he said. Officials said that the Maoists had called for a bandh in the region on Monday protesting against government policies. In view of the bandh call, security forces had intensified search and combing operations in the Bastar region, the official added. New Delhi: Seems like the Chinese provocation has not ended yet and after the Doklam incident, the dragon has now started showing its evil designs in Tibet as well. In a massive build-up of Air Force, China has deployed 51 fighter jets in Tibet over the last three weeks and sharply raised its fighter assets by 20 per cent, claimed the Congress. Reacting to the development, the main Opposition party raised questions on countrys safety and asked Modi government to reveal the true picture to the nation. Chinese provocation doesn't end with Doklam. Chinese are upping the ante in Tibet as well. Why is the Govt in denial over the issue? Why doesn't Modi Govt reveal the true picture to the nation? Is our country safe? #Dhokalam pic.twitter.com/jlTLO8qdJX Congress (@INCIndia) February 5, 2018 According to the reports, there are 8 fighters in Lhasa-Gongka area including 22 Mi-17 helicopters, one KJ 500 airborne early warning (AEW) eye-in-the-sky aircraft and also, surface to air missile systems. Chinese Air Force has also deployed 18 fighter jets in Tibet's in Hoping-Rikaze. Apart from the fighter jets, there are 4 J-10 aircraft, 10 J-11 and 4 JH-7 aircraft. There are also 11 Mi-17, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and surface to air missiles. The development has surfaced days after India's announcement of the construction of a tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh. China falsely claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: After a humiliating defeat in Rajasthan bypolls, a section of Rajasthan BJP has started demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and partys state president Ashok Parnami. BJPs president of Kota OBC cell Ashok Choudhary has written a letter to Amit Shah and demanded CM Rajes resignation by citing discontent among party workers after bypoll results. In his letter, Choudhary said, Vasundhara Raje has steered the party on a path from where defeat seems inevitable. Farmer, employees, workers and all sections in Rajasthan are very angry. All the workers of Rajasthan BJP want a change in partys leadership and I also want Vasundhara Raje and Ashok Parnami to be sacked immediately, Choudhary's letter to Amit Shah read. Also Read | Congress trounces BJP in Rajasthan bypolls, TMC wins in West Bengal With assembly elections due later this year, BJP suffered a massive jolt in Rajasthan and lost all the three seats (Two Lok Sabha and one Assembly seat) to Congress. The party lost the Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha seats by a massive margin of 84,414 and 196,496 votes respectively. It also lost the Mandalgarh Assembly seat by 13,000 votes to Congress. After the defeat, Rajasthans Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sachin Pilot said the bypoll results were peoples mandate against Vasundhara Raje government. Raje herself accepted that the Rajasthan bypolls result was a wake-up call and asked party workers to work even harder. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Army's Vice Chief General Sarath Chand on Monday said that India will continue to give a "befitting reply" to Pakistan on the Line of Control and its action will speak for itself. General Chand's comments came a a day after four of its personnel were killed in heavy shelling by Pakistan along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. The Pakistani Army has been supporting infiltration by terrorists along the border, Army Vice Chief Sarath Chand said. "We will continue with our process of giving a befitting reply," he told reporters. "(Our) action will speak for itself," Chand added in response to a question on yesterday's incident. Four Army personnel, including a 22-year-old captain, were killed yesterday in the Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control in Poonch and Rajouri districts. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Pakistani Peoples Party (PPP) has nominated a Hindu woman belonging from a remote village in Nagarparkar district of Thar to contest for general seat from Sindh province in upcoming Senate election. PPP lawmaker from Thar, Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani, confirmed the development. Krishna Kumari, a Kolhi woman, is a social activist who had joined PPP along with her brother. Her brother was elected chairman of union council Berano. She as an activists has actively participated and worked for the rights of marginalised communities living in Thar and other remote areas. According to Pakistani media reports, Kumari has been asked by the party leaders to file nomination papers to contest the upcoming Senate elections on PPP ticket. Kumari was born to poor farmer family in February 1979 having lineage to freedom fighter Rooplo Kohli. Rooplo Kolhi had waged a war against the British forces in 1857. He was arrested and hanged by the Britishers on August 22, 1858. Also read: Army's Vice Chief General Sarath Chand talks tough, says India will continue to give 'befitting reply' to Pak along LoC Kumari was married to Lalchand at the age of 16, when she was studying in 9th grade. Her husband supported her in continuing her studies. She did her masters in sociology from Sindh University in 2013. Kumari told the Pakistani media that she is ready with all the arrangements and documentation needed to file her nomination papers. Krishna Kumari will be the first Hindu woman to become a Senator if she wins the election in Muslim-majority Pakistan. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Kashmir : Militants on Monday evening attacked an Indian Army camp in South Kashmirs Kakapora area. DIG South Kashmir confirmed the incident. There has been no casualties in the attack. The militants lobbed grenades on the RR camp. According to a senior police officer of Jammu and Kashmir, the area has been cordoned by the Army and Quick Reaction Team (QRT) of CRPF. The attack on the Indian Army camps comes a day after cross-border firing and shelling by Pakistani soldiers along the Line of Control in Rajouri district. Four soldiers including a captain was killed in the shelling. (More details awaited) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. To share with friends and brethren The Gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (the Everlasting Gospel), and to prepare a people to stand when He returns to redeem His remnant. Also, to share relevant information of current events, and to show how they relate to prophecy; By means of articles, editorials, opinions, scripture readings, and poetry. Disclaimer Endrtimes does not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article/video posted on this site. The information provided here is done so for personal edification; It's up to the reader to separate truth from error, and to examine everything (like the Bereans) from a Biblical perspective. Let the Holy Scriptures be you guide! - - - FAIR USE NOTICE: These pages/videos may contain copyrighted () material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available to advance understanding of ecological, POLITICAL, HUMAN RIGHTS, economic, DEMOCRACY, scientific, MORAL, ETHICAL, and SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior general interest in receiving similar information for research and educational purposes. Mumbai: The Mumbai Police arrested six persons from Vile Parle for blackmailing and raping a minor girl over the past one year. The incident came to light after the class 10 student lodged a complaint against her perpetrators at Mumbais Virle Parle police station. Police said, The nine people, aged between 19 years and 30 years, forced the 16-year-old girl into sexual actions by blackmailing her using her video in compromising condition. The girl was raped on separate occasions, said a Mumbai Police officer. Police further added that the victims family member learnt about the incident after she complained of severe pain in private parts. She narrated her ordeal to her mother, who later brought her to police station and lodged a complaint, added the officer. The victim told the police that around a year back she had approached one of the accused regarding a personal favour, with whom later she fell in a relationship with. The man had made a video and clicked photographs of the girl in compromising condition, who he later shared with his eight friends. Soon, the eight others started blackmailing her and raped her, said an officer deployed at Vile Parle. We have nabbed six persons in connection to the incident. Raids are being made to nab three other accused. An FIR has been lodged under relevant IPC Sections including 376 - rape and POSCO Act, added the officer. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Supreme Court hearing a request to ban couple killing over dishonour, a bench of court headed by Justice Dipak Mishra on Monday said, When two adults marry, no one had the right to interfere. The Apex Court was hearing a petition by non-profit Shakti Vahini, which had asked for a ban on "khap panchayats" and dishonour killing. The petition also had requested the court to ban self-appointed village courts, which believe it is their duty to protect traditions and act punish couples who marry against their families' wishes. Dipak Mishra said, No one, either family or society, has right to interfere with the marriage. A lawyer representing Khap Panchayats told Supreme Court that they are also against such killings. Also read: Delhi honour killing | Man stabbed to death by girlfriend's family in Khyala The Apex Court in reply to the Khap Panchayat representatives said, We are not concerned with Khap Panchayats. We are only concerned with the rights of a couple to get married. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi is the only alternative to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Sunday adding that unity of Opposition will bring forth a wave of change" in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Surjewala said changing clothes six times a day is Modis model wherein Rahul model focuses on simplicity and clarity. "Today there are two models...There is a 'Modi model' wherein he changes his clothes six times, giving more credence to his clothing than state affairs. The other is the 'Rahul model' where the focus is on simplicity and clarity," Congress partys media head told PTI in an Interview. "Rahul Gandhi is the only alternative to Modi. The country wants to see him as the next prime minister," he added. Also Read | PM's words don't mean anything: Rahul's jibe at Modi over Naga peace accord Surjewala also highlighted the growing discontent among BJPs alliance partners in the NDA and said the Congress party is forging the unity of Opposition parties and "2019 Lok Sabha polls will bring forth a wave of change". Surjewala was also confident of coming back to power in Karnataka and said the victory in Rajasthan bypolls was just a trailer. The party will win with huge margins in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and other poll-bound states," he added. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Guragaon: A sessions court in Haryanas Bhodsi on Monday rejected the bail plea of a 16-year-old student, accused of killing a seven-year-old boy at Gurgaons Ryan International School last year, saying that the stage was not fit for granting bail. Meanwhile, the CBI filed a charge sheet against the accused teenager. The agency has mentioned that they have found fingerprints of the class 11 student accused in the murder of the class II boy. The investigative agency also mentioned that that the teens mobile data also established his guilt. The court was also informed by the agency that they have established the source of the knife and CCTV footage also reinforced the students role. Additional Sessions Judge Sabir Singh Kundu dismissed the plea of the accused. The juvenile is accused in his pleas contended that he deserved the benefit of statutory bail on ground that the CBI has failed to conclude its investigation within the prescribed limit of 60 days. Also read: Gurgaon court denies bail to 16-year-old accused in Ryan school murder case The bail submission was opposed by advocate Sushil Tekriwal, appearing on behalf of seven-year-old victim said, The application was devoid of any merit. Earlier on December 20, the Juvenile Justice Board had held that the teenager would be tried as an adult and directed that he be produced before Gurugram Sessions Court. The class 2 student was found with his throat slit in the school toilet on September 8. The CBI had taken over the case on September 22 amid allegations that the police had botched up with the investigation of the spine-chilling murder. . For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Delhi police on Monday nabbed a sharpshooter from UP's Kasganj - where communal violence broke out on Republic day - after an encounter in National Capitals Okhla Mandi area. Tanwir alias Munnawar was a member of Uttar Pradeshs "Chhenu" gang and was wanted for a number of cases including murder and attack on police. He also had a bounty of Rs 70,000 on his head. Police got a tip-off that the notorious criminal will reach Okhla Mandi area of southwest Delhi. After the information, Police increased security and barricaded the area. Tanwir and his aid entered the area in a swift car and crashed into the police barricading and started firing indiscriminately. Also Read | Kasganj violence: Prime accused of 'Tiranga Rally' firing, killing arrested Two policemen, Inspector Rajendra and Sub-Inspector Pravesh Kasna were hit with the bullets during the firing but they were wearing bulletproof jackets that saved their lives. Several rounds were also fired by the police in the retaliation and Tanwir was also injured. In the end, police overpowered him but his associate managed to escape. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Miffed with Indias announcement of a tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh, China has threatened to respond through economic means if India breaks status quo in disputed border area. According to a report published in the Global Times, also considered Chinese governments mouthpiece, China will take relevant countermeasures" if India seeks to "break the status quo" by constructing a tunnel in "disputed" Arunachal Pradesh. In Union Budget 2018, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has announced that India will construct a tunnel in the Arunachal Pradesh. China falsely claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of Tibet. Sino-Indian relations are at a sensitive stage. The construction of the tunnel will complicate the border issue and may have serious consequences, the Global Times said. Also Read | After Doklam, massive Chinese Air Force build-up in Tibet; missiles, UAV deployed Questioning Indias development of infrastructure in the border areas, the report said that China will have to respond if India breaks the status quo in disputed region by a unilateral action. The development of infrastructure can only play a limited role in improving the military's combat capability, but it is more of a gesture by the Indian government to strengthen control in the region. If it is a unilateral action by India to break the status quo in the disputed region, China has reason to respond to this, the report said. China has plenty of chips with which to bargain with India, through political, military and economic means, it added. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Male : Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Monday declared a 15-day state of emergency, his aide Azima Shukoor announced, deepening the political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation. The move gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects, and comes amid a tense standoff between the Supreme Court and the government. The president has refused to comply with a court order to release political prisoners, despite growing international pressure and concern. Shukoor read out the declaration on state television shortly after Yameen sent three letters to the judges asking them to reverse their decision. This is the second time Yameen has declared a state of emergency. He last took the step in November 2015 after an alleged attempt to assassinate him. Officials said the president is required to inform the parliament about any declaration of emergency within two days, but the countrys legislature has been suspended indefinitely by authorities. The Supreme Court on Thursday had also restored the seats of 12 MPs who had defected from Yameens party, effectively handing the opposition a majority in the 85-member parliament, making the president vulnerable to impeachment. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. By Catherine J. FrompovichHave you ever wondered why there are so many data collection apps and all sorts of collection sites tracking consumers online presence, purchasing habits and patterns, social interactions and travels, etc.?The most probable answer, I think, can be found in the talk historian and Professor Yuval Noah Harari gave to the 2018 World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland. Harari claims organisms are algorithms! Whats that about? Well, every life form is a biological/biochemical algorithm, which can be studied and translated into electronic signals that a computer can store, analyze and eventually will be able to create algorithms that will allow us to know ourselves better than we know ourselves!Do you find that frightening? If so, Harari claims you will not be able to hide from any online or technological data collection site that will be programmed eventually to control human desires, emotions, thoughts and resulting actions!Professor Harari claims technology has a capacity to hack human beings as computers are hacked now! He claims high-power computing and biometric data are needed to hack into human biological systems, and thats being worked on now by sophisticated surveillance machines, governments and corporations. Note all the biometrics being introduced everywhere!What will allow humans to evolve more than in all the 4 billion years life forms have been on Planet Earth?Harari claims advances in computer science and artificial intelligence will make the jump from organic life to inorganic life, which will be shaped by artificial intelligence! Biochemical algorithms will be the key to establishing inorganic life.Harari talks about Digital Dictatorship versus Democracy.Question: Is science getting too far ahead of itself in wanting to change 4 billion years of evolutionary processes? Harari doesnt think science should be trusted with the future of life. Im inclined to agree! However, he admits the United Nations is building a global surveillance system. Why did the USA build that unbelievably large data collection computer storage system, The NSA Utah Data Center?The regulation of the ownership of data being collected on everyone and anyone who buys into social networks, computer apps or other trackers like utility companies AMI Smart Meters, or a television set that can broadcast back to third parties what it sees and hears within a living room literally will become double-edged swords with more adverse implications than one possibly can guesstimate: no personal freedoms;o rights to self-determinationare forced vaccinations the trial run for that?; computers or computer-chips placed into human brains; transhumanism; plus personal data collection devices from wearable technologies probably will become mandatory, or else! Humans really dont know what they have bought into, I offer, in embracing all the smart technologies. Do you really want to become part of a robot, or have a robot become part of you?Professor Harari says biometric data are the key to ultimate data needed to implement artificial intelligence. Social media and biometrics offer that most scientifically-coveted input, in my opinion, for the ultimate scientific creation of algorithms for changing humans, life and the world as we know it into a digital dictatorship.Theres a new term for you: Digital Dictatorship!Around 18 minutes on the 29+ minute video below, Professor Harari engages in an open discussion with the moderator wherein they discuss possible answers. Id like to remind readers there is a most challenging Chinese proverb proposing, May you live in interesting times.Are we there yet?https://www.activistpost.com/2018/02/data-bodies-brains-minds-products-21st-century.html Short link: Egypt's military said on Monday that it had killed one dangerous extremist and arrested six other suspects during a raid in North Sinai.In an official statement, armed forces spokesman Tamer El-Refaie said two warehouses had been discovered containing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), two 4x4 vehicles and six motorcycles used by extremists.Personnel from the Second Field Army also destroyed locations used by the extremists as hideouts and for storing ammunition, communications equipment and substances used to manufacture IEDs."The Second Field Army continues in its efforts to eliminate extremists in North Sinai," the statement concluded. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met with Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al-Said, Oman's deputy prime minister, in Muscat on Monday, to discuss bilateral relations and enhancing economic ties. "The Egyptian president highlighted the national projects currently implemented in Egypt that provide promising investment opportunities, expressing Cairo's keenness on bolstering economic, trade and investment relations with Oman," a statement by El-Sisis spokesman Bassam Rady read. The Omani deputy prime minister hailed the economic reforms adopted by Egypt, stressing his country's keenness to develop cooperation with Cairo at all levels. "The two sides agreed to study the establishment of a joint investment fund," the statement added. Al-Said also praised Egypt's role as a major pillar of the security and stability in the Arab region. El-Sisi arrived on Sunday for the three-day official visit, and discussed enhancing bilateral relations, Arab Gulf security and cooperation over counter-terrorism efforts with Oman's Sultan Qaboos, according to a statement by Radi. El-Sisi's visit to Muscat is the first by an Egyptian president since 2009. Also on Monday, El-Sisi visited the Royal Opera House, the Sultan's Armed Forces Museum and the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat. The president will head to Abu Dhabi on Tuesday for a three-day visit, to hold talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on strengthening bilateral relations. Short link: A bean-throwing event was held at Naritasan Shinshoji, a major Buddhist temple in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, on Sunday, the day of "Setsubun" in Japan. Wearing "kamishimo" formal samural costumes, sumo wrestlers such as yokozunas Hakuho and Kisenosato, some cast members of the "Segodon" period drama series of NHK, or Japan Broadcasting Corp., and others threw soybeans and peanuts in front of the temple's Great Main Hall while chanting "Fuku wa uchi! Fuku wa uchi!" to pray for rich harvest and reconstruction of areas hit by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Setsubun is the day before the start of spring according to Japan's old calendar, and cerebrations for the end of winter and the beginning of spring have been held across the country on the day, in which usually soybeans are thrown to kick out demons and bring luck in. "Fuku wa uchi" means "luck in" in English. "We have received a lot of support from people nationwide," said Futoshi Toba, mayor of Rikuzentakata in Iwate Prefecture, who joined the event to represent disaster-hit regions. "We'd like to express our heartfelt gratitude." For the event, 860 kilograms of soybeans and 400 kilograms of peanuts were prepared. A crowd of people reached out their hands whenever soybeans and peanuts were thrown. Ruling camp-backed rookie Taketoyo Toguchi defeated incumbent Susumu Inamine in a mayoral election in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, on Sunday. In the one-for-one contest, Toguchi, a 56-year-old former member of the Nago city assembly, garnered 20,389 votes and the 72-year-old incumbent 16,931 votes. Voter turnout came to 76.92 pct, up 0.21 percentage point from the previous mayoral election. A record 21,660 people, about 44 pct of the eligible voters in the city, had cast ballots before Sunday. It was the first mayor's race in Nago since the central government started in April last year seawall construction off the coastline of the city's Henoko district for the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma air station in Ginowan, also in the southernmost Japan prefecture. Backed by Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga, Inamine called on voters to help him win his third term to stop the base relocation. He also won support from five opposition parties including the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Democratic Party and the Japanese Communist Party. Former American professional wrestler The Destroyer, who garnered tremendous popularity in Japan decades ago, received the esteemed Order of the Rising Sun at a ceremony in Buffalo on Saturday, reports Nippon News Network. At the ceremony, Reiichiro Takahashi, the Ambassador and Consul-General at the Consulate General of Japan in New York, handed Richard Beyer, who wrestled under the name The Destroyer, the Order of the Rising Sun under the Gold and Silver Rays class, which is the second-highest level. After receiving the order, Beyer, 87, wearing his trademark white mask, said, "Honto ni arigatou gozaimasu [Thank you very much]." The order is presented to persons who have made achievements in international relations, promoted Japanese culture or performed other altruistic activities. The legend of the The Destroyer began in 1963, when he came to Japan to wrestle Rikidozan, who rose to immense fame by defeating foreign opponents in the immediate aftermath of World War II. Over the next decade, the native of New York became a pop-culture icon who, in addition to squaring off against wrestling legends like Giant Baba in the ring, appeared on Japanese television variety programs. Beyer said during an interview with a Nippon News Network reporter after the ceremony that he grew up hating the Japanese, but his attitude changed upon coming to Japan. "Don't judge what happened before; judge what [is] happening now," he said. When asked by the reporter whether he would take off his mask to show his face to the Japanese people, Beyer laughed and said, "No, because it's a secret." Chiba Prefectural Police are hunting for a 46-year-old man after his son, 20, was found bludgeoned to death in their residence in Yotsukaido City early Sunday, reports TV Asahi At around 3:00 a.m., police entered the residence and found Masashi Kanai, a first-year university student, collapsed and bleeding on the living room floor of the residence, located in the Shimoshizu Shinden area. According to police, a substantial amount of blood was coming from the face of Kanai. He was confirmed dead at the scene. Police also found a large metal tool near his body. The man shares the residence with the victim, another son and his wife. About two hours earlier, the woman came home and found she couldnat enter the residence. Sensing trouble, the woman alerted police. Upon the arrival of police, the man could not be located. Police are seeking his whereabouts to question him regarding the death of his son. The annual snow festival has opened in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo. The 69th Sapporo Snow Festival began in the capital city of Hokkaido on Monday at the main site in Odori Park and another site. It kicked off a few days earlier at another venue in the eastern part of the city. More than 200 snow and ice sculptures are on display including 5 snow statues and 2 ice sculptures standing 15 meters high. Among them are recreations of part of Yakushiji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the ancient capital of Nara, and one featuring a scene from the popular video game Final Fantasy. A relief honoring the 100th anniversary of the birth of American composer Leonard Bernstein has been built to promote an annual summer music festival in Sapporo for young artists. One site with 60 sculptures is reserved for pedestrians only during parts of the day. Another includes a slide made of snow. The festival runs through February 12th. DANBURY Mayor Mark Boughton appeared in a commercial that aired during the Super Bowl on Sunday night. In the ad for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Boughton explains how he was connected to the center for a highly specialized surgery after doctors discovered last July that he had a benign tumor inside his brain. He recounts how he was unanimously recommended to UPMC's Dr. Robert Friedlander, who performed the surgery in August and appears in the commercial to tout the center's technology. The seven-hour surgery was a success and Boughton returned to Connecticut just a week later. I think Ive said it before, just how grateful I am to be alive, an emotional Boughton says. Ill never forget it. zach.murdock@hearstmediact.com Theres another womens march happening in Connecticut, but this time, homemade signs such as Grab em by the midterms are being replaced by campaign signs. A wave of first-time women candidates, energized by a year of protests, are running for office in the state. As group, I think we are part of a movement, said Anne Hughes, a social worker from Easton who is running for the state Legislature. Hughes was one of the political newcomers gathered for a Women Belong in the House fundraising reception Wednesday in Stamford. It was organized by the state House Democrats and drew about 60 supporters and a half-dozen first-time legislative candidates. Hughes, 52, is seeking the Democratic endorsement in the 135th House District, which also includes Weston and Redding. She recently took part in the Womens March in Hartford, where several legislative hopefuls who are part of the so-called Trump resistance made their debut. More than 30,000 women across the country have have reached out to Emilys List expressing an interest in running for office since Election Day 2016, hundreds of them from Connecticut, said a spokesman for the group, which trains pro-choice Democratic women. The unprecedented surge has drawn the attention of Patty Russo, the executive director of the Womens Campaign School at Yale University, who has spent 30 years trying to recruit female candidates. Ive never seen anything like it, said Russo, a Norwalk resident. After the first march, literally hundreds of women were calling and emailing. Im mad. I marched. I want to run. Help me. The flood of interest far exceeds the 300 applications the school normally receives for 85 spots in a five-day training program for women candidates, she said. Even the night of the State of the Union at 11:30 we were getting calls from women wanting to run and wanting more information about our programs, Russo said. That same night, Caitlin Clarkson Pereira, a higher education professional from Fairfield, held a kickoff event at a friends house for her campaign in the 132nd House District. Im not sure I can watch (the State of the Union), Pereira said. I have no doubt it will affirm and motivate and remind me that I definitely made the right choice. Pereira rode on the bus with students from Fairfield University to last years Womens March in Washington, D.C. This year, she went to Hartford. The seeds of a run for office were planted on election night in 2016 as she tried coming to terms with a Trump presidency, she said. Her daughter Parker was sound asleep. I just remember looking at her and this sort of mama bear burst of energy permeated out, she said. Pereira, coordinator in the educational services office at Southern Connecticut State University, is challenging Republican Brenda Kupchick, who is in her fourth term. But Pereiras strategy isnt to apply a Trump litmus test to Kupchick. I dont think thats fair or what the voters are looking for, Pereira said. This should really be about the leader that the voters believe should be in office trying to fix the budget and make sure education stays on the right path and looking out for vulnerable communities. I have nothing but respect for her and what shes done for this community over many, many years. Kupchick said she looks forward to discussing all of the issues facing Connecticut, which are important to women, with Pereira. At the same time, she questioned whether her opponents energies might be better spent elsewhere. I just dont really understand running for an office that doesnt have an impact on what youre really upset with, Kupchick said. Personally, if I was part of this resistance, I would go work on a race in another part of the country where you can win a seat if you want to hold the president accountable. Democrat Ashley Gaudiano, who won a seat on Trumbulls town council last fall and is now running for the Legislature in the 134th District, said the effort is not misguided. I think that our core Democratic values are under attack in Washington right now, Gaudiano said. States have opportunity to minimize the impact of whats happening down there. So our legislature can really make a difference when were talking about the things that (Trump) and his administration are attacking. The 30-year-old mother of two said its up to states to push back against Trumps policies on immigration, abortion, taxes, the rollback of environmental and consumer protection regulations and student loan debt. The 2016 election really woke me up, Gaudiano said. State GOP Chairman J.R. Romano said its Republicans who have created opportunities for women, noting that House GOP caucus has more female members than the House Democrats and is led for the first time by a woman, Derbys Themis Klarides. He also cited New Britains third-term mayor, Erin Stewart, who is exploring a run for governor, as a rising star in the party. Im thrilled at the fact that so many women are running for us, Romano said. The states top Republican pointed out that both Pereira and Gaudiano are challenging women incumbents. This isnt about unseating men, Romano said of their political ambition. Theyre masking it behind gender politics. State Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey, D-Fairfield, along with her Stamford colleagues Patricia Billie Miller and Caroline Simmons, helped organize last weeks Women Belong in the House fundraiser. In 2010, she did Yale womens campaign program. I remember sitting in the room thinking, Im not sure I belong here, McCarthy Vahey said. I dont know if Im qualified. Its important for women to support each other, she said, and remind each other of their strengths as candidates. We know there are so many well qualified women who are strong candidates and will bring a diverse perspective to the caucus, she said. Julie Kushner, 65, a longtime union organizer for the United Auto Workers who is from Danbury, last week registered as a state Senate candidate in the 24th District. She is the co-chair of the liberal Connecticut Working Families Party and will seek the cross-endorsement of the Democrats for her challenge of Republican Michael McLachlan. It does feel like its a pink wave and thats a good thing, Kushner said, alluding to the ubiquitous pink pussy hats at the womens marches. I think women feel a responsibility to say, We're going to run for office, were going to legislate, we have the capacity to do this, but moreover we have a responsibility to do it. That's very motivating. While the midterm elections this fall are the next front of the Trump resistance, women candidates announced their presence in a big way in last falls municipal elections, from Vicki Tesoros win in the Trumbull first selectmans race to an infusion of newcomers on the Greenwich Representative Town Meeting such as Jennie Baird. So many of us came back from (last years) march and said, What can we do? said Baird, 50, who went to Washington for the first one. This year, she went to New York. I think there was much more of a sentiment of something that had coalesced over the year, Baird said. There was much more focus on the 2018 and 2020 elections. I love seeing younger women standing up. Staff writer Zach Murdock contributed to this report http://twitter.com/gettinviggy; nvigdor@hearstmediact.com; 203-625-4436 Bryan Bitticks has been a Great Clips customer since 2000, but it wasnt until 2009 that he and his wife, Tamara, searching for a recession-proof side business, started buying Great Clips salons. And in 2016, Bitticks, a former engineer and marketing manager at a semiconductor manufacturer, left his first career for good to focus on managing the couples 10 locations in Los Angeles and Portland, Ore. Related: 8 Mindset Shifts to Build Your Business on the Side Coming from the tech industry, Bitticks has a particular appreciation for what has been powering Great Clips growth -- not to mention its first-ever spot on our top 10 list: Its the brands technology. Online check-in is the single biggest thing thats transformed our business, he says. The salons front door has been virtualized; customers can look at wait times online or on a mobile device and be added to a waiting list, enabling Great Clips owners to better reach young customers accustomed to a sleek, digital-first experience. More than 30 million customers across North America now use the service, and that number grows between 5 and 6 percent a year. Great Clips has structured itself for this kind of innovation. It doesnt operate any corporate salons, freeing up the lean executive team to focus on improving core products like the online check-in system and Clip Notes, the global customer database the company launched in 2014. And it does all that while keeping many prices the same as they were when newly named CEO Steve Hockett first came onboard in 1988. (Most haircuts still cost between $13 and $17.) Hockett says that focus on technology drives overall revenue and burnishes the companys bullish outlook; last year, operating cash flow was up 60 percent from 2010. Weve been growing [same-store sales] nonstop for 13 years, quarter over quarter, Hockett says. The company plans to continue its steady march by bringing more locations to Canada and the coastal U.S. Related: 5 Affordable Franchises You Can Start for Less Than $10,000 All of this helps Bitticks, the franchisee, feel like he made the right career change. We dont deal with offshoring risks in the hair-care business, he quips. For more on franchises, check out 2018's Franchise 500 list. Related: How Do You Innovate a Barbershop? Ask Great Clips Franchisees. How Pokeworks Is Taking Advantage of the Raw Fish Phenomenon How Fast-Growing RE/MAX Keeps Attracting New Realtors Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com Monday The Valley Shore Toastmasters: meets from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Madison Senior Center (cafe), 29 Bradley Road. Email valleyshoretm@yahoo.com or visit http://valleyshore.toastmastersclubs.org. Tuesday The Milford Chamber of Commerce Tuesday Morning Leads Group: meets at 8:30 a.m. at the Chamber, 5 Broad St., Milford. Call 203-878-0681. The Rotary Club of Hamden: meets each Tuesday. For meeting time and location please visit the calendar section of their website at www.hamdenctrotary.org. The Nutmeg Chapter of Toastmasters International: meets at 7 p.m. at The Willows Care and Rehab Center, 225 Amity Road, Woodbridge. Visit http://764.toastmastersclubs.org. The New Haven chapter of the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America: meets at 6 p.m. at Brazis Restaurant, 201 Sargent Drive, New Haven. Dinner is $30. Call 203-234-9542. The Rotary Club of New Haven: meets at 12:15 p.m. at the Graduate Club, 155 Elm St. Call 203-624-3197. The Rotary Club of North Haven: meets at 7:15 a.m. at the Breakfast Nook, 448 Washington Ave. Visit www.nhrotary.org. Wednesday The Rotary Club of Branford: meets from 7:15 to 8:30 a.m. at the Parthenon Diner, 374 E. Main St., Branford. Call 203-315-2444, ext. 450. The Devon Rotary: meets at 7:30 a.m. at the Bridge House Restaurant, 49 Bridgeport Ave., Milford. Visit www.devonrotary.org. The Milford Chamber of Commerce Wednesday Morning Leads Group: meets at 8:30 a.m. at the Chamber, 5 Broad St., Milford. Call 203-878-0681. The Rotary Club of Guilford: meets at 12:15 p.m. at The Maritime Grille, 2548 Boston Post Road, Guilford. Call 203-453-0774. The Greater New Haven Business & Professional Association: meets at 11 a.m. at 192 Dixwell Ave. Call 203-562-2193. The Rotary Club of Wallingford: meets at 12:10 p.m. at Il Monticello, 577 S. Broad St., Meriden. Call 203-235-3816. North Branford Rotary: meets at 6 p.m. at Nataz, 2025 Foxon Road. Call 203-484-7707. The Greater New Haven Breakfast Club: meets at 8 a.m. at Clarks Pizza & Restaurant, 68 Whitney Ave., New Haven. Email info@rosnerdoherty.com. The Rotary Club of West Haven: meets at 12:15 p.m. at Apps Ristorante, 283 Captain Thomas Blvd. Thursday The Middlesex County Toastmasters: meets from 7-8:30 p.m., Wesleyan University, Exley Science Center (Woodhead Lounge), 265 Church St., Middletown, http://middlesex.toastmastersclubs.org. The Madison Rotary Club: meets at 8 a.m. at the Madison Senior Center, 29 Bradley Road. Call Robert Anderson, 203-907-9032. The Milford Chamber of Commerces Health & Wellness Council: meets at 8:30 a.m. at the chamber, 5 Broad St. Call 203-878-0661. The Clinton Rotary Club: meets 6:30 p.m. at Clinton Country Club, Old Westbrook Road. Call Dee Tully at 860-388-7013. The East Haven Rotary Club: meets at 5:45 p.m. at Twin Pines Diner Restaurant, 34 Main St., East Haven. The Milford Rotary Club meets: from 12:15-1:15 p.m. at Gusto Restaurant, 255 Boston Post Road. Visit www.milfordrotary.org. Friday The Orange Rotary Club: meets at 12:15 p.m. at Racebrook Country Club, 246 Derby Ave. Call 203-799-2327. The Woodbridge Rotary Club: meets at 12:15 p.m. for a luncheon meeting at Woodbridge Social, 12 Selden St., Woodbridge. For more information, call Mary Ellen LaRocca at 203-389-3429. The Milford Chamber of Commerce Friday Morning Leads Group: meets at 11 a.m. at the Chamber, 5 Broad St., Milford. Call 203-878-0681. Send notices of business events to Business Datebook, New Haven Register, 100 Gando Drive, New Haven 06513 or email to business@nhregister.com, at least a week before the event. NEW HAVEN U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., says a constitutional crisis is looming because of the actions of President Trump. He blamed it on the presidents continued effort to distract from the investigation of his obstruction of justice and collusion with the Russians. His continued attempts to fire the special counsel (Robert S. Mueller III) or undermine this investigation raise the prospect of a constitutional confrontation and conflagration. The states senior senator made the remarks on Friday after meeting with student refugees attending Cross High School. We have seen this movie before. Its called United States versus Nixon the tapes case when similarly a president resisted the law and thought he was above it. Donald Trump is not above the law and this investigation must be protected with legislation, Blumenthal said. The senator said a bill he has offered on the issue is bipartisan and he hopes it will have a vote so the special counsel can be protected from firing and political interference. The New York Times reported on Jan. 28 that Republican lawmakers showed little interest in pushing the stalled bill to protect Mueller. Last June the president ordered White House counsel Donald F. McGahn II to fire Mueller, but he refused and threatened to quit instead. Blumenthal, referring to the release last week of a memo authored by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee that accuses the FBI and the Justice Department of misconduct, said the move politically weaponizes misinformation. He called this a grave disservice to our country. Blumenthal said the memo mischaracterizes the facts while it also endangers sources and methods, which is why the Department of Justice called the release extraordinarily reckless. Reaction across the political spectrum was mixed. The senator said the president is defying the intelligence community and demeaning law enforcement and I think his craven attempt to interfere in this investigation really raises the prospect of obstruction of justice unfolding in real time right before us. Blumenthal predicted that if the president again tries to fire Mueller, there will be a firestorm. He said he is satisfied that an overwhelming majority in Congress would resist this. There is no question that his firing Robert Mueller would provoke a constitutional confrontation and a crisis that can be avoided if we protect the special counsel and express outrage at the prospect of that happening, he said. The senator said Trumps firing of James Comey, the former head of the FBI, was very arguably an act of obstruction of justice and combined with the corrupt intent that is demonstrated by other evidence, there is now a credible case of obstruction of justice against Donald Tump. Blumenthal said the president seems to be adding to it by the day. mary.oleary@hearstmediact.com ORANGE A couple who own three popular New Haven eateries York Street Noodle House, Anaya Sushi and Midnight Ramen recently began tantalizing taste buds right here in their hometown. Five stars, Woodbridge resident David Negreiro said as he dined on miso on opening day for Noodle House. The pork is very tender. Noodle House, 514 Boston Post Road, located in a small plaza across from Bobs Discount Furniture, took the place of Yaos Diner, which served authentic Chinese cuisine. I live here and I always thought Orange should have a noodle place, said Soraya Kaoroptham, who owns the restaurant and three others in New Haven with husband, Aroon Kaoroptham. The couple had long been watching out for a good spot in Orange, but found the new location by chance. Soraya Kaoroptham had stopped in to get a bite at Yaos Diner and ran into Charles Eaton, who controls the lease. Eaton and his wife, who is Chinese, had opened a pho restaurant in the spot, but decided after six months that Orange wasnt ripe for the Vietnamese soup. He then rented it to Guangmin Yao to run Yaos Diner. He told Soraya Kaoroptham that Yao closed the restaurant after hurting his back and returning to China for treatment. I was hoping to come to eat, she said. But upon learning the spot was available, she negotiated with Eaton right there and called her husband, making a rental deal that day. The recent opening day at Noodle House was brisk thanks to a strong Facebook push and diners were there at lunch time from a wide area, including Shelton, Trumbull, West Haven, New Haven and Woodbridge. Some were already fans of York Street Noodle House described by Negreiro as, as good as it gets but didnt realize the owners were the same. Its delicious, said customer Meg Hyndman. Its very flavorful, refreshing and hardy. The smell of ginger, garlic, curry, coconut and other spices filled the air. Gina Ambrosini said its great to have ramen and pho in the same spot a first for these restaurateurs. Its smart, Ambrosini said of having both options. The ramen is thick and rich and the pho is light. The Kaoropthams, who have two children, Anaya, 8, and A.J., 5, met while here studying English. She came from Indonesia in 1995 and he is from Thailand. The pair went on to higher education here she earned an associate degree in computer science from Gateway Community College and he a masters degree in the same field from the University of New Haven. Once married, they worked together in a Thai food distribution center and she also worked part-time waitressing and in real estate. Even though neither had formal training as cooks, he came from a family with an appreciation for food, she said, and they talked about opening a noodle restaurant someday. One day she saw a rental listing on York Street for a small business space formerly occupied by a coffee shop. She loved the space and knew she wanted to do something with it, but Aroon Kaoroptham thought it was too small to work. So Soraya Kaoroptham took matters into her own hands. Without telling her husband, Soraya put down a deposit, asked her father for help and secured a $20,000 loan on her own. She had the exhaust system redone, revamped the tiny upstairs space and three months later brought Aroon there on his birthday. He was surprised and accepting, she said. Hes glad now. They started in 2005 with a simple menu and all the work was done by the couple and his mother and father. It took off fast and has now expanded to the downstairs in that same building. York Street Noodle House became the place to go. They went on to open Anaya Sushi & Ramen at 1150 Chapel St. in 2015 and in 2016 added the now popular pop up business Midnight Ramen in that same spot, selling ramen on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. Midnight Ramen was named best ramen place in Connecticut by USA Today. The couples eateries have also earned acclaim though the years from Connecticut Magazine. The new restaurant in Orange is simply, tastefully decorated with modern off-white upholstered booths with dark wood tables that have NoodleHouse etched in the center. The black walls that carry inspirational sayings such as, Life is Beautiful and Never Never Never Give Up. The front of the menu offers hashtag #SlurpHappy. The new eatery has ramen and pho under the same roof a first for them and offers tastes from Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan and Indonesia in its dishes. They use healthful avocado oil, displayed on the front counter, and filtered water, Soraya Kaoroptham said. They also offer their most popular Midnight Ramen dish: 10-Hour Broth Ramen, which aside from its secret ingredients consists of simmering a bone for 10 hours. The couple said preparing dishes is time consuming, but theyll juggle the four eateries to maintain quality, with Soraya spending most of her time in Orange. Among the Ramen offerings at Noodle House in Orange: The restaurant has Vegan and vegetarian offerings, as well as wings, salads and vegetables. Customer Katelyn Russell described her lunch of Chicken pho as light, refreshing, herbal and deeply aromatic. Asked if she would return to the restaurant, Russell said, tomorrow, bringing a knowing smile to her fellow diners. Senior members of South Africa's ANC party will hold an emergency meeting Monday to discuss whether President Jacob Zuma should stay in office after he was reported to have refused to resign. "Yes it is happening, it will be dealing with this situation," a party official told AFP, replying to a question about the meeting and media speculation over Zuma's possible exit after multiple graft scandals. Short link: There is massive confusion following two divergent statements credited to a former military dictator, Ibrahim Babangida. The first statement which was issued by Mr. Babangidas spokesperson. Kassim Afegbua, conveyed Mr. Babangidas misgivings about President Muhammadu Buhari and went further to demand that the president step aside by 2019 to allow the younger generation decide the countrys future.Mr. Babangida, head of a military junta from 1985 to 1993, said Nigeria has reached a stage where it must dump analogue leaders for digital younger generation to make the country competitive in a fast-changing world.He said Nigerians should not vote for Mr. Buhari, who he accused of mismanaging the lingering herdsmen crisis that has left hundreds dead this year alone.He also backed calls for restructuring, especially devolution of powers, and slammed the ruling All Progressives Congress for being a disingenuous political party.While offering this advice, I speak as a stakeholder, former president, concerned Nigerian and a patriot who desires to see new paradigms in our shared commitment to get this country running, Mr. Babangida, 76, said.However, shortly after the statement became media sensation and drew a deluge of reactions from Nigerians far and near, another statement emerged countering the former leaders initial statement.The second statement was far shorter than the first one signed by Mr. Afegbua, containing only a few paragraphs about herdsmen attacks and the prevailing political atmosphere.The second statement, released by PRNigeria, a pro-government public relations firm, portrayed Mr. Babangida as rebuking his spokesperson, Mr. Afegbua, for putting out words that didnt reflect his position.Lets me categorically state that as a former President and Statesman, I have unfettered access and channel of communication with the highest authorities in the country without necessary going public with a sensational statement. Therefore, the views expressed in the alleged statement are not mine but that of the writer, Mr. Babangida was quoted as saying by PRNigeria, which said it had previously published uncontroverted statements from the former military ruler in the past.The second statement was personally signed by Mr. Babangida himself.The former president said a two-party political system is one of the crucial ways forward for Nigeria.I still believe in a two-party system as the best option for Nigeria, Mr. Babangida said, according to the PRNigerias version.But Mr. Afegbua, appearing on Channels Television Sunday night, said the statement he signed reflected the views of Mr. Babangida, whom he said participated in the drafting process and fully endorsed the final version that was circulated on Sunday afternoon.The long-time spokesperson of Mr. Babangida said some elements sympathetic to Mr. Buhari amongst the Babangidas were responsible for the statement.The second statement released by PRNigeria on behalf of Mr. Babangida can be read below. The first statement can be read in full here.My attention has been drawn to a press statement on the State of the nation with a particular reference to 2019 general elections and beyond.Lets me categorically state that as a former President and Statesman, I have unfettered access and channel of communication with the highest authorities in the country without necessary going public with a sensational statement. Therefore, the views expressed in the alleged statement are not mine but that of the writer.However, with due respect to individual opinion and constitutional rights, it is worrisome that Political events and civil unrest in many parts of the country have raised many questions on the governance and unity of our great nation. Indeed 2018 has been inundated with political clamours and hot debates over the corporate existence of this country. Many of contributions, including constructive criticisms and engagements, have shown greater concerns for the corporate existence of Nigeria beyond 2019 general elections.It will be recalled that in my recent message on this years Armed Forces Remembrance Day, I specifically expressed the dire need for proactive measures to stop farmers/herders clashes in the middle belt as well as Cattle rustling, armed robbery, Kidnapping, gangsterism and Cultism in other parts of the country.Our security agencies have to step up surveillance with more efforts on intelligence gathering towards ensuring maximum security of life and property.Recent happenings and utterances by political gladiators are alarming and not in the interest of common man that is already overstretched and apparently living from hand to mouth due to precarious economic conditions.Despite all these challenges, I am optimistic that the political actors will play within the ambits of political norms and decorum to ameliorate the problems facing our society now.I am a realist that believes in all issues in a democratic atmosphere are sincerely discussed and resolved in the spirit of give-and-take. Since after my military years that metamorphosed to being the only Military President in the history of Nigeria and my civilian life, I always have one clear objective that freedom can only be achieved through democracy.Some people find this freedom as an avenue for eroding democracy by antics of hate speeches under the guise of religion, tribal or self-imposed mentorship. This trend of pitching political class and the people against one another is unhealthy and must be discouraged by all and sundry.The clamour for re-alignment of governance in the country as we are approaching the 2019 election year is a welcome development only if the agitations are genuinely channelled through appropriate channels of law and order and the observance of the supremacy of the Constitution. Therefore, any attempt outside this circle of democratic tenants is deceptive and divisive idea capable of plunging our political journey into disarray.Our present political parties and their structures need parameter pillars that will make them stronger with unique ideologies. However, our present political parties need surgical operations that will align them into a reasonable number. I have been an advocate of a two-party system but in our present reality in Nigeria, our political parties can fusion into a strong political association or party that can form a formidable opposition to a ruling party.As students of history, we are aware that many advanced democracies have two distinct ideological political parties, with a handful of smaller political groupings that serve as buffer whenever any of the known political parties derailed or became unpopular. I still believe in a two-party system as the best option for Nigeria.It is high time that we engage in constructive dialogue on national issues in order to have a political solution to our myriad of problems. It is sad that Nigeria had its fair share of conflicts, and we cannot continue to fall back to those dark years of bloodshed.As a people, now is the time to come together to address all Communal conflicts and criminality under any guise so as to unite the country in line with the vision of our founding fathers.nation, we can forge ahead in the task of building a more prosperous nation. Nasarawa people are looking up to President Muhammadu Buharis visit on Tuesday as a panacea to herdsmen and farmers crisis in the area.Some residents in Nasarawa state have opined that the visit will play a key role in ending clashes.Mr Samuel Akala, Special Adviser to Gov. Umaru Al-Makura on Youths, Students and Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs), said the mere presence of Buhari and dialogue with relevant stakeholders will douse tension and pave way for peace to return between farmers and herdsmen.Though the visit is not because of the crisis but I think the visit will bring some lasting solutions if the president steps his feet in Nasarawa.He is aware of what is going on and has taken several steps to mitigate the situation. So I dont think his visit will spoil the mood.I and some other officials visited some Internal Displaced Persons camps in the state recently and I can tell you that during our interface with some in the camps, they told us that they are also aware of the presidents visit and remain optimistic that his visit will bring concrete solutions, He said.Nasarawa Governor Tanko Al-MakuraAlhaji Abubakar Sandaji, a prominent businessman and educationist in Lafia, agreed that the presidents visit would help to resolve the crisis between farmers and herdsmen.He added that the outcome of the visit would spill over to Benue and encourage both parties there to resolve their differences.At one point, exhibiting the qualities of a true leader, he may make a statement that will lean towards both parties living peacefully together.That alone will have a huge positive impact. But even at that, there is no any fear of apprehension in Nasarawa because everything right now is fine and calm, He said.Mr Boniface Ifer, President of Tiv Development Association (TIDA), Nasarawa state chapter, said the expectation of Tiv people in the state is for the President to at least address the crisis with the hope of reaching reconciling the feuding people.That is what we hope for. If he comes, we want him to address the issue so that once again we will experience peace. We have strong faith that he will do that. A mere statement from him will go a long way to pacify both parties, he said.Alhaji Mohammed Hussaini, Chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Nasarawa state chapter, also expressed optimism that despite the fact the visit of the president is not related to the crisis, he will proffer solutions to end the crisis.President Buhari is a peace loving person. So even though he is here to commission projects, we have no doubt he would make an effort to see that both herders and farmers resolve their differences.Buhari is an ambassador of peace, he said The publisher of the Ovation Magazine and former presidential aspirant, Dele Momodu, has warned Nigerians against the newly formed Coalitio... The publisher of the Ovation Magazine and former presidential aspirant, Dele Momodu, has warned Nigerians against the newly formed Coalition for Nigerian Movement, CNM. He warned that Obasanjo and members of the coalition are not saints as the country presently lacks men to form a third force. Momodu warned that the former President Olusegun Obasanjo-led Movement is not the answer to Nigerias problem. According to him, nothing will change for the fact that politicians from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would form membership of the coalition. In a lengthy write-up he shared on social media, he said, There is no doubt that Nigeria is long overdue for a major overhaul, but it is not going to happen overnight. It may not happen in the next four-year sequence, but we must begin the journey in 2019. While the experiment being attempted by the COALITION FOR NIGERIA is desirable, every care must be taken to ensure that this does not make our situation worse. I wish to warn again, and do so repeatedly, that there are presently no saints to form a new Party or, indeed, force. APC would not have materialised if those PDP Governors and big moneybags did not throw their weight behind Buhari. It is gratifying to note that for now, the Coalition is making the right noises and saying that it is a pressure group. Given the fact that the period between now and the next elections is short and is almost upon us. What it seems would be most desirable to see, is members of the Coalition going back to the two main parties and taking over from them. Surely, the generality of the Nigerian public would back such a move by those seen to be a bit more principled than the rogues gallery that has held sway over our political lives for more than 40 years. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said it has deployed a total of 870 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popu... The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said it has deployed a total of 870 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol to cater for the needs of Nigerians.The Corporations Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Unit, Mr Ndu Ughamadu disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.He said that reports of non availability of products in the country alleged by some marketers were false.We have robust stock of PMS, as at today, 870 million litres that is about 26, 336 trucks were released.The daily consumption is about 1,500 trucks and more trucks are being loaded to Abuja and Lagos, he said.He further advised motorists to desist from panic buying and assured that the corporation would continue to work hard to ensure availability of products.Meanwhile, monitoring by NAN around the Federal Capital territory revealed that massive queues were still in most filling stations selling the product.NAN reports that MRS filling station, AA Rano, NNPC mega stations along the Kubwa Express road, still have massive queues.At NNPC Mega Station along Kubwa Expressway, some of the motorists that spoke to NAN said they had spent over 4 hours and was not even close to the gate of the station.Adekunle Wale, a cab man said this is back to square one, December I sleep at the station for me to get petrol to do my cab work.I dont know what the problem is but I am begging government to have pity on we the poor people.Also, Roseline Akala, a motorist said it was unfortunate that government could not handle the problems of the oil sector.One day, I know things will change for good, thats all I can say, I have spent six hours here, I am not even sure I will get the petrol to buy, she saidNAN reports black marketers are currently making brisk business with the development as they sell a litre of petrol between N250 to N350. The Action Democratic Party (ADP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to listen to the wise counsel of former President Ibrahim Badamos... The Action Democratic Party (ADP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to listen to the wise counsel of former President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida not to seek reelection in 2019, but prepare to hand over to much younger person who can move the nation forward.The All Progressives Congress (APC) said it will only respond to the content of the letter if there is the need to do so after studying it.National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi told The Nation on phone: I dont have any comment because I have not read the letter. After reading it and there is the need to respond to it, I will do that.However, in a statement signed by its National secretary, Dr.James Okoroma, the ADP said history will be kind to the former President for speaking out against what he described as leadership failure of President Buhari.Okoroma said the former President was clinical in his presentation by touching on the economy, pervasive insecurity, bloodletting across the country , devolution of powers, community Policing and restructuring.Babangidas declaration that restructuring can no longer be wished away shows that there is hope for Nigeria. Those who thought that Buharis actions and segregation had the blessings of the entire North, can now heave a sigh of relief with a serious opposition coming from another Northern leader of Babangidas status.While aligning with the former President in appealing to President Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019, the ADP scribe said: Babangida was one of those who fought to keep Nigeria one, he cannot keep quiet while Buhari destroys the country through divisive and nepotistic leadership. Today, we are losing our Country on a account of Buharis misrule which has set the Country backward.Babangidas advice that the war against Boko Haram be taken to the inner recesses of Sambisa Forest should be hidden.Babangida spoke as a Patriot. He offered solution to every problem he identified in his statement. He has spoken as one of the Fathers of modern Nigeria. The issues he has raised should engage the attention of all Patriots.History will be kind to IBB for speaking up against the leadership failure under President Muhammad Buhari. From all indications, the Buhari Government is a monumental failure and a disappointment to all Nigerians.The Nigeria Intervention Movement (NIM) in its reactionn said the position expressed by the former President is a tacit endorsement of its agenda to recruit, groom and position credible fresh breed successor Leaders for the 2019 electionsNIMs Deputy Director General, Mallam Naseer Kura commended what he described as IBBs strategic intervention on the crisis of leadership and politics rocking Nigeria.He said NIM is also compelled by the dearth of real political parties in the country to facilitate a major Rainbow political platform, modeled after the ANC of South Africa, to undertake the grooming of its adopted candidates for the 2019 elections.Kura further asserted that with this crucial endorsement of the third force initiative of NIM by IBB and other Eminent Leaders of the country, it means the time has come for fresh breed third force ideologues to rise up and take over the mantle of leadership to lead the country out of the present woods of political inertia and impunity, while also not shying away from NIMs core agenda for profound democratic reordering of the Nigerian State come 2019 After collapsing six times in the first eight days of this year, Nigerias electricity grid recorded another collapse on the first day o... After collapsing six times in the first eight days of this year, Nigerias electricity grid recorded another collapse on the first day of the second month.Documents obtained from the Nigeria Electricity System Operator, an arm of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, on Sunday in Abuja showed that the national electricity grid crashed from a high of 4,699.9 megawatts on January 31, to 219MW on February 1.On January 30, the generation statistics of NESO showed that the countrys power grid collapsed six times in the first eight days of this year.The collapse was attributed to disruptions to gas production as well as constraints to the supply of the commodity.A further analysis of the latest documents from NESO showed that power generation moved up to 3,663.3MW on February 2, after recovering from the first collapse of the month.The system performance chart also showed that the quantum of power generation on the grid on February 3 was 3,904.3MW, which was the most recent date as released by NESO on Sunday.In his explanation on the reasons for the grid collapses in January, the Chief Executive Officer, TCN, Usman Mohammed, stated that there was a need for adequate investment in order to stabilise the grid.He stated, There are certain things that need to be put in place for us to have grid stability and one of them is that we need to put in adequate investments. One of the key investments that we need to do quickly is that we need to build another line between Benin and Omotosho.When we do that, we think that we will be able to stabilise the grid, because 70 per cent of the instability we have is between Lagos and Benin. This, of course, is because we have so many generation stations located on that axis.But the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, insisted that the Federal Government was working hard to fix the power sector, stressing that despite the countrys electricity challenges, Nigeria was still exporting power to Republics of Benin, Niger and Togo.In a statement, the minister noted that in terms of population as a function of energy need of a country, Niger is running on 80MW; Republic of Togo, 200MW, less than Abuja; Ghana is about 3,000MW installed capacity and they are not producing all of that. Lagos alone is getting 1,200MW; one state, half of another country. So we must understand the dynamics of electricity use.Referring particularly to a comment that Germany was exporting power, Fashola stated, Your country is exporting power too, to Niger, to Republic of Benin, to Togo, and we are selling gas to the West African sub-region.The minister called for collective effort to resolve the nations challenges rather than putting the country down.He also reiterated the Federal Governments commitment to the full implementation of the Power Sector Recovery Programme as a means of solving the seeming intractable challenges in the nations power sector. The last surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, went on trial Monday in Belgium over a shootout that led to his capture, AFP reporters said. Abdeslam, bearded and wearing a white polo shirt, refused to have photos or video taken of him during the four-day trial in Brussels, the presiding judge told the court. Short link: The Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, on Sunday called on all Fulani herdsmen in some parts of the country, especially in Benue and... Ganduje said Kano State had vast grazing land to accommodate herdsmen and their cattle.The governor stated this during the monitoring of the states free vaccination of over one million cattle and other small animals at Kadawa Artificial Insemination Centre in the Garum Malam Local Government Area of the state.The exercise titled, Towards Conservation of Livestock Resource and Animal Protein for Citizens of Kano, was part of activities marking the 2017/2018 livestock vaccination programme.Ganduje, who condemned the recent killings during the clashes between farmers and herdsmen, said they were unacceptable.The governor said the vaccination was initiated to keep animals healthy and improve the economy of the state.He said as part of the governments commitment to encouraging herdsmen in the state, Kano State Government had been providing facilities that would accommodate the herdsmen and their cattle to discourage them from moving to other states in search of grazing land.Ganduje said, Fulani herdsmen of Kano origin do not move out of Kano to other states because we have enough grazing land, ranches and traditional stock route. They dont have any reason to move out of the state. We take care of them and we accord them the respect and dignity they deserve.I am inviting herdsmen from all parts of Nigeria to relocate to Kano because we have enough facilities to accommodate them. We have grazing land in Rogo, Gaya, Kura, Tudun Wada, Ungogo and other places, where facilities have been provided to accommodate the herdsmen and their cattle.The governor added that his administration was already in collaboration with the Federal Government and foreign agencies to convert the Falgore Game Reserve into a modern grazing land.Falgore Game Reserve can take care of millions of herdsmen and their cattle in Nigeria. The location has been designed to accommodate schools, human and animal clinics, markets, recreational centres and other social amenities that would provide the herdsmen enough comfort to take care of their animals and transact their business without any hindrance.These killings must stop. We cannot afford to continue to witness these senseless killings in the name of Fulani herdsmen and farmers clash over lack of grazing land when we have a place like the Falgore Game Reserve, which is being underutilised.Ganduje also said his administration had embarked on the registration of herdsmen and their cattle to enable the government to take care of them through free vaccination and other incentives.Tiv people flee 25 villagesThe indigenous Tiv people of Kadarko in the Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State have reportedly fled 25 villages over attacks by herdsmen.Community leaders, under the auspices of the Concerned Indigenous Tiv People of Kadarko, said this at a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday.Spokesman for the group, Dr Benjamin Agbede, said they decided to cry out because there appeared to be an orchestrated plot to force them out of their ancestral land.He explained that they were worried that since the outbreak of hostilities on January 15, 2018, Tiv farmers had been left to their fate.Agbede said, It is on record that the governor (Tanko Al-Makura) visited the areas and saw the dead bodies on January 30, 2018, but he merely directed that the corpses should be buried by the families of the deceased without any assistance.We were shocked that a paltry sum of N500,000 was made available to be shared by the families of those killed and those in different hospitals.For the avoidance of doubt, 12 people were killed and more than 30 are receiving treatment in different hospitals.We are deeply worried that although the area is inhabited by other ethnic nationalities, only the Tiv people are targets of the terrorists.Another community leader, Felix Akie, said, We wonder why the police did not respond on time to save our people after we made distress calls when the shootings and killings were going on in Agwan Tiv.They appealed to the federal and state governments to come to their aid by ensuring that peace returned so that they could return home and resume their normal lives.The community leaders named some of the 25 affected villages to include Azer, Tamen Bature, Dooga, Che Utsaha, Nyam Adaga, Cha, Igbacha, Shatse, Ngur and Nguchi.Gunmen kill cop, resident in BenueTwo separate attacks on communities in the troubled Logo and Guma local government areas of Benue State have left two persons dead, including a policeman, while many others are missingThe first incident, according to sources, occurred at Anyiin community in the Logo LGA when suspected herdsmen on Saturday attacked and killed a trader, identified as Abuchi, believed to be of Igbo origin.It was gathered that the gunmen, suspected to be Fulani militia, opened fire on Igbo traders who were coming back from a local market around 6pm, killing Abuchi and injuring others.A resident of Anyiin, Terkaa Tim, said Abuchi was a popular Igbo trader in the area.According to him, the attack which led to his death took place along Gbeji-Anyiin Road.He said the victims remains were recovered by the police near Ayoo Udu village.Our correspondent further learnt that following the attack, the Igbo people in Benue threatened a showdown.Although efforts to reach the President of the Igbo Community in Benue State were unsuccessful as of press time, a friend of the victim, Chima Wanchukwu, lamented the action of the herdsmen.But the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, said he was not aware of the incident in Logo.He said the only report on his table was from Tarka, where a man and his family, who were travelling to Calabar, were attacked by bandits while they were changing their vehicles flat tyre.The familys car had a flat tyre around the Police Training School in Tarka; and while he was changing the tyre, he was attacked by bandits, but they managed to escape unhurt into the college.I am not aware of the killing of an Igbo man in Logo, but we have decided to provide escorts for the man and his family to their destination, Owoseni said.In a related development, the team deployed by the state police command in Yogbo community in the Guma LGA came under attack on Sunday.The state Police Relations Officer, ASP Moses Yamu, who confirmed the attack, said the police team responded and engaged the gunmen in a shootout, which led to the killing of three of the gunmen.He added that their corpses were taken away by their fleeing members, who also suffered severe gunshot injuries.Yamu stated that the command lost one officer, while another one had yet to be seen.The PPRO said, The police are intensifying efforts with the aim of curbing armed attacks and apprehending criminal elements using tribal sentiment to cause mayhem.The command will also ensure adequate security to encourage residents to return to areas hitherto deserted.Declare herdsmen terrorists SeadogsThe Nigerian Association of Seadogs, also known as Pyrates, has called on the Federal Government to declare and treat herdsmen in the country as terrorists.The group explained that declaring cattle herders in Nigeria terrorists had become imperative following their activities that had led to the death of scores of Nigerians.NAS President, Arthur Boje, who made the call during a medical outreach organised by the association at Oro-Ochiri community in Rebisi town, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said herdsmen were also responsible for the sacking of some communities in the country.The medical outreach was part of the associations programme to mark its Quarter 2 Pyrates Working Committee meeting.Boje said, We are not happy with the killings going on in parts of the country. There is no way you will be satisfied when your brothers and sisters are killed senselessly and the government is not doing enough to save the situation.What those herdsmen are doing is orchestrated. It is tactically planned. These are people that have infiltrated into the country, aided by some people on the ground and also sponsored by people here.They are terrorists and the Federal Government should treat them as such. They are not herdsmen; they are professional killers brought from outside into the country to cause havoc. A human rights advocacy group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, has condemned the reported deportation of 51 Cameroonians, who were living in Nigeria as asylum seekers or naturalised citizens, by the Federal Government.The group, in a statement on Sunday by its Deputy Director, Adewale Timothy, said the reported forced eviction of the foreigners was both morally and legally wrong, describing it as human rights abuse.Timothy said SERAP had already submitted a petition against both the Federal Government and the Cameroonian authorities to the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights in protest against the deportation.In the petition dated February 2, 2018, SERAP called on the Bureau of the African Commission to urgently intervene and end the ongoing human rights violations of naturalised Nigerians, refugees and asylum seekers forcibly returned to their country by the Nigerian authorities.The petition was addressed to the Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights.The group contended that if not condemned the forced eviction of asylum seekers by the Federal Government would set a bad precedent for the rest of the sub-region.It called on the Chairperson and Bureau of the Commission to urgently hold an extraordinary session of the African Commission to address the illegal and unfair return of 51 Cameroonian refugees, asylum seekers and naturalised Nigerians, and the continuing violations of the rights of the returnees by the Government of Cameroon.SERAP called on the African Commission to speak out strongly and condemn the unfair treatment of the refugees, asylum seekers and naturalised Nigerians by the Government of Cameroon, and request the government to immediately release them from unlawful detention.The group said, Cameroons treatment of the returned naturalised Nigerians, refugees and asylum seekers falls within the worst crimes of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which, in article 7, defines crimes against humanity to mean acts such as deportation, imprisonment or other severe deprivation of liberty in violation of fundamental rules of international law. One man is dead and another hospitalized in critical condition after a stabbing in Lumberton Sunday night. The stabbing occurred during a fight outside a townhouse in the first block of Coriander Drive around 10:40 p.m., the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office said. Township police found two injured men and rushed them to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, the office said in a statement Monday. Moriah Walker, 26, of Brooklyn, N.Y. died at the hospital just before 4:30 a.m., the office said. The second victim was identified only as a 23-year-old male. He underwent surgery for a stab wound and was listed in "critical but stable condition" Monday, the prosecutor's office said. No arrests have been made, yet the public is not considered to be at risk, the prosecutor's office said. The office did not disclose what Walker was doing in Lumberton. Anyone with information about the stabbings is asked to call Burlington County Central Communications at 609-265-7113. Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Allen and Joann Leyner of Colonia needed some furniture. In August 2016, they spent $2,500 on a couch, matching chair and ottoman from the Huffman Koos store in Watchung. The couple said the couch was defective. Something wasn't right with the cushions. "When you sit on the couch, you lean to one side like you're falling off the couch," Allen Leyner said. So the couple called the company for help, and over the course of several months, service technicians came to their home six times, they said. Allen and Joann Leyner stand next to the many cushions Huffman Koos sent them to try to fix their defective Huffman Koos couch. (Alexandra Pais | For NJ Advance Media) Cushions were ripped open and extra foam was installed, the couple said. Other times, they were given replacement cushions -- 10 cushions in all -- but those, too, were faulty. Leyner said he worked with the store manager, who said he would be happy to give the Leyners a refund. But when it went to corporate, the refund request was denied, he said. The couple continued to try to get a fix from the company, but Huffman Koos said no. "They said were not doing anything more and we said, 'Give us our money back,' and they said no," Leyner said. They next tried to file a dispute with their credit card, but it was too late. They waited too long, sacrificing many months waiting for new cushions to be delivered or for service technicians to work on the couch. The couple decided to file a complaint with Consumer Affairs, but they knew that could take a very long time to resolve. So they filed suit in small claims court on May 30, 2017. Then in August -- now a year after the couch was purchased -- they needed to refile in a different county because the company's headquarters moved from Passaic to Fairfield. That did the trick. Huffman Koos didn't show up to court, and the couple received a default judgment of $1,012, covering the cost of the couch, taxes and the court filing fees, records show. That was Oct. 6. Two weeks later, Huffman Koos appealed, but the company lost on Nov. 17. The default judgment of $1,012 would stand. But the Leyner's story didn't end there. Leyner said he's called Huffman Koos' accounts payable department daily, sometimes more often, since the company lost the appeal. He said he left messages, but no one returned his calls or sent him a letter to address the outstanding judgment. Unsure of what to do next, they reached out to Bamboozled. GETTING IT DONE We reviewed the court documents and the Leyner's timeline of events, and then we reached out to Huffman Koos. It wasn't easy. Each time we entered an employee name in the "dial by name" directory, we got stuck in a loop asking us to enter the name again. There was no option for an operator. That took about an hour, so we can only imagine what customers go through. Allen Leyner shows how Huffman Koos replaced the cushions but never actually fixed the defective couch at his home. (Alexandra Pais | For NJ Advance Media) But we persisted, leaving several voice mails all around the company and at individual stores. A message got through to Ted Besaw, director of guest services for the company. In an email, Besaw said the company has been trying to reach the Leyners to arrange pick-up of the couch. Besaw offered several options. "We can pick up the furniture and once returned we will send the check for the amount ordered as the check was cut already for the customer," Besaw wrote. "If the customer is not satisfied with that option we are willing to send the check with the delivery company at the time of pick up to be given to the customer once the goods are removed from their home." If the Leyners aren't willing to return the defective couch, the company would file a motion with the court to order the return, which would delay the refund process, Besaw said. That's a fair enough request. The couple had no interest in keeping the couch, and they said the company never asked for it back. They only wanted the judgment to be satisfied. "That's a lot of baloney," Leyner said. "No one ever said they were going to give us a check. No one called us to get the furniture." It's also important to note the court order had no stipulations requiring the couch to be returned before the judgment was paid. We checked with Anthony Vignier, an attorney in Kearny, to make sure we weren't missing something in the court order. Allen and Joann Leyner with a folder of documents that they gathered to take Huffman Koos to court after the company couldn't fix a defective couch. (Alexandra Pais | For NJ Advance Media) Vignier said the couple could probably ignore the request because Huffman Koos could have counter sued, but it didn't. But that's not really an issue because the couple doesn't care about the couch. Still, we asked Besaw if we were misunderstanding the judgment against the company. He agreed the couple wasn't required to return the couch per the default judgment, but the company could still put forth a motion, which would delay the couple getting paid. "We are trying to avoid any further delays," Besaw said. "We have every intention of paying the judgment but we will need the defective furniture back to return to the manufacturer." He asked us to talk to the couple. The Leyners said they'd be happy to return the couch -- as long as they receive the check and the check clears first. We took that back to Besaw. "Respectfully, we are skeptical that we will get our sofa back," he said. Really? Okay. One more round. We asked Besaw if the pick-up driver could give the couple cash, then take away the couch. Instead, he suggested the Leyners put in writing their intention to return the couch after the judgment check clears. The couple agreed. The company overnighted the check. It cleared, and the couple arranged for Huffman Koos to pick up the couch and all those extra cushions. A happy ending. One more note: Had the company not agreed to pay, the couple did have other options to try to collect on the judgment -- something you should remember, dear readers, if this ever happens to you. To learn more, read this guide by the New Jersey Judiciary. Have you been Bamboozled? Reach Karin Price Mueller at Bamboozled@NJAdvanceMedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KPMueller. Find Bamboozled on Facebook. Mueller is also the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Stay informed and sign up for NJMoneyHelp.com's weekly e-newsletter. A man and a woman were both shot to death in separate incidents within a 16-hour period in Camden this weekend, according to authorities. No arrests have been made but detectives are investigating the killings, which occurred about a mile apart, the Camden County Prosecutor's Office said Monday. Camden County learned of the first shooting when they received reports of a dead woman on the ground in the 1700 block of Tioga Street at 9:19 a.m. Sunday. Chontay Green, 26, was found unconscious with a single gunshot wound, the office said. She was pronounced deceased at 12:22 p.m. In the second incident, police responded to a 911 call about a man being shot in the 1100 block of Princess Avenue shortly after midnight Monday, the prosecutor's office said. They found David Goodwater, 31, with a single gunshot wound. He died from his injury just before 1 a.m., authorities said. The deaths are the second and third homicides of 2018 in the city. Anyone with information about Green's death is asked to contact Camden County Prosecutor's Office Detective Haliema Leach at 856-580-5819 or Camden County Police Detective Edward Gonzalez at 856-757-7420. Information about Goodwater's death can be provided to Camden County Prosecutor's Office Detective Lee Hopkins at 856-225-8623 or Camden County Police Detective Sean Miller at 856-757-7420. Information may also be emailed to ccpotips@ccprosecutor.org. Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips By Jessica Remo | NJ Advance Media There's a new bar in the heart of downtown Montclair and, bonus, concert-goers can tote its food and beverages into Montclair's Wellmont Theater. Pharmacie Liquor Bar, named after the historic Wellmont Pharmacy that once flanked the entrance to the theater, opened on mid January. A pass-through connects the two spaces. Here, the details on the city's newest watering hole. (All photos courtesy Pharmacie Liquor Bar) Don't Edit The food Pharmacie promises bar food, but elevated with high-quality ingredients. The menu is divided into bar snacks, small plates and sandwiches. Highlights include a Brussels sprout flatbread, pork belly sliders served on tostones instead of buns (pictured), and the Wellmont Burger a custom beef mix with onions, white cheddar and truffle aioli on a Brioche bun. Even potato chips get "elevated" - they're made fresh and come with blue cheese fondue and chives. Don't Edit Don't Edit Don't Edit In the kitchen is Executive Chef Nick Greiss, a Nutley native and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, who previously served as the executive sous chef at the Common Lot in Millburn. Pharmacie will also serve brunch in the spring. Don't Edit Don't Edit The drinks Cocktails are the focus here, though there's also a selection of beers and wines. Journey through the "classics" list there's a pisco sour, a sazerac, a Manhattan, to name a few or try the "modern" options like "the Gentlemen's Fig" (pictured) made with Figenza Fig vodka, Four Roses bourbon, lemon, blueberries, and ginger ale. Don't Edit Don't Edit The vibe Two bar areas and 100-seats with a goal of being casual, unpretentious warm and welcoming. One Instagram commenter said the inside has "a 20s vibe." Don't Edit Location and hours 398 Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair, formerly home to restaurant Xocolatz. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Open Wednesday through Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. with the bar remaining open until 1:30 a.m. On Sunday, the kitchen is open from 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. with the bar open until 11:30 p.m. Brunch hours coming in the spring of 2018. Don't Edit For more info Visit Pharmacie's website or on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter or do like we did and follow Chef Griess on Instagram for more pics of what's coming out of his kitchen and other gems, like this shot of Paterson legend Fetty Wap enjoying his artisan popcorn. Don't Edit Don't Edit Read more N.J. food coverage The 24 biggest N.J. restaurant openings of 2018 N.J.'s 25 best wings, just in time for 2018 Super Bowl The best Italian restaurant in each of N.J.'s 21 counties The 25 best dishes we ate in N.J. in 2017 Don't Edit Jessica Remo may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaRemoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. JERSEY CITY Jurors continue to deliberate in the trial of a man accused of stabbing his 81-year-old neighbor to death inside her home in 2016. Jeffrey Harley, 50, is charged with murder for the violent killing of Lucila Cardenas-Viejo. Authorities allege he beat and stabbed her to death on Feb. 6, 2016. The jury began its discussions last Tuesday afternoon. Jurors have asked the court to play back video collected from inside the home and neighboring buildings. During testimony, the state argued Harley used money he stole from Cardenas-Viejo to woo his ex-girlfriend, who had posted a photo of her new partner on social media the same day. The defense has argued there was no motive for Harley to commit the vicious attack and there was no evidence he knew the 81-year-old had money inside the home. If convicted, Harley faces decades in prison. The jury was sent home just before 5 p.m. and will begin a sixth day of deliberations on Tuesday morning. Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. Maxwell's Tavern, Hoboken's once-iconic rock club and bar, has announced it will close its doors after two more shows, an open-mic on Friday, Feb. 9, and a free night of local bands on Saturday, Feb. 10. The venue's Facebook page suddenly announced today that Maxwell's would be "winding down operations" and going out of busines. Although the news came as a shock to many in the Hoboken music community, the club hadn't updated its event calendar after January. Ownership did not return a request for comment. The current owners, a business syndicate headed by Pete Carr and Evan Dean, bought Maxwell's in 2014 with the intention of reopening as an artisanal pizzeria. The venue's fabled backroom -- which in the '80s and '90s had proved a launching pad for up-and-coming bands like R.E.M., Husker Du, the Replacements and Nirvana -- became a dining room. A disastrous interview by Carr with the Hoboken Reporter, in which he besmirched the old Maxwell's reputation and complained about the venue being grimy and dark, alienated many in the Hoboken music community who had supported the venue for decades. That rift took time to heal and many old-school fans never came back. By 2015, the new owners had abandoned the idea of an upscale pizza restaurant, and local musician and promoter Dave Entwistle was hired to rebuild a stage and sound system. With Entwistle eventually brought in as full-time booker, Maxwell's Tavern started to re-engage with the local music community. Several of the bands performing on Feb. 10 like Deaf Rhino and Chevonne & The Fuzz vaulted from unknown openers to bona fide headliners under his tutelage, while others like Liam Brown & The Pounds and the Jaime Rose Band represent the old-school Hoboken community who came to embrace the refurbished club. But the front of the house - with its plethora of flat-screen TV's - seemed no different than dozens of other Hoboken bars, and although the owners continually tweaked the menu, the restaurant never established a following. Maxwell's Tavern quietly closed its kitchen altogether in August, one of the first signs that the venue was in trouble. There were moments when the new Maxwell's Tavern looked like it might find a permanent place in contemporary Hoboken, as when promoter/musician Jaime DeJesus brought his hugely successful re-enactment of The Band's "The Last Waltz" to the club for several years of sold-out Thanksgiving shows. But after Entwistle left his position as booker in mid-2017, the club started relying more and more on trivia nights as well as country music and blues showcases to find an audience; local music started to fill fewer and fewer spots on the club's calendar. A HISTORY LESSON In 1978, when Steve Fallon and several family members bought Maxwell's, the bar had been operating part-time as a shots-and-beer dive for the shift changes at the nearby Maxwell's House coffee plant. Hoboken itself was an industrial ghost town, filled with defunct factories, rotting piers, and dirt-cheap apartments. Under Fallon's simple policy of treating both audiences and musicians with respect, Maxwell's despite only holding 200 people - became one of the premier tour stops for the new American underground almost overnight, as well as spawning a lively Bohemian community of artists, writers, and musicians in Hoboken itself. Bands like the Bongos, Individuals, and dB's spread the word of this lively little town across the Hudson, where a two-bedroom furnished apartment would rent for less than $100 a month. (That was in 1980, when I interviewed two of the Bongos in the two-bedroom walk-up they were sharing for $88 a month.) The Babylon Dance Band moved to town from Louisville and changed their name to Antietam. Human Switchboard arrived from Cleveland and quickly became a local favorite. Gentrification changed all that quickly, however, and when Fallon decided to start his own record label, Coyote Records, one of his first releases was a compilation of Hoboken bands called "Luxury Condos Coming to Your Neighborhood Soon'' in honor of the ubiquitous signs that seemed to decorate every old brownstone in town. In the mid-'90s, Fallon sold Maxwell's to Bill Sutton, a businessman who converted the club into a micro-brew pub with its own beers (like "Alternative Ale" and "Percussion Porter") while trying to maintain the back room's reputation as a tour stop. That experiment failed fairly quickly. Longtime booker Todd Abramson and local musician Dave Post bought the club and ran it successfully for another six years. When the time came to renew their lease in 2013, though, Abramson and Post felt that the changing demographics of Hoboken, and especially the impossible parking situation, wouldn't sustain Maxwell's for another 10 years. The sale of Maxwell's was celebrated with a month-long run of concerts in July 2013, capped by a block party that reunited both the Bongos and "a," the band that had originally convinced Fallon to book live music in his new bar back in 1978. HAIL AND FAREWELL As soon as news broke of the current iteration of Maxwell's Tavern's closing, comments exploded online. Some unkindly compared Pete Carr's tenure with Maxwell's glory days in the '80s and '90s. Others were kinder, remembering opportunities they received there and grateful for a chance to perform at a venue with so much history. "Over the last three years I've met so many amazing people and had some great nights at Maxwell's," opined Mike Kuzan of The Latest Noise. "Working with Dave Entwistle to foster an open mic that was a place to grow your talents, play your music on a great system, and most importantly to collaborate with other musicians is something I am very proud of. Many of the people who I'm working with now are a direct result from the open mic. I also was able to host a quarterly show there that showcased a ton of talent from our music scene and that has taught me what makes a great night of music. All in all, it's been a huge part of my development as a musician and host. It's tough when a great stage goes dark but I'm very optimistic that the quality of music on our scene will create more stages and opportunities to be heard." One of those stages will be at the new Northern Soul (slightly north of its original location, now located at 700 First St., Hoboken). Entwistle will be hosting a weekly open mic there beginning Feb. 21 and every Wednesday thereafter, and the owners have indicated the intention to start booking regular live music there. Kuzan is prepping a new monthly showcase at Hoboken's Finnegan's Pub, as well as the next edition of his "The Latest Noise" showcase at White Eagle Hall. If you go ... Maxwell's Tavern's "One For The Road" final performance on Saturday, Feb. 10 will include Deaf Rhino, One Hundred Thousand (featuring guitarist Alex Goldenthal, the club's soundman), Waylaid, Chevonne & The Fuzz, the Jaime Rose Band, and the Wailing Denims in the backroom. Roots-reggae act CC Roots will perform in the front room. Doors open at 7 p.m.; admission is free. A 32-year-old British hacker facing federal charges in New Jersey in connection with a scheme to allegedly steal massive quantities of sensitive data from computers across the country will not be returned to the United States to face trial. The High Court in London on Monday blocked the extradition of Lauri Love, but said he still might face prosecution in England. "The British justice system has taken the stance that we should deal with the matter ourselves, rather than accept the U.S. government's demands," said the court. Attorneys for Love said he suffers from Asperger's syndrome and depression, and argued it would be "unjust and oppressive" to send him to the U.S. Love, who was charged in New Jersey, New York and Virginia, allegedly hacked into the networks of the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, NASA, and other government computers between 2012 and 2013. "I am greatly relieved that I am no longer facing the prospect of being locked up for potentially the rest of my life in a country I have never visited," Love said following Monday's ruling. He criticized prosecutors for suggesting his mental issues were fabricated, saying that such intimations only served to stigmatize people with similar problems. Nicole Oxman, a spokeswoman for the Department of Justice, said, "We are reviewing the judgment of the High Court and have no further comment." The U.S. has 14 days to lodge their grounds for appealing the decision to Britain's Supreme Court, said Love's lawyers. According to the criminal complaint filed in New Jersey, Love and other unnamed co-conspirators hacked into a number of government and military computer systems, where they placed hidden "back doors" within the networks, allowing them to steal confidential data. Prosecutors said the stolen data included the personal information on thousands of individuals, including military personnel at Fort Monmouth. The indictment, though, did not specify plans for the data, such as selling it to identity theft rings. Prosecutors said only that the object was to steal large quantities of non-public data, and to "disrupt the operations and infrastructure of the United States government." During the cyber attack, investigators said Love would chat online with his co-conspirators. "you have no idea how much we can [expletive] with the us government if we wanted to," he allegedly wrote on July 31 to an unnamed conspirator living in or near Australia, according to an exchange quoted in a federal indictment, using the moniker "peace." He allegedly sent out a follow-up message, reading, "this ... stuff is really sensitive." "Ooh nice," his alleged co-conspirator responded. Love allegedly responded: "it's basically every piece of information you'd need to do full identity theft on any employee or contractor for the [government agency]." One of the attacks was launched from a computer server in or around Romania, which prosecutors said was leased by Love. According to the indictment, unsealed in 2013 by the U.S. Attorney's office in New Jersey, the attack also targeted with Redstone Arsenal in Alabama, and Army database in Mississippi where the email addresses of military personnel were stolen. Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland was also breached, where defense department budgeting data was illegally accessed, an Army research and development center in Morris County, as well as the Strategic Studies Institute. Lawyers for Love at an extradition hearing in November said there was a high risk he would kill himself if he was sent to the United States for prosecution. In the ruling on Monday, the judges said the Crown Prosecution Service "must now bend its endeavors to his prosecution, with the assistance to be expected from the authorities in the United States, recognizing the gravity of the allegations in this case, and the harm done to the victims." The Associated Press contributed to this report Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook. For a time in the past, I didn't give much thought to climate change. The whole subject seemed so remote from the everyday problems and struggles we faced on the ground in the Bridgeton area, Cumberland County and throughout South Jersey. Somewhere along the way, the climate-change issue became more about politics and the media than about science and data. I suspect we may be on the verge of paying a big price for this shift in emphasis. These days, climate change, global warming and everything that comes with these terms don't seem so remote. When the potential consequences were abstract or thought to be a long way off, we could avoid thinking about them or taking any concrete action. But now we wake up each day as if the negative effects are around the corner. We're a long way from the early 1990s. That's why I was pleased that Gov. Phil Murphy has issued an executive order bringing New Jersey back into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, better known as RGGI. We were part of this regional "cap-and-trade" carbon market back in 2009 when it was first created, but former Gov. Chris Christie pulled the state out of RGGI -- perhaps anticipating a Republican run for president in the 2012 election cycle -- and we've been sidelined ever since. Murphy also backs pending legislation to prevent New Jersey governors from leaving RGGI again without lawmakers' consent. Virginia is also considering legislation to join RGG. According to the website insideclimatenews.org, if Virginia joins and New Jersey returns, it would grow the size of the regional carbon market by more than 40 percent. Carbon credits are auctioned off to utility companies that emit CO2. This matters because before leaving RGGI, New Jersey got roughly $50 million a year in cap-and-trade revenue that it could use on clean energy and technology. New Jersey's "take" if it rejoins RGGI now would likely be more than $50 million annually. We need these resources because the effects of climate change are no longer abstract or far into the future. These effects will get awfully personal, if they haven't already, especially for our local farmers. They face everything from crop damage because of increasingly severe storms and changes in soil quality, to new bacterial threats and inconsistent growing seasons. This, in turn, can hit the local economy hard. Of course, coming out of brutally cold weather in late December and early January, I heard more than one person dismiss global warming, pointing to some record-breaking low temperatures as proof that the concept is all a big hoax. What these critics miss is that "global warming" denotes extreme weather events, including very cold ones. Overall, the past five years worldwide have been the warmest in modern record-keepimg. Even if some wish to debate the issue, my question to both sides would be this: What is the price if you're wrong? For those who say climate change and global warming are real, the consequences, if they are wrong, include wasted tax money and unnecessary regulations. But for those who believe it's all just a big hoax, the consequence of being wrong is a world our great grandchildren won't easily inhabit. That's why we need to do what we can now to lower carbon emissions and get a handle on this before we reach that point of no return. Of all of the things that Washington, D.C. is neglecting, it's good to see states and localities coming together to take a stand and provide what's missing. This is the way our system was designed to work. While the political debate will go on, our state and the East Coast can certainly put the revenue generated by a cap-and-trade market to good use. We can benefit our agricultural industry by encouraging more sustainable practices and developing "green" technologies. Beyond that, our very quality of life over the long haul will benefit from lowering carbon output across the board. And, we've always been able to get more done working together than alone, whether we're talking about people, communities or states joining together through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Albert B. Kelly is mayor of Bridgeton. Contact him by phone at 856-455-3230 Ext. 200. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Pope Francis on Monday while police enforced a protest ban in central Rome as feelings run high over Turkey's offensive against Kurdish militia inside Syria. During the 50-minute audience, Pope Francis gave Erdogan a medallion embossed with an angel strangling a "demon of war" -- a symbol of peace and justice. For the first visit by a Turkish leader for 59 years, the Italian authorities have imposed a 24-hour ban on demonstrations which covers Erdogan's arrival from late Sunday to his departure on Monday evening. Erdogan's convoy arrived at a deserted Saint Peter's Square, which was under heavy security as a total of 3,500 police have been deployed for the visit. Nevertheless a small sit-in protest by some 30 people, organised by a Kurdish association in Italy, took place on Monday not far from the Vatican. Turkey on January 20 launched its "Olive Branch" operation against Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a terror group and a threat to Turkish territory. The Turkish army and allied Ankara-backed Syrian rebel forces are seeking to oust the YPG from its western border stronghold of Afrin but the operation has faced fierce resistance. "In Afrin, a new crime against humanity is under way," the Kurdish association said. The fighters and civilians killed in the Turkish assault on the region included female combatant Barin Kobani whose mutilated body appeared in a shocking video, prompting accusations by her family and Kurdish officials that she was "defiled" by Turkish-backed rebels. The YPG, while considered a "terrorist" group by Ankara, is allied to the United States in its battle against Islamic State group jihadists. The pope, who has railed against the horrors of war and weapons of mass destruction, gave Erdogan the gift of a medallion with "an angel of peace strangling the demon of war". "It's a symbol of a world based on peace and justice," the pontiff said, according to two journalists present during the meeting. Erdogan for his part was expected to thank the pope for opposing the decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. "We are both in favour of the status quo and we have the will to protect it," Erdogan said in an interview published Sunday. Erdogan's flying visit to Italy was also set to include a meeting with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, with illegal immigration, defence and EU membership likely on the agenda. Pope Francis, a strong proponent of inter-faith dialogue, visited Turkey in November 2014, holding talks with Erdogan, a devout Muslim. While in Istanbul the pope acknowledged that current global crises had made Muslims vulnerable to being stigmatised. Francis denounced those who said "all Muslims are terrorists". Relations were not so cordial in June 2016 when the pope, during a visit to Armenia, referred to the 1915-17 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman forces as "genocide". The Vatican was then forced to refute claims from Turkey that Pope Francis had showed a "mentality of the Crusades" over his use of the term. Turkey -- the Ottoman Empire's successor state -- argues that it was a collective tragedy in which both Turks and Armenians died. On Sunday, Erdogan also insisted in a newspaper interview that Turkey wants "full membership of Europe" and did not rule out joint Italian-Turkish action in Libya. Short link: It's easy to dismiss Donald Trump's immigration plan as gratuitous cruelty - just another casual roll of the grenade into a roomful of people whose stories he does not care to know, as he continues his quest to make America as insular and pale as possible. But Democrats cannot ignore three political truths. First, the president has all the leverage in the immigration debate, which is one reason why he ended DACA in September - to use 800,000 Dreamers as hostages. Second, his policy positions are driven largely by implacable, anti-immigrant Alt-right hardliners. Third, his proposal last week was far more generous toward Dreamers than anyone expected. So with the lives of so many young people are at stake - and their deportation protection expiring on March 5 - Democrats need to take this immigration framework more seriously than they have since it was proposed last Thursday. Trump has proffered a 12-year path to citizenship for 1.8 million DACA-eligible immigrants, and while it is a tough ransom payment to bankroll another Trumpian fling with ethno-nationalism, it's not even clear whether he can convince enough House Republicans to accept that part of the deal. The rest of the plan is like taking a wrecking ball to the Statue of Liberty, but monuments - like immigration policies - can be rebuilt after the opposition party wins elections and controls the agenda. The most Draconian part of Trump's plan is a phase-out of family-based migration: Citizens can only sponsor spouses or kids under 18, and parents and adult children would no longer be allowed in. It is an attack on family reunification, but the party of family values doesn't regard it as a moral imperative. The plan also calls for an elimination of the green card lottery, which will eliminate tens of thousands of immigrants each year, most of them from Africa; a more aggressive deportation schedule of people who overstay their visas, with no allowance for due process; and a $25 billion demand for a border wall, which is the most palatable demand, albeit one that Republican Congressman Will Hurd (R-Tex.) calls it "a third-century solution to a 21st-century problem." Trump called this a take-it-or-leave-it proposal, but powerful members of his own party have already left it. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said he wants more legal immigration, not less. The No. 3 man in the Senate, John Thune (R-SD), says there is only time to solve DACA and border security. And the Democrats are dug in, as Sen. Robert Menendez's reaction is typical: "This is what they're calling a compromise?" he tweeted. "This proposal is a compromise between the far right and the alt-right. Consider it Dead On Arrival." What cannot be overlooked, however, is that Americans want DACA fixed, and that Trump's toxic policymakers - notably Stephen Miller, who refers to them as "illegals" - are driving the bus. They have given the president the rationale to renege on DACA solutions numerous times since he shut down the program. This must end, because time is running out. Dreamers cannot be sacrificed at the altar of political brinksmanship: Americans want a deal that ensures their protection and dignity, because they know these kids contribute to our community, our economy, our security and our lives. Lawmakers need to codify DACA and then get it off their calendar, because Trump has leverage, a govern-by-spite track record, and a vacuous nature that makes him rhapsodize about a "big, beautiful wall that Mexico will (won't) pay for"? Eventually, the Democrats can control the government and devise their own reform package. But resisting a deal now - even a bad one - is all Trump needs to prolong his sadistic joyride through our crumbling democracy. He should not be given the pleasure. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Some of the biggest names in New Jersey politics gathered Monday as James Tedesco formally announced he's running for re-election as executive of Bergen County this year. Gov. Phil Murphy joined U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and Robert Menendez in their praise of Tedesco, a fellow Democrat who is seeking a second term. Also on hand were U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-5th Dist., and Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist. "I don't think there's a more qualified person in this state for an executive position," Murphy said of Tedesco during the news conference at the Bergen County Democratic Party headquarters in Hackensack. Added Booker: "I look at his list of accomplishments and they are stunning." From left: U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, Gov. Phil Murphy, and Bergen County Executive James Tedesco appear in Hackensack on Monday morning. Tedesco -- a former county freeholder, Paramus mayor and councilman, and firefighter -- defeated Republican incumbent Kathleen Donovan in 2013 to become executive of Bergen, the most populous county in New Jersey. "We have come a long way in the past four years," Tedesco said Monday, "and with your support, the next four years will be even better." Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. A New Jersey trooper was fired by the State Police months after he promoted a T-shirt on social media bearing the image of Joanne Chesimard, the fugitive convicted of killing a state trooper, according to court records and images obtained by NJ Advance Media. The trooper, Nyron Harris, called the post an "honest mistake," but the image outraged current and former members of the division and, according to a lawsuit, cost the trooper his job. Harris claims in the December suit that superiors drummed up minor infractions to justify turning him away from the statewide force when he was up for reenlistment last summer. The trooper's attorney, George Daggett, claims Harris did not know it was Chesimard on the shirt, which contained a grid of nine portraits of prominent black women with the words "Black Excellence" but did not identify them by name. Harris, who is African-American, accuses top brass of cowing to a campaign organized on a private State Police Facebook group, claiming an internal investigator leaked information that was later posted on the page. The lawsuit claims Harris' firing violated New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination because white troopers accused of far worse behavior were allowed to stay on the force. Spokesmen for the State Police and the Attorney General's Office declined to comment on the case. Chesimard, who escaped prison after she was convicted in the 1973 killing of State Trooper Werner Foerster, now lives under political asylum in Cuba, where she goes by Assata Shakur. She is listed as one of the FBI's most wanted terrorists. Supporters have long maintained that she was framed for the killing, and she remains an icon in the black liberation movement. Foerster's death in a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike was one of the most traumatic moments in the division's nearly 100-year history. For many troopers, it still serves as a reminder of the dangers they face. The September 2016 post that sparked the controversy was on Harris' personal Instagram page, where he shared a picture of a T-shirt depicting black-and-white portraits of women including Harriet Tubman and Maya Angelou. Chesimard is pictured in the bottom-right corner. "Black Excellence T-shirts available," the caption said. Harris claims in his lawsuit that he was helping promote his cousin's clothing company, which sold the shirts, and he had no idea it was Chesimard in the photo. Bishop Jethro James, a pastor at Paradise Baptist Church in Newark and a chaplain for the State Police, said he was concerned with how top officials at the division handled the case, saying it underscored what he believes is the disproportionate punishment meted out to black troopers compared to their white peers. James told NJ Advance Media that the post resulted in an internal investigation, details from which were later posted on The Outfit, a private Facebook group run by retired troopers that has more than 1,600 members. A post on the private Facebook group "The Outfit" allegedly led to the firing of a New Jersey state trooper. Posts on the group reviewed by NJ Advance Media, show an administrator, retired Trooper William Ames, shared a screenshot of the post in March 2017, claiming Harris would be re-enlisted and encouraging members to contact the colonel about "this human SH*T STAIN." Ames attributed the information to "the Phantom." One member called Harris' post "a slap in the face of every trooper out there doing a tough job." Others strategized how to get the trooper fired. "One could go on the AG website and file a complaint anonymously using a false e-mail address," one post said. Ames told NJ Advance Media the claim he was given details of an internal investigation was "both ridiculous and a full blown lie" and said anyone familiar with the grisly details of Foerster's killing would understand why Harris was denied reenlistment. "We feel confident in stating that the NJ State Police is a better organization for removing this poor excuse for a human being," he said. The official reason for Harris' firing is unclear, though the lawsuit claims Harris "was notified that he would not be reenlisted for having posted" the picture of the shirt. Under state regulations, newly hired troopers go through a five-year probationary period and can be denied reenlistment for cause. Harris joined the State Police in 2013, records show. His attorney told NJ Advance Media members of Harris' own academy class accused of worse wrongdoing had received lighter punishments. A recent discipline report shows unnamed troopers found guilty of charges including domestic violence and drunken driving in 2016 were allowed to remain on the force after serving suspensions. Black clergy and community leaders have called on Col. Patrick Callahan, the acting head of the State Police, to reverse the decision denying Harris reenlistment and reexamine how internal investigations are handled. James said recently elected Gov. Phil Murphy's administration will have to grapple with the State Police's history, which includes "a culture that is rooted in racial profiling," referring to the decade the division spent under federal monitoring. In the years since, the statewide force has struggled to diversify its ranks. State employment data shows 79 percent of troopers are white. "Nyron should be reinstated, offered his job back," James said. "But what would really happen to him with that culture being there?" S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday unveiled his latest effort combatting President Donald Trump's administration: two moves he said will help protect "open" internet access for New Jerseyans in the wake of the federal government's controversial decision to repeal net-neutrality rules. Murphy signed an executive order making New Jersey the third state that requires internet service providers "adhere to the principles of net neutrality" if they want a contract to do business with the state. The Democratic governor also said New Jersey is joining 21 other states and Washington, D.C., in a lawsuit challenging the Federal Communications Commission's decision late last year to roll back the rules. "Our intent is clear: New Jerseyans deserve free, open, and equal access to the internet," Murphy said during a news conference in Newark. "The internet is no longer a curious plaything available only to a select few. It is now a vital part of everyday life." "Net neutrality" refers to the idea that all internet service providers -- or ISPs -- should treat all web traffic as being equal, so all websites will load equally as fast. The FCC enacted the rules in 2015 under President Barack Obama's administration to prevent major telecom companies from charging customers extra for premium "fast lanes" with better internet access. But the FCC repealed the rules in December. Ajit Pai, the FCC chairman appointed by Trump, argued that the "heavy-handed" regulations hindered broadband internet expansion and competition. He added that the commission was simply "restoring the light-touch framework that has governed the internet for most of its existence." The broadband industry said people's internet experiences won't change, even though companies lobbied to overturn the regulations. Murphy said New Jersey cannot "unilaterally regulate net neutrality back into law" or "cement it" in state regulation. But he noted the state is a major purchaser of internet services and thus can "exercise its power as a consumer to make our preferences known." Murphy's executive order applies to all state contracts that are awarded or renewed on or after July 1 of this year. It follows similar orders that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock enacted in their states. Murphy said he has already met with many internet companies who say they will "adhere, as a matter of honor, to net neutrality." This is Murphy's ninth executive order in 20 days as governor. Most have been efforts to either reverse policies put in place by his predecessor, Republican Chris Christie, or to fight Trump. Meanwhile, New Jersey will join the lawsuit initiated by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, another Democrat who has been critical of the policies of Trump, a Republican. The suit argues that the FCC repealed the rules without justification and "while either misinterpreting or ignoring evidence in the record of potential harm to consumers and businesses," according to the New Jersey attorney general's office. State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said in a statement that New Jersey is "committed to taking whatever legal action we can to preserve the internet rights of New Jersey consumers, and to challenge the federal government's misguided attack on a free and open internet." Murphy held Monday's news conference at InCharged, a Newark company that promotes cell-phone charging stations. CEO Jessica Gonzalez said net neutrality "levels the playing field" to protect smaller companies like hers. "Without net neutrality, businesses and communities around New Jersey will suffer," Gonzalez said. NJ Advance Media staff writer S.P. Sullivan and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. WASHINGTON -- Almost six in 10 Americans do not want another federal government shutdown over the Republican refusal to allow unauthorized immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to remain in the country, according to a poll released Monday. With the current temporary spending bill set to expire Thursday, 59 percent in the Monmouth Poll said it would be unacceptable for congressional Democrats to oppose a budget deal even if the so-called dreamers remain in limbo for now. Just 36 percent said it would be acceptable for the Democrats to do so. At the same time, 77 percent said the dreamers should be allowed to remain in the U.S., which just 20 percent wanting them deported; and 66 percent said it was very important to reach an agreement on the issue, with just 6 percent saying it wasn't important. "There's no question there is widespread support for allowing dreamers to stay here," said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute. "However, it's not the most urgent problem for the majority of Americans. Infrastructure, health care, all these other bread-and-butter issues are infinitely more important." President Donald Trump revoked the dreamers' protections last fall and gave Congress until March 5 to come up with a solution. The president is demanding that American taxpayers fund the border wall that he promised Mexico would pay for, as well as other limits on immigration, in exchange for signing legislation that would allow the dreamers to remain in the U.S. By 82 percent to 14 percent, Americans said the issues of the dreamers and the border wall should be handled separately. Because 60 votes are needed to pass any spending bill, Senate Democrats have leverage and last month refused to fund the government unless Republicans agreed to address the immigration issue and increase funding for domestic programs such as border security, veterans and opioid addiction as well as the military. That led to a three-day shutdown that ended when Senate Republicans agreed to allow votes on allowing the dreamers to remain in the U.S. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. An outbreak of the flu among its bus drivers has forced the closure of all three public schools in Branchburg on Monday, district officials said. More than 2,400 students attend Branchburg Central, Stony Brook and Whiton schools. Students in the kindergarten-8th grade district attend Somerville High School. All schools in Somerville are open. Branchburg Township School District Superintendent Rebecca Gensel said about one-third of the district's school bus drivers called out with the flu. She said district officials are working on a plan to provide transportation to students for the rest of the week. As of last week, Somerset County ranked 19th among the state's 21 counties with 3.7 cases per 10,000 people. There were 124 cases in the county. A 4-year-old girl's flu-related death was the first in New Jersey this season. She lived in Central Jersey, but officials declined to say where. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The Delaware River and Bay Authority welcomed a new commission member as New Jersey State Senate President Stephen Sweeney administered the commission oath of office to Sheila McCann of Upper Deerfield Township prior to the bi-state agency's monthly meeting in December. "I am pleased and honored to be able to serve the residents of Cumberland County and the State of New Jersey as an authority commissioner," McCann said. "Given its operation of the Millville Airport, the authority has a significant impact on the economy of Cumberland County. I look forward to working with my fellow commissioners and the authority staff as the agency continues to provide both safe, efficient transportation services to meet our customers' needs while, at the same time, promoting regional economic development initiatives to create employment opportunities for area residents." The DRBA, a bi-state authority, operates the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, several regional airports and a season tourist ferry service on the Delaware River and a New Jersey business center. DRBA Commissioner Sheila McCann. (DRBA) During her professional career, McCann has vast knowledge and experience in multiple vocations, including teacher, liquor store owner/manager, real estate agent, and legal secretary. For the past 20-plus years, she has served as the business and system administrator for Chance and McCann, LLC, a law firm in Bridgeton. In that capacity, Sheila has numerous responsibilities, including public relations, purchasing, advertising and marketing agent, accountant, and office manager. When the firm purchases new equipment, McCann also handles the software implementation and employee training. Manager of three rental properties, Sheila is a licensed real estate agent with Grace Realty. "Given her experiences, talents and knowledge, Commissioner McCann is a tremendous addition to the Board," said DRBA Commission Chairman James Hogan. "She wants to make a positive difference for South Jersey and will bring an important perspective to our policy discussion. We're fortunate to have her as a member of the New Jersey delegation." Active in civic and community activities, McCann currently serves on the board of trustees of Cumberland County Vocational Education Center and is liaison to the CCTEC Foundation Board. An advocate of the Cumberland County SPCA, McCann has held several fundraisers to further the non-profit's effort to help animals. She is also a member of The Daughters of the American Revolution, serving as past Regent of the local chapter; a member of the NAACP who honored her as an Inspirational Mother and a member of the Research Club of Bridgeton. She has previously served as first vice president of the Bridgeton Onized Federal Credit Union. A graduate of Cumberland County College, McCann earned her bachelor of arts degree from Monmouth University. She and her husband, Kevin, have two daughters -- Shanna McCann Gowen, an attorney at Chance and McCann, LLC, and Dr. Kristin McCann, a veterinarian. The DRBA board of commissioners is comprised of 12 commissioners -- six each from New Jersey and Delaware -- who are appointed by their respective governor. McCann's term extends to July 1, 2018. Information provided by the Delaware River and Bay Authority. A pair of state lawmakers who investigated NJ Transit's problems for 15 months have written NJ Transit reform bills that could be the foundation for Gov. Elect Phil Murphy's pledge to rebuild the agency he has called a "national disgrace." Transit advocates say the bills are a start, but they need some changes. One of the bills proposed by Assemblyman John McKeon, D-Morris made progress when it was released by the transportation committee on February 1. The other was introduced by State Senator Robert Gordon, D-Bergen. Both co-chaired the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee that held hearings after a fatal Sept. 29, 2016, train crash in Hoboken Terminal. "They appear to represent the start of what could be meaningful change at NJ Transit," said Michael Phelan, co-founder of the New Jersey Commuters Action Network, after reading the bills. McKeon said the bills put NJ Transit moving in the right direction. "At the very least what comes out is information that can be used by the new administration," Gordon said. "We shared memos with Murphy's people on things we found during the hearings to provide a foundation for policy changes." The bills include adding four public members to the board of directors and requiring the public members to be regular bus, train or light rail riders or have expertise in transportation. Among other changes, the bills would mandate the following: NJ Transit would be allowed to negotiate with Amtrak and the Long Island Rail Road for Public hearing requirements Hearings in 10 separate counties would be mandated for any proposed A new Chief Ethics Officer position would be created. This person would work independently of NJ Transit's executive director. Residency requirements would be waived for key employees, such as engineers, in order to fill vacancies and protects whistleblowers from retaliation. Not all commuter advocates are in agreement with all of the proposals. While adding commuters to NJ Transit board is a good reform, state transit advocacy groups should nominate members rather than the proposed planning organizations, argued Len Resto, president of the New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers. Instead, interested riders should apply and be interviewed by the DOT or an NJ Transit board committee, he said. The board also needs members who solely depend on NJ Transit for transportation, said David Peter Alan, Lackawanna Commuter Coalition president. "Having members of the public on the NJT board was one of the first meaningful proposals made by NJCAN," Phelan said. "We are pleased to see it finally make its way through." NJ Transit needs a stable financing source, the advocates also said -- something neither bill currently addresses. Lack of stable funding for operating and capital costs has been a problem since NJ Transit was created in 1979, Resto said. "These proposals depend on creation of a consistent funding stream, along with constant service and safety-oriented messages and actions coming from the top of the NJT food chain," Phelan said. Resto and Phelan both agreed waiving residency requirements for engineers is a good start to filling vacancies. NJ Transit also needs to use creative recruiting techniques and incentives to retain existing essential employees, and attract new operations staff, Phelen said. A Chief Ethics Officer should operate independent of the governor and legislature and report instead to the state attorney general or U.S. District Attorney, Resto said. Phelan said that NJ Transit should hire an independent third party to conduct safety inspections. They also could determine if procedures need to be updated for responses during emergencies, or major service disruptions, he said. McKeon's bill goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee before it can be posted for a vote of the full assembly. The Senate Transportation Committee still has to hold a hearing on Gordon's bill. Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The National WWII Museum in New Orleans on Feb. 22 will provide a new educational program to students designed to not only shed light on the roles of black soldiers in World War II, but to also illustrate how their roles relate to race issues today. The museum's free 50-minute program, "Fighting for the Right to Fight: African American Experiences in World War II," examines the racial segregation and discrimination black people experienced during World War II. The interactive broadcast features student reporters from New Orleans and California as they interview WWII survivors like WWII Home Front worker Betty Reid Soskin, the oldest living National Park Service Ranger, and Tuskegee Airman George Hardy. The program consists of a live video broadcast that will be streamed into classrooms locally and nationwide. Classroom registration is required, and students will have two chances to watch the program Feb. 22 at 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. Central. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt banned discrimination against black people in the defense industry in 1941, but the museum drew attention to how segregation in the armed forces remained regardless. The segregation and discrimination still failed to stop more than 2.5 million black people from registering for the draft during World War II, when more than 1 million black people served. Museum Distance Learning Manager Chrissy Gregg said in a released statement that this "Electronic Field Trip" will show students "how African Americans heroically fought to preserve freedoms abroad at a time when they did not have those freedoms here at home." The program, set to coincide with Black History Month and its theme "African Americans in Time of War," will also be aired in classrooms nationwide. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "We're taking education beyond our physical campus and into classrooms a space where students may not get the opportunity to hear firsthand accounts about pivotal times in history," Gregg stated. Participating students will also engage in a live Q&A, as well as polling as they discuss the roles of black people in the war and after the war during the Civil Rights Movement. Anyone interested in learning how their classroom can participate in the program can visit www.nationalww2museum.org/electronic-field-trips. . . . . . . . Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles. There's a lucky Powerball winner somewhere out there. A $50,000 Powerball ticket was sold on Saturday Feb. 3 in Bridge City, according to the Louisiana Lottery Commission. The winning ticket was sold at a Magnolia Express at 1020 Bridge City Avenue. The winning ticket matched four out of five white ball numbers and the Powerball. The commission is asking anyone who bought a Powerball ticket at that location on Saturday to check their tickets. What is the most effective way to improve Mardi Gras season parades in Metairie? Carnival krewes, politicians and, to a certain extent, the public have been chewing on that question for about 20 years as the number of parades has fallen. Take our survey at the bottom of this post, and explain your answers in the comments stream. Several ideas for improving the parades have circulated. Among the issues: Route - The Veterans Memorial Boulevard route is long, wide and straight, with substantial parking nearby, and parade-related traffic in nearby neighborhoods is manageable. But the route is dull. Among the ideas under discussion are starting the Veterans route at Transcontinental instead of near Clearview Mall, shortening the Veterans route overall or moving all parades to the Severn Avenue-Metairie Road route that is used by the St. Patrick's parade. Severn-Metairie Road is considered to offer a friendlier atmosphere perhaps akin to St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, but traffic and parking for this route would clog neighborhoods and severely restrict egress for some residents on the river side of Metairie Road. Regulations - Jefferson Parish's government requires a minimum number of floats, riders and marching bands in parades, among other rules. Proponents say the rules help weed out lousy parades and lessen their drain on public resources, ensuring higher-quality parades thrive. Some krewes have bristled at the edicts, especially the bands requirement; they say affordable marching bands are hard to attract. Rhythm on the Route - To attract more marching bands, Jefferson Parish is in its fifth year of providing public money from its hotel occupancy tax to pay cash awards to the best bands in parades. Officials say it's drawn more bands, including more from out of town. Cash for krewes - The parish government this year has promised a total of $85,000 to four krewes, in grants of $25,000 or $10,000, to help defray their parade costs. Proponents say the money helps keep Carnival alive for the masses; opponents say it crosses the line from free public services (streets, security, cleanup and the like) into unsustainable subsidies for private clubs. Family Gras - The non-profit Jefferson Convention and Visitors Bureau sponsors concerts in the Veterans median between Severn and Causeway Boulevard on the penultimate weekend of Carnival. It draws crowds to the route well before parades start. Take our survey, and elaborate in the comments section of this post: . . . . . . . Drew Broach covers Jefferson Parish politics and Louisiana interests in Congress, plus other odds and ends, for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Email: dbroach@nola.com. Facebook: Drew Broach TP. Twitter: drewbroach1. Google+: Drew Broach. "While perhaps ill advised," Mark May's decision to flip off an Indiana state trooper last August "in no way interfered" with the officer's lawful activities and is "fully protected by the First Amendment." That's the argument that the the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana is making in a federal lawsuit on May's behalf, according to the Indianapolis Star. And there is every indication that the self-employed carpet cleaner from rural western Indiana will prevail. Citizens not only have the right to remain silent, they also should have the right to express themselves -- even with a vulgar gesture. According to May's suit, he was approaching an intersection on U.S. 41 in Terre Haute, Ind., on Aug. 21, 2017 when a police vehicle driven by Indiana State Police Master Trooper Matt Ames cut him off. The trooper, without sirens or lights, was going after another driver, but May got angry thinking about what the cop would have done to him if he had been driving that aggressively. So as May passed the patrol car, he unfurled the universal symbol of displeasure and disdain, wielding his middle finger at Ames. May says Ames abandoned the first traffic stop to pursue him. Ames issued May a ticket for provocation, a Class C infraction in Indiana that comes with a fine of up to $500. The Indiana Criminal Code says provocation occurs when a person "recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally engages in conduct that is likely to provoke a reasonable person to commit battery." May was originally found guilty in Terre Haute City Court in a trial at which "Master Trooper Ames admitted that the sole reason he stopped Mr. May was because of his gesture," the lawsuit states. May's conviction was later reviewed and voided by Vigo County Superior Court, getting him off the hook for the ticket and the fine. But May says the legal battle forced him to take off two days from work and now he is suing for unspecified damages in the case that could go another step in establishing First Amendment rights to flipping off cops. "Mark May's gesture to Master Trooper Ames was expressive conduct that was fully protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution," his lawsuit says. "Master Trooper Ames had no grounds whatsoever to initiate the stop of Mr. May and the traffic stop represents a seizure implicating the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution." It will surprise no one that this is not the first time the issue has come up. The Associated Press reports that the same legal points were raised in a Louisiana case after a driver on Interstate 20 raised his middle finger while passing a parked trooper. The trooper pulled over the driver and ticketed him for alleged public intimidation, a felony. When the ACLU of Louisiana complained, Louisiana State Police called the trooper's decision "an unfortunate incident which will be used as a training opportunity." The driver never had to go to court because a prosecutor refused to charge him. In 2006, a New York man named John Swartz was arrested for for disorderly conduct for flipping the bird to police officers using a radar gun along the roadway, according to The Washington Post. The charges were later dropped, but Swartz sued the officers for violating his civil rights. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit eventually ruled in favor of Swartz, noting that the "ancient gesture of insult is not the basis for a reasonable suspicion of a traffic violation or impending criminal activity." It's probably not the wisest thing to do, but flipping off cops should remain a protected form of free speech. Tim Morris is an opinions columnist at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. He can be reached at tmorris@nola.com. Follow him on Twitter @tmorris504. A woman's video is being shared on social media after she posted a clip to Facebook of someone she characterizes as "not knowing how to ride and control his horse." The video, which shows a man kicking and slapping the horse he's riding before he jumps off and leads it down a parade route, has been shared more than 12,000 times as of Monday morning (Feb. 5). Alicia Haefele Vial, the communications director with the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said in an email the organization is looking into the video, which she said appears to have been taken during the Krewe of Oshun's parade Friday. "We are actively investigating this incident and are currently in contact with the captains of several different riding krewes from Oshun to try and identify this individual," she wrote. "If you know who this person is or what riding group they were with, please call us at 504.368.5191 ext. 100." Watch the video, which some readers may find disturbing, in the Facebook post linked here. During Mardi Gras, horses typically put up with a lot as they carry riders down parade routes, with onlookers shouting and beads and other throws being tossed around. Many parade horses are commonly put through desensitization training to get them used to the chaotic environment. In 2013, the New Orleans City Council, working with the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, adopted an ordinance requiring parade horses to be inspected. Now, New Orleans parade participants must register their horses and submit veterinary records to prove that the animals have been vaccinated. The horses must be microchipped or tattooed, so the SPCA can verify the identity of the ones in the the parade. Officials also look over each horse to ensure it's in suitable condition. NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune editor Diana Samuels contributed to this report. An explosion in southwest Pakistan left at least one person dead and seven others wounded on Monday, officials said. A remote control bomb, targeting civillians, was planted in a motorcycle that went off in Panjgur city of the restive Baluchistan province, according to authorities. "It was an improvised explosive device planted in the motorcycle parked in a busy area of the Panjgur city and was detonated through a remote control," Ghulam Ali, provincial home secretary told AFP. Bashir Bangulzai, the commissioner of Makran region of which Panjgur is a part, confirmed the details and said two of those wounded were in critical condition. On Sunday, a six-year-old girl and her mother were also killed in the outskirts of Panjgur when the child was playing with a hand grenade found near her house. Mineral-rich Balochistan province borders Afghanistan and Iran and is home to ethnic, Islamist and political insurgencies. China is investing in the area under a $54 billion project known as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), upgrading infrastructure, power and transport links between its far-western Xinjiang region and Pakistan's Gwadar port. Pakistan accuses arch-rival India for unrest in the province in order to hurt the CPEC and destablise the country. Short link: By continuing to browse our site you agree to our Privacy & Cookie Policy. > Privacy & Cookie Policy I Agree The experts warned against lack of coordination between government departments and agencies Economic experts have likened Ugandas way of managing the economy to that of uncoordinated troop movement, which ultimately leads to catastrophic failure. While debating the linkage between Ugandas national development plan (NDP) to the 2018/19 National Budget Framework paper at Imperial Royale hotel last week, experts unanimously said that there is lack of integrated inter-agency coordination and planning, with each ministry and agency working on its own. It is no wonder, Buliisa MP Stephen Birahwa said that government sought for $132 million funding for the construction of a new bridge on River Nile from the Japanese government through the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). A few years later, the same government sought for funding from China for the construction of a railway bridge on the same river. It is as if we couldnt have both on the same bridge. Similarly, Prof Julius Kiiza an academic from Makerere University wondered why new roads are constantly dug up to lay telecommunications cables and water pipes. 2018/19 BUDGET The country will spend Shs 29.2 trillion in FY 2018/19, with the Works and Transport sector taking Shs 4.7 trillion (21.4%). Shs 2.7 trillion will go into paying interest on borrowed money. Agriculture where majority Ugandans are will get Shs 832 billion (3.8%). Prof Kiiza, said the country needed a new thinking, where industrialisation is at the centre stage. No country has ever succeeded in financing its economy when it has remained agrarian, said Kiiza. We need an incorruptible head of state who is nationalistic; a civil service extremely clean and to make people know that public resources are for public service not private gain, Kiiza said. Kiiza said Ugandans needed to rethink the countrys ideology and know that the jua-kali economy [informal] is not ready for full liberalisation. Kiiza said Uganda was so successful in the 1960s that it drew delegations from now developed nations like Singapore to come and see what the country was doing well. MP Birahwa said lack of planning and coordination is costing taxpayers dearly. He said for instance, on Entebbe expressway, government has had to carry compensation several times first for the road, power lines, and now expansion of the old Entebbe road. This, he said, should have been done once if there was coordination. He said Ugandan policymakers need to rethink where they spend their money and tighten their belts to make sure the country develops. We have just had a campaign term and government is committing to salary enhancement as opposed to a salary review commission. Enhancing salaries without significant resource envelop is problematic. Birahwa said the country was not spending much on the key sectors, saying the country needed to do more vocational training. He proposed a specialised vocational training for the next five years for each region if Uganda is to realise her national development plan. Bakunda Julius, the director of (Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group) CSBAG said absorption capacity was a major challenge to many ministries, departments and agencies. At the end of the financial year, you see MDAs saying weve unable to spend and they return money, he said. The 2016/17 household survey by Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos) showed more Ugandans are falling into poverty. amwesigwa@observer.ug Godfrey Wamala alias Troy has been arrested today by police in connection to the 'murder' of Mowzey Radio Police are holding Godfrey Wamala alias Troy, the prime suspect in the death of populary music artist, Moses Ssekibogo alias Mowzey Radio. Luke Owoyesigire, the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, says Wamala was picked up on Sunday evening from his hideout in Kyengera in Wakiso district. "He is the prime suspect and he has been on the run. Until yesterday we were still looking for him, "Owoyesigyire told URN. Wamala is alleged to have assaulted and pushed Mowzey Radio to the ground on January 22 as he was being led out of a hangout, De Bar in Entebbe. The artist became unconscious and was rushed to Nsambya hospital before he was moved to Case clinic, where he breathed his last on Thursday last week. Wamala was implicated by a number of witnesses interviewed by police as well as the other two suspects including the proprietor of the bar and bouncer. According to Owoyesigire, initially they had opened up a case of assault and causing grievous harm, but they are now looking at the murder. "The case is now murder since the victim died", he said. Police will however have to find credible evidence to push a murder case. While police can prefer tentative charges, only the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) can analyse the evidence and sanction the charges. Preliminary information shows that trouble started after Mowzey opened a bottle of Black Label whisky and poured it on the revellers in the bar. This prompted the bar owner to order the bouncers to throw him out of the bar. It is alleged that Wamala grabbed Mowzey and threw him to the floor, cracking his skull in the process according to music producer Washington who claims to have been with the artist at the time. Mowzey was laid to rest at his home in Kagga, Nakawuka in Wakiso district on Saturday. A previous Council meeting in session City Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has suspended the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) council meetings indefinitely following a stalemate between the technical and political wings. KCCA directors have so far boycotted three consecutive council meetings. The impasse started on January 25 when the directors refused to participate in a council meeting that had been described as "null and void" by the Kampala minister, Beti Kamya. Kamya argued that argued that there is nothing called "resumed meeting" in the KCCA Act. The resumed meeting is a continuation of previous meeting's agenda. Councillors blocked the directors for over an hour when they decided to walk out of the "resumed meeting", saying they are only answerable to the minister. As a result, Lukwago postponed the meeting to January 29, but the directors snubbed it citing security reasons. In his January 29 letter to the Lord Mayor, the acting KCCA deputy executive director, Samuel Sserunkuma, said the conduct of the councillors during the January 25th meeting in, which "technical staff were held hostage for almost an hour was dishonourable and disconcerted members of management." He noted that they would not attend any other council meeting until councillors commit not to engage in any other acts that threaten the security and liberty of the technocrats. Sserunkuma further noted that councillors must commit to maintain the decorum of council meeting. A committee chaired by the deputy Lord Mayor, Sarah Kanyike was formed to engage the technical wing and resolve the impasse. The committee met KCCA directors on January 31. Kanyike said they agreed to harmonise their working relationship with management. The only demand from the directors, she told council, was that the resolutions be put in writing, which was done on the same day. On Friday, councillors thought the relationship between the two sides had normalised when the directors attended a special council meeting held in honour of a deceased Central Division councillor. However, councillors were stunned this morning when Sserunkuma wrote another letter, setting more conditions before the directors resume attending council meetings. Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago Sserunkuma said the meeting with select committee of councillors also resolved that management should arrange for an engagement with members of the authority to review their rules of procedure and re-engineer the business process of the authority and develop a work plan. However, Lukwago said the rules of procedure and business of the council can't be dictated by the directors. He suspended the meeting sine die and sent back the select committee to engage with the directors further. "I would like to see if youre really serious and you want to resolve this matter. This afternoon you stay around, at 2pm you participate in the engagement with the French ambassador, and thereafter we sort ourselves with the executive director and the directors. This meeting is adjourned sine die. Go with your committee and sort out these matters with the directors and then things will end there." said Lukwago. "When I come back when they are not resolved, I will not just get it from me, I will not call any other authority meeting unless they are resolved. Unless you have found means and ways; whether going to court or going to parliamentdoing whatever. But I cant continue with this kind of meeting. This is the last kind of meeting that Im holding of this nature. So we have to find means and ways of having of formal meeting sittings. Yes meeting is adjourned indefinitely until these issues are resolved," he added. Arina Aliyeva, one of the finalists of the 2018 Miss Virtual Kazakhstan beauty contest, recently shocked the nation after announcing that she was actually a 22-year-old man who had signed up for the national contest to prove an important point. It all started with an argument Eli Diaghilev, a young Kazakh male model, had with his friends about female beauty. He argued that in the old days women valued qualities like individuality and charisma, while most young women nowadays just follow the most popular trends be they in fashion, makeup or hairstyle thinking it makes them beautiful. Eli added that thanks to all the available cosmetics, digital editing tools like Photoshop and the general falseness in the beauty industry, even a man could pass as a beautiful woman. Diaghilevs friends apparently didnt agree, so he decided to prove his point by signing up for the Miss Virtual Kazakhstan beauty contest. Photo: NUR.kz With a bit of help from a makeup artist and hairstylist, Eli Diaghilev became Arina Aliyeva, a young woman representing Shymkent in the popular beauty contest. Diaghilev, who has been working as a male model since he was 17-year-old, had a good idea of what the most popular beauty trends were, so all he needed was to transform his appearance accordingly. He posted some photos of himself as Arina online, and waited to see what the publics reaction would be. To the surprise of Diaghilevs friends, Arina Aliyeva made the finals of the Miss Virtual Kazakhstan beauty contest, and was credited with a real chance to win the whole thing. But the 22-year-old model had already proven his point, so soon after the finalists were announced, he released a video revealing that the popular female contestant was actually him in disguise. Photo: Eli Diaghilev/MissV.kz Diaghilev explained his decision to enter the Miss Virtual Kazakhstan beauty contest as a way of convincing young girls of how easy physical beauty can be attained even by the opposite sex. He hopes that his story will inspire them to value their individuality and inner beauty more. I was pleasantly surprised by the reaction of the people of Kazakhstan and the fact that many supported my actions, Eli told NUR Kazakhstan. It was not my intention to simply deceive people, I wanted to draw the attention to the fact that adhering to the same beauty standards is not important. Its the naturalness and individuality of each person that really matter, not something that is shown somewhere and labelled as fashionable and beautiful even if it doesnt fit you. Photo: MissV.kz After Eli Diaghilevs video confession, contestant Arina Aliyeva was disqualified for providing false information about herself and was replaced by another participant. Interestingly, just last year, a Russian man named Andrey Nagorny made international headlines for winning a womens lingerie modelling contest. In 1980, when Robert Shafran arrived for his first day of college at Sullivan County Community College in New York, he was confused and overwhelmed by people he had never met warmly greeting him with hugs and high-fives, and, strangest of all, calling him Eddy. The reason behind the odd reception emerged when he met his new roommate Michael Domitz. It turned out that Michaels roommate from the previous year was Eddy Galland, a young man who not only looked exactly like Robert, but walked, talked, and acted like him as well. The two men were exact copies of each other, so after Michael learned that Robert was born on the same day as his old roommate and that, like him, he was adopted, he decided the two of them had to meet. He had the same grin, the same hair, the same expressions it was his double, Domitz says in Tom Wardles new documentary Three Identical Strangers, which won a special jury award at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. Photo: Three Identical Strangers/YouTube Soon after their meeting each other, Robert and Eddy realized they were brothers separated at birth, both born July 12, 1961, in Long Island, and then adopted by different families. Their story made the local news, which brought about another twist. Shortly after the story came out, David Kellman of Queens made contact with the twins. He also looked, talked, and acted exactly like the two brothers. The long lost twins were in fact long lost triplets. The three boys had a great deal in common, from their taste in food to the brand of cigarettes they smoked. They all clicked instantly. The initial meeting was just complete surrealism, Robert says in the documentary. But then once we got together there was a joy that I had never experienced in my life, and it lasted a really long time. The triplets moved in together and transferred to the same courses at college. This happy reunion wasnt the end of the story, however. The most significant twist was yet to come. After doing some research, the boys soon came to realize that their separation had been deliberate as a sinister social experiment by Peter Neubauer, a psychiatrist in New York. In fact Dr. Neubauer was responsible for the separation of dozens of newborn twins, scattering them among similar families to study their upbringing. The doctor used the children to explore the theory of nature vs. nurture. Neither the doctor nor the adoption agency ever informed the adoptive family of each boy that they were separated triplets, only that their child was part of a developmental study. Dr. Neubauer had chosen the families because they each had a daughter around two years old at the time of adoption, but had varying levels of wealth. The triplets were then monitored closely throughout their lives. Once a year each family visited Manhattans Child Development Centre, which has since merged with The Jewish Board of Family and Childrens Services, for assessment tests. Psychologists filmed and logged these assessments, as well as interviews with the boys and their families. Claire Kellman, Davids adoptive mother, revealed in the documentary that he sensed something was missing. David began talking very early. I remember him waking up and saying, I have a brother. We would all talk about his imaginary brother, she said. It later emerged all the boys exhibited symptoms of separation anxiety during infancy, but that only made sense in hindsight. After the boys found each other, their families were furious with the psychologists, but there wasnt much they could do about it, as apparently there was no law prohibiting Neubauer and his team from running their cruel experiments. Sadly, Eddy took his own life at the young age of 33, after suffering from severe depression. Robert and David are currently seeking an apology from The Jewish Board, as well as compensation and all the official documents from the study to be released. The Jewish Board refused to take part in the documentary, but has since released a statement via the Washington Post: The Jewish Board does not endorse the study undertaken by Dr. Peter Neubauer, and is appreciative that the film has created an opportunity for a public discourse about it, a spokesperson said. We hope that the film encourages others to come forward and request access to their records. The Jewish Board had no role in the separation of twins adopted through Louise Wise. Nancy Segal, a psychologist, and author of an upcoming book called Accidental Brothers, met Dr. Neubauer before he died. She told the Times: What struck me most was he showed absolutely no remorse for what he had done. He still felt he had done the right thing. Segal added that Neubauers study found that genes have a more pervasive influence than we thought and that most of the separated twins involved in the research ended up being extremely alike. Larry Nassar John Engler, interim president of embattled Michigan State University, has retained Michigans Truscott Rossman to deal with the fallout from the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal. Nassar, former doctor for MSU and USA Gymnastics, has been sentenced to 40 to 125 years in jail for abusing scores of young girls for more than two decades. John Truscott, TR president, was press secretary and communications director for Engler for more than a decade when he served as Michigans governor. Republican Engler was named interim president on Jan 31. James Blanchard, Michigans former Democratic governor, was tapped as Englers senior advisor. Kelly Rossman-McKinney, TR CEO, served on Gov. Blanchards press team. Lou Anna Simon resigned from the MSU president post on Jan. 24. Truscott told the Lansing State Journal his firm will develop a public outreach strategy for Engler. TR will not get involved in day-to-day communications. MSU turned to Weber Shandwick in December to provide communications counsel. Rossman-McKinney and Truscott formed full-service PR firm TR in 2011. It has offices in Lansing, Detroit and Grand Rapids. Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia: Activist hedge fund Glenview Capital Management is seeking to amend the bylaws of Tenet Healthcare Corporation to allow all shareholders to take action by written consent without a meeting, including for the removal and election of directors. The proposal, which is expected to be voted on Tenet's annual meeting expected to be held in in May this year, is contained in an open letter sent to shareholders. Glenview currently owns 17.8% of Tenet Healthcare. "We believe Action by Written Consent is necessary and appropriate when a company exhibits long-term underperformance operationally, as well as financially, so that shareholders may both encourage and optimistically trust company-led improvements, while realistically verifying the urgency and veracity of such progress, "Larry Robbins CEO of Glenview Capital stated. He added that a chronically unhealthy company is likely to return to health quicker and with more certainty if its owners are allowed more frequent Board oversight, and this is effectively accomplished through the ability to take Action by Written Consent. Supporting the democratic process of Action by Written Consent is the simple act of putting in this access now so it will be available later should owners require it for timely intervention, he explained. Robbins added that any action suggested to be reviewed by shareholders under this format would have a separate vote, which would be open to all shareholders, w...................... To view our full article Click here MANDAN, N.D. -- Authorities say a father and his adult son have been arrested after sheriff's deputies found drugs worth more than $1 million in their pickup truck during an interstate traffic stop in North Dakota. Morton County sheriff's officials say the 53-year-old man from Vancouver, Washington and his 24-year-old son, from Grants Pass, Oregon, were stopped on Interstate 94 near Mandan on Sunday morning. The sheriff's office says the son told a deputy they were transporting fan gear to the Super Bowl in Minneapolis. The deputy thought they were acting suspiciously and asked to search the truck. The request was denied, so a police dog was brought to the scene and alerted authorities to possible drugs. Deputies say 210 pounds of marijuana, methamphetamine and $2,400 in cash was discovered and the two were arrested. --The Associated Press Updated at 2:40 p.m. A 44-year-old man who climbed through a bedroom window last year and sexually abused a sleeping 9-year-old girl in the family's apartment near Milwaukie got the longest sentence possible for his crimes Monday - 27 years. Isidro Flores-Ramos made no statements in Clackamas County Circuit Court and appeared to choke back tears as his attorney told the judge that Flores-Ramos has a wife and children of his own in Mexico. The girl's mother faced Flores-Ramos and called him a "monster." She said she and her family will never forgive him. "The fact that you put us through this trial shows your lack of empathy and remorse for what you did to a small child," she said. "I hope you spend the rest of your life in prison so you can never hurt another person again." She asked the judge to show him no mercy. A jury on Friday had found Flores-Ramos guilty of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, first-degree sexual abuse, attempted first-degree rape, first-degree burglary and coercion after a four-day trial in the February 2017 attack. Flores-Ramos also pleaded guilty to encouraging sexual assault of an animal in a separate case. He admitted to having at least five videos of people having sex with animals. He will serve his sentence in that case at the same time as the abuse case. Judge Douglas Van Dyk sentenced Flores-Ramos to the maximum allowable under the law. Flores-Ramos deserved the sentence, the judge said, not only for abusing the girl, but for the lasting effect it will had on her and her family and for having her relive the abuse when she testified during the trial. Van Dyk dismissed Flores-Ramos' claims that the attack was spurred by an undisclosed mental illness. The judge said it was Flores-Ramos' responsibility to protect others from the effects of his mental health. Flores-Ramos didn't know the girl or her family when he went through the first-floor window of an apartment in the 10400 block of Southeast Cook Court sometime after 2 a.m. on Feb. 26, 2017, authorities said. Court records show the girl told investigators that she awoke to the stranger removing her pajamas and underwear and she tried to fight him off. She claimed he put his hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming, but at some point he took his hand away, she screamed again and he fled back out the window. The light from a desk lamp allowed her to see her attacker's face and she was able to provide a description of him, court records said. Deputy District Attorney Stacey Borgman said before the sentencing hearing that investigators found DNA and a fingerprint in the girl's room linking Flores-Ramos to the scene. Flores-Ramos was arrested two months later in the San Diego area near the Mexican border. Borgman said Flores-Ramos was about 400 feet from the border when he was arrested in the U.S. by border control agents. The prosecutor said Flores-Ramos has claimed he chose the girl's window because a light was on and the window wasn't locked. Flores-Ramos has a criminal history with convictions dating to the 1990s, Borgman said in court. He was deported to Mexico in 2001 after serving an Oregon prison sentence for convictions that included unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, fourth-degree assault and failure to perform the duties of a driver. He remained in Mexico for about 12 years before going back to the U.S., she said. -- Everton Bailey Jr. ebailey@oregonian.com 503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey If Google searches are any indication of who Oregonians are rooting for in Super Bowl LII, it appears we're firmly backing the Philadelphia Eagles over the New England Patriots for Sunday's contest. There's no denying that the Patriots are objectively terrible. (They walked out to "Crazy Train," for goodness sake.) So it's no surprise that Oregonians are backing the Philadelphia Eagles, who chose to walk out to Meek Mill's "Dreams and Nightmares (Intro)." An analysis of Google Trends in the 24 hours leading up to Super Bowl Sunday shows Oregonians are searching for the Eagles approximately 25 percent more than they are the Patriots, consistently outpacing their New England rivals hour by hour. Google also has the data represented by what could easily be mistaken as an electoral map, which shows a nearly even split among Oregon's counties when it comes to their Super Bowl allegiance Major population centers are handily in Philadelphia's pocket, however. Only time will tell if Oregonians' search results will accurately predict the outcome of Sunday's contest. The Eagles and Patriots kicked off Super Bowl LII at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. You can keep up with The Oregonian/OregonLive's live coverage here. --Eder Campuzano | 503.221.4344 ecampuzano@oregonian.com I read Molly Harbarger's Jan. 26 article, "Multnomah County approves lease for controversial Foster homeless shelter." It is good that a potential building for homeless resources has been located, but it sounds like the neighborhood in general is not in favor of this shelter. I was appalled to read that potential shelter users cannot use their drugs of choice while inside the shelter, but otherwise don't have to be drug-free or sober. -- Martha Dorrell, Southwest Portland By Diane Rosenbaum Today marks the 25th anniversary of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, one of the most important laws in our nation's history. Since that law took effect in early 1993, millions of American workers and their families have been guaranteed the right to take unpaid time off from their jobs to care for a newborn, a newly adopted child or a family member who is seriously ill or dying. Here in Oregon, the anniversary has special significance. In 1987, our state led the nation by passing groundbreaking parental and family medical leave laws that became the model for the federal policy. The Oregon Family and Medical Leave Act covers more people and has stronger protections than the national law. We rightly celebrate both laws, for they reflect the basic human value that no one should have to choose between their job and their family. I am among millions of Americans who have experienced the benefit of these laws. Before they were enacted, my father had a heart attack. My employer told me I could get leave if he died, but there was no policy for time off to be at his hospital bedside. Of course, I went to his side anyway, and my family rejoiced when he recovered. Many years later, after the federal Family and Medical Leave Act became law, my father became seriously ill, and this time my sister and I were able to take several weeks off from work to care for our Dad. But there is a big problem with the current unpaid leave laws. Far too many workers cannot use their right to time off because they simply cannot afford to go without a paycheck. This is especially true for low-income families and many women who are the majority of caregivers. Whether it's the birth of a new baby or end-of-life care for a parent, we all need time off to care for our families. And the right to take this time should not be dependent on wealth or employer policies. The solution is to pass paid leave in Oregon and at the federal level. By creating a Paid Family Leave Insurance program, we can ensure that every working Oregonian will have paid time away from work to bond with a new child, recover from a serious illness or care for a critically ill loved one. Oregon almost created a Paid Family Leave Insurance program in 2007, when a bill I sponsored was passed by the House of Representatives. But it narrowly failed in the Senate. An updated version of this proposal will be considered in the 2018 legislative session that starts today, on the 25th anniversary of the federal law. Oregonians should contact their legislators to urge support for a paid-leave law. Five other states have already established paid family leave programs: California, New Jersey, Rhode Island, New York and, most recently, our neighboring state of Washington. Those states have a proven track record of success with this family-friendly policy that benefits employers by reducing turnover and training costs, as well as by improving the health and morale of workers. It is long past time for Oregon to join the growing list of states and overwhelming majority of nations that have enacted paid family leave legislation. Let's celebrate the 25th anniversary of the historic Family and Medical Leave Act by making it a meaningful right for every American. Let's pass Paid Family Leave in Oregon. -- Diane Rosenbaum is the former Oregon Senate Majority Leader. SALEM -- Gov. Kate Brown opened the 35-day legislative session Monday with a speech laying out her plan to improve technical education and training programs so more Oregonians can land jobs in growth industries such as bioscience and health care. Much of the plan centers on a $300 million proposal she said she will bring to the Legislature in 2019 if she is re-elected. The governor noted that businesses currently tap out-of-state candidates to fill one out of every four job openings in Oregon's technology industry and one out of every five jobs in advanced manufacturing. "Oregon's rising economic tide should be lifting all boats," Brown said. "Yet many hardworking families are still under water." In her speech, Brown did not cite a wealth of accomplishments in the past year. Instead, she centered her agenda, "Future Ready Oregon," on a plan to boost spending on hands-on career and technical education in the next state budget. Her ability to achieve that depends on lawmakers' willingness to go along next session, not to mention the state's cash flow in a year when governments expect to get hit with a painful increase in public pension costs. The governor started her speech by recounting the important role of education in her family's financial stability. "Future Ready Oregon starts with my grandmother's mantra: education, education, education," Brown said. "My vision is an Oregon where we increase economic prosperity and do it in a way that ensures prosperity is inclusive," Brown said. "And an Oregon where everyone is given the same fair shot at building a better life for themselves and their children." If the governor succeeds in securing the extra money, the expanded classes would likely begin in the fall of 2020. Brown pointed out that the state's graduation rate has improved by nearly 5 percent since she took office, including a significant gain in 2017. Oregon's rate is still among the lowest in the nation. The governor said one reason for the improved graduation rate is the increase in spending on technical education. But the state's stepped-up spending on vocational training in high schools, brought about only after voters approved Measure 98, did not take effect until after the class of 2017 left high school. The expanded career-technical classes have yet to roll out in many districts and could further improve Oregon's track record at getting students to earn diplomas. Brown also referred to several executive actions and policy positions she has taken, or will take over the next year, to help people and areas of the state that have not equally reaped the benefits of the state's economic recovery. The governor's list included directives for her own staff to work to reduce the shortage of housing for working families and for the state's economic development agency to focus more on helping rural areas and communities of color. The governor's staff did not respond Monday to a request for specifics about those initiatives. The governor does have a bill before the Legislature this session, House Bill 4144, which aims to grow the construction industry, particularly companies that work on affordable housing projects. The plan calls for the state to waive fees and education requirements for mid-career contractors and would create incentives for rural construction companies that work on affordable, low- and moderate-income housing. Brown did not mention the ambitious plans some Democrats are pushing to charge big polluters for their carbon output or any plans to address the state's terrible and persistent troubles running its foster care system. House Minority Leader Mike McLane, a Republican from Powell Butte, took the governor to task for not addressing those and other problems. "It's hard to appreciate Gov. Brown's future aspirations for our state when she has failed to address so many problems here in the present," McLane said in a statement, citing mismanagement of the state's Medicaid program and entrenched problems in the state's child welfare program. "When is our state government going to get serious about solving the real problems that are staring right at us?" -- Hillary Borrud 503-294-4034; @hborrud Less than two weeks ago, the Oregon State Beavers 2018 recruiting class was stuck on 11 commitments and looked like it would require a frantic close in the final week in order to reach the 20-recruit mark. Since that time, however, Jonathan Smith and his staff have secured pledges from 10 prospects, collecting not only a nearly-full class, but also setting the stage for a safe, quiet Signing Day on Wednesday. The latest addition came Monday morning, as 247Sports three-star cornerback Jaden Robinson committed to Oregon State over offers from Portland State and Idaho: The 6-foot-1, 187-pound defensive back, out of Auburn Riverside High School (Auburn, Washington), was a late target for Oregon State, receiving his scholarship offer over the weekend during his official visit. "(It was) the people, the culture, the players," Robinson said. "They just made me feel so welcomed and comfortable when I arrived." Robinson's commitment gives the Beavers three defensive back pledges in the 2018 recruiting cycle, joining safety/outside linebacker Isaiah Tufaga and cornerback DeShon Wilson. More important from a numbers standout, Oregon State looks to be nearing completion with its recruiting class two days before Signing Day, awaiting only the decision of 247Sports three-star wide receiver Andre Hunt. For Oregon State, Signing Day will be about signing verbal commitments, rather than landing new ones. -- Andrew Nemec anemec@oregonian.com @AndrewNemec Nearly three years after her surprise exit as Intel's president, Renee James is back in the chip industry with a heavily capitalized new company focused on cloud computing. The business, Ampere Computing, makes chips for data centers based on technology from Intel rival ARM Holdings. Its headquarters is in Silicon Valley, just two miles from Intel's, but Ampere will have an office in downtown Portland, too, and outposts in Vietnam and India. Ampere starts out with more than 300 employees, most of them hired last year when the Carlyle Group, the private equity firm where James has been working, acquired the computer chip division of MACOM Technology Solutions. Ampere has been operating in stealth mode since then. James, a University of Oregon graduate who spent 26 years at Intel, is the new company's chairwoman and chief executive and will split her time between the Bay Area and Portland, as she did while she worked at Intel. She has hired a number of her former colleagues to help run the business and lead its research. Though James plays down potential competition with her longtime employer, she allows there will be areas of overlap and says her new company will bring a fresh take to the industry. "There aren't that many people in the world who build high-performance microprocessors," said James, 53. "And I do think we need new views on what's next." A protege of legendary Intel CEO Andy Grove, James was a finalist for the chipmaker's top job in 2013. Ultimately, Intel picked another insider, Brian Krzanich, and he made James his top lieutenant. The partnership didn't last, though - Krzanich has replaced many of the insiders in Intel's top executive ranks. When James left in 2015, she said she would seek a position as CEO elsewhere. Many assumed she would take over an established company. In an interview, though, James said she had a particular technology in mind and doubted a larger company would make the commitment she felt it needed. So she decided to start fresh. "It's very risky, it's very hard, but it's incredibly rewarding," James said. "Every day you can come in with the idea you're inventing something nobody's done yet." Read The Oregonian's 2009 profile of Renee James The word "ampere" refers to a unit of measurement for electrical current. efficient power consumption is a key element in data centers, which can use as much energy as a small town. Ampere is focused on memory-intensive tasks in data centers. Its technology is designed for hyperscaling, quickly accelerating to large computing needs for databases, web servers, web applications and big data analytics. "Those are the workloads that have the most benefit from the first product," James said. It's a specialized market, but James said Ampere doesn't consider itself a niche company. "It's meant to be a general purpose compute product," she said, "not a specialty product." The Carlyle Group hasn't said what it paid to acquire MACOM's technology or how much it's investing in the business, but MACOM said it received a $36.5 million stake in the company that became Ampere, representing less than 20 percent of the new business. That suggests a value of more than $180 million. Ampere's Portland staff includes three other Intel alumni: Atiq Bajwa, chief architect (formerly vice president of product architecture at Intel) Rohit Vidwans, VP of hardware engineering (formerly VP of hardware engineering at Intel) Chi Miller, chief financial officer (formerly vice president of finance at Intel, and later a director of finance for Apple) In the 1970s and '80s, chip startups were commonplace in both the Silicon Valley and Silicon Forest as engineers and investors sought to capitalize on rapidly evolving computer technology. The pace of new startups fell off considerably over the last 15 years, though, as the cost of developing new chip technologies ballooned and big chip companies like Intel took commanding leads in the most lucrative technologies. Recently, however, chip startups have returned to focus on artificial intelligence and other new applications. And the costs have come down, thanks to customizable designs from ARM and advanced contract manufacturers like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which will make Ampere's chips. Big computer companies are experimenting with a variety of chip designs from established businesses like NVIDIA and upstarts like Ampere. But Intel still has a dominant position in the data center market, and the resources to spend heavily to maintain that lead. James, though, insisted the market is hungry for new, innovative ideas. "The world needs a different point of view on what's possible for the data center," she said. -- Mike Rogoway; twitter: @rogoway; 503-294-7699 On a recent Wednesday morning, Syed Ahmed Jamal was getting ready to take his daughter to school when he was stopped outside his home in Lawrence, Kansas. Officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement were on his front lawn. Before Jamal, 55, could say goodbye to his wife and three children, the ICE agents detained him and led him away in handcuffs. The arrest of a "beloved Lawrence family man, scientist and community leader" came as a shock to Jamal's friends and neighbors in the Kansas City area, where he has lived since arriving in the United States on a student visa from Bangladesh more than 30 years ago. He would go on to also attain graduate degrees in molecular biosciences and pharmaceutical engineering, then settle in Lawrence to raise a family. Along the way, he switched from student visas to an H-1B visa for highly skilled workers, then back to a student visa when he enrolled in a doctoral program, his family said. At the time of his arrest, Jamal was on a temporary work permit, teaching chemistry as an adjunct professor at Park University in Kansas City and conducting research at various local hospitals. In a statement to The Washington Post, an ICE official said the agency "continues to focus its enforcement resources on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security." Asked whether Jamal had done anything that would have placed him in this category, the official said that, "as ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan has made clear, ICE does not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement." Jamal's arrest is also the latest example of ICE agents abruptly targeting noncitizens with no criminal record who have, in the past, been allowed to stay in the country because they were seen as contributing positively to society, according to Jeffrey Y. Bennett, an immigration lawyer who filed a request to stay Jamal's deportation on Friday. Shortly after he was elected in November 2016, then President-elect Donald Trump vowed to immediately deport 2 to 3 million undocumented immigrants after his inauguration, saying the focus would be on those with criminal records. During the first year of Trump's presidency, however, many immigrants who were previously allowed to stay found themselves swept up by ICE, such as in the recent case of a Michigan father, too old to qualify for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, who was deported to Mexico after three decades in the United States. In January, ICE targeted 7-Eleven stores in a nationwide sweep for unauthorized workers and, later that month, detained a Polish doctor and green-card holder who had lived in the United States for nearly 40 years. "The first wave (of people getting detained) was right after President Trump was elected and came into office. For a few months everyone was basically in hysteria. There were lots of incidents of people getting picked up coming out of the courtroom where they appeared for (check-ins), at churches, jails, schools," Bennett said. "It kind of tapered down over the summer. Now I'm starting to hear over the local attorney listservs, I'm seeing an uptick on the same thing." Jamal's arrest seems to have come during that second wave, he said. In 2011, after Jamal's visa status became invalid, he was given a "voluntary departure" order. The following year, an immigration judge ruled that Jamal was allowed to remain in the country, as long as he checked in with ICE regularly to maintain his work permit. "At that time, President Obama directed the Department of Homeland Security to exercise prosecutorial discretion on certain people who could legally be deported ... and refrain from deporting them if they have more favorable factors than negative factors in their life," Bennett said. Jamal, he believes, easily fits that description, even now: He has three U.S. citizen children - ages 14, 12 and 7 - who depend on him. All five of Jamal's siblings are living in the United States as citizens. His wife, Angela Zaynaub Chowdhury, last year donated a kidney, making Jamal the sole provider. He regularly volunteers in Lawrence Public Schools, where his children are enrolled, and recently ran for an empty school board seat. "Not only does Mr. Jamal teach his children to contribute to society, but he models this belief as well," according to a document Bennett filed with the local ICE office Friday to urge them to grant Jamal a stay of removal. The ICE spokesman said federal immigration judges make final decisions "based on the merits of each individual case." It is on the strength of those merits that Jamal's family, friends and neighbors are hoping to convince immigration officials to allow him to stay. A Change.org petition went up Feb. 2 in support of Jamal, and it has since garnered more than 15,000 signatures urging ICE to grant him a stay of removal. Jamal, they argued, was the very sort of model citizen who should be allowed to remain in the country. Susan Baker-Anderson, who helped start the petition along with Marci Leuschen, said she was shocked when Jamal's wife called her last Tuesday to say her husband could be deported. They are neighbors, and their children participate in the same engineering and "Future Cities" programs at school, she said, and it never occurred to her that was a possibility. "I had no idea. I've never really asked anyone their status, their immigration status. I kind of think that's rude," Baker-Anderson said. "I talked to my friend who's the kids' gifted teacher and another friend . . . and we were like, we've got to do something for the family, and that's how the petition started." Baker-Anderson also organized a letter-writing campaign at her church Saturday in the hopes that notarized testimonials about Jamal from the community would help support a stay of removal. They expected about 50 people, but 500 showed up, she said. "We've just had a huge response," Baker-Anderson said. "It's not like a liberal (vs.) non-liberal thing. This is just a bunch of people in this community that love this family. We have people from both sides of the aisle - people that voted for Trump, people that don't like him - but it's about the family." Since his arrest nearly two weeks ago, Jamal has been held at a jail in Morgan County, Missouri, about a three hours' drive from Lawrence. According to friends and relatives, the family has struggled with uncertainty ever since Jamal's arrest, which two of his children witnessed. The oldest, 14-year-old Taseen, would later tell the Kansas City Star that ICE agents warned his mother she could be charged with interfering if she tried to hug Jamal goodbye on their front lawn. Jamal's wife declined an interview request Sunday. Many media interviews have fallen to Taseen, who recently wrote a letter in support of his father that was included with the Change.org petition: "Hello, my name is Taseen Jamal, and my father has recently been arrested, taken to the Morgan County, Mo., jail, and is being considered for deportation. My little brother cries every night, my sister can't focus in school, and I cannot sleep at night. My mother is in trauma, and because she is a live organ donor, she only has one kidney, so the stress is very dangerous. She could die if he is deported. "If my father is deported, my siblings and I may never get to see him again. He is an older man, and due to the conditions of his home country, he might not be able to survive. My father called us, and he was crying like a little child because he was thinking about what would happen to us if he got deported." "We are the children of Syed Ahmed Jamal, and we are requesting on behalf of our family for your kind help to get back our father," the letter said in conclusion. "A home is not a home without a father." Jamal's brother, Syed Hussain Jamal of Phoenix, told The Post that, as a U.S.-educated liberal secular Muslim who is a member of the Biharis, an Urdu-speaking ethnic minority, his brother could face persecution or death at the hands of radical Islamist extremists if he were to be sent back to Bangladesh. Sayed Ahmed Jamal was the only sibling who didn't have citizenship, even though they all came to the United States from Bangladesh for school, his sibling said. "He was trying everything he could," Syed Hussain Jamal said. "Sometimes it's not as easy as people think to get a green card here. (My brother) had a job, an H1-B visa, then came back on a student visa, you know? And then he was trying to pursue a PhD program and that did not work out ... and that's when he kind of went out of status." Bennett, the attorney, said the family's case now rests in the hands of the Department of Homeland Security, the same department that arrested Jamal. "They are aware that this is a very difficult case to try to get a positive outcome because these stay of removal applications are rarely, rarely ever approved," Bennett said. "But we're giving it a shot, and this is the only thing that we can possibly do at this point to prevent an imminent deportation." -- The Washington Post The Berlin Wall, the ultimate symbol of the dehumanizing nature of Soviet communism, came down on Nov. 9, 1989. That means as of today, Feb. 5, 2018, to the amazement of anyone old enough to have seen its destruction, the barrier has now been debris for as long as it stood -- 10,316 days. The unusual anniversary, Britain's The Independent reports, is being marked throughout Europe, including with a special edition of the Berlin Zeitung newspaper. It's also, of course, being celebrated with remembrances on social media. In 1945, the capital of Adolf Hitler's defeated Third Reich was divided between U.S., British, French and Russian occupation zones for temporary postwar military rule. As the wartime alliance between the Western countries and the Russians collapsed into Cold War conflict, the division between West Berlin and East Berlin became permanent, with the former belonging to democratic West Germany and the latter part of a totalitarian state modeled on the Soviet regime. In August 1961, with about 1,000 of its citizens fleeing over the border every day, East Germany laid down barbed wire and began building a wall to physically separate the two sides of the city. During the wall's 28 years of existence, many desperate East Germans risked their lives to escape around, over or through it. Indeed, more than 100 of them were killed attempting to overcome the six-foot-high, 96-mile-long, barbed-wire-topped concrete panels. East German citizens secretly dug tunnels under the wall. A former circus performer tightrope-walked across an out-of-service power cable. An East German solider smashed a tank into the wall. The barrier held, but the soldier managed to successfully scramble over the wall, despite being shot twice by East German guards. A man named Holger Bethke used a bow and arrow to send a wire cable over the wall, where his brother, who had escaped to the West nearly a decade before, secured it. Bethke then shimmied along the wire to freedom. Then, with the Soviet bloc collapsing, the Berlin border suddenly opened in 1989. Citizens of both sides of the city began joyously hacking at the wall, and the world as everyone knew it changed. "The history books say the Wall opened on one strange night in November of that year, but that's not quite right," wrote Marc Fisher, the Washington Post's Berlin bureau chief in 1989. "It was really a process that took several months, a process that consisted of the physical deconstruction of the wall, countless changes in people's daily routines, and a mental shift that was perhaps the biggest hurdle of all." That mental shift among Berliners long since has been completed, but the wall still remains -- in the history books, sure, but also in the emotional and ideological landscape of both Berlin and the wider world. -- Douglas Perry Augusta Quirk/ IFC His term as the fictional mayor of Portland may be winding down, but Kyle MacLachlan sounds just as upbeat as the city leader he plays on "Portlandia." "Portland is a pretty phenomenal city," MacLachlan said during a recent phone interview. The Northwest native was calling from New York, to talk about his Washington state winery, as well as share thoughts about the end of the "Portlandia" era, and revisiting "Twin Peaks." While MacLachlan, who was born and raised in Yakima, has starred in intense dramas, hes shown his talent for comedy as the ever-genial mayor of Portland on Portlandia. Whether kayaking across the Willamette or calling on Portland to secede from the U.S., MacLachlans Mayor is bursting with exuberance. MacLachlan himself got a bit emotional as the end of his term drew near. Carrie Brownstein, costar and cocreator of "Portlandia" said in September that she really started to feel the impact of shooting the final season when she saw MacLachlan with tears in his eyes. It was a series wrap for him, Brownstein said, recalling working with MacLachlan. He was very sentimental, and kept tearing up during scenes. For eight years, I looked forward to coming up to Portland in the summer, MacLachlan says in our phone conversation. He liked being in the city for four or five days at a time, and enjoying the local dining options. I just loved the Mayor, MacLachlan says of his chipper character. I loved his misdirected, well-intentioned energy. Don't Edit Augusta Quirk/IFC During an appearance with Brownstein and "Portlandia" cocreator and costar Fred Armisen at the recent Television Critics Association winter press tour, MacLachlan suggested one of the reasons "Portlandia" lasted for eight seasons was its keen eye for Portland types. The progressive and eccentric characters in Portlandia MacLachlan noted, arent that far removed from reality, maybe one tick away from my experiences, anyway, being in Portland. In our phone conversation, MacLachlan says that filming in the Rose City since Portlandia began in 2011 has been a pleasure. I feel like theres such enthusiasm in Portland for everything, he says, adding that Portlandia has made fun with a wink and a nudge -- of such good-natured obsessives. Fred and Carrie are so smart at making that kind of commentary about characters, and not judging them, MacLachlan says. Don't Edit MacLachlan himself has fond recollections about Portland, dating back to his childhood. He had relatives in Vancouver, Washington, so he and his family would drive down from Yakima to visit, and we would come into Portland, way back in the 60s. MacLachlan has memories of eating at a restaurant in Chinatown, but he cant remember the name of the place. It had an old neon sign, he says. That was our big night out. Don't Edit Suzanne Tenner/Showtime Perhaps because of their shared roots in the Northwest region, MacLachlan has enjoyed an especially significant collaboration with director David Lynch, who was born in Missoula, Montana. MacLachlan is best known for playing FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper in the original TV series, Twin Peaks, and the actor reunited with Lynch and Mark Frost on the sequel, Twin Peaks: The Return, which aired on Showtime in 2017. Though Twin Peaks: The Return was often baffling, MacLachlan was exceptional, playing three roles, as Cooper; Mr. C, an evil double of Cooper; and Dougie Jones, a hapless insurance agent who was also a doppelganger of sorts for Cooper. Don't Edit Its all very complicated, but MacLachlan was sensationally good at playing three characters who were utterly different. It was an amazing opportunity to play those roles, MacLachlan says. Im really proud of the work. Hes been asked before if he thinks Lynch and Frost might do another season of Twin Peaks, and MacLachlan says his comments that its possible have been a bit overplayed. I dont think so, MacLachlan says of the prospect of more Twin Peaks. I kind of take the line of never say never, he adds, and if Lynch and Frost get an idea they want to explore, it could happen. But MacLachlan says, Im doubtful that there will be more Twin Peaks. I would say, probably not. Don't Edit Don't Edit The Oregonian/file Though he stays busy working in Los Angeles and New York, MacLachlan who earned a BFA from the University of Washington Professional Actor Training Program -- is still in touch with his Northwest roots, figuratively and literally. He's the owner of Pursued by Bear, a winery based in Walla Walla, Washington. The name Pursued by Bear plays off MacLachlan's dramatic background (the actor also played Romeo at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 1982.) Fans of William Shakespeare will recognize the phrase as one of the most famous stage directions in history. It appears in act III, scene 3 of "A Winter's Tale," when a character exits, "pursued by a bear." Don't Edit Asked how he became interested in owning his own winery, MacLachlan laughs, and says, What was I thinking? How crazy am I? MacLachlan was at first skeptical about quality wine being made from grapes grown in Washington. But on trips home to Yakima, MacLachlan and his father would drop in on wine-tasting rooms, and sample delicious wine being made in Washington. His appreciation of Washington wine and a desire to see his family -- led to MacLachlan becoming actively involved in winemaking, first at Dunham Cellars in Walla Walla with Eric Dunham, in 2005. Don't Edit Augusta Quirk/ IFC MacLachlan is now the owner of Pursued by Bear, and is working with Daniel Wampler, who had been winemaker at Dunham Cellars before leaving Dunham in 2016. Rather than just lending his name to the winery, MacLachlan talks with enthusiasm about Columbia Valley vineyards, Eastern Washington growing conditions and major players in the region. I just love it, he says. Its fascinating to me. Pursued by Bear has three wines in distribution, all from the Columbia Valley. The 2013 Pursued by Bear Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is sold out on the winery website, as is the Valentine's duo of Baby Bear Syrah and Blushing Bear Rose. The 2013 Baby Bear Syrah is available, at a price of $60 per bottle. Don't Edit Augusta Quirk/ IFC Though hes passionate about Washington wines, MacLachlan says he loves Oregon wines, too, and is working with his distributor to make Pursued by Bear wines available in Oregon. Its remarkable, MacLachlan says, to think about how the Oregon wine industry has grown, especially when he recalls family trips, driving through Dundee and McMinnville to visit his grandparents at their home in Gleneden Beach. There was no wine back then, he says. It was all hazelnuts. Sign up to receive daily headline news from Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Ottawa Citizen Headline News will soon be in your inbox. It was April 12, 1861 -- almost 157 years ago -- when Confederate forces began shelling Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Washington Territory was not yet eight years old, and Seattle was but a village on Elliott Bay. Walla Walla, with 722 inhabitants, was the most populous "city" in the territory. An unknown number of territorial residents headed east to enlist, mostly for the Union, but some for the Confederacy, according to historylink.org. The war would eventually envelope nearly 3 million Americans, see 620,000 soldiers killed, and leave a scar across the American landscape that can still be seen today. In Washington Territory, the issue of slavery was, to some extent, a moot point, but racism was alive and well. RELATED: Photos: Boeing's war machines through the years And, despite the territory's inability to participate in federal elections, there were opinions aplenty. Historylink.org reported more than a few here: "What was of significance to all was the threat that the slavery battle posed to the cohesiveness of the nation. Even before the election of 1860, the Pioneer and Democrat [printed in Olympia] warned: 'It is the firm settled conviction of the public mind that we are approaching, nay, have reached a crisis in political affairs, compared with which all former ones were as gentle gales to the destroying whirlwind" ("The Present Position of the Parties"). But the newspaper left no doubt where its sentiment lay on the core issue: 'no force of argument can dislodge the simple but powerful fact, that the abolition of slavery, except by the lapse of time and the direct destiny of man, could confer no blessings on the white or colored race in American" ("The Present Position of the Parties").'" On the matter of secession, most Washingtonians wanted no part, historylink.org wrote of the era. Residents of the region hoped for eventual statehood (not to come until 1889), and they wanted it as part of an undivided nation. RELATED: Photos: The hell that was the Eastern Front of WWII Over the course of the developing war, Washingtonians, despite mixed feelings on the issue of slavery, generally got behind the Union cause. Washington Territory residents forced into service joined the First Washington Volunteer Infantry (volunteer being maybe a misnomer there), a unit that never saw battle, aside from something referred to as a massacre of Shoshone Indians, according to historylink.org. For the most part, the war between the states was a far-off thing that didn't tangibly affect most Washingtonians at the time. Midland County residents now have a new resource for mental health care information, resources and providers with the launch Friday of Hope Portal for Mental Health. Kathy Dollard and Sarah Kile explained the portal during WakeUp! Midland, at the Great Hall. "The portal is a place people can visit and find mental health resources in a one-stop place that is confidential and that is 24 hours a day," said Dollard, director of Behavioral Health at MidMichigan Health. Powered by 211 Northeast Michigan, Hope Portal is an online database for people in Midland County who need resources related to depression and anxiety, physical and mental abuse, suicide, eating disorders, elder care, veterans' services and other issues. "This fits well with our mission because we are a gateway. We don't want people to stop at 211. It is a place to go and get information that they need and then move forward," said Kile, executive director, 211 Northeast Michigan. ALSO SEE: More local news It is the first such community online resource in the state. An advisory committee led by Dollard and Kile governs Hope Portal. Initial funding was provided by a grant from The Dow Chemical Co. "Our goal in developing Hope Portal was to offer easy, convenient access to mental health care resources in Midland County," Dollard said. "The site is designed to quickly identify nonprofit and for-profit professionals and agencies that have specific expertise. It's a confidential, nonjudgmental way for people to be connected to the variety of services available to them and their loved ones." Kile said 211 Northeast Michigan is pleased to manage and maintain Hope Portal because the site fills a critical gap in the community. "211 Northeast Michigan provides resources for meeting basic needs, like paying for utilities, child care, housing and other services," she said. "Hope Portal gives us an opportunity to expand our services in Midland Country. We have needed a comprehensive, one-stop resource for mental health for many years, and Hope Portal is filling that crucial gap." The portal is for Midland County residents who are challenged with a mental health need, post traumatic stress, or maybe parents that are struggling with dementia. "Mental health issues affect one in four families in our region, including in Midland County where the portal was launched," said Jeff Martin, public affairs director, Dow Michigan Operations. "Dow was pleased to provide support for the initial launch and maintenance because we felt strongly about filling this vital need for residents." To access the portal, visit: www.myhopeportal.com If you've seen her 30-Second Therapy videos for PAPER, you can surmise that Emilia Ortiz isn't your typical spiritual advisor. Imagining the stereotypically gentle and peaceful guru instructing you to level up ahead of the "fuckery" doesn't really compute. They've probably never responded to questions about sexuality from some of their 91k followers with the declaration that their spirituality enables them to " ride your dick off to another astral realm ," either. For Ortiz, finding her own style outside conventional approaches has been paramount. "I'm coming in making noise, and I'm bringing a fucking blow torch with me. Like, shit," she laughs. Figuratively speaking, obviously. But as a Puerto Rican Brooklyn girl who "isn't necessarily the softest," she stresses, Ortiz couldn't relate to a lot of other practicing Latinas and Afro-Latinas. "I gotta do it in a way that makes it acceptable and relatable to other people that I felt were being left out of the conversation," she says. "Because this is cultural for so many of those people, and in one way or another, and yet more often than not, we're left out of the conversation because we often feel like yeah, I just don't like that, I don't know what the fuck you're talking about, I can't relate to this shit. Like, you know, you're a little too yogi for me." Everyone in her family's got a gift, she says, whether it's for numbers or it's a green thumb or, like her palm reading, numerology proficient abuela, the ability to "tell you what you did last week in the privacy of your own home." Ortiz knew she had a gift but it wasn't until a few years ago, after the passing of her father, that her mother began pressing her to take her readings out of the friends-and-acquaintances zone and into the public. Following her father's humanitarian footsteps was key in figuring out what kind of advisor she'd be; he remains one of her spiritual guides. "Find a way to use my voice in all of it, and not just do the work, but also raise awareness through it," she says. "Things like that kind of came from him." Related | Loquita: The Latinx Brand Making Concha Bath Bombs In part, that entails keeping elements of her culture private, and not getting too personal about her own brujeria. "I don't want to be out here telling people how to dress and fix a candle and do this and do that. It's a little too messy for me, where I don't want to be the one who's responsible, because I know I've got a very broad audience, and I don't need to be the one who everybody thinks [will teach them]. Uh-uh," she says. "I am not the one. Because the position is sacred." A reading with Ortiz is by no means like visiting a santero or santera (a priest or priestess in the Yoruba-based religion of Santeria). Many clients, especially those reaching out through Instagram, aren't prepared to comprehend its rituals, even with the follow-up emails detailing instructions she always sends post-session. Her way of working isn't for everyone; she's very straightforward, and uses more neutral, less culturally specific processes in many situations. Sometimes people just need clear routes to understanding why they're "fucking up." "I found a way to work with my guides where I'm able to basically have a conversation with people," she says. "And it's like having a conversation with your homegirl who's got access to extra info." There's no avoiding the issue of potential cultural appropriation here; the mainstream got glimpses of santeria via Beyonce references to Oshun , and then there's also Azealia Banks . In our conversation, Ortiz is concerned about ill-equipped white people adopting practices as a trend. "A lot of people take on spellcasting and candle work and all these kinds of things without being fully aware of what they're doing or how to do things," she says. And why now? True to the parasitic and harmful nature of cultural appropriation, being a bruja is something Latinas have historically teased about but in the hands of white women, it's cool and acceptable. "I had so many girls, white girls, make those jokes about Oh, we're going to do some brujeria or voodoo shit on them, because that's the thing with Latinas," she says. "We're always getting made fun of for doing those things, [like] we're going to put a spell on somebody for love, or we're going to do something with the spaghetti sauce, or all types of shit. Like, no. Y'all don't get to come up in this then take it now that it's cute. That's not how this works. You know... y'all wanna get down with your Pagan roots and your Wiccan roots, go ahead, do that shit. I'm not anti anybody getting in touch with their magical roots or whatever passion, or people getting into different forms of healing. But we do all have to be very mindful about not culturally appropriating." There's a massive movement among Latinx and Xicanx people to decolonize the x , in case you're wondering, reflects indigenous roots, and is also used for gender inclusivity. But Ortiz can't filter out people who might counteract that by invasively positioning themselves as teachers within the religion or as practitioners of brujeria when their cultural heritage deems them outsiders. She's seen white women who've studied with shamans and indigenous healers (curanderxs) in South America return to New York not to share insight, but to charge between $200 and $500 for spiritual cleansing sessions. "I'm like, that's great, that's beautiful, go ahead, do you but you better be teaching the children of the diaspora about their shit... You better teach them some fucking shit, so they can actually do it and pass it on. Because some children of the diaspora are disconnected and I get it, sometimes white people got the money to go and fucking learn and we don't have the money to go back to our motherland and do that," she says. "You wanna go and bridge the gap that way? You wanna go learn? Fine, but you better come and reciprocate that energy and give it back to who it also belongs to." Ortiz doesn't want to deny anyone access, though. ("With knowledge comes respect," she says.) But it's complicated; appropriation is another form of colonizing. She laughs, but she's serious when she says, "Don't fucking colonize this shit now." So while her approach with clients is styled so her own voice resonates, it's also crafted so that the session is relevant and productive for anyone, and without inviting appropriation. Mindfulness comes up in our conversation about cultural appropriation more than once; it can facilitate change. And change is coming, she adds later, albeit not as fast as we'd like. "Last year was the purge of pushing out all the stuff and revealing all the nastiness that has to get released, and this is the year of you gotta meet all that nastiness with compassion and understanding and love, and working to it being something that we can get past, in time," she says. Understanding that it may get worse before it gets better like breaking a fever is essential to avoiding "crying and scratching our eyes out the entire fucking way." It won't be easy. Like all governments, she says, Trump and his cronies will continue baiting the public with fear in hopes of holding their attention (and maintaining power), as exemplified in this week's horrendous State of the Union address. Continually doing the work leveling up personally ahead of the fuckery will help you face the hate with courage, love, and compassion. In a tone that's not rough, but certainly isn't tender, she stresses, "It's that kind of year of, have you done the work? And if you haven't, it's a good year to do the work." Photo via Instagram A Chinese national living in the United States on a student visa pleaded guilty on Friday for his role as a counterfeit distributor in a scheme to traffic and smuggle counterfeit electronics purporting to be Apple iPhones and iPads, from China into the United States. Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito of the District of New Jersey, Deputy Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Newark and Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo made the announcement. Jianhua "Jeff" Li, 43, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Kevin McNulty of the District of New Jersey to one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods and labels and to smuggle goods into the United States, and one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods. Li will be sentenced on May 30. According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court, from July 2009 through February 2014, Mr. Li, working through his company Dream Digitals, conspired with Andreina Becerra, Roberto Volpe, Rosario LaMarca, and others to smuggle and traffic into the United States from China more than 40,000 electronic devices and accessories, including iPads and iPhones, along with labels and packaging bearing counterfeit Apple trademarks. Mr. Li also received payments totaling over $1.1 million in sales proceeds from U.S. accounts into his bank accounts. Becerra, Volpe and LaMarca have also pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. LaMarca was sentenced on July 20, 2017 to 37 months in prison and Becerra and Volpe are awaiting sentencing. Further, the documents filed in this case and statements made in court showed that Mr. Li shipped devices separately from the labels bearing counterfeit trademarks for later assembly to avoid detection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. The devices were then shipped to conspirators all over the United States. Proceeds from the sales of the devices were funneled back to the co-conspirators' accounts in Florida and New Jersey via structured cash deposits and a portion of the proceeds was then transferred to conspirators in Italy, further disguising the source of the funds. The HSI Newark Seaport Investigations Group and the Bergen County Prosecutor's Financial Crimes Unit investigated the case with significant assistance from Europol and Italy's Guardia di Finanza. Senior Trial Attorney Kebharu Smith of the Criminal Division's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Schwartz of the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus. In late August 2017 Patently Apple posted a report titled "Samsung in Shock as Vice Chairman Lee Jae-young is sentenced to a Five Year Jail Term." The verdict rocked South Korea. Yet like his father who was sentenced to 7 years for financial wrong doing and tax evasion and ended up only serving several months, today history repeats itself for the next generation of Samsung's leadership. Today Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong was freed as a Seoul appellate court cleared him of some charges and handed down a suspended sentence after serving only five months in jail. The Seoul High Court quashed a lower court's ruling on Lee, who had been sentenced to five years and handed down two years and six months imprisonment suspended for four years. Prosecutors had maintained a 12-year prison term for Lee. The 50-year-old scion of the biggest conglomerate in South Korea was convicted of bribery, of giving 8.8 billion (US$8.2 million) to former President Park Geun-hye and her confidante Choi Soon-sil, in return for government backing for the merger of two key Samsung units, which the prosecution viewed as critical for his leadership succession of the corporation from his ailing father, Lee Kun-hee. Lee had faced five charges, including embezzlement and hiding assets overseas. But the upper court did not acknowledge that Lee had provided the illegal funds as an implicit solicitation for special favors nor acknowledge that Lee deliberately hid the assets. The court also denied Lee's charges on perjury for falsely testifying before the National Assembly at a hearing last year. History Repeats On January 14, 2008, Korean police raided Lee's home and office in an ongoing probe into accusations that Samsung was responsible for a slush fund used to bribe influential prosecutors, judges, and political figures in South Korea. On April 4, 2008, Lee denied allegations against him in the scandal. After a second round of questioning by the South Korean prosecutors, on April 11, 2008, Lee was quoted by reporters as saying, "I am responsible for everything. I will assume full moral and legal responsibility." On July 16, 2008, The New York Times reported the Seoul Central District Court had found Lee guilty on charges of financial wrongdoing and tax evasion. Prosecutors requested Lee be sentenced to seven years in prison and fined 350 billion won (approx.. $312 million USD). The court fined him just 110 billion won (approx.. $98 million USD) and sentenced him to three years' suspended jail time. Lee has not responded to the verdict.[26] Months later, South Korean president Lee Myung-bak pardoned Lee so he could remain on the International Olympic Committee. With an estimated net worth of $7.2 billion, he and his family rank among the Forbes richest people in the world. He is the third son of Samsung founder Lee Byung-chul. In 2014, Lee was named the world's 35th most powerful person and the most powerful Korean by Forbes Magazine's List of The World's Most Powerful People along with his son Lee Jae-yong. In South Korea, you don't jail the leaders of the country's largest employer; it's just not acceptable to the powers that be. Another circus trial has concluded as most believed it would. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus. What They Dreamed Be Ours to Do A Meditation on Universalism & Restitution, the Path of Healing for Our Times January 29, 2018 A Paper Delivered at the Fraters of the Wayside Inn Sudbury, Massachusetts Nancy O. Arnold (The Reverend Nancy O Arnold is a Unitarian Universalist minister. She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and earned her Master of Divinity at Harvard University. She also holds a certificate in spiritual direction from Fordham University. Nancy has served as a parish and interim minister as well as a hospice chaplain. She currently serves a spiritual director. And, of course, is a frater of the Fraters of the Wayside Inn. When she delivered this paper I was deeply impressed & immediately asked if I could post it at my blog. She graciously consented.) A religion for our times should address the needs and the failings, as well as the hopes and the vision, of the day. Our inner cities, our damaged atmosphere, our political posturing, and our compulsive consumerism call for a demanding faith a faith which insists that we work for a world at peace, that holiness and happiness are not for the next life but are possible in this one. So wrote the late Janet Bowering, the first woman welcomed into Fraters in 1989. The late Frater Carl Seaburg framed the Universalism of today for us this way: The Universalism of today says we must surrender all our old partialisms those of nation and race and sex and creed which have kept us divided and estranged. The Universalism of today says that there are no special nations, only the one world in which we all live. The Universalism of today says that there are no special races, only the one humanity of which we are all part. The Universalism of today says that there are no special affections, only the one love we all share.The Universalism of today says that there are no special creeds, only the one religion we all experience. This is the affirming message Universalism has for people in todays world: one united world, one cooperating human race one enriching love, one common religious impulse. (Carl Seaburg, A Seed From Which Great Things Can Grow) To formulate a thesis for Universalism in the twenty-first century, I believe we must also look to the past for both inspiration and experience. Today we need the Universalist vision of a humanity undivided, and the assurance from our Universalist heritage that such a vision can be realized, to inform an inclusive vision of what might be, according to the Rev. Gordon Gibson. Though retired from parish ministry, Gordon devotes his time to keeping alive the history of the Civil Rights Movement in which he participated. With his wife Judy, he started what has become the Living Legacy Project, an annual Pilgrimage to meet the people, hear the stories, and visit the sites that changed the world in the Civil Rights Movement. In 2012, I joined 43 other travelers on a Living Legacy Pilgrimage to civil rights sites. Like the civil rights movement itself, our pilgrimage was grounded in a shared sense that we were treading on holy ground, marked with the blood of pioneers. The people were very real, even though we couldnt always see them. The first night we oriented ourselves for the experience. Our leaders were mostly Unitarian Universalists whose own context helped frame everything we did. Faith and courage were the words that recurred at almost every stop. Whether we were meeting in churches, visiting the graves of heroes and martyrs, or crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge, we journeyed on the paths of people who walked in faith. Some of the names were well known to us: Martin Luther King, Medger Evers, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, and James Reeb. But I came to know them, and others, in new ways in very personal ways. We walked in their footsteps for eight days, illuminating the past in the light of the present. As Abraham Joshua Heschel told his daughter after marching in Selma with Martin Luther King: It felt like my legs were praying. For Rabbi Heschel, as for Rev. Martin Luther King, to be politically engaged was like praying. Both men knew that to be religious means you have to be politically engaged. (Susannah Heschel, Fellowship, January/February 1998) In the 53 years since the historic civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Martin Luther Kings dream has kept alive the possibility of what might be. He had a vision of the beloved community that was rooted in the American dream and in his own faith journey. His dream of a Beloved Community the Kingdom of God on earth resonates with our Universalist heritage. I was a child when I saw the news footage of the riots and violence against those working for civil rights. The images of children and adults being brutalized beaten and hosed by Bull Connor and his police force the bombings of churches, and the total disregard for human life simply because of skin color affected me deeply. The injustice was unmistakable. Many of my life choices grew out of this early experience. Raised Catholic in Staten Island, New York, I was always a bit out of step with those around me. When I finally encountered Unitarian Universalism in 1975, I discovered a community of people who affirmed what I had always believed. And although the congregation did not describe itself as spiritual, the interfaith and social action efforts seemed to be working toward creating the universal beloved community that Martin Luther King envisioned. Dr. King did not do the work of justice alone. He was a catalyst for change, a man who engendered loyalty from those who wanted to believe in the vision he professed. I have met some of those people. Through them, I heard stories about Dr. Martin Luther King and many others in action. In these turbulent times, that legacy holds lessons for us now. Lessons that draw from our Universalist heritage as well. From the beginning, Universalism has espoused and practiced an inclusive vision the vision of an earth made fair, with all her people one, as Frater Pohl describes it. This ideal of an undivided humanity is nothing less than the beloved community Martin Luther King espoused an ideal community that seems as distant now as it was fifty years ago. The vision of the Beloved Community is rooted in Love, the radical Universalist doctrine of Love that all would be saved from eternal damnation. As the late Frater Charles Howe put it, Universalism insists that we are all part of the human family, worthy of salvation, respect, and love. (Universalism for Such a Time as This edited by Charles Howe, UUA pamphlet, 1993) Without that fundamental belief, our work for justice, respect, and equality will continue to be an unfulfilled dream. In the world as we know it, the inherent worth and dignity of every person has been Calvinized by the notion that only a select few are entitled to reap benefits as full citizens of the world. We are called to walk our talk to feel our legs pray to restore the original wholeness with which all are endowed. As the late Frater Janet Bowering observed, Universalism with Love as its doctrine, and service as its prayer, offers a means to reach across the broken places in human relationships without condescension or judgment. She believed that the means for that could be found in the old Universalist term restitution defined as the act of restoring to the rightful owner something that has been taken away, lost, or surrendered. (from Howe, UUA pamphlet, 1993) Restitution or in todays parlance, reparations might be a critical step toward healing the racial divide. Ta-Nehisi Coates makes a compelling Case for Reparation: 250 years of slavery. Ninety years of Jim Crow. Sixty years of separate but equal. Thirty-five years of racist housing policy. Until we reckon with our compounding moral debts, America will never be whole. (The Atlantic, June 2014) In every city we visited on the Living Legacy Pilgrimage, we met with local residents, many of whom had been active in the Movement. The stories from those who had witnessed the deaths of their loved ones in the quest for freedom filled me with awe and sadness. Most of these people had continued to devote their lives to working for human rights and justice. The question I kept asking was Why? How could they keep putting their lives on the line when they already knew the pain of losing so many people they loved? Werent they afraid? and discouraged? Yes, sometimes but they continued to nurture hope in themselves and others with their efforts. I was am in awe of their ability to retain their sense of hope in the midst of such hardship and loss. Their hope was grounded in their strong faith, in God, and in what they were working toward. Its the kind of Hope I preach about in order to foster it in myself. Mrs. Avery and other women in Marion, Alabama were among the people we met. They told the story of the death of Jimmie Lee Jackson, a 26 year old army veteran. Police had disrupted a peaceful nighttime rally and march. When a trooper began beating (his) mother and grandfather, Jimmie Lee tried to protect them He was shot twice in the stomach by an Alabama state trooper and died a week later from a massive infection. (Mark Morrison Reed, The Selma Awakening, pp 97-98) Jimmie Lees murder spurred people to action, despite the threat of beatings and more deaths. His family took us to his grave site. He was killed for mans freedom reads the epitaph on his head stone which is marred by holes. The holes are from bullets. His family decided to leave the bullet marks to remind themselves and others that racism and violence continue to disrupt their lives to this day. Amidst the grief and anger at Jimmie Lees death, the march to Montgomery was planned. Martin Luther King put out a call to clergy about the march from Selma to Montgomery. James Reeb was one of more than 300 Unitarian Universalist ministers to respond to the call. (Fraters Gaines, Greeley, and Woodman were among them, along with now deceased or former Fraters: Eugene Adams, David Cole, John Cummins, Harmon Gehr, Gordon McKeeman, and Rudy Nemser). With two colleagues one of whom was on the pilgrimage with us Reeb ate a soul food dinner at Walkers Cafe, a place that was still segregated. As the ministers headed back to their rooms, someone landed a pipe or club on James Reebs head, knocking him to the ground. Clark Olsen, who was also struck, told us about that night, as they tried to get Reeb some help, first from a black Selma doctor, and then at University Hospital in Birmingham where he was admitted four hours after the attack. He died two days later of a skull fracture and blood clot. Clark Olsen was the last person to talk with him, holding his hand, while sitting at his bedside. Reebs death so shocked the country and the U.S. Congress that President Johnson sent the Voting Rights Act to Congress within days. Dr. King declined an invitation to Washington to support the Voting Rights Act. Instead, he gave the eulogy, at Reebs funeral. President Johnson sent yellow roses and flew Mrs. Reeb down to Selma on a government jet. (James Reeb and the Call to Selma, UUA website) This was not standard treatment for any of the black activists who had been killed, including Jimmie Lee Jackson who had been murdered only two weeks earlier. It highlighted the inequity that prevailed among those working together in the name of civil rights for all. That white lives mattered more was certainly noted by the other activists. The site where Reeb was attacked became a sort of shrine to his memory. There is a monument and plaque dedicated to him, and his face is painted into a mural on the building next to it. Frater Gaines was ordained into the Universalist ministry two or three weeks before the merger. He recalls that his participation in the march was not met with uniform enthusiasm back home in Milford, New Hampshire. While he was away, some members were calling a church meeting to discuss (his) ministry. When all gathered, the church moderator, a six foot three retired colonel from the Air Force called the meeting to order. He then said If we Unitarians believe we have the right to think for ourselves and the freedom of conscience, then our minister does to. Meeting is adjourned. (personal email message from Chuck Gaines, January 2, 2018) In Mississippi we walked through some neighborhoods that had been the site of much of the violence. That they had been restored to the extent that they were was due only to the residents who wanted something better for their children. Despite the fact that they were still living in poverty, the residents invested themselves in the community for the sake of the children. A cultural center started by local artists offered art classes in various mediums, as well as those in drumming and dance, all of which aimed to build self-esteem in the youth and give them an alternative to drugs and violence. The Center turned out to be a sign of hope in an otherwise distressed residential area. Since participating in the Pilgrimage, I have traveled to South Africa. The similarity in the experience of black South Africans under apartheid, and that of the people we met on the Pilgrimage sometimes conflate in my memory. When I walked in one of the old Districts in Cape Town, South Africa, I had a feeling of deja vu as I recognized the same signs a cultural center staffed by artists/teachers and even poorer living conditions in the surrounding neighborhood. If I hadnt realized it before, it became clear that universally, the darker ones skin the less people counted as full human beings. The post-apartheid experience in South Africa is a teachable moment for us in the United States. When Nelson Mandela negotiated the end of apartheid after his release from prison, his goal was reconciliation. He did not seek reparation for the conditions to which his constituents were subjected for almost fifty years. Many of the locals felt betrayed by Mandela who they believed had sold them out. Reconciliation was premature. Extreme poverty still exists, as do the divisions between the Afrikaans and black South Africans. Would reparations have improved relations? I suspect it would have given those subjected to apartheid the public acknowledgment and restitution for at least some of what they had endured. It might also have given them an opportunity to stake a claim in the new democracy and reduce feelings of resentment and betrayal. When we speak of Universalism, it is usually with words like Love, Hope, Inclusion, and Reconciliation. Sometimes I think we, too, leap to reconciliation prematurely, skipping the conversation about reparations and power. Ta-Nehisi Coates cites the example of President William Howard Taft (a Unitarian) who in 1909 told the country that intelligent white southerners were ready to see blacks as useful members of the community. A week later Joseph Gordon, a black man, was lynched outside Greenwood, Mississippi. The high point of the lynching era has passed. But the memories of those robbed of their lives still live on in the lingering effects. Indeed, in America there is a strange and powerful belief that if you stab a black person 10 times, the bleeding stops and the healing begins the moment the assailant drops the knife. We believe white dominance to be a fact of the inert past, a delinquent debt that can be made to disappear if only we dont look. (Coates, The Case for Reparation, The Atlantic, June 2014) There is an example of a somewhat successful outcome toward reparation. In Chicago, the housing market remained essentially closed to African Americans throughout the fifties and sixties. For more than thirty years, black home buyers were caught in a scheme to keep them from succeeding as homeowners. They were enticed to buy their houses on contract from real estate speculators, who continued to own the mortgage on the property. The only way for them to get a home was to enter into a contract sale in which they made monthly payments to the seller but owned nothing until they made the final payment. They could be evicted if they missed a single payment, losing everything they had paid even if it amounted to nearly the full price of the home. The seller, meanwhile, was free to resell the building and start the cycle again. (Coates) Contract selling of massively marked-up housing drained the black community of as much as $500 million. In the view of many, it caused the inner-city poverty and social ills the city still struggles to overcome today. But in 1968, a group of African-American homeowners organized to end the practice of contract buying. The Contract Buyers League, a grassroots organization of homebuyers on the West and South sides, banded together to fight the predatory practices used to sell houses to African-Americans. The League waged a war that convulsed the city and won it. The suit did not win them any remuneration. But it forced contract sellers to the table, where they allowed some members of the Contract Buyers League to move into regular mortgages or simply take over their houses outright. The fight helped end redlining throughout the United States. And then it was largely forgotten. (Barbara Brotman, Chicago Tribune, July 25, 2015) In the 20th century, the cause of reparations was taken up by a diverse cast that included the Confederate veteran Walter R. Vaughan, who believed that reparations would be a stimulus for the South; the black activist Callie House; black-nationalist leaders like Queen Mother Audley Moore; and the civil-rights activist James Forman. The movement coalesced in 1987 under an umbrella organization called the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (NCOBRA). The NAACP endorsed reparations in 1993. Charles J. Ogletree Jr., a professor at Harvard Law School, has pursued reparations claims in court. But while the people advocating reparations have changed over time, the response from the country has remained virtually the same. They have been taught to labor, the Chicago Tribune editorialized in 1891. They have been taught Christian civilization, and to speak the noble English language instead of some African gibberish. The account is square with the ex slaves. Not exactly (says Ta-Nehisi Coates). Having been enslaved for 250 years, black people were not left to their own devices. They were terrorized. In the Deep South, a second slavery ruled. In the North, legislatures, mayors, civic associations, banks, and citizens all colluded to pin black people into ghettos, where they were overcrowded, overcharged, and undereducated. Businesses discriminated against them, awarding them the worst jobs and the worst wages. Police brutalized them in the streets. And the notion that black lives, black bodies, and black wealth were rightful targets remained deeply rooted in the broader society. Now we have half-stepped away from our long centuries of despoilment, promising, Never again. But still we are h aunted. It is as though we have run up a credit-card bill and, having pledged to charge no more, remain befuddled that the balance does not disappear. The effects of that balance, interest accruing daily, are all around us. Broach the topic of reparations today and a barrage of questions inevitably follows: Who will be paid? How much will they be paid? Who will pay? But if the practicalities, not the justice, of reparations are the true sticking point, there has for some time been the beginnings of a solution. For the past 25 years, Congressman John Conyers Jr., who represents the Detroit area, has marked every session of Congress by introducing a bill calling for a congressional study of slavery and its lingering effects as well as recommendations for appropriate remedies. (Coates, The Case for Reparation, The Atlantic, June 2014) Progress has been made in many areas to diminish the lines that divide black from white, the haves from the have-nots. But this progress has been at the expense of a genuine transformation of society. People were motivated to pray with their legs during the civil rights movement. Martin Luther King and others were convicted of, and for, the rightness of their actions. Their demonstrations of faith convinced lawmakers and citizens to take up the cause of equality for all people. Perhaps the one positive outcome of the last presidential election is that people are once again mobilized to witness and to act for justice and human rights. As we know, legislation alone does not create genuine change. The underlying sentiments that provoked a nation to action remain in place. Racism is alive and active as evidenced by the murders of black men in Milwaukee, Dayton, Ferguson, Florence and Victorville (CA), Cleveland, Brooklyn, Bridgeton and Vineland (NJ), Tulsa, North Charleston (SC), Baltimore, and Staten Island. Recent statistics indicate that there are more black men incarcerated today than were slaves in this country. Racism is sustained by a nation of onlookers who choose to remain silent in the face of injustice. Unitarian Universalists are anything but onlookers. Our work in social justice as evidenced by our actions in the Civil Rights Movement often puts us at the forefront of social issues of the day. Churches, such as the one I currently serve in Danbury, Connecticut, voted to offer sanctuary to an undocumented immigrant facing deportation. (This occurred on January 7th, and as we sit here, the members are readying the space to accommodate an immigrant soon.) But in this same congregation, I have had members tell me that we should dispense with the Sunday Service and all this spiritual stuff and simply do the social action. Despite all facts otherwise, some of us believe there is a difference between a Universalist and a Unitarian. Frater Gaines suggests It is based on epistemology. Unitarians are primarily motivated by the search for truth. Universalist are motivated by the reconciliation of love in the search for community. The divide between Unitarians and Universalists still exists at least in most of the congregations Ive served. The Danbury congregation has been a presence in the community since 1822 when it was first founded as a Universalist Church. And yet its latest incarnation a merger of the church with a small Unitarian Fellowship holding few resources is identified as Unitarian more often than not. The Congregation has two members brothers who are seventh generation Universalists, one of whom inserts the Universalist name and message whenever it is omitted. Our history as Universalists is at least as important as that of the Unitarians. As Unitarian Universalists we feel a strong ethical responsibility for effecting social change and reform. But for me, social action must be grounded in a larger vision than the immediate concern being addressed. If we act to combat racism and encourage racial diversity strictly as a social justice issue, we risk omitting the Universalist underpinnings of Love, compassion, inclusion, and yes, restitution. I believe there is a fundamental unity in our diversity that often gets lost in our zeal to accommodate more differences. As Mark Morrison Reed framed it in The Essential Unity of Being: Today, the basic impulse of Universalism is one which affirms all life. It proclaims that to live is to be blessed and invites us to celebrate our kinship with one another. The divisive power of fear emerges in times of social and economic turmoil turmoil which sets race against race, nation against nations, man against woman. Despite the current collision of cultures and the drift from pluralism toward factionalism, Universalism declares the essential unity of Being in the words of David Bumbaugh: Let us dedicate ourselves to the proposition that beneath all of our diversity, and beyond all our differences, there is a unity which makes us one, and binds us forever together in spite of time, death, and the space between the stars. Frater McKeeman was ardently articulate about the purpose of Church which he believed exists to enrich our communal life, (but) it is also the critic of our limitations and pretensions. I believe that among our limitations and pretensions is a tendency to dismiss Universalism and our elders as archaic and irrelevant to todays culture. And yet, the elders continue to show up to offer encouragement and support to todays activists, many of whom are more intent on making a statement than in taking the time to learn what has or has not worked for previous generations. And, I believe our congregations are the poorer for that omission. Church includes the past as well as the present, and we need to distinguish between things that need to change and those that dont. Gordon pointed out that diversity is a given: unity and oneness is a struggle. As most if not all of you know, Gordon critiqued the consolidation in 1961 which left us as a religion without a doctrine and a church without an ecclesiology. He agreed with Robert Bellah, who in his 1998 Ware Lecture, said that Universalists brought to the consolidation a passion for humanity. We have a saving gospel, he said, then asked us What gives special character to your Christian faith? Its your universality. (Starr King Presidents Lecture June 27, 2004) the role of the church was the proclamation of the gospel that all had already been saved, and thus were to be hopeful and courageous because they were among the blessed. Individual Universalists were to be heralds of universal restoration. (Gordon McKeeman, On Universalist Theology, p. 6) The Fraters have embodied the best of Universalist traditions and community, if not a diversity in its membership. Frater David Pohl hopes that the Fraters tradition of hospitality and inclusivity (here) will only broaden and deepen in the future. He recalls that when he was first invited as a guest speaker in1979 from the UUA, what struck (him) most was the warmth, good humor, and unpretentious but rigorous intellectual climate of the Fraters. Not a competitive nor combative climate as some study groups were at the time. It was a good thing when we finally welcomed women ministers to our ranks, and both Chuck Gaines and I helped bring that about, however late it was. It was good that, however belatedly, we welcome Carlton Smith (and now Manish whose) warmth and intellect can only strengthen the body for the future. Finally, (he says) we need to have a larger vision for our ministry, rooted in our love for one another and anchored in that Mystery in (which) all of us are one, that mystery (that) transcends understanding but grounds our dignity and worth. (personal email message from David Pohl, January 2, 2018) You may only have a small light but let it shine. Use it to bring light to the hearts of men and women. Give them not hell but hope and courage. (as John Murray said.) Thats what we are here to do to convey the message of Universalism through our words and actions, giving voice to the need for service with love and compassion, seeking restitution where needed, and holding before us a vision of unity while honoring the diversity among us, as we feel our legs praying us toward the Beloved Community. President Akufo-Addo won the hearts of many world leaders, including Emmanuel Macron of France and Macky Sall of Senegal following his strong argument for public funding of education on the continent. At an international conference in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, last Friday under the theme, Replenishment of the Funds of the Global Partnership for Education, President Akufo-Addo, who got a standing ovation for implementing the free Senior High School (SHS) policy, emphasised the need for African countries to not just prioritise, but invest in education since its the only means to develop the continent. We cannot depend on other people to finance the education on our continent. I am saying that not to turn my back or to be ungrateful to all these important or noble people who have committed themselves to helping, no, he insisted. Instead, he noted, If we make our policy dependent on other people, when their policy changes, we will suffer. But, if we make the policy for ourselves, then it means that at all times, we will be in control of our own destiny, drawing spontaneous applause from the gathering. Corruption He therefore reiterated his belief that there are more than enough resources on the African continent to finance its development. For President Akufo-Addo, what is left is to eliminate corruption in public life, having more intelligent arrangements for those who want to exploit the resources on the continent and prevent capital flight. Thabo Mbekis Commission that looked at the illicit flows of capital out of Africa has estimated that for every year, in the last ten years, $50 billion goes out of Africa through illicit means. Can you imagine what those monies, if we had our eyes open, and we were not complicit in that illicit outflow, would mean for the capacity of our nations? he wondered. Having successfully implemented the Free Senior High School policy in Ghana, he thought it wise to share his experience with his colleagues. In the last five years before my government came, every year, over 100,000 young Ghanaian students were unable to transition from junior high school to senior high school, largely because of money. Many of them fully qualified, but their parents were unable to support their higher education. We felt that at this stage in the history of our country, the Ghanaian State should take on that responsibility. So, as from September past, senior high school education in the public school system has been made free, he told his colleague heads of state. He continued, What it has done is that the figures have revered. 90,000 more students entered senior high school this year than the year before. It is the first step in ensuring that the educational system in our country, from kindergarten through primary to secondary, and ultimately through university, is open for everybody. Touching on the question of the quality of education that would prepare the young population of Africa for the life of the 21st century, he indicated that it is only a greater focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics that will guarantee the future of the continent. We have seen that in the development of the economies of Asia in China, India, Japan, and Korea. That is the way forward to be able to make the transition from poverty to prosperity, President Akufo-Addo stressed. He continued, So that I am not misunderstood, all those who have been making the pledges, it is all good. But I think it is extremely important for us to get our whole mindset right. We have within us the capacity to develop and promote the interest of our continent ourselves. Lets do it. On the importance of education to the advancement of the continent, President Akufo-Addo stated that the paradox of Africa having the youngest population, and being the richest continent on the planet, but with the worst living conditions, can only be broken by education. He indicated, We are going to have to make sure that every young child boy and girl has access to education. Not only do they have access to education, but they have access to an education that will allow them to be able to address the challenges of the 21st Century. According to him, the challenge confronting African leaders is how we can organise ourselves to make sure that the wealth, the huge wealth of this great continent, at least, in the first time in modern history, is used on behalf of the peoples of the continent, and not those outside. The president expressed confidence, if we are able to close that gap, we will come here to Dakar to talk about education, and not the funding of education by others. We will be talking about the quality of our education, the changes we need to make to our curricula and the emphasis we have to place on our history and sociology. He was accompanied by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway; Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh and officials of the Presidency, Foreign Affairs and Education Ministries. Rihanna A standing ovation crowned his speech and Barbadian celebrity Rihanna, who was also at the conference, reportedly said in admiration after listening to the speech, President Akufo-Addo was so outspoken and inspiring! He shook the room! You should be proud. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Auditor-General on Friday reminded all public office holders of their responsibility to declare their assets and liabilities in accordance with Article 286 of the 1992 Constitution. This was in a statement signed by Reverend Joseph Kingsley Ghunney, the Director of Public Affairs, Audit Service of Ghana. It said public officers are to take notice that the contents of Assets and Liabilities Declaration form shall be verified by the Auditor-General or his representative upon submission. It said declarants are to submit their declarations in person and are also requested to bring along a nationally accepted identification card such as passport or drivers licence, which bear signature of the declarant to facilitate the verification. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Leading rights group Amnesty International has condemned Ghana's authorities for carrying out medical tests on the private parts of two male students accused of having sex with each other. The tests amounted to torture and degradation of their human dignity" in violation of Ghana's constitution, Amnesty's Ghana spokesman Robert Amoafo told BBC Pidgin. Homosexual acts are illegal in Ghana, with religious groups and politicians such as the speaker of parliament opposed to legalising it. The two, aged 18 and 23, were allegedly caught having sex when other students barged into their room at a private hostel at a university in Takoradi, the main city in Ghana's Western Region. Police spokesperson Olivia Adiku confirmed to BBC Pidgin that medical tests had been carried out on the genitals of the two, as part of investigations into the incident. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Good Monday Morning, Fellow Seekers. With the Governor's Office, the state Legislature, Congress and a U.S. Senate seat on the line, all eyes are on Pennsylvania's Democratic Party, where a surprise resignation has sparked intense jockeying to become the state party's next leader. In case you'd forgotten, state party chair Marcel L. Groen, of Montgomery County, abruptly turned in his walking papers last Friday, largely in response to mounting criticism of the party's tepid response to the #MeToo movement and its total silence in the face of two Democratic lawmakers, both accused of harassment, who'd mounted re-election campaigns. As our friends at City & State Pa. report this Monday morning, it looks like state party treasurer and counsel Jack Hanna will serve out the remainder of Groen's term, which runs until June. But a number of names are already emerging as potential candidates to succeed Groen. The final choice will largely be up to Gov. Tom Wolf, who's the state party's titular leader, and whose stamp of disapproval forced Groen's ouster last week. In a phone interview Friday, Wolf had little to say about Groen's exit, telling PennLive that he "[stands] for a workplace free of sexual harassment - regardless of where that is." According to City & State, one of the leading names to succeed Groen is Allegheny County chairwoman Nancy Mills, a Wolf ally, who recently called for Groen's ouster herself. In addition, Mills is close to such western Pennsylvania power-brokers as Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, and she has allies among rural county party bosses. Also mentioned, longtime Wolf adviser Mary Isenhour, who's now working as a consultant to the governor's re-election campaign, and who served as executive director of the state party under former Gov. Ed Rendell. "We are at a point and a time where circumstances will have a big influence on who the next chair will be," Democratic consultant Mark Nevins, of Philadelphia, told City & State. "There's...a situation where a large number of candidates and electeds have been caught up in sexual harassment scandals. Having a strong woman lead the party makes sense. And having someone who will prioritize getting Gov. Wolf reelected will also be a priority." The rest of the day's news starts now. The real frontrunner for the GOP gubernatorial nomination might not be who you think it is, PennLive's Jan Murphy reports. Congressman Joe Kennedy will campaign for Democratic congressional candidate Conor Lamb in Allegheny County's 18th Congressional District, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Gov. Tom Wolf is looking ahead to a 'relatively easy' budget season - but he swears it's not an election year budget. Mhhmmmmm ... The Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor debated on Friday in Harrisburg, PennLive's Christine Vendel reports. BillyPenn was on Broad Street in Philadelphia after some football game or other on Sunday night. The Incline has your must-read list of Pittsburgh books and authors. Here's your #Harrisburg Instagram of the Day: To compete with charter schools, public schools are now doing a little brand-polishing, WHYY-FM reports. The Associated Press also sat down with Gov. Tom Wolf to talk all things budget (via WITF-FM). Democrat Drew McGinty has dropped out of the primary for the 7th Congressional District, PoliticsPa reports. So what's driving the new hemp gold rush? Stateline.org explains. Democratic fund-raising is swamping U.S. House Republicans, Politico reports. What Goes On. The House and Senate both convene at 1 p.m. today for this Budget Week. Meanwhile ... 10 a.m., Main Rotunda: PA 2-1-1 Day 10 a.m., East Rotunda: PA orthopedic society on topic TBA 11 a.m., Main Rotunda: PA Poor People's Campaign kickoff 12 p.m., Media Center: Senate Democrats and others on raising the minimum wage 12 p.m., Main Rotunda: Black History Month event with PLBC Chairman Adam Harris and others. 1 p.m., Media Center: Reps. Davidson & Micarelli on mental health data being used in firearms background checks 2 pm., Media Center: Rep. Mark Rozzi and others on child-safety measures 3 p.m., Main Rotunda: DCED Secretary Dennis Davin joins Invent Penn State at the Capitol to talk entrepreneurship What Goes On (Nakedly Political Edition) 11:30 a.m.: Luncheon for 11th CD candidate Dan Meuser 5:30 p.m.: Reception for Sen. John Rafferty 6 p.m.: 2018 kick-off fundraiser for the House Republican Campaign Committee 6 p.m.: Reception for state Rep. Greg Rothman Ride the circuit, and give at the max, and you'll part with a mere $8,000 Heavy Rotation Here's the new one from Simple Minds to get your Monday morning going. And now you're up to date. When a Manor Township man called police to report that his Microsoft email account had been hacked, he already had a suspect in mind. On Monday, township police announced the arrest of the man's ex-girlfriend, 26-year-old Alexandria Decicco of Manheim. The investigation that resulted in charges against Decicco began in October when the victim found his Microsoft password had been changed and he was locked out of his business email. The man mentioned Decicco as a suspect since he had just ended a romantic relationship with her, police said. They said Officer Brandon McCormick traced the hacking to Decicco after getting a court order to secure the IP address of the person who had accessed the victim's account. Decicco faces a felony charge of unlawful use of a computer and other computer crimes, police said. Associated Press photo Don't Edit By Candy Woodall | cwoodall@pennlive.com Don't Edit Pennsylvania foreclosures are at their lowest level since before the recession, but the state still has one of the highest rates in the country. Nearly 31,000 properties in Pennsylvania were foreclosed last year, according to a report from ATTOM Data Solutions, an Irvine, California-based real estate firm. That's down significantly from the hundreds of thousands of homes lost to foreclosure during the recession years. But it's enough to put Pennsylvania in the 13th spot for the most foreclosures in the country. The five states with the most foreclosures are: New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Illinois and Connecticut. Those states and Pennsylvania have a similar problem: too much of a good thing led to a bad thing. Don't Edit Pennsylvania has programs and laws designed to help people and keep stay in their homes as long as possible, but its created a deep backlog of foreclosures. The backlog built up during and after the recession, and counties are still catching up on the case load. Banks are catching up on Pennsylvania foreclosures, and that can make the numbers look very dramatic, but its just deferred distress, said Daren Blomquist, senior vice president at ATTOM Data Solutions. Pennsylvania, and most of the country, is experiencing 12-year lows. There were 676,535 foreclosures nationwide in 2017, down from nearly 3 million in 2010, according to ATTOM. In most areas, the housing market is doing very well now, Blomquist said. Don't Edit These are the 25 Pennsylvania counties that had the most foreclosures in 2017: Don't Edit Don't Edit 25. Lebanon County 2017 Foreclosures: 231 (one for every 242 houses) Change from 2016: -16 percent Don't Edit 24. Franklin County 2017 Foreclosures: 232 (one for every 276 houses) Change from 2016: -27 percent Don't Edit 23. Butler County 2017 Foreclosures: 252 (one for every 316 houses) Change from 2016: -10 percent Don't Edit 22. Carbon County 2017 Foreclosures: 264 (one for every 130 houses) Change from 2016: -37 percent Don't Edit 21. Washington County 2017 Foreclosures: 270 (one for every 347 houses) Change from 2016: -16 percent Don't Edit Don't Edit 20. Beaver County 2017 Foreclosures: 272 (one for every 288 houses) Change from 2016: -37 percent Don't Edit 19. Schuylkill County 2017 Foreclosures: 374 (one for every 185 houses) Change from 2016: -25 percent Don't Edit 18. Cumberland County 2017 Foreclosures: 395 (one for every 258 houses) Change from 2016: -64 percent Don't Edit 17. Lackawanna County 2017 Foreclosures: 487 (one for every 199 houses) Change from 2016: -22 percent Don't Edit 16. Erie County 2017 Foreclosures: 612 (one for every 196 houses) Change from 2016: -4 percent Don't Edit Don't Edit 15. Dauphin County 2017 Foreclosures: 624 (one for every 195 houses) Change from 2016: -32 percent Don't Edit 14. Northampton County 2017 Foreclosures: 723 (one for every 167 houses) Change from 2016: -39 percent Don't Edit 13. Monroe County 2017 Foreclosures: 739 (one for every 109 houses) Change from 2016: -62 percent Don't Edit 12. Westmoreland County 2017 Foreclosures: 756 (one for every 223 houses) Change from 2016: -26 percent Don't Edit 11. Chester County 2017 Foreclosures: 776 (one for every 251 houses) Change from 2016: -32 percent Don't Edit Don't Edit 10. Luzerne County 2017 Foreclosures: 782 (one for every 190 houses) Change from 2016: -29 percent Don't Edit 9. Lehigh County 2017 Foreclosures: 831 (one for every 172 houses) Change from 2016: -27 percent Don't Edit 8. Lancaster County 2017 Foreclosures: 1,054 (one for every 195 houses) Change from 2016: -31 percent Don't Edit 7. York County 2017 Foreclosures: 1,187 (one for every 152 houses) Change from 2016: -41 percent Don't Edit 6. Berks County 2017 Foreclosures: 1,483 (one for every 111 houses) Change from 2016: -23 percent Don't Edit Don't Edit 5. Bucks County 2017 Foreclosures: 1,733 (one for every 142 houses) Change from 2016: -19 percent Don't Edit 4. Montgomery County 2017 Foreclosures: 1,867 (one for every 175 houses) Change from 2016: -27 percent Don't Edit 3. Delaware County 2017 Foreclosures: 2,554 (one for every 87 houses) Change from 2016: -21 percent Don't Edit 2. Allegheny County 2017 Foreclosures: 3,657 (one for every 161 houses) Change from 2016: -13 percent Don't Edit 1. Philadelphia County 2017 Foreclosures: 6,874 (one for every 98 houses) Change from 2016: -27 percent Don't Edit School districts are changing their policies to comply with a new state law that bans "lunch shaming" of students who owe money for school lunches, but some say it will come at a cost. "We, like other districts, expect the financial burden to the district to run into the tens of thousands annually," said Superintendent Kent Smith at Susquenita School District. He wouldn't elaborate further. Smith said the amounts owed in the district for lunches changes daily, and didn't provide a figure. Middletown Area School District's food service program doesn't run a deficit, it could see costs increase as a result of the change said David Franklin, district chief financial officer. Right now the program is owed about $15,000 by parents for lunch fees, of which $8,000 is from the current school year, Franklin said. "Negative balances are increasing under the new law and past experience has shown that higher balances are less likely to get repaid," Franklin said, despite efforts to collect them from parents. The district encourages families to apply for the federal free and reduced meal program, but he said if families stop doing so, "then budgeted state and federal subsidies provided to the district for the meal programs would decrease." Middletown revised its lunch policy last June, in anticipation of the state law changes. Those changes removed any limitation on the amount that a student can charge for a school meal, so that no student is denied a meal who wants one. All students are given the same meal, although the district policy would allow an alternate meal to be served those without money. A concerned citizen has also donated money to a fund honoring a former food service worker, which helps families facing hardship who can't pay for school meals. In December, there was about $2,000 in the Charlotte Chubb Memorial Trust Fund, and so far the money hasn't been used. In the federal meals program, a family of four with annual income $45,510 or is eligible for reduced meals, and that family can receive free meals if its income is $31,980 or less. Susquenita is revising its lunch policy to remove language that says "If a student has $10 in unpaid meal charges, they will receive an alternative lunch until the delinquent charges have been paid in full," and the student account will be charged for the meal. That will be replaced with a new policy that says: "Unpaid charges from a prior school year will be carried over to the new year and the student will receive an alternative lunch until the unpaid charges are paid in full." Other points include: Parents and guardians will receive phone calls and email notification if their student has unpaid charges of more than $5. No al a carte items may be purchased if a student's meal account is delinquent. Unpaid charges of $50 or more may be sent to a collection agency. When charges exceed $100, the district may refer the matter, as possible parental neglect, to the county Children & Youth office. Parents who have accumulated significant cafeteria debt will be advised of the free and reduce meal program. Lunch-shaming made national news in 2016 when a cafeteria worker in western Pennsylvania quit over a lunch policy that reportedly denied a hot meal to students who owed more than $25. A Pa. state law was passed last year to address lunch-shaming. It requires schools to provide a meal to any student who requests one, regardless if they have money. It also bars schools from publicly identifying or stigmatizing students who don't have money for lunch, or making them do chores or discard a lunch they can't pay for, and sets procedures for notifying parents when a student owes money. It followed new U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations adopted last summer, which directed all schools to have written policies in place by last fall to avoid singling out children who didn't have lunch money. Derry Township School District will be reviewing a model lunch policy from Pennsylvania School Boards Association at its Feb. 12 meeting, but few if any changes are expected, said spokesman Dan Tredinnick. "There will be no real functional impact to Derry Township as our operating principles have long been to allow students full access to menu items regardless of their account status," he said. The district is fortunate to receive donations from the PTOs and citizens specifically to offset lost revenue from delinquent cafeteria accounts. "They do this because they support our long-standing practice of not limiting student access to food," Tredinnick said. Last year, the school food services fund absorbed about $9,000 in unpaid charges, he said. In West Shore School District, policy changes are expected to come to a vote in March. The district updated its policy in June, but more changes are coming as a result of the new state law. Halfway through last school year, the district stopped providing an alternate entree to students who didn't have money for lunch, and began serving the regular meal that is available to all, said Ryan Argot, district spokesman. "We feed all of our students, regardless of whether they have money or not," Argot said. Also to be eliminated is language that says a student with a negative lunch account can't attend senior activities or graduation until the balance is paid. Argot said no students were excluded from those activities last year based on the policy. About $7,200 is now owed the district by parents. Argot said he doesn't believe the district will incur additional cost from the changes. "We still expect parents to pay their child's bills," he said. Northern York County School District is looking at whether it needs to adopt changes in its policy. The district already provides a hot meal to every student, regardless of their lunch account balance, said Vangie Unti, district spokeswoman. The district doesn't believe the new law will cause its costs to increase. Currently, about $65,000 is owed by parents in Northern York for school lunches, which Unti said is a "running" amount. The district tries to get parents to pay the debt, and may use a collection agency. School districts with high poverty rates already have all or high percentages of students covered by the federal free meals program. In Harrisburg School District, for example, all students receive free breakfast and lunch, with 84.9 percent of students coming from households that are considered low income, said Kirsten Keys, district spokeswoman. Steelton-Highspire School District also offers free breakfast and lunch daily to all students, said district Superintendent Travis Waters. The same is true in Lancaster. "All of our students receive free breakfast and lunch each day school is in session and have for years. 'Lunch shaming' is not an issue in the School District of Lancaster," said Kelly Burkholder, district spokeswoman. A charity called Share Your Cheese accepts donations that are funneled to school districts to pay for students' lunches. A similar situation exists in the city of York, where all students can receive free breakfast and lunch each day, said Kate Harmon, district spokeswoman. Students in grades 1-8 who participate in the district's after-school program also receive dinner at no cost to parents. Central Dauphin East High School and its feeder schools, along with two CD feeders - Mountain View and Northside - are also now enrolled in the General Community Eligibility Provision under the federal school lunch program, which allows all students in schools where at least 40 percent are low-income to receive free lunches, regardless of their financial situation. Mechanicsburg Area School District expects to make minor changes in its policy, after having revised it last June, said Alan Vandrew, assistant superintendent. Students who want a school meal will be given one "regardless of whether the student has money," Vandrew said. As of Jan. 12, only $150 was owed for meals, he said. Mechanicsburg doesn't expect its costs to increase with the new lunch policy changes, Vandrew said. When a student owes money for five or more school meals, at least two attempts will be made to reach the student's parent or guardian, and the student will not be contacted, Vandrew said. The Carlisle Area School District's policy previously as to give student who owed more than $10 a cheese sandwich, fruit and milk. The district its policy last year, and gives students with negative lunch balances a regular lunch. Currently, about $3,100 is owed the district by parents for lunches, said Acting Superintendent Christina Spielbauer. Parents who owe lunch money are contacted weekly, and school officials work with families to help them apply for the free and reduce meals program, and to set up payment plans if they don't qualify. Manheim Township School District in Lancaster County says it will "always provide a complete breakfast and lunch for all students regardless of funds available to cover the daily cost," said Sup. Robin Felty. The district revised its procedures before July 1, 2017 to comply with federal requirements, and minor adjustments were made after passage of Act 55, the state law. All students are encouraged to participate in the federal free and reduce meal program. When students don't have money in their account, they will still be served a complete meal and will be charged for that meal, creating a negative balance, Felty said. No extra food or drinks are allowed while a student has a negative balance. When the negative balance reaches $20, parents are contacted and a payment plan is created with the family. It if is still unpaid after 30 days, collections procedures may be implemented. The district currently is owed less than $3,000 for meals. Money that's determined to be uncollectable is written off at the end of the school year. Hempfield School District, also in Lancaster County, revised its lunch policy prior to passage of the state law, and will continue to change it as needed. The district has always provided a meal to students, so that no student goes hungry, said Shannon Zimmerman, district spokeswoman. "Students have enough to worry about, eating lunch shouldn't be one of those," she said. Parents get emailed reminders when their school lunch account gets down to $10. Currently about $1,100 is owed by parents for lunches, she said, with weekly letters sent to those owing money. It is too early to tell what the financial impact of the new lunch regulations will be, Zimmerman said. The York Daily Record recently reported that Central York School District was owed more than $27,000 for lunches, and Hanover School District, nearly $11,000. State College and Penn State police have shut down part of Beaver Avenue after thousands of Philadelphia Eagles fans flooded the street. Late Sunday night, shortly after the Eagles won their first Super Bowl, police sent an advisory about an "unlawful disturbance." "Leave the area or be subject to arrest," the alert from university police said. The crowd grew to thousands within 15 minutes after Philadelphia defeated the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl 52. Police in riot gear arrive to keep fans off the street and push them onto the sidewalks. Videos below show more: Riot police disperse the final crowd of Eagles fans that congregated on Beaver Avenue. pic.twitter.com/K9uZLu6J9i Onward State (@OnwardState) February 5, 2018 Crowd congregates in Beaver Canyon following Eagles Super Bowl victory. Follow @DailyCollegian for updates pic.twitter.com/956GOeRpMv Sam Ruland (@sam_ruland) February 5, 2018 Depending which source you consult, Philadelphia experienced either a riot or a short spasm of idiocy after the Eagles won Super Bowl 52 Sunday night. Newsweek characterized the post-victory scene in the city as "all-out mayhem." That's a bit of a stretch, even going by the article that made that assertion. From what can be garnered from other news sources, including Reuters, USA Today and the Associated Press, one car - a Toyota Prius - was overturned by a jubilant crowd. Some light poles were toppled, some fans were injured while falling from those pre-greased poles, and a fire was lit in the street, then quickly extinguished. Newsweek reported the theft, or attempted theft, of two police horses. There was also some window smashing and awning wrecking, based on the news organizations' monitoring of police scanner activity and social media. One looting of a convenience store was reported. So, it sounds like some fans did get out of hand, but they hardly left Philly a smoking ruin. When Gov. Tom Wolf delivers his fourth budget address to a joint session of the General Assembly, he'll be doing it under the most partisan and political circumstances imaginable. For starters, the York County Democrat is running for a second, four-year term this year. And two people in the audience, state House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, and Sen. Scott Wagner, R-York, are gunning for Wolf's job. Each, no doubt, will be picturing themselves in the big chair, delivering a budget speech to their colleagues. Meanwhile, all 203 members of the state House and half the 50-member state Senate, both under Republican control, are standing for re-election this year. And every lawmaker in the chamber will be thinking about his or her own agenda and electoral chances in a mid-term year that's not expected to be particularly friendly to Republicans. Wolf insisted to PennLive last week that his will not be an election year budget, but rather a "budget that I'm presenting because it makes sense for Pennsylvania." As tempting as it is to dismiss Wolf's rhetoric as mere posturing, we're going to take him at his word - and hold him (and the General Assembly) to it. After the months-long debacle of 2015 and the protracted fighting that finally resulted in an approved spending plan last fall, it would be nice to see the warring factions approve a completed budget (revenue and spending) by the June 30 deadline and then skedaddle out of town to concentrate on the 2018 campaign. The early signs are encouraging. Wolf told PennLive last week that while he'll renew his call for a severance tax on natural gas drillers, he'll once again stay away from proposing any broad-based tax increases. And, as the Associated Press reports, Wolf will also stay away from proposing any bold, new policy initiatives - all the better to avoid any partisan acrimony that could hold up the budget. As The Associated Press reports, Wolf is expected to propose a $33 billion budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1, an increase of about 3 percent over current approved spending. He'll also call for a $225 million increase in spending on K-12 education, pushing total new dollars above $1 billion a year, or halfway to his goal of $2 billion. He'll also renew his call for municipalities that don't have their own police forces to pick up the tab for state police coverage - a goal that eluded him last year. And he'll call for an extra $230 million a year for programs that help the elderly and disabled, as well as an extra $25 million for childcare subsidies for low-income, working parents. With state revenues looking up - and without any major tax increases on the table - there's enough there for Republican leaders in the General Assembly to like, and perhaps even approve, with a minimum of debate. That's because Republicans, too, will be looking to minimize their exposure this election year. A speedy budget approval also gives them an achievement to run on as they face the voters. "It seems to me that people, no matter what their motivations are, will want to do this right for the people of Pennsylvania," Wolf told PennLive last week. "This budget will be something that people can be proud of." We're holding Wolf and the General Assembly to that promise. And if they don't live up to it, voters should act accordingly at the ballot box. After all, if the Eagles can win the Super Bowl, anything is possible. By Terry Madonna and Michael L. Young What will Gov. Tom Wolf propose in his 2018/2019-budget address to the state legislature on Tuesday? Budgets are essentially policies with the price tag attached. Accordingly, one might expect the governor to propose a budget focused on Pennsylvania's compelling needs in education, jobs, health care, economic development and revenue. But the real world is rarely so simple and a number of real world factors combine to make it likely that the budget proposal this year will instead be an underwhelming one. One of those real world factors is a major constraint: the state's fiscal condition is compromised. The Mercatus Center at George Mason University ranks it 45 weakest of the 50 states. Moreover, the virtual looting of state reserve funds during the past several budget cycles virtually guarantees no significant new funds are available to fund budget initiatives. A second very important real world factor is that 2018 is an election year. Governor Wolf running for re-election will recommend a budget full of his legislative priorities consistent with the fiscal limits he faces. But he will not propose any broad based new taxes - and probably no new taxes at all except the widely popular Marcellus shale tax. The third and final real world factor driving this budget is Pennsylvania's badly divided government - with Republicans firmly in control of both Houses of the legislature - and Democrats occupying the governor's office. Divided government is not all that uncommon either nationally or in Pennsylvania history. But Pennsylvania's divided government has also produced divisive government. The Huffington Post has named Governor Wolf the most liberal in the nation - while the current Republican controlled General Assembly is as conservative as any in modern times. There is not much our two branches of government agree on, but there is one defining thing they passionately disagree on - and that is taxes and budgets. The vast majority of incumbent Republican legislators campaigned on cutting taxes, reducing state regulation and reducing the size of the state's annual budget - while Wolf in his first two budgets called for increases in the income tax, property tax reform and increased spending on a variety of programs. Still, the governor must propose something, so the legislature can dispose something. Probably the biggest hint to what he will ask for this year is last year's budget proposal. Then he asked state lawmakers to adopt a budget with a tiny 1.8 percent increase, by far the smallest of his three budget recommendations. Absent were his usual calls for broad based taxes hike, while he did make the case for a shale tax - something he will likely do again this year. Last year his legislative priories emphasized basic and higher education, special education, early childhood education, job creation, increasing minimum wage and tourism investment. Even this modest budget took until October to agree on how to finance it, ultimately paid for by borrowing some $2 billion dollars, amid a byzantine process of cash maneuvering and money transfers- all aided and abetted by a substantial increase in gambling in the state. So where does Wolf go with his agenda in his fourth year? His priorities are likely to be consistent with the goals he set earlier in his tenure. Look for the focus to be on more money for public education, skilled job training to aid workers, living care assistance to seniors, and an increase in the minimum wage. Do not look for a big percentage increase over the current fiscal year - and do not look for any major tax proposals other than a shale tax. The governor won't label his proposal "my election year budget." But that's what it will be. G. Terry Madonna is a political science professor and pollster at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster. Veteran political analyst Michael L. Young is an author and public speaker and a former political science professor at Penn State-Harrisburg. By Charles Mitchell Gov.Tom Wolf has a chance to get this right. Under Wolf's watch, out-of-control spending and unbalanced budgets led to deficits, tax increases, borrowing, and costly stalemates with lawmakers--ultimately leaving Pennsylvania fiscally adrift. Families, small business owners, and job seekers deserve better. They deserve a responsible budget that puts Pennsylvania's finances back on solid ground. If Wolf agrees, his budget address tomorrow will go something like this: In my first three budget addresses, I proposed tax hikes of $4.6 billion, $2.7 billion, and $1 billion. This proved wildly unpopular with voters and members of the General Assembly, who blocked or minimized each of my tax plans. Pennsylvanians, I heard you loud and clear. That's why I am proposing a budget with no new taxes. Let me share another lesson learned: I have a constitutional duty to enact a balanced budget. But for the last two years, I let unbalanced budgets become law. This will not happen again. If the Legislature sends me an incomplete, unpaid-for budget, I will veto any spending above our projected revenues. That's my obligation as governor, and it's the responsible thing to do. As a businessman, I understand basic budgeting. When you spend more than you take in year after year, you're setting yourself up for financial disaster. Sadly, that's been the trend in Pennsylvania--but not anymore. This year, I pledge that government will spend within Pennsylvanians' means. Let me be clear, this year's budget will spend more than last year's. But this increase won't require more from working families. To control spending growth, we must prioritize how we use taxpayers' money. That means spending smarter, not just more. There's no better example of this than our education system. Despite record spending--more than $16,000 per student--far too many kids are being left behind. We must dispense with the misguided notion that zip codes should dictate our children's futures. It's time to promote true education equality. That's why I support empowering parents with choice though expanding tax credit scholarships and establishing education savings accounts. Moreover, we want our kids to pursue careers and raise families right here in Pennsylvania. That means growing the private sector economy. Yet, for years, we've handed out billions of dollars to politically connected corporations at the expense of small business owners and other job creators. In fact, we've led the nation in this corporate welfare spending--with little to show for it. Enough is enough. We don't need to bribe billionaires to invest in our great commonwealth. Instead, improving our tax climate will transform Pennsylvania into a destination state for families and job creators. I was proud of the many Pennsylvania companies who offered pay raises, bonuses, and new investment plans following federal tax reform. We can spark the same response with state-level reform. Our 9.99 percent corporate tax rate--the highest flat rate in the country--discourages investment and job growth. Lowering that rate will make Pennsylvania more attractive to businesses, like Amazon, seeking to expand or relocate. The result? More job opportunities that will keep our sons and daughters here for generations. Finally, it's time to put aside our partisan differences and do what's best for Pennsylvanians. Last year, our prison population declined for the fourth straight year while crime decreased. Why? Under my predecessor, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers came together to pass reforms known as the Justice Reinvestment Initiative. Fewer prisoners, lower costs, less crime--that's truly a government that works. It's time to build on this success. Lawmakers from both parties, police officers, district attorneys, and county commissioners support a second round of criminal justice reforms to control corrections costs and make Pennsylvanians safer. I believe we can pass these reforms, transform lives, and serve as an inspiration to other states--again with bipartisan support. I have used the experiences of the past three years to craft a balanced budget that lawmakers and their constituents can support, that preserves government services for those who need them most, that brings education options to thousands more families, and that attracts job creators back to the commonwealth. This is my vision for Pennsylvania: A state of opportunity for all. Charles Mitchell is president and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, a conservative think-tank. He writes from Harrisburg. By Vincent Hughes The focus of the 2018-19 state budget must be on meeting the needs of Pennsylvania families. From investing in education, workforce development and job training, to fighting opioid addiction we have the opportunity to take action on key initiatives. State Sen. Vincent Hughes, D-Philadelphia (Pa. Senate photo) Senate Democrats remain committed to funding safety net programs, schools, health care, senior care and aiding working men and women. These are bedrock issues for us and have been for many years. However, with the 2018-2019 budget before us, we can not only keep our commitments but push new ideas and produce a new deal for a new Pennsylvania. It is time for policymakers to deal from a deck of cards that isn't stacked against working men and women, the less affluent and those who have critical needs. The deck has been stacked in favor of special interests for far too long. The time to act is now. It is clear there is a leadership vacuum at the federal level. The president has no plan or idea how to govern. It's up to state leaders now. The pressure is on. Now, let's deliver. Poor policy decisions and bad budget choices earlier this decade put us in a bind for many years. Senate Democrats worked with Gov. Tom Wolf to overcome the challenge of managing scant revenues while trying to produce, incremental forward-looking budgets. Now, it's a new day. There is optimism that the fiscal storms that hobbled us have passed. Our state budget is a statement of priorities. Since 2015, we've invested $525 million in Pennsylvania classrooms. Last year, we added $100 million more for basic education, $25 million for special education, $25 million for pre-kindergarten plus new funds for Head Start and higher education. That's a great start, but we are not finished. Our school funding system remains the most inequitable in the nation. Our state budget needs to address job creation and wage stagnation. Let's make manufacturing a priority and continue to make key investments in workforce development to create a world class pool of potential employees. Plus, let's help those who need it the most by lifting the minimum wage to family-sustaining levels. We must continue to fight the opioid crisis and address other health and safety issues. Our older communities face significant issues with toxic lead in paint, soil, and water systems. We should infuse dollars into lead abatement and remediation. Other communities face an epidemic of violent crime. Anti-violence initiatives are necessary to make our communities safer. As we are making these new investments, we must ensure that agricultural programs are properly funded including farmers markets, fresh food financing and the State Food Purchase Program. Meanwhile, we cannot move forward if we leave economically distressed communities behind. Programs that aid our small economically-strapped cities and towns are priorities, and they will be if policymakers make common sense spending decisions. A new deal for a new Pennsylvania means a fairer system of taxation. So, let's make sure gas drillers finally ante up. For too long they've played their hand without making a fair contribution. And, let's all agree that it's long past time to close the Delaware Loophole that corporation take advantage of to reduce or eliminate their Pennsylvania corporate tax liability. Common sense priorities - jobs, health care, seniors, safety net, violence prevention, environment and education - with a focus on the needs of families is how we should approach this upcoming budget. Let's deal a fair hand so working families hit the jackpot. State Sen. Vincent Hughes, of Philadelphia, is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. He writes from Harrisburg. By Gene Barr With Gov. Tom Wolf set to deliver his fourth budget address on Tuesday, all eyes are on the direction the Wolf administration wants to take the Commonwealth over the next fiscal year. Gene Barr (PennLive File) We at the Pennsylvania Chamber are looking for a proposal that will build on momentum at the federal level by focusing on policies that promote private sector growth and job creation. As the "Keystone State," Pennsylvania has a lot to offer job creators. Our prime location, vast natural resources, world-renowned educational institutions and diverse energy portfolio should put the Commonwealth in a healthy position to attract new businesses. However, our burdensome regulatory system and tax climate often serve as a deterrent to potential job creators. If we want to put Pennsylvania on a path toward economic prosperity, our elected officials need to coalesce around policies that will improve the state's competitive edge and entice businesses to stay and locate here. To that end, we need to take a page out of the federal government's handbook and look at ways to make it easier to do business in the Commonwealth. The governor recently announced changes to the permitting process in the Department of Environmental Protection - a move we applauded as a step in the right direction. We hope that his budget proposal will re-emphasize the need to streamline state government's permitting procedures and remove burdensome and unnecessary regulations across the board. We're also prepared to push back against continued attempts to raise energy taxes throughout the Commonwealth. One of Pennsylvania's greatest competitive advantages is our affordable and accessible energy supply. The shale gas revolution has played a major part in keeping energy prices down in the Commonwealth. However, we are at risk of losing this competitive edge if state elected officials continue to single out the natural gas industry to generate more tax revenue. And make no mistake - a severance tax on this industry is a tax on energy. In order to ensure that our energy sector remains dynamic and competitive, elected officials should emphasize policies that will encourage not only the natural gas industry, but also downstream and ancillary industries, to flourish. To achieve this, lawmakers should look at the recommendations of the Forge the Future initiative and focus on pipeline development - as well as policies that will promote the use of natural gas in petrochemicals/plastics; advanced materials; advanced manufacturing; export and infrastructure and as a source of heat and power generation. Another area that we're hoping to work with the governor on is workforce development. Last year, I co-chaired the governor's Middle Class Task Force and one of the key themes we heard in our regional meetings was the need to strengthen the state's workforce programs in order to close the jobs skills gap and ensure that the next generation of workers is prepared to meet the needs of Pennsylvania's evolving jobs market. There are people without jobs in the Commonwealth, but there are also jobs without people. Government, business and labor need to work together to bridge these gaps, which will help to create a dynamic and prepared workforce. That's why workforce development is a key cornerstone of the PA Chamber's mission. We need policies that will strengthen the current workforce as well. To that end, we're urging lawmakers and the governor to pass S.B. 936 - legislation that will help to address opioid abuse among injured workers. This common-sense legislation - which has been opposed by those seeking to make a profit off of injured workers - should be a key component in the state's overall strategy to combat the opioid epidemic that Gov. Wolf recently declared as a statewide emergency. This legislation would implement a prescription drug formulary for workers' compensation. Formularies offer a flexible approach that brings efficiency to patient treatment and addresses instances of over-prescribing. These are just a few of the items that we will be watching out for in the governor's annual budget address. On behalf of our broad-based membership, we look forward to working with lawmakers and the Wolf administration on ways to improve the Commonwealth's business climate. By seizing the economic opportunities that are before us, our elected officials can put the building blocks in place for a stronger, more prosperous Pennsylvania. Gene Barr is the CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry. He writes from Harrisburg. (*Editor's Note: This editorial ran in Monday's editions of The Washington Post) The Trump administration's proposed immigration overhaul would cut not only immigrant inflow generally but especially the number of minority migrants, which may help address Republican fears about the long-term "browning" of the electorate - a trend that could benefit Democrats. Beyond that, one consequence of the administration's goals may come as a surprise: It would slash not only the number of immigrants with a university or advanced degree but also the average educational attainment among immigrants who are admitted. Those findings, in an analysis from the Center for Global Development, shine a spotlight on the fallacy at the core of the president's policy. In his determination to minimize migration from countries he reportedly regards as "shitholes," Trump also undercuts his claimed preference for a more highly skilled, educated pool of immigrants. Here's why: It's true that the number of low-skill immigrants would plummet under legislation introduced last month by conservative House lawmakers, which Trump backed and whose main provisions he included in his own plan. The number of those lacking even a high school degree would be slashed by more than 70 percent; those with only a high school degree would fall by about 44 percent. However, the administration and GOP plans would also target existing immigrant categories that grant tens of thousands of visas to well-educated migrants. The prime example is the so-called diversity lottery program, which admits 50,000 immigrants annually from African and other countries underrepresented in the overall immigrant pool. That program is loathed by the president even though 41 percent of immigrants in recent years have a college or advanced degree - slightly more than the proportion of working-age Americans overall. The result is that the overall number of college-educated immigrants would drop by nearly 18 percent, and the average educational attainment among all admitted immigrants would also slip slightly. That's a lose-lose for America, which already imposes such strict visa quotas that many foreign graduates of U.S. universities are forced to leave the country after securing advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and other fields desperate for qualified workers. Thus would the United States squander a competitive advantage it has enjoyed for decades as a nation with a proven track record for successfully assimilating immigrants from feeder nations near and far. Perhaps less surprisingly, the number crunching on Trump's immigration blueprint also shows that black and Hispanic immigrants would be about twice as likely to be barred from immigrating to America as white immigrants. The number of Muslim immigrants would be cut in half, but so would the number of Catholic ones. Numbers of Jewish and Protestant migrants would fall by just under 40 percent. It's fair to argue that America might benefit from a system tilted toward admitting more well-educated immigrants and fewer relatives. But the across-the-board reductions sought by Trump and the GOP are a recipe for slower growth and a gift for economic rivals in Europe and Asia. How is that in America's interest? FILE - In this photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016, file photo, Anthony Levandowski, then-head of Uber's self-driving program, speaks about their driverless car in San Francisco. A Google-bred pioneer in self-driving cars will collide with Uber's beleaguered ride-hailing service in a courtroom showdown Monday, Feb. 4, 2018, revolving around allegations of deceit, betrayal, espionage and a high-tech heist that tore apart one-time allies. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File) Alberta Environment Minister Shannon Phillips announces details of a bill introduced in the legislature in Edmonton, Tuesday, Nov.1, 2016. The Alberta government says it will require indigenous equity investment from proponents in its second round of bids to build renewable energy projects in the province. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Dean Bennett Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth speaks to media about how non-medical cannabis will be regulated in the province during a press conference in the press gallery at Legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Monday February 5, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito Quebec Solidaire MNA Manon Masse (left) responds to a reporter's question at the legisature in Quebec City on Thursday, May 29, 2014 as colleague Amir Khadir, right, looks on. The head of Quebec's official opposition apologized Monday for making fun of a female politician's conspicuous - and relatively famous - fuzzy upper lip. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot A group representing Canada's doctors says designing marijuana packaging should be left to government officials and public health experts, not cannabis producers and distributors. Marijuana products are pictured at Eden Medicinal Society in Vancouver, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward Elaine Sullivan, left, and Jackie McCabe-Sieliakus attend a Nova Scotia human rights board of inquiry dealing with persons with disabilities and their attempts to move out of institutions and into small homes, in Halifax on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Their aunt, Sheila Livingstone, was a woman with disabilities who died while the case wound its way through various delays. Lawyers are arguing the Department of Community Services is breaking the Human Rights Act by housing 45-year-old Joseph Delaney and 46-year-old Beth MacLean in a hospital-like, institutional setting. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction shows death row inmate Raymond Tibbetts, convicted of fatally stabbing Fred Hicks in 1997 in Cincinnati. Tibbetts is scheduled to be executed on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018, and attorneys trying to stop his execution say Ohio Gov. John Kasich should consider the state's opioid epidemic when deciding whether to spare Tibbetts, arguing the condemned killer's life spiraled out of control after becoming addicted to painkillers inappropriately prescribed for a work injury in the mid-1990s. (Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction via AP, File) Guyana's Government Ministers have no place determining technical issues on oil By Kai eter News GEORGETOWN Petroleumworld 02 05 2018 The discovery of oil must change Government's approach to the sector; techical experts must be sought to provide the necessary guidance. This is the view of Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, who outlined that the People's Progressive Party (PPP) believes strongly that Guyana would be best served if the Coalition Government relies more on the advice of experts. Ministers have no place in determining these technical issues associated with the oil and gas, and even the environmental issues, Jagdeo stated. The Coalition Government continues to receive heavy criticisms for the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) signed with ExxonMobil in 2016. Those who oppose the contract are of the view that Guyana was shortchanged and that ExxonMobil benefitted over and beyond what generally obtains in the oil and gas industry in other countries. Jagdeo expressed the view that the PPP has provided Government the concepts for legislation on local content and the Sovereign Wealth Fund, which is still being drafted. We want separation of politicians from the management of the fund. We want clear legislation that directs the use of the fund and what conditions trigger the use of the funds. Those must be placed in the legislation and then there must be an independent assessment that those conditions have been met and a report coming to Parliament, and only then should we access money from the fund, Jagdeo noted. As it relates to the Petroleum Act, the PPP is of the view that the governance structure should be purely comprised of a technical group. We have been saying it's high time that the government establishes this architecture. They promised to have it done; there is reluctance. We said we want a bipartisan approach to the matter, but this Government has defied all of that. Not just political exclusion, but exclusion of the entire society, Jagdeo noted. In early January, both the Government and ExxonMobil disclosed that more than 230 feet of a high-quality oil reservoir was discovered during a drill at the Ranger-1 well. It was the sixth discovery in Guyana since 2015. The discovery pushes the estimated amount of oil past the 3.2B barrels found so far in the Stabroek concessions. This latest discovery is also being hailed as the largest single find to date and adds to the quantities which have been confirmed in the five previous finds. Story from Kai eter News kaieteurnewsonline.com 02 05 2018 Copyright 1999-2017 Petroleumworld or respective author or news agency. All rights reserved. We welcome the use of Petroleumworld (PW) stories by anyone provided it mentions Petroleumworld.com as the source. Other stories you have to get authorization by its authors. Internet web links to http://www.petroleumworld.com are appreciated. Petroleumworld welcomes your feedback and comments, share your thoughts on this article, your feedback is important to us! We invite all our readers to share with us their views and comments about this article. Write to editor@petroleumworld.com By using this link, you agree to allow PW to publish your comments on our letters page. Any question or suggestions, please write to: editor@petroleumworld.com Best Viewed with IE 5.01+ Windows NT 4.0, '95, '98,ME,XP, Vista, Windows 7,8,10 +/ 800x600 pixels How Tesla's first truck charging stations will be built By Eric M. Johnson SEATTLE Petroleumworld 02 02 2018 Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla Inc, has said little about how he plans to turn his prototype electric truck into reality. But Reuters has learned that Tesla is collaborating with Anheuser-Busch, PepsiCo and United Parcel Service Inc to build on-site charging terminals at their facilities as part of the automaker's efforts to roll out the vehicle next year. Details of the partnerships, which have not been disclosed previously, are still being hammered out, but include design and engineering from Tesla, the companies said. They declined to disclose what portion of the building costs, if any, Tesla would pay, or whether Tesla would be compensated for its work. The firms are among nine major corporations that have placed pre-orders for Tesla's truck, dubbed the Semi. With questions swirling over whether Tesla can make good on its aggressive timetable, news of the collaboration is a sign that corporate customers are taking the effort seriously, and that Tesla is working to solve one of the biggest impediments: keeping the big-rigs powered. Companies that spoke with Reuters said the first step is to install charging equipment on their own premises. The Semis would be limited to routes that would get them back to home base before the batteries are spent, the firms said. PepsiCo, which has reserved 100 Tesla trucks, said it may eventually explore sharing facilities and costs with other companies. The food conglomerate has held multiple meetings with Tesla to discuss the recharging effort, said PepsiCo executive Mike OConnell. We have a lot of in-house capability around energy and engineering ... and certainly Tesla brings their expertise to the table on energy and charging, said OConnell, senior director of supply chain for Frito-Lay North America, PepsiCo's snack-food unit. Separately, in a high-tech twist on the traditional truck stop, Tesla is moving ahead with plans for its own stations to sell electricity to truckers who pull up for a charge, according to customers and transportation industry executives who have discussed the matter with the Silicon Valley automaker. Tesla already operates more than 1,100 supercharger stations globally for drivers of its passenger cars. Musk has spoken publicly of doing something similar for its heavy-duty trucks by installing a network of solar-powered megachargers that could juice up a Semi battery in 30 minutes. But just how quickly Tesla could build a robust network of electric filling stations for commercial truckers is not clear. The company is already stretched thin and burning cash. Tesla has struggled to ramp up production of its new Model 3 sedan, which has been plagued by delays. Some analysts and trucking executives doubt that Tesla can deliver the Semi in 2019, much less a vast charging infrastructure to support it. A Tesla spokeswoman confirmed that the Fremont, California-based company is working closely with large customers to build Semi charging stations. She declined to comment further on the arrangements or Tesla's plans for its own truck-charging terminals. Anheuser-Busch is evaluating installing its own charging equipment for its 40 Tesla Semis at large breweries and other key locations, according to James Sembrot, senior director of supply chain for the St. Louis-based beer maker. What was important to us was to make a big investment in this cutting-edge technology and secure our place in line, Sembrot said. UPS, too, expects to work closely with Tesla on building on-site charging stations, according to Scott Phillippi, global engineering director for the parcel delivery behemoth. The Atlanta-based company pre-ordered 125 Semis in December. Grocery chain Loblaw Companies Ltd will likely use solar power to juice charging stations for the 25 Semis that it has pre-ordered from Tesla, according to spokeswoman Catherine Thomas. She said Loblaw was considering Tesla as well as a few other companies for technology and design. None of the companies would disclose cost estimates for building their own charging infrastructure. U.S. transit agencies that operate electric buses provide some clues. A fast charger terminal serving six electric buses would cost $249,000, according to a 2016 report from the California Air Resources Board. But analysts and automotive industry executives said the price tag for commercial truck facilities could easily reach into the millions of dollars, depending on factors such as the number of big-rigs to be recharged, the energy source for the electricity and existing energy infrastructure in a given area. AUTOMAKER OR ENERGY SUPPLIER? Tesla in November unveiled its prototype Semi with the aim of upending the trucking industry. At a splashy event in Hawthorne, California, Musk said the sleek, battery-powered cab could achieve up to 500 miles on a single charge, and be faster, cleaner and cheaper to operate than conventional diesels. Base prices range from $150,000 to $200,000, according to Tesla's website, compared to $120,000 for a typical diesel. Companies including Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Sysco Corp plunked down deposits, getting plenty of public relations mileage in the process. But Tesla's most obvious potential customers - major U.S. trucking firms - have not jumped on board. Werner Enterprises Inc, YRC Worldwide Inc, Daseke Inc and Old Dominion Freight Line are among the transport companies holding off pre-orders of the Tesla for now, citing doubts about the Semi's promised recharge time, range, price and payload capabilities. Derek Leathers, chief executive of Werner, said he is not among the naysayer crowd that doubts Tesla's ability to produce a viable electric truck. I think it'll happen, I just think their timeline is extremely aggressive, Leathers said. Still, a dearth of publicly available charging infrastructure makes electrics impractical for long-haul trucking in the United States and elsewhere. That is something Tesla's Musk has sought to address with his plans for solar-powered megacharger stations. But he has provided few specifics. At the November Semi unveiling, Musk said we're guaranteeing a 7 cents per-kilowatt-hour price for electricity at the facilities. That is at the low end of cost figures cited by the U.S. government. Solar power for commercial use costs 9-12 cents per kilowatt hour, or 6-8 cents with a federal subsidy, according to a 2017 report from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Customers and industry executives said Tesla intends to buy cheap excess solar power off the U.S. energy grid, store it in enormous battery banks, then profit from selling it to drivers of Semis. But that strategy carries risks, experts said. It's a departure from being a vehicle manufacturer to being an energy supplier, said Darren Gosbee, vice president of engineering at Navistar International Corp, which is working to launch an electric medium-duty truck by late 2019. Ian Wright, a Tesla co-founder who now runs his own company making electric powertrains for industrial trucks, is skeptical that truck charging stations can be a big money maker for Tesla. He estimated the capital costs for batteries alone would be $15 million for a single station. I am not seeing any profit in the energy brokering for Tesla, said Wright, whose Wrightspeed powertrain venture is based in Alameda, California. Indonesia against U.S. anti-subsidy duty on biodiesel , plans to file a case By Reuters JAKARTA Petroleumworld 02 02 2018 Indonesia plans to file a case against the U.S. Department of Commerce at the U.S. Court of International Trade over anti-subsidy duties slapped on Indonesian biodiesel shipments, a Trade Ministry official said on Friday. The Indonesian government is also planning to bring a complaint to the World Trade Organization, Pradnyawati, director of trade security at Indonesia's Trade Ministry, told Reuters. She did not give a timetable. Paulus Tjakrawan, vice chairman of Indonesia's Biodiesel Producers Association, said the case at the U.S. Court of International Trade would be filed immediately to meet a Feb. 3 deadline. The U.S. Commerce Department set final countervailing duties over alleged subsidies ranging from 34.45 percent to 64.73 percent for Indonesian biodiesel in November. Anti-subsidy and anti-dumping investigations were launched against Argentine and Indonesian biodiesels last year following a spike in biodiesel imports to the United States. The Commerce Department is expected to set the final duty soon following its anti-dumping investigation. The government of Indonesia is even ready to defend the interest of Indonesian industry at the WTO. Just as the government has done against the EU and we won, Pradnyawati said. The WTO ruled in favours of several challenges by Indonesia to anti-dumping duties imposed on its biodiesel exports to the European Union. Brazil justice pull down injunction blocking Eletrobras privatization By Reuters BRASILIA Petroleumworld 02 02 2018 A Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Friday knocked down an injunction that had blocked some portions of a presidential decree to privatize Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras SA, according to court filings. President Michel Temer issued a provisional decree last year that changed the country's law to allow for Eletrobras, as the company is commonly known, to be privatized. The Supreme Court decision overturns an injunction imposed by a lower court in January. Reporting by Luciano Costa; Writing by Jake Spring; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe from Reuters. reuters.com 02 02 2018 Copyright 1999-2017 Petroleumworld or respective author or news agency. All rights reserved. We welcome the use of Petroleumworld (PW) stories by anyone provided it mentions Petroleumworld.com as the source. Other stories you have to get authorization by its authors. Internet web links to http://www.petroleumworld.com are appreciated. Petroleumworld welcomes your feedback and comments, share your thoughts on this article, your feedback is important to us! We invite all our readers to share with us their views and comments about this article. Write to editor@petroleumworld.com By using this link, you agree to allow PW to publish your comments on our letters page. Any question or suggestions, please write to: editor@petroleumworld.com Best Viewed with IE 5.01+ Windows NT 4.0, '95, '98,ME,XP, Vista, Windows 7,8,10 +/ 800x600 pixels T illerson presses Venezuela with oil sanctions in the works, should follow country's constitution US State Restrictions would also limit sale of U.S. refined products. By Nick Wadhams and Jorgelina Do Rosario BUENOS AIRES Petroleumworld 02 05 2018 The U.S. is weighing sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector, Rex Tillerson said in Argentina Sunday, as he continues a South America trip that's quickly being dogged by President Donald Trump's threat to cut aid to the countries the Secretary of State is visiting. Tillerson said that during his meetings with Argentina's leaders he'd raised the possibility of oil sanctions as a way of pushing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to abide by his own country's constitution. The U.S. was considering restrictions on both Venezuelan exports and U.S. exports of refined petroleum products to the country, Tillerson said. One of the aspects of considering sanctioning oil is what effect would it have on the Venezuelan people, and is it a step that might bring this to an end, Tillerson said of the deep crisis in Venezuela during a press briefing in Buenos Aires with his Argentine counterpart. Because not doing anything to bring this to an end is also asking the Venezuelan people to suffer for a much longer time. Tillerson's trip tour comes as Trump's threats to cut aid to countries producing drugs and shipping them to the U.S. reverberates around the region. Speaking at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection event on Friday, Trump said he wanted to stop the aid to countries that didn't stem the flow of drugs. I won't mention names right now, but I look at these countries, I look at the numbers we send them -- we send them massive aid and they're pouring drugs into our country and they're laughing at us, Trump said. Three Latin American countries Peru, Bolivia and Colombia are key producers of the plant needed to manufacture cocaine and the U.S. has spent billions of dollars trying to eradicate the crops there. Tillerson will face new questions about Trump's position and possible actions during his stops in Peru and Colombia in the coming days. Colombia received $325 million in U.S. foreign aid in 2016, second in the region after Haiti, while Peru got $96 million, U.S. government figures show. Counter-Narcotics Funds In both countries, the most money was directed at counter-narcotics programs, according to figures provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development. That means that the U.S. would likely undercut the very efforts aimed at stopping the flow of drugs if Trump made good on his threat. Tillerson's trip so far has been aimed at gathering more support from countries such as Mexico, Colombia and Peru to redouble their anti-narcotics efforts, a message that risked being undermined by Trump's comments. A senior State Department official, who asked not to be identified in order to speak frankly, called Trump's remarks unhelpful. The president's tone was far more confrontational than that adopted by Tillerson, who acknowledged on the trip that the U.S. also bears responsibility because American demand creates a market for the illegal drugs. U.S. demand for drugs drives this violence and this lawlessness, Tillerson said Feb. 1 as he kicked off the trip in Austin, Texas, with a speech outlining his South America policy. We acknowledge our role as the major market for illicit drug consumption and the need for shared approaches to address these challenges. Congressional Purse-Strings Trump has repeatedly threatened to cut foreign aid to other countries, and he recently followed through with a move to suspend security assistance to Pakistan. But his proposals for more sweeping cuts to such aid have generally met with bipartisan opposition in Congress, which controls most overseas assistance. In Argentina on Sunday, Tillerson nonetheless sought to stay on message, saying the U.S. was grateful for the close cooperation and collaboration it has in combating trans-national criminal organizations. He said the U.S. is taking a very regional approach to beginning to address these illicit activities. While Tillerson will likely face pointed questions from Peruvian leaders in a visit to Lima on Monday, further isolating Venezuela was a central focus of his stop in Buenos Aires Sunday. He said he'd also raised the issue with Mexican officials during a visit to Mexico City on Feb. 2 on the way to Argentina. Electoral Abuses The fact that Tillerson has raised the possibility of oil restrictions in both stops of his trip so far suggests the administration is seriously weighing an embargo, a step it's so far avoided even as it targets Venezuela's financial sector and sanctions top officials. The U.S. has imposed sanctions on more than a dozen top Venezuelan officials -- including Maduro himself -- as part of efforts to punish Venezuela after numerous accusations of electoral abuses and human-rights violations. Still, sanctioning the oil sector could potentially damage U.S. companies and cost U.S. jobs. Venezuela is a major source of crude imports for the U.S. market, though the amount has been declining in recent months. The country is also a key market for American oil refiners. Tillerson said discussions about sanctions are looking at how to mitigate the impact on U.S. business interests. He said the U.S. also recognized that other countries in the region could be harmed by such a move. Jonathan Brassington, a cofounder of LiquidHub, helped start the Wayne-based staffing and digital design firm, which employs more than 2,000, in the year 2000, after his aunt, a Catholic nun in his native Guyana, arranged him to travel to Pennsylvania for his education. Read more LiquidHub, one of the Philadelphia area's information technology success stories in recent years, has been sold to a France-based consulting giant. Capgemini, a $15.6 billion (yearly sales), Paris-based professional-services and consulting firm, says Monday it has purchased LiquidHub, the $250 million (yearly sales), "digital-customer engagement" IT and business-staffing and consulting firm based in Wayne. LiquidHub, which has around 2,800 employees, counts GlaxoSmithKline, Independence Blue Cross, Merck, Subaru, Vanguard, and other big employers as clients. LiquidHub competes with Accenture, Deloitte, Infosys, and other U.S.- and India-based firms for global IT clients, Capgemini officials said they paid around "two times revenues," or about $500 million. In a statement, Capgemini said it bought LiquidHub to acquire its "seasoned design thinkers, user-experience designers, digital architects, and analytics specialists" who "will join Capgemini's digital teams to create, for its clients, [digital] experiences that help to attract, acquire and retain customers." Pennsylvania taxpayers helped LiquidHub thrive in its early years: "In 2004, LiquidHub received $100,000 through (the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development's) Opportunity Grant Program and $100,000 for job training through the Customized Job Training Program," state spokesman Michael Gerber confirms. In 2010 three years after CreditSuisse's $20 million investment LiquidHub received another $100,000 state Opportunity Grant, plus $312,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits, to expand its Tredyffrin Township (Wayne) offices. LiquidHub created all the jobs it promised, and more, state auditors found. LiquidHub owners who presumably will be enriched by the sale include founders Rob Kelley, Lee Yohannan, and CEO Jonathan Brassington, and investor ChrysCapital. The founders worked together at Philadelphia's former Broadreach Consulting before starting LiquidHub in 2000. ChrysCapital is, based in the Indian Ocean financial hub of Mauritius, invested $53 million in LiquidHub in 2015, and promised to back acquisitions worth $100 million. CreditSuisse had led investors in raising $20 million for the company back in 2007. Armed with ChrysCapital cash, LiquidHub bought digital designers Foundry9 of New York and Harold Hambrose's ElectronicInk of Philadelphia, Salesforce.com client service firms HarvestSolutions of Boston and San Francisco and ClosedWon of Albequerque, N.M.; Redkite LLC; and Annik Technology Services of Gurgaon, India, a deal that boosted LiquidHub's headcount by 50 percent last winter. ., and Redkite LLC of New York, speeding the company's growth. The Capgemini deal will help sell LiquidHub's consulting, design, and staffing services targeting drug, financial, health insurance, and other industry solutions to Capgemini customers, using the buyer's "global reach" to "augment and expand our offerings," Brassington said in a statement. A native of Guyana, Brassington moved to Pennsylvania to study math and computer science at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pa., at the urging of his aunt, a Catholic nun. He later added a master's from the University of Pennsylvania engineering school, where he is a member of the board of overseers, and has taken an active role in educational and tech promotion groups in the region, said Penn Engineering dean Vijay Kumar. Buyer Capgemini has offices in dozens of U.S. cities, including the Philadelphia suburb of Horsham. Capgemini has lately purchased a string of companies with North American operations that help build what it calls "compelling customer experiences" for corporate clients and their customers. Capgemini's prior acquisitions include design strategy and consulting firms Idean (2017) and Fahrenheit 212 (2016). Both of those companies now operate as part of Capgemini, and each has offices in New York, San Francisco, and other U.S. cities. LiquidHub was "a natural fit," Paul Hermelin, Capgemini chairman and CEO, said in the company's statement. He praised LiquidHub's "customer-centric mind-set" and its "impressive employee retention" in an industry where staff more often is highly mobile, reflecting what is often a project-oriented focus. Capgemini said it expects to finish the purchase in "the next couple of months." Corrections Secretary John Wetzel leads a tour through the newest prison in Pennsylvania Friday, September 01, 2017 at State Correction Institution Phoenix in Skippack, Pennsylvania. The facility is inching closer to opening, two years late, to replace Graterford Prison at a cost of $400 million. (WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN / For The Philadelphia Inquirer) Read more Phoenix, Pennsylvania's newest, most expensive state correctional institution, is scheduled to open by the end of June. But after more than two years of construction delays with disputed penalty payments owed by contractors mounting at $35,000 a day the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections isn't waiting for the 15 concrete cellblock buildings of the new one million-square-foot prison in Skippack Township to be ready before emptying parts of the aging Graterford prison next door. State officials have already moved more than 1,000 inmates out of Graterford and sent them to other prisons around the state, the department's monthly prison census shows. Why? For one thing, Phoenix, which contractors had promised to build by 2014, is not ready yet. As of last week, "no additional buildings have received their certificates of occupancy" since last November, when several buildings used by guards and for daytime programs were approved to be handed over to the Department of Corrections, said Troy Thompson, spokesman for the state Department of General Services, which oversees construction of the $400 million Phoenix project and other state building construction. Six of the 15 planned cellblocks Housing Units D, E, F, G, H and J have received "final" inspections and are "close" to being ready to be handed over to Corrections, said Thompson. Two more housing units S and T and additional activities and support buildings "have had a preliminary certificate of occupancy inspection and are having any issues that need to be addressed resolved" to prepare for final inspections, he added. There are 12 main housing blocks. Early construction under Phoenix's "design-build" plan when architects and designers work alongside builders as the project goes up was delayed due to problems with insulation, door closings, pipe corrosion, fire-alarm installation, concrete cracking and staining, and other issues requiring sometimes-costly do-overs or workarounds. State officials have declined to provide full records of construction problems, citing security concerns. The state is owed about $27 million in "liquidated damages" for the delays by contractor Walsh/Heery Joint Venture of Pittsburgh a joint venture by the Walsh construction group of Chicago and the Heery group from Atlanta. The total goes up every day the prison isn't completed. Walsh/Heery has argued in correspondence partly made public in an Inquirer right-to-know request that the delay isn't the contractors' fault. Rather, they have blamed agents of Hill International, the Philadelphia-based publicly traded project management firm that collected more than $20 million from 2012 to 2017 to manage the project for the state. Hill was effectively succeeded last year by Philadelphia-based Urban Engineers Inc. The contractors have disputed the state's right to its $27 million-and-counting clawback demand, and contended to the contrary that it is Pennsylvania taxpayers who should pay the contractors millions more to finish the job. The state has indeed made some payments to facilitate payments to subcontractors, whose complaints of late payments by the contractors were the subject of an investigation by the state Inspector General's office, which has not made any findings public. General Services says it expects that advance money, plus the millions in late damages, to be repaid by the contractors. Inmates, many of whom have lived in Graterford for decades, family members, and advocates say they are anxious about leaving Graterford and disrupting familiar routines. So why doesn't the state wait until Phoenix is done and just walk inmates many of whom are serving long or lifetime sentences from Graterford to Phoenix next door? "Programming and medical needs" make that more complicated than it might look, says Corrections spokeswoman Amy Worden. "It's impossible to say whether the inmates who are being moved from Graterford to other facilities will be relocated to Phoenix in the future," she added. Plus, "all inmates have the opportunity to request a transfer to their 'home' county as they approach their release date." Graterford is Philadelphia's home state prison. The complex was first built in the 1920s as a work farm. Eventually, it succeeded the old stone Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. John Wetzel, who has been corrections commissioner under both former Gov. Tom Corbett, a Republican, and current Democratic Gov. Wolf, sees Graterford (and its successor Phoenix) as still the primary prison for Philadelphia-area inmates. Pennsylvania's prison population rose sharply in the 2000s and peaked at above 50,000 in the early 2010s, but has fallen in recent years. Despite the drop in demand, Wetzel says, his department went ahead with the construction of Phoenix anyway, in hopes it can get the per-inmate cost down to less than the $90s a day it spends at its most efficient prisons, from more than $120 a day at Graterford and other older facilities. The state's prison budget is around $2.4 billion a year, more than it spends on anything except public schools, health and human services. As of Dec. 31, the state says, three-quarters of the state's 24 prisons have more inmates than their stated "bed capacity," though the system as a whole counting the vacancies at Graterford is 99 percent occupied, with 47,237 inmates. Once it is cleared for use, Phoenix will have room for 3,884 inmates (plus 150 in the transitional "outside" housing unit), which is more than the 2,648 still held at Graterford as of Dec. 31 "This does not mean every [Phoenix] bed will be filled," Worden said. Local florist shops, supermarkets, street vendors, online outlets. There are a lot of petal peddlers out there, and according to Checkbook ratings from Delaware Valley area consumers many disappoint buyers with delayed deliveries, wilted flowers, broken promises, and arrangements far smaller and much more different than shown in catalogs. Because floral customers often place orders for a product that's arranged and delivered sight unseen, it's no surprise that so many problems occur. Florists must somehow interpret customers' tastes, determine what's appropriate for the occasion, and design and build a work of art fitting those needs. The best floral shops make this happen with fresh products, prompt delivery, and low prices. Through a special arrangement with the Inquirer, you can access Checkbook's quality and price ratings of local florists free of charge until March 5 by using this link: www.checkbook.org/inquirer/florists. If you want an arrangement delivered, seek exotic or unusual flowers, or need advice, your best bet is a retail florist. But if you're willing to pick up blooms yourself, need a typical bouquet, want to arrange the flowers yourself, or would like to save money, you have other options. Supermarkets and warehouse clubs Supermarkets, warehouse clubs, and other mass merchandisers count on big-time foot traffic, selling flowers to shoppers who stop in to buy a few things, but leave with a cartful of other stuff. What you'll find ranges from basic (a few carnations) to full-service. Supermarkets and big-box stores offer one big plus: price. Checkbook's shoppers found that supermarket prices averaged about 60 percent lower than those at traditional florists. But there's a wide spread of costs for the same blooms among different supermarkets. For example, Checkbook found supermarket prices ranging from $10 to $25 for a dozen red roses. Street vendors Street vendors cater to impulse buyers: hand over some cash and arrive home a hero. The quality of the flowers can vary a great deal: Many street sellers get their blossoms from the same wholesalers that supply florist shops, but some vendors may be peddling several-day-old flowers. Checkbook's shoppers found street vendors' prices averaged about 10 percent lower than those at supermarkets and about 40 percent lower than those at retail florists. Florists Good retail florists can help with any flower-oriented need, plus delivery, wire services, and helping with big events such as weddings. Their business models and styles range from wire service-only (with that standard FTD look) to custom shops creating original designs arranged with unusual or exotic flowers in vintage or artistic vases. Many florists evaluated by Checkbook received high ratings from their surveyed customers, but the ratings for some shops prove that a rose is not a rose: Consumers often lodged complaints about late or missing deliveries; florists showing up with the wrong items; poor-quality products; lousy attitudes; and wire-service arrangements that showed up with fewer (or lower-quality) flowers than ordered. Checkbook's undercover shoppers also found big price differences among area florists: Some shops charge more than three times as much as their local competitors for the same products. National networks, online options, and oh-man-theyre-not-even-florists scammers If you need to send flowers to someone outside the Delaware Valley area, you have a few choices: ordering directly through a florist in that city; asking a local florist to coordinate things, or turning to a national floral network. Checkbook's take: Work directly with a retail florist either located here or where the recipient lives rather than relying on a national outfit. The best florists keep track of their experiences with florists in other areas and will follow up to make sure your blooms are delivered. Another good option: Identify and use a good florist in the distant city. By cutting the local store from the transaction, you avoid wire service charges and other fees. You'll also communicate directly with the florist who will put together and deliver the arrangement. On the other hand, you won't get help from your neighborhood florist or its wire service if there are problems. Since using a national service or an order-taking company means customers have little control over the final result, it's no surprise that many buyers run into problems. A very common one: An order-taking service charges a customer too little money for an arrangement and sends the order to a participating florist, which eventually rejects it. The service then sends the order to a different florist, and again, after several hours, the job is rejected. Sometimes this flower-order merry-go-round continues for days, even weeks. Just as bad, a florist chooses to fill the underpriced order but skimps on flowers. This often happens when an underpriced order is accepted by a disreputable florist willing to take a little money to get rid of old flowers. No matter whom you hire to arrange your arrangements, pay by credit card. If a florist screws up and is unwilling to make things right, you can contest the charge with your credit card company and at least will get back your money. Delaware Valley Consumers' Checkbook magazine (Checkbook.org) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help consumers get the best service and lowest prices. It is supported by consumers and takes no money from the service providers it evaluates. You can access Checkbook's ratings of area florists free of charge until March 5 at www.checkbook.org/inquirer/florists. The 817 N. Third St. industrial property that was until recently headquarters to developer Bart Blatstein's Tower Investments. Read more Ladies and gentlemen, Bart Blatstein has left Northern Liberties. Thank you, and good night. The developer has sold the industrial building on Third Street south of Poplar Street that for years had housed his Tower Investments Inc. He has moved the company to offices near his opulent new home on Rittenhouse Square. The sale in December capped a year of transactions that have diminished Blatstein's once-vast real estate footprint in the neighborhood north of Center City, which he had a significant hand in reshaping through his Piazza at Schmidts mixed-use complex and associated projects. "It's a process of deciding which pieces I should develop and which pieces others should develop," he said. But "it was very difficult, emotionally, for me leaving that neighborhood, because I love that neighborhood." Blatstein spent much of the 2000s developing the Piazza project and the attached Liberties Walk apartment and retail street on land that included the former site of the Schmidt's brewery that he acquired in 2000. He sold most of those assets in 2013 to New York's Kushner Cos., run at the time by now-presidential-son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Oaktree Capital Management LP of Los Angeles for a reported $130 million. Oaktree has recently been said to be seeking to divest its stake in the property, since renamed Schmidt's Commons. During the roughly decade and a half that Tower was based in Northern Liberties, its offices moved from what's now the Tendenza wedding hall at 969 N. Second St. to the Rialto office building developed at 1033 N. Second St. as part of the Piazza project and to the just-sold industrial building. Blatstein's recent round of property sales in the neighborhood started in December 2016, when Palm Beach, Fla.-based retail landlord the Sterling Organization acquired the developer's Shops at Schmidts complex, anchored by an Acme Market, at Second Street and Girard Avenue for $31.5 million. In a case currently before a Common Pleas Court judge, Sterling claims that Blatstein had withheld rents paid by tenants even after he no longer owned the building, amid other complaints stemming from the deal. Then, last June, catering mogul Joe Volpe's Cescaphe Event Group purchased the 6,000-square-foot Tendenza hall and an adjacent lot from Tower for a combined $7.8 million. Volpe, who had leased the Tendenza property for nearly a decade before buying it, and Blatstein are also said to be together developing the defunct Delaware Generating Station power plant near Penn Treaty Park in Fishtown into another events venue. In August, meanwhile, an affiliate of South Philadelphia-based Streamline Group LLC paid $4.5 million for a more than half-acre cluster of properties across the street from the Shops at Schmidts retail center, according to property records filed with the city. The properties are part of the 1102-48 N. Second St. assemblage where Streamline plans a complex of duplex and apartments or condos encompassing 82 homes. Philadelphia's Civic Design Review board, which offers nonbinding suggestions on the city's biggest development projects as part of its zoning approval process, is scheduled to consider the proposal on Tuesday. The string of Northern Liberties property sales ended in late December with the acquisition of the recent Tower headquarters at 817 N. Third St. by architect and developer Shimi Zakin, who also designed Blatstein's new home near the southwest corner of Rittenhouse Square. Zakin's A2Z Development LLC paid $2.75 million for the 8,050-square-foot structure on a 14,830-square-foot lot, where he plans a six-story, 48-unit apartment building. Zakin said the project will be similar in design to the 32-unit apartment project he is developing on an adjacent lot at 807-15 N. Third St. Even after these sales, Blatstein said he still owns "a considerable amount of real estate" in Northern Liberties, including the Rialto building now home to Wahlburgers as a ground-floor restaurant tenant and the Benjamin Moore paint store on Girard Avenue, as well as several undeveloped tracts. Blatstein's Northern Liberties properties aren't the only ones to go on the block. In December, he also sold the eastern half of the sprawling Delaware River waterfront property in South Philadelphia, where a Foxwoods casino had once been planned, for $20.4 million. The buyer, National Realty Investment Advisors of Secaucus, N.J., plans a complex of at least 169 row houses there designed by Zakin's architecture firm. Purchases made by Blatstein alongside these sales include his reported $6 million acquisition of several properties in Atlantic City and his $19.6 million purchase of a four-acre parcel at Broad Street and Washington Avenue, where he previously proposed a 32-story tower atop a large retail-and-parking structure. In 2017, he also paid $1.83 million for the Colonial Revival-style row-house property at 1719 South Rittenhouse Square that now serves as Tower Investments' headquarters. Blatstein said he moved his office there so he can easily walk between it and his home, which is barely a block to the west, but that his "heart" remains in Northern Liberties. "Rittenhouse Square is great, but I do miss the old neighborhood," he said. Aaron Marcus of Defender Association of Philadelphia testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee at the state capitol Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, regarding a bill to replace Pennsylvanias sex-offender registration law. Read more HARRISBURG About 150 people in Philadelphia are in state prison and 150 more are on probation or parole for neglecting to fill out address-change notifications or missing a required reporting date all failures to comply with a sex-offender-registration law the state Supreme Court found unconstitutional last July. Now, the fates of those people along with as many as 17,000 others statewide who were required, under that law, to remain on a registry for decades or life hinge in large part on the state legislature. On Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee, a key gatekeeper, unanimously advanced legislation already passed by the House to replace the invalidated law. Meanwhile, a panel of Common Pleas Court judges is deliberating whether to vacate the failure-to-comply convictions for the approximately 300 Philadelphians still under supervision. "We've cast a very wide net and are spending resources in punishing people who do not pose a threat to society and we're diluting our ability to monitor the dangerous ones," Sen. Stewart Greenleaf (R., Montgomery) said at the outset of the Judiciary Committee meeting. "We need to ask ourselves who are we mad at and who we should be afraid of." But the prevailing view was that maintaining registration is a public-safety imperative. Proponents said that without legislative action, state police could lose track of thousands of sex offenders. Jerry "Sandusky would not have to register if we do not enact this legislation," Sean McCormack, Dauphin County's chief deputy district attorney, told the committee Monday. Critics say the reporting requirements are oppressive, expensive to enforce, and ineffective in reducing recidivism. "The evidence is conclusive. Large-scale, offense-based registries like the ones Pennsylvania has employed over the past two decades not only fail to reduce sexual violence but in fact do just the opposite," said Aaron Marcus, an assistant defender with the Defender Association of Philadelphia. That's likely because lifetime registration can prove a barrier to keeping housing and employment exacerbating factors linked to reoffending. He argued that registries ensnare even low-risk offenders and pointed to research that found that after 10 or 15 years without committing an offense, a sex offender's likelihood of reoffending diminishes to between 1 percent and 3 percent. Sen. John C. Rafferty Jr., vice chairman of the committee, suggested that the height of the #MeToo movement was no time to roll back accountability: "I think you're misreading the temperature of the public. The public is demanding more accountability of people accused of sexual misconduct." That's been the trend since Pennsylvania passed its first version of Megan's Law, which requires information be made available to the public regarding registered sex offenders, in 1995. Over the years, the legislature updated the law to make it more restrictive applying it to more offenses and requiring longer registration periods. The most recent version, written to comply with the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), was passed Dec. 20, 2012; it included five times as many offenses as were first listed in Megan's Law, including nonsexual crimes such as interfering with the custody of a child. "I was a sponsor of the Pennsylvania Megan's Law and I'd like to note that the original intent in all of this was to apply it to the sexually violent offenders," said Greenleaf, chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Under Pennsylvania SORNA, just one in 10 registrants was deemed a sexually violent predator. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court upended the system last July when it decided the case of Jose Muniz, a Cumberland County man who was convicted of indecent assault for touching the breasts of his girlfriend's 12-year-old daughter, and whose registration requirement was upgraded under the new law from 10 years to life. The court found applying the law retroactively was unconstitutional. Though the law's purported goal is public safety, the court declared it was in fact a new punishment being applied to an offense after the fact. Since then, lawyers and judges around the state have been scrambling to figure out the next steps. In Philadelphia, the Defender Association filed post-conviction petitions on behalf of more than 300 individuals, seeking to remove them from the registry and vacate their failure-to-comply convictions. A panel of judges in December heard arguments on legal issues but has not issued a decision. Meanwhile, last week a Common Pleas Court judge, Shanese Johnson, signed off on agreements between the district attorney and 47 individuals to remove them from the registry. Under SORNA, they would have been on for decades, or even for life. Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo insisted the proposed law will not hit the same legal hurdles as Pennsylvania SORNA. "The registration obligations are less onerous than the duty to file state income tax returns," he said. According to Pennsylvania State Police acting Deputy Commissioner Maj. Scott Price, there are 17,544 people whom he expects to be relieved of registration requirements as a result of the Muniz decision; about 9,000 to 12,000 of those would be back on the registry under the draft legislation. Jennifer Storm, the state victim advocate, said that registration notifications are crucial to victims' piece of mind: "The overwhelming majority of people on this registry should be on there. We owe it to the crime victims. We owe them some sense of safety." HARRISBURG The U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene Monday in a Pennsylvania gerrymandering case with national implications, denying Republican lawmakers' attempt to delay drawing a new congressional map and increasing the likelihood that the map will be redrawn in time for this year's midterm elections. Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. denied the request for a stay of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court order to make new district boundaries, leaving in place the ruling overturning the current map as unconstitutionally drawn to discriminate against Democrats. But the legislature's two highest-ranking Republicans signaled Monday that they might not be willing to give up their fight. Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R., Jefferson) and House Speaker Mike Turzai (R., Allegheny) issued a joint statement saying they would attempt to comply with the state Supreme Court's order to redraw congressional maps by Friday "but may be compelled to pursue further legal action in federal court." The case has grown increasingly nasty and more political as important deadlines loom. If the legislature doesn't pass a new map by Friday, or if Democratic Gov. Wolf doesn't approve one by Feb. 15, the state Supreme Court has said it intends to select a map on its own, with help from an outside expert. The maps will play a large role in whether Democrats can gain any ground in the House. As Scarnati and Turzai defended the current map, under which Republicans have been elected to the same 13 seats in all three congressional races since its creation in 2011, a rank-and-file Republican issued a memo seeking co-sponsors for a bill that would seek the impeachment of the five Democratic justices who declared the maps unconstitutional. "We're not going to sit on the sidelines," said Rep. Cris Dush (R., Jefferson), who circulated the memo. It's unclear exactly how far that attempt will go. Dush said he expects to introduce legislation that will move quickly through committee. But House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R., Indiana) said Republican leaders in the House had not yet discussed the effort. News of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision was applauded by Democrats and by attorneys for voters who brought the suit. Wolf said he felt the U.S. Supreme Court acted correctly. "Now, all parties must focus on getting a fair map in place," he said. "Gerrymandering is wrong, and we must correct errors of the past with the existing map." Voters who brought the suit were thrilled, according to one of their attorneys, Mimi McKenzie. The decision Monday, she said, was "expected in some sense, but you never want to presume anything or take anything for granted." If the legislature wants to attempt to draw a new map, much work needs to be done in the coming days. Legislators have pushed through a "shell bill" into which they can insert a more detailed map when it's ready. That bill was sitting Monday in the House State Government Committee, which was set to meet Tuesday. If the bill passes through the House committee Tuesday, the earliest it could pass through the legislature would be Friday the deadline. The odds that the state Supreme Court will end up selecting a map are growing higher, outside experts said. Michael Li, a redistricting expert at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, said Republicans are "not going down easily, which sort of shows you how much is at stake for them, right?" He added, "This could have a major impact on Republicans' chances of retaining control of the U.S. House come November." Republican leaders attempted to get Justice David Wecht kicked off the case because of statements he made about redistricting in the past. Republicans also argued that another justice, Christine Donohue, needed to disclose more information so they could consider a similar motion to disqualify her votes. The legislators' lawyers filed a request Sunday asking for a hearing on the Wecht and Donohue requests. Donohue, who like Wecht ran as a Democrat and was elected in 2015, denied the application for a hearing on whether she needed to make more disclosures. Wecht similarly declined Monday to recuse himself and denied a hearing in the filing made against him. Others pointed out that Justice Sallie Mundy, who ran as a Republican and voted against the redrawing, previously received a donation from a political action committee tied to Scarnati, a donation she disclosed in a filing Monday as the donation appeared in the news. Many of the caucuses in the legislature have been working individually to draft maps they could present to others. Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman (R., Centre) said Monday that leaders hadn't had many meetings to discuss specifics of the maps. Corman said that leaders must decide whether they have the desire to try to draw a new one. Republican lawmakers have accused the court essentially of setting up the legislature to fail by giving it less than three weeks to redraw the congressional lines and not providing a full opinion in the case. The state high court's order had said an opinion would follow. Lawmakers hope that the opinion, explaining what the justices found to be unconstitutional in the current map, would provide some guidance on how a new one should look. An opinion had not been released by late Monday, four days before the deadline for lawmakers to pass a new map. "There is some thought that the Supreme Court is going to throw out anything we give them anyway, so what's the purpose of us going through all of this work to just have them throw it out?" Corman said. "I'm not saying we're not going to [draw a new map], but I'm just saying there is some thought of that." It's Black History Month. So it's time to talk about Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr . . . and also Tom Watson. Watson was a leader in the People's Party, which called on blacks and whites to unite against rich bankers and landowners. "You are made to hate each other because upon that hatred is rested the keystone of the arch of financial despotism which enslaves you both," Watson declared in 1892. "You are deceived and blinded that you may not see how this race antagonism perpetuates a monetary system which beggars both." But Tom Watson was white, not black. So he isn't the kind of person we tend to discuss during Black History Month, which focuses almost exclusively on the lives of African Americans. That's a mistake. Of course we should use this month to emphasize black contributions and achievements, which are too often ignored or downplayed in our schools and colleges. But we must not neglect key white allies like Watson, who remind us that black and white struggles for justice have always been intimately linked. And that's a message I'd like every American but especially every white American to hear this February, at a hugely polarized moment in our national history. As a host of surveys have confirmed, white supporters of Donald Trump often view racial minorities and immigrants as a threat to their interests. Concentrated in areas of low economic growth and mobility, Trump voters say minorities and newcomers are using government assistance to elbow out whites in the battle for prosperity and security. There's not a lot of empirical evidence for those claims, which reflect the isolation of the pro-Trump communities as much as anything else: When you don't know many people who look different from you, it's much easier to blame them for your woes. But it won't do to dismiss Trump supporters as ignorant bigots, which will simply make them dig in their heels. And they're unlikely to be moved by a litany of black heroes and heroines recited dutifully by teachers each February. Instead, we should use Black History Month to remind white people that their foreparents often fought alongside blacks, and for the very same things. Fueled by our nasty political culture, many whites imagine that blacks are their perpetual competitors and antagonists. But our history suggests otherwise. Consider Bacon's Rebellion, the first big poor people's revolt, in colonial Virginia. It was led by Nathaniel Bacon, a white indentured servant. But it also drew African American slaves, who joined hands with impoverished whites in a quest for property and dignity. One of the last bands to surrender in the rebellion included 80 blacks and 20 whites. During the Civil War, black soldiers joined the Union Army in droves to defeat the Confederacy. In the Progressive Era, W.E.B. DuBois united with white activists to create the NAACP. White lawyers defended the Scottsboro Boys, the nine African Americans who were falsely accused of sexual assault in the 1930s. And black and white workers came together to organize the Congress of Industrial Organizations, which raised wages for cash-strapped Americans during the Great Depression. Finally, the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s enlisted Americans of every color and class. As everyone learns during Black History Month, now-Rep. John Lewis was beaten during the Freedom Rides. But so were white allies like Tom Hayden, who was jailed in Georgia Lewis' home state for trying to desegregate a railway station. None of this takes anything away from African Americans, who had the most at stake and at risk in the struggle for freedom. Nor does it deny the racism, hostility, and violence that they encountered at every step of the way. And some of it came from former allies, like Tom Watson. After several failed campaigns for office under the People's Party ticket including an ill-fated run for president in 1904 Watson would devolve into one of the most vicious racists in American political history. He was a key figure in winning the disenfranchisement of Southern blacks, whose votes he had so eagerly solicited a few years earlier. And he was an open advocate for lynching, which he deemed the only defense against rapacious African American men. "What does Civilization owe to the Negro?" Watson asked, in a typically hateful 1905 editorial. "Nothing. Nothing!! NOTHING!!!" Actually, our entire country owes a huge amount to African Americans. They built our houses and roads; they farmed our land; they fought our wars. Most of all, though, they extended and redefined human freedom. It's too bad that we need a special month to remember that. But we must not forget that they united with white people, too, at many different junctures. The alliances were often fraught, and sometimes they failed. But that's all the more reason that we need to recall them, especially during Black History Month. Especially now. Jonathan Zimmerman teaches education and history at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author (with Emily Robertson) of "The Case for Contention: Teaching Controversial Issues in American Schools." Teaching in Philly is hard. Five billion dollars are necessary to complete all outstanding repairs in our buildings. Teachers reach into their own pockets for classroom supplies, playing the roles of librarian, counselor, and social worker. These stresses are compounded by large classes and bare-bones staffing. In these conditions, it is too easy to blame students and families. This blame is misplaced. Systemic racial oppression is the true cause of most problems we face in our schools, and we must play an active role in its dismantling. Pennsylvania's schools are funded in a racist way, with black and brown districts receiving less than their fair share of funding. Black Philadelphians experience higher rates of poverty, eviction, and incarceration than whites. Whether or not we acknowledge it, these examples of systemic inequity manifest themselves in our classroom daily. When students show up tired or angry or hungry or unprepared, we must understand these circumstances in context. Teachers in Philly's district schools are predominantly white (67 percent in 2013), while our student body is mainly black (50 percent) and Latino (20 percent). Recently, our teaching force has grown whiter, with an 18.5 percent drop in black educators and a 27.6 percent increase in white educators between 2001 and 2012. In Philly's charters, the "representation gap" between the percentage of black teachers and students is 44.8 percent. As white educators, we are overrepresented as authority figures in Philadelphia's classrooms. This brings responsibility that we should not take lightly. Passivity and silence in the face of inequity and oppression, especially as white educators who bring with us our privilege, is a disservice to our students. You might think, "My job is hard enough. You're saying I need to do more work!" In a way, this is true. However, we have found that engaging with larger forces that impact our classrooms liberates us from some of the stress and feeling of individual responsibility for our "failings" as educators. Students aren't our adversaries. As we face a constant onslaught of systemic forces as educators, so do our students to an even greater degree. There are tangible steps we should take as white educators to commit ourselves to racial justice. First, join the Caucus of Working Educators in Philly and educators in more than 20 cities across the country for our Black Lives Matter Week of Action from Monday through Friday. Wear a button, teach a lesson, or have a conversation in your classroom, raise the topic with colleagues or in staff meetings, attend one of our events across the city. We have three citywide demands to advocate for racial justice in Philly. There are also steps we can take to implement them at a school and classroom level: End zero-tolerance approaches to discipline. Our district and networks need to fund the training and staffing necessary for trauma-informed restorative justice in our schools. We can also individually step back from our own punitive approaches. Make active efforts to recruit and retain black educators. While our district and networks need to take steps to transparently report and set goals to reverse declines in the number of black educators in our city, we can push our own schools to prioritize black educators in the hiring process. Begin anti-racism training for all educators. We want all educators to have training that calls on us to interrogate our own biases and challenge systemic oppression. In the meantime, we can meet as educators at our own schools in anti-racist study groups. To continue the work locally beyond the week, join the Caucus of Working Educators Racial Justice committee or participate in one of this year's teacher-led Inquiry to Action Groups, hosted by Teacher Action Group. By showing our students an explicit commitment to racial justice, we see some of the tension between white educators and students of color dissipate. When we take action, by wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt, uplifting black voices in our curriculum, or taking a moment to reflect on our own implicit bias, we see students who previously exacerbated our tension headaches become our strongest allies. In order to responsibly do the work of educating Philadelphia's students, our daily work must begin with an affirmation: Black Lives Matter. Lily Cavanagh teaches at a downtown Philadelphia charter school. Charlie McGeehan teaches in the School District of Philadelphia at the U School and is the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers building representative. Both are members of Building Anti-Racist White Educators, formed in collaboration with the Caucus of Working Educators and Teacher Action Group. Broken glass from the busted windows of Macy's near City Hall lies on the sidewalk Monday morning after last night's Eagles revelry in Center City. Read more [Update, 3:10 p.m. Police Commissioner Richard Ross said Monday afternoon that four people were arrested in three separate incidents Sunday night. He also said that police were likely to arrest more people after reviewing surveillance and social media video of vandalism and property destruction.] Despite the amount of damage that occurred during rowdy outbreaks amid Sunday night's Super Bowl celebrations in Philadelphia, only three arrests were made, the Mayor's Office said Monday morning. "Tens of thousands came out and celebrated this amazing victory last night, and but for a handful of bad actors the celebration was peaceful and jubilant," the office said in a statement. There is no word yet on what the arrests were made for or what charges have been filed. Damage during the celebrations included an overturned car on Broad Street, the trashing of a gas station convenience store in South Philadelphia, smashed windows at Macy's and other stores, and toppled traffic lights on Market and Chestnut Streets. Vandals also sprayed painted graffiti on some buildings, including a McDonald's on South Broad Street. Several people also were injured when an awning they climbed onto at the Ritz Carlton collapsed. Some fans also stormed a gate at City Hall but caused no apparent damage. Several SEPTA engineers and conductors didnt go to work on Super Bowl Sunday, causing the cancellation of several train trips. JESSICA GRIFFIN / Staff Photographer Read more In the course of traveling to Super Bowl gatherings and other places on Sunday, a bunch of SEPTA riders noticed something peculiar: They couldn't get there. That's because several SEPTA train trips were canceled when engineers and conductors didn't show up to work. Could there have been something else compelling going on Sunday that was pulling their attention from their jobs? SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch said mid-evening Sunday that he couldn't say what was behind the so-called call-outs when workers call to say they will be out. "Without knowing what's going on with a particular individual, it's difficult to say what the reason is for a call-out," he said. "It's hard to paint a broad stroke." At least seven scheduled SEPTA train trips had been canceled because of manpower shortages, Busch said. The canceled trips were on the following lines: Paoli-Thorndale, Chestnut Hill West, Lansdale-Doylestown, Wilmington-Newark, Del. Three canceled trips were on the airport line. Busch said he couldn't say how many workers didn't show up for their trains. Nor could he say how many riders were affected. He added that he didn't know precisely how many Sunday trips SEPTA runs. He did say there are 740 trips on weekdays, and that Sunday numbers are roughly 35 percent to 40 percent of that total, which would come to about 260 to 300 trips. Asked whether he anticipated call-outs on Monday morning from workers who could have over-partied Sunday night, Busch said, "There is no indication of anything changing for tomorrow. We have a full weekday schedule planned for Monday." Several riders contacted SEPTA on Sunday to say their trains had been canceled. Busch didn't have a tally of how many complained. SEPTA's troubles may have been Uber's gain at least for one Uber driver, anyway. Jamerson Williams said he appreciated the uptick in business "about 10 to 15 percent higher" than a normal day, he said. Whether that was due to the canceled trains, the festivities, or the rain, he wasn't sure. But, he said, rides had been steady all day long. Staff writer Caitlin McCabe contributed to this article. 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Please give today, and if you cant donate subscribe to our newsletter. 1.1k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Democrats got some fantastic news on Monday as the US Supreme Court refused to intervene and help Republicans restore their gerrymandered districts in Pennsylvania. The Washington Post reported, The Supreme Court denied a request from Pennsylvania Republicans to delay redrawing congressional lines, meaning the 2018 elections in the state probably will be held in districts far more favorable to Democrats. Democrats outnumber Republicans in Pennsylvania, but Republicans control 13 of the states 18 House seats, largely thanks to extreme gerrymandering. The Republican-controlled state legislature faces a February 9th deadline to get a newly redrawn map to Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf. If Republicans miss the deadline, the state Supreme Court will draw the map for the May 15 primary. Democrats could pick up at least 5 House seats in PA with a new map A new map would make Democrats competitive or favored in 5-7 seats that are currently controlled by Republicans. The Sixth District, Seventh District, Eighth District, Eleventh District, 15th and 16th Districts could all move to the left with a non-gerrymandered map. Considering that Democrats were already looking at favorable situations for House seat pickups in New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and California, a redrawn map in Pennsylvania could wipe out Republican control of the House. In a time when the good news keeps coming for Democrats ahead of the midterm election, the end of the gerrymandered map in Pennsylvania could go down as some of the best news of all. 58.4k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Eagles team member Chris Long is continuing to prove he stands by his values by refusing to visit the White House, should President Trump invite the team to celebrate their Super Bowl victory. This comes after his decision to donate his entire 2017 game earnings to different organizations dedicated to providing equal education opportunities. No, Im not going to the White House, he said in the January 28 episode of the Pardon My Take podcast. Are you kidding me? This isnt the first time Long has spoken out against Trump or declined an invitation to the White House. Last April, Long explained why hed opted to not attend a ceremony on the South Lawn to celebrate his former teams The New England Patriots Super Bowl win. My son grows up, and I believe the legacy of our president is going to be what it is, I dont want him to say, Hey dad, whyd you go when you knew the right thing was to not go?' he said in a video for Green Stripe News. This is Philadelphia Eagles player Chris Long. He donated his entire season's income to charity, including his first 6 paychecks to Charlottesville Scholarship programs. Long also says he WILL NOT attend the WH to meet with Trump if the Eagles win the #SuperBowl #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/rVfUJjS1kB Ed Krassenstein ???? (@EdKrassen) February 4, 2018 Long donated the checks from his first six games of 2017 to fully fund scholarships for two members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia to attend St. Annes-Belfield School for seven years. Worthy of note is that the school is in Longs hometown, Charlottesville, where the violent white supremacist rally of last summer resulted in the death of protester Heather Heyer. He subsequently donated his 10 remaining checks to kickstart Pledge 10 for Tomorrow. The campaign encourages people to donate to four different education organizations picked by Long, all located in St. Louis, New England, and Philadelphia. In addition to Long, several other Eagles players have vowed to skip any White House celebrations, including Torrey Smith and Malcolm Jenkins. 2.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard At a speech in Ohio, Trump claimed that Democrats were un-American because they didnt applaud him at the State Of The Union. Video: Trump says Democrats committed treason by not applauding at his SOTU. pic.twitter.com/ALIhluN6KH Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) February 5, 2018 Trump said, And it got to a point where I really didnt even want to look too much during the speech over to that side. Because honestly, it was bad energy. That was bad energy. Youre up there, youve got half of the room going totally crazy wild, they loved everything. They wanted to do something great for the country. And you have the other side, even on positive news, really positive news, like that, they were like deaf. And un-American. Un-American. Somebody said treasonous. I mean, yeah, I guess, why not. Can we call that treason? Why not. I mean, they certainly didnt seem to love our country very much. Democrats did not commit treason A president who is under federal investigation for possible crimes committed with a hostile foreign power just the opposition party treason. The idea that a president is America, and loving a president is patriotism is itself a treasonous view of American values. Trump is running a cult where he expects total worship at all times. Criticism is not tolerated. Not showing Trump love, is according to Trump, a crime against America. Democrats did not commit treason by disagreeing with Trump, but Trumps definition of treason is straight out of the authoritarians playbook. Donald Trump knows what he is doing, and his attack on Democrats was a preemptive strike to try to negate future Russia scandal revelations. Judging from Trumps behavior, it might not be much longer until the American people get a real taste of what treason looks like courtesy of the Special Counsel investigation and Robert Mueller. 625 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard This is how the Republican Russia cover-up circle works. Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) works with Fox News to attack Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) while Donald Trump tweets about it as he watches. Trump tweeted: Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2018 An hour later, Nunes and Fox News picked up the narrative: Video of Nunes attacking Schiff on Fox and Friends: Devin Nunes with a lie-riddled attack on Democrats on Fox News. pic.twitter.com/SmUw6qRwun Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) February 5, 2018 Nunes said, Mr. Schiff knows he is spreading false narrative there. But that is not new for him. He is spread false narrative the entire time. So the Democrats are well aware that I did not leak information. Nunes also accused Democrats of over 100 leaks, Look there is no question they want me gone but whatever they accuse you of doing, is what theyre doing. So we know that there has been almost 100 leaks that we believe have come from the Democrats in the house intelligence committee. The collusion to undermine the Russia investigation is centered in the White House The example above shows how the collusion works. A false message gets pushed by Trump or the White House, which is then used or laundered by Nunes via abuse of his power in Congress, then spun back to Fox News for the Republican masses. The attack on Rep. Schiff was bogus and fact-free, but the purpose of is to discredit the investigators, not to get to the truth. The White House and Nunes, who was a member of the Trump campaign and transition, are working together, and now they have turned their attention toward Adam Schiff. Rep. Schiff is relentless in his pursuit of the facts surrounding the Russia investigation, and the attack on Schiff is an effort to undermine the credibility of the Democratic memo before it sees the light of day. Collusion is still happening, but it is now an effort by Republicans and their media to bury the facts about the Trump/Russia scandal. "I may be gone for some time" (x) - tax implications of moving abroad. Numerous tax advantages can be gained if someone switches to being subject to the tax laws of another country (i.e. changes his tax residency). Although the country in which a private individual has residence is not a matter of choice, with careful planning of his personal circumstances it is possible to influence where he is taxed. And this affects anyone who takes on work abroad, whether for a short or a longer period - comments Akos Barati, tax advisor at Jalsovszky Law Firm. Nowadays many of our compatriots are trying their luck abroad, and its also at least as common for foreign citizens to settle for relatively long periods in Hungary. Everybody has a different attitude to staying abroad: some are already planning their return home as they pack their suitcase, some get homesick later during their stay, while others really do settle in to live their life abroad for the long haul. But all these circumstances can have a major impact on the tax payment obligations: it certainly makes a difference whether somebodys income is subject to the 45% tax burden of the United Kingdom, the 15% rate applied in Hungary, or the 0% of Dubai. Where do we pay tax, and why? Based on the international taxation rules, private individuals should primarily fulfil their tax payment obligations in their place of tax residence, and a person obtains tax residence in the country with which it is deemed to have the strongest links. In order to determine which country one has the strongest links with, the tax treaties have established a four-step testing system in which the important factors, in order of precedence, are permanent home, followed by the centre of vital interests, then habitual abode. Finally, in the event of any uncertainty, the countries concerned consult with each other in order to decide which country a private individual is taxable in. Therefore, although the country in which an individual is resident is not a matter of choice, it can nevertheless be influenced by how it arranges its personal circumstances. For example, if someone works temporarily in Dubai and would like to benefit from the tax exemption over there, it could be enough to completely give up its permanent home in Hungary (and live in a hotel when staying in Hungary). It could also be sufficient to spend more than 183 days in Dubai, unless it can be clearly established that the centre of vital interests is in Hungary. On the other hand, if someone is working in the United Kingdom but doesnt want to lose the opportunity to pay Hungarys favourable tax rates, its advisable to arrange its life so that the centre of vital interests is clearly in Hungary: leaving the family behind, not showing any intention of settling abroad, not undertaking any political or social functions in the UK, and traveling home regularly at the weekends. The opportunities for planning residence only work, however, if there is a double-taxation treaty in effect between Hungary and the country in which the individual works. In the absence of a treaty, a citizen will still be classed as a Hungarian resident if he or she lives abroad on a full-time basis, even if he never set foot in Hungary at all. And this can lead to some unpleasant surprises. For example, the United Arab Emirates now has a treaty with Hungary, but this only took effect in 2015 and doesnt cover income earned before that, so it can be taxed in Hungary even if the Hungarian private individual in question was living full-time in the Emirates at the time. And what about social insurance payments? The world would be a simpler place if personal income tax and social insurance contributions went hand-in-hand, and one only had to pay social insurance where it also pays PIT. But this isnt the case. Social insurance is primarily payable not where someone has its home (in the EU and Switzerland, at least), but where he works. Its easy to see how the permanent home and the place of work are not always in the same country - just take, for example, the case of Hungarians who live near the Austrian border but commute to the Austrian side to work. In these cases, someone could easily have to pay personal income tax in Hungary, but social insurance in Austria. Its important to bear in mind that if a Hungarian private individual who has moved abroad has social insurance cover in an EU country other than Hungary, then Hungarys tax authority NAV cannot even charge that person the minimum healthcare contribution of HUF 7,000. Experience shows that NAV will levy this contribution until the private individual de-registers its Hungarian address, or proves the existence of its foreign social insurance cover. Its better to do that as soon as the individual moves, rather than only realising it later when NAV starts taking action to collect several months worth of the HUF 7,000 charge. Im going abroad, what should I do? If youre preparing to work abroad, its worth getting your head round the tax implications too. With a bit of careful planning you can make some major savings on tax when moving abroad, as well as avoiding any unnecessary tax and social security burdens. (x) Looking to lose weight? Try standing instead of sitting, particularly while on the job. That's the conclusion reached by Mayo Clinic researchers in a new study published this week in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology. The study found that American adults could lose more than 5 pounds annually and 22 pounds over four years by converting six hours of sitting into standing. While that may be easier said than done, Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, senior author and chair of preventative cardiology at Mayo Clinic, says the first systemic review of sitting/standing could help address the nation's obesity epidemic, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, among other things. Mayo researchers found that standing burns 0.15 calories per minute more than sitting. That equates to 54 extra calories when spread over six hours for a 143-pound adult, assuming no other caloric changes. "Standing for long periods of time for many adults may seem unmanageable, especially those who have desk jobs, but, for the person who sits for 12 hours a day, cutting sitting time to half would give great benefits," Lopez-Jimenez said. The researchers analyzed 46 prior studies with nearly 1,200 participants to perform what's being called "meta-analysis" to evaluate the caloric difference between sitting and standing. The average participant in those studies was 33 years old and weighed 143.3 pounds. Sixty percent of participants were male. Mayo's research team found that the difference between standing and sitting was roughly twice as high in men as in women. Calories burned is proportional to muscle mass, and standing activates more muscles, researchers say. The study provides more evidence to support Mayo's own NEAT program, or Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, which was established years ago. Dr. James Levineand the Mayo Clinic Active Life Research Team created the NEAT program after spending a decade researching nutrition, physical activity and behavior related to weight management and obesity prevention. They found that a contributing factor to the obesity epidemic is the decrease in expenditure of human energy through lack of movement in daily life. Mayo Clinic Ventures has been marketing the intellectual property behind NEAT for years, including issuing certifications to companies who meet NEAT requirements. The product certification process began in 2013. "As our civilization must keep moving to survive, NEAT is a lifesaving, accessible concept anyone can do it. I am heartened that NEAT will help show the way," Dr. Levine, who now works at Mayo's Arizona campus, said when the certification process was first announced. ( Read 9158 Times) Source : When Skill-India mission was launched, Honble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji had three important visions Scale, Quality and Aspiration. He also wanted corporate to step forward and make this vision a reality. Hindustan Zinc Mining Academy aligns with this mission and has all the elements of Skill-India.+++Hindustan Zinc Mining Academy, perhaps the only mining academy, set-up by Hindustan Zinc, Indias only and worlds second largest Zinc producer saw 1st convocation of 150 students that includes 103 Jumbo Drill operators and 1st batch of 47 Winding Engine operators. The ceremony was held on 24th January 2018 in Udaipur and was attended by Arun Kumar-Secretary, Ministry of Mines - KP Krishnan-Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship - Sunil Duggal-CEO, Hindustan Zinc & Chairman of Skill Council of Mining Sector -R.K. Sharma-Secretary General Federation of Indian Mineral Industries - A.K. Bhandari-CEO, Skill Council for Mining Sector.All the 150 pass-outs are ITI Diploma holders and this is the first time such convocation ceremony has been organized by a private sector company.Hindustan Zinc has set-up Mining Academy at Bhilwara, Rajsamand and Zawar in Rajasthan, to meet the growing requirement of skilled manpower and generate employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas. The Mining Academy has been set-up in collaboration with Skill Council for Mining Sector and training partner Indian Institute of Skill Development Pvt. Ltd. The Academy provides training to youths in Jumbo Drill Operations and Winding Engine Operations along with training in Banks-men and Bellman Operations.The growth of mining in India has resulted in huge demands for skilled operators to operate sophisticated mining equipment such as jumbo drill, winding engine, load haul dumper (LHD), low profile dumper truck (LPDT), etc.Speaking on the occasion Arun Kumar, Secretary Mines said, In India, open-cast mining is more popular but rare minerals can only be found in underground mine. India is unable to find proper talent to operate the critical equipment of underground mines. Through this initiative of Hindustan Zinc, our youths will get employment opportunities in India and also in other International mines. Future is indeed very bright for these students.The Secretary M/O Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, KP Krishnan said developing skills of ITI Pass-outs in Mining industry is important and an extension of PMs Skill India Mission. When Skill-India mission was launched, Honble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji had three important visions Scale, Quality and Aspiration. He also wanted corporate to step forward and make this vision a reality. Through Hindustan Zinc Mining Academy, all the elements of Skill-India have come together. Employment of high wages is proof of skills becoming aspirational. Organizing convocation for the 1st time for the ITI pass-outs is indeed commendable.The CEO of Hindustan Zinc, Sunil Duggal, who is also the Chairman of Governing Board of Skill Council for Mining Sector, stressed upon enhancing further skills of these pass-outs to match the international standards. Why call expats in the areas where we can train our own youth and make them employable. He also informed that these youths have already been placed in different companies and the demand is set to increase.The Mining Academy pass-outs have already been placed with an average salary of Rs. 300,000 per annum. There have been 98% retention rate only proving that rural youth needs employability and they are ready to learn skills that can be used in the current sectors.Pavan Kaushik the spokesperson of Hindustan Zinc informed that the Company started the Mining Academy on August 1, 2014, with a sole objective to train ITI pass-outs in mining-related trades so that they can be employed within the company and also provide manpower to several mining companies operating in Rajasthan, to begin with. We are very proud that we have aligned with the vision and mission of Skill India and determined to increase our scale of training. Our initial target is 500 youths and we have so far trained 300 youths in Jumbo Drill and Winding engine operations.Hindustan Zinc Mining Academy is a fully residential training program with provision for free boarding and lodging facilities for all the selected candidates in both the training programs. Along with practical training, 3-D simulator or training through virtual reality method is also provided to enhance their skills. Since it is a fully residential program, equal emphasis is given on soft skills, team effort, discipline, quality of life and overall personality development, which would further help them in securing sustainable livelihood in future.Also present in the event were Arun Kumar Chandel, Head, SSC Governance National Skill Development Corporation - S. Vijay Ayer-Managing Director, Rio Tinto India Pvt Ltd. - Arvind Singhal-Managing Director, Volkam India Limited - M.L. Lunawat-Managing Director Aravali Minerals & Chemicals - Dr. M.S. Singhvi- Managing Director, Rajasthan Barytes, HZL senior management, Business partners of Hindustan Zinc and HZL employees. Improved customer retail engagement, sophisticated technology integration and revamped EV designs are key factors driving luxury EV adoption, finds Frost & Sullivan LONDON, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The future of luxury automotive is shaped by the ACES (Autonomous, Connected, Electric and Shared Mobility) trend. Luxury OEMs will need to update the customer retail experience, embrace connectivity and HMI (human-machine interface) innovations to differentiate their brands and rethink their car designs to enhance the in-car customer experience. Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, Future Trends in Luxury Electric Vehicle Market in North America and Europe, 20162025, finds that the luxury EV market is expected to grow from 130,000 units to 1.8 million units by 2025, with a CAGR of 28.3%. Plug-in Hybrid EVs (PHEV) will hold a major share of 59.8%, although long-range, battery-only EVs (BEV) will be a growing trend. Also, autonomous driving functions will unlock inductive charging functions for optimal operation of the car, and the first application is expected to arrive in luxury electric vehicles by 2019. For further information on this analysis, please click here. "Among performance, innovation, energy efficiency, luxuriousness and ease of ownership, a strong brand positioning message is required in at least three of these parameters for the EV brand to be successful. The segment also needs targeted marketing to women and baby boomers," said Pooja Bethi, Research Analyst. Negative consumer perception, improper retailing, and lack of value additions offered by luxury cars have negatively impacted the growth of EV sales. Thus, OEMs are exploring newer ways to engage consumers and improve the in-car experience, such as: Customer-centric retail design to enhance in-store customer engagement; Establishment of strategic decision and supplier partnerships; Provision of superior value-added services as a package for luxury EVs. "Luxury EV OEMs face an absolute need to design an innovative e-retailing business model that will create a personalised and non-invasive selling experience for the consumer while offering unique in-car value additions that establish brand differentiation," said Bethi. Future Trends in Luxury Electric Vehicle Market in North America and Europe, 20162025 is part of Frost & Sullivan's global Mobility Growth Partnership Services Program. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion Future Trends in Luxury Electric Vehicle Market in North America and Europe, 20162025 MD46-18 Contact: Kristina Menzefricke Corporate Communications Frost & Sullivan, Europe P: +44 (0)208 996 8589 E: [email protected] http://www.frost.com Related Links http://www.frost.com SOURCE Frost & Sullivan MUMBAI, February 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Redefining Office Usage - Complete Flexibility while Reducing Fixed Investments As more and more entrepreneurs, enterprises and professionals are looking for alternatives to pricey, asset-heavy offices and business centers; coworking spaces have seemed to be the most convenient option. Operating on the principle of offering flexible timing and community interactions while maintaining the professional character of an office, these modern and trendy coworking spaces make working fun and also open new windows for creativity to flow in. Like-minded people working together in an environment create a buzz amongst each other to work smarter. With many companies claiming to provide the best coworking spaces, the working professional has never been more spoilt for choice. This works perfectly as long as the character of work of the organisation remains same throughout its lifecycle. But enterprises grow, they adapt and transform as the business environment and opportunities around them change. More work locations, different type of workspaces, more service and support and even more flexibility to expand, reduce or change tenures are coming up as requirements. Entrepreneurs now want to rid themselves of all the office management issues and focus on work. And that is where the economics of space acquisition and utilisation, coupled with an objective of occupancy maximisation limits the shared space operators from providing any more flexibility and choice. OfficingNow endeavours to fill this gap and places the worker central to all decision-making related to the workspace by providing an advanced user-friendly multi-device technology platform to both space providers and space seekers. Its uniqueness lies in providing support at every stage of the 'enterprise officing journey' - from providing information about all types of office spaces and service operators to providing booking, commercial and usage support, to providing specialised services - like additional amenities, extending, postponing, downsizing, expanding, and support to space owners and operators in managing and operating their spaces. It is virtually like controlling the workspace from a console in the comfort of a cockpit. In little over 2 years since they started, OfficingNow has integrated over 325 space providers across 650 locations in 35 cities with an overall capacity of 50,000 seats - becoming the largest integrator of workspaces. Besides business centers and coworking spaces, one can find the widest range of private Furnished Offices, Training Halls, Conference Rooms, Day Offices and Virtual Offices all on a single platform. The platform is ideal for SMEs, corporates and educational establishments that wish to monetise their infrastructure by sharing their spare capacity with professionals looking for such spaces for short use. The extensive domain expertise and support infrastructure of OfficingNow makes it easy to manage the operational and marketing processes required for putting such spaces to commercial use. Mandeep Bakshi, Founder and CEO of OfficingNow says, "We strongly believe that the next-gen enterprises will soon do away with fixed workspaces and will evolve to think spaces that will allow them to collaborate, brainstorm and interact while continuing to work from anywhere and anytime. Our mission is by leveraging advancements in Cloud Technology, Automation, AI, and Data Analytics to add value to the enterprise by disintermediating different activities involved in office usage and management and let the enterprise choose the ones that are relevant at any given point of time - thus freeing up huge amounts of capital that would have otherwise got locked in capital-intensive fixed assets of office infrastructure. Imagine an entrepreneur focussing full time on his project and having his infrastructure totally converted into a variable cost." OfficingNow has recently been recognized amongst the Best 10 Indian start-ups of 2017 in coworking spaces by the Silicon India Magazine. Check OfficingNow's presence in the cities mentioned below: Coworking spaces in Mumbai | Coworking spaces in Pune | Coworking spaces in Bangalore | Coworking spaces in Delhi | Coworking spaces in Gurgaon About OfficingNow : Started in 2015, OfficingNow is an innovative and pioneering venture, which has a focus on leveraging technology and the power of aggregation to deliver the benefits of flexible working. We are driven by the desire to keep the working professional at the center of all our actions and initiatives, and design all our processes and user interfaces that take away all aspects of workspace management. Our mission is to let a working professional focus on the task at hand to improve his productivity. In short to help him work smart and move on to greater heights. The company's mission is to remove the pain involved in office selection, usage and management by becoming the most trusted technology platform that liberates the enterprise from the shackles of a non-core long-term fixed asset so that they can focus more on their core business. Media Contact : Abhishek Sagar [email protected] +91-9769027833 OfficingNow SOURCE OfficingNow SYDNEY, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today's Super Bowl (the Big Game), the most watched television broadcast in the United States, kicked off a new A$36 million marketing push by Tourism Australia, aimed at supercharging the value of American tourism Down Under. To view the full multimedia release, click here: https://www.prnasia.com/mnr/tourismaustralia_201802.shtml Supported by Qantas, American Airlines and Wine Australia and featuring appearances from some of Australia's biggest celebrities, the campaign is the largest Tourism Australia has run in the United States since Paul Hogan's famous 'Come Say G'Day' ads more than 30 years ago. Celebrities featured include Chris and Liam Hemsworth, Hugh Jackman, Paul Hogan, Margot Robbie, Ruby Rose and Russell Crowe as well as American actor Danny McBride. Australia's Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Hon Steven Ciobo MP said 2018 presented the perfect opportunity to 'aggressively target' the US market. "The United States is a critical market for Australia, with close to 780,000 American visitors spending A$3.7 billion per year. A favourable exchange rate and strong aviation capacity leading to highly competitive airfares makes this the right time to increase our investment in the United States. "Whilst Australia ranks highly among Americans in terms of desirability and awareness of our tourism offerings, we lag behind our competitors when it comes to actual bookings. This new campaign will address this conversion challenge. "This is the single largest investment Tourism Australia has ever made in the US market and one we believe will grow annual spend by American visitors to A$6 billion by the year 2020. "It's amazing to have Australia's stars come together for their country and support this campaign. Aussie icons like Chris Hemsworth, Margot Robbie and Hugh Jackman are huge in the US, their popularity will help showcase Australia and get the message out to visit Australia," he said. The campaign was officially kick started with a new broadcast ad, unveiled to a TV audience of more than 100 million Americans during the Big Game. Initially giving the appearance of an official film trailer for a new Crocodile Dundee movie, the 60 second ad then cleverly switched into an incredible showcase for Australian tourism. The 'new' 2018 movie, Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home, was first flagged in mid-January, with a series of short teaser films taking the form of a traditional studio promotional campaign. Released through social media, the clips introduced the film's two main characters: Danny McBride playing Brian Dundee, the long-lost son of Mick Dundee, and Chris Hemsworth as his sidekick, Wally Jr. A special cameo film featured the rest of the cast with an impressive roll-call of Hollywood heavyweights and homegrown talent, including Hugh Jackman, Margot Robbie, Russell Crowe, Ruby Rose, Liam Hemsworth, Isla Fisher, Luke Bracey and Jessica Mauboy. The carefully orchestrated PR and social media campaign encouraged fans to tune in and watch the 'official movie trailer' during the Big Game where, helped by a cameo appearance by Paul 'Crocodile Dundee' Hogan, Tourism Australia's new campaign was ultimately revealed. Tourism Australia Managing Director John O'Sullivan said the promotional power of the Crocodile Dundee franchise today was as a strong as when the original movie was released in 1986. "Crocodile Dundee put Australia on the map for Americans in the '80s. The film helped shape their view of Australia, showing them our country's natural beauty and Australians' friendly and welcoming nature. And it remains relevant today, with our research showing that Mick 'Crocodile' Dundee is still a character Americans believe warmly represents the Australian way of life. "Chris and Danny, along with the cameo appearances in the teasers from so many well-known Australian stars, has given us real star power to capture America's attention again. The Big Game has the largest reach of any advertising platform in the US, with more than 100 million Americans tuning in and many more millions globally. It's the perfect platform to begin rolling out our biggest tourism push in the US in over 30 years, with more than 20 commercial partners primed to start converting the huge interest we've generated into bookings," he said. Tourism Australia's global tourism ambassador Chris Hemsworth said that being involved in the new campaign was a huge honour and had also been a lot of fun. "Crocodile Dundee and Hoges did an outstanding job thirty odd years ago of captivating American audiences and putting Australia onto their travel wish lists. I'd like to think the inspiration the film has provided for this new Tourism Australia campaign will ultimately translate into similar success," he said. The campaign also includes a series of light-hearted online videos called Why Australia where Danny McBride chats 'US talk show' style with Chris Hemsworth, Curtis Stone, Matt Wright and Jessica Mauboy. Filmed on set, the four well-known Australians provide personal perspectives and unique insights on Australia's food and wine, nature and wildlife, aquatic and coastal experiences, culture and heritage and sport and events. To convert interest into bookings, Tourism Australia has also published tailored travel itineraries and inspiring destination information on Australia.com supported with a dedicated campaign 'marketplace' which includes airfare and tailored holiday offers from 20 campaign partners, all aimed at encouraging Americans to book a trip Down Under. Qantas Group CEO, Alan Joyce, said that the national carrier was excited to support this innovative campaign that encourages more Americans to travel to Australia. "For our customers their experience of Australia begins the moment they step into our lounges and on-board where, we showcase the best local food, wine and hospitality. "Qantas offers more flights between the U.S. and Australia than any other airline and we've been doing it for more than sixty years. We look forward to helping more Americans experience all that our beautiful country has to offer and showing just how easy it is to get here," Mr Joyce said. "Australia is home to 65 unique wine regions and thousands of world-class vineyards that craft wines of exceptional quality. We are thrilled to support this campaign that encourages more people to visit Australia to discover the beauty and sophistication of our wine regions and enjoy a glass of fine Australian wine," Andreas Clark, CEO, Wine Australia said. All of Australia's states and territories are featured in the campaign with locations, products and experiences carefully chosen to resonate most strongly with high value American travellers looking to experience Australia. To explore all the elements of the campaign, please visit www.australia.com and www.australia.com/dundee. Links: Teaser One Teaser Two Teaser Three Cast Intro Trailer Big Game Trailer SOURCE Tourism Australia GUWAHATI, India, February 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Expanding its footprint all over India, Dalmia Bharat Cement has recently completed five years of its presence in North East with its commitment to being a part of the region's growth and development. Taking a step towards this commitment, Mr. Puneet Dalmia, Managing Director, Dalmia Bharat Limited is on a visit to the city to be a part of the Global Investors Summit - Advantage Assam. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150202/10115525 ) Speaking about his visit, Mr. Puneet Dalmia said, "Having an event like Advantage Assam will be beneficial for the state as more investors will explore the various opportunities Assam has to offer. We see a positive change in the attitude of how the government works, there is eagerness and proactive intent to attract investment. North East has rich natural resources and we must utilize it to the optimum, focusing more on organic products and preserving our green environment." Being one of the largest cement manufacturers in the country, and with a good stronghold in the region, Dalmia Bharat Cement feels the need of a few changes and believes that the Global Investment Summit will bring in the desired change. "This summit will make the government to think over its policies and in turn help ease of doing business in the country, particularly, North East. This will indeed bring some growth and development. We are planning to invest Rs.1,100 Cr. in the next 3 years," he further shared. Dalmia is planning a skill development institute under their CSR program to generate more skilled employment and promote development. Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd. Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited (DCBL), a subsidiary of Dalmia Bharat Limited (BSE Code: 533309|NSE Symbol: DALMIABHA and listed in MSE), is a leading player in cement manufacturing since 1939. It is one of the largest and most diverse cement companies in India and is the world's greenest cement company. With a growing capacity, currently at 25 MnT, Dalmia Bharat Cement is also the fourth largest manufacturing capacity in the country. Spread across eight states and 11 manufacturing units, the company is also the category leader in super-specialty cements used for oil wells, railway sleepers and air strips and is the country's largest producer of slag cement. Visit us at http://www.dalmiacement.com. The company has to its credit contributed to nation building having supplied cement in major quantities in the construction of the Dhola Sadia Bridge in Assam, the Chennai metro, the Kochi metro, etc. About Dalmia Bharat Group Dalmia Bharat Group (http://www.dalmiabharat.com) is a leading national player in India's core manufacturing sector since 1939. With a turnover of over 10,000 crore it has a leadership position in Cement, Sugar, Refractories. A leader in specialty cements and the country's largest producer of slag cement, Dalmia Bharat is the world's greenest cement company. And a leader in Sustainability best practices set to global benchmarks. In generic sugar, the group caters to several marquee brands. It has an enduring and growing customer base in refractories. Media Contact: Pooja Bharadwaj [email protected] +91-9560166999 Asst. General Manager Dalmia Bharat Limited SOURCE Dalmia Cement Bharat Limited (DCBL) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 97 tables and 52 figures spread through 160 pages and in-depth TOC on "Driveline Market for Electric & Hybrid Vehicle - Global Forecast to 2025" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/electric-hybrid-vehicle-driveline-market-235631222.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report The Driveline Market for Electric and Hybrid Vehicles is projected to grow due to key reasons such as increasing demand for electric and hybrid vehicle and advancement in driveline technologies such as E-CVT and E-axle. In power electronics, power control unit (PCU) is expected to show the fastest growth for electric and hybrid driveline A power control unit, a combination of converter & inverter to convert AC/DC power and to regulate the voltage, is a future technology which is likely to have a huge impact on the electric and hybrid vehicle driveline. In the present scenario, Toyota Prius is installed with a power control unit which is very compact, making it possible to install it directly above the transaxle and place the auxiliary battery in the engine room, which increases the interior space. Toyota is planning to equip more compact power control unit in Avalon hybrid by 2019. The market is projected to rise owing to key reasons such as rapid adoption of electronics components in automotive, which supports the growth of power control unit by near future. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=235631222 In transmission, E-CVT is expected to have the largest market over the forecast period E-CVT is an advanced technology which offers fuel saving compared to a traditional four-speed Automatic Transmission (AT). Regionally, the market for driveline by transmission type will vary according to the transmission preferences of consumers and the increasing sales of premium vehicles. E-CVT offers fuel saving over other transmission types, which makes E-CVT the most suitable for the Asian region. Some of the models with E-CVT are Toyota Camry Hybrid, Lexus CT200h, Lexus NX 300h, and GS 300h. Make an Inquiry: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=235631222 Government subsidies, large production and technological advancement in the field of electric and hybrid driveline would drive the driveline market for electric and hybrid vehicle in Asia Oceania Many governments around the world are challenged with declining air quality, and they set their own emission goals. They have been working to increase the market for electric and hybrid vehicles. To spur the sale of electric and hybrid vehicles, they have used emission regulations, public-private partnerships, incentives, and provided improved charging facilities. The Chinese government is providing acquisition tax and excise tax exemption (depending on engine displacement and price) (USD 5,100 to USD 8,700). China has the largest market for electric and hybrid driveline due to its large production and sales. Technological advancement in the field of electric and hybrid drivelines, such as regenerative braking, automatic start-stop, E-axle, E-drive, and an E-CVT are the major driving forces for the electric and hybrid driveline market. With the increase in demand for electrical and electronic devices in a vehicle, the automobile industry is continuously shifting toward a higher voltage power supply. High voltage power supply would require more efficient power electronics. Globally, various OEMs and Tier 1 players are contributing to the advancement of the power electronics technology. For example, Toyota developed a combined unit of converter and inverter called the Power Control Unit. The key market players are as ZF (Germany), Schaeffler (Germany), GKN (UK), BorgWarner (US), Robert Bosch (Germany). Other players covers in the report are Hitachi (Japan), Continental (Germany), Delphi (UK), Denso (Japan), and Valeo (France). Browse related reports: Vehicle Electrification Market by Product (Start-Stop, PTC, EPS, Electric Air-Conditioner, ISG, Starter Motor, Alternator, Actuator, Electric Pump-Vacuum, Oil & Water), 48V Mild-Hybrid, Degree of Hybridization, and Vehicle Type - Global Forecast to 2022 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/vehicle-electrification-market-224946587.html Hybrid System Market by System (Start-Stop, Regenerative Braking, EV Drive, eBoost), Component (Battery, DC/DC Converter, DC/AC Inverter, eMotor), Battery (Li-Ion, Lead Acid, NiMH), Vehicle (Mild Hybrid, HEV, PHEV, EV) - Global Forecast to 2022 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/hybrid-system-market-69130715.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. 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. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's 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. Contact: Mr. Rohan MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit Our Blog: http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/automotive-and-transportation Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets The report " Feldspar Market by Type (Plagioclase Feldspar, and K-Feldspar), End-Use (Glass, Ceramics, Fillers), and Region (Europe, North America, South America, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa) - Global Forecast to 2022" , published by MarketsandMarkets , the market is estimated to be USD 547.0 Million in 2017 and is projected to reach USD 745.7 Million by 2022, at a CAGR of 6.4% between 2017 and 2022. The market is witnessing high growth because of the increasing use of feldspar in glass, ceramics, and fillers end-use industries, and its growing demand from APAC and North America. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 69 tables and 19 figures spread through 92 pages and in-depth TOC on "Feldspar Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/feldspar-market-201399009.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report By type, the plagioclase feldspar segment accounted for the largest share of the Feldspar Market The plagioclase feldspar segment is estimated to be the largest type segment of the Feldspar Market and is also expected to dominate the Feldspar Market during the forecast period. The primary end-use of plagioclase feldspars is flat glass manufacturing, and the increasing demand for flat glass has positively impacted the demand for plagioclase feldspars. Get PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=201399009 By end-use, the glass segment is estimated to hold the largest share of the Feldspar Market during the forecast period Feldspar acts as a fluxing agent during the manufacturing of glass from quartz. The increasing demand for flat and hollow glass from the emerging markets, such as China and India, and the growing construction and automotive sectors in these countries will drive the demand for high-quality glass, thus catalyzing the demand for feldspars. APAC market to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period Among regions, APAC is the fastest-growing market for feldspar, with China being the largest and the fastest-growing Feldspar Market in this region. India, Thailand, South Korea, and Malaysia are the other key Feldspar Markets in APAC. Urbanization, growing population, and increasing investments in infrastructure projects are expected to drive the overall industrial growth in this region. The rising construction activities and infrastructure developments taking place in these countries will drive the demand for high-quality glass and ceramics, which will, in turn, increase the demand for feldspars. The major players active in the Feldspar Market are Eczacibasi Esan (Turkey), Micronized Group (South Africa), Imerys Minerals (UK), Sibelco Nordic (Norway), and The Quartz Corp. (France). The rise in demand from end-use industries is expected to increase the mining of feldspar by these companies. Inquiry Before Buying @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=201399009 Browse Related Reports Precious Metal Catalysts Market by Type (Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium, Iridium, Ruthenium) End-use Industry (Automobile, Pharmaceutical, Refinery), and Region - Global Forecast to 2022 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/precious-metal-catalysts-market-166753795.html Know More About our Knowledge Store @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Knowledgestore.asp About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. 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. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's 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. Contact: Mr. Rohan MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets PORTLAND, Oregon and PUNE, India, February 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, "Disposable Blood Bag Market by Product and End User: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2017-2023," the global disposable blood bag market was valued at $279 million in 2016, and is projected to reach $580 million by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 11.0% from 2017 to 2023. The volume of disposable blood bag market was 275 million units in 2016 and is expected to reach by 556 million units by 2023, registering a CAGR of 10.5%. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/636519/Allied_Market_Research_Logo.jpg ) Disposable blood bags are non-reusable medical bags designed for collection, transfusion, and storage of blood and blood products. These consist of tubes, clamps, and needles, and are manufactured using bio-compatible PVC material to store the blood for extended time periods. A disposable blood bag is used in blood banks, hospitals, NGOs, and government programs for blood donation activities. Request Sample Report at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/4211 Upsurge in incidence of accidents, trauma, and various blood related diseases; increase in awareness regarding blood donation among people and increase in number of blood transfusion surgeries worldwide are expected to drive the disposable blood bag market. However, risk factors associated with transfusion of blood in underdeveloped regions restrict this growth. Conversely, huge untapped market potential in the emerging countries, such as China and India, is expected to provide lucrative opportunities to the market players. The collection bag segment is anticipated to continue to lead the market throughout the analysis period, owing to increase in the number blood donations. In addition, high demand for blood and blood products in the developing regions due to increased utilization of healthcare services boosts the market growth. Hospital-based segment accounted for three-fourths revenue share in 2016. Furthermore, the stand-alone segment is anticipated to be the fastest growing end-user segment, in terms of value, from 2017 to 2023, owing to privatization of healthcare services in the developing regions. For Purchase Enquiry: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/4211 KEY FINDINGS OF THE STUDY In 2016, collection bag generated the highest revenue and accounted for more than two-thirds share of the global market. Transfer bag is expected to grow at a high CAGR, in terms of value, owing to increased number of blood transfusions around the world. LAMEA is projected to be the fastest growing disposable blood bag market during the analysis period, in terms of value as well as volume, followed by Asia-Pacific . . China and India are the major market shareholders in the Asia-Pacific Region. Based on region, the market was dominated by Europe and Asia-Pacific, and collectively accounted for approximately two-thirds share of the overall disposable blood bag market, in terms of value, in 2016. This was attributed to the availability of affordable medical treatments for several disease conditions, in countries such as China and India. However, LAMEA is the fastest growing region, owing to the increase in treatment success rates and the affordable price range of bags. The major companies profiled in the report include Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA, Terumo Corporation, Grifols, S.A, MacoPharma, S.A, HLL Lifecare Limited, Poly Medicure Limited, INNVOL Medical India Limited, Span Healthcare Private Limited, Haemonetics Corporation, and Neomedic International. Ask for discount before buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/get-discount/4211 About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: Dhananjay Potle 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States Toll Free: +1-800-792-5285 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1855550-5975 [email protected] Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com SOURCE Allied Market Research AHMEDABAD, India, February 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahmedabad is the first city to get 100 mbps No Data Restriction Plans GTPL Hathway, India's leading cable TV and broadband service provider, has launched high-speed broadband service in Ahmedabad on GPON FTTX technology, the most advanced technology adopted by global players. The company has upgraded its network to GPON FTTX technology to meet the consumer demand and started providing high-speed Internet connections of 40 Mbps and 100 Mbps plans with no data restriction in the price range of Rs. 635 - 763 per month excluding taxes. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/598543/GTPL_Hathway_Logo.jpg ) The company has launched 40 Mbps and 100 Mbps plans with options of annual and half-yearly subscription. Currently, the services are launched in Ahmedabad only, but there are plans to progressively launch in other key cities of Gujarat. "GTPL has been making continuous enhancement in its technological capabilities and deploying most advanced available technology in cable and broadband industry. Our deployment of the latest GPON FTTX technology has enabled us to provide a unique offering of high-speed 'no data restriction' Internet connectivity. This offer is a game changer and GTPL is proud to bring this to its valued customers," said Mr. Aniruddhasinhji Jadeja, Managing Director, GTPL Hathway. "With the launch of our new broadband plans, for the first time, customers in Ahmedabad will get 'Sach mein Unlimited' - a unique combination of high-speed connectivity at a reasonable price with no data restriction whatsoever. Currently, the company is offering 40 Mbps and 100 Mbps speed under this plan. However, the technology can provide up to 1 Gbps, if customer demands," added Mr. Jadeja. About GTPL Hathway Limited GTPL Hathway Limited is one of India's leading cable TV and broadband service providers. We are number 1 cable TV provider in Gujarat with 67% market share. Our digital cable television services reached 200 plus towns across India, including towns in Gujarat, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. As on September 30th, 2017, we have seeded approximately 8.3 million STBs and had approximately 7.1 million active digital cable subscribers and 0.26 million broadband subscribers with a home pass of about 1.15 million. For media queries, please contact: Piyush Pankaj Head - Investor Relations [email protected] +91-98113-21102 Mehul Mehta President - Dickenson Financial PR [email protected] +91-98202-80325 SOURCE GTPL Hathway Limited NEW DELHI and GHAZIABAD, India, February 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- IMT Ghaziabad (IMTG), India's premier management school with a distinct focus on grooming Leadership through Innovation, Execution and Social Responsibility, launches its 1st Innovation Day on February 3, 2018 at its campus; leapfrogs in pioneering to fill the void in the B-school space. Supported by StartUp India and associating with Knowledge Partners like DiPP, TiE-NCR, LetsVenture, etc., IMT Ghaziabad exhibited around 50 innovative project exhibitions by students who have undergone a full two credit compulsory course on Design Thinking and Innovation (DTI) and select start-ups on the event day along with hosting a combination of immersive workshops, panel discussions and expert Lec-Dem sessions. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161003/414849LOGO ) The inaugural session of the event was graced by the Chief Guest Mr. Sunil Goyal, COO, Sopra Steria & Co-Chair, NASSCOM, Regional Council. Extending a warm welcome to one and all, Dr. Poonam Garg, Professor, IMT Ghaziabad, said, "IMT Ghaziabad was established in 1980 with a vision of creating a practice based institution. Imbibing the philosophy of 'Doing' leads to 'Knowing', the institute, along with its various new courses, has introduced a one-of-its-kind required course on 'Design Thinking and Innovation' in its flagship two-year PGDM programme. As a part of the successful culmination of the course, the institute has organised IMTheInnovator, to provide students with a platform to showcase their select prototypes as also to interact with existing start-ups and the entrepreneurial eco-system." Setting the tone to the day-long event, Dr. Atish Chattopadhyay, Director, IMT Ghaziabad, said, "It gives me immense pleasure to say that IMTheInnovator comprises exhibitions by our students who have worked in teams to apply their practical knowledge and acumen derived from the concepts of Design Thinking, in solving real-world problems." Enunciating on pioneering in taking the lead to introduce a course of Design Thinking and Innovation with a rejigged curriculum in 2016, Dr. Chattopadhyay said, "Like Medicine, Management is an applied discipline. With introduction of courses like Design Thinking & Innovation, IMT Ghaziabad looks forward to groom future leaders who are skilled in creative problem solving, innovation, and human-centred 'Design Thinking'[email protected] Dr. Chattopadhyay also proposed that going forward IMT Ghaziabad would host IMTheInnovator, every year as one of the flagship annual event of the institute. Mr. Sunil Goyal, COO, Sopra Steria & Co-Chair, NASSCOM, Regional Council, during his inaugural address categorically hailed IMT Ghaziabad for introducing a required course on Design Thinking Innovation for the 2-year PGDM students, and said, "Design Thinking is fast changing the whole innovation process and it is exciting to see Design Thinking as a part of the MBA course at IMT Ghaziabad." He also said that while today there are still those corporates who have not adapted to Design Thinking, it's thrilling to see that amidst the academia which is always blamed from staying behind, IMT Ghaziabad stays ahead of time filling the void in the B-school space by introducing a course like this and coming out with such innovative initiative called IMTheInnovator. The inaugural session also had Dr. Ravikesh Srivastava, Dean-Academics, IMT Ghaziabad present in the ceremony. The day-long event also hosted fire-side chats and workshops on Raising your Seed/and or Angel Fund by Mr. Kashif Alam, Head, Investor Relationship and Partnership, LetsVenture; How Blockchain Tech Can Change the World by Mr. Harmeet Monga, Programme Head, Stashi Studios; and, Let's Your Content Speak Out by Ms. Aditi Syal, Founder, Vocaburry. The exhibitions by the students and start-ups, at IMTheInnovator were presented in front of the panels of expert jury members who adjudged the following teams as winners and runner-up. First Prize worth INR 50,000 was bagged by team We are the Change comprising first year PGDM students Namratha N Pai and Shreya Agrawal. The second prize worth INR 30,000 went to team Reusable Diapers comprising first year PGDM students Utkarsh Tripathi, Anurag Shukla, Sarthak Kumar, Richa Jain, Mayank Jain, Mudit Arora, Ishan Kulkarni, Parshvi Sindhu, and Shubhendu Saurabh. The third prize worth INR 20,000 was given to team CoCo -Gender Free Toys, comprising first year PGDM students Subhadeep Sen, Aditya Gupta, Tanuj Vatsal Gupta, Aayushi Agarwal, Sonali Mangla, Yash Jain and Yash Sayla. The prize money given was worth INR One Lac. Jury members comprised Mr. Rahul Agrawal, Sr. Vice President, Moserbaer; Mr. Rohit Swarup, Chairman, Innovation & Research Foundation; Ms. Aditi Syal, Founder, Vocaburry; Mr. Pramod Mishra, MD, PARC accelerator; Mr. Amanjot Malhotra, Founder, Actiwate; Ms. Bhawna Agarwal, Head NDTV Gadgets; Mr. Aman Sandhuja, Founder, Towardsblockchain; Mrs Rashmi Saxena, Technical Director, NIC; Mr. Harmeet Singh, Programme Head, Stashi Studios; Mr. Akshaansh Yadav, Senior Manager, Digital Products Zee Media; Mr. Manomoy Das, Associate Partner, Global Business Services, IBM; Mr. Premjit Lal, Director, NeGD, Ministry of Electronics & IT, GoI; Mr. Rahul Sachdev, Head, SAP University Alliance; Mr. Kashif Alam, Head, Investor Relationship and Partnership, LetsVenture; Mr. Nao Murakami, General Partner, Incubate Fund. The event was also graced by Shri Bakul Nath, Vice President & GC Member IMT; Shri Satish Kaura, CMD, Samtel Group & GC Member IMT; Shri Rajeev Karwal, Chairman, Milagrow, and GC Member IMT; Dr. Atish Chattopadhyay, Director, IMT Ghaziabad. The Vote of Thanks at the valedictory was delivered by Dr. Reema Khurana, Professor, IMT Ghaziabad. The Entrepreneurship Cell of IMT Ghaziabad coordinated in hosting the event. IMT Ghaziabad remains ever committed to promoting and harnessing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the institute. As IMT Ghaziabad believes that its curriculum allows each student to specifically develop entrepreneurial orientation and make them 'practise-oriented' and 'business-ready', the institute is plausibly the only B-school in the country to have an entrepreneurial immersion with start-ups spanning across six weeks for each student in the second year of the 2-year flagship PGDM programme. The institute also supports an an in-house startup Incubator, access to the entrepreneurial ecosystem & IMTG alumni as mentors. In addition, the institute provides a stipend of INR 35k/month for a period of 1 year and an option of deferred placements. IMTG is the only institute with a startup internship. About IMT Ghaziabad Established in 1980, Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad (IMTG) is India's premier AACSB accredited management school with a distinct focus on grooming Leadership through Innovation, Execution and Social Responsibility. An autonomous, not-for-profit institute, offering highly sought-after postgraduate programmes over the past more than three-and-a-half decades, IMTG currently offers four AICTE approved programmes - Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) Full Time, PGDM Executive, PGDM Part Time, and PGDM Dual Country Programme (DCP). While the first three programmes are offered at the IMTG campus in Ghaziabad, Delhi NCR, India, the PGDM DCP is offered in collaboration with IMT Dubai campus. The Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGPM) is the latest addition to the list which leads to PGDM Part Time. IMTG has been consistently ranked among the top management institutes of the country for its leadership, faculty, research, student selection process, curriculum, pedagogy, industry interface, internationalism, placements, and infrastructure. Today, IMTG is the proud alma mater of more than 300 C-suite executives and thousands of professionals serving in leadership positions in the best-known organisations in India and the world, in key business functions of Sales, Operations, Human Resources, Consulting, Information Technology, Marketing, and Finance among others. For more details, visit http://www.imt.edu. Media Contact: Himanshu Dandotiya [email protected] +91-9558808618 Manager - Digital Marketing Institute of Management Technology Ghaziabad SOURCE Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad (IMTG) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121012/567527 ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/637127/NIRA_Dynamics.jpg ) In the past winter 2016/2017, NIRA has collected friction data from a taxi fleet in Sweden and the results have been shared with Klimator and the Swedish road authority Trafikverket. The data was continously sent to a NIRA-server where it hase been processed to enable road condition monitoring in real time. NIRA and Klimator are now making the next step combining real-time vehicle data with Klimator's local road weather models transforming these into high resolution road condition forecasts. "We integrate both approaches to exchange data quickly and smoothly. Road services shall always have up-to-date and reliable information with unprecedented resolution, that means in real time and down to individual road segments", as David Askenteg, Project Manager RSI at NIRA explains. Through RSI, road services will be fighting ice and snow much more efficiently. "If you know exactly where and when it gets slippery, then you also know where and when to spread salt proactively - and where not. That gives a huge benefit for road safety and for the environment. You save cost for salt and can plan and use the resources more efficiently. But the key advantage remains safety, this is about saving lives on our roads", adds Torbjorn Gustavsson, CEO at Klimator. NIRA and Klimator are trying to spread RSI to more and more vehicles. Taxi and rental car companies as well as car fleet operators are of special interest to increase coverage of the road network. About NIRA: NIRA Dynamics, established 2001 with main office in Linkoping/Schweden, is specialized in sensor fusion and develops cost efficient safety and navigation solutions for the global vehicle industry. Among the customers are leading vehicle manufacturers as Audi, Volkswagen, Seat, Skoda, Volvo, Fiat and Renault. About Klimator: Klimator, established 1999, is a research and development company at the university of Gothenburg/Sweden which focuses on local road weather models. Contact: Johan Hagg, Head of Marketing & Sales Phone: +46-(0)-700-454056 Email: [email protected] SOURCE NIRA Dynamics AB According to a new market research report " OpenStack Service Market by Component (Solution, Service), Organization Size (Large Enterprises, Small & Medium Enterprises), Vertical (IT, Telecommunication, Academic & Research, BFSI, Retail & E-Commerce), and Region - Global Forecast to 2022 " , published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is expected to grow from USD 1.63 Billion in 2017 to USD 5.66 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 28.3% from 2017 to 2022. The market is primarily driven by the advantages offered by OpenStack services, such as fast and easy deployment, no compulsion of vendor lock-in, and wide community support. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 77 market data Tables and 39 Figures spread through 138 Pages and in-depth TOC on "OpenStack Service Market " https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/openstack-services-market-188374872.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report Based on component, the service segment is expected to witness a higher growth rate during the forecast period Based on component, the service segment of the OpenStack Service Market is expected to witness a higher growth rate than the solution segment from 2017 to 2022. The growth of the service segment is due to the growing need to simplify the maintenance, operation, and control of open source platforms. The high IT complexity of cloud has also supported the growth of services associated with the open source platform. The high cost of managing and monitoring enterprise-ready open source technologies is another factor driving the growth of the service segment. Based on organization size, the small & medium enterprises (SMEs) segment is expected to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period Based on organization size, the SMEs segment of the OpenStack Service Market is estimated to witness a higher growth rate than the large enterprises segment during the forecast period. SMEs have budget constraints on investing in IT infrastructure equipment, whereas implementing OpenStack infrastructure-as-a-service could save the additional costs incurred in purchasing licenses and supporting hardware. The benefits associated with the implementation of OpenStack service are expected to drive the adoption of OpenStack solutions by SMEs in the near future. Enquiry Before Buying @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=188374872 Based on vertical, the telecommunication segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period Based on vertical, the telecommunication segment of the OpenStack Service Market is expected to witness the highest growth in the coming years. This segment has accelerated the adoption of Network Function Virtualization (NFV) using OpenStack, to increase network agility and mitigate installation and management costs. North America is estimated to lead the OpenStack Service Market in 2017 North America is estimated to account for the largest share of the OpenStack Service Market in 2017. The growth of the North America OpenStack Service Market is primarily driven by the high adoption rate of latest technologies, such as cloud computing, Big Data, IoT, and business intelligence tools, by organizations in this region. The presence of key market players, such as Cisco Systems (US), Dell EMC (US), HPE (US), IBM (US), Mirantis (US), Oracle (US), Rackspace (US), Red Hat (US), and VMware (US), has also contributed to the growth of the OpenStack Service Market in this region. Some of the major OpenStack service vendors include Canonical (UK), Cisco Systems (US), Dell EMC (US), HPE (US), Huawei (China), IBM (US), Mirantis (US), Oracle (US), Rackspace (US), Red Hat (US), SUSE (Germany), and VMware (US). Browse Related Reports Data Center Virtualization Market by Type (Advisory & Implementation Services, Optimization Services, Managed Services, Technical Support Services), Organization Size (Large Enterprises, SMEs), Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2022 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/data-center-virtualization-market-66995679.html Cloud Migration Services Market by Service Type (DevOps, Disaster Recovery, Managed Services), Application (Project Management, Compliance & Security Management, Infrastructure Management), Deployment Model, Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2022 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/cloud-migration-service-market-266815130.html Know More About our Knowledge Store @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Knowledgestore.asp About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. 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. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's 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. Contact: Mr. Rohan MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit Our Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/telecom-it Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets BANGALORE, February 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Exclusive Option Agreement on ORX-301 for treating NPC and FSGS with the potential to reach over US$125 million in payments Oraxion Therapeutics, Inc., a spin-off from Aten Porus Lifesciences (Bangalore, India), today announced that it entered into an Option Agreement with a US-based Biopharmaceutical company. The agreement provides the Biopharma partner the exclusive option to license its lead asset ORX-301 for the treatment of Niemann-Pick Type C disorder (NPC) and Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). The total aggregate payments under the agreement have the potential to reach upwards of $125 million as well as typical royalties and associated sales milestone payments. "We are excited to be working with a partner that shares our vision to develop ORX-301 for NPC and FSGS. Our partner has expertise in rare diseases, with deep clinical development, regulatory experience and related capabilities. We look forward to seeing these promising programs yield important drugs that will benefit underserved patients around the globe," said Arun B Papaiah, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Oraxion Therapeutics, Inc. "We would also like to acknowledge the support from the Biotechnology Industry Research Association Council (BIRAC), an initiative of the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, for initial grant support for our work," he added. "We have confirmed the therapeutic efficacy of our lead compound, ORX-301, in the relevant preclinical models of these diseases and now plan to transfer the asset to our partner for clinical development," said Aditya Kulkarni, Ph.D., Founder & Chief Scientific Officer, Oraxion Therapeutics, Inc. "We're continually looking for opportunities to advance critical therapies to treat underserved disease targets such as NPC and FSGS, through novel technology, like ORX-301," said Tom Johnston, Chief Business Officer, Oraxion Therapeutics, Inc. "This deal is a validation of our science and our platform and will allow us to expand our pipeline of treatments with the potential to improve other health outcomes in areas of unmet medical need," said Srinivasan Namala, Founder and Director, Oraxion Therapeutics, Inc. About Niemann-Pick Type C Disorder (NPC) Niemann-Pick Type C disorder is a rare lysosomal storage disorder characterized by excess accumulation of cholesterol in organs, specifically, the spleen, liver and brain. Patients with the disease suffer from severe neurodegeneration, splenomegaly and hepatomegaly and have an extremely poor prognosis with most succumbing to it before the age of 20. NPC is almost always fatal with currently no clinically approved treatment and it affects 3000 patients worldwide. About Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis is a rare disease that attacks the kidney's filtering units (glomeruli) causing serious scarring which leads to permanent kidney damage and even failure. FSGS affects greater than 50,000 patients in the US and 5000 new patients diagnosed every year and is one of the causes of a serious condition known as Nephrotic Syndrome. Each kidney is made up of approximately one million tiny filters called glomeruli that filter the blood, taking out the water-like part which becomes urine and leaving the protein in the blood. When glomeruli become damaged or scarred (sclerosis), proteins begin leaking into the urine (proteinuria). The word "focal" is added because in FSGS, only some of the glomeruli filters become scarred. 'Segmental' means that only some sections of the glomerulus become scarred, just parts of them. About Oraxion Therapeutics, Inc., Oraxion Therapeutics, Inc. is focused on developing novel drugs for the treatment of rare lipid storage disorders. The company's platform is based on a novel polymer prodrug which is designed to capture and eventually clear excess cholesterol and lipids from target organs. The platform may open treatment possibilities for several other lipid storage disorders other than NPC and FSGS. Oraxion is a spin-off from Aten Porus Lifesciences, an early stage drug discovery company based in Bangalore, India. The company is so far funded privately and the early work at Aten Porus Lifesciences was supported by grants from Biotechnology Industry Research Association Council, an initiative by the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India. SOURCE Aten Porus Lifesciences Private Limited Industry experts host interactive briefing discussing insights on top challenges impacting the market SANTA CLARA, California, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan, the growth partnership company, announced today that it will host a live, complimentary Growth Innovation Leadership (GIL) briefing titled, "2018 Frost & Sullivan Predictions and Outlook for Digital Health," on Tuesday, February 22, 2018, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Central Time. The webinar will offer expert insight from Daniel Ruppar, Frost & Sullivan's Digital Health Global Director, with contributions by the analyst team. Digital Health is in an area of innovation, opportunity, and challenges in a continually evolving environment. The increased global dynamics in IT, advancements in virtual care, surprising ecosystem partnerships, and the development of new business models, will all be part of a progression in the healthcare value as we continue to move forward. "We currently are in a time of change in healthcare" noted Ruppar. "That so many great companies, innovators, payers, providers and consumers are looking at digital health related technologies and services as part of the solution to our challenges shows the promise they can bring in the market moving forward." The webinar will provide expert insight on how to prepare for the future and gain insight into the hot topics you need to be aware of to drive your business forward into the next era of healthcare. Join Frost & Sullivan's Digital Health experts in this exciting webinar, as they present insights on top issues impacting the Digital Health Market. The team will also offer specific perspectives on hot areas to watch this year. The presentation will be followed by a live Question & Answer session. Expert Insight You Will Not Want to Miss: Learn areas of growth and controversy for 2018 in digital health and health IT Discussions on hot areas including AI, Digital Therapeutics and Blockchain Movements of major ICT and Technology companies in their Healthcare strategy in their Healthcare strategy Understand the critical vendors to watch for this year For more information and to register for the webinar, click here. The event will also be recorded and available for on-demand viewing at http://frost.ly/1ti. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion For more information, visit ww2.frost.com or call +1 (877) 463-7678. Press Contact: Mariana Fernandez Frost & Sullivan +1 (210) 348.1012 [email protected] Related Links http://www.frost.com SOURCE Frost & Sullivan The report " Variable Speed Generator Market by Type (Permanent Magnet, Doubly Fed Induction, Self-Excitation Induction, Wound Rotor Induction), Prime Mover (Wind, Hydro, Steam & Gas Turbine, Ic Engine), Technology, Power, End-User, Region - Global Forecast to 2022" , published by MarketsandMarkets, the global market is projected to reach USD 8.36 billion by 2022. The Variable Speed Generator Market is expected to grow from an estimated USD 5.79 billion in 2017 to USD 8.36 billion by 2022, registering a CAGR of 7.63% during the forecast period. This growth is primarily due to the increasing emphasis on alternative energy production, increasing government mandates over energy efficiency, and growing industrialization and urbanization. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 69 market data Tables and 36 Figures spread through 154 Pages and in-depth TOC on, "Variable Speed Generator Market - Global Forecast to 2022" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/variable-speed-generator-market-200865761.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report On the basis of end user, the renewable power generation segment is expected to hold the largest share of the market The renewable power generation segment dominated the market in 2016 and is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The most important advantage of variable speed generators in wind power generation is that they allow the turbine to increase or decrease speed as the wind speed varies as the actual power available in the wind increases three times with a single-fold increase in wind speed. Turbines, which operate within a narrow speed range, cannot effectively use wind speeds, causing the generator to exceed the synchronous speed. Therefore, in such cases, the range within which the wind power can be effectively harnessed is reduced. Variable speed generators can be loaded to maximum wind energy conversion over a wide speed range. The wind speed cube law can be used to an advantage by allowing the turbine to achieve maximum power points at various wind speeds, optimizing the turbine-generator efficiency. In concentrated solar power generation (solar thermal), the use of variable speed generators results in achieving greater plant efficiency and an expanded operating range. Above the threshold pressure, a steam turbine can produce sufficient torque to drive the rotor of the variable speed generator, increasing the capacity utilization factor of the solar thermal plant and making the project cost-effective. Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=200865761 The internal combustion engine segment is expected to be the fastest-growing segment of the market With regards to the prime mover segment, internal combustion engine driven variable speed generators are expected to constitute the fastest growing market from 2017 to 2022. The market is primarily driven by the increasing investments in aerospace, marine, and shipbuilding industry. The implementation of variable speed gensets reduces the operation and maintenance cost of the internal combustion engines. These gensets have 20-30% less fuel consumption and optimal running efficiency at variable load. Asia Pacific: A leading market for variable speed generators In this report, the Variable Speed Generator Market has been analyzed with respect to five regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and the Middle East and Africa. Asia Pacific is expected to account for the largest market share of the global Variable Speed Generator Market in 2017. Increasing urbanization and industrialization in this region are leading to the higher demand for power. To cater to this demand and meet the energy efficiency mandates, the countries are focusing on power generation through renewable energy sources. Offshore wind forms an integral part of the renewable-based power generation. Moreover, favorable supportive schemes, investments in grid infrastructure to maximize power generation from wind, and foreign direct investment would attract investors to the wind power industry. Hence, increasing consumption of energy followed by an increase in investments in renewable energy, rapid growth of data centers, and growth of IT hubs and commercial sectors such as malls and hospitals are driving the Variable Speed Generator Market in Asia Pacific. Make an Inquiry @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=200865761 To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes the profiles of some of the top players in the Variable Speed Generator Market. These players include ABB (Switzerland), GE (US), Siemens (Germany), Wartsila (Finland), Cummins (US), and Rolls Royce (UK). The leading players are trying to make inroads in the markets in the developed economies and are adopting various strategies to increase their market shares. Browse Related Reports: Portable Generator Market by Fuel Type (Gasoline, Diesel, Gas), Application (Emergency, Continuous), Power Rating (<5 kW, 5-10 kW, > 10 kW), End-User (Residential, Commercial, Industrial), and Region - Global Forecast to 2022 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/portable-generator-market-195875841.html Power Plant Control System Market by Solution (SCADA, PLC, DCS), Application (Boiler, Turbine, Generator, Balance of Plant, Reactor), Component, Plant Type (Coal, Natural Gas, Hydroelectric, Nuclear, Oil, Renewables), and Region - Global Forecast to 2022 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/power-plant-control-system-market-30726243.html Subscribe Reports from Energy & Power Domain @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Knowledgestore.asp About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. 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. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's 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. Contact: Mr. Rohan MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit Our Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/energy-and-power Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets Established more than a decade ago, TMI Awards for Innovation & Excellence are the quality benchmark for the global treasury profession, formally recognizing banks, vendors, consultants and practitioners as they forge new pathways and cultivate best practices in treasury management. Openlink won the 2016 TMI Award for "Best Treasury Analytics Solution." The 2017 award recognizes Openlink's continued growth in the corporate treasury and risk management market, evidenced by a diverse client base that includes commodity-intensive corporations in the oil & gas, transportation and food & beverage industries. As a preferred provider to corporate treasurers, Openlink is helping clients boost efficiency, accuracy, transparency and speed in their commodity trading, treasury and enterprise risk management functions, including cash and credit management. "We would like to sincerely congratulate Openlink on winning the 2017 TMI Award for Best Risk Management Solution in our Technology Innovation category," said Robin Page, CEO and publisher of TMI. "A strong nomination highlighted Openlink's impressive proactive approach to risk, allowing the modern treasurer to access innovative solutions to everyday problems. Well done." Uniquely positioned among other treasury management solution providers, Openlink's Findur platform does not rely on bolt-on or third party applications to manage commodities, market risk, and credit in real time. Recent enhancements in Findur v16.1 span payment authorization, enterprise risk and credit management, and a more flexible work environment to handle higher volumes. "In a world marked by constant fluctuations in currency and commodity pricing, and other unpredictable events, Openlink aims to raise the bar for what corporate treasurers and CFOs can expect from a treasury and risk management solution," said Bernard Delahaye, chief revenue officer for Openlink in EMEA. "We are pleased to be recognized by TMI for helping our clients make better decisions because they see previously hidden strengths and opportunities across functions and beneath the surface." TMI hosted an awards ceremony in London on February 1, 2018. About Openlink For more than 25 years, Openlink (www.openlink.com) has been providing trading, treasury and risk management solutions for the world's most sophisticated commodity, energy, corporate and financial services organizations. Openlink's innovative, award-winning solutions help clients break down organizational silos and instantaneously connect trading, risk and treasury across multiple asset classes and throughout the front, middle and back offices. The Openlink Cloud platform and its advanced analytics capabilities enable clients to make better decisions from data, seize market opportunities, and mitigate risk. Openlink is proud to support more than 38,000 users working for more than 600 clients, including 13 central banks, 12 of the world's largest commodity/energy companies, and nine of the largest financial institutions. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/637473/Openlink_TMI_Award.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/632056/Openlink_Financial_LLC_Logo.jpg Related Links http://www.openlink.com SOURCE Openlink Winners Will Be Eligible For Up To $2 Million in Seed Financing, Potentially Millions More in Series A Venture Capital Three Finalists Will Also Share $20,000 in Prize Money FULTON, Maryland, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- DataTribe, a cybersecurity startup studio, announced today that it is launching the DataTribe Cyber Crucible, a competition to identify high-technology startups with a vision to disrupt cybersecurity and data science. The three finalists will split $20,000 in prize money, and one may receive up to $2 million in seed capital from DataTribe. This could be followed by up to $6.5 million in Series A venture funding from DataTribe and AllegisCyber, a Silicon Valley-based cybersecurity venture capital firm. Startups with less than $1.2 million in seed financing are eligible to apply. DataTribe's Next Big Investment Opportunity "This is an excellent opportunity for early-stage, elite cybersecurity and data science startups to develop further traction and move into the mainstream of the venture capital funding process," said Mike Janke, a DataTribe co-founder. "This experience will provide them with a roadmap for the initial stages of launching a cyber startup with a commercial product." "For DataTribe itself, this is an opportunity to identify our next big thing," added Bob Ackerman, Founder and Managing Director of AllegisCyber Venture Firm and co-founder of DataTribe. DataTribe has already built a unique reputation as a partner with elite engineering teams at the cutting edge of innovation, typically leveraging their experience at national security agencies or government labs. DataTribe's mission is to advance the state of the art in cybersecurity and data science. Competition Guidelines All contestants must have already developed a robust concept or initiated development of a minimal viable product (MVP) i.e., a product developed with sufficient features to entice early adopters. Preference will be given to early-stage startups based in a Five Eyes nation (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States) and with experience working in national security, defense, national laboratories, or at cybersecurity and data science R&D organizations. Contestants with appropriate commercial experience will also be given extra consideration, but commercial experience is not required. Contestants have until March 23 to apply at www.datatribe.com/go/cybercrucible/. DataTribe will review submissions for technical merit, market potential, and readiness of the team. On April 2, DataTribe will announce up to three finalists. These teams will then have three weeks to refine their pitch and prepare for final judging, with assistance from the DataTribe's team of startup veterans. Finalists will present a pitch and answer questions from judges on April 25 at DataTribe Headquarters in Fulton, MD. The judging panel includes Mike Aiello, Google's Product Manager for Privacy and Data Protection; Tony Cole, global Government CTO at FireEye; John N Stewart, Chief Security and Trust Officer at CISCO; Daniel Weinand, co-founder of Shopify, the large publicly-traded provider of ecommerce solutions; Mike Janke, co-founder of DataTribe and six-time company founder; Bob Ackerman, founder and managing director of AllegisCyber; and Steven Witt, co-founder of DataTribe and past CEO of Onyara. Finalists will share a prize pool of $20,000, and will be considered by DataTribe for up to $2 million in seed funding, and approximately another $1 million in in-kind support services. Several DataTribe-backed companies have gathered media headlines recently, such as Dragos, the industrial cyber security company, which made headlines over CRASHOVERRIDE and TRISIS. Other DataTribe portfolio companies, include: Enveil; which was the runner-up at last year's RSA Innovation Sandbox competition and, ReFirm Labs; recently featured on Fox News, Washington Post and Fortune for Firmware vulnerability disclosures. About DataTribe DataTribe was launched in 2015 with the vision of empowering technologists in the Washington, D.C. region to build and grow successful cybersecurity companies. Founded by leading investors, startup veterans and alumni of the U.S. intelligence community, DataTribe commits capital, in-kind business services and decades of professional expertise to co-build the next generation of cybersecurity, big data and analytics companies. DataTribe is headquartered in Fulton, MD, with offices in San Francisco, CA. For more information, visit https://datatribe.com. Competition contact: Jennifer Izquierdo 443-402-5707 or Contest@datatribe.com To submit an application and access requirements go to DataTribe.com/go/cybercrucible Media Contact: Jennifer Jones jennifer@jenniferjones.com 650-465-5831 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/637487/DataTribe_Logo.jpg Related Links https://datatribe.com/ SOURCE DataTribe If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here New Delhi, Feb 1 : Actor-TV host Maniesh Paul says he will not essay a Sikh character in the Hindi remake of the Punjabi film "Jatt & Juliet". "So, in the remake of 'Jatt & Juliet' which I am doing, I am not playing a Sikh. It's a different character. Let's see how it shapes up," Maniesh told IANS in a recorded response from Mumbai. "Jatt & Juliet" is a Punjabi romantic comedy directed by Anurag Singh. The film stars Diljit Dosanjh opposite Neeru Bajwa. The film follows the story of Fateh Singh who wants to marry a Canadian. He meets Pooja, who wants to study in Canada. Though they don't get along initially, they soon find themselves drawn to each other. Maniesh will next be seen in the action-comedy "Baa Baaa Black Sheep", which also stars Anupam Kher, Annu Kapoor, Manjari Fadnis and Kay Kay Menon. The film is set to release on March 9. Srinagar, Feb 2 : Authorities imposed restrictions in Srinagar and Shopian districts on Friday to prevent a separatist-called march in protest of the killing of five civilians over the last few days. Police said restrictions under section 144 of the Code Of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) have been imposed in Rainawari, Nowhatta, M.R.Gunj, Safakadal, Khanyar, Maisuma and Kralkhud in Srinagar. The District Magistrate has also imposed restrictions in the Shopian town to maintain law and order. Separatist conglomerate, Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) headed by Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik, have called for the protest march to Shopian to express solidarity with the people there. The march was called after five persons were killed in the Shopian district in violent incidents. Three civilians were killed in army firing in Ganowpora village on January 27, when a stone-pelting mob attacked an army convoy in the village. A 10-year-old boy died in a hospital on Thursday after he was injured in an explosion on January 25 when a debris clearing operation was in progress in the Shaigam village . While another civilian was killed on January 24, in a gunfight between security forces and militants in Shaigam village. Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were deployed in large numbers to maintain law and order in sensitive areas in old city area. Security forces have also been deployed in strength in south Kashmir's Shopian town. Kolkata, Feb 2 : Citing BJP's defeat in two parliamentary and an assembly bypoll in Rajasthan, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday claimed that the party would suffer a massive loss in 2019 Lok Sabha elections and become extinct. "Everyone has seen the result in Rajasthan yesterday (Thursday). BJP has suffered a huge loss. They would suffer such a massive defeat in 2019, that no one would be able to find them even with binoculars," Banerjee said at a public meeting in Howrah. "In West Bengal we are in the number one position by far. Even if the three opposition parties (Left, Congress and BJP) come together, they still would not be able to come close to us," she claimed. Banerjee also dubbed the Union Budget for 2018-19 as a "nervous budget" and ridiculed centre's National Bamboo Mission (NBM) and the newly introduced GOBAR-DHAN scheme. "The central government is full of lies. It has become nervous. Their nervousness is reflected in the (union) Budget," the Trinamool Congress supremo said. "Crores of rupees has been allotted for a certain bamboo mission.How did they come up with such an idea? Does it mean that anybody who protests against the government would be beaten up with a bamboo stick?" she mocked. Accusing the centre of not taking any constructive steps to improve the situation of the farmers, Banerjee said she was shocked after hearing about centre's new GOBAR-DHAN scheme for solid waste management. "Centre has come up with GOBAR-DHAN scheme where they have people asked to store the cattle dung and consider it as property. Property should be kept in banks. I want to know if they are also planning to open banks for storing cattle dung?" she questioned. The centre has allocated Rs 1,290 crore for a restructured National Bamboo Mission (NBM) in the current budget while it has also proposed a scheme calledA 'Galvanising Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan' (GOBAR-DHAN) for the management and conversion of cattle dung and solid waste in farms to compost, fertiliser, and bio-CNG. Banerjee also dubbed the national health mission a "hoax" and also accused the centre of reducing and stopping funds for certain schemes. "The government cannot do anything constructive. They are busy killing people. They have also reduced the fund for mid-day meal and cut down the funds for minority community from Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 1,000 crore." "The national health mission is also a hoax. The fund is empty," she alleged. About the recent bypollsin West Bengal where Trinamool has achieved landslide victory, she also took a dig at the Left Front and Congress in the state. "CPI-M and Congress have no shame even after loosing in such a big margin. They are completely shameless. Their only job is to abuse the Trianmool Congress. The more they would blindly oppose us the more disconnected from people they would become. People will not forgive them," she added. New York, Feb 3 : Actress Rose McGowan, who has been promoting her new memoir "Brave", has cancelled all her upcoming appearances after getting into a heated confrontation with a transgender during her first book signing here. The incident happened at Barnes & Noble on Wednesday, reports pagesix.com. On Friday, McGowan tweeted: "I am canceling upcoming public appearances because I have given enough. I have given beauty, in return I was verbally assaulted for two full minutes @BNBuzz by an actor paid to verbally assault a woman who has been terrorised by your system. "And no one in that room did anything. And everyone from my publicists, assistants, managers and every person sitting in their chairs frozen by their weakness, a weakness called complicity. The truth is you all failed me. Again. And again. And again." According to a report in pagesix.com, the fight began when the transgender woman asked McGowan about comments she had made on RuPaul's "What's the Tee?" podcast in July. "Trans women are dying and you said that we, as trans women, are not like regular women," the woman told her. "We get raped more often. We go through domestic violence more often. There was a trans woman killed here a few blocks (away). I have been followed home A" McGowan interrupted her to say, "Hold on. So am I. We are the same. My point was, we are the same. There's an entire show called ID channel, a network, dedicated to women getting abused, murdered, sexualised, violated, and you're a part of that, too, sister. It's the same." The situation escalated when the woman asked what McGowan had done for transgender women. "Don't label me, sister," McGowan said, adding "I do not subscribe to your rules. I do not subscribe to your language. You will not put labels on me or anybody. Step the f**k back."The woman was escorted out by security. On Thursday, during a panel discussion with Ronan Farrow, McGowan, who was one of the first women to accuse Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of rape, alleged that the woman was a plant from Weinstein's camp. A representative for Weinstein told Page Six on Friday that those claims are "absolutely, 100 percent false". Washington, Feb 3 : US President Donald Trump's pick to be US Ambassador to Singapore, K.T. McFarland, has withdrawn her ambassadorial nomination after it had stalled in the Senate, a White House official said. McFarland's nomination had become embroiled in controversy over the Trump campaign's contacts with Russian officials, the New York Times reported. Some senators doubted her answers when she was asked about her knowledge of the discussions between fired National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and then Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. "Unfortunately, some Democrats chose to play politics rather than move forward with a qualified nominee for a critically important post," Trump said in a statement. The Senate eventually sent her nomination back to the White House at the end of 2017 and the White House decided to re-nominate the former deputy National Security Adviser in January despite warnings from Democrats that they were unlikely to support her. McFarland, who formerly served as a commentator on Fox News, has long been controversial, the Times reported. When she ran in 2006 for the US Senate seat then held by Hillary Clinton, McFarland was found to have made multiple exaggerations about her rAsumA. Her opponent in the Republican primary race, John Spencer, routinely pointed out that McFarland had once claimed that helicopters were spying on her at Clinton's request. New Delhi : Title: Trust No Aunty; Author: Maria Qamar; Publisher: Touchstone: Pages: 178; Price: Rs 599 If you're a brown woman -- of any age group, living in any part of the world -- you have my sympathies. Because we are burdened with a lot of contradictory expectations. Like being pretty but not sexy, to excel at work but be home on time, be friendly to everybody but not over-friendly. And our biological clock is ticking but sex is taboo. And unlike our counterparts around the world, who have to face all this from society at large, we, the brown women, see these enforced by a specific breed of people -- the Aunties. "Aunty is a cross-cultural phenomenon that isn't limited to a family member; she could be a neighbour, a family friend, or just some lady on the bus who wants to throw some casual black magic your way," writes Pakistani-Canadian pop artist Maria Qamar in the prelude to her debut book "Trust No Aunty". Filled with colourful illustrations, the book is flush with information and insights on how to deal with everything that comes with being desi in a foreign land but, most importantly, how to survive the onslaught of Aunties -- who are everywhere. And unlike most stories about the diaspora that have a grim undertone, "Trust No Aunty" addresses these issues in a hilarious way. Though it basically talks about issues a brown woman faces in the West, everyone can relate to it. The book traces different kinds of aunties through the life of the writer, who calls herself an aunty-survivor, and has tips on how to outsmart them. But not all of Qamar's Aunties are bad. Some are harmless and, wait for it, even cool. Qamar, known as Hatecopy on Instagram where she is famous for her art that pokes fun at South Asian culture, shares laugh-out-loud anecdotes from her life -- like that time she hid a boy in her closet and lived to tell the tale -- and how to deal with such situations. She throws up scenarios all of us are at some point meant to encounter and then adds a rookie move -- which you are not supposed to take -- and a boss move -- the one you should. From picking up restaurants to go on a date with your white boyfriend where you won't be caught by any of your Aunties, to recipes for cheap food that's not noodles, to tricks on how to dodge a chappal, the book is full of tounge-in-cheek advice that will make your life much easier and free of drama. On the outside, it's just a book of funny illustrations with funnier advice and sometimes even gets stereotypical but deep down, it's important. The book is essentially a survival guide, which tells you how not to lose the plot even though everybody tells you otherwise. It addresses racism, colourism, shadism, classism, patriarchy and everything wrong with society. And Qamar's target is not just the desis -- she also hits out at whites for cultural appropriation. Like how wearing a bindi for Halloween is not cool. It's not a life-changing or live-saving book, but it's a fun book to pick up on a bad day at work -- or life generally -- and just laugh at the stupidity of it all. (Himani Kothari can be contacted at himani.k@ians.in) Male, Feb 4 : Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen has appealed to all citizens to exercise patience and put forward national interest at the present time of crisis, a statement from his office said on Sunday. Underscoring that the President is Head of State in the Maldives, Yameen appealed to law enforcement agencies and the Maldivian people, to have faith in the office towards implementing the recent Supreme Court's ruling, in line with the laws of the nation, Xinhua reported. The President also said he is ready to advance the Presidential election due in September, to test his and the opposition's popularity. Yameen further noted that his administration was currently in consultations with the Supreme Court in order to implement the court's ruling within proper rules and procedure. He also reiterated that his priority was ensuring peace and stability within the Maldives and its people. The Maldivian Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the immediate release of all high-profile prisoners, including former President Mohamed Nasheed and former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb. The court said in a brief statement that the prisoners must be freed until fair trials could be conducted without undue influence. Since then clashes have erupted in the capital, with opposition supporters calling for the release of the detainees. Nasheed, who was elected into office in 2008, was ousted in a coup in February 2012. He was sentenced to 13 years in jail in 2015 on terrorism charges after allegedly ordering the arrest of a judge during his presidency. Bengaluru, Feb 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will make sure Karnataka is "Congress-free" after the upcoming elections. "The countdown for the Congress to be dispelled from the state has begun. We will make sure Karnataka is Congress-free," Modi said at a party rally here. The Prime Minister was on a day-long visit to the city to address the event that marks the culmination of the party's 90-day rally across the districts of Karnataka. "The BJP will take Karnataka to new heights on the path of development." In an attempt to please the people at the rally, the Prime Minister delivered the first few lines of his address in Kannada. Having landed at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Airport in the afternoon, the Prime Minister was flown to the venue in a chopper. Thousands of youth and IT professionals from the city, along with several farmers and citizens from across the state, attended the event at the sprawling Palace Grounds. Named "Nava Karnataka Nirmana Parivartana Yatra" (journey to build a new Karnataka), the rally across 224 assembly constituencies of the state was flagged off on November 2 by the party's national President Amit Shah here. The rally, to bring the BJP back to power in the southern state on the plank of transforming it through development, was led by its state unit president and former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and the party's other state leaders. Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar and Piyush Goyal who are in-charge of the BJP poll campaign in Karnataka, Ananth Kumar, D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Ananthkumar Hegde who hail from the state, were also at the event. Legislative assembly elections in Karnataka are due in April-May. The BJP came to power on its own for the first time in 2008 but lost to the Congress after five years in the May 2013 election. Seoul, Feb 5 : South Korean authorities on Monday welcomed North Korea's plan to send its ceremonial head of state who will lead a 22-member delegation to the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games, saying it shows Pyongyang's sincere efforts to improve inter-Korean ties. "We believe it reflects North Korea's determination to improve the South Korea-North Korea relationship and make the Olympic Games successful and that the North has shown sincere and earnest efforts toward such an end," Cheong Wa Dae (presidential office) spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told a press briefing. The remarks came a day after North Korea notified Seoul that Kim Yong-nam, 90, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, will head a high-level delegation to the Winter Olympic Games slated to be held in the South from February 9 to 25, reports Yonhap News Agency. The North Korean delegation will include three delegates and 18 supporting officials. Baik Tae-hyun, Seoul's unification ministry spokesman, said the South Korean government will prepare to let the North Korean delegation attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics as well as other competitions and events, while preparing to make it possible for high-ranking officials from the two Koreas to hold talks, reports Xinhua news agency. The North Korean art troupe planned to visit South Korea by sea for performances during the Winter Olympic period, Baik said. Pyongyang also notified Seoul of its plan to send the 140-member Samjiyon orchestra on the Mangyongbong-92 ferry on Tuesday and use the vessel as an accommodation for the art troupe, the spokesman said. The Samjiyon orchestra will hold two concerts -- one in Gangneung, an eastern city near PyeongChang, on Thursday and the other in Seoul on Sunday. During the high-level inter-Korean talks in January, North Korea agreed to dispatch its athletes, a cheering squad and an art troupe to the Winter Olympics. Chandigarh, Feb 5 : Senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former Minister Ajit Singh Kohar has passed away in Jalandhar following a heart attack, family sources said on Monday. Kohar was 78. He was the sitting legislator from Shahkot assembly seat in Jalandhar district. Family sources said that Kohar felt uneasiness after having dinner and was rushed to a private hospital in Jalandhar, around 155 km from here, where doctors declared him dead. He remained Minister for Transport in the Akali Dal-BJP alliance government in the state from 2007-2012. Kohar won his Shahkot seat in the assembly polls held in 2017 despite the Congress sweeping the elections. Washington, Feb 5 : A top Democrat has warned that the Republicans may be setting the stage for a "constitutional crisis" if they use the Nunes memo to end the special counsel's probe into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, the media reported. "To say that that's the end of the investigation, that this is all that (President) Donald Trump needs to fire (Deputy Attorney General Rod) Rosenstein or to fire (special counsel Robert) Mueller, I'll just tell you, this could precipitate a constitutional crisis," Senator Dick Durbin told CNN on Sunday. On February 4, the Republicans released the four-page memo that alleges an abuse of power by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in its investigation into the Russian meddling, after Trump declassified the document and accused top officials of bias. The House Intelligence Committee chairman, Devin Nunes, published the memo minutes after the President's approval, despite a warning from the Department of Justice that it would be a "reckless" act. "If House Republicans believe that they've set the stage for this President to end this investigation, they are basically saying that in America, one man is above the law, and that's not a fact," Durbin told CNN. Last month, The New York Times reported that Trump tried to fire Mueller in June 2017, though Trump denies this. On February 4, Trump refused to say whether he would fire Rosenstein, who oversees the Russia investigation. "You figure that one out," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about Rosenstein's potential termination. When asked about Rosenstein's potential firing, White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah told CNN that "no changes are going to be made" at the Justice Department. White House spokesman Hogan Gidley made similar remarks. When asked if there were conversations about possibly firing Rosenstein, Gidley said: "No, not to my knowledge." The firing of Mueller or Rosenstein would be "an extreme event" that "could lead to a confrontation we do not need in America", Durbin told CNN on Sunday. Durbin would not predict how Democrats would react if either official is fired, but stressed that Republicans would have to "stand up for the rule of law" in such a scenario. "We understand what the Constitution says we must do, and that is hold everyone in the United States, including the President of the United States, accountable if they've violated the law," the top Democrat added. Shimla, Feb 5 : A new protocol to treat rabid dog bite patients can prove to be a major breakthrough that even the WHO recommends it as one of the least expensive therapies in the world, cutting costs almost a 100 times. For a single treatment, the price worldwide was expected to reach just a few dollars. "It's a revolutionary treatment that drastically reduces the dose of medicine," Omesh Kumar Bharti, a field epidemiologist with the Himachal Pradesh government, told IANS. He added, "so is the cost of treatment that would drastically cut to just Rs 350 ($5.50) from the exiting Rs 35,000 ($545) per patient". The last week's World Health Organisation (WHO) update on rabies vaccines and immunoglobulins acknowledged the new low-cost treatment protocol established by Bharti, who is working at Intra Dermal Anti-Rabies Clinic and Research Centre of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital here. As per earlier WHO guidelines, a dog or monkey bite victim was administered a vaccine intradermally along with rabies immunoglobulins that was injected both in the wound and muscle. The rabies immunoglobulins were calculated as per the patient's body weight, which was a costly proposition. While the vaccine part almost remains the same, the WHO new update involves injecting rabies immunoglobulins only in the wound. The rabies immunoglobulins neutralise the rabies virus in the wound within hours. The omission of rabies immunoglobulins administration intramuscularly would drastically reduce the cost of treatment from Rs 35,000 to Rs 350 per patient and will have a huge impact globally by sparing the overall cost, medicine and thus saving lives, Bharti explained. At present over $1.6 billion are annually spent on the rabies post-exposure prophylaxis across the globe, which is likely to come down to few million dollars as over 90 per cent of this cost is attributed to rabies immunoglobulins to be given as per the earlier WHO protocol that came in 1992. Around 59,000 persons die of rabies globally every year, out of which 20,000 deaths are reported in India alone. Most of these deaths occur due to unaffordability and unavailability of the medicine. The WHO update is based on recommendations of its Strategic Advisory Group of Experts committee, which met in Geneva in October 2017, and quoted Bharti's research papers, co-authored by late S.N. Madhusudana, head of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Rabies Research in National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru, and Henry Wilde, a WHO consultant in Thailand. "We started practical research on administering rabies immunoglobulins in wound only in 2014 amidst acute shortage of this lifesaving medicine, with technical support of WHO Collaborating Centre on Rabies Research in NIMHANS," he said. "We administered the anti-rabies vaccine intradermally as earlier along with local rabies immunoglobulins infiltration into wounds. We found that even the lab confirmed rabid dog bite victims survived without any adverse impact," Bharti said. It took 17 years for Bharti to conceptualise and implement the practical work in 2014, based on available literature review. "What sensitised me towards the cause was that while there was shortage of lifesaving rabies immunoglobulins, its cost too was unaffordable for victims of dog and monkey bites, who were mainly the poor. "I saw some deaths also, where victims got vaccine, but didn't get rabies immunoglobulins," Bharti, who is also the state master trainer for intradermal anti-rabies vaccination. Annually, the Intra-Dermal Anti-Rabies Clinic and Research Centre in Shimla gets more than 3,000 animal bite patients and 40 per cent of them are monkey bite cases. All the rabies prophylaxis is given free at the research centre, based on this new low cost protocol started in 2014, which has now been endorsed by the WHO. (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) New Delhi, Feb 5 : The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Monday after paying tributes to Hukum Singh, BJP MP from Kairana in Uttar Pradesh, who died on Saturday. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan read the condolence message for Hukum Singh, after which she adjourned the House for the day as a mark of respect. Earlier, two new members who won bypolls in Rajasthan and one from West Bengal took oath in the House. The new members included Karan Singh Yadav, who got elected from Alwar, and Raghu Sharma, who was elected from Ajmer, as well as Sajda Ahmed, who won from Uluberia in West Bengal. The Lower House has had only two working days since the first half of Budget Session started on January 29. The House met for a brief while on January 29 after the President's address to a joint sitting of Parliament, and on February 1 when the Budget was presented. While January 30 and 31 were holidays, on February 2 the House remained adjourned for the day as sitting BJP MP from Maharashtra Chintaman Wanaga passed away in New Delhi. The Budget Session will go on a break on February 9. Seoul, Feb 5 : Hollywood actor Chadwick Boseman, whose role in the film "Black Panther" is that of a leader and superhero, says leaders are often "misunderstood". Directed by Ryan Coogler, the film has been hailed as a fresh superhero take and the most political movie yet from the house of Marvel Studios as it addresses issues like identity, diversity, inclusion and history. "Black Panther" is about a prince of a fictitious African nation of Wakanda who becomes a superhero known as Black Panther. Present here at a press conference, Boseman, who plays T'Challa in the film, told media: "The idea that T'Challa is the leader of a nation that is most technologically advanced on the continent of Africa... It's an intriguing notion to a lot of people. In fact, it points to history of Africa which we sort of combined. "As far as the character is concerned, he is a leader and also a superhero. He is facing the consequences that world leaders usually have to deal with. "Leaders are usually misunderstood because they have more information and there are reasons why you made a decision that you made. People very often accuse them of not taking the action they expect them to take. T'Challa is placed on all those equations. However, Baseman pointed out the distinct difference between the character in the film and the leaders. "Unlike a dictator or a president that you see now, he puts on a suit to deal with the situation. And in reality, they would turn into their military or sorts. That itself is a revolutionary idea and also within his country, he is dealing with the set traditions where people are isolated from the rest of the world... The idea that he is breaking those wires of isolation... That is revolutionary," he said. Boseman was here to promote the movie with co-stars Lupita Nyongo and Michael B Jordon and Coogler. Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the eighteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film also features Dana Gurira, Martin Freeman , Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright , Forest Whitaker and Andy Serkis among others. It will release in India on February 16. (The writer's trip is at the invitation of Disney. She can be contacted at kishori.s@ians.in) New Delhi, Feb 5 : A new book on the death of Subhas Chandra Bose -- with a foreword by Boses daughter Anita Bose Pfaff -- presents an entire "gamut of documentary evidence" to suggest that Netaji perished as a result of a plane crash at Taipei on August 18, 1945. Its author, Ashis Ray, claimed that the remains at Tokyo's Renkoji temple are his and that it is a dishonour that his remains have not been brought to India even after 72 years since his death. "There is no mystery, only a lingering and needless controversy. Subhas Bose unquestionably died as a result of a plane crash in Taipei on 18 August 1945. Eleven different official and unofficial investigations -- brought together in my book for the first time -- re-confirm this. The mortal remains preserved at Tokyo's Renkoji temple are undoubtedly his. It is incredible dishonour and disrespect to the memory of a great son of India that his remains have not been brought to India even after 72 years since his death," Ashis Ray, the author of upcoming "Laid To Rest" told IANS in an email interview from London. In the book, Ray, who has been a foreign correspondent for 40 years, working mainly for BBC and CNN, mentions that he was well-acquainted with former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and was "able to encourage moves on his part and in effect action by the Government of India" to bring home the remains of Netaji. Elaborating on this, he maintained that Rao too was certain that Netaji had died in the plane crash. "Narasimha Rao did not have the slightest doubt that the story of the plane crash was true and that the ashes at Renkoji temple were Subhas Bose's. He was wary of opposition to the ashes being brought to India from Forward Bloc, BJP and a section of Bose's extended family -- and he was, don't forget, running a minority government in parliament which was dependent on opposition support. But he sent Pranab Mukherjee, then external affairs minister, to visit the temple and meet Bose's widow Emilie Schenkl in Germany," added Ray. However, the Justice Mukherjee Commission of Inquiry (JMCI) report suggested that the story of Bose's death in a plane crash was "nothing but a smokescreen" and was rejected by the then UPA government in 2006, which maintained that the "the Commission's inquiry was inconclusive in many ways, unable to provide a definitive finding on several issues and at variance with past well accepted Inquiry Commissions' findings in some critical areas". "I have some sympathy for Justice Manoj Mukherjee because he was hamstrung by none of the survivors of the plane crash being alive to give evidence when he undertook his inquiry. But I obviously don't agree with his finding that Subhas Bose did not die as a result of a plane crash at Taipei. The government's reaction to the report was by no means hasty. It was prompt and proper," he quipped. Ray maintained that even though the Narendra Modi-led NDA government has declassified all Government of India files on Subhas Bose, the ruling dispensation has not overturned Singh's verdict on the Mukherjee Commission report. "This ratified what I have been maintaining since the mid-1990s - that Subhas Bose died as a result of a plane crash at Taipei on 18 August 1945. Having accessed the facts, Modi realised Manmohan Singh's verdict on the Mukherjee Commission report was correct and didn't overturn it," he said. "All governments in India have so far proved to be cowardly on the issue of bringing Subhas Bose's ashes to India. The BJP tried to distance itself from the RTI reply. There are no new facts, other than what are cited in my book, which merely reinforce the truth. "The matter of bringing Subhas Bose's mortal remains has got caught up in politics; and the attitude of a section of Subhas Bose's extended family has been unhelpful to Professor Anita Pfaff. I believe the Government of India has a moral and legal obligation to honour Pfaff's wishes. My information - as elaborated in the book - is the Japanese government is unlikely to object to the remains coming to India," concluded Ray. The book, "Laid To Rest" is published by Rolli Books and will be launched on February 12 at Bikaner House in the capital. (Saket Suman can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in) San Francisco, Feb 5 : As legal action between Apple and Qualcomm intensifies with billions of dollars at stake, a report on Monday claimed that the iPhone maker will use Intel baseband chips for its devices in 2018. According to Taiwanese business group KGI Securities, Apple shared baseband chip orders for iPhones 7 with Qualcomm and Intel. For the 2018 devices, the company is set to rely on Intel as the exclusive supplier, saying that it can meet Cupertino-based company's technical requirements and offers more competitive prices. However, Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst associated with KGI Securities, did not rule out Qualcomm returning to the supply chain "perhaps as concessions in the patent lawsuit settlement". There is also a risk that Intel might not be ready for 5G networking as quickly as Qualcomm, which might also force Apple's hand. A report in 9to5mac said that Intel's chip will support dual SIM and dual standby. However, there were no direct claims that Apple will make an iPhone model with two physical SIM slots. In November 2017, KGI reported that Apple will improve LTE transmission speeds significantly by supporting 4A4 MIMO chipsets. At the time, Ming-Chi Kuo believed Apple would give about 30 per cent of the orders to Qualcomm because benchmarks showed that units with the Qualcomm baseband chipset performed better than the ones with Intel hardware. Soon after this report, Qualcomm filed three fresh complaints against Apple in a US court, alleging violations on 16 different patents by the iPhone maker that includes the "super-premium" iPhone X. The lawsuits filed in the San Diego District Court alleged that Apple was infringing on patents "related to technologies that boost bandwidth in phones, save power and enhance photos from dual rear-facing cameras, among other things". Some of those Qualcomm patents were issued between 2015 and 2017. Apple also counter-sued Qualcomm, alleging it's infringing on eight Apple patents on power-management techniques in smartphones. Srinagar, Feb 5 : An FIR was registered against the Indian Army's 10 Garhwal Unit after a 22-year-old youth was injured when the army opened fire at a group pelting stones at a patrol party in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district on Monday. According to Army officials, the soldiers had fired in "self-defence". The youth identified as Arif Ahmad Lone was injured after protesters in Hawoora village pelted stones at an Army patrol party. Doctors said the youth is stable. "Doctors have said that Lone sustained a mouth injury and his condition was stable," sources said. Villagers alleged that security forces had beaten up residents and ransacked property in Hawoora, after which the youths held the protest. Five civilians were killed in south Kashmir's Shopian district last month in violence-related incidents. On January 27, three youth were killed in Ganowpora village of Shopian when the army fired at stone pelting protesters. The police had registered an FIR against 10 Garhwal unit of the army in this firing incident. The army had said the soldiers fired in self-defence after an administrative convoy was attacked by stone pelters in the village. Earlier, on January 24, a civilian was killed during a gunfight between security forces and militants in Shaigam village of Shopian. A 10-year old boy was killed when people were clearing the debris after a gunfight between the security forces and the militants in Shaigam village of Shopian on January 25. Agra, Feb 5 : Muslims in Agra on Monday tried to take out a "Tiranga Yatra" but were held back at the Shahid Smarak, where they presented a memorandum to a district official, listing a set of demands and grievances. The Tiranga Yatra was in response to a similar yatra last week by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Over a 100 Muslims, comprising youth, senior community leaders, Ulemas and Maulvis, led by Shabana Khandelwal, gathered at the Shahid Smarak with the national tricolour. But senior police officials said due to Section 144 being in force, the procession could not be permitted. Khandelwal told IANS: "Our Tiranga Yatra was non-political and through this we want to demonstrate our firm solidarity with the nation and our patriotism including our love for the national tricolour. "For no rhyme or reason Muslims were being targeted and branded as being opposed to the national patriotic fervour. The Muslims have made tremendous sacrifices both during the Independence movement and after during the wars and in the national developmental process." The demonstrators shouted "Pakistan Murdabad". In their memorandum addressed to the President of India, they demanded fair treatment, and safety to Muslims and their institutions. "In the name of 'Vande Matram', many people were pointlessly harassed. This should stop. Also in the name of 'Love Jihad' and cow slaughter, many Muslims have suffered." They demanded a judicial probe in the Kasganj incident and fair compensation to the family of Chandan Gupta, who was killed in sectarian violence in the Uttar Pradesh town last month. New Delhi, Feb 5 : Despite the increase in lifestyle diseases, only three per cent workers in the corporate sector are worried about their health, a survey by Assocham released on Monday said. People are not concerned about their health as "the majority of it (them) is hardly able to spare resources beyond meeting their daily needs and (due to) the absence of any affordable health services provided by corporates to the majority of its employees," the survey said. "It further reveals that 48 per cent of such a staff is 'sometimes fearful' about their future health and 37 per cent are 'not at all fearful' and remaining 12 per cent are totally ignorant for their future health conditions," D.S. Rawat, Secretary General, Assocham said. Quoting findings of the survey, Rawat said, "In terms of physical fitness, 37 per cent of corporate employees surveyed... said that they hardly have any time to exercise," adding that, "it is only five per cent of corporate employees who regularly exercise for more than six hours a week to keep physically fit and mentally agile." For the survey, over 500 corporate employees were interviewed between the age ranging between age group ranging 25 to 50 years, Assocham said in a statement. "Four per cent of respondents experience workplace fatigue but they still believe themselves to be in 'good health', while 10 per cent of total corporate employees consider their health condition to be poor without perceiving to have 'no diseases at all'," it added. "Nine per cent and five per cent of the sample population suffer the problem of sleeping disorder". Lucknow, Feb 5 : The door of a mosque was set ablaze on Monday by unidentified persons in Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj district, leading to brief tension in the area that was singed by violence and clashes on Republic Day. Police said the situation is calm. Tension gripped the Sabzi Mandi area on Monday morning when unidentified persons set ablaze the door of the mosque in Ganjdundwara in an attempt to disrupt the communal harmony in the area, a police officer said. The fire was doused by locals and a fire tender but the door had been gutted by then, he said. Residents from the area had gathered in large numbers on the streets near the Sabzi Mandi and raised slogans, downed shutters, demanding the guilty be immediately arrested. Senior district and police officials led by District Magistrate R.P. Singh and Superintendent of Police Piyush Srivastava had to rush to the spot to pacify the angry residents. District authorities had a hard time pacifying them and additional police force was sent to the area to ensure that the situation did not get out of control, an official informed IANS. Senior police officers at the Director General of Police (DGP) office though refused to take calls. Violence had erupted in the district on January 26, during the 'Tiranga Yatra' taken out by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) after which one person was killed and many injured. Shimla, Feb 5 : A private university in Himachal Pradesh has signed an agreement with a Chinese varsity for yoga lessons, officials said on Monday. Shoolini University Vice Chancellor P.K. Khosla has signed an MoU with Yunnan Minzu University under an exchange programme that will commence on International Yoga Day -- June 21. To spread India's traditional knowledge worldwide and introduce the ancient Chinese practice of Tai Chi -- a form of martial arts that enables mental and physical fitness -- Shoolini University will be sending a five-member delegation headed by the Vice Chancellor to the Chinese university. Under the exchange programme, students from the Chinese varsity will be studying for one semester at Shoolini University, based in Solan town and the first in northern India to offer a unique job-oriented programme in yoga. The university has also recently been accorded sanction by the central government to set up a 100-bed hospital, being set up to impart knowledge and practices of yoga sciences and meditation with the aid of naturopathic medications for health and wellbeing. Mumbai, Feb 5 : Reliance Industries (RIL) on Monday announced the appointment of Vinod Tahiliani as CEO of its joint venture firm with BP -- India Gas Solutions -- (IGS). IGS, is a 50:50 joint venture company of BP and RIL that has its focus on sourcing and marketing of natural gas in India. "Tahiliani has over 25 years of international experience in the oil and gas business and project financing and joins IGS from BP, where he was most recently the Vice President, Strategy & Commercial for BP India," the company said in a statement. "For BP, he has developed gas value chain businesses and worked on oil, gas and power developments in India, Angola and Vietnam." IGS administers the existing gas sales contracts to customers for production from the KGD6 block and is actively pursuing opportunities for marketing "R-Series gas and LNG imports". The joint venture company also has focus on infrastructure to accelerate transportation and marketing of natural gas within the country. Karachi, Feb 5 : A Chinese national was shot dead by unidentified assailants here on Monday in an apparent targeted killing, a media report said. The police called it a "targeted killing" as he was shot after being followed by the assailants. A passerby was also injured in the incident in Karachi's Clifton area near Zamzama Park, the Express Tribune reported. Police said nine bullet casings were found at the site of the incident. The place was immediately cordoned off. Minister of Interior Sindh Sohail Anwar Khan ordered the police to start an inquiry into the matter. Security was beefed up for foreigners, particularly Chinese nationals across the province. Male, Feb 5 : The Maldives Supreme Court did not seek assistance from the Indian government to enforce its last week's order to release high-profile prisoners, including self-exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed and former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, the Department of Judicial Administration (DJA) said. A report in Maldives' SunOnline on Monday said that some Indian newspapers carried reports stating that the Indian Ocean nation's Supreme Court asked for New Delhi's assistance to enforce its February 1 order. However, the DJA denied the reports, saying "neither the Department nor the top court made any such request". The crisis, which has included repeated rounds of clashes between police and opposition protesters, began when the Supreme Court ruled on February 1 that all politicians opposed to President Yameen, including Nasheed, be released immediately. It said their trials were "politically influenced". The government has so far refused to implement the order, saying it had concerns about releasing those who were convicted for "terrorism, graft, embezzlement and treason". It said it had been advised by the Chief Justice to follow "due process in releasing the detainees". The government said that the Prosecutor General had informed the top court about the "legal challenges" in the implementation of the ruling. In response, the court issued a second order on Sunday stating "there was no legal barrier to implementing its decision" and that "the order must be implemented". Embattled President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Monday asked the Supreme Court to revoke its decision. Earlier, the government revealed an imminent move by the top court to have Yameen arrested with the police and Army insisting that "such an order will not be enforced". Attorney General Mohamed Anil said that the move to unseat the President would be "unconstitutional". He said that the President can be ousted only through a vote in Parliament and that police and security forces would not obey an impeachment order from an "illegitimate set of people". The opening of the country's Parliament which was scheduled for Monday and due to be addressed by Yameen, was cancelled indefinitely for "security reasons". Later, Parliamentary Secretary General Ahmed Mohamed announced his resignation without citing any specific reason. Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected leader, took office in 2008. He was ousted in a coup in February 2012. The country has seen political unrest since he was sentenced to 13 years in jail in 2015 on terrorism charges. He was given political asylum in the UK in 2016. In a tweet following the Supreme Court's ruling, Nasheed called President Yameen to resign. A similar call was echoed in a joint statement by the country's opposition parties. Beijing, Feb 5 : China on Monday told its citizens not to visit the Maldives until normalcy returns in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation hit by fresh political turmoil and asked Male to ensure the safety of its enterprises there. "The spring festival is the peak season for Chinese citizens to go to the Maldives for tourism. In light of the relevant situation, we advise the Chinese tourists in the Maldives to follow closely the situation and be aware," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang. "At the same time, we advise the people who go to the Maldives not to travel to the Maldives before the situation gets normal." Beijing also said it was closely following the developments in the Maldives where the Supreme Court ordered the immediate release of jailed political leaders including self-exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed. However, the establishment led by President Abdulla Yameen has said that it will resist the order by the top court. Asked about China's take on the issue, Geng said: "Now what happened in the Maldives is Maldives' internal affair." "China is closely following the situation in the Maldives and we support the relevant parties in the Maldives to properly settle their disagreements through dialogue and consultation and maintain the national stability and social order." China had signed a free trade accord with the Maldives last year that was rushed through Maldives Parliament without any debate and had caused concern in India. In wake of this, Geng said: "We require the Maldives to take necessary measures to earnestly protect the security of the Chinese enterprises and their personnel." Located on the busy lanes of the Indian Ocean, the island is of immense geostrategic significance to India and as well as China. During his visit to Beijing last year when the free trade agreement was signed, Yameen had also backed China's Belt and Road project which envisages the linking of Asia, Africa, and Europe through a network of highways, railways, ports and sea lanes. Beijing's ties with Male have grown since the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping in September 2014. China has considerable presence in Maldives' tourism sector and is funding and building mega infrastructure projects, including the Friendship Bridge linking Male to Hulhule Island as well as a 1,000-apartment housing project on Hulhumale. Chinese tourists flock to the archipelago nation in huge numbers. Hyderabad, Feb 5 : With the Narendra Modi government determined to go ahead with the passage of triple talaq bill in Parliament, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) will decide its future course of action on the issue at its crucial meeting here this week. The three-day-long general body meeting of the apex body of Indian Muslims, beginning on February 9, will discuss the issue and evolve a strategy for protection of Muslim Personal Law. The triple talaq bill and the Babri Masjid case, which is coming up for hearing in the Supreme Court from February 8, top the agenda of the crucial meeting to be presided over by AIMPLB chief Moulana Rabey Hasani Nadvi, AIMPLB sources told IANS. AIMPLB, which was set up in 1972 and represents all Islamic schools of thought, will pass a Hyderabad Resolution, spelling out the roadmap for the next one year. Both the executive at its meeting on the first day and the general body over the next two days will discuss triple talaq issue bill, which was passed by Lok Sabha in the last session and is likely to come up in Rajya Sabha during ongoing budget session. The meeting is expected to take a decision on the proposal to introduce a new provision in its model nikahnama (marriage contract) in which the man has to commit that he will not give instant triple talaq. The board believes that this amendment will help in dissuading men from giving triple talaq (in one sitting), considered as the worst form of divorce among Muslims. The board has termed the bill, which criminalised triple talaq, as an interference in Muslim Personal Law. It is of the view that the rate of Muslim men divorcing their wives through triple talaq is very low and even this practice can be curbed by creating awareness. The board will review the progress made in "Islah-e-Moashira", or the country-wide campaign for reforms in Muslim society, aimed at creating awareness against social evils like dowry and triple talaq The board will take stock of the cases relating to Muslim Personal Law pending in various courts and discuss how it can implead itself to protect the Sharia. It will also discuss effective use of social media platforms to inform people about its activities and create public awareness. Nearly 600 prominent Muslim leaders including religious scholars, heads of various Muslim organisations, politicians, lawyers, academicians and other eminent personalities from different walks of life will attend the conclave. The 51-member executive, including five women, will meet in the evening of February 9 to ratify the minutes of the previous general body meeting held at Kolkata in 2016. Secretary General Moulana Syed Wali Rahmani will brief the members on the board's activities since previous executive held in September last year. The general body meeting will be attended by both the board members and invitees. The board has 102 founding members and 149 general members. They include 30 women. The meet will also discuss and approve the annual budget. There will also be debate on the funds required for fighting the legal cases. All committees of the board including panels on the Babri Masjid, 'Islah-e-Muashira', the legal committee and the women's wing will present their reports. Arrangements are in full swing for the meet at Deccan College of Medical Sciences run by the family of MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. The Hyderabad MP, who is the chairman of the reception committee for the meeting, and his younger brother and MIM leader in Telangana assembly, Akbaruddin Owaisi are personally supervising the arrangements. Elaborate arrangements for the meeting has been made at the newly-constructed indoor stadium of the college. The three day conclave will conclude with a massive public meeting on the night of February 11 at Darussalam, the headquarters of MIM. (Mohammed Shafeeq can be contacted at m.shafeeq@ians.in) Chennai, Feb 5 : Commercial vehicles major Ashok Leyland Ltd will be bidding for the electric bus tenders that are expected to come out soon and the company will be showcasing its prototype model at the Auto Expo 2018, said a senior company official on Monday. Chief Financial Officer Gopal Mahadevan also said the company will focus on three battery technologies - swap and charge battery technology, long range battery vehicle and fast charging battery for long range buses. Ashok Leyland has tied up with SUN Mobility to develop electric buses with "swap and charge" battery technology. "Three-four state transport undertakings are expected to come out with their bids for electric buses. Similarly, some private bus operators are also expected to come out with their tenders for battery powered buses. We will be participating in those bids," Mahadevan told reporters here on. He said the tender size will not be big as this is a new technology. According to Mahadevan, the company is working on Bharat Stage VI engine, modularity in manufacturing and light commercial vehicles with left hand drive for export markets. About modular manufacturing, he said the idea is to provide customers with the kind of aggregates like cabin and others as per their specific needs. "There are certain fleet operators who carry only a specific cargo - (such as) limestone, cement. It will be better to offer such players the kind of vehicle they need," Mahadevan added. Meanwhile, Ashok Leyland reported a revenue of Rs 7,113.16 crore and a net profit of Rs 449.71 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2017 up from a revenue of Rs 4,516.29 crore and a net profit of Rs 161.72 crore posted during the same period the previous year. Washington, Feb 5 : US Senators John McCain and Christopher Coons will introduce a new immigration legislation on Monday in an effort to reach a budget deal before the federal government's current funding runs out later this week. The bipartisan piece of legislation provides recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme, commonly known as "Dreamers," an opportunity for citizenship while ordering a study to figure out what border security measures are needed, said a report in the Wall Street Journal. DACA aimed to protect from deportation certain immigrants brought to the US illegally when they were children. Senate aides told the Journal that the plan would provide people who have resided in the US since December 31, 2013, with legal status and a path to citizenship. "It's time we end the gridlock so we can quickly move on to completing a long-term budget agreement that provides our men and women in uniform the support they deserve," Senator McCain said in a statement. "While reaching a deal cannot come soon enough for America's service members, the current political reality demands bipartisan cooperation to address the impending expiration of the DACA programme and secure the southern border," he added. But the measure would not call for spending the $30 billion that President Donald Trump is seeking to fortify the border with new wall and fence construction. The plan would also provide more people with a path to citizenship and legal status than Trump's original plan did, the Hill magazine reported. The White House announced in January that the President would endorse a path to citizenship for as many as 1.8 million young immigrants in exchange for border wall funding and sweeping changes to the immigration system. The new measure says nothing about curbing family-based legal migration or making changes to the diversity lottery programme -- two other priorities for Trump and conservative Republicans, the Washington Post reported. The legislation comes as Congress has just four days to meet another short-term spending deadline at midnight Friday. The federal government shut down for three days in January after Senate Republicans and Democrats were unable to reach a deal on a government spending bill. Democrats said they would not support the measure because it did not include a solution to DACA, which Trump moved to end last year. Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 5 : In the wake of Kerala CPI-M State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's elder son Binoy Balakrishnan's legal troubles in Dubai, the state units of the opposition Congress and the BJP asked the veteran politician to quit public life. On Monday, the CPI-M veteran's son Bineesh Kodiyeri told the media here that "there is a ban on Binoy to travel out of Dubai. He will remain there and deal with the case, according to the laws there". Binoy told reporters on phone from Dubai that his passport had not been impounded and that he will soon approach a higher court in Dubai against the lower court's directive regarding him. State Bharatiya Janata Party President Kummanem Rajasekheran said Kodiyeri had lied about his son last month that there is "no case against my son in Dubai". "He should exit public life, but not before telling all as to what his son's business is. If he has nothing to hide, why can't he reveal the nature of his son's business in Dubai. Or, is it some business that is shameful and can't be revealed? What has come out is only a tip of the iceberg. In the coming days, even bigger scams will surface," said Rajasekheran. Kodiyeri is a former legislator and state Home Minister and hence the people wish to know what is happening, the BJP leader said. Senior Congress leader Benny Behanan said Kodiyeri should immediately quit as CPI-M office-bearer since reports go contrary to what all he was claiming so far. "There is a moral obligation on Kodiyeri to quit after what all has surfaced," said Behanan. However, denying media reports on his brother, Bineesh said: "Wrong news is being circulated about my brother. This is being done on purpose... just because we are the sons of the Kerala CPI-M State Secretary it's unfair to say we can't engage in business. "You (media) are saying he (Binoy) has to pay Rs 13 crore to a Dubai businessman. Today, the businessman said there is a dispute of Rs 1.72 crore only. Since my brother is in no urgent need to travel to India, he will remain in Dubai and come once things are settled." The case surfaced when a three-page letter dated January 5 from H.I.A.Al Marzooqi, sponsor of the Dubai company, was last month made available to the media that he had started legal proceedings against Binoy for an alleged fraud of Rs 13 crore. Though the Arab businessman planned to hold a press meet at the Trivandrum Press Club on February 5, a court in Kollam district last week directed there should be no reference by anyone in the case till March 6. The court order came on a petition by Sreejith Pillai, son of a Left-supported legislator Vijayan Pillai, who according to Marzooqi owes him money. Sreejith and Binoy are friends and have business interests in Dubai. Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said the court order has to be followed, but the courts should ensure that truth is brought out. The CPI-M leadership on Monday said that what had happened in Dubai had got nothing to do with the party. New Delhi, Feb 5 : The Bharat A22 and Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE) Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), launched over the last two years as part of the government's disinvestment programme, are performing better than the Indian stock exchanges owing to the Centre's clear cut policy favouring investors, a top official said on Monday. At a post-budget interaction here organised by industry chamber Ficci, Investment and Public Asset Management Secretary Neeraj Kumar Gupta said the government's stalled divestment programme had now taken shape and a number of state-run enterprises were in the pipeline for privatisation. Presenting the Union Budget 2018-19 in Parliament last week, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced that the proceeds from selling government stock in companies this year, at Rs 1 lakh crore, had already exceeded the fiscal's target of Rs 72,500 crore. He has set a disinvestment target of Rs 80,000 crore for the coming financial year. "The CPSE ETF and the Bharat 22 ETF are outperforming the Sensex (Bombay Stock Exchange) and Nifty (National Stock Exchange)," Gupta said. "This is because, the CPSEs are treating their investors much better than their private counterparts," he said. Designed to bring broad-based ownership pattern to public sector enterprises, the Bharat 22 ETF comprises 22 companies, or investments, from among CPSEs and public sector banks (PSBs). The ETF is well diversified with investments across six core sectors, including industrials, finance, utilities, energy, fast moving consumer goods and basic materials. An ETF is a traded security that tracks an underlying asset like a group of companies or commodity. The government had earlier approved the alternative mechanism through the ETF route to divest its stake in CPSEs. It had raised Rs 8,500 crore through the CPSE ETF route in the last fiscal. The alternate mechanism will be used to take decisions for divestment through ETF for all listed CPSEs, subject to the government retaining a 51 per cent stake in them. Declaring that it was no longer "market distorting" to divest government holdings because the Indian private sector had become competitive, Gupta, however, said that, unlike the government, the latter did not have a clear policy on dividends. "The government's disinvestment programme has finally come on track after 12 years. DIPAM (Department of Investment and Public Asset Management) came out with a clear cut policy on the expectations of the investor," he said. He also said the the process of strategic disinvestment, whereby the government surrenders ownership of the company, is also proceeding apace, including the privatisation of Air India. "We have already done eight (companies) and expressions of interest have come in from 7 companies," he added. Gurugram, Feb 5 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), probing the murder of a Class 2 student in a Gurugram school last year, filed a chargesheet on Monday against a Class XI student of the same school for allegedly killing the boy. The chargesheet was filed before the court of Additional Sessions Judge Jasbir Singh Kundu, which is treating the accused juvenile as an adult for the alleged murder. Moreover, the court on Monday once again rejected the fresh bail application of juvenile 'Bholu'. "The details of the chargesheet are awaited," said a prosecution lawyer. Earlier, the court had barred the media from using the name of the 17-year-old accused in the case and asked it to use fictitious names instead. While the seven-year-old victim was named "Prince" by the court, the juvenile accused was named "Bholu" and the private school in Bhondsi was referred to as "Vidyalaya". Lawyers for the accused sought bail for him which was rejected by the court on January 8. The court also slapped a Rs 21,000 fine on the defence for filing 'unnecessary' applications and 'wasting time' of the court. On January 3, the teenager was presented in the Sessions Court and was sent back to the protection home for 14 days judicial custody. Last week, for the first time, the accused was presented before the Sessions Court after the Gurugram Juvenile Justice Board on December 20 ordered that the accused would be tried as an adult. The accused is in an observation home in Faridabad, Haryana. Officers from the CBI said the accused murdered the boy just to defer a unit test and a scheduled parent-teacher meeting. Police had on September 8 arrested Ashok Kumar, 44, a school bus conductor, for allegedly killing the child. The case was handed over to the CBI on September 22. It did not find any evidence against Kumar and took the Class XI student into custody on November 8. Kumar got bail on November 21. New Delhi, Feb 5 : The details of the deal with France for the Rafale fighter jets cannot be disclosed as per the Inter Governmental Agreement as it is "classified information", Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told Parliament on Monday. Sitharaman's response, in a written reply, came to a question by Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha member Naresh Agrawal seeking to know why the government was not disclosing details of the deal in which Congress has alleged that the price of the fighter jets being paid by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is higher than what was finalised by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in a previous deal. "As per Article 10 of the Inter-Governmental Agreement between Governments of India and France on the purchase of Rafale aircraft, the protection of the classified information and material exchanged under IGA is governed by the provisions of the Security Agreement signed between Government of France and Government of India in 2008," she said. In response to a question whether a private sector company was included in the deal, Sitharaman said that neither any public sector undertaking nor private sector industry was included in the agreement. The Congress has alleged that there are irregularities in the deal for buying 36 Rafale fighter jets off-shelf from France, claiming that they were being bought at a price higher than negotiated in the previous multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) deal under which 126 fighter jets were to be bought, and included a number of fighters being assembled in India. Sitharaman has in past said that the allegations are motivated and baseless, and the price that the Narendra Modi led government has finalised is lesser than the earlier deal. Leaders of the Congress and some other opposition parties had also sought a disclosure of price being paid in the present deal. In order to replace the existing MiG-21 aircraft, a case to procure 126 Mirage-2000 aircraft was initiated in the year 2000, which was later converted to procurement of 126 MMRCAs. A Request For Proposal (RFP) was issued in 2007, wherein six vendors had responded. On completion of Field Evaluation Trials, only two out of the six vendors were found to be fully compliant. Commercial proposals of both vendors EADS and Dassault Aviation were opened and negotiations were commenced with Dassault as the L1 vendor in November 2011. The RFP was formally withdrawn on June 24, 2015. India and France signed the inter-government agreement for buying 36 Rafale fighters, off the shelf, on September 23, 2016, following long negotiations on the deal, agreed upon during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to France in April 2015. New Delhi, Feb 5 : Hundreds of homeopathic and ayurvedic practitioners from across the country on Monday held a rally here in support of the proposed National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, which they said would benefit poor patients in the rural and remote areas of the country. Held under the banner of Swabhimaan rally, it was attended by professionals of the Indian System of Medicine (ISM). "The NMC bill is believed to be a proof of the Central government's policies working for the poor. This will facilitate the patients living in rural and remote areas and they will be benefitted from the Centre's health promotion policy. After the passing of legislation, homeopathic doctors will get the right to write allopathic medicines," said a statement from Indian Homeopathic Association. The NMC bill has provisions for granting permission to the doctors under Indian systems of medicine, including ayurveda, to be allowed to practice allopathy after clearing a bridge course. According to the ISM doctors, doctors from homeopathic and ayurvedic streams have struggled a lot to get their demands fulfilled. "The bridge course for all AYUSH doctors will be able to write allopathic medicines to patients once the NMC comes into existence," said a statement issued by the participants of the rally. The ISM doctors said that the bill will provide special facilities to the people living in rural and remote areas, where allopathic medicines are not available, where patients have no money to go to allopathic doctors. At a time when prices of allopathic drugs are on the rise, patients who are unable to bear the expenses can have the option of homeopathic doctors, they said. "The move can be termed as pro-poor and will help both homeopathic doctors and people in long-term," said the participating doctors. The NMC Bill, which was tabled in Parliament in December 2017, was protested by the allopathic doctors. The rally was to be addressed by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and AYUSH Minister Sripad Yesso Naik, however, none turned up. As part of the protest, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) had also called for a 12-hour countrywide shutdown of OPD services at all private hospitals in the country. However, the strike was called off after the government agreed to send the National Medical Commission Bill, 2017 to a select committee. New Delhi, Feb 5 : Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre is a "name changer" and not a "game changer", since it keeps repackaging old schemes. Participating in a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Speech in the upper House, Azad also countered the corruption allegations against his party, pointing out that they had emerged clean in the 2G case. "This government always says that it is a game changer... It is not a game changer but just a name changer," Azad said, adding that "I have a long list (showing) that names of all schemes since 1985 or later under the Congress rule have been changed," he said. The pillars that formed the foundation of the present government, namely allegations of corruption against the Congress, were falling one by one, Azad said. "In the biggest allegation made against the Congress -- 2G case, all accused were acquitted by the CBI court recently," Azad said. "Had it happened during our tenure, it would have been alleged that the government influenced it." He also referred to the Bofors case and underlined that the Attorney General had advised the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against filing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in one of the cases related to the alleged scam, as the SLP could be dismissed by the Supreme Court. Referring to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s allegation of dynasty politics in the Congress, as mentioned by BJP President Amit Shah while initiating the debate, Azad said: "No one from that family (Nehru-Gandhi family) has become the Prime Minister of India for more than 30 years. They have also not been a part of the government... "Why are you so scared of some leaders that when they are not alive anymore, now you fear their children," he said. Azad said while the BJP accused the Congress of politics of appeasement, under their rule, only those with a tilt towards "one party" were getting key government posts. He also slammed the government over price rise and questioned the launch of their flagship schemes without doing the ground work. Azad quoted an RTI query and said that so far Rs. 550 crore had been spent just on the publicity of the Swachh Bharat campaign, and quoting another study, he said that only 35 per cent toilets constructed under the programme were sustainable. He also questioned the government's vision of "New India", saying: "What kind of a new India it is where eight-month-old girls are being raped?" Referring to the allegations against BJP President Amit Shah's son Jay Shah, Azad made a tongue-in-cheek remark: "The BJP has a 'scheme' which can multiply money manifolds. It has the original scheme to turn Rs 50,000 to over Rs 80,00,00,000, but they don't share it with us. If they do, everyone will be happy.". He also questioned the government's promise of doubling farmers' income, stating that the investment required for this would be around Rs.6.5 lakh crore and the growth rate around 10 per cent. "This will never happen and farmers' income will never double," he said. He also questioned the health care scheme announced by the government, stating that it would benefit the insurance companies and not the people. New Delhi, Feb 5 : There were 426 incidents of transgression by Chinese soldiers in Indian territory in 2017, which also saw a one of its kind 73-day-long stand-off between Indian and Chinese soldiers in the Sikkim sector, than the number of such incidents in the previous year, Parliament was told on Monday. "In the year 2017, the number of transgressions were 426 as against 273 in the year 2016," Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply, adding that the transgressions took place due to different interpretations of the border. "As India-China border has not been formally demarcated, there are areas where both sides have different perception of Line of Actual Control (LAC) and both sides patrol up to their respective perceptions. Due to this, temporary transgressions have occurred. "AOn account of this, situations have arisen on the ground that could have been avoided if we had a common perception of the LAC," he said. In response to another question on recent incident where Chinese workers entered Indian territory while constructing a road, Bhamre said: "On December 28, 2017, an Indian Army patrol observed three civilians believed to be Chinese nationals carrying out track construction in the Shiyung La area (in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh) approximately one kilometre on the Indian side of the LAC." He said the three civilians returned to the Chinese side on seeing the Indian Army patrol. "As per the agreed modalities, a Flag Meeting was arranged to discuss the intrusion. The Chinese side admitted that the three civilians had crossed over the LAC and agreed to withdraw their equipment immediately," he said. Bhamre also said that government regularly takes up such matters along the LAC with the Chinese side through established mechanisms including Border Personnel Meetings, Flag Meetings, meetings of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs, as well as through diplomatic channels. "The government consistently maintains that peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas is an important pre-requisite for the smooth development of bilateral relations," he said. The year also saw the long stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doklam plateau, in an area contested by China and Bhutan close to Sikkim border, which started on June 16 and both sides announced disengagement on August 28. Bengaluru, Feb 5 : A miffed Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prove the charges of corruption and misgovernance he made against the state government on Sunday. "Being the PM of the country, your words should carry credibility. I request you to substantiate with facts your allegations that corruption and misgovernance are rampant (in my state)," Siddaramaiah told reporters, a day after Modi launched an all-out attack against the ruling Congress in the poll-bound southern state. Questioning Modi's moral right to call the state government "corrupt", Siddaramaiah said it is the Prime Minister who should explain why he did not have a Lokayukta (anti-graft ombudsman) for nine years when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. "By not having the Lokayukta institution for nine years, Modi had facilitated corruption," Siddaramaiah said. Addressing a party rally on Sunday, Modi said the southern state needs to be made "Congress-free" in order to end corruption. "India does not need Congress culture anymore as it has ruined the nation. If corruption has to end, the state has to be made Congress-free," he had said. Claiming that Karnataka was number one in IT & BT (biotech) in the country, the Chief Minister said the state was also top in silk production. "Karnataka receives the maximum investments among all states as per the data from the central government," Siddaramaiah said. The state was also the first to have an electric vehicle policy and launch a universal health scheme, he said. "The central government has given many awards for the state's policies and their implementation, terming Karnataka the most performing state," claimed the Chief Minister. Responding to the Prime Minister's criticism that the state's law and order system was deteriorating citing the deaths of BJP workers in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said the crime rate in BJP-ruled states was much higher. The National Crime Records Bureau of the Union Home Ministry specifies that crime rate in BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat is much higher than in Karnataka, he said. "The BJP National President (Amit Shah) has a murder case against him in Gujarat. How can such a party call the Congress corrupt?" questioned Siddaramaiah. He also clarified that the state had received only Rs 84,500 crore from the Centre in the past three years and not Rs 2 lakh crore as the Prime Minister had claimed. "As per the 14th Finance Commission, the state was to get Rs 95,200 crore in the last three years, whereas it got Rs 84,500 crore. In fact, we got over Rs 10,000 crore less and not more," he asserted. Whatever the central government gives to the states is their rightful share in a federal structure, the Congress leader added. "BJP is misleading the people with wrong information and by suppressing the mandate of the Constitution," he alleged. To Modi's statement that the "countdown" for Congress to be evicted from the state had begun, Siddaramaiah hit back saying, "The real countdown has started for BJP and Modi, as it is evident from the victory of Congress in the recent Rajasthan by-elections." On the ongoing issue of Mahadayi water dispute with neighbouring Goa, Siddaramaiah said he has written to the Prime Minister to discuss the issue and would meet him with an all-party delegation if Modi agrees to meet. Jammu, Feb 5 : Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire agreement with India 834 times on the international border and the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir in three years, killing 97 persons and injuring 383 others, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Monday. In reply to a written question by a ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislator in the upper house of the bicameral legislature, she said those who died included 41 civilians and 56 security personnel. Of the total ceasefire violations, 379 took place in 2017, 233 in 2016 and 222 in 2015. Giving details of the civilians killed in Pakistani shelling and firing, the Chief Minister said 12 people were killed in 2017, 13 in 2016 and 16 in 2015. Of the 383 injured, 233 were civilians and 150 security personnel. Congress president Rahul Gandhi addresses during a commemorative programme organised on the death anniversary of E. Ahamed by Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) National committee, in New ... Image Source: IANS Congress president Rahul Gandhi addresses during a commemorative programme organised on the death anniversary of E. Ahamed by Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) National committee, in New ... Image Source: IANS New Delhi, Feb 5 : Without taking any names, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that politics for some is about self-glorification and not a means for others' welfare. "There are people for whom politics is all about themselves, their personal image and personal glorification," Rahul Gandhi said. "And then there are people for whom politics is about others and others' welfare. I think the late E. Ahamed Sahib belonged to the category of politicians for whom politics was all about others' good," he added. He was speaking at an event held in remembrance of former Union Minister E. Ahamed who passed away a year ago after a massive heart attack in the Lok Sabha. United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi was expected to attend the meeting but could not and sent a message instead that was read out by the organisers. Rahul Gandhi recalled how he struck up a friendship with Ahamed, an Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader from Kerala who used to sit behind him in the lower House, despite their huge age difference. "I felt hurt when I saw at the hospital that his family was not being allowed to meet him during his last minutes. I thought it was unfair," the Congress chief recalled. Ahamed, who collapsed inside the Lok Sabha during the President's address to the joint sitting of both Houses ahead of the Budget session last year, was rushed to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. The next day, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was scheduled to present the Budget. The doctors and hospital administration denied Ahamed's family access to him for hours and allegedly did not even update them about his condition. It was only after the intervention of former Congress President Sonia Gandhi and others that the family was allowed near him. Speaking after Rahul Gandhi, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah said that if Rahul Gandhi formed the next government at the Centre, the government must investigate why and at whose behest Ahamed's family was meted out such treatment. "India belongs to all of us. Kashmir is facing tragedies from that side (Pakistan) as well as from this side. Atal Bihari Vajpayee once said that with our neighbours either we can live with friendship and progress or live in animosity and lose. Today, we both (India and Pakistan) are losing," Abdullah said. The meeting was attended by a number of opposition parliamentarians, especially those from Kerala, and other prominent persons, including Congress leaders A.K. Anthony, Shashi Tharoor and K. Rehman Khan, CPI-M's Mohammed Saleem, CPI leader D. Raja, Revolutionary Socialist Party MP N.K. Premachandran and former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, among others. Several opposition leaders who spoke at the event, including Abdullah, Mohammed Saleem and D. Raja, stressed the need to counter the threat to Indian democracy by joining hands. "The question today is how to save the house, not how to decorate it. India cannot be democratic if it is not secular," Saleem said. Raja said that the Constitution was under attack and it was the duty of all to save it. New Delhi, Feb 5 : A day after the CBI said that documents related to Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain were recovered during searches at the residences of two other individuals, the AAP on Monday defended the Minister while the BJP attacked him. On Sunday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said it had recovered documents related to property and bank transactions worth crores allegedly linked to Jain during searches at the residences of a Registrar and a lawyer of the Delhi Dental Council in a bribery case. The investigating agency said they also recovered a bank deposit slip book containing counter foils detailing cheque deposits of around Rs 2 crore during 2011 in Jain's name and companies wherein he was serving as Director and in the name of his family members. As many as 41 cheque books were found in his name, his wife's name and that of a private estate firm. On Monday, sources close to Jain said the properties had been mentioned in the Minister's election affidavit filed in 2015 and the Income Tax returns. According to the source, one of the properties was purchased in 2011-12 and the other one before 2011 and that Jain joined the party in 2013 and filed an election affidavit in 2015. "These details were available with CBI after a raid at Jain's residence on August 25 2017," the source said regarding Jain's shareholding in different companies. "CBI had conveniently avoided in their statement that they had these documents since last year, though it also didn't say that it's a new discovery. Let CBI deny that these documents were not mentioned in the IT returns," he said. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that such allegations against Jain had not come up for the first time. "In past, we have seen allegations against him like involvement in hawala transactions, fraudulent land deals, appointment of relatives on government posts, and irregularities in purchase of medicines and equipment for hospitals," a BJP statement said. "The BJP's central government has been pulled up by the High Court many times over the cases registered by it against Jain. Now this is a fresh BJP conspiracy," Delhi government spokesperson Nagendar Sharma said. Kathmandu, Feb 5 : Nepal's former King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev on Monday left here for Odisha to participate in a series of religious functions in the eastern Indian state, including to save the indigenous Indian cow. Gyanendra Shah, the last King of the world's only Hindu kingdom of Nepal from 2001 to 2008, will attend functions at various religious sites and temples in Odisha. The erstwhile royal will attend a function 'International Gau Sambardhana Mahotsav' aimed to save the indigenous Indian cow, and the foundation stone-laying ceremony of a 'Gomata Mandir' at Rathipur near Jatni on Wednesday, organisers said. The former King will also pay obeisance at the Lingaraj temple in the state capital and visit Sakhigopal temple. He will also visit the revered Shree Jagannath temple and attend a public reception organized by Shreemarg. He will later visit West Bengal capital Kolkata where on Thursday he will inaugurate the 'International Gau Sambardhana Mahotsav' and hold meetings with religious leaders. The Nepalese dignitary had earlier visited Uttar Pradesh and met Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. (Anil Giri can be contacted at girianil@gmail.com) Imphal, Feb 5 : Two troopers of Assam Rifles were injured in twin bomb blasts at the Polo ground in Imphal on Monday, police said. The two troopers were rushed to hospital for treatment and are out of danger. According to the police, the first blast took place near the security tent inside the Polo ground. Within a few minutes, another blast took place a few metres away at B. T. Road. No organisation has claimed responsibility for the blasts so far. In January, two bomb blasts targeted the offices of the Army and the Assam Rifles near Raj Bhavan, injuring a woman. Security for Governor Najma Heptulla has been heightened. Police have registered a case and investigation is progressing, said a senior police officer. New Delhi, Feb 5 : With Australia and the US among others outlawing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), members of the Dawoodi Bohra community from these countries are visiting India to observe this practice, a study has suggested. The survey, conducted by 'WeSpeakOut' - a survivor-led movement to end FGM in India in collaboration with Nari Samta Manch was released on Monday as February 5 is being observed as "International Day of Zero Tolerance" by WeSpeakOut. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was also present at the event. "There is no law in India which terms the practice of FGM as a criminal act whereas it has been termed illegal in many other countries which makes it convenient for Bohra community members to visit India and perform it," Masooma Ranalvi, Founder, WeSpeakOut, told IANS. FGM is widely practised amongst the Dawoodi Bohra community, a Shia Muslim sect that considers the ritual, known as 'khafd', a religious obligation although it is not mentioned in the Quran. Lakshmi Anantnarayan, an independent researcher for this campaign group, added that though no exact data is available, they have evidences to support the trend mentioned by 'WeSpeakOut'. "While conducting the survey we got this fact confirmed from people within the Bohra community that the members visit India to get FGM done on young girls. And this is happening very secretively," Anantnarayan stated. "And the doctors are scared to accept that they perform FGM in their clinics. While it is mostly the doctors from Bohra community who perform this, many of them are not well trained. And since it is still not a criminal act in India so the doctors cannot be even charged," Ranalvi added. At present, there is no official data or study by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) or the WCD ministry which supports the existence of FGM in India. The research also suggested that the increased anti-FGM advocacy and awareness through media is forcing the practice underground in India. The campaign group began their research work last year and spoke to 83 women, aged between 17-80, belonging to the Bohra community in 12 cities across four states - Ahmedabad, Baroda, Bhavnagar, Dahod, Godhra, Indore, Mumbai, Pune, Ratlam, Selana, Surat, and Udaipur. The survey was later extended to Kerala as well, where a few Sunni Muslim sections are known to practice FGM. The research revealed that 75 per cent of girls, whom the campaign group talked to, accepted that they were subjected to FGM when they were below seven years. It also suggested that 33 per cent believed that FGM has negatively impacted their sexual life while close to 10 per cent mentioned urinary problems, recurring UTIs, burning, and incontinence. However, 37 per cent of Bohra women extended their support to continuing FGM. The research also found that majority of Bohras practice Types 1a and 1b FGM which is partial or total removal of the clitoris or clitoral hood than Type 4 which is pricking, piercing and cauterisation of the genital area. "Anyone who doubts or denies the existence of FGM in India must read this report. By turning a blind eye and doing nothing about FGM, the government is denying women and girls their rights. India must at once pass a law that bans the act of providing FGM," Ranalvi suggested. Vatican City, Feb 5 : Pope Francis welcomed Turkey's President to the Vatican on Monday for a meeting that took place amid heightened security and pro-Kurdish protests in Rome. Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived with his 16-strong entourage, which included his wife, Emine Erdogan, and attended a closed-door meeting with the head of the Catholic Church that lasted for 50 minutes, longer than the normal time period afforded to visiting world leaders, Efe reported. Although the Vatican was yet to publish an outline of the pair's discussion, the controversy over the status of Jerusalem, which US President Donald Trump recognised as the capital of Israel, was set to be high on the agenda. Erdogan has led the backlash against Trump's decision, calling instead for the ancient holy city, the majority-Palestinian east of which is occupied by Israel since 1967, to be officially recognised as the capital of Palestine. It was the first visit by a Turkish President to the Vatican in 59 years and one that was met with protests in the Italian capital, Rome, as pro-Kurdish demonstrators vented their opposition to Erdogan's military incursion against US-backed Kurdish YPG militias in the Syrian enclave of Afrin. Turkey views the YPG as a terrorist affiliate of its more habitual home grown enemy, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has fought a low-level insurgency against the Turkish state for three decades. As is customary, Francis and Erdogan swapped parting gifts. The Turkish president gave the Pope a panoramic picture of Istanbul and several books and in return received a medallion that Francis said represented the angel of peace and justice against the demon of war. New Delhi, Feb 5 : Slamming the NDA government for its "divisive and anti-people" policies, the Congress on Monday said it should instead return to the people the India as envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi where all communities can live together peacefully, rather than creating a "new India" that is witnessing lynchings and other killings for religious polarisation, rapes and only false promises. Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address to the joint session of Parliament, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Narendra Modi government is a "name changer" and not a "game changer", since it keeps repackaging old schemes. "Don't divide the country. Return back our India. We don't need a new India. We want our old India of Gandhi (Mahatma), where the Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians gave blood to each other. We don't need the India where there is polarisation for vote bank. What kind of a new India is it where eight-month-old girls are being raped?" Azad said. Azad also countered the corruption allegations against his Congress party, pointing out that those allegedly involved in the 2G spectrum allocation case had emerged clean after a court trial. "This government always says that it is a game changer... it is not a game changer but just a name changer," the former Union Minister said, adding that "I have a long list (showing) that names of all schemes launched since 1985 or later under the Congress rule have been changed". The pillars that formed the present government's foundations, namely allegations of corruption against the Congress, were falling one by one, Azad said. "In the biggest allegation made against the Congress -- 2G case -- all the accused were acquitted by a CBI court," he said. "Had it happened during our tenure, it would have been alleged that the government influenced it." The senior Congress leader supported the Triple talaq Bill but raised questions on the government's intention on targeting a section of the Muslim community. "We are in favour of it but it is unfair to create a divide between husband and wife by sending the husband to jail. "Criminalising Triple Talaq is very dangerous. Earlier, you (BJP) divided the Muslims in the name of Shia and Sunni, now you are trying to divide husband and wife. This community is already poor and backward and are living under fear after lynchings," Azad said. Describing the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government's promise of doubling the farmers' income by 2022 as "hollow", the Congress leader said it requires a huge investment of Rs 6.40 lakh crore that the government had not provided in the Union Budget for 2018-19. "This will never happen and the farmers' income will never double," he said. He also hit out at the government over its Kashmir policy and said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is not good and that a large number of ceasefire violations by Pakistan have been witnessed under the current dispensation. "The situation in the state is at its worst. In the last 70 years, this government has proved to be the weakest," he said. Criticising the new health insurance scheme announced in the Budget, the Congress leader said it would benefit only the insurance companies and not the 50 crore poor people for whom it is meant. He also referred to the Bofors case and underlined that the Attorney General had advised the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against filing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in one of the cases related to the alleged scam, as the SLP could be dismissed by the Supreme Court. Referring to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s charges of dynasty politics in the Congress, as mentioned by BJP President Amit Shah while initiating the debate, Azad said: "No one from that family (Nehru-Gandhi family) has become the Prime Minister of India for more than 30 years. They have also not been a part of the government... "Why are you so scared of some leaders (even) when they are not alive anymore? Now you fear their children," he said. Azad said that while the BJP accused the Congress of politics of appeasement, only those with a tilt towards "one party" were getting key government posts in the present government. He also slammed the government over the price rise and questioned the launch of their flagship schemes without any spadework. Azad quoted a Right to Information query and said that so far Rs 550 crore had been spent just on the publicity of the Swachh Bharat campaign. Quoting another study, he said that only 35 per cent toilets constructed under the programme were sustainable. Referring to allegations against BJP President Amit Shah's son Jay Shah, Azad made a tongue-in-cheek remark: "The BJP has a 'scheme' which can multiply money manifolds. It has the original scheme to turn Rs 50,000 to over Rs 80,00,00,000, but they don't share it with us. If they do, everyone will be happy." Sao Paulo, Feb 5 : An anthology of 100 Indian poems, translated into Portuguese for the first time, was released at an event organised at the Indian Cultural Centre in Sao Paulo. The 100 Great Indian Poems from over 3,000 years of Indian Poetry written in 28 languages was released on Friday, by Vijay Chauhan, Consul General of India in Sao Paulo, an embassy release said. The anthology, published by the University of Sao Paulo, has been edited by Indian poet-diplomat Abhay K. It has been translated by 14 eminent translators into Portuguese. The anthology includes poems in Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu among other languages and includes the poems of Kalidas, Kabir, Lal Ded, Mir, Ghalib, Tagore, Nirala among others. Speaking on the occasion, the editor of the anthology, Abhay K. said that Indian poetry has a very rich and diverse tradition and this anthology for the first time brings the treasures of Indian poetry written over three millennia and in so many languages to the Portuguese speaking world. It will act as a literary bridge between India and Brazil and the larger lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) community spread over 10 countries across the world. Prof. John Milton from the University of Sao Paulo expressed great satisfaction on the publication of the anthology by the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, the release said. Pune, Feb 5 : The Pune teenager who was labeled as an "IS suicide bomber" by the Jammu & Kashmir Police last month but exonerated after extensive questioning by police and intelligence agencies, on Monday lamented that her academic career had been ruined by the misleading media reports. Sadiya Anwar Shaikh, 18, who came before the media after her return from Srinagar early Sunday, said she had gone there with her mother Sumiyya for admission to a local nursing college. After securing her admission to the SET Paramedical & Nursing Institute in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama in mid-January, Sadiya was busy completing other requirements while her mother returned to Pune. "On January 25, I was shocked to see local newspaper and television reports purportedly referring to me as some kind of ISIS (IS) human-bomb. Immediately I approached the nearest police station and informed them of the reality of my visit to Jammu & Kashmir," Sadiya, flanked by her mother, told media persons. Thereafter, the entire Jammu & Kashmir Police top brass, the Intelligence Bureau, National Investigation Agency and other agencies subjected her to sustained interrogation but finally cleared her. "The J&K Police have sent an email to Pune police clearing me of all the falsehoods. Unfortunately, because of the wrong and biased media reports and campaign against me, on January 27, the college abruptly cancelled my admission for the nursing course," Sadiya said. Undeterred, the convent-school educated girl, who has been a topper all through her academic career, said now she will complete her graduation from a Maharashtra college and later appear for the civil services examinations, with a dream to become an IAS or IPS officer. Mulnivaasi Muslim Manch President Rafi Anjum Inamdar announced that his NGO has decided to take care of all the future education expenses of Sadiya, and provide her all help to secure admission in a college of her choice in Pune, Mumbai or any other place. "We will also appeal to the Press Council of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give justice to this young girl who has been a victim of blatant falsehoods by some media groups. This has affected not only her academics, but could also affect her job and marital prospects in future," Inamdar told IANS after the media conference. On January 22, the Jammu & Kashmir Police had circulated an alert from IB of the possibility of the Pune girl who could act as a "human bomb" on Republic Day celebrations in that state, leding to Sadiya's travails. New Delhi, Feb 5 : Akshay Kumar is proud of his coming film "Pad Man" -- a film highlighting awareness on menstrual hygiene. The actor says he always wanted to support socially relevant cinema, but couldn't due to lack of funds. The actor also added that there isn't a single commercial film on sanitary pads, not even in Hollywood, as people shy away from discussing the topic in public. "I always wanted to work and make such films but I was not a producer during that time. I didn't have enough money, but now I can. My wife told me about Arunachalam Muruganantham and then we met R. Balki. So we thought about making this movie," Akshay said while promoting "Pad Man" here on Monday. "Even Hollywood does not have a single film on sanitary pads or menstrual hygiene. People always make documentaries but they don't want to make commercial films because they want to shy away from the issue. We have tried to do that," he added. Akshay's "Pad Man" -- which marks his wife Twinkle Khanna's maiden production venture -- tells the story of a real-life superhero who invented a low-cost sanitary pad manufacturing machine to bring a menstrual hygiene revolution for women. The film is based on a short story from Twinkle's book "The Legend Of Lakshmi Prasad". The story is inspired from the life of Muruganantham, a Tamil Nadu-based social activist who revolutionised the concept of menstrual hygiene in rural India by creating the low-cost sanitary napkins machine. Its unique story, inspiring message and Akshay's portrayal -- once again -- as a common man's hero, has kept the anticipation level high for the R. Balki directorial, which also features Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte. Talking about the film, Akshay said: "People are talking about the issue. The other day I was sitting in my vanity van and I heard two-three guys discuss the film. Have you seen men discuss menstrual hygiene?" While many people, including Bollywood stars, are hailing the film, there are some who are criticising Akshay for talking about the issue in the open. "When I see social media, I see two-three people saying 'Akshay, bhai kya kar rahe ho aap? (what are you doing brother?)', or 'You are holding a sanitary pad. It is a sin'. Imagine some people think holding a sanitary pad is a sin. "But at least now they are discussing, and there will be a day when it will change and it is high time it should change. I would request everyone to write about it as a lot of things can change if you write about it. India needs this change." Were there any disagreements on the sets while working with Twinkle? "No, there were no disagreements. She didn't get upset on anything." Muruganantham, who was also a part of the press meet, expressed his views on the film made on his endeavour. "I never thought a film will be made on my life and my work. When I used to say the word 'menstruation', people used to beat me up. Who would have thought that there would be a time when a film will be made on my life?" The film is slated to open in India on Friday. New Delhi, Feb 5 : With Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen declaring a state of emergency amid a political crisis in the country, the Indian government on Monday cautioned citizens against travelling to the Maldives. "The prevailing political developments in Maldives and the resultant law and order situation is a matter of concern for the government of India," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. "Indian nationals are, therefore, advised to defer all non-essential travels to Male and other atolls until further notice. "Indian expatriates in Maldives are also alerted to the need for heightened security awareness, and urged to exercise due caution in public and avoid public gatherings." Yameen officially announced that the Maldives was in a state of emergency for the duration of 15 days starting on Monday night. The state of emergency gives security officials extra powers to arrest suspects, the BBC reported. The Maldives has been facing days of unrest after the Supreme Court issued a ruling last week to release top opposition political leaders including former President Mohamed Nasheed and former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, saying they must be freed until fair trials could be conducted without undue influence. The government has already suspended Parliament and ordered the army to resist any moves by the Supreme Court to impeach the President. India on Friday called for peace and stability in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation. "In the spirit of democracy and rule of law, it is imperative for all organs of the government of Maldives to respect and abide by the order of the apex court," the External Affairs said in a statement. It also called upon the Maldivian authorities to ensure the safety and security of the Indian expatriates in Maldives under all circumstances. "As a close and friendly neighbour, India wishes to see a stable, peaceful and prosperous Maldives," the statement said. New Delhi, Feb 5 : Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said the size and scale of the biofuel-run bus operations has to be large in order to make it viable and added that he is in talks with the Uttar Pradesh government to introduce 5,000 such buses in the state. "I met UP Chief Minister Yogi a few days ago for introducing 5,000 such buses... We need to implement biofuel-run buses on a large scale," he said interacting with officials of Scania, a transport company, here. According to Gadkari, the government is planning to implement "London Transport Model", in which private companies invest in raising the infrastructure and the government pays them on "per kilometre" basis. He said biofuel was cheap and could be produced from waste as well. In the same interaction, NITI Ayog CEO Amitabh Kant and environmentalist Sunita Narain also stressed the need to implement the scheme on a large scale. Kant said the government was ready to facilitate private companies to come forward to take up green transport, as the thrust was on reducing air pollution. Narain said the government should have clear idea of the barriers for this kind of mass transport system. She said the huge capital expenditure of biofuel-run buses could be a spoiler. "The toughest barrier is going to be the cost." Gadkari said the country was facing crisis on agriculture front due to drop in crop prices and problems due to imports of crude oil. "We need cost-effective, import-substitute and pollution-free fuel. Not just molasses, now the government is planning to make ethanol from cotton straw, wheat straw and bamboo as well," he said. Burning rice straw around Delhi was one of the reasons for pollution in the city, which could be controlled by giving Rs.2,000-2,500 per tonne to farmers, he said. The country had huge potential in methanol production and the government was planning to use it in shipping by converting diesel engines into methanol-run ones, the Minister added. Kolkata, Feb 5 : Three days after West Bengal CID sleuths allegedly conducted raids in the houses of relatives and several police officers considered close to former West Midnapore police chief Bharati Ghosh, the BJP on Monday accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of going "all out" to nab her to prevent her from spilling "some terrible secrets" about them. Ghosh, once a favourite of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, reportedly fell from grace and was transferred last December to a less significant post as commandant of the State Armed Police's Third Battalion. She sought voluntary retirement, and the government accepted her request last month. "She was working for the Trinamool Congress. It is unfortunate that today the same party has become her biggest enemy. CID has summoned Ghosh probably to arrest her. They would put her in jail to keep her mouth shut," state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said here. "Police is desperately trying to get hold of her. Its certain that she knows some terrible secrets about the state administration, which Trinamool Congress fears, would come out in the open. I guess, documents of several secret operations including the killing of top Maoist leader Kishanji is with Ghosh which can cause the downfall of Trinamool. That is why they are using all the power at their disposal to stop her," he claimed. Amid speculation that Bharati Ghosh might join their party, the Bengal BJP chief said the party's doors are open for everyone who wants to join but clarified there is no confirmation about the IPS officer. "We welcome everyone. We have not said no to anybody who wants to join our party. The door to enter our party is big. But there is no confirmation of her joining our party. I haven't talked to her yet. "I have heard that she is outside the state. She has also warned of legal steps against the police and Trinamool Congress leaders if they try to heckle her. I think the matter will go to the court," he said. Dilip Ghosh's comments came days after the CID officials accompanied by local police raided the houses of a number of police officers and closed Belda police station officer-in-charge Pradip Rath for their alleged involvement in misconduct and extortion from a gold trader named Chandan Majhi. A voice message, purportedly from Bharati Ghosh, has been doing the rounds of social media claiming that her south Kolkata residence was also raided while her husband was kept locked in a room. The message further states that Ghosh, currently not in Kolkata, would take legal action on her return. Though the CID has conceded that it conducted raids in 12 locations that led to the seizure of Rs 60 lakh cash, two kg gold and several property documents, it has denied that a raid was also conducted in Ghosh's house. Bharati Ghosh took over as West Midnapore's Superintendent of Police in 2012. London, Feb 6 : The European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has said that the time has come for Britain to make its choice about its future relationship with the EU once it leaves the bloc. Barnier on Monday made his comments here as a new round of tough talks started in London to thrash out a future trading relationship between both sides, Xinhua news agency reported. He warned British Prime minister Theresa May that leaving the customs union would result in unavoidable barriers to trade, adding: "the time has come to make a choice". The EU negotiator will be holding talks during the week with May and Brexit Secretary David Davis. Barnier's warning came after May, ahead of the new round of negotiations, ruled out Britain's staying in any form of customs union with the EU after Brexit. After the opening meeting Monday, Davis said the next round of negotiations would focus on the implementation period, in which they would try to give clarity and certainty to business. "It will be time-limited and lead to us being outside the customs union and single market in the long-term," Davis said, adding, "We are very keen that we continue to have an extremely good and close relationship, on economic and other grounds, and that it continues in the long term." Davis said Britain's negotiating team would begin Tuesday on an intense negotiating period, saying he was confident an agreement could be reached at the March economic council. Barnier said that in a very short time negotiations must advance on three fronts: "The first is translating the withdrawal agreement into a legal text. The UK government has decided the date of the UK's withdrawal. May has asked to benefit from the single market and customs union for a short period after this." Barnier said the European Council had indicated its readiness to consider May's request. He added: "Certainty on transition will only come with ratification of the withdrawal agreement. On the future relationship, we need clarity on UK proposals. The only thing I can say is without the customs union, and outside the single market, barriers to trade in goods and services are unavoidable. The time has come to make a choice." Barnier said: "Negotiations for now are only about withdrawal and transition. We will start the discussion on the future relationship after March. This will give time to the UK to clarify its position." Commenting on the government choice to rule out any form of a customs union with the EU, Frances O'Grady, general secretary of the British Trades Union Congress (TUC), said: "By ruling out a customs union, the government is choosing to put up barriers to UK trade with Europe. It will be bad for jobs, bad for investment and bad for business." "The Prime Minister must break free of the Brexit extremists in her party and put working people first. The best way to protect jobs, investment, and rights at work is through the single market and customs union." Britain will leave the EU in March 2019, with negotiations focusing on how rules will apply during a post-Brexit transitional period of up to two years. NFP, a leading insurance broker and consultant that provides employee benefits, property & casualty (P&C), retirement and individual private client solutions, today announced that it has acquired Capital Benefit Financial Group Inc. (Capital Benefits). The transaction closed on December 14, 2017. Based in Ottawa, Ontario, Capital Benefits specializes in group benefits and retirement consulting for individuals and businesses in and around Ontario. Principals of the firm, Marc Lajoie and Leo Grace, will join NFP as managing director and director of Eastern Ontario, respectively, reporting to Marty Shaw, President of NFP in Canada. Were happy to welcome the Capital Benefits team to the NFP family, said Shaw. The team brings strategic insight on employee engagement with respect to benefits and retirement needs in Ontario, which enables NFP to strengthen its current capabilities and expand its presence in Canada. We are excited to join NFP, said Lajoie. Building on NFPs robust set of group benefits and retirement offerings, we expect to deepen current relationships and offer new services to broaden NFPs portfolio across Canada. About NFP At NFP Corp., our solutions and expertise are matched only by our personal commitment to each client's goals. Were a leading insurance broker and consultant that provides employee benefits, property & casualty, retirement and individual private client solutions through our licensed subsidiaries and affiliates. NFP has more than 4,000 employees and global capabilities. Our expansive reach gives us access to highly rated insurers, vendors and financial institutions in the industry, while our locally based employees tailor each solution to meet our clients' needs. Weve become one of the largest insurance brokerage, consulting and wealth management firms by building enduring relationships with our clients and helping them realize their goals. Recently NFP was ranked the 4th largest U.S.-based privately owned broker and the 5th largest benefits broker by global revenue by Business Insurance, the 9th largest property & casualty agency by total 2016 P&C revenue by Insurance Journal, the 11th largest global insurance broker by Bests Review and the 12th largest broker of U.S. business by Business Insurance. For more information, visit NFP.com. CONTACT Peppercomm for NFP nfp(at)peppercomm(dot)com 212-931-6171 Although the kingdom of God was the focal point of Jesus preaching, many church leaders do not discuss the topic heavily in the pulpits. Pastor Steve Langford takes a deep dive and shares how the kingdom represents the character of God in A God-Shaped World: Exploring Jesus Teachings about the Kingdom of God and the Implications for the Church Today. A God-Shaped World is a study of the four central characteristics of the kingdom of God as indicated in the Gospel of Luke. It shows how the attributes of the kingdom differ from our default human way of thinking and it investigates the change of heart and mind that is essential to embodying the nature of the kingdom. This internal change is the work of Gods Spirit. It transpires as the followers of Jesus live in relationship with God and in intentional Christian community. The internal transformation propels the individual from a fear driven us versus them mentality to a more in-depth way of living and relating to God. The book is a study resource for individuals and churches who are interested in exploring what shaped Jesus understanding of his ministry and what he proclaimed with such passion: the kingdom of God, Langford said. It explores the characteristics of the kingdom and how the kingdom is at cross purposes with the world. All in all, the kingdom produces a God-shaped world that stands in marked contrast to the fear-based, us-them world that we know. For more information, please visit https://www.westbowpress.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001146830. A God-Shaped World: Exploring Jesus Teachings about the Kingdom of God and the Implications for the Church Today By Steve Langford ISBN: 978-1973602927 (hardcover), 978-1973602934 (softcover) Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and WestBow Press About the author Dr. Steve Langford, also known as Pastor Steve, has given his adult life to the study and teaching of scripture in the local church. He is a gifted teacher who does not shrink from prophetically proclaiming the truth of scripture. He is also a lifelong student who earned a bachelor of arts degree in biblical studies from Howard Payne University and master of divinity and doctor of ministry from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Langford and his wife of 47 years have three adult sons and four grandchildren. He is also the author of Why the Bible Is So Hard to Understand. Review Copies & Interview Requests: LAVIDGE Phoenix Satara Williams 480-998-2600 x 586 swilliams(at)lavidge(dot)com General Inquiries: LAVIDGE Phoenix Jacquelyn Brazzale 480-998-2600 x 569 jbrazzale(at)lavidge(dot)com Like Newscycle, Media Services Group provides mission-critical enterprise software platforms for media companies," said Scott Roessler, Newscycle CEO. NEWSCYCLE Solutions (Newscycle), a leading provider of software technologies for the media industry, today announced the acquisition of Media Services Group, a major supplier of integrated digital publishing, magazine advertising, and event management software for the global magazine and book publishing industries. Based in Scottsdale, AZ with offices in Santa Monica, CA, Bridgeport, CT, Houston, TX, and London, UK, Media Services Group further extends Newscycles worldwide footprint of enterprise software solutions for publishers. The Media Service Group teams will work collaboratively with the Newscycle teams in Bloomington, MN and its regional offices to offer a full suite of digital advertising management and publishing software products to support customers across multiple media verticals. Media Services Group and Newscycle share a vision for the digital future of the publishing industry, said Jeff Shine, Media Services Group CEO. This acquisition allows the combined company to accelerate its focus on a transformational digital strategy that meets the revenue, technology and operational objectives of publishers and advertisers alike. The Media Services Group software suite is notable for its cloud-based technology platform that offers a comprehensive portfolio of solutions focusing on exceptional user experience and reliability. The companys customers will continue to receive the same levels of support and services while also gaining the benefits of Newscycles global resources, experience and software products for content management, digital subscriptions advertising and mobile applications. Like Newscycle, Media Services Group provides mission-critical enterprise software platforms for media companies," said Scott Roessler, Newscycle CEO. We are very excited about the opportunities that Media Services Group provides to accelerate our product roadmap, further enhance our product and service offering and create new functionality for all customers of the combined company. The transaction closed on February 1, 2018. Financial terms have not been disclosed. Media Services Group represents Newscycle's continued commitment to growth through acquisition. In December 2017, the company acquired Acquire Media, a leading provider of content services to the news media, digital publishing, Fortune 500 and financial services industries. These acquisitions further strengthen Newscycles ability to provide transformative digital solutions and mission critical software to its global customer base. About NEWSCYCLE Solutions NEWSCYCLE Solutions develops and delivers software technology that empowers the global news media industry. Our editorial, advertising, circulation and mobile solutions enable publishers to drive profitability, accelerate digital business models and optimize core print operations. We help our clients create stronger, better-informed communities while safeguarding the integrity of news, advertising and customer information. Newscycle is a trusted partner serving over 1,200 media companies with 3,000 properties producing more than 8,000 titles in 30 countries. Our company is headquartered in Bloomington, MN and has U.S. offices in Florida, Michigan and Utah; with international offices in Denmark, Germany, Malaysia, Australia, Sweden, Norway, Canada and the United Kingdom. Please visit newscycle.com for more information or write to us at info(at)newscycle(dot)com. About Media Services Group Founded in 1985 to service the magazine advertising market, Media Services Group offers an extensive product portfolio designed to meet the ever-changing needs of all publishers. Over time Media Services Group has evolved to meet the digital advertising needs of the publishing industry. With offices throughout North America and Europe, Media Services Group provides integrated publishing software, magazine advertising software, and event registration software to hundreds of customers in the book and magazine industries. For the second consecutive year, Envoy is honored to be a recipient of this award. Competing with companies from all over the state, Envoy Mortgage was recently announced as one of Kentuckys Annual Best Places to Work award recipients. Best Companies Group manages the two-part selection process which includes an assessment of the companys employee policies and procedures and an internal employee survey. Results are analyzed according to eight core focus areas: leadership and planning, corporate culture and communication, role satisfaction, work environment, relationship with supervisor, training, development and resources, pay and benefits and overall engagement. This multi-year initiative held in conjunction with Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Kentucky SHRM and Best Companies Group is designed to motivate companies toward excellence. For the second consecutive year, Envoy Mortgage is honored to be among the recipients of this prestigious award. An awards dinner will be held, Tuesday, April 17, 2018 at Heritage Hall in the Lexington Convention Center. Envoy is currently expanding in Kentucky, particularly in the Northern Kentucky and Lexington areas. For Envoy career opportunities, visit http://www.envoymortgage.com/cindy-brown/ or contact Todd Johnson, Area Manager, via email toddjohnson(at)envoymortgage(dot)com or call 502.627.1906. About Envoy Mortgage: Founded in 1997, Envoy Mortgage is an independently owned, full-service mortgage lender headquartered in Houston, TX. As a Fannie, Freddie and Ginnie approved seller/servicer, Envoy branches offer a full menu of loan products with locations across the U.S. In addition to the retail channel, Envoy operates its nationwide Correspondent Lending Division from Monroe, Louisiana and an in-house servicing operation at the Houston headquarters. Licensed in 49 states, Envoy branches provide outstanding customer service by offering a full menu of loan products with the tools, expertise and technology needed to support all functions of the mortgage process. For more information, visit http://www.EnvoyMortgage.com. Envoy Mortgage, Ltd. NMLS #6666. We are committed to offering software partners such as Osprey secure EMV solutions that are easy to integrate, flexible, and reliable. Sterling Payment Technologies, a leading provider of payment processing, today announced it has partnered with Osprey Retail Systems, a point of sale software developer, to offer a semi-integrated EMV payment solution to retailers in niche markets such as liquor and wine, pets, and specialty grocers. Using both Datacap NETePay and Ingenicos Telium payment terminals, the joint EMV solution provides multi-layered security with point-to-point encryption (P2PE), thereby reducing a merchants PCI compliance scope. Sterling is proud to partner with Osprey and provide a solution that makes the transition to EMV painless and affordable for its retail customers, said Jim Raftice, President U.S. and Canada, EVO Payments International, parent company of Sterling Payment Technologies. We are committed to offering software partners such as Osprey secure EMV solutions that are easy to integrate, flexible, and reliable. Businesses using terminals that are not able to process EMV chip card transactions are liable for chargebacks associated with payments made with counterfeit, lost or stolen payment cards. This burden can represent significant risk of losses to businesses that do not use EMV-enabled point of sale systems. Sterling offered levels of support during the EMV integration process that I could not find with any other partner, said Roger Blanchard, President of Osprey Retail Systems. As a result, we are able to provide our customers with a range of secure, PCI-compliant POS applications. As a leading global merchant acquirer, EVO is dedicated to providing fast, affordable and secure payment processing to merchants. Through its Sterling Payment division, EVO provides easy payment integrations that include EMV solutions, P2P encryption, tokenization, out-of-scope solutions, mobile solutions, and cloud-based POS reporting platforms. Sterlings focus on technology and service allows it to provide superior partner and merchant support. To learn more, contact Sterling Payment Technologies at (800) 383-0561 or visit http://www.sterlingpayment.com. About Sterling Payment Technologies: Sterling Payment Technologies, a division of EVO Payments International, is one of the most innovative, customer-focused payment processors in the industry. Founded in 2001 and an 11-year integration partner with Datacap, the Company processes payment transactions for all major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. Sterling is committed to providing POS resellers, developers and merchants with the most advanced payment solutions in the marketplace, including a complete range of electronic payment processing services, such as credit, debit, PIN debit, EMV, fleet, gift card, and electronic benefits transfer (EBT). The company has been recognized by Business Solutions Magazine as Best Channel Vendor for nine consecutive years, ranking Sterling's payment processing among the nation's best. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Sterling is represented in communities across the country by point-of-sale equipment dealers and software developers, independent sales offices, banks, and an internal sales team. About Osprey Retail Systems: Osprey is a point of sale software developer offering the only retail software suite designed for growing businesses. Ospreys POS solutions: are scalable and hardware-agnostic; have custom applications for liquor, smoke, pet, grocery, boutique, non-profit, and other vertical markets; and include integrated back-office and front-end features with unlimited reporting options. Based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Osprey sells, services and supports customers throughout the U.S. with a nationwide network of dealers. To learn more, visit: http://www.ospreyretail.com Contact: Anton Wurr, Executive Director of Marketing Sterling Payment Technologies 800-383-0561 anton(dot)wurr(at)sterlingpayment(dot)com ### Jorge L. Guerra Jr., 2018 MIAMI Residential President Im honored to bring my background of technology and innovation to the Residential Board of MIAMI as we continue to bring added value to our members," MIAMI Residential President Jorge L. Guerra Jr. said. The nations largest local Realtor association has elected Miami broker Jorge L. Guerra Jr. as its 2018 Residential President. He and the entire Board of Directors were installed Feb. 2 at the MIAMI Association of REALTORS (MIAMI) 2018 Inaugural and Awards Celebration. The Residential Board of MIAMI is dedicated to leadership in the industry, the real estate profession, and the communities it serves. They analyze information, are actively and visibly involved in events and programming, and promote Miami and South Florida worldwide. The association represents more than 46,000 residential, commercial, and international real estate professionals. Real estate is no longer about curb appeal. Its about web appeal, Guerra Jr. said. Im honored to bring my background of technology and innovation to the Residential Board of MIAMI as we continue to bring added value to our members. Guerra Jr. is the president and chief executive officer of Real Estate Sales Force (RESF) and has been responsible for the firms strategic direction and growth since its inception in 2005. Guerra Jr.s brokerage leverages the latest technology to aggressively market properties worldwide. Guerra Jr.s extensive experience as a former agent, the founder, and owner of a thriving brokerage, an association executive, and a highly regarded keynote speaker has equipped him to remain on top of emerging issues and trends impacting the future of real estate. Guerra Jr. is serving as 2018 Chair for the National Association of Realtors Emerging Business and Technology forum. Recognized as a forward-thinking real estate expert as it pertains to digital marketing Guerra Jr. has served as a keynote speaker at a number of national and international high-profile industry events that include: Florida Realtors Convention, National Association of Realtors (NAR) Convention, NARs Tech Edge, Xplode Conference, NAHREP National Convention, Inman Connect, Rock the Market and Imocionate in Spain. Guerra Jr. serves as executive board member and education chair for the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, which works to advance sustainable Hispanic homeownership. Guerra is an active member in the community and resides in Coral Gables along with his wife, Dinorah, and two children, Dominic and Alec. Announcing the 2018 MIAMI Residential Board of Governors Joining Guerra Jr. are: Chairman of the Board-Elect Ines Hegedus-Garcia of Related ISG International Realty; 2017 Residential President Christina Pappas of The Keyes Company; Governor Tere Shelton Bernace of Shelton & Stewart Realtors; Governor Eddie Blanco of Stratwell; Governor Roman Bokeria, MBA of Miami Red Box Realty; Governor Anita Cachaldora of EWM Realty International; Govenor Alberto Carrillo of RelatedISG International Realty; Governor Maria Carrillo, CRS, SFR of The Keyes Company; Governor Scott Diffenderfer of Compass Florida LLC; Governor Raul Estrada of Dash A Real Estate Company; Governor Justine Jimenez Garcia, CRS, CDPE of Countywide Properties, Inc.; Governor Daniel Guerra of Fortune International Realty; Governor Nancy B. Hogan, CIPS of Brown Harris Stevens; Governor Dianne Regalado Kammerer, CAM, CRS of Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate; Governor Oscar Resek, CRS, CIPS of Keller Williams Eagle Realty; Governor Michelle Rojas, CRS, GRI, PMN, CDPE of DecoNova International Realty; Govenor Enrique Teran of Avanti Way Realty; Governor Matey Veissi, CRS, CIPS of Veissi & Associates, Inc.; Governor Albert A. Yabor of YES Real Estate Services. Deborah Boza-Valledor is the COO & Chief Marketing Officer for the MIAMI Association of REALTORS. Teresa King Kinney, CAE, CIPS, GRI, RCE, TRC serves as the CEO for the MIAMI Association of REALTORS. About the MIAMI Association of REALTORS The MIAMI Association of REALTORS was chartered by the National Association of Realtors in 1920 and is celebrating 98 years of service to Realtors, the buying and selling public, and the communities in South Florida. Comprised of six organizations, the Residential Association, the Realtors Commercial Alliance, the Broward Council, the Jupiter Tequesta Hobe Sound (JTHS-MIAMI) Council, the Young Professionals Network (YPN) Council and the award-winning International Council, it represents more than 46,000 real estate professionals in all aspects of real estate sales, marketing, and brokerage. It is the largest local Realtor association in the U.S., and has official partnerships with 167 international organizations worldwide. MIAMIs official website is http://www.MiamiRealtors.com The Hall of Fame honors the achievements of extraordinary space and satellite leaders. The Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) announced today that on March 13 it will induct three new members into the prestigious Space & Satellite Hall of Fame. The 2018 honorees are Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX; Terry Hart, former astronaut, Loral Skynet CEO and now Professor of Practice in Mechanical Engineering at Lehigh University; and Otto Hoernig Jr., a pioneer in government satcom, smallsats and, as founder of Spacelink International, the application of commercial satellite capacity for the US military. They will join the leaders who created, sustained and expanded the industry over the past 60 years, including Dr. Arthur C. Clarke, Dr. Harold Rosen, Rene Anselmo, Takuya Yoshida, David Thompson, Mary Cotton, Romain Bausch, Pradman Kaul, Sidney Topol, John Celli, Giuliano Berretta, Mark Dankberg, James Monroe III, Peter Jackson and Jean-Yves Le Gall. "The Space & Satellite Hall of Fame honors the achievement of individuals," said SSPI executive director Robert Bell, "but it is also a mirror that reflects where the industry has been and where it is going. We are honoring a NASA astronaut who became a corporate leader in an earlier time of transition in the industry, and a former military officer who was instrumental in creating the military market for commercial capacity. We will induct the operational leader of a launch company that is breaking records every year and helping to drive a new wave of entrepreneurial energy across the industry." The latest members of the Space & Satellite Hall of Fame will be inducted during the 2018 Hall of Fame Celebration ceremony on March 13, the opening night of the SATELLITE 2018 convention and exhibition. The celebration will take place at the National Air & Space Museum in Washington, DC. The inductees were selected by SSPIs Board of Directors under the leadership of Chair Dawn Harms, Vice President of Marketing & Sales, The Boeing Company, and President David Myers, President & CEO, DataPath. The Space & Satellite Hall of Fame recognizes the invaluable contributions of the visionaries who transform life on planet Earth for the better through space and satellite technology. Members of the Hall of Fame are recognized pioneers in communications, aerospace, scientific research, or the development and delivery of space and satellite applications for business, institutions and government. The 2018 Satellite Hall of Fame Inductees: GWYNNE SHOTWELL President and COO, SpaceX In 2002, Gwynne Shotwell went to work for a new company called SpaceX as vice president of business development. After a brief meeting with founder Elon Musk, he called to encourage her to apply for the job. She was immediately hired and began a partnership that took the company from an ambitious concept to a company valued at more than $20 billion that is revolutionizing the launch business. As VP of business development, she led the effort to build the Falcon vehicle manifest to over 50 launches representing $5 billion in revenue including commercial resupply services for delivery of cargo and supplies to the International Space Station. She became President and Chief Operating Officer in 2008, and assumed responsibility for day-to-day operations and for managing the customer and strategic relationships that support company growth. Under her leadership, SpaceX's backlog has grown to more than $7 billion worth of launches while achieving a set of remarkable milestones including The first private company to successfully launch, orbit and recover a spacecraft, to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station, and to send a satellite into GEO orbit The first landing of an orbital rocket's first stage on land and on an ocean platform The first relaunch and landing of a used orbital rocket The first controlled flyback and recovery of a payload fairing The first reflight of a commercial cargo spacecraft Gwynne was born in Libertyville, Illinois. In a 2014 interview with Via Satellite, she credited a speech at a Society of Women Engineer's event in her teenage years with inspiring her to pursue a career in mechanical engineering. She came to SpaceX after more than ten years at the Aerospace Corporation, where she held positions in space systems engineering and project management, and worked on conceptual small spacecraft design, space shuttle integration and reentry vehicle operational risks. Inspired to actually help put spacecraft together, she became director of Microcosm, a low-cost rocket builder. There she also honed the skills in business development and sales that would have such an impact on SpaceX. Gwynne has served on the California Space Authority Board of Directors and as an officer of the AIAA Space Systems Technical Committee. She is a strong proponent of STEM education and has led the fundraising committee of the Frank J. Redd Student Scholarship Competition in raising more than $350,000 in scholarship funding in six years. TERRY HART Professor of Practice in Mechanical Engineering, Lehigh University From F-106 jet fighters and the Space Shuttle to the executive suite, Terry Hart has piloted one of the most remarkable careers in space and satellite. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he won undergraduate and graduate degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering while on active duty with the Air Force Reserve and working on the technical staff of Bell Telephone Laboratories. At Bell Labs, he designed electronic power equipment, led development of the first certified, multi-level secure version of UNIX, and was responsible for the engineering and operations of AT&T's Telstar satellite fleet. Terry was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in 1978. After serving as CAPCOM in Mission Control for multiple Shuttle flights, he flew as a mission specialist on STS 41-C. During the mission, the crew successfully deployed the Long Duration Exposure Facility and retrieved the Solar Maximum scientific satellite. They achieved the first repair of a satellite aboard the Shuttle and replaced it in orbit using the Shuttle's remote manipulator arm. Returning to the private sector, he became supervisor of the information systems engineering department at Bell Labs and was then named president of Loral Skynet, operator of the Telestar fleet. From 1997 to 2002, the company achieved revenue growth of 50% per year despite the bankruptcy of its parent company, Loral Space and Communications. He retired from Loral Skynet in 2014 as the company sold its North American satellites to Intelsat and transferred its international spacecraft to Telesat, another Loral subsidiary. His devotion to the engineering of space and satellite technology continued after his retirement. He became Professor of Practice in Mechanical Engineering in the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering & Applied Science at Lehigh University. In addition to his teaching schedule, he directs research in spacecraft attitude determination and trajectory optimization, and the NASA Hopper Spacecraft Simulator project. OTTO HOERNIG, JR. Founder, Spacelink International In a career spanning military service and entrepreneurship, Otto Hoernig has been a pioneering innovator in satellite communications and space based technologies. In his early career, he was Chief of Scout Launch Operations at VAFB launching NASA, International Consortium and special mission DoD satellites including the Transit Navigational Satellites, predecessor to GPS. He was a significant contributor in the development and launch of Government agency and DoD satellites, including AFSATCOM and MILSTAR. In the Department of Defense he was recognized as the top military satellite engineer, called on by the Secretary of Defense for advice on global and national satellite requirements. After his retirement from the US Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel, Hoernig began his second career with the American Satellite Company. As vice president of space systems for ASC, he managed the process of deploying ASC's communications satellite system which featured the first encrypted / protected satellite command link. His responsibilities included satellite and control center design and development, selection of launch vehicles, scheduling launches at Cape Canaveral and acceptance of the on-orbit spacecraft. Otto was the designated ASC Payload Specialist aboard Space Shuttle STS-71 to help orbit ASC-2 and Skynet 4B, scheduled for launch in January 1987. One year earlier, however, the explosion of the Challenger caused the mission to be cancelled. Otto testified before Congress on the urgent need to resume NASA's partnership with industry, which helped speed the return of the Shuttle to commercial operations. When Contel acquired ASC, he became vice president for defense communication & networks for its Federal systems division, where he managed a $100 million line of business providing services to the Department of Defense and other agencies. He left Contel to become CEO of International Microspace long before smallsats became mainstream. IMS focused on exploiting new technologies to downsize space systems and reduce costs. The company was sold after Otto led the acquisition of a major contract. Otto also negotiated the purchase of Telesat's Anik D2 and its transfer to Arabsat, where it became Arabsat D1. Then in 1994, Otto seized the opportunity created by rising conflict in the Balkans and Middle East to found Spacelink International. Spacelink provided the DoD with essential commercial satellite communications services. The company specialized in supporting US and coalition warfighters. At that time, the idea of using commercial satellite capacity for military operations was new, and Spacelink became the first private company to operate an extension of the Defense Information Systems Network. To meet the fast-growing need of the deployed warfighter, the company won international carrier licenses in European countries, becoming one of the first private satellite service providers in Germany. In 2001, Spacelink along with two other companies won the largest small-business contract ever to be awarded in the history of the DoD to provide comprehensive commercial satellite communications in support of the US Government. As a technologist and entrepreneur, Otto greatly expanded the opportunities available to the satellite business in service to the nation. Otto has an engineering degree from Texas A&M, and a management degree from USC. ABOUT SSPI Founded in 1983, Space & Satellite Professionals International (http://www.sspi.org) is on a mission to make the space and satellite industry one of the worlds best at attracting and engaging the talent that powers innovation. With more than 3,700 members in 40 nations, it is the largest space and satellite industry association in the world. It delivers on its mission through programs that promote space and satellite as the invisible but indispensable infrastructure of the modern world, and that help turn individual promise into careers filled with purpose through research, career education for young people, management education for working professionals and talent recognition that spans the industry. New York Tour1 will be offering a special romantic themed dessert and snack tour this month in celebration of Valentines Day. This 2-hour tour will highlight New Yorks sweeter and more romantic side. Guests will taste the Big Apples favorite and authentic desserts in SoHo, NoLita, Little Italy and Chinatown. Details of the tour can be found here: http://www.newyorktour1.com/dessert-tour Proceeds from this tour will go towards Bideawee, a leading animal welfare and pet adoption organization serving metropolitan New York and Long Island, to support their mission of rescuing abandoned cats and dogs. There are 5 snack and dessert stops. Partner establishments that have donated tastings for this tour include: Eileens Special Cheesecake and Alleva Dairy Market. We are excited to work with New York Tour 1 on this special Valentines Day event. Animals need love too and we are delighted that New York Tour 1 is helping spread that love to all the homeless animals in our care, says Amy Brostoff, Director of Marketing at Bideawee. We want to provide a sweet experience for our tour guests. We hope this event will help raise money, love and awareness for unwanted pets, says Andrew Luan, founder of New York Tour1 About New York Tour1 New York Tour1, rated #1 by TripAdvisor for NYC, helps guests make the most of their visit by offering immersive and authentic tours. Tours include daily Statue of Liberty tours, One Day NYC tours, and neighborhood tours. Neighborhood tours include SoHo-Little Italy-Chinatown tour, Highline-Chelsea-Meatpacking District tour, Greenwich Village tour, and Broadway and Times Square tour. For more information, visit: http://www.newyorktour1.com. About Bideawee Bideawee, which means stay awhile, in Scottish, is one of the countrys oldest and most respected animal welfare and pet adoption organizations. Founded in 1903, Bideawees mission is to be Greater New Yorks leader in rescuing, caring for, and placing homeless cats and dogs with people who love them. Bideawee provides an array of high touch services including adoption centers, animal hospitals, pet therapy programs, and pet memorial parks that serve pets and pet lovers on their lifelong journey together. Bideawee is a not-for-profit 501(c) 3 humane animal organization and 100% of Bideawees funding comes from private sources. Bideawee operates adoption centers in New York City, Wantagh, and Westhampton. For more information, visit: http://www.Bideawee.org. An X-Rite Color expert leading a Fundamentals of Color and Appearance seminar We have expanded our popular color theory training to include appearance science providing attendees with an understanding of how texture, gloss, transparency and special effect finishes can impact a materials appearance and lead to errors in production. X-Rite Incorporated, a global leader in color science and technology, and its subsidiary Pantone LLC, today announced its 2018 Fundamentals of Color and Appearance Training Seminar in 13 locations throughout North America. The two-day seminar helps attendees understand color theory and appearance science in order to implement color quality standards in their organizations. Topics covered in the trainings include visual evaluation of color, communicating color specifications, color tolerances and instrumentation. Today many brands and manufacturers are using metallic, sparkle, foil or other special effect finishes and varnishes to differentiate products and meet consumer demands. These effect finishes go beyond color to appearance and require a new approach to color specification and management, in order to reduce errors in production and improve quality control. We have expanded our popular color theory training to include appearance science providing attendees with an understanding of how texture, gloss, transparency and special effect finishes can impact a materials appearance and lead to errors in production, said Murphy Keeley, General Manager Americas, X-Rite. X-Rite is very excited to be the only company offering this level of detailed training to brand owners to specifiers to quality control professionals. It is essential that anyone working with color understand both color and material appearance characteristics in order to improve specification, communication and quality control requirements for todays complex materials. About the Seminar The Fundamentals of Color and Appearance Training Series incorporates decades of color management experience and best practices and is presented by X-Rite color experts. This interactive seminar is ideal for color specifiers, quality control professionals, lab technicians and anyone who evaluates or approves color. Attendees can register for either the full two-day seminar or one of the individual sessions: Day One: Fundamentals of Color and Appearance (FOCA) training provides foundational elements of color theory and appearance science, the leading techniques for effective color management, as well as new ways to evaluate appearance characteristics. Attendees will learn how to measure, read, and evaluate color data in order to improve the speed and reliability of color communication across their workflow. Day Two: Fundamentals of Instrumentation and Quality Control (FIQC) is a hands-on workshop where attendees use X-Rite spectrophotometers, light booths and software to create color standards, develop appropriate color tolerances, measure samples against target colors and analyze the results. The seminar series commences on February 21st in Nashville, TN. Other locations include San Francisco, CA, Cincinnati, OH; Natick, MA, Minneapolis, MN Toronto, ON; Edison, NJ; Atlanta, GA; Grand Rapids, MI; Anaheim, CA; Houston, TX; Naperville, IL; and Greenville, SC. The combined Seminar cost is $1,295. The individual cost for the Fundamentals of Color and Appearance Seminar is $595; and Fundamentals of Instrumentation and Quality Control Seminar is $895. A 15 percent discount is available for individual seminar classes using the coupon code FUN2018. Registration and a full list of dates and locations can be found at http://www.xrite.com/the-fundamentals-training-series--foca--fiqc-combined. About X-Rite Founded in 1958, X-Rite Incorporated is a global leader in the science and technology of color and appearance. With its wholly owned subsidiary Pantone, X-Rite employs more than 800 people in 11 countries. The companys corporate headquarters are located in Grand Rapids, Mich., with regional headquarters in Europe and Asia and service centers across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas. X-Rite Pantone offers a full range of solutions used by manufacturers, retailers, printers, photographers and graphic design houses to achieve precise management and communication of color and appearance throughout their processes. X-Rite Pantone products and services are recognized standards in the printing, packaging, photography, graphic design, video, automotive, paints, plastics, textiles and medical industries. For further information, please visit http://www.xrite.com. For the latest news, information and conversations, connect with X-Rite on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. About Pantone Pantone, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Incorporated, enables color-critical decisions, from inspiration to realization, for brands and manufacturers. Over 10 million designers and producers around the world employ Pantone Products and Services to communicate through color, and control consistency across various materials and finishes. Pantone offers designers, brands and consumers, products and services through three unique business divisions: Pantone Standards, which includes digital and physical workflow tools and the quintessential Pantone Color Language; the Pantone Color Institute, which provides trend, brand identity, and color assurance consulting services; and Pantone Lifestyle, the consumer products division that brings color and design together across apparel, home, and accessories. More information is available at http://www.pantone.com. # # # 2018 X-Rite, Inc. All rights reserved. X-Rite is a registered trademark of X-Rite, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. PANTONE and other Pantone trademarks are the property of Pantone LLC. 2018. All rights reserved. EXENTA (formerly Simparel), the innovator in next-generation information technology solutions for the apparel, fashion, and consumer goods industries, announces its sponsorship of the PI (Product Innovation) Apparel LA event on February 12-13 at the Renaissance Long Beach Hotel. The company will showcase its revolutionary new Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and other Enterprise solutions in the event exhibition hall. EXENTA will also lead a discussion on the use and future of Blockchain technology as part of the Innovation Program at the event. We are pleased to sponsor this first edition of the popular PI Apparel event in Los Angeles, noted EXENTA President and CEO Roberto Mangual. Based on our prior participation in PI New York, we expect to meet with many business leaders and professionals that are working to digitally transform their product design, development, manufacturing, supply chain, and fulfillment processes. We look forward to sharing our expertise and demonstrating why so many companies are choosing EXENTA as their partner in seizing the opportunities of todays omnichannel marketplace. The companys exhibit will highlight the revolutionary new EXENTA PLM REVO solution. Representing the latest thinking in PLM, it offers a cloud/web-based platform that effectively redefines the user experience by enhancing design creativity, automating tasks and processes, and providing analytics that drive more-timely and better-informed decisions across the entire business. Kicking off day two of the event program, EXENTA Chief Technology Officer Ken Fearnley will lead a think tank discussion entitled Blockchain Technology and Fashion. The session will introduce the technology behind Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and how it can contribute to security, reliability, and social compliance in the apparel and fashion space. Attendees will learn how this disruptive technology may be leveraged for sample tracking, social compliance, materials traceability, and more. Simparel recently changed its name to EXENTA, reflecting the growing and fast-developing company that it has become. About PI Apparel LA 2018 Held on February 12-13 in Long Beach, California, PI (Product Innovation) Apparel provides an opportunity for fashion, apparel, and footwear professionals to discover the technologies disrupting their industries in the heart of one of the world's fashion capitals. PI exists to provide manufacturers a cross-industry network of industry pioneers and like-minded peers. The purpose of the event is to harness this collective wealth of knowledge to give our members insights to navigate the fast-moving manufacturer landscape, innovate in both product and strategy, and ultimately, create more shareholder and customer value. About EXENTA Designed for the apparel, fashion, and consumer goods industries, EXENTA empowers brands, manufacturers, and retailers to advance and scale their businesses by accelerating and improving performance across the entire business and global supply chain. The EXENTA Enterprise solution provides global process visibility, control and collaboration by combining traditionally independent Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Sourcing & Supply Chain Management (SCM), Materials Requirements Planning (MRP), Shop Floor Control (SFC), Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Warehouse Management (WMS), Financial Management (FMS), and other productivity tools into a single, fashion-focused business system. For more information, visit http://www.exentago.com/. EXENTA is a trademark of Simparel, Inc. LOOP-LOC Safety pool company that services New Jersey, LOOP-LOC, discusses their #SwimmingPoolSpotlight campaign. LOOP-LOC has a stellar reputation in the pool industry. For 40 years, the company has been dedicated to servicing swimming pool professionals with inground safety pool covers, liners, and treatments. The companys safety pool covers are known as The ELEPHANT Cover because they are strong enough to support the weight of an elephant, as seen in their advertisements. LOOP-LOC also invented several unique products and treatments, which can help dealers satisfy even their most discerning customers, such as: Mesh covers. Mesh covers are made with a super-dense weave that blocks virtually all sunlight but still lets rain and melting snow easily drain through. Aqua-Xtreme, their virtually solid mesh cover, blocks light and drains quickly50 percent faster than typical covers. It also deters algae growth. Solid covers. Solid safety covers combine the light weight of a mesh pool cover and the light-blocking benefits of a solid cover. Virtually solid mesh covers. An industry first, the Aqua-Xtreme virtually solid mesh pool cover uses a light blocking fabric that deters algae growth and drains lightning-quick. Unlike other light blocking covers, this one drains up to 80 gallons per minute without clogging. It is also 50 percent lighter than solid safety covers for easy handling. Luxury liners. More than 30 elegant designer patterns are manufactured using only the highest quality virgin vinyl material in durable 20 & 28 mil. The colors are gorgeous! Revolutionary treatments. The CABLE-LOC Raised Wall Treatment offers a much faster installation and higher quality compared to other treatments. PROTECT-A-GAP is the safest and simplest way to close gaps created by raised spas, waterfalls, rises, or any obstructions higher than nine inches. The AQUA-LOC Zipper Treatment safely meets the challenges presented by large commercial pools with nonremovable raised obstructions and rails. Every week, LOOP-LOC invites dealers to send them their highest quality photos of LOOP-LOCs revolutionary products successfully in use in their customers backyards. The #SwimmingPoolSpotlight winners will be featured prominently on LOOP-LOCs Facebook page, and provide the winner the opportunity to highlight and promote their excellent workincorporating LOOP-LOC products in a gorgeous pool and surrounding areato their demographic. About LOOP-LOC: There's only one company known for manufacturing safety pool covers strong and tough enough to support an elephant: the legendary LOOP-LOC. LOOP-LOC is a global leader in the pool industry with a 200,000-square-foot headquarters in Hauppauge, New York, and 300 employees. Through its network of dealers, the company has sold safety swimming pool covers on every continent on earth except Antarctica. LOOP-LOC now also manufactures a line of luxury in-ground pool linerswith more exclusive designer patterns than any other companyas well as the BABY-LOC removable fencing, a convenient, cost-effective additional layer of protection to help deter toddlers from gaining access to a swimming pool. #AskForTheElephant Just add water and enjoy! The new Turkey Dinner Casserole is sure to become a fast favorite among both long-time customers and new Mountain House fans! Could a hot and delicious turkey dinner really be as easy as just-add-water?! If you can dream it, Mountain House can make it! Mountain House has been the pioneer and leader in tasty freeze-dried meals since 1969, outfitting outdoor adventurers with savory dinner options like Beef Stroganoff and Pasta Primavera, and breakfasts that rival home cooking like Biscuits and Gravy and Spicy Southwest Breakfast Hash. Now Mountain House has a new entree to gobble up: Homestyle Turkey Dinner Casserole! Mountain Houses Homestyle Turkey Dinner Casserole combines real turkey meat, stuffing, harvest vegetables, and spices in a savory broth. Our goal is to continue the Mountain House legacy of providing delicious meals for outdoor adventure, as well as provide comforting sustenance during emergencies. And whats more delicious and comforting than the classic American favorite, turkey dinner with all the trimmings? says Reiner Bohlen, Marketing Director. The new Turkey Dinner Casserole is sure to become a fast favorite among both long-time customers and new Mountain House fans! Like all Mountain House meals, the Turkey Dinner Casserole features high-quality ingredients, cooked up slowly to let the flavors blend naturally, just like you would at home. Then, they're expertly freeze-dried to preserve all the flavor in durable, resealable stand-up pouches that are incredibly lightweight, convenient, and packable. Hot and hearty meals that are ready in a flash (just add hot water) and enjoyed right from the pouch, with no prepping, cooking or cleaning up afterwards. No need to wait until Thanksgiving for this hearty option! The new Homestyle Turkey Dinner Casserole is now available in a 2-serving pouch at retailers nationwide. Media samples and high-res photos available upon request. About Mountain House Founded in Albany, Oregon, Mountain House has been the favorite choice of backpackers, hikers, campers and emergency foods for families for over 50 years. Using only quality, real ingredients, tasty flavors, and proven longest shelf life, Mountain House meals are considered the gold standard for long-term survival and emergency meals, boasting a proven 30-year taste guarantee. Trusted by the U.S. Armed Forces and NASA, Mountain House has fed hungry adventurers in every environment on the planet, and have even traveled to space! Mountain House has a long tradition of making the most reliable, delicious meals available for people in extreme environments. For more information and a complete list of products, visit http://www.mountainhouse.com. Media Inquiries Please Contact: Kelli Martinelli, kelli(at)mamorelove(dot)com We are excited about Strativity because its focus on business transformation complements our deep experience in brand strategy, innovation, and voice of the customer assessments. LRW, a leading global analytics and insights consultancy, announced today that it has completed the purchase of Strativity Group, an award-winning, global customer experience and culture design firm. This is LRWs fourth in a planned series of acquisitions in support of its long-term vision of creating a collaboration of companies that leverage sophisticated data analytics and deep human understanding to deliver business impact for clients. As an industry innovator, Strativity is at the forefront of unlocking exceptional performance in the areas of customer experience design, employee engagement, culture design, and organizational change management. Strativity is headquartered in the New York area and will continue to be led by founder and CEO Lior Arussy. Arussy previously held executive positions at Nice and Hewlett Packard. David Sackman, Chairman and CEO of LRW, said, CEOs are making customer experience a top priority and understand how customer experience fuels growth and increased profitability. We are excited about Strativity because its focus on business transformation complements our deep experience in brand strategy, innovation, and voice of the customer assessments. With Strativity on board, LRW can now offer clients a complete customer-centric ecosystem to help them unleash the power of their employees and brands to deliver exceptional customer experiences. Arussy said, We are on a mission to help our clients deliver exceptional performance and forge profitable relationships with their customers. We are thrilled to join the LRW group of companies to expand our offering with voice of the customer programs, deeper insights and powerful analytic capabilities. We also expect expanded opportunities for our employees. Both organizations address complementary aspects of the customer journey from brand building to segmentation to the path to purchase through to culture redesign, and ultimately, to the purposeful customer experience. Together we create a better solution and a faster path to change, execution and success. This acquisition is supported by LRWs capital partner Tailwind Capital. About LRW: LRW is a global, data-driven company best known for its ability to translate deep human understanding and sophisticated data analytics into business success for its clients. LRW has been advising top global brands on issues of strategy, branding, communications, product development, innovation and customer experience since 1973 and is recognized as one of the largest and most innovative insights consultancies in the world. http://www.LRWonline.com About Strativity Group: Strativity Group is an award winning global customer experience and culture design and transformation firm that cultivates purposeful relationships between organizations and their stakeholders by unlocking human potential. Strativity has completed hundreds of projects in 21 countries impacting over 600 million customers and 1,000,000 employees with global brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, MasterCard, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Walmart, New York Times, FedEx, Mazda, SAP, Honeywell and Johnson & Johnson. The company was recognized for three years in a row in Consulting Magazines Fastest Growing Consulting Firms list. http://www.Strativity.com About Tailwind Capital: Tailwind Capital is a leading middle market private equity firm focused on growth-oriented investments in targeted sectors within business services, healthcare, and industrial services. Tailwind partners with experienced management teams and entrepreneurs to transform businesses through organic growth initiatives, acquisitions, and operational and strategic improvements. Tailwind manages over $3 billion of committed equity capital and has invested in 35 portfolio companies and over 55 add-on acquisitions. http://www.Tailwind.com For more information, contact Joan Cassidy at jcassidy[at]LRWonline[dot]com. We are delighted to be nominated in the Best Student Property Investment Provider category in the 2018 Property Wire Awards. Experience Invest have announced their nomination for the upcoming 2018 Property Wire Awards. This is their first nomination and marks a milestone in the companys history. Property Wire is an online channel focused on news from both the residential and commercial real estate sectors. The inaugural property awards will be held on the 24th of March 2017 at M by Montcalm in Londons Old Street. Its aim is to reward excellence in property and acknowledging the achievements of UK companies in the industry. Each year, Property Wire aims to recognise the best performers in the industry. The Awards cover a host of property-related categories, including Best Lettings Agent, Developer of the Year and Development of the Year. The Awards have a focus on celebrating those businesses that embrace change within the industry and work hard to push the boundaries of UK property investment in a positive and professional manner. In the running to be crowned this years Best Student Property Investment Provider, Experience Invest will be going up against a host of opponents, which are yet to be confirmed. Nominations for the awards remain open until the end of the month and, following that, voting for this years winners will begin one week later. All of the winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony that is to be held on March 23rd at Londons Eight Club Moorgate. Jerald Solis, Experience Invest Business Development and Acquisitions Director, commented: We are delighted to be nominated in the Best Student Property Investment Provider category in the 2018 Property Wire Awards. We have provided investors with high yielding student properties since 2011 and we have provided some of the best purpose-built developments available on the market. Our happy clients and repeat clients have been enjoying assured rental returns from this profitable market and we are honoured to be recognised as a leader in the student property sector. Experience Invest has been trading over 14 years and boasts an excellent track record. They have worked with over 120,000 clients around the world since 2004. Over the past 18 months, they have sold more than 1,200 properties in over 50 countries. Experience Invest have an extensive portfolio of student developments includes purpose-built accommodation in cities across the country. Standout developments for our investors to date include Aura Student Liverpool and Opto Student Newcastle, both of which will offer an assured NET per annum returns of at least eight per cent for the first five years. Having the recognition of being nominated for this award is a great achievement for the company and reflects their dedication to the industry. NeoLAB Smartpen M1 We are proud to see our partnership with NeoLAB reach this new stage. Having identified and matched the NeoLAB line to its most viable market, we will now be able to raise the brands online presence and increase revenue exponentially," says Jonathan Goldman, President of Quantum Networks. NeoLAB Convergence Inc. and Quantum Networks have signed an exclusive partnership after NeoLAB recognized Quantums proficiency in marketplace management and sales growth, which led to their recent agreement. We are proud to see our partnership with NeoLAB reach this new stage. Having identified and matched the NeoLAB line to its most viable market, we will now be able to raise the brands online presence and increase revenue exponentially," says Jonathan Goldman, President of Quantum Networks. Quantum Networks - an online retailer and brand development agency hybrid - began its partnership with NeoLAB by stocking inventory, improving product listings, implementing targeted keywords to increase traffic, and creating bundles to provide customers a way to buy everything that they need. Moving forward, the new exclusivity enables Quantums team of advertising and branding strategists to fully optimize NeoLABs upcoming product listings with Enhanced Brand Content and promote feedback through customer outreach. Quantums management of NeoLABs Amazon presence would give the brand freedom to focus on other aspects of their business. Our relationship with Quantum Networks allows for us to concentrate on outbound activities and extending our brand to the world, while they use their expertise in managing and dealing with all aspects of e-commerce channels on our behalf. says Stephen Dix, VP of Sales and Marketing at NeoLAB. The first product launching under the exclusive partnership is the Neo Smartpen M1, a digital productivity tool that has the ability to convert natural handwriting into digital text. The Smartpen M1 and its predecessor, the N2, are both recipients of the International Forum Design Award, a prestigious recognition of design excellence. The M1 features faster and more precise writing recognition, improvements in design and battery life, as well companion apps for iOS, Android, and Windows. With complete exclusivity, we are now able to use every tool at our disposal to elevate NeoLAB to its full potential. says Ksenia Pereverzeva, Brand Manager for Quantum Networks. The M1 Smartpen launch marks the beginning of a dynamic and profitable partnership. The Neo Smartpen M1 will be available on Amazon.com and blucoil.com January 9th, as well as on http://www.neosmartpen.com About Neolab NeoLAB Convergence Inc., the creator of Neo smartpen N2 and sound pens, is an award-winning designer and developer of digital pens using its patented Ncode technology for the consumer, education and enterprise markets. Established in 2009, the company has been working with educational publishers worldwide to bring paper contents to life with digital technology. The company is headquartered in Korea and have offices in the U.S., Australia, Japan and Taiwan. http://www.neosmartpen.com About Quantum Networks Quantum Networks LLC, an Inc. 500 list member, is a New York City-based online retailer. The company sells innovative products through the worlds largest online marketplaces and its flagship website, blucoil.com. Navigating the nuances of online marketplaces is a complex process for brands. As experts in the field, for every brand it partners with, Quantum Networks effectively and efficiently executes the customized go-to-market strategy and with the brands individual message in mind. Quantum Networks works closely with brands being funded through Kickstarter and Indiegogo, accelerating their launch and growth across various marketplaces. http://www.QuantumNetworks.com By Anna Zhuk Thomson Safaris announced Porter Appreciation Week today, a weeklong campaign celebrating Mount Kilimanjaros local workers from Feb. 5 to Feb. 12. Some 15,000 Tanzanian porters work with countless tourists on Mount Kilimanjaro. These men and women carry the food, equipment and luggage necessary for a crew to summit the mountain. Every individual person trekking the mountain needs about six porters to assist. Thomson Safaris enjoys a close partnership with roughly 750 porters. They are the key behind every successful summit, and their kind, persistent support has won countless friendships with trekkers. This week, Thomson Safaris shares their individual stories, obstacles and thank yous from those who were overwhelmed by their support. Porters deserve support in return. Kilimanjaro tourism provides stable work and income to thousands of individuals with few other opportunities. Many Tanzanians move to the Kilimanjaro region specifically to work as porters. The great majority of them are farmers living off the land. Porter wages give them a chance to provide their families with the basics. Surrounding communities also value the industry. A report from The World Bank partially credits Kilimanjaro tourism for the areas school enrollment rate (100 percent) and adult literacy rate (85 percent) both of which are the highest in the country. For every inspiring story about a trekker climbing Kilimanjaro, about half a dozen porters made that happen, says Thomson Safaris co-founder Judi Wineland. Their stories deserve to be shared, too. They deserve appreciation, fair treatment and steady work. As a responsible tour operator, we really want to give that to them. About Thomson Safaris Thomson Safaris sets the standard for sustainable and socially responsible travel in East Africa. It is a founding member of the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project an NGO advocating for acceptable porter treatment. The Tanzania Tourism Board has given Thomson Safaris Humanitarian of the Year, Conservation and Tour Operator of the Year awards. It is a 3-time Travel + Leisure award winner, a 4-time Conde Nast award winner, a 2-time National Geographic Best Adventure Travel Company on Earth winner. We've seen eInvoicing spread with increasing speed in Latin America, and this mandate is just the beginning for businesses working in Colombia. Global tax compliance and reporting leader Sovos today announced that it is expanding its global eInvoicing solution to include the newly announced eInvoicing mandate in Colombia, where its Paperless by Sovos product has achieved government certification. On Dec. 29, 2017, the eInvoicing mandate went into effect in Colombia, requiring all companies to adopt eInvoicing by Jan. 1, 2019, at the latest, and up to six months earlier in some cases. Failure to comply can expose businesses to fines and penalties by Colombias tax administration (DIAN) and in some cases lead to the closure of businesses. Sovos is introducing an eInvoicing solution for Colombia that meets the requirements set out by the DIAN, and the Colombian government has certified Sovos as a technology provider. Colombia is the latest country in Latin America to mandate electronic invoicing, a regulatory trend that is sweeping through Latin America and Europe. The DIAN enforced the eInvoicing mandate after implementing a pilot program to improve procedures, address participant concerns and determine that electronic invoicing systems performed according to its standards. Aside from certification, Sovos brings a breadth of eInvoicing experience and functionality unmatched in the industry. With more than a decade of experience providing eInvoicing solutions in Latin America and Europe, Sovos already offers solutions in nine Latin American countries, covering multiple protocols. Those jurisdictions include Brazil and Mexico, the most complex eInvoicing countries in the region. Sovos has been continually expanding its operations in Latin America, with offices in Sao Paulo, Bogota, Santiago and Lima. We've seen eInvoicing spread with increasing speed in Latin America, and this mandate is just the beginning for businesses working in Colombia, said Alfredo Guardiola, managing director for Latin America at Sovos. In order to continue normal operations, companies must rapidly evaluate their current processes and technologies to ensure they are compliant in every country in which they operate, and businesses operating in more than one country are now starting to adopt global solutions like Paperless by Sovos to stay ahead, Guardiola said. The Sovos Colombia eInvoicing solution is now available. Visit sovos.com/colombia-einvoicing for more information. About Sovos Sovos is a global leader in tax compliance and business-to-government reporting software, safeguarding businesses from the burden and risk of compliance around the world. As governments go digital, businesses face increased risk and complexity. The Sovos Intelligent Compliance Cloud combines world-class regulatory analysis with a global cloud software platform to create an adaptable, connected and global compliance solution that keeps businesses ahead of the ever-changing regulatory environment. Sovos supports 4,500 companies, including half of the Fortune 500, and integrates with a wide variety of business applications. Based in Boston, Sovos has offices throughout North America, Latin America and Europe. For more information visit http://www.sovos.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. RJC & Company Transformation Engineers, a boutique management consultancy that works exclusively on enterprise business transformation has been accepted into the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitation-only community for the worlds most successful entrepreneurs 40 and younger. RJC & Company Transformation Engineers joins other hand-selected YEC members, including the founders of high-growth companies like 2U, Threadless, Rent the Runway, ContextMedia, Red Mango and HootSuite, to become part of a curated network of successful peers and get access to a variety of exclusive benefits and resources, including personal brand building and publishing opportunities on top business outlets, curated networking and peer-to-peer support, volume discounts on business services, and invitation-only events and VIP experiences. Members of YEC, called one of Americas most successful communities for business professionals by Entrepreneur, get access to the people, benefits and resources they need to continue growing their businesses and a dedicated member concierge who acts as an extension of their own team, providing personalized one-on-one support. In addition to concierge-level support and exclusive benefits, they become part of a carefully curated network of North Americas most successful young business owners. Robert Choi, RJC & Companys Chief Transformation Officer says, We are ecstatic about being accepted into such a powerful community of leaders. Being connected and sharing a common space for mutual benefit is great way to strengthen our business for our clients. Scott Gerber, founder of YEC, says, We are honored to welcome RJC & Company Transformation Engineers to YEC. Our philosophy is that by curating the very best entrepreneurial minds in the country and proactively connecting them to each other, we can build a powerful community of influencers and superconnectors who help each other achieve their next business milestones even faster. For more information about YEC, visit yec.co. Press: RJC & Company Transformation Engineers Robert J Choi Chief Transformation Officer 646-808-5398 http://www.rjcmc.co John brings extensive experience in the Financial Services / Professional Liability vertical, says CEO of Worldwide Facilities Davis Moore. Worldwide Facilities announces the opening of a new location in Boston, Massachusetts. John Grise will be joining the office as Senior Vice President. Grise began his career as a professional liability broker in 1998 with an independent wholesale firm in Connecticut. He has experience and expertise in a variety of professional liability areas, including technology, privacy, architects and engineers, management liability, miscellaneous E&O, real estate E&O, allied health and financial institutions. Grise was with Keating before joining Worldwide Facilities. John brings extensive experience in the Financial Services / Professional Liability vertical, says CEO of Worldwide Facilities Davis Moore. Were confident that he will contribute to the companys continuing growth and success. About Worldwide Facilities, LLC Worldwide Facilities is a national wholesale insurance broker and managing general agent that has been in business since 1970. Its brokers and underwriters are industry leaders providing expertise in a wide range of specialty lines, as well as extensive contacts with carriers domestically and overseas. For more information, please visit wwfi.com. Newtown, Pennsylvania, 02/06/2018: With over 25 years of experience, JS Benefits Group is one of the most trusted sources for employee benefits programs in the Mid-Atlantic. The consulting firm offers innovative and result-oriented employee benefit program management solutions to businesses in Newton, Pennsylvania. Utilizing cutting-edge technology, JS Benefits Group strives to make the management of employee benefits easier for their clients. Using technology streamlines and simplifies employee benefits administration and helps save clients time and money. JS Benefits Group is committed to making sure that their clients become more efficient, productive and compliant via technology and resources. The company provides clients with an online employee benefits manager and HR platform known as the Employee Navigator. The Employee Navigator is a complete tool for managing an employee benefits programs. Easy to use, its equipped with various innovative features that enhance the productivity of employers and employees. Employers can use the Employee Navigator to track payroll and deductions, access personnel information, and more. Employee Navigator has a customized homepage with company branding, communications, employee handbook, and more. Meanwhile, employees can use the Employee Navigator to access and manage benefits 24-hour via a computer or mobile device. They can also it compare insurance options, download forms and ID Cards, and access personnel policies, procedures, employee memos, notifications, and more. The Employee Navigator is a game-changing device that can minimize the hassles and challenges you face in managing your companys employee benefits programs. We work closely with every client to help them understand and implement the software in their organization, said a company spokesperson. If you wish there was an easier way to manage your companys employee benefits program, contact us today for assistance and support. In addition to technology, JS Benefits Group offers clients valuable information pertaining to current employee laws and trends. Due to the companys exceptional services, they have more than 1,200 clients from diverse businesses. Their clients have 30 to 30,000 employees and come in all shapes and sizes. Apart from employee benefits, the company also specializes in HR consulting and individual and group insurance plans, which includes life, dental, vision, disability, medical and LTC. As employee benefits and HR policies vary among companies, JS Benefits Group creates customized plans tailored to the specific needs of their clients. About JS Benefits Group The JS Benefits Group comprises a team of highly skilled and very experienced professionals working towards providing cost saving employee benefits and HR consulting services across the Mid-Atlantic region. For contact, please use the following details: JS Benefits Group, Inc. 54 Friends Lane, Ste 121 Newtown, PA 18940 Phone: (877) 355-6070 Fax: (866) 303-6984 Email: info(at)jsbenefitsgroup(dot)com Web: https://www.jsbenefitsgroup.com The hunt has begun, The Real Treasure Hunters are a group of five friends who collectively have extensive knowledge and experience in research and recovery. We decided to take the adventure of a lifetime and go on the hunt for the truth about The Pirate Jose Gaspar, and his many undiscovered treasures. While uncovering history in this quest to find the truth, we began to research this legend. The information collected has led us to the facts within this story, The team has made historical findings that is rewriting history. The team has recently made contact with families that are linked within the legend. The metal plate which has the treasure map engraved on, is now in the possession. This plate has been discredited for many years has been obtained. There is reason to believe that although Jose Gaspar may have been a fictional person, the gold buried in this area is real. Contact has been made with the oldest living family in Florida that has ties to the pirate tale. The grandson Greg, is Uncle Verns nephew through marriage of Boggess and the Collins family, and will also be joining us on this quest. The Real Treasure Hunters are Michael Gattuso, Lauren Gattuso, Todd Stiger, Stacie Hunt, Erin Melcher, and Corey Bigler. Mr. Gattuso had taken treasure hunting has a hobby, which eventually lead him into a pirate tale that took over him. The legend Jose Gaspar was so intriguing that with all the twists and dead ends that it made it virtually impossible to prove his existence. Currently the extensive research has proven the buried treasure is REAL! We have live updates on our website of breakthroughs, interviews, and live facebook updates of myself and our entire team. So get ready for the most exciting adventure of all time. When five friends decode Juan Gomez's riddle of Jose Gaspar's buried treasure, they begin to search the Peace River in Florida for answers. Step by step the clues come together as they try to prove the pirates tale is REAL! Fiction turns into reality, reality becomes the truth! Watch us online at http://www.therealtreasurehunters.com or you can follow us on facebook. You can watch daily live updates of the teams progress... The second annual JPMA Baby Show is pleased to announce exhibitor space has officially sold out, with more than 230 exhibitors confirmed. As of early February, more than 400 buyers, media and industry players plan to attend, with that number continuing to grow daily. This years JPMA Baby Show will be held on March 20-23, 2018, culminating with one of the largest baby shows in North America - the DC Baby Show on March 24, 2018. Both shows will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. The JPMA Baby Show is the industry's premier trade event. You'll find a world-class experience, complete with three days of trade activity on the show floor, educational programming, networking opportunities, the latest in trends and innovation, and the much anticipated Innovation Awards, said Kelly Mariotti, JPMA Executive Director. The Innovation Awards will honor this year's top products for babies and children, selected by an esteemed panel of industry judges. For more information and to register to attend, visit jpmababyshow.org. At The DC Baby Show, parents and caregivers will find top brands, the latest trends and the newest innovation in baby gear all under one roof, with access to top sources in the industry. To register for The DC Baby Show, visit http://www.thedcbabyshow.com. The JPMA Baby Show is hosted by The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), which represents 95 percent of prenatal to preschool products in the U.S., and acts as the voice of the industry on quality and safety for products intended for babies and children. ABOUT JPMA The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) exists as the voice of the industry on quality and safety for products intended for babies and children. We do this by: Advocating for safety through product certification programs and legislative and regulatory involvement; Supporting a broad and diverse membership through member-only programming and industry promotion; And by acting as a comprehensive source for baby product information and education. JPMA members represent 95 percent of the prenatal to preschool products sold in North America. To find out more information about JPMA, our certification program and products certified, and for a complete listing of JPMA Members, please visit http://www.jpma.org. Follow JPMA on Twitter @JPMA and connect with us on Facebook to learn about additional safety tips and JPMA initiatives. With Aeryon Defense, we can directly support the U.S. Defense Strategy to introduce advanced autonomous systems. WASHINGTON - February 5, 2018 - Aeryon Labs Inc., the world's leading provider of high-performance, small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) for military, public safety, and commercial customers, launched Aeryon Defense USA, Inc. Feb 1, and is scheduled to participate as an exhibitor during the AUVSI Unmanned Systems - Defense. Protection. Security. show Feb 6-8. Based in Denver, Colorado, Aeryon Defense is developing the future of secure, multi-role, UAS that are re-defining what's possible with a Group 1 VTOL aircraft and re-writing operational strategies in the process. "For over a decade, top militaries around the world have relied on Aeryon to provide unmatched intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities in a ruggedized, portable, sUAS. Launching Aeryon Defense was a natural evolution of the demand we are seeing from our U.S. clients," said William McHale, Chief Executive Officer of Aeryon Labs. "With Aeryon Defense, we can directly support the recently-released U.S. Defense Strategy to modernize command and control assets and ISR capabilities, and introduce advanced autonomous systems in a rapid and innovative manner." Led by Tom Jackson, a retired U.S. Marine Corps Officer and AH-1W Super Cobra pilot, Aeryon Defense has assembled a team of proven military UAS experts who understand the current and future threat environment, and are equipped with the resources to deliver innovative solutions to meet the needs of defense and federal users for years to come. "Aeryon Defense is determined to further grow and strengthen its relationship with military and federal agency customers by demonstrating its ability to respond quickly to their needs," said Jackson, Vice President and General Manager of Aeryon Defense. "We are committed to listening to the end user and understand that having a man-portable, multi-role, persistent ISR and tactical asset is invaluable. We are incorporating user input into the design of a new family of sUAS, developed directly from user feedback, that will deliver the next level of flight performance, payload flexibility, mission versatility and more." The Aeryon Defense mission is to provide customers with the world's most advanced UAS and the dedicated support they need to command superior overmatch on the battlefield, wherever they may be. Aeryon Labs and Aeryon Defense are backed by Summit Partners, a leading private equity firm that invested $60 million in the company in 2015. This investment further strengthened Aeryon's commitment to support the Department of Defense, which has increasingly partnered with high-growth technology companies to solve mission-critical problems for the warfighter. For more information about Aeryon Defense, visit http://www.aeryondefense.us and stop by the Aeryon Defense booth 514 at the AUVSI Unmanned Systems show February 6-8 in National Harbor, MD. Interested media please seethe attached link to the Aeryon Defense media toolkit and the Bio for Vice President - Tom Jackson, who will be onsite this week at AUVSI. Please enter "SkyRanger" to access the media kit using the link below. https://aeryon.photoshelter.com/galleries/C0000CabKO1.ZzKY/G0000NyN_rLM63Hc/Aeryon-Defense-Media-Kit -- About Aeryon Labs Aeryon Labs, Inc. is the world's leading provider of high-performance, small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) and software for military, public safety, and commercial customers. Aeryon's battle-tested sUAS set the standard for real-time, secure, aerial intelligence across a wide range of mission-critical applications from covert tactical missions, to search and rescue operations, to commercial inspections and more. Aeryon aircraft are deployed with over 20 militaries and in daily use with customers in over 30 countries. Visit http://www.aeryon.com to learn more. About Aeryon Defense Aeryon Defense USA, Inc. is an approved U.S. defense contractor delivering the next-generation of high-performance, small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) and software to U.S. military forces and government agencies. Building off Aeryon's battle-tested sUAS, Aeryon Defense partners with the Department of Defense to develop mission-specific solutions for specialized payloads, enhanced command and control, greater network interoperability and more. Based in Denver, Colorado, the Aeryon Defense team has the military UAS experts and resources needed to deliver innovative, multi-role sUAS that empower the modern warfighter. Visit http://www.aeryondefense.us to learn more. Interested media please see attached press advisory. If you are attending AUVSI Feb 6-8 please stop by and visit the Aeryon Defense USA exhibit located at (insert location). Aeryon Labs Inc., the worlds leading provider of high- performance, small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) for military, public safety, and commercial customers, launched Aeryon Defense USA, Inc. Feb 1, and is scheduled to participate as an exhibitor during AUSI Symposium Feb 6-8. Please see attached link to our media toolkit and the Bio for our VP - Tom Jackson, who will be onsite this week at AUVSI. -- Media contact information: Brad Young, Director of Marketing press(at)aeryondefense(dot)us Aircraft Management by Capital Jet Management We are not a management company, we are your private flight department. Capital Jet Management, a new firm focused on private aircraft management and jet charter, has announced the commencement of operations from its Orange County base located at ACI Jet. The company was founded by industry veterans, John Jorgensen, Cliff Bruner, and Ken Webster. Together they formed Capital Jet Management to service aircraft owners desiring a more personalized aircraft management experience. Ken Webster, Managing Partner explains, Looking at the private aviation industry in the United States there has been exceptional growth in the last few years. As the economy has recovered there has been consolidation between many of the operators in Southern California. 10 years ago there were dozens of management companies to choose from whereas today there are really only 4 or 5 large firms. We have identified an opportunity for aircraft owners and private jet charter customers who are looking for a more personalized experience. The company is independently owned with no operational or financial commitments to any MRO, Manufacturer, or FBO provider. This is really key to what we are trying to do. Our goal is not only to manage your aircraft, but to be your personal flight department. The needs of each individual aircraft is our primary focus. Unfortunately some of the industry has moved away from that. We want to return the industry to a place where an aircraft owner can get the personalized service they deserve. We are not a management company, we are your private flight department, said John Jorgensen, Director of Operations. The three founders are all industry veterans each with a different area of expertise. Cliff Bruner has over 20 years of maintenance experience. John Jorgensen has 20 years of operations and training experience. Ken Webster has extensive international flight and management experience. We have all worked long enough in aviation to have a idea for how we think things should be run. We got together and realized the only way to deliver the level of service we were all aspiring for was to do it ourselves, said Cliff Bruner, Director of Maintenance. The company has opened its main office at Santa Anas John Wayne Airport. With offices in Newport Beach and Ontario. About Capital Jet Management Capital Jet Management, or CJM, provides boutique aircraft management and jet charter services to clients within the United States. CJM manages a fleet of aircraft primarily based in Southern California, with offices at Santa Ana Airport. CJM operates under FAA Air Carrier Certificate Number 5GCA573N. We were very pleased to receive unanimous approval from the City of Downeys Planning Commission for this project. We think this renovated space will be a great addition to citys downtown area, which has seen some exciting new growth in recent years. Long Beach architecture firm M. Grisafe Architects announced recently that the City of Downeys Planning Commission has approved their building design for a new restaurant space, which will be located on the corner of Downey Avenue and 2nd Street in Downtown Downey. The plans for the restaurant include a second-story addition to the existing building that will feature a covered rooftop deck for dining. On the street level, patio seating will be added on the north side of the building for additional eating space. The building that will house the new restaurant has been vacant since 2013, except for brief use in 2016 as the campaign headquarters for a local politician. Originally built in 1967, the remodeled space will help support the objectives of the Downtown Downey Specific Plan, which seek to establish Downtown Downey as an area that supports and entertains people of all ages, provides additional employment opportunities within the city, preserves and enhances the character of the existing buildings, and serves as a cultural center for the City of Downey. According to the City of Downeys Planning Division Staff Report, The proposed project will promote these objectives and draw attention to an under-utilized corner of Downtown Downey. The redesigned building will be modern in its architecture, with rustic elements such as used brick, panels with a weathered wood appearance, and metal canopies above the buildings windows and doors. Mark Grisafe, owner and architect at M. Grisafe Architects, had this to say about the project, We were very pleased to receive unanimous approval from the City of Downeys Planning Commission for this project. We think this renovated space will be a great addition to citys downtown area, which has seen some exciting new growth in recent years. Grisafe continued, Given the high-profile nature of this particular corner in Downtown Downey, both our client and the City of Downey were very invested in the design of this building setting the tone for future development in the area. They wanted it to compliment the pedestrian scale of downtown, and provide a modern building, while enhancing the outdoor dining experience. The client was also very interested in referencing the richness of the traditional downtown facades. We think we were able to accomplish all of this in the design of this building, and we are happy to have the approval of City. Once completed, the building will have a total of 1,962 square feet, with an additional 203 square feet of outdoor dining space on the ground level and 776 square feet of dining area on the covered rooftop deck. About M. Grisafe Architects M. Grisafe Architects is a full-service commercial and residential architecture firm based in Long Beach, California, offering commercial building planning and tenant improvements, new home design and custom remodels, landscape design, and interior design. With every project, they strive to exceed their clients design needs and help protect the finished projects from known risks and costly challenges. Learn more about M. Grisafe Architects and see examples of their work at http://mgrisafearchitect.com. BLUEJAY INCLUSION IN THE MSCI WORLD MICRO CAP INDEX - Funds raised for timely build-up of highest grade ilmenite in the world. Raising these funds is a significant achievement we now have a clear path to advance towards titanium production. As the highest-grade ilmenite asset in the world, with a simple processing route, highly strategic location, lowest quartile production costs, the commercial potential demands attention. Bluejay Mining plc (AIM:JAY), the AIM and FSE listed exploration company with projects in Greenland and Finland, wants you to know it has raised 17 million (US$24million). The funds raised will primarily support Bluejay in its rapid advancement of the Dundas Ilmenite Project in Greenland and further progress the Nickel, Copper, Cobalt & Platinum Project in West Greenland ("Disko"). Uses for Titanium and ilmenite include 95% for white pigment for paint. Consider all the construction needs for white primer, or wall paint in India and China. The other growing 5% for manufacturers, engineers and designers that use titanium metal in a wide variety of products and projects. Titanium is extremely strong and lightweight, it has the highest strength to weight ratio of any structural metal. Bluejay CEO Roderick McIllree said, Bluejay is a strong value proposition, offering significant uplift as production at Dundas Titanium nears. We are also excited about the opportunities within our wider development portfolio of mining projects; especially the sizeable Disko Cobalt, Nickel, Copper project also in Greenland, and strategic portfolio of cobalt, high grade copper, zinc, nickel and gold assets in Finland. We are delighted and would like to thank our existing shareholders for their continued strong support in this oversubscribed placing, giving a clear indication of the confidence in our mining assets and our ability to deliver. Raising these funds is a significant achievement as we now have a clear path to advance Dundas towards production. As the project has already been proven to be the highest-grade ilmenite mineral asset in the world, with a simple processing route and highly strategic location that could see the project be in the lowest quartile production costs, we have great confidence in its commercial potential. These funds will support us in our objectives of commencing production, resource expansion, feasibility studies, licencing applications and mine construction, many of which are due for completion in the coming months. Alongside this, whilst Dundas remains our primary focus, further upside is available via our wider portfolio. Disko has shown its potential to host large scale Ni-Cu-Co-PGE MMS accumulation and accordingly we are keen to further our understanding of this through targeted exploration work. With significant news flow and multiple value milestones due in the coming months, I have no doubt that 2018 will be a pivotal year for our Company. The Company will use the net proceeds of the equity fund raising 17 million (US$24million) to: Continue development of Dundas towards commercialisation. This will include: Commencing procurement of long lead items to support mine plant construction and supporting infrastructure Completing EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) and SIA (Social Impact - Assessment) targeted for spring 2018 A priority mining area resource statement due in coming weeks, feeding into the mining study. Complete mineral resources estimate expected Q2 2018 Finalising the pre-feasibility study, targeted for Q2 2018 Completing the exploitation application and lodgement Q2 2018, approval anticipated Q4 2018 Facilitating offtake and marketing as well as other general activities. Undertake 2018 work programme at Disko to further progress the Nickel, Copper, Cobalt & Platinum Project in West Greenland (Disko), following maiden 2017 field work. Fund general working capital and maintain interests in wider project portfolio, including nickel, copper, cobalt, and gold polymetallic assets in Finland. SIGN UP FOR TITANIUM NEWS NEWSROOM ALERTS & UPDATES logo Iperion Life Sciences Consultancy We are expanding as it is clear that the market for regulatory consultancy is a global one. Iperion Life Sciences Consultancy (Iperion) has acquired US based Identificas regulatory consulting practice. The acquisition is a logical step in Iperions ambition to become a global specialists in regulatory consultancy. The consultancy and related regulatory services will be available via offices in Netherlands and Boston (USA) in support of European, US and Canadian based life sciences customers. As a result of the acquisition expertise is now available in support of both industry as well as regulators. Frits Stulp, Managing Director of Iperion Life Sciences Consultancy: We are expanding in portfolio as well as in geographical area as it is clear that the market for regulatory consultancy is a global one. Iperion has set out to become one of the key players in this field and this acquisition is another step in this ambition. We look forward to build on the work done by Vada A. Perkins in increasing interoperability between regulators and pharma through regulatory convergence, health informatics and international data standards. Identifica LLC, headed by Vada A. Perkins, will retain its focus in the informatics and technology domain as a data management company to offer solutions for data quality, provenance, and validation throughout the lifecycle. I have had the opportunity to work closely with Iperion prior to the acquisition and look forward to the transfer and convergence of Identificas domain expertise to support Iperions elite team of regulatory experts, says Vada Perkins. About Iperion Life Sciences Consultancy Iperion Life Science Consultancy is a Netherlands based provider of consultancy and services in the area of (regulatory) information management in life sciences. The mission is to enable the life sciences industry and regulators to innovate, to improve business processes and to optimize the supply chain leading to faster and more efficient delivery of medicines (and its associated information) to health care professionals and patients. Through the delivery of consultancy services in the analysis, implementation and optimization of complex cross functional regulatory information systems and processes, Iperion helps organizations achieve an increase in interoperability, data consistency and regulatory compliance. About Identifica LLC Identifica LLC (based in US) is an independent data management solutions company supporting value-based business drivers for efficient and effective decision making. The company support businesses through data management assessments, intelligence, and solutions to optimize their data and process strategies for improved business efficiency and more effective decision making from concept to execution. The product ID-LifeCycle powered by Pragmatic Data is a robust G-PLDM (Global Product Lifecycle Data Management) platform purposefully built for validation, versioning, traceability, and management of all types of data and formats (i.e. structured and unstructured) utilizing robust internal and external validation rules. Table Mountain Yoga Experience in Cape Town A unique yoga experience on top of Table Mountain in Cape Town Today, Cape Town Yoga Experiences, a travel experiences company offering premium yoga experiences to the Cape Town tourism market, announces the partnership with Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. The partnership offers guests unique access to a yoga experience by taking the first cable car of the day. This means an unparalleled experience on top of the mountain, in the quiet of the early morning before the crowds arrive. The full experience, which lasts three hours, includes the return Cableway car, a private yoga and meditation class for a small group of up to 8 people maximum, an African Wisdom Stone reading session, followed by a breakfast of coffee and muffins in the Wifi Lounge - all facilitated by local expert instructors. The return Cableway ticket means that guests can ride down again at a time of their choosing leaving them free to spend the full day on the mountain if they so wish - to join a free guided walking tour or simply enjoying the views. Cape Town Yoga Experiences has also partnered with Satori Africa to begin promoting the experience to international guests via their network of operators, and is working to expand their roster of promotional partners. There will be opportunities for media and trade partners to experience the offering in the upcoming weeks, and from today visitors and the general public can purchase tickets for the experience at http://www.capetownyogaexperiences.com Speaking about the launch, Cape Town Yoga Experiences CEO Sharni Quinn says After discussing this project for some time, we are very proud to see it finally happen. We know this will provide guests to Cape Town with an unforgettable experience that they will share with their friends and family, and that hopefully means more visitors to our beautiful city". Wahida Parker, MD of the of Table Mountain Aerial Cableway said Table Mountain is such a unique attraction and such a big part of the city - we are very pleased to add this exclusive experience to the Cableways overall offerings and make a special day even more exciting For more information on the experience please visit http://www.capetownyogaexperiences.com/table-mountain-yoga, call Sharni Quinn at +27 79 365 9862, or email hello(at)capetownyogaexperiences(dot)com ### About Cape Town Yoga Experiences Founded by Follow the Sun CEO Sharni Quinn, Cape Town Yoga Experiences delivers premium and exclusive yoga experiences to the Cape Town tourism market. Launching with a focus on the flagship Table Mountain Yoga Experience, we also offer private and personalized yoga packages at the location of your choice. In the near future we will also be expanding our range of yoga experiences in unique locations aimed specifically for the inbound tourist market. We love adventure that combines incredible locations, inspiring yoga and interesting people. We look forward to sharing our beautiful city and its playground of mountains, valleys and oceans with you. (Follow the Sun, trading as Cape Town Yoga Experiences) About Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Co. (Pty) Ltd aspires to be the leading attractions management company in Africa. Its mission is to provide access to the awe-inspiring Table Mountain, a New 7 Wonder of Nature. The company is located in the Table Mountain National Park. Table Mountain Cableway prides itself on being environmentally responsible in all facets of its business - from waste, water and electricity management to their various social practices. It is the only South African attraction operator to be awarded International Organization For Standardization (ISO) certification for its environmental management system. It is also currently the only attraction in South Africa to have a Diamond Heritage rating for sound environmental practices, as well as being named the Overall Winner of the 2011 Imvelo Responsible Tourism Award. Table Mountain Cableway works in partnership with South African National Parks who are custodians of Table Mountain National Park. For information visit http://www.tablemountain.net About Satori Africa Satori Africa offers the most exclusive and personalised wellness travel itineraries throughout Southern Africa. After working in the industry for many years we have forged relationships with some of the top properties, chefs, restaurants, producers and wellness practitioners in Southern Africa and cannot wait to share these with you. We personally produce your itineraries and tours for you, by cultivating an understanding of your needs to provide a seamlessly choreographed excursion, alleviating the usual worries often associated with travel in foreign countries The launch of this doll is a long-time dream come true for me. The world is wide open for girls today and I'm thrilled to be providing a toy that tells them that whatever they want to be is just great - whether that's a teacher or an ad exec or a professional driver." BRAND NEW DOLL ENCOURAGES GIRLS TO DRIVE THEIR OWN DREAMS HABA and Women In Trucking Launch Empowering Plush Doll The future's an endless highway for girls around the U.S. playing with a brand new plush doll developed and produced by HABA for the Women In Trucking Association, Inc. Clare, a passionate and energetic plush friend, stands 13" tall and features an official Women in Trucking cap atop a wind-blown blond head of hair. This driven young lady also comes with an "I Heart Trucking" tee, red collar shirt, jeans, and boots. Her package shares the story of her journey into the driver's seat of her very own 18-wheeler. The doll is the brainchild of Ellen Voie, founder and CEO of Women In Trucking, a nonprofit group that encourages the employment of women in the trucking industry. The release of this somewhat non-traditional new toy couldn't be more in line with the current political climate of female empowerment. Says Voie, "The launch of this doll is a long-time dream come true for me. The world is wide open for girls today and I'm thrilled to be providing a toy that tells them that whatever they want to be is just great - whether that's a teacher or an ad exec or a professional driver." A coincidental meeting helped Clare hit the road - Voie bumped into Lea Culliton, President of HABA USA, a preeminent toy manufacturer, in an airline lounge. The two talked and agreed to partner, with a sponsorship from the National Transportation Center to offset some of the production costs. This spunky trekker will also star in this summer's "I HEART Trucking" Photo Contest, themed "Clare's First Road Trip!". Professional drivers across the country will be submitting photos from the road, featuring Clare, and the winner will be recognized at an "I HEART Trucking" reception at the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, TX, in August and be featured in Redefining the Road, the Women In Trucking Association's magazine. Clare will be available at Travel Centers including TA/Petro Stopping Centers, and others, across the country beginning in March. Parents and gift givers can also purchase the doll on Amazon and at http://www.HABAUSA.com. #### About Women in Trucking: Women In Trucking Association, Inc. is a nonprofit association established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry. Membership is not limited to women, as 17 percent of its members are men who support the mission. Follow WIT on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. For more information, visit http://www.womenintrucking.org. About HABA USA: Bring home Europe's very best with HABA USA, the high-quality brand that parents have trusted for more than 75 years! HABA USA fuses time-tested play patterns with European design and modern manufacturing processes to create their award-winning line of wooden toys and games. From toy cars and trains to building blocks and pretend play props, HABA USA's line of classic, non-electronic toys and games has something (stylish!) for everyone. Join generations of children around the world who have to have their HABA! For more information visit http://www.HABAUSA.com. These outstanding companies have an unwavering commitment to the pet services profession and offer some of the most innovative products available in the industry," said Steven Appelbaum, president and CEO of Animal Behavior College. Animal Behavior College (ABC), a vocational college that trains professional dog trainers, cat trainers, veterinary assistants and pet groomers nationwide and in the 10 provinces of Canada, announced today that Coastal Pet Products, Inc. and Sleepypod have renewed their sponsorships. Coastal Pet Products will continue to sponsor ABCs Dog Obedience (DOP) Program at the Silver-level, and Sleepypod is sponsoring the schools DOP and Veterinary Assistant Program (VAP) at the Bronze-level. We are pleased that Coastal Pet Products and Sleepypod have reaffirmed their commitments to educating the next generation of dog trainers and veterinary assistants through renewed sponsorships, said Steven Appelbaum, president and CEO of Animal Behavior College. These outstanding companies have an unwavering commitment to the pet services profession and offer some of the most innovative products available in the industry. One of ABCs longest sponsors, Coastal Pet Products is providing DOP students with Walk n Train Head Halters, how-to educational video links, fliers, brochures, product information and articles in ABCs alumni newsletter Paw Prints. Sleepypod is providing product catalogs, brochures and information, and articles in Paw Prints, as well as a new yet-to-be released product sample. Both companies are also providing full-tuition scholarships: Coastal will be supporting two DOP students and Sleepypod one VAP student. Scholarship winners will be announced upon selection. In addition, ABC, Coastal Pet and Sleepypod will support each other through their social media platforms including, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Committed to leading the pet industry with quality products that support healthy and safe interactions between pets and their owners since 1968, Alliance, Ohio-based Coastal Pet Products is a family-owned American manufacturer. The company specializes in collars, leashes and harnesses, retractable leashes, grooming tools and toys for dogs and cats. Coastal Pet Products is proud to sponsor candidates that share the passion for strengthening the bond between pets and people, said Marcy Ream, Director of Marketing for Coastal Pet Products. Recognized for reinventing pet products with innovative design, Pasadena, California-based Sleepypod is best-known for its durable and stylish pet beds, carriers, safety harnesses and travel accessories. The companys in-vehicle carries and harnesses have passed rigorous third-party testing by the Center for Pet Safety, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit research and advocacy organization dedicated to protecting pets and the people who love them Sleepypod is incredibly proud to renew our commitment to ABCs DOP and Veterinary Assistant Programs, said Michael Leung, co-founder and lead product designer for Sleepypod. It is a privilege to support these future leaders in the pet services industry who share Sleepypods same desire to enhance the lives of companion animals. As of January 31, 2017, ABC has graduated14,737 students in DOP and 7,963 students in VAP. To date, the college has graduated and certified more than 25,000 students from all of its four core programs combined including the Grooming Instruction Program, DOP, VAP, and the Cat Training Program. ABC offers specialized certificates of completion in five Short-Term Programs on subjects including pet massage, pet nutrition, pet sitting, training shelter dogs, and selling and teaching private lessons. To become a dog trainer, veterinary assistant, pet groomer or cat trainer, call 1-800-795-3294 or visit the website at http://www.AnimalBehaviorCollege.com. ### About Animal Behavior College Now celebrating its 20th Anniversary, Animal Behavior College has become the school of choice for more professional dog trainers, veterinary assistants, cat trainers and pet groomers than any other specialty school of its kind. Students obtain practical, hands-on experience applying what they learn by working side-by-side with a member of ABC's expert mentors group. These professional mentors include thousands of professional dog trainers, veterinary hospitals and grooming salons from all across the U.S. and Canada who are dedicated to helping students to succeed in the pet services industry. Today the health and wellness professionals at Healthy Finds are pleased to announce their newest addition to their brand line; Kur, the Scandinavian Bite-Size Bar. Kur merges healthy living with simple principles. Pronounced koor meaning to restore to the natural or proper condition. This award-winning product is a premium quality pocket-sized snack that packs the best ingredients into a healthy and delicious treat. It is very rare that health food snack can offer both, nutrition and great taste, but Kur has done just that. Combined with raw dates and nuts, these bars help to alleviate stomach and intestinal issues, as well as improving heart health, boosting muscle development, and increasing energy levels. Kur knows that we have been eating dates for over 5,000 years, for their great taste and their nutritional value. Kur bars are 100% organic, vegan, kosher, gluten-free, and contain no GMOs (genetically mutated organisms). -NO added sweeteners -NO grains -NO soy -NO flour -NO binders Click here to learn about more Healthy Finds brands and products. Today, wellness and nutrition distributor, Healthy Finds introduced their new beauty brand Shea Terra Organics. This home-grown product line started in the basement of a stay-at-home mom, has now grown to become a $1.7 million beauty business. When Tammie Umbel (creator/founder of Terra Shea Organics) started in 2000, nobody would have believed that a year later she would be filling thousands of dollars in orders online per month. The secrets of Shea Terra Organics amazing success are simple; hard work, caring for others, and a perfect recipe made from Africas safest and most beneficial botanical ingredients; seeds, herbs, and oils. Shea Terra is not only a health-conscious company but a socially conscious one; operating as a free trade business that helps to bring work and wages to many Ugandan women. Any brand that cares this much about the details is guaranteed to create a great product. Specializing in skin and hair care items, Terra Shea Organics has also focussed its efforts to blend potent ingredients to soothe skin inflammation, moisturize dry skin, and to work wonders on eczema. Click here for more information on how to save money with Healthy Finds, or to learn more about Shea Terra Organics. Styleables Last week, Austrian company Styleables, launched their brand new fashion wearable designed to help consumers express their moods, attitudes and style all with the convenience of a smartphone app. Now over 50% funded, with less than one month left to go, the companys Kickstarter campaign is showing no signs of slowing down. Many tech wearables nowadays boast features that often flood consumers with vibrating notifications or reminders. Styleables eliminates the chaos that other wearables incorporate, allowing the focus to remain on style and individuality. The devices sleek, lightweight design is beautiful yet subtle. Consumers have the option to choose between two different styles: the Urban plastic frame comes in black, while the Fusion metal frame model is available in a choice of black or silver. The team is also offering Styleables in a brand new rose gold color. Adaptability is the main feature that sets Styleables apart from other tech wearables. The company offers a number of versatile reward options through their Kickstarter campaign. Buyers can purchase a matching silver or black chain in addition to a number of adapters that allow the Styleables device to be transformed into a brooch, tie or bowtie. Styleables gives consumers complete control over their smart jewelry using advanced Bluetooth technology. The device's display screen is controlled by the Styleables smartphone app, which hosts more than 1,000 unique designs and aids consumers in expressing their moods and individuality in a tech-savvy way. Styleables has a 12-hour battery life and also gives wearers the option to upload their own images. Styleables is still available for a limited time on Kickstarter starting at $79. To learn more, visit the campaign at bit.ly/StyleablesKS. About Styleables Based in Rabenstein, Austria, Styleables was founded nearly two years ago with the idea of a customizable digital device that could be worn not only as jewelry, but a lifestyle wearable. Styleables is on a mission to offer a new kind of lifestyle experience to the world and help people to express themselves. To learn more, visit http://www.styleables.io/. The PsychArmor Institute, Elizabeth Dole Foundation, and USAA today announced the Military Caregiver Recognition Award Program. The new program provides support and free online education to Veteran and military caregivers to help them meet the unique challenges associated with caregiving responsibilities. Too many of our nations hidden heroes the 5.5 million spouses, parents, family members, and friends who provide voluntary care for wounded, ill, or injured Veterans dont receive the support they need and deserve, said Marjorie Morrison, founder and CEO of PsychArmor Institute. By combining our extensive library of free online training courses for caregivers with the resources of the Elizabeth Dole Foundations Hidden Heroes campaign, were delivering attention, support, and resources in real time, wherever and whenever the caregiver needs it. Military and Veteran caregivers who register at http://www.hiddenheroes.org and complete five PsychArmor courses for caregivers will earn a Certificate of Achievement, signed by Senator Elizabeth Dole and Marjorie Morrison, in recognition of their dedication in caring for a wounded service member or veteran. More often than not, military caregivers are thrust into the role of caregiver without any education or training for this challenging role, said Senator Elizabeth Dole, founder of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. Taking on this new challenge can leave caregivers feeling overwhelmed, isolated, and alone. We are pleased to be working with PsychArmor Institute to ensure caregivers feel more adequately prepared to take on the critically important role of caring for our nations wounded warriors. Responding to the needs of military caregivers with resources and support is our way of honoring their personal service and sacrifice, and helps ensure that caregivers and, by extension, their Veterans are able to improve and thrive. PsychArmors School for Military Veteran Caregivers and Families is made possible thanks to the financial support and collaboration of USAA. PsychArmor currently offers two dozen free online courses specifically designed for Veteran and military caregivers, and will launch additional courses in 2018. Each course is developed and led by experts and clinicians with deep understanding of the unique needs of military caregivers and families and the obstacles they face. The courses use animation, gamification, and simulations to ensure an immersive and engaging learning experience. USAA is honored to support the work of both PsychArmor and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to engage and empower the millions of Veteran and military caregivers across the nation, said Harriet Dominique, Senior Vice President, Corporate Responsibility and Community Affairs at USAA. The new Military Caregiver Recognition Award Program aims to provide caregivers with the tools and resources to thrive, all the while recognizing the incredible work they do every day on behalf of their loved ones. ### About PsychArmor Institute PsychArmor Institute is the only non-profit organization in the country exclusively dedicated to providing FREE online educational courses to all who work with, live with, or care for members of the military community. Its online library of more than 165 short, self-paced course modules is available 24/7. All PsychArmor courses are evidence-based, clinically informed, and developed by national recognized subject matter experts. For more information about PsychArmor, please visit http://www.psycharmor.org. You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. About Elizabeth Dole Foundation The Elizabeth Dole Foundation is the preeminent organization empowering, supporting, and honoring our nations 5.5 million military caregivers the spouses, parents, family members, and friends who care for Americas wounded, ill or injured veterans at home. Founded by Senator Elizabeth Dole in 2012, the Foundation adopts a comprehensive approach in its support and advocacy, working with leaders in the public, private, nonprofit, and faith communities to recognize military caregivers service and promote their well-being. Learn more about the Elizabeth Dole Foundation at http://www.elizabethdolefoundation.org. About USAA The USAA family of companies provides insurance, banking, investments, retirement products and advice to 12 million current and former members of the U.S. military and their families. Known for its legendary commitment to its members, USAA is consistently recognized for outstanding service, employee well-being and financial strength. USAA membership is open to all who are serving our nation in the U.S. military or have received a discharge type of Honorable and their eligible family members. Founded in 1922, USAA is headquartered in San Antonio. For more information about USAA, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@USAA), or visit usaa.com. Genetec Inc. Security systems, sensors and data are invaluable sources of information that until now have been largely underutilized. Genetec solutions consolidate this information and convert unstructured data into actionable insight so organizations make data-driven decisions Genetec Inc. (Genetec), a leading technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions, today announced its plans for ISC West 2018 (booth #26065, Sands Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV). The company will feature the latest version of Security Center, its flagship unified security platform, and demonstrate Citigraf, its new decision support system for comprehensive response coordination. Genetec Citigraf is designed to help reduce response time to crimes, and provide insights and analytics on how crime moves across the city, so first responders can take the most effective action with the greatest awareness. Security Center blends IP security systems within a single intuitive platform to offer users a comprehensive view of their security and operations. From access control, video surveillance, and automatic license plate recognition to communications, intrusion detection, and analytics, Security Center empowers organizations to make informed decisions through enhanced situational awareness, unified command and control, and connectivity to the cloud. The latest version of Security Center (5.7) allows users to gain a better understanding of their data, identify trends, and spot undetected patterns based on security and analytics data. Version 5.7 also adds enhanced privacy protection for individuals, improves cyber resilience with new cybersecurity features, including a powerful new reporting feature that automatically alerts system administers to outdated and potentially dangerous camera firmware. Of note at ISC West, Genetec will present Citigraf, its decision support system that features a powerful correlation and analytics engine which instantly detects and displays relevant information from disparate systems for inter-agency collaboration. Since its installation across eight strategic decision support centers (SDSCs) in the City of Chicago, Citigraf has contributed to a reduction in response time to crime resulting in overall decreased crime. With highly-accurate GIS location and visual information for fast on-scene response, officers and emergency responders can make more effective decisions for situations in progress and collect pre-emptive data to help address and deter crime in at-risk parts of the city. Genetec Clearance, the companys digital evidence management system, helps speed up investigations by allowing police officers, investigators and security managers, to collect, manage, and share digital evidence from a variety of sources such as video management systems, body-worn devices, in-car systems and cellphone footage from bystanders and witnesses. By centralizing all pertinent files related to cases within a single application evidence can easily be shared between investigators or requested by 3rd parties, without needing an officer to go on-site to physically deliver the recordings. The lines between security and operations continue to blur and organizations are increasingly looking for a better understanding of their environments and operations, as well as greater efficiencies. Security systems, sensors and data are invaluable sources of information that until now have been largely underutilized. Genetec solutions consolidate this information, and convert unstructured data into actionable insight so organizations make data-driven decisions, said Jimmy Palatsoukas, Director of Product Marketing at Genetec. Expanded partner ecosystem Genetec is further expanding its technology partner ecosystem, as evidenced by the Restricted Security Area (RSA) Surveillance add-on for Security Center that integrates with a growing array of radar- and laser-based solutions from Optex, SpotterRF, and NavTech Radar. The company will also showcase new access control hardware integration with Allegion NDE locks. Cybersecurity At ISC West, Genetec will continue in its mission to engage, educate and learn from IT and security professionals on the issue of cybersecurity. With the newly launched Genetec Trust Center, Genetec has created a central repository of educational materials focused on cybersecurity, privacy, and other Security-of-Security topics to help systems integrators and customers understand trusted best practices to keep people and organizations safe and secure. Genetec continues its unwavering focus on cybersecurity by offering unmatched levels of authentication, encryption, and authorization in all of its products. Most recently, native support for OSDP version 2 (Open Supervised Device Protocol) has been added to manage and secure communications between access control field devices and the Synergis Cloud Link appliance, leading to a greater level of cyber resilience. About Genetec Genetec Inc. is an innovative technology company with a broad solutions portfolio that encompasses security, intelligence, and operations. The companys flagship product, Security Center, is an open-architecture platform that unifies IP-based video surveillance, access control, automatic license plate recognition (ALPR), communications, and analytics. Genetec also develops cloud-based solutions and services designed to improve security, and contribute new levels of operational intelligence for governments, enterprises, transport, and the communities in which we live. Founded in 1997, and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Genetec serves its global customers via an extensive network of resellers, integrators, certified channel partners, and consultants in over 80 countries. For more information about Genetec, visit: http://www.genetec.com 2018 Genetec Inc. Genetec, Security Center, Traffic Sense, Retail Sense, Airport Sense, Citigraf , and the Genetec logo are trademarks of Genetec Inc., and may be registered or pending registration in several jurisdictions. Other trademarks used in this document may be trademarks of the manufacturers or vendors of the respective product. DowDuPont Agriculture Division announced today that it is launching a new premium global seed brand Brevant. Seed products bearing the Brevant brand are initially planned for Latin America, Canada and selected European countries in 2018. We are excited to announce the Brevant brand that, as we progress toward the creation of the standalone Agricultural Company, will join the Pioneer brand as the Agriculture Divisions premium global seed brands, said Tim Glenn, Agriculture Division Seeds Business Platform vice president. Growers can trust seed products bearing the Brevant brand because they will be backed with the latest seed innovations and proven to deliver outstanding results. The Brevant brand will serve existing customers of the Agriculture Division by replacing the Coodetec and Biogene brand products in Brazil. The Brevant brand also will replace the Dow Seeds brand over the coming months following the merger of Dow and DuPont. The Agriculture Division is committed to serving customers through multiple brands and multiple channels that address geographic and demographic buying preferences, said Glenn. In addition to our two global seed brands, we will continue to offer quality country- and region-specific seed brands that complete one of the broadest, most diverse seed portfolios in the world. The global launch of the Brevant brand was unveiled in Cascavel, Brazil, at the Show Rural Coopavel (Farm Show) one of the regions most important farm shows. I am proud to showcase the Brevant brand at the Coopavel, an important event for the Brazilian agribusiness market, said Roberto Hun, Agriculture Division leader for Brazil and Paraguay. Our commercial and technical teams will work close to the dealers offering the best technology and services to the growers. Brevant brand seed products will be available in a range of crops, including, for example corn, soy, sorghum and wheat in Brazil. The Brevant brand is not planned for launch in the United States. To learn more about Brevant brand seed products, visit http://www.Brevant.com. About DowDuPont Agriculture Division DowDuPont Agriculture, a business division of DowDuPont (NYSE: DWDP), combines the strengths of DuPont Pioneer, DuPont Crop Protection and Dow AgroSciences. Together, the Agriculture Division provides growers around the world with the most complete portfolio in the industry, developed through a robust research pipeline across germplasm, biotech traits and crop protection. DowDuPont Agriculture is committed to delivering innovation, helping growers increase productivity and ensuring food security for a growing global population. DowDuPont intends to separate the Agriculture division into an independent, publicly traded company. More information can be found at http://www.dow-dupont.com. # # # 2/5/18 Brevant Trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. The DuPont Oval logo, DuPont and all products, unless otherwise noted, denoted with or are trademarks or registered trademarks of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates. Kearny Bank, announced today that it has raised its minimum wage to $15 per hour, effective immediately. Kearny made this decision to share the benefits of the recently signed federal tax reform bill that cut the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent with its employees. We are fortunate to have such a tremendously dedicated and talented staff at Kearny, said Craig L. Montanaro, President and CEO of Kearny Bank. Sharing this benefit is in keeping with our corporate culture which recognizes that our employees are a critical component to our success. About Kearny Bank Kearny Financial Corp. is the parent company of Kearny Bank, which operates from its administrative headquarters building in Fairfield, NJ. Kearny Bank has supported the communities it serves since 1884. The bank has assets of $4.8 billion and operates 42 full-service banking offices in northern and central New Jersey, and in Brooklyn and Staten Island, New York. Kearny Bank was recently named to Forbes list of the 50 Most Trustworthy Financial Companies. World Christianity is a field of study that encompasses analysis of the histories, practices, and discourses of Christianity as is found on six continents. The Journal of World Christianity is particularly concerned with comparative studies of both local forms of Christianity in the areas in which it has historically existed or presently exists, and with the place of Christianity in inter-religious dialogue, the history of interactions between Christianity and persons of other faiths, and interactions between Christian groups separated by confessional, ecclesiastical, geographical, or geo-political divides. Editorial Advisory Board Charles Amjad-Ali, Luther Seminary Daniela C. Augustine, Lee University School of Religion Stephen Bevans, S.V.D., Catholic Theological Union Moses O. Biney, New York Theological Seminary Anthea D. Butler, University of Pennsylvania John Coakley, New Brunswick Theological Seminary Keri L. Day, Princeton Theological Seminary Melanie A. Duguid-May, Colgate Rochester Divinity School Lois Farag, Luther Seminary Namsoon Kang, Brite Divinity School Paul V. Kollman, University of Notre Dame Klaus Koschorke, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich John A. McGuckin, University of Oxford NG Tze Ming Peter, China Victory Theological Seminary of Hong Kong , Hong Kong Luis N. Rivera-Pagan, Emeritus, Princeton Theological Seminary Lester Edwin J. Ruiz, The Association of Theological Schools David Kwang-sun Suh, retired Mark Tamthai, Payap University, Thailand Albert Sundararaj Walters, Adjunct, Malaysia Theological Seminary The mission of The Journal of World Christianity is to advance knowledge and understanding of Christianity in its various dimensions on six continents in both its local and global expressions. The journal seeks to provide an intellectual meeting place at the cross-roads of diverse disciplines, departments, institutions, and identities from around the world where scholars and practitioners can reflect upon Christianity as a world religion. If you would like to submit an article to The Journal of World Christianity, please visit http://www.editorialmanager.com/JOWC and create an author profile. The online system will guide you through the steps to upload your article for submission to the editorial office. Manuscripts for submission should conform to Chicago Manual of Style guidelines. A 150-word abstract is required with all submissions. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: President Trump woke up this morning and fired off a tweet criticising Democrats who "are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working." "Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks!," he said Trump's tweet contained two errors. The National Health Service is not "going broke" (although there is a debate over how much funding it should get). And his inference that people were protesting the system was wrong they were marching to demand it receive more funding. Nonetheless, Trump's tweet raises an interesting question: Is the British system of universal free care, via a single-payer "socialized" system, better or worse than the healthcare you get in the US? Until 2014, I spent half my life in the US and half of it in the UK, so I'm used to both countries' healthcare systems. I returned to London after 20 years in America, and after several doctors' appointments in the UK I've come to see the NHS through American eyes. The NHS is, as all Americans know and fear, a completely public system, and one of Britain's longest and most enduring experiments with socialism. It's dramatically different from the US's patchwork system of private providers and insurance companies. See also: One important way the UK's NHS is much worse than America's private health system My story isn't representative, of course. Healthcare delivery is different in the UK depending on where you live and which doctors and hospitals you use just as it is in the US. But I've now used both systems for about two decades each, so I feel I have a pretty good handle on the main contrasts. THIS ROLLS ROYCE ISN'T MOVING FAST ENOUGH! The context here is that the NHS regularly releases its most recent stats on accident and emergency room waiting times. The headline number is that 85% of patients are seen within four hours. (The definition of "seen" is admitted, diagnosed, and either treated or referred on.) In the UK, this is regarded as a huge failure the standard the NHS is supposed to meet is 95% of patients in four hours. The UK media routinely goes into a fury about it, and some hospitals postpone and reschedule non-emergency procedures in order to get those waiting times down. In the US, having sat in many an ER waiting room for hours at a stretch, the idea of a hospital seeing nearly 9 out of 10 patients in four hours would be regarded as a miracle. Bear in mind that within that four-hour period the NHS doctors are triaging patients: If you get hit by a bus, you're going to see someone instantly. If you broke a finger because you fell over while drunk at the pub, you're probably going to wait at the back of the line. It's not like people are literally bleeding to death while they wait for attention (although the British media loves it when it finds individual cases where that has happened). So my overall impression is that currently, the Brits' complaints that the NHS isn't hitting that 95% mark is akin to saying, "This Rolls Royce isn't moving fast enough!" SHOW UP WHEN YOU'RE TOLD TO - OR ELSE The first major difference from the patient's point of view is what happens when you call your doctor for a routine appointment. My specific health issue was that I thought I was going slightly deaf, and wanted it checked out. I'm a dual US/UK citizen, so I qualify for NHS treatment. Here's what has happened to me in both the US and UK systems. In America, you call your doctor and request an appointment when it's convenient for you. They might ask you what's wrong with you, presumably to make sure it's not something that requires immediate treatment. But basically, it's first come, first served, regardless of how important it is. Usually, you can pick an appointment time that's convenient for you if it is not an emergency. In the UK, I was given an appointment whether I liked it or not. I called and leave a message. Within an hour or two a nurse practitioner called me back and asked me a few questions about my problem over the phone. (You've got to take the call in a private place if you don't want your office mates to hear.) Then they said: Come in at 9am on Thursday. There was no choice over appointment times the assumption is that if you're ill, you're going to come to the doctor when they say. At first I found this jarring. In America, I get to choose whenI see the doctor! In Britain, I better show up when I'm told. But the appointment came quickly, as the local health authority in London has targets it needs to meet. Ultimately, I saw the logic of it: This is a public health system. It needs to manage its costs and services. If you're really sick, you'll show up. If you only want to show up when it's convenient for your schedule, then how sick are you, really? AMERICA IS WORSE AT ON-THE-DAY CARE In America, I've always had a long wait to see my doctor. I have read many a back issue of Newsweek in my primary care / general practitioner (GP) doctor's office. I've sat there for an hour playing with my phone while the doc sees patients in the order they were booked. In the UK, I showed up at 9am and was seen instantly, at the Waterloo Health Centre. For an American, this was bizarre: My butt barely touched the seat in the waiting room before my name was called. Turns out my doc and her staff are serious about patient scheduling. This was one reason I became convinced that the NHS way of scheduling is superior: You might not get the time or date that you want, but once you're in, you get seen super-quick. THE NHS ACTIVELY DISCOURAGES SOME PATIENTS - FOR GOOD REASON The NHS actively discourages some types of patients: Interestingly, NHS offices and hospitals have posters up all over the place warning you not to show up at the emergency room if you have a cold or the flu. They're actively discouraging patients with minor ailments from seeking emergency treatment, and trying to get them to see their regular doctors instead. It's sensible everyone knows that a vast amount of hospital time and money is wasted treating people who are not an emergency. And hospitals and doctor's surgery waiting rooms are a hotbed of germs. But still, it's a culture shock to see a medical institution put up signs that basically say, "go home, you idiot!" in every waiting room. The US never discourages patients from doing anything. I've never seen any kind of public campaign to persuade patients to apply some common sense before dropping themselves off at an emergency room. The entire US pharmaceutical industry is also dedicated to running ads encouraging people to "go see your doctor" for even the most trivial of conditions. The treatment from my primary care GP was the same in the UK as it was in the US. I've had great care from 95% of doctors I've ever seen in both the US and the UK. Doctors are doctors. They're mostly really nice and good at what they do. The system that pays them doesn't seem to make them better or worse. THERE IS BASICALLY NO PAPERWORK WITH THE NHS There is a load of paperwork for patients in the US. This is easily the worst aspect of US healthcare the billing paperwork. If you've ever had any health issue that required more than a simple doctor visit, you will know that it precipitates a seemingly never-ending series of forms, bills, and letters. You can be paying bills months, years later. And it's almost impossible to correct a billing error. It's stressful. I developed an intense hatred for health insurance companies in the US because of this. There was close to zero paperwork in the NHS. I filled in a form telling my doc who I was and where I lived, and that was pretty much it. The only other paperwork I got was a letter in the mail reminding me of my next appointment. They sent me a text reminder, too, which no American doc has ever done. It was incredibly refreshing. THE STANDARD OF CARE IS THE SAME So, was I going deaf? Maybe. Maybe not. I'd lost my sense of balance in summer 2014, which an American doctor had diagnosed as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. It's a condition of the inner ear. It made my body feel slightly drunk and clumsy even though I am completely sober. The US doc told me there is no treatment and it goes away on its own, mostly. A lot of people get it, apparently. I was managing fine and it doesn't bother me, anyway. The UK doc told me the same thing, but also suggested I might have Meniere's Disease, and wanted to send me to a specialist to get it checked out. Meniere's isn't really a disease, it's just a collection of symptoms: dizziness, hearing loss and a ringing in the ears. Again, there is no treatment. But it's rare. This freaked me out a little bit. I was used to the US system which is heavily "defensive." Doctors tend to over-treat patients because they get sued if they miss something. They also get paid more money for doing more work. Yet it was the NHS doctor that suggested extra treatment. It was going to be free so I said yes! A LONG WAIT FOR NHS TREATMENT ... I then made an appointment with a specialist at the Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London. In the US, I've always been able to see a specialist within a few days. Score one for America. In the UK, they said "we'll see you in January." It was late November, six weeks or more away. This was a shock. I was going deaf now not in six weeks! What the hell?! NHS waiting times are a real thing, it turns out. The NHS is great at primary or preventative care (ie routine doctor appointments) and emergency care. But it's pretty slow at non-emergency specialist care for chronic ailments. You typically wait 20 weeks to see a specialist, according to the NHS's own stats. I comforted myself with the assumption that the staff had made a decision that my condition was likely not life- or health-threatening, and had moved me to the back of the line. It was frustrating. Ultimately, I also needed to change my appointment because I had to leave the country on business, and this was quite difficult to do. I had to call a few times, basically to catch the hospital booking staff at the right time of day, in order to do it. I wished Guy's and St. Thomas' had an online system for this, but they don't just a bunch of people answering phones, most of whom don't have access to the right appointment schedule. It was that appointment system again: You're booked in according to their priority, not yours. The big lesson with the NHS is, it's a lot easier to just show up when you're told. OLD PEOPLE IN BRITAIN ARE REALLY RUDE In the US, I expect to wait up to an hour in the specialist's waiting room on the day of my appointment. Nothing ever happens promptly on the day in US healthcare, as far as I can tell. In the NHS, again, I waited only a couple of minutes. Credit to the staff at St. Thomas, they are cranking through their patients. On two occasions I noticed old people complaining angrily (and rudely) to the office staff that they had been made to wait 15 or 20 minutes to see their doctor. As an American, I almost laughed out loud. Fifteen minutes to see a free doctor! This Rolls Royce isn't moving fast enough! I asked a British friend someone who has ongoing health issues and sees a lot of doctors if old people complaining like this was common. Turns out, it is. Elderly British people love to complain to NHS staff if they wait more than 1o minutes. Everyone just expects their appointments to be exactly on time. Again, the NHS care was great. I saw two different doctors within an hour, one for testing and one for diagnosing. A third admin staffer was coordinating the lists so there was no doctor downtime. It was like being in a highly efficient factory. It looked like hard work. I could tell that one of my doctors was not interested in chatting. She treated me, and wanted me out the door. There was a bunch of patients behind me, after all. In America, docs seem to be happy to chat as long as you want and you can tell that extra couple of minutes with each patient creates long delays as the day wears on. The good news: I am not going deaf! I have great hearing, it turns out. They even showed me a chart of it. But the tinnitus ringing in my ears that started years ago because I attended a lot of punk rock gigs in my youth has gotten worse, making me feel more deaf. The UK NHS specialist said she was 99% sure there was nothing wrong with me, or at least nothing that could be treated, but she recommended an MRI to see what the condition of my inner ears is like. This was reassuring. In no way was my treatment rationed or denied, the way Americans fear. It was just the same as in the US, with the same number of docs and the same level of high-tech equipment. THE COST TO THE PATIENT IS MUCH CHEAPER IN THE UK, OBVIOUSLY So how much did all this NHS care cost me? 0. Nothing. Zero. I paid not a penny for some top-notch healthcare. There is no such thing as a "free," of course, but the per-capita cost of healthcare in the UK (paid by the government via tax collections) is generally lower than the US, according to the World Health Organization. Americans spend $8,362 per capita on healthcare annually, the Brits spend $3,480. Here is a breakdown: NHS prices Typical US prices* (Total payable by the patient in cash, or typically 90% from insurance and 10% as a patient copay. SORRY AMERICA, BUT NHS TREATMENT REALLY IS BETTER OVER ALL The bottom line: I prefer the NHS to the American private system. It's a little more inconvenient in terms of appointment times, but due to the fact that it is free, has no paperwork, and the treatment on the day is super-fast, the NHS wins. British people and Americans pay roughly similar levels of income tax, from 0% to 45%. (It's largely a myth that the Brits are taxed to death.) Yet the Brits have a free health system to show for their taxes, whereas Americans pay on top of that for insurance. That Rolls Royce is moving at a pretty decent clip. And, of course, there is the small matter of the fact that the NHS covers everyone equally, whereas Americans get care based on their ability to pay, leaving tens of millions with only minimal access to care. (Obamacare changed much of that, but it's leagues behind the NHS if you're comparing them by the standard of universal full-service coverage.) Americans think they have the best healthcare in the world. But take it from me, a fellow American: You don't. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! The suspects include seven males and 20 females, Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chief Inspector Kingsley Augustine Oppong told the media. According to him, the suspects are currently on Police enquiry bail, but have been asked to report frequently to to the regional Police headquarters to assist Police in their investigations. Explaining what led to their capture, Chief Inspector Oppong said the suspects presented forged documents and fake information during the recruitment process. He said their offences range between forging of birth dates, faking birth certificates and tempering with academic results. He said the Police has noticed that all the arrested persons are from Techiman, Nkoranza, Sampa, Dormaa-Ahenkro or Nsoatre in the Brong Ahafo region. This, he said, has raised suspicions over who aided the suspects to fake their information and documents, since all suspects had similar documents which seemed to have been laminated to outwit the officials. Chief Inspector Oppong further stated that the Police is still on the look out to apprehend anybody who presents fake or forged documents during the recruitment process. A Deputy Director of DVLA Kafui Semevor told Accra-based Starr FM, that this is to ensure that all drivers obtain professional driving license even if they are not able to the exams, which is set in English. Twi, Ga, Ewe, Hausa are the languages chosen to ensure that people who can express themselves in these languages get to write the DVLA Test. After the implementation of the policy, people who speak Ga, Twi, Ewe & Hausa will be able to write the DVLA Test exams which will be in an audio form. With this reform, many of the drivers will benefit. There are a number of good drivers on our roads but they cannot read or write, he said. READ ALSO: Gas tanker explosion at Atuabo leaves 2 dead Some drivers who do not have command over the English language have had challenges writing the examination for acquiring a license because it is conducted in English. The drivers have through their unions complained over the year and asked that the exams be administered in local languages as well. READ ALSO: 27 applicants arrested for forging documents An official of the Ghana Private Roads Transport Union Kwame Kumah said if the proposed plan is made reality, it will benefit a lot more drivers. He said he believes in polygamy, according to his religion. The MP on Sunday, February 4, 2018 walked down the aisle with one Huseina, daughter of the MP for Asawase, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak in Kumasi as his second wife. He wrote: "Let me put it on record that - though I am unapologetically a believer in polygamy and my religion, and my proud Dagbon tradition and culture permit polygamy, I have one wonderful wife - Mrs. Huseina Mubarak." A man under the Islamic custom is obliged to marry more than one if he is capable to cater for them. It is however frowned on to marry beyond four. The second wife of the MP is also student nurse at the Tamale Nursing and Midwifery College. In a Facebook post on her timeline, Rasheeda Adams did not state what type of abuse it was but she described it as extreme. The marriage ended due to extremely abusive behaviour from Mr Mubarak towards me. She, however, confirmed Mubaraks statement that she filed for divorce in 2016. Said marriage has been over for more than a year, as we are now in court over custody mattersWe have not lived together for the last 1 year. Her comments come after the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumbungu Constituency, Ras Mubarak denied media reports that he has married a second wife. In a Facebook post, he indicated that he only remarried on Sunday (February 4, 2018) because his first wife divorced him few weeks before the 2016 elections. READ ALSO: Man dies after drinking two bottles of Akpeteshie in GHc30 bet Ive just woken up to the news that I married an additional wife yesterday. Let me put it on record that though I am unapologetically a believer in polygamy and my religion, and my proud Dagbon tradition and culture permit polygamy, I just remarried yesterday after my wife then, packed out and sued for divorce a few weeks before the 2016 election. Ras Mubarak walked down the aisle with Huseina Mubarak, daughter of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asawase, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak on Sunday (February 4, 2018) in Kumasi. Speaking on Citi FMs news analysis programme The Big Issues, president of IMANI, Franklin Cudjoe, opined it is those who do not have jobs that join vigilante groups. READ ALSO: NPP activists invoke curses on party executives over polling station elections According to him, most unemployed youth hide behind political parties to perpetrate heinous crimes because they do not having anything doing. In his view, the government must take a critical look at creating employment for the youth in the country or incidents of vigilantism may again rear their ugly heads. Because of the absence of jobs, they probably would want to be known as vigilante groups. Its part of a problem we have as a developing country where we have serious challenges with unemployment and I think the root cause is what we should be looking at. In order for these not to rear their ugly heads again, it is important to have a very long-term view on how to deal with these matters, Mr. Cudjoe said. For me, the vigilante issue is one part of a very big conversation we should be having on unemployment in this country. He also touched on the recent suspension of the Upper West Regional Minister, Sulemana Alhassan, for covering up for some youth of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) who vandalized the office of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) in the region. The Minister reportedly prevented the Police from arresting the perpetrators due to their affiliation to the ruling party. Mr. Cudjoe believes the suspension was a lenient punishment for the Minister, insisting he should have been dismissed outright. Giving his own comment which sought to justify the actions, this obviously does not augur well for any civilized country, he added. Meanwhile, the Upper West Regional Police Command has picked up five persons in connection with the attack on the NADMO office in the region. Odinga did not take lightly the researchers sentiments which criticized him for swearing himself in as president as he went ahead and blocked him from accessing and commenting on any of his Facebook posts. The Ghanaian researcher identified as Hotep Abeku Adams called Raila a buffoon, a man who boycotted elections and won without contesting in his comment. Congratulations H.E Raila Buffoon Odinga,president of little Kenya, the man who boycotted an election and won without contesting. Such a glamour of idiotism. Africa is such a mess!! Its the ignorance of the mad of his madness that makes madness a mysterious illness, read his comment. Abekus comment had attracted a huge number of reactions from Raila Odingas followers on Facebook, most of whom seemed to agree with his sentiments. He later on revealed that Odinga had blocked him from seeing his posts. He explained that the monies he used to receive from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as a journalist was enough, but because he wanted to live an extravagant life, he needed other sources of income and to live that life style and the only way out was drug peddling. My first assignment as a drug dealer was an Indian hemp and I made $4,000 and my second trip I made $8,000 so I said to myself that I will do it on my own and not for others," Mr Odonkor got attached to the new business because it gave him what he wanted," said it in an interview with SVTV Africa. After making some few trips as a drug dealer to places like Italy, USA and Switzerland he became rich I dont take the taxi because I felt taking a taxi is a humiliation. I changed cars every two months from Jaguar Xjs1, I brought Lincoln continental and the only car I never brought here was Bentley and Rolls Royce," he said. With money coming in daily, Paa Odonkor was ushered into a highflying lifestyle. "Ive never flown on using Zongo [section] on an Air-craft before, not even Ghana Airways. I go with Swiss Air or Pan Am and always Business class," he said. "I flew from Britain that is London to New York with Concord. I paid $4700 to go from London to New York which under normal circumstance if you go with VC10 or the Boeing 747 will take you about 6hours but with the Concord, it will take you three and half hours," he added. But his life's second turn around after the first one at BBC was when he was arrested following a massive clamp down on drug lords in Africa. I was busted in March 1984 and that was the biggest catch of cocaine from the continent of Africa. I was arrested for carrying 142 tonnes of cocaine," he said. Paa Joe stated that he was jailed for drug trafficking, after his passport had been confiscated and his great pain was that he was abandoned by friends, colleague journalists and women he used to hang out with, following his release from prison. I lost all my friends. As for the women, when you have the deeper pocket and have lots of dollars they call you honey but when you get broke and develop holes in your pocket, they make themselves conveniently unavailable they vanish," the then BBC star said holding tears in the socket of his eyes. He has opened up that he made several attempts to end his life yet they failed Your social life, your physical life is mostly destroyed when you are addicted to the heroine. Im begging my listeners not to make the same mistakes I made," he said. "I have seen women and slept with them at Grand Sheraton Hotel which I paid for $1500 a day. I have taken women to Venice too. I did all these just because I wanted to impress women. Yeah the women are just there because of your pocket," he added. Paa Joe Odonkor said he has made several attempts to take away his life but all of them failed. I drove a car into a tree at Asylum down but it didnt work. I also took 20grams of valium but I woke up earlier than I normally do. I said well stop fighting God," he said. With a loving family and siblings who are well placed in society, the former journalist is on the path to building a new life for himself. Some of these professionals argue that they do not want to work in rural areas because of the poor working conditions in such places. READ ALSO: DVLA to conduct exams in local languages According to Accra-based Starr FM, after the teachers walk for that long, they use clustered rocks under trees as Staff office due to lack of office accommodation. One of the Teachers at Akotoklo -Gua D/A School Kennedy Okai said, this is our staff common room, the rocks, of course, we do everything here, after walking for hours here. He added that the school does not have a toilet or urinal where the students and teachers can ease themselves if they need to. He said the teachers and students ease themselves in the bush until a benevolent person built a urinal with palm fronds for the girls. The teaching environment here is very bad, even where to defecate is a problem so we go to the bush with pupils, this palm fronds-made Urinal you are seeing was made possible by someone who came here to see the girls almost naked urinating in the open. READ ALSO: Railway Authority demolishes unauthorised structures at CMB The teachers do not have chairs and tables. This makes the marking of exercises difficult. The teachers mark class exercises and conduct class activities from the rocks under trees. They sometimes have to battle with snakes and other dangerous reptiles that invade their place of solace. Whenever it rains, the Teachers run for cover in homes of the scattered settlement area whenever it rains due to poor state of the bamboo shed classrooms. Meanwhile, the Chief of Akotoklo community, Dademankye Okum Peter said, the government has forsaken the community hence their challenges. The Minister is set to appear before the House on Tuesday, together with management of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), to give details on water rationing programme started two weeks ago. Ranking member of the Committee, Sampson Ahi told Accra-based Joy FM that Parliament is worried about the water shortage that has hit the nation in recent weeks. According to him, the House wants to know about details of the development, as well as how the Water Ministry and the GWCL intend to address the problem. We have invited the Minister for Water Resources and Sanitation as well as the management of Ghana Water Company to come and brief us on the water situation in the country and also to tell us plans they are putting in place to address the problem," Mr. Ahi said. Some parts of the country, especially in the Northern Region, have been hit very hard by the water shortages. Meanwhile, a statement from the GWCL has indicated that the situation could become worse if the dry season continues. Communications Director of the Company, Stanley Martey, attributed the water shortages to the pollution of water bodies in the country. According to him, there is currently no guarantee that the situation will get better unless it rains. The flagbearership race in the NDC has become fierce, with about seven persons currently declaring their intention to lead the party in the 2020 elections. The likes of former President John Dramani Mahama, former boss of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Sylvester Mensah, former Vice-Chancellor of the University for Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Prof. Joshua Alabi and former trades and Industry Minister, Dr. Ekow Spio Garbrah, are all in the race to become the partys flagbearer. However, Mr. Bagbin, who has also declared his intention of contesting, believes competition should not lead to division in the NDC. Speaking at a mini-rally at Asawasein the Ashanti region Saturday, he urged members of the party to put behind their differences and support whoever is voted flagbearer. The problems challenging Ghana, the problems challenging the NDC, the problems challenging the Asawase constituency are not for the faint-hearted. We need bold, courageous leadership to be able to solve the problems. What we are doing now in trying to reorganize the party is a family matter. We want everybody onboard. We want everybody to show love and loyalty to the NDC, the Nadowli West MP said. Competition is the spirit of democracy and so wherever there is competition, its a show of how competent or how better you are than your opponent. It is not a time for war; it is not a time for insults. "This is the time you have to show commitment to the vision. And so whatever is happening in NDC should not discourage any persons, its a family contest. And Im assuring you that whoever is elected the parliamentary candidate, the presidential candidate, we all have to give our 100% support to that person, he added. Mr. Bagbin described the 2020 elections as a must win for the NDC, whiles accusing the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) of winning power through lies. According to him, the government has continuously thrown dust into the eyes of Ghanaians since winning power in 2016. If no candidate wins 40 percent of the vote, a runoff election will be held on April 1. Same-sex marriage is seen as a key issue in the socially conservative country, where 3.3 million voters are eligible to cast ballots. An evangelical politician on the Christian right, Fabricio Alvarado, has leapt from obscurity to be the frontrunner with around 17 percent support, according to pre-election surveys, after ferociously opposing gay marriage. Several countries -- Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay -- already legally recognize such unions and others appear poised to follow. But Costa Rica and others in Central American are resisting the growing trend. However, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights -- located in Costa Rica's capital -- last month urged Latin American nations to accept homosexual marriage. 'Homophobic discourse' Costa Rica's outgoing government has indicated its willingness to follow the court's exhortation, but has butted up against refusal from the notaries' association that conducts marriages. "This is the first time I'm voting. I'm a bit nervous," said Nelia Araya, a 20-year-old student casting her ballot at a school in the capital San Jose. She said she was worried about one of the candidates' "homophobic discourse" and had urged her family to vote "so that someone who wants to take rights away from people doesn't win." In a related gesture, eight women went to vote in different polling stations dressed in costumes modeled on "The Handmaid's Tale," a US TV series about a dystopian future in which women are subjugated, to protest what they termed a "fundamentalist threat." Electoral officials said voting in the first half of the day occurred with no significant incidents, and with strong turnout. Polling in the country took place under a bright blue sky and tropical sunshine. After a slow start, lines started to appear later in the day in front of polling stations. Overseas ballots from Costa Rican consulates abroad had been flowing in since Saturday, with the biggest number of emigrant voters found in the United States. Solis said as he voted in San Jose to choose his successor that he saw the biggest problem facing Costa Rica to be "the fiscal deficit and its combination with the debt." Accompanied by relatives and advisors, the outgoing leader called on voters, who were also choosing a new legislative assembly, to "elect a government better than mine, a president better than me." A country with a costly health and pension system, Costa Rica has seen its deficit inch up to stand at 6.2 percent of gross domestic product. Public debt is 65 percent of GDP, creating concerns among officials that much-vaunted economic stability could be threatened. The outgoing government -- like the three before it -- was unable to push through tax reforms to counter the growing deficit. Corruption, insecurity The outcome of Sunday's election was difficult for surveys to predict. According to the most recent poll, published Wednesday, 36 percent of voters were undecided which presidential candidate to back. Four of the candidates, including ostensible frontrunner Alvarado, led the pack, but with little between them. Analysts said a factor in the electoral disenchantment with the candidates was a perception of political corruption, reinforced by a recent scandal over influence peddling related to a state bank loan to import Chinese concrete. Insecurity is also a concern for voters. Though Costa Rica is far safer than the so-called Northern Triangle of Central America -- Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras -- its murder rate has hit a record high, and the police say gang activity is on the rise. "Prohibition (of marijuana use) created the biggest problems in the first place," he said, including fuelling more serious types of crime and stigmatising casual users. "It is often we police officers who have to deal with those side effects such as drug-related crime, production of drugs, trade and smuggling and narcotics deaths." Schulz called instead for education encouraging "responsible" drug consumption, better treatment for addicts and programmes to protect children and youths. He added that marijuana use should remain illegal for drivers on safety grounds. Far-right supporter Luca Traini, 28, has been named by authorities as the suspect, accused of opening fire on five men and one woman from Ghana, Mali and Nigeria on Saturday in Macerata, a small town in central Italy. Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera quoted the suspect as telling investigators that his attacks were triggered by the murder of an 18-year-old Italian woman, allegedly by a Nigerian asylum seeker. A copy of Adolf Hitler's manifesto Mein Kampf and a book by fascist dictator Benito Mussolini were found at his mother's home. Minister of the Interior Marco Minniti said the shooting had been prompted by "racial hatred". "It's not easy to live in a town where somebody shot six black people. We are all scared,"James Nosakhari a relative of one of the victims, told AFP. "You would never believe something like this was possible, this kind of thing happens in big cities," said Fabrizio Compagnucci, a newspaper seller in Macerata. -'Racist rampage' - Italians will vote next month against a backdrop of populist gains and a rise of the far-right in Europe, with migration a central issue. "The racist rampage that poisons the elections," read the headline of one Italian newspaper on Sunday. The country is a favoured landing point on Europe's southern coastline for migrants making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean, often aboard unseaworthy boats, to enter the continent. But 2017 was a turning point for Italy: the country went from large-scale arrivals in the first six months to a sharp drop-off, thanks to a controversial agreement between the EU and Libya. The arrival of 630,000 migrants since 2014 has created fertile ground for anti-establishment and anti-immigration parties. "Macerata is really a welcoming city. Men have always integrated well," Giovanni Lattanzi, national coordinator of the Human Solidarity Group NGO said. Suspect Traini, who has a fascist-inspired tattoo, was a candidate in local elections last year under the banner of the anti-immigration Northern League. "Someone who shoots is a delinquent, irrespective of the colour of his skin," said Northern league chief Matteo Salvini after the shooting. Citizen TV,Inooro TV, NTV and KTN remain off air even after an activist Omkiyah Omtatah went before a Milimani High Court to file a suit against the action. The Court issued an order on Thursday, February 1 requiring the Communications Authority of Kenya to restore the stations with "immediate effect". As at the time of writing this story the Communications Authority had not complied with the order. The government has not officially responded to the court order but the country's Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang'i had in a statement indicated that the stations would remain closed until investigations were completed . The action has split opinion the world over and Business Insider SSA has compiled quotes from prominent Kenyans on the situation. This is absolutely unprecedented in our history. Weve never seen something like this, not even under Moi. - George Kegoro, director of the Kenya Human Rights Commission If the government is in power on the basis of the existing Constitution, then it should honor a court-issued order. I think Kenya is moving away from a legal basis of government, which we fought for. Its setting a very dangerous precedent where decisions will be made on basis of your political persuasions and all the things provided for in law will be irrelevant. -Joe Odindo,editorial director of the Standard Group This is a new crisis for democracy. Defying a court order is subverting the rule of law. - Willy Mutunga former chief justice of the Kenyan Supreme Court, 34 people showed up to offer their opinions and Business Insider SSA has compiled ten of the most interesting answers on the platform. Linda Miller Millenials Not any celebrities or famous people. But Millenials are the most overrated people. Everything revolves around them. How millenials save money. Millenials and the job market. Millenials addiction to social media. Millenials have the burden of student loans. Millenial parenting. Where Millenials vacation. Millenials holding off on buying houses. Millenial spending habits. Gah! Who the crap cares what they think? As though theyre the only people on the planet, and everyone else must do as they do. I am so sick of hearing about what Millenials are doing all the time. There are other groups of people who are worthy of being mentioned once in awhile. They are not that educated, innovative, knowledgeable, cultured, or savvy as they think they are. Please, for the love of God, can we discuss other groups for a change. Jens Bottiger All rich people Wealth is 99% accident and 1% hard work, with both the hard work and the luck being completely necessary to become wealthy without inheritance or lottery. That meaning that most wealthy people who become so under their own power do work hard and are very lucky, whereas most people who work just as hard never become wealthy, and are most often extremely poor (See India). If every wealthy person in the world (lets say everyone with a net-worth over 5 million) died tomorrow, the planet could instantly replace them with equally worthy people with no noticeable loss. They are not particularly special people, yet they are worshipped as gods in the USA. Their biographies sell millions of copies to chaser's of the American Dream, who study and debate over them in their lifelong quests to achieve ascension and join the exalted ones. This is even more extreme when you get to the super wealthy. I'm talking about the types who purchase politicians for profit. Disgusting. Anonymous Ivy League Students Congrats on your GPA. But chances are youll end up with the same job that the kid at state school has with a lot less fun you had, more depression, and competitiveness that your coworkers will find jarring and amusing. Shanfa Chaiyadi Kim Kardashian! How did she get famous? Oh yes, for being on a sex tape. So how many fans she has? Lets see. Facebook : 29.4 M Twitter : 48.3 M Instagram : 84.3 M If she could gain so much fans, then anyone can do the same thing, by making oneself viral with hot sensation. Mahatma Gandhi Gandhi was the saint who, through his principles of non-violence, brought independence to India in 1947. At least, thats what youve probably heard. But the Indian independence movement was a strong force well before Gandhi entered the scene. The nations freedom would have happened within a few years of 1947 even if Gandhi had spent his life meditating in a cave. He was a figurehead for the cause, while various other leaders were doing most of the work (and if you say Ive never heard of anyone else, I wont be remotely surprised). In true Thomas Edison fashion, he was happy to take the credit. Non-violence was a nice idea (and yes, it inspired Martin Luther King), but Gandhi didnt exactly invent it. He admitted that it was based on Hindu scriptures, the New Testament and Thoreau, though Buddha was walking the talk some 2,500 years earlier. But while Gandhi had his spiritual side, saint is too strong a word. He talked peace, but played politics as ruthlessly and slimily as any politician. His ideological differences with Subhas Chandra Bose, leader of the Indian National Congress (the chief independence group) led him to try some truly underhanded tactics, gathering a faction to rid throw out Bose. (Alls fair in politics, perhaps, but Gandhi was supposed to be above that.) Bose had too much respect for Gandhi (he was the one who called him father of our nation) and, after dealing with Gandhis backstabbing, despondently stood down. For the record, Gandhi was meant to be the meditative guy, and Bose was meant to be the militant one. Its all PR.( I know people from India gonna hate me) Edward Howard Vladimir Lenin the first Chairman of the Soviet Union. He used fear (most notably through the Red Terror and a secret police known as the Cheka)[and propaganda to stay in control.On top of this, he made all political opposition illegal via the ban on diverging factions within his own party.Meanwhile, he killed numerous people through both famine (mainly The Great Famine of 1921, which killed an estimate of 5 million people) and the Russian Civil War, which killed 8 million people.His reign ended in 1924 when he died from syphillis,which led an even worse leader to take his place. Niharika Goel Winston Churchill Not only is he glorified in history books as a Nobel laureate (literature) and the Prime Minister who led Britain to victory in World War II, he is occasionally named as the greatest Briton of all times in opinion polls. The fact that is often overlooked when exalting him is that he was responsible for one of historys worst genocides: the death of 4 million people during the manmade Bengal famine of 1943. It took him just 1 year to do so, when in comparison it took Hitler 12 years to exterminate 6 million Jews. Churchill ordered the diversion of vast quantities of food from starving Indians to already well-supplied Britain and other parts of Europe. Some of his public comments include: "I hate Indians.", "They are a beastly people with a beastly religion." and The famine was their own fault for breeding like rabbits." Offers of American and Canadian food aid were turned down. India was neither permitted to use its own sterling reserves, nor import food. The worst part is that the Indian history books prescribed in schools only have a passing mention of the famine, with no attribution to Churchill. Majority of children grow up with a utopian image of history that changes only if they explore facts on their own. I myself used to maintain a quotations notebook when I was young that had many inspirational quotes by Churchill. Toke Makinwa on our photo of the day, is the lady in red. Yes we all know she is a slay queen and whatever she wears, looks like magic but this outfit makes Toke Makinwa stand out. Toke's red dress was for the movie premiere where it was an all red gala and we can assure you that she was the toast of the night. Just recently Toke Makinwa was caught in an assault allegation. According to the media personality, she had gone to a highbrow restaurant in the company of a friend when she was prevented from sitting at her preferred seat. However, she claims the bodyguard to American born Nigerian actor, John Boyega assaulted her. It was quite a messy gist and Toke Makinwa felt she was treated that way because she is a woman. The incident caused a lot of debate online, thereby bringing back to the front burner the way women are treated in public especially when they aren't in the company of a male. 2017 was a good year for Toke Makinwa, especially her venture to movies where she starred in her first major debut movie "Markate Must Sell." In 2016, Ogedengbe relocated to the United States of America, a move he recently revealed was prompted by poverty. In a new video, an angry Ogedengbe addressed his critics, saying that the only people who should be ashamed are the leaders and Nigerians who have failed to make the country work. The actor added that he has achieved more as a security guard than he did as an actor in Nigeria. Oh yes! I am now a security guard in the USA and so what? Well, I have only been doing this for a little more than one year now and I can boldly say without any shame that what I have achieved more than I did in my fathers land being an actor/director/producer for over twenty-something years." In fact, the stories about most pan-Africa Leaders like Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Robert Mugabe and a host of the generation after them were all involved in one menial job or the other across western countries to support their education. But today, we can only remember them for being great African leaders and not for the dirty jobs they had to do on their road to greatness. Indeed the end justifies the means." He added that the only people who should be ashamed of their jobs are Nigerian leaders "It's a shame. I don't know when this country is going to get better. All we the youths do is go on social media attacking each other. You don't see any youth see any good in what the other person is doing. We are always looking for the fault in what the other person is doing. "Femi Ogendegeb, an actor, he is now a security guard. Look at you, I should be ashamed that I am a security man? You the leaders should be ashamed. You Nigerians that have been unable to make the country work should be ashamed of yourself. I have worked in Tanazania, I was celebrated. The likes of and knew what I did when I went to Tanzania with the trade of filmmaking. I was respected." Before Femi Ogedengbe left Nigeria in 2016 Before his move, Oogedengbe was a popular actor in Nigeria. He was known for movies such as "Onilara" (2008), "She Is My Sister" (2007) and "She is My Sister 2" (2007). He made the decision to move after he discovered that the industry was becoming tribalistic. "In 2005, I discovered that the Nollywood industry, where I belong, was becoming more and more a tribalistic industry because a few financiers who were throwing in money for productions dictated who appear in the movies," he told Kemifilami during an interview. The actor is currently a trained security guard. He has obtained a guard card, which is needed to work as a guard in the US. According to Vanguard, the two Nigerians are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in the city of Macerata. AFP also reports that the attack, which was carried out by a far-right supporter, was triggered by the murder of an Italian woman, allegedly by a Nigerian asylum seeker. Officials at the hospital say Jennifer suffered a fracture to her humerus bone in her arm and has been operated upon. Speaking on the incident, she said I never hurt anyone. I was talking and laughing with three other people when I was struck by the bullet." "We foreigners are the first to want justice, we have come to Italy to live in peace, it is inhuman to shoot at random on innocent people, I have never wanted trouble with anyone" she further said. Jennifer's boyfriend Ogie Igbinowania told Le Stampa News "I gave Jennifer a push to get her out of the way and threw myself down. And I heard a shot: Boom!" The second Nigerian Gideon, said that he thought he was going to die. He also said that he had always considered Macerata as a safe city. ALSO READ:2 Nigerians killed again by South Africans in 48 hrs Those who do something bad must be afraid, not those who behave well. In three years I have never had any problems with anyone, either with Italians or with other foreigners" he told Le Stampa News. I worked in a supermarket and now Im looking for a new job. Im someone who minds my business. I do not get into trouble. I never imagined I could find myself in this situation. Now I do not know if Ill manage not to feel in danger, he added. Macerata reacts A Nigerian community leader in Macerata, Sammy Kunoun, said he heard the shots as he was going to meet with cultural mediators about organizing a sit-in to support Mastropietro's family. They called off the event after the shootings for fear of further racist attacks. You would never believe something like this was possible, this kind of thing happens in big cities," said Fabrizio Compagnucci, a newspaper seller in Macerata. "Now, we are all victims in this story," said Kunoun, adding that the immigrant community has been well-integrated in Macerata. Official statistics put the population of foreigners in the city at 9.2% of the 43 000 residents. Who is Luca Traini? The gunman, Luca Traini was arrested and taken into custody after the attack. The Police also discovered a copy of Adolf Hitler's manifesto "Mein Kampf" and a book by fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, when they searched his mothers home. The 28 year old Italian right wing extremist who shot six Africans in Central Italy has shown no remorse according to Italian law enforcement officials. Italian government response Minister of the Interior Marco Minniti said the shooting had been prompted by "racial hatred". "Someone who shoots is a delinquent, irrespective of the colour of his skin," said Northern league chief Matteo Salvini after the shooting. The suspect who pleaded guilty to the charge of theft reportedly lives at No 7, Magajin Aska Kabala Costain. Punch News reported that he begged for mercy after Alhaji Aminu Jumare the court judge gave the instruction to have him whipped. Jumare who advised the accused to resist a life of crime also instructed him to make a payment of N4,200 to his victim. The extra charge represented the cash sum he stole in addition to the phone. ALSO READ: 2 boys badly flogged in public for impersonating as naval officers Court evidence revealed that Umar sold the stolen item to an associate who lives around his residence. Mernagh who made a table reservation for three ate with two boys aged about 7 and 8 years old, Metro UK reported. It noted that the visitor had responded "Do you know who I am," when questioned about his bill. According to reports, he consumed four beers in addition to the meal making the cost of the service rendered a sum of 35.60. "Im not paying 1.30 for a can of coke. Im not paying 5 for three pieces of chicken," he wrote in a note. See you in court, if you can afford to take me there!, says Mongkol when describing the shocking response of the individual when asked for his bill. He booked a table for three the day before. He arrived on Friday at 5.30pm with two boys aged about seven and eight. He ordered starters and he finished everything. My staff asked him if everything was okay and he said yes. After he had the main course, my staff asked him again and he said, Ill tell you when I get the bill. He asked how much it was and when he saw the bill he said it was too expensive. I said hed seen the prices when he ordered the food. I asked him, Why do you eat all the food and not pay? You eat my food, you pay. He didnt pay anything at all. He just ran away. I ran after him and shouted at him. He just ignored me. He had drunk four beers. Maybe he was a bit fresh," the restaurant owner mentioned. Metro News stated that other customers at the restaurant handled the money owed by Mernagh. They are staggering, to say the least, but you will be hard-pressed to find many instances where sex offenders have gone scot-free over the years, for lack of evidence or our very shaky legal system. Lagos is becoming the first state to find a way around that. This week, Governor Ambode launched four special courts in the state Two of those will focus on corruption cases, the other two will prosecute cases of rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences. Dealing with rape as we should Understandably, not many people will be excited over the anti-corruption court because, frankly, that is a story we've heard too many times before. A court on sexual offences matters a lot more, particularly in present times. Speaking on behalf of the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, Deputy Governor Oluranti Olubule said These sexual offences courts will have trained and experienced prosecutors to interact with survivors, provide support and ensure timely prosecution of the cases, He also announced that the state government had awarded a contract for the expansion of the DNA and Forensic Centre to speed up investigations and the detection of evidence that may be useful in prosecuting or dismissing suspects. This is one of those developments that you cannot fault for any reason. In fact, it may be long overdue. Rape culture is a real thing It shows in the most basic interactions. Young women walking through crowded areas and markets have to deal with men who cat-call or hurl lewd jokes or insults. Social media is awash with stories of women who have had to deal with being groped or touched by men who they have no prior relationship with. Even in cases where there is a prior relationship, the frequency of sexual offences against women is very disturbing. It says much of the problem that many men are not familiar with the concept of marital rape. When we have conversations about rapists or sexual assault, the question often arises as to whether that incident and other rape cases are isolated, a case of men with behavioural problems. The other option is that rape culture is a real thing, that our culture and traditions have put men in a position where they believe they have the right to demand sex as, and when, they please. We are learning that the latter is the case. Life in jail or a death sentence? It is why the creation of a special court for sexual offences is important. Because even as we attempt to solve the problem by sensitising the people and teaching boundaries, it must also be tackled with strong institutions that have the power to impose the appropriate sanctions on anyone who is found guilty. The legal system is notorious for leaving cases of sexual violence unattended, ignored or slowly prosecuted into oblivion. The courts have been created to perform expedited hearings, which means cases will be very quickly dealt with. The first set of convictions will send one simple message: If you commit rape or any sexual offence in Lagos, your road to jail will be short and fast. One major shortcoming in all of this is that in many cases, the problem is not with the courts, but with the police. Fixing the system In July 2017, 14-year-old Obiamaka Orakwe was raped by men who broke into her parents home while she was alone. Her mother came home to find her gasping for air, but when she reached the hospital, she was pronounced dead. ALSO READ: 5 weapons women can use to defend themselves Reports show that despite the uproar around the incident, the police is yet to make an arrest. Her body was buried without an autopsy or forensic processes. That case also highlights the inefficiency of the Nigerian Police in dealing with these situations. But if we can create a culture of prosecuting these cases and demanding investigations where the resources have been made available, the progress will trickle down the chain. But that is not enough. So while these special courts will do their duty, hopefully, institutions like the Police will be reformed enough to fulfil their duties. What changed in 2000? It was the period when digital media, the Nigerian media structure and indigenous music came together with Mother luck to begin a trip that would take our music first into more homes across the country and then the world. It meant that songs could easily become nationwide hits thanks to nationwide networks and dance trends could spread far easily. And they did. Makossa: In many ways, makossa may have been the first dance trend of the 2000s because it spilt over from the 1990s. The dance trend rode on the spread of a very rhythmic Congolese sound of the same name. Within these years, Artistes like KoffiOlomide and AwiloLongomba toured the continent in a series of massive hit songs and everywhere the songs and music videos went, Makossa became a wave, a vibe and everything else, especially in Nigeria. Makossa means dance in the native tongue of Cameroons Douala; and dance, we did. Galala: Galala is the first true dance trend of the streets in the new millennium. The dance originated from the pseudo-reggae sound made popular by artistes like Ras Kimono, Blacky. However, DaddyShowkey will be most remembered as the progenitor of the dance; it is as much a part of his identity as his long dreadlocks. Suo: After Daddy Showkeys Galala came Suo. One could say it was an offspring of the former as it originated in the same Ajegunle ghetto as Daddy Showkeys music. The most popular vehicle for the dance was MarvellousBenjys Suo which was a massive hit at the time. The duo of Mad Melon and Mountain Black, known as the Danfo Drivers, also carried the dance style on their backs. Yahooze: We have Olu Maintain to thank for this. The Kennis Music star released Yahooze in 2008 and created a madness across the country. With the songs spread, came a dance step that involved making finger-based offerings to the most high. Yahooze was a force that launched an artistes solo career, dominated the country for a year and got then US Secretary of State, Colin Powell to do the dance when he came on a state visit to Abuja. Alanta: For someone who is not familiar with the expressive nature of our dance styles, Alanta could genuinely put you in a state of shock and dismay. It involved a crazy movement of the arms and legs in an alternate manner and crazy facial expressions that were slightly debasing. The group Artquake scored their first real nationwide hit with a song titled after the dance. Never one to ignore a spectacle, TerryG also helped make the dance popular. Azonto: This dance style is one of those things that Ghana gave us and we forgot to say thank you for. After it began to gain a buzz in West Africa, Wizkids continent-wide hit Azonto took it to the far ends of Africa and the Uk. This also put a Nigerian face to the leg-and-finger dance. Azonto is still very much around till date, mostly because it gives room for expression and creativity. Etighi: Etighi is a traditional dance from the Calabar/Akwa Ibom region of Nigerias South-South. It gained popularity when Iyanya, who hails from the region, used it as the main crux of the video for his massive hit Kukere. Etighi had a brief but intense lifespan because it was the simplest of dances but if you live close, it is there in many dance routines. Skelewu: The dance style was introduced by Nigerian Afro-pop star, Davido through his song of the same name. The dance became very popular in the UK where he enjoys a big fanbase. It involves stretching the arms out and moving in a cyclical motion to the sound of the music. Davido's Skelewu caught on a lot in Europe especially, where it was a mainstay in dance routines on Youtube for a while. Shoki: Agege, in the last few years, has become a production line for dance styles and one of its major offerings, Shoki, is arguably the biggest dance trend of the last 10 years. Shoki is an expressive dance if there ever was one. It had bubbled underground in Lagos for a year before Lil Kesh gave himself and the style a massive push with the release of his hit single Shoki. The rest is that type of history that you can find on YouTube. Shakiti Bobo: This dance begins and ends with the self-styled King of the Streets, Olamide. In 2015, Olamide released another one of his sneak attacks on radio and the clubs titled Bobo. The song featured a mildly expressive dance style which was referred to as Shakiti Bobo, after a regularly repeated line in the songs hook. As with everything Olamide, the dance style caught on, especially in Lagos. Shaku Shaku: If youve been anywhere near social media or Lagos, youve seen shaku-shaku done many times before. It blew up at the end of 2016 but those who are more familiar with its origins claim it has been a rave in Agege for two years and counting. Much of its new-found popularity is down to the emergence of the new Shaku-Shaku sound. The dance trend has inspired the creation of an entire sub-genre of songs, made specifically for the dance. Metuh's appearance was forced because an earlier plea to the court to adjourn trial due to his hospitalisation had been turned down by Justice Okon Abang who was unimpressed with the doctor's note he sent (read full story here). With Metuh's histrionic on Monday, he joins a long list of Nigerian politicians who have developed health challenges after being accused of one form of corruption or the other. Here is a list of some of the memorable ones: 1. Diezani Alison-Madueke Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, is like the gateway drug to corruption in Nigeria over the past few years as she has been linked to a plethora of money laundering scandals that are too many to count. At the height of her powers, she was one of the most powerful members in former president, Goodluck Jonathan's cabinet. Since that administration ended in 2015, Diezani has been plagued with so many accusations, as she faces criminal probes in Nigeria and the United Kingdom under suspicion of money laundering and its attendant crimes. In 2015, a photograph of a physically-ravaged Diezani was published by the publisher of Ovation magazine, Dele Momodu, who confirmed that she had been receiving treatment for breast cancer, something she had denied before the allegations started piling up. Many Nigerians still regard the release of the picture as a last-ditch attempt by the former minister to curry sympathy as revelations about her fraudulent financial dealings as minister continue to make waves every few months. 2. Femi Fani-Kayode Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, is one of the most vocal voices of opposition in Nigeria, but he is also standing trial for N4.9 billion money laundering charge in court. The 17-count charge against him includes alleged conspiracy, unlawful retention of proceeds of theft and money laundering in a case that also involves a former Minister of State for Finance, Nenadi Usman. On Wednesday, January 31, 2018, Fani-Kayode failed to show up for a court hearing due to health reasons. His attorney, Norrison Quakers (SAN), reported that he was hospitalised with a heart-related ailment and asked for an adjournment that was granted. 3. Nenadi Usman Fani-Kayode was not the first defendant to stall a trial with an illness. In February 2017, Usman, also a former minister listed as first defendant in Fani-Kayode's fraud trial, revealed to the court that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She asked Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court in Lagos to permit her to travel abroad to receive treatment as recommended by doctors at the National Hospital after suffering a relapse after a surgery. Justice Rilwan Aikawa granted Usman's request in December 2017 and asked that her passport be released to her to enable her travel to the United States of America. She was ordered to resume for the court's hearing on January 31, the same day Fani-Kayode engineered an adjournment with his own hospitalisation. 4. Kingsley Kuku Former presidential adviser on Niger Delta and Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Kingsley Kuku, was rumoured to have fled Nigeria after he was invited for questioning by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2015. The former aide to former president, Jonathan, responded to the rumours by releasing pictures of his knee operation in the United States and denied being a fugitive. The EFCC had traced alleged mismanagement in the Niger-Delta amnesty funds to Kuku, who later launched an unsuccessful attempt in court to block the anti-graft agency from arresting him as he remains in the wind till date. His aides while in office, Lawrence Pepple and Henry Ogbulue, were separately arraigned in court by the EFCC for criminal conspiracy and fraudulent acquisition of property as public servants. 5. Bala Ngilari Former Adamawa State governor, Bala Ngilari, was sentenced by the state's High Court to five years in prison on March 6, 2017, after he was accused by the EFCC of processing a N169 million contract without due process. Not only was he sentenced to a prison of his own choosing, he was controversially granted bail only weeks later after citing medical concerns that included high blood pressure, diabetes and insomnia. His release was controversial as three senior prison officials were suspended after it came to light that the medical report that aided Ngilari's release was not authorized by the prison authorities. The President on Monday, February 5, 2018, signed the executive order in Abuja, which is aimed at improving "local content in public procurement with science, engineering and technology components." In a statement issued by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, he said "The executive order is expected to promote the application of science, technology and innovation towards achieving the nation's development goals across all sectors of the economy. "The president, pursuant to the authority vested in him by the constitution, ordered that all "procuring authorities shall give preference to Nigerian companies and firms in the award of contracts, in line with the Public Procurement Act 2007. "The executive order also prohibits the ministry of interior from giving visas to foreign workers whose skills are readily available in Nigeria. "It, however, notes that where expertise is lacking, procuring entities will give preference to foreign companies and firms with a demonstrable and verifiable plan for indigenous development, prior to the award of such contracts." According to Shehu, the president also directed ministries, departments and agencies to engage indigenous professionals in the planning, design and execution of national security projects. Actually, the debate was over anti-open grazing laws which the Benue State government is implementing dutifully. In the spirit of always being a fair arbiter in matters of this nature, Pulse has decided to put forward the arguments of both parties. Your job is simple: just tell us who won in the comment section. Good luck. IGP Idris says anti-grazing law should be suspended When IGP Idris appeared before lawmakers on Friday, February 2, 2018,he proposed the suspension of the implementation of the anti-grazing law as a solution to tackle the herdsmen-farmers clashes. According to The Cable, a source at the meeting which Idris held with the lawmakers said the police IG maintained that the clashes between farmers and herdsmen escalated because of the implementation of the anti-grazing law. "He (IGP) said the anti-grazing law is the issue and that it should be stopped temporarily but brought back after the ranches have been put in place by the federal government," the source said. "He blamed the escalation of the clashes on the implementation of the anti-grazing law." Anti-grazing law basically means that herdsmen won't be allowed to shepherd their cattle in the open like they currently do and will be restricted to ranches. Gov Ortom says IGP Idris should resign Terver Akase who is media aide to Gov Ortom immediately went for Idris jugular in a terse press statement which we have taken the liberty to reproduce below: If truly the IGP said what was widely reported by the media, our conclusion is that he is a clear case of a man who is either on a mission to mislead the nation or is complicit in the attacks on Benue communities and the killing of many people by terror herdsmen. With his latest demand that the ranching law of Benue be suspended, it is now clear where the loyalty and interest of the inspector-general of police lies certainly not with innocent Nigerians. Little wonder herdsmen still proudly carry out sophisticated weapons and willfully terrorize innocent people in the state without being arrested. We wish to place it on record that contrary to the that the IGP should relocate to Benue to ensure that the killings stop, the IGP spent only one day in Benue and left for a destination where only he can tell. No one has seen him in Benue since that day. Benue now has nearly 100,000 internally displaced persons in seven camps established by the state government. We therefore find IG Idris statement as a mockery and a shameful dance on the graves of those killed in the state by herdsmen. If the inspector-general of police, Mr. Idris, is not competent to help bring an end to the invasion and killing of innocent people in Benue and other states by herdsmen, the noble thing to do is to resign instead of twisting facts to suit his objective. _______________ According to the Governor, the state has a vast space of land for grazing. Ganduje, who condemned the clashes between herdsmen and farmers in various states, said the killings are unacceptable. He said this while inspecting the vaccination of over 1 million cows and small animals in Kano state, Vanguard reports. The vaccination exercise is part of the state governments effort to improve the welfare of Fulani herdsmen. He said So, they dont have any reason to move out of the state. We take care of them and we accord them the respect and dignity they deserve. I am inviting herdsmen from all parts of Nigeria to relocate to Kano because we have enough facilities to accommodate them. We have grazing lands in Rogo, Gaya, Kura, Tudun Wada, Ungogo and other reserved places where facilities are in place to accommodate the herdsmen and their cattle. These killings must stop. We cannot afford to continue to witness these senseless killings in the name of Fulani herdsmen and farmers clash over lack of grazing land while we have a place like the Falgore Game Reserve under utilized. There is no longer fear of cattle rustling in Kano. Cattle rustling are now history because we fought the menace headlong. In Falgore right now, we have enough security there. Those rustlers have relocated elsewhere, while some of them who repented from their evil ways were given amnesty and rehabilitated, he added. According to Ganduje, A Cattle Intervention centre has been established to address the challenges associated with rumination of herdsmen within Kano. Just recently, we sponsored the training of over 61Fulani who were sent to Turkey to learn artificial insemination. ALSO READ:MASSOB condemns plans to establish military cattle ranches They are back to Kano and I must tell you that they are doing well in various places to have been assigned to do their job. Nobody can stop the Fulanis Recently, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) said that nobody can stop them from grazing openly. This was disclosed by the House Committee on Public Safety and National Intelligence which had been tasked with investigating the movement of the sum of $44 million from the vault of the agency around the time President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Ahmed Abubakar as the agency's new Director General. According to the Chairman of the committee, Aminu Jaji, the $44 million must have been safely kept in an undisclosed location, pending the resolution of the issues surrounding the agency's change of leadership. Jaji went further to say that the money in question is part of a $289 million intervention fund released to the agency in the closing days of former president, Goodluck Jonathan's tenure. He said the $44 million, as well as another $43 million controversially claimed by the agency's former DG, Ayodele Oke after it was discovered in a Lagos apartment, is the only part of the fund accounted for. He disclosed that the committee will intensify its investigation into how the rest of the $289 million, which is $202 million, was spent. He said, "This $44 million is part of the $289 million approved to the then DG, Ayodele Oke. In April last year, there was the issue of $43 million found in Ikoyi. He tried to say that the $44 million and the $43 million were part of the $289 million. "But for us, we are still working to see where the remaining $202 million was placed. We only know about the $43 million recovered in Ikoyi and the $44 million recovered from their vault. "In the course of our investigation, we'll come up with where the $289 million really is, not only the $43 million and not the $44 million. "NIA got the money in the name of intervention. But since they said it was an intervention, maybe for whatever reason, Oke failed to disclose the amount to the present administration. "Even the NSA was saying it was when this committee started working that he got to know that NIA was given $289 million. "For me, $202 million is still missing. The money in question is $289m, and all what the former DG is trying to say is that the $43 million and the $44 million are part of the $289 million. "If you subtract $43 million and $44 million, where is the balance? Thats why we have to intensify the investigation." Abubakar's appointment followed due process Jaji had briefed journalists about the state of the committee's investigation after a closed-door meeting with the agency's new DG, Abubakar, and National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno. Abubakar's appointment has been trailed by controversy amid questions of the $44 million that was moved, and rumours about his eligibility. Jaji put those concerns to rest by assuring the public that Abubakar was appointed in line with due process. He said, "We tried to find out from the DG and some staff working in the agency, and there was no protest. For me, it's just something anonymous. "The circumstances surrounding his appointment were discussed. Some are saying he has dual citizenship, but he said to us categorically that his father was from Katsina and he (his father) after sometime decided to migrate from Katsina to Chad. His mother is a Nigerian, and his wife too is a Nigerian." History of Ikoyi loot A raid by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Flat 7B, No. 16, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos on April 12, 2017 led to the discovery of $43.5 million, 27,800 and N23.2 million. A lot of controversy trailed the discovery of the loot, with public outcry, especially on social media, demanding that the culprits be brought to book. The loot was initially claimed to belong to the NIA whenOke said that the amount in the apartment was marked for covert operations. After President Buhari suspended Oke and set up a three-man panel headed by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, to properly investigate the matter, he was sacked on October 30, 2017. The loot has also been linked former to Rivers State governor and current Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Adamu Mu'azu; senator representing Lagos west, Solomon Adeola; and an ex-managing director of Petroleum Products Pricing and Marketing Company (PPMC), Esther Nnamdi-Obue. Afegbua had earlier issued a statement on Sunday, February 4, 2018,purportedly signed by the former President, reportedly advising President Buhari to resign. In the statement, Babangida called for a new generation of leaders to take over the leadership of Nigeria. Another statement also made the rounds in the mediadismissing Afegbuaand denying the first statement. According to The Nation, a source in the presidency said that IBBs media aide is being accused of issuing a fake statement. Afegbua has however maintained that he was given the go ahead to issue the statement by IBB. According to LIB, he said ''The statement stands. I have so communicated to all the media houses that they should respect that statement as coming from IBB. Those are his thoughts. It didn't emanate from my head. We sat down, we articulated them so that Nigerians can begin to interrogate the issues he raised in that statement'' Reno Omokri also posted a video on Twitter, of Babangida's media aide talking on the issue. Babangida distances himself from denial statement Meanwhile, has revealed that the denial statement was issued by his friends. IBB also said that he stands by the first statement which was issued by his media aide, Afegbua. According Punch, the EFCC boss is currently briefing the lawmakers on recoveries made by the agency in 2017. The committee is chaired by a member from Ogun State, Kayode Oladele. Senate vs Magu Magu's job is still threatened due to his running battle with the Senate, and with the recent ruling by a Federal High Court last week, his days as the EFCC boss may be numbered. The court had ruled that the Senate has the power to confirm or reject him as the substantive chairman of the Commission. The Senate had rejected Magu's confirmation twice based on a report by the Department of State Service (DSS) which declared him unfit for the job. President Muhammadu Buharialso refused to remove Magu despite Senate's insistence that the EFCC boss must be sacked. In protest, the senate decided it would not confirm any candidate brought forward by the presidency for senate approval until Magu is removed. While President Buhari was on medical leave, a statement credited Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who was the acting president at the time, said that it is not constitutionally required that the Senate confirms Magu, adding that the Presidency's approval suffices. His dramatic appearance comes on the heels of Justice Okon Abang's directive that the embattled PDP chieftain show up in court or have his bail revoked. Metuh had asked for an adjournment of proceedings on health grounds after failing to appear on Thursday, January 25. His lawyer, Onyeachi Ikpeazu (SAN), told the court that he was on admission at the Nnamdi Azikwe University Teaching Hospital for an undisclosed ailment. Ikpeazu presented a letter written by a doctor in the hospital to the court, but both the judge and the prosecutor questioned the authenticity of the letter. The judge said that the letter which Metuh wanted the court to rely on to grant the adjournment was not a proper document before the court. After Metuh's dramatic appearance on Monday, Justice Abang expressed his satisfaction with the proof of his situation and adjourned the trial till March 14. He said, "The court must be firm in its decisions. It must also be seen to be fair to all parties. It is important for the court to also be humane. "I have seen the condition that the first defendant is. Seeing the condition, I am inclined to adjourn this matter to allow the first defendant attend his trial." Metuh's trial The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited, on a seven-count charge bordering on fraud and money laundering. The alleged offence involved $2 million and N400 million which the defendant allegedly received from the office of then-National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, in 2014. The former President, officially launched a group known as the Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM). OBJ also publicly registered as a member of CNM during the launch at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta in Ogun state. According to Punch, Secondus said that Nigerians are ready to vote out President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC). The PDP chairman said this at a reception organised by the Delta state chapter of the PDP. Speaking further, Secondus also said We vowed not to repeat the order of imposition, and we have reassured our leadership and our people that we will devolve power down to the states so that they can take responsibilities and make sure that whatever names that are submitted would not be changed. I believe that they would soon come back, those who have left, and there is fear in the country, and very soon, you will see political tsunami that even the members of the ruling party would be coming en-mass to the PDP. ALSO READ: OBJ says Buhari ignored federal character in appointment of service chiefs The new coalition will never be a threat because we are a solid political party founded by our founding fathers. We are solid on the ground, and I believe that they are a threat to the other parties and not our party. The Buhari administration is a colossal failure, and the entire country is aware of this. APC dismisses OBJs group The All Progressives Congress (APC) had earlier dismissed the launch of CNM, saying it isa non-event. iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- A bipartisan pair of senators on Monday introduced a bill addressing a pressing issue as Congress continues to debate the future of U.S. immigration policy: what to do about the so-called Dreamers, undocumented immigrants who were brought to America as young children. Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Chris Coons, D-Delaware, introduced a bill that deals with the class of immigrants who came to the United States with their parents and have lived here since Dec. 31, 2013. It would also fund various departments to help them devote more resources to border security, the immigration court system and the root causes of illegal immigration. It would not, however, fulfill President Trumps desire of $25 billion for the construction of the border wall, which appeared to draw the presidents ire just hours after the authors announced their plans. The introduction of the bill comes as various groups of lawmakers seek a broader agreement that would also address the related issues of family-based migration and the diversity visa lottery program, both of which conservatives want to curtail. But such wider negotiations so far have not led to an agreement that is palatable to Trump, who has apparently been steered away from previous bipartisan compromises by hawkish members of his White House and the Senate. During a conference call with reporters on Monday, Coons said he hopes the legislation, which is the Senate version of a House bill authored by Reps. Will Hurd, R-Texas, and Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., can serve as a base bill if the other negotiating groups are unable to a compromise. I dont think we should do anything less than whats in McCain-Coons. And it is my hope over the next few days of negotiating that we do something more, Coons said. The House version already has 27 Republican co-sponsors, Coons noted. He suggested that bodes well for the bill's ability to get bipartisan in the Senate, where other immigration proposals have failed to garner broad support from both parties. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., pledged to hold a vote on legislation to address the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects the young immigrants, and border security by Thursday, which is also when a short-term spending agreement runs out. Congress must act by then to fund the government or risk another shutdown, like the one last month. In a statement, McCain, who was not on the conference call, said this more limited immigration bill could help clear the path to a long-term budget agreement, which he said would help bring stability back to the military by assuring its spending levels rather than bouncing from one short-term spending deal to the next. Its time we end the gridlock so we can quickly move on to completing a long-term budget agreement that provides our men and women in uniform the support they deserve, he said. Trump announced in September 2017 that he was ending DACA, an Obama-era program established via executive action. The first recipients would lose their protection, and thus be subject to deportation, beginning March 5. A California court decision last month threw that deadline into some question, as the court ordered the Department of Homeland Security to resume accepting DACA renewals. But lawmakers, including Coons, have not yet accepted the court ruling as delaying the date. The McCain-Coons bill, like Hurd-Aguilar in the House, would offer a path to citizenship for about the same amount of undocumented childhood arrivals that Trump has proposed, 1.8 million. It would also commission a strategy from DHS for securing the border by 2020 and fund efforts to improve coordination between local and federal law enforcement and border patrol officials. Finally, the bill would fund efforts to clear up an immigration backlog and to address the core causes of illegal immigration from Central America. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. According to a report by Premium Times, the herdsmen were captured by the vigilante group and handed over to the state's police command. The state's Police Public Relations Officer, Femi Joseph, said the suspects were caught with guns, cutlasses, daggers and axes, but are not suspected of harming anyone with them. He said, "They have been handed over to us and when we interrogated them, they told us that they were farmers that they wanted to board a boat to Edo State but we have begun an investigation to ascertain their claims. "However there was no report the suspects had killed anybody with the arms they are carrying about." A local group under the Arogbo Ijaw Community Organisation called on the state's security agencies to put a stop to the movement of herders into the state as farmers grow more apprehensive of being attacked. Herdsmen attacks in 2018 Cattle herders have been linked to a string of violent killings across the country in the first month of 2018. In the most devastating attacks that heralded the turn of the new year, a series of attacks in Guma and Logo Local Government Area of Benue State between December 31, 2017, and January 6, 2018 led to the death of 73 men, women and children. Herders have also been linked to several other attacks in Taraba, Plateau and Ekiti that have left dozens dead, and more injured. Government's plan to stop herdsmen crisis The Nigerian presidency believes that bandits masquerading as herdsmen are behind the killings across the country. To this end, decisive military force will now be fully engaged to deal with the bandits believed to be behind the killings in parts of the country especially regarding the crisis often associated with herdsmen, a highly placed presidency official told Pulse on Wednesday, January 31, 2018. The role of bandits and suspected mercenaries in what has become known as has provoked the need for a fresh approach to dealing with the crisis, sources close to the Working Group formed recently by the National Economic Council (NEC) disclosed on the condition of anonymity; because they haven't been authorized to speak on the subject. The Working Group The Working Group was formed by the National Economic Council. It has nine Governors and is chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. He has received support from other governments in the Americas, including on Sunday from his Argentinian counterpart Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie, but some are cautious about sanctions. At a joint news conference, Tillerson confirmed the ultimate option of sanctioning Venezuela's key oil sector is under consideration, but that Washington shares its allies' concerns. Venezuela's political crisis has brought it near to economic collapse, which South American capitals fear could trigger a humanitarian crisis that might destabilize the region. And Tillerson did not push back against the suggestion that it might also hurt US companies that have built refineries in the southern United States geared to accept Venezuelan crude. "Obviously sanctioning oil or prohibiting the oil to be sold in the United States ... is something we continue to consider," Tillerson said, while acknowledging Faurie's concerns. "As the foreign minister indicated, our disagreements are with the Venezuelan regime not with the people, the Venezuelan people are suffering mightily in the current circumstances." Tillerson said oil sanctions could be deployed it is decided that this would bring the crisis to a more rapid end "because not doing anything to bring this to an end is also asking the Venezuelan people to suffer for a much longer time. But he added that Washington was also looking at how to "mitigate the impact on US business interests." Faurie agreed with Tillerson that Maduro's attempt to call an election on terms set by Venezuela's non-elected Constituent Assembly was illegitimate and would be rejected by Argentina. "As for the sales of oil and trade in oil that exist, that is particularly important, we should closely follow up on this to ensure appropriate balance between what the Venezuelan nation needs and what is being used by the leaders of the Venezuelan government," he said. Tillerson is due to meet Argentina's President Mauricio Macri on Monday before flying on to Peru and then Colombia, which has already received around half a million Venezuelan refugees. "His cow strayed inside the Myanmar border in no-man's land. He accidently stepped on a mine when he went there to fetch the cow," said Sarwar Kamal, a local government administrator. The 45-year-old was rushed to a local clinic and later moved to hospital in the southern port city of Chittagong. "His condition is very critical," said Marjia Khatun, a nurse. Bangladesh border officials accuse Myanmar security forces of planting mines along border areas. Border Guard Bangladesh commander Anwarul Azim said the area where Saturday's incident happened was unfenced and grazing cows very often strayed across. "The Myanmar army planted those mines a while ago. Rahman accidentally stepped on one of those and lost both his legs," he told AFP. Myanmar troops have been accused of waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against the country's Rohingya Muslim minority, nearly 700,000 of whom have fled to Bangladesh since last August. Rights activists say the mines are aimed at preventing the refugees from returning to their villages. "By planting these mines, the Myanmar army is trying to ensure that the Rohingya refugees would never try to return home," said Bangladeshi rights activist Nur Khan Liton. "They don't care whether they are breaching international law," Liton said, adding that such acts were "crimes against humanity". The EU must "keep its promises" to Turkey, Erdogan told Italy's Stampa newspaper, ahead of his arrival in Rome on Sunday evening for a 24-hour visit. "The EU is blocking access to negotiations and suggests that lack of progress is because of us. It's unfair. Just like it is that other countries are pushing for options other than membership," he said. "We want full membership. Other options are not satisfactory," he added. He stressed the country's "important" role stemming the flow of migrants to Europe, which he said offered "security and stability" to the continent. Turkish ambitions to join the EU date back over half a century but accession talks started in October 2005. Out of the total of 35 chapters needed to be closed to join the EU, 16 have been opened with just one closed. No new chapter has been opened since financial and budgetary provisions was opened in June 2016. The Turkish leader also defended his recently-launched "Olive Branch" operation in the northern Syrian region of Afrin, fighting Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a terror group. "The Turkish armed forces are not in Afrin to fight armed Kurdish groups. We don't have problems with the Kurdish Syrians, we are only fighting terrorists, and we have the right to do it," insisted Erdogan, repeating that Turkey was not seeking territorial gains. Erdogan's flying visit to Italy will include a meeting with his Italian counterpart Italian Sergio Mattarella. He will also be the first Turkish president to visit the Vatican in 59 years, where he will thank Pope Francis for challenging US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a city also claimed by Palestinians. "I can no longer work peacefully... They are beside us non-stop. It's stressful," said the 48-year-old, one of dozens of Croatian fishermen from coastal settlements who work in the bay in the northern Adriatic Sea. The dispute over Piran Bay -- less than seven kilometres (four miles) long and five kilometres wide -- has poisoned ties between Croatia and Slovenia ever since they proclaimed independence from Yugoslavia nearly 27 years ago. In June last year, an international arbitration court allocated more than two-thirds of the disputed body of water to Slovenia. Croatia, whose coast stretches for 1,700 km, refused to accept the ruling. It wanted the maritime border to be drawn down the middle of the bay. But Slovenia, which has just 46 km of coastline, had argued its access to international waters was at stake. 'Working here forever' Relations between the two European Union members became further strained in December, when Slovenia began implementing the ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. This has not stopped Makovac and his colleagues fishing in "their" half of the bay. "This is our territorial sea. We've been working here forever," said Daniele Kolec, head of a local fishing association. "Nobody can tell us that we cannot fish here any more. No chance!" Each time the fishermen sail out they inform the Croatian police, who accompany them for protection in patrol boats. As Makovac sets off from his village of Savudrija and approaches the centre of the bay, a Slovenian police dinghy with flashing blue beacons rushes to warn him that he is entering "Slovenian territorial waters". Makovac said that he expected a Slovenian inspection boat to be there when he retrieved the net the next day, carrying officials who would take down his details for a fine. Both countries have begun issuing penalties for alleged "border violations" of up to 1,300 euros ($1,600) for an individual and 41,000 euros for a company. On top of that is the risk of a collision on the water -- "especially when it's foggy," Makovac's wife, Franka, told AFP as she helped him cast out a net. Awaiting acceptance Slovenian fishermen with nets say they have so far remained cautious, sticking to one half of the bay to avoid problems and "work in peace". "We allowed a third party to draw the border and what was done was done," said fisherman Zlatko Novogradec from the picturesque Slovenian port city of Piran, to the north of the bay. Novogradec, a representative of small-scale Slovenian fishers, said that his colleagues would wait until Croatia accepted the ruling before extending their nets further. "It will happen sooner or later, but it must happen eventually as a legal ruling has to be respected." Croatia pulled out of the arbitration proceedings in 2014 following a phone-tapping scandal, in which a Slovenian judge from the tribunal and a Ljubljana official were recorded discussing tactics for a ruling favourable to Slovenia. The proceedings nevertheless continued. Both Croatian fishermen and the government in Zagreb say they have no intention of paying the fines now being imposed. Whipped-up tensions The Makovac family and their colleagues say their work in the bay -- whose fish patterns they know well -- is crucial to their earnings. Most of their catch is sole, which is exported to Italy. "This is our bread, our life," said Franka, who would like to see a deal struck with the Slovenians so that they can fish together. "It's all politics," she said. Her view is echoed by many other Croatian and Slovenian citizens, who have long lived and worked side by side around the border area. Slovenians say that the issue has been whipped up domestically because of upcoming parliamentary elections. Until now local people "were never in dispute", said Peter Nussdorfer, 56, a bus driver from Piran. While the deadlock continues, fishermen and women carry on doing their job under daily escort, with the number of police boats set to rise as the high fishing season approaches. "If a government considers signing on behalf of our country... there is no doubt it must first ask the Greek people," he said, calling the neighbouring northern state "illegitimate". Athens objects to Macedonia's name, arguing it suggests that Skopje has claims to the territory and heritage of Greece's historic northern region of the same name. However, leftist Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has been considering a resolution to the 27-year-old dispute, angering many opposition members and his own nationalist coalition partners. Athens says it is ready to accept a composite name that will establish a clear distinction from Greek Macedonia. Tens of thousands of Greek protesters gathered on central Syntagma Square in Athens on Sunday, with many having travelled from across the country and abroad. Theodorakis claimed that Macedonia, with foreign backing, seeks to expand its borders at Greece's expense. "Generations of Skopjans have been raised on this idea," he said, using a common Greek term for the neighbouring nation. "They seek to join NATO and the EU with our own vote, so they can threaten us tomorrow from a position of strength." Yebo told AFP he was let go in the afternoon after several hours of interrogation over his alleged links with the Kamwina Nsapu militia. The guerilla movement, based in Kasai province, has been leading a bloody rebellion since 2016 against moves by President Joseph Kabila to extend his stay in power. Meanwhile the church, along with political opposition figures, has spearheaded huge anti-Kabila rallies in recent weeks, calling on the leader to step down. Yebo said police had levelled "strange" accusations at him on Saturday. "They said I was the financial backer of the Kamwina Nsapu," the priest said. "Where would I find money, poor as I am?" The respected National Episcopal Conference of Congo (Cenco) had called for Yebo's release on Saturday. In a statement, the group denounced the government's "ongoing crackdown on priests, monks and nuns, with some being molested, beaten and arrested without any valid motif". Kabila, 46, has been in power since 2001, at the helm of a regime widely criticised for corruption, repression and incompetence. His constitutional term in office expired in December 2016 but he has stayed on, stoking a bloody spiral of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Under a deal brokered by the powerful Catholic Church, he was allowed to stay in office provided new elections were held in 2017. The authorities then postponed the election until December 23 this year, citing what they said were logistical problems in preparing for the vote. On Saturday, thousands of nationalists set the tone for his two-day stay with a peaceful march in the island's capital Ajaccio to demand "democracy" and "respect for the Corsican people". Speaking to RTL radio on Monday, the leader of the regional government, Gilles Simeoni, said Macron's visit had the potential to be "historic". "There is an historic window of opportunity to end the cycle of conflict," Simeoni said, referring to the nearly four-decade bombing campaign conducted by the National Liberation Front of Corsica (FLNC) before a 2014 ceasefire. 'Corsica is a nation' The Corsican question has plagued French governments for decades. Unlike Catalonia, leaders of the picturesque island where Napoleon Bonaparte was born have stressed that they are not seeking full independence -- for the time being. The island remains economically dependent on the mainland. Macron had suggested during campaigning for president that he was prepared to go further than his predecessors in recognising the distinct nature of Corsica, which has its own language. But so far his government has appeared reluctant to give into the nationalists' demands, particularly the idea of an amnesty for prisoners jailed for separatist violence. Other demands include expanded use and recognition of the Corsican language and measures to give locals preferential access to the property market -- a move aimed at keeping out wealthy mainlanders. The official purpose of Macron's visit is to commemorate Claude Erignac, the state's top representative on the island who was assassinated 20 years ago in a nationalist attack that shocked the country and brought tens of thousands of Corsicans onto the street in protest. Macron will lead a ceremony at the spot in Ajaccio where Erignac was gunned down while on the way to the theatre with his wife. Simeoni, a moderate nationalist, will attend the ceremony but his more radical coalition partner, separatist assembly president Jean-Guy Talamoni, will pointedly stay away. In an opinion piece in Le Monde, Talamoni urged Macron to "send a very strong sign of openness and dialogue" on his visit. "The message of the people of Corsica is clear," Talamoni wrote, declaring that Corsicans saw their island "as a nation and not just an administrative unit". On Wednesday, Macron will set out his policy on Corsica in a highly-anticipated speech in the northern city of Bastia. For a hint of his thinking his advisers have referred reporters to a campaign speech in April 2017. The then candidate had stressed that Corsica was an integral part of France but said: "If it becomes clear that the current context does not allow Corsica to develop its potential, we could envisage going further and revising the constitution." Macron's party split The issue of how much freedom to give Corsica has caused a split within Macron's own Republic on the Move party. Six Corsican party members last week backed a resolution setting out the nationalists' demands, earning a rebuke from party leader Christophe Castaner. Saturday's march on the islands was aimed as a show of force ahead of the visit. Protest organisers said up to 25,000 people attended the demonstration, but officials gave a far lower estimate of some 6,000. A longtime hotbed of anti-French militancy, which suffered thousands of bombings between the 1970s and 2000s -- mostly targeting state infrastructure -- Corsica has enjoyed a measure of stability in recent years. The FLNC called a ceasefire in 2014 to give space to the political process but some nationalists have warned the violence could resume if the state refused the islanders' demands. Simeoni described the situation as "potentially explosive". "If the road to dialogue remains closed we would be in a crisis situation and a political dead-end," he said. A total of 3,500 police have been deployed for the visit. Nevertheless a sit-in protest by 200 people, organised by a Kurdish association in Italy, is scheduled to take place on Monday not far from the Vatican. Turkey on January 20 launched its "Olive Branch" operation against Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a terror group and a threat to Turkish territory. The Turkish army and allied Ankara-backed Syrian rebel forces are seeking to oust the YPG from its western border stronghold of Afrin but the operation has faced fierce resistance. "In Afrin, a new crime against humanity is under way," the Kurdish association said. The pope, who has railed against the horrors of war and weapons of mass destruction, is likely to raise the Afrin issue during his meeting with Erdogan at 9:30 am (0830 GMT) on Monday. The YPG, while considered a "terrorist" group by Ankara, is allied to the United States in its battle against Islamic State group jihadists. Thousands of Kurds gathered in Syria's Afrin on Saturday to mourn fighters and civilians killed in a blistering Turkish assault on the region -- including female combatant Barin Kobani whose mutilated body appeared in a shocking video, prompting accusations by her family and Kurdish officials that she was "defiled" by Turkish-backed rebels. Erdogan for his part will probably thank the pontiff for opposing the decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. "We are both in favour of the status quo and we have the will to protect it," Erdogan said in an interview published Sunday. Flying visit Erdogan's flying visit to Italy will also include a meeting with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, with illegal immigration, defence and EU membership, something Turkey seeks, likely on the agenda. Pope Francis, a strong proponent of inter-faith dialogue, visited Turkey in November 2014, holding friendly talks with Erdogan, a devout Muslim. While in Istanbul the pope acknowledged that current global crises had made Muslims vulnerable to being stigmatised. Francis denounced those who said "all Muslims are terrorists". Relations were not so cordial in June 2016 when the pope, during a visit to Armenia, referred to the 1915-17 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman forces as "genocide". The Vatican was then forced to refute claims from Turkey that Pope Francis had showed a "mentality of the Crusades" over his use of the term. Turkey -- the Ottoman Empire's successor state -- argues that it was a collective tragedy in which both Turks and Armenians died. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was in Buenos Aires for talks with his Argentinian counterpart Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie, and afterwards they confirmed that the issue had come up. "With respect to Hezbollah, we also did speak today in our discussion about all of the region about how we must all jointly go after these transnational criminal organizations -- narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, smuggling, money laundering -- because we see the connections to terrorist financing organizations as well," Tillerson said. "And we did specifically discuss the presence of Lebanese Hezbollah in this hemisphere, which is raising funds, obviously, to support its terrorist activities. "So it is something that we jointly agree we need to attack and eliminate," Tillerson said. Faurie, standing by Tillerson's side at a joint news conference, agreed, saying that South America had become a "zone of peace" and that outside groups must not be allowed to jeopardize this. "And, as Secretary Tillerson said, we need to intensify every possible exchange not only in terms of dialogue but also in terms of information on the actions of these groups which take advantage of transnational crime to foster their interests, which Argentina certainly does not agree with," he said. In 1992, the violence of the Middle East erupted in Argentina, when bombers attacked the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 29 people. Two years later, an attack on a Jewish community center in the city left 85 dead. None of the bombers were ever convicted, but international investigators followed a trail that appears to link them to Hezbollah -- a group which Washington has designated a terrorist organization -- and to senior Iranian officials. By Shan Jie The US defining China as a threat in its latest nuclear posture review is an excuse to develop even more nuclear weapons when Washington already possesses the world's strongest deterrent, Chinese experts said. China's defense ministry on Sunday slammed the review as improper speculation toward China's development, and exaggerates China's nuclear power threat. The Pentagon on Friday officially published the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), the guiding principle for future US policy to seek an enhanced nuclear deterrent which is already the world's most powerful, according to the Xinhua News Agency. The 74-page report cast China as "a major challenge to US interests in Asia," saying US strategy for China is designed to "prevent Beijing from mistakenly concluding that it could secure an advantage through the limited use of its theater nuclear capabilities or that any use of nuclear weapons, however limited, is acceptable." "Questioning China's nuclear intent is groundless. Large countries possessing nuclear weapons is a fact of international politics and is a strategic basis for stability of big country relations," Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Sunday. The US' distorted interpretation of China's nuclear development is aimed at breaking stability and could damage Sino-US ties, Li said. Ren Guoqiang, a spokesperson of the Chinese defense ministry, said China has adhered to the policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons at any time and under any circumstance. Under no circumstances will China use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones, he said. "China has always exercised the utmost restraint in the development of nuclear weapons and limited its nuclear capabilities to the minimum level required for national security," he added. "We hope the US side will discard its 'cold-war mentality,' shoulder its own special and primary responsibility for nuclear disarmament, understand correctly China's strategic intentions and take a fair view of China's national defense and military development," he said. Washington has been hoping Beijing will join nuclear disarmament negotiations, but China's nuclear power is very limited, and is only for strategic deterrent, Song Zhongping, a TV commentator and military expert, told the Global Times on Sunday. "Unless the US and Russia disarm a number of nuclear weapons, as well as the UK and France, would China join the disarmament too," Song noted. In terms of quantity, technology and deterrent power, the US has great advantages in the world. However, the US views big countries' ties and global security with competitive eyes. This makes international relationships more complex, Li said. Bigger Congress budget The comprehensive report, which is largely in line with the 2010 review done by the Obama administration, reaffirms commitments to non-proliferation treaties but emphasizes the need to enhance capabilities to match Russia's, and justifies US nuclear modernization projects. The biggest threat to the US is North Korea, but the US put Russia and China on a par with North Korea, showing the groundlessness of US thinking, Li noted. The US review of the nuclear development of other countries is an excuse to strengthening its own nuclear ability, as the US has the need to upgrade its nuclear weapons, Song noted. "It is common for the US to define its motivations and competitors in nuclear development through strategic reports," Li noted, "This could lead to a bigger budget from Congress for nuclear development, which is also in line with other plans and reports on national defense and security of the US." He said this was true even after President Donald Trump decided to move the US embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv -- where nearly every other country has its embassy. In December, Jordan called Trump's move "a violation of decisions of international law and the United Nations charter," and Abdullah reiterated his concerns to Vice President Mike Pence who visited the Middle East last month. Abdullah noted on Sunday that Trump's decision had "created a backlash" by leaving Palestinians feeling "that there isn't an honest broker." Awaiting a peace plan But, he added, "I'd like to reserve judgment, because we're still waiting for the Americans to come out with their (peace) plan." Trump's decision was warmly embraced by Israel but widely decried around the world, sparking outrage and protests from Arabs and Muslims. Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of an eventual Palestinian state and had hoped that peace talks might someday bring international recognition of that status. "I think we have to give the Americans the benefit of the doubt and all work together" once the White House issues a peace plan, Abdullah said, while adding that "if it is not a good plan... I don't think we've got a Plan B at this stage." The king emphasized that the stakes around the Jerusalem question are high. "This is a city that could either create tremendous problems for us in the future, or it is an umbrella that gives us hope," he said. "It could be a tremendous city that brings us together or it could create aggression and violence that we've never seen before." East Jerusalem was under Jordanian administration until Israel took control in the 1967 Six-Day War, annexed it, and later declared Jerusalem the indivisible capital of Israel, a status never recognized by the international community. The decision to release the report which found that 49.8 percent of Iranians, both women and men, consider the Islamic veil a private matter and think the government should have no say in it appears to pit President Hassan Rouhani directly against Irans hard-line judiciary, which on Friday said that 29 people had been detained in connection with the protests. They have called the demonstrations childish, insist that the large majority of Iranians support Islamic veiling and have called for harsher measures against those protesting the veil. At least as striking as the reports findings was the timing of its release. The study is from 2014, and publishing it now suggests that the president saw this as a moment to challenge the hard-liners, who hold ultimate power, about such a symbolically potent issue. Observers said the release of the report, by one of Rouhanis closest advisers, was probably a politically calculated decision by the president, an Islamic cleric, to bolster support for social reforms and to signal to the authorities to temper their response to the veil protests. The government wants to show that any crackdown against the veil is illegal and not democratic, said Fazel Meybodi, a reformist cleric from the city of Qom. Anyway, crackdowns and punishment are not a part of Islam. Rouhani, a moderate compared to Irans hard-liners, decades ago prided himself on having been the one responsible for introducing the law on the compulsory Islamic veil. But since his election as president in 2013, and continuing after his re-election last year, he has called for more freedoms for Iranians. Mr. President wants to be popular, and his team knows that an increasing number of women do not like the Islamic code of dress, said Farshad Ghorbanpour, a political analyst close to the government. They want to woo the women and make sure the popularity of the president does not diminish even further. Rouhanis adviser who released the report, Hesameddin Ashna, heads the Center for Strategic Studies, a government research group that in 2014 conducted a nationwide survey of public opinion about the compulsory Islamic veil. One of the women who protested on the street last week by taking off her scarf, and who requested anonymity out of fear of being arrested, said that the report was helpful, but that it did not go far enough. Women are demanding full freedom, the 28-year-old woman said, adding that the report showed that many people agreed with that view. This past week, dozens of women made the same symbolic gesture and shared their actions on social media: taking off their headscarves in public and waving them on a stick. They were emulating a young woman who had climbed onto a utility box on Dec. 27, removed her scarf and was subsequently arrested. Activists say she has since been released, but she still has not resurfaced in public. The protests, while small in number, are nevertheless significant as a rare public sign that dissatisfaction with certain Islamic laws governing personal conduct may have reached a tipping point in Iran. The first protest in December took place on a Wednesday and seemed connected to the White Wednesday campaign, an initiative by Masih Alinejad, an exiled Iranian journalist and activist living in the United States. Alinejad has reached out to Iranian women on Persian-language satellite television, through social media and through a website she runs called My Stealthy Freedom. On the website, women post images of themselves without headscarves, demanding an end to the compulsory headscarf law. The Islamic headscarf, or hijab, is seen by Iranian ideologues as a pillar of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The law regarding the scarf has been enforced since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and a headscarf is obligatory for every woman in the country, even tourists and visiting foreign dignitaries. Although women are subject to broader laws on matters like divorce and inheritance, the hijab is a highly public symbol of the rules imposed by Irans clerical leaders. Rules are also imposed on men, who are not allowed to wear shorts in public. Many Iranians now resent such restrictions as the country has grown more secular, and are increasingly flouting them. Recent unrest in Iran has also erupted over economic concerns, which fueled the anti-government protests that roiled the country late last year. The weeklong demonstrations across Iran, centered in religiously conservative, working-class towns and cities rather than Tehran, were the broadest display of discontent since the Green Movement protests in 2009 after a disputed presidential election. The outpouring of anger was directed not only at Rouhani, who won re-election promising to revitalize the economy, but also at the countrys supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Nearly 5,000 protesters were detained and 25 were killed some of them, families of the victims say, at the hands of their jailers. The New York Times They are the same person. And yet they are not. In a series of monologues, sometimes gentle and sometimes harrowing, family members, lovers and others tell us about Shireens growing unhappiness the disorientation, the hospitalizations, the suicide attempts and gradual recovery, which culminates in her becoming Deen through a gender transition. Neither Shireen nor Deen ever appears as a character. Draw the Circle, which runs in repertory at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater with Dael Orlandersmiths Until the Flood, opens with a picture of a smiling girl in a red sweater, an image that fades as Deen, wearing jeans and a rumpled T-shirt, enters, stepping into the first of a number of lit squares. A few days before Thanksgiving, Deens girlfriend, Molly, is heading to Connecticut with Deen to see his parents, Indian immigrants who struggle to accept them. We havent seen them in two years, Molly explains. Its like Ive got to prove myself all over again. Yes, Im white. No, Im not Muslim. Yes, Im a girl. Deen has even more to prove. The play jumps back and forth in time, from Shireens adolescence and early adulthood to Mollys traffic-plagued drive to New England. Deen plays all the characters. These men and women approach Shireens, and then Deens, anguish with as much sympathy as they can muster. Often, its not a lot. Deens mother doesnt want to discuss his new identity. Whatever it is, dont tell me, she says. I cant handle it. Whatever it is you have to do, please, cant you just wait until were dead and gone? Even Molly, who sometimes misses Shireen, has moments of anger. He has hair everywhere, she says. He changed. Because people refused to see him. Maybe he would have stayed a butch if they had just used the freakin pronoun he asked them to use! Deen, a member of New Dramatists, joins an increasing number of transgender playwrights, like Basil Kreimendahl and Jess Barbagallo. Bald, bearded and baby-faced, he is a winning presence, and he soon engages the audience with the problems of his characters. While regressive legislation about restroom use and an attempted ban of transgender military recruits suggest the fear and suspicion that transgender and gender-fluid people experience, the Rattlestick audience was primed for engagement. At the Sunday night performance I saw, the crowd was home-game friendly, laughing, cheering and urging Deen back onstage for multiple bows, which sometimes made Draw the Circle feel less like a play and more like an eloquent encounter group. As a document of Deens pain and a plea for visibility, it is persuasive. If you can watch it without feeling compassion, see your cardiologist. But as a work of art, its less convincing. Under Chay Yews efficient, unobtrusive direction, Deen is no shaman. Audience distractions rattle him, and unlike solo performers like Anna Deavere Smith, Sarah Jones, Danny Hoch or Orlandersmith, his characters never come fully alive. He doesnt yet have the gift for defining a person with a posture, a gesture or a linguistic tic, and his accents tend to travel. Also not fully present: Deen himself. Obviously, thats a choice braided into the DNA of Draw the Circle. Deen has opted to trace his journey through the eyes of onlookers. But by focusing so narrowly on gender, he provides a very limited self-portrait. Of course, a gender transition such a fundamental change in identity is fascinating. But I cant believe that its the only fascinating thing about Deen. A program note mentions that he is an activist and a man of many hobbies, including bread baker, monster-maker and student of the classical guitar and tin whistle. I wanted to meet that guy the artist, the activist, the good baker and the lousy musician. (I mean, can anyone really master the tin whistle?) In making a play about himself, Deen should draw the circle wider. Production Notes: Draw the Circle Through Feb. 18 at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, Manhattan; 866-811-4111, rattlestick.org. Running time: 1 hour 30 minutes. By Mashuq Mushtaq Deen; directed by Chay Yew; sets by Yew; lighting by Mary Louise Geiger; sound by Matt M. Nielson; production manager, Ana Mari de Quesada; production stage manager, Laura Wilson; deck stage manager, Debora Porazzi. Presented by Rattlestick Playwrights Theater. Cast: Mashuq Mushtaq Deen. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. The department was forced to conclude that the same was now true of its entire case. In a whiplash decision, it announced that it would not, in fact, retry Menendez, eliminating for Democrats the embarrassing prospect of having a sitting senator running for re-election while on trial for corruption. The judges decision further exposed what the bribery case against Menendez and Dr. Salomon Melgen, a wealthy eye doctor from Florida and a longtime friend of the senator, lacked from the start: no key witness, no obvious quid pro quo. He left in place 11 of the 18 charges, including bribery based on trips on a private plane and other lavish gifts, as well as allegations that Menendez made false statements about those gifts a charge even defense lawyers conceded was the hardest to beat. But Walls blew a hole in the governments timeline and bounty of evidence, and made it hard to argue a motive for making false statements. The defense, meanwhile, still had its steady refrain: This was friendship, not corruption. The best the government could ever hope for was a hung jury, said Lawrence S. Lustberg, a defense lawyer in Newark, New Jersey, where the first case was tried and, in fact, ended in a mistrial when jurors said they could not reach a unanimous verdict. The summation is, If exchanging gifts between friends is a crime, then were all in trouble.' Justice Department officials in Washington had debated whether to even retry Menendez, but eventually reached a consensus. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a Republican who served alongside Menendez in the Senate, signed off on a recommendation from the deputy attorney general and the criminal division to try again to win a conviction. Some in the department had been uneasy with the case from the beginning. It started with an investigation into salacious rumors that Menendez and Melgen had visited underage prostitutes in the Dominican Republic. The charges had been peddled to news outlets for years by an anonymous informant who adopted his pseudonym from a former congressman from New Jersey, Pete Williams, who was convicted of bribery in the Abscam case of the 1970s. Reporters and government investigators alike could never substantiate those rumors. The government shifted instead to more complex, less sexy matters involving Medicare billing and port security contracts. The Justice Departments Public Integrity Unit, which had suffered through an embarrassing string of losses and missteps involving prosecutions of high level politicians like former Sens. Ted Stevens of Alaska and John Edwards of North Carolina, was eager to burnish their once-lofty reputation. The prospect of a corruption case against another sitting senator, especially for bribery, proved tantalizing. I think that there was a little bit of zealousness in trying to find the next big fish in order to set things right reputationally about the public integrity section, said Brian Fallon, who worked as a spokesman for the Department of Justice before joining Hillary Clintons presidential campaign in 2015. I think that certain people were seeking some kind of big name that they could deliver a case all the way to a conviction. Justice Department officials declined to discuss any details of their initial decision to retry the case. The indictment was handed down in April 2015. But less than a year later, before a trial date had even been set, the Department of Justice was dealt the first blow to their case: the Supreme Court overturned a corruption conviction against former Virginia governor Bob McDonnell, extremely narrowing the definition of official acts that would qualify for a bribery conviction. Still, prosecutors were not overwhelmingly concerned about how the ruling affected the Menendez trial, thinking that their burden was more on proving that Menendez had accepted bribes than it was on proving that he had taken actions. Walls, though, repeatedly questioned whether the McDonnell decision would allow the introduction of certain evidence in the first trial. And the question of whether the senators actions were official acts added another level of complexity for the jury. Early in the trial, Walls made it clear that he was not going to let any of the salacious rumors work their way into his courtroom, nor what he viewed as loaded references to Menendezs decisions to stay in luxury hotels with a female friend. Its not going to be a tabloid trial, and I am not going to let you just swish and swash nonsensical, you know, nonsensical substances not substances, scenarios that really dont even make for a good pulp fiction story, he told a prosecutor at one point. Gerald Krovatin, a lawyer in Newark who had worked with Menendezs defense team, said, They had really criminalized a relationship. It had its seamy underside with the Melgen girlfriends, but it was kind of a bloodless case once Walls cut all the sex out of it. Federal prosecutors saw their case slip away. The jury was deadlocked. Walls tried to encourage them to reach a decision but eventually had to declare a mistrial. Jurors told reporters afterward that they were stuck at 10-2, with the majority for acquittal. It was unusual insight into a jurys deliberations, and it made some in the Justice Department unenthusiastic about a retrial. The government was facing other hurdles. Walls had said he would not preside over the retrial, and the case was expected to go to Judge William Martini. Reflecting Menendezs long and deep involvement in New Jersey politics, every other federal judge in Newark, where the first trial was held, had either passed or recused from the case; Menendez had helped sponsor several of the judges for the bench. Prosecutors had reason to feel anxious about arguing the case before Martini. A former Republican congressman he served in the House with Menendez in the mid-1990s he has been an outspoken critic of government overreach. In one of the most prominent public corruption cases in the states recent history, against Mayor Sharpe James of Newark, Martini questioned whether James actions had been different from what any public official would do for a constituent. He sentenced James to 27 months in prison, a fraction of what the U.S. attorney in the case a future governor named Chris Christie had sought. Martini, too, decided to pass on the case, which would have moved it to Trenton. That move might have hurt the defense, because the pool of jurors would be less likely to include many Hispanics, who were considered sympathetic to Menendez. The government risked looking small with a case based primarily on a relatively lesser offense, of failing to report trips and gifts on disclosure forms. There was the chance that jurors would have decided the matter was not a federal crime, and better handled by the Senate Ethics Committee, which is conducting its own investigation. I dont know if they thought small potatoes, or they would look petty if all they got out of it was a false statements case, Krovatin said. You have to believe that Judge Walls decision became the tipping point in terms of their decision. He knocks out the six figure dollars in the case, Krovatin said. They must have thought that made a retrial much more consistent with the defense theme of friendship and exchange of mutual friendship-related favors as opposed to bribery. After the years of headlines, months of courtroom battles and the surprising decision to retry the case, federal prosecutors delivered the news to the defense that they were abandoning all the charges almost casually. Peter Koski, the lead prosecutor, walked over to the defense table during a procedural hearing, out of earshot of the judge, leaned over and said they were dropping the case. As much as Walls decision to toss some of the charges hobbled the prosecution, it also handed the government a public relations lifeline. The case got harder, and the politics of dismissing it got a lot easier, said Matt Miller, a former spokesman for the Department of Justice who also closely counseled Menendez during the investigation. Now you have a graceful exit. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Moreno, a former vice president who was once a close ally of Correas, has become a staunch political opponent since assuming office last May. With this vote, we will be able to work on our fight against corruption, he said on Sunday after voting in favor of term limits in Quito, the capital. The official Ecuador electoral agency announced the referendums passage Sunday evening, declaring the results with 99 percent certainty. The result distances Ecuadors electoral system from those of neighbors like Venezuela and Bolivia, where the left-wing leaders Evo Morales and Nicolas Maduro have entrenched themselves in power while still holding elections. Instead, Ecuadors system moves closer to Colombias, which limits presidents to a single four-year term, and Perus, which allows re-election only if the terms are nonconsecutive. The steps taken by Correa, who was in power from 2007 to 2017, in hopes of allowing himself a potential fourth term were a stark contrast to the decade preceding his election to the top office, when the country had cycled through seven presidents in a period of political turmoil. Moreno can still seek a second term, because Ecuadors Constitution allows one re-election. Correa, who had been living in his wifes native Belgium since last summer, returned to Ecuador last month to take an active role in campaigning against the referendum, calling it a coup d'etat that would end the rule of law in the nation. As he toured the country during the campaign, voters threw tomatoes and eggs at him on several occasions. In the western city of Quininde, he had to be evacuated by helicopter after rocks and trash were thrown at his car violence that Paola Pabon, a former senior official under Correa, charged was part of an effort led by Moreno to undermine his rival. For his part, Correa said he considered the referendum a campaign against his political legacy. Theyre trying to destroy everything that has to do with Correa, he told Reuters ahead of the vote. Some voters said that was precisely their intention, and that they hoped to undo what they consider the failures of his government. Jhonathan Usama, 26, who voted in favor of term limits, said he had been studying medicine at Universidad Cristiana Latinoamericana until Correas government shut it down along with 14 other schools, arguing that they were of poor quality. We have to lay Correa to rest and not let him return, not just to the presidency but to the country, Usama said after casting his vote in a school in Quito. They closed my university without an adequate contingency plan, so I had to leave my family to go study somewhere else and start from scratch. The referendum which included six other questions on matters like the environment and the penal code was also seen as a move by Moreno to bolster his administration after he won the 2017 election by a narrow margin. This referendum is necessary so that we enact changes and in a way legitimize the current administration, said Hector Cevallos, a businessman who voted in the same school as Usama. To do that we need to show they have public support. Cevallos said he had voted in favor of most issues on the ballot, but not those that would restrict mining and oil industries to protect the environment, which is part of Morenos agenda. The country needs economic resources to move forward and solve the problems of an economy that is currently in crisis, Cevallos said. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Many are stiff high-society affairs, like the New Years Ball and the Opera Ball the official ball of the Federal Republic of Austria, which dates in its various forms to the 1800s, and this year takes place Thursday. Others, like the Confectioners Ball, Coffee Brewers Ball and Flower Ball, all held last month, are just as formal but attended by a wider audience. A political subtext often lurks behind the dazzling scenes, but this years season has proved especially fraught. On Jan. 26, around 3,000 police officers blocked off a broad section of the city center to prevent protesters from clashing with members of the right-wing Freedom Party, who were attending the Academics Ball in the former imperial palace. The Vienna faction of the party, which returned to government last year, has sponsored the Academics Ball since 2013. Attendees include members of Austrian right-wing fraternal societies, who wear pillbox hats to show their affiliation. Outside the venue, 8,000 to 10,000 protesters marched through the streets, carrying banners and signs saying Resistance and Dont Allow Nazis to Govern. The night after the Academics Ball, more than 3,000 guests attended the Vienna Ball of Sciences, which was founded in 2015 in part as a counterball to the Academics Ball, in a subtle protest by university rectors and scientists. The guests filled the spired City Halls vaulted, chandeliered ballroom, colonnaded hallways and red-carpeted staircases. The original idea for the ball came from scientists irritation at the right wings use of the word academic, therefore hijacking the reputation of education and research, said Oliver Lehmann, a co-chairman of the Ball of Sciences organizing committee. He added, Were about diversity, openness and excellence. Case in point: Some of the women in attendance glided over the dance floors in floor-length saris or accessorized their gowns with matching hijabs. Politics aside, the balls transform this city. At this time of year, women emerge from the citys salons with elaborate coifs. Crash courses in ballroom dancing are booked to capacity. Tux rentals become scarce though most locals own their own formal wear. I own 4 1/2 ballgowns, joked Monika Kanokova, a communications consultant who attended her first event, the Flower Ball, at 18. Each ball requires a certain look. The Opera Ball is very traditional, with classic, tight hairstyles said Danijel Vladimir, proprietor of All About Hair, an intimate salon in Viennas tony 1st District. The others are more casual and modern blowouts or loose up-dos. The Hunters Ball is braids, braids, braids. Debutantes bring their required tiaras to their styling appointments, where theyre affixed with copious hair teasing, hair spray and many, many bobby pins. Most balls feature food stands in addition to booked table service, making gown-clad guests dipping pairs of long sausages into mustard and horseradish a common sight especially after the midnight quadrille, a coordinated dance that fills the ballroom. As much as Viennese balls mirror their citys complex history, intricate social hierarchies and political affiliations, they are also big business. A recent study published by Viennas Chamber of Commerce predicted that a record 505,000 people would attend balls this season, spending an estimated 139 million euros (about $173 million) at the balls alone. Many Austrian businesspeople invite international colleagues during ball season to impress them and ultimately seal deals, Kanokova said. If you need someone to fly across the globe, you take them to a Vienna ball, she said. Its so out of this world, but its also such a well-preserved piece of the citys history. At the Ball of Sciences, as at other balls, guests floated from room to room, which the Viennese call flanieren. An orchestra played waltzes in the cathedral-like grand ballroom of City Hall while a jazz ensemble entertained in a smaller hall. Yet another space featured a DJ playing disco tracks and walls festooned with neon-painted artwork by students from the citys University of Applied Arts. Viennas new mayor-elect, Michael Ludwig, dropped by, as did Michael Haupl, who is retiring as mayor after nearly 24 years and is a biologist. The pinnacle of peak season is the Opera Ball, which always takes place on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. The sole ball held in Viennas opera house, it attracts 5,000 guests, who witness around 150 debutantes in snow-white gowns waltz with their partners, a rehearsed and tightly choreographed extravaganza televised by Austrias national broadcaster, ORF. The event also attracts dignitaries and celebrities. President Alexander van der Bellen will attend this year, as will Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. Actress Melanie Griffith is also due to attend. At the Ball of Sciences, Caroline Weinberg, a national co-chairwoman of the March for Science in Washington, was attending at the invitation of Lehmann, of the organizing committee. In the VIP area, she met Austrian scientists and politicians, and talked politics in formal wear. Could she waltz? Not as well as the locals. Yet the experience was remarkable nonetheless. It was like walking into a time machine, she marveled. I had this image in my head of what a Viennese waltz looks like, because I watched old movies. I didnt expect it to be like that, she said. But it was. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. The events in Kenya over the past week are a stunning about-face in a country praised mere months ago as a shining example of democracy, when the Supreme Court overturned a presidential election, and the winner, President Uhuru Kenyatta, agreed to abide by the ruling. That case was hailed as a powerful display of judicial independence and a win for the rule of law. But now many Kenyans fear their country is sliding away from democracy. Kenya hasnt seen anything like this before this is unheard-of, said Ahmednasir Abdullahi, who represented Kenyatta before the Supreme Court last year in several election cases. When there is a court order you dont obey, you look like a rogue state. The U.S. government said in a statement last week that it was deeply concerned about the interference with the media, and the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights called on the government to respect and implement the court order to end the blackout. In Kenya, some are now likening Kenyatta to Daniel Arap Moi, the authoritarian president who ruled the country for 24 years, before finally leaving office in 2002. But shutting down broadcast stations never happened, even under Moi, said George Kegoro, executive director of the Kenya Human Rights Commission. The current tensions have their roots in last years presidential election, when Raila Odinga, Kenyattas longtime political rival, challenged his loss to the president. The Supreme Court ordered a new election, but Odinga withdrew before the second vote. When Odingas supporters boycotted the polls, they handed Kenyatta an easy victory. Odinga refused to concede defeat and threatened to take a parallel oath as the peoples president. The New York Times The Federal Reserve planned to impose tough sanctions on the San Francisco-based bank for years of misconduct and the shoddy governance that allowed it. The executives mission, according to three people directly involved in the negotiations, was to avoid further shaking investor confidence in the bank and its management team. Officials at the central bank had a different goal, according to people familiar with their thinking. They wanted to send a message to the Wells board that it would be held responsible for the companys behavior. After three weeks of frenzied negotiations, a deal was announced Friday night that represented a milestone in the evolving relationship between regulators and banks. Wells Fargo, one of the countrys largest banks, was banned from getting bigger until it can convince regulators that it has cleaned up its act. We cannot tolerate pervasive and persistent misconduct at any bank, Janet L. Yellen, the Feds chairwoman, said in a statement Friday. It was her last act at the Fed; hours later she finished her four-year term. As part of Fridays announcement, the Fed and Wells said the bank would replace four members of its 16-member board, although the changes werent mandated under the consent order. The settlement is an attempt by the Fed to impress upon banks that their boards of directors should be vigorous, independent watchdogs and if they fail, there will be consequences. That reflects a shift from regulators historically hands-off approach to corporate boards, and the boards role is likely to grow in importance as regulators appointed by President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress generally loosen the reins on big banks. Yellens successor, Jerome H. Powell, was the top Fed official overseeing the negotiations with Wells Fargo, and he is likely to maintain the Feds emphasis on holding bank boards accountable. Across a range of responsibilities, we simply expect much more of boards of directors than ever before, Powell said in a speech in August. There is no reason to expect that to change. This account is based on interviews with six people involved in or briefed on the negotiations, representing both the bank and the Fed, who were not authorized to speak publicly about regulatory matters. Wells originally got into trouble in 2016 for charging millions of customers for bank accounts they did not want and for auto insurance they did not need. The bank was repeatedly penalized and fined by regulators. Executives had convinced themselves last year that they were out of the woods, according to the people familiar with their thinking, who werent authorized to speak publicly about interactions with regulators. But that illusion was shattered in September, when Yellen said the bank remained under investigation. In early January, Wells officials heard from the Fed that the central bank planned to impose stiff new penalties. Executives were furious that the proposed sanctions seemed more draconian than those imposed on banks that nearly cratered the global economy a decade earlier, according to people familiar with the thinking of top bank executives. Then, on conference calls and face-to-face sessions in Washington, the negotiations began. One crucial participant was Wells general counsel, C. Allen Parker. His advantage was that he was new to Wells, not part of what one bank adviser called the ancien regime. He joined last spring after more than two decades at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, the white shoe law firm where he had been the presiding partner. Another was Elizabeth A. Duke, a former Fed governor, who became chairwoman of Wells board last summer, well after the account-opening scandal came to light. The lead officials for the Fed were its general counsel, Mark E. Van Der Weide, and Michael S. Gibson, director of supervision and regulation. In a twist, the official that Trump had nominated to the Fed to play the lead role on regulatory issues was sidelined. That official, Randal Quarles, vice chairman for supervision, had recused himself because he had been a longtime investor in Wells. After an opening round of talks, Wells concluded that the Fed wasnt likely to budge on its central demand: that the bank put the brakes on any growth until it proved that its governance was substantially improved. That meant the bank wouldnt be able to increase the assets like loans or investments it was holding above its current level of about $2 trillion. Wells wanted wiggle room. Executives negotiated to have the assets calculated over a rolling two-quarter average. That meant they could swell above $2 trillion at times, as long as they dropped lower at other times. The top priority for Wells was that the order be lifted quickly, said participants in the talks. The banks negotiators wanted the Fed to commit to a speedy timetable for reviewing its progress. The Fed responded that it wanted Wells to move quickly, which Wells officials interpreted as meaning the Fed would act swiftly, too. The future of the banks board was a thornier issue. Wells had already replaced about half of its scandal-era directors. The Fed wanted more change, according to people familiar with the central banks thinking. The regulators had taken notice of public anger about the governments past practice of taking actions against corporations without holding people responsible. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., had met twice with Yellen last year to push the Fed to force out Wells directors, according to a participant in the meetings. Warren also made the argument to Powell, the incoming Fed chairman. While not adopting Warrens suggestion, Fed officials emphasized to Wells the importance of refreshing the board, said people who participated in the negotiations. Bank executives responded that they planned to replace four more directors. That would leave no more than three directors who had been around during the misconduct. That appeared to satisfy the Fed. The central bank also alerted Wells that Gibson, the Feds top regulator, planned to write public letters to two former Wells chairmen, scolding them for their inadequate oversight. Wells officials pushed Gibson not to be too harsh, according to a person familiar with the matter. The two sides reached a rough agreement early last week. It blocked Wells assets from going beyond their current level, adopting Wells request for assets to be calculated using a rolling average, and required the bank to submit a cleanup plan. It also established a timetable for the Fed to review the banks progress, leaving Wells executives hopeful that the handcuffs would come off within a year. The replacement of the four directors wasnt part of the written agreement, which still needed signoffs from the boards of both the Fed and Wells. Friday was Yellens final working day as the Feds chairwoman. It wasnt clear if that accelerated the settlement talks, but that morning, Wells directors held a conference call and voted to sign the consent order, said people close to the bank. A bank executive phoned Van Der Weide at the Fed to tell him. On Friday afternoon, Yellen went to the PBS NewsHour studios to tape an interview, not expecting the Wells deal to come to fruition on her watch. By the time she returned to headquarters, the news had arrived from San Francisco. The Feds board held its own vote and announced the order shortly after 6 p.m. It also published Gibsons scathing letters to the two ex-chairmen. The Feds announcement described the consent order. The headline of its news release announced the pending departures of four Wells board members. When they saw that, Wells officials were irate, said the people familiar with executives thinking. They thought it sounded like the boardroom changes were being done at the Feds instruction. The banks own announcement of the consent order had mentioned the pending boardroom departures only in passing. The bank had hoped to make the changes without assigning blame to the departing board members. In a hastily convened conference call Friday night, Sloan, Wells current chief, tried to reassure analysts and investors that the bank would be able to maneuver around the asset cap by selling certain assets and continuing to lend to customers. He estimated on the call that the Feds order could shave up to $400 million off the banks 2018 profits. That represents less than 2 percent of what Wells earned last year. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Under the new proposal, for which the public comment period ends on Monday, employers could use workers tips for essentially any purpose, as long as the workers were directly paid at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. The restaurant industry, which has fought the Obama administration regulation for years, argues that the change would allow employers to share the tips of waiters and waitresses with so-called back-of-the-house workers like cooks and dishwashers. We think its unfair for a busboy who picks up dirty dishes to be able to get tips but for a dishwasher who cleans the dishes not to be allowed to share the tips, said Angelo Amador, senior vice president and regulatory counsel at the National Restaurant Association. But labor advocacy groups and former Obama administration officials argue that the regulation would legalize a vast income transfer from workers to employers, who would be permitted to pocket the tips. There is a lot of wage theft, tip stealing in restaurants and other sectors where workers depend on tips, Christine Owens of the National Employment Law Project said. This would be one more reason for employers to take workers tips and do whatever they want to do with them. A study by the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank, estimated that the change would cost current tipped workers $5.8 billion a year in pay. It cast doubt on the idea that employers would use the money to compensate other workers better. Heidi Shierholz, a former chief economist at the Labor Department who oversaw the study, said that under standard economic theory, employers were unlikely to pay workers more than needed to attract and retain them, which they are by definition already doing in most cases. She predicted that if the regulation took effect and employers decided to share tips with these workers, their base pay would be reduced and there would be no more take-home pay. The Labor Department estimated that the rule would affect about 1 million waiters and waitresses and over 200,000 bartenders. Workers in other industries, like hairstylists and manicurists, would also be affected. Many tipped workers would not be affected, however, because the law would continue to prevent employers from taking the tips of those who earned less than the minimum wage. The law allows workers to be paid below the minimum wage as long as their tips make up the difference. The proposed rule has generated a surprising amount of attention, attracting more than 180,000 comments from the public by Friday. That is roughly two-thirds the number of comments that the Obama administrations proposal to increase overtime eligibility which affected millions more workers and nearly every industry generated after it was formally unveiled in 2015. At least one major business group and some restaurant owners wrote that the rule would allow employers to put in place new pay practices that benefited both them and workers. It used to be that our servers typically made 1.5 to two times more than our kitchen staff, which is a big gap, but now they make two to four times more, wrote Kim Snuggerud, who owns the Hilo Bay Cafe in Hawaii. This gap can be better managed with this change in the regulations. The wage disparity creates many problems, from morale issues to higher turnover. In an interview, Snuggerud emphasized that she was not a supporter of President Donald Trump and tended to favor minimum-wage increases and big government. But many self-identified former restaurant owners, along with many workers and customers, wrote in to oppose the rule, saying it was unfair and might even amount to theft. Adding to the controversy is the Labor Departments failure to include a numerical analysis of the costs and benefits of the rule when it formally released the proposal. A long-standing executive order typically requires such an analysis for regulations that would have an economic impact of at least $100 million. When you put out a proposed rule, you have to put out the analysis you have that shows the impact of it, said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the committee that has oversight over the department. I think, frankly, if they do that, people would be outraged. When it released the proposal, the department said that the omission was the result of a lack of adequate data and the speculative nature of determining how employers, employees and customers would all react. But several former Labor Department officials said that while uncertainties and data limitations complicated any effort to measure costs and benefits, economists had well-established practices for addressing them. There are assumptions one has to make, but you build that into the analysis, said David Weil, the former head of the division that enforces minimum-wage and overtime rules, which also produced this proposal. On its face, its just a ridiculous assertion. Shierholz said it had taken her team of four primary researchers less than two weeks to generate their estimate. A Labor Department spokesman said that the department had sought public input about how to estimate costs and benefits when it released its proposal and that it intends to publish an informed cost-benefit analysis as part of any final rule. The spokesman pointed out that the 2011 rule also did not include a detailed cost-benefit analysis, though former Labor Department officials say that was because the rule codified existing policy and did not change policy. On Thursday, Bloomberg Law reported that the department had, in fact, produced an economic analysis, but that Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta and his aides had chosen not to release it after it showed that the cost to tipped workers could be substantial. The department declined to comment. But two former Labor Department officials said they had been briefed on the analysis by people currently at the department and echoed this account. Michael Hancock, another former top official in the division that produced the proposal, said he found it unimaginable that the department would not have produced an economic analysis because officials at the Office of Management and Budget, who must typically sign off on new regulations, would refuse to do so without one. At least during my time, OMB jealously guarded the executive order, said Hancock, who worked at the department for two decades beginning in 1995. They always insisted if its even close to the threshold that youve got to do an economic analysis, no matter how challenging. The restaurant industry contends that the Obama-era regulation is illegal because it goes beyond what the underlying law supports. It asked the Supreme Court to review the Obama rule after appellate courts in different parts of the country split on the issue. I would say the process was not followed in 2011, Amador said. If theres any flaw here, its that an illegal regulation passed in 2011. But Hancock said the proposed change would be highly vulnerable to a legal challenge if completed because omitting an economic analysis denied the public a chance to comment. The rule-making process is designed to give the public an opportunity to have their voices heard, he said. If you dont include the economic analysis that underlies all of this, the public never had an opportunity to do that. I think its going to create legal problems. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Panic ensued. The sailors who were not killed in the explosion or trapped below rushed to the decks, where some of the lifeboats had frozen to the ship, survivors recounted. But four chaplains, standing on the decks, remained calm, distributing life jackets. When the supply ran out, the chaplains gave the sailors their own. Only 230 men survived the sinking of the Dorchester, making it one of the worst naval tragedies for the United States in World War II. Witnesses recalled seeing the four chaplains standing on the deck with arms interlocked, each praying in their own way, as the ship sunk. They were Catholic, Jewish and Protestant: Rabbi Alexander B. Goode; the Rev. George L. Fox, a Methodist Minister; the Rev. Clark V. Poling of the Reformed Church in America; and the Rev. John P. Washington, a Roman Catholic priest. Before volunteering for the war in 1942, Washington had last served at St. Stephens church in Kearny, New Jersey, and each year, a Mass is celebrated in honor of him and the other chaplains, attracting veterans from near and far. Among them on Sunday was Gene Swarbrick, 93, who served with Washington as an altar boy. He was a beautiful man, Swarbrick, who now lives in Daytona Beach, Florida, said. He was a prize fighter before he became a priest, and he used to play stick ball with us right behind the church. He loved kids; he just loved them. Swarbrick was drafted months before Washington died, and remembers hearing the news of the loss. I was mortified, he said. Can you imagine taking off your life jacket and giving it to someone else? John Nicaretta, 87, a Korean War veteran from nearby Bayonne, New Jersey, said he is still moved by the memory that these people gave their lives for others. Ive been coming here so many years, and every year, Im touched, Nicaretta said. The Rev. Timothy P. Broglio, archbishop for military services in the United States, celebrated the Mass and was joined by a color guard of veterans and Boy Scouts, in a church filled with hymns and patriotic songs led by a choir, orchestra and bagpipes. This is thought to be among the largest of the several hundred remembrances held each year to mark the chaplains sacrifice at veterans posts and in churches and temples around the country, said Christine Beady, executive director of the Four Chaplains Foundation in Philadelphia. But keeping the memory of the four chaplains alive is growing more difficult. Each year, the number of living World War II veterans shrinks. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 558,000 of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II were still alive in 2017. They are dying at the rate of 362 per day, the department reports. Among the survivors of the Dorchester, only one remains alive: Bill Bunkelman, who is in a nursing home in Michigan, Beady said. Stirred by witness accounts of how the men gave up their life jackets, the government in 1944 posthumously awarded each chaplain the Distinguished Service Cross and a Purple Heart. In 1948, a postage stamp was dedicated in their honor. In 1988, Feb. 3 was established by a unanimous Act of Congress as an annual Four Chaplains Day. The Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation tries to raise awareness through scholarship competitions, awards for valor and school group visits to its chapel, and by funding an emergency chaplain corps. In Kearny, St. Stephens commissioned a large bronze sculpture depicting the chaplains on the sinking ship for the church grounds, and set up a special chapel with photographs of the four men. The local Boy Scout troop uniforms bear an image of the chaplains as their patrons. We honor the four chaplains, Broglio said in his homily, so that we might learn to imitate their charity. We want to learn from them how to use our gifts and talents to serve others. This year, a niece and grandnephew of Washington attended the Mass, as did the son-in-law, grandson, and other relatives of Goode, who was born in the Brooklyn borough of New York and worked at the Beth Israel Synagogue in York, Pennsylvania. The message of ecumenicalism and sharing and caring is timeless, said Mark S. Auerbach, a cousin of Goode from Passaic, New Jersey. This is one of the least known stories out of World War II, and one of the greatest. Brian Hoffman, 47, a grandnephew of Washington, has been coming to the Mass annually to honor the chaplains and their sacrifice, but he said he also was aware of the personal context of his relatives loss. In Hoffmans pocket was a folded family tree that included the fate of Washingtons six brothers and sisters. One brother died in the war. Another went missing in action, but was later found shellshocked. His sister died as a teenager of a disease. His father died in the 1930s. I always think of his mother, and her suffering, Hoffman said. To me, thats a forgotten part of the story. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. The guided-missile frigate Yancheng (Hull 546) escorts the merchant ship SELIN-M (R). (Photo by Zhu Linlin) GULF OF ADEN, Feb. 5 (ChinaMil) The guided-missile frigate Yancheng (Hull 546) of the 28th Chinese naval escort taskforce set out in west waters off the Gulf of Aden on a mission to escort SELIN-M, a merchant ship transporting humanitarian supplies for the United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP), at 9 am on Feb. 2, local time. The SELIN-M set sail on Jan. 30 from the Port of Sudan in the Republic of the Sudan for the Port of Mombasa in the Republic of Kenya through the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somali. The joint maritime command center of the European Union (EU) sent an escort request to the international escort forces in the Gulf of Aden on Jan. 25. The 28th Chinese naval escort taskforce immediately adjusted their work plans and decided to send the frigate Yancheng to escort SELIN-M. After that, concerning the low freeboard, slow speed and long-term escort requirements of the SELIN-M, the Chinese naval escort taskforce assessed marine conditions and pirate activities, improved operation plans and emergency measures, and strengthened targeted training to ensure successful completion of the escort mission. Providing escort mission for the UNWFP is a special operation of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy to fulfill international humanitarian obligations and demonstrate the image of a responsible major power. What is unusual is the FBI and the Justice Department being attacked, the president leading the charge and the attorney general missing in action, said Jack L. Goldsmith, a Harvard law professor who headed the Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel under President George W. Bush. Why isnt he sticking up for the department? Current and former prosecutors say Sessions tepid response reflects efforts to appease Trump, even at the expense of morale among the departments employees, and has raised fears that prosecutors cannot depend on protection from political interference. Attorneys general swear an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, not the president, said Matthew S. Axelrod, a partner at Linklaters and a former Justice Department official who began as a federal prosecutor under Bush. He left the department after his boss, Sally Q. Yates, was fired by Trump when she refused to defend his travel ban. Institutions like the DOJ rely on their leaders to be a voice that defends them. Its critically important to this institution that its leadership have its back. It is a duty previous attorneys general have embraced. The departments rank and file still extols a story from more than a decade ago as the model for how the system should work. In that encounter, the ailing attorney general, John Ashcroft, allowed his acting replacement, James B. Comey, to defy the Bush administration during a confrontation in his hospital room over a surveillance program Justice Department lawyers had deemed unconstitutional. The traditional lines have blurred under Trump and Sessions, however. For nearly a year, the president has critiqued the work of the Justice Department and complained about Sessions for a variety of perceived infractions and acts of disloyalty. He attempted to fire Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russian election interference and possible ties to the Trump campaign, and considered firing Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general and official who oversees Mueller. While the Justice Department has argued that a case brought by Paul J. Manafort, a former campaign chairman for Trump, against Mueller should be dismissed, Sessions has not voiced robust support for the special prosecutor. And last week, after Trump latched on to allegations in a contentious Republican memo that the Justice Department and FBI had abused their surveillance powers and called their conduct a disgrace, Sessions offered a meager defense of his lawyers and the institution. I have great confidence in the men and women of this department, Sessions said in a statement after the memo was released. But no department is perfect. Through a spokeswoman, Sessions declined to comment for this article. His muted response to Trumps remarks stood in stark contrast with the defiant statements made by Christopher A. Wray, director of the FBI. I am determined to defend your integrity and professionalism every day, Wray said in a message to FBI employees. Talk is cheap; the work you do is what will endure. Sessions standing with Trump has eroded in his year as attorney general. The president criticized his Senate confirmation performance and his decision to remove himself from overseeing the Russia investigation, even musing that he would not have hired Sessions had he anticipated the recusal. He berated him so severely over Muellers appointment that Sessions offered his resignation. That fraught relationship has impaired Sessions ability to act as a bulwark between his lawyers and politics, former career prosecutors said. Sessions silence is evidence that Trumps public neutering of anyone close to this investigation is working, said Paul Pelletier, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Virginia who was a federal prosecutor for nearly three decades. It is deleterious to the whole criminal justice process. Pelletier said that although the attorneys general with whom he worked, from Edwin Meese III to Eric H. Holder Jr., sometimes clashed with their staffs, they gave prosecutors and the institution itself unwavering public support. Prosecutors and agents are extremely vulnerable if theyre not properly supported by leadership, especially when it comes to investigations and attacks launched on the political side, said Daniel Petalas, a former prosecutor in the departments public integrity section and the U.S. attorneys office in Washington. The department is often involved in high-profile cases, sometimes with powerful people at the center who seek to discredit the investigations against them. Prosecutors have to stand silently and cannot defend their work to the public, Petalas said. They can only hope that the leadership will serve as a bulwark. Two current federal prosecutors who spoke on the condition of anonymity said they were working hard to maintain morale. They were heartened by reports of Wray standing up to Trump, and they remain optimistic that the institution can withstand political attacks, with or without Sessions public support. Several current and former Justice Department officials said Sessions recusal had given them hope that he would defend the staff and its work from politics. But even before the Republican memo was released, other choices worried them. Trumps decision to pardon former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who had been convicted of contempt of court for his failure to end racial profiling practices, was a thumb in the eye to career prosecutors, said Christopher Hunter, a former FBI agent and prosecutor who left the department in December. He called Sessions silence on that issue demoralizing. The use of the presidential pardon to excuse unconstitutional, discriminatory conduct that violated a federal court order that undermined our system, Hunter said. The silence from Sessions could have a more pernicious effect on the staff than the blow to morale, the officials say. The condemnations send the message that people can be persecuted for holding political beliefs at odds with those of the president. During a speech in Norfolk, Virginia, last month, Sessions said that he loved the department and that the vast majority of employees were patriotic and hardworking. But he also said the department could not be defensive when criticized by politicians, and implied that it might be necessary to weed out political bias and favoritism from investigations and prosecutions. We dont see criticism from Congress as a bad thing, Sessions said. When they learn of a problem and start asking questions, that is a good thing. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Purdue University will celebrate the Chinese New Year on Feb. 15 in the Purdue Memorial Unions South Ballroom with refreshments, performances and activities such as calligraphy and lantern-making. Wei Hong, professor of Chinese and Asian studies, says this years Chinese New Year will celebrate the Year of the Dog, which symbolizes a hardworking, honest and loyal generation. People born in this year might be symbolized by the traits of a dog, said Hong, who is also associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts and director of the Confucius Institute at Purdue. Dog is active and hes hardworking. He wants to make sure everybody is well-attended, and dog is also modest. He doesnt want to brag but he wants work done, and hes social, as well. Celebrating Chinese New Year in the Greater Lafayette community presents an opportunity of experiencing new cultures and traditions, Hong said. The Lunar New Year is the most celebrated festival in China and has also been celebrated in the United States and the rest of the world, Hong said. Through holidays and festivals, we are learning from each other with appreciation. Purdues Chinese New Year celebration, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. While the students from China and from other countries are learning about American culture, we are proud to present this festivity to all who are interested in learning more about China and its traditions. Wei Hong said. Undergraduate student Erik Stewart, who is helping plan the event, lived in Shanghai, China, for two years during his childhood before coming to Purdue, where he is minoring in Chinese language. Everyone has their own circle or bubble of friends, and they dont interact too much with people of other cultures, he said. Its important for more American students to learn about Chinese culture, considering theres such a large Chinese population here. Writer: Joseph Paul, 765-494-9541, paul102@purdue.edu Sources: Wei Hong, 765-494-3859, hongwei@purdue.edu Erik Stewart, stewa138@purdue.edu WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Emmy Award-winning journalist Carlos Watson will speak and then moderate a panel of Purdue graduates on Feb. 12 as part of Love Liberal Arts Week. The event, which is free and open to the public, begins at 6 p.m. in Stewart Centers Fowler Hall, followed by a reception at 7 p.m. in the Ringel Gallery. Watson is CEO and co-founder of OZY, a news media website dedicated to profiling people, places, trends and technology that are ahead of their time, according to ozy.com. Watson will speak about The Future of Work a regular theme in OZYs content. A Harvard graduate with a law degree from Stanford, Watson has made a mark in politics, business, education, and in the media. He has written for the Miami Herald and Detroit Free Press while in college, appeared as a political commentator on CNN and worked as a news anchor on MSNBC. Watsons insights on entrepreneurship and where the job market is headed will offer valuable insights for students across academic disciplines. For the past year OZY has been touring the country visiting college campuses and hearing from students, professors, and administrators about the issues on their minds, said Watson. Each visit I learn something new that broadens my perspective. I am excited to be coming to Purdue and have an opportunity to share my unique career journey, and engage with students and young alumni about their career aspirations and the road to getting there. Following his talk, Watson will moderate a panel of young alumni and highlight their entrepreneurship ventures since graduating from the College of Liberal Arts. The panel consists of: Amy OShea (Political Science 09), founder of Bright Books in Washington, D.C. After graduating from Purdue, OShea volunteered at a rural school in Uganda, where she found basic necessities such as electricity were not available. The experience inspired her to start Bright Books, which donates a solar light to a child without access to energy for every pair of journals sold. Molly Longest (Public Relations and Strategic Communication 13), co-founder of The Lala in New York City. Longest created a popular lifestyle blog for Purdue students. Her newest blog, The Lala, has expanded worldwide with the mission of producing creative, powerful and substantial media for college women, by college women, according to the website. Ryan Ma (Political Science 15), CEO of OWL LLC. Ma launched a smartphone app and fitness tracking device called OWL, which aims to encourage children to become more physically active. The technology earned third place and won $1.500 in the 2016 Boiler Mini-Accelerator Competition. Ma was also a member of The Anvil, a student-run co-working space at Purdue. Writer: Joseph Paul, 765-494-9541, paul102@purdue.edu Source: Gabby Hlavek, ghlavek@purdue.edu TOKYO, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday reiterated the Japanese government's commitment to relocate a controversial U.S. air base within Okinawa, Japan's southernmost prefecture, amid rising antipathy on the island due to a recent spate of U.S. military-linked mishaps. "By gaining the understanding of local citizens, we will go ahead with the base transfer plan in accordance with the Supreme Court's ruling," the prime minister said, with reference to a series of legal suits and counter suits brought by Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga and the central government. Onaga is staunch proponent of lessening the U.S. base-hosting burdens of the people of Okinawa and relocating the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from Ginowan to the coastal Henoko region also on the island. Abe's remarks came on the heels of Taketoyo Toguchi, 56, winning Sunday's mayoral election in Nago, defeating incumbent Susumu Inamine, 72, who was seeking a third term. Inamine, supported by Onaga, and also opposed to the base's relocation, intimated that his rival had deliberately avoided the key issue of the base's relocation and focused on economic promises to develop the region as being a priority in the mayoral race. While Okinawans are constantly incensed by U.S. military-linked crimes and accidents, gaining more economic support from the central government has always come into play in local elections in the southern Japan prefecture. The Supreme Court in December 2016 ruled illegal Onaga's revocation of a permit given by his predecessor to allow work related to the base's relocation to go ahead. Okinawa hosts 74 percent of all U.S. bases in Japan and local fears about the rising U.S. military-linked accidents and crimes as well as issues pertaining to the Futenma base's move have seen anti-U.S. sentiment stoked on the tiny subtropical island. In July 2017, Onaga filed a fresh lawsuit aimed once again at blocking the Futenma relocation plan. USA: BNSF is planning to invest $33bn under its 2018 capital plan unveiled on January 31. This the same level of spending as 2017, and brings the total investment to more than $60bn since 2000. FRANCE: Enhancing capacity at key rail hubs is one of several priority measures outlined by the Conseil dOrientation des Infrastructures on February 1. U.S. Government seeks to keep alleged Russian hacker behind bars until trial Fotolia/ Sven Grundmann 15:59 05/02/2018 MOSCOW, February 5 (RAPSI) U.S. authorities have asked a court in Connecticut to order detention of Peter Levashov, who is accused of cybercrimes and has recently been extradited to the United States from Spain, pending trial, the documents available to RAPSI read. According to the motion, the Government believes that the case is eligible for pretrial detention because of a serious risk that Levashov may flee if released as there are no conditions, which could assure his appearance before the court, whereas the safety of any other person and the community may be endangered. Otherwise, the motion states, the Russian national, who faces serious computer, fraud, and identity theft charges, may have direct or indirect access to computers and the Internet thus being able to conduct criminal activity. In April, Levashov was arrested in Barcelona on request of the United States. According to the U.S. Ministry of Justice Levashov has administered Kelihos botnet since 2010. The malware was used to distribute hundreds of millions of spam-messages. The Ministry noted that Levashov was listed in Top Ten Worst Spammers list compilated by anti-spam group Spamhaus. The U.S. authorities believe that Levashov used credentials of other users, obtained through infected computers, to spread spam. In addition, they allege that the botnet was used to install malware for theft of users banking data. In 2007, Levashov faced charges in the state of Michigan and in 2009 in Federal District Court of Columbia. In September, the U.S. authorities asked a court in Alaska to issue a ruling in a civil case against Levashov because he did not react to the lawsuit in time. The alleged hacker was extradited from Spain to the USA on February 2. Moscow court releases hematologist involved in controversial case from detention flickr.com/Fotos GOVBA 17:15 05/02/2018 MOSCOW, February 5 (RAPSI, Nikita Shiryayev) The Moscow City Court has ruled to release from detention well-known hematologist Elena Misyurina, sentenced to a two-year-long prison term, RAPSI correspondent reports from the courtroom on Monday. The court said Misyurina was to be released on her recognizance, thus granting the motions of both her defense and the prosecutors. Earlier, the prosecutors had filed an appeal with the court seeking to return the criminal case against the hematologist back to them because of numerous violations committed in the course of the investigation. According to the prosecutions statement, the conclusions of a lower court contradicted the facts established during the hearings. Moreover, the medical expertise reports in the case contradicted one another, whereas testimony provided by witnesses and experts was not adequately assessed, according to the move. The evidence in the case did not prove Misyurinas guilt beyond reasonable doubt, the prosecutors pointed out. In 2013, Misyrina conducted a diagnostic procedure, bone marrow trephine biopsy, for a patient, who died soon afterwards. The court found the doctor guilty of violating safety regulations that led to the patients death. Misyrina denied wrongdoing and her defense insists that the procedure was not related to the tragedy. Misyrinas case caught public attention with many medical professionals expressing support for the defendant and saying that the procedure could not cause the patients death. Thus, as the Russian Presidents Council for Human Rights stated last week, over 600 doctors asked the body to intervene in this case. About This Site This website is an exploration into the rationalist approach to Judaism that was most famously presented by Maimonides. It also explores contemporary rationalist approaches, as well as being a forum for various other notes. Well-written comments in the spirit of this enterprise will be posted; please include a name (even a pseudonym). Property details: 20 Acre Unpatented Placer Gold Mining Claim - Tuolumne Co CA - Thirteen Mile Creek "Dead Pine" Mining Claim! SERIAL NUMBER CAMC 0318049 13 Mile Creek has a very rich mining history and has not been mined in decades. The creek runs year round, despite having a drought for the past year or more. On a recent visit to the claim we found some bedrock that was degrading with cracks where we found some nice large flakes. There are lots of banks full of river rock, bedrock and gravel bars that collect g... Price: $ 1,500 State/Province: California Seller State of Residence: California City: Tuolumne County Type: Federal Mining Claim Zip/Postal Code: 95379 Location: 953**, Tuolumne, California You will be redirected to eBay Nearby 95379 Property details: EASY TERMS, BID ON THE DOWN PAYMENT on a huge 640 acre square parcel of land in Northern Nevada near Unionville off Hwy 400 and just east of the I-80. This land is suitable for farming or ranching since that's what the neighbors are doing as you can see from the aerial photos. This is also a nice getaway location and you can drive right up to it on a dirt road off paved Hwy 400. No utilities on the land, so you would do what the neighbors do and supply your own. The land is mainly flat and has a... Price: $ 520 Seller State of Residence: California State/Province: Nevada Type: Recreational, Acreage City: Unionville Zoning: Residential Location: , Unionville, Nevada You will be redirected to eBay Nearby Residential Property details: Welcome to Southern California's Playground of the Rich and Famous Big Bear Lake NO MINIMUM / NO RESERVE HIGH BID OWNS LOT For almost one hundred years, the Big Bear Lake area has been the primary mountain resort in Southern California. The 782 acre Alpine Lake, nestled at an altitude of 5108', is often described as the jewel of Southern California. The fresh mountain air and four-season climate is unmatched in Southern California. Part of the San Bernadino National Forest, the lot for auction i... Price: $ 650 Seller State of Residence: Florida Property Address: Avenue " E " State/Province: California Type: Homesite, Lot Zoning: Residential Location: , Big Bear Lake, California You will be redirected to eBay Nearby Residential Property details: For Sale By Owner: Large 254 acre +- Farm / land tract off of Murphy Rd. outside of Fayetteville in Cumberland County NC.. 35 acres cleared for current farming usage (past crops of Sweet potatoes, Soybeans, Tobacco, Wheat and Cotton). Remaining property is Lob-lolly Pine, Mixed Hardwoods and White Oak. Timber Cruise harvest has been estimated at 275K. Farm land is dry and level and zoned Agriculture / Forestry / Residential. 4000 ft. of paved road frontage on Murphy Rd. with additional road acce... Price: $ 195,600 Zoning: zoned Agriculture / Forestry / Residential Zip/Postal Code: 28312 Seller State of Residence: North Carolina State/Province: North Carolina City: Fayetteville Type: residential, commercial, agricultural development Property Address: 5556 Murphy Rd. Location: 283**, Fayetteville, North Carolina You will be redirected to eBay Nearby 5556 Murphy Rd. A recent UN report accused North Korea of illegally earning nearly $200 million from exporting banned commodities by "exploiting global oil supply chains, complicit foreign nationals, offshore company registries and the international banking system." Germany's intelligence agency also alleged that North Korea used its Berlin embassy to secretly shop for parts of its nuclear missile program. Among the 16 coal shipments to China, Russia, Malaysia and Vietnam the UN monitors investigated, only one shipment was reported to the UN Council committee. After the coal ban was imposed on August 5, the 23 coal shipments to ports in China, Russia, South Korea and Vietnam "would constitute a violation of the resolution," according to the UN. The monitoring and reporting mechanism was established to ensure the strict implementation of Security Council resolutions. Problems revealed in the report deserve attention from all relevant countries. As long as the Security Council stands unswervingly on its North Korea sanctions, the loopholes will gradually be closed. The problems shouldn't be politically interpreted. The UN sanctions on Pyongyang are unprecedentedly harsh. Loopholes are normal in the preliminary stage of the implementation and have no connection to relevant countries' Pyongyang policy. Instead of sensationalizing their political implications, the international community should strive to settle the problems. With tougher sanctions, North Korea will be more eager to trade with other countries in violation of UN resolutions. Smuggling will become more profitable. Previous experiences suggest that a 100-percent implementation of sanctions is difficult, and there are often those who take risks for profit. China and South Korea are mentioned in the UN report. But the Chinese government has been stressing the importance of strictly implementing the UN resolutions, to which the Chinese society also supports. Double-faced behavior doesn't conform to Beijing's way of thinking and acting, and couldn't the collective attitude of the Chinese society to the North Korea sanctions. China and Russia share the main responsibility of pushing forward and implementing the sanctions. China, in particular, has paid the greatest price, with economic losses inflicted to domestic companies and Chinese provinces neighboring North Korea. China endures these losses without complaining or demanding compensation from the US, South Korea and Japan. In fact, the US is a deliberate destroyer of the UN resolutions. While imposing sanctions on Pyongyang, all stakeholders should contribute to the peaceful resolution of the North Korea nuclear crisis, based on the resolutions. But Washington has been one-sidedly interpreting and selectively implementing the resolutions, and its preparations for a military strike on Pyongyang are an open secret. Western media propagates Washington's will as that of the Security Council, upsetting the public's recognition on the issue. Sanctions will only take effect with coordinated efforts to push forward negotiations. The UN resolutions aim to address the crisis, rather than to overwhelm Pyongyang. In fact, it's unrealistic to collapse Pyongyang only by sanctions. Perhaps Washington and Western media are happy to shift the blame on China because the sanctions haven't altered Pyongyang's policy in the short term, but the international community should stay clear-minded. Property details: Land in the hearth of Los Angeles Tujunga, Ca. Los Angeles County From this land you have a spectacular view of the mountains and city. Land is located in and very unique area. This is a perfect location to build a dream house. Electric power, Water and gas are available nearby. Check with City of LA for any plans. Beautiful, with sweeping unobstructed panoramic views in every direction (mountains, canyons and city). This property is calling for someone with a desire to be in a secluded private ... Price: $ 3,150 State/Province: California Seller State of Residence: California Location: 928**, Orange, California You will be redirected to eBay Nearby California Property details: Natural Peacefulness San Bernardino County CEDARPINES PARK NO RESERVE, NO MONTHLY PAYMENTS, HIGH BID OWNS LOT Nestled in the magnificent San Bernardino National Forest, surrounded by pine, cedar, and dogwood, an area described as the "Alps of Southern California", and known as "the best kept secret on the West Coast, is a stunningly beautiful, cozy and quaint mountain resort paradise called Lake Arrowhead. Our community features countless outdoor recreational activities such as hiking, backpacki... Price: $ 1,025 Seller State of Residence: California State/Province: California Location: 928**, Orange, California You will be redirected to eBay Nearby California Property details: Wooded Lot in Sanford NC / .22 Acre / Owner Financing / close to Raleigh / Durham / Fayetteville / Pinehurst Private Gated community at Lake Trace This property is .22 acres of undeveloped land, located at beautiful Lake Trace in central North Carolina. You are bidding on the down payment ONLY. The price of this property is $13,997. We offer owner financing -- no banks, no credit checks, no prepayment penalty, no problems. EVERYONE qualifies for owner financing! ABOUT THE PROPERTY This beautiful... Price: $ 1 Seller State of Residence: North Carolina Property Address: 1476 Florida Drive State/Province: North Carolina City: Sanford Zip/Postal Code: 27332 Type: Homesite, Lot Zoning: Residential Setting: Suburban For Sale by: Owner Location: 273**, Sanford, North Carolina You will be redirected to eBay Nearby Owner Property details: Wooded Lot in Sanford NC / .36 Acre / Owner Financing / close to Raleigh / Durham / Fayetteville / Pinehurst Private/Gated community at Lake Trace This property is .36 acres of undeveloped land, located at beautiful Lake Trace in central North Carolina. You are bidding on the down payment ONLY. The price of this property is $22,499. We offer owner financing -- no banks, no credit checks, no prepayment penalty, no problems. EVERYONE qualifies for owner financing! ABOUT THE PROPERTY This beautiful... Price: $ 1 Seller State of Residence: North Carolina Property Address: 1952 Duffers Lane State/Province: North Carolina City: Sanford Zip/Postal Code: 27332 Type: Homesite, Lot Zoning: Residential Setting: Suburban For Sale by: Owner Location: 271**, Winston-salem, North Carolina You will be redirected to eBay Nearby Owner , We're sorry, this article is not currently available 'By 2020 around 34% of India's population will be in the 15-34 age group.' 'More than 70% of them live in rural areas.' 'Their energy and enthusiasm need to be tapped in order to meet their aspirations and transform agriculture and the rural economy,' says P K Joshi. Indian agriculture is confronted with high price volatility, climate risks and indebtedness. Since the majority of farmers (86 per cent) are small and marginal with declining and fragmenting landholdings, they are more vulnerable to uncertainty. The last three Budgets have been pro-agriculture. More resources were allocated to agriculture and a number of programmes have been initiated to increase irrigated area, improve soil health, promote agro-processing and cover production risk, among other things. Despite this, it appears that agrarian distress is silently spreading across all states It seems that all these programmes and schemes function independently of each other. Therefore, it is time to have a five-point programme that addresses agrarian challenges and combines various on-going programmes under one umbrella. These are suggested as below: Increasing incomes Agricultural transformation has been very slow in India. Therefore, the process of generating higher income from agriculture has also been slow. An increase in production was the main objective, rather than raising incomes. The government has adopted the target of doubling farmers' incomes by 2020. This will require 1. An aggressive push to improve technologies by strengthening the seed sector and the knowledge dissemination system; 2. Agricultural diversification in favour of high-value commodities and the development of value chains by linking production and marketing centres; and 3. Development of mechanisms to ensure minimum support prices in the event of a crash in farm harvest prices. The chances of success will depend on how farmers are aggregated for production and marketing through promotion of contract farming, cluster farming, farmer producer organisations and self-help groups. Creating employment The Situation Assessment of India reported that more than 40 per cent of farmers would like to exit agriculture if alternative opportunities are available. Agriculture is becoming crowded and does not provide regular employment opportunities. In the absence of regular employment in rural areas, the rural population, especially the youth, is migrating to urban areas to explore better avenues. By 2020 around 34 per cent of India's population will be in the 15 to 34 age group. More than 70 per cent of them live in rural areas. Their energy and enthusiasm need to be tapped in order to meet their aspirations and transform agriculture and the rural economy. Agriculture per se will not be able to absorb the growing number of youth in rural areas. Incentives need to be given for 1. Aggregating raw and processed products (a good example is Lijjat Papad, which employs more than 43,000 women); 2. Promoting self-employment in agro-processing, agro-advisory, agriculture and rural transport; 3. Private sector engagement in custom-hire services, secondary and tertiary processing, 4. Location-specific non-farm employment in micro, small and medium enterprises and linking them with the large manufacturing sector, and 5. Engagement in government programmes, schools and agriculture extension. Reducing risk Risk in agriculture has been increasing over the years. Both production and price risks are leading to agrarian distress. As far as production risks go, the incidence of drought, floods, rising or falling temperature and unseasonal rains and hailstorms is increasing and hurting agricultural production. However, during normal years, farm harvest prices fall steeply, affecting farmers' incomes. The Prime Minister's Agriculture Insurance Scheme is already in place to cover some production losses. Though the scheme is good, the compensation is not enough and does not cover the risk of falling prices. Therefore, the government must consider launching a Prime Minister's Climate Resilience Scheme that covers both production and price risks. The scheme could club promotion of climate smart agriculture, provision of value-added weather advisory services and effective implementation of agricultural insurance, and ensure minimum support prices. Developing agri-infrastructure Agri-infrastructure -- including agricultural markets, cold storage, warehouses and agro-processing -- has not developed commensurate with increasing agricultural production. The pace of agri-infrastructure creation is far slower than what is needed to improve the overall agri-food system. Greater focus was given in the past to the production of agricultural commodities. In the absence of adequate agri-infrastructure, the supply chains of agri-food commodities are in the hands of the unorganised sector, which is fragmented and inefficient. The organised private sector is coming up slowly, because developing agri-infrastructure is not very commercially viable. There is immense scope for high economic and social gains through public-private partnerships in developing agri-infrastructure. The government should constitute a commission to develop the modalities of public-private partnerships in building agri-infrastructure such as rural agri-markets, cold storage, agro-processing, surface irrigation and agricultural extension. Lessons can be learnt from the excellent track record of PPPs in the construction of national highways, building and functioning of airports and distribution of power. The central government can aid the states in viable projects in PPP mode to develop agri-infrastructure. Improving quality of rural life Rural India still lacks basic amenities such as sanitation, hygiene, drinking water, drainage, schooling and health care. Three years ago, the prime minister had urged every member of Parliament and the state assemblies to adopt one village and transform it into a model village. The main objective was to provide all basic facilities in rural areas, to improve the rural population's quality of life. Former President A P J Abdul Kalam had coined the acronym PURA (Provision of Urban Amenities to Rural Areas), with the aim of providing urban infrastructure and services in rural hubs in a bid to create economic opportunities in rural areas. The scheme can be revived to improve the quality of life in rural areas. Though there are several schemes to create social and economic infrastructure, these need to be combined for greater impact. It is time to revive the agriculture sector and improve the purchasing power of the bottom of the pyramid to accelerate overall economic growth. It can only be done by focussing on key areas and implementing the programme under one umbrella. P K Joshi is Director-South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute, New Delhi. Though most experts remain bullish on the banking space, they suggest investors buy only those banks whose NPAs are at a manageable level of 3% to 4% and there is credit growth or earnings visibility. Puneet Wadhwa reports. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com Analysts caution investors to not rush to buy public sector bank stocks, instead evaluate them on a case-to-case basis and invest selectively, even as the government has announced a capital infusion of Rs 881 billion for such lenders. After this round of capital infusion, the common equity tier 1 (CET1) ratio for all PSU banks would reach over 8.5 per cent, with net stressed assets reducing to 102 per cent of net worth from 117 per cent earlier, reports indicate. UCO Bank is expected to be the major beneficiary, as its CET1 ratio would improve to 12.5 per cent from 6.6 per cent. The other beneficiaries include IDBI Bank, United Bank, Central Bank of India, and Bank of Maharashtra, with their CET1 ratio improving 270 to 430 basis points. The recap programme also comes with riders, including measures to improve efficiency and encourage responsible lending that analysts said would reduce underwriting mistakes. There is no proposal yet to merge banks, which is another positive for stronger lenders such as Bank of Baroda and State Bank of India, they said. A key worry for markets, however, is the pricing of the recapitalisation bonds and their tenure. 'The bonds are not likely to have a statutory liquidity ratio status. We expect the coupons to be floating rate as well, else in a rising-rate environment banks will end up taking mark-to-market losses,' Nilanjan Karfa and Harshit Toshniwal of Jefferies write in a report. Though most experts remain bullish on the banking space from a long-term perspective, they suggest investors be selective and buy only those banks whose non-performing assets are at a manageable level of 3 to 4 per cent and there is credit growth or earnings visibility. If such banks get money, it will reflect on their fundamentals and can be bought into, they said. "Investors should evaluate whether the money allocated will change the fortune for these banks. There are banks (like the Indian Overseas Bank) where the net outstanding is more than the net worth. In such cases, monetary support will aid to a limited extent but will not help the bank in the path of strong business growth. One should be selective," said G Chokkalingam, founder and managing director, Equinomics Research. Since the recap announcement in October 2017, bank stocks have had a mixed run on the bourses, with only Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, and YES Bank outperforming the benchmarks -- the S&P BSE Sensex (up 9.5 per cent) and the S&P BSE Bankex (up 9.4 per cent). Bank of Maharashtra, Central Bank of India, Andhra Bank, Union Bank of India, and Corporation Bank have been the worst-performing, down 15 to 30 per cent during this period. 'Within our coverage universe, we like BoB, SBI, and Punjab National Bank. Bank of India remains least preferred of our covered PSU banks,' Adarsh Parasrampuria of Nomura says in a co-authored report with Amit Nanavati and Riddhi Jain. Morgan Stanley recommends owing ICICI Bank, Axis Bank and SBI. ICICI Bank, it says, offers the best risk-reward across large-cap banks in Asia. While SBI and BoB are the top picks for Motilal Oswal Research, Chokkalingam likes ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, South Indian Bank, and Karnataka Bank. Illustration: Liu Rui/GT By Robert A. Manning In US President Donald Trump's State of the Union speech last week, one thin on foreign policy, North Korea garnered inordinate attention. A careful reading of Trump's State of the Union remarks on North Korea are troubling, and combined with surrounding events, hint that risks of US military action are growing. Trump denounced North Korea whose "reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles," he said, "could very soon threaten our homeland." Trump also stressed his disdain for what he called "the depraved character of the regime," and its human rights abuses. Taken together with the withdrawal of his proposed candidate for US Ambassador to South Korea, Victor Cha, over policy differences, things do not bode well for the "Olympics detente" to continue beyond March. It is worth considering as well also what Trump didn't say. In a speech about his accomplishments, he did not mention US mobilizing international cooperation resulting in the approval of two UN Security Council resolutions imposing harsh economic sanctions on Pyongyang. Nor did he mention China's cooperation in the campaign to pressure and isolate North Korea. Neither did he mention what he thought Pyongyang needs to do to restart diplomacy. Coincidentally, on the same day as Trump's speech Air Force General Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the US could "get at most of his infrastructure," when asked about Kim Jong-un's nuclear and missile program. The key word here is "most." One nuclear weapon can ruin your whole day. But what most caught the public's attention was the withdrawal of Dr. Victor Cha as the expected US Ambassador to South Korea. Cha is a well-known, experienced and widely respected Korea expert, who served on the National Security Council under Republican president George W. Bush. Though Trump had not formally submitted his name to Congress for approval, Cha was in fact, the leading candidate, selected more than six months ago, scrutinized by the White House, which sent his name to Seoul for agreement. South Korea signed off on Cha last December. It is highly unusual to withdraw an ambassadorial nominee after the host government has given its approval - in the case of Seoul, enthusiastic approval. I should add that I served in the State Department and worked with Cha during the Bush administration, where we both worked on the Six-Party Talks to denuclearize North Korea. He is a shrewd and tough-minded analyst, a harsh critic of North Korea who is highly regarded across the political spectrum in Seoul. Why did the White House drop Cha and what is its significance? Cha opposed the idea that has been debated in the White House of a limited military strike - giving Kim "a bloody nose." The day after the episode became public, Cha wrote an op-ed article in the Washington Post warning against military strikes against North Korea as likely to risk massive casualties. Instead, he urged a strategy of continued pressure, sanctions and enhancing US deterrence. The current relaxation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula resulting from North-South cooperation during the Winter Olympics has renewed hopes for a diplomatic solution to the Korea crisis. That will be a bit more difficult with no US ambassador in Seoul. For the moment, no conflict is likely. The Trump administration says it has no intention of launching a military strike. But the mood in Washington, reading between the lines of recent developments, suggest other possibilities. According to The New York Times, a frustrated White House is asking the Pentagon for more options on North Korea. Unfortunately, after the Olympics and Paralympics are over in late March, Pyongyang is likely to test another intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and in April and the US and South Korea will conduct scheduled military exercises necessary for the vitality of the US-South Korea alliance. And we will be back in crisis mode. The fear is that a North Korean provocation - an ICBM test or worse, an atmospheric nuclear test - will tempt Trump to try and "teach Kim a lesson." And there are few who would bet such a confrontation would not catastrophically escalate. Trump is not exempt from the Law of Unintended Consequences. The author is a senior fellow of the Brent Scowcroft Center for International Security at the Atlantic Council and its Foresight, Strategy and Risks Initiative. Indian names that figure on the list, but lower down the pecking order include Tatat (101). Airtel (rank: 252), Infosys (287), Life Insurance Corporation of India (292), State Bank of India (334), HCL (390), Indian Oil (427), Reliance (445) and Larsen & Toubro (464). Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com The country's top corporates have slipped in ranking according to the latest study of the world's leading 500 brands released by UK-based Brand Finance. The Tata brand has slipped three places to 104, the lowest in 11 years, though brand value has grown nine per cent to touch $14.2 billion in 2018. Last year, Tata's brand value was $13.1 billion, which was also the first time it went out of the top 100 list, coming in at 101, according to Brand Finance, which has been releasing the report since 2007. According to David Haigh, chief executive officer, Brand Finance, the Tata group has undergone a massive overhaul with new chairman N Chandrasekaran now having the task of stabilising the business. Brands like Tata Steel have suffered heavy losses in the UK. "And at home, Tata Motors is facing stiff competition from foreign brands. "These heavyweights will now need to focus on specialising rather than diving into too many markets, Haigh says. The slippage comes as e-commerce giant Amazon emerges as the world's leading global brand, moving up two places in a year, with its brand value currently at $150.8 billion. This is a 42 per cent year-on-year increase for Amazon, Haigh says; pointing to how the expansive growth strategy, visible in India as well, has helped improve both brand value and ranking. Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon) once said that brands are more important online than they are in the physical world. He has proved himself right by choosing the name Amazon, among the most powerful rivers in the world. The Amazon brand has an unstoppable force to it, Haigh said. Cupertino-based Apple and tech major Google, come in at number two and three this year, the former defending its position and the latter trading places with Amazon. Apple's brand value grew 37 per cent year-on-year to touch $146.3 billion, while Google's year-on-year growth was 10 per cent only at $120.9 billion. While Tata's current brand value is near its 2014 value, which was $14.78 billion, it is still way below its peak value of $18.16 billion achieved in 2013. Tata's brand value, in fact, has hovered largely in the $13-15 billion range over the last five years. Some other Indian names that figure on the list, but lower down the pecking order include Tatat (101). Airtel (rank: 252), Infosys (287), Life Insurance Corporation of India (292), State Bank of India (334), HCL (390), Indian Oil (427), Reliance (445) and Larsen & Toubro (464). The drop in ranking for these brands is anywhere between 18 (HCL) and 106 (Reliance), indicating that making their presence felt on the global stage can be challenging for even big names. There are no new Indian entrants on our Global 500. It is therefore crucial for Indian brands to look ahead and adopt a far-sighted strategy if they want to compete with foreign players in the US and China, Haigh says. Barring the Tatas and HCL, which have seen brand values increase despite a drop in rankings this year, the others have not been that lucky. Reliance has seen a year-on-year erosion in brand value to the tune of 17 per cent, followed by L&T at 16 per cent, Airtel at 14 per cent, LIC at 13 per cent and Indian Oil at eight per cent. Infosys and SBI, in contrast, have seen a marginal drop in brand value, between three and four per cent. Haigh says the dominance of digital is set to grow. This is the first time since the inception of the study that technology brands claim all the five places in the league table, he says. Samsung (fourth, $92.3 billion) and Facebook (fifth, US$89.7 billion) have both recorded an impressive year-on-year brand value growth of 39 per cent and 45 per cent respectively, Haigh said, overtaking AT&T (sixth, $82.4 billion). The technology sector accounts for more than twice as much brand value as telecom, he said. Chinese brands, Haigh said, were narrowing the gap with international rivals with their share of global brand value touching 15 per cent (on the Brand Finance list) versus three per cent a decade ago. USs share of global brand value currently is 44 per cent, while Japan, Germany and France come in at third, fourth and fifth positions, with a share of seven, six and five per cent of global brand value. UK is sixth with a four per cent share of global brand value. Haigh says that while China has been pursuing a dual strategy of building home-grown brands, and also acquiring underperforming international brands, like Volvo and Pirelli, the emphasis now is on local names. Brands like Huawei, Ping An, State Grid, Evergrande, ICBC, Yili, Haval, Wuliangye, and many others are being recognised worldwide as quality brands. We expect to see this develop rapidly in more sectors, he said. 'The government is abdicating its responsibility on healthcare' 'Just to start this scheme, it will take a minimum till October 2018 and elections are coming in 2019, so before that this can go into the dustbin.' IMAGE: Under the National Health Protection Scheme, 100 million poor families will be covered, providing them with medical care. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in 2018-2019 Budget on February 1, launched a new flagship programme -- the National Health Protection Scheme to cover 100 million poor families with secondary and tertiary hospitalisation cover of Rs 5 lakh (Rs 500,000) per family. The new fund will cover 100 million poor and vulnerable families, comprising about 500 million Indians. It is considered the world's largest health cover and has promptly been dubbed ModiCare. Dr Sunil Nandraj, former advisor to the Union health ministry, tells Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf. What is your reaction to the plan to provide Rs 5 lakh insurance cover for 500 million people? Firstly, it is a windfall for insurance companies and private hospitals. My second reaction is: How are we going to go about it and its implementation? It is a welcome step, but the core of the matter lies in how it gets implemented. Is it too ambitious? It is very ambitious because we do not have sufficient capacity to implement a scheme of this nature. It is a huge scheme. As it is we are struggling with the Rs 30,000 insurance coverage under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana. And now we are jumping to 10 crore (100 million) families -- that is no joke. We also do not have sufficient information in terms of its mechanism and in terms of its financing and service delivery and also information technology which is a very crucial part. How many people were covered under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana? In the RSBY there were 3,63,32,626 (people) and now the Modi government has brought up this figure to 50 crore (500 million). It is a huge jump from 3 crore (30 million) plus people to 50 crore people. The budgetary allocation for health was increased from Rs 50,079.6 crore (Rs 500.796 billion) in 2017-2018 to Rs 52,800 crore (Rs 528 billion) in 2018-2019. Is it enough to cover this new scheme? Who will pay the premium and where will the funds for this scheme come from? It is very clear it will come from this consolidated fund of Rs 2,000 crore (Rs 20 billion) from the Budget. And it is very clear that the money will come from National Health Mission Budget which has been cut down. (The National Health Mission is one of the world's largest health programmes. The backbone of public services in India, it provides free drugs and immunisation services to millions of rural poor.) Is it possible to provide free health insurance for 50 crore people? It is possible; but there is a lot of ground work that has to be done. There are three things that need to be looked into -- accountability, transparency and prices. However, these three factors don't exist in private hospitals. Like in Mumbai if there is Rs 5 lakh coverage, you know what they do in hospitals. So just imagine what will happen in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. IMAGE: The Union government has allotted Rs 12 billion (Rs 1,200 crore) in Budget 2018-2019 for its flagship programme. The Budget also provides for the establishment of 150,000 health and wellness centres under the Ayushman Bharat programme, which will provide comprehensive healthcare, including for non-communicable diseases and maternal and child health services. Photograph: Ajay Verma/Reuters What do you think will happen? In Maharashtra, the health sector regulation is very bad. You have the 1949 Bombay Nursing Home Registration Act which does not lay down minimal standards. Are you going to empanel private hospitals which do not have minimum standards as they are run out of flats and apartments where kitchens are converted into operation theatres? Are you going to empanel such hospitals? In Maharashtra, anybody can start a laboratory without a licence whereas you need licences for a paan-bidi shop and a beauty parlour. So all these diagnostic centres are not regulated and they do not even have a licence. So what will happen is that people will say here is Rs 5 lakh, do what you want. Are you saying that there will be scope for scams and corruption? Yes. Several scams can definitely take place. And therefore, I say some kind of regulation has to be there. In Kerala, where I am an advisor to the government, a regulation bill was passed on February 1 (the Kerala Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Bill, 2017), but no such regulation exists in states like Maharashtra. Some people say only insurance companies will benefit and not the common man. Of course, because premiums will definitely jump as so many people will be coming under coverage. Already, insurance companies stocks have gone up. IMAGE: The conditions of government-run hospitals remains pitiable with shabby rooms and poor resources. Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters Critics draw parallels between this bill and the farm insurance bill. How insurance companies benefit from the farm insurance bill while farmers are being neglected. That is possible if the systems are not in place. If regulatory systems and monitoring systems are not in place, then the common man will not benefit. This bill has been dubbed Modicare, on the lines of America's Obamacare. No way. Modicare is not the same as Obamacare. The government has not worked out the details. Just to start this scheme, it will take a minimum till October 2018 and elections are coming in 2019, so before that this can go into the dustbin. Government hospitals are in a bad shape. There are 300 government hospitals which are going to be handed over to private entities in Maharashtra as part of public-private enterprise. Public-private enterprises have never given good results, but they are still going ahead with it. The government is not putting money in the public sector (hospitals) to strengthen it. The government is abdicating its responsibility on healthcare. They are giving it to private hospitals or NGOs to do their job of running hospitals which they should (ideally) do. Politicians and bureaucrats never seem to get admitted to government hospitals. Is it the reason why our government hospitals are in a state of neglect? Why should they go to government hospitals? They are in a bad state. It is the poor people who are getting whacked in public hospitals. The rich and elite will go to the best. These hospitals are in such a bad state even activists don't go to government hospitals. No one is interested in going there. Will this health insurance scheme percolate down to the poor? I am not sure. In Kerala, it is helping because a majority of insurance is going to the public sector because here there are good public sector hospitals. But in other states they are not in a good condition. Likely to select from 3 shortlisted; follows Sanjeev Kaushiks refusal to take the job if made to retire from IAS The government has begun the search for a new wholetime member (WTM) at the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), after appointed candidate Sanjeev Kaushik refused to join on deputation. Sources say the appointment committee might not conduct the process all over again and would appoint among already shortlisted candidates. The government is likely to pick from among three names, of which two are already with Sebi. Currently, Sebi has two WTMs - G Mahalingam and Madhabi Puri Buch. The markets regulator needs two more. Typically, Sebi operates with three WTMs; recently, the Centre approved one more WTM's post. Kaushik, a 1992 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Kerala cadre, was appointed WTM for a three-year tenure. He, however, was only willing to come on board if allowed to continue as an IAS officer. This was rejected by the government. The department of economic affairs (DEA) issued a final order on his appointment on January 10. Kaushik, chairman and managing director of India Infrastructure Finance Company (IIFCL), was to join Sebi on January 24. Soon after the notification, Kaushik wrote to the government that he would like to come back to the IAS after his Sebi duty. By the current rule, an IAS officer has to resign from government service if taking a job with the regulator. Since Kaushik had 12 more years of service, he was keen on retaining this. I am hoping they will reconsider my deputation request, Kaushik also told Business Standard on Wednesday. He said a rule change to allow IAS officers to retain government service would encourage younger talent and expertise to join regulatory bodies such as Sebi. This has been a debate for long. The government should mention the criteria clearly in the advertisement itself, that there is no deputation allowed for such post. "You cannot expect a young IAS officer to join a regulator's job for three years and lose the remaining long years of service, said J N Gupta, ex-Sebi member and now a managing partner at SES, a corporate governance advisory entity. There is a provision for extension but that is very uncertain in todays competitive environment, Gupta added. The rule applies for the Sebi chairmans post, too. Ajay Tyagi, 1984 batch IAS from the Himachal Pradesh cadre, had to resign from service after the government notified his Sebi appointment in 2017. Tyagi was 58 and had two more years of government service; he was appointed for a three-year tenure. In 2011, Rajeev Agrawal, a 1983 batch officer, had joined Sebi when he had seven years more for retirement. He was on the Sebi board for five years. Prior to Agrawal, there was no such rule. K M Abraham, who served as WTM for three years on deputation, went back to an administrative job after leaving Sebi. Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters The existing double taxation avoidance agreements will not be covered by the proposed change, implying that in order to tax Facebook, Google and the like, India will require to renegotiate tax treaties. Sensing that the Union Budgets intention to tax Facebook, Netflix, or Google may take years to materialise, India may propose it strongly under the international tax framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The framework, technically called the multilateral instrument (MLI) to implement tax-related measures to prevent base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS), will avoid the need to amend individual bilateral treaties. In the 2018-19 Budget, India has taken the lead to tax digital entities with a large user base or business in the country by proposing to suitably amend the Income Tax (I-T) Act. However, the existing double taxation avoidance agreements (DTAAs) will not be covered by the proposed change, implying that in order to tax Facebook, Google and the like, India will require to renegotiate tax treaties. Renegotiating the treaty with the US is a tedious task, according to officials. Negotiations stretching over 20 years had led to the signing of the agreement in 1989. Amending the treaty with the US is difficult, unless it also wants to introduce the provision. "We would be lucky if we are able to amend the India-US treaty in even five years. "The fact that the provision will not apply to existing treaties is a challenge for the time being, said a senior government official. The digital companies will fall in Indias tax net only when the existing treaties are reviewed or when new ones are signed. However, the MLI will automatically amend the bilateral tax treaties to include the taxation provision for digital businesses, avoiding the pain of separately negotiating existing treaties. India has DTAAs with 82 nations, including all popular tax haven countries. We will insist that there is an MLI on digital taxation. We have taken the lead and laid the ground for negotiation. "Many countries may come together to sign the MLI and the treaties will be automatically amended, said the official. But, even that may take three years. Also, countries may express reservations on particular provisions of the MLI. Taxing the digital economy is also being discussed in the BEPS framework, which aims to check cross-border tax evasion by global companies exploiting gaps in tax treaties and tax-planning strategies. The government is hoping that other countries also push for it in the BEPS framework. Introducing the provision in domestic law is key to taxing digital companies with a presence in India. According to the amendment proposed in the Budget, the I-T Act will provide that significant economic presence in India will also constitute business connection. Significant economic presence could include download of data or software in India or engaging interaction with a prescribed number of users in India through digital means. We will hold stakeholder consultations for the guidelines, said the official. In 2015-16, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had introduced 6 per cent equalisation levy for online advertisements, but constitute only a small portion of the operation of these companies. Equalisation levy is the second filter. The first filter will be through widening the definition of business connections, said the official. India recently revised its tax treaties with low or zero-tax jurisdictions such as Mauritius, Singapore and Cyprus, gaining taxation rights over capital gains to plug loopholes commonly exploited to evade taxes. India, along with 67 other countries, signed a multilateral instrument in Paris last year for taxpayers to prove that tax avoidance was not a principal purpose for setting up a structure in a particular jurisdiction or undertaking a transaction in a particular manner. Photograph: Regis Duvignau/Reuters The Maldives government has declared a state of emergency for 15 days amid a political crisis in the island nation. Opposition leaders across the Maldives are being rounded up and placed under detention as draconian measures are being put in place by President Abdulla Yameen. Yameen, who has been defying the Supreme Courts orders on releasing former president Mohamed Nasheed, and free eight other political opponents from prison, has now given sweeping powers to security forces in the country, which is facing widespread domestic protests against the president. According to the local media reports, Maldives Legal Affairs Minister Azima Shakoor read the announcement on state television. A Member of Parliament Abdulla Shahid took to Twitter to inform that an emergency has been declared in the Maldives. President has just declared state of Emergency, he tweeted. Ahmed Mahloof, the spokesperson of Joint Opposition, said, Hes (President Yameen) playing his last card and his game is over. Maldivian Democratic Party MP Eva Abdulla said, All basic rights suspended. Security forces have sweeping powers to arrest and search. All basic rights suspended. Security forces have sweeping powers to arrest and search, Eva added. This was expected and the only card left for President is this. Also according to article 258 of constitution Supreme Court can cancel State of Emergency, a senior opposition leader said. Ambassador of the United States to Sri Lanka and the Maldives informed on Twitter that he spoke with the Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed to reiterate United States support for democratic freedoms. India expressed concern over the recent political developments in the Maldives and asked its nationals to defer all non-essential travels to the Indian Ocean nation until further notice. In an advisory, the ministry of external affairs said Indian expatriates in Maldives are also alerted to the need for heightened security awareness, and urged to exercise due caution in public and avoid public gatherings. The prevailing political developments in Maldives and the resultant law and order situation is a matter of concern for the government. Indian nationals are, therefore, advised to defer all non-essential travels to Male and other atolls until further notice, the advisory said. -- With inputs from PTI Image: Maldives President Abdulla Yameen has been defying the Supreme Courts orders on releasing former president Mohamed Nasheed, and free eight other political opponents from prison. Photograph: Waheed Mohamed/Reuters Cooperation in key areas of defence, security and counter-terrorism will be an important aspect of Prime Minister Narendra Modis discussions during his visit to three West Asian countries -- Palestine, the United Arab Emirates and Oman -- starting Friday. Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the effort during this visit will be to broad-base Indias engagement with these countries and focus on more strategic spheres such as defence and security, trade and investment. Ministry officials also played-down the issue of the Palestinian envoy in Pakistan sharing a dais with Lashkar-e-Tayiba chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed at a rally, saying the country had taken action in the matter. During his visit to the UAE, Modi will also be addressing the sixth World Government Summit in Dubai. Stressing that terrorism is a common concern for India and its partner countries in the Gulf, Mridul Kumar, joint secretary (Gulf) in the MEA, said New Delhi has a very strong agency to agency cooperation with countries such as the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Counter terrorism will definitely be a very important aspect of our discussions with the counterpart leaderships in these countries, Mridul said. Responding to a question on whether India will pitch for a proposal to counter elements such as Indias wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, who fled to the UAE and operated from there, Mirdul said the issue of counter-terrorism was a continuous process. A lot of work has taken place since last two-and-a-half years. Our agencies have been interacting on these issues on regular intervals, Mridul said. Several threats have been neutralised due to the cooperation between the Indian security agencies and its counterparts, he said without going into further details. On India-UAE cooperation in the area of security and defence, Mridul said, The new areas we are working is defence and security, and we have made tremendous progress on that (front). During Modis last visit, the two countries had decided to establish a dialogue between their National Security Advisors and National Security Councils to further improve operational cooperation. Briefing reporters on Modis agenda during his visit to Oman, Mridul said good ties with the Gulf nation is very crucial for India as it is located in a very important geo-strategic position. He said India and Oman conduct regular bilateral exercises between their forces and Oman also provides refuelling facility to Indian ships and aircraft. If you look at our strategic dimension with Oman, it is very important. Keeping in view our defence and security arrangement, the prime minister is going there, Mridul said. As far as Palestine is concerned, it is also an important partner of India in fight against terrorism, said B Bala Bhaskar, joint secretary (West Asia and North Africa) in the MEA. They extend total support to us. We have had a very good security cooperation with the Palestinian side. And sitting in that part of the world they have very good experience in that arena, he said. Counter terrorism is one of the key areas of our bilateral engagement with Palestine, Bhaskar said. Asked about the issue of Palestinian envoy attending the rally of Saeed and its impact on India-Palestine ties, Bhaskar said, As you are aware that the Palestinian side made it very clear that whatever the reason, his (the envoys) sharing of dais with Hafeez Saeed was unacceptable to Palestinian authorities and within no time they recalled him. So, I think we dont need to see (or) read anything into that. The fact that they acted very promptly and issued a written statement that it was not acceptable speaks volumes of their trust and relationship with India, he said. In December last year, India had reacted sharply after Palestinian envoy to Pakistan Waleed Abu attended Saeeds rally. Captain Kapil Kundu, who would have turned 23 this Saturday, always believed that it was more important for life to be large, rather than long. IMAGE: Captain Kapil Kundu's sister mourns while paying tribute to her brother after his mortal remains were brought at AFS Palam in New Delhi. Photograph: Atul Yadav/PTI Photo And the valiant youngster from Gurgaons Ransika village, who sacrificed his life braving Pakistani shelling in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri on Sunday, followed his belief with action as hundreds gathered to pay their last respects to him. Kapil always said life should be large and not long. He was my brave son and I am a proud mother whose son has made the supreme sacrifice for our country. If I had one more son, I would send him too for national duty in the Indian Army, the young captains 52-year-old mother Sunita Kundu said. Sunita Kundu lost her husband Lala Ram Kundu when Kapil Kundu was just 15. Now pain and anger rage inside her heart at having lost her son. We urge the government to conduct a surgical strike on Pakistan and avenge such incidents. Had my son lived another 15-20 years, he would have done more for his nation. I believe his life will not go waste, Sunita Kundu said fighting back her tears. IMAGE: Army Chief General Bipin Singh Rawat pays tribute to slain Captain Kundu. Photograph: Atul Yadav/PTI Photo Kapil had spoken to her just a couple of days back. He was excited about his posting in the Rajouri sector, she said. He was fond of life and full of adventure. He loved nature. He used to write poetry to express his feelings for his country. He always used to say country is supreme, she said. Family members recall that Kapil Kundu was not just a brilliant student but also very patriotic. He was commissioned in National Defence Academy in 2012. The army captains elder sister Sonia said that only till the other day they were busy planning his birthday. I spoke with my brother. He said that everything was going good and he would come home on his birthday, she said. IMAGE: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pays tribute to Captain Kapil Kundu after his mortal remains were brought at AFS Palam. Photograph: Atul Yadav/PTI Photo Like every time, Kapil had told his two sisters -- Sonia and Kajal -- but not their mother about his plan to come home on his birthday. He told me that he was visiting the family on February 10 and as usual but asked me not to tell this to anyone as he wanted surprise our mother, said Sonia Kundu, who repeatedly broke down. The family had planned a grand party and a visit out of station. We did not know that all planning and excitement would turn to tears as only his body would turn up, the army captains sister said. IMAGE: The young army captain was among the four army personnel who were killed on Sunday in heavy Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Photograph: Atul Yadav/PTI Photo In Ransika, where Kapil Kundu was the idol for many youngsters, a pall of gloom descended. After the death of her husband, Sunita Kundu had raised her three children in their native village. Kapil Kundus studied at the Divine Dale International School in Pataudi. His body was scheduled to come in his native place at 5 pm but due to some delay, it was taken to Delhis Palam airport and would be taken to Pataudi any time. His family members would perform his last rite today night, R S Sangwan, District Public Relation Officer said. The young army captain was among the four army personnel who were killed on Sunday in heavy Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir. His commitment reflected in one of his last posts on Facebook. Run. If you cannot, then walk. If you cannot, then crawl. But do not stop until you achieve your goal, the soldier had written. Hitting back at Narendra Modi for his all-out attack on his Congress government, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday accused him of telling a tissue of lies and said he was morally not fit to be prime minister. He did not speak as prime minister. He has uttered a tissue of lies and made baseless and irresponsible allegations, Siddaramaiah said in an angry rebuttal to a litany of charges by Modi at a Bharatiya Janata Party rally on Sunday. This came as a retort to Modis assertion that the countdown for the exit of the Siddaramaiah government had begun and it was at the exit gate. Sounding the poll bugle for the upcoming assembly polls in Karnataka, Modi had accused the Siddaramaiah government of creating new records in corruption and dubbed it a 10 per cent commission government. If they have evidence to prove, let them furnish the documents under which project or scheme corruption happened, the chief minister said. Raising the issue of murders of several BJP and Sangh Parivar activists, Modi had alleged criminals were ruling the roost and ease of doing murders was being discussed in the state while his government talked of ease of doing business. He (Modi) has accused the government of taking 10 per cent commission in all the schemes and programmes. This is the most baseless and irresponsible allegation, he told reporters. Giving a point-by-point rebuttal, he said Modi as a prime minster has lied to the people of the state and misled them by giving wrong information. According to me, he has denigrated his position. Asked if he thought Modi was fit to continue as prime minister as he had accused him of lying, he said, According to me, he is morally not (fit) to be prime minister. Attacking Modi for the corruption jibe, he said BJP state chief B S Yeddyurappa was seated next to him at the rally and the prime minister should have known about what all happened during his term as chief minister. Yeddyurappa had gone to jail and similarly former BJP ministers Katta Subramanya Nadu, Krishnaiah Shetty and Janardhan Reddy too went to jail duing the BJP rule. He said by projecting the person who had gone to jail and indulged in looting as chief minister, (apparently referring to Yeddyurappa), Modi had shown disrespect to the people of Karnataka. I strongly condemn it. He said during Modis chief ministership in Gujarat, the Lokayukta was not appointed for nine years because of the fear that their alleged corruption deeds would come out in the open. They did not appoint Lokayukta because of the fear that their illegal help to industrialists would come out. Even now after coming to power at the Centre, they have not appointed Lokpal, he said. Siddaramaiah said as the prime minister of the country, stooping to the level of Yeddyurappa and making baseless allegations was the most shameful thing. Terming BJPs rule in the state from 2008 to 2013 as the government of looters, Siddaramaiah said, Im not saying this for the sake of making allegations. On the alleged illegal mining scam during the BJP rule in the state, he said, Yeddyurappa was next to him (Modi), who had also gone to jail, keeping him beside (accusing) fingers were shown at us. This is highly irresponsible and politically motivated statement. There was no other thing that was more shameful than this, he added. He also refuted the charges made by the BJP that his government was being soft towards jihadi forces whom it had blamed for the killings of Hindu, BJP and Sangh Parivar activists. Asserting that Karnataka had maintained number one position in various spheres, he said despite all this, Modi was claiming there was no law and order in the state. Let Modi check top 10 states in the country where law and order issue was more severe, he said. He said BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Maharashtra and Bihar (in coalition with Janata Dal-United) topped the list. He is not just Narendra Modi. He is the prime minister of this country... he should have noted other states when he spoke about law and order in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said. Accusing Modi of making the charges out of malice with the coming polls in mind and to cover up the loot by the earlier BJP government, he also reminded Modi about the post-Godhra violence and alleged lawlessness in BJP-ruled states. He also hit out at BJP president Amit Shah, saying he was made an accused in a fake encounter case and went to jail. Shah was subsequently discharged by a CBI court in Mumbai. The chief minister said there were expectations that the prime minister would speak about waiving of loan obtained by farmers from nationalised and scheduled banks and on the Mahadayi issue over which the state is locked in a dispute with Goa. He rejected the claims that excess amount was given to Karnataka under the 14th finance commission, maintaining that what has been provided to the state was as per the constitutional mandate which was our share. He said Modi had come here to make a political speech keeping elections in mind. Even if he comes here 100 times or Amit Shah tries to instigate communal tension, people have decided to bring Congress back to power he said. If someone is scared to talk to the Opposition, it is not good for democracy or freedom of speech or even freedom of business You are dividing husband and wife. You cannot polarise the nation Why do you make such promises which cannot be fulfilled Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad attacked the government for creating fear, alleging that it was just renaming the earlier policies without delivering their benefits to the poor and the needy. The Opposition in the Rajya Sabha on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government of polarising the country and creating a fear psychosis among the people, alleging that it was just renaming the earlier policies without delivering their benefits to the poor and the needy. It is not a game changer but a name changer government which has failed to deliver on all fronts be it providing relief to farmers and poor, generate jobs or addressing the Kashmir issue, it said. Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the Presidents address, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad attacked the government for creating fear, not only among people but also among the bureaucrats and opposition leaders. A fear psychosis has set in. You cannot see when you are in power. If someone is scared to talk to the Opposition or transact with them, it is not good for democracy or freedom of speech or even freedom of business, he said. Azad alleged that opposition party leaders were being treated as potential terrorists and their phones were being tapped. No one today talks to me over phone because they say your phone is tapped, he claimed. The government is not only polarising the country, but also dividing parties in the opposition and intimidating them by using the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate, the senior Congress leader said. While supporting the draft triple talaq bill, Azad objected to the stringent punishment it proposes for a man for ending marriage through instant triple talaq. He said: You have divided Shias and Sunnis. Now, you are dividing husband and wife. You cannot polarise the nation. ... What kind of division are you involved in? Why are you intimidating the minority community who are victims of fear psychosis? You should spare some section. We dont want this New India. You have polarised it. Return us India of Gandhi where no fear existed, Azad said. Expressing concern over the Kashmir situation, he attacked the government for not framing any clear policy for the troubled state. The situation is pathetic. ...Borders are in a sad state of affairs. People are homeless and suffering. The government does not have any clear policy, he said, blaming the BJP government for being weakest in last 70 years. He claimed that the largest number of ceasefire violations have occurred during the NDA governments tenure. Not only civilians, but soldiers and higher rank army officials have been killed. Azad said the dialogue and hot-pursuit in the state cannot go hand in hand. Stating that the recently announced national health insurance scheme is another jumla of this government, Azad said it will only benefit insurance firms and not the ordinary citizens. Instead of an insurance scheme for 50 crore people, he suggested that the Centre should focus on building more government hospitals to provide cost effective treatment to the poor. The examples of the US and UK are there. They spend 15 per cent of the budget on health. But all reports say insurance companies benefit, not the common man. I dont know how our people are going to benefit, he said. Attacking the government for being insensitive towards farmers, Azad said the government making false promises of doubling income by 2022, which cannot be implemented with the current budget allocation to the farm sector. A government panel, studying ways to double farmers income, has recommended that farmers income cannot be raised without an investment of Rs 6.4 lakh crore in the farm sector and achieving growth 10-12 per cent per annum, he said. You cannot achieve farm growth of 10-12 per cent even if you rule next 50 years. You cannot invest Rs 6.4 lakh crore. There is no chance of doubling farmers income. Why do you make such promises which cannot be fulfilled, he asked. Azad said the average growth in the last three years has been 1.9 per cent per annum only. Moreover, meagre budget been allocated to the agri-ministry for the next fiscal, he added. Farmers are committing suicide. You are not doing anything. You are offering only false promises. We object to this, he said, adding that the government has kept the deadline of 2022 for several schemes as it does not want to be held accountable. Image: Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad speaks in the Rajya Sabha in New Delhi on Monday. Photograph: PTI Photo Experts say the new security features will significantly ensure there is no 'large-scale theft of people's identity'. Alnoor Peermohamed reports. While the introduction of new features such as face authentication, virtual ID, and limited know-your-customer (KYC) by the Unique Identification Authority of India are being seen as reactions to mounting public pressure over the security of Aadhaar, experts, who have helped build the citizen identity system, say these have been in the pipeline for a long time. Pegged to be fully functional by July 1, the new features will make Aadhaar more secure, but that hasn't stopped the UIDAI from drawing flak over the recent issue of rogue agents selling demographic data of individuals. Moreover, the agency's handling of the issue has not inspired confidence among the public and security researchers. Experts say for a system of Aadhaar's size, security is continually evolving. Lalitesh Katragadda, former head of Google's product centre in India and who also helped build Aadhaar, says as a country we need to understand there's 'no such thing as a 100 per cent secure system'. While security gaps will always exist, he says it's the UIDAI's duty to ensure there's no 'large-scale theft of people's identity'. According to him, the new security features will help significantly in this regard. Face authentication will be another biometric Aadhaar will begin offering to combat the reportedly high failure rates of fingerprint authentication. The system will use common Webcams to capture photos of individuals and match them with the existing photo on the UIDAI's database. The system will not use any high-end hardware backed facial recognition like the recently launched iPhone X, which the company claims is more accurate than its previous fingerprint authentication technology. The UIDAI will work around this issue by clubbing face authentication with other forms of authentication -- fingerprint, iris scan or a one-time password sent to a user's mobile phone. While it isn't known how exactly the feature will be built into apps relying on Aadhaar authentication, Srikanth Nadhamuni, the former chief technology officer of Aadhaar, envisions a scenario where a photo of an individual could be captured and matched when fingerprint authentication fails, in order to improve the probability of a match. But even this isn't a foolproof plan, some believe. "Your face is again a biometric, and that comes with the same host of issues that is plaguing the other biometrics that have so far been used," says Sunil Abraham, executive director at the Bengaluru-based think-tank, Centre for Internet and Society. The other feature virtual ID will allow a user to generate a 16-digit stand-in in place of their 12-digit Aadhaar, helping address the qualms of people who do not want share their original Aadhaar number. Users will be able to generate this by logging into the e-portal, visiting an Aadhaar enrolment centre, or using the mAadhaar app. The idea is that by masking the Aadhaar numbers of individuals, all the subsequent fears they have of people misusing their Aadhaar will be relaxed. Moreover, the UIDAI will allow a user to generate as many virtual IDs as they want; when a new one is made the old one is destroyed. This feature, however, will be an opt-in due to a major issue Aadhaar faces. "A lot of people in rural India are using their Aadhaar for authentication under the PDS (Public Distribution System) and MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) and so on and it's working for them. You don't want to confuse all of them and ask them to create yet another number," says Nadhamuni. The final feature -- limited KYC -- is aimed at further securing the Aadhaar number and details of individuals by masking them on databases of services that use them. First, the UIDAI will begin discriminating between services that need all of Aadhaar's demographic data (name, age, sex, address, and photograph) and those that don't. With bodies and companies that don't require all of a user's data, say their address and photograph, the UIDAI will stop sharing it with them at the time of authentication. Moreover, a 72-digit alphanumeric UID token will be generated and stored on the databases of all services, in place of a user's actual Aadhaar. The idea is that the fewer places a person's Aadhaar details are stored, the fewer chances of them leaking. However, details of how the UIDAI will handle the masking of Aadhaar on databases of services where people have already seeded their Aadhaar is to be seen and is one of the biggest contentions security experts have with the effectiveness of the new feature. While all three of these new features were discussed at the time of inception, they were not rolled out to avoid making the system too complex at launch. Katragadda, who has worked on building many large application programming interfaces at Google, agrees all systems should avoid rolling out too many features at launch and should be introduced later. On the entire row over Aadhaar security, he says, "Just because people violate the law, doesn't mean we should not have systems. Otherwise, we need to have this holy grail of a system which is perfectly automated, and we are still at least 20 years away from that." For the world and India, one of the most enduring challenges of the times is for Pakistan's nukes to be neutralised, before they are ever used by the State, their sponsored non-State actors or any rogue elements from the many terror tanzeems dotting Pakistan's unstable landscape, says Lieutenant General Kamal Davar (retd). IMAGE: A Ghauri missile, with a range of 1,500 km on a mobile launch-pad at an undisclosed location in Pakistan. Photograph: Pakistan military department/Handout/Reuters Pakistan has a total of 15 nuclear sites, of which only three -- Karachi, Chashma and PINSTECH --are under IAEA safeguards. Others are under the control of the army and remain unsafeguarded. Additional plutonium enrichment plants are coming up at PINSTECH. Reportedly, Pakistan produces HEU at a rate of 100 kg per year. Its HEU-based warheads require between 15 and 20 kg of HEU each. Pakistan is also producing plutonium for plutonium-based warheads to which they are changing over from HEU. It is reported to have the fastest growing nuclear arsenal in the world with estimates of 120 to 140 warheads in its possession. The development of Pakistan's nuclear delivery systems has been assisted mainly by China and North Korea, while some systems are indigenously produced. Pakistan's delivery vehicles include modified F-16A/B aircraft and a few Mirage V and Chinese-built A-5 Fantans, under the control of the Pakistan air force and a variety of surface-to-surface missile systems under the control of the army. The F-16s are likely based at the Sargodha air base, located 160 km northwest of Lahore. In August 2007 and May 2008, Pakistan tested the air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) Raad (Hatf VIII), which is claimed to be nuclear capable possessing a range of 350 km. Pakistan has three ballistic missiles that are supposedly nuclear capable -- the solid fuel Hatf III (Ghaznavi) which has a range of 300 km to 400 km; solid fuel Hatf IV (Shaheen) with a range of 450 km and the liquid fuel Hatf V (Ghauri) with an approximate range of 1,300 km to 1,500 km. In addition, Pakistan is developing the Hatf VI (Shaheen II) which will have a range of 2,000 km. It also claims to have developed the much heralded TNWs, like the 60 km range Nasr and the short-range Abdali, to counter India's Cold Start doctrine. The Pakistan army's official press release calls these TNWs part of a 'quick response system which addresses the need to deter evolving threats'. Sea-based systems are also under development, including the potential purchase of six Qing-class diesel submarines, which would enhance Pakistan's second-strike capability. IMAGE: Then Pakistan prime minister Shaukat Aziz, fifth from left, at the launch of the surface to surface nuclear-capable ballistic missile HATF-V Ghaznavi, with a range of 1,500 km and a payload of 900 kg. Photograph: Pakistani military department/Inter Services Public Department/ISPR/Reuters The lowering of Pakistan's nuclear threshold is of greater concern than the prospect of nuclear terrorism due to theft of fissile material. This aspect is worrisome not only for India and the West, but even for Pakistan. But it claims that its nuclear arsenal is well protected by the army's 20,000-strong SPD, which takes its orders from Pakistan's Nuclear Command Authority. For Pakistan, its nuclear arsenal is an instrument that allows it to wage offensive proxy war and, concurrently, provides it defence against retaliatory punitive action from India. Pakistan's nuclear weapons are a strategic equaliser of power asymmetry, that is, they are supposed to balance India's conventional military superiority. Additionally, the Pakistanis have used their nuclear capability to extract maximum aid from the US, China, Europe and some nations in West Asia. At the outset, it must be understood that the growth of Pakistan's nuclear programme, conduct of proxy war through terrorism based on an undue faith in its own nukes, its obsessive revisionist agenda for Kashmir and India's proverbial strategic patience, will ensure that strategic stability and mutual deterrence, which is customarily possible between two nuclear-weaponised States, is not likely between India and Pakistan. Importantly, China's support for Pakistan's nuclear programme with assistance in weapons, missiles, reactors and fissile material will continue to drive instability in the Indo-Pak dyad. Pakistan does not have a declared nuclear doctrine and neither has there been any clear articulation of its guiding tenets. As early as 2001, the first and renowned director general of Pakistan's SPD, Lieutenant General Khalid Kidwai, in a well-publicised statement of Pakistan's nuclear intent underscored its employment of nuclear weapons. His nation's thresholds were military, economic, political and survival. At various seminars, he has listed circumstances in the nuclear command authority which Pakistan would respond to a conventional attack with nuclear weapons: 'India attacks Pakistan and conquers a large part of its territory. India destroys a large part of Pakistan's land or air forces. India blockades Pakistan in an effort to strangle it economically, India pushes Pakistan into a state of political destabilisation or creates large-scale internal subversion in the country.' While these verges were some indication of Pakistan's restraint levels, the statement was quickly revoked. Officially, there remains no policy declaration on the grounds that any stated doctrine would create space for conventional conflict. The contradiction here is particularly stark coming in the wake of the Kargil conflict, the assault on the Indian Parliament and the continuing use of jihadists as part of military strategy. IMAGE: Pakistan has developed nuclear-capable short-range missiles that appear to be intended for tactical nuclear roles and missions with their purpose apparently to off set India's superior conventional forces in limited conflict scenarios. Photograph: Mian Khursheed/Reuters In another statement, some years earlier, former army chief General Aslam Beg stated, 'An attack by any nation on our nuclear arsenal will automatically trigger a nuclear strike on India.' Weird as this may sound, it is clear that Pakistan retains a certain irrational ambiguity in its policy to use nuclear weapons. The Pakistan army has embedded the use of nuclear weapons in their overall military strategy and doctrine as they opine that in their strategy of 'flexible response', escalation from conventional to the nuclear is always possible. However, in their stated stance they have rightly surmised that nuclear weapons are political weapons to be employed as a last resort and that their possession may avoid conflicts. Pertaining to Pakistan itself, it is appreciated that 'on the matrix of a larger power-smaller power equation, such a capability provides to the smaller an unreserved strategic equivalence'. Thus, through ambiguities and a threat of first use, Pakistan has ensured the absence of a formal declaratory policy. Accordingly, the Indian security establishment will have to factor in Pakistans deliberate nuclear subterfuge in its preparations. In summation, Pakistan's nuclear strategy embraces the under-mentioned facets: Pakistan has not abjured the First Use of Nuclear Weapons doctrine and their usage forms an integral part of its military strategy. It has taken recourse to deliberately projecting ambiguity in its overall nuclear strategy. The military is both the custodian and controller of nuclear assets and professes to have in place a robust command and control system. With fundamentalism on the rise and having penetrated into the services and with terrorists also on the prowl for stealing fissile materials, the dangers of nuclear materials pilferage/safety of nuclear assets remains a major problem. China's assistance to Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme is a critical asset for Pakistan with newer technologies, doctrines, command and control facilities and additional lethal infusions of missiles. Though Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme and strategy is 'India-specific', it does not recognise India's NFU-declared nuclear intent, rejecting it on the grounds that India may not stick to its declared policy during hostilities. Pakistan's development and deployment of TNWs is primarily to prevent India from launching its battle groups as part of its Proactive Doctrine. With TNWs, Pakistan has lowered its nuclear threshold, which now results in the creation of additional strategic instability in the subcontinent. Pakistan is now shoring up its second-strike capability with the development of the sea-launched submarine cruise missile Babur III, which is likely to have a range of 450 km. It is reportedly moving its major submarine base from Karachi to Ormara as it feels Karachi's closeness to the Indian border makes it more vulnerable. * * * IMAGE: This image from a Pakistan military handout video shows a Hatf IX (NASR) missile being fired during a test. Photograph: Pakistan military Inter Services Public Relations via Reuters TV/ Handout/Reuters Considering that Pakistan faces internal stability and self-created terror threats from within, escalating law and order and security problems within its restive provinces of Balochistan and to some extent in Sindh, KPK, FATA and areas along the Durand Line, its obsession with nukes may turn out to be self-defeating in the long run. If it wishes to continue brandishing its nuclear card, it may wish to heed to Michael Krepon's advice that 'escalation control and the nuclear option is a subject matter proven to be remarkably resistant to sensible analysis.' For the world and India, one of the most enduring challenges of the times is for Pakistan's nukes to be neutralised, before they are ever used by the State, their sponsored non-State actors or any rogue elements from the many terror tanzeems dotting Pakistan's unstable landscape. Excerpted from Tryst With Perfidy: The Deep State Of Pakistan by Kamal Davar with the permission of the publishers, Rupa Publications. Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen welcoming his Chinese counterpart, General Chang Wanquan, during the latter's introductory visit to Singapore on Feb 5, 2018.PHOTO: MINDEF Source: straitstimes.com SINGAPORE Singapore and China have agreed to deepen collaboration between their armed forces following a meeting of defence ministers from both countries. Chinas Defence Minister, General Chang Wanquan, proposed to deepen army and navy cooperation with Singapore through joint exercises, port calls and other exchanges, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said in a statement on Monday (Feb 5). He met Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen on Monday morning at Mindef and both men met again for dinner later in the evening. Gen Chang, who arrived in Singapore on Sunday for an official introductory visit, is among several high-ranking defence officials in Singapore for meetings with their Asean counterparts as well as to attend the Singapore Airshow. The US Air Force Chief of Staff General David L. Goldfein called on Second Minister for Defence Ong Ye Kung on Monday and they also discussed ways to enhance bilateral defence cooperation. Mindef said that during the morning meeting with Gen Chang, Dr Ng accepted an invitation from his Chinese counterpart to attend the Xiangshan Forum, a high-level regional security forum in China. Gen Chang also invited Mindef and SAF leaders to visit China, and Dr Ng welcomed high-level visits from the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) to Singapore, said Mindef. Both ministers also discussed regional security issues, and agreed on the need to have open and inclusive security architectures, said the statement. Mindef said that Gen Chang expressed China's support for Singapore's chairmanship of Asean this year, adding that Beijing would work with Singapore to deepen relations between China and the regional grouping. Gen Chang also said he appreciated Singapore's work as Asean-China country coordinator from 2015 to 2018, and how this has helped improve defence ties between both sides. Mindef said that Gen Chang's introductory visit "underscores the warm and friendly bilateral defence relations between Singapore and China". In a Facebook post, Dr Ng said that he was "happy and honoured to host my good friend" on his visit to Singapore, noting that this was their 7th meeting together. "I was very touched when (Gen Chang) said to me during this visit, 'Coming to Singapore, is not like going away, but visiting good friends in the same town'," wrote Dr Ng. The Singapore defence minister said that that he and Gen Chang agreed to further enhance interactions between the PLA and the Singapore Armed Forces. In 2014, both countries pledged to deepen defence relations based on a four-point consensus. Under the consensus, Singapore and China pledged a steady development of the defence relationship, based on mutual respect and accommodating each other's security concerns for mutual trust. The Chinese defence chief is scheduled to call on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Wednesday and also have breakfast with Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean. He is due to leave Singapore on Thursday. Gen Chang and Dr Ng will co-chair the Asean-China Defence Ministers' Informal Meeting on Tuesday, which is taking place alongside the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) Retreat. Gen Chang was also hosted to lunch by Mr Ong on Monday. Mr Ong, in a Facebook post, said that they discussed initiatives to advance Asean-China relations such as the inaugural Asean-China Maritime exercise which is being planned, the regional security situation and other developments such as Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. Bilateral defence ties between Singapore and China are strong and flourishing, said Mr Ong. In a separate statement, Mindef said Mr Ong also discussed ways to enhance defence cooperation with Gen Goldfein on Monday. Both sides discussed ways to enhance bilateral defence cooperation, and reaffirmed the importance of the US continued engagement of the Asia-Pacific for regional peace and security, the statement said. Mr Ong also thanked Gen Goldfein for US support for the Singapore Airshow, where US military assets are on display. Gen Goldfeins visit underscores the excellent and long-standing defence relations between Singapore and the US, said Mindef. Title Report to the Lithuanian Government on the visit to Lithuania carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) Publication Date 1 February 2018 Country Lithuania Citation / Document Symbol CPT/Inf (2018) 2 Cite as Council of Europe: Committee for the Prevention of Torture, Report to the Lithuanian Government on the visit to Lithuania carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), 1 February 2018, CPT/Inf (2018) 2, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a782ceb4.html [accessed 12 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Freedom in the World 2018 - Turkey Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 2 February 2018 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2018 - Turkey, 2 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a784f3fa.html [accessed 12 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Freedom Status: Not Free Aggregate Score: 32 (0 = Least Free, 100 = Most Free) Freedom Rating: 5.5 (1 = Most Free, 7 = Least Free) Political Rights: 5 (1 = Most Free, 7 = Least Free) Civil Liberties: 6 (1 = Most Free, 7 = Least Free) Quick Facts Population: 79,500,000 Capital: Ankara GDP/capita: $10,985 Press Freedom Status: Not Free Net Freedom Status: Not Free OVERVIEW President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been the ruling party in Turkey since 2002. After initially passing some liberalizing reforms, the government has shown growing contempt for political rights and civil liberties in recent years, perpetrating serious abuses in areas including minority rights, free expression, associational rights, corruption, and the rule of law. Status Change Explanation: Turkey's status declined from Partly Free to Not Free, its political rights rating declined from 4 to 5, and its civil liberties rating declined from 5 to 6 due to a deeply flawed constitutional referendum that centralized power in the presidency, the mass replacement of elected mayors with government appointees, arbitrary prosecutions of rights activists and other perceived enemies of the state, and continued purges of state employees, all of which have left citizens hesitant to express their views on sensitive topics. Key Developments in 2017: Constitutional revisions that concentrated power in the presidency were adopted in an April referendum. The campaign featured a grossly uneven playing field, and last-minute changes to the criteria for validating ballots -- made in contravention of the law -- undermined the legitimacy of the vote count. A state of emergency first declared after the attempted coup of July 2016 was renewed every three months and remained in place at year's end, allowing the government to rule by decree and make decisions that dramatically undercut the rule of law. The government continued to take over opposition-controlled municipalities and expanded the practice to its own party by forcing independently elected AKP mayors to resign. In the context of a wider purge of the leadership's perceived enemies, authorities initiated prosecutions of key figures in Turkey's nongovernmental organization sector. The fear of arbitrary arrest stifled public discussion and weakened civil society. Executive Summary: The Turkish government's sprawling crackdown on its real and suspected opponents, touched off by a coup attempt in July 2016, continued throughout 2017. Using emergency powers and vaguely worded terrorism laws, the authorities had suspended or dismissed more than 110,000 people from public-sector positions and arrested more than 60,000 people by year's end. Extensive use of pretrial detention meant that many suspects were held behind bars for long periods without due process. There was increasing evidence of extrajudicial "disappearances" and routine torture of political detainees. In June and July, officials arrested a number of leading human rights activists on terrorism charges. Osman Kavala, perhaps Turkey's most prominent civil society leader, was detained in October and eventually charged with attempting to overthrow the constitutional order. Since the attempted coup, at least 1,500 civil society organizations have been summarily closed and their property confiscated. The prosecution of journalists and closure of media outlets continues. Arrests based on messages shared via social media are common, leading to widespread self-censorship and a general chilling effect on political discourse. In April 2017, a government-backed package of constitutional amendments was formally approved through a referendum. When fully implemented in 2019, the changes will radically increase the power of the presidency and reduce democratic checks and balances. The referendum was conducted on a manifestly uneven playing field, particularly in light of the ongoing state of emergency and related restrictions on the media, the opposition, and civil society. Moreover, the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) intervened in ways that seemed to favor the government and cast serious doubt on the integrity of the tabulation process. POLITICAL RIGHTS: 16 / 40 (-2) A: ELECTORAL PROCESS: 6 / 12 (-2) A1. Was the current head of government or other chief national authority elected through free and fair elections? 2 / 4 (-1) Erdogan became the country's first popularly elected president in 2014, winning a once-renewable five-year term with 51.8 percent of the vote; presidents were previously chosen by the parliament. Some domestic and international observers, such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), pointed to irregularities in the election campaign, including media bias and self-censorship, misuse of state resources to support Erdogan, lack of transparency in campaign finances, and cases of voter fraud. Under the formal constitutional structure in place during 2017, Turkey had a semipresidential system of government. The prime minister is the head of government and is meant to hold most executive authority. The president is the head of state and has a legislative veto as well as power to appoint judges and prosecutors. However, Erdogan has retained a dominant role since moving from the premiership to the presidency in 2014, and under the constitutional revisions adopted through the April 2017 referendum, the prime minister's post will be eliminated in favor of a more powerful presidency after the 2019 election. Many elected executive officials at the municipal level have been replaced with government appointees since the 2016 coup attempt. Most were removed under an emergency decree issued in September 2016, which allowed appointed provincial authorities to take control of cities and towns whose elected leaders were suspected of supporting terrorism -- a broadly defined term that is now commonly applied to Kurdish politicians. By March 2017, the mayors of 82 out of 103 municipalities controlled by an affiliate of the pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) had been replaced. However, some mayors from other opposition parties have been removed as well. In December 2017, for instance, the government took control of an Istanbul municipality held by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), citing corruption allegations. In addition, the central government successfully pressured several directly elected mayors from the ruling AKP to resign during the year, including those leading major population centers like Ankara and Istanbul; they were replaced through votes by AKP-controlled city councils. Score Change: The score declined from 3 to 2 due to the central government's mass replacement of elected mayors with appointed officials or other preferred substitutes. A2. Were the current national legislative representatives elected through free and fair elections? 3 / 4 The unicameral parliament, the 550-seat Grand National Assembly, is elected by proportional representation for a four-year term. The most recent elections were in November 2015. They were called by President Erdogan after no party won a majority in June 2015 elections and a coalition government could not be formed. In the November vote, the AKP won 49 percent of the ballots and 317 seats, giving it a clear parliamentary majority. The CHP won 134 seats with 25 percent of the vote, while the HDP and the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) won 59 and 40 seats, respectively. Many reports cited irregularities in the 2015 electoral process. Erdogan campaigned for the AKP in the June elections, in violation of the president's formally nonpartisan status at the time. Opponents of the government also alleged media bias and censorship, noting that the state-owned TRT television station provided extensive coverage of the AKP's campaign while giving far less time to opposition parties and rejecting some of their advertisements. The HDP suffered from terrorist attacks, arrests, and mob violence in the context of renewed fighting between security forces and Kurdish militants. The OSCE, while acknowledging that Turkish voters had a choice among parties and that the vote count was transparent, concluded that media restrictions and violence severely hindered the campaign. A3. Are the electoral laws and framework fair, and are they implemented impartially by the relevant election management bodies? 1 / 4 (-1) Judges on the YSK oversee voting procedures. In June 2016, the parliament passed a judicial reform bill that allowed AKP-dominated judicial bodies to replace most YSK judges that September. In the April 2017 constitutional referendum, the new degree of AKP control apparently contributed to a series of YSK decisions that favored the "yes" campaign. As detailed in the OSCE report on the referendum, voters lacked access to impartial information, individuals associated with the opposition "no" campaign were harassed and arrested, the government-controlled media strongly supported the "yes" campaign, and voting conditions were affected by the state of emergency and security operations in the largely Kurdish southeast, where hundreds of thousands of people had been displaced. The OSCE noted a number of serious problems with the tabulation process. For example, late on the day of the vote, the YSK "significantly changed the ballot validity criteria, undermining an important safeguard and contradicting the law." Specifically, it instructed electoral boards to accept as valid an unknown number of ballots that were improperly stamped by ballot box committees or had no committee control stamp at all. Score Change: The score declined from 2 to 1 because a referendum on constitutional revisions to increase the power of the presidency was carried out under deeply flawed conditions that ensured the outcome sought by the government. B. POLITICAL PLURALISM AND PARTICIPATION: 7 / 16 B1. Do the people have the right to organize in different political parties or other competitive political groupings of their choice, and is the system free of undue obstacles to the rise and fall of these competing parties or groupings? 2 / 4 Turkey has a competitive multiparty system, with four parties represented in parliament. However, the rise of new parties is inhibited by the 10 percent vote threshold for parliamentary representation -- an unusually high bar by global standards. Parties can be disbanded for endorsing policies that are not in agreement with constitutional parameters, and this rule has been applied in the past to Islamist and Kurdish-oriented parties. After a cease-fire with the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) collapsed in 2015, the government accused the HDP of being a proxy for the group. A 2016 constitutional amendment facilitated the removal of parliamentary immunity, and many of the HDP's leaders have since been jailed on terrorism charges; at the end of 2017, a total of nine HDP lawmakers were behind bars, as were much larger numbers of municipal officials from the HDP's regional affiliate party. B2. Is there a realistic opportunity for the opposition to increase its support or gain power through elections? 1 / 4 Since coming to power in 2002, the ruling AKP has asserted partisan control over the YSK, the judiciary, the police, and the media, severely limiting the capacity of the opposition to build support among voters and gain power through elections. The AKP has aggressively used these institutional tools to weaken or co-opt political rivals in recent years. In 2016, for example, rulings by the YSK and the courts helped to quash an attempted leadership challenge within the MHP, effectively ensuring that longtime chairman Devlet Bahceli remained in control. Bahceli then endorsed a "yes" vote in the April 2017 constitutional referendum, drawing accusations of a quid pro quo. In addition to the prosecution of HDP politicians on terrorism charges, the government has used law enforcement agencies to attack the country's largest opposition party, the CHP. Enis Berberoglu, a CHP member of parliament, was on trial at the end of 2017 for allegedly leaking state secrets to journalists; he was sentenced to 25 years in prison in June, but an appellate court ordered a retrial. Prosecutors opened investigations into dozens of other CHP figures during the year, including party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who was accused of insulting the president. B3. Are the people's political choices free from domination by the military, foreign powers, religious hierarchies, economic oligarchies, or any other powerful group that is not democratically accountable? 3 / 4 The civilian leadership in recent years has asserted its control over the military, which has a history of intervening in political affairs. This greater control was a factor behind the failure of the 2016 coup attempt, and the government has since purged thousands of military personnel suspected of disloyalty. However, the AKP's institutional dominance threatens to make the state itself an extension of the party that can be used to change political outcomes. B4. Do various segments of the population (including ethnic, religious, gender, LGBT, and other relevant groups) have full political rights and electoral opportunities? 1 / 4 Critics charge that the AKP has a religious agenda favoring Sunni Muslims, evidenced by the expansion of the Directorate of Religious Affairs and the alleged use of this institution for political patronage and to deliver government-friendly sermons in mosques. Secular Turkish citizens are alienated by the government's expansion of religious schools and use of religious rhetoric, among other actions. The non-Sunni Alevi minority as well as non-Muslim religious communities have long faced political discrimination, though Alevis enjoy some political representation -- largely through the CHP -- and a small number of Christian and Yazidi politicians won seats in the parliament in 2015. C. FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT: 3 / 12 C1. Do the freely elected head of government and national legislative representatives determine the policies of the government? 2 / 4 Formally, Turkey will retain its mixed presidential-parliamentary system of government until all of the constitutional changes approved in the April 2017 referendum are implemented after the 2019 elections. In practice, however, President Erdogan and his inner circle make all meaningful political decisions. One constitutional revision that took immediate effect, the removal of a rule requiring presidents to be politically neutral, allowed Erdogan to rejoin the AKP, but he had effectively led the party without interruption since moving to the presidency. His dominance was illustrated again in 2017 by the forced resignations of key AKP mayors. The state of emergency in place since 2016 grants additional powers to the president, including the authority to suspend civil liberties and issue decrees without oversight from the Constitutional Court. C2. Are safeguards against official corruption strong and effective? 1 / 4 Corruption -- including money laundering, bribery, and collusion in the allocation of government contracts -- remains a major problem. The purge carried out since the 2016 coup attempt has greatly increased opportunities for corruption given the mass expropriation of targeted businesses and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Billions of dollars in seized assets are managed by government-appointed trustees, further augmenting the intimate ties between the government and friendly businesses. C3. Does the government operate with openness and transparency? 0 / 4 The political and legal environment created by the government's purge and state of emergency has made ordinary democratic oversight efforts all but impossible. In 2016 the Council of Europe criticized the state of emergency for bestowing "almost unlimited discretionary powers" on the government, which in practice arbitrarily withholds information on the activities of state officials and institutions. External monitors like civil society groups and independent journalists are subject to arrest and prosecution if they attempt to expose government wrongdoing. CIVIL LIBERTIES: 16 / 60 (-4) D. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND BELIEF: 5 / 16 (-1) D1. Are there free and independent media? 1 / 4 Although some independent newspapers and websites continue to operate, they face tremendous political pressure and are routinely targeted for prosecution. More than 150 media outlets were closed in the months after the attempted coup in 2016. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a total of 73 journalists were behind bars as of December 2017, making Turkey the world's worst jailer of journalists for the second year in a row. Many more faced criminal charges. Government attempts to block news sites and other online information sources continued in 2017, most notably with a nationwide block on Wikipedia beginning in late April. The mainstream media, especially television, reflect government positions and routinely carry identical headlines. D2. Are individuals free to practice and express their religious faith or nonbelief in public and private? 2 / 4 Although the constitution guarantees freedom of religion, increasingly the public sphere is dominated by Sunni Islam. Alevi places of worship are not recognized as such by the government, meaning they cannot access the subsidies available to Sunni mosques. The number of religious schools that promote Sunni Islam has increased under the AKP, and Turkish public education includes compulsory religious education courses that non-Muslims are generally exempted from but Alevis and nonbelievers have difficulty opting out of. Three non-Muslim religious groups -- Jews, Orthodox Christians, and Armenian Christians -- are officially recognized. However, disputes over property and prohibitions on training of clergy remain problems for these communities, and the rights of unrecognized religious minorities are more limited. D3. Is there academic freedom, and is the educational system free from extensive political indoctrination? 1 / 4 The tradition of academic freedom was never very strong in Turkey, and the effects of the purge have weakened it further. Schools affiliated with the movement of exiled Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen -- which the government has declared a terrorist organization and blamed for the 2016 coup attempt -- have been closed, and teachers have been summarily dismissed for perceived leftist, Gulenist, or PKK sympathies. Fifteen universities have been closed, and more than 5,000 academics had lost their positions by early 2017. Many scholars are seeking positions overseas, but some have had their passports confiscated as they remain under investigation. In July 2017, the government announced a new school curriculum that excluded the theory of evolution and included lessons on "jihad," which it described in patriotic terms. The curriculum continued a trend of increasing religious and ideological content that matched the views of the AKP. D4. Are individuals free to express their personal views on political or other sensitive topics without fear of surveillance or retribution? 1 / 4 (-1) Many Turkish citizens continue to voice their opinions openly with friends and relations, but more now exercise caution about what they post online or say in public. Not every utterance that is critical of the government will be punished, but the arbitrariness of prosecutions, which often result in pretrial detention and carry the risk of lengthy prison terms, is increasingly creating an atmosphere of self-censorship. Score Change: The score declined from 2 to 1 due to increased levels of self-censorship among ordinary people in the context of an ongoing government crackdown on perceived opponents. E. ASSOCIATIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL RIGHTS: 3 / 12 E1. Is there freedom of assembly? 1 / 4 Although freedom of assembly is theoretically guaranteed in Turkish law, authorities have routinely disallowed gatherings by government critics on security grounds in recent years, while progovernment rallies are allowed to proceed. Restrictions have been imposed on May Day celebrations by leftist and labor groups, LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) events, protests by purge victims, and opposition party meetings. Police use force to break up unapproved protests. Authorities in Ankara imposed a blanket ban on demonstrations in late September 2017 that was later extended and remained in place at year's end. Despite such obstacles, the CHP leadership organized a protest march from Ankara to Istanbul that ended with a large demonstration in July. E2. Is there freedom for nongovernmental organizations, particularly those that are engaged in human rights- and governance-related work? 1 / 4 The government has cracked down on NGOs since the coup attempt, summarily shutting down at least 1,500 foundations and associations and seizing their assets. The targeted groups worked on issues including torture, domestic violence, and aid to refugees and internally displaced persons. In June 2017, the chair of Amnesty International's Turkey branch was arrested on terrorism charges, and he remained in detention at year's end. In July, a raid on a routine training session for human rights defenders resulted in the arrest of eight representatives from Turkey's major rights organizations, along with two foreign trainers. They were eventually released pending trial. Osman Kavala, perhaps Turkey's most prominent civil society leader and philanthropist, was detained in October. He was formally arrested in November and remained in pretrial detention. E3. Is there freedom for trade unions and similar professional or labor organizations? 1 / 4 Union activity, including the right to strike, is limited by law and in practice; antiunion activities by employers are common, and legal protections are poorly enforced. A system of representation threshold requirements make it difficult for unions to secure collective-bargaining rights. Trade unions and professional organizations have suffered from mass arrests and dismissals associated with the state of emergency and the general breakdown in freedoms of expression, assembly, and association. F. RULE OF LAW: 2 / 16 (-2) F1. Is there an independent judiciary? 1 / 4 Although judges still occasionally rule against the government, the appointment of thousands of new, loyalist judges in recent years, the potential professional costs of ruling against the executive in a major case, and the effects of the ongoing purge have all severely weakened judicial independence in Turkey. This process was well under way before the July 2016 coup attempt, but by late 2017, more than 4,000 judges and prosecutors had been removed. Judges and trials in high-profile cases are transferred to ensure that the government's arguments are presented before a sympathetic court. F2. Does due process prevail in civil and criminal matters? 0 / 4 (-1) A long-term erosion of due process guarantees has accelerated under the state of emergency. Antiterrorism charges brought since the coup attempt often rely on the weakest of circumstantial evidence, secret testimony, or an ever-expanding guilt by association. A decree issued in December 2017 apparently removed requirements that defendants hear all the evidence brought against them and have a defense attorney present during trial. In many cases, lawyers defending those accused of terrorism offenses have been arrested themselves. Lengthy pretrial detention has become routine. An October report by Human Rights Watch detailed evidence that security forces were carrying out disappearances and using secret detention sites. Under emergency rules, suspects can be held for up to 14 days without judicial review, down from 30 in the initial aftermath of the coup attempt. Authorities can also detain individuals for up to 24 hours without access to a lawyer, though police have reportedly breached this limit in practice. Score Change: The score declined from 1 to 0 due to the lack of basic due process protections for the growing number of people detained or charged with terrorism offenses during the state of emergency. F3. Is there protection from the illegitimate use of physical force and freedom from war and insurgencies? 0 / 4 Torture has become increasingly common, according to human rights organizations, and an emergency decree issued in December 2017 appears to grant legal immunity to any person, including civilians, who takes action against terrorists or others associated with the 2016 coup attempt. More than 3,000 people have been killed in fighting between security forces and the PKK since the end of a cease-fire in July 2015. The conflict, which has included bombings and assassinations, is concentrated in the rural southeast, though until the second half of 2016 there was also significant urban fighting. Turkey faces a separate terrorist threat from the Islamic State (IS) militant group. A gunman linked to IS attacked an Istanbul nightclub in January 2017, killing 39 people. F4. Do laws, policies, and practices guarantee equal treatment of various segments of the population? 1 / 4 (-1) Although Turkish law guarantees equal treatment, women as well as ethnic and religious minority groups suffer varying degrees of discrimination. For example, Alevis and non-Muslims reportedly face discrimination in employment, particularly in senior public-sector positions, and gender inequality in the workplace is common. While expression of Kurdish identity has been better tolerated in recent years than it was in the 1990s, the resurgence of the conflict with the PKK has been used to justify a crackdown on Kurdish political parties, media outlets, and civil society organizations, which has intensified under the state of emergency. In addition to carrying out arrests, dismissals, and closures, appointed state authorities have in some cases reversed Kurdish municipal officials' efforts to promote Kurdish language and culture. Turkey has accepted more than 3.4 million Syrian refugees. While the government attempts to provide them with basic services, a large minority of refugee children lack access to education, and few adults are able to obtain formal employment. Local hostility toward Syrians was on the rise in 2017, according to the International Crisis Group, with at least 35 people killed in intercommunal violence. Same-sex sexual activity is legally permitted, but LGBT people are subject to widespread discrimination, police harassment, and occasional violence. There is no legislation to protect people from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. LGBT-related public events have increasingly been banned since 2015; police used force to disperse activists who defied a ban on Istanbul's pride march in June 2017. Score Change: The score declined from 2 to 1 due to an escalation in repressive measures affecting the Kurdish population since the 2016 coup attempt. G. PERSONAL AUTONOMY AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS: 6 / 16 (-1) G1. Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement, including the ability to change their place of residence, employment, or education? 1 / 4 (-1) The conflict with the PKK has resulted in the forced relocation of hundreds of thousands of people, and there is evidence that the government is using curfews and cuts to utilities to push residents out of some areas. Freedom of movement has also been affected by the expansion of purges in the civil service and higher education. Those who are suspended or dismissed have no effective avenue for appeal. Moreover, many are not able to find new employment in the private sector due an atmosphere of guilt by association, and they frequently have their passports confiscated, meaning they cannot seek employment abroad. Score Change: The score declined from 2 to 1 due to the expansion of purges in the public sector and higher education that restrict affected individuals' access to alternative employment and international travel. G2. Are individuals able to exercise the right to own property and establish private businesses without undue interference from state or nonstate actors? 1 / 4 There is a right to private property, but since 2013 many critics of the government have been subjected to intrusive tax and regulatory inspections. Companies associated with the Gulen movement have been confiscated, particularly since the 2016 coup attempt, and individuals have also had their private assets seized. In December 2017, for example, the Turkish assets of U.S.-based Turkey analyst and former CHP lawmaker Aykan Erdemir were confiscated. By mid-2017, authorities had seized a total of more than $11 billion in property and companies ranging from corner stores to huge conglomerates. Assets of closed NGOs have also been turned over to the state. G3. Do individuals enjoy personal social freedoms, including choice of marriage partner and size of family, protection from domestic violence, and control over appearance? 2 / 4 The government has shown increasing disinterest in protecting vulnerable individuals from forced marriage and domestic violence. Underage marriages are believed to be a widespread problem, with many formed through unofficial religious ceremonies; there is strong evidence of child marriages that victimize Syrian refugees. In November 2017, the parliament adopted a law allowing Muslim clerics to conduct civil marriages, which critics said could lead to more underage marriages. Despite legal protections, rates of domestic violence remain high; police are often unwilling to intervene in domestic disputes, and shelter space is both extremely limited and often geographically inaccessible. G4. Do individuals enjoy equality of opportunity and freedom from economic exploitation? 2 / 4 The weakness of labor unions and the growing political pressures on Turkish society have undermined equality of opportunity and protection from economic exploitation. Workplace accidents are frequent, and laborers have little recourse if injured. Refugee communities have provided a ready source of cheap, exploitable labor, including child labor, resulting in significant abuses. Scoring Key: X / Y (Z) X = Score Received Y = Best Possible Score Z = Change from Previous Year Copyright notice: Freedom House, Inc. All Rights Reserved Australia has set out an ambitious strategy to become one of the world's top 10 weapons exporters within 10 years. Ministers say the plan will boost global peacekeeping efforts, as well as create thousands of jobs in Australia. As part of its plan, Canberra wants to sell more of its military technology and hardware, including armored vehicles and surveillance systems. It currently sells about $1.6 billion worth of weapons each year and is ranked 20th in a global list of arms exporters, but it has ambitions to break into the top 10. There will be government grants to help companies boost sales. Australian Minister for Defense Industry Christopher Pyne says the plan could create tens of thousands of jobs. He says it will also boost international peacekeeping efforts. "Our primary market is New Zealand, Canada, the U.K. and the United States. That is where the vast majority of our effort will be placed and has been placed. We need a strong alliance with those kinds of countries with the capabilities that we need militarily to ensure that we maintain peace in the world. I do not think anybody would question our role in places like Iraq and Syria most recently," Pyne said. The Chamber is pleased to be partnering with Mental Health Connecticut to offer a Free Mental Health First Aid Training course, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Chamber office. This is your opportunity to understand mental illness, support timely intervention and maybe even save a life. Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour training to teach participants how to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. The evidence behind the program demonstrates that it helps trainees identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorder. Like CPR, Mental Health First Aid prepares participants to interact with a person in crisis and connect the person with help. First Aiders do not take on the role of professionals - they do not diagnose or provide any counseling or therapy. Instead, the program offers tools and answers questions like what do I do and where can someone find help? To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/friday-february-9-2018-800am-500pm-torrington-ct-registration-41253050986. Great Giveaway Business Showcase Save the date for our very popular 2nd annual event- The Great Giveaway Business Showcase. The event will take place on Thursday, May 17 from 5-8 p.m. at Chatterleys Banquet Facility, 371 Pinewoods Road, Torrington. Last year, the event drew hundreds of people throughout the evening. Each vendor had a giveaway at their booth which created tons of excitement and drew people over to their tables. This year, were asking once again that each vendor provide an exciting giveaway and well raffle them off at the end of the event. The event is free for the public and includes free parking, free food and a cash bar. Booths will sell fast, so sign up today. Reservations include an 8 skirted, covered table, 2 chairs and a company sign. The fee for Chamber members is $200, non-members is $300. Contact Lauren@nwctchamberofcommerce.org or call 860-482-6586 to reserve your table today. Sponsorships are also available at varying levels- gold, silver and bronze. If youre interested in sponsoring the event, contact the Chamber today. Financial Reality Fair is coming Save the date of April 25 for the 9th annual Financial Reality Fair. The Chamber is once again partnering with the Connecticut Credit Union League and Northwest Hills Credit Union to provide a hands-on budgeting experience to high school students. Participating students gain practical knowledge about personal financial management in a one day real world environment. The Financial Reality Fair is a 4 hour (approximate time), hands on experience where students, after identifying their career choice and starting salaries, are provided a budget sheet requiring them to live within their monthly salary while paying for basics such as housing, utilities, transportation, clothing and food. Of course, there are many temptations for additional spending and students must learn to balance their wants and needs to live on their own. After they have visited all the booths, students will balance their budget, and then sit down with a financial counselor to review their standing. The Fair is a unique opportunity for each student to experience some of the financial challenges they will face when they start life on their own. An important component to a responsible financial lifestyle is saving. In the Financial Reality Fair experience, students are encouraged to save a minimum of 10 percent of their income, placing 3 percent in a long term retirement investment, and 8 percent in a shorter term investment. The Financial Counselors explore the importance of planning for future needs and preparing for future financial challenges through savings. The Fair will tempt students to spend their income on fun, and the Financial Counselors will bring the focus back to saving and thrift practices. Chamber members volunteer to make this event possible. No experience is necessary. If youd like to be involved, email Lauren@nwctchamberofcommerce.org or call 860-482-6586. Check out our website at www.nwctchamberofcommerce.org for more Chamber happenings. *This institution is an equal opportunity provider.* North Korea's Masikryong Ski Resort was overflowing with luxury products last week despite international sanctions than ban their export to the isolated state. Foreign cigarettes, liquor, perfumes and track suits were all freely for sale in the shops, according to South Korean reporters who visited last week to cover joint training of junior skiers from the two Koreas there. A cigarette kiosk on the first floor of the ski resort sold Dunhill and Rothmans International as well as Perdomo cigars. Yamaha drums as well as Chivas Regal cognac, Ballantines whiskey and Heineken beer could be spotted in a ballroom in the basement, while stores on the second floor sold Nike and Adidas shoes and track suits and North Face backpacks as well as Burberry bags, Lancome cosmetics and Kenzo perfumes. Products sold at the Masikryong Ski Resort in Wonsan, Kangwon Province Store clerk Kim Il-sim told the reporters, "We put these products on display because we get many guests from abroad." The aim seems to be to earn hard currency at the resort, which is a pet project of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in trying to project a modern image. The North Korean products at the ski resort included mushrooms and balloon flower roots. A bar on the first floor sold liquor brewed in North Korea, including blueberry and ginseng wine. North Korean cosmetics were also on display under the brand name Unhasu and handbags of the Okedongmu brand which means "shoulder to shoulder." A set of skis stamped with the Masikryong Ski Resort's own brand would set visitors back US$700 and a ski suit $70. Ski rentals as well as purchases at the resort coffee shop could be done with pre-paid cards that accepted foreign currencies. A business center on the second floor had two computers with Internet access, for a cool $4.60 for half an hour. But the South Korean reporters were not allowed access. There were also pool tables and coin-operated claw machines. The bookstore there only sold propaganda hailing and praising nation founder Kim Il-sung, his son Kim Jong-il and Jong-un in English, Russian and Chinese. North Koreans at the resort apparently use mobile phones called Pyongyang 2416 and Arirang. The lobby of the Masikryong Ski Resort Hotel in Wonsan, Kangwon Province in North Korea last week Prices are well out of reach for most North Koreans. A day pass costs $40 for adults and $22 for children, while a night at the hotel costs $190. According to UN statistics as of 2014, the per-capita annual income of the average North Korean is $696. The resort is clearly for Kim and the elite only. The regime gave South Korean reporters relatively free access to the resort in the hope that they would publicize it. Previously South Korean reporters had been put through stringent security checks in North Korea, but this time authorities did not bother to check the videos and photos in their cameras and laptops. And as on any comped junket, they had a well-stocked free minibar in their room with North Korean mineral water, beer, tea, coffee, chocolate and gum. Read this article in Korean Seven Connecticut nursing homes have been fined by the state Department of Public Health for violations that endangered or injured residents, including facilities in Bridgeport, Shelton and Greenwich. Bridgeport Health Care Center was fined $3,000 after a resident with alcohol-induced dementia, cerebral vascular disease and other diagnoses left the facility from 10:45 a.m. until 3:47 p.m. Aug. 16, 2017, despite wearing a WanderGuard sensor. According to the DPH, the sensor was operable, but no staff recalled it setting off any alarms when the resident left. Doors that lead to an elevator and exterior patio should have been locked but werent that day due to an inoperable fire alarm system. With the doors unlocked, staff was directed to guard the exists, but no one observed the resident leaving, the citation said. The resident was found exiting Bridgeport Manor, a neighboring facility owned by the same company, and taken to an emergency department before returning to Bridgeport Health Care Center. The facility completed a corrective action plan by Aug. 19, including updates to its fire watch policy, regular WanderGuard audits, testing of all door locks and other precautions, according to DPH. Officials at the facility didnt return a call seeking comment. Another nursing home in the city, Bridgeport Manor, was fined $1,950 after a resident was hurt falling from a lift. On Aug. 24, 2017, the resident, who required the use of a Hoyer lift by two staff members for transfers, fell when one of the lifts straps came unhooked, according to DPH. The resident was treated at for several fractures in the pelvic area. An investigation found staff didnt ensure hooks were properly placed in the loops of the Hoyer lift pad, the citation said. Facility officials didnt return a call seeking comment. Hewitt Health & Rehabilitation Center in Shelton was fined $1,530 after a student nurse witnessed a nurse aide calling a resident an expletive on Feb. 23, 2017. According to DPH, an investigation substantiated the student nurses claim that the aide became frustrated and used the expletive while trying to move the resident out of bed, violating the facilitys abuse policy. Officials at the facility didnt return a call seeking comment. Regal Care at Greenwich was fined $330 after several bathroom sinks were tested during inspections and had excessively high hot water temperatures on Aug. 19 and Sept. 18, 2017. According to DPH, a maintenance assistant told investigators the water temperatures were checked daily but the assistant didnt know what the temperatures should be. Officials at the facility didnt return a call seeking comment. Other homes to cited included Harbor Village North Health and Rehabilitation Center in New London, which was fined $3,000 for four violations and Bloomfield Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, which was fined $1,740 after a resident was given the wrong medication, which resulted in a delay in a procedure. Rounding out the list of cited facilities was Talmadge Park Healthcare in East Haven, which was fined $1,635 after a resident fell from a wheelchair, suffering a broken hip and other injuries. The resident required two-staff assistance with transfers. But on Dec. 26, 2016, a nurse aide was changing the resident when the fall occurred. The resident was taken to a hospital and found to have a broken left hip and six skin tears on the left arm. The nurse aide no longer works at the facility. Officials at the facility didnt return a call seeking comment. This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team (c-hit.org). Lewisville, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/05/2018 --Metro Dent is a full-service body shop that specializes in dent repair in McKinney and Plano, Texas. As a family owned shop, the company has been providing dent removal service for over 25 years throughout Forth Worth, Dallas, Denton, Plano, and other surrounding areas. At Metro Dent, they use innovative tools and techniques to repair the dents of a vehicle while retaining its factory finish. The innovative process can be used to fix any dent to restore the original appearance of a vehicle, as long as its paint has not cracked or chipped. At Metro Dent, one can avail an incredibly affordable dent repair in McKinney and Plano, Texas. While performing the dent repair, they make sure no damage is done to its outer paint coating. It is an exceptional process that requires extreme patience and precision. The team of experts is all certified with several years of experience up their sleeve. Over the years, they have developed an excellent mastery of the dent repair technique which makes them capable enough to perform repairs on any vehicle. The primary aim of Metro Dent is to restore the vehicles of their clients to its original condition. Other than providing dent repair services, they also offer premium glass replacement service, auto detailing service, as well as hail damage repair in Denton and Dallas, Texas. As for auto hail damage service, they offer world-class concierge service. If anybody is looking for hail damage service, they offer rental car onsite to expedite the process anywhere in Greater Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area. The professionals work closely with their clients' insurance company to make sure all work is covered well ahead of the process to begin. Thus, one can have peace of mind knowing that all work they perform is fully covered. For more information on hail damage repair in Denton and Dallas, Texas, visit http://www.hailfreecar.com/auto-hail-damage-repair/. About Metro Dent Metro Dent is a reputed full-service body shop which has over 25 years of valuable experience in the field of auto repairs. They are a family owned shop, who is an expert in hail damage repair, collision restoration, and dent repair services. For the convenience of their clients, they also provide pick-up and delivery services in the local area. China is preparing for a potential war on the Korean Peninsula by reinforcing missile defenses near the border with North Korea, Radio Free Asia reported Friday. RFA quoted a North Korean source in China as saying the Chinese military late last year deployed another missile defense battery at an armored division in Helong, west of Longjing in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture. Military units in Yanbian were relocated from Heilongjiang Province, thus adding 300,000 troops along the border, the source added. Now it is deploying missile defense batteries near North Korean reservoirs by the Apnok and Duman rivers. Chinese troops in the border area could be swept away if the North tore down the banks of the reservoirs or they were destroyed by missiles or air strikes, the source added. On Jan. 24, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported that the 78th Group Army, the first Chinese military unit that would cross the border into the North in the event of a war on the Korean Peninsula, has been armed with newest surface-to-air missiles against South Korean and U.S. aircraft and missiles. President Moon Jae-in will have dinner with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday, presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said Friday. Pence heads the U.S. delegation to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, which start the next day. Moon will also meet Chinese politburo member Han Zheng, who leads the Chinese delegation. On Friday he will talk with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres over lunch and then meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Moon is also expected to sit down with leaders from Estonia, Canada, Lithuania, Switzerland, Germany, Latvia, Norway and Slovenia in the next couple of weeks. Meanwhile, the White House last Thursday announced a list of officials who will accompany Pence, includes Ed Royce, the chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Gen. Vincent Brooks, the commander of the U.S. Forces Korea, former USFK commander James Thurman. Pence will also be accompanied by his wife Karen. But contrary to expectations, no member of U.S. President Donald Trump's family is coming, or at least not yet. North Korea came back swinging at international condemnation of its plan to stage a military parade on the eve of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. "If you are that frightened by our event to commemorate the founding of our military on Feb. 8, why did you not schedule the Olympics some other time?" fumed the state-run Rodong Sinmun daily on Saturday. For the last 40 years, North Korea has celebrated the founding of its military on April 25. It only announced on Jan. 22 that the day will now be moved to Feb. 8. Even North Korean calendars for this year still mark April 25 as the anniversary. "South Korea's puppet conservative party should fault the U.S. military scheme that deploys anti-nuclear submarines around the Korean Peninsula, rather than picking a quarrel with us," the paper thundered. The North Korean propaganda machine has been busy trying to drive a wedge between the U.S. and South Korea but has failed to win over the South Korean public. South Korea and the U.S. are miles apart when it comes to their approach to North Korea after the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. In a telephone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday, President Moon Jae-in voiced hopes that "the continued momentum of inter-Korean dialogue contributes to lasting peace on the Korean peninsula." Moon added that the upcoming visit to South Korea by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence would be an "important turning point." But Pence was quoted by a staffer as saying, "We are seeing an unprecedented level of international cooperation on the maximum pressure strategy targeting the Kim [Jong-un] regime, and the vice president will make clear that this maximum pressure campaign will only intensify." Trump, who met eight North Korean defectors prior to his phone call with Moon, said, "We think the Olympics will go very nicely and after that, who knows?" In the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review published by the Pentagon on Saturday, the number of times North Korea is mentioned rose from four in the previous report in 2010 to 50. A senior U.S. official told South Korean reporters prior to Trump's meeting with North Korean defectors that the president is considering "both military and non-military options." But South Korean government officials are no longer talking about the nuclear threat at all. In a briefing after the phone call, the White House said the two leaders discussed human rights in North Korea, but Cheong Wa dae did not mention that part. Early last month, the White House said in a press briefing that Moon and Trump agreed to put maximum pressure on North Korea, and Cheong Wa Dae did not mention that either, stressing instead Trump's support for inter-Korean dialogue. Inter-Korean talks should lead to dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang about denuclearization. Seoul must not worry about agitating Kim Jong-un along the way but make him realize that avoiding it is a losing strategy. Kim must be made to understand that he cannot use Moon to bypass international sanctions. In a telephone call with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday, Trump thanked him for maintaining maximum pressure on North Korea. Moon failed to earn the same thanks. An appeals court on Monday overturned a five-year prison sentence for Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong and gave him a suspended sentence instead. The Seoul High Court sentenced Lee to two-and-a-half years in jail for corruption suspended for four years. Former Samsung executives Choi Ji-sung and Jang Chung-gi were also both given suspended sentences. The court accepted that Samsung bribed ex-President Park Geun-hye and her confidante Choi Soon-sil but said there is insufficient evidence that Lee actively sought favors from them. It added there was insufficient proof that the billions Samsung gave to Park and Choi by various avenues all constituted straight-up bribes. Among seven charges relating to about W433 billion, it only upheld the bribery charge for a W36 billion payment for Choi's daughter's equestrian training in Germany (US$1=W1,085). It also cleared Lee of a technical charge of hiding assets overseas in relation to the payment. Special Spring Festival gift boxes a great choice for book lovers From:shine | 2018-02-04 21:29 As the Spring Festival approaches, Xinhua Bookstore has cooperated with Shenhuoguan, a lifestyle concept store owned by Shanghai Times, to release some special book-themed gift boxes for their customers. The gift boxes, which feature books and different creative culturalproducts, have nine types in four categories. They are now available in 37 Xinhua bookstores and six Shenhuoguan stores in Shanghai, as well as some online platforms including WeChat Mall, JD.com, 001town.com and Tmall. Another goof-up: Alappuzha Medical College declares alive patient dead The relatives, who made arrangements for the cremation, and reached the hospital for receiving the body, were then told that their patient was still alive and under intensive care. A GANG assaulted broke into a house and assaulted a man before stealing two Land Rovers. The group of men forced entry into a property on Cadeby Road, Sprotbrough, at about 2am on Friday. They demanded money and made threats, police said, and a 28-year-old resident was punched in the face. The group left after grabbing the keys to a Land Rover Discovery and a Land Rover Discovery TDI, both of which were later found abandoned. A police spokesman said: A number of other items were taken during the incident. Do you live locally? Did you hear or see anything suspicious? Call 101 quoting incident 82 of February 2 or pass information to Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111. RESIDENTS were rescued from a block of flats after a deliberate fire outside spread into the building on Friday. Firefighters from Maltby, Rotherham, Edlington and Aston Park stations attended the incident on St Barbaras Close, Maltby. The blaze spread from outside to the foyer area and an upstairs flat within the two-storey block shortly after 7.30pm. The fire took about 45 minutes to put out and four residents were rescued from inside the building. A fire service spokesman said: Fire control operators remained on the phone to occupants throughout. By providing important fire survival advice, occupants were quickly guided to a place of safety in which they could reach fresh air. This allowed crews to rescue the occupants safely and quickly away from the building using ladders. The incident was one of four fires in Maltby over the weekend, which also included a fatal flat fire four hours later. A man in his 50s died in the blaze on Queen Mary Street, the cause of which is under investigation. Firefighters also dealt with a vehicle fire on Birks Holt Drive at about midnight on Friday. The blaze, involving a Vauxhall Astra van, was recorded as accidental. And a Toyota Land Cruiser was deliberately set alight on Addison Road at about 11.30pm on Saturday. Elsewhere, fire crews were called to an amount of tyres alight on School Close in Wales. The incident, at about 9.30pm on Sunday, was recorded as accidental. This last December, shortly before Christmas, the Auction House of Christie's arranged a private display of jewelry in Moscow. The correspondent of Rough & Polished, who had an opportunity to visit this event, was able to admire a luxurious collection of jewelry from famous brands and talk with Julien-Vincent Brunie, International Head of Jewellery Private Sales at Christies. At the annual exhibition of jewelry offered for private sale, the Moscow office of Christie's in Romanov Lane displayed a collection of more than 30 jewelry pieces for a total of about 2.5 million euros. Among the invited guests there were prospect buyers, including media personalities, and journalists of glossy magazines and specialized publications. Julien-Vincent Brunie, Christies Head of Jewellery Private Sales told about the collection, which was a mix of vintage and modern pieces. It included contemporary jewelry of the SABBA brand maintained by Sandro Sabbatini, a talented designer of Italian origin, who works in Paris. These were made of titanium and graced with diamonds and spinel. There were classical things, which may be even called vintage, originating from aristocratic families that are usually sold privately, avoiding open auctions - a Buccelatti necklace with an aquamarine weighing more than 60 carats, a Bvlgari ring with a ruby and a yellow diamond and the most expensive item on display - a spectacular ring with a Burmese ruby of 4.5 carats in size. As Mr. Brunie explained, "auctions have already finished, but before Christmas many still want to buy something and need the mediation of Christie's to find buyers looking for Christmas gifts." Image credit: Christie's Besides this, Christie's and de GRISOGONO launched a partnership project, Art of de GRISOGONO, last November. Mr. Brunie said de GRISOGONO is a fine brand and Fawaz Gruosi is a talented designer. In jewelry, the latter often uses excellent large diamonds. Hence, the idea that both companies join their efforts, selling the most outstanding jewelry in the auction history. Most recently, Christie's put up for sale an impressive and unique emerald necklace from de GRISOGONO with a suspension carrying a diamond weighing 163.41 carats, the largest in the auction history. Christie's used to sell large diamonds and diamond jewelry quite often before. In the first half of 2017, a diamond weighing 101.73 carats was sold at Christies auction in Geneva for $ 26.7 million - a record sum for colorless diamonds. It was bought by the famous jeweler Harry Winston, and, since he was given the right to give it its own name, the diamond was re-named as Winston's Legacy. This stone has the shape of a pear, it is absolutely symmetrical and has a flawless grade. "We sold several diamonds weighing more than 100 carats," Mr. Brunie is proud to say, "but that jewelry piece of de GRISOGONO fetched a record price." Mr. Brunie regards high quality diamonds as a good investment: Everything in this life is determined by quality. At Christie's, I'm responsible for private sales - I attend many exhibitions, and I need to be aware of everything that comes into sight to choose what is needed. I communicate with a number of clients, and I advise them what it is worth to buy - which are the best quality stones that will be a good investment. Image credit: Christie's In any field, be it art or jewelry, you buy what you like. And you always buy quality, which means it's very important to buy in the right place. Then it will always be a good investment. This is something that we always advise to do to our customers. Speaking of synthetic diamonds and asked if they have ever been put up for auction (No, of course) and if this may happen in the future, Mr. Brunie answers quite definitely: No and it is unlikely to happen. "Although technology is becoming more and more sophisticated, ways of identifying synthetics are becoming more sophisticated as well. At Christie's, we treat our business very attentively and carefully. We have the best evaluation experts and we have a super reliable certification system. Though Mr. Brunie is engaged in private sales, he works closely with the auction department. According to him, the procedure for examining precious stones participating in auctions is quite complicated and reliable. If these are collectible stones, then we have 2-3 certificates for diamonds, including from the GIA. Christie's has a very powerful and experienced team of experts, which includes 2,500 employees around the world, and when there are doubts, they exchange opinions and make decisions collectively. By the income that diamonds bring to the auction house, they can perhaps be compared with contemporary art - in particular, painting. But in this respect diamonds may even be compared with the classical painting as well - Mr. Bruni recalls a recent event, when Christie's sold a canvas of Leonardo da Vinci for $ 450 million at an auction last November. But this is a unique case. Meanwhile, the aforementioned necklace of De GRISOGONO was sold for $ 37 million, a sum quite hefty for jewelry. Image credit: Christie's According to Mr. Brunie, the year of 2017 was quite successful for Christie's compared to 2016: The economic downturn is rather beneficial for collectors - the quality of auction lots in this period is increasing. And you can buy the right thing for the right price - it's a pretty positive time for auctions. There are all sorts of nuances, however, as it is hard to say which auction items bring the greatest benefit to Christie's. The auction house, Mr. Brunie explains, is a company that buys and sells: "We are operating not for profit, but for the sake of quality." The work of Mr. Brunie is quite specific and continuous, as he acts on his own schedule - travelling everywhere, looking and seeking what he likes. Mr. Brunie is enthusiastic speaking about jewelry collections, about his penchant (for colored diamonds), about Kashmir sapphires, Colombian emeralds and Burmese rubies he finds that all precious stones are beautiful and jokes that for him it is easier to deal with women than with their husbands, because women love diamonds, while husbands get nervous buying "their best friends" for them. Julien-Vincent Brunie came to the jewelry industry 17 years ago having behind him the Law Academy and the Paris School of Business. He talks about Christies clients - Elizabeth Taylor among them - and says that many celebrities and collectors are customers of Christie's. Mr. Brunie also says that he was fortunate enough to witness the sale of a stone with an amazing history it was the pink diamond, which had once belonged to Cardinal Mazarin known for his passion for jewelry and rare stones, who gave it to Louis XIV as a gift. And this is not the only case. When you work at Christie's, you have a chance to see unique things and deal with amazing people. I am happy that I am doing this - being surrounded by beauty and art is a privilege. I think that I am lucky - this is the best, most delightful work in the world! Galina Semyonova for Rough&Polished The 24th edition of the annual Investing in African Mining Indaba commenced in Cape Town, South Africa on Monday with thousands of industry and government officials in attendance. The four-day conference would feature a junior mining showcase in which more than 50 companies would discuss potential investment opportunities, according to the indaba managing director Alex Grose. Mining Indabas purpose is to bring together all of the stakeholders to drive mining investment into the African continent, he said. By focusing on the mining corporates, governments and investors, we hope that the next four days should prove invaluable Africas mining industry was expected to register an upturn in commodity prices and a return to exploration, according to the organisers. Delegates were expected to discuss on how best the miners would equip themselves for the new challenges they would encounter over the forthcoming years. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau from Cape Town, South Africa, Rough&Polished Stornoway Diamond Corporation has reported that its first sale of 2018, which was conducted on January 26, yielded gross proceeds of US$14.4 million for the sale of 138,687 carats of diamonds for an average price of US$104 per carat. According to the company, this is the highest price achieved to date, and reflects a strengthening diamond market at the beginning of the year and appreciable improvements in breakage levels, size distribution and quality mix. The parcel represented run of mine diamonds recovered during a four week period from mid-October to mid-November. Stornoway sold 24 special stones (larger than 10.8 carats) for an average price of US$3,210 per carat during the tender. The tender sale, held at the Antwerp offices of Stornoways sales agent Bonas-Couzyn, saw 190 attendees, which was a record number for the company, Stornoway reported. Brian Lindamood has been promoted to vice president engineering at the Alaska Railroad and will oversee the evaluation, planning and construction of the railroad's infrastructure including engineering, bridge maintenance and construction, and capital project management. Lindamood joined the Alaska Railroad in June 2006 as capital projects manager and has led the railroads Project Management Department since January 2012. Previously, he held senior positions in several national engineering firms, including Hanson-Wilson Inc. and TranSystems Corporation, specializing in railway design and operational analysis. Involved with railroad infrastructure for two and a half decades, Brian has the broad industry insight and specialized technical knowledge to oversee this vital area of the states railroad, said Alaska Railroad President Bill OLeary. During the dozen years he has worked at the Alaska Railroad, Brian has led high-profile capital projects with complex engineering solutions. His work has been closely aligned with all the key infrastructure areas which he will now oversee. Lindamoods ascent into the vice president role follows the move of Clark Hopp to chief operating officer. Lindamood has contributed to multiple industry publications and textbooks, has contributed to the development of several training programs and short courses in railway engineering, and acted as adjunct faculty in Railway Engineering at the university level. He is also a past president of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA, 2015-2016). Ive worked with remarkable railroad capital project and engineering teams over the past 12 years, said Lindamood. I look forward to building on a solid foundation as we continue to enhance a rail transportation system that Alaskas people and businesses can count on. Banking majors around the world, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citi, and Lloyds Banking, have banned their customers from buying bitcoin, the highly volatile cryptocurrency leader, or other cryptocurrencies with a credit card. A JPMorgan Chase spokesperson reportedly cited the volatility and risk involved as the reasons. It was last week, that reports said the bank allowed customers to buy cryptocurrencies with its credit cards. Citigroup said in a statement, "We have made the decision to no longer permit credit card purchases of cryptocurrency. We will continue to review our policy as this market evolves." Lloyds Banking Group has banned its customers from buying Bitcoin starting Monday. The ban applies to the banking group's eight million credit card customers in Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland, Halifax and MBNA. The news came following the price of digital currencies falling falling severely, amid the latest negative developments in the crypto market. These include ban from social media giant Facebook, and India as well as other regulators around the world taking strong stance against it. The price of bitcoin has more than halved from its all-time high around $20,000 in mid-December 2017. No different are other major digital currencies. According to coinmarketcap, bitcoin stands at $8,308 as of 12 am ET Monday, down 9.6 percent, with a marketcap of $139.96 billion. On Friday, bitcoin's value fell below $8,000 briefly. The currency's price in the beginning of last year was about $1000. The second largest cryptocurrency, ethereum was down 11.13 percent to $851.40, with a market cap of $82.94 billion. Ripple was down 12.35 percent to $0.82 with a market cap of $32 billion. Towards the end of 2017, the prices of all these cryptocurrencies had soared on huge demand. Capital One Financial had already decided to ban cryptocurrency purchases with its cards, while Discover Financial Services since 2015 has prohibited such purchases. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Peach Aviation Ltd. has denied reports that it shelved plans to accept bitcoin as payment for airline tickets. The leading Japanese low-cost airline had announced in May 2017 that it would accept bitcoin through a partnership with Japanese cryptocurrency exchange, Bitpoint Japan, by the end of the year. However, in December, Peach postponed the time frame to the end of the fiscal year, i.e., March 2018. But after waves of fear passed through the crypto- in the wake of the hack of major Japanese bitcoin exchange Coincheck on January 26, and speculation of a crackdown on trading and spending in the crypto-market, reports said Peach may be halting its plan to accept the digital currency. But Peach Aviation posted a brief statement on its website Monday denying the reports. "There have been some reports today on our company retracting its plan to enable airline tickets to be purchased with Bitcoins; however, this is not something that was announced by our company and is not a fact. We are currently considering our start period in aiming to introduce such a service," said the Osaka-based budget airline company. Peach Aviation, which operates more than 90 daily flights in 12 domestic and 13 international routes, offered the option to book seats using cryptocurrency to attract more tourists from other parts of Asia. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Forex News A new ad by Republican state Rep. Jeanne Ives, who is challenging Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner in the primary, has become controversial. Leaders from both Republican and Democratic parties are calling on Ives to pull the ad that has been denounced as anti-immigrant, racist, sexist and transphobic. An introductory television ad that Ives released at the weekend defines her as the conservative reform candidate in the 2018 Gubernatorial Primary. The new ad, titled "Thank you, Bruce Rauner," mockingly thanks the governor for clearing a path in support of a series of social issues. The 30-second spot features an actor portraying a transgender woman thanking the governor for signing a law expanding trans rights, and a woman wearing a pink hat symbolic of women's marches. The campaign team says the ad gives a fair and accurate representation of the implications of Governor Rauner's policy choices. "Those Republican primary voters who don't know of Rauner's betrayals of conservatives need to know. Now they will". Reaction to the ad was swift, with Republican Party Chair Tim Schneider, Rauner's campaign spokesman Will Allison as well as groups supporting transgender, abortion and immigration rights in Illinois calling on Ives to pull the ad. "There is no place in the Illinois Republican Party for rhetoric that attacks our fellow Illinoisans based on their race, gender or humanity. Rep. Ives' campaign ad does not reflect who we are as the Party of Lincoln and as proud residents of our great and diverse state," said Schneider, who is an ally of Gov. Rauner. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News Report: 7 civilians killed, 60 injured in 46+ airstrikes over 24 hours [05/February/2018] SANAA, Feb. 5 (Saba) At least seven Yemeni civilians were killed, including a child, and more than sixty injured when the US-backed Saudi-led aggression coalition launched over 46 airstrikes on several provinces of Yemen during the past 24 hours, officials and medics told Saba News Agency on Monday. In the capital Sanaa, seven civilians were killed, including a child, and at least 58 were injured in two airstrikes targeted the Labs Forensic Evidence building in Dahban area. Also in Sanaa, two airstrikes were waged on Nehm district. In Saada province, two civilians were injured in airstrikes targeted a main road of Saada city, while three airstrikes hit Hamazat area and other seven targeted Malahidh area of Dhaher district. Also in Saada, the warplanes of aggression launched a series of airstrikes on the down of Maran mountain and five air raids on Atfain area of Kutaf district. Meanwhile, artillery and missile shelling targeted Aal-Fadhl area of Haidan district and several areas in Razeh border district. In the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, thw fighter jets of aggression waged 13 air strikes on Hais district, three of them targeted a water desalination plant, and another one targeted a civilians home. In Hajjah province, the aggression warplanes launched an airstrike on Khawarya area of Hairan district, seven airstrikes on Haradh and Medi district, and an air strike on Muzareq area. In Lahj province, an air strike was waged on Kahbub district. In Jizan Saudi border district, three Saudi-led aggression coalition airstrikes targeted Jara valley. Writing by Sameera al-Mahdi, Editing by Zak Saba Report: Yemen Army carries out ground attacks against Saudi-led aggression forces over Sunday [05/February/2018] SANAA, Feb. 5 (Saba) The Yemen army and popular committees have launched military operations, including artillery, missiles and snipping attacks to frustrate US-backed Saudi-led aggression coalition mercenaries and soldiers infiltration over Sunday, according to military reports combined by Saba News Agency on Monday. In Najran Border province, artillery shelling targeted Saudi-paid mercenaries in several areas of Boqea desert and in front of Boqea camp. Also in Boqea district, A Saudi-paid mercenaries was shot dead. In Saudi border province of Jizan, Saudi soldiers gatherings were shelled by artillery in Qewa village, while gatherings and fortifications of Saudi army were targeted by artillery shells in Malhama site and Kamer village. Also in Hathera site of Jizan, sive Saudi soldiers were sniped, and mercenaries gatherings were shelled by artillery. In Asir bored province, Saudi-paid mercenaries gatherings were fired by artillery shells in front of Alab crossing. In Taiz province, unique offensives were waged upon mercenaries sites in Sud hills north of Moazea, Jahmalia district, and in northeastern Yakhtel, inflicted the militias heavy causalities. In Jarah area, artillery shells were fired toward mercenaries gathering, an ambush was carried out on mercenaries site by engineering unit of the Yemen army, killing and wounding dozens. Also in Jarah, an infiltration of mercenaries was foiled by the army and committees, inflicted them heavy casualties. In Jahmalia district of Taiz, dozens of mercenaries were killed in an ambush carried out by engineering unit in Tashrefat area of Jahmaliah. Two mercenaries infiltrations were repelled in Osayfirah front, killing and wounding dozens. In Dubab district, Saudi-paid mercenaries gatherings were targeted by artillery in Imam camp Also in Taiz, sive of Saudi-paid mercenaries were sniped in several areas. Furthermore,Zilzal-1 missile was fired toward mercenaries gatherings in Osayfira front. A Saudi-paid mercenary was killed in Salw front of Taiz by the fire of the army. In Nehm district, two Saudi-paid mercenaries infiltrations were foiled toward Yam and Hawl areas, killing and wounding dozens. The army and committees carried out an offensive operation on coalitions mercenaries in Manara area, inflicted the mercenaries heavy losses. In Jawf Yemen province, Zilzal-1 missile and Katyusha rockets were fired toward mercenaries sites in Muton and Hazm districts. Also in Muton, a military vehicle was destroyed in an offensive operation upon mercenaries sites in Abaida village. Also in Jawf, dozens of mercenaries were killed in an attack operation upon their sites in Zurqa of Maslup district, and Qanasib hill of Ghail district. Furthermore, artillery shelling targeted gatherings of mercenaries military vehicles in Baydha hill of Maslup, causing huge causalities, while two military vehicles were bombed by explosive devices in Mahamesh front of Khub-washaaf district, killing all its crew. Also in Khub-washaaf district, artillery shells targeted mercenaries; gatherings, killing and wounding dozens. In Hazm district, gatherings of mercenaries were fired by Katyusha rockets toward Special Guard camp. Two military vehicles were destroyed by artillery in Mutun district of Jawf, killing all their crews. In Medi district, dozens of mercenaries were killed and wounded in artillery shelling targeted their gatherings north of Medi desert. Also in Marib, Katyusha rockets were fired by Yemen army toward militias gatherings in Mas camp of Judan. Writing by Sameera al-Mahdi, Editing by Zak Saba The Volvo Ocean Race fleet slipped lines at the Nansha Marina in Guangzhou, China on Monday morning in preparation for Leg 6 to Auckland, New Zealand, which will start this Wednesday following a short stop in Hong Kong. For Liu Xue (aka Black) racing on board Dongfeng Race Team in the next leg, it was a homecoming he will not forget: "For me this has been a magical few days with the team arriving in China and visiting Guangzhou where we have enjoyed the support of our friends families and everyone at Dongfeng."The Guangzhou stopover marked the fourth time the Volvo Ocean Race has stopped in China over the past 10 years, beginning with the Olympic sailing venue of Qingdao in the 2008-09 edition. Subsequent races have visited Sanya (2011-12 and 2014-15) and now the current race is in the Hong Kong SAR and Guangzhou, China for the first time."This my third time that I've been to China with the Volvo Ocean Race. We have been for a few days and it's different than to what we are used to, but very nice," said Team Brunel skipper Bouwe Bekking."There is an excellent marina and the infrastructure is superb. The organisation is fantastic and it's clear that the Chinese know how to put things into place very quickly."Six teams in the Volvo Ocean Race fleet are scheduled to cross the starting line off Hong Kong for Leg 6 to Auckland on Wednesday February 7 at 1300 local time (0500 UTC), although strong winds are forecast which may push the start time earlier to get the fleet away ahead of the big breeze. Race Management will confirm the start time within the next 24 hours.The seventh team, Vestas 11th Hour Racing, has announced it will miss Leg 6, following a collision with a non-racing vessel at the end of Leg 4. The team has already missed the Leg to Guangzhou.: "The time required for repairs means the team will not be rejoining the race in time for Leg 6 from Hong Kong to Auckland, New Zealand. The shore crew has loaded the yacht onto a freight vessel in Hong Kong for transportation to Auckland."The team aims to have repairs completed during the stopover in Auckland, in time for inshore racing and the start of Leg 7 to Itajai, Brazil, which is scheduled for March 18," the statement concludes.Follow the action here: www.volvooceanrace.com Photos of sea state never do it justice. It is a truth and occasional lament, as its difficult to convey the feeling of being at sea. This passage (Trials at Sea and Ashore) held some of the most unpleasant seas weve experienced: flat-fronted walls of water, tossing Totem around. These pictures wont capture those seas, but to the challenging passage from Colombia to Panama. A more pleasant start on departure from Santa Marta; ahead of us, the 51 Beneteau adjacent is dwarfed when passing the massive yacht M5. A few hours later, a chain link of Totems steering cable broke: steering was still possible with the autopilot, but not with the helm. In many situations, that wouldnt be such a big deal. In these seas, which necessitated more human-controlled steering to avoid rounding up, it was a bigger problem. What followed was about eight hours of hand steering the waves by pressing autopilot buttons to adjust course. Here, Jamie works on repairs that night as we lay at anchor near Baranquilla. More about the break, and the fix, in a later post. The next day was relatively uneventful, but exhaustion prompted a stop in Cartagena to rest. Aussie catamaran Aseka entering behind us, in a narrow channel shared with commercial vessels like that in the background. Fishermen heading out to sea in the early morning, passing the 18th century San Fernando fort which guards one side of Cartagenas Boca Chica entrance. For the first time in months, a pod of dolphins joined us to play in the wake. Feathered hitchhikers are always fun, although boobies like the one that joined us overnight can leave appallingly smelly poo on deck. This one struggled to sit on the furler and eventually settled on the anchor roll bar (an excellent poop scoop). We decided it was practicing for a band album cover with extended stares off into the middle distance. Clearing in at Puerto Obaldia, Panama, was interesting as swells rolling in made us pitch at anchor. Thankfully we were able to depart the tenuous spot to find serene waters in Puerto Perme before nightfall, and host our first Guna visitors (and their dugout) the following morning. Trials of this passage are detailed in the prior post, but internet prevented pictures at the time - enjoy a late update! EUGENE, Oregon (AP) Consider this a second chance for Tyson Gay. Maybe his last one, too. The 33-year-old sprinter was handed a spot on the U.S. Olympic track team as a relay runner Monday, more than two years after his doping positive cost the Americans their silver medal from the 2012 Games. Gay dominated the sprints for a time before Usain Bolt burst onto the scene in 2008. The American is still ranked second all-time behind Bolt with a time of 9.69 seconds in the 100. But the last several years have been a struggle, filled with injuries and setbacks none bigger than a positive doping test in 2013 that cost him one year out of the sport and forced the relay team to surrender its medal. Gay finished fifth in the 100 and sixth in the 200 at the recently completed Olympic trials, but coaches stuck to the order of finish for the 100 meters, taking Gay and sixth-place finisher Christian Coleman, along with Mike Rodgers, whose spot was locked in thanks to his fourth-place finish. In Gay, the U.S. gets a two-time Olympian and 2007 world champion at both 100 and 200 meters choosing him over high-schoolers Noah Lyles and Michael Norman, who finished 4-5 in the 200 at trials. Asked before the trials what it would mean to make the team, Gay said: "A hell of a lot. I'm considered the old one of the bunch now. It definitely means a lot to me to still keep up with these young guys here, use some of my veteran skills to my advantage." Also added for relays on the 127-person team, which includes 84 first-time Olympians, were Arman Hall, Tony McQuay and Kyle Clemons (men's 4x400), Ariana Washington (women's 4x100) and Francena McCorory and Courtney Okolo (women's 4x400). Some other things to know about the U.S. track and field team: LIKE A FINE WINE: At 41, Bernard Lagat is still going strong making his fifth Olympic team. The ageless 5,000-meter runner showed just about everyone that age is merely a number. "I don't believe I'm old," Lagat said. "If you believe you're old I'm going to run like an old man." JUST A KID: For a few days, 18-year-old high jumper Vashti Cunningham was set to be the youngest to compete for the U.S. Olympic track team in four decades. That lasted until 16-year-old Sydney McLaughlin came along and made the team in the 400-meter hurdles and took that distinction. To think, she had a little case of stage fright to begin the trials. It hardly showed as she set the world junior record to finish third and earn her place in Rio. "This has to be the icing on the cake," the prep star from New Jersey said. "Regardless of what happens in Rio, I made it here and I'm just so thankful for all of that." FEEL-GOOD STORY ENDS WELL: 800-meter runner Boris Berian made the team despite an uphill climb working at McDonald's after dropping out of college to earn extra money to train and recently winning a lawsuit over Nike over what gear he could wear that nearly kept him off the starting line. FEEL-GOOD STORY ENDS NOT AS WELL: 110-meter hurdler and defending Olympic champion Aries Merritt finished fourth missing the team by one spot less than a year after returning from a kidney transplant. He had a positive outlook, though. "For me to be where I am is a miracle," said Merritt, who operated at 10 percent kidney function when he captured a bronze medal at the 2015 world championships last summer. DOUBLE DIP: Why stop at one event when you can double? There are plenty of athletes doubling up in Rio, including Galen Rupp (marathon, 10,000 meters), LaShawn Merritt (200, 400), Tianna Bartoletta (100, long jump), Tori Bowie (100, 200) and Justin Gatlin (100, 200). But Molly Huddle, who qualified for the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, was entered only in the 10K. And Allyson Felix, who had designs on a 200-400 double, didn't make the 200 lineup. The Minister of Justice and Courts Administration, Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu, is in the Bahamas. He is attending the Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting, which has ended with a pledge to reform key legislation in the provision of legal services in a range of areas. Tackling terrorism, addressing climate change, responding to natural disasters, meeting sustainable development goals and eradicating early and forced marriage were all on the wide-ranging agenda. After three days of deliberations, ministers pledged to pursue key law reforms in a number of areas. This was a critical moment for the Commonwealth for so many reasons, said Secretary-General Patricia Scotland. Dominica and Barbuda are still in ruins after devastating hurricanes Irma and Maria, and millions of people in Asia and Africa are still suffering the after-effects of mudslides, floods and desertification. Countries at the table are also dealing with a frightening escalation of violent and virtual crime, the impact of global terrorism and violent extremism, and with young girls being taken out of school and forced into marriage. These are just some of the challenges facing the nations represented at our meeting, and I am so proud of the diligence, commitment and resolutions of law ministers to find solutions to these issues. Ministers and attorneys-general agreed to review and strengthen legal frameworks and legislation to prevent the grooming and recruitment of terrorists and to stop them crossing borders and being funded. They discussed how to make this aspiration a reality and recognised the importance of community involvement. Delegates also focused on law reforms to help their countries achieve targets to lower global temperatures and to support the smooth operation of relief efforts during and after natural disasters. They discussed how they will work, as legal advisers to government, to develop legal frameworks to improve health, education, employment, financial and other critical services relevant to the achievement of their sustainable development goals. There were many aspirations expressed at this meeting and to ensure that we are able to turn them into action, the Secretariat offered ministers a number of tools and support mechanisms, said the Secretary-General. Our new legislative drafting handbook and guide to law reform will take legal drafters and those responsible for law reform through a step by step, stage by stage guide to create or amend laws in any of the areas discussed. These are going to help all our countries, but will be particularly valuable to developing and smaller nations with limited resources. She continued, The theme of the meeting was Strengthening the Rule of Law through Technology, so we offered all ministers access to our Office of Civil and Criminal Justice Reform, which provides technical assistance and an online platform with best practice guides, model laws, standards, templates and legal insight on a range of issues. The Secretariat also presented a new secure messaging mobile app which will be trialled in 2018. This app will enhance international cooperation by helping countries to collaborate to tackle cross-border and organised crime. Delegates underscored the importance of these meetings as a forum for sharing best practice, one of the Commonwealths greatest advantages. Marlene Malahoo Forte, Attorney General of Jamaica, said this years summit provided an opportunity for vibrant discussion and collaboration on key issues. Anisul Huq, Minister for Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs in Bangladesh, said The issues that have been taken up in this conference are very pertinent to us and it is important that we come here, we share our experiences and we exchange ideas to improve on these issues. Samoas Minister of Justice and Courts Administration, Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu, praised the Commonwealth Secretariat for preparing a strong agenda. Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Law & Justice & Electronics & Information Technology in India, said, This is an occasion to share the best practices, the smaller countries, the big countries. In that way this interaction is very very meaningful, very very purposive. We make good friends, many of the problems are similar in many ways, the solutions can be similar. The Bahamas Attorney General, Carl Bethel, who hosted the event, described the summit as a very important forum for law ministers across the Commonwealth, to come together to share best practices and consider our responses, both as a commonwealth and as individual countries to shared challenges. It is no secret that more often than not, candidates and aspiring politicians are associated with bribery and corruption as part of their push to win votes. This is a universal disease and Samoa is no exception. With the General Elections only a couple of months away, we are in for an interesting next few weeks as the countdown continues which means bribery, treating and false promises are terms we will hear more and more about. Now we are all aware that elections and corruption go hand in hand. Regardless of what people say about having clean, free and fair elections, its inevitable that someone, somewhere will look to cheat the system. Most of the time when we talk about cheats though, we focus our attention on the candidates. Fair enough. But cheating is not confined to candidates and aspiring politicians. Some of the worst ones are among us. We are talking about the voters who fuel the fire of corruption during the elections. They are just as guilty of rorting the system as the candidates buying voters and bribing supporters. Last month, one such cheat was caught red handed. The 40-year-old man was charged, convicted and fined $800 for misleading the electoral process. Sentenced by District Court Judge, Fepuleai Ameperosa Roma for willfully misleading the Electoral Commissioner and producing a false declaration, Aukusotino Ng Lams punishment should serve as a warning for all of us. The Court heard that the defendant had signed a letter without the consent or knowledge of land owner, Toaono Ng Lam, to confirm the residency of some voters. The declaration said the voters were from Moamoa when they were in fact from Tapatapao. Given the opportunity to address the Court, Aukusotino said: I had no idea I would end up in Court because of what I did. I was pressured by the Electoral committees to do this and I had no idea I would get in trouble with the law. The defendant did not say which Electoral Committees he was referring to. But Judge Fepuleai highlighted the seriousness of the offense. The aggravating factors of your actions Mr Ng Lam is the element of dishonesty, he said. You should know that elections is the heart of democracy. Its an opportunity where citizens of this country get to elect their political leaders. And they dont happen very often. So if this opportunity to elect our leader comes around, and voters and so as members of our community are not honest in the way they participate in the process, it will undermine the electoral process greatly. Judge Fepuleai added that a number of key changes to the electoral laws mean the work for the Office of the Electoral Commissioner is not an easy one. The Office of the Electoral Commissioner relies on the honesty of the voters and members of the community to ensure that the electoral process is fair and just, he said. But if voters are not honest, as in your case, their work will be much more difficult. As Ive said, elections are at the heart of democracy in this country. The fact that your actions were deliberate makes it more serious. The Judges rely on principle terms to help them determine the kind of sentencing that appropriately deals with such cases. Judge Fepuleai said imprisonment in these kinds of offences was eminent. However, I have taken into account the facts that you have pleaded guilty to these offences at the earliest opportunity, that you are a first offender and that you are remorseful of your actions. For those, I am of the view that imprisonment is not necessary but whatever decision that this Court gives today will reflect a message that these kinds of actions are not acceptable from our voters. Indeed, we couldnt agree more. The message must be explicit that cheating the system when it comes to voting is a no no for both candidates and voters. Far too often, the candidates take the weight of the punishment during election times. But often ignored is the role played by voters in pressuring the candidates to cheat. The Court ruling in question should clearly be a warning to everyone that cheating does not pay. Whats more, credit to the Office of the Electoral Commissioner for being alert and picking up these cases. There is no doubt that there will be more of them in the next few months. But the message is there and is quite clear from the authorities. If you break the law, you will be caught and punished. We should all take notice and stay well clear from the wrath of the law. Have a fabulous Tuesday Samoa, God bless! Samoa will host the 11the Asia Pacific Telecommunity Policy and Regulation Forum in Apia from November 27-29. The three-day conference was preceded by a internet connectivity workshop on ensuring sustainable connectivity in the Pacific yesterday. Samoan Regulator, Auelua-Fonoti, said she was pleased that Samoa is hosting the conference and looked forward to the outcomes. As the Regulator, I am pleased to see this Forum being hosted by Samoa, and look forward to the positive outcomes that will result from the discussions and workshop next week, she said. The workshop will be facilitated through collaboration between the Asia Pacific Telecommunity, Internet Society, Asia-Pacific Network Information Center and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. The three-day conference will conclude with a e-application workshop organised by the International Telecommunication Union and the Pacific Islands Telecommunication Union in partnership with the Asia Pacific Telecommunity. According to a statement from the Government, the events will provide a common platform for the nations of the region to discuss issues and suggest feasible solutions. This will be done through dialogue on trends of the ICT Policy, regulation updates of the Pacific, artificial intelligence and internet of things as well as internet connectivity in the Pacific Islands and beyond. A total of 70-80 participants are expected to participate in the conference which starts today. These will include representatives from the Commonwealth Telecommunication Organisation, ITU, Facebook and others. Dear Editor, I am glad that P.M. Tuilaepa is looking into reviewing and making sensible changes next year to these so called questionable beauty pageant arrangements as it is all very confusing when people from New Zealand all of a sudden pluck out of thin air a Samoa candidate for international competitions like Miss World whom basically had not been officially endorsed by the country that bears its name. The P.M. was right in the end about the recent Samoa candidate getting snots. Well, to be more precise, definitely Samoa the country got snots, the candidate on the other hand got a nice and expensive junket to a high end resort island in China and some nice memorable experiences which she would not have otherwise received if she went to that other low-key and low-cost but arguably more relevant pageant to Samoa and the Pacific region. I think pageants are silly events really. Especially superficial and highly commercialised events like Miss World or Miss Universe. Anyone who thinks they are about anything more than physical beauty or good looks or first appearances is quite frankly naive or misguided. The fact that the Samoa candidate did not make anywhere near the final top 20 competitors clearly demonstrates this. The equation is simple really for these fickle international competitions and goes along the lines of - if you do not look like a supermodel or possess extraordinary physical beauty then do not expect to win. Take the Miss World 2014 from South Africa for example - she has out of this world physical beauty that any high-end model agency around the world would see as business advertising lucrative. Did I mention the Morleys, who founded and run Miss World, run a successful modelling agency. Modelling agencies, as the wise know, look for nothing more than what or who looks exceedingly good on camera. Certainly puts the beauty with a purpose mantra that they go on about in Miss World in a different light a ea. And just imagine the total cost, of bringing all those 100 plus candidates from around the world to an expensive island resort and hosting and sustaining them there for a month, being converted into millions of talas that can be given to feed the poor and needy of this world or help raise their living standards. In short, suffice it to say that our P.M. with lengthy life experience and a recent PHD added to his PHD Laws, MBA and Bachelor in Economics knew something that the recent naive Samoa candidate to Miss World did not fathom. Manuia tele le Tausaga Fou Samoa. S.M.Samoa The government needs to consider the safety of people who swim at the Tufuiopa village pool. The concern has been raised by village member, Tuifao Sauala, following a string of incidents where vehicles have crashed into the pool. As of last week, three vehicles have found themselves in the Tufuiopa pool and luckily no one was swimming when the accidents occurred he said. Otherwise it would have been a disaster. Are we going to wait for a tragic incident to happen in order to act accordingly? According to Sauala, the traffic incidents have occurred only after the resurfacing of the Tufuiopa road. I blame the L.T.A. and the Police for not enforcing the speed limit in the town area and the condition of the road now, he said. Also why is this road slippery compared to other roads overseen by L.T.A that are not slippery when it rains? You see what is going on, there are speed limit signs everywhere, but it is not being enforced that is why the drivers continue to drive like maniacs. Sauala lives next to the pool and he says sometimes there are about 25-30 children swimming in the pool. Imagine if a car slides into pool, it would be a disaster, he said. And that is why the government should make this a priority in order to ensure the safety of our children." The road is slippery and as a parent, I am highly concerned for the safety of our children." So now we have stopped our children from going to take a dip in the water, which to me is unfair, this literally deprives our children from enjoying what they grew up doing and that is swimming in the pool, he said. According to Sauala, the drivers need to play their part and that is to heed the speed limits of the main road. "To the drivers who take this road, please be considerate when you drive around this area, we have our children walking to the stores." And also when it rains please do not speed in case your car slips into the pool again." This used to be a safe area, but Im afraid after the accidents, it has become an unsafe area and the government needs to fix the issue at hand, said Sauala. He said their village has a meeting scheduled and he intends to raise the need for speed bumps and maybe huge rocks to protect the pool. But then even the big rocks will just present such danger for the driver if they crash onto it and that is why its important that our concerns are addressed to the L.T.A. and the Ministry of Police, he said. Emails sent to Acting L.T.A. Chief Executive Officer, Mataafa Sepelini Poufa, and Police Superintendent and Media Spokesperson, Auapaau Filipo Logoitino, were not answered as of press time. Last week, a Holden vehicle veered off the road and crashed into the village pool. An eyewitness, Jadyn Ualesi, said the person who drove the car was test-driving the vehicle. The vehicle was speeding, she told the Samoa Observer. It came down from where Island Rock Company is and it couldnt stop on time to slow down at the curve and it went straight in the pool. Ms. Ualesi said the driver was not hurt. This pool is usually full of young kids and people nearby who come and take a swim and it would have been a disaster if there were people in the pool. An employee at Le Manumea Hotel received $50 worth of mobile phone credits after having her name picked, in the Swipe and Win February campaign. Taufaalili Misili, who is the second winner said she didnt expect to win, as she thought her transaction wasnt big and would not be drawn. Ms. Misili went in to the draw, after using her PacifiCard via an EFTPoS to withdraw money at Mynas Supermarket at Vilima. Meanwhile, the first draw for the Swipe and Win campaign was conducted last week, with the winner Maria Aiano, a nurse at the Tuasivi Hospital in Savaii collecting her prize from our Salelologa Branch. The Swipe and Win campaign is in its second week running, with two more draws remaining, before the major draw at the end of the month. Customers are encouraged to purchase goods via a BSP EFTPoS machine to go into the draw to be eligible for the weekly draw to win $50 mobile credits or go into the major draw to win a Samsung Tablet Tab3 at the end of February. Proposition 64, which voters approved in 2016, says a Californian who is at least 21 who uses marijuana cannot be prosecuted by state or local authorities. But the decriminalization of marijuana in California has no impact on California employers with policies prohibiting the possession or use of marijuana and other drugs in their workplaces. Heres why. Prop. 64 specifically says it does not restrict an employers right to maintain a drug- and alcohol-free workplace . . . or affect the ability of employers to have policies prohibiting the use of marijuana by employees and prospective employees, or prevent employers from complying with state or federal law requiring a drug-free workplace. In 2010, by contrast, California voters rejected a ballot measure that would have decriminalized marijuana and, further, would have prohibited employers from punishing an employee for permitted marijuana consumption that did not actually impair job performance. Advertisement Thus, post-Prop. 64, employers may continue to disqualify applicants who test positive for marijuana and terminate employees who possess, use, or test positive for the substance or, generally, not do so. The California Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that employers may terminate even employees who test positive for marijuana that the employee is using for medicinal purposes under Californias 1996 medical marijuana law, the Compassionate Use Act. An employers duty to accommodate an employees disability excludes any duty to accommodate marijuana use to treat the disability. In Ross v. RagingWire Telecommunications, Inc., the California Supreme Court concluded that the CUA did not create a broad right to use marijuana without hindrance or inconvenience, enforceable against private employers. Rather, it established a narrow exception to the [states] criminal law. As a Fresno federal judge put it in a 2016 ruling interpreting the CUA, it does not violate the [states employment discrimination law] to terminate an employee based on their use of marijuana, regardless of why they use it, and the Compassionate Use Act did not change that. Nor did the much broader Prop. 64. Recreational marijuana use also is not protected by California law prohibiting employers from punishing their employees for engaging in lawful conduct occurring during nonworking hours away from the employers premises. It continues to be a federal crime to possess, use, grow, process transport, purchase, or obtain marijuana in any quantity. As long as marijuana remains classified as a Schedule 1 drug along with heroin and ecstasy, using marijuana cannot be considered lawful conduct, even away from work on personal time. But if Prop. 64 did not constrain existing employer rights concerning workplace drug policies, it also did not remove existing restrictions on those rights. On the one hand, the Drug Free Workplace Act continues to require companies with federal contracts worth at least $100,000, and organizations that receive federal grants of any size, to maintain zero tolerance drug policies. Federal regulations, such those applying to interstate truck drivers, also continue to require such policies, including random drug testing. On the other hand, Californias constitutional right to privacy prohibits employers, except where required by law, from testing a current employee for any substance without reasonable suspicion the employee is impaired at work, such as after a workplace accident. Unless covered by state or federal regulations, random drug tests are allowed only for employees in certain safety- and security-sensitive positions, such as correctional officers and employees who operate heavy machinery around co-workers. Advertisement In the current tight labor market, an employer not required to maintain a drug-free workplace may choose not to disqualify applicants or discharge employees for using marijuana in a way California no longer considers criminal. But that is a matter of economics, not law. Before Prop. 64, an employer had the broad right to regulate drugs in the workplace. The dramatic changes Prop. 64 made to the legal landscape in California related to marijuana stopped at the office door. Dan Eaton is a partner with the San Diego law firm of Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek where his practice focuses on defending and advising employers. He also is an instructor at the San Diego State University Fowler College of Business where he teaches classes in business ethics and employment law. He may be reached at eaton@scmv.com. His Twitter handle is @DanEatonlaw. Marijuana Videos Chip maker Broadcom boosted its buyout offer for San Diegos Qualcomm on Monday to $82 per share ratcheting up the pressure on shareholders to support a hostile takeover bid. The massive $121 billion merger would be the largest ever in the tech industry, and represents a 50 percent premium over the trading price of Qualcomms shares in early November, when Broadcom first made overtures to acquire the company. Broadcom Chief Executives Hock Tan called the increase his final and best offer for Qualcomm. In November, Broadcom offered $70 per share to acquire Qualcomm, which the companys board rejected as too low. Advertisement Tan then nominated a slate of alternative candidates to replace all 11 members of Qualcomms board of directors in a hostile takeover bid. Qualcomm shareholders will choose either Broadcoms or Qualcomms slate by its March 6 annual meeting. The new offer would pay Qualcomm shareholders $60 per share in cash and $22 in Broadcom stock. The cash portion of the deal is the same as it was in November. But the new offer increases the value of Broadcom shares from the previous offer of $10 per share. Our proposal includes substantially more Broadcom stock, which will allow Qualcomm stockholders a greater opportunity to participate in the upside created by the combined companys strategic and operational advantages, said Broadcom Chief Executive Hock Tan in a letter to Qualcomms board. In a statement, Qualcomm said it has received the revised offer and its board will review it. We suspect the price is still below what Qualcomm is looking for, said Bernstein Research Analyst Stacy Rasgon in a report. The combined company would create a semiconductor giant with more than $50 billion in annual revenue trailing only Intel and Samsung. But it also could cause significant upheaval at Qualcomm. Tan is known for operating lean. Broadcom, based in Singapore and San Jose, has roughly 17,000 global employees compared with Qualcomms headcount of 33,000. In its fight against the hostile takeover, Qualcomm has argued that future growth prospects are strong as it pushes into new markets beyond smartphones, including personal computers, computer servers, automotive semiconductors, radio frequency chips and the Internet of Things gadgets. Advertisement The roll out of next generation 5G mobile networks beginning in 2019 also is expected to help Qualcomm, which estimates that it has a one to two year lead over competitors in 5G technology. Qualcomm contends its shares have been temporarily depressed from legal battles with Apple and global antitrust regulators over its business practices surrounding patent licensing. Once those disputes are resolved, the company believes it can deliver $6.75 to $7.50 per share in earnings in 2019. But in a presentation to shareholders, Broadcom said Qualcomm has long failed to deliver on its projections, including missing targets for its chip business revenue, cost reductions and operating profit margins. Advertisement Given Qualcomms broken promises, should investors believe Qualcomm can accurately project two years forward? Broadcom said in its pitch to shareholders. Rasgon called Broadcoms rebuttal of Qualcomms growth prospects simply brutal. Some elements of particular note include the observation that the 4G cycle did nothing for Qualcomms stock in a much better market environment, the fact that Qualcomms future growth model is the opposite of their history and that Qualcomms stock has traded above $82 for only three days in its entire public company history, he said. Broadcom added wrinkles to its new offer. Its prepared to walk away if Qualcomm pays more than $110 per share price for Dutch automotive chip maker NXP Semiconductors. Advertisement I think the $82 offer is a nice number, but its conditioned on Qualcomm not paying more than $110 for NXP, which I feel effectively gives Qualcomm management the ability to beat Broadcom without even talking to them, said Steven Re, president of Fairbanks Capital Management, a long-time Qualcomm shareholder. The long-pending, $38 billion deal is awaiting final regulatory clearance from China. Activist NXP shareholders insist the company is now worth $135 per share. They are pressuring Qualcomm to increase its price. With the deal contingent upon NXP at $110 or not at all, Qualcomms board of directors can hinder the potential takeout by raising the bid for NXP closer to the $135 value that NXP activists have been pushing for, said Christopher Rolland, an analyst with Susquehanna Financial Group. With China approval still pending, its unclear whether Qualcomm can close the NXP acquisition before before its March 6 annual meeting. Advertisement The pressure is on. Broadcom said it will withdraw the $82 per share offer if Qualcomm delays its annual shareholder meeting past March 6. Perhaps because of the uncertainty surrounding NXP, Qualcomms shares fell 6.5 percent on Monday to $61.73 an unusual drop considering Broadcoms higher priced offer. Going into a shareholder meeting, you have an $82 offer out there, and the stock is at $62, said Re. I cant imagine the institutional shareholder base of Qualcomm is going to like that. The new offer would increase the cash amount payable to Qualcomm stockholders if the deal fails to close in one year as well as pay a significant but undisclosed break-up fee should global regulators block the merger. Advertisement Qualcomm believes that product overlap between the two companies would result in at least 18 months of regulatory review, require the sell off of product lines and could be rejected outright by global regulatory bodies. Broadcom counters that Qualcomms portrayal of the regulatory risks is overblown, and Broadcom has fully negotiated financing for the transaction. If its board candidates are elected by shareholders at Qualcomms annual meeting, the Broadcom board is prepared to invite (current Executive Chairman) Paul Jacobs and one other current Qualcomm director to join the combined companys board upon completion of the transaction. Broadcoms shares ended trading Monday down 3 percent at $228.10. NXPs shares dipped 2 percent to $118.19. Both trade on the Nasdaq. Advertisement Business Advertisement mike.freeman@sduniontribune.com; Twitter:@TechDiego 760-529-4973 The leftist front-runner in Mexicos presidential race has pledged to raise wages and create jobs along the northern border and other regions across the countrymeasures he said will bring economic benefits and stem migration to the United States and thus eliminate the need for President Donald Trumps planned border wall. We wont allow this wall to be built, well persuade Donald Trump that its not necessary, said Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a former Mexico City mayor commonly known by his initials, AMLO, told reporters during a stop in Tijuana on Tuesday night. And if he insists and wants to impose this wall, well go to the United Nations and present a complaint. The 64-year-old candidate is making his third presidential bid after losing in 2006 and 2012. He has been rallying crowds across Mexico with his promises to eradicate corruption, impose austerity in government agencies, create jobs and help the poorfrom students to the elderly. As several thousand supporters gathered at the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) party offices in the citys Rio Zone, Lopez Obrador primarily sounded those themes, with only passing references to the U.S. president, whom he said was arrogant... for saying that he will build a wall all along the border so that Mexicans dont go to work in the United States. Anuncio As Mexicans find new opportunities at home, lets see how they manage to harvest crops in the United States, Lopez Obrador said, adding that the U.S. president will have to ask that Mexicans come and work. These were messages that went over well with members of the audience, who had traveled from as far as Mexicali and Ensenada to hear him speak. A handful even had come from across the border. We are going to end corruption, its the countrys main problem, its the cancer that is destroying Mexico, Lopez Obrador said. We are going to change the image that our country unfortunately has abroad, where the only news that reaches people is that of violence and corruption. To his followers, Lopez Obrador offers hope for change in a country where many still struggle with poverty and injustice, and where a growing number of communities have been facing unprecedented violence. But his fiery talk of reform has also stoked fears as to how his policies ultimately would play out. Anuncio He will have to persuade Mexicos elites that he is not Hugo Chavez, that he is not Nicolas Maduro, that he is a person friendly toward free trade, toward market economy, said Rafael Fernandez de Castro, director of the Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies at the University of California San Diego. In the past few weeks, its impressive how weve seen a Lopez Obrador who is more inclusive...it seems that hes a new Lopez Obrador, and hes been doing very effective outreach toward his political adversaries, he said. With five months to go until the countrys July 1 election, polls have given Lopez Obrador a lead over his two main rivals. Last week, the Mexico City newspaper El Universal published a poll showing 32 percent support for Lopez Obrador, who is running as a candidate for a coalition that includes MORENA and two smaller parties. In second place, with 26 percent, was Ricardo Anaya Cortes, a member of National Action Party, the PAN, who is running under a coalition with two center-left parties. In third place with 16 percent was Jose Antonio Meade of the countrys ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, the PRI. Anuncio While the official campaign season is not scheduled to launch until March 30, all three have come to Tijuana to reach out to their political bases in the past month. With some 2.75 million voters, Baja California is a small state far from Mexicos politically dominant central regionsone where voting tendencies in past presidential races have proven difficult to predict. The last time Mexico had a presidential election, in 2012, a majority of voters favored the PRI. On Tuesday, the crowd cheered as Lopez Obrador told of his plans for a 30-kilometer-wide economic zone that would stretch the length of Mexicos northern border. Residents and businesses would benefit from a sales tax lowered from 16 to eight percent, and an income tax reduced from 40 to 20 percent. Well stimulate development in Tijuana, in all border cities, he said. Money saved through eliminating corruption and reducing costly salaries, pensions and other privileges for high-level government officials would be used to raise salaries of workers at the lower end of the spectrum without the need for raising taxes.Were going to lower the salaries of those at the top, and were going to augment the salaries of those at the bottom, Lopez Obrador said. While in Tijuana, Lopez Obrador did not bring up the North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA, the agreement with Canada and the United States that is being re-negotiated. His top aides have said that if elected president, he would not pull out of the treaty, but would rather like to see modifications. Anuncio Nor did he raise the possibility of granting amnesty to drug cartel leaders as a means of ending violencean idea that stirred much criticism when he brought up the idea last December in the state of Guerrero. Gaston Luken Garza, a former Mexican federal congressman from Tijuana, called the proposals offered in Tijuana a well-rehearsed list of generally attractive themes, though he doesnt say how hell make them happen. Lopez Obrador has learned from his past two campaigns, and delivers a finely honed message that is eaten up by many, said Luken, who made an unsuccessful mayoral bid in 2016 as an independent candidate. Business leaders like David Mayagoitia have been watching and listening closelyto all three candidates, and for the time being are reserving judgment. Anuncio I think hes said some good things and not so good things, he said of Lopez Obrador. Were looking at him just like we would look at all other candidates that would come to our city and be running for president, said Mayagoitia, president of the Tijuana Economic Development Corporation, a group that seeks to attract foreign investment to the manufacturing sector. Mario Medrano, a 17-year-old Tijuana high school student, said he plans to cast his first ballot for Lopez Obrador. I dont know if everything he is saying is a lie, but he is saying there will be good salaries here, and that prices will go down. Among those listening approvingly to the candidates message on Wednesday was Carlos Rios, a 62-year-old landscaper who lives in National City. All the other politicians have stolen so much, said Rios, who holds dual U.S. and Mexican citizenship. Our hope is that this president can make a difference and help the countrys neediest. Anuncio sandra.dibble@sduniontribune.com @sandradibble The expansion into Tijuana of a new drug trafficking group, the Cartel Nueva Generacion Jalisco, is a key factor in explaining the citys record number of homicides in 2017, according to a paper released Monday by the Justice in Mexico project at the University of San Diego. Citing numbers obtained from the Baja California State Secretariat for Public Security, the study reports 1,780 homicide victims in 2017; the Baja California Attorney Generals Office has reported 1,744. In either case, Tijuana had more homicides that any other city in Mexico last year. The dynamics of the violence were seeing in Tijuana are kind of a microcosm of what were seeing throughout Mexico, which is also experiencing a record year for homicides, said David Shirk, a USD professor. He co-authored the report, titled The Resurgence of Violent Crime in Tijuana, together with Jaime Arredondo Sanchez Lira, Zulia Orozco, and Octavio Rodriguez. Besides homicides, the study also looks at other major categories of violent crimes in Tijuana: assault, robbery, extortion, kidnapping, rape, and other sex crimes. Advertisement In mapping out the violence, the authors found that the homicides are highly concentrated in specific areas, and that their distribution reflects the geographic, economic and social divisions within the city. It identifies three clusters: eastern Tijuana, the more central Sanchez Taboada delegation and the Centro delegation closer to the U.S. border. The homicides have disproportionately affected poor young males from marginalized areas of the city, who are both the primary perpetrators and victims of these killings, according to the study. In explaining the violence, the 26-page paper looks at the evolution of drug trafficking groups operating in the city. It also makes suggestions at ways to address the violence through a range of measures. These include: investing in social and economic development programs, implementing community policing in highly violent areas, improving public transportation, and increasing the number of youth outreach and social development programs. The authors also recommend increasing drug rehabilitation and drug prevention programs, as well as improved analysis on crime and violence, and better dissemination of public information. sandra.dibble@sduniontribune.com Advertisement @sandradibble Not much scares Glenn Quillin. Ever since the Carlsbad retiree had to bail out of an airplane with a dead engine in 1931, hes had a taste for thrill rides. On Saturday, he celebrated his recent 102nd birthday by setting the Guinness World Record for the oldest person to ride a zip line. This years aerial adventure, accomplished at the La Jolla Zip Zoom park in Pauma Valley in San Diego County, was simply the latest daredevil stunt for Quillin. He marked his 100th birthday in January 2016 with a tandem skydive in Jamul. Theres always a lot of anticipation when you log one of these new adventures, and I felt very comfortable along the way, he said afterward. Its a great location and the people were wonderful. Advertisement Chad Gutierrez, who manages La Jolla Zip Zoom, said he was amazed at Quillins bravery. The mountainside attraction has three extreme zip lines, where passengers in helmets and harnesses travel at speeds up to 50 mph at distances up to 2,700 feet and a vertical drop of as much as 800 feet. Hes been having a blast, Gutierrez said, just as Quillin was heading down the mountain for his third and final ride Saturday afternoon. Hes braver than most of the people who come out here. Weve had people quit on the first one, and he couldnt wait to do them all. Once certified by the Guinness World Records organization, Quillin will own the record held by a 90-year-old, according to Quillins grandson Mike Welch, who organized both the skydiving and zip-lining adventures. Hes always had an adventurous spirit and he loves doing things that make peoples jaws drop, Welch said. They had suggested that he skip one of the shorter runs today and take a rest, but he wanted to do them all. He just charged through it all and enjoyed the whole thing. Quillin was raised in Illinois and has lived in California for most of his life. During World War II, he worked on the Manhattan Project in New Mexico supervising a mechanical engineering team that supported the radiation labs. He went on to work for Hughes Aircraft for many years in Los Angeles and owned a real estate business with his wife, who died in 2010. He has lived in the Carlsbad By The Sea retirement community since 1998, where he stays fit by visiting the gym several days a week. Hes busier than I am, Welch said of his grandpa. When I want to visit him I have to make sure to check his calendar because hes got so much going on. Quillins colorful life is the subject of a new play, The Price of Peace, by Oceanside actor-playwright Lance Arthur Smith. It premiered in December in a new play festival at New Village Arts in Carlsbad. Smith said he sees Quillin as a hero. Advertisement He is, he absolutely is, Smith said. Hes extraordinary. Hes a cool cat I like him a lot. Quillin is already looking ahead to his next big adventure. A hot-air balloon ride is on the list, along with one more skydive. Welch said that the Guinness World Record for the oldest skydiver is 102, so he and Quillin are hoping to break that record next January when Quillin turns 103. I have my eye on that airplane, Quillin said. I wouldnt mind doing that again, not one bit. Advertisement pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com For years, homeless families that lacked the basics of getting by in the economy a high school diploma, life skills, a decent job but showed resolve in becoming independent got a second chance in New Bethany Ministries subsidized apartments in South Bethlehem. But because of a recent change in federal policy, New Bethany lost funding for the program, which costs $108,000 a year to operate. The loss forced the agency to shutter the 10 units that had housed families in transition, and now other agencies serving the homeless say they too may have to close transitional housing programs. The closures will reduce local housing for the homeless at a time when demand for it is soaring, say advocates, who believe that at least 2,000 people are homeless in the Lehigh Valley. It doesnt sound like a lot, New Bethany Executive Director Diane Elliott said, but losing 10 units of apartments is devastating to the Lehigh Valley. Advertisement New Bethanys program allowed families to stay up to two years while they went to school, got jobs or received counseling, providing the support and time needed to stabilize their lives. The agency required clients to pay 30 percent of their income on rent. But the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development shifted much of its funding from programs like New Bethanys to those that have embraced another model that HUD says is more efficient and effective. The change is causing upheaval among homeless program providers around the country, as well as in the Lehigh Valley, where affordable housing is in desperately short supply. Challenges such as the ending of transitional housing will be the subject of a daylong regional housing summit Thursday at De Sales University. Developers, government officials and professionals in real estate, law, mortgage lending and social services are among those invited. The policy change that led to the program closures came as no surprise to homeless agencies. The shift began during George W. Bushs term and continued through the Obama administration, as HUD officials began leaning away from transitional housing. In its place, HUD promoted a model called Housing First, which, unlike transitional housing, emphasizes getting a person or family out of a shelter and into an apartment as soon as possible, regardless of their willingness to get a permanent job, sober up or develop other skills that were requirements for entry into transitional housing. HUDs goal is to make homelessness rare, brief and nonrecurring, said HUD spokesman Brian E. Sullivan. Under the old model, it met none of the objectives, he said. We were managing homelessness, not ending it, he said. A number of studies support the agencys shift to Housing First solutions on the principle that homeless people cannot deal with their joblessness, lack of work skills or education, or inability to handle the day-to-day functions of running a household if they dont have a permanent roof over their heads. Studies of Housing First programs in Utah, Colorado and Canada, among others, showed lower costs per person and improved success rates meaning housing stability for at least six months. In the Canadian study of 950 homeless people with severe mental illness, 73 percent of Housing First clients were in stable housing after a year, as opposed to 31 percent who received treatment-as-usual services, including transitional housing. Advertisement Another HUD study over three years showed average costs per family in transitional care was $2,706 a month versus $880 for families in rapid re-housing, a strategy that provides rental assistance and family support for shorter periods of time, generally around three to six months. We are following where the evidence leads us, Sullivan said. Critics say the policy was changed to give the federal government the ability to say its winning the war on homelessness without addressing the harder questions of why it happens. Bill Vogler, executive director of Pinebrook Family Answers in Allentown, said by getting people out of transitional housing where individuals are still considered homeless the government can claim it reduced homelessness, even if its causes were left unaddressed. This is all about changing definitions, he said. Advertisement As long as affordable housing is in short supply in the Lehigh Valley, homelessness will not end, advocates say. With limited funds and beds to address the issue, agencies found it made sense to target people who showed the best chance of success. Even then, if we hadnt been there to provide guidance and hold them accountable, a lot of them wouldnt have made it, Elliott said, referring to New Bethanys clients. The Housing First model only makes sense in communities where there is enough affordable housing stock, Vogler said. I cant run a program that is basically offering housing. Thats not our mission, he said. I just feel that its important to provide supportive services along with the housing and also to expect as part of receiving those services that the residents do certain things and the Housing First model doesnt really let me do that. Advertisement Additionally, HUD rules make it difficult for agencies to switch from one program model to another, advocates said. For example, HUD wants clients in Housing First programs to be scattered throughout a region so programs dont create homeless ghettos or place substance abusers next to families with young children, Elliott said. That disqualified the apartment building on Bethlehems South Side that had been New Bethanys home for transitional services. You can say Housing First, said Alan Jennings, executive director of the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley, which runs two transitional housing developments. But if you dont have any housing, you dont have a solution. A new database the regions agencies use to report requests for housing shows a growing need for assistance: By the end of last year, 1,155 households -- which includes individuals as well as families -- were on a waiting list for housing, according to Kathy Krablin, grants director for Valley Youth House, which offers housing programs. Thats up from 1,032 just three months earlier. In another measure, the confidential human services referral line 211 received about 2,800 calls in 2014, said Laura McHugh of the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley. Last year, she said, that number reached 7,400, with more than 2,500 of those calls pertaining to housing assistance, the top reason people used the referral line. Advertisement Advocates say they are reluctant to give up transitional housing programs because they work. Of the 10 families that completed CACLVs transitional housing program in 2016-2017, all 10 were in safe and affordable housing six months later, according to the agencys latest annual report. Pinebrook Family Answers, which had a transitional program in Allentown for women exiting prison, found that 90 percent of the women who finished its program were paying rent on time, said Lori VanDoren, director of forensic services. Of the seven women who left its transitional program in 2016, she added, all of them found stable housing. And of those who finished New Bethanys program, 75 percent of families left with a GED or college education and jobs that allowed them to pay rent on the private market, Elliott said. Rebelling proves costly Across the country, advocates for transitional housing butted heads with HUD in similar disputes and lost. Programs in Boston, suburban Washington, D.C., and Las Vegas, for example, closed, losing hundreds of units largely for women and children. No matter what part of the country youre talking to, this has been an issue, said Leigh Howard, president of Diana T. Myers & Associates, a firm that consults on applications to HUD. Tension is strong and running high. Advertisement Jennings said he chose to fight HUD last year about funding his agencys transitional housing programs in Easton and Allentown. HUD scored other projects with higher marks, sending funding elsewhere. The region lost money because we resisted, he said. Where I thought they were wrong, I fought back. For the 2016-2017 fiscal year, the shift of federal dollars from the transitional programs at CACLV, Pinebrook and New Bethany cost the region $275,000, Howard said. That was partly offset by the Third Street Alliances new funding for a short-term rapid housing program, she said. Accounting for that, Howard said, the net loss to the region was $126,000. Advertisement Steve Berg, vice president for programs and policy at the National Alliance To End Homelessness, said he understands how long-time program managers would have a hard time adapting to new models. However, if HUD rewards more efficient programs, more people get housed, he said. In many cases, the traditional programs demands that homeless people demonstrate that they want to change act as barriers to solutions, supporters of Housing First say. Shannon, a single mother who first went to the Program for Women and Families in 2011, before it merged with Pinebrook Family Answers, exemplifies the challenges and the rewards of that system. Shannon, whose last name The Morning Call is withholding to protect her privacy, said she went into Pinebrooks program rather than return home to escape an abusive relationship. She left without resolving her issues, saying, I didnt like people telling me what to do. However, she clearly was not prepared to live on her own. Advertisement I had to swallow my pride and ask to come back, she said. The second time around about a year later, Shannon said, she opened her mind to changing. The time and support she received turned her life around, she said. They gave me opportunities I wouldnt have had, she said. Today, she lives in a home with a partner. She owns her own car. Advertisement And, she said, I still use a lot of the techniques they taught me. Record funding to tackle issue If theres agreement between HUDs Sullivan and the transitional housing backers, its that homelessness is not solved in a one-size-fits-all model, and that funding simply isnt sufficient. HUD, which provides the bulk of federal homeless funding, this year announced it would give $2 billion to homeless programs across the country, a record. Pennsylvania is getting $102 million, with a 33-county region that includes the Lehigh Valley region getting about $11.9 million of that sum. The record funding, Sullivan said, is still not enough to address the totality of whats out there. Advertisement A nationwide HUD survey in December showed that 553,742 people were homeless on a single night, an uptick of 0.7 percent over the 2016 survey. There still is way too many homeless people, said Berg, of the homeless alliance. The much bigger issue is why are so many people losing their housing? The answer is people at the bottom end of economy, their incomes have not kept up with the rising tide of rents. Advocates now are considering how to get a better handle on the regions housing resources, said Alisa Baratta, co-chairwoman of the Lehigh Valley Regional Housing Advisory Board. They want to identify public and private properties, how many beds are provided and whether they are available for men, women, children or families, she said. Knowing the full inventory of resources, Baratta said, should help the region in future HUD funding applications. Meantime, agencies are watching their transitional programs wither. The CACLV has scrounged for money to keep its program on Ferry Street in Easton going since the fall, but Jennings said hes on the verge of closing it, too. Advertisement And after Pinebrooks program for women exiting prison lost its funding in October, the agency switched to a pilot program helping women and children involved in Lehigh Countys Office of Children & Youth Services. Were at a crossroads as an organization, said President and CEO Bill Vogoler. If this pilot year doesnt work, we quite likely will consider selling the building. Not everyone has found the shift so problematic, however. Valley Youth House converted its family program to stay within HUD funding guidelines, Krablin said. It operates 13 individual units that last year served 24 adults and 55 children, or about 20 families. Under the new program, families with children will receive rental assistance and minimal services from the outset, with funding trimmed back over time until the apartment lease is converted into the familys name, or they move elsewhere, Krablin said. Advertisement We at Valley Youth House have adapted to the HUD model because thats where we get our funding, she said. But she also acknowledged that, with more than 1,100 households on a housing waiting list, the funding and capacity of local agencies to deal with homelessness is insufficient. They are literally homeless, but may not be on the street or in a tent by a creek, Krablin said. Many of them move to and from family and friends. Theres a lot of couch surfing, she said. Advocates said that the combination of fewer homeless units and a tight supply of affordable apartments leaves needy families with difficult choices. Advertisement Weve been doing the best we can to try to find private landlord situations but unfortunately, that means theyre going to live in substandard housing, said Lori Sywensky of Turning Point, which had moved some of its domestic violence clients to New Bethany. The choice at times comes down to homelessness or returning to a violent household, she said. Sometimes they do choose to go back into a devastating situation. People give up hope, Sywensky said, because there is so little in terms of housing resources. Advertisement HOUSING STATS 1,155: Number of households in the Lehigh Valley on the waiting list for housing assistance as of Dec. 31. $11.9 million: Funding provided this year by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the 33-county region of eastern Pennsylvania, including Lehigh and Northampton counties $102.5 million: HUD funding for 519 homeless programs statewide Advertisement tdarragh@mcall.com Twitter @tmdarragh 610-820-6691 Its been almost two years since Deng Machars three young children were abducted from his home and likely sold for cattle. Sitting in South Sudans opposition-held town of Akobo, the 35-year-old pointed to the dirt beneath his feet. They were playing right there, Machar said. It would be easier if they were dead because then I could forget. Machar said his 4-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son were likely sold for cattle after being seized by men from the rival Murle tribe. He doubts his 2-year-old son is still alive. Eleven children in all were abducted from this area that day and none has been seen since. It is a little-acknowledged tragedy in South Sudans five-year civil war. Child kidnappings between clans have increased as people become more desperate amid widespread hunger and a devastated economy, human rights groups say. Advertisement Child abductions and trafficking in South Sudan is a real issue that requires an urgent response by the government, said Edmund Yakani, executive director of the nonprofit Community Empowerment for Progress Organization. While tracking child kidnappings is challenging amid the conflict and mass displacement, he said his organization has confirmed abductions in several parts of the country. Those include 11 children seized last year in Abyei in the north, five taken between 2012 and 2014 in the Wau area in the west, and seven in 2016 and 2017 in the Yei area in the south, near the Ugandan border. The United Nations says its child protection team confirmed abductions in the regions of Unity, Central Equatoria, Jonglei, Upper Nile and Western Equatoria last year, though it didnt have a total number. Although inter-clan fighting, cattle raiding and abductions are deep-seated throughout this East African country, Yakani called it a particular problem in Jonglei state, where the town of Akobo is located and where many in the Murle tribe base their livelihood on selling children. During a recent trip to Akobo, near the Ethiopian border, The Associated Press spoke with Murle tribesmen who acknowledged stealing and trafficking children for personal gain. The intention is to trade the children for cattle or use them personally, said Thiro Akungurouth, a Murle youth leader who knows some of the abductors. One child, no matter what his or her age, can sell for 20 cows, worth about $7,000, he said. Children who arent sold are kept by families without kids while girls are groomed for marriage, Akungurouth said. Stigma remains against childless families in South Sudan. Abducted girls often are married to their captors. Advertisement Authorities in Akobo said 37 children have been seized in the surrounding areas since 2016, more than in the first three years of the war combined. It was not clear how many children have been abducted across the country during the civil war. One opposition governor blamed South Sudans government for the increase in kidnappings, saying its trying to create a wedge between the Murle and Nuer tribes to advance its military agenda. Its happening more now because the government is instigating a rift and telling the youth to attack by distributing arms and ammunition, Koang Rambang, the governor of Bieh state, which until last year was part of Jonglei, told the AP. He specifically faulted the countrys First Vice President Taban Deng Gai for instigating more abductions, citing 10 children who were seized in January while Gai toured the largely opposition-held Jonglei. Advertisement South Sudans government denied it, saying Gai was in the region only to promote peace. The government also said it had given directives to the concerned governors of those states to get rid of those activities, said Maal Maker Thiong, who works in the office of the presidency. But as the civil war drives the nation deeper into despair, children continue to be the worst affected. Although South Sudan in 2015 signed onto the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states that all parties should take appropriate measures to prevent the abduction of, the sale of or traffic in children, the countrys warring factions repeatedly have been accused of committing grave violations against children, including the forced recruitment of child soldiers. The abduction of children is abhorrent. They are vulnerable and deserve our protection, the chief of the U.N. mission in South Sudan, David Shearer, told the Associated Press. He said the U.N.'s human rights team was due to visit Akobo to assess the situation and advocate with local authorities and armed groups to prevent the practice. Advertisement Over the years some organizations have tried to work with the tribes, encouraging them to return the kidnapped children and halt the practice. Last month, a conference held between the Nuer and Murle tribes in the village of Burmath outside Akobo discussed the possible return of some of the children, including three who were abducted on Jan. 17. We tell the chiefs that this is having negative consequences and that they need to stop this and live peacefully, said Ruei Hoth, one of the conference organizers. As desperation among South Sudanese continues, however, people are skeptical that the abduction and sale of children will end. Advertisement I dont think abductions will stop, said Tut Banguot, an aid worker in Akobo. People have no resources and no salaries, they arent working and so they get children and trade them for commodities. Long before he became San Diegos fire chief, Brian Fennessy would wear his crusty, soot-covered helmet like a badge, proof he worked at one of the citys busiest fire stations. He thought it gave him credibility and earned him the respect of peers. Now he knows his dirty gear harbored the toxins and carcinogens that haunt the scene of a fire and that they might well revisit him in the future as cancer. I figure thats whats going to get me, said Fennessy, who has been a firefighter since 1978. When I worked for the Forest Service, man, we sprayed fuel breaks with chemicals that arent even allowed anymore. We inhaled that stuff; we were exposed to all kinds of bad stuff. I figure it is just a matter of time before Im diagnosed. Advertisement At many fire departments around the country, chiefs like Fennessy are working to change the culture of the fire service, encouraging firefighters to take steps to better protect themselves from dangerous fumes, smoke and soot. Cancer is the leading cause of firefighter line-of-duty deaths in the U.S., according to the International Association of Fire Fighters. In the past five years, more than 60 percent of the names added to the Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Wall in Colorado were cancer-related deaths, the organization says. The wall lists the names of more than 7,600 fallen firefighters. Several studies looking at the association between firefighting and cancer have found higher rates of some types of cancers in firefighters compared with the general population, including cancers involving the respiratory, digestive and urinary systems. The largest cancer study of U.S. firefighters to date, done by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, looked at the health records of 30,000 firefighters in three U.S. cities between 1950 and 2009. It found those firefighters had a modest increase in cancer diagnoses (a 9 percent increase) and cancer-related deaths (a 14 percent increase) compared with the general population. Such research along with repeatedly hearing of colleagues in the fire service being diagnosed with cancer prompted Fennessy to green-light his departments cancer-prevention program just a few months after he was appointed San Diegos chief in 2015. In the 18 months since the effort began, program manager Kurtis Bennett said about a dozen employees have been diagnosed with cancer. Fire officials say they want to see a paradigm shift, where firefighters will speak up if a colleague shows up wearing dirty gear. Advertisement Its not going to be the roof caving in on you, or falling off the ladder thats not going to be what kills you, Fennessy said. It is going to be cancer. Concerns about health risks arent new Firefighters have long worried about how their jobs were affecting their health, although much of the early focus was on lung cancer and other respiratory ailments caused by breathing in smoke. The dangers of soot were known way back in 1775 when it was linked to the first case of occupational cancer. A doctor noticed chimney sweeps in Britain were being stricken by a particular form of the disease. In 1982, California became the first state in the country to adopt a presumptive law that makes it easier for firefighters to prove that their cancer is work-related, giving them access to workers compensation and survivor benefits for their families. Advertisement That law was prompted by the deaths in 1973 of two Whittier firefighters who responded to a hazmat incident and died of a rare form of cancer within weeks of each other six years later, said Carroll Wills of the California Professional Firefighters union. Cancer awareness has become a priority for many firefighting agencies, addressed at professional conferences and by industry groups. A bill has twice been introduced in Congress that would create a voluntary national firefighter cancer registry, which officials say would track those diagnosed with the disease and assist future research efforts. In 2013, the nonprofit Firefighter Cancer Support Network published an industry white paper, calling firefighter cancer a looming personal catastrophe for each and every firefighter. The group, which provides mentoring and assistance to firefighters who are diagnosed, declared cancer the most dangerous and unrecognized threat to the health and safety of the countrys firefighters. The group offered tips to minimize exposure to cancer-causing substances; all of the suggestions were incorporated in San Diegos cancer awareness and prevention program. Advertisement San Diegos training kicks off with an emotional 8-minute video that shares the stories of a dozen firefighters who have been diagnosed and treated for cancer. Bennett, who has trained all 900 of the departments firefighters, said the room always gets quiet after the group watches the video. In his sessions, Bennett warns firefighters that they can be exposed to a lifetime of toxins in a very compressed period of time, inhaling them or absorbing them into their skin. The key to reducing the incidence of cancer is changing our culture and changing what a professional firefighter looks like, Bennett said. For years, we esteemed the smoke-eater look of soot-covered faces. That was, to some degree, killing us. San Diegos fire stations are gradually being equipped with commercial-grade washing machines that can better clean dirty turnouts; they long have had equipment that vents diesel exhaust from firetrucks out of the buildings. Special wipes kept on engines allow firefighters in the field to clean their heads, necks, throats, underarms and hands before they get back to the station to shower. Advertisement Firefighters are issued two sets of protective pants and jackets so they always have access to clean ones. They are supposed to take off dirty gear as soon as possible and keep it away from where they sleep and out of personal vehicles. Everyone has two protective hoods and captains carry spares so firefighters can change them out when they get wet or dirty. Some departments are pursuing other methods in their quest to protect firefighters. The Carlsbad Fire Department is outfitting four of its six stations with dry saunas and bicycles, known as chemical detox saunas. It is the second agency in California to purchase the units, said Mary Murphy, who manages emergency medical services for the department. Advertisement After a fire, Carlsbads firefighters will take a shower and then ride the bikes until they work up a good sweat. The idea is theyll sweat heavy metals and other toxins out of their skin. One firefighter who put a towel under the bike when he rode it after a fire told Murphy: Whatever it was that came out of me was black and it was on the towel. Veteran firefighter Todd Bechtel, a captain in the Ocean Beach station, said hes seeing younger colleagues embracing the safety recommendations as they go about their days. After a recent fire, everyone in his station grabbed clean turnouts before the next call. Its a great program, he said. I believe in it. I follow it. Advertisement Bechtel, a firefighter for 26 years, was diagnosed with prostate cancer a few years ago after a routine checkup. He underwent surgery and radiation, but recently learned his cancer has returned. Like others, he would sleep with his pants next to his bunk, take off his mask as soon as flames were knocked down and wear his flash hood over and over without washing it. He wonders if the interrupted sleep cycles typical in a busy station and other stresses also played a role. When the question is asked of me, do I think it was work related, with all the stuff put in front of me, I cant see how it wasnt work related, he said. But you never know. Despite his concerns, for his part Fennessy said he wouldnt discourage any of his three children if they wanted to become firefighters. But, he said, he would want them to be careful about which department they chose to work for. Advertisement Shame on the departments that arent paying attention to whats going on in our business, in our profession right now, he said. Id want my kids to be part of an organization that made taking care of their firefighters a priority. Advertisement karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com Former gubernatorial aide and state utility regulator Susan Kennedy admitted she violated state law by failing to register as a lobbyist. Kennedy was being paid $15,000 a month by Lyft and $25,000 a month by the San Gabriel Valley Water Co. to lobby the California Public Utilities Commission on behalf of the companies. The stipulation she signed with the California Fair Political Practices Commission acknowledges the violations and imposes a $32,500 penalty. A former member of the California Public Utilities Commission has admitted illegal lobbying of regulators and will pay a $32,500 civil penalty, according to the California Fair Political Practices Commission. Susan Kennedy, who served three years on the commission before being named Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggers chief of staff, acknowledged failing to register as a lobbyist and failing to file quarterly lobbying reports. The 10-page stipulation signed by Kennedy shows she was retained as a consultant by the passenger service Lyft for $15,000 a month in 2012 and a southern California water supplier. Soon after signing her agreement with Lyft, Kennedy began contacting commission officials, including then-president Michael Peevey and executive director Paul Clanon to convince them the CPUC should work with (Lyft), not shut them down, the stipulation states. Advertisement The efforts of Kennedy and Lyft were successful as the resulting rules and regulations adopted many of the suggestions and positions put forward by Kennedy and Lyft during the rulemaking process, it added. Kennedy, who in 2015 organized a soiree for Peevey after he stepped down from the agency, also consulted for the San Gabriel Valley Water Co. at a $25,000 monthly rate. Kennedy sought to influence the CPUCs decision on cost recovery for the Sand Hill treatment plant in the general rate case, the Fair Political Practices Commission agreement said. The state Political Reform Act defines a lobbyist as someone who collects $2,000 or more in a month to communicate directly or through an agent with state officials for the purpose of influencing legislative or administrative action. The law requires lobbyists to register and to file quarterly reports detailing their work and clients. Kennedy told investigators that she is no longer acting as a paid consultant to Lyft and instead is focusing on an energy-storage business. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported in 2015 that Kennedy received a contract from Southern California Edison worth up to $100 million a deal that was later approved by the utilities commission that she served on for three years. Advertisement Watchdog Videos On Now Sexual misconduct accusers worry deputy is being protected 6:16 On Now City funded $2-million waterfront bathroom 1:26 On Now Public water district charges customer for legal work, response to records request On Now Video: Tiny homes won't be reused amid housing, homeless crisis On Now Attorney General seeks documentation for Miss Middle East On Now Rep. Hunter probe covers possible fraud On Now Video: SDG&E delaying solar credit for some low-income housing tenants On Now Video: Former San Diego Junior Theatre teacher sentenced for sex with teen girl 0:24 On Now Video: Shelter volunteers believe they were fired for finding a dog a home 0:49 On Now McKamey Manor is leaving San Diego 3:35 jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald A sheriffs deputy has been accused by 14 women of groping them, along with other abuses of power. A commander who is challenging Sheriff Bill Gores re-election met with some of the women on his own time. The commander, Dave Myers, was written up by his supervisors. He attributed it to campaign retribution, which sheriffs officials deny. Sheriffs Cmdr. David Myers (Peggy Peattie ) A department commander challenging Sheriff Bill Gores re-election has been formally written up for meeting with victims of a deputy accused of sexual misconduct by 14 women. Cmdr. David Myers said he met with some of the alleged victims on his own time to prepare for and participate in the San Diego Womens March last month. His boss said the meeting could jeopardize an ongoing investigation. Myers was summoned into the office of Assistant Sheriff Larry Nesbit early Tuesday morning and ordered to explain his contact with several of the alleged victims of Richard Fischer, the deputy placed on leave last year amid complaints that he stalked and groped women. Advertisement As a peace officer, your contact with anyone involved in a criminal case being investigated has the potential to influence the outcome of the investigation or prosecution and may be considered as evidence, Nesbit wrote in the Jan. 30 memo. You are ordered to document, in writing, all details of any contact you have had with any victims, witnesses or suspects of crimes being investigated by any law enforcement agency or the District Attorneys Office and submit your written report to me, he added. Myers declined to sign the two-page order, but complied with the direction to file a written report about what happened. In an email to Nesbit early Wednesday, Myers said he became aware of the case and the specific women involved through media reports and Gores media blitz on TV in December 2017 explaining why he was not covering up for the deputy. Gore at the time was responding to criticism from people including victims who believed that he and acting District Attorney Summer Stephan had not yet arrested Fischer because he is a Sheriffs Department employee. On January 12, 2018, I was asked by a womens rights group to help organize the Womens March in SD, scheduled for January 18, 2018, Myers wrote to Nesbit. I agreed to do this, and did so on my own time and in no way ever represented myself as a sheriffs deputy. Later, Myers added, The Womens March, as you might know, is about equality, respect and dignity for women, including stopping sexual violence and the abuse of women and girls. Advertisement After The San Diego Union-Tribune contacted the Sheriffs Department with questions about Myers order from Tuesday, he was issued a second directive reiterating many of the same points and also ordering him to alert Nesbit to any further contacts with victims or witnesses prior to the close of business on the day the contact occurs. In a telephone interview, Undersheriff Michael Barnett said the Myers write-ups had nothing to do with the commanders campaign to unseat Gore. There has been nothing punitive or retaliatory, Barnett said. This is nothing more than a supervisor telling one of his employees what his expectations are. Since October, Fischer has been accused by at least 14 women of improper groping during police stops and other encounters. Fischer was placed on administrative duty in November and in December was told not to report to work at all. Advertisement Fischer, who remains on the county payroll and has not been charged with any crimes, has not commented publicly on the accusations. The Sheriffs Department closed its investigation Jan. 19 and referred the findings to the District Attorneys Office, Barnett said. In many of the complaints about Fischer, the deputy is accused of hugging women during routine contacts. In others, he is accused of stalking and threatening women he encountered while responding to calls and pushing their hands against his genitals. San Diego attorney Dan Gilleon represents both Myers and the 13 women who have filed legal claims or lawsuits against San Diego County. He said Wednesday the action against Myers is evidence the county is violating Myers right to seek elected office. It seems clear that this official order was designed to quell Mr. Myers free speech and campaign activities, he said by email. Advertisement Gilleon also said the actions may serve to silence the victims as the civil cases move forward in a mediation proceeding. Whereas they claim they want to prosecute Fischer for his abuse of police power, the county realizes that the more my clients engage in these heroic me too activities, the more victims will come forward, he added. I truly do not think the county wants to find more victims regardless of what various officials claim. This is not the first time Myers has claimed that his campaign for sheriff has harmed his work at the department. In November, Myers said he had been stripped of his usual duties and banished to a broom closet deep inside the sheriffs Departments Kearny Mesa headquarters as a result of his run for county sheriff. Gore denied Myers had been retaliated against. Advertisement jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Weekly Newsletter The best of The Saturday Evening Post in your inbox! Join This article and other features about America in Vietnam can be found in the Posts Special Collectors Edition, The Heroes of Vietnam. This edition can be ordered here. Originally published December 3, 1966. The morning sky was clear over the South China Sea, but the weather turned murky as we approached the coast of North Vietnam. Our group of four Skyraiders had taken off from the USS Ranger 45 minutes earlier at 9:00 last February 1 and we were flying in formation at 10,000 feet. All at once, flak appeared as noisy smudges nearby. Then in my headset, I heard a pilot shout, I got a target. There it is at nine oclock. I looked down and saw it an anti-aircraft battery at a road intersection. I pulled the stick, rolled on my back and started into my dive. Suddenly boom, boom, boom. A 57 mm shell knocked off part of my right wing. Another burst hit my engine. It sputtered and quit. I shouted, Mayday! Mayday! into my radio. I leveled out and aimed at the target quickly, then dumped all my ordnance. Miraculously, I hit the target. The anti-aircraft battery had gotten me, but I knocked it out. As I came out of my bombing run I knew I was going to crash. The plane was hardly controllable, and the jungle flashing past beneath me was getting closer. The only clearing was less than 300 feet long, and the surrounding trees were about 150 feet high and 3 feet thick. I pulled back a little on the stick, and the plane began to shudder. I hit a tree, and my right wing sheared off; the plane veered wildly as my left wing hit another tree. The fuselage flipped over two or three times. Theres no padding at all in the cockpit, but I was strapped in tight. I lifted my legs and put my hands in front of my face. I must have been knocked unconscious during the crash, because I remember only struggling to open the jammed canopy and then being on my back 100 yards from the plane. A big plume of smoke was rising into the sky. I tried to get my senses together. My knee was blue, and it hurt like hell. My Mae West [life jacket] was gone, my helmet was gone, and blood was running down my neck. My first thought was to get far away from the crash. I crawled across a little creek and must have traveled about half a mile when I heard voices. I hobbled into some bushes, and slowly the voices faded away. I broke off some little sticks and bound them to my knee with elastic bandages to make a splint. Then I started crawling away on my belly. I knew my target had been in North Vietnam very near the Laotian border, but I didnt know where I had come down. If I headed east through North Vietnam I might reach the ocean. But then what? I didnt have a signaling device anymore, so nobody would pick me up. But suppose I went the other way, to Laos? The jungle there would be thicker and easier to hide in. I still had my compass, and I decided to head west. The guard knew that we wanted water desperately, so hed bring some in a pot and place it just out of our reach. Then hed pour the water on the ground and laugh. For the rest of the first day, I kept walking, avoiding trails and clearings and occasional animal traps. That night I slipped into my sleeping bag. At dawn I started moving again, and soon I got careless. Back in the States, theyd told me always avoid clearings, trails, and water holes. Now I said the heck with that. Why should I walk in the bush when the trail is easy going? They caught me 15 minutes later. A couple of guys jumped out of the bush. Ute, ute, they shouted. I guessed they were Pathet Lao troops pro-communist Laotians. One of them held an M-1 at my head while the other searched me. They tied my hands and hit me in the head a couple of times with their fists. Then they took away my watch, my compass, and my ID cards. For the rest of that afternoon, they ran me along the trail. About 5:00, we reached a clearing where they tied me to a tree. Then a pleasant-faced man in a brown uniform walked over to inspect me. He had a red star on his belt buckle, so I figured he was the leader. The guards had given this man my Geneva Convention card and my regular ID card, and he was trying to read them upside down. For a moment I had a crazy impulse to laugh. But four or five guards had rifles pointing at me. The officer and his men talked for a while. Then they drove big stakes into the ground and spread-eagled me between them. I spent the night trying to shoo away the mosquitoes by moving my head. Then the leeches started crawling up my legs. A leech is about as long as a needle and not much thicker. Sometimes when it drops off, its sucked so much blood that its thick as your little finger. Then you just continue bleeding. or the next several days we walked, four or five guards in front of me, another four or five behind me. The trails twisted up and down so many hills that we had to zigzag constantly in the relentless heat. Occasionally we stopped at small villages. Men, women, and children came out of their huts and clustered about me. The men wore loincloths, and some of them carried knives. They screamed at me and waved their fists, and I could see hate in their eyes. On the afternoon of the fifth day, we went into a huge cave where soldiers were milling around some Russian jeeps. For the first time since my capture, I was able to communicate with someone. One of the Laotian officers started speaking French. At first he was friendly. He had a camera and took my picture. For nearly a week Id been eating nothing but rice. He gave me some sugar and a couple of eggs, and he told me that I could write some letters. Then he pulled out a piece of paper and asked me to sign my name. It was typed and phrased in perfect English and it said, in effect, that the Americans were dropping bombs on innocent women and children and that, although I personally opposed this policy, I was forced to fly on these missions by the U.S. government. I wouldnt sign that paper. The friendly officer said something to the guards, and they beat me on the head with bamboo sticks, then pummeled my face and ears with their fists. Next morning, the officer shoved that paper in my face again. When I refused to sign it, he told the guards to bring a water buffalo to the mouth of the cave. They tied my hands, then my feet, and ran the rope 15 or 20 feet to the buffalos collar. Laughing, they prodded the animal until it trotted. I was dragged headfirst over sharp roots sticking out of the trail. My clothes were tattered; the skin on my legs was shredded, and I was bleeding a lot. I got madder than hell and called them a lot of dirty names. Then I passed out. Finally, on the morning of the 14th day, we reached the prison camp it was just a collection of bamboo huts sitting on stilts about four feet high. They shoved me into one of them, clapped handcuffs on my wrists, and stuck my feet into wooden blocks that must have weighed 30 or 40 pounds. It was very dark in there, but the door was open about half a foot. I saw six other prisoners in another hut a few feet away. Several were in bad shape. I could see big sores on their bodies. I shouted to them, and right away a guard came and told me to shut up. When he left, I called softly to the other hut. One guy called back that his name was Duane Martin; he was an Air Force lieutenant, a helicopter pilot, and he had been captured nine months earlier. Some of the others had been there more than two years. They were really interested in news from outside. What did cars look like now? What was happening in Europe, Cuba, and China? What could you see on television? I told them that President Kennedy was dead. Duane Martin had said that, too, but they hadnt believed him. After a week I was moved into the other hut. Until a month ago, the prisoners said, conditions hadnt been too bad. Theyd even been allowed to boil water at night. Then Little Hitler came and everything had changed. Ill never forget that guy. He was short about 5 feet 2 inches and he wore a blue-and-yellow loincloth. He had dark skin, little squirrelly eyes, and a big belly. He always carried a submachine gun. He did his best to torment us, and he succeeded lots of times. He knew, for example, that we wanted water desperately, so hed bring some in a pot and place it just out of our reach. Then hed pour the water on the ground and laugh. Another of his tricks was to stand one of us in footblocks outside the hut and take the mans handcuffs off. Then hed tell the other guards that the prisoner refused to wear handcuffs and should be punished. Right away theyd beat him and fire bullets at his feet. Of all the guards, and there were 10 or 15 at all times, Little Hitler was undoubtedly the worst. Still, he had competition Crazy Horse, for example. He really did have a face like a horse, and he really was crazy in a brutal way. Then there were Sot and Dam and Windy he was a sly son of a gun who was always sneaking around corners, trying to catch us doing something. And Jumbo I shouldnt forget him a fat, dreamy-faced guy who didnt care about anything. It was hot as hell during the day and bitterly cold at night. Nobody had a match or a lighter we just rubbed bamboo together to make fire. One morning I think it was eight days after I was brought to the camp Crazy Horse entered our hut with a big smile. We were going to be set free, he said, free to go home. We just had to walk to another headquarters. We started marching. All of us were stumbling along, tied to one another by handcuffs. We should have known that Crazy Horse was lying. We didnt reach a headquarters, only another prison camp, like the first one but more heavily fortified. Now we settled into monotonous routine. Every morning wed wake up with the chickens. One guy would holler, Kopa-tie-a-chow I have to go to the latrine. There was a hole in the ground 30 or 40 yards away. Five or six guards would remove his footblocks and escort him there. But if he stayed there longer than half a minute, the guards would start shooting. We soon decided it was safer to relieve ourselves in bamboo containers inside the huts. One of us would have to empty these containers every second or third day and would run the risk of being shot but this was better than having all of us shot at every morning. At about 9:00, the guards would give us rice. Sometimes all seven of us would be allowed to eat this morning meal at a table outside the main hut, and wed have about 10 minutes to talk before the guards yelled Kuo-kuo and shoved us back inside. During the day, the heat was so unbearable that the guards not on duty simply went to sleep. In mid-afternoon theyd wake up, go out to check their traps for animals, and look for edible leaves and bark. Around five theyd let us out again for another 10-minute meal before putting us back in footblocks for the rest of the night. The most nerve-racking part of the routine was the singing. Every night the guards would sing the same propaganda songs, over and over. Now and then the guards would push us out of our huts and hang us upside down from trees or shoot bullets at our feet. One time a guard put an M-1 to my head, and I thought he was going to pull the trigger. Then he laughed and took it away. After the first few weeks at the camp, we developed a routine of our own. Saturday night was our hoot-and-holler time. We tried to pick songs that all of us knew. On Sunday mornings wed hold church services. We didnt have a Bible, but some of us remembered Scripture, and wed talk for an hour or so about God. Then wed pray. The rest of the week we had nothing to do but sit inside those huts and wait for food or punishment. Initially we had enough rice. Then, in March, about a month after we moved to the new camp, the food supply dried up. Once every four or five days the guards would go to check their traps. If something had been caught, it had probably been dead for a while; other animals had torn off its legs or head. For some reason, when they caught a pig, the guards would stick the raw meat into a bamboo container and let it rot there for several days. Maggots would crawl all over it, and it would stink so bad that the guards would hold their noses. But we never got sick from eating it. Most of the prisoners were already used to eating intestines, testicles, and eyes. I thought they were crazy at first, but after a while it didnt bother me either. At mealtime, wed take turns dipping coconut shells into a pot of cold food brought by a guard. If we had meat, wed cut it up first to make sure that each of us got his fair share. One afternoon we found a frog under the floor of our hut. We divided it, raw, among the seven prisoners, and I got his heart. It was smaller than a watch stem, but at least it was food. At night the rats came. We caught them in traps baited with rice. The rats were very good eating. Wed cook them to the extent of searing off their fur, then eat the head, legs, tail, skin everything. The snakes that we caught were small, but most of them had rats in their stomachs. That was a double feast. We never had any medical attention. One of the prisoners had a badly infected tooth; pus was streaming out, and it hurt him a lot. He found a nail somewhere, placed it against his tooth, and hammered it with a rock. He chopped it off piece by piece, and that relieved the pressure. We all had diarrhea. We ate charcoal, and that would stop it a little bit, but some guys still had to defecate 20 or 30 times a night. Ants and bugs were crawling all around, and I cant describe the smell. He found a nail somewhere, placed it against his tooth, and hammered it with a rock. He chopped it off piece by piece, and that relieved the pressure. There were times when I didnt want to wake up. I figured the war would last another five years; Id probably die anyway, so it wouldnt make any difference. I knew Id never get home. From the beginning, we all talked about escape. We decided to wait for the rains which would begin in May. One of the guys made a crude calendar and scratched off the days with a piece of charcoal. D-Day was to be my birthday May 22. That planning gave us hope and kept us alive. In March, we started hiding rice in bamboo containers stashed above our heads. Now and then we picked up empty ammunition clips that the guards had discarded and stored them inside our huts. We rubbed bamboo together to make fire, heated the clips until they were soft, then pounded them with rocks into little knives. I tore up part of my sleeping bag and made a rucksack; another guy made a rucksack out of his shorts. I cant describe the method we used to free ourselves from the footblocks and handcuffs that information is now being given to other pilots but I can say that by April we had perfected our technique. The guy who had the calendar kept crossing off the days. But the rains didnt come in May. The rice supply was almost gone; the guards caught fewer and fewer animals in their traps, and they began to get hungry too. In June we learned that Little Hitler had told the other guards that if they shot us in the back and dragged our bodies into the bush, theyd have all the food to themselves. Now we couldnt afford to wait for the rain. Our only chance for survival was to break out right away and try to make air contact. The guards were letting us out of the huts to go to the latrine once a week; our muscles were so stiff that we could hardly walk. If we delayed the escape any longer, wed be much too weak. About 5:00 each afternoon, the guards would walk to the kitchen, pick up their food in turtle shells, then walk back to their hut. Suppose one of us could wiggle through a hole in the floor of the hut and drop to the ground 3 feet below. He might be able to burrow under the 10-inch logs which surrounded the stilts and sneak across the open space to the guards hut. If he could grab a weapon, he could hold them up when they returned from the kitchen. We didnt have much time. I carved a hole in the floor of the hut, dropped to the ground, and dislodged one of the 10-inch logs with a rock and a bamboo stick. Another guy cut a hole in the wall so he could watch the kitchen. We didnt have watches, but we could time ourselves by counting one potato, two potato, three potato. How long would it take us to get our knives and rice supply and rucksacks out of their hiding places? How long for us to get out of footblocks and handcuffs? How long for me to sneak out of the back of the hut, crawl across 15 yards of open space, and snatch a weapon? The guy with the charcoal added it up. Two minutes and seven seconds, he said. The food supply was so critical that Little Hitler, Crazy Horse, and three or four others went to get rice in a village a few miles away. Only 10 guards remained. When the guards went to eat, I crept underneath our hut, edged past the logs again, and dashed across the open space. Two minutes and seven seconds exactly what the guy had predicted. As soon as I reached the porch, the other prisoners started coming through the hole. I grabbed two M-1s, a carbine, and a couple of Chinese rifles. I loaded them quickly, passed them out to the other guys, and turned to face the kitchen. All of a sudden, bang, bang, bang. The guards were running out really coming at us. I felt the bullets fly by my head. We yelled, Ute, ute for them to stop, then returned their fire. Seven guards fell dead in their tracks. Three of them fled into the bush. None of us had been hurt in the exchange of fire; still, we were in trouble. We knew there was a village only a mile or so from the camp. If these three guards had gone to get help, search parties would be after us in half an hour. We had rifles and machetes. Now one guy went back to the hut to get our signaling devices, rucksacks, and food. Five minutes later we were moving out on the trail. Duane and I knelt down to pray. Dear God, please let us get home. Help us now because we just cant do it by ourselves. Then two of the guys headed east, and we never saw them again. The other five of us walked south to the closest ridge. My feet were swollen and bleeding. We spent the night near a creek. It rained, and leeches swarmed all over our bodies; we were too exhausted to care. We got up again at dawn and decided to split into groups of two and three. Duane and I would stay together. We gave the other guys 24 rounds of ammunition in return for one of their machetes. Then we shook hands and wished them luck. We had no idea at all of our position, so we decided to follow the creek. It was rising now because of the rain; in some places it was only 5 feet wide; in others, more than 100 feet and very deep. On the third or fourth day, we built a raft of banana trees. It took us eight hours. We floated along for several hundred yards. Then we heard a waterfall. We jumped and swam as fast as we could to the shore. The raft swept over the falls and splintered. We still had our machete, but we didnt dare cut a trail. If we couldnt go straight through a section of bush, wed go around it or try to bend it or crawl under it on our stomachs. My arms were numb. The skin had been ripped from my feet and legs, and I could see bone. Both of us were so damned weak. We kept passing out. At night wed put our arms around each other and hug each other just to keep warm. We realized now that we might not make it. I promised Duane that if I ever got out, Id visit his wife and family. He said hed do the same for me. Then Duane got malaria; his fever was very high, and he couldnt walk. I helped him along, and finally we came to a deserted village. I laid him in a hammock. We were too weak to walk. Our food supply was almost gone, and our clothes were ripped to shreds. We didnt have strength enough to carry our weapons and ammunition, so we had left them in the bush. Next morning this was the 14th day after our escape I left Duane in his hammock and went back into the bush to find the ammunition we had discarded. I slept in the woods that night and then crawled back to the village. Duane was still there. And this was the greatest thing. He laughed, and I laughed, and we hugged each other. He was so happy that Id found three rounds of ammunition, and I was so happy that he was still alive. We broke off the tips of the bullets, poured out the powder and rubbed the bamboo sticks together. Pffft at last we had fire. When the guards went to eat, I crept underneath our hut, edged past the logs again, and dashed across the open space. We boiled some leaves and tapioca; it was the first hot meal wed had in months, and it really cheered us up. We kept the fire going then and tied some rags to bamboo sticks for signaling devices. Late that night, we heard a plane. It circled over the village and dropped a couple of parachute flares. Hey, he saw us, Duane cried. Hes gonna get us in the morning. We stayed awake all night talking about what wed eat tomorrow. The plane never came back. We waited all that day before giving up. At dawn next morning the 17th day after our escape we stumbled away from the village. Suddenly, a black-haired guy in a loincloth started running toward us. He carried a long machete curved at the end. Amerikali, Amerikali, he yelled. We nodded our heads and mumbled, Sentai, Sentai (hello, hello). But the man kept running. I jerked back and tried to stand up. His knife was already moving through the air. Thuk, thuk. The first blow hit Duane on the leg; the second cut into his shoulder just below the neck. He screamed, and I threw up my hands as if to say No. I knew Duane was dead, but I couldnt grasp it; I just stood there with my mouth wide open. Then he swung at me. The tip of his knife missed my throat by half an inch. I dont know where I got the strength, because I moved, man, I really moved. I turned around and hit that bush and ran up a gully, and my legs didnt hurt anymore. That night I crawled back to the village. I thought it was their village, and I wanted to burn it down. I was angry and a little bit off in the head. I sat in front of a fire and threw everything on it. I didnt care if they caught me. Then I heard a plane. It circled over the village and dropped about 20 parachute flares. Next morning I waited and waited, but the plane did not return. God, I said. Whats the matter with those guys? I knew they wouldnt save me now. I picked up one of the parachutes and tore the panels out. That afternoon, I crawled up to a nearby ridge. I saw a little hut there, and I said, Thats where Im going to die. I prayed. God, forgive me for the bad things Ive done in life. I just cant fight it anymore. Please let me die. I dont want to wake up. But I did wake up. I was really thirsty, and I said, To hell with it. Those guys arent gonna lick me. I stuffed the parachute panels into my rucksack and fell down the ridge. The skin had ripped off my feet and they were just bones. But there was no particular pain. I thought of all the things Id missed. I wanted to go deep-sea fishing. I wanted to ski and build a chalet in the California mountains, and I wanted to buy a Porsche. All these hopes were gone. I remembered that once back at Lackland Air Force Base six years before I had thrown away a piece of bread. I swore that Id never do that again. Next morning this was the 22nd day after our escape I took the parachute panels out of the rucksack, tied them end to end and laid out an SOS by the river. I wrapped another panel around a bamboo stick. Then I passed out again. When I came to, I thought I heard a plane. I gathered all my strength, started waving that bamboo stick and zoom the plane was past me and gone. But he came back several times and wiggled his wings. I was so happy that I started crying and shouting and rolling around on my back. Then I collapsed. Suddenly I heard the helicopter, 200 feet above my head. The steel rope began falling slowly toward me. And there was the rescue harness; a slender device with three little arms folded into its side. I had to press the arms down to make a seat, but I couldnt unzip the plastic cover. I clawed at the harness and finally wrenched one arm free and gave a little signal. I was hanging sideways; I didnt know if I could hold on much longer. I said, God, dont let a bullet hit me now. Not after all this hell Ive been through. Then I saw a leg and green pants standing in the chopper door. An American leg! I grabbed onto it and cried. I went back into shock at the hospital in a Nang. I weighed only 93 pounds. I couldnt move my arms or legs or head. Yet everything was pleasant and nice. I thought that this was all a dream; I thought this was how it was after death. Back in San Diego they treated me for kidney disease and liver disease. They fixed my teeth, and when I got malaria right there in the hospital they cured me of that as well. At first, I had to sleep on the floor; a bed was just too soft. I had lots of bad dreams, too, and Id wake up three or four times a night sweating and screaming and yelling. The doctors say Im doing pretty well now. I weigh about 150 pounds, and Ive got as much energy as anyone else. I still have some ringworm on my feet; there are a couple of bugs inside me that they have to take care of, and Im losing all my hair. I feel pretty bad about that, but they tell me that it will just be temporary. Anyway, my fiancee doesnt seem to mind. We flew to Reno in early October and got married, and I have to admit Im pretty happy about that. In a few more weeks I should be able to fly again. That will make me happy too. I Escaped from a Red Prison, December 3, 1966 Ocean Shipping Consultants told Seatrade Maritime News that potential sites explored to build a transshipment-focussed container terminal include Batam in Indonesia, and Malacca and Carey Island in Malaysia. Indonesias Coordinating Economics Minister Darmin Nasution recently suggested that Batam could serve as a national logistics centre, given its strategic location. The Port of Tanjung Sauh has been flagged as a potential major transhipment centre to rival Singapore several times before over the past 25 years to little effect. The most recent was a supposed joint venture between China Merchants and Pelindo II announced in 2013 to develop a container terminal with a 4m teu capacity that has fizzled out. Local media as recently as last year were suggesting various other local parties such as the Lippo Group and Panbil Industrial Estate were interested in developing the port. The conundrum that has hampered the development of ports such as Tanjong Sauh is their lack of sufficient local hinterland volume. While they look enviously at other established ports nearby and aspire to not only cut the extra costs of going through these ports but also get a slice of the pie for themselves, the realities of container shipping inevitably conspire against them. As Indonesian state-owned port operator Pelindo II, which has jurisdiction over Batam and currently does not have a transshipment port, strives to enter the transshipment market, it comes up against a host of challenges. Most of the major lines have already anchored themselves at other major ports in the area. For example, Maersk hubs in PTP, while MSC, Cosco, PIL and CMA-CGM use PSAs terminals in Singapore. This is an issue that has only been exacerbated by the recent mega-alliances where fewer lines mean there are even fewer clients available for potential transshipment ports In addition, while Batam has been touted as a potential hub port, there has been little support forthcoming from the government, where Indonesia still maintains some rather antiquated business practices. Private sector has to fund everything but give control to Pelindo II (and) commercial ports that handle third party cargo must give more than 51% stake to Pelindo II, Ocean Shipping Consultants said. Arcadis Asia head of transportation and logistics Jonathan Beard concurred. As a general proposition, developing a large greenfield transhipment hub in Southeast Asia is a risky proposition, he said. Beard pointed out that capex will be high as there is a need to build to cater for the largest vessels and at scale right from the outset, yields will be low compared to a gateway port and the market is already dominated by three large, well established and very competitive hubs: Port Klang, PTP and Singapore. You also need to consider the alliance structure and which lines/alliances would want to move their hub business, he added. Press Release February 5, 2018 Drilon pushes for anti-political dynasty, political party reform provisions in BBL Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon on Monday proposed that a provision that will prohibit political dynasties be included in the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). "In the Committee Report, I will push for the inclusion of a prohibition on political dynasties. I am open to discuss the extent of the prohibition, but the anti-dynasty principle must be embodied in the BBL," Drilon said. "The policy of anti-political dynasty must be put across. We should not sweep it under the rug. It is an issue that must be confronted," said Drilon during a Senate hearing on the proposed measure that seeks to establish a Bangsamoro region replacing the current Autonomous Region of Muslim Midanano (ARMM). Similarly, Drilon had earlier pushed for a provision that seeks to develop a strong political party system "that is essential in a parliamentary system of government." Drilon said that the crafting of the Bangsamoro Basic law offers an opportunity "for Congress to correct certain issues which stand in the way of moving democracy forward, particularly in the ARMM," referring to the well-entrenched political dynasties and weak political party system in the ARMM and the country, in general. Majority of the resource persons of the sub-committee agreed with Drilon's proposal including Former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., who said: "I agree with you, Senator Drilon...Perhaps it is now high time to exercise some kind of political will, make it model providing for an anti-political dynasty provision. I think that will be a good step forward." Citing the passage of an anti-political dynasty provision in the Sanggunian Kabataan Reform Act in the last Congress, the minority leader believes "that it is highly possible that the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law would contain the same provision." "This is not something that we have not done yet. As a matter of policy, I think there is no debate that we should adopt an anti-political dynasty provision," Drilon said. He added: "It may not be perfect and it may not be to the liking of the people in the ARMM, but if you look at it objectively you will come to the conclusion that is it is a step in the right direction and it is a fair and necessary provision in order that we can finally bring lasting and meaningful reforms and development in Mindanao." Responding to suggestions to leave the matter to the Bangsamoro parliament, Drilon said: "I am afraid that if we leave it as is, I don't think the Bangsamoro parliament will ever do it." Drilon is the author of Senate Bill No. 230 or the Anti-Political Dynasty Act that seeks to provide for an enabling law that will implement the provision of the Constitution prohibiting political dynasty. Press Release February 5, 2018 Gatchalian lauds Senate approval of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act Senator Win Gatchalian on Monday hailed the Senate's approval on third and final reading of a measure institutionalizing a framework to advance energy efficiency and conservation practices in the country, aiming to make the national energy supply more sustainable, stable, and affordable. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act of 2018 (Senate Bill 1531) lays down a solid foundation for a comprehensive energy efficiency and conservation policy that would mandate the efficient and judicious use of energy resources and promote the development and utilization of both new and alternative sources of energy efficient technologies and systems. "We are helping shape the consciousness of our consumers, including the government, through a change in the policy regime regulating energy consumption. The strategies detailed in this measure are all poised to provide not only savings for the government but also more money in people's pockets," he said. Gatchalian, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and principal sponsor of the measure, said that if the country's energy efficiency reaches half as the energy efficiency of Germany - considered as one among the most energy efficient countries in the world - then the country can achieve an estimated savings of around P1.6-trillion from a period of 2018 to 2030 or P126.4-billion average annually. Reaching fully-similar energy efficiency standards with that of Germany could result, on the other hand, to an estimated savings of P420-billion yearly or around P5.5-trillion on the same period. The measure mandates the creation of a National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan that defines national targets, details feasible strategies, and imposes a regular monitoring and evaluation system. Alongside this will be the development and maintenance of a National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Database, where relevant information about energy consumption as well as the application of energy efficient and renewable energy technologies shall be centrally stored. The measure would also institutionalize these energy efficiency and conservation standards and strategies in local governance through the creation of a Local Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan and the inclusion of Guidelines on Energy Conserving Design on Buildings in the issuance of building permits. To further encourage complete compliance to the energy standards to be proposed, the senator added that the measure would include incentives as well as technical assistance from government agencies. The bill would also create an Inter-Agency Energy Efficiency and Conservation Committee that will be tasked to provide strategic directions in the implementation of the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP), a program to reduce monthly consumption of electricity and petroleum products by the government. "We sincerely thank our colleagues for their support. With its passage today, we are moving yet another step forward towards realizing efficient ways of utilizing energy in the country that are attuned to acceptable international standards," Gatchalian said. Once ratified, the Department of Energy (DOE) shall be the lead government agency tasked to ensure the proper implementation of this measure. Press Release February 5, 2018 HONTIVEROS: GOV'T MUST SEE VAT CUT AS INVESTMENT IN POOR NOT REVENUE LOSS Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday said the government must view the proposal to cut the rate of the value added tax (VAT) as an investment in the poor rather than simply a loss of revenue. The Senator made the statement after the Department of Finance (DoF) expressed openess to her proposal to reduce the VAT under the condition that all exemptions are lifted. "While I am glad that the DoF is open to the idea of cutting the VAT rate, I am worried that the condition of lifting all VAT exemptions, regardless of its negative impact on the poor, would cancel out whatever benefits a reduced VAT rate would provide our poor people," Hontiveros said. "Maraming mga vulnerable sectors ang kailangan pang tulungan at protektahan gaya ng mga senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs) at small and medium-scale cooperatives," Hontiveros added. "New set of lenses" Hontiveros said that the government must view the proposal to cut the VAT rate from a new set of lenses. "Instead of simply seeing this as a revenue loss, it must treat this as an investment. Wala namang matatapon dito. Mapupunta pa rin sa mamamayan, lalo na sa mga mahihirap. We are investing in our people, strengthening their purchasing power and contributing to the effort to redistribute wealth," she explained. Hontiveros also downplayed the government's "doomsday scenario" that a lowered VAT would hurt its P8-trillion infrastructure program as the DoF expects tax reforms to generate P130 billion in revenues. "The finance department itself projects P 130 billion in revenue gains from the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law (TRAIN), so the doomsday scenario being predicted by those who insist on a 12% VAT is unlikely. In the end, the goal of a lowered VAT rate is to provide relief to our citizens reeling from the effects of TRAIN, especially those in the informal economy who did not enjoy income tax reduction, or minimum wage earners who don't pay income tax anyway, but are made to bear new burdens from consumption tax hikes," Hontiveros said. Last week, Hontiveros filed Senate Bill No. 1671 or the "Bawas VAT Bill" cutting the VAT rate as relief for poor families adversely affected by the TRAIN law. The measure seeks to enforce a progressive reduction in the VAT rate reducing it to 10% effective January 1, 2019. By January 1, 2022, the measure will again reduce the rate of VAT to 8% should the previous year's realized revenues from VAT reported in the budget of expenditures and sources of financing submitted to Congress equal or exceed four point five percent (4.5%) as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This will align the country's tax system with the ASEAN region. Press Release February 5, 2018 TRANSCRIPT OF SEN PANGILINAN'S INTERVIEW FOR ANC'S HEADSTART, 05 FEBRUARY 2018 Interview with Ms Karen Davila KAREN DAVILA: First we hear federalism. Now we hear a hybrid form of government. What is this to you and what is your understanding? SEN KIKO PANGILINAN: When we went through the process of conducting our hearings, we had four questions. One, should we have Charter Change? Two, if we do have Charter Change, what has to be changed? Three, if we are to do Charter Change, do we go through the ConCon, Constitutional Convention, or the Constituent Assembly? And number four, if it's a constituent assembly, do you vote separately or do you vote jointly? So these are the four questions that we laid down during our hearings and I guess that matter of federalism and hybrid federalism will refer to kung kailangan magkaroon ng amendments, and ano ang dapat i-amyenda. Dito, based on our hearings, iba-iba rin and punto de vista. Some say we don't need federalism. What we need is greater decentralization. Providing more resources to local governments. Right now sinasabi almost close to 80% of the entire economy and the entire funding of the country is centralized. It's in the national government. Mga bente porsyento lang or less ang napupunta sa lokal. And that's why the development is so skewed in favor of urban centers to the detriment of the development of the countryside, which is why poverty is so acute in the countryside. These are some of the issues. Ang understanding ko diyan, and PDP-Laban Institute wants federalism. But even in our discussions dun sa hearing, those who are proponents of federalism are even saying dapat siguro may stages of federalism. Sabi ko ang tawag ko dun ay federalism by installment. Hulugan. Stages. Mayroong mga nagsasabi, as I pointed out earlier, rather than federalize, we should decentralize further. So these are what we are tackling as we go through our hearings sa constitutional amendments committee. KAREN: During your hearings, can you please keep us up to date? How many hearings have you had? Who do you invite? SFNP: Under my watch we've had two hearings and we intend to bring it to Cebu, to Cagayan De Oro, and to Baguio. But prior to my being chair, it was Senator Drilon who was chair and he had two hearings too. So the combined material that we have put together is based on four hearings. What was your second question? KAREN: Who do you invite? Cause people might be asking they could be inviting only anti-federalism sources... SFNP: No, no, no. In fact, in the first hearing, Presidential Legal Counsel Sal Panelo was there. Chief Justice Puno who was appointed as consultative committee chair on chacha was also there. Chief Justice Davide, Nene Pimentel-- Senate President Pimentel who favors chacha. We have made it as inclusive. We have brought opposing views. In the succeeding hearing, we had sectoral groups-- farmer groups, anti-mining groups, fisherfolk, labor groups. So the process is as important as the outcome. Hindi pupwedeng madaliin. Hindi pupwedeng kami-kami lang. Hindi pupwedeng puro pulitiko lang and nag-uusap. Kinakailangan 'yung mga eksperto, kinakailangan 'yung mga sektor. So that's what we've been doing. At kinakailangan demokratiko. Ibig sabihin, I may have my personal views but we need to have the debates. We need to have opposing views heard in an intelligent, reflective process. It's how democracy is. Hindi pwedeng murahan, hindi pwedeng paninira, hindi pwedeng pananakot. These are anathema to a democratic process. KAREN: In several interviews you've had, you did say that it was too early to change the Constitution. SFNP: I didn't say it was too early. I said I have reservations against changing the Constitution. But because I am chairman of the committee, sabi ko nga I will have to momentarily suspend my own personal views. Besides I'm only one of eleven members of the committee. And we've had a Senate caucus. And I agree with the Senate consensus that we have to process this properly. Up to that extent, I am doing it as best I can, making sure it is inclusive, it is participatory, so that the trust in the process is there. And if you have a trust in the process and you will also eventually have some acceptability or unacceptability in the outcome. KAREN: Let's talk about the constituent assembly. Cause as it seems it will be, more or less, it's going to be that form... that's how voting will be, at least for now. SFNP: At least the preference... my understanding is the preference of the administration is Constituent Assembly. KAREN: What I wanted to ask you, in a Constituent Assembly set-up under the Constitution, do both Houses have to get together at the same time or can the Lower House vote among themselves first, if they get 3/4, then you vote after? SFNP: Well, that's actually a point of contention. Because we have heard leaders of the House of Representatives saying they can go ahead of cha-cha without the Senate and that's not gonna work for us in the Senate. We believe that Charter Change is such an important process. We will have to vote separately. There has to be a check and a balance to one another. It is a bicameral Congress-- there is the House and there is the Senate. So sa atin, and position ng Senado, it has to be voting separately. As to the process, the House and the Senate, I believe, can go ahead and make their proposed amendment, three-fourths vote. If they have it passed, the Senate will also have to come up with its version and pass it with three-fourths vote. If there are differences, in the same way that we pass a bill, we go into a bi-cameral conference committee and then thresh out the differences if possible. And whatever the outcome is, we bring back to both Houses and they have to ratify. And then ultimately, dadalhin sa taumbayan para maratipika. The 1987 Constitution was ratified 31 years ago and close to 17 million people, or over 70% of the voters, voted yes to this Constitution. So ultimately, kinakailangan talaga maging participatory ito, dapat marinig ang pinakamalawak na tinig ng ating mga mamamayan. That's why we are bringing it to different parts of the country. Para talagang participatory. Dahil ultimately, and taumbayan din ang magpapasya kung gusto nila ito o hindi. Kung hindi mayos ang proseso, ang naging kasaysayan ng charter change sa ating bansa, kapag hindi maayos ang proseso, kapag mayroong agam-agam ang taumbayan na ito'y makasarili, at pansariling interes lamang at kapangyarihan ang tinutulak, it does not progress. Natututulan at nauuwi sa pag-reject ng taumbayan. KAREN: So, technically, what you're saying is the House, because they have a super majority, can already, if they wanted to, make their amendments, on their own, propose it rather. Vote, but it's not final. They'd have to wait for the Senate. SFNP: That is our position na it has to be voting separately. And three-fourths sa Senate, three-fourths sa House. Kasi merong nagmungkahi, na kapag sinama mo kasi yung 290 plus na congressman at 24 na senador, and three-fourths ng buo na yan is 230. Ibig sabihin, kahit wala na yung Senado, 230 votes, three-fourths na yun, so sinasabi nung iba, eh basta yung sinasabi ng Saligang Batas, kaya kahit wala yung Senado, pag tinuloy ng Kongreso, eh okay na yan. That's where the contentious, controversial process, dun pumutok eh. Kaya ang sinabi ng Senado, teka muna, why will we go through this process kung number one, hindi yan ang sinasabi ng Saligang Batas, and number two, ano ba ang agenda? Dahil mayroon tayong naririnig nun, no elections at term extensions. Eh kung ganito, teka muna, akala ko ba federalism? Akala ko ba economic provisions? Ngayon, No-El. Ngayon, term extension. Sino ba ang makikinabang dito? Yung taumbayan ba o yung mga nakaupo? Yun lagi ang palagay ko magiging contentious. But there was an agreement among the Senators, at least the leaders, na ceasefire muna dun sa usapin na iyon and we go through our hearings KAREN: Do you have a timetable of some sort because you have SP Pimentel also saying that a standalone plebiscite in 2019 for constitutional change would be better than piggybacking it in the barangay elections this May. SFNP: Ah masyado nang huli ata this May. Kasi even the Comelec has said na they need six months for them to be able to process any plebiscite. So, we're already on the second of six months if it's going to be in May--or third. So kulang na sa panahon. I don't think kayang ihabol. And I don't think it should be this coming May. Masyadong maikli ang panahon para ipwersa or itulak ang ganitong klaseng, napakahalagang bagay. We need more time. KAREN: But you think a plebiscite in 2019, a separate one, one that's on its own. Not piggybacking also with the elections in 2019. SFNP: Well, pati yung dinedebate, although I think 2019 might be a more manageable process. We will come up with a more manageable process. But even that is dependent on many issues. Yung last consensus namin sa Senate, yung meeting. Kasi si Senate President Koko was quoted as saying na I gave a commitment to him na March. That is correct. We discussed it initially. I said perhaps March. But this is between me and the Senate President. My other colleagues in the Senate are not privy to this. In other words, if they say, yes, kaya ng March, then fine. But if some of them say teka muna, ba't minamadali, then we would have to process that also with the members of the Senate. And based dun sa caucus ng Senado. Ang maliwanag dito, hindi pwedeng pwersahin. Hindi pwedeng Senate voting jointly with the House. And wala namang napagkasunduang voting separately eh, doon sa meeting ng House and Senate leaders. Wala. KAREN: Wala pang voting? SFNP: Wala. So if you ask me, at any point na lumabas itong issue na, teka muna, ipipilit itong voting jointly, you're not gonna have the Senate participating in that. Kaya nga Senate President Pro-Tempore, si Senator Recto said, kung ganoon ang usapin, ang paniwala niya it is dead in the Senate. Marami pang pwedeng mangyari dito. Pero ang mahalaga rito, balikan natin yung tao. Tayo, pwede tayong magdebate pero kinakailangan kasama sa debate kailangan kasama sa proseso, kailangan sa pagpapaliwanag yung taumbayan because ultimately, sila naman ang magraratify nung kung anuman ang mumungkahi, kung mayroon man. KAREN: But let's talk about practical terms. We've seen the Bangsamoro Basic Law. It went through last Congress, hindi naging batas. And then now, it's the priority pero it hasn't even been made into law. If something as the Bangsamoro Basic Law which is one area only has not even flown what are the chances of the whole country? SFNP: Well, I think the Bangsamoro Basic Law, totoo nagkaroon ng problema sa legislation pero sa pangkabuuan, the peace talks, the negotiations marami nang naabot eh. So hindi naman siya zero. KAREN: But that took how long? SFNP: It took some time. The path to peace is not easy. But I'd like to think, at this stage, we've learned from previous experiences, in terms of how to get the law enacted. And the Senate and the House are committed to seeing this through. Hearings are already being conducted by Senator Zubiri so I'd like to think that we will be able to at least in the Senate get this out of the way. The other hearings that I would like to begin conducting. We have been designated by Senator De Lima is the anti-dynasty bill because in two hearings, committee on constitutional amendments, issue of dynasties has always cropped up. Meaning, why would you federalize if 80 percent of all these areas are being held by political dynasties. So we have to address that issues of dynasties. And we we will begin conducting hearings on this Electoral Reform Committee measure. And if I'm not mistaken, it's scheduled for Thursday. KAREN: Do you agree with former Chief Justice Hilario Davide that if federalism pushed through, you're seeing actually more political families, the same families cropped up and become more powerful take the same areas. SFNP: Well, that is a serious cause for concern. And that is why we are proceeding in parallel effort of hearing the anti-dynasty bills that have been filed in the Senate. So that we can see how. Mayroon kasing panawagan din na to show your sincerity, you pass the anti-dynasty bill first. In a way, I see the validity of their concerns. So we are doing this in parallel in tandem. In fact sabi nga nila, it's actually a monopoly of not only the local economy but also the politics. And when there is a monopoly, chances are, your development will not be sustainable because only a few are benefiting. And that is why you have so much poverty. Skewed lalo na sa rural areas. KAREN: CJ Davide also said, if this administration is insisting on federalism, why not make the Bangsamoro Basic Law the test case? Would you agree to that? See first if it works. SFNP: Well, ang problema din kasi sa Bangsamoro Basic Law, sinasabi ng marami, nung mga eksperto, may limits at this stage because of our constitutional limitations. So that's why they're saying-- KAREN: You can't make it a test case. SFNP: You can up to a certain extent. But you still need to revisit the Constitution so that a number of issues pertaining to greater autonomy and local self-rule will be more--right now kasi may mga sinasabing kontra yan sa ating existing provisions of the Constitution. This also has to be processed and if need be amendments be undertaken. KAREN: Should amendments just be made? I mean the US Constitution, although it's 200 years old, has had 27 amendments already. And you have experts saying they're minor amendments. In other words, it's not revising the whole system of government. SFNP: Yes, in fact, our Constitution provides for either amending it or revising it. At yung mga ekperto na rin yung nagsasabi, when you amend the Constitution, yan, pwedeng constituent assembly, kasi nga amending lang yan. Pero when you revise the Constitution, ang mga ibang eksperto nagsasabi, dapat yan constitutional convention. And you're right. The United States did not go through a revision. They went through piecemeal measures, submitted it to the people for ratification, that's why they have Amendment 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8. So, pupuwedeng ganoon ang proseso. For example, bakit amendment at bakit hindi revision? O ano ba yung revision? Ano ba yung amendment? A shift from a unitary-presidential to a presidential-parliamentary-federal, yan, revision yan kasi ang dami mong babaguhin. Pati yung three branches of government wala na. Kasi nga the executive and the legislative will be merged eh. So, hindi na siya three branches of government. Hindi na siya amendment, revision na ng ating Saligang Batas at istruktura ng gobyerno. Pero halimbawa, yung tinatawag na amendment na, yung economic provisions, sinasabi kasi right now, may 60-40 requirement ang ownership of some of our industries and some of our-- KAREN: --property essentially. SFNP: Yes, and the exploitation of natural resources, meron pa nga 100 percent. Now, ang sinasabi nung ilang mga eksperto, pupwede nating i-amend at ilagay, na itong mga economic provisions on ownership, yung restrictions, etc., pwede nating ilagay yung term: "as may be provided by law, or as may be provided by law." In other words, nandiyan pa rin yung 60-40, pero yung provision, ang dadagdagan mo lang: "or as may be provided by law." KAREN: Which would change...? SFNP: Which would mean that Congress can now amend it to 80-20, 75-25-- KAREN: I see, with that one phrase. SFNP: Yes, so that one they say, hindi yan revision. Amendment lang yan. So, pupwedeng piecemeal yan at ibigay na sa taumbayan para maratipika. So, yun ang binabalangkas ngayon but I'd like to stress-- KAREN: Doesn't that make more sense to first test an amendment because when you think about it, you're talking about 30 years--31 years of the same Constitution, you've never even tried one amendment. SFNP: In fact, ang interesting nung sinabi ni former Associate Justice Vicente Mendoza. Sabi niya: "Democracy is evolutionary. It is not revolutionary." And he says revision is actually radical and revolutionary. So he says it should be piecemeal amendments. And therefore, yun na nga, to test it, the piecemeal amendments rather than a revision of the entire Constitution. It's more stable. And it's more predictable. KAREN: And in terms of behavior of those sitting, you can test each other. Are you able to do it? SFNP: I'd like to think, how have countries struggled and moved away from developing nation status to developed nation status? Predictability, consistency, and 'yung hindi pabagu-bago ba. KAREN: Stable. SFNP: Stable, steady. 15-20 years of consistency in policy, predictability in policy, and continuity, hindi yung pabagu-bago. So, pagka ganoon, you know, South Korea did that, Thailand did that, Taiwan did that, Hong Kong, Singapore, they had consistencies in policy. So it's more stable, it's more predictable, it's more manageable in that sense. So these are some of the issues that we are processing as we conduct our hearings. KAREN: Before we go to quick break, one of the suggestions of CJ Davide is this: If the issue is to put more money to improve the economies of the provinces or rural areas, then amend the Local Government Code, instead of 60 percent going to the national government and 40 to the LGU, he says amend it. Make 20 percent go to the national government, 80 percent to the LGU or pick a number. SFNP: Or you do it in a five year period or tranches. It's like the salary standardization law. 25 percent in the first year, another 25 until it's completed 100 percent in four years. So you could do something like that. In a period of six years, you calibrate the releases and increase the releases to local governments directly over time. Yeah, pupwede yon and you can do that by amending the Local Government Code. In fact, one of the experts said: The Local Government Code is mandated that Congress review it every five years. But since 1991, there has been no review. KAREN: Exactly. SFNP: So, yan ang isang hamon. And I'd like to the point, the experts have said more than 80 percent of the nation's wealth and resources and the funding of government resources, 80 percent is in the central government. 20 percent lang are disbursed to the local government. And that's why people come to Manila, come to urban centers because that's where government programs are made available. You have to really change that kind of distribution of resources. It's not gonna work. It does not work. Poverty is still in a--well, it's a high of 25 percent. One of the highest in the context of ASEAN. Other countries in ASEAN have brought it down to single digit poverty levels. We haven't. And that's really a concern. And that's why they're saying, the inequitable distribution of resources, making local governments disempowered in the process and are unable to really deliver, but I'd also like to stress-- KAREN: Can the committee on local governments in the Senate do that while you are hearing? SFNP: Strictly speaking, they can do that. In fact, former Senator Joey Lina who was in the hearing last time, he said, the creation of the regional development councils, it's there. There are regional development councils and he was challenging na the executive department, if you want to fund the federal states initially, you fund first the regional development councils. You submit a proposed national budget that places more money in these regional development councils. KAREN: In other words, without the term federalism, you can still act. That's the point. SFNP: Yes, that's what the experts are saying. That's correct. Some of the experts. Some are saying no. So that's what we have to now process. KAREN: Alright we'll continue our conversation with Senator Kiko Pangilinan after our short break. Stay with us. [COMMERCIAL BREAK] KAREN: Alright still with us on Hot Copy, this is the second half of Hot Copy. We have Senator Kiko Pangilinan. Today, Senator Antonio Trillanes says he will file a resolution to probe the hidden wealth of President Duterte. Now, they've done this before with Vice President Binay. But I've wanted to ask you, with the times today, do you think--do you support this move? SFNP: And also before that with Senator Villar, remember? KAREN: Ah, yeah. SFNP: So, it happens in the Senate. KAREN: Do you support the move? SFNP: Well, I think it's a valid issue. Do you have a President who has billions of pesos of transactions in a bank account? I think the people deserve to know the truth. But whether or not it is going to fly in the Senate, that's another question. KAREN: That's a good point. SFNP: Because after all, they have a supermajority. So, ako, it continues to be a valid issue. We all deserve to know the truth. But whether or not the Senate will step up and help in determining the truth is another question altogether. KAREN: As an ordinary taxpayer, you often wonder, what are Senators and Congressmen answerable for when it comes to documents? Like the documents that Senator Antonio Trillanes has. You have the AMLC denying they were the source. You have the Ombudsman saying it wasn't for release, it was given to them. Should investigations be held without the source being verified first? SFNP: (inaudible) This is the issue of his wealth, and now they're suspending the Deputy Ombudsman because of that, what is this? What is the truth behind this? Is this really because Deputy Ombudsman Carandang was violating the law or was it because he was in pursuit of the truth? And if he's in pursuit of the truth, why should he be suspended? Like I said, these are valid questions that would be best, you know, it could be, it should be looked into because they have the supermajority. Of course, that's something that remains to be seen. KAREN: Would you think that the President should sign a bank waiver. SFNP: Well, he said he won't. But that's why sabi nga natin we are interested in the truth because the President ran on a platform of anti-corruption. So we'd like to know. Never mind if sabihin mo na I don't deserve to know the truth but I think the people do. Ultimately the people deserve the truth but what is the truth? And how do you find it? How do you get to the truth? KAREN: Okay, when it comes to the Ombudsman defying President Duterte's order for the suspension of Deputy Ombudsman Carandang, you have two sides of the story. There's an existing Supreme Court decision, 2014 yan. Talk about that because SolGen Calida he was quoted as saying, there might be a constitutional crisis. SFNP: Under our legal system, these rulings of the Supreme Court form part of the law of the land. And so the Supreme Court ruling said you cannot suspend the deputies. And so the Ombudsman is simply upholding the ruling of the Supreme Court which is part of the law of the land. So she is just upholding the law. And for this, we have given, well, I mean, I support that decision. KAREN: But Secretary Sal Panelo said that when a President gives an order, there's a presumption of regularity so he claims the Ombudsman should follow it and then take it to the Supreme Court for them to reiterate. SFNP: I don't see where the presumption of regularity will apply, how it will apply, when there is an existing ruling of the Supreme Court which is part of the law of the land. Because the other side to it is that Ombudsman Morales who is a former Supreme Court Justice will also be accused of--you know there is a ruling of the Supreme Court, you know that this ruling forms part of the law of the land and you are not upholding it. So, ako, ultimately, we can debate interpretations but the Supreme Court has an interpretation. And it is an interpretation that says your deputy ombudsman cannot be suspended by the President. So, cuentas claras. In other words, that's why you have a Constitution because you can debate everything until kingdom come, ika nga. But what is said in the Constitution, and how the Supreme Court interprets the Constitution, that is clear. You cannot debate that. Until it's overturned. But it is not yet overturned so that is the rule governing this particular case. KAREN: So under the existing Supreme Court decision, the only one who can actually discipline the deputies is-- SFNP: The Ombudsman. KAREN: Herself. SFNP: Yes, and the Ombudsman, on the other hand, if she fails to discipline her deputies, can be held to account in a process of impeachment. I mean that's how our democracy works. The Constitution first, the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary under the Constitution and also the other constitutional offices. They're all under the Constitution. It's not the President first, the Constitution and then we're all under the President. It doesn't work like that. KAREN: You're hearing possible changes in the Constitution, should we, should we not, how should we do it, and you have the House that says by March, they might vote on the impeachment of Chief Justice Sereno, which would mean first quarter of this year or start of the second quarter. It will reach the Senate. And that will take a lot of time. SFNP: Yes, that's true. KAREN: That's a lot of time. SFNP: And of course we still have the BBL, and of course the Charter Change, so we will see. I've been around a long time, well, relatively a long time in the Senate, this is my third term, to know that sometimes, things just proceed elsewhere, somewhere. So sometimes, you don't know what to expect. We'll see how this thing unfolds. KAREN: Alright, last words. When it comes to, well, now you have local governments already like Quezon City, I saw footage of Mayor Belmonte, she's already talking about federalism, educating different changes on each method going down the barangay level. SFNP: Well, this is good. We should discuss this. Sabi ko nga ultimately, ang mga magdedesisyon dito hindi naman ang pulitiko eh. Ang magdedesisyon kung sasang-ayunan na niya kung anumang mga pagbabago sa Saligang Batas ay ang taumbayan. So dapat sa umpisa pa lamang, sila ang sinasama sa mga diskusyon. Tanong natin sa kanila, gusto niyo ba walang eleksyon? Tanong natin sa kanila, gusto niyo ba yung mga nakaupo madagdagan ang termino nang hindi tumatakbo? Gusto niyo ba appointees na lang ang mga local governments? Mga ganon. Gusto niyo ba hindi na pwedeng piliin ang president dahil ang pipili na lang sa ating mga lider, based on some of the proposals, ay yung mga pulitiko mismo sa isang parliamentary form of government. But ang sinasabi, gusto ba ninyo mayroong parliament, mayroong presidente? Lahat yan tatalakayin. Lahat yan dapat kasama ang taumbayan, kasama ang mamamayan sa pagbabalangkas. And this ultimately, I think ang kinakailangan ding masagot nitong debate sa Saligang Batas, madadagdagan ba ang trabaho? Magkakaroon ba ng mas murang presyo ng mga bilihin? Maaayos ba ang traffic sa urban centers? Dahil hindi lamang Metro Manila ang matindi ang traffic: Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, Metro Iloilo, etc. So lahat ito, may saysay ba ito sa buhay ng bawat mamamayan? O ibang interes ang itinutulak dito at hindi yung interes ng mas malawak na populasyon ng ating bansa? KAREN: Or would emergency powers for the President just would it have helped instead of a drastic revision in the Constitution? SFNP: That's a big question involving a lot of legal and constitutional and even policy questions. Maybe in the issue of traffic, except that-- KAREN: Would you have been in favor? SFNP: Well I was open. But eh hindi rin tinutulak eh. KAREN: Yeah. Actually, the irony hindi natuloy. SFNP: Kaya nga. Magdadalawang taon na, no. Although priority dapat yun. So hindi itinutulak. Even Senator Grace Poe I think publicly has said-- KAREN: She was open too. SFNP: Yes, but sabi nga, it's not being pushed or it's not being pushed enough. So wala. KAREN: Alright, well on that note, Senator Kiko Pangilinan, thank you for coming to the show. Thank you. SFNP: Thank you very much. Salamat. Press Release February 5, 2018 Senate approves OFW Handbook bill The Senate approved today on third and final reading a bill which would mandate the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to publish and disseminate a standard handbook on the rights and responsibilities of Filipino migrant workers. Senate Bill No. 192, or the "Handbook for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) Act" was passed with 18 affirmative votes, zero negative votes and zero abstention. The bill's author, Senator Manny Pacquiao, said that it was the obligation of government to take care of the millions of OFWs all over the world, "by providing them with standard printed information." "We want to equip our OFWs with the necessary information they can access once they are out there in the global marketplace," Pacquiao said. Senator Joel Villanueva, chair of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Development and co-author of the measure, cited the importance of the OFW handbook especially to Filipino household service workers. "In the face of increasing number of abuses against OFWs, perhaps, we can go back to the basics by equipping our workers abroad with the right information at the right time and in the right way," Villanueva said. Apart from Pacquiao and Villanueva, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and Senator Richard Gordon also served as co-authors of the measure. Under the bill, the POEA would be mandated "to develop, publish, disseminate and update periodically a handbook on the rights and responsibilities of migrant workers as provided by Philippine laws and the existing labor and social laws of the receiving country that will protect and guarantee the rights of migrant workers." "The handbook shall be written in simple words than can be easily understood with translation in local language as may be necessary," the bill said. It added that the book should be issued to all Filipino migrant workers "free of charge." Pacquaio explained that the proposed handbook would be a "convenient" reference that would inform OFWs about their rights and responsibilities, teach them what recourses they have when they face common difficult situations abroad, and provide them with a directory of relevant government agencies. He said that the handbook could help better protect OFWs while working abroad, given the spate of cases of abuse towards OFW recently. "Our migrant workers are vulnerable to abuses. We do not want them to be powerless," Pacquiao said. He added that while the 23- year old RA 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 authorized the POEA to "undertake other programs or resort to other modes of information and dissemination campaign," existing efforts by government agencies to provide OFWs with such handbooks are "limited and inconsistent." "As we continue to deploy millions of OFWs every year, let us be one in providing our modern heroes one practical help: a handbook loaded with information they need to survive and thrive in the global marketplace," Pacquiao concluded. (Olivia Caunan) DOH has P634 M ad budget to fight vaccine fake news The Department of Health has a P634 million advertising budget for this year, "which it should use to fight the fake news that all vaccines are bad." The suggestion was made by Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, who said that the DOH's "advertising war chest" is big enough "to calm unfounded concerns that immunization causes harm." "Science must trump superstition," Recto said in calling on the DOH to launch an information drive so that the dengue vaccine flop will not erode public confidence on government healthcare programs. Doctors and scientists had warned that the Dengvaxia controversy could trigger a "vaccine backlash," and if this happens, Recto said, "it would put millions of children, seniors, women at risk." Recto revealed that government is buying P7.4 billion worth of vaccines this year, "in quantities that will benefit millions." "Whether we like it or not, one side effect of this Dengvaxia controversy is that people are asking if the vaccines to be bought using taxpayers' money are safe," Recto said. "I know that they ought to be, but the DOH must still go out of its way to assure the public that vaccines meet the highest standards," he added. Costing P7.43 billion, the 2018 public vaccination program targets full immunization of 2.7 million infants, of which 1.4 million infants will be given pneumococcal vaccine. All 2.7 million infants will also be administered Japanese Encephalitis vaccine. In addition, 2.1 million Grade 1 and 1.7 million Grade 7 pupils will benefit from anti-Tetanus-Diptheria, and Measles shots. Tetanus vaccine will also be given to 2.7 million pregnant women while 1.2 million flu shots and 1.3 million pneumococcal vaccines will be administered to seniors. According to the DOH briefer submitted to the Senate, full immunization for infants cover inoculations against Hepatitis, Polio, Pneumonia, Measles, Mumps and Rubella. Aside from the DOH, local governments also buy vaccines. The Department of Education likewise conducts its own health programs, like its bi-annual deworming drives. "Mayroon ngang balita na pati deworming ay kinakatakutan ng ilang nanay. Itong ganitong mga maling akala ang dapat labanan gamit ang katotohanan." Sen. Trillanes' reaction to Sen. Pimentel's statement re investigation on Duterte's bank accounts: I filed a valid resolution and it should be referred to the Commiittee on Banks as stated. This would just be part of the oversight functions of the Senate. Senator Pimentel, even as Senate President, has no power to disallow its referral. Masyado namang syang ninenerbyos agad para sa amo nya.?? Besides, it was Duterte himself who challenged the Senate to investigate his bank account. So, ito na ang sagot sa hamon ng amo nya. Like most celebrations in the past year, Valentine's Day 2021 is going to look a bit different. That means you'll likely be enjoying time with your special someone at home...like you've been doing for almost a year now. So how can you make it special? Forget the giant teddy bear, the long-stemmed roses, and that sad supermarket box of mystery chocolates. This Valentine's Day, get your loved one something they really want, like great food and beautiful cookware that will make time at home more bearable and perhaps even enjoyable. Below you'll find our gift recommendations that will hopefully do just that. We have ideas for everyone, whether you're looking to splurge on your longtime honey or snap up something cheap and sweet. (Of course, the best gift of all would probably be alone time, but these recs will make for a happy second.) Editor s note: Here are three Bay Area startups worth watching this week. Strava wants to make athletes feel like they are training with others even when they are training alone. The San Francisco companys free mobile app helps people plan and record workouts, then analyze and compare their performance with those of friends. The app premiered in 2009 and has amassed millions of users. Strava is trending on startup database Crunchbase this week for an unfortunate reason: A map released by the company that showed users activity around the world also exposed several sensitive U.S. military and humanitarian relief sites. The data cannot be easily removed, because they are cached on the Internet. Its an extreme case of what happens when people share their information: It can be exposed, regardless of who or where you are. STRAVA/NYT CEO James Quarles said in a statement that the company is committed to working with military and government officials to address potentially sensitive data. Strava is taking this matter seriously and understand our responsibility, he added. The company, which has $41.9 million in funding according to Crunchbase, could not be reached for further comment. Also trending: Gfycat What it does: Offers online tools to make GIFs, which are short, soundless videos that play on a constant loop. What happened: Gfycat recently acquired a movie-marketing app called MovieLaLa. The plan is to help users engage more with movie trailer content, CEO Richard Rabbat said. For example, people have created thousands of GIFs out of a single 2-minute movie trailer, Rabbat said. Why it matters: As peoples attention spans get shorter shorter, GIFs are becoming a way for advertisers to promote content, and for people to express themselves online. Headquarters: Palo Alto. Funding: $10 million. Employees: 20. BlockCypher What it does: Creates software infrastructure that enables developers to build, monitor and secure blockchain applications. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes What happened: The company is working with a U.S. Department of Energy lab to develop a way to carry out energy transactions across blockchains. Why it matters: Karen Hsu, head of growth at BlockCypher, told Coindesk that this type of exchange would be important in a natural disaster or when the grid goes down for extended periods, just like weve seen last year across the U.S. Headquarters: Redwood City. Funding: $3.1 million, according to the company. Employees: 11. Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani How we pick the companies Every week, The Chronicle and Crunchbase, a San Francisco firm that tracks key businesses in technology, analyze private Bay Area companies based on their financial backing, employees and activity on Crunchbase. We feature three that are moving up in the ranks. For more information on the companies: www.crunchbase.com Waymo and Uber lawyers squared off in a federal court on Monday on the first day of a bombshell trade-secret theft case. The suit by Waymo, the self-driving unit of Google parent Alphabet, alleges that Uber stole technology crucial to self-driving cars. Uber denies doing so. Each side picked a scapegoat. Waymo painted Travis Kalanick, Ubers ousted CEO, as a cheater desperate to vanquish the competition. Uber said that Anthony Levandowski a former star Waymo engineer whom Uber hired and later fired and who is now at the center of the case was untrustworthy and self-serving. The evidence will show that Mr. Kalanick made a decision that winning was more important than obeying the law, Waymo attorney Charles Verhoeven told the 10-person jury. He made a decision to cheat. For him, winning at all costs, no matter what, was his culture and what he was going to do. Verhoeven laid out Waymos case: that Uber and Kalanick targeted and hired away from Waymo one of its key engineers with the self-driving program since its inception. That engineer, Levandowski, allegedly downloaded 14,000 confidential Waymo files shortly before leaving the company, starting his own self-driving business and quickly selling it to Uber. In their own own words, written documents (show) Mr. Kalanick said he wanted to use Mr. Levandowski to win at all costs, Verhoeven said. Levandowski is not a party to Waymo vs. Uber. He has consistently refused to testify, asserting his Fifth Amendment right against self incrimination. He is involved in a separate mediation with Waymo. Verhoeven said Waymos huge head start in self-driving technology caught Ubers attention, and Uber decided to hire Levandowski as a way of getting cheat codes. Uber valued Levandowskis and his companys contributions as worth between $830 million and $4 billion, he said. Uber retorted that Waymos entire presentation was untrue. It didnt happen. There was no conspiracy, no cheating, period, end of story, said Uber attorney Bill Carmody. Theres not a single piece of proprietary info from Google at Uber, he said. Not the 14,000 downloads, nothing. He claimed that Waymo instigated the lawsuit because it wanted a way to make big bucks from self-driving technology and decided a robot-taxi service would be that path. It saw Uber as a formidable competitor, he said. This case is really about Waymo wanting to stop its biggest competitor, Uber, Carmody said. Carmody had harsh words about the star engineer at the cases center, calling him not trustworthy. Uber regrets ever bringing Anthony Levandowski on board, he said. All Uber has to show for Anthony Levandowski is this lawsuit. Levandowski was the hottest guy around the hottest commodity in the whole autonomous vehicle business, Carmody said. The fact that Uber brought on some rock-star engineers doesnt mean theyre guilty of wrongdoing. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Waymo was similarly uncomplimentary about Levandowski. Waymo CEO John Krafcik, his companys first witness, testified that Levandowskis abrupt departure considerably shifted his perspective. Levandowski had gone from someone I considered a friend to someone I considered an enemy, he said, adding that having Levandowski work for a competitor would help that competitor. Uber implied that Waymo brought the case because it was worried that it was bleeding talent. Carmody showed numerous emails, including ones to and from Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, expressing concern about cutthroat competition in the self-driving industry, with companies like Tesla, Apple, Uber and Toyota stalking our folks, willing to burn a lot of cash to catch up to us. But Krafcik said the motivation was more clear-cut. We believe in this technology that will save a lot of lives in this world, he said. We came to find that aspects of our technology were taken from us in an unfair fashion. Portions of Mondays proceedings were closed to the public to delve into the eight specific trade secrets at issue related to lidar, a laser form of radar that helps self-driving cars see the world around them in 3-D, 360-degree views. The trial will continue Tuesday. Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @CSaid In preparation for the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I an event that left us with the War Memorial Building and Opera House as civic markers Ken Maley has been reading through The Chronicles archives. Maley discovered that on Oct. 6, 1918, a month before the armistice, The Chronicle organized the making of a movie. Citizens of San Francisco were invited to come to a location in Golden Gate Park to be filmed waving to the soldiers fighting in France. The headline on a Page One story that ran on Oct. 4: Entire City Is Aroused Over Chronicle Movie Plan. Citizens assembled near the ball field in Golden Gate Park (I think at Seventh Avenue) and then marched together to what was then the Memorial Museum, where filmmakers under the direction of moviemaker Thomas Ince, positioned atop a 40-foot tower, would shoot images of each passerby waving. How were participants to know that they would be seen by the soldier to whom their individual wave was directed? It is as certain as a United States bond, said the story. It is the guarantee of the United States Government that this film, to be taken on Sunday, will be shown in all the rest camps in France. The day after To the Boys Over There From Relatives and Sweethearts Over Here was shot, The Chronicle said that 150,000 citizens had participated in its making. The writers speculated that the soldiers somewhere are seeing on the screen the faces they soon will see in fact. That added a poignant and personal touch of genuine drama to the picture showing yesterday and brought years for the unremunerated players in this pageant of patriotic devotion and personal affection. ... The silent kisses that were thrown to the cameras unblinking eye when the picture was taken, Oct. 6, are mainly from the lips of white-haired mothers. P.S. Curious about the credentials of Ince, I did a bit of research and discovered that six years after making this film, the so-called King of the Westerns died in somewhat mysterious circumstances, aboard the Oneida, yacht of William Randolph Hearst. His death was the subject of a somewhat fictionalized movie, The Cats Meow. Did Alphonso Blunt just happen to be one of the four Oakland lottery participants who won the right to open a cannabis shop? Thanks for noticing that, Mike Miller. Worthy of mention, but not exactly a Caen-ian namephreak, however, because it seems to have been the product of invention rather than coincidence. As to other news about names, Allen Matthews was on the Berkeley campus when he overheard a student observe to another, Whoa! Jerry Browns first name is really Edmund. Janice Hough, known around here as an enthusiastic contributor of news-based one-liners, is by day a travel agent. She read in Travel Weekly, a professional newsletter, that there are only two countries with a decreasing number of international travelers: Turkey and the United States. The same edition of the publication included, What will happen to undocumented workers? Hotels wait and worry, a story providing professional insight to an issue much discussed in Congress right now. This is far from a bleeding-heart progressives support for Dreamers. Its about what Wyndham Hotel Group CEO Geoff Ballotti said was the hotel industrys top issue: How will hotels find affordable staff if cheap labor isnt available? Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, wrote Emma Lazarus, whose message might be amended for the current era, so they can deliver terry cloth bathrobes and extra pillows. A month into the new year, writes Lee Don McDuff, and I am on track with resolutions, except one: stop procrastinating. I plan on tackling this one in March. April at the latest. The news release from a public relations firm hired to publicize February as Gum Disease Awareness Month, carries usual warnings, noting that 80 percent of Americans suffer from some degree of gum disease. The release goes on to link the scourge with cancer, strokes ... and, As if that werent enough, systemic connections have also been suggested between gum disease and erectile dysfunction. So because Valentines Day is coming up, and following that is Presidents Day and oh, so many reasons for wild celebration go floss yourself. Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, (415) 777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchik Public Eavesdropping I didnt say it was your fault. I said I was blaming you! Man at Sausalito Yacht Club, overheard by Jim Schock Not long ago, Americans were more likely to invoke religious freedom to support the very causes, including legal access to abortion, that Christian conservatives now oppose in its name. When the first Congress debated the Bill of Rights, the clauses on religion represented a compromise between those who wanted to prevent federal interference in established churches that many states maintained, and those who aimed to level the playing field by eliminating state support for churches. The last state churches were eliminated in the 1830s. Still, most states privileged Christianity often Protestant Christianity through public school prayers, blasphemy laws and restrictions on who could serve on juries or hold public office. Faced with protests from religious minorities, authorities defended these policies in the name of religious freedom. But by the 1970s, the courts viewed the separation of church and state as a prerequisite rather than a barrier to religious freedom. Jehovahs Witnesses won the right to proselytize in the streets; the Amish won the right to withhold their children from public schools; and the courts ruled that prayers could not be sponsored by the public schools. At the time, most Americans assumed that the principle of religious freedom favored pro-choice politics. Soon after the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision, an interdenominational group of Protestants and Jews founded the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, later renamed the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, to defend the legalization of abortion against its detractors. They contended that the American tradition of religious freedom did not allow any religious group to legally impose its strictures on all. The groups members carried banners that read Religious Freedom. They were not alone. The American Baptist Convention passed this resolution in 1981: We recognize that the First Amendment guarantee of the free exercise of religion protects the right of a person, in consultation with her adviser, spiritual counselor and physician, to make a decision of conscience for or against abortion. And while the Catholic Church clearly opposed legalized abortion, several lay organizations and even some bishops argued that no church should impose its own standards on all. Meanwhile, an overwhelmingly white Christian right was turning religious freedom into its own rallying cry. Historian Randall Balmer has described how a white, evangelical right mobilized in the late 1970s against the IRS withdrawal of tax-exempt status from racially segregated private Christian schools and against the court decisions that limited state-sponsored prayer in the public schools. In the mid-1990s, conservative evangelicals and Catholics forged a new alliance in the name of religious freedom. They now called on this freedom not only to defend school prayer and parental choice in education, but also to re-energize the movement against abortion (and later against gay rights and same-sex marriage). This, too, was a reversal. In the 1970s, a few religious groups sought legal recognition for same-sex marriages on religious freedom grounds. Ironically, the successes of the pro-choice and the LGBTQ movements created the conditions for new religious freedom claims. Until abortion and same-sex marriage became legal, their opponents had no legal framework to push back against. Now, as they work to make abortion and same-sex marriage illegal once again imposing a specific conservative Christian morality on all they invoke the rhetoric of pluralism and individual freedom to voice their dissent. In recent years, the Supreme Court has expanded the freedom of religion in new directions. In the Hobby Lobby case, the court granted a corporation the right to refuse to provide contraceptive coverage to its employees. If religion is understood as a private affair a matter of conscience, protected from the state then granting religious freedom to a corporation expands the scope of the private. Rather than protecting religious minorities or employees affected by such policies, this new religious freedom further empowers the Christian majority and corporate America. The same tortured logic of religious freedom is obvious in the Trump administrations recent restrictions on immigrants, refugees and Muslims. Some federal judges have ruled the presidents orders on immigration unconstitutional on the grounds that they discriminate against a particular religious group. Yet the Christian conservatives who praise Trump for protecting religious freedom seem ready to support what some applaud as a Muslim ban. This was written for Zocalo Public Square. Tisa Wenger is an associate professor of American religious history at Yale Divinity School and author of Religious Freedom: The Contested History of an American Ideal (University of North Carolina Press, 2017). Three elementary schools in the South San Jose area will soon shutter, apparently due in part to the fact that it's extremely expensive to live in the South Bay Area. On Wednesday, the Oak Grove School District board voted 4 to 1 to close three schools ahead of the 2018-2019 school year: Del Roble Elementary, Glider Elementary and George Miner Elementary. Teachers and students attending these schools will be transferred to one of 13 other schools in the district, including Julia Baldwin Elementary, which was also at risk of closure but will be kept open for now. "School districts throughout the state are facing painful reductions and possible school closures," reads a letter from Superintendent Jose L. Manzo to the school district. "This school closure process allows us to maximize diminishing resources and deliver quality education at the highest standards to all of our students." The closures are due in large part to a stark drop in enrollment. As the Mercury News reports, the Oak Grove School District has lost more than 200 students each year for the past four years, and 1,800 since the 1996-1997 school year. Each elementary school closure could save the district up to $600k-$700k per year. According to the newspaper, this is partially caused by high housing costs preventing young families from buying or renting homes in the district. For parents who do live in the area, the closures may be a strain. "They recommended the closures of four out of the five schools with the highest minority populations," said Shaun Tanner, the father of three affected students to ABC7. "I don't think that's fair." The median price for a home in the San Jose area has risen 18.6 percent over the last year, as estimated by Zillow, which is a more substantial jump than for San Francisco, which experienced a median home price rise of 12.8 percent over the same time period. The real estate site also estimates that the median home price in San Jose will continue to rise 8 percent higher in the next year. The drop in new student enrollments in Santa Clara County seems consistent with the results of a Spring 2017 poll of 1,000 Bay Area residents living in the nine counties. That study found that Santa Clara County residents, like the residents of Solano County, were the most likely to say they were considering relocation. Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira. Broadcom raised its takeover bid for its rival chipmaker Qualcomm to about $121 billion Monday, piling pressure on Qualcomm to agree to what would be the biggest-ever takeover in the technology industry. In offering $82 a share, San Joses Broadcom raised the stakes a month before Qualcomms annual shareholder meeting, at which it hopes to unseat the entire board. The bid, according to Broadcom, is its best and final offer. Any rational board would consider what weve put forward, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan said. The move comes at a time of consolidation in the chipmaking industry, and would create a tech giant whose products would be used in nearly all of the worlds smartphones. Whether a deal actually goes ahead remains an open question Qualcomms leadership is fiercely opposed, while analysts have said that even if shareholders approved the deal, it could be rejected on antitrust grounds. Qualcomms management team and board have argued that the takeover approach was opportunistic coming during its legal fight with Apple and priced too low. But the revised offer may entice shareholders of the target company into demanding that its executives begin negotiations. Qualcomm reported a 96 percent drop in operating income last week, as Apple has refused to pay some licensing fees. It is also struggling to complete its own takeover bid, for the chipmaker NXP Semiconductor, amid pushback from investors of that company. For Tan, Qualcomms problems are ones that he and his team can fix. We have a lot of respect for the tech and the innovation that comes with the 5G technology, he said, referring to the next-generation wireless standard that Qualcomm has touted as its next big business opportunity. But we believe, given our track record, we can do much more. Broadcom also pledged to pay a significant breakup fee in case a deal with Qualcomm is vetoed by regulators, as well as to pay additional cash if the two companies have not closed a transaction a year after announcement. Qualcomm said that it is considering the new bid. Michael J. de la Merced is a New York Times writer. A couple of weeks ago, Wells Fargo executives including CEO Timothy Sloan and finance chief John Shrewsberry were in Washington on unpleasant business. The Federal Reserve planned to impose tough sanctions on the San Francisco bank for years of misconduct and the shoddy governance that allowed it. The executives mission, according to three people directly involved in the negotiations, was to avoid further shaking investor confidence in the bank and its management team. Officials at the central bank had a different goal, according to people familiar with their thinking. They wanted to send a message to the Wells board that it would be held responsible for the companys behavior. After three weeks of frenzied negotiations, a deal was announced Friday night that represented a milestone in the evolving relationship between regulators and banks. Wells Fargo, one of the countrys largest banks, was banned from getting bigger until it can convince regulators that it has cleaned up its act. We cannot tolerate pervasive and persistent misconduct at any bank, Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen said in a statement. It was her last act at the Fed; hours later she finished her four-year term. As part of Fridays announcement, the Fed and Wells said the bank would replace four members of its 16-member board, although the changes werent mandated under the consent order. The settlement is an attempt by the Fed to impress upon banks that their boards of directors should be vigorous, independent watchdogs and if they fail, there will be consequences. That reflects a shift from regulators historically hands-off approach to corporate boards, and the boards role is likely to grow in importance as regulators appointed by President Trump and Republicans in Congress generally loosen the reins on big banks. Yellens successor, Jerome Powell, was the top Fed official overseeing the negotiations with Wells Fargo, and he is likely to maintain the Feds emphasis on holding bank boards accountable. Across a range of responsibilities, we simply expect much more of boards of directors than ever before, Powell said in a speech in August. There is no reason to expect that to change. This account is based on interviews with six people involved in or briefed on the negotiations, representing both the bank and the Fed, who were not authorized to speak publicly about regulatory matters. Wells originally got into trouble in 2016 for charging millions of customers for bank accounts they did not want and for auto insurance they did not need. The bank was repeatedly penalized and fined by regulators. Executives had convinced themselves last year that they were out of the woods, according to the people familiar with their thinking, who werent authorized to speak publicly about interactions with regulators. But that illusion was shattered in September, when Yellen said the bank remained under investigation. In early January, Wells officials heard from the Fed that the central bank planned to impose stiff new penalties. Executives were furious that the proposed sanctions seemed more draconian than those imposed on banks that nearly cratered the global economy a decade earlier, according to people familiar with the thinking of top bank executives. Then, on conference calls and face-to-face sessions in Washington, the negotiations began. One crucial participant was Wells general counsel, C. Allen Parker. His advantage was that he was new to Wells, not part of what one bank adviser called the ancien regime. He joined last spring after more than two decades at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, a law firm where he had been the presiding partner. Another was Elizabeth Duke, a former Fed governor, who became chairwoman of Wells board in January, well after the scandal came to light. The lead officials for the Fed were its general counsel, Mark Van Der Weide, and Michael Gibson, director of supervision and regulation. In a twist, the official that Trump had nominated to the Fed to play the lead role on regulatory issues was sidelined. That official, Randal Quarles, vice chairman for supervision, had recused himself because he had been a longtime investor in Wells. After an opening round of talks, Wells concluded that the Fed wasnt likely to budge on its central demand: that the bank put the brakes on any growth until it proved that its governance was substantially improved. That meant the bank wouldnt be able to increase the assets like loans or investments it was holding above its current level of about $2 trillion. Wells wanted wiggle room. Executives negotiated to have the assets calculated over a rolling two-quarter average. That meant they could swell above $2 trillion at times, as long as they dropped lower at other times. The top priority for Wells was that the order be lifted quickly, said participants in the talks. The banks negotiators wanted the Fed to commit to a speedy timetable for reviewing its progress. The Fed responded that it wanted Wells to move quickly, which Wells officials interpreted as meaning the Fed would act swiftly, too. The future of the banks board was a thornier issue. Wells had already replaced about half of its scandal-era directors. The Fed wanted more change, according to people familiar with the central banks thinking. The regulators had taken notice of public anger about the governments past practice of taking actions against corporations without holding people responsible. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., had met twice with Yellen last year to push the Fed to force out Wells directors, according to a participant in the meetings. Warren also made the argument to Powell, the incoming Fed chairman. While not adopting Warrens suggestion, Fed officials emphasized to Wells the importance of refreshing the board, said people who participated in the negotiations. Bank executives responded that they planned to replace four more directors. That would leave no more than three directors who had been around during the misconduct. That appeared to satisfy the Fed. In a hastily convened conference call Friday night, Sloan, Wells current chief, tried to reassure analysts and investors that the bank would be able to maneuver around the asset cap by selling certain assets and continuing to lend to customers. He estimated on the call that the Feds order could shave up to $400 million off the banks 2018 profits. That represents less than 2 percent of what Wells earned last year. Emily Flitter, Binyamin Appelbaum and David Enrich are New York Times writers. For years after her husband died, Sarah Lockwood Winchester, heiress to the Winchester rifle fortune, was a "recluse." Despite unceasing construction on her property, she was barely, if ever, seen by the public, which at least once caused a legal problem in 1907. "Expert servers" were "baffled" when they weren't able to locate her to serve her a summons to appear as a defendant in a suit regarding the condemnation of a piece of land she owned. (Perhaps she escaped their grasp by disappearing through a secret door?) Not much more was written about the heiress until after her death, at which point rumors began to spread about the reasons behind the twisty, labyrinthine home in which she resided. Headlines flared, mostly at first about her fortune and what her estate would do with it (it was donated to the General Hospital Society of New Haven, Conn., near where she grew up), as well as what would happen to the house itself. But, toward the end of each article, Winchester was described usually as "a figure of mystery" inexorably attached to the peculiar house. A month after her death, on October 7, 1922, the San Francisco Chronicle reported on her beliefs. "Shortly after her coming west, more than 30 years ago," the article read, "she received, she thought, a message from the 'spirit world' saying that she must build a mansion and that should the sound of the hammers ever cease she would die." Two days later, she was again described as a "strange and interesting figure": "Whether the continuing changes were made to gratify the whims of an eccentric or whether the much credited rumor that Mrs. Winchester was prompted by a 'spirit message' prophesying her death soon after her home was finally completed, was founded on fact, will never be known." Eight months later, in June 1923, Winchester's house was bought at auction. It was estimated that that it took around $5 million to build and, let's say, modify just shy of $73 million today but it only ended up going for a paltry $35,000, which today is a bit more than half a million dollars. By this time, the legend of Sarah Winchester had become the stuff of local lore in the newspapers, sensationalized with colorful details. There was, as with prior stories, mention of Winchester's reported belief that she had to build a "great home" to ward off death, but now there was more to it, with suggestions that she had been "practicing the rites of a strange religious cult" and that it was the specter of her husband, William Wirt Winchester, that initially told her to come to California. It was unclear if there were 160 rooms, like was reported in some stories, or 240. Soon, locals wanted to turn the property into a sort of tourist attraction in one case, a "theme park" and coverage of the house began to shift to that angle, with writers dubbing the apparent structure a "mystery house." Several years later, in June 1927, one witness described it as a "three-million dollar jumble of architectural uselessness." In that article, the headline that appeared in the newspaper read simply, "San Jose has Weird House," which is, well, accurate. The writer went on to describe it: "Strange as a dream, fantastic as a fairy tale, weird as a dwelling from some other planet is the spirit house built by the late Sarah L. Winchester at San Jose, California ... (It) rambles grotesquely over six acres of ground, its roofs like like those of a city, and its interior arrangements are the vision of a disordered imagination made real in rare woods, fine marbles, priceless stained glass Tiffany windows, and silver and gold moldings and fixtures. Stairs that make nine turns to rise slightly over eight feet, doors that open on blank walls, suits of rooms that wander so aimlessly that a visitor walking fifty feet is as lost as if in the Mammoth Cave." That same writer continued to describe the interior's gaudy details, describing a grand ballroom with birdseye maple "so beautifully carved that the pattern looks like cobweb," mahogany paneling, gold and silver chandeliers, and chimneys, "all constructed under the mystic direction of wraiths, which even in the spirit world must have been questioned for their sanity." Now, the legend is likely to twist even more, thanks in part to the creative liberties taken in a new thriller film about the house and its famed occupant. Is it really one of the most haunted places in the United States, as it's been rumored? It doesn't really matter, after all it's still our own "Weird House" folktale. Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira. U.S. nursing homes have significantly reduced the use of powerful antipsychotic drugs among their elderly residents, responding to pressure from many directions. Yet advocacy groups insist that overmedication remains a major problem, and want the pressure to intensify. According to the latest data from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the percentage of long-term nursing home residents being given antipsychotic drugs dropped from about 24 percent in late 2011 to under 16 percent last year. Decreases were reported in all 50 states, with the biggest in Tennessee, California and Arkansas. Dr. Jerry Gurwitz, chief of geriatric medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, depicts the overall decrease as one of the most dramatic changes Ive seen in my career. He wonders, however, if some nursing homes might be finding other medications that sedate their patients into passivity without drawing the same level of scrutiny as antipsychotics. Advocacy groups including the Washington-based Center for Medicare Advocacy and AARP Foundation Litigation say even the lower rate of antipsychotic usage is excessive, given federal warnings that elderly people with dementia face a higher risk of death when treated with such drugs. Given the dire consequences, it should be zero, said attorney Kelly Bagby of the AARP foundation, which has engaged in several court cases challenging nursing home medication practices. Bagby contends that the drugs are frequently used for their sedative effect, not because they have any benefit to the recipients. The advocacy groups long-running campaign was reinforced Monday with the release of a report by Human Rights Watch urging federal and state authorities to take tougher measures against improper use of antipsychotic drugs. On paper, nursing home residents have strong legal protections of their rights, but in practice, enforcement is often lacking, said the report, based on interviews with more than 300 people and visits to 109 nursing homes in six states. Analyzing the latest government data, Human Rights Watch estimates there are now about 179,000 people in nursing homes who get antipsychotics every week without having a diagnosis for which the drugs are approved. David Crary is an Associated Press writer. In the immediate aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, there was a fevered pitch to ban bump stocks, the device that allowed the shooters semi-automatic rifles to mimic the rapid fire of machine guns. But that push stalled at the federal level, so a handful of states and some cities are moving ahead with bans of their own. Massachusetts and New Jersey two states at the time led by Republican governors as well as the cities of Denver and Columbia, S.C., have enacted laws prohibiting the sale and possession of the devices, which were attached to a half-dozen of the long guns found in the hotel room of the Las Vegas shooter who in October killed 58 people and injured hundreds more attending a nearby outdoor concert. A little over a dozen other states are also considering bans on bump stocks. Gun-control advocates say the push fits a pattern in gun politics: inaction in Washington that forces states to take the lead. Gun-rights advocates call it a knee-jerk reaction that will do little to stop bad guys from killing, and vow a legal challenge. For Zach Elmore, the issue is deeply personal. His sister was among those wounded in the Las Vegas attack. He finds hope in the statewide and local efforts to ban bump stocks. Hopefully, its the start of a big movement versus just a flash in the pan, Elmore said. Obviously, you cannot legislate (against) evil, but you can legislate the things with which bad people will use to perpetrate evil. The devices were originally intended to help people with disabilities and were little known and little sold until the Las Vegas shooting. They fit over the stock and pistol grip of a semi-automatic rifle and allow the weapon to fire rapidly, some 400 to 800 rounds per minute, mimicking a fully automatic firearm. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives reviewed the devices and approved them in 2010, ruling they did not amount to machine guns that are regulated under the National Firearms Act that dates to the 1930s. Richard Vasquez was assistant chief of the ATFs technology bureau and led the review of bump stocks. He stands by the agencys 2010 ruling, which relied on a key difference between semi-automatic and fully automatic firearms: While semi-automatic firearms require a separate and independent pull of the trigger to fire a bullet, fully automatic firearms can fire multiple rounds with a single trigger pull. ATF determined bump stocks didnt convert a semi-automatic firearm into one that is fully auto. Everybody wants to jump the gun and say that ATF made a mistake, said Vasquez, who left the agency in 2014. ATF didnt make a mistake. Legislation in Congress has remained in limbo despite early signs from a bipartisan mix of lawmakers and advocates who voiced alarm that such a device was deemed legal and on the market. Even the National Rifle Association sounded open to regulation of bump stocks. Joyce Malcolm, a professor at George Mason Universitys Antonin Scalia School of Law, said the bans likely would withstand a legal challenge, but she wonders about more practical matters: How might they be enforced? I dont see a real constitutional issue. I just wonder about actually getting these devices out of circulation for people who already have them, she said. Its not known how many of the devices are in circulation. At the time of the Las Vegas shooting, gun dealers said they rarely had customers wanting to buy one but then couldnt keep up with the demand in the days and months afterward. The leading manufacturer of bump stocks, Texas-based Slide Fire Solutions, briefly stopped selling them, posting a notice on its website that it had suspended sales to keep up with demand. It has since resumed sales. Massachusetts, which has some of the nations strictest gun laws, enacted its ban a month after the Las Vegas shooting. New Jersey followed suit last month with a measure signed into law by outgoing Republican Gov. Chris Christie. This is a very familiar story. The Congress cowers in the face of the NRA, and the states act, said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, which advocates for tougher gun laws. Connecticut, home to some of the worlds most legendary gun makers, is among the other states considering bans. The federal government has demonstrated that, given the composition of the Congress right now, its not possible to pass common-sense gun laws, said state Rep. William Tong, a Democratic. Connecticut cant wait. Lisa Marie Pane is an Associated Press writer. CAYCE, S.C. Railway signals were out while crews installed a safety system that could have prevented exactly the type of crash that killed two people in South Carolina when an Amtrak train was diverted to a side track and slammed head-on into an empty freight train, authorities said Monday. Automated signals that could have warned the passenger train to stop before reaching the switch sending it down the side track were turned off as workers installed a GPS-based system called positive train control, or PTC, National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt said. On Sunday, Sumwalt told reporters an operational PTC is designed to prevent this type of incident. The crew that parked the CSX freight train on the side track and left the padlocked switch in position to divert trains from the main line were interviewed Monday, along with the dispatcher keeping up with trains in the area as the signals werent working, Sumwalt said. Positive train control is already installed in parts of the U.S. The system is designed to prevent two trains from traveling on the same track at the same time. Thats what happened early Sunday in the town of Cayce, when the New York-to-Miami Amtrak passenger train hit the parked CSX Corp. freight train. Two Amtrak employees, a conductor and an engineer, were killed and more than 100 passengers were treated at hospitals for injuries. It was the third fatal Amtrak train crash in less than two months. So why hasnt the system been widely implemented? Both industry experts and rail companies say in large part it comes down to costs and the sheer size of the nations rail system. After a collision between a commuter train and a freight train in Chatsworth (Los Angeles County) that killed 25 people, Congress passed a law in 2008 requiring railroads to adopt the technology on all tracks that carry passenger trains. Positive train control relies on GPS, wireless radio and computers to monitor train positions and automatically slow or stop trains that are in danger of colliding, derailing from excessive speed, or about to enter track where crews are working. Railroads were given seven years to start using the technology across the countrys 20,000 locomotives and 60,000 miles of track. But when it became clear that few if any railroads would meet the deadline, Congress extended it another three years to Dec. 31, 2018, with the option to grant railroads that show progress an additional two years to Dec. 31, 2020. Meg Kinnard is an Associated Press writer. A new report by a nonprofit legal advocacy group has tallied up the deaths in 2017 that were a result of alleged killers influenced by the "alt-right," a white nationalist hate movement that emerged in recent years. The Southern Poverty Law Center found that nine alleged perpetrators connected with the extremist ideology of the alt-right killed 17 and injured 43 people in 2017. It's a complex world on the one hand and yet one revolving in places around the very common on on the other. Take sex for example. As Getty reports, a company in China has a plan ... With China facing a massive gender gap and a greying population, a company wants to hook up lonely men and retirees with a new kind of companion: "Smart" sex dolls that can talk, play music and turn on dishwashers. And then backlash in New Orleans's iconic Bourbon Street over a crackdown against strip clubs, as the Associated Press reports: A protest by strip club workers has drowned out a news conference on Wednesday designed to highlight recent renovations along Bourbon Street as Mardi Gras kicks into high gear. But, at times, speakers competed with people behind them loudly chanting, "Save Our Jobs." The demonstrators were protesting recent law enforcement raids on clubs. Some held signs that read "Let us dance" or "It's Bourbon Street. Not Sesame Street." At a press conference earlier this week, investigators said they found evidence of prostitution, drug sales and what they described as lewd acts during the raids. Police Chief Michael Harrison said the raids were targeted at human traffickers, although no arrests for human trafficking were made. Check out these photos and more in our unique roundup of world news in photos. Jake Ellison can be reached at jakeellisonjournalism@gmail.com. Follow Jake on Twitter at twitter.com/Jake_News. Also, swing by and *LIKE* his page on Facebook. If Google Plus is your thing, check out our science coverage here. SACRAMENTO A long-stalled effort to extend whistle-blower protections to legislative employees finally reached Gov. Jerry Browns desk Monday and he signed it almost immediately. The new law took effect upon the governors signing. Now, a person who intentionally retaliates against a whistle-blower in the Legislature could be fined up to $10,000 and jailed for up to a year, and could be sued by the whistle-blower in civil court. The protections in the bill also cover volunteers, interns, fellows and those applying for a job in the Legislature. Legislation to provide the protections had passed the Assembly in each of the past four years only to be quietly blocked each time in the Senate. The Senate finally voted on the amended bill, AB403, by Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez, R-Lake Elsinore (Riverside County), last week, sending it back to the Assembly, which passed it Monday with a 74-0 vote. The law takes effect amid an uproar over sexual harassment and abuse allegations under the Capitol dome and across the country. No one should have to decide between keeping their job and reporting abuse, Melendez said. Lawmakers said the bill was the first of many steps needed to ensure employees in the Capitol and across the state have the protections needed to report sexual harassment and abuse in their workplace. Several Democratic lawmakers urged their colleagues to consider unionizing legislative staffers, who are at-will employees, to further protect them from employment abuses. AB403 was released last month by Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, from the Senate committee that had been holding it. De Leon said the bill was held because he felt the Senates existing anti-retaliation and sexual harassment policies were sufficient to protect legislative employees. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, I think it was appropriate to release the measure and make the bill a better bill, he said, adding that he worked to beef up the bill to better protect sexual harassment victims. Both the Senate and Assembly have been dealing with accusations against lawmakers, with Assemblymen Raul Bocanegra, D-San Fernando Valley, and Matt Dababneh, D-Encino (Los Angeles County), resigning late last year, while Sen. Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia (Los Angeles County), remains on paid leave pending an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. All three have denied wrongdoing. Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) San Francisco police and city officials announced an agreement today to have state prosecutors independently review 272 police reforms recommended by federal justice officials in 2016. The announcement comes after the U.S. Department of Justice decided in September to stop providing resources and guidance to police on implementing the reforms, which were recommended by the Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. "This is just too important not to do," California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said at a news conference this morning with city officials and police. Becerra did not say how much the agreement will cost his department. Rather, he said he's not going to wait for state legislators to provide the money but will find it. The federal recommendations were made following several officer-involved shootings in San Francisco in 2015 that led to the resignation of police Chief Greg Suhr. The recommendations include the reform of the Police Department's use-of-force policies, racial bias training, community policing, transparency and accountability. Police said that they have completed 81 recommendations, submitted 79 others for review and started on the last 112. Because of the implementation, use-of-force cases dropped by 18 percent and complaints against officers fell 9 percent in 2017 compared with 2016, according to police data. "We're committed to doing this work and we won't stop until it's done," police Chief Bill Scott said. Scott added that making and maintaining the changes will be hard but the agreement with Becerra's office will allow the Police Department to complete them. "These are unprecedented times," Board of Supervisors president London Breed said. The city is going continue the collaborative efforts between police and communities of color, which the recommendations are meant to do, Breed said. "Every life matters," Supervisor Malia Cohen said. Cohen initiated the effort to reform the Police Department after police shot Mario Woods to death in her jurisdiction in the Bayview District, she said. The Police Department's use-of-force policy had not been reviewed since the 1990s, Cohen said. The recommendations implemented so far have also resulted in a more diverse Police Department with an increased number of minorities in leadership positions. "I think what we're all looking for is fairness," Scott said. A 55-year-old Boulder Creek man on a bicycle who was struck and killed by a big-rig in Sunnyvale on Thursday has been identified as Scott Harvey, according to the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office. Officers and fire personnel responded to a report of a major-injury collision on Caribbean Drive and Borregas Avenue at 6:50 a.m., Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety Capt. Shawn Ahearn said. Arriving personnel found Harvey down in the roadway. They attempted to administer life-saving medical treatment but were unsuccessful, Ahearn said. The 46-year-old driver of the big-rig cooperated with investigators, who do not believe that drugs or alcohol were involved in the collision. The Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety's Accident Investigation Team is investigating the details of the collision, including cause, Ahearn said. Anyone who has information or witnessed the collision should call the Traffic Unit at (408) 730-7109. A pedestrian fatally struck by a vehicle Thursday morning in South San Francisco was identified today by the San Mateo County coroner's office as 45-year-old Castro Valley man Odbayar Damdin. South San Francisco police initially said that Damdin was from San Jose. Officers responded at about 6:25 a.m. to a crash involving a pedestrian and a vehicle in the 100 block of El Camino Real near Noor Avenue. Damdin was crossing El Camino Real on foot when the vehicle hit him. He was found with major injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle stayed at the crash site and cooperated with investigators. Six people, two with serious injuries, were taken to hospitals after a 10-vehicle crash in north Santa Rosa this morning, police said. Six of the 10 vehicles burned in the 9:25 a.m. crash at the intersection of Fountaingrove Parkway and Mendocino Avenue. The fires from collisions caused plumes of black smoke in the sky that were visible for several miles. Several roads in the area are expected to be closed for most of the day, police said. The closures included northbound Mendocino Avenue at Bicentennial Way, southbound Old Redwood Highway at the Mendocino Avenue off-ramp, the Mendocino Avenue over-crossing at Cleveland Avenue and westbound Fountaingrove Parkway at Round Barn Boulevard. A lawyer for a robotic car company founded by Google accused Uber Technologies Inc. in federal court in San Francisco today of being a "cheater" in the race to produce self-driving cars. Charles Verhoeven, a lawyer for Waymo LLC, spoke in his opening statement at the start of a trial in which Waymo is seeking up to $1.8 billion from Uber for alleged theft of its trade secrets. Verhoeven told the 10-member civil jury that Uber and its former chief executive officer Travis Kalanick decided that "losing was not an option" and that Uber's goal was "winning at all costs." In response, Uber attorney William Carmody said during his opening that Uber didn't steal any secrets and instead relied on the skills and expertise of the engineers it hired. "There's not a single piece of Google proprietary information at Uber, nothing, zero," Carmody told the jury. Waymo was established by Mountain View-based Google in 2009. It was spun off as a separate entity in 2016 and is now a subsidiary of Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc. San Francisco-based Uber began hiring engineers for its own self-driving car program in 2015. Waymo claims that a top engineer, Anthony Levandowski, downloaded 14,000 files of highly confidential information shortly before he left the company in 2016. Levandowski start a self-driving truck company, Otto, which was acquired by Uber in August 2016 for a reported $680 million. Verhoeven alleged today that Otto was a "fake company" created to veil Levandowki's eventual transfer to Uber. Waymo claims the allegedly stolen information enabled Uber to leapfrog Waymo's seven years of development of the technology. Waymo sued Uber in U.S. District Court in San Francisco in February 2017. Uber fired Levandowski in May after he refused to cooperate with Uber's internal investigation in the wake of the lawsuit. The trial in the court of U.S. District Judge William Alsup is expected to last about three weeks. Expected witnesses include Kalanick and Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Levandowki is also slated to be called to the stand, but is expected to invoke his Fifth Amendment right not to testify. The lawsuit alleges the theft of eight trade secrets used to develop laser-sensing technology that gives self-driving cars a picture of their surroundings. One person suffered major injuries and more suffered minor injuries in a collision involving several vehicles this morning on the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge, California Highway Patrol officials said. The collision involving a U-Haul truck was reported at 8:50 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of the bridge, CHP Officer Todd Smith said. All except one eastbound lane is open as of 10:30 a.m. and traffic is getting through on the eastbound side. All of the injured people have been taken to hospitals. All westbound lanes are open, according to the CHP. The Hayward Fire Department is asking people who live in the area of Huntwood and Austin Avenues to shelter in place or immediately leave the area if they smell a strong odor in the wake of a gas mainline puncture this morning, police said. Construction crews in the area of Huntwood and Austin avenues, an area east of Interstate Highway 880, accidentally punctured the gas line, according to police. The area is being blocked off to allow crews to repair the line, police said. A 13-year-old boy suffered little to no injuries after being hit by a car when he was riding his bike to school this morning in Los Altos Hills, a Santa Clara County sheriff's spokesman said. The boy was riding in the bike lane at West Fremont Road and Fremont Pines Lane when a car was backing out of a residential driveway and did not see him, hitting his bike and knocking him down, according to Santa Clara County sheriff's Sgt. Reginald Cooks. Luckily, the boy was not seriously injured and was able to get up and walk to his mother who took him to a hospital for precautionary purposes, Cooks said. Deputies from the sheriff's office were on scene by 7:48 a.m. Cooks explained that there was tree coverage that blocked a clearer vision for the driver. There was little damage done to the bike and no other injuries were reported, according to Cooks. Firefighters extinguished a two-alarm house fire Saturday afternoon in Vallejo after police responded to a disturbance there, according to fire officials. Shortly after 1 p.m., Vallejo police responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at the home in the 300 block of Parkview Terrace. At the scene, an officer contacted a male resident at the front door and noticed an orange glow and smoke coming from the rear of the home. The officer tried to remove the resident from the home, but the resident resisted and his clothing caught on fire, fire officials said. The officer was able to drag the resident out and extinguish his clothing, fire officials said. Fire crews were dispatched to the scene, where the home was quickly overtaken by fire. A second alarm was called and firefighters attacked the blaze. Firefighters rescued three dogs from the backyard. One of them suffered critical injuries and was taken to a veterinarian clinic in Cordelia, fire officials said. The resident of the home was also hospitalized with second- and third-degree burns to his leg. The police officer was treated for smoke inhalation and then released, fire officials said. There was no fire damage to neighboring homes or properties. Fire officials did not say what caused the blaze. A thief stole a victim's cellphone at the South Hayward BART station Saturday evening, according to police. At 7:14 p.m., a victim reported that the suspect forcibly stole his cellphone while he was in the bus zone at the station. The suspect fled on foot and responding officers were unable to locate him, police said. The phone could not be tracked. The victim was not injured, police said. A suspect who caused a crash with a stolen vehicle in Watsonville over the weekend remains at large, according to police. On Saturday evening, police said on social media that they responded to the 900 block of East Lake Avenue to investigate a vehicle crash. At the scene, officers found a Chevrolet Camaro had crashed into a parked tractor-trailer, then rolled over onto its roof. The driver of the Camaro had fled the scene before officers arrived, police said. The officers contacted the registered owner of the Camaro and learned that it had been stolen. Further details about the case or the suspect were not immediately available. Voters in Contra Costa County will receive ballots and information guides with a new language included starting this year, county elections officials said. Written material will now be in traditional Chinese along with the current languages of English and Spanish, according to the county. Audio assistance will also be available in both Cantonese and Mandarin. The first materials to include the Chinese language are for a March 6 special vote-by-mail election in the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District and Diablo Community Services District. The addition results from a shift in the county's demographics to include more people speaking Chinese. The federal Voting Rights Act requires that a language be included on election materials if 10,000 voters or 5 percent of a county's voting-age citizens speak it, according to the county. The county was informed by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2016 that it had crossed that threshold for Chinese. More information about the county's elections can be found online at www.cocovote.us. A Berkeley man died after he was shot Saturday morning in North Oakland, police said. Someone called police at 10:50 a.m. to report the shooting in the 6200 block of Market Street about two blocks south of the Oakland-Berkeley border. Police said officers arrived and found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. The man was taken to a hospital where he died. The victim's name is being withheld until his family is told. A man suffered a life-threatening injury early Sunday afternoon in San Francisco's Bayview neighborhood, police said. At 12:03 p.m., someone called police to report a stabbing near the intersection of Loomis and Flower streets. Police said officers responded to the intersection and found a man with a stab wound there. The man was taken to a hospital. Police said no one has been arrested in the stabbing. A shooting sent a woman to the hospital with life-threatening injuries in San Jose late Saturday night, a police spokeswoman said. Officers responded just before midnight to the 3100 block of Cadillac Drive after receiving a report of a person having been shot, according to Officer Gina Tepoorten. The officers found a woman suffering from at least one gunshot wound. She was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, Tepoorten said. Police are investigating the motive or circumstances of the shooting, Tepoorten said. No suspects have been identified or apprehended so far. A South San Francisco police officer was injured as officers tried to stop some suspects thought to have stolen at least one item from a Walgreens early Sunday morning, police said. Officers responded at 12:46 a.m. to the Walgreens at 2238 Westborough Blvd. in Westborough Square after someone called to report a theft in progress. Police said officers spotted the suspect's vehicle at a nearby gas station and tried to stop it. But shortly after the officers started talking to the suspects, the suspects sped away in what was a stolen vehicle. Police said as the car sped away, an officer was struck by part of the vehicle and suffered minor injuries. The vehicle, a 2006 BMW 325i, was later found unoccupied in San Francisco and seized for evidence. Police said they discovered the identities of the theft suspects with information they found inside the car. The suspects were still at large Sunday afternoon. A 5-year-old girl was injured when a pit bull attacked her in Point Pinole Regional Shoreline in Richmond Sunday morning, California Highway Patrol officials said. At 11:50 a.m. a CHP helicopter was on patrol over Contra Costa County when Richmond firefighters broadcast a report of the attack. The helicopter crew located the victim, told firefighters the best way to get to her and then landed the helicopter close by. A paramedic from the helicopter provided care to the girl before she was taken to a hospital in an ambulance. CHP officials said the girl was bitten by a pit bull that was not on a leash. The girl suffered minor injuries. The attack is being investigated by Contra Costa County Animal Services and the East Bay Regional Park District. Two mountain lions were seen jumping, sauntering and otherwise being mountain lions in suburban Palo Alto Saturday night, police said. A woman startled a mountain lion around 8 p.m. as she drove down the 600 block of Wildwood Lane, and the big cat took off like a rocket, hopping the fence into her back yard, she told police. Officers searched the area, which is about three blocks from San Francisquito Creek, but couldn't find the big cat, police said. Next, another woman on a walk in the 700 block of Sutter Avenue saw a mountain lion apparently out for the same purpose. The animal didn't show any aggressive behavior, she told police. Officers searched this area, immediately adjacent to Matadero Creek, to no avail, police said. The two cats were sighted within about a mile and a half of each other and there's no way to tell if it was two different animals or the same one, according to police. Officers beefed up patrols in both neighborhoods overnight and stayed in the area Sunday. Officers also notified animal control officers from Palo Alto Animal Services and park rangers from Palo Alto Open Space. Generally, mountain lions are calm, quiet and elusive, according to an information page on the City of Palo Alto website. They are most commonly found in areas with plentiful prey and adequate cover - conditions that exist in mountain subdivisions, urban fringes and open spaces. As a result, the number of mountain lion sightings has increased. If a person sees a mountain lion, the first rule is not to approach the animal, the city said. "Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape," according to the city. Also, the city advises residents not to run from mountain lions, because this might set off the animal's instinct to chase. More tips can be found on the city website, https://www.cityofpaloalto.org Police cited numerous drivers and towed numerous vehicles after a large sideshow that occurred early Sunday morning in Oakland, according to police. Police reported the sideshow at 2:10 a.m. on social media. The sideshow took place in the area of High Street and Foothill Boulevard near Fremont High School. According to police, spectators broke windows of businesses and threw bottles at officers. Petaluma police arrested a man Friday who allegedly caused an injury collision on Jan. 25 while he was street racing. On Thursday, an alert citizen who had witnessed the collision last month saw one of the vehicles involved on Sonoma Mountain Parkway. The vehicle was a gray Subaru WRX and the citizen called police. Officers responded to the scene and contacted the registered owner of the Subaru, identified as 23-year-old Juan Guzman Garcia of Petaluma. According to police, Garcia admitted that he was the driver involved in the street race. He told officers that after the collision, he was scared because his driver's license was suspended. Garcia's employer and friends told him he should contact police about the collision, but he never did, police said. A records check revealed that Garcia's license was suspended for a DUI conviction and for being a negligent operator. Garcia was also on active probation in Sonoma County for the DUI conviction and driving on a suspended license, police said. Garcia was arrested and booked into the county jail on suspicion of reckless driving causing great bodily injury, street racing, driving on a suspended license and two counts of probation violation. His vehicle was impounded for 30 days, police said. Several locations in the San Francisco Bay Area saw record high temperatures for Saturday, National Weather Service officials said. In Healdsburg, the temperature reached 80 degrees, breaking the old record of 75 degrees set in 1906. The temperature reached 74 degrees Saturday in San Francisco, breaking the old record of 71 in 1992. At the San Francisco International Airport, it was 76 degrees, six degrees higher than the old record set in 1984. Records were also broken in Santa Rosa, Half Moon Bay, San Jose and at Moffett Federal Airfield and at Oakland International Airport. Police arrested a man who allegedly stabbed a victim Sunday evening in Santa Rosa. At 5:21 p.m., officers were dispatched to Southwest Community Park at 1698 Hearn Ave. to investigate a report of a stabbing. Witnesses had reported that the suspect fled the scene and was last seen running north from the park, police said. Arriving officers found a man with a single stab wound. He was taken to a hospital where he received medical treatment. His injuries are not life-threatening, police said. Officers, with help from sheriff's deputies and a helicopter, set up a perimeter and searched for the suspect. They found him hiding under a piece of plywood, adjacent to a home in the 700 block of Westwood Drive, police said. The suspect was identified as 33-year-old Francisco Lopez-Ibanez of Santa Rosa. He was arrested without incident and booked into Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, police said. Anyone with information about this case can call Santa Rosa police at (707) 543-3590. Today will be sunny in the morning, then becoming partly cloudy. Highs will be in the 60s to lower 70s. West winds will be between 5 and 15 mph. Tonight will be mostly clear with lows in the mid 50s. West winds will be between 5 and 10 mph. Tuesday will be sunny with highs in the mid 60s to lower 70s. Northwest winds will be between 10 and 20 mph. PETALUMA (BCN) Petaluma police arrested a man Friday who allegedly caused an injury collision on Jan. 25 while he was street racing. On Thursday, an alert citizen who had witnessed the collision last month saw one of the vehicles involved on Sonoma Mountain Parkway. The vehicle was a gray Subaru WRX and the citizen called police. Officers responded to the scene and contacted the registered owner of the Subaru, identified as 23-year-old Juan Guzman Garcia of Petaluma. According to police, Garcia admitted that he was the driver involved in the street race. He told officers that after the collision, he was scared because his driver's license was suspended. Garcia's employer and friends told him he should contact police about the collision, but he never did, police said. A records check revealed that Garcia's license was suspended for a DUI conviction and for being a negligent operator. Garcia was also on active probation in Sonoma County for the DUI conviction and driving on a suspended license, police said. Garcia was arrested and booked into the county jail on suspicion of reckless driving causing great bodily injury, street racing, driving on a suspended license and two counts of probation violation. His vehicle was impounded for 30 days, police said. VACAVILLE (BCN) Police arrested a man who allegedly tried to burglarize an apartment Thursday in Vacaville. Early Thursday morning, an alert female citizen called police to report that a man was trying to break into her neighbor's apartment in the 1000 block of Callen Street. Officers arrived and found 25-year-old Joseph Welding of Vacaville. He was wearing latex gloves, carrying two pry bars, and trying to break open the door to an apartment, police said. Welding was arrested and booked into the county jail on suspicion of attempted burglary and possession of burglary tools, police said. The resident of the apartment, who was at work, was notified of the crime, police said. SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A South San Francisco police officer was injured as officers tried to stop some suspects thought to have stolen at least one item from a Walgreens early this morning, police said. Officers responded at 12:46 a.m. to the Walgreens at 2238 Westborough Blvd. in Westborough Square after someone called to report a theft in progress. Police said officers spotted the suspect's vehicle at a nearby gas station and tried to stop it. But shortly after the officers started talking to the suspects, the suspects sped away in what was a stolen vehicle. Police said as the car sped away, an officer was struck by part of the vehicle and suffered minor injuries. The vehicle, a 2006 BMW 325i, was later found unoccupied in San Francisco and seized for evidence. Police said they discovered the identities of the theft suspects with information they found inside the car. The suspects were still at large this afternoon. Anyone who witnessed or who has information about the events is asked to call South San Francisco police at (650) 877-8900 or the anonymous tip line at (650) 952-2244 or send the information by email to tips@ssf.net. SAN JOSE (BCN) During the first day of cleanup of one of San Jose's largest homeless encampments under the junctions of Interstate Highway 680 and U.S. Highway 101, a rally led by local homeless advocates called for a different solution to the city's homelessness epidemic besides relocation. Pastor Scott Wagers, one of the organizers and an advocate for the homeless in the area for more than 25 years, led the protest that called for a better answer for "Silicon Valley's ongoing humanitarian crisis of housing and homelessness" than evicting the homeless from underneath the freeway junction. "I know about 80 percent of the people in this camp," Wagers said. "From 'The Jungle' sweep in 2014, these people moved to another strip of land in a cul-de-sac by McLaughlin Avenue to here. And now they'll be going back to that location, even though Caltrans put a wall up." Wagers estimated about 100 people were there to support the efforts. He said he believes that the problem is not being given enough attention because the city is ashamed of the homeless population in the wake of the area's growing technology industry. "They represent failure and economic downturn, so consciously or unconsciously, they are not treating the homeless like their brothers and sisters," he said. Wagers said some have named the Felipe Avenue encampment "Googleville," "in order to highlight the tech industry's flagrant irresponsibility." "They're spending the money, but not creating the solution. They're moving the problem instead of stabilizing it," he said. Caltrans arrived on Felipe Avenue at 4 a.m. to start clearing the area and California Highway Patrol officers arrived at 7:30 a.m. to do a preliminary sweep, searching the area to find any remaining people and warn them that they need to leave, according to Caltrans spokeswoman RocQuel Johnson. Caltrans estimates it will take at least a week to clean up trash and provide security measures for the strip of land, like replacing fences that have been torn down or damaged, Johnson said. If any other factors of the perimeter that serve as a safety barrier are found broken, Caltrans is responsible for those repairs since they are "conservatories of the state," she said. Johnson said that a homelessness task force has been out at the site every day since notices of evacuation were issued to the homeless to help them find the resources that they need. The clearing efforts were supposed to start last month, but the agency has been working with state Sen. Jim Beall's office to provide extra assistance to those affected by the notices, according to Johnson. "I have been working with Caltrans to commit more comprehensive contracts that do more than evict the homeless but channel them to the support services and shelter they need," Beall said in a statement. The normal notification of eviction is granted 72 hours beforehand, but this area was notified a month beforehand, Johnson said. Caltrans is starting their efforts near the end of the property closest to the freeway exit and moving its way all the way around to where the Highway 680 to Highway 101 loop begins. Because of the expansive amount of area, it may take Caltrans more than a week to complete. However, Johnson said that they will be at the scene every day until debris is gone. Caltrans is working with California's Conservation Corps to redo landscaping of the area. Advocate Gail Osmer has tried to work with Beall's office to stop the evacuation and declare the site a legal encampment. She offered herself to come with a crew to clear out the garbage that had accumulated, but the offer was not accepted. "We need to stop this," Osmer said. "They are violating people's civil and personal rights." Osmer said that the city or county could come in and lease the property for the homeless, and she hopes that in the future it's an option they will consider. She called for dumpsters and portable toilets at the minimum for an estimated 70-100 homeless people that lived in this area and may return after the Caltrans operation. Both Perry and Osmer said that the last sweep done of the area was at least six months ago, and garnered more attention when more homeless settled underneath the junction. Osmer said that when the Caltrans clearance is over, advocates will come back to try and see if there is a way to establish a legal, organized encampment. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A lawyer for a robotic car company founded by Google accused Uber Technologies Inc. in federal court in San Francisco today of being a "cheater" in the race to produce self-driving cars. Charles Verhoeven, a lawyer for Waymo LLC, spoke in his opening statement at the start of a trial in which Waymo is seeking up to $1.8 billion from Uber for alleged theft of its trade secrets. Verhoeven told the 10-member civil jury that Uber and its former chief executive officer Travis Kalanick decided that "losing was not an option" and that Uber's goal was "winning at all costs." In response, Uber attorney William Carmody said during his opening that Uber didn't steal any secrets and instead relied on the skills and expertise of the engineers it hired. "There's not a single piece of Google proprietary information at Uber, nothing, zero," Carmody told the jury. Waymo was established by Mountain View-based Google in 2009. It was spun off as a separate entity in 2016 and is now a subsidiary of Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc. San Francisco-based Uber began hiring engineers for its own self-driving car program in 2015. Waymo claims that a top engineer, Anthony Levandowski, downloaded 14,000 files of highly confidential information shortly before he left the company in 2016. Levandowski start a self-driving truck company, Otto, which was acquired by Uber in August 2016 for a reported $680 million. Verhoeven alleged today that Otto was a "fake company" created to veil Levandowki's eventual transfer to Uber. Waymo claims the allegedly stolen information enabled Uber to leapfrog Waymo's seven years of development of the technology. Waymo sued Uber in U.S. District Court in San Francisco in February 2017. Uber fired Levandowski in May after he refused to cooperate with Uber's internal investigation in the wake of the lawsuit. The trial in the court of U.S. District Judge William Alsup is expected to last about three weeks. Expected witnesses include Kalanick and Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Levandowki is also slated to be called to the stand, but is expected to invoke his Fifth Amendment right not to testify. The lawsuit alleges the theft of eight trade secrets used to develop laser-sensing technology that gives self-driving cars a picture of their surroundings. SACRAMENTO Susan Kennedy has had many titles over the years as a political heavyweight in the state chief of staff to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, deputy chief of staff to Gov. Gray Davis and a commissioner at the California Public Utilities Commission, to name a few. But one title she did not disclose has her facing a hefty fine from the state campaign finance watchdog. Kennedy failed to register as a lobbyist from 2012 and 2014, despite high-paying contracts with Lyft and Southern Californias San Gabriel Valley Water Co., according to an investigation by the Fair Political Practices Commission. The commission found that Kennedy and her company, Susan P. Kennedy Inc., violated eight counts of the states Political Reform Act, and it proposed a $32,500 fine that Kennedy has agreed to pay, according to a copy of the settlement agreement released Monday by the commission. The commissions five-member board must agree to the settlement before it can be finalized. Lyft and the San Gabriel Valley Water Co. paid Kennedy more than $200,000 combined to lobby the Public Utilities Commission, according to the settlement. Kennedy herself was a governor-appointed member of the utilities commission from 2003 to 2006. Kennedy began working as a consultant for Lyft in 2012 on a $15,000-per-month contract. At that time, ride-sharing companies like Lyft, Uber and Sidecar were facing scrutiny from the Public Utilities Commission for operating without permits. After being retained by Lyft, Kennedy contacted the utilities commissions then-president, Michael Peevey, and then-executive director, Paul Clanon, to influence the nature of the rules and regulations being considered by the agency, according to the settlement. Kennedys efforts, the settlement notes, were successful, resulting in rules and regulations mirroring what Kennedy had suggested. The San Gabriel Valley Water Co., an investor-owned-utility water company regulated by the utilities commission, retained Kennedy in 2013 on a $25,000-per-month contract. At that time, the water company was trying to get the utilities commission to approve a rate increase from customers in the San Bernardino County city of Fontana. The settlement said Kennedy met with Peevey and then-Commissioner Michael Picker, who is now president of the commission. During the meetings and in emails later, Kennedy lobbied the commission to approve the rate increase, according to the settlement. The rate increase was initially denied in May 2014, but a modified increase was approved in November 2015. As part of the settlement, Kennedy admitted that the contacts she had with the utilities commission on behalf of Lyft and the water agency qualified as lobbying. She has since registered as a lobbyist. Kennedy told investigators that she no longer works as a paid consultant and does not intend to resume such work. Ms. Kennedy moved immediately once the discrepancy was identified to provide the necessary information requested by the FPPC, said James Harrison, a spokesman for Kennedy. Integrity and character are hallmark principles in how Ms. Kennedy conducts herself in business, which is why she is acting swiftly and looks forward to its resolution. Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez Kevin Jonas, the oldest member of the Jonas Brothers, is putting the New Jersey mansion he built himself back on the market for $2.48 million. After the sibling-based band broke up, Jonas, 30, started his own residential real estate development company, JonasWerner, which specializes in building custom mansions within commuting distance of Manhattan. Jonas finished this house in Montville in late 2016 and listed it for $2.5 million. He briefly pulled it off the market before relisting it last summer. It's back this week, with a tiny price tweak. Exterior realtor.com The five-bedroom, 6.5-bath home sits on a little over 2 acres at the end of a cul-de-sac and is packed with high-end amenities. Foyer and dining room realtor.com Double front doors open to a traditional foyer and open-concept formal dining area, which features a glass-enclosed, restaurant-style wine room. The kitchen is anchored by a chefs island that seats four, and a gas range with mosaic-tiled backsplash. The kitchen flows into the family dining area and living room, which has coffered ceilings, large windows, a stone fireplace, and built-in storage. Living room realtor.com Man cave realtor.com Jonas built a man cave with a brick accent wall and dark wood finishes, a wet bar, two refrigerators, and a pool table. The homes five bedrooms are all large enough to comfortably include their own sitting areas. The master bedroom boasts a walk-in closet that could easily fit 100 pairs of shoes, dozens of handbags, and hundreds of other items of clothing. Walk-in closet realtor.com Basement realtor.com Jonas finished the basement and turned it into a home gym/kids playroom, complete with a built-in playhouse and miniature street lights. Outside, theres a covered patio, kitchen, and saltwater pool. Jonas and his brothers grew up just 20 minutes away from Montville, in Wyckoff, NJ. The trio rose to fame in 2008, after starring in the Disney Channel film "Camp Rock." That year, they released their third studio album and were nominated for the Best New Artist award at the Grammys. The Jonas Brothers broke up in late 2013, after selling nearly 20 million records. Kevin, the bands guitarist, got married in 2009. In 2011, he and his wife moved into a custom home in Denville, NJ, that served as the backdrop for their E! reality show, Married to Jonas. The couple sold that house in 2013, and moved into a mansion in Boonton Township, NJ, before selling that home last year. The post Kevin Jonas Relists $2.48M New Jersey Mansion He Built Himself appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. AL-ASAD AIRBASE, Iraq American troops have started to draw down from Iraq following Baghdads declaration of victory over the Islamic State group last year, according to Western contractors at a U.S.-led coalition base in Iraq. In Baghdad, an Iraqi government spokesman on Monday confirmed that the reduction has begun, though he stressed it was still in its early stages and doesnt mark the beginning of a complete pullout of U.S. forces. Dozens of American soldiers have been transported from Iraq to Afghanistan on flights over the past week, along with weapons and equipment, the contractors said. An AP reporter at the Al-Asad base in western Iraq saw troop movements reflecting the contractors account. The contractors spoke on condition of anonymity. Continued coalition presence in Iraq will be conditions-based, proportional to the need and in coordination with the government of Iraq, said coalition spokesman Army Col. Ryan Dillon. Government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi said the battle against Daesh has ended, and so the level of the American presence will be reduced. Daesh is the Arabic language acronym for Islamic State. Al-Hadithi spoke just hours after the Associated Press reported the American drawdown the first since the war against Islamic State was launched over three years ago. One senior Iraqi official close to Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said 60 percent of all American troops currently in country will be withdrawn, according to the initial agreement reached with the United States. The plan would leave a force of about 4,000 U.S. troops to continue training the Iraqi military. The official spoke on condition of anonymity. A Pentagon report released in November said there were 8,892 U.S. troops in Iraq as of late September. The U.S. first launched air strikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq in August 2014. At the time the military intervention was described as limited, but as Iraqs military struggled to roll back the extremists, the U.S.-led coalitions footprint in the country steadily grew. The drawdown of U.S. forces comes just three months ahead of national elections in Iraq, where the indefinite presence of American troops continues to be a divisive issue. Susannah George and Qassim Abdul-Zahra are Associated Press writers. SEOUL Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong was freed Monday after a South Korean appeals court gave him a 2-year suspended jail sentence for corruption in a scandal that toppled the countrys president. The Seoul High Court softened the original ruling against Lee, rejecting most of the bribery charges leveled against him by prosecutors who sought a 12-year prison term. While the ruling clears the way for the Samsung vice chairman to resume his role at the helm of the industrial giant founded by his grandfather after a year in prison, he faces a host of challenges outside prison. Chief among them will be winning trust that he is capable of running South Koreas biggest company, and assuaging public anger among those who viewed the courts surprise decision as a setback in the war on corruption. The past year was a precious time for personal reflection, Lee told reporters waiting outside the gates of a detention center in Seoul. Lees first stop from the prison was a hospital where his father has been treated since suffering a heart attack in 2014. Lee was charged with offering $38 million in bribes to former President Park Geun-hye and her confidant Choi Soon-sil, embezzling Samsung funds, hiding assets overseas, concealing proceeds from criminal activities and perjury. The appeals court said Lee was unable to reject the then-presidents request to financially support her confidante and was coerced into making the payments. The court still found Lee guilty of giving 3.6 billion won ($3.3 million) in bribes for equestrian training of Chois daughter and of embezzling the money from Samsung funds. Lees lawyer, Lee Injae, said the Samsung vice chairman still plans to appeal his conviction. Prosecutors also were expected to appeal the courts ruling, making it almost certain the case will go to the Supreme Court. Lee, 49 and the only son of Samsungs ailing chairman, was given a five-year prison term in August on bribery and other charges linked to the scandal that took down the former president. Many South Koreans were expecting a tough stance from the appeals court and took to social media and online news portals to vent their anger at the ruling and the judge who issued the verdict. The earlier ruling against Lee was seen as a departure from the previous court cases that had been criticized for being too soft toward white-collar crime. Youkyung Lee is an Associated Press writer. The office of Irans president has charged into the middle of one of the most contentious debates over the character of the Islamic Republic, releasing a 3-year-old report showing that nearly half of Iranians wanted an end to the requirement that women cover their heads in public. The reports release Sunday comes as dozens of women in recent weeks have protested in public against being forced to wear the veil, a symbol of Irans revolution as much as it is deemed a religious requirement. The decision to release the report which found that 49.8 percent of Iranians, both women and men, consider the Islamic veil a private matter and think the government should have no say in it appears to pit President Hassan Rouhani directly against Irans hard-line judiciary, which on Friday said that 29 people had been detained in connection with the protests. They have called the demonstrations childish, insist that the large majority of Iranians support Islamic veiling and have called for harsher measures against those protesting the veil. At least as striking as the reports findings was the timing of its release. The study is from 2014, and publishing it now suggests that the president saw this as a moment to challenge the hard-liners, who hold ultimate power, about such a symbolically potent issue. The government wants to show that any crackdown against the veil is illegal and not democratic, said Fazel Meybodi, a reformist cleric from the city of Qom. Anyway, crackdowns and punishment are not a part of Islam. Rouhani, a moderate compared with Irans hard-liners, decades ago prided himself on having been the one responsible for introducing the law on the compulsory Islamic veil. But since his election as president in 2013, and continuing after his re-election last year, he has called for more freedoms for Iranians. Mr. President wants to be popular, and his team knows that an increasing number of women do not like the Islamic code of dress, said Farshad Ghorbanpour, a political analyst close to the government. They want to woo the women and make sure the popularity of the president does not diminish even further. One of the women who protested on the street last week by taking off her scarf, and who requested anonymity out of fear of being arrested, said the report was helpful, but that it did not go far enough. Women are demanding full freedom, the woman said, adding that the report showed that many people agreed with that view. Thomas Erdbrink is a New York Times writer. 1 Migrants drown: Spanish authorities said Sunday that several refugees were found dead in waters near the coast of Morocco. Irene Flores, head of communication for the regional government of Melilla, said Spains Civil Guard found the body of one sub-Saharan man. Flores said there were more bodies found in the water Saturday but they were recovered by Moroccan patrol ships. Spanish media reported as many as 20 bodies were pulled from the sea. Each year thousands of migrants attempt to reach Spain by making the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean or by entering Melilla and Ceuta, Spains African enclaves, either by land or sea. 2 Taiwan quake: A strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck off Taiwans east coast Sunday night, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or major damage. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quakes epicenter was 9 miles northeast of the city of Hualien, at a depth of just 4.9 miles. Shallow quakes tend to cause more damage than deeper ones. Earthquakes frequently rattle Taiwan, but most are minor. In 1999, however, a 7.6-magnitude quake in central Taiwan killed more than 2,300 people. 1 South Africa drought: The city of Cape Town has pushed back Day Zero the date when it might have to turn off most water taps because of a long drought by nearly a month to May 11. Authorities said Monday that the reprieve is due to an anticipated decline in agricultural use of water because many farms in Western Cape province, which includes the city, have used up water supplies allocated to them. Officials had previously projected Day Zero to fall on April 16. The citys reservoirs have been dried by three straight years of drought. 2 Mideast stabbing: A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli man to death at a bus stop near a West Bank settlement on Monday before fleeing the scene, Israeli officials said. An army officer chased the assailant after the stabbing near the entrance to Ariel, hitting the attacker with his vehicle, but the attacker managed to get away. Israeli media reported the victim was a father of four. Palestinians seek the West Bank, which Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war, as part of their future state. Most of the international community views Israeli settlements there as illegal and an obstacle to peace. Israel says the fate of settlements must be resolved through negotiations. BEIRUT Stepped up air strikes by Syrian government forces and their Russian allies on the countrys last remaining rebel strongholds killed at least 28 civilians Monday, activists and monitors said. Opposition rescue teams pulled babies from incubators in a hospital under attack, rushing them to safety in a pick-up truck. Elsewhere, rescue workers searched for survivors in the rubble of a destroyed apartment building. It is like the end of days, Raed Saleh, head of the first-responders known as White Helmets, said of the past 24 hours of attacks on the opposition-held eastern Damascus suburb of Ghouta and in northwestern Idlib province. The escalating offensive, which included a suspected chlorine attack a day earlier, reached a new ferocity after insurgents downed a Russian Su-25 over the weekend, the first time they scored such a major hit against the governments main ally, Moscow. Russia has waged a punishing aerial campaign against Syrias armed opposition since intervening in the civil war on the side of its ally, President Bashar Assad, in 2015. Cease-fire deals have failed to quell the violence or restore humanitarian aid to besieged Ghouta, were 400,000 residents are holed up amid warnings of a looming humanitarian disaster. If a Russian plane was downed, revenge should not be on civilians and children, Saleh said. Now more than any other day, we need the international community to restore the humanity it has lost in Syria. The al Qaeda-linked Levant Liberation Committee, which is the dominant militant group in Idlib, said its fighters shot down the Russian jet near the town of Saraqeb and killed its pilot after he ejected from the plane. Rebels have previously claimed to have downed Syrian government planes or drones, but it was the first time they hit a Russian aircraft. Russias military bases in western Syria were also hit last month in a series of drone attacks, challenging Moscows gains in the country still torn by conflict. Since then, activists say Russian and Syrian government forces have stepped up their attacks. Activists and rescue workers reported at least 28 civilians, including six children, were killed on Monday in Ghouta, where nearly 40 air strikes hit the suburb that is the last opposition stronghold in Damascus. In Idlib, two hospitals have been hit with air strikes since Sunday and at least 14 people have been killed. Sarah El Deeb and Philip Issa are Associated Press writers. SEOUL North Korea on Sunday denounced President Trumps State of the Union address and said its nuclear capabilities would deter Trump and his lackeys from showing off on the Korean Peninsula. In his address last week, Trump said: No regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea. We need only look at the depraved character of the North Korean regime to understand the nature of the nuclear threat it could pose to America and to our allies, he said. On Sunday, a North Korean foreign ministry official shot back at the president. If Trump does not get rid of his anachronistic and dogmatic way of thinking, it will only bring about the consequence of further endangering security and future of the United States, the official said in comments carried by the Norths official Korean Central News Agency. The official disputed Trumps claim in his address that the United States had made incredible progress and achieved extraordinary success over the last year, calling it the height of Trump-style arrogance, arbitrariness and self-conceit. Trump also said in his speech that the U.S. is waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent North Korea from being able to attack the U.S. with nuclear weapons. The foreign ministry official said North Koreas self-reliant defense capability with the nuclear force as its backbone will, however, completely deter Trump and his lackeys from showing off on the Korean Peninsula. On Friday, Trump sought to increase pressure on Pyongyang over its nuclear program by consulting with allies and highlighting the human rights abuses suffered by defectors from North Korea. Trump hosted about a half-dozen North Korean defectors in the Oval Office, including Ji Seong-ho, who had used crutches to escape the reclusive country after a train ran over his limbs. Days earlier, Ji raised his crutches in triumph when Trump singled him out during his State of the Union address. Trump has expressed a willingness to deal with rising tensions with Pyongyang through diplomacy, but he has said the United States would use military force on North Korea if needed. BRUSSELS Salah Abdeslam, who is believed to be the only surviving member of the group that carried out a series of coordinated attacks in and around Paris more than two years ago, went on trial Monday in a case that will be closely watched to see if it sheds light on the assaults that reverberated across Europe. Abdeslam, 28, and a co-defendant, Sofien Ayari, are accused of shooting at and wounding Belgian and French police officers who were searching for them in southern Brussels, four months after the attacks in Paris and St.-Denis that left 130 people dead, and days before two attacks in Brussels, one at the main airport and another on a subway train. The trial in Brussels is the first time the public will be given a sense of how prosecutors are piecing together the parts of what they say was a larger conspiracy, and Abdeslam used the occasion to suggest that he had been prejudged by both the public and the court because he is a Muslim. Abdeslam had refused to break his silence after his arrest, and the trial provides authorities with a first opportunity to bring someone to account for the attacks, which focused attention on the threat of European fighters for the Islamic State who filtered back to their home countries with the intent of committing acts of terrorism. The attacks in Paris were followed by assaults in Brussels; in Nice, France; in Wurzburg, Germany; in Berlin; in Stockholm; and in Barcelona, Spain among others for which the Islamic State claimed either responsibility or influence. Before dawn Monday, Abdeslam, who is French, and Ayari, a Tunisian, were removed from the high-security prison at Fleury-Merogis, just south of Paris, and transported by police convoy to Brussels. Abdeslam refused to stand or to confirm his name when asked by the court. I was asked to come, and so I came. There is a trial, and I am the actor, and so I came, he said. He went on to criticize the court, and suggested that it was unduly influenced by public opinion. What I observe is that Muslims are judged, treated in the worst of ways, he said. Theyre judged mercilessly. There is no presumption of innocence, there is nothing, were immediately guilty. Abdeslam also faces charges for his role in the attacks in France, but the trial in Brussels is centered on the final days of a four-month hunt by police and security forces. During that time, he eluded arrest, going from house to house across Brussels, before nearly being cornered on March 15, 2016, when several police officers were shot and wounded. Abdeslam is accused of being one of the gunmen in that shootout, as is Ayari, who was hiding with him. As police advanced on the apartment where they were hiding, Abdeslam and Ayari fled, leaving a third man to cover their retreat. That man was killed while Abdeslam and Ayari escaped; the defendants were captured three days later. Another trial, to be held in France, will deal with the attack there and with Abdeslams alleged role. Alissa J. Rubin and Milan Schreuer are New York Times writers. MALE, Maldives The Maldives government declared a 15-day state of emergency Monday as the political crisis deepened in the Indian Ocean nation amid an increasingly bitter standoff between the president and the Supreme Court. Hours after the emergency was declared, soldiers forced their way into the Supreme Court building, where the judges were believed to be taking shelter, said Ahmed Maloof, an opposition member of Parliament. Soon after that, security forces arrested opposition leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on charges that include bribery and attempting to overthrow the government, his lawyer, Maumoon Hameed, said on Twitter. Gayoom was the archipelago nations president from 1978 to 2008 and is the half brother of the Maldives current president. A surprise Supreme Court ruling last week ordering the release of imprisoned opposition leaders has led to growing turmoil, with President Yameen Abdul Gayoom lashing out at the court and opposition protests spilling into the streets of the capital, Male. The emergency decree gives the government sweeping powers to make arrests, search and seize property and restricts freedom of assembly, officials said. The government did not immediately comment on soldiers going inside the building or Gayooms arrest but the presidents main rival, who lives in exile in Britain, urged people not to obey what he called an unlawful order. This declaration is unconstitutional and illegal, former President Mohamed Nasheed, the countrys first democratically elected leader, said in a statement. Yameen Abdul Gayoom, in a letter to the court released by his office earlier Monday, said the court order had encroached on the powers of the state and was an infringement of national security and public interest. He urged the court to review the concerns of the government. The court ruling has led to protests by opposition supporters urging the government to obey the order. Clashes have erupted between police and the opposition supporters. Soldiers have occupied the parliament building to stop lawmakers from entering. Known for its luxury tourist resorts, the Maldives became a multiparty democracy 10 years ago after Maumoon Abdul Gayooms rule, during which he repeatedly was the only candidate for the presidency. Mohamed Sharuhaan is an Associated Press writer. QUITO, Ecuador Voters overwhelmingly decided Sunday to limit presidents to two terms in a nationwide referendum that proved a blow to former President Rafael Correa. Quick count results showed voters approved by an almost 2-to-1 margin a measure reinstating the term limits that Correa eliminated from the Constitution in 2015. The result, which had been expected, was seen as a big boost for President Lenin Moreno, who was a protege of Correa until taking office last year. They have been feuding bitterly almost ever since over Morenos decision to build bridges with business leaders and others who were bullied by Correa, a leftist firebrand. The days of confrontation are behind us, a triumphant Moreno said in televised remarks with his Cabinet at the presidential palace. Its time to embrace each other. Six other government-backed proposals on the ballot, some of them seeking to reduce Correas influence, also easily passed. One would give Moreno more authority over a council that determines who can lead some of the nations most important institutions. Another would bar officials convicted of corruption from seeking office a clause that apparently would apply to Vice President Jorge Glas, another Correa ally who was recently convicted of corruption. Another would strengthen restrictions on mining by banning it entirely in protected areas, indigenous territory and cities. The referendum bucks a trend in several Latin American nations, where leaders have pushed for constitutional amendments that would let them stay in power longer, sometimes indefinitely. In Bolivia, a court recently paved the way for left-leaning President Evo Morales to run for a fourth term despite a voter referendum that rejected it. Venezuelas socialist president, Nicolas Maduro, is running for office in an election that opposition leaders consider illegitimate. And in Honduras, conservative President Juan Orlando Hernandez was recently sworn in for a second term after the Supreme Court ruled that a constitutional ban on re-election violated his rights. Gonzalo Solano is an Associated Press writer. Riot Foods, which markets nut butters, breakfast mixes, protein powders and biltong, is a third of the way to its target of raising $600,000 on PledgeMe with four days to run on its crowdfunded share sale. Chief executive Ryan Kamins said his company is hoping to tap into the same vein of crowdfunding popularity that craft brewer ParrotDog and Zeffer Cider Co enjoyed with an offer of non-voting "investor shares" for investors who put in up to $149,999. Investments of $150,000 or more are entitled to ordinary shares. The offer is for up to 17.8 percent of Riot Foods at 27 cents a share based on a valuation of $4.6 million. Non-voting shares are entitled to an equal share of dividends or distribution of surplus assets but can't vote on directors or any resolution other than might affect the rights attached to their shares. To date, existing shareholders have invested about $3.8 million. The total raised would be as much as $1.3 million including a $300,000 equity investment made last November by an investor ahead of the PledgeMe campaign. Of that, $578,000 would go on working capital and almost $200,000 to set up its second plant, near Auckland International Airport. The biggest shareholders of Riot Foods are Derrick and Jenny Kamins with 70.1 percent. Ryan Kamins has a direct interest in about 17 percent of the company and says Derrick, his father, is an experienced entrepreneur and adviser to the company as a member of the board. According to the PledgeMe site, Riot Foods had sales of $1.4 million in 2017 and is forecasting revenue of $2.1 million in 2018. It expects to reach sales of $7.4 million and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of $121,000 in 2020. The company has three business lines - its CleanPaleo brand of breakfast mixes, protein powders and biltong, its Poppy + Olive nut butters business, which Riot Foods acquired last year and its wholefoods manufacturing unit, which is a gluten- and dairy-free production facility. On Friday, Riot Foods said it has inked a deal that will see its biltong range sold in Australia via Coles, giving it 400 to 600 outlets across the Tasman. The first order through its distributor is for $70,000, it said. The company also has distribution through BP New Zealand petrol stations. The CleanPaleo brand is also stocked by the Countdown supermarket chain in New Zealand. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Infratil Limited (NZX: IFT) Commits to Development of Renewables in Asia 10th September 2021 Morning Report Synlait Milk Limited (NZX: SML) Sale and Leaseback of Synlait Auckland Premises Turners Automotive Group Limited (NZX: TRA) 2021 Annual Meeting Update 9th September 2021 Morning Report Plexure Group Limited (NZX: PX1) Special Meeting and Shareholder Offer Opens Now is the time to reassess your investments MHM Automation Limited (NZX: MHM) Announces Special Dividend Synlait Milk Limited (NZX: SML) Consults With Staff On New Organisational Structure 8th September 2021 Morning Report International jeweller Michael Hill International recently provided trading updates that highlight significant changes for the group. The first being a shift into new markets that will lead to growing pains while the company is also exiting a sizable and important market in the US. Having originally pushed the shares around the $1.05 mark, and having taken some profits around $1.75, we believe this to be the opportune time for an exit. Recap and Trading Update: The past 18 months have been quite a ride for Michael Hill, with the company seeing changes at the top, starting with the departure of former Chief Executive Mike Parsell leading to CFO Phil Taylor taking the helm. The shares have also backtracked following a transition of the main listing to the ASX, and with the market then in a consolidation phase. Since then, the company has reported facing headwinds in the fledgling US business and Emma & Roe chain while online threats have disrupted relatively mature operations in Australasia. Given that, the company has provided updates of write-downs in their newer businesses. Unsurprisingly, the market was clearly disappointed by these revelations leading to the share price tumbling and bottoming at the $1.03 level in November 2017. Nevertheless, management has made a brave effort in remedying the situation and the appointment of Vanessa Brennan as the companys Chief Customer Officer also helped bolster investor sentiment. This saw the shares recover some lost ground, to now trade around the $1.25 level. That aside, the company also provided a trading update on 12 January 2018 which showed a modest operating improvement. The group reported total store sales growth of 4.7% on a year earlier for the six months to 31 December 2017, while same-store sales were somewhat flat, up 0.5% over the same period. The same store sales performance continued to face headwinds due to the Emma & Roe chain as well as the US business. However the company recently announced that Emma & Roe was undergoing a "comprehensive brand review" and that management were in the final stages of assessing the 30-store portfolio in conjunction with landlord negotiations. The company also noted a strategic shift out into the relatively new demi-fine segment which has the appearance of fine jewellery but at lower prices. Management reports that the reduced store footprint for Emma & Roe has not yet been determined and it is too early to provide lease liabilities associated with the affected stores. Management expects the non-cash write-downs of Emma & Roe store assets to be circa A$7 million. In addition, management have also announced plans to shutter the companys US operations after 10 years of losses, noting that the jewellery markets in the US are highly competitive with far fewer foot traffic in malls (thanks to the Amazon effect) and expensive advertising. The company currently has 9 stores spread out across 3 states. Management also hasnt provided details on the financial impact of the intended store closures, though they did note that US stores will continue to operate as the company negotiates and completes the exit. Investors have welcomed the developments with the share price firming of late. The repositioning of Emma & Roe, and the US exit will arguably reduce near term earnings drains, while allowing management to refocus on operations in Australia, New Zealand and Canada which account for around 95% of total group revenues. We however note at the same time that the operations (especially Australasia) are relatively mature, and a key long-term growth angle has been removed. The repositioning into the demi-fine segment will also come with its own risks. The US has been tough to crack for Michael Hill, but abandoning the market removes a substantial growth avenue given its size (~$32bln). Recent moves by the company of late will, we believe, put unnecessary pressure on the share price in the medium term. Greg Smith is the Head of Research at Fat Prophets share market research and funds management house. To receive a recent Fat Prophets Report, call 0800 438 328 or Click here. Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Catapulting ahead Hardening up - James Hardie Decmil Group - The Ducks are lining up Spark New Zealand: Taking Something Off The Table Vocus Communications Amcor Apple QBE Insurance Hot stock - Domain Holdings Australia Orora All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has started the registrations for the entrance examination for admissions to MBBS courses at various AIIMS, across India. Candidates who wish to appear for the examinations may visit the official website, aiimsexams.org for more details The entrance exam is conducted by the institute for admission to the MBBS course at AIIMS New Delhi, Patna, Bhopal, Jodhpur, Bhubaneshwar, Rishikesh, Raipur, Guntur (Andhra Pradesh) and Nagpur (Maharashtra). Important dates Online registration of applications: February 5 to March 5, 2018 Examination dates: Saturday 26 and 27, 2018 Eligibility conditions: 1) Candidates who have passed / appearing / appeared in 12th class examination or its equivalent with the subjects of English, Physics, Chemistry & Biology with 60% marks (50% for SC/ST/OPH candidates) in aggregate. 2) Age of the application should be atleast 17 years as on December 31 of the year of admission, that is, candidates born on or after January 2, 2002 are not eligible to apply. Candidates of the general and OBC category should pay an application fee of Rs 1500+ transaction charges while SC/ST candidates are needed to pay Rs 1200+ transaction charges. Steps to apply for AIIMS MBBS 2018 1) Visit the official exams website of AIIMS, https://www.aiimsexams.org 2) Under the section 'academic courses' tab, click on the link MBBS 3) Follow the instructions to proceed for the online application process of AIIMS MBBS 2018 Fill in the required details and take a print of the submitted form for reference purposes Official notification: Click here to download "A falsehood is being spread that I had said government items (schemes) will be available only for those holding AIADMK membership card. This is a false message," he told reporters at Madurai. : Tamil Nadu minister Sellur K Raju, who had on Sunday courted controversy by saying that government welfare measures would be given only to AIADMK card holders, denied having made the statement, and claimed that "falsehood" was being spread. Raju said there was no legal provision to restrict government schemes to supporters of a particular political party and added that he only sought to ensure new entrants to AIADMK had secured their party membership cards. Referring to the ruling AIADMK's universal free rice distribution scheme, he said, "We don't see (if beneficiaries of the rice scheme) are AIADMK families (i.e. supporters)." On Sunday at an event here to enrol new members and to renew membership of those who had completed five years. "AIADMK party card is what identifies us and is equal to our life itself.... every party member should have it. All party members should have the card. "Only if you have it, can you get government welfare schemes benefits either for you or your family," he had said here. About his reported controversial statement, the state cooperatives minister claimed, "never said so." Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had made it clear yesterday that all government welfare measures were aimed at benefiting the ordinary and poor people and all sections of society, irrespective of party affiliations. Meanwhile, senior AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar sought to make light of the controversy, saying that government schemes were not given to beneficiaries based on their party affiliation. Today, he told reporters in Chennai, "lakhs of free laptops" are given to students every year as part of a government scheme. "Can they (beneficiaries) be identified as who is from AIADMK or DMK or Left or VCK... it is not practical," Jayakumar said. Government schemes are given to people irrespective of their political affiliation. Raju must have made such comments to enthuse the new entrants to the party, he said. Raju had last year courted a controversy when he launched a scheme to cover the Vaigai dam with thermocol sheets to prevent vapourisation of the water stored there, drawing ridicule from political parties and civil society. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police have identified a 72-year-old man who died in a crash on the West Shore Expressway after his vehicle was hit while apparently stopped due to a flat tire. David Grossman, of the 200 block of South Citrus Avenue in Los Angeles, was found unconscious and unresponsive with head trauma when police responded at 3:58 a.m. Monday to a 911 call of a collision on the northbound side of the West Shore Expressway near Wild Avenue. He was taken by EMS to Staten Island University Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to a statement from the NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. Grossman, who was driving a 2017 Ford, was apparently stopped on the right shoulder, partially blocking the right lane, due to a flat tire, according to a preliminary probe by the NYPD's Highway Collision Investigation Squad. A 43-year-old woman driving a 2005 Honda was traveling northbound on the expressway when her car struck the rear driver's side of the Ford. Grossman's car was propelled across two lanes of traffic before it came to a rest on the center median, the statement said. The driver of the Honda was transported to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton for injuries that were not life-threatening, the statement said. Grossman was a well-known rabbi who was in the area for a bar mitzvah, according to WABC-TV. His funeral was scheduled to take place 8 p.m. Monday in Lakewood, N.J., WABC reported. A live video link will be provided to his congregation in Los Angeles, the report said. The Highway Collision Investigation Squad's investigation is ongoing, police said. Extensive delays were reported Monday morning as a result of the crash. All lanes were shut down during the emergency response, according to Total Traffic NYC. As of 7:30 a.m., only the shoulder remained blocked, but there was still a delay of approximately 40 minutes with the traffic jam extending back to the Outerbridge Crossing. A badly damaged vehicle could be seen crushed against the center median's guardrail Monday morning while police investigated. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It seems as if every year at least one Super Bowl commercial sparks controversy -- and this year is no different. Dodge Ram's advertisement features a speech by Martin Luther King Jr. that was delivered 50 years ago on Feb. 4. Many are criticizing the commercial for using the speech to sell trucks. The service-focused commercial shows American workers -- including farmers, soldiers, fishermen and teachers -- and cuts to shots of the company's trucks, as King delivers his "The Drum Major Instinct" sermon. "If you want to be important --wonderful. If you want to be recognized -- wonderful. If you want to be great -- wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness...By giving that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great, because everybody can serve," King says in the voiceover. The commercial ends with an on-screen message reading, "Built to Serve," followed by the Dodge Ram logo. On Dodge Ram's official YouTube video, the description reads: "In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ram truck owners also believe in a life of serving others." Intellectual Properties Management Inc., the exclusive licensor of the estate of Martin Luther King, Jr., gave the approval for Dodge Ram to air the commercial. "We found that the overall message of the ad embodied Dr. King's philosophy that true greatness is achieved by serving others," said Eric D. Tidwell, managing director of Intellectual Properties Management. "Thus we decided to be a part of Ram's 'Built to Serve' Super Bowl program." People took to Twitter to express their outrage and discuss the advertisement that some believe commercialized King's words. Regardless of who made the call, the Dodge commercial was an act of complete disrespect to Dr. King and his legacy. Yolanda Pierce (@YNPierce) February 5, 2018 Serious question, @Dodge. What could have possibly made you think it was a good idea to use MLK for the voiceover in a commercial for your truck?#SuperBowlCommercials Jesse Benn (@JesseBenn) February 5, 2018 By ROB HAGEN STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- My father was drafted into World War II while still a teenager. He rose up to the rank of sergeant. He worked the mortar cannon and carried a .45 caliber side-arm. He fought at The Battle of the Bulge. There was no such things as protests or "Canada" or kneeling. Your government sent you a letter that began with "Greetings" and off you went. My mother had seven brothers. Six served. Growing up, I only got a few stories out of my father in terms of his war experiences. All of them I cherish. All of them hurt my heart. When asked about the war, Dad would just turn his head away, shake his head, fight back a tear and say, "Unspeakable. Unspeakable." He always used to say, "Before the war, I never knew how important it was to be warm and dry." He never liked Memorial Day because that was the day the Army tanks rolled down Richmond Avenue on Staten Island. His recollection of tanks involved the body limbs that used to get caught up in the tracks as they trekked through the snow and the mud-filled hills of Germany. He likewise did not like the Fourth of July because he felt it glorified and celebrated war. And the sound of fireworks didn't sit well with him either. This was long before PTSD -- but he had it; of course he did. The very best years of my father's life were taken from him and his mind was irreparably changed because of his call to duty. (And in fairness to my dad, I rhetorically ask: What were you thinking and doing and "where were you" as a person when you graduated high school?) I recall asking my mother, "Mom, why does daddy do that? Why does he act that way?" And she'd invariably answer, "The war." He served in the name of freedom. I inelegantly asked him once, "Dad, did you ever kill someone?" This time he didn't turn away, he didn't shed a tear and he didn't say a word. I got my answer. My father used to say, "I had nothing against these German soldiers. They were young and scared like we were. They were just following orders." (My father had no geopolitical idea what was really going on in terms of war crimes and murderous other atrocities.) A story that stays with me: He led a pack of his men through the snow-filled hills of Germany; they fell upon snow-covered machine gun nests, machine gun posts, huts, the size of a closet, that were operated by the Germans. They were strategically positioned about the snowy, tree-filled snowy landscape. Their mission was to assume the "military point," to take the first line of fire from an invading force to thereby alert their fellow "brothers in arms" who were a safe distance behind them that trouble was fast approaching. There was one German soldier to a nest, a hut, at each point peppered in the snow-filled hills. And all of these German soldiers were dead. Frozen to death. Frozen in place with their fingers still on the trigger -- their eyes wide open. Whatever were the reasons, the troops behind them "bugged out" and left them to their own frozen and inevitable mortality. A part of my father's mind was taken from him and altered at a fragile point in his emotional and intellectual development. In many ways, he, too, became frozen in time. He told me once how scared he was when he was flying over to Germany from the United States in the belly of a plane sitting on a two-by-four board, positioned on bricks, that served as a seat for him and his young comrades. Can you imagine being a teenager, going off to war in the belly of plane while sitting on a make-shift two-by-four board, positioned on bricks that served as a seat? No real seat, no seat belts, no one serving food or water or coffee. It was just you and your fears of the unknown, separated for the first time from your mom, in the belly of a plane heading over a wide open vast ocean that went on forever. There exist great injustices, depraved injustices in this country of ours that occur at the expense of people of color and of women. It has been said, "If you were born a white male in this country, you won the lottery." I do not disagree. But hopefully each day, we as a people discover things in others that further endears us and unites us in purpose. It's raining right now, so I have to bring in the flag. The flag is not about which party occupies the White House. The flag is about hope and promise and honors those who have served; those who have died in the name of this country and who presently serve in the name of this country despite all the sacrifice; those who answered the call of duty or chose, on their own, to answer the call of the duty; those who stood up to serve. Some of my fellow Americans may literally, or in their hearts and minds, "take a knee." I elect not to. If God exists, may He or She bless us all and bring us closer together. (Staten Island native Rob Hagen grew up in Eltingville, where his mom still lives. His dad, Ralph Charles Hagen, passed away in 2010. He was in his early 80s. Rob has lived in New Springville, South Beach and Silver Lake. "I am presently residing in Brooklyn but have every intention to return to my Staten Island homeland ASAP," he says.) CITY HALL -- Mayor Bill de Blasio's $88.67 billion preliminary budget proposal for fiscal 2019, a spending plan up about $4 billion more than what was proposed in last year's preliminary budget, includes funding for an indoor Staten Island pool, the ferry system and more. Despite looming uncertainty from the federal government and Albany, de Blasio defended his budget proposal, which includes expanding 3-K for All, accelerating the NYPD body-worn cameras program, and heating upgrades to the city's public housing authority developments. The mayor's budget proposal still faces $700 million in potential cuts from the federal government, which the de Blasio administration acknowledged could easily go up once President Donald Trump presents his budget next month, and another $400 million in cuts and cost shifts from Albany. Here's a look at how the mayor's preliminary budget could impact Staten Island. INDOOR POOL The mayor's fiscal 2018 commitment plan for capital projects includes $50 million for a Staten Island indoor swimming pool. In December, the New York Post reported the cost of the new pool had ballooned to upwards of $80 million in addition to the original $50 million because the city missed out on ponying up $20 million in matching funds to get the project off the ground. PROPERTY TAXES During his budget proposal press conference, de Blasio vowed to not raise the property tax rate of 12.283 percent and reform inequalities in the city's property tax system. The mayor has previously said there's no current plans to increase the property tax rate. The overall rate hasn't changed from 12.283 percent since January 2014, when de Blasio took office. But the rate is the blended average of the multi-class system -- law requires the City Council to determine rates within classes every year so they're proportional by class. This means many Staten Island homeowners consistently have higher property tax bills each year. "I do not see a scenario for as long as I'm the mayor of the city we're are going to raise the property tax rate," de Blasio said Thursday. "What we've got to do for homeowners, is come up with a bigger property tax reform plan which we'll start quite soon, you'll hear more about it soon." But when asked if he would consider lowering property taxes, de Blasio indicated he did not plan on lowering them anytime soon unless New York City residents were ready to experience cuts to key city functions like its police force, schools, sanitation and more. STATEN ISLAND FERRY Under the mayor's 2019 preliminary capital budget, the Staten Island Ferry could be getting a total of $6.8 million which would include improvements, maintenance and modernization at St. George Terminal, in addition to reconstruction of ferry vessels. PARKS The mayor's fiscal 2018 commitment plan also includes a combined $6 million for several parks on Staten Island. Under the proposal, Conference House Park would get $250,000 for reconstruction and Fresh Kills Park would get $5.7 million. STATEN ISLAND RAILWAY After the $27.9 million Arthur Kill stop on the Staten Island Railway opened last year -- the first new station since 1971 -- the mayor has included $3.5 million in his fiscal 2018 commitment plan for the Island's railway. The move comes as Staten Island was still waiting last year for the Staten Island Railway to get a new fleet of cars and clocks at all SIR stations, radio system enhancements and other replacements and repairs. BODY CAMERAS The mayor's preliminary budget includes $27.4 million over the next three years to accelerate the rollout of body-worn cameras for all NYPD patrol officers by the end of 2018 a year ahead of schedule. NYPD Assistant Chief Kenneth Corey, the borough commander, recently told the Advance that within the next two weeks, every patrol officer in the 120th Precinct is expected to be equipped with body cameras. And by late September, every patrol officer on Staten Island will have one, Corey said. ISLAND REPS REACT De Blasio's budget was met with both pushback and praise along party lines from the Island's City Council members. "It is somewhat ironic that the Mayor is presenting the Fiscal Year 2019 preliminary budget right around the time that homeowners are receiving their new tax bills, which continue to increase every year at a far faster pace than their paychecks," Steven Matteo (R-Mid-Island), said. "There is nothing in this nearly $89 billion budget that will provide real financial relief to these families who are struggling to make ends meet." Matteo called on the mayor to reinstate the property tax rebate program, adding that the issue of property tax rebate would be a one of his top priorities during the budget negotiating process. "Setting aside savings for a potential economic downturn is prudent, but the fact is the economy is thriving, in large part due to skyrocketing growth in real estate values," Matteo continued. "Revenue from property taxes will exceed $26 billion this fiscal year, and comprise nearly half of all tax revenue." Councilman Joe Borelli (R-South Shore) also criticized the mayor for continuous spending. "The problem with New York City is never a revenue problem, it's always a spending problem and the de Blasio administration continues to grow the size of the city government without providing new sources of revenue outside of property taxes," he said. Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore) praised de Blasio's budget for including a "number of important investments" for the future of the city including housing options for seniors and more funding for mental health care. But she expressed frustration that a program for students in the 6th to 8th grade known as School's Out New York City was omitted from the mayor's budget. Rose vowed to fight to restore its funding as the City Council begins budget negotiations. Between now and when the budget is adopted in June, the city's spending plan is sure to face a number of modifications in the City Council. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- An effort to reform the city's property tax system looks like it could be coming soon -- possibly as early as this week, sources say. Last year, Mayor Bill de Blasio vowed to reform inequities in the city's property tax system if he was re-elected. He also said he would put together a task force to reform the current property tax system. When asked at a recent news conference if he still planned on making good on his promises since being re-elected, de Blasio assured that changes to the property tax system and the creation of a task force were both coming soon. But he provided few details on what to expect and when the announcement was coming. "We will have much more to say on the property tax system in the next few weeks, the mayor told reporters at a press conference last week. "It's clearly a big priority for the second term. It's going to be a big complex undertaking, I''ve been asked this at many many town hall meetings including on Staten Island." De Blasio admitted he always says the same thing: "'It's going to be a massive undertaking, it will require changes in city and state law." He said that once those reforms are in place, he believed the city would end up with a more "straight forward, more transparent, more consistent system" for homeowners, co-op owners and condo owners. He also stressed that ultimately, the city needed to be "revenue neutral" in terms of the reform's impact on the whole city. But when pressed for details on the property reform task force, de Blasio said he did not want to "jump ahead" and again assured there would soon be news on that front. A copy of the mayor and first lady Chirlane McCray's joint tax returns released last year, showed that the couple paid only $7,098 in property taxes for their two homes in Brooklyn the year earlier. The properties were worth more than $3.2 million combined in 2016, according to city assessment records. The tentative worth in the last tax year was nearly $3.7 million combined. The mayor and his wife are profiting from the current system where the assessed value of properties with one-, two- and three-family homes -- known as class one -- can't go up more than 6 percent every year or 20 percent over five years. So homeowners in less popular neighborhoods where home values slowly increase will generally have higher property taxes than those with homes in more desirable areas like where de Blasio lives. "ONLY A MATTER OF TIME" Staten Island's Republican councilmen have been calling for an overhaul of the city's tax reform for years. Councilman Joseph Borelli (R-South Shore) and Minority Leader Steven Matteo (R-Mid-Island) threatened to sue the city nearly two years ago after an independent review confirmed that Staten Island homeowners face higher tax burdens relative to actual property values compared to the other boroughs. This time around, thanks to new City Council leadership, Borelli told the Advance he is confident the mayor will soon announce needed reforms. "I do believe that the rumblings have begun to announce the tax commission," Borelli said. "I think it's something that the new speaker will force him to do if the mayor chooses not to do it, or if the mayor somehow chooses to delay again." Borelli said he thinks it's "only a matter of time" before the city starts reforming the way taxes are calculated and assessed regardless. On Thursday, the mayor announced a $88.67 billion preliminary budget proposal for fiscal 2019, a spending plan up about $4 billion more than what was proposed in last year's preliminary budget. De Blasio's latest budget proposal, which still faces about $1 billion combined in potential cuts from the federal government and Albany, includes a 15 percent increase in tax revenue the city expects to collect from fiscal 2018 to the end of the mayor's term in 2022. Meanwhile, the amount of money the city plans to collect in property taxes over the course of the remainder of the mayor's time in office is slated to go from $26 billion to $30.7 billion -- an 18 percent increase. Borelli wonders where that extra revenue will come from. "The mayor projects a 17 percent increase in property tax revenues over the next 5 years, it's unclear where that comes from because it's not certain that the city can generate that much revenue in higher market values," Borelli said. "We have a tax cap where assessments on properties can't go up that fast, so it's unclear how they can achieve an extra $5 or $6 billion in property taxes without potentially raising rates in the future." During the rollout of his budget proposal last week, de Blasio vowed to not raise the property tax rate, but indicated he did not plan on lowering the property taxes anytime soon unless New Yorkers were ready to experience cuts to key city functions like its police force, schools, sanitation and more. Councilman Matteo called on the city to reinstate the property tax rebate program following the mayor's budget announcement. He also said property tax rebate would be a "top priority" of his during the budget negotiating process. "Setting aside savings for a potential economic downturn is prudent, but the fact is the economy is thriving, in large part due to skyrocketing growth in real estate values," Matteo said. "Revenue from property taxes will exceed $26 billion this fiscal year, and comprise nearly half of all tax revenue. This is not sustainable." MALLIOTAKIS ONCE AGAIN HITS MAYOR During the mayor's trip to Albany Monday morning to pitch his budget to the Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means Committees, East Shore Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis once again hit her former mayoral opponent over inequities in the property tax system. Malliotakis, asked the mayor to freeze or cap the property tax levy at a "reasonable rate" for at least a year until de Blasio's property tax commission completes its study of the system. The East Shore assemblywoman also launched a petition calling on the mayor to convene his promised property tax commission. But the mayor said he could not commit to freezing or capping property taxes, reiterating that if he did, the city would lose out on funding for key services STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Barlovento, Murray Hill's newest Latin American bar and restaurant, is turning up the heat this February with a festive Valentine's Day pop-up bar. In true romantic fashion, the entire restaurant -- located at 430 3rd Ave., Manhattan -- will be decked out floor to ceiling in a visual explosion of Valentine's Day decor from Feb. 8 to 18. Think pink and red hearts, roses, balloons, streamers, confetti, and tons of candy -- everywhere. One room in particular will feature a 3D hot lips backdrop, cheetah print love seat, balloon ceiling, and 5-foot tall teddy bear. A valentine-inspired menu will include specialty cocktails like Hot Stuff (spicy margarita), Be My Martini (chocolate martini), and Love at First Cider (spiked hot cider). Other festive fare will include conversation heart cookies, sweet potato fries, chocolate covered strawberries, and more. For those looking to wine and dine, full brunch, lunch, and dinner menus are on tap. If all this isn't enough to steal your heart, Cupid himself will be making special appearances, and there will be psychic love readings by Extraordinary Tarot. Walk-ins welcome, but reservations are recommended as space is limited. Visit www.xoxovalentine.com for more information and to RSVP. FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The most romantic day of the year is almost here. People spend big on Valentine's Day buying jewelry, flowers and weekend trips. And Valentine's Day candy is no exception, as $1.7 billion will be spent on candy for the sweet holiday. Candystore.com compiled data that shows each state's top three favorite Valentine's Day candies. Every year, the National Retail Federation estimates spending for holidays, and this Valentine's Day, there is a slight drop off in spending in all categories -- except candy. So which do New Yorkers prefer? The No. 1 holiday candy in New York state is the heart-shaped box of chocolates, according to the data. Conversation hearts come in second, followed by cinnamon flavored gummy bears. Over 72,000 pounds of heart-shaped boxes of chocolates will be sold in New York state this year for the holiday, according to the website. Candystore.com looked through sales data from its records and industry partners. WHAT'S NO 1 IN U.S.? However, the quintessential Valentine's Day heart-shaped chocolate candy boxes aren't the No. 1 candy in the U.S. Conversation hearts took the top spot last year in the county and they are expected to stay number one this year. If you're interested in what other states favorite Valentine's Day candies are, hover over each state on Candystore.com's interactive candy map below. Here are some fun facts about Valentine's Day candy: STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- When Samir (Sam) Farag wants something, he goes for it. Case in point: At a young age, Sam, who was born and raised in Egypt, wanted to become an engineer because he enjoyed learning about maritime navigation and communication, and wanted to play a part in designing and maintaining technology used on sea-going vessels. So he attended the Faculty of Engineering at Cairo University, where he studied electronic engineering; he eventually took a job for a marine electronic/technologic engineer in the U.S. His dream to become an engineer having come true, Sam continued in the field and eventually started an electric company, Worldwide Electronics Group, which sold and repaired communication and technology devices, serving many shipping companies. As an outgrowth of his business, he founded the Museum of Maritime Navigation and Communication, of which he is chairman. What are some of the assets of living on Staten Island? The main asset is that it is a relatively small place in terms of population, which allows for a great sense of community. What are some of the deficits? The deficits include a burst of rapid growth, plus people seem to use it as a stepping stone to New Jersey. We are the "forgotten" borough. It is a shame we cannot beat that rap. You are very active in community affairs. Tell us the agencies, clubs, etc. with which you have a relationship. Do you hold an office in any of them? Have you received any awards or recognition for your services? I currently serve on the boards of Museum of Maritime Navigation and Communication (board chair), SCORE Chapter Counselors to America's Small Business (chairman), College of Staten Island Foundation (trustee/former president), Staten Island Children's Museum (trustee) and the Staten Island Not for Profit Association (board member/former chairman.) Tell us about the Museum of Maritime Navigation and Communication. The Museum of Maritime Navigation and Communication is an educational 501(c)(3) not for profit dedicated to the preservation of marine electronic equipment and local maritime history. Through our programs, we strive to stimulate the interests of children and adults in the community. We encourage the study, understanding and appreciation of the subjects represented by our collections. What led you to develop the project? I decided to create the museum as I discovered more and more people who wanted to learn about the history of older technology and the maritime history of Staten Island. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I like being in and supporting the community. I enjoy going to events with my wife and friends. Who has been an inspiration to you? My parents are my biggest inspiration. They always encouraged me to be the best I can be and shaped me into the man I am today. Who do you admire? I admire people who are honest and look to help each other. My parents fit that description perfectly. How do you feel about the state of the world today? The current state of the world today is troublesome. The world, which used to feel large and wonderful, now feels smaller in many ways. What would you suggest to improve it? I would suggest that we ramp up our communications and use social media for positive change. All we can hope for is peace and rectifying problems in the Middle East. What is on your bucket list? Number one is to see the museum I founded grow and prosper. I see the potential and will work so that others see it, too. What are you most thankful for? Coming to America and being able to accomplish what I have now from scratch. Bringing three sisters to the United States. I brought my mother over, after my father passed away, but she passed away very shortly after she arrived. GET TO KNOW SAM Where he's lived and traveled: "I was born in Cairo, Egypt on Jan. 7, 1944. I attended private school in Egypt. I came to America at the end of 1969 when I was 25-years-old. Before I came to the U.S., I resided in Lebanon for close to nine years. ... I like to travel and have been to Aruba and other islands; Italy, Germany, France, and other countries in Europe and the Middle East." His hobbies: He is "a proud member and former president of the Rotary Club of Staten Island." His family: "I was married to my wife, Lisette, on April 7, 1972. She was very successful in a banking position. We have one daughter, Shelly Levin, who is married to Roland Levin, and have three beautiful grandchildren -- Tayler, a senior creative designer; Chandler, an automotive parts manager, and Brielle, a college student." What gets under his skin: "People who lie or are double-faced. I can't tolerate people who aren't nice to others." The Museum of Maritime Navigation and Communication: "It is located at 1208 Bay St. in Rosebank. Its website is www.mmncny.org and you can find us on Facebook, too. The museum also has an exhibit at Conference House Park in the Biddle House at 70 Satterlee St,. and a Morse code machine that is operational at the Staten Island Children's Museum on the grounds of Snug Harbor. For further information email info@mmncny.org or call 718-594-1717." Nissan to invest $9.5 billion in China to drive sales Beijing, Feb 5 (AFP) Feb 05, 2018 Japanese automaker Nissan Motor and its Chinese joint venture partner announced on Monday a $9.5 billion investment plan in China to increase annual sales by one million vehicles and boost electric car production. Dongfeng Motor Company is the latest Sino-foreign car company to splash out as China rolls out new regulations to limit gas vehicles and boost production of electric cars in coming years. Nissan's high-end brand, Infiniti, will go all electric in China by 2025, according to the plan. The company provided few specifics on the investment plan, saying the money would go into several areas, from manufacturing to human resources. The automaker sold 1.5 million vehicles in China last year, and said it plans to sell 2.6 million vehicles by 2022, when revenue is expected to hit 300 billion yuan ($47.6 billion). The expansion plan calls for 20 new vehicle models, with 30 percent of its total sales to be made up of electric vehicles and new energy vehicles. Beijing has outlined ambitious targets for transitioning China away from gas powered vehicles. Authorities will implement a complex quota system in 2019 requiring makers to produce a minimum number of electric cars. They are also looking at plans to ban fossil fuel cars at a date that has yet to be decided. The upcoming regulations have spurred foreign automakers to ramp up plans to make electric vehicles in China. Volkswagen is establishing a joint venture with state-owned JAC Motors to make electric vehicles, aiming to get the first electric car to market by next year. US car giant Ford envisages that 70 percent of all its cars available in China will have electric options by 2025. Volvo plans to introduce its first 100 percent electric car in China in 2019. Chinese men shot in southern Pakistan Karachi, Feb 5 (AFP) Feb 05, 2018 Unidentified gunmen on Monday fired multiple shots at two Chinese nationals and injured one of them critically in a targeted attack in a upmarket area of Pakistan's southern city of Karachi, police said. The two Chinese were in their car in the Zamzama district when the attackers in another car opened fire on their vehicle. One of the Chinese suffered two bullet wounds to his head and the other was shot in the leg, senior police officer Azad Khan told AFP. "Apparently it seems to be a targeted attack," Khan added. Police collected nine bullet casings. A Pakistani passer-by suffered minor injuries. A hospital official said the Chinese who was hit in the head was very seriously hurt. "We are trying our best to save his life but his condition is highly critical," doctor Seemi Jamali, the head of the government hospital where he was brought, told AFP. The two Chinese were working for a shipping company. One of them was identified as Chen Zhu, aged 46, police said. Thousands of Chinese engineers and technicians are working in Pakistan. China is ramping up investment as part of a $54 billion project known as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, upgrading infrastructure, power and transport links between its far-western Xinjiang region and Pakistan's Gwadar port. Last October Pakistan confirmed the death of two Chinese nationals who were kidnapped in the southwestern city of Quetta, months after the Islamic State group claimed it had killed them. The pair, a man and a woman, had been dragged into a car in May 2017 by three men, witnesses said, adding that another Chinese woman managed to escape. Page Content The Fire Department which falls under the Ministry of General Affairs, continues to monitor the situation at the landfill. Additional information will be forthcoming during the next few hours if warranted. The Fire Department, is advising persons living downwind from the landfill fire, to close windows and doors, especially persons who have a respiratory challenge such as asthma, or shortness of breath. The Fire Department along with the company responsible for the management of the landfill are working diligently to extinguish the fire. Due to the fire at the Pond Island landfill, the Prime Minister/Minister of General Affairs Leona Romeo Marlin in consultation with the Minister of Education and other relevant entities, hereby makes known that the Charlotte Brookson Academy will not open for classes today, Monday, February 5. Page Content Due to the fire at the Pond Island landfill, the Minister of Education Jorien Wuite visited the Asha Stevens Hillside Christian School and the Learning Unlimited Preparatory School in Cay Hill to assess the situation regarding landfill smoke, and in collaboration with school managers the decision was taken for the two schools to remain open as the winds have since shifted and the smoke does not pose a threat at this moment. Minister Wuite also visited on Monday morning schools in the Philipsburg area, and based on the site visits to the five schools in the area (St. Joseph Primary School, Sr. Borgia Primary School, Oranje Primary School, Marie Genevieve de Weever School Cycle 1 and 2 and Sundial High School), Minister Wuite in close consultation with Prime Minister Romeo Marlin started preparations to allow students to leave school early as smoke relating to the fire on the landfill continues to be worrisome. A notice with respect to the aforementioned was communicated to the community on Monday morning. Students of the primary schools were released into the care of their parents or guardians and the Minister urged all businesses to allow employees to collect their children and make proper childcare arrangements. The Minister of Education Wuite remains in close contact with the Prime Minister and all relevant authorities, and will continue to provide updates as they become available. The Fire Department, is advising persons living downwind from the landfill fire, to close windows and doors, especially persons who have a respiratory challenge such as asthma, or shortness of breath. The Fire Department along with the company responsible for the management of the landfill are working diligently to extinguish the fire. 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A citizen's jury was convened last year to determine what, if any, changes should be made to the ACT's compulsory third party insurance scheme. A new report has described the ACT's commitment to deliberative democracy as "commendable" but it says the design of the jury was flawed. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong Trialling deliberative democracy was part of Labor's power-sharing agreement with the Greens and Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the jury would be a "circuit-breaker" after years of failed reforms to the ACT's common law, at-fault scheme. Report author, Australian National University Associate Professor Dr Ron Levy, said the ACT's commitment to deliberative democracy was "commendable" but the design of the jury was flawed. He even met with the new owners of Hotel Hotel, Ovolo Group , last year to espouse the benefits of the Australian capital. Opposition leader Alistair Coe and Chief Minister Andrew Barr in the chamber of the ACT Legislative Assembly last year. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong However Mr Barr said his trips were to encourage investment that created jobs, not "to spruik buying units in Canberra". ACT Opposition leader Alistair Coe says the territory government's increase of land tax for foreign home buyers is "contradictory", given Chief Minister Andrew Barr's overseas jaunts to sell the territory to investors. Reacting to the announcement that the ACT government would increase land tax for foreign investors by 0.75 per cent, Mr Coe questioned the point of Mr Barr's jet-setting. "I think it's very odd that you would have a situation where Andrew Barr spends hundreds of thousands of dollars visiting China, visiting Singapore and New Zealand and other destinations supposedly trying to attract investment and now comes out with a policy that is specifically there to deter foreign investment," Mr Coe said. "I think it's absolutely crazy when you have people who want to contribute to our economy, when you have people who want to invest $500,000, $750,000, $1 million, why would you make it harder, but that's exactly what Andrew Barr is doing." Mr Barr said the new tax would help "rebalance" the market for local buyers, allowing more first home buyers to get a foot in the market. But Mr Coe said the government had created a housing affordability crisis by drip-releasing land and had other levers available to help fix it.. There were no nerves in the Champness household on Monday morning. In fact, twin brothers Edgar and Louis were raring to go. The five-year-olds sprung out of bed, ready to tackle their first day of kindergarten at North Ainslie Primary with their best friend by their side. First day of school for the 2018 school year. Parents of five sets of twins let their children loose for their first day of school at North Ainslie school. From left, Andrew and William Maggs, Edgar and Louis Champness, Victoria and Cassandra Thomas Liu, Alessandra and Isabella van Gerwen and Leila and Jean Stuchbery. Credit:karleen minney "I was excited," Lous yelled, jumping up and down. "It's my first day!" First day of school for the 2018 school year. Parents of five sets of twins let their children loose for their first day of school at North Ainslie school. (kids from left) Andrew and William Maggs, Edgar and Louis Champness, Victoria and Cassandra Thomas Liu, Alessandra and Isabella van Gerwen and Leila and Jean Stuchbery. Credit:karleen minney Hope you're making it through the working week. It will be a sunny morning today with a chance of afternoon showers. We should hit a top of 29 degrees. To say there will be double trouble at North Ainslie Primary this year would be an understatement. The school welcomed five sets of twins to their 93-student Kindergarten cohort yesterday. They were among the thousands of ACT students who returned to school yesterday. Education reporter Emily Baker has more. Canberra Liberals announce shake-up ahead of Parliament return A Canberra researcher has called for an end to tax breaks on baby formula, with the federal government to instead provide incentives for mums who breastfeed. The suggestions come in a 2018-19 pre-budget submission - from ANU associate professor Julie Smith - which says it is important tax policies do not promote the use of "breastmilk substitutes". Mum Adrienne Steward, pictured here with her children Emily, 6 months, and Ryan 2-years-old, said extended paid parental leave and more workplace flexibility could help mothers breastfeed their children for longer. Credit:karleen minney Dr Smith said there was strong evidence economic influences impact Australia's "sub-optimal" infant breastfeeding practices, with fewer than one in ten Australian children breastfed as recommended. She said breastfeeding a newborn takes time and not all women could afford to take time off to breastfeed as recommended. Increasing attempts by Comcare to recoup payments for cases it previously accepted liability for are alarming, senior lawyers dealing with workers compensation claims say. "Four or five years ago I thought this was a really rare occurrence," manager of Slater and Gordon's Comcare team Abraham Ghaleb said. "Whereas now it's an issue that I have to turn my mind to with every case that I deal with." Maurice Blackburn lawyer Georgia Plunkett-Scott said it is both financially and emotionally devastating for her injured clients when they receive an overpayment letter from Comcare. Figures released to a Senate committee show that Comcare has upped the rate at which it issues overpayment letters to recipients by 77% from 2014 to 2017. The letters, which are the result of formerly successful claims being revoked or changed, numbered 15 in 2014, rose to 37 in 2015, up to 71 in 2016 and 64 in 2017. Comcare National Practice Group leader at Maurice Blackburn Georgia Plunkett-Scott has described the increase in reviews and overpayment letters as "alarming". Ms Plunkett-Scott said the increase in overpayment letters has led to some clients choosing not to pursue appeals in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Despite their early fears about the ACT government's plan to replace its deal with unions over procurement, businesses should be glad that the end is in sight for the controversial memorandum of understanding. The government may have had good intentions in reaching the agreement to let unions vet businesses bidding for its contracts, but it was a deeply flawed process and one that rightly raised criticism from the Liberals and the construction industry. Its MOU raised questions about the influence unions had in the territory, and gave bodies that were unaccountable to the government - and therefore to most Canberrans - influence over public procurement decisions far beyond any other unelected, non-government group in town. By comparison, it would be hard to imagine peak industry body Master Builders ACT having so much involvement in decisions - although Chief Minister Andrew Barr said in 2016 non-union groups could also form MOUs with the government if they wanted. A plan for a new regime designed to stop government work going to businesses that don't meet their workplace obligations apparently ends that deal with Unions ACT, although it would put into legislation many elements of the MOU including unions' role inducting staff. The crucial question about these reforms is whether they would maintain and enshrine the arrangement under the deal whereby unions can vet businesses bidding for government contracts. There is no clear sign if the changes end or continue this questionable situation, although it doesn't appear in the consultation draft released last week. The new code appears to replace it, instead forcing more employers seeking contracts to get certificates from the government showing they comply with their workplace obligations. Such a system would be more transparent, being based on legislation that can be readily accessed, read and debated in the Legislative Assembly. It would be more accountable to the public, being run apparently by the government to the exclusion of third parties. The caveat, again, is whether the new code does indeed remove unions' power to vet potential contractors. The ACT government is right to formalise this avenue to protecting Canberra workers in legislation. Sham contracting and worker exploitation is too common, and government contracts should not abet this scandal. Master Builders raises a possible conflict between the changes and a federal code that could disadvantage businesses. ACT's opposition seems to have it both ways on the planned code, saying it will create red tape for employers and barriers to contracts, but that it ultimately will not improve life for workers. A week out from the ACT's parliament resuming, Canberra Liberals' leader Alistair Coe has unveiled his new look shadow ministry, with a few big promotions in a mostly unchanged line-up. Australia's longest serving opposition has the unenviable task of convincing this red-ribbon town to vote for them, especially as their conservative faction has been bolstered by the entry of Candice Burch into the Assembly. The Canberra Liberals have announced a reshuffle for the 2018 sitting year. Credit:Katie Burgess So sure is Mr Coe about the potential of his young former staffer, he's handed her one of his own portfolios and arguably one of the most important in the territory right now - transport. Chief Minister Andrew Barr says that is a "reflection of failure" from Mr Coe, who tried and failed to have the ACT's light rail project scrapped. The settlement for all claims before the Supreme Court of Victoria is believed to be around $40 million. Not much is expected to flow to the 8000 unitholders in the trust who lost their investment. The litigation funder is thought to have received nearly half of the settlement proceeds. Mr Lewski was originally banned for 15 years in the Federal Court for breaching the Corporations Act Fairfax Media can reveal the completion of one of Australia's most torrid and long-running insolvency legal actions that involved high profile Prime directors Michael Wooldridge, a former Howard Minister, and Peter Clarke, the former Vice President of the Liberal Party in Victoria and former Places Victoria head. Controversially forgetful businessman Bill Lewski has paid nothing to walk away from $190 million in civil claims brought against him, his fellow directors and advisers to retirement village outfit Prime Trust. Liquidators at PKF and receivers at KordaMentha to the property company had alleged that Mr Lewski was improperly granted $33 million from the company for consulting on its ASX listing and a further $60 million for the purchase of the management rights for the portfolio of villages owned by the company. Both insolvency groups sued a slew of entities and people linked to the transactions, the $550 million collapse of the retirement village operator and its controversial deal with an arm of failed investment bank Babcock and Brown. The proceedings also included public examinations where Mr Lewski told the court he could not recall what happened to $77 million of the money he received through Prime. The settlement is believed to have been paid by one of the country's largest property companies LendLease which inherited the management rights through its acquisition of Babcock and Brown Communities, investment bank Kidder Williams and its head David Williams, Melbourne lawyer firm Madgwicks and auditors Pitcher Partners. The bulk of the settlement is believed to have forked over by law firm Madgwicks, which provided legal advice to the board of Prime Trust and had also previously been the legal adviser to Mr Lewski. Gas junior AWE has accepted a $602 million takeover bid from Japanese firm Mitsui, withdrawing its previous support for a rival offer from Mineral Resources. AWE gave the nod to Mitsui after Mineral Resources failed to bring its $526 million cash and scrip proposal into line with Mitsuis unsolicited, all-cash offer. AWE advises that Mineral Resources did not match the proposal from Mitsui within the time period specified by the MinRes scheme implementation deed, AWE said in a company statement. As the AWE board has determined that the Mitsui takeover bid is superior to the MinRes proposal, the board has withdrawn its recommendation of the MinRes scheme and unanimously recommends that AWE shareholder accept the Mitsui takeover bid. Britain's biggest bank on Monday followed the lead of US counterparts and banned customers from using credit cards to buy Bitcoin, amid fears they could run up huge losses. Lloyds Banking Group will tell its 9 million credit card customers that it will block attempts to buy Bitcoin, after the digital currency lost more than half its value in just two months. The price of Bitcoin has fallen by 57 per cent from $US14,000 in December to less than $US6000 on Sunday night and the bank fears it could end up footing the bill for unpaid debts should the price fall further. It is believed that hundreds of thousands of British people invested in the cryptocurrency last year amid its extraordinary 13-fold increase in value. Questions surrounding real-estate identity John McGrath's online gambling debts should be quickly resolved, a significant investor has said, so the company can hold focus on "turning the business around". Fairfax Media revealed on the weekend that Mr McGrath has a $16 million gambling debt to a betting company run by bookmaker Tom Waterhouse, prompting shares in the market-listed McGrath Limited to fall sharply. Real estate identity John McGrath Credit:Daniel Munoz McGrath Real Estate's third-biggest shareholder and former franchisee, Shane Smollen, on Monday said the issue was an unwanted distraction to more important matters facing the company. "McGrath is a great company, it's in a position that can be turned around, and anything that provides a distraction from that is clearly a negative," he said. Fairfax Media will appeal a High Court of New Zealand decision to refuse a merger of the publishers New Zealand business, Stuff, with media business NZME. This will be the second appeal for the businesses, which have been attempting to merge operations for 18 months. Fairfax Media and NZME are readying for a High Court of New Zealand appeal. Credit:Michel O'Sullivan Fairfax Media, which announced it would apply to take leave to appeal, is the owner of The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. In May 2016, Fairfax and NZME applied to the New Zealand Commerce Commission (NZCC) to merge the businesses. The assessment from the regulator included determining whether bringing the countrys two largest newspaper networks together would lessen competition. Patrick Ryan has added to the family empire with the purchase of the Banksia hotel, Rockdale, in Sydney's south, for a price of about $26 million. It was sold by Monarch Hotels, which is co-owned and run by Joel Fisher. The deal follows the sale of the adjacent Rocksia Hotel, for $36 million, at a reported yield of sub 8 per cent, to the Feros Group's Oscar Hotels chain. It is understood, that given the strength of the pub market Monarch, which is backed by the US financiers, Varde Partners and York Capital, is looking at a sale of the entire portfolio, worth about $250 million. The Banksia Hotel, Rockdale, a large format gaming hotel in the South West Sydney corridor has been sold to the Ryan family. Image supplied. In relation to the future prospects for his Monarch Hotels vehicle, Mr Fisher said he is ''particularly buoyant about the strengths and opportunities that exist in the market''. #earthquake 2.1 magnitude quake hits southeastern South Korea, no damage reported A 2.1 magnitude earthquake struck southeastern South Korea early Sunday, but no damage was reported. The quake hit some 4 kilometers southeast of Changnyeong County, about 260 k... #MLB Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin reports no health problems after rough outing After getting knocked around in the worst start of the 2021 season amid whispers of a potential injury, Toronto Blue Jays' starter Ryu Hyun-jin insisted he has no health-related is... Tasmanias government wants to take back control of wholesale energy prices and supply in a move which could leave Victoria vulnerable in future heatwaves. Ahead of the states upcoming election, the Liberal government has pledged to pull Tasmanias pricing structure from the National Electricity Market if it is elected as part of its Tasmania First policy, in a move being dubbed Tasexit. The political intervention in the market could prevent Tasmanian generators from selling their output as freely to mainland customers. Grattan Institute's energy director Tony Wood warned this may impact electricity security in Victoria and South Australia, and hobble any new interconnector between Tasmania and the mainland. [Under this new plan] Tasmania may only supply electricity when they feel like it, and thats only if the price is attractive e.g high enough, Mr Wood told Fairfax Media. Enforcing a government building code which bans unions putting slogans on hard hats or displaying the Eureka Stockade flag has been compared to a game of "cat and mouse". The Australian Building and Construction Commission has published examples of slogans and logos that breach the federal government's 2013 and 2016 building codes for companies contracted for Commonwealth-funded building work. While employees and contractors have the right to join a union or employer group, they are banned from using material that could suggest membership of their organisation is required to work on a government-funded project. The Eureka Stockade flag has been given as an example of a symbol that is banned. The separation of powers sounds like the stuffy, abstract domain of lawyers and academics. But it needn't be and it shouldn't be. Because, the actual freedom of each and every one of us in a very real and practical way relies on the complete independence of the executive, the Parliament, and the judiciary. Judges need to be respected for their role: exercising judgment. At its most basic level, the separation of powers simply means that if one of the powerful arms of our democracy starts hitting you unjustly, there's another powerful arm capable of stopping it. There is a check and a balance. We tend to think of this crucial democratic foundation, if we think of it at all, as somehow naturally occurring and therefore unshakeable. Yes, I grant you, when you wander into the realms of what is "un-Australian", you can quickly get lost in a miasma of hoary breast-beating, all to the tune of Waltzing Matilda, but ... as you might guess, I can't resist. For I refer, of course, to a report on Monday that notes, as of recently, companies face being banned from doing any federal building work "if employees display the Eureka flag or union slogans on employer-supplied clothing and equipment", all because of "Turnbull government restrictions on workers showing support for the CFMEU". Yes'm, according to the diktat released by the Australian Building and Construction Commission responsible for monitoring and promoting workplace relations in the Australian building and construction industry from now on employers must be "more stringent", on the display of union logos and mottos. In fact, so stringent that, as noted by The Australian in its report, the presence of a single union logo might see them in breach, and such offending material, specifically includes "images generally attributed to, or associated with an organisation, such as the iconic symbol of the five white stars and white cross on the Eureka Stockade flag". Friends, I ask you, does it get any more un-Australian than that 163 years on from the most inspiring event in our history, of individuals rising against an unfair government, we have a modern government attempting to ban the individual's right to display the very symbol of that struggle. The Republican war against US intelligence agencies, which started when those agencies announced their consensus on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, hit an odd juncture last week with the release of a House intelligence committee memo that the GOP had trumpeted as revealing crimes "worse than Watergate". But when the memo actually a series of Republican talking points about the Russia investigation was finally made public, there wasn't much there. If the four-page document was the extent of the committee's evidence of FBI misconduct, then it was a great day for the intelligence community. Illustration: Dionne Gain Which makes the memo a baffling own-goal for a party that currently controls the presidency and both houses of Congress. Over the past several weeks, an army of Russian bots, conservative media personalities, GOP members of Congress, and earnest Trump supporters sent the hashtag #releasethememo trending, creating a crisis that could only be resolved with the memo's release. The members of the House intelligence committee who created the memo, however, knew that it contained no bombshells. The best they could hope for was to muddy the waters, to create an air of misconduct where no evidence of it existed. The memo is only the latest flashpoint in the Republican war against the FBI, one of the more alarming developments in recent US politics. Yet it is not entirely surprising. For the better part of a decade, Republicans have been trading long-term national stability for short-term political gain. Subscriptions to reputable news outlets should be made tax deductible, and the nation's harsh defamation laws should be reviewed, a parliamentary inquiry into journalism has recommended. It proposed Treasury examine ways the costs and benefits of making news subscriptions tax deductible for all Australians - but only for what committee chair Catryna Bilyk described as "trustworthy" media organisations. She did not identify which outlets would be included. Many taxpayers claim subscriptions as deductions in their line of work, but this recommendation would extend that tax break to everyone, in a bid to boost the flagging stocks of media companies struggling to fund journalism in the digital age. But the stature of the Labor-Greens dominated committee, derided by its Coalition members as "largely substance-free", has been weakened by the departure of most of its founders from the Parliament. The inquiry into public interest journalism was enthusiastically established by former senators Sam Dastyari, Scott Ludlam, Nick Xenophon and Jacqui Lambie - all of whom have now left the Senate or been forced out because of dual citizenship. One of Australia's biggest business groups is increasingly concerned about Bill Shorten's anti-business rhetoric, while the Turnbull government has accused the Opposition Leader of lurching to the left to ward off defeat by the Greens in the looming Batman byelection. And as Parliament returned for 2018, the Turnbull government stepped up its threat to use its numbers and unilaterally refer Labor MP Susan Lamb to the High Court over her dual citizenship, in what would be a significant break with parliamentary convention. Labor's shadow cabinet was due to discuss on Monday evening whether it should formally adopt a position of opposing Adani's giant Carmichael coal mine. Some MPs expect that position to be adopted within a matter of days, before the date for the Batman byelection is set. The Greens, for their part, have welcomed Labor's apparent shift on Adani - Mr Shorten said on Friday he was "increasingly sceptical" about the project - but urged a vote for their candidate, Alex Bhathal. The Adani mine shapes as a key issue in the contest and a major test of the ALP, which is desperate to hang on to what was a former heartland seat. Buoyed by a slight rise in Newspoll, which saw the Coalition's two party-preferred vote improve from 47-53 to 48-52, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his senior ministers stepped up their attack on the Opposition Leader over Adani, Labor's opposition to company tax cuts, Mr Shorten's call last week to reconsider the case for a living wage and a possible cap on private health insurance increases of 2 per cent for two years. Schoolyard bullying was largely contained within school grounds in the pre-digital age. Now, it can follow students home and target them 24/7, via messages, posts and tweets on their phone, laptop or tablet. Instances of bullying are no longer isolated events witnessed by a few. Instead, as long as an offensive post remains live, the cyberbullying continues and can even grow as others comment, like or share a post with just a few taps of keyboard. For the young person on the receiving end of the bullying, it feels like there is no escape from their attackers. They are physically bullied at school, and then at home in the cyber world. In my job as a lawyer, I've represented schoolchildren who have self-harmed, attempted suicide and tragically died by suicide after being bullied, including cyberbullying. We only need to look back a few weeks to one family's farewell to Amy "Dolly" Everett to see exactly how cyberbullying can change lives forever. Amy Jayne Everett had been the young face of Akubra hats as a girl. Credit:AP It's clear that the impact of cyberbullying on young people and families can be devastating, which is why action to fight it is needed from multiple fronts. Important lessons about cyber safety begin at home with parents and carers, but schools also have a critical role to play. Under the law, schools have a duty of care to ensure the safety of its students, so that children can attend school without experiencing emotional or physical harm. If a school fails in its duty to protect students from bullying or take action to address allegations of bullying, then affected families may have a legal case against the school. Meantime, governments need to make sure the existing laws are appropriate when it comes to cyberbullying. It's a complex and difficult area for policy makers, but there are some helpful models elsewhere including New Zealand where a Harmful Digital Communications Act was brought in three years ago, with civil and criminal options available to address cyber abuse. There's a lot of belief among the tech savvy, particularly those with a libertarian bent, in the power of crypto-assets to get governments and their regulations and banks and their fees out of their lives. Believers like Michael Mylonas are not at all spooked by the big falls (and, so far, subsequent recoveries) in the values of cryptocurrencies during the past couple of months. The 23-year-old record label director from Perth says he is still well ahead with his punt on cryptocurrency and other crypto-assets, the "blockchain" technology companies that underpin crypto. Blockchains can cut out the middle people in financial transactions, and their fees, but also present plenty of other opportunities for new ways of record keeping. Parents say the decision not to install air conditioning in four new Sydney schools is "short-sighted" and will become a major issue as the schools fill up, despite the Department of Education's move towards better insulation and ventilation being included in building design. The NSW Department of Education has revealed that air conditioning is not included in the design for Wentworth Point Public School, which opened this year, or Ultimo Public School, Russell Lea Public School and Central Sydney Intensive English High School, which are being rebuilt to house more students. The four schools have mean maximum January temperatures of about 27 and 28 degrees, which fall below the Department's threshold of 33 degrees, at which schools automatically qualify for air conditioning, or between 30 and 33 degrees, at which schools are eligible to apply for air conditioning. Instead, designs for the new schools include "sustainable and cost effective approaches to improving thermal comfort ... via passive measures such as insulation, sunscreens, ventilation and appropriately designed landscaping", a spokesman for the Department said. The Australia Institute's research director and report co-author, Rod Campbell, was quizzed on this point by Crikey. Asked how a federal ICAC would help reduce corruption in a tangible sense, he talked in general terms about restoring trust in our institutions. He also drew on a recent media report on Labor MP Michael Danby's past misuse of travel expenses, saying a federal ICAC might discourage people like Danby from taking taxpayer-funded trips to the Gold Coast (a function now filled, incidentally, by the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority). Asked further about possible examples of that happening in other countries, Campbell could only reply he was "not fully across what other countries have as their anti-corruption infrastructure". So much for a "research-based" case for a federal ICAC! ACT Greens MLAs Caroline Le Couteur and Shane Rattenbury with Labor's Andrew Barr and Yvette Berry. Anti-corruption agencies tend to work better in smaller jurisdictions, which bodes well for the ACT's pending body. Credit:Jay Cronan That a federal ICAC has come to dominate the anti-corruption agenda is a remarkable example of policy capture, steadily gaining ground over almost a decade. The Greens have spearheaded the campaign, beginning with Bob Brown's private member's bill in 2010 to establish a national integrity commission. Adam Bandt reintroduced the bill two years later and Christine Milne a year after that. With neither of the major parties (nor the federal bureaucracy) showing any enthusiasm, the proposal for an anti-corruption agency became a distinguishing marker for the Greens, along with marriage equality and support for renewable energy. Whenever a politician or a public servant was caught behaving unethically, the Greens leader of the day could always be counted on to say that this underlined the case for an anti-corruption agency. Influential advocacy for a federal ICAC has also come from several former judges and senior barristers, including those with direct experience in the NSW and Queensland anti-corruption commissions. Keen to see their state-based successes repeated on a larger stage, they have argued forcefully against Commonwealth exceptionalism, pointing out that human frailties are not confined to members of state and territory government. Under their leadership, support for a federal ICAC has spread throughout the more liberal and reform-minded members of the legal profession. It is now a settled conviction in progressive political thinking. A federal anti-corruption agency has all along tended to be a policy in search of evidence. Support for an agency comes first, appealing to a vague unease about the ethical state of government. Who could not be against corruption and in favour an agency devoted to that purpose? Any further confirmation of declining confidence in government, such as the latest Transparency International rankings, is adduced as supporting evidence. At the same time, all individual instances of impropriety, ranging from rorting of outsourcing contracts, through lucrative post-ministerial appointments to dual citizenship of parliamentarians (or dredged-up news about Danby) become grist to the same mill. A more rational approach to anti-corruption would be to begin by identifying the main types of corruption that threaten the federal government's integrity. For instance, with politicians, the major problems surround the funding of political parties, purchase of access to ministers and post-ministerial appointments. With public servants, the ethical pressure points are appointments and procurement, and the influence of cronyism and nepotism. Once the problems are clearer, attention can then turn to remedies and assessing the accumulated international experience of how best to combat various types of corruption. Can one agency effectively deal with all such issues? How do other, reportedly less corrupt democracies, handle them? These questions are worth asking but are being ignored in the rush to a single, all-embracing anti-corruption agency. The views of Australia's top scholar on political corruption, Professor Adam Graycar, have been marginalised in public debate. One local expert following a more nuanced line has been Professor Adam Graycar, Australia's top international scholar on political corruption. He has argued for years that the case for a federal anti-corruption agency is weak because no one has yet clearly specified the problems it is designed to solve (and, by implication, the problems it won't solve). Given this lack of clarity, Graycar sees serious difficulties ahead in defining the powers of a federal ICAC and managing inter-agency conflict. He supports a more networked solution, involving a small coordinating agency and building on existing institutions. But his views have been marginalised in public debate. Similarly, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has recently advocated a more open-minded approach, saying in a pre-Christmas interview that the policy objective is zero-tolerance of corruption, an objective he takes "very seriously". He has been considering the recent Senate select committee report on a national integrity agency "very carefully". If there are "gaps in our armoury", they will need to be remedied "in the best way". But we need to get it right because "the experience has been mixed". He is reportedly unconvinced about the need for a federal anti-corruption agency. Typically, however, journalists framed this interview solely in terms of the campaign for a federal ICAC. "Turnbull considers anti-corruption body" read one headline, while the text emphasised this was the first time Turnbull had been prepared to consider the possibility of such an agency. With all other political parties now in favour of the policy, the Coalition remained "the final obstacle". A federal ICAC is probably now unstoppable. Turnbull may say he looking at all options, but is likely to roll over and agree, if only to avoid what interest groups and the media have turned into an unwinnable argument. In this case, those concerned about corruption in the federal government must hope that any agency established has the right balance of investigative powers and accountability. It will also need to cooperate with, rather than try to absorb, other existing integrity agencies, at least in the short term. Properly designed and resourced, a federal ICAC has the potential to do some good. But it will not be the cure-all for government corruption that its advocates claim. Other critical issues will still need attention for example, legislation relating to election expenses and party donations, whistleblower protection, and conflict-of-interest procedures for both ministers and public servants. Meanwhile, the Greens are already tasting success in the ACT; Canberrans are about to embrace their own local anti-corruption agency, as the Greens' price for continuing to support the Barr Labor government. Here, there are good grounds for being more confident about the agency's likely value. International experience suggests that, among countries with robust legal systems and professional government bureaucracies, it is the smaller jurisdictions that have had most recourse to anti-corruption agencies. At a national level, Singapore and Hong Kong, the only countries in Transparency International's top 15 to have such an agency, are the standout exemplars. They have been joined by state or provincial governments in other top-15 countries, not only NSW and other Australian states but also Quebec in Canada. Reasons for this tendency must remain speculative but could include factors such as the smaller size and more informal scale of government agencies in smaller jurisdictions, leading to less robust internal systems of control, less well-resourced external accountability agencies and lesser levels of media scrutiny. Certainly, when the ACT and federal governments are compared, the greater intimacy of the ACT and the particularly cosy personal relations between politicians, business and unions offer fertile ground for cronyism and nepotism. Moreover, the unwillingness of ACT voters to throw out the incumbent Labor government, however much they may dislike its behaviour, allows ministers to escape effective accountability. The Legislative Assembly committee tasked with designing an anti-corruption and integrity commission sensibly overrode pleas from ACT Policing seeking to be excluded and from unions opposing public hearings. It has produced a workable model with significant powers that could prove beneficial in helping to keep both politicians and public servants on their toes and out of each other's pockets. At the same time, the small size of existing integrity agencies should tend to keep turf disputes at manageable levels. Second, a desire to crack down on public servant whistleblowers puts the cart before the horse. The authorised scheme for public sector whistleblowing, the Public Interest Disclosure Act, has been criticised by academics and a statutorily mandated review. Although a start, the existing laws fail to provide the comprehensive level of protection that whistleblowers require. Indeed, the act is currently under consideration for reform. Cracking down on unauthorised disclosure before a robust and effective program for authorised disclosure of official information is illogical at best, and shows a barely disguised contempt for whistleblowers at worst. In light of recent reporting that nearly 5000 public servants witnessed corruption over the past year, the apparent lack of interest in providing effective channels for the highlighting such misdeeds and the chill this legislation will send down the spines of prospective whistleblowers suggest a government undisposed to tackling corruption and maladministration within the Australian Public Service. Finally, the reform signals a real cognitive dissonance in the government's thinking on this topic. In 2017, the government agreed to fundamental reform of whistleblower protections, starting with union whistleblowers and then extending to private and public sector employees. Once implemented, the private sector whistleblower protections will be the first of their kind in Australia. The laws were exacted by the crossbench in return for its support for the industrial relations bills that had earlier produced a double-dissolution election. The resulting committee report expounded over its 212 pages the need for better whistleblower safeguards and proposed, among its extensive suite of recommendations, creating a whistleblower protection authority. How the government can demonstrate leadership or moral authority on the most comprehensive whistleblower protections reform in Australian history, while simultaneously cracking down on leaking public servants, is beyond my comprehension. Whistleblowers (and the journalists who report on their information) play a crucial role in any democratic society. Australia's traditional reluctance to protect and embrace whistleblowers has long been problematic, but its persistence into the 21st century puts this country at odds with a global movement highlighting the importance of whistleblowing. In the United States, for example, whistleblowers can be rewarded handsomely with millions of dollars available for providing information that leads to prosecutions and civil actions. Whatever your disposition to financially incentivising whistleblowers it has been described by lawyers Nicholas Mavrakis and Katrina Hogan as un-Australian, "at odds" with our "strong culture of mateship and respect for authority" it sends a strong signal that whistleblowers are important in a healthy society. Rebecca Gentz never imagined she would struggle to eat solid food. That was before her stepfather assaulted her with a claw hammer in 1998, resulting in multiple skull fractures and a severe brain injury. Rebecca Gentz's stepfather assaulted her with a claw hammer in 1998, leaving her with a severe brain injury. Credit:Janie Barrett "That was a huge thing for me. It was really like starting from scratch again," she said of the four months it took for her to transition back to solids. Ms Gentz was a 25-year-old university graduate, poised to start her masters in art therapy, when she became a survivor of domestic family violence and traumatic brain injury. A man has been charged after allegedly hitting and killing a 17-year-old girl with his car as she walked to her school bus on Monday morning. The 42-year-old driver has been charged with negligent driving causing death and dangerous driving causing death following police inquiries. The Brandy Hill road where the girl was hit by a car. Credit:SEVEN NEWS The teenager had been walking along a road in Brandy Hill, near Port Stephens, when she was hit. Emergency services were called to Warrigal Close just before 7.30am on Monday to reports a child was struck by a car. Lucky Gattellari said he checked with his friend Ron Medich several times. Did he really want Michael McGurk killed? "F---en oath," came the alleged reply. Lucky Gattellari after his sentencing in 2013. Credit:brendan esposito It was 2009 and Mr Medich, a wealthy Sydney property developer, was increasingly embarrassed and angry, Gattellari told the NSW Supreme Court on Monday. Mr Medich, 69, who has pleaded not guilty to murder, had become entangled in a series of costly lawsuits with Mr McGurk. Australian model Jordan Barrett has spoken for the first time about his experiences working with Mario Testino since allegations of sexual misconduct emerged about the famous fashion photographer. "He's always been great and inspirational," said Barrett, who is back in the country to walk exclusively in the David Jones autumn-winter show on Wednesday night. "Mario's images always inspire me." David Jones ambassador Victoria Lee and model Jordan Barrett ahead of the store's autumn-winter launch on Wednesday. Credit:Brook Mitchell Barrett, who recalled last walking in the David Jones show when he was about 16, said he didn't feel a lot of pressure when it came to runway shows. "Everyone is always friendly ... in my first season [modelling] I got a little nervous ... you're just excited. It's quite relaxing," he said. One of four men arrested in connection to an alleged terror plot to down a passenger plane is suffering mental health issues as a result of his treatment by police during raids last year, a Sydney court has been told. Khaled Merhi faced Downing Centre Local Court on Monday on an unrelated weapons charge. He has not been charged with any terrorism offences. Khaled Merhi intends to plead guilty to possessing a type of Laser without a permit. Credit:Peter Rae His lawyer, Moustafa Kheir, said the 40-year-old intends to plead guilty to possessing a type of Taser without a permit. But he noted that Merhi "experienced significant physical contact" at the time of his arrest in Surry Hills in late July 2017 and, as a result, has suffered some "mental health issues". The emerging metropolis in Green Square will include up to 80 extra affordable homes after the City of Sydney inked another deal for the subsidised sale of council land to a community housing provider. Lord Mayor Clover Moore confirmed the council had agreed to sell its remaining parcel of land at 338 Botany Road in Alexandria to St George Community Housing. The City West Exordium apartments (pictured), which opened in Zetland in 2016, is among a number of affordable housing projects located in Green Square. Credit:Paul Patterson Cr Moore said the council was "on track to deliver the largest concentration of affordable housing in the state" in Green Square. It is the second deal of its kind negotiated by the council in Green Square in its bid to reach its affordable housing target. The target is designed to provide housing that can be rented at below-market rates to low-income workers. A patient who went to a north-west Sydney hospital for an "uneventful" day surgery died within hours after an anaesthetist accidentally prescribed him a potent opioid meant for someone else, an inquest has heard. Paul Lau, 54, was a keen skier who went to Macquarie University Hospital on June 18, 2015, for a reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament on his left knee. Paul Lau died hours after an anaesthetist accidentally prescribed him a potent opioid meant for someone else, an inquest has heard. Mr Lau, a father of two, had a successful surgery and was taken to recovery. He rarely took painkillers, so he was meant to receive tablets of oxycodone and paracetamol to manage his pain. Instead, when his medical chart was confused with another patient's, he was given a patch and a patient-controlled pump of the strong painkiller fentanyl, which led to him dying in the early hours of June 19 from multiple drug toxicity. Police are investigating how a fire started in a Quakers Hill home after the blaze destroyed the home. Emergency services were called to the single-level house just after 2:15pm on Monday following reports of a fire at the Montrose Street home. Seven fire crews responded to the scene where the house was reportedly "engulfed" in fire. Firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control but were not able to save the house from being destroyed. Initial reports from the scene suggested there may have been someone inside the house but it was later confirmed that no one was inside at the time. Editor's note: All charges against seven co-accused were dropped in February 2020. A group of men and women from a Blue Mountains circus training school have been charged with the alleged ongoing sexual and physical torture of three boys over two years. Four women, two men and a 17-year-old girl have been charged with 127 offences relating to the alleged sustained abuse that occurred between 2014 and 2016. Police confirmed to Fairfax Media that the seven alleged offenders were involved in a Katoomba circus training school called The Arcade Circus that catered to children with and without disabilities. Woollahra's deputy mayor Susan Wynne said the car park redevelopment would deliver the "economic viability" that Rose Bay shopping village needed to survive. "Instead of hanging a 'Rose Bay is full' sign, let's hang a sign stating 'Rose Bay welcomes all'": Woollahra's deputy mayor, Susan Wynne. Credit:Ben Rushton "What I do know is that doing nothing is not an option and the most thriving commercial centres occur when there is a good balance of residents living in the heart of the centre as well as quality community spaces and ample parking," she said. Cr Wynne acknowledged it was difficult to balance the needs of residents and businesses "and often there can be a lot of angst about development proposals". An artist's impression of the proposed redevelopment of the Ian Street car park in Rose Bay. Credit:Brendan Metcalfe;christopher.bluett@woollahra.nsw.gov.au But she said: "Instead of hanging a 'Rose Bay is full' sign, let's hang a sign stating 'Rose Bay welcomes all.' " Mr Bland said the suburb needed more parking spaces, but the council could only "pay" for it by developing an apartment complex. "This will further exacerbate existing traffic and congestion problems," he said. "It could also come with a much-needed community centre [we don't have one], but again, jamming more people and activities into an already overcrowded area. And anyway is a car park the appropriate location for a community centre often used by children?" Mr Bland said pollution at Rose Bay Beach was another symptom of the inadequacy of infrastructure to cope with the increasing population. Gabrielle Upton, the Liberal member for Vaucluse and Minister for Local Government, did not answer the Herald's questions but said: "I am meeting with the Rose Bay Residents Association this week to hear their concerns. I am happy to take them up with Woollahra Council." The redevelopment of the car parks was first mooted by the council in 1999 and is "long overdue", according to Woollahra councillor Mary-Lou Jarvis. "Parking is increasingly difficult in Rose Bay but the shopping area is increasingly pedestrian-friendly so the use of a car is not necessary for the many locals close by, unless disabled or carrying a heavy load," she said. Is Rose Bay full? Cr Jarvis said the population density of Rose Bay was lower than the rest of the Woollahra local government area: "Rose Bay is actually not full." But she said: "I agree it seems fuller with cars. Anecdotally I suspect that is because more people have their own car rather than share." Rose Bay had an estimated 6415 residents in 2016, with a population density of 31.33 persons per hectare, according to the 2016 census. Neighbouring Bellevue Hill had an estimated 11,538 residents and a population density of 48.64, while Vaucluse-Watsons Bay had 7828 residents and a population density of 23.79. The Woollahra local government area had an estimated 58,290 residents in 2016, with a population density of 47.58 persons per hectare. "It is true that development is ongoing but things change," Cr Jarvis said. "For example, the modest cottage my father grew up in, in Carlisle Street in [the] 1930s, has been replaced by multistorey apartments built on top of an underground car park to take advantage of the harbour and Bondi Beach views." However, Cr Jarvis, the president of the NSW Liberal Women's Council, said the ability of councillors to prevent overdevelopment will be confined to establishing zoning and planning guidelines. "After March due to the government's changes to the laws, we will not be determining development applications," she said. The NSW government stripped councils in Sydney and Wollongong of the power to determine development applications worth more than $5 million under new rules mandating the use of planning panels. "Council does not support, and has formally objected to, the loss of its planning powers being compulsorily handed to Independent Hearing and Assessment Panels," the council spokesman said. "Council considers that current arrangements provide for ethical and transparent decision making on development applications and it is not convinced that the new arrangements will improve planning decisions on development applications." Sydney's crowded suburbs Rose Bay is less crowded than Balmain, which had 11,396 residents, and a population density of 73.69 persons per hectare, according to the 2016 census. In comparison, Pyrmont has 13,812 residents, and a population density of 148.40, while Potts Point had 7083 residents, and a population density of 141.16. Gold Coast policeman Rick Flori sought to discredit a rival after being overlooked for a promotion by leaking footage of a police bashing, his misconduct trial has heard. Mr Flori, 47, leaked the footage of a handcuffed man, Noa Begic, being kneed and punched in the basement of the Surfers Paradise police station in January 2012. Former Queensland Police officer Rick Flori (left) arrives at Southport District Court. Credit:AAP The former sergeant has pleaded not guilty to the charge of misconduct in relation to public office. On the opening day of the trial at Southport District Court on Monday, crown prosecutor Todd Fuller alleged Mr Flori's motivation for leaking the footage was personally driven. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says there's no conflict between her Labor government and federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten over the proposed Adani megamine. Mr Shorten last week said he'd become "increasingly sceptical" about the Indian mining giant following a report it allegedly falsified evidence when appealing against a fine for run-off during Cyclone Debbie last year. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, pictured with federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, says their is no conflict with federal Labor over Adani. Credit:AAP/Darren England The federal Labor leader is under strong internal pressure to appeal to Greens voters, as the party tries to win the inner-Melbourne seat of Batman in a byelection. The controversial $16.5 billion Carmichael coal mine is unpopular with environmentally conscious voters, and was also a key issue for Deputy Premier Jackie Trad at the recent state election, narrowly seeing off a Greens push. Following Arthur Laundy's death his son Arthur Laundy jnr took control of the family business, which was comprised two pubs. Minister for Small and Family Business Craig Laundy (front row, far left) with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's new ministry at Government House in Canberra in December. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen With his wife Margaret, Laundy built the family business into a successful pub empire made up of more than 30 pubs. The Laundy's were listed on the 2017 Financial Review Rich List with a fortune of over $400 million. Craig Laundy's brother, Stu Laundy, in happier times with Sophie Monk. Credit:AAP Laundy says growing up in the family business has given him a "front-line understanding" of the challenges for small business. He says when he started working with his father after finishing school, the Laundy empire was "a large small business". "My son now works in the business, he's the fourth generation," says Laundy. "He has started the way we did by working behind the bar in a local hotel, by picking up glasses and cleaning ash trays." Bridging the divide Laundry says as small and family business minister he wants to bridge the divide between employers and employees. "I hope to explain to Australians who will be employees throughout their life that small business owners are not the enemy," he says. "In small and family business land, the owners understand the most valuable asset they have is their staff. I have from the age of 18 and 19 years of age being going to my staffs' weddings, christenings and funerals. Key staff actually become a quasi part of your family. I don't think historically that link has been explained and I am very keen to explore it and explain it as best as possible." How this focus will translate into policy or action is another question. For now, Laundy says he'll highlight the link between employers and employees through media appearances, question time and parliamentary opportunities. "Just using whatever platforms we have to try and reach out and better detail the relationships that a lot of Australian workers and employers have," he says. From publican to politician Laundy was elected to Parliament at the 2013 federal election and in July last year was appointed Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science where he helped oversee start-up grants and digital strategies for business. The only misstep in Laundy's steady rise has been his association with business man Yang DongDong who was described as a "special adviser" to Laundy. Laundry says this is incorrect and DongDong has never worked for him. "Yang DongDong is a member of the Liberal Party in my local area, runs a successful local business and has been a volunteer," he says. "It was reported as some major conspiracy theory that it was not. I continue to garner support across the community more broadly no matter where people come from and I continue to do that." More recently Laundy has achieved prominence as the "brother of Stu" after his brother won The Bachelorette and pursued a short-lived relationship with celebrity Sophie Monk. "He got the looks and I got the brains," quips Laundy. "My brother and I are close and when he decided to do this I tried to talk him out of it. He didn't listen so when that was the case I only had one way to go, which was to pay the living crap out of him." For a while Laundy's Twitter time line took on a strong Bachelorette focus but Laundy has now returned to more staid political announcements. Potential cabinet position While small business no longer has a seat in cabinet, Laundy claims he will still be able to represent the sector from outside. "I'm represented in cabinet by Michaelia Cash and she has seconded me into cabinet on several occasions and we have an amazing working relationship, which I now get the opportunity to build on," says Laundy. "[Small business] is the major private sector employee in the country and my great hope is that one day I might be able to join my colleagues in cabinet, if it is in this role then so be it. I think nobody in cabinet underestimates the importance of this role." With the budget on the horizon, Laundy is tight-lipped on whether there will be any new policies impacting on small business but he is critical of the potential impact of increases to the minimum wage foreshadowed by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten last week. "It not only shows you it is the ACTU as the puppet masters for the Opposition, but with no economic modelling to announce that as a potential policy?," Laundy says. "The difference that would make to small and family business operators? You are potentially putting 2.3 million jobs at risk." Story telling For Laundy it all comes back to his upbringing in and around pubs. "I like telling stories, that comes from years and years in public bars," he says. "The best way I find to explain things is to explain real life stories." It's one of the simplest, most intuitive and least intrusive pieces of technology in the public sphere: a terminal with four plastic buttons adorned with faces ranging from a smiling dark green to an angry bright red. You may have noticed them around - at overseas airports, in your doctor's surgery, at a shopping centre, your gym or local cafe. A customer registers their feedback via a HappyOrNot terminal in the Chadstone Shopping Centre food court. Credit:Eddie Jim And you can expect to see a lot more of them, with an Australian outfit investing substantially in Finnish tech company HappyOrNot's customer feedback system, and its next iteration in the form of touchscreens due to land here in March. HappyOrNot is distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Push My Button, its sole reseller in the two countries. A group of Silicon Valley technologists who were early employees at Facebook and Google, alarmed over the ill effects of social networks and smartphones, are banding together to challenge the companies they helped build. The cohort is creating a union of concerned experts called the Center for Humane Technology. Along with the nonprofit media watchdog group Common Sense Media, it also plans an anti-tech-addiction lobbying effort and an ad campaign at 55,000 public schools in the United States. With smartphones, 'theyve got you for every waking moment,' said Roger McNamee, an early investor in Facebook and a member of the new Center for Humane Technology. Credit:Karsten Moran / New York Times The campaign, titled The Truth About Tech, will be funded with $US7 million ($8.84 million) from Common Sense and capital raised by the Center for Humane Technology. Common Sense also has $US50 million in donated media and airtime from partners. The campaign will be aimed at educating students, parents and teachers about the dangers of technology, including the depression that can come from heavy use of social media. "We were on the inside," said Tristan Harris, a former in-house ethicist at Google who is heading the new group. "We know what the companies measure. We know how they talk, and we know how the engineering works." The Greens says they have settled the internal row that threatened to overshadow their tilt at the Melbourne seat of Batman. Party leader Richard Di Natale launched the candidacy of Alex Bhathal in Canberra on Monday for the byelection which could be held as early as March 7 following the resignation of Labor's David Feeney. Greens leader Richard Di Natale and Greens candidate for Batman Alex Bathal at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday. Credit:AAP Ms Bhathal, who has contested the seat in five elections, had been the subject of a complaint to party authorities from fellow members of the Greens' Darebin branch who wanted her booted from the party. But Senator Di Natale told a press conference in Parliament House on Monday that the matter was settled. Robert Doyle, who resigned as lord mayor on Monday following accusations of sexual harassment, has been a part of Victorian political life for more than a quarter of a century. From his election to state parliament in 1992, to his inexorable rise within the Liberal Party to lead the Victorian opposition, Doyle was a man with a mission to take charge. Former lord mayor Robert Doyle resigned on Monday. Credit:Eddie Jim Doyle's flailing by Labor at the 2002 state election - the worst thrashing of a major Victorian political party in 50 years - led to his replacement before the next poll. After his departure from state parliament in 2006, Doyle began a process of resurrection, first as chair of Melbourne Health, a role he began in 2007 and at which he excelled. Premier Daniel Andrews describes it as ''a bit of a story'' and it is clear from the video footage he tweeted on Monday night that it was a significant family moment. A cat named Smokey, who'd been missing from the Andrews family home for months, had somehow found her way back to the family, unbeknown to his three children. The family footage shows Mr Andrews' children huddled around a pet carrier with a blanket covering it, unaware their pet is hidden underneath. When daughter Grace opens the box door she exclaims: "It's Smokey! We found her!" The newest family member at a Northam animal rescue centre is just about as rare as they get. A male tortoiseshell - the little guy doesn't yet have a name - is likely to be the most sought-after kitten in the Wheatbelt. The yet to be named 'tortie' boy defied odds by being born a male. Credit:Eliza Wynn. Tortoiseshell cats are generally always female. It's a part of their DNA. They need two X chromosomes to get that particular fur pattern, but they also need a Y chromosome to be male. The Rail, Tram and Bus Union has called on the state government to reconsider Mineral Resources Limited's mining application, following the announcement that Cleveland-Cliffs could close their Australian mining operations this year. In December 2017, the state government rejected the company's application to develop an iron ore deposit in the Helena Aurora Range upon the advice of the Environmental Protection Authority. Mr Woodcock expressed concern for the ripple effect the closure would have on the community and said the decision was a major blow for the Union. With an estimated 140 jobs at stake, the Union's West Australian Branch secretary Philip Woodcock said a review of the decision could be their 'saving grace'. "The only thing that could really make any difference to [the situation] is if the Premier reviews the Mineral Resources decision and, if so, it needs to be now and it needs to be happening now," he said. A former Guildford Grammar teacher accused of possessing thousands of images of child pornography claims he downloaded the photographs unintentionally. Jeffery McKinnell is on trial in the Perth District Court accused of having 3,009 images of child exploitation material on his laptop in May 2016. The images included 13 screen shots the state alleges Mr McKinnell took from child pornography videos. Jeffery McKinnell is accused of possessing 3,000 child pornographic images. Credit:Heather McNeill The 39-year-old has denied possessing child pornography and claimed he accidentally downloaded the images while trying to download multiple files of legal, adult porn. State prosecution lawyer Paul Dixon told a 12-person jury they may be required to view "all or some of the images" to deem if they were child pornography. Paris: Emmanuel Macron doesn't want Corsica to turn into France's Catalonia. The French president on Tuesday begins a two-day visit to the Mediterranean island where a recently elected local administration is making demands for greater autonomy that the national government so far has indicated it can't accept. French governments have long struggled in their dealings with Corsica, an island of 330,000 that lies closer to Italy's coast than France's with an independence movement that's resorted to violence in the past. While the island's current leaders have renounced pushing for statehood, they say they could change their minds if the national government doesn't meet demands for a special status for Corsican residents and an official role for the island's distinct language. Both moves could violate the French constitution. Residents of the Corsica island take the streets in Ajaccio, France, as they demonstrate ahead of a visit to the Mediterranean island next week by French President Emmanuel Macron. Credit:AP "Macron is a serious man and a believer in the state, and I don't see how he can or will satisfy their demands," said Camille de Rocca Serra, a 63-year-old former president of Corsican assembly. "It's not possible and it wouldn't be beneficial. France is a unitary state, not a federation." Jakarta: A 60-year-old woman has been fatally shot by Indonesian paramilitary police in a clash between security forces and stone-throwing villagers in the troubled Papua region. The police were transporting an 18-year-old man suspected of theft when villagers intervened to help him. Police and military in Timika, Papua, late last year. In a statement, they said police fired warning shots during the incident on Saturday. The woman, who was in the crowd, died from a gunshot to the head. Conflicts between indigenous Papuans and Indonesian security forces are common in the impoverished region, which Indonesia annexed more than half a century ago. Tehran: The office of Iran's president Sunday charged into the middle of one of the most contentious debates over the character of the Islamic Republic, suddenly releasing a three-year-old report showing that nearly half of Iranians wanted an end to the requirement that women cover their heads in public. The report's release comes as dozens of women in recent weeks have protested in public against being forced to wear the veil, a symbol of Iran's revolution as much as it is deemed a religious requirement. Women in Iran have been protesting against laws forcing them to wear veils by posting pictures on social media holding their headscarves high. Credit:Facebook The decision to release the report which found that 49.8 per cent of Iranians, both women and men, consider the Islamic veil a private matter and think the government should have no say in it appears to pit President Hassan Rouhani directly against Iran's hard-line judiciary, which on Friday said that 29 people had been detained in connection with the protests. They have called the demonstrations "childish", insist that the large majority of Iranians support Islamic veiling and have called for harsher measures against those protesting the veil. At least as striking as the report's findings was the timing of its release. The study is from 2014, and publishing it now suggests that the president saw this as a moment to challenge the hard-liners, who hold ultimate power, about such a symbolically potent issue. Brussels: The prime surviving suspect in the 2015 Islamic State attacks on Paris said he would answer no questions as his trial in Belgium over a shooting that preceded his arrest got under way in Brussels on Monday, local time. Salah Abdeslam, 28, his long black hair and beard a stark contrast to the cropped, clean-shaven young man familiar across Europe from wanted posters during his four months on the run, was asked by the judge to rise and identify himself. Appearing in public for the first time since the November 2015 attacks and his arrest in Brussels four months later, he remained seated, flanked by two masked Belgian police officers. "I do not wish to answer questions," Abdeslam said. Govindarajalu met Gandhi on a recent visit to India because the purpose of her visit to report the male relative who had abused her - had been thwarted. Mrs Gandhi was prompted to order the review after meeting. Purnima Govindarajulu, who was sexually abused in India as a child and is now lobbying to have the law changed in India. Under the law as it stands, an adult survivor of sex abuse cannot report a crime. But after meeting Purnima Govindarajulu, a 53 year old conservation biologist who grew up in India but lives in Victoria, Canada, the minister of Women and Child Welfare, Maneka Gandhi, said last week that the law needs to be changed. New Delhi: One Indian woman who was abused as a child, and her inability to forget what happened 47 years ago, has forced the Indian government rethink the law on sexual abuse. When Govindarajalu had told Chennai police that she wanted to report the crime, they said there was no specific provision under the law which allowed them to file a report on a crime committed so long ago. I was six years old when I was first sexually abused by a cousins husband. My family was financially weak and my mother was very sick. [The other family] were wealthy, their daughter was only a few years younger and so I was often sent to stay at their house. "It got worse when I was 10 to 13 years old, especially at night ... I blocked out much of the details. It wasnt until the age of 23, after I had moved to Canada in the wake of my fathers death, that I realised what happened to me was child sexual abuse, she told the Indian Express. The language in the current law, passed in 2012, is ambiguous in that it talks about a child reporting an offence as "aged under 18", so while there is no explicit prohibition against an adult survivor filing a criminal complaint, the police are confused and unwilling to act. A survey last year by World Vision India revealed that one in every two children in the 12 to 18 age group is a victim of child sexual abuse. Other surveys have thrown up the same figure, prompting experts to call it a "silent epidemic". Washington: A fierce partisan battle over the United States Justice Department and its role in the Russia investigation moves into its second week as Democrats try to persuade the House Intelligence Committee to release a 10-page rebuttal to a controversial Republican memo alleging surveillance abuse. The panel's top Democrat, Adam Schiff of California, is expected to offer a motion to release his party's response to the Republican document during a committee meeting scheduled for Monday at 5 pm (Tuesday 9am AEDT). It was not clear whether Republicans would join Democrats in voting for the document's release, as some members of the GOP have expressed concerns about its contents. Speaking on Sunday Schiff called the GOP memo a "political hit job on the FBI in service of the president". Democrat Adam Schiff is pushing for the release of a 10-page rebuttal of the so-called 'Nunes' memo. Credit:AP "The goal here really isn't to find out the answers from the FBI. The goal here is to undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI, discredit the (special counsel) investigation, do the president's bidding," Schiff said. How about Fly-In Banking; like a drive-in fast food operation? No, its no joke. In the Caribbean? Probably not, but that is not the point. One has to look at the principles of the concept and explore if one could do a fly-in something that might fit a particular destination in a region. Bottom line, its all about economic development of a region. Follow-me! Developing airport business requires some creative thinking especially when it comes to private and business aviation. No one is flying to an airport because of the airport. Passengers are coming for the destination and in the Caribbean for instance especially for the Tourism Product. How do you get aircraft passengers to come and do business; Tourism dAffaires, as the French say? Just visiting conferences for creating awareness and networking is not enough of a marketing effort. At least it was not enough for me. I was in charge of business aviation development. My line of thinking was more about a sustainable development. I observed that a well-known foreign businessman would frequently arrive at my airport on his private jet and met with a financial expert for a good hour in the airports restaurant and then boarded his jet and left again. Hmm? Could one turn that in some kind of concept? The airport was located in a country well-known for international banking and finance. The idea was born: fly-in finance services. Why not? A service-concept enabling foreign persons and companies to have quick access to financial services by flying to an airport and using the services of the financial institutions on the airport premises or in nearby branches. Fly-In Banking would be a marketing innovation, in airport business development and promotion, but also in the Private and Investment banking industry. I did some research. In the sixties, in Rio Vista, Texas, there was the Cow Pasture Bank. The banker-owned a grass airstrip behind the bank building. He created a unique financial institution by offering a fly-in feature. Clients would fly their planes in from their farms to do their banking. Mind that in Texas distances are far; the farms are so big that the farmers would also have a grass strip and their own small private airplane. The banker commented that in addition: We financed a lot of airplanes. It was an easy way to let people fly in and we would look at the airplane and that sort of thing and decide if we wanted to finance it. Of course, my airport didnt have a bank. The closest branches of major international brand banks were 15 minutes away. Yet, we had a building where we could rent out space and make meeting rooms available to advisors from the financial institutions, who could come to meet their clients on our premises. My vision was, that if we were successful, we could even initiate a cluster development with additional facilities and offices of service providers from financial industry segments. Good for airport expansion and good for the local community. So instead of chasing aircraft owners and operators, as one might have expected me to do, I went after bankers. On a local level, the concept was well received. Why wasnt it realized? The headquarters of the banks that were located in the two cities with a major international airport, didnt want to lose any business to their branches. Does the word commission ring a bell? They believed that the branches could attract the cross-border road traffic, but the HQs wanted to keep the flying jetset for themselves. By accident, it went in international aviation magazine as: fly-in banking to attract more well-heeled travelers and just trying to make things as easy and comfortable as possible for them, and facilitating meetings with representatives from major banks in the airports new business center and arranging limousine transportation to nearby branch offices. The journalist who published the information may have been just a bit too excited about the new service, by publishing it prematurely before the program was actually realized. Bad PR? No. Because in the same article he also mentioned that: Business aviation movements at the airport during the first half of this year are up by 94 percent over the same period last year, because more executive travelers have discovered..., etc. Why write this column about something that failed? It didnt fail, it just didnt work due to an unforeseen circumstance. Now, one could come up with a series of quotations of some of the most famous successful people saying that progress is based on trial and failure. The essence of such quotes is that one has to come up with new ideas and eventually one of them will succeed. If one doesnt try anything new or different, then nothing happens. Question is, where should it all start? My concept started as an initiative of an airport business developer. Should the idea have come up in a bank? A government economic development authority, maybe? What about a Chamber of Commerce or a Tourism Office? Im in favor of brainstorming meetings with competent participants from various organizations and including some independent open-minded intellectual individuals. When does that happen here in the region and where? And if it was done, where are the tangible results? No results? Maybe change the participants or just make them try harder. What may help is gathering the persons in a room, give them food and water, lock the door and dont open it anymore until there is a result. Cruel thought? No way, you just couldnt see the amused grin on my face. This is about progress for a territory and helping its community. When it comes to tourism product or business development, or even the economic development of a whole region, fresh and especially unique concepts are needed. Concepts that outdo the competition. Think about Fly-In-Something and where that may applicable, or about something else that is original. by Cdr. Bud Slabbaert MAHO:--- With the recovery from Hurricane Irma underway, country St. Maarten is learning the importance of resilience or the ability to recover from difficulties. While we proudly boast St. Maarten Strong, it is important to remember that a strong St. Maarten comes from a resilient St. Maarten. A St Maarten that is better suited to uncertainty and our ever-changing climate. This resilience starts with a healthy environment. In the last weeks of January, with funding from the European Unions BEST 2.0 programme and GlobalGiving, Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) Foundation planted 500 native trees at two sites on St. Maarten. By doing so, EPIC aims to increase the native diversity of trees at these sites and create a healthy habitat for flora and fauna to flourish. Creating these hotspots of diversity is an essential step in increasing the resilience of the environment of St. Maarten. In mid-2017, EPIC was joined by Dr. Ethan Freid, a botanist based in the Bahamas. With his guidance, some fourteen tree species were bought, cared for and planted. He then returned to assist with their planting. The trees were divided such that 350 were planted at Sentry Hill (within Rockland Estate) and 150 planted at Cay Bay (within Seaside Nature Park). Both sites represent characteristically different ecosystems that will benefit from habitat restoration and will be protected from development for years to come. For the remainder of the project, Students Scientists are being recruited from schools to monitor tree survival and learn the basics of scientific data gathering and entering. While EPIC continues to restore the natural biodiversity of these sites, we invite the public to reach out and organize a visit to learn more about our work or to become a Student Scientist and earn community service credits! For more information or to get involved please contact EPICs Project Coordinator, Kippy Gilders, at +1 (721) 524-4420 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . EPIC Press Release PHILIPSBURG:--- On Thursday, February 1st two men classified as armed and very dangerous were arrested by the police department in collaboration with other judicial departments in connection and the assistance of the community with two ongoing major criminal investigations called Toermalijn and Droomkwartz. These two suspects identified with initials V.E.B. and F.J. were apprehended in the area of Oyster Pond. They were taken to the Philipsburg Police Head Quarters and will remain in custody for questioning and further investigation. KPSM Police Report Low-lying Marshall Islands brace for tidal floods Majuro, Marshall Islands, Feb 3 (AFP) Feb 03, 2018 Emergency services were put on standby Saturday in Majuro, as rising king tides threatened to flood the capital of the low-lying Marshall Islands. The national weather service warned "major inundation" was possible from Saturday evening through to Tuesday at peak tide periods in the Pacific island nation, highlighting its vulnerability to rising sea levels. "We're on stand-by through Tuesday," Public Works Minister Tony Muller said Saturday as the 30,000 population of Majuro Atoll braced for the expected floods. Heavy equipment, including bulldozers, was being positioned at critical locations around Majuro so emergency crews can respond quickly in the event of flooding, he said. Majuro is barely a metre above sea level and the single road along the 30-mile (50-kilometre) length of the coral atoll is often blocked during serious flooding by coral, rocks, sand and garbage tossed up by waves. The National Disaster Management Office has been placed on high alert and used its mass text messaging system for the first time Friday to issue a high tide advisory. The US National Weather Service in nearby Guam issued an advisory Saturday morning warning "major inundation of one to two feet is possible, especially during high tides inside the lagoon". King tides, which are extremely high tides, are a natural phenomenon early in the year in the Marshall Islands caused by the strong gravitational pull from a new or full moon when the moon is at its closest to the earth. Environmentalists appeal ruling over Norway's Arctic oil licences Oslo, Feb 5 (AFP) Feb 05, 2018 Environmental groups on Monday said they were appealing to Norway's supreme court a ruling allowing the Nordic nation, western Europe's largest oil and gas producer, to grant exploration licenses in the Arctic. In early January, the Oslo district court dismissed a first case by the Norwegian branch of Greenpeace and Natur og Ungdom (Nature and Youth) which had sued the government for granting exploration licenses in the Barents Sea in May 2016. "It is crystal clear that the state is violating the Constitution and our right to a healthy environment by allocating new oil fields," Natur og Ungdom leader Gaute Eiterjord said in a statement. "The Norwegian oil policy is betraying my generation and threatening our future, which is why we are appealing," he added. The environmentalists accuse Norway of violating an amended article of the country's constitution that guarantees since 2014 the right to a healthy environment. But the Oslo court said the state could not be held responsible for CO2 emissions caused by hydrocarbons which it exports to other countries. "There is already enough carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to seriously damage our future," Truls Gulowsen, head of Greenpeace in Norway, said in a statement. "By opening up these pristine areas for oil exploration Norway is effectively smuggling its emissions outside of its own borders and furthering climate change, which harms everyone, everywhere," he added. - More judicial battles - Greenpeace raised 300,000 kroner (31,000 euros, $38,000 ) in donations after the Oslo court ordered the NGOs to pay for the state's legal costs of 580,000 kroner, Gulowsen told AFP. The state's defense lawyer said he could not comment on the decision as he had not yet received the documents. The appeal signals that the fight against global warming is increasingly brought to courtrooms. The NGOs argue that new oil activities in the fragile Arctic region would be contrary to the 2015 Paris climate accord, which seeks to limit average global warming to under two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). As oil production has been halved since 2000, Norway has turned its sights toward the far North: the Barents Sea holds 65 percent of the undiscovered reserves on the Norwegian continental shelf, according to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. Latest drilling campaigns, however, have yielded disappointing results. The Norwegian state in May 2016 granted exploration licenses in the Barents Sea to 13 companies, including it's national champion Statoil, US giants Chevron and ConocoPhillips, and Russia's Lukoil. If the Supreme Court of Norway refuses to hear the case, then it will be sent to a lower appeals court. phy/ik/jh STATOIL LOUKOIL CONOCOPHILLIPS Syrians suffer breathing difficulties after regime strikes Beirut, Feb 4 (AFP) Feb 04, 2018 Five people were treated for "suffocation" Sunday after Syrian regime air strikes on the northwestern town of Saraqeb, a monitor said, adding that 10 civilians were killed in southern Idlib province. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a "foul smell after regime helicopters struck several areas of the town in Idlib province, causing five civilians to suffer from suffocation". It quoted residents and medical sources as saying "toxic gas" was used in the attack, without elaborating. Syrian regime air strikes also killed six civilians in the town of Kafr Nabi, near Maaret al Numan in the southern countryside of Idlib province, the Observatory said. Four other civilians were killed in regime bombing on Maaret al Numan and Maasarin. The Observatory also said that "airplanes believed to be Russian hit the main hospital in Maaret al Numan causing damage". The facility shut down until repairs could be carried out, the war monitor said. The latest developments come as the United States this week accused the Syrian regime of using chemical weapons on opposition forces near the capital Damascus. The Syrian foreign ministry denied the accusations as "lies". US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters on Friday his government was concerned sarin gas may have been recently used in Syria, citing reports from NGOs and rebel groups. These reports said toxic gas has been used. Mattis however said the United States has no proof to support these accusations. Last month, 21 people were treated for respiratory problems after rockets were fired on the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta outside Damascus. Okinawa vote seen as boosting Japan's bid to relocate US base Tokyo, Feb 5 (AFP) Feb 05, 2018 Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Monday welcomed the result of a mayoral election in the southern Japanese island of Okinawa seen as key to pushing ahead with a decades-old plan to relocate a US military base. Taketoyo Toguchi, a candidate backed by Abe's ruling bloc, narrowly won Sunday's vote in the town of Nago in northern Okinawa, preventing incumbent Susumu Inamine from serving a third term, the local election board said. Inamine is a strong opponent of the joint US-Japan project to move the US Marines' Futenma Air Station from an urban area in the south of Okinawa to Nago, which lies on the coast. Toguchi has not openly discussed his position on the relocation plan, running instead on a pledge to boost the city's tourism. Local media had dubbed the race a "proxy war" between Okinawa governor Takeshi Onaga, who is opposed to the US base plan, and Abe's government, with the vote seen as a precursor to Okinawa's gubernatorial election later this year. Abe welcomed Toguchi's victory in comments Monday. "I'm really grateful for the victory and I appreciate Nago citizens for electing him," he told reporters. "On the base issue, I will proceed with the plan with the understanding of the citizens," Abe said. Japan and the United States agreed in 1996 to move the base from the town of Ginowan to the Nago coast but the plan has been stalled due to opposition from many residents of Okinawa, which hosts the bulk of some 47,000 US troops based in Japan. Opponents of the base want it relocated out of Okinawa altogether. Several recent incidents have fuelled local opposition, including an emergency landing by an American military helicopter two weeks ago. A series of crimes including rapes, assaults, hit-and-run and drink-driving accidents by US personnel have also triggered protests on Okinawa, and are a frequent irritant in relations between close security allies Japan and the United States. Okinawa was the site of a major World War II battle that was followed by a 27-year US occupation of the island, and it would serve as a launchpad for any American military activity in Asia. In Sunday's election, Toguchi won 20,389 votes to beat Inamine, who received 16,931 votes. Soldier and militant killed in Lebanon raid Beirut, Feb 5 (AFP) Feb 05, 2018 Militants resisting arrest by the Lebanese army in the restive Tripoli neighbourhood of Bab al-Tabbaneh sparked clashes that killed one on each side, a statement said on Monday. The violence broke out late on Sunday when the army entered the Sunni stronghold with the aim of arresting wanted militants. "One soldier was killed and several others wounded" when the unit was targeted by militants, the army said, adding that hand grenades were used against its men. The army said "one terrorist" was killed and his brother arrested. Weapons and ammunition were also seized. Lebanon's second city has been directly affected by the violence raging in neighbouring Syria, where the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, who is from the Alawite minority, has been battling mostly Sunni groups since 2011. Recurring clashes pitting residents from Bab al-Tabbaneh against those of Jabal Mohsen, an adjacent and mostly Alawite neighbourhood, led the army to deploy in the area in 2014. US to Russia: respect nuclear limits under New START Treaty Washington, Feb 5 (AFP) Feb 05, 2018 The United States, which unveiled a new aggressive nuclear strategy, has met the limits set on its arsenal under the New START Treaty, which enters a new phase Monday, and reminded Russia to uphold its commitments. The strategic arms reduction treaty was signed by Washington and Moscow in 2010, and took effect in February 2011. It calls for the gradual reduction over 10 years of the number of nuclear warheads held by both sides, limits on the number of delivery systems, a strict verification regime and data exchanges. "The United States of America and the Russian Federation have implemented the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START Treaty) for seven years," the State Department said in a statement. "February 5, 2018 marks the date that the treaty's central limits on each country's strategic nuclear arsenal take effect." Washington said it had already fulfilled its commitments by August 2017, said the statement issued by department spokeswoman Heather Nauert. Russia has "repeatedly stated its commitment" to the treaty, including meeting the central limits, and we expect our upcoming data exchange under the treaty to reaffirm that commitment." On Thursday, Nauert said that Washington had "no reason to believe" that Russia would not meet its goals. "Within the next month or so, both countries will exchange their data under the strategic nuclear arsenals, as we have done bilaterally under the treaty's terms for the last seven years," she said. "We hope each country will confirm the compliance of the other as soon as possible after this data exchange." - Russia committed to START - Russia said for its part Monday it was committed to the treaty and would provide Washington with data on its strategic nuclear arsenals in "the near future." The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement that Moscow accepted Washington's assurances that the United States had met the limits set on its arsenal under the treaty. Yet the statement said that the United States reached the target limits not only due to cutting the amount of weapons but also thanks to the refurbishment of launchers of submarine launched ballistic missiles, among other weapons. "Russia confirms its commitment to the START treaty," the foreign ministry said. "At the same time Russia strongly calls on the United States to continue a constructive search for mutually acceptable solutions in relation to problems related to the refurbishment" of strategic nuclear weapons. - 'Makes relations more stable' - The beginning on Monday of the new "central limits" phase under the New START Treaty comes just days after the Pentagon announced its new nuclear policy. The Defense Department said Friday it wanted to revamp the US nuclear arsenal and develop new low-yield atomic weapons, largely in response to Russian actions in recent years. According to Washington, Moscow is in process of modernising its arsenal of 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons. Those efforts are not monitored by the New START Treaty, which only accounts for strategic weapons that serve as deterrents. The treaty was reached under the administration of Barack Obama, President Donald Trump's predecessor. The State Department said Monday that implementation of the accord "enhances the safety and security of the United States and our allies and makes strategic relations between the United States and the Russian Federation more stable, transparent, and predictable." US-Russia ties are strained at best, as the controversy over what US intelligence says was Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election drags on. The State Department said adherence to the treaty was "critically important at a time when trust in the relationship has deteriorated, and the threat of miscalculation and misperception has risen." Syria strikes kill 23 civilians in rebel area near Damascus: monitor Beirut, Feb 5 (AFP) Feb 05, 2018 At least 23 civilians were killed on Monday as Syrian government air strikes pounded a rebel-held enclave near the capital Damascus, a monitor said. The region of Eastern Ghouta is home to an estimated 400,000 people living under government siege and facing escalating bombardment in recent weeks. "Dozens of air strikes hit several areas in Eastern Ghouta, killing 23 civilians including four children," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. The deadliest raids hit a market in the town of Beit Sawa, killing nine civilians including two children. Another six civilians, including a young girl, were killed in bombardment on the town of Hazzeh. The remaining eight were killed in strikes across the rest of the besieged region, and more than 80 people were wounded, the Observatory said. An AFP correspondent in Eastern Ghouta could hear warplanes above, circling around the town every few minutes. Eastern Ghouta is supposed to be one of four de-escalation zones agreed last year, but violence has ramped up there in recent weeks. This month alone, chlorine is suspected of having been used on two occasions in munitions launched by the regime on Eastern Ghouta, causing respiratory problems among civilians. On Friday, Syrian regime bombardment killed at least 11 civilians. The state news agency SANA said Monday that a woman was killed and three people wounded in rebel rocket fire from Eastern Ghouta onto the capital's regime-controlled district of Bab Touma. Syria's war has killed more than 340,000 people and displaced millions since it began in March 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. Saudi says Yemen rebel ballistic missile shot down Riyadh, Feb 5 (AFP) Feb 05, 2018 Saudi air defences intercepted a ballistic missile fired at the kingdom by Yemen's Shiite Huthi rebels on Monday, state media reported. The attack was launched from Yemen's northern governorate of Saada, a Huthi stronghold, and "intercepted" at 7:23 local time (0423 GMT), Colonel Turki al-Maliki told state news agency SPA. Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition supporting the government in Yemen, said the missile was headed toward the city of Khamis Mushait -- about 160 kilometres (100 miles) north of the border. Riyadh had warned that "Iranian-manufactured ballistic weapons" threatened the kingdom's security following an attack it said was intercepted near Riyadh airport in November. Maliki on Monday accused the Huthis of "repeatedly targeting densely populated cities" and accused the kingdom's regional rival Iran of delivering the weapons to the insurgents. The coalition has been blacklisted by the UN for the killing and maiming of children in air raids on Yemen. The United States, which backs the Saudi campaign against the Huthis, has also accused Iran of being at the origin of the ballistic missiles, a charge denied by Tehran. Russia said last week that evidence presented by the US was inconclusive, signalling it would oppose a bid to slap UN sanctions on Tehran. More than 9,200 people have been killed since the Saudi-led alliance joined the Yemen war in March 2015, according to the World Health Organisation, triggering what the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian disaster. Russia deploying ballistic missiles to Baltic enclave: Lithuania Vilnius, Feb 5 (AFP) Feb 05, 2018 Lithuania on Monday accused Russia of deploying nuclear-capable ballistic missiles to its Kaliningrad exclave on the Baltic, as relations between Moscow and the West sink to post-Cold War lows. Russia has previously sent Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad for drills, but Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said that this time they were being deployed for a "permanent presence". Speaking to reporters, Grybauskaite warned that the deployment in the Russian region bordering Baltic NATO members Poland and Lithuania posed a danger for "half" of Europe's capitals. Moscow was reported to have deployed Iskander missiles for exercises in its Kaliningrad exclave in 2016, rattling nearby NATO members. Lithuanian intelligence agencies said in a recent report that a permanent, nuclear-capable Iskander deployment was "inevitable", adding that Moscow will likely "present it as a response to NATO actions". Last year, NATO deployed four multinational battalions to Poland and the Baltic states as tripwires against possible Russian adventurism, while the US military sent a Patriot battery to Lithuania for drills. US Vice President Mike Pence in July also raised the possibility of deploying the Patriot anti-missile defence system in nearby Estonia. The Baltic states hope NATO will agree on additional air defence capabilities for the region during a Brussels summit in July. The United States is meanwhile in the process of selling nearby Poland a Patriot anti-missile system, a move likely to irk Russia. The State Department said in November that it had notified Congress of its approval of the deal, worth up to $10.5 billion (8.4 billion euros), marking the first time Poland has bought the sophisticated system. The Patriot is a mobile air-defence system designed to intercept tactical ballistic missiles, low-flying cruise missiles and aircraft. Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. History Comes Full Circle Berlin Before and After the Wall The Berlin Wall stood for exactly 28 years, two months and 26 days. It has now been gone for as long as it was in place. These photos show a city that hasn't done badly for itself in the years since reunification. Opinion Trump Is Not America In an editorial, SPIEGEL ONLINE's Washington correspondent describes how a European views the United States in the age of Trump. Is there still hope, after all? Shaheed El-Hafed (Refugee Camps), February 5, 2018 (SPS) - The Permanent Bureau of the National Secretariat of the Polisario Front reiterated on Sunday its support for the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, and his Personal Envoy, Mr. Horst Koehler, in the search for a solution to the Sahrawi-Moroccan conflict that guarantees the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination. The Permanent Bureau asserted that the recent consultative meeting between a Saharawi delegation led by President of the Republic, Secretary-General of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali, and the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Western Sahara, Horst Koehler, comes in the framework of the United Nations efforts to complete the process of decolonization of Western Sahara on the basis of respect for the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination and independence. In a statement concluding its meeting under the chairmanship of President of the Republic, Secretary-General of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali, the Permanent Bureau of the National Secretariat of the Polisario Front also requested the urgent application of Security Council Resolution 2351 regarding ceasefire violations in the region of El-Guerguerat. The Permanent Bureau expressed its satisfaction with the excellent results and important decisions taken on the Saharawi issue during the XXX Summit of the African Union, held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on January 28-29. (SPS) 062/SPS/TRA This will be the first time a current Champion winning herd will sell. The catalogue of genetics on offer will prove irresistible to those wanting to invest in the very best Holsteins. Awarded the Master Breeder Award in 2017 and winners of the Border and Lakeland Herd Competition, Cumbrian based Malcolm and Jean Hutchinson, have decided to disperse the herd, after a lifetime of impressive achievements in the dairy industry. With 100 milking cows and 115 young stock on offer, dairy farmers have this rare opportunity to tap into some incredible cow families such as Barb, Blossom, Mandy, Roxy, Lulu and Midge to name a few. An impressive 26 Excellent, 51 Very Goods, (19 are Very Good two year olds) 4 Good Plus cows and 23 Good Plus two year olds sell. Some of the headline animals include: Bowberhill Mogul Gremlin VG88, milking in her second lactation giving 38kg, she will be followed by her fancy Classic daughter; Bowberhill Logrey Mogul Mandy VG87 is fresh in her second lactation giving 41kg. Bowberhill McCutchen Barb 2 is a very special Milking Yearling, fresh as 23 months in December and scored VG86 2 year old in January; her pedigree is magnificent with a EX93 Jeeves dam, EX94 Shottle grand dam and EX94 Emerson 3rd dam. Genetics from the world-renowned Mandy family will also be on sale. The Hutchinsons have worked with Doug and Carol Reynolds of Logrey Holsteins since 2004 when they purchased Loford Rudolph Mandy 2 together from the late Michael Armstrong of the Wolfa herd. This relationship has proved successful for all parties, each bringing an undisputed commitment and passion to develop this family and breed functional, profitable animals. The Bowberhill herd average on two times milking is 9,867kgs at 4.08% fat and 3.13% protein, cell counts run under 80; on a grass based system from May-October - reflecting the production ability of these genetics on a traditional UK system. Cows are housed in the winter and fed a TMR with in parlour feed. The health status of the herd is to the highest standard. The are tested clear of BVD, Lepto, Johnes and vaccinated for IBR. Milk in the spotlight at VIV Europe 2018e The Netherlands is a leading country in the field of agriculture. Dutch farmers and their suppliers are among the best in the world. Therefore colleagues from all over the world want to meet them in the Netherlands at VIV Europe 2018. However, the event does not have the space to pay attention to the production, processing and marketing of milk and milk products. And that while dairy farming constitute an important part of the Dutch agricultural success. The new World Milk Expo has been set up to provide milk-producing and processing companies an international stage. By bringing together the professional know-how and passion of Dutch farmers, the science and knowledge of the Dutch institutes and the innovative strength of suppliers at one trade show, we are creating an international platform for all professionals involved in the production and processing of milk. With this event, organisers AST Expo and VNU Exhibitions are launching a new and unique international trade show concept. The World Milk Expo is linked to VIV Europe 2018. Both shows are organised separately, but do take place at the same place in the Jaarbeurs Utrecht. The strength of the World Milk Expo lies in its location: The Netherlands. The most dynamic and authoritative country in the world when it comes to agriculture. From an international point of view, it is the best possible location. Islamist militant groups in West Africa's Sahel region are using increased support from al-Qaida and Islamic State and enhanced cooperation among themselves to carry out more sophisticated and deadly attacks, according to the chief of United Nations mission in Mali. "When we examine the explosives, the types of mines, shells and weapons they use, our experts tell us that a fairly advanced level of expertise is required that they didn't have before," the U.N. special representative in Mali, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, said Friday in an interview in the capital, Bamako. The militant groups are operating across a semi-arid region stretching along the southern end of the Sahara from Mali to Nigeria. France has almost 4,000 soldiers in the region, and the U.S. has troops in Niger and is building a drone and airbase in the northern city of Agadez. The U.N. has more than 13,000 members in its Mali mission, which suffered the greatest loss of life of any of its peacekeeping operations last year. Despite the increased military involvement by foreign powers and West African armies, the violence shows no sign of abating. The militant's outside support is probably coming through Libya, Annadif said. They also have acquired funds from kidnappings and trafficking of drugs and migrants seeking to reach Europe. "What is happening in Libya, what is happening in the Middle East, Syria and Iraq, has an influence," he said. "There is a relationship between what is happening here and what is happening there, through Libya." A group known as the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara claimed responsibility for an attack in October on a joint patrol of U.S and Nigerien forces in which four U.S. soldiers were killed. It mostly operates near the borders of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, Annadif said. The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, an affiliate of al-Qaida formed last year by four local groups and known by the acronym JNIM, operates in northern and central Mali including in the towns of Kidal, Timbuktu and Mopti, Annadif said. The merger has "given an new impetus" to these groups and also explains the rising number of attacks, he said. In Mali, militant groups have expanded their area of operations, increasingly targeting more populated central Mali. More attacks occurred in the central Mopti and Segou regions during the last three months of 2017 than in the five northern regions combined. Violence has also spread to neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger. Attacks in Mali intensified in late January. At least 22 Malian soldiers were killed in five separate raids in north and central Mali between Jan. 25 and Jan. 31, prompting the army to impose a ban on motorcycles and pickups in some areas. There's also growing evidence that both al-Qaida and Islamic State-linked groups in West Africa are now cooperating at the operational level and that there are connections with IS-affiliates in the Lake Chad region close to northeastern Nigeria, Annadif said. "I'm one of those who think there's not much difference between IS and al-Qaida," he said. "They have internal disparties, but on the ground there isn't that big a difference." Mali has been gripped by violence since ethnic Tuareg rebels began a separatist insurgency and joined forces with Islamist militants to seize control of the sparsely populated north in 2012. While a 2013 French military intervention prevented the insurgents from marching southward to the capital, jihadists resorted to attacking Mali's military and the U.N. peacekeeping force that arrived after the French operation. Militants used to mainly carry out hit-and-run attacks and bombings but are now also carrying out more complex assaults. As many as 26 civilians died when their bus hit a landmine near the town of Boni in central Mali, on Jan. 25. The mine was meant for U.N. peacekeepers patrolling in the region, according to Mali's Security Minister, Salif Traore. Delays in implementing a 2015 peace deal between Mali's government and insurgents in the north have left a stalemate in which militants can easily recruit young fighters, Annadif said. Last month, the U.N. Security Council threatened to impose sanctions on the parties blocking the implementation of the accord. "The main clauses of the accord aren't implemented, which means that all the hopes placed on the accord have started to wane," he said. "Many youth, who were part of armed groups and who accepted the cease-fire after the accord was signed, found themselves with a lack of guidance and have fallen prey to terrorists." An ex-con fisherman from Maine who was stopped for a traffic infraction on I-95 was busted for allegedly being in possession of two semi-automatic pistols, crack cocaine and a small amount of heroin at the Darien rest stop early Sunday afternoon. According to a press release from state police, troopers patrolling the interstate in Darien at noon spotted a 2012 Hyundai Sonata commit a motor vehicle violation. After the Sonata pulled over at the rest stop, the troopers determined there were possible drugs in the vehicle. STAMFORD Based on experience, Bob Kolenberg has every reason to tread carefully around wild birds. A few months ago, Kolenberg was attacked by two menacing turkeys near his home. The duo was so relentless that he sought to escape in his car and even then they didnt quit. Kolenberg, 55, said they pecked at the door until help arrived. Im a big guy, Kolenberg said. These were two big male turkeys. It was a real fight. This isnt a scene out of a horror movie about possessed poultry. Its what some residents in Turn of River-Newfield reported dealing with in August. Kolenbergs wife was also attacked while running. These run-ins have given Bob Kolenbergs son, City Rep. Steve Kolenberg, insight into the mind of a wild turkey, which can weigh up to 30 pounds with a wing span of more than 4 feet. Its kind of like Mad Max in turkey land, Steve Kolenberg told constituents at a panel last week that addressed these and other wild neighbors, including coyotes, foxes and bears. Turkeys live in a very strict, very brutal hierarchy. Theyre always pecking at each other and attacking each other. While turkeys are known to chase humans especially when theyre used to being fed by them most local wildlife wont bother people, although small pets are sometimes at risk of becoming prey. The most effective way of dealing with wildlife is understanding theyre not out to attack us and would rather peacefully co-exist. Hunting or trapping isnt often the answer, the panels experts said. I view these animals as our neighbors, Steve Kolenberg said, and that shouldnt be our first response to conflict with neighbors. In most cases, the wild animals that appear in your yard are harmless, said Laura Simon, president of the Connecticut Wildlife Rehabilitators Association. I used to run a hotline and people would call and say, Theres a coyote eyeing me and my family. Hes in my backyard on a rock, Simon said. That coyote is probably lying there sunning himself, looking at the house. But the person perceived it as, This animal is eyeing me and my family to attack and kill us. People see something, interpret it and convey it to us, and often its not accurate. Perceived as food Simon and Annie Hornish, Connecticut director for the Human Society of the United States, fielded questions about the animals residents meet in their backyards and keeping their pets safe. North Stamford resident Ryan LaRue was worried about walking his 75-pound dog at night. You should be happily walking at night, Simon said. Coyotes are not looking to dogs as food, except small dogs during very distinct times of the year. But when they see you, a human, walking a dog, theyre not going to tangle with that. Though residents in certain areas have reported their small dogs and outdoor cats being taken by coyotes, there have been no coyote attacks on residents, Animal Control Officer Tilford Cobb said. Youve got to be careful with your animals and make sure theyre monitored while theyre outside, he said. You dont want to leave a small puppy out in the yard or an elderly small dog who could be perceived as food. Coyotes in Connecticut weigh between 20 and 50 pounds. Most subsist on rodents and other small prey. To scare them away, Cobb recommends making loud noises banging on pots or using a whistle. For wild turkeys, opening and closing an umbrella, which they perceive as another turkey flapping its wings, can do the trick. Dont let them think your yard is their domain Bob Kolenberg said. Ive seen plenty of coyotes they never come near me. But turkeys will attack. It sounds funny, but they can really hurt you. eskalka@stamfordadvocate.com STAMFORD To look at 3-year-old Christopher Barker, a lively, happy and rambunctious toddler, one would never guess he has a terminal medical condition. A little more than six months ago, Christopher was diagnosed with ataxia-telangiectasia (AT), an extremely rare genetic disease that attacks children, causing progressive loss of muscle control, a weak immune system and a high rate of cancer. He is one of approximately 400 people in the United States with AT, the majority of whom will not live beyond their mid-20s. Many are wheelchair bound by age 10. As an infant, Christopher appeared to be a normal, healthy baby in every way, said his mother, Katia Barker. Ill never forget the day he was born, Barker said. He scored very high on the Apgar test and the doctor turned around, looked at me and said, He is perfect. And he was perfect his eyes were bright, he was alert, his heart was strong. There were no signs to indicate anything was wrong. The Barker familys baby bliss came to a screeching halt two weeks later when the hospital called to say Christophers newborn screening test came back positive for severe combined immunodeficiency disorder, or SCID, requiring additional testing to confirm the diagnosis. Months of testing, doctors and traveling to various hospitals in the region, showed only that Christopher did have an immune deficiency, but it was not SCID. All the Barkers knew for sure was that they needed to shield him from germs. Everything had to be sterilized and we basically had to keep Christopher in quarantine to make sure he was not exposed to anything, Barker said, as test after test came back negative. All we knew was that ... he could die if he got sick. Youre living in a sort of nightmare because you know something is wrong, but you dont know what. At about the time Christopher started talking and walking, Barker and her husband, David, began to notice that something was seriously wrong. He was doing well developmentally - he was hitting all his growth milestones - he was extremely bright and started talking early, but when he started standing and walking, we could see something was off, Katia said. Barker said she began to suspect the problem was neurological. He exhibited signs of being off balance when he stood or walked. He couldnt stand still, she said. He was always swaying from side to side and his posture was not normal. Making plans Finally, doctors at Boston Childrens Hospital found a genetic mutation associated with ataxia-telangiectasia, but because they didnt find a second mutation - AT usually comes with two - they werent 100 percent sure of the diagnosis. But Katia Barker knew they were right. When the doctor started describing the symptoms, I think deep in my heart I knew that we had found the answer, but I still didnt want to believe it, she said. The couple immediately went to work researching AT online, and the more they learned about AT, the worse it looked for their spunky little toddler. Children with AT are highly predisposed to developing cancer, primarily lymphoma or leukemia, or respiratory diseases, according to the AT Childrens Project (ATCP), a nonprofit organization that raises funds to support and coordinate biomedical research projects, scientific conferences and a clinical center aimed at finding life-improving therapies and a cure for the illness. Additionally, AT attacks the neurological system, causing progressive deterioration that can result in loss of muscle control and fine motor skills, slowed speech, loss of eye coordination and difficulty swallowing. More Information To get involved To learn more about AT Children's Project, visit: www.atcp.org. To support AT research, visit: https://www.atcp.org/Donate. To get involved, volunteer or participate in grassroote fundraising efforts, visit: https://www.atcp.org/Fundraising. See More Collapse At this stage in his disease, the Barkers said Christopher functions as a relatively normal and healthy kid, something they plan to take advantage of while they still can. There is not going to be a happy ending," David said. So ... while hes still healthy and able to run around, we want to show him as much of life as we can. The Barkers have several plans on the books, including climbing Mt. Washington, summers at the beach, and taking Christopher and his older brother Alexander to see the world. We want this life to be a party for him, David said. We just have to keep going. So, were going to go and wherever we are when it catches up with us, thats where we will be. Knowing of Christophers tragic fate has helped the family learn to live for the moment, David said. Weve realized that ... time is important, David said. Getting out and seeing things like last years eclipse, a sunrise, a sunset, those things are important. I used to be a planner, added Katia. Now, if I could stop time while he still has his abilities, when he is more or less healthy and unaware of what might come, I would do that and just enjoy today and enjoy him because he is an awesome kid. He is funny, hes mischievous, hes 100 percent boy and hes just a joy to have around. kat.russell @stamfordadvocate.com If you are considering adding charitable value to your business, the one-for-one business model can help you embrace the rise of social entrepreneurship and benefit your business. Popularized by Santa Monica based shoe retailer Toms, whose generous business model rewards consumers by instantly adding altruistic significance to their own purchases. Toms originally made a promise to deliver a pair of free shoes to a child in need for every sale. Though Toms has since expanded its charitable offerings, consumers have been quick to buy into the feel good factor that buying one and donating one achieves. Toms may have set the wheels in motion, but the business model has been replicated by numerous companies since. The generous consumer benefits have received plenty of praise, but also some criticism for how effective is has proven to be in delivering a positive social impact. Related: 5 Lessons We Can All Learn From This Entrepreneur's Philanthropic Journey Some businesses have come under fire for sending single products to countries that are lacking in even the most basic of social amenities, and have been accused of engaging in short-sighted marketing attempts to win over the socially conscious consumer, without assisting aid-based economies in any practical way. For example, giving shoes to children who have none will certainly help one aspect of their daily lives, but without food, housing and access to education and healthcare, their feet are the least of their worries. So how do you go about achieving a more sustainable impact through your business? Related: Why Business Leaders Make the Best Social Entrepreneurs Organizations like B1G1 offer the infrastructure to enable contributions with minimal resources, but you can also look at businesses like eyewear company Warby Parker, who has created a more targeted approach. It not only donates glasses to children, but also provide the tools and training needed to administer basic eye exams, as well as selling glasses at affordable prices. The company has identified that across the developing world, just one pair of glasses increases productivity by as much as 35 percent, which in turn increases monthly income by 20 percent. Wildflower and Oak is another business who has discovered how to turn a good idea into practical donations that have a far-reaching impact. As a purveyor of baby blankets, for every product they sell, they donate a clean delivery kit to a locally based charity, Midwives For Haiti. Related: 4 Ways to Engage Your Customers in Social Good -- And Why It Matters The one-for-one model isn't restricted to product based businesses either. A marketing agency could donate consulting hours to an NGO. A printing company could donate educational books to communities in need. The possibilities for implementation are endless. The one-for-one business model has the potential to effect monumental change in social and economic development. However, getting it right is the key to its ongoing success. Any business trying to make the world a better place, one pair of shoes, glasses or blanket at a time, should be applauded. However, if you are looking for a way to give through your business, find a solution that offers a wider impact on our global community as a whole. Related: Want to Emulate Toms Shoes' Charitable Model? Here's How to Get Started. This Company Thrives by Giving Away 20 Percent of Its Revenue 9 Mobile Apps That Are Taking Social Entrepreneurship to the Next Level Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com Remembering 9/11: Ogden exhibit gives students detailed glimpse of tragedy OGDEN The 9/11 attacks may be seared in the memories of those alive at the time. Those born later are also well aware of what happened. "They've always had teachers that talk about it. They hold a moment of silence," said Kylie White, a history teacher at Bonneville High School in Washington Terrace. Still, living in the moment when the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, occurred and learning about them after the fact are very different things. "It's something we know happened, but it's something we don't fully understand," said Cache Littrell, a Bonneville High School ... Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. Charlie Vogt Named President and CEO of ATX Networks Vogt brings three decades of experience building, transforming and growing high-tech companies in the service provider and media communications markets Ajax, Ontario( ) ATX Networks (ATX or the Company), a market-leading global provider of network infrastructure systems and commercial video solutions, has appointed Charlie Vogt as President and Chief Executive Officer. The 30-year information technology and communications leader joins ATX following four successful years as President and CEO of Imagine Communications, where he transformed the company from Harris Broadcast to Imagine Communications and GatesAir, and led the media and broadcast industrys transition to IP, software and cloud technologies. Vogt succeeds Ken Wildgoose, who led the company as its President and then CEO for the last 18 years. Mr. Wildgoose will remain with ATX as an advisor and continue to serve on the Companys Board of Directors. It has been an honor to lead ATX Networks and to be a part of the Companys incredible team of dedicated employees, said Mr. Wildgoose. Charlie is a visionary and strategic thinker with a decades-long track record of hyper growth in the service provider and media communications industries. His passion and expertise in conjunction with the Companys talented team and exciting new initiatives in the cable HFC access network and commercial video gateway markets positions ATX for an exciting and promising next chapter. Ken Wildgoose has led ATX through several technology lifecycles and growth, both organically and through strategic acquisitions, said Camilo E. Horvilleur, board member of ATX Networks and Managing Director of H.I.G. Capital. We thank Ken for his years of leadership and look forward to continuing to work with him as a member of the Companys Board of Directors. With a distinguished history of successfully building, transforming and growing companies, spanning the service provider and media communications industries, Charlie was a logical choice to succeed Ken. ATX Networks has a strong history of innovation and is well respected by its cable, satellite and enterprise clients, said Mr. Vogt. I have spent most of my career championing disruptive and innovative change by ushering in new business models and competitive solutions for communication service providers and media companies. The cable, satellite and telecommunications industries are undergoing transformative change as the world embraces new advanced technologies to deliver services cheaper, faster and better than before. I am thrilled to join the Company at such an exciting time in our industry and look forward to working closely with the ATX team and its impressive lineup of customers. Upon joining Harris Broadcast in 2013, Mr. Vogt transformed the company to Imagine Communications and GatesAir and led the media broadcast industry through its most transformative era in more than three decades by evolving SDI/baseband to next-generation software-defined, IP-enabled, virtualized networks. Today, Imagine Communications and GatesAir are recognized as global leaders in the video infrastructure, advertising management and over-the-air markets. Prior to Imagine Communications, Mr. Vogt was CEO of GENBAND, where he led the companys transformation from a start-up to the industrys global leader in voice and video over IP, executing six acquisitions. Under Mr. Vogts leadership, GENBAND became no. 1 in VoIP and delivered a compound annual growth rate of ~100 percent during his eight-year tenure. In September 2012, The Wall Street Journal named GENBAND the no. 1 private equity-backed company in America, topping a list of 5,900 companies. Mr. Vogts professional career also included leadership roles at Taqua and Santera Systems (Tekelec), Accelerated Networks (Calix Networks), Lucent (Alcatel), Ascend Communications (Lucent), ADTRAN, Motorola and IBM. About ATX Networks ATX is a market-leading global provider of network infrastructure systems and commercial video solutions. Cable operators rely on ATXs network infrastructure systems to more efficiently deliver increased bandwidth and video content to their subscribers. ATXs commercial video solutions enable operators to deliver customized video and data services to hotels, healthcare facilities, MDUs and other commercial enterprises. Headquartered outside of Toronto in Ajax, Ontario, the Company also has facilities in San Jose, CA, San Diego, CA, Stuart, FL, Frankfurt, Germany, and Taiwan. More information on ATX Networks and its products is available at www.atxnetworks.com. About H.I.G. Capital H.I.G. Capital is a leading global private equity and alternative assets investment firm with over $24 billion of equity capital under management.* Based in Miami, and with offices in New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Atlanta in the U.S., as well as international affiliate offices in London, Hamburg, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Bogota, Mexico City, and Rio de Janeiro, H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to small and mid-sized companies, utilizing a flexible and operationally focused/value-added approach. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website at www.higcapitalcom. In defence of democracy By Chris Patten, Exclusive to the Sunday Times in Sri Lanka View(s): View(s): SYDNEY Imagine that you, like me, are a typical product of western liberal democracy, and are invited to give a lecture to a group of Chinese students in Beijing or Shanghai on its benefits. Ignoring the fact that, in reality, the Chinese government would never allow such a lecture, ask yourself: What would you say? First and foremost, it would be advisable to acknowledge that you do not speak from a position of moral superiority. Western civilization in the first half of the twentieth century was not very civilized. Human rights were trampled. Class war destroyed entire political systems. There were large-scale violent conflicts and much ethnic cleansing. Given this history, Westerners are in no position to lecture on civil liberties or humane values. It is also worth noting that the global march toward democracy, which seemed nearly inexorable after the fall of the Berlin Wall, now seems to be reversing. According to Stanford Universitys Larry Diamond, several countries that were democracies at the beginning of this century have since shifted to different systems. Of course, elections alone do not a democracy make. Consider those cases when elections empower a majority ethnic or religious group, which then rides roughshod over minorities an outcome that has been seen all too often in the Balkans, for example. Then there are the cases when the election of a leader is treated as if it somehow legitimises the subsequent emergence of dictatorship. This has been the case in Russia, which, since President Vladimir Putins first electoral victory in 2000, has become a Potemkin democracy. This year, another election, neither free nor fair, will give Putin another term in office. In a real democracy, free and fair elections are complemented more broadly by the rule of law, due process, an independent judiciary, an active civil society, and freedom of the press, worship, assembly, and association. In fact, it is theoretically possible though unlikely for political systems to have all these elements without elections at all. (The political scientist Samuel Finer, in his comprehensive study of different sorts of government, found just one society that was liberal but not democratic: colonial Hong Kong.) Democracies depend on institutional software, not just hardware. The people who make them work accept a set of norms that often do not have to be codified. The problem comes when the people or, worse, their leaders refuse to adhere to democratic norms. That is what is happening today in the United States, as US President Donald Trump challenges some of the foundational rules, norms, and principles of American democracy. Trump threatens (as President Richard Nixon once did) to use his power to pervert the rule of law to target his opponents most notably Hillary Clinton, whom he wants locked up. He assaults the freedom of the press, implicitly encouraging supporters to attack journalists, say, by tweeting a (since-deleted) parody video of himself body-slamming a man with a CNN logo on his head. He attempts to subvert Americas system of checks and balances. And he seems to place a higher priority on advancing his familys own commercial interests than the interests of the American people. While some parts of Americas democratic political system for example, the judicial check on executive authority have proved resilient, others are breaking down. But Trump is a consequence of this breakdown, not its cause. The real problem is that the Republican party has, over the years, become a hollow instrument of lobbyists and extremists, and both Democrats and Republicans seem to have abandoned their commitment to governing by consensus. As a result, the constitutional brakes that Americas founders created to prevent the election of a huckster like Trump have failed. Propelled by popular discontent with rising inequality and seemingly self-dealing elites, the political system is spinning out of control. Economic challenges, together with fears about migration, have created similar pressures in Europe, reflected in sizable support for right-wing populist parties in elections in Germany and France in the last year, as well as the rise of illiberal democracy in Hungary and Poland. Countering such assaults on democracy will require political leaders to show courage and vision as French President Emmanuel Macron has so far in defending the values that underpin democratic governance. In the European Union, this means that leaders must not turn a blind eye to elected governments assault on the institutions that safeguard freedom. After all, the EU not just a customs union; it is a union of shared values. If it fails to act accordingly, it will crumble. The bad few years that democracies have had is no reason to tout the virtues of dictatorship and authoritarianism. History shows that, when it comes to prosperity and human wellbeing, societies that defend economic and political freedom come out on top. In the 1930s, some admired Adolf Hitlers autobahns and Benito Mussolinis success in getting the trains to run on time. But it was clearly not worth the cost. The same is true of China today. Yes, the country has become an economic powerhouse in recent decades. But if a system cannot survive basic dissent from legal challenges to television parodies can it really be as strong as its leaders claim? And if a crackdown on corruption is carried out by a corrupt dictatorship, can it really be considered legitimate? Contrast this with India, which may have lost the economic race in the last few years, but has held together since independence, despite vast ethnic, religious, and linguistic differences without needing to create a Bamboo Gulag. This does not mean that there is no dissent or disagreement. But, no matter how much Indians argue, they are not locking up or disappearing dissidents, thanks to the safety valves afforded by their democracy. No society can manage indefinitely without such mechanisms. Even Karl Marx, I think, would not have disagreed. (The writer was the last British governor of Hong Kong and a former EU commissioner for external affairs and is Chancellor of the University of Oxford.) Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2018. www.project-syndicate.org NZME and Stuff have announced they will seek leave to appeal a High Court ruling that upheld a Commerce Commission block on their proposed merger. The High Court in December upheld a Commerce Commission ruling in May not to clear or authorise the merger. NZME says in a sharemarket announcement that the NZX-listed company, Stuff and Stuffs Australian owner Fairfax Media, would focus their appeal on the issue of media plurality (or media diversity), which was central to the commissions concerns about the deal. Investment manager Paddy Walker says the company hoped the Court of Appeal would hear its appeal during the first half of this year and that it would get a decision during the second half of the year. NZME says although the High Court sided with the competition watchdog, it revealed the commission had "significantly understated the quantifiable public benefits from the proposed merger". "After careful review and analysis of the High Courts reasons, the companies continue to believe that the commission was wrong in fact and wrong in law to decline clearance or authorisation of the merger," NZME says in a statement to the NZX. "The High Courts findings increase the range of estimated quantifiable net benefits to the public arising from the transaction to $133 million to $209m, up from the commissions estimated range of $41m to $204m; however the High Court still found that these benefits were outweighed by the expected loss of plurality in the media." Given the "potentially significant benefits from the merger", NZME is of the view that appealing the High Court decision is in the best interests of NZME, its shareholders and consumers, the company says. Stuff previously called Fairfax Media NZ publishes Stuff and about 60 print publications, including The Sunday Star-Times, The Dominion Post and The Press. It also owns community website Neighbourly and a 49 per cent share of internet provider Stuff Fibre. NZMEs major assets include The New Zealand Herald, about half the countrys commercial radio stations, and daily deals site Grab One. NZME shares fell one cent to 83c in the wake of the announcement. - Stuff Good morning Sunners and welcome to Waitangi Day, where we commemorate the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The Treaty of Waitangi was first signed on February 6 1840, in a marquee in the grounds of James Busbys house (now known as the Treaty House) at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands by representatives acting on behalf of the British Crown and initially, more than 40 Maori chiefs. During the next seven months, copies of the treaty were carried around the country to give other chiefs the opportunity to sign. In commemoration, a dawn service was held at Hopukiore (Mount Drury Reserve) today at 6.30am where there was a karakia by tangata whenua, followed by a community service, speeches and hymns. The speakers included local kaumatua (elders), clergy from community church groups, civic leaders and rangatahi (youth) speakers from the TUIA Te Here Tangata leadership mentoring programme. There was also an open forum giving participants the opportunity to share their thoughts on Waitangi Day and what it means to them today. While the dawn service continues road closures will still be in place until 10am on Marine Parade from Grace Avenue to Pacific Avenue. If you werent an earlier riser today, have no fear there is also a chance to celebrate the significant day in a more relaxed way. Memorial Pools is hosting a Waitangi Day pool party from 11am-2pm with loads of fun activities for the family to enjoy. There will be pool games, inflatable action, some slip n slide slithering and free sausages to enjoy, hot off the barbecue. Tuesday 6 February Alcoholics Anonymous Open meeting, St Peters Anglican Church 11 Victoria Rd Mt Maunganui. 7.30-8.30pm. All welcome. Ph 0800 229 6757 Beginner Social Dance Class Tuesday, 27 February, 8pm, Tauranga Primary School Hall, 5th Ave or Thursday, 1 March, 7pm, Greerton Hall, 1247 Cameron Rd. Ph 5442337 or 0273221786 Cards 500 Mount Senior Citizens, 345 Maunganui Rd, Tuesdays, Thursdays 12:45pm. Further info Garry 576 3033 Fitness League Fun exercise with weights, bands, floor work & dance. 9:30-10:30am St. Columba Church, 502 Otumoetai Rd, Cherrywood. Ph Gloria 021 139 2448 Free Hearing Advice FREE hearing check & advice on communication, devices, hearing difficulties, speechreading & living well with hearing loss groups. Ph Trish 927 6323 Hanmer Clinic Tauranga Significant Other Programme for spouses, partners, family/whanau who have an addiction. 7 weekly sessions 13 Mar-24 April 1pm-3pm, 1235 Cameron Rd, Greerton. Free. 579 6940 or 0800 842 426 Hanna Somatic Movement Education Gentle, safe, & easy restorative movement. Monday & Thursdays 5:30pm Tauranga Senior Citizens Hall. Tuesday & Thursday 9am Scout Hall Moa Park. 027 227 4161 Suds Junction Coffee & Chat Junction: Peer Support & Advocacy Coffee & Chat for people wanting support around mental illness and/or addictions. St James Church, Greerton, 10-12pm. Ph 543 3010 Junction Coffee & Chat Junction, a service to support those experiencing mental health issues. Join us for every Tuesday at St James Church, Greerton, 10am-12pm. Ph 543 3010 Morning Prayer Morning Prayer - Tuesday to Friday from 8:30am-9am at 53 Te Okuroa Drive Papamoa. Call Julie 0274 205 375 or visit: http://www.communityofstaidan.com/ Narcotics Anonymous Womens Meeting, Tues 10:30-11:30am, Downstairs Hall (accessed from rear bottom car park), Salvation Army Recovery Church, 375 Cameron Rd. Ph 0800 NA TODAY Otumoetai Walking Group Meet at 9am at Kulim Park. All welcome. Ph Jim 576 7339 Recycled Teenagers Gentle Exercise 50s+ & illness/injury rehabilitation. Monday & Wednesday at Tauranga Senior Citizens Club 14 Norris Street, Tuesdays St. Marys Church Hall. All 9am-10:30am. Jennifer 571 1411 Sport BOP Bike Month From group rides and bike maintenance to mountain biking, theres something for everyone in our Bike Month calendars. Plus prizes to be won! www.sportbop.co.nz/bike-month Tauranga Acoustic Music Club Greerton RSA 7pm. Friendly get-together, all instruments, all levels of ability. Come in & enjoy some live music. Grant 578 6448 Bay of Plenty Our client has plenty of work in the pipeline and as such they are in need of hammerhands for an immediate start.The successful... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz The two-floor showroom will welcome customers from the centre of China to browse a state-of-the-art display of Aston Martins product range and make use of a new, full function service workshop. Wuhan is the capital of Hubei Province in Central China, a region that is enjoying strong economic growth. With excellent transport links, Wuhan sits equidistant between Beijing and Guangzhou, and has been projected to be Chinas third largest city economy by 2025, returning to its traditional status as one of Chinas premier cities. Aston Martin President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Andy Palmer, said: Since opening our first dealership here in 2011, Aston Martin has made good progress in China. This will become an important market for our new SUV, the Aston Martin DBX, when it goes into production next year. Im delighted with the location of the new Wuhan dealership in the heart of the citys central business district and I look forward to coming back in the Autumn for the grand opening. The new Wuhan dealership forms part of a larger network expansion for Aston Martin in China, which is the fastest growing market for the British luxury carmaker. Figures issued last week by the Malaga Colegio de Arquitectos confirm the recovery of the construction sector in Malaga province. Last year the association, which has to approve all construction plans before permission can be granted, put its stamp on 61 per cent more residential properties than the previous year: a total of 4,895, the highest figure since 2008. The rate of growth is almost three times that of 2016, when it was 24 per cent. For the head of the association, Francisco Sarabia, these figures reflect sustained growth - they have increased for three consecutive years - so it can now be said that the sector is coming out of the economic crisis. However, he stressed that the numbers are still small compared with the pre-crisis period. In 2006 we approved plans for 45,000 homes in Malaga, he said, although he believes that number was disproportionate and that 20,000 to 25,000 a year would be reasonable for the province now. If the present rate of growth is maintained, he expects that level to be reached in four or five years. Sarabia warns that a new property bubble cannot be ruled out, because this would not be the first time that people have failed to learn from a crisis, but the president of the association of builders and developers ACP, Emilio Lopez, doesn't agree. In fact, he thinks it is unlikely. Prices are going up moderately and they are starting from levels which are 30 per cent lower than before the crisis. Also, developers used to be able to obtain a loan without having to put any money down, because banks were financing everything. Now, a developer has to provide money, have a good project and have sold some properties if they want a loan, he said. Lopez is pleased about the way the construction sector is reviving, and believes that this year, barring anything unusual happening, the figures will be even better. Francisco Sarabia, however, offers a note of caution: the regional government's reform of planning laws, which is being prepared at the moment, could mark a turning point in the evolution of the construction sector, he said, because information obtained by the Colegio shows that urban growth will be restricted as part of the aim of creating consolidated towns. Investment in the 4,895 residential properties approved in 2017 totalled 825 million euros, according to the Colegio. Of these, 1,145 were houses, with an investment of 259 million euros; 3,625 were apartments, at 555 million; and 125 of the plans were for subsidised housing, which had almost disappeared from the property market. The number of residential properties completed in 2017 doubled, to 2,583. In this sense, last year was the best since 2012, when 2,755 homes were finished. Francisco Sarabia attributes this to the fact that the first developments planned after the crisis are now being completed. The coast is the attraction The growth in new projects applies to nearly all the municipalities in the province, apart from a few exceptions such as Ronda and Torrox. Malaga city heads the list, with plans being approved for 1,214 homes: an increase of 38 per cent compared with last year. It is followed by two towns on the western coast: Estepona, with an increase of 64 per cent (800 properties) and Mijas, where the figure practically doubled to 516. In Marbella the increase is more modest, with 252 properties of which half are houses. Construction is also recovering on the eastern Costa, where almost twice as many plans were approved in 2017, with Rincon de la Victoria in the lead. Most municipalities in the inland region of the province also saw an increase last year, although the figures there are much lower. Max Boot, a Washington Post columnist, is the Jeane J. Kirkpatrick senior fellow for national security studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. He is the author of "The Road Not Taken: Edward Lansdale and the American Tragedy in Vietnam." By Max Boot | The Washington Post "When you're attacking FBI agents because you're under criminal investigation, you're losing." That was White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeting on Nov. 3, 2016. Back then, it was Democrats who were complaining about the FBI, and with ample justification: The bureau had released a letter 11 days before the election announcing that it was reopening its investigation of Hillary Clinton based on emails found on former New York congressman Anthony Wiener's laptop. Nate Silver later concluded, "Hillary Clinton would probably be president if FBI Director James Comey had not sent a letter to Congress on Oct. 28." Comey's supposed anti-Clinton bias was even (disingenuously) cited by President Donald Trump as his rationale to fire the FBI director. Now Trump and his most fervent followers are attacking the FBI for anti-Trump bias. On Friday, Trump tweeted: "The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans." So the top leadership of the Justice Department and FBI -- all appointed by Trump, all Republicans -- are biased against Republicans?- This claim is about as convincing as Trump's boast that his State of the Union address was the most-watched in history. Republicans (and Russian trolls) had been pinning their hopes on Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, to deliver the goods. But his four-page memo was such a nothingburger that he left everyone wondering: Where's the beef? Nunes impugned the motives of former British spy Christopher Steele without actually contradicting anything he reported, and he confirmed that the Steele dossier was not the reason the FBI started investigating the Trump campaign, as Trump partisans had been claiming. The Nunes memo is only the latest failed attempt to find evidence of anti-Trump bias at the FBI. A few weeks ago, Trump's supporters latched onto a few critical text messages about the president written by agent Peter Strzok. Trump even said the texts were evidence of "treason." It turns out, according to the Wall Street Journal, "Texts critical of Mr. Trump represent a fraction of the roughly 7,000 messages, which stretch across 384 pages and show no evidence of a conspiracy against Mr. Trump." Far from being an anti-Trump conspirator, Strzok wrote the initial draft of the October 2016 Comey letter that helped sink the Clinton campaign. None of this remotely supports the hyperbolic demands of Trump supporters who want the leaders of the Justice Department and FBI to be "taken out in cuffs." If anyone is breaking the law here, it's Trump with his attempted obstruction of justice. But, specious as the attack on the FBI might be, there is good cause to fear that it is resonating with the only audience that matters to Trump. If special counsel Robert Mueller delivers a scathing report on the president and if Democrats win the House in November, it's almost certain the House will vote to impeach. But it takes 67 votes in the Senate to remove a president. The case against the FBI that's being assembled by Trump and his minions is not designed to convince dispassionate observers. It's only supposed to give the thinnest of cover to true believers -- and at least 34 senators -- to do what they are predisposed to do anyway, i.e., protect the president at all costs. The Nunes memo is a modern-day version of the jury nullification that O.J. Simpson's legal team sought to inspire. (I'm grateful to Eric Felten of the Weekly Standard for the analogy.) Johnnie Cochran and company spun an elaborate conspiracy theory about how the Los Angeles Police Department supposedly framed their client. They were helped by minor procedural errors in the handling of evidence and by previous racist remarks from one of the detectives, just as Trump is helped by minor FBI missteps such as the Strzok texts and the alleged failure to alert a judge about Steele's Democratic Party funding. It was never clear why the LAPD would be eager to frame a local celebrity for murder, just as it's not clear why the FBI -- full of white, middle-aged, conservative agents -- would want to frame a Republican president. And, of course, the supposed police conspiracy could not possibly account for the mountain of evidence against Simpson, just as the supposed FBI conspiracy cannot possibly account for the undeniable reality that the Russians really did intervene in the election to help elect Trump and that there are numerous documented links between the campaign and the Kremlin. But in Simpson's case, it didn't matter: The overwhelmingly African-American jury bought the argument because jurors knew the experience of police brutality and sympathized with the defendant. Likewise, today it doesn't matter to the president's acolytes that the case for an anti-Trump conspiracy is so flimsy. They are simply looking for an excuse to exonerate him, evidence be damned. Sadly, Sarah Huckabee Sanders may have been wrong: Attacking the FBI could turn out to be a winning (if reprehensible) strategy for Trump. WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump lashed out at the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee Monday, a day after Democrats and Republicans said Trump was wrong to assert that a GOP-produced classified memo on FBI surveillance powers cleared him in the Russia investigation. The House intelligence panel plans to meet Monday afternoon and is expected to consider whether to release a Democratic rebuttal memo. The committee rejected that move last week, with one Republican member saying revisions were needed so the memo would not endanger national security. Trump would decide whether to release the memo if it contains classified information. A White House official said Monday that the administration would consider releasing the Democratic memo, subjecting it to a similar review process as the Republican memo. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and sought anonymity to discuss internal thinking. The Senate's Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, has urged Trump to back the public release and said that refusing to do so would show the president's intent to undermine the Russia investigation. Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating possible collusion between the Trump 2016 presidential campaign and Russia as well as whether there have been efforts to obstruct the investigation. House Speaker Paul Ryan has said he supports the release of the Democrats' memo, if sensitive intelligence information is removed. Trump strode into the debate Monday on Twitter, saying: "Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped!" Schiff has branded the GOP memo "a political hit job" and has questioned whether the chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., had coordinated with the White House in drafting the document seized on by the president to vent his grievances against the nation's premier law enforcement agencies. "The goal here is to undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI, discredit the Mueller investigation, do the president's bidding," Schiff said. "I think it's very possible his staff worked with the White House." Nunes was asked during a Jan. 29 committee meeting whether he had coordinated the memo with the White House. "As far as I know, no," he responded, then refused to answer when asked whether his staff members had communicated with the White House. He had previously apologized for sharing with the White House secret intelligence intercepts related to an investigation of Russian election interference before talking to committee members. Trump's Saturday tweet that the memo "totally vindicates 'Trump' in probe" even as "the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on" found no echo from four committee Republicans who appeared on the Sunday talk shows. Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, said, "I think this is a separate issue." Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, said, "No, it doesn't end that." Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, said, "I don't," when asked whether he agreed with Trump. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., asked whether the memo affected the investigation, said, "No, not to me, it doesn't, and I was pretty integrally involved in the drafting of it." The Democratic response was more expected: "Of course, not at all," said Schiff. Added Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.: "No, of course it does not." Lawmakers also said the memo should not impede Mueller. "I think it would be a mistake for anyone to suggest that the special counsel shouldn't complete his work. I support his work. I want him to finish it. I hope he finishes it as quickly as possible," Stewart said. The memo released Friday alleges misconduct on the part of the FBI and the Justice Department in obtaining a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to monitor former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page and his ties to Russia. Specifically, it takes aim at the FBI's use of information from former British spy Christopher Steele, who compiled a dossier containing allegations of ties between Trump, his associates and Russia. The underlying materials that served as the basis for the warrant application were not made public in the GOP memo. Even as Democrats described it as inaccurate, some Republicans quickly cited the memo -- released over the objections of the FBI and Justice Department -- in their arguments that Mueller's investigation is politically tainted. The memo's central allegation is that agents and prosecutors, in applying in October 2016 to monitor Page's communications, failed to tell a judge that the opposition research that provided grounds for the FBI's suspicion received funding from Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Page had stopped advising the campaign sometime around the end of that summer. Steele's research, according to the memo, "formed an essential part" of the warrant application. But it's unclear how much or what information Steele collected made it into the application, or how much has been corroborated. Republicans say a judge should have known that "political actors" were involved in allegations that led the Justice Department to believe Page might be an agent of a foreign power -- an accusation he has consistently denied. The memo confirms the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign began in July 2016, months before the surveillance warrant was sought, and was "triggered" by information concerning campaign aide George Papadopoulos. He pleaded guilty last year to lying to the FBI. The confirmation about Papadopoulos is "the most important fact disclosed in this otherwise shoddy memo," Schiff said Saturday. ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- A 26-year-old man convicted of raping a SUNY Albany student as she slept in her dorm room is scheduled to be sentenced. A jury convicted Franklin Casatelli of Guilderland of multiple charges including felony rape and second-degree burglary in December. He faces up to 25 years in prison when he's sentenced on Monday in Albany County Court. Police say the SUNY Albany female student woke up to this man, 25 y/o Franklin Casatelli, in her bed sexually assaulting her pic.twitter.com/DW0QhhlV7M Samantha DiMascio (@SamanthaOn10) October 24, 2016 Prosecutors say Casatelli broke into the 19-year-old woman's room at Stuyvesant Tower in October 2016. He wasn't a student. The woman told police she woke up to Casatelli sexually assaulting her in her bed. Police say Casatelli unlawfully entered another student's room before the assault. Casatelli served time in state prison for a drug-related conviction and had been paroled 10 days before the rape. NEW YORK CITY -- After much anticipation, disgraced lobbyist Todd Howe is expected to take the stand in the corruption trial this week. Howe is an important witness for both the prosecution and defense in the trial of Joseph Percoco, a former top aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Percoco is accused alongside three businessmen, including two Syracuse developers who are accused of paying Percoco more than $30,000 in bribes through a "shell company" set up by Howe. Howe has pleaded guilty to eight felonies in connection with the case and is cooperating with prosecutors. Defense lawyers have called Howe's credibility into question at every turn. Here's some recommended reading on the prosecution's star witness: From The New York Times: Cuomo Loyalist with Troubled Finances is at Center of U.S. Inquiry Syracuse.com is in New York City, covering the trial. Check back for updates. Read our continuing coverage of the trial Public Affairs Reporter Julie McMahon covers courts, government and other issues affecting taxpayers. She can be reached anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1992 Mary Strain Mary Strain, 77, of Le Grand, Iowa, went to be with her Lord and Savior on the evening of September 3, 2021 in the comfort of her home surrounded ... Welcome, DISH customer! Please note that we cannot save your viewing history due to an arrangement with DISH. Watchlist and resume progress features have been disabled. ACCEPT In a surprise move that nobody expected, Konami decided to release two TurboGrafx-16 titles for the Nintendo Wii U, strangely this late in 2018. Their recent action has reportedly baffled industry experts as to what prompted the developer to introduce software to a dying platform. The two nostalgic Virtual Console games are Battle Chopper and Necromancer. Likewise, a few months ago, the company oddly did the same thing when it ported Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure and Devil's Crush. A Little Piece Of Nostalgia Some experts suspect that the publisher deliberately released the former two titles since those never came out in the United States. However, it is bizarre that Necromancer, a horror role-playing game, remains untranslated and the fact that it was ported to a console that is on its way out. Other third-party publishers have already ceased their support for Virtual Console games since Nintendo launched the Switch last year. The Last Chance Before the launch of the Switch, Retro gamers relied on Nintendo's Virtual Console platform to enjoy games from the older generation of game systems. Popular games that never made it to American shores like Bomber Man Panic Bomber and Salamander finally got their first official debut outside Japan albeit on a dying device. Meanwhile, Konami's decision to release more TurboGrafx-16 titles for the system might depend on the small number of nostalgic users. After all, it does not look like the Virtual Console feature will ever make it to the Switch in the near future. Some analysts speculate that the publisher still has several games in line for release just like the most recent titles. A Different Approach Based on the recent update concerning retro games, it appears that the Japanese gaming firm has other plans for the Switch. It certainly does not look like it is prepared to reintroduce the Virtual Console feature anytime soon. For first-party games, the company currently has the NES Classic Edition and the SNES Classic Edition available for sale. While the former is quite rare these days, there are still some retailers that have stocks of the latter model. Gaming analysts have already speculated that the next console that will receive a Classic Edition Revival will be the Nintendo 64. Just like its predecessors, it will feature most of the popular first-party games that were released alongside the console. Until It is Over The Nintendo Switch will finally launch its online service later this year, which will come with a new selection of classic games in tow. It looks like Konami will be the only publisher left with more of its TurboGrafx-16 lineup on the way until support for the Wii U finally stops. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Google has officially released version 64 of its Chrome OS with much-needed new features in tow. Mostly, though, the update benefits Chromebook users, as the new version includes split-screen features for multitasking in tablet mode, which is perfect for 2-in-1 Chromebook models. There's also a screenshot shortcut borrowed directly from Android, which allows users to press the home button and volume down button at the same time to capture what's on their screen at any given time. Chrome OS And Android Together? The features included in the new upgrade are relatively standard, but they do hint at how Chrome OS could one day fully replace tablet versions of Google's Android operating system. Chrome OS is slowly becoming an excellent alternative to Android in terms of tablet-based ecosystems, and Chrome 64's new features prove that it could one day be a hybrid OS for all devices made by Google. Not that there's any surprise, really. Google's Android and Chrome teams have collaborated closely to make sure that 2-in-1 Chromebooks offer both excellent laptop and tablet-specific features, improving how a hybrid machine should function. Plus, Android apps can run on Chrome OS devices, though there are still some plenty of kinks in that department that need some rigorous cleaning up. Google also began making Chrome OS a touchscreen-friendly experience, beginning to redesign the whole thing in July 2017 to offer a more native tablet interface. Merging Unlikely Of course, that isn't saying Chrome OS and Android will one day merge together completely, nor does it mean that their individual platforms will be obsolete at some point. Only that Google might finally be realizing that merging the two is the best decision but that doing so would cause great repercussions as both these operating systems are already well-established within the developer community. Combining them would be a drastic change, needless to say. Back to Chrome 64: the new and upgraded browser comes with a bevy of other Android app-related improvements, most notably a revamped Intent Picker for Play apps with "same window by default with override" behavior. Chrome 64 now also makes it possible to enable VPN for apps, while there are also "Android Container auto update optimizations." As for the browser, there are improvements in its built-in popup blocker that will prevent malicious sites from opening new tabs when suspicious links are clicked on. The browser also stops auto-redirects from third-party content within pages. Finally, Google has added sitewide audio muting settings to combat the frustrating behavior of autoplaying content. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A 44-year-old Chinese man just pleaded guilty to selling more than 40,000 counterfeit Apple products in the United States where he was living on a student visa. Jianhua Li, also known as "Jeff," was involved with a counterfeit ring dealing in fake iPhones and iPads. The man roughly made $1.1 million from selling counterfeit Apple goods, and he's now facing prison time after pleading guilty. Chinese Man Sold Fake Apple Products In US "A Chinese national living in the United States on a student visa pleaded guilty today for his role as a counterfeit distributor in a scheme to traffic and smuggle counterfeit electronics purporting to be Apple iPhones and iPads, from China into the United States," the Justice Department announced on Friday, Feb. 2. The man pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy for trafficking fake labels and goods, smuggling counterfeit products into the United States, and another count of trafficking in fake products. Counterfeit Goods From Dream Digitals After pleading guilty, Li is now waiting for a sentence on May 30 and is facing two years in prison. Court records show that Li and several other individuals conspired to smuggle more than 40,000 devices and accessories including iPhones and iPads, into the United States, through his company called "Dream Digitals." Li reportedly shipped the counterfeit devices and labels separately in order to avoid drawing the attention of U.S. authorities. The fake devices then shipped to others part of this scheme nationwide. The more than $1.1 million Li obtained from selling fake Apple products went directly into his bank accounts in New Jersey and Florida in the form of structured cash deposits. Part of the profit also reached conspirators in Italy, which helped mark the source of the funds. Conspirators Plead Guilty The scheme to deal with counterfeit Apple goods through Dream Digitals went on from July 2009 until February 2014. Rosario LaMarca, another conspirator part of this elaborate scheme, also pleaded guilty and on July 20, 2017, the court sentenced him to 37 months in prison. Li, along with other two conspirators who pleaded guilty to being part of this trafficking ring, are still waiting to get their sentences. Such contraband operations are pretty common worldwide, but it's rather rare to see large traffickers and counterfeiters caught in the United States. The scheme worked because Apple products are expensive, to begin with, and counterfeit electronics are often considerably cheaper. Victims think that it's a bargain, but they don't realize that they're actually buying counterfeit products. The price may be good compared to the regular price of authentic Apple products, but it's quite steep for fake goods. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission This is a story about crawfish that can "clone" themselves -- and we're not sure how we feel about it, pending a taste test. The Atlantic reports about a crawfish species called "marbled crayfish," popular as pets in Europe, that can reproduce without a "father" crawfish. When first confirmed in the 1990s, scientists were astonished to see female crawfish's eggs grow into copies of their mother a process known as parthenogenesis. Experts are studying the ecological ramifications of the species, which is proving to be aggressive invaders. The species has shown up in the wild in Germany, Italy, Slovakia, Sweden, Japan, and Madagascar, the report says, but not yet in North America. The European Union and some U.S. states have banned them. Were being invaded by an army of clones, says Zen Faulkes, a crustacean researcher at the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley who keeps a map of marbled crayfish invasions. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Frank Lyko of the German Cancer Research Center, has studied the marbled crayfish and their unusual genetic code. He says a graduate student at his institute found marbled crayfish in a lake near her familys house, and they threw some on the grill. I tried other crayfish once, he says. I didnt like them so much to be frank, so Im not in a rush to eat marbled crayfish. See the full The Atlantic report here. +4 Recent Louisiana cold not enough to kill crawfish ahead of season, but... Like other Louisiana denizens, crawfish rode out the recent cold by bundling up and lazing around. Except, when the crustaceans burrow into th DENHAM SPRINGS Even with the help of a program designed to help flooded-out renters find new homes, some in Livingston Parish say they just can't find affordable apartments, houses or trailers. Kayla Atkinson, executive director of Rebuild Livingston, the nonprofit group providing case management for renters, said a shortage of low-cost housing in the parish, worsened by the flood, has made it difficult to find places people can move into. Rapid Rehousing is a $16 million program paid for with federal dollars and overseen by the Louisiana Housing Authority. It is designed to help flooded renters still living in Federal Emergency Management Agency's manufactured housing units or temporary apartments get into permanent homes before an impending deadline. Funded by the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Development Block Grant program, people can use the coupons to defray the cost of rent. Participants must pay a minimum of 30 percent of their gross income in rent, and the program covers the rest. A further stipulation is applicants must find a unit within 60 days. And they must regularly meet with case managers like Atkinson. Assistance is available for a maximum of one year and is slowly reduced as people ideally learn to budget for their new homes. The program is currently full and has a waiting list for new applicants, said Nicole Sweazy, executive director of the Louisiana Housing Authority. The high number of applicants speaks to the lack of affordable housing statewide, she said, noting that she expects requests to increase as the FEMA trailer deadline approaches. FEMA statistics show that 180 renter households as of Monday are still in agency housing. While the agency has given people living in trailers until Feb. 14 to leave or agree to pay rent, FEMA officials say that those who can't afford the fair market rent for the units can appeal, in writing, and ask for a reduction in rates based on their incomes. Atkinson said she has been able to find apartments for 15 of the 42 people in Livingston Parish who signed up for the program in November and December. The problem for many still not housed, she said, is they cannot afford anything on the market in the parish because the housing they lived in pre-flood is not repaired or has been repaired and rented at a higher rate. Some of those people left in FEMA housing are living on fixed incomes that are less than a market rent in the parish, she said. Atkinson said she is left asking whether she ought to put people in rental homes they could afford only for the year the federal vouchers will be in place, potentially leaving them homeless in the future. "Do I put them in a place that I know they cannot afford but because they are getting some help from rapid rehousing that maybe we can carry them for a year? And then what do they do at the end of the year?" she said. "And they don't have a clear answer for that, because rapid rehousing is not an affordable housing solution." Sweazy said 653 people across the state have gotten vouchers since the August 2016 flood as of Jan. 26. Of those, 417 have leased apartments, mobile homes or houses. She said what is going on in Livingston is not unique in terms of the lack of affordable housing options. The question Atkinson is asking about how to handle people who cannot afford certain rents over the longterm is also being asked by the prospective renters, she said. Sweazy said it might be better for people to move into places they cannot afford on their own. Going forward, tenants may be able to work with their case managers to develop plans to pay for their apartments after the vouchers end, she said. Also, the Louisiana Housing Corporation is administering grants to build more affordable housing, which may be built by then. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "The program might give them the opportunity to save a little bit, so they can take on full rent or move if they find a more affordable apartment," she said. "Its not a permanent solution to people's problems, unfortunately." Rents in the Baton Rouge area have been on the rise, according to fair market rents calculated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Fair market monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the Baton Rouge area jumped from $728 to $789 from fiscal year 2016 to 2018, according to HUD. The price for a two bedroom is up from $842 to $906. "The harsh reality for some people is they might need to consider relocating out of the area they were living in before the flood in search of some more affordable housing options," Sweazy said. Kamie Miller, 29, is participating in the program, with the hopes she can find a place to live with her three young children. Her Denham Springs rental house flooded in August 2016, and the landlord has yet to fix it, she said. She is living now in one of FEMA's mobile homes. Miller, who works as a bartender, said she's been hunting around Craigslist and Zillow, as well as calling numbers she sees on "For Rent" signs around town. "It seems like as soon as I find something, it's rented out," she said. "At this point I'll have to settle for anything just to get a place of my own." +5 Baton Rouge area renters frustrated by 'ridiculous' prices, tight rental market after flood Janet Torres hasn't lived under the same roof as her two teenage children or her boyfriend since floodwater engulfed their two acres in Living Atkinson has been helping her find apartments and provided her Wednesday with a listing and a map of how to get there. As part of her job, Atkinson said even after connecting clients with a new rental, she needs to work with them over the next several months to figure a way to pay for the apartment themselves, which could include encouraging people to take extra hours at work or showing them how to budget. The organization she heads, Rebuild Livingston, is a long-term recovery nonprofit founded after the August 2016 that also connects homeowners with volunteers and donors who can help them finish repairs. Atkinson said some landlords have been hesitant to work with the program, since it means some added hoops and two checks one from the government and one from the renter to deal with. One landlord working with the program is Gene Delozier, who owns dozens of houses and mobile homes around Livingston Parish. Delozier said the program has been good to work with so far, and he likes the idea of assistance that helps people to help themselves. "If you transition people into where theyre on their own everybody is better off," he said. The Atchafalaya Basin Levee District board is temporarily backing off from approving construction for bike paths and/or walking trails along the Mississippi River levee system at least until officials can strengthen some of the language in its current policy, which is at the center of an ongoing legal dispute. The levee district's Board of Commissioners believes it needs to paint a clearer picture of the requirements that other government agencies would have to meet if they want to build recreational trails along the levee. The board is taking the stance as West Baton Rouge Parish prepares for a court battle with several residents who own property along the levee and refused to let contractors complete a 5-mile bike and walking trail south of the Intracoastal Canal. "We taking another look at the process to make sure we got all our ducks in a row so we're not caught up in a similar situation like we were in West Baton Rouge," said John Grezaffi, chairman of the levee board. "We ended up going to court as much as everybody else in this deal but we really don't have a dog in the fight." West Baton Rouge gears up in heated legal fight over levee bike path, trail West Baton Rouge Parish now has all of its ducks in a row for a court fight to clarify the parish government's authority to build a 5-mile rec West Baton Rouge Parish in October asked a state district court judge for a temporary restraining order against four landowners who refused to give construction crews access to the levee to complete work on the parish's proposed West Baton Rouge Heritage Trailway. After initially granting the parish's request, the judge dissolved the temporary order a month later and denied the parish's request for a preliminary injunction, which would have allowed West Baton Rouge the opportunity to complete the project. The landowners have argued the parish never got their permission to build along their property, a stipulation that is alluded to in the levee district's current bike path policy. West Baton Rouge Parish officials previously claimed they sent certified letters to at least 100 property owners about the project and held public meetings, none of which the four defendants attended. And Parish President Riley "Pee Wee" Berthelot also previously said the parish interpreted the stipulations requiring agreements from landowners applied only to those who were using their land for specific purposes, like livestock grazing. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Judge's ruling may doom West Baton Rouge's plans for levee trail and bike path PORT ALLEN There's a chance West Baton Rouge Parish won't be able to complete its 5-mile recreational trail and bike path along the Mississi Nicholas Rockforte, attorney for the Atchafalaya Basin Levee District, said the levee board might require that signed consent from landowners be presented to the board before it'll enter into agreements that allow other government agencies to piggyback on the legal servitudes the state brokered with property owners to build and maintain the levee system years ago. The Atchafalaya Levee District serves as the governing authority over the levees that snake throughout Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge, Iberville and St. Martin parishes and parts of Ascension, Assumption and St. Landry parishes. "I know it's a really tough situation for them going out and running down titles for everyone that lives along a stretch of the levee," Rockforte said. "They often don't know who they need to reach out to until (the landowners) see an obvious sign, like a bike path being built, and start to kick up opposition." Rockforte said the levee board may even urge state Legislators to consider amending parts of the state statute that gives levee districts the power to build recreational trails along levee tops, which is why government agencies need the blessing of local levee boards to build the popular recreational trails. "That's really not what we do," Rockforte said. "But I'm not sure if there is any interest on the state level to do that." John F Crawford II, attorney for the four defendants in the West Baton Rouge Parish case, has already criticized the state statute as being an infringement of upon the constitutional rights of landowners. "It's an unconstitutional expansion of the servitude granted to the levee board," he said. "Even though they have the assignment it doesn't change the fact that (the levees) are private property." The levee district would like to wait until after the judge makes a ruling in the West Baton Rouge legal dispute before amending its bike path policy. But should the matter drag on too long, Rockforte said, they might pull the trigger on making the changes in two months or so. "There are other municipalities who have interest in doing similar projects and we need to have something together about what our requirements are going to be," he said. Baton Rouge Police on Monday arrested the man wanted for almost three months in the November shooting death of his ex-girlfriend, said police spokesman Sgt. Don Coppola Jr. Nicholas London, 24, was arrested in the homicide of 25-year-old Dezarae Warner, Coppola said. Police apprehended London in the Gardere area. He had been wanted by police since November, when he was then labeled armed and dangerous. +4 Baton Rouge mother of 3 allegedly slain by ex-boyfriend on the loose, police say A Baton Rouge woman was fatally shot early Saturday near the intersection of Plank Road and Washington Avenue and police were seeking an ex-bo Warner, a mother of three, was found dead in the street around 1 a.m. Nov. 11 in the 2400 block of Washington Avenue. Police believe she was shot following an argument. Warner's family said London knocked on Warner's bedroom door in the middle of the night armed with a gun and asked her to come outside to hold something for him. Warner went outside with him, and family members said they saw London kick her and drag her down the street before shooting her. "It's been rough but all I wanted was justice," said Warner's mother, Chiquita Warner. "Now that he's caught I can be at ease." Chiquita Warner said her family had spent the last three months on edge, especially as some of them had been witnesses to the killing. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "We just knew he was out there and we just wanted him to get caught," Chiquita Warner said. "We're excited about (the arrest)." Warner said the family held a celebration of her daughter's life on her birthday, Jan. 18, when she would have turned 26. But Warner said other days have been harder. Her 2-year-old grandson keeps calling for his mother and recently started asking to break down the ceiling so he can be with her his misinterpretation of adults saying she is now "up there." "I'm still trying to take it day by day," Chiquita Warner said. She said she still doesn't understand what led to the killing. In 2016, London pleaded guilty to aggravated second-degree battery for an incident in 2013 in which police say he shot a man multiple times, critically injuring him after an argument, according to court documents. London was sentenced to two years in February 2016, with credit for time served. London, 9403 Wild Valley Road, was booked Monday into Parish Prison on second-degree murder in the death of Dezarae Warner, felon in possession of a firearm and illegal use of a weapon. A bipartisan slate of State Senators is urging Gov. John Bel Edwards to call the state Legislature into a special session this month to address a looming $1 billion budget shortfall before the March 12 start of this year's regular session. "There is not a single option that will be available in June that is not available to the Legislature now," the group wrote in a letter to Edwards on Monday. "The state gains nothing and only loses by waiting." House Speaker Taylor Barras outlines GOP wishlist in letter to Gov. John Bel Edwards Louisiana leaders on Tuesday came one step closer to finding common ground in tense ongoing negotiations about how to address the state's loom Edwards, a Democrat, has said he won't call the Legislature into a special session unless he can reach an agreement with House Republican leaders on the approach that will be taken to shoring up the state's finances when temporary tax measures expire July 1. He has said he wants to call a special session to begin Feb. 15, after Mardi Gras festivities. State law requires that special sessions be called seven days in advance, putting that required notice period this week. Lawmakers cannot take up most revenue-generating measures during the regular session in even-numbered years. "Without the Legislature having that opportunity prior to the 2018 regular session, many citizens of our state will be unable to adequately plan for their future," the senators wrote in their letter to Edwards. "Surely Louisiana deserves better than that." The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The letter was signed by 11 Republicans, including Senate President John Alario, of Westwego, and three Democats, including Senate Finance Chair Eric LaFleur, of Ville Platte. Sen. Rick Ward, R-Port Allen, was the primary organizer behind the letter. Edwards was expected to meet again with House Speaker Taylor Barras, R-New Iberia, on Monday to continue budget discussions. "Gov. Edwards agrees with the senate we need a special session in February," Edwards deputy chief of staff Richard Carbo said. "Were confident that a majority of House members agree as well. The reality is that a small group of House members have routinely blocked any effort for reform, while at the same time refusing to offer solutions of their own. There is an opportunity to make historic reforms that benefit the citizens of Louisiana who deserve meaningful progress; not political games." He said that Edwards continues to seek more information from Barras on how the House wants to approach the shortfall. "As soon as Gov. Edwards receives a proposal from the speaker, the negotiations with the full Legislature can begin," Carbo said. "Gov. Edwards cant negotiate with himself, and its critically important for the House to come to the table with ideas." State Treasurer John Schroder said Monday he is having talks on the merits of U.S. Sen. John Kennedy's proposal to help finance the Comite River Diversion Canal by cashing unclaimed stocks and mutual funds held by the state. "I am currently in discussions to see how viable this particular idea is," Schroder said in a statement released by his office. The statement is Schroder's first comment on Kennedy's proposal, which the senator spelled out Thursday. Kennedy, Edwards clash over how to finance Comite River Diversion Canal U.S. Sen. John Kennedy and Gov. John Bel Edwards got into a spat Thursday over Kennedy's proposal to use up to $175 million in unclaimed prope Schroder was out of the office last week, and efforts to reach him have failed. "I appreciate Senator Kennedy and the idea/discussion on how to improve the incredible crisis we have concerning infrastructure needs in Louisiana, whether it's flood protection, highway capacity and reconstruction, bridges or coastal restoration," according to the statement. "I will consider any financing ideas that do not force the taxpayers to fork over any more money!" he added. The canal, which has been discussed for two decades, needs about $200 million to finish financing. Kennedy, who was State Treasurer before he was elected to the U. S. Senate in 2016, said the state has about $150 million to $175 million in unclaimed stocks and mutual funds that could be cashed and used for the canal. He said the move especially makes sense because, in his view, the nation is nearing an end to a nine-year bull market. Gov. John Bel Edwards said last week Kennedy's proposal is unrealistic, in part because the unclaimed property fund is other people's money. Edwards said a House-passed bill pending in the U.S. Senate would allow the state to address Comite financing problems. Edwards is a Democrat. Schroder and Kennedy are Republicans. Kennedy said the unclaimed property program, which was launched in 1974, has been around long enough that officials have a good idea how much taxpayers will claim yearly. Plenty of money usually $20 million to $40 million per year is set aside to meet the yearly demand, he said. The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The senator said the unclaimed property totals roughly $900 million, including about $750 million in cash that is separate from the stocks. "I am not trying to be mean," Kennedy said in an interview on Friday. "He (Edwards) just doesn't understand the way the unclaimed property program works. "And a lot of people don't," he said. "I have had legislators tell me before, 'Can we see the $900 million in the account?' Some people think it is in escrow." "I think it is just a situation of his aides haven't explained to him how it works," Kennedy said. +3 Treasurer candidates vow to keep controversial unclaimed property program In fawning media coverage that included images of him handing checks to everyday people, John Kennedy transformed unclaimed property from an Asked for comment Richard Carbo, chief of staff for the governor, said in a statement, "Sen. Kennedy is notorious for pointing the finger at everyone else, but the fact of the matter is that he is neglecting his responsibility in the U.S. Senate. There is a bill that was overwhelmingly passed by the U.S. House of Representatives currently sitting in the U.S. Senate to fund Comite," Carbo said. "The federal government made a commitment to the people of Louisiana that they would fund it, and Gov. Edwards is holding them to it. Sen. Kennedy should focus on doing the job he was elected to do, rather than tell everyone else how to do theirs," he added. "If there is confusion on his proposal it is because he has provided absolutely no information to the Governors Office on his plan, which begs the question - is he serious about it or is it just another attempt to get a headline?" Kennedy said he considered cashing in the stocks portion of the unclaimed property program when he was State Treasurer but decided not to, in part because of concerns that former Gov. Bobby Jindal "would take the money and dump it in the general fund." The Jindal administration, in a controversial move, tapped a wide range of state funds to bolster the operating budget during periods of financial problems. "This is an idea I have had for a long, long time," Kennedy said. The proposal was spelled out to the Comite River Diversion Canal Project Task Force last week. Rep. Valarie Hodges, R-Denham Springs, chairwoman of the panel, praised Kennedy's proposal then and again the next day. Hodges said she hopes the governor gets behind the proposal. Sen. Bodi White, R-Central, said he is open to the idea. "I am looking at every opportunity to get financing for this project," he said. In spite of programs offered by public school districts, many families in Louisiana still aren't able to take advantage of early education for Stephen Waguespack made one true statement in his letter to the editor, and that was that no politician is perfect. What he probably doesnt r Advocate staff photo by JOHN McCUSKER -- Inmates look out onto the Pontchartrain expressway from the new Orleans Parish Prison in New Orleans. UPDATE (Feb. 5, 4:45 p.m.): The Humane Society of Louisiana said a witness to the Mardi Gras parade rider's alleged abuse of his horse has come forward with a statement claiming the man may have been abusing his horse for several blocks before being caught on film. Unlike the initial report claiming the man was striking the horse in the neck to make it move, the witness claims the man was striking the horse in an attempt to make it dance. The witness said they saw the abuse happen while standing on the curb of the neutral ground on St. Charles Avenue and Second Street during Oshun's parade. They also said the horse was visibly shaken during the incident, with its "ears were way back, the whites of its eyes showing great distress." "I was so disturbed, so disgusted that shortly after that I left the parade," the witness said. "That man should be arrested. What he did was so beyond any kind of range of acceptability. It was as if he didn't know that the animal was alive; that it had feelings." The Humane Society of Louisiana said the witness plans to meet with enforcement officials Tuesday to provide a written statement of their account. Due to the new details in the witness' statement, the group said it is asking authorities to cite the suspect with violating the municipal animal cruelty ordinances, which carry a penalty that cannot exceed $500 and/or six months incarceration and/or community service. ORIGINAL STORY: Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up A Mardi Gras parade rider in New Orleans was seen hitting, kicking and yanking on his horse in a video that's sparked outrage on social media and with local animal protection organizations, according to a WWL-TV report. The Facebook user who uploaded the video said the incident happened during the Krewe of Oshun parade Friday at the intersection of St. Charles Avenue and Julia Street. The rider can be seen in the video violently yanking the horses reins, hitting the side of its neck and kicking its side to make it obey his commands. Near the end of the two minute video, the man gets off the horse and begins walking it down the street. Can't see video below? Click here. The Humane Society of Louisiana and professional trainers are asking authorities to investigate the incident. The Humane Society shared the video with several law enforcement agencies Sunday and is asking the public to call authorities if they can identify the rider. Read WWL's full report here. The ACT government has appointed a criminal barrister and former public defender as the ACT Supreme Court's newest judge. Chrissa Loukas-Karlsson SC was called to the bar in 1989 and appointed senior counsel in 2012. Chrissa Loukas-Karlsson SC has been appointed as the ACT Supreme Court's newest judge. She has worked for Legal Aid, the Aboriginal Legal Service, and appeared as counsel before the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the Hague. In 2017, Ms Loukas-Karlsson won barrister of the year award from the Women Lawyers Association of NSW. A man hopped into his car and glided silently away as a meeting of more than 80 Tesla vehicle owners ended and enthusiasts began their journey home. Some had come from as far as Brisbane and Melbourne, undercutting the common belief that electric cars lacked range for long journeys out of the cities. President of the Tesla Owners Club of Australia Jude Burger at Pialligo Estate. Credit:Jamila Toderas While some had before driven their Tesla vehicles - successfully - into outback Northern Territory, this trip brought their owners to Pialligo Estate. On Sunday, 36 Tesla cars sat in a field near the popular venue as their owners swapped notes at the annual meet's first edition in Canberra. Developing the Northern Territory's onshore shale oil and gas resources could release the equivalent of 34 billion tonnes of carbon emissions, equal to 60 times Australia's current annual carbon pollution, according to The Australia Institute. The estimate is made in the institute's submission on the draft final report of a scientific inquiry into the risks of hydraulic fracturing or fracking in the territory scheduled for completion next month. Gas leaks are inevitable - and likely huge - from the coal seam gas industry, a submission by The Australia Institute says. Credit:Glenn Hunt The submission challenged the inquiry's use of a single 365 petajoule per year shale gas field producing the equivalent of 5 per cent of Australia's national emission to conclude the industry would have only a "low" consequence and to be of "acceptable" risk. "Even a 5 per cent increase in Australia's emissions from a single gas field is a large and unacceptable increase," the submission said. "It is completely inconsistent with Australia's carbon budget and our commitments under the Paris agreement." Popping over to the upper house for a moment where Jim Molan is causing quite the stir in his first few days as a senator. Labor and the Greens are both targeting him for his Facebook flirtation with far-right group Britain First. Question to Defence Minister Marise Payne from Greens leader Richard Di Natale: "The Coalition's new member for New South Wales, Senator Molan, has previously called for a ban on Islamic immigration and the suspension of habeus corpus, the longstanding right to trial before detention. Now he defends sharing white supremacist material on social media by saying that he's not a racist because he's lived overseas and, in his own words, he "ran the war in Iraq". That, of course, includes responsibility for the assault on Fallujah, the assault that resulted in a humanitarian catastrophe with civilians denied food, water and aid. Minister, why have you adopted a lower standard than our allies who universally condemned the President of the United States of America for sharing similar material?" Payne responds that the Greens lack appreciation for the personnel of the Australian Defence Force. Follow-up from Di Natale: "At the time of the assault on Fallujah, under the command of now Senator Molan, a UN special rapporteur said that coalition forces faced hunger and deprivation of water as a weapon against a civilian population, a flagrant violation of international law. Minister, given Senator Molan's extreme views, do you have a concern that these views influence the decisions that he made while executing the military campaign in Fallujah?" Payne: "In my 20 years in this chamber, I have heard some extraordinarily unedifying things, many of them from the Australian Greens but that reflection on the service of a senior Australian Army officer takes your lows to depths that I did not think you could plumb." A teenage girl has died after she was hit by a car while she was on her way to school near Port Stephens. Emergency services were called to Warrigal Close, Brandy Hill, just before 7.30am on Monday to reports a child was struck by a car. CPR was performed on the 15-year-old girl, but when paramedics arrived she had gone into cardiac arrest and died at the scene. The male driver, aged in his 40s, was taken to hospital for mandatory testing and was assisting police with their inquiries. It's understood the girl and the man in the car were both travelling to school when the incident occurred. The man is not believed to be a relative of the girl. A man has been charged over the violent robbery of a 74-year-old man at a Brisbane shopping centre, with information from the public leading to the arrest, police say. It will be alleged the victim went into the toilets at Westfield Chermside about 8am on Sunday morning and was attacked from behind by a man, who tried to snatch a wallet from the victim's back pocket. CCTV vision of the alleged violent robbery of a 74-year-old man at Westfield Chermside on Sunday. Credit:Queensland Police Service It will further be alleged a struggle ensued, before the elderly man was pushed to the ground and the thief ran off with the wallet. The victim was not physically injured. Police released CCTV of the alleged incident later that afternoon and early Monday morning arrested a Sunnybank man, off the back of information from members of the public who saw the vision. Doctors concluded he had an L5/S1 disc prolapse, when the soft centre of the spinal disc pushes through a crack in the tougher exterior casing and compresses nerves in the base of the spine. Mr Baig was seeking damages and compensation, but the defendants argued he "cannot be believed". They argued the disc injury did not happen at the meatworks in 2010 and even if it did happen on that date, it did not happen in the way the plaintiff said it did. The Saturday before the accident, Mr Baig saw a doctor and complained primarily of shoulder pain and minor back pain. However, the doctors notes instead highlight a primary complaint of back pain, with symptoms dating to June 25, 2010, and a referral for an X-Ray. A medical certificate on Saturday declared Mr Baig unfit for work until the following Wednesday, yet the plaintiff was at work on Monday, when the injury in question happened. "It was discreditable of Mr Baig not to advise his employer of the episode of back pain when he returned to work on the Monday, or on the occasion of the onset of pain that Monday afternoon of the subject incident," Justice McMeekin said. "It was discreditable of Mr Baig not to advise the general practitioner that he saw on the Monday afternoon, Dr ORegan, of this prior episode of back pain." Mr Baig escaped the horrors of the Taliban before coming to Australia. Credit:Allauddin Khan/AP In his submission, Mr Baig said the pain had settled by Monday morning, so he went to work because he believed he was fit to carry out his job. Justice McMeekin accepted this argument. "The defendants assumption is that his (Mr Baig's) report of feeling fit to work on Monday morning is a lie," Justice McMeekin said. "Yet everything that he did is consistent with that claim. He did not follow up on the X-ray. He did not take advantage of the three days off. He did show up for work. He did work for 10 hours. "He was a very long way through his 1603 beasts for the day when the subject incident occurred. Quite evidently Mr Baig was performing his work satisfactorily." In addition, Mr Baig claimed he had earlier reported having difficulties to his supervisors and twice asked to be moved to an easier section, only to be knocked back. He said this was why he did not raise any further difficulties he was having. Justice McMeekin agreed with the argument, saying if Mr Baig had been rejected twice, why should he bother continuing to raise the same issue? "The defendants say that his (Mr Baig's) supervisors were caring and would have responded to such complaints. I am not so sure about the premise," Justice McMeekin said. The final point of examination was the safety measures at the meatworks. Roger Kahler, an engineer specialising in workplace health and safety, said there were procedural and engineering controls available to the employer that would have prevented or minimised the risk of injury, which were not adopted. Mr Baig said there was also a 'stop' button to halt the line of carcasses coming from the slaughterhouse, but the use of the button was discouraged by supervisors. "Next to me, the other person who was senior person or my supervisor, when they told me to stop it, thats when I pressed the stop," Mr Baig told the court through an interpreter. "On my own, I cannot stop it for myself because they would be they would be cursing me. Two teenagers have been rushed to hospital in a critical condition after the car they were in hit a tree in Brisbane's east overnight. The Nissan Tida hatchback left New Cleveland Road at Wakerley about 12.30am on Tuesday, leaving the two male teens, aged 14 and 18, with serious abdominal injuries. Two teenagers have been rushed to hospital in critical conditions after a crash in Brisbane's east overnight. Credit:The Today Show - Twitter The driver and front passenger, both 17-year-old males, were hospitalised with non-life threatening injuries. Hours earlier, a woman was rushed to hospital in a critical condition after her car crashed into the back of a truck southbound on the M1 at the Gold Coast. Mr Doyle announced he would quit as lord mayor just days after he was handed the key findings of the investigation, which explored claims from a number of women. He also resigned from his chairmanship of Melbourne Health. Mr Rimmer said he recognised it was in the interests of all involved, and the public, for the full investigation report to be completed as quickly as possible. "Obviously there are many issues that are subject of current public debate that we cannot comment further on at this time, given the sensitive stage that the investigation process has reached," Mr Rimmer said. On Sunday evening, Mr Doyle released statements from his wife, Emma Page Campbell, and Mr Ruskin, but did not speak publicly. Mr Doyle has vigorously denied all the allegations made against him. Acting lord mayor Arron Wood said on Monday that Mr Doyle had called him from hospital on Sunday just before news broke that he was resigning. "He was very flat," Cr Wood said. "It was a difficult phone call." He said Mr Doyle was suffering. "My deepest sympathies are for him and his family and for anyone frankly who has suffered throughout this process," Cr Wood said. Cr Wood said that until a report by barrister Ian Freckelton, QC, was delivered he would not make any comment on the investigation itself. Melbourne councillors will meet on Tuesday night for the first time this year to discuss the status of the investigation. Mr Doyle's formal resignation was handed to Melbourne City Council on Monday. The Victorian Electoral Commission will now conduct a by-election for lord mayor. The VEC said a date had not yet been set for the postal by-election. Mr Doyle had been on leave as lord mayor since mid-December, when fellow Ms Sullivan resigned after making allegations he had harassed and indecently assaulted her. Allegations from other women, including fellow councillor Cathy Oke and photographer Dianne Mallas, followed. A Melbourne City Council spokeswoman said Dr Freckelton's investigation would continue. "We will progress the investigation as quickly as possible and ensure the facts become known to all parties," she said. In her statement, Ms Page Campbell, said her husband had suffered "agony" in the weeks since he had stood aside. She said she stood by her husband, and the allegations against him were "made in an environment in which guilt is presumed over innocence". "It would seem that the court of public opinion, and what it will deem acceptable, can win out over natural justice," she said. Mr Doyle's lawyer Mr Ruskin said in his statement on Sunday that the former lord mayor felt the seven weeks since the allegations had "lacked any semblance of natural justice". But former Melbourne councillor Stephen Mayne said it was incorrect for Mr Doyle to say the investigation process lacked natural justice. "He has been given five days to respond to the draft report and he has been given all of the relevant material in good time," Mr Mayne said. "He has been given far more information than other witnesses." Mr Mayne said Mr Doyle should have resigned when allegations were made by multiple women: "It's completely inappropriate for the office," he said. After Ms Sullivan resigned, Mr Rimmer hired Dr Freckelton to undertake an independent investigation into the allegations. Ms Sullivan had alleged Cr Doyle would compliment her, comment on her clothing, hug and kiss her and display overt affection in a way that she felt was not appropriate in a workplace. One councillor told Ms Sullivan that Cr Doyle had allegedly commented on Ms Sullivan's breasts, saying they had become smaller. At least four women made sexual harassment allegations against the former lord mayor during the course of the investigation. They included a woman who made an official complaint about Mr Doyle repeatedly touching her leg at a gala dinner, which prompted Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy to order a second investigation be undertaken by Charles Scerri, QC. That investigation is ongoing. An elderly woman who was bashed and left for dead by a stranger while walking her dogs in Melbourne's west has died. Le Ngoc Le, 77, was found in a pool of blood around her head in a driveway near her St Albans home on Thursday evening, unable to speak. Ms Le was found in a pool of blood in the driveway of this St Albans home. Credit:Victoria Police She was found by a passerby in a driveway on Willaton Street on Thursday evening and rushed to the Royal Melbourne Hospital. A spokesman at the hospital directed media inquires to Victoria Police, who confirmed on Tuesday morning that Ms Le had died. World-renowned animal welfare advocate and respected local veterinarian Dr Hugh Wirth, AM, died on Monday after living with Parkinsons disease for more than a decade. Dr Wirth is credited with numerous successful animal welfare campaigns including ending puppy tail docking and stopping the export of horses to Japan for slaughter. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1985 and in 1997 was named Victorian of the Year. Dr Wirth drove numerous animal-welfare campaigns. Credit:Gary Schafer Dr Hugh was a tireless worker and a forthright, strong leader who was not afraid to stand up for what he believed was right, RSPCA Victoria chief executive Dr Liz Walker said. Khalil Nabizadah went missing off a Portsea beach on Sunday. Credit:Ten News Melbourne Onlookers watch as the search for a missing swimmer at Portsea continues. Credit:Adam Miller TV networks report that the missing man is Khalil Nabizadah, a 23 year-old engineering student from Narre Warren. The search for a missing swimmer at a Portsea beach has been suspended again , 24 hours after the young man disappeared. Three men, including Nabizadah, became caught in a rip late afternoon on Sunday at an unpatrolled beach off London Bridge Road. Two of the men were rescued, including a 22-year-old Cranbourne West man who is in a stable condition at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. The other rescued man a 23-year-old from Cranbourne did not require medical treatment. According to Victoria Police, surfers spotted the still-missing man in trouble in the water about 5.30pm, before he disappeared from sight. Search and rescue efforts were halted after about three hours on Sunday night due to fading light, and resumed early on Monday morning. Premier Mark McGowan says he is furious at finding out that WA will be stripped of $348 million in GST when it already receives the nation's lowest share in the funding pie. It is the second time in six months that the state has been stripped of funding because of write-downs by the Commonwealth based on population growth forecasts. Premier Mark Mark McGowan is angry there is a big black GST hole in his budget. Credit:Andrew Elstermann Mr McGowan said he would raise the issue with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten when he goes to Canberra this week for the Council of Australian Governments meeting. Population forecasts are a key factor along with mining revenue in the Commonwealth Grants Commission's complicated annual carve-up of the GST. Paris: He is the silent survivor of the 10-man Islamic State cell that terrorised Paris in November 2015, refusing all pleas to shed light on the attack that killed 130 people in the French capital or the one in Belgium four days after his arrest. The morning after the terror attack on the Bataclan theatre in Paris in 2015 Credit:Andrew Meares After spending nearly three years jailed in isolation, Salah Abdeslam is set to go on trial on Monday in his hometown of Brussels for a police shootout that he himself fled. The man who covered for his getaway with a spray of automatic gunfire died. Abdeslam's escape was short-lived - he was captured on March 18, 2016, in the same neighbourhood where he and many of his Islamic State fighter colleagues grew up. This undated file photo provided by the Belgian Federal Police shows 26-year old Salah Abdeslam. Four days later, Islamic State suicide attackers struck again, this time at the Brussels airport and subway. In all, that sprawling network of IS fighters killed 162 people in the two European capitals. Most of the extremists were French speakers, raised in one of the cities they struck. The plot's execution depended upon Islamic State's success in wedding crime and religion. "Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper!," Trump tweeted, referring to James Comey, former FBI director; Senator Mark Warner; John O. Brennan, former CIA director; and James R. Clapper Jr., former director of national intelligence. "Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped!" Schiff responded via his own tweet, saying, "Mr President, I see you've had a busy morning of 'Executive Time.' Instead of tweeting false smears, the American people would appreciate it if you turned off the TV and helped solve the funding crisis, protected Dreamers or...really anything else." In another tweet over the weekend, Schiff mocked the president's claim of vindication, saying that the memo actually backs up claims that at least two of his advisers were colluding with the Russians. Schiff, who is 57 and has served in the House since 2001, has spoken of his desire to run for higher office. He is the ranking Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee. Loading The tweet came as the president continued to stew online about the investigation into Russia meddling into the 2016 presidential election and whether the president or the people around him obstructed justice in that investigation. Over the weekend, Trump said that a classified memo released by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee "totally vindicates" him in that probe despite the fact that several Republican lawmakers have repeatedly said they do not believe the memo has any effect on the special counsel investigation. Republicans on the committee voted against releasing the Democratic rebuttal memo last week at the same time they chose to initiate the release of their own 3 1/2-page document. But several of those Republicans, as well as House Speaker Paul Ryan, have indicated that they now favour releasing the Democratic memo, as long as it has been scrubbed of sensitive national security information. Democrats have said their 10-page memo corrects mischaracterisations by the Republicans and adds crucial context to actions by the FBI and the Justice Department in obtaining a secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court order to wiretap the former Trump aide, Carter Page. An official said Sunday that the White House was open to releasing the Democratic memo pending an examination to protect intelligence sources and methods. The president declassified the Republican memo after a similar process, without redacting any information. Monday 05 September, 2016 Reliable information reaching Biafra writers desk has it that the life of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indi... You can watch it RIGHT NOW! In an unexpected announcement during Super Bowl LII, Netflix aired a 30-second Cloverfield sequel trailer before revealing it will premiere immediately after the Super Bowl. The Cloverfield Paradox comes after months of delays, 10 years after the original film and two years after 2016's 10 Cloverfield Lane. Unlike 10 Cloverfield Lane, the story of The Cloverfield Paradox is directly tied to the original. It follows a group of international astronauts left isolated and fighting for their survival on a space station where they are working to solve a massive energy crisis on Earth. The Cloverfield Paradox is produced by JJ Abrams and marks the feature directorial debut of Julius Onah. It stars Selma's David Oyelowo and Belle's Gugu Mbatha-Raw in the lead roles. This is the first time Netflix has announced a film just hours before it premiers, bypassing a traditional release with press and trailers. "Extremely excited for The Cloverfield Paradox, directed by Nigerian-American Julius Onah. Extremely unexcited they're just dropping it tonight with absolutely no notice, after a 30 second trailer that didn't even mention who's in it or that it was dropping tonight," TV writer Demi Adejuyigbe wrote on Twitter. STAMFORD Charter Communications, the countrys second-largest cable provider, has announced it plans to raise its employees minimum wage to $15 within the next year. Higher pay would help the company to better recruit and retain a highly skilled and diverse group of employees, Charter officials said in a blog post on the companys website. The company also cited the new U.S. tax law, which netted the firm a $9.3 billion windfall, and the Federal Communications Commissions December repeal of net neutrality rules as major reasons for increasing compensation. Raising our minimum wage is the right thing to do for our employees and our company, the blog post said. These employees are the key ingredient to helping us deliver on our core business objective of providing superior products with great customer service. Most of Charters approximately 95,000 employees are call center representatives, field technicians and store staff. They serve some 27 million residential and business customers in 41 states. Charter also plans to hire more than 20,000 employees by 2020. As a Fortune 100 company, we understand that we must not only provide jobs for our employees, but careers that help families send kids to college or make a down payment on a home, the blog post added. Moving towards a $15 per hour minimum wage will help Charters 95,000 workers continue to do just that. A higher minimum hourly wage will put more money in their pockets and help put them and our country on track for an even better future. The company did not disclose in the announcement its current minimum wage. In comparison, Connecticut mandates a $10.10 minimum wage. Amid the announcement, Charter still faces major labor strife with the ongoing strike of some 1,800 technicians in New York and New Jersey who are unhappy with new contract terms proposed by Charter. In the announcement, Charter also reiterated its plan to invest $25 billion in infrastructure. The company said it is expanding its broadband network to rural areas across the country and remains committed to delivering internet connection speeds of at least 100 megabits per second. In December, the company announced it had established 1 gigabit-per-second connections with its Spectrum Internet Gig service in seven markets covering about 8.8 million people. The term gig refers to internet speeds of 1 gigabit per second. One gigabit equals 1,000 megabits. National internet speeds average about 10 megabits per second, by some measures. pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschott On the heels of a Hearst Connecticut Media report on Frontier Communications using shares of its Connecticut operations as collateral in a revised debt agreement, the state Public Utilities Regulatory Authority is pressing the company for details on the transaction by Feb. 14. Under CEO Dan McCarthy and Perley McBride, chief financial officer, Frontier has been working to reduce $17.6 billion in debt coming due on a staggered schedule over the coming decade. Last week, Bloomberg cited unnamed sources who said Frontier is considering an auction of some of the territories in Florida, Texas and California that it acquired in 2016 from Verizon Communications for $10.5 billion. In a letter addressed to Frontiers former headquarters in Stamford the company has been located in Norwalk since 2015 PURA requested several pieces of information from Frontier after the company informed investors of its plan to use the shares of its Connecticut operations as leverage for revised terms on existing debt from JPMorgan Chase and CoBank. PURA asked Frontier whether it plans to request approval for the transaction, and if not, to cite any Connecticut law that would excuse it from any such filing. PURA also wants to know why Frontier chose to include stock in its Connecticut and Pennsylvania operations in the transaction rather than shares representing its operations in territories elsewhere. And PURA wants Frontier to provide details on what would constitute a default on the loans in question, and in that scenario, the implications for its Connecticut operations, to include any change of control and how that could affect its pension plan and health plan for retirees. A Frontier spokesperson had left unanswered Hearst Connecticut Media questions on how a default could affect the companys operations in the state, and did not respond immediately to a renewed request for information following the PURA inquiry. While long based in Connecticut through a predecessor company, Frontier only began offering telephone, broadband and TV service in the state after spending $2 billion for AT&Ts local operations, with a heritage dating back to Southern New England Telephone that Frontier has kept intact as a subsidiary. In its most recent annual report on file with PURA, Frontier listed the value of its SNET equity at under $1.6 billion as of December 2016, an 8 percent decline from the prior year. The value of the companys overall assets fell 6 percent to below $2.4 billion. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman Every business owner wants a website that encourages visitors to take the next step: buy or contact. This step is called conversion, and its the moment your lead converts to become a customer. If your website has a lot of traffic but few conversions, you need to identify why. It's true that many factors may contribute to the problem. Believe it or not, web design can have a powerful impact on buyers and their choices. Studies show product assessment takes about 90 seconds. Users grant websites a fraction of that time: less than eight seconds. Those first impressions are about 94 percent design-related. What's more, about 75 percent of users will judge your brand credibility based on your website design. Most first-time visitors to your site are not ready to buy. They're investigating options and comparing you to others. Do you know how you stack up to the competition? Take a look at websites for leaders in your market space. Then, turn your critical eye inward. Here are 10 aspects to consider when evaluating your website design and deciding which changes will yield the greatest results. 1. Color. Performable changed its call-to-action button (CTA) from green to red, resulting in a 21 percent increase in conversions. Ript Apparel changed its button from green to yellow, increasing conversions by 6.3 percent. Its also good to know that red and green are the colors those with color blindness or deficiency struggle with the most. Further, you might consider your audience. If youre targeting women, focus on blue, purple, and green. For men, select blue, green, and black. (Obviously, these are generalized preferences.) The least effective colors? Brown and orange. 2. Video. Product videos usually increase sales and conversions. The amount varies, but some companies report an increase of as much as 144 percent. Business-to-business (B2B) or service-based companies also can use video to share their stories or talk about their differentiators. Related: How to Make Room for Video in Your Content Strategy 3. Ease of use. Put the most important information "above the fold." Don't force people to scroll and hunt for what they want. Create simple navigation so users intuitively can find items that arent on the first page. 4. Clear UVP. What's your unique value proposition? If you dont know, thats your first problem. Your second problem? Your UVP probably isn't apparent to your website visitors, either. Make it obvious right up front why they should choose your brand. Related: How to Develop a Winning Value Proposition 5. Trust symbols. Badges from Yelp (or other review sites) and PayPal's certification logo are two examples of trust symbols. You might have a security seal or any other industry-related symbol to share. Testimonials from customers serve a similar purpose, and you can showcase these as well. Your goal is to make sure your potential buyer feels as if he or she can trust you to provide a good experience or product. Related: The Importance of Building Trust Online 6. Free offers. If you're offering a white paper or other free item, be sure the word "free" comes through loud and clear. What are some reasons someone wouldnt buy from you? Your website also should explain how you proactively fulfill customer needs and address issues. 7. Short forms. Potential customers dont want to give you their city, state, last name, pets name and six other pieces of information just to score that free download. Keep it short: Go with a first name, email address and zip code. If you currently use a captcha test, you might try turning it off to see if that makes a difference in response rate -- without increasing your spam. 8. Virtual chat. More people than ever prefer a quick online chat while they browse to picking up the phone and dealing with an options menu. Even if they dont want to chat, they know the option exists. That alone can increase trust. 9. Headlines. Your big, headline text needs to address any concerns your potential customers feel. Are they worried about timing? The process? The results? Whatever it is, address the solution in bold. Related: 4 Steps to Writing Content That Converts 10. White space. A cluttered webpage looks ugly and feels cramped. Too many elements can confuse people and turn them away. Bonus: A/B Testing. While some web-design standards are proven, every industry and business will vary somewhat. Businesses that succeed will continue testing small changes on their website. (What happens if the color of the CTA button switches from blue to green?) While you often will see only slight movement up or down, your site will be stronger overall if each change in the series causes a small increase. During testing, commit to making only one change at a time. You might experiment with button color, text or placement of elements. Then, depending on your website traffic, wait a few weeks before analyzing the data and deciding whether that change becomes permanent or reverts to the previous layout. Related: #5 Mobile SEO Mistakes that Can Kill your Conversions Here's Why Micro Apps are a Far Better Tool For Building More Effective Apps Four Easy Steps To Harness Customer Trust For Increased Conversions Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com Deep in a tropical rain forest, during a time when dinosaurs walked the Earth, four itsy bitsy spiders crawled down a tree, got stuck in some sticky resin and never climbed up again. Some 100 million years later, blocks of amber containing their fossilized forms wound up on the desks of two scientists in China. Both researchers looked at the perfectly preserved animals and came to the same conclusion: This was an entirely new kind of animal. They introduced their discovery, dubbed Chimerarachne yingi, in a pair of papers published Monday in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. With its curious mix of ancient and modern traits - a long, skinny tail inherited from a distant arachnid ancestor, but a silk-producing organ like those found in spiders today - the tiny chimerarachne, or "chimera spider," is not a member of the immediate family. But it is one of modern spiders' closest cousins, and it presents some intriguing hints at how they evolved. The C. yingi fossils were uncovered by amber miners in northern Burma, sold to dealers, then purchased by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. By coincidence, two sets of the fossils became available around the same time, and Bo Wang and Diying Huang - colleagues in the academy's paleobiology lab - began to analyze them almost simultaneously. Neither was aware of what the other was up to until they submitted their studies for publication. Happily, their results were close enough that the journal opted to publish both papers. Both describe creatures so small they could fit on the tip of a fine-point pen, with eight legs and tiny but formidable fangs. Their hindquarters bear spinnerets, the same organs from which living species spin their silken webs. The males also have modified pedipalps - syringe-like appendages on the fronts of their faces that modern spiders use during mating. (Ready to learn more than you ever wanted to know about spider sex? Male spiders don't have penises, so they instead deposit their sperm on a ready-made swatch of web, suck up that sperm with their pedipalps and inject it into a female. The whole affair typically ends with the female spider eating her mate.) Other features of chimerarachne appear much more primitive. Their torsos are segmented, like those of older arachnid groups, and they have long, whip-like tails, called telsons, that seem to be inherited from a more primitive ancestor. This mix of features gave the spiders their name: a reference to a mythical creature with a lion's head and serpent-like tail. This odd appendage, which is absent in modern spiders, can be found in vinegaroons, a group of nightmarish scorpion-looking creatures that lives today. And it's visible in one of the oldest fossils from a close spider relative, Attercopus fimbriunguis, which dates back 380 million years. Paul Selden, a paleontologist at the University of Kansas who unveiled that other ancient arachnid and worked with Wang to analyze this latest discovery, said he'd been waiting to find something like this ever since A. fimbriunguis was discovered. "It seems to be an intermediate form," Selden said - midway between the spinneret-less A. fimbriunguis and the spiders of today. Due to this mix of features, the two research groups differ slightly over where C. yingi fits in the spider family tree. But they agree it is a close cousin of the Araneae, or true spider, order. Scientists have identified many spiders from this lineage in the same amber deposit from the Cretaceous period. Their numbers suggest that even 100 million years ago, chimerachne was already a "living fossil" - a species that resembles creatures otherwise known only from the fossil record, Selden said. Like today's horseshoe crabs and ginkgo trees, it was a holdover from an earlier period in evolutionary history. Selden even entertained what he called the "tantalizing possibility these creatures are still around." C. yingi wouldn't be the first fossil arachnid to show up in the wild. In the 1880s, scientists working in Madagascar were surprised to see a new type of "assassin spider" crawling about. Until then, that lineage had only been found only in 50-million-year-old amber. Gonzalo Giribet, an evolutionary biologist at Harvard University who worked on Huang's team, said the new discovery might also shake up the arachnid family tree. Scientists have traditionally used silk spinnerets to distinguish true spiders from other species. Some argue that spinnerets were the key innovation that allowed spiders to become so successful; there are nearly 50,000 known spider species alive today. "And now suddenly we have another group that is not a spider that also has those characteristics," Giribet said. "It challenges our view of how we define 'spider.'" NORWALK The Norwalk Public School District will lose its chief talent officer at the end of the month. Cherese Chery, who was hired to the position in July 2016, had planned to leave the district at the end of the year to move closer to family in the Hartford area, but will now work her last day in Norwalk on Feb. 28. Chery accepted a position as the director of human resources and labor relations for the City of Hartford, which she will begin March 1. Under Ms. Cherys leadership, Norwalk Public Schools has evolved from what was a traditional human resources function into a professional, full-service Talent Department, said Superintendent of Schools Steven Adamowski. Her reorganization of the department means that we now have better HR systems and a greater capacity to support our vision for the district. Although were sorry to see her go, we understand that personal circumstances have necessitated this move to the Hartford area. Chery joined the Norwalk Public Schools in July 2016 from New London Public Schools where she held the same position. Prior to New London, Chery was director of human resources for the State Education Resource Center in Middletown. The district lists her accomplishments at Norwalk Public Schools as aligning the work of human resources to the goals of the districts strategic operating plan, directing the automation of current human resources information systems and implementing additional HR information systems service tools. Shes also spent the past several months working with the Board of Educations policy committee to construct a sexual harassment policy for students and staff in the district. An interim Chief Talent Officer will be named shortly while a search is conducted for a permanent replacement, according to an Norwalk Public Schools statement. Chery was one of four NPS administrators who received compensation increases in October, after an analysis by the Norwalk Association of School Administrators showed the people in those positions were paid below the recommended salary range for their positions. Chery was placed on the beginning step of her salary range, at $172,000. We need to remain competitive with other school districts in Fairfield County, many of which pay significantly higher salaries than we do, former BOE chairman Mike Lyons said at the time. We dont want to be in the position of becoming the talent pool for Fairfield County, by developing talented people who then leave for greener pastures. kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Usman Hamid (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 5, 2018 The visit of United Nation High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein is a positive gesture, but it is also a moment of truth, an opportunity for Indonesia to take a hard look at its level of compliance with its international human rights obligations amid the increasing level of intolerance toward those who are different, disempowered and marginalized in Indonesia. The UN human rights boss, who is visiting at the invitation of the Indonesian government, is scheduled to meet, among others, President Joko Jokowi Widodo, Attorney General M. Prasetyo and the National Commission on Human Rights between Feb. 4 and 7. Since he took office in September 2014, Hussein has been outspoken on a range of issues, including the death penalty, blasphemy, the lesbi to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Andre Notohamijoyo (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 5, 2018 16:35 1315 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c40804c 3 Opinion sustainability,sustainable-development,environment,#environment,biodiversity,#Biodiversity Free Environmental sustainability should be the main concern for both central and local governments. Throughout the year 2017, various ecological disasters such as floods, landslides and smoke disaster occurred in various regions in Indonesia. Development processes that do not heed environmental sustainability cause natural destruction and adversely affect the welfare of a country. Development based on commodity sector and natural resources become a place of hunting rent practices. In many developing countries including Indonesia, such practices coexist with corruption. Some of the hand-catch operations conducted by the KPK are related to the hunting practices of natural resources. Gareth Hardin in his famous article entitled "Tragedy of the Common" writes about how exploitation that never cares about environmental sustainability will lead people to a common tragedy that conduce to a decline in the quality of life. Hardin's paper explores how uncontrolled human population expansion will eventually lead to a competition to exploit natural resources. Such competition will put pressure on the carrying capacity of the environment and ultimately lead to a depletion and degradation conditions. It becomes a serious problem for Indonesia. The destruction of nature caused by economic activities such as mining, industry, deforestation, expansion of plantation land, illegal and environmental fishing and others, are increasingly worrisome. As a mega biodiversity country, Indonesia is facing the threat of destruction. The condition is clearly visible around us, for example is the disappearance of local fruits that used to be daily consumption such as jamblang/local guava (Syzygium cumini), gohok/kupa (Syzygium polycephalum), menteng (Baccaurea racemosa), sawo kecik or sapodilla fruit (Manilkara kauki) and others. It is also seen in disease attacks on shrimp culture among other attacks Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) and White Spot virus. This makes the ecosystem network more vulnerable and susceptible to virus or bacteria attacks. Until now, there is a human selfish behavior both in the form of individuals and organizations that do activities by destroying the environment. Although environmentalists are constantly warning of the serious effects of economic activity that do not heed sustainability, the government seems powerless in dealing with the perpetrators of environmental destruction. It takes awareness of human behavior that has moral ethics and conservation values. Ethics is a reflection of the human discipline throughout their life journey towards ideal morals according to scholar HS Alikodra. Ethics is an important part of the culture that plays a role in development. Environmental ethics and morals are closely related to biological and ecological norms that can distinguish whether humans behave well or badly against their environment. Without environmental ethics, development around the world will lead to a decline in the quality of the environment as a source of human livelihood and the deterioration of the quality of life itself. Indonesia needs the cultivation of environmental ethics and morals as an integral part of its economic development. The environmental crisis is closely related to human understanding and culture of the need to maintain the environment. Ethical planting needs to be done through formal and informal education to build an understanding of Indonesian people that economic and environmental development are not two different things, but must be united. Human beings must integrate with their environment not outside. The development process in Indonesia must run equal between the physical (tangible) and non physical process (intangible). Tangible development really does not mean anything without intangible development. Norms, ethics, etiquette and morals are in fact the main elements of development in all countries. Developed countries in the world are the ones that can build intangible values. We can see European countries especially Scandinavian countries such as Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Iceland which have successfully advanced their economies but still heed the environmental sustainability. That developed countries are able to build in advance its intangible aspects, so that the problem of economic development is not complicated because the character of the nation already strong. This should be emulated by Indonesia and being a challenge for the government of President Joko Widodo in the implementation of mental revolution to build the intangible aspect of Indonesia. The character development that has been underestimated is the most important aspect in the development of a nation. Intangible development was proposed by Rhenald Kasali in 2006 as a thing to be recoded in Indonesian human DNA. Ethical cultivation needs to be done as an integral part of Indonesia's economic development. The complete human development of Indonesia must be implemented in real terms to save Indonesia's natural decline. The intangible aspect must be an integral part of development. Indonesia must be able to build character and conduct internalization process of values, ethics and environment moral in Indonesian people. It needs a joint commitment of government and people to encourage the development of Indonesian human character. --------------- We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Indonesia, the worlds fourth most populous nation, lags behind its ASEAN peers in areas like exports, attracting foreign direct investment, tourist numbers, education, innovation and research and development. But there is one area where Indonesia is dominant. Indonesia dominates as the most sober country in Southeast Asia. According to the World Bank 2015 report, Indonesia, home to worlds biggest Muslim population, consumes the least alcohol in Southeast Asia with its people on average drinking just 0.6 liters of alcohol, not even one bottle of wine, a year. What was surprising was that Indonesia was more sober than Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam. South Korea ranked number one with 10.9 liters of average alcohol consumption per person, while Vietnam was in second position with 8.7 liters of alcohol consumption per person per year. Drinking is not in our culture. Even the majority of non-Muslims in Indonesia do not drink beer or wine, Novan Kuntoro, a resident of Jakarta who works at a private company, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday. At the global level, the Czech Republic is well-known for its beer consumption. On average, a Czech citizen drinks 40 gallons of beer per person per year. Beer, one of the oldest and most consumed beverages in the world after water and tea, is the most popular drink among alcoholic beverages in Indonesia. The famous American writer Ray Bradbury made an interesting comment about beer. Beers intellectual. What a shame so many idiots drink it, Bradbury said. Now, a quarter of the worlds population consume beer either regularly or occasionally. Home to 4.5 billion people, rising economies and fast changing lifestyles, Asia is indeed the number one region in the world in terms of beer consumption. China is the biggest beer consuming, as well as producing nation. It consumed 54 billion liters of beer last year alone. According to Kirin Beer Universitys 2016 beer consumption report, global beer consumption stood at 186.89 million kiloliters (295.2 billion 633 milliliter bottles), a less than 1 percent decrease from 2015. Asians consume almost 34 percent of beer produced globally. The global beer industry is worth around US$300 billion and Indonesias share in it is around $600 million. Can you guess which brand of beer is the worlds best seller? People immediately think of Heineken, Carlsberg or Budweiser. But the surprise is, according to market research firm Euromonitor, Chinas Snow lager with a 5.4 percent share of global beer sales. Every year more than 10 billion liters of Snow beer is brewed in China. There is huge potential for the beer industry in Indonesia mainly because of the increasing number of foreign tourists visiting the country. In 2017, 15 million foreign tourists visited the country and the number may increase to 17 million this year. Since beer consumption is low, there is huge potential for market expansion. Many people do not know much about beer. Beer can be brewed at home like tea or coffee. Just buy a beer kit and ingredients and brew at home. In Europe, many people brew their own beer in their homes. In fact, Barack Obama was the first United States president to brew his own beer. Almost 95 percent of a bottle of beer consists of quality drinking water. Beer is normally brewed from barley or wheat and even corn or rice. People often have the wrong perception that beer is a beverage with a high level of alcohol content. Beer is not miras or minuman keras (a drink with a high level of alcohol content like whiskey, vodka or brandy). It is a drink usually with less than 5 percent alcohol content, Multi Bintang, corporate communications manager Agnes Agastia told the Post recently. In fact, there is one beer from among thousands of brands across the globe that has a very high percentage of alcohol. Snake Venom from Scotland is the strongest beer in the world with an alcohol content of 67.5 percent. In Indonesia, the cost of a bottle of beer is relatively low if you buy it from a supermarket. Since 2015, beer has been prohibited from being sold at mini markets. A 330 ml bottle of the famous brand Bintang costs Rp 21, 000 (US$1.47). But the same bottle at a bar or cafe in Jakarta may cost up to Rp 65,000 after sales tax and service charge. Do you know which beer is the most expensive in the world? It is Crown Ambassador beer from Australia. A 750 ml bottle of Crown Ambassador, a product of Carlton United Breweries, can cost you A$100 (US$80). Beer consumption is ubiquitous. In Germany, people celebrate Oktoberfest, the worlds largest beer festival, annually in Munich during the September-October period. Now we have International Beer Day, which is celebrated on the first Friday of August. It was launched in 2007 by beer lover Jesse Avsalomov from California. This year it will fall on Aug. 3. Beer companies claim that beer has many health benefits. But doctors say beer is an alcoholic drink that can be harmful. Beer increases sugar levels. It is not good for the liver. Alcohol is alcohol. If you want to be healthy, stay away from all types of alcoholic drinks, Mery Harita, a medical doctor from West Jakarta, told the Post. Drinking beer moderately has certain benefits like other alcoholic drinks. Still, one has to be cautious in consuming alcohol, including beer. There have long been debate and doubt over whether we should regularly drink beer, one of the oldest drinks in the world. According to several estimates, around 2 billion people around the world consume beer daily or occasionally. Beer is also the third-most consumed drink in the world after water and tea. Thanks to growing incomes in Asia and Latin America, beer sales have increased significantly. However, alcohol consumption, including beer, is on the decline in Europe and the United States. In 2016, people around the world consumed 186.89 million kiloliters of beer. Currently, the global beer market is estimated at US$281 billion and it may grow to $300 billion by 2020. Asia has been the largest beer consumer for more than two decades, thanks to giants like China, India, Japan, Vietnam and South Korea. Are there any benefits from drinking beer? Recent and past studies indicate, yes, there are. According to Belgium-based John Martin Brewery, drinking beer is good for the kidneys, better for digestion and controls bad cholesterol. Beer contains vitamin B, works as a cure for insomnia, reduces the risk of heart attacks, boosts memory, prevents blood clots and combats stress. It is also said that beer is good for a womans skin, though beer is often considered a mans drink. But actually, the first brewers of beer were women in Iraq and Syria around 6,000 years ago. So what is beer and what are its main ingredients? Beers main content is water, up to 95 percent. The water should be of high quality. Beer is basically a fermented beverage made with barley, Michael Bliss, corporate communications officer of Indonesias leading beer company PT Multi Bintang, told The Jakarta Post recently. Beer is made from malted barley or other grains, hops, yeast and water, Michael continued. It gets its color, flavor, Maltose, proteins and dextrins from grains, while hops add the bitterness, flavor, aroma and stability. Beer comes in many types, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. For example, a small country like Belgium produces more than 250 types of beer in many flavors. Not all beers are the same; there are ales, lagers, stouts, pilsners and malts. They normally have an alcohol content of between 4 and 6 percent. Indonesias major beer producer, Multi Bintang, produces Bintang, Bintang Zero and Bintang Radler, while competitor Delta Djakarta produces Anker. We also have Bali Hai (from PT Bali Hai Brewery Indonesia) and newcomer Prost beer from Orang Tua group. These three major brewers also produce beer for global brands like Heineken, Carlsberg, San Miguel, Ashai and El Diablo. Despite all the health benefits of beer, many countries have imposed restrictions on beer sales. For example, Indonesia banned the sale of alcohol, including beers, from mini markets in 2015. Thailand has barred beer sales near educational and religious places. Singapore does not allow people to buy alcoholic drinks from mini markets and shops at night. Still, people can buy beer at bars, cafes and night clubs. Meanwhile, Vietnam, the biggest beer consuming nation in Southeast Asia, has imposed a 65 percent tax on beer sales. Granted, beer is not an entirely healthy drink as it can cause liver damage when consumed in excess. Drinking beer is only good for you if you drink moderately. Drinking two beers a day is ideal for everybody, Bliss said. According to John Martin Brewery, there are 12 benefits of drinking beer and says on its website anthonymartin.be: Convinced? Then lets go! Two beers for memory, two for digestion, another for better bone density, one for your kidneys and the rest as a cold remedy [] Normally, this should guarantee good health, right? [] The idea is not to get drunk every night, but instead to enjoy a nice refreshing beer now and then, without any excess! I have of late participated in an international conference on discourse and community hosted by one the oldest universities in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Elevating issues on how language, especially English, is used in the international community. The conference, regional in its scope, featured scholars from ASEAN countries. What was particularly intellectually engaging was the panel discussion that centered on a timely, yet controversial topic: how the spread of the English language along with its local varieties (known as Englishes) in the world is seen as engendering linguistic injustice among non-native English speakers. Scholars are now concerned over the privileged status given to Standard English, which has often been imposed as the only correct norm whenever one speaks and writes in the language. The vibrancy of multilingual life, they contend, is at stake if one language variety is often valorized and privileged, while others are demoted and deemed inferior in status. Each panelist in the discussion shared their countries almost similar linguistic situations where Standard English is still the preferred option for communication. Yet, the scholars vividly illustrated through real language instances from their research data that their countrys insistence on pressing communities to privilege this variety at the expense of other living varieties is always met with resistance that can be covert and overt. Singapore is the clearest example of how vibrant multilingual life is always maintained and preserved by its community. Despite its recent government policy to press people to adhere to Standard English as the countrys official language vis-a-vis Singaporean English (Singlish) as the unofficial one, linguistic resistance from the ground-up abounds. Singlish, as a local vibrant English variety spoken by Singaporeans, has often been relegated in its status as an uneducated and polluted English variety, and a handicap and disservice to Singapore. Nevertheless, this variety thrives in its usage, as the people are proud of using it even in official discourse. It should come as no surprise then that Singlish expressions such as can can (giving confirmation), can lah (yes) and can hah? (are you sure?) are a perfectly acceptable variety of Englishes in Singapore. Going beyond a linguistic reason, the use of Singlish reflects the affirmation of identity of Singaporeans as multilingual speakers who have their own way of communicating using English. Similarly, the Philippines is a highly multilingual country where the Standard English variety coexists with the local Englishes varieties. Like in other multilingual countries, one can find the prevailing linguistic injustice taking place in a more official setting like education, as has been the case where a student was expelled from a school and transferred to another school simply because he spoke his home language instead of English. A recent study conducted by the Filipino panelist has shown that resistance to Standard English is most obvious in linguistic landscapes in Metro Manila and other locations where people deliberately and playfully mix English with local varieties to achieve a particular communicative purpose, as well as to boast their identities as Filipino. Resistance to English in Indonesia, however, is not as overt as to that of the two countries above. This is perhaps because of the differing status of English in Indonesia, which is a foreign language. Thus, while no apparent local English varieties evolve here, Standard English is seemingly deemed a sacrosanct variety that must be conformed to, especially in official discourse like education. It is a norm-provider variety. Yet despite this, ground up resistance, like in both the Philippines and Singapore, is also visible in public spaces such as signs, advertisements, billboards and graffiti mostly in urban areas in Indonesia. Different from examples in Singapore and the Philippines, such resistance is merely intended for the sake of captivating customers into buying certain commercial products, rather than to show off ones identities as a multilingual speaker. Catchy branding playfully saturated with a mix of different linguistic codes certainly evokes positive sentiments to lure customers to buy products. Resistance to the unbridled dominion of English in lifes domains in multilingual countries as an endeavor to uplift ones multilingual identity should be critically understood as an act of decolonizing English, which is by itself a colonizing language. It is also an act of disentangling linguistic injustice amid the incessant promotion of English language ideology in almost all of lifes domains. Such a decolonizing act is not without reason. The numbers of multilingual speakers who use English as either a second language or additional languages surpass those of native English speakers. In fact, as an infamous lingua franca, English has been transformed into a hybrid language, with no single nation or individual ever claiming the absolute rights to its ownership. So understood, it is legitimate when a multilingual speaker exploits his wealth of linguistic repertoires, uses and mixes them with the Standard variety, eventually creating a new variety of Englishes that might be radically different from the established variety. Besides, relying on a single standard variety of English denies the fact that multilingual speakers possess language resourcefulness that they can exploit at their disposal whenever they interact with other speakers from varied language backgrounds. It is this language resourcefulness that we must cultivate and develop in our efforts to produce meanings through mix-linguistic practices in the multilingual context. For the sake of the pursuit of linguistic equality, this idea certainly goes to the very heart of language hegemony decolonization. *** The writer teaches at the graduate school of Applied English Linguistics, School of Education and Language, Atma Jaya Catholic University, Jakarta. He can be reached at setiono.sugiharto@gmail.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fachrul Sidiq (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 5, 2018 17:42 1315 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c40aad1 1 City flood,landslides,puncak,bogor Free Landslides that hit several areas in Bogor regency in West Java on Monday have claimed one life and injured five others, an official said. "One died, one was severely injured and four sustained minor injuries in the landslides. The evacuation and search for victims are still ongoing. Landslides occurred in several areas in the regency," National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said via his twitter handle @Sutopo_PN. The heavy downpour in Bogor on Sunday prompted authorities to close the road that connects Jakarta and Puncak. Several houses were reportedly damaged. The rain also toppled trees as well as electricity poles. Sutopo warned Jakarta residents, especially those living on the rivers banks, of possible flash flooding downstream from the Ciliwung River. He said the floodwater from Bogor would reach the Manggarai sluice gate in South Jakarta in the afternoon and swell rivers in the eastern and southern part of the capital, which could affect areas such as Srengseng Sawah, Rawajati, Kalibata, Pengadegan, Pejaten Timur, Kebon Baru, Bukit Duri, Balekambang, Cililitan, Bidara Cina and Kampung Melayu. BPBD offices in Jakarta and in Bogor regency have advised authorities up to subdistrict level to prepare for the worst outcome, Sutopo said, adding that more flood-related disasters could still happen this month. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 5, 2018 14:15 1315 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c402dab 1 Business Chandra-Asri,new-factory,construction,Cilegon,Banten Free PT Chandra Asri Petrochemical Tbk (TPIA), Indonesias integrated petrochemical company, started construction on a polyethylene (PE) plant in Cilegon, Banten, on Monday. The company said in a statement that the plant would more than double Chandra Asris polyethylene production capacity to 736 kilotons per annum (KPA). The groundbreaking ceremony for the project was held at the integrated petrochemical factory complex in Cilegon, where the new plant will be constructed, with total investment of US$350 million. Chandra Asri president director Erwin Ciputra and representatives of engineering, procurement and construction companies attended the event. The new plant, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2019 and start operations in early 2020, will produce high density polyethylene (HDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), and metallocene LLDPE (mLLDPE). The products will be used, among other purposes, for rice sacks, bottle lids and shopping bags. The factory is being built to anticipate rising domestic demand for polyethylene, fueled by the rapid growth of the plastics and packaging industries in Indonesia, the statement says. Indonesias current PE market demand is estimated at around 1.4 million tons per annum and will continue to grow along with the countrys GDP, Erwin said in a statement. Our new PE plant will be an additional source of domestic supply of PE products, replacing imports and reducing the countrys foreign exchange outflow. (kmt/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 5, 2018 11:30 1315 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c3fac13 4 Business Clarks,Kickers,outlets,closure,online-shopping Free Clarks and Kickers are among numerous shoe manufacturers falling prey to online shopping, as their Indonesian distributors have announced plans to close stores in Indonesia. The new shopping habit is hurting all shoe retailers, but none as badly as those selling imported brands, says the chairman of the Indonesian Footwear Association (Aprisindo), Eddy Widjanarko. Clarks is closing all of its 25 outlets in Indonesia at the end of the month. The UK brand is distributed in Indonesia by PT Anglo Distrindo Antara, which opened its first outlet in 2004. The closures mean laying off at least 125 workers. PT Mahkota Petriedo Indoperkasa, which distributes products of the French brand Kickers, meanwhile, is reportedly closing its store at the Kota Kasablanka mall in South Jakarta. Eddy said stores selling imported shoes were already struggling with high rents and high import duties, even without the pressure from the online competition. Through online shops, people can easily buy imported shoes from all over the globe. That is a threat [to brick-and-mortar retailers], because the buyers do not need to pay excise duty, he said on Friday, as quoted by kontan.co.id. Those selling online did not incur the same operational costs, such as rents, so they could sell their products cheaper, he added. (roi/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) The Hague, Netherlands Mon, February 5, 2018 19:14 1315 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c40d6c1 2 World Turkey,Netherlands,diplomacy Free The Netherlands announced Monday it was withdrawing its ambassador from Turkey, and will refuse to allow Ankara to post one in the country as diplomatic ties plunged to new lows. Relations have deteriorated in the past 12 months, after Dutch officials barred a Turkish minister from attending a rally in Rotterdam on the eve of general elections in the Netherlands. Despite recent talks between the two countries, "we have not been able to agree on the way normalisation should take place," Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra said in a statement. The Dutch government has therefore "decided to officially withdraw the Netherlands' ambassador in Ankara, who has not had access to Turkey since March 2017," the foreign ministry added in the statement. "As long as the Netherlands has no ambassador to Turkey, the Netherlands will also not issue permission for a new Turkish ambassador to take up duties in the Netherlands." Dutch-Turkish relations have spiralled to an all-time low after the Netherlands expelled Turkey's Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kayar in March. She had defied a Dutch government ban on attending a campaign rally of Dutch-Turkish citizens in favour of last April's referendum which expanded the powers of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Protests erupted in Rotterdam as she was escorted out of the country without being able to address the rally. Riot police had to move in to break up an angry demonstration using dogs, horses and water cannon. Furious Turkish officials demanded an apology for the minister's treatment from Prime Minister Mark Rutte and blocked the Dutch ambassador, who had been abroad at the time, from returning to Turkey. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 5, 2018 13:55 1315 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c4005f0 4 Business e-commerce,Clarks,Kickers,outlets,closure Free The rapid growth in online retailers, or e-commerce, has apparently affected the sustainability of imported footwear outlets in Indonesia, the Indonesian Footwear Association (Aprisindo) has revealed. The closure of at least two imported footwear outlets in Indonesia was evidence of an obvious decline in the imported shoe market, Aprisindo head Eddy Widjanarko said on Friday, according to a kontan.co.id report. Clarks, an international shoe manufacturer and retailer based in the UK that is set to close all of their outlets in Indonesia at the end of this month, launched a 50 percent to 80 percent "everything must go" sale on Jan. 31 at all its stores. Meanwhile, PT Mahkota Petriedo Indoperkasa, the official distributor of France-based global fashion brand Kickers, will also close their footwear outlet at Kota Kasablanka Mall in South Jakarta. Eddy said three significant factors negatively affected imported shoe sales in Indonesia: the high cost of renting outlet space, high import duties and the fast growth of e-commerce. People today, especially the youth, can easily purchase imported shoes online by themselves. This is actually another threat to retailers, said Eddy. Eddy said shoe manufacturers that opened outlets in Indonesia had bigger challenges in making a profit, as they spent more operational costs in paying import duties as well as rent for outlet spaces. These factors also raised the prices of imported shoes sold in physical outlets, making them more expensive than the same products sold online. Clarks opened its first Indonesian outlet in 2004 under its local distributor, PT Anglo Distrindo Antara. Clarks has 25 stores across the country. (roi/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Bogor and Jakarta Mon, February 5, 2018 11:29 1315 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c3f77f6 4 City jakarta,Jakarta-flood,flood-control,Flood-Early-Warning-and-Early-Action-System Free Heavy rainfall in Bogor, West Java, over the weekend has raised the water level at the Katulampa sluice gate to an alarming level, raising concerns of possible floods in Jakarta this afternoon. The Bogor Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD Bogor) reported on Monday that the water level had rapidly increased from 70 centimeters at 3 a.m. to 240 cm at 9 a.m. The BPBD Bogor has escalated the water level emergency status and warned the BPBD Jakarta of possible flooding in the capital in the afternoon. The Bogor agency urged its Jakarta counterpart to warn people residing in Ciliwung riverbank areas to prepare for the potential floods. Water will flow to the Manggarai gate while passing Srengseng Sawah, Rawajati, Kalibata, Pengadegan, Pejaten Timur, Kebon Baru, Bukit Duri, Bealekambang, Cililitan, Cawang, Bidara Cina and Kampung Melayu, the agency said in a statement on Monday. National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said the water was likely to inundate several parts of Jakarta. Water levels at the rivers Krukut, Cipinang, Sunter, Karet and Pesanggrahan are still normal, he said. Katulampa sluice gate head Andi Sudirman told tempo.co recently that, were currently focusing our monitoring on the Puncak [the hilly side of Bogor regency] area, where mild to heavy rainfall is common. The water level is predicted to reach a high in March. (vla/wit) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 5, 2018 20:30 1315 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c40f0a5 1 Business one-map-policy,Jokowi,Papua,Maluku,Java-island Free President Joko Jokowi Widodo said on Monday that the Indonesian government was now dealing with the last part of One Map Policy by focusing on mapping Papua, Maluku and Java in 2018. In 2016, the government started work on the Kalimantan map, and the following year, started to deal with the Sumatra, Sulawesi, Bali and Nusa Tenggara map. The President said the map reference was expected to be completed in 2019. "In 2018, we will focus on the map of Papua, Maluku and Java so the One Map Policy is expected to be completed in 2019," he said during a Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace. He said the work to arrange the program started in Kalimantan due to severe land problems on the island. On the island, there were 4 million hectares of oil palm plantations that were believed to occupy forest land, making it difficult for the government to issue the permit, the President said. For Papua, the President gave guidance that the map should consider ancestral land precisely, as it frequently sparked problems in the province. The program refers to Presidential Regulation No. 9/2016 on the acceleration for the implementation of the One Map Policy. Among expected benefits of the program include facilitating the creation of the spatial policy, the resolution of land disputes, the acceleration of development in the regions and the acceleration of land permit issuance for businesses. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Viriya P. Singgih (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 5, 2018 09:53 1315 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c3f31a0 1 Business pertamina,pgn,holding-company,Jokowi Free President Joko Jokowi Widodo is expected to sign by mid-February the Government Regulation (PP) that will provide the legal basis for the transformation of state-owned energy giant Pertamina into a holding company, an official of the State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) Ministry has said over the weekend. The draft regulation has already been submitted to President Joko Widodo on Jan. 31. We hope the President will sign the draft by within the week, or two weeks at most, the SOE Ministry's director general for mining, strategic industries and media affairs, Fajar Harry Sampurno, said on Sunday. Under the governments restructuring plan, state-owned gas company Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN) will be merged with Pertaminas gas subsidiary, PT Pertamina Gas (Pertagas). Read also: PGN delays shares handover, pending Jokowi's approval The merger will increase PGN's total assets by 27.5 percent to US$8.7 billion, according to the two companies' 2016 financial reports. Their combined downstream gas pipelines spanned 9,520 kilometers as of 2017. On Jan. 25, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry assigned Pertamina to construct two new local gas networks for households in South Sumatra and East Kalimantan in 2018. Meanwhile, PGN was tasked with building new facilities in five regions, two in North Sumatra, two in East Java and one in Banten. Pertamina and PGN were also assigned to expand existing household gas networks in nine regions, including South Sumatra, North Kalimantan, West Java and East Java. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 5, 2018 17:28 1315 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c408d63 4 Business Basuki-Hadimuljono,toll-road,Padang,Pekanbaru Free President Joko Jokowi Widodo is scheduled to kick off construction of a toll road connecting Padang, the provincial capital of West Sumatra, and Pekanbaru, the provincial capital of Riau, on Thursday, Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono has said. Today, we have visited the [planned] location of the groundbreaking ceremony in Nagari Kasang [in Pariaman regency, West Sumatra], Basuki said during an inspection of the site as reported by Antara news agency. However, he said he needed to talk to parties involved in the land acquisition process, such as land owners, traditional leaders and wali nagari (village leaders), to confirm that they would cooperate. After the government gets assurance from the related parties, a process involving land measurement and appraisal would take place, he added. Afterward, the central government would buy the land, which would be managed by state-owned constriction company PT Hutama Karya, he said We want to immediately disburse compensation funds for them [land owners], he said. The 250-kilometer toll road project is being launched to speed up travel between the two cities. Currently, it takes seven hours to travel from Padang to Pekanbaru. The President will head to Padang to attend National Press Day. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fachrul Sidiq (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 5, 2018 20:31 1315 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c40fca1 1 City landslide,soekarno-hatta-airport Free A landslide blocked an underpass on Jl. Perimeter Selatan, near Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, following a downpour that hit the area on Monday. A car was reportedly trapped underneath the debris. Yado Yarismano, spokesperson for PT Angkasa Pura II, which operates the airport, confirmed the incident that occurred at around 5 p.m., saying that a team had been deployed to inspect and clear the scene. "We are still clearing the area using heavy equipment," Yado said on Monday night, adding that the operation of the airport train connecting the airport to downtown Jakarta, was temporarily halted. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 5, 2018 22:14 1315 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c411313 1 City flood,East-Jakarta Free Severe flooding hit a number of Ciliwung riverbank areas in East Jakarta and have affected some 5,000 people in the municipality. East Jakarta Mayor Bambang Musyawardana said on Monday the water levels in the affected areas, such as Bidara Cina, Cawang and Kampung Melayu, had reached depths of up to 160 centimeters. At least 5,000 people from around 1,600 households were affected by the flooding, but the majority of them insisted on staying at their residences, Bambang said. The East Jakarta mayoralty, however, has still prepared some camps to accommodate potential evacuees in case the situation worsened. A number of affected residents have agreed to evacuate their homes, but the authorities will watch out for those who have refused to move to the evacuation camps, Bambang said. The heavy rainfall rapidly increased the water level at the Katulampa sluice gate in Bogor from 70 cm at 3 a.m. to 240 cm at 9 a.m. on Monday morning, which was a sign for potential flooding in the Ciliwung riverbank areas in Jakarta. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan visited the Manggarai sluice gate in Central Jakarta to see whether the water from Bogor was flowing smoothly. During the visit, Anies assured the public that the administration was ready to tackle potential flooding as all three sluice gates in the capital had already been opened. He also instructed the Jakarta Environment Agency to clear the sluice gates from accumulating garbage carried out by the flowing water from Bogor. Around 200 tons of garbage had been cleared on Monday from the Manggarai sluice gate by heavy equipment deployed by the agency. (vny) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Arbin Mon, February 5, 2018 23:08 1315 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c41175f 2 World Syria,Damascus,unrest,attack,civilians Free Regime air strikes killed 28 civilians in a rebel enclave near Damascus on Monday as Syria's seven-year-old conflict raged on several fronts with non-combatants paying a heavy price. The region of Eastern Ghouta is home to an estimated 400,000 people living under a crippling government siege that has made food and medicine almost impossible to acquire. The area has been designated as one of four de-escalation zones in Syria, but residents there have been facing escalating bombardment in recent weeks. "Dozens of air strikes hit several areas in Eastern Ghouta," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. The deadliest raids on Monday hit a market in the town of Beit Sawa, killing 10 civilians including two children. Another nine civilians, two of them children and one a local rescue worker, were killed in Arbin. Nine more civilians died in strikes across the rest of the besieged region, and dozens more people were wounded, the Observatory said. The barrage of bombardment came as the United Nations children's agency warned of the dire risks to children in the Middle East's war zones. At least 83 children were killed in conflicts across the region in January -- including 59 in Syria alone. And four Syrian children were among at least 16 refugees who froze to death in a snowstorm as they tried to flee to neighbouring Lebanon. - Sobbing silently - In Arbin on Monday, an AFP correspondent saw the lifeless bodies of young children laid out on the floor in the local hospital. One of the dead was a member of a volunteer rescue force in the town, and a group of his colleagues could be seen crying over him. Outside, a man sat sobbing silently atop a pile of rubble after having lost two of his family members in the raids. AFP correspondents reported that air strikes began at around 10:00 am (0800 GMT) on Monday, and airplanes could still be heard circling above in the afternoon. In apparent retaliation, rockets and mortars rained down on government-controlled districts of Damascus, Syria's state news agency SANA reported. One woman was killed and four people were wounded in mortar fire on the Bab Touma neighbourhood and the capital's Mariamite Cathedral, a Greek Orthodox church, a police source told the agency. Another person was killed and nine people wounded in rocket fire on the regime-held part of Harasta district. Syria's war has killed more than 340,000 people and displaced millions since it began in March 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. - Chlorine accusations - Eastern Ghouta is supposed to be one of four de-escalation zones agreed last year by rebel ally Turkey and government supporters Iran and Russia. But violence has ramped up there in recent weeks, with at least 11 civilians killed in raids on the district on Friday. This month alone, chlorine is suspected of having been used on two occasions in munitions launched by the regime on Eastern Ghouta, causing respiratory problems among civilians. Accusations of toxic gas use have also come from Idlib, an opposition-controlled province in the country's northwest that also falls in a de-escalation zone. Syrian troops have pressed a fierce offensive on Idlib for more than a month with air cover from Russian warplanes. Nearly a dozen people were treated for breathing difficulties on Sunday after Syrian government raids on the town of Saraqeb, the Observatory said. Mohammad Ghaleb Tannari, a doctor in a nearby town, said his hospital had treated 11 people. "All the cases we received had symptoms consistent with inhaling the toxic gas chlorine, including exhaustion, difficulty breathing, and coughing," he told AFP. The United Nations has found that Syria's government carried out chlorine gas attacks in 2014 and 2015 and also used sarin against a town in Idlib last year. Syria's government has vehemently denied ever using chemical weapons. Another 16 civilians were killed across southern parts of Idlib on Sunday, the Observatory said in an updated toll. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Tokyo, Japan Mon, February 5, 2018 17:31 1315 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c4099ce 2 World helicopter-crash,Japan,military Free Two crew were feared dead Monday after a Japanese military helicopter crashed in a residential area in the southwest of the country, setting a home on fire. Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera confirmed the crash in the town of Kanzaki and said the two crew on board were retrieved "in a state of cardiac and respiratory arrest," Jiji news agency reported. The language is often used by Japanese officials before deaths are officially confirmed. Japan's NHK television showed a thick plume of grey smoke rising from the site of the crash in between the rooftops of local houses. Local firefighters could be seen running through the streets with red firehoses as people were evacuated from the area. "I heard something like a rumbling of the earth," a woman living near the crash site told NHK. "I rushed out there and saw a blaze and black smoke. It's impossible that this happens in such a place." Onodera earlier told reporters the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter had gone down in Japan's Saga region and "burst into flames." Local officials confirmed the crash site was a residential area, adding one home had caught fire. The local fire authority said it had dispatched 14 fire engines and three ambulances to the site. Local media reported that no one was inside the home at the time of the crash. The incident raised memories of a 2016 crash in which a Japanese air force jet with six people aboard went missing in mountainous terrain. Four bodies were later recovered. There has also been a string of accidents involving US military helicopters that have fuelled opposition to their presence in the country. The latest was a UH-1 helicopter that was forced into an emergency landing last month on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa. No one was hurt in that incident, which officials blamed on a faulty rotor blade. Japan's Self-Defence Forces (SDF) have been banned from waging any kind of combat beyond defence of the nation since the US-imposed constitution of 1947 that followed the carnage of World War II. They have been deployed overseas in peacekeeping missions, some of which have proved controversial at home. And while the SDF is strictly limited in terms of the scope of its military activity, Japan nonetheless boasts an impressive array of weaponry with highly trained personnel. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marchio Irfan Gorbiano (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, February 6 2018 Economists welcomed Bank Indonesias (BI) initiative to study the possibility of issuing a digital version of the rupiah, saying it was a necessary step to address the growing popularity of cryptocurrencies. BI, the countrys central bank, said the digital rupiah may be based on the same blockchain technology that powers cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin. Gadjah Mada University (UGM) economist Tony Prasetiantono said he was in favor of a central bank-run digital currency, adding that it was better than the alternative. Digital currency from BI is legitimate because it is backed by underlying assets, he told The Jakarta Post. Bitcoin, on the other hand, has no underlying assets, no authority, no supervisor. Its like a phantom. University of Indonesia (UI) economics lecturer and former finance minister M. Chatib Basri was also appre... Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Singapore Mon, February 5, 2018 18:22 1315 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9c40cba2 2 SE Asia Singapore,law,showbiz Free Singapore will amend a law that allowed a megachurch pastor to escape a harsher prison term for fraud despite funnelling millions in church funds into his wife's music career, a senior official said Monday, following a public backlash. In a case that fascinated Singapore with a heady mix of religion, showbiz and fraud, Kong Hee and five other church leaders were convicted in 2015 of spending Sg$24 million ($19.8 million) from a church building fund to promote his wife Ho's pop career. But, in a country which prides itself on its tough stance on corruption, a High Court ruling that cut their sentences last year on a technicality -- upheld by an appeals court last week -- triggered widespread anger including personal insults against the judges. Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said Monday the government believes the sentences handed to Kong and his fellow church leaders were "too low" and the law which allowed them the shorter jail terms should be amended. "It is now up to parliament to amend the law, and that, we should do soon," Shanmugam told the legislature. The six City Harvest Church leaders including Kong were initially handed prison terms ranging between eight years and 21 months by a lower court in 2015. As well as the money spent on Ho's music career, they were also found guilty of misappropriating another Sg$26 million from the church to cover their tracks with a complex web of financial transactions. But their sentences were cut last year by the High Court after the defendants successfully argued they should not have been charged under a law punishing criminal breach of trust by public individuals in senior positions. The 53-year-old senior pastor's eight-year jail term was reduced to three-and-a-half years under a different law for ordinary members of public which carries shorter sentences. The Court of Appeal, Singapore's top court, said its ruling last week upholding the shorter sentences was based on a gap in the law which only parliament can amend. Shanmugam on Monday condemned elements of the public backlash from the decision, in which some accused Kong of getting away lightly because his defence lawyer was a member of parliament with the ruling People's Action Party. Criticism "should not sink to the level of abuse, insult and contempt", he said. Four church leaders including Kong are currently serving their sentences, one has finished her seven-month term and another will start serving his sentence on February 22. In a 2007 music video called "China Wine" published on YouTube featured the pastor's scantily-clad wife with rapper Wyclef Jean. In another video, for a reggae-tinged song entitled "Mr Bill", Ho appeared as an Asian wife who sings about killing her African-American husband, played by supermodel Tyson Beckford. Ho, who co-founded the church, was never charged. Posted Sunday, February 4, 2018 11:15 pm Members of an advisory committee tasked with re-purposing the now-empty Litchfield Carnegie Library at the center of Library Park met for the first time with a facilitator from the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs on Wednesday evening, Jan. 31, in Corwin Hall at Litchfield City Hall. "I'm not paid to tell you what you should do," project manager Robin Hanna of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, based at Western Illinois University in Macomb, said to begin the meeting. "My job is to get you to tell me what you should do." Mayor Steve Dougherty added that the committee is an advisory one. The ultimate decision rests with the city council. Hanna has planned the process for four meetings. The second one will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 7, to brainstorm ideas, consolidate and prioritize. Following meetings, set for Wednesday, Feb. 28, and Wednesday, March 14, will focus on suggesting the best uses of the building based on community interest and potential costs. Likely funding sources are personal financing, tax credits, and debt. "Grants are becoming fewer and fewer," Hanna added. The Litchfield building was begun in 1903, one of the earliest Carnegie libraries in the country, and opened in 1904. An elevator was added in 1999. In total, the Carnegie Library Foundation established 2,800 public and university libraries in the United States and Great Britain; 105 are in Illinois, 108 in Iowa and 35 in Missouri. Currently, 18 in Illinois are no longer used as libraries. Many have been re-purposed as city halls, museums, churches, and private business. He described seven successful re-purposing projects throughout the Midwest. The old Carnegie library in Carmi was donated to the county historical society and is now used as a genealogical library, and the one in Danville is now the Vermillion County War Museum. More than $4 million was raised in Indianola, IA, to convert a vacant Carnegie library building into an opera house, and in Leavenworth, KS, a library was converted to a cultural center, then an 11-unit apartment building with an art gallery. The former library in Clarinda, IA is now a private art museum, and in Sioux City, IA, the library became a 20-unit apartment building at a cost of $1.8 million after it had been vacant for 10 years. Xenia, OH is still in the process of determining the new use for a former library building with choices ranging from a job training center, community center or culinary center, and costs ranging from $2.2 to $2.4 million. Issues the advisory committee will need to consider are the current state of the buildingthere is some termite damageand the possibility of maintaining the historically accurate design of the building given its placement on the National Register of Historic Places, one of 13 properties in Montgomery County with that designation. After the meeting, committee members and members of the public present toured the newly abandoned building. Posted Sunday, February 4, 2018 11:15 pm "People like me get better," Nanette Larson said, kicking off "Embracing Hope," a seminar targeting mental health and addiction recovery Saturday morning and afternoon, Feb. 3, at Calvary Baptist Church in Hillsboro. Larson, deputy director/ambassador for wellness and recovery for the Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Mental Health, was the morning keynote speaker and AJ French, president and chief executive officer at Gift of Voice in Alton, was the afternoon keynote speaker. Using a definition of "recovery" developed by the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health in 2003, Larson said that often "the system doesn't know the people in it can get better." That definition? "Recovery is the process by which people are able to live, work, learn and participate fully in their communities. For some individuals, recovery is the ability to live a fulfilling and productive life despite a disability. For others, recovery implies the reduction or remission of symptoms. Science has shown that having hope plays an integral role in an individual's recovery." Larson emphasized "participate fully in their communities" and "hope," linking recovery principles to those found in faith. Pastor Randy Sands of Hillsboro Free Methodist Church was master of ceremonies, and before introducing Larson, introduced Trenda Hedges and "Warm Line Team" members who were available throughout the seminar for one-on-one conversations. In addition to Larson and French, those at the seminar heard from Brent Miller, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 1998 and in recovery since 2001. Pastor Jeff Hemken of Calvary Baptist Church in Hillsboro sang two songs he had written for the event and played a video from his daughter, Beth Hemken, on substance use disorder recovery. Marcia Liebscher, who teaches groups and individuals at Graham Correctional Center, described factors contributing to wellness, and prison counselor Lori Bergbower talked about prevention. Pastor Hemken gave his perspective as a caregiver before three panel breakout sessions, and Linda Liebscher closed with a discussion about recovery moving forward. Lunch was provided by volunteers from Calvary Baptist, Hillsboro Free Methodist, and Hillsboro United Methodist. Pastor Sands thanked those who organized, spoke, and provided resource tables at the seminar, including Calvary Baptist Church for their hospitality and Linda Liebscher, who "has done the lion's share of work" in preparation for the event. Posted Sunday, February 4, 2018 11:15 pm The Illinois General Assembly is once again plotting to see how much more money they can steal from your wallets and your families in 2018. How exactly are they doing that? Democrats in the General Assembly are once again pushing a tax on advertising, a move that has been met with strong opposition from the Illinois Press Association and its member publications since it was first introduced. If this bill were to ever pass, the end result would be disastrous as businesses would be discouraged from advertising on any medium, except online. As advertising revenues decline, it would result in the decline of smaller media groups who would ultimately be forced to sell to larger media groups. Unfortunately, even the large media groups won't be immune and will have to shut down as well. If this tax is passed, it creates zero winners and tens of thousands of losers. While the General Assembly voted for a 67 percent individual income tax hike from 3.75 percent to 4.95 percent and a 46 percent corporate income tax hike from 5.25 percent to 7 percent, Democrats and a select few Republicans seeking re-election in 2018 are pushing for yet another tax hike. While it's not disclosed as to what those rates would be, we believe they want to hike the individual income tax rate to 6 percent and the corporate income tax rate as high as 9 percent, something that is incredibly hostile to individual and corporate taxpayers. There's a plethora of other taxes being proposed, but there has been one which has been pushed by Senate President John Cullerton and House Speaker Michael Madigan since 2016 a mileage tax. There are people who commute to work in Springfield, Decatur, Vandalia, Effingham, Mattoon, Charleston and St. Louis among others from anywhere within Christian, Montgomery and Shelby counties daily. The proposed legislation would call for your vehicle to be "bugged" with a GPS tracking device and then you're taxed on how many miles you drive in a given calendar year. That isn't right, as no one should be penalized via additional taxes for commuting to work. Your freedoms should not be put at risk or endangered just because our state government finds it convenient to tax you for driving to work. This is truly getting old. Whatever happened to fiscal responsibility? They used to teach that in our schools at one point in time; now most young adults can't even balance a checkbook. They look at our politicians in Springfield and think, "If our state government and the politicians who represent the government can't even be fiscally responsible and not spend more money than they take in, why should I?" The Illinois General Assembly, especially Madigan and Cullerton, will stop at nothing to make sure the greater majority of Illinoisans are in poverty (or remains in poverty) as a result of excessively high taxation. Our property taxes are way too high. Our individual income taxes are way too high. We're losing jobs to other states because our corporate income taxes are way too high. It's wrong for them to keep taking more and more of your hard-earned money only to overspend on pork spending and worthless garbage. Jake Leonard, Nokomis Chairman Tri-Counties Liberterian Party The state attorney general has decided to award grants totaling $1.25 million to six Lower East Side non-profit organizations as part of a settlement with the Allure Group. Members of Community Board 3s Health, Seniors and Human Services Committee last week expressed displeasure with the process used to pick the local recipients. Last month, the attorney generals office announced an agreement with Allure, in the aftermath of the Rivington House scandal. After the city administration inexplicably lifted deed restrictions on the former nursing home facility, Allure sold the property to luxury condo developers. The for-profit nursing home operator profited $72 million. The money was earmarked for organizations that, provide healthcare services to vulnerable members of the community. After a review by the Charities Bureau of the Attorney Generals office, grants were awarded to: Grand Street Settlement, Henry Street Settlement, University Settlement, Community Healthcare Network (Catherine Abate Health Center), Chinese American Planning Council and the Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center. At last weeks meeting, District Manager Susan Stetzer said she conveyed concerns to the AGs office from CB3s executive committee about the lack of a public procedure for selecting grant awardees. While the organizations selected are widely respected, Stetzer pointed out there was no opportunity for other worthy groups to compete for the funds. A resolution approved by the committee, highlighted the lack of transparency in the funding decisions and requested an in-person explanation from the AGs office at an upcoming public meeting. Amy Spitalnick, the attorney generals press secretary told The Lo-Down, We are pleased that after a careful and comprehensive process, we are able to award these recovered funds to several highly regarded local organizations committed to serving vulnerable New Yorkers on the Lower East Side. She said the groups selected all have complementary missions to the former Rivington House nursing home. By funding these high performing local organizations, Spitalnick added, we can ensure that every dollar will be used to serve the communitys critical health care needs. Melissa Aase, executive director of University Settlement, was present at last Thursdays meeting. Her organization received an offer from the attorney generals office for a $200,000 grant. Aase has been an outspoken advocate for returning the Rivington House building to the local community, so she was surprised to get the phone call. Several people mentioned during the committee meeting that the grants are relatively small compared with the loss of one of the Lower East Sides last remaining nursing homes. Aase said she hopes to get together with the other grant recipients sometime soon to consider pooling their resources. The money, she suggested, might be used for a robust community process to develop a local health care needs plan. Also on hand for the meeting was K Webster, a leader of Neighbors to Save Rivington House, a local advocacy group. After the meeting, the organization put out a statement in support of the attorney generals office. It read, in part: The AGs Office fought hard to bring as much benefit as legally possible to confront the mess that was left here by the dealings of the Allure Group and the lack of competent oversight. The settlement makes clear that the AGs Office went to the mat on this within what was legally permissible. There was also discussion about another aspect of the settlement agreement, which requires Allure to open a, new skilled nursing facility or other healthcare facility primarily providing long-term care to the elderly or disabled. K Webster said she heard last week from the Allure Groups Joel Landau, who is hoping to line up community support for the new nursing home. The statement from Neighbors to Save Rivington House highlighted just how difficult its going to be for Allure to rebuild any kind of trust on the Lower East Side: This company betrayed the people they were entrusted to care for. Regardless of letters of the law they made promises to people. They chose to make enormous profit instead of fulfilling their moral and human obligation to those who were made vulnerable by illness, disability, poverty, racism and the stigma of AIDS/HIV. They have much to atone for if they are, as the settlements stipulations/oversight requirements posit, to return here to build and run a nursing home. Its a sentiment that was expressed by others at last weeks meeting. Susan Stetzer recalled her past dealings with Landau. When the Rivington House scandal broke in 2016, Stetzer said Landau deceived CB3, by telling her that hed never heard of the developer (Slate Property Group) that ultimately plunked down $116 million for Rivington House. On Tuesday evening, Stetzer said, The man outright lied When he lied to me he was lying to the community board. A representative of the AGs office is scheduled to take part in a meeting regarding the Rivington House settlement at the Manhattan Borough Presidents office later this week. While taking turns behind the wheel of a red Chevrolet sedan equipped with augmented reality technology, Carlson High School students learned the dangers of distracted driving. Wearing the augmented reality headset in the drivers seat, each student sees a virtual city projected before them on a visor and uses the cars fully functional steering wheel, pedals and blinkers to navigate on the virtual roads, complete with traffic and pedestrians on sidewalks. The AR headset still allows the driver to see their actual surroundings in the car for the distracted driving lesson. PHOTOS: Simulator shows real dangers of distracted driving After each student practiced on the simulator without any distractions on Jan. 31, they were instructed to drive the same course while texting on their phones, snapping selfies or reaching for a pair of sunglasses in the glove compartment. This is a lot harder than it looks, Carlson senior Stephen Sanders said as he tried to glance at the clock on his phone while avoiding a virtual reality collision. His peers watched his driving from a television screen and cheered him on, followed by cries of excitement after he swerved and crashed. Afterward, Sanders said the experience changed his perspective on driving and texting. Dont text and drive, he said. Dont reach for things you dont really need or things that you could get when youre at your destination. The Augmented Reality Distracted Driving Education Simulator (ARDDES) was created by the Grand Rapids-based nonprofit PEERS Foundation through funding from General Motors. The simulator was brought to Carlson through the schools Students Against Destructive Decisions and Stop Underage Drinking and Drugs, a coalition that exists through the Guidance Center in Southgate. Carlsons SADD president, Emilee Gootee, a sophomore who will be getting her drivers license at the end of the week, said she hopes the simulator will help her peers make smarter choices behind the wheel. She and a fellow SADD officer, Sydney DesJardins, also a sophomore wholl be taking her driving test soon, said they plan on keeping their phones out of sight and out of mind while driving. Gootee said she plans on plugging her phone into an auxiliary jack in the center console to listen to music while driving, and thats where itll remain. Im going to keep my phone in there, so I cant touch it, Gootee said. DesJardins said she syncs her phone to a Bluetooth speaker, and then keeps it out of reach. I legit throw my phone in the back seat, DesJardins said. The two SADD members hope their peers begin to adopt safer driving habits. Theyre continuing to raise awareness on distracted driving with another event next month. They wanted to focus on distracted driving because many of our club officers felt that distracted driving the texting, the Snapchat was almost a bigger threat to the student population, said Dawn Paultanis, Carlson teacher and club advisor. Its as big, if not bigger, than alcohol and drugs while driving. Anthony Harrison, a social worker and prevention field supervisor at The Guidance Center, said the simulator has a greater impact on students compared to a traditional assembly with a speaker talking about texting and driving. Its not just somebody talking about the dangers of distracted driving, he said. Theyre seeing firsthand exactly what it is, and the impact of distracted driving when theyre actually operating a vehicle. Gibraltar Mayor Jim Gorris and Gibraltar Police Chief Matthew Lawyer both attended the event and watched students use the simulator. They both agreed that its a great tool to get the message to teenagers who are beginning to drive and before they start developing-distracted driving habits. Distracted drivers cause accidents, sometimes fatal accidents, Lawyer said. I know were focusing on the kids today, but its not just a teenager problem. Were all guilty of it. The students will participate in a follow-up survey next month for the PEERS Foundation distracted driving research. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close This Week's Top Football Performers: Two players from top-rated Class 9A De Smet lead the way De Smet is the No. 1-rated Class 9A team in the state and the undefeated Bulldogs spearhead the list of area performers in Week 4 of the South Dakota high school football season. In Florida students will soon be able to take a course revolving around the late beloved rock star Tom Petty. The University of Florida announced a one-credit course coming thats all about Tom Petty, according to the Gainesville Sun. In the course only one book will be read: Petty: The Biography, by Warren Zanes. The class, which shares the same name as the book, is part of the honors programs (un)common reads. Students will read a chapter or two each week, analyse some of his lyrics, and take field trips around Gainesville to learn more about Petty. Petty was born and raised in Gainesville and often returned to his hometown with his band the Heartbreakers to perform at the universitys Stephen C. OConnell Center. Journalism professor Clay Calvert is teaching the class. Calvert told the Sun that he thinks students will be interested in reading about the beloved musician following Pettys October death and his start in Gainesville. There are probably a lot of students who arent familiar with him or his music, he said. Calvert said the book covers all aspects of Pettys life, including the highs and lows, as well as local music history. Source: Bradenton Herald remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Organisation: Zoe Recruitment Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda Salary Range: UGX 2,400,000 /= About US: Zoe Recruitment is an HR consultancy company that exists to contribute to the transformation of productivity and work ethic, by linking talent to business/organizations, and placing people right. At Zoe we believe this then forms the foundation for sustainable business and on a larger scale, economic growth. Zoe would like to recruit for a valuable client, a shipping company with a regional presence in East Africa. 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The Trump administration said companies and their executives act on Tabajas behalf, forming conduits of funding for the Lebanon-based militant group. We will be relentless in identifying, exposing, and dismantling Hezbollahs financial support networks globally, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. The Trump administration has made it a top priority to undermine Irans ability to stoke unrest and spread its influence throughout the region. Senior Trump administration officials said the U.S. estimates Iran sends Hezbollah about $700 million per year, arguing that Hezbollah has become the Iranian governments primary tool to project its power in the Arabic-speaking world. Formed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in 1982 to fight Israels invasion of Beirut, Hezbollah has morphed into a powerful political player in Lebanon, running its own media and communication channels and providing government-like services to followers in its strongholds. The U.S. considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization and has hit the group with sanctions before. Yet in targeting Hezbollah so forcefully, the Trump administration has raised difficult questions about how the U.S. can justify continued close ties to Lebanon. Hezbollah members are part of the Mediterranean nations coalition government, Lebanons president is a Hezbollah ally, and Israel insists the Lebanese military which the U.S. actively supports is inseparably intertwined with Hezbollah. And though European officials have argued Hezbollahs military and political wings are separate, Trump officials said the U.S. rejects that argument and believes theres no meaningful distinction between the two. This is the central contradiction at the heart of the Lebanon and Hezbollah policy, said Tony Badran, who researches Lebanon and Hezbollah at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He said past investigations had also exposed complicity or involvement by parts of Lebanons government in Hezbollahs money-laundering operations. More recently, the U.S. has grown concerned about the groups involvement in other conflicts, including in neighboring Syria, where its sent thousands of fighters to shore up Syrian President Bashar Assad. U.S. officials said Hezbollah is also helping train and advice Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen who are being pummeled by a Saudi-led coalition supported by the United States. Trump officials said more sanctions would be coming against Hezbollah, the results of an investigation into the group that President Donald Trump ordered last summer. They said there were dozens more financial networks linked to Hezbollah that could be targeted. The officials werent authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The first wave of penalties target Al-Inmaa Engineering Contracting, a company run by Tabaja and based in Hezbollahs stronghold south of Beirut. The construction company is mostly active in predominantly Shiite areas in Lebanon such as Beiruts southern suburbs and the southern market town of Nabatiyeh. We will no longer allow corrupt Hezbollah and other Iranian regime cronies to hide their crimes behind front companies, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Twitter. The other companies named Friday are mostly based in Africa, where tens of thousands of Lebanese many of them Shiites have been living for decades. Most of the individuals targeted had not been publicly known to be Hezbollah financiers and are not prominent names in Lebanon. The sanctions freeze any assets in the U.S. and bar Americans from dealing with those being sanctioned. Although Hezbollah associates are unlikely to have significant assets in the United States, officials said the U.S. has specific information about the banking networks used by Tabaja in Africa and elsewhere. One official said the U.S. was coordinating with the governments in those countries to ensure that Tabaja has a very bad day today in terms of his finances. (AP) (By: Mrs. Temima Weinhaus) A mini-Agudah convention. That is how one community member described this past weeks Agudah Shabbos of Chizuk in South Bend, Indiana. The guests and their families visiting for the weekend were Rabbi Ahron Levitansky, Rosh Mechina, Telshe Yeshiva of Cleveland, Rabbi A.D. Motzen, National Director of State Relations at Agudath Israel of America, as well as Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President of Agudath Israel of America, Friday morning began with Rabbi Zweibels visit to Yeshiva Gedola of South Bend to speak to the high school boys, encourage them, and participate in their learning. He then visited Bais Yaakov High School of Indiana explaining what Agudas Yisroel stands for and that they strive to meet the needs of Klal Yisroel wherever and whenever. Rabbi Zweibel also visited the South Bend Hebrew Day School and after enjoying a tour with the principal, Rabbi Feivi Arnstein, spoke to the middle school boys with uplifting words of chizuk. Throughout Shabbos, the community had multiple opportunities to hear speakers address the theme of Striving for Greatness. Despite the frigid and snowy weather, close to 60 people attended a Friday night oneg hosted by Rabbi Shragi and Rivky Lerman. Rabbi Levitansky, Rabbi Zwiebel, and Rabbi Meir Bulman, Rav of Hebrew Orthodox Congregation, spoke movingly about the theme of the Shabbos, encouraging the community as a whole and as individuals to aspire greater heights of kedusha. Shabbos morning, the Rabbonim spoke at local shuls, inspiring their audience at each venue. On Shabbos afternoon, the women of South Bend gathered at the home of Ted and Razel Lerman for Shalosh Seudos and to hear a shiur from Rebbetzin Rivka Levitansky, renowned speaker, educator and parenting instructor on the topic of speech, encouraging the women to be especially sensitive when speaking to others. The men ate Shalosh Seudos at Hebrew Orthodox and enjoyed another shiur by Rabbi Levitansky. Motzoei Shabbos, after another lively session of Avos Ubanim which included the esteemed guests and a short shiur for the boys by Rabbi Levitansky, a gala Melaveh Malka was held for the entire community. Close to 200 people attended the elegant and delicious Melaveh Malka, which included a beautiful performance by the South Bend Boys Choir. Rabbi Bulman described in detail the strong and crucial relationship the frum community in South Bend has with Agudath Israel of America. Rabbi Levitansky spoke about the remarkable growth he has personally witnessed in the South Bend Orthodox community and encouraged everyone to strengthen themselves in their personal and communal avodah. In introducing Rabbi Motzen, Mr. Mike Lerman described how he has personally watched Agudath Israels involvement advocating for Indianas scholarship tax credit and voucher programs which together generated $850,000 in scholarships for South Bend Hebrew Day School families this year. Rabbi Motzen described how Agudath Israel was just one part of a larger effort which succeeded because of the help of many people including members of the South Bend community. He emphasized that one way for people to play a role in these accomplishments is to become an Agudah member. He explained that legislators want to know how many members an organization has and the more voters it represents, the more powerful that organization (and the community it represents) becomes. Rabbi Zwiebel ended the evening with a keynote address, pointing out that this Shabbos of Chizuk was meant to be encouraging to the community, when, in fact, he was the one going home with tremendous chizuk by experiencing the vibrancy of Torah life in South Bend. He drew an interesting parallel to the Parsha, Parshas Yisro. Yisro had to see Klal Yisrael for himself to truly believe the miracles and the greatness that they had experienced. Likewise, Rabbi Zwiebel explained with deep emotion, how he had to come all the way to South Bend, Indiana, to truly understand and realize the beauty and strength of the frum community. He spoke words of chizuk insisting that what he experienced over the weekend proved to him that the community in South Bend was a pulsating place of Torah. Rabbi Zwiebel said that the founders of Agudas Yisroel more than 100 years ago envisioned a movement that would unite all types of Jews in all geographic areas. A Shabbos of Chizuk in a community like South Bend is a fulfillment of that dream. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) (PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE) Today we had the honor to witness Jose Donderis who serves as the Chief of SINAPROC (The National Protection & Civil Defense and Homefront Command of Panama) present United Hatzalahs President and Founder Eli Beer with an award honoring the organizational partnership shared between the two in saving lives. The award was given due to the collaboration in life-saving in recent years between the two organizations in the small Central American Country. Task of saving lives is the highest priority of first responders in both organizations who have shown professionalism and teamwork, said Donderis. Mr. Donderis received a blessing from Chief Rabbi of Panama, Rabbi David Perets, who is a supporter of United Hatzalah of Panama and bequeathed the blessing in the presence of its volunteers. President and Founder of United Hatzalah Eli Beer said on the momentous occasion that: It is a great honor to receive this award from the head of the Homefront Command in Panama. The relationship between what you at the Homefront command do and what the United Hatzalah of Panama volunteers do every day is incredibly successful and one of a kind. I am proud to bring this back to Israel and display it in our headquarters to share with all of the volunteers in Israel. I know that our two organizations save lives together here and I want to say Kol Hakavod to you for your part in helping us help others. Thank you for helping to save lives in Panama, said Donderis. You have a great team that does great work to help all the people of Panama. We look forward to continuing to save lives with you here in Panama. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photos: Donderis and Beer meet with members of United Hatzalah of Panama Credit: United Hatzalah Panama) Israels Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gadi Eizenkot briefed the cabinet on Sunday morning in an unusual security briefing. Among the statements made by Eizenkot he said: The IDF has no intention of secularizing anyone. The service that is done by men and women serving in mixed units is a result of operational considerations. Our goal is to win in wartime. Eizenkots statements were the result of a groundswell campaign of Rabbis on the right-wing side of the modern orthodox spectrum who have recently chastised the Chief of Staff for allowing mixed units in the IDF. Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, head of Yeshivat Ateret Kohanim and the Chief Rabbi of the town of Beit El instructed a young man to refuse to serve if he were put into a mixed unit. According to Rabbi Aviner the man would be encouraged to serve once the problem was sorted out and he was placed in a non-mixed unit. Chief Rabbi of Tzefat, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu even went so far as to call for Eizenkots resignation due to his mishandling of this sensitive subject. Eizenkot is currently attempting to smooth out the issue. Rabbi Aviner responded today to the Defense Ministers decision to prevent him from appearing before soldiers and said that this attests to a positive trend with regards to the problem. If they shut someone mouth so that he cannot speak, this is a sign that they have nothing intelligent and forthright t respond to him. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Phone talks Vodafone has played down reports of a takeover of US cable company Liberty Global, saying it is in early talks to buy just some of its European assets. It comes as Vodafone blamed the negative impact of its Dutch joint venture with Liberty for sending its revenues falling 3.6 per cent to 10.3bn in the three months to December 31. Hit hard: Vodafone's revenues have fallen 3.6 per cent to 10.3bn in the three months to December 31 Tabloid takeover Daily Mirror owner Trinity Mirror is set to seal a 127m purchase of rival publisher Northern & Shell this week, according to reports. The deal will see the billionaire owner of Northern & Shell Richard Desmond hand over titles including the Daily Star, Sunday Express and celebrity magazine OK! Bagging sales Profits at handbag maker Radley fell from 1.8m to 1.2m in the year to April 30 as it reported an 11 per cent rise in sales to 47.1m. The company said profits were hit as it restructured teams and paid off legal costs following a change in ownership in June 2016. Record exports British financial services enjoyed a record year of exports in 2016, soaring by almost 16 per cent to 95.7bn. A report by TheCityUK revealed a marked departure from four years of stagnation where exports increased by just 0.9 per cent a year on average. Airport row British Airways owner Willie Walsh has hit out at Heathrows monopoly on its terminals, saying that the airports expansion would provide an opportunity to create competition by allowing independent firms to take control of landing slots. Bust builders More than 2,600 UK construction companies fell into insolvency during 2016/17, rising 8 per cent compared to a year earlier, according to accountants Moore Stephens. Current account customers handed over an average of 152 each in banking fees last year, effectively putting an end to the myth of free banking. Foreign usage, monthly account fees, overdraft costs and charges for bounced payments were all included within the average cost. Given there are around 65 million active current accounts in the UK, this means the banks could have made nearly 10 billion in fees, according to the figures from savings app Plum. The research, which looked at 11,217 current accounts, showed that only 7 per cent (770 users) paid no bank fees at all. Bill shock: Banks slap customers with hefty fees for borrowing and use abroad Overdraft fees Over half (57 per cent) of the 152 average annual cost to current account customers came from using an overdraft and 56 per cent of account holders, or 6,276 people, used their overdraft, dipping in to the red at least once in the year. The average fees paid by just those who use their overdraft was much higher 221, on average according to Plum. Overdraft costs vary dramatically, but some - including NatWest and TSB charge monthly fees of up to 6 with interest of up to 20 per cent loaded on top. Flat-rate daily fees have also become popular. Halifax, for example, charges 1p per 7 borrowed and Santander applies a daily fee of up to 3 depending on the amount you borrow. Packaged accounts Paid-for packaged current accounts that usually come with insurance can be a cost effective way of buying insurance, with many bundling mobile, travel and breakdown cover into one monthly account fee. But many people have been mis-sold these accounts in the past and could be paying for 'perks' they don't need or can't use. So make sure to check your statement. You can find out more about how to reclaim fees for mis-sold accounts in our guide here. Unexpected borrowing can cost even more. For example, First Direct and Barclays both charge 5 per day. Add-ons The next largest slice of the 152 average fee (at 27 per cent) was made up of monthly account charges or unspecified fees - which can include the cost of payments made or bounced by the bank that take you beyond your limit that are are commonly known as paid and unpaid item or transaction fees. These payments typically cost between 5 and 10 each. Some of the worst offenders include Post Office, which applies an even higher 15 unpaid item fee, while Metro Bank charges 10. Over the course of the year, some customers shelled out as much as 75 in total for paid and unpaid items, according to Plum. Chat bot: Plum works out how much cash it can sweep into a savings pot for you And around a quarter of the total charges (approximately 41) came from more general charges such as any insurance add-ons, according the the research. Foreign exchange fees made up 11 per cent of the fees slapped on current account customers, setting the average person back by 16 per year. Finally the cost of cost of late payments accounted for 6 per cent. MBABANE - Car racing is dangerous by nature but cars keep getting faster and competition has become more aggressive. Over 400 car lovers gathered together at Riders Ranch, Sidvokodvo last Saturday as it was the first ever World of Motorsport Swaziland competition. Car racers registered to take part in the competition whereby they raced each other and cars like the BMW, Alteeza, Audi and Toyota took part in the competition. Car racers of the day included Paul Craig, Ricky, Fernando, Sheldon and Joseph. Through the courtesy of World of Motorsport Swaziland, bikers and car spinners were given a chance to race each other as pre-trials and a build-up to the main competition finals. The finals have a grand prize of E50 000 and a date will be confirmed soon. While most revellers anticipated a day of spinning and drag racing, they seemed to be confused at first as to what the day was about, as most anticipated the E50 000 race competition. Racing However, the MC, Nqabayoxolo Ginindza made it clear to them that the day was about racing and unleashing how much speed each car or rather bike had compared to the others. He also explained that World of Motorsport Swaziland decided to do the pre trials before the main competition, as it was the first of its kind to be hosted locally. We want the drivers prepared on the day of the E50 000 finale, and they must know exactly what will be expected of them, explained Ginindza. DJ Twenty11 kept the crowd on its toes as they would dance to the music he dished out on the day. Speaking to one of the organisers of the event, Banele Dlamini said the reason why they were doing this show was because they had noticed how the spinning and drifting shows that they had hosted before had become standard. UNITED States President Donald Trump has since apologised to African leaders for his incendiary reference to their countries as sh*tholes and presumably they have accepted his propitiatory posture of regret and remorse but the question is, does anyone seriously believe him. And what if Trump had not apologised? Personally, I am under no illusion about the sincerity of Trumps apology given his continued denial of the fact he was merely retreating to the customary diplomatic etiquette under whose cloak scoundrel African leaders often seek refuge whenever they are under siege from external forces for the atrocities they commit against their people. In fact, there is a big chance Trumps sentiments are common currency among leaders outside Africa but are being hidden under the cloak of diplomatic etiquette. Had I believed in the sincerity of Trumps apology I would be asking myself the question of to whom he was apologising exactly the African leadership collective or the African people at large? That question is germane because the African populations with an exception of a minority of cronies, bootlickers, sycophants, etc that are shoring up despotic leaders are not responsible for the mess that Africa is in but their leaders. Indeed African leaders with an exception of a very small minority - deserve everything that is thrown at them. The mass migration of Africans to Trumps America over which he is very much aggrieved being the ultra-racist that he is - and elsewhere is largely caused by authoritarian and dictatorial regimes across Africa, whose net outcome is the wholesale suffering of their people manifesting itself through poverty, disease, extra-Judiciary censor and persecution, ethnic cleansing and other crimes against humanity. Conversely, the tin pot dictators not forgetting their coterie of cronies, which often includes the military - that are the rancour of the Trumps of this world live on the laps of luxury ostensibly because they control the economic levers as well as the exploitation of their respective countries natural resources. In essence the apology is to the African masses - certainly not leaders - who are themselves the victims of bad governance perpetrated by morally bankrupt leaders whose hegemony is often enforced by the barrel of a gun. This brings me to the question of what the African leadership would have done had Trump not apologised over his toxic reference to African countries. NOTHING! I say that in full confidence. This position is informed by the truism that it is countries like the US and others in Europe that regularly pick up the pieces when the natural disasters, which African leaders are a part of, have ruined their countries. It is countries like the US that provide humanitarian interventions to restore the integrity of African people by cushioning their suffering and making their miserable lives bearable. The abortive response African leaders meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the auspices of the useless African Union (AU) talk-shop the previous weekend had prepared - abandoned after receiving Trumps letter of apology would have been a waste of time since it would not have served any meaningful purpose whatsoever. After all Africa needs the USA more than Americans need Africa. As I see it, besides lacking the moral high ground to condemn Trump, ruinous African leaders recognise and are appreciative of the external assistance, which they regularly loot, they receive from the US and elsewhere and would not want to burn their bridges assuming they had the wherewithal to achieve that. Put bluntly, the majority of African leaders are politically beholden to the US and other nations elsewhere for their positive interventions in alleviating the sufferings of Africans. However, often times it is not because those countries coming to the aid of Africa are good natured but simply because they are complicit for causing many of the continents challenges, such as transforming the continent into a theatre of war and where new weaponry is tested. As it were, some of the worst dictators were groomed and nurtured by these so-called philanthropic external governments just so they could collaborate in exploiting Africas natural resources such as minerals that are driving their economies. That Africa is home to some of the wealthiest leaders in the world is not surprising because they are accountable to themselves and not the people. As usual, the AU turns a blind eye to many of the atrocities happening under its very nose, thus validating Trumps posture on Africa. The election of Rwandan President Paul Kagame, a leader with no democratic credential but well-known for persecuting his political opponents, as AU chairman during its recent summit is further proof of African leaderships love relationship with dictators. The AU has also failed dismally not only in resolving the many conflicts that define Africa today but to enforce some of its ethos, such as a plural body politic, across the continent even though its members are signatory to the relevant conventions. Perhaps the one positive that has come out of the Trump insult is the need to reassess the value of diplomatic etiquette on the worlds body politic. The fact is diplomatic etiquette has provided refuge to errant leaders who treat their countries like private farms and the people like farm-hands. These are the leaders who previously used sovereignty of their nations to defend their misrule and unfettered hold on power. MBABANE It is often said that development comes at a price; for government, the quotation for the new Tinkhundla Centres stands at E126 million. The Minister of Tinkhundla Administration and Development Mduduzi Small Joe Dlamini, in an interview yesterday, said the budget for the construction of one Inkhudla was about E7 million. According to the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), there are five new Tinkhundla centres that need to be constructed, three existing ones that have no structures, and 10 that have to be relocated. This tallies the number to 18 Tinkhundla at E7 million each. Justifying the cost, Dlamini said the structures would accommodate more government departments to facilitate decentralisation. He explained that people would be able to get all government services from the centres. He said this was part of the Kings directive which they had to execute and added that they were grateful to Their Majesties for the additional Tinkhundla as that would ease service delivery. The new structures will cost around E6 million to E7 million. They will accommodate almost all essential services for people, Dlamini said. The minister said they would consider the availability of government funds and this did not mean anything was conclusive. He said they were still considering some logistics on the matter. Two weeks ago, the EBC announced the names of the five new Tinkhundla namely, Phondo, Siphocosini, Nkomiyahlaba, Gilgal, and Mashayekhatsi, which will increase the number of tinkhundla centres to 59 following the merging of Hlane and Dvokodvweni tinkhundla. The EBC also announced that three existing Tinkhundla would be built while 10 would be relocated. When Dlamini was asked whether all these tinkhundla structures would be built this year, he declined to comment. MBABANE The public wants justice for murdered businessman Victor Gamedze and seems to be willing to test the deepest waters to get it. After the Royal Swaziland Police Service publicly announced the three names of the suspects in the murder case, some Facebook users took turns to hurl insults at one of the suspects, Mbuso Ncaza Nkosi. By midday yesterday, Nkosis Facebook account was deactivated and the strings of messages on his timeline were no longer visible. The aggrieved users took turns to post on Nkosis timeline that he was wanted in Swaziland while some did not hide what they would do to him in the event they crossed paths with him. Some of the users posted through their seemingly authentic accounts and did not hide their personal information as they threatened the suspected murderer. However, the suspect did not respond to any of the comments, but instead, he deactivated his Facebook account. Many of those who posted comments reminded him that the long arm of the law would soon catch up with him. In other Facebook forums, the people who posted the messages to Nkosi were described as stupid as they claimed that this would affect police investigations. Although not confirmed by the police, the Times SUNDAY reported that Nkosi is believed to be the shooter in the video that shows Gamedzes last moments. It seems the disabling of the suspects Facebook account will not deter the local police as the Acting Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Assistant Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said they were not disturbed by what happened on social media as they were experts in their line of work. Vilakati stated that they had their own ways of getting deep into a matter and accessing information. This was after she was asked whether the Facebook account would not have helped police capture the suspects and whether the public comments blew chances of Nkosi and his accomplices being apprehended. Vilakati stated that they were working together with their external partners to ensure that the suspects were brought to book. She said investigators did not leave a matter with other bodies. Nkosi was officially announced as a suspect in the murder of Gamedze last Friday along with an unidentified suspect. Another suspect and Mbabane socialite Sicelo Dzodzo Zikalala\Luthango was announced by the police last Wednesday. This brought the number of wanted suspects to three while businessman Sipho Shongwe is in the Matsapha Maximum Correctional facility in connection with the murder. Another suspects name is still is yet to be released by the police. MBABANE Where drugs are involved there is a possibility of death. A family is mourning the death of their relative who allegedly died in the hands of bucopho (chiefdom councillor) and three other men at Emfeni. Emfeni is an area situated under Maphalaleni Constituency. Bucopho is an elected person who forms part of the constituency team during the national elections. The main mandate of Bucopho is to connect the constituents from different chiefdoms with the Inkhundla as far as development is concerned. It is alleged that Mfanasibili Bakhulu Maphosa lost his life during punishment meted on him by the court which deals with dagga thieves in the area. The bucopho of the area, Jimson Mamba, is alleged to be a member of the kangaroo court which deals with dagga thieves in the area. It is said that there were two options if dagga thieves were caught stealing dagga from the fields. Information gathered from the residents of the area was to the effect that thieves were given an option to either pay a fine for the stolen dagga or get punished. It is said that after Maphosa failed to pay the fine for allegedly stealing the dagga, the kangaroo court decided that he be punished in a way that would serve as a deterrent to other would-be thieves. Those who watched helplessly when the punishment was meted on Maphosa alleged that he was stripped naked before he was paraded in full view of the public. The eyewitnesses said while being paraded in public, Maphosa was assaulted with sticks and stones all over his body. He apologised but nobody cared about him since punishing people who are accused of stealing dagga has become a norm in the area, said one of the residents of the area. The witness further alleged that it was too late to save Maphosas life when the police arrived as he was severely assaulted. Maphosa died while undergoing treatment at the Piggs Peak Government Hospsital where he was rushed to by the police. A couple from Lodi just took the wedding game to new heights. Professional highliners Kimberly Weglin and Ryan Jenks, who co-founded the instructional and community site Slackademics, wanted to celebrate their vows by paying homage to the way they fell in love: at a slacklining festival in Moab, Utah called GGBY. To do so, they took to the same canyon where the festival is held, strung up a huge, 2,000-square foot "spacenet" modified by the best man, "Sketchy" Andy Lewis, and got married on it while it was suspended 400 feet in the air. Jenks believes it's the biggest net of its kind, after Lewis added two additional miles worth of paracord to stabilize it for the ceremony. Three years ago, Jenks took Weglin on a two-week-long road trip to Yosemite, Las Vegas, and Zion, eventually ending up at a slacklining festival in Moab. It was their second date, as it happened, but they now consider the event their anniversary, as they told wedding site Green Wedding Shoes. "This festival is the only time of year we get to see ALL of our friends from all over the world (Europe, South America, Australia, Iceland, and Canada) all in one place, so it made sense for us to get engaged there and get married there," Weglin told the site. "Not to mention, this may be one of the only destination weddings that was actually convenient for 99.9 percent of its guests!" Obviously, the logistics of planning the ceremony presented a huge challenge. Cell service was spotty, they explain, and the weather couldn't have been predicted. They also needed to comply with the land agencies' conservation requests (like shuttling people in on a bus, as opposed to multiple cars), and hold the ceremony the day before the festival was due to start. Lastly, there was the issue of creating an netted aisle sturdy enough to walk on something that didn't exist before. "We had to literally invent a 'spacenet aisle,' make sure it was safe to walk on, and get it rigged closely enough to the cliff in a new location to make sure our guests can hear and see everything and the wireless microphones would work," she says. Only the (harnessed) couple, officiant, and a few others stood on the netting during the ceremony the guests and the rest of the wedding party stayed put and watched from nearby but there were still a few curveballs they threw in to the ceremony. For one, the "flower girls" were all "extremely experienced base jumpers," and the couple had them leap from the cliff, spreading petals on the way down. They also recruited "highliners, aerialists, acrobats, fire spinners, and musicians" to take part in the days events, which concluded with a rave until sunrise. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The ceremony, then, became the pinnacle of uniqueness, but it sounds like that's exactly how they liked it. "It was quite the adventure and was everything we hoped it would be, and even more," Jenks told SFGATE, Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira. Albany Two blockchain companies based in Albany are joining forces and planning to hire around 130 people by the end of 2019. HashChain Technology Inc. (TSXV:KASH) (OTCQB: HSSHF) is acquiring NODE40 for $14 million in cash and stock combined, a move that will allow both companies to diversify and expand their services. On Tuesday HashChain's stock was 43 cents per share on the OTCQB Venture Market and 54 cents on the TSX Venture Exchange. HashChain is a cryptocurrency mining company, while NODE40 provides dash masternode services and cryptocurrency reporting software that helps assess gains, losses and other information for tax purposes. Blockchains act as ledgers that record cryptocurrency transactions, with each record serving as a block. "Diversifying our offerings helps address the market volatility of cryptocurrency," said Sean Ryan, co-founder and chief technology officer of NODE40. Determining tax liability for bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and reporting it is a growing concern among cryptocurrency users, said NODE40 co-founder and chief strategy officer Perry Woodin. He noted that last year a California judge ordered San Francisco-based Coinbase, a platform for buying and selling cryptocurrencies, to turn over data on thousands of accounts to the Internal Revenue Service, as reported by Techcrunch. "Any time people are using cryptocurrency they've triggered a taxable event, but people may not be aware of the tax guidelines," Woodin said. Woodin and Ryan met HashChain CEO and co-founder Patrick Gray less than a year ago through an accountant both companies had sought out for tax assistance. While their companies were both based in Albany and they were working in the same field, they'd never crossed paths before. HashChain has some of its operations in Canada, and Gray is also a co-founder of sCube, based at NYBizLab in Schenectady. They plan to hire around 30 people by December and another 100 in 2019 as the companies integrate and scale their services, and they are looking for office space in downtown Albany. Currently both companies have about 12 employees combined. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The Capital Region's tech community and talent they can draw on from the colleges and universities in the area make Albany an ideal location, Gray said. "The larger goal is to become the biggest blockchain technology company in the world," Gray said. miszler@timesunion.com 518-454-5018 @madisoniszler Schenectady The trial starts Monday against a former city building inspector who prosecutors allege did such negligent work that it led to four people being killed in a massive apartment fire across from City Hall in March 2015. Kenneth Tyree, 54, is facing manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges in a case that has forced reforms within city government, as Tyree had a previous felony conviction that should have excluded him from being a building inspector. The head of Schenectady's building office at the time of the fatal fire, Eric Shilling, committed suicide while the Schenectady County District Attorney's Office was investigating the case. The DA's office, however, has said Shilling was not a focus of the investigation. Prosecutors say Tyree claimed he inspected the apartment building's fire alarm system one day before the fire and found it operational even though the system had not been functioning for three months before the fire. Last month, Jason Sacks, who was supposed to be managing the apartment building at 104 Jay St., pleaded guilty to four counts of criminally negligent homicide for not ensuring the fire alarm panel worked or having fire doors in hallway stairwells. He will be sentenced March 23 to one to three years in state prison. The case against Tyree is scheduled for trial because he rejected a plea deal from the district attorney's office. Sacks could emerge as a key witness for the prosecution since the terms of this plea deal call for him to testify against Tyree. Police and prosecutors have said the early morning fire, which started at 104 Jay St. and spread next door to 100-102 Jay St., started accidentally in Apartment C1 on the fourth floor, possibly ignited by a cigarette, candles or incense that were left on a recliner in the apartment of Harry Simpson. Simpson died in the fire, as did Jermaine Allen, 37; Allen's girlfriend, Berenices Suarez, 33; and Robert Thomas, 31. Both buildings were badly damaged by the flames, and the city demolished them. The day after the blaze, Shilling told the Times Union that the day before the fire his staff conducted a full inspection of all 20 apartments and found the building had an expired alarm certification. But, he said, that didn't necessarily mean the alarms were broken. In court filings, prosecutors allege street cameras show Tyree in the Mont Pleasant neighborhood at the same time he said he was at the Jay Street apartment building inspecting it the day before the fire. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The city is also facing multiple civil lawsuits concerning the blaze, which not only attack the building department, but have claimed the hydrants in front of the building were not working. City officials have denied that claim. Tyree has also told investigators that Sacks offered him a $20 bribe concerning an inspection on a different property, and that Tyree rejected it and told a supervisor in City Hall about it, according to the court records filed in the case. Tyree is also charged with lying on his application to work for the city, neglecting to disclose a 1986 felony conviction for criminal possession of a forged instrument. He was previously sentenced to two to four years in prison in connection with a bank scam, and now faces new forgery charges in the fire case. Recently, Schenectady officials announced reforms, including appointing Assistant Police Chief Jack Falvo as head of the buildings department. Last fall, City Council passed a resolution requiring mandatory criminal background checks and fingerprinting of all potential city employees. Previously, only public safety employees were subject to the additional scrutiny. But city officials then realized the move has to be a law, not just a resolution, to check state criminal databases. A public hearing on the law is scheduled for this month. Meanwhile, Tyree could face five to 15 years in prison if convicted. pnelson@timesunion.com 518-454-5347 @apaulnelson Guilderland All that Guilderland High School senior Arnav Kannan needed was a big room for a summit that would play out like a snark-free version of the TV hit "Shark Tank," where aspiring local teenagers could pitch their inventions to local business leaders. "Shark Tank's" wannabe entrepreneurs present their products to a panel of millionaires who respond with one of two things: soul-annihilating criticism, or an offer to invest in the contestant's startup. Kannan wanted the Capital Region's teen inventors and creators to get advice and mentoring from local business leaders and a chance to win prizes like gift cards to make their products a lucrative reality. He called the concept StartUp High School NY. "I dream of working in Silicon Valley, then I realized there are plenty of tech industry and business experts here to learn from," Kannan said. "But so many venues rejected me when I asked about getting a conference room for StartUp High. They thought I was too young to organize it." Then he landed an impressive mentor of his own, UAlbany new ventures manager Robert Manasier, who launched his own landscaping company at age 13. It was so successful, it paid Manasier's way through college. He is now CEO of his own company, In Focus Brands. "Getting doors slammed in your face without crying is a necessary skill for entrepreneurs," Manasier said, laughing. "I loved Arnav's idea. The economy is so unpredictable, everyone needs to be exposed to the entrepreneurial mind set, the sooner the better. Talent to run a successful company is genetic. But everyone can learn entrepreneurial skills like pivoting from a mistake rather than repeating it and networking real relationships." Manasier found a campus conference room for Kannan and recruited 14 mentors for StartUp High on Jan. 27. Tyler Rooney, an In Focus Brands manager, volunteered to help organize the summit. Guilderland High teacher Joan McGrath brought Kannan to a December conference for area high school business teachers where he publicized the summit. So many students wanted to attend that some had to be turned away. "We felt bad about that but I explained this was a beta test so we needed to stick with a manageable number, about 50 students for our first StartUp," Manasier said. Submitted ideas ranged from an app that restaurant waitstaff or party hosts can use to keep track of guest food allergies to a process that converts human table scraps into dog food. Guilderland High School freshman Suhan Suresh was part of a four-member team whose invention was called Smart Cabinet, sort of a mini-fridge with sensors inside that track when foods stored in their compartments are about to go bad. "Smart Cabinet will automatically collect all this data and send a grocery list to your phone through the app," Suresh said. FuzeHub's Julianne Clouthier was impressed by the team's idealistic desire to curb food waste but knew she also needed to help them focus pragmatically on the market for their product since there are apps already available that track grocery expiration dates. "I wanted to help them identify their competitors so they could figure out ways to differentiate their product from their rivals," she said. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Shaker High seniors Faiyaj Khan and Jeremy Chen attended with schematics of their invention, the Everyday UVC Cleaner, a box that uses UVC light to cleanse bacteria-infested objects like toothbrushes or cellphone covers. The two are in a class that teaches how to apply engineering fundamentals to everyday problems. "Bringing (our invention) into the recent Saturday conference, we learned how to shape an idea into a business that thrives," said Khan, who has been accepted to RPI as a biochemistry major. The teams must submit a video commercial for their products by Feb. 20. Next month, they will pitch their creations to a judges' panel for a chance to win prizes like gift cards or a service like producing a prototype of the invention. Manasier has a theory that scientists are often like artists, brilliant dreamers who possess zero financial shrewdness. He points to the cautionary example of genius electrical engineer and physicist Nikola Tesla who died penniless and obscure while rival inventor Thomas Edison flourished partly thanks to his scorched-earth business skills. "Part of what I hope the kids can learn is they might need to partner with a solid entrepreneur or get a license rather than run their own company," he said. "That's a good lesson for all of us." lyedwards@timesunion.com 518-454-5403 Colonie Town officials are diverting some waste from the nearly-full Route 9 landfill in a bid to buy time as the state weighs a disputed plan to double the size of the facility. The town has been shifting construction and demolition debris to a nearby landfill in Rensselaer, a step that is staving off the day when the town landfill hits its state-mandated capacity, said Colonie Public Works Engineer Matt McGarry. Taking the construction waste to the Dunn landfill in Rensselaer is diverting about 160 tons a day from the Colonie facility, he said. But the town this month likely will have to start cutting back the amount of municipal solid waste being accepted to further stretch out the landfill's capacity, he said. However, the Dunn landfill is being targeted itself by local opponents who want it closed due to its proximity to the nearby Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. The landfill has a state permit good through July 2022. Currently, the state Department of Environmental Conservation is weighing Colonie's request to double the capacity of the landfill located along a bend in the Mohawk River, a plan that is opposed by the neighboring towns of Halfmoon and Waterford, as well as the environmental group Riverkeeper. While the town's state landfill permit expired at the end of December, the DEC is allowing the facility to continue running on an extension while the expansion plan is under review. However, the state-imposed maximum capacity remains in force. Last fall, figures provided by the DEC from the town's annual landfill report indicated the facility could hit full capacity as early as February, if the town continued accepting trash at past rates. The state is continuing its review of the town's proposal to expand the dump in a 132-acre section of the already capped landfill called Area 7. There, new trash could ultimately be piled up to eight stories high during the next two decades. Part of that site includes 50 acres where hazardous waste was dumped by Colonie until the early 1980s. The DEC classifies this area, which does not include an underground liner to help collect potential pollution from seeping into the ground, as an inactive hazardous waste site. In opposing the expansion, Waterford and Halfmoon officials are concerned downward pressure caused by tons of new trash could squeeze out loose "alluvial" soils and possibly existing pollution from the old hazardous waste site underground in the direction of the nearby river. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. In 2011, Colonie agreed to lease its landfill to Texas-based Waste Connections Inc., which also owns the Dunn facility in Rensselaer, said McGarry. The 25-year agreement gave Colonie $23.8 million up front, plus another $33.5 million over the life of the deal, with cash incentives for expanding the facility. The town applied for the landfill expansion in August 2016. The DEC asked for more information and took public comments until early July of last year. Waterford and Halfmoon asked the DEC for a hearing before an administrative law judge more than a year ago, but had not gotten a response so far. BRATTLEBORO, Vt. (AP) "Who wouldn't love to get puppies for Valentine's Day?" Marianne Monoc, the development director at Windham County Humane Society, asked. Windham County Humane Society is trying something new this Valentine's Day. In Vernon, Newfane, Dummerston and Brattleboro loved ones can send each other puppies. The puppies are all adoptable. Each one will carry a little backpack with Lake Champlain Chocolates and a personalized card inside. Each puppy will have a handler and delivery person with them, Monoc said. For 30 minutes people can cuddle, play and hang out with a puppy. Originally the deliveries were only going to be made in Brattleboro, Monoc said. But once the Humane Society announced the event on Facebook, a flood of enthusiasm followed. Monoc said the Humane Society decided to expand the program to meet demand. The idea, she said, is something other societies have implemented and seen success with. "It's just something to be a little more creative," she said. Each puppygram will cost $50 and the proceeds will go to the Humane Society; but the event isn't just to raise funds, it's also to raise the Humane Society's profile. Monoc said that while the Humane Society has a pretty good profile, she'd like to see an even greater one. This year, she said, there is going to be more focus on community engagement and development. "I think people just think we receive animals and adopt them out," she said, adding that the Humane Society does much more than that. There are programs, she said, that support both pets and families, such as the Pet Care Assistance Program for families that struggle to provide for their pets. "We don't want to separate pets from their families," Monoc said. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The program gives families free pet clinics, pet food assistance, and basic preventive care. There also are programs for dog training and spay and neuter clinics. Monoc hopes the puppygrams will encourage more people to volunteer, donate or just stop in to check out the Humane Society. She thinks the concept itself is pretty cool. Though she works with animals she'd still "totally love to receive a puppygram." She also said she'd be sending puppygrams to her loved ones and that some special volunteers might get some as a thank you. ___ Online: http://bit.ly/2EjuR6R TROY A city detective whose connection to a questionable home search was exposed by his fellow-cop son retired Friday the day he was arraigned on felonies and misdemeanors accusing him of a role in the alleged cover-up of the warrantless search by the police departments drug unit. Detective John A. Comitale Jr. retired after serving 29 years with the department as a sealed indictment was opened Friday charging him and Detective Sgt. Ronald L. Epstein, the unit commander, in a case that stems from a June 9, 2017, entry into a second-floor apartment at 112 Oakwood Ave. A special Rensselaer County grand jury charged Epstein and Comitale with second-degree criminal facilitation, a felony, for not taking possession of the four ounces of cocaine discovered in the apartment. Both pleaded not guilty Friday when they were arraigned in Rensselaer County Court. Comitale is part of a family with several generations that have served in the Troy Police Department. He is the son of retired Detective Sgt. John Comitale and the father of Detective Joshua Comitale. The investigation of the drug unit developed when Detectives Joshua Comitale and Chris McDonald reported the alleged incident to superior officers. During the search, an acrimonious exchange developed among the detectives as questions were raised about what was transpiring, city and police officials said at the time. The drug unit went to 112 Oakwood Ave., acting on a tip that the younger Comitale had developed with the Schenectady police, according to Troy police sources familiar with what occurred. The two detectives returned to duty within two weeks of the June 9, 2017, incident. The remaining members of the Firearms Interdiction and Narcotics Unit, the formal name for the drug unit, have remained on paid administrative leave Columbia County District Attorney Paul Czajka emphasized several times Friday after the arraignments that younger members of the Troy Police Department risked their careers in stepping forward to report through the chain of command what had happened when the unit went to 112 Oakwood Ave. This is a story of several courageous young Troy police officers who came forward at great risk to themselves and their careers to stop this. I commend them, said Czajka, who was named special prosecutor for the case after Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel Abelove recused his office from the matter. Joshua Comitale was honored as a hero by federal, state and local officials for his role in an Aug. 22, 2015, shootout in Lansingburgh in which he and Officer Chad Klein were severely wounded. Comitale shot and killed their attacker, Thaddeus Faison. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Comitale has been under consideration by the FBI to join the federal agencys ranks as a special agent, according to police sources. The city turned over to State Police the investigation of reports written by the drug unit describing the warrantless entry as a burglary investigation. Czajka then presented the case to the grand jury, which indicted Epstein on nine misdemeanor counts in December and returned the second indictment last week. The grand jurys term expired Jan. 31. John A. Comitale Jr.'s attorney, Andrew Safranko, said detective had an exemplary record during nearly three decades as a city police officer. The grand jury also indicted Comitale and Epstein on three misdemeanors: criminal trespass for entering the apartment, criminal facilitation for not removing more than an eighth of an ounce of cocaine from the apartment and official misconduct for their intent to conceal their unauthorized and unlawful entry into 112 Oakwood Avenue. Epstein was indicted on four additional felony counts: bribery, offering a false instrument for filing and two counts of falsifying business records for the police report to allegedly cover up what happened. He faces six more misdemeanors for criminal mischief, two counts of official misconduct, two counts of falsifying business records and offering a false instrument for filing, Less than a month after Albany County filed a federal lawsuit against pharmaceutical manufacturers in response to the opioid epidemic, county Executive Daniel McCoy testified to the harm addictive prescription drugs have had on Albany. McCoy was in federal court last week before Judge Daniel Polster in Cleveland, Ohio to testify to the ramifications opiates have had on Albany County residents and services. The county filed the lawsuit Jan. 5. The judge actually set the stage that the pharmaceutical companies were definitely open-minded to settlement, McCoy said, adding that for some communities, money is needed. But that wont address the root of the problem, he said. If we dont change the way that were doing business, nothing is going to change. Although Albany officials estimate taxpayers shell out well over $1 million annually dealing with drug overdoses, its not about the money, McCoy said. The suit against several national drug manufacturers seeks to recoup some of the public costs associated with drug overdoses as well as change the way companies market their products. McCoy said taxpayers pick up the costs of social services, law enforcement and Medicaid linked to medication abuse. Communities nationwide have begun filing their own lawsuits against drug manufacturers, who allege that for years the companies pushed doctors to prescribe opioid painkillers with the promise the drugs were safe and not addictive. Addiction to prescription painkillers has spiraled into a public health emergency that also involves the use and fatal overdose of heroin, what has become a cheaper opioid alternative. Albany joined with about 200 similar lawsuits filed by other municipalities across the nation. The federal judge has expressed urgency in resolving the matter, and ordered all parties into immediate settlement discussions this week, McCoy said. Albanys lawsuit lists the Purdue, Teva, Janssen and Endo pharmaceutical companies as defendants, and attempts to hold them responsible for health care and treatment costs related to opioid addiction, rising crime rates and escalating social issues across Albany County, Elizabeth Smith, attorney with the South Carolina-based Motley Rice law firm has said. It further argues the companies knew the addictive nature of these drugs, but peddled them to doctors and patients anyway. In 2014, opioids generated $11 billion in revenue for pharmaceutical companies, which officials say is a result of the companies' allegedly deceptive marketing. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Most of the defendants denied the allegations contained in the lawsuit, with a Janssen representative stating the allegations are "baseless and unsubstantiated." The company representatives said they looked forward to defending their respective companies. Teva, Purdue and Endo representatives said they recognized the impact of illegal opioid abuse and are working with their partners to address the issue as well as educate the public. We are deeply troubled by the prescription and illicit opioid abuse crisis, and are dedicated to being part of the solution, read a statement provided by a Purdue spokeperson Friday. Although our products account for approximately 2 percent of the total opioid prescriptions, as a company, weve distributed the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, developed three of the first four FDA-approved opioid medications with abuse-deterrent properties and partner with law enforcement to ensure access to naloxone. Disgraced lobbyist Todd Howes testimony at Joseph Percocos bribery trial may shatter a house of lies this week. Exactly whose house depends on your point of view in the case. Howe, a former well-connected lobbyist with a history of struggling to tell the truth and manage his own finances, is expected to be the prosecutions star witness in the case against Percoco and three development executives. In the first day of the two-week-old trial, both the prosecution and defense attorneys painted a picture of a man whose credibility, or lack thereof, is at the crux of their cases. Percoco, whose post as the governor's former executive deputy secretary came with a reputation as a political enforcer, is charged with taking $300,000 in bribes to secure contracts or state action that would advance projects. Assistant U.S. District Attorney Robert L. Boone made it plain to the jury in his opening statement that Howes testimony, not his ethics, is what matters. (Howe) will take you inside both conspiracies and he will tell you exactly what happened, he said. We are not asking you to like Todd Howe. We are not asking you to approve of the way he has chosen to live his life. Percocos attorney, Barry A. Bohrer, didnt hide his strategy either, playing up Howes unusual middle name, long history of defaulting on contractor payments and repeatedly calling the governments case, Howes house of lies. Todd Ransom Howe has a below zero interest in the truth, Bohrer said. Todd Ransom Howe lived by the expression, A lie is as good as the truth, as long as you stick to it." While most of the allegations at the trial have centered on the role of Percoco and whether he accepted bribes for state action, the other main character in the case is Howe. The two men have a long history together, going back to the administration of former Gov. Mario Cuomo. Howe was the elder Cuomos ever-present body manand hired Percoco to work on the campaign. Howe then worked for Andrew Cuomo at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development before going in to the private sector, eventually landing with Whiteman Osterman Hanna, one of the largest and most politically connected lobbying and law firms in Albany. Howe pleaded guilty in September 2016 to eight felonies and has been cooperating since then in the prosecution of Percoco, Peter Braith Kelly Jr., Steve Aiello and Joseph Gerardi, as well as another defendant who will face trial in the spring. Aiello and Gerardi are executives at COR Development, a Syracuse-based company. Kelly works for Competitive Power Ventures, an energy company. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. His testimony is expected to bolster the prosecutions theories because according to the complaints he arranged for connections, payments through shell companies and more. Percoco is alleged to have helped Competitive Power Ventures which has for years been building a controversial gas-fired power plant in Orange County. In exchange for Percocos help, Kelly Jr. allegedly paid more than $287,000 to Percoco in part by providing his wife, Lisa Toscano-Percoco, with a "low-show" job developing an educational curriculum. Toscano-Percoco does not face charges. Aiello and Gerardi were charged with arranging for about $35,000 in payments for help with economic development matters. Both companies were generous donors to Cuomo's earlier campaigns. And both companies received their introduction to Percoco through Howe. Cuomo has not been accused of any wrong-doing. When the criminal complaint against the defendants was unveiled in September 2016, Cuomo said that if the allegations were true, "I am saddened and profoundly disappointed." Percoco's trial will be followed later this year by the trial of Alain E. Kaloyeros, the former president of SUNY Polytechnic, and development executives from Syracuse and Buffalo. The eight defendants in both trials have pleaded not guilty. [February 05, 2018] YITU Technology Participates in Business Forum with Prime Minister Theresa May to Explore Common Interests of the China-UK "Golden Era" SHANGHAI, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- YITU Technology, the pioneering startup developing practical AI research and innovation, was invited as the only Chinese AI company among other Chinese companies to attend a Sino-UK business forum in Shanghai, addressed by British Prime Minister Theresa May. The prime minister discussed Sino-UK business development and opportunities in her speech on February 2. This business event highlighted the importance of a Chinese-UK shared vision so China and the UK can build a global comprehensive strategic partnership for the 21st century and usher in a "golden era" for bilateral ties. Theresa May expressed the expectations that UK can have deeper cooperation with Chinese companies in the fields of artificial intelligence, electronic cars, energy and others. As a prominent AI startup in China, YITU is developing its long-term plan to expand into the overseas market. The copany recently opened its first international office in Singapore. YITU recognizes the immense potential of the UK market for its innovative solutions in finance, smart cities and healthcare. London represents a stronghold from which to grow YITU's business in the West to bring its AI technology solutions to other European countries, U.S., and Canada. In November, YITU won first place in the Face Recognition Prize Challenge (FRPC), a face recognition contest hosted by The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) in London. The UK Home Office has been particularly impressed by the way that YITU's technology has helped Shanghai to increase its ability to locate people wanted by the police 16 times faster than with previous methods. YITU is already in discussions with UK universities and research organizations in such key cities as London, Bristol, and Newcastle to nurture and recruit local AI talent in the area, helping to boost the local economy. YITU is also starting a business cooperation with local UK governments and organizations in the fields of public security, finance and healthcare. For more information on YITU Technology, please visit http://www.yitutech.com/en/ About YITU Technology YITU Technology (YITU) is a pioneer in practical artificial intelligence (AI) research and innovation that provides advanced AI-based business solutions to build a safer, better and healthier world. YITU boasts a world-class R&D team that drives industrial development to find comprehensive solutions in the areas of machine vision, speech and language understanding. SOURCE YITU Tech [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 04, 2018] Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Kaligo Solutions announce strategic partnership to launch new and innovative rewards capabilities SINGAPORE, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the world's largest bank by assets and the world's largest public company as per the Forbes Global 2000 ranking, alongside Kaligo Solutions, the global leader in loyalty innovation, have announced a comprehensive partnership to launch a suite of market-leading travel and premium rewards propositions for ICBC credit card customers, a base with over 140 million cards in force worldwide. The new partnership reinforces ICBC's position as China's foremost payment card issuer, and offers unique and innovative ways for customers to redeem their ICBC loyalty points in real-time with greater flexibility and at greater value than ever before. By partnering with Kaligo and investing in their breakthrough technology, ICBC is executing on their mandate to attract and retain the highly sought after premium cardholder portfolio while elevating their global brand presence. Effective immediately, ICBC cardholders can, for th first time, transfer their proprietary loyalty points to a broad selection of over a dozen airline and hotel loyalty programs both globally and domestically. The loyalty currency exchange platform, mobile app experience, customer servicing and fulfilment and overall program management are all managed under Kaligo's suite of solutions. Additional redemption content, including gift card options, will be released progressively. "We're delighted to be partnering with ICBC, China's largest financial services player to drive imperative changes in global customer loyalty and engagement," said Kyle Armstrong, CEO Kaligo Solutions. "For affluent customers who travel globally, the value of being able to exchange bank points into frequent flyer miles is unmatched. We're focused on continuing to provide ICBC unique and differentiated product offerings to their broader customer base globally." TransferConnect is the world's first marketplace dedicated to connecting leading financial services brands with frequent traveller rewards programmes globally. Banks who join the TransferConnect network benefit from the simplicity of a single technical integration and the opportunity to work with dozens of airline and hotel rewards programme partners in a single effective ecosystem. About ICBC ICBC was founded on 1 January 1984. On 27 October 2006, ICBC was successfully listed on Shanghai Stock Exchange and Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. Through stable growth and development, ICBC is now one of the largest listed banks in the world, providing comprehensive financial products and services to 5.78 million corporate customers and 530 million personal customers. About Kaligo Solutions Kaligo Solutions is operated by Kaligo Pte Ltd., the global leader for innovative travel and loyalty technology. Established in Singapore with offices across APAC, Europe and the Americas, Kaligo Solutions enables 70+ of the world's leading loyalty programs to drive engagement through highly innovative and purpose driven rewards experiences. With innovative, highly customizable and simple to launch loyalty solutions such as their TransferConnect points transfer marketplace, TravelEdge powered accrual and redemption white labels, as well as end-to-end loyalty program management services, Kaligo Solutions supercharges the world's leading loyalty programs to offer delightful experiences that build lasting customer loyalty. For more information about Kaligo Solutions, please visit www.kaligosolutions.com or contact media relations at press@kaligosolutions.com. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180202/2047922-1 SOURCE Kaligo Solutions [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] Play2Live Secures $16M in Pre-sale and Launches 24/7 Live Rebroadcasts of eSports Events HONG KONG, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Play2Live (P2L), an eSports streaming platform operating on the basis of BitShares 2.0 blockchain, has secured a total of 16M USD during pre-sale for the LUC token started on January 26. The company is continuing its expansion with the launch of 24/7 live rebroadcasts in six languages: English, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese. "We have decided to launch the rebroadcasts of the tournaments on the existing version of the platform," comments Alexey Burdyko, CEO and founder of Play2Live. "While a major tech update is en route, we thought that gamers and P2L project supporters would marvel at the opportunity to watch the recorded streams of widely enjoyed events such as Dota 2 - The International. We are determined to further augment the functionality of the platform. The forthcoming update is scheduled for the start of the token sale event on February 12. In the near future, we expect to launch user streaming on our MVP and introduce several additional features." In addition to rebroadcasting feature, P2L started an early adopters program for streamers and fans in their official chats that allows users held their own streams to provide full live streaming experience and to not limit it with only rebroadcasting. While the blockchain industry is brimming with gaming projects, Play2Live offers a differentiated proposition, creating a unique economy for a streaming platform based on a revenue-sharing model. The project team is positive about offering streamers and viewers an opportunity to better interact with each other and monetize their content. Altogether, the streamers will be able to monetize their content in 11 ways as opposed to the 4 or 5 ways available on existing streaming platforms. They can earn right from their very first stream, regardless of the size of their follower base. The platform offers top-notch mechanisms for the streamers to boost their follower count, such as a system of interactive tasks during streams, betting services, enhanced communication in the cht, and other engaging activities! On Play2Live, viewers can monetize their content in five ways (compared to zero elsewhere in the eSports video-streaming industry). They can earn income by watching adverts (the platform is ad-free by default), performing tasks set by streamers, voting for content, and sharing their internet bandwidth via peer-to-peer CDN. Viewers can place bets with bookmakers without leaving the P2L site and can purchase games using LUC tokens received through various activities on the platform. Ultimately, P2L offers 15 sources of revenue, which is three times more than the current streaming industry leaders. Alexey Burdyko visited South Korea, where eSports culture was born, and held a speech about his vision and the prospects of the project. During a meet-up with investors and eSports community members, Alexey discussed in detail the platform and how P2L will address the pitfalls of the streaming industry. The meet-up took place on January 26 in Seoul. For more details, please visit the event page. Founded in 2017, Play2Live aims to merge blockchain technology with streaming services. Its mission is to create an ecosystem where every participant -- the viewer, the streamer, and the eSports tournament organizer -- is part of a seamless system that favors interaction among viewers and the diversity of monetization schemes. Essentially, everybody can be part of the peer-to-peer interaction, and everybody -- even the viewer -- is able to earn money. Play2Live uses a token called Level Up Coin (LUC), which acts as the sole mean of payment within the system. It can be easily converted to other cryptocurrencies or to fiat money through a gateway/API. The public pre-sale for the LUC token started on January 26 and lasts until February 5. The token sale event begins on February 12 and ends on March 5. For more information, visit https://play2live.io or follow us on various cryptocurrency-oriented media sources. More about Play2Live Press-office: press@p2l.tv Website:https://play2live.io MVP of the streaming platform:https://p2l.tv/ Bookbuilding platform:https://my.play2live.io Whitepaper:https://goo.gl/ocmSTn Onepager:https://goo.gl/8yMY4t Twitter:https://twitter.com/play_2_live Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/play2live.io/ Telegram English:https://t.me/play2live Telegram Russian: https://t.me/Play2Live_RusChat Telegram Chinese: https://t.me/play2live_cn Telegram Japanese: https://t.me/play2live_jp Telegram Korean: https://t.me/play2live_ko Bitcointalk ANN:https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2450026 Kakao group:https://open.kakao.com/o/gmdTRJF Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180202/2047940-1logo SOURCE Play2Live [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] WISeKey QuoVadis provides secure e-mail to more than 200 Savings Banks in Germany WISeKey QuoVadis provides secure e-mail to more than 200 Savings Banks in Germany QuoVadis Trustlink GmbH and Finanz Informatik cooperate to provide secure e-mail (S/MIME) communication to the German financial services sector In Germany alone, WISeKey QuoVadis provides similar PKI services to more than 300 enterprises, such as Allianz, Daimler, VW Financial Services, Siemens, Commerzbank as well as the Volksbankengruppe Germany - February 5, 2018 - WISeKey International Holding Ltd ("WISeKey", SIX: WIHN), a leading cybersecurity and IoT company, today announced that its subsidiary QuoVadis Trustlink GmbH is providing S/MIME digital certificates for secure e-mail to more than 200 savings banks in Germany, as part of a partnership with Finanz Informatik active since 2016. S/MIME (Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) is a widely adopted standard for assuring the privacy and confidentiality of emails using encryption, and for creating electronic signatures that assert the identity of the sender as well as make the e-mail contents tamperproof. The S/MIME digital certificates from WISeKey QuoVadis are provisioned to more than 200 savings banks and their users though efficient and highly secured processes managed by Finanz Informatik. The service is growing both in terms of banks and users. WISeKey QuoVadis is specialized in providing Managed Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) solutions including digital certificates for authentication, encryption, and electronic signature. WISeKey QuoVadis has 20 years of experience in PKI serving both large enterprises and governments and is an eIDAS Qualified Trust Service Provider in the European Union. Through this S/MIME initiative with WISeKey QuoVadis, Finanz Informatik strengthens its position as a leading digital service provider in the German financial services sector and a pioneer in bank-specific cybersecurity. Finanz Informatik, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, is the IT service provider of the German Savings Banks Finance Group. Its customer base includes 417 savings banks, 8 federal state banks and DekaBank, as well as 10 state home loan banks and various other companies within the Savings Banks Finance Group and the financial service sector./p> Robert Frank and Dr. Norman Hoppen the Managing Team of WISeKey QuoVadis in Germany, said, "With the growing consumer awareness and regulatory oversight of data protection, we are pleased to work alongside Finanz Informatik to help secure the digital communications of savings banks and their customers. In Germany alone, WISeKey QuoVadis provides similar PKI services to more than 300 enterprises, such as Allianz, Daimler, VW Financial Services, Siemens, Commerzbank as well as the Volksbankengruppe." WISeKey QuoVadis provides a 360 offering for managed Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) including TrustLink digital certificates for authentication, encryption, and electronic signatures; TLS/SSL certificates for devices and websites; eIDAS-compliant PrimoSign signature platforms; and specialized PKI for high-volume applications such as IoT. About WISekey QuoVadis WISeKey QuoVadis is a leading global Certification Authority (CA) providing cloud-based TrustLink Managed PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) services, including TLS/SSL digital certificates for web security as well as eID for authentication, encryption, and digital signature. WISeKey QuoVadis also provides electronic-signature platforms including mass signature and trusted time-stamping solutions for e-invoicing, as well as cloud-based signing platforms for individuals. QuoVadis electronic-signatures are used on more than 80 million electronic transactions annually. WISeKey QuoVadis is an established Qualified Trust Services Provider (TSP) for eID and electronic transactions in Switzerland under ZertES and with updated eIDAS accreditations for the European Union. The company also has significant experience in public eID including the Dutch PKIoverheid and the Swiss SuisseID programmes. WISeKey QuoVadis customers include a spectrum of multinational companies, financial services entities, university systems and public sector organizations worldwide. About WISeKey: WISeKey (SIX Swiss Exchange: WIHN) is a leading global cybersecurity company currently deploying via a Virtual Platform of large scale digital identity ecosystems. WISeKey's Swiss based cryptographic Root of Trust ("RoT") and IoT Microchips provide secure authentication and identification, in both physical and virtual environments, for the Internet of Things, Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence. The WISeKey RoT serves as a common trust anchor to ensure the integrity of online transactions among objects and between objects and people. For more information, visit www.wisekey.com. To receive WISeKey's latest news, subscribe to our Newsletter or visit the WISeKey Investors Corner. Press and investor contacts: WISeKey International Holding Ltd Company Contact: Carlos Moreira Chairman & CEO Tel: +41 22 594 3000 info@wisekey.com WISeKey Investor Relations (US) Contact: Lena Cati The Equity Group Inc. Tel: +1 212 836-9611 lcati@equityny.com Disclaimer: This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or a listing prospectus within the meaning of the listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] Ethoca, TSYS and Capital One UK Collaboration Highly Commended for Innovation at The Card & Payments Awards 2018 Ethoca, along with partners Capital One UK and TSYS, announced today that it has been highly commended for Best Industry Innovation of the Year at The Card & Payments Awards held in London, UK. With rising ecommerce fraud, financial institutions today are increasingly focused on fraud mitigation, the customer experience and their cost/ability to recover losses. Early in 2016, Ethoca and TSYS collaborated to launch the Transaction Recovery Network (powered by Ethoca). This gave Capital One (News - Alert) UK, as well as other card issuing banks, a completely automated way to stop and recover card-not-present (CNP) fraud losses through a simple and highly effective integration. As a result, participating merchants on the Ethoca Network were able to stop and refund/avoid settlement on 394% more fraudulent transactions on a monthly basis (compared to the previous manual file process). Meanwhile, Capital One UK ensured the best possible experience for its cardholders and eliminated unnecessary operating expenses while also making the most of its existing IT investments. Speaking on the commendation, Keith Briscoe, Ethoca's Chief Marketing Officer, commented: "We're thrilled to be acknowledged for our work with TSYS and Capital One UK to reduce fraud and improve the customer experience. We're pleased the judges recognised the power of the TSYS Transaction Recovery Network (powered by Ethoca), which provides near real-tie notification of confirmed fraud that empowers issuers like Capital One UK, as well as merchants, to quickly recover lost revenue and eliminate the need for expensive and time-consuming chargeback processes." "With the continued growth of online commerce, it takes a constant effort to develop new, and innovative ways to combat the corresponding increase in fraud," says Karim Ahmad, EVP Global Product and Innovation for TSYS. "The TSYS Transaction Recovery Network powered by Ethoca was developed as a collaborative, efficient solution that reduces online fraud and the operational expenses associated with chargebacks. This recognition by The Card & Payments Awards is a testament to the value we have been able to create in this area though our partnership with Capital One UK and Ethoca." "Capital One is delighted to be highly commended in the Industry Innovation of the Year category in partnership with Ethoca and TSYS," says Rob Harding, Managing Vice President, Capital One (Europe). "The team have worked together to automate notifications of fraudulent purchases in real-time to retailers so that orders can be quickly cancelled, reducing fraud throughout the payments ecosystem." The annual Card & Payments Awards, which took place on Thursday, 1st February at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London's Park Lane, recognise excellence and innovation in the UK and Irish card and payments industries. This commendation recognises the performance of the TSYS Transaction Recovery Network (powered by Ethoca) and Ethoca Alerts - a faster, more cost-effective and customer friendly alternative to the chargeback process. It provides an early warning on fraud and disputes that have already been confirmed between cardholders and their issuing bank, giving merchants the opportunity to stop fraud, halt the delivery of goods and services, and refund cardholders to avoid impending chargebacks. Card issuers who use the service benefit by avoiding chargeback processing costs and recovering fraud losses - including 3D Secure and low-value transaction write-offs - much more quickly and inexpensively than ever before. About Ethoca Ethoca is the leading, global provider of collaboration-based technology that enables card issuers, ecommerce merchants and online businesses to increase card acceptance, stop more fraud, recover lost revenue and eliminate chargebacks from both fraud and customer service disputes. Through the Ethoca Network - the first and only of its kind in the industry - we are closing the information gap between card issuers and merchants. This unique capability makes fraud and customer dispute insight available and actionable in real time. Our suite of services delivers significant revenue growth and cost saving opportunities to more than 5,400 merchants in 40+ countries and more than 580 card issuers in 20+ countries. Eight of the top ten North American ecommerce brands, 14 of the top 20 North American card issuers and six of the top ten UK card issuers rely on Ethoca solutions and the network that powers them. About TSYS TSYS (NYSE: TSS) is a leading global payments provider, offering seamless, secure and innovative solutions across the payments spectrum - from issuer processing and merchant acquiring to prepaid program management. We succeed because we put people, and their needs, at the heart of every decision. It's an approach we call 'People-Centered Payments'. Our headquarters are located in Columbus, Ga., U.S.A., with approximately 11,800 team members and local offices spread across 13 countries. TSYS generated revenue of $4.9 billion in 2017. We are a member of The Civic 50 and were named one of the 2017 World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere magazine. TSYS is a member of the S&P 500 and routinely posts all important information on its website. For more, visit tsys.com. About Capital One Capital One UK is part of Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE: COF), a Fortune 500 company trading on the New York Stock Exchange and is included in the S&P 100 index. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Capital One is a diversified financial services company whose principal subsidiaries, Capital One, N.A., Capital One Bank (USA), N.A., and Capital One Auto Finance, Inc., offer a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients. Capital One's UK Registered Office: Trent House, Station Street, Nottingham, NG2 3HX View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180205005335/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] Radio Television of Serbia Broadcasts all Channels via SES Video Serbian public broadcaster RTS now transmits its entire bouquet of nine TV channels and four radio stations via Astra 5 degrees East, following an extension deal between SES (News - Alert) and Telekom Srbija. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180205005355/en/ Radio Television of Serbia Broadcasts all Channels via SES Video (Photo: Business Wire) Under the agreement announced by SES, the telecommunications company Telekom Srbija is leasing additional capacity on an ASTRA satellite to broadcast three additional RTS TV channels (RTS1, RTS2 and RTS Poletarac, a channel for children) and three radio stations (Radio Beograd 202, Radio Beograd 2 and Radio Beograd 3). Telekom Srbija and SES have an existing agreement to broadcast six TV channels and one radio station for RTS via 5 degrees East. With this new agreement, they now transmit the entire RTS channel portfolio at that orbital slot. "This extension agreement is a wonderful example of how strong partnerships such as the one we have with Telekom Srbija can enable us to grow our presence in specific markets,'' said Martin Ornass-Kubacki, Vice President, Sales Central Eastern Europe, SES Video. "We are very pleased that RTS has decided once again to put their trust in our broadcasting services and our reliability.'' "Telekom Srbija implemented six channels via SES for its custome RTS in 2017. Recognizing that SES is a reliable partner providing high-quality services, Telekom Srbija decided to implement another three channels via SES for the requirements of RTS and thus extend long-term cooperation between Telekom Srbija and SES", stated Milica Jovicic, Head of Wholesale Department, Telekom Srbija Follow us on: Social Media Blog Media Library White Papers About SES SES is the world-leading satellite operator and the first to deliver a differentiated and scalable GEO-MEO offering worldwide, with more than 50 satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and 12 in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). SES focuses on value-added, end-to-end solutions in two key business units: SES Video and SES Networks. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators, governments and institutions. SES's portfolio includes ASTRA, O3b and MX1, a leading media service provider that offers a full suite of innovative digital video and media services. SES is listed on the Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange (ticker: SESG). Further information available at: www.ses.com About Telekom Srbija Telekom Srbija a.d. Beograd, together with its daughter companies, is a modern, entirely locally-owned telecommunications company, which for 20 years now, has had a leading role in fixed and mobile telephony, the Internet and multimedia spheres, both in this country and the region at large. By fostering the innovative spirit, Telekom Srbija a.d. Beograd is continuously developing new technological solutions for the benefit of its customers and the environment and is maintaining a high quality of unhindered communications offering a wide range of channels and message transmission devices. Acting in a socially responsible manner, it helps the community to overcome the weaknesses of the present time with joint forces. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180205005355/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] Dalmia Committed to Assam's Growth Story GUWAHATI, India, February 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Expanding its footprint all over India, Dalmia Bharat Cement has recently completed five years of its presence in North East with its commitment to being a part of the region's growth and development. Taking a step towards this commitment, Mr. Puneet Dalmia, Managing Director, Dalmia Bharat Limited is on a visit to the city to be a part of the Global Investors Summit - Advantage Assam. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150202/10115525 ) Speaking about his visit, Mr. Puneet Dalmia said, "Having an event like Advantage Assam will be beneficial for the state as more investors will explore the various opportunities Assam has to offer. We see a positive change in the attitude of how the government works, there is eagerness and proactive intent to attract investment. North East has rich natural resources and we must utilize it to the optimum, focusing more on organic products and preserving our green environment." Being one of the largest cement manufacturers in the country, and with a good stronghold in the region, Dalmia Bharat Cement feels the need of a few changes and believes that the Global Investment ummit will bring in the desired change. "This summit will make the government to think over its policies and in turn help ease of doing business in the country, particularly, North East. This will indeed bring some growth and development. We are planning to invest Rs.1,100 Cr. in the next 3 years," he further shared. Dalmia is planning a skill development institute under their CSR program to generate more skilled employment and promote development. Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd. Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited (DCBL), a subsidiary of Dalmia Bharat Limited (BSE Code: 533309|NSE Symbol: DALMIABHA and listed in MSE), is a leading player in cement manufacturing since 1939. It is one of the largest and most diverse cement companies in India and is the world's greenest cement company. With a growing capacity, currently at 25 MnT, Dalmia Bharat Cement is also the fourth largest manufacturing capacity in the country. Spread across eight states and 11 manufacturing units, the company is also the category leader in super-specialty cements used for oil wells, railway sleepers and air strips and is the country's largest producer of slag cement. Visit us at http://www.dalmiacement.com. The company has to its credit contributed to nation building having supplied cement in major quantities in the construction of the Dhola Sadia Bridge in Assam, the Chennai metro, the Kochi metro, etc. About Dalmia Bharat Group Dalmia Bharat Group (http://www.dalmiabharat.com) is a leading national player in India's core manufacturing sector since 1939. With a turnover of over 10,000 crore it has a leadership position in Cement, Sugar, Refractories. A leader in specialty cements and the country's largest producer of slag cement, Dalmia Bharat is the world's greenest cement company. And a leader in Sustainability best practices set to global benchmarks. In generic sugar, the group caters to several marquee brands. It has an enduring and growing customer base in refractories. Media Contact: Pooja Bharadwaj Bharadwaj.pooja@dalmiabharat.com +91-9560166999 Asst. General Manager Dalmia Bharat Limited [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] BIOLIFE4D Signs Laboratory Service Agreement with Northwestern University CHICAGO, Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BIOLIFE4D, a biotech pioneer leveraging advances in tissue engineering to 3D print human organs viable for transplant, today announced it has signed a Laboratory Service Agreement (LSA) with Northwestern University (Northwestern). The LSA provides the Company access to Northwesterns world class shared and core academic research facilities and resources, including its sophisticated imaging and instrumentation capabilities. Access to these core facilities and laboratory equipment will play a critical role as BIOLIFE4D continues the development of its innovative technology and its core mission of being able to 3D bioprint a viable human heart for transplant. The Company will utilize the same resources that are pivotal to Northwesterns research infrastructure that helps to facilitate groundbreaking science. We are honored to have the opportunity to utilize laboratory resources from the prestigious Northwestern University, where such groundbreaking scientific work has occurred. The importance of these resources to a pioneering biotech company really cannot be understated, said Steven Morris, CEO, BIOLIFE4D. This is a tremendous opportunity for our Company as we continue to develop our technology. Not only will it provide us access to world class labs, but it also enables us to utilize the most advanced, state-of-the-art equipment, staff, and facilities at these leading research centers. We want to change the world and are now better suited to do so. Through the LSA, BIOLIFE4D will have access to facilities at Northwesterns Evanston and Chicago campuses, Argonne National Laboratory, and Northwestern Memorial Hospital, as well as the University of Chicago and University of Illinois at Chicago through Northwesterns partnership in the Open Access Initiative. To see how BIOLIFE4Ds process starts with a patients own cells and ends with a functional human heart ready for transplant, please watch this video. To learn more about BIOLIFE4D and to express interest in investing please watch this video or visit https://biolife4d.com/invest/. Securities are offered pursuant to a Regulation A+. Investors are encouraged to read the Offering Circular and exhibits and consult with their tax, legal, or financial professional prior to investing. About BIOLIFE4D BIOLIFE4D is a pioneering biotech company laser focused on leveraging advances in life sciences and tissue engineering to 3D bioprint a viable human heart suitable for transplant lifesaving technology that gives patients the gift of time. With BIOLIFE4D, a patient-specific, fully functioning heart will be created through 3D bioprinting using the patients own cells eliminating the well-known challenges of organ rejection and long donor waiting lists that plague existing organ transplant methods. Financed through equity crowdfunding, BIOLIFE4D is driving a movement to transform the treatment of heart disease, the leading cause of death among both men and women globally. Learn more and invest at biolife4d.com. Connect with us on social media on Twitter (@BIOLIFE4D), Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Forward Looking Statements We caution you that, whether or not expressly stated, certain statements made in this news release that reflect management's expectations regarding future events and economic performance are forward-looking in nature and, accordingly, are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "potential," "continue" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties, and there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Investors should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Companys control which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Media Contact Matthew Bretzius FischTank Marketing and PR biolife4d@fischtankpr.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] ICYMI - Premier Biomedical CEO Interviewed on Fox Business "New To The Street" Program JACKSON CENTER, Pa., Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Premier Biomedical, Inc. (OTC:BIEI) President and CEO, William A. Hartman was interviewed by host, Ken Evseroff, on the program New To The Street, which aired on the Fox Business Channel on Sunday, January 28, 2018. In the segment, Mr. Hartman provided background on the origins of the company and its current direction. With the companys new product line of topical pain relief products, it hopes to capture a significant portion of that multi-billion dollar annual sales market. Mr. Hartman also stressed the absence of THC or other psychoactive ingredients in Premier Biomedicals products and the value of these products as an alternative to dangerously addictive opioids for the treatment of pain. You can view the video here. For more information please contact: William A. Hartman President and CEOPremier Biomedical, Inc. (724) 633-7033 w.hartman@premierbiomedical.com www.premierbiomedical.com/ About Premier Biomedical, Inc. Premier Biomedical, Inc. (OTC:BIEI) is a research-based publicly traded company that intends to discover and develop medical treatments for a wide range of diseases in humans. Premier has obtained, via exclusive license agreements, the technology behind three granted US Patents, multiple pending provisional patents, and a PCT Europe National Patent. Founded in 2010, Premier has partnered with the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). In 2016, the company began developing a line of all-natural pain relief products which they began selling in early 2017 to address the rising opioid addiction problem. The company's R&D efforts are centered in El Paso, TX, and their business offices are in Western Pennsylvania. The Company is a fully-reporting issuer whose common stock trades on the OTC marketplace maintained by OTC Markets Group, Inc. under the ticker symbol "BIEI." For more information please visit our website: http://www.premierbiomedical.com/. Safe Harbor Notice Certain statements contained herein are forward-looking statements (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Premier Biomedical, Inc. cautions that statements, and assumptions made in this news release constitute forward-looking statements and makes no guarantee of future performance. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the time statements are made. These statements may address issues that involve significant risks, uncertainties, estimates made by management. Actual results could differ materially from current projections or implied results. Premier Biomedical, Inc. undertakes no obligation to revise these statements following the date of this news release. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] "Today I congratulate the Polish government. In just seven days it achieved that that Polish diplomacy could not achieve in 70 years" - says founder of Beit Warszawa Severyn Ashkenazy in an interview with Dziennik Gazeta Prawna. Do you protest? Reklama No, I congratulate. I congratulate the Polish government on proposing this law. For years our diplomats did not know how to defend Poland. They simply lacked the skills. The job of a diplomat is to be polite and diplomatic. They did not learn how to present arguments in defense of their country in an elegant manner, and too often they do not have the time or the knowledge to defend their country. I am speaking about diplomats who receive insufficient training, and are not prepared to defend Poland, especially against accusations of anti-Semitism. And I have said several times that for centuries Poland was a Jewish home. But there is still anti-Semitism in Poland. Those are sporadic incidents. But the fact that even president Obama used the phrase Polish death camps a few years ago is an embarrassment for Polish diplomacy. Today I congratulate the Polish government. In just seven days it achieved that that Polish diplomacy could not achieve in 70 years. Let me remind you that America was not convinced that it wanted Poland to join NATO. Our government sent Bronisaw Geremek, a Jew, to take part in the negotiations. And he succeeded. I spoke with him in Los Angeles. Poland was foremost on his mind. Because he had a good grasp of things, he knew how to persuade others. Our diplomats do not have this grasp of things, and even if some of them do, they do not have enough courage to defend our country. I am saying our because Im both a Pole and an American. Why did Israel protest this law? For a number of reasons. I am sorry to say, but there arent too many broadminded people in the Israeli government. I can frankly say that I am more and more embarrassed by Israels authorities. Israel does not have the right to interfere with the Polish governments legislative proceedings. This is, of course, also a matter of money, because accusing Poles of the Holocaust permits claims of compensation and restitution of property. We should be grateful to Israel for its protest because people at large will finally hear loud and clear that there were no Polish death camps only German, Nazi, Hitlers death camps. We should not be worried that someone in Australia or New Zealand will be careless and lose his liberty for using in a quotation the description: Polish death camps. But the stronger Israel and others protest, the more the world will know that it is the Germans who were responsible for the Holocaust, not Poland, and not the Polish people. The fact that death camps were built in Poland is no accident the Germans could count on the Poles help in exterminating Jews this is one of the voices coming from Israel. Death camps were built in Poland because Poland was the biggest source of raw material to turn into cinder We have to say it loud and clear: it was not Poland that cooperated with the Germans in the annihilation of Jews, it was the whole world. Poles did not capture Jews like the French, the Dutch or the Norwegians did. The Polish police did not arrest Jews, did not load them onto train wagons, it was not policing Auschwitz. The truth is that Poland suffered the most out of all the occupied countries. It was given away to the Germans by its allies and by the Vatican. But there were anti-Jewish pogroms in Polish villages. Yes, and no one can deny it, but those were criminal incidents, a criminal element. Like all countries, including Israel, have. What does that have to do with Poland and the Polish people? I know, I know, you will tell me again that there is anti-Semitism, that people say that this is all because of those Jews, those Yids. An effigy of a Jew was burned. That is progress. They used to actually burn Jews alive. People shout: Gas the Jews!. Those are the shouts of vulgar primitives. We should not pay attention to it. It is unfortunate but not that important. Then what is? We need to explain where Jews originated from and who they are. Poles need to know that Chopins mother came from a Frankist Jewish family, that Mickiewicz had Jewish roots, that most Polish Nobel Prize laureates were Jewish. I once met a lawyer in Krakow who said: I could accept the fact that Jesus Christ was Jewish, but his mother, the Queen of Poland that I cannot accept. I have no idea whether he was serious or not. In the early 1930s the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs had a department which was studying the possibility of relocating Polish Jews to Madagascar. Jan Karski worked in that department. The forced relocation of people is not unheard of, even in recent history. Millions of Poles were relocated from Eastern Poland, which became Ukraine. Millions of Germans were expelled from the eastern part of their country and Poles moved into their place. Today Myanmar is expelling the native Rohingya people, while in Africa millions of people are being relocated and no one is particularly interested in that. But Madagascar was an incredible idea. Too bad it didnt work out. We, Jews, would have had a much bigger, much more fertile and certainly much safer place than we do now. If that had worked out, the fascists would not have killed Jews, we would not have died in pogroms. We can take this reasoning further: if the Polish Church had said something positive about Jews once a month, a lot would have changed. If priests, who witnessed the pogroms, had told the people to stop the murders, they would have stopped and gone home without protesting. But the world doesnt blame the Church, it blames the Poles. Because the Church is too powerful, it is sacred for Polish Catholics. The Jews should seek compensation from the Church and the Vatican. But most of our Jewish organizations do not want to raise that subject. I was recently speaking with father Tomasz Dostatni about the absurdities that shape the way Poles think about Jews Jesus being killed by the Jews, the Jews killing Polish babies and using their blood to bake matzo, the Jews bringing communism to Poland, the Jews ruling the world because of their wealth. Luckily, father Dostatni has a far-sighted outlook on matters. He is not thinking about tomorrow, he is thinking about the next century. He is an exception in most cases the Church is in conflict with science and the historical truth. Large scale anti-Semitism existed in Poland before the war. Three out of four Poles were illiterate or half illiterate. They could not afford a radio, they could not read. The Church taught them to hate the Jews. As children in the ghetto we were taught that the church was the last place to seek help. My family was saved by decent Poles, Catholics, simple people. My father was a Talmudist, a chemist, a mathematician and a merchant. The Talmud teaches that a merchant should keep one third of his money in merchandise, one third in real estate, and one third in cash. And that is how my father was conducting himself all his life. He remembered that his father kept his money in a Viennese bank and in 1918 lost everything; my father did not keep cash, he kept his wealth in gold coins. That is how he was able to pay those who helped us. Where were you hidden? In a six by twelve feet space underneath the cellar. We stayed there for 20 months. At first there were four of us my mother, her uncle, my brother and I. Then there were eight. Our father and our mother agreed that they will try to save at least one person from each of their families. How does one make the choice? Those who happened to be nearby ended up in our cellar. My father also invited a doctor he knew and his wife. My father and his cousin joined us eight months before the Russians came. Out of eight people six survived. The doctor left a few weeks before the Russians entered the city. Some Ukrainians recognized him and the Germans killed him. My uncle was too weak and went into a coma. He died after the Russians came. At the age of eight I learned Jewish funeral rituals. A Jews body should be thoroughly washed because if he is going to meet God, he should be clean; he was a father, a brother, an uncle yesterday, he still deserves respect today; you cannot bury into the life-giving, holy ground anything dirty or infected. Just imagine two thousand years ago Jews were in some way already thinking about the environment. After my uncles body was washed, it was wrapped in a sheet made of natural fabric, so it would decompose faster. Do you know why a sheet? Because it has no pockets, which means you cannot take anything with you and should give everything away while you are still alive But I was speaking about the Poles who saved my family. Believe me, we never resented them for accepting money from us, for they also needed to buy food. My parents were well off and they were poor. We were destined to die, and they risked their lives hiding us. Did you ever meet them in your adult life? I never had the chance to thank them for saving my life. I can only express my gratitude through my actions. I went to Tarnopol, which is now in Ukraine. The house where we were hiding isnt there any more. I asked the deputy mayor of the city to help me find the Knispel family. But I did not manage to find anyone. There were two children there: a 15-year-old son and an 18-year-old daughter. They probably have children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren. I would have liked to thank them for their remarkable ancestors. I remember in 1945 my mother said that it is our duty to help the poor, look them in the eyes and thank them as we give them a gift. I was nine years old. Four years later I was celebrating my bar mitzvah and became a man. Only then did I ask why we should look the poor in the eyes while helping them. My father said that this way we let them know that we understand their plight and that we sympathize with them. I asked why we should thank them when giving them money or gifts. I was told that our responsibility as Jews was to do good whenever it was possible, and when a poor person gives us this possibility, we should be grateful. We should help the poor not only financially, but also spiritually. Im telling you this because the world does not know or understand Jews. And you understand them? Some of them are hard to understand. But I understand Poland. I defend Poland wherever I am in the world, sometimes more so than Poles. I have been saying for years that we Jews should build a safe harbor in Poland. For this to be possible, Jews should contribute intellectually and financially to the country, just like in the past. Then they would feel Polish again. I think this is an incredibly important matter. I am speaking about the Jewish heritage in Poland. Of course some Jews, especially the Zionists, would like to forget that for centuries Poland was the most important place for the development of Jewish culture. The Polish aristocracy knew how to cooperate with the Jews and utilize their talents. All this changed in 1592, with the arrival of the Jesuits. The Church started pressuring the aristocracy to take away the privileges and the rights of the Jews and keep them on a short leash. Came Khmelnytsky and his uprising, then came the Swedes, 200 thousand Jews lost their lives, and two generations later Poland was weak and falling apart. This is all connected. There was an opportunity for Jews to become an important part of the Polish society again. I am speaking about the last 15-20 years. People who come to celebrate Shabbat at Beit Warszawa are teachers, professors, doctors, translators, musicians, lawyers, journalists, writers, et cetera. They are Jews who love Poland, who want to live in the Polish society and want to have a positive impact on its development. My dream is for all of us to live in agreement and harmony, and to respect each others values. Poland was the only and the last place in Europe where we could live and develop as a people. We were thrown out of England in the 13th century, and after that from almost every European country. In the 14th century Russia closed its borders to Jews. So we wandered. In Poland we were able to live in relative peace for centuries. Jews were an important minority in Poland, we became part of the Polish DNA. If you would test your saliva, it would turn out that you are 520 percent Jewish. Are you 100 percent Jewish? I have four children, my oldest sons mother is Catholic. He had his genes tested and it turned out that he is 51 percent Jewish from Eastern Poland. This means that, being his father, I am a 100 percent Polish Jew. And a Pole who lives because he was saved by a Polish family. I would like you to write that very clearly. Polish family. Catholics. I am grateful to them and I feel like this gratefulness is the driving force behind my actions. I know for sure that Jews need Poland and that Poland needs its Jews. And I feel that the Poles and Jews who live here would like to be left alone. Severyn Ashkenazy entrepreneur, art dealer, the founder of Beit Warszawa, a Jewish cultural association Translated from Polish by Martyna Trykozko >>> POLSKA WERSJA WYWIADU: Aszkenazy: Coraz czesciej wstydze sie za rzadzacych Izraelem [February 05, 2018] My Alarm Center Partners with ROAR for Good to Expand Its Mission My Alarm Center ("MAC") today announced that it is partnering with ROAR for Good, a Philadelphia startup and Certified B Corporation. Their wearable safety accessory, Athena, is designed to connect users with their loved ones when they need them most. At the touch of a button, Athena shares the user's location with their trusted network of friends & family via mobile SMS alerts. In addition, ROAR for Good gives back a portion of the proceeds of every device sold to organizations that have been shown to increase empathy and reduce violence. The multifaceted program involves MAC purchasing and providing Athena devices for members of its field based sales force. Additionally, MAC has purchased and donated a number of devices to the Covenant House Pennsylvania, which intends to use the devices for its employees, who are regularly out on the streets serving homeless youth throughout Pennsylvania. MAC has supported Covenant House for years through donations and participation in their Sleep Out Programs to raise money and awareness for homeless youth. It is the largest privately-funded agency in the Americas providing food, shelter, immediate crisis care, and essential services to homeless youth in 31 cities in 6 countries. MAC has a rich history in the home security and automation industry protecting homes and families for almost two decades with its state-of-the-art systems, and bst in class customer service. "We are so excited to be working with ROAR for Good", said Amy Kothari, President and CEO of MAC. She continued, "We feel the organizations have such amazing synergy and are excited to work with them to help make lasting positive changes in the communities we both serve, not only for our customers but also for our employees." Yasmine Mustafa, CEO & Co-Founder of ROAR for Good, stated, "We are delighted with our partnership with My Alarm Center. They place tremendous value on making our communities safer and that is at the core of what we do and strive for everyday." Athena, a wearable safety accessory, is the first product from ROAR for Good. It is designed to connect users with loved ones when they need them most and currently has two modes: SilentROAR: SMS alerts with the user's location are sent to emergency contacts. Activate by pressing Athena's button 3 times. Alarm Mode: A 95+ dB alarm is emitted and SMS alerts with the user's location are sent to contacts. Activate by pressing & holding Athena's button for 3 seconds or more. More information can be found here. About My Alarm Center My Alarm Center provides technologically advanced residential and small commercial security services and home automation technologies to households and businesses across the United States. Its core mission is to provide superior alarm monitoring services to keep customers out of harm's way. Whether there is an encounter with fire, carbon monoxide, or an unauthorized intrusion, My Alarm Center will be there every step of the way to keep families safe and sound, and to ensure that its customers' belongings remain intact. Regional brands include Hawk Security Services in Texas, ACS Security in Los Angeles, Alarm Monitoring Service Of Atlanta (AMSA), and SCAN Security in New York. My Alarm Center also launched LivSecure in December 2015, an accessible and reliable self-install smart home security solution paired with 24/7 monitoring services. My Alarm Center has achieved 15 consecutive years of growth, was ranked the 11th largest security provider in the 2016 SDM100 rankings and is listed as the 7th largest residential security provider in the United States by SDM Magazine. For more information, visit www.myalarmcenter.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180205005353/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] NCR VP & GM of Telecom and Technology Named to Robinson College of Business Board of Advisors NCR Corporation (NYSE:NCR), a global leader in omni-channel solutions, announced today that Sophia Weatherby Williams, NCR's global vice president and general manager of the Telecom & Technology, will join the Board of Advisors of Georgia State University's J. Mack Robinson College of Business. Robinson's Board of Advisors is comprised of regional, national, or international business leaders who are devoted to creating opportunities for creative, talented, and ambitious business students; demonstrating business excellence and free market principles; and creating the business school of the future. Williams is an alumna of Robinson and for over 20 years has led technology and services businesses for some of the best brand names in the industry - including NCR, Bell Labs Lucent Technologies, Avaya and AT&T (News - Alert) . Her diverse experience across sales, marketing, product development, services, and general management roles has enabled her to successfully lead businesses as well as execute highly successful business transformations. She is also well known for a relentless focus on the customer experience and delivering the highest levels of customer loyalty results. As a recognized leader within the technology services industry, as well as at NCR, Williams is an expert at building high performance teams, driving high employee engagement and being a role model to women who aspire to succeed in senior leadership positions in the technology sector. "We are excited to welcome Sophia, a distinguished alumna to the Board of Advisors," said Robinson College Dean Richard D. Philips (News - Alert) . "Sophia has had an extraordinary career in business and is passionate about helping the Robinson College continue to meet our goals to nurture future leaders by championing approaches that allow our students to grow and thrive in today's and tomorrow's business world. The participation of industry leaders like Sophia help us realize our vision that 'No one gets closer to business than Robinson.'" As part of the Board of Advisors, Williams will support the growth of Robinson as well as champion and inspire faculty and students to achieve success throughou their careers. She also looks forward to supporting networking and development opportunities that promote Georgia State students, academics and business innovation at local companies including NCR. "Innovation, differentiation, speed, agility, and a high-performing culture are the core principles that drive my business' success, and I am excited to join the Board of Advisors and my alma mater to share best practices with the students at Georgia State," said Williams. "I believe that to drive success, you have to have a strong commitment to the company, your customers and your employees -- and that passion is contagious. I also believe in recognizing high performers, which ensures that we attract the industry's top talent to be a part of our team. I am honored to be named to the Robinson College Board of Advisors and support the mission that it is the premier business school for Atlanta and one of the finest in the world." NCR has a commitment to hiring top talent from Georgia and has provided multiple scholarships and internships to Georgia State students through its NCR Scholar program. NCR believes that a strong public/private partnership is critical for the future of technology innovation, growth and developing the future. About NCR Corporation NCR Corporation (NYSE:NCR) is a leader in omni-channel solutions, turning everyday interactions with businesses into exceptional experiences. With its software, hardware, and portfolio of services, NCR enables nearly 700 million transactions daily across financial, retail, hospitality, travel, telecom and technology industries. NCR solutions run the everyday transactions that make your life easier. NCR is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., with about 30,000 employees and does business in 180 countries. NCR is a trademark of NCR Corporation in the United States and other countries. NCR encourages investors to visit its website which is updated regularly with financial and other important information about NCR. About the Robinson College of Business (http://robinson.gsu.edu/) Georgia State University's J. Mack Robinson College of Business is a community of students, educators and professionals who specialize in discovering insights that drive smarter business decisions. Our programs push students beyond the classroom and offer experiences that bridge the gap between business education and the business world. Our internationally recognized faculty are not only experts in their fields but also prolific authors, distinguished researchers and award-winning leaders. Web site: www.ncr.com Twitter (News - Alert) : @NCRCorporation Facebook: www.facebook.com/ncrcorp LinkedIn (News - Alert) : www.linkedin.com/company/ncr-corporation YouTube (News - Alert) : www.youtube.com/user/ncrcorporation View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180205005466/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] Velotrade, Hong Kong's leader in online invoice financing and discounting, won the award for Outstanding Online Invoice Trading Platform at ET Net's FinTech Awards 2017 on January 29, 2018 HONG KONG, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Velotrade was awarded "Winner of Outstanding Online Invoice Trading Platform" at ET Net's inaugural "FinTech Awards 2017" Presentation Ceremony which was held on January 29, 2018 at the Island Shangri-la in Hong Kong. The 1st Fintech Award to an online trade finance platform that aims to address SMEs funding needs by digitalizing factoring. The event aims to recognize the preeminent corporates and their remarkable contributions to the industry; to commend consummate professionals and set a new benchmark for the FinTech industry; to propose innovative quality FinTech solutions to consumers as well as to propel extensive applications of FinTech in an all-around way. Hence, consolidates the leading position of Hong Kong as a paramount international FinTech hub. The Awards Presentation Ceremony crowned the illustrious corporates and university students with three grand awards and over 40 awards across nine categories with Dr. David CHUNG, JP, Under Secretary, Innovation and Technology, the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as the officiating Guest-of-Honor together with other Honorable guests to attend the ceremony and present prizes to awardees. "We are excited to be recognised by ET Net and the Panel Judges that Velotrade deploying Fintech as core to address the funding issue of SMEs, our built to differentiate, to integrate, to be scalable are not only wel received by our investors and sellers but also our industry leaders. We were told that we had received high scoring on all five judging criteria of such award. They are innovation and creativity, impact, benefits, functionality and marketability respectively," says Vittorio De Angelis, Chairman and Co-Founder of Velotrade. "We have analysed the factoring workflow and tried to make it as efficient as possible by directly integrating third-party processes into our system. This means that it allows us to do a KYC check within minutes rather than days. We have integrated digital signatures to overcome the cumbersome paper work. Last but not the least we have successfully built a system that allows to fully utilise technology to provide an efficient and fast service to our SME clients," says Gianluca Pizzituti, CEO and Co-Founder of Velotrade. "By offering a highly secured and low cost yet effective risk assessment solution for companies to regain access of funding, Velotrade wishes to help stabilise the economy through our new prudent financial management platform. We are glad that our business can deliver societal impact," says Gilbert Tam, Head of Strategic Projects of Velotrade. "Our congratulations to Velotrade on its well-deserved win. We are pleased to witness Cyberport FinTech companies being recognised by major industry partners, a validation of our start-ups' ingenuity, entrepreneurial spirit, and innovation. For Cyberport, good news as this bolsters our resolve to spearhead the development of Hong Kong into the FinTech Hub of Asia and ensures our place in the new economy," says Dr. Lee George Lam, Chairman of Cyberport. About "FinTech Awards 2017" Its organiser ET Net Limited (www.etnet.com.hk) a Member of HKET Holdings is a diversified media company. Its core business -- publication of the Hong Kong Economic Times -- was established in 1988. It is now the leading financial newspaper in Hong Kong. Apart from newspaper publishing, the Group also operates other successful businesses such as magazine (e-zone) and book publishing, recruitment advertising and executive training. In addition, the Group is one of the leading real-time financial information providers offering equities and derivatives quotation, news, commentaries and information of Hong Kong listed companies to professional and retail investors. HKET Holdings was listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited on 3 August 2005 (Stock code: 423) About Velotrade Velotrade is an online marketplace where SMEs get funding by selling their invoices to investors who earn above market returns with attractive risk/return profiles. SMEs are having constrained access to traditional financing: increased regulation and greater capital requirements are compounding the problem. Investors are craving yield and have a lot of available liquidity. By creating a new asset class and allowing investors to purchase invoices Velotrade solves the SMEs funding problems while offering attractive and safe returns. All invoices are insured by a leading international insurance company. The platform is fully digital: able to fulfil a traditional financing function in a far more efficient and streamlined manner without any compromises. Technology allows Velotrade to scale its operation while offering a lot of flexibility to sellers and investors. The company was founded in 2015 and the management team has decades of experience in financial markets. Learn more about Velotrade visit: www.velotrade.com Media contact: Mr. Gilbert Tam Head of Strategic Projects, Velotrade Email: gtam@velotrade.com Tel: 852-58083777 ext 111 Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180205/2048956-1 Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170907/1936110-1LOGO SOURCE Velotrade Management Limited [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] Zignal Labs Raises $30M to Fuel Growth and Accelerate Effective C-Suite and Enterprise-wide Decision Making SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zignal Labs, the leader in AI-powered media analytics and brand measurement, today announced they have raised $30 million in additional capital. Existing investors are going to be joined by new investors Blum Capital Partners and North Atlantic Capital. Zignal will further invest in its artificial intelligence (AI) powered platform, which leverages machine learning to measure the business impact and brand health of earned, owned and shared media. The company also intends to increase its sales and marketing efforts and ramp up its expansion across key industry verticals. Brand health and reputation management are top of mind within the C-Suite and boardroom of every large company, said Josh Ginsberg, CEO and Co-Founder of Zignal Labs. With this new investment, we are able to further extend our leadership position in AI and media analytics to provide real-time visibility into brand health. These insights empower the C-Suite and broader enterprise to drive growth, connect with stakeholders and mitigate reputation risk. In a short period of time, Zignal has amassed a strong list of global leading brands across nearly every major industry, said Adam Beaugh, President and Co-Founder of Zignal Labs. The breadth of Zignals solution enables everyone from the CEO to the head of digital communication to the VP of investor relations to a market data analyst to align around a common set of metrics and an operating model to make faster data-driven decisions with confidence. Over the past few years, communications and marketing teams have been given a mandate to build brand awareness and protect brand reputation. But in todays rapidly-changing media environment, enterprises are challenged to accurately measure the myriad of conversations across earned, shared and owned media channels. The Zignal Enterprise Platform analyzes data in real-time from traditional, digital and social media sources to synthesize meaning and visualize trends for critical brand stakeholders. Through centralized reporting and data-driven visualizations, Zignal quickly informs decision-makers across the enterprise including marketing, communications, social, digital strategy, government relations, risk, investor relations and executive leadership. Today's investment follows a period of rapid expansion for Zignal Labs. Zignals customer base now includes some of the top global brands across every major industry, and leading communications agencies and public sector organizations. Clients include IBM, NVIDIA, Airbnb, Citrix, DTE Energy, The Sacramento Kings, Uber and FleishmanHillard. The company has offices in San Francisco, New York City, and Washington DC. About Zignal Labs Zignal Labs is reinventing how companies use media data to measure the brand and business impact of their communications. Through real-time and predictive analysis of the full-media spectrum, Zignals centralized platform empowers corporate communications, marketing and executive teams build and protect brand reputation, inform strategy and take action. To learn more, visit: www.zignallabs.com. About North Atlantic Capital North Atlantic Capital provides growth capital to innovative technology companies across the United States. Founded in 1986 and based in Portland, Maine, the firm is currently investing its fifth fund, which is capitalized at more than $120 million. North Atlantic targets high-growth, later-stage technology businesses with annual revenues of more than $10 million. North Atlantic has a 30 year history of supporting rapidly growing technology companies with both equity and long term subordinated investments. https://www.northatlanticcapital.com/ Media Contact Zignal Labs Leslie Hobbs leslie@gracestrategygroup.com 628-333-4806 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] Intrinsyc (TSX: ITC and OTC: ISYRF) Announces New Client for the Company's Open-Q 820 Embedded Computing Module and Engineering Services Agreement VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intrinsyc Technologies Corporation (TSX:ITC) (OTC:ISYRF) (Intrinsyc or the Company), a leading provider of solutions for the development of embedded and Internet of Things (IoT) products, today announced the attainment of a new production client for the Companys Open-Q 820 computing module and receipt of orders, last week that are in aggregate valued in excess of US$500,000. The new client placed an initial order for the Companys Open-Q computing modules that is valued at approximately US$205,000. The Company also signed a product development services agreement with an existing client that is valued at approximately US$311,000. Hardware shipments and services are expected to be provided during the first and second quarters of 2018. We are making excellent progress in expanding our client base of companies utilizing Intrinsycs Open-Q family of embedded computing modules, stated Mark Waldenberg, Vice President, Global Sales, Intrinsyc. Open-Q embedded computing modules are known for their high-performance, power-efficiency, robust software support, and superior quality and reliability. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements which, to the extent that they are not recitatins of historical fact, may constitute forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation that involves risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements or information may include statements regarding the Companys future plans, objectives, delivery performance, revenues, or the companys underlying assumptions. The words may, would, could, will, likely, expect, anticipate, intend, plan, forecast, project, estimate and believe or other similar words and phrases may identify forward-looking statements or information. Persons reading this press release are cautioned that such statements or information are only predictions, and that the Companys actual future results or performance may be materially different. Risk factors are described in the Companys reports filed on SEDAR, including its Annual Information Form and financial report for the year ended December 31, 2016. All forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by this cautionary statement and there can be no assurance that actual results or developments anticipated by the Company will be realized. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. About Intrinsyc Technologies Corporation Intrinsyc Technologies Corporation is a product development company that combines production ready computing engines with unmatched product development expertise to enable rapid commercialization of embedded and Internet of Things (IoT) products. Intrinsyc has successfully delivered over 1,000 projects from mobile phones and tablets to IoT products like robotics, wearables, connected cameras, augmented reality glasses, and much more. Intrinsycs Open-Q System on Modules incorporate the industrys most advanced processor technology available and help OEMs to rapidly bring industry leading products, with rich functionality and high performance, to market. Intrinsyc is publicly traded (TSX: ITC and OTC: ISYRF) and is headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada, with additional product development centers in Boulder, CO, and Taipei, Taiwan. For more information, please contact: Rachele Webb Senior Marketing Communications Coordinator Intrinsyc Technologies Corporation Email: rwebb@intrinsyc.com Phone: +1-604-632-3559 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] Create a Foundation for the Future MISSION, Kan., Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Family Features) Making sure your kids are ready to take on the world as adults is arguably one of the most important roles of a parent. Now, more than ever, education is the foundation of that preparation. Photo Courtesy of Getty Images As technology continues to evolve, its important that kids are learning, and also developing skills in high-demand areas, such as science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). A strong foundation of STEM learning is an important tool for the future, no matter the career path. The experts at the America's Farmers Grow Rural Education program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, are aiming to raise awareness of the benefits for todays students, and partnering with farmers to award STEM grants that enhance programming at rural public school districts. While nearly everyone has heard about STEM education in one way or another, some people dont understand its true value in school and in the workplace. Its cutting edge. When it comes to innovation, theres no disputing that STEM is progressing changes throughout society. STEM fields are at the forefront of nearly all of the exciting modern deveopments, from the latest digital gadgets enabled by technology to ground-breaking scientific research. Another benefit of this progressive environment is the financial and social impact on the community. Skilled STEM workers are driving trends and innovations, which can create jobs and boost the economy. All of these attributes appeal to eager, young graduates looking to make their mark. Its where the jobs are. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics published a report on the 10 fastest-growing occupations through 2026. In the report, 100 percent of the jobs fall into STEM categories, from the No. 1 growth career solar photovoltaic installers to a handful of medical field jobs to statisticians, software developers and mathematicians. Its a chance to make a real difference. STEM fields can drive true social change. Researching and uncovering new treatments, or even the cure, for a debilitating disease is only possible with skills gained through STEM learning. However, science isnt the only STEM field that brings opportunities to make a difference in others lives. A career in technology could mean helping a child hear or see for the first time using a specially constructed device, for example. Its a stepping stone to dozens of industries. While STEM learning lends itself well to a fairly large scope of career choices, that list is ever-expanding. In fact, most of todays graduates find themselves hard-pressed to secure a position without some STEM training. Consider a seemingly distant field such as fashion, for example, where digital technologies enable design sketching, mathematic skills factor into creating patterns and some engineering knowledge is necessary for designing a runway show. One school district in Royal, Washington, is utilizing the program to raise academic achievement for students in the classroom and on state-mandated math tests. The America's Farmers Grow Rural Education grant allows teachers to extend learning for students, especially those who are learning English as a second language, who need intervention but lack the technology at home. It's helpful in developing additional skills. The specific training involved in STEM education can help lead to certain career paths that will be available in the future. However, it can also help with more general skills. Students typically follow processes in STEM programming and training, such as the scientific method, that give them a chance to work with other students, test hypotheses and find solutions. These challenges can often help in developing teamwork, leadership and other collaborative life skills. Learn more about the Americas Farmers Grow Rural Education program at GrowRuralEducation.com. Michael French mfrench@familyfeatures.com 1-888-824-3337 editors.familyfeatures.com About Family Features Editorial Syndicate Established in 1974, Family Features is a leading provider of free food and lifestyle content for print and online publications. Our articles, photos, videos and web content solutions save you time, money and help create advertising opportunities. Registration is fast and free with absolutely no obligation. Visit editors.familyfeatures.com for more information. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c4de5a78-cd78-45c4-ae70-33443b8aadb1. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] Security and Vulnerability Management Market to Surpass US$ 20,665.9 Mn by 2027 VALLEY COTTAGE, New York, February 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new report published by Future Market Insights titled "Security and Vulnerability Management Market: Global Industry Analysis (2012 - 2016) and Opportunity Assessment (2017 - 2027)," the global security and vulnerability management market was valued at US$ 5,749.5 Mn in 2016 and is projected to reach US$ 20,665.9 Mn by 2027 end. The primary reasons behind this growth are the positive outlook towards escalating demand for next-generation security and vulnerability management solutions and collaboration with cloud service providers. The report on the global market for security and vulnerability management covers various market segments such as region, component, enterprise type, and vertical. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161020/430874LOGO ) Global Security and Vulnerability Management Market: Dynamics Impacting Growth Continuous demand for cyber security solutions due to an increase in cyber attacks Demand for remote solutions and increasing usage of cloud technologies Continuous growth in the IT sector across the globe Increasing number of internet users and high adoption of security and vulnerability management solutions in the healthcare industry Continuous launching of new products and solutions Request a Sample Report with Table of Contents and Figures: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/REP-GB-3188 Global Security and Vulnerability Management Market: Forecast by Region The seven key geographies of North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, APEJ, Japan and MEA have been covered in this report. In terms of value, North America is projected to be the most attractive regional market in the global security and vulnerability management market during the forecast period. However, the market in APEJ is expected to register high Y-o-Y growth rates throughout the forecast period. The market in APEJ is projected to exhibit relatively faster growth in terms of value, and is expected to register a CAGR of 13.3% over the forecast period. Global Security and Vulnerability Management Market: Forecast by Component On the basis of component, the global security and vulnerability management market is segmented into software and services. In 201, the software segment was the dominant segment, valued at US$ 4,774.6 Mn, and is expected to remain dominant in terms of value throughout the forecast period. However, the services segment is expected to exhibit relatively high growth rates in terms of value and is anticipated to exhibit a CAGR of 13.6% over the forecast period. Preview Analysis on Global Security and Vulnerability Management Market Segmentation by Vertical- IT and Telecom, Retail, Government, BFSI, Healthcare, Utility, Defence, Others; Component- Software, Services; Enterprise Type- Small Enterprises, Medium Enterprises, Large Enterprises: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/security-and-vulnerability-management-market Global Security and Vulnerability Management Market: Forecast by Enterprise Type On the basis of enterprise size, the global security and vulnerability management market is segmented into small enterprises, medium enterprises, and large enterprises. In terms of value, the small enterprises segment is expected to increase 3.4X during the forecast period. The large enterprises segment is expected to create an incremental opportunity of US$ 8,823.4 Mn during the forecast period. Global Security and Vulnerability Management Market: Forecast by Vertical Vertical segmentation consists of IT and Telecom, Retail, Government, BFSI, Healthcare, Energy & Utility, Defence and Others. Among the vertical segments, the healthcare segment is projected to exhibit relatively high growth in terms of value and is expected to register a CAGR of 13.2% over the forecast period. Global Security and Vulnerability Management Market: Key Players Some of the significant players operating in the global security and vulnerability management market are IBM Corporation, Micro Focus, Symantec Corporation, Rapid7, Inc., Qualys, Inc., Trend Micro, Inc., Tenable, Inc., McAfee LLC, Tripwire, Inc., and RSA Security LLC (Dell EMC). Our advisory services are aimed at helping you with specific, customised insights that are relevant to your specific challenges. Let us know about your challenges and our trusted advisors will connect with you: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-3188 More from FMI's Electronics, Semiconductors, and ICT Market Intelligence: Video on Demand Service Marke s t segmentation by Content Type- Animation: Kids, Movies, Others; Others: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/video-on-demand-market-122017 segmentation by Content Type- Animation: Kids, Movies, Others; Others: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/video-on-demand-market-122017 Smart Home Devices Market segmentation by Devices- Lighting Control Devices: Dimmers, Switches, Sensors, Others; Security and Control Devices: Video Surveillance, Access Control, Fire and Smoke Detectors; Entertainment Devices, Healthcare Devices, Kitchen and Home Appliances, Energy Management Devices, HVAC; Services- Professional Services, Managed Services; Application- Building Energy Management, Security and Surveillance, Lighting, HVAC, Others:https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/smart-home-devices-market segmentation by Devices- Lighting Control Devices: Dimmers, Switches, Sensors, Others; Security and Control Devices: Video Surveillance, Access Control, Fire and Smoke Detectors; Entertainment Devices, Healthcare Devices, Kitchen and Home Appliances, Energy Management Devices, HVAC; Services- Professional Services, Managed Services; Application- Building Energy Management, Security and Surveillance, Lighting, HVAC, Others:https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/smart-home-devices-market Version Control Systems Market segmentation by Type- Local Version Control System, Centralised Version Control System, Distributed Version Control System; Enterprise Type- Large Enterprises, Small and Medium Enterprises; Operating Environment- Windows, Linux, Others: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/version-control-systems-market About Us Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights and an aerial view of the competitive framework and future market trends. Browse More Electronics, Semiconductors, and ICT Market Insights Contact Us 616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018, Valley Cottage, NY 10989, United States T: +1-347-918-3531 F: +1-845-579-5705 T (UK): +44(0)20-7692-8790 Sales: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Press Office: Press@futuremrketinsights.com FMI Blog: http://www.fmiblog.com/ Website: http://www.futuremarketinsights.com SOURCE Future Market Insights [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] EBD Group: BIO-Europe Spring(R) Returns to Amsterdam for High-Level Partnering Among Innovative Biotech, Pharma and Investors The twelfth annual BIO-Europe Spring(R) international partnering conference returns to Amsterdam, The Netherlands, March 12-14, 2018 at the Amsterdam RAI Convention Center. The event is produced by EBD Group in conjunction with our national partner, Health~Holland, representing the Dutch Top Sector Life Sciences & Health, and supported by HollandBIO and the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA). More than 2,500 senior executives from 1,400+ leading international biotech companies, pharmaceutical companies, investors and business development team members will attend this annual event, which will be held this year in a biotech hub known for its bold entrepreneurs and top-notch scientists, outstanding patient representatives and progressive policy makers working towards innovative medicines, vaccines and therapies. The Netherlands is home to a vibrant, dense biotechnology cluster of more than 1,200 life sciences companies and research organizations, including 460 biotech companies and 116 medtech companies, all within a 120-mile radius, according to HollandBIO, the Dutch biotech industry association. "We are looking forward to welcoming biotech entrepreneurs, pharma representatives and investors from all over the world to the Netherlands for an inspiring and energizing BIO-Europe Spring," said Hans Schikan, Chairman a.i. of the Top Sector Life Sciences & Health. "In order to maintain and further improve our high standards of care, joining forces is critical. In a collaborative effort, the Dutch are pioneering solutions that combine health, innovation and affordability." "BIO-Europe Spring is the most significant industry event of the new year where top executives from global biotech, pharma and finance come together to access hundreds of potential partners to make their companies' collaborative goals a reality," said Anna Chrisman, Group Managing Director, EBDGroup. "We're so happy to return to Amsterdam after such a productive and successful conference there six years ago." One-to-one partnering meetings facilitated by EBD Group's partneringONE(R) are a key business strategy that have transformed the drug development industry by facilitating collaboration between innovators and biopharma executives from every corner of the globe. Company presentations by early stage projects, innovative startups, established biotechs and midsize pharma companies are also a focus of the event and enable innovators to present directly to potential investors, pharma and development partners. Some of the high-profile pharmaceutical companies who will be attending BIO-Europe Spring 2018 include AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, Lilly, Merck, MSD, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, Takeda and others. Last year's event featured: * 15,028 one-to-one meetings * 3,289 licensing opportunities posted * 2,517 delegates * 1,440 companies * 117 company presentations * 65 exhibitors * 58 countries represented * 20 workshops and panels Registration information for BIO-Europe Spring is available online. # # # Additional links and information: Follow BIO-Europe Spring 2018 on Twitter (News - Alert) : @EBDGroup (hashtag: #BIOEuropeSpring). About EBD Group EBD Group's overriding mission is to help collaborations get started across the life science value chain. Our range of partnering conferences has grown to become the largest and most productive conference platform in the industry. Each one of our six landmark events held in key life science markets around the world is powered by our state-of-the-art partnering software, partneringONE(R), that enables delegates to efficiently identify and engage with new opportunities via one-to-one meetings. Today these events annually attract more than 12,000 senior life science executives who engage in over 48,000 one-to-one partnering meetings. These vital one-to-one engagements are the wellspring of deals that drive innovation in our industry. Our annual events are: BIO-Europe(R), BIO-Europe Spring(R), ChinaBio(R) Partnering Forum, BioEquity Europe, BioPharma America(TM), and Biotech Showcase(TM). Tune into EBD Group's Partnering Insight for timely coverage of news that influences the business strategies of the life science industry. For more information please visit ebdgroup.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180205005504/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] Microsoft Confirms Market-Need for KnowBe4 & Other Leading Vendors: Sending Simulated Phishing Attacks to Your Employees Is a Must TAMPA BAY, Fla., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- KnowBe4, the world's largest provider of security awareness training and simulated phishing, is pleased to note that Microsoft has finally acknowledged that organizations need to send simulated phishing attacks to their employees with the announcement of a new feature called Attack Simulator. Part of Microsoft's Office 365 Threat Intelligence offering, Attack Simulator allows email administrators to send phishing attacks to determine how employees respond.* "At KnowBe4, we consider the addition of Attack Simulator to Microsoft's Office 365 Threat Intelligence offering a win for our industry. In adding this feature, Microsoft has done what it always does: observe the market for innovative companies that create new markets, and then include a 'checkbox' feature with limited functionality so that their marketing can say: 'Yes, we do that'." said Stu Sjouwerman, Founder and CEO of KnowBe4. "As a leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Security Awareness Computer-based Training, our mission to enable customers' employees to make smarter security decisions has now been confirmed as a 'must.'" Perry Carpenter, KnowBe4's Chief Evangelist & Strategy Officer stated, "By adding Attack Simulator, Microsoft has acknowledged that simulated phishing and the need to know your users' susceptibility to social engineering attacks is non-negotiable and a must-have in today's enterprise and SMB environments." Carpenter continued, "It will be interesting to see if the Company allows third parties to create phishing template libraries, landing pages, and to see how the current functionality compares to that of the market leaders. Scott Bekker, Redmond Magazine's Executive Editor remarked, "The simulator is one of a handful of key, near-term security enhancementsin the Office 365 roadmap. The attack simulator has the potential to be a very useful proactive defense tool for IT administrators. According to the roadmap, the attack simulator "enables admins to send simulated attacks (10-15 different attack categories including phish, brute force password cracking, etc.) to their end users to determine how they respond to attacks and determine if the right policies are in place to help mitigate real attacks."** Sjouwerman added: "KnowBe4 has provided a free Phishing Security Test (PST) for 6 years now, which does a very similar thing to the new Microsoft offering. Attack Simulator shows the phish-prone percentage of an organization's employees, so that a real program can be put in place to manage the ongoing urgent problem of social engineering attacks. Sending users an occasional phishing email provides just a baseline understanding and is only the start of a functional security awareness training program." According to a September 15, 2017 report from Gartner security analyst Joanna Huisman, Three Critical Factors in Building a Comprehensive Security Awareness Program, three key elements form a successful security educations program: communication and education on security tactics, knowledge of your users and pervasive communication. An attack simulator is a good place to start. Coupled with a personalized training program with regular updated and fresh content, users can strengthen an organization's last line of defense. About KnowBe4: KnowBe4, the provider of the world's most popular integrated new-school security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, is used by more than 15,000 organizations worldwide. Founded by data and IT security expert Stu Sjouwerman, KnowBe4 helps organizations address the human element of security by raising awareness of ransomware, CEO fraud and other social engineering tactics through a new-school approach to security awareness training. Kevin Mitnick, internationally recognized computer security expert and KnowBe4's Chief Hacking Officer, helped design KnowBe4's training based on his well-documented social engineering tactics. Thousands of organizations trust KnowBe4 to mobilize their end-users as the last line of corporate IT defense. Number 231 on the 2017 Inc. 500 list, #50 on 2016 Deloitte's Technology Fast 500 and #6 in Cybersecurity Ventures Cybersecurity 500. KnowBe4 is headquartered in Tampa Bay, Florida with European offices in England and The Netherlands. For more information, visit www.knowbe4.com and follow Stu on Twitter at @StuAllard. * https://products.office.com/en-us/business/office-365-roadmap?filters=%26freeformsearch=phish#abc ** https://redmondmag.com/blogs/scott-bekker/2018/02/security-enhancements-coming-to-office-365.aspx Media Contact: Kathy Wattman, 727-474-9950, kathyw@knowbe4.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/microsoft-confirms-market-need-for-knowbe4--other-leading-vendors-sending-simulated-phishing-attacks-to-your-employees-is-a-must-300593220.html SOURCE KnowBe4 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] Entisys360 Wins a 2017 Americas Award at Citrix Summit 2018 Entisys360, an award-winning IT consultancy specializing in the deployment and delivery of advanced IT infrastructure, virtualization and cloud first solutions, today announced that it has been recognized by Citrix (News - Alert) as its 2017 "CSA Partner of the Year" for North America. The award was presented during the Citrix Summit 2018 awards ceremony held in Anaheim, Calif. "We are proud to be recognized by Citrix as its 2017 'CSA Partner of the Year'," said Mike Strohl, CEO, Entisys360. "Citrix is one of our oldest and most valued vendor relationships, and we would like to thank them for recognizing Entisys360 as one of their top North American partners again in 2017. I am grateful to the Entisys360 team for continuing to identify new and innovative ways in which to leverage Citrix to grow our business and drive mutual success. I would also like to thank our customers for entrusting us with your business; without you this and the many other accolades we've won over the years from Citrix would not be possible." For nearly two decades, Entisys360 has leveraged Citrix solutions, deploying Citrix's server, application and desktop virtualization, networking, software-as-a-service and cloud computing technologies as part of a broad portfolio of advanced IT infrastructure solutions architected for end-user clients. "We remain steadfast in our commitment to strengthening our Citrix expertise and encourage our staff in their pursuit of the technical knowledge and certifications that drive our business forward," said Matt General, COO, Entisys360. "We are pleased to recognize Entisys360 for its exceptional achievements in 2017," said Rafael Garzon, Vice President, Americas Partners, Citrix. "The world is transforming at an accelerated pace. As our customers evolve, they count on partners like Entisys360 to guide them in successfully moving into the cloud, and preparing their organization for the next wave of innovation. We applaud Entisys360 for their commitment to our mutual customers and look forward to all that can be accomplished together in the coming year and beyond." Entisys360 is a member of M7 Global Partners, a national network of the country's leading IT consultnts dedicated to delivering datacenter and desktop solutions with an emphasis on virtual desktop solutions for mid-tier and enterprise customers and government agencies. M7 members also include AEC Group, Convergence Technology Consulting, Gotham Technology Group, Hogan Consulting Group, IntraSystems and IPM. Strohl added, "We would like to also congratulate IntraSystems, which was awarded Citrix's Worldwide Partner of the Year for 2017, and also recognized as its 'Area Partner of the Year - Enterprise' and 'Apps and Desktop Partner of the year'." About Entisys360 Entisys360 is an award-winning IT consultancy specializing in the deployment and delivery of advanced IT infrastructure, virtualization and cloud first solutions. Through state-of-the-art methodologies and broad solutions and services offerings, Entisys360 expertly solves its clients' most pressing IT and business challenges. With more than two decades of experience, Entisys360 has become a trusted advisor to some of the most prominent companies in California. Offering professional support services, managed services, consulting and engineering services, Entisys360 serves mid-tier and enterprises within the healthcare, financial services and legal services sectors, as well as educational institutions and government agencies. The corporate headquarters for Entisys360 are located in Concord, Calif., with its public sector division located in Sacramento, Calif. Entisys360 also has offices in Irvine, Calif. and Pasadena, Calif. For more information, visit www.entisys360.com or call 1-877-ENTISYS (877-368-4797). Social Media Outlets: Facebook (News - Alert) : www.facebook.com/entisys360 Twitter (News - Alert) : www.twitter.com/Entisys360 Google (News - Alert) +: https://plus.google.com/+Entisys/posts LinkedIn (News - Alert) : https://www.linkedin.com/company/entisys Citrix is a registered trademark of Citrix. All other trademarks used herein are property of their respective of their owners. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180205005182/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] Education Is Not A Crime Presents Michigan Premiere of Changing the World, One Wall at a Time at Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor The Michigan premiere of the documentary film Changing the World, One Wall at a Time, which was first shown in 2017 at the Harlem International Film Festival, will be screened at the Michigan Theater on Tuesday, February 6 at 7pm. The film tells the story of Education Is Not A Crime-a global street art and human rights campaign that works to raise awareness of educaton discrimination against the Baha'i minority in Iran and to address structural inequality issues in the United States. Education Is Not A Crime is planning a new series of murals in Ann Arbor and Detroit featuring the poet Robert Hayden-who was effectively the first African-American US poet laureate and also a Baha'i. The legacy of this unique figure tells the story of the denial of higher education to Iranian Baha'is and ties it to the ongoing issue of education equality in the United States. Hayden's achievement stands as a testament to the power of education to overcome injustice and to build a hopeful future. Special guest, Maziar Bahari, founder of Education Is Not A Crime and executive producer of the film, will also be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A. Bahari is an Iranian-Canadian journalist and filmmaker who was imprisoned in Iran for 118 days as a result of his coverage of the 2009 protests for Newsweek. His harrowing experience and its implications on press freedom were featured in Jon Stewart's 2014 film "Rosewater." Tickets are $10 and are available at http://www.michtheater.org/?p=326668 View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180205005819/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2018] Children's Hospital Los Angeles Kicks off Annual Valentine's Day Card Drive on CHLA.org Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) will travel back to prehistoric times for their annual Valentine's Day card drive, which kicks off today on CHLA.org. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180205005976/en/ Children's Hospital Los Angeles patient Alivia, 5, displays her two favorite Valentine's Day cards. (Photo: Business Wire) Because Valentine's Day is very special day at CHLA, the hospital is inviting supporters and friends to send a special dinosaur-themed greeting card for patients. The two-step process is so easy a Neanderthal could do it! First, go to chla.org/Valentine and choose a card bearing one of three images -- a Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Stegosaurus and a Pterodactyl. Second, write a personal message of cheer t a patient. For each card with a message sent from Feb. 2-14, Party City has pledged to donate $1 to CHLA, up to $25,000. Hospitalized kids are unable to attend school parties or exchange Valentines and thus, miss out on getting to celebrate the holiday with friends and classmates. These special greeting cards and thoughtful, kind words lift CHLA patients' spirits and let them know how much people care. In past years patients have received Valentine's Day cards and good wishes from the Los Angeles community and international supporters from as far away as Australia, India and Brazil! About Children's Hospital Los Angeles Children's Hospital Los Angeles is dedicated to creating hope and building healthier futures for children. Founded in 1901, CHLA is one of the nation's leading pediatric academic medical centers and is acknowledged worldwide for its leadership in pediatric and adolescent health. The hospital relies on the generosity of the community to support its groundbreaking pediatric research and the complex care it provides for critically ill and injured children. For more information, visit CHLA.org. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram, and visit our child health blog (CHLA.org/blog) and our research blog (ResearCHLABlog.org). View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180205005976/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] I also purchased the Q6f this past February. Worked fine for about 2 months, then chronic HDMI TV ARC connection issues with an LG soundbar. Optical cable worked fine. Replaced the circuit board on the TV and still issues. There was a firmware update in mid August that took care of the soundbar being turned off and flipping to TV speakers. Now instead there is NO AUDIO whatsoever. Requires a complete of the electronics (unplug everything for at least 10 minutes) and then reconnect everything. You're good a few days before it starts all over again. Samsung REFUSES to replace the defective tv or acknowledge the problem. There supposedly is another firmware update for end of September that might fix it. I even purchased the other day a Samsung Dolby Atmos soundbar (K850) and have similar issues with a 4k pass thru and flickering picture, sound bar freezes, etc. I WILL NEVER buy a Samsung product again. I have an LG OLED with -0- issues and it is connect to a Sony top of the line soundbar. Wish us all luck - if I could I'd return it all to Best Buy. I even contacted the Office of the President for Samsung in NJ and the woman returned my email to them with the same offer that their foreign support offers. Absurd for a top of the line product. click to enlarge In the past ten years, the insistence that one can, by sheer force of spiritual will, change one's sexual orientation has fallen by the wayside of bad ideas. Medical associations condemned it. States banned it. Shooting Doesn't Stop On Sunday Police investigating after shooting victim shows up at hospital The authorities are investigating after a shooting victim showed up at a local hospital. According to police dispatch, the shooting happened at 35th and Emanuel Cleaver Boulevard. The victim showed up at the hospital at 10 a.m. Their injuries are non-life-threatening. No other information is available at this time. SecState Kobach Fool For A Client Kobach will represent himself in upcoming trial. Is it a smart move? When a federal lawsuit challenging Kansas's proof of citizenship voter law goes to trial in March, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach plans to be in the courtroom. He'll be the attorney defending the law he crafted. Rarely, if ever, do statewide elected officials represent themselves at trial. Missouri #MeToo Round-Up Harassment claims target 4 Missouri lawmakers JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Missouri House has dealt with six formal sexual harassment complaints over the past two years, including four that involved lawmakers and that cost more than $22,000 in external legal fees to investigate, according to records obtained by The Associated Press. Show-me Embattled Guv Comeback Robberson: Eric Greitens, defender of freedom and phone app installation dates For national security reasons, I cannot tell you everything I know about why Gov. Eric Greitens can't divulge the date upon which he installed the Confide app on his phone. He and I have worked in a lot of the same hellhole war zones. We've encountered some pretty bad dudes. Kansas City Weather Fear Update Kansas City to see more snow on Tuesday The Kansas City metro looks to see another snow event on Tuesday. On that day, 1.5 to 2 inches of snow is possible around KC, while 2 to 3 inches are possible south of I-70. It will be a daytime to evening snow that will start out relatively light and then pick up during the afternoon and evening. Sunday night and we review some of the top local stories inspired byand her enduring international model hotness. Take a peek at some of the highlights whilst local newsies can't stop blathering about the snow:And this is thefor right now . . . INSIDERS WARN COUNCIL OF CLARK CONSTRUCTION GROUP'S LEGACY OF RUNNING OVER-BUDGET LIKE THE LATEST DEBACLE BUILDING SEA-TAC!!! There's widespread biz community fear that Edgemoor's partner Clark Construction will ruin KC's airport plan with a similar incident like the "understated initial estimate" that cost an extra $30-million in addition to a 17% overall cost increase for the new Seattle airport. "The Council just wants due diligence on this airport. Mayor Sly James and the City Manager are much too desperate to have KC sign on the dotted line for hundreds of millions of dollars without looking at the specifics of the deal or properly assessing the risk. We have a responsibility to the public to make sure the construction of the airport is in good hands. Promises and public statements are nice but let's look at the work the company has done in the past, KC can't afford estimates that aren't in line with expectations. There are real doubts about the ability of Edgemoor & their partners to deliver when they've obviously had problems in the past." Behind the scenes debate over the new airport continues and the latest talking point threatens to hurt the chances of Edgemoor & Clark Construction Group amid so many promises they've offered to elected officials.First on TKC . . .Of course there will be debate on the circumstances but here is an inconvenient fact that troubles Council and the local biz community . . .Here's the word . . .And so, the debate continues with greedy consultants and desperate politicos working behind the scenes to play kingmaker in a bidding battle that will definitely result in a lawsuit, hurt feelings and even more political rivalries as election season approaches.Developing . . . BLAME KANSAS CITY MAYOR SLY & CITY MANGER TROY SCHULTE FOR HORRIFIC STREET CONDITIONS IN NEIGHBORHOODS!!! Once again Mayor Sly has failed Kansas City and ultimately deserve blame for deplorable conditions on local streets.Throughout most of his tenure the Mayor has been able to dodge this issue because of mild Winters. However, this time around, every single snowfall has seen a lackluster response and neighborhood streets in KCMO prove exceptionally treacherous.To wit . . .The administration usually looks to deflect criticism by name-checking Public Works butis complaining about laborers valiantly doing the best they can but rather criticism is focused on the meager resources allotted to this service that is absent from most local neighborhoods.Meanwhile, we all can see and just across the State Line JoCo is doing more with less, keeping their streets clean and going into neighborhood paths as well . . .Even worse . . . The Mayor plans to return to voters this year for even more tax cash despite very little evidence that so much of that cash is making it to KCMO streets.You decide . . . Dubai Holding, the investment conglomerate owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has appointed Amit Kaushal as its new chief executive, replacing Edris Alrafi who had held the position since last April. Kaushal was previously chief financial officer at Dubai Holding. He was also senior vice president of funding and treasury management at real estate developer Meraas Holding, and, before that had worked for Goldman Sachs Group, UBS Group and Deutsche Bank in London and Dubai, reported The National. We confirm that Edris Alrafi has stepped down from his position as CEO of Dubai Holding and will be succeeded by Dubai Holdings CFO Amit Kaushal who has been with the company since April 2017, stated the report, citing a spokesperson from Dubai Holding. No reason was given for the departure. Also, in a major move, Dubai Holdings' real estate unit Dubai Properties has appointed Raed Al Nuaimi as the new Group Chief Executive Officer after Abdulla Lahej stepped down from office. Al Nuaimi comes from North 25, a new entity which was set up last year to manage multibillion dollar development projects across Dubai Holding and real estate developer Meraas Holding, stated The National report. The leadership change follows a reshuffle of senior officials at Dubai Holding last year, involving the departure of the chief executive and vice chairman. Dubai Holding has assets worth Dh130 billion ($35.3 billion). Its portfolio companies own business hubs, hotels, resorts as well as telecommunications and financial services it added. The American University of Ras Al Khaimah (Aurak) said it has signed an agreement with UAE-based company Al Shrooq Green Energy (ASGE), a specialist in municipal solid waste gasification technologies. The arrangement agrees to mutual co-operation in terms of sharing expertise, a pilot scaled skid-mounted gasification unit (SMGU), and research on waste-to-energy systems developed by ASGE. As per the deal, both Aurak and ASGE will collaborate in research fields such as syngas conversion to methanol and waste heat recovery. In addition, the university students will have internship opportunities at the organisation. As per the deal, the UAE group will deliver the pilot gasification unit to RAK Research and Innovation Center for using the sysngas produced from the waste sources in Ras Al Khaimah. This initiative directly joins with RAK Waste Management Authority to support its mission of diverting 75 per cent of the MSW away from landfills by 2021. As per the terms of the agreement, the green energy group will support RAK research unit for R&D programmes in the areas of mutual interest related to municipal solid waste and bio-solids gasification in the UAE, remarked Prof Hassan Hamdan Al Alkim, the university president, after signing the deal with Manoharan Sundaralingam, the chief executive of ASGE in the presence of Prof Mousa Mohsen, the dean of the School of Engineering and director of RAK Research and Innovation Center and Sonia Nasser, the executive director of RAK Waste Management Authority. ASGE will be actively involved in giving the university access to their pilot scale system, instrumentation, and experienced technical staff. ASGE said it will also support the RAK research unit's staff and students in conducting practical research on the pilot scale unit. "We are delighted with this partnership, as it gives us the chance to work with students and support their projects, allowing them to put the theories they learn in the classroom into real, industry-relevant practice," remarked Manoharan. "This university also has a range of world-class researchers in their respective fields, so we are very excited to work with them. This relationship has great potential," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the Bahrain-based aluminium smelter, revealed that its Line 6 smelter expansion project achieved a significant milestone - the First Cathode Sealing Operation - on January 31. The first cathode is an integral part of the potlining activities for the new Line 6 pots based on the Dubal DX Ultra Technology that is being employed at the Line 6 Smelter, said a statement from the company. Albas chief executive officer Tim Murray said: We are very much pleased with the overall progress we have made on Line 6 Smelter. The focused-approach adopted by our team has yielded nicely on the progress of engineering (79 per cent), procurement (83 per cent), contracts (97 per cent) and construction (17 per cent) simultaneously. We look forward to the on-schedule completion of Line 6 Expansion Project and have everything checked to be ready for commercial operations, he added. TradeArabia News Service The newly introduced VAT in the United Arab Emirates will hurt the operating profits of almost all insurers this year, said leading financial information and analytics provider S&P Global in its latest RatingsDirect report. The valued-added tax in the introduced at the beginning of the year makes all insurance policies--with the exception of life insurance--subject to the levy. Although the authorities made this message clear over the past few months, insurers in the UAE are struggling with a big problem, one they did not anticipate or one they did not anticipate or one for which they had perhaps expected more clarity. According to the VAT regulations, all general insurance policies sold last year but with a policy period that runs into 2018 are subject to 5 per cent VAT on the premium on this year's portion of the policy. The main issue, which remains unresolved, is that the insurers are obliged to deposit the tax liability whether they can recover this amount from their customers or not. And the tax liability for the total market is large: S&P estimates that it ranges between Dh700 million ($190.5 million) to Dh800 million based on estimated gross premiums (general insurance) of more than Dh30 billion for 2017. The hurdles to reclaiming VAT It might be possible for insurers to collect some portion of this amount from their corporate customers who can, in turn, claim this VAT on their tax returns as an input tax. However, considering the large number of insurance policies (especially motor) sold to individual retail customers, it would be practically impossible for insurers to reach out to hundreds of thousands of retail customers to recover the applicable VAT, the S&P report said. There is another hurdle. Even if insurers decide to reach out to all of their clients, most insurance policies sold in 2017 did not include any clause for a retroactive claim on VAT, with the exception of the few insurers who started inserting this clause during the latter part of 2017. In absence of this clause, the customer is under no legal obligation to pay this portion of VAT, unless the customer is a tax-registered entity and can claim the VAT paid to insurers as input tax. There have been various discussions in the market about this issue and recently, the Emirates Insurance Association appealed to the Federal Tax Authority to allow non-retroactive application of VAT on insurance policies issued last year whose term matures after Dec. 31, 2017. There has been no official notification or clarification on this yet, and hence the tax liability still looms on insurers. While we expect that insurers might be able to recover a portion of this amount, in any case insurers will have to absorb a large portion of this tax liability in 2018, which could weaken the performance of some insurers and the overall market's profitability, S&P Global said in the report. What's more, the liquidity of certain insurers could come under stress. Based on VAT regulations, since these policies are liable to the tax, insurers should raise a tax invoice for all such policies at the inception of service or VAT application date, that is, Jan. 1, 2018, and the whole amount of tax liability is payable in first-quarter 2018. Insurers with turnover above Dh150 million have monthly reporting obligations, while those below that amount would report quarterly. The impact on future claims General insurers also need to be prepared for another VAT challenge in 2018. With respect to claims, whether for policies written in 2017 or 2018, suppliers' invoices raised in 2018 would include VAT. While the general understanding is that insurers would be able to claim this amount as input tax, this is only applicable when the claim invoice is raised in the insurer's name. If the suppliers raise invoices in the name of the insured and not the insurance companies, then insurers won't be able to recover the amount paid for VAT as input tax. It's unclear how insurers will proceed on this, but if this issue is not tackled properly, it could increase insurer's loss ratios and squeeze net underwriting results. The impact on life insurance While the above challenges apply only to the general insurance business, insurers writing life insurance policies are also not spared. According to VAT regulations, premiums on life insurance are exempt from tax, which means insurers are not allowed to charge VAT. That said, the commissions charged by the brokers on policies sold in 2018 are liable to VAT. Insurers writing life insurance policies can neither recover this VAT from their customer nor they can claim it as input tax since life insurance falls under exempt category and hence outside the scope of VAT. A majority of life insurance policies in the UAE are distributed through brokers for which they charge very handsome commissions, sometimes as high as one full year's policy premium. In the current situation, if brokers add a VAT component to their commissions, life insurers would end up absorbing the cost at their expense, which means thinner margins and shrinking return on equity. Some insurers in the market are trying to adopt an operating model where they continue to pay the same commissions as before and let the broker raise the invoice inclusive of VAT. However, it is expected that this model would not be too successful and would face strong resistance from brokers as this would squeeze their margins. How will the market and individual insurers adjust? We believe the challenges related to the VAT are negative for the overall UAE insurance market, but we do not expect any negative rating action on any of our rated entities at this point because most have declared robust earnings during the recent past and are capable of absorbing this impact, S&P Global said in the report. Since most UAE insurers are composite insurers (writing both life and general insurance), almost all will feel the impact in one way or another, though the degree might differ from insurer to insurer. Insurers with a heavy focus on retail lines of business would be hit the most since their clients (mostly walk-in retail customers) will not be tax registered and hence would not be ready to share the burden of additional cost, whether in terms of VAT on policies issued in 2017 or VAT charged by claim suppliers. Life insurers may need to restructure their current operating model and negotiate commission terms with their primary distribution channel, brokers, or risk thinner underwriting margins. While we expect the challenges on underwriting side to be met by the market, each individual insurer will have to cope with the procedural and compliance-related issues, S&P Global said in the report. TradeArabia News Service Mayor Jimmy Harris reads out proclamation Friday making Groundhog Day White Squirrel Day, as Pisgah Pete looks on. It's official Pisgah Pete, Brevard's own white squirrel meteorologist, has predicted six more weeks of winter. The news was a disappointment to the crowd, which included two area TV news crews, who gathered Friday morning at the Blue Ridge Bakery in Brevard. Prior to his winter prediction, which was the same as his famous groundhog compatriot, Punxsutawney Phil, in Pennsylvania, Pete correctly picked the winner of Sunday's Super Bowl - the Philadelphia Eagles. In an unsporting gesture - but one that was cheered on by the crowd Friday - Pete also appeared to urinate on the card pri... After reading Dr. Campbells article about Samson and Delilah, I felt the need to comment on the (good and bad foreigners) attributed to Gods law. The article portrays each of these ladies as either a good or bad foreigner. The difference between Delilah and Ruth is the acceptance of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Both came from foreign lands that practiced idol worship. God did not want his people to be influenced by foreign beliefs. Indeed, at times, Israel did accept idol worship and even sacrificed their own children at the altars of foreign gods, which was the practice of t... Photo credit: Ken Williams Delegates will meet at the Montego Bay Convention Centre next year. JAMAICA TO HOST 2019 CARIBBEAN TRAVEL MARKETPLACE SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (February 5, 2018) - The Caribbean's largest tourism marketing event will be held in Jamaica next year. The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) officially announced that the 37th edition of Caribbean Travel Marketplace will be held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre from January 29 to 31, 2019. The event will be held in collaboration with the Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, the Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association and the Jamaica Tourist Board. Produced by CHTA, Caribbean Travel Marketplace brings together hotel and destination representatives; wholesalers and tour operators; online travel agencies; Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) planners; and members of the media for several days of business meetings, including a busy program of thousands of pre-scheduled appointments. Chief Executive Officer and Director General of CHTA Frank Comito announced that after an incredibly successful 36th convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico last week, the trade association is delighted to return the event to Jamaica next winter. "Jamaica is synonymous with exceptional hospitality, world renowned culture and incredible beauty. We look forward to continuing to offer our participants a high quality program to engage with industry peers and promote travel to our region," he said. "I am very pleased to announce that Jamaica will once again play host to an important tourism event," said Jamaica's Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett. "It is an incredible achievement for our country and I am certain we will reap significant benefits." This year's Caribbean Travel Marketplace, which was produced by CHTA in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Convention Center District Authority, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, Meet Puerto Rico, and the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association, exceeded organizers' expectations. The meeting received an exceptional billing and showcased the resilience of the people of Puerto Rico and other parts of the Caribbean, in particular those destinations which are rebounding from the impact of two Category 5 hurricanes. CHTA President Karolin Troubetzkoy remarked at the opening of the convention: "It is indeed a very special Marketplace because it is a recognition of the courage and determination of the Puerto Rican people and our brothers and sisters from the other affected islands to overcome and rise above the many obstacles and challenges thrown at them." She described local Puerto Rican tourism officials as "formidable partners" of whom CHTA could not have asked more. HMH- Hospitality Management Holding has appointed Shahzad Butt as the new General Manager of the Coral Dubai Al Barsha Hotel. (TRAVPR.COM) UAE - February 4th, 2018 - HMH- Hospitality Management Holding has appointed Shahzad Butt as the new General Manager of the Coral Dubai Al Barsha Hotel. Butt brings over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry worldwide and has run multiple award-winning hotels in UAE. Moreover, he has considerable background in providing market-oriented and profitable strategies aimed at increasing sales and revenues while maintaining guest satisfactions and hotel standards. Making the announcement, Mr. Ferghal Purcell, COO of HMH, stated, We are very delighted to announce the appointment of Mr. Butt as a General Manager of the Coral Dubai Al Barsha and We believe he is the perfect fit for such position. Mr. Butt has a lifelong experience in hospitality management and we are certain that his qualifications will leverage in maintaining the position of Coral Dubai Al Barsha as a leading property catering for guest satisfaction and offering high-quality services. Butt began his career in 1988 as a management trainee to climb the stairway of success by handling several management positions in prestigious international hotels, he has since then worked closely in hotel and hospitality management and held managerial positions focusing on customer satisfaction, sales, and marketing. Expressing his pleasure at joining the Coral Dubai Al Barsha, Butt said, I am truly honored to join the Coral Dubai Al Barsha Hotel, which is a leading property in Dubai and I am very thrilled to enhance the success it witnessed. Coral Dubai Al Barsha is reputable for its first-class services and facilities, and managing this property is a great challenge that shall end in more success and achievements. Coral Dubai Al Barsha Hotel is a 5-star stunning property designed to meet the needs of both modern business and leisure travelers. It is in the heart of Al Barsha within walking distance from the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai. The hotel features 337 rooms and suits all equipped with first-class facilities, three fabulous dining outlets, state-of-the-art meeting rooms and excellent mix of leisure options including a whole floor dedicated to health, fitness, spa and kids club as well as a rooftop swimming pool with a spectacular view of Palm Jumeirah. About HMH Founded in 2003 in Dubai, HMH Hospitality Management Holding is a fully integrated hotel management company that prides itself for being one of the pioneers among local groups that are specialized in the dry segment. Being the largest operator in the sector within the region, HMH provides hotel owners and developers a broad spectrum of world-class management solutions with five distinct, yet complementary, hotel brands catering to varied market segments from luxury to budget. These include Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel, Coral Hotels & Resorts, Corp Hotels, EWA Hotel Apartments and ECOS Hotels. HMHs strategic expansion in the Middle East and North Africa has been successful in unlocking a world of opportunities while creating value for its stakeholders, associates, staff members and customers. The existing portfolio is located in some of the most desirable destinations across the MENA region, with a pipeline of hotels under development to grow HMHs regional footprint even further. For more information about HMH please visit http://www.hmhhotelgroup.com or https://www.hmhhotelgroup.com/subscribenow For media contact: Ismail Madi Managing Director MPJ - Marketing Pro-Junction P.O Box 213443, Dubai - UAE Mob: +971 556130351 Tel : +971 4 4387007 Fax : +971 4 4387008 i.madi@mpj-pr.com http://www.mpj-pr.com ### shalender@tribune.com SC Vasudeva Q. I am working in government sector in Himachal Pradesh and purchased an agriculture land of 10 biswa (20 marlas) in Hamirpur district in 2006 jointly in myself and my fathers name. Later, in 2016 my father transferred his 50% share of land in my name through registered sale deed. Now I have come to know that due to upcoming four-laning project, my land is proposed to be acquired by the government. In this reference, I have following queries: 1. Whether the amount which I will receive from the government, if my land is acquired, comes under long- term capital gain? If yes, how much tax will I have to pay? 2. Since I am a government employee, whether any such tax if paid by me is to be reflected in my e- return? 3. If I purchase another piece of land (by taking loan from my parents or relatives) before receiving the amount from the government for my 10 biswa land, can I repay the said loan from the amount which I receive later from the government and have relaxation in tax benefit under capital gain? Rakesh Kumar A. (a) The amount of compensation shall be exempt from tax provided: (i) such land is situated within the jurisdiction of a municipality, municipal corporation, notified area committee, town area committee, town committee or by any other name or cantonment board having a population of not less than 10,000 or such land is situated within the distance, measured aerially: I. not being more than 2km from the local limits of any municipality, or cantonment board referred to above and which has a population of more than 10,000 but not exceeding 1 lakh; or II. not being more than 6km from the local limits of any municipality, or cantonment board referred to above and which has a population of more than one lakh but not exceeding 10 lakh; or III. not being more than 8 km from the local limits of any municipality, or cantonment board referred to above and which has a population of more than 10 lakh. (ii) Such land during the period of two years immediately preceding the date of transfer has been used for agricultural purposes by an individual or a parent of his. (iii) Such transfer is by way of compulsory acquisition under any law, or a transfer, the consideration for which determined or approved by the Central Government or the RBI. In case the above conditions are not satisfied and the land is situated within the municipal area and it was not utilised for agricultural purposes, as aforesaid, you will be liable to pay tax on the amount of capital gain arising on the transfer of the land. The amount of capital gain cannot be computed as you have not indicated the cost incurred for the purchase of land, the year of purchase, the amount of compensation receivable from the government, and the year in which compensation is receivable. (b) The transaction will have to be reflected in your income-tax return. (c) The amount of capital gain would not be chargeable to tax in case the land, which has been transferred, had been used for agricultural purposes in two years immediately preceding the date on which the transfer took place for agricultural purposes and the assessee has within a period of two years after the date of transfer, purchased any other land for use of agricultural purposes. (d) You can utilise the amount of compensation for any purpose after payment of tax if any, leviable on the amount of capital gain arising on account of such acquisition by the Government of India. (e) The repayment of loan does not entitle you to avail exemption from the taxability of the amount of capital gain. editorial@tribune.com Shiv Kumar Tribune News Service Mumbai, February 5 Prices of onions in the wholesale markets have jumped sharply after the Central government removed the Minimum Export Price (MEP) on the bulb last week. According to information available from Lasalgaon Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC), the countrys biggest market for the onions, prices have gone up by about Rs 5 per kilogram. The average price of onions arriving in the market has increased to Rs 18 per kilogram today, said Ganpat Patil, a trader at the Lasalgaon market. India is facing a glut in the onion crop so there is no need for MEP now, Jaydutt Holkar, Chairman of the Lasalgaon APMC said. Holkar and heads of other APMCs had moved the government for the removal of MEP so that farmers were not distressed by falling prices. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 5 Bharti Airtel today said Singapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel) a long-term partner of Airtel, will invest Rs 2,649 crore in Bharti Telecom Limited (Bharti Telecom), the promoter company of Airtel. It would be done through preferential allotment of shares. The transaction would be subject to the shareholders approval of Bharti Telecom. The funds raised will be used towards debt reduction. With this investment, Singtels total stake (along with its affiliates) in Bharti Telecom would increase to 48.90%. Singtel currently holds 47.17% stake in Bharti Telecom. Bharti Enterprises continues to hold over 50% stake in Bharti Telecom. The investment comes within 23 months of Singtels participation in Bharti Telecoms right issue of Rs 2,500 crore, which was completed in February 2016. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 4 The fourth edition of the UILS National Law Festival, Arguendo 2018, today witnessed the All India Gurcharan Singh Tulsi Criminal Law Annual Moot Court Competition, 2018, where the School of Excellence in Law, Chennai, stood first. Another competition held on the PU campus was the 7th UILS National Client Counselling Competition, 2018, where Symbiosis Law School, Pune, stood first. The team from Panjab University was the runners-up. As many as 48 teams from across the country participated in both the events, which was spread over three days, from February 2 to February 4. The All India Gurcharan Singh Tulsi Criminal Law Annual Moot Court Competition welcomed teams from different law colleges, from all over India. Enthusiastic mooters included participants from RGNUL, Patiala; Amity Law School, Noida; SLS, Pune and Noidas Nirma University. The preliminary rounds were held on February 2 and the finals were organised on February 4 and the team from School of Excellence in Law, Chennai, stood as winners of the event. The winners took home Rs 1lakh cash prize and a winners trophy and Rs60,000 cash prize was awarded to the runners up, Symbiosis Law College, Noida. Dr Jai Mala and Dr Amita Verma, the coordinators of the event, gave pieces of advice to the teams. The competition was adjudged by a panel of UILS alumni, advocates and judges from the District Court and the Panjab and Haryana High Court. The final rounds were adjudged by KTS Tulsi, a Panjab University alumnus and an eminent Supreme Court lawyer along with Justice Arun Palli and Justice Jitendra Chauhan, sitting judges of the Panjab and Haryana High Court. editorial@tribune.com Rajinder Nagarkoti Tribune News Service Panchkula, February 5 A 40-year-old Sector 25 resident is the latest victim of online fraud. He lost over Rs 2 lakh to his Facebook friend, who claimed to be a UK resident. In his complaint to the Panchkula police, Ramesh Dahiya stated that on June 10, 2016, a woman named Jennifer Sandra texted her Hi to his Facebook account. Dahiya submitted that later, they started exchanging messages regularly. On June 24, 2016, Jennifer asked Dahiya about his liking for a dress and wanted to gift him one. She told him that if he declined his gift, she will end their online friendship and block him. Then she asked him the size of clothes he wore, mobile number and address on which the gift could be delivered. The next day, Dahiya got a message from Jennifer that she had sent him a gift. On June 26, he got a call from a woman that they had got a parcel from UK and demanded Rs 36,500 as delivery charges. Dahiya refused to accept the parcel and told the woman to return it. On June 27, Jennifer texted him asking the reason for refusing the parcel. When the complainant told her about the delivery charges, she told him to pay it or he will have to pay overstay charges as well on the parcel. Later, Dahiya transferred the amount from his savings bank account in Panchkula to the branch of a private bank located at Purana Bazar, Dimapur, Nagaland. The account to which the money was transferred was in the name of one Munna Yadav. A day later, Dahiya got a call from a woman, who informed him that the parcel which was sent on his name from UK has 10,000 pounds and a money laundering case would be registered against him. The woman introduced herself as NP Singh, a customs officer, and asked him to transfer Rs 1,18,000 in a bank in Sahdara, New Delhi. The complainant submitted that out of fear, he transferred the amount in the account, which was found to be the name of Harish Negi. Finally, the complainant requested the woman to send his parcel. But the woman told him to pay Rs 49,999 as currency exchange charges and he deposited that too in the Sahdara bank branch. Later, the woman told him to deposit Rs 2,50,000 as security in the Royal Bank of Scotland and assured him that parcel will be delivered to him. But the complainant said he would come to Delhi and personally hand over the money. When the complainant reached Delhi, the womans mobile number was switched off. Bank officials too were unaware of any such transactions. Cops take legal opinion before filing FIR Ramesh Dahiya, the victim, had submitted his complaint to the Panchkula police in 2016. The police sought a legal opinion before lodging an FIR on the complaint. Now, after taking the legal opinion, a case under Section 420 (cheating) of the IPC has been registered at the Chandimandir police station, Panchkula. editorial@tribune.com Our Correspondent Zirakpur, February 4 Two unidentified men took away a Toyota Forturner parked in front of Westwood Resort from its driver at gunpoint near Kathgarh village, Dhakoli, here last night. The incident took place when the driver, Rahul Kumar, was waiting for his employer near the resort in the Dhakoli area when two youths approached him and pulled out a gun. On a complaint of Trishal Chopra, a resident of Sector 43, Chandigarh, the Dhakoli police have registered a case against two unidentified youths. In his complaint, Chopra said he visited the resort situated on the Zirakpur-Panchkula highway near Dhakoli to attend a marriage function on Saturday night. His driver, Rahul Kumar, a resident of Chandigarh, parked the vehicle on the main road as the parking inside the resort was full. Chopra told the police that around 10.30 pm, while Rahul was waiting in the car, two armed men opened the door of the vehicle and brandished a pistol at him. One of the accused forcibly entered the vehicle and hit Rahul with a pointed object on his head and snatched his mobile phone and purse. They then drove away his Toyota Fortuner, Chopra alleged. Soon after the incident, the police from Zirakpur and Dhakoli reached the crime spot and started investigation. The Dhakoli police in-charge said the police had procured the CCTV footage of nearby areas to ascertain the sequence of events. Drivers mobile phone, purse snatched Trishal Chopra, a resident of Sector 43, Chandigarh, told the police that around 10.30 pm, while his driver Rahul was waiting in the vehicle, two armed men opened its door and brandished a pistol at him. They hit him with a pointed object, snatched his mobile and purse and then drove away his Toyota Fortuner. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 5 Gujarat is considered as number one state in governance, but it has failed to reduce poverty, increase wages, and provide poor with quality education. It is ranked 11th in the Human Development Index. This was stated by Prof Atul Sood, Centre for the Study of Regional Development, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Sood was in Chandigarh today to deliver the keynote address during an international conference on Governance for the Margins at the Institute for Development and Communication (IDC). Gurbachan Jagat, former Governor of Manipur and a trustee of The Tribune, was present on the occasion. Prof Sood said, Outcomes are so unsatisfactory in Gujarat. They only consider state GDP as an indicator of growth. Despite these facts, why is Gujarat perceived as the number one state in India? Management of dissent is the idea of successful governance model. Dr Pramod Kumar, Director IDC, said: Crisis is not about economys slow growth, or that the one-third of the poor in the world are surviving in India, but about the governance which is unable to solve the issues. The first session featured Prof Lakhwinder Singh from Punjabi University, Ankur Malhotra from Accenture and Mithlesh Jayas Mukherji, a researcher from Puducherry, spoke on Innovation for Inclusive Governance. In the second session, Prof Vijay Khare from Pune and Prof Ronki Ram from Panjab University spoke on the role of civil society and its interaction with the governance. Prof Debi Chatterjee from Kolkata spoke on the issues of governance and the Dalits. The session also featured scholars from abroad. Prof Kalinga Tudor Silva from Sri Lanka talked about the ethnicity and nationalism as a framework for articulating insecurities of those at the margins. Prof Mitsuya Dake from Japan argued for an international climate of peace as being conducive to constructive development and Prof Satoko C Nakane, also from Japan, discussed issues related to the governance and child welfare in India. Every vote counts Dr SY Quraishi, former Chief Election Commissioner of India, said: "Only people in prisons are not allowed to vote. About 70 per cent are undertrials. It is wrong to take away their voting right. Logistically, it is possible to make arrangements for them to cast votes." Before that, he narrated a story on how Congress leader Dr CP Joshi lost by a single vote. He said they recounted the postal ballots and total votes from each EVM on his request, but the results were the same. "His wife didn't vote. She and his daughter went to a temple instead. So, every vote counts and polling booth is the real temple." CP Joshi had lost to Kalyan Singh Chauhan in December 2008 Rajasthan Assembly polls. Joshi was the president of Pradesh Congress Committee and was frontrunner for the CM's post. He had polled 62,215 votes against Chauhan's 62,216 in Nathdwara in Rajsamand district. laxmi@tribune.com A new roster system will come into effect from Monday in the Supreme Court. It is tempting to see it as an attempt to introduce transparency and to institutionalise allocation of cases to various Benches one of the main demands of the four seniormost judges who staged a judicial mutiny on January 12. Still, the rebel judges wouldnt get to hear PILs which the CJI has assigned to his own Bench. Subject-wise roster system for judges a first for the Supreme Court is, in fact, not a novel idea. It has been working well in the Delhi High Court for years. So far so good. The question is: has the apex court returned to a state of judicial tranquillity? The CJI had unilaterally announced the new roster system without consulting the rebel judges. Admitted, that the CJI is master of the roster; but enforcing it without consulting senior judges can be problematic. The new arrangement partly denudes the CJI of his moral authority. Its understandable that CJI Misra is hurt by the washing of dirty linen in public by Justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph as it gave a bad name to the institution. But ignoring the issues raised by them cannot be the solution. The judiciary faces, perhaps, its most serious crisis since the supersession of judges and the Emergency during the 1970s. This time around, the damage done to the institution is self-inflicted. The very credibility of the judiciary as an institution is at stake. It is time for the CJI and others to rise above personal differences and display judicial statesmanship in the larger interest of an institution which still enjoys immense public faith. But there are silver linings too. For a change, the Bar has played a positive role. The judges reposed faith in the media which is often blamed by the judiciary for sensationalising events and conducting media trial; and, thirdly, the judiciary has been one of the most opaque institutions. It has now been forced to flirt, paerhaps, with openness and transparency. Hopefully, Monday will be a new day and, perhaps, a new beginning. editorial@tribune.com Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 5 The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has accused BJP MLA from Thanesar Subhash Sudha of having financial interests in Waqf property in Kurukshetra. It demanded a CBI probe. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had ordered a Vigilance inquiry after the Home Department red-flagged the allotment by Haryana Waqf Board in a hasty manner. State INLD president Ashok Arora told The Tribune, Sudhas money was invested in the property, though the lease is in the name of Sanjeev Sharma, who works for the MLA. Under Sudhas pressure, not only the land has been leased at low rates surreptitiously by the Waqf Board, but also the site plan of the land has been approved illegally by the Thanesar Municipal Council headed by Sudhas wife Uma. As per norms, a Municipal Council is authorised to approve site plans of 1,000 square yards. In the Kurukshetra land allotment, the MC allegedly approved site plan of 1,118 square yards. Deepak Kumar, a local businessman who has been taking up the matter at the CM Window and several other fora, alleged the MC approved the plan on February 16, 2015 after then DC stopped construction six days before that for want of approval. This was done after to pressure from Sudha, whose wife has been the MC chairperson for the past three terms, he claimed. Kumar said 14 showrooms six on the main road and eight on the rear had been constructed at the Waqf site. Sudha, however, denied having financial interest in the Waqf land. He claimed his wife was not the MC chief at the time of approval of the site plan. In its report to the government, the Home Department had cited several irregularities in the allotment process. The report said as per rules, an advertisement inviting bids should be published in at least one leading national and one regional daily. The board published it in Hind Samachar (Urdu) and Daily World (English), which, the department said, By no stretch of imagination, can be called leading newspapers. The department had further observed that details such as exact area, description and location of property, the purpose or object for which it was required to be leased out and minimum reserve price per square foot should have been mentioned in advertisement. But nothing was mentioned. Inspector General (Security) Hanif Qureshi, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Haryana Waqf Board, said he had ordered an internal inquiry into the land allotment by administrative officer Imteyaz Khizar. He said prima facie, there was nothing wrong in the allotment because the point of a leading newspaper was a subjective matter. editorial@tribune.com Bijendra Ahlawat Tribune News Service Faridabad, February 4 Charging the Narendra Modi government with having failed to address issues confronting the masses, especially the farmers, social activist Anna Hazare today said he was firm on restarting the agitation from March 23 in Delhi. Hazare was here to lend support to the ongoing dharna by the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti that has been demanding enhanced compensation for the land acquired for an industrial township at Chandawali village. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Commenting on the Union Budget, he said the promise of providing enhanced minimum support price (MSP) for crops appeared a farce as the government had failed to tell how it would be done. Taking a dig at the promises made to the people, he said the voters were still awaiting a deposit of Rs 15 lakh and reclamation of the black money stashed abroad. He said the proposed agitation in Delhi would primarily focus on issues related to farmers. Seeking a monthly pension of Rs 5,000 for farmers above 60 years of age, he asked why the government could not waive loans of poor farmers when it could launch schemes to benefit industrialists and capitalists. Farmers of five villages of the district whose 1,852 acres of land was acquired for the township were still awaiting enhanced compensation of Rs 600 crore, government job to a member of each family and residential plots, as provided under the state government policy, claimed a spokesperson for the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti. 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This was done after final arguments on a Special Leave Petition (SLP) on which the judgment was reserved. Two months after the arguments were concluded, the government told the apex court that licences to new owners were granted only after the acquisition process was dropped. The government had earlier maintained that the Hooda government had shown haste in granting licences to builders even before the acquisition was scrapped. After the arguments were concluded and judgment reserved (on April 4, 2017), the Haryana Government through its Director, Industries, Mohammed Shayin, filed yet another affidavit on June 15. The amended affidavit reads: 15 licences were granted on this land and all the licences were granted after the decision of the government to drop the acquisition i.e after 24-08-2007. ...the deponent humbly apologises for the mistake and error committed and for the inconvenience caused and further assures to be careful in future while filing any affidavit in the court of law. Perhaps unaware of the governments volte-face in the apex court, the CBI filed a chargesheet supported with 80,000 documents in the Panchkula CBI court last Friday, alleging a loss of Rs 1,500 crore to landowners of Gurugrams Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula villages. The CBI alleged the villagers had sold their land at throwaway prices to builders for fear of acquisition by the government. But the government dropped the acquisition proceedings later to help the new owners. Haryana Advocate General Baldev Raj Mahajan, when asked about the second affidavit, said the matter was being handled by law officers in the Supreme Court. Haryana Governments law officer Anil Grover told The Tribune that the original affidavit carried certain errors and when this came to the knowledge of the government, another affidavit was filed with clarifications. He said the issue being probed by the CBI was regarding the conspiracy to defraud landowners and that the number and date of licences issued was not an issue before any court. Therefore, the government had not officially apprised the CBI of these facts. The CBI has alleged that private builders in conspiracy with certain public servants purchased about 400 acres of land at throwaway rates (Rs 20 to 25 lakh per acre) whereas the market value of the land was more than Rs 4 crore per acre. After a notification under the Land Acquisition Act, private builders and other persons had purchased 459 acres of land and licences and CLUs were granted to those private builders who had earlier purchased the land at throwaway rates. editorial@tribune.com Deepender Deswal Tribune News Service Hisar, February 5 Farmers under the banner of the Jal Sangharsh Samiti organised a demonstration in support of their demand for adequate canal water for irrigation here today. Serving a five-day ultimatum on the state government, they threatened to intensify their stir from coming Sunday if their demand was not met. The farmers had been sitting on dharna at the mini-secretariat for the past 22 days to highlight their demand. They alleged that in the absence of canal water, nearly 70,000 acres of agricultural land in the Nalwa and Adampur region had lost utility as they were unable to grow any crop on it. In an attempt to catch attention, farmers in thousands of tractor-trailers gathered in the grain market in the town. Women participated in the rally in good numbers. They rode in in tractor-trailers through the town carrying placards and raising slogans against the government. Jal Sangharsh Samiti pradhan Kurda Ram Numbardar said. We have been sitting on dharna for 22 days, but the government has not cared to take note of our demands. The farmers were angry with state BJP state president Subhash Barala, accusing him of backtracking on his promise. Kurda Ram said Barala had come to the dharna site during the 2015 agitation and promised to ensure adequate supply in the region. The situation remained same as he never bothered to act as per our agreement to prevail upon the Irrigation Department to release more water for the region, he said. Farmer leader Krishan Swaroop Gorakhpuria said farmers were unable to cultivate land after 2001 as canal water supply from the Barwala branch of the Bhakra mainline was curtailed from two weeks in a month to one week every 16 days. The amount of water in the Barwala branch was cut down from 1,500 cusecs to 900 cusecs as the remaining water was diverted to some new minors and distributaries constructed in Jind and other regions, he said. editorial@tribune.com Ravinder Sood Palampur, February 4 Despite the HP High Court and National Green Tribunal (NGT) ban on illegal mining in the Neugal river, the menace continues unabated in the area. At least 100 potable water supply schemes are connected to the river. Sources said police and administrative officials were aware of the fact, but nothing had been done so far as those involved in the illegal practice enjoy political patronage. SSP, Una, Sanjiv Gandhi, was transferred to a battalion at Junga last month for acting tough against the mining mafia. More than 50 vehicles were impounded during his tenure, they said. In the absence of any check, a number of tractor-trailers could be seen extracting sand stone and mining material from the river between Palampur and Alampur. According to information, the mining exercise in the Neugal river was earlier under the control of the police and the Mining Department. However, the Himachal Pradesh High Court and the NGT later imposed a complete ban on the practice in the Neugal khud and other tributaries of the Beas in Palampur. A massive crackdown was launched against the mining mafia and those involved in the illegal practice were booked. Roads leading to the Neugal river in Palampur and Sulaha were also dismantled by the police and officials of the Mining and Forest Departments, but these were re-constructed by the mining mafia. A senior police official said they had re-launched a crackdown against illegal mining. More than 10 vehicles had been impounded in the past one month. Roads leading to the river had also been dismantled. Meanwhile, Peoples Voice, a local NGO, today sought the High Courts intervention in this regard. Neelam Sood and KB Rahlan, convener and co-convener, respectively, said they would move the court again after winter vacation. editorial@tribune.com Ambika Sharma Tribune News Service Solan, February 5 The state Cabinet has finally scrapped the revival of sick Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSME) units policy 2017, floated by the previous Congress government at the fag end of its tenure. Since this policy was specially formulated to benefit steel units, which have incurred losses worth crores, it was slated to dent the state exchequer by several crores at a time when unhealthy financial position was making going tough for the state government. Significantly, the Congress governments policy was approved by the state Cabinet on October 4 and notified on October 9. One wonders the urgency of floating such a policy when the poll code was slated to be announced within days. Though another proposal had been floated by the Congress government prior to notifying this policy, it had failed to find acceptance from the entire Cabinet and the issue was referred to a Cabinet sub-committee. The steel units, which were supposed to benefit, figured in the negative list due to their high pollution index. This notified policy was applicable till December 31, 2018. With little employment opportunities for the youth, these steel units not only consumed a large quantity of power but pending liability worth crores had piled up before various financial institutions and the Electricity Department. Officials in the Electricity Department confirmed that at least four to six sick steel units had a pending liability of about Rs 16 crore to 18 crore in the Baddi industrial area alone. Investors said that had the Congress government been serious about reviving the sick units, an appropriate policy could have been introduced at least a year earlier. The state government has now announced to formulate a scheme for revival of sick MSME units. It remains to be seen how the sick units could be bailed out financially and whether it would be viable to introduce a policy promising financial help as the state government itself was battling an adverse financial scenario. With the union government having declined to announce any financial incentive and the Chief Minister himself stating that such a package was not expected, it remains to be seen how the sick unit would get some succor as fresh investment had been reduced to a trickle. editorial@tribune.com Bhanu P Lohumi Tribune News Service Shimla, February 4 The state has registered an increase of 6.24 per cent in tourist arrivals in 2017 despite the implementation of the GST and economic slowdown. The figure was 5.24 per cent last year. According to the data compiled by the Tourism Department, as many as 1,96,01,533 tourists, including 4,70,992 foreigners, visited the state in 2017 compared to 1,84,50,520 tourists, including 4,52,770 foreigners, in 2016. The maximum number of foreign tourists (1,62,168) thronged Shimla, followed by Kangra (1,38,341) and Kullu (1,33,057), while domestic tourists preferred Kullu (37,32,044), followed by Shimla (33,18,829) and Kangra (26,84,948). Although the growth was steady throughout the year, it was just marginal in November and December due to the Assembly elections and no snowfall during the Christmas and the New Year. According to information, Kullu and Kangra districts registered a significant increase in tourist arrivals last year while Shimla witnessed a decline. Tourist prefer to visit Dharamsala as it is the abode of the Dalai Lama. Shimla is famous for British architecture and Kullu-Manali for snow and adventure. A large number of tourists also visit the Rohtang Pass as it is the gateway to Lahaul-Spiti. Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti and Chamba are famous among foreign tourists and adventure lovers. With the completion of the Rohtang tunnel by the year-end, the tourist rush would increase tremendously. The state attracts a number of tourists from across the country every year. People from Maharashtra and Gujarat visit the state in April and May while those from North and Central India prefer to visit in June and July. Tourists from West Bengal come here during puja holidays in September and October and a heavy rush is witnessed in Shimla, Manali, Chail and McLeodganj. Honeymooners make a beeline for the state irrespective of seasons or events. However, the tourism industry said it was not impressed with the statistics collected by the department as no scientific method had been applied while compiling the data. A tourist visiting three or four places in the state is counted three or four times. People running homestays and bed and break fast schemes were not properly accounted for, said president of the Tourism Industry Stakeholders Association MK Seth. He said there was no significant increase in the turnover of hotels despite an increase in the number of tourists. editorial@tribune.com Amir Karim Tantray Tribune News Service Jammu, February 4 An Army Captain and three soldiers were today killed in heavy shelling by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, forcing the Indian troops to retaliate. The slain soldiers were identified as Captain Kapil Kundu (22) from Ransika village in Pataudi (Gurugram); Rifleman Ramavatar (27) from Baraka village in Gwalior (MP); Rifleman Subham Singh (23) from Mukandpur Choudharian village in Kathua (J&K); and Havildar Roshan Lal (42) of Ghagwal in Samba (J&K). (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Pakistani troops initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of missiles, mortars, automatic weapons and small arms along the LoC in Bhimbher Gali sector of Rajouri district around 3.30 pm, an Army statement said. Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively and heavy damage has been inflicted on Pakistani army posts, a Defence PRO said. However, in the exchange of fire, one officer and three jawans were grievously injured and succumbed to their injuries and attained martyrdom, he added. This is for the first time that missiles have been used this year by Pakistani army to target Indian Army posts. Earlier in the day, a jawan and two teenagers were injured in Shahpur sector of Poonch district in shelling from across the border, which started this morning. The injured civilians were identified as Shahnaz Bano (15) and Yasin Arif (14), residents of Islamabad village. They have been hospitalised. Since January 13, five soldiers have died in LoC firing. On January 13 and 19, Lance Naik Yogesh Muralidhar Bhadane and Lance Naik Sam Abraham were killed in Sunderbani sector. Sepoy Mandeep Singh was killed in KG sector of Poonch. Signalman Chandan Kumar Rai, injured in Mendhar sector, succumbed to his injuries on January 20. Naik Jagdish Kumar, who sustained injuries in the KG sector on January 20, died on January 24. editorial@tribune.com Vishal Jasrotia Samba, February 5 A pall of gloom descended on Nichlah village in Samba district as news of the killing of four soldiers, including Havildar Roshan Lal, poured in on Monday. Hundreds of people visited the slain Army mans family to console them. Despite the major loss, Havildar Roshan Lals father and son had put up a brave face. I am proud of my fathers sacrifice, but the government should avenge the killing of the soldiers, said Abhinandan Sharma (18), Havildar Roshan Lals son, who also wishes to join the Army. We received a call from the regiment around 7 am today about the martyrdom of my father. He was a loving and caring father and was always concerned about the family. He spoke to me over the phone on Sunday evening and asked me to concentrate on my studies. His and other soldiers sacrifices should not go in vain and the government should give a befitting reply to Pakistan, said Abhinandan, a student of Class X. Desraj, 70, Havildar Roshan Lals father said: Pakistani security forces and militants are killing our soldiers. Only a stringent action against such incidents is the answer. Havildar Roshan Lals wife Aashu Devi and daughter Atika, a student of Class VIII, were in a state of shock. Havildar Roshan Lal had joined the Army in 1995. Hundreds of locals from the district, Army officers, district administration officials and politicians bid a tearful adieu to Havildar Roshan Lal today. A sea of people thronged the village as Havildar Roshan Lals mortal remains wrapped in a Tricolour reached his native Nichlah village on Sunday evening. Army officers headed by Brigadier GS Bhadaur handed over the body to the family last night. Residents chanted Bharat Mata Ki Jai and raised anti-Pakistan slogans when the martyrs body reached his village. Havildar Roshan Lals last rites were held with full military honours and a gun salute was given to him at the cremation ground. His son Abhinandan lit his pyre. rchopra@tribunemail.com Amir Tantray Tribune News Service Jammu, February 5 National Conference MLA Mian Altaf on Monday raised the issue of people getting killed on the border, in the Assembly and demanded that the government issue a statement. The government assured the statement after Question Hour. BJP MLA Ravinder Raina raised the issue of Pakistani firing on the LoC and demanded that a resolution be brought out against Pakistan in the Assembly. Opposition MLAs attacked the PDP-BJP government for its alleged failure. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Where is the 56-inch chest? asked National Conference MLA Devender Singh Rana. He alleged that the BJP talked about J&K in the rest of the country, but no action was being taken in the state to save the lives of people. BJP MLAs raised Pakistan murdabad slogans. Rana asked the BJP MLAs to go inside Pakistan instead of raising slogans. Opposition raised slogans against the government, telling it not to do politics over the bodies of soldiers. The Speaker adjourned the House for 10 minutes. Later, the House resumed proceedings amid sloganeering. NC MLA Rana said let the CM bring in a resolution and then they would discuss the issue. The Speaker directed the government to bring in the resolution in case there was a consensus. PDP MLA Javed Baig said it is a very serious issue, and appeal should go from here to both the countries. Peace and reconciliation process is the only way out, said PDP minister Abdul Rehman Veeri. We want the process started by Atal Bihari Vajpayee to be taken forward, he added. Omar Abdullah agreed with Veeri. editorial@tribune.com Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, February 4 The Jammu and Kashmir Police have released an 18-year-old Pune girl who was arrested on January 25 from south Kashmir on the suspicion of being a suicide bomber. She was handed over to members of her family, who were camping in Srinagar, after the police found nothing incriminating against her. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Sadiya Anwar Shaikh of Yerwada, Pune, was arrested two days after IGP, Kashmir, Munir Khan, in a confidential message, said there was a strong input that she may cause a suicide bomb explosion near or at the Republic Day venue in the Valley. He said nothing was proved against her. She has been handed over to her mother. We verified all reports and nothing has been proved, Munir Khan added. Another police officer said the girl was released after it was found that she was not planning any attack. He said nearly a dozen Kashmiri social media friends of Sadiya were also questioned. She had arrived in Kashmir on January 15 and had stayed at the houses of her online Kashmiri friends in Srinagar and south Kashmir. In Kashmir, she had secured an admission in a nursing college, which she had later cancelled. She also stayed with a friend in the native village of militant Zakir Musa at Tral for two days. But nothing adverse was found during her stay at Tral, he said. On January 23, a wireless message was circulated by the J&K Police, saying, Sadiya, who is presently in the Valley, may cause a suicide bomb explosion. The message had sent the entire security apparatus into a tizzy. She was arrested on January 25 from south Kashmir and no arms or ammunition were recovered from her. The police input had created a fear across Kashmir ahead of Republic Day, and officials questioned the intent behind leaking the confidential input in the public domain. In the past, Sadiya was questioned by the National Investigation Agency and Maharashtra ATS for being highly radicalised. After her detention, she was made to attend a de-radicalisation course. editorial@tribune.com Our Correspondent Pulwama, February 5 Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Awantipora, Mohammad Zahid Malik today claimed that the police had busted a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) module which was involved in grenade attacks in the Pampore and Khrew areas of Pulwama district. During a press conference here, the SSP said five persons had been arrested from Awantipora in this connection. He said the module was formed by Noor Mohammad Tantray, alias Noor Trali, who was killed in an encounter at Samboora village of Pulwama district on December 25. The SSP said the five persons had been identified as Sajad Ahmad Bhat, a Pakistan-trained ex-militant and the kingpin from Hergam, Umar Gani Sheikh, a resident of Drangbal, Pampore, Jan Mohammad Khanday, a resident of Meech, Pampore, Owais Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Danak Mohalla, Khrew, and Muzaffer Hussain Bhat, a resident of Tulbagh, Pampore. The arrested members have revealed that they were carrying out the operations under the guidance of Mufti Waqas, a resident of Pakistan, who currently heads the JeM in south Kashmir. The police officer said the five overground workers had confessed that they were involved in the grenade attacks at Pampore and Khrew. He confirmed that the police had reports that two locals were part of the Jaish and believed that six to eight others might also be part of the outfit and were active in the Awantipora police district. He said that the busting of the module was an important breakthrough as it had lead to many revelations which the police were investigating. He hoped that by busting the module, attacks by the Jaish would be checked on the highway and adjoining areas of Pampore. What the police have been able to find is that this is the module that was given the command to carry such activities (attacks) on the highway, the SSP said. The domain gamesworlditalia.com may be for sale. Please click here to inquire editorial@tribune.com Sanjay Pathak Kathua, February 5 The mortal remains of Rifleman Shubam Singh, who was martyred in Pakistani firing in the Rajouri sector, were consigned to the flames with fullmilitary honors at his native village Mukundpur in Kathua district hereon Monday. Shubam Singh (23) was killed during a ceasefire violation by the Pakistan army in Rajouri district last night. Army Officers, district administration officials and a large number of people were present when the martyr's last rites were performed this evening. Earlier, a pall of gloom descended on Mukundpur when Shubams body, wrapped in the Tricolor, was brought to the village. To give vent to their anger, villagers took out a rally in the border belt, raising anti-Pakistan slogans. We are proud of Shubam who sacrificed his life for the country, but on the other hand we are annoyed over the attitude of the government, who did not given a befitting reply to Pakistan for its repeated misadventures, said Rakesh Choudhary, a former sarpanch. The last time when he left for duty after spending his holidays, he said there was no mobile signal in his post so he had got in touch through an STD call, Pankaj, a close friend of Shubam, said with tears in his eyes. The whole village is benumbed by the news of his martyrdom, he added. Shubam is survived by his parents, three sisters and one brother. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Gurnaaz Kaur Look around in your bathroom and cosmetic cabinet. The specific products may vary, but the general ingredients include soaps, shampoos, creams, moisturizers, lipsticks, kajals, mascaras, colognes, perfumes, eye shadows, make-up foundations, nail paints, hair wax, aftershaves, deodorants, lotions, talcum and Cruelty! You read that right; cruelty and intolerable cruelty to be precise. Although the Indian government took cognizance of the atrocities done on animal, and since 2013 there is a ban on animal testing, but still these products make it onto our shelves in the form of imported cosmetic products. Still, more than 2 lakh animals are killed every year due to cosmetic testing. Before the gruesome death, its the life they live as a lab animal that is more painful. Have you ever stopped to think that for all the lather, texture, fragrance, colour and shimmer, that we as consumers are lured by, there are animals dying every minute? The figure of two lakh touches a 100 crore if chemical, drug, food, cosmetics, other medical tests and experiments are included. Shocked? To put it into perspective, the 100cr figure is just from the capitalist and brand-hungry United States of America. Animal testing worldwide is a mind-numbing figure, educates Inder Sandhu, an animal rights activist, who also runs an NGO Peedus People, and has been crusading for cruelty-free lifestyle for over four years now. Weve been doing regular programmes to inform and educate people about the atrocities that animals go through. There is a general apathy about it unless it is brought into the limelight. I firmly believe we have to learn how to not shut our eyes to commercial cruelty. Its high time we spoke up for the voiceless, Inder says. There are painful stories of rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats and mice hidden in those much treasured beauty banks of ours. Animal testing could include skin and eye irritation tests onto the shaved skin or into the eyes. There are long duration force-feeding studies to look for signs of general illness or specific health hazards. These tests may cause considerable pain and distress, including multiple complications, ultimately leading to death, says 21-year-old Arnab Gosh, who has joined the mission to save animals and promote a cruelty-free environment. Is the torture really necessary? Isnt there an alternative? Has the world of science not grown enough since 1830 when such testing was started? Thankfully, there are ways to get toiletries and cosmetics safe for humans. It has been proven that different animals react differently when injected with the same chemical and there is absolutely no co-relation to humans. A 90 per cent failure in some tests shows how pointless the practice is. There are tests methods which are cruelty free, like advanced methods using human blood, cell lines, artificial skin or computer models to test the safety of products, say Inder and Arnab. Another point that such volunteers make is that, animals are not people, so the precision of tests cannot always be correct. Holding a strong stand against this practice is Rao Shruti Rathore, a fashion designer and style consultant. Animal testing works on the flawed premise that animals are for our use and benefit. Although animal testing has been banned in India since 2013, there are countless products available in the market that being imported and have ingredients that involve harsh cruelty on animals. During her beauty workshops, she makes sure to educate everyone about the wide range of products available that are animal-testing free. A Chandigarh group of 125 plus people, Vegans, have a monthly activity plan for various talks and seminars in the Tricity. Akriti Sharma, a biotechnology student, wishes to educate masses to bring out their compassionate side, Most people that weve met either did not know or couldnt make the connection with the animals being killed for no reason. I believe everyone has a compassionate side and it needs to be awakened, Akriti assures. No brand gives the guarantee, that the product they have already tested on hundreds of animals will be absolutely safe for human use too, opines Harmeet Kaur, who is preparing for the Indian Air Force. If we pay attention, there are these disclaimers that warn against the allergies that the products may trigger. Globally, a lot many companies are putting it on their products that the products were not animal tested. Harmeet says that we should approach and involve the lawmakers to put a blanket-ban on animal testing. Animal right activists all over the world are working towards the welfare and protection of the innocent animals. Our cry about global warming and all its woes includes even animals that are an inseparable part of the ecosystem. Every living being has its role to play in the food chain. Are they here for us or with us? Think about it. gurnaaz@tribunemail.com pardeepdhull@gmail.com Lucknow, February 3 A gangster was killed and nearly two dozen criminals were arrested by the police in 15 encounters in different districts of Uttar Pradesh during the past two days, a police spokesperson said here on Saturday. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The encounters took place in Bulandshahr, Shamli, Kanpur, Saharanpur, Lucknow, Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar, Gorkahpur, Hapur and Meerut. As many as 24 wanted criminals were arrested and one gangster was killed in 15 police encounters reported from 10 districts of the state over a span of 48 hours, the spokesperson said. Gangster Inderpal, who carried a reward of Rs 25,000, was gunned down by the Special Task Force in the encounter in Naglakhepad jungle on Friday. According Superintendent of Police (STF) Rajiv Narain Singh, Inderpal was wanted in more than 30 cases of loot and murder in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The police also claimed to have recovered country-made arms, ammunition, motorcycle, cars apart from cash which was robbed by the criminals. The maximum number of encounters was reported from Bulandshahr and Shamli, where four and six criminals were arrested, respectively. Three of those arrested in Bulandshahr carried a cash reward for Rs 20,000 each on their head. Two encounters took place in Kanpur. On Friday, two suspected criminals and as many policemen, including a station house officer, were injured in an encounter in Gorakhpur. The incident took place when Maneesh Yadav and Manoj Yadav were escaping after threatening a village head, the police said. The police said that a team was rushed to the spot after receiving a complaint from the victim. In the encounter, Station House Officer, Khorabar, Sudhir Kumar, and Sub-Inspector, Jhangha, Sunil Kumar Singh suffered minor injuries, they said. The police have seized a .32 bore pistol, a 12 bore gun, bullets and the motorcycle on which they were escaping. The criminals were injured in the gunfight. They were subsequently arrested and admitted to BRD Medical College. Police claimed that they have confessed to their involvement in the murder of businessman Dinesh Gupta of Nai Bazaar, Jhangha, in Gorakhpur on Sunday. The Uttar Pradesh Police has intensified its crackdown on criminals after the new DGP O P Singh took charge last month. Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath hnd vowed to take strict action against the criminals after his government faced criticism over a string of crimes in the state. PTI harinder@tribunemail.com Vishav Bharti Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 5 Amid the incredible growth of inequality in India; amid the scenario when dissent has been criminalised; when policies of the state and corporates are designed to fail the poor; and moral universe of the state has shifted, then the solution lies in going back to battles of justice, feels famous journalist and rural affairs expert P Sainath. He said only struggles like those fought in the country in the 1960s, 70s and 80s could be a hope against the prevailing agrarian crisis. He was in Chandigarh to deliver a public lecture at Institute for Development and Communication. Sharing his journey, Sainath said the next year would mark the 20th year of him covering the rural distress during which he visited more than 900 households where farmers committed suicides across the 11 regions of the country. He called for not reducing the crisis just to numbers, stressing the agrarian crisis was something more than the MSP issue. He said procurement centres were on a decline and the government was getting out of the procurement process totally. The crisis is no more of measurement of input cost. It is not just a measurement of loss of life; it is not just a measure of loss of production; it is not just a measure of loss of water for irrigation. I think it has become a measure of our loss of humanity, the shrinking boundaries of humanity, he said. Because, Sainath said, for 20 years what we did was just stood by and watched 3.10 lakh farmers commit suicide. He said there had been an incredible growth of inequality in India. The growth of inequality is so rapid that there is no example in the world, he said, adding that the top 10 per cent owned 58 per cent of the countrys total household wealth. Amid this scenario, today government doesnt even pretend giving something to poor. It is a corporate state the role of the state has dramatically changed and its moral universe has shifted, he said. Sainath said the credit meant for agriculture was going to agri-business. He said the corporate had hijacked agriculture and it is not contract farming but the farming of contracts. What goes to the rich is called incentive and what goes to the poor is called subsidy, he said. Sharing an example of a woman farmer from Andhra Pradesh, who was booked under various draconian sections for demanding her right, he said we were living in times when dissent had been criminalised in the country. Sainath said the solution to the present crisis was in going back to battles of justice. These are issues of justice not just the price rate. We have to go back to fight against indebtedness... the battles of justice in 1960s, 70s and 80s occurred and we were often led by people who hadnt seen sufferings at all, he said. Special House session Parliament should call a special 20-day session only to discuss the agrarian crisis. I was able to convince four political parties for it. In the session, families that are victims of the agrarian crisis should be called to narrate their testimonies. This is a serious demand. P Sainath, rural affairs expert editorial@tribune.com Smita Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 4 After scoring a perfect three on three in the recent Rajasthan bypolls, state Congress president Sachin Pilot today claimed the party would win the Assembly polls scheduled this year. The myth of the BJP being an election-winning machine and its propaganda about its might and well-oiled machinery, which can take on any challenge, have busted, he said. Pilot, along with the three winning candidates, will meet party president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Monday. Asked if he hopes to be projected as the chief ministerial candidate in the coming elections or does he face challenge from Ashok Gehlot and other factions, Pilot said his job was only to win the next elections. In the last Assembly elections, the Congress had won only 21 of the 200 seats the partys lowest-ever performance in Rajasthan since Independence. This time, the Congress registered a significant victory in Ajmer where the BJP had fielded Ramswaroop Lamba, son of Sanwar Lal Jat whose death in August last year necessitated the bypoll. Pilot said the bypoll results were a rejection of the BJPs caste card and exposed its doublespeak on dynasty politics. He (Ramswaroop) was given a ticket just because he is his (Sanwar Lal Jats) son. They wanted to use his caste. Unlike any other CM, Vasundhara Raje for the first time held caste-wise meetings, Pilot alleged. Blaming the BJP and the Raje government for the Padmaavat row, he said taking law into own hands is unacceptable. You start banning films because you want to get Kshatriyas votes. If Raje was so concerned about the Rajputs sentiments, she should have a middle ground when it was being made. When Madhya Pradesh banned the film, it became competitive politics, he said. Pilot called the rural-centric Budget a face-saving exercise with no money to show and no allocations made ahead of the elections. Rahul only option to Modi: Congress editorial@tribune.com Bengaluru, February 4 Tearing into the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today chided it for setting new records in corruption and asserted that the countdown for its exit had begun. The Congress government is at the exit gate, Modi said at a rally here, dubbing it a 10 per cent commission government and alleging criminals were ruling the roost under it. Referring to the spate of killings of BJP and Hindu activists, he claimed the ease of doing murders was being discussed in Karnataka while his government talked about ease of doing business. The rally at the sprawling Palace Grounds marked the culmination of the state BJPs 85-day Parivarthana Yatra that criss-crossed all 224 Assembly constituencies and virtually sounded the bugle for the Assembly polls in the state. The BJP rule in the state from 2008 to 2013 was marked by internal strife that saw three Chief Ministers, including BS Yeddyurappa, quit on graft charges. Claiming there was a saffron wave in the state, Modi said the people had already decided to get rid of the Congress culture. The Congress government is a 10 per cent government, where no work is done without paying a commission. A Congress-free government means freedom from dynastic rule, nepotism, corruption and loot. Referring to the I-T raids at the residences of two state ministers, he said there is steel mafia, sand mafia and transfer mafia in the state. Some people hatched a conspiracy to pocket crores in the name of building a steel bridge. Due to public outrage and BJP protests, the project was dropped, the PM claimed, referring to a steel bridge project at a traffic junction which has been scrapped. Accusing the Congress of appeasement politics on triple talaq, the PM said, The Congress is trying to hang a Bill related to triple talaq. Pointing to the Congress opposition to granting constitutional status to the OBC Commission, he said: To take the country to new heights, we want to take everyone along and move forward... Hundreds of lotuses will bloom in Karnataka from the sludge that is spread by Congress. I am confident the BJP will get a resounding victory, Modi said in Kannada. PTI No work is done without commission The Congress govt is a 10% govt, where no work is done without paying a commission. A Congress-free govt means freedom from dynastic rule, nepotism, corruption and loot. Narendra Modi, PM rchopra@tribunemail.com New Delhi, February 5 A special court here on Monday sent Indrani Mukerjea, a prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, to two days CBI custody in connection with a case related to INX Media. Special CBI Judge Sunil Rana allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to interrogate Indrani for two days after the agency sought three days custody and directed that she be brought before it on February 7. Senior Congress leader P Chidambarams son Kartis name has also cropped up in the case, which relates to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval granted in 2006 for receipt of funds by INX Media. During the proceedings, the probe agency submitted before the court that Indrani had to be questioned and confronted with other accused in the case. It said that during an earlier interrogation in the matter, it was revealed that further investigation required her custodial interrogation. There is voluminous record in the case and permission to interrogate had been granted earlier also, the CBI said. However, the Mumbai police told the court that Indrani had to be produced before a Mumbai court on February 13 and could not be kept in Delhi beyond that. The ED has registered a case against INX Media, its founders Peter Mukerjea, former media baron and his wife Indrani, and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). INX Media has been accused of violating FIPB guidelines while receiving investments from Mauritius. The Mukerjeas are facing trial in Mumbai for allegedly conspiring to kill Sheena Bora, Indranis daughter from an earlier relationship, in April 2012. PTI gspannu7@gmail.com Mumbai, February 5 Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said the economic anarchy which has affected all sections of society was likely to lead to a third front against the BJP ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections. The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also spoke of his continuing friendship with the Congress and the good rapport with all opposition parties, including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). A kind of economic anarchy is prevailing in the country. The entire country is reeling under this chaos, be it the banks, farmers, businessmen, youths or salaried classes...., every section of the society is suffering and this will lead to the formation of a third front ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, he said. Yadav was speaking to members of the Mumbai Hindi Patrakar Sangh (Mumbai Hindi Journalists Association) here. The BJP, he said, won the Gujarat election due to the GST factor but the truth was that a large section of the business community, not only in Gujarat but across the country, was angry. People are yet to get their dues owing to the GST roll-out and demonetisation, he added. Yadav, who addressed an SP rally here yesterday, met party workers and leaders from the city and Maharashtra today. Elaborating on why he thinks there is economic anarchy, Yadav asked, Why do you think the government is bailing out the banks? It means the banking system is not working smoothly. If the banking system is fine...if the monetary policy is fine, then why are banks facing a financial crunch? Why, despite tall promises of loan waiver, are farmers becoming more and more debt-ridden and farmer suicides not stopping? Even the flow of foreign investment has dipped to its lowest level, the SP chief added. Responding to questions on whether his party would be part of the third front and equations with the Congress, which seemed to be distancing itself from the SP following the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, he said the friendship was intact. Our friendship with the Congress is still intact. I have a very good rapport with every opposition party and leader. I have not spoken to Bua-ji (as he often refers to BSP supremo Mayawati), but I am on good terms with her too, he said. On the communal violence in Kasganj in Uttar Pradesh on Republic Day, the former chief minister said, Its good that so many video tapes have surfaced and made it clear what triggered the unfortunate killing. Videos show that persons from one community are proceeding to celebrate Republic Day, carrying the Tricolour in their hands while those from another community are holding saffron flags as well as the Tricolour and are trying to stop them. The BJPs allegation that the SP was vitiating the atmosphere of communal harmony in Uttar Pradesh was baseless, Yadav said. If we are doing that, they (the BJP government) should act against us. Why they are not doing that? The SP will soon take out a yatra passing through several states, Yadav said, without giving further details. PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com Smita Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 5 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark upon a State visit to Palestine, UAE and Oman from February 9 to 12. This is the first ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Palestine coming a few months after he went to Israel on a standalone visit de-hyphenating Indias ties with the two countries. Since Modis Israel visit, India voted in favour of a UN resolution opposing the US move to shift its embassy to Jerusalem. The Palestinian Ambassador to Pakistan was recalled after he shared stage with terror mastermind Hafiz Saeed at a public rally. And Israeli PM Netanyahu recently concluded his first official visit to India. Stressing that there has been no change in Indias official support for the Palestinian cause, B Bala Bhaskar, Joint Secretary in MEA, said, PM is going himself to Palestine to reiterate Indian commitment of 70 years and expressing solidarity with Palestinian people. Prime Minister Modi who will reach Palestine via Jordan, will spend only a few hours in Ramallah on February 10. Before entering into official talks he will pay tributes at the Yasser Arafat Museum. He will then hold official discussions and be hosted for a banquet lunch by President Mahmoud Abbas. Around half-a-dozen MoUs are expected to be exchanged during Modis visit towards capacity and infrastructure building in the conflict-torn country. In Dubai, Modi will deliver keynote address at the Sixth World Government Summit. India receives 50 per cent of its oil supplies and nearly 65 per cent of LNG supplies from the Gulf region. The diaspora size has grown from 6 million to 9 million plus in last five years, sending home remittances of $35 billion annually. While in Dubai the PM will be hosted for a banquet dinner by the Crown Prince, engage with some top community professionals and also lay foundation stone for a proposed temple in Abu Dhabi. Asked about Indian concerns about deepening crisis between Saudi, UAE and Qatar, Mridul Kumar, Joint Secretary in-charge of Gulf, replied, We have not spoken about intra-regional rivalries. Irrespective of how the regional situation is developing we have been able to insulate our vital stakes very well from any adverse possible effect. The Prime Ministers last stop will be Oman where he will meet CEOs, visit Sultan Kabuski mosque and ancient Shiva temple in Muscat other than official engagements. Kerala priest Father Tom who had been kidnapped in Yemen was released after India sought Omani government help. Modi will focus on the importance of the security partnership during his visit. First temple in UAE Indian community in UAE will soon get its first temple. The temple will be built on a big patch of land between Abu Dhabi and Dubai under the UAE governments guidance. PM Modi will during his two-hour community engagement in Dubai lay the Foundation stone through video link. amansharma@tribunemail.com New Delhi, February 5 The Delhi High Court on Monday asked how the Army could object to the recruitment of married women in its legal branch JAG after the display by women fighter pilots and the BSF all-women bikers contingent on Republic Day. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said the Indian Army should take a "legal stand" against the objections instead of filing a response to the affidavit. "After the Republic Day display by the women (the fighter pilots and the BSF bikers) how can you (Army) still maintain these objections (to recruitment of married women in the Judge Advocate General)," it said and listed the matter for further hearing on March 19. The observation by the court came during the hearing of a PIL by a lawyer claiming that there was "institutionalised discrimination" against married women by not inducting them in the JAG service, the legal branch of the Army. Advocate Charu Wali Khanna, appearing for petitioner Kush Kalra, told the bench that earlier there was a bar on recruitment of married women, but this prohibition was extended to married men after filing of the PIL. PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com New Delhi, February 5 India on Monday expressed concern over the recent political developments in the Maldives and asked its nationals to defer all non-essential travels to the Indian Ocean nation until further notice. In an advisory, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Indian expatriates in Maldives are also alerted to the need for heightened security awareness, and urged to exercise due caution in public and avoid public gatherings. "The prevailing political developments in Maldives and the resultant law and order situation is a matter of concern for the government. Indian nationals are, therefore, advised to defer all non-essential travels to Male and other atolls until further notice," the advisory said. The advisory by India came immediately after beleaguered Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen declared a 15-day state of emergency. This will give sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects, and comes amid a deepening political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation as Yameen refuses to comply with a Supreme Court order to release political prisoners. The Maldivian Supreme Court, in a significant development, had last week ordered the immediate release of former president Mohamed Nasheed and other opposition leaders. Reacting to the development, India had said it was imperative for "all organs" of the Maldivian government to abide by the country's Supreme Court order to release all political prisoners "in the spirit of democracy". In a statement, the MEA had also said it was "closely monitoring" the evolving situation in the Maldives and also hoped that the safety and security of Indian expatriates in the island nation would be ensured by the Maldivian authorities under "all circumstances". It said that as a close and friendly neighbour, India wishes to see a stable, peaceful and prosperous Maldives. The island nation has been witnessing political unrest and street protests since Nasheed was convicted in 2015 on terror charges and sentenced to 13 years in jail. There were reports of clashes between supporters of Nasheed and police in the capital city Male today where hundreds of policemen were deployed to restore peace. Nasheed was earlier granted asylum by the UK after he was authorised to seek medical treatment there amid mounting foreign pressure. The leader, who is currently in Sri Lanka, welcomed the court order and said President Abdulla Yameen must resign in the wake of the ruling by the apex court. PTI editorial@tribune.com Shubhadeep Choudhury THE shifting of Kolkata Book Fair venue from Milan Mela Ground near Science City to Bidhan Nagar has not affected the popularity of the event. Publishers are competing with each other to attract the crowd thronging the fair each day. For the publication division of the I&B Ministry, the trump card is the book Romain Rolland and Gandhi Correspondence. The new edition of the book, described as a rare collection, has been published after a gap of two decades. The publications division, in collaboration with National Gandhi Museum, has restored the French thinkers correspondence with the Mahatma. The book also includes his articles and diary extracts about Gandhi. At the Penguin stall, a set of nine books stand out. Starting from Vatsayana, the set also contains a book each by Tagore and Manto along with works by Kalidasa and others. The presence of Vatsayanas Erotica in the set gives an indication about the target clientele of the book foreign tourists. The stall set up by the Information and Culture Department of West Bengal displays books by Mamata Banerjee, numbering about a dozen! Pension for journalists West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently announced in the state Assembly that journalists would be given pension by her government. From coming April, journalists above 60 years of age would get a monthly pension of Rs 2,500. Besides its employees, the state also gives Rs 1,000 per month as pension to elderly farmers. The idea of giving pension to journalists was mooted by the Kolkata Press Club when Mamata Banerjee first became the Chief Minister in 2011. The announcement about pension to journalists was made by the CM in the Assembly on Friday. Apparently, what prompted Mamata to give the go-ahead to the proposal was a recent incident when senior journalists from Kolkata accompanying her to London indulged in stealing cutlery at a banquet thrown by her in a fancy hotel in the British capital. Bharati Ghosh Not so long ago, Bharati Ghosh (56), a WBPS officer promoted to the IPS in 2010, enjoyed huge power wherever she was posted. This was because she had the blessings of CM Mamata Banerjee. Under circumstances not very clear, she fell out of favour and was transferred unceremoniously to an insignificant post from being the district SP of West Midnapore. Humiliated, Ghosh quit the job. But that was not the end of her ordeal. Recently, the state CID raided her house and confiscated various items, including 20 land deeds and more than 12 mobile phones. Citing Ghoshs case, CPM state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra tweeted: If the supremo doubts your loyalty, wait for any nonsense, but so long your loyalty isnt questioned, youre free to commit any nonsense. It is time for loyalists to revolt. Debashree Roy National Award winning actress Debashree Roy, an MLA of the ruling Trinamool Congress, is facing accusation of being indifferent to her constituents. Recently, Public Health Engineering (PHE) Minister Subrata Mukherjee, who was heading for a function in the neighbourhood of Roys constituency Raidighi, was waylaid by people of Raidighi who wanted the drinking water project in their constituency to be completed without further delay. They alleged that Roy did not pay attention to the problems of local people and did not answer phone calls. Mukherjee had to accompany the villagers to the site of the incomplete project and give necessary instruction to PHE officials before he was released by the villagers. Roy, a maternal aunt of Bollywood diva Rani Mukherjee, is a two-time MLA from the seat. editorial@tribune.com Manas Dasgupta FIREBRAND Vishwa Hindu Parishad chief Pravin Togadias recent dramatic disappearance and reappearance and he subsequently accusing PM Narendra Modi of conspiring to eliminate him with the help of the police has brought back old memories of the two spreading the message of Hindutva, moving from village to village on a motorbike. In the eighties, they had virtually replaced the popular jodi of Shankarsinh Vaghela and Keshubhai Patel, who in the late seventies had similarly moved on a bike across the state to prepare the ground for the BJP when the party broke off from the then Janata Morcha. By the time the BJP grew to become the number one party in Gujarat, Modi and Togadia had taken control of their respective organisations, Modi as the organising secretary of the state BJP and Togadia as general secretary of the VHP. When Keshubhai took over as CM in 1995, the actual control of the government rested with the Modi-Togadia jodi. The bapa-bapu jodi (Keshubhai and Shankarsinh) broke off within months of Patel becaming CM. Though within the BJP Legislature party Vaghela enjoyed the majority support, Patel was made CM as he had party veteran LK Advanis support. At the latters behest, an unwritten understanding was finalised to equally divide the five-year term of the CMs office between the two, with Patel taking over the mantle first. But things changed after Patel took office. He, on Modis advice, started sidelining Vaghela. In the Patel dispensation, Modi was given the responsibility of co-ordination between the executive and the orgnaisational wings of the party. Modi as principal political adviser to Patel, ignored the organisational wing and ensured that Vaghela supporters were denied a share in the spoils. Appointments on lucrative posts in ministries and state-owned boards and corporations were reserved only for Patels supporters. Realising that his political future was in jeopardy, Vaghela revolted against the party within seven months of the BJP coming to power. The famous Khajuraho episode followed with the rebel leader taking away with him 48 party MLAs to a Madhya Pradesh tourist resort, reducing the Patel ministry to a minority. Again at the behest of Advani and party stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the party arrived at another understanding under which Vaghela agreed to restore the BJP ministry under a neutral leader, former sessions judge-turned politician Suresh Mehta. With the consent of all three leaders Vaghela, Patel and Mehta Modi was banished from Gujarat and was sent to Delhi and later to Chandigarh to look after the party organisation in the northern states. Modi and Togadia rebonded in 2001 when the party high command brought Modi back to Gujarat as CM, replacing Keshubhai Patel. Togadia, his political adviser, was seen as the centre of power, having a say on each aspect of governance. Within four months of Modis taking over the reins of the state, the Godhra carnage occurred and the state saw the worst communal riots. Subsequent investigations revealed that the VHP and the Bajrang Dal were involved in the riots that made Modi the poster boy of the Hindutva movement. Taking advantage of the strong communal sentiment then prevailing in the state, Modi, with Togadias backing, managed a near two-thirds majority in the 2002 Assembly elections. And that was the end of the bonding between the two. Modis emergence as a Hindu leader was Togadias undoing. By now, Modi no longer required the support of the VHP to win an election. Also, the Constitutional position he held did not allow him to be identified with those branded as communal elements. Modi started distancing himself from Togadia and the VHP-Bajrang Dal, making development the key word of his administration. Togadia supporters were dropped from the ministry. The Modi government started a witch-hunt of VHP Bajrang Dal activists involved in the riots. He was supposedly carrying the SC orders, but his officers knew he himself was more than willing to book the rioters as this helped improve his image among the minorities. By then he had taken a youth leader, Amit Shah, under his wings. Modi reportedly made unsuccessful bids to remove Togadia as VHP chief at the parishads Bhubaneshwar session. This further widened the chasm between the two. Togadias allegation against Modi of conspiring to eliminate him is seen as the culmination of the growing rift between the two. editorial@tribune.com Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 4 The BJPs ideological fountainhead the RSS and some of its affiliates could witness some vital changes in their ranks and profile ahead of the Assembly polls this year and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The changes in profile of the Vishva Hindu Parishad had been rife ever since its working president Praveen Togadia spoke out against the BJP government. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh could also witness change of guard at the top level. Notably, the Sanghs current sarkaryavah (general secretary) Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi has been holding the position since 2009. Joshi was re-elected for the third time in 2015. As Joshis tenure would end this year, his deputy Dattatreya Hosbale is likely to replace him. Hosbale is said to be junior to PM Narendra Modi in the terms of sangh aayu (time spent in sangh). The decision would likely be taken at a meeting of the Akhil Bhartiya Pratinidhi Sabha (Sanghs highest decision-making body) at Nagpur, next month. The sources said given Modis pitch for roping in youngsters, Hosbale stands a clear chance. The RSS leaders who act as a brigde between sangh and saffron party could see role reversals. They include general secretary (organisation) Ram Lal and joint general secretaries V Satish, Saudan Singh, Shiv Prakash and BL Santosh. harinder@tribunemail.com New Delhi, February 5 Asking khap panchayats not to act like conscience keepers of society, the Supreme Court today said they should refrain from interfering in any marriage between consenting adults. A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra hinted at setting up a high-level panel of senior police officers to deal with unwarranted intervention into inter-caste marriages between consenting adults by khaps. Whether the law prohibits or allows a particular marriage, the law will take its own course. Dont try to be the conscience keepers, the Bench said, reacting to the claim of khap panchayats counsel that they had been acting like conscience keepers of society. As activist Madhu Kishwar tried to raise the issue of the recent killing of Ankit Saxena in Delhi, allegedly by his girlfriends family, the SC said the issue was not before it. Maintaining that khaps had been encouraging inter-caste and inter-faith marriages, the counsel drew attention to Hindu Marriage Act provisions that prohibited a marriage between sapinda relationships i.e. close blood relatives among Hindus. We are on a very fundamental issue. The marriage is between two adults and it is their choice. You cannot take law into your own hands, the Bench said. You cant say which marriage is null or void, which is good or bad... just stay out of it, it said, posting the matter for February 16. Describing attacks by khaps on inter-caste couples as absolutely illegal, the court had in January pulled up the government for not doing much to rein in them. TNS editorial@tribune.com Ravi S Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 5 Making his maiden speech in the Rajya Sabha, BJP president Amit Shah today batted for simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections besides praising the Modi government for ushering in progressive measures, while Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad countered him by calling the present government as the weakest in countrys annals. Initiating the debate on Motion of Thanks for Presidents address, Shah urged for a national debate on simultaneous elections so as to spare the exchequer of a huge burden. Referring to Kashmir, he said it had been managed well by the government. The problem of crowds hurling stones at the behest of a foreign power has been taken care of. He listed GST as a major achievement of the Modi government and flayed the Congress for being double-faced on the issue. There are teething problems as regards its implementation, but the government is sensitive and has taken corrective procedural measures, he said. The prices of 400 items were reduced in 23 council meetings, whereas 150 items were made tax-free, he said. Appreciating nationalisation of banks by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Shah said the doors of banks had not been opened for the poor, which was being done now. The government has been able to eradicate politics based on dynasty and casteism, and appeasement politics, he claimed. The Opposition has not been able to cite any instance of corruption against the government, he said. He flayed the Congress for blocking Bills relating to triple talaaq and giving constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes in the Rajya Sabha. Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Kashmir problem had deteriorated due to governments flip flop policy. Ceasefire violations by Pakistan, death of security personnel and civilians in the Valley and at the border had been high. This is countrys weakest government, he declaired. This government has adopted schemes of the Congress governments at the Centre with new names. This government is not a game changer, but name changer, he said. editorial@tribune.com Suresh Dharur Tribune News Service Hyderabad, February 4 After combative posturing over the raw deal to Andhra Pradesh in the Union Budget, the Telugu Desam Party, the biggest southern ally of the BJP, today made a climbdown, indicating it would not pull out of the NDA, for now. But the regional party would continue to confront the Union Government, within and outside Parliament, over the neglect of APs interests in budgetary allocations. The MPs would stage protests in Parliament to highlight the injustice to the state. This was decided at a meeting of TDPs parliamentary party at the residence of party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in Vijayawada. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The party leadership is upset over the Centres failure to meet the key demands of AP post-bifurcation, including funds for building capital Amaravati and the Polavaram irrigation project. The TDP has 15 MPs from AP and one from Telangana. The MPs complained that none of the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, found mention in the Budget. The demand for special category status for Andhra was earlier rejected by the Centre. monicakchauhan@gmail.com New Delhi, February 5 India will continue to give a befitting reply and its action will speak for itself, the Army's vice chief said on Monday, a day after four of its personnel were killed in heavy shelling by Pakistan along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The Pakistani Army has been supporting infiltration by terrorists along the border, Army Vice Chief Sarath Chand said. We will continue with our process of giving a befitting reply, he told reporters. (Our) action will speak for itself, Chand added in response to a question on yesterday's incident. Four Army personnel, including a 22-year-old captain, were killed yesterday in the Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control in Poonch and Rajouri districts. PTI editorial@tribune.com New Delhi, February 4 The Indian and the US air forces will significantly step up operational cooperation to complement the strategic interests of the two countries in the Indo-Pacific region, Chief of US Air Force General David L Goldfein has said, while expressing concern over Chinas rising military influence over the area. Calling India a central strategic partner of the US in pursuing common interests in the region, he said two of the worlds largest air forces were going to jointly shift the focus on the Indo-Pacific region while asserting that the rules-based order must be preserved in the critical sea lanes. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Goldfein, who held extensive talks with Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa and the top brass of the defence set-up during his three-day India visit that ended yesterday, said the Quadrilateral coalition among the US, India, Japan and Australia would provide for deeper cooperation between the Indian and American air forces. Asked if cooperation between the two forces would deepen in the wake of the four countries joining hands with an aim at containing Chinas influence in the Indo-Pacific region, he replied, I do (think so) and that is a big part of my visit and in my discussions here. In June last year, two Lancer heavy strategic bombers of the US Air Force had conducted flights over the South China Sea, sending a clear message to China against its military build-up in the disputed area. Three US aircraft carriers the USS Nimitz, USS Ronald Reagan and USS Theodore Roosevelt have also been operating in the Indo-Pacific region. We have common interests in preserving the rules-based order. So while we look for opportunities for partnerships, it is actually appropriate also for us to be critical for those who are trying to change that in ways that may not benefit the region, he told PTI in an interview here. In November, India, the US, Australia and Japan gave shape to the long-pending Quad to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of Chinese influence. Referring to Quad or quadrilateral coalition, the US Air Force Chief said there was a natural convergence among four countries to work towards preserving the rules-based order, adding cooperation between Indian and US air forces would increase at several levels. PTI editorial@tribune.com Archit Watts Tribune News Service Muktsar, February 4 Nearly two years have passed since gangster-turned-politician Jaswinder Singh Rocky of Fazilka was murdered at Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh on April 30, 2016, but the Himachal police have failed to arrest any accused. Rockys sister Rajdeep Kaur said even the officers, including the DSP, who were investigating her brothers case, were recently transferred. Now, they had moved an application in the HP High Court seeking a CBI probe. Officers transfer will further delay the investigation. Earlier, an IGP supervising the probe was arrested in a gangrape case. We fear that some bigwig is behind the plot, thus the police are delaying the investigation. Though gangster Jaipal and Tiarth Dhilwan, both belonging to Punjab and wanted in a number of cases, were booked, besides two unidentified persons, no one has been arrested till date, she alleged. Rocky was killed when he was travelling with some persons. Though two gunmen were also accompanying him in another vehicle, they did not open fire, bringing their role under scanner. The Himachal police team had told us that someone accompanying Rocky connived with the assailants. However, even after such a long time they are groping in the dark, said Rajdeep, who had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly elections from Fazilka. She added, My brother had a number of weapons registered on his arms licence, but we have not found a single weapon. Some documents were also stolen from our house in Fazilka. We had lodged a complaint in this regard too to the Bathinda IGP, but nothing happened till date. She said, I am not aware about the criminal record or cases pending against my brother, but people in our area can vouch for his character. He was a social worker and transformed the lives of many needy people. Solan SP Mohit Chawla said, The DSP investigating the case was recently transferred. But we have an efficient team and I will give strict directions to the newly appointed DSP and others to put in maximum efforts to crack the case at the earliest. The Punjab Police are coordinating with us and it is our onus to crack the case. We had sent the teams to Punjab in November last year to get any clue about those booked in the case, but their houses were found locked. gspannu7@gmail.com New Delhi, February 5 The BJP on Monday filed a complaint with the Delhi Police against senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. BJP national secretary RP Singh met the additional police commissioner, New Delhi, and filed a complaint which was based on purported video clips concerning the Congress leader. The video clips were released in a press conference by Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee president Manjit Singh GK. Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) It has been requested in the complaint that since the accused can leave the country any time hence he should be arrested immediately and prosecuted under IPC Sections 302, 147/149 and 120-B, R P Singh said in a statement. Read: Retired IPS officer Rajdeep Singh refuses to be part of '84 riots SIT Earlier in the day, Manjit Singh GK said that they would send copies of the video clips to various authorities and demanded arrest of the Congress leader. We have a sting of Jagdish Tytler in which he is admitting his role in 1984 killings. We are handing over all proofs to the CBI and it should arrest him immediately, the Akali Dal leader said. He also threatened to stage protests and raise voice in Parliament if the CBI did not arrest Tytler. The sensational claim by the Akali Dal has come to fore after the Supreme Court directed to constitute a fresh three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), to be headed by a former high court judge, to monitor probe into 186 anti-Sikh riot cases, which had broken out in India after the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. According to official records, around 2,800 Sikhs were killed across India, including 2,100 in Delhi. Agencies editorial@tribune.com Ishrat S Banwait Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 5 A local court has upheld the 2013 judgment in the family dispute of Faridkot heritage case which involved property of approximately Rs 20,000 crore (assessed in 2013). It has dismissed the appeals of one of the daughters of the last ruler of Faridkot, Harinder Singh, along with similar appeals by Maharawal Khewaji Trust and one of his (rulers) nephews. Bharatinder Singh, the nephew, who is the son of late Manjit Inder Singh (brother of Harinder Singh), had staked claim to the property citing the rule of primogeniture, according to which property rights are granted to firstborn son or eldest living male blood relative. He had also submitted that a will was prepared by the Maharaja in 1952, which is undisputed and lists certain properties. As per his claim, the will must now be considered as the other one has been declared null and void. Also read: Faridkot Heritage (From The Tribune archive) On July 25, 2013, the CJM court, partly dismissed the suit filed by Maharajas daughter Amrit Kaur in 1992, and declared Harinder Singhs 1982 will as null and void, not binding upon her rights. It said she was entitled to joint possession to the extent of half share with her surviving sister Deepinder Kaur, except properties that have been acquired. The will had left the whole property in the hands of a Trust which was largely made up of Harinders servants and lawyers. However, younger sister Deepinder Kaur, chairman of the Trust, had filed an appeal against the order. After a two-decade long battle, the former rulers two daughters were granted inheritance to assets in 2013, including the Faridkot House at Copernicus Marg near India Gate, palace and Manimajra Fort in Faridkot in Punjab, properties in Mashobra (Shimla), besides bank deposits, jewellery and vintage cars, including a Rolls Royce. Battle royale editorial@tribune.com Anirudh Gupta Ferozepur, February 4 A family of Guruharsahai last week wrote to the Prime Minister to seek permission for euthanasia. Manohar Lal of Guruharsahai and his wife Shashi Bala have two sons and a daughter but all their children are differently abled since birth. The family has no source of income. Whatever resources they had have dried up over the time, forcing them to live a life of penury. All their efforts to seek help have come to a naught. We have been reeling under abject poverty for the last 33 years, said Manohar. He said a few years ago, after a lot of effort, the state government had sanctioned his family a pension of Rs 500 per month, which he alleged was not only meager for the family, it also didnt reach in time. The eldest of his children, Gagandeep, is 33 years old, followed by Punita and Ankush who are 28 and 24 years old, respectively, he said. Manohar said when the children were small, their situation was still manageable but now, it had become difficult to take care of their daily needs. I somehow managed to get my younger son educated till Grade X with the hope that he might get some job but that didnt materialise, he said. Manohar said earlier, he had a small business but since he had to give a lot of time to his children, he suffered losses and now, the financial deficit on account of loans had assumed large proportions. He said recently, Guruharsahai DSP Lakhvir Singh had offered him Rs 5,000. Two Assistant Sub-Inspectors and some constables accompanying him, too, had contributed. However, he said, unless a permanent solution was evolved to generate a regular income, his family would not be able to sustain. amansharma@tribunemail.com Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 5 The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that ex-IPS officer Rajdeep Singh has refused to be a part of a new SIT headed by former Delhi High Court judge SN Dhingra which will further investigate 186 cases relating to the 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases in Delhi. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand told a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra that former Indian Police Bureau Director General of Police NR Wasan will replace Rajdeep Singh in the new Special Investigation Team. Serving IPS officer Abhishek Dular is the third member of the SIT. The bench which had on January 11 appointed the new SIT adjourned the matter for a week. Justice Dhingra was a trial judge when punishments were handed out in 1990s to the accused of the Trilokpuri massacre of 1984. Kishori Lal, dubbed as the butcher of Trilokpuri, was among those sentenced by him. Nearly 3,000 people were killed, most of them in Delhi, in the anti-Sikh riots that broke out following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984. While directing the government to provide all logistical and secretarial support to the SIT, the bench had asked it to submit its first status report in two months. Last month, the bench had noted that the previous SIT had not carried out further probe into these 186 cases in which closure reports were filed. The top court had taken the decision after perusing the report of a two-judge supervisory panel which scrutinised 241 cases relating to 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi closed by an earlier SIT formed by the NDA government for re-investigation. Submitted on December 6, the report of the supervisory committee comprising Justice JM Panchal and Justice KSP Radhakrishnan was perused by the court. The court had already made it clear that it would not reopen cases in which accused had been acquitted. It had assigned the task of examining the said 241 cases closed by SIT to the supervisory committee which was to make recommendations as to whether the cases were rightly closed or not. The court had earlier said if there was any material in the report to show that a particular case had been wrongly closed, it was open to order prosecution in such a case. More than two years after the Narendra Modi government set up the SIT to re-investigate serious anti-Sikh riots cases that had been closed, it has managed to file charge-sheets only in very small number of cases taken up for further probe. harinder@tribunemail.com Balwant Garg Tribune News Service Faridkot, February 5 Illegal sand mining is touching new depths in Punjab, both figuratively and literally. After mining sand up to the permitted depth of around 10 feet, contractors in this area have now started using submersible pumps to extract sand from deep inside earth, leaving the surface open to ecological disaster, apart from causing huge loss of precious ground water. Condition No. 46(a) of the agreement between the Department of Industries and Commerce, which auctions mines, and the bidders, lays down that mining can be done only to a depth of 3 metres in the plains, which is measured from the un-mined ground level. Submersible pumps designed to suck up water are being used to extract sand mixed with the water from the sand-rich layers of the earth. One such site being exploited in violation of the Punjab Minor Minerals Rules, 2013, spotted by The Tribune is in an area of about 2.5 hectare in Dod village of Faridkot district. The extraction technique causes a huge loss of ground water, which spreads out while leaving the heavy sand in huge mounds. With unrestricted pumping up of sand, massive hollows are created in the deep layers of earth, which can cave in any time, and expose the top layers to erosion. Apart from environmental disaster, it also poses a threat to life and property. Contractors drill a new hole once sand supply from one bore is exhausted or the cavity becomes too large, thereby softening the ground. The particular land seen by The Tribune is owned by Daljit Singh, a former sarpanch of Dhilwan Khurd, a village adjoining Dod. His land has been auctioned for mining, for which he is to officially receive a compensation of Rs 1.54 lakh every three months. While he claimed 2.5 hectare of his land was allotted to Hira Singh, a contractor from Kotkapura, as per record the land auctioned in the area is only 1.21 hectare for Rs 24.59 lakh. The contractor has even extended his illegal operation to adjoining land that falls in the neighbouring Sadhuwala village. The conditions for mining also mandate excavation time from 6 am to 7 pm in summer (April 1-September 30) and 7 am to 5 pm in winter (October 1-March 31). However, the operation on this site is carried on 24 hours a day, using mechanical dredgers and suction pumps. While contractor Heera Singh did not respond to repeated phone calls, Mandeep Singh and Deepak Kumar, who identified themselves as caretakers for the contractors work, denied there was any violation of rules. Baljinder Singh, mining inspector for the area, also refuted allegations of illegal mining, saying, I have received no such complaint thus far, but will check now. On how a small lake had been created in the mining area, in which the submersible pump is mounted on a boat-like contraption, Baljinder Singh claimed the water table there was high, which caused seepage once mining was done. Condition No. 50 of the agreement also stipulates that excavation cannot be done at a level below the water table. The contract can be cancelled for violation of this rule. Gurjant Singh, General Manager-cum-Mining Officer, Faridkot, also did not respond to repeated phone calls. He is in charge of four districts: Faridkot, Fazilka, Moga and Ferozepur. Hira Singh has been allowed to annually extract 10,279 tonnes of sand from Dod village. To ensure the limit is observed, the contract requires a weighing machine to be installed at the pit-head, and details of each measured vehicle have to be sent electronically to the mining officer. However, no such scale could be spotted in the area. To get a high price for the sand, the contractor allegedly is also using political influence to get the traffic police to prevent trucks of sand from adjoining districts to sell in Faridkot. As the quality of surface sand in Faridkot is poor, people are forced to buy the sand extracted from deep. Dr Nanak Singh, SSP, Faridkot, said he would look into any illegal action of the traffic police. laxmi@tribune.com IN a recent issue we published a telegraphic summary of the judgment delivered by Mr. Justice Knox of the Allahabad High Court dismissing the appeal in a case of Sati from Shahjanpur in which the accused had been sentenced to imprisonment. The Judge expressed his surprise that in the 20th century they had to try such a case. The matter is scarcely one for surprise. Large sections of people have but few advantages that should accrue to men living in enlightened times. It is only knowledge and freedom that can dissipate darkness and emancipate men and women from the tyranny of custom. Undoubtedly the State must do all that it can to sternly repress inhumanities. But the better and wiser thing is to prevent them. And they can be prevented only by the widest possible diffusion of education. laxmi@tribune.com THE Gujarat Sabha has promptly issued a reply to the unfair charges of Government against persons whose only offense consisted in their having endeavoured to help people in distress in the Kaira District, which is part of Gujrat. The matter is one of great public importance, because the Bombay Government's action amounts to a blow against public organisations endeavouring to study and represent ryots' grievances, claiming that revenue officials are the sole arbiters in the matter. The facts of the case briefly are that the Gujrat Sabha deputed certain members, at the request of nearly 200 Kaira agriculturists, to study their grievances on the spot, and a representation was sent to the Government to which no reply was received. In the meantime pressure was being exercised for the collection of revenue and the Sabha sent a wire to the Government praying for the postponement of collection till the representation was disposed of. harinder@tribunemail.com OUR readers are aware of the facts of the habeas corpus case in the Behar High Court in which Mr. P. R. Das, Bar-at-law, questioned the power of the Government of India to constitute special tribunals. The full bench has delivered its judgment. It has rejected the application. They have held that the Governor General in Council has the power which Mr. Das questioned. So far as the finding itself goes, we, as laymen, have nothing to say. But we confess we are not convinced by the argument of the Chief Justice that if the decision went in favour of the applicant, practically the whole administration of justice in British India would cease to exist. sanjiv@tribunemail.com Dehradun, February 5 Doon Medical College today organised a cancer awareness workshop in association with Sahyog Kendra, Raipur. Dr KK Tamta, CMS, Dr Navneet Jain, cancer surgeon, and Dr Manashi Ghosh, radiotherapist, dispelled the myths and fears of cancer. Dr Jain said the maximum cases were of breast cancer. Ravi Kant Sharma, president Sahyog Kendra, explained how yoga could help deal with emotions and stress during the treatment of cancer. He said simple breathing techniques and gentle guided movements could help improve blood circulation and relax muscle tension to speed up the recovery process. Principal, Doon college, Dr Pradeep Bharti Gupta, said they would sign an MOU with Tata Hospital. TNS sanjiv@tribunemail.com Tribune News Service Dehradun, February 5 In a move to end the British raj legacy of wearing convocation gowns and caps as the official graduation dress code in the state universities, the Uttarakhand Department of Higher Education will replace these with the traditional attire that complements the art and culture of Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand Minister for State for Higher Education Dhan Singh Rawat along with Vice-Chancellors of the universities today finalised the attire for the convocation ceremony. Today, we managed to shortlist three dresses out of the seven that were presented before us. Now, the final dress for the convocation will be finalised by the Uttarakhand Governor and the Chief Minister, said Dhan Singh Rawat, while speaking with mediapersons. To make things easier for the selection, the students had come dressed in the traditional attire for the shortlisting exercise. The focus was on traditional pahari topi, kurta pyjama and hand-woven shawls. Significantly, during the convocation ceremony at Petroleum University, Chief Minister TS Rawat had given a call for doing away with the British legacy of a black coat and a black cap and instead replace it with the suitable traditional attire. The ethnic dress code will be in sync with our traditional and culture of our country and state. By March we hope to finalise the convocation dress so that it can be worn for the convocation ceremonies then onwards, said Rawat. At the same time, the central universities too have given up the black gown-cap dress code for the convocation ceremonies and replaced them with kurta dhoti/ kurta pyajama for men and saris for women. Ending British legacy During the convocation ceremony at Petroleum University, CM TS Rawat had given a call for doing away with the British legacy of a black coat and a black cap and instead replace it with the suitable traditional attire. singhking99@yahoo.com Male, February 5 The Maldives government declared a 15-day state of emergency today as the political crisis deepened in the Indian Ocean nation amid an increasingly bitter standoff between the President and the Supreme Court. A surprise Supreme Court ruling last week ordering the release of imprisoned opposition leaders has led to growing turmoil, with the President lashing out at the court, opposition protests spilling into the streets of the capital, Male, and soldiers in riot gear deployed to the parliament building to stop lawmakers from meeting. The extent of the emergency order was not immediately clear. During this time though certain rights will be restricted, general movements, services and businesses will not be affected, President Yameen Abdul Gayoom said in a statement issued after the state of emergency was announced on state television. Exiled former President Mohammed Nasheed, Yameen's main political rival, is among the people ordered released by the court. Yameen, in a letter to the court released by his office earlier today, said the order had encroached on the powers of the state and was an infringement of national security and public interest. He urged the court to review the concerns of the government. Officials say the court has not properly responded to a series of letters citing problems with implementing the order, including that the cases against the political prisoners are at different legal stages. A Supreme Court statement on Sunday said there are no obstacles in implementing the ruling... and that this has been informed to the Prosecutor Generals office. The Supreme Court ruled that the politicians guilty verdicts had been politically influenced. The ruling has led to protests by opposition supporters urging the government to obey the order. Clashes have erupted between police and the opposition supporters. Soldiers have occupied the parliament building to stop lawmakers from entering. The UN and several foreign governments, including the US, have urged the Maldives to respect the court order. Nasheed has been living in exile in Britain since 2016 after being given asylum when he traveled there on medical leave from prison. Besides ordering the release of the political prisoners, the court reinstated 12 lawmakers who had been ousted for switching allegiance to the opposition. AP SC overstepped its power: President The President of the island nation, Yameen Abdul Gayoom, said the Supreme Court had overstepped its authority in ordering the release of a group of imprisoned opposition leaders Yameen, in a letter to the court released by his office, said the order had encroached on the powers of the state and was an infringement of national security and public interest. He urged the court to review concerns of the government Earlier, Legal Affairs Minister Azima Shakoor said that the government does not believe that the Supreme Court ruling to release the political prisoners can be enforced Officials say the court has not properly responded to a series of letters citing problems with implementing the order, including that the cases against the political prisoners are at different legal stages Ex-president Gayoom arrested Former Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was arrested on Monday shortly after his estranged half-brother President Abdulla Yameen declared a state of emergency, according to Gayooms daughter The 80-year-old, who was President for 30 years until the countrys first democratic elections in 2008, was taken away from his home in Male, Yumna Maumoon said on Twitter. Gayoom had sided with the main opposition and was campaigning for the toppling of his half brother Concerned India asks its nationals to defer travel to Maldives ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Beijing, February 4 Asking the US to discard its cold-war mentality and take a fair view on Chinas military development, Beijing today criticised a Pentagon report that cast the Communist giant as a major challenge to America's interests in Asia. The Pentagon on Friday released the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) in which it said that the US wants to prevent China from mistakenly concluding that any use of nuclear weapons, however limited, is acceptable. China said that it is firmly opposed to the NPR published by the US Department of Defence. The 74-page report, the Pentagon's first since 2010, cast China as a major challenge to US interests in Asia. PTI ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Berlin, February 4 German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that her conservatives faced tough negotiations with the Social Democrats (SPD) on Sunday as they strive to form a ruling coalition, and it was unclear when the two blocs would be able to wrap up the talks. More than four months after a national election, Europes largest economy and pre-eminent power broker is in political paralysis, causing concern among investors and partner countries that policymaking on key issues like Britains looming departure from the European Union and euro zone reform may be held up. The conservatives and SPD had set themselves a Sunday deadline to agree on renewing the grand coalition that has governed since 2013 but some politicians said that the discussions could run into Monday or Tuesday. Its not yet possible to say how long it will last - we did good groundwork yesterday but there are still important issues that need to be resolved, Merkel, in office for 12 years, said before heading into negotiations. The parties reached agreements on energy and agriculture on Saturday but continued to haggle over healthcare. Merkel, who is betting on the SPD to secure her fourth term in office, added: Im going into talks with goodwill today, but I also expect that well face difficult negotiations. SPD leader Martin Schulz said the opposing sides had edged closer on many issues but remained at odds over his partys demand to abolish fixed-term contracts for workers and its call to replace dual public-private healthcare system with one insurance system for all. Reuters rajivbhatia82@gmail.com Quito, February 5 Ecuadorans on Monday voted to bar unlimited re-election for their presidents in a blow to ex- leader Rafael Correa who had been eyeing a comeback in 2021. Initial results from a referendum called by Correas successor-turned-foe, current President Lenin Moreno, showed 64 per cent of ballots in favour of scrapping a provision allowing open-ended re-elections, according to electoral authorities. AFP. rchopra@tribunemail.com Tokyo, February 5 A Japanese military helicopter crashed on Monday in a residential area in the southwest of the country, setting at least one home on fire, local officials said. A Self-Defence Force helicopter crash-landed on a residential area. A house has caught fire, local government official Katsuhide Tanaka told AFP. There was no immediate confirmation of any casualties in the crash in the town of Kanzaki. AFP amansharma@tribunemail.com Male, February 5 Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen on Monday declared a 15-day state of emergency, his aide Azima Shukoor announced, deepening the political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation. The move gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects, and comes amid a tense standoff between the Supreme Court and the government. The president has refused to comply with a court order to release political prisoners, despite growing international pressure and concern. Shukoor read out the declaration on state television shortly after Yameen sent three letters to the judges asking them to reverse their decision. This is the second time Yameen has declared a state of emergency. He last took the step in November 2015 after an alleged attempt to assassinate him. Officials said the president is required to inform the parliament about any declaration of emergency within two days, but the country's legislature has been suspended indefinitely by authorities. The Supreme Court on Thursday had also restored the seats of 12 MPs who had defected from Yameen's party, effectively handing the opposition a majority in the 85-member parliament, making the president vulnerable to impeachment. AFP pardeepdhull@gmail.com Manila, February 5 As night falls in Manila, the Philippine capital, few of the 700 families living in the sprawling portside shanty town known as Market 3 dare to venture out of their homes. The crime-ridden maze of sheet metal, crumbling cement and wooden boards has become a frontline of the bloody war on illegal drugs that has defined Rodrigo Dutertes presidency since it was unleashed in June 2016. Dozens of Filipinos who lived along the slums narrow dirt-floor alleys have wound up dead. The community lives in fear of masked or mystery men dragging away slum dwellers, or police and their notorious Tokhang operations, where officers are required to knock on doors of suspected dealers to urge them to surrender. But those visits have been fatal. Many people have left. They leave because of Tokhang, said Nenita Bravo, a 56-year-old Market 3 resident. We cant really count them anymore, she said, referring to those killed, adding that she had witnessed many killings in the area. We cant really count them because theres been so many. Bullet-ridden corpses are found hours or even days later, often just a few minutes away, although police say there have been no illegal killings in their anti-drug campaign. Yet the frequent police operations and shadowy murders have hit the slum hard and those who live there say more blood has been spilled since he was elected president on the promise to wipe out drugs and crime in six months. Since Duterte came, thats when there was a rise in killings. It was pitiful, especially so for the many women killed, said Visitacion Castellano, 73, a long-time resident of Market 3. They should have given them years. Put them in jail. But not kill. In Spanish colonial times, Navotas, as the area was known before the patchwork of shanty communities emerged, was the home of a middle class that lived off the sea, either as owners of fishing boats or shipbuilders. Now employment is in short supply, with men jumping from one informal job to the next, such as scavenging or unloading fish from returning trawlers. Although life is hard, people get by, but there is never enough. Scarcity fuels desperation and the desperate turn to petty crime, or dealing and using drugs, mostly shabu, the methamphetamine Duterte says could destroy a generation of Filipinos. One 28-year-old man who spoke to Reuters was among those who sold and used shabu. During one of the deadliest chapters of the drugs war in August 2016, he said his partner and mother of his five children was murdered, her body found riddled with bullet wounds in the head and chest. Desperate times The former drug user, who refused to give his name for fear of reprisals, then fled Market 3 and says many of his friends did the same, or are now dead. He even tried, unsuccessfully, to take his own life, he said, by hanging himself with his belt. The man is in poor health, skinny and coughing frequently due to tuberculosis. Nuns now take care of his youngest children. Too weak to work, he spends his days at the port waiting to beg for scraps of fish from returning boats. His dream, he says, is to regain strength so he can work, and build a home for himself and his children in the Market 3 shanty town where they can live, free of drugs and the fear of police raids. My only concern now is for my four kids to have a different life, he said. One woman in the community told Reuters that four of her seven children are in prison, three on drugs charges and one accused of murder. Her youngest son was killed in June 2016 in what police said was a sting operation in which he was armed, and refused to go quietly, a typical description of the almost 4,000 cases in which police say a suspected drug dealer was killed. Police in Navotas could not be reached for comment on the killings during their anti-drugs operations. The woman, who asked for anonymity, is certain that police killed her son in cold blood while he was asleep, adding that she even heard them joke about it. Reuters could not independently verify her account. Reuters gspannu7@gmail.com Lahore, February 5 Outlawed Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief and Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed on Monday dared the Pakistani government to arrest him if it can and said he will not stop fighting the case of Kashmiri people. If the Pakistani government wants to arrest me...come and go for it but I will not stop dedicating 2018 for Kashmiris, Saeed said while addressing a rally here. We will emerge more strongly if you try to suppress us, said Saeed, who was listed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US. He criticised ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for not playing his role on the issue of Kashmir. We may initiate efforts to make you (Sharif) prime minister again if you pledge to work for freedom of Kashmir, he said. He also claimed that on the pressure of the US and India our media coverage is banned in Pakistan. Saeed, who was released from house arrest in Pakistan in November, carries a USD 10 million bounty on his head. He asked the government to allow the UN Security Council monitoring team to visit JuD and FIF centres in the country so that it could come to know about their charity work. We welcome the international monitoring teams to our centres. The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack that killed 166 people. It has been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. PTI The domain turkeytelegraph.com may be for sale. Please click here to inquire Goa Leader of Opposition skips summons in DA case, says he is 'busy' Panaji, Feb 5 (UNI) Leader of Opposition in the Goa Legislative Assembly Chandrakant 'Babu' Kavlekar on Monday skipped to appear before Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of Goa Police which is investigating a disproportionate assets case against him. He had been summoned to appear by the anti-corruption branch before it. Speaking to reporters in the city, Superintendent of Police (ACB) Priyanka Kashyap said Kavlekar did not report to the investigating officer. February 5 2018 The RIAS has broken its silence on concerning press reports enveloping the organisation by seeking to assuage its membership that governance and financial concerns are being addressed without impact on its day-to-day activities.A Future Directions policy statement surmising events thus far sought to dispel accusations levelled by campaign body A New Chapter, insisting that it was cooperating fully with investigating authorities on allegations of impropriety.This saw the RIAS name trustee Kerr Robertson as the individual behind widely reported investigations by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR and the police into its affairs. It wrote: Kerr Robertson raised concerns with OSCR, the charities regulator, and with others outside council. OSCR subsequently requested details about the accounts, constitution and operating practices of the RIAS, under their inquiry policy procedures in order that they may determine if an investigation is required.That request has already seen the organisation hand over the results of a confidential investigation into RIAS finances undertaken by accountants Grant Thornton, for which the RIAS has received notification of receipt but not received noti?cation of an investigation.Similarly, a police complaint filed by Robertson is still in progress with the RIAS adding: Following a complaint to Police Scotland by Kerr Robertson, the RIAS was advised in December 2017 that Grant Thornton was asked for a copy of their forensic report by Police Scotland and that was made available. No direct communication has been made with the RIAS by the police.Robertson was quick to dismiss the RIAS report as far from being a fair account of events, detailing one specific example of alleged malpractice to explain his actions.In an open letter published by A New Chapter Robertson wrote of being approached by an unnamed whistleblower who alleged that an employee awarded himself a bonus of 19k during the Festival of Architecture 2016 without notifying the board of trustees.Robertson concluded: I would suggest ordinary members of the RIAS should take time to reconsider what was stated in the RIAS announcement and ask the president and Council as a whole, to fully explain how they have met their ?duciary duties, and why they are so sure there has been no misuse of members funds.A New Chapter have already called on RIAS president Stewart Henderson to resign Published: February 05, 2018 UT's Writers at the University Series Continues with Richard Chess Feb. 14 On Wednesday, Feb. 14, The University of Tampa will welcome poet Richard Chess as part of the Writers at the University Series. The reading will begin at 7 p.m. in the Scarfone Hartley Gallery, 310 North Blvd., and is free and open to the public. Chess is the author of four books of poetry, Love Nailed to the Doorpost (University of Tampa Press 2017), Third Temple (University of Tampa Press 2006), Chair in the Desert (University of Tampa Press 2000) and Tekiah (University of Georgia Press 1996; republished by University of Tampa Press 2000). His poems have appeared in Best American Spiritual Writing 2005, Telling and Remembering: A Century of American Jewish Poetry and The Bloomsbury Anthology of Contemporary American Jewish Poetry. Chess is an award-winning professor at the University of North Carolina Asheville. In recent years, he has become active in the national movement exploring the use of contemplative pedagogy in higher education. He has served on the faculty of the Association for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education (ADMHE) Summer Seminar in Contemplative Pedagogy Development (2015) and has presented every year since 2011 at the annual ACMHE Academic Conference. At UNC Asheville, he has played a leading role in the contemplative pedagogy and practice initiative, which began there in 2011. For more information, contact Donald Morrill, Dana professor of English and associate dean of graduate and continuing studies, at dmorrill@ut.edu. Free Language Courses Offered at UW Fourteen different language courses will be offered for free this semester at the University of Wyoming. The World Language and Culture (WLC)-sponsored program is offered to both the UW and Laramie community. Classes in Arabic, Chinese, French, Farsi, German, Hebrew, Indonesian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Tadjik/Dari, Turkmen and Uzbek will begin Feb. 12 and end May 2. Classes will be offered throughout the day and early evening, generally once a week. The schedule may be found at www.facebook.com/culturelanguageprogram/. Registration for free classes may be done by going here. For more information, email WLC Program Coordinator Dilnoza Khasilova at dkhasilo@uwyo.edu. WLC is a volunteer program that promotes learning world languages and cultures. WLC learners explore basic language and culture in an informal setting. The WLC program was developed by Khasilova in 2013 and supported by UW College of Education faculty member Amy Roberts. It was launched in 2014 with the help of UWs international community and graduate students. The students received internal grants to purchase curriculum materials; instructional technology; and to organize international students and faculty, visiting scholars and international community members as WLC service instructors. The Associated Students of UW, the UW College of Education and the Global Engagement Office sponsor the WLC program. English Dutch French In 2014, RBS initiated an arbitration procedure against ageas SA/NV before the ICC in Paris, initially claiming an amount of EUR 135 million, which was reduced to EUR 75 million in the course of the proceedings. This claim relates to an alleged indemnification promise made by (then) Fortis to RBS back in 2007, in the context of the takeover of the former ABN AMRO group. The ICC Tribunal confirmed Ageas's position and ruled that RBS's claims are fully dismissed. The decision of the ICC Tribunal is final*. Ageas is pleased with the decision of the ICC Tribunal. Ageas is a listed international insurance Group with a heritage spanning 190 years. It offers Retail and Business customers Life and Non-Life products that meet their specific needs, not just for today but also for tomorrow. Ageas, one of the largest insurance companies in Europe, is mainly active in Europe and Asia, which together make up the majority of the global insurance market. Through a combination of wholly owned subsidiaries and long term partnerships with strong financial institutions and key distributors, Ageas operates successful insurance businesses in Belgium, the UK, Luxembourg, France, Portugal, Turkey, China, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, and the Philippines. In most of the countries where it operates, Ageas is among the market leaders. Ageas has more than 40,000 employees, and inflows amounted to around EUR 32 billion (all figures at 100%) in 2016. * except in case of annulment proceedings on the basis of a limited number of legal grounds, such as violation of the rights of defense in the arbitration proceedings Open Meeting on UW President Evaluation Feb. 14; Comments Accepted Online An open meeting is scheduled Wednesday, Feb. 14, for members of the University of Wyoming community and the public to participate in the evaluation of President Laurie Nichols by the UW Board of Trustees. The meeting is scheduled from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the Wyoming Union Family Room for faculty, staff, students and the public to share their assessments of Nichols performance with professional evaluator Steve Portch, who has been retained by the board to assist in the presidents evaluation. For those unable to attend in person, the meeting will be broadcast via WyoCast. The link will be provided later. While on campus Feb. 14, Portch also will meet with leaders of the Faculty Senate, Staff Senate, Associated Students of UW, administrators and other stakeholders -- some in groups, some individually -- regarding their perspectives of Nichols performance. Additionally, people can submit their comments online -- by name or anonymously -- by going to www.uwyo.edu/trustees/pres_eval/web_form_eval.html. The board has responsibility to recruit, appoint, support and evaluate the universitys chief executive officer. Portch, retired chancellor of the 34-campus University of Georgia system, regularly consults with universities for presidential evaluations. Nichols was appointed by the Board of Trustees in December 2015 as UWs 26th president. She began her duties May 16, 2016. Her three-year contract included the stipulation that the trustees conduct a comprehensive performance evaluation after the university president had served 18 months -- an emerging best practice in higher education. For more information about the presidential evaluation process, go to www.uwyo.edu/trustees/pres_eval/. UW Faculty Member Receives Pecora Project Manager Group Award Ramesh Sivanpillai A University of Wyoming faculty member recently received a 2017 William Thomas Pecora Project Manager Group Award from the International Charter Space and Major Disasters Team. Ramesh Sivanpillai, a remote sensing scientist with UWs Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center (WYGISC) and an associate research scientist in the Department of Botany, also was part of that Charter team that received the Pecora Group Award. The team was recognized for providing free satellite imagery, data and information to the global community during times of crises. Satellite imagery enables decisionmakers, rescue teams and responders to reach victims quickly, move them to safety and select the best locations for rescue efforts. Every year, two Pecora awards are given, to an individual and to a group, says Sivanpillai, who was trained to be a project manager in 2009. In the remote sensing community, this is a prestigious award. The International Charter Space and Major Disasters Team was awarded the group award. It was great to receive the recognition, for putting time into this effort. For his Pecora Project Manager Group Award, Sivanpillai was recognized by the Charter team for his volunteering to serve as a project manager for the 2011 floods in the Midwest, which impacted several states -- including Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri and Kentucky -- along the Mississippi River. Working with the space agencies of the U.S., Canada, the European Union, France and Germany, and Disaster Monitoring Constellation, I obtained several pre- and postdisaster images for Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky and Arkansas, Sivanpillai says. With additional help from volunteers in Wisconsin, Kentucky and Texas, these images were processed and delivered to emergency management agencies in these states. Each disaster response is coordinated by a project manager who works with the space agencies for data acquisition, and processing and distributing the data to emergency management agencies. For large disaster events, the space agencies often solicit assistance from other experts for processing these images. Everyone associated with the Charter team activities volunteers his or her time and is not compensated for contributions. It was great to see our contributions were recognized at this level, says Sivanpillai, who recently received his certificate award in the mail. Personally, Im happy that I can put my skills and experience to assist disaster response activities in the U.S. and elsewhere. Since founded in 2000, the International Charter Space and Major Disasters Team counts 16 member agencies that contribute satellite, data processing and data distribution assets. The teams goal is to provide a unified system of space data acquisition and delivery to those affected by natural or man-made disasters through authorized users. The William Thomas Pecora Award is presented annually to recognize outstanding contributions by individuals or teams using remote sensing to understand Earth; educate the next generation of scientists; inform decisionmakers; or support natural or human-induced disaster response. The awards were announced at the Pecora 20 Conference, which took place in Sioux Falls, S.D., last November. The award has been presented annually since 1974, in honor of Pecora, former director of the U.S. Geological Survey and undersecretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI). Pecora was a motivating force behind the establishment of civil remote sensing of Earth from space. The DOI and NASA jointly sponsor the award. UW One-Day Lecture Series Scheduled in Gillette Feb. 15 Three separate discussions touching on American-Chinese relations, race and culture, and infectious diseases are topics during the University of Wyomings one-day free public lecture series in Gillette Thursday, Feb. 15. Saturday U -- the half day of college lectures and discussion -- will be at the Campbell County Public Library, located at 2101 S. 4-J Road. The program begins with a free light dinner and snacks at 5:30 p.m., followed by welcoming remarks at 5:50 p.m. The guest lectures begin at 6 p.m. Participants may attend one, two or all three lectures. During the fall and spring terms, Saturday University visits locations throughout Wyoming discussing todays most captivating topics, says Saturday U Coordinator Paul Flesher, a UW religious studies professor. In its 10th year, Saturday U is a collaborative program that connects popular UW and Wyoming community college professors with lifelong learners. Offered nine times a year -- twice each in Jackson, Gillette and Sheridan, and once in Rock Springs, Pinedale and Cody -- Saturday U is sponsored by the university, the UW Foundation and Wyoming Humanities. The program is presented locally by UW, Wyoming Humanities, Gillette College and the Campbell County Public Library. Listed below are program topic descriptions and professors lecturing: -- 6 p.m.: Chinese-American Relations in the Trump Era: Cooperation, Confrontation or Crisis? by Jean Garrison, UW Center for Global Studies director, and international studies and political science professor. Chinas economic rise and growing activism in East Asia bring new challenges to American interests and allies in the Asia-Pacific region, Garrison says. Increasing instability in the region posed by the territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the provocation of North Korean missile tests further complicate the relationship. Garrisons talk will evaluate the current state of Sino-American relations and the tools available to the Trump administration -- and future American leaders -- to manage how it evolves. -- 6:50 p.m.: The American Problem: James Weldon Johnsons Art Approach to Politics, by Arielle Zibrak, Department of English assistant professor at UW-Casper. What are the ethics of cultural appropriation? What place does cultural history hold in debates about politics? Zibrak asks. She will discuss the work and philosophies of Johnson, one of the key authors of the Harlem Renaissance and the NAACP. Touching on histories of literature, music and dance, Zibrak will connect Johnsons ideas about race and culture to issues that continue to challenge U.S. citizens today. -- 7:40 p.m.: New infectious diseases in a changing world: Should Wyoming worry? by Scott Seville, Department of Zoology and Physiology professor at UW-Casper. In the last few years, several incidents have appeared in the media about new diseases with horrible symptoms, such as Ebola, SARS, West Nile virus, H1N1 influenza and chronic wasting disease. Scientists call these maladies emerging infectious diseases, Seville says. They are illnesses that have recently appeared or whose frequency or geographic range is rapidly increasing, Seville says. The reality is that infectious diseases have been emerging and re-emerging for millennia and, only recently, due to various global changes, seem to be increasing. He will discuss the factors that are leading to this increase and how it might affect the future of Wyoming communities. For more information, call Flesher at (307) 766-2616 or email pflesher@uwyo.edu. For more information about Saturday U, visit the website at www.uwyo.edu/saturdayu/index.html. UW One-Day Lecture Series Scheduled in Sheridan Feb. 17 Three separate discussions touching on American-Chinese relations, race and culture, and infectious diseases are topics during the University of Wyomings one-day free public lecture series in Sheridan Saturday, Feb. 17. Saturday U -- the half day of college lectures and discussion -- will be at the Whitney Academic Center on the Sheridan College campus. The program begins with coffee and donuts at 8:30 a.m., followed by welcoming remarks at 8:50 a.m. The guest lectures begin at 9 a.m. Participants may attend one, two or all three lectures. A free lunch and question-and-answer session will follow the program at 12:30 p.m. During the fall and spring terms, Saturday University visits locations throughout Wyoming discussing todays most captivating topics, says Saturday U Coordinator Paul Flesher, a UW religious studies professor. In its 10th year, Saturday U is a collaborative program that connects popular UW and Wyoming community college professors with lifelong learners. Offered nine times a year -- twice each in Jackson, Gillette and Sheridan, and once in Rock Springs, Pinedale and Cody -- Saturday U is sponsored by the university, the UW Foundation and Wyoming Humanities. The program is presented locally by UW, Wyoming Humanities and Sheridan College/Northern Wyoming Community College District. Enjoy three intriguing lectures delivered by professors from the University of Wyoming, Flesher says. Complimentary lunch is provided, giving participants an opportunity to engage with the speakers during a roundtable discussion following the three lectures. Listed below are program topic descriptions and professors lecturing: -- 9 a.m.: Chinese-American Relations in the Trump Era: Cooperation, Confrontation or Crisis? by Jean Garrison, UW Center for Global Studies director, and international studies and political science professor. Chinas economic rise and growing activism in East Asia bring new challenges to American interests and allies in the Asia-Pacific region, Garrison says. Increasing instability in the region posed by the territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the provocation of North Korean missile tests further complicate the relationship. Garrisons talk will evaluate the current state of Sino-American relations and the tools available to the Trump administration -- and future American leaders -- to manage how it evolves. -- 10:15 a.m.: The American Problem: James Weldon Johnsons Art Approach to Politics, by Arielle Zibrak, Department of English assistant professor at UW-Casper. What are the ethics of cultural appropriation? What place does cultural history hold in debates about politics? Zibrak asks. She will discuss the work and philosophies of Johnson, one of the key authors of the Harlem Renaissance and the NAACP. Touching on histories of literature, music and dance, Zibrak will connect Johnsons ideas about race and culture to issues that continue to challenge U.S. citizens today. -- 11:30 a.m.: New infectious diseases in a changing world: Should Wyoming worry? by Scott Seville, Department of Zoology and Physiology professor at UW-Casper. In the last few years, several incidents have appeared in the media about new diseases with horrible symptoms, such as Ebola, SARS, West Nile virus, H1N1 influenza and chronic wasting disease. Scientists call these maladies emerging infectious diseases, Seville says. They are illnesses that have recently appeared or whose frequency or geographic range is rapidly increasing, Seville says. The reality is that infectious diseases have been emerging and re-emerging for millennia and, only recently, due to various global changes, seem to be increasing. He will discuss the factors that are leading to this increase and how it might affect the future of Wyoming communities. For more information, call Flesher at (307) 766-2616 or email pflesher@uwyo.edu. For more information about Saturday U, visit the website at www.uwyo.edu/saturdayu/index.html. UW Ranks Fifth in Nation for Older Undergraduate Enrollment Casper firefighter and Battalion Chief Jerod Levin is one of UWs many students age 25 and over. He recently finished his Bachelor of Applied Science in organizational leadership degree online. (Jerod Levin Photo) The Chronicle of Higher Education recently ranked the University of Wyoming fifth in its Flagship Institutions With the Highest Percentages of Older Undergraduates list, using data from fall 2015. Meeting the needs of older and returning students is an important aspect of UWs mission to provide accessible education. According to the list, under 8 percent of all undergraduate students at the 50 flagship public institutions in the United States were 25 and older, but five flagships had an undergraduate population that was more than a fifth age 25 and over. At UW in the fall of 2015, 2,179 undergraduates were age 25 and over, making up 21.7 percent of the undergraduate population. The Chronicles list may be found at www.chronicle.com/article/Flagship-Institutions-With-the/242233. Access and opportunity to complete a degree at the University of Wyoming are available to students across a wide variety of ages, backgrounds and educational experience, says Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Kyle Moore. We have a commitment to education and are excited for everyone who chooses to attend UW. Gov. Matt Mead recently signed an educational attainment executive order. The goal for Wyomings working population age 25-64 years is to have 67 percent possess a valuable postsecondary credential (certificate or degree) by 2025 and 82 percent by 2040. UW offers innovative programs that will help meet this goal, and the university was named one of The 12 Most Innovative Colleges for Adult Learners by Washington Monthly in fall 2017. Student Amy Leavitt stands outside the Classroom Building at UW. After a 20-year career in the Air Force, Leavitt chose to pursue her bachelors degree at UW. (UW Photo) I think that a number of UW programs offered through hybrid and online modalities appeal to our post-traditional student population, says Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Anne Alexander. Programs that allow our students flexibility to re-enter into higher education even when life becomes quite complex have been a hallmark of UW for a number of years and have great potential to continue to grow. Through online bachelors completion programs, such as the Bachelor of Applied Science, criminal justice and psychology, we are able to serve our post-traditional age population well. This was the case for Casper firefighter and Battalion Chief Jerod Levin, who finished his Bachelor of Applied Science in organizational leadership degree this past summer. Really, for anyone in a chief role in the fire service, a bachelors degree is starting to be required, he says. This option was flexible to fit my schedule. I had the ability to do the online courses, whether it was early in the morning or late at night or during the middle of the day. UWs efforts to seamlessly welcome transfer students also help meet the needs of older and returning students. In fact, nearly half of UWs incoming class each year is made up of transfer students -- a much higher number than most flagships. Graduation rates for our Wyoming community college transfers with 60-plus credit hours are at 72 percent now, one of the highest rates of success for any student population, says UW Director of Transfer Relations Mary Aguayo. The emphasis we have on program articulation and pathways to completion with our community college partners is a huge factor, Alexander says. Current student Amy Leavitt retired after 20 years of active duty in the Air Force, transferring to UW with her associate degree. Its really been a great process, she says. UW has transitioning courses for veterans. It really helps you feel welcomed. Leavitt also finds UWs Veterans Services Center to be a great resource. As older students, we know what we want in life, she says, adding that she feels her opinions are valued here. Its a very welcoming environment and a great place to be. Leavitt is majoring in business management, with an emphasis on entrepreneurism. Based in Cheyenne, her husband also is a UW graduate. Once youre a student here, youre always part of the UW family, she says, noting that this strong sense of community is one of UWs strengths. Wyoming Public Media Podcast Selected for Film Festival Wyoming Public Medias award-winning podcast, HumaNature, has been selected to play at the 2018 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Missoula, Mont. The festival will present a special event with seven official audio documentary selections in the inaugural AudioDocs program produced in partnership with Montana Public Radio. HumaNature host Caroline Ballard and executive producer Micah Schweizer will attend the AudioDocs event Feb. 21 to present the official selections: Hoofprints on the Heart and Dogs Are People, Too. Ballard and Schweizer also will participate in an audience Q&A. Its a real honor for HumaNature to have two episodes selected to play at Big Sky, Schweizer says. These stories capture the essence of HumaNature: intimate, first-person stories about human connections to the natural world. A program of the Big Sky Film Institute, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival has grown to become the premier venue for nonfiction film in the American West. The festival draws an audience of 20,000 and film entries from every corner of the globe to a Montana mountain town setting. While Big Sky will always be a film festival, the audio documentary has been the fastest growing medium in the documentary field, with radio and podcasts enjoying a 21st century renaissance. In 2016, HumaNature won a national Best Podcast award from Public Radio News Directors Inc. Since fall 2017, the show airs weekly on SiriusXM satellite radio and can be heard monthly on Wyoming Public Radio. The show has been featured on more than a dozen other public radio stations, including the CBC Radio-Canada, New Hampshire Public Radio, KALW San Francisco and WHYY Philadelphia. As a podcast, HumaNature draws an audience from all 50 states and dozens of countries around the world. As on-demand listening grows, Wyoming Public Media is invested in bringing high-quality content to listeners wherever and whenever they want to listen, says Wyoming Public Media General Manager Christina Kuzmych. Were excited to share the work were doing in this field with the Big Sky festival audience. UW in the News State, national and international media frequently feature the University of Wyoming and members of its community in stories. Here is a summary of some of the recent articles: Sarah Konrad, deputy director of UWs Wyoming EPSCoR, was interviewed as a part of a Smithsonian.com story about the science of making snow in a Winter Olympics profile. Nature quoted Merav Ben-David, UW Department of Zoology and Physiology professor, in an article focusing on why polar bears are wasting away in a changing climate. A recent report indicated that UW must recruit more out-of-state students to increase enrollment and revenue, according to a Laramie Boomerang article. The Boomerang reported that, by shifting institutional scholarships to the UW Foundation, the university can put more tuition revenue toward supporting the functions of UW without losing students drawn here by low tuition. The Wyoming Legislature will discuss several bills this session that impact UW, Board of Trustees member Kermit Brown, of Laramie, told the Boomerang. AccuWeather reported that Bryan Shuman, a professor at the Department of Geology and Geophysics, and his colleagues have reported that the last decade was warmer than most of the last 11,000 years in North America and Europe. Their research was first published in Nature. The UKs >Huffington Post edition, The Casper Star-Tribune (CS-T) and Science Newsline also printed the article. Dilnoza Khasilova, UW World Language and Culture Program curriculum coordinator, was interviewed by one of Uzbekistans leading television stations about Wyoming and UW. The YouTube video, which is in Russian, can be viewed here. The segment includes many photos of Wyoming and the Laramie area. The CS-T and KGWN TV were among media outlets noting that UW is conducting a sexual misconduct survey among the student population. The survey is intended to assess attitudes and behaviors related to sexual violence on campus. Jason Thompson, former Associated Students of UW president and current director of diversity and inclusion for the United States Olympic Committee, was profiled in last weeks Boomerang. Thompson was the keynote speaker for Martin Luther King Jr. Days of Dialogue. Sheridan Media and KGWN TV reprinted UWs release indicating that Growella, a consumer website that offers finance, career and life advice, ranked the university No. 3 on a list of best-value universities in the nation. The Daily Show host Trevor Noah will perform in a stand-up comedy show on the UW campus March 2, The CS-T and Laramie Live noted. The Boomerang reported that UW is considering a computer engineering tech degree, which would be offered through UW-Casper and Casper College. Three UW students from the Wind River Indian Reservation were profiled in The Boomerang for an article on the universitys efforts to recruit and retain more Native students. The Boomerang featured Craig Cook, who directs UWs Stable Isotope Facility, a lab that can determine whether an animal was wild or domesticated, the source of water contaminants and a drugs country of origin. Tim Slater, Excellence in Higher Education Endowed Chair of Science Education, was interviewed on K2 Televisions Good Morning Wyoming program to discuss last weeks blue blood super moon. >Big Horn Basin Radio Network published, on its website, UWs release announcing two state brucellosis meetings this month in Worland and Lovell. The UW Department of Theatre and Dances spring semester opening production of A Bright Room Called Day was featured in The Boomerang. Wyoming Public Radio (WPR) interviewed UW farm and ranch management specialist John Hewlett, who said rural lands are at risk in the West because many ranchers face retirement. UWs Army ROTC unit mounted color guard rode horses to practice battle tactics developed 150 years ago, The Boomerang reported. The Boomerang also noted that UWs Biodiversity Institute is spearheading the Wyoming arm of a multistate effort to learn more about short-eared owls. The Peking Acrobats kick off UW Presents spring semester with their high-flying act this week, reported WPR. Dan Tinker, UW botany associate professor who researches fire and disease ecology in the Medicine Bow National Forest, told WPR that a forest with plenty of dead trees should not be cause for widespread cutting or thinning of trees. The Boomerang noted that Bill Mai, UW vice president for administration, will retire at the end of the fiscal year. UW molecular biology Lecturer Rachel Watson was interviewed in one of her labs by K2 Television to discuss the universitys Science Initiative. The CS-T interviewed former UW tight end Jacob Hollister, who was a member of the New England Patriots team that played in Sundays Super Bowl. TORONTO, Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cardinal Resources Limited (ASX:CDV) (TSX:CDV) (Cardinal or the Company) is pleased to announce results of its Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA, NI 43-101) / Scoping Study (SS, JORC 2012) for the Namdini Gold Project (Namdini) in Ghana, West Africa. HIGHLIGHTS The PEA confirms Namdini to be a technically and financially robust low-cost mining opportunity, with potential to generate strong positive cashflows Development is based upon a large, single, open pit with a phase 1 smaller and higher-grade starter pit of circa 1 Moz produced through a conventional SAG mill, Flotation and CIL circuit The PEA evaluated three production throughput rates, 4.5, 7.0 and 9.5Mpta; all resulted in strong returns. The preferred scale of development is to be selected following completion of Feasibility Studies. In addition, consideration is being given to a phased approach to the development of Namdini, commencing with a 4.5mtpa throughput that would be designed for expansion to a higher throughput Dependent upon the eventual production scenario chosen; Average annual gold production ranges from 159,000 ozpa up to 330,000 ozpa All-in sustaining costs range from US$ 701/oz to US$ 794/oz Development capital costs range from US$ 275M to US$ 426M Strip ratio for all scenarios at 1.2:1 waste to ore Potential life of mine for 9.5 Mtpa option of 14 years, 7.0 Mtpa of 19 years and 4.5 Mtpa of 27 years Average annual gold production ranges from 159,000 ozpa up to 330,000 ozpa All-in sustaining costs range from US$ 701/oz to US$ 794/oz Development capital costs range from US$ 275M to US$ 426M Strip ratio for all scenarios at 1.2:1 waste to ore Potential life of mine for 9.5 Mtpa option of 14 years, 7.0 Mtpa of 19 years and 4.5 Mtpa of 27 years Resource drilling has continued; updated Mineral Resource estimate expected in Q1 2018 A 15-year renewable Mining Licence has been granted and has been transferred to Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cardinal Value enhancement opportunities have been identified and will be considered by the technical team as part of the Pre-Feasibility Study that has now commenced. These include: Detailed metallurgical drilling of large diameter core (PQ size) to obtain specific metallurgical samples of oxide, transition and fresh zones within the proposed open pit Definition of a shallow and higher-grade, potential starter open pit Update detailed design and costings of the proposed processing plant Update detailed mining and processing costs based on the new metallurgical data PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT - CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS The Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) referred to in this announcement has been undertaken to determine the potential viability of an open pit mine and gold processing plant to be constructed at the Namdini Gold Project in Ghana. The purpose of the PEA is to determine the probable scale of such a plant and to determine whether to proceed with more definitive feasibility studies. This study is based on low-level technical and economic assessments that are not sufficient to support the estimation of Ore Reserves. Further exploration and evaluation work and appropriate studies are required before Cardinal Resources Limited will be in a position to estimate any Ore Reserves or to provide any assurance of an economic development case. The PEA is preliminary in nature and it includes Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. The PEA is based on the material assumptions outlined in this document. These include assumptions about the availability of funding. While Cardinal considers all of the material assumptions to be based on reasonable grounds, there is no certainty that they will prove to be correct or that the range of outcomes indicated by the PEA can be achieved. The PEA includes existing Indicated Mineral Resources (81%) and Inferred Mineral Resources (19%) defined within the project. There is a lower level of geological confidence in Inferred Mineral Resources and investors are cautioned that there is no certainty that further drilling will result in the upgrade to Indicated Mineral Resources, or that the Production Target will be realized. To achieve the range of outcomes indicated in the PEA, excluding working capital, funding in the order of US$275M - US$426M is assumed to be required. Investors should note that there is no certainty that Cardinal will be able to raise that amount of funding when needed. It is also likely that such funding may only be available on terms that may be dilutive to or otherwise affect the value of Cardinals existing shares. It is also possible that Cardinal could pursue other value realization strategies such as sale, partial sale or joint venture of the project. If it does, this could materially reduce Cardinals proportionate ownership of the project. Given the uncertainties involved, investors should not make any investment decisions based solely on the results of the PEA. Key components of the PEA and the Material Assumptions used in the PEA are contained within this announcement. Information includes preliminary pit optimizations, estimated mine production schedules, metallurgical recoveries from existing testwork and costs based on comparison with similar operations and estimates provided by mining and engineering contractors. The basis of the Material Assumptions is presented in the following section. A detailed NI43-101 report will be posted on http://www.sedar.com within 45 days of this announcement. FINANCIAL SUMMARY OF PEA KEY ECONOMIC RESULTS UNIT 4.5 Mtpa 7.0 Mtpa 9.5 Mtpa Development Capital Cost US$ M 275 349 426 All in Sustaining Costs (AISC)1 US$ / oz 794 736 701 Total Project Payback Years 4.0 3.5 3.3 Pre-Tax NPV USD (@ 5% discount)2 US$ M 706 913 1,036 Post-Tax NPV USD (@ 5% discount)2 US$ M 445 574 649 Pre-Tax IRR % 42 % 54 % 62 % Post-Tax IRR % 31 % 39 % 44 % Table 1: Key Economic Results Table 1 Notes: 1 Cash Costs + Royalties + Levies + Life of Mine Sustaining Capital Costs (World Gold Council Standard) 2 Royalties calculated at flat rate of 5% & corporate tax rate of 35% used; both subject to negotiation. PRODUCTION SUMMARY RESOURCE DATA USED SEPTEMBER 2017 Indicated Mineral Resource 91 Mt @ 1.1 g/t for 3.3 Moz (81%) within Life of Mine Pit at 0.5 g/t cut off Inferred Mineral Resource 22 Mt @ 1.1 g/t for 0.8 Moz (19%) within Life of Mine Pit at 0.5 g/t cut off KEY ESTIMATED PRODUCTION RESULTS UNIT 4.5 Mtpa 7.0 Mtpa 9.5 Mtpa Gold Price US$ / oz 1,300 Average Annual Production Gold (oz / yr) 159,000 211,000 333,000 Life of Mine Production - Gold (oz) 3,524,000 3,506,000 3,521,000 Average Mine Head Grade g/t Au 1.1 Metallurgical Recovery (Oxide / Fresh) % 90 / 86 Resource Mined at 0.5 g/t cut-off grade Tonnes 113,000,000 Life of Mine Strip Ratio W:O 1.2 : 1 Mine Life years 27 19 14 Development Capital Cost (including owners cost and 15% contingencies) US$ M 275 349 426 Life of Mine Sustaining Capital Cost (including reclamation) US$ M 172 160 154 All in Sustaining Costs (AISC)1 US$ / oz 794 736 701 Table 2: Key Estimated Production Results Table 2 Notes: 1 Cash Costs + Royalties + Levies + Life of Mine Sustaining Capital Costs (World Gold Council Standard) (Assumes flat gold price of US$1,300/oz over mine production) Key Study Outputs Include: Dependent upon the eventual production scenario chosen; Average annual gold production ranges from 159,000 ozpa at 4.5 Mtpa up to 330,000 ozpa at 9.5 Mtpa NPV ranges from US$ 706M up to US$ 1,036M pre-tax and US$ 445M up to US$ 649M post-tax IRR ranges from 42% to 62% pre-tax and 31% to 44% post-tax Payback ranges from 4.0 to 3.3 years and All-in sustaining costs range from US$ 701/oz to US$ 794/oz The target Life of Mine pit includes 91Mt @ 1.1 g/t for 3.3 M oz (81%) of Indicated Mineral Resource and 22 Mt @ 1.1 g/t for 0.8 M oz (19%) of Inferred Mineral Resources at a 0.5 g/t cut off using the September 2017 Mineral Resource Estimate data Identification of a higher-grade starter pit yielding >1 Moz gold with a <0.9 strip ratio for which further optimisation will be performed in the next study phase Mineral Resource categories of 81% Indicated and only 19% Inferred within the LOM pit A new conventional gold plant inclusive of flotation and regrind - CIL of the flotation concentrate Given that the PEA results in a strongly positive cashflow outcome for all three throughput scenarios considered, further evaluation and trade-offs for improved economies of scale, mine scheduling, plant design and costings which are anticipated to further enhance project economics will be performed under the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) which has commenced. Comments from Archie Koimtsidis, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer: Given the scope of detailed investigations that have been performed leading up to the preparation of the Preliminary Economic Assessment, the outcomes present a strong case on both technical and economic grounds for proceeding to the development of our Namdini Project in Ghana. Highly accredited global firms including Golder Associates, Lycopodium, Knight Piesold and Oreway Mineral Consultants were engaged to perform engineering and cost estimation for this study. They are all well-positioned to assist Cardinal through the next study and development phases of the Namdini Project given their past and recent experience in consulting on successful project developments in West Africa. The Namdini gold deposit has been extensively drilled and the Mineral Resource estimate has been confirmed by various international independent geological and mining engineering consultants. We are continuing with a comprehensive metallurgical programme at ALS in Perth, who are an internationally recognised laboratory, with the intent of optimising the metallurgical process and design criteria for the next phase of studies. We now have a compelling business case to move into the Pre-Feasibility and Definitive Feasibility Study phases. These studies will form the basis for the development of our Namdini Project in Ghana. We have engaged with the local community for over 20 years; they are fully supportive of this project and the development of Namdini. They appreciate the opportunity that Namdini presents to all stakeholders and its importance to the economic development of Northern Ghana. FORWARD PLANS AND VALUE ENHANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES From the robust PEA results, the company is continuing to investigate potential improvements in metallurgical recovery, further resource increases concomitant with conversion of Inferred Resources to Indicated Resources and to completion of geotechnical and Tailings Storage Facility studies. The company is now at the regrind phase of metallurgical test work following successful grinding and flotation test work which has confirmed earlier testing. The regrind of the concentrates is being conducted at various sizes with the intention of determining the trade- off between recovery and operating requirements. It is anticipated that metallurgical results should become available through the next quarter leading up to the completion of the PFS. Company news flow expected for H1 2018 includes: Namdini resource infill drilling results leading to a Mineral Resource update Namdini metallurgical optimisation results Regional exploration and drilling campaign results INVESTMENT METRICS Based upon Life of Mine production and cost parameters, the key investment metrics of the post-tax Net Present Value cashflow forecasts are presented in Table 3. For indicative purposes only, the mid-range throughput of 7.0 Mtpa is presented. Post-Tax Real Discount Rate (%) Gold Price (US$/oz) US$1,100/oz US$1,200/oz US$1,300/oz US$1,400/oz US$1,500/oz 0 596 810 1,023 1,237 1,451 5 318 446 574 703 831 10 168 251 334 417 525 Table 3: 7.0 Mtpa option Post-tax NPV of Namdinis Forecast Cashflow Gold Price Sensitivity Note: All NPVs are post-tax and shown in US$M The following four bar charts illustrate the 7.0 Mtpa option pre- and post-tax economic sensitivities. Figure 1 7.0 Mtpa option Pre-tax NPV sensitivity at 5% discount (US$ M) http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/12dab64b-49bb-4b5b-8ea8-742126366fad Figure 2 7.0 Mtpa option Pre-tax Internal Rate of Return (%) http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/45966080-9689-45b4-8d2c-62b86b4fa565 Figure 3 7.0 Mtpa option Post-tax NPV sensitivity at 5% discount (US$ M) http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ee21a13e-7a4a-41e7-80bf-239e5662c9d1 Figure 4 7.0 Mtpa option Post-tax Internal Rate of Return (%) http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3da9b844-e099-4d69-91c7-7c1f8c534b4b NAMDINI GLOBAL MINERAL RESOURCES Independent mining industry consultant, MPR Geological Consultants Pty Ltd (MPR) was commissioned by Cardinal to estimate the Mineral Resources of the Namdini deposit. The Mineral Resource estimate was reported in accordance with the 2012 Australian Code for Reporting of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (JORC Code) (Refer to Appendix 1 JORC Table 1). The Mineral Resource estimate, summarized in the following table (Table 4), reports the Resources by category and weathering profile above a 0.5 g/t gold cut-off grade. The classification categories of Inferred and Indicated Resources under the JORC Code (2012) are equivalent to the CIM categories of the same name (CIM, 2014). Category Weathering Profile Tonnage (Mt) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Gold (Moz) Oxide 3.92 1.1 0.14 Indicated Transitional 4.38 1.1 0.15 Fresh 112.1 1.1 3.98 Total Indicated Mineral Resource 120.4 1.1 4.27 Oxide 0.18 0.8 0.005 Inferred Transitional 0.11 1.0 0.004 Fresh 84.0 1.2 3.11 Total Inferred Mineral Resource 84.3 1.2 3.12 Table 4: Namdini Mineral Resource Estimate at 0.5 g/t cut off September 2017 Since the release of the previous Mineral Resource estimate in September 2017, a further 15,600 metres of drilling have been completed. Once all assay data is received for this subsequent drilling, a new Mineral Resource update will be provided, which is expected to be released in Q1 2018. Geology The Namdini gold deposit is a large, structurally controlled, orogenic gold deposit with numerous features similar to deposits found elsewhere in late Proterozoic Birimian terranes of West Africa. The Namdini gold deposit has so far been delineated over a strike length of 1,150m by 300 m wide and 650m deep and is situated within the Nangodi Greenstone Belt. In 2016, geological consultants from Orefind Pty Ltd conducted an on-site structural study and developed a structural framework with controls on, and geometry of, gold mineralization comprising the Namdini deposit. Orefind concluded that the rock types comprising the Namdini Project included a steeply west dipping Birimian sequence of interbedded, foliated, metasedimentary and metavolcanic units which have been intruded by a medium-grained granitoid and diorite. The southern part of the Project is covered by flat lying Voltaian Basin clastic sedimentary rocks that have been deposited unconformably on the Birimian sequence and postdate mineralization and the host sequence. Underneath the weathering profile, the Birimian units include metasedimentary, metavolcanic, granitoid (tonalite) and diorite. The metasedimentary and volcaniclastic lithologies have been intensely altered with a resulting pyrite-carbonate-muscovite-chlorite-quartz assemblage. Alteration is most prevalent in the volcaniclastic units. Similarly, the tonalite is extensively altered and has been overprinted by silica-sericite-carbonate assemblages. In all rock types, the mineralization is accompanied by visible disseminated sulphides of pyrite and very minor arsenopyrite in both the veins and wall rocks. In diamond drill core, the mineralized zones are visually distinctive due to the presence of millimetre to centimetre wide quartz-carbonate veins that are commonly folded and possess yellow-brown sericite-carbonate selvages. Rare visible gold occurs in strongly altered granite and is associated with sub-millimetre wide silica-sericite shears. Drilling Techniques The input dataset used for the Namdini Mineral Resource estimate comprises a total of 110 HQ diamond core holes and 165 RC drill holes totalling 69,291 m. Reverse circulation drilling (5 inch diameter) was usually 200 m or less in depth. All reverse circulation holes were downhole surveyed at 30 m intervals. Diamond drilling was HQ in both weathered and fresh rock. All diamond holes were downhole surveyed at 30 m intervals. All core was orientated. Sampling All reverse circulation samples were collected at the drill site over 1 m intervals and split using a multi-stage riffle splitter. Diamond core was generally sawn in half; with half sent for assaying, and half retained in core trays for future reference. One metre samples were taken and submitted to an independent laboratory for assaying. At the laboratory, both core and reverse circulation samples followed a standard procedure of drying, crushing and grinding. The pulverised samples were thoroughly mixed on a rolling mat (carpet roll) and then 200 g of sub-sample was collected. Internal laboratory checks required at least 90% of the pulp passing 75 microns. A 50 g charge was produced for subsequent fire assay analysis. Cardinal observed very good recovery of both core and reverse circulation samples and considers the samples to be representative of the mineralization defined by the drilling. Sample Analytical Methods Cardinal uses two laboratories for its sample submissions, SGS Ouagadougou Laboratory in Burkina Faso and SGS Tarkwa Laboratory in Ghana. The independent SGS commercial geochemical analytical laboratories are officially recognized by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) for meeting the requirements of the ISO/IEC 17025 standard for specific registered tests for the Minerals Industry. As part of the Cardinal QA/QC, a suite of internationally accredited and certified reference material (standards) and locally sourced blanks were included in the sample submission sequence. The standards cover gold grade ranges expected at Namdini. Interlaboratory umpire analyses were also conducted. Certified reference material (blanks and standards) were submitted into the sample stream at a rate of 1 in 22 samples. Duplicate samples of reverse circulation chips were taken at a rate of 1 in 22. No employee, officer, director, or associate of Cardinal carried out any sample preparation on samples from the Namdini Project exploration programme. Drill core was transported from the drill site by a Cardinal vehicle to the secure core yard facility at the Bolgatanga Field Exploration Office only. All samples collected for assaying are retained in a locked, secure storage facility until they are collected and transported by the SGS laboratory personnel. Retained drill core is securely stored in the core storage facility and pulps and coarse rejects returned from the laboratories are securely stored in the exploration core logging area and at a nearby secure location in Bolgatanga, Ghana. Geological and structural modelling Logging, interpretation and modelling were undertaken by Cardinal Resources technical staff using Maxwell Geoservices (Perth) Logchief software and specialist structural consultants Orefind Pty Ltd, (Davis and Cowan, 2016-2017) resulting in a three-dimensional model of key lithologies, structures and weathering zones. Mining Methods and Parameters Trial open pit optimisations were run in Whittle 4X at a US$1,300/oz gold price to define the base of potentially economic material. Four push-back pits were then selected and full mine designs applied. The material reported in the Preliminary Economic Assessment is a sub-set of the Mineral Resource which can be extracted from the mine and processed with an economically acceptable outcome. No Ore Reserves have yet been declared for the Namdini Project. The Company expects to be in a position to provide a maiden Reserve estimate once it has completed a Pre-Feasibility Study on the Namdini Project. PROCESS PLANT Annual nominal throughput processing options of 4.5, 7.0 and 9.5 Mtpa were investigated as part of the PEA. An assessment of the comminution circuit identified upper and lower throughput limits as follows: 4.5 Mtpa as the largest throughput that could be accommodated by a jaw crusher 7.0 Mtpa throughput that could be accommodated with dual pinion mill drives 9.5 Mtpa as the largest throughput that could be achieved with dual pinion mill drives Flowsheet The treatment plant design incorporates the following unit processes: Primary crushing to produce a coarse crushed product Coarse crushed ore storage and reclaim to feed the milling circuit A SABC milling circuit comprising a SAG mill in closed circuit with a pebble crusher and a ball mill in closed circuit with hydro cyclones to produce a grind size of 80% passing 106 microns Gravity concentration and treatment of gravity concentrate by intensive cyanidation and electrowinning Flotation of the milled slurry to recover the majority of gold to a low mass (<10%) sulphide flotation concentrate and producing 'throw away' flotation tailings Separate thickening of the flotation concentrate and flotation tailings to recover cyanide-free flotation water and to thicken the streams prior to downstream processing Regrind of the flotation concentrate prior to feeding the CIL circuit A CIL cyanidation circuit to leach and adsorb gold values from the reground flotation concentrate onto activated carbon A split AARL elution circuit, electrowinning and gold smelting to recover gold from the loaded carbon to produce gold dore bars A SO 2 / oxygen cyanide destruction circuit to reduce the CIL tailings cyanide concentration to below the maximum International Cyanide Management Code (ICMC) weak acid dissociable cyanide (CNWAD) limits for containment / oxygen cyanide destruction circuit to reduce the CIL tailings cyanide concentration to below the maximum International Cyanide Management Code (ICMC) weak acid dissociable cyanide (CNWAD) limits for containment Parallel pumping of the cyanide destruction discharge and the thickened flotation tailings to the separate cyanide and non-cyanide tailings storage facilities (TSF) Figure 5 below indicates the selected PEA flowsheet for the Namdini project: Figure 5 Overall Process Flow Diagram http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b119298e-fb9f-4b2f-9890-dace93cdde80 FUNDING Cardinal will utilize a staged funding approach for the ongoing development of the Namdini project. Cardinal has budgeted for the Pre-Feasibility Study out of its existing cash balance. The Board believes that there are strong reasonable grounds to assume that future funding will be available to fund Cardinals pre-production capital for the development of Namdini as envisaged in this announcement, on the following basis; (a) Cardinals Board has a financial track record and experience in developing projects. Non-Executive Charmain Kevin Tomlinson, possesses over 30 years experience in Mining and Finance within Toronto, Australian and London Stock markets. Mr Tomlinson has extensive experience in development and financing of mining projects internationally. Non-Executive Director Jacques McMullen has had a distinguished 35-year career in the mining industry of which the last 17 years were with Barrick Gold Corporation where he held the positions of Senior VP Special Projects and Technical Services. In his role as Senior VP of Barrick, Jacques was instrumental in the development of many mines including Goldstrike, Veladero, Lagunas Norte, Cowal and Bulyanhulu. His experience includes all phases of development including feasibility, construction, commissioning, ramp-up and operations optimization. (b) Cardinal is confident there is a strong possibility that it will continue to increase mineral resources at the project to extend the mine life beyond what is currently assumed in the PEA. (c) The gold price is currently trading at approximately US$1,350/oz which compares favourably to the projects base case assumption of US$1,300/oz. The recent improvement in market conditions and an encouraging outlook for the gold market enhances the Companys view of the ability to finance the Namdini project. (d) The strong production and economic outcomes delivered in the Namdini PEA are considered by the Cardinal Board to be sufficiently robust to provide confidence in the Companys ability to fund its pre-production capital through conventional debt and equity financing. Cardinal is in early stage discussions with a number of banks and substantial mining investment funds with a view to fund Namdini in stages to production. These financiers have extensive track records of funding similar stage companies through the PFS and DFS stages, construction financing and into commercial production. STUDY PARAMETERS AND MATERIAL ASSUMPTIONS Study Status The study, including capital estimates, mining and processing costs, was completed to an accuracy of +/-40% with a 90% level of confidence and was undertaken based on only open pit mining from the existing resources. The proposed plant comprises an initial single-stage crushing, milling (SAG + ball), gravity circuit (Knelson Concentrator) flotation, concentrate regrind circuit and a CN/CIL circuit. Three production throughputs were assessed by Lycopodium, namely 4.5, 7.0 and 9.5 Mtpa. The metallurgical testwork carried out to date indicates that gold can be satisfactorily recovered from Namdini ore using conventional flotation, regrind and Carbon In Leach (CIL) of the flotation concentrate. The testwork is considered sufficient to determine that the Namdini Mineral Resource represents a deposit with potential economic extraction. The estimation of capital costs was prepared by Lycopodium for the process plant and associated infrastructure. Golder Associates provided open pit mine engineering services. The work comprised collation of input parameters, open pit optimization studies, pit designs and detailed mine schedules. A series of shells from the open pit optimizations were selected and used to generate a Starter Pit and Life of Mine (LOM) production schedule. Golder Associates provided an estimate of mining, including haulage, rehabilitation and administration costs. Lycopodium provided processing cost estimates. The financial model was completed as a real model. A LOM financial analysis was performed using the discounted cash flow (DCF) method and varying % real discount rates. The financial analysis was used to determine the potential economic return of the project over the LOM. The following preliminary schedule is subject to available funding, positive outcomes for the PFS and DFS and favourable timelines for permitting; Milestone Target Timeline Completion of PFS Mid-2018 Completion of DFS Q1 2019 Decision to Mine Q1 2019 Target Production Commencement 2021 Global Mineral Resource In summary, Namdini was estimated as an Indicated Mineral Resource of 120 M tonnes grading 1.1 g/t Au for 4.3 Moz Au and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 84 M tonnes grading 1.2 g/t Au for 3.1 Moz Au at a 0.5 g/t Au cut off. Category Weathering Profile Tonnage (Mt) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Gold (Moz) Oxide 3.92 1.1 0.14 Indicated Transition 4.38 1.1 0.15 Fresh 112.1 1.1 3.98 Total Indicated Mineral Resource 120.4 1.1 4.27 Oxide 0.18 0.8 0.005 Inferred Transition 0.11 1.0 0.004 Fresh 84.0 1.2 3.11 Total Inferred Mineral Resource 84.3 1.2 3.12 Namdini Global Mineral Resource Estimate at 0.5 g/t cut off September 2017 Estimation Methodology MPR Geological Consultants Pty Ltd (MPR) estimated recoverable resources for Namdini using Multiple Indicator Kriging (MIK) with block support adjustment, a method that has been demonstrated to provide reliable estimates of recoverable open pit resources in gold deposits of diverse geological styles. The Mineral Resource was estimated using multiple indicator kriging using GS3M software developed by FSS International Consultants (Australia). Estimation was constrained within a mineralization envelope (wireframe) based on geological logging and grade thresholds. The three-main host lithologies are granite, metavolcanics and diorite. Where geological contacts were not clearly controlling the distribution of mineralization, a grade cut-off of approximately 0.1 g/t Au was used to construct Mineral Resource boundaries. The domain trends north-northeast over 1.2 km and dips approximately 60o to the west with an average horizontal width of approximately 350 m. The Mineral Resource can reasonably be expected to provide appropriately reliable estimates of potential mining outcomes at the assumed selectivity, without application of additional mining dilution or mining recovery factors. Validation of the MIK model was undertaken visually and statistically. Parent block dimensions of 12.5 mE by 25 mN by 5 mRL were used for estimation. All sample assays were composited to 2 m prior to estimation. Classification The Namdini Mineral Resource has been classified into the Indicated and Inferred categories, in accordance with the 2012 Australasian Code for Reporting of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (JORC Code) and the CIM Definition Standards (CIM, 2014). A range of criteria were considered in determining this classification including geological and grade continuity, data quality and drill hole spacing. The key classification criteria are described as follows: Resource model blocks have been classified as Indicated or Inferred on the basis of search passes and a wire-frame outlining more closely drilled portions of the mineralization. Blocks within the classification wire-frame informed by all search passes were classified as Indicated. Blocks outside the classification wire-frame and estimated by iteration 1 are classified as Indicated. All remaining blocks estimated by iterations 2 and 3 were assigned to the Inferred category. The three progressively more relaxed search criteria used for MIK estimation are presented in Table 5. The search ellipsoids were aligned with the general mineralization orientation. Search Radii (m) Minimum Minimum Maximum (x,y,z) Data Octants Data 1 65, 65, 15 16 4 48 2 65, 65, 15 16 4 48 3 97.5, 97.5, 22.5 8 2 48 Search criteria for Resource Classification. Geological continuity is understood with reasonable confidence. The classification reflects this level of confidence. Resource classification is also based on information and data provided from the Cardinal database. Descriptions of drilling techniques, survey, sampling, sample preparation, analytical techniques and database management/validation provided indicate to MPR that data collection and management is well within industry standards. The database represents an accurate record of the drilling undertaken at the project. A trial optimisation was run at a USD$1,500/oz gold price to define the base of Reasonable Prospects for Eventual Economic Extraction (RPEEE). All blocks outside this shell are unclassified. Drill hole location plots were used to ensure that local drill spacing conformed to the minimum expected for the various resource classification categories. MPR considers the estimation technique and parameters appropriate for this style of mineralization. The production target is based on 81% Indicated Mineral Resources and 19% Inferred Mineral Resources. There is a lower level of geological confidence associated with Inferred Mineral Resources and there is no certainty that further exploration work will result in the determination of Indicated Mineral Resources or that the production target will be realised. Gold Price The Study used a base-case gold price of US$1300/oz. The gold price selected for the study was at the average prevailing market spot gold price. The price was also assessed as one that has been utilized across a number of studies presented by peers. Mining and Metallurgical Methods and Parameters Trial open pit optimisations were run in Whittle 4X at a US$1,300/oz gold price to define the base of potentially economic material. Four cut back pits were then selected and full mine designs applied. Mining of the Namdini project has been assumed to be medium-scale using conventional open pit mining equipment. The mining process will include drill and blast as well as conventional load and haul operations. There is expected to be a limited amount of free dig material with the majority of material assumed to require drilling and blasting. Mining will be carried out using staged cutbacks with four identified stages incorporated within the LOM final pit. Except for the initial plant commissioning, Oxide ore will be stockpiled temporarily and blended into the process feed with the fresh ore. Waste rock will be stockpiled separately on the western side of the pit. The metallurgical work carried out to date indicates that gold can be satisfactorily recovered from Namdini ore using conventional flotation and Carbon In Leach (CIL) cyanidation techniques. The work is considered sufficient to determine that the Namdini Mineral Resource represents a deposit with potential economic extraction. Mining Factors The in-situ deposit Mineral Resource Model is the basis for the mining model used for Life of Mine (LOM) planning and assessment reporting. The Mineral resource model provided as the basis of the LOM planning assessment is the MIK resource model prepared by MPR. The model has cell dimensions of 12.5m (east) by 25m (north) by 5m (elevation). Gold grades were supplied with the model as estimated proportional grades using the MIK estimation technique. An estimated marginal cutoff grade was established at 0.5g/t using an assumed longterm gold price of US$1,300 /ounce. Aggregate Gold royalties were assumed at 5% NSR (net smelter return). Mining costs used for the mine schedule were US$ 3.26 /t mined, confirmed by in-country mining contractors. Process plant recovery was estimated at 90% for oxide and 86% for fresh material from initial metallurgical test work. For purposes of the baseline mining model, an input process cost for the 7.0 Mtpa option was estimated at US$12/t milled plus an additional US$1.5/t allowed for stockpile (s/p) reclaim all tonnes are assumed to be on a dry basis. Using the identified marginal Cut-off Grade, the proportion of ore per parcel and gold grade above the Cut-off Grade were included within the mining model to allow export of the parcelled (ore + waste) blocks to the pit optimiser for open pit optimisation. The mining model has assumed that sufficient account for estimated ore loss and dilution incorporated into the resource model through the resource estimation technique. Bulk mining (minimal selectivity) was assumed with 600t excavators feeding 220t rigid body haul trucks. A minimum mining width of 100m was assumed. Mining dilution and recovery are addressed in the model method (MIK with variance adjustment) and the utilization of flitch mining. Inferred Mineral Resources have been included for scoping study assessment within the LOM planning. No Ore Reserves are currently declared for the Namdini project. The proportion of Inferred Mineral Resource material within the first three identified mining stages account to some 19% of potential mill feed but increases beyond the first three stages. Mining Infrastructure requirements were assumed to be provided by the selected mining contractor with the mining performed on an outsourced basis. Grade control will be based on sampling from reverse circulation drilling spaced at approximately 15mE by 10mN with samples taken at 1.5 metre intervals downhole. All Grade Control sampling assays are assumed to be determined by fire assay on the mine site. Standard QAQC protocols will be applied which comprise of 1 in every 10 samples. Minimal infrastructure is required for the selected mining method. Geotechnical Parameters The pit slopes were assessed from an initial geotechnical assessment by Golder with the oxide (upper material) requiring an estimated overall slope angle of 40o, whilst an overall slope angle of 45o was allowed for in the fresh rock. Grade control drilling will precede ore identification and ore markout on a bench basis. Mine Scheduling The mine scheduling programme includes revenue and cost information to maximise NPV. The scheduling software assesses the value generated by each block to determine whether the block is fed directly to the plant, stockpiled or treated as waste. Further financial analysis to determine more realistic absolute financial indicators and sensitivity analysis are performed separately using the tonnes and grades extracted from the schedule. The mine design of the Namdini Project consists of a series of nested conventional pit layouts with orebody access provided by a series of ramps. The orebody can be considered a layered sequence consisting of strongly oxidised, moderately oxidised, transition, fresh and fresh mineralized zones. Mining will be of a conventional type shovel and dump truck operation. Highlevel mine production schedules were evaluated for the three scenarios considered (4.5, 7.0 and 9.5 Mtpa mill throughputs) using a starter pit with subsequent pushbacks to the target pit size. The schedules allowed an initial ramp up for the process plant in each case before full process plant production was assumed. In order to gain maximum value from the 9.5 Mtpa option, an estimated total peak rock movement of some 30 Mtpa is required in year 7 of the schedule, whereas the 7.0 Mtpa option indicated a total peak required movement of some 17 Mtpa. The 4.5 Mtpa option saw a peak total required rock movement of some 15 Mtpa. Mine Design Criteria The mine design criteria were developed to allow for the development and assessment of designs to provide plant feed rates of 4.5, 7.0 and 9.5 Mtpa. For this mining study, the maximum mining movement has allowed for a strip ratio of up to 2:1 in order that the initial optimisations are not mining-limited. For the conceptual pit design, two geotechnical domains namely Zone 1 Slightly and Moderately Oxidized Weathering Domain and Zone 2 Transitional and Fresh Weathering Domain, were used to define pit bench heights, berm widths and slope angles. The indicative production schedules are as follows: KEY ESTIMATED PRODUCTION RESULTS UNIT 4.5 Mtpa 7.0 Mtpa 9.5 Mtpa Average Annual Production Gold (oz / yr) 159,000 211,000 333,000 Life of Mine Production Gold (oz) 3,524,000 3,506,000 3,521,000 Average Mine Head Grade g/t Au 1.1 Resource Mined at 0.5 g/t cut-off grade Tonnes 113,000,000 Life of Mine Strip Ratio W:O 1.2 : 1 Mine Life years 27 19 14 Mining Cost The PEA assumes the mining contractor will bear the total mining capital cost under an outsourced mining arrangement with the costs recovered by the mining contractor on a cost per tonne mined basis. Golder solicited mining costs from in-country mining contractors. The estimated base mining cost has applied an incremental cost with depth to account for increased haulage costs and the depth of mining increases in line with standard mining cost principles. All costs have been determined on a US dollar basis. Metallurgy The comminution and metallurgical testwork has provided preliminary information about the physical characteristics and metallurgical response of the three Namdini lithologies. The processing route for the Namdini ores would be crush, primary grind, sulphide flotation followed by regrind and CIL cyanidation of the flotation concentrate. Oreway Mineral Consultants (OMC) has utilised the comminution results for comminution circuit selection and mill sizing. A primary crushing and SABC comminution circuit (open circuit SAG mill with recycle pebble crushing followed by closed circuit ball mill/hydro-cyclones) was selected by OMC based on the available comminution parameters. A primary grind size of 80% passing 106 micron was utilised for the primary grind design of the PEA assessment. A gravity concentration circuit has been incorporated given the presence of gravity recoverable gold (GRG). The laboratory flotation testwork indicated fast sulphide flotation kinetics. The flotation concentrate is reground and is subjected to pre-aeration before CIL. Industry typical design parameters were assumed for the scoping study where testwork was not completed. Detailed metallurgical testwork is continuing for the Namdini project under the direction of Cardinal. An average estimated 86% recovery for the fresh ore was applied in the LOM plan and the pit optimisation process. The process plant will be a conventional CIL with elution circuit, electrowinning and gold smelting to recover the gold from the loaded carbon to produce dore. Gold is recovered using single-stage crushing, milling (SAG + ball), gravity circuit (Knelson Concentrator), flotation, concentrate regrind circuit and a CN/CIL circuit. The metallurgical process is well-tested technology. No deleterious elements were identified in the testwork that could affect the saleability or price of the gold dore produced. Metallurgical testwork carried out to date indicates that the Namdini project can utilise a standard gold recovery process plant design with no innovative technology required. Namdini will produce readily saleable gold dore which will be exported for refining. Processing Costs Capital costs were provided by Lycopodium who carried out a scoping level study for Cardinal Resources on the Namdini Project. Capital and operating costs were estimated for three process plant throughputs, namely 4.5, 7.0 and 9.5Mtpa ore feed. Capital Costs are tabulated below: UNIT 4.5 Mtpa 7.0 Mtpa 9.5 Mtpa USD (M) 275 349 426 Operating costs provided by Lycopodium were compiled from a variety of sources and compared against existing and planned operations elsewhere in Ghana. Operating Costs are tabulated below: 4.5 Mtpa (USD / t) 7.0 Mtpa (USD / t) 9.5 Mtpa (USD / t) Processing 11.6 10.6 10.1 G & A 1.9 1.4 1.2 TOTAL 13.5 12.0 11.3 Sustaining costs provided by Knight Piesold and Cardinal were compiled from a variety of sources and compared against existing and planned operations elsewhere in Ghana. Sustaining Costs are tabulated below: UNIT 4.5 Mtpa 7.0 Mtpa 9.5 Mtpa USD (M) 151 137 130 No deleterious elements are envisaged during the processing of the ore, an allowance of an additional $1.60/t processed were included during the initial processing years. Pit Optimisations Pit optimizations were completed using the Lerchs-Grossman (LG) algorithm in Whittle to calculate the optimal pit at specified input parameters that were determined prior to the study. A wireframe pit shell for each gold price considered was the resultant output. One of these was selected as the base for the pit design. Infrastructure Lycopodium have completed a scoping level study covering all related aspects of the Infrastructure requirement including power, water, road access and waste management. The site will be accessed by road from the West with a new, approximately 25 km, gravel road linking the site to the existing national road N10 between Pwalagu and Winkogo. The N10 provides good access to the major cities and ports in southern Ghana and no upgrades of the N10 will be undertaken. The site access road will follow a similar route to the proposed new power line for the existing substation north of Pwalagu. Infrastructure will include the following dedicated elements: Unsealed road HV powerline Water supply line from the Volta River. The site is located approximately 20km outside of Bolgatanga and 180km from Tamale. Serviced camp style accommodation will also be integrated in the proximity of the operation. A shuttle bus service will operate to and from site as required. Cardinal Resources has sufficient area on its leases to cater for its planned land requirements. This study was based on the assumption that a new approximately circa 30-kilometre-long power line will be constructed from the Northern Electricity Department Company (NEDCo) substation. Water Supply Water will be extracted from the White Volta River and pumped to the Namdini Site for process and other uses. The distance is estimated at 7km. Potable water will be supplied via a containerised water treatment plant. Site Facilities An allowance was made for the cost of offices, stores, workshops, fuel and reagent stores, laboratory, medical facility, control rooms and other prefabricated or steel framed buildings and items of miscellaneous infrastructure necessary to support the operations. Cut-off Parameters A marginal cutoff grade (COG) was estimated for gold using: a gross long-term gold price of USD$1,300 / ounce input processing costs of $13.7/t plus $1.5/t stockpile reclaim an estimated 86% metallurgical recovery A marginal Cut-off Grade has been estimated at 0.5g/t Au per tonne. The 0.5 g/t Au cut-off approximates an operational parameter that the Company believes to be applicable. This is in accordance with the guidelines of Reasonable Prospects for Eventual Economic Extraction (RPEEE) per the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (CIM, 2014) and the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the JORC Code 2012). Capital Costs The mining establishment cost was provided by in-country mining contractors. The process plant and infrastructure costs were estimated by Lycopodium. The costs for the TSF were provided by Knight Piesold. The capital costs include owners project cost and contingency as calculated by Lycopodium. The estimate base date is Q2 2017. The estimate is deemed to have an accuracy of 40%. Operating Cost The process plant operating costs were estimated and compiled by Lycopodium with contributions from a number of sources including Reagent consumption based on testwork Crushing and grinding modelling by OMC Data from equipment vendors Lycopodium databases Environmental An initial environmental study was completed by NEMAS. This scoping study was conducted in early 2017 with the scoping report delivered to the Ghanaian authorities in June 2017. The rock formations have a very low permeability and the mine is a net user of water for operational purposes. An acid base accounting study was conducted on the Namdini open pit mines ore and waste, determining the waste to be non-acid forming and the ore to be potentially acid forming. Process plant tailings will be stored in an approved storage facility. Further detailed environmental study is presently underway. Knight Piesold developed a conceptual layout and a preliminary cost estimate for the tailings storage facility (TSF) for the three throughput options. The TSF will be located to the south of the pit and the process plant and will have separate sections to accommodate both the floatation and CIL tailings. An allowance was made in the initial capital cost and the sustaining capital cost estimates for the TSF. Social PFS Environmental study is progressed by NEMAS including active engagement of local and state regulatory bodies. Cardinal Group has a good relationship with neighbouring stakeholders, including engagement with the local stakeholders. Granted mining leases cover all of the proposed mining and processing assets and there are no title claims pending. Expatriate and skilled Ghanaians from outside the local community will be accommodated in a single status camp on site. An allowance for an accommodation camp to house up to 200 people has been made in the capital cost estimate. The local workforce will be bussed from the neighbouring population centres. Compensation agreements are to be negotiated for the proposed mining operation. Audit or Reviews The mining and processing and infrastructure components of the scoping study were independently reviewed. The Namdini project was visited by the senior Golder geotechnical engineer in Ghana, with planned visits prior to future Ore Reserves declaration by the Competent Person for Ore Reserves. Mr Glenn Turnbull, a Chartered member of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy visited site in December 2017. No material issues were identified by the reviewers. Other There are no known current impediments to the progression of the project or foreseen encumbrances to the granting of a licence to operate. Continued discussions with the regulatory authorities and submission of the mine plan and closure plan will be submitted to the Ghanaian authorities during the course of the prefeasibility study. ABOUT CARDINAL Cardinal Resources Limited (ASX:CDV) (TSX:CDV) is a West African goldfocused exploration and development Company which holds interests in tenements within Ghana, West Africa. The Company is focused on the development of the Namdini Project through a resource expansion drilling programme and is now advancing the prefeasibility study supported by additional multi-disciplinary engineering activities. Exploration programmes are also underway at the Companys Bolgatanga (Northern Ghana) and Subranum (Southern Ghana) Projects. For further information contact: Archie Koimtsidis CEO / MD Cardinal Resources Limited P: +61 8 6558 0573 Alec Rowlands IR / Corp Dev Cardinal Resources Limited P: +1 647 256 1922 Competent and Qualified Person Statement All production targets for the Namdini Gold Mine referred to in this report are underpinned by estimated Mineral Resources which were prepared by competent persons and qualified persons in accordance with the requirements of the JORC Code and National Instrument 43-101- Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI43-101), respectively. Metallurgical and process engineering information contained in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Marc LeVier, K. Marc LeVier & Associates, Inc., who is a qualified person as defined by NI43-101. Mr. LeVier holds a Qualified Professional status from the Mining and Metallurgical Society of America. The information in this report that relates to Namdini Mineral Resources is based on information compiled and reviewed by Mr Nicholas Johnson, a Competent Person who is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and a full-time employee of MPR Geological Consultants Pty Ltd. Mr Johnson has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralization and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he has undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code 2012 and is a qualified person for the purposes of NI43-101. Mr Johnson has no economic, financial or pecuniary interest in the company and consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears. The information in this report that relates to Namdini Mineral Resources is based on information compiled and reviewed by Mr Richard Bray, a Competent Person who is a Registered Professional Geologist with the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and a full-time employee of Cardinal Resources Ltd. Mr Bray has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralization and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he has undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code 2012 and is a qualified person for the purposes of NI43-101. Mr. Bray is a full-time employee of Cardinal and holds equity securities in the Company. Mr. Bray has consented to the inclusion of the matters in this report based on the information in the form and context in which it appears. The information in this report that relates to Namdini Mining studies is based on information compiled and reviewed by Mr Glenn Turnbull, a Competent Person who is a Chartered Professional Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and a full-time employee of Golder and Associates. Mr Turnbull has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralization and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he has undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code 2012 and is a qualified person for the purposes of NI43-101. Mr Turnbull has no economic, financial or pecuniary interest in the company and consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears. Disclaimer This ASX / TSX press release has been prepared by Cardinal Resources Limited (ABN: 56 147 325 620) ("Cardinal" or the "Company"). Neither the ASX nor the TSX, nor their regulation service providers accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. This press release contains summary information about Cardinal, its subsidiaries and their activities, which is current as at the date of this press release. The information in this press release is of a general nature and does not purport to be complete nor does it contain all the information which a prospective investor may require in evaluating a possible investment in Cardinal. By its very nature, exploration for minerals is a highrisk business and is not suitable for certain investors. Cardinals securities are speculative. Potential investors should consult their stockbroker or financial advisor. There are a number of risks, both specific to Cardinal and of a general nature which may affect the future operating and financial performance of Cardinal and the value of an investment in Cardinal including but not limited to economic conditions, stock market fluctuations, gold price movements, regional infrastructure constraints, timing of approvals from relevant authorities, regulatory risks, operational risks and reliance on key personnel and foreign currency fluctuations. Except for statutory liability which cannot be excluded and subject to applicable law, each of Cardinals officers, employees and advisors expressly disclaim any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the material contained in this press release and excludes all liability whatsoever (including in negligence) for any loss or damage which may be suffered by any person as a consequence of any information in this Announcement or any error or omission here from. Except as required by applicable law, the Company is under no obligation to update any person regarding any inaccuracy, omission or change in information in this press release or any other information made available to a person nor any obligation to furnish the person with any further information. Recipients of this press release should make their own independent assessment and determination as to the Companys prospects, its business, assets and liabilities as well as the matters covered in this press release. Forwardlooking statements Certain statements contained in this press release, including information as to the future financial or operating performance of Cardinal and its projects may also include statements which are forwardlooking statements that may include, amongst other things, statements regarding targets, estimates and assumptions in respect of mineral resources and anticipated grades and recovery rates, production and prices, recovery costs and results, capital expenditures and are or may be based on assumptions and estimates related to future technical, economic, market, political, social and other conditions. These forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Cardinal, are inherently subject to significant technical, business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results reflected in such forwardlooking statements. Cardinal disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or release any revisions to any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, circumstances or results or otherwise after todays date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, other than required by the Corporations Act and ASX and TSX Listing Rules. The words believe, expect, anticipate, indicate, contemplate, target, plan, intends, continue, budget, estimate, may, will, schedule and similar expressions identify forwardlooking statements. All forwardlooking statements made in this press release are qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements. Investors are cautioned that forwardlooking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forwardlooking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. APPENDIX 1 JORC CODE 2012 EDITION TABLE 1 Section 1 Sampling Technique and Data Criteria JORC Code Explanation Commentary Sampling techniques Nature and quality of sampling (e.g. cut channels, random chips, or specific specialised industry standard measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under investigation, such as down hole gamma sondes, or handheld XRF instruments, etc.). These examples should not be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling. Sampling is by a combination of diamond drill and reverse circulation holes. Nature and quality of sampling is carried out under QAQC procedures as per industry standards. Diamond sampling include both half-core and quarter-core samples of HQ core size and RC samples are collected by a three-tier riffle splitter using downhole sampling hammers with nominal 127 to 140mm holes. Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample representivity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used. Sampling is guided by Cardinal Namdini protocols and Quality Control procedures as per industry standard. Ensuring sample representative is ensured for: RC samples by collecting 1m samples from a cyclone, passing them through a 3-tier riffle splitter, and taking duplicate samplers every 22nd sample. HQ core through sampling the various lithological units at 1m intervals. The original system used was to sample each unit separately, but after statistical analyses of the results found there was no material grade variation between the units, the quarter core was sampled at 1m intervals throughout the drill hole. Recent HQ core sampling has been conducted by half core. Aspects of the determination of mineralisation that are Material to the Public Report. In cases where industry standard work has been done this would be relatively simple (e.g. reverse circulation drilling was used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was pulverised to produce a 30 g charge for fire assay). In other cases, more explanation may be required, such as where there is coarse gold that has inherent sampling problems. Unusual commodities or mineralisation types (e.g. submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information. Diamond drill samples are firstly crushed using a Jaw Crusher and thereafter crushed to -2mm using a RSD Boyd crusher. A less than 1kg split sample is then pulverised via LM2 to a nominal 85% passing 75 microns. Reverse circulation drill samples are only crushed through a RSD Boyd crusher to -2mm and pulverised via LM2 to a nominal 85% passing 75 microns. A 200g sub-sample is taken for analysis. A 50g charge weight is fused with litharge-based flux, cupelled and the prill dissolved in aqua regia and gold tenor is determined by AAS. Drilling techniques Drill type (e.g. core, reverse circulation, openhole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc.) and details (e.g. core diameter, triple or standard tube, depth of diamond tails, face-sampling bit or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by what method, etc.). Diamond core drilling is completed with core size of HQ with a standard tube. Triple tube is used in saprolite at the tops of the hole. Core is orientated using a digital Reflex ACT II RD orientation tool. Reverse circulation drilling uses a sampling hammer of nominal 127 to 140mm holes. All holes are inclined at varying angles for optimal zone intersection. All drill collars are surveyed using RTK GPS with downhole surveying every 30m. Drill sample recovery Method of recording and assessing core and chip sample recoveries and results assessed. Diamond core recovery is logged and captured into the database. The method of recording chip and core sample recoveries was to enter the relevant data on a hand-held Motion F5te Tablet PC using a set of standard templates supplied by Maxwell Geoservices, Perth (Maxwell). Reverse circulation sampling is good. Chips are logged and weighed and captured to the database. RC sample recoveries are assessed by weighing 1m samples from the cyclone on a scale in the field and comparing with the theoretical volume contained in a 1m x 140mm diameter hole to calculate an estimated percentage sample recovery. For RC drilling, average recoveries are in the order of 76% and considered acceptable. Core recovered from each drill run is measured and compared with the drill run length drilled to calculate an estimated percentage core recovery. For core drilling overall recoveries are excellent, weighted average recovery is greater than 98%. Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure representative nature of the samples. Measures taken include the use of bigger HQ core size diamond drilling to maximise recovery, having a geologist onsite to examine core and core metres marked and orientated to check against the drillers blocks and ensuring that all core loss is taken into account. At the reverse circulation rig, sampling systems are routinely cleaned to minimise the opportunity for contamination and drilling methods are focused on sample quality. The measures taken to maximize RC sample recovery are through a cyclone and a 3-tier riffle splitter. Each 1m sample is passed twice through the splitter before sampling to ensure maximum homogenisation of each sample and to collect an unbiased representative sample to be assayed. Most of the reverse circulation rigs have auxiliary compressors and boosters to help maintain dry samples. Where wet samples are encountered, the reverse circulation drilling is discontinued and is progressed with diamond core drilling. Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and grade and whether sample bias may have occurred due to preferential loss/gain of fine/coarse material. No relationship is seen to exist between sample recovery and grade, and no sample bias is due to preferential loss/gain of any fine/coarse material due to the acceptable sample recoveries obtained by both drilling methods employed. Logging Whether core and chip samples have been geologically and geotechnically logged to a level of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and metallurgical studies. All drill holes are fully logged. The lithology, alteration and geotechnical characteristics of core are logged directly to a digital format on a Field Toughbook laptop logging system following procedures and using Cardinal geologic codes. Data is imported into Cardinals central database after validation in LogChief. All geological logging is to a level of detail to support Mineral Resource estimation. Whether logging is qualitative or quantitative in nature. Core (or costean, channel, etc.) photography. Logging is both qualitative and quantitative depending on the field being logged. Both RC chips in trays and HQ core are photographed both in dry and wet form. The total length and percentage of the relevant intersections logged. All holes are logged in full and to the total length of each drill hole. 100% of each relevant intersection is logged in detail. Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken. Core orientation is completed for all diamond holes and all are marked prior to sampling. Longitudinally cut half core samples are produced using a Core Saw. Samples are weighed and recorded. Some quarter core samples have been used and statistical testwork has shown them to be as equally representative as half core. If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc. and whether sampled wet or dry. RC samples are split using a three-tier riffle splitter. The majority of RC samples are dry. On occasions when wet samples are encountered, they are dried prior to splitting with a riffle splitter. For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique. Drill core samples are sorted, dried at 105C for four hours and weighed. Samples are firstly Jaw Crushed and a second stage crushing is effected through RSD Jaques crusher to a nominal -2mm and then split to <1.0kg. The reject sample is retained in the original bag and stored. The split is pulverised in a LM2 to a nominal 85% passing 75 microns and an approximately 200g sub-sample of the pulverised material is used for assay. Chip samples are sorted and dried in an oven for eight hours and weighed. They are then crushed to -2mm using a RSD Boyd crusher and a <1.0kg split is taken. The reject sample is retained in the original bag and stored. The split is pulverised in a LM2 to a nominal 85% passing 75 microns and a 200g sub-sample is used for analysis. All preparation equipment is flushed with barren material prior to commencement of the job. Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stages to maximise representivity of samples. Cardinal Resources has protocols that cover sample preparation at the laboratories and the collection and assessment of data to ensure that accurate steps are used in producing representative samples for the analytical process. Key performance indices include: Contamination index of 95% (that is at least 95% of blanks pass); failures can only be attributed to probable minor laboratory contamination. Crushed Size index of 95% passing 2mm (1:50 sample screened). Grind Size index of 85% passing 75 microns (1:50 sample screened). Check Samples returning at worst 20% precision at 90th percentile and bias of 5% or better. Crusher and pulveriser are flushed with barren material at the start of every batch. Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in-situ material collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/secondhalf sampling. Sampling is carried out in accordance with Cardinal protocols as per industry best practice. Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stages to maximize representation of samples is to insert commercial certified reference material (CRM) for standards and in-house blanks every 22 samples. SGS Laboratory assays duplicate samples of each sample batch (20%) so that representation of the samples can be checked. Field duplicates have been taken and analysis of results have shown the sampling to be representative. Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled. Measures taken to ensure that the RC sampling is representative of the in-situ material collected are to take field duplicate samples every 22nd sample. Approximately 3kg samples from the splitter are retained from each sample and stored at the companys secured premises for possible re-assay. Measures taken to ensure that the core sampling is representative is to sample half core at 1m intervals irrespective of lithologies due to the similarities in grade of the main lithologies. Results of field duplicates, standards and blanks are all plotted graphically to ensure that the results of each assay batch are acceptable. Quality of Assay data and laboratory tests The nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying and laboratory procedures used and whether the technique is considered partial or total. Samples are analysed for gold by lead collection fire assay of a 50g charge with AAS finish; the assay charge is fused with the litharge-based flux, cupelled and prill dissolved in aqua regia and gold tenor determined by flame AAS. The quality of the Fire Assaying and laboratory procedures are considered to be entirely appropriate for this deposit type. The analytical method is considered appropriate for this mineralization style and is of industry standard. For geophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF instruments, etc., the parameters used in determining the analysis including instrument make and model, reading times, calibrations factors applied and their derivation, etc. No hand held geophysical tools are used. Nature of quality control procedures adopted (e.g. standards, blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (i.e. lack of bias) and precision have been established. Sample preparation checks for pulp fineness are carried out by the laboratory as part of their internal procedures to ensure the grind size of 85% passing 75 microns is being attained. Laboratory QAQC involves the use of internal lab standards using certified reference material and blanks. Cardinals QAQC protocol is considered industry standard with standard reference material (SRM) submitted on a regular basis with routine samples. The SRMs having a range of values and blanks are inserted in the ratio of 1:22. Duplicates are taken at the riffle splitter at a ratio of 1:20 samples. No duplicate samples are taken from core samples. Pulps are submitted to a secondary laboratory for checks on accuracy and precision of the primary laboratory. Coarse rejects are submitted back to the primary laboratory to access the adequacy of the sub-sampling process. Verification of sampling and assaying The verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative company personnel. Significant intersections have been verified by alternative company personnel. The use of twinned holes. None of the drill holes in this report are twinned. Documentation of primary data, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage (physical and electronic) protocols. Primary data are captured on field tough book laptops using LogChief Software. The software has validation routines and data is then imported onto a secure central database. Discuss any adjustment to assay data. The primary data is always kept and is never replaced by adjusted or interpreted data. Location of data points Accuracy and quality of surveys used to locate drill holes (collar and downhole surveys), trenches, mine workings and other locations used in Mineral Resource estimation. Planned drill hole collar coordinates are surveyed using handheld Garmin GPSmap 62s GPS within 3m accuracy. All drill collars are accurately surveyed using Tremble R8 RTK GPS system within 10mm of accuracy (X, Y, Z). Coordinates are based on 12 control stations established on the Namdini site by Sahara Mining Services. Downhole surveying is completed by using a Reflex Ez-Shot survey instrument at regular intervals. Gyroscopic downhole surveys were completed on selected drill holes for the recent drilling using a Reflex Ez-Gyro (North Seeking) instrument as part of the quality checks on the downhole surveys. Specification of the grid system used. Coordinate and azimuth are reported in UTM WGS84 Zone 30 North. Quality and adequacy of topographic control. Topographic control was established from aerial photography using a series of 12 surveyed control points. A 1m ground resolution DTM was produced by Sahara Mining Services from the survey completed in 24 flights using the DJI Inspire 1 UAV at an altitude of 100m with an overlap of 70%. Data spacing and distribution Data spacing for reporting of Exploration Results. Drill spacing is at 50m x 100m line spacing with infill to 50m x 50m and 10m x 15m in areas to establish mineralization continuity and upgrade the Mineral Resource. Whether the data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish the degree of geological and grade continuity appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedure(s) and classifications applied. Drill data spacing and distribution are sufficient to establish the geological and grade continuity appropriate for reporting Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve and classifications applied. Orientation of data in relation to geological structure Whether sample compositing has been applied. No sample compositing has been applied. Whether the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures and the extent to which this is known, considering the deposit type. The majority of the drill holes are orientated to achieve intersection angles as close to perpendicular to the mineralization as practicable. This achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures as drilling is orientated normal to the dip and foliation of the deposit. Structural measurements confirm that the foliation of the entire deposit dips -60W so that the sampling achieves unbiased sampling of the lithologies If the relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key mineralised structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material. No significant orientation-based sampling bias is known at this time. Sample security The measures taken to ensure sample security. An independent Ghanaian security contractor is used to ensure sample security. The drilling contractor is accountable for drill core and RC chip production at the drill site. Final delivery from the drill site to the laydown area within the core yard is managed by Cardinal. The core yard technicians, field technicians and Geologists ensure the core and chips are logged, prepared and stored under security until collected by SGS for delivery to the laboratories. At the time of sample collection, a sign-off process between Cardinal and the SGS delivery truck driver ensures that samples and paperwork correspond. The samples are then transported to the SGS Tarkwa (Ghana) or SGS Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) laboratory where they are receipted against the dispatch documents. The assay laboratories are responsible for the samples from the time of collection from Namdini Project site until final results are returned and checked by Cardinal Geologists. Sample pulps and coarse rejects are retained by the laboratories and are shipped back to Namdini after final results are returned where they are stored under security. Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data. Sampling techniques are of industry standards. Data is audited by Maxwell Geoservices (Perth), who have not made any other recommendations. Section 2 Reporting of Exploration Results (Criteria listed in section 1 will also apply to this section where relevant) Criteria JORC Code Explanation Commentary Mineral Tenement and Land Status Type, name/reference number, location and ownership including agreements or material issues with third parties including joint ventures, partnerships, overriding royalties, native title interests, historical sites, wilderness or national park and environmental settings. The Mining Licence covering Cardinals Namdini Project over an area of approximately 19.54 sq. Km is located in the Northeast region of Ghana. The previous holder of the Mining Licence, Savannah Mining Ghana Limited (Savanah) completed an initial Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and lodged the EIS with the Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana. The application by Savannah for a Large-Scale Mining Licence over an area of approximately 19.54 Sq. Km in the Upper East Region of Ghana covering Cardinals Namdini Project has been granted by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources of Ghana. Savannah applied for the assignment of this Large-Scale Mining Licence to Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited (Namdini), a wholly owned Subsidiary of Cardinal. The assignment has been granted by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources of Ghana. The security of the tenure held at the time of reporting along with any known impediments to obtaining a license to operate in the area. All tenements are current and in good standing. Exploration Done by Other Parties Acknowledgment and appraisal of exploration by other parties. Aside from Cardinal there has been no recent systematic exploration undertaken on the Namdini Project. Geology Deposit type, geological setting and style of mineralisation The deposit type comprises gold mineralization within sheared and highly altered rocks containing sulphides; mainly pyrite with minor arsenopyrite. The geological setting is a Paleoproterozoic Greenstone Belt comprising Birimian metavolcanics, volcaniclastics and metasediments located in close proximity to a major 30 km ~N-S regional shear zone with splays. The style of mineralization is hydrothermal alteration containing disseminated gold-bearing sulphides. Drill hole information A summary of all information material to the understanding of the exploration results including tabulation of the following information for all Material drill holes: Easting and northing of the drill hole collar Elevation or RL (Reduced Level elevation above sea level in metres) of the drill hole collar Dip and azimuth of the hole Down hole length and interception depth Hole length Further information is provided in Technical Report Mineral Resource Estimation for the Namdini Gold Project, Ghana 19 Oct 2017. This document can be downloaded from the Cardinal Resources website. http://www.cardinalresources.com.au/technical-reports/ or from http://www.sedar.com If the exclusion of this information is justified on the basis that the information is not Material and this exclusion does not detract from the understanding of the report, the Competent Person should clearly explain why this is the case. There has been no exclusion of information. Data aggregation methods In reporting Exploration Results, weighting averaging techniques, maximum and/or minimum grade truncations (e.g. cutting of high grades) and cutoff grades are usually Material and should be stated. No weighting averaging techniques nor cutting of high grades have yet been undertaken. Where aggregated intercepts incorporate short lengths of high grade results and longer lengths of low grade results, the procedure used for such aggregation should be stated and some typical examples of such aggregations should be shown in detail. Not applicable in this document. The assumptions used for any reporting of metal equivalent values should be clearly stated. No metal equivalents are used in the intersection calculation. Relationship between mineralisation widths and intercept lengths These relationships are particularly important in the reporting of exploration results. Not applicable in this document as no exploration results are announced. If the geometry of the mineralisation with respect to the drill hole angle is known, its nature should be reported. Not applicable in this document as no exploration results are announced. If it is not known and only the down hole lengths are reported, there should be a clear statement to this effect (e.g. down hole length, true width not known). Not applicable in this document as no exploration results are announced. Diagrams Appropriate maps and sections (with scales) and tabulations of intercepts should be included for any significant discovery being reported. These should include, but not be limited to a plan view of drill hole collar locations and appropriate sectional views. Appropriate maps with scale are included within the body of the accompanying document. Balanced Reporting Where comprehensive reporting of all Exploration Results is not practical, representative reporting of both low and high grades and/or widths should be practiced to avoid misleading reporting of Exploration Results. The accompanying document is considered to represent a balanced report. Other substantive exploration data Other exploration data, if meaningful and material, should be reported including (but not limited to): geological observation; geophysical survey results; geochemical survey results; bulk samples size and method of treatment; metallurgical test results; bulk density, groundwater, geotechnical and rock characteristics; potential deleterious or contaminating substances. Other exploration data collected is not considered material to this document at this stage. Further data collection will be reviewed and reported when considered material. Further Work The nature and scale of planned further work (e.g. tests for lateral extensions or depth extensions or large scale step out drilling). Diagrams clearly highlighting the areas of possible extensions, including the main geological interpretations and future drilling areas, provided this information is not commercially sensitive. Exploration drilling will continue to target projected lateral and depth extensions of the mineralization and infill drilling to increase the confidence in the Mineral Resource. Section 3 Estimation and Reporting of Mineral Resources 12 agricultural machines were handed over to households in Chieng On ward The ceremony to hand over the gifts was held at the Peoples Committee of Chieng On ward, Yen Chau District, Son La province with the participation of local leaders, representatives from Dekalb Vietnam Co., Ltd. and its branches, as well as local farmers and people. Welcome Springa meaningful charity programme As its name suggests, the Produce Together, Welcome New Year and Spring initiative is a meaningful present. The donation came from Dekalb Vietnam to express the companys gratitude to the belief and support the provincial people have shown the company over the past years. These machines will help impoverished households to raise their productivity, save labour force, and improve the household economies. Aruna Rachakonda, Dekalb Vietnams CEO, said: Instead of rice or food, we decided to hand over machines to help local people improve their production efficiency, and develop their own household economy. This is sustainable development. We hope that the households who received these agricultural machines will renew their mindset, and innovate production based on machines, and move towards hi-tech agriculture to create high-quality products. Aruna, Monsanto Vietnam's CEO, expressed great hopes for this programme Happiness coming to Chieng On Chieng On is one of the far reaching wards of Yen Chau District. Almost all local people and farmers are from an ethnic minority and are used to traditional farming methods involving buffalos and cows to plow, and hand labour to cultivate and harvest. Thus, yields are not as high as in other machine-based areas. Currently, the poverty rate in Chieng On is still very high at 87.3 per cent. Vi Van Suong from Tram Hoc village talked of days of hard work at the corn field: The corn field is very far from my home, the fields are far from each other, and the road is rough and bumpy. Productivity falls when we do not take care and harvest in time. We know agricultural machines are effective, but we do not have enough money among us to buy one and use it together. He was delighted to receive an agricultural machine, saying: When we heard that Dekalb Vietnam will present 12 agricultural machines to the ward, we were overjoyed and thought this is our chance to produce more, end our poverty, and take our children to study. Song Lao Lenh, a farmer from Ta Lieu village at Chieng On ward, was also delighted: Before, it took a lot of time to plow with buffalos, which was hard work with little yieldwe literally earned money through hard labour. We are touched to receive the modern agricultural machines from Dekalb Vietnam. We will use these machines on the field to realize the dream of growing rich from the land. We will use these machines to help all people in the village to overcome poverty. Chieng On ward's farmers attending the introduction of the machinery After over 20 years of engaging Vietnamese farmers, Monsanto said that it is necessary to do for all parties to do their utmost and unionise to realise the goal of sustainable agriculture. She said: These 12 agricultural machines for Chieng On ward are just the first of a series of activities providing agricultural tools from Dekalb to Vietnamese farmers. We hope to spread hope and belief by bringing our products to Vietnamese people nationwide, contributing to accelerating productivity and the development of sustainable agriculture based on machinery and modernisation. Spring is coming to Son La, the time when the province is covered by peach and plum blossoms. Through the help of Dekalb Vietnam, farmers are growing hopeful to make their village rich and happy on the beautiful Northwestern land. Dekalb Vietnam ranked among Vietnams Top 10 Sustainable Businesses Dekalb Vietnam was voted for the second consecutive year among the Top 10 Sustainable Businesses in Vietnam. Dekalb Vietnam is also the only agricultural enterprise ... Monsantos answer to Vietnams burgeoning nutrition demand Dekalb Vietnam, a Monsanto's subsidiary, and the Institute of Preventive Medicine and Public Health (IPMPH) of Hanoi Medical University (HMU) today co-hosted a research scholarship awards ceremony with a total grant ... Dekalb Vietnam: four years of fostering talent On November 6, 2017, Dekalb Vietnam and the Faculty of Biotechnology of Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) will organise the fourth Monsanto-VNUA scholarship reward ... Dekalb Vietnam gifts Son La provinces young champions On the occasion of the new school year, Dekalb Vietnam visited three schools in remote areas of Son La province to hand out practical presents ... Months before Tet, travel agents began offering a wide range of tours and services with big promotions. This year, in addition to itineraries of Ninh Binh, Ha Long, Lao Cai, Ha Giang, and Tuyen Quang, there are tours to regions with buckwheat flowers and daisies in full bloom. "My family usually travels to a new destination for each lunar New Year festival. This year we will visit several northern pagodas. My wife wants to visit Yen Tu pagoda to pray for a year full of happiness and health," said Bui Cong Anh of Hanois Cau Giay district. According to Phan Thi Thu Minh, Director of the Hoang Anh Tourism Company, the number of southerners signing up for journeys to northern areas has increased 15%, especially for tours to places with flowers in bloom. Many have chosen to welcome the lunar New Year among the ethnic minorities of the north western regions. "We encourage our customers to plan their trips in detail with travel agents in advance to ensure smooth and enjoyable travel," said Ms. Thu Minh. Trips to the Republic of Korea, Japan, Taipei China, Thailand, and Singapore are also popular with many families. "The Lunar New Year Festival is the longest holiday of the year, when the whole family can travel together. In northern Vietnam, people often travel on the second day of the lunar New Year, with favorite destinations being warm places like Thailand, Singapore, and Hong Kong (China), whose traditions of welcoming the New Year and practicing Buddhism are similar to Vietnams," said Ta Huu Chien, Director of the Sun Travel Company. The number of local consumers using E5 petrol in their autos has been increasing rapidly, though bio-fuel has only been put into use nationwide for just the past month. - Photo cafef.vn Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai said, during a regular Government meeting last week, that the use of the fuel in several cities and provinces had tripled compared to last year. The total amount of E5 sold in some cities and provinces currently accounted for up to 80 per cent of their total petrol sales, Hai said, adding that the average rate nationwide was some 60-65 per cent of petrol sales. I believe that the use of E5 fuel will continue rising as awareness about the fuel by local consumers improves and they feel more familiar with it, Hai said, adding that besides raising consumers awareness about the fuel, it was necessary to improve its management to ensure the quality of the fuel and prevent fraud. According to PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PV Oil), the sale of E5 at its stations reached 600-650 cu.m per day, increasing 2.5 times against last year and accounting for 70 per cent of its total petrol sales. All of its stations have replaced RON 92 with E5 bio-fuel since the beginning of the year. The corporation has 11 E5 mixing stations and is investing in other such facilities. This has ensured stable supplies of E5 in its retail network of 540 petrol fuel stations and more than 3,000 agencies. According to a Prime Ministers decision, E5 fuel, which is a mix of A92 petrol (95 per cent) and bio-fuel ethanol (5 per cent), has been officially sold nationwide to replace RON 92 since January 1, this year. However, some motorbike owners are still unsure if the new E5 fuel being sold nationwide suits their vehicles. They therefore have opted not to buy the cheaper E5 fuel, but rather the more expensive A95 petrol. Currently, E5 is priced at some VND18,670 per liter, compared with VND20,850 of A95 petrol. To encourage people to use E5, the Department of Industry and Trade in HCM City said it would cooperate with the Ministry of Information and Communications, as well as the media, to improve awareness about E5. The trade ministry has also asked departments of industry and trade to step up supervision of petrol traders, distributors, wholesalers and petrol stations to prevent trade frauds and protect consumers rights. Varying levels of enthusiasm greet bio-fuel E5 roll-out Since January 1, 2018, the nationwide switch from RON A92 to bio-fuel E5 has been in effect, however, along with good feedback, a number of ... PV Oil to roll out bio-fuel E5 ahead of deadline PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PV Oil) will start to switch from RON A92 petrol to bio-fuel E5 nationwide on December 15. This is 15 days sooner ... PV Oil ready to roll out E5 bio-fuel nationwide PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PV Oil) is willing to switch from RON A92 petrol to bio-fuel E5 on nationwide from January 1, 2018, according to newswire ... International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said the decision by the top sport's court to lift life doping bans on 28 Russian athletes came as a complete surprise to the IOC AFP/Fabrice COFFRINI He said that the decision came as a complete surprise to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). "We would never have expected this," Bach told a press conference in Pyeongchang just five days ahead of the opening of the Winter Olympic Games. The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Thursday upheld the appeals of the 28 Russians against life bans, ruling that there was "insufficient" evidence that the athletes had benefited from a system of state-sponsored doping at the 2014 Winter Games, hosted by Russia. As Malaysia's medical tourism soars, KPJ Penang and Phuoc Loc International have joined forces to bring high-quality services to Vietnamese patients Fast expanding medical tourism market Zabidi Haji Abdul Razak, CEO of KPJ Penang Specialist Hospital, told VIR that Malaysia welcomed 1 million medical tourists in 2017, with Vietnam ranking as the seventh. Malaysia provides quality healthcare services that are internationally recognised and accredited. Most of the professional doctors are trained overseas to meet the sophisticated needs of patients. It is easy for patients and visitors to communicate with health professionals in Malaysia, where English is widely spoken. To top it off, medical costs in Malaysia are about 10 per cent less than in regional peers like Thailand and Singapore, and give the same level of care. He added that KPJ Penang is starting to receive an increasing number of patients from Vietnam. Thus, the hospital decided to collaborate with Phuoc Loc International (PLI) to promote the Malaysian healthcare system to Vietnamese patients. Tie-up to promote Malaysian medical tourism Last weekend, KPJ Penang has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Phuoc Loc International to formally establish a framework of co-operation and facilitate collaboration between the organisations, which will ultimately contribute to the sustainable development of medical tourism between Vietnam and Malaysia. Zabidi Haji Abdul Razak and Kevin Tran signed the MoU Under the plan, the two parties will exchange delegations to share experience in medical tourism development, management, and promotion. The parties will encourage medical tourism businesses from the two sides to establish business contacts and will participate in medical tourism fairs as well as exhibitions hosted by one or both parties. At the same time, they will undertake a study of joint tourism programmes in the fields of advertising, the development of medical tour packages, and promoting health tourism. Kevin Tran said that PLI was chosen by KPJ Penang because of the firms good reputation in Vietnam. PLI also has a professional management that could contribute to the success of this collaboration. The MOU was signed by Zabidi Haji Abdul Razak and Kevin Tran, the CEOs from both sides. It was witnessed by Abdul Hadi Che Man, director of Tourism Malaysia, Faizal Izany Mastor, trade commissioner of Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), and Eric Beh, deputy manager of public relations and marketing of KPJ Penang. An MoU to bring Malaysia's quality healthcare services to Vietnamese patients Quality healthcare services combined with convenience The KPJ Healthcare group has 27 hospitals in Malaysia with four hospitals in Indonesia, Thailand, and Bangladesh. The group is developing six new hospitals in Malaysia, bringing the total number of hospitals to reach over 30 by 2020. KPJ Penang Specialist Hospital, one of KPJ's top-of-the-line facilities Among them, KPJ Penang was acknowledged by Joint Commission International (JCI) from the US for its excellent quality of healthcare services, accessibility, and affordability. The hospital offers multi-disciplinary care, including general health screening, cardiology, oncology, orthopaedics, otorhinolaryngology (ENT), paediatric and psychiatric services, and much more. Direct flights between Penang and Ho Chi Minh City by AirAsia will encourage more Vietnamese visitors to visit Penang and the northern region of Malaysia. For international patients, complimentary accommodation and pick-up services from airport-hotel-KPJ Penang will be provided to ensure patient satisfaction and convenience. KPJ Penang Specialist Hospital is committed to offer the community its state-of-the-art technology and comprehensive medical services. The hospital has a full suite of modern facilities such as accident and emergency, general medicine surgery, intensive care, as well as physiotherapy and rehabilitation units. International-standard facilities await patients Opportunities for improving healthcare on horizon Malaysia is currently ranked among the worlds leading medical tourism and healthcare providers, with high-quality services available at affordable cost. More than 60 per cent of medical tourists coming to Malaysia chose Penang as their destination. Just from medical tourism, Penang has generated a revenue of about $83 million in 2013. In 2017, Penangs pearl island was voted as the second most visited site in the world, according to CNN. Coming to Penang, Malaysia, in addition to healthcare services and affordable medical treatment, medical tourists will find a good environment for rejuvenation and recovery. Healthcare spending among Vietnamese tourists to Malaysia has seen a growth of 86 per cent throughout 2016, amounting to hospital revenues of RM10.8 million ($2.77 million) with oncology and cardiology being the top choice treatments. KPJ Penang are proud to be partnered with PLI and promise to create genuine experiences for both parties and new economic opportunities for Malaysia and Vietnam, while highlighting medical tourism, education, local culture, and heritage at both regions. The two sides at the MoU signing ceremony Durham, North Carolina, Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Guess & Co. Corporation a global diversified development and infrastructure company based in Durham, North Carolina, is pleased to announce that Joel Bandy, MBA has been named Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Bandy is an accomplished management and information systems executive with 19 years of experience. Prior to joining Guess & Co. Corporation, he was Director, Applications for Molina Healthcare. At Presbyterian Communities & Services, he was Director of Information Technology and Chief Information Security Officer. Mr. Bandy joined Guess & Co. Corporation as Interim Executive Vice-President and Information Technology Officer. He was responsible for routine information technology projects in the company before he became part of the senior executive team. Mr. Bandy was most recently Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Information Officer for Guess & Co. Corporation. In that role, he was responsible for the Company's overall information management and IT infrastructure. Mr. Bandy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management Information Systems from Texas A&M University and his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Houston. He is a Certified Security Compliance Specialist and Certified HIPAA Professional. As Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Bandy directly oversees day to operations of the Company's businesses including the management of product/service delivery and support systems to ensure that the Company meets customer/client expectations. About Guess & Co. Corporation Guess & Co. Corporation is a global diversified development and infrastructure company that revitalizes communities and supports governments and private sector entities through its four primary business units: the Energy Group, the Industrial Group, the Health Care Group and the Real Estate Group. We are based in Durham, North Carolina and conduct business in the United States and abroad. Most of our businesses are built organically, and we pursue acquisitions of existing companies that will create value for our customers, employees, shareholders and communities that we serve. For more information, visit www.guessandco.com Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2f866f7a-cb4d-43ad-9aea-7ac3eb10f326 Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d45f64f8-f0be-4995-9e8e-fa004c46c649 Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f7ed669b-f78c-47dc-b914-3b0beb3286dd The central province of Nghe An is finalising procedures to approve and sign investment agreements for 12 projects in the first quarter of 2018. In January, the province licensed three projects worth VND20.37 billion (US$902,391). To date, the Viet Nam-Singapore Industrial Park in the province has attracted VND420 billion from 11 investors who occupy 7.6ha of industrial area and 2,500sq.m of ready-built factories. Of these, eight projects have been licensed. This year, the province will prioritise investment in its key projects, while co-ordinating with investment promotion agencies to lure large projects. Along with effectively operating the provincial Centre for Investment Promotion and Support, Nghe An has launched a one-door system serving investors and assisting them during their investment process. At the same time, the province has applied information technology in processing investors requests, thus enhancing transparency and responsibility of local agencies. Meanwhile, it has also worked to remove obstacles facing projects currently underway. The province is now encouraging investors to speed up administrative procedures for a number of projects, including the FLC eco-tourism and resort, the Quynh Lap 2 thermal power plant invested in by Posco Group of the Republic of Korea, and Hoang Mai 2 industrial park of Kovinet, another RoK investment. Starbuck is planning to discover new horizons after its 5th anniversary (Source: AFP) The store is located at 56 Bach Dang Street in Hai Chau district. Danang is the third-largest city of Vietnam with great potential for trading development. We were asked numerous times about when Starbucks will step outside the two traditional markets (Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi) and now is the time, said Patricia Marques, general manager of Starbucks Vietnam. Along with the milestone of opening the first store in Danang, we will implement other exciting plans in 2018, she added. To mark its five-year anniversary, Starbucks is offering special prices on its menu. Notably, customers can buy any tall-sized beverage at VND50,000 at any Starbucks coffee store across the country. A Starbucks Rewards member can get five times the STARS on any purchase. Earlier this year, Starbucks announced the return of the Starbucks Reserve Da Lat coffee after it was first introduced in 2016. Coffee from Da Lat has a strong flavour, with a hint of sweetness, and is reminiscent of Central American brews. Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality Arabica coffee. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. In February 2013, Starbucks opened its first store in Ho Chi Minh City, also marking the first store in Vietnam, via Coffee Concepts Vietnam Limited, a subsidiary of Hong Kong's Maxim Group. Daring Starbucks move in Italy Starbucks recent plans to expand to coffee-citadel Italy mirror the companys confidence in its solid financial results since 2012. Starbucks to sell Da Lat Arabica coffee globally Starbucks has started selling roasted Arabica coffee beans from Viet Nam's Da Lat City in the US and said on its website it plans to ... Spring Festival 2018 With the theme Spring Festival 2018, the event provides a festive Tet atmosphere, with familiar traditional food and arts such as banh chung (square glutinous cake), mam ngu qua (a set of five types of fruit), flowers, tea, calligraphy, and so on. There will also be a space for introducing the art of enjoying tea and calligraphy. A flower market with many types will also be held at the event. Artisans from traditional craft villages nationwide will showcase their skills, to honor traditional cultural values. They will introduce paper flowers from Thanh Tien village in Hue, silverwork from Chau Khe village in Hai Duong, bamboo dragonflies from Thach That district in Hanoi, and conical hats from Chuong village in Thanh Oai district, Hanoi. An exhibition of 100 photos will be also displayed to introduce visitors to the cultural heritage, nature, and traditional Tet celebrations and festivals found in Vietnam. There will a corner with an exhibit on how Vietnamese celebrated Tet during wartime, after the war ended in 1975 until the economic reform period began in 1986, and today. As it is the Year of the Dog, the exhibition will also recall historical events that happened in other years of the dog and famous people born in those years. Organic products and precious stones are also on offer, while familiar dishes from rural areas in the north will be available in small huts with thatched roofs at the cuisine area. While tasting specialties from different places, visitors can also enjoy traditional music and arts from local artists of the Tuoi Tre (Youth) Theater, the Vietnam Music, Dance and Songs Theater, the Vietnam Circus Federation, the Vietnam Cheo (Traditional Operetta) Theater, and the Vietnam Central Puppetry Theater. Trinh Xuan Thanh was identified as the mastermind behind the crime Name Position Appropriated amount Sentence Trinh Xuan Thanh Former chairman of PetroVietnam Construction JSC (PVC) VND14 billion ($0.62 million) Life imprisonment and VND50 million ($2,200) Dinh Manh Thang (Dinh La Thang's brother) Former chairman of Petro Song Da Trading and Investment JSC VND5 billion ($2.2 million) Nine years of imprisonment Dao Duy Phong Former chairman of PV Power Land VND8 billion ($0.35 million) 16 years of imprisonment and VND30 million ($1,320) Nguyen Ngoc Sinh Former general director of PV Power Land VND2 billion ($0.09 million) 13 years of imprisonment and VND20 million ($881) Dang Sy Hung Deceased VND20 billion ($0.88 million) 1 Thai Kieu Huong Deputy general director of Vietsan Company 1 10 years of imprisonment Huynh Nguyen Quoc Duy Freelance broker 1 10 years of imprisonment Le Hoa Binh Former chairman of May 1 Construction and Service JSC 1 Eight years of imprisonment, in combination with the previous sentence, altogether life imprisonment Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa Former chief of accountant of May 1 Construction and Service JSC 1 Six years of imprisonment, in combination with the previous sentence, altogether life imprisonment According to the proposals of the court and the conclusions of the procuracy, on March 27, 2010, Trans-Pacific Services JSC, which has five founders and shareholders, signed a deposit contract to sell 24 million shares of the Nam Dan Plaza project at Pham Hung Street to Le Hoa Binh at VND21,000, equivalent to VND52 million ($2,291) per sq.m. After signing the deposit contract, Le Hoa Binh took over the shares from the four shareholders of Trans-Pacific Services JSC at this price. However, the remaining shareholder, PV Power Land, sold its stake at only VND13,578 apiece, equaling VND34 million ($1,500) per sq.m. The total value of the contract was VND191 billion ($8.4 million), down VND87 billion ($3.83 million) compared to the value of the deposit contract, and causing damages to PV Power Land. The investigation agency confirmed that Trinh Xuan Thanh, Dinh Manh Thang, Thai Kieu Huong, Dao Duy Phong, Nguyen Ngoc Sinh, Dang Sy Hung, and Huynh Nguyen Quoc Duy in collaboration with Le Hoa Binh and Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa transferred PV Power Lands shares at a price below the deposit contract. The procuracy held that the defendants embezzled the difference of VND49 billion (VND2.16 million). Accordingly, Thanh received VND14 billion ($616,740), while Thang took VND5 billion ($220,265), Phong VND8 billion ($352,423), Sinh VND2 billion ($88,106), and Hung VND20 billion ($881,060). The trial panel said that Thanh has acknowledged his violations and paid back the embezzled money, so his penalty was reduced. Thang gained a large benefit from the violation, but he pleaded guilty and paid back the money, so his penalty was mitigated reduced. The other defendants did the same, too. The sentence outlined enough evidence to conclude that Thanh was the mastermind behind transferring over 12 million of PV Power Lands shares from Trans Pacific JSC to Le Hoa Binh at a lower price and misappropriate the difference. Thus, Thanh received VND14 billion ($616,740) in a suitcase that Thang sent to him through his driver. The sentence once again confirmed not to miss any criminals as the claims of some lawyers. It also reaffirmed that defendants caused damages of VND87 billion ($3.83 million) to the state-owned enterprise. Additional life sentence proposed for Trinh Xuan Thanh Although Trinh Xuan Thanh denied the charges of appropriating VND14 billion from PV Power Land, the procuracy has produced enough evidence to charge him. Trial of Trinh Xuan Thanh and Dinh La Thangs brother to start today Today, the Hanoi Peoples Court opens the first instance hearing of the trial of Trinh Xuan Thanh, Dinh Manh Thang, and six other defendants charged ... PVC trial ends in life sentence Dinh La Thang has been sentenced to 13 years of imprisonment and Trinh Xuan Thanh has been given a life sentence. The $100 million ADB loan will be used to construct WTE plants in the Mekong Delta A series of municipal waste-to-energy (WTE) plants in primary and secondary cities in the Mekong Delta will be built from the ADB loan. This initiative will be the first municipal WTE public-private partnership (PPP) project in the country. The agreement signed today will be a new model to improve solid waste management in cities and mitigate climate change by reducing methane and increasing energy generation from renewable sources, said Christopher Thieme, deputy director general of the Private Sector Operations Department at ADB. Vietnam generates more than 27.8 million tonnes of waste annually. Most of the waste collected is disposed in landfills, leading to poor hygienic conditions and pollution. This poses a significant health threat to nearby communities, mostly the urban poor. One of the most effective ways to treat and manage this increasing quantity of municipal solid waste is through WTE, which can reduce waste volume by 90 per cent and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, while also producing energy from the heat during incineration. ADB will support the construction and operation of a series of WTE plants with advanced clean technologies in multiple municipalities in Vietnam. Each WTE plant will treat municipal solid waste and supply electricity to the local electricity grid. CEIL will develop and invest in WTE subprojects in Vietnam to facilitate the harmless treatment, reduction, and reuse of household waste in the cities and produce clean electricity. CEIL is one of the worlds leading integrated environmental protection companies with projects spanning 18 cities and provinces in the Peoples Republic of China. As of the end of 2017, CEIL had 43 WTE projects in operation with a combined processing capacity of 39,100 tonnes per day and generation capacity of about 4,300GWh per year. ADB applauds Vietnam on reducing deficit The Vietnamese governments efforts to reduce the state budget deficit accumulated by fiscal imbalances have been applauded by the Asian Development Bank. Central city, ADB ink deal on waste treatment The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and a Nang City signed an agreement on Tuesday to develop a new land fill and waste treatment facility. ADB continues infrastructure investment in Vietnam The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will continue its support for infrastructure development in Vietnam, said ADB Vice President for Knowledgement Management and Sustainable Development Bambang ... PM approves ADB-financed infrastructure project in four provinces The PM has approved a basic infrastructure project for comprehensive development in the four provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri with its funding ... The VRG's IPO attracted only 499 investors With only 21 per cent of the shares registered to buy, the IPO of Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG) at the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HoSE) was the most boring of this years blockbuster IPOs. As many as 499 investors registered to buy approximately 101 million VRG shares, equivalent to 21 per cent of the 475.1 million shares put on offer. 34.2 million shares were registered by domestic individuals, 507,200 shares by foreign individuals, 39.4 million shares by domestic organisations, and 26.66 million shares by foreign organisations. Eventually, 498 investors auctioned successfully with the highest and lowest selling price of VND20,800 and VND13,000 (the initial price). The average selling price was VND13,011, essentially the initial price. State will acquire VND1.311 trillion ($57.75 million), equaling 21 per cent of the plan. Thereby, this IPO has been the most disappointing in the year so far. Earlier, the three big IPOs of BSR, PV Oil, and PV Power in January were very successful, sell all shares put on offer at high average selling prices. According to the approved equitisation solution, VRGs charter capital after equitisation is expected at VND40 trillion ($1.76 billion), equivalent to 4 billion shares. That the state expected to retain 75 per cent of the shares and foreign investors were not welcomed as strategic partners are probably the reasons behind the apathy towards the IPO. At the auction, Pham Van Thanh, member of the VRG Board of Directors, said the company will register on the unlisted public company market (UPCoM) on April 1. Then, it is expected to be listed on HoSE in June or July this year. He also informed of VRGs business outcomes, stating that revenue and profit exceeded the plan by 10 and 30 per cent. VRGs consolidated revenue hit VND21 trillion ($0.93 billion), and after-tax profit hit VND4.1 trillion ($0.18 billion). PV Power acquires $308.2 million from IPO PetroVietnam Power Corporation (PV Power) acquired VND6.99 trillion ($307.8 million) from selling 468.37 million shares, equalling 20 per cent of its charter capital, via its ... PV Oil collects $190 million from IPO PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PV Oil) succeeded in conducting its initial public offering (IPO) by selling all 207 million shares offered, equalling 20 per cent of ... Binh Son Refinery reports successful IPO Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Co., Ltd. (BSR) reported a successful initial public offering (IPO) with a complete take-up of the offered shares and the ... Vietnam Rubber Group shows signs of violations Violations have been uncovered in Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG) and its member companies investment and management activities, leading to massive losses. INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Duke Realty Corporation (NYSE:DRE), the nations leading pure-play, domestic-only, industrial property REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust), announces that John Case and Chris Sultemeier have been named to its Board of Directors. Mr. Case is Chief Executive Officer and Director of Realty Income Corporation (NYSE:O), an S&P 500 company with more than 5,000 commercial net lease properties across the United States leased primarily to retail tenants. Mr. Sultemeier was Executive Vice President of Logistics for Walmart Stores, Inc. and President/Chief Executive Officer of Wal-Mart Transportation LLC before his retirement in May 2017. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Duke Realty, we are extremely happy that both John Case and Chris Sultemeier have joined our board, said William Cavanaugh, Lead Director and former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Progress Energy. John has been instrumental in quadrupling the size of Realty Income Corporation since he joined the company in 2010 and raising its enterprise value to more than $21 billion. While overseeing Walmarts extensive domestic and international supply chain, Chris successfully improved service to retail stores and warehouses while reducing costs, doubled fleet efficiency within a 10-year span, and established a two-day ground ecommerce network in the United States over a two-year period. I am excited to have John and Chris join our Board of Directors and believe that their guidance on our companys strategic direction will prove invaluable, said James B. Connor, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Duke Realty. Johns background in commercial real estate and finance and Chris expertise in logistics and industrial facility use will provide us with new perspectives as we continue to build and strengthen our company. Prior to joining Realty Income Corporation, Mr. Case worked as a New York-based real estate investment banker for approximately 20 years where he was responsible for more than $100 billion in real estate capital markets and advisory transactions. He is extensively involved in the broader real estate industry, serving on the Executive Board of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT) and the Presidents Council of The Real Estate Roundtable. Mr. Case graduated from Washington and Lee University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and the Darden School of Business at The University of Virginia with a Masters in Business Administration. Mr. Sultemeier is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy West Point with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. Upon graduation and commissioning, he attended the Army Airborne and Ranger Schools, as well as the Army Officer Engineer School. Mr. Sultemeier was a captain in the U.S. Army for five years and served as a Platoon Leader, Task Force Engineer and Company Executive Officer in the 1st Infantry Division. He currently serves on the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation Board. About Duke Realty Duke Realty Corporation owns and operates approximately 146 million rentable square feet of industrial assets in 21 key U.S. logistics markets. Duke Realty is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol DRE and is listed on the S&P 500. The company maintains a Baa1 rating from Moodys Investor Service and a BBB+ rating from Standard & Poors Financial Services. More information about Duke Realty Corporation is available at www.dukerealty.com. Duke Realty also can be followed on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube. Contact Information: Investors: Ron Hubbard 317.808.6060 Media: Helen McCarthy 317.708.8010 Algonac Community Schools will return to voters this spring with a sinking fund proposal aimed at improving security, technology and facilities in the cash-strapped district. After two failed attempts, school board members recently decided to place a 2-mill sinking fund millage request on the May 8 ballot. The 10-year proposal would generate about $1.2 million each year, which would be used to enhance school security and student safety, remodel school facilities, and upgrade technology equipment and infrastructure. The needs we expressed a year ago have not gone away, Superintendent Al Latosz said in a press release. More than before, we need to repair and renovate our schools. We need to expand our ongoing efforts to improve school security and student safety. And we need to upgrade our instructional technology. School board members decided to seek a sinking fund at a Jan. 8 workshop and officially adopted a resolution for a special school election at their Jan. 22 meeting. The proposal, itself, is very basic in terms of the projects that will be addressed, Latosz said. Roofs, technology, HVAC and security are the areas that we will be focusing on. The funding would also be used to replace doors and windows, renovate restrooms and locker rooms, install energy efficient LED lighting, repair and replace parking lots and improve playgrounds. School board President Andrew Goulet said the sinking fund would enhance Algonacs education program and would likely have a positive effect on property values in the community. It is essential that we address the sinking fund projects that school staff members and citizens have prioritized, Goulet said. Quite simply, this is a no-nonsense plan for addressing repairs and renovations that are necessary and need immediate attention. If approved, the owner of a $100,000 home would see a property tax increase of about 27 cents per day, district officials said. The proposal is the districts third attempt to raise additional funds for building and technology improvements. A similar request failed by 30 votes last May. In November 2016, voters rejected both pieces of a two-part funding plan that paired a 1-mill sinking fund increase with an $8 million bond initiative. Although I respect the voice of the community and realize that some people will not support the proposal, I feel that I owe it to the students of ACS to advocate for their education, Latosz said in a district newsletter. Following the defeat of the previous measures, the district conducted a community survey and gathered input from district staff. The resulting feedback led to a revised proposal for a larger sinking fund millage and no debt-based financing, but the measure was also voted down. Latosz took over as superintendent in July and immediately faced questions about whether the district would once again appeal to voters in November. Instead, he deferred action until he could take stock of the districts needs. I thought that it made sense for the district to step back and once again analyze the needs of the district and the future of education here in Algonac, Latosz said in the district update. District officials said they believe a sinking fund is the more fiscally responsible way to fund necessary improvements. With a sinking fund, the school district does not accumulate debt and does not pay interest on sinking fund revenue, Latosz said. A sinking fund millage is a limited property tax for addressing smaller building remodeling projects and repair needs. State law allows a district to levy up to 3 mills for no longer than 10 years. The money cannot be used to pay salaries or operational expenses, but can be used for technology and security system purchases under a 2016 change in sinking fund rules. Latosz stressed the districts commitment to fiscal responsibility, pointing to wage concessions and cuts in staffing that the district has implemented to balance the operating budget in response to reduced funding. Enrollment in the district has fallen by more than 800 students since 2005, when there were 2,422 students enrolled at Algonac Community Schools. The district currently serves 1,619 students. A 2015 consolidation plan closed two school buildings and resolved a $1.5 million budget shortfall, but funding for major projects remains limited. This is not a case of just throwing money at a problem, the superintendent said. The needs are real and necessary. Taxpayers in the district currently pay 4.09 mills in debt millage, the second-lowest rate in St. Clair County. East China Schools is the only district with a lower rate at 3.44 mills. A complete list of sinking fund projects will be posted on the districts website at algonac.k12.mi.us and displayed in school lobbies. Additional information is also expected to be released as the election approaches. Colleen Kowalewski is a staff writer for The Voice. She can be contacted at 586-273-6197 or ckowalewski@21st-centurymedia.com. Eleanor Langhoff, age 95, of Villard, formerly of St. Paul, died Monday, September 6, 2021. A memorial service will be held at 11 AM, Wednesday, September 22, 2021 at First Lutheran Church in Alexandria. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 AM Wednesday at the church. Arrangements are with the A VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Westhaven Ventures Inc. (TSX-V:WHN) (WKN:A2AP3Q) is pleased to announce that it has been assigned the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) number 2549006LQ1TAHZLTOF64. The European Union has adopted regulations that require use of the LEI as a barcode equivalent aimed at pinpointing systemic risks. About the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) The Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) number is a 20-digit alphanumeric code. It is an internationally standardized and globally valid identifier for financial market participants. Its purpose is to clearly and unequivocally identify contracting parties (e.g., companies, banks, and investment funds). It is used to comply with a variety of financial reporting requirements. The Deutsche Borse Group has stated that the LEI will clearly assist the regulatory authorities in monitoring and analysing threats to the stability of the financial markets, (but) it can also be utilised by counterparties internally for risk management purposes. According to the website of the Deutsche Brse Group, the LEI number will affect most aspects of the securities markets in Europe, including trading, clearing, settlement, custody, collateral and liquidity management, market data and indices. (See http://deutsche-boerse.com/dbg-en/regulation/regulatorytopics/legal-entity-identifier) The Spences Bridge Gold Belt (SBGB) Westhaven has over 30,000 hectares within the prospective SBGB, which is situated within a geological setting similar to those which host other significant epithermal gold-silver systems. It is close to existing transportation and infrastructure allowing for cost-effective exploration. The SBGB is a 110-kilometre northwest-trending belt of intermediate to felsic volcanic rocks dominated by the Cretaceous Spences Bridge group. Westhaven has been working on the SBGB since 2011 and believes these relatively underexplored volcanic rocks are highly prospective for epithermal style gold mineralization. On behalf of the Board of Directors WESTHAVEN VENTURES INC. "Shaun Pollard" Shaun Pollard, Director About Westhaven Ventures Inc. Westhaven Ventures Inc. is a Canadian based exploration company focused on the acquisition and exploration of prospective resource properties. Westhaven is focused on advancing its Shovelnose, Prospect Valley and Skoonka gold projects in British Columbia. Westhaven trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol WHN. For further information, please call 604-681-5521 or visit Westhavens website at www.westhavenventures.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Turkey Enters the Fray By Jacob L. Shapiro Over the weekend, Turkey commenced Operation Olive Branch in a small part of northwestern Syria called Afrin. The outcome of the incursion should not create much suspense: Turkey will conquer Afrin with relative ease. The importance of Turkeys incursion lies instead in the challenges it poses to relations between Turkey and the three other foreign powers invested in Syrias future: Russia, Iran and the United States. For the second time since 2011, Turkey has deployed its military in Syria from a position of weakness. It will shape the future of Syria from a position of strength. Never in the field of human conflict has such a limited military operation been threatened for so long: Turkey warned of the invasion of the Syrian Kurdish region of Afrin for almost a year. Serious military operations are not announced via public relations campaigns because the element of surprise is crucial to achieving victory. One reason for Turkeys bravado is that it doesnt need the element of surprise to achieve victory in Afrin. The most generous estimates of enemy combatants in Afrin are around 10,000 fighters, lacking armor, artillery and air assets. Turkey has roughly 40,000 troops on the border with plenty of all three. The most serious impediment to Turkeys invasion was the presence of a small number of Russian soldiers, but once Russia pulled those soldiers out, Afrins conquest was assured. There is a second, more important reason for Turkeys boisterous year of threats against Afrin: Turkey did not want to invade. It fears being dragged into a quagmire in Syria. When the Syrian civil war began, Turkey relied on proxies to bring down the Bashar Assad regime. When that failed, Turkey made amends with Russia and cosied up to Iran to secure its interests through diplomacy: the so-called Astana Troika. Turkeys goal in agreeing to the cease-fire negotiated in Astana was to buy its proxies time to strengthen themselves and to prevent the Assad regime from reconquering the country. If Assad could not be defeated, then at least his regime, long hostile to Ankara, would not be allowed to return to its full strength, and at least outside powers would respect that Turkish wish. All seemed to be going well from Turkeys point of view until December, when the Assad regime backed by Russia and Iran undertook a major offensive in the Idlib de-escalation zone against anti-Assad rebels. The Assad regime said it was targeting jihadist groups like al-Qaida; Turkey claimed the regime was breaking the cease-fire and called for Russia and Iran to rein Assad in. (Both were technically right.) The Assad offensive forced Turkeys hand. Had Turkey let the operation continue unabated, Assad would have destroyed the most powerful remaining rebel stronghold. Turkey had to show Assad and his foreign backers that there would be consequences if his forces did not stop. Unsurprisingly, Assads government reacted harshly to Turkeys announcement early last week that it planned to intervene in Afrin. The town of Afrin is roughly 23 miles (37 kilometers) from the outskirts of Syrias most populous city, Aleppo. It is not a coincidence that Aleppo has seen the fiercest fighting of the war and that control of the city has changed hands multiple times. It is a vital population center, and before the war, it was the countrys largest industrial center. It is also a predominantly Sunni Arab city, which means its population tends to distrust Assads Alawite-dominated regime. The regime spent a great deal of blood reconquering the city, and the goal of its operations in Idlib province is to secure Aleppo from future attack. Turkeys intervention puts a major dent in that plan. Conquering Afrin means Turkey links up the two largest remaining rebel strongholds. That will make it easier for Turkish-backed anti-Assad groups to move supplies and materiel should they face additional attacks. But more distressing from the Assad regimes point of view is that it puts Turkish military forces in prime position to support a new rebel offensive on Aleppo. The new threat north of Aleppo forces Assad to reconsider the offensive in Idlib and pull those forces back to ensure that he can defend against new rebel attacks. In effect, because Turkey could not convince Russia or Iran to control Assads fighters, it was forced to follow through on its threats. Being forced into a move you dont want to make is not a symbol of strength but of weakness. Victory, or the Appearance of It Underscoring Turkeys weakness is that the new Turkish military operation would not have been possible had Russia not given its tacit approval, which Turkey dispatched its chief of general staff and the chief of its National Intelligence Organization to Moscow on Jan. 18 to secure. Turkey asked Russia for two things in that meeting. The first was to withdraw its soldiers stationed in Afrin. Russia had dispatched soldiers to Afrin in June 2017 under the guise of a Russian Center for Reconciliation. The stated goal of this Russian military presence was to prevent fighting between Syrian Kurds and anti-Assad rebels in Afrin. The second thing Turkey asked was for Russia to allow the Turkish air force to use Syrian airspace to support its offensive. In this part of the country, Russia controls the skies the Syrian air force has been decimated in the course of the war and Turkey is not ready for a military confrontation with Russia. Even though Russias Ministry of Defense confirmed the withdrawal of Russian soldiers from Afrin on Jan. 20, and even though Turkish air assets have conducted strikes on Afrin in recent days, Russia is not happy with this outcome. Russia would have preferred Turkey not undertake the operation because it weakens the Assad regime. It also makes Russian overtures to Syrian Kurds look meaningless, and this is a relationship Russia has cultivated in the hopes of creating yet another thorn in Turkeys side going forward. Russia subordinated these interests, however, to its overall goal in Syria: victory, or at least the appearance of it. Russian President Vladimir Putin declared victory in Syria in December, and he needs something to show for it at home. For that, Putin needs Turkey, and for Turkey, Putin was willing to look the other way in Afrin. Russia is hosting the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi on Jan. 29-30 that it has presented as integral to bringing the civil war to an end. For the congress to work, Russia needs all the combatants to come to the negotiating table and agree to stop fighting. Russia can bring Assad to heel. Turkey can do the same with the rebel groups in Idlib. In return for Russian approval of Operation Olive Branch, Turkey likely agreed to use its influence with non-Kurdish anti-Assad rebels to bring them to Sochi at the end of the month and to enforce their observance of whatever agreement is reached there. This is what enabled Russia to announce that it had agreed with Iran and Turkey on the final list of participants in the congress the day after Turkey began its military operations in Afrin. There is a secondary Russian consideration to keep in mind. In the long term, Russia views Turkey as an enemy. (Turkey sees things the same way.) Turkey is not just an enemy to Russias interests in the Middle East; it is also an enemy in the Balkans, the Black Sea and the Caucasus, more consequential areas of Russian interest by far. This is one of the reasons it is so important for Russia to preserve the Assad regime. By preserving the Assad regime, Russia preserves an enemy of Turkey. The more concerned Turkey is with events on its southern border, the less bandwidth Turkey has to be concerned with other areas in Russias sphere of influence. Russia would prefer Turkey not deploy its military anywhere, but if Turkey is going to flex its muscle, let it be in Syria, not elsewhere. Ambitions Without Leverage The two powers without much say in this situation are Iran and the United States. Iran, like Russia, wants to see a full resurrection of the Assad regime, but for very different reasons. Russia wants Assad to survive for domestic consumption in Russia and for power balancing in the region once it withdraws its forces. Iran, meanwhile, has ambitions to dominate the region . To do that, Iran needs allies in a region where Iranian allies are hard to come by, for both sectarian and ethnic reasons. The importance of a pro-Iranian government in Syria for Irans overall strategy cannot be overstated. Syria is the bridge connecting Iran to the Mediterranean. If Iran loses Syria, it loses its ability to project power in the Levant and to support its proxies, like Hezbollah. In this sense, Iran has already achieved its most basic need. A full resurrection of the Assad regime is desired but not necessary; Iran can settle for partial resurrection as long as that includes access to Lebanon and, by extension, the Mediterranean. From Irans perspective, the defeat of the Islamic State and the continued offensive of Assad regime forces in Idlib were both necessary for that access to remain unimpeded. A rehabilitation of IS or a failure in Idlib would jeopardize the Assad regimes security and, in turn, Irans regional ambitions. Iran opposes Turkeys move in Afrin because of the serious long-term threat it poses to Assad. If Turkey and its proxies can threaten Aleppo, they can threaten the Alawite coastal enclaves, and perhaps even cut off Irans unbridled access to the Mediterranean. Iran likely attempted to get Turkey to call the operation off: When Irans deputy foreign minister went to Moscow earlier on the same day that Turkey announced the commencement of its Afrin engagement, he was probably petitioning Russia to try to convince Turkey not to proceed with the operation. The problem for Iran is that it had no leverage over Turkey when it comes to Afrin. There are no Iranian soldiers stationed in Afrin. In addition, Irans contribution to Assad has come in the form of ground forces. Irans air force is limited, and its domestic missile development program is still relatively unsophisticated. Turkey did not fear any potential Iranian retaliation against its moves; from Turkeys point of view, Iran was part of the reason Turkey was forced to act in the first place. Iran also didnt have any leverage over Russia to get Moscow to protest Ankaras moves more vigorously. Russia, while not happy about Turkeys intervention, calculated that it was better to trade Afrin for Turkish compliance in the diplomatic realm than to confront Turkey over so small a territory, a territory over which Turkey could exert control whenever it chose not unlike Russia and its move in Crimea. Irans need to see the Assad regime survive means Iran still depends on Russian support for the Assad regime. Russias air campaign in Syria was limited, but even so, if Russia packed up its fighters and bombers tomorrow, it would greatly weaken Assads forces. Iran does not have the capability to fill the gap should that happen, and therefore it must go along with Russias decision not to resist Turkeys move in Afrin. The Expanding Mission And then of course there is the United States, which has been sending mixed signals to Turkey from the start. The U.S. armed Syrian Kurdish groups and then stopped arming Syrian Kurdish groups. The U.S. said it would not defend Syrian Kurds in Afrin, basically giving Turkey a green light to invade, and then condemned Turkeys aggression. The U.S. has repeatedly voiced its desire for Turkey to take a more active role in managing the Syrian civil war, but it has also criticized Turkey for the jihadist company it prefers to keep in Syria, which has at least something to do with the U.S. fantasy that a secular, liberal democratic Arab force is just waiting to be discovered in the Syrian countryside. One thing Iran, Turkey and Russia can all agree on is that they would like to see U.S. forces withdrawn from Syria. That is why even amid the serious strategic divergences among the Astana Troika, the three countries have remained constant in their criticism of the United States. Turkey views continued U.S. support of the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces as tantamount to support of its Kurdish separatists at home. Iran views the U.S. presence on the ground in Syria and hostility toward the Assad regime as a threat to its interests. Russia doesnt much care about the presence of U.S. forces but benefits from the continuous blows to U.S. prestige and the distrust of the U.S. shared by the members of the shaky alliance among Russia, Turkey and Iran. U.S. involvement began in Syria for one reason: to defeat the Islamic State. The U.S. remains concerned about the potential for an Islamic State resurgence, but it now has two additional interests. The first is to prevent Iran from realizing its regional ambitions. From the U.S. perspective, one of the unintended consequences of the partnership with Iran in fighting IS was that it greatly strengthened Irans position. The U.S. therefore is concerned with ensuring Irans position is sufficiently curtailed. The second additional interest is that the U.S. does not want to trade one Islamic caliphate for another. The strongest anti-Assad groups are, for the most part, various shades of jihadist. Syrias branch of al-Qaida is one of the strongest and has a cooperative relationship with Turkey. This has led the U.S. to support Syrian Kurdish groups, and to the present hostility with Turkey. Brexit Meetings in London This Week The Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia leave for London today for a full day of meetings on Tuesday related to the United Kingdom and Gibraltars departure from the European Union. The meetings will cover a full range of issues and are expected to include discussions with different United Kingdom Government Departments at official and ministerial level. Mr Picardo and Dr Garcia return to Gibraltar on Wednesday. The Minister for Education and the Environment Dr John Cortes will act as Chief Minister during their absence. Works Provide Additional Floor to John Mackintosh Home The Minister for Health, Care and Justice, Neil F. Costa, together with the Minister for Housing and Equality, Samantha Sacramento, opened an additional floor at the John Mackintosh Home this morning. This new area follows conversion works to the ground floor of the Home, which formerly contained flats. The conversion works have provided space for 16 additional beds on the ground floor of the Home. Furthermore, the refurbishment works have opened up space for an extra two beds on the third floor of the building. This raises the total to 70 beds available at the Home, spread over four floors. The design of the refurbished ground floor meets the same detailed specifications as the three other existing floors. The Home is fitted to be dementia friendly, by making use of colour coding on doors and corridors and using signage, which resonates best for those with sensory or memory difficulties. These simple but effective steps will allow residents to better orientate themselves and minimise anxiety. The Home is fully accessible to wheelchair users and is fitted with low profiling beds, enabling residents to maintain maximum independence in the safest environment. Specialist equipment such as hoists and standing aids have also been supplied, along with vital pieces of equipment, which provide for the residents needs and ensure staff are carrying out resident manual handling tasks safely. The move will benefit elderly patients, who will be able to enjoy a modern, purpose-built home, which will better suit their needs. The Home boasts spectacular views and spacious common areas, where residents and relatives visiting their loved ones can gather. Private rooms are generous in size and fitted with en-suite bathrooms and a flat screen television for each resident. Residents are also encouraged to participate in therapeutic and recreational activities. The move will release a number of beds at St Bernards Hospital, which will be available for acute admissions. The releasing of these beds will also have a positive impact on capacity for clinical procedures, resulting in more beds being available for planned admissions. Elderly Residential Services Manager, Susan Vallejo, said: My team has worked diligently to ensure that the standard of accommodation and care, which will be provided for our 18 new residents, will be of the highest quality. Minister Costa spoke following the inauguration: Firstly, I wish to thank staff at the Elderly Residential Services for their great work and professionalism during this time, ensuring that our residents continue to receive first class care and attention. Further, I wish to thank my colleague, Samantha Sacramento, for her collaboration in allocating this floor to the Elderly Residential Services. I think that there can be no doubt of Her Majestys Government of Gibraltars continuous commitment to invest in our Elderly Residential Services, in order to provide our elderly loved ones, with the best living environment. I am extremely pleased to open this new floor of the John Macintosh Home. Business Etihad's 'Verified to Fly' service makes travel easier Seven days ahead of travel, all guests will receive a personalised email informing them of the documents required for their destination. These travel documents can now be uploaded directly to the Manage my Booking page of etihad.com, up to 72 hours before departure. On Saturday Night Live this past weekend, Alec Baldwin phoned it in. Sorry, Alec Baldwin phoned in, to Fox & Friends, as Donald Trump, that is. But this wasnt just another appearance of Baldwins award-winning impersonation of a full-time SNL character. Something truly shocking happened! A staggering revelation revealed itself: Baldwin doesnt know how to eat food. He doesnt know how to drink either. Now, the way hes holding the can is probably meant to look like the way Trump gracefully grips a water bottle, but the straw work, and the fact that no liquid flies up it as though it were a vacuum tube at a bank, suggests something more sinister at play: Alec Baldwin doesnt know how to use a straw. This, plus the whole not-being-able-to-eat thing, is a staggering revelation. Okay, but is there another example? Woah. Yeah, but when you Google Alec Baldwin eating there are photos of him munching down on a real New York dawg and of him eating a salad wearing a hands-free headset and of him holding a little white puppy like as though it were a baby, which doesnt have anything to do with eating, but worth seeking out later. Hmm. Fake news? Or maybe these are just older photos and when he was on that New York Magazine cover with the headline I Give Up, he meant he gave up eating, and drinking from straws. Maybe he does know how to eat, but just doesnt know how to pretend to eat. NYU doesnt list an Eating in Sketch Comedy class, so that seems like proof. Thats probably it. Heres the GIF again but now with words case closed overlaid on top. The first full trailer for Solo is set to debut tomorrow on Good Morning America, but Disney dropped a little old teaser for it tonight during the Big Game. Also in the mix: a double helping of John Krasinski with A Quiet Place and Tom Clancys Jack Ryan, some dinosaurs surrounded by lava in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and more. Here are all the new trailers and teasers that dropped during the Super Bowl. Tom Clancys Jack Ryan Amazons Tom Clancys Jack Ryans John Krasinski heads to war. Red Sparrow How many wigs does it take to escape your life as an indentured Soviet assassin? Find out on March 2 in Red Sparrow. A Quiet Place John Krasinski in director mode rudely puts his wife in life-threatening situations for A Quiet Place, a creature feature where if you raise the decibel level even a little, you die. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom How do you make a dinosaur spectacle more literally awesome? You add the threat of an imminently erupting volcano. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are back on Isla Nublar, and this time its the dinosaurs that need saving. Castle Rock Hulu and NBC come together on that brand synergy (the network owns a substantial stake in the company) and release a new look at the series adaptation of Stephen Kings Castle Rock. Welcome back into our lives, Andre Holland. Skyscraper The Rocks family (Neve Campbell!) is trapped 240 floors in the air. And you know he is climbing every one of those damn floors to get them! Mission: Impossible Fallout You can definitely see the moment Tom Cruise destroyed his ankle during filming in this first full length trailer for M:I 6. But no matter what: Tom Cruise gonna Tom Cruise. The Cloverfield Paradox Ten years ago, some thing arrived. Today, we know know why. If you were hoping to see a trailer for the new Cloverfield movie, Netflix just did you one better. Youll be able to watch the entire movie tonight after the Super Bowl. To put it another way, the trailers severed arm is you and that group of horrified astronauts (???) is The Cloverfield Paradox. Just a little bit further to go! Westworld The hosts are out for bloody justice in Westworlds second season, which premieres on April 22. Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. The USA Network limited series about the unsolved murders of Tupac and Biggie will begin airing February 27. Avengers: Infinity War So this is it, says Tony Stark in the new teaser for Infinity War. Its all been leading to this. Well, yes and no, Tony. The whole Avengers saga has been leading to the Infinity Wars, but this is just part one of a two-part conclusion to this phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Technically, its probably all leading to the back half of Infinity War, which comes out in 2019. But before we reach the true climax, you can see Avengers: Infinity War part one in theaters on May 4. Folks, believe it or not, theres another Star Wars movie coming out in a little over three months. After three years of Yuletide adventures in a galaxy far, far away, Lucasfilm and Disney have decided to revisit the franchises summer-flick origins by releasing Solo: A Star Wars Story on May 25, exactly 41 years to the day after A New Hope hit screens. As per usual, substantive info about the picture has been on heavy lockdown, but fears were aroused by the fact that initial directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were fired from the project and replaced by Ron Howard. However, Solo finished on schedule and the first teaser trailer was released this morning. It doesnt tell us a whole hell of a lot, but it does seem to bill itself as a kind of The Fast and the Furious in space. Lets hop in the Falcon and take a gander, shall we? Photo: Lucasfilm We begin with a hand flipping switches and pressing buttons with the deft confidence of one of Reynolds Woodcocks seamstresses. Whose paw could this be? Were never directly told, but I mean, come on. Photo: Lucasfilm Were abruptly following what might be a different craft, given the change in lighting and its relatively compact size. Ive been running scams on the street since I was 10, a voice intones. The vehicle is speeding through a setting that looks an awful lot like Chicagos Lower Wacker Drive, am I right, Chi-towners? Okay, so whos bragging and riding this whip? Photo: Lucasfilm Why, its none other than Khaleesi and the cowboy from Hail, Caesar! By which I mean its Emilia Clarke and Alden Ehrenreich, who are playing Qira and Han Solo, respectively. We know nothing about Qira other than her name, and Han is a relatively minor figure from the Star Wars universe who isnt worth describing. Theyre serving some top-notch coat action, with Qira in a kind of intergalactic bomber jacket, I think, and Han in a leftover outfit from the original Battlestar Galactica show. I was kicked out of flight academy for having a mind of my own, he says in his continuing voice-over. Photo: Lucasfilm Theyre on the run in their Landspeeder-esque car, with a Stormtrooper in hot pursuit on a floating bike that looks like a miniature version of the Razor Trains from Half-Life 2. Honestly, Id trade a Star Wars spinoff movie for Half-Life 3, and I know Im not alone. Photo: Lucasfilm The bike crashes into some junk in the alleyway and the Stormtrooper fulfills a proud Stormtrooper tradition of flailing around like an idiot while being flung into the air. I was especially fond of seeing this habit in the wonderful, pre-Disney game The Force Unleashed. Again, I know Im not alone. Photo: Lucasfilm Theyre not out of the woods yet, as evidenced by this larger, blue-engined craft swerving up behind them as they drive onto what looks like some kind of marina. Yknow, they call the Empires fleet the Imperial Navy, but I dont think weve ever seen an Imperial boat. Yet. Photo: Lucasfilm Now were on some kind of mountain planet at dawn or dusk; gimme a break, I dont have a compass. Im gonna be a pilot, Han continues. Best in the galaxy. Jeez, we get it, buddy. The first two notes of the Star Wars theme blast at an Inception-esque volume. Photo: Lucasfilm We only see this dude from behind, but Im assuming hes Han. Hes clad in a coat comprised of many a pelt, in open defiance of the social stigma against fur established by PETAA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and Aliens). Photo: Lucasfilm The familiar corridors of the Millennium Falcon. Whats that? you say. Well, maybe your memory will be jogged by Photo: Lucasfilm the exterior! Han, still in his fur, looks up at the ship hell at some point win from Lando Calrissian, if the original lore is obeyed. Did you know there was once a story treatment for a Star Wars prequel that featured a ship called the Century Eagle? (Dammit, why do I know this stuff but have trouble remembering peoples names like five minutes after I meet them?) Photo: Lucasfilm Now were on a beachy coast with two figures who Im guessing are Han and Qira, based on the height differential. Theres something that looks like a space lighthouse in the background. We may have seen space beaches before in Rogue Ones Scarif, but while those felt like Florida, this one has more of an off-season Cape Cod vibe. Photo: Lucasfilm Presumably nearby, Han meets up with a coated figure near some ancient-looking spires. Who is this windswept gent? Why, its Photo: Lucasfilm yet another wise older mentor character played by Woody Harrelson! Hey, why mess with a good thing, right? This time around, Harrelson is embodying an experienced criminal dude named Beckett. Well have to wait for the press tour to find out if Woodys stuck to his new no-marijuana policy. He says hes putting together a team, which seems to consist of Photo: Lucasfilm Qira, here seen in a truly astounding cape; an as-yet-unnamed droid (could it be voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, whose role in the flick is allegedly very CGI-based?) Photo: Lucasfilm the great Lando Calrissian, played by the one and only Donald Glover hey, Siri, can you show me the galaxys greatest smile? Photo: Lucasfilm Theres my guy. Okay, back to the team lineup. Weve also got Photo: Lucasfilm Thandie Newton as a character about whom we know nothing, other than that she seems to tolerate zero nonsense Photo: Lucasfilm and maybe this little multi-armed alien dude? But that looks an awful lot like an Imperial behind him, so maybe hes working for the bad guys? Speaking of which: It doesnt show up in this trailer, but in last nights commercial spot, we learned that the franchise is sticking to the pre-Disney story that Han at some point works for the Empire before setting out on his own. And that does it for the team montage. Or does it? Photo: Lucasfilm Next, we see Han in what appears to be the obligatory Cantina knockoff. Boh-ring. Photo: Lucasfilm A-ha, we have one more member of the team to get to, perhaps the most important one: noted bandolier model and Porg murderer Chewbacca! Give us a growl, buddy. Photo: Lucasfilm Lando and the droid are in a ship and do Landos little two-finger salute from Return of the Jedi, which I will admit to doing multiple times every day. Photo: Lucasfilm Were in a space club of some kind, where a performer wears a gold dress and headgear that looks like itd fit right in on Slave to the Rhythmera Grace Jones. Next to her is a gross little creature in a floating jar, presumably part of the act. Im sure the songs good, but itll never top Lapti Nek from the theatrical cut of Return of the Jedi. Photo: Lucasfilm Qira is also present, sporting what looks like an intergalactic LBD and a slightly frizzy perm. Photo: Lucasfilm Now we seem to be back on that Cape Cod planet, where Han has run afoul of a bunch of armored dudes who look like they were designed by late-period Jack Kirby. I mean that as a very high compliment. Photo: Lucasfilm Our heroes fly away from some nasties in yet another ship. Im guessing the array of vehicles in this sucker will rival that of any flick starring the Family. Photo: Lucasfilm I might be the only person who knows what you really are, Qira tells Han. Whats that? he replies with a laugh. The answer is, of course, A guy who looks and sounds absolutely nothing like Harrison Ford. Photo: Lucasfilm Han & Co. make a getaway yet again while tailed by some Imperials in a pretty rad-looking space cloud. As the Bard would say: exit, pursued by a Photo: Lucasfilm crowd of TIE Fighters the likes of which we havent seen before. As was the case with lots of Imperial stuff in Rogue One, we just have to assume this techs absence in the Original Trilogy implies that the Empire used up the last of the line by films end. Photo: Lucasfilm No one can believe the stunt that Hans about to pull off, especially Lando, whos giving us one of the all-time great Star Wars facial expressions here. Photo: Lucasfilm But pull it off Han does, although I have to say, the maneuver is somewhat underwhelming. Then again, I crave constant stimulation and am only satisfied when everything is extremely high-octane, because I have a problem. Photo: Lucasfilm Han gets cocky, against his own future advice. Photo: Lucasfilm And sure enough, his cockiness is rewarded by a flight into a series of enormous space tentacles. If youre into tentacle erotica, Solo will clearly be the Star Wars film youve always waited for. Dewayne Lee Sloan is the second person arrested and charged in the capital murder of Darius Allen. He's being held in the Limestone County jail without bond. Athens Police tell WAAY 31 they're now investigating how Sloan ties into the murder. Antonio Shalamar Jacobs was arrested and charged as well on Wednesday. Slaon's neighbor, Robert Brown doesn't know him that well, but Brown said he has helped him out. "He needed a ride sometimes and he gave him some gas money and I'll give him a ride. He kept trying to work and make some money and doing good by buying birthday presents for his cousins and stuff," said Robert Brown. Athens Police said they believe Sloan has a criminal record. On Friday WAAY 31 learned the motive behind Darius Allen's murder. Investigators said they believe Allen's wife and Antonio Jacobs were in a relationship. Allen found out and was upset. Last weekend, someone shot into Jacob's home. Jacobs blamed Allen for the shooting. On Tuesday, Jacob shot Allen at the corner of Highway 72 and Browns Ferry Street. Allen's minivan then crashed into a utility pole. Now, investigators are tying together exactly how Sloan was involved. Brown was surprised to learn Sloan could be connected to the murder. "When he came up on TV, I said that looks like Janell's son. My wife said yeah. But with those mug shot pictures, it's kind of hard to tell. I'm sorry it happened to him and everyone else,"Brown said. Despite everything, Brown is ready to give Dewayne Sloan a second chance. "When he gets out and he needs some help, he's welcome to come and see me," Brown said. Six people are in jail in connection to a murder in Winchester, Tennessee. One of the suspects was found and arrested across the state line here in Madison County. A Franklin County Tennessee grand jury indicted the suspects for the murder of 50 year old James Wood of Winchester. Wood was reported as missing in January. A search of his home lead to the discovery of his remains. The other five suspects were found and arrested in Colorado. Shawn Hampton was found and arrested in Madison County Friday night. The suspects are facing various charges, ranging from abuse of a corpse to conspiracy to commit murder. A disturbing post gone viral on social media could get the people re-posting it in hot water. That applies even to people who are trying to point out how disgusting they find the original post. Huntsville police tell WAAY 31 what the people who have seen it and are sharing it need to know. HPD said while people may have good intentions about trying to expose the man -- they are also re-victimizing the victim. For those that are unfamiliar -- a video of a young girl giving oral sex to an adult man has been going around on Facebook and other social media platforms. Law enforcement is urging to stop sharing this video as they say this is committing another crime in doing so. Under alabama 13a-12-191, 192, 200.3, or 200.5 receiving and viewing it is a class c felony, re-disseminating it is a class b felony and the sender has the potential of becoming a registered sex-offender upon conviction. HPD also added that the well networked law enforcement community pulls multiple resources together to get an offender identified -- and resending that video can be harmful to the case of identifying the offender, They say that resending the video over and over does not help law enforcement act any faster -- and they can act just as fast without help from the public. Huntsville police tells us this is being investigated by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation. (AP) An Alabama town is taking pride in its new Big Bass monument. The state tourism agency awarded a grant to commission the statue in Eufaula. The hook? Celebrating Eufaulas claim that its the Big Bass Capital of the World. At 12 feet tall, the fish is a big catch. Bass fishing draws thousands of people to Lake Eufaula each year. The Big Bass joins other notable unusual monuments in Alabama, including a coon dog in Cherokee and the boll weevil in Enterprise. Two men are in a Shoals jail cell after authorities said they found them with an estimated quarter of a million dollars worth of methamphetamine. Bertario Navarrette Santana, 33, of Norcross, Ga., and Jose Eduardo Jimenez-Sanchez, 27, of Yucaipa, Calif., were arrested on River Road in Colbert County Friday. Colbert County Drug Task Force agents arrested the two men after getting a tip from Madison-Morgan County HIDTA Drug Task Force agents that they could be moving a large amount of "ice" methamphetamine through the area. Agents said they found seven pounds of the drug hidden in a speaker box behind the driver's seat. Both men are in the U.S. illegally, authorities said. They had Georgia and California identification, but authorities said they believe the IDs are fake. Authorities are working to determine where the men were heading and where they picked up the drugs from. They said they don't believe it was their first time running meth in the area. Santana and Jimenez-Sanchez are being held in the Colbert County Jail on $50,000 bonds for trafficking meth. Key members of Federal Parliaments national security committee are backing a move to use the committees powers to publish an explosive book on Chinese Communist Party influence in Australia. Committee chair and Liberal MP Andrew Hastie and deputy chair Anthony Byrne, a Labor MP, are among those supporting the move despite the potential for diplomatic fall-out, according to multiple sources. Author Clive Hamilton who has written a book on Chinese Communist Party influence. Credit:Rohan Thomson Fairfax Media has also confirmed that the office of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been briefed on the deliberations of the committee and has no objection to it publishing the manuscript. Two major publishers ditched the manuscript, by a professor of public ethics at Charles Sturt University, Professor Clive Hamilton, citing fears Beijing or its proxies would launch legal action. A Perth couple have been banned from owning or caring for a dog for two years after being sentenced on animal cruelty charges. Amanda and Charles Boudville were also fined $6000 in Joondalup Magistrates Court last Friday for their inhumane treatment of three dogs. Chloe was found entangled by her neck, chest and legs in shade cloth attached to the back fence, preventing her from accessing food and drink. Credit:RSPCA WA. Two dogs, Milo and Chloe, were seized from the couple in December 2016 after an RSPCA inspector responded to a cruelty report from a concerned member of the public about two dogs at an abandoned property. The third dog, Hikari, was seized from the couple in April 2017 at a different address. Fort Polk, LA (71446) Today Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 86F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 72F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. After Pullout of Afghanistan, US Marks 20 Years Since 9/11 Close Get email notifications on Lisa Neff daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. Whenever Lisa Neff posts new content, you'll get an email delivered to your inbox with a link. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Those who sit out the mid-term elections this year will abet Trump and the GOP in hijacking our constitution and country. On February 6, in accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh Republic), the OSCE Mission will conduct a planned monitoring of the ceasefire regime on the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, to the north-west from Seysulan village of the Martakert region. From the positions of the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh, the monitoring will be conducted by Field Assistants to the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (CiO) Ghenadie Petrica (Moldova) and Ognjen Jovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), as well as staff member of the Office of the CiO Personal Representative Martin Schuster (Germany). From the opposite side of the Line of Contact, the monitoring will be conducted by Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk and his Field Assistant Mihail Olaru (Moldova). The authorities of the Republic of Artsakh have expressed their readiness to assist in conducting the monitoring and to ensure the security of the OSCE Mission members. NEW YORK (AP) - The government's key witness in its bribery case against a former top aide to Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he participated in bribery schemes with his longtime friend. Todd Howe began his testimony Monday morning as prosecutors try to prove 48-year-old Joseph Percoco accepted over $300,000 in bribes from three businessmen. Peroco's lawyers say the longtime aide and Cuomo confidant did nothing wrong. Howe says he joined bribery schemes with Percoco from 2010 to 2016. He says he hired Percoco out of college three decades ago and considered him the closest thing to a brother he's had. Howe says he wanted to help when Percoco told him he had financial problems in 2014. Howe pleaded guilty in 2016 to federal crimes including bribery and corruption. He is awaiting sentencing. (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) Lafayette police arrested a man after he stole a semi. It happened around 11:30 a.m. Sunday. According to LPD, Kyle Stout stole the semi and drove it from a Lafayette business. He left the semi in the 2700 block of Tristan Drive in Lafayette. That's where police were called after they said Stout caused minor property damage in the area. He was caught between County Roads 450 and 500 South. A utility pole and power breaker were damaged. As part of the official visit of the President of the National Council of Switzerland Mr. Dominique de Buman, the Development Foundation of Armenia organized the Armenia-Switzerland business talk in Yerevan. About 35 businessmen from both countries, including Swiss entrepreneurs operating or intending to operate in Armenia, attended the meeting. The participants of the Armenian-Swiss business meeting mainly represent the pharmaceutical, IT, financial, wine-making, tourism, and transport sectors. The official launch of the business mission was made by the participation of Swiss National Council Chairman Mr. Dominique de Buman, RA Vice Prime Minister Mr. Vache Gabrielyan, Chairman of the Armenian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce Mr. Mike Baronian and CEO of the DFA Mr. Armen Avak Avakian. "We met with the Prime Minister of Armenia in Davos, where among the important issues we discussed agriculture, industrial equipment, and other economic sectors. For the first time I was in Armenia 10 years ago and, of course, I can note the economic movement, liberalization that exists in Armenia", noted Dominique de Buman, President of the National Council of Switzerland. We have a very interesting strategic location, we have placement of our country within several interesting grading regimes, that gives our country unique advantages and we believe that these unique advantages will be also very interesting for Swiss businesses, noted Vache Gabrielyan, the Vice Prime Minister of Armenia. "The businessmen from Switzerland are mainly from IT, tourism and wine-making spheres, around 30 Armenian businessmen are taking part in B2B discussions. These three spheres are today's priority", noted Armen Avak Avakian, the DFA CEO. Swiss businessmen were introduced to Armenia's business environment, trade regimes, free economic zones, sectors with investment potential, as well as the recorded achievements in winemaking, tourism, and IT sectors. The success stories of winemaking St. Jakobs Kellerei 1694 and pharmaceutical Azad Pharma companies, operating in Armenia, were presented during the meeting. Today a new salt workshop was opened in Yerevan with the participation of the Swiss side. Drunkenness and cosmology in Sufi poetry {{youtube:medium|uGDcGjzB9ng}} Oludamini Ogunnaike tentatively ushers the words to the poem he has translated from Sufi master Shaykh Ibrahim Niasses collection The Light of Truth. The Holy is not seen with the naked eye, but rather with the eye of blindness and obliteration and annihilation and effacement, he reads. When he stumbles with the English, it is his knowledge of how the Arabic flows that causes hesitation. In Arabic, the words, sounds and cadences are said to demarcate paths toward God. Ogunnaike, W&M associate professor of religious studies, is curator of the online West African Sufi Poetry Project. Its goal is to document the Sufi poetry that informs the spiritual lives of millions of Muslims in West Africa who subscribe to the Sufi branch of Islam. Sufi poems, whether those performed by street rappers or those of the spiritual masters, share many features, Ogunnaike explained. They tend to be circular in structure, reflecting the night journey to Jerusalem, then to heaven, then back to earth of the prophet Muhammad as guide for the individual path toward human perfection and realization. They tout spiritual feats of the journey. They often use the idea of drunkenness as a metaphor for divine love and the ecstasy of experiencing divine love, Ogunnaike said. Thats what all Sufis are seeking, intimacy with God, sincerity, he continued. But its not a fixed target. If you think you have caught God, thats not God. Thats your idea of God. Ogunnaike lives the faith he investigates. He sees no conflict. The life of a scholar helps him be a better Muslim by keeping him dissatisfied with simple ideas, he said. Being a Muslim helps him be objective about his own insights and experiences, he added. When I read a poem like this, I feel something, Ogunnaike said. Ive had people who dont understand Arabic tell me they hear the poem and they feel something. Whether or not his English translation will induce similar experiences, he is realistically skeptical. His efforts will help generate greater understanding of the genre, he believes. He continues to read: "If the drunk dances or gets carried away singing that is from ecstasy, he is being sanctified from confusion. Going astray in the Essence of God is the essence of guidance ." Read more about Ogunnaike's work in this recent W&M News story. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page Framatome 'ideal partner', says Lightbridge CEO 05 February 2018 Share Framatome is the best partner for Lightbridge for developing, licensing and commercialising nuclear fuel assemblies based on its technology, the company's president and CEO Seth Grae told World Nuclear News. Speaking shortly after the companies announced their Enfission joint venture, he said they intend Enfission to become a major player in the international nuclear industry. The Enfission joint venture was launched on 25 January following the signing last September of a binding agreement between Areva and Lightbridge. Framatome was formed recently from the spin-off of Areva Group's nuclear reactor operations and is owned by the EDF Group (75.5%), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (19.5%) and Assystem (5%). "In many ways I view Framatome as the ideal partner," Grae said last week. "We did speak with all of their competitors. We did decide that the company now called Framatome was our first choice to be our partner and we were very happy that initially everything progressed well enough that it was clear that they could be, and we went forward only with them. "Some of their competitors were definitely willing to go forward, but it's more in Framatome's DNA that they're entrepreneurial, that they like new technology," Grae said. "They started as a licensee of technology. They've always been open both to developing their own technology and taking technology from others, partnering with others, and enhancing it." Intellectual property Lightbridge announced last week it has been awarded key patents in both Europe and China related to its metallic fuel design. The patents - valid until 2034 - follow notices of allowances that were issued last year by the European Patent Office and China's State Intellectual Property Office. The patents cover an alternative embodiment of a multi-lobe fuel rod design; an all-metal pressurised water reactor (PWR) fuel assembly design incorporating multi-lobe fuel rods based in the alternative embodiment; and an all-metal PWR fuel assembly design incorporating multi-lobe fuel rods arranged into a mixed grid pattern; thereby covering the all-metal fuel assembly design after the most recent optimisation. In addition, Lightbridge has received a notice of allowance in China related to the manufacturing process for its fuel rods and covers a co-extrusion manufacturing method for the multi-lobe metallic fuel rods via the casting route. Grae said, "These latest patents are a critical step in solidifying our intellectual protection around the world as we gear up for commercialisation through Enfission." Referring to Areva's work with Belgium's Belgonucleaire to develop the MIMAS process for fabricating mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel, Grae said: "That's a very good model for what we are doing and Framatome really is the only company in the world that has done something like that. Everyone else has only ever used the same uranium dioxide fuel - with slight tweaks - as existed at the beginning of the industry." He said Enfission will complete the commercial design of the Lightbridge fuel. "Framatome brings massive capacity to that effort that Lightbridge does not have in terms of decades of intellectual property development and operating experience on the chemistry of fuel and reactors." Lightbridge's fuel is made from a zirconium-uranium alloy and uses a unique composition and fuel rod geometry, which the company says offers improvements to the economics, efficiency and safety of existing and new nuclear power plants. The first lead test rod of the Lightbridge fuel is expected to be loaded into a US reactor around 2021, Grae said. "We believe we know which reactor that is," he noted. Enfission anticipates having a letter of intent for lead test assemblies by 2023, with the loading of a partial or full core of assemblies by 2026. Grae said that under the joint venture agreement, manufacturing will initially be contracted by Lightbridge to Framatome in the USA, but Enfission will sell the fuel. "Initially there would be a pilot-scale fuel fabrication facility - most likely co-located with existing Framatome facilities in the US - and then a commercial-scale fuel fabrication facility could be an expansion of that initial line or it could be greenfield, it could be something new," he said. "Most likely it will be an existing Framatome site in Washington State but that decision is not made yet. Lightbridge plans to conduct full irradiation testing of fabricated fuel samples under commercial reactor operating conditions in a pressurised water loop at the Halden reactor in Norway. However, it is also considering doing some irradiation testing at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in the USA. The Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) at INL was restarted in November after being offline for 23 years. "All of a sudden the USA can do transient testing at the TREAT reactor - in effect severe accident testing, where you can mimic Fukushima-, Chernobyl- or Three Mile Island-type conditions and see how the fuel does," Grae said. "We very much want to do that." "We believe our fuel will come through with flying colours and we have reasons we believe that. Very strong reasons," he said. "So we are very serious about testing it under those conditions." Grae is confident that a market exists for its fuel design. "Having a product that significantly improves the economics and safety of existing or new build reactors is something utilities are very interested in," he said. "If there are some more entrepreneurial American utilities that are willing to be first and demonstrate this in their plants, then it's a lot easier to enter those markets." However, he acknowledged there are some markets the company simply cannot reach at the current time because, "for their own reasons", they might not base such decisions on purely commercial considerations. "I think in the end we will reach them, either through exporting and building new production facilities in some countries, and eventually perhaps licensing to, or partnering with, entities in other countries." Lightbridge fuel has significant safety advantages, particularly in design basis loss-of-coolant accidents, Grae said. On its economic benefits, he said: "In the cost per unit of electricity generated, this is a significantly lower-cost fuel. If you look at just the cost of buying the fuel itself, it costs more because there is more uranium enrichment in the fuel, and uranium enrichment cost money. So, in a sense, per fuel rod you pay more but the fuel rods last longer and every day they are in the reactor they generate more electricity. It's a significant economic benefit that this fuel brings to [utilities'] reactors, unlike anything the industry has ever seen." Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics BP service station. (File photo) LONDON, UK: BP plc and Shandong Dongming Petrochemical Group (Dongming Petrochemical) have signed a joint venture agreement to develop a leading branded retail fuels and convenience business covering the Chinese provinces of Shandong, Henan and Hebei. The partnership with Dongming Petrochemical will start operations in 2018 and the network is expected to grow to 500 sites in 10 years. BP has a 49 percent equity share of the joint venture and Dongming Petrochemical the remaining 51 percent. BP already has over 740 retail sites in China through existing joint ventures. With this agreement is part of a focused growth strategy that will see BP continue to expand its retail presence in China through both new and existing partnerships, bringing its leading offer to customers across the country. BP currently operates more than 740 dual-branded retail stations in Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces with partners China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) respectively. Across this network, BP serves 400,000 customers and sells over 12 million litres of gasoline and diesel every day. New market growth is one of the key strategic priorities for BPs fuels marketing business. Our retail business offers customers a differentiated experience through our brand, high-quality products and services, said Tufan Erginbilgic, BPs chief executive for downstream. This joint venture plans to create a modern retail fuelling network, delivering high-quality customer experiences and contributing to a safer, cleaner and more efficient industry in China. Building our retail presence in China supports our goal to grow our earnings in the Downstream, added Erginbilgic. China offers exciting opportunities for growth for the BP group. Dongming Petrochemical is a strong local partner and we are pleased to be working with them to expand our footprint into Shangdong, Henan and Hebei, which are among the fastest-growing Chinese provinces, said Dev Sanyal, BPs executive vice president regions, including Asia. I believe our strategic partnership will further promote the in-depth reform of the retail sector in China. I also look forward to a sound development of mutual benefit and complementary advantages, added Xiangping Li, chairman of Dongming Petrochemical. Worldofchemicals News First row (left to right): Alix Jiang, business director, Shanghai Huaxi; Zhiyuan Ji, general manager of Shanghai Huaxi; Thomas Wenger, head of Clariant BU catalysts, China, Kevin Chen, head of market segment methanol/hydrogen, Clariant BU catalysts. SHANGHAI, CHINA: Clariant International Ltd said that its catalysts business unit has formed a strategic alliance with Shanghai Huaxi Chemical Industry Science & Technology Co Ltd, regarding hydrogen production projects in China. According to the agreement, Clariant's catalysts will be qualified and recommended for Shanghai Huaxi's medium temperature shift (MTS) process licenses. Clariant will provide a range of catalysts for reforming, hydrodesulfurization, and the water gas shift process. The deal combines Shanghai Huaxi's advanced process technology with Clariant's state-of-the-art catalysts to provide a highly efficient and economical solution for hydrogen producers. Shanghai Huaxi is a leading chemistry and technology enterprise with extensive experience in hydrogen production. The companys sophisticated hydrogen production technology increases production rate per unit of raw feedstock while decreasing overall energy consumption. Furthermore, the process reduces manufacturing and equipment costs by simplifying MTS inlet temperature control and waste heat boiler (WHB) design. Clariant brings a long history in hydrogen production to the partnership, along with highly active catalysts and adsorbents designed to maximize productivity and efficiency. As per the agreement, Shanghai Huaxi will recommend Clariant's ReforMax series catalysts for the reforming process, and HDMax series catalysts for the hydrodesulfurization of the feed stream. For the water gas shift process, Shanghai Huaxi will endorse Clariant's high-performance ShiftMax 300 catalyst in all awarded projects. ShiftMax 300 is a copper/zinc medium temperature shift (MTS) catalyst with highly dispersed and extremely stable copper crystallites. The catalyst's unique design ensures high reaction rates at low temperatures such as 185C, as well as an excellent performance at low steam-to-carbon ratios. Thanks to its high copper content and optimized dispersion properties, ShiftMax 300 offers high sulfur resistance without affecting catalyst activity. The catalyst's robust domed structure and the special calcination procedure ensure outstanding thermal stability at elevated temperatures of up to 325C, as well as a steady pressure drop. Together, these features make ShiftMax 300 ideally suited for water-gas shift reaction conditions. "At Shanghai Huaxi, we are always looking for ways to further boost the benefits of our hydrogen production technologies. With Clariant, we have found the right partner to do so. Their catalysts perfectly complement and enhance our processes, so that we can offer even greater efficiency to hydrogen producers with more value," said Zhiyuan Ji, general manager of Shanghai Huaxi Chemical Industry Science & Technology Co Ltd. "Earlier in 2017, Shanghai Huaxi and Clariant agreed to collaborate in several new hydrogen projects. Now, we are very pleased to be intensifying our partnership with such an experienced industry leader. Our combined strengths in MTS hydrogen production, and an equal commitment to service will bring significant advantages to Chinese customers," added Thomas Wenger, head of business unit catalysts at Clariant in China. Worldofchemicals News Email Sign Up For Our Free Weekly Newsletter Cork - 2,027 Donegal - 1,311 Galway - 1,218 Dublin - 1,119 Mayo - 1,208 Sign Up Free | The WPJ Weekly Newsletter Relevant real estate news. Actionable market intelligence. Right to your inbox every week. Go Thank you for your interest! You will now be receiving our Weekly Real Estate Newsletter. Real Estate Listings Showcase According to Ireland property website Daft.ie, searches for properties that qualify for the new government-backed mortgages surged by over 9% last week following the Government announcement of the scheme.Daft, which has 2.5 million unique users each month, analyzed the impact of the announcement on the properties that fall inside the higher tier (up to 320,000 - in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow), while also evaluating those in the remaining 19 counties at the lower (250,000) threshold.The website recorded a 9% week-on-week increase in overall searches for the qualifying properties in the wake of the announcement.Searches for those in the higher tier increased by 11% week-on-week, while searches for those in the lower threshold were up 7%.The research also uncovered that 13% (2,027) of all properties available in Ireland that qualify are located in Cork city & county.Donegal has 9% of the total stock, while Galway city & county (8%) and Dublin city & county (7%) were next best.Commenting on the data; Martin Clancy from Daft.ie said, "We are now seeing on average over 1,000 property searches taking place every minute on Daft.ie. Overall, our research has revealed that the announcement has had a very definite impact on the property searches users are now making. Our data also revealed that Monaghan has the fewest number of properties available that qualify for the new scheme while Wicklow has the lowest number available in the top price bracket (up to 320,000)."Number of properties available for sale that qualify for the new first-time buyers Government-backed mortgages - by county (Top 5): A married man messed with the wrong person when he began having a sexual relationship with a married woman. Ese Idehen of Benin City, Nigeria, was accused of having an affair with the wife of a police sergeant. The sergeant who was identified as Nagbama Osakpamwan Eboigbe was unhappy with the relationship and allegedly hired a group of thugs who waited for Idehen to arrive at his home. When Idehen and his lover became intimate, the group busted into the home. According to the video of the incident that was uploaded to YouTube, the men kidnapped him and beat him before stealing all of his clothes. Idehen was then placed in the trunk of a car and was abandoned in another area. Idehen hired attorney Jefferson Uwoghiren and is suing Eboigbe who is the sergeant at the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) of the State Command. In the lawsuit, the attorney wrote that the woman and the police sergeant are legally separated. Eboigbe was arrested by officers of the Benin Police Headquarters for brazen abuse of power, criminal abduction, assault, and battery. The suspects who carried out the attack were also arrested. A sister and brother were jailed after police were tipped off to their incestuous relationship. According to court documents, 27-year-old Never Chitisiga and his sister, Christine Mudyanengava, 21, from Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe, were in a sexual relationship. The couple, who have the same mother but different fathers, have 2 children together. The court heard that someone alerted Zengeza Police patrol Officer Simon Kaitano about the incestuous relationship about 2 years ago. However, police were unable to find the couple until recently when Kaitano and his partner were alerted about the couples whereabouts, and the two were arrested. They were charged with having sexual intercourse within the prohibited degree of relationship. Both pleaded guilty to the charges. Magistrate Mr. Oliver Mudzonga Chiso sentenced each of them to 24 months in prison. The may be released from prison after serving 18 months on condition of good behavior. In a January 30 interview with Armenias Shant TV, Armenian Ambassador to Great Britain Armen Sarkissian, nominated by the ruling Republican Party of Armenia as its presidential candidate when the post is vacated this spring, said that his two sons were dual citizens of Britain and Armenia. Nevertheless, Sargsyans 37-year-old son Vardan is not listed in Armenias voter registry. Hayk, Sargsyans 34-year-old son, is listed in the registry, under the same address as his father. Does this mean that Vardan isnt a citizen of Armenia? For clarification, Hetq spoke to Mnatsakan Bichakhchyan, who heads the Police Departments Division of Passports and Visas. He said the Voter Registry contains data on those citizens that have a registered residency address in Armenia. But there are also unregistered individuals in the registry who are also regarded as Armenian citizens. For example, persons who were born in another country, but whose parents were citizens of Armenia. In addition, individuals registered in another country can also carry an Armenian passport. These people are listed in the State Population Registry (SPR) and not the Voter Registry (VR). Information in the SPR, however, isnt available to the public as is the case with the VR. One can only obtain such information with the consent of the individual in question. Armen Sarkissian office claims that Vardan is listed in the SPR, not the VR. Vardan and Hayk were probably first introduced to public scrutiny due to an October 15,2016 article on their mother Nouneh Sarkissian that appeared in the English Daily Mail newspaper. The paper reads: Her sons feel British, she says, though they are still proud of their roots. This got reporters in Armenia asking questions about the familys ties to Armenia. I believe my wife answered correctly, saying that, yes, the boys spent the bulk of their formative years in Britain, and since they are British, the answer was correct. But theres a small mistake in the translation. I believe my wife said they are proud Armenians, Armen Sarkissian said in the Shant TV interview. Nouneh Sarkissian, Armens wife, also isnt listed in Armenias Voter Registry. She also holds dual British and Armenian citizenship. Correction After the publication of the article it turns out that Armen Sarkissians wife is indeed registered in Armenias Voter Registry, but under the name of Nounoufar Sarkissian. Hetq was looking under the name of Nouneh Sarkissian. Top photo: Nouneh with husband Armen, sons Hayk (left) and Vartan, Vartans wife Michael Rae and grandchildren Savannah and Armen Calls for stricter airgun licensing in Wales after increase of air gun attacks on animals This article is old - Published: Monday, Feb 5th, 2018 An animal welfare charity is calling for mandatory licensing of airguns, as shocking new figures show an increase in calls about attacks on animals using such weapons across Wales. RSPCA Cymru say that in 2017 there were 70 calls an increase from 2016 alleging attacks have included wild birds, cats, wild mammals and dogs amongst others. A total of 404 calls have been made reporting similar incidents over the past six years. Three such incidents were reported in Wrexham, with a total of 17 calls made to the RSPCA since 2012 regarding air gun incidents. However these figures are lower than many other authorities across Wales. Over the past 12 months the areas where reported airgun incidents have been the most prominent are Conwy (8) Carmarthenshire (7) and The Vale of Glamorgan (10). In February 2017 Rusty the cat from Barry died on a veterinarians recovery table after being shot by an air rifle. An x-ray scan revealed a pellet in the cats back, and sadly Rusty did not make it through the recovery stages following surgery. Now RSPCA Cymru has said it wants to see England and Wales follow the lead of Scotland, where airgun owners and users have been required to have a licence since 1 January 2017. The UK Government announced a review into air gun ownership rules after a 13-year-old boy, Benjamin Wragg, died after being shot by an airgun. Paul Smith, RSPCA Cymrus public affairs manager, said: The review around the regulation of air weapons is welcomed by the RSPCA and we hope our submission to the UK Government will help demonstrate the scale of calls to us every year and remind decision-makers it is important to protect animals as well as people. It is heartbreaking that such a tragic incident has sparked this review and our thoughts go out to Benjamins family and friends, but we hope that any future regulation of these weapons in England and Wales will better protect people and animals. The RSPCA has long been calling for stricter controls over airguns as well as better education and explanation of the law for those buying one. Our 24-hour cruelty hotline receives hundreds of calls every year reporting airgun attacks on animals. Animals can suffer horrendous injuries and often die as a result of airgun attacks and these weapons are potentially extremely dangerous for people as well. The RSPCA and British Association for Shooting & Conservation plan to stage a joint conference this spring to bring together key stakeholders from industry, the police, animal charities and more to try to identify the scale of the problem and find practical solutions. The penalties faced if caught deliberately using an airgun to injure an animal can be up to six months in prison and/or an unlimited fine if found guilty under the Animal Welfare Act. Legislation in Scotland and Northern Ireland requires anyone who possesses, purchases or uses an air weapon to have a licence. Incidents in which an animal has been shot or targeted by someone using an airgun should contact the RSPCAs national cruelty line on 0300 1234 999. Inaugural Town Forum dinner deemed great success This article is old - Published: Monday, Feb 5th, 2018 Local businesses and representatives from the public and privates sectors joined together last week to take part in the inaugural Wrexham Town Centre Forum Dinner. Held at Hafod Restaurant in Coleg Cambria on Thursday 1st February, the evening was the first of its kind for the area. Organised by Alex Jones (owner of The Bank Wine Bar and Bistro) and Sam Regan (owner of The Lemon Tree), the newly elected Chairmen of the Town Centre Forum and Town Centre Steering Group, the event aimed to shine a spotlight on the resurgence of positivity in the town centre and create an opportunity to build bridges and network. Both Alex and Sam were elected to their new roles in autumn 2017 and already using their influence as established business owners to bring people together from the both the public and private sectors to help achieve common goals, including regeneration of the town centre. Thursdays event brought together more than 50 Town centre traders and representatives from local businesses, attendees also included Mr Ian Lucas MP, local town centre councillors, Wrexham County Borough council officers and the leader of Wrexham Council (to name a few!). Wrexham.com also attended. The evening started with a short address from Alex Jones, who in his relaxed and jovial way encouraged all to mingle and network, pointing out that the aim was to get people talking who may not have met before, to start a new era of communication and collaboration while recognising the commercial intent for those conducting business in the town. Alex also pointed out key individual guests, such as Town Centre Managers Amanda Davies and Rachel Cupit, Lead Member Mark Pritchard, Strategic Director for WCBC Lee Robinson and Mr Ian Lucas MP inviting local businesses to use the opportunity to network and introduce themselves something that was evident throughout the evening. Sam Regan, who also Chairs This is Wrexham Tourism Partnership, spoke about the thriving tourism economy within Wrexham and the work that This is Wrexham are doing to support the tourism industry locally and regionally. Lee Robinson, strategic director for Wrexham Council, spoke of an apparent historic disconnect between the private and public sectors, something that is being tackled by a more pro-active council and organisations such as the Town Centre Forum. Mr Robinson praised the commercial outlook of the evening, adding that he hoped such commercial activities were also in the realm of the local authority. David Cupit, who is soon to be appointed operations Manager for Ty Pawb, informed guests of progress and the opportunities that the centre will bring to the town and along with the theme of those present, said he was open to any contact either then on the night or in the future. Andy Woods, director of catering at Coleg Cambria, gave information on what the college are doing to integrate into the community and how they can support the business community. The catering and service from Coleg Cambria staff and students (top picture) was widely praised during and after the event. The dinner was drawn to a close by a short farewell by Alex, but as a testament to the success of evening, guests remained for some time to continue networking and developing new and exciting opportunities. The overwhelming consensus was when can we do it again? Speaking after the event, an enthusiastic Alex Jones said: It was a great evening. From the moment we announced the event was going to take place, the response has been unprecedented. It proves the significant progress that has been made in such a short space of time, and the want of everyone to work together to make Wrexham great again. Sam Regan, added: It was amazing to see everyone coming together, and having open dialog about the Town centre. For me its all about communication, and this event really helped to bring people together. It gives us confidence as a Forum that we are heading in the right direction for the future of Wrexham. (Pics via Ginger Pixie photography / our own shots) Scrapping of Right to Buy scheme in Wales given Royal Assent This article is old - Published: Monday, Feb 5th, 2018 Landmark legislation abolishing the Right to Buy housing policy will come into force in Wrexham and across Wales. The Bill, which was granted Royal Assent at the end of January, aims to protect housing stock and incentivise the building of new social housing. Introduced in the 1980s, the Right to Buy scheme allows tenants of council houses and some housing associations the legal right to buy their property at a discount. Between 1981 and 2016, over 139,000 local authority and housing association homes were sold off under the Right to Buy across Wales. Locally, over 6,000 council homes have been sold since the creation of Wrexham County Borough in 1996, with many ending up in the private rented sector. However plans to axe the scheme across Wales were unveiled in 2016 as part of the Welsh Governments first year legislative priorities. At the end of last month an official Sealing Ceremony saw the Abolition of the Right to Buy and Associated Rights (Wales) Bill became an Act of the Assembly. Wrexhams Assembly Member Lesley Griffiths, who is a long-time supporter of the legislation, said: Constituents regularly contact my office with housing issues but this Welsh Government Bill will help provide safe, secure and affordable housing for people who are unable to buy or rent a home of their own. It will give local authorities and housing associations the confidence to invest in new developments, safe in the knowledge these homes will not be at risk of being sold after only a few years. I am pleased Welsh Labour is continuing to deliver on its manifesto commitments. As well as ending Right to Buy, the Welsh Labour Government is committed to investing in housing, pledging to create 20,000 more affordable homes by 2021. This Bill was introduced last March, following a White Paper consultation in 2015, and now passed, abolishes all variations of the Right to Buy, including the Preserved Right to Buy and the Right to Acquire. Right to Buy will finally be abolished on the 26 January 2019 for existing properties, one year after Royal Assent. But to encourage investment in new homes, the rights will end for homes that are new to the social housing stock, and therefore have no existing tenants, two months after Royal Assent, on the 24th of March 2018. Window dressing competition and parade announced for Wrexhams St Davids Day celebrations! This article is old - Published: Monday, Feb 5th, 2018 Local businesses are being invited to take part in a window display competition for this years St Davids Day celebrations. Organised by Menter Iaith Fflint a Wrecsam shops and businesses across the area can take part in the competition, which will celebrate all things Welsh. Judging of the competition will take place on February 23rd, with the winning display winning a prize. Anyone interested in taking place in the window dressing competition should contact Menter Iaith Fflint a Wrecsam on siwan@menterfflintwrecsam.cymru or on 01352 744040 by Monday 12th February. Details of the annual parade through the town centre have also been announced with the streets of Wrexham due to be transformed into a sea of celebrations on Thursday 1st March. Taking place between 1pm and 2pm the parade will go through the town centre before ending at Queens Square where plenty of singing has been promised! You can view our video of last years St Davids Day parade, below! Maltas newly appointed Ambassador to Armenia Meli Daudey today presented copies oif her diplomatic credentials to Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian in Yerevan. Ambassador Daudey (residence Warsaw) told Nalbandian that she would spare no effort to expand ties between the two countries. Recounting his meeting last December with Maltese Minister of Foreign Affairs Carmelo Abela, Nalbandian said he was certain that the agreements reached then would be implemented and would support political dialog between Malta and Armenia and cooperation during their work in international organizations. Amtrak Train 91, the Silver Star, crashed into a CSX freight train at 2:35 a.m. Sunday morning in Cayce, South Carolina, near Columbia. The passenger train was improperly routed onto a siding where the freight train was stored, resulting in the collision. Train 91 was traveling at 50 miles per hour, below the allowed speed limit. The locomotives of both trains were practically destroyed, while the passenger cars of Train 91 largely stayed upright and intact, except for the cafe/lounge car, which was bent in two. The Amtrak trains engineer, Michael Kempf, 54, of Savannah, Georgia, and conductor Michael Cella, 36, of Orange Park, Florida, were killed, and at least 116 passengers were injured. The location of the collision has an automobile unloading facility, where vehicles are loaded or unloaded from railcars, adjacent to the main track that the Amtrak train would use. Initial reports indicate that the freight train crew had completed work on their train in the siding and exited from the equipment. Yet the switch from the main track towards the parked freight train was somehow improperly lined, for reasons that are not yet clear. At the same time, CSX signal maintenance crews were conducting work in the area that had suspended the signal system along the route. The cause of the suspension is not yet clear, but while suspended, other rules would have been in effect and extra workers were likely in the region as part of the work. As with many accidents, the lack of Positive Train Control (PTC) will be called into question. PTC connects signaling information with GPS and other data to provide a system in the cab of locomotives that can halt train movement in certain circumstances. The present signal system may have been suspended as part of the PTC installation, which has a December 31, 2018 mandate for installation. Yet, PTC does not prevent everything that could go wrong, and there are many far more basic improvements that are lacking from freight and passenger routes. The switch that was improperly lined in Cayce is a hand-throw switch that a crewmember must manually change. On Amtraks busy Northeast Corridor, all such switches would be automatic, and linked to the signaling system. But across the vast nationwide freight network that Amtrak operates over, there are countless manual switches. In 2005, another deadly crash occurred in Graniteville, South Carolina, where a hand-throw switch was improperly lined, resulting in a freight train running down the wrong track into an Amtrak train. The National Safety Transportation Board (NTSB) report of the incident noted that there was the absence of any feature or mechanism that would have reminded crewmembers of the switch positiona statement that could likely also apply to the Cayce wreck. An investigation of the collision will have to also probe the abysmal conditions at CSX, which was taken over by hedge-fund backed CEO Hunter Harrison in March of 2017. Harrison died in mid-December, but in his short stint managed to eliminate thousands of employees, close and downgrade dozens of facilities, and pull in one of the highest CEO salaries in the US. His appointed successor, Jim Foote, has followed the same path; dispatchers have been forced to relocate to Florida, and yardmaster positions are being eliminated. Many railroad workers have little ability to take any scheduled time off, are at the whim the railroads chaotic 24/7 on-call schedules, and are effectively penalized for taking sick days and holidays. This has led workers to use FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) time. In early January, CSX fired 100 workers who used FMLA time over the Christmas holiday, when the railroad was trying to force everyone to work. Morale among employees is at rock-bottom, and the railroad continues to pursue sudden and ill-planned changes in operation. News reports are widely referring to Sundays crash as the second major Amtrak crash this week, a misleading conflation. On January 31, a chartered Amtrak train carrying Republican members of Congress hit a garbage truck in Crozet, Virginia. The truck had run around the crossing gates, and the trains impact killed a passenger in the truck and injured the driver and another passenger. Realistically, were it not for the politicians on the train, this incident would never be counted as a major crash, as vehicle strikes are tragically common and rarely affect passengers. Yet it is likely that the recent series of Amtrak incidents may, in a perverse irony, lead to more proposals to cut funding, or privatize the system. Amtrak has been eternally starved of funding; its yearly federal aid is equivalent to what the Pentagon spends in a year on a single weapons platform. Nevertheless, management has viciously pursued cost-cutting in accordance with political demands. The new Amtrak CEO, Richard Anderson, was formerly CEO of Delta Airlines and has no railroad experience. The first mark of his tenure was the prompt elimination of student discounts and reduced prices for disabled and senior passengers. Other cuts will no doubt emerge, from within and from without. The Trump Administrations 2018 budget proposed to entirely eliminate funding ($795 million) for long-distance Amtrak trains, which would include the Silver Star. These trains serve hundreds of stations nationwide and are often the only remaining alternative form of transit in the small towns and rural areas they pass through. Long-distance bus routes have been greatly cut back, and rural air travel is scarce and expensive. The House and Senate bills partially restored funding, but schemes to privatize and eventually eliminate the service are likely to emerge. In todays musical climatecharacterized by an endless glut of pop albums that sound like they were crafted in corporate boardrooms and focus group sessionsany pop album delivering a few inspired and original tracks is a cause for minor celebration. This past year, the musician Beck (Beck David Campbell) provided just that with his album Colors. The 11 albums Beck released pior to Colors (2017) blended a dizzying array of genres, resulting in a series of psychedelic funk, soul, folk, hip-hop and and rock infused-anthems that have consistently topped the charts. Colors continues this body of work, with an upbeat blend of contemporary club sounds and ethereal backup vocals (Wow), rock rhythms and piano reminiscent of Ben Folds Five and the Beatles (Dear Life) and harder-edged, electronic-infused rock (Colors). Colors Admittedly, some tracks on the new album, such as Seventh Heaven and Up all Night, are bland and uninspired pop offerings that have the same ubiquitous mass-produced sounds that have crowded FM radio stations for the better part of the past two decades. There are echoes of Becks funk sensibility, but they are diluted by highly predictable melodies and song structure. The track Dreams initially sounds like a promising up-tempo soul track, only to be deflated by the most inane hook imaginable, with Beck singing, Dreams shes making me high, shes making me high. His previous body of work has often showed some unevenness, but one always sensed that despite the successes or failures of Becks songwriting and artistic choices, ubiquitousness was never the issue. Even when Beck failed, he did so with a distinct sound. Colors is somewhat unsettling because it breaks with this trend. The question worth asking is whether this reflects a new stage in his career or a temporary foray deep into mainstream territory. Assessing the uneven quality of Colorsbold multi-genre explorations offset by contemporary pop conformityalso requires a look back at the trajectory of Becks career, including his artistic roots, and how two-and-a-half decades of massive success have cemented his status as both a mainstream and counterculture icon. Born in Los Angeles in 1970, Beck had parents who were deeply involved in the arts and music scene. His father David Campbell is a prodigious arranger, composer and conductor, who has worked on over 450 gold and platinum albums, playing in studio sessions with artists such as Marvin Gaye and Bill Withers, later arranging songs for Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Radiohead, and many others, including his sons. Becks mother Bibbe Hansen is the daughter of Fluxus artist Al Hansen and is herself a performance artist, musician and actress who was part of the Andy Warhol factory in her early days. Needless to say, art in all its forms was an intimate part of the environment Beck grew up in. Beck moved to New York in 1989 at age 19 and became involved in the Anti-Folk scene, which embodied a reaction to some of the strained pretensions of 1960s folk music and popular music in general. He first emerged as a dominant presence on FM radio four years later with the 1993 hit Loser, debuting an explosive fusion of modern sounds that had huge appeal for the 90s generation. The lyrics were chaotic, self-deprecating, slick, ironic, and poetic: You cant write if you cant relate. Trade the cash for the beef, for the body, for the hate. And my time is a piece of wax falling on a termite thats choking on the splinters. His follow-up album Odelay, released in 1996, further integrated elements of hip-hop, country, pop, rock and folk into a highly original sound, and produced three tracks that became instant classics on modern rock and college radio stations: Devils Haircut, Where its At and The New Pollution. Among a long list of later albums, Sea Change (2002) and Morning Phase (2014) were notable for their expansive psychedelic-folk sound. There was an earnestness and depth of feeling on these two albums, released 12 years apart from each other yet sounding like two sides of the same record. The mellow acoustic guitar, piano and soaring string arrangements on Sea Change and Morning Phase are complemented by gritty vocals deal with loss, isolation, acceptance and redemption. On End of the Day, Beck laments; Ive seen the end of the day come too soon. Like the prison dogs they set out after you. You owe nothing to the past but wasted time. To serve a sentence that was only in your mind. In a recent interview with British musical journal New Musical Express about Colors, Beck mused, When you make music for a lot of years ... theres sort of an expectation that youre going to go away. In popular music its built in for people to come and go. There are points where you wonder if youre overstaying your welcome. Its not even insecurity; its trying to be real with yourself. Maybe its a common thing for musiciansat some point you wonder, do you get out of the way? Whens the point when someone taps you on the shoulder and goes, Its time to go home? Hopefully, Beck will extend his welcome on the contemporary music scene by drawing on his creativity to offer listeners the original sounds that have sustained his work over the past two-and-a-half decades. Around 40,000 to 60,000 people demonstrated in London Saturday in defence of the National Health Service (NHS). The demonstration, headlined, NHS in crisisFix it Now, was organised by the Peoples Assembly and the Health Campaigns Together coalition. The march assembled in Gower Street, with protesters marching through central London to Downing Street where a rally was held. The Peoples Assembly is backed by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the UKs two largest trade unionsUnite and Unisonthe Green Party and an assortment of Stalinist and pseudo-left groups. Health Campaigns Together unites various local initiatives in defence of the NHS. The march was significantly smaller than a demonstration called last March by the same organisations, which attracted up to 250,000 people. The lower participation does not represent any lessening of hostility to the governments ongoing destruction of public health care. The march was held under conditions of an ongoing winter crisis, which has seen many people denied basic health care and scores of people dying due to a lack of basic funding and resources. Many who attended brought their own homemade banners in protest at the cuts and demanded more funding for the NHS and an end to its privatisation. The main reason for the decline in numbers was twofold. Despite the pledges by the trade union bureaucracy to organise a fight in defence of the NHS, they have not lifted a finger as the government has intensified its attacks. Many workers did not attend as they have concluded that the unions will not mobilise to defend anything. In 2016, the British Medical Association, agreed a sell-out deal imposing an inferior contract on tens of thousands of striking junior doctors. The doctors had widespread support among other health workers and the working class for their struggle, but the betrayal of the BMA allowed the Tories to go on the offensive against the NHS. The unions did virtually nothing to mobilise their membership in support of Saturdays demonstration. Unison has around 500,000 members employed in the NHS, while Unite boasts of having has 100,000 members across the health sector. The main demands of the organisers were based on pleas to the Conservative government, which has slashed tens of billions from the NHS budget since 2010, to fund the NHS properly. The call for the demonstration stated, The Tories must heed the call of the public, staff and patients alike who demand that #ourNHS is not only funded properly but brought back into public hands away from the waste and demands of shareholders and bankers bonuses. In place of any recognisable national figures, the unions sent people to speak on their behalf who few will have heard of. Speaking on behalf of the Trades Union Congress was Paul Nowak, apparently the organisations deputy general secretary and before that its assistant general secretary. Speaking on behalf of Unison was one Helga Pile and for Unite, its national officer Sarah Carpenter. Speaking on behalf of the Labour Party was Shadow Health Secretary, Jon Ashworth, who has held the position for just 15 months. He was sent because Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and his advisers took the decision that he should absent himself from the protest. Corbyn was featured at last years demonstration as the keynote speaker and told the hundreds of thousands who attended, Weve got the faith, weve got the fight and we are up for it! This rhetoric was in reference to the statement of Aneurin Bevan, who inaugurated the NHS in 1948, that The NHS will last as long as there are folk left with the faith to fight for it. The Peoples Assembly and Health Campaigns Together maintain that the NHS can only be defended by the health unions, while the election of a Corbyn-led Labour government offers the only political road forward. On this basis, Ashworth was introduced as the representative of the government in waiting. In reality, the NHS has been brought to the brink of destruction by decades of attacks by successive Labour and Tory governments. The large-scale introduction of the Conservatives Private Finance Initiative (PFI) into the NHSwhich pioneered its ongoing privatisationwas carried out by the 1997-2010 Labour government. In 2012, the Tories introduced the Health and Social Actwhich removed the responsibility from the Health Secretary to provide a universal healthcare system in England. This has now been in place for six years. A general election is not scheduled to be held until 2022, by which time there will be little left of the NHS to fight for, with more than 20 billion in additional efficiency saving, i.e., savage cuts, set to be imposed. Labour have no intention of lifting a finger in defence of the NHS. Rather, the prospect of a Labour government that will reverse all the attacks on the NHS is being used by Corbyn and his backers among the pseudo-left groups to dampen down and suppress any fightback based on the class struggle and a mass mobilisation of the working class. Last year, Corbyn and his main ally, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, were greeted with genuine enthusiasm by workers who saw his rise to leadership as proof that a genuine fightback was being prepared after years in which Labour was dominated by the Blair and Brownite advocates of the market and privatisation. A year on, Corbyn decided it was more important to address a meeting of party bureaucrats instead of the NHS rally. Instead of fight, workers have been told to wait until Corbyn is comfortably ensconced in Number 10. Corbyn sent a brief video statement to protesters that was meant to be shown on the big screen at the rallys climax, but the organiserswho said it would be the only fitting end to the rallycould not get their act together in order to show it. Had the protesters been given the opportunity to watch the videowhich lasted just 90 secondsthey would have seen Corbyn offer a message that everyone was doing a grand job in protesting on a cold winters day. Corbyn declared, It cant have escaped anyones notice that the NHS is in crisis, but offered nothing other than the prospect of an end to Tory rule in 2022. Declaring that Labour would fight for the NHS, he added that in government the party would end the Tories privatisation and give the NHS and its amazing staff the resources they need. Everyone should apparently celebrate our wonderful National Health Service. World Socialist Web Site reporters spoke to some of those attending Saturdays demonstration in London to defend the National Health Service. Kirsty works as a science editor: She said, The NHS is at crisis point and I think that if we dont act now and invest more, in a few years time it will be too late and past the point of no return. I think we need to stop private companies from being able to make a profit from public services. The collapse of Carillion demonstrates that it is completely immoral to allow a private company to make a profit from a service without taking on any of the associated risk because you cant be allowed to fail. You cant stop cleaning hospitals! You cant stop providing school meals and when the company goes bust the public has to take on the debt. Every penny of profit that a private company makes should be a penny thats invested in an NHS service. Euna Jane Winfield (left) Euna Jane Winfield, an activist fighting in defence of Charing Cross hospital in London said, In 2016, the North West London sustainability and transformation plan (STP) was published and it contained the plan to close Ealing Hospital first and then Charing Cross hospital. It makes no sense. The NHS has lost half its beds in the last 30 years. It cannot go on haemorrhaging like this. A new organisation called an accountable care organisation is about to take control. This is an abomination because it involves the mix of private and public providers and it will muddy the water because every part of the organisation will be bound by contracts, which will not be transparent. They will not be publicly accountable. It is vital that we keep the NHS as a nationally provided publicly funded, publicly provided and publicly accountable service. Alice Alice, who recently underwent treatment in the NHS, said, The NHS saved my life last year and its been deliberately underfunded. The NHS in critical care is first class, but it is in crisis in all other areas and this cannot continue. All other departments are chronically underfunded and its failing us. The government is trying to say they are giving more money, but in real terms its a big cut. We are in this situation every year in winter and the government denies there is a crisis. I know from my own experience in my last admission to hospital I was shifted onto four different wards in five weeks. I was on a waiting list because there were no available beds on the liver ward. Michelle Michelle, who attended the protest with her child and friends, said, The NHS is in crisis because its been massively underfunded. There is a lack of beds, staff are leaving. They are stretched beyond belief and it needs to be funded. We need to spread the message and get everybody to stand up for the NHS and to vote this government out. Kate, who is fighting NHS cuts in Southend, said, I am here today to fight and oppose the merger and cuts that are currently being proposed by the STP (sustainability and transformation plan) in Southend. We have real concerns backed up by clinicians that patients are going to die. There is only one thing that can stop this happening and that is to stop STPs, re-nationalise the NHS, stop privatisation, stop profiteers creaming off the top and ensure that patients come first, not profit. Kate (left) and her friend Julie Austerity measures need to be stopped to end 120,000 excess deaths in the NHS. But at the moment we are seen as collateral damage that is not important. Money is important; privatisation is important for this government and that needs to stop, otherwise we are going to lose our NHS for good. Sally, an activist from Hampshire, said, Im angry. The government is corrupt and is going to run the NHS into the ground. Its a way to privatise it. People will say the NHS is no good, its failing. One of our local hospitals, the Winchester, will close its A&E [accident & emergency] and people will have to travel much further. Closing the A&E is a way of eventually closing our hospital. Everyone who goes into hospital sees that services are run down. The staff are tremendouseveryone praises the staffbut its getting to look like third world services. Emily is a consultant psychiatrist from Manchester: Emily (holding banner right) Ive been a doctor for 10 years and Ive seen the gradual dismantling of an extremely efficient, safe patient service in favour of private profits. Emily works in the early intervention and psychosis team in the community: We have seen a fragmentationpeople going for scans, private MRI scans in a car parkand then its difficult for me to access what the results of that scan were, because its not attached to the local hospital. Patients themselves are being taken in psychiatric beds hundreds of miles away from their friends, their family. This is a shift from de-funding psychiatric inpatient beds in the NHS, reducing their numbers by the thousands in the last few years, to patients now having to be placed into private beds. Thats a huge drain on the pot of money that we have locally to be able to pay for community-based services. We know that there are about 100 MPs that have direct financial links to various private health organisations. NHS England CEO Simon Stevens has connections with Kaiser Permanente and other American-based healthcare systems. This is privatisation without a democratic mandate and with no consultation, so I applaud Stephen Hawking for winning a judicial review this week. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt completely avoided the junior doctors and addressing their needs and concerns around patient safety two years ago and he is doing the same thing now. At the time of the Junior Doctors strike, we saw a huge amount of spin about cancelling elective operations on days that junior doctors were striking. Now the government has just said that cancelling elective operations in January for four weeks, affecting hundreds of thousands of people, is an appropriate way of coping with the winter crisis. Labour says it offers an alternative, but I am extremely concerned about how easy it will be to reverse this huge amount of legislation with contracts that have been put in place, piece by piece, since the Health and Social Care Act. I really think it will be very hard. Buildings have been sold off, huge contracts have been signed. These are not things that can be reversed overnight. The amount of money involved is massive. Richard Branson of Virgin Care has just sued the NHS for not getting his contract and been awarded hundreds of thousands of pounds. Wed see a wave of that kind of court action. When I started being worried was when the Health and Social Care Bill was originally proposed. It had the phrase any willing provider and the word competition as mentioned 80-plus times and no mention made of cooperation or the idea of working together in a more socialist healthcare system. Petra Petra, a student from Leicester, said, Essentially without the NHS I would be dead. I have friends in America who cant afford healthcare and they have to go to the emergency room with serious illnesses that could have been avoided. Were in danger of going that same way in the UK. Its broken. Its evil. We cant let that happen here. The winter crisis has been deliberately and cynically engineered as an excuse to sell the NHS off. At the end of the day, the Conservatives dont care how many people die so long as they line their pockets. Because if you cut back on services then you can make a case for outsourcing, which youve seen with Carillion, etc. Look how many Tory MPs have affiliations with this company. They stand to gain because once they leave office they will have a cushy office job to walk into. One event that occurred during the Davos summit casts a revealing light on the anti-democratic character of the feminist #MeToo campaign. In the luxurious Alpine resort, surrounded by political representatives of big business and assorted billionaires, and guarded against any possible protests by a small army of several thousand Swiss soldiers, three people seriously discussed a very great question: the oppression they face as women. They were Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and Le Monde reporters Sylvie Kauffmann and Isabelle Chaperon. The resulting interview in Le Monde, which combines absurdity with hypocrisy, shows above all how #MeToo helped trigger a reactionary movement in the propertied classes that has little or nothing to do with a defence of women against sexual assault. The victims of #MeToo witch-hunts, based on humiliating but largely unsubstantiated sexual allegations, starting with US film producer Harvey Weinstein, have still not been tried or had their right to due process. But behind the accusations against Weinstein, substantial political forces were being set into motion on both sides of the Atlantic. Le Mondes interview with Lagarde shows that the forces driving #MeToo prominently included the banks and the corporate media. Asked if she speaks a lot about #MeToo, Lagarde replied in the affirmative: I see that this #MeToo moment creates great embarrassment for men. Every time that I have raised these issues before an audience containing both genders, I saw that men were extremely embarrassed to speak up. Hailing #MeToo as a collective movement for the interests of women that must continue, she added: But we must really not imagine that here it is, this time we won. Lagarde continues: This movement can only remain active if it is kept alive by measuring the problem, setting up objectives, actions, surveillance, and classifying people. We must continue to do this. Above all, we must not let down our guard. This is what a group of 100 women, including actress Catherine Deneuve, criticized in a statement published in Le Monde, warning that #MeToo was creating a totalitarian climate. Programs and bureaucracies are being set up to watch, measure, and classify behaviour so as to create a climate in which everyone is sexually suspect. This serves very specific political aims. #MeToo has provided a political diversion and helped advance a bill to create a new police force, supposedly to defend women against immigrant workers in French suburbs, while a dangerous nuclear war hysteria against Russia is stoked up in Washington,. This militarist, law-and-order campaign has nothing to do with a defence of women. Lagarde said she had not herself faced sexual harassment, probably because I am 180 cm [5 foot 9 inches] tall! Nevertheless, the interview went on to try to justify the necessity to develop the #MeToo movement based on Lagardes personal frustrations as head of the IMF. Asked by Le Monde if she believes she is a victim of discrimination, Lagarde replied: Yes, even to this day. I see the way men look at women, and the way they pay attention and the way they are preoccupied with what women say is slightly funny. In the best case, it can take the form of paternalism, a way of being protective. But it can also be a condescending look, a gaze that says, That one is now going to bore us for another quarter of an hour. What to say? It is ludicrous for Christine Lagarde to claim she is oppressed. When she suffers the ordeal of the slightly funny male gaze, she can rely on resources that the overwhelming majority of women (and men) do not have, which she amassed over a career as a corporate lawyer and director of global law firm Baker McKenzie, then as a minister in various right-wing French governments. When she was condemned for criminal negligence for having overseen the improper payment of 405 million in taxpayer funds to businessman Bernard Tapie, she was given no sentence at all. Since 2011 she has headed the IMF, the main international bank and sovereign bailout fund, thus controlling hundreds of billions of dollars. The policies she has approved have devastated entire countries and earned the anger and hatred of millions of workers. So she is rewarded with a tax exemption on her 473,847 yearly salarya far cry from the plight of the Greek working people upon whom she has helped impose massive austerity, major tax increases and, in 2012, a unilateral and authoritarian 20 percent cut in the minimum wage. Lagarde also cultivated a reputation as a feminist, which she cynically manipulates. She famously blamed the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy and the 2008 Wall Street crash not on the banks, but on men, declaring: Lehman Sisters would have caused fewer problems than Lehman Brothers. After the death of King Abdullah in 2015to flatter the Saudi royal family, whose hostility to womens democratic rights is well knownshe ludicrously called the deceased a great defender of women. This ridiculous narrative in which Lagarde bemoaned the discrimination she has suffered is a lesson on the reactionary character of #MeToo and its underlying political conceptions. Mobilizing a petty-bourgeois feminist constituency indifferent to democratic rights and implicitly favourable to capitalism and war, it created a climate in which a right-wing female banker like Lagarde could posture as a defender of the oppressed. This atmosphere is not only a threat to democratic rights of the largely male victims of the sexual witch-hunts organized by #MeToo. It is also a threat to the democratic rights of women, as became evident as a torrent of denunciations was unleashed against Deneuve over her signature on the statement of 100 women who criticized #MeToo and argued for the liberty to inconvenience others, including by making sexual advances. Some of the women who signed the statement are already facing censorship of their work: a pro-#MeToo collective has unilaterally scotched the showing and discussion of the film LAstragale by Brigitte Sy, who signed the anti-#MeToo statement. Lagarde coldly ignored all these issues to simply denounce the Deneuve statement, which she said was horribly clumsy. She then hypocritically tried to present her support for #MeToo as a defence of African women. To explain the importance of #MeToo, Lagarde told Le Monde: The movement was started by actresses, by beautiful women, who had the courage to speak out, and that had a considerable global echo due to their visibility. This is very important when, as is well known, 80 percent of new AIDS cases in Africa are those of young girls between 13 and 14 years old, who undergo sexual relations that are often forced. Trying to pass off the struggle against the spread of AIDS in Africa as a key concern of the IMF, the French right, and of #MeToo is a political travesty. The IMF regularly imposes austerity measures on African countries torn apart by ethnic tensions that French imperialism or other imperialist powers have deliberately stoked ever since they colonized the region. The IMF is not at all innocent in the inciting of civil wars that have devastated the continent and created conditions in which many young women tragically contract AIDS. The struggle for the defence of womens rights around the world requires a socialist opposition to imperialism, war, and the banks, and not the diktat of the financial aristocrats backing #MeToo. Democratic Party and intelligence officials rushed to defend the integrity of the FBI over the weekend, following Fridays release of a memo by Republican Congressman Devin Nunes concerning FBI spying on Trump associates. The memo shows that the Obama administration relied on politically biased information to obtain a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court wiretap of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page just weeks before the 2016 election. The memo details illegal conduct by a ruling class that governs by conspiracy. In an escalation of infighting between two equally reactionary sections of the ruling class, one section is letting the public in on a dirty secret. The response from Democrats expressed fear that the memo will undermine the credibility of the fraudulent investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into Trumps alleged ties to Russia. The entirety of Sundays press coverage was turned over to this single issue, with each speaker talking as though he or she was reading from a script. Appearing on ABCs This Week with George Stephanopoulos, California Democrat Adam Schiff called the report misleading and one-sided and expressed fear that the memo would undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI [and] discredit the Mueller investigation. Former Obama administration Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland said on Face the Nation, When we fight with each other, when we question our institutions, that is a great day for Vladimir Putin. The release of this memo did not have to happen, added former Acting CIA Director Michael Morrell on the same program. The release undermines the credibility of the FBI in the publics eyes, he said. Another former CIA director, John Brennan, told Chuck Todd on Meet the Press that the FBI under Obama was justified in wiretapping Page. Citing the Russians diabolical cultivation of intelligence assets, he said, I thought it would have been derelict if the FBI did not pull in the investigative threads on American persons who might have been involved with Russia, working on their behalf either wittingly or unwittingly. The New York Times and Washington Post have each tried to downplay the significance of the memos contents. In an article titled The Nunes memo wont stop Robert Mueller, Washington Post writer Eugene Robinson begins by implying that the memo is all smoke and no fire: Cough, cough, cough. The smoke around here is so thick I can hardly breathe. The New York Times Bret Stephens wrote an op-ed titled Devin Nuness Nothingburger, in which he writes: There is no there there in modern parlance wed call it a nothingburger, but the bun is missing, too. This contradicts the fact that before the memo was released, leading Democrats and intelligence agents were screaming that the memos publication would have a devastating impact on national security. But the memo does not reveal troop movements, base locations or secret codes. Instead, the information in the Nunes memo does show that the Obama administration used fraudulent pretenses to unconstitutionally wiretap political opponents of the Democratic Party. On October 21, 2016, the FISA court granted the Obama administration's Department of Justice and FBI request to wiretap Page, a close Trump associate and a US citizen. The FISA court then extended the warrant three times at 90-day intervals, including after Trump won the November election. The US Constitution requires that the government show probable cause before a judge can grant a warrant to surveil a US citizen. In the antidemocratic FISA court setting, warrant requests take place in secret and without an adversarial attorney present to argue against granting the warrant. In 2013, whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed that this court had rubber-stamped the Bush and Obama administrations requests to store the phone and text records of the whole population. The FISA court rejected just 12 out of 34,000 warrant requests from 1979 to 2013. The law requires, however, that prosecutors inform any court of bias or unreliability in the sources they are using to acquire a search or surveillance warrant. The Nunes memo shows that the Obama administration failed to do so in its efforts to spy on Page and portray Trump as a Russian dupe. When the Obama administration asked the FISA court for a warrant two weeks before Election Day, it relied heavily on the so-called Steele dossier. The Steele dossier was commissioned by the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign, who paid intelligence contractor Christopher Steele $160,000 through the DNC-linked firm Fusion GPS to find information showing Trumps alleged ties to Russia. The Obama administration relied on this dossier to acquire its warrant. The Nunes memo asserts that Deputy [FBI] Director [Andrew] McCabe testified before the [House Intelligence] Committee in December 2017 that no surveillance warrant would have been sought from the FISC [FISA court] without the Steele dossier information. The Nunes memo points out that in June 2017, former FBI Director James Comey told a congressional committee that the dossier was salacious and unverified. The Obama administration did not notify the FISA court that it knew the Steele dossier was uncorroborated. It also did not notify the FISA court that the Democratic Party funded the dossier, as required by law. In addition, the memo notes that the Obama administration withheld evidence that Steele had acted because, in his words, he was desperate that Donald Trump not get elected. The memo also states that the Obama administration did not tell the court that then-Associate Deputy Attorney General Bruce Ohrs wife was employed by Fusion GPS, the same firm the DNC used to acquire the Steele dossier, and that her job entailed digging up opposition research linking Trump to Russia. Democrats and intelligence agents claim the publication of this unconstitutional effort to spy on US citizens and political opponents undercuts the integrity of the military-intelligence agencies. The whole history of the FBI, CIA, NSA, and other spy agencies is an unbroken thread of surveillance, assassination and illegality. Regardless of the Republicans own partisan motives for making it public, the Nunes memo is further proof that the Democrats anti-Russia campaign is nothing more than the form taken by bitter conflicts within the ruling class, in which there is no progressive and democratic side. In this conflict, the Democrats have emerged as little more than shills of the military-intelligence apparatus, seeking to orient American foreign policy decisively toward a military confrontation with Russia. The entire political system is characterized by criminality, in which the conflicts within the ruling class are fought out through the methods of conspiracy. Such methods will be employed all the more ruthlessly against the working class. Evidence is mounting that former United Auto Workers Vice President Norwood Jewell was deeply involved in the UAW-Fiat Chrysler bribery scheme when he led the unions negotiations for a new labor agreement in 2015. The new revelations bolster the contention of rank-and-file workers that the current contract for 41,000 FCA workers is fraudulent and should be declared null and void. Although Jewell has not yet been indicted, his name has repeatedly surfaced in the corruption scandal, which involved Fiat Chrysler executives paying more than $1.5 million in illegal money and gifts to senior UAW officials to obtain sweetheart deals stripping autoworkers of their wages and rights. On Tuesday, attorneys for Monica Morgan, the widow of late UAW Vice President General Holiefieldthe central figure in the illegal conspiracywill file a guilty plea agreement at a US District Court in Detroit. Her statement is expected to lead to further indictments, which might include one for Jewell. In an earlier plea agreement, Alphons Iacobelli, who led Fiat Chryslers negotiations with the UAW from 2009 to early 2015, admitted he and other FCA executives paid "senior UAW officials" to "obtain benefits, concessions, and advantages for FCA in the negotiation, implementation, and administration" of pro-company agreements. This included funneling illegal payments to charities controlled by Holiefield and Morgan, and one run by Jewell, the Making Our Children Smile Foundation, and paying salary reimbursements to UAW officials for no-work jobs at the national training center and a fraudulent 7 percent administrative fee as a political gift to Holiefield and his successor Jewell. In addition, Iacobelli said he approved the payment of $30,000 in training center funds for a lavish party for UAW officials. On Sunday, the Detroit News revealed that the August 2014 party, held at the UAW-Chrysler World Class Manufacturing Academy in Warren, was a coming-out party for Jewell, two months after the UAWs top administrative body elected him to lead its Fiat Chrysler department. The party, unnamed sources told the News, included ultra-premium liquor and strolling models who lit labor leaders cigars. The training funds covered the $7,000 cigar purchase and a $3,000 tab for wine in bottles with custom labels that featured Jewells name, sources told the News. The newspaper previously reported that Jewell also received a $2,180 shotgun in August 2015 paid for with training center money. Jewells administrative assistant Nancy Johnson instructed another UAW official at the training center, UAW Administrative Director Virdell King, to use the training center card to purchase the shotgun. King has already pleaded guilty for her role in the scandal, including using the card to buy herself a $1,000 pair of Christian Louboutin shoes. Jewell later reportedly reimbursed the money for the gun and additional items purchased on the card, the newspaper reported. UAW President Dennis Williams has made the ludicrous claim that the bribery scheme had no impact on collective bargaining, and the labor agreements are still valid and legal. To back his assertion, the UAW president has said that Holiefield did not have unilateral control over negotiations, and the deals were sanctioned by the entire leadership, including Williams predecessor Bob King. This only confirms that the entire UAW leadership is complicit in defrauding those they falsely claim to represent. Up until this point, however, Williams has at least suggested that the departure of both Iacobelli and Holiefield before negotiations began for the 2015 contract meant that the current four-year labor agreement is beyond reproach. Less than a year after the lavish party for Jewell, Williams selected Fiat-Chrysler as the lead company for the unions pattern bargaining with General Motors and Ford. This angered workers since any pattern-setting deal with FCA, the weakest of the Big Three, would result in an inferior contract for workers. Like his successor, Jewell quickly earned the hatred of rank-and-file workers as he sought to ram through the 2015 contract, which included a precedent-setting plan to impose increased health care costs on workers, maintain the hated two-tier wage and benefit system and 10-hour Alternative Work Schedule, and continue the decade-long pay freeze. The contract was defeated by a 2-to-1 margin by FCA workers in the first rejection of a UAW-backed national contract in three decades. The slightly refurbished deal was pushed through weeks later through a campaign of lies and intimidation. These methods were repeated at GM and Ford, with the latter accompanied by charges of outright vote rigging. UAW President Williams efforts at damage control have been met with hostility and derision by rank-and-file workers. At the factories over the weekend, many workers spoke to the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter, which is calling for workers to overturn the fraudulent contracts and fight for the restoration of all concessions imposed by the UAW. FCA workers at the Jeep assembly plants on the eastside of Detroit and Toledo, Ohio expressed agreement with the call for the nullification of the sellout contracts. Several who stopped were temporary part-time employees (TPT), who pay union dues but have no job security. The number of these low-paid, disposable workers was increased due to the 2015 UAW contracts. One young TPT at the Toledo plant said, We have no rights or representation. We do as much work as regular employees, but we get lower pay. A recently hired TPT at the Ford Assembly in Chicago added, They chew us up and spit us out. Ive heard that the TPT situation and keeping us part-time is all because of the contract. It was all about the money for the company and the union. Another full-time worker in Chicago said, The contract in 2015 was bogus, especially after what they did at the Dearborn Assembly Plant [where workers charged the UAW with stuffing the ballot in order to get the deal passed by 51 percent nationally]. If the union is getting bribes, the whole thing is crooked. After the media reported Jewells shotgun gift and the widening investigation, the UAW announced in November that the former UAW vice president would retire January 1 and would not seek reelection for another four-year term. Amid investigations into joint training centers the UAW runs with GM and Ford, former UAW vice president and GM board member Joe Ashton abruptly resigned last year, and Cindy Estrada, the current UAW VP for GM, who was expected to replace Williams at this years constitutional convention, has been bypassed. The News reported Sunday that Jewell and his former administrative assistant, Nancy Johnson, have hired prominent, white-collar defense lawyers to defend themselves, amid growing anger from workers over the possibility that their union dues will be used to defend the corrupt UAW officials. The News reported that Jewell has hired Chicago attorney Joseph Duffy, whose client list includes Tony Rezko, a former fundraiser and adviser to Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. The Democratic governor was impeached in 2008, convicted and sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for soliciting bribes to sell Obamas vacant Illinois senate seat in a scandal that also implicated the Service Employees International Union. Johnson has hired Detroit lawyer Harold Gurewitz, who defended ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, now serving 28 years in prison on corruption charges. Robert Parry, a veteran investigative reporter who won journalistic awards in the 1980s for exposing CIA crimes in Central America, died January 27 at the age of 68 in Arlington, Virginia. After more than two decades working for the Associated Press, Newsweek and the PBS TV news series Frontline, Parry in 1995 founded the Consortium for Independent Journalism and its website, Consortiumnews, because of the impediments thrown up by the corporate media to uncovering the lies and crimes of the US government. In December, he had written a column apologizing to his readers for a reduction in his considerable journalistic output on the website, explaining that he had suffered a stroke. It was subsequently discovered that it had been brought on by undiagnosed pancreatic cancer. Parry began his career as a journalist after graduating from Colby College in Maine in 1971. He went to work briefly at a newspaper published by his father in Framingham, Massachusetts, before being hired by the Associated Press in 1974. While he never defined himself as a radical or a socialist, his commitment to the truth led him to write stories that exposed the inner workings of the capitalist state and its criminal activities. It also earned him an extensive file with the US Central Intelligence Agency, which closely followed his work. In 1984, he won the George Polk Award and was a finalist for the 1985 Pulitzer Prize, for his reporting exposing the CIAs distribution of an assassination manual to the so-called contras carrying out a US-backed terror war against Nicaragua. He went on to carry out extensive exposures on what became known as the Iran-Contra affair, with a secret network in the White House organizing the sale of arms to Iranthen labeled by Washington as a terrorist nationto fight against Iraq and, most crucially, to obtain money to covertly and illegally finance and arm the contras in the CIA-orchestrated terrorist war against Nicaragua. Parry complained that his first report for AP on Iran-Contra was withheld for weeks, heavily edited and then killed, until it was accidentally transmitted over the APs Spanish-language wire. The edited English-language version was then released, omitting any mention of CIA involvement in cocaine trafficking by the Contras. Parry later discovered that the APs Washington Bureau chief was having regular meetings with Lt. Col. Oliver North, who was directing the illegal operation from the White House. He left AP to work at Newsweek in 1987 and went on to do investigative reporting for the PBS series Frontline, including a 1991 broadcast exposing the intervention by then-Republican presidential candidate Ronald Reagan and his aides in 1980 to prevent the release of the US Embassy hostages in Iran in order to undermine his opponent, incumbent Democratic President Jimmy Carter. He went on to publish a book in 1993, Trick or Treason, which further substantiated this conspiracy. Over the recent period, Parry had dedicated much of his work on Consortiumnews to exposing the hysterical campaign waged by the Democratic Party and the major media over alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. He brought to his reporting the wealth of historical experience he had gained in investigating real conspiracies between presidential candidates and foreign governments to swing American elections, including Reagans intervention in the Iran hostage crisis in 1980 and Richard Nixons intercession with South Vietnam to scuttle the Paris Peace talks in 1968. In its obituary for Parry, the New York Times wrote: After decades of enraging conservatives, Mr. Parry began angering liberals in 2016 by suggesting that Russian meddling had had little influence on the election of Donald J. Trump, though he was critical of President Trump for what he called his contempt for facts and his crass personal behavior. It is not that Parrys politics had changed, but rather the liberals of the New York Times ilk who turned sharply to the right over a whole period, embarking on a neo-McCarthyite campaign to demonize Russia as the supposed source of all hostility to the ruling establishment in the US, and opposing Trump on the basis of his supposed failure to pursue a sufficiently hard line against Moscow. The newspaper of record might well have added that contempt for facts was precisely the indictment Parry made of the corporate media, and the New York Times in particular, when it came to the propaganda campaign over Russian meddling. When it comes to Russia these daysas with the Vietcong in the 1960s or Iraq in 2002-03you can pretty much write whatever you want. All journalistic standards are gone, Parry wrote in an article posted on Consortiumnews last September. In what could serve as a definition for the careers of the editors, leading columnists and senior correspondents of the Times, Parry declared in a 1993 speech to a conference of the media watchdog group Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting: The people who succeeded and did well [in the news media] were those who didnt stand up, who didnt write the big stories, who looked the other way when history was happening in front of them, and went along either consciously or just by cowardice with the deception of the American people. In a column titled The Dawn of an Orwellian Future, posted by Consortiumnews on July 28, 2017, Parry drew the connection between the reactionary campaign against so-called Russian meddling and plans to deploy Internet algorithms to hunt down and marginalize what they deem fake news, including articles that challenge the mainstream medias power to control the dominant news narrative. He called attention to a report published the day before by the World Socialist Web Site exposing how the Internet monopoly Google was censoring left-wing, anti-war and progressive websites by systematically excluding them from search results, resulting in a dramatic fall in search traffic, not only for the WSWS, but for a number of sites, including Consortiumnews. This creation of a modern-day Ministry of Truth occurred under the cover of a mainstream-driven hysteria about fake news and Russian propaganda in the wake of Donald Trumps election, Parry wrote. He concluded: Truth should be subjected to rigorous testing against alternative viewpoints and contradictory arguments. That has been a core principle since the days of the Enlightenment ... Overturning that age-old truthby today unleashing algorithms to enforce the Official Narrativeis a much greater threat to an informed electorate and to the health of democracy than any alleged fake news. Parrys commitment to such principles, once espoused by American liberalism, marked him out from todays so-called liberals of the Democratic Party and the corporate media, who are aggressively supporting the suppression of free expression. They do so out of fear, not of Russian meddling, but of the Internets role in exposing information suppressed by the media, fostering political discussion and serving as an instrument for the political organization of the worldwide struggle against capitalist exploitation and imperialist wars. Last Monday through Wednesday, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents initiated a targeted crackdown on immigrants in cities across Northern California, carrying out workplace audits at 77 businesses primarily in San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, the three largest cities in the region. The raids involved ICE agents issuing notices of inspection to the businesses, mandating that within three days they provide I-9 records proving that their employees are legally allowed to work in the US. If businesses are found to have undocumented employees, employers could face criminal charges and fines, and any undocumented workers could be arrested and face deportation. Though there have been no reports of employers or employees being charged or arrested as a result of the ICE raids, the purpose of the raids is to incite a climate of general fear among immigrants and discourage business owners from hiring immigrants in the future. Arrests could begin at any moment, as ICE notoriously gives no warning prior to its deportation roundups. The searches are believed to be the largest localized raids since the election of Donald Trump. In fiscal year 2017, ICE conducted 1,360 I-9 audits across the US, or roughly 26 per week; last weeks raids in Northern California alone roughly tripled that figure. Commenting on the wide scale of the raids, Los Angeles-based attorney Angelo Paparelli told the San Francisco Chronicle, Serving 77 notices of inspection on different employers in the last three days within a single area of responsibility, in this case, San Francisco, appears unprecedented. The workplace raids follow last months revelations that ICE is plotting to arrest at least 1,500 immigrants across the Northern California region, in what would likely be the largest immigration raid in US history. An anonymous source informed of the situation told the Chronicle that ICE plans to pour in agents from across the country for a coordinated dragnet roundup that will target both neighborhoods and workplaces. The Chronicle article, published January 17, gave no specific date for the raids, reporting only that they would take place within weeks. The targeting of Northern California is a political statement that ICE and the federal government will brook no opposition to their fascistic, anti-immigrant policies. In a series of public statements in recent months, ICE director Thomas Homan has expressed the agencys contempt for so-called sanctuary cities and the state of California as a whole. Facing popular pressure from the vast immigrant population living in California, last September the state legislature voted to pass Senate Bill 54, which was signed into law in October by Democratic Governor Jerry Brown. The law designates California as the first sanctuary state in the US, imposing limited restrictions on state and local police agencies ability to coordinate with ICE to carry out arrests and deportations. Exactly a week after the passage of Senate Bill 54September 24-27ICE carried out its most sweeping wave of arrests under Trump, arresting 498 immigrants nationwide, primarily in sanctuary cities, including 167 in Los Angeles County alone. The primary sponsor of Senate Bill 54 was Kevin de Leon, a Democrat representing Los Angeles. When signing the bill into law, Brown revealed the two-faced nature of the law, which is meant to enable Democrats in the state to save face while offering no genuine resistance to the Gestapo-like actions of ICE. He stressed that the law would not prevent or prohibit Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the Department of Homeland Security from doing their own work in any way. Nevertheless, after Senate Bill 54 went into effect January 1, Homan fulminated against the state in an interview with Fox News the following day, declaring, California better hold on tight. Theyre about to see a lot more special agents, a lot more deportation officers in the state of California. If the politicians of California dont want to protect their communities, then ICE will. Homan also brazenly called for the arrest of state and local officials that support sanctuary city policies, declaring, Weve got to start charging some of these politicians with crimes. The bipartisan character of the assault on immigrants finds expression in the figure of Homan, who first made a name for himself during the Democratic administration of Barack Obama, which oversaw the largest number of deportations of any administration in US history. In 2015, then-President Obama bestowed upon Homan the Presidential Rank Award, the governments highest civil service award. At the time, Homan was the executive associate director of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, responsible for overseeing ICEs deportation infrastructure. A Washington Post article at the time noted, Thomas Homan deports people. And hes really good at it. Under Trump, the most fascistic elements within the state apparatus, including figures like Homan, have been emboldened to implement their reactionary agenda. The acquiescence of the Democrats to this drive toward dictatorship has exposed the utterly reactionary character of this party, which supports Wall Street, militarism, and the assault on immigrants. In order to carry out a struggle in defense of immigrant rights, the American working class must irrevocably break with the Democratic Party and fight to unite the working class internationally under a socialist program. The looming mass roundups throughout Northern California underscore the urgency that such a program be adopted by the most far-sighted layers of the working class. Here's a look at what you need to know about nightclub fires worldwide including the 2003 fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, that killed 100 people and injured 200. A list of nightclub fires worldwide: This list includes nightclub fires with victims of 50 or more (the list is not exhaustive). April 23, 1940 - Natchez, Mississippi - More than 200 people die in a fire at the Rhythm nightclub. Boarded up windows, flammable decorations and overcrowding play a factor in the high number of deaths. November 28, 1942 - Boston - 492 people die in a fire at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub after a lit match sets an artificial palm tree on fire. This is the deadliest nightclub fire in United States history, according to the National Fire Protection Association. November 1, 1970 - Saint-Laurent-du-Pont, France - 146 people are killed in the Club Cinq-Sept (Club 5-7) when emergency exits are blocked and a discarded match starts a fire. May 28, 1977 - Southgate, Kentucky - 165 are killed and another 70 injured in a fire at the Beverly Hills Supper Club. March 25, 1990 - Bronx, New York - 87 people die in a fire caused by arson at the Happy Land social club. Intent on murdering his ex-girlfriend, Julio Gonzalez pours gasoline on the stairs trapping the victims. His ex-girlfriend survives. March 19, 1996 - Quezon City, Philippines - More than 150 people die in a fire at the Ozone Disco Pub nightclub. December 25, 2000 - Luoyang, China - 309 people die after a fire breaks out at a Christmas party in a dancing hall in central China. February 20, 2003 - West Warwick, Rhode Island - 100 people are killed when the nightclub The Station goes up in flames at the start of a concert by the 1980s heavy metal band Great White. The band used a pyrotechnic display as they began playing. December 30, 2004 - Buenos Aires - A fire at the Rep-blica Croma--n nightclub in Argentina kills 194 people after a fan ignites the club's ceiling with fireworks. The club owner is sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2009. January 1, 2009 - Bangkok, Thailand - A fire at upscale Santika nightclub kills at least 64 people and later leads to the arrest of the nightclub's owner. December 5, 2009 - Perm, Russia - Fireworks spark a fire at the Lame Horse nightclub, killing 156. The commercial director of the nightclub, who police say ignored safety measures, is later arrested in September 2010. January 27, 2013 - Santa Maria, Brazil - More than 240 people die in a fire at Kiss nightclub in southern Brazil. Authorities say at least 2,000 people were in the club at the time of the fire, double its maximum capacity. Many of the people died of smoke inhalation and others were trampled in the rush for the exits. The two owners of Kiss, a member of the band Gurizada Fandangueira and a promoter, are arrested the next day. October 30, 2015 - Bucharest, Romania - Sixty-three people die - 27 in the fire and others in the days and months that follow - and more than 150 others are injured when a spark from a pyrotechnic display causes a fire during a heavy metal concert in the nightclub Colectiv, in the city's center. The Station Fire timeline: February 20, 2003 - A concert by the 1980s heavy metal band Great White uses a pyrotechnic display. Sparks from the display ignite highly flammable soundproofing foam tiles behind the stage and the fire quickly spreads. The Station has no sprinkler system and is over its maximum capacity of 300 people. The fire engulfs the wooden structure in less than three minutes killing 100 people and injuring 200 more. December 9, 2003 - A grand jury indicts Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, owners of the club, and Great White tour manager Dan Biechele, the man who lit the pyrotechnic display that ignited the blaze, on 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter each. Each enters not guilty pleas during arraignment. January 31, 2006 - Daniel Biechele, former manager of the Great White, agrees to plead guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter. May 10, 2006 - Daniel Biechele is sentenced to 15 years in prison, with 11 years suspended, to be followed by three years of probation. September 20, 2006 - Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch announces that Michael and Jeffrey Derderian will enter no-contest pleas to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter each. Under the deal, Michael Derderian will be sentenced to four years in prison and three years on probation, with the rest of a 15-year sentence suspended, Lynch said. Jeffery Derderian won't go to prison -- his 10-year sentence will be suspended, although he faces three years of probation and 500 hours of community service. September 5, 2007 - A tentative settlement is reached in a lawsuit between relatives of victims of the night club fire and a group of defendants that includes a manufacturer of soundproofing material, a manufacturer of pyrotechnics, an alarm company, and the company that leased the building to the night club owners. An attorney for the families states the settlement is dependent on the court appointment of someone to distribute the settlement money. September 19, 2007 - The Rhode Island Parole Board announces that Daniel Biechele, former manager of Great White, will be released from Rhode Island state prison in March 2008, after serving less than half of his four-year prison sentence. The Parole Board cites letters of support from victims of the club fire as part of the reason for their decision. January 16, 2008 - The Rhode Island Parole Board announces that Michael Derderian, the owner of Station Nightclub, will be released in October 2009, one year early from his four-year prison sentence. March 19, 2008 - Daniel Biechele is released from prison, after serving less than half of his four-year sentence. January 9, 2009 - Court-appointed Special Master Francis McGovern submits a plan to the court on how to divide a proposed $176 million settlement. The money will be divided between 300 plaintiffs. It will also be divided proportionally based on the severity of injuries and suffering, similar to the way the September 11th victims' compensation fund was apportioned. June 2009 - Michael Derderian is released from prison, after serving less than three years. January 7, 2010 - US District Court Judge Ronald Lagueux approves settlements for the more than 300 victims of the fire. $176 million will be distributed, with $59 million going to lawyers. September 28, 2012 - A lawyer for Ray Villanova, the owner of the site of the nightclub fire, files papers that transfer the land to the Station Fire Memorial Foundation. May 21, 2017 - Station Fire Memorial Park is opened to honor the victims of the Station nightclub fire. The U.S. administration is considering choking off Venezuela's last remaining and rapidly dwindling source of income: crude oil exports. Speaking in Argentina, Sec. of State Rex Tillerson said the U.S. was discussing how to raise the pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to restore his country's constitution and hold free and fair elections. "Obviously sanctioning the oil, or in effect prohibiting the oil to be sold in the United States... is something we continue to consider," he told reporters on Sunday. Banning exports of oil or refined oil products to Venezuela was also on the table, Tillerson added. Oil sanctions are one of the few options President Trump has to really hurt Maduro. Venezuelan production has been falling fast since 2014, but the country still pumped 1.7 million barrels a day in December, according to industry estimates. Exports to the U.S. averaged more than 600,000 barrels a day between January and November last year, data from the U.S. Energy Information Agency shows. Related: EU heaps sanctions on Venezuela as isolation grows The decline in oil production is already deepening the misery for 30 million Venezuelans suffering from food shortages and a lack of basic medicines. Sanctioning oil exports could make matters much worse. "The situation is becoming quite dire in Venezuela," said Tillerson, who added that the administration was weighing the effect of sanctions on the Venezuelan people -- and whether they would quickly produce the desired result. "Because not doing anything to bring this to an end is also asking the Venezuelan people to suffer for a much longer time," he said. Related: Trump's tough call about Venezuela and oil It's also a complex business equation. The U.S. sends light crude oil to Venezuela, which has heavy crude. The two get mixed together in Venezuela and shipped back to the United States. Banning cheap imports from Venezuela would force U.S. refineries to buy elsewhere, and that could push up gas prices. "We're looking at how to mitigate... the impacts on U.S. business interests," said Tillerson, the former chief executive of Exxon Mobil. Analysts say U.S. oil sanctions could completely cripple the Venezuelan economy. -- Patrick Gillespie and Claudia Dominguez contributed to this article. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WTTV) The suspected drunk driver accused of killing two people, including Colts player Edwin Jackson, is in the United States illegally and has previously been deported two times, once in 2007 and again in 2009, according to Indiana State Police. Detectives have determined the driver of the Ford F-150 was using the alias Alex Cabrera Gonsales. They say his given name is Manuel Orrego-Savala, 37, and he is a citizen of Guatemala by birth. The two victims killed were identified as Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson, 26, of Atlanta, and Jeffrey Monroe, 54. Photos from I-70 crash courtesy of ISP Police believe Monroe was working as an Uber driver and Jackson was his passenger. At some point Jackson became sick, so Monroe pulled over on the side of I-70 just west of Holt Road shortly before 4 a.m. They were standing outside of the car when Orrego-Savala drove a black Ford F-150 onto the emergency shoulder and struck the rear of the car, as well as the victims. A state trooper discovered the wreckage, and as he slowed to stop for the crash, police say he struck the body of one of the victims in the center lane. According to police, Orrego-Savala fled the scene on foot, but the trooper who discovered the crash apprehended him shortly after on the ramp to Holt Rd. Police believe Orrego-Savala was intoxicated and was driving without a license. He was transported to the Marion County Jail. Toxicology results are pending. State police investigators are working with U.S. Federal Immigration Officials and they have placed a hold on Orrego-Savala. The Colts released the following statement regarding Jacksons death: We were heartbroken to hear the news of Edwin Jacksons passing. Edwin was loved by all in the Colts organization. We admired his outgoing personality, competitive spirit and hard-working mentality. He was well-respected among all with whom he crossed paths, and he will be greatly missed in our locker room and throughout our entire organization. We also understand that another person lost his life in the accident, only adding to our sorrow on this day. We are shocked and saddened by this tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of both men during this difficult time. Uber released the following statement regarding the tragic loss of life: Like so many who are mourning, we are heartbroken by this news. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, the Colts, and the entire Indianapolis community. *This story was originally published by WTTV in Indianapolis. VINCENNES, Ind. (WTHI)-Sy Hobbs is a student from Bedford North Lawrence. He is one of over 300 students who came to Vincennes to participate in a competition aimed to show off their skills. "I kind of heard about it last year from my teacher and the auto classes and stuff. I didn't really want to try it last year but this year I was like you know what might as well go ahead and try to give it a shot," said Hobbs. He took part in the Skills USA Contest. Students from the southern region of the state came to participate in the regional competition. Vincennes University holds the regional event every year using it to show all the opportunities out there for these young adults. Ty Freed is the Dean of the College of Technology. He says the university has been proud to host this event for over 20 years. "You know many times students don't realize what the opportunities may be and so we're trying to open up a broader vision for those students by having this competition," said Freed. There were 20 different areas kids could participate in. everything from milling to automotive repair. The winners of each event move on to the state opportunity and they can even earn college scholarships. "Our top performers today will be able to earn scholarships here to Vincennes University and again we love to help those students financially so those students can pursue those careers they enjoy, said Freed. Those who qualify will go to the Indiana State Fairgrounds for the state competition. That will take place April 13th and 14th. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The Indiana House on Monday approved a bill that would overhaul the types of high school diplomas offered to students. The measure by Republican Indianapolis Rep. Bob Behning was approved on an 84-5 vote. It now moves to the Senate, where a similar measure is being considered. Its just the latest change in a state education system that has been in near continuous state of tumult in recent years amid changes in testing and education standards. But without the measure, the states graduation rate would take a hit. Thats because the general diploma that some students currently opt to receive does not comply with federal requirements. A drop in the graduation rate could impact anything from a schools A-F grade, to funding, among other factors Currently four different diplomas are offered. The bill would require the state board of education to create the Indiana Diploma as the states new baseline. Students could get additional enhancements available based on academic achievement. Democratic Rep. Vernon Smith supported the measure. But he chided the Legislature and the state education policy makers for not listening enough to educators when making big changes. The education community feels like we keep making so many reforms in this state that they cant keep up with them, said Smith, of Gary. The bill also changes high school testing requirements. Starting after 2019, schools must administer a nationally recognized college entrance exam, like the ACT or SAT, as an end of course assessment for high school students. CHICAGO (AP) - State officials are seeking more sites to sponsor a summer food program for children. The Illinois State Board of Education runs a federally-funded food service program for those 18 and younger when school isn't in session. However, 28 counties in Illinois don't have any sites. Sponsors run their own sites and get a reimbursement of federal money through the Board of Education for administrative and operating costs. Potential hosts could be school districts, local governments and nonprofit groups with sites at parks, libraries and other community locations. State Superintendent of Education Tony Smith says hunger doesn't take a summer break and young people statewide need reliable sources of healthy meals. To become a sponsor, site officials have to take part in a training session . They start later this month. Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 12:45 p.m. A Democratic senator pushing a narrow, bipartisan immigration compromise says President Donald Trump's "unconstructive engagement" has complicated congressional efforts to tackle the issue more broadly. Delaware Democratic Sen. Chris Coons is pushing a modest measure with Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain. It would help young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children to attain legal status. It also takes steps to strengthen border security without specifically financing the wall with Mexico that Trump wants. Trump wants Congress to also restrict legal immigration to the U.S. by limiting relatives immigrants can sponsor and eliminating a visa lottery. Coons says Trump has made a broader bill "more politically complicated" because of his obscene description last month of African countries. Trump calls a bill without wall money "a waste of time." ___ 11:55 a.m. Conservative Hispanic leaders are urging Democrats to come to the table to negotiate with the Trump administration on immigration. Advocates, including Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles executive director Alfonso Aguilar, met with White House chief of staff John Kelly Monday morning. They tell reporters after the meeting that Trump is interested in making a deal to allow hundreds of thousands of young immigrants known as "Dreamers" to continue to live and work in the country. Democrats have scoffed at the president's plan, which would provide Dreamers a path to citizenship in exchange for billions for a southern border wall and large cuts to legal immigration. The leaders are accusing Democrats of "playing politics" on the issue. But Democrats say Trump is using the young immigrants to try to push through his hard-line immigration plan. ___ 9:55 a.m. President Donald Trump says he won't back an immigration deal without money for a border wall. Trump's statement came Monday as two senators planned to introduce compromise legislation that would protect immigrants who entered the country illegally as children. The proposed legislation also would strengthen border security, but stops short of explicitly providing money for a wall along the boundary with Mexico. Trump appeared to be responding to the legislation from Republican Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen. Chris Coons when he tweeted: "Any deal on DACA that does not include STRONG border security and the desperately needed WALL is a total waste of time. March 5th is rapidly approaching and the Dems seem not to care about DACA. Make a deal!" DACA refers to the program that protected the young immigrants, also called the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. ___ 8:52 a.m. Two senators are introducing compromise legislation that would help achieve legal status for hundreds of thousands of immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally as children. The bill calls for bolstering border security by 2020. But it does not explicitly provide money for a border wall with Mexico, the focus of President Donald Trump's immigration policies. The plan is a more modest approach than Trump has sought for protecting "Dreamers," young immigrants helped by the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. It lacks Trump's demands for limiting the relatives that "Dreamers" can sponsor for citizenship, and ending a visa lottery aimed at admitting more immigrants from diverse places including Africa. The measure is by Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Delaware Democratic Sen. Chris Coons. I am person who is uncompromisingly black and unapologetically gay. Deal with it. I am person who is uncompromisingly black and unapologetically gay. Deal with it. Alvin McEwen [image: jodie foster] Published by BANG Showbiz English Jodie Fosters mother never wanted her to go to college. The 58-year-old actress-and-director be... Dear Readers, Stonewall Gazette is being placed on an indefinite hiatus due to my health. I have stage four peritoneal cancer. Life's journey can be a roug... Brad Reed @ Raw Story: That cant be true! Former Fox News employee horrified after learning network has vaccine mandate. Paul Blest @ Vice News: Fox N... More than 70 current or former members of the Sheriffs office were interviewed about the situation and investigators called the findings "disturbing, to s... Its been twenty years since the United States was struck in a tragic act of terrorism. On September 11, 2001, the nation was changed in ways it could not ... ESPN reports: The most notable catch on Saturday during the game between No. 22 Miami and Appalachian State didnt even happen on the field. Wasnt even ... Twenty-five years ago today, on February 5, 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act. The first and only federal leave legislation in the United States, it guarantees nearly 60% of employees 12 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave to take care of a new baby, a sick relative or their own serious medical condition. While happy with the new legislation, family leave advocates -- some of whom had spent the better part of a decade fighting for the policy -- didn't consider it an outright victory at the time. The law was better from nothing, yes, but also far from ideal. 1993's Family and Medical Leave Act mandated 12 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave Only 14% of civilian workers had access to paid leave in 2016 It leaves out lots of men and women (it doesn't cover freelancers and those who work at companies with fewer than 50 employees, for example), it offers nothing in the way of income replacement, and the time period is too short, at least compared with more family-friendly countries such as France, the Netherlands and Spain, all of which offer 16 weeks at full wage replacement. "We always knew that we needed to expand it," said Ellen Bravo, executive director of Family Values @ Work, a network of 15 state coalitions pushing for paid sick days and paid family leave. Bravo and others advocates have continued the fight, making gains on the state level and encouraging businesses to expand their paid leave policies and offer them to more employees, including men and part-time workers. They've also turned paid leave into a talking point used by politicians on both sides of the aisle, most recently heard cing as a pledge from President Donald Trump during last week's State of the Union address. Even with all these successes, the federal policy has remained unchanged since Clinton signed it a quarter-century ago. The United States still holds the unenviable title of being the only industrialized country that does not offer all of its citizens paid family leave. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 14% of civilian workers had access to paid leave in 2016, and that's only thanks to state laws or employer largess. The current United States family leave policy harms women and men in all stages of life, in myriad ways. In particular, it holds long-lasting consequences for new mothers. Not receiving paid time off holds women back professionally and financially. Limited and unpaid leave also has a less quantifiable, but nevertheless damaging, effect on their mental health. The fact that most mothers are either receiving no paid leave or not enough paid leave from their employers sends the message that they should be able to cope with what is, for many, impossible. They're forced to choose between professional concerns including job security, professional ambition and paying their bills and personal concerns including adequately recovering from childbirth and caring for -- and bonding with -- their new child. These conditions can easily lead to a deluge of sorrow and self-doubt and negatively affect how a woman views herself and her life over the long run. Some women internalize the message implied by the US family leave policy and perceive themselves as deficient parents and/or deficient workers as a result. Others make compromises, forced to let go of their career and/or parenting plans because they can't afford it. "It's a public health emergency that we don't offer more support for parents in this country," said Darby Saxbe, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Southern California. Work leave and mental health Research has connected the dots between inadequate paid leave policies and higher incidences of clinically diagnosable anxiety and depression among women, both during the postpartum period as well as later in life. However, paid leave advocates and experts in maternal mental health believe that many more women experience psychological anguish as a result of these insufficient policies, even if it doesn't land them in a therapist's office or with a Prozac prescription. "The transition to parenthood is a wild and woolly time. There are biological changes, including changes in hormones, and there's also evidence that the brain experiences some changes, which affect memory and cognition," Saxbe said. "Then there are the changes to self-concept and the reorganizing of your identity to incorporate the new child. And if this weren't enough, the everyday experience of caring for an infant is very demanding and requires a lot of self-regulation. It's taxing for your brain to deal with a completely helpless infant." Although it's established that new parenthood is an exceptionally challenging time psychologically and physiologically, Saxbe said the experience of being a new parent has been largely understudied. There has been plenty of research on early parenthood, but it tends to focus on the well-being of the infant. Through that lens, moms are seen only as a means to an end. Academics like herself are now trying to change this paradigm, a movement aided by the presence of more women in charge of issuing research grants. Lauren Smith Brody, founder and author of "The Fifth Trimester," a book and a consulting agency aimed at bolstering parents in the workplace, said new moms often internalize the pressure to be up and running before they are ready, without realizing it. "I liken it to how when we first started hearing about eating disorders, and it seemed like you either had one or you didn't. But then people became aware of disordered eating and the fact that just because you weren't in a doctor's office and being treated for it doesn't mean you weren't being damaged by a culture that celebrates being super skinny," Smith Brody explained. "The relationship is the same here. You might not have the diagnosable postpartum anxiety, but you still might be suffering, and if that's acknowledged, it can make you feel less crazy." For her book, Smith Brody took a survey of more than 700 new moms who worked outside the home and asked them when they felt emotionally back to normal after childbirth. The average answer was 5.8 months, which dovetails with research concluding that six months is the minimum amount of paid leave necessary to protect a mom's mental and physical health. Having an involved father around for part of this can further protect moms and lead to more equitable parenting arrangements in the long run. Unfortunately, the vast majority of American women have to make do with far less. 'How am I going to move forward?' Melissa Marion Henriquez, a 38-year-old mother of two in Kalamazoo, Michigan, received no paid leave from her employer with either of her children. She cobbled together short leaves by combining short-term disability payments and vacation time but ultimately took only 12 weeks off with each child, eight weeks of which were partially paid. "Leaving them at day care that early was traumatic. The day care center had a webcam, and that's how I made it through the workday," Marion Henriquez said. "It was extremely painful. I never had postpartum depression, but I definitely had moments when I said, 'I can't do this.' ... I felt like I was being a bad mom and a bad employee, especially in the first months after their birth, when I had a total lack of confidence. It took two years with each kid before I thought, 'I can handle it.' " Angela Mavers, a 34-year-old mother of two in Denver -- like many women who spoke for this story -- said that not having access to paid leave has forced her to make career decisions she wouldn't have otherwise made and caused her much anguish. In her case, she put off a career in interior design in order stick with less-satisfying jobs that guaranteed her the income to cover the cost of unpaid leave and day care for her babies. "I went to school and had big dreams, and those haven't stopped, but I've stopped pursuing those things because of my children and what that entails. It keeps me up at night," Mavers said. "How am I going to move forward in my life?" For women with pregnancy complications, the long-term effects of not getting paid leave can be dire. Erica Clemmons, a mother of one in Atlanta, has given birth prematurely three times. With the first two, her children died shortly after delivery, and she went back to work a week and a half later. When she got pregnant again a few years later and had another preterm birth, she didn't have much hope. "(My daughter) went to NICU, and I went on to my room. They told me her lungs collapsed, and I just thought, 'forget it, this baby is going to die,' " Clemmons said. Two weeks later and in need of a paycheck, she was back at work during the day and making visits to her daughter in the evening. The girl survived, but Clemmons struggled to connect with her. "I was not given the opportunity to bond with my baby, like a mother is supposed to get -- just being able to hold that baby every day and be with that child," she said. "I went through years worrying that child was going to die, because of what happened with the other babies. My daughter has spent a lot of time with my mom, because I was in the mindset that I have to work and make money for my baby. That that was what I was supposed to go and do." It was only after Clemmons began working in the labor movement and paying attention to paid leave policy that it dawned on her how much emotional damage she experienced by not being able to take time off from work after the birth of her children. "If I had paid leave with the first and especially the second one, I would have had time to grieve and come to grips with what happened and why it happened. I covered all those feelings and suppressed them so I could go back to work ... and it created a distance in my heart that I am trying to close. If I had time to grieve for my children, it would have been a completely different outcome with (my daughter)," Clemmons said. "Now, I am trying to be around (my daughter) more, and I am struggling with it. I feel bad as a mother." Clemmons, now fully aware of the effect paid leave can have on our personal lives and self-perception, advocates for better policies through her work as the state director of the Georgia chapter of 9 to 5, which fights for economic justice for working women. If she and the many others fighting for just paid leave policies are successful, it will be an end to the ubiquitous and ruinous assumption, implied by our policies, that early parenthood is a period of life that is easy to navigate and should not require special accommodations. The majority of women around the world live in countries that acknowledge the attendant challenges of this time and provide parents with some support. It's about time American women get to join them. CAYCE, S.C. (AP) An Amtrak passenger train hurtling through the early morning darkness Sunday slammed into a freight train parked along a siding in South Carolina, killing two Amtrak crew members and injuring more than 110 people, authorities said. It was the third deadly wreck involving Amtrak in less than two months. The Silver Star was en route from New York to Miami with nearly 150 people aboard around 2:45 a.m. when it struck a CSX train loaded with automobiles at an estimated 59 mph, Gov. Henry McMaster said. The crash happened near a switchyard about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Columbia where autos are loaded and unloaded from railcars. "The CSX was on the track it was supposed to be on," while the question for investigators is how the Amtrak train ended up on the side track, McMaster said. Amtrak President Richard Anderson appeared to point the finger at CSX, saying the signal system run by the freight railroad at that spot was down at the time, and CSX dispatchers were manually routing trains. The only way the Amtrak train could have gotten onto the siding was for a switch to have been thrown, Anderson said. CSX issued a statement expressing condolences but said nothing about the cause of the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board sent investigators to the scene. The force of the crash dislodged a seat and knocked it onto passenger Tronia Dorsey's legs, said her son, Andre Neblett, who spoke with her. The 43-year-old woman, who escaped with minor scratches and bruises, described a terrifying scene inside the dark compartment, with people screaming and babies wailing, he said. "It was chaos," Andre Neblett said after driving in from North Carolina to retrieve his mother's suitcase from a Red Cross shelter. "She said she was just waiting on somebody to get to her." The conductor and engineer aboard the Amtrak locomotive were killed. And 116 people were taken to four hospitals, according to the governor. At least three patients were hospitalized in critical or serious condition, with nearly all the rest treated for minor injuries such as cuts, bruises and whiplash, authorities said. Palmetto Health emergency room doctor Eric Brown said so many passengers were hurt that they were brought in on two buses, and a tent that had been set up as a waiting room to keep people separate from flu patients was turned into a triage area. The locomotives of both trains were left crumpled, the Amtrak engine on its side. One car in the middle of the Amtrak train was snapped in half, forming a V off to one side of the tracks. "It's a horrible thing to see, to understand the force involved," the governor said after touring the scene. In a statement, Amtrak said that it was "deeply saddened" by the deaths and added that it was cooperating fully with the NTSB, as did CSX. But Amtrak also also said CSX maintains all the tracks and signals where the accident happened and controls access to the sidings and yards. Amtrak's Anderson said the crash shows the importance of making sure that positive train control GPS-based technology that can prevent accidents by automatically slowing or stopping locomotives is installed on every train and track in the nation by the government's end-of-the-year deadline. The system is in place in the Northeast, but railroads that operate tracks used by Amtrak elsewhere in the U.S. have gotten extensions to the deadlines. Many passengers were asleep when crash happened. Elliot Smith told The State newspaper of Columbia that he was staying with a friend when they heard what sounded like a propane tank exploding. "The sound was so loud, you instantly knew it was bad," he said. Amtrak officials gathered up luggage and other belongings and within hours put passengers aboard buses to their destinations. Before being sent on their way, those who were not hurt were taken to a shelter set up at a middle school, and local businesses provided coffee and breakfast. "We know they are shaken up quite a bit. We know this is like nothing else they have ever been through. So we wanted to get them out of the cold, get them out of the weather get them to a warm place," sheriff's spokesman Adam Myrick said. The dead were identified as engineer Michael Kempf, 54, of Savannah, Georgia, and conductor Michael Cella, 36, of Orange Park, Florida. Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher's voice caught as she released the names of the dead. "Any time you have anything that happens like that, you expect more fatalities. But God blessed us, and we only had the two," Fisher said. On Wednesday, a chartered Amtrak train carrying Republican members of Congress to a strategy retreat slammed into a garbage truck at a crossing in rural Virginia, killing one person in the truck and injuring six others. And on Dec. 18, an Amtrak train ran off the rails along a curve during its inaugural run on a route south of Tacoma, Washington, killing three people and injuring dozens. It was going nearly 80 mph, more than twice the speed limit. After the latest crash, Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said the nation's railroads must be made safer, declaring, "Business as usual must end." He said proven technology, including positive train control, cannot continue to be delayed. The latest wreck again raised criticism about the safety culture of the nation's passenger railway. With the string of crashes, "it's becoming almost like an epidemic for Amtrak," said Najmedin Meshkati, a University of Southern California engineering professor who has studied positive train control. The worst rail tragedy in recent South Carolina history took place in 2005 when a freight engineer parked a train on a side track near a textile mill in Graniteville and forgot to flip the switch back to keep trains on the main track. A freight train passing through went barreling down the side track and slammed into the parked train, killing nine people, most of them millworkers choked by chorine gas that leaked from a damaged tanker car. NETTLETON, Miss. (WTVA) - A man was struck and killed by a train in Nettleton Sunday. Monroe County Coroner Alan Gurley says Lee County 911 received the call sometime near 11:45 a.m. about a person struck in Nettleton near the Shell gas station on the Monroe County side of town. Gurley has identified the man who died as Marconi Mazariegos Perez, 32. The coroner says Perez was living with a friend on Tupelo Avenue in Nettleton but he is actually from Tacana, San Marcos, Guatemala. Nettleton Police Chief Gary Monaghan says the train's engineer saw that someone was standing on the track. However, the closer the train got, the engineer realized the person wasn't going to move. "There was no way they (train) could stop," the police chief said. Perez was killed instantly. Efforts are being made to reach his family in Guatemala. GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) A Mississippi sheriff says a suspect in a violent crime has been killed in a shootout with narcotics officers. Harrison County Sheriff Troy Peterson said 49-year-old Ernie Lizana Jr. fired gunshots at the officers early Monday as they arrived at a vacant home in Gulfport where the suspect was hiding. Peterson says the officers returned fire and shot Lizana several times, killing him. News outlets report Lizana was wanted on aggravated assault charges after a woman was found shot in the throat Saturday. Police said the woman, whose name was not released, was hospitalized in New Orleans in serious condition. Peterson said the investigation into Lizana's death has been turned over to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. HAHIRA, GA (WTXL) - One person was killed Monday morning in Hahira, when a train struck a truck that was on the tracks. The Georgia State Patrol is currently investigating a crash involving a Norfolk Southern Train and a C&S Rail Construction Company dump truck. Troopers say that at 8:35 a.m. on Monday, a Norfolk Southern Train was traveling south in the City of Hahira and a C&S Rail Construction dump truck was traveling west on West Lawson Street when the dump truck failed to yield to the train. That's when the front of the train crashed into the passengers side of the dump truck, ejecting the driver. The driver, who has been identified as 48-year-old Dexter Brown of Barnwell, South Carolina, was pronounced dead at the scene. The name of the C&S employee is not being released at this time due to notification of family. No alcohol are drugs are suspected in the crash. An investigation into the crash is ongoing. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A kickoff event to enhance public safety in the Bond community will be held Tuesday. The Public Safety Collective is expanding the Neighborhood Public Safety Initiative. The event in the Greater Bond Community will take place Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 6 p.m. at the Smith Williams Service Center Annex, 2295 Pasco Street. Representatives from the Public Safety Collective will explain the initiative, and neighborhood champions will discuss community goals. Attendees will also be asked how they would like to participate in the effort. In the coming months, various events and efforts will be organized, including community assessments, neighborhood walks, community service days, a job fair and more. The program is a citizen-based initiative designed to help address public safety by focusing on crime prevention and education, community beautification, and community empowerment and volunteerism. "By working collaboratively with residents through education and empowerment programs ... local law enforcement agencies are seeing progress in the fight against crime, said Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo, chair of the Public Safety Collective. The latest data in 2017 showed a 13.77 percent reduction in overall crime in our community when compared to the same timeframe in 2016. The Public Safety Collective is made up of the Tallahassee Police Department, Leon County Sherriffs Office, the State Attorneys Office, Big Bend Crime Stoppers, Tallahassee Fire Department, Capitol Police, the U.S. Attorneys Office, the Citys TEMPO program and the police departments from FSU, FAMU and TCC. MOBILE USERS: Download our WTXL news app on your Apple and Android devices for the latest from South Georgia and North Florida. Also, download our WTXL First Alert Weather app for Apple and Android devices to get the latest local weather wherever you go. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for additional local news and hourly updates. VALDOSTA, GA (WTXL) - A Florida woman has plead guilty to picking up over two pounds of meth in Valdosta as a runner for the Zoe Pound street gang. Dawn Angela Cimmino aka Dawn Frazier, 41, of Bowling Green, Florida, entered a guilty plea on Jan. 31, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced Monday that she entered her plea in Valdosta. Cimmino, acting as a 'runner' for the Zoe Pound street gang, was paid $1,000 to pick up a package containing crystal methamphetamine from a Valdosta hotel and take it to Florida. She said the organization recently started having packages shipped from California by FedEx to be picked up by runners who drove the drugs to Florida. The total amount sent to Cimmino was 978.1 grams, a little over two pounds, of methamphetamine. She faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with a mandatory minimum of ten years. Her sentencing is set for May 9, 2018. "Methamphetamine continues to be one of the most serious drugs of abuse in the Middle District of Georgia," said United States Attorney Peeler. "In a matter of only a few month, it can destroy a persons physical appearance, health, intellect and emotional stability. Those who deal in methamphetamine deal in human misery and will be held accountable for the choices they make." The case was investigated the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lowndes County Sheriffs Office. Assistant United States Attorney Sonja B. Profit handled the prosecution for the Government. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A local Anglican church has been named a new cathedral for the Gulf Atlantic Diocese in North America. St Peter's Anglican Church celebrated that distinction Sunday and unveiled a new road sign and a community prayer. The dean of St. Peter's Church says becoming a cathedral is a big deal. "Becoming a cathedral does two things," he said. "It affirms and celebrates all these wonderful people who work so hard and gave so much to create this church. It also calls us to a greater responsibility. That we're no longer just focused on our parrish and our missional efforts but were focusing on reaching far beyond us." Along with helping better the community, becoming a cathedral also functions as the seat of the bishop. MOBILE USERS: Download our WTXL news app on your Apple and Android devices for the latest from South Georgia and North Florida. Also, download our WTXL First Alert Weather app for Apple and Android devices to get the latest local weather wherever you go. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for additional local news and hourly updates. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Charges have been dropped against a FAMU student videotaped in April 2017 having sex with a juvenile female in the bathroom of a nightclub. Jerod D. Hutchinson turned himself in on July 21, 2017 a few months after a video was made at what used to be the Coliseum Night Club at 1833 W. Tennessee St. According to court documents, the juvenile snuck into the club using her sister's ID. He was charged with four counts of lewd or lascivious battery. On Monday, all four counts were dropped by the state attorney's office. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A FAMU student videotaped having sex with a juvenile female in the bathroom of a nightclub has been charged with lewd and lascivious behavior. Jerod D. Hutchinson, 21, turned himself in on July 21, a few months after a video made at the Coliseum Night Club at 1833 W. Tennessee St. was posted on Instagram. To enter the club, the juvenile used her sister's ID, according to the probable cause affidavit. Investigators said that the club requires that everyone prove they are 18 with identification. She told an investigator that while she was staying with a friend, she and two of her friends snuck out of the house April 7 and drove to the club. The victim said that after dancing inside the club for about an hour with Hutchinson, she told him she was 18 and they engaged in consensual sex in the bathroom stall. A few hours after leaving the club, the victim told the investigators that she and Hutchinson had sex in his dorm room on the FAMU campus. When questioned, Hutchinson told investigators that the juvenile came up to him and told him he looked good and began "dancing aggressive and started rubbing him." "The female grabbed his hand and led him into the men's restroom," the report said he told investigators, and "told the other males inside the men's room to be quiet." His attorney did not allow Hutchinson to speak about what occurred sexually inside the stall. Hutchinson denied knowing the people who videotaped them inside the stall and said he did not know who posted the videos of them having sex. Examining Hutchinson's phone, investigators said, they found a text where Hutchinson advised the victim that the video showed his face but not hers. An investigator reviewing the video said he could see Hutchinson and the juvenile holding hands and walking into the area of the restrooms and, about 15 minutes later, the girl leaving the area with two of her friends. The complaint says Hutchinson unlawfully had sex with a person 12 years of age or older but less than 16. Hutchinson has since bonded out of the Leon County Jail. He is due back in court for a plea hearing on October 16. MOBILE USERS: Download our WTXL news app on your Apple and Android devices for the latest from South Georgia and North Florida. Also, download our WTXL Weather Now app for Apple and Android devices to get the latest local weather wherever you go. WAKULLA COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - The Wakulla County Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's help in identifying a person wanted for a theft at the Walmart in Crawfordville. Anyone with information is asked to contact the WCSO at (850) 745 - 7100. MOBILE USERS: Download our WTXL news app on your Apple and Android devices for the latest from South Georgia and North Florida. Also, download our WTXL First Alert Weather app for Apple and Android devices to get the latest local weather wherever you go. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for additional local news and hourly updates. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Tallahassee man was arrested after security cameras at Tallahassee Community College caught him coming up behind a student and striking him in the head twice with his fists. Nitravian Letreal Henderson, 26, remained in the Leon County Detention Center on Monday on charges that include battery causing bodily harm and trespass after warning. Booked into jail Saturday, he was held on a $1,750 bond. In an unprovoked attack, Henderson approached the TCC student from behind and punched him on Jan. 25, 2018, according to a probable cause affidavit. The incident occurred in the TCC English building about 7 p.m. and was captured on campus security cameras and seen by a witness. When the attack occurred, Henderson had been under a trespass warning issued on Oct. 3, 2017, not to enter the campus, a TCC Police Department investigator wrote. Henderson, after waiving his right to remain silent, told the TCC investigator in an interview on Jan. 29, 2018, that he committed the battery after feeling threatened by the victim. Henderson said he entered the TCC building to drink water from the fountain when he was threatened by a male and left the building. Henderson said he eventually returned to the building and saw another male leaving a classroom and that male also made a comment that caused him to feel threatened. In response, Henderson said, he came up behind the man and hit him twice in the head, and the victim did not retaliate. "The video evidence showed the attack from behind without any provocation or warning to the victim," the investigator wrote. MOBILE USERS: Download our WTXL news app on your Apple and Android devices for the latest from South Georgia and North Florida. Also, download our WTXL First Alert Weather app for Apple and Android devices to get the latest local weather wherever you go. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for additional local news and hourly updates. TIFTON, Ga. (WTXL) - A freshman at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Georgia has been found dead. The school sent out a release to students Saturday morning that says 19-year-old Jeremy Bailey from Morrow, Ga. was found dead in a dormitory Friday night. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is now investigating his death. No foul play is suspected at this time. The school is reminding students that the Student Development Center on campus is an available resource for emotional support. Students interested in scheduling an appointment can call 229.391.5135 or email Dr. Maggie Martin at mmartin@abac.edu. ABAC is one of the 29 members of the University System of Georgia. It's located in south central Georgia, around 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Valdosta and east of Albany. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- Chief Meteorologist Casanova Nurse made his rounds to two separate classrooms on National Weatherperson's Day Monday. His first stop was to participate in the 29th annual African American Read-In at Springwood Elementary School in Tallahassee, reading a Liberian tale to first-graders. He then traveled to Childcare Network #116 on Raymond Diehl Road as part of the school's recognition of National Weatherperson's Day, providing a group of about 30 children lessons on weather words and cloud formations, and a basic understanding of the water cycle. WORLAND Washakie County Commissioners, along with Wyoming County Commissioners Association Executive Director Peter Obermueller, hosted a listening session with legislators in Worland on Thursday, to review issues of importance to the state, and review upcoming legislation. WORLAND Washakie County Commissioners, along with Wyoming County Commissioners Association Executive Director Peter Obermueller, hosted a listening session with legislators in Worland on Thursday, to review issues of importance to the state, and review upcoming legislation. Various members of the legislature were in attendance, including Senators Ray Peterson (District 19, Cowley), Wyatt Ag... Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 05:32:35|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close BERLIN, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that the Internet is "not ground outside law" when asked about the country's new social media law. Merkel made the statement on the government podcast released on Saturday. "That means Internet world should be regulated as the way in which the world we know," and the solution is to make "social media operators become accountable for the content they spread", Merkel said. Merkel said the law will be evaluated and may be adjusted, but stressed its original intention "that we need regulations in this field ... is absolutely right and necessary". Social media are required to handle users' reports on hate speech, fake news, and illegal material, also remove them at the given time. Otherwise, they could face a penalty as high as 50 million euros (62 million U.S. dollars), according to the law officially taking effect since the beginning of this year. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 07:33:33|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Photo taken on Feb. 4, 2018 shows a car drives past building of Supreme Court of Pakistan, illuminated in the pink color to mark World Cancer Day in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan. For the first time in the history of Pakistan, the prestigious building of the Supreme Court was illuminated in the pink color in support of Pink Ribbon Pakistan on the occasion of World Cancer Day. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal) Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 09:33:07|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster said that the Amtrak passenger train appeared to be on the wrong track when it collided with a CSX freight train in the southern U.S. state early Sunday, leaving at least two people dead and 70 injured. In recent years, railroad accidents have occurred frequently in the United States. The following is a chronology of railroad accidents in the U.S. in recent years: -- TACOMA, Washington, Dec. 19, 2017: At least three people were killed and more than 100 injured after an Amtrak train derailed on Monday near Tacoma in Washington State on the U.S. West Coast. With 77 passengers and six crew members on board, the train was on its inaugural run on a faster route when 13 of its 14 cars jumped the track, with some falling off a bridge and hitting cars and other vehicles on the freeway below. -- LAKELAND, Florida, Nov. 27, 2017: A cargo train carrying molten sulfur derailed on its way from Waycross to Winston in the southeastern U.S. state of Florida. The accident left several cars mangled but no injuries were reported. -- TACOMA, Washington, July 2, 2017: A train carrying more than 250 people derailed in the town of Steilacoo; no serious injuries were reported. -- HOBOKEN, New Jersey, Sept. 30, 2016: A transit train crashed into New Jersey's Hoboken Station, killing one person on the platform and injuring 108 due to a operator error. The train was not equipped with positive train control technology, which can automatically slow down trains when they are running too fast. -- CHESTER, Pennsylvania, April 3, 2016: An Amtrak hit a backhoe working on tracks on its way to Savannah, killing two maintenance workers and injuring 41. The accident was due to failure to deploy a supplemental shunting device for the crew working on the track. -- CIMARRON, Kansas, March 14, 2016: An Amtrak derailed about 20 miles (32 km) west of Dodge City in Kansas while traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago, injuring 28 people. An investigation concluded that accident was due to prior damage of the track caused by an agricultural vehicle. -- PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, May 12, 2015: An Amtrak train derailed, killing eight people and injuring more than 200. It was the deadliest accident on the Northeast Corridor since 1987. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that the driver was distracted by radio transmissions and lost track of where he was. -- CHATSWORTH, California, Sept. 12, 2008: A Metrolink train collided head-on with a Union Pacific freight train in Los Angeles' Chatworth district, killing 25 people and injuring 135. The NTSB faulted the Metrolink train engineer, who was texting while on duty. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 09:43:09|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close YANGON, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Some 3,300 civilians, who were trapped in conflict zones in Myanmar's northern state of Kachin, have been rescued and sent back home by the military, Myanmar News Agency reported Monday. The Kachin Independence Army (KIA), one of the non-ceasefire signatories to Myanmar government's Nationwide Cease fire Accord (NCA), were attacking the regional military headquarters and some security camps in the Kachin state over the past week. Injuries have been reported as dozens of the armed militants fired with small arms and heavy guns about 2,300 meters away from the military headquarters in Moekaung township in Myitgyina. The firing occurred on a daily basis between Wednesday and Saturday. Meanwhile, conflicts were also reported between the military and the ethnic armed group in Sumprabum, Waingmaw and Tanai townships in the same state over the same period, trapping over 150 other civilians in Tanai but they have also been rescued and sent back home by the military, reports said. WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- An investigation is currently underway on how an Amtrak passenger train ended up on the wrong track, causing a deadly crash with another train early Sunday morning in the U.S. state of South Carolina. Two Amtrak employees were killed and more than 100 were injured as the passenger train collided into a CSX freight train. "It appears that Amtrak was on the wrong track," South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster said at a press conference. The CSX train was parked on a side track when the Amtrak train, heading from New York to Miami, slammed into it at about 59 mph (95 km/h), he said. The freight train engines were "all torn up" and the Amtrak engine was "barely recognizable" from the crash. Investigators are now focused on why a railroad switch was set in the wrong position, leading to the Amtrak train off the main line and onto the side track which was occupied by the empty CSX train. "For whatever reason that switch was, as they say in the railroad industry, 'lined and locked,'" said Robert Sumwalt, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board. "Which basically means it was aligned for the train coming this way to be diverted into the siding." "Key to this investigation (is) why that switch was lined that way," Sumwalt said at a press conference Sunday afternoon. It will take several months to determine the cause of the crash, Sumwalt said. The Lexington County coroner identified the two dead as engineer Michael Kempf, 54, and conductor Michael Cella, 36, who were riding in the front of the train. The Amtrak train consisted of seven passenger cars and one locomotive, while the CSX train comprised two locomotives and 34 empty "autorack" cars for transporting automobiles, local media reported. The U.S. Transportation Department said in a statement that it has sent officials to the crash site and tried to work out ways to "ensure a safe and reliable rail system going forward." Earlier in the day, Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson said the signalling system was not operating, which is why trains were being directed through the corridor manually by CSX dispatchers. CSX owns and controls the Columbia Subdivision tracks where the crash occurred and is responsible for overseeing the dispatching of trains and signal systems, local media reported quoting Anderson. Earlier, local authorities said about 5,000 gallons of fuel were spilled following the train crash. However, Lexington County spokesman Harrison Cahill said there was "no threat to the public at the time." Amtrak said Sunday morning that there were eight crew members and approximately 139 passengers in the train when the crash happened. It is the third deadly wreck involving Amtrak in about two months. In December, an Amtrak train derailed in the northwestern U.S. state of Washington, killing three people and injured dozens. Last week, an Amtrak train carrying Republican lawmakers to a retreat in West Virginia hit a garbage truck in Virginia, leaving one dead and two seriously injured. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 11:03:25|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close SEOUL, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- South Korea on Monday welcomed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s dispatch of its high-ranking delegation to the South Korea-hosted Winter Olympics set to kick off later this week. Baik Tae-hyun, Seoul's unification ministry spokesman, told a press briefing that the government hailed the visit by the DPRK's high-ranking delegation to South Korea, saying it will provide necessary accommodations and guarantee security during their stay. The DPRK notified South Korea Sunday night of its decision to send the delegation, led by Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, from Friday to Sunday. The DPRK delegation will include three delegates and 18 supporting officials. Who will be the three delegates was not known yet. The 23rd Winter Olympics will start from Friday at South Korea's eastern county of PyeongChang. Baik said the South Korean government will prepare to let the DPRK delegation attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics as well as other competitions and events, while preparing to make it possible for high-ranking officials from the two Koreas to hold talks. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 11:13:27|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close by Raul Menchaca HAVANA, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- An incessant flow of people entering and leaving the main pavilion at Havana's International Book Fair clearly indicates the people's strong interest in this year's featured guest country: China. An oversized poster flanked by two flags announces China's presence at the fair, where the Asian country occupies some 400 square meters of floor space, presenting as many as 3,000 books, including several authored by Chinese President Xi Jinping, such as his highly acclaimed "The Governance of China." This book is prominently on display near the entrance, inviting readers to explore its compilation of 99 speeches, talks, briefings and letters by Xi, divided by 17 topics, as well as 29 photos dating from August 2014 to September 2017. China has become the spotlight of the show with its selection of Spanish-, English- and Chinese-language books promising insights into the millenary culture. "I'm interested in finding out more about the Chinese culture," student and fair goer Yosvany Monteaux told Xinhua. Monteaux has been studying Mandarin at the Confucius Institute in Havana for three years, and it has piqued his curiosity "for everything that comes from there." As the most important cultural event in the Caribbean nation, the 27th Havana International Book Fair opened on Feb. 1 and will conclude its first stage in Havana on Feb. 11. "I found what I was hoping to find and even much more," he said, pointing to a backpack stuffed with textbooks and works of literature. Inside a large blue tent, you can buy Spanish translations of famed Chinese authors, such as Liu Zhenyun's "Cell Phone" or Xu Zechen's "Running Through Beijing." Both authors are a part of the entourage of 11 Chinese writers who attended the fair to meet with their Cuban counterparts alongside others in the publishing field. One Cuban fair goer Susel Suarez said that to know more about China, one has to read more from China. "China is a friendly country, and it's great that it comes closer to us so that we can know more and better about its culture," Suarez added. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 11:13:27|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close XINING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The 3,100-km journey home from his high school did not stress 17-year-old Sonam Wenjam, who comes from a Tibetan prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province. On Feb. 1, he arrived at Qinghai's provincial capital, Xining, after a 48-hour train journey from Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province. He has been studying at Shenyang Xiangyu Middle school for three years. From Xining, Sonam Wenjam and other students boarded buses and took another 10 hours to arrive home in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, about 800 kilometers from Xining. "I miss my mother the most. I still remember when my parents saw me off at the bus station three years ago. I felt so heavy in my heart because the school is far from home, and away from my parents," he said. "I don't feel so heavy-hearted now and I'm more sure of myself. It is a necessary experience for growing up," he said on the bus. A total of 156 students took bus trips on Thursday, said Kumjo Doje, deputy director of traffic police in Yushu City, capital of Yushu prefecture. Sonam Wenjam and the students are part of a competitive but promising national program that takes children from remote and impoverished areas in provinces such as Qinghai, Tibet Autonomous Region and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and allows them to attend senior high schools in central, east and southern China. Every year, thousands of students are enrolled in the programs. The programs are funded by the government. When schools are out of session for summer and winter holidays, educational authorities, schools and police arrange the students' travel back home. This year, 2,195 students from Yushu studying in other provinces are expected to travel home for the new year. Officer Kumjo Doje said the figure is about half of the total number of students in the Yushu program. "Not all students choose to make the journey during the Spring Festival travel rush, when the transport system is under a lot of pressure," he said. The police department in Yushu shepherded the students' buses to ensure their safety. "The bus drivers are experienced and know about the road conditions -- a third of the roads from Xining to Yushu are frozen earth. The police car is in the front leading the way to keep the bus from speeding," said Kumjo Doje. "We have carried out the task for eight years, and this year, there are 15 groups of students to escort," he said. Teachers also accompany the students back home. Sonam Wenjam has received state funding during his study in Shenyang, but his parents also send him a monthly allowance of 1,000 yuan (about 158 U.S. dollars). "My father herds cattle in the Chongda Township in Yushu City. I used to dig for caterpillar fungus to help support the family when I was in primary school, but after I went to middle school, my father said I had to focus on my studies so that I can go to better schools in more developed places," he said. In Shenyang Xiangyu Middle School, Sonam Wenjam gets up at 5:30 a.m. every morning and stays up until 11 p.m. studying. He has 13 classes in Tibetan language and culture every week. "Our Tibetan-language teacher is also from Yushu. He wears traditional Yushu Kangba robes in class, which reminds me of home," he said. "Studying in the city is an eye-opener. The books are more up-to-date," he said. "But the bad thing about the city is that it has smog," he said. "And there are mosquitoes -- we hardly see them in our hometown," said Soam Palde, a student from Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Sonam Wenjam bought down coats and sweaters for his family. "In a few days, there will be the Tibetan new year," he said. He keeps a fountain pen given by the Yushu prefectural governor, who visited the Shenyang school in December last year. "My dad is a herdsman, but he writes Tibetan words beautifully. I'm giving this pen to him as a new year's gift," the 17-year-old said. After the new year holiday, the students will embark on another journey from home to school. "I'm very lucky. Compared with many students back home, I have better education and more opportunities to learn. In the future, I hope I can make my hometown a better place through my own strength," he said. SEOUL, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's services account deficit hit a record high last year as the number of Chinese tourists visiting the country tumbled, central bank data showed Monday. Services account deficit amounted to 34.47 billion U.S. dollars in 2017, after recording 14.92 billion dollars in 2015 and 17.74 billion dollars in 2016 respectively, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK). The deficit kept a record-breaking trend for the third consecutive year as the travel account deficit increased amid the falling number of Chinese visitor to South Korea. The travel account deficit posted 17.17 billion dollars in 2017, surpassing the previous record high of 15.84 billion dollars tallied in 2007. The number of Chinese tourists visiting South Korea plunged 48.3 percent in 2017 from the previous year, leading to a 22.7-percent decline in the total number of foreigners traveling to South Korea last year. In contrast, the number of South Koreans who traveled abroad jumped 18.4 percent in 2017 from the prior year. Trade balance for goods posted a surplus of 119.89 billion dollars in 2017, marking the second-biggest figure ever recorded by the South Korean economy. Exports, which account for about half of the export-driven economy, advanced 12.8 percent over the year to 577.38 billion dollars in 2017 thanks mainly to strong demand for locally-made semiconductors and the global economic recovery. Imports expanded 16.4 percent to 457.49 billion dollars, posting the first increase in six years. 34 militants killed in Afghan Nangarhar province Source: Xinhua 2018-02-05 13:08:45 JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- About 34 militants, including 31 fighters of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, were killed and seven others wounded in two incidents in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar, the army's Corps based in the region said Monday. Editor: Liu Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 13:33:51|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close GUANGZHOU, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Eight people were killed and ten others were hospitalized by a gas leak at an iron works in south China's Guangdong Province, local authorities said Monday. The leak happened around 3 a.m. at Songshan iron foundry in Shaoguan City. Eight people died immediately and the other ten are now stable in hospital, according to the city government. The cause of the accident is under investigation. JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- About 34 militants, including 31 fighters of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, were killed and seven people wounded in two incidents in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar, the army's Corps based in the region said. Up to 25 IS militants were killed following airstrikes in Mahmand Dara, Achin district within the past 24 hours, the Afghan army's Corps 201 Selab said in a statement. No security force member or civilian was hurt during the sorties. In addition, six IS fighters and three Taliban militants were killed and 10 armed men from two sides wounded after IS militants clashed with the Taliban outfit fighters in the same district on Sunday, the statement added. Both the rival armed groups often fight over expanding territory in parts of Afghanistan. The mountainous province, with Jalalabad as its capital, 120 km east of Kabul, has been the scene of clashes between security forces and militants from time to time. The clashes have forced thousands of villagers to flee to safer places in Nangarhar. Up to 1,600 militants loyal to the Islamic State (IS) have been killed in Afghanistan and more than 8,500 others sustained injuries over the past one year, Afghan Defense Ministry officials confirmed. WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster said that the Amtrak passenger train appeared to be on the wrong track when it collided with a CSX freight train in the southern U.S. state early Sunday, leaving at least two people dead and 70 injured. In recent years, railroad accidents have occurred frequently in the United States. The following is a chronology of railroad accidents in the U.S. in recent years: -- TACOMA, Washington, Dec. 19, 2017: At least three people were killed and more than 100 injured after an Amtrak train derailed on Monday near Tacoma in Washington State on the U.S. West Coast. With 77 passengers and six crew members on board, the train was on its inaugural run on a faster route when 13 of its 14 cars jumped the track, with some falling off a bridge and hitting cars and other vehicles on the freeway below. -- LAKELAND, Florida, Nov. 27, 2017: A cargo train carrying molten sulfur derailed on its way from Waycross to Winston in the southeastern U.S. state of Florida. The accident left several cars mangled but no injuries were reported. -- TACOMA, Washington, July 2, 2017: A train carrying more than 250 people derailed in the town of Steilacoo; no serious injuries were reported. -- HOBOKEN, New Jersey, Sept. 30, 2016: A transit train crashed into New Jersey's Hoboken Station, killing one person on the platform and injuring 108 due to a operator error. The train was not equipped with positive train control technology, which can automatically slow down trains when they are running too fast. -- CHESTER, Pennsylvania, April 3, 2016: An Amtrak hit a backhoe working on tracks on its way to Savannah, killing two maintenance workers and injuring 41. The accident was due to failure to deploy a supplemental shunting device for the crew working on the track. -- CIMARRON, Kansas, March 14, 2016: An Amtrak derailed about 20 miles (32 km) west of Dodge City in Kansas while traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago, injuring 28 people. An investigation concluded that accident was due to prior damage of the track caused by an agricultural vehicle. -- PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, May 12, 2015: An Amtrak train derailed, killing eight people and injuring more than 200. It was the deadliest accident on the Northeast Corridor since 1987. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that the driver was distracted by radio transmissions and lost track of where he was. -- CHATSWORTH, California, Sept. 12, 2008: A Metrolink train collided head-on with a Union Pacific freight train in Los Angeles' Chatworth district, killing 25 people and injuring 135. The NTSB faulted the Metrolink train engineer, who was texting while on duty. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 14:29:05|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security services revealed their "most wanted list" of 60 people on Sunday, with Raghad, the eldest daughter of Saddam Hussein, on it. The 60 people wanted are on suspicion of belonging to the Islamic State group, al-Qaeda or the al-Baath Party. According to Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV channel, Raghad responded in a telephone interview that she has pledged to confront those who "insult her" by suing them back. Raghad fled to Jordan along with her sister, Rana, and their children in July 2003. Since 2006, she has been on the list which the new Iraqi government is seeking to prosecute for supporting violence. However, the Jordanian government has turned down the request by Iraq to hand over Raghad, insisting that to do so would violate Arab traditions of hospitality. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 14:34:06|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's central bank said it will tighten regulations on domestic investors' participation in overseas transactions of "initial coin offerings" (ICOs) and virtual currency as risks are still high in the sector. Overseas ICO transaction platforms pose risks including illegal offerings, false information, fraud and pyramid schemes, according to the People's Bank of China (PBOC). Regulators warned that domestic investors should be alert to risks and refrain from participating in speculation in virtual currency transactions. China will take a string of measures to guard against financial risks and maintain stability, according to the PBOC. "ICOs, in essence, are a kind of unauthorized and illegal public fundraising and are suspected of having ties to criminal activities such as financial fraud and pyramid schemes," according to an earlier statement from the central bank. Last September, authorities ordered a ban on ICOs and shut down all virtual currency exchanges in the country, as the rapidly expanding market triggered concerns over financial risks. HANOI, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Trinh Xuan Thanh, former chairman of the Board of Directors of state-owned PetroVietnam Construction Corporation (PVC), on Monday was sentenced life behind bars on the charge of asset embezzlement at PetroVietnam Power Land Company (PVP Land). The Hanoi People's Court also handed down jail terms of from six years to 16 years on seven other defendants in the PVP Land case, including Dinh Manh Thang, former chairman of the Board of Directors of Song Da Oil and Gas Investment and Commerce Company, younger brother of ousted Political Bureau member Dinh La Thang. Dinh Manh Thang got the imprisonment sentence of nine years on the charge of asset embezzlement. According to the verdict, Trinh Xuan Thanh, 52, was mainly responsible for deciding to transfer over 12 million shares of PVP Land at selling prices much lower than their actual prices, and pocketed 14 billion Vietnamese dong (619,000 U.S. dollars). On Jan. 22, the same court passed the jail term of 13 years on Dinh La Thang for intentionally violating state regulations on economic management, causing serious consequences, and life sentence on Trinh Xuan Thanh for intentionally violating state regulations on economic management, causing serious consequences, and for misappropriating assets at the state-owned National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam or PVN). Dinh La Thang, former chairman of the member council of PetroVietnam, was mainly responsible for wrongdoings during the implementation of the Thai Binh 2 thermal power plant project. The plant was built by PVC. Dinh La Thang, 58, lost his membership in the Political Bureau under the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee in May 2017. Vietnam's Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption has agreed on plans to finalize the investigation, prosecution and judgment regarding 23 corruption and economic cases in 2017 and in the first quarter of 2018. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 14:59:13|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close HONG KONG, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong Observatory issued the cold weather warning for the ninth consecutive day on Monday, as the minimum temperature in Hong Kong's urban areas remained below 10 degrees Celsius for over a week. Hong Kong Observatory issued the Cold Weather Warning on early Monday morning, forecasting that "cold weather is expected in Hong Kong in the next few days" and advising people to "put on warm clothes" and "avoid prolonged exposure to wintry winds." According to weather report updated by Hong Kong Observatory at noon on Monday, the minimum temperature in urban areas was 8 degrees Celsius. On Sunday, which marked this year's Beginning of Spring in Chinese 24 Solar terms, the minimum temperature in Hong Kong was 9 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest Beginning of Spring in over 10 years. With the cold weather warning constantly in force, the Center for Health Protection (CHP) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government repeatedly reminded the public, particularly the elderly and people with chronic illnesses, to adopt appropriate measures to protect their health from diseases that might be triggered or exacerbated by the cold weather. "Elderly people have less insulating fat beneath their skin to keep them warm and their body temperature control mechanism may be weaker. Their body may not be able to appropriately respond to the cold weather," a spokesman of the CHP said. The HKSAR government's Labor Department also reminded employers that they should take appropriate precautions especially for employees who have to work outdoors or in remote areas. In view of the cold weather, the Home Affairs Department has opened 17 temporary shelters for people in need of the service. A staff member surnamed Wong at one of the temporary shelters told Xinhua that the shelter provides the users with mattresses, quilt, hot water and food such as instant noodles. "We provide two hot meals everyday, lunch and dinner, and we will also offer them warm clothes if needed," Wong said, adding that the staff have been working on three shifts during the past week to ensure the shelters are open 24 hours. A spokesman of the Home Affairs Department told Xinhua the temporary shelters have been open since Jan. 28 when the cold weather warning was first issued, and the users totaled over 500 each night. Hong Kong Observatory forecasts that cold and dry weather will persist until Thursday morning, with daytime temperatures rising in the latter part of this week. FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A total of 12 militants have been killed as the Afghan government forces warplanes pounded Taliban hideouts in the northern Badakhshan, Faryab and Sari Pul provinces on Monday, an army spokesman said. The government forces aircraft, including helicopter gunships, according to spokesman in the northern region Nasratullah Jamshidi, bombed Taliban hideouts in Wardoj district of Badakhshan, killing six insurgents early Monday. In similar raids, the warplanes targeted Taliban hideouts in Shirin Tagab district of Faryab, killing four fighters. Two more militants were killed after the helicopter gunships pounded Taliban positions in Sangcharak district of Sari Pul province early Monday. Several more militants sustained injuries in the bombings, the spokesman said, saying the security forces warplanes would continue to target the enemies positions elsewhere in the conflict-hit country. Taliban militants, who are active in parts of the provinces, are yet to make comment on the report. MOSCOW, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Russia and the United States should resume dialogue on missile defense, a leading newspaper Monday quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov as saying. "I especially emphasize the growing relevance of the missile defense issue. Let me remind you that an indestructible connection between strategic offensive arms and missile defense is noted in the preamble of the current Reduction of Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty (START)," Ryabkov told the Izvestia newspaper in an interview. "There was no specific and concrete dialogue on this topic with the Americans for a long time. Now the moment has come when it should be resumed," added Ryabkov. Effective as of Feb. 5, 2011, the New START requires the United States and Russia to limit the amount of strategic arms by Feb. 5, 2018. It is expected to last until 2021 with a possible five-year extension. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 16:04:27|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- China will review anti-dumping duties levied on potato starch imported from the EU which are due to expire, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) announced on Monday. The review was requested by China Starch Industry Association over concerns that should the duties be scrapped and domestic producers would suffer. During the investigation, which will start on Tuesday and will probably last a year, the current duties will continue to be levied. Potato starch imports from the EU are subject to anti-dumping duties ranging from 12.6 percent to 56.7 percent, according to an MOC ruling on Feb. 5, 2013. In September 2017, the MOC extended anti-subsidy duties on potato starch from the EU for five years. Potato starch is widely used in the food industry to make industrial materials, such as emulsifiers, as well as food products such as instant noodles. KATHMANDU, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Nepalese tea has finally received its own brand logo or trademark in the international market after over a century long cultivation, government authorities said on Monday. According to the National Tea and Coffee Development Board under the Ministry of Agricultural Development, it developed and registered the brand logo in the Department of Industry and has been endorsed. "Nepali tea producers used to export tea with respective companies names or logos. Now, the tea will be sold in the international market with a common logo, which represents the national identity," Sheshkanta Gautam, executive director of the Nepal Tea and Coffee Development Board, told Xinhua. The trademark comprises an image of mountains with "Nepal Tea: Quality from the Himalayas" written below it. Gautam informed that the logo will be formally unveiled during the third International Tea Festival in Nepal in March. With the approval of Nepali Orthodox Tea Certification Trademark Implementation Directive, the board has already asked the producers, processors, packagers and traders to use the logo. According to the National Tea and Coffee Development Board, Nepal produces tea in over 27,688 hectares of land in 44 districts, mainly in eastern districts like Ilam, Jhapa, Dhankuta, Terhathum and Panchthar. Nepal has been exporting tea to eight international destinations, mainly India, Canada, Germany, the United States and China among others. Shankar Sapkota, co-spokesperson at the Ministry of Agricultural Development, told Xinhua, "Having Nepal's own trademark is indeed good news which will be beneficial for the farmers and overall tea industry." According to the statistics, the tea cultivation started in the Himalayan country from eastern district Ilam, some 154 years ago, while Nepal became a member of International Tea Committee in 2007. The government of Nepal has also been marking 15th Baisakh as per the Nepali calendar as National Tea day. KABUL, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan government has increased air strikes against armed groups' oppositions and 37 militants have been killed since Saturday, officials said Monday. In the latest air strikes against anti-government militants, the government forces' warplanes targeted a Taliban hideout in Sangar village of Alinegar district of the eastern Laghman province in the wee hours of Monday, killing eight armed insurgents and injuring three others, the 0Interior Ministry said in a statement. Similarly, the government forces' aircraft including helicopter gunships struck Taliban hideouts in the northern Badakhshan, Faryab and Sari Pul provinces on the same day Monday, killing 12 rebels, according to Nasratullah Jamshidi, an army spokesman in the northern region. A day earlier on Sunday, the Afghan air force pounded militants' bastion in Taliban-controlled Wardoj district of Badakhshan province, killing eight fighters and injuring few others. Jamshidi also said that the security forces aircraft would continue to bomb the enemies positions elsewhere in the conflict-hit country. Afghan military aircrafts had also attacked the hideouts of Islamic State (IS) group in Achin district of the eastern Nangarhar province on Saturday and killed nine insurgents, according to provincial officials. Intensive air strikes came amid increasing number of the U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan since the White House announced a new strategy on Afghanistan and South Asia unveiled in last August. Local observers believe that boosting airpower and using it against militants could change the war front in favor of the Afghan government forces. Afghan Defense Ministry Spokesman General Dawlat Waziri said that crackdown against militants backed by airpower would increase in winter to weaken militants' abilities ahead of spring and summer known as fighting season in Afghanistan. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 16:34:40|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close QINGDAO, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The eastern Chinese coastal city Qingdao plans to hire foreign employees in government departments and public institutions this year, according to the city's human resource and social security bureau Monday. A guideline published Sunday gave the greenlight to state-owned enterprises and institutions, as well as government departments under the city's administrative regions, to recruit qualified foreigners in permanent or short-term job positions, or hire them as technical directors or consultants. An official at the bureau said Qingdao is seeking strategic scientists who have the capability to attain major scientific breakthroughs and lead the trend in science, or scientists engaged in research of frontier issues or cross-discipline studies. Qingdao is also looking for scientists who are capable of making major technological innovations; management talent who can help its enterprises explore international market; and other talent that are badly needed by the city. The bureau said it would select a list of institutions or departments to pilot the guideline this year and attract foreign professionals through job fairs, international conferences and business exhibitions. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 16:39:44|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- China Central Television (CCTV), the country's national broadcaster, will release a documentary on ancient Chinese crafts starting Tuesday night. Season 2 of the documentary "Inheritance" will debut on CCTV-4, a channel mainly targeting overseas viewers, in Chinese language. The new season consists of seven episodes lasting 50 minutes each, covering five intangible heritages, including falconry, kung fu and ethnic Miao embroidery. The crew of the documentary say they hope to show the everlasting charm of Chinese culture by exploring it in depth, along with inheriting and innovating in accordance with the requirements of the times. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 16:44:46|Editor: pengying Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces Monday killed six Islamic State (IS) militants in an operation at the town of Hawijah in Iraq's northern province of Kirkuk, a local police source said. The incident took place in the morning when a federal police forces carried out a search operation to clear the central part of Hawijah, some 230 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, from possible remnants of IS militants, Captain Ahmed al-Jubouri told Xinhua. During the operation, the troops came under small arms fire from some houses in the town sparking heavy clash that resulted in the killing of six militants, Jubouri said without giving further details. The operation was aimed at clearing the central neighborhoods of the town to pave the way for the displaced residents to return to their homes, Jubouri added. Dozens of IS militants fled their former bases in Hawijah area in west of Kirkuk and the neighboring Salahudin province after the Iraqi forces drove out the extremist militants from these areas during anti-IS offensives in the past few months. On December 9, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group. However, small groups and individuals of IS militants melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas looking for safe havens but the security forces are hunting them down from time to time. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 16:49:47|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's service industry is expanding at the fastest pace for nearly six years, a private survey showed Monday. The Caixin China General Services Business Activity Index, which mainly monitors small and medium-sized firms, rose to 54.7 last month, up from 53.9 in December. It was the highest reading since May 2012. A number above 50 indicates expansion, while a figure below that points to contraction. The private survey's results accord with the official observation of the service sector, which also increased in January. January's upturn was mainly due to greater client demand, with new business growing at its quickest pace in 32 months, according to Caixin. The expansion is more evident that the Chinese economy is off to a good start in 2018, according to Zhong Zhengsheng, director of macroeconomic analysis at CEBM Group, a subsidiary of Caixin Insight Group. The Caixin China General Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) came in at 51.5 last month, unchanged from that in last December, which was the highest reading since August. Strength in both the manufacturing and services industries supported the Caixin China Composite Output Index, which covers both manufacturers and service providers, to jump to a seven-year high of 53.7 in January. Downside risks remain due to signs of moderating demand for manufactured products and rising costs that weigh on service companies, Zhong warned. SUVA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The threat climate change poses to the entire world is the greatest collective challenge humanity has ever faced, said Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama on Monday. Speaking at the opening of the 4th Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union 2018 media summit on climate change and Pacific Media partnership conference in Nadi, Fiji's third largest city, Bainimarama, who is also president of the 23rd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP23), said that natural disasters posed a particular threat to vulnerable nations and in the Asia Pacific. Cyclones and droughts posed an acute risk to people, and development through rising seas swamping arable land, acidity and bleaching destroying coral reefs, or changes to agriculture threatening food security. "It is an unprecedented crisis that we must face together -- every single person on earth helping to reverse the damage to our planet that we have all inflicted with our life styles," he said. "As my team and I preside over the global negotiations to reduce net carbon emissions to zero as soon as possible, you in the media have a critical role to play." He urged the media to focus on what they could do -- individually and collectively -- to assist their own nations, the region and the world to confront this challenge head on. Bainimarama said that it was vital to tell the stories that need to be told and to generate the action that needs to be taken. He said that the media had the power to make a genuine difference to highlight the urgency of concerted action at every level to avert catastrophe and to clean economies. While pointing out that there were plenty stories out there about the negative effects of climate change, he called on the media to think outside the box in their storytelling, to fire people's imaginations about the positive stories of what is possible if humans altered their mindsets from doom and gloom to work together effectively as people and as nations to meet this challenge. Bainimarama said that great things are happening in the global quest to make the transition from dirty energy such as fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy such as hydro, solar and wind. "The technology is already emerging such as battery storage to ensure adequate energy supply and still make the cuts in carbon emissions that are needed to meet the most ambitious target of the Paris Agreement to limit the average global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius above that of the pre-industrial age. The challenge the world faces is to scale up that technology with a lot more investment to make it more affordable and more widely available. And especially in developing countries such as our own," he said. Bainimarama said Fijians are making it a priority with the assistance of development partners to bring clean, renewable energy to as many Fijians as possible. He said that the media needed to motivate governments and people into action and help get the message out as people in the Asia Pacific are all in the same canoe. Source:Xinhua| 2018-02-05 17:03:14|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close File photo taken in February 1985 shows a festive lantern troupe performing before the Spring Festival in Luokou Village of Jinan City, east China's Shandong Province. In Chinese villages, people have their distinctive ways to celebrate the Spring Festival. Simple but joyful, the celebrations bring them gratification and happiness. Spring festival, or better known as Chinese Lunar New year, is the most important festival for all Chinese, which has a history of more than 4,000 years. It is an occasion for home returning, New Year goods preparing, celebrating, and foremost, family reunion. (Xinhua/Shi Panqi) Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 17:09:51|Editor: pengying Video Player Close RIYADH, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The luxury hotel Ritz-Carlton in Saudi Arabia's capital will re-open next week after it was used as a makeshift jail for hundreds of celebrities during an anti-corruption probe. The Ritz-Carlton's website showed on Sunday that it will accept reservations beginning Feb. 11, with room prices starting from 664 U.S. dollars per night. The hotel in Riyadh with around 500 rooms and suites was closed for about three months since Saudi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched the unprecedented investigation against corruption on Nov. 4. More than 300 princes, ministers and businessmen were held in the five-star accommodation. Among them was billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, dubbed the Warren Buffet of Saudi Arabia. A total of 56 individuals are still detained but have been moved to other places, while another 90 people have been released after agreeing to "financial settlements." The estimated value of settlements stands at more than 106 billion dollars in various types of assets, including real estate, commercial entities, securities and cash. Saudi Arabia announced last week the end of the settlement stage in the largest anti-corruption campaign in the modern history of the kingdom. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 17:14:52|Editor: pengying Video Player Close NANJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- In the small village of Xieqiao, most of the corn and wheat grown on the farmland does not go to dining tables, but into making bunches of "dried flowers." Zhang Zhan, 67, was the first person in Xieqiao of Suqian City in Jiangsu Province, to make dried flowers. "They all believed I was crazy and some even took me as a liar," he said, recalling how he persuaded the village to join him in making the flowers over 10 years ago. Zhang saw the business opportunity 20 years ago when selling fresh flowers in Beijing. "I found that almost all the dried flowers were imported and sold at a high price," he said. He started to learn a flower technique, finding that wheat, corn bran, branches and wild grass could used to make exquisite dried flowers. "After bleaching, dyeing and drying in the sun, the corn bran can be made into roses, lilies and lotus flowers," he said. He went back hometown to become a farmer and run his own dried flower workshop. In 2007, Zhang opened two online stores on the newly-popularized e-commerce platform Taobao.com. In 2012, his stores had an annual sales of over 6 million yuan (952,000 U.S. dollars) in total. Now he owns over 20 online stores with an annual sales volume of 60 million yuan, offering more than 300 jobs to the villagers. His flowers have even been sold to Japan, the Netherlands and the United States. More and more farmers have started to make dried flowers. A number of university students, retired soldiers and migrant workers from the village returned home to join in the business. Currently, over 90 percent of the 3,000 villagers are making and selling dried flowers. They run more than 630 online stores boasting annual sales of over 260 million yuan. China's "No. 1 central document" for this year, published Sunday, focuses on agriculture, farmers and rural areas. It sets specific tasks for the country's rural vitalization strategy, including higher-quality agricultural development and ensuring the quality of poverty-reduction. In recent years, the Chinese government has pushed the integration of the Internet and agriculture, to improve farmers' lives. Flower grower Zhang Yan in Shuyang county of Jiangsu began to sell flowers online in 2007. In 2016, he started to promote his products through live streaming. "At the beginning there were only hundreds in the audience, but now I have over 30,000 fans and each live stream attracts around 40,000 people to watch," he said. The live streams have helped improve his daily sales from about 3,000 yuan to 7,000 yuan in peak seasons, he said. Some 33,333 hectares of land in the county is planted with over 3,000 kinds of flowers, and the online flower sales volume is over 9 billion yuan annually. According to a report by the e-commerce giant Alibaba, there are 2,118 Taobao villages, referring to villages where over 10 percent of households are involved in online selling, with total annual transactions of more than 10 million yuan. It is expected that the number of Taobao village will be over 5,500 in 2020, bringing more than 3 million jobs to the countryside. "The Internet is empowering farmers and turning them into new kinds of farmers," Zhang Zhan said. PHNOM PENH, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian authorities had arrested 17,795 drug suspects in 2017, an increase of 79 percent from the 9,933 suspects in the previous year, senior officials said on Monday. Speaking during an annual drug conference, Meas Vyrith, secretary-general of the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD), said a total of 8,173 drug cases were reported last year, up 92 percent from only 4,246 cases in 2016. He said nearly 300 kg of illicit drugs - heroin, cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, methamphetamine pills, ketamine, ecstasy, and dry marijuana - as confiscated last year. Deputy Prime Minister Ke Kim Yan, chairman of the NACD, said the illicit drugs remained a concern for Cambodia, saying the drugs had been smuggled into the country by land, air and post. "Most of the illicit drugs had been smuggled into Cambodia through border crossings in the northeast. This year, nearly 100 kilos of the drugs had been confiscated at border crossings in the northeast," he said, referring to the Cambodia-Laos border areas. It is estimated that the Southeast Asian nation has 20,621 drug addicts and 11,601 of them have received drug quit treatment. The country has no death sentence for drug traffickers. Under its law, a person trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drug will be jailed for life. TOKYO, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) attack helicopter with two crew members aboard crashed near an elementary school in Saga Prefecture, southwestern Japan, the Ministry of Defense here said Monday. According to local firefighters attending the scene, one person is feared dead. The Saga Prefectural Police Headquarters received an emergency call at around 4:45 p.m. local time (0745 GMT) that a military helicopter had crashed near the Chiyoda Chubu Elementary School in Kanzaki City. Rescue services were deployed to the scene, where plumes of black smoke have been seen billowing from the crash site. The local city office said that the helicopter crash had resulted in a residential building catching fire near a school and the Dairyuji kindergarten in the city. An eyewitness from the kindergarten was quoted as saying she heard a loud "bang," but confirmed no one at the kindergarten was injured. The principle at the Chiyoda Chubu Elementary School said that he could see pillars of fire and black smoke in the vicinity, but said none of the students were injured in the crash. A woman in her 70s told local media she heard a "terrible noise" and went outside her house to see that a two-story house was on fire. Another eyewitness in her 60s said she heard an unusual sound and looked up to see a helicopter rapidly descending with its nose pitched down. "After it crashed, I could see black smoke rising. I was very scared," she told local media. The defense ministry said the chopper that went down was an AH-64 (Apache). The helicopter is a four-blade, twin-turboshaft attack helicopter and belongs to a GSDF unit in Saga's neighboring prefecture of Kumamoto. SUVA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The University of the South Pacific (USP), headquartered in Suva, capital of Fiji, marked on Monday its 50th anniversary of establishment with the participation of Fijian President Jioji Konrote. Speaking at the anniversary celebration here on Monday, Konrote said USP, which was established in 1968, is the pride of the Pacific region. The 50th anniversary seeks to recognize the achievements of the university and the contribution of the institution to its alumni and communities and the Pacific, he said. USP Vice Chancellor Rajesh Chandra thanked the member countries and other nations who have supported the tertiary institution for the past 50 years, during that period, USP has had more than 50,000 graduates. Each year the university enrols students from all pacific member countries with the aim of providing better education for them. Currently, USP has 30,000 students, 50,000 alumni and millions of dollars in development assistance. USP has offered academic qualifications in areas such as Education, Sciences, Business and Economics, Languages, Societies and Cultures and Marine studies. Over the years, Tourism and Hospitality, Human Resources, Climate Change, and Information Communication Technology (ICT) were added to reflect the changing region and equip students for success in the global Knowledge Economy. Chandra said that what makes USP unique is the way it is grounded in the Pacific culture and way of life and responds to what is important to its member countries. The university has contributed immensely to the development of human resources in the region by ensuring quality graduates, who are contributing at different levels in their communities and countries, said Chandra. The Pacific Island's Forum Secretariat, which is based in Suva, Fiji, said that the USP is owned by 12 member countries -- Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Samoa. "We must acknowledge and celebrate the vision of our leaders, who began this journey half a century ago, to provide our peoples with higher learning on our shores; cultivating a common sense of identity based on our shared history and geography, and recognizing that we would achieve more together than individually,"said Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Dame Meg Taylor said on Monday. "Fifty years later, the USP remains a flourishing symbol of our region's determination to do and think for itself," Taylor said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 17:50:00|Editor: pengying Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Two former provincial-level officials of Jiangsu and Hunan have been indicted for graft-related charges, according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) Monday. Li Yunfeng, former deputy governor of Jiangsu, and Zhang Wenxiong, former head of the publicity department of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, have been indicted by procuratorates in Shandong and Guangxi, respectively, the SPP said in a statement. According to the SPP, the Heze city procuratorate in Shandong filed the indictment against Li to the Heze Intermediate People's Court. Li was accused of taking bribes. Prosecutors said Li had taken advantage of his posts to seek benefits for others and accepted huge amount of money or gifts in return. Zhang's case was filed by the Guilin city procuratorate in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. He was accused of taking advantage of his power to seek interests for others, or using his posts to seek illegal benefits for others through other officials' work and accepting huge amount of money or gifts. Also, the properties and spending of Zhang and his family were found to have markedly exceeded his legal income, and he could not explain the source of the extra gains. The prosecutors accused Zhang of taking bribes and holding a huge amount of property from unidentified sources. The SPP statement said that prosecutors in the two cases had informed the defendants of their litigation rights, interrogated them and listened to their lawyers' opinions. The rights of the defendants have been properly protected. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 18:05:05|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close ANKARA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A total of 947 militants have been "neutralized" since the beginning of Turkey's Operation Olive Branch in Syria's Afrin region, the military said in a statement on Monday. Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in reference to enemies who either surrendered or were killed or captured. Over 12 militants of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), and the Islamic State (IS) were neutralized during the overnight operation in Afrin on Monday, the statement said. On Jan. 20, Turkish military launched the cross-border land operation to fight the Syrian Kurdish militia, targeting the YPG elements in the Kurdish enclave with Free Syrian Army fighters through airstrikes and land forces. Since then, Turkish border towns were also attacked by rockets from Stria, killing at least seven civilians and injuring about 100 others. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 18:10:09|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close HANGZHOU, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A child wearing a traditional shepherd's outfit whipped a buffalo nine times, marking the beginning of spring in Miaoyuan Village, east China's Zhejiang Province. Buffalo whipping and ploughing is part of an ancient ritual at the village during Lichun, a solar term to mark the formal start of spring, which fell on Sunday this year. Lichun is not just a division of the solar year in the traditional Chinese calendar but also a time for festivities. Villagers lit firecrackers and placed three incense sticks at a temple early Sunday morning, praying for a good harvest. "It is the worship of Goumang, or the God of Spring in ancient China," said Gong, 55, host of the ritual, adding that Wutongzu Temple was the only place in China where worship of Goumang still existed. Gong is the third-generation in his family to perform the ritual, at Miaoyuan Village in Quzhou City. The ritual also includes sacrificial offerings and the reciting of poetry, which impressed Muaadh Abdulghani Ali, 21, from Yiwu Industrial and Commercial College. The Yemeni was excited to see a sculpture of Goumang, with a man's face and a bird's body, holding a compass and seeds and stamping on two dragons. "My teacher told me that most aboriginal folklore had been kept well here," said Ali, who found out about the event online. The 24 solar terms, including Lichun, were added to the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016. "Ancient Chinese farmers used astronomical signs, changes in temperature and precipitation as the basis to create the calendar, which divides the year into 24 segments to guide farming over the four seasons," said Liu Kuili, head of the China Folklore Society. The ritual dates hundreds of years in Miaoyuan Village but was interrupted during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). It resumed in 2005. "I want to be the inheritor of the ritual and pass on the traditional culture to the next generation," said Huang Hao, an 11-year-old boy attending the ritual. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 18:20:10|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close GARDEZ, Afghanistan, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 people sustained injuries, some in critical conditions after two passenger vehicles collided on a road in the eastern Paktia province on Monday, a traffic police official said. Blaming reckless driving for the accident, the official who declined to be identified said that investigation is underway. Meantime, Asil Khan, director of Paktia's provincial health department, told Xinhua that 11 injured people including two children had been taken to civilian hospital in provincial capital Gardez city. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 18:25:13|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Nine Taliban militants including two group commanders were killed after the Afghan government forces stormed their hideouts in the eastern Nangarhar province, a spokesman for the provincial government said Monday. Two notorious commanders of the Taliban group, namely Ayub and Qasab (butcher), were also among those killed in the raid on Sunday night, spokesman Attaullah Khogiani added. No security personnel was hurt during the raid conducted in Khogiani district of the province, he said. Taliban militants have not commented on the report. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 18:30:15|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A coalition of three western nations (Troika) called on Monday for South Sudan's neighbors to impose arms embargo to put pressure on warring sides to cease fighting. Troika, which comprises Norway, United States and UK, said cutting arms flow to South Sudan would help end the suffering of South Sudanese people. Speaking at a press conference in Ethiopia, Paul Sutphin, US State Department senior adviser on Sudan and South Sudan, said coordinated incremental pressure is needed to bring warring sides to the negotiating table in South Sudan. "Its critical to take arms from those who see political benefit through guns, we believe if we continue to put pressure results will be achieved to end the civil war," he said. "We urge all nations including South Sudan neighbors to cut all arms flow to South Sudan and end support to those who undermine peace including people who engage in illicit financial activity and to stay united in fully backing IGAD's efforts to end the suffering of South Sudanese people," he said. Sutphin's comments came days after the US imposed arms embargo on South Sudan and the European Union imposed travel ban and asset freezes on three current and former South Sudanese officials. Speaking exclusively to Xinhua, South Sudan ambassador to Ethiopia, James Morgan dismissed the US decision to impose arms embargo on his nation. "We're a sovereign state that have the right to buy guns to ensure territorial integrity, impose law and order in our state and protect the rights of our citizens," he said. Morgan also said South Sudan currently doesn't import arms from the US and as such won't feel the effects of an arms embargo he said US has imposed out of its "own self-interest and ego". South Sudan has been embroiled in more than four years of conflict that has taken a devastating toll on the people, creating one of the most severe refugee crises in the world. The world's newest nation descended into violence after a political dispute between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy turned rebel chief Riek Machar led to split in the army, leaving soldiers to fight alongside ethnic lines. A 2015 peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict was weakened after the outbreak of renewed fighting in July 2016 forced the opposition rebel leader Riek Machar to flee South Sudan. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 18:40:18|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi will visit China from Feb. 8 to 10 at the invitation of her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang announced Monday in Beijing. During her visit, Retno will meet with Chinese leaders, hold talks with Wang Yi, and co-host the third meeting of the joint committee for bilateral cooperation established between the two governments, Geng said at a daily press briefing. The two sides will exchange opinions on bilateral ties and international and regional issues of common concern, according to Geng. This year marks the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership and the 15th anniversary of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership. ASEAN stands for the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations. "The relationship between China and Indonesia maintains is improving and faces new opportunities for development," Geng said, expressing hope that the visit will further enhance mutual trust and cooperation, and advance relations between the two countries and the China-ASEAN ties. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 18:45:20|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close Lee Jae-yong (Xinhua file photo) by Yoo Seungki SEOUL, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Controversy was triggered in South Korea over Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong's release from prison by an appeals court, which dropped most of bribery charges found guilty by a lower court. A judge at the Seoul High Court sentenced Lee, an heir apparent of Samsung Group, the country's biggest family-controlled conglomerate, to two and a half years in prison with a stay of execution for four years. It was reduced from the five-year imprisonment levied by the lower district court in August last year. Independent Counsel Park Young-soo, who investigated a corruption scandal involving impeached President Park Geun-hye and her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil, sought 12 years in jail for the Samsung heir. Two other senior Samsung executives were set free from prison as the appeals court handed down suspended jail sentences. The special prosecutor accused Lee of offering, or promising to offer, a total of 43.3 billion won (39.7 million U.S. dollars) of bribes in various ways, including the donation to Choi-controlled nonprofit organizations, but the appeals court acknowledged only part of the amount, or 3.6 billion won (3.3 million U.S. dollars), as bribes. Other charges against Lee, including the flight of assets abroad, were dropped by the appeals court that denied a charge against Lee who provided bribes in return for favors to inherit the management control from his ailing father, Chairman Lee Kun-hee who has been hospitalized for almost four years. The appeals court said former President Park, who had the strongest political power at the time, intimidated Samsung executives, denying the lower court's verdict that the case was a typical collusion between politicians and businessmen. The high court's ruling was forecast to damage public trust in the judicial body further as the trust was already hurt by internal findings that judges were illegally inspected under the presidency of the ousted leader. The chief justice of the Supreme Court was newly appointed by President Moon Jae-in, who took office in May last year, but many of high posts in the judicial body were named under the previous government. Moon's ruling Democratic Party expressed its strong regret over the appeals court's ruling, saying South Koreans will be reminded of a saying that a rich person is innocent while a poor person is guilty. The minor progressive Justice Party said the high court adhered to the saying that a rich person is innocent, noting that the ruling will be acceptable to nobody in South Korea. The main opposition Liberty Korea Party, which former President Park was affiliated with before her impeachment, and the big business circle welcomed Lee's release from prison. Liberal civic group activists denounced the ruling as being lenient to the family members of conglomerates, while conservative activists saw it as a reasonable verdict. Right after getting the suspended jail sentence, Lee smilingly got on a bus bound for the detention center, where he stayed for almost a year. The Samsung heir was taken into custody on Feb. 17, 2017. Leaving the detention center at about 4:40 p.m. local time (0740 GMT), Lee told reporters that he was sorry for the matter, saying the past year was a previous time during which he was reflecting on himself. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 18:45:21|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BANGKOK, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Thailand plans to build a small-sized satellite to counter threats in its air space, Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Juntong said on Monday. Prajin, who concurrently chairs the National Space Policy Committee, said the planned satellite will be built by Thai engineers attached to the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency. The satellite will be built to weigh about 50 kg and orbit at an altitude of 500 to 600 km. It will be basically designed to counter possible threats in air space over Thailand, the deputy premier said. He said those threats could possibly include "hostile" satellites and debris in space which might drop onto the ground in this country. It will take four years for the GISTDA engineers to build such a satellite with some 1 billion baht (about 30 million U.S. dollars) budget, according to the deputy premier. The space agency will propose its satellite project to the cabinet for approval on Tuesday so that it would be operational from 2021, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 18:50:22|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat will pay an official visit to China from Feb. 7 to 9, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang announced Monday in Beijing. Moussa Faki Mahamat's visit is at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the spokesperson said. It will be Moussa Faki Mahamat's first visit to China since he assumed office. During his visit, Moussa Faki Mahamat will co-host the 7th China-AU strategic dialogue with the Chinese FM, and both sides will exchange views on international and regional issues of common concern, Geng said at a daily press briefing. Geng hailed the African Union as one of the most influential and representative intergovernmental organizations in Africa. "China has always developed the relations with the African Union from a strategic height and long-term perspective," Geng said, expressing hope that this visit will further enhance political mutual trust, deepen China-AU cooperation in various fields, and promote greater development of China-AU ties. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 19:00:25|Editor: pengying Video Player Close TEHRAN, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry on Monday urged Turkey to stop the military operations against the Kurdish militants entering Syria's Afrin. Turkey should protect the territorial integrity of Syria and respect the national sovereignty of the Arab state, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said in his weekly press conference. The Islamic republic is concerned about the recent developments in the Syrian city of Afrin, as well as the Turkey's operations that may lead to the return of the terrorists to Syria, Qasemi said. Turkey should resolve the issues related to Syria within the tripartite meetings of Tehran, Moscow and Ankara, he stressed. On Jan. 20, Turkish military launched the cross-border land operation to fight the Syrian Kurdish militia, targeting the YPG elements in the Kurdish enclave with Free Syrian Army fighters through airstrikes and land forces. Since then, Turkish border towns were also attacked by rockets from Stria, killing at least seven civilians and injuring about 100 others. TOKYO, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday reiterated the Japanese government's commitment to relocate a controversial U.S. air base within Okinawa, Japan's southernmost prefecture, amid rising antipathy on the island due to a recent spate of U.S. military-linked mishaps. "By gaining the understanding of local citizens, we will go ahead with the base transfer plan in accordance with the Supreme Court's ruling," the prime minister said, with reference to a series of legal suits and counter suits brought by Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga and the central government. Onaga is staunch proponent of lessening the U.S. base-hosting burdens of the people of Okinawa and relocating the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from Ginowan to the coastal Henoko region also on the island. Abe's remarks came on the heels of Taketoyo Toguchi, 56, winning Sunday's mayoral election in Nago, defeating incumbent Susumu Inamine, 72, who was seeking a third term. Inamine, supported by Onaga, and also opposed to the base's relocation, intimated that his rival had deliberately avoided the key issue of the base's relocation and focused on economic promises to develop the region as being a priority in the mayoral race. While Okinawans are constantly incensed by U.S. military-linked crimes and accidents, gaining more economic support from the central government has always come into play in local elections in the southern Japan prefecture. The Supreme Court in December 2016 ruled illegal Onaga's revocation of a permit given by his predecessor to allow work related to the base's relocation to go ahead. In April 2017, against a harsh local backlash, the central government started reclamation work for the new base by building seawalls as part of a pact made with the United States in 1996 about the bases' relocation. Authorities in Okinawa opposed to the construction work fear that the sediment poured inside the seawalls being constructed for the replacement facility in Oura Bay will be extremely detrimental to the environment. The overall plans for the new base involve 157 hectares of land being reclaimed from pristine waters off the Henoko area and the building of a V-shaped runway. Officials in Okinawa have stated that the reclamation work runs contrary to the National Biodiversity Strategy of Japan as it is damaging an ecosystem unique to Okinawa. Environmentalists have also voiced concerns about the materials used for the reclamation work introducing invasive species to the region. Experts, having surveyed the coral reef at the bottom of the ocean near the tip of one of the seawalls, concluded that the Porities lutea coral, which is part of the reef and just 20 meters away from the tip of the seawall, has a high likelihood of being destroyed by the construction work. The waters of Oura Bay are also the last home of the highly-endangered Japanese dugong, which is a large marine mammal and cousin of the manatee. Environmentalists are certain of the species' extinction if the central government's construction continues. Prefectural authorities in Okinawa have also claimed that the construction work is legally infringing on the rights granted to local fisherman in the coastal region. Along with environmental concerns, prefectural officials and citizens have been outraged by a recent spate of accidents and mishaps in Okinawa involving U.S. military helicopters. In December 2017, a window falling from a U.S. Marine CH-53E transport helicopter and crashing onto the grounds of an elementary school, just meters from where children were taking an exercise class, ignited anger and fear among locals. The accident did not stop helicopters, based at Futenma, from flying over the school following the incident, despite ardent protests from the local government. In January alone, three helicopters, also from the controversial Futenma base, were forced to make emergency, off-base landings in Okinawa, leading to staunch condemnation from local residents and a palpable rise in anti-U.S. sentiment on the tiny sub-tropical island. On Thursday, the prefectural assembly of Okinawa unanimously adopted a resolution protesting the helicopter-linked mishaps, highlighting the fact that U.S. forces in Okinawa continue to operate the models of helicopters involved despite having not provided adequate reasons for the accidents. The resolution also calls for an immediate halt of flights over civilian areas, as the Marines agreeing to avoid flying over the elementary school struck by the falling window, have not been adhered to, according to recent video footage. The prefectural assembly, in the resolution to be delivered to the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and to U.S. Forces, Japan, which operates under the auspices of the United States Pacific Command, is also calling for the Marines stationed in Okinawa to be transferred out of the prefecture and Japan altogether at the earliest time possible. Okinawa hosts 74 percent of all U.S. bases in Japan and local fears about the rising instances of U.S. military-linked accidents and crimes as well as issues pertaining to the Futenma base move have seen a widening gulf develop both politically and socially between the tiny subtropical island and the central government. Those on the island have been increasingly describing their forced predicament as a form of "occupation." In July 2017, Onaga filed a fresh lawsuit aimed once again at blocking the Futenma relocation plan. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 19:00:27|Editor: pengying Video Player Close RAMALLAH, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A senior Palestinian official called on Monday for stopping using Israeli currency in the market in the occupied Palestinian territories. Mohammad Ishtaye, senior member of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party, urged the government to replace the Israeli currency with other currencies, including digital currency, in the Palestinian territories, according to a press release of his office. Ishtaye, who also heads the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction (PECDAR), said that the lack of a Palestine currency is causing "continuous losses for the Palestinian economy and deepens its dependency on Israeli economy." The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee convened last Saturday and decided to form a higher committee to implement the resolutions of the Palestinian Central Council (PCC), including cutting ties with Israel completely and terminating the economic Paris protocol signed between the PLO and Israel in 1994. The PLO committee ordered the government to begin to study the implications and mechanisms of how to sever ties with Israel on all levels and report its recommendation to the political leadership. "The Palestinian people and its institutions are capable of implementing the PCC decisions towards ending the colonial economic relation with the occupying power gradually," said Ishtaye. He added that this may be achieved through a series of actions, including supporting the national products and widening the domestic production bases, in particular in agriculture and industry. The senior Abbas aide said it is essential to reconsider the tax policy "in accordance with the Palestinian people's living conditions, especially the value-added tax (VAT)." He stressed that the agreement must be suspended because Israel "killed it and has evaded from most of its articles, and has violates the right of transfer of individuals and goods through the checkpoints, blockade and continued closures, in addition to the military measures that have impeded the growth of the Palestinian economy." BRUSSELS, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Salah Abdeslam, the sole surviving suspect of the Paris terrorist attacks on Nov. 13, 2015, will go to trial Monday at Brussels' Palace of Justice over a shootout with police. Abdeslam bas been brought to a high-security prison close to France's northern border so that he can be taken to the Brussels court for every day of his four-day trial. The 28-year-old French citizen was arrested during a large police operation in the Rue des Quatre Vents in Molenbeek, Brussels, 127 days after the Paris bombings that killed a total of 130 people. Abdeslam will face a later trial in France in relation to the Paris attacks. Arrangements have been made to accommodate the suspect. Two cells were equipped with surveillance cameras to observe the slightest movement of the defendant. A monitoring station will also be installed between the two cells. The Palace of Justice of Law Courts of Brussels will open its doors at 6:30 a.m. (0530 GMT) on Monday morning. Massive security measures will be taken and security forces dispatched around the court. ISLAMABAD, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Monday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh and lodged formal protest over the recent ceasefire violations, resulting in the killing of two civilians and injuring seven others. The foreign ministry said Indian troops resorted to the unprovoked ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) in disputed Kashmir region on Sunday in Nezapir, Nikial and Karela Sectors, resulting in the killing of two innocent civilians while injuring seven others, including two children. Director General at the South Asian Desk at the Foreign Ministry Mohammad Faisal summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner and condemned the cross-LoC shelling. "The Indian forces along the Line of Control and the Working boundary are continuously targeting the civilian populated areas with heavy mortars and automatic weapons," the foreign ministry said in a statement. In 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 190 ceasefire violations along LoC and the Working Boundary to date, resulting in the deaths of 13 innocent civilians, while injuring 65 others, according to the latest data of the Foreign Ministry. It said the "unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India" is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1,970 ceasefire violations. The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws, the statement said, adding the ceasefire violations by India are a "threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation." Faisal urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire arrangement, investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations and instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire so as to maintain peace and tranquility on the LoC and the Working Boundary. He said the Indian side should permit UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions. Pakistan and India had declared ceasefire in 2003 along the LoC, which divides both countries in Kashmir region. Both sides routinely accuse each other of ceasefire violation. There has been escalation along the LoC and Working Boundary since militants attacked an army base in the Indian-controlled Kashmir, killing 19 soldiers on Sept. 18, 2016. LONDON, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Alleged British computer hacker Lauri Love on Monday won his High Court appeal in London against extradition to the United States. The 32-year-old British student, accused of hacking into U.S. government websites, will not be extradited to face trial in America, the High Court ruled following a hearing in November. The decision to block extradition was met with cheers in the packed London courtroom. Love, who is from Stradishall, Suffolk, is suspected of hacking into the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Central Bank and systems of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Love, who has joint British and Finnish nationality, has been fighting against extradition to the United States where he faces hacking charges. He has Asperger syndrome and severe depression, local media reports said, adding that his supporters had feared that he would be held in solitary confinement and face a jail sentence of up to 99 years in the United States. Authorities in the U.S. have been fighting for Love to face trial on charges of cyber-hacking, which lawyers have said could mean a sentence of up to 99 years in prison if he is found guilty. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 20:10:44|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Instead of heading home for the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday, Sun Tao, an IT worker in Beijing, has booked two tickets from his hometown in Guizhou Province, over 2,000 km away, to Beijing. Sun, 26, bought the tickets for his parents who are coming for the festival, as well as a tour in Beijing. As people stream out of the cities to return home, Sun's parents will be traveling against the flow in plane. A comfortable Guizhou-Beijing-Guizhou trip is about a quarter of the cost of taking a plane in the opposite direction. Chinese New Year falls on Feb. 16 this year and around 2.98 billion trips will be made during the 40 days around the festival, including 390 million trips by train, up 8.8 percent on last year. New Year is the most important time of the year for Chinese families to get together. While migrant workers scramble for tickets home, more elderly parents and children are going in the opposite direction, meeting their loved ones in their new homes, with the added benefit of a tourist trip. It will be the first time that Sun's parents have spent Chinese New Year in Beijing, and they are very excited about the trip. "Endless banquets and door-to-door visits for new year greetings every year have made the festival dull," said Sun senior. This year, railway companies are offering discounts to big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to encourage more people to join the "rush in reverse." Tian Shengli is a native of Shanxi Province who works in Beijing. He bought train tickets for his parents to visit Beijing, as he was reluctant to be crammed into a crowded train. Tian said his once rural hometown has lost its charm for festival celebrations as it was pretty much a city now, and had preserved few traditions. "Having my parents in Beijing is the perfect way to save them from having to feed numerous relatives and giving gifts of money," he said. Wei Xiang, associate professor with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the reverse travel trend was making better use of resources and easing some of the pressure on those departing from big cities. "It doesn't matter where I spend the Chinese New Year, but who I spend it with does. Home is wherever my family are," Tian said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 20:25:46|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong (2nd R, front) meets with Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen (2nd L) and Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament Janos Latorcai in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 5, 2018. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- China and Hungary pledged to expand cooperation and strengthen bilateral ties, as Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong met with Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen and Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament Janos Latorcai in Beijing Monday. Calling the current ties between China and Hungary "at their best in history," Liu said that China has full confidence in the future development of the bilateral relationship and stands ready to expand all-round exchanges and pragmatic cooperation to further boost ties. The two countries agreed to lift bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership during Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's visit to China last May. Bilateral ties have been maintaining a good momentum of rapid development, Liu said. Semjen spoke highly of bilateral relationship and pledged to further strengthen exchanges and pragmatic cooperation, while Latorcai vowed to deepen parliamentary exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. THE HAGUE, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Dutch government has decided to officially withdraw the Netherlands' Ambassador from Turkey, the ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday. "Recent talks offered Turkey and the Netherlands an opportunity to come closer to each other, but we have not been able to agree on the way normalization should take place," said Dutch Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra. As long as the Netherlands has no Ambassador to Turkey, the Netherlands will not issue permission for a new Turkish ambassador to take up duties in the Netherlands, added the Dutch ministry. The decision is seen as a formality because Dutch Ambassador in Ankara has not had access to Turkey since March 2017 when diplomatic tension between the two countries rose. Back then, Turkish ministers were barred from holding rallies in the Dutch city of Rotterdam for a referendum on constitutional amendments to expand the Turkish president's powers. In protest, the Turkish Foreign Ministry informed the Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Ankara that they did not wish the Dutch Ambassador, who was on leave outside of Turkey, to return to his post. BISHKEK, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Deputy Assistant Secretary of the United States for Afghanistan and Central Asia Henry S. Ensher is visiting Kyrgyzstan for discussions on bilateral issues, the press service of the U.S. embassy here said Monday. Ensher has arrived to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues with senior Kyrgyz government officials, members of Parliament, and civil society leaders. He will also meet with alumni of U.S. government exchange programs. The U.S. diplomat arrived in Kyrgyzstan after his two-day visit to Tajikistan. Diplomatic relations between Kyrgyzstan and the United States were established on Dec. 27, 1991. The U.S. embassy in Kyrgyzstan was opened on Feb. 1, 1992. In the same year, the official opening of the embassy of Kyrgyzstan in the United States was held. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 20:50:52|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The State Council announced the appointment and removal of several senior officials Monday. Wang Shouwen was appointed deputy international trade representative with the Ministry of Commerce, and Wang Yanbin was appointed deputy head of the National Administration for the Protection of State Secrets. Zhao Min was appointed deputy director of the State Post Bureau, replacing Wang Mei, and Lyu Jian replaced Chen Jun as the president of Nanjing University. Tang Dengjie was removed from the posts of vice minister of industry and information technology, head of the China National Space Administration, director of the China Atomic Energy Authority and head of the State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence. Liu Lihua was also removed from the post of vice minister of industry and information technology, while Zhao Mingji is no longer assistant minister of finance. Sun Xianze was removed from the post of deputy head of the China Food and Drug Administration, and Zheng Jingping stepped down from deputy director of the National Bureau of Statistics. Zhao Heping was relieved of his position as deputy director of the China Earthquake Administration, and Zhao Xiaoguang no longer serves as deputy chief of the State Bureau for Letters and Calls. Song Chaozhi was removed from the post of deputy director of the National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation. Moreover, Li Ke, Li Dongxu, Guo Yimin and Zhao Xiaoping are all no longer chairpersons of the Supervisory Board for Key Large State-owned Enterprises. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 20:50:53|Editor: pengying Video Player Close BEIRUT, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese prospective candidates planning to run in the upcoming parliamentary elections shall start submitting their applications Monday signaling the opening for the May 6, 2018 polls, the interior ministry said in a statement. The closing date for submitting the applications is March 2018, the statement added. Meanwhile, everyone is waiting for political parties and major blocs to submit their nominations on the first day, but the process will reportedly be limited to individual candidates, who are still seeking alliances, or perhaps some independent MPs, al-Joumhouriya daily said. The daily quoted interior ministry sources that "the ministry has completed logistical preparations and is anxiously waiting for the first day of nominations." Lebanon's first parliamentary elections in nine years are scheduled for May 6. For the first time, Lebanese nationals living overseas will be able to cast ballots in early voting. The current parliament has postponed elections several times over security reasons. It was elected to a four-year term in 2009, but its tenure has been extended twice over security concerns and the civil war in neighboring Syria that spilled into Lebanon on several occasions. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 21:00:56|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- More than 13,000 boxes of illegal fireworks have been confiscated in Beijing in the past four months, police said Monday. More than 100 suspects have been detained in connection to the cases. In the latest case, police detained two suspects for illegally storing and transporting fireworks. One of the suspects, surnamed Liu, reportedly sold fireworks via his WeChat account. Police found more than 300 boxes of illegal fireworks in his and his relatives' houses last month. Liu said that he had purchased the fireworks from another suspect surnamed Wang and sold the items online. Police said they will reward people who provide information that helps with the campaign against the illegal sales of fireworks. In December, Beijing authorities passed a regulation that bans fireworks within the Fifth Ring Road of the city in light of heavy air pollution and casualties caused by fireworks in recent years. Chinese often celebrate with fireworks the Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 16 this year. According to an official with the legal affairs office of the Beijing municipal government, dozens of people were injured or killed in fireworks-triggered accidents during the Chinese Lunar New Year period between 2015 and 2017. The number of heavy air pollution days during the seven-day festival reached two to four days each year during the past five years, the official said. CHICAGO, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A family in the northeastern U.S. state of Pennsylvania was overjoyed as their dog was miraculously found last month after running away from her home in Apollo, a small town near Pittsburgh, about 10 years ago, local media reported. Debra Suierveld said she and her family once believed that their black Labrador mix, Abby, had died or was gone for good after all those years. The whole family "mourned" the pet, Suierveld added. But the old sorrow turned to joy on Jan. 27 when Suierveld received a call telling her that Abby was found. Abby was found in a nearby town and sent to an animal shelter where workers found a microchip implanted inside her containing the information of her owner. Abby was in great health as someone obviously had been taking good care of her. The dog could still remember some things the family taught her and answer to her name, Suierveld said. To welcome their dog's return, Suierveld's family held a reunion dinner last week. "It feels like a part of my kid's childhood is back," she told the local media, "It's pretty awesome." Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 21:16:01|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang (Photo source: fmprc.gov.cn) BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- China supports all parties in the Maldives to resolve the ongoing political turmoil through dialogue, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday. The Maldivian Supreme Court last Thursday ordered the immediate release of opposition leaders who were facing criminal charges. The court said the prisoners were free until fair trials could be conducted without undue influence. Since then clashes have erupted in the capital, with opposition supporters clashing with the police. China has been closely watching the situation in the Maldives, and supports all parties in the country to properly resolve the disputes through dialogue and negotiation, and safeguard national and social stability, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang at a regular press briefing. by Misbah Saba Malik ISLAMABAD, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Rahat Malik, a resident of Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi, said his world turned upside down when doctors told him that his father is suffering from cancer and he will not be able to live more than six weeks. "He was a super fit and healthy man, had no disease, he used to walk for eight km everyday to keep himself fit. He visited hospital for routine checkup and doctors found a small tumor in his liver which later turned out to be final stage cancer after further investigations," Malik, who lost his father to cancer in December last year, told Xinhua. Besides Malik's father, about 148,000 people are diagnosed as new cases of cancer every year in the country and almost 100,000 people lose their battle against the disease annually. Currently, there are 3 million cancer patients in Pakistan, according to the country's national institute of health. Talking to Xinhua, Ayub Rose, director general of health services of Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, said that the number of annual new cases of cancer is higher than other countries in Asia-Pacific region. "It's a pity that in developed nations the number of cancer patients is decreasing because of the lifestyle changes whereas in developing countries like Pakistan it is rapidly increasing," Rose said. Muhammad Farrukh, an oncologist with Islamabad's Shifa International hospital, said that cancer is the second commonest cause of deaths after cardiovascular diseases and is followed by road traffic accidents, respiratory ailments, and perinatal conditions. He said that in Pakistan, unawareness about the disease, poor lifestyle and pollution are the major causes of the rapid spread of the disease. Farrukh said that timely screening, active and healthy lifestyle and avoiding risk factors can protect people from all types of cancer. Oncologists say that the most common cancers in males in Pakistan are in head and neck whereas breast cancer is the leading cancer among the Pakistani women. Uzma Qasim, a consultant oncologist in Shifa hospital, said that "about 90,000 new cases of breast cancer were reported in Pakistan last year and about 40,000 women died of the disease in 2017 in the country which is a very alarming situation and need immediate attention." Nausheen Ambar, a physician from Karachi, pointed out that women do not know about self-examination and they ignore the initial symptoms of the disease because they take it as a taboo to talk to their physicians about breast cancer issue. Doctors said that about 90 percent of deaths from cancer occur in low-income people mainly because of lack of access to diagnosis and unaffordable treatment for the disease. Cancer hospitals are only located in big cities so people from remote areas need to take a long travel to get themselves treated. Nageena Bibi, a resident of Chakwal district said that she receives treatment from a herbalist in her village because she cannot afford the cost of travel. "I went to a public hospital, they asked me to visit thrice a month for free treatment, but the bus driver takes 750 rupees (about 7 U.S. dollars) for round trip. I earn only 6,000 rupees a month from which I have to meet other expenses too," Bibi told Xinhua. She knows that the herbalist will not save her life from the disease, but she cannot afford to get treatment for the disease in hospital. She said that she preferred the village herbalist that only takes 100 rupees for medicine only for a temporary relief in pain. Local watchers believe that people should adopt a healthy lifestyle to protect themselves from cancer at first place, and the government should also allocate more funds to hospitals not only in big cities, but also in small cities and towns to facilitate low-income people in remote areas. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 21:21:06|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close HANGZHOU, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- More than 1,200 suspects have been arrested in a crackdown on gang crime, police in east China's Zhejiang Province said Monday. Zhejiang Public Security Department launched a campaign against gang crime in November 2017 and started to investigate organized gangs across the province. In a province-wide action on the night of January 26, more than 5,000 police officers were mobilized to arrest over 1,200 suspects, seizing about 250 guns and knives, according to the police. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council ordered for a nationwide crackdown on gang crime in late January. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 21:26:08|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Mafia-style gangsters and individuals who shelter gang members are being encouraged to turn themselves in before March 1, according to an official circular. Those who turn themselves in will get a lesser punishment while staff of state organs who provide protection to gangs will be investigated severely and taken into justice in accordance with the law, according to the circular issued by the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and the ministries of public security and justice. Relatives and friends of gang members should persuade them to surrender, it said. The public are welcome to submit tip-offs through www.12389.gov.cn or to call 010-12389, the circular said. According to a document released last month by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, the country will begin a new campaign against organized crime and officials who shelter criminal organizations. The fight will focus on industries and areas prone to gang crime, organized crimes that prompt the "strongest public reaction" and crimes "detested" by the people, it said. The document said that the campaign would involve fighting corruption, including lower-level corrupt officials, and deal with the protective "umbrellas" of gang crime. MALE, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen has written to the Supreme Court explaining the challenges being faced in implementing the recent court order in releasing detained opposition leaders, a statement from the President's Office said here Monday. The statement said that Yameen had written three letters to the top court over the issue. Minister of Legal Affairs at the President's Office Aishath Azima Shakoor said that despite the Attorney General and the Prosecutor General having shared their concerns with the Chief Justice earlier, regarding the challenges faced in implementing the Supreme Court ruling, the issue remains unresolved. She said the president's letters highlight that the Supreme Court order issued Thursday, has resulted in an encroachment on the regulatory powers of the State, the disruption of the functions mandated to State institutions under the Constitution, and the infringement of national security and public interest, and if implemented, would potentially lead to an undermining of the supremacy of the Constitution. Maldives has been plunged into a crisis since the Supreme Court ruling, with clashes having erupted across the capital. Maldivian Attorney General Mohamed Anil on Sunday advised all law enforcement agencies in the island not to comply with any order that is in conflict with the Maldives' Constitution following reports that the Supreme Court may order to impeach President Yameen. SOFIA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The presidents of Bulgaria and Malta here on Monday said that Europe should invest in migration source countries to achieve a sustainable solution to the migrant crisis. "It is very important to understand that a lasting solution to the migration crisis is possible only by ensuring greater security and stabilization of the regions from which migrants and refugees arrive," Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said at a joint press conference after bilateral talks with his visiting Maltese counterpart Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca. These regions should receive assistance for their economic and social development with particular attention to education and health, Radev said. According to Radev, the policy of opening doors to refugees has caused huge problems in countries where migrants leave from. When people knew that they could solve their problems if they manage to get to Europe, these people became spiritually detached from the problems of their own country, Radev said. "When Europe offers social security to millions of people from these problematic regions, they actually stop to think about the future of their countries and think how to come to Europe," he said. For that reason, Europe should focus on creating security zones and stabilizing and strengthening these countries in every way so that their citizens can live with the problems of their own countries, be motivated to stay there, know that they have a future in their own countries and work for that future, Radev said. "Here Europe needs to be much more active, to not become a fortress, but to go on the spot to help the countries of North Africa and the Middle East," Radev said. Coleiro Preca echoed that sustainable investment should be made into Africa, into these countries, in projects that can create jobs. "We must look at Africa as the next emerging market, and the nearest emerging market to us," she said. Coleiro Preca, who is on a two-day state visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of Radev, will meet later on Monday with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and the National Assembly Speaker Tsveta Karayancheva. TOKYO, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Two crew members aboard a Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) attack helicopter are feared dead as the chopper crashed into a residential area Monday and set a house ablaze in Saga Prefecture, southwestern Japan. According to Japan's public broadcaster NHK, citing local police, one person, believed to be a crew member, was killed in the crash and another was found without vital signs. The AH-64 attack helicopter crashed in a residential area in Kanzaki City at around 4:45 p.m. local time (0745 GMT) after the crew members reported an abnormality and tried to land, the defense ministry here said. The chopper was on a test flight after undergoing maintenance at the GSDF's Metabaru Camp located about 4 km from the crash site, the ministry said. Local police said that all four residents in a house that was set ablaze in the crash have been confirmed safe and no injuries have been reported from two schools also located close to the scene of the crash. "We are confirming whether there are any deaths and damage," Japan's Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera was quoted as telling a press briefing on the matter. He also said the helicopter, a four-blade, twin-turboshaft attack helicopter, is thought to have nose-dived during its flight from east to west. All of the GSDF's 12 other AH-64 helicopters have been grounded, the defense ministry said, pending emergency inspections. The Saga Prefectural Police Headquarters reportedly received an emergency call at around 4:45 p.m. local time saying that a military helicopter had crashed near the Chiyoda Chubu Elementary School in Kanzaki City. Rescue services were deployed to the scene, where plumes of black smoke were billowing from the crash site. The local city office said the helicopter crash had resulted in a residential building catching fire near the elementary school and the Dairyuji kindergarten in the city. An eyewitness from the kindergarten was quoted as saying she heard a loud "bang" but confirmed no one at the kindergarten was injured. The principal at the Chiyoda Chubu Elementary School said that he could see pillars of fire and black smoke in the vicinity, but said none of the students were injured as a result of the crash. A woman in her 70s told local media she heard a "terrible noise" and went outside her home to see that a two-story house was on fire. Another eyewitness in her 60s said she heard an unusual sound and looked up to see a helicopter rapidly descending with its nose pitched down. "After it crashed, I could see black smoke rising. I was very scared," she told local media. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said that at the time and location of the crash, there were no adverse weather conditions. The defense ministry said that aside from its AH-64 "Apache" attack chopper, checkups will be carried out on all SDF helicopters. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 22:01:18|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close SHANGHAI, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The number of Chinese tourists to Britain in 2017 doubled that in 2016, making it one of the fastest growing overseas destinations. According to a report released by Chinese online travel agency Ctrip on Monday, more than 60,000 people booked a trip to Britain through their platform in 2017. The number surged due to the depreciation of British pound, and the launching of more direct flights between Chinese and British cities, the report said. About 42 percent of the tourists chose to travel with tour groups, while the rest preferred a personalized travel plan, the report said. Per capita consumption was around 10,000 yuan (1,589 U.S. dollars). Most visitors spent eight to 10 days on their trip, yet trips lasting over 15 days were also popular. Most Chinese tourists paid visits to castles, churches and opera houses. Ctrip said it would keep promoting tourism to Britain, by deepening cooperation with local travel agencies and launching more tourism products. A report jointly released by the China Tourism Academy and Ctrip earlier this year said that Britain was among the top three favorite European destinations for Chinese tourists. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 22:06:20|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- China said Monday its cooperation with Venezuela has benefited local people, refuting a U.S. accusation as "groundless" and "irresponsible." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang made the remarks after a U.S. Treasury senior official accused China of "supporting poor governance" in Venezuela through loans. Geng said the financing cooperation between China and Venezuela was carried out by financial institutions and companies on both sides in a win-win spirit. "The loan contracts of both countries comply with international norms, laws and regulations, and the outcomes have benefited local people," he told a daily press briefing. China-Venezuela cooperation has brought more than 10,000 units of public housing for Venezuelan people, and cooperative power projects account for 10 percent of the country's total installed capacity, according to the spokesperson. More than 3 million low-income Venezuelan families have been provided with household appliances at preferential prices, and over 700,000 families gained access to satellite television services, the spokesperson said. The China-Venezuela cooperation has promoted Venezuela's socio-economic development and has been welcomed and supported by all walks of society, Geng said. A stable Venezuela conforms to the interests of all sides, he said, adding that China does not interfere in the domestic affairs of other countries. China supports the various parties of Venezuela to properly settle their problems through dialogue, he said, adding that China is willing to continue to help with the country's economic and social development through practical bilateral cooperation. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 22:06:21|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi will visit the United States from Feb. 8 to 9, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang announced Monday. Yang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, was invited by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Geng said in a press release. He said that both China and the United States have recently expressed willingness to maintain and further strengthen contacts and exchanges in various aspects. During the visit, Yang will exchange views with the U.S. side on China-U.S. relations and international and regional issues of common concern, Geng said. KIEV, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian Defence Ministry warned on Monday a risk of suspension of water supplies in the eastern region of Donbas in southeastern Ukraine. About 1.3 million people living in 49 cities and towns in Donbas may face water shortages due to a damaged water pumping station in the South Donetsk water pipeline, the ministry said in a statement on its website. The ministry blamed the independence insurgents for shelling the local water pumping station. Meanwhile, the rebel-run DAN news agency, citing the rebel operation command, accused the Ukrainian army of attacking the station. Ukrainian government forces and insurgents have been engaged in an armed conflict in the Donbas since April 2014. The clashes have damaged or destroyed a large number of critical infrastructure facilities and left about 3.8 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. MOSCOW, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Russian pilot shot Saturday in a mission in Syria will be awarded with the country's highest honorary title, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Monday. Maj. Roman Filippov's Su-25 fighter jet was shot down by the Nusra Front militants when it overflew a de-escalation zone in the province of Idlib in northwestern Syria by a shoulder-held surface-to-air missile (SAM), said the statement. The pilot had managed to jettison, but blew himself up with a grenade after being surrounded by militants and seriously wounded, it said. The ministry said it will also provide all the necessary support to Filipov's family. The title of the Hero of Russia, accompanied by a Gold Star Medal, is awarded to persons for "service to the Russian state and nation, usually connected with a heroic feat", according to a 1992 law, establishing the award. On Saturday, the ministry said in another statement that its air force carried a massive strike against an area in Idlib controlled by the group, in retaliation to the downing of the jet, killing at least 30 operatives. In the wake of the incident, the Defense Ministry ordered its pilots in Syria to fly at an altitude of no lower than 5 km, to avoid being hit by shoulder-held SAMs also known as man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), Russia's Izvestia daily newspaper said Monday, quoting unnamed ministry sources. In a separate development, the Kremlin expressed Monday its concerns over the possession of MANPADS by Syrian militants. "This represents a huge danger to all states," the Interfax news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. COLOMBO, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Four people were killed and two others seriously injured when a train collided with a lorry in Angulana, around 16 km away from capital Colombo on Monday, police said. The train had been on its way to Galle in southern Sri Lanka. The victims and the injured had been rushed to a nearby hospital. The accident caused delays along the southern railway line. Police have launched investigations. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 22:21:23|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close NANJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The eastern Chinese city of Suzhou added 24 Taiwan-funded listed companies in 2017, the highest for a city on the Chinese mainland, local authorities said Monday. Last year, Suzhou approved 217 Taiwan-funded companies to launch business in the city, which involved about 1.55 billion U.S. dollars of investment, said Yao Linrong, an official with the city government. The figure brought the total number of Taiwan-funded companies in the city to 11,170, since Taiwanese investors first entered Suzhou 30 years ago. Suzhou has attracted a total of 30 billion U.S. dollars of investment from Taiwan, which accounted for about 25 percent of the city's total investment from overseas. Suzhou has 12 Taiwan-funded companies with annual revenue of at least 10 billion yuan (about 1.6 billion U.S. dollars). In 2017, Suzhou was one of 14 Chinese cities with GDP exceeding 1 trillion yuan. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 22:26:24|Editor: pengying Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi government said Monday the U.S. military will reduce its troops in Iraq after the defeat of the Islamic State (IS) militant group in the country. "There is a coordination with the Iraqi government and the United States to gradually reduce the number of the U.S. troops in Iraq as victory has been achieved over IS group," spokesman Saad al-Hadithi told Xinhua via phone. "The next stage will turn from military cooperation to training and arming the Iraqi forces," Hadithi said. Hadithi's comment came after media reports said that the U.S. troops were seen withdrawing their soldiers, weapons and equipment during the past week to redeploy them in Afghanistan. The U.S. ambassador Douglas Silliman had told local media "the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq has been decreased, especially in Anbar province in coordination with the Iraqi forces." There will be a gradual reduction of the U.S. forces in the coming months without replacing them with others," Silliman said. On Dec. 9, 2017, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group. Over 5,000 U.S. troops have been deployed in Iraq to support the Iraqi forces during the battles against IS militants. The troops were part of the U.S.-led international coalition that has also been conducting air raids against IS targets in both Iraq and Syria. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 22:31:26|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RAMALLAH/GAZA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Education on Monday staged a demonstration in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank to protest the U.S. cuts on financial aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). The demonstrations took place near the headquarters of all the directorates of the ministry, while protesters held banners condemning the U.S. funding cuts. "The ministry is sending a strong message that the Palestinian people refuse humiliation towards them," Palestinian Minister of Education Sabri Saidam said. Saidam stressed the rejection of "any attempts to marginalize the Palestinian national identity or to liquidate the refugees issue" through targeting UNRWA. The UNRWA provides services to some 5.9 million Palestinian refugees in the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The U.S. funding cuts came one month after U.S. President Donald Trump sparked a world outcry by officially recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital. In January, UNRWA made an emergency appeal as it faces a projected deficit of 200 million U.S. dollars in its emergency budget for this year. "Funding the UNRWA is a moral obligation that should be maintained until the issue of Palestine is resolved," said the agency's Operations Director Matthias Schmale Monday. He added that UNRWA would suspend 1,000 temporary contracts in the Gaza Strip for three months if it did not receive fundings. Schmale warned that the agency will not be able to pay salaries for May and June if the deficit continued. "We do not know how to pay for the food we are currently distributing," Schmale added. "We are unable to cover employees' salaries until May and June, in major programs and services such as health, education and social services." Historically, the United States is the biggest contributor to UNRWA's budget, with over 350 Million dollars in 2017. On Jan. 31, UNRWA announced the launch of an emergency call for funds of 800 million dollars to overcome its financial crisis. The United States recently announced the withholding of 65 million dollars out of the total 125 million dollars granted to the UNRWA. Washington also suspended its 45-million-dollar food aid pledged last month to the agency. NEW DELHI, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- India's federal ministry of environment, forest and climate change will start a campaign for clean air in New Delhi later this week, officials said Monday. The two-week campaign will start from Saturday with Delhi Government, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and other municipal agencies, for clean air in the capital city. "The campaign seeks to sensitise ground-level functionaries and general public to enforce the habit of environmental protection," a spokesman from the ministry said. "During the campaign resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), shopkeeper associations and the civil society will be encouraged to become a part of teams and participate in the campaign for mitigation of pollution." Officials said the teams would be provided with checklists so that there is focused activity on mitigation of pollution, including effective measures for dust mitigation, solid waste management and prevention of garbage burning. The move comes at a time when the Indian capital city and its outskirts are facing air pollution crisis. Air pollution is a leading cause of premature death in India. Pollution in Delhi gets aggravated during winter months. OSLO, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday that the organization needs to adjust to a "more dangerous" world, public broadcaster NRK reported. "We are faced with a more demanding security policy reality. The world has become more dangerous, but at the same time, NATO has become stronger," Stoltenberg was quoted as saying at an annual security conference of the Norwegian Atlantic Committee in Oslo. The three most important tasks NATO faces in the future when dealing with a new security policy reality were to strengthen collective defense at home, handle crises and uncertainties outside and strengthen the transatlantic ties, he said. Stoltenberg also rejected the idea that the United States and Canada would leave Europe, reminding that about 300 American soldiers are conducting military training in Vaernes in central Norway, although their presence was considered to be controversial by both Russia and some Norwegians. Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide, who also attended the conference, said the alliance as well as Norway must "be better prepared for high waves, greater differences and less predictability." "We must be prepared that the best option will be available as often as before," Soreide said, emphasizing the need for a clear foreign policy with clear values, which imply primarily to defend Norwegian interests. "We must not forget that these are the challenges we have managed to handle before," she added. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 22:46:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's foreign exchange regulator said Monday it has teamed up with the public security ministry to fight forex-related irregularities, with nearly a hundred cases of underground bank trading cracked in 2017. These cases involved a total value of hundreds of billions of yuan, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) said. The SAFE said it will continue to work with the police to further investigate underground banking this year to protect China's economic and financial security. Both those running underground banks and those participating in such trading will be punished, the regulator said, promising that the two departments will enhance information exchange and situation analysis to intensify the fight against illegal forex trading. While financial innovation should be supported, regulators will maintain a tough stance on forex-related crime and irregularities in the name of innovation, the SAFE said. China saw stable and balanced cross-border capital flow and transactions in 2017. At the end of December, the country's foreign exchange reserves rose for the 11th month in a row to 3.14 trillion U.S. dollars. Saudi air defense forces on Monday destroyed a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Houthis , targeting border city Khamis Mushait. (Reuters Photo) RIYADH, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Saudi air defense forces have destroyed a ballistic missile fired by the Houthi militias at the south border of the county, Al Arabiya local news reported on Monday. The missile targeted Khamis Mushait, a city in southwest Saudi Arabia, located east of Abha, the provincial seat of the Asir province. Saudi forces are continuing their military operations to counter attempts by the Houthi militia to infiltrate the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The country is leading a coalition involved in a three-year war against Houthis in Yemen. According to Al Arabiya, in the past two days, 50 air raids have been carried out by the coalition, targeting Houthi militia positions in the provinces of Sa'ada, Hajjah, Hodeidah and Taiz, resulting in multiple deaths, injuries and the destruction of arms stores. OSLO, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Environmentalist groups said Monday they have decided to appeal an court's ruling, which says the Norwegian government's plans for Arctic oil exploration are lawful. "There is already enough carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to seriously damage our future. By opening up these pristine areas for oil exploration Norway is effectively smuggling its emissions outside of its own borders and furthering climate change, which harms everyone, everywhere," Truls Gulowsen, head of Greenpeace in Norway, was quoted as saying in a press release. Greenpeace's Nordic branch and the Nature and Youth have jointly filed the lawsuit against the Norwegian government for granting the new oil licenses, saying the decision contravenes the Paris Climate Agreement and violates the Norwegian Constitution. The groups vowed to take the legal battle directly to the Supreme Court. The two environmentalist groups claimed that this is the first case that challenges new oil and gas drillings on the basis of the Paris Agreement, and it is also the first time that Article 112 of the Norwegian Constitution is being tested in court, hoping that the lawsuit "could set an international precedent." Last month, the Oslo District Court dismissed the climate lawsuit, saying that the government's decision in 2016 to grant new oil licenses in the Arctic Barents Sea does not constitute a breach of the environmental clause and that remedial measures taken by the government have been sufficient. The subject of the lawsuit is Norway's decision made in the summer of 2016 to grant 10 new oil drilling licenses on the Norwegian continental shelf in Barents Sea to 13 oil companies, including Norway's Statoil, U.S. energy corporation Chevron and Russia's Lukoil. The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, representing the Norwegian government, has dismissed the plaintiffs' argument, insisting that the decision to award the production licenses is "valid" and has "a clear legal foundation." Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-05 23:06:39|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close CHENGDU, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Operation resumed in one of China's oldest kiln sites in the southwestern province of Sichuan on Monday. Fire was ignited in a newly built kiln at the Qiongyao Kilns, built more than 1,000 years ago in Qionglai, Sichuan. The Qiongyao Kilns consist of a cluster of smaller kilns where ceramic products were made. The Qiongyao Kilns started operation during the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589). They thrived in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) but waned in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The site is located on the Chengdu Plain and is under national protection. The new kiln was built thanks to the joint efforts of more than 30 ceramic craftspeople from China, the United States, and the Republic of Korea. It took ten days to build. A series of activities will be held at the site following the building of the new kiln. An industrial park will be built near the site to protect relics, pass on culture, and develop related cultural industries. SWAKOPMUND, NAMIBIA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) held a training workshop for criminal justice practitioners in Swakopmund, a coastal town of Namibia on Monday. At the official opening of the workshop, Innocentia Nyoni, a representative from the office of the Prosecutor General of Namibia said that law enforcement on human trafficking crimes in the country is low. "To date there has only been one conviction on human trafficking in Namibia. This indicates that we need training for this crime in Namibia," said Nyoni. Over 35 participants were drawn countrywide from the prosecution, the police, immigration, customs and excise, labour and social workers. Human trafficking is said to be the third largest international crime industry behind illegal drugs and arms trafficking. The training workshop, which ends on Friday, will focus mainly on equipping the participants with the skills to detect and investigate cases of human trafficking; skills to assist and protect victims of this crime as well as to prosecute offenders. Also speaking at the occasion, the IOM Namibia's officer in charge, Sascha Nlabu said that the real statistics of human trafficking victims is unknown as the majority of these cases are never reported. "I encourage you all to continue to increase your efforts in order to ensure that the victims of human trafficking are adequately identified and assisted and perpetrators persecuted," said Nlabu. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-06 00:26:57|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has a discussion with foreign experts working in China, in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 5, 2018, prior to the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 16 this year. (Xinhua/Li Tao) BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- China will remain committed to the policy of reform and opening up and provide more convenience for foreign experts to work in China, Premier Li Keqiang said Monday. The statement came as Li had a discussion with more than 60 foreign experts working in China prior to the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 16 this year. This year marks the fortieth anniversary of China's policy of reform and opening up. "We will reaffirm our commitment to this important policy on this important anniversary," he told the foreign experts at the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing. He said China will continue to deepen all-round reform, implement policies of tax reduction and administrative fees exemption, and create a sound business environment. The country must carry out innovation-driven development strategy and invigorate the economy to achieve high-quality development, he said. Stressing that China needs to continue to open its doors to the outside world to introduce foreign expertise and technology, Li said the country will provide more convenience for foreign experts working in China, as this is also part of the country's opening-up efforts. He said China will take more steps to attract foreign talent by introducing easier visa arrangements including 5 to 10-year multiple entry visa arrangements, a unified application and window for handling the applications and easier permanent residence application. China announced on Jan. 4 easier visa permits for foreign professionals and high-skilled workers. Applicants will be expanded to those who qualify as high-end talent in the Categories of Foreigners Working in China, including scientists, entrepreneurs and leading figures in technology-intensive sectors, according to the new rules unveiled by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs. Li said China welcomes foreign experts' valuable contribution and ideas, expecting them to take an active part in China's future development. A total of 61 experts attended the meeting, during which Li listened to the advice and suggestions from three experts on issues concerning the transformation and upgrading of China's economy and high-quality development, the "Made in China 2025" plan and nurturing of innovative talent, educational reform and environmental protection. The three experts were Edmund Strother Phelps, Nobel laureate and dean of New Huadu Business School of Minjiang University; Juergen Fleischer, Academician of German Academy of Science and Engineering (ACATECH) and professor at Tongji University; John Hopcroft, Turing Award Recipient and Foreign Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Li said China's economy expanded 6.9 percent in 2017 as it picked up pace for the first time in seven years. The economy contributed over 30 percent to the world economy growth and consumption growth contributed nearly 60 percent to the country's growth, he said. China will continue to deepen supply-side structural reform, build a modernized economic system and make full preparations for any possible risks, he said. ISLAMABAD, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Consulate-General in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Monday confirmed that a Chinese national was killed in a gun attack in Karachi. The consulate-general said that the deceased, accompanied by a Chinese friend, was gunned down in Zamzama area of Karachi, the capital city of the country's south Sindh province. Local media cited police as reporting that the deceased stopped his car near a vegetable shop when he was on his way back home after attending a lunch. His friend left the car to buy vegetable when some unknown gunmen appeared and sprayed bullets at his vehicle. A local passerby also got injured in the attack. No group or person has claimed the attack yet. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-06 00:31:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MALE, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen on Monday evening declared a state of emergency amid political crisis in the country. Yameen officially announced that the Maldives was in a state of emergency for the duration of 15 days starting on Monday night. The announcement was read by Legal Affairs Minister Azima Shakoor on state television, flanked by Attorney General Mohamed Anil. Several conditions were placed by the president which were based on the rights preserved for the head of the state under the Maldives Constitution, local media said. Maldives has been facing days of unrest after the Supreme Court issued a ruling last week to release top opposition political leaders including former President Mohamed Nasheed and former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb. The court said in a brief statement that they must be freed until fair trials could be conducted without undue influence. Yameen had earlier Monday written three letters to the Supreme Court explaining the challenges being faced in implementing the court order. Enditem LUSAKA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government on Monday urged citizens to take keen interest in monitoring implementation of projects being financed by public funds. Minister of Finance Felix Mutati said his ministry was looking forward to citizens' participation in economic transformation programs with open minds by taking interest in monitoring government financed projects in their localities. "This is because, the success which the economy is scoring through fiscal consolidation are not a twist of luck but a result of articulate reforms and the toils of citizens," he said in a statement announcing the funds released in January this year for various projects. The finance ministry released 5.2 billion Zambian Kwacha (about 530 million U.S. dollars) for various development projects last month, according to the statement. According to him, through citizen-induced project monitoring, the government will be able to implement projects effectively and ensure that value for money prevails in state financed projects. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-06 01:07:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Unidentified gunmen opened fire and killed a senior officer of Yemen's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the southern port city of Aden on Monday, a government official told Xinhua. The CID officer identified as Fahmi Hakami was gunned down by gunmen riding a motorcycle in the Mansoura neighborhood of Aden, the government source said on condition of anonymity. The government source based in Aden said that the "drive-by shooting attack happened after the officer left the CID building in Aden." Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister of the Vocational Education survived an assassination attempt when gunmen hurled a grenade on his house in Lahj province. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the drive-by shooting attack in Aden and the assassination attempt that took place in neighboring southern province of Lahj. But the Yemeni government source accused militants of the Yemen-based al-Qaida branch of being behind the terrorist incident in Aden. Military officials loyal to the United Arab Emirates, mosque preachers and clerics are frequently targeted in Aden either by drive-by shootings or by roadside bombings conducted by terrorist groups. Aden is considered as the temporary capital of Yemen. The Saudi-backed Yemeni government has been there since 2015. Over the past two years, the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and other terrorist groups including the Islamic State were active in southern Yemen. The impoverished Arab country has been locked into a civil war since the Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels overran much of the country militarily in 2014, seizing all northern provinces including the capital Sanaa. In March 2015, Saudi Arabia led a military coalition of Arab forces, backed by the United States, to intervene in Yemen's conflict to back the government of exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Yemen is facing severe humanitarian crisis, with seven million Yemenis being on the brink of famine and 2,000 people killed by cholera. MALE, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen on Monday evening declared a state of emergency amid political crisis in the country. Yameen officially announced that the Maldives was in a state of emergency for the duration of 15 days starting on Monday night. The announcement was read by Legal Affairs Minister Azima Shakoor on state television, flanked by Attorney General Mohamed Anil. Yameen on Monday evening assured all Maldivians and the international community visiting and living in the country of their safety. A statement from the President's Office said that Yameen had declared 15 days of state of emergency, starting Monday, and during this period, though certain rights would be restricted, general movements, services and businesses would not be affected. Several conditions were placed by the president which were based on the rights preserved for the head of the state under the Maldives Constitution, local media said. Maldives has been facing days of unrest after the Supreme Court issued a ruling last week to release top opposition political leaders including former President Mohamed Nasheed and former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb. The court said in a brief statement that they must be freed until fair trials could be conducted without undue influence. Yameen had earlier Monday written three letters to the Supreme Court explaining the challenges being faced in implementing the court order. The Maldives attorney general on Sunday advised all law enforcement agencies in the country not to comply with any order that is in conflict with the Maldives' Constitution following reports that the Supreme Court may order to impeach President Yameen. 142 civilians were killed and 345 others wounded in Turkish military offensive in Syria's Afrin. (AFP Photo) DAMASCUS, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- As many as 500 people have been killed and wounded during the two-week-long Turkish military campaign against the Kurdish-held Afrin region in northern Syria, state news agency SANA reported on Monday. The casualties have been taken to the Afrin hospital, said SANA, adding that 142 civilians were killed and 345 others wounded by the Turkish military offensive on Afrin in the northern countryside of Aleppo near the Turkish border. On Monday, the Turkish shelling targeted a center of the Red Crescent in Afrin, leaving big damages in the facility, according to SANA. The Turkish military campaign started on Jan. 20, targeting historic sites, mosques, residential areas and the infrastructure in the Afrin enclave, SANA added. Meanwhile, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) stressed in a recent statement that it will keep confronting the Turkish forces and their allies of the Syrian rebels in Afrin. The Kurdish forces have lost 15 towns on the outskirts of Afrin to the Turkish forces and allied Syrian rebels. The Turkish side has stressed that the war will continue in Afrin and will start another offensive on the Kurdish-held Manbij town in northern Aleppo countryside until eliminating the Kurdish forces in the region near Turkey. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-06 01:37:18|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Ozone pollution is dropping across many parts of the United States and Western Europe, but levels have been increasing in East Asia, reflecting increasing pollution emissions, according to new research published on Monday. It is the conclusion from the world's first surface ozone assessment report based on nearly all available surface observations globally from over 4,800 monitoring stations. The large international team who produced and analyzed the database hope that it will give scientists and public health managers a better insight on trends and patterns of human health exposure around the world. It shows that people living in China, South Korea, southern Japan and parts of southern Europe experienced during 2010 to 2014 more than 15 days a year of ozone levels above 70 parts per billion (ppb), the United States health-based air quality standard. Although ozone levels across much of North America and Europe dropped significantly between 2000 and 2014, but people in parts of the U.S. states of California, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, the Midwest and the Middle Atlantic also experienced over 15 days a year of ozone levels above 70 ppb. "Human health impacts from ozone are still a cause for concern across the world and are rising in parts of East Asia, with the potential for serious health effects on their populations," said Zoe Fleming, a researcher with the National Centre for Atmospheric Science at University of Leicester. Tropospheric or surface ozone is a kind of greenhouse gas and air pollutant that, at high levels, is detrimental to human health and crop and ecosystem productivity. Surface ozone is not emitted directly, but forms when sunlight triggers reactions between natural and human-caused chemical emissions, known as ozone precursor gases. Emissions from vehicles, power plants, industrial operations, and other human activities are a primary cause of surface ozone. "There is an increasing awareness of the issues of human health from poor air quality and making such a database freely available and disseminating the results from the study will inform the public on the health implications of ozone," Fleming said. The report is published in the journal Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene. NAIROBI, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Kenya will on Saturday host an international conference on strengthening marriages that are grappling with turmoil occasioned by economic uncertainties, weakening social bonds and rapid modernization. The conference organizers said in a statement issued in Nairobi on Monday that an estimated 2000 participants will attend the international marriage conference to be held in Kenya for the first time. "The marriage conference is an opportunity for us as Kenyans to openly address core issues affecting our families and with support of national and international experts seek lasting solutions," said Rahma Hersi, the Director of Awal Consulting, a co-organizer of the conference She added that delegates who will include family therapists, clinicians, psychiatrists and religious leaders will share best practices that can be applied to cushion the institution of marriage from external pressures. According to Hersi, the modern marriages are falling apart due to social ills like violence, drug abuse, alcoholism and negative influence of social media. Sajid Hussein, the Founder of Marriage Conference International, regretted that broken marriages that have spiked in recent times across the globe are having a devastating impact on social and economic fabric. "The marriage institution is under attack because we have neglected it for a long time. The marriage contract is the most important contract in our lives yet we get into it unprepared," said Hussein. He added that the Nairobi conference will revitalize the conversation on how to strengthen modern marriages amid onslaught from negative impacts of urbanization. The International Marriage Conference since its inception in 2015 has been held in eight different cities across the world. Kenya's capital, Nairobi will be the second city in Africa to host the international marriage conference after Johannesburg in South Africa which hosted it in 2016. Organizers revealed that Nigeria, Morocco and Ghana are expected to host the conference in the near future. Kenyan policy makers, social scientists and clerics are expected to attend the inaugural marriage conference in the country amid high incidents of domestic violence and homicide that have been reported lately in national media. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-06 02:02:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's President Michel Aoun warned Monday that Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman's remarks on an offshore gas block dubbed Block 9 "reflect the true Israeli intentions." Aoun voiced his warning during a meeting with visiting Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos, a statement by the presidential media office said. Thanking Greece for its "participation in the maritime force of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)," the president noted that "the role of UNIFIL's maritime component has become more important in terms of protecting Lebanese territorial waters, especially the Exclusive Economic Zone," the statement added. "Israel has ambitions to control parts of it before Lebanon launches oil and gas exploration in it," Aoun stressed. Lieberman had on Wednesday described as "very provocative" Lebanon's tender on exploring gas in Block 9. This gas field "is by all accounts ours," the Israeli minister claimed. Lebanon in December approved a bid for offshore oil and gas exploration off its Mediterranean coast -- a vision for years hampered by political instability and domestic wrangling. That deal was awarded to the only bidder, an international consortium including France's Total and Russia's Novatek who will start exploratory offshore drilling in 2019. A major finding in Lebanon's southernmost waters could raise the possibility of a dispute with Israel, which is developing a number of offshore gas deposits, with one large field, Tamar, already producing gas, and the larger Leviathan field set to go online next year. There are over 800 square km of waters claimed by Lebanon and Israel, which are technically in a state of conflict. Israel and Hezbollah fought a fierce, month-long war in 2006. Palestinian refugees protest in front of a United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) distribution center in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on Jan. 21, 2018. (Xinhua/Khaled Omar) UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday voiced concern about the humanitarian and economic situation in Gaza and called for continued efforts toward a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The humanitarian and economic situation in Gaza remains dire, Guterres told a meeting of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. The UN Country Team in Palestine has predicted that Gaza will become unliveable by 2020 unless concrete action is taken to improve basic services and infrastructure. Yet Gaza remains squeezed by crippling closures and a state of constant humanitarian emergency, he said. A Palestinian refugee child plays outside her house at Khan Younis refugee camp in southern GazaStrip, on Aug. 8, 2017. About 2 million people reside in the Gaza Strip, where over 1.2 million refugees are registered. (Xinhua/Wissam Nassar) "Two million Palestinians are struggling everyday with crumbling infrastructure, an electricity crisis, a lack of basic services, chronic unemployment and a paralyzed economy. All of this is taking place amid an unfolding environmental disaster." He said he was extremely concerned that the latest shortfall in funding for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) will gravely impair the agency's ability to deliver on its mandate and preserve critical services such as education and health care for Palestine refugees. "At stake is the human security, rights and dignity of the 5 million Palestine refugees across the Middle East." Also at stake, he said, is the stability of the entire region, which may be affected if UNRWA is unable to continue to provide vital services to the Palestine refugee population, both in the occupied territories and in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. "I appeal to the generosity of the international community not to let that happen," he said. Palestinian schoolchildren shout slogans and hold placards during a protest in Gaza city on Feb. 4, 2018, against the difficult economic situation and the U.S. decision to withhold funds earmarked for the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. (Xinhua/AFP) Guterres reiterated that a two-state solution is the only way to achieve the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and secure a sustainable solution to the conflict. "There is no Plan B." Over many decades, the international community has encouraged a negotiated process leading to a two-state solution, addressing all final-status issues on the basis of relevant UN resolutions, international law and mutual agreements as the only way to lay the foundations for enduring peace, said Guterres. Palestinian children hold bread patties during a protest against aid cuts, outside the United Nations' offices in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on Jan. 28, 2018. (Xinhua/AFP) The Security Council has consistently reiterated its vision of a region where two democratic states -- Israel and Palestine -- live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders. The General Assembly has reaffirmed the two-state solution through the establishment of a Palestinian State as the only way to achieve stability, peace, prosperity and development in the region, he noted. "And I have always said that I would like to see a Palestinian state and an Israeli state, both with capital in Jerusalem." However, he warned, decades of convergence and global consensus could be eroding, making effective concerted action more difficult to achieve, at a time when it is more important than ever. Negative trends on the ground have the potential to create an irreversible one-state reality that is incompatible with realizing the legitimate national, historic and democratic aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians, said Guterres. Israel's ongoing settlement construction and expansion in the occupied West Bank, including in East Jerusalem, is illegal under UN resolutions and international law, he said. "It is a major obstacle to peace and it must be halted and reversed." Violence and incitement continue to fuel a climate of fear and mistrust, added the UN chief. He also emphasized the importance of advancing Palestinian unity. "Reconciliation is a key step in reaching the larger objective of a Palestinian state and lasting peace." The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People was founded by the UN General Assembly in 1975. SKOPJE, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) is committed to building confidence with Greece in order to achieve a dignified settlement of the open issues between the two countries, cabinet officials said on Monday. Referring to the massive protest held in the neighboring country's capital Athens, MIA cited officials saying that FYROM government believed that the majority of citizens in both Greece and FYROM wished for good-neighborly relations, which lead to friendship, stability and economic prosperity of the entire region. According to the cabinet, FYROM's government supports positions of advancing the cooperation between the two countries. Earlier, while talking to reporters here, FYROM's Deputy Premier for European Affairs Bujar Osmani called the peaceful and non-violent protests in Athens as part of the public debate and a guaranteed right in a democracy. However, he noted that such protests should have no influence over the name dispute resolution process. "We have never thought this was an easy problem. What is important is that our governments are determined to find a solution. They should remain calm and persevere until a solution is reached, regardless of the obstacles along the way. The time has come to make right decisions, instead of easy ones," Osmani said. Further, he highlighted that the name row resolution process should continue according to the agreed agenda. NAME ISSUE: OBSTACLE FOR FYROM'S EU ACCESSION To FYROM, the solving of name issue with Greece is very important as it is considered the main obstacle that FYROM should overcome in order to start negotiations talks for European Union accession and NATO accession as well. Now that two governments are discussing ways of solving this issue in UN mediated meetings, the citizens have different stands. While in FYROM many citizens refute the idea of changing name, many people in Greece don't want the neighboring country to keep this name. Such situation has existed since 1992, one year after FYROM declared independence from Yugoslavia and chose the name "Macedonia", which is also the name of a northern Greek province. Athens worries that the use of the same name by the neighboring state could lead to territorial claims. A mass demonstration was held on Sunday in front of the Greek parliament to protest against the use of the term "Macedonia" in any resolution of the name row with FYROM. According to the organizers, local cultural clubs, over 1 million protestors joined the rally at the Syntagma square and nearby avenues, while Greek police, however, estimated that about 140,000 people participated in the demonstration. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-06 02:52:34|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TEHRAN, Fed. 5 (Xinhua) -- At least two Iranian women pilgrims were killed in hotel fire in the Iraqi city of Najaf on Monday, Iran Daily reported. Morteza Aqaei, an official at Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, said that three other Iranian pilgrims were hospitalized due to smoke inhalation. Other reports also said that over a hundred pilgrims have suffered from smoke inhalation. As for the cause of incident, Aqaei said that fire started on the third floor of Al-Nasir Hotel after a curtain near a heater caught fire. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-06 03:22:40|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Israeli officials identified Monday the knifeman who killed an Israeli in the West Bank earlier Monday as a Palestinian citizen of Israel and a resident of Tel Aviv. Abd Al Karim Assi, 19, fled the scene immediately after stabbing to death an Israeli civilian settler near the West Bank settlement of Ariel. Large Israeli forces were still on a manhunt searching for him on Monday night. Israeli security officials said Assi's mother lives in Haifa, a city in northern Israel, and his father lives in the West Bank city of Nablus. Assi himself lived in Jaffa, part of the municipality of Tel Aviv, Israel's financial capital. According to Hadashot TV news, Assi received social help and therapy at a home in Tel Aviv for at-risk youth. He left the home a few months ago and had lived with his father in Nablus since then. Early on Monday afternoon, Assi arrived at a bus station outside Ariel and attacked a bypasser with two knives, inflicting him with fatal wounds, according to a police statement. The victim, identified as Itamar Ben-Gal, 29, a father of four from the nearby settlement of Har Bracha, was rushed to a hospital in Petah Tikva in central Israel, where he succumbed to his wounds, said a spokesperson for the hospital. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to bring the perpetrator of the attack to justice. "IDF (Israel Defense Forces) and the Shin Bet forces are currently searching for the perpetrator," Netanyahu said at the start of the Likud faction meeting. "We will bring him to justice, as we always do," said the prime minister. "I put my trust in the security forces who do the hardest work against these disgraceful attacks," he added. The incident came a day after the cabinet voted to legalize a 16-year-old unauthorized Israeli outpost in the West Bank, which was built without formal Israeli permits on a privately-owned Palestinian land. The Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Sunday that the cabinet decided to retroactively grant the outpost with a permit in response to the killing of a resident of the outpost, Rabbi Raziel Shevah, who was shot to death by a Palestinian attacker in January. The outpost, called Havat Gilad, is located north of Ariel. The incident was the latest in a fresh wave of violence in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Israel, sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on December 6. LAGOS, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The current outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria has affected 15 states with 105 laboratory confirmed cases, three probable cases and 31 deaths, Minister of Health Isaac Adewole said Monday. Nigeria recorded 77 cases of Lassa fever in 2018 alone, said Adewole at the Emergency National Council of Health in Abuja, the country's capital. The cases were in Bauchi, Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi, Ebonyi, Rivers, Imo, Anambra, Edo, Delta, Ondo, Osun and Lagos states, he added. The minister said 10 health care workers were affected in four states; seven in Ebonyi with one health worker from Nasarawa, Kogi and Benue states. Adewole said of the 31 deaths from Lassa fever outbreak, four health workers died as a result of the disease; three deaths were recorded in Ebonyi and one in Kogi. The minister said the meeting was summoned to discuss the state of public health challenges in Nigeria with focus on the challenges that bedeviled the nation in the past few weeks. Adewole added that Lassa fever has been a current outbreak in the country, stressing that Nigeria has battled with series of outbreaks in the past few months. He said Lassa fever has been persistent in the country over the past 30 years. The minister appealed to the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) and other research institutes to look into the changing dynamics of Lassa fever. "Lassa fever use to occur only during dry season but now we are contending with an all year transmission of Lassa fever," he added. Lassa fever is a viral infection caused by the Lassa fever virus and the disease occurs all year round but more cases are recorded during the dry season. It is spread through direct contact with urine, faeces, saliva or blood of infected rats, eating food or drinking contaminated water. The disease can be prevented through enhanced personal hygiene, avoidance of all contact with rats (dead or alive) and keeping the house and surrounding clean. ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The conflict in South Sudan should be sustainably resolved by African people utilizing African ways, Chinese ambassador to South Sudan He Xiangdong said on Monday. Speaking exclusively to Xinhua, He said the conflict in South Sudan may seem difficult to resolve, but its sustainable solution lies within the African continent. The Chinese ambassador was speaking in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa at the sidelines of the opening day of an IGAD summit held to assess the progress of South Sudan peace process. South Sudan is a member nation of the eight nations East African bloc IGAD. "We hope African issues should be resolved by African people in African ways, because the future of African people should be mustered by the African people themselves, that's also the case for South Sudanese issue," said He. "China has been actively involved and supports the effort of all South Sudanese parties and IGAD countries and AU to resolve the issue of South Sudan," he further said. "I think on punitive matters we need to further consultation with IGAD countries and AU. Definitely, a certain kind of pressure is needed to push the peace process to move forward, while at the same time be cautious of results of all the possible measures, because we need to put result first. Any measure needs to be carefully calculated to see if it's helpful to resolve the problems or not," said the ambassador. South Sudan has been embroiled in more than four years of conflict that has taken a devastating toll on the people, creating one of the most severe refugee crises in the world. JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Standard Bank signed an agreement with UnionPay International on Monday in Johannesburg to accept UnionPay cards in multiple African markets. Standard Bank is also the first African bank to receive the license to issue UnionPay cards on the continent. "Standard Bank cards or online transaction solutions will provide access to all UnionPay-enabled platforms in China, and Africans dealing with China will on longer need to travel with cash. Instead they will soon be able to purchase goods directly from suppliers throughout China at the swipe of a card," said George Lo, Executive Head of Pan Africa China Banking at Standard Bank. UnionPay is one of the world's leading card payments systems and hosts the majority of transactions in China. As such, Standard Bank's agreement to accept UnionPay cards in multiple African markets by the end of 2018 broadens the geographic footprint and potential customer reach of UnionPay in Africa. Wang Lixin, Vice President of UnionPay International, said, "UnionPay strives to ensure convenient and safe payment services to a growing number global UnionPay cardholders visiting Africa. We also look forward to collaborating with Standard Bank in card issuance, providing exciting new payment options for new African customers." Lincoln Mali, Group Head of Group Cards and Emerging Payments at Standard Bank, said, "Standard Bank card holders will be able to access China's ecommerce marketplace." This will allow African traders to locate and select goods remotely and then pay for them electronically via their Standard Bank cards, added Mali. Sorry, this news has been deleted. CHICAGO, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Over 400 flights have been canceled at two Chicago airports by noon on Monday, as up to six inches of additional snow is expected to hit the U.S. city in late afternoon, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. More than 400 flights have proactively been canceled at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, and more than 20 flights at Midway airport. A winter weather advisory for three to six inches of snow area-wide is in effect until midnight Tuesday for much of northern Illinois and northwest Indiana, according to the National Weather Service. After hovering around zero with chilly winds in the morning, the temperature will drop below minus 15 Celsius degrees in the evening. On Sunday, the Chicago area saw around one to two inches of snow, and slippery conditions resulted in dozens of crashes in suburban area. ROME, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The capital city was under tight security on Monday during a state visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country is seeking admission to the European Union (EU). Some 3,500 police and security forces were deployed in the Italian capital, according to Italian news agency ANSA. Authorities banned demonstrations throughout the central part of the city where Erdogan stayed overnight and where he met with the Italian president and the prime minister, before departing Monday evening. The Turkish leader's 50-minute meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican Monday morning was followed by "respectful and frank" talks with President Sergio Mattarella, according to ANSA. "Bilateral relations are positive and Italy remains committed to continuing dialogue with Ankara." Erdogan then moved on to a meeting with Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, at which the foreign, defense and industry ministers were present. In comments to reporters before leaving for Rome on Sunday, Erdogan said Italy and Turkey had "excellent" relations. "We share a common vision with respect to regional problems," ANSA news agency quoted Erdogan as saying. "Last year we had trade volume of 20 billion U.S. dollars, but the potential is double that amount." Two people were detained and one person was injured in Rome on Monday after anti-Erdogan demonstrators clashed with police, according to local media reports. Turkey, a member of the NATO alliance whose country shares a border with Europe on its western side, and with Syria to the south, has been trying to revive stalled talks for EU admission. In 2016, the EU struck a deal with Turkey that essentially halted the flow of refugees to Greece and Italy from Syria, where a civil war has been raging since 2011. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-06 04:17:50|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close AMMAN, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Monday approved signing an agreement with Iraq to build a twin gas and oil pipeline between the two countries, the state-run Petra news agency reported. The Jordanian Cabinet said the pipeline will stretch from Iraq's Basra to Jordan's Aqaba and an agreement will be signed soon by energy ministries of both countries. The project is strategic for both countries and will provide the Kingdom with its energy needs of oil and gas. The Cabinet added that the project will give Iraq an opportunity to boost its oil exports. The 1,680-km double pipeline will pump one million barrels of oil a day from Basra on the Arabian Gulf to Jordan's Aqaba Port, in addition to 258 million cubic feet of gas, according to the Ministry of Energy in Jordan. About 150,000 barrels of the oil from Iraq is needed to meet Jordan's needs. The rest will be exported through Aqaba, generating about three billion U.S. dollars a year in revenues to Jordan, according to the ministry. File photo taken on Sept. 25, 2011 shows a customer displays bank cards in Qionghai, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Meng Zhongde) JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Standard Bank signed an agreement with UnionPay International on Monday in Johannesburg to accept UnionPay cards in multiple African markets. Standard Bank is also the first African bank to receive the license to issue UnionPay cards on the continent. "Standard Bank cards or online transaction solutions will provide access to all UnionPay-enabled platforms in China, and Africans dealing with China will on longer need to travel with cash. Instead they will soon be able to purchase goods directly from suppliers throughout China at the swipe of a card," said George Lo, Executive Head of Pan Africa China Banking at Standard Bank. UnionPay is one of the world's leading card payments systems and hosts the majority of transactions in China. As such, Standard Bank's agreement to accept UnionPay cards in multiple African markets by the end of 2018 broadens the geographic footprint and potential customer reach of UnionPay in Africa. Wang Lixin, Vice President of UnionPay International, said, "UnionPay strives to ensure convenient and safe payment services to a growing number global UnionPay cardholders visiting Africa. We also look forward to collaborating with Standard Bank in card issuance, providing exciting new payment options for new African customers." Lincoln Mali, Group Head of Group Cards and Emerging Payments at Standard Bank, said, "Standard Bank card holders will be able to access China's ecommerce marketplace." This will allow African traders to locate and select goods remotely and then pay for them electronically via their Standard Bank cards, added Mali. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-06 04:37:55|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of Kurds living in Lebanon protested Monday against Turkey's military offensive in Syria's Kurdish enclave of Afrin. Several demonstrations in support of Syria's Kurds have taken place in the Lebanese capital and across the world since Ankara launched its operation last month. The demonstrators, some of them refugees and others members of Lebanon's long-established Kurdish community, held their protest near the U.S. embassy on the outskirts of Beirut. They described feeling abandoned by Washington. A Kurdish woman said "we the Kurdish community in Lebanon refuse and protest the Turkish operation against Afrin. We are protesting outside the U.S. embassy to tell the American people we Kurds are peaceful people." Turkey has carried out air strikes and used its Syrian rebel allies to attack the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), a group Ankara considers a terrorist organization linked to the Kurdish insurgency active on its own soil. Several of the protesters at the demonstration, which passed without any incident, were carrying olive branches and waving YPG posters. Some of them also held portraits of a Kurdish female combattant, Barin Kobani, whose corpse appeared in a shocking video last week. Her family and Kurdish officials have accused Turkish-backed rebels of "defiling" her body. BRUSSELS, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- One of the main suspects in the 2015 Paris terror attacks was evacuated from the Vendin-le-Vieil prison in France to a Belgian court on Monday for an initial trial. After a tense first day that lasted ten hours, Belgian federal prosecutor announced that a maximum sentence of 20 years will be given to 29-year-old Belgian-born Frenchman Salah Abdeslam, and his accomplice Sofien Ayari. The two are tried for attempted murder on police officers on March 15, 2016 in the Brussels district of Forest, three days before their arrests. It is reported that the Belgian prosecutors accused the alleged of "intention to kill in a terrorist manner". Both refused to stand nor answer any questions from the jury throughout the trial. Due to Abdeslam lawyer's requesting of a delay for preparation, the president of the Brussels Court of First Instance proposed to postpone the trial to Thursday, the last day of hearing. After the trial in Belgium, he will face more lengthy judicial proceedings in France, and the French trial is expected to go on for several years. On Nov. 13, 2015, France suffered the worst terrorist attack in history. Nine murderous assailants attacked several locations in the urban area of Paris in succession, killing some 130 people. In this attack, Abdeslam, who was responsible for logistics and transporting some of the attackers, originally planned to attack the Stade de France, but eventually gave up his cause and fled to Belgium one day after the attack. He was captured by Belgian police in a secret hideout at his birth place, Brussels' Molenbeck district, on March 18, 2016, more than four months after his escape from Paris. Abdeslam was extradited back to France in April, 2016. YAOUNDE, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- At least six people were killed in an attack by the terror group Boko Haram on Sunday night in Cameroon's Far North region, a local source told Xinhua. Five men and a pregnant woman were killed and two others were injured in the attack, which occurred in the Mayo-Tsanaga division of the Far North region, according to the source, who wanted to remain anonymous. The attackers also burned houses and churches during the attack, which lasted about an hour, until the intervention of government troops, added the source. Cameroon's Far North region, which borders the stronghold of the terror group in neighboring Nigeria, recorded in January alone 26 deaths in about 30 Boko Haram attacks. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-06 04:53:00|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close An artist performs puppet dance during a Chinese cultural performance at the Royal Cultural Center in Amman, Jordan, on Feb. 5, 2018. A series of Chinese cultural shows on Monday kicked off in Amman to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year which falls next week. (Xinhua/Lin Xiaowei) AMMAN, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A series of Chinese cultural shows on Monday kicked off in Jordanian capital Amman to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year which falls next week. The cultural performance was held by the Chinese embassy in Amman in cooperation with Jordan's Ministry of Culture and the Greater Amman Municipality at the Royal Cultural Center. The shows include folk music, traditional dance, acrobatics, puppet dance and mysterious Sichuan opera "face-changing" performed by artists from Chengdu Tianfu Cultural Troupe. Addressing the event, Chinese Ambassador to Jordan, Pan Weifang, said China-Jordan ties have witnessed increased cooperation in fields of culture and economy. He added that a Chinese cultural center will open in Jordan this year. A Congolese woman who crossed the border from the Democratic Republic of Congo is relieved as she arrived at the Nyakabande transit centre in the village of Nyakabande, western Uganda, to be registered as a refugee on Jan. 24, 2018. (Xinhua/AFP) WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Treasury announced on Monday that it has imposed sanctions on four individuals for their alleged engagement in "destabilizing activities" responsible for prolonging the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The designation targeted Muhindo Akili Mundos, a general in the Armed Forces of the DRC, and three rebel leaders of the militant groups, according to a Treasury statement released in the day. The Treasury accused the four men of conducting "horrendous acts including sexual abuse and forced military recruitment of children into positions requiring them to commit acts of violence." As a result of the Treasury's action, any property or interests of the designated persons in the United States will be blocked and transactions by Americans involving these persons are generally prohibited. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-06 05:03:03|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Head Michael Beary chaired Monday the first tripartite meeting of 2018 with senior officials from the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) at the UN headquarters at Ras Al Naqoura. "Discussions centered on the liaison and coordination arrangements provided by UNIFIL to ensure that there is no misunderstanding or miscalculation along the Blue Line in order to ensure a continued climate of calm and stability," the UNIFIL said in a statement. There has been great attention on this tripartite meeting due to engineering works south of the Blue Line previously announced by the Israeli side. "The UNIFIL's position on the construction works proposed by the IDF is that any activity close to the Blue Line should be predictable, with sufficient prior notification to allow for coordination by the parties, so as to avoid misunderstandings and prevent incidents," the statement added. "UNIFIL stands ready 24/7 for any follow-up meetings," Beary told both parties, while encouraging them to "examine the benefits that can be achieved by reaching agreement through close coordination," the statement said. Both sides also confirmed their commitment to further use UNIFIL's tripartite and liaison mechanisms to address any issues that could provide potential for tensions and to minimize the scope for any possible misunderstandings. They also reaffirmed their support in the implementation of UNIFIL's mandate under UN Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) and the operational paragraphs of Security Council resolution 2373 (2017). Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-06 05:03:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ANKARA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Dutch government has officially withdrawn the Netherlands' ambassador from Turkey, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday after the two sides failed on normalization talks. Turkey asked the Dutch authorities "to take a step in order to compensate for their attitude" against a Turkish minister, a Turkish diplomat told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Turkey and Netherlands were recently in talks for normalization of relations which were strained last year after the Dutch authorities expelled Turkish Family and Social Affairs Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya. Ankara was asking the Dutch government to issue an apology for Minister Kaya, but the Netherlands did not agree on that, according to the diplomat. "Recent talks offered Turkey and the Netherlands an opportunity to come closer to each other, but we have not been able to agree on the way normalization should take place," said Dutch Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra. "Therefore the Dutch government has decided to officially withdraw its ambassador to Ankara, who has not had access to Turkey since March 2017. As long as the Netherlands has no ambassador to Turkey, it will also not issue permission for a new Turkish ambassador to take up duties in the Netherlands," added the Dutch ministry. This message has just been conveyed to the Turkish charge d'affaires in The Hague. It has brought a pause in the talks with Turkey, according to the Dutch ministry. The Dutch ambassador in Ankara has not had access to Turkey since March 2017 when diplomatic tension between the two countries rose. In reciprocity, Turkish ambassador to the Netherlands is absent since early 2017. The tension accelerated ahead of the April 16 referendum in Turkey last year on constitutional amendments to expand the Turkish president's power, when Turkish ministers were barred from holding rallies in the Dutch city of Rotterdam. Dutch authorities canceled the flight permit of a plane carrying Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on March 11 and declared the Turkish ministers would not be welcomed for their referendum campaign. The Dutch government also expelled Minister Kaya from Rotterdam after blocking her from addressing the Turkish community in front of the Turkish consulate there ahead of the referendum. Kaya was escorted by the Dutch police to Germany after a police intervention against Turkish expats gathered in front of the Turkish consulate building in Rotterdam. Kaya said she suffered "harsh and rude treatment" by the Dutch police. "I went there to meet our electorate. I went to meet them at our consulate which is part of our homeland, and we do not need to get permission for that," she told reporters on March 12 after her plane landed in Turkey. The Dutch banning to Turkish ministers came just days before a Dutch election in which far-right candidate Geert Wilders was poised to increase his share of the vote after having campaigned on an anti-immigrant platform that has attacked Turkish expats. Turkey demanded that Minister Kaya should see an apology from the Netherlands because she was mistreated despite having diplomatic immunity as a minister. However, Dutch government argues that their action is not violation of diplomatic conventions, questioning the applicability of the diplomatic immunity for Kaya. TALLINN, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Estonia welcomes the Belt and Road Initiative which has been fruitful for this Baltic country, an investment adviser with the Estonian Investment Agency said on Monday. "We already get more attention from China ... because this Initiative has been very fruitful for us," Kaspar Kork told Xinhua on the sidelines of the "Estonia Business Forum Celebrating Chinese New Year in Tallinn". "We really welcome this Initiative. We really like it, because China is a big country. There is a lot to learn, and cooperation with this country, I think, is important," he said. The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa based on ancient land and maritime trade routes. "Estonia also sees cooperation between Asian countries and European countries is very important. So, all that kind of seminars and delegation events is very important for us to show Estonian companies and also learn more about Chinese companies," Kork said. Tallinn Deputy Mayor Aivar Riisalu, who delivered a speech at the Business Forum, told Xinhua that economic ties between Estonia and China is very important, because Estonia needs strong and big partners and the new market for Estonians is China. Both Riisalu said Tallinn, as the capital of Estonia and the country's economic engine, welcomes foreign investors and international companies, while Estonia serves as an excellent gateway for China to enter the larger market of the European Union. Mait Palts, Director General of the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, "Sectors related to smart technologies, energy efficiency, new materials or telecommunication could be the areas where the potential for stronger relations is clearly the highest." Wu Yan, Economic and Commercial Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Estonia, highlighted the potential of China-Estonia cooperation over technology innovations including digital cooperation and e-commerce under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and the "16+1" cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-06 05:13:09|Editor: Lifang Video Player Close Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni (R) greets visiting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Rome, Italy, on Feb. 5, 2018. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan paid a 24-hour visit to the capital city and Vatican City on Monday, with a major focus on Turkey's accession to the European Union (EU) and the status of Jerusalem. (Xinhua/Alberto Lingria) by Alessandra Cardone ROME, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan paid a 24-hour visit to the capital city and Vatican City on Monday, with a major focus on Turkey's accession to the European Union (EU) and the status of Jerusalem. The visit took place under tight security, with a 3,500-strong police force deployed across Rome, and all demonstrations banned within a "green zone" set by the interior ministry around the city center. Erdogan discussed bilateral ties and the issue of the EU membership with Italy's President Sergio Mattarella and Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano. The meeting was "respectful and frank", yet both sides restated their "long-standing positions" -- in Italy's case, in line with that of the EU -- Ansa news agency reported, citing sources from the presidential staff. The Turkish leader then had talks with Italy's Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni at the government palace. No press conference with Italian media was held after the two official meetings. In the morning, Erdogan had paid a historic visit to the Vatican -- the first by a Turkish president in 59 years -- and met with Pope Francis. The two leaders had "cordial discussions" on the situation in Turkey, the condition of the Catholic community there, and Turkey's efforts in receiving and hosting refugees, according to a Vatican statement. They also addressed "the situation in the Middle East, with particular reference to the status of Jerusalem." In an interview with La Stampa daily ahead of his visit, Erdogan said he felt committed to "protecting the status quo" of Jerusalem, after the unilateral decision of U.S. President Donald Trump to recognize it as Israel's capital and promised to relocate the U.S. embassy there from its current location in Tel Aviv. The Pope had expressed the same concerns over Trump's statement in December. Protests were banned within the maximum-security restricted area, but not in the rest of Rome, and an authorized demonstration took place at Castel Sant'Angelo near the Vatican in the morning. It drew some 150 demonstrators, including members of the Italian network of solidarity with Kurdistan, leftist activists, and representatives from Italy's journalist union FNSI. Protesters criticized Erdogan for the ongoing anti-Kurdish military campaign in Syria's northern Afrin enclave, and for the arrest of dozens of journalists in Turkey in recent years. Scuffles with police broke out when some demonstrators tried to break through the barriers and reach St. Peter's Square. At least one protester was reportedly injured, and two people were detained. The visit was criticized by some political forces as well. The leader of right-wing, anti-immigrant Northern League, Matteo Salvini, said on Twitter it was "a shame" for the Italian government to receive the president of a "bloody regime". Far-right Brothers of Italy party also protested, expressing on Twitter their stand against "Turkey in Europe". Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-06 05:18:12|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ANKARA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Ankara will hold talks with Amsterdam if it takes concrete steps towards normalization of ties, Turkey's Foreign Ministry said late Monday. "If the Netherlands shows willingness towards taking concrete steps for normalization, Turkey is ready to discuss the relations between the two countries," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a written statement. Earlier on Monday, the Dutch government announced to officially withdrew its ambassador to Turkey after the two countries failed on normalization talks recently. Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesman Bekir Bozdag confirmed on Monday that diplomatic relations of the two countries remain at charge d' affaires level. Ties between the Netherlands and Turkey deteriorated last year after Dutch authorities had banned a Turkish minister from attending a rally ahead of a referendum which granted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's power. Dutch ambassador in Ankara has not had access to Turkey since March 2017 when diplomatic tension between the two countries rose. In reciprocity, Turkish ambassador to The Hague is absent since early 2017. TRIPOLI, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Libyan authorities, in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), on Monday deported 72 illegal Cameroonian immigrants to their country voluntarily. According to a statement issued by the Libyan Ministry of Interior's Anti-Illegal Immigration Department, the deported immigrants include women and children who were housed in a reception center in the capital Tripoli. The immigrants were deported through Tripoli's M'etiga international airport to Cameroon, with coordination and supervision of the IOM, the statement added. Libya is a major departure point for illegal immigrants, mostly Africans, hoping to cross the Mediterranean towards European shores, due to the insecurity and chaos in the country that followed the fall of former Gaddafi's regime in 2011. Migrant shelters in Libya are crowded with thousands of migrants who have been rescued or arrested by the Libyan security services. The IOM offers them the opportunity to return home through the voluntary return program. The voluntary return program, implemented by the organization in Libya since 2006, arranges the return of illegal migrants stranded in Libya to their countries of origins. The organization deported 20,000 illegal migrants from Libya to their countries of origin in 2017. BUJUMBURA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza on Monday called for more cohesion amongst Burundians to boost their well-being at the celebrations of the 27th anniversary of adoption of the Unity Charter. Nkurunziza made the call in Gitega Town, Gitega Province, central Burundi. The celebrations started with the laying of flowers on the unity memorial erected in the town. They were also marked by cultural dances with the accompaniment of traditional songs and beaten drums. Burundian citizens adopted the Unity Charter with 89 percent in a referendum on Feb. 5, 1991, when the three ethnic groups -- Hutu, Tutsi and Twa -- accepted to live in harmony. Despite the adoption of the unity charter, one of the biggest crises broke out in 1993 with the assassination of the first democratically elected Hutu President Melchior Ndadaye, which sparked deadly violence between Hutu and Tutsi groups and a massive forced exile. "Unity is a permanent shield to protect Burundi. We should all meditate and leave this place after understanding that unity is a shield against discrimination," said Nkurunziza when addressing a crowd of people in central Burundi. "Love, solidarity development, joy and peace are gains from unity," said Nkurunziza. He advised citizens to teach unity to their children. According to him, the Burundian government has set up institutions whose main goal is to consolidate unity, including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the National Commission on Lands and other Belongings, the National Council for National Unity and Reconciliation, the Ombudsman's institution and so on. A file photo taken on November 13, 2008 shows then Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili addressing journalists after a bilateral meeting with his French counterpart at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (AFP PHOTO) KIEV, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said on Monday that a Ukrainian court has rejected his political asylum request in a ruling which would pave the way for his extradition from Ukraine. "As a result, I am losing a residence status in Ukraine," Saakashvili, now a leader of the Ukrainian political party, wrote on Facebook, calling the court's decision politically-motivated. Earlier on the day, Kiev Administrative Court of Appeals said in a statement it has confirmed the decision of a lower court to reject a political asylum application from Saakashvili. Saakashvili's lawyer Ruslan Chornolutsky told local reporters that he would challenge the ruling in the Ukrainian court and the European legal institutions. Saakashvili, 50, served two terms as Georgia's president from 2004 to 2013. He acquired Ukrainian citizenship in May 2015 and was appointed governor of Odessa region. Last year, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko revoked Saakashvili's citizenship, following allegations that he had submitted false information while applying for his Ukrainian passport. Following the decision, Saakashvili has applied for political asylum in Ukraine, but the State Migration Service and later the Kiev District Administrative Court have rejected the request. On Sept. 5, 2017, the Georgian Chief Prosecutor's Office asked Kiev to take measures for Saakashvili's extradition. Last month, the Tbilisi city court found Saakashvili guilty of abusing power in 2009 during his second term as the president of Georgia and sentenced him in absentia to three years in prison. A mother watches over her wounded child at a field hospital on the outskirt of the town of Qaim after escaping the town as Iraqi forces and Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation units) advance towards the Syrian border, in a bid to oust the remnant pockets of Islamic State group jihadists on Nov. 1, 2017. (Xinhua/AFP) UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Monday that violence has had a devastating toll on children, who were being killed in ongoing conflicts or suicide attacks, or freezing to death as they fled active warzones. Describing January as "a dark month" in crisis-torn Middle East and North Africa, Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF director for the region said that "it is simply unacceptable that children continue being killed and injured every single day." In the month of January alone, escalating violence in Iraq, Libya, the Palestine, Syria and Yemen has claimed the lives of at least 83 children. "These children have paid the highest price for wars that they have absolutely no responsibility for. Their lives have been cut short, their families forever broken in grief," he added. Cappelaere said that as the Syrian conflict enters its eighth year, intensifying fighting has reportedly killed 59 children in the past four weeks. Moreover, across Yemen the UN has verified the killing of 16 children in attacks and continues to receive daily reports of more killed and injured children amidst escalating fighting. Additionally, a suicide attack took the lives of three children in Libya's Benghazi while three others died playing near unexploded ordnance, a fourth child remains in critical condition after the blast. Turning to the old city of Mosul in Iraq, a child was killed in a booby-trapped house, and in Palestine, a boy was shot dead in a village near Ramallah. Furthermore, 16 refugees, including four children, froze to death in a harsh winter storm in Lebanon, fleeing the war in Syria, where many more children were hospitalized with frost bite. "We collectively continue failing to stop the war on children," Cappelaere noted. He added that that "not hundreds, not thousands but millions more children in the Middle East and North Africa region have their childhoods stolen, maimed for life, traumatized, arrested and detained, exploited, prevented from going to school and from getting the most essential health services; denied even the basic right to play." Cappelaere maintained that "we have no justification, no reason to accept this as a new normal." "Children may have been silenced. But their voices will continue to be heard. Their message is our message: The protection of children is paramount under all circumstances, in line with the law of war," he argued. "Breaching that law is a most heinous crime and jeopardizes the future, and not just for children," concluded the UNICEF regional director. Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-06 06:08:27|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday congratulated the United States and Russia on successfully reducing their strategic nuclear forces to the level required by the new START treaty. "The secretary-general stresses that at a time when global anxieties about nuclear weapons are higher than at any time since the Cold War, efforts in nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control are more vital than ever," said Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric. "These endeavors can play significant roles in building trust and confidence, and preventing, mitigating and resolving conflicts." The UN chief called on the United States and Russia to engage in the necessary dialogue that will lead to further arsenal reductions and to continue to display "the historic leadership across the multilateral disarmament agenda that has proven so valuable to our collective security," said Dujarric in a statement. New START, officially called Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, reduces deployed nuclear weapons to 700 delivery vehicles and 1,550 warheads. The treaty, signed in April 2010 in Prague, the Czech Republic, entered into force in February 2011. It is expected to last at least until 2021. WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday attacked Britain's National Health Service (NHS) in a tweet, triggering a new round of twitter disputes with Washington's Transatlantic ally. In an early Monday tweet, Trump commented on the protests over health care funding in Britain over the weekend in a bid to attack Democrats for "pushing for Universal HealthCare." "The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working," said Trump. Responding to Trump's accusation, British Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said in a tweet that he may disagree with opinions of Saturday's marchers, "but not ONE of them wants to live in a system where 28m people have no cover," referring to the U.S. situation. Later in the day, British Prime Minister Theresa May backed her health secretary. May's spokesperson, when asked by reporters if May backed Hunt's specific tweet, said that "Jeremy Hunt is the health secretary and of course he speaks for the government on these matters." "The prime minister is proud of having an NHS which is free at the point of delivery," the spokesperson was quoted as saying by British media. It is not the first time that Trump's tweets generated anger in Britain. In late November 2017, Trump sparked global controversy after re-posting what critics say are anti-Muslim social media posts from a Britain-based far right group that allegedly depict violence carried out by Muslims. The authenticity of the videos in the posts has not been verified. Trump's tweets sparked a row between the White House and May, who said Trump was "wrong" to re-tweet material from a group she described as spreading "hateful narratives." Trump has also been involved in disputes with London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who has been outspoken in his position to Trump being afforded a state visit. Recently Trump canceled a planned lower-key visit to Britain to open the new U.S. embassy in London. White House is reportedly planning another working visit later this year. BUCHAREST, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Romania will finish the necessary investments to export natural gas to Hungary by 2020, according to an agreement signed on Monday by the foreign ministers of the two countries. Great quantities of natural gas extracted from the Black Sea will be delivered to Hungary, starting with 2020, announced visiting Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. The Hungarian companies have already ordered the entire capacity of 4.4 billion cubic meters per year of the supply pipeline connecting Romania to Hungary, Szijjarto said. It is noticeable that there is no mention of the agreement in the communique of the Romanian Foreign Ministry concerning the meeting of the two foreign ministers, except that the two officials highlighted the importance of diversifying routes and sources of supply in order to ensure energy security at regional and European level. As a result, the Romanian official Agerpres news agency had to quote the Hungarian MTI news agency for this coverage. "This is the first opportunity Hungary has had in the last decades in buying larger quantities of natural gas from a source other than Russia," Szijjarto said, adding that this cooperation agreement represents a historic progress for ensuring Hungary's energy security. Gas pipe Arad-Szeged came into operation for years on the southwestern border of Romania with Hungary, but only small amounts of natural gas were exported to Hungary through the pipeline. More investments are required in order to reach the designed maximum transmission capacity, an annual amount of 4.4 billion cubic meters of gas. Romania has the third largest natural gas reserves within the European Union and new reserves are still being discovered. With domestic gas production within the EU declining, the country could play an important role in the regional market. ALGIERS, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Algeria will go "at its own pace" in its process of joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) that began in the 1980s, Trade Minister Mohamed Benmeradi said Monday. "The application for membership has been filed for more than two decades and Algeria is still an applicant, but we will go at our own pace," said the minister. Benmeradi said WTO members all want to benefit from Algeria's bilateral agreement with the European Union (EU), which provides trade preferences in return for EU's support in Algier's WTO accession. "This hardly helps Algeria," Benmeradi said, adding that Algeria is willing to join the organization, but it is not in hurry for that. "We will not pay for what we cannot afford for the membership," he said. Noting the contradictions between the theoretical policy of the WTO and the real practices of its members, the minister observes that the United States, Russia and other WTO member states are implementing measures to protect their benefits. Algeria has conducted 12 rounds of multilateral negotiations that have processed over 1,900 issues related to the national economic system. The country also held more than 120 bilateral meetings with 20 countries, culminating in the conclusion of six bilateral agreements with Cuba, Brazil, Uruguay, Switzerland, Venezuela and Argentina. Algeria has been engaged in seeking access to the WTO since June 1987, but negotiations officially started in 1996. STOCKHOLM, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's cancer researcher Zhu Chen won The Sjoberg Prize 2018, together with French researchers Anne Dejean and Hugues de The, for the unique treatment that cures a once fatal cancer, announced the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on Monday night. According to a statement from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the prize was awarded to them "for the clarification of molecular mechanisms and the development of a revolutionary treatment for acute promyelocytic leukaemia". This year's Sjoberg Laureates have developed a new and targeted treatment for a specific form of blood cancer called acute promyelocytic leukaemia. It was once one of the deadliest forms of cancer, but it is now possible to cure nine out of ten patients who receive the new treatment, the release reads. The treatment is unique because it is the first standard treatment for acute leukaemia that does not include chemotherapy. Instead, a combination treatment is used, which consists of a form of vitamin A, "all-trans retinoic acid", also called ATRA, along with arsenic trioxide. The idea of using arsenic comes from traditional medicine, but this method has been scientifically tested and proven in this form. The Laureates have made this revolutionary development possible by methodically mapping the molecular mechanisms responsible for the disease. By identifying a specific genetic mutation and aiding the destruction of a faulty protein in specific cells, it was possible to stop the process that resulted in death for three out of four patients. This treatment means the cancer cells disappear because they lose the ability to renew themselves. These discoveries have been made in stages since the 1980s, and the treatment's effects have been confirmed in numerous scientific studies. In many countries, this treatment combination is now the first choice of treatment for acute promyelocytic leukaemia. The three Laureates remain very active in the field of cancer research. Anne Dejean now primarily dedicates her research to continuing her studies of liver cancer, and to investigating the significance of protein modification in how cancer develops. Hugues de The is interested in the potential for producing treatment methods for cancer that combine stimulating the cancer cells' maturation and blocking their ability to renew themselves, while Zhu Chen is investigating genetic and molecular changes in other forms of leukaemia. Zhu Chen was quoted by the release as saying that he was honored to share the prize, "which recognizes important contributions to cancer research", with Dr. de The and Dr. Dejean. "This prize means not only the glory, but even more importantly a responsibility, a responsibility for me, my team and our collaborators to continue efforts in the understanding of disease mechanisms of other types of haematological malignancies and to develop innovative, effective therapeutic strategies against those diseases through collaboration with other partners," Chen added. Zhu Chen, born in 1953 in China, is now Professor at prestigious Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Anne Dejean, born in 1957 in France, is Professor at Institut Pasteur, France. Hugues de The, born in 1959 in France, is Professor at College de France, France. The prize is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and is funded by the Sjoberg Foundation. The foundation, with a donation of two billion Swedish krona (about 2.5 billion U.S. dollars), was founded in 2016, and serves to promote scientific research that focuses on cancer, health and the environment. The Prize is an annual international prize in cancer research awarded to individual researchers or research groups. The prize amounts to one million U.S. dollars, of which 100,000 U.S. dollars is the prize sum and 900,000 U.S. dollars is funding for future research. Laureates are expected to conduct the official Sjoberg Prize Lecture at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm on April 12. TIRANA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Albanian government signed Monday an agreement with a local company to build Arber Road, a highway which will link Albanian capital Tirana to the northeastern region of Dibra (northeast of Albania) and Macedonia. This is a 298-million-U.S.-dollar project and it is seen as a major public works infrastructure project. Speaking to reporters following the signing ceremony, Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Damian Gjiknuri said the contract was concluded after a long competition and intensive negotiating procedure. "It is a major public infrastructure project and good news for Albanian citizens and Dibra inhabitants in particular who have long waited for construction of this road," minister Gjiknuri said. The works on this road are slated to begin this year while it is expected to be ready in 46 months. This is a 13-year concession contract on improvement, construction, operation and maintenance of the two-lane highway, Arber Road. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Some 12 million years ago, land near the Idaho border cracked open and out poured the last in a series of colossal eruptions that sent layers of lava rolling across Central Washington. Today, the remnants of that last eruption are again on the move. In the millions of years since that time, ridges have risen across Central Washington, and that long-ago hardened lava now sits atop Rattlesnake Ridge, where it is slowly sliding toward the Valley floor. Among those who took an early interest in the Rattlesnake Ridge slide is Stephen Reidel, an adjunct geology professor at Washington State Universitys Tri-Cities campus. Reidel grew up in Ohio, but after college moved west, where hes been studying the areas geology for more than 30 years. I got out west as quickly as possible, he said. Most of the people from the universities out here came from back east to get out and see some real geology. Theres such a great variety of different types of geology, you really cant beat it, he said. Theres nothing else like it; just a lot of spectacular geology. How spectacular? Consider this: The lava that came pouring out starting some 17 million years ago is 2 miles thick in places. The eruptions took place over a roughly 5 million-year period. Thousands and thousands of years passed between eruptions. The layers would cool. Life would resume. Plants and animals would thrive. Then another layer of lava would come rolling across the landscape. Trapped between lava flows would be interbeds of soil, rocks and occasionally an animal unlucky enough to have been overtaken by an eruption of lava the mold of a rhinoceros can be found in the basalt near Lower Grand Coulee. Rattlesnake Ridge is composed of roughly five layers of solidified lava known as basalt. The formations, from top to bottom, are Pomona, Umatilla, Priest Rapids, Rosa and Frenchman Springs. The Pomona the formation thats sliding is about 150 feet thick. Below it is an earlier lava flow known as the Umatilla formation. Between the two is an interbed thats allowing the Pomona to slide. Imagine you take those two layers (of lava) and spray some Crisco between them and rub them together, Reidel said. Thats whats happening here. Understanding Central Washingtons geology is key to knowing how the deadly 2014 Oso slide northwest of Everett was a very different situation, said Dave Norman, a geologist with the state Department of Natural Resources. That 15 million-cubic-yard slide, considered the deadliest in state history, killed 43 people and destroyed 36 homes. Rattlesnake Ridges basalt is dark, fine-grained and incredibly dense. Sedimentary rocks which formed the majority of the Oso slide are created when sand, mud and pebbles cement together in water. They are soft and comparatively brittle, which meant when the Oso slide began, the land broke apart more easily and moved far faster than a basalt slide would. The slide that most closely resembles the Rattlesnake Ridge slide is the Toppenish Ridge landslide, according to Charlie Hammond, a geologist with Cornforth Consultants, a Portland-based geotechnical firm hired to monitor the Rattlesnake Ridge slide by the operators of a quarry at the base of the slide. Visible along the north face of Toppenish Ridge, southeast of Toppenish, the slide sent debris more than a quarter-mile across the Valley floor thousands of years ago. Hammond said that slide also appears to have been a basalt flow resting atop an interbed. But what made that slide bigger and move father, he said, was the ridges steepness. The Rattlesnake Ridge slide is on a roughly 15-degree angle, while the Toppenish Ridge slide fell at as much as a 25-degree angle, Hammond said. Most geologists now believe the Rattlesnake Ridge slide will creep downhill for years, if not decades, and wont be devastatingly large and fast. Another area landslide many compare the Rattlesnake slide to is the one Yakima County saw in 2009, where an estimated 10 million cubic yards of rocks and dirt fell off a hillside north of Nile on State Route 410. That slide buried nearly a half-mile of highway and pushed the Naches River out of its banks. No injuries were reported, but several homes were destroyed or damaged beyond repair. But Norman and Hammond cautioned against drawing parallels between the two, saying there are more dissimilarities than similarities. Groundwater pressure may have been a factor, and that slide, too, fell at a much steeper angle, they said. IRONWOOD, Mich. - ENC William B. Sikonia, USN, Retired, 88, a long-time resident of Erwin Township, passed away Friday morning, Feb. 2, 2018. Bill was born on Aug. 5, 1929, at Grand View Hospital in Bessemer Township, a son of Karl and Mary (Kozens) Sikonia. He attended Norrie School from kindergarten through the third grade. In 1937, his family bought a forty-acre dairy farm and moved to Erwin Township. Bill then attended Erwin Central School and graduated from Luther L. Wright High School in 1947. In January 1948, Bill entered boot camp at Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill. After completing basic training, he moved to Norfolk Va., for nine years, instructor duty at Millington Tenn., for two years, followed by a tour in Guantanamo Bay Cuba for more than four years. Bill was active duty from 1948 to 1968 during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. For 13 years, he was on sea duty that included tours on four different ships and even some submarine duty. During his last sea duty tour in 1964, Bill participated in Operation Sea Orbit, an around-the-world cruise of the United States Navy's Task Force One, consisting of USS Enterprise (CVAN-65), USS Long Beach (CGN-9) and USS Bainbridge (DLGN-25). This all-nuclear-powered unit steamed 30,565 miles unrefueled around the world for sixty-five days. He then transferred to Fleet Reserve from 1968 to 1978. Bill retired from the U.S. Navy attaining the rank of Chief Petty Officer and returned home to Ironwood to his family. During his Naval service, he received five Good Conduct Awards and several campaign medals including the Navy Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and Vietnam Service Medal. In a previous marriage Bill had three sons; William, Carl and Steven. On March 14, 1974, Bill was united in marriage to the love of his life, Susanne Marie Sederholm, in Las Vegas, Nev. They shared more than 43 wonderful years together and were blessed with two sons, Robert and Gregory. Always aspiring to learn more, he enrolled at Gogebic Community College and received an automotive mechanic certificate. He worked at Lahti Chevrolet Cadillac Inc. for two years and then at Gotta Motors Inc. for an additional 13 years, both in Ironwood. For the next nine years, he owned and operated his own business, Bill's Pioneer Road Automotive, as a master mechanic before retiring ... but not from tinkering with classic cars. Bill was a devout Catholic. He was baptized at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Ironwood and was a faithful member of Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Ironwood. Bill was a supporting member of the Fleet Reserves Association, U.S. Navy Memorial, National Rifle Association, Gogebic County Veterans Council, Heritage Foundation and Hillsdale College. He was an honorary lifetime member of the Klassic Kruisers Car Club. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandpa, great-grandpa and friend and will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Bill is survived by his beloved wife, Susanne; four sons, William J., Weston, Wis., Steven E. (Sharon), Oxnard, Calif., Robert J. (Dawn), Ironwood, and Gregory P., Chanhassen, Minn .; daughter-in-law, Valerie Sikonia, Chesapeake, Va .; seven grandchildren, Theresea (Isais) Cruz, Elizabeth, Kristen, Scott, Steven Michael, Connor and Evan; numerous great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Marilyn Sikonia, St. Paul, Minn .; and several dear cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Carl L. (Feb. 2, 2010); grandson, Kevin P. (April 21, 2011); brother, Charles D. (Aug. 23, 2016); and his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Lester and Amelia Sederholm. The family is honoring Bill's life in a private Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Ironwood, with the Rev. Robb Jurkovich, celebrant. Pallbearers will be from Bill's family and friends. Military rites will be accorded at the church under the auspices of the Bessemer Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3673 and Bessemer American Legion Post 27 Honor Guard, assisted by the U.S. Navy Honors Team. Rite of Committal and interment will take place at Riverside Cemetery, Ironwood, in the spring. Expressions of affection in a charitable contribution in Bill's memory are suggested in lieu of flowers to Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church, 108 S. Marquette St., Ironwood, MI 49938. The family wishes to thank Aspirus Ironwood Hospital and Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth, Minn., for their excellent and compassionate care given to Bill. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Jerald Rocco, owner and manager of Lakeside Memorial Chapel Inc., in Wakefield. Condolences may be expressed online lakesidememorialchapel.com. This has been a long time in the making, but in our continuing pursuit to bring only the best of firearms, 2nd Amendment and defence related news to our readers, we are very excited to announce the next step in our evolution as a company. As of 2020, Minuteman Review is now the proud owner and operator of Your Defence News, a website with a long history of breaking huge news stories and investigative journalism. We hope you are equally as excited as us. This means that now the teams of Minuteman can combine with the firepower of Your Defence News to stay at the absolute forefront for our readers. Keep an eye. Big things are coming soon. We couldn't be more excited. In the meanwhile, here are some of our most popular posts and categories to keep you busy. Happy shootin' my friends! Buying Guides: Firearms Firearm Accessories Ammunition Gun Safes Scopes & Optics Hunting Air Rifles Best AR-15 Best AR 15 Scope Best Hunting Rifle Best Gun Safe Best AK 47 Best AR 10 Best Glock Triggers Best Glock Best Home Defense Shotgun Coun Perez reiterates warning to barangay leaders involved in drugs 07 Aug 2017 Hits:37 Comments(0) Liga ng mga Barangay President, Councilor Jerry Perez yesterday reiterated his warning to all barangay officials from using or selling drugs. Perez said he is closely monitoring the activities of all the barangay officials and vowed sanctions against erring leaders. Aqui gane na mio barangay ya quita ya iyo na puesto cunel dos barangay leaders quien mas temprano ya sale positivo na... Parents need time with their new babies, and we can make that possible for every mom and dad in the country with this no-cost social security proposal, said Breen. SPRINGFIELD - State Representative Peter Breen (R-Lombard) is urging Congress to take swift action to establish a no-cost federal paid parental leave benefit, to ensure new moms and dads the opportunity to bond with their new babies for the first few months after birth. Breens HR 798 would adopt a model recently proposed by the Independent Womens Forum to provide for parental leave at no cost to employers or to the federal government. The proposal would allow new parents a completely voluntary option to collect Social Security benefits early, for twelve weeks, in exchange for delaying the collection of those Social Security benefits by a much smaller period, approximately six weeks, at retirement age. It is envisioned that the new benefits would be offered in addition to any existing employer-paid parental leave policies. Today, approximately 60% of new parents in the United Sates lack access to paid parental leave. The main impediment to the implementation of a federal paid parental leave policy has been cost, and this proposal would have a zero net cost associated with it," Breen said. "The length of the deferment of Social Security benefits would be calculated to offset the cost of providing the parental benefit. Preliminary estimates suggest that in order to provide 12 weeks of paid parental leave, new parents would only need to defer their benefits upon retirement by six weeks. When asked if his proposal could be seen to be the first step towards government mandated paid family leave and whether the proposal would cost businesses that would be forced to hire and train temporaries to fill in those taking parental leave for an extended length of time, Breen said since parents will be using their own Social Security benefits, there would be no tax increase. "This proposal is a truly conservative approach to parental leave, allowing parents the ability to use their own Social Security benefits as they see fit, without increasing taxes and without putting any new mandates on employers," Breen said. "This proposal is entirely pro-business, because it shows, yet again, that we don't need more government mandates on job-creators to provide benefits to working people. Because this program is an entirely optional benefit for an employee, fully funded through our existing Social Security program, there are no additional costs--not one penny--on our small businesses. "If anything," Breen said, "the positive economic, social, and health effects of increased parental involvement in children's lives will improve every aspect of our society, including our business and jobs climate. In his statement, he did not address the costs of businesses filling vacancies while staff takes time off. According to Breen, the United States is the only industrialized nation in the world that does not mandate or subsidize some form of paid parental leave. Studies from McGill University and the University of California in Los Angeles show that paid parental leave is associated with lower infant mortality rates, increased childhood vaccination rates, high school graduation rates, and higher average lifetime earnings for the child, Breen added. The Social Security Administration already administers programs under which workers may choose to defer their benefits, so this program could be readily administrated by existing infrastructure. This is a no-cost solution that would provide priceless time between baby and parents during those important first months after birth. Ce este branza tofu. Retete delicioase si simple cu tofu Cu siguranta ai auzit despre branza tofu. In timp ce acest aliment este consumat aproape zilnic de catre unii oameni, exista si altii care spun ca tofu este un aliment de evitat. Cuprins: Ce este branza tofu? Contine multi nutrienti Beneficiile tofu Poate reduce riscul bolilor cardiace [citeste mai departe] Raipur: The story of CRPF jawan Bhogade Ramdas Bhau, is of courage and determination. A CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) commando, he was injured in an IED blast triggered by Naxals in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh in November 2017. The incident took place when a joint team of the 208 battalion CoBRA, an elite unit of the CRPF, and the district police force was out on an operation under the command of assistant commandant Ambuj Kumar Srivastava in Kistaram district. While the team was cordoning off a forested patch near Kasaram village, around two km away from the police station, Ramdas stepped on a pressure-operated improvised explosive device (IED), triggering the blast and getting injured. Ramdas was given first-aid on the spot and was evacuated to the Kistaram camp in a tractor by 1:40 pm on November 29, 2017. He was provided initial treatment by Dr Anil, who was present at Kistaram camp with his team. Given the seriousness of injury in both his legs, the jawan was evacuated to Raipur by helicopter for better treatment at about 2:45 pm. Ramdas was admitted to Shree Narayana Hospital, Raipur and his surgery was over by around 9:15 pm on the same day. His lower limbs were amputated above the knee and his left hand was debrided. However, not the one to be demoralised and accept defeat, after recovering Ramdas is now back to 208 CoBRA. NEW DELHI : The Supreme Court on Monday cracked a whip against Khap Panchayats in connection with cases pertaining to so called honour killing. The apex court told the Khap Panchayat to "not become conscience keepers" as the "law will take its own course".Meanwhile, the top court asked the Centre and petitioners to come up with effective suggestions for the protection of couples from Khap Panchayats. While hearing the matter, the apex court told the advocate representing Khap Panchayats that "it is the courts to decide, if marriages are legally valid or not. "It also pulled up the Khap Panchayats for taking the law into their own hands in the name of so called honour killing.Earlier on January 16, the apex court rapped the Centre for failing to prevent attacks on couples, who did inter-caste marriages. The three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra, said, "If the Centre does not act against Khap Panchayats, then the court will step in. "The apex court also observed that "no Khap Panchayat or society can question" if an adult man and woman opt for an inter-caste marriage. NEW DELHI: New footage has emerged in murder case of Delhi-based photographer Ankit Saxena, alleged to be a case of honour killing. In the footage, Saxena, dressed in a dark jacket and pants, is seeing walking on the pavement while speaking to someone on the cell phone. Three men are seen arriving on a bike and parking their vehicle nearby. #WATCH CCTV footage of Ankit, who was stabbed to death in Delhi's Khyala on February 1; Three accused, including a juvenile, have been sent to judicial custody in connection with the incident pic.twitter.com/9E3IsvzH50 ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 Several passers-by are also seen in the footage. Saxena was stabbed to death allegedly by the family of his Muslim girlfriend on Friday. The police later arrested the woman's mother, father, brother and uncle in connection with the murder. The 23-year-old photographer had been in a relationship with 20-year-old Shehzadi for the last three years. The duo was reportedly planning to marry. "The woman`s family was against their relationship as they belonged to different communities and had told him to end it," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Vijay Kumar According to eyewitnesses, Saxena's throat was slit by the girl's family, who also beat up his mother. "We want justice. Murderers of my son should get death sentence. I am an ordinary man, I have no resources to fight the case. If Delhi government helps us in getting best advocates and making a strong case, I will be thankful," said Ankit Saxena's father on Monday. Communal tensions rose in the area immediately after the incident. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal spoke to the victim's father and assured the family that his government would make all possible efforts to ensure they get justice. AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Gupta also met the family of the victim, a photographer, and said the "Delhi government will extend all help to the family, whether it is medical aid or financial assistance". With agency inputs Mumbai: Actor Kareena Kapoor said she would not want to make any changes to her wardrobe as she considers herself a "hoarder". The actor, who returned to the ramp at the grand finale of the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2018 yesterday, said it would not be possible for her to do away with the hobby of collecting things anytime soon. When asked if she would want to modify her personal collection, Kareena told the reporters, "I don't think I'll change anything in my wardrobe. I (still) hoard my jeans from the time, probably, when I was 20-21. I'm a hoarder. I like to collect things. So getting rid of something... That's not happening any time soon." The actor turned showstopper for Anamika Khanna's "Nudes Reinvented" collection with Lakme Absolute. She added that with changing times actors have started paying more attention to how they dress. "Actors have become fashion conscious. I think it's amazing. Well as long as you're comfortable in what you wear. Once you're comfortable with what you're wearing, I think you're automatically considered stylish and fashionable," she said. Kareena's husband actor Saif Ali Khan had earlier walked the ramp for designer duo Shantanu and Nikhil. The actor said Saif is "jealous" of her as she gets to enjoy the limelight as a regular showstopper. "His only question was 'how come I'm not the brand ambassador of Lakme'. I think he's just jealous," Kareena said. "Next season, we both husband and wife will walk the ramp together at the grand finale," she said. When asked whom she adored as a fashion icon, Kareena said, "I only adore my son. No one else." The LFW ended yesterday. Just months after the tussle with India over Doklam, China is flexing its muscles once again. In a brazen display of its military might, the neighbouring country has stationed its fighter jets and warships near Tibet. The deployment, which is reportedly 20 per cent more than the usual, comes at a time when there the airspace in the area is not supposed to be used. According to reports, China has deployed as many as 51 fighter jets in the region, of which eight are in Lhasa Gonggar area. Apart from this, air missile system along with 22 MI-17 helicopters have also been stationed near Tibet by China. With this move of China, there are surface-to-air missiles currently stationed near India-Tibet border. In Rikaze area, there are 18 aircraft and 11 MI-17 unmanned aerial vehicles. Jets have also been deployed in area close to Sikkim sector. Amid this military movement, China also asked US to get out of the cold-war era mindset, even as it said that its military might should not be ascertained any lesser. The statement by China came after the US said that it will work to increase its nuclear-weapons capability. In a statement released by China Defence Ministry, China asked US to work towards promoting peace and development. As we have just passed the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, reading Richard Pipes short volume Communism is a good pithy primer on what that great experiment wrought for the 20th century broadly (100 million dead) and the very personal damage it rendered to the human soul. Pipes has the ability to distill in a few sentences concepts others might grapple with for hundreds of pages. Of the end of the Cold War he observes the Soviet Union Watched the world overtake it in every field except military expenditures and alcohol consumption. Of the third world he notes Droughts have an uncommon affinity for Communist regimes. He is not merely pithy in his observations though, he brings also great insight. Here he gives us one of the fatal flaws of socialism briefly explained. And inasmuch as property is a legal concept, it also signifies acknowledgment that the state is bound by law. This means that the goal of Communism, the abolition of property, inevitably leads to the abolition of liberty and legality. The nationalization of productive resources, far from liberating men from enslavement by things, as Marx and Engels had envisioned, converts them into slaves of their rulers and, because of endemic shortages, makes them more materialistic than ever. A defense often heard of the early Soviet system is that Lenins true aims were confounded by his deputy Stalin. Then, struck down by a stroke his benign dictatorship was twisted by his successor, who seized power against his wishes. Pipes takes a shovel to this fantasy. An aide, frustrated with the absurdly ironic names of soviet bureaucratic departments called the leader out on it. Why do we bother with a Commissariat of Justice? Lets call it frankly the Commissariat for Social Extermination and be done with it! Lenins face suddenly brightened and he replied, Well put! . . . thats exactly what it should be . . . but we cant say that. Along the same lines, a man very close to both Lenin and Stalin, foreign minister Molotov was once asked (after both of their deaths) which of the two was the more severe he replied without hesitation, Lenin, of course . . . I recall how he scolded Stalin for softness and liberalism. The new order wasnt so bad for everyone however, for the party leaders and officials they inhabited the same life of ease and leisure once enjoyed by the Tsars ministers and in the same proportion (1.5%) to the rest of the population. One member of this circle (called the nomenklatura) detailed this life the nomenklatura is on another planet. Its Mars. Its not simply a matter of good cars or apartments. Its the continuous satisfaction of your own whims, the way an army of boot-lickers allows you to work painlessly for hours. All the little apparatchiks are ready to do everything for you. Your every wish is fulfilled. You can go to the theater on a whim, you can fly to Japan from your hunting lodge. Its a life in which everything flows easily. . . . You are like a king: just point your finger and it is done. Whether among the elect of the nomenklatura or other 98.5% the constant fear which the communist system brought ushered in a yet sadder degradation of human nature which remains in Russia to this day. Lying became a means of survival, and from lying to cheating was but a small step. Social ethics, which make possible a civil society, were shattered, and a regime that wanted everyone to sacrifice his private advantage to the common good ended up with a situation where everyone looked out only for himself because he could count on no one else. In the waning days of the soviet regime it was discussed to begin relaxing some of the controls on free speech. Yuri Andropov as General Secretary spoke in shocking honesty of the problem inherent in that, warning, relaxing controls on speech could bring down the whole regime: Too many groups have suffered under the repression in our country. . . . If we open up all the valves at once, and people start to express their grievances, there will be an avalanche and we will have no means of stopping it. As the walls came crashing down around them some of the leadership began to speak with more honesty about this philosophy of failure which had been foisted on their people for so long, Boris Yeltsin shocked upon seeing the wealth and abundance of an American Supermarket in 1989, exclaimed in horror, What have they done to our poor people!? He described his visit to the United States as an endless row of collapsed stereotypes and cliches. Pipes notes, Communism was ultimately defeated by its inability to refashion human nature. Marx often ridiculed capitalism for its contradictions and its rigidity. Capitalism however has adapted and thrived while communism, the rigid ideology masquerading as a pseudoscience has wound up on the ash heap of history. Hopefully never to return. New Delhi: The number of transgressions by the Chinese Army into the Indian territory rose to 426 in 2017 from the 273 in 2016, the government said on Monday. Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said the transgressions have occurred due to the differing perception of the two counties of the Line of Actual Control. "In the year 2017, the number of transgressions was 426 as against 273 in the year 2016," he said. The minister said the government takes up incidents of transgressions with the Chinese side through an established mechanism. India and China share a nearly 4,000 km-long border. Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day standoff in Doklam since June 16 last year after the Indian side stopped the construction of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam. The face-off had ended on August 28. In December, a Chinese road construction team had come nearly one kilometre into the Indian territory in Upper Siangin, Arunachal Pradesh, but went back after they were told to do so by the Indian security personnel. Army Chief Bipin Rawat had said last month that the time has come for the country to shift focus from the western frontier to the northern one. To a separate question, Bhamre said China's defence budget is larger than the defence budget of India. He said the budgetary allocations for defence depend on the size of the economy. Referring to the situation on the northern border, he said the Indian Army is fully seized of the military needs of the country. "Our defence strategy and doctrines are constantly refined keeping in view the changing security paradigms in our immediate and extended neighbourhood and the world at large," he said. On cyber warfare, he said the Army has evolved a dynamic mechanism for "holistic cyber defence" of its networks. New Delhi: The last rites of Captain Kapil Kundu, who was killed in heavy Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, was performed on Monday in Ransika village in Pataudi in Gurgaon district. Hundreds paid homage to the slain officer. Mortal remains of Captain Kapil Kundu brought to his residence in #Gurugram; locals raised slogans of 'Pakistan murdabad'. Kapil Kundu lost his life in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in BG sector of J&K's Rajouri district yesterday pic.twitter.com/YElGI9CwvQ ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 #Visuals from cremation ground where mortal remains of Captain Kapil Kundu have been brought for last rites #Gurugram pic.twitter.com/2GG76BL32B ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 The mortal remains of the 23-year old officer, who died in the line of duty on Sunday, barely six days before his 23rd birthday, was flown to Delhi in a Dornier aircraft on Monday. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat paid homage to Captain Kundu. Sitharaman laid a wreath on the Tricolour-wrapped coffin, which was kept at the Palam Air Force Base after the aircraft reached around 6:20 pm. She later met the sister and other family members of Kundu, who had arrived in Delhi, to take the body of the officer to his hometown. #CaptainKapilKundu & 3 brave soldiers of the Indian Army were martyred in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Rajouri Sector last night. Smt @nsitharaman along with General Bipin Rawat pays respects by laying a wreath on the mortal remains of #CaptainKapilKundu pic.twitter.com/4iCS1zTAwx Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) February 5, 2018 The family of #CaptainKapilKundu meets Smt @nsitharaman . We honour the sacrifices made by soldiers and their families in keeping our nation secure. Jai Hind. pic.twitter.com/9kUvuh36FH Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) February 5, 2018 Earlier, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre also paid tributes to the soldier of the 15 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI), by laying wreaths. His body was later carried in an ambulance, on way to his Ransika village in Pataudi. Besides Kundu, Havildar Roshan Lal, 42, a resident of Samba district, Jammu and Kashmir, Riflemen Ramavatar, 27, of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, and Subham Singh, 23, of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district were also killed in the shelling. (With PTI inputs) Gurugram: The mother of Captain Kapil Kundu, who was killed in Pakistani shelling in Jammu and Kashmir, said on Monday that if she had another son, she would have asked him to join the Army. Sunita Kundu, 52, said her son always lived for the nation and was very happy after joining the Army. "Kapil always said life should be large and not long. He was my brave son and I am a proud mother whose son has made the supreme sacrifice for our country. If I had one more son, I would send him too for national duty in the Indian Army," the young captain's said. "He was fond of life and full of adventure. He loved nature. He used to write poetry to express his feelings for his country. He always used to say the country is supreme," she added, as per PTI. "We urge the government to conduct more surgical strikes on Pakistan to avenge the deaths of martyrs. Had my son lived for another 15-20 years, he would have done more for his nation," said Sunita. "I had spoken to Kapil (Kundu) around 1 pm on Sunday over the phone. He said that everything was fine and he would be visiting home to give a surprise to our mother on his birthday," said Sonia, the elder sister of the slain officer. His family lives in Ransika village near Pataudi, some 33 km from Gurugram, in Haryana. Kundu joined the Army after making it through the National Defence Academy (NDA). Kundu was six days short of his 23rd birthday on the day he was killed when the Pakistani forces opened unprovoked firing and shelling along the LoC in the Bhimbher Gali sector of Rajouri district on Sunday evening. He would have turned 23 on February 10, 2018. Besides Kundu, Havildar Roshan Lal, 42, a resident of Samba district, Jammu and Kashmir, Riflemen Ramavatar, 27, of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, and Subham Singh, 23, of J&K's Kathua district were also killed in the shelling. General Bipin Rawat #COAS and All Ranks #IndianArmy salute supreme sacrifice of Capt Kapil Kundu,Hav Roshan Lal, Rfn Subham Singh and Rfn RamAvtar and offer condolences to the family members of the Bravehearts. pic.twitter.com/BbrfSxPevV ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) February 5, 2018 Meanwhile, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat on Monday paid homage to Captain Kundu. #CaptainKapilKundu & 3 brave soldiers of the Indian Army were martyred in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Rajouri Sector last night. Smt @nsitharaman along with General Bipin Rawat pays respects by laying a wreath on the mortal remains of #CaptainKapilKundu pic.twitter.com/4iCS1zTAwx Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) February 5, 2018 The family of #CaptainKapilKundu meets Smt @nsitharaman . We honour the sacrifices made by soldiers and their families in keeping our nation secure. Jai Hind. pic.twitter.com/9kUvuh36FH Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) February 5, 2018 The mortal remains of the officer was flown to Delhi in a Dornier aircraft. Sitharaman paid respects by laying a wreath on the Tricolour-wrapped coffin, which was laid at the Palam Air Force Base after the aircraft reached around 6:20 pm on Monday. His body was later carried in an ambulance, on way to his Ransika village. Kundu is survived by his mother and sisters Sonia and Kajal. On the other hand, the Army on Sunday clearly indicated it would take retaliatory action against the killing of four soldiers, saying that its action would speak for itself. Vice chief Lt Gen Sarath Chand said the Army has been responding appropriately to Pakistan shelling, asserting that India will continue to give a "befitting reply" to such acts. "That (retaliation) goes without saying, I think I don't have to say that. (Our) action will speak for itself," he said. (With Agency inputs) NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Monday hit back at former Finance Minister P Chidambaram over his 'pakoda' jibe. In his maiden speech in Rajya Sabha, Shah said that selling pakoda is not shameful, it is better than unemployment. "Some people are saying things about selling pakodas. I also read P Chidambaram`s tweet. Yes, I agree that selling pakodas is better than being unemployed. "Making and selling pakodas is not shameful, but equating it with begging is certainly shameful," Shah said. "Today if a person is earning livelihood by selling pakodas, tomorrow his son would become a big industrialist. A tea vendor`s son can become the Prime Minister of this country," he added. Last week, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram had come down heavily on the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre over its tall claims on job creation and stated that the present dispensation is completely ''clueless'' on the issue. The former finance minister took to Twitter to express his resentment, saying that the nation has seen a three-year spell of "modest, but jobless growth" and that the government is "clueless about how to create jobs". The veteran Congress leader was referring to PM Modi's interview on January 19 where he had said, ''If a person sells 'pakodas' and takes home Rs 200 every evening, is that not employment?" In a firm rebuttal to the PM's contention, Chidambaram tweeted, ''Even selling pakodas is a 'job' said PM. By that logic, even begging is a job. Let's count poor or disabled persons who are forced to beg for a living as 'employed' people." Chidambaram's attack on the Narendra Modi government, however, evoked a sharp response from the ruling BJP, who said that he has once against insulted the poor. In reaction to Chidambaram's comments, BJP had tweeted, ''The Congress has once again insulted every poor person, labourer, farmer, and worker by comparing people who earn an honest living with beggars." Speaking on unemployment during his speech on Motion of Thanks to President's address, Shah also blamed the "55-year-long" Congress rule for the widespread unemployment. "It was Congress government in the country for 55 years. We have been in power for only seven to eight years. This problem (unemployment) would not have become so humungous if effective steps were taken during those 55 years," Shah said. The BJP President said that the Narendra Modi government had inherited a "big crater" and most of the government`s time and resources have gone into "filling that crater" that it inherited. "It is pertinent to recall what were the circumstances in 2013. Even those guarding the borders of this country could not show their valour due to government`s indecisiveness. There was complete policy paralysis," he said. (With agency inputs) The Pakistan establishment is fearing an attack by India on installations of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and is already making security arrangements to avoid any such incident. According to Pakistan-based media agency Dawn, the Pakistan government has written to Gilgil-Baltistan home department in this regard. Dawn quoted an official of the home department as saying that a recent directive by the countrys Interior Ministry warned of a possible attack on the CPEC route. According to the report, the letter sent by Pakistan Interior Ministry says that India has sent a group of 400 Muslim youth to Afghanistan to get training, following which they would be used to attack CPEC installations in Pakistan. The targets of India include bridges at Karakoram Highway, mentions the letter. Following the development, security along the CPEC route has been increased by Pakistan, and the situation is reportedly being monitored by senior officials of the Gilgit-Baltistan administration. The bridges along the route have also been declared sensitive. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has been a bone of contention between China and India since its inception. Changing its stance on the issue, China had a week back said that it was ready to hold talks with India to resolve their differences on the contentious issue. "As to the differences between China and India, China stands ready to communicate and hold talks with India to seek a proper solution so that these differences will not affect our general national interests. This best serves the interests of the two countries," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying had said. The CPEC is a network of infrastructure projects that are currently under construction throughout Pakistan that will connect China's Xinjiang province with Gwadar port in Pakistan's Balochistan province. Meanwhile, in a notable setback to the CPEC project, it is increasingly being questioned by politicians and media in Pakistan. The questions that are being raised against CPEC within Pakistan range from doubts over financial viability, the country's ability to repay the debts, the secrecy surrounding the projects and the apparent use of Chinese workers instead of local labour. The Indian Army has vowed to avenge the killing of four soldiers in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. Army Vice Chief Sarath Chand said on Monday that India will give a befitting reply to Pakistan and its action will speak for itself. That (retaliation) goes without saying. I think I don't have to say that. Action will speak for itself. We will continue with our process of giving a befitting reply, said Chand while speaking to mediapersons. The statement by the Army vice chief comes amid NDA constituent Shiv Sena questioning the governments stand over the issue. Urging the government to take a tough stand, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Monday said that Pakistan had declared a war and should be responded to in a similar manner. This is a direct war, an attack, and should be responded to in a similar manner. And if we dont give a befitting reply, we will be considered impotent by the world, he said. Further pointing that Pakistan has used missiles to attack Indian soldiers, the Shiv Sena leader said, Pakistan has used missiles in attacking our jawans yesterday. Are our missiles just for exhibiting and gathering applaud at the Rajpath? Are they just for showing to the foreign heads on January 26? Meanwhile, the Congress said that war was not an option if issues were to be resolved. Speaking to mediapersons, veteran Congress leader Saifuddin Soz said, I am speaking from experience. India will say we will retaliate, Pakistan will say that we are also a nuclear power. We cannot afford to have a war between the two nations. The only solution is dialogue. The issue of Kashmir should be resolved by talking. On Sunday, four Army personnel, including a Captain, were killed while four persons got injured after Pakistani troops opened "unprovoked and indiscriminate" firing across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Rajouri districts. Those martyred in the firing by the Pakistani troops were Captain Kapil Kundu, rifleman Ramavatar, rifleman Subham Singh and Havildar Roshan Lal. The unprovoked firing from the Pakistani side in J&K's Rajouri evoked a strong response from the security forces. (With agency inputs) NEW DELHI: In his Facebook profile intro, 22-year-old Captain Kapil Kundu wrote: Life should be big instead of being long. Little did he know while writing it, his future will be closely intertwined with those very words. On Sunday, four Indian soldiers, including Captain Kundu, were killed while four other persons were injured after Pakistan fired on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir`s Rajouri and Poonch districts. Young Captain Kundu, who hailed from Harayana's Gurugram, would have celebrated his 23rd birthday on February 10. Other soldiers killed were 27-year-old Riflemen Ramavatar from Baraka village in Madhya Pradesh`s Gwalior, 23-year-old Subham Singh from J&K`s Kathua and 43-year-old Havilder Roshan Lal of J&K`s Samba. "I am really proud that my father sacrificed his life for the nation," Abhinandan, son of Havaldar Roshan Lal. Family mourns the death of Havaldar Roshan Lal, who lost his life in the ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Rajouri District of J&K yesterday. Abhinandan, son of Havaldar Roshan Lal says, "I am really proud that my father sacrificed his life for the nation." pic.twitter.com/ypskdwJGGb ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 Photographs of Captain Kapil Kundu, Rifleman Ramavatar & Havaldar Roshan Lal who lost their lives in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in BG sector of Rajouri district yesterday. #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/dc6FQffk9W ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 Earlier on Sunday, two teenagers and a jawan were injured in the Shahpur sector of Poonch district in the shelling from across the border, a police official said. ''Pakistani forces opened unprovoked and heavy firing and shelling along LoC in Bhimbher Gali sector of Rajouri district this evening,'' a senior army official said. It was the second time in three days that the Pakistani Army has targeted Poonch, using automatic weapons and mortars. With agency inputs New Delhi: After BJP president Amit Shah's maiden speech in Parliament, the Congress on Monday hit back at the ruling party saying that the present government is not a 'game-changer' but a 'name-changer'. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha during the Motion of Thanks to Presidents address, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that names of all the schemes launched under the UPA rule after 1985 had been changed. "That is why I say, that the government is not a 'game changer' but a 'name changer'," he said. On the issue of triple talaq, Azad said, "The Congress opposes triple talaq but we do not support criminalising it." He further said that under the BJP-led NDA government, there has been the highest number of ceasefire violations and soldier deaths. "Opposition and all political parties are with the government on Jammu and Kashmir but the situation in the state is the worst that it has been in 70 years." Among other things Azad took jibes at the governments initiatives likes Start-Up India and Skill India. "BJP has created a record for employment in 2017 by not creating a single job," he said. At the same time, the Congress leader said that for every scheme for which the government does not have answers, the target year is 2022. Is this budget for four years," he asked. Targeting the government over price rise, Azad said, The price of the cylinder, which used to be Rs 350 during our rule, is over Rs 800 today. Prices of grains, pulses and vegetables have also risen by 300 times. Meanwhile, speaking earlier, Shah on Monday tore into the Congress over its criticism of the GST, saying it was not a 'Gabbar Singh Tax' (phrase coined by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi) but the revenues go to pay for 'one rank, one pension' and subsidises the poor. In his maiden address in the Rajya Sabha, he also asked whether the Congress was inciting the people not to pay taxes, as he listed out the NDA government's achievements on various fronts. Initiating the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the President's address, Shah took on senior Congress leader P Chidambaram for his 'pakoda' jibe and said it was better to sell pakodas than being unemployed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in a recent interview that a person selling pakodas was employed. In his almost 90-minute speech, Shah also pitched for simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, besides touching upon a host of measures taken by the government - ranging from power supply, toilets, gas, employment and health facilities to the people. He said in 2013, the situation in the country was such that the future was uncertain, women felt unsafe and the morale of jawans guarding the border could not display their valour due to the government's indecisiveness. On the issue of unemployment, Shah said the problem was persisting even after 55 years of Congress rule but so intense that eight years (of NDA rule) were not enough to resolve it. He referred to the initiatives taken by the government in this regard including Skill India, Stand Up India, Start-Up India and MUDRA schemes. While appreciating the nationalisation of banks unleashed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, he said the doors of banks were not opened for the poor, which has been done now. Referring to the triple talaq legislation, Shah said Muslim women were battling for their rights in courts since last many years. He said in the Shah Bano case then Congress government framed a law to oppose the court's verdict and the party was again opposing the triple talaq legislation, although the manner of opposing may be different. "When the Prime Minister brings a legislation to protect the rights of Muslim women, the bill was stalled in the Rajya Sabha," the BJP chief said. Shah said the government was being run in a transparent manner and in the last 3.5 years, even the Opposition has not been able to accuse the government of any scam. He said dynastic politics, casteism and appeasement were three problems plaguing the country. (With PTI inputs) A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Bengaluru and vowed to wipe Congress out of Karnataka, state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongman saying he is morally not right to be the Prime Minister of the country. Referring to the issue of Lokpal, which was raked up by PM Modi during his Sunday rally, the Karnataka Chief Minister said that he did not have the moral right to talk about the same. What moral right does Narendra Modi have to talk on Lokpal when he did not have a Lokayukta for 9 years when he was CM? He is facilitating corruption. He is morally not right to be PM of the country, he said. Hitting out at the Prime Minister over his allegations the Congress government in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah sought proof of corruption and misgovernance in Karnataka. Asking the BJP to contest the elections in the state with dignity on the basis of facts, he said that the allegations must be substantiated with facts. Addressing Modi, the Congress leader said, Dear Narendra Modi, being the Prime Minister of the country, your words should carry high credibility. I would therefore request you to substantiate your allegation that corruption and misgovernance are rampant with facts. Let us fight this election with dignity & based on just facts. Siddaramaiah also targeted BJP president Amit Shah, saying he is involved in murder case. And in the same breath, he attacked former Karnataka chief minister and BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa citing his arrest in the past. BJP president was involved in murder case, he only speaks lies. Here also they are projecting a chief minister candidate who has been to jail. PM has hurt pride of Kannadigas by uttering lies about the state, said the Congress leader. According to the Karnataka Chief Minister, the Centre has been biased against Karnataka and has not given the complete aid as per 14th Finance Commission decision. As per 14th finance commission, in last three years we were supposed to get 95.200 crore, whereas we got 84.500 crores, so they have to give 10,000 crores. This neither PM knows nor Amit Shah, he added. However, Siddaramaiah distanced himself from a Congress leader Divya Spandana who had tweeted against PM Modi. He said, I don't support people who indulge in personal attacks. Here are the top headlines of the day: 1. Markets continue to nosedive; Sensex falls over 540 points, Nifty below 11,000-mark The BSE Benchmark Sensex opened 406.55 points down 34,660.20 while the NSE Nifty was 129.10 points down at 10,631.50. Read more 2. Now, Prakash Raj attacks PM Modi over Bengaluru rally with promise toothpaste jibe A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed a rally in Bengaluru, Prakash Raj, who started his acting journey from Karnataka, has once again hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government at the Centre. Read more 3. China flexes muscles near border with India, Tibet; gives a warning to US In a brazen display of its military might, the neighbouring country has stationed its fighter jets and warships near Tibet. Read more 4. Congress goes 'over the TOP', sends Internet into frenzy over 'Pot'shot Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday coined an acronym "TOP", which was soon turned on its head by Congress` Divya Spandana Ramya with her "pot" remark. The netizens have since worked themselves into a frenzy over it. A host of jokes emerged on the social media with supporters and critics taking equal opportunity to jump in. Read more 5. Kangana Ranaut's marriage plans revealed? Here's the truth. 6. If Modi government is not ousted, it will be harmful for India: Akhilesh Yadav Yadav also said he still have doubts about the electronic voting machines, and will continue to back the paper ballot system. Read more 7. Siddaramaiah-Yeddyurappa spar on Twitter as poll battle heats up in Karnataka The Twitter spat took place after PM Modi's day-long visit to Bengaluru on Sunday. Read more The attacks and calls for removing commercials and canceling speakers are coming from the right, not the left. This is sickening. You dont see this type of division and creation of bulletin board material for the opposition party among Democrats. Before today, I saw at least three officials on my Facebook wall calling out Jeanne Ives publicly. All of these people have her phone number and if they were a true friend or a team member (Team GOP) they would have contacted her. But they are not friends or true team members. They are climbers, appointees, and any other description you can have for the simple political hack. In the six or so days since Jeanne Ives whipped Governor Rauner at the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, I have seen more fire and fury from the ILGOP against a Republican candidate in this short time than I have seen against their sworn enemy, Michael Madigan, in a decade. I have seen officials and party members that are always telling you how conservative they are using the same extremely long leaps in logic and buzz words that come out of the talking heads at MSNBC, the Young Turks, and Vox to paint their opposition as racist and remove her. The last three days in particular have confirmed that the ILGOP is more concerned with keeping its current biggest donor than improving the lives of the people of Illinois or attracting people to build their lives here. Lets see if Rauner remains a donor past November or if he returns to filling the bank accounts of Democrats. Lets not forget that he has only been a Republican for three and a half years and that his wife is the leader of Democrats for Rauner. The last three days have cemented just how bankrupt the Illinois Republican Party is. The Tribune Editorial Board event showed that Governor Rauner cannot run on who he is or what he has done. He cannot run against who Jeanne Ives is or what she has done. Instead he has lackeys inventing a new Jeanne Ives, that could still even beat him (thats just how bad Rauner is), but would be unelectable in the general election. In fact, you will see the term unelectable being used in the attacks on Ives. Look for it to be the repeated drumbeat going forward. Lets look at the possible outcomes from deploying these tactics: If Rauner wins the Republican primary he still loses the general election to the Democratic Party challenger, only he loses by an even bigger margin. The attacks on Ives will not make it easy for party unity to rebound after the primary is over. Many Republicans will just skip the governors race on their ballot. Rauner will not convert Democrats to his cause, and there will be fewer Republican voters. Its just stubborn, simple math. The apolitical generally wont care about Governor Rauners stands on social issues because he doesnt provide a contrast to the Democrats, but his failure to do anything positive for the economy or taxes clearly paints him as the failure he has been. A rerun of term limits and fair maps wont cut it. Rauner will not get help from the middle. Another side affect is that Rauners presence will have an effect down-ballot: apathy. Other Republican candidates will have problems because of the lack of incentive to come out in November. If Ives wins the Republican primary her road has gotten harder. Primary attacks and arguments get resurrected in general elections. A Republican running statewide against a Democrat in this blue state is tough enough, but now the consultants are being given free material. Even so, Ives has a better chance against Pritzker or whoever the Democrats put up. Ives is the underdog. Ives is new and brings excitement. The problems down-ballot do not exist. If you are voting for Ives you are also voting to bring her the help she will need. Will the ILGOP establishment stay home? I think not. They will just recalibrate. The straight ticket voter will show up to the polls to fight Madigan with the candidate that has and is actually showing the willingness and energy to fight. I want to believe, but this attempt to create this unelectable image of Jeanne Ives, will poison the chances of the candidate from our side. The poisoning came from the ILGOP party establishment. It came from state party Chairman Tim Schneider. It comes from Cook County Chairman Sean Morrison. It comes from DuPage County State Rep. Grant Wehrli. It comes from downstate Rep. Avery Bourne. It came from now-resigned State Central Committeeman Blair Garber. It is the Republican Party that is unwittingly doing the bidding of Mike Madigan and will be the reason that a Democrat will occupy the Governors mansion. ILGOP, if you want a big tent, you need to stop with the baseless attacks and operate with the philosophy that principle and platform are more important than personalities. Stop neglecting the ocean fishing for a single whale. Campaign all you want, but dont lie about rising stars and sacrifice the future for one self-interested donor. Most importantly, learn the lesson that results wins more votes than empty promises. A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed a rally in Bengaluru, Prakash Raj, who started his acting journey from Karnataka, has once again hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government at the Centre. Taking to microblogging site Twitter, the actor, who has in recent past attacked PM Modi on a range of issues, said that the promise toothpaste sold in 2014 failed to bring smiles to distressed farmers or jobless youth. He further asked people of Karnataka if they believed that promises made by PM Modi during his Bengaluru rally would be fulfilled, taking the promise toothpaste" jibe. PROMISE TOOTHPASTE sold in 2014 .. ( forget brushing the teeth ) could not bring a smile on distressed farmers or jobless youth of my country........do you believe PROMISE TOOTHPASTE ....sold yesterday ...in Karnataka rally .....will bring it, he tweeted. PROMISE TOOTHPASTE sold in 2014 .. ( forget brushing the teeth ) could not bring a smile on distressed farmers or jobless youth of my country........do you believe PROMISE TOOTHPASTE ....sold yesterday ...in Karnataka rally .....will bring it.... #justasking Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) February 5, 2018 During his rally in Bengaluru on Sunday, the Prime Minister had launched a scathing attack on the ruling Congress, alleging lack of development, political murders and appeasement politics. Addressing a mega rally at the Palace Grounds in Bengaluru, the PM appealed to the voters to vote for BJP under BS Yeddyurappa to usher the state in a new era of development. Congress has caused destruction in Karnataka. There are 7 lakhs homes in Karnataka which live in dark even after so many years of independence. The state doesn't need a Congress culture, he said. The Prime Minister also used the opportunity to highlight major achievements of his government with regard to schemes like Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. He also made a slew of promises to the people of Karnataka. With an investment of Rs 17,000 crores post budget, construction work of 160-km long sub-urban railway network will be started in Bengaluru, said PM Modi. Modi further said that the central government had set a goal to build more than 9,000-km long National Highway across the nation this year. Under Bharatmala Pariyojana, 35,000 km of roads would be constructed with an investment of Rs 5,25,000, he said. The latest attack by Prakash Raj on PM Modi came almost a fortnight after he declared himself "anti- Modi, anti-Amit Shah and anti-Hegde". During an interactive session organised by a television channel, the actor had said, "They say I am anti-Hindu. No. I am anti-(Narendra) Modi, I am anti-Hegde, I am anti-Amit Shah. According to me, they are not Hindus. Mr Anant Kumar Hegde, who says he wants to wipe out an 'ism' - a religion from the face of this earth, cannot be a Hindu." Bharatiya Janata Partys estranged ally Shiv Sena seems to be in no mood to refrain from attacking the Narendra Modi government. The party, which has decided to contest the elections in 2019 without any tie-up with the BJP, has now targeted the government over ceasefire violations by Pakistan. Questioning the stand of the government over recent attacks by Pakistan, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut asked if Indias missiles are just for exhibiting and gathering applaud at the Rajpath. Pointing that Pakistan has used missiles to attack Indian soldiers, he said, Pakistan has used missiles in attacking our jawans yesterday. Are our missiles just for exhibiting & gathering applaud at the Rajpath? Are they just for showing to the foreign heads on January 26? Raut said that it was not a case of ceasefire violation but in fact a war, and urged the government to respond in a similar manner. Ye seedha yudh hai, ye hamla hai aur uska jawab ussi tareeke se dena chahiye aur agar aap uska jawab nahi denge toh iss desh ko namard kaha jayega poore vishwa mein (This is a direct war, an attack, and should be responded to in a similar manner. And if we dont give a befitting reply, we will be considered impotent by the world), said Raut. The latest attack by Shiv Sena on the government comes after four Army personnel, including a Captain, were killed and four persons got injured after Pakistani troops opened "unprovoked and indiscriminate" firing across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Rajouri districts. Those martyred in the firing by the Pakistani troops were Captain Kapil Kundu, rifleman Ramavatar, rifleman Subham Singh and Havildar Roshan Lal. The unprovoked firing from the Pakistani side in J&K's Rajouri evoked a strong response from the security forces. According to the Army officials, the indiscriminate firing started around 11 am on Sunday at various places in Rajouri and Poonch sectors with Pakistani soldiers using small arms, automatics and mortars. "Pakistani forces opened unprovoked and heavy firing and shelling along LoC in Bhimbher Gali sector of Rajouri district," a senior army official had said. (With agency inputs) NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a historic visit to Palestine starting Saturday. During his visit, he will hold a meeting with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Apart from visiting Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the prime minister will also go to the Palestinian capital, Ramallah. In July 2017, he was on a three-day visit to Israel on a special invitation from his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, however, he did not visit Palestine then. Modi will be in the UAE on February 10 and 11 and will address the sixth World Government Summit in Dubai. This will be Modi's second visit to the UAE after August 2015. According to authorities and business leaders, this visit of the Prime Minister signifies the special importance that India attaches to its ties with the oil-rich nation and will help in furthering cooperation in diplomatic, economic and security issues. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi?s second visit to UAE is an indication of the special importance we attach to the India- UAE relationship," India's Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri said. According to him, the visit builds in the momentum that has developed since India hosted Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed as chief guest on Republic Day in 2017. Besides bilateral engagements, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to address members of the Indian community at the Dubai Opera House. "During the year, we have seen major UAE investments into India, a significant increase in defence and security cooperation, a transformation in our energy ties from a buyer-seller relationship to a strategic partnership. "For the community, the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi will be great news," Suri said. Echoing Suri's sentiments, the UAE ambassador to India Ahmed Al-Banna said the visit "tells us the direction that India and the UAE have in mind and also the characteristics of our respective leaderships." "The leadership has put us on a challenging and interesting track where the relationship is very important, on many sectors, and our leaders are pushing to rewrite future plans for both nations," Al-Banna said. While Ambassador Suri highlighted the trade and investment component of this rapidly-evolving relationship, Ambassador Al-Banna chose to emphasise on the connectivity aspect of it. "There are 1,076 flights a week between India and the UAE, which is the largest operation of its kind. More than 50 per cent of Indians, who travel outside India to different destinations, such as Europe or America, use Dubai and Abu Dhabi as their transit hub," he said. It is obvious that both sides are banking on prime minister's visit to go over and above the 17 bilateral agreements signed in January 2016, and 14 agreements in February 2017. With an eye on India, some leading Gulf businesses with Indians at the helm see this as realisation of long-held dreams. Yusuffali MA, chairman Lulu Group International and member of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, said India had been on an aggressive forward march with regard to attracting FDIs. "The recent report by leading rating agencies and financial institutions have all lauded India?s fiscal policies and ease of doing business, so obviously India does look like a hot destination for investment. As far Indo-UAE business relationship is concerned, it is at all time high with both countries being each other's top trading partner," Yusuffali said. According to him, till recently India was seen as an investment destination only, but of late UAE has been trying to woo Indian businesses to invest and set up operations here. "This move shows the kind of confidence UAE has on Indian economy and I am sure business houses in both countries will be eagerly looking forward to this visit to open up new areas of co-operation," Yusuffali said. Manoj Prasad, Executive Chairman, of DIFC-based investment banking firm, Que Capital Limited, believes this visit truly signifies the seriousness among top Indian leadership toward making an ever growing relationship between two countries more meaningful. "The ambition is obviously growth to which both countries have already started contributing, be it through India investing in infrastructure or the bilateral investment fund which is in the process of being setup," says Prasad. According to him, businesses among the two countries have witnessed unprecedented growth in recent years. "The comfort and mutual respect for leaders of both the countries are clearly visible and the visit of Prime Minister Modi to the land with highest NRI diaspora in the world would further enhance it," he said. A wide spectrum of companies stands to gain from improving bilateral relations facilitating business climate on both sides, he said. Kulwant Singh, the founder and managing director of Lama Hospitality group, feels the visit signifies that we are serious about our relationship and take our commitments, business associations, joint opportunities, and strategic tie-ups seriously. "We see the formula of successful businesses matching with the perfect platform of opportunities available in India. With the new budget in place, NRIs will have huge opportunities in sectors like healthcare, education, and infrastructure," Singh said. Prasanth Manghat, CEO and Executive Director, NMC Health Plc, says the visit will not only develop his outreach to the Arab world but also offer a prospect to further the strategic partnerships in the region. According to him, the visit is seen by many as cementing the close relationship Modi shares with the UAE leadership, also furthering cooperation in diplomatic, economic and security issues. "At the ground level of delivery, the strategic partnership is being expanded and the UAE has announced plans to invest USD 75 billion over a decade to meet India?s infrastructure needs," he said. Indian expatriates in the UAE actively participate in projects toward the development of the UAE and this visit will help further evolve the deep and historic relationship shared between the two countries, said Mehirr Nath Choppra, CEO Qasbah Group. "It would certainly help to get an overview of the projects that have been announced in the past and their current status so serious players can set their timelines accordingly," Choppra said. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday condemned the cross-border firing by Pakistan in which four Indian soldiers, including a Captain, were killed, saying Army shall 'give a proper reply' to the neighbour. "Have full faith in the valour of our soldiers, and they shall give a proper reply," Singh told reporters, as per IANS. Earlier, Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir also condemned Sunday's ceasefire violation in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri and Poonch districts saying that it shall "cost Pakistan dearly". "Pakistan has been violating ceasefire along the LoC. And this year the number of ceasefire violations are high," he said. "Yesterday (Sunday) also, they again violated ceasefire. We will not forgive Pakistan's actions," Ahir added. "The ceasefire violations would prove to be Pakistan's foolishness and will cost them dearly," he said. On Sunday, four soldiers were killed, including Captain Kapil Kundu and four others were injured in firing in Rajouri and Poonch districts. Kundu would have celebrated his 23rd birthday on February 10, 2018. Hailing from Haryana's Gurugram, he is survived by his mother Sunita. The others were Riflemen Ramavatar, 27, from Baraka village in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior, besides Subham Singh, 23, from Kathua and Havilder Roshan Lal, 43, from Samba in Jammu and Kashmir. General Bipin Rawat #COAS and All Ranks #IndianArmy salute supreme sacrifice of Capt Kapil Kundu,Hav Roshan Lal, Rfn Subham Singh and Rfn RamAvtar and offer condolences to the family members of the Bravehearts. pic.twitter.com/BbrfSxPevV ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) February 5, 2018 Meanwhile, the Army's vice chief said on Monday that India will continue to give a "befitting reply" and its action will speak for itself. The Pakistani Army has been supporting infiltration by terrorists along the border, Army Vice Chief Sarath Chand said. "We will continue with our process of giving a befitting reply," he told reporters, PTI reported. "(Our) action will speak for itself," Chand added in response to a question on yesterday's incident. (With Agency inputs) New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Chandra said on Monday that women were not weak but the onus was also on men to contribute to their empowerment. Inaugurating ABVP's website to give women training in self-defence, he said, "Women are not weak. I have seen how strong women can be in my mother. She used to travel two kilometres to get 40 to 50 litres of water. But she never got bogged down by it." On the latest initiative by the ABVP, the Rajya Sabha MP said, "It's more important than ever to make women stronger. They need a different training and also special facilities. Earlier, women used to consider themselves as weak as that was what was said all the time. But times have changed. Women need not consider themselves weak in any manner." Also Read - Republic Day Edit - Sowing an idea for agriculture Dr Chandra had a word of advice for men too. "The onus is also on men to contribute to women's empowerment. Especially the youth should come forward in this regard." The ABVP has roped in a renowned martial grandmaster to train women in self-defence. Srinagar: The PDP on Monday batted strongly for the resumption of a 'peace and reconciliation process' between India and Pakistan. Opposition National Conference (NC) supported the stance while calling for a strict implementation of the 2003 ceasefire agreed between the two countries. Ravinder Raina, a legislator of the BJP, which shares power with the PDP in the state, had earlier pressed for a resolution to condemn the continuous Pakistani shelling. The issue of unabated ceasefire violations by Pakistan also led to a 10-minute adjournment during the Zero Hour in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. When the House met again, the state's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri made a statement supporting a dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad to restore everlasting peace in the region. "This issue was raised in this house before as well. Our stand is that peace and reconciliation is the only way, dialogue is the only way," Veeri said, PTI reported. However, BJP MLA Raina, who demanded a resolution to condemn Pakistan for ceasefire violations, later told reporters that the neighbouring country had targeted an Army post after the Army thwarted its attempt to push terrorists in the state. "We want the terrorist training camps in Pakistan be bombarded by Indian Air Force. Pakistan is a terror country and it cannot understand the language of diplomacy and democracy," he said. A young Army Captain and three jawans were killed and at least four people injured on Sunday in heavy Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. Forty-two-year-old Havildar Roshan Lal, a resident of Samba district, 27-year-old Riflemen Ramavatar of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh and Subham Singh (23) of J&K's Kathua district were also killed. (With PTI inputs) BENGALURU: A fresh war of words ignited on Twitter between Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the people of Karnataka to throw the "corrupt and dynastic" Congress out of power in upcoming Assembly elections. After PM Modi's day-long visit to Bengaluru on Sunday, Congress leader and state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tweeted: I welcome PM @narendramodi to Namma Karnataka - the no. 1 state in investments,innovation & progressive policies. Through a unique model of development, we have scripted several national firsts across key sectors. I am confident that Karnatakas success makes India proud. Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) February 4, 2018 Responding to the jibe, BJP state president B.S. Yeddyurappa raked up the ongoing issue of farmer suicides and corruption. Thanks for the welcome CM @siddaramaiah avare! Yes. Karnataka indeed has scripted several firsts - No.1 Corrupt State, 3,500+ farmer suicides, collapse of law & order, mysterious deaths of officers, transfers of honest officials, crumbling infra of Bengaluru. #KarnatakaTrustsModi https://t.co/TXrdge4hDx B.S. Yeddyurappa (@BSYBJP) February 4, 2018 Not taking the allegations lightly, CM Siddaramaiah reminded Yeddyurappa of the mining scam during his rule Says a man who presided over Indias biggest mining scam during his rule. Only a person totally lacking in #KannadaSwabhimana can call Karnataka, one of the most progressive states in India, No. 1 Corrupt State. https://t.co/ceF4NiYoe1 Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) February 4, 2018 In 2011, Yeddyurappa was asked to quit as Karnataka CM after he was accused in a mining scam worth over Rs 50,000 crore. Other members of Congress and BJP also sparred on Twitter. Taking a dig at PM Modi, Congress social media head Divya Spandana Ramya asked he was on "pot". To this BJP's IT wing head Amit Malviya said more than 3,500 farmers have committed suicide in Karnataka, the highest for any state in India, but "speaking for them is being on 'POT'... Congress keeps it classy, again". It seems that law and order continue to be a worrying factor for the people of Uttar Pradesh. The latest incident challenging the administration comes from Lucknow where a group of goons tried to beat a person to death in broad daylight. In the Kakori police station area of Lucknow, a group of miscreants on Sunday beat up ruthlessly a local resident named Abid Ali outside his residence. He was dragged out of his home and attacked with axe, hammers and sticks. #WATCH Man attacked by unknown assailants is saved by gun toting wife in Lucknow district's Kakori. Police begin investigation (4.2.18) pic.twitter.com/7bfp9600WN ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 5, 2018 The victim suffered serious injuries on his back, arms and head. The incident was captured on CCTV camera. The one who came to the rescue of the victim was not police, but his wife who is an advocate. To save her husband, she opened fire using her licenced revolver. Following this, the goons were left with no option but to flee. However, they threatened the couple with dire consequences before they left. They threatened to cut them into pieces. When the police were informed, officials initially made attempts to underplay the issue, saying it was a scuffle between a landlord and a tenant. But when the issue reached the Senior Superintendent of Police, the cops got in action and registered an FIR. Mumbai: She is a star who has grown strength-to-strength as an actor and Kareena Kapoor says she has always been comfortable in her own zone. The actor will soon be seen in "Veere Di Wedding", which marks her first film after the birth of the son, Taimur. Kareena, who is regarded more as a contemporary than a senior by Alia Bhatt and Sonam Kapoor, credits her confidence in her 18-year-long career to have helped her gain the respect of these actors. "I think I have always carved a place for myself. Times change, generations change, people come and go. But I think it's maybe because of my confidence. It's in the way one carries themselves. That's very important. "I take it as a compliment but I think I have always been pretty much in my own space. Right from 'Refugee' till 'Veere Di Wedding'," the actor told PTI in an interview. Kareena also returned to the ramp at the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2018 when she appeared as the showstopper for grand finale designer Anamika Khanna's collection "Nudes Reinvented". The star said "Veere..." was not the quintessential Bollywood romance with which her filmography is full of and that is why she took up the project. "It's a different kind of movie. It's a story of four friends. It's not the typical boy-meets-girl romance which I think I've done so much of. So I thought this should be different. "It's a small film, made by women. The producers are women - Rhea (Kapoor) and Ekta (Kapoor). I think it's a special film and people will appreciate it." Women across the world are raising their voices seeking equal opportunities. Asked if time is here when the representation of women in working spaces would increase, Kareena said female artistes have been doing phenomenal work for ages and now they are unstoppable. "I think I have always worked with some amazing females directors. I have worked with Reema Kagti, she's a woman and she made a beautiful film, 'Talaash'. "There's Zoya Akhtar, there's Rhea as a producer. There are many doors open now especially in Indian film fraternity," she said. New Delhi: Celebrities are known for extending their support to the social causes they believe in. A famous face associated with any cause helps in creating awareness about it. On World Cancer Day which falls on February 4, several celebrities took to Twitter and posted powerful messages stressing the importance of living a healthy life. The international day is marked to create awareness about the dreaded 'C' word and also in order to encourage its prevention. Bollywood actor Emraan Hashmi tweeted about the same. His son Ayaan was diagnosed with cancer at the tender age of 4. He fought his tough battle and has beaten the disease. Cancer is not like other diseases . Its your body waging a war on itself . A war that you can win if you follow a healthy diet , exercise and manage your stress levels effectively. I truly believe kids win this battle more than adults because they are fearless #WorldCancerDay emraan hashmi (@emraanhashmi) February 4, 2018 Noted sand artist Sudarsan Pattniak too shared his brilliant sand art tribute with the message, Change Lifestyle, Curb Cancer. #WorldCancerDay2018 , Change Lifestyle, Curb Cancer " One of my SandArt with message at Puri beach in Odisha. pic.twitter.com/9F46afMP5W Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) February 4, 2018 Bollywood celebrities such as Manisha Koirala and Lisa Ray are cancer survivors who won their war against the disease. The World Cancer Day was founded by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to support the goals of the World Cancer Declaration, written in 2008. It aim of World Cancer Day is to majorly reduce illness and death caused by cancer by 2020. The day is marked so that any misinformation or stigma related to the disease is reduced. CHICAGO - The Ives' campaign's controversial "Thanks, Governor Rauner" ad continues to stir discussion among political devotees - and insiders say the Ives campaign is betting the kerfuffle will raise the state rep's name recognition among Illinois conservatives - what may be Ives' biggest obstacle heading into the March 20th IL GOP primary. Polling is showing Ives' lack of name recognition may be keeping her from climbing in IL GOP polling. The "Thanks Governor Rauner" ad is intended to draw attention to the Governor's challenger in the IL GOP primary. The Rauner camp is implementing an "ignore her" strategy by focusing on the Democrat he expects to face in the November 2018 General Election. San Francisco: As legal action between Apple and Qualcomm intensifies with billions of dollars at stake, a report on Monday claimed that the iPhone maker will use Intel baseband chips for its devices in 2018. According to Taiwanese business group KGI Securities, Apple shared baseband chip orders for iPhones 7 with Qualcomm and Intel. For the 2018 devices, the company is set to rely on Intel as the exclusive supplier, saying that it can meet Cupertino-based company's technical requirements and offers more competitive prices. However, Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst associated with KGI Securities, did not rule out Qualcomm returning to the supply chain "perhaps as concessions in the patent lawsuit settlement". There is also a risk that Intel might not be ready for 5G networking as quickly as Qualcomm, which might also force Apple's hand. A report in 9to5mac said that Intel's chip will support dual SIM and dual standby. However, there were no direct claims that Apple will make an iPhone model with two physical SIM slots. In November 2017, KGI reported that Apple will improve LTE transmission speeds significantly by supporting 44 MIMO chipsets. At the time, Ming-Chi Kuo believed Apple would give about 30 per cent of the orders to Qualcomm because benchmarks showed that units with the Qualcomm baseband chipset performed better than the ones with Intel hardware. Soon after this report, Qualcomm filed three fresh complaints against Apple in a US court, alleging violations on 16 different patents by the iPhone maker that includes the "super-premium" iPhone X. The lawsuits filed in the San Diego District Court alleged that Apple was infringing on patents "related to technologies that boost bandwidth in phones, save power and enhance photos from dual rear-facing cameras, among other things". Some of those Qualcomm patents were issued between 2015 and 2017. Apple also counter-sued Qualcomm, alleging it's infringing on eight Apple patents on power-management techniques in smartphones. Ecuadorans on Sunday voted to bar unlimited re-election for their presidents in a blow to ex-leader Rafael Correa who had been eyeing a comeback in 2021. Initial results from a referendum called by Correas successor-turned-foe, current President Lenin Moreno, showed 64 per cent of ballots in favour of scrapping a provision allowing open-ended re-elections, according to electoral authorities. Correa is locked in a battle with President Lenin Moreno for control of their deeply divided leftist ruling Country Alliance party. The referendum, in which Moreno backs the "yes" vote, featured seven questions including reintroducing term limits to prevent presidents from running indefinitely. If the current head of state gets his way, Correa will not be able to join the 2021 election race. The National Electoral Council said the ballot "took place normally" with no significant incidents to report. It was expected to give preliminary results around 8:00 pm. According to surveys, the "yes" camp - supported by traditional opposition parties - was predicted to win a comfortable majority with between 72 and 84 per cent of the vote. NEW DELHI: The Ministry of External Affairs on Monday expressed concerns over the political crisis prevailing in Maldives. "Prevailing political developments in Maldives and resultant law and order situation is a matter of concern for GoI. Indian nationals are advised to defer all non-essential travels to Male and other atolls until further notice," the ministry said. MEA further said, "Indian expatriates in Maldives are also alerted to the need for heightened security awareness, and urged to exercise due caution in public and avoid public gatherings." The MEA also issued an advisory for the Indian Nationals traveling to Maldives. The ministry's official spokesperson Raveesh Kumar took to Twitter and said, "Indian nationals are advised to defer all non-essential travel to Male and other atolls untill further notice. Detailed travel advisory at http://mymea.in/cx4" "The prevailing political developments in Maldives and the resultant law and order situation is a matter of concern for the Government of India. Indian nationals are, therefore, advised to defer all non-essential travels to Male and other atolls until further notice. Indian expatriates in Maldives are also alerted to the need for heightened security awareness, and urged to exercise due caution in public and avoid public gatherings," the advisory read. Amid massive protests, Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Gayoom declared a state of emergency for a period of 15 days. "All basic rights have been suspended. Security forces have sweeping powers to arrest and search," Member of Parliament, Eva Abdulla said. The protests erupted after President Gayoom refused to follow the Supreme Court's ruling to release the key political prisoners and reinstate the 12 MPs. The high-profile prisoners also include self-exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed and former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb. Last Thursday, the Supreme Court had ruled that all politicians opposed to President Gayoom, including Nasheed, should be released. It had further said that their trials were "politically influenced". The government has so far refused to implement the order, saying it had concerns about releasing those who were convicted for "terrorism, graft, embezzlement and treason". It said it had been advised by the Chief Justice to follow "due process in releasing the detainees". Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected leader, took office in 2008. He was ousted in a coup in February 2012. The country has seen political unrest since he was sentenced to 13 years in jail in 2015 on terrorism charges. He was given political asylum in the UK in 2016. MALE: A state of emergency was on Monday declared by President Abdulla Yameen in Maldives for a period of 15 days, deepening the political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation. The move gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects and comes amid a tense standoff between the Supreme Court and the government. "All basic rights have been suspended. Security forces have sweeping powers to arrest and search," Member of Parliament, Eva Abdulla said. Massive protests are being held across the country including repeated rounds of clashes between police and the opposition leaders. The protests erupted after President Gayoom refused to follow the Supreme Court's ruling to release the key political prisoners and reinstate the 12 MPs. Last Thursday, the Supreme Court had ruled that all politicians opposed to President Gayoom, including Nasheed, should be released. It had further said that their trials were "politically influenced". The high-profile prisoners also include self-exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed and former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb. The government has so far refused to implement the order, saying it had concerns about releasing those who were convicted for "terrorism, graft, embezzlement and treason". Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected leader, took office in 2008. He was ousted in a coup in February 2012. The country has seen political unrest since he was sentenced to 13 years in jail in 2015 on terrorism charges. He was given political asylum in the UK in 2016. India expresses concern over situation in Maldives: The Indian Ministry of External Affairs, meanwhile, expressed concern over the crisis prevailing in Maldives. "Prevailing political developments in Maldives and resultant law and order situation is a matter of concern for GoI. Indian nationals are advised to defer all non-essential travels to Male and other atolls until further notice," the ministry tweeted. MEA further said, "Indian expatriates in Maldives are also alerted to the need for heightened security awareness, and urged to exercise due caution in public and avoid public gatherings." Vatican City: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Pope Francis on Monday while police enforced a protest ban in central Rome as feelings run high over Turkey's offensive against Kurdish militia inside Syria. During the 50-minute audience, Pope Francis gave Erdogan a medallion embossed with an angel strangling a "demon of war" - a symbol of peace and justice. For the first visit by a Turkish leader for 59 years, the Italian authorities have imposed a 24-hour ban on demonstrations which covers Erdogan's arrival from late Sunday to his departure on Monday evening. Erdogan's convoy arrived at a deserted Saint Peter's Square, which was under heavy security as a total of 3,500 police have been deployed for the visit. Nevertheless, a small sit-in protest by some 30 people, organised by a Kurdish association in Italy, took place on Monday not far from the Vatican. Turkey on January 20 launched its "Olive Branch" operation against Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a terror group and a threat to Turkish territory. The Turkish army and allied Ankara-backed Syrian rebel forces are seeking to oust the YPG from its western border stronghold of Afrin but the operation has faced fierce resistance. "In Afrin, a new crime against humanity is underway," the Kurdish association said. The fighters and civilians killed in the Turkish assault on the region included female combatant Barin Kobani whose mutilated body appeared in a shocking video, prompting accusations by her family and Kurdish officials that she was "defiled" by Turkish-backed rebels. The YPG, while considered a "terrorist" group by Ankara, is allied to the United States in its battle against Islamic State group jihadists. The pope, who has railed against the horrors of war and weapons of mass destruction, gave Erdogan the gift of a medallion with "an angel of peace strangling the demon of war". "It's a symbol of a world based on peace and justice," the pontiff said, according to two journalists present during the meeting. Erdogan for his part was expected to thank the pope for opposing the decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. "We are both in favour of the status quo and we have the will to protect it," Erdogan said in an interview published yesterday. Erdogan's flying visit to Italy was also set to include a meeting with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, with illegal immigration, defence and EU membership likely on the agenda. Pope Francis, a strong proponent of inter-faith dialogue, visited Turkey in November 2014, holding talks with Erdogan, a devout Muslim. BANGKOK: Thailand`s tourism body expects 300,000 visitors from China during the Lunar New Year holidays, a nearly 18 percent rise from a year ago. During the same holidays in 2017, the number of visitors from China was hit by a Thai government crackdown on budget tourism and the mourning period for the country`s late king. Tourism accounts for about 12 percent of gross domestic product in Southeast Asia`s second-largest economy, making it one of the most important drivers of growth. The biggest number of foreign visitors come from China. Chinese tourists during the Lunar New Year period, which this year begins on Feb. 15 and lasts until Feb. 21, will "generate about 8 billion baht ($253.9 million) in revenue", Santi Chudintra, a deputy governor at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) told reporters on Monday. In 2017, about 255,000 Chinese tourists visited during the Lunar New Year. Thailand`s Tourism Ministry said last month it expected this year`s tourist arrivals to hit a record 37.55 million, with 2.1 trillion baht spending. Chinese tourists, who accounted for nearly one-third of last year`s record 35 million arrivals, are expected to rise this year to around 10 million from 9.8 million. Thailand has become increasingly popular with Chinese tourists in recent years. The country is also home to one of the world`s largest ethnic Chinese communities. In late 2016, Thailand launched a crackdown against "zero-dollar" package tours - an arrangement where tourists pay for everything upfront and in theory spend nothing while in the country. The tourism ministry said the campaign, which ended in 2017, was a success. ($1 = 31.51 baht) Read original article at 112.ua Open source Ukraine is a part of the global economy, and labor migration should be treated as a natural and inevitable process. "Labor migration is a natural process, and it cannot be stopped. We can make comparison with Poland, where GDP has been growing for the last 25 years, but every year young Poles leave for Western Europe and work there because in these countries the level of well-being higher and there are more prospects," says the president of the All-Ukrainian Association of Companies for International Employment Vasyl Voskoboynyk. It is quite difficult to estimate labor migration in terms of numbers. In fact, statistics do not exist because 99% of the international employment market is in the shadow. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, about 5 million of our fellow citizens live and work abroad. However, this figure is constantly changing (some of the employees are engaged in seasonal work) and might be even higher. "We can say with confidence that more Ukrainian labor migrants left for work abroad in 2017 than in 2016. And, accordingly, in 2018 will leave more than in 2017. Conducted by the All-Ukrainian Association of Companies for International Employment sociological studies have shown that 72% of Ukrainians surveyed go to work abroad because there is a higher level of wages," says Vasyl Voskoboynyk. It should be noted that European countries in every possible way simplify access to their markets for Ukrainian workers. Even in the summer of last year, Poland allowed visitors to work on a visa-free basis in the format of seasonal employment. The Government of the Czech Republic doubles the quotas for workers from Ukraine - up to 19.6 thousand a year. However, the Czech quota fades against the background of more than 1 million Ukrainians, who, according to official data, work seasonally or permanently in Poland. In general, it is the visa-free regime, which the government exposes as one of its major achievements, is the reason why Ukrainians are massively going to work abroad. Obviously, despite the fact that 5-7 million Ukrainians are already working abroad to some extent, the potential for increasing their number remains: after the devaluation of hryvnia and the implementation of visa-free travel, the number of people wishing to go abroad to earn money has increased noticeably. According to a survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), a third of Ukrainians are thinking about leaving the country, and 6.3% are already taking action in this direction. The reasons for a possible departure are the desire to earn more and live in a more comfortable country. As Vasyl Voskoboynyk points out, at the current level of economic development of Ukraine labor migration will intensify. Ukrainians will go more actively to work abroad, primarily to European countries. At the same time, the outflow of our labor migrants from Russia will continue due to the economic crisis in this country and the worsening of ongoing bilateral relations. People of completely different specialties leave for work in other countries. "Not only representatives of working specialties (builders, drivers, laborers, agricultural workers) are leaving for other countries, but also qualified personnel. Not all of them return. In general, migrant workers are mainly engaged in jobs that do little to improve their skills. Better places have scientists, IT specialists, rare specialists in technical specialties, mathematicians, and physicists, "said Victor Shulyk, director of the department of market studies of IBI-Rating agency. According to Vasyl Voskoboynyk, almost half of those who worked abroad worked in construction and repair (43%), half (23%) in agricultural work, 10% in domestic work, 3% had experience working in IT, childcare, restaurant business (cooks, waiters, cleaning). It should be noted that very few people can work abroad according to their profession. These are builders, agricultural workers, seamen, programmers. The majority will continue to work as low-skilled workers, despite the specialty that they had in their homeland. This is due to the lack of knowledge of foreign languages, as well as the partial non-recognition of our diplomas in Europe. Labor migrants need money now, and they usually do not have time to learn new profession abroad, so they work there, where you can earn money immediately from your arrival. Migration directions As experts say, there is no exact statistics on the directions of labor migration in the regional context. However, one can rely on sociological studies that give a fairly accurate picture of the preferences of Ukrainians. By order of the All-Ukrainian Association of Companies for International Employment, the sociological group "Rating" in 2016 and 2017 conducted a number of studies that showed that Ukrainians went to work in Poland (36%), Russia (25%), 5% worked in the Czech Republic and Germany, 3% - in Italy, the rest - in other countries, mainly in Western Europe. Almost 30% of respondents refused to answer this question, and it can be assumed that most of them work in Russia, but it is considered unethical to talk about it. However, the list of countries where Ukrainians work does not coincide with the list where they would like to apply their work skills. "Most often, among the countries where respondents wanted to work abroad, they called Germany (37%), 26% want to work in Poland, 22% in the USA, 21% in Canada, 16% in Czech Republic, in Italy - 15%, in Britain - 14%, in France or Sweden - 12%, in Israel - 11%, in Spain - 9%, in the Netherlands - 7%, in Russia - 6%. In other countries, less than 5% of respondents would like to work. Germany, the United States, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom as the most desirable countries for work more often than others were chosen by the inhabitants of the west, Russia of respondents in the east, "- says Vasyl Voskoboynyk. According to the above KIIS survey, more than 60% of respondents do not see anything seditious in labor migration to Russia. On the one hand, Russia is not included in the top 5 countries (Germany, Poland, Canada, the United States, Italy), where the Ukrainians would like to leave for work, and on the other hand, for 9 months of 2017 Russia was in second place in terms of cash flows to Ukraine with an indicator of 460 million dollars (a leader is the US, 547 million dollars). Shortage of staff In connection with the outflow of personnel abroad, the question arises: what specialists will Ukrainian economy lack. This depends a lot on the direction in which the Ukrainian economy will develop. Already there is a shortage of builders, engineers, agronomists, good "salesmen". A separate issue is connected with scientists because many people in this area are already retired or will soon be. "The problem is not only and not so much in migration, as in the unpopularity of many professions and the lack of a quality training system. The training of working specialties in the country is still unpopular, although many domestic companies pay relatively high salaries to employees. But now only a few companies can boast of quality mentoring programs, "said Victor Shulyk. In this regard, it is possible to predict not the deficit of lawyers, economists and various managers, who are prepared by Ukrainian universities, but a deficit of representatives of working specialties. "Thus, in the medium term, I forecast a shortage of high-quality specialists in the working professions, provided that the growth rates (the same construction, road, and repair work) will remain at the current level," Viktor Shulyk said. For his part, the president of the Ukrainian Analytical Center Oleksandr Okhrimenko believes that Ukraine will never have a deficit of specialists, since, as a rule, unskilled labor leaves the country, and qualified personnel work in Ukraine and they have no reason to leave. "It's another matter that business does not always want to pay wages honestly, so let them raise the salaries, and there will be no shortage," the expert adds. It should be noted that the problem of shortage of qualified personnel is associated not only with labor migration but also with the natural decline of the population. According to UN estimates, Ukraine is among the five countries in terms of population decline. Thus, the UN estimates the population of Ukraine, including Crimea, in 2017 to 42.2 million people, but by 2050 the population of the country will decrease by 18%, to 36.4 million people. In any case, a significant decline in the population in the medium term is a threat to the national security of the country. The effect of migration Labor migration has a multifaceted impact on the Ukrainian economy. The negative impact is the outflow of qualified personnel, the imbalance of the labor market and the system of social and pension payments (labor migrants do not pay taxes to the budget and to the Pension Fund). "Migration hinders the development of the economy, and the" brain drain "worsens this indicator for investors as the availability of skilled labor. Labor migration also increases the social burden on those who stayed and work officially in the country (taking into account the Ukrainian joint pension system), " says Victor Shulyk. In Poland, it is plainly said that labor migrants are needed to ensure and preserve the economic growth of this country. In Poland, as in Ukraine, the aging of the population and the migration of specialists to other countries (Western Europe and the United Kingdom) are observed. Ukrainians successfully replace their outflow of personnel, while our country is only a donor of the labor force, and not its recipient, which is Poland. On the other hand, a shortage of labor in certain sectors contributes to "tightening" wages in the domestic market, and as a result, the contribution to GDP (final consumer spending of households) may increase. The positive effect on GDP is also exerted by the receipt of currency in the country, as well as by money transfers - the support of migrants for their families and relatives who remain in Ukraine. But against the background of a general decline in consumption, this contribution is mediocre. In his turn, Olexander Okhrimenko does not see a threat to the Ukrainian economy in labor migration and is sure that it needs to be stimulated. "The more Ukrainians going abroad to earn money, the better it will be for Ukraine's economy. First, there will be fewer unemployed, which means that wage growth in Ukraine will accelerate. Secondly, labor migrants will transfer currency to Ukraine and thereby contribute to the budget increase. And thirdly, people, having earned money abroad, will return to Ukraine and, at the expense of accumulated funds and European experience, open business in Ukraine. Therefore, it is necessary to stimulate the export of labor from Ukraine. It is necessary to work out a state program to support Ukrainian labor migrants and to entrust the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine with the requirement to conclude agreements with other countries on labor migration. Today, Ukraine can really become the main supplier of skilled workers in the EU and this will ensure both its future and the EU," the expert believes. We recall that according to the NBU, for 9 months of 2017 the volume of private money transfers to Ukraine increased by 30% and amounted to 5.2 billion dollars. This amount exceeds the amount of direct foreign investment in the country, and the total volume of remittances of labor migrants is at least 3-4% of the annual GDP of Ukraine. This is a significant contribution to the development of the country's economy, which cannot be ignored. If the government of Ukraine can ensure a high growth of the economy (at least 7% per year), the flow of labor migrants from Ukraine will slow down, but it will not stop. Having a number of neighbors who are far superior economically (the Polish GDP is 5 times higher than the Ukrainian one), it is impossible to stop the residents of Ukraine from going to work abroad. And this is a reality that everyone needs to understand. Read the original article at 112.ua Open source In Ukraine, the Department of Cyber Polie was established in October 2015, but in fact experts worked on uncovering crimes committed in the network since 2014. The activities of the department are highly valued, in particular in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. "Separately I will mention the Department of Cyber Police. I did not expect that they would show themselves so well in such a short time. The team, headed by Serhiy Demedyuk, was highly appreciated by our international partners, experts in the field of combating cybercrime," adviser to the Minister of the Interior Zoryan Shkiryak told in an interview to 112.ua. We decided to figure out what and how cyber police of Ukraine are fighting on the Internet. To our great regret, the head of the department, Serhiy Demedyuk, did not have time to talk, and the department staff kindly provided answers in hard copy. The official language of the answer will never replace live communication, but we tried to make the most interesting text from the answer of the cybercops. Cybercrime is a crime committed in virtual space. That is, in the information space created with the help of computers, where the personal data of the users are located. A cybercrime can include a hacked page in a social network or a hacked phone, stolen passwords from bank cards or interference in the operation of the bank system, unauthorized access to computers of the Security Service or the FBI. At the same time, the purposes of such crimes can be very different: steal money from the bank card, or by hacking the phone of a Hollywood star, publish her intimate selfies on the Internet, steal strategic documents or crash the stock market. There is nothing surprising that crime followed us in the virtual space. But every crime must inevitably be followed by punishment. And as a response to this challenge, not so long ago, the Ukrainian Police established the Department of Cyber Police. Among the tasks of the department is "to organize effective counteraction to the manifestations of cybercrime and to ensure effective influence on the operational situation, namely: the prevention, detection, termination and disclosure of criminal offenses, the mechanism of preparation, commission or concealment which involves the use of computers, telecommunications systems, computer networks and telecommunication networks, as well as other criminal offenses committed with their use," says the department. About cyber police and its employees The cyber police differs from the State Special Communications Service because it investigates crimes committed in the sphere of the use of payment systems, e-commerce and economic activity, intellectual property and information security, while the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection ensures the formation of a policy in the field of protecting state information, telecommunication and information-telecommunication systems of cryptographic and technical protection. To date, cyber police employs 329 people or 80% of the staffing level. In addition, the department is staffed by "white" hackers. They work in the groups of technology and programming, which are part of the department. In total there are four such departments: in the western, southern, eastern and central regions. "White", or "ethical" hackers, as a rule, look for vulnerabilities in computer systems, hacking them, not for the purpose of stealing or accomplishing forgery, but in order to eliminate the vulnerability. In the National Police, the "white" hackers conduct an in-depth examination and/or examination of seized digital evidence for the purpose of identifying them. "First of all, we are talking about the recovery of remote information and its analysis. The "open source intelligence"- OSINT. The use of OSINT allowed us to establish the complete data and location of criminals in resonant criminal proceedings. The analysis of digital data of large volumes (Big Data) in criminal proceedings in order to establish the links between them," they say in the cyber police. "These employees have sufficient knowledge for reverse engineering of malicious programs, in view of carrying out a study to understand the principles of work (in this case, the virus.) In practice, using this method we have made the timely identification of pathways of the Petya virus. Another example is the establishment of an outgoing point (control server) of the botnet that completely controlled personal computers located not only in Ukraine but also in the 6 countries of the world," the department proudly says. Employees of the cyber police department around the clock communicate with colleagues around the world, providing the process of immediate exchange of identified traces of criminal activity based on the results of the response to cyber attacks and cyber incidence for operational analysis, with further generalization of the results obtained and their use for investigation and countering cyber threats. How do Ukrainian cybercops fight? The biggest "pain" for the Ukrainian cyber police today is cyber fraud. "Most of the criminal offenses in the payment sector occur during financial operations, one of the most common types of fraud with payment cards in Ukraine and around the world is fraud committed with the help of special devices such as a skimmer, cyber police states. Skimming is a theft of card data using a special "skimmer" device. This type of fraud involves the copying of all the information by the attackers from the magnetic tape of the card, while the PIN-code scammers receive by using mini-cameras or overlays on the keyboard. No less common in Ukraine is phishing - a fraud, the purpose of which is to receive from trusting or inattentive Internet users their bank account details. "It is worth noting that the crimes related to the use of ATMs are identified by the department's employees through proactive search, but most of the crimes connected with payment cards are documented in the framework of checking appeals from financial institutions and victims of criminal activity of fraudsters." Also, the department's employees monitor the Internet on a daily basis to fight selling illegal drugs and items: drugs, psychotropic drugs, precursors, firearms, ammunition, and explosives. "We are constantly working to identify crimes related to trafficking of prohibited items and drugs, namely: we study ads, accounts and other identification information of users of social networks, thematic blogs, forums, information resources, mail servers, trading platforms "Darknet" and etc.," the Department of Cybercrime says. At the same time, throughout 2017, 945 so-called death groups were identified in social networks, of which 760 were blocked. The number of accounts that could be identified as registered from the territory of Ukraine is 58 848. Based on the results of the information analysis during the monitoring, special materials were sent for further verification and response to other units of the National Police (Department of Criminal Investigation, Department of Preventive Activities, Department of Drug Control). Read the original text at 112.ua. Open source Three biggest mobile operators do not have the needed equipment to provide the 4G services. Ukraines operators have created the third generation network (2100 MHz). The 2G network required 1800 MHz and 900 MHz diapason. Operators need them for 4G internet. In order to cover a large area in lower ranges, fewer base stations are needed, which means that more people would receive a new service in a shorter period of time and would require less investment. In addition, Kyivstar and Vodafone previously noted that it is enough to reconfigure the equipment for 4G in the 1800 MHz band. Operators will have to purchase and install the equipment, and it is really difficult. And this is more expensive as well. In addition, more base stations (base stations in the 1800 MHz band are twice as large as in the 2600 MHz band) are needed for high-quality coverage in this range. Kyivstar has begun preparing for 4G in advance. We upgraded our base stations by installing new equipment that supports various communication standards, including 3G and 4G. After the announcement of the tender conditions at 1800 MHz, we will say the time of launching the new technology. Then we will understand the business model. We really hope that in the near future the regulator will approve all the necessary documents and announce the 1800 MHz tender conditions," says Maksym Savchenko, regulatory affairs and digital technologies manager at Kyivstar. "Currently, we are working on setting up a network for launching 4G at 2600 MHz. A full commercial launch will be possible a few months after the announcement of the tender results, " lifecell representatives note. "If everything goes according to plan, and the competition is announced, 4G will probably appear in the first half of 2018," says Oleg Prozhyvalsky, Corporate Governance and Control Director at Vodafone Ukraine. Operators are interested in launching a new network. But we must understand that the current range of 2600 MHz is not so necessary for the Ukrainian users. 2600 MHz is suitable for places of large concentrations of people, for example, in the centers of large cities. And since the construction of a network will cost operators a lot of money, one should not expect that without a tender for another range and technological neutrality, the fourth generation of networks will appear in all cities of the country at least with the same speed as 3G developed. Kyivstar supports any opportunities for the introduction of the new technologies, including those at frequencies of 2600 MHz. But this range is more suitable for covering large cities. Therefore, we are looking forward to the decision on 1800 frequencies and technological neutrality. Without them, the launch of 4G in Ukraine would be insufficient," Kyivstar representatives commented. The lifecell also focuses primarily on the importance of 1800 MHz: "The 2600 MHz band is more suitable for expanding the capacity of the existing LTE network than for deploying a new integrated coverage. Therefore, it would be better to launch the network. For example, in the 1800 MHz band. And if its capacity is not enough, we will locally expand throughput at the expense of the 2600 MHz band. " Vodafone representatives say that in any case, it is advisable to begin coverage from large cities. Even if your smartphone supports 4G, it does not mean that it works in the right range. If you have a top gadget, probably, you will avoid the problem. But not every cheap 4G-smartphone supports this range. To check the compatibility of your smartphone without leaving the Internet, go to gsmarena.com and enter the name of our device. If you do not remember it and you have Android, go to the settings, find the "Phone information". There you can find the name and a model number. If you have an iPhone 5S or something newer, your smartphone is compatible. Vodafone states about 20% penetration of 4G-terminals, which corresponds to last year's forecast of the company. "Vodafone has long begun preparing for the launching of 4G. Vodafone Ukraine lab is already testing a fragment of the 4G network. The company will continue developing a line of smartphones that support 4G technology in its stores," the company notes. Vendors also plan to react quickly to the emergence of new technology in Ukraine. "Since 4G is not a new technology, but an innovation for Ukraine, Lenovo is already ready to supply devices (tablets, phablets, and laptops) to the Ukrainian market. In other world countries, they are already delivered to different markets and are successfully sold. It is necessary to carry out the appropriate certification so that they can be sold in Ukraine (besides completing the tender). It might take 5 to 6 weeks. If we recall the similar situation with the 3G, Lenovo products with 3G technology were available for customers a week after the adoption of a corresponding decision on 3G," Taras Dzhamalov, CEO of Lenovo in Ukraine, notes. Andriy Polyakov, the head of the business of Motorola smartphones in Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Armenia, says that this year the whole line of devices that have already been introduced to the Ukrainian market; it supports 4G and is ready to work with the network. Your SIM card is probably ready for 4G. About a year ago, operators began selling USIM cards, which are ready to work in the networks of the fourth generation. If you have not changed the SIM-card for a long time and you are not sure of its compatibility, contact the nearest operator's communication center. Lifecell even adds extra 1 GB when changing your SIM-card. In January-November 2017, Google has become the 94th largest taxpayer in Ukraine, between Shakhtar FC and Mariupol maritime merchandise port ($12.09 million). Google LLC (Kyiv), a subsidiary of Google that provides advertising services, increased revenue by 75% in 2017, which is higher than the rate of 2016. The corporation is now among Ukraines top 100 largest taxpayers, Google LLC CEO Dmytro Sholomko has said, Interfax-Ukraine reports. While two years ago the share of small and medium-sized enterprises in our total revenue was 40%, now it is greater than 60%, he said of the main reasons for this growth at a traditional discussion of the macroeconomic forecast for the year organized by the European Business Association (EBA). Sholomko stressed the rapid growth of the mobile Internet segment. He said that mobile Internet traffic has already exceeded the computer one, which also contributed to the successful performance. Generally, the Google LLC CEO said that Ukraines IT industry continues to expand rapidly, the country is improving its worldwide reputation in this field, which, in turn, encourages major global IT corporations to set up their development centers here. He named PayPal, Samsung, and Waze as examples. According to him, such centers are now being set up not only in Kyiv and Lviv and cities with at least 1 million inhabitants but also in other regional centers. Among the difficulties, Sholomko pointed out the issues with funding for this industry in Ukraine, which makes it less competitive compared to neighboring countries, for instance, Poland and Lithuania. In 2016, Google LLC raised its revenue by 61.3% to reach $35.73, and between January and September 2017 it grew to $38.51. The companys net loss in 2016 increased 2.7-fold, up to $3.1 million. Conversely, between January and September 2017, it obtained net profit of $580 thousand. According to the State Fiscal Service, in January-November 2017, Google has become the 94th largest taxpayer of Ukraine, between Shakhtar FC ($12.57 million in taxes) and Mariupol maritime merchandise port ($12.09 million). The information on the exact amount of taxes paid by Google for this period is unavailable from the State Fiscal Service. The Ives campaign ignored the slate's calls to pull the ads over the weekend. The campaign ad was boosted in key state population areas during Super Bowl pre-games, with the help of a $2 Million donation from conservative Dick Uihlein. The orchestrated statements from what is being called the "Rauner Slate" blasted Ives for airing an ad as "insulting" and "wrong," and "denigrates, mocks and marginalizes groups of Illinoisans." CHICAGO - One by one, candidates seeking the Republican Party's nomination for attorney general, comptroller and treasurer released statements attacking gubernatorial primary challenger Jeanne Ives - and by extension the IL GOP's conservative base. The IL GOP base has made it clear that they oppose Governor Rauner signing into law measures forcing taxpayers to fund abortions and providing protection from the law for illegal aliens - two hot topics the Ives ad mentions. Republican Attorney General Candidate Erika Harold, who has historically held a pro-life position, called for Ives to pull the ad immediately. Harold is heavily financed by the IL GOP, of which Governor Rauner is the key funder. Harold has an opponent in the race, conservative DuPage County attorney Gary Grasso. Harold's statement said: This ad denigrates, mocks and marginalizes groups of Illinoisans and cannot represent our Republican Party. I call on the Ives campaign to immediately take it off the air. The Republican Party must be about fighting for the ideals and values that have made our country the envy of the world and promoting the dignity and value of every Illinoisan. Republican Candidate for Treasurer Jim Dodge, who has thus far received little notice in the primary as he is unopposed, issued the following statement on State Representative Jeanne Ives' campaign ad: Our nation's collective diversity gives us our strength and makes us a beacon of freedom to the world. Illinois is a strong and diverse state - a microcosm of America. Representative Ives' campaign advertisement is wrong on so many levels and an insult to everything that makes us Illinoisans and Americans. I believe this advertisement does not represent the Republican Party or our shared American values, and should never again see the light of day. Republican Candidate for Comptroller Darlene Senger - who is also unopposed in the IL GOP Primary - said: Illinois is facing real challenges that require common-sense, bi-partisan solutions. Hyper-partisan attacks that focus on our fellow Illinoisans do little to advance debate nor reach consensus. The Republican Party -- The Party of Lincoln -- has always served as a beacon of freedom and individual rights. Now more than ever, we need to demonstrate our commitment to that standard. Earlier, IL GOP State Chairman Tim Schneider defended his party's main contributor - Governor Bruce Rauner and called on Ives to pull down the ad, as well. The ad the Rauner slate is condemning now has over 50,000 views on YouTube: 112 Agency On Saturday, a delegation of German parliamentarians from the three regional parliaments of Germany arrived in the occupied Crimea. It included deputies from the right-populist party "Alternative for Germany", RIA Novosti reported. The delegation will stay in Crimea from 3 to 9 February. The deputies said that they were not concerned about the threats of Kyiv to ban them from entering Ukraine. "We are not worried about the threats of the Ukrainian authorities, we expect to visit Crimea in the future more than once," deputy of the North Rhine-Westphalia Land Parliament Roger Beckamp told reporters at the airport in Simferopol. As Member of the Parliament of Berlin Uwe Bronzon stated, the parliamentarians hope that "over time the situation around Ukraine will settle down and normal work with Ukraine in the future will be possible." As reported, in April 2016, the Russian fund paid a trip to the annexed Crimea to a German MP from the right-populist "Alternative for Germany" party Marcus Pratzel to participate in the Yalta Economic Forum. In June 2017, the German politician Alexander Goland, who headed the electoral list of the right-populist "Alternative for Germany" party, called Crimea "an indigenous Russian territory." In August, information appeared that several functionaries of the right-populist party "Alternative for Germany" were suspected of working closely with the alleged Russian agent, Pole Mateusz Piskorsky. In the fall of 2017, the "Alternative for Germany" first entered the parliament. Thousands of demonstrators in Berlin went to protest against this. Related: Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham claims responsibility for shot down Russian Su-25 in Syria Related: March of Saakashvilis supporters in downtown Kyiv A Molotov cocktail was thrown into the building of the Transcarpathian Union of Hungarian culture organization Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary condemned the attack on the Transcarpathian Union of Hungarian culture, according to their press service. We expect the Ukrainian authorities to find the offenders in the nearest future and find out the motives of this act. We hope that the Ukrainian authorities will ensure the security of Transcarpathian Hungarians, the statement says. At the same time, the MFA of Hungary reminded of their suggestion to have OSCE observers not only in the East of Ukraine, but in the West too. As we reported earlier, on Sunday, Feb. 5, a bottle with an incendiary mixture was thrown into the building of the Transcarpathian Union of Hungarian culture in Uzhhorod. On Feb. 3, a delegation from German right-wing populistic party arrived in occupied Crimea to establish contact with occupational authorities Open source The Prosecution of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea has started a pre-trial investigation on the fact of violation of rules of entry to the occupied territory of Ukraine committed by three deputies of regional parliaments of Germany. The Prosecution of Crimea, which is currently based in Kyiv, informed about this on their website. The deputies broke the Ukrainian law by violating Ukraines border rules. Since Ukraine and most of the world dont recognize the annexation of Crimea, any trip to the peninsula not through Ukrainian territory is a violation of Ukraines borders. As we reported earlier, three regional deputies of Alternative for Germany political party arrived in Crimea on Feb. 3. The delegation will stay in Crimea from 3 to 9 February. The deputies said that they were not concerned about the threats of Kyiv to ban them from entering Ukraine. "We are not worried about the threats of the Ukrainian authorities, we expect to visit Crimea in the future more than once," deputy of the North Rhine-Westphalia Land Parliament Roger Beckamp told reporters at the airport in Simferopol. As Member of the Parliament of Berlin Uwe Bronzon stated, the parliamentarians hope that "over time the situation around Ukraine will settle down and normal work with Ukraine will be possible in future. As reported, in April 2016, the Russian fund paid for a trip of right-populist "Alternative for Germany" politician Marcus Pratzel to the annexed Crimea to participate in the Yalta Economic Forum. In June 2017, German politician Alexander Goland, who headed the electoral list of the right-populist "Alternative for Germany" party, called Crimea "an indigenous Russian territory. In August, information appeared that several functionaries of the right-populist party "Alternative for Germany" were suspected of working closely with the alleged Russian agent, Pole Mateusz Piskorsky. In the fall of 2017, the "Alternative for Germany" first entered the parliament. Thousands of demonstrators in Berlin went to protest against this. Open source The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine can consider the statement prepared by the specialized committee on the Polish law that bans the 'Bandera ideology'. Andry Paruby, the Speaker of the Ukrainian parliament claimed this as 112 Ukraine broadcasted. 'It will be very important for us tomorrow to consider the statement of the Verkhovna Rada on the law adopted by the Polish parliament. The meeting of Foreign Affairs Committee took place today to work out the joint statement of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the recent decision of Sejm and Senate of Poland that raised the dudgeon in the Ukrainian community', Paruby said. According to him, the representatives of all parties and groups participated in the meeting of the committee and the prepared document is the agreed position of the whole Ukrainian parliament. 'It is very important and landmark that the representatives of the Foreign Ministry, international experts also took part in the committee; the committee worked out the text of the joint agreed statement that is already submitted for the consideration of parties and groups. This statement will be registered today', Paruby added. He urged all MPs to familiarize with the statement. As we reported the Senate of Poland adopted a law on the National Memory Institute of Poland, which criminalizes the denial of the crimes of Ukrainian nationalists against the Poles. Polish Sejm on January 26 adopted the bill, providing the criminal penalty for public accusations of Poland of crimes during Holocaust, of helping Nazi Germany, of military crimes or crimes against humanity. The bill forbids to use the combination of words Polish death camp when describing concentration camps that were on the territory of Poland. Any citizen of the country, including foreigners that breached the law will have to pay a fine or imprisoned for up to three years. Amendments to the bill also provide for criminal liability for the denial of the Volyn tragedy and propaganda of "Bandera ideology". The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry expressed concern over the adoption of this document. The international community criticized him as "denying the Holocaust and depicting Ukrainians in an unattractive light." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he was categorically against the adoption of this law. The Senate of Poland approved the draft law at the overnight on February 1. However, Polish leader Andrzej Duda intends to carefully consider the draft law about the Institute of the National Memory approved by the Sejm, the lower house of the Polish Parliament. Part of the American soldiers with equipment and weapon will be redeployed to Afghanistan The US begins to withdraw the troops from Iraq as Associated Press reported citing the representatives of the coalition. 'American troops have started to draw down from Iraq following Baghdads declaration of victory over the Islamic State group last year', the agency reported. Two Iraqi officials confirmed that the coalition headed by the US and Iraqi government reached an agreement on the withdrawal of the troops for the first time after the beginning of the war against Islamic State three years ago. According to one senior Iraqi official, 60% of the American troops will be withdrawn fro Iraq. 4, 000 U.S. soldiers out of 8, 900 will stay in the country to continue the training of the Iraqi military. As we reported Donald Trump, the President of the US claimed that the coalition against ISIS has recaptured most of the territory of Iraq and Syria. The militants of the ISIS entered Iraq in 2014 and occupied third part of the country, including such cities as Mosul and Tikrit in a few weeks. The release of the conquered territories began in 2016. the Islamic State lost the control over the last city in Iraq in November 2017. The hostage complains of pain in his legs; he suspects he could have bone tuberculosis Lawyer Roman Kachanov became the first man in many years to shake hands with Stanislav Klykh, the political prisoner from Ukraine who is being illegally detained in Russia. Tetyana Shchur, the Russian human rights watcher reported that on late February 4. According to her, Kachanov spent three hours with Klykh. The prisoner said he feels fine; however, he gained weight and complained of pain in his legs and told the lawyer he suspects he could have a 'bone tuberculosis'. Klykh is now being held in a solitary cell. The lawyer expressed concern that Klykh suffers a mental disorder - perhaps due to the ill detention conditions. Kachanov also reported that Klykh had visible scars on his body. 'This is, most likely, due to the tortures that they applied to him', Tetyana Shchur said. Open source As of 16:00 on Feb. 5, 198 people were infected with measles in Lviv, as Mayor of the city Andriy Sadovyi said, Ukrainian news reports. According to Sadovyi, as of Feb. 2, 7.934 people were vaccinated against measles in Lviv. The Directorate of healthcare of Lviv city council issued an order on measures intended to localize the outbreak of measles in Lviv. In particular, visiting patients in ICUs and hospitals was prohibited. Moreover, according to the regional laboratory centre of the Ministry of Health, 324 people were infected with Measles in Zaporizhia region, as of Feb. 5. In October-December 2017, there were 202 cases of measles infection in the region, while since the beginning of 2018 - 122. As we reported earlier, theres measles outbreak in Ukraine. Since the beginning of 2018, almost 3,000 Ukrainians were infected with measles. Four died, two of them were kids. In 2017, the level of vaccination against measles has doubled compared to 2016. Open source The Kherson City Court extended the arrest of Petro Mykhalchevsky, the former 'Health Minister' of Crimea suspected in the state treason until March 2. Tatiana Tykhonchyk, the spokeswoman of the Crimean Prosecutor's Office claimed this as Ukrainian News reported. 'The arrest is extended up to March 2', she claimed. The court satisfied the motion of the Prosecutor's Office on the extension of the restrictive measure of the suspected. The SBU reported on the detention of the former 'Health Minister' of Crimea in Kyiv on January 5 The officers of the SBU held the searches at the residence of Petro Mykhalchevsky, the so-called former Health Minister of Crimea. They confiscated the Russian passport, the official ID signed by Aksenov and other documents that confirm his cooperation with the occupation authorities of Crimea during the search. The Kherson Court sentenced Mykhalchevsky for one month of the arrest without a right for the bail on January 8. He is accused of state treason and can be imprisoned up to 15 years. Croatia demanded from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine to change four faulty MiG-21 interceptor aircrafts ordered in Ukraine as Jutarnji Vijesti reported citing the sources. 'Croatia wants to return four faulty MiG-21 interceptor aircrafts to Ukraine and asks the Ukrainian Defense Ministry to change them with four working aircrafts with the guarantee from Ukraine', the message said. The issue is about 131, 132, 134 and 135 aircrafts that were purchased by Croatia from Ukraine within the capital repair and purchase of the operational squadrons and the Air Forces of Croatia found them faulty and disabled for use in three and half years. It is the final confirmation of the largest military case in the history of Croatia on the purchase of the military weaponry opened in Jutarnji list and written by it during a few years. It is reported that the Croatian Defense Ministry sent the proper note to Ukraine last week. Zagreb demanded from Ukraine to provide new aircrafts instead of the improperly repaired in 2014. The agreement on the repair of the aircrafts and purchase of the second-hand vehicles meant that they will work another ten years until 2023. However, the Air Forces of Croatia found them disabled for the flights: the oil flew from them, the fuel tanks leaked and the internal navigation system came out of action. One of the last flights could end with the death of the crew. As it was reported the Croatian military police began the large-scale investigation of the purchase and repair of MiG-21 interceptor aircrafts in Ukraine. According to the Croatian authorities, Croatia concluded the agreement for the purchase of five aircrafts and repair of another seven with the Ukrainian enterprise 'Ukrspezexport' in the sum of more than 17 million euros in summer 2013. However, the purchased vehicles were five years older than it was pointed in the documents and the repair works were held not properly. The Ukrainian side of the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) stated that the authorities of the occupied Donbas could leave its residents without water. This was reported by the press center Ukraines Army headquarters on Facebook. "Ukrainian side of the JCCC informs that because of the emergency condition of facilities of the pumping station of the South Donetsk water pipeline, it is possible to stop water supply on most of the Donbas territory," the report said. As it was reported earlier, on January 26, 2018, pumping station of the South-Donetsk water pipeline was shelled by the militants. The cooling system of one or two transformers were damaged. Also, Ukraine in the JCCC says that militant inactivity and ignoring the inquiries of Donbas factories as to the guarantee of safety during reparation works on the critical objects of infrastructure may lead to an emergency, the consequence of which is hard to predict. The situation is urgent at the sludge collector in Novhorodske, Donetsk region. Ukrainian side in the JCCC and representatives of the emergency service have prepared the necessary plan of action on repairing the objects. But conducting the renovation isnt possible as the militants dont guarantee the safety of the workers. Phyllis Schlafly is perhaps best remembered for leading grassroot campaigns against Communism, abortion and the Equal Rights Amendment. Perhaps less well known, Schlafly was also a champion of inventors, and a defender of a vigorous and strong patent system. Phyllis Schlafly photo as featured on the Society for U.S. Intellectual History website As related in an article on IPWatchdog.com by Jim Edwards and Peter Harter, Schlafly opposed the American Inventors Protection Act of 1999, understanding the perils of requiring patent applications to be published prior to a patent being issued. She also opposed the America Invents Act of 2011, explaining that it would lead to Chinese dominance. In the same article Edwards and Harter wrote: Relentlessly and tirelessly, Phyllis Schlafly fought to preserve, protect and defend the world-class patent system the Founders gave us, which American inventors of all stripes have taken advantage of, to our nations great benefit. Impetus behind Phylliss passion to defend and promote American inventors Ed Martin, president of Eagle Forum Education and Legal Defense fund describes Phyllis's life-long passion accordingly: She understood from an early age the importance of American ingenuity. She observed her own father laboring for years over his invention of a rotary engine, and she saw him protect the property right to the fruit of his intellectual labor with a patent. Phyllis Schlafly's father, Bruce Schlafly, upon losing his job during the Great Depression of 1930 at Westinghouse as a sales engineer after 25 years of service, worked on applying his engineering talents on a design for a rotary engine. A patent was finally issued in 1945, U.S. Patent No. 2,373,791, but it was never sold, although Mr. Schlafly did make the newspapers. A science editor considered his engine, which had only three moving parts, to be a noteworthy invention typical of embodying the unconventional concepts typical of the kind of thinking that may bring needed changes in industrial procedures that have remained conventional too long. In other words, Bruce Schlafly's invention was just way ahead of his time. Phyllis About Patents In writing about patents, Mrs. Schlafly realized that our Founding Fathers understood how securing individual inventors the right to own and market their original ideas was just as much a part of economic freedom as any other personal labor. Several years before Phyllis' death, in 2011 she had this warning about The American Invents Act: The America Invents Act enable[s] Chinese hackers to steal U.S. innovation secrets while they are in development, then file an application with the U.S. Patent Office under first-to-file, and thereby own new U.S. technology instead of merely stealing it. Owning the patents will enable China legally to take away ownership rights and profits from Americans who have actually invented these new technologies. Defense technologies would be a prime target of this threat." Phyllis was proven right. The IP Commission later updated its report to conclude that IP theft steals over $600 billion from Americas economy each year, thanks in large part to hacking, also admitting that patent infringement is too difficult to count. Jim Edwards as Patent Policy Advisor Phyllis Schlafly's interest in patents and inventors because of her father's experience, led her to request the help of Jim Edwards on patent issues in 2006. What began with some assigned projects became sustained work for Mr. Edwards a few years ago. Jim Edwards is now the patent policy advisor to Eagle Forum Education & Legal Defense Fund. He also consults to other clients on intellectual property and other matters. Edwardss work involves giving strategic advice, policy research, thought leadership, and policy advocacy. Additionally, Edwards contributes writings to IPWatchdog and is the co-director of the Inventors Project. As patent policy advisor, Jim Edwards was enlisted to speak on current patent happenings in Washington, D.C. at the Gathering of Eagles held in St. Louis, Missouri from January 18 - 20th, in what was its 50th birthday celebration since Phyllis Schlafly held her first Gathering of Eagles in January of 1968. According to Mr. Edwards, the U.S. patent system, which is a key element of America's unique constitutional protection of intellectual property rights, has been under assault in recent years. Patents are a property right. They secure the fruits of a persons labor and need to be protected. Edward discussed the threats associated with the CREATES Act and the Oil States Energy Case. CREATES Act The CREATES Act, H.R. 2212 is being eyed as a way to cover the costs of the Children's Health Insurance Program as a budget pay-for" to offset federal spending. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is leading the effort in the Senate. The CREATES Act would supposedly save the federal government money on certain brand medicines by facilitating generic competition, but these savings may be fleeting, as the legislation creates an incentive to litigate through an unprecedented tilted cause of action that the CREATES Act would establish. As such the CREATES Act would spur litigation thereby enriching trial lawyers while threatening the patents of innovative bio-pharmaceutical firms. Furthermore, the CREATES Act may also stifle the incentive to develop certain cutting-edge drugs, because under the CREATES Act the exclusivity to ones invention suffers. In summary, the CREATES act does the following: Sets forth a private right of action in the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. No private right to sue has ever existed in this law. Creates tremendous incentives for generic firms to litigate, not cooperate. Stacks the cards in favor of plaintiffs, with courts not having to weigh mitigating circumstances. Disadvantages the innovator firm that bore the risks of failure and invested its time, money and resources in researching and developing a patented medicine. Undermines our property rights-based patent system. A cornerstone principle of the American patent system is the patent owners right to exclude others from using, making or selling the invention. The CREATES Act forces IP owners to put their valuable inventions at the disposal of others competitors, in fact and make their inventions available to those competitors most likely at rates lower than the free market would give. Oil States Energy Services v. Green Energy Group In Oil States Energy Services v. Green Energy Group, Sup. Ct. No. 16-712, the United States Supreme Court granted Oil States' petition for certiorari for the purpose to review for consideration this question: Whether a bureaucratic tribunal (a non-Article III forum without a jury), rather than the federal courts, can extinguish patent rights. It has been observed that this case has the potential to bring down the changes made by the America Invents Act against small inventors. It is further believed that any decision by the Supreme Court in Oil States couldn't make the situation any worse for patent owners than they already are, in that a Patent Trial and Appeals Board (PTAB) -- a non-Article III forum without a jury -- refuses to consider evidence timely submitted, refuses to allow amendments despite the statute saying there is a right to amend, refuses to issue final decisions on all the claims challenged, making up their own standards rather than to follow statutory tests. There are no judicial rules of ethical conduct for PTAB judges who decide issues where there are serious conflicts of interest. Oil States likewise presents the real possibility that the Supreme Court will rule that post grant proceedings at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) violates the Constitution. Alden Abbott in his September 26, 2017 article, Supreme Court Must Protect Patent Rights, suggests how the Supreme Court should rule in Oil States: The best option to fix the Patent Trial and Appeals Board is to get rid of it. There is a powerful legal case that board review violates the U.S. Constitution, and therefore is invalid. Notable Remarks by Phyllis Schlafly on Patents Phyllis Schlafly's address on April 21,1988, was presented as part of a Multi-Media production in her role as National Chairman of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) at its National Defense Evening. Her speech, How American Inventors Changed the Way We Live Economic Freedom -- the Key to Prosperity, was reprinted from the November 1988 issue of the DAR Magazine. This fabulous 1990 You Tube documentary about the history of patents, American Inventors: The Fabulous Story of How Inventors Changes the Way We Live! -- produced by the Eagle Forum Education and Legal Defense Fund and narrated by Phyllis Schlafly -- was officially recognized by the 1976 Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution. More information about Phyllis' father, and mother, and details about her life, her children, and her achievements, can be found in this bio of Phyllis Schlafly, The Sweetheart of the Silent Majority, published in 1981, which is a must read to understand how Phyllis Schlafly developed from a shy young girl to a woman who was both loved and hated. It was written by then rookie freelance Chicago writer, Carol Felsenthal, whose own review of the Schlafly book, The Power of the Positive Woman, resulted in a 1977 cover profile of Schlafly for Chicago magazine, and which then resulted in a full-fledged biography of Phyllis by Felsenthal, her first book. The country lost five positions in comparison to 2016 Open source Ukraine comes 112th in the Legatum Prosperity Index, losing five positions in comparison to 2016 as it is stated in the rating of the British analytical center The Legatum Institute. According to the rating, countries' place is estimated on the basis of results received from conducted polls among citizens of the countries in nine categories: economic quality, social capital, governance, business environment, education, health, natural environment, personal freedom, safety, and security. In 2016 Ukraine was 107th in the ratings and went down 17 positions since 2006 when the rating was published for the first time. Ukraine got the lowest index in health sphere, losing 24 points in comparison with the previous year. The most positive changes took place in the social capital sphere where Ukraine moved up by 20 points. According to the rating, the highest quality of life is in Norway, New Zealand, and Finland. Russia is 101st, Poland 32nd, Hungary 45th, Belarus 95th, Moldova 98th. Sudan, Central African Republic, and Yemen got the lowest results. Enjoy the first large-scale museum exhibition dedicated to tramp art since 1975. More than 150 examples of tramp art, concentrating on works from the United States, with additional international examples. For Immediate Release: October 24, 2016 (Santa Fe, NM) The Museum of International Folk Art presents No Idle Hands: The Myths & Meanings of Tramp Art, the first large-scale museum exhibition dedicated to tramp art since 1975. The exhibition will present more than 150 examples of tramp art, concentrating on works from the United States, with additional examples from France, Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Canada, Mexico and Brazil to demonstrate the far reach this art form has had. Additionally, the show will analyze and dismantle the myths and misperceptions about tramp art, particularly as they relate to assumptions related to class, quality, and the anonymity of the makers. Tramp art describes a particular type of chip-carved woodwork that was practiced in Europe and the United States between the 1870s and 1940s, making use of discarded cigar boxes or crates that were then notch-carved along the edges and layered. Objects made were primarily boxes and frames, but other household objects such as small private altars, crosses, medicine cabinets, wall pockets, clock cases, plant stands, and even furniture can be found. "Tramp art's place in art history has been troublesome. It has had detractorspeople who regard it as 'the ugly duckling' of folk artbut also numerous champions," said Laura Addison, Curator of North American & European Folk Art at the Museum of International Folk Art, and the show's curator. "This exhibition will erase any doubts about the quality and craftsmanship of the work and situate tramp art as a practice at the crossroads of cultural transformation at the turn of the 20th century," she said. Addison also pointed out that by juxtaposing historic pieces with those by contemporary artists working in the tramp art style, the exhibition frames this art form as an ongoing tradition that continues to capture the public's imaginationmyths and all. "The ingenious objects in the Tramp Art exhibition use recycled or repurposed wood, and highlight a moment in time a century ago when artisans, many of them immigrants to the US, created a new variety of folk art," said Khristaan D. Villela, Director of the Museum of International Folk Art. "They are a testament to the ability of untrained artists to produce objects of immense beauty and complexity," he said. For many years, tramp art was believed to have been made by itinerants and hobos, thus its name. It has been demonstrated, however, that this belief, first put in print by Frances Lichten in a 1959 Pennsylvania Folklife article, is erroneous. Nonetheless, the name "tramp art" has remained the only terminology used for this practice, and the paucity of scholarly studies to dispel the mistaken notions about tramp art have allowed the myths to persist. Whittling objects such as wood chains and ball-in-cage whimsies was a common pastime, including among railriding "hobos," and some examples of tramp art were likely by the hand of itinerant laborers or artisans. However, this style of carving was more commonly the practice of family men and blue-collar factory workers making functional domestic objects or gifts for the women in their lives. Efforts have been made in recent years to identify makers by name and unearth their biographies; these personal narratives illustrate a very different story of the makers of tramp art. As these makers and their stories come to light, it has become obvious that home and family are central to an understanding of the practice of tramp art. No Idle Hands will present tramp art objects according to four primary areas: Introduction/historical context, home & nation, frames & boxes and devotional objects. Works in the exhibition will come from the Museum of International Folk Art permanent collection as well as loans from a number of private and museum collections across the country. An exhibition publication will accompany the exhibition, with essays by Laura Addison, Curator of North American & European Folk Art, Museum of International Folk Art; Leslie Umberger, a curator in the area of folk art and self-taught art at the Smithsonian American Art Museum; and Eric Zafran, a retired curator of European art, most recently at the Wadsworth Atheneum. The Museum of International Folk Art Museum Shop is located in the museum at 706 Camino Lejo (Museum Hill just off Old Santa Fe Trail). 505-982-5186. MUSEUM OF INTERNATIONAL FOLK ART The Museum of International Folk Art is a division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. The Museum of International Folk Art's mission is "to enrich the human spirit by connecting people with the arts, traditions and cultures of the world." Founded in 1953 by Florence Dibell Bartlett, the museum holds the world's largest international folk art collection of more than 150,000 objects from six continents and over 150 nations. The museum's collections represent a broad range of global artists whose artistic expressions make Santa Fe an international crossroads of culture. For many visitors, fascination with folk art begins upon seeing the whimsical toys and traditional objects within the Girard Collection. For others, the international textiles, ceramics, carvings and other cultural treasures in the Neutrogena Collection provide the allure. The museum's historic and contemporary Latino and Hispano folk art collections, spanning the Spanish Colonial period to modern-day New Mexico, reflect how artists respond to their time and place in ways both delightful and sobering. In 2010, the museum opened the Mark Naylor and Dale Gunn Gallery of Conscience, where exhibitions encourage visitors to exchange ideas on complex issues of human rights and social justice. Over 90,000 national and international visitors visit the Museum International Folk Art every year. Through folk art, the museum encourages all to find a common ground upon which to craft better lives for all. Museum exhibitions and programs are supported by donors to the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and its Director's Leadership Fund, Exhibitions Development Fund, and Fund for Museum Education, as well as by the International Folk Art Foundation, also established by museum founder Florence Dibell Bartlett. In the pandemic era, passenger travel can be especially fickle. Air Wisconsin will try its hand at cargo so it The Atlanta-based parcel giant will start a daily, non-stop flight on Feb. 27 from its Louisville, Ky. hub to Dubai. UPS on Feb. 27 will start a daily, non-stop flight from its Louisville, Ky. hub to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The Atlanta-based parcel giant said the flight will improve transit times from North and South America to the Mideast by a full business day. UPS will use its new Boeing 747-8 freighters on the 7,700-mile route, the longest, regularly-scheduled flight the company has ever operated. The flight will operate Tuesday through Saturday. The current flight is operated on a weekly basis, UPS said. The Louisville-Dubai flight leg is part of a UPS around-the-world flight that begins and ends at Louisville. After arriving in Dubai, packages and freight will be loaded on the plane before it departs for Shenzhen, China. U.S.-bound volume is then loaded in Shenzhen and the aircraft returns to Louisville via Anchorage, Alaska. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. The program of constructing a new landfill close to the existing dumpsite in Nubarashen will launch in 2018. The Yerevan Municipality told Armenpress that the new landfill, which will be constructed within the frames of the Yerevan Solid Waste Management program, will be in accordance with the international standards. It will include a waste water collection system, gas collection and combustion plant, power generator, administrative building, fence and the necessary vehicles for the service, the Municipality said. Within the framework of the program it is planned to temporarily close down the Nubarashen and Ajapnyak dumspites. The waste reprocessing is considered as the 3rd component of the solid waste management process which is expected to be carried out within the frames of the community-private sector cooperation at the expense of private investments. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has been re-elected to a second year in office. With all votes counted, the conservative had 56 percent of the vote against 44 percent for the leftist-backed Stavros Malas, Reuters reports. Cyprus Mail reported that the president vowed to continue attempts to unite the island. A new day dawns tomorrow which requires unity, because that is required to move forward, Anastasiades told cheering crowds in downtown Nicosia. I will continue to be a president for all Cypriots. Tonight, there are no winners or losers, there is (only) a Cyprus for all of us, he said, as quoted by Reuters. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. On February 6, in accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh, the OSCE Mission will conduct a planned monitoring of the ceasefire regime on the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, to the north-west from Seysulan village of the Martakert region, the Artsakh foreign ministry told Armenpress. From the positions of the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh, the monitoring will be conducted by Field Assistants to the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (CiO) Ghenadie Petrica (Moldova) and Ognjen Jovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), as well as staff member of the Office of the CiO Personal Representative Martin Schuster (Germany). From the opposite side of the Line of Contact, the monitoring will be conducted by Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk and his Field Assistant Mihail Olaru (Moldova). The authorities of the Republic of Artsakh have expressed their readiness to assist in conducting the monitoring and to ensure the security of the OSCE Mission members. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. An Iranian court sentenced a person to imprisonment on charges of espionage for the USA and a European country, Mehr reports. The spy, who had met with American intelligence officers nine times for transferring information on Irans nuclear program to the US and a European country, has been sentenced to six years imprisonment and confiscation of all financial means gained through the espionage, Tehran prosecution announced. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government plans to provide subventions in 2018 to communities for economic and social infrastructure development, deputy minister of territorial administration and development Varazdat Karapetyan told ARMENPRESS. He said that up to 60% of the total value of economic infrastructure development projects can be co-finances by the government, with up to 40% planned for social infrastructures kindergartens, cultural homes etc. The new subvention procedure concerns only 2018, he said, adding that communities can apply to the government if they are preparing programs on capital spending. The government is ready to co-finance 60-40 and 40-60 ratio for economic and social infrastructure development respectively, he said. The process aims at encouraging communities to increase capital spending in their total budgets as much as possible. Bids for subvention are accepted until the end of March. The full article is available in Armenian By Lilit Demuryan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning on how alcohol use can cause certain cancer diseases. The article was dedicated to World Cancer Day February 4. WHO mentioned that scientists had earlier discovered that alcohol intake can cause at least seven types of cancer. WHO says the main cancer causing threat in alcohol is ethanol which destroys the cells in the body and increases the danger of causing tumors. Simultaneous tobacco and alcohol use increases the risk of cancer several times. WHO mentioned that there is low awareness in the public about the connection between cancer and alcohol use. By Tim Huelskamp - By ending the Obama war on fossil fuels, President Trump has boldly reasserted Americas leadership in the world. As Americans, we are extremely fortunate to live in a country blessed with an abundance of energy resources. We have the largest coal reserves in the world, more oil reserves than Saudi Arabia or Russia, and the worlds fourth-largest natural gas reserves. Thanks to the Trump administration which has dedicated its efforts to achieving energy dominance, and thus energy freedom those resources are being utilized to Americas benefit, as well as to the benefit of freedom around the world. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 3, ARMENPRESS. The letter which was sent to Istanbul authorities regarding the holding of patriarchal elections in the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul in Turkey has remained unanswered. The steering committee dealing with organizing the elections has applied to court for further proceedings, Agos told ARMENPRESS. Under the law, the government must give either an affirmative or negative response to applications in within defined periods. The application on holding patriarchal elections was submitted to the governor of Istanbul , who in turn had to transfer it to the ministry of interior, and then to the council of ministers. The council is the decision maker, but the chain begins from the governors office. Since the letter was left unanswered, the road of court interference is opened in this case, Bagrat Estukyan from Agos said. The court hasnt yet set a session date. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Clear weather and high temperatures are forecast for the upcoming five days in Armenia. Gagik Surenyan, director of the meteorology center of Hydromet Service (ministry of emergency situations), told ARMENPRESS no cold air currents are expected. Temperature will rise by 5-7 degrees in February 5. Clear weather is forecast for Yerevan in the afternoon of February 5, and from February 6 to 10. Daytime temperature in the capital will range from 11 to 14 degrees Celsius. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. The US started withdrawing its troops deployed in Iraq after completing the active stage of fight against the Islamic State terrorist group, Associated Press reports citing the coalition representatives. According to them, the US troops, weapons and equipment are transported from Iraq to Afghanistan. According to the Iraqi sources the coalition for the first time reached an agreement on withdrawal of the US troops during the military operations against terrorists which lasted more than three years. There is no exact data on the number of troops. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Ali Karimli, head of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, an opposition party, has commented on president Ilham Aliyevs latest decision to hold early presidential elections in the country, Turan reports. According to the opposition leader, Ilham Aliyev wants to be re-elected for the 4th time, which is unacceptable for the opposition. The father and son Aliyevs are leading the country for factually 45 years, which contradicts the principles of a republic. Ilham Aliyev knew that the opposition was planning to have long term campaigns against electoral fraud, and he called for snap elections to deprive the opposition from the opportunity of protesting and demanding transparent and democratic elections Karimli said. Arif Gajili, head of another opposition party, Musavat, said Aliyev gave the order to extend his term is office for another 7 years. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan congratulated the President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades on being re-elected, the Presidents Office said. In a telegram sent on February 5 to his Cypriot counterpart, President Sargsyan wished Anastasiades health and successes in the implementation of the high mission of the president. Armenia highly appreciated the continuous strenghening of Armenian-Cypriot intergovernmental relations, based on identical values and mutual warm ties of our peoples, both in bilateral and multilateral formats. Certainly, high level mutual visits and active political dialogue contribute to this, which are a good tradition between our countries. I am sure that we will continue to work in the same spirit and advance the mutually beneficial cooperation for the benefit of our countries and peoples, President Sargsyan said in the telegram. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Turkish authorities continue arresting people who are protesting the countrys military intervention in Afrin, Syria, in an operation known as Operation Olive Branch, Diken reports. According to the Turkish interior ministry, 449 people were arrested for making social media posts about the operation. In addition, 124 people were arrested for holding street protests on the military intervention. All of the arrested are charged for propaganda of terrorism. Until now, the Turkish military has announced it has lost 9 soldiers, but the Kurdish side claims the actual number to be much higher. According to a UK based Syrian Center of Human Rights Studies, 68 civilians, including 21 children have been killed as a result of the Turkish intervention. Syria condemned Turkish actions, mentioning that Afrin is an inseparable part of the country. In January 2018, the Turkish military began an operation in the Kurdish-majority Afrin Canton and the Tel Rifaat Area of Shahba Canton in Northern Syria. Turkey code-named the operation as Operation Olive Branch. In the pretext of fighting terror, Turkey is actually targeting the Kurdish population. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. The sole surviving suspect from the 2015 Paris terror attacks has gone on trial at a Belgian court over the gun fight that led to his arrest, BBC reports. "I do not wish to answer any questions," he said when asked to confirm his identity. Abdeslam has refused to speak to investigators since his March 2016 arrest. He is not expected to go on trial in France until 2020 at the earliest. The charges he now faces in Brussels are not related to events in Paris, but to a shootout he had with police while on the run in Belgium. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Armenia-Switzerland business meeting kicked off in Yerevan, reports Armenpress. The meeting, which is being held within the frames of official visit of Dominique de Buman, President of the National Council of Switzerland (lower house of the parliament), and has been organized by the Development Foundation of Armenia (DFA), is attended by 35 businessmen from the two countries who represent the spheres of information technologies, winemaking, tourism and transportation. Vice Prime Minister of Armenia Vache Gabrielyan delivered opening remarks at the meeting, stating that Switzerland is an important country for Armenia in the context of both the relations and the business models. I want the discussions of this meeting to be productive and substantial so that to have an opportunity to study all advantages the economies of the two countries provide. I want to highlight the role of the structures, in particular, that of the Armenian-Swiss chamber of commerce and industry, the parliamentary friendship groups which assist this cooperation as much as possible, the Vice PM said. He stated that Switzerland reached many achievements in science, industry and other fields The Vice PM is confident that Armenia as well has many offers to the Swiss partners. Armenia has a history, an interesting position, as well as it is engaged in such trade regimes which provide the country unique advantages. In his turn Dominique de Buman said he visited Armenia for the first time 10 years ago. The Swiss official now sees and assesses the positive progress in Armenias economic field. This should allow Armenia to have such a situation so that people will stay here, he said, highlighting the fields of solar energy, winemaking, tourism in the context of bilateral cooperation. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Armen Sarkissian, Armenian Ambassador to the UK, the candidate for the President of Armenia nominated by the Republican Party, met with the Armenian community representatives in the St. Yeghiche Armenian Church in London, reports Armenpress. The meeting aimed at exchanging views with the British-Armenian community. Let us remind that during the meeting with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, Armen Sarkissian, before accepting the proposal of being nominated for the post of the President, attached importance to the meetings with different circles and the Diaspora representatives. The meeting with the British-Armenian community representatives was not a coincidence since for many years these community representatives communicated and cooperated with Armen Sarkissian as an individual, scientist and Ambassador for different occasions, supporting his activity and at the same time receiving his practical support in implementation of different programs. Armen Sarkissian said before assuming the high responsibility trusted him it was necessary to consult with this big Armenian family. He drew the attention of the meeting participants on the fact that by the adoption of the new Constitution the presidential powers underwent some changes as Armenia transitions to a parliamentary system of governance. He highlighted the active participation of Armenian citizens in the process of building a democratic country and solving the issues facing the country, as well as the further deepening and strengthening of Armenia-Diaspora ties. After his remarks Armen Sarkissian asked the participants to express their opinions and issues of concern. Many of the participants stated that Armen Sarkissian with human and professional terms can fully demonstrate himself in this position, and the existing broad ties and opportunities can serve for the benefit of the Homeland. The British-Armenian community expressed its support to Armen Sarkissian and urged him to take an action and move forward the honorable work for the welfare of the Homeland. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. The Armenia-Switzerland business meeting, which kicked off in Yerevan on February 5, is the first with its format, but not the last one, Armen Avak Avakian Executive Director of the Development Foundation of Armenia (DFA), told reporters, Armenpress reports. The expectations should be logical: I can state that this is a good beginning. The expectations are mainly linked with the meetings, contacts with the Armenian and Swiss companies in such atmosphere. In 2017, compared to 2016, the trade turnover volume between Armenia and Switzerland increased by 3.5 times: in particular, the export to Switzerland increased by nearly 30%. We are a member of the Eurasian Economic Union and at the same time have a GSP+ regime with the European Union, we have opened the Free Economic Zone on the border with Iran and can act as a platform by combining these three sides with each other, the DFA Executive Director said. President of the Armenian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce Mike Baronian said Swiss are mainly interested in Armenian wines, tourism and solar energy production. According to him, the Armenia-EU new agreement is undoubtedly important for the Swiss companies. Armenia-Switzerland business meeting kicked off in Yerevan. The meeting, which is being held within the frames of official visit of Dominique de Buman, President of the National Council of Switzerland (lower house of the parliament), and has been organized by the Development Foundation of Armenia (DFA), is attended by 35 businessmen from the two countries who represent the spheres of information technologies, winemaking, tourism and transportation. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. The foreign ministry of the Netherlands has officially recalled its Ambassador to Turkey on February 5, the local public TV reported. The report said the recalling is a formality, since the Ambassador has left Ankara back in March of 2017. In addition, the Hague said they wont accept the appointment of the new Turkish ambassador. The relations between the countries were strained when the Netherlands refused entry of Turkish officials who wanted to campaign in the country among the local ethnic Turkish population ahead of the 2017 constitutional referendum. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. The ministry of emergency situations and the Save The Children International Armenia Office signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation on February 5 in Yerevan. Ministry chief of staff Gagik Hayrapetyan and representative director of Save The Children Armenia Astghik Movsisyan signed the document. Under the memorandum, the sides aim to provide safe and healthy educational environment for the children, focusing on education of disaster risk reduction. By ensuring the duly realization of the national strategy of disaster risk reduction in Armenia, to unite efforts and combine actions. Hayrapetyan mentioned that the ministry attaches importance to the mission of Save The Children in Armenia. The main actions under the document will be formation of a single system of disaster risk reduction, education on the matter as well as the protection of childrens rights. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Ara Babloyan and Swiss National Council President Dominique de Buman attended on February 5 the opening of new factory of Avan Salt Plant in Yerevan. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the National Assembly of Armenia, the project was implemented by the joint efforts of Armenia and Switzerland. The German side has also made some contribution. Ara Babloyan and Dominique de Buman toured in the newly opened factory, got acquainted with the working process and conditions. The Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia congratulated on another successful Armenian-Swiss joint project, and noted that its another clear demonstration of developing relations between the two states and activation of business relations. The participation of our Swiss partners in the economic life of Armenia shows that there are favorable conditions in our country for doing business, Babloyan said, adding that the Armenian-Swiss business forum in Armenia will give new impetus to future cooperation. The President of the National Council of the Swiss Confederation thanked on behalf of his delegation for the successful implementation of the Armenian-Swiss joint project. Following the opening ceremony of Avan Salt Plant Dominique de Buman participated in Armenian-Swiss business forum. YEREVAN, 5 FEBUARY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 5 February, USD exchange rate is up by 0.54 drams to 481.58 drams. EUR exchange rate is down by 0.58 drams to 600.00 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate is down by 0.03 drams to 8.52 drams. GBP exchange rate is down by 4.10 drams to 679.70 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price is down by 134.64 drams to 20610.4 drams. Silver price is down by 0.56 drams to 265.3 drams. Platinum price is up by 32.78 drams to 15436.71 drams. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian received newly appointed Ambassador of Malta to Armenia Natasha Meli Daudey (residence in Warsaw) on February 5. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of MFA Armenia, congratulating and wishing success to Natasha Meli Daudey, Minister Nalbandian hoped that the newly appointed Ambassador will contribute to the expansion and strengthening of Armenia-Malta relations. Thanking for the reception and warm wishes, Ambassador Daudey assured that she will spare no efforts to give new impetus to the relations of the two countries. Recalling the meeting with Maltese Foreign Minister Carmelo Abela last December, Minister Nalbandian expressed confidence that the agreements will be brought into life and will foster political dialogue, cooperation in international organizations, activation of inter-parliamentary, trade and cultural relations. The sides noted that the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between Armenia and the EU opens new perspectives for deepening cooperation both on bilateral and multilateral formats. Minister Nalbandian informed the Ambassador on the latest developments over Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement and the joint efforts of Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair countries aimed at reaching an exclusively peaceful settlement. BERLIN, DEOne topic that has fascinated historians, sex researchers and porn fetish fans is that of German pornography in the pre- and post-WWII eras. Many will have seen the Tinto Brass classic Salon Kitty, which deals with the famous Berlin brothel of that name, which served as an arm of the Nazi SS in both information gathering and keeping wartime leaders sexually satisfied, and some may have read Mel Gordon's exhaustive (and profusely illustrated) study Voluptuous Panic: The Erotic World of Weimar Berlin (Feral House), which deals with German brothels and much, much more. But now, Goliath Books has released its own sexual treasure-trove, History of German Porn, another profusely illustrated volume whose images are taken from the Gretchen Kraut Archives and features rarely seen vintage photos from the early days of German porn photography in the 19th century through the lascivious '20s, from the crazy 1930s to the Swinging Sixties. According to Goliath, "Germans are not really famous for their great passions or pleasures. For centuries, nobody believed that the Germans might indeed, have a very intimate relationship with pornography. After the war, porn was happily transferred outdoors, to Scandinavia, generously partaking in the nude bathing cult. Or it was banned in the German Democratic Republic, where allegedly, women were more willing than in the West. There was however still something left of the good old German wanderlust, spiced up with a little sado-masochism. The Nazis had turned nude culture, which after all had been Germanic, having been invented in Germany, into erotic machinery. All steel-hard boys and Arian women, always willing to do what they were asked to do. Germany militarized the erotic, which was permitted to remain pornographic abroad. The time had come for Germans, characterized by war-time rape and a greatly reduced male population, to put their past skeletons in the closet. "Indeed, the Germans had lost something very important," it continues. "This book shows what they lost: the legendary roaring twenties, when after World War I they shook off the senselessness of the Age of the Kaiser like a drunken stupor. It was the time when photography commenced its victory march, and dared all, without shame. Only the sexual revolution and the simultaneous invention of video reopened the floodgates to the rest of the world. Today, everything is united by the dream of a time in Germany which not even the Germans seem to understand. It is the global myth, telling us about the first half of the 20th century, when the erotic vaudeville theatres in Munich, Berlin and Hamburg were fucking-full with exciting ladies, for the high society who could afford it. A lot of sexual experimentation was going on then, despite the censoring and the vice police, when the Germans shed uniforms and corsets to take a breath of fresh morning air." History of German Porn consists of 200 photos, almost all from one private collection, which show these sparkling bygone days; that heady time when porn photos were still sensational and daring, coquettish and provoking, hot but most of all: prohibited. Indeed, little is left to the imagination in this collection, and it's one that will engross anyone interested in the history of sex in media, not to mention those who wonder what kind of sexuality could flourish within a culture that produced two world wars and a fascist political philosophy that continues to plague the world even today. History of German Porn / ISBN 978-3-936709-37-7 / $29.95 / 16.99 / 19.90 is available at GoliathBooks.com. Scottish biscuits supplier Border has switched from a seven-day week to a five-day one under a new production schedule. The business, which has a 16.5m turnover, said the revamped production schedule gave its 150 staff weekends off and a better work-life balance. Until last month, the Borders factory in Lanark operated a rota that meant employees shifts changed weekly and included Saturdays and Sundays. Border has now changed to a five-day week, under which staff work one of two eight-hour shifts each weekday between 6am and 10pm. The company said this allowed employees to have weekends off while benefiting from increased pay, and provided stability and consistency as staff were split into smaller set working groups of 10 to 15. It also meant the business now had time at weekends for deep-cleaning and any required engineering works, said the company. People are the heart and soul of our operation and the changes aim to provide a better work-life balance for all of our employees, said production manager Elaine Bone. Almost a third of my colleagues have been at the company for at least 10 years, so the new shift system is a great way to start the New Year and recognise the team for all of their hard work and dedication. Founded in 1984, the independently owned, family-run business produces a range of 21 different biscuit varieties, in packaging formats including mini packs, sharing packs and gifting products. In November, Warburtons said it would have the opportunity to introduce new working patterns after agreeing a landmark deal with the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU). The business, producer of Britains biggest bread brand, said the move would enable it to meet changing consumer demand while improving the long-term security of its staff. But it's not the end of the Mueller investigation. In fact, the memo provides evidence that if President Trump were to fire Mueller, he'd be doing so on the false pretense that the entire investigation was predicated on a Hillary/DOJ/FBI/Obama nexus of coordination. The memo itself disproves that notion. With that said, the Democrats' attempts to stifle the memo on national security grounds appear to have been totally and completely specious and ridiculous to boot.So, here's what you need to know about the memo, if its allegations are true.1. The FBI and DOJ lied to the FISA Court about the grounds for a warrant on Trump foreign policy advisor Carter Page. According to the memo, the Fusion GPS dossier, compiled by Christopher Steele and paid for by the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee, was the central basis for the FISA warrant against Page. But that dossier was obviously biased - and that information was never turned over to the FISA court. The memo states, "The application does not mention Steele was ultimately working on behalf of - and paid by - the DNC and Clinton campaign, or that the FBI had separately authorized payment to Steele for the same information." Furthermore, the FBI did not independently verify the claims of the Steele dossier in any serious way before seeking the FISA warrant. Those involved in the application include current deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, which is likely why President Trump refused to rule out firing him today.2. The media helped garner the warrant. The Carter Page FISA application apparently cited a Yahoo News article that was based on leaks from Steele to the news outlet. But that was not independent corroborating evidence of the Steele dossier - it was a repetition of the information Steele was disseminating. Steele was later suspended and terminated from the FBI for "an unauthorized disclosure to the media of his relationship with the FBI."3. Steele didn't like Trump, but this information wasn't included in the FISA application either. According to the memo, Steele told associate deputy attorney general Bruce Ohr that he was "desperate that Donald Trump not get elected and was passionate about him not being president." Ohr didn't report that in the FISA application, nor was information that Ohr's wife worked for Fusion GPS on compiling opposition research on Trump revealed to the FISA Court.4. Most importantly, the Carter Page application was NOT the launching point of the Trump-Russia collusion investigation. This is the most important point. If the Page FISA warrant had been the centerpiece and launching point of the investigation, Trump might have grounds to shut the whole thing down - Trump could claim, rightly, that the FBI, DOJ, and Hillary campaign worked together to trump up these charges, and then weaponized our intelligence and law enforcement community against him. But the memo itself states that "The Page FISA application also mentions information regarding fellow Trump campaign advisor George Papadopoulos. ...The Papadopoulos information triggered the opening of an FBI counterintelligence investigation in late July 2016 by FBI agent Pete Strzok." The memo points out that Strzok was also anti-Trump, but provides no evidence that the Papadopoulos investigation was biased - and that would be hard to prove, since Papadopoulos has now pled guilty to lying to the FBI. So the notion of the Mueller investigation as a sort of "fruit of the poisonous tree" springing from Page is undercut by the memo.5. This memo doesn't endanger national security. It's nearly impossible to see how this memo endangers national security. Democrats can't express a clear reason. The FBI can't. The DOJ can't. Which makes it look as though they were all covering their asses in an attempt to avoid culpability for an attempted political hit on Trump.So, here's where we are: the FBI and DOJ clearly cut corners in an effort to push forward the Trump-Russia investigation. They worked with Fusion GPS materials to do so, and didn't tell the FISA court. And then they apparently fibbed to the American people about the supposed risks to the intelligence community if the public found out about their original lies by omission. But the Page warrant isn't the entirety of the investigation, and attempts to take down the entire investigation based on this memo will be a wild oversell. Now that it is fully apparent, to all who have the ability to pay some modicum of attention, that Imposter President Biden has extreme cognitive issues, in addition to being an inveterate liar: Can OUR Republic continue with this Executive Office that has completely failed, so many times, on far too many issues here at this early date in this abysmal presidency? No, Joseph R. Biden is completely unqualified, morally and cognitively, to represent real Americans, and lead this Republic of disparate peoples. Yes, Joseph R. Biden has started whispering again, even softer now than before; so, I know he still cares, plus, OUR media will soon stop reporting on Afghanistan in favor of OUR Socialist issues. In June 2017 the North Carolina General Assembly requested that the state's university system conduct a thorough analysis of its diversity and inclusion efforts as part of an ongoing assessment of programs' cost efficiency and performance.Within three months from now, the legislature will receive a report that catalogs the system's diversity procedures rather than criticizes its deficiencies. Should the legislature accept the report's conclusions, diversity jobs will be safe from scrutiny even while university costs continue to climb.To the researchers who conducted the report , every job and program within the entire system's diversity apparatus appeared too essential to cut. Furthermore, both the report and the reaction of the UNC system leaders suggest a system that is self-satisfied and resistant to common-sense efficiency measures. A critical eye on campus activities-and how officials spend public money-is sadly missing from the report.The UNC general administration hired Conduent HR Consulting to create the report, who then presented it during the UNC system Board of Governors' Committee on Personnel and Tenure meeting on January 25. It exposed a sprawling $16.6 million system-wide diversity apparatus, not including employee benefits. This apparatus includes 198 institution-specific policies, 11 system-wide policies, 527 programs, and 273 salaried positions.Furthermore, that $16.6 million may be dwarfed by the downstream inefficiencies resulting from all the policies and programs. The public has so far lacked information on how useful this activity is or how much students benefit. Unfortunately, the report provides little insight on program effectiveness, as few measurements are in place.Much of the discussion during the personnel and tenure meeting focused on the benefits of diversity. Chancellor Harold Martin of North Carolina A&T University argued that diversity is crucial to enrollment and it makes graduates stronger candidates to prospective employers.Nor did defenders of diversity efforts limit its benefits to economic factors. UNC system leaders see it as crucial to the system's overall success.said Chancellor Randy Woodson of NC State.However, those comments fail to address fundamental concerns. For one, if diversity is so important for the success of the UNC system, wise and meaningful oversight of diversity policies is crucial. The lack of evaluation in the UNC system for its diversity efforts is worrisome.To be sure, much of the diversity apparatus is off-limits to state legislators. Half of diversity personnel salary costs-$7.3 million-are spent on compliance duties mandated by law, and almost $400,000 of the non-personnel costs are compliance-related. But even though the system is stuck with those costs mandated by the federal government or accrediting agencies, the other half is subject to the authority of either the Board of Governors or the state legislature and is therefore eligible for possible elimination.Still, elimination of anything was not considered by the reports' authors. The report instead gave seven recommendations for improvement that emphasized consolidating accountability under one person at each university, creating system-wide standards and measurements, centralizing information, and using the UNC system to provide greater support and guidance for the universities.While the recommendations may improve the processes behind diversity efforts, they are underwhelming. Standardization, centralized accountability, and, especially, more measurement are all welcome suggestions. However, the recommendations do not go far enough. The report noted that a unified data-tracking system could reduce costs, but it did not recommend cutting or consolidating any positions or structures within the diversity framework: no job or program was considered unnecessary.During the Board's meeting, Governor Marty Kotis asked,The report recommended that the way to find the return on investment is to embrace "specific objectives, success measures, and timelines for their achievement." Yet it may be that much of the diversity agenda defies the sort of measurement needed to accurately gauge ROI. Only 10 percent of the 198 policies reviewed in the report had specific metrics to gauge their success. Of the 527 programs in the analysis, only 47 percent had outcomes or metrics included for success or failure.The report acknowledged that many metrics were vague and "almost none are quantitative in nature." The lack of evaluation can be seen in Appendix D of the report, where it gives the cost analysis detail of diversity programs-and most entries for measuring a program's impact are blank. Even the scant data that does exist is not standardized for meaningful analysis.Concerns about disruption, finding specialized skills needed to fill diversity-related jobs, and possible negative responses from students and staff alike pushed the researchers away from recommending dramatic change. Researchers were also pessimistic about reducing costs:A second problem with diversity programs is that the lengths universities go to create a tolerant culture for some students may harm public trust and a true sense of fairness. During the committee meeting, Governor William Webb expressed concern about proposals such as one by a diversity officer at NC State who wanted an all-black women's dormitory.he asked.A lack of oversight for such over-reaching diversity programs as the one described by Webb could make a university liable to legal sanctions for violating students' basic Constitutional rights. And Governor Steven Long noted thatAnd finally, even the most efficient diversity programs are prone to another extremely serious problem. Without intense scrutiny on how campus diversity officials promote their missions, such programs can become politicized venues that demand conformity to narrow and dogmatic belief systems. A public university should stick to its mission as an institution that promotes scholarship and open inquiry, rather than an arena for activists to reward or punish young adults as they see fit.It seems that the report followed the letter of the law passed by the General Assembly, but not the spirit. It is an index of the reach of diversity across the UNC system, rather than a serious investigation that asks important questions such as whether the UNC system's diversity initiatives are improving outcomes for the students it targets-or creating a tolerant campus culture. Even the Board of Governors-with some exceptions-seemed content to repeat platitudes about the importance of diversity instead of delving into the report's inadequacies.Under-represented students may benefit from diversity efforts, but, given the report's superficial treatment, and given the measurement problems, UNC system leaders are not watching diversity programs closely enough to determine whether that is the case. They are not digging into discretionary spending to determine what diversity efforts are useless. Every dollar spent on useless activity is a dollar not spent on useful activity. Or assistance that boosts graduation rates. Or frugality that lowers tuition and fees. The Board has a responsibility to hold system policies and programs accountable and demand results. The report they were given offers useful recommendations, but it does not go far enough in trimming the fat from programs-or asking for success.The reluctance to recommend a single personnel cut or to ask basic questions highlights the need for the General Assembly and the Board of Governors to conduct investigations independent of the university system rather than relying on the UNC administration-which is often more interested in budgetary self-preservation than exposing its own inefficiencies. Remarks by President Trump at Customs and Border Protection Roundtable Press Release: Border Patrol National Targeting Center Sterling, Virginia SECRETARY NIELSEN: Well, Mr. President, thank you very much for coming to the National Targeting Center. It's my honor to introduce you to some of the men and women who work here and work in executing your mission to protect our country. THE PRESIDENT: Great. SECRETARY NIELSEN: As you heard on the watch floor, we have about 70 terrorists a day that we see trying to get here through some method of transportation. That's 500 a week, 2,000 a year. So needless to say, these men and women are very busy every day watching, not just cargo, but passengers and other sorts of traffic. What we wanted to do today was just go around a little bit and give you a sense of the challenges that we face, and how you, in your recent framework (inaudible) this to Congress, and help us to (inaudible) ways to solve those problems. As you know, last year, you asked the men and women of DHS, "How can we make our country more secure and what is it that you need to do that?" THE PRESIDENT: Right. SECRETARY NIELSEN: The framework, we thank you for, and thank you for your leadership. It does just that. We are very confident that the border security measures and the efforts to close the loopholes will give us the tools that we need. So without further ado, I wanted to turn it over to the Acting Commissioner of CBP, who will tell us a little bit more about the challenges we face at the border. MR. MCALEENAN: Thanks. Good to see you, sir. Mr. President, I'd like to set the stage a little bit with our illegal activity numbers at the border from last year, which really tell the story of why we need to continue to invest in border security, as well as closing the legal loopholes in our immigration system. The numbers that you see here, sir, you can see the arrests at the border of people trying to cross illegally; they dropped dramatically early in your administration after your Inauguration. The intelligence and interviews we've conducted indicate that that was because concern that the enforcement posture had changed at the border under your leadership. As you can see, we had a low of about 10,000 back in April of this year. But we've started to see the numbers come up each month, and especially in two significant portions of this population: family units and unaccompanied children. The other factor we've seen is an increasing number coming to our ports of entry. Not even trying to cross the border illegally, but coming to our ports and presenting and claiming asylum in that route. This is due to the fact that these groups can take advantage of loopholes in our legislation, court decisions, as well congestion in the asylum and immigration court processes that my colleagues here will give you a briefing on. At the same time, and very concerningly, we've seen a marked increase in hardened smugglers attempting to bring hard narcotics across our borders and into our communities. And we've had increases that you can see here in every category - cocaine; heroin; methamphetamines, significantly; and, obviously, fentanyl - a very significantly potent, synthetic opioid that's involved in so many overdoses in the United States. The last number I'd like to show you, sir, is we've had a 45 percent increase in assaults on the men and women protecting our border - the law enforcement personnel risking themselves every day to protect our citizens. THE PRESIDENT: Why is that? Why? How come? MR. MCALEENAN: Well, we think there's two reasons. One, we've got this increase in narcotics. We've gotten more effective at securing our border, and so we're dealing with a more determined, a more sophisticated, and a more dangerous population with these smugglers crossing, at the same time as we're seeing this increased flow of families and unaccompanied children. So we really believe these dual trends require investments both in smart border security, like a border wall system, but also closing the legal loopholes that we face in our immigration - THE PRESIDENT: And where are the drugs coming from? Mostly the cocaine, heroin, meth - where's it coming from? MR. MCALEENAN: The cocaine is produced in South America. THE PRESIDENT: Which particular country? MR. MCALEENAN: In Colombia and Peru, primarily. Trafficked up through Central America or on maritime means into Mexico, and coming across our land border, primarily. We also see significant heroin production in Mexico, with opium poppy growth in Mexico, then produced. And then the fentanyl and the synthetics are coming from China, usually through our land border or through mail and express consignment. Those are the vectors we need to shut down. And it's both between ports of entry with Border Patrol, but also at our ports of entry with CBP officers. THE PRESIDENT: And what are Mexico and Colombia and these other countries - what are they doing about it? Nothing? MR. MCALEENAN: Actually, sir, we're partnering closely with these governments to increase their effectiveness. In Mexico, in particular - THE PRESIDENT: Do you think they're really trying? MR. MCALEENAN: Well, I think we've had a significant improvement in our dialogue and in our effectiveness with Mexican law enforcement and the military in the last year. THE PRESIDENT: Good. SECRETARY NIELSEN: You've actually just signed the INTERDICT Act, which we thank you for. That's very helpful. And we continue to work with Congress on additional authorities, particularly on the fentanyl issue with the mail. THE PRESIDENT: Yeah. SECRETARY NIELSEN: So thank you, Kevin. THE PRESIDENT: That's a big issue. MR. MCALEENAN: Sure. Thank you. THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. SECRETARY NIELSEN: Before we turn it over to the Acting Director of ICE, I just wanted to introduce the President to give him an opportunity to give some remarks. And then we'll go back and talk more about enforcement. THE PRESIDENT: Okay, I will. And this is quite a facility. Actually incredible. I'd love the media to take a look at that, and maybe you can show them - unless there's some reason you can't - but it'd be just as an overall glance. I will say to the press, what I've just seen is pretty incredible. Pretty incredible. Too bad we need it, but we need it. There's no doubt about it. The National Targeting Center has really - we've really put a lot behind it, and we are going to be putting a lot more behind it. You hear - just from what you've heard right now, it's a very big subject. And it's something, if we don't watch it, it's going to get worse and it's going to get out of control. We're not going to let that happen. I think one of the keys to stopping the drugs is very tough on the pushers and the drug dealers. I think we can have all the blue ribbon committees with all of our friends and all of the people on the wonderful blue ribbon committee, but I'm not a believer in blue ribbon committees. I think you need tough - really tough enforcement. And you need to get tough on the pushers, and you have to get tough on the dealers - beyond tough. The tougher the better. The officials here today each took an oath defend his country or her country. As Congress considers immigration reforms, these are the most important voices for us to listen to, by far. These are the men and women that really know what's happening and that know how to keep America safe. They're real professionals. I was just with them. They're real professionals. And, again, I hope you can get at least a glimpse of that incredible room. SECRETARY NIELSEN: Yes, it's very nice. THE PRESIDENT: That is some room with a lot of great people. That's why today we've opened this meeting to the cameras and to the media. I know you don't like to be here, but here we are together. And nobody is going to shout out any questions, I know that. So I just - I welcome the media. I want the media to hear this because this is a big, big problem, and it takes a big solution to solve a big problem. The lawmakers can also hear the truth through you. We're going for big funding, and we're going to be expanding these buildings - not only this building, but these buildings. In their presentation today, you'll hear everyone explain the reforms that they need from Congress, including securing the border - that's also a wall. A real wall, not a little wall like some people said, "Let's just build a little wall." They have them; they don't work. You need a real wall that will work 99.9 percent - securing the border, closing loopholes, ending chain migration, and canceling the visa lottery. I assume everyone agrees with that, right? I know you agree with it, though. I know that for a fact. These are men and women who are really charged with keeping out criminals, stopping terrorists, interdicting narcotics, and protecting our workers and our taxpayers - protecting Americans. I want to thank you all for being here. I want to thank you for the incredible job you've been doing. It's tough, and you don't get a lot of backup from Congress or from different parties. I will tell you, the Republican Party is with you 100 percent. We really want to get this solved. We want strong borders. We want to give you laws. We want to stop the catch-and-release nonsense that goes on. You catch somebody, and you release them. And you know they're bad. You look at the numbers where they're coming from, Kevin. They're coming in - they're pouring in from other - El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, all over. They're just pouring into our country. And we've stopped it, but the laws make it very tough. If we had the right laws passed in Congress, your job would be - SECRETARY NIELSEN: Much easier. THE PRESIDENT: One-hundred percent easier. I mean, it would be a whole different job. But we have jobs where, if you catch somebody, you can't do anything. We have court systems that don't work. We have everything bad, and we're going to make everything good. And that's what we're here for, and that's what we've been working on very hard. And I think with you, Secretary, we're going to get there. We're going to get there fast. So I just want to let you know that the Trump administration is with you folks 100 percent. You have not been backed up properly, and everybody knows it. For political reasons, for lots of different reasons. But the Trump administration is with you. We're going to clean up our borders. We're going to have great people come into our country. They're going to come in based on merit. They're going to come in for lots of good reasons. But we're going to have great people coming to our - we're going to stop what's going on. We're going to stop it fast, and we're already stopping it to an extent. But we are going to stop it. And the big thing is we have to stop with the drugs. Because you go down to any law enforcement agency, you go down to the precincts, and you say, what percentage of your crime is drug-related? And it's usually numbers like 70, 75, 80 percent. It's just a massive number. And these countries are not our friends. You know, we think they're our friends and we send them massive aid. And I won't mention names right now, but I look at these countries, I look at the numbers we send them - we send them massive aid and they're pouring drugs into our country and they're laughing at us. So I'm not a believer in that. I want to stop the aid. I want to stop the aid. If they can't stop drugs from coming in - because they could stop them a lot easier than us. They say, "Oh, we can't control it." Oh great, we're supposed to control it. So we give them billions and billions of dollars and they don't do what they're supposed to be doing. And they know that. But we're going to take a very harsh action. So Secretary, you take over. I'd like to hear from the rest of your people. SECRETARY NIELSEN: Yes, thank you. So, we have just a quick - to follow up on what Kevin said and what you just said, sir - some graphics on how border walls work. That's the bottom line. We've seen it, we have evidence, we know that they work. THE PRESIDENT: Good. SECRETARY NIELSEN: We're going to build you one. THE PRESIDENT: Good. SECRETARY NIELSEN: So we're working with Congress. You've just requested a $25 billion trust fund. We have a very specific and targeted way in which we will use that money to build a border wall system. Just not just that infrastructure, but the technology and personnel that go with it. THE PRESIDENT: Okay. SECRETARY NIELSEN: And then to your second point, we're going to turn over to Acting Director Homan of ICE. As you know, the loopholes that Tom faces, day in and day out, and our officers do is the fact that, once we apprehend somebody, we have difficulty under the current laws and loopholes detaining them and then removing them from the country. And that's going to stop. THE PRESIDENT: Will this be cleared up by the legislation we're potentially working if we can get the Democrats to approve anything, you know? It's pretty tough. They can't even approve citizenship, okay? They can't approve anything. But if we can get them to approve something, will all of this, which we desperately need for the people in this building and for law enforcement - will this be part of it? In Freedom House's 2018 world freedom map, 71 countries registered declines while only 35 saw gains: "emboldened autocrats, beleaguered democracies, and the United States' withdrawal from its leadership role" have created a crisis. Among those slipping into "not free" status were Turkey and the Central African Republic, which each saw dramatic declines of more than 30 percent in the last year, according to Freedom House's criteria. Ukraine, Mali, Nigaragua and Honduras were among those countries slipping from freedom to "partial" freedom. In Europe, Hungary slipped 20 percent, to stand only 2 points within the range of free countries. Tunisia, though, the Arab world's only "free" country, clung to that status despite domestic strife. Democracy faced its most serious crisis in decades in 2017 as its basic tenetsincluding guarantees of free and fair elections, the rights of minorities, freedom of the press, and the rule of lawcame under attack around the world. Perhaps worst of all, and most worrisome for the future, young people, who have little memory of the long struggles against fascism and communism, may be losing faith and interest in the democratic project. The very idea of democracy and its promotion has been tarnished among many, contributing to a dangerous apathy. Most alarming, though, is America's drop to 86/100. Though still well within the range of free countries, it has slipped noticeably behind all those Northern European democracies lurking in the 90s. It's turning into a big crap Italy. In December 2005, NASA lost contact with the IMAGE satellite. After trying to reconnect for two years, the agency gave up. Over a decade later, hobbyist Scott Tilley was able to confirm that IMAGE is not only still in orbit, but also transmitting data. Tilley stumbled on the find while looking for another satellite named Zuma. Via the Washington Post: When Tilley caught a signal after a week of searching, on Jan. 20, he almost ignored it. Whatever it was, it was orbiting much higher than Zuma was supposed to be. There are hundreds of active satellites in space, most of which didn't interest him. "I didn't think of it much more," he wrote on his blog. But as he continued to scan for Zuma, he came across the signal again stronger this time and out of curiosity checked it against a standard catalogue. The signal matched for IMAGE. But IMAGE was supposed to be dead. Tilley had to Google the old satellite to find out what it was, as it had been all but forgotten on Earth. Eventually, he came across a decade-old NASA report on the mission's failure. "Once I read through the failure report and all the geeky language the engineers use, I immediately understood what had happened," Tilley told Canadian Broadcasting Corp. News. Then he rushed to contact NASA himself. NASA's IMAGE RECOVERY Arthur Jones is standing uncontested to be the GOP's candidate in Illinois's 3rd Congressional District, representing suburban Chicago; he has run for office several times on a white-supremacist, Holocaust denial platform, calling the Holocaust "the biggest blackest lie in history." The district is a Democrat so safe that even the hereditary DINO and despicable fool Dan Lipinski has been able to hold it while advocating against abortion, a $15 minimum wage, and marriage equality so perhaps it's not surprising that no one from the GOP wants to bother running except a fringe figure like Jones. Jones is a 70 year old, retired insurance agent who has devoted his life to the causes of Holocaust denial and white supremacy; he is opposed by the Illinois Republican Party, but he will nevertheless be their candidate in the 2018 midterms, because enough people who live in the 3d signed his nomination petition as he doorstopped them to ask for their support. Jones will not seek Trump's support because Trump has a Jewish son-in-law. Jones told the Sun-Times he is a former leader of the American Nazi Party and now heads a group called the America First Committee. "Membership in this organization is open to any white American citizen of European, non-Jewish descent," he said. "Arthur Jones, who proudly displays Holocaust denial, xenophobia and racism on his blog and website, has a long history of hateful, extremist and anti-Semitic views," said Lonnie Nasatir, the regional director of the Anti-Defamation League Chicago-Upper Midwest Region. "For example, in 2009, he protested the opening of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, and continues to espouse absurd conspiracy theories questioning the deaths of millions of Jews. "He has spoken publicly at numerous neo-Nazi rallies and events, expressing xenophobic policies based in racial and religious hatred. He is, by every definition, an anti-Semite and unrepentant bigot." Holocaust denier poised to claim GOP nomination in Illinois race for Congress [Lynn Sweet and Frank Main/Chicago Sun Times] James Conley III (29) went shopping at an Old Navy in West Des Moines, Iowa. When he went to the checkout counter to pay for some items, the clerk asked him if he also wanted to buy the jacket he was wearing. From Conley's Facebook page: The store manager Beau Carter was very unprofessional and stereotyped me because I was a Black male. He says "anytime someone wears Old Navy clothing they have to always scan that customers clothing to insure that it was previously purchased". (Where do they do that at?) Every time I go to this store I have on my same exact winter blue jacket and have never been asked to scan my clothing and the previous "non-black" customers had on identical apparel as me from old navy but was never asked to scan their clothing. Then after they scan my jacket they try to make me repay for it?? Finally the District Manager Shannon (who refused to give out her last name) came out and I made her check the surveillance tape to prove that her and her fellow employees were in the wrong for racially profiling me because of the color of my skin. Once she confirmed that I was telling the truth (after watching the tape) she never came back out to apologize to me nor did the store manager Beau Carter as you can see in my videos below. As a result Old Navy fired three employees at the store. Image by Steve Morgan/Wikipedia, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. News / Africa by BBC South Africa's President Jacob Zuma has defied his party and refused to step down, according to media reports.He and senior members of the African National Congress (ANC) held talks on Sunday but no details of their meeting have been released.Facing corruption allegations, Mr Zuma was replaced as ANC leader in December.Party leaders, who may be trying to oust Mr Zuma before his State of the Nation address later this week, will hold an emergency meeting on Monday.Julius Malema, an opposition leader and former ANC member, said on Twitter that Mr Zuma had been asked to stand down but had refused.Skip Twitter post by @Julius_S_MalemaMr Zuma, who spent time in prison for his part in the fight against apartheid, is most of the way through his second - and last - term as president.Under his rule the civil service has expanded, HIV/Aids rates have decreased, and his plans for development have won support across the political spectrum. But the Zuma presidency has been overshadowed by allegations of corruption and his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, was elected the leader of the ANC party in South Africa in December on an anti-corruption platform.Other unconfirmed reports from Sunday's meeting say that Mr Zuma asked for protection from prosecution for himself and his family.What are the allegations against him?Mr Zuma is accused of corruption, fraud, racketeering, money-laundering and tax evasion.The 18 charges go back to the 1990s and relate to 783 payments made as part of an arms deal.Mr Zuma and other government officials were accused of taking kickbacks from the purchase of fighter jets, patrol boats and other arms.Charges were first brought against Mr Zuma in 2005 but dropped by prosecutors in 2009.Mr Zuma has always denied any wrongdoing.A businessman with links to him, Schabir Shaik, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for soliciting bribes from a French arms company.Last year, the High Court ruled in a case brought by the opposition Democratic Alliance that Mr Zuma should face the charges.Mr Zuma lodged a challenge with the Supreme Court of Appeal but it also ruled that he should face the charges.There is also the prospect of an inquiry into so-called "state capture" - the allegation that a wealthy Indian-born family, the Guptas, has influenced government through a corrupt relationship with Mr Zuma. Both Mr Zuma and the Guptas deny the allegations.What happens next?If Mr Zuma refuses to step down, his party - which is divided on whether he should remain as leader - will face a political challenge in trying to remove him.Party leaders appear to be trying to act before this week's planned State of the Nation address to parliament and before a motion of no confidence a few weeks from now.Analysts say party chiefs want to avoid a power struggle that could split the ANC before elections next year.Before the meeting with Mr Zuma on Sunday, ANC chairman Gwede Mantashe said he wanted to ensure "stability in the country and stability in the ANC".On Monday, as senior figures hold a meeting to decide Mr Zuma's future, protesters both in favour of and opposed to the president will be gathering in Johannesburg.The party could decide to fire him from the presidency. There would be a certain symmetry to this, as he himself became leader of the party before his predecessor as president, Thabo Mbeki, was fired.They are expected to begin the process to remove Mr Zuma through a formal recall or by introducing a motion in parliament.Party leaders would need the support of the 80-member National Executive Committee (NEC) to recall Mr Zuma, so any ouster would happen after they have met later in the week.Mr Zuma is not due to leave office until the 2019 elections. However, the ANC has seen its popularity fall during his second term amid a weakening economy and claims of corruption.Mr Ramaphosa, who as the ANC's new leader is in a strong position to win the 2019 elections, has called for party unity.But correspondents say fears are growing that he and his allies in the ANC may move against Mr Zuma if he refuses to stand aside. News / International by APO LONDON - Minister for Africa Harriett Baldwin visited Zimbabwe on Thursday 1 February and Friday 2 February, on her first overseas visit in her new role as joint Minister for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development.Minister Baldwin met with Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Foreign Minister Sibusiso Moyo to discuss the Zimbabwean government's vision for domestic transformation and international engagement through comprehensive political and economic reforms. As a central plank of this, they discussed the importance of the elections later this year being peaceful, credible, free and fair. Minister Baldwin welcomed the President's commitment to invite international observers from the EU and UN as well as SADC and AU.Minister Baldwin met with Finance Minister Chinamasa and Reserve Bank Governor John Mangudya to discuss the government's plans for clearing debt and normalising relations with the International Financial Institutions. Minister Baldwin welcomed the government's recommitment to the Lima plan and confirmed that the UK would continue to support the government's reform agenda. Minister Baldwin also welcomed government plans to attract more investment into agriculture through ensuring land tenure and compensation are tackled.Speaking at an event with prominent civil society actors, including human rights activists and elections experts, the Minister announced 5 million of new UK aid funding to support the strengthening of democratic electoral processes in the run up to and following the 2018 elections.Minister Baldwin reflects on her visit to ZimbabweIn a meeting with Zimbabwean business people and entrepreneurs, the Minister heard of the enormous potential of Zimbabwe and how some of the obstacles including the currency crisis can be overcome with the support of business.Minister Baldwin visited two DFID projects to understand how UK aid is supporting some of the most marginalised in Zimbabwe. At a school for children with disabilities, the Minister was able to speak to students and teachers to see how UK support has helped enrich the children's lives and give them skills for the future. The Minister also visited a DFID-funded shelter for survivors of sexual and gender based violence. She was able to learn more about the experiences of the women and how UK aid is helping marginalised women and girls to access counselling, shelter and legal aid.Minister Baldwin said:"I am pleased that my first overseas trip as Minister has been to Zimbabwe. The historic events the country has experienced over the last few months have created an opportunity to strengthen UK-Zimbabwe relations as part of a wider process of international engagement.""The upcoming elections are a major milestone for the people of Zimbabwe. When I met President Mnangagwa, I said my government welcomed his commitment to hold credible, peaceful, free and fair elections monitored by international observers.""I have seen for myself that Zimbabwe is a country of enormous potential. With the right leadership, the right policy environment and a vibrant democracy and civil society, Zimbabwe can undergo the transformation it so richly deserves." News / National by Staff reporter Two Zanu-PF youths have been arrested and appeared in court yesterday for their role in a violent altercation in Harare during a February 1 visit by National People's Party (NPP) president Joice Mujuru, who was also injured in the attack.The duo was remanded in custody to Monday.Simbarashe Mudzengerere, 31, and Paul Chitsa, 46, were charged with public violence when they appeared before Mbare magistrate Isabel Nyoni.They will be back in court tomorrow for their bail application.Prosecutor Kholisani Mangena alleged that on February 1, Mudzengerere and Chitsa connived with other Zanu-PF youths who are still at large and hired a commuter omnibus armed with stones and bricks.The court heard that they went to OK Supermarket at Machipisa where NPP was billed to hold a meeting dubbed "Meet the people campaign."The gang allegedly threw stones and bricks at NPP members, injuring several people and damaging several vehicles which were parked there.It was alleged that NPP had to abort their meeting and drove from the scene towards Gazaland Shopping Centre, but Mudzengerere and his team allegedly continued pursuing them in a kombi, throwing stones at their vehicles.The court heard that the gang continued pursuing the NPP members until they reached Glen Norah right up to Glen View 8, where Mudzengerere and his accomplices began assaulting people with clenched fists.Some of the victims managed to escape and reported the matter at Machipisa and Glen Norah Police Stations.It was further alleged that Mudzengerere and his gang went to Montana Products Butchery, which is owned by one of the complainants, and found it open for business.The court heard that they blocked the entrance with bricks and iron bars, obstructing customers from entering or leaving the shop.They allegedly demanded $500 from the owner, claiming that they had sold 200 sachets of dagga on his behalf the previous day.Mudzengerere and Chitsa allegedly threatened to bomb the butchery but were restrained by police officers that were alerted by the owner, the court heard. News / National by Staff reporter Pan-African Parliament (PAP) president Mr Roger Nkodo Dang arrived in the country yesterday and immediately endorsed the new administration of President Mnangagwa, which he said been embraced by the continent's legislative body.Mr Dang, a member of the National Assembly of Cameroon whose term as head of the continental body ends this year, was accompanied by the African Union Ambassador to the United States Dr Arikana Chihombori Quao, as well as PAP member of the finance and monetary affairs committee, Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa.Mr Dang is on his first visit to Harare. He said he was in the country to canvass support for the Malabo Protocol, which seeks to set out parameters for the establishment of an African Court of Justice and Human Rights (ACJHR)."We are going to congratulate the new leader (President Mnangagwa) and to bring our warm wishes for the New Year and debate," he said."Zimbabwe is part of the African Union and, as the organ of the AU, I have to come here to visit the authority and to discuss all the issues which are possible to be discussed. For now, Zimbabwe has a new leader and we have come to meet and pay (a) courtesy visit to the new leader, and l have a very strong delegation."The Malabo Protocol also called the Protocol on Amendments to the Protocol on the Statute of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights was adopted by the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, in June 2014.It seeks to extend the jurisdiction of the ACJHR to try crimes under international law and transnational crimes.Once the protocol is ratified by 28 countries, the court's international criminal law section will serve as an African regional criminal court, operating along the same lines as the International Criminal Court (ICC).Only 15 countries have appended their signatures to the proposal so far.Eight have ratified it."You also know that Pan-African Parliament has a new protocol and we are going country by country to lobby and ratify the Malabo Protocol. Zimbabwe is one of the founding members of the PAP," he said."As we speak, the Malabo (Protocol) has never been ratified (sic), so we have come to discuss this. If signed, PAP will become the legislative body with the full power to legislate in the entire continent. So it is very important for us that Zimbabwe ratifies."Asked if he will be seek re-election after his term of office ends later this year, Mr Dang said: "The election is true, but it is still far. I cannot talk about elections as l am still in the office and l need to work. At the end of my mandate, l will see what can happen. Our interest as the PAP is the whole continent, so l have to visit the whole continent."AU Ambassador to the US Arikana Chihombori-Quao said she would lend her support to issues Harare wants PAP to engage the US on."As the AU Ambassador to the United States, the issues of the continent are pivotal to my mandate, especially where they lead to engagement with the United States. So whatever aspect that PAP is going to be engaging Zimbabwe on pertaining to the United States, I am here to give my vote of appreciation and support wherever l can."Meanwhile, the United States is optimistic of mending its relationship with Zimbabwe by, among other things, revisiting the illegal sanctions that are in place.Desk officer responsible for Zimbabwe in the US State Department Bureau of African Affairs Mr Don Cordell said there would be room for further re-engagements once the new administration carried through the reform plans it articulated so far.Mr Cordell said this during his second trip to Zimbabwe, where he visited the American Corner at Turner Memorial Library in Mutare on Wednesday last week.He was accompanied by the United States embassy spokesperson Mr David McGuire.The duo also made a courtesy call on Mutare mayor Councillor Tatenda Nhamarare."We are really optimistic, particularly about what we are hearing; I mean, as of right now, there is a new administration, a new government and the language or words we are hearing sound very optimistic," said Mr Cordell."They are talking about holding free and fair elections, they are talking about taking necessary economic reforms, clamping down on corruption and these are the things we encourage Zimbabwe to do."We are really optimistic that the language would then actually turn into action and as that is turned into action, that is when we will be able to continue to see further engagements between United States and Zimbabwe."Mr Cordell said Washington was keen on American businesses investing in the country as per calls by President Mnangagwa to have foreign investors coming to Zimbabwe.The Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (Zidera), he said, would not hinder business relationships between the two governments."We are optimistic as we hear the words and language of the new government of President Mnangagwa," said Mr Cordell. "What he is trying to say is: 'we are open for business'." News / National by Staff reporter Police have nabbed another suspected robber who teamed up with his gang and robbed a Harare businessman of $91 000, after storming his premises.Onismo Matuke's arrest comes a month after his accomplices were apprehended and brought to court in December last year.He reportedly led detectives to the recovery of a Toyota Mark X that he purchased using spoils of the armed robbery.Matuke was remanded in custody to February 15, and advised to apply for bail at the High Court when he appeared before Harare magistrate Rumbidzayi Mugwagwa.His accomplices Fortune Sibanda, Elvis Machinga, Vengai Shoko and Gift Chimuka are already in custody.Prosecutor Linda Gadzikwa alleged that on November 28, this year, Sibanda in the company of Elvis Machinga, Vengai Shoko, Gift Chimuka, Banga, Matuke, Ranga and others whose names are not yet known to the police hatched a plan to rob the complainant.The court heard Sibanda and his accomplices drove to 108 West Road, Avondale West, Harare in a white van and confronted the security guard who manned the offices pretending to members of the Zimbabwe National Army military police looking for accommodation.It was alleged that the gang suddenly produced pistols and ordered the security guard to surrender gate keys.After gaining entry into the premises, Sibanda lied that they were on a State sanctioned operation and wanted to interview the complainant but later left after failing to locate him.The court heard that when Sibanda returned to the premises on November 29 he reportedly stormed into complainant's office and accused him of dealing with former ministers Ignatius Chombo and Saviour Kasukuwere.They claimed that the complainant had been sponsoring a Zanu-PF Generation 40 faction in a conspiracy to assassinate President Emmerson Mnangagwa, money laundering and hoarding of cash among other allegations.The complainant and his secretary Louise Smith were put under arrest and subdued.Sibanda and his accomplices ransacked the premises and took $15 200, 410 Singapore dollars, 3 050 Dirhams, 16 000 Thai Bhat and 4 000 Hong Kong dollars.Smith and her boss were dragged into a blue Hyundai Sonata before being driven to Rainbow Towers car park and further to the conference centre.Five more accused persons emerged and threatened to detain the complainant and his secretary before forcibly taking $6 000 from his wallet.They continued threatening to subject the complainant to thorough beating on his bottom if he refused to disclose where he kept more money.The complainant succumbed to the pressure and revealed that he was keeping money at his Gift Investments Company number 9 Hood Road, Southerton in Harare.Sibanda then ordered the complainant to summon his wife who had keys to that premises and one of the accused persons took control of her car and drove to Gift Investments.The gang ransacked the premises and stole $70 000 from a safe before proceeding to his house 15 Grasmere lane, Borrowdale, Harare and searched the place for more loot.The court heard that Sibanda and his accomplices held the complainant, receptionist and his wife hostage while they went around town before giving him $4 500 and ordering him to leave the country immediately.The victims were dropped off at an open space near Harare Showgrounds before Sibanda and his accomplices went away with the loot.A total of USD$90 832, 3 050 Dirhams, 16 000 Thai Bhat and 4 000 Hong Kong dollars was recovered. News / National by Staff reporter A dispute over land, in Harare's high density suburb of Budiriro 4, has degenerated into a nasty battle between apostolic sect members, leading to one being dragged to court over rape.Herbert Senda, 34, was involved in a land dispute with Clifford Chimusoro, Muchineripi Utete, Blesssing Chimbadzo, Wellington Kadzutu and Taurai Munyika all of Budiriro 4.The land originally belonged to Johanne Masowe YeChishanu Nyenyedzi Nomwe Housing Cooperative led by Senda, aka Madzibaba Enock.It is alleged Chimusoro, Utete, Chimbadzo, Kadzutu and Munyika connived and sold the land without Madzibaba Enock's knowledge.Madzibaba Enock wrote a letter of complaint to the police which is in the possession of the Daily News on December 21, 2017 alleging that the four were selling land unlawfully.As the conflict ensued, Madzibaba Enock alleges, Chimusoro "hatched a plan to fix me. They went and paid Alice Mupoperi to level rape charges against me. As a result, Mupoperi reported rape charges against me at Budiriro 2 Police Station, leading to my arrest. What is shocking is that a mobile money transaction record shows that Chimusoro paid Mupoperi and her mother $200 on December 22, 2017.""It appears the rape allegations, filed on December 22, were generated as a counter move to the letter I had wrote to the police a day earlier," Madzibaba Enock added.Madzibaba Enock's attorney, who can not be named for professional reasons claims that following his client's arrest, the prosecutor who is now handling the case also allegedly received $40 through a mobile money transaction, whose record is in our possession.The attorney says, ordinarily, the prosecutor (name supplied but withheld) should have recused himself from the case given the relationship between him and Chimusoro.He added that they obtained a court order to enable them to get Chimusoro's mobile money statement printout after suspecting that the complainant had been paid by Chimusoro.In the case that is already before the courts, the State alleges that Madzibaba Enock, on some date in August 2016, had sexual intercourse with Mupoperi, of Buhera, without her consent on two occasions.Mupoperi, the State alleges, had visited the accused's shrine in Budiriro 4 to be prayed for. It is alleged the accused, while praying for the complainant, started caressing her stomach and ended up raping her.The State also alleges that the accused threatened the complainant saying "his angels would be able to see it instantly and would kill her instantly" if she told anybody about the alleged rape.Madzibaba Enock is out of custody on $50 bail.The case is continuing today when the complainant is being recalled to answer to the questions arising from mobile money transfers Chimusoro made to her. News / Regional by Staff Reporter Villagers in Insiza North of Matabeleland South a constituency currently under Zanu PF legislator Andrew Langa have complained over abuse by Zanu PF activists ahead of this year's election.According to an aspiring legislator Dr Vusumuzi Sibanda the villagers in the constituency are being abused and exploited by Zanu PF activists."We have over five hundred families at the Debshan farm since 2002 and they still have undecided status. The MP keeps them there to vote for him saying the farmer cannot expell them and after every election he ditches them," he said."He keeps asking the white farmer to pay him so that he keeps people from permanently settling on his farm. The people for 15years don't have a permanent home and cannot even build permanent structures."He said the children at the Primary school are not given results after grade 7 if they owe money meaning they cannot go to form 1."13 year olds stay at home uneducated thanks to government policy, I went one of the Primary schools and confirmed this. Is this what we want fir our communities? Lets remove this ZANU gvt and put the LD for the people to govern. We promise to root out corruption and be the servants of our communities," he said. Opinion / Columnist Analysis Emmerson Mnangagwa the New Candidate on the Bloc MDC Is Likely to Settle for Nelson Chamisa Mujuru's NPP and Her Old Stock New People First Who Will Benefit from This Mess? Key research questions were used OPINION POLL Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo writes in his personal capacity as the Head of Southern Institute of Policy Analysis and Research SIPAR TRUST, which is responsible for policy analysis and research. He is also an academic and researcher. He holds a BA, MA from Solusi University, and he also holds a Masters of Development Studies from University of Lusaka, Zambia. He is currently enrolled at University of KwaZulu Natal University in South Africa (PHD in Development Studies). He is also a Policy Advisor in many institutions within and outside Zimbabwe. He can be contacted at southerninstitutepar@gmail.com Research is the systematic investigation and study of materials and source in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. It comprises of creative work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of human, nature and society. Research can also be defined as a careful detailed study into a specific problem, concern or issue using scientific method. One has to understand the background, statement of the problem, objectives and frame work analysis. Getting to the bottom of the matter to establish what is exactly on the ground.It is a process of breaking complex topic or substance into smaller parts in order to gain full understanding of it. A systematic examination and evaluation of data or information, by breaking it into its components parts to uncover interrelationships.Though people welcomed Zanu PF s new dispensation but there are several grey areas which people raised. The issue of corruption is very toxic even up to date. People raised the issue of corruption that we still have the same Zanu PF, and it has never changed. In fact, most people are saying, a leopard will never change its skin, whilst others are claiming that CHANGA CHIRI CHINHU CHAVO, it was never meant for the people, it was well planned before, only to be implemented timely. Most people didn't like Chinamasa's comments when he clearly told people that this is a Zanu PF project, honestly people felt used by the system to achieve their hidden agenda. This is what people are saying. The composition of the cabinet did not reflect the will of the people, it is gender biased, with most people accused of corruption. ED brought in the same people, no major changes. Women were undermined in political and economic development, though ED went on to appoint Chigumba and another lady to Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, but most people highlighted that women were supposed to be part of the cabinet. President ED highlighted the issue of corruption, but suddenly took a back seat, lights went off, the zeal to fight corruption came to a standstill, and people like Chivayo, Chombo and others are still roaming in the streets despite him claiming that he will deal with corruption decisively. People expected rampant economic growth immediately when ED was sworn in, and Davos trip where he promised free and fair elections whilst back home Joice Mujuru was being assaulted. Most people expressed concern with the military Government citing fear during the run up to harmonized elections. Mainly issues which are likely to affect ED are the issue of war veterans who were left out, they felt used, the issue of how he assumed power, the composition of the cabinet, economic challenges which he inherited and corruption in his Government. People mainly expressed the issue of unity Government. When majority of people participated in the march, they thought a GNU was going to be created and all parties will then work together. ED may perform badly in Matabeleland, some parts of Midlands, Mash central, Mash east, west and some greater parts of Harare. Not everyone benefited from this dispensation, we still have over 93^ unemployment rate, cash challenges, people expressed concern over the way appointments were handled.If you look at the current scenario in the MDC you can safely conclude that Chamisa will be the MDC presidential candidate, and this may send shivers into the ruling party bigwigs and territory. Chamisa with his political clout, he may secure a good number of parliamentary seats particular in urban areas. The advantage Chamisa has over other MDC stalwarts is that he has been very loyal and keen to Tsvangirai the veteran trade Unionist. He has been in the system for too long and he headed the organizing portfolio before and he has the experience in politics, he has the knowledge of MDC politics from top brass to grassroots level. Most of urban seats if not all will go with Chamisa, and with a big chunk in rural areas as well. We don't want to dwell much on the MDC succession squabbles because it is now clear Chamisa will be on the ballot and he is likely to go with a higher percentage. The advantage he has this is a new candidate, competing with another new candidate on the bloc. If you remember very well, in 2008, MDC almost swept across all rural and urban seats even in 1999 where they got 52 seats whilst Zanu PF got 62. We are likely to have that scenario this year. Once a presidential candidate for MDC is announced, with the current economic outlook, people may go for the new opposition candidate on the bloc. I for see a scenario where MDC will have a lot of new MPs, in fact majority in parliament but with a different head of state. Once Chamisa's candidature is announced, a lot of new voters, including most young people are likely to opt for Chamisa than ED. They are going to compare age wise and other factors. The main challenge, MDC and Chamisa will have is resource and funding. The other factor will be the wrangles in the MDC may take time to heal, given the node that we are 5 months away from elections. This is going to fuel confusions and defections to other parties, but a good number of MDC supporters will remain with Chamisa and the alliance. He is likely to remain with at least 97.5% of the supporters, mainly those who sympathize with veteran former prime minister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai. However his main challenges will be Khupe and group which may refuse to give in on alliance demands, which will further divide the votes. Unless Khupe and Chamisa compromise then they will be the great beneficiaries of this election.There are people who always sympathize with the former deputy president who feel she was not treated fairly when she was expelled from Zanu PF. If you study carefully the political landscape you will discover that Mujuru is gaining ground in Mashonaland Province, Mash central, Mash East and this is Sydney Sekeramayi's home area and Mash west. Zanu PF will perform badly in these areas. These provinces were mainly Zanu PF strongholds but because of factionalism and Mujuru's sympathizers, she still holds a lot of support in these selected provinces. Mujuru is penetrating urban areas. Her main challenge is that she has been changing political outfits, she lacks principles in politics, today she says this, and tomorrow she has another position. Her recent meeting with Mugabe is likely to damage her political career because most people will feel, she has been part of the project and she is still within the system. Some expressed concern that she is there to split votes. Her party is associated with violence, intimidation and defections which will affect her performance as well. She is likely to fetch a lot of votes.This new political outfit is mainly the G40 cabal led by Jonathan Moyo and Mugabe's wife. This group basically knows they won't get power, but their main objective is to cause confusion on voters. Don't forget that they are those who sympathized with Mugabe throughout, they benefited from agriculture inputs, food handouts, humpers, inputs, command agriculture, presidential scholarships and other things. Don't assume that everyone in Zimbabwe is aware that Mugabe is no longer the head of State, they are some people who don't even know, particularly from the rural folk. They still have Mugabe in mind. They are those who were relinquished their duties by ED when he assumed power, obvious they will join this new outfit. They are those from the CIO who were expelled by ED as well, they are likely to go with this group. We have a number of MPs who were expelled from parliament they will also rally behind this political outfit. ED is in a dilemma now on how to handle Mugabe, one day supposed you may even wake up and see a headline written Mugabe resigned at gun point, what are you going to do? Don't dismiss Jonathan Moyo at your own peril. They have good number of people on the ground. The bad part is that these guys have inside information on how Zanu PF operated and they will use that information to turn against ED and Lacoste faction.Most likely we are going to witness a presidential run off. The group that was going to benefit from this chaotic scenario was going to be opposition especially led by Advocate Chamisa if the group was properly constituted and organized. Either way it would be difficult for Mujuru to join hands with ED, because of bitterness, the way she was booted out of Zanu PF. However don't forget that ED has state machinery at his disposal, and time is still there he can play his cards close to his chest, and he can still maneuver the situation. If you remember very well, for Jonathan's group they simply want to make sure ED won't get a new term of office, and they want to render the whole country un governable, they won't benefit anything, but it is a group of disgruntled elements mend on causing confusion. Whilst they are strategically positioning themselves they will find it hard to contest or even campaign, ED will simply use corruption grenade on them, they will simply vanish silently.1. What are people saying about the new leader?2. Are people comfortable with the new dispensation?3. Any hopes for the opposition?4. Do people favour Emmerson Mnagangwa, Nelson Chamisa or Elias Mudzuri?5. Was it necessary to have a military takeover of the Government?6. Any reforms yet?7. Is Mujuru an independent party or it's a shadow of Zanu PF system?8. What do you think about the new political outfit, New Patriotic front?9. Any signs of economic reforms?MDC - 43.7%ZANU - 27.5%NEW PF - 21%NPP - 7%OTHERS - 2% Ashley Alexiss Shares Her Favorite Valentine's Day Gift Ideas Model Ashley Alexiss Shares Her Steamiest Valentine's Day Gift Ideas The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. Just like that February has arrived. With Valentines Day right around the corner, theres no time like the present to start prepping for your V-Day celebrations. Whether you just started dating or youve been together for years, Valentines Day is a time to let out your inner romantic and show that special someone just how much you appreciate them. Impressing and expressing via a gift is, of course, easier said than done, and on Valentines Day, the stakes remain pretty high. While you may have opted for home appliance and tech gadget gifts on her birthday or Christmas on this occasion, you will want to steer more towards items that feel intimate and romantic. To guarantee you get a gift shell enjoy we checked in with model and influencer Ashley Alexiss to get her tips on how to add just the right touch of sexy romance to your gifts this year. As someone who works with many brands, Ashley has her finger on the pulse of what women love. For more gifting inspiration, don't forget to check out our Valentine's Day Gift Guides including Valentine's Gift Ideas For Her and Last-Minute Valentine's Day Gifts For Her. Lacy Red Gartered Bustier Set The beauty of lingerie is that its a gift for both you and her, and this flirty red bustier set is no exception. This set comes with adjustable spaghetti straps, a sheer mesh and lace bodice, removable adjustable garter straps, and a matching panty. Expert tip: Add a pair of thigh high stockings and rose petals to take the gift to the next level. $39.95 at Yandy.com Black-Red Eternity Roses Roses have become a go-to Valentine's Day gift for a reason. They are beautiful, fragrant, and always convey a feeling of romance. The only downside? They don't last long enough! With these black-red eternity roses she can enjoy her blooms for an entire year. She will love the unexpected twist on this classic gift choice, and you won't need to make another flower purchase until next year! $99.00 at Themillionroses.com Cozy & Comfy Sweater Romper Women love to be comfortable while still feeling sexy this romper grants both of those wishes. She will love slipping into this after a long day or while padding around the house on the weekend. While this sweater romper is comfortable and cozy, it is also very sexy, thanks to the plunging neckline and cheeky back. You will not regret this purchase. $24.95 at Yandy.com Home-cooked Dinner This gift idea is both sentimental and budget-friendly. Prepare her a delicious home-cooked meal complete with multiple courses, wine, dessert, and a beautifully set table. She will be thrilled with the gesture, and you two can also avoid the hassle of trying to get a restaurant reservation on Valentine's Day. If you need some recipe inspiration, purchasing a cookbook filled with easy-to-prepare recipes for two is a great idea. The Date Night Cookbook is filled with recipes and romantic ideas to create an intimate night at home, including recipes for 'Breakfast in Bed' and an 'Indoor Picnic'. Plus, you can refer to it on future occasions. $14.99 at Amazon.com Lovehoney Plus Size Treasure Me Black Basque Set This will be her new favorite thing to wear for you. Composed of delicate black lace and satin, this set is incredibly flattering and fits like a glove to enhance her curves. The hemline features four removable garter straps so she can easily add stockings to the look and the matching G string brings an extra dose of sex appeal. $49.99 at LoveHoney.com Maldives Vacation One of the most romantic and gorgeous places on earth. A trip to the Maldives is sure to take her breath away! After all, an exotic and tropical vacation doesnt have to be saved for a honeymoon or a major anniversary. Take the time to show her how much you love being with her right now. Vacation booking sites like Expedia make it easy to book your hotel, flight, and car rental all at once. See more at Expedia.com Coupon: 100% off flight when you book a Vacation Package at Expedia Alexiss Swimsuit Whether you're planning to gift her the Maldives trip or you two already have a tropical vacation in the works a sexy swimsuit is sure to come in handy. This swimsuit is designed to fit all her curves. Available in sizes A-H cup tops & XS-3XL bottoms, and a wide array of prints and colors you can find the perfect suit to match her taste. From $59.99 at ShopAlexiss.com Love Coupons Another unique and budget-friendly gifting option is making flirty love coupons. Give her a pack of "love coupons" with options like "redeem for a foot massage" or "I'll do the dishes and laundry today" anything you know she'll appreciate that will help her relieve some stress and take a load off her plate. You can make the coupons yourself, or give her a book that features 16 humorous and romantic coupon ideas. $6.50 at Amaazon.com Related Readings Romantic Gift Ideas For Women Unique Valentine's Day Gifts AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. To find out more, please read our complete terms of use. Alex Grinberg is a Middle East Researcher, specializing in Iranian religious thought and works as geo-political analyst in a risk assessment company. You can find more in depth articles on Israel and the Middle East @ en.mida.org.il Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. . ....04 February '18..The storm stirred in Israel and the world by the Polish law regarding Polish crimes during the Holocaust included quite a bit of rhetoric, superficiality and ignorance. It is important therefore, to set the record straight both historically and factually.The lower house of the Polish parliament (the Sim) approved the bill authorizing the Institute of National Remembrance Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation (Act of 18 December 1998 (Polish Journal of Laws of 2016, item 1575) to impose a fine and imprisonment of up to three years for distorting the historical truth about the Polish people and state. The law requires the approval of the Polish Senate and the President.This is the language of the bill:Opinions over the law are divided In Poland itself. Not only between nationalist anti-Semites and liberal-leftists by the way, though this division does exist of course. Wittek Duch of the History website, for example, supports the proposed law hesitantly, stressing that the punishment will apply to those who accuse the Polish people as a whole of complicity in the crimes of the Nazis, but not in specific cases of certain Poles such as in the Jedwabne Pogrom . In addition, the punishment will not be automatic because it applies to a violation of the historical truth that has no known and clear consent, and therefore the court will need the assistance of historians.On the other hand, the liberal website Oko claims that the law is bad in every way: First of all, Poland got into trouble with Israel, with the Ukraine (the law also applies to Ukraine) and, indeed, to all of Europe. Second, the site mentions that only authoritarian states such as Turkey and Russia have a criminal penalty for distorting historical truth. Third, there is a fear that those who discuss the Jedwabne massacre may be sent to jail. It should be noted that the current version of the law, after the amendments, states that artists and researchers will be exempt from it.The attempt to shape historical memory through criminal law and punishment is indeed foolish and authoritarian. It will make Poland a mockery in Europe and place it closer to the provinces of Putin and Erdogan. No one in Poland is looking for a crisis with Israel either, especially when relations between the two countries are good and close.However, it is important to adhere to the truth and not to be attributed to the law, foolish as it will be, that which it is not. It is neither anti-Semitic nor the rewriting of history, as stupid as it may be.It is equally important to pay attention to the context in which such laws are created. The current Polish government is taking clearly non-liberal and undemocratic measures, but Poland is still a democratic country and the law is still expected to be discussed and amended, like other problematic laws. In Poland there are anti-Semitic and anti-democratic trends and anti-Semitism. This is a fact, but neither a surprising or exciting innovation. There is also the other side of the coin though, which usually escapes the eyes of the media.The attitude of Israelis to Poland and Poles is superficial and ignorant. In the Israeli public perception, the Holocaust is perceived as a uniform black hole, with no special differences between nations. To many, there is no real difference between the peoples of Eastern Europe. Ukrainians, Poles, and Slovaks are all perceived as anti-Semitic and haters of Israel. The historical memory of Polish anti-Semitism is automatically transferred to a solid historical perspective on Polish crimes during the Holocaust.With all due respect, the stories of a Polish grandmother cannot come in the place of serious historical knowledge. Were there Poles who murdered Jews and terrible pogroms before and after the Holocaust, like Jedwabne and Kielce ? Of course. In Poland there were also the damned Szmalcowniks who hunted for and handed over Jews to the Nazis for money.Nevertheless, it is impossible to compare these pogroms with all their horrors to what happened in the Ukraine, Lithuania, Croatia and Hungary. In these countries, and especially in Lithuania and the Ukraine, the local population participated in the murder of its Jewish neighbors. Auxiliary units were established exclusively for the local population, who willingly aided the Nazis. There were no Polish camp guards, they were all Ukrainians or Lithuanians. In Croatia, the most odious and ugly fascist movement in Eastern Europe, Ustase , established extermination camps for Serbs and not only for Jews. In Hungary, the local pro-Nazi organization, the Arrow Cross , murdered Jews no less than the Germans.So there is no comparison between Poles and Ukrainians or Lithuanians. It is very possible that the attitude of most Poles toward the suffering of the Jews was simply a sickening indifference. The Polish underground Armia Krajowa Obywatelska had anti-Semitic members, but also Righteous Among the Nations Jan Karski and Irina Sandler who will remain a model of holiness, human love and supreme courage as long as the Holocaust is remembered were Polish patriots. There were also anti-Semites who were revealed as human beings during the Holocaust. In other words, the story is much more complex, and not so simplistic and dichotomous as reflected in the current headlines.During the war, Poland was not a country. It did not even have a puppet government and therefore, from a formal point of view, nothing could be attributed to the Polish government. The government in exile in London did everything in its power to attract the attention of the world to what was happening in Nazi-occupied territory.In Poland there was no government cooperating with the Nazis, like Vichy in France. The Polish army, the one everyone likes to laugh at the mere mention of its name in the context of World War II, fought bravely against the German invader, until the last bullet. Poland was the only country in which an armed resistance against the Nazis was organized very soon after the occupation.Throughout history, the Poles acted with their famous courage, but without too much political wisdom. This was the case in the hopeless revolt against Russia, as well as with the laws now under discussion, which, even in cold calculation, only causes damage to Poland. The Poles like to wrap themselves in their eternal sense of victimhood, and history does give them justified reasons for this feeling.The current law is also related to various processes taking place in Europe, especially in Germany. Germany can not overcome its pedagogic impulse. It aims to help Israel make peace with the Palestinians, and sometimes hints that what Israel does to the Palestinians reminds it of dark periods in its own history. To quote Yoram Kaniuks brilliant definition, The Germans will never forgive the Jews for Auschwitz.It turns out that these impulses are taking place, and even more so, toward the Poles, whom the Germans want to teach democracy. Too many German films portray the Wehrmacht soldiers as dreamy youths who do not know what they are doing or where they are, while they are in a barbarous, anti-Semitic country like Poland. They do not blame the Poles for the Holocaust, but the feeling is that its perpetrators have nothing to do with the Wehrmacht boys. In general, anyone could be Eichmann, as Hannah Arendt, the Jewish lover of the Nazi Heidegger, taught.It is difficult to see the Polish law as Holocaust denial. A different Holocaust denial, far more dangerous, exists in many countries, including Germany. This is Holocaust denial in the very way it is taught, when trying to portray the Nazis as homophobic, xenophobic and intolerant people who murdered innocents like homosexuals, communists, leftists, gypsies, and yes, Jews too.Teaching the Holocaust while eliminating or reducing anti-Semitism as a central concept in Nazism is bordering on denial of the Holocaust. If the crime of the Nazis is that they murdered innocents, then all of human history is nothing more than a succession of massacres, wars and terrible suffering for innocents. Was Genghis Khan a Nazi? The implications of presenting the Holocaust in such a way are far more dangerous than any Polish law.And there is another aspect that needs to be discussed. The Jewish people now exist as a political entity operating in the international arena, while maneuvering between constraints and the need to preserve vital interests and relations with other countries. In such a reality, the State of Israel cannot act as a Jewish intellectual in the Diaspora and behave as a castigator. Had the Polish law rejected the Jedwabne affair as a historical fact, then perhaps there would have been room for political intervention. When everything is much more gray, such intervention is problematic. The declarations of Israeli politicians who do not really understand what exactly is at hand are only complicating matters.Israel has economic and strategic interests in Poland, including security acquisition transactions in a variety of industries. Poland also aligns itself with the new American line, for example in the UN vote on Jerusalem. It is must not sabotage this special relationship because of a foolish Polish law and amateur Israeli diplomacy.Intervention in the legislation of another country is liable to return to Israel like a boomerang. In international politics there is no international law, but there is also reciprocity and give and takie. If Israel does not want Europe to interfere with its legislation, it would be wise to lower its profile and take action in informal channels, rather than by Twitter frenzy.All kinds of international agreements and treaties, which Israel hastily and willingly signed in the past, were born as a result of initiatives by well-intentioned Jews. As time pasts, it can be determined with certainty that these treaties did not save a single starving child in Africa, but they tie Israel down and become a tool against it. For example, Israel can not deport the infiltrators to their countries of origin because it signed the Geneva Convention on Refugees in 1951, and international organizations use this fact against israeli government policy.In summary, the Polish law under discussion is foolish, undemocratic and reminiscent of Russia and Turkey. The behavior of the Polish government on many levels is suspect. However, the problems of democracy and liberalism in Poland are purely Polands problem, not Israels.____________________ MONDAY, Feb. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Fetal brain damage caused by the Zika virus can go undetected in pregnancy, and can occur even if a baby's head size is normal, research in monkeys suggests. The findings indicate that many children with Zika-related brain damage may go undiagnosed and are at increased risk for learning disorders, mental illness and dementia, according to researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine. Zika-related brain damage in infants is often diagnosed during pregnancy by ultrasound or at birth in babies with abnormally small heads -- a condition called microcephaly. However, researchers recently realized that even children with a normal head size at birth may develop serious Zika-related eye problems or late-onset microcephaly, when the head fails to grow normally after birth. "Current criteria using head size to diagnose Zika-related brain injury fail to capture more subtle brain damage that can lead to significant learning problems and mental health disorders later in life," study lead author Dr. Kristina Adams Waldorf said in a university news release. She's a professor of obstetrics and gynecology who specializes in maternal and fetal infections. "We are diagnosing only the tip of the iceberg," Adams Waldorf said. For the study, the researchers monitored five macaque fetuses in mothers that were infected with Zika during pregnancy. Macaque monkeys are considered one of the closest animal models to human pregnancy, although research in animals may not produce the same results in humans. Weekly ultrasounds revealed no obvious brain abnormalities in four of the fetuses. Though the brains of the fetuses did grow slower than normal, they did not meet the criteria for Zika-associated microcephaly used by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Under those criteria, 91 to 96 percent of children in the United States born to mothers infected with Zika during pregnancy are also not considered to have microcephaly, meaning they might not be checked regularly for Zika-related brain injury, according to the researchers. Although ultrasound showed no problems, MRI scans revealed brain abnormalities in four of the five macaque fetuses. Certain areas of the brain were not growing as quickly as others, the study found. "Subtle damage caused by this virus during fetal development or childhood may not be apparent for years," study co-author Dr. Lakshmi Rajagopal said in the news release. Even so, it "may cause neurocognitive delays in learning and increase the risk of developing neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and early dementia," said Rajagopal, an associate professor of pediatrics and an expert on newborn infectious diseases. "These findings further emphasize the urgency for an effective vaccine to prevent Zika virus infections," she said. Zika is typically transmitted by infected mosquitoes. But it can also be transmitted through sex from a person with Zika to his or her partners. Last month, U.S. researchers reported that birth defects likely caused by Zika rose 21 percent between the first half of 2016 and the last half of 2016 in regions that saw local transmission of the virus that summer: southern Florida, a part of south Texas, and Puerto Rico. Brazil was the epicenter of a large Zika outbreak that began in 2015. Adams Waldorf said her study's findings indicate that "all children exposed to Zika virus in utero should be followed long-term for problems with learning and development, regardless of head size at birth. "We should also be worried about children and young adults becoming infected with the Zika virus because they have the same vulnerable stem cells in their brains as the fetus," she added. The research was published Feb. 5 in the journal Nature Medicine. More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on Zika and pregnancy. Sri Lanka: Women remain marginalised in fisheries in Trincomalee by Raj Moorthy February 05,2018 | Source: The Sunday Times While there are discrepancies, hegemonies, racism and marginalisation of various castes of people around the country, the fisheries industry in Trincomalee faces the situation on a much larger scale. There is lack of recognition and inclusion of women in fishing-related decision-making and fisheries management positions. Last week the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) conducted its 57th open forum at the Sri Lanka Foundation in Colombo with the topic being, Even fish have an ethnicity, a Ph. D research study carried out by Gayathri Lokuge, a senior professional at CEPA in the coastal Trincomalee. During the presentation Ms. Lokuge stated, globally studies have established the contribution of women to the fisheries sector with 19 per cent of people engaged in fishing being women. There is lack of recognition and inclusion of women in fisheries-related, decision-making and fisheries management positions, she added. In Trincomalee there is a lack of women representation at the community level. Only 159 women are engaged in the inland fisheries sector in Trincomalee, she noted while stressing that there is no data disaggregated by sex for the marine sector. Elaborating on the structural inequalities, she said, In the case of a Sinhala woman they are not involved in fishing in Trincomalee. Muslim women take fishing as a traditional job and continue for generations from the grandmother in the family. Tamil women only share the caught fish within their caste in Periyappadu in Trincomalee. Stressing on the masculinities and marginalisations, she mentioned that there were Tamil and Muslim women earlier in the old wholesale fish market, according to a Muslim fisherman. There were 12 stalls for Tamils and three stalls for Muslims. After the war ended all of them left. Now all the fisheries women are Sinhalese and they dont allow Tamils to do business there, she said quoting fishermen as her source. She pointed out that livelihoods are embedded in social, political and cultural worlds of men and women. A uni-dimensional understanding of identity is insufficient to explain marginalisations and social tensions. Men and women are marginalised at the intersection of different identity categories. There is need to understand power and positionality as a relational dimension. They are not passive victims of structural forces, noted Ms. Lokuge. According to the government draft on fisheries and aquaculture it is clearly stated that the government will assist women in the fisheries community to set up micro business enterprises and promote equal opportunities for womens participation in the activities of the sector. She pointed out that the government needs to recognize womens diverse contribution to the fisheries sector in policy and practice, base policy on economic activities such as fishing with an understanding of the social and structural inequalities, not just men and women but other social categories. The government should also provide support to strengthen the economic activities of fisheries women within wider issues of stock depletion and climate related vulnerabilities, she noted. The Sunday Times Sri Lanka Bangladesh: Myanmar border police detains five Bangladeshi fishermen February 05,2018 | Source: The Daily Star Myanmar's Border Guard Police (BGP) released five Bangladeshi fishermen after six hours into their detention from the Naf River in Teknaf upazila yesterday. During the raid, BGP also shot another fisherman in the leg when he was escaping the detention. Later, he got admitted to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital. After the fishermen were handed over to Bangladesh authorities, a mobile court of the Teknaf upazila administration jailed each of them for three months for trespassing into Myanmar's waters. The fishermen are Shah Alam, 34, Muhammud Islam, 30, of Kanjarpara village, Year Muhammad, 36, Pethan Ali, 30, Aziz Ullah, 18, and Md Rafiq, 28, of Jaliapara village of the upazila. According to bullet-injured Muhammad Islam, a group of six fishermen went to fishing in early hours yesterday. Suddenly, they were attacked by BGP men who came on a speed boat and taken to their camp. However, Islam managed to flee and was shot during the escape, he said. Samsul Alam, brother of fisherman Shah Alam, alleged, The BGP often attacks and captures Bangladeshi fishermen in the bordering area for ransom, and it has become regular. Confirming the incident, Captain of BGB battalion-2 Lt Col SM Ariful Islam said that after knowing the incident, they protested the detention and sat for a dialogue with BGP. The government banned fishing in the river [Naf] so that Yaba trafficking cannot take place. It is not expected from the fisherman to go fishing in the area, the official said. 2018 / thedailystar.net Three ailing Louisiana death row inmates will still have to be protected from excessive heat during the sweltering summer months, but a federal appeals court has given state corrections officials more latitude to decide how to keep them cool. A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans said the state does not have to prevent heat indexes at the Angola prison from topping 88 degrees [31C] as a Baton Rouge federal judge previously ordered. The appellate court ruled that Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson erred by setting the 88-degree threshold and sent the civil rights case, filed by the three prisoners in 2013, back to him for further review. The panel left open the possibility that Jackson may require what it called "temperature triggers" that would initiate the use of specific heat-relief measures. But where Jackson "went astray," the appellate court judges said, was when he effectively required a "temperature ceiling" that could not be breached. "Although well-intentioned, the district court ... both considered and accepted the need for a maximum heat index," Circuit Judge Jerry Smith wrote Wednesday for the panel, noting that a previous 5th Circuit panel "plainly foreclosed any consideration of a maximum heat index." In his response to the appeals court ruling, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said the Constitution "does not require prisons to be comfortable; it requires them to be humane." The state has argued it should have to provide only cold showers, an individual fan and unlimited access to ice and water to the three inmates. Mercedes Montagnes, an attorney for the three inmates, declined comment Thursday. The 5th Circuit has made it clear over the past few years and again on Wednesday that condemned killers Elzie Ball, Nathaniel Code and James Magee are not entitled to air conditioning on Angola's death row. The inmates' attorneys have argued that air conditioning is the only way to adequately lower heat indexes on death row, and at the same time reduce the prisoners' risks of heat-related illness or even death. Ball was condemned to die for fatally shooting beer deliveryman Ben Scorsone during a 1996 armed robbery of a Gretna lounge. Magee received the death penalty for the 2007 shotgun killing of his estranged wife, Adrienne Magee, and their 5-year-old son, Zach, in a subdivision near Mandeville. Code is on death row for the slaying of four people at a house in Shreveport in 1985. Jackson and the 5th Circuit both have found that subjecting the ailing Angola death row inmates to excessive heat constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, and that some remedies are necessary to protect their health and safety. Circuit Judge Stephen Higginson agreed with Smith and fellow 5th Circuit Judge Rhesa Barksdale that ordering the state to maintain the heat index below 88 degrees was wrong. But in a partial dissent, he said that to forbid Jackson from considering a maximum safe heat index "is to require that court to remedy the constitutional violation that we have found exists without considering its cause." "But, in a facility where the heat index frequently exceeds 100 degrees and has risen as high as 110.3 degrees, requiring the state to lower the heat indices to which these medically compromised plaintiffs are exposed is not the same as mandating that the heat index remain below 88 degrees," Higginson wrote. The heat index is a measure of temperature and humidity. The state is currently providing the three inmates with cold showers, individual fans, unlimited access to ice and water, and "IcyBreeze" units. IcyBreeze is a brand name, but in court documents the modified ice chests also have been referred to as "Cajun coolers," which are equipped with fans and ducting to blow cool air. The state has been using the IcyBreeze units under protest, saying they are essentially air conditioning, but the 5th Circuit panel disagreed with that characterization in its Wednesday decision. "As the district court rightly explained, the IcyBreeze units are basically ice chests with fans attached," Smith wrote, adding that they also are inexpensive, costing about $500 apiece. The inmates' civil rights case has bounced back and forth between Baton Rouge federal court and the New Orleans-based appellate court. Jackson's 2013 order mandating the state to keep heat indexes from topping 88 degrees was struck down by the 5th Circuit because it effectively required the state to install air conditioning throughout the death row housing, the appeals court said. The state's second court-mandated plan provided the three inmates with daily, 15-minute cold showers; ice containers regularly replenished from newly purchased ice machines; and a personal fan. The inmates' objected to that plan, and Jackson concluded it was inadequate because it exposed the prisoners to heat indexes above 88 degrees. The judge also found that the plan did not reduce the substantial risk of serious harm to the inmates because they continued to experience heat-related symptoms during the plan's implementation. The state, in connection with settlement discussions, then implemented under protest several experimental relief measures. These included relocating the three men to another tier close to the air-conditioned guards' pod, installing an air vent in that pod to divert cool air to the inmates' cells, setting up a plastic curtain around their cells to trap the cool air, providing each man with an IcyBreeze unit and regularly replenishing the units with ice. Those measures would only kick in when the heat index topped 88 degrees. The state appealed Jackson's imposition of that third plan to the 5th Circuit, which led to Wednesday's ruling. In sending the case back to Jackson in that ruling, the appeals court said the judge "cannot decree whether any given plan is necessary to lower the heat index to below a maximum, nor can it require the state to provide an undetermined number of IcyBreeze units or other measures to keep the heat index below a certain point." The panel, however, said it "may well be that parts of the Third Plan are still necessary to redress the constitutional violation: i.e., `housing these prisoners in very hot cells without sufficient access to heat-relief measures.'" | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde New Mexico abolished the death penalty in 2009, and it is not coming back this year. A legislative committee on Saturday quashed a bill that would have reinstated capital punishment for the murders of children, police officers and correctional officers. The 3-2 party-line vote was no surprise, but it brought out some of the most visceral testimony yet of this year's 30-day legislative session. The recently discovered death of 13-year-old Jeremiah Valencia of Santa Fe County and stories of his tortured life loomed over the discussion. But so, too, did the story of a former lawmaker's son who was wrongly accused of murder and locked in jail until his exoneration. House Bill 155 was just the latest proposal by Republican legislators in recent years to reinstate capital punishment for certain murders. They argued the measure would have made the death penalty an option again for only the worst of the worst criminals. Rep. Monica Youngblood, a Republican from Albuquerque and the bill's cosponsor, pointed to the high-profile murders of several children in recent years. "While we're all reading the stories of what happened to poor Jeremiah, last session it was Ashlynn Mike. The session before it was Victoria Martens," she told the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee. Youngblood's measure would have applied only to murders committed after May 15, 2018, according to an analysis by legislative aides. Under her bill, Youngblood argued, the death penalty would not be the mandatory sentence but an option for prosecutors in the most egregious cases at a time that New Mexico's crime rates are rising. But a range of organizations, from the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops to the American Civil Liberties Union, raised concerns that the bill would lead to wrongful executions, do little if anything to prevent crime and cost the state with rounds of legal appeals. Legislative aides calculated the bill would have cost up to $7.2 million in the first 3 years. Others argued the death penalty is simply immoral. And Maurice Moya, a retired Albuquerque police officer, pointed to wrongful accusations and botched investigations in one high-profile murder case after another. Moya raised the case against former state Rep. Stephanie Maez's teenage son, who was accused of murder in the drive-by shooting of another Albuquerque teen in 2015 and spent a year in jail awaiting trial before the charges against him were dropped. Prosecutors went on to accuse a young man who also was charged in another murder while the 1st investigation was ongoing. "There have been a lot of cases where evidence was not looked at. It was not reviewed," Moya told the committee. New Mexico has had a complicated history with the death penalty. Between 1979 and 2007, more than 200 death-penalty cases were filed. 15 men were sentenced to death. 1 of them was executed, but only after he waived his appeals and said he wanted to die. 2 convicted murderers in New Mexico sentenced before the death penalty was abolished are still appealing their cases. And in 1986, outgoing Gov. Toney Anaya commuted the death sentences of all 5 men on New Mexico's death row at that time, calling capital punishment "inhumane, immoral and anti-God." Today, 19 states do not have the death penalty. Governors in 3 more states and the District of Columbia have placed a moratorium on capital punishment. Republican Gov. Susana Martinez called for reinstating the death penalty during her 1st State of the State address in 2011, but she did not press the issue until 2016, when Republicans had a majority in the House of Representatives. Republican House members in the predawn hours of a special legislative session a month before the general election approved a death-penalty bill similar to Youngblood's. The measure died in the state Senate. Democrats won a majority in the House, and subsequent proposals to reinstate the death penalty have met swift opposition. The timing of the Saturday-morning hearing seemed to be a rebuke of the vote in 2016 that occurred while most New Mexico residents were asleep. Saturday's debate consumed about an hour of testimony. On the 5-member committee, Rep. Bob Wooley, R-Roswell, said he had mixed feelings about the death penalty, fearing wrongful convictions. "On the other hand, the people that would be eligible for the death penalty are the worst of the worst," he said. The only Democratic representative to comment on the bill, Patricia Roybal Caballero of Albuquerque, said she had to oppose "any form of cruel, unusual and very degrading punishment." | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde Santa Fe New Mexican, February 4, 2018 Fiscal service says over 246,400 cars brought from abroad remain in Ukraine illegally In 2017, the SFS customs officials recorded 18,394 violations under Article 470 of the Customs Code of Ukraine (violation of transit terms) having collected UAH 109.3 million, or US$3.9 million, in fines. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter EBRD envoy tells why Ukraine sees only four IMF tranches Ukraine should fix issues with the calculation of gas price for the population and create an anti-corruption court. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Ukraine seeking partner to manage GTS, extending deadline for applications In January this year, the Cabinet dismissed the management of Naftogaz from the process of finding a partner, including only Head of the Supervisory Board of Naftogaz Clare Spottiswoode in the working group. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Nationalizing 5G Network Would Be A Massive Mistake Charles Hughes, E21 A recent memo and presentation by a staff member of the National Security Council suggested that the federal government should build and operate the fifth-generation mobile network, or 5G. The report argues that the federal government should build a centralized 5G network within three years, citing the need to protect against actions from China or adversarial actions from other groups. The 5G network will be important for the development and operation of a number of different emerging technologies, including autonomous vehicles, virtual reality, and a whole range of other, internet-connected smart devices. Read more here.... The Secretary of State recently re-designated Iran as one of ten Countries of Particular Concern for engaging in or tolerating systematic, ongoing, [and] egregious violations of religious freedom. The state of religious freedom in Iran remains extremely poor. Human rights monitors report that Shamiram Isavi, the wife of Victor Bet Tamraz, who formerly led Irans Assyrian Pentecostal Church, has been targeted on the basis of her faith and sentenced to five years in prison for supposed crimes against national security. In July, her husband was sentenced to ten years on similar charges. The couples son, Ramil, has also been accused of so called national security crimes because of his faith and his fathers ministry. Human rights monitors note that Christian converts are being increasingly targeted in Iran, with at least ten individuals receiving long prison terms over the past year. The persistent repression of Bahais in Iran continues as well. The Center for Human Rights in Iran reports that imprisoned Bahai teacher Azita Rafizadeh was recently told she would be granted furlough from prison only if she repented and apologized for educating Bahais online. She and her husband, Peyman Koushk-Baghi also a teacher and a member of the Bahai community, were arrested in 2015, and convicted of national security crimes and of belonging to an illegal group. Bahais have long been one of the most persecuted minorities in Iran, as a new on-line archive of official documents, news articles, audio recordings, and other primary sources, established by the Bahai International Community, demonstrates in great detail. Designating Iran a Country of Particular Concern because of the governments ongoing violations of religious freedom demonstrates the importance the United States places on respect for this human right. As President Donald Trump said in his proclamation on Religious Freedom Day, January 16, The United States is the paramount champion for religious freedom because we do not believe that conscience rights are only for AmericansWe will be undeterred in our commitment to monitor religious persecutions and implement policies that promote religious freedom. Through these efforts we strive for the day when people of all faiths can follow their hearts and worship according to their consciences. Following Irans most disastrous earthquake in 2017, several survivors have died from the cold in Kermanshah Province. The 7.3-magnitude earthquake hit Kermanshah on November 12, forcing locals into the streets and rushing to recover neighbors trapped under the rubble. More than 600 people lost their lives in the quake while more than 70,000 were displaced. According to Iranian Parliament's official website, MP Shehab Naderi has said, In addition to Sarina Zahabi, several other children, including an eight-month-old baby, have died of fever and frostbite. Previously, the daily Qanoon had reported that a 2-year-old girl, Sarina Zahabi, who was living with her family in a tent, lost her life due to the cold weather. Naderi, who represents the city of Paveh, insisted the legal-medical examiner had confirmed they had died due to the cold weather. He did no elaborate on the number of those who have perished. The MP cited health officials in his constituency as saying that pregnant women in the earthquake-hit areas, deprived of heating in makeshift shelters, are particularly at risk. Following the disclosures by Naderi, a health ministry official insisted on Monday, February 5 that although "30% of survivors are still in makeshift tents, we have no reports of deaths due to cold". On January 27, pro-reformist daily Sharq also reported that at least three more children, including a 17-year-old girl with disabilities, had died of frostbite. Tasnim news agency, run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, also reported on January 26 that a four-month-old baby was the second victim of frostbite. The babys father, Abdollah Saifouri, told Tasnim, I applied for a container [metal shipping container] to live in, but they [authorities] said there are others on the priority list. Former Tehran City Councilor and manager of the Mehr-Afarin charity center Fatemeh Daneshvar told Sharq, So far, we have received reports of the deaths of five children under the age of 5 due to freezing cold weather. But there have been more reports of children and adults dying of the cold. Although the ezact number is not clear, but at least ten people have parished. However, Kermanshah Province Governor Houshang Bazvand categorically denies the reports. I am 100 percent sure that nobody has died of the cold weather in earthquake-hit areas, he said. Meanwhile, referring to an official report, Naderi said 97 survivors in disaster-hit areas have either committed suicide or attempted to take their own lives. More than two months after the earthquake, some survivors still have no access to hygienic restrooms while many have not had a shower in the past 70 days, Naderi noted. Officials promises to provide survivors with either loans of 50 million rials (roughly $1,100) or shipping containers to live in have not been fulfilled in many areas, he said. A health official, Mohsen Farhadi, admitted that restrooms and baths in the quake-hit areas are being installed but have not been completed. Another MP, Farhad Tajjari, said at least 35 percent to 40 percent of survivors have no shipping containers to live in and are forced to live in tents even in the extreme cold of winter, as temperatures plunge below freezing. The aid tents provided are not capable of protecting people from cold, storms, or rain. Moreover, many of the containers distributed among survivors have no heating system. (AFP) - Saudi air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile fired at the kingdom by Yemen's Shiite Huthi rebels on Monday, state media reported. The attack was launched from Yemen's northern governorate of Saada, a Huthi stronghold, and "intercepted" at 7:23 local time (0423 GMT), Colonel Turki al-Maliki told state news agency SPA. Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition supporting the government in Yemen, said the missile was headed toward the city of Khamis Mushait -- about 160 kilometres (100 miles) north of the border. Riyadh had warned that "Iranian-manufactured ballistic weapons" threatened the kingdom's security following an attack it said was intercepted near Riyadh airport in November. Maliki on Monday accused the Huthis of "repeatedly targeting densely populated cities" and accused the kingdom's regional rival Iran of delivering the weapons to the insurgents. The coalition has been blacklisted by the UN for the killing and maiming of children in air raids on Yemen. The United States, which backs the Saudi campaign against the Huthis, has also accused Iran of being at the origin of the ballistic missiles, a charge denied by Tehran. Russia said last week that evidence presented by the US was inconclusive, signalling it would oppose a bid to slap UN sanctions on Tehran. More than 9,200 people have been killed since the Saudi-led alliance joined the Yemen war in March 2015, according to the World Health Organization, triggering what the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian disaster. Tehrans Prosecutor, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi says 150 of the protesters arrested during the unrest in late December 2017 and early January have been indicted. Dolatabadi added that four protesters are still in custody. Speaking at a meeting with his deputies at his headquarters on Monday February 5, Dolatabadi said that Not everyone arrested in the streets has been accused of taking part in protests, reported the Tehran Prosecutors Office website. Last week when he spoke to journalist, he said 10 protesters were in custody. No independent source has corroborated or ruled out the figures released by Dolatabadi. The Iranian Judiciary does not allow international observers to visit Iranian prisons. A senior Human Rights Watch researcher has recently called on the members of Iranian Parliament to ask the authorities to allow visits to prisons by independent Iranian and foreign inspectors. Iran has not allowed any UN human rights inspector to visit its prisons since 2005. Tehran MP Alireza Rahimi had said last week that five thousand protesters were arrested during the unrest that overwhelmed Iran in late December and early January; and that 500 of them remain in custody. Rahimi who recently paid a visit to Tehrans Evin prison along with another 10 MPs, wrote on his social media Telegram page on Sunday February 5 that the MPs were able to speak to only a few of the remaining prisoners. Rahimi also refuted claims made by law enforcement that they had a video clip of Sina Ghanbari, a detained protester, committing suicide. Authorities had also announced that they showed the film to visiting MPs. However, Rahimi disputed this claim, saying that what they were shown was not a footage of suicide. They saw a man looking like Ghanbari alive, with a plastic bag in his hands and then footage from two hours later, showing a dead person on the floor. Sina, 22, died in custody, but the authorities claim that he committed suicide in jail. At least five other jailed protesters in Tehran, Arak, Sanndaj and Dezful were also reported dead in custody. The International Campaign for Human Rights has said that most of protesters who were arrested during recent unrests were not given a chance to be represented by lawyers or to meet with their families while in custody. The ICHR added that inmates could face the charges of fighting God and the saints which could lead to death sentences. Widespread protests against economic hardship and lack of freedoms first started in Mashhad in northeastern Iran in late December 2017 and soon spread all over the country and turned into fierce political demonstrations against Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Tehrans military intervention in the region. Demonstrators also expressed support for Pahlavi dynasty that reigned in Iran for over half of the 20th century. At least 25 demonstrators were killed in the streets by regimes security forces. AFP - The United States and Argentina are to work together more closely to cut off Lebanese Hezbollah's funding networks in Latin America, both nations' top diplomats said Sunday. Argentina has a large Lebanese expatriate population and US authorities suspect groups within it of raising funds through organized crime to support the Iranian-backed armed movement. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was in Buenos Aires for talks with his Argentinian counterpart Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie, and afterwards they confirmed that the issue had come up. "With respect to Hezbollah, we also did speak today in our discussion about all of the region about how we must all jointly go after these transnational criminal organizations -- narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, smuggling, money laundering -- because we see the connections to terrorist financing organizations as well," Tillerson said. "And we did specifically discuss the presence of Lebanese Hezbollah in this hemisphere, which is raising funds, obviously, to support its terrorist activities. "So it is something that we jointly agree we need to attack and eliminate," Tillerson said. Faurie, standing by Tillerson's side at a joint news conference, agreed, saying that South America had become a "zone of peace" and that outside groups must not be allowed to jeopardize this. "And, as Secretary Tillerson said, we need to intensify every possible exchange not only in terms of dialogue but also in terms of information on the actions of these groups which take advantage of transnational crime to foster their interests, which Argentina certainly does not agree with," he said. In 1992, the violence of the Middle East erupted in Argentina, when bombers attacked the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 29 people. Two years later, an attack on a Jewish community center in the city left 85 dead. None of the bombers were ever convicted, but international investigators followed a trail that appears to link them to Hezbollah -- a group which Washington has designated a terrorist organization -- and to senior Iranian officials. The bombings did not continue, but US experts believe that Hezbollah, working under close Iranian supervision, has built a fund-raising network in Latin America that profits from drug smuggling to fund its political and military activities. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Nigar Guliyeva - Trend: Azerbaijan has always harnessed an avant-garde foreign policy that addresses many global challenges that are deeply affecting Europe and Asia today, said Peter Tase, a political analyst and international relations expert at the Milwaukee-based Marquette University. In his article entitled " The Baku Process: An Effective Cultural Diplomacy Momentum of Azerbaijan" published in "Modern Diplomacy", he said that Azerbaijan is a special place where different cultures and religions can converge, harness an open dialogue and live in harmony. "Azerbaijan, the Land of Fire, has built an environment of tolerance, trust and confidence among the principal religious convictions: Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Catholicism. All of these elements of Azerbaijani society are shared throughout the world and the Baku Process plays an indispensable role towards harnessing intercultural dialogue, multiculturalism, spreading peaceful coexistence and prosperity across countries and regions," he said. Tase further said that the Baku Process aspires to promote intercultural, inter-racial and inter-religious dialogue among individuals, international experts, journalists and government leaders, while respecting the diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds encountered throughout the five continents. He reminded that the First Baku Process Ministerial Conference was entitled: Baku Process for the promotion of intercultural dialogue (2008); it was organized in cooperation with the Council of Europe. "The Ministerial Conference of 2008 emphasized the vital role of effective dialogue, cultural policies, preservation of cultural monuments, and promotion of inter-religious tolerance and shared the values of Azerbaijani Multiculturalism Policy. The foreign dignitaries were introduced to a deeply rooted religious tolerance and cultural diversity that is presently flourishing among Azerbaijani people from Nakhchivan to Baku, from Shaki to Lankaran and from Quba to Tartar Region of Daglq Qarabag (Upper Karabakh Region)," he said. Tase noted that the Baku Process creates a rare opportunity for global conversations to take place between state and non-state actors, adding that over the last ten years, it emphasized practical actions and pragmatic cultural collaborations. "Azerbaijan, the Land of Fire, unlike any other country in the Eurasian landmass has preserved cultures of many ethnic groups and has become a candid bridge among millenary cultures, multiculturalism and religious dialogue," he said. Reminding that under the patronage of President Ilham Aliyev, over the last ten years the Baku Process has hosted several major events, Tase said that Azerbaijan has always harnessed an avant-garde foreign policy that addresses many global challenges that are deeply affecting Europe and Asia today. "Baku has supported, and has become a global player, on all efforts led by the international community right at their inception stage; the Government of Azerbaijan under President Ilham Aliyev has proactively brought together Nobel Prize winners, heads of state and cultural experts to promote intercultural and interfaith dialogue always intertwined with the worlds pressing challenges and obstacles of today and of the future," he said. He emphasized that the Baku Process will continue to promote intercultural dialogue between governments and nations, strengthen cooperation among many ethnic groups and encourage cultural partnerships among people living on different continents. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.5 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Azerbaijans participation in the Viking international intermodal freight logistics project is a positive development, as it enables to attract cargo flows from Central Asia and China via TRACECA corridor, a source in Lithuanian Railways JSC told Azernews. "We appreciate and positively assess the accession of Azerbaijan railways and its operator Karvan Logistics to the Viking project. In addition, the Azerbaijan railways launched an initiative on the possible cargo transit to Iran. We hope that it will be a win-win partnership and new routes will be opened," said the source. The company representative pointed out that unfortunately, until today, containers do not run on the route to Azerbaijan, but taking into account the new plans on launching Iran route, it will be a great opportunity for Azerbaijan in terms of new transit flows. "This year the project will celebrate 15- year anniversary. Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine remain the main parts of the project, but the new flows from the other countries are expected," the source said. Moreover, it is planned to connect Viking project to the Trans-Caspian international transport routes (TITR), according to the source. Piggyback VIKING Train is a joint project of Lithuanian, Ukrainian and Belarusian Railways, stevedore companies and ports of Klaipeda, Illichivsk and Odessa. The route crosses Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania and links the network of sea container lines of Baltics and the Black seas, Mediterranean and Caspian seas. The regular runs were launched on February 6, 2003. In 2016, Azerbaijan signed a protocol on the Azerbaijan Railways' joining the international railway project 'Viking'. By using the route of Viking train, its clients have an opportunity of saving up to 46 percent of their funds comparing to other types of transportation and at the same time have a guaranteed time of cargo delivery. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 Trend: The OSCE is expected to monitor the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops on Feb. 6, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said in a message on Feb. 5. The monitoring will be held under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative along the line of contact near Azerbaijans Tartar district, according to the message. On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring will be held by Andrzej Kasprzyk, personal representative of the OSCE chairperson-in-office, and his field assistant Mikhail Olaru. On the Azerbaijani territories occupied and controlled by Armenian armed forces, the monitoring will be held by Ghenadie Petrica, Ognjen Jovic and Martin Schuster, who are field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: As a result of reforms, the volume of non-oil sector is increasing year by year, numerous workplaces are being opened in Azerbaijan, says the message of Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev to participants of the 5th Congress of the Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation. The congratulatory message was read out by Azerbaijani Presidents Assistant for Public and Political Affairs Ali Hasanov. The head of state congratulated the participants of the congress. The message says that during the years of independence, trade unions have passed a long way of development, and play a big role in protecting social rights of citizens. It was noted that the government highly appreciates the role of trade unions in regulating labor rights, addressing social issues. Conditions have been created for the unions to organize their work in line with the requirements of the modern period. The message says that the done work has reduced the level of poverty and unemployment. The achieved success increases the role of trade unions, related to the protection of the social rights of the population and the growth of public solidarity, says the message. The head of state stressed in his message that trade unions should expand their activities in organizations in various fields, to keep the focus on protection of workers rights. I believe that this congress will make an important contribution to the activity of trade unions, added the Azerbaijani president. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: The fifth congress of the Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation, held on Feb. 5, made a decision to put forward the candidacy of Ilham Aliyev in the extraordinary presidential election to be held in April 2018. Participants of the fifth congress of the Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation appealed to President Ilham Aliyev in connection with his nomination for the upcoming election. President Aliyev signed an order on Feb. 5 announcing extraordinary presidential election. Under the order, the election will be held on April 11, 2018. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 Trend: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree approving a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in higher education between the Azerbaijani Ministry of Education and the Turkish Council of Higher Education Feb. 5. After the memorandum comes into force, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Education will be charged with the fulfillment of its provisions, while the countrys Foreign Ministry will be charged with sending a notification to the Turkish government on the implementation of the interstate procedures required for the entry of the memorandum into force. The memorandum of understanding was signed in Baku on Oct. 31, 2017. The president also approved a memorandum of understanding on signing a preferential trade agreement between the Azerbaijani and Turkish governments, as well as an agreement on cooperation in the production and certification of seed forage plants between the Azerbaijani and Turkish governments. These documents were signed in Baku on Oct. 31, 2017. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Nigar Guliyeva - Trend: The National company Kazakh Invest and German Economy Representative Office for Central Asia have agreed to activate investment cooperation between the two countries. Chairman of the Board of Kazakh Invest Saparbek Tuyakbayev and Deputy Head of German Economy Representative Office for Central Asia Katharina Koch considered issues of the cooperation in Almaty. Tuyakbayev informed the German side about activities of Kazakh Invest, introduction of one-stop shop principle in the work with foreign investors in Kazakhstan and on investment preferences provided to foreign entrepreneurs. We consider Germany as a priority country with great potential for investing in Kazakhstan. German business is very flexible and it holds serious positions in the global market. Therefore, Kazakh Invest is ready to support the investment projects of German businessmen," Tuyakbayev noted. Koch, in turn, emphasized that Germany is interested in intensive cooperation with Kazakhstan. Our organization receives requests from German businessmen, who are looking for potential investment projects in Kazakhstan. We are happy that there is such an interest and we hope that with the assistance of Kazakh Invest all organizational issues will be resolved," she said. The parties agreed on joint investment activities with participation of German businessmen. The German Economy Representative Office in Central Asia is a part of the global network of German Chambers of Commerce represented in 130 cities of more than 90 countries. The Office provides consulting services to Kazakhstan companies on the possibilities of business cooperation in Germany. The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Germany exceeds 2 billion euros. Kazakhstan is Germany's key trading partner in the Central Asian region. Over 91 percent of Kazakh exports fell on mineral resources. The rest is made up of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, chemicals, fish. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Azad Hasanli Trend: Ministry of Taxes of Azerbaijan plans to announce a new state tax policy the next week, the ministry announced on Feb. 5. Entrepreneurs, members of parliament, experts, representatives of state structures and public organizations and others will attend the event. Future directions of the tax policy, revisions to the state tax management, new work principles with entrepreneurs for tax authorities are planned to be talked about at the conference; other issues will be discussed and proposals of members of parliament and experts will be listened to as well, the announcement reads. Mikayil Jabbarov was appointed as the Minister of Taxes of Azerbaijan in the early December 2017. The new minister had been planning to amend the tax policy and make it more favorable for entrepreneurs, a source in the government told Trend earlier. Possibility of implementation of certain tax concessions was spoken about as well. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @AzadHasanli Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Nigar Guliyeva- Trend: The number of plastic cards issued in Uzbekistan amounted to more than 19.22 million as of Jan. 1, 2018, Uzbek media reported referring to the Central Bank of Uzbekistan. The figure is less by 1.53 percent compared to the beginning of 2017. Commercial banks of Uzbekistan installed 235,712 terminals (an increase of 13.03 percent) and 5,632 ATMs and info-kiosks (an increase of 13.68 percent) during the reported period. The amount of payments made through terminals amounted to more than 52.97 trillion soums (a decrease of 0.15 percent). Currently, there are 27 commercial banks in Uzbekistan, including three state, five - with the participation of foreign capital, seven private and 11 joint stock companies. Almost all banks in the country issue plastic cards. (8,175.77 UZS = $1 on Feb. 5) Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Anvar Mammadov Trend: Azerbaijan will take part in "Fruit Logistica" international fruit and vegetable exhibition, to be held in Berlin from February 7 to February 9, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Economy said in a message Feb. 5. According to the message, Azerbaijan will participate in the exhibition with a single stand. Azerbaijans various fruit and vegetable products will be presented. Azerbaijan will be represented by nine exporters at the exhibition, which overall will host some 3,000 companies from 84 countries. The cost of participation in the exhibition is covered by the Azerbaijani government. According to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs decree dated October 5, 2016, implying the promotion of the Made in Azerbaijan brand in foreign markets, Azerbaijan's products were showcased at such exhibitions as Gulfood 2017 Dubai, ProWein Trade Fair in Dusseldorf, Anuga food trade fair in Cologne and WorldFood Moscow in 2017. Ten export delegations were also organized to foreign countries. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Nigar Guliyeva - Trend: The bill on currency regulation and currency control provides for a more complete coverage of foreign exchange transactions with statistical monitoring, while the procedures for collecting information on foreign exchange transactions are simplified, said Deputy Chairman of the National Bank of Kazakhstan Oleg Smolyakov. He made the remarks addressing a session at the Kazakh parliament on Feb. 5. "A unified registration of foreign exchange contracts will be introduced. Under the export-import contracts, the existing registration procedure will be kept. The novelty is that this procedure will also cover currency contracts for the export and import of works and services," Smolyakov said. He also touched upon the changes covering the transboundary currency transactions. "The bill also defines a list of currency transactions that have signs of money withdrawal from the country. These include: granting a loan by a resident to a non-resident that does not provide for repayment through transfer of money to an account in Kazakhstan; issuance of a loan by non-resident to a resident that does not provide for repayment through transfer of money to an account in Kazakhstan; issuance of an interest-free financial loan by a resident to a non-affiliated non-resident for a period of more than 720 days; operations to pay for exports or imports with a repatriation period of over 720 days," he said. He noted that such operations will be carried out by banks only upon submission by a resident of a permit to transfer information to currency control bodies. In addition, the bill provides for the right to transfer information on currency transactions containing bank secrecy to the State Revenue Committee. He said the new bill stipulates changes in currency legislation due to Kazakhstan's accession to the World Trade Organization as well as the establishment of the Khorgos International Center for Cross-Border Cooperation. The main changes in the draft law also include recognition of branches of foreign organizations as residents, expansion of the scope of transboundary currency transactions, strengthening control over currency operations aimed at withdrawal of capital, and others. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Turkish Minister of Food, Agriculture and Livestock Ahmet Esref Fakibaba urged the villagers to leave cities and return to the villages, the countrys Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock said in a message Feb. 5. The minister said that the villagers who will leave cities and return to the villages will receive 300 heads of small cattle, as well as additional salaries. The minister added that the Turkish government is also beginning to implement the livestock development plan. "The plan entitled "Be the master of your work" will be carried out under the slogan "Do not leave the villages", the minister said. Fakibaba also stressed that in case of an increase in the number of small cattle, the ministry will buy livestock from the villagers. By the end of 2017, the Turkish population reached 80,810.525 million people. Meanwhile, 7.5 percent of the population lives in villages. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Maksim Tsurkov Trend: Chinese companies may be involved into the activity in the free trade zone, being created on the territory of the new Baku International Sea Trade Port in Alat settlement, Azerbaijani Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev said. Mustafayev made the remarks at the meeting with Chinese Minister of Transport Li Xiaopeng in Beijing Feb. 5, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Economy said. Mustafayev stressed that Azerbaijan has become one of the first countries which supported "Silk Road Economic Belt" initiative. "Azerbaijan is interested in supporting the Trans-Caspian Transport Route as an integral part of the "Belt and Road" initiative, Mustafayev added. Moreover, an event on the "Belt and Road" initiative may be held in Azerbaijan. Chinese companies may be attracted to the activity in the free trade zone in Alat settlement. Azerbaijan and China can cooperate in the construction and management of a container terminal in the Baku International Sea Trade Port." In his turn, Xiaopeng said that China attaches great importance to the relations with Azerbaijan and expressed an opinion on the possible expansion of cooperation in various spheres of the economy, including the transport sector. Mustafayev also met with Chinese Deputy Minister of Commerce Fu Ziying. During the meeting, the Azerbaijani minister stressed the growth of trade turnover between the countries by 43 percent in 2017 and said that Azerbaijani companies intend to participate in a number of exhibitions in China, namely, Sial China 2018, China-Eurasia Expo and China International Import Expo. "There is a good potential for export of agricultural and industrial products from Azerbaijan to China," Mustafayev added. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov Countrys mobile telecom market leader Azercell Telecom is pleased to launch a campaign for customers who would like to buy a new mobile phone at favorable terms. Thus, any customer purchasing a mobile phone at Exclusive shops of Azercell will get, at their own discretion, free unlimited internet pack or 1000 on-net minutes for the first month as a bonus. Notably, Azercells Exclusive shops serve customers at Baku (located at 5 Bulbul Avenue, 30\42 Gara Garayev Avenue), Khirdalan (located at 54, Mehdi Huseyn Street, H. Aliyev Avenue), Mardakan (located at 92, Sergey Yesenin Street) and Guba (located at 194 Haydar Aliyev Avenue). Provided with advanced equipment and facilities, these shops designed in a new Nordic concept gives opportunity for customers to get detailed information about any product, compare and try them. Moreover, customers can get various accessories and devices supporting mobile technologies and purchase mobile phones for cash or on credit. Azercell Telecom invites all customers to join this favorable campaign. The leader of the mobile communication industry, the largest taxpayer and the biggest investor of the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan Azercell Telecom LLC was founded in 1996. With 48% share of Azerbaijans mobile telecom market Azercells network covers 80% of the territory (excluding 20% of the occupied territories) and 99,8% of population of the country. Currently, 4,5 million subscribers choose Azercell services. Azercell has pioneered an important number of innovations in Azerbaijan, including GSM technology, advance payment system, mobile internet services, Metro coverage, 24/7 call centre service, 7 day/week Front Office service, M2M services, one-stop-shopping approach Azercell Express offices, Online Customer Care and Social Media Customer Care services, Mobile Customer Care office, mobile e-signature service ASAN Imza etc. Azercell deployed first 4G LTE services in Azerbaijan in 2012. According to the results of mobile network quality surveys of Global Wireless Solutions company and international systems specialized in wireless coverage mapping such as Opensignal and Testmy.net, Azercells network demonstrated the best results among the mobile operators of Azerbaijan. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Huseyn Valiyev Trend: Elmir Valizade was appointed deputy minister of transport, communications and high technologies upon Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs decree, dated Feb. 2. Before the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies were merged, Valizade served as deputy minister of communications and high technologies. Earlier, Ali Abdullayev was appointed first deputy minister of transport, communications and high technologies upon the presidential decree. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: The number of foreign tourists who visited Turkeys Antalya resort province increased by 13 percent in January 2018 compared to January 2017, the regional department of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism said in a message Feb. 5. According to the message, 98,300 foreign tourists visited Antalya in January 2018. "In particular, 24 percent of those foreign tourists account for German citizens in January 2018 and this figure is 15 percent more compared to January 2017," the message said. Meanwhile, 21 percent of tourists who visited Antalya in January 2018 account for Russian citizens, which is by 30 percent more compared to January 2017. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 Trend: In January 2018, the number of Azerbaijani citizens visiting Georgia grew 0.8 percent compared to the same period last year, Georgian media reported quoting Head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration Giorgi Chogovadze. Chogovadze said at a briefing that Azerbaijani citizens visited Georgia most often. In total, more than 444,200 foreigners visited Georgia in January 2018 (a 14.8 percent growth for the year). For January, the number of tourists staying in Georgia for 24 hours or more was about 189,500 people, which is 23 percent more than last year. In addition to Azerbaijani citizens, citizens of Turkey (a 20.1 percent growth for the year), Armenia (a 20.9 percent growth), Russia (a 14.6 percent growth) and Iran (a 92.4 percent growth) visited Georgia most often in January 2018. Chogovadze noted that the number of tourists from EU member countries also grew in January 2018. Georgian National Tourism Administration noted that an unprecedented number of foreigners - 7.5 million people - visited Georgia in 2017. Georgias income from tourism has increased to $2.7 billion, according to preliminary information. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Nigar Guliyeva - Trend: A Tajik delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Azim Ibrohim has arrived in Tashkent city, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said. The visit program envisages holding of meetings and negotiations with the Uzbek authorities. The talks will be held at a number of ministries and departments and cover topical issues of bilateral relations, as well as practical aspects of preparation for the upcoming Uzbek-Tajik contacts. The preparation for the state visit of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Tajikistan scheduled for early March will become one of the main topics during the talks, Tajik media reported. The sides will also discuss in detail the draft agreements Dushanbe and Tashkent intend to sign following the visit of the Uzbek president to Tajikistan. Diplomatic relations between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan were established on Oct. 22, 1992. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Feb. 5 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: A delegation of Turkmenistan, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Berdyniyaz Myatiev, held the Turkmen-Croatian political consultations in Zagreb, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry said in a message Feb. 5. A meeting was held with participation of Zdravka Busic, state secretary at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia. The sides discussed cooperation in the political-diplomatic, trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian spheres. An exchange of views was held on topical issues of international agenda, regional security and cooperation. In this context, the cooperation within international organizations was discussed. A separate topic of discussions was the issue of intensification of relations within the EU-Turkmenistan format, says the message. Participants of negotiations underlined the role of high-level visits and discussed the possibility of establishing and developing the Turkmen-Croatian inter-parliamentary dialogue. The parties expressed particular interest in developing trade and economic cooperation and expanding contacts between business circles of the two countries. In this regard, the importance of the joint intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation was stressed. It was reported in November 2017 that Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is expected to visit Croatia. Croatian companies are interested in partnership in such areas as energy, transport, shipbuilding and metalworking. Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Feb. 5 By Mamed Dashdemirov Trend: Uzbekistan ranked 91st in the World Justice Projects 2017-2018 Rule of Law Index, having improved its position by two points for the year, the Uzbek Ministry of Justice told Trend. The WJP Rule of Law Index 2017-2018 measures rule of law adherence in 113 countries and jurisdictions worldwide based on more than 110,000 household and 3,000 expert surveys. The WJP Rule of Law Index measures countries rule of law performance across eight factors: constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, open government, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, civil justice, and criminal justice. Denmark kept the first place in the ranking. Norway and Finland took the second and third places, respectively. The top 10 countries also included Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand, Austria, Canada and Australia. Venezuela took the 113th place in the ranking. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 Trend: Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov will pay an official visit to China, the press service of the ministry said. "On 6-7 February 2018, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov will pay an official visit to the People's Republic of China," the report said. It is noted that the programme of the visit includes the meetings and negotiations with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Wang Yi, the heads of a number of ministries and departments, where it is planned to discuss the prospects for further activating of the Uzbek-Chinese dialogue in the political, trade-economic, investment, cultural, humanitarian and other spheres, and also to exchange views on regional and international issues. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Fatih Karimov Trend: Iran has increased its oil output significantly during the current fiscal year, started March 20, 2017, the countrys Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said. Irans crude oil and gas condensate output has increased by 165,000 barrels per day during the first ten months of the current fiscal year (March 20-Jan. 21), Zanganeh told reporters Feb. 4. Gas condensate is ultra light oil, which the Islamic Republic mainly extracts from South Pars gas field and shares with Qatar in the Persian Gulf. The country exports almost all volume of condensate output from the field. Zanganeh said also that Irans oil export has also witnessed a rise by 60,000 barrels per day in the 10-month period. Irans oil export and output has increased by more than one million barrels per day, after removal of international sanctions in 2016, the minister noted. According to the Oil Ministry data, Iran exported about 777 million barrels of crude oil and 180 million barrels of condensate in 2017, averaging 2.62 million barrels a day (2.1 mbpd of crude and 490,000 bpd of condensate). Asian countries, including China, India, South Korea and Japan were main destination of the exports with some 62 percent share, meanwhile about 38 percent of the exports went to European markets. Turkey, Italy, the UK, Hungary and the Netherlands were among the Islamic Republics crude oil customers in Europe. Zanganeh further touched upon the increasing of production level in West Karoun oil fields, which is shared with Iraq and is a priority for the ministry. He said that the overall output of the fields currently stands at about 305,000 barrels per day. West Karoun oil fields output has increased by 145,000 barrels per day during the current fiscal year, the minister added. The five fields in West Karoun Block, in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, hold 66.7 billion barrels of in-situ oil reserves, sharing 9.5 percent of the countrys total in-situ oil and gas condensate reserves. Iran has invested $21.5 billion so far to develop its joint oil fields with Iraq including North and South Azadegan, Yadavaran, and North and South Yaran fields in a bid to boost crude output from the oil block. Developing joint oil fields, in particular, the West Karoun block is a high priority for Irans administration. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Fatih Karimov Trend: Security forces of Irans presidential office shot a man who was trying to enter the office through its gates. Iranian media outlets quoted Mohsen Hamadani, deputy governor of Tehran Province, as saying on Feb. 5 that a man wearing cerement and armed with knife wanted to pass the gates, but was shot in foot and injured. Security forces opened fire at the person after he neglected warnings to stop, the official said. The person is alive and an investigation is underway to identify him and the reason of his move. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Fatih Karimov Trend: Iran has launched a production line for its most recent unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UAV) Muhajer-6 on Feb. 5, during a ceremony attended by Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami and commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Ground Force Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour. The Mohjer-6, which is the newest drone of the famous Iranian Mohajer UAV family, and is equipped with a new home-made smart bomb dubbed Ghaem, Iranian media outlets reported. It is the first UAV of the Mohajer series that is armed with a guided weapon system. The Iranian Mohajer-4 UAV have been successfully used during conflicts in Syria and Iraq, and allegedly in Lebanon. The Mohajer-6 got a longer wingspan and a bigger size. It is also can be in the air longer than the previous version, Mohajer-4. The Mohajer-6 also has a fixed landing gear - a common feature for the Mohajer UAV family, and the same electro-optical day-night capable system as Mohajer-4. Ghaem smart bomb, which was unveiled for the first time during the ceremony, is capable of destroying mobile and fixed targets, Irans defense minister said. A smart bomb, also known guided bomb is a precision-guided munition designed to achieve a smaller Circular error probable (CEP). Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Azer Ahmadbayli Trend: Based on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's recent TV speech regarding the upcoming 39th anniversary of Khomeinis accession to power and the fall of the Shahs regime, he seems to be one of the strongest supporters of the Islamic Republic. During his speech, Rouhani warned the countrys leadership against ignoring peoples discontent and demands, otherwise it might suffer the fate of the last Iranian Shah. The Shah did not listen to the peoples advice. The voices of reformists, advisers, academics, elites and intellectuals have not been heard, he said. This makes President Rouhani one of the most forward-looking Iranian politicians trying to break the environment that can cause irreversible consequences. Thanks to that, he seems to be the most dangerous figure in the eyes of those who, by definition, wish to topple the current regime. He also seems to have a good memory, as he well remembers what the delay in the long-overdue changes could lead to. Rouhanis address reminded one of the last public speeches made by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in late 1978, when he addressed people of Iran, on the threshold of the Revolution: I have heard your voice I make a commitment to be with you and your revolution against corruption and injustice in Iran, meaning that he was prepared to practically change things in the country, but there was no time left. In February 1979 people took it to the streets, chanting death to Shah. Late last year we witnessed similar slogans yet again, chanted on Iranian streets. The increasing incidents of acts of aggression towards clerics on the streets of different Iranian cities have taken place. Some of them have been recorded on video and published online. There are also sharp comments and images in social networks, mocking the clerics. Poor Iranian youngsters who have to get up every morning in the cold weather and get to workplace, you should keep in mind that a group of clerics sleep in religious seminaries. Not only they [clerics] do not need to go to anywhere, they even receive money on a monthly basis, user @un00sha tweeted. That is, how tasty the Revolutionary freebie is. The past several weeks, a spontaneous campaign against the compulsory law for women to cover their heads with a scarf (hijab) has also been gaining momentum in Iranian cities. Since the beginning of the protests, up to date 29 women were arrested for the violation of the law. People called them girls of the Revolution Street. The amazing thing is, even some traditionalists coated in hijab to take part in the campaign, saying that every woman should have the right to choose. Getting back to Rouhani, without pointing finger on Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) directly, he also voiced his concerns about its destructive role in the countrys economy. They were scared of the unarmed government. [How about now that] we have given the economy to a government that is armed with guns as well as with media outlets? It is armed with every means available and nobody dares to compete with it, Rouhani said. If information, guns, money, newspapers, news agencies and other hallmarks of power and authority combined into a single institution, its managers would have been prone to corruption, even if they were [Prophet Muhammads companions] Abuzar and Salman, Rouhani said. What were the ideals being the foundation of the Islamic Revolution and where are they now? President Rouhani is trying to answer this question and to breathe in new life into a tired body of the Revolution. He is himself its adherent, but he sees that use of gray schemes in the countrys banking sector, unreasonably privileged position of clerics at the expense of others, misuse of power and excessive advantages given to and taken by the Revolutionary Guards Corps, etc. all of that is creating tensions in Iranian society, in addition to the complicated external circumstances. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 Trend: As of Jan. 1, 2018, Armenias population amounted to 2.973 million people, which is 13,200 people less than on Jan. 1, 2017 and 25,700 people less than on Jan. 1, 2016, Armenian media reported quoting the countrys statistical service. In addition, the number of those who refused from Armenian citizenship has also grown in the country. Thus, 15,000 people have refused from Armenian citizenship since 2012. The government of the Maldives will resist any attempt by the Supreme Court to impeach President Abdulla Yameen for disobeying its order last week to release jailed opposition leaders, the attorney general said on Sunday, Reuters reported. Mohamed Anil said the government had received information that the Supreme Court was preparing to fire Yameen, but such a move would be illegal and the police and army had been instructed not to carry out such an order. We have received information that things might happen that will lead to a national security crisis, Anil told a news conference in the capital, Male, at which the head of the armed forces and new police chief also appeared. The information says the Supreme Court might issue a ruling to impeach or remove the president from power. Yameen has fired two police chiefs since Thursday, when the Supreme Court threw out terrorism convictions against former president Mohamed Nasheed and eight other opposition figures. Police had indicated they would enforce the ruling. Some of the jailed opposition leaders have said they have evidence of corruption by Yameen, who has denied all such allegations. The court also ordered 12 members of parliament who had been stripped of their seats to be restored to the body. The 12 had quit Yameens ruling party last year, and allowing them to return to the legislature would deprive him of a majority. The politically neutral secretary general of parliament, Ahmed Mohamed, had said he would abide by the Supreme Courts order to reinstate the 12 lawmakers but he unexpectedly resigned on Sunday, citing personal reasons. Yameen, in power since 2013 and facing elections in October, is under international pressure to heed the court decision, while hundreds of protesters have taken to the countrys streets to demand compliance with the order. In a statement late on Sunday, the Supreme Court said there should be no legal barrier preventing the enforcement of its ruling but made no mention of whether it was seeking to impeach the president. Earlier in the day more than 100 riot police stood guard outside government offices in Male, including parliament, as well as at Republic Square, a site of protests by opposition activists, although the streets were quiet. The Maldives National Defence Force said in a statement that it would work to stop activities that openly threaten the security and safety of the Maldives or which sought to spread false and unfounded rumors about the government. The combined opposition said in a statement that it feared a military takeover of the Indian Ocean archipelago to preserve Yameens grip on power. It said the attorney generals highly irregular statement ... supported by the two chiefs of the security forces was tantamount to the effective sidelining of the judiciary and in direct contravention of the constitution. Maldivians are fearful that President Yameen is about to order a full military takeover of the country, in an attempt to ensure he is not removed from office, the statement added. Nasheed, the countrys first democratically elected leader, lives in exile in Britain but is currently in Sri Lanka. He is fighting for the right to contest the presidential poll after losing power to Yameen in a 2013 election which Nasheeds supporters said was rigged. The Maldives, an Indian Ocean island chain of around 400,000 people known to outsiders mainly as a tropical paradise for the tourists that provide most of its foreign exchange income, has experienced political unrest since Nasheed stepped down in 2012. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the countrys authorities have started the procedure of deportation of thousands of African immigrants, according to Sputnik. "Today, we have started the procedure of deportation of illegal immigrants from Israel, similar to what advanced countries did, the United States in particular. We prevented infiltration of illegal immigrants into Israel with the help of a barrier built on the border with Sinai. Also I will keep my promise to expel illegal immigrants from our country," Netanyahu wrote on Facebook. Earlier in the day, the Population, Immigration and Border Authority reportedly started sending deportation notices to asylum seekers from Eritrea and Sudan, but so far only to the ones without children. They are given 60 days to leave Israel, and are offered $3,500 each for the voluntary departure from Israel to an unnamed third country. In January, Netanyahu praised US President Donald Trump's executive order to build a wall that would prevent illegal migrants from Mexico from entering the United States. In 2013, Israel finished the construction of a barrier along sections of its border with Egypt, aimed at curbing illegal migration from Africa. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Turkey suspects the US in the death of five servicemen during the Operation Olive Branch in Syrias Afrin city, Turkish media reported Feb. 5. It was established that a Turkish tank in Afrin was destroyed by the Javelin anti-tank missile system manufactured by the US. It was earlier reported that Turkey had informed the US of intention to buy the Javelin anti-tank missile system, but the US refused. On Jan. 20, the Turkish Armed Forces, together with the Free Syrian Army, launched the Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, Syria. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Turkey wont sacrifice its interests for the sake of EU accession, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said according to local media on Monday. The EU has blocked negotiations with Ankara under the pretence that Turkey didnt fulfill its demands, he added. Turkey fulfilled all demands of the EU and intends to become its full-fledged member; other conditions of the EU doesnt interest Ankara, the president said. Turkey began its EU accession talks in 2005. In 1963, Turkey and the European Economic Community (the EU's former name) signed an association agreement. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Strong relationships being built between Turkey and Russia shouldnt worry other countries, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said according to local news reports on Feb. 5. No one worries when other countries build up ties with Russia, but panic arises when it comes to Turkey, he added. Turkey intends to build closer ties with all countries, Cavusoglu noted. He also said that development of Turkish-Russian relationships doesnt necessarily mean that they are aimed against the US. The goal of Ankara is to get mutual benefits with all sides, the official said. Turkey and Russia have historical ties and there is nothing unnatural in the development of the relationships between Ankara and Moscow, Cavusoglu said. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: A passenger bus overturned in the eastern Turkish province of Van, as a result of which, according to preliminary data, two people were killed, the Turkish media reported Feb. 5. Reportedly, 21 people were injured, and the health condition of three of them is assessed as serious. All the injured people are citizens of Turkey. Over the past ten years, about 42,000 people were killed and more than two million people were injured as a result of road accidents in Turkey. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu By Justin Maki, KYODO NEWS - Feb 5, 2018 - 14:10 | Arts, All An exhibit that lets children explore Japan's contemporary "kawaii" culture as well as traditional Shinto beliefs about nature opens Saturday at the Children's Museum of Manhattan in New York. The "Hello from Japan!" exhibit, which has toured children's museums across the United States since its 2015 debut, returns to Manhattan with new attractions including a manga studio and origami workspace. "The whole idea of 'kawaii' or 'cuteness' is something I think kids can connect with," exhibit designer Tim Cramer told Kyodo News. "There's so many bright colors to the style, and it was mainly a child-oriented and centered thing," he said, noting the early trend of Japanese students individualizing their school uniforms with cute pins and decorations. Inspired by the Harajuku district of modern Tokyo, the "Kawaii Central" portion of the exhibit includes interactive stations where children can sing karaoke, practice writing in katakana, design mascots and serve up Japanese meals with toy sushi pieces. A bridge, modeled as a hybrid between the stone bridge at Tokyo's Meiji shrine and the wooden one at Ise, leads to an area with an indoor Shinto-themed park featuring a traditional-style shrine with hanging bell, a tree for leaving wishes and an authentic dispenser of "omikuji" or fortunes. "The 'kawaii' area is a more urban theme, so I created this with aluminum and steel, and clear lines," Cramer said. "When you get to the Shinto area, I wanted something more natural, with wood and curvature. I wanted that contrast." In developing the original exhibit, the museum created its own animated character who appears on various signs to teach Japanese words and customs. The young girl is dressed up as a mascot on signs in the urban area, and appears as a shrine caretaker in the Shinto park. The museum also decided to present its written displays in Japanese as well as English and Spanish. "We thought it was really important that there was Japanese in the exhibit," Ellen Bari, the exhibit's writer and a senior consultant, told Kyodo. "This makes it feel like you're someplace else." "Some of these things (from Japanese culture) may be unfamiliar. Once (visitors) have been exposed, it is no longer unfamiliar." "It really expands their universe," Bari said. "Hello from Japan!" is the third in the museum's series showcasing global cultures, following exhibitions on Ancient Greece and China. A fourth on the world's Muslim cultures is currently touring in the United States. The Japan exhibit, which includes historical and contemporary art on loan from Asia Society Museum, runs from Saturday until May 6 with programs on manga illustration, kimono design and other Japanese arts. KYODO NEWS - Feb 5, 2018 - 22:12 | World, Urgent South Korea's intelligence agency informed parliament on Monday that North Korea's theft of virtual currency from the country last year was on the scale of tens of millions of dollars, according to parliamentary sources. They said the National Intelligence Service also briefed the National Assembly that it is investigating whether North Korea was behind hackers' theft of digital money worth 58 billion yen ($534 million) from Japanese virtual currency exchange Coincheck on Jan. 26. The NIS said tens of billions of won in cryptocurrency were stolen from South Korea cryptocurrency exchanges last year through North Korean cyberattacks, which partly involved the sending of hacking emails to members of the exchanges. Yonhap News Agency reported in December that the NIS had secured evidence that North Korea was involved in stealing the personal information of some 30,000 people from Bithumb, South Korea's biggest cryptocurrency exchange, back in June, as well as robbing virtual money at Coinus, another local exchange, in September. The NIS reportedly confirmed that the same code used by Lazarus, a group accused of being behind the 2014 Sony hack, was used in those cases. About 3 million South Koreans are estimated to have invested in cryptocurrencies and the country is home to one of the world's biggest private bitcoin exchanges. On Jan. 30, South Korea began a real-name trading system for cryptocurrencies, banning the use of anonymous bank accounts in transactions to prevent virtual coins from being misused. KYODO NEWS - Feb 6, 2018 - 01:45 | Urgent, All A Ground Self-Defense Force member died and another was missing after a helicopter crashed in a residential area in southwestern Japan on Monday afternoon, with an 11-year-old girl in a house that was set ablaze managing to escape, the central and local governments said. The AH-64D attack helicopter, which was based at the GSDF's Metabaru Camp, crashed into the two-story home in the city of Kanzaki in Saga Prefecture at 4:43 p.m. during a flight believed to have been made to confirm aircraft maintenance. The girl suffered minor injuries to her knee as she fled the house, which was home to a family of four. No other injuries were reported among local residents, police said. A second house on the same premises was partially damaged by the fire, but the girl's 69-year-old grandmother, who was inside at the time of the crash, also escaped. Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said the government had ordered the GSDF's 12 other AH-64D helicopters to be grounded and inspections to be carried out on the entire helicopter fleet. GSDF helicopter had main rotor replaced before crash He said communications with the helicopter were lost after controllers cleared it for takeoff at 4:35 p.m., and revealed that a trace amount of radioactive material was used in part of the airframe. According to the GSDF, Master Sergeant Hiroki Takayama, the 26-year-old copilot, died and Lt. Col. Kenichi Saito, the 43-year-old pilot, both members of an antitank helicopter unit, was missing. Some experts on SDF aircraft said an error in maintenance work may lie behind the crash, as some residents said they witnessed the helicopter lose its main rotor in the air. "I went outside the building after I heard an abnormal sound and I saw the rotor coming off from the helicopter," said a 50-year-old deputy principal of a nursery school, located about 150 meters from the crash site. There were about 60 to 70 children in the nursery school at the time and all were unhurt. A woman in the neighborhood told reporters that she went to see what was happening after she heard a large bang. "There was a big hole on the second floor of the home and I saw flames coming from there," she said. Another woman in her 70s, who also rushed outside, said she saw the 11-year-old girl crying outside the home that was on fire. She was holding on to her grandmother and saying, "I'm so glad (we are alive)." Black smoke was seen billowing from the residential area, which is located about 4 kilometers south of Metabaru Camp. The fire at the two homes was extinguished at around 8:45 p.m., according to the local fire department. Keiichiro Tabaru, a 21-year-old resident who was doing farm work about 3 km away, said, "I didn't expect a helicopter would crash. I'm trembling." The latest accident is likely to heighten safety concerns among local people and could affect a controversial plan to deploy GSDF Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft at Saga airport in an adjacent area. "It is an extremely alarming situation," Saga Gov. Yoshinori Yamaguchi told reporters, suggesting he will carefully decide whether to accept the central government's proposal to host the transport aircraft. Adding the targeted cancer therapy drug crizotinib to radiation therapy for tumors associated with the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) may reduce the hearing damage that can be exacerbated by radiotherapy. A Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research team reports that the use of crizotinib to block a specific molecular pathway both enhanced the radiosensitivity of tumors in mouse models of NF2, allowing a reduction in radiation dosage, and inhibited the growth of cultured tumor cells from NF2 patients. Their paper being published online in PNAS Plus also describes creation of a novel mouse model that mimics NF2-associated hearing loss and a better system for culturing tumor cells for NF2 patients. "The hallmark of NF2 are intracranial tumors called vestibular schwannomas, which typically lead to profound hearing loss," explains Lei Xu, MD, PhD, of the Steele Laboratories of Tumor Biology in the MGH Department of Radiation Oncology, co-corresponding author of the report. "For most patients, hearing loss is the most disabling symptom of these tumors, and the primary treatments for growing tumors - surgery and radiation therapy - can further damage hearing. The development of a novel therapeutic strategy with enhanced efficacy and minimal treatment-related hearing loss is urgently needed." NF2 is characterized by benign tumors that develop throughout the nervous system, most commonly on the eighth cranial nerve, which carries hearing and balance signals from the ears to the brain. These vestibular schwannomas usually lead to significant or total hearing loss by young adulthood or middle age. If the tumors press on the brain stem, they can have even more serious neurologic consequences. Previous studies from Steele Labs researchers and colleagues at the MGH Cancer Center found that treatment with the angiogenesis inhibitor bevacizumab improved hearing in some NF2 patients. But not all patients benefited, and improvement that did occur proved to be transient, indicating the need for better treatment strategies. In 2016, Steele Labs researchers and colleagues from Johns Hopkins University found that bevacizumab treatment led to greater hearing improvement in NF2 patients who had lower circulating levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which is known to interact with the cMET oncogene. In addition, a 2015 study led by Konstantina Stankovic, MD, PhD, of Massachusetts Eye and Ear - a co-author of the current report - had demonstrated that pathways controlled by HGF interact with pathways controlled by the angiogenesis factor VEGF in schwannomas. These and other studies suggested that the HGF-cMET pathway may play a role in schwannoma progression, response to treatment and hearing loss. After first confirming in a standard mouse model of NF2 that radiation therapy activated cMET signaling, leading to therapy resistance, the researchers tested use of crizotinib to block cMET signaling in two mouse models - the standard model in which NF2 cells are injected into the sciatic nerve and their new model that implants schwannoma cells into the brain adjacent to the eighth cranial nerve. In collaboration with Stankovic, the MGH team confirmed that their novel model led to the same kind of hearing loss experienced by NF2 patients. In both mouse models, the use of crizotinib to block the HGF-cMET pathway improved treatment response by enhancing radiation-induced DNA damage, significantly reducing tumor growth and extending survival. Genetic knockdown of cMET had similar results, and experiments using the novel mouse model showed that blocking cMET itself did not adversely affect the animals' hearing. In collaboration with co-authors Scott Plotkin, MD, PhD, of the Pappas Center for Neuro-Oncology in the MGH Cancer Center and Anat Stemmer-Rachamimov, MD, MGH Pathology, Xu and co-corresponding author Rakesh Jain, PhD, director of the Steele lab, also developed a better system for culturing patient-derived schwannoma cells, which in contrast to malignant tumor cells have been difficult to culture. The improved system maintained patient-derived cells in culture for up to three weeks, and the team's experiments revealed that both HGF expression and cMET activation correlated with tumor growth and that cMET blockade inhibited schwannoma growth. "With this new culture model we can screen libraries of drugs for anti-tumor activity," says Jain. "These methods and tools will address a major bottleneck in the NF2 field by providing robust, expandable and biologically diverse cellular models that recapitulate the defining features of this and other human diseases." Xu notes that, since crizotinib is FDA approved for the treatment of certain types of lung cancer, their study has the potential for rapid clinical translation. She says, "NF2 is a disease that needs new solutions, and our findings provide compelling rationale that paves the road for clinical testing of this combined therapy to treat vestibular schwannomas in human patients." Xu is an assistant professor of Radiation Oncology, and Jain is the Cook Professor of Radiation Oncology (Tumor Biology) at Harvard Medical School. ### The lead authors of the PNAS Plus report are Yingchao Zhao, MD, and Na Zhang, MD, of the Steele Laboratories, and Pinan Liu, MD, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. Additional co-authors are Limeng Wu, Yanling Zhang, MD, Gino Ferraro, and Hao Liu, Steele Labs; Lukas Landegger and Takeshi Fujita, Massachusetts Eye and Ear; Fu Zhao and Jing Zhang, Capital Medical University; Alona Muzikansky, MGH Biostatistics. Support for the study includes Department of Defense New Investigator Award W81XWH-16-1-0219 and grant W81XWH-14-1-0091; American Cancer Society Research Scholar Award RSG-12-199-01-TBG; National Institutes of Health grants P01-CA080124, P50-CA165962, R01-CA129371, R01-CA208205, U01-CA224348, R35-CA197743 and R01-DC015824; and grants from the National Foundation for Cancer Research and the Harvard Ludwig Cancer Center. Massachusetts General Hospital, founded in 1811, is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. The MGH Research Institute conducts the largest hospital-based research program in the nation, with an annual research budget of more than $900 million and major research centers in HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular research, cancer, computational and integrative biology, cutaneous biology, genomic medicine, medical imaging, neurodegenerative disorders, regenerative medicine, reproductive biology, systems biology, photomedicine and transplantation biology. The MGH topped the 2015 Nature Index list of health care organizations publishing in leading scientific journals and earned the prestigious 2015 Foster G. McGaw Prize for Excellence in Community Service. In August 2017 the MGH was once again named to the Honor Roll in the U.S. News & World Report list of "America's Best Hospitals." Congress Is another shutdown coming? Congress is facing another appropriations deadline Feb. 8, and a fifth stopgap funding bill is likely necessary, assuming it can pass. House Republicans plan to introduce a short-term continuing resolution early this week to fund the government through March 22, while lawmakers continue work on a comprehensive immigration deal and a budget for the remainder of fiscal year 2018. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the second ranking Senate Democrat, said on CNN's "State of the Union" program on Feb. 4 that while negotiators were unlikely to reach a deal on immigration issues by the expiration of the current CR funding the government, another short-term spending bill was the probable outcome. "I don't see a government shutdown coming," said Durbin. But while Senate Democrats may be ready to deal on the fifth budget extension of fiscal year 2018, many House Republicans appear to have objections. The conservative House Freedom Caucus, led by Rep. Mark Meadows, may resist such a funding extension, however. "I don't see the probability of the Freedom Caucus supporting a fifth CR without substantial changes by Feb. 8 unless we see dramatic changes," Meadows told reporters at a Republican retreat in West Virginia. Defense hawks in the House are reluctant to pass another continuing resolution that does not contain a boost in Pentagon spending to support the 2018 levels approved in the National Defense Authorization Act. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said, "nobody wants a government shutdown, but we also cannot continue to inflict the damage that CRs inflict on the military." House Democrats are planning to oppose any stopgap spending bill. But if conservative opposition to the continuing resolution solidifies, it's possible that House leaders will have to try to lure Democratic support with legislative sweeteners. DG vs. TJX: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option? Earnings growth and valuation multiples are indeed important for investors to determine a stock's ability to offer considerable returns. But these are also essential in determining whether a stocks price performance is better than its peers or the industry average. If the stocks performance is lacking that of the broader groups despite impressive earnings growth or valuation multiples, then something must be wrong. Its always advisable to stay away from these stocks and bet on those that are outperforming their respective industries or benchmarks. This is because betting on a winner always increases the odds of winning. Then again, it is imperative that you determine whether or not an investment has relevant upside potential when considering stocks with significant relative price strength. Stocks delivering better than the S&P 500 over a period of 1 to 3 months at the least and having solid fundamentals indicate room for growth, and are the best ways to go about this strategy. Finally, it is important to find out whether analysts are optimistic about the upcoming earnings results of these companies. In order to do this, we have added positive estimate revisions for the current quarters (Q1) earnings to our screen. When a stock undergoes an upward revision, it leads to additional price gains. Screening Parameters Relative % Price change 12 weeks greater than 0 Relative % Price change 4 weeks greater than 0 Relative % Price change 1 week greater than 0 (We have considered those stocks that have been outperforming the S&P 500 over the last 12 weeks, four weeks and one week.) % Change (Q1) Est. over 4 Weeks greater than 0: Positive current quarter estimate revisions over the last four weeks. Zacks Rank equal to 1: Only Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks that have returned more than 26% annually over the last 26 years and surpassed the S&P 500 in 23 of the last 26 years can get through. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Story continues Current Price greater than or equal to $5 and Average 20-day Volume greater than or equal to 50,000: A minimum price of $5 is a good standard to screen low-priced stocks, while a high trading volume would imply adequate liquidity. VGM Score less than or equal to B: Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of A or B when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 (Buy) offer the best upside potential. Here are the five of the 9 stocks that made it through the screen: KEMET Corporation KEM: Headquartered in Simpsonville, SC, KEMET is one of the leading manufactures of capacitors that are sold to a global client base. The firm has a VGM Score of A and a good earnings surprise history. It has a 75% track of outperforming estimates over the last four quarters at an average rate of 39.5%. Molina Healthcare, Inc. MOH: Molina Healthcare is a multi-state managed care organization participating exclusively in government-sponsored healthcare programs such as the Medicaid program and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), catering to low-income persons. Sporting a VGM Score of A, this Long Beach, CA-headquartered companys expected EPS growth rate for three to five years currently stands at 24.5%, comparing favorably with the industry's growth rate of 14.2%. Applied Industrial Technologies AIT: A premium value-added industrial product distributor, to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and Maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) customers, Applied Industrial Technologies has a VGM Score of B. Over 30 days, the Cleveland, OH-based company has seen the Zacks Consensus Estimate for FY18 and FY19 increase 7.8% and 19.7%, to $3.45 and $4.13 per share, respectively. Matson, Inc. MATX: Founded in 1882 and headquartered in Honolulu, HI, Matson is a provider of ocean-based transportation services through its subsidiaries. The company, which also operates a logistics services business, has a VGM Score of A and an enviable earnings surprise history. It surpassed estimates in three of the last four quarters. Fidelity Southern Corporation LION: Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Fidelity Southern is a regional bank serving commercial and business customers in the Atlanta Metro area and other locations in Northern Florida across to the Western FL Coast. The 2018 Zacks Consensus Estimate for this company is $1.74, representing some 32.8% earnings per share growth over 2017. Next years average forecast is $1.91, pointing to another 9.8% growth. Fidelity Southern has a VGM Score of B. You can get the rest of the stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your own trading. Further, you can also create your own strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge. The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out. Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance. Zacks Restaurant Recommendations: Inaddition to dining at these special places, you can feast on their stock shares. A Zacks Special Report spotlights 5 recent IPOs to watch plus 2 stocks that offer immediate promise in a booming sector. Download it free Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Matson, Inc. (MATX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Fidelity Southern Corporation (LION) : Free Stock Analysis Report Kemet Corporation (KEM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Molina Healthcare Inc (MOH) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research * Vietnam Airlines could begin U.S. flights in 2019 - CEO * Thai, Malaysian carriers considering U.S. options * Flights will struggle to have enough business demand - analyst By Jamie Freed SINGAPORE, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Vietnam Airlines JSC will struggle to be profitable on non-stop flights between Vietnam and the United States due to a lack of demand from business travellers, but it may launch them anyway as early as next year, the carrier's CEO said on Monday. Duong Tri Thanh, and his counterparts at other state-controlled Southeast Asian carriers such as Thai Airways International PCL and Malaysia Airlines, are trying to balance government desires for growth with what is best for the airlines' financial health in a competitive market. "The philosophy of the company is to help the economy and try to be viable and profitable," Thanh told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference ahead of the Singapore Airshow. "But growing the economy is more of a mandate. You can see on most of the intercontinental routes we are not making money. But we are helping to get people in and out." The market for flights between Southeast Asia and the United States is highly competitive and consists mostly of options involving a stop in North Asian or Middle Eastern countries due to the distances involved. There are exceptions; due to geography Philippines Airlines has a slightly shorter, more economical hop to U.S. west coast cities, while Singapore Airlines Ltd launched 17.5 hour non-stop flights from its Singapore hub to San Francisco last year. The Singapore carrier plans to resume even longer flights to Los Angeles and New York later this year after a five-year hiatus, helping to close a gap in its U.S. capacity relative to competitors like Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd and Emirates. New technology, such as Boeing Co 787 Dreamliners and Airbus SE A350s jets that have longer ranges and are more fuel-efficient than their predecessors have improved the economics of such flights, which were abandoned by Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Thai Airways when the fuel price rocketed earlier in the decade. Story continues "Those are very finely balanced as to whether they are viable based on fuel prices and load factors and the mix of customers," Association of Asia Pacific Airlines Director-General Andrew Herdman said. Singapore Airlines has a reputation for quality and a substantial amount of business travel to and from the city-state, improving its ability to configure aircraft with a high number of premium seats and charge more than one-stop competitors, according to analysts. "With Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia you simply can't get away with charging the premium needed compared to the one-stops, which are now very aggressively priced, due to the intense competition in the Southeast Asia-U.S. market to make the non-stop flights profitable," said Brendan Sobie, chief analyst at CAPA Centre for Aviation. Thanh said his airline benefited from a diaspora of 2 million Vietnamese living in the United States, but most of the traffic was more likely to be driven by price rather than the convenience of saving a few hours of travel time. "It is quite a big headache, to be honest," he said, of coming up with a viable business plan for the flights. "The plan is the end of 2019. But if it is not feasible and it is too much we have to wait to find a way to work with partners to improve the traffic mix. Like most of the airlines, like Philippines and Thai, we don't have enough business travellers. We are just dependent on visiting friends and relatives. That is no way to make money." (Reporting by Jamie Freed; Editing by Mark Potter) US online shopping giant Amazon said it has struck a deal with the French government to settle a bill for nearly 200 million euros ($249 million) in unpaid taxes (AFP Photo/LOIC VENANCE) Paris (AFP) - US online shopping giant Amazon on Monday announced it had settled a major tax claim in France and agreed to report all its French income locally in future. Amazon, one of the US tech giants accused of paying too little tax in Europe, said the deal related to a French claim for nearly 200 million euros ($249 million) covering the period from 2006 to 2010. It did not say how much it paid to end the dispute, saying only that it had reached an overall agreement with tax authorities and would now report all the turnover and profit from its French activities in France. French tax authorities refused to comment on the settlement, saying it was a secret matter. Amazon is one of the digital economy giants that minimise their tax bill in Europe by routing their income through low-tax nations -- in Amazon's case, Luxembourg. In 2012, it revealed that it had been hit with a 198-million-euro bill by France for back taxes, interests and penalties relating to income spread between different jurisdictions. At the time, the company had said it disagreed with the French assessment and vowed to "vigorously" fight it. The U.K. banking group Lloyds has banned its customers from using their credit cards to buy bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The move comes just a couple days after U.S. banksfrom Bank of America and J.P Morgan to Citigroup, Discover and Capital Onetold their customers not to buy virtual coins on credit. Across Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland, Halifax and MBNA, we do not accept credit card transactions involving the purchase of cryptocurrencies, Lloyds Banking Group said in a statement. According to The Telegraph, the ban will be enforced through the use of a blacklist of cryptocurrency sellers. The bank is, in common with its American counterparts, concerned about people using its credit facilities to buy cryptocurrencies and then not being able to pay back the loan, due to rapid depreciation in the virtual currencies. That depreciation is on full display at the moment and not being helped by big banks turning against bitcoin. However, regulatory crackdownsmost recently in China and India appear to be the prime causes of bitcoins current slide. Facebook also caused jitters by banning ads promoting cryptocurrencies and initial coin offerings (ICOs) on the worlds largest social network. At the time of writing, one bitcoin was worth around $7,720, representing a mighty fall since it neared $20,000 in early December. By Ed Stoddard CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Almost 130 years after diamond giant De Beers emerged from mines around the dusty South African town of Kimberley, the company is going back to its roots with a clutch of exploration permits to prospect for gem deposits near the place of its birth. South Africa is hardly virgin territory for mineral exploration: over a third of the gold ever produced in history has been extracted from beneath its soil, and industrial-scale diamond mining goes back over a century. But Phillip Barton, the chief executive of De Beers' South African operations, said the company believed that South Africa still had potential for new diamond finds. "We believe that South Africa is a prime exploration destination," he told Reuters on the sidelines of the Investing in African Mining conference in Cape Town. "We have had 52 exploration applications outstanding for a long time and now we've had 16 of those 52 licences granted and we are working hard to get the others approved." All 16 are in the Kimberley area over 400 kms (260 miles) southwest of Johannesburg. De Beers, a unit of Anglo American (AAL.L), completed the sale of its Kimberley mines and assets two years ago as it focuses on its $2 billion Venetia project in South Africa's Limpopo province. "One of the strengths that we've got is that we have a database with fairly reliable information from about the mid-1950s onwards," Barton said. "Using that database we then apply the latest thinking and the latest technology. So a lot of our focus is around Kimberley where we used to mine. All the easy diamond deposits around the world have been found and that's why you need to use new technology." On the Venetia project, Barton said that it was 35 percent complete and slightly under-budget, with first production still expected in 2021. South Africa accounts for about 9 percent of global diamond production and is ranked 5th behind Russia, Botswana, Canada and Angola. De Beers was founded in 1888 by buccaneering businessman and British imperialist Cecil Rhodes. His statue was removed from the University of Cape Town in 2015 after it became a focal point for protesters who said it was a relic of the colonial past. (Editing by Catherine Evans) By Pamela Barbaglia, Arno Schuetze and Dasha Afanasieva LONDON/FRANKFURT, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Brazilian drugs firm EMS and Indian rival Torrent Pharma have emerged as the only industry bidders for Sanofi's generic drugs unit, battling a series of buyout funds for an asset worth as much as $2.4 billion, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The two emerging market drug firms were among a group of bidders that were recently shortlisted to carry out due diligence for the unit, known as Zentiva, after submitting indicative bids in January, the sources said. Sanofi is now hoping to find a buyer by the end of the first quarter, one of the sources said, adding competition between the two drug makers and a host of buyout funds could push up the final price. A consortium of Blackstone and Nordic Capital has also made it through the second round of the auction, the sources said, and is facing competition from three other private equity funds, namely Carlyle, BC Partners and Advent. Sanofi, EMS, Torrent Pharma and all the private equity funds declined to comment. The auction, led by Rothschild, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley, kicked off in October after Sanofi spent over a year carving out the division in a bid to create a standalone company that could be swallowed by one of its competitors or an investment fund. The business is valued at close to 2 billion euros ($2.49 billion), representing a valuation of about 12 or 13 times its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of 150 million euros, two of the sources said. For India's Torrent Pharma, which has a market value of $3.4 billion, the deal would grant access to various European markets. Brazil's EMS has already built a small presence in Central and Eastern Europe with the 2017 purchase of Serbian laboratory Galenika. Sanofi first hinted at a possible disposal of its European generic drugs business in late 2015 but has so far focused on selling its animal health unit by finalising a $20 billion asset swap deal with Germany's Boehringer Ingelheim last year. Story continues France's largest drug maker has also embarked on a series of big acquisitions this year, spending more than $16 billion to clinch control of U.S. haemophilia specialist Bioverativ and Belgian biotech company Ablynx. Zentiva operates in 50 markets and has a strong presence in Eastern Europe, particularly in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania. Its generic drugs portfolio includes cardiovascular and gastrointestinal drugs as well as painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs based on ibuprofen and leflunomide molecules. Reuters reported on Jan. 18 that bankers have put together around 1.2 billion euros of debt financing to back a potential sale of Sanofi's generic drug business. ($1 = 0.8030 euros) (Additional reporting by Matthias Blamont in Paris, Tatiana Bautzer in Sao Paulo and Noor Zainab Hussain in Bangalore; Editing by Catherine Evans) By Dominique Patton BEIJING (Reuters) - China has launched an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation into imports of sorghum from the United States, the Ministry of Commerce said on Sunday, less than a fortnight after U.S. President Donald Trump slapped steep tariffs on imports of solar panels and washing machines. Beijing's action is expected to immediately hit demand for the upcoming U.S. sorghum crop, exports of which are largely used to feed China's huge livestock sector, and send shivers through the entire U.S. farm sector. China is the top buyer of U.S. sorghum as well as soybeans, the United States' most valuable export to the world's No. 2 economy. "I personally believe this is China's response to Trump's action on washing machines," said Li Qiang, chief analyst at agriculture consultancy Shanghai JC Intelligence Co Ltd. "If he takes any further measures, they will consider soybeans," he added. The U.S. shipped 4.76 million tonnes of sorghum to China in 2017, the bulk of China's roughly 5 million tonnes of imports of the grain that year, and worth around $1.1 billion, according to Chinese customs data. That makes it almost twice as valuable as exports of Chinese aluminium alloy sheet to the U.S., also subject to recent trade action by Washington, which is being seen as another possible trigger for Beijing's move. Like the U.S. aluminium investigation, China's commerce ministry investigation into sorghum was self-initiated. The ministry said it had initiated the investigation because the local industry included a large number of small growers who were unable to prepare the necessary documentation. Preliminary evidence and information found that imported sorghum from the U.S. had been exported at a lower than normal value, it said, damaging local producers. The trade action comes a year after Beijing slapped hefty anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on imports of distillers dried grains (DDGS) from the U.S., another product used as a feed ingredient, although it recently reduced VAT on DDGS imports. Story continues Exports of U.S. soybeans to China are also under pressure from stiff competition from rival exporter Brazil, with export sales hitting a seven-month low last week. The investigation into sorghum dumping will be carried out for the period from Nov. 1, 2016 until Oct. 31, 2017, while an investigation of industrial injury will be from Jan. 1, 2013 until Oct. 31, 2017, said the commerce ministry statement. The investigation should be complete by Feb. 4, 2019, it said, but can be extended until Aug. 4, 2019. (Reporting by Dominique Patton) What Is the CVV on a Credit Card? If youve made a purchase online or over the phone, youre probably familiar with the three sets of credit card numbers you have to hand over. These numbers include the credit card number, the expiration date and the CVV. If youre an online shopping pro, youll know where to find the CVV. But what exactly is the CVV on a credit card? What Is the CVV on a Credit Card? A credit cards CVV acts as another line of security against fraud. The CVV, or card verification value, can also be referred to as the CSC, or card security code. These numbers serve as one of the most important anti-fraud measures for a credit (or debit) card, especially with the rise of virtual transactions. So when you make a purchase online or over the phone, giving the CVV assures a merchant that the purchase is legitimate and authorized. When you use your card in person, retailers can check your ID to make sure youre the cardholder. But merchants cant do the same when you make an online purchase. Instead, the CVV serves a substitute for personal identification. Plus, your card carrier can verify your cards unique CVV in the event verification is needed. Not all merchants require you to enter your CVV when making a purchase. This doesnt make a merchant illegitimate, however. In any case, you always want to make sure youre handing over your credit card information to a merchant you trust. Where to Find Your Cards CVV Card carriers print their CVVs in different places on their cards, so its important to know where the CVV is on your card(s). If you have a Visa, Mastercard or Discover card, you can find the three-digit CVV on the back of your card to the right of the signature strip. The number may also be adjacent to either your full credit card number, or just the last four digits of it. However, if you have an American Express card, you can find the CVV on the front, right side of your card. Also note that Amex calls this number a card identification number (CID). An Amex CID is also four digits instead of three. Story continues What Is the CVV on a Credit Card? How a CVV Protects You A cards CVV comes in handy mostly for online purchases. Again, it acts as another line of defense against fraud. So even if a hacker gains access to your credit card number, expiration date and full name, they still need your CVV to complete the transaction. Luckily, CVVs arent as easily obtainable as your other credit card information. This is due to the Payment Card Industrys Data Security Standard (PCI DDS). This was created by Amex, Discover, Mastercard, Visa and other credit card leaders to establish standard rules for credit card information storage. One of its main stipulations states that merchants cannot store your CVV after you make a purchase. However, theres nothing preventing merchants from storing the rest of your cards information, like the credit card number. This makes it harder for criminals to find the CVV attached to your credit card number. The CVV also works in tandem with a credit cards magnetic strip and the newer EMV chip technology. The printed CVV on your card is embedded in the cards magnetic strip. The chip has a digital CVV equivalent called the Integrated Chip Card Card Verification Value (iCVV). So when you use your card in person, whether you swipe or insert the chip, your CVV will still be confirmed. Limitations of a CVV What Is a CVV on a Credit Card? Typically, the issues that arise with CVVs are often self-inflicted by the cardholder. Since its hard for fraudsters to obtain your CVV through a credit card database, they turn to other illegal means. This includes phishing and physically stealing your cards. These scams occur as the occasional email or pop-up on your computer, enticing you to make an online purchase. Some scams are easy to spot, due to misspelling or other obvious errors. However, because online merchants so often ask you to enter your CVV, hackers can also include that requirement on their fraudulent page. If you enter your credit card information, including the CVV, the hackers have easily gained access to your account. Of course, there is always the possibility of getting your credit card physically stolen. In this case, the thieves dont need to hack anything since all your information is there on the card. Your best bet is to cancel your card as soon as possible, request a new card from your issuer and dispute any unauthorized charges made to the account. Final Word What Is a CVV on a Credit Card? While in-person purchases arent entirely foolproof, online transactions put you and your information more at risk of fraud. To combat this, credit card providers created CVVs and their associated regulations to help keep your personal credit information safe. You can help protect yourself, too, by only entering your card information on websites you trust. Tips for Keeping Your Cards Info Safe Its important to research and find the right credit card for you. When youre looking through a cards features, you should look at its security features. Make sure youre comfortable with its limits. Never engage with any emails, ads or websites that you dont immediately recognize as legitimate. This includes not clicking on suspicious links and not entering your credit cards account number, expiration date and especially the CVV. Be sure to look for a Secure tag to the left of the web address of any site youre making an online purchase through. Only encrypted sites feature these tags, so you can feel confident your cards information will be safe in these transactions. Photo credit: iStock.com/Georgijevic, CVVnumber.com, iStock.com/ShotShare, iStock.com/wutwhanfoto The post What Is the CVV on a Credit Card? appeared first on SmartAsset Blog. Related Articles: President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrived together at a Super Bowl party in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday. This is the first event the First Couple has attended together since Trumps State of the Union address on Jan. 30. The First Lady arrived at the U.S. Capitol ahead of her husband (breaking tradition), but the two left together after Trumps speech. The two were greeted by cheerleaders and a marching band before making their way into the event. The First Lady looked to be in good spirits as she smiled at the cheerleaders wearing a patriotic red, white and blue jacket paired with white skinny jeans while the President wore a black suit with a red tie. Donald and Melania Trump Melania showed her support for her husband by attending his first State of the Union address, however, the couple arrived separately, with the First Lady opting to ride with her guests who were invited to her box, CNN reported. The appearance came after she abruptly canceled a planned trip to Davos, Switzerland, with her husband in January after allegations that the president was unfaithful with porn star Stormy Daniels. The cancellation caused speculation of a rift between the First Couple, especially after it was reported that the First Lady had traveled to West Palm Beach after the news broke. Donald Trump The New York Times reported the First Lady was furious over reports that her husbands lawyer Michael Cohen arranged a $130,000 payment to Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential election to prevent her from speaking about her alleged sexual encounter with the business mogul. Donald and Melania Trump The White House and Cohen have denied the president had an affair with Daniels, but declined to answer questions from the Wall Street Journal about an agreement with her, according to the newspaper. Tyson Foods, Inc. TSN is slated to report first-quarter fiscal 2018 results on Feb 8, before the opening bell. The question lingering in investors minds is, whether this major food company will be able to pull off a positive earnings surprise in the to-be-reported quarter. The companys earnings have outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters, with an average beat of 6%. Lets now take a look at how things are shaping up for this announcement. Factors Likely to Influence This Quarter Tyson Foods has been benefiting from its strategic buyouts, focus on protein-packed brands and nutritious products as well as significant geographical foothold. Impressively, the company witnessed major sales from the markets of Canada, Central America, China, the European Union, Japan, Mexico, Middle East, South Korea and Taiwan. Also, the companys focus on strengthening protein-packed brands portfolio is noteworthy. This is apparent from the recent investment in the food-tech startup, Memphis Meats, which is anticipated to expand Tyson Foods protein-rich offerings. Last quarter, management announced a Financial Fitness Program that is expected to enhance operating efficiency in the forthcoming periods. In fiscal 2018, the company plans to test line-up of meal kits and add more products to Hillshire snacking. All these initiatives are likely to drive growth in the first quarter. As a result, Tyson Foods shares have gained 18% in a year, rallying ahead of the industrys growth of 13.7%. Meanwhile, we expect Tyson Foods to continue gaining from rise in demand at the chicken and the beef segments. Also, the companys prepared foods category has been depicting solid growth owing to rising demand for protein-packed brands and synergies from the AdvancePierres buyout. Encouragingly, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for sales at the chicken and the beef segments are currently pegged at $2,876 million and $3,671 million, respectively, up 6.3% and 4.1% year over year. Further, the consensus estimate for sales of $2,109 million from the prepared foods division is likely to witness growth of 11.3%. Similarly, the sales estimate of $1,284 million for the companys Pork segment also depicts an improvement of 2.6% from the prior-year quarter. These estimates have aided the consensus estimate for the companys total sales to witness an increase of 7.7% year over year, which is pegged at $9,892 million. However, the companys earnings estimate of $1.51 for the fiscal first quarter has decreased by a penny in the last 30 days, alongside depicting a year-over-year decline of roughly 5% from the year-ago period. This might be due to the companys exposure to the risk of raw material price volatility. Also, stiff competition and intense promotions remain headwinds. Rising wage costs also pose threats to Tyson Foods operating results. What Does The Zacks Model Unveil? Our proven model does not show that Tyson Foods is likely to beat earnings estimates this quarter. A stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Story continues Tyson Foods, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Tyson Foods, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | Tyson Foods, Inc. Quote Tyson Foods has an Earnings ESP of -0.17%. Although, the companys Zacks Rank #3 increases the predictive power of ESP but a negative ESP makes our surprise prediction difficult. Stocks With Favorable Combinations Here are some companies which, according to our model, have the right combination of elements to deliver earnings beat. United Natural Foods, Inc. UNFI has an Earnings ESP of +5.67% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc. OLLI has an Earnings ESP of +0.46% and a Zacks Rank of 2. Campbell Soup Company CPB has an Earnings ESP of +1.44% and a Zacks Rank #3. Today's Stocks from Zacks' Hottest Strategies It's hard to believe, even for us at Zacks. But while the market gained +18.8% from 2016 - Q1 2017, our top stock-picking screens have returned +157.0%, +128.0%, +97.8%, +94.7%, and +90.2% respectively. And this outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. Over the years it has been remarkably consistent. From 2000 - Q1 2017, the composite yearly average gain for these strategies has beaten the market more than 11X over. Maybe even more remarkable is the fact that we're willing to share their latest stocks with you without cost or obligation. See Them Free>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc. (OLLI) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Tyson Foods, Inc. (TSN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Campbell Soup Company (CPB) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Travis Kalanick REUTERS/Adnan Abidi The Uber-Waymo trial started on Monday morning. The case will determine whether Uber is guilty of stealing intellectual property from Waymo, a self-driving car company that spun out of Google. Waymo's lawyers painted Uber as a ruthless competitor, prepared to win at any cost. Uber countered by arguing Waymo is motivated by fear of losing talent, and disputes that the "trade secrets" are in fact trade secrets. Waymo is seeking damages from Uber, as well as a permanent injunction blocking it from using the tech. SAN FRANCISCO Uber and Waymo are finally squaring off in court. On Monday morning, the long-anticipated trial between two of Silicon Valley's most powerful tech companies got underway, one year after Waymo, the self-driving car business owned by Google's parent company, accused Uber of stealing its technology. Waymo painted a picture of Uber as a ruthless competitor, prepared to "cheat" to win at any costs, while Uber's attorney tried to focus the case more narrowly on the alleged trade secrets themselves, and distance the firm from the star engineer at the heart of the case Anthony Levandowski. This is, Waymo's lead trial attorney said, a case about two competitors. One of these competitors decided they needed to win at all costs, losing is not an option, that theyd do anything they need to do to win, no matter what no matter if it meant doing the wrong thing." Uber's lawyers fired straight back in their opening statement, disputing everything from the narrative to the idea that the information at hand can even be considered "trade secrets." "That was quite a story we just heard, a tale of conspiracy between [Anthony] Levandowski on one hand and Uber on the other," Uber's attorney said. "I'm gonna tell you right upfront: it didn't happen. There's no conspiracy, there's no cheating, period, end of story." Story continues The trial has been months in the making and underscores the high-stakes battle being waged by Silicon Valley companies as they race to dominate the market for self-driving vehicles. Depending on the outcome, it could have lasting implications for the flow of talent between tech companies and is acting as a kind of referendum on the "most fast and break things" Silicon Valley attitude perhaps best espoused by Uber. But the case came to an brief pause on Monday morning just before 10 o'clock, when a voice apparently from a different courtroom appeared to read out jurors names on the intercom. This raised a worrying possibility, Judge Alsup said: That the alleged trade secrets discussed at the case could be broadcast into another court room. The case subsequently continued, and as of writing, the press and public has been ejected from the courtroom while the alleged trade secrets are discussed in the opening statements. Travis kalanick quote Waymo 'Losing is not an option' Uber, which pioneered the market for ride-hailing services to become the world's most valuable privately held company, has said that developing self-driving technology is "existential" to its business. Waymo, the company that spun out of Google's decade-long effort developing self-driving technology sued Uber in February 2017 , alleging that one of its employees, Anthony Levandowski, stole vital technology shortly before starting his own self-driving company, which Uber later acquired. The Hollywood-perfect storyline and the drama and revelations leading up to the trial have fixated the tech and automotive industries. And observers say the result of the trial could have important ramifications for both the companies involved, as well as on the culture and workforce in Silicon Valley. Google is now seeking damages from Uber, as well as a permanent injunction blocking it from using the technology. Waymo's lawyers used Kalanick's bold predictions on the importance of self-driving technology against him as evidence of how determined his firm was to gain the upper hand, whatever the legal consequences. "This is all about winning," Kalanick said in one text. "Losing is not an option." Meanwhile, Uber has attempted to distance itself from Levandowski, who it fired after he refused to cooperate with its legal team. He is not a defendant, and is expected to be called as a witnessed but use his Fifth Amendment rights rather than answer questions. The company's lawyer cited emails from Google that portray Levandowski in an "untrustworthy" light but, they went on, "Anthony Levandowski is not on trial here, Uber is." Waymo's case, they alleged, is motivated not by genuine fears over the theft of the disputed trade secrets, but by concerns over losing talent to Uber. "At the end of this case you're gonna realise what matters is the tech, not Anthony Levandowski," they added. "You're gonna realise the tech tells the truth." One of the Valley's biggest legal battles in years The case hinges on exactly how a "trade secret" is defined. Broadly speaking, it is information with economic value that isn't known to the public, or to others who might obtain value from knowing it. But this doesn't extend to professional skills and abilities and it can be tricky to draw that line. For Uber in particular, the real cost of the case may be the massive reputational damage. The buildup over the past year has produced explosive headlines about the accusations against Uber, and has damaged the company's reputation to the point that William Alsup the federal judge in San Francisco overseeing the case has had to clarify that the trial is a dispute over intellectual property and not "whether Uber is an evil corporation." And while lurid details have steadily emerged over the past several months, the trial is still likely to be an explosive one. Waymo is expected to call seven witnesses to start, including Waymo CEO John Krafcik, former Google and Uber exec Brian McClendon, Waymo's VP of engineering Dmitri Dolgov, and former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick. Krafcik is Waymo's first witness, and will testify on Monday following opening statements. The purported trade secrets themselves will only be discussed in closed sessions, away from the press and public. This post will be updated as the day goes on. Refresh for updates... NOW WATCH: These exoskeletons are making the world easier to navigate See Also: SEE ALSO: Uber and Waymo are finally going to trial in an epic war over self-driving tech that could reshape Silicon Valley If stability is your thing, then really, this isnt the greatest time to be alive. The World Economic Forum recently identified no fewer than 30 major threats to global security. Their matrix of anxiety includes nuclear war, an event thatthanks to the volatility of both Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Unthe organization deems arguably closer than it has been for decades. Next months Olympic Games in South Korea take place just 50 miles from the border of a country that has threatened it with annihilation. Wealthy individuals may be stocking up on survival bunkers, potassium iodide, and private planes (paywall), but what does fear look like at the organizational level? How do corporations prepare for the worst? Risk management consultants like Kroll, Pinkerton, and Control Risks specialize in helping companies prepare for potential disasters. Yet despite the ominous noises from Washington and Pyongyang, representatives from the firms said there hasnt been any increase in client queries about safeguarding against a nuclear attack in recent months. The vicious hurricane season of 2017 sparked more calls than Trumps tweets. And in any case, the kind of disaster planning that large-scale firms invest in focuses less on the particulars of the disaster itself than on what comes next. Your plans dont identify a specific cause. On Sept 10th 2011, there were no companies that had a specific plan that addressed airplanes flying into buildings, said Christopher Berry, senior director in the security risks management practice at Kroll. The key to developing a crisis plan that works in every situation is deceptively simple: Identify the team that will kick into gear when disaster strikes, and make sure everyone on it knows what to do. This is harder than it sounds. Part of the reason that companies bring in external consultants like Kroll and its counterparts is to have fresh eyes that can point out the environmental and organizational dangers that humans all too easily overlook. Story continues We as people tend to adapt very well to our environments, said Jason Porter, a vice president at Pinkerton. If youre constantly exposed to risk, it becomes normalized, [and] amplifies the vulnerabilities. This habituation leads to companies at times failing to adequately plan precisely for the threats theyre most likely to face. An organization that does business near the US-Mexico border may become desensitized to narcoterrorism, Porter said. Or a business that has survived hurricanes in the past may become complacent about its storm contingency planning, reasoning that things have always worked out fine before. Organizations, like humans, are subject to the availability heuristic. This quirk of human cognition makes us believe that because a particular event is easier to imagine than others, it must also be more likely to occur. In the months after the Sept. 11 attacks, road accidents rose in the US as travelers frightened of airplanes took the far more dangerous decision to travel by car. People in the US fear terrorism more than guns, despite the fact that they are far more likely to be killed by the latter than the former. From a corporate perspective, the prospect of a catastrophe that kills or harms employees is horrifying. Businesses understandably spend enormous amounts of money and effort to prevent such emergencies. But problems arise when they fail to give proportional attention to less dramatic but more likely threats. Companies will obsess over something like the security of individual employees traveling to south Philippines, instead of the fact that the passwords [to sensitive systems] are password or administrator, or are written on pieces of paper, said Cory Davie, partner and head of the Australia Pacific practice for Control Risks. (Its not as farfetched as it sounds. Days after Davies comments to Quartz At Work, an Associated Press photograph showed the password to an unspecified system in Hawaiis emergency management agency stuck in plain sight on a Post-It note.) The problems identified in the World Economic Forums matrixunmitigated climate change, rising inequality, cyberattacksare complex and multifaceted. Coping with their aftermath will be too, which gives reason to suspect anything marketing itself as an easy fix. Take, for example, Plan B Marine. In the event of a disaster that renders Manhattan uninhabitableor at the very least, super inconvenient catastrophe-conscious Manhattanites who have leased one of the companys $4,500 per month boats will make their way to a West Side dock and pilot themselves to the comparative safety of New Jersey. Packages include boat-driving lessons. You cant count on a captain or somebody else driving you, because they wouldnt be able to get to you in an event, explained Chris Dowhie, who co-owns Plan B with his wife Patricia. For the record, Dowhie imagines the boats ideal situation as a blackout or other problem that makes it extremely difficult to conduct business in New York, not a nuclear attack. He estimates that half their clients have contracted their services for corporate reasons and the other half for family use. Every Good Chief Executive Needs a Plan B, the companys website says. Your job is to see to every contingency. Disaster recovery business continuity its up to you to leave nothing to chance. You need to be prepared so that your company can continue to operate no matter what the situation. But escaping the island isnt as complete a solution as it may sound at first. If Manhattan has shut down, how will you get to the dock? How are you going to alert your employees that its boat time if all the communication systems are down? Where exactly do you think this boat is going to go, and what awaits you when you get there? The danger is getting one piece of the pie and then thinking, right, thats sorted, Davie, from Control Risks, said. There are so many pieces of that puzzle. Thats the danger I see with people thinking they have solutions for those catastrophic problems. Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news. More stories from Quartz: A Russian fighter jet has been shot down in a rebel held area in north-eastern Syria's Idlib province, according to reports. Footage posted on Twitter apparently shows rebels approaching the flaming wreckage, with a red star symbol visible on a piece of the plane. GettyImages-515910864 Getty Images Trending: Oregon Marijuana Overproduction: State Produces Three Times More Pot Than Can Legally Be Consumed It is not known who shot down the plane, but jihadist group al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has a presence in the area. A media account associated with the group posted footage reportedly showing the crash site. Don't miss: Are We Winning the War on Cancer? The Good News This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Analyst Charles Lister said that the first footage of the plane going down was posted by a group affiliated with the Free Syrian Army, which said its anti-aircraft guns shot down the plane. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Russia has launched a bombing campaign against rebel groups in Syria in support of the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Most popular: Best Super Bowl Commercials 2018: Budweiser, Mountain Dew, Amazon Alexa And More Ads to Watch The pilot ejected before the crash and was captured, U.K.-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told the BBC. It said the plane crashed near the town of Sareeq, in Idlib province, where government forces backed by Russian air strikes have been trying to oust rebel forces. The Russian defense ministry has not commented on the reports. In 2016, Turkey downed a Russian fighter plane which Ankara claimed had encroached in its airspace, causing the relations between the countries to dip to their worst point since the Cold War. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Photo credit: Canuto & Auld-Thomas/PACUNAM From Popular Mechanics Researchers using a high-tech aerial mapping technique have found tens of thousands of previously undetected Mayan houses, buildings, defense works and pyramids in the dense jungle of Guatemala's Peten region, suggesting that millions more people lived there than previously thought. The discoveries, which included industrial-sized agricultural fields and irrigation canals, were announced Thursday by an alliance of U.S., European and Guatemalan archaeologists working with Guatemala's Mayan Heritage and Nature Foundation. The study estimates that roughly 10 million people may have lived within the Maya Lowlands, meaning that kind of massive food production might have been needed. "That is two to three times more (inhabitants) than people were saying there were," said Marcello A. Canuto, a professor of Anthropology at Tulane University. Researchers used a mapping technique called LiDAR, which stands for Light Detection And Ranging. It bounces pulsed laser light off the ground, revealing contours hidden by dense foliage. The images revealed that the Mayans altered the landscape in a much broader way than previously thought; in some areas, 95 percent of available land was cultivated. "Their agriculture is much more intensive and therefore sustainable than we thought, and they were cultivating every inch of the land," said Francisco Estrada-Belli, a Research Assistant Professor at Tulane University, noting the ancient Mayas partly drained swampy areas that haven't been considered worth farming since. And the extensive defensive fences, ditch-and-rampart systems and irrigation canals suggest a highly organized workforce. "There's state involvement here, because we see large canals being dug that are re-directing natural water flows," said Thomas Garrison, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Ithaca College in New York. The 810 square miles (2,100 square kilometers) of mapping done vastly expands the area that was intensively occupied by the Maya, whose culture flourished between roughly 1,000 BC and 900 AD. Their descendants still live in the region. Story continues The mapping detected about 60,000 individual structures, including four major Mayan ceremonial centers with plazas and pyramids. Garrison said that this year he went to the field with the LiDAR data to look for one of the roads revealed. "I found it, but if I had not had the LiDAR and known that that's what it was, I would have walked right over it, because of how dense the jungle is." Garrison noted that unlike some other ancient cultures, whose fields, roads and outbuildings have been destroyed by subsequent generations of farming, the jungle grew over abandoned Maya fields and structures, both hiding and preserving them. "In this the jungle, which has hindered us in our discovery efforts for so long, has actually worked as this great preservative tool of the impact the culture had across the landscape," noted Garrison, who worked on the project and specializes in the city of El Zotz, near Tikal. LiDAR revealed a previously undetected structure between the two sites that Garrison says "can't be called anything other than a Maya fortress." "It's this hill-top citadel that has these ditch and rampart systems ... when I went there, one of these things in nine meters tall," he noted. In a way, the structures were hiding in plain sight. "As soon as we saw this we all felt a little sheepish," said Canuto said of the LiDAR images, "because these were things that we had been walking over all the time." You Might Also Like By Jamie Freed SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Vietnam Airlines JSC will struggle to be profitable on non-stop flights between Vietnam and the United States due to a lack of demand from business travelers, but it may launch them anyway as early as next year, the carrier's CEO said on Monday. Duong Tri Thanh, and his counterparts at other state-controlled Southeast Asian carriers such as Thai Airways International PCL and Malaysia Airlines, are trying to balance government desires for growth with what is best for the airlines' financial health in a competitive market. "The philosophy of the company is to help the economy and try to be viable and profitable," Thanh told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference ahead of the Singapore Airshow. "But growing the economy is more of a mandate. You can see on most of the intercontinental routes we are not making money. But we are helping to get people in and out." The market for flights between Southeast Asia and the United States is highly competitive and consists mostly of options involving a stop in North Asian or Middle Eastern countries due to the distances involved. There are exceptions; due to geography Philippines Airlines has a slightly shorter, more economical hop to U.S. west coast cities, while Singapore Airlines Ltd launched 17.5 hour non-stop flights from its Singapore hub to San Francisco last year. The Singapore carrier plans to resume even longer flights to Los Angeles and New York later this year after a five-year hiatus, helping to close a gap in its U.S. capacity relative to competitors like Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd and Emirates. New technology, such as Boeing Co 787 Dreamliners and Airbus SE A350s jets that have longer ranges and are more fuel-efficient than their predecessors have improved the economics of such flights, which were abandoned by Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Thai Airways when the fuel price rocketed earlier in the decade. Story continues "Those are very finely balanced as to whether they are viable based on fuel prices and load factors and the mix of customers," Association of Asia Pacific Airlines Director-General Andrew Herdman said. Singapore Airlines has a reputation for quality and a substantial amount of business travel to and from the city-state, improving its ability to configure aircraft with a high number of premium seats and charge more than one-stop competitors, according to analysts. "With Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia you simply can't get away with charging the premium needed compared to the one-stops, which are now very aggressively priced, due to the intense competition in the Southeast Asia-U.S. market to make the non-stop flights profitable," said Brendan Sobie, chief analyst at CAPA Centre for Aviation. Thanh said his airline benefited from a diaspora of 2 million Vietnamese living in the United States, but most of the traffic was more likely to be driven by price rather than the convenience of saving a few hours of travel time. "It is quite a big headache, to be honest," he said, of coming up with a viable business plan for the flights. "The plan is the end of 2019. But if it is not feasible and it is too much we have to wait to find a way to work with partners to improve the traffic mix. Like most of the airlines, like Philippines and Thai, we don't have enough business travelers. We are just dependent on visiting friends and relatives. That is no way to make money." (Reporting by Jamie Freed; Editing by Mark Potter) SpaceX announced late Saturday that when it conducts its first test launch of the Falcon Heavy rocket this Tuesday, it will also attempt to land all three of the giant rocket's first-stage cores. Two will aim for landings at Cape Canaveral in Florida, while one, the center core, will attempt to land on a drone ship at sea. The announcement is ambitious, especially considering SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has previously said there's a good chance the test launch itself will fail. In July of last year, Musk said of the Heavy test that there was a "real good chance that that vehicle does not make it to orbit" on the first try. While the Falcon Heavy has been test-fired successfully on the ground, there are elements of its operation that can only be tested with a full launch, which is why the Tuesday firing is full of uncertainty. It was previously announced that the payload for the test launch would be a Roadster electric car produced by Musk's other company, Tesla. Get Data Sheet, Fortune's technology newsletter. Despite the uncertainty of the launch, SpaceX does seem to have nearly perfected the process of recovering boosters. It has now landed nine boosters on land and 12 on drone ships at sea. The first successful drone ship landing, in April 2016, was on the same ship, Of Course I Still Love You, that will be used to recover part of the Falcon Heavy. Those recoveries are key to SpaceX's long-term goal of lowering spaceflight costs. The company has already successfully refurbished and re-used Falcon 9 boosters several times. It has also successfully recovered a Falcon 9 nose fairing, and is aiming to recover more components. The Falcon Heavy, which has three times as many engines as the SpaceX Falcon 9, is scheduled to launch from Florida's Kennedy Space Center at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, Feb. 6. The company warns that area residents are likely to hear multiple sonic booms during the booster landings -- assuming everything goes according to plan. Story continues See original article on Fortune.com More from Fortune.com TO BE HOPEFUL in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our livesIf we remember those times and placeswhere people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we dont have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory. --Howard Zinn I refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history. I refuse to accept the idea that the "isness" of man's present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal "oughtness" that forever confronts him. --Martin Luther King Jr. True religion consisted in an inward life, wherein the heart does love and reverence God the Creator, and learns to exercise true justice and goodness...I found no narrowness respecting sects and opinions, but believed that sincere, upright-hearted people, in every society, who truly love God, were accepted of him. --John Woolman Love each other as I have loved you.. I call you friends because I have made known to you everything I heard from my Father. --Jesus in John 15: 12-15 ...Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself. You have answered right, said Jesus, do this and life is yours... Who is my neighbor? Jesus replied with the Parable of the Good Samaritan [heretic, outsider, enemy]. --from Luke 10:27-37 Religion has been emphatically embodied, not in speculative theories, but in practical righteousness, in active virtues, in reverence to God, in benevolence to man- the latter being the only sure test of the former. --Thomas M'Clintock ...It is safer to approach God through the Holy Spirit than through the door of theology. We can identify the Holy Spirit whenever it makes its presence felt. Whenever we see someone who is loving, compassionate, mindful, caring, and understanding, we know that the Holy Spirit is there. --Thich Nhat Hanh As more tech companies enter the transportation market, their capabilities with big data and other disruptive technologies could spell trouble for airlines. "A tech giant who extracts customer behavior will be much better placed than an airline, for example, which only has information on its own operations," said Henrik Hololei, director-general for mobility and transport at the European Commission . Speaking at the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit on Monday, a day before the Southeast Asian nation kicks off its annual air show, Hololei pointed to Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) as an example. The world's largest online retailer announced air cargo services for its U.S. deliveries in 2016, raising fears that CEO Jeff Bezos could soon compete with global logistics giants such as FedEx (NYSE: FDX) or DHL. From Google's self-driving car to Uber's helicopter tie-up with Airbus , a number of Silicon Valley names are now concentrating research and investment on moving customers from point A to point B. Tech firms enjoy access to huge stores of data and boast the ability to process that information, which means they "know better what the customer wants," Hololei said. Once a company flies a drone, it may have more ambitious plans in the pipeline, he cautioned.Leveraging data analytics offers a number of benefits for airlines, from optimized on-the-ground operations such as baggage tracking to increased revenues."Technology is moving at a faster pace than we can use it," Bahrain's Transport and Telecommunications Minister Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed said at the summit. "Airline operators will be forced to invest in technology." In that spirit, Boeing (NYSE: BA) has assembled 800 analytics experts to create a new division focused on using data for customer solutions. Called Boeing AnalytX, the unit launched last year and is already doing business with the likes of Korean Air (: 349-KR) , Delta Air Lines and Turkish Airlines . Goh Choon Phong, CEO of Singapore Airlines (Singapore Exchange: SIAL-SG) , told CNBC that his company wasn't worried about its big data abilities. "Airlines have their own advantage when it comes to data and interactions with customers," Phong said on the summit's sidelines. "I don't think you can find any other business where you have customers, in some sense, with you for the duration of a whole flight," he continued. That's an opportunity for airlines to get to know passengers even better, he added.The carrier is currently hiring for several big data-related jobs, according to its website, as it embarks on a multi-year plan to upgrade operations. "If we can understand our customers better, surely we can use that data to serve them better," Phong said. The executive also shrugged off the possibility of future competition from tech firms. Singapore , the carrier's home market, is so open that "anybody can set up an airline," he said, suggesting that general competition wasn't a new concern. As more tech companies enter the transportation market, their capabilities with big data and other disruptive technologies could spell trouble for airlines. "A tech giant who extracts customer behavior will be much better placed than an airline, for example, which only has information on its own operations," said Henrik Hololei, director-general for mobility and transport at the European Commission . Speaking at the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit on Monday, a day before the Southeast Asian nation kicks off its annual air show, Hololei pointed to Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) as an example. The world's largest online retailer announced air cargo services for its U.S. deliveries in 2016, raising fears that CEO Jeff Bezos could soon compete with global logistics giants such as FedEx (NYSE: FDX) or DHL. From Google's self-driving car to Uber's helicopter tie-up with Airbus , a number of Silicon Valley names are now concentrating research and investment on moving customers from point A to point B. Tech firms enjoy access to huge stores of data and boast the ability to process that information, which means they "know better what the customer wants," Hololei said. Once a company flies a drone, it may have more ambitious plans in the pipeline, he cautioned. Leveraging data analytics offers a number of benefits for airlines, from optimized on-the-ground operations such as baggage tracking to increased revenues. "Technology is moving at a faster pace than we can use it," Bahrain's Transport and Telecommunications Minister Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed said at the summit. "Airline operators will be forced to invest in technology." In that spirit, Boeing (NYSE: BA) has assembled 800 analytics experts to create a new division focused on using data for customer solutions. Called Boeing AnalytX, the unit launched last year and is already doing business with the likes of Korean Air (: 349-KR) , Delta Air Lines and Turkish Airlines . Goh Choon Phong, CEO of Singapore Airlines (Singapore Exchange: SIAL-SG) , told CNBC that his company wasn't worried about its big data abilities. "Airlines have their own advantage when it comes to data and interactions with customers," Phong said on the summit's sidelines. "I don't think you can find any other business where you have customers, in some sense, with you for the duration of a whole flight," he continued. That's an opportunity for airlines to get to know passengers even better, he added. The carrier is currently hiring for several big data-related jobs, according to its website, as it embarks on a multi-year plan to upgrade operations. "If we can understand our customers better, surely we can use that data to serve them better," Phong said. The executive also shrugged off the possibility of future competition from tech firms. Singapore , the carrier's home market, is so open that "anybody can set up an airline," he said, suggesting that general competition wasn't a new concern. More From CNBC By Ayesha Rascoe PALM BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that a controversial memo attacking federal law enforcement written by congressional Republicans vindicates him in the investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Trump's embrace of the memo raised again the prospect that he could use it as justification to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, who is conducting the investigation, or Deputy Attorney Rod Rosenstein, who oversees Mueller. Tweeting from his resort in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said the memo "totally vindicates" him but added "the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on. Their (sic) was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction." He called the investigation "an American disgrace." The White House has said there will be no changes at the Justice Department as a result of the memo's conclusions. The memo, written by Republicans on the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee chaired by Devin Nunes, argues that the federal investigation of potential collusion between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia was a product of political bias against Trump at the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Justice Department. Trey Gowdy, the Republican chairman of the powerful House Oversight committee, disagreed with Trump and said the memo has no impact on the Russia probe. "Not to me, it doesn't, and I was pretty integrally involved in the drafting of it," Gowdy said in a preview of an interview to be aired on CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday. Gowdy, who said this week that he will not run for re-election in November, said the Russia investigation would exist regardless of a dossier that the memo says the FBI received from a source who was strongly biased against Trump. "So there's going to be a Russia probe, even without a dossier," said Gowdy. Trump approved the release of the formerly classified memo without redactions, despite objections from the FBI in a move that deepened tension between the White House and senior law enforcement that has existed since Trump took office. Democrats contend the four-page memo mischaracterizes highly sensitive classified information and was intended to undermine the Mueller criminal probe that was launched in May 2017 as an outgrowth an earlier FBI investigation. Jerrold Nadler, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said Trump's decision to allow the release of the memo was "part of a coordinated propaganda effort to discredit, disable and defeat the Russia investigation." Some Republicans were also critical of the memo's release. John Kasich, the governor of Ohio and a former rival of Trump's for the presidential nomination, called it "a disservice to our country." Asked by reporters on Friday whether the memo made him more likely to fire Rosenstein or whether he had confidence in him, Trump replied, "You figure it out." Dismissing Rosenstein or Mueller would trigger a political firestorm much like his sacking of FBI Director James Comey last year. Mueller is also examining whether Trump has obstructed justice in trying to thwart the Russia investigation. 'PUBLIC TRUST' The memo alleges the FBI concealed the Democratic ties of a source the agency used to justify surveillance on Carter Page, a former Trump campaign adviser with links to Russia. It also published the names of senior FBI and Justice Department officials, including Rosenstein, who it said signed off on the surveillance. The document was commissioned by Nunes, the Republican chairman of the House intelligence panel. He said it laid bare "serious violations of the public trust, and the American people have a right to know when officials in crucial institutions are abusing their authority for political purposes." On Saturday, Nadler circulated a memo to House Democrats disputing the conclusions of the Nunes memo and arguing that Page was a lawful target of surveillance, according to NBC News. "Carter Page was, more likely than not, an agent of a foreign power. The Department of Justice thought so. A federal judge agreed," Nadler wrote in the memo. Mueller's investigation has so far led to guilty pleas by two of Trump's foreign policy advisers to charges of lying to the FBI, and indictments of former campaign manager Paul Manafort and his business partner Rick Gates. The Republican memo said the FBI used material from a source who was strongly biased against Trump, former British spy Christopher Steele, to justify its surveillance of Page. It alleged that a dossier compiled by Steele, and funded in part by Democrats, formed an "essential part" of requests to a special court to be allowed to conduct electronic surveillance on Page that began in October 2016. Despite the memo's charges, neither the focus on Page nor the FBI's investigation of Trump-Russia ties began with the Steele dossier. Page came to the FBI's attention as early as 2013, when he met in New York with Russians who were officers of the Kremlin's foreign intelligence service, sources have said. The memo acknowledges that the FBI counterintelligence investigation began in July 2016, three months before the request for electronic surveillance on Page, as a result of the activities of another Trump campaign aide, George Papadopoulos. Steve Vladeck, a professor of constitutional law at the University of Texas-Austin, said it was unprecedented for the president to feud so publicly with leaders of the U.S. intelligence agencies. "You do long-term damage to these institutions if you convince a large swath of the American public that they can't be trusted," Vladeck said. (Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom, Steve Holland and Jan Wolfe and Lucia Mutikani; Writing by James Oliphant; Editing by Bill Trott and Daniel Wallis) By Trevor Hunnicutt NEW YORK (Reuters) - As new rules spur Wall Street banks to further shrink their research budgets, U.S. asset management firms are shoring up in-house research, and reinventing the stockpicking business in the process. Fund managers are eschewing the traditional model of teams built to cover a broad range of industries, instead picking areas of expertise and hiring analysts with very specialised knowledge and often non-Wall Street backgrounds. The European Union's MiFID II regulations that target conflicts of interest and took effect in January require asset managers to separately report trading commissions and investment-research payments. In the past, banks bundled research with trading fees covered by investors rather than fund management firms. While the rules apply only to those operating in the EU, the transparency is making fund managers globally re-think what research they are willing to pay for. Interviews with more than a dozen senior executives, research analysts and other staff show fund managers are already weaning themselves off routine analysis of major sectors where it is difficult for any investor to gain a lasting advantage. Instead, fund companies would rather go it alone and focus on narrow slices of the market they can dominate, from breakout technologies like cryptocurrencies, niche international markets and environmental, social and corporate governance. That means fund managers are hiring, but not necessarily those who have spent their careers with brokers or banks. For example, ARK Investment Management LLC recruited James Wang to cover artificial intelligence (AI) and "the next wave of the internet." Wang was previously a product manager at Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O) in California and helped the semiconductor company launch GeForce Experience, a gaming application. "I never thought I would work in finance, much less on the East Coast," said Wang, who turned 34 in October. ARK is now hiring a specialist focused on cryptocurrencies and another researching genomics. Story continues (Banks' shrinking research teams - http://reut.rs/2DY62u1) INVESTMENT BANKS SLASH STAFF BlackRock Inc (BLK.N) Chief Executive Larry Fink, who runs the world's largest asset manager, told Reuters he is spending more on research done at his own firm. In recent weeks, BlackRock, which has $6 trillion (4.25 trillion) in assets under management, asked several providers to stop sending research they were not paying for so the company could make sure it complied with the new rules, according to a person familiar with the matter. Fink said in October that BlackRock would consider paying out-of-pocket for the research the asset manager consumes from banks globally. Other managers are going further. Richard Bernstein went "cold turkey," stopping paying for external research and cutting all of his fund company's subscriptions to investment-bank research about a year ago. What he found was that he could live without most of it. "That was the way we could decide who we need and who do we miss," said Bernstein, who was an analyst at Bank of America Corp's (BAC.N) Merrill Lynch unit before he started his current company, Richard Bernstein Advisors LLC. "A handful - a dozen, whatever - analysts we really wanted back. However, a lot of them we didn't." He says the company does 95 percent of its research in-house. Across Wall Street, asset managers are also betting that some research can be automated. Even before the new MiFID II regulations, which stands for Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II, banks were scaling back equity research as algorithmic trading, regulation and the growing popularity of index-tracking funds, which tend to trade less, weighed on their income. Major global investment banks slashed their equity research budgets from a peak of $8.2 billion in 2008 to $3.4 billion in 2017, according to Frost Consulting. McKinsey projects the top 10 banks will cut those budgets by another 30 percent in the near term, due largely to MiFID II. Fund managers can ill afford giving up on research altogether because that is what sets them apart and allows to compete for investors' money with index funds set up to merely match market benchmarks. Applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to stockpicking requires a new breed of tech-savvy specialists, and managers think some of the best opportunities are there. Morgan Stanley (MS.N) polled fund managers and other clients at a recent conference on the subject and found that nearly half hired "quant" researchers in the past year. More traditional expertise is also in demand. Ariel Investments LLC, which manages $13.1 billion, hired research analysts who had lived in Russia, China and Greece to bolster its efforts combing through international markets for ideas, company vice-chairman Charlie Bobrinskoy said. The company added six analysts to its global research team over the past year. Three previously worked for traditional brokerages, two came from asset managers and another moved from elsewhere in finance, Ariel said. As banks cut research expenses and thin their ranks, fund managers might be offering fewer, but potentially more lucrative opportunities. The average asset manager's equity research analyst with five to eight years' experience range made $419,000 in 2016, compared to $385,000 at a bank, according to a survey by financial services recruiting company Options Group. Reuters found the gap widens for those with more experience and special expertise with asset-management firms paying millions for high-caliber researchers. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Jennifer Ablan and Tomasz Janowski) travis kalanick uber cofounder ceo Windle/Getty Images for Vanity Fair On Monday, Uber and Waymo will go to court over allegations that Uber stole "trade secrets" relating to self-driving-car tech. The case hinges on Anthony Levandowski, a rock-star engineer who is accused of taking huge troves of information when he left Google and later joined Uber. Google is seeking damages from Uber as well as a permanent injunction blocking it from using the tech. The case could have broader implications for hiring in Silicon Valley. Whatever happens, this isn't the end for Uber but it could be a major setback. Uber and Waymo are finally about to have their day in court and sparks are sure to fly. On Monday, in what promises to be one of Silicon Valley's biggest legal battles in years, the trial officially begins to determine whether Uber stole trade secrets from Waymo, a self-driving-car unit owned by Google's parent company. The buildup over the past year has produced explosive headlines about the accusations against Uber and has sparked debate about the appropriateness of the "move fast and break things" Silicon Valley ethos epitomized (though not coined) by the ride-hailing firm. The Hollywood-perfect storyline pitting two tech behemoths against each other and the drama and revelations leading up to the trial have created such a stir that William Alsup, the federal judge in San Francisco overseeing the case, has had to reiterate that this is still, at its heart, a dispute over intellectual property. "The central issues in this case remains whether or not Uber misappropriated Uber's trade secrets, not whether Uber is an evil corporation," he said. Whatever the ultimate outcome, it seems unlikely to prove fatal for Uber, or even its self-driving-vehicle ambitions. But when it comes to its reputation, the damage may have been already done. And beyond the bitter conflict between Uber and Waymo, the case could have broader consequences for hiring in the tech industry's ultracompetitive, never-ending battle for talent. Story continues Anthony Levandowski: The big hire that caused a big headache At the heart of the case is Anthony Levandowski, a rock-star engineer who worked on Google's self-driving-car efforts (the project that would later become Waymo) before jumping ship to start a self-driving-truck startup called Otto that Uber subsequently acquired. He is accused of taking huge troves of confidential Google documents with him when he left and these trade secrets were allegedly used while he was at Uber as the company raced to develop its own lidar technology, a sensor used in self-driving vehicles. A law firm Uber retained to conduct due diligence before hiring Levandowski found that the engineer had been in possession of a large stash of Google documents. But he said he destroyed them, and Uber insists they never made their way to the company's servers. Travis Kalanick Anthony Levandowski Associated Press Over the past year, the case has surfaced multiple details that paint Uber as a company in an unflattering light most notably the bombshell "Jacobs letter" written by the lawyer of a former Uber employee. It alleged that a special team within Uber hacked into competitors' computer systems, stole data from rivals, recorded the private conversations of competitors at a hotel, and used self-destructing messaging services. The color and lurid details have sometimes obscured the substance of the dispute prompting Alsup's "evil corporation" reminder. "Waymo's decision to devote so much time and effort to pursuing matters with so little connection to the merits [of the case] raises the possibility that Waymo is unwilling or unable to prove up a solid case ... and instead seeks to inflame the jury against Uber with a litany of supposed bad facts," he said. Levandowski was fired from Uber last year after refusing to cooperate with Uber's legal team. He is not a defendant in the case but will most likely be called as a witness, and he is expected to use his Fifth Amendment rights rather than answer questions. The case could have ramifications for talent jumping from company to company Much in this case rests on exactly how a trade secret is defined. Broadly speaking, it is information with economic value that isn't known to the public or others who might obtain value from knowing it. This doesn't, however, extended to professional skills and abilities and it can be tricky to draw the line. "When [engineers] move to new jobs with new employers, they cannot be expected to erase such natural on-the-job practical lessons from memory and will remain free under law to use them," Alsup wrote in a draft of the instructions for jurors. "Engineers cannot, however, go further in new jobs with new employers to use or disclose to others specific engineering solutions or information developed by their prior employers." Waymo argues that Levandowski purloined trade secrets and used them to advance Uber's lidar-building efforts while Uber counters that it independently and properly developed all of its tech and that Waymo's "trade secrets" shouldn't even be considered trade secrets in the first place. Waymo minivan Waymo California has historically been relaxed about the flow of talent between companies refusing to enforce noncompete clauses in employment contracts that are intended to prevent people from working for competitors in the future. A particularly zealous approach in this case could leave engineers feeling limited in what they bring with them to new jobs and potentially open the door to future trade-secrets litigation around hiring. "Any time you have a high-profile case like this ... involving contested trade secrets and the plaintiff wins I think it probably does ultimately have an impact," Elizabeth Rowe, a professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, told Business Insider. "I suspect if they win that yeah, it could ultimately cause people to pause and think twice." Alsup has so far attempted to balance the competing demands of intellectual property and employee freedom, asking at a pretrial hearing in November: "Is an engineer supposed to get a frontal lobotomy before they go on to the next job? The answers got to be no, but say they know the recipe for Coca-Cola. They have to forget that before their next job." This isn't a death knell for Uber, whatever happens Waymo is seeking damages and a permanent injunction preventing Uber from using what its self-described trade secrets. If it can convince the jury that its "trade secrets" are in fact trade secrets, it will be up to the jury to determine damages, but it will be Alsup who makes the decision on an injunction. The former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has said the company's future depends on self-driving technology but an injunction, while embarrassing, would not be catastrophic to the company. The autonomous vehicles it has in the field today don't use the disputed technology but instead rely on off-the-shelf tech from a third-party company, Velodyne. Dara Khosrowshahi Kevork Djansezian / Staff The real cost to Uber whatever the legal consequences may be the massive reputational damage. Over the past year, Uber has been rocked by scandal after scandal, from allegations of workplace sex discrimination to bad behavior by executives, culminating in the ousting of Kalanick. Losing its fight with Waymo would be viewed by many as karmic retribution a capstone to its sordid history. "Uber has been playing defense throughout the litigation, both inside and outside the courtroom," Eric Goldman, a professor at the Santa Clara University School of Law, said in an email. "While it's made some progress cutting back Waymo's case, Uber hasn't yet shaken Waymo's core allegations, nor has Uber been able to quell the nagging suspicion that Uber did something wrong here which would be consistent with its string of high-profile gaffes in other aspects of its business." "Plus," Goldman added, "the litigation helped force Uber's key expert on self-driving vehicles, Levandowski, out of the company, making Uber's acquisition of his business very, very costly. " NOW WATCH: These inventions will help save the earth See Also: SEE ALSO: Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick just became an actual billionaire with $1.4 billion in cash, and he plans to start giving it away On this episode of Industry Focus: Technology, host Dylan Lewis is joined by Fool.com contributor Danny Vena to discuss some of the specific rules and regulations imposed on internet companies in China. A full transcript follows the video. More From The Motley Fool This video was recorded on Jan. 26, 2018. Dylan Lewis: What exactly are those laws and regulations? Danny Vena: I have a list of them here. Some of them are pretty interesting. First of all, you know how there's a lot of anonymity on the internet? You can create a fake Facebook account; you don't need to use your real name on Twitter. That's not the case in China. In China, you have to sign up with your real name and provide verification of your identity in order to use social media sites. Similarly, with news programs that are on the internet, they're required to have editorial staff that have been pre-approved by government officials. Any time that there's an internet company in the country, they're required to first have their data servers on the ground in China. And in addition to that, they're required to keep all of the information gathered about Chinese citizens, that has to remain in the country, and they have to specifically ask for permission to transmit any of that information out of China. When we're talking about streaming companies -- and streaming is huge, you may recall that late in 2016, Netflix bowed out of its intentions to enter the Chinese market. And one of the reasons they cited was the government regulatory environment. Lewis: What specifically about that is relevant to them, Danny? Vena: Streaming companies are required to have no more than 30% of their content be from foreign sources. Again, the other same requirements, they have to keep the data in the country, a set of items that I just cited. But that's kind of tough for a company like Netflix, where if they're limited to 30% of their content being from foreign sources. That's not going to give them a lot of entry into that market. Story continues Lewis: No, especially for a company that's focusing so much on original content, right? Vena: Absolutely. And a couple of other items. The Chinese government has banned the use of VPNs, which is a virtual private network, something that internet users favored for getting around the Great Firewall, which was the things that the Chinese government used, essentially, to keep out foreign content. And finally, the companies in China that accept money from advertisers are required to verify the identity of those advertisers and their business credentials. So, there's a lot going on in China that we don't have to deal with here in the United States. Lewis: Unpacking a lot of that and getting a sense of what these regulations are driving at, I think you clearly have some efforts there to maintain the government's control over what gets said, and what gets in and out of China. But you look at some of these -- that content one in particular seems like kind of a protectionist measure that's doing something to preserve local businesses. Danny Vena owns shares of Netflix. Dylan Lewis has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Netflix and Twitter. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. What happened Kosmos Energy Ltd.'s (NYSE: KOS) stock slumped on Monday, falling more than 12% at 10:45 a.m. EST after announcing that it completed drilling its latest exploration well off the shores of Senegal in West Africa. So what Kosmos Energy and its partners, British oil giant BP (NYSE: BP) and the national oil company of Senegal, recently finished drilling the Requin Tigre-1 exploration well. However, Kosmos said that after extensive testing, the partners didn't encounter any oil and gas. This dry hole in is the latest in a string of exploration misses for Kosmos since it signed an exploration deal with BP at the end of 2016, only hitting on one of the four wells in the second phase of its program. It was much more successful in the first phase, going 3-for-3 and discovering a major natural gas resource. An offshore drilling rig with the sun in the background. Image source: Getty Images. Those past successes are leading Kosmos to continue exploring for more oil and gas this year. That said, this time it's heading to South America with its drill ship, where it will target two oil prospects off the coast of Suriname. The company expects to start drilling them early next quarter. Now what Offshore exploration can be hit or miss. While Kosmos has hit big several times, it hasn't been quite as successful in recent months. Though its luck could change as it shifts to a new region, there are no guarantees. That makes Kosmos a high-risk oil stock that's not suitable for most investors since it will be years before the company turns any of its exploration successes into cash-flowing production. More From The Motley Fool Matthew DiLallo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Millions of ethnic Pashtuns have endured years of terrorist violence, military operations, and displacement in northwestern Pakistan, and yet their protests rarely reverberate in the countrys capital, Islamabad. But the murder of a young shopkeeper in an allegedly staged gunbattle with the police last month appears to have stirred up grievances that were long suppressed. The killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud in the southern city of Karachi prompted thousands of activists to converge on Islamabad to press for their demands in seeking justice and an end to their oppression. Participants and speakers from all walks of life thronged the protest site in front of a busy Islamabad market on February 5. In a series of emotional speeches, speaker after speaker ran through their grievances and called on the government to act. Naqeebullah Mehsud was not the first Pashtun killed unlawfully in this country. A lot of our blood has been spilled, protest organizer Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen thundered from the top of a metal shipping container used as a makeshift stage. However, our patience has now run out after this killing. Pashteen, an activist who has spent years lobbying to draw attention to the plight of his Mehsud tribe, is among the campaigners determined not to leave Islamabad until their demands are met. The protesters listed five demands, shaped by years of neglect and suffering. Swift justice for Mehsud tops the demands; they are asking authorities to arrest Rao Anwar, a fugitive police officer blamed for the murder according to a government probe. Anwar has a reputation of staging gunbattles with suspected terrorists and criminals, and Pakistani media reports say he has supervised the killings of hundreds of people in what are locally called fake police encounters. The chief justice [of Pakistan] should personally monitor a judicial commission to probe unlawful killings in Karachi and the regions inhabited by the Pashtuns, read a leaflet distributed at the protest. All the victims of enforced disappearances should be presented before a court of law. Those found guilty of a crime should be punished while the rest should be freed. Last month, Pashteen, now in his 30s, mobilized a Mehsud jirga, or tribal council, to warn Islamabad to clear landmines and unexploded ordinance from their homeland in the South Waziristan tribal district or brace for unprecedented protests. Its no surprise that clearing the deadly landmines is one of the protesters demands. An estimated half a million Mehsuds left their homes before the onset of a major Pakistani military offensive in 2008, and nearly 80 adults and children have reportedly been killed in landmine explosions since most Mehsuds returned to their homes by the end of last year. In a telling revelation about life in a conflict zone, the protesters are demanding an end to curfew and other coercive measures used after attacks against security forces. Across FATA and Waziristan in particular, authorities should avoid imposing curfews and beating civilians, the pamphlet said, referring to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas by its acronym. Waziristan, divided into North and South Waziristan districts, are two of the seven FATA districts. The region turned into a front line of the global war on terrorism after 9/11 when Al-Qaeda and allied extremism sought shelter in the region after the demise of the hard-line Taliban regime in neighboring Afghanistan in late 2001. In the subsequent years, millions of Pashtuns in FATA and neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province paid a steep price. They comprise a majority of the more than 50,000 civilians whom authorities say have been killed in militant attacks and military offensives. More than 6 million were displaced in dozens of military operations as hundreds of thousands of families lost their businesses and livelihoods. Many of those who took part in the Islamabad protest say they are angry over Pashtun profiling and atrocities by Pakistani security forces. Every one of us has endured immeasurable suffering. Our bodies bear the scars of what we have endured, and our homeland has turned into hell, Ali Wazir told participants. Wazir, a tribal leader turned politician in his 40s, has lost nearly a dozen members of his extended family to violence in South Waziristan since 2003. Like thousands of killings across Pakistans northwestern Pashtun regions, the murders of his brothers, father, uncles, and cousins remain unresolved. Today, I can protest in Islamabad, but we cannot do the same in my homeland, he said. Today, we are in Islamabad and want to ask how many innocent people like Naqeebullah have you killed, and how many are languishing in prisons for years? Fazal Khan, a lawyer, lost his son in a 2014 Taliban attack on an army-run school in the northwestern Pashtun city of Peshawar in December 2014. He is deeply critical of the powerful Pakistani Armys approach of killing some militants while appeasing others. We should not be deceived in the name of the Taliban, he said, referring to the militarys treatment of a former Taliban spokesman whose faction accepted responsibility for the attack on his sons school but was apparently pardoned after surrendering to the authorities last year. They are like a guard who is fed, clothed, and armed in the best way possible but fails to protect our home from ruin. The Pakistani military, however, rejects such criticism. Last month, army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa claimed Pakistan had defeated terrorists of all hues and colors in its restive border regions and is now going after their disorganized residual presence under Operation Raddul Fasaad, or purging of evil. Pakistani authorities are largely silent on protestor demands. On February 3, a junior cabinet minister, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, visited the protest site and told participants that their administration supports their demands and is keen on resolving them, according to the daily Pakistan Times. Former Pakistani lawmaker Afrasiab Khattak says the protest is a manifestation of the oppression endured by more than 5 million FATA residents. Pashtuns in FATA in general and Waziristan in particular have been devastated by the armed conflict, but their sufferings and agonies remain unnoticed, he said. Rapid urbanization, education, remittances, and the rise of professionals and the middle class have led to greater awareness, but the process of political empowerment lags far behind. Khattak says Islamabads failure in implementing reforms in FATA contributes to resentment as the region still languishes under a draconian colonial-era legal regime known as the Frontier Crimes Regulations. He says youth activism has taken seasoned politicians by surprise and the masses appear to be now mobilizing for their rights. This, he says, is also changing perceptions about Pashtuns as a collection of warlike tribes. Such stereotypes are being shattered by the most peaceful and disciplined political agitation in Islamabads recent history, he noted. Illinois builds momentum for blockchain Over the past year, the Illinois Blockchain Initiative has grown from a nascent project based at the Illinois Department of Technology into a program with two completed pilots and renewed momentum for the next stage of research. MORE INFO Illinois blockchain pilots take shape The Illinois Blockchain Initiative is moving forward with five use cases that demonstrate how the distributed ledger technology can work in government. Read more. Illinois taps blockchain to spur government efficiencies Illinois is experimenting with blockchain in five pilot programs, the states CTO Mike Wons told GCN. Read more. Unlocking blockchain for government Using blockchain technology through permissioned networks can help state governments improve the delivery of their services, a new report finds. Read more. Creating a blockchain playbook for government A blockchain primer gives agencies a foundational understanding of the distributed ledger technology. Read more. IBI recently completed work on a pilot with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds related to land title registries. John Mirkovic, deputy recorder of deeds, worked with the countys land records vendor Conduent to create digital property abstracts that consolidated information spread across multiple government offices in one place. For the other pilot, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (DFPR) worked with Hashed Health on a health provider registry. The pilot leveraged a blockchain-based registry to streamline licensure and credentialing information sharing about health care workers. Work with Evernym on a birth-record registration pilot was announced in August and is still ongoing. Under its proposed framework, government agencies would be able verify birth registration information and then cryptographically sign identity attributes such as legal name, date of birth, sex or blood type to create verifiable claims or attributes. Over the course of the past six months, we found all of these use cases -- despite being broad and diverse -- could be distilled into one singular use case, which is digital identity, Jennifer ORourke, business liaison for IBI, told GCN. As broad as they are, they essentially come down to saying, 'I am who I am, and I need to prove that using identity in certain ways as I interact with very different parts of government through different phases of my life.' Pilots related to an energy credit marketplace with the Illinois Pollution Control Board and validating academic credentials are still ongoing. ORourke said the beauty of being able to test and explore blockchain technology has helped IBI to mature its thinking and strategy based on the results from the pilots. IBI was able to look at the pilots as completely separate use cases that were using blockchain technology in a similar way to meet specific needs. We adapted our strategy through an understanding that technology will always come back to the individual," O'Rourke said. Work on the pilots also evolved after the Illinois legislature created a blockchain task force consisting of lawmakers, ORourke and representatives from DoIT, DFPR, the Department of Insurance, Secretary of State and Cook County Recorder of Deeds. The task force submitted a report to the Illinois legislature on Jan. 31 that provided an overview of blockchain technology and legislative recommendations. Cab Morris, deputy director of strategy and operational performance at the DFPR, also compiled a database of international blockchain projects . There were some projects that we were very aware of -- like the work that ConsenSys was doing in Dubai -- but there are some really cool things in in Europe and Asia that were also a pleasant surprise to discover, ORourke said. The IBI has participated in blockchain discussions with the General Services Administrations Emerging Citizen Technology program, but most of its work has been conducted closer to home. In December, IBI partnered with the Chicago Blockchain Center to bring in executives from the open source collaborative Hyperledger to talk about the basics of blockchain. IBI also hosted an event on smart contracts with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and held a blockchain coding boot camp in July with DePaul University. Weve worked with general events companies to bring in 'blockchain 101' events, ORourke said. We want to be thoughtful when educating the community on where they are now and where we are looking to go. A major legislative overhaul hasn't been necessary to continue experimenting with blockchain in government, ORourke said, but there are a few areas where changes may be necessary. For example, the Uniform Law Commission, which oversees electronic records retention, could see self-notarization of documents through blockchain. With the first year of work completed, ORourke said IBI has already learned about how blockchain cant be used to solve all problems. We realize that this is an exciting time for the technology, but we want to be very thoughtful on what is the right use case, ORourke said. We had a lot of interest last year when there was a lot going on the pilot and proof of concept phase, but we cant just use solutions to 'fill in a blank' for everything else. English Lithuanian Vilnius, Lithuania, 2018-02-02 15:07 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- INVL Asset Management, a part of Invalda INVL, has acquired a controlling stake in the asset management company Mundus (company code 303305451) and owns 51 per cent its shares. The transaction, for which the Bank of Lithuania granted permission on 22 January, was completed on 2 February. The remaining 49 per cent of shares are held in equal parts by Mundus founders Martynas Grikinis and Audrius Mozuras. The size of the transaction is not public. On completion of the transaction, a new Management Board was appointed at Mundus. It is composed of INVL Asset Management representatives Andrej Cyba and Audrius Matikiunas, whose appointment to the board the Bank of Lithuania approved on 23 January, as well as Martynas Grikinis and Audrius Mozuras. Mundus manages the Mundus Bridge Finance Fund, an open-ended risk capital fund for informed investors which seeks to generate a long-term stable return by investing in private debt securities of fast growing alternative finance companies. The funds team actively contributes to the management of target companies while ensuring for the funds liquidity needs with short-term financial instruments. As of the end of January 2018, the funds assets under management were more than EUR 14.5 million. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Volcanic Gold Mines Inc. (Volcanic) (TSXV:VG) announces that due to intransigence on the part of the Administrateur General of its Guinean operating subsidiary, Guiord SA (Guiord), Volcanic is not presently able to gain access to its Mandiana project in Guinea and has therefore postponed drilling activities at the project. The work program, originally to commence during the month of January, was to include drilling of a linear zone of artisanal workings 6.3km in length and up to 550m in width at Tadibakourou, at which coarse gold has been recovered from numerous shallow pits and shafts, as reported on July 26, 2017. Local regulations require that the Administrateur General of Guiord (Administrateur) take certain routine administrative actions in order for the intended site activities to occur. While the necessary arrangements are straightforward and rapid to implement, the execution thereof has been stalled by the Administrateur in an apparent attempt to force upon Volcanic a non-arms length service contract totally unacceptable to the Company. Volcanic is taking decisive steps to resolve this matter, including a corporate restructuring of Guiord which will permit Volcanics management to directly conduct the activities of Guiord and commence the planned drilling program on the Mandiana project. Volcanic holds an indirect 75% interest in the issued capital of Guiord, a company incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Guinea. The remaining 25% of Guiords issued capital is indirectly held by SOGUIPAMI, the Societe Guineenne du Patrimoine Minier, a state entity formed for the promotion of the mining and exploration interests in Guinea. Volcanic hereby takes the opportunity to recognize the positive support of SOGUIPAMI, and the Government and People of Guinea in the conduct of its business. About Volcanic Volcanic brings together a deeply experienced and successful mining, exploration and capital markets team focused on building multi-million ounce gold resources in the underexplored West African country of Guinea, and its neighbouring countries. Through the strategic acquisition of mineral properties with demonstrated potential for hosting gold resources, and by undertaking effective exploration and drill programs, Volcanic looks to become a leading junior gold resource company. For further information, contact Jeremy Crozier, at 604-801-5432, or visit our website at www.volgold.com. Volcanic Gold Mines Inc. Jeremy Crozier, President and CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking statements Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and include, without limitation, statements about the Companys proposed restructuring of Guiord and resumption of exploration activities at the Mandiana Project. Often, but not always, these forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as estimate, estimates, estimated, potential, open, future, assumed, projected, used, detailed, has been, gain, upgraded, offset, limited, contained, reflecting, containing, remaining, to be, periodically, or statements that events, could or should occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Such uncertainties and factors include, among others, whether the Company will restructure Guiord and resume exploration activities at the Mandiana Project as planned; changes in general economic conditions and financial markets; the Company or any joint venture partner not having the financial ability to meet its exploration and development goals; risks associated with the results of exploration and development activities, estimation of mineral resources and the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; unanticipated costs and expenses; and such other risks detailed from time to time in the Companys quarterly and annual filings with securities regulators and available under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management, including but not limited to: that the Company will restructure Guiord and resume exploration activities at the Mandiana Project as planned; that the Companys stated goals and planned exploration and development activities will be achieved; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; and such other assumptions as set out herein. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. /NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/ TORONTO, Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gran Colombia Gold Corp. (the Company or Gran Colombia) (TSX:GCM) announced today that it has determined to offer for sale, on a best efforts private placement basis, up to 152,000 units (the Units) of the Company for anticipated aggregate gross proceeds of up to US$152,000,000 (the Offering). Each Unit is expected to consist of US$1,000 principal amount of senior secured gold-linked notes (the Notes) and a number of common share purchase warrants of the Company to be determined based on market conditions. The Company has retained GMP Capital Inc. (GMP) and UBS Securities LLC (UBS and collectively with GMP, the Agents) to act as agents in connection with the Offering. The net proceeds of the Offering are expected to be used for (1) the redemption in full, at par, of the Companys (a) Senior Unsecured Convertible Debentures due 2018, (b) Senior Secured Convertible Debentures due 2020 and (c) Senior Secured Convertible Debentures due 2024 (the securities referred to in (a), (b) and (c), collectively, the Outstanding Debentures) and (2) general corporate purposes. The terms of the Offering are subject to finalization based on market conditions. Subject to the final terms of the Offering, the completion of the Offering may be subject to the receipt of regulatory and shareholders approvals. Timing for the closing of the Offering and any requisite shareholders meeting will be announced by the Company at a later date. About Gran Colombia Gold Corp. Gran Colombia is a Canadian-based gold and silver exploration, development and production company with its primary focus in Colombia. Gran Colombia is currently the largest underground gold and silver producer in Colombia with several underground mines in operation at its Segovia and Marmato operations. Gran Colombia is continuing its expansion and modernization activities at its high-grade Segovia Operations. Additional information on Gran Colombia can be found on its website at www.grancolombiagold.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information", which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the Offering, including the expected timing and receipt of any required regulatory and shareholders approvals, the expected use of proceeds, the redemption of the Outstanding Debentures, the anticipated improvement to the Companys capital structure and reduction of potential dilution, anticipated business plans or strategies. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Gran Colombia to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form dated as of March 30, 2017, which is available for view on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and Gran Colombia disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For Further Information, Please Contact: Mike Davies Chief Financial Officer (416) 360-4653 investorrelations@grancolombiagold.com Dublin, Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Tires for Heavy-Duty Class 8 Over-the-Road and Vocational Trucks North America Markets, Technologies, and Competitors. 2017 - 2022 Analysis and Forecasts" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The U.S. Class 8 fleet currently totals approximately 2.9 million trucks. Production grew by almost 300,000 vehicles in 2017. This is putting renewed interest on Class 8 trucks, registrations for which are growing almost 3% annually. Motor carriers spent more than $13 billion on tires in 2017, or about 3% of operating costs, which made tires the third largest expense category after labor and fuel last year. Class 8 truck tires are used in both over-the-road and vocational applications such as refuse, dump and concrete mixer trucks. While these tires represent only 10% of the North American tire market, they comprise the fastest growing segment. Analysis of the heavy-duty truck tire market in this report includes production numbers; competitive environment and market shares; imports; tire manufacturing technologies, including industry R&D and new product developments; rules, regulations and standards; Federal government projects and budgets; and Chinese collaborations, as well as fuel issues, certifications and other topics relevant to this market. Profiles of major suppliers of truck tires are included in the report. The market for Class 8 tires in North America is served by only seven remaining domestic producers. Bridgestone, Michelin and Goodyear are the largest domestic suppliers. In addition, there are more than 25 importers, many of which import product from China. In addition to addressing tire production directly, the report provides context for this market by providing details on commercial truck production by class; the U.S. truck freight market by mode, volume and value of freight shipments, as well as distances moved and products shipped; data on truck fleet and motor carrier costs, including tire costs; and composition of the U.S. truck fleet in terms of registered vehicles, trucks by type and registrations by state. Key Topics Covered: 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2. INTRODUCTION Methodology and Sources Statistical Notes 3. TIRE TECHNOLOGIES, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Purpose of Tires Physical Characteristics and Uses Tire Types Steer Drive Trailer Rims Retreading Radial and Bias Designs Rules and Regulations TRA Standards Manufacturing Processes Research and Development 21st Century Truck Partnership 21st Century Truck Partners Technical Focus Areas OVT Budget SuperTruck II Energy Efficient Mobility Systems China Clean Energy Research Center SmartWay Vehicle Energy Balances Tire Rolling Resistance Single Wide Base Tires Barriers to Single Wide Base Tires Adoption Single Wide-Base Tires Adoption Rates 4. U.S. TRUCK FREIGHT MARKET U.S. Freight Moved by Volume and Mode U.S. Freight Moved by Value and Mode U.S. Total Freight Moved by Distance U.S. Truck Freight Moved by Product Class 5. UNITED STATES LARGE COMMERCIAL TRUCK FLEET Registered Vehicles U.S. Large Commercial Truck Fleet by Type U.S. Large Commercial Truck Fleet by State 6. MOTOR CARRIER COSTS Carriers Spend on Operating Costs Cost Issues Fuel Costs Equipment Costs Driver Pay Marginal Costs Costs by Type Per Mile Costs by Type Per Hour Costs Share by Type Costs by Carrier Type Tire Costs Costs by Region 7. NORTH AMERICA HEAVY-DUTY, CLASS 8 OVER-THE-ROAD AND VOCATIONAL TRUCK PRODUCTION Truck Classifications Heavy-Duty, Class 8 Over-the-Road Truck Production Heavy-Duty, Class 8 Vocational Truck Production Class 8 Over-the-Road Vs. Vocational Truck Production Market Shares 8. HEAVY-DUTY CLASS 8 TRUCK TIRE MARKET North America Tire Market Class 8 Tire Production Over-the-Road vs. Vocational Tire Production Original Equipment vs. Aftermarket Tire Production Over-the-Road Original Equipment Tire Production Over-the-Road Aftermarket Tire Production Vocational Original Equipment Tire Production Vocational Aftermarket Tire Production Vocational Original Equipment Tire Production by Type Vocational Aftermarket Tire Production by Type Competitive Environment U.S. Producers Imports China Truck Tire Dumping in U.S. Market Shares Class 8 Tire Market Issues 9. COMPANY PROFILES Bandag Bridgestone Corporation Continental Aktiengesellschaft Continental JV Double Coin Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Michelin SCA Mississippi Plant NexTraq Sumitomo Rubber Industries Tesloop JV The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. Tire Centers, LLC Tire Distribution Systems, Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/8crsl7/north_america?w=12 BOCA RATON, Fla., Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saxena White P.A. has filed a securities fraud class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Central District of California against OSI Systems, Inc. (OSI or the Company) (NYSE:OSIS) on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired the common stock of the Company between August 21, 2013 and February 1, 2018 (the Class Period). A previous securities fraud class action filed against OSI asserted a class period of August 21, 2013 through December 6, 2017. The Class Period is being expanded to incorporate material new information that the Company disclosed after the close of trading on February 1, 2018. OSI designs and manufactures specialized electronic systems and components. It sells its products and provides related services in diversified markets, including homeland security, healthcare, defense and aerospace. Notably, OSI entered into a 15 year agreement with the Government of Albania in August of 2013 to provide turnkey services to their Security Division. On December 6, 2017, Muddy Waters Research published a report entitled OSIS: Rotten to the Core (the Muddy Waters Report) which accused the Company of using corrupt and illegal methods to obtain contracts in both Albania and also in Mexico. Following the publication of the Muddy Waters report, the Company denied the facts set forth therein, calling the report misleading. Then, after the close of trading on February 1, 2018, OSI announced that the SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice had both commenced investigations of the Company for FCPA violations and insider trading, and that in connection with these investigations, the Company had already taken action with respect to a senior-level employee. As a result, on February 2, 2018, OSI stock fell nearly 20%, or $12.00 per share, to a new 52-week low of $54.60 per share. The Complaint asserts claims for violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Companys business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) that OSI acquired the Albania concession through bribery or other illicit means; (2) that OSI transferred 49% of its project company associated with the Albania concession, S2 Albania SHPK, an entity purportedly worth millions, for consideration of less than $5.00; (3) that OSI engaged in other illegal acts, including improper sales and cash payments to government officials; (4) that these practices caused the Company to be vulnerable to potential civil and criminal liability, and adverse regulatory action; and (5) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants statements about OSIs business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and/or misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. You may obtain a copy of the Complaint and join the class action at www.saxenawhite.com. If you purchased OSI Systems, Inc. shares between August 21, 2013 and February 1, 2018, you may contact Lester Hooker (lhooker@saxenawhite.com) at Saxena White P.A. to discuss your rights and interests. If you purchased OSI Systems, Inc. shares during the Class Period of August 21, 2013 through February 1, 2018 and wish to apply to be the lead plaintiff in this action, a motion on your behalf must be filed with the Court by no later than February 5, 2018. You may contact Saxena White P.A. to discuss your rights regarding the appointment of lead plaintiff and your interest in the class action. Please note that you may also retain counsel of your choice and need not take any action at this time to be a class member. Saxena White P.A., with offices in Florida, New York, and Massachusetts, concentrates its practice on prosecuting securities fraud and complex class actions on behalf of institutions and individuals. Currently serving as lead counsel in numerous securities fraud class actions nationwide, the firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of injured investors and is active in major litigation pending in federal and state courts throughout the United States. CONTACT INFORMATION Lester R. Hooker, Esq. lhooker@saxenawhite.com Saxena White P.A. 150 East Palmetto Park Road, Suite 600 Boca Raton, FL 33432 Tel: (561) 206-6708 Fax: (866) 290-1291 www.saxenawhite.com cwhs wrote: I would say that unless you're specifically encouraged (which was in your case), the etiquette is to not participate. cwhs wrote: I would even venture to say you shouldn't participate even if you are encouraged by the professor since s/he may not know what admissions would think is appropriate. If you raise your hand in class and one of the students complains to admissions I don't think it'll be too good for the candidate. If you sit still, nothing will happen. Of course. I'm just pointing out that someone that's new to the process of applying to b-school and b-school visits could reasonably not know this. I think it's a reasonable mistake someone could make and it shouldn't be unduly held against them. Ideally whatever expectations are in play should be explained to visitors beforehand.None of that is a visitor's fault. If admissions wants instructors to not allow visitors to participate that's something the school needs to work out internally and the expectations should be explained to visitors. If a visitor gets caught in the crossfire between admissions and faculty that reflects poorly on the school and how they deal with class visits, not the visitors themselves.Also, if a student complains to admissions because a visitor (probably accidentally) committed a breach of etiquette and actually goes to the trouble of personally identifying them in order to damage their chances should they apply...I'm going to go out on a limb and call that person a jerk. Sri Lankas President inaugurates Footwear and Leather Fair Sri Lanka Annually organised by the Sri Lanka Footwear and Leather Products Manufacturers Association, the 2018 edition of the fair held February 2-4 at BMICH Colombo, Sri Lanka, welcomed the Sri Lankan President, Maithripala Sirisena, as well as the Ministers of Industry and Commerce and International Trade. The tenth edition of Sri Lankas Footwear & Leather Fair hosted 230 stands, including exhibitors from India, Pakistan and China. Special events during the fair included a fashion show and a designer award ceremony. Organised by Sri Lanka Footwear and Leather Products Manufacturers Association, in collaboration with the Ministry of Industries, Industrial Development Board of Ceylon and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, the fair saw its first edition in 2007. Its objectives include providing opportunities for the countrys SMEs to become export ready, upgrading their technological capabilities and encouraging them to manufacture value added products for the international market. Speaking during the event, Sirisena told the audience that if foreign investment is much needed to develop the country, this would not be at the expense of local industries. He said the Government would intervene to find solutions and provide support for all the issues faced by businesses. Source: Daily Mirror Wed, 09/08 (11am ET): How to Answer Why Tuck Question? Live Q&A with Tuck 1st Year Student The path to dairy farm ownership is not an easy one. For some families, the transfer of the dairy from one generation to the next can be filled with highs and lows. And then there are some hopeful dairymen or women who want to farm but dont have a dairy to join. Not to say that it cant be done, but starting from scratch can be a long, uphill battle, especially in todays agriculture economy. One opportunity that exists to connect current farmers to beginners is the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship. The program combines work-based training with related instruction to teach the skills needed to successfully dairy using managed grazing. A dairy grazing apprentice is partnered with a Master Dairy Grazier who offers employment, training, and mentorship over a two-year period. This apprenticeship program has helped many young farmers grow their roots in dairying. Three of these individuals shared their experiences in a panel discussion at the GrassWorks Grazing Conference held last week in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Ashley Votis worked on a farm in high school, but neither she nor her husband, Drew, grew up on a dairy farm. After college, Drews desire to work with animals led him to pursue a career in farming. Through the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program, Drew and Ashley were partnered with a farmer in central Wisconsin. After working at his farm, they had the chance to work for his brother as well. While doing the apprenticeship, they were able to build up their herd of heifers and calves; and in 2014 they started milking on their own in a rented facility. With a few years of experience under their belts and with a herd that has grown to 55 milking cows, the Votises have plans to move back home to northeastern Wisconsin. They have been fixing up Ashleys grandfathers farm, and their plan is to start milking there this spring. Reed Fitton did not have a dairy background either, but employment on a vegetable farm and then time spent working on a farm in Germany solidified his decision to pursue dairying. He started working at a farm in southwestern Wisconsin. After a few years, he and his boss signed up for the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship so Reed could get more formalized training. He also applied for a USDA EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) grant, which he said was one of the best things Ive ever done. This allowed him to buy fencing and raise calves on a few acres he was renting. Reed is still dairying as part of a sharemilking agreement on another farm. Thelma Baker grew up on a farm and loved her agriculture background, but she had no plans to farm. Her interests led her to leave her hometown and pursue further education, eventually earning a Ph.D. in entomology. Meanwhile, her husband, Ricky, grew up in the suburbs of Milwaukee. After having children, the couple started to consider a life closer to Thelmas family farm, where their kids could grow up connected to agriculture. They took a leap of faith and moved back home, where Thelma started a new job and Ricky began farming full time with Thelmas parents. Her father encouraged Ricky to apply for the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship. When Thelmas parents decided it was time to sell the cows, she and Ricky had a decision to make. Ricky told the audience he didnt feel ready to farm on his own after just one year in the apprenticeship program. They were about to leave, but people with the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program convinced him he could do it. The biggest barrier to entry (of dairy farm ownership) was myself, and wondering how I was going to do this, he said. Really, it was the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship that helped me overcome that barrier of entry, helped me learn, and provided a support network. To learn more about the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship, please visit https://www.dga-national.org. Abby Bauer The author is an associate editor and covers animal health, dairy housing and equipment, and nutrient management. She grew up on a dairy farm near Plymouth, Wis., and previously served as a University of Wisconsin agricultural extension agent. She received a masters degree from North Carolina State University and a bachelors from University of Wisconsin-Madison. Seoul/Pyongyang, Feb 5 (IBNS): With tension easing between the two Korean nations, the Kim Jong-un led regime will be sending its ceremonial head of state to South during the Winter Olympics. According to South Korea's Unification Ministry, Kim Yong-nam, North Korea's ceremonial head of state and its highest ranking official, will lead a 22-member delegation to its neighbouring country on Friday. However, it is still unclear if the North Korea official will be attending the opening ceremony along with US Vice President Mike Pence. Athletes from both the Korean nations will march under one flag at the opening ceremony. Meanwhile, the gesture by North Korea is viewed as a significant change by the South. In recent years, Pyongyang has faced several tough sanctions from the EU, UN and the US, after it flouted several warning by the latter group and went ahead with its nuclear weapon testing. Through its repeated drills, North Korea has also kept several nations on its toes, including South Korea, Japan, China, Russia and the US. Kim Yong Nam Image: The Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation/Wikipedia Kabul, Feb 5 (IBNS): At least 25 Taliban militants were killed and 13 injured on Sunday in a military operation in Afghanistan's Ghazni province, an official statement said. The operation, Nabard-e-Ahanin, was launched a week ago in the province's Deh Yak district. A number of explosives and weapons belonging to the terrorist group were also destroyed during the offensive. The Taliban has not commented so far. Firstly, he wants the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, to be open to negotiations. Secondly, he wants Iran to accept negotiations with regards to its missile programs. And finally, he wants Iran to discuss its interference in other nations across the region and its support for various militias and proxy groups. President Macron is also alleged to have requested that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani takes part in a joint press conference in which he pledges to renegotiate the countrys missile program. He is also said to have insisted on a meeting between Iran, the United States and Saudi Arabia with regards to Iran regimes role in the region. President Macron has expressed his concern for Irans support of the Houthi rebels in Yemen and the Lebanese Hezbollah. Another concern for France is Irans interference in Syria and Iraq, as well as its involvement in the internal affairs of Yemen and Syria. Frances concern comes a few weeks after United States President Donald Trump gave Europe one last chance to make changes to the very flawed 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Europe was given 120 days to make the changes that President Trump listed, including Irans ballistic missile program and the scrapping of the sunset clauses that effectively put an expiry date on the deal. Trump also said that he wanted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to stop interfering in other nations in the Middle East and he wants Iran to stop supporting terrorists and terrorist activities. Sources in Europe have said that Iran is happy to negotiate with the EU regarding its ballistic missile program. It is also apparently open to speaking about its regional policies of expansionism in the region. Federica Mogherini, the EU foreign policy representative, and the German, British and French foreign ministers, have spoken with counterparts in Iran and there is an agreement to initiate talks regarding the abovementioned issues. A Friday prayer teacher and a hardliner in the Iranian regimes expert council recently criticised Europe and the United States for trying to weaken Irans missile program. He said that that Iran uses its ballistic missiles as a deterrent and that the nation will not negotiate with France, the United States, or anyone else. He said that Iran will continue to manufacture the missiles that it deems necessary. Several extremist media outlets in Iran have criticised France for benefitting economically from the contracts Iran and France signed several months ago. They said that Iran has not got any benefit from these and there was harsh criticism of Rouhanis government for negotiating such deals. Macron is due to travel to Irans capital in the summer and Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, will visit next month. Macron will be the first European president to travel to Tehran in almost four decades and it is hoped that he will pressuring the regime, especially regarding its interference in the region and its crimes against humanity during the recent uprising and on its ballistic missile program. However, this was little more than a show visit, to placate the international community who have been enquiring into the welfare of the political prisoners after at least 12 protesters had been tortured to death over the past few weeks. Why else would it take three weeks to organise this visit? The Regime took this time to prepare, which effectively means to hide evidence of their crimes, and they banned the MPs from talking freely about what they saw. Thankfully, some of the politicians still revealed evidence which shows that the Regime has been lying to the international community and abusing prisoners. Alireza Rahimi, member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the regime, explained that Asghar Jahangir, the director of the Prisons Organization, had said that the total number of protesters arrested was 4972 (much higher than the Regime claimed) and that 438 people were still in prison, while an additional 55 were detained in the Ministry of Intelligence. The Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) issued a statement on February 4, which read: There is no need to explain that the actual figure of the arrested and the detainees are much higher; on the one hand, the head of the Prisons Organization is trying to portray the number of arrests much less than reality; on the other hand, many prisons, detention centres, secret and safe houses belonging to the Ministry of Intelligence, the Revolutionary Guards Corps the IRGCs intelligence and other repressive forces are not under the control of the Prisons Organization, and Jahangir does not mention them. The Regimes overall goal for this visit was to cover up the murders of protesters, like Sina Ghanbari, and to get their parliamentarians to promote the lie that protesters were commenting suicide. Rahimi even revealed that the prisoners were not allowed to speak to the politicians alone, which would be intimidating for the detainees and cause them not to reveal information about the true nature of the Regimes prison system. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the NCRI, has previously called on the international community, including the United Nations, the European Union and the Council of Europe, to call for the unconditional release of political prisoners and peaceful protesters and set up an international investigation into the torture and deaths in custody. The mullahs cannot be trusted to investigate themselves. President Hassan Rouhanis government decided to release the report that indicated 49.8 per cent of the people of Iran, of both sexes, would welcome an end to the requirement. The people say that the veil is a private matter not one that the government should impose. This has caused a lot of friction between the already battling so called hardliners and Rouhanis government and there have been reports of dozens of people being arrested for protesting against what the hardliners describe as childish. Although the report was compiled in 2014, many believe that Rouhani is trying to gather support for social reforms by releasing it now. However, the fact of the matter remains that the people of Iran want regime change. Although the veiling issue is an important one, small reforms will not change the fact that the people of Iran are neglected, abused and denied the most basic of human rights. Related They were given a barren patch of land in the desert, near the Iranian border, which had a few deserted and partially-constructed buildings, but no running water or electricity. This was Camp Ashraf. It expanded quickly as MEK supporters from the US and the EU travelled to the camp in order to help free the Iranian people from the grasp of the mullahs. Iran-Iraq War At the time, the Iran-Iraq war was in its fifth year, and the MEK, Iraq, and the Iranian people all wanted the conflict to end quickly. Iraq had offered peace in 1982, but the mullahs refused because they wanted to destroy Iraq and take it over for themselves. The MEK, in an effort to speed up the resolution to the war, formed the National Liberation Army (NLA) to take part in battles against Iran separately from the Iraqi army. Eventually the mullahs, scared that the MEK would spark a revolution in Iran, agreed to a UN ceasefire. After the war had ended, the MEK turned Ashraf into a fully functioning 14-square-mile city, which included a mosque, university, museum, shopping centre and many other facilities. They were often the target of missiles attacks by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), but thanks to the MEKs secure bunkers, casualties were minimal. The MEK remained dedicated to their objectives of bringing freedom to Iran. Gulf Wars In both Gulf Wars, the MEK declared themselves neutral and consolidated its forces to avoid any involvement in the conflict. This was successful in the first Gulf War and meant the MEK barely saw any fighting until after the end of the war. Shortly after Saddam Husseins defeat in the first Gulf War, the IRGC took advantage of the chaos in Iraq and crossed the borders with the intention of destroying the MEK, but the MEK were prepared and launched counter attacks which caused huge losses for the IRGC and forced them to retreat in defeat. In the second Gulf War, the West ignored the MEKs declaration of neutrality and made a secret deal with the Iranian Regime to bomb the MEK in exchange for Iran keeping out of the war. The airstrikes from US and British air forces resulted in the deaths of nearly 50 MEK members. When the US-led arrived at Camp Ashraf, the MEK didnt resist, but refused to surrender on the basis that they hadnt been involved in the war. The MEK signed an agreement of mutual understanding and coordination and voluntarily handed over their weapons, in exchange for protection from the US. After a 16-month investigation of the MEK, which found that the MEK were not enemy combatants and had not fought against the multinational forces, the MEK received protected persons status under the Fourth Geneva Convention. This should have protected MEK members from danger, violence, coercion, and intimidation, and enshrined their rights to food, health care, contact with the outside world, employment, and fair treatment under the law. However, when US troops withdrew from Iraq in 2009 and transferred the responsibility for the MEK members to the Iraqi government, this went downhill fast. Learn about that and the MEKs forced relocation to Camp Liberty next week. L.A. Clippers Math Hoops Interactive Tournament On Friday, February 2, Clippers players Jawun Evans and Sindarius Thornwell participated in a Math Hoops Interactive Tournament at 122nd Street Elementary School in South Los Angeles. The L.A. Clippers in partnership with Learn Fresh hosted the tournament for students from Winetka Elementary and 122nd Street Elementary. Evans and Thornwell played alongside the students and then spoke to the group afterwards about how they use math in their everyday lives on and off the court. ADVERTISEMENT Trumbull, CT February 5, 2018 TMC today announced Todd Abbott, the Executive Vice President, Global Sales and Service at Mitel will present a keynote at ITEXPO being held February 13-16, 2018 at the Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. ITEXPO is the leading communications and business transformation event where influential buyers gather to make their purchase decisions. The event will include a robust four days of educational programming, hands on training, live demos, keynotes, exhibits and networking events. Abbotts keynote will take place Thursday, February 15th at 9:00AM. With the growth and adoption of cloud communications, the enterprise market is undergoing a fundamental shift as customers increasingly look to new and simpler ways to choose and consume communications technology in their organizations, said Todd Abbott, Executive Vice President of Global Sales & Services, Mitel. In the era of cloud and applications-based solutions, delivering a truly exceptional experience has a become as important as features and functionality while the traditional transactional nature of services has become more experiential and on demand. In his keynote address Cloud Communications and the Secret to Gaining a Competitive Edge, Abbott will discuss the new and exciting opportunities created by this landscape change, for companies and their customers alike. Find out what the shift to cloud means for your organization, what deployment model matches your needs, and learn how you can leverage the cloud to gain a competitive advantage. With millions of users and channel partners in hundreds of countries, Mitel offers a unique perspective of the business communications industry and we look forward to hearing their insight into the market, said Rich Tehrani, TMC CEO and conference chairman. We are thrilled to welcome Mitel and Todd Abbott to ITEXPO 2018. To view the full ITEXPO agenda click here. Speakers and details are updated daily. ITEXPO is supported by Diamond Sponsor: Digium; Platinum Sponsors: 888VoIP, Fiber Mountain, Grandstream, Sangoma, Sansay, Telnyx, Windstream, Yealink; Gold Sponsors: ABP Tech, Mindmatrix, Snom & Vtech, Speech Mobility, Verizon, Voyant and vXchnge . For more information or to register for ITEXPO, contact events@tmcnet.com. For media inquiries, contact Jessica Seabrook. Companies interested in exhibiting, sponsorship or advertising packages for ITEXPO should contact TMC's Joe Fabiano at 203-852-6800 x132 or Maureen Gambino at 203-852-6800 x109. For the latest ITEXPO news, updates and information follow the event on Twitter at @ITEXPO. About TMC Global buyers rely on TMCs content-driven marketplaces to make purchase decisions and navigate markets. This presents branding, thought leadership and lead generation opportunities for vendors/sellers. TMCs Marketplaces: Unique, turnkey Online Communities boost search results, establish market validation, elevate brands and thought leadership, while minimizing ad-blocking. ad-blocking. Custom Lead Programs uncover sales opportunities and build databases. In-Person and Online Events boost brands, enhance thought leadership and generate leads. Publications, Display Advertising and Newsletters bolster brand reputations. Custom Content provides expertly ghost-crafted blogs, press releases, articles and marketing collateral to help with SEO, branding, and overall marketing efforts. overall marketing efforts. Comprehensive Event and Road Show Management Services help companies meet potential clients and generate leads face-to-face. For more information about TMC and to learn how we can help you reach your marketing goals, please visit www.tmcnet.com. Media and Analyst Contact: Jessica Seabrook Marketing Director 203.852.6800 x170 jseabrook@tmcnet.com Share this Page Edited by Mandi Nowitz Turkey says its forces have set up a military position near the Syrian city of Aleppo for the first time ever. The Turkish army described the camp as the deepest post its forces have established inside northwest Syria under a deal with Russia and Iran. The three countries say the agreement is aimed at reducing violence in the area. Also on Monday, Turkeys government said it has detained nearly 600 critics of its military offensive in Syria. Turkish officials have repeatedly warned they would punish those opposing, criticizing or misrepresenting the offensive. Officials have named the air and ground campaign Operation Olive Branch. The interior ministry described the campaign in a statement. It said, Since the start of Operation Olive Branch, 499 people have been detained for spreading terrorist propaganda on social media and 124 people detained for taking part in protest action. Turkish forces launched the offensive in northwest Syria last month. The operation is directed against YPG, an ethnic Kurdish militia, in Syrias Afrin area. The United States has provided support to the group. Turkeys mainly pro-government media and most political parties have expressed support for the military operation. But last week, a government lawyer ordered the detention of 11 members of the Turkish Medical Association, including its chairman. The association had criticized the raid, saying, No to war, peace immediately. The group said that all of the doctors had since been released on probation. It reported their release on the social media network Twitter. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized opponents of the military intervention in Syria as traitors. The Turkish government considers the YPG militia a terrorist group. It says the milita is tied to the Kurdistan Workers Party, which has fought against the army in Turkeys southeast for more than 30 years. Turkeys deepest movement yet into Syria Turkeys announcement of the military post came six days after a large number of military vehicles came under attack near Aleppo and had to pull back. Under the deal with Iran and Russia, Turkey agreed to set up 12 observation posts in Idlib and neighboring provinces. However, violence has not decreased under the agreement. In December, the Syrian army, working with Iranian-supported militias and Russia aircraft, launched an offensive in Idlib province. The Syrian civil war has lasted nearly eight years and driven 11 million people from their homes. Hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have been killed in the fighting. Im Mario Ritter. The Reuters news agency reported these stories. Mario Ritter adapted the reports for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story probation n. a period of time when a person who has made a mistake or committed a crime is permitted to stay out of jail although they are watched traitor n. someone not loyal to their own country association n. an organization or group We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. In recent decades, countries around the world have made great progress against malaria. However, a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) says that progress is at risk. This WHO annual report looks at the global fight against the disease. It says that malaria cases are on the rise in several countries. Many countries are moving toward eliminating malaria, among them Madagascar, Senegal and Zimbabwe. However, the WHO report warns that in others, progress has stalled. Malaria cases increased by more than 20 percent from 2015 to 2016 in eight African countries - including Rwanda, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. At the same time, funding for malaria prevention and treatment has leveled off, reaching $2.7 billion in 2016. This amount is less than half of the 2020 target. Professor David Conway is from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He says money for fighting malaria has plateaued, meaning it has not increased in a long time. "That amount of funding internationally has plateaued.Possibly it has reached the realistic maximum. And it has always been assumed; indeed it has been important that countries themselves should commit to funding malaria control. And I think the big opportunity now is for those countries to step up and realize that this is good value." Overall, Africa continues to suffer the most from malaria. In 2016, just over 400,000 people died from the disease. This is slightly less than in 2015. However, in Africa the malaria parasite does not yet appear to be developing drug resistance. The same cannot be said for Southeast Asia. Conway explains that there are renewed concerns that in Southeast Asia malaria will become drug-resistant in the future. The current treatments within Africa they work very well. There is resistance in Southeast Asia which has spread, which potentially going to be more of a problem in the future. Insecticide resistance has spread much more. Thats resistance in the mosquitoes. The WHO is calling for improving the coverage of existing methods of malaria prevention as well as an urgent investment in new tools -- namely a malaria vaccine. Again, here is Professor Conway. "More research is needed to develop an effective malaria vaccine that could cover the populations that at the moment have high malaria rates and that perhaps don't use the available interventions even when they are being funded." Several malaria vaccines are under development. Starting in 2018, the WHO is planning a major trial of the RTSS vaccine in Kenya, Ghana and Malawi. But this latest report from the WHO warns that the world is at a crossroads. Without better funding and more effective tools to fight malaria, the progress made in recent decades could be undone. And that's the Health & Lifestyle report. I'm Anna Matteo. Henry Ridgwell reported this story for VOA News. Anna Matteo adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Quiz Now, test your understanding by taking this short quiz. Quiz - Progress Made Against Malaria at Risk Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story stall v. to bring to a standstill plateau v. to reach a level, period, or condition of stability or maximum attainment realistic adj. able to see things as they really are and to deal with them in a practical way maximum adj. the highest number or amount that is possible or allowed usually singular assume v. to think that something is true or probably true without knowing that it is true commit v. to say that (someone or something) will definitely do something : to make (someone or something) obligated to do something step up phrasal verb to come forward : to increase, augment, or advance especially by one or more steps insecticide n. a chemical substance that is used to kill insects intervention n. to become involved in something (such as a conflict) in order to have an influence on what happens trial n. a test of the quality, value, or usefulness of something crossroads n. often used figuratively to refer to a place or time at which a decision must be made It can be difficult to live in the 21st century without using the internet, a smartphone or other digital device. A new report shows that electronic banking, internet marketing and other online activities are no longer just for people in rich countries. The report comes from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), an agency of the United Nations. It notes that hundreds of millions of people in the worlds poorest countries are now using the internet and mobile technology. The ITU said that all 47 of the worlds least developed countries are making progress in increasing Internet access to their citizens. And more than 60 percent of the people there are able to use a 3G network. The term 3G means the third generation of wireless mobile telecommunication technology. The report said that by the end of 2017, about 700 million people in the least developed countries had signed up for a plan with a mobile phone service provider. In those areas, 80 percent of the population lives within range of a mobile cellular network. Given this progress, the ITU praised the growth of digital technology. It said the worlds least developed countries are on their way to meeting the UNs Sustainable Development Goal on universal and affordable Internet access by 2020. Jennifer Ferguson-Mitchell is with the ITU. She told VOA that digital connectivity can provide valuable knowledge and information to populations around the world. It gives farmers access to information on crops, when to plant their crops, weather patterns that are happening. It provides access to online education to communities...It can make micro- and small- and medium-sized enterprises be able to compete with larger businesses. The ITU said universal and low-cost internet access can help the poorest countries move forward in fields like education, health and trade. While the findings sound hopeful, the report identified the lack of digital skills as a barrier to information communication technology and Internet use in poor areas. The ITU called on policy makers, industry leaders and educators to work together to increase digital skills across the least developed countries. Im Jonathan Evans. Lisa Schlein reported this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted her report for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story mobile adj. of or related to something that can be moved access n. permission or ability to enter or use something network n. a group of computers; a group of radio or television stations range n. the space included or covered universal adj. including or covering all affordable adj. low-priced; having a cost that is not high pattern n. something designed or used as a model enterprise n. a business or company We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. The worlds oceans are sick, and getting sicker every day. Two new studies show the warming of Earths atmosphere is removing oxygen from ocean waters and harming coral reefs. Oxygen is necessary for all life in the oceans, except for a few extremely small organisms. And researchers said oxygen levels are low enough to threaten all the ocean life that depends on it. Denise Breitburg is an ocean scientist at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. She is also a member of the Global Ocean Oxygen Network, a team of scientists organized by the United Nations to study the issue. Breitburg told the Associated Press, If you cant breathe, nothing else matters. That pretty much describes it. The journal Science published the two studies. The first describes how the growing problem of falling oxygen levels is more complex than experts had thought. The second study shows that rising ocean temperatures are greatly increasing coral reef bleaching events. Scientists with the Global Ocean Oxygen Network reported that more than 32 million square kilometers of ocean are low in oxygen. These affected areas reach a depth of about 200 meters. This area is bigger than Africa, the second largest continent. The scientists say the area of low oxygen levels has grown about 16 percent since 1950. The Global Ocean Oxygen Networks report is the widest reaching look at decreasing oxygen levels in the worlds seas so far. Lisa Levin is a professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and a co-author of the report. In her words, The low oxygen problem is the biggest unknown climate change consequence out there. Levin said past research had shown low oxygen areas that were the result of agricultural pollution. She said past studies also showed how warmer waters had created a lack of oxygen. But Levin said this latest study shows how both problems are connected by common causes and possible solutions. Co-author Denise Breitburg said that some low oxygen levels in the worlds ocean are natural, but not to the extent found. Wind patterns and ocean currents, believed changed by global warming, are preventing oxygen from sinking below the surface of the water. In addition, warmer water does not hold as much oxygen and less oxygen mixes into the water, she said. In the other study, a team of experts looked at 100 coral reefs around the world. They examined how often the reefs experienced severe bleaching events since 1980. Bleaching happens when water temperature rises just 1 degree Celsius above the normal high for an area. Before the 1980s, reefs that experienced bleaching would have 25 to 30 years before another event. The new study finds that bleaching events are now only about six years apart. Bleaching is not quite killing the sensitive corals. But it is breaking down the algae that lives inside them. This severely sickens the coral. Co-author Mark Eakin runs the Coral Reef Watch program for the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He said coral reefs near Guam are some of the hardest hit. He said there have eight severe bleaching incidents there since 1994. Four of the incidents were in the last five years. Eakin said that it takes time to recover from bleaching. But, he said, now bleachings are happening too often for coral to recover. Only six of the 100 coral reefs had not experienced severe bleaching. Four are around Australia, one is in the Indian Ocean and another is off South Africas coast. But bleaching is not the only issue coral reefs face. Trash is also a danger. Another team of researchers recently reported about tons of plastic waste trapped in coral reefs from Thailand to Australia. The plastic is severely sickening the reefs, they said. That study was also published in the journal Science. It found that a total of 11.1 billion pieces of plastic are stuck in reefs in the Asia-Pacific region. The waste includes plastic bags and fishing equipment. The scientists predicted the amount of plastic would rise 40 percent by 2025. Plastic increases the likelihood of coral disease by about 20 times. It can damage the structure, weakening a coral reefs defenses. Plastic can also transport other organisms that harm coral. The studys authors urged stronger restrictions on plastic waste. They also said better management of the fishing industry is necessary to protect coral. Im Pete Musto. And Im Anna Matteo. Pete Musto adapted this story for VOA Learning English from Associated Press and Reuters news reports. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. What more do you think the nations of the world can and should do to protect the oceans? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ QUIZ Quiz - Several Studies Show Oceans Face Serious Threats Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story coral reef(s) n. a long line of hard material formed on the bottom of the sea by the skeletons of small creatures that lies in warm, shallow water journal n. a magazine that reports on things of special interest to a particular group of people bleaching n. the removal color from something especially through the effect of sunlight or by using chemicals author n. a person who has written something consequence n. something that happens as a result of a particular action or set of conditions (to the) extent n. used to describe the effect or importance of something in relation to something else pattern(s) n. the regular and repeated way in which something happens or is done quite adj. completely or entirely sensitive adj. easily affected by something in a way that is not pleasant or good algae n. simple plants that have no leaves or stems and that grow in or near water trash n. things that are no longer useful or wanted and that have been thrown away ton(s) n. a large amount region n. a part of a country or of the world that is different or separate from other parts in some way management n. the act or process of controlling and dealing with something Safe from the violence in Syria, Hussein Hassan now fears his children face another threat the icy water that floods their shelter in Lebanon. Hassan and his 11-member family fled conflict near their village near Deir ez-Zour two months ago. They are now among the refugees who have to deal with Lebanons winter weather in tents. We are afraid of the cold weather and afraid our children will get sick, he said. Our lives are as nothing. We have nothing but fear. Fear from illness, from the rain, and there is nothing to keep warm with. Of one million refugees registered in Lebanon, an estimated 250,000 Syrians live in tent camps across the country. Many, like Hassan, live in the Bekka Valley, where winter temperatures sometimes drop below freezing. A storm last week showed how helpless the refugees are when faced with freezing conditions. The amount of money available to help them is shrinking. Bitter memories Rains beat against the temporary home of Hassan and his family. Some of the rainwater passed through holes in the cloth, while other water landed outside, but then spread along the ground and into the tent. The wood broke and we were flooded. We had to go to our neighbors, said Hassan as he described the collapse of the tents roof. In front of him, some clothing and bedding were completely wet. Following months of relatively mild weather, the storm showed just how cold winter can be in Lebanons central valley. Some Syrians are spending their seventh year in camps like this one. Shrinking savings Outside Hassans home, children ran through muddy, flooded passages on a cold day. Nearby, Zahra Hamad, mother of 10 children, wondered how much longer she could keep their tent warm. Her family sleeps in the only room that doesnt leak. They keep warm with a diesel-fueled heater in the center of the room. The family has used the heater every winter for the past four years. It costs 7 dollars a day to operate an amount she does not always have. Over time, her savings have shrunk to nothing, and it is difficult to find work at this time of the year. Jobs for refugees are seasonal and difficult to find. Sometimes it is better outside than inside, things get so bad, Zahra Hamad said. There used to be aidbut now there is no woodnothing, she said. Problems The non-governmental organizations and agencies that help refugees are also facing problems. As the Syrian conflict continues, it is difficult for them to get the money they need. The Lebanese government refuses to make the refugee camps official. It is afraid that letting Syrians become members of Lebanese society could change Lebanons political and social balance. So these camps continue to be built without government oversight. The United Nations refugee agency has received just $143 million of a requested $228 million for its winter program. UN spokesman Scott Craig says the agency faced very difficult problems because it had to choose who should get the aid and who would not. Craig told VOA there is little difference between a family whose problems are serious and a family whose problems are severe. Tragic results It is not just in the camps that winter has affected the refugees. On January 19th, a group of 30 to 35 Syrians were trying to cross Lebanons closely guarded border when a snow storm hit. Sixteen of the Syrians died. In a room on the second floor of Bekka Hospital, Mishaan al Abed looks at the images on his phone. He saw a picture of his six-year old daughter, Hiba. She was wearing a white coat and looking up at the camera. The next image showed several bodies lying in the snow after the storm. He found it on social media while waiting for information about his family as they tried to cross the border. Six members of his family including his wife, his mother and little Hiba were among the dead. His other daughter, three-year-old Sarah, survived. She lay on a hospital bed, her face marked with frostbite scars. Abed says he was frightened when he heard his family planned to try to cross the border, but they had to do it, he said. He was already living in Lebanon at the time, and waiting for his family to arrive to start a new life. If we could move somewhere where there isnt any wars maybe she will forget, he said, but she has lost her motherGod help them. I'm Susan Shand. John Owens reported this story for VOA. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story tent n. a temporary shelter that is made of strong cloth (such as canvas or nylon) and used outdoors illness n. sickness or disease roof n. a top or covering muddy adj. relating to or involving soft, wet dirt diesel - n. a kind of fuel oversight n. supervision; the act or job of directing work that is being done American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. 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Leasing Ltd, CBRail S.A.R.L., CF Asset Finance Ltd, CF1 Ltd, CM Venture Investments Ltd, Cancara Asset Securitisation Ltd, Capital 1945 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 12 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 3 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 5 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 9 Ltd, Capital Bank Property Investments (3) Ltd, Capital Personal Finance Ltd, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation 2018-1 Plc, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation 2019-1 Plc, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Cardnet Merchant Services Ltd, Cashfriday Ltd, Cashpoint Ltd, Caveminster Ltd, Cedar Holdings Ltd, Celsius European Lux 2 S.A.R.L., Central Mortgage Finance Ltd, Chariot Finance Ltd, Cheltenham & Gloucester plc, Cheltenham II Securities 2020 DAC, Cheltenham Securities 2017 Ltd, Chepstow Blue Holdings Ltd, Chepstow Blue plc, Chester Asset Options No.2 Ltd, Chester Asset Options No.3 Ltd, Chester Asset Receivables Dealings Issuer Ltd, Chester Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Chester Asset Securitisation Holdings No.2 Ltd, Chiswell Stockbrokers Ltd, Clerical Medical Finance plc, Clerical Medical Financial Services Ltd, Clerical Medical International Holdings B.V., Clerical Medical Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Clerical Medical Managed Funds Ltd, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Guadalix Hold Co BV, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Guadalix Spanish Prop Co SL, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Megapark Hold Co BV, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Megapark Prop Co SA, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Property Company S.A.R.L., Cloak Lane Funding S.A.R.L., Cloak Lane Investments S.A.R.L., Conquest Securities Ltd, Corbiere Asset Investments Ltd, Create Services Ltd, Credit Card Securitisation Europe Ltd, Dalkeith Corporation, Deva Financing Holdings Ltd, Deva Financing plc, Deva One Ltd, Deva Three Ltd, Deva Two Ltd, Dunstan Investments (UK) Ltd, Edgbaston RMBS 2010-1 plc, Edgbaston RMBS Holdings Ltd, Elland RMBS 2018 plc, Elland RMBS Holdings Ltd, Eurolead Services Holdings Ltd, First Retail Finance (Chester) Ltd, Fontwell Securities 2016 Ltd, Forthright Finance Ltd, France Industrial Premises Holding Company, General Leasing (No. 12) Ltd, General Reversionary and Investment Company, Gresham Nominee 1 Ltd, Gresham Nominee 2 Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 1) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 10) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 11) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 12) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 13) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 14) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 15) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 16) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 19) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 20) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 21) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 22) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 23) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 24) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 25) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 26) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 27) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 28) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 29) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 3) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 30) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 31) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 32) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 33) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 34) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 35) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 36) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 37) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 38) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 39) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 40) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 41) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 44) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 45) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 46) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 47) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 48) UK Ltd, Guildhall Asset Purchasing Company (No 3) Ltd, Guildhall Asset Purchasing Company (No.11) UK Ltd, HBOS Covered Bonds LLP, HBOS Final Salary Trust Ltd, HBOS Financial Services Ltd, HBOS Insurance & Investment Group Ltd, HBOS International Financial Services Holdings Ltd, HBOS Investment Fund Managers Ltd, HBOS Social Housing Covered Bonds LLP, HBOS UK Ltd, HBOS plc, HSDL Nominees Ltd, HVF Ltd, Halifax Credit Card Ltd, Halifax Financial Brokers Ltd, Halifax Financial Services (Holdings) Ltd, Halifax Financial Services Ltd, Halifax General Insurance Services Ltd, Halifax Group Ltd, Halifax Investment Services Ltd, Halifax Leasing (June) Ltd, Halifax Leasing (March No.2) Ltd, Halifax Leasing (September) Ltd, Halifax Life Ltd, Halifax Loans Ltd, Halifax Ltd, Halifax Mortgage Services Ltd, Halifax Nominees Ltd, Halifax Pension Nominees Ltd, Halifax Premises Ltd, Halifax Share Dealing Ltd, Halifax Vehicle Leasing (1998) Ltd, Heidi Finance Holdings (UK) Ltd, Hill Samuel Bank Ltd, Hill Samuel Finance Ltd, Hill Samuel Leasing Co. Ltd, Home Shopping Personal Finance Ltd, Horizon Capital 2000 Ltd, Housing Association Risk Transfer 2019 DAC, Housing Growth Partnership GP LLP, Housing Growth Partnership LP, Housing Growth Partnership Ltd, Housing Growth Partnership Manager Ltd, Hyundai Car Finance Ltd, IBOS Finance Ltd, ICC Enterprise Partners Ltd, ICC Equity Partners Ltd, ICC Holdings Unlimited Company, Inchcape Financial Services Ltd, Intelligent Finance Financial Services Ltd, Intelligent Finance Software Ltd, International Motors Finance Ltd, Kanaalstraat Funding C.V., Katrine Leasing Ltd, LB Healthcare Trustee Ltd, LB Motorent Ltd, LB Quest Ltd, LB Share Schemes Trustees Ltd, LBCF Ltd, LBG Brasil Administracao LTDA, LBG Capital Holdings Ltd, LBG Equity Investments Ltd, LBI Leasing Ltd, LDC (General Partner) Ltd, LDC (Managers) Ltd, LDC (Nominees) Ltd, LDC GP LLP, LDC I LP, LDC II LP, LDC III LP, LDC IV LP, LDC Parallel (Nominees) Ltd, LDC V LP, LDC VI LP, LDC VII LP, LDC VIII LP, LTGP Limited Partnership Incorporated, Legacy Renewal Company Ltd, Leicester Securities 2014 Ltd, Lex Autolease (CH) Ltd, Lex Autolease (VC) Ltd, Lex Autolease Carselect Ltd, Lex Autolease Ltd, Lex Vehicle Finance 2 Ltd, Lex Vehicle Leasing (Holdings) Ltd, Lex Vehicle Leasing Ltd, Lime Street (Funding) Ltd, Lingfield 2014 I Holdings Ltd, Lingfield 2014 I plc, Lloyds (Gresham) Ltd, Lloyds (Gresham) No. 1 Ltd, Lloyds (Nimrod) Specialist Finance Ltd, Lloyds America Securities Corporation1, Lloyds Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Branches) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Colonial & Foreign) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Fountainbridge 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Fountainbridge 2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (I.D.) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (International Services) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Stock Exchange Branch) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Asset Finance Ltd, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Ltd, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Scotland Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (HP) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.3) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.4) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets Wertpapierhandelsbank GmbH, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets plc, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds (LM) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds LLP, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 7) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 9) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Financial Services (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales, Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands, Lloyds Bank General Insurance Holdings Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Insurance Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 11) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 17) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 20) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 3) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 5) Ltd, Lloyds Bank GmbH, Lloyds Bank Hill Samuel Holding Company Ltd, Lloyds Bank Insurance Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank International Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing (No. 6) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing (No. 8) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Bank MTCH Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 10) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 13) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 17) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No.16) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Offshore Pension Trust Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pension ABCS (No. 1) LLP, Lloyds Bank Pension ABCS (No. 2) LLP, Lloyds Bank Pension Trust (No. 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pension Trust (No. 2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pensions Property (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Properties Ltd, Lloyds Bank Property Company Ltd, Lloyds Bank S.F. Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Subsidiaries Ltd, Lloyds Bank Trustee Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank plc, Lloyds Banking Group Pensions Trustees Ltd, Lloyds Capital GP Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Properties Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Property Investments Ltd, Lloyds Corporate Services (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Development Capital (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Engine Capital (No.1) U.S LLC, Lloyds Far East S.A.R.L., Lloyds General Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Group Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Hypotheken B.V., Lloyds Industrial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds International Pty Ltd, Lloyds Investment Bonds Ltd, Lloyds Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Lloyds Investment Securities No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Leasing (North Sea Transport) Ltd1, Lloyds Leasing Developments Ltd, Lloyds Nominees (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Offshore Global Services Private Ltd, Lloyds Plant Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Portfolio Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Premises Investments Ltd, Lloyds Project Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 3 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 4 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Secretaries Ltd, Lloyds Securities Inc., Lloyds TSB Pacific Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Rentals Ltd, Lloyds UDT Hiring Ltd, Lloyds UDT Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Ltd, Lloyds Your Tomorrow Trustee Ltd, Loans.co.uk Ltd, London Taxi Finance Ltd, London Uberior (L.A.S. Group) Nominees Ltd, Lotus Finance Ltd, MBNA, MBNA Direct Ltd, MBNA Europe Finance Ltd, MBNA Europe Holdings Ltd, MBNA General Foundation, MBNA Global Services Ltd, MBNA Indian Services Private Ltd, MBNA Ltd, MBNA R & L S.A.R.L., MBNA Receivables Ltd, Mainsearch Company Ltd, Maritime Leasing (No. 19) Ltd, Membership Services Finance Ltd, Mitre Street Funding S.A.R.L., Molineux RMBS 2016-1 plc, Molineux RMBS Holdings Ltd, Moor Lane Holdings Ltd, NFU Mutual Finance Ltd, NWS Trust Ltd, Nominees (Jersey) Ltd, Nordic Leasing Ltd, Ocean Leasing (July) Ltd, Oystercatcher Nominees Ltd, Oystercatcher Residential Ltd, PIPS Asset Investments Ltd, Pacific Leasing Ltd, Penarth Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Penarth Funding 1 Ltd, Penarth Funding 2 Ltd, Penarth Master Issuer plc, Penarth Receivables Trustee Ltd, Pensions Management (S.W.F.) Ltd, Peony Eastern Leasing Ltd, Peony Leasing Ltd, Peony Western Leasing Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 1) Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 2) Ltd, Permanent Holdings Ltd, Permanent Master Issuer plc, Permanent Mortgages Trustee Ltd, Permanent PECOH Holdings Ltd, Permanent PECOH Ltd, Perry Nominees Ltd, Prestonfield Investments Ltd, Proton Finance Ltd, R.F. Spencer And Company Ltd, Ranelagh Nominees Ltd, Retail Revival (Burgess Hill) Investments Ltd, SARL Coliseum, SARL Hiram, SAS Compagnie Fonciere De France, SCI Astoria Invest, SCI De LHorloge, SCI Equinoxe, SCI Rambuteau CFF, SW Funding plc, SW No.1 Ltd, SWAMF (GP) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (1) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (2) Ltd, Saint Michel Holding Company No1, Saint Michel Investment Property, Saint Witz 2 Holding Company No1, Saint Witz 2 Investment Property, Salisbury II Securities 2016 Ltd, Salisbury II-A Securities 2017 Ltd, Salisbury III Securities 2019 DAC, Salisbury Securities 2015 Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 Holdings Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 plc, Sandown Gold 2012-1 Holdings Ltd, Sandown Gold 2012-1 plc, Savban Leasing Ltd, Scotland International Finance B.V., Scottish Widows Administration Services (Nominees) Ltd, Scottish Widows Administration Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Annuities Ltd, Scottish Widows Auto Enrolment Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Europe, Scottish Widows Financial Services Holdings, Scottish Widows Group Ltd, Scottish Widows Industrial Properties Europe B.V., Scottish Widows Ltd, Scottish Widows Pension Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Property Management Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth (ACD) Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Wealth Holdings Ltd, Scottish Widows Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Funds Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Trust Managers Ltd, Scottish Widows Fund and Life Assurance Society, Seabreeze Leasing Ltd, Seaspirit Leasing Ltd, Share Dealing Nominees Ltd, Shogun Finance Ltd, Silentdale Ltd, St Andrews Group Ltd, St Andrews Insurance plc, St Andrews Life Assurance plc, St. Marys Court Investments, Standard Property Investment (1987) Ltd, Standard Property Investment Ltd, Sussex County Homes Ltd, Suzuki Financial Services Ltd, Swan Funding 2 Ltd, Syon Securities 2019 DAC, The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Plc, The British Linen Company Ltd, The Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland, The Mortgage Business plc, Thistle Financing Holdings Ltd, Thistle Investments (AMC) Ltd, Thistle Investments (ERM) Ltd, Thistle Leasing, Three Copthall Avenue Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (10) Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (7) Ltd, Tranquility Leasing Ltd, Trinity Financing plc, UDT Budget Leasing Ltd, UDT Sales Finance Ltd, Uberior (Moorfield) Ltd, Uberior Co-Investments Ltd, Uberior ENA Ltd, Uberior Equity Ltd, Uberior Europe Ltd, Uberior Fund Investments Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments (No.2) Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments Ltd, Uberior Investments Ltd, Uberior Nominees Ltd, Uberior Trading Ltd, Uberior Trustees Ltd, Uberior Ventures Australia Pty Ltd, Uberior Ventures Ltd, United Dominions Leasing Ltd, United Dominions Trust Ltd, Universe The CMI Global Network Fund, Upsaala Ltd, Vine Street IX LP, WCS Ltd, Ward Nominees (Abingdon) Ltd, Ward Nominees (Birmingham) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees (Bristol) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees Ltd 1, Waverley Fund II Investor LLC, Waverley Fund III Investor LLC, Waymark Asset Investments Ltd, West Craigs Ltd, Wetherby II Securities 2018 DAC, Wetherby III Securities 2019 DAC, Wetherby Securities 2017 Ltd, Wood Street Leasing Ltd, and Zurich Insurance Group - UK Workplace Pensions and Savings Business. GMS, Inc. is a holding company, which engages in the distribution of wallboard and suspended ceilings systems and complementary interior construction products. It operates through the following segments: Geographic Divisions, Other, and Corporate. The firm offers ceilings products, including suspended mineral fibers, soft fibers, and metal ceiling systems primarily used in offices, hotels, hospitals, retail facilities, schools, and various other commercial and institutional buildings. It also provides steel framing products, such as steel tracks, studs, and various other steel products used to frame the interior walls of a commercial or institutional building; and insulation, lumber and other wood products, ready-mix joint compound, and various other interior construction products, as well as ancillary products comprising tools, fasteners, and safety products. The company was founded by Richard K. Mueller and Richard A. Whitcomb in 1971 and is headquartered in Tucker, GA. Read More Canopy Growth Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in growing, possession, and sale of medical cannabis in Canada. Its products include dried flowers, oils and concentrates, softgel capsules, and hemps. The company offers its products under the Tweed, Black Label, Spectrum Cannabis, DNA Genetics, Leafs By Snoop, CraftGrow, and Foria brand names. It also offers its products through Tweed Main Street, a single online platform that enables registered patients to purchase medicinal cannabis from various producers across various brands. Canopy Growth Corporation has a clinical research partnership with NEEKA Health Canada to investigate the efficacy of cannabinoids for the treatment of post-concussion neurological diseases in former NHL players; and partnership with Parent Action on Drugs. The company was formerly known as Tweed Marijuana Inc. and changed its name to Canopy Growth Corporation in September 2015. Canopy Growth Corporation is headquartered in Smiths Falls, Canada. Read More JPMorgan Chase & Co. is a financial holding company. It provides financial and investment banking services. The firm offers a range of investment banking products and services in all capital markets, including advising on corporate strategy and structure, capital raising in equity and debt markets, risk management, market making in cash securities and derivative instruments, and brokerage and research. It operates through the following segments: Consumer and Community Banking, Corporate and Investment Bank, Commercial Banking, and Asset and Wealth Management. The Consumer and Community Banking segment serves consumers and businesses through personal service at bank branches and through automated teller machine, online, mobile, and telephone banking. The Corporate and Investment Bank segment offers a suite of investment banking, market-making, prime brokerage, and treasury and securities products and services to a global client base of corporations, investors, financial institutions, government and municipal entities. The Commercial Banking segment delivers services to U.S. and its multinational clients, including corporations, municipalities, financial institutions, and non profit Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Bristol-Myers Squibb: 1096271 B.C. ULC, 345 Park LLC, A.G. Medical Services P.A., AHI Investment LLC, AbVitro LLC, Abraxis BioScience Australia Pty Ltd., Abraxis BioScience Inc., Abraxis BioScience International Holding Company Inc., Abraxis BioScience LLC, Abraxis BioScience Puerto Rico LLC, Acetylon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Adnexus, Adnexus a Bristol-Myers Squibb R&D Company, Allard Labs Acquisition G.P., Amira Pharmaceuticals, Amira Pharmaceuticals Inc., Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Apothecon LLC, B-MS Generx Unlimited Company, BMS Benelux Holdings B.V., BMS Bermuda Nominees L.L.C., BMS Data Acquisition Company LLC, BMS Forex Company, BMS Holdings Sarl, BMS Holdings Spain S.L., BMS International Insurance Designated Activity Company, BMS Investco SAS, BMS Korea Holdings L.L.C., BMS Latin American Nominees L.L.C., BMS Luxembourg Partners L.L.C., BMS Omega Bermuda Holdings Finance Ltd., BMS Pharmaceutical Korea Limited, BMS Pharmaceuticals Germany Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals International Holdings Netherlands B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Korea Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Mexico Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Netherlands Holdings B.V., BMS Real Estate LLC, BMS Spain Investments LLC, BMS Strategic Portfolio Investments Holdings Inc., Blisa Acquisition G.P., Bristol (Iran) S.A., Bristol Iran Private Company Limited, Bristol Laboratories Inc., Bristol Laboratories International S.A., Bristol Laboratories Medical Information Systems Inc., Bristol-Myers (Andes) L.L.C., Bristol-Myers (Private) Limited, Bristol-Myers Middle East S.A.L., Bristol-Myers Overseas Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Israel) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (NZ) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Proprietary) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Taiwan) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (West Indies) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb A.E., Bristol-Myers Squibb Aktiebolag, Bristol-Myers Squibb Argentina S. R. L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Australia Pty. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Axia Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb B.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Belgium S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Business Services Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada International Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Delta Company Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Denmark Filial of Bristol-Myers Squibb AB, Bristol-Myers Squibb EMEA Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Egypt LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Epsilon Holdings Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Ltda., Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Portuguesa S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb GesmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb GmbH & Co. KGaA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holding Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings 2002 Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Germany Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Ireland Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Pharma Ltd. Liability Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Ilaclari Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb India Pvt. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Company Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Investco L.L.C., Bristol-Myers Squibb K.K., Bristol-Myers Squibb Kft., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg International S.C.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb MEA GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Manufacturing Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Marketing Services S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Middle East & Africa FZ-LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Norway Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Nutricionales de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Peru S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (HK) Ltd, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (Thailand) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Holding Company LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Ventures Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Polska Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Products SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico/Sanofi Pharmaceutical Partnership Puerto Rico, Bristol-Myers Squibb Romania S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.A.U., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Holding Partnership, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Service Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Services Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Spol. s r.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Theta Finance Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Trustees Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Colombia S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Costa Rica Sociedad Anonima, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Guatemala S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb/Astrazeneca EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Partnership, Bristol-Myers de Venezuela S.C.A., CHT I LLC, CHT II LLC, CHT III LLC, CHT IV LLC, CR Finance Company LLC, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals Inc., Celem LLC, Celem Ltd., Celgene, Celgene A.B., Celgene AS, Celgene Ab (Finland), Celgene Alpine Investment Co. II LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. III LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. LLC, Celgene ApS, Celgene B.V., Celgene BVBA, Celgene Brasil Produtos Farmaceuticos Ltda., Celgene CAR LLC, Celgene CAR Ltd., Celgene Chemicals Sarl, Celgene China Holdings LLC, Celgene Co., Celgene Corporation, Celgene Distribution B.V., Celgene EngMab GmbH, Celgene Europe B.V., Celgene Europe Limited, Celgene European Investment Company LLC, Celgene Financing Company LLC, Celgene Global Holdings Sarl, Celgene GmbH [Austria], Celgene GmbH [Germany], Celgene GmbH [Switzerland], Celgene Holdings East Corporation, Celgene Holdings II Sarl, Celgene Holdings III Sarl, Celgene Ilac Pazarlama ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Celgene Inc., Celgene International Holdings Corporation, Celgene International II Sarl, Celgene International III Sarl, Celgene International Inc., Celgene International Sarl, Celgene K.K., Celgene Kft., Celgene Limited [Hong Kong], Celgene Limited [Ireland], Celgene Limited [New Zealand], Celgene Limited [Taiwan], Celgene Limited [UK], Celgene Logistics Sarl, Celgene Ltd, Celgene Luxembourg Sarl, Celgene Management Sarl, Celgene NJ Investment Co, Celgene Netherlands B.V., Celgene Netherlands Investment B.V., Celgene Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Celgene Pte. Ltd., Celgene Pty Ltd, Celgene Puerto Rico Distribution LLC, Celgene Quanticel Research Inc, Celgene R&D Sarl, Celgene RIVOT LLC, Celgene RIVOT Ltd., Celgene RIVOT SRL, Celgene Receptos Limited, Celgene Receptos Sarl, Celgene Research Incubator At Summit West LLC, Celgene Research S.L.U., Celgene Research and Development Company LLC, Celgene Research and Development I ULC, Celgene Research and Development II LLC, Celgene Research and Investment Company II LLC, Celgene S. de R.L. de C.V., Celgene S.L.U., Celgene S.R.L., Celgene SAS, Celgene Sarl AU, Celgene Sdn Bhd, Celgene Services Sarl, Celgene Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Celgene Sp. Z.o.o., Celgene Sro [Czech Republic], Celgene Summit Investment Co, Celgene Switzerland Holding Sarl, Celgene Switzerland II LLC, Celgene Switzerland Investment Sarl, Celgene Switzerland LLC, Celgene Switzerland Sarl, Celgene Tri A Holdings Ltd., Celgene Tri Sarl, Celgene UK Distribution Limited, Celgene UK Holdings Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing II Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing III Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing Limited, Celgene d.o.o., Celgene sro [Slovakia], Celmed LLC, Celmed Ltd., ConvaTec Divestiture, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals AB, Crosp Ltd., Delinia Inc., Deuteria Pharmaceuticals Inc., DuPont Pharmaceuticals, E. R. Squibb & Sons Inter-American Corporation, E. R. Squibb & Sons L.L.C., E. R. Squibb & Sons Limited, EWI Corporation, EngMab Sarl, F-star Alpha, FermaVir Pharmaceuticals L.L.C., FermaVir Research L.L.C., Flexus Biosciences, Flexus Biosciences Inc., Forbius, Galecto Biotech, GenPharm International L.L.C., Gloucester Pharmaceuticals LLC, Grove Insurance Company Ltd., Heyden Farmaceutica Portuguesa Limitada, IFM Therapeutics, Impact Biomedicines Inc., Inhibitex, Inhibitex L.L.C., Innate Tumor Immunity Inc., JuMP Holdings LLC, Juno Therapeutics GmbH, Juno Therapeutics Inc., Kosan Biosciences, Kosan Biosciences Incorporated, Linson Investments Limited, Mead Johnson (Manufacturing) Jamaica Limited, Mead Johnson Jamaica Ltd., Medarex, Morris Avenue Investment II LLC, Morris Avenue Investment LLC, MyoKardia, O.o.o. Bristol-Myers Squibb, Oy Bristol-Myers Squibb (Finland) AB, Padlock Therapeutics, Padlock Therapeutics Inc., Pharmion LLC, Princeton Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Receptos LLC, Receptos Services LLC, RedoxTherapies Inc., Route 22 Real Estate Holding Corporation, SPV A Holdings ULC, Seamair Insurance DAC, Signal Pharmaceuticals LLC, Sino-American Shanghai Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Societe Francaise de Complements Alimentaires(S.O.F.C.A.), Squibb Middle East S.A., Summit West Celgene LLC, Swords Laboratories, VentiRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Westwood-Intrafin SA, Westwood-Squibb Pharmaceuticals Inc., X-Body Inc., ZymoGenetics, ZymoGenetics Inc., ZymoGenetics LLC, ZymoGenetics Paymaster LLC, iPierian, and iPierian Inc.. The following companies are subsidiares of Exxon Mobil: AKG Marketing Company Limited, Aera Energy LLC, Al-Jubail Petrochemical Company, Ampolex (Cepu) Pte Ltd, Ancon Insurance Company Inc., Barnett Gathering LLC, Barzan Gas Company Limited, Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Celtic Exploration Ltd., Coral FLNG S.A., Cross Timbers Energy LLC, Ellora Energy Inc., Esmeroon Oil Transporta Imperial Oil Limited, Esso (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd, Esso Deutschland GmbH, Esso Erdgas Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 15) Limited, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 17) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Angola (Overseas) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Chad Inc., Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, Esso Exploration and Production UK Limited, Esso Global Investments Ltd., Esso Italiana S.r.l., Esso Nederland B.V., Esso Norge AS, Esso Petroleum Company Limited, Esso Raffinage, Esso Societe Anonyme Francaise, Exxo Holdings Inc., Exxon Azerbaijan Limited, Exxon Chemical Arabia Inc., Exxon International Finance Company, Exxon Luxembourg Holdings LLC, Exxon Mobile Bay Limited Partnership, Exxon Neftegas Limited, Exxon Overseas Corporation, Exxon Overseas Investment Corporation, ExxonMobil (China) Investment Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil (Taicang) Petroleum Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil Abu Dhabi Offshore Petroleum Company Limited, ExxonMobil Alaska Production Inc., ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., ExxonMobil Australia Pty Ltd, ExxonMobil B Resources Company, ExxonMobil Capital Finance Company, ExxonMobil Capital Netherlands B.V., ExxonMobil Central Europe Holding GmbH, ExxonMobil Cepu Limited, ExxonMobil Chemical France, ExxonMobil Chemical Gulf Coast Investments LLC, ExxonMobil Chemical Holland B.V., ExxonMobil Chemical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil China Petroleum & Petrochemical Company Limited, ExxonMobil Development Africa B.V., ExxonMobil Development Company, ExxonMobil Egypt (S.A.E.), ExxonMobil Exploracao Brasil Ltda., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Norway AS, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Romania Limited, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Tanzania Limited, ExxonMobil Finance Company Limited, ExxonMobil Financial Investment Company Limited, ExxonMobil France Holding SAS, ExxonMobil Gas Marketing Europe Limited, ExxonMobil General Finance Company, ExxonMobil Global Services Company, ExxonMobil Golden Pass Surety LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Company Holland LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Norway AS, ExxonMobil Hong Kong Limited, ExxonMobil International Services SARL, ExxonMobil Iraq Limited, ExxonMobil Italiana Gas S.r.l., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Inc., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Ventures Inc., ExxonMobil LNG Services B.V., ExxonMobil Lubricants Trading Company, ExxonMobil Oil Corporation, ExxonMobil PNG Limited, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical BVBA, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical Holdings Inc., ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH, ExxonMobil Production Norway Inc., ExxonMobil Qatargas (II) Limited, ExxonMobil Qatargas Inc., ExxonMobil Ras Laffan (III) Limited, ExxonMobil Rasgas Inc., ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, ExxonMobil Russia Kara Sea Holdings B.V., ExxonMobil Sales and Supply LLC, ExxonMobil Technology Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Funding Ltd., Fujian Refining & Petrochemical Co. Ltd., Golden Pass LNG Terminal Investments LLC, Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC, Gulf Coast Growth Ventures LLC, Imperial Oil Limited, Imperial Oil Resources Limited, Imperial Oil Resources N.W.T. Limited, Imperial Oil/Petroliere Imperiale, Infineum Italia s.r.I., Infineum Singapore Pte. Ltd., InterOil Corporation, Jurong Aromatics Corporation Pte Ltd, MPM Lubricants, Marine Well Containment Company LLC, Mobil Australia Resources Company Pty Limited, Mobil California Exploration & Producing Asset Company, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company, Mobil Chemical Products International Inc., Mobil Corporation, Mobil Equatorial Guinea Inc., Mobil Erdgas Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Mobil Exploration & Producing Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil International Petroleum Corporation, Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil Oil Exploration & Producing Southeast Inc., Mobil Oil New Zealand Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Mobil Producing Texas & New Mexico Inc., Mobil SerLimited, Mobil Venezolana De Petroleos Inc., Mobil Yanbu Petrochemical Company Inc., Mobil Yanbu Refining Company Inc., Mountain Gathering LLC, Mozambique Rovuma Venture S.p.A., Palmetto Transoceanic LLC, Papua New Guinea Liquefied Natural Gas Global Company LDC, Permian Express Partners LLC, Phillips Exploration LLC, Qatar Liquefied Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (II), SPI Limited, Saudi Aramco Mobil Refinery Company Ltd., Saudi Yanbu Petrochemical Co., SeaRiver Maritime Inc., South Hook LNG Terminal Company Limited, Tengizchevroil LLP, Terminale GNL Adriatico S.r.l, Trend Gathering & Treating LLC, Wolverine Pipe Line Company, XH LLC, XTO Delaware Basin LLC, XTO Energy Canada, XTO Energy Inc., and XTO Holdings LLC. The following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen Coding GmbH, Allen France SAS, Alpine Automation Limited, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Holdings Inc., Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, AppliChem Inc., Arylux Hungary Elektromechanikus Alkatreszgyarto Kft, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix (Suzhou) Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Holdings Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel (Ireland) Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument, Brooks Instrument (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Buell Industries Inc., CAPMAX Logistica S.A. de C.V., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS (Australia) Pty Limited, CS (Finance) Europe S.a.r.l., CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, CSMTS LLC, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures (Australasia) S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Cetram Pty Limited, Coeur, Coeur (Shanghai) Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Densit Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Dorbyl U.K. (Holdings) Limited, Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO (Holding) AG, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elga Skandinavian AS, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, FEG Investments L.L.C., Fasver, Filtertek, Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech (Taicang) Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart (Japan) K.K., Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart Foster Belgium, Hobart International (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW (China) Investment Company Limited, ITW (Deutschland) GmbH, ITW (EU) Holdings Ltd., ITW (European) Finance Co. Ltd., ITW (European) Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW (Ningbo) Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Airport Ground Equipment (Beijing) Co. Ltd., ITW Alpha Sarl, ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components LLC, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components (Chongqing) Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components (Langfang) Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium, ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS (UK) Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Contamination Control (Wujiang) Co. Ltd., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Delta Sarl, ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.A., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Finance Designated Activity Company, ITW Finance Europe S.A., ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments II Inc., ITW Global Investments LLC, ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics (Thailand) Ltd., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Italy S.R.L. in liquidazione, ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France (Luxembourg) S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings LP, ITW Holdings UK, ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Hungary Finance Beta Kft, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW International Intellectual Property LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Finance Srl, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lombard Holdings Inc., ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW M FILMS II LLC, ITW MH LLC, ITW Marking & Coding (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Medical Group de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Plastic (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers (Wujiang) Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Philippines Holdings LLC, ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Spraytec, ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., ITW haubold Paslode GmbH, Ideal Molding Technologies LLC, Illinois Tool Works (Chile) Limitada, Illinois Tool Works (ITW) Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Norway AS, Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron (Shanghai) Ltd., Instron (Thailand) Limited, Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Holdings Limited, Instron International Limited, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, International Leasing Company LLC, International Truss Systems Proprietary Limited, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kester Components (M) Sdn. Bhd., Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft Argentina S.A., Krafft S.L., Lock Inspection Systemes France Sarl, Loma Systems (Canada) Inc., Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Luvex - Industria De Equipamentos De Protecao Ltda., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, Magna Industrial Co. Limited, Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, Norden Olje AB, North Star Imaging Europe, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Odesign Inc., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited (Enping), Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Penta Dnepr LLC, Penta Sever OOO, Penta Volga OOO, Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., Ramset Fasteners (Hong Kong) Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Salter India Limited, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco (Nederland) B.V., Simco Japan Inc., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tape Group B.V., Stokvis Tapes (Hong Kong) Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Taiwan) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes BVBA, Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Tarutin Kester Co. Ltd., Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek (China) Limited, Teknek (Japan) Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode (Qingdao) Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Tregaskiss Welding Products, US Finance Gamma LLC, Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V.B.A., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta (Guangzhou) Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Vesta Global Limited, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., W Packaging Technology (China) Co. Ltd., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wujiang Advanced Cleaning Co. Ltd., Wynn Oil (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, ZF TRW (Engineered Fasteners and Components), and Zip-Pak International B.V.. Rogers Communications Inc. operates as a communications and media company in Canada. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The company offers mobile Internet access, wireless voice and enhanced voice, device and accessory financing, wireless home phone, device protection, text messaging, e-mail, global voice and data roaming, bridging landline, machine-to-machine and Internet of Things solutions, and advanced wireless solutions for businesses, as well as device delivery services; and postpaid and prepaid services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands to approximately 10.9 million subscribers. It also provides Internet and WiFi services; smart home monitoring services, such as monitoring, security, automation, energy efficiency, and smart control through a smartphone app. In addition, the company offers local and network TV; on-demand television; cloud-based digital video recorders; voice-activated remote controls, and integrated apps; personal video recorders; linear and time-shifted programming; digital specialty channels; 4K television programming; and televised content on smartphones, tablets, and personal computers, as well as operates Ignite TV and Ignite TV app. Further, it provides residential and small business local telephony services; calling features, such as voicemail, call waiting, and long distance; voice, data networking, Internet protocol, and Ethernet services; private networking, Internet, IP voice, and cloud solutions; optical wave and multi-protocol label switching services; IT and network technologies; and cable access network services. The company also owns Toronto Blue Jays and the Rogers Centre event venue; and operates Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet World, Citytv, OMNI, FX (Canada), FXX (Canada), and OLN television networks, as well as 55 AM and FM radio stations. Rogers Communications Inc. was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More The memory of a beloved pet inspires one couple's fight against injustice. Pope Francis received a victims letter in 2015 that graphically detailed sexual abuse at the hands of a priest and a cover-up by Chilean church authorities, contradicting the popes recent insistence that no victims had come forward, the letters author and members of Francis own sex- abuse commission have told The Associated Press. The fact that Francis received the eight-page letter, obtained by the AP, challenges his insistence that he has zero tolerance for sex abuse and cover-ups. It also calls into question his stated empathy with abuse survivors, compounding the most serious crisis of his five-year papacy. The scandal exploded last month when Francis trip to South America was marred by protests over his vigorous defense of Bishop Juan Barros, who is accused by victims of covering up the abuse by the Rev. Fernando Karadima. During the trip, Francis callously dismissed accusations against Barros as slander, seemingly unaware that victims had placed him at the scene of Karadimas crimes. On the plane home, confronted by reporters, the pope said: You, in all good will, tell me that there are victims, but I havent seen any because they havent come forward. But members of the popes Commission for the Protection of Minors say that in April 2015, they sent a delegation to Rome specifically to hand-deliver a letter to the pope about Barros. The letter from Juan Carlos Cruz detailed the abuse, kissing and fondling he says he suffered at Karadimas hands, which he said Barros and others witnessed and ignored. Four members of the commission met with Francis top abuse adviser, Cardinal Sean OMalley, explained their objections to Francis recent appointment of Barros as a bishop in southern Chile, and gave him the letter to deliver to Francis. When we gave him (OMalley) the letter for the pope, he assured us he would give it to the pope and speak of the concerns, then-commission member Marie Collins told the AP. And at a later date, he assured us that that had been done. Cruz, who now lives and works in Philadelphia, heard the same later that year. Cardinal OMalley called me after the popes visit here in Philadelphia and he told me, among other things, that he had given the letter to the pope in his hands, he said in an interview at his home yesterday [Macau time]. Neither the Vatican nor OMalley responded to multiple requests for comment. While the 2015 summit of Francis commission was known and publicized at the time, the contents of Cruzs letter and a photograph of Collins handing it to OMalley were not disclosed by members. Cruz provided the letter, and Collins provided the photo, after reading an AP story that reported Francis had claimed to have never heard from any Karadima victims about Barros behavior. The Barros affair first caused shockwaves in January 2015 when Francis appointed him bishop of Osorno, Chile, over the objections of the leadership of Chiles bishops conference and many local priests and laity. They accepted as credible the testimony against Karadima, a prominent Chilean cleric who was sanctioned by the Vatican in 2011 for abusing minors. Barros was a Karadima protege, and according to Cruz and other victims, he witnessed the abuse and did nothing. Holy Father, I write you this letter because Im tired of fighting, of crying and suffering, Cruz wrote in Francis native Spanish. Our story is well known and theres no need to repeat it, except to tell you of the horror of having lived this abuse and how I wanted to kill myself. Cruz and other survivors had for years denounced the cover-up of Karadimas crimes, but were dismissed as liars by the Chilean church hierarchy and the Vaticans own ambassador in Santiago, who refused their repeated requests to meet before and after Barros was appointed. After Francis comments backing the Chilean hierarchy caused such an outcry in Chile, he was forced last week to do an about-face: The Vatican announced it was sending in its most respected sex-crimes investigator to take testimony from Cruz and others about Barros. In the letter to the pope, Cruz begs for Francis to listen to him and make good on his pledge of zero tolerance. Holy Father, its bad enough that we suffered such tremendous pain and anguish from the sexual and psychological abuse, but the terrible mistreatment we received from our pastors is almost worse, he wrote. Cruz goes on to detail in explicit terms the homo-eroticized nature of the circle of priests and young boys around Karadima, the charismatic preacher whose El Bosque community in the well-to-do Santiago neighborhood of Providencia produced dozens of priestly vocations and five bishops, including Barros. He described how Karadima would kiss Barros and fondle his genitals, and do the same with younger priests and teens, and how young priests and seminarians would fight to sit next to Karadima at the table to receive his affections. More difficult and tough was when we were in Karadimas room and Juan Barros if he wasnt kissing Karadima would watch when Karadima would touch us the minors and make us kiss him, saying: Put your mouth near mine and stick out your tongue. He would stick his out and kiss us with his tongue, Cruz told the pope. Juan Barros was a witness to all these innumerable times, not just with me but with others as well. Juan Barros covered up everything that I have told you, he added. Barros has repeatedly denied witnessing any abuse or covering it up. I never knew anything about, nor ever imagined, the serious abuses which that priest committed against the victims, he told the AP recently. I have never approved of nor participated in such serious, dishonest acts, and I have never been convicted by any tribunal of such things. For the Osorno faithful who have opposed Barros as their bishop, the issue isnt so much a legal matter requiring proof or evidence, as Barros was a young priest at the time and not in a position of authority over Karadima. Its more that if Barros didnt see what was happening around him and doesnt find it problematic for a priest to kiss and fondle young boys, he shouldnt be in charge of a diocese where he is responsible for detecting inappropriate sexual behavior, reporting it to police and protecting children from pedophiles like his mentor. Cruz had arrived at Karadimas community in 1980 as a vulnerable teenager, distraught after the recent death of his father. He has said Karadima told him he would be like a spiritual father to him, but instead sexually abused him. Based on testimony from Cruz and other former members of the parish, the Vatican in 2011 removed Karadima from ministry and sentenced him to a lifetime of penance and prayer for his crimes. Now 87, he lives in a home for elderly priests in Santiago; he hasnt commented on the scandal and the home has declined to accept calls or visits from the news media. The victims also testified to Chilean prosecutors, who opened an investigation into Karadima after they went public with their accusations in 2010. Chilean prosecutors had to drop charges because too much time had passed, but the judge running the case stressed that it wasnt for lack of proof. While the victims testimony was deemed credible by both Vatican and Chilean prosecutors, the local church hierarchy clearly didnt believe them, which might have influenced Francis view. Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz has acknowledged he didnt believe the victims initially and shelved an investigation. He was forced to reopen it after the victims went public. He is now one of the Argentine popes key cardinal advisers. By the time he finally got his letter into the popes hands in 2015, Cruz had already sent versions to numerous other people, and had tried for months to get an appointment with the Vatican ambassador. The embassys Dec. 15, 2014, email to Cruz a month before Barros was appointed was short and to the point: The apostolic nunciature has received the message you emailed Dec. 7 to the apostolic nuncio, it read, and at the same time communicates that your request has been met with an unfavorable response. One could argue that Francis didnt pay attention to Cruzs letter, since he receives thousands of letters every day from faithful around the world. He cant possibly read them all, much less remember the contents years later. He might have been tired and confused after a weeklong trip to South America when he told an airborne press conference that victims never came forward to accuse Barros of cover-up. But this was not an ordinary letter, nor were the circumstances under which it arrived in the Vatican. AP The leader of the right-wing Likud party, Ariel Sharon, has won a landslide victory to become the new prime minister of Israel. He called for a government of national unity to bring peace to the Middle East. The outgoing prime minister, Ehud Barak, said he was resigning as Labour leader and leaving parliament. Addressing jubilant supporters in Tel Aviv, Mr Sharon ruled out territorial concessions to the Palestinians over Jerusalem and urged them to cast off the path of violence and return to the path of dialogue. He said: Today the state of Israel has taken a new road, the road of peace, security and unity. Mr Barak ruled out his partys participation in a national unity government without agreement on a joint plan of action. Friends, we have lost a battle, but we will win the war, he told supporters. Our path is the one and only path, the path that will lead Israel to peace and security. Mr Sharon has a fearsome reputation as a ruthless and fearless soldier and politician. As defense minister, he was the main architect of Israels invasion of Lebanon in 1982. He was removed from office in 1983 by an Israeli tribunal that found him indirectly responsible for the massacre of hundreds of Palestinians by Lebanese Christian militiamen in two Beirut refugee camps under Israeli control. But he made his political comeback just one year later as trade and industry minister in a Likud-Labour national unity government. Minutes after voting ended on Tuesday evening, exit polls gave Mr Sharon a lead of 19%. Partial results broadcast later on Israeli television suggested an even greater lead for the Likud leader. Turnout, according to electoral officials, was about 60% the lowest in Israeli history. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was conciliatory in his response to Mr Sharons victory. We respect the decision of the Israeli people, Mr Arafat said. We hope the peace process will continue. But his comments came after Palestinians had held what they called a day of rage to coincide with the voting and Mr Sharons expected victory. Demonstrators chanting Sharon is a butcher clashed with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank towns of Ramallah and Hebron. Mr Sharon will inherit the same fractured and fractious parliament which gave Mr Barak so much trouble. Some Israeli commentators say there may have to be new parliamentary elections within six months. In that event, his rival Binyamin Netanyahu could challenge him for leadership of the Likud Party and supplant him as prime minister. The new Israeli prime minister may also find himself constrained by the realities on the ground. If he tries, as his record suggests he may, to use the iron fist to curb Palestinian anger, analysts say he will find there are no purely military solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian problem. Courtesy BBC News In context In June 2002 following a series of suicide bombings, work began on building a security wall, 640 km (440 miles) long, between Israel and the West Bank. An effort to revive the peace process resulted in the publication of a new roadmap for peace in April 2003. Ariel Sharons mission was to fight for Israels security, in the belief that the end justifies the means. But his plans for Israeli settlers to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank completed in August 2005 provoked ire from his staunchest supporters and were repeatedly voted down by his right-wing Likud Party. He finally left Likud in November 2005 to found a new centrist party, Kadima (Forward). On 4 January 2006, Mr Sharon suffered a major stroke and went into a coma. Three months later, on 11 April, the Israeli cabinet declared him permanently incapacitated. Ehud Olmert was then promoted from acting PM to the full premiership having secured a victory for Kadima in elections held the previous month. The International Institute of Macau (IIM) announced that this year it plans to establish a website that focuses on Macanese cuisine, providing an interactive page for users to share different recipes. Speaking on the sidelines of the Young Research Awards, the secretary-general of IIM, Rufino Ramos, told the press that the webpage will not only give an introduction to the history of Macanese food but will also provide a platform for eager residents to contribute their knowledge on Macanese cuisine. Were finalizing it, we have to make it interactive. We want contributions from people with recipes, secrets from the families and also comments and suggestions, photos and so on, he said. Questioned on whether IIM planned to work with the Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT), Ramos explained that IIM had provided some information to the tourism institute and expressed his hopes that the IFT would collaborate on the project. Later this year, IIM will be going to three cities in Brazil to hold seminars discussing Macau as a Platform for Economic, Commercial and Culture Exchange Between China, Portugal and Brazil. Ramos hopes that IIM might also visit Guangdong Province, as there are many Portuguese-language learners in the region. We will go to Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Recife, and then [return] to Macau and Portugal and [we will also be] in Beijing and hopefully this year in Canton [Guangdong] too, he said. Ramos noted that IIM is assisting in the set-up of a museum focusing on the Portuguese presence in Ningbo. IIM will continue its series of talks on the history of Macau. The first round of talks are being presented in Portuguese-language schools but the series will soon expand to include English and Chinese schools. The talks teach students about the attempted Dutch invasion of Macau in the 17th century. On Wednesday two local researchers were awarded with the Young Researcher Award. Since 2001, this award was given once for each of the mentioned areas, and consists of an Honors Diploma and a pecuniary prize of MOP25,000. The awards were given to Sara Ieong (Economy and Management Area), for her work Perception of Generation and workers in recruitment and retention in Macau service industry and Xu Chang (Heritage, Tourism or Identity of Macau Area), for his work, The Identity of Macanese Focus on Macanese Cuisine. According to the study conducted by Ieong, generation Y values money over opportunities provided in the workplace. There is a difference but both of them are very important. We think that for [the] company and service industry, they need to think about how to attract people other than just by using money, opportunity, or potential growth in the future, Ieong said. LV The second major theft of virtual currency in Japan is spurring lawmakers and the industry to question the ability of the countrys regulators to oversee the fast-and-loose tendencies of the crypto-trading world. As the heist of almost USD500 million in digital tokens from Tokyo-based exchange Coincheck reverberates through virtual currency markets, Japans eight-month-old law regulating Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, and the Financial Services Agency tasked with enforcing it, are coming under scrutiny. The government must take proper responsibility, said Yukio Edano, head of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, an opposition party. The disappearance of about $470 million worth of Bitcoins from Mt. Gox in 2014 prompted lawmakers to enact new policies, which were passed into law in April. The rules made it easier for cryptocurrencies to be used in retailing and also spelled out how gains or losses from trading in them would be taxed. Its now becoming evident that lawmakers may have made a critical mistake, when it comes to the exchanges: they let the industry come up with its own rules. Every hack that happens sets the whole industry back six months, said Jared Polites, a former FBI securities fraud analyst, who is now a crypto currency marketing consultant. Somethings got to be done. Crypto enthusiasts are all about decentralization but people also dont want this. The FSA raided Coinchecks offices early on Friday. The inspection was conducted to ensure security for users, Finance Minister Taro Aso said. Technically, Coincheck wasnt supposed to be operating, because it wasnt licensed. Yet the startup was able to accept and disburse customer funds, buying and selling cryptocurrencies, even while its application was pending with the FSA, thanks to a provision that allowed pre- existing exchanges to keep functioning while they were being reviewed. There are 16 registered exchanges, while 15 others have been allowed to operate pending formal approval, according to the FSA. Satsuki Katayama, a lawmaker for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said that this is the first incident for the FSA and they probably dont know how strictly to enforce regulations. Asked whether there were problems in how the FSA oversaw Coincheck, one agency official said there may be issues with the application and approval process. While there are exchanges that have gone through a stringent approval process, those operating on a provisional basis can still market themselves without investing in people or security, the official said. A week ago, an unidentified thief gained access to Coinchecks system and stole 523 million coins tied to the NEM blockchain project, which were trading at about 94 U.S. cents at the time of the hack. Coincheck said it would use its own capital to reimburse those who lost money. The FSA and Tokyo Metropolitan Police are now gathering their own information. Government is going to have to intervene with private companies, but it will be a fine balance, Polites said. Many governments are struggling to come up with rules to oversee Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. China has taken a tough stance, banning trading in virtual currencies and all initial coin offerings. In December, South Korea threatened to shut down cryptocurrency exchanges, triggering double-digit selloffs in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Japan has taken the middle path, allowing most operations to continue while enacting the new regulations in April. Shifting regulations have fueled uncertainty among speculators across the globe, who are trying to determine when or how market watchdogs may rein in an industry thats decentralized and derives much of its value from anonymous ownership. As a result, exchanges have been migrating to places with more relaxed or clearer regulations. Private security companies and the exchanges themselves may currently be ahead of the government in terms of cryptocurrency security, but this dynamic cant exist forever in order for this asset class to progress, said Michael Moro, chief executive officer of investment firm Genesis Global Trading. Mineyuki Fukuda, who designed Japans cryptocurrency laws when he was a lawmaker for the ruling LDP, said more regulations arent the answer because they might stunt the development of a new financial technology industry. The FSA was doing its job; its not their fault, Fukuda said in an interview. So if they tie our hands with regulations again, itll be a real pity for these new businesses and technologies to come to an end. Part of the problem is that regulators were focused on issues such as fraud and taxation, without thinking through security risks that lead to incidents such as Mt. Gox and Coincheck. While specific security measures arent mandated, they are widely available. In the case of Coincheck, the exchange failed to implement two-factor authentication and stored coins in a hot wallet connected to a network, instead of a cold wallet thats disconnected and more secure. Asked about the Coincheck theft, opposition Democratic Party leader Kouhei Ohtsuka said: They did not put together appropriate guidance or regulation making it compulsory to isolate the management of crypto-currency data from external networks. This week, the FSA ordered Coincheck to submit a report by Feb. 13 outlining the root causes of the debacle and its response to customers, along with how it intends to enhance risk management and internal controls. Yuji Nakamura, Yuki Hagiwara, Bloomberg David Porter, Highland Park, N.J. A federal judge has temporarily halted deportation proceedings against Indonesian Christians who are in the U.S. illegally but are seeking to gain legal status, including a man honored for his work helping to rebuild more than 200 homes after Superstorm Sandy. The order Friday was issued by U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark in response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and applies to Indonesians who have orders of removal dating to before 2009. The order affects roughly 50 people in New Jersey who had identified themselves to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2009 as part of a program to obtain work authorization and stays of deportation, according to the ACLU and Seth Kaper-Dale, co-pastor of a church where some of the immigrants sought sanctuary. The lawsuit came after several enforcement actions by immigration authorities in New Jersey that targeted Indonesian Christians and rekindled fears in a community that includes people who left Indonesia years ago to escape religious persecution. Two men were arrested last month after they dropped their children off at school. Harry Pangemanan, who has been in the country since 1993 and lives with his wife and two daughters in central New Jersey, sought sanctuary at the Reformed Church of Highland Park, where he is an elder and where he spent nine months in 2012 under similar circumstances. Two other men, Arthur Jemmy and Yohanes Tasik, already were living there to avoid detention. Salas ordered both sides to file briefs over the next month. A spokesman for ICEs Newark office didnt immediately return a message seeking comment. Pangemanan has been staying in a room that doubles as a childrens library at the church and had to move his belongings when the library is in use. His family joined him recently after their home was broken into and vandalized after his name was included in news reports. We are trying to stay strong as a family, take one day at a time, he said in an interview with The Associated Press last week. You do your best today, do something useful, and tomorrow is in Gods hands. Pangemanan came to the country in 1993 on a tourist visa that was to lapse in five years, he said. His wife came in 1998 during a period of turmoil in Indonesia when Christians were being targeted. They cite that as one reason for not going back. A thousand churches were burned to the ground between 1996 and 2003, said Kaper-Dale, of the Highland Park church. Some islands are safer than others, but its too simple to say its safe now. Pangemanan concedes he didnt know enough about immigration law when he first arrived, and wasnt aware he had one year to apply for asylum. At the time, it didnt seem to matter. Nobody asked you, as long as you are a good man, you work hard and help your company, and you pay your taxes, he said. Youre working like everybody else, you dont bother anybody. Then everything changed after Sept. 11. Working through the church after Sandy devastated the New Jersey coast in 2012, Pangemanan organized more than 2,000 volunteers, matching their skills with the needs of homeowners whose homes had been destroyed. He said he traveled to other areas of the country to perform similar work, including the Carolinas, West Virginia and Texas. A system put in place after Sept. 11 required non-citizen men and boys from predominantly Arab or Muslim-majority countries to register and be photographed and fingerprinted. Pangemanan and Jemmy said they complied, and have repeatedly tried to gain legal status since then, without success. AP Myanmars government has denied a report by The Associated Press documenting at least five mass graves containing Rohingya Muslim civilians killed by the military with help from Buddhist neighbors, saying that only terrorists were killed and they were carefully buried. The AP reported on Thursday that the mass graves in the village of Gu Dar Pyin were confirmed through multiple interviews with more than two dozen survivors who had fled to refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh, and through time-stamped cellphone videos. Satellite images and video of destroyed homes also showed that the village had been wiped out. The Myanmar governments information committee said in a statement Friday that 17 government officials including Border Guard Police went to Gu Dar Pyin to investigate the AP report and were told by villagers and community leaders that no such things happened. According to the government statement, a group of Rohingya terrorists skirmished with security forces in the village during clearance operations by the military. It said about 500 villagers attacked the security forces with weapons such as knives, sticks and wooden spears, and the security forces were forced to shoot in self-defense. It said 19 terrorists died and their bodies were carefully buried by the security forces. The Myanmar government will not deny any human rights violations and will investigate if there is strong evidence. And if there are human rights violations after an investigation, prosecutors will take actions according to the law, the government statement said. In regard to Gu Dar Pyin village, the preliminary result of the examination has proven that APs report is wrong, it said. The AP stands by our reporting, spokeswoman Lauren Easton said. More than 680,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmars northwestern Rakhine state to Bangladesh to escape a crackdown by Myanmars military that began following attacks by a Rohingya militant group on Aug. 25. The United Nations and the United States have described the crackdown as ethnic cleansing. The U.N. human rights chief has also suggested that it may be genocide. Many Rohingya refugees have accused Myanmar troops of a rampage of murder, rape and arson to drive them out of their homes and the country. The government has blocked international media from traveling to Rahkine state to investigate reports, and has not heeded calls by the U.N., U.S. and others for an independent investigation. Gu Dar Pyin was one of at least four large massacres that are known of in Myanmar since August, and many smaller-scale killings have been reported. Survivors told the AP that hundreds of soldiers swept into the village Aug. 27 firing weapons, including hand grenades and rocket launchers, and burning down houses. They said Buddhists from neighboring villages joined the soldiers, cutting the throats of the injured and helping to throw small children and the elderly into the fires. Community leaders from Gu Dar Pyin in the refugee camps in Bangladesh have compiled a list of 75 dead so far, and villagers estimate the toll could be as high as 400, based on testimony from relatives and the bodies theyve seen in the graves dug by the soldiers and strewn about the area. Rohingya are a long-persecuted Muslim ethnic minority in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar. Myanmars government regularly says massacres of Rohingya never happened, and has acknowledged only one mass grave containing 10 terrorists in the village of Inn Din. AP The video shows students at the so-called female morality school in northeastern China getting up at 4:30 a.m. to scrub floors and being taught not to resist if their husbands beat them. Shot with a hidden camera and posted on a popular Chinese video website, it sparked a storm of criticism of the school and highlighted complaints that the status of women is deteriorating under the rule of a Communist Party that promised them equality. In the recording, students at the Fushun Traditional Culture School were shown being told to put aside career aspirations and, in one instructors words, shut your mouths and do more housework. One group of students was shown practicing bowing to apologize to their husbands. Dont fight back when beaten. Dont talk back when scolded. And, no matter what, dont get divorced, a female teacher says in the post on Pear Video, a Beijing-based online platform for short videos. Women should just stay at the bottom level of the society and not aspire for more, another teacher says. Such schools appear to be growing in popularity, though it is unclear how many China has, according to researchers and womens rights activists. Their emergence reflects the erosion in the status of women since the launch of economic reforms in the 1980s that reduced the ruling partys focus on social equality, said Feng Yuan, a prominent womens rights activist. Archaic ideas about gender equality still have a market in todays society, she said. Deng Xichan, a 21-year-old nurse, said she and her mother attended a female morality institute in the southern city of Changsha, enticed by its offer of free classes, lodging and vegetarian food. Students were taught to obey men because it would bring their children good fortune and that sex before marriage would bring bad luck, Deng said. Every evening, she was required to bow in front of a statue of Confucius and participate in group confessions, she said. Many of the students truly believed that their life was hard because they had premarital sex, or because they cheated on someone, so they would kowtow and confess, Deng said. At many of the programs, students are closed off from the outside world and from each other. The front door was locked and our phones and cash were taken away from us, said a woman in her twenties who attended a seven-day course in the northwestern city of Yinchuan. We were also not allowed to chat with each other, so all you can do is bear with it. I got scared because it was so isolated, added the woman, who asked to be identified only by her surname, Chen, because she didnt want her former employer, a real estate company that signed her up for the program, to know she had spoken to the media about the experience. The Fushun school was founded in 2011 by an ex-convict who had served time for murder and was approved by local authorities as a public welfare organization, according to Chinese news reports. It charged no tuition and was supported by students donations. The school had more than 200 volunteer workers and took in as many as 40 students for each 20-day female virtue course, according to an online report by the Yangcheng Evening News, a major local newspaper. After the video came out in November, hundreds of people criticized the school on internet message boards and blogs, prompting an investigation. The school was shut down in December, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. The local education bureau concluded it violated socialist core values and called for similar programs to be investigated. The Fushun school and several others across China contacted by The Associated Press refused repeated requests for comment. The Communist Party came to power in 1949 promising to improve the status of women, who then-leader, Mao Zedong, famously declared hold up half the sky. By many measures, the status of women improved after the revolution. They gained access to jobs and education and, on paper at least, were legal equals in many ways. Activists say the decline in womens status that began with the economic reforms of the 1980s accelerated as the party set aside leftist politics as a unifying message for the country and instead promoted more traditional, male-dominated Confucian beliefs. The gulf between the sexes is especially pronounced at the highest levels of politics: The ruling partys Standing Committee, the inner circle of power, has never had a female member. In the next tier, a single woman sits in the larger 25-member Politburo. The state-run All-China Womens Federation rejected the activists assertions that the party has promoted male-dominated beliefs. We deplore and are dissatisfied by such a view that misrepresents reality, the group said in a faxed response to questions. It said 551 women delegates attended the partys twice-a-decade national congress last year, an increase of 30 places, making up nearly a quarter of the total. The group noted that there are women among Chinas government ministers, astronauts, scientists and entrepreneurs. Still, in a 2011 survey the federation also found womens wages were on average two-thirds lower than mens. And the share of women in the labor force dropped to 61 percent last year from 72 percent 20 years ago, according to the World Bank. Party leaders are worried China is producing too few children to support its aging population, said Leta Hong-Fincher, a sociologist and author of Betraying Big Brother: The Rise of Chinas Feminist Resistance, due out later this year. The government launched a propaganda campaign referring to single, over-educated women over 30 as leftover to stigmatize women into returning home, getting married and having babies, Hong-Fincher said. The easing in 2016 of Chinas one-child policy, which now allows couples to have two children, has only put more pressure on women to raise families instead of working, Hong-Fincher said. In the more conservative countryside, women who suffer from domestic violence and sexual assault tend to blame themselves rather than speak out publicly, said Li Maizi, a womens rights activist who was detained in 2015 for handing out stickers protesting sexual harassment. Chinese leaders are trying to suppress feminist activism as a source of potential unrest, Li said, adding that even the term feminism has become politically sensitive. The global spread of the #MeToo campaign against sexual misconduct also presents a potential challenge to Chinese authorities wary of unrest. Beihang University in Beijing fired a prestigious scholar in January following accusations of sexual misconduct by multiple women, seeming to signal the start of the movement in China. Yet Chinese censors moved quickly to scrub from social media sites a petition by Gu Huaying, a former Peking University student, calling for anti-harassment policies. Despite the heavy censorship and ever-present risk of retaliation for speaking out, petitions continue to surface online from university professors and students at campuses across China. In response, the Education Ministry has said it will establish a mechanism for addressing sexual harassment. I am very hopeful. The fact that so many students feel so strongly is an indication that China is undergoing a kind of feminist awakening, Hong-Fincher said. This is a pretty stunning example of that coming to life in a very political way and that this kind of collective action can actually produce results. Yi-Ling Liu, Hong Kong, AP Individuals who spread false rumors during typhoons will face heavier penalties, the Secretary for Security, Wong Sio Chak, announced Friday on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of the new Judiciary Police (PJ) director, Sit Chong Meng. We are processing legislative works [on issues concerning typhoons and civil protection]. The final plan will be delivered to me today. Then I expect to apply to the Chief Executive to conduct this legislative plan next week, said Wong. Regarding whether he intends to monitor the publics phone calls during typhoons, Wong said, I never said we would monitor communications, and I will never say that in the future nor will I ever do it. What I said back then was that, regarding spreading rumors during typhoon days or disaster periods, if the corresponding behaviors resemble crimes in any form, we will apply heavier punishments. Wong added that this [plan] has been featured in the civil protection law. Our preliminary suggestion was to increase the punishment by one-third. He said the security force will put more effort into the delivery of official information during natural disasters. The Unitary Police has already purchased 60 pairs of walkie-talkies. We will deliver these to communities immediately [after disasters occur] so that their organizations can communicate straightaway and know the publics needs, said Wong. According to the Secretary for Security, the Fire Services has also installed loudspeakers on firefighting vehicles, which will be used to announce information when the media is inaccessible during natural disasters. We will install high-pitched speakers in CCTV surveillance systems, revealed Wong, adding that we have already installed some of these and currently we are installing others. This is to ensure order within society and to further ensure the publics life stability. Wong also discussed several other concerns regarding the security sector. The Secretary for Administration and Justice Sonia Chan recently said that any judiciary cases related to Chinas national security will not be tried by non-Chinese national judges. From the security sectors perspective, we agree with that consideration, said Wong, adding that according to my knowledge, it has never happened that Portuguese judges leaked judicial and confidential information. I believe that [establishing these laws] is not because of such things [non-Chinese judges leaking confidential information]. It is because national security cases involving Chinas national secrets reflect the interests of national security and sovereignty; it [does not mean] Portuguese judges are being doubted. Suspended lawmaker Sulu Sou said that he and his lawyer, Jorge Menezes, will consider taking one of their appeals to Macaus top court after the Second Instance Court decided it does not have the jurisdiction to hear the appeal. Sous defense claim that several irregularities leading up to the December 4 suspension vote at the Legislative Assembly violated the rules of procedure and fundamental rights of the appellant, and that this should annul the suspension. However, the Second Instance Court has refused to consider the appeal on the basis that it does not think it has the authority to rule on affairs of the legislature. Speaking to the Times last night, Sou said that the [Second Instance] Court did not decide whether my arguments were right or wrong. The court held the view that this was not a matter for the courts to decide. The court faced a difficult issue, one that will ultimately assist in drawing a constitutional line between two independent bodies, the Legislative Assembly and the courts. From the beginning we wanted the independent judicial system to understand what really happened [during the mandate suspension]. They are now aware, this is their decision and we will accept that. Sou said that he and his lawyer will now consider whether to appeal the decision at the Court of Final Instance. In an explanatory statement issued yesterday, the Second Instance Court argued that the deliberation leading to Sous mandate suspension did not qualify as an administrative act since it did not come from any organ of the administration. [] It was, instead, practiced by a legislative body with a political framework. The immunity which members may enjoy in order to prevent them from being tried for their acts is already a prerogative of a political nature, the court found. It was therefore an act beyond the control of the courts. While acknowledging its inability to rule on political acts, the Second Instance Court also argued that neither it nor any other court in the MSAR including the Court of Final Appeal possesses the legal competence to judge political acts of the Legislative Assembly plenary. Asked whether the opinion expressed by the Second Instance Court could be construed as a warning, Sou said yesterday that he would not be deterred from considering an appeal with Macaus top court. We know that an appeal to the Final Instance Court will delay the criminal case [and the possible return of the mandate], said Sou, but this case is too important to let go. He has previously argued that the unprecedented nature of the case means that its outcome may have a bearing on the future of Macaus political system. The young lawmaker is accused of civil disobedience in a lawsuit related to a protest last year against a controversial donation from the Macao Foundation to Jinan University. He was ousted in a secret ballot vote at the Legislative Assembly, with 28 legislators voting in favor and just four against. There were three reported cases of hypothermia in Macau between 4p.m. on Friday and Saturday, the Health Bureau said in a statement. All patients were males aged between 65 and 75 years old and were admitted at the Emergency Department of the public Conde de Sao Januario Hospital, where they remained for observation. One patient had a moderate state of hypothermia while the others had less serious conditions. According to information from the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau, temperatures in the region will remain low in the coming days. The bureau called on those responsible for care of the elderly and patients with chronic diseases to take preventative measures to protect these vulnerable groups. Three relatives admitted to hospital due to fever The Health Bureau (SSM) was notified last Saturday by Kiang Wu Hospital that three patients were admitted with symptoms of fever and respiratory tract infections. The three people, a child aged two and two adults aged 20 and 55 years old respectively all living in the same house were taken to the hospital by ambulance during Saturday afternoon, the SSM said. The child tested positive for Influenza B following laboratory tests. The 55-year-old patient presented with a cough lasting over a week and a low fever for over four days. Both of their clinical conditions were considered normal and they are progressing well towards recovery. The 20-year-old patient presented with a high fever for one day followed by faintness, and is now under observation while receiving hydration therapy in the emergency department. The SSM also noted that the three patients had traveled to the city of Zhongshan between January 25 and 29, claiming that they had no contact with birds but had not been vaccinated against seasonal influenza this year. EPM ranked best Portuguese school abroad The Macau Portuguese School (EPM) was ranked the best Portuguese school abroad in the Portuguese National secondary school exams and the 62nd best of all Portuguese schools, LUSA agency reported. The report is based on the ranking published by the Ministry of Education in Portugal, and includes the results of all Portuguese schools within and outside Portuguese territory. A total of eight schools located in Portuguese-speaking countries and regions were included in this ranking. The Portuguese School of Macau (with an average of 11.88 points out of 20), and two schools in Angola namely The Portuguese School of Luanda (11.64 points) and the College of St Francis of Assisi (11.41 points) are the only ones outside of Portuguese territory that achieved an overall average above 10 points. Chinas top legislator Zhang Dejiang urged Hong Kong to actively contribute to the national development strategy when participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. Hong Kong should give full play to its advantages in the process, build a diverse cooperation platform, and promote cultural exchanges, Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress, said Saturday at a forum. The central authority supports the participation of Hong Kong and Macau in the Belt and Road Initiative as part of opening up and joint development, Zhang said. The Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam said the region will better adapt to national development on the basis on the one country, two systems principle. Hong Kong will play a significant role in finance and investment, infrastructure and shipping, economic and trade cooperation, people-to-people ties, development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, and project interfacing and dispute settlement, Lam said. The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa based on ancient land and maritime trade routes. MDT/Xinhua U.S. airlines are asking shareholders to believe they can raise ticket prices while ramping up the supply of seats. To Wall Street, that sounds like a fairy tale. Six attempts at broad-based fare increases have failed in the last two months, most recently a bid last week by Delta Air Lines. Thats creating a confidence crisis for investors, who last week sent airlines to the biggest drop since 2015 when United Continental Holdings Inc. announced an aggressive expansion plan. The No. 3 U.S. carrier is hardly alone. Southwest Airlines Co., JetBlue Airways Corp. and Alaska Air Group Inc. are also planning to grow faster than the economy. The worry is that the only way to generate enough demand to fill the new seats is by cutting prices. And that risks triggering fresh fare wars just as profits are under pressure from rising fuel costs. Capacity is starting to increase faster than demand, said Samuel Engel, senior vice president at consultant ICF. At that point any one carrier starts to say, Id rather add capacity and try to steal share than support a fare increase across the industry. Its a competitive business, and one carriers attempt to raise fares can be anothers opportunity to win new customers with bargain prices. But one reason investors including Warren Buffett have bought airline shares is the expectation that after years of industry consolidation, carriers will be able to maintain steady profits, thanks in part to stronger pricing power. Delta and American Airlines Group Inc., the two biggest carriers, have slowed their expansion in recent years to let demand catch up with supply and make it easier to charge more for tickets. Theyre only boosting capacity 2.5 percent this year, roughly in line with growth expectations for gross domestic product, a barometer of travel demand. A slower seat expansion helped defuse fare wars that began in 2015 and flared up again last summer before subsiding later in the year. And with the improving economy, its possible airlines will still be able to boost passenger revenue for each seat flown a mile, a proxy for pricing power, despite all the capacity growth. But a fast-growing supply of seats will be a headwind for efforts to raise fares. United reignited concern last week with its plan to expand as much as 6 percent each year through 2020. JetBlue said it would boost 2018 capacity as much as 8.5 percent, Alaska Air has targeted 7.5 percent and Southwest will grow about 5 percent. Doug Parker, chief executive officer of American, said Jan. 25 that fares are too low for oil prices this high. Carriers will find a way to pass on the increase to consumers, he said, but it takes time. Theres generally a gap of at least three months between when fuel climbs and fare increases show up. Historically, airlines have dealt with rising fuel prices by paring back capacity, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said last month. Its too early for Delta to think about adjusting its growth plans, but the carrier will be prepared to act if fuel prices continue on this tear, he said. Carriers are right to be cautious about raising fares too quickly, said Rick Seaney, chief executive of 3 Victors, which tracks real-time air fare purchases. Theres a risk that when ticket prices increase enough to cover the cost of fuel, that can also discourage some travel. Of the 2 million passengers flying on a given day, 1 percent to 3 percent may not have taken that trip had the price been USD1 or $3 more, Seaney said. Each one of those passengers had a breaking point where they wouldnt have flown. One more dollar and you broke the camels back. Mary Schlangenstein, Michael Sasso, Bloomberg China on Friday criticized U.S. Congress members who nominated Hong Kongs 2014 pro-democracy protest movement and three of its most prominent student leaders for the Nobel Peace Prize. The 12 lawmakers, in a letter to the nominating committee in Oslo, said they were naming Joshua Wong, Nathan Law and Alex Chow and the Umbrella Movement for the prize in recognition of their peaceful efforts to bring political reform and self-determination to Hong Kong. In a statement Friday, the Foreign Ministry in Beijing urged the U.S. lawmakers to stop meddling in Hong Kong and Chinas internal affairs, saying the 2014 protests were downright illegal. The letter was signed by four Democrats and eight Republicans, including Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Christopher Smith, who lead the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. They said last year they intended to nominate the three. The three activists had prominent roles in the protest movement, in which tens of thousands of people blocked streets for 79 days. They were protesting Beijings decision to restrict elections for the semiautonomous Chinese citys leader by screening out candidates unfriendly to the countrys communist leaders. The protests ultimately fizzled out after Beijing refused to back down. The activists demonstrated civic courage, extraordinary leadership, and an unwavering commitment to a free and prosperous Hong Kong that upholds the rule of law, political freedoms and human rights, the Congress members wrote. Wong, 21, Law, 24 and Chow, 27, spent time in prison last year for convictions stemming from the protests, as part of what activists say are efforts by Hong Kongs Beijing-backed government to clamp down on dissent in the aftermath of the protests. The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced in December. AP NORTH KOREA yesterday slammed President Donald Trumps State of the Union address and said its nuclear capabilities would deter Trump and his lackeys from showing off on the Korean peninsula. VIETNAM A court in southern Vietnam has sentenced a doctor to four years in prison for writing and posting dozens of articles on social media that the court said tarnished the image of the countrys leaders and instigated people to boycott local elections. CAMBODIAs Cabinet has endorsed an amendment to the criminal code making insulting the king (pictured) a criminal offense punishable by a fine and up to five years in prison. INDONESIA Muslims in the conservative and semiautonomous Aceh province protested an investigation into local police who rounded up and publicly humiliated transgender women. RUSSIA Heavy snow and freezing rain have knocked down thousands of trees in the Russian capital and one person is reported to have been killed. SYRIA Turkey said eight of its troops were killed Saturday in Ankaras military operation against a Syrian Kurdish militia, the deadliest day in the two-week-old offensive in the enclave of Afrin, while in another part of Syria, al-Qaida-linked militants downed a Russian fighter jet, then shot and killed the pilot. CYPRUS Voters in Cyprus were choosing between a conservative incumbent and a left-leaning independent in a presidential runoff yesterday, hoping the winner can overcome skepticism about a deal to reunite the ethnically divided island nation. ITALY The extreme right-wing suspect in a shooting rampage that wounded six African migrants in Italy has demonstrated no remorse for his actions and was lucid and determined, aware of what he had done, an Italian law enforcement official said yesterday. BRAZIL President Michel Temer has said he hopes the country can eliminate a flagship social program that has lifted millions of families out of poverty in the last decade. ECUADOR President Lenin Moreno launched into a sermon on the weekend about why no political leader should be allowed to remain in office for years on end, urging voters to pass a referendum that would prohibit leaders from being re-elected more than once. MALDIVES The political crisis in the Maldives deepened yesterday, as the president of the island nation said the Supreme Court had overstepped its authority in ordering the release of a group of imprisoned opposition leaders. The government has declared a state of emergency for 15 days. VIETNAM A court in Vietnam gave a second life prison sentence yesterday to a former executive at Vietnams state oil giant accused of corruption and who Germany said was kidnapped from there by Vietnamese agents last year. INDONESIA Paramilitary police fatally shot a woman in what they said was a clash with stone-throwing villagers in the troubled Papua region, but a relative of the victim disputed their account of events. PAKISTANs prime minister has pledged his governments continued support for the struggle of the people of Kashmir. IRAQ American troops have started to draw down from Iraq following Baghdads declaration of victory over the Islamic State group last year, according to Western contractors at a U.S.-led coalition base in Iraq. ISRAEL-PALESTINE A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli man to death at a bus stop near a West Bank settlement yesterday before fleeing the scene, Israeli officials said. TURKEY says it has detained 573 people for criticizing its offensive in northern Syria since the operation began earlier this month. FRANCEs national weather agency Meteo France said yesterday about half the country is on alert for dangerous levels of snow and ice. Meanwhile, the French Alps and Pyrenees are under a lower-level alert for avalanches. COSTA RICA Two candidates with the same last name and opposing stances on gay marriage, an issue that came to dominate Costa Ricas presidential campaign, led election returns and appear headed to a runoff to decide who will be the Central American nations next leader. US-VENEZUELA Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the U.S. is still considering restricting the sale of oil from crisis-torn Venezuela. ECUADOR Citizens voted by a landslide to limit presidents to two terms in a nationwide referendum that delivered a blow to former President Rafael Correas hopes of returning to power. Steve Wynns secret USD7.5 million payment to a former employee involved a paternity claim against the casino mogul, according to people familiar with the situation. Wynn made the payment in 2005 because he didnt want the allegations to be a distraction for his company, said the people, who asked not be identified discussing private information. Wynn Resorts Ltd. had just opened the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas and was building one in Macau at the time. Theres no evidence Wynn fathered a child in the encounter. The settlement has become a key element of the controversy surrounding Steve Wynn, who was the subject of a Wall Street Journal expose on Jan. 26 that detailed various allegations of sexual harassment and coercion against the casino magnate. He has denied any wrongdoing. The paternity claim may help explain why Wynn, now 76, paid the former employee such a large sum, a question his ex-wifes lawyers and gaming regulators have had trouble answering because the terms of the settlement are private. A Wynn Resorts spokesman said neither the company nor Wynn himself would comment. Wynn paid the settlement out of his own pocket. The arrangement first came to light two years ago in a court filing by Wynns ex-wife Elaine. She is suing to regain control of her 9.4 percent stake in Wynn Resorts, which she previously granted to Steve Wynn. The Wall Street Journal said that the woman who received the settlement, a manicurist who worked at the Wynn Las Vegas resort, had told people she was pressured into having intercourse with him. The article included allegations from other women of sexual harassment by Steve Wynn stretching over decades. The idea that I ever assaulted any woman is preposterous, he said in a statement. The founder and chief executive officer of Wynn Resorts accused his ex-wife of orchestrating a media campaign against him, something Elaine Wynn has denied. The manicurist didnt respond to multiple attempts to reach her by phone, mail and third parties. Since the allegations were published, Wynn Resorts shares have lost more than 17 percent of their value. The companys board launched an independent investigation and regulators in Nevada, Macau and Massachusetts have said theyre also looking into the matter. The University of Pennsylvania and the University of Iowa have taken Steve Wynns name off a common area and an eye institute respectively. The settlement and the reason it wasnt previously disclosed will be part of the Massachusetts Gaming Commissions investigation, officials there said at a hearing Wednesday. Regulators could suspend or revoke Wynn Resorts license to operate in the state, jeopardizing the companys $2.4 billion casino under construction in the Boston area. Massachusetts officials said they were told by the company that its legal counsel did not believe the settlement required disclosure during the license vetting process. The people of Massachusetts have a right to know what the hell happened here, Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby said at the hearing. The settlement has become a focus of Elaine Wynn in her suit because her lawyers said it was connected to a report of sexual harassment and raises questions of reckless behavior at Wynn Resorts. Were getting bits and pieces of how this matter was addressed, Elaine Wynns attorney, Mark Ferrario, said at an October hearing in Las Vegas, adding later: Why was it handled different than every other type of claim like this within the company? Christopher Palmeri, Valerie Miller, Bloomberg February 5, 2018 10:23 The WHO European Region has the highest level of alcohol consumption in the world. However, the level of awareness of the link between alcohol consumption and increased risk of cancer remains low. World Cancer Day on 4 February 2018 is an opportunity to reinforce the important message that alcohol use is associated with an increased risk of cancer, and to call for the implementation of effective measures to reduce the overall use of alcohol. Established link between alcohol and 7 types of cancer It has been established that drinking alcohol can cause at least 7 types of cancer, those of the: bowel (colon and rectum) breast gullet (oesophagus) larynx liver mouth upper throat. The main carcinogenic component of alcohol is ethanol, which is contained in every type of alcoholic drink. Ethanol damages cells in a way that makes them more prone to becoming malignant. It also affects female hormones, stimulating cell proliferation and increasing the risk of breast cancer. When combining alcohol with smoking tobacco, the rate of tissue damage is multiplied and, as a result, the risk of cancer is increased. Reduced consumption, reduced risks The doseeffect relationship between alcohol and cancer is clear: the higher the alcohol consumption, the higher the risk of cancer. For example, a woman increases her risk of breast cancer by 50% when drinking 4 glasses of wines per day and by 130% when drinking 8 glasses per day. There is no identified lower threshold, meaning that even small amounts of alcohol increase the risk of cancer. However, the doseeffect relationship also holds true in reverse: any reduction in alcohol consumption reduces the risk of developing alcohol-linked cancer. Link often overlooked A study in the United Kingdom, published by the British Medical Journal in 2016, revealed that, unprompted, only 13% of respondents identified cancer as a potential health outcome of alcohol consumption. Knowledge of the link between alcohol and specific cancers ranged from 18% for breast cancer to 80% for liver cancer, demonstrating a lack of knowledge in the general population. And yet, cancer accounts for 12% of all alcohol-attributable deaths in the Region. Effective measures and policies needed Effective measures and policies exist to reduce harms from alcohol and improve population health. The European Action Plan to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol 20122020 outlines a range of evidence-based policy options. Three of the most cost-effective policy areas (the best-buys) are: increasing price via taxation restricting access to retail alcohol imposing a ban on alcohol advertising. Another important policy option, relevant in terms of reinforcing the health system response, is the implementation of brief intervention programmes in primary care settings for individuals with hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption. Screening and brief interventions (SBIs), as they are known, for alcohol are an evidence-informed approach to addressing the needs of the many patients presenting in primary care who may benefit from reducing their alcohol consumption. In 2017, the WHO Regional Office for Europe published a training manual for SBIs, designed to equip health-care professionals with adequate skills in supporting patients to change their drinking behaviour. Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter Credit: CC0 Public Domain Based on a detailed statistical analysis of multiple datasets, the Flint Area Community Health and Environment Partnership (FACHEP) research team found that the majority of Legionnaires' disease cases that occurred during the 2014-15 outbreak in Genesee County, Michigan, can be attributed to the change in of the City of Flint's drinking water supply to the Flint River. The researchers also found that the specific strain of Legionella isolated from Flint residences as part of FACHEP's sampling in 2016 is not readily detected by common diagnostic tests for Legionella. These conclusions are part of two peer-reviewed scientific reports authored by FACHEP and recently published in the academic journals Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS) and mBio. The researchers conducted an exhaustive analysis of data on Legionnaires' cases in Genesee, Wayne and Oakland Counties from 2011 to 2016. FACHEP researchers determined that in 2014-15 there was an increase in the risk of acquiring Legionnaires' disease across the Flint water distribution system that is consistent with a systemwide proliferation of Legionella bacteria. An estimated 80 percent of Legionnaires' cases during this period are attributable to the change in water supply, according to the article in PNAS. "During the period when their water was supplied from the Flint River, Flint residents were seven times more likely to develop Legionnaires' disease," said lead author Sammy Zahran, professor of economics at Colorado State University. "After public announcements urging residents to boil their water, there was a lower risk of developing the disease, likely because people avoided using their water." Data indicate that the Legionnaires' outbreak at a local hospital alone could not account for the increase in Legionnaires' disease cases that occurred in Flint during the water crisis. "Our study shows that during the water crisis, the risk of a Flint resident having Legionnaires' disease increased as the amount of free chlorine in their water decreased," said Shawn McElmurry, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Wayne State University and the FACHEP principal investigator. "Since municipalities typically evaluate the risk of waterborne illnesses by measuring free chlorine, a better understanding of how chlorine is deactivated can inform future water management policies and practices." Chlorine is a chemical that is routinely added to drinking water to kill microbes. During the water crisis, the likelihood of Legionnaires' disease occurring in communities adjacent to Flint also increased, probably due to the number of people who commuted into Flint. The analysis also suggested that chlorine residual levels recommended by regulatory agencies (0.2 or 0.5 parts per million) may not be sufficient to protect communities from Legionella pneumophila exposure when water quality conditions are such that they support strong Legionella pneumophila growth. These were the conditions in Flint during and immediately after the water change. After the city returned to the Lake Huron water source supplied by the Great Lakes Water Authority, the risk of a Flint neighborhood presenting with Legionnaires' disease retreated to historically normal levels. From a random sampling of water from approximately 130 Flint households in fall 2016, after return to the Lake Huron water source, Legionella bacteria were isolated from 12 percent of homes surveyed. This frequency was similar to findings from residences in neighboring areas. While Legionnaires' disease is typically associated with Legionella pneumophila strains classified as "serogroup 1," the majority (16 out of 18) of strains isolated from Flint residences were closely related serogroup 6 Legionella pneumophila strains, according to the article published in mBio. In the United States and Europe, more than 90 percent of Legionnaires' disease cases are diagnosed using a urine test that readily detects serogroup 1, but not serogroup 6 or other serogroups of Legionella bacteria. "In laboratory tests of disease risk, the serogroup 6 strain isolated from Flint and Detroit homes resembled the serogroup 1 bacteria obtained from Legionnaires' disease patients in Southeast Michigan," said Michele Swanson, professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Michigan Medical School and senior author of the mBio article. The strains obtained from Flint and Detroit residences are similar to bacteria isolated from Legionnaires' disease patients in other countries, as judged by their genetic fingerprint. One Legionella pneumophila strain isolated from a Flint residence is genetically similar to the serogroup 1 bacteria obtained from Legionnaires' disease patients in Southeast Michigan. Whether this small group of patients became ill after inhaling contaminated water in a Flint home can be assessed by more detailed analysis. The study did not determine whether serogroup 6 Legionella pneumophila contributed to pneumonia of unknown origin in Southeast Michigan. Other studies have found that serogroup 6 can cause Legionnaires' disease. Swanson said that more research is needed. "To evaluate risk, we need to know whether serogroup 6 Legionella pneumophila survive as well as serogroup 1 bacteria do in water aerosols, since that's how people inhale this bacterium," she said. "Whether the treated Flint River water altered the virulence or resilience of Legionella pneumophila is another key question we need to examine." McElmurry noted that the investigation was challenging. "These are very complicated questions, and we are working with a very talented team of investigators including epidemiologists, infectious disease specialists, microbiologists, water engineers, social-behavioral scientists and statisticians to understand what happened in Flint," he said. "Most important was the assistance of residents who worked directly with us on this challenging problem." The peer review process for research published in academic journals helps verify that the methods and conclusions have been evaluated by experts in the field and meets rigorous standards for accuracy. Research and the peer review process take time. "While we have been anxious to share these results as soon as possible we thought it was also important that our research was subjected to the highest level of independent review," said McElmurry. "Peer review allows us to demonstrate that our work is independent and free of any external influence." Dr. Lawrence Reynolds, a Flint area pediatrician and member of Governor Snyder's Flint Water Advisory Task Force and the Flint Water Interagency Coordinating Committee, noted that the FACHEP group engaged the community in its research efforts. "This abandonment of basic human and civil rights by those who once had the public trust led to water quality, safety and access issues that endangered the public health. In the midst of this maelstrom, a group of engineers along with medical, public health and social scientists assembled a research team to pursue answers to problems that others would rather leave unexamined. The authors of these papers from several universities and members of the research team - which included community members in meaningful roles - affirmed the higher purpose of science - to expand knowledge and serve the common good. As this FACHEP team developed, the key underpinning was the attention to clear, honest communication and careful listening to disenfranchised, marginalized Flint residents." FACHEP is a consortium led by Wayne State University that includes the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Kettering University, Colorado State University and the Henry Ford Health System. The FACHEP team collected water samples from 357 randomly selected homes in Flint including 136 homes in 2016 and 221 homes in 2017. It also collected samples from 268 randomly selected homes in Genesee County, including 51 homes tested in 2016 and 217 homes tested in 2017, and 141 randomly selected homes in Wayne County. Samples collected in Genesee County, outside of Flint, and in Wayne County will serve as comparisons to Flint samples to better understand water quality in Flint. Explore further Researchers move forward on study on Flint water, health Credit: Nat Sakunworarat/public domain For decades many people have claimed meditation can change how we behave towards others and make us more compassionate. But now new research has suggested meditation's role in making individuals better people is limited. The study by scientists at Coventry University in the UK, Massey University in New Zealand, and Radboud University in the Netherlands, reviewed more than 20 studies that investigated the effect of various types of meditation, such as mindfulness and loving-kindness, on pro-social feelings and behaviours. Initial analysis indicated that meditation did have an overall positive impact. The researchers said meditation made people feel moderately more compassionate or empathic, compared to if they had done no other new emotionally-engaging activity. However further analysis revealed that it played no significant role in reducing aggression or prejudice or improving how socially-connected someone was. The most unexpected result of this study, though, was that the more positive results found for compassion had important methodological flawscompassion levels in some studies only increased if the meditation teacher was also an author of the published report. Overall, these results suggest that the moderate improvements reported by psychologists in previous studies may be the result of methodological weaknesses and biases, said the researchers. Their researchpublished today in Scientific Reportsonly included randomised controlled studies, where meditators were compared to other individuals that did not meditate. All these studies used secular meditation techniques derived from Buddhism, such as mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation, but not other related activities, like yoga or Tai-Chi. Dr. Miguel Farias, from Coventry University's Centre for Advances in Behavioural Science, said: "The popularisation of meditation techniques, like mindfulness, despite being taught without religious beliefs, still seem to offer the hope of a better self and a better world to many. We wanted to investigate how powerful these techniques were in affecting one's feelings and behaviours towards others. "Despite the high hopes of practitioners and past studies, our research found that methodological shortcomings greatly influenced the results we found. Most of the initial positive results disappeared when the meditation groups were compared to other groups that engaged in tasks unrelated to meditation. We also found that the beneficial effect of meditation on compassion disappeared if the meditation teacher was an author in the studies. This reveals that the researchers might have unintentionally biased their results. "None of this, of course, invalidates Buddhism or other religions' claims about the moral value and eventually life changing potential of its beliefs and practices. But our research findings are a far cry from many popular claims made by meditators and some psychologists. "To understand the true impact of meditation on people's feelings and behaviour further we first need to address the methodological weaknesses we uncoveredstarting with the high expectations researchers might have about the power of meditation." Explore further Meditation might be useful addition to heart-healthy lifestyle and medical treatment More information: Ute Kreplin et al, The limited prosocial effects of meditation: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Scientific Reports (2018). Journal information: Scientific Reports Ute Kreplin et al, The limited prosocial effects of meditation: A systematic review and meta-analysis,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20299-z (HealthDay)It looks like public health efforts to warn younger Americans about the dangers of tanning beds and sun exposure are paying off. Rates of the deadly skin cancer known as melanoma have dropped among Americans aged 15 to 44, a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows. Unfortunately, baby boomers who baked themselves in baby oil during their youth are now paying the price as they age, with more than 70 percent of melanoma cases now being diagnosed in those over 55. Dr. Doris Day, a dermatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said the warnings about the dangers of ultraviolet (UV) ray exposure are working. "The study shows that melanoma is decreasing slightly among younger adults, which is an indication that our efforts to ban indoor tanning among minors, and educate children and teens about the dangers of sunburns and tanning is having an impact," she said. If this trend continues, then cases of melanoma should eventually decline in all age groups, Day added. "I would hope and expect that as this data is collected over decades, we will also see the older population have a corresponding decrease in melanoma rates as we see their exposure to UV rays decrease in their early years," she said. Melanoma is the third most common type of skin cancer, said the study's lead researcher, Dawn Holman, a behavioral scientist in the CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. Each year, more than 70,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with it, and more than 9,000 die from it, the report noted. "Melanoma is often caused by overexposure to UV rays from the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds," Holman said. The steady increase in melanoma rates among older adults indicates a need to continue promoting sun safety throughout adulthood, she added. But, "the slight decrease in melanoma rates among younger adults is good news and may be related to a decrease in UV exposure among younger age groups," Holman explained. For the study, the investigators used data from the CDC's National Program of Cancer Registries and the U.S. National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program. The researchers found that the rate of melanoma increased significantly between January 2005 and December 2014 among all white adults. However, when broken down by age groups, melanoma rates decreased among whites aged 15 to 44, Holman said. "We observed similar patterns when examining trends among men and women separately," she added. Specifically, melanoma rates among white men ranged from 2 per 100,000 among those aged 15 to 24, to nearly 200 per 100,000 among those older than 85. Among white women, rates ranged from nearly 5 per 100,000 among those 15 to 24, to nearly 61 per 100,000 among those older than 85, the researchers found. People of all ages can benefit from protecting their skin, Holman said. "Plan ahead and make sun protection part of your routine. When spending time outdoors, wear protective clothing, apply sunscreen on exposed skin and seek shade, especially during midday when the sun is most intense," she suggested. This combined approach works better than relying on sunscreen alone, she added. Moreover, people should avoid sunbathing and indoor tanning altogether. "Simply put, tanning your skin is damaging your skin," Holman said. The report was published online Jan. 31 in the journal JAMA Dermatology. Explore further Women younger than 40 at melanoma diagnosis indoor tanned earlier, more More information: Dawn Holman, M.P.H., behavioral scientist, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Doris Day, M.D., dermatologist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; Jan. 31, 2018, JAMA Dermatology, online Dawn Holman, M.P.H., behavioral scientist, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Doris Day, M.D., dermatologist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; Jan. 31, 2018,, online For more on melanoma, visit the American Cancer Society. Journal information: JAMA Dermatology Copyright 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. A Skoltech-led team of scientists has peered into the brains of humans, macaques and chimpanzees to discover surprising similarities. In particular, they focused on alternative splicing during various stages of brain development in these three species. The study also provides some interesting insights into the role played by alternative splicing in the context of human evolution. In conducting their study, the scientists focused on alternative splicing, one of the most mysterious processes that occurs in cells. It is the process by which one gene product can be combined in different ways, causing variability in the matrix RNA molecule that codes proteins. Due to this event, one gene is able to produce different types of RNA molecules and different types of proteins, respectively. It is believed that alternative splicing events take place with 95 percent of our genes, and in some cases, it results in alternative proteins. Previous studies have shown changes in alternative splicing both during normal development and as a consequence of disease. And these changes play an important role in the overall functioning of an organism. Other studies have shown that alternative splicing changes rapidly during evolution. If we compare alternative splicing in different tissues of the same organism and in the same tissue in different organisms, then the differences in the first case, oddly enough, will be less. These two observations raise a new and interesting question: Can alternative splicing carry out important functions if it evolves so quickly? Scientists generally accept the fact that the mechanisms responsible for the most important processes in our body evolve very slowly and extremely conservatively over the course of millions of yearsthey are too important to change. In their latest study, researchers from Skoltech and the University of Shanghai analyzed alternative splicing on a batch of 168 brain samples from humans, chimpanzees and rhesus macaques. The prefrontal cortex was the focus of their study. The most mysterious part of the brain cortex, the prefrontal cortex is responsible for complex mental activities such as making decisions and drawing up action plans. The team was interested in how alternative splicing events change during individual development. Was the choice of an alternative variant of a particular protein responsible for the differences between humans and monkeys? It turned out that the differences in splicing between individual species were much greater than the differences between different stages of development. However, although changes in the course of development do not occur very often, they are highly conservative in all three studied species. The scientists discovered mutations that explain the majority of strong interspecific splicing differences, and identify more than 20 proteins that regulate age-related changes. Notably, despite the high conservatism of alternative splicing demonstrated by scientists, humans have more age-related changes in alternative splicing than other primates Professor Mikhail Gelfand says, "It is well known that humans, in comparison with other primates, are born prematurely. It can be assumed that the human-specific variants that we observe characterize the earlier stages in brain formation and contribute to the brain plasticity that is characteristic of man." Skoltech research scientist Pavel Mazin, the study's lead author, said, "Alternative splicing is considered a very important mechanism, which plays a key role in the development of the nervous system. We were wondering how much it could differ between species, as was shown in earlier studies? It seems that in fact an important part of splicing does not change as fast as we previously thought." The results of the study have been published in the Journal RNA. Explore further Scientists discover BCAS2 involved in alternative mRNA splicing in spermatogonia and the transit to meiosis More information: Mazin, P. V., Jiang, X., Fu, N., Han, D., Guo, M., Gelfand, M. S., & Khaitovich, P. (2018). Conservation, evolution, and regulation of splicing during prefrontal cortex development in humans, chimpanzees and macaques. Rna. DOI: 10.1261/rna.064931.117 Mazin, P. V., Jiang, X., Fu, N., Han, D., Guo, M., Gelfand, M. S., & Khaitovich, P. (2018). Conservation, evolution, and regulation of splicing during prefrontal cortex development in humans, chimpanzees and macaques. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Millions of unapproved antibiotics are being sold in India, according to a new study by researchers at Queen Mary University of London and Newcastle University. The research, published today in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, found that multinational companies continued to manufacture many unapproved formulations, despite pledging to tackle rising antimicrobial resistance. These findings highlight serious hurdles for controlling antimicrobial resistance in India, which has among the highest antibiotic consumption rates and sales in the world, and has had parliamentary investigations into failures of the country's drug regulatory system. The researchers examined figures for fixed dose combination (FDC) antibiotics (formulations composed of two or more drugs in a single pill) and single drug formulation (SDF) antibiotics (composed of a single drug) on the market in India. Of 118 different formulations of FDCs being sold in India between 2007 and 2012, the team found that 64 per cent (75) were not approved by the national drugs regulator, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), even though the sale of unapproved new medicines is illegal in India. Only five of the formulations were approved in the UK or US. The 118 FDC formulations gave rise to over 3300 brand-named products made by almost 500 pharmaceutical manufacturers, including multinational companies. By 2011-12, FDCs made up a third of total antibiotic sales in India, yet 34.5 per cent of these sales (comprising 300 million Units) were unapproved formulations. Many of the FDCs combined two antimicrobials, often poorly chosen and likely to exacerbate resistance problems. The study also found that multinational companies manufactured nearly 20 per cent of the FDCs and SDFs sold. Twenty FDC formulations manufactured by multinational companies had no record of CDSCO approval, and only four of the fifty three FDC formulations made in India by multinational companies had UK or US regulatory approval. In contrast, 94 per cent of multinational companies' single drug formulations were CDSCO-approved, and over 70 per cent had UK or US regulatory approval. Lead author Dr Patricia McGettigan from Queen Mary said: "Selling unapproved, unscrutinised antibiotics undermines measures in India to control antimicrobial resistance. Multinational companies should explain the sale of products in India that did not have the approval of their own national regulators and, in many cases, did not even have the approval of the Indian regulator." The researchers argue that changes needed to achieve the World Health Organization's (WHO) vision of good use of antibiotics include banning the sale of unapproved FDC antibiotics and enforcing existing regulations to prevent unapproved and illegal drugs reaching the market. Improved access to health care to reduce non-prescription sales is also needed, alongside research to understand why doctors complicate problems by prescribing unapproved antibiotics. Professor Allyson Pollock, Director of the Institute of Health and Society at Newcastle University, said: "Limiting antimicrobial resistance is a strategic goal of the WHO and countries worldwide - governments and regulators must take all necessary steps to prevent the production and sale of illegal and unapproved medicines and scrutinise the actions of multinational companies." Explore further Tackling the rising sale of unapproved antibiotics in India More information: Patricia McGettigan et al, Threats to global antimicrobial resistance control Centrally approved and unapproved antibiotic formulations sold in India, British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (2018). Journal information: British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Patricia McGettigan et al, Threats to global antimicrobial resistance control Centrally approved and unapproved antibiotic formulations sold in India,(2018). DOI: 10.1111/bcp.13503 New research published today in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, suggests the effectiveness of large-scale distribution of medication (known as Mass Drug Administration or MDA) to treat lymphatic filariasis (LF) in urban areas needs to be re-examined. The researchers from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), Sightsavers, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research at the University of Ghana, the Ghana Health Service, and the Ministries of Health of Burkina Faso and Cote d'Ivoire, have found that MDA for lymphatic filariasis, whilst highly successful in rural areas, is often challenging and costly to carry out in urban centres. LF is transmitted to people via mosquito bite and is often categorised by the severe enlargement of body parts, causing pain, disability and stigma. It is one of a group of preventable and treatable conditions known as neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). 120 million people worldwide are infected with LF, classifying it as the world's leading cause of physical disability. Currently, LF treatment programmes in both rural and urban areas, focus on the distribution of preventive drugs to people irrespective of their infection status. However the new research indicates that MDA in urban centres is more expensive and presents particular challenges. As a result, it is difficult to achieve the standard of reaching 65% of the population with medication consistentlythe coverage required to achieve elimination of LF transmission. This therefore poses a key challenge to the global goal of eliminating LF as public health problem by 2020. Professor David Molyneux, a co-author of the research from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, said: "This paper has policy implications for lymphatic filariasis programmes and raises questions about the need for mass drug distribution given the evidence that transmission is limited in urban settings in West Africa. The problems faced by the filariasis community in addressing these challenges reflects a wider problem of how to tackle urban neglected tropical diseases given the increased rate of rural- urban migration, resource limitations and population heterogeneity." The research calls for more detailed studies into the effectiveness of MDA in densely populated towns and cities in Africa. It also argues that greater focus needs to be placed on vector control to minimise the risk of contracting LF from mosquito bites such as: long-lasting insecticidal nets, mosquito repellents and improved housing structures in African cities. Simon Bush, a co-author from Sightsavers, said: "The research published today illustrates that we must continue to analyse our approach to treating neglected tropical diseases. Bringing together experts to review the issues identified, along with the resulting consequences for national programmes, is essential." Explore further The importance of heterogeneity on the management of vector borne diseases More information: Benjamin G Koudou et al. Elimination of lymphatic filariasis in west African urban areas: is implementation of mass drug administration necessary?, The Lancet Infectious Diseases (2018). Journal information: Lancet Infectious Diseases Benjamin G Koudou et al. Elimination of lymphatic filariasis in west African urban areas: is implementation of mass drug administration necessary?,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(18)30069-0 Using robotics, Phil Berman's lab at UC Santa Cruz was able to automate the process of screening tens of thousands of cells to find cell lines that produce large amounts of the desired protein for an HIV vaccine. Credit: Phil Berman, UCSC Research on HIV over the past decade has led to many promising ideas for vaccines to prevent infection by the AIDS virus, but very few candidate vaccines have been tested in clinical trials. One reason for this is the technical difficulty of manufacturing vaccines based on the envelope proteins of the virus, according to Phil Berman, who led development of a major component of the only vaccine to have shown any efficacy against HIV in a clinical trial. Berman, the Baskin Professor of Biomolecular Engineering at UC Santa Cruz, has now developed new methods for the production of HIV vaccines. His approach solves major technical problems which have bedeviled the field. Berman described the new methods, and the candidate vaccines his lab has produced, in a talk at a conference on HIV vaccines held last week in Canada ("Emerging Technologies in Vaccine Discovery and Development," a joint meeting with "Progress and Pathways Toward an Effective HIV Vaccine," January 28 to February 1 in Banff, Alberta, part of the Keystone Symposia Global Health Series). "Dozens of interesting vaccine candidates have been described, but most have not been tested in humans because it has not previously been possible to manufacture them affordably and in a timely fashion," Berman said. "The technology we developed should break the logjam in HIV vaccine development, because it tremendously shortens the time, improves the yield, and lowers the cost." Berman's lab was able to use robotics to shorten the time required to produce stable cell lines, needed to make the proteins for a vaccine, while at the same time greatly increasing how much of the protein the cell lines can produce. The improved yield makes it possible to reduce the size of the bioreactor needed to make vaccine for large clinical trialsfrom 200- to 10,000-liter vessels to 50- or 100-liter vesselsresulting in tremendous savings in the equipment required and cost of materials. In addition, Berman's lab was able to create cell lines that make HIV envelope proteins with the right kind of carbohydrate components (called glycans) needed for an effective immune response. "The carbohydrates attached to the protein are really important, something no one realized until recently," Berman said. "The conventional way of making these envelope protein vaccines incorporated the wrong kind of carbohydrates. We now know that destroyed many of the important antigenic sites recognized by protective antibodies." Cell lines derived from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are the industry standard used to produce complex recombinant proteins for therapeutic use. These cells are also useful for the production of HIV vaccines. The gene for the desired protein is transferred into CHO cells in a process called transfection, and tens of thousands of transfected cells are screened to find the few rare cells that produce large amounts of the protein. The best cell lines are grown in large batches, in a process similar to yeast fermentation for making beer, and the proteins are then isolated and purified. Berman's lab developed a new robotic method to isolate high-producing cell lines making HIV envelope proteins. This shortened the time required to produce stable cell lines from 18 to 24 months to just 2 or 3 months, while increasing yields by a factor of 100 to 200. Those improvements are in comparison with Berman's previous experience creating the AIDSVAX vaccine, first at Genentech and then at VaxGen. Fluorescent antibodies were used to label the HIV gp120 protein and identify high-producing cell lines. Credit: Phil Berman, UCSC AIDSVAX was one component of an experimental vaccine regimen used in a large-scale clinical trial known as RV144, which showed 31 percent efficacy in preventing new HIV infections. The RV144 results showed that protection was correlated with antibodies to a certain segment of an HIV envelope protein called gp120. Other research, however, revealed that many of the most potent antibodies (broadly neutralizing antibodies capable of neutralizing many different strains of HIV) actually recognize the carbohydrate components (glycans) attached to gp120. "We realized that the original AIDSVAX vaccine had the completely wrong type of carbohydrate, and that we might improve the level of protection if we could find a way to make it with the proper type of carbohydrate," Berman said. So he and graduate student Gabriel Byrne set out to create a cell line that can produce the unusual glycans found on HIV envelope proteins rather than the complex glycans CHO cells normally produce. This was made possible by the powerful new gene editing technology known as CRISPR/Cas9. Berman's lab used CRISPR to create a new cell line they called MGAT CHO, which produces proteins lacking complex glycans containing sialic acid and enriched for the simple "high mannose" type found on HIV envelope proteins. An unexpected benefit of this new cell line was that it enabled a simpler, less expensive process for recovering and purifying the proteins. "People used to think carbohydrates are not immunogenic, but HIV turns everything on its head, and it turns out that the most important antibodies are directed to this unusual carbohydrate," Berman said. "We can now make vaccines with it for the first time, and we've created an improved version of the vaccine used in the RV144 trial. Our hope is that it will bring the efficacy up from 31 percent to greater than 50 percent, the level likely required for product registration." Berman's lab currently has two cell lines he said are ready to start producing vaccines on a large scale. He is now looking for partners and funding to bring them into clinical trials. One vaccine is an improved version of AIDSVAX that incorporates the right kind of glycans. The other is made from a strain of the virus called Clade C that is widespread in Southern Africa and India and accounts for the majority of new HIV infections worldwide. Researchers have continued to use the AIDSVAX vaccine in clinical studies because it has been so hard to make new HIV vaccines, Berman said, noting that there have been 14 such studies since the RV144 results were released in 2009. "They're still using that same old vaccine we made in the early 1990s. Although the stability and safety of the product is testament to the quality of the vaccine we made, new vaccines are required that take advantage of all that we have learned since that time," he said. "It just emphasizes the need to find a more efficient way to make an HIV vaccine." In addition to Berman's talk, several other members of his lab presented details of their methods and findings at the conference. Berman said they expect to publish their findings in several papers later this year. This research was funded by major grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. Explore further Persistence yields progress in AIDS vaccine research The Texas Rangers and free agent pitcher Bartolo Colon are in agreement on a minor league deal according to Executive Vice President of Communications for the team, John Blake. Colon, 45 in May, spent 2017 with the Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Twins, registering a 7-14 record with a 6.48 ERA and -2.2 WAR in 143.0 innings pitched. The right-hander played with the Mets from 2014-16 and logged a 44-34 record. His name had been connected to New York at various points throughout the offseason, though general manager Sandy Alderson all but dismissed a reunion with the fan favorite. Colon is behind just Juan Marichal for the winningest all-time pitcher hailing from the Dominican Republic. He needs just four more wins to leapfrog Marichal. Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com was first to report the two sides were closing in on a deal. He will earn a $1.75 million base salary should he make the big league roster, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. Careers24 is one of South Africas top recruitment websites, with 680,000 job searches performed on the platform last year. While the number of applications went down from over 650,000 in 2016 to just under 560,000 in 2017, better economic conditions in 2018 should turn this trend around. One of the fields which can expect strong growth this year is IT and engineering, which is already the biggest sector on Careers24. Shaun Clarke, brand manager of Careers24, told MyBroadband that IT and engineering fields are always strong performers in terms of consistent demand. Drilling down into the recruitment trends reveals a shortage of software developers in South Africa. In 2017, software developers, .NET developers, IT project managers, QA analysts, system administrators, and Java developers were in great demand. Clarke said most IT jobs have been in high demand in recent years, and they expect this trend to continue. Various engineering disciplines are also highly sought after, such as telecommunications engineers and software engineers. Demand in 2018 Clarke said he also expects to see increased demand for the following roles in 2018: Business intelligence analyst Data scientist Database developer Network administrator Data security administrator System administrator Help desk or support desk technician Network systems and data communications analyst Biochemists and biophysicists For those looking for a high salary, Clarke listed three jobs which he expects to pay high salaries in South Africa this year: Mobile application developers Data scientists Senior developers with experience Now read: Average salaries of IT jobs in South Africa Sony has experienced excellent growth in South Africa and is set to continue this trend with new mid-range phones launching in April. This is according to Sony Mobiles country manager in South Africa, Christian Haghofer. The bestselling smartphone for 2017 was the Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra in the post-paid market, while the Sony Xperia L1 was the top performer in the prepaid market. New smartphones South Africans can look forward to a new range of smartphones from Sony in April, which include the Xperia XA2, the Xperia XA2 Ultra, and Xperia L2. Commenting on the trends in the smartphone market, he believes there will be a great focus on cameras in 2018. High-end cameras are tipped to become the norm for many flagship phones, said Haghofer. He also predicts that artificial intelligence, design, and display technology will be key highlights in the smartphone market this year. Now read: Sony planning a whole range of robots Russia continues to upgrade heavy nuclear cruisers the Admiral Nakhimov and the Petr Veliky of project 1144 to the 11442M level. They will become operational in the 2020s, the Izvestia daily reported. The Russian Northern Fleets missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky (Kirov-class) on its way to St. Petersburg. Finnish Navy picture. Orlan-class cruisers of project 1144 are a symbol of the Soviet Navy and a good example of protracted design and specification of technical projects. The design of the warships began at the threshold of 1950-60s and the lead cruiser was laid in 1973 and commissioned only in December 1980. The idea to create a big antisubmarine warfare ship with a nuclear reactor and a displacement of 8000 tons initially broke into two guidelines (nuclear antisubmarine cruiser and nuclear cruiser with antiship weapons) but later merged. The resulting multirole warship with a displacement of over 25 thousand tons which the West still calls a battleship developed into an arsenal of the latest weapons and radio-electronic warfare means while its construction sophistication and costs grew. The USSR was capable of producing only three cruisers, the lead Kirov (1980), the Frunze (1984) and the Kalinin (1988). Russia inherited the uncompleted Yuri Andropov which it handed over to the navy in 1998 under the name of the Petr Veliky. The remaining cruisers were renamed into the Admiral Ushakov (in 2004 the name was dropped and the warship renamed nameless with onboard number 090), the Admiral Lazarev and the Admiral Nakhimov. Project 11442 heavy nuclear-powered cruiser Admiral Nakhimov is being upgraded to the Project 11442M configuration. 2017 picture. The basic weapons were 20 inclined launchers of antiship Granit missiles with a range of 600 km. Antiaircraft weapons included long-range S-300F Fort and self-defense Osa-M (on the first three cruisers). The Petr Veliky has S-300FM Fort-M instead of S-300F while Osa was replaced by the modern Kinzhal. 30mm AK-630 machineguns on the Kalinin and the Petr were replaced by six antiaircraft close-range Kortik missile-artillery arms. Antisubmarine and radio-electronic weapons changed from one ship to another. The idea to upgrade project 1144 cruisers has been discussed for long but appropriations were provided only by the state arms program for 2011-2020. The first was the Admiral Nakhimov (former Kalinin) which in 1999 docked at Sevmash shipyard in Severomorsk for repairs and modernization. It was only in 2013 that the Defense Ministry paid Sevmash for fault detection, repairs and upgrade of the cruiser. In the autumn of the next year the warship was taken to the pool in Severodvinsk for inspection. Initially it was planned to return the cruiser to the navy in 2018 but the deadline was moved to 2021. The project includes complete rearmament and the Granit will be dropped. In September 2013 then Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Viktor Chirkov said the cruiser would receive up to eighty various missiles. It could mean that the Nakhimov would get ten modules for universal 3S-14 complex with eight cells. It can fire long-range 3M-14 cruise missiles, antiship Onix 3M-55 and 3M-54 and antisubmarine missiles. Media reports said it may be armed with hypersonic Tsirkon cruise missiles which are currently undergoing trials. Antiaircraft weapons will include upgraded S-300FM Fort-M similar to the one on the Petr Veliky. The Kortik is likely to be replaced by new Pantsyr-M. Poliment-Redut will also be provided although its installation on the lead Admiral Gorshkov frigate of project 22350 has not been completed so far. The Petr Veliky will be upgraded in the same way with minor changes in the weapons composition and radio-electronic warfare means. The fate of the Admiral Lazarev (the Frunze) which has been laying up in the Pacific fleet since 1999 is unclear so far. The warship underwent dock maintenance in 2014 "to ensure subdivision at berth". Most likely the fate of the third cruiser will be decided after the upgrade of the Nakhimov is completed and the primary analysis of the Lazarev is made. There has been no official answer so far but it is likely to be negative. Everything is clear with the fourth warship which is the lead Kirov. It has not been at sea since 1991 (except for towing to Severodvinsk in 1999) and is in a major plight. In 2015 a utilization tender was held and the withdrawal of spent nuclear fuel had to begin. Admiral Nakhimov heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser (TARKR) currently under refit at Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk. 2016 Picture: Sevmash shipyard via militaryrussia.ru The true cost of the Nakhimov upgrade is unknown, but is definitely high. In 2012 Anatoly Shlemov who was in charge of the defense procurement department of the United Shipbuilding Corporation estimated it at 30 bln rubles and 50 bln with new armaments. At that time the estimated construction cost of project 20380 corvette comprised 10 bln rubles, project 11356 frigate - 13 billion, and project 22350 frigate - 18 billion. These are estimated costs announced before the contract was signed and defect analysis done to determine the real state of the hull, warship systems and cables. Besides, shipbuilding prices began to rapidly rise after 2014-2015 and the cost of some projects upped 60-70 percent. Thus, the rough 80-90 bln ruble estimate of the Nakhimov modernization does not look excessive. The expensive project causes criticism of experts. The money for the Nakhimov and the Petr can build 5-6 new frigates or a dozen of corvettes. Besides, the navy has a similar project of the same heavy category which it cannot launch so far. Scale model showing the Project 23560E "Shkval-class" Destroyer (export variant of Leader-class) at Army 2016 exhibition. Twelve ships of the 10,000t "Leader class" are planned to enter service from 2023-25, split between the Northern and Pacific Fleets. They will all be nuclear powered. They will be fitted with the ABM-capable S-500 SAM and Kalibr (SS-N-27) cruise missile. The Russian Navy is called to build the Leader-class project 23560 destroyer or actually a new missile cruiser. There were several options with a displacement of 10-15 thousand tons. Initially two options were proposed: nuclear and gas-turbine, but the former was chosen in the final end. However, the design is not yet over. The warship has to get the same universal vertical launchers for attack weapons but it is also considered as a carrier of the seaborne perspective S-500 antiaircraft missile system. There were clear statements that warships with antimissile capabilities would appear. It was planned to build 12 Leaders and share them equally between the Northern and the Pacific fleets. The lead warship was to be laid in 2015 and then in 2017, but the issue subsided after the state arms program for 2011-2020 was revised. For various reasons the navy did not receive 4.7-5 (by various estimates) trillion rubles initially envisaged by the 2020 arms program. It may be because of industry inability to launch serial production of new warships and up to increased attention to general-purpose forces after the 2014 military-political crisis. As a result, the Ground Forces and Airborne Troops received most of the money, as well as serial hardware procurement. The navy had to complete the failed construction program of frigates and corvettes and had no resources for new projects. Today the deadline for laying the lead Leader has been moved to 2025 which means the 2018-2027 arms program will not provide major appropriations for it. There were even rumors the Leader had been deleted from the program, but it was later decided to "allocate some money to support the project." That is why the heavy surface forces of the navy will have to operate the Nakhimov and the Petr Veliky in the 2020s, the Izvestia writes. Copyright 2018 TASS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. About DIMDEX 2018 Held under the patronage and vision of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, and proudly hosted and organised by Qatar Armed Forces, the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference, DIMDEX, has grown to become a leading event in the global maritime defence and security industry calendar. Now in its sixth edition, this prestigious event is renowned to be a dynamic gateway to industry insights, solutions and procurement opportunities, for maritime and defence leaders from around the world. DIMDEX 2018, will be held over 3 days from 12-14 March at the Qatar National Convention Centre. DIMDEX 2018 presents a premier programme that provides the maritime and security community with access to cutting-edge military technology and the opportunity to build and strengthen relations with key stakeholders. France FM leaves for Qatar to discuss further evacuation of French citizens from Afghanistan Shia people of Afghanistan demand to be included in new government Azerbaijani border guards demanding money equivalent to AMD 50,000 from Iranian truck drivers at Vorotan checkpoint? Car explodes in Yerevan, 1 injured Greece, US sign defense cooperation agreement Karabakh President pays working visit to Martakert region Azerbaijani police are inspecting truck drivers with Iranian license plate numbers near Armenia's Vorotan Opposition Bright Armenia Party to not run in local self-government elections in Shirak and Syunik Provinces "Shant Alliance" nationalist political party to run in local self-government elections in Armenia Elections for chairman of Armenia's Chamber of Advocates end with 46.9% voter turnout Paris mayor to run for French presidency Karabakh hosts "The Past, Present and Future of Armenian Statehood" international conference France refuses to recognize Taliban's government in Afghanistan 1 new case of coronavirus reported in Karabakh Pope Francis arrives in Hungary for lightning visit FBI releases first declassified document related to investigation of 9/11 terrorist attacks Armenia opposition MP Armen Charchyan diagnosed with pneumonia, is in critical condition Elections for chairman of Armenia Chamber of Advocates kicks off Armenia parliament's opposition factions nominate candidate for member of Public Services Regulatory Commission Japan FM to attend UN General Assembly's 76th Session 3 missiles dropped near Erbil International Airport Pyotr Movsesyan, father of hero of 44-day Karabakh war, dies 453 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia ruling party presents candidates for Council of Elders ahead of elections in Gyumri Swedish couple not allowed to name son Vladimir Putin Group of female students in Kabul hold rally in support of Taliban Azerbaijan, Turkey, Pakistan special forces to hold military exercises in Baku Armenia FM, Kazakhstan ambassador discuss Karabakh peace process Armenia PM, extra-parliamentary forces leaders hold 2nd meeting of consultative assembly Those who link Armenia ex-President Kocharyan with crimes have long been known as liars, says his office coordinator Armenia Special Investigation Service issues statement regarding media report Artsakh defense minister, Defense Army commander dismissed Russia-based analyst: Situation volatile in South Caucasus US envoy to Armenia says they do not consider Karabakh conflict to be resolved Fire breaks out at large South Africa power plant Belgium new ambassador presents copy of credentials to Armenia FM Armenia 2nd president Kocharyan receives official invitation from Russia ruling party leadership Tribute paid at US embassy in Armenia (PHOTOS) Lebanon reaches agreement on new government 5 new cases of coronavirus reported in Karabakh Parliament speaker: Armenia has joined global agenda of counterterrorism, making the world more secure Armenia Ambassador Makunts briefs US Congresswoman Speier on Artsakh situation Past: Armenia ex-President Kocharyan invited to Moscow 731 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Biden calls for US national unity on eve of 20th anniversary of 9/11 Armenia soldier wounded during Gegharkunik Province shootout with Azerbaijan discharged from hospital Afghanistan leaderships overthrow contributed to US troops withdrawal from country, says NATO chief Newspaper: Tashir Group to buy Armenia Airlines? Newspaper: Controversial draft on media to be put on upcoming agenda of Armenia parliament Armenia ex-President Sargsyan's lawsuit against pro-government MP Sukiasyan accepted for court proceedings His Holiness Karekin II grants Armenian Church's St. Sahak-St. Mesrop Order to Baroness Caroline Cox Armenia Syunik Province governor on photo showing Azerbaijani police station set up in Vorotan section of border Republican Party of Armenia to run in local self-government elections, to nominate candidate in Gyumri Egypt PM: Diplomatic ties with Turkey could be restored this year US, South Korea, Japan to meet over North Korea nuclear standoff Lavrov states conditions for Russia's recognition of the Taliban Armenia Parliament Speaker meets with President of Austria's National Council Wolfgang Sobotka Lebanon to hold parliamentary elections on May 8, 2022 Rustam Muradov introduces new Commander of Russian peacekeeping contingent in Karabakh to Azerbaijan MOD Armenia Ambassador meets with members of Armenian community of Ukraine Armenia Special Investigation Service rejects institution of criminal case regarding opposition MPs incidents Opposition "Armenia" bloc: Government must subsidize expenses while making testing for COVID-19 mandatory Taliban execute brother of Afghanistan's former vice-president Lebanon President signs decree on formation of new Cabinet Armenia government officials take oaths of office at presidential residence Digest: Self-government elections to be held in Armenia, EC removes Armenia from safe countries list Karabakh Ombudsman meets with NGOs' representatives in Yerevan, discusses status of displaced persons Armenian army's General Staff holds meeting-consultation with lawyers of military formations and garrisons Russia to not attend Taliban government inauguration Another 7 Diaspora Armenians to start working for Armenia government Armenia legislature to convene special session on September 24 Armenia Migration Service chief in Vienna, discusses readmission cooperation with Austria Armenia justice minister discusses need for constitutional reforms with civil society representatives David Babayan to Karekin II: Artsakh has always felt Armenian Apostolic Churchs support 168.am: Another ridiculous explanation by Armenia Special Investigation Service head? Mayor of Armenias Goris to remain in custody Armenian official discusses opportunities for exports of foods and alcoholic drinks to Poland Dollar goes down in Armenia Prosperous Armenia Party to not run in October 17 local elections Armenia President meets with outgoing Ambassador of France Armenia Security Council holds session chaired by PM Armenia Investigative Committee chairman meets with Russian and Belarusian counterparts Shooting on Iran-Azerbaijan border Armenia's enlarged Geghamasar community head: Fires are put out at this moment Berlin hosts meeting of Armenia-Germany governmental commission on financial, technical cooperation Armenia parliament shall pass decisions useful for protection of Artsakh peoples rights, says majority faction MP Kishan Dan Deval: India ready to continue cooperation with Armenia Armenia ruling faction again thwarts opposition initiative to set up parliament committee on Artsakh issue Muradov: Decision will be made in future on extending Russia peacekeepers presence in Nagorno-Karabakh Opposition Armenia Faction MP: Relations with Karabakh need to be at another level Civil Aviation Committee: No coronavirus-related restrictions at the moment on Armenia citizens entering EU Former Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio dies aged 82 News about Tigranashen village handover to Azerbaijan is made-up, says outgoing governor of Armenias Ararat Province 3 new cases of coronavirus reported in Karabakh Fallen solders families hold flash mob against Armenia Independence Day anniversary celebration event Court denies petition to arrest Yerevan schools now ex-principal Yerevan neighborhood residents raise alarm on destruction of trees in area Slovakia FM to visit Armenia 669 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia About 550 houses to be built in 2 Artsakh villages for the displaced Tayyip Erdogan made the first visit by a Turkish president to the Vatican in 59 years on Monday, discussing the status of Jerusalem with Pope Francis, as scuffles broke out between police and demonstrators nearby, Reuters reported. For the first visit by a Turkish leader for 59 years, the Italian authorities have imposed a 24-hour ban on demonstrations which covers Erdogan's arrival from late Sunday to his departure on Monday evening. Erdogan's convoy arrived at a deserted Saint Peter's Square, which was under heavy security as a total of 3,500 police have been deployed for the visit. A Vatican statement said the talks included the status of Jerusalem, highlighting the need to promote peace and stability in the region (Middle East) through dialogue and negotiation, with respect for human rights and international law. Both Erdogan and Pope Francis are opposed to U.S. President Donald Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which many U.S. allies say could doom Middle East peace efforts. At the end of the private part of the meeting, the pope gave Erdogan a bronze medallion showing an angel embracing the northern and southern hemispheres while overcoming the opposition of a dragon. This is the angel of peace who strangles the demon of war, the pope told Erdogan as he gave him the medallion, made by the Italian artist Guido Verol. (It is) a symbol of a world based on peace an justice. YEREVAN.- March, held on Monday by Yelk (Way Out) bloc against price increase ended. Speaking at the square of Charles Aznavour, MP Nikol Pashinyan said that the price increase has already reached school buffets. The rise in prices for diesel fuel provokes new rises in price, the MP noted. "In response the government claims that nothing terrible has happened. We consider this approach unacceptable," Pashinyan said, adding that our task is not to make Armenian economy competitive. He said that the bloc will submit a proposal to hold an extraordinary meeting of the National Assembly, to present a new tax code and to cancel the price increase. Pashinyan promised to continue fight on streets, specifying no data. These five 'Strong Buy' stocks boast a double whammy of only buy ratings and big upside potential. After the market's recent plunge, this list is quite handy. The stock market experienced a serious bout of volatility last week, which may have opened up some buying opportunities. When the market is volatile, it is crucial to make sure your stock selection is watertight. The stocks below have 100% buy ratings from analysts and top analysts alike. You can draw confidence from the fact that the stocks have the support of these best-performing analysts who consistently get it right. To find these 'Strong Buy' stocks, we turned to TipRanks' stock screener. This allowed us to pull up only stocks with very bullish Street sentiment. We scanned for stocks with 1) only buy ratings and 2) big upside potential. From the results, the following five stocks easily stood out from the crowd. 6 buy ratings in the last three months. 32% upside potential from current share price. This innovative anti-cancer company has just released encouraging preliminary data from two ongoing trials. Analysts have responded quickly with a slew of buy ratings and price target increases over the last 10 days. One of these analysts is Oppenheimer's Mark Breidenbach. We can see that he boasts an incredible track record on Iovance stock, specifically with a 100% success rate and 112% average return. He explains that the Phase 2 trial results for LN-145 revealed a 50% objective response rate (ORR) in two cervical cancer patients and a 38% ORR in eight (SCCHN) patients with carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Investors should now keep an eye out for interim readouts from three ongoing trials that could significantly de-risk Iovance's entire pipeline over the next 12-18 months. "Based on these encouraging preliminary data and the company's increased operational freedom to develop LN-144 and LN-145 TIL products, we reiterate our Outperform rating and raise our price target to $19" says Breidenbach. 22 buy ratings in the last three months. 30% upside potential from current share price. Semiconductor king Broadcom, which is a holding in Action Alerts Plus, consistently has one of the best outlooks on the Street. Indeed, Broadcom has received only buy ratings and rising price targets for over 8 months now. Most recently, one of the Street's top analysts, B.Riley FBR's Craig Ellis ramped up his Broadcom price target from $330 to $335 (35% upside). His move comes on the back of a 'truly surprising' guidance announcement from Broadcom. On Jan 31, the company raised its quarterly outlook above the Street while also initiating an above-Street fiscal year sales view. Shares soared 3% on the news, while six analysts reiterated their bullish Broadcom calls. According to Ellis, this guide-up supports his long-held assertion that "under-appreciated pent-up demand positives exist." He notes that while weak smartphone data points are dominating headlines, other material upside drivers have emerged. The result: a more balanced and healthy overall environment for Broadcom. Ellis concludes: "We believe positive EPS revision catalysts can persist for the attractively valued shares which trade at a compelling 12.4x and 11.5x our F18 and F19 EPS." Energy Transfer Partners ETP) 6 buy ratings in the last three months. 26% upside from the current share price. Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners is a Fortune 500 natural gas and propane company. The company boasts over 71,000 miles of pipelines that spread across 38 states. Top RBC Capital's Elvira Scotto reiterated her Energy Transfer Partners buy rating on January 16. She sees the stock spiking to $24 (22% upside potential). According to Scotto, the company should continue to benefit from growing crude oil production in the US. She is also confident that the company's expansion opportunities (including re-purposing existing assets) should drive attractive returns. Our data reveals that Scotto is ranked #31 out of over 4,700 tracked analysts. She scores a 72% success rate and 26% average return over her 254 ratings. 17 buy ratings in the last three months. 10% upside potential from current share price. Now is a good time to invest in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, say top analysts. The company has just released unexpectedly mixed results. Revenue jumped by a massive 56% from the third quarter to $12.76 billion. However, earnings of $1.63 a share missed consensus estimates by $0.04, causing shares to drop almost 6%. But this has not deterred the Street. Analysts, including Stifel Nicolaus' Scott Devitt, are clear that any pullback in shares should be treated as a buying opportunity. Devitt points out strong active customer growth, soaring revenues and the impressive 104% growth for cloud services compared to last year. 6 buy ratings in last three months. 34% upside potential from current share price. BioMarin develops and commercializes treatments for rare genetic diseases with serious unmet need. For top JP Morgan analyst Cory Kasmiov, its full steam ahead. He says: "BioMarin continues to be one of our top picks for 2018 with shares positioned to emerge from ~2 years of stagnation between a new product cycle and key pivotal readouts ahead." Specifically, investors can look forward to pegvaliase for the genetic condition PKU, vosoritide for the most common form of human dwarfism (achondroplasia) and a gene therapy platform expected at the end of this quarter. Kasmiov reiterated his BioMarin buy rating on January 24, with a bullish $129 price target (43% upside potential). Startled by Friday's big plunge in the stock market? TheStreet's newsroom discusses what could happen next. Subscribe on Youtube for extended interviews, Cramer Replays, feature content, and more! More of What's Trending on TheStreet: This piece brought you by TipRanks. TipRanks offers investors the latest insight into eight different sectors by tracking the activity of over 4,750 analysts, 5,000 financial bloggers and even 37,000 corporate insiders. Home | News | General | Lucrative business ideas 2018! How to start recharge card printing business in Nigeria? Many people are searching for new and fresh ways to earn money. Recharge card printing business has been really profitable to a lot of people recently, but of course, you will need to know some specifics of it. So, how can you start recharge card printing business in Nigeria? Recharge card printing: is it really lucrative? First of all, we will answer some common questions that people usually ask when they learn about this way to earn cash. Many potential entrepreneurs would like to know about the advantages of recharge card business. The primary advantage is that people recharge their phones every day because they need to make calls and send messages, so they will definitely buy a lot of cards. This means that the business can be profitable as long as you have customers. Attracting the customer base requires a lot of hard work, and you will also need to develop some strategic thinking. If everything is done right, the recharge card business can bring a lot of profit. Now, we will give you some detailed information about starting your business in the recharge card printing sphere. READ ALSO: Small scale business ideas in Nigeria 2017-2018 How to start recharge card printing business basic information For starting your printing business, you will need the pin codes that will be printed on the vouchers. Usually, it is able to get them from the major dealers, who will sell you them for a reduced price. Most often, the pins are sent via e-mail, so you can easily try to find a dealer online. However, you should always triple-check their reliability before registering with them. Once you register, you will have to provide the proof of your identity and purchase a minimal amount of pins. The payment for your pin codes has to be done through the bank. The dealer will provide you with the bank account where you have to transfer money. Afterwards, you will get an e-mail with the pin codes that you have purchased. It is strongly recommended to access them on your personal computer and not the Internet cafe, especially if there is a chance you will forget to log out afterwards. If you are working with a local dealer, they can provide you with the pins by meeting up with you and giving you a CD or flash drive. What are the primary tools for starting the business? You will not need a lot of special tools for this business. You should only make sure that you have the following: The working laptop or computer with stable internet connection. Valid e-mail address. Recharge card printing machine. A3/A4 paper for printing out the recharge cards. Software for de-encrypting the pin codes which are sent to you. Starting capital. In case you are confused about printing your cards, you should not worry there are a few options that would be perfect for you. You can print your pin codes online, use special software, or e-pin manager. If you are unable to afford the expensive computers or printers, you can receive a special device from the major card dealer which will allow you to print out your vouchers. Internet connection will not be necessary for printing out cards, but is crucial for your business, because if you are dealing with someone who is far away from you, you will need the Internet to keep in touch with them. So, here are all the above steps, but summarized for your convenience. To start your recharge card printing business, you will have to: Use a laptop or computer with good internet connection or attend the internet cafe. Contact the mega-dealer who will send you software. Download their software and install on your laptop. Order the recharge card pin codes on their website and pay money for it. You will be sent some encrypted pin codes. They can be only de-encrypted with the help of software that was sent to you. Now, use software to de-encrypt the codes and then print them out for sale. It should be mentioned that Nigerians spend about N300 billion annually on recharge cards, which indicates how important they are in the everyday life of Nigerians. Everyone needs to make calls, and for that, they need their phone to be loaded with funds. If you have the primary tools for recharge cards production, good starting capital, and reliable partners, this business could bring you money in no time. We wish you luck and prosperity! READ ALSO: How to start a business in Nigeria with little capital? [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Successful businesswoman Sola David Borha: facts about her career and personal life Nowadays, this incredible woman earns N177 million per year and shows that nothing is impossible. She inspires a lot of young people who wants to start or develop their carers in banking. What about her personal life? Here you can find out about Sola David Borha husband and her biography. How did Sola David Borha become the highest paid CEO in Nigeria? The extraordinary businesswoman Olusola David Borha, known professionally as Sola David Borha, is sometimes called the Nigerian Margaret Thatcher. She achieved everything thanks to her strong personality, hard work, and diligence. Currently, her daily salary is reported to be N484,931, according to multiple websites. This income is really well-deserved because this woman showed her outstanding talent in banking business over the years. If you would like to know how Sola David Borha achieved this overwhelming success, we will tell you about her path to success. Her higher education started at the University of Ibadan, where she received her Bachelor degree in Economics. Later, she went to the famous business schools abroad to develop her knowledge first in Manchester and then in Harvard. As you can see, this woman is really experienced in economics. In case you ever wondered how did she make a crucial decision about her career path, in one of the interviews Sola confessed that she was not sure about it from the beginning. She knew that she did not want to pursue a degree in medicine like her family wanted her to. During her studies abroad, she found herself in economics and finance and knew it was what she really wanted to do. She expressed a desire to come back to Nigeria for career prospects and ended up working at NAL Merchant Bank by the advice of her good acquaintance Atedo Peterside. She worked there from 1984 to 1989, until Peterside recommended her to join Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC (Investment Banking and Trust Company). He was a Chairman there. Sola David Borha was a part of IBTC for many years and held the leading positions there. Eventually, the company was renamed to Stanbic IBTC Holdings. Sola was a CEO of the company from 2012 to 2017. She also had a few good deals with the other banks. According to the successful businesswoman, she had to fight and prove herself many times to rise to the top, because nothing in life comes easily, especially money and professional achievements. But she is sure she will never forget her amazing experience, and this really helped her to shape her personality. When Sola David Borha speaks about her high position and success, she says that she is happy that women in IBTC did not meet career ceiling and were encouraged to work further, so the company had a lot of women who held the high positions. Sola says that this approach is exemplary to the banking industry and approves of breaking the gender stereotypes. Sola David Borha thinks that her greatest achievement in the entire career was being a part of the management team which helped IBTC to develop into the leading financial company in Nigeria. This woman definitely appreciates balanced teamwork. READ ALSO: What can I do to make money in Nigeria? Top 10 ways In 2016, she was awarded the Business Woman of the Year award by All Africa. One year later, she resigned as a CEO of Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC. However, she became a CEO of Standard Bank Group, which is a parent company to Stanbic IBTC. Nowadays, she is leading the groups African financial operations, except for South Africa. By the way, South Africa is where her office is based. Apart from her other positions, she is also affiliated with CIBN (Chartered Institute of Bankers), and with NESG (Nigerian Economic Summit Group), where she is a Vice Chairman. Sola David Borha is not only a professionally successful woman but also a religious person. She is sure God played a significant role in helping her out with her career. She is a Pastor at the church RCCG City of David Parish. Sola David Borha personal life There is not much known about this womans personal life and family. Apparently, Sola David Borha is succeeding in keeping her family away from public eye. However, she once shared an emotional story about her husband during the church service. According to Sola David Borha, for a long time, she was not considering getting married because she set her career first. One day, she helped out a fellow pastor by allowing him to stay at her home, and later he told her that he noticed the lack of a mirror in her bathroom. He then said that she will have to buy one because her husband will have to shave. Apparently, Sola thought it was a joke and laughed it off. But coincidentally, the pastors words came true: she met her future husband when she was 36 years old. Now they have children together, and Sola David Borha is sure that everything happens according to Gods plan. This is also her advice to young people who want to get married. Sola David Borha is an amazingly hardworking woman who showed us nothing is impossible and the sky is just the beginning. She is a great inspiration to all of us, and we can only hope that her example will make young people work harder and reach the stars. READ ALSO: The richest pastors in Africa 2017 - Top 5 [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Is Verve card really different from Mastercard? When you open a new account in the bank, there is always an option to select the kind of card that you need. There are a few kinds of debit cards, which are Visa card, Verve card, and Mastercard. Sometimes people are unaware of their differences, which are actually really important. Here, you will be able to find out all the facts about these types of cards and learn what the difference between Verve card and Mastercard is. How do you define Mastercard and Verve card? All the basic types of debit cards usually offer the same service, which is sending and accepting different kinds of transactions. The cards we pay with are called debit cards because the debit card is linked to the funds that are loaded by the cardholder. There are also credit cards, where you can load funds which are provided to you by your bank as a temporary loan. So, lets examine the types of debit cards mentioned above and learn the primary difference between Mastercard and Verve card. Verve card The main feature of Verve card is that this one is exclusively Nigerian. If you are used to everything Nigerian, you should probably consider getting the verve card, but keep in mind that these cards are only accepted within Nigeria, on the local market. This card will let you operate transactions, pay for different goods within the country using the ATM machine and other types of payment, getting airtime recharge, paying bills etc. The Verve card can only be used on the local Nigerian websites that support Quickteller or Interswitch. For international payments, this card cannot be used. The benefit of this card is automatic protection from international frauds, as you are unable to buy anything from the foreign countries. Verve offers various discounts for the loyal customers as a sort of thank-you. Also, the verve cards are quite cheap to get cheaper than the other ones. In the most banks, you will pay only N700 for a verve card. Also, making transactions on Quickteller will require paying a fee of N100. Mastercard Before we move on to the description of Mastercard, here is some brief information about the Visa card. Visa is a type of card that can be used either on the international and local market to buy goods and pay for services. The main difference of Visa card is that, unlike Verve card, it is accepted everywhere in the world. However, the card has a limit on spending, which can be always increased by the card owner on request. Mastercard is very similar to Visa card in many ways they are basically the same. The Mastercard is accepted all over the world and it can be safely used for traveling. You can also purchase goods from the international websites using this card. Moreover, if your bank supports it, you can pay in Naira, which will be automatically exchanged to the foreign currency. This is convenient because you will not have to search for exchange. With the Mastercard, you can always pay either online or using the ATM machine. Most of the sites support it since millions of people around the world are using this card for their payments. Besides, this debit card has an enhanced security, which makes sure that your savings will always be safe, and transactions will remain private. The card might even provide additional protection for your payments in some cases, offering the security codes. This card, however, has a couple of disadvantages the main one being the constant rise of a dollar and other foreign currencies. It can also have limits, like the Visa card. But these limits mostly serve as another form of extra protection, and you are always able to modify them. READ ALSO: Using GTB Naira Mastercard abroad 2017-2018 The disadvantages of Mastercard are really minor, and everyone agrees this option is the best if you usually do international purchases and perform transactions over the world. There are a few types of such cards classic, gold, platinum, infinite. These categories are different depending on the bank. You will be given the card which suits your lifestyle and balance the most. This means the private customers and users who perform large transactions are mostly given the infinite cards, while the regular users are offered the classic one. Mastercard has a large number of possibilities you will be able to get access to food vouchers, upgraded hotel rooms, entering the lounge with discounts, special airport transferring services, and early notifications about concert and theatre tickets. The beneficial options depend on particular banks, and you should go through all the special offers that the bank suggests to you. Also, the Master cards usually need to be taken care of, because they have a special electronic chip on them, and putting the card in your back pocket probably would not be a good idea, since it can significantly reduce the lifespan of the card. All the cards come with a unique 16-digit number that will be the number of your personal bank account, a 3-digit CVV code that you should not give away to anyone, and a date of validity. The spending limits on the cards are counted daily and monthly. To summarize everything, Verve card and Mastercard pretty much perform the same functions, but the main difference between them is that Mastercard can be used for international transactions and purchases, while Verve card can be put in use only in Nigeria. You should keep this in mind when you are picking between these two cards, and go for the one that matches your lifestyle the most. READ ALSO: What is CVV number on a credit card? [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Maina drags Magu to court, demands N10bn over alleged defamation of character - Abdulrasheed Maina asks court to declare Magus interview relating to him defamatory - The ex-pension boss seeks a court order mandating the EFCC and Magu to publish an unreserved apology to him in at least three daily newspapers - The attorney general of the federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, states that he recently had a meeting with Abdulrasheed Maina The former chairman of the presidential taskforce on pension reform, Abdulrasheed Maina, is demanding the sum of N10bn in a defamation suit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu. Daily Trust reports that in the suit which is in respect to a press interview Magu granted on November 30 and December 14, 2017, Maina's counsel, James Onyilo, asked the court to declare the interview defamatory with slanderous, untrue, injurious intention to lower the reputation and integrity of his client in the estimation of right thinking members of the society. READ ALSO: 5 governors who may lose their seats in 2019 Maina also sought an order mandating the EFCC and Magu to retract and publish an unreserved apology to him in at least three daily newspapers within seven days from the day of the judgement. Meanwhile, the attorney general of the federation and minister of justice Abubakar Malami said the controversial recall of Abdulrasheed Maina into the federal civil service wont affect the reputation of President Muhammadu Buhari and his anti-corruption war. Punch reports that Malami said he told President Buhari about his meeting with the wanted Maina, long before the news of Mainas reinstatement was made public. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app He, however, said he did not inform the President prior to the meeting. In another report, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF) Winifred Oyo-Ita on Wednesday, January 31, in Calabar said the proposed civil service reform in the federal civil will save the country a whooping amount of between N60 to N120 billion in the next three years to come. Daily Sun reports that Oyo-Ita made the remark in a presentation which she made at a retreat for project management Teams for the implementation of the 2017-2020 federal civil service strategy and implementation plan (FCSSIP) at the Tinapa Lake side hotel calabar capital of cross River tate. The head of service explained that the transformation is expected to cost about N1.6 billion and could reach as high as N40 billion given pay reform. STREET GIST: Name a Nigerian politician who is not corrupt on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | 10 most popular online payment platforms in Nigeria It is simpler for many of us to get and send payments online. This is fast, time-saving and can be done when you are at home. Such services are available 24/7 meaning you can receive and send your funds at midnight, in the morning or at any other time of the day. What are the most popular online payment platforms in Nigeria? Look at this selection of top 10 services you can take full advantage of. Online payment systems Online payment option is perfect for individuals and representatives of small, medium business, and big corporations. The whole world enjoys the online payment through fast services that accept and allow sending money from one account to another, pay for services and goods as well as bills, and withdraw your money. 1. QuickTeller This online payment option offers a big variety of services to users and companies. It is used by businesses to accept online payments on the site, through QuickTeller website, text messages etc. Users who want to use transactions through Visa and MasterCard should create an eWallet and tie it to their QuickTeller profile. Such method works with different types of bank cards and allows performing domestic and international transactions. Besides, it is possible to work with your Verve and Naira cards and even withdraw finances at the ATM without the physical card being in your hands. QuickTeller deals with bill payments (the fee is 100 Naira per transaction) and airtime payments (without extra fees) through the site. Sending money would cost you 100 Naira but it is free to receive finances through the service. The minimum amount you can send or receive is 50 Naira. 2. VoguePay The payment option exists in Nigeria since 2012. It works both to process payments and offers e-wallets to users. It can be compared to the popular worldwide service PayPal that has limits in Nigeria allowing local users only to send money (but not receive them). Similar to it, VoguePay lets you transfer finances between accounts through receiving or sending money. Businesses that are working with online shops can use the service to allow consumers pay for goods and services on their website or through emails. The Nigerian service is available worldwide. It allows families to send payments through the site and mobile application. It offers special web-extension to businesses with sites built on different platforms (WordPress, Joomla, and many others). Usually, the fee for transferring money is 1.5 percent of the total amount for local transfers. If you are dealing with international transfers, you will have to pay 5 U.S. dollars on top of this. 3. Payarena This Nigerian online payment service allows citizens paying their bills, transferring finances, using ATMs and POS-terminals across Nigeria and buying Airtime for different local telecommunication networks such as MTN, Airtel, Glo, and others. It works with MasterCard, Visa, and other bank cards. The company has different channels you can access. It boasts a network of 40 thousand of POS-terminals and has ATMs you can use. It supports bill payment for most Nigerian service providers (electricity, television etc.). The service can be accessed from mobile phone, computers, and tablets every day and every minute. Like many other online payment platforms, Payarena supports sending and receiving funds in different ways: from one card to another card, from bank card to PayAttitude or Account etc. 4. eTranzact This popular platform exists since 2003. It works with all major cards including MasterCard and Visa. It offers a big variety of services you can use, and its channels include POS-terminals, ATMs, website, mobile tools etc. The company guarantees security and protection of each transaction via the most innovative technologies. It supports transactions in different African countries and the UK. In Nigeria, eTranzact has the Central Bank license for mobile services that involve money. It also works in partnership with the local educational institution and financial organizations. READ ALSO: Zenith Bank Internet banking registration guide 5. SimplePay Small businesses and Nigerian citizens can also take advantage of SimplePay platform. It supports online payments and can be accessed from both smartphones and computers. You only need an active email account in order to use SimplePay service and use credit transactions. Each credit costs 1 Naira. The company is eager to purchase your credits and let you withdraw real money. If you want to use the service for your business plans youll have to pay fees: 10 Naira + 1.9 percent for local transactions 10 Naira + 4 percent for international transactions 6. CashEnvoy This multichannel platform works with individual users and businesses. It offers two types of accounts since 2009: Personal Business The personal CashEnvoy account has many limits. It only allows using make payments. Thats it. You are not able to send money or withdraw them through this system, but you can earn 0.5 percent on each transaction you make online with this service. The business accounts are more flexible. Their users can pay, send money, receive payments and withdraw funds paying the 120 Naira of fees for withdrawing sums up to 4,000 Naira. The main office of the company is located in Lagos. 7. FasteCash This online payment platform is created to make online transactions simpler and faster. It mostly works with businesses who sell online and need a reliable system to accept money. It offers two account types: normal and classic. The first option (normal) is designed to help users shop online and pay for goods and services with their debit/credit cards, PayPal or their FasteCash account. Such account has no fees. It also allows Nigerian citizens to transfer money to their family at no additional cost or withdraw money (the fee is 5 percent of the total amount plus 160.25 Naira for stamp and bank transfer charge). The second (classic) option is designed for users and businesspersons who need to accept online payments (the fee is 2.5-7.9 percent for each transaction plus 5 Naira per SMS alert), make payments or sell their goods. Such account costs 7,500 Naira (this is a one-time fee that is paid for opening a new account). 8. AlertPay (Payza) This is a popular online payment option for individual and business needs. A user can create a free account to send money to over 190 countries from all over the world. It is possible to use bank accounts, credit cards, and online wallet and pay no fees for sending funds online. By the way, AlertPay supports 25 currencies (the fee for exchanges is 2.5 percent) and allows depositing money through bank accounts and cards or withdrawing funds via banks transfers, Bitcoin, and other payment methods. Youll have to pay 1.2-2.9 percent fee (for Interact and credit card payments) in order to receive money. There are also fees to add money to your balance and withdraw your funds. 9. 2checkout This payment system is aimed at businesses. 2checkout supports simple and quick online payments so it could be a good solution for small companies and medium-size businesses in Nigeria. There is a fee for payment process and it depends on the country. For Nigerians, it is 5.5 percent plus 55 cents per transaction (only in case it was a successful purchase). The discounts are possible for online shops that monthly deal with big sums of money (over 50,000 U.S. dollars). 10. VTN (VCASH) The Virtual Terminal Network called VCASH supports sending and getting funds in Nigeria via Western Union system. You can perform these transactions using the service website or through your smartphone. The company has the official license issued by the countrys Central Bank. It is also possible to send money between VCASH accounts. You can create an account for personal needs and pay 99 Naira monthly for using it or start a merchant account at 299 Nair per month. Users from Nigeria can also withdraw funds from their online accounts to Bank account. Such transactions usually take up to 7 days. Millions of Nigerians are always using the Internet and take advantages of multiple online payment platforms that meet their personal and business needs. It is quick and easy to send and receive funds online. We have listed only the top 10 companies that let you fulfill this goal. However, many other systems can also help you shop online, receive and withdraw funds, send money and perform various financial tasks on the Internet. READ ALSO: How to activate ATM card for online transaction in Nigeria [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Erstwhile military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, has warned President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow his own personal ambition for second term to override national interest. IBB said, come 2019 and beyond, Nigerians should raise a new breed leadership with requisite capacity to manage its diversities and jump-start a process of launching the country on the super highway of technology-driven leadership in line with the dynamics of modern governance. He called on Nigerians to cooperate with President Muhammadu Buhari to complete his term of office on May 29th, 2019 and collectively prepare the way for new generation (of) leaders to assume the mantle of leadership of the country. In what appears to be a departure from ex-President Olusegun Obasanjos recent open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, IBB warned that his was not an open letter to the President, but that he had only shared his thoughts with fellow compatriots on the need to enthrone younger blood in the mainstream of national political leadership starting from 2019. While expressing fright at the issues plaguing the country, he said he was perplexed by the gory themes of killings that have engulfed certain parts of the country, from southern Kaduna to the western parts. In a statement released on Sunday (today) and signed by his media spokesman, Kassim Afegbua, IBB, who claimed to be speaking as a stakeholder, former president, concerned Nigerian and a patriot, noted that though President Buhari has an inalienable right to vote and be voted for, argued that there comes a time in the life of a nation when personal ambition should not override national interest. He urged the Federal Government to reinvent the wheel and tap into the resources of younger generation. In a veiled condemnation of the Federal Governments anti-graft war, IBB reiterated that modern leadership is not just about fighting corruption, it is about plugging the leakages and building systems that will militate against corruption. He urged the government to share in citizens aspirations and give them cause to have confidence in the system. Condemning the nations leadership cadre, IBB said his support for a new breed leadership derived from the understanding that it will show a marked departure from recycled leadership to creating new paradigms that will breathe fresh air into our present polluted leadership actuality. Confronting the Buhari administrations disposition towards the continued killings by persons suspected to be Fulani herdsmen in many states of the federation, the ex-military president said the unchecked activities of the herdsmen have continued to raise doubt about the capacity of the Federal Government to handle with dispatch security concerns that continue to threaten our dear nation. He named such security concerns as including suicide bombings, kidnappings, armed banditry, ethnic clashes and other divisive tendencies. We need to bring different actors to the roundtable, IBB counselled; warning that the festering nature of this crisis is an inelegant testimony to the sharp divisions and polarizations that exist across the country. He lamented that while the Fulani herdsmen issue is not altogether a recent phenomenon, the anger in the land is suggestive of the absence of mutual love and togetherness that once defined our nationality. He warned that if left unchecked, the killings portend danger to our collective existence as one nation bound by common destiny; and may snowball into another internecine warfare that would not be good for nation-building. He urged the Federal Government to reorient the minds of the herdsmen or gun-men to embrace ranching as a new and modern way to herd cattle; and to also expand the capacity of the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Army, the Navy and Air Force to provide the necessary security for all. Nailing the ruling All Progressives Congress change slogan, IBB said when the ruling party campaigned with the change mantra, he had thought it would device new methods, provoke new initiatives and proffer new ways to addressing some of the nations developmental problems. By now, in line with her manifesto, one would have thought that the APC will give fillip to the idea of devolution of powers and tinker with processes that would strengthen and reform the various sectors of the economy, he noted; warning that devolution of power or restructuring is an idea whose time has come if Nigerians must be honest with one another. We need to critically address the issue and take informed positions based on the expectations of the people on how to make the union work better. Political parties should not exploit this as a decoy to woo voters because election time is here. We need to begin the process of restructuring both in the letter and spirit of it, he said. Reiterating the need for Buhari to step down after his tenure in 2019, IBB said the search for new breed leadership must start now as the nation prepares for 2019 election Home | News | General | More companies likely to raise funds from capital market this year Kurfi Managing Director of APT Securities & Funds Limited, Mallam Kasimu Kurfi, in this interview, spoke on how banks borrowing affected the performance of manufacturing companies quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, and investors confidence in the stock market. By Peter Egwuatu MOST manufacturing companies quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, are financing their operations through bank borrowing. Why are they scared of coming to the capital market to raise cheaper fund and what is the implication? The manufacturing companies were scared of coming to the capital market to raise money because many of them felt they may not be able to succeed especially during the earlier period of 2017 when the market was down. The low investors confidence really affected most companies from coming to the capital market to raise fund. They had to consider many factors before coming to the market; they have to consider the time, economic situation, and the readiness of existing shareholders among others. Coming to the market at the time the share price of these companies was low could not have been the best for them. For example, Guinness Nigeria Plc came to the market at N58 but now trading above N100 per share. They could have come to the market when the price was around N90 per share. That is, 50 percent above the previous price. I foresee more companies raising funds from the capital market this year once the economy continues to grow. Mallam Garba Kurfi, Managing Director, APT Securities However, the implication of using banks loans to finance operations is that companies have to pay higher interest as we have seen interest expenses from the manufacturing companies rising in quarter one and two of last year. But in equity funding, you do not pay such money. It is not even compulsory to pay dividend, and even if you must do that it has to come from profit. Nevertheless, bank borrowing has helped manufacturing companies to still continue to remain in business in the short term. It has helped companies to sustain their working capital. Would you say investors confidence has returned to the stock market and if yes, how sustainable? Investors confidence really has improved in our market. We can now see both local and foreign investors participating in the market. The foreign investors understood our market very well. When the economy and market were not favourable, we saw them ignoring our market. The performance of the market is very interesting gaining 45 per cent in six months only June to date. This was not achieved in the last eight years. The Banking sector have achieved over 70 per cent in the same period while many banking stocks gain over 100 per cent such as Diamond Bank, Access, Zenith, GTB and others gained from 150 per cent to 250 per cent such as Fidelity, UBA, FBHN, StanbicIBTC. The major challenge of the market then was monetary policy by Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. The market did not respond until when the CBN introduced the Investor and Exporter Foreign Exchange, FX window policy which restored confidence of foreign Investors. It shows clearly the influence of foreign investors in our market. The major issues, we had last year was to restore the confidence of local investors who will help to sustain the stability of the market as it was before the coming of foreign investors. We hope the confidence would be sustained until we get to the political period. We cannot really say what will happen until after election proper. However, election can bring uncertainty which the market may react to. It depends on how the politicians handle the matter. The return of the year is going to be positive but not as much as 2017. Which sector on the NSE do you expect to come first in terms of performance indicators this year? The banking sector is likely to do better than other sectors. I see the banks performing well in the full year than the previous year. This is because of the retaining of the monetary policy rate by CBN which ensures high return for most of the banks as well as the intervention of CBN in the 9Mobile crises which saved many banks from huge provisions for bad debt. The Industrial sectors as well as Agricultural sector are expected to do better as the availability of US dollar make easy access to raw materials and better production. Can you comment on dematerialisation of the stock market? The issue of dematerialization is very successful as almost all our stocks have been dematerialized into the Central Securities Clearing System, CSCS. Certificates in physical format As you know dematerialization offers flexibility along with security and convenience. Holding share certificates in physical format carried risks like certificate forgeries, loss of important share certificates, and consequent delays in certificate transfers. Dematerialization eliminates these hassles by allowing investors to convert their physical certificates into electronic format. Shares in the electronic format are held in a Demat account with the CSCS. What is your projection for the Nigerian stock market this year? Our projection for the year 2018 is that our market will remain brighter as most of the quoted companies are likely to declare better dividend because of the expected good performance of 2017. Our stocks are still trading below Earning Per Share, EPS of 5 which means they are still below the average EPS of 8 to 10 as obtained in the Frontier market making our stocks to trade below the fair value. As long the price of Crude oil sustain or surpass the price of $65 per barrel it will boost our Foreign Reserves which attracts more foreign investors to participate in our market. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Funds transfer: Between NIP and NEFT By Elizabeth Adegbesan THERE are different types of funds transfer services and it is important for bank customers to understand the differences and implications. Fund transfer is when you send money to person or persons from your bank account using a transfer channel. You can transfer funds to people living within and outside the country using various transfer channels. Types of Fund Transfer Manual funds transfer: This is performed in the banking hall. The sender visit the bank of the receiver, fill out a fund transfer form which specifies the account number of the receiver and the amount to be transferred. Banking hall Electronic funds transfer: Electronic funds transfer is the transfer of money from your bank account to another bank account through computer-based systems. Such transfer can take place within your bank or across multiple banks. These include Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT), NIBSS Instant Payment (NIP), Point of Sale terminals (PoS), Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD). Online/Internet funds transfer: This is when send money from your account to another bank account through the internet. You will need an internet enabled computer or phone to transfer such fund. Examples of Internet fund transfer channels are: Central Bank of Nigerias Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS), Western Union Money Transfer, Stanbic IBTC Bluepay, GTpay, Mastercard Internet Gateway Service (MIGs), Zenith GLOBAL PAY and so on. NEFT and NIP The Nigeria Interbank Settlement System Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT) and Nigeria Interbank Settlement System Instant Payment (NIP) are examples of electronic funds transfer. They are irrevocable funds transfer instruction. You must have a bank account to be able to use NEFT or NIP to transfer funds. How does it work? You can transfer funds through NEFT by first logging into your banks internet banking platform using your ID and password. Then you go to fund transfer tab and select add beneficiary (receivers bank). Select beneficiary type for example transfer to other bank then enter the account number of the beneficiary. Click on send. The bank will first debit your account to ensure that the funds are set aside. Then your instruction (along with other customers instructions) are sent to NIBSS by your bank as an electronic file for onward processing. For NIP, if you are using your personal computer log into your banks internet banking platform. Click account transfer tab to expand it. Click on transfer to other bank (instant). If you are using mobile money android application, select NIP. If you are using it for the first time activate it with your token. Then click new request. Select add new beneficiary to add the receivers bank account details. Fill all required details and enter the code from your token device. Then send. Transfer to other banks will incur charges.The options of NEFT and NIP are also provided in the funds transfer forms in the banks. Hence you can perform any of the two by visiting your bank and complete the funds transfer, indicating NEFT or NIP as your preferred transfer type. The differences between NEFT and NIP Despite the similarity of both products, they differ in terms of processing timeline and limits of transfer. For NIP the recipient get the value within 10 minutes after the sender has made the transaction (baring network failure). For NEFT the receiver gets value the next day (sometimes up to 24 hours) after the sender has executed the transfer. You can use NEFT for bulk transfer, which is funds transfer to many recipients at the same time. However, NIP can be used only to transfer money to one or two people at the same time. Also, NIP has a maximum limit of N5 million for transfer to individual and N10 million for transfer to corporate body. For NEFT, you can transfer as high as N100 million. Risk of fund transfer The risk electronic fraud is very high with funds transfer. However, there are specific tactics that can protect you from falling victim of fraud. First, dont be careless with details of your ATM card, and dont respond to any email or text message asking you to provide such details. Most importantly, you should have the telephone details of your banks contact canter, and promptly inform them about any suspicious transaction on your account. You should also be attentive to the security of your network. Update your anti/virus and anti-spam programs to prevent attacks from emails with infected attachments. Set your browser appropriately to prevent accidental or unwanted downloads. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Realignment of forces towards 2019 okay, if. says Ibrahim Babangida ..Calls for 2-party system to solve political problems Says I didnt issue a statement on Buhari MINNAFormer military head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida has endorsed the agitations to realign governance in the country ahead of the 2019 general elections but on the condition that all such clamours should be done within the framework of the rule of law. Former military head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida Babangida in a statement issued from his Hilltop residence in Minna, Niger State yesterday also disowned a statement issued earlier on his behalf concerning the political future of President Muhammadu Buhari. He also disowned the statement earlier issued on his behalf concerning the political future of President Buhari. Babangida in the statement called for the fusion of the countrys many political parties into two ideologically distinct entities that would give a competitive breath to the development of the country. He also called for the resolution of all the conflicts in all areas of the country towards the attainment of a united nation. Babangidas call for the adoption of the two party system is in line with the adoption of a two party system during his stint as military president between 1985 and 1993. He said: Our present political parties and their structures need parameter pillars that will make them stronger with unique ideologies. However, our present political parties need surgical operations that will align them into a reasonable number. I have been an advocate of a two-party system but in our present reality in Nigeria, our political parties can fuse into a strong political association or party that can form a formidable opposition to a ruling party. As students of history, we are aware that many advanced democracies have two distinct ideological political parties, with a handful of smaller political groupings that serve as buffer whenever any of the known political parties derailed or became unpopular. I still believe in a two-party system as the best option for Nigeria. I am a realist that believes all issues in a democratic atmosphere are sincerely discussed and resolved in the spirit of give-and-take. Since after my military years that metamorphosed to being the only Military President in the history of Nigeria and my civilian life, I always have one clear objective that freedom can only be achieved through democracy. Some people find this freedom as an avenue for eroding democracy by antics of hate speech under the guise of religion, tribal or self-imposed mentorship. This trend of pitching political class and the people against one another is unhealthy and must be discouraged by all and sundry. The clamour for re-alignment of governance in the country as we are approaching the 2019 election year is a welcome development only if the agitations are genuinely channelled through appropriate channels of law and order and the observance of the supremacy of the Constitution. Therefore, any attempt outside this circle of democratic tenants is deceptive and divisive idea capable of plunging our political journey into disarray. I issued no statement on Buhari Disowning the statement earlier issued on his behalf concerning the political future of President Buhari, he said: Let me categorically state that as a former President and statesman, I have unfettered access and channel of communication with the highest authorities in the country without necessary going public with a sensational statement. Therefore, the views expressed in the alleged statement are not mine but that of the writer. However, with due respect to individual opinions and constitutional rights, it is worrisome that political events and civil unrest in many parts of the country have raised many questions on the governance and unity of our great nation. Indeed, 2018 has been inundated with political clamours and hot debates over the corporate existence of this country. Many of the contributions, including constructive criticisms and engagements, have shown greater concerns for the corporate existence of Nigeria beyond 2019 general elections. Calling for dialogue to resolve lingering issues, he said: It is high time we engaged in constructive dialogue on national issues in order to have a political solution to our myriad of problems. It is sad that Nigeria had its fair share of conflicts, and we cannot continue to fall back to those dark years of bloodshed. As a people, now is the time to come together to address all communal conflicts and criminality under any guise so as to unite the country in line with the vision of our founding fathers so that we can forge ahead in the task of building a more prosperous nation. He nevertheless called on the security agencies to up their game. Our security agencies have to step up surveillance with more efforts on intelligence gathering towards ensuring maximum security of life and property. Recent happenings and utterances by political gladiators are alarming and not in the interest of the common man that is already overstretched and apparently living from hand to mouth due to precarious economic conditions. Despite all these challenges, I am optimistic that the political actors will play within the ambits of political norms and decorum to ameliorate the problems facing our society now. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Just in: IGP Ibrahim Idris reportedly orders arrest of Babangida's aide - The inspector general of police, Ibrahim Idris, has ordered the arrest of an aide to a former military head of state - Idris said Kassim Adegbua should be arrested within 24 hours - The IGP'S order is said to be connected to the controversial statement released by Adegbua The inspector general of police, Ibrahim Idris has reportedly ordered the immediate arrest of the media aide of the former military head of state, Ibrahim Babangida. The Nation reports that the IGP ordered that Kassim Afegbua be arrested if he fails to turn himself up to the police within 24 hours. READ ALSO: Just In: 11 PDP governors in closed door meeting in Asaba to discuss 2019 election It was gathered that Afegbua is wanted by the police for "issuing a fake press statement to the public." A source within the government, who does not want to be named, confirmed that the IGP had ordered Afegbuas arrest within 24 hours. READ ALSO: Police officers, 4 others killed in fresh gun battle with militias in Benue NAIJ.com earlier reported that Afegbua in a purported statement quoted the former military ruler as saying President Muhammadu Buhari should not seek reelection. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app But the former president denied it and issued another one which he personally signed. However, Afegbua insisted on the one he issued as the authentic statement from Babangida The next President of Nigeria. Who will win the 2019 elections? on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | How politicians are fueling herdsmen and farmer crisis for their own benefits - Ex-Miyetti Allah chairman - Ex-chairman of Miyetti Allah, Mohammed Oroji, has blamed the violent clashes between herders and farmers on politics - Oroji said some politicians are fuelling the crisis for their own benefit - He called on the federal government to clamp down on killers without considering their tribe or position in government Alhaji Mohammad Oroji, former FCT Chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), says Nigerians should stop politicising farmers/herdsmen clashes and allow government to address the issue properly. NAN reports that Oroji said on Sunday in Kaduna while addressing newsmen that the issue of herdsmen and farmers has now turned into politics because some evil people are benefiting from it for their selfish interests. He said it was a misnomer and outright selfish for anybody to deny the herdsmen the right to freedom of movement as guaranteed by the Constitution, just as it was evil and acceptable for anyone to kill. READ ALSO: PDP governors forum meet in Delta state The crisis of herdsmen and farmers is not true but politics, both have related peacefully for over 500 years in Nigeria together. The government should take firm decision in addressing the problem; people should stop taking laws into their hands. Anyone that starts any form of killings, the law should take its course no matter how highly placed or from whichever tribe. No one has the right to kill any person, just as nobody has the right to say stop rearing animals and stop farming, because we are all Nigerians. Nigeria is a country of all Nigerians, so no one should be molested; rearing of livestock and farming are all business. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Oroji therefore urged the federal government and the National Assembly to take firm decision in addressing the crisis. I call on the Federal Government and National Assembly to take a firm decision to address the issue for peace and progress of Nigeria. If those who are involved in these atrocities are prosecuted, all the nonsense would stop. It is the only way to address the problem. NAIJ.com previously reported that Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, on Sunday, February 4, has called on herdsmen all over Nigeria to relocate to Kano state. The governor said the state has enough land for herders to graze their cattle without any problem and added that he is willing to accommodate the herdsmen in his state. Nigerian herdsmen vs Nigerian farmers - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Police officers, 4 others killed in fresh gun battle with militias in Benue - Two police officers have been killed in a fresh gun battle with some militia in Benue state - Four others were also fatal victims of the attack - The incident occurred at Yogbo community in Guma local government area of Benue state over the weekend Two police officers and four others have been reportedly killed in a gun battle with suspected herdsmen in Benue state, Vanguard reports. The incident happened at Yogbo community in Guma local government area of Benue state over the weekend. The police officers were said to have engaged in a heavy gun battle with over 200 suspected herdsmen after an attack in the community. It was gathered that many houses were set ablaze while residents of the community took to their heels for fear of the attack. READ ALSO: Just In: 11 PDP governors in closed door meeting in Asaba to discuss 2019 election The spokesperson for the Benue command, Moses Yamu, in a statement on Sunday, said: The Police officers deployed to Yogbo community came under serious attack by heavily-armed militia group numbering about 200. Our police team braced up to the challenge and engaged them in a gun battle. Three of the militants died in the battle, but their corpses were taken away by their fleeing members, some of who suffered severe gunshot wounds. Sadly, however, the Police lost one non-commissioned officer, while another one is yet to be seen. One other person whose identity is yet to be ascertained, but believed to be a resident of the area, also died," Yamu said. READ ALSO: We have grazing land, relocate to Kano - Governor Ganduje tells herdsmen In a similar attack, unknown number of people have been killed in a clash between some suspected herdsmen and residents of Song local government area of Adamawa state. The attack happened in Samba and Shore villages on Friday, February 2. The crisis in the area began after some herders took their cattle to a pond said to be the only source of water in the area. NAIJ.com gathered that the action led to a confrontation between the herdsmen and a villager said to have been injured in the process. The attack led to a represial from members of the community on the herdsmen leading to the death of many. Spokesperson of Adamawa police command, Othman Abu-Bakr, confirming the incident said: "When I get the details, I will call you back. Im not sure of the casualties yet. NAIJ.com earlier reported that the Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom had replied the inspector general of police, Ibrahim Idris, for allegedly saying a statement from the governor provoked renewed attacks in the state. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app Ortom said the statement credited to Idris had given away the police boss as being more sympathetic to the herdsmen than the victims of their attacks. He alleged that Idris only spent a day in Benue state after the reloacation order from President Buhari. Nigerian herdsmen vs Nigerian farmers - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | All herdsmen should relocate to Kano - Governor Ganduje - Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has called on herdsmen all over Nigeria to relocate to Kano - Ganduje said Kano state has enough land for grazing and willing to accommodate herders - The governor also condemned the clashes between herders and farmers in Nigeria Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, on Sunday, February 4, has called on herdsmen all over Nigeria to relocate to Kano state. The governor said the state has enough land for herders to graze their cattle without any problem and added that he is willing to accommodate the herdsmen in his state. Ganduje, who made the statement during the monitoring of the states free vaccination of over one million cattle and other small animals at Kadawa Artificial Insemination Centre in the Garum Malam local government area of the state, also condemned the violent clashes between herders and farmers. READ ALSO: PDP governors forum meet in Delta state Punch reports that Ganduje said as part of his governments commitment to encouraging herdsmen in the state, Kano state government had been providing facilities that would accommodate the herdsmen and their cattle to discourage them from moving to other states in search of grazing land. He said: Fulani herdsmen of Kano origin do not move out of Kano to other states because we have enough grazing land, ranches and traditional stock route. They dont have any reason to move out of the state. We take care of them and we accord them the respect and dignity they deserve. I am inviting herdsmen from all parts of Nigeria to relocate to Kano because we have enough facilities to accommodate them. We have grazing land in Rogo, Gaya, Kura, Tudun Wada, Ungogo and other places, where facilities have been provided to accommodate the herdsmen and their cattle. Falgore Game Reserve can take care of millions of herdsmen and their cattle in Nigeria. The location has been designed to accommodate schools, human and animal clinics, markets, recreational centres and other social amenities that would provide the herdsmen enough comfort to take care of their animals and transact their business without any hindrance. These killings must stop. We cannot afford to continue to witness these senseless killings in the name of Fulani herdsmen and farmers clash over lack of grazing land when we have a place like the Falgore Game Reserve, which is being underutilised. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app NAIJ.com previously reported that Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue has slammed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, accusing the security chief of being loyal to the alleged herdsmen that had attacked residents of his state and their properties. Ortom also accused Idris of disobeying the order of President Muhammadu Buhari to relocate to Benue and end the carnage adding that the police boss only spent a day in the state and leaving for where only he can explain. The governor said after Idris first appearance in Benue, nobody had seen him in the state since then. Nigerian herdsmen vs Nigerian farmers - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | INEC to develop framework for engaging Nigerian youths in electoral processes - The Youth Initiative for Advocacy Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) is partnering with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) - The partnership is geared towards developing a strategic framework for engaging Nigerian youths in the electoral cycle - A strategy meeting was conveyed recently with all stakeholders to kick-start the process The Youth Initiative for Advocacy Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) is partnering with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in developing a strategic framework for engaging Nigerian youths in the electoral cycle. As a result of this, a strategy meeting was recently conveyed with stakeholders to kick-start the process. Cross section of participants at the strategy meeting. Photo credit: INEC READ ALSO: 2018 Budget: YIAGA faults appropriation for Nigerian youths The development meeting which held over a two (2) day period from Wednesday, January 31 to Thursday, February 1 in Abuja, had participants from youth led organizations across the country, as well as People With Disability (PWD) and INEC officials, all contributing to the development of the strategy. Delivering his opening remarks; director, voter education and publicity INEC: Barrister Oluwole Uzzi stated that, the participation of citizens in the electoral process is a sine-qua non for measuring the quality of elections. According to Barrister Uzzi, an inclusive electoral process is an indicator of a countrys democratic development. He concluded by saying, management of elections must ensure principles of inclusion and representation are guaranteed in their operations. NAIJ.com gathered that the INEC youth strategy development is to be driven by Four (4) key principles namely; 1. Ownership 2. Innovation 3. Partnership and 4. Sustainability and Accountability They are expected to be focused, inclusive, participatory and sustaining in order to cover various classes of youths including, men, women and PWDs. Series of meeting are also expected to be held in the coming months as the INEC youth strategy is developed. In his remark, YIAGA Executive Director Samson Itodo, lauded INEC for the initiative saying it is very commendable that a public institution identifies a gap in the electoral process and its taking necessary steps to bridge the gap. According to Itodo, there are several entry points for young people into the electoral process beyond just being voters as he reiterated that, young people can be candidates, election observers and ad-hoc staff. He also advised INEC to retain its cohort of youth, especially from National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to enable the commission build a community of young people. The INEC youth strategy meeting featured sessions on strategic thinking by youth organisations, Civil Society Organizations and INEC officials on how to develop an effective way of including young people in the electoral process. READ ALSO: Nigerian youths tasked on the need to know the true workings of legislature Meanwhile, the European Union on Thursday, February 1, re-affirmed its commitment to supporting Nigerias electoral process with the launch of a programme aimed at promoting transparent, inclusive and credible elections in the country. The programme tagged EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN), is a 26.5 million (over N11 billion) initiative. NAIJ.com gathered that the initiative is funded under the 11th European Development Programme (EDF), over a five year period. Governor Fayose warns Nigerian youths ahead of 2019, tells them what to do on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Just In: 11 PDP governors in closed door meeting in Asaba to discuss 2019 election - PDP governors met Sunday night in a closed door meeting in Asaba - The governors reportedly met to discuss 2019 election Eleven governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the night of Sunday, February 4, met with the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party in a closed door meeting in Asaba, Delta state to reportedly discuss the 2019 election, Vanguard reports. The governors in attendance are: 1. Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state 2. Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state 3. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state READ ALSO: Nigerian army rescues 84, captures Boko Harams weapons 4. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state 5. Alhaji Hassan Damkwambo of Gombe state 6. David Umahi of Ebonyi state 7. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa-Ibom state 8. Darius Ishaku of Taraba state 9. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state 10. Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers state 11. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app NAIJ.com previously reported that PDP has described a statement credited to Ibrahim Babangida urging President Muhammadu Buhari not seek a re-election in 2019 is an indication that Nigerians across divides have reached a consensus against the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration. The party in a statement on Sunday, February 4, by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the fact that Babangidas declaration is coming on the heels of similar declaration by former president Olusegun Obasanjo, has vindicated its position on the current administration and the APC. The next President of Nigeria. Who will win the 2019 elections? on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | President Buhari cant be blackmailed out of power - APC chieftain - The increasing criticism of the Buhari administration won't force the president out of the presidential race - This is the stance of an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Malam Mohammed Lawal - Lawal served as deputy director, coordination/implementation of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in 2015 The increasing criticism of the Buhari administration will not force the president out of the contest in the event he decides to go for a second term, a member of the APC campaign team in 2015 has said. Malam Mohammed Lawal who served as deputy director, coordination/implementation of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in 2015, said many people and groups were uncomfortable with President Buharis pro-masses approach to governance, hence were deploying various tricks and sense of insecurity to undermine his popularity. President Buhari has faced intense criticism in the last few weeks from various individuals and groups. Source: Twitter READ ALSO: PDP teamed up with treasury looters to attack us - Lai Mohammed Speaking to Daily Trust at the weekend, Lawal said: We are in politics; we would tackle any opposition, any group or gang up, be it a coalition or third force or whatever. Mohammed said it would be difficult to oust a sitting president on the pages of newspapers and denied that key people in the APC were planning to leave for the opposition. Now, who among the APC leaders enjoying the comfort of government either as an appointee or elected official could afford to go and fish in a deep, dark, torturous and murky waters of political uncertainty? But I wish them good luck. It is just that we are not bragging and shouting the way they (opposition) are doing but the time would soon come. We dont want to distract the government for now; we want the government to concentrate on doing what it has been elected to do but very soon we would devote our attention one hundred per cent to politicking, he said. Lawal also accused ex-President Obasanjo of attempting to sabotage the administration of President Buhari. What he is doing is not the way to express patriotism; Obasanjo is just fueling tension and causing a lot of apprehension. He is still feeling Buhari era is like late Yaradua era or Goodluck Jonathan era that he planted. We would not fold our hands this time around. We would fight back strongly. If the Federal Government is so careful in speaking out, we the supporters of President Buhari would not sit down and look, he said. Similarly, a non governmental organization, Unity and Peace Initiative for the Survival of the Society (UPISS), has said the call by former president Olusegun Obasanjo to President Muhammadu Buhari, not to seek a second term in 2019 is undemocratic. The organisation cautioned the former president not to derail Nigeria's democracy by his statement, stressing that Buhari has every right as a citizen of Nigeria to seek re-election. According to UPISS, only the Nigerian electorates will determine whether to accept or reject President Buhari at the 2019 polls. READ ALSO: OPINION: Obasanjo's puritanism and hypocrisy's new heights by Arinze Igboeli 2019 re-election bid: Should President Buhari heed Obasanjo's advice? on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Former military president, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, on Sunday publicly asked Nigerians to vote President Muhammadu Buhari out of office next year. Ibrahim Babangida, in a lengthy statement, listed reasons President Muhammadu Buhari should not bother returning to power in 2019. Social media consequently went agog as some Nigerians on Twitter blasted IBB, accusing him of being a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP that destroyed the country. They also reminded IBB of ruining Nigeria when he was the Head of State. Others, however, urged Nigerians to heed the advice, saying IBB should bring a candidate that will win Buhari in the 2019 election. Here are some comments: @Osi_suave, The message shouldnt be Buhari shouldnt run. Get a candidate that can defeat him. @Equityoyo, I dont know when people start listening to old and corrupt man like him again. He should focus on his health, family at his old age and leave the nation at the hands of the capable Man .Enough of thier political agenda and personal greed. @olaadisa, I find it to comprehend why people with no moral and reasonable right want PMB Isnt this clown suppose to be behind bars? @nnaike2, The old man IBB has spoken out objectively, even Aisha. Its good + bold to speak truthfully as one sees. Let us respect our elders + truths. @Olatunji, Not surprised , IBB is a member of PDP. @khennymore, Case will close after hearing from Gen. Abdulsalam.His fellow general are begining to tell him dt he is not capable. @Bununukabiru, If he Think he have supporters he should come out and contest,and see the maging PMB will give him. @omotayodada, The general are talking, Nigerians listen . @dapomubaraq, IBB is the reason why Nigeria is where we are right now..failed nation with failed past leaders tryna act like righteous. @ItsdonmonC, The real question should be: Is there anybody out there who can defeat BUHARI? Even if there is, will each tribe unite to correct the mistake of 2015 ? sincery i have not lived long enough to witness any adminstration thts more worse than Buharis Administarion. @Jafaapple, Watch out 4 PMB part II_2019, its going 2 b more difficult for looters i.e BOSSes Baba is the ACTORu all know the end of all BOSSes at end of Last fight..most of them will jailed and CABALs will b disappointed..PMB 2019 no going back, dey ol no what baba can do. @preciousgift, The problem is they are afraid They have no one credible enough to withstand the present EVIL . @corruptionconcern, IBB is a national destroyer.. Murderer of Dele Giwa.He got nothing to say about Nigeria.National destroyers are coming out to say national builder should not contest! We are not going back to looting regimes! @aj_tt, Honestly I now believe that IBB & Obj encouraged corruption as they were able to control GEJ and got their rewards easily.But with PMB they are not happy as their wealth of stolen funds are depleting gradually. @Akinkanju omo , Whats peoples problem to stop him from running. Let him run and lose now Support the preferred one who has something to offer. @Alasinrinkazeem, This makes me more Buharist, The generals are waging war against our common value and imposed system of govt Democracy. @Abumaleeq, This coming from the same evil genius that led us to the problem we kept facing since he left? He found God in his old age? A won oloriburuku somebody. A cultural organisation in Plateau State, Berom Youth Moulders Association, has asked the Federal Government to reclaim the 54 communities in the state which were allegedly forcefully occupied by Fulani herdsmen. The group said the communities were sacked and conquered by the herdsmen between 2001 and 2018 and then renamed. The Chairman of BYM, Choji Chuwang, stated this during a news conference in Jos on Saturday. He noted that 93 communities had experienced one form of attack or the other since 2001, stressing that the Fulani herdsmen graze on the grave sites of our dead brothers and sisters and even on our holy places of worship. The organisation also opposed the proposal for the establishment of cattle colonies, wondering if cattle rearing had been quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange to warrant so much government interest. Chuwang said, It is on record that between 2001 and now, Fulani herdsmen have sacked and taken over 54 communities in Plateau State and renamed them according to their culture and language. This is evident in Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas; this we can affirm because the current herdsmen in those areas are not the ones that had lived among us previously. Our people have been traumatised, several killed and properties destroyed to make them flee their ancestral homes which are now being occupied by the same terrorist herdsmen. It is on record that 54 communities, such as Dankum (now renamed as Mahanga by Fulani), Fass (renamed as Tafawa), Janda, Hywa, Rotchun, Rakweng, Shong I and II, Diyan Hei, Pwabeduk, Sharu, Dashugu, Tagabos, Shonong, Maseh, Kampwas, She, Kak, Dajak,Rarin, Kufang, Rantis, Jong, Zim, Lukfine, Lobiring, Angio, and Kachin, among many, were completely sacked and their inhabitants displaced in Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGAs, he explained. While rejecting the agitation for creation of cattle colonies, Chuwang said that rearing of cattle remained a private and personal business which should be left in the hands of the herdsmen for ranching. He said, For us as citizens of Plateau State and especially the Northern Senatorial zone, we wish to state in unequivocal terms that we do not have land for cattle colonies. The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus, on Sunday said the new coalition being led by former President Olusegun Obasanjo was not a threat to the partys victory in the 2019 general elections. Secondus stated this in Asaba, the Delta State capital, during a reception organised by the Delta State chapter of the PDP ahead of the meeting of the National Working Committee of the party and governors elected under the partys platform on Sunday night. The reception was attended by the governors of Rivers, Gombe and Abia states; Nyesom Wike, Ibrahim Dankwambo and Okezie Ikpeazu respectively, and National Assembly members elected on the platform of the PDP. Secondus noted that Nigerians were disappointed with the failure of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, adding that Nigerians were prepared to massively vote out the APC government in the 2019 elections. He said, We vowed not to repeat the order of imposition, and we have reassured our leadership and our people that we will devolve power down to the states so that they can take responsibilities and make sure that whatever names that are submitted would not be changed. I believe that they would soon come back, those who have left, and there is fear in the country, and very soon, you will see political tsunami that even the members of the ruling party would be coming en-mass to the PDP. The new coalition will never be a threat because we are a solid political party founded by our founding fathers. We are solid on the ground, and I believe that they are a threat to the other parties and not our party. The Buhari administration is a colossal failure, and the entire country is aware of this. The PDP National Chairman restated the partys preparedness to return power to the grassroots as the party commenced moves to reclaim power at the centre. Secondus said, Power will no longer reside at Wadata, power must truly go back to the people to make their choices without fear of favour. The old order of imposition will no longer exist in the present PDP as we have decided that in order to rebuild the party we must return the party to the people to give them the free choice of choosing their representatives at all levels. He urged party faithful to embark on massive soul winning of new members. Secondus also urged them to get their permanent voter card as the power of the PVC was greater than the influence of security and INEC, adding that the people must use their PVCs come 2019. Also speaking, the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, stressed that the party and the government in the state were strong and doing well. He noted, We are not afraid to go to the people because we are doing a lot despite the economic challenges facing us. Wike thanked Deltans for their support for the PDP, adding that the PDP is strong in both Rivers and Delta states. He urged the people to work harmoniously to change the clueless APC government at the centre. As of the time of filing this report, other governors were still being awaited for the meeting scheduled to take place at the Government House, Asaba.of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi simply said, We need time to study the letter. Home | News | General | BREAKING: Boko Haram kills one, set houses on fire in Borno village - Terrorist group, Boko Haram, has continued its campaign of terror in Borno state - The terrorists attacked Kala village in Dalori on Sunday night, February 4 - One person was reportedly killed in the attack A report by Channels TV indicates that one person has been reported killed after suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked Kala village, opposite an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Dalori, Borno state. The report quoted an official of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr Bello Dambatta, confirming in a telephone interview today, Monday, February 5. File photo of Governor Shettima of Borno and elders of the state inspecting the destruction carried out by terrorists in Bama. Photo credit: NAN READ ALSO: Nigerian army discovers strategies employed by fleeing Boko Haram terrorists in northeast Dambatta, the Head of SEMA Rapid Response team, said the deceased was set on fire by the insurgents who injured another man during the attack which occurred on Sunday night, February 4. According to him, the assailants also burnt down some houses in the village. The SEMA official said officials of the agency are already at the scene while the injured victim has been evacuated to the Maiduguri Specialist Hospital in the states capital. The incident happened barely 24 hours after the Nigerian army declared on Saturday, February 3, that it has completely defeated the Boko Haram insurgents. The theatre commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major-General Rogers Nicholas, stated this during the inauguration of the Nigeria-Cameroun Military Joint Mission in Maiduguri. Nicholas said that his troops dislodged and occupied the insurgents tactical ground, Camp Zairo, adding that hundreds of insurgents surrendered and several others fled their enclave, while over 100 civilians were rescued. READ ALSO: 95 ex-Boko Haram fighters re-integrated into Nigerian society - Defence HQ Survivors of Boko Haram on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | IBB confirms statement on Buhari, insists Nigeria needs new breed of leaders The newspapers for Monday, February 5, focus on the confusion that trailed a release of a statement credited to former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida and a retraction that followed shortly. Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, has stood by a statement he issued on Sunday, February 4, where he reportedly called for a new generation of leaders to assume the mantle of leadership in the country come 2019. There had been confusion about the statement after the release credited to IBB was retracted. However, This Day reported that the former head of state in an exclusive interview said the earlier statement still stands. This Day newspaper for Monday, February 5, photo credits: Snapshot from Naij.com The newspaper reported that Babangida said the second statement was issued by friends and had nothing to do with him, but expressed concern that his initial statement issued by his media aide, Kassim Afegbua, had been misrepresented by the media. READ ALSO: PDP governors forum meet in Delta state Towards a National Rebirth, emphasised was for a new breed of leadership to emerge through the electoral process, but was not intended to deny President Muhammadu Buhari his inalienable right to vote and be voted for in the 2019 elections, he said. The newspaper gathered that the confusion over the statement arose due to the pressure mounted by the former military rulers son, Mohammed, on his father to retract the first statement and issue a toned down version. Citing sources, This Day stated that the second statement was not signed by Babangida but his son who simply appended the retired generals name to the revised statement. But when Babangida became aware of what had occurred, he reportedly instructed Afegbua to reach out to media houses reaffirming the validity of the first statement. The Nation newspaper also reported on the controversy that resulted after two statements reflecting different opinions were credited to the former military leader. The Nation newspaper for Monday, February 5, photo credits: Snapshot from Naij.com The Guardian newspaper reports that following the release of both statement credited to Babangida, his aide, Kassim Afegbua, stood by his statement and dismissed the alleged refutal by his boss. The Guardian newspaper for Monday, February 5, photo credits: Snapshot from Naij.com Afegbua appeared on Sunday Politics of Channels Television to say that his boss Babangida authorised the statement. The Vanguard newspaper for Monday, February 5, photo credits: Snapshot from Naij.com PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, the Kano state government has urged herdsmen in some parts of the country, especially in Benue and Taraba states, to relocate to Kano state. The Punch reports that Governor Abdullahi Ganduje made the call on Sunday, February 4, during the monitoring of the states free vaccination of over one million cattle and other small animals at Kadawa Artificial Insemination Centre in the Garum Malam local government area of the state. The Punch newspaper for Monday, February 5, photo credits: Snapshot from Naij.com I am inviting herdsmen from all parts of Nigeria to relocate to Kano because we have enough facilities to accommodate them. We have grazing land in Rogo, Gaya, Kura, Tudun Wada, Ungogo and other places, where facilities have been provided to accommodate the herdsmen and their cattle," he said. The governor said his administration had embarked on the registration of herdsmen and their cattle to enable the government to take care of them through free vaccination and other incentives. The next President of Nigeria. Who will win the 2019 elections? on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Trouble for Saddam Husseins daughter as Iraqi govt declares her most wanted - Raghad Hussein, eldest daughter of late Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, has been declared wanted by the Iraqi security services - She is being accused of belonging to terrorist groups; alongside 59 other individuals who have also been placed on the most wanted list - Raghad who fled to Jordan in 2003, has vowed to counter-sue those who insult her Iraqi security services revealed their most wanted list of 60 people, with Raghad, the eldest daughter of Saddam Hussein, on it, NAN reports. Authorities said the 60 people wanted are on suspicion of belonging to the Islamic State group, al-Qaeda or the al-Baath Party. READ ALSO: 2019: Buhari can re-contest if he so desires - Bakare NAIJ.com gathers that according to Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV channel, Raghad responded in a telephone interview that she has pledged to confront those who insult her by suing them back. Raghad fled to Jordan along with her sister, Rana, and their children in July 2003. Since 2006, she has been on the list which the new Iraqi government is seeking to prosecute for supporting violence. However, the Jordanian government has turned down the request by Iraq to hand over Raghad, insisting that to do so would violate Arab traditions of hospitality. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that in a battle between Iraqi forces and ISIS over control of Tikrit, the tomb of Saddam Hussein was squashed to rubble, though it wasnt clear which side did it. The military had started a drive to retake Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit from the extremists. After the rage of battle subsided, they moved in to the outskirt town of Awja to find the former dictator's tomb flattened. Who is Nigeria's greatest president ever? - on NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Presidential visit: Nasarawa set to receive Buhari on Tuesday, February 6 - Governor Al-Makura - President Buhari is reportedly expected to visit Nasarawa state on Tuesday, February 6 - The president will commission some projects carried out by the state government during the visit - The state governor appeals to the people of the state to troop out to welcome the president Nasarawa state is set to receive President Muhammadu Buhari who is reportedly expected in the state on Tuesday, February 6, for a one-day visit. Nasarawa state governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, said that the people of the state are ready to receive President Buhari. A statement signed on Sunday, February 4, by the chief press secretary to the governor, Musa Elayo, said the state government has concluded all necessary arrangements to receive the president, Daily Trust reports. READ ALSO: Just In: 11 PDP governors in closed door meeting in Asaba to discuss 2019 election During the visit, President Buhari will reportedly commission a special school for disabled, Karu International Market, 330KVA Power Station and Pilots Comprehensive Primary Healthcare Center in Lafia. Al-Makura said: President Buhari is coming to his political laboratory where he laid the foundation of his political ideology and vision of transparency, fight against corruption and entrenchments of social justice. We regard him as the son of the soil coming back home. Your visit will abreast you with the fruits of what you sow in the state being the first and the last governor of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) before the merger that gave birth to All Progressives Congress (APC), that is why we have every reason to receive the President in a grand style. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app The governor appealed to all and sundry in the state to come out en masse to support the government in welcoming the president. NAIJ.com previously reported that Al-Makura and other stakeholders in the state denied the allegation by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue that Nasarawa is harbouring killer herdsmen in Tunga, Awe local government area. Al-Makura, while making a presentation at a stakeholders meeting convened by the inspector general of police, Ibrahim Idris in Lafia on Thursday, January 11, described the allegation as grievous, unacceptable and terribly speculative". He said the Benue governors accusation that Nasarawa state had camped killer herdsmen to attack his state was a stigma and an aspersion on the state. What must President Buhari do to regain the trust of Nigerians? - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Governor Wike, aides attempting to blackmail Amaechi - APC chieftain - The rumbles in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers has been linked to the state governor, Nyesom Wike - This is the submission of a chieftain of the party, Chief Callistus Nwachukwu - Nwachukwu accused the governor and his aides of trying to blackmail top APC chieftains in the state The coordinator of the APC non-indigenes in Rivers state, Chief Callistus Nwachukwu, has accused Governor Nyesom Wike, his aides and three others of trying to blackmail the minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and ex-commissioner for agriculture Emma Chindah. Nwachukwu who noted that the groups former coordinator, Chief Uchenna Okokoba; the former vice chairman, Wole Agunbiade; and former secretary, Alhaji Yusuf Tanko who resigned their membership of the APC recently, did so for selfish interest. According to The Nation, Nwachukwu said the three former officers should not be taken seriously by members of the public. Governor Wike and Minister Amaechi seems to be always be at loggerheads READ ALSO: Social media monitoring: FG planning to muzzle opposition - PDP Making reference to a social media post made by the special assistant to Governor Wike on social media, Mr. Oraye St. Franklyn, about messages purportedly sent to the defectors to return to the party for monetary rewards, Nwachukwu described the allegation as mere fabrication and a lie Franklyn posted on Facebook, a message allegedly from Chindah to Okokoba, which read: Chief Okokoba, what is happening? You promised to come yesterday (Saturday), but I did not see you and you are not taking your calls. You know I deserve respect from you, as a former commissioner. I told you that Hon. Minister (Amaechi) sent me to Port Harcourt because of you and he dropped N20 million for you and your group. Please, make sure you come to my house this (yesterday) morning, after service, by 11 am. I will go back to Abuja by 12 noon. St. Franklyn then stated in another Facebook post: APC in Rivers state has finally collapsed, with the defection of the coalition of non-indigenes in the party to the PDP. All efforts to get them back by Hon. Emma Chindah, on the instruction of Minister Amaechi have completely failed. Chief Okokoba says there is no going back, as he has moved out of the APC and solidly identifies with the PDP and Governor Wike, on the strength of the Rivers governors performance, reliability and popularity. Nwachukwu said: On Saturday, our former coordinator, Chief Uchenna Okokoba; the former vice chairman, Wole Agunbiade; and the former secretary, Alhaji Yusuf Tanko, went on air to announce the resignation of their portfolios and their membership of our great party, the APC, in Rivers state. Their resignation was unilateral. They did not consult the executive members of non-indigenes APC in Rivers state, the stakeholders, unit leaders and the elders of the party. We believe that their decision was borne out of their personal interest or for pecuniary reason. There is a rumour going round, which we deem necessary to debunk. The three former officers have been going round, claiming that our great leader, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the transportation minister, through somebody, has been making overtures of N20 million to them to rescind their decision and return to the APC. That is a lie from the pit of hell. They are using it (N20 million overture claim) as a game plan to shore up their market value and increase their bargaining power with PDP. They do not possess any value. They should be very careful. The three estranged officers are on their own. Hon. Emma Chindah is one of the leaders of APC. There was never a time that Hon. Emma Chindah met with the so-called Okokoba, much less of offering him money. READ ALSO: Governor Ahmed free to leave the APC - Party caucus says Just recently, the APC in Rivers state tongue-lashed Governor Wike for allegedly spending a whooping N1 billion to hire two different groups to endorse him for his second term bid. In a statement made available to NAIJ.com by Dr Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, the partys spokesperson in the state, the APC said Wike spent N500 million to hire the non-indigenes from Abia, Imo and Akwa Ibom states to march to the Rivers Government House in order to endorse him for an unmerited second term in office while he has refused to pay the six months salary owed to civil servants and arrears to pensioners. The party also alleged that the governor wasted another N500 million to hire women from Bayelsa and Delta states, and presented them as Rivers women to endorse him to continue to exhibit his mediocrity in governance. APC official tells why his party could be voted out in 2019 on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Spokesman insists IBB authorised Vote out Buhari in 2019 statement - Kassim Afegbua, the spokesman of general Ibrahim Babangida insisted that his boss called on Nigerians to vote out President Buhari in 2019 - Babangida reportedly urged the president to sacrifice his personal ambition for national interest - It was learnt that this was contained in a press release made available on Sunday, February 4 Controversy has continually trailed as Kassim Afegbua, the spokesman of general Ibrahim Babangida has restated that the former military president approved the statement he issued, calling on Nigerians to vote out President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. Daily trust reports that Afegbua maintained that IBB has not denied the statement. According to him, ''The statement is in order. IBB did not hold any press conference in Minna. It was overzealous people that issued that statement of his denial. READ ALSO: PDP governors forum meet in Delta state ''I wouldnt issue any statement without his approval. Go ahead with the statement. I have spoken with him and he said he has not recanted the statement.'' It was learnt that Babangida in a press statement released on Sunday, February 4, by Afegbua, urged Buhari to sacrifice his personal ambition for national interest, while calling on Nigerians to vote out Buhari in 2019. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app IBB was quoted in the statement: ''Let me categorically state that as former president and statesman, I have unfettered channel of communication with the highest authorities without sensational public correspondence, therefore those views expressed over there are personal views of the writer.'' Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that the inspector general of police Ibrahim Idris ordered the immediate arrest of the media aide of former military head of state Babangida. IGP ordered that Kassim Afegbua be arrested if he fails to turn himself in to the police within 24 hours. It was gathered that Afegbua is wanted by the police for "issuing a fake press statement to the public." A source within the government, who does not want to be named, confirmed that the IGP had ordered Afegbuas arrest within 24 hours. The next President of Nigeria. Who will win the 2019 elections? - on NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | 2019: Buhari can re-contest if he chooses to, his health has improved - Bakare declares - Pastor Tunde Bakare has stated that President Muhammadu Buharis health has improved and that the president can choose to re-contest in 2019 - He also lauded ex-president Jonathan for preventing a bloodbath in the nation by accepting the results of the 2015 presidential election - Bakare further highlighted the advantages for various geopolitical zones if the nation is restructured, and commended the Buhari govt for embracing the need to restructure Nigeria The senior pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly, Tunde Bakare, has stated that President Muhammadu Buhari can choose to stand for re-election in 2019 if he so desires, The Cable reports. The cleric made his comments on Saturday, February 3, during a townhall meeting in London. READ ALSO: Reps panel says $202m missing at NIA, not $44m NAIJ.com gathers that he also stated that the presidents health condition had improved. Bakare further commended former President Goodluck Jonathan for accepting the results of the 2015 presidential election even though it was not in his favour, and urged Nigerians to thank the ex-president for preventing a bloodbath in the nation by accepting the result. The cleric had previously commended the Buhari government for embracing the need to restructure the nation, as he also highlighted the advantages of such a move. He stated: The north-central zone can optimise its mechanised agricultural potential and harness the Rivers Niger and the Benue not just for irrigation but also for hydroponic farming. It can become a centre of world-class cattle ranching that will quell the menace of herdsmen attacks and also incubate allied opportunities such as meat, milk and leather processing. The zone can then transit into heavy industries, including steel manufacturing and auto-manufacturing, while also harnessing the rivers as inland waterways and tourist attractions. Similarly, the north-west zone can harness its vast arable land by deploying land-enhancing technologies for mechanised agriculture and cattle ranching, while also becoming Africas defence manufacturing hub. With these arrangements, the zone will be providing sufficient competitive impetus to revive its historical potential as a central hub in Africas textile industry. The north-east will have the opportunity to redefine its identity from being a hotbed of insurgency to becoming a hub for cattle ranching, pharmaceutical and construction industries and its unique mineral resources such as clay, limestone and gypsum. The south-west can revive the vision of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. It will not just resuscitate its vast industrial and agro-allied manufacturing potential; it can become a global centre for warehousing and world-class sea and airports. Lagos state can consolidate its position as the African hub of global finance. Nigeria owes this region the urgent activation of the pragmatic approach to restructuring. This approach will see the zone progressively obtaining autonomy over these resources such that it can house a cluster of refineries and petrochemical industries. READ ALSO: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that Pastor Tunde Bakare denied reports that he wanted to run for Nigeria's presidential seat in 2019. In tweets of his sermon at his Latter Rain Assembly in Ogba area of Lagos state, the pastor said his message from God was misinterpreted. According to his tweets, at no point did he say he would run in 2019 or declared open a presidential campaign as was inferred in reports. 2019: Should Buhari heed Obasanjo's advice? - on NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... The publisher of the Ovation Magazine and former presidential aspirant, Dele Momodu, has warned Nigerians against the newly formed Coalition for Nigerian Movement, CNM. He warned that Obasanjo and members of the coalition are not saints as the country presently lacks men to form a third force. Momodu warned that the former President Olusegun Obasanjo-led Movement is not the answer to Nigerias problem. According to him, nothing will change for the fact that politicians from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would form membership of the coalition. In a lengthy write-up he shared on social media, he said, There is no doubt that Nigeria is long overdue for a major overhaul, but it is not going to happen overnight. It may not happen in the next four-year sequence, but we must begin the journey in 2019. While the experiment being attempted by the COALITION FOR NIGERIA is desirable, every care must be taken to ensure that this does not make our situation worse. I wish to warn again, and do so repeatedly, that there are presently no saints to form a new Party or, indeed, force. APC would not have materialised if those PDP Governors and big moneybags did not throw their weight behind Buhari. It is gratifying to note that for now, the Coalition is making the right noises and saying that it is a pressure group. Given the fact that the period between now and the next elections is short and is almost upon us. What it seems would be most desirable to see, is members of the Coalition going back to the two main parties and taking over from them. Surely, the generality of the Nigerian public would back such a move by those seen to be a bit more principled than the rogues gallery that has held sway over our political lives for more than 40 years. However, this may not be feasible for now, since money continues to play a big part in politics and the ignorance and impoverishment of our people continues to be an impediment for such a civilian coup at the present moment. The wife of the former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Mrs Taiwo Obasanjo has lamented that her son has gone missing after he disobeyed her spiritual message against getting married on the wrong date. Mrs. Obasanjo said she had reported the matter to the police, adding that her husband has a question to answer on her sons whereabouts. Last year, Taiwo filed a suit in an Ikeja High Court, seeking to stop the wedding of her son scheduled for May; she lost the suit. Mrs. Obasanjo, who had objected to the timing of the wedding based on a prophecy, also insisted that her sons wedding should be a quiet event. But despite her objection, the wedding went ahead in her absence. Speaking with Sunday Sun, opened up on the latest happening in her sons marriage, who has left his matrimonial home. Asked if her sons marriage has broken down due to the prophecy, she said, The only problem I had [with the marriage] was the date and all I was after was that the date should be changed. You see the date change had been going on in the family before I went public. I was in support of the wedding. Before this girl came into the scene, I was told that when he is getting married that there should be no noise. That was the instruction given to me but when this girl came I told them, let them just do this wedding quietly. Instead, they shouted me down and were asking that how can two big families come together and they wont have a big wedding. I am the biological mother of the groom, I gave birth to him and I am not holding on to him to be my handbag. If you go through the Bible, instructions were given to mothers about their children. For instance, Samsons mother was given instruction about him but Samson defied the instruction and he ended up being killed by Delilah. Do you understand me? I know what I suffered to have this boy. When the wedding proper came I told them not to pick a particular date and that he should only do a big wedding after his 34th birthday. On my own, I went to the mother of the bride Rose Mary Dacosta because I thought she was a mother, but she refused. They insisted on having the wedding in April. I told the girl too but she was adamant. Unfortunately, people are thinking that I was against the wedding. I wasnt against my sons wedding because I love him. Asked if she hid her son, who has abandoned his matrimonial home, she added, How can I hide him? Everyone has been phoning me and asking for his whereabouts. They want to kill me and this is another means for them. How can I hide a man who is 34 years old? What do I want to do with him? And I can never be his wife. I am praying for him to be productive and I am praying for him to be fruitful. From the first day of the wedding, the mother of the girl said she wanted to go on honeymoon with my son and his wife, which I have never heard of in my whole life. Whether I am lying my son can testify about that. The mother insisted that she must go on a honeymoon. I wasnt there, but I heard that later. My son defied my advice and the advice of the living God because I didnt go soliciting for prophecy for him. The one about the wedding came on its own. I never went to anybody to kneel down and asked to be prayed for. This message came voluntarily. For spiritual messages you dont go soliciting, that means there are powerful truths behind it. I dont know whether the marriage has broken down or not because the young man lives with his father in Abeokuta while I live in Lagos. So, I think you should direct that question to my sons father and his wife. I am asking them both where my son is? That was why I went to the police to make reports last year. I saw my son once before the wedding when he came to tell me that, Mummy I am going ahead whether you support me or not. He defied my orders and that was why I didnt attend the wedding. Everyone said they were above the almighty God who gave the message and I am nothing because they are the ones controlling things. I dont know whether the marriage has broken down and I said I dont live with them. The only time I went there was last year after the wedding. Daddy OBJ called me after the wedding, I didnt even want to pick his call but later I did and he said he wanted to reconcile us all. Then I went and he was asking me why I didnt come for my sons wedding. My two children apologized to me and we made peace that time. I also saw him when I went for a programme, which my Uncle Professor Sunbo Martins had, which was a book launch. That was last year. From that time to this time, I havent seen my son. He doesnt pick my call and how did I know about this? It was even his wife that called because each time he runs from his matrimonial house, his wife will now phone me and start asking about him. Home | News | General | Breaking: Secretary general of the Anglican consultative council arrives Aso Rock to meet President Buhari The secretary of Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) and chairman, Kaduna state Peace and Reconciliation Commission, Bishop Idowu Fearon, is currently meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa. The presidency announced the arrival of bishop Idowu Fearon at about 12.39pm on Monday, January 5, on its Twitter handle. "Bishop Idowu Fearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) and Chairman, Kaduna State Peace and Reconciliation Commission, arrives for his meeting with President @MBuhari this afternoon. #AsoVillaToday," the presidency wrote. As at time of filing this report, the reasons for the visit of Bishop Idowu Fearon to the presidency could not be ascertained. Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that a former governor of Plateau state, Jonah Jang, said he is ready to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari if Nigerians desire effective, positive change and a better country. Jang, who currently represents Plateau north senatorial district at the National Assembly, said the advice given by two former heads of state, Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida, to the president on 2019 was timely. Speaking with journalists, at his residence in Du, Jos south local government area of the state on Sunday evening, February 4, he said the APC had not performed well since assuming power in 2015. The next President of Nigeria. Who will win the 2019 elections? on NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | 2019: End of the road for Atiku as PDP governors, NWC members settle for Sule Lamido - Stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seems to have been settled for the party's candidate in the 2019 presidential election - The party's governors and National Working Committee (NWC) members met in Asaba on Sunday, February 4 - Sources privy to the meeting say the issue of the party's candidate for 2019 was settled Stakeholders in Nigeria's main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seems to have been settled for the party's candidate in the 2019 presidential election. The party's governors and National Working Committee (NWC) members met in Asaba, the Delta state capital on Sunday, February 4. Sources privy to the meeting told Sahara Reporters that the issue of the party's candidate for 2019 was discussed and former Vice President Abubakar Atiku who is warming up to run for president on the platform of the party, have been dumped. Alhaji Lamido seems to have gotten the nod from PDP governors and NWC members ahead of 2019. Photo credit: VOA READ ALSO: PDP will win the 2019 Presidential election - Governor Wike boasts According to the report, the meeting which lasted about nine hours, adopted former governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido, as the party's presidential candidate in the 2019 polls. Eleven governors under the PDP platform were at the meeting, which was held at the Delta state governor's lodge in Asaba. The governors are; Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom), Henry Dickson (Bayelsa), Benedict Ayade (Cross River), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta State), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo (Gombe), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), and Darius Ishaku (Taraba). All members of the NWC led by the party's national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, were also at the meeting which examined the state of the nation. The source said the party chieftains described Lamido as a true, steadfast and loyal party man. The PDP Governors and the NWC after several hours of deliberation collectively agreed to settle for former governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido for his consistency since the party was founded. They viewed former Vice President Abubakar Atiku's moves as desperate and over ambitious. According to them, a true, faithful and loyal party man who has the interest of the party at heart will not turn into a political prostitute as the over-ambitious former Vice President Atiku has done, the source said. READ ALSO: Spokesman insists IBB authorised Vote out Buhari in 2019 statement Meanwhile, following the growing animosity between former governor of Kano state, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and his successor, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, Aminu Dabo, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says President Muhammadu Buhari may lose his Kano political base if Kwankwaso leaves the APC. The APC chieftain disclosed this in Abuja, on Saturday, January 3, even as he urged the leadership of the party to wade into the matter, saying the president stands to lose his strongest political base with the handling of the crisis. Nigerians want PDP back in 2019 - Goodluck Jonathan declares at PDP Caucus Meeting on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | President Buhari may lose Kano support base - Aminu Dabo - Aminu Dabo, an APC chieftain has disclosed that President Buhari may lose his Kano political base - He said this while reacting to the growing animosity between Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and his successor, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje - Dabo said the president stands to lose his strongest political base with the handling of the crisis Following the growing animosity between former governor of Kano state, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and his successor, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, Aminu Dabo, a chieftain of the APC and former managing director of the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), says President Buhari may lose his Kano political base if Kwankwaso leaves the APC. The APC chieftain disclosed this in Abuja, on Saturday, January 3. He also urged the leadership of the party to wade into the matter He said the president stands to lose his strongest political base with the handling of the crisis, Tribune reports. READ ALSO: Spokesman insists IBB authorised Vote out Buhari in 2019 statement He claimed that the crisis was fast consuming the Gandujes political career. Governor Ganduje has suddenly realised that his quarrel with our leader, Senator Kwankwaso is overwhelming him; that the people of Kano State are not happy with him, and he is becoming very unpopular in the state, he said. He has realised suddenly that the only way for him to survive or to feel protected is to bring the presidency and the national leadership of our party into it. This is going to be very serious and the presidency, especially President Muhammadu Buhari, will pay a very huge political price. The consequence of taking side with Governor Ganjuje in this crisis will be huge, because the people of Kano state are not happy with the governor and what is happening. Going further, he stated that Buhari must be politically correct in relating with all the stakeholders involved in the Kano APC crisis. How can you stop a normal visit? If you think you are popular why not allow other people to do their own activities? How can you stop a serving senator from visiting his senatorial district? This is very unfortunate." The situation has been on for quite some time; as you can remember, our leader, the former governor, Senator Kwankwaso, worked so hard to install the current governor with all the supports of his followers, but unfortunately he came and betrayed that trust. There was nothing personal; Governor Ganduje derailed from the actual concept, ideology and the system of Kwankwasiya group; and all efforts made to let him realise his wrong steps were ignored. He has been treating us as foreigners; we are now like an opposition within our party. He drove us out of the system and brought entirely new people, which is quite unfortunate," he added. PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that Senator Hamman Misau representing Bauchi central senatorial district was slammed by his colleague Senator Jibrin Barau, chairman senate committee on petroleum downstream. Misau had explained that Kano politics was taking a very dangerous dimension, noting that youths who enjoyed politicians patronage now brandish dangerous weapons. Who is Nigeria's greatest president ever? - on NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | PDP will win the 2019 Presidential election - Governor Wike boasts - The Rivers state governor has said that the PDP needs to win the 2019 presidential election - Nyesom Wike alleged that the party has become orphans in Abuja and must work towards taking over leadership at the federal level - He also accused the APC and officials of the electoral body of plotting to subvert the will of the people The Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, has assured Nigerians that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will win the presidential election in 2019. Wike accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and officials of the electoral body of plotting to subvert the will of the people. He said despite all plots, the duo would be resisted by Nigerians. Speaking in Asaba over the weekend, the governor said those pretending to be seeking second tenure in office would have declined contesting election if democratic principles were functional in Nigeria, especially after performing woefully. Wike said: We are going to win the Presidency in 2019. We take it for granted that we have won our governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly seats." He also alleged that all the governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are orphans in Abuja and must work towards taking over leadership at the federal level. Frankly speaking, if Nigeria is a country where democracy is democracy, so many won't talk about contesting election. Because first of all you need to tell the people what you have done for them. What will they come to tell Delta people that they have done in the area? Nothing. What is their confidence? What will they say they have done in the Niger Delta? What they dont understand is that we are more prepared now than in the past. Anybody who thinks that he can come and rig us out, will fail. Part of corruption that we must fight is the corruption of stealing peoples mandate. That is the biggest corruption. When we get that right, other things will fall in place. It is corruption when you dont allow those who have won to be declared as winners," he said. NAIJ.com earlier reported that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had accused the Rivers state governor of having ties with the crisis within its party in the state. A chieftain of the party, Chief Callistus Nwachukwu accused the governor and his aides of trying to blackmail top APC chieftains in Rivers. Nwachukwu said Wike and his aides and three others of trying to blackmail the minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and ex-commissioner for agriculture Emma Chindah. Nigerians want PDP back in 2019 - Goodluck Jonathan declares at PDP Caucus Meeting - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Just in: Tambuwal assigns portfolios to four newly-appointed commissioners, reassigns nine others to different ministries (full list) - Sokoto state governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has reshuffled his cabinet - The governor assigns portfolios to four newly-appointed commissioners and reassigns nine others to different ministries - He urges all the appointees to prioritise service delivery to the people of the state Sokoto state governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has announced a major reshuffle to his cabinet, assigning portfolios to four recently-appointed commissioners while nine others were reassigned to different ministries. Announcing the decision in a statement issued Monday, February 5, in Sokoto, Tambuwals spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, said the little delay in assigning portfolio to the four appointed cabinet members was due to the budget defence by various ministries at the state legislature, New Telegraph reports. The statement in part: In a bid to re-energise the work of government and bring new impetus to service delivery, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has assigned portfolios to Professor Aishatu Madawaki, Hon Ahmad Barade Wamakko, Hon Garba Yakubu Tsitse and Hon Bello Isa Ambarura who were recently sworn-in as members of the Sokoto Executive Council. They will be in charge of the ministries of Basic and Secondary Education, Social Welfare, Youths and Sports; and lastly Commerce, Industries, Trade and Investment respectively. READ ALSO: Breaking: Olisa Metuh arrives court in ambulance (photos) Dr Muhammed Jabbi Kilgori has been moved from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to that of Higher Education, Bello Goronyo Esq is now the commissioner of the newly-established ministry for Energy, Hon Musa Ausa Gidan Madi is now in charge of the ministry of Solid Minerals while Hon Mani Maishinku Katami is the new commissioner in the ministry for Rural Development. Hon Abdullahi Maigwandu is now in charge of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Hon Surajo Gatawa has been redeployed to the Ministry of Science and Technology, Hon Isa Saidu Achida is the new commissioner of Information while Hon Abdulkadir Jeli Abubakar III is now in charge of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Hon Aminu Bello Sokoto has been reassigned to be the commissioner of Special Duties. All other commissioners not mentioned above retain their portfolios. Governor Tambuwal urges all the appointees to prioritise service delivery to the people. He equally wishes both the old and the new appointees success in their assignments, the statement concluded. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app NAIJ.com provides the full list of ministries and their commissioners: 1. Hon Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto Deputy Governor (Overseer of the Ministry of Works and Transport) 2. Hon Umar Nagwari Tambuwal (Agriculture and Natural Resources) 3. Hon Saidu Umar (Finance) 4. Hon Muhammad Arzika Tureta (Water Resources) 5. Dr Muhammad Jabbi Kilgori (Higher Education) 6. Hon Abdullahi Maigwandu (Religious Affairs) 7. Hon Surajo Gatawa (Science and Technology) 8. Hon Abdulkadir Jeli Abubakar III (Home Affairs) 9. Hon Tukur Alkali (Animal Health and Fisheries Development) 10. Hon Mani Maishinku Katami (Rural Development) 11. Hon Muhammad Bello Sifawa (Environment) 12. Hon Muhammad Bello Abubakar Guiwa (Lands and Housing) 13. Hon Sulaiman Usman SAN (Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice) 14. Hon Isa Sadiq Achida (Information) 15. Hon Aminu Bello Sokoto (Special Duties) 16. Hon Bala Kokani (Budget and Economic Planning) 17. Hon Bello Goronyo Esq (Energy) 18. Hon Manir Muhammad DanIya (Local Government and Community Development) 19. Hajiya Kulu Abdullahi (Women and Children Affairs) 20. Dr Balarabe Shehu Kakale (Health) 21. Hon Musa Ausa Gidan Madi (Solid Minerals) 22. Professor Aishatu Madawaki (Basic and Secondary Education) 23. Hon Ahmed Barade Wamakko (Social Welfare) 24. Hon Garba Yakubu Tsitse (Youth and Sports) 25. Hon Bello Isa Ambarura (Commerce, Industries, Trade and Investment) NAIJ.com previously reported that, Governor Tambuwal swore-in the state's first female professor as one of the states commissioners. Three others persons were sworn-in as commissioners into the executive council of the state. Professor Aishatu Madawaki, a professor of Educational Psychology at Usmanu Danfodio University, was sworn-in together with Ahmed Barade Wamakko, Garba Yakubu Tsitse and Bello Isa Ambarura. While giving his speech at the swearing-in ceremony in the Government House, Governor Tambuwal urged those appointed to see their new offices as opportunities to render service to the state. What is working well and what needs improvement in Nigeria? - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Governor Okorocha urges Imo residents to live in peace - The Imo state government started a one-month long activity to commemorate the celebration of the creation of the state 42 years ago - The state governor Rochas Okorocha urged people of the state to close ranks and continue to live in peace and harmony - Governor Okorocha confirmed that the state has set aside a one-month long activity to showcase different activities to celebrate the state at 42 The Imo state governor Rochas Okorocha has urged the people of the state to close ranks irrespective of political differences and unite for a better state that children yet unborn can be proud of. Channels TV reports that governor Rochas made this known in a one-month long activity to commemorate the celebration of the creation of the state 42 years ago. READ ALSO: Spokesman insists IBB authorised Vote out Buhari in 2019 statement It was learnt that the event took place at the government house chapel in Owerri the state capital south-east Nigeria. The government who congratulated the people of the state for celebrating at 42, said the state is to be proud of amongst other states of the federation. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app The state commissioner of Information and strategy Nnamdi Obiaraeri also said the celebration coincided with the 7 years anniversary of free education in the state by which very significant for students in the state. Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that Ikedi Ohakim, former governor of the state threatened to protest naked against the non-payment of judges in the state in March. The former governor who claimed judges in the state have not been paid about 16 months salaries has described the the situation as scandalous. While alleging that the state government had failed to pay about N7 billion to the affected judges despite court order, the former governor said he would carry out his protest along Wethdral Road, Owerri, the state capital. APC official tells why his party could be voted out in 2019 on NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Regret over Buhari or Jonathan? by Duro Onabule (Opinion) Editor's note: In this piece, Duro Onabule writes on the president administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari. Onabule, in a comparison highlights the achievements of President Buhari and to the past administartion. He also points out that Nigeria became rebranded, to the envy of a former president of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo who in a recent letter accused President Buhari of inefficiency. It was always predictable that, given his notoriety on that score, it was a matter of time for former President Olusegun Obasanjo to resume his pastime of undermining his military and civilian successors, by making President Muhammadu Buhari his latest victim. Amusingly, the rabble Obasanjo rouses on such occasions has dignified his deplorable tactics as a sort of distinction. If only they could critically dissect the man. There is this latent personality complex of striving never to be outshone or exceeded by any Nigerian living or dead. Hence, at the slightest prospect of being threatened, Obasanjo comes charging. Obasanjos dismissal of Buharis performance is a vivid example. On the alert that African Union was to honour the Nigerian President as the Champion of Anti-Corruption in Africa the following day, Obasanjo came out with his diatribe in the mistaken belief that the great honour for Buhari and, indeed, Nigeria would be diminished if not rubbished by his comments. READ ALSO: Breaking: Olisa Metuh arrives court in ambulance (photos) Unfortunately for him, African Union sustained its honour on Nigeria, much to the credit Muhammadu Buhari as the President under whose tenure Nigeria became rebranded, to the envy of Obasanjo. Every timing and content of Obasanjos verbal assault on his military and civilian successors is noteworthy for exposing Obasanjos self-exaggeration and case study in hypocrisy. He is on record in some of his books as rating himself above every Nigerian (civilian or military), who ever served at high level Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Aminu Kano, Waziri Ibrahim, General Yakubu Gowon, Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle, General Alani Akinrinade, General Alabi Isama, General Buhari, General Ibrahim Babangida (IBB), General Sani Abacha (as military rulers), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, President Umaru YarAdua, President Goodluck Jonathan and, now, President Buhari. General Abdulsalami Abubakar escaped Obasanjos bad tongue only because he released him (Obasanjo) from jail and heeded northern Generals who imposed Obasanjo on Nigeria as an elected President. Obasanjo kept off IBB since the day the former military President, in a rejoinder to Obasanjo, openly served him notice that Henceforth, it will be fire for fire. Obasanjo got the coded message. Very disturbingly and unknown to Nigerians is the fact that, contrary to the impression that Obasanjo, in his criticisms, is motivated by public service or altruism, he goes to town specifically when he fails to run the show from outside for an incumbent head of government or get appointments for his cronies. READ ALSO: President Buhari may lose Kano support base - Aminu Dabo Former President Jonathan conceded, almost virtual running of his government to Obasanjo up to the time a memo written by Obasanjo recommending removal of six appointees from federal boards, to be replaced by six of his cronies, got leaked to Nigerian Tribune newspaper. Obasanjo initially denied authorship of the memo. Somehow, Nigeria Police foolishly arraigned Nigeria Tribune and its reporter for alleged sedition. Nigerian Tribune then had to republish the memo with Obasanjos full signature. That was the end of the matter, as the police had to withdraw the charges till today. In the current anti-Buhari misadventure by Obasanjo, how many Nigerians took notice that, amid the euphoria on Buharis victory, Obasanjo, in his arrogance of Mr. Know All, dispatched two volumes of policies President Buhari must implement during his current tenure? Who was elected President of Nigeria in 2015? Buhari or Obasanjo? Obasanjos major weakness of feeling superior to everybody is the cause of his running down contemporaries. Apparently, Buhari kept Obasanjos policies in the shelf, a derision, which embittered Obasanjo. Hence his frustration. I said it from the beginning that Buhari is not strong on economy. Who then displays his Ph.D in Economics? Obasanjo. Here was a man, so arrogant and power-drunk that he openly dismissed the advisers he had just sworn in that as much as they might advise, he, President Obasanjo, was not bound to take their advice. The same man imposing total policy directive on a President yet to be sworn in. The same deplorable tactics by Obasanjo did not work on late President YarAdua, not the least because he rejected Obasanjos attempt to run the government for him, but he also cancelled Obasanjos hurried investment of a whopping half a billion dollars in African Finance Corporation a fortnight before handing over to YarAdua. That investment was without the approval of the National Assembly. The late President YarAdua also queried an expenditure of $16 billion by Obasanjos administration purportedly on power supply with, according to YarAdua, nothing to show for it. It is a question of character and hypocrisy. Who ever ran Obasanjos administrations for him? Who ever nominated public office holders for Obasanjo throughout his tenure? Who imposed policies on Obasanjo? Indeed, on his first day in office in 1999, Obasanjo expressed thanks to all those who helped him but instantly requested all of them to keep away. If so, why must he aim to run government for others? Former President Obasanjo is the cheapest critic in Nigeria as he merely echoes claims of the innocent public. Obasanjo was not bold enough to specify Lawal Musa Daura (DG, Department of State Services) and Mamman Daura, a veteran journalist, as the major focus of the charge of nepotism against Buhari. Admittedly, Mamman Daura is a nephew, but Lawal Daura (DG, DSS), might just be Buharis townsman. Is that, therefore, peculiar to President Buhari or Nigeria or even Africa? What, anyway, was the record under Obasanjo or former President Goodluck Jonathan? During Obasanjos tenure, his daughter, Iyabo Obasanjo Bello, was Ogun State commissioner for health. Iyabo was also elected senator from Ogun Central, her fathers constituency. Above all, only the collapse of Obasanjos third term agenda cost his daughter the governorship of Ogun State for which she specially formed the Iyaniwura Foundation. Most remarkably, Obasanjo removed the serving Director-General of DSS to make way for Ogun State and fellow Egba, Colonel Kayode Are (retd). Obasanjo, therefore, owes Nigerians the difference between him and President Buhari, a task which should have been performed the very minute todays journalists collected Obasanjos infamous letter. Former President Jonathan similarly removed the Director-General of DSS he inherited and replaced him with his South South fellow indigene, Ita Ekpenyong. Why was there no complaint of nepotism? Much is being made of the influence Mamman Daura wields inside Aso Rock. A nephew of President Buhari? So what? At least, Mamman Daura is a Nigerian, who (whatever his blood ties with Buhari) has a constitutional right to serve in any government of this country. Who did Obasanjo import to wield influence on his administration for eight years? A former Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia in United States. An American inside the innermost chamber of Nigerian government? Would a Nigerian have been ever-privileged to access similar level of governance in the United States? Still under Obasanjo, a lavish marriage for another American acquaintance was celebrated inside Aso Rock. If such waste of Nigerias resources were to take place in Aso Rock for Buharis foreign acquaintance today, Obasanjo would have led the criticisms. READ ALSO: Spokesman insists IBB authorised Vote out Buhari in 2019 statement Allegation of nepotism in todays politics? Only hypocrites, opportunists, the mischievous and the ignorant feed fat on such meal, all in the fraud of championing public morality. In the United States, seeming nepotism is mere routine for an incumbent President. The 1960 episode of the much-loved John Kennedy appointing his immediate younger brother, Robert Kennedy, as attorney-general may be too far behind. Today, President Donald Trump has around him in the White House wielding great influence daughter, as special adviser, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, designated as special adviser but virtually more powerful on all Middle East matters than Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson. Before making mince meat of Donald Trump, let it be known that Trump merely followed his predecessors, like Bill Clinton, who appointed his wife, Hilary Clinton, as head of a health review task force. The appointment was legally challenged but the court ruled the appointment was no nepotism. Under President George Bush Juniors administration, Secretary of State Colin Powells son, Michael Powell, was appointed Chairman of Federal Electoral Commission. Nepotism? Obasanjo and co-travellers should read Adam Bellows book, In Praise of Nepotism Presidency. A major achievement of President Buhari is that he has restored civility and harmony to the Presidency, such that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, himself a loyal and contented human being, was publicly appreciated by Buhari as my brother. Nigerians have not been treated to the crude illegality of manipulation of the Constitution in a futile attempt to humiliate an innocent man out of office. Obasanjo made allegation of financial crime of round tripping against unspecified members of Buharis administration. That cant be true. If, however, he has the facts, Obasanjo has the duty to convey such to the EFCC Chairman. Lest we forget, pace of governance is inexcusably (repeat, inexcusably) slow. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app It should never again take seven months to announce, screen and swear in ministers. Equally the eventual dismissal of a doubly indicted SGF (by the Senate and Vice-President Osinbajo review committee) should not have been triggered only by the Maina controversy. Such slow pace or vacillation throws Buhari into avoidable frying pan of controversy Should Buhari contest in 2019? That is his personal decision. Elections as well as the performances of a leader all over the world are determined by the electorate, who, in Nigerias case, run into multiple scores of millions. One man, in his arrogance, must not be allowed to appropriate such voting power to himself. Elections are either won or lost. When a man, who, towards the end of an eight-year term, plotted to rule for life (a treason offence) now arrogates to himself the moral of determining the political fate of a fellow citizen, we shouldnt take him seriously. Buhari or Jonathan? There is no regret for Jonathans exit, in view of scandalous revelations. I endorsed Buhari since 2002 for the yeomans job, which he commenced less than three years ago. I am satisfied. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NAIJ.com. Your own opinion articles are welcome at info@corp.naij.com drop an email telling us what you want to write about and why. More details in Naij.coms step-by-step guide for guest contributors. Were ready to trade your news for our money: submit news and photo reports from your area using our Citizen Journalism App. Contact us if you have any feedback, suggestions, complaints or compliments. We are also available on Twitter. 2019 reelection bid: Should President Buhari heed Obasanjo's advice? - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Breaking: Lai Mohammed leads FG delegation to Maiduguri for special town hall meeting on security - The minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, says the President Buhari administration is putting efforts in place to make Borno return to normalcy - The theatre commander of Operation Lafia Dole states that his troops have successfully defeated the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents The minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, has led a federal governments delegation comprising of four other ministers to Maiduguri, the Borno state capital for a special town hall meeting on military and security. The special adviser to the president on new media, Bashir Ahmad, in a tweet on Monday, February 5, disclosed that Lai Mohammed at the meeting said the delegation was there to let the world know the giant efforts the President Buhari administration is putting in place to make Borno return to normalcy and a more habitable place. READ ALSO: 2 police officers, 4 others killed in Benue gun battle with militias Below are tweets from the presidency about the meeting: PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app Meanwhile, the Nigerian army declared on Saturday, February 3, that it has completely defeated the Boko Haram insurgents. The theatre commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj-Gen Rogers Nicholas, stated this during the inauguration of the Nigeria-Cameroun Military Joint Mission in Maiduguri, Leadership reports. Nicholas said that his troops dislodged and occupied the insurgents tactical ground, Camp Zairo. He noted that hundreds of insurgents surrendered and several others fled their enclave, while over 100 civilians were rescued. He stated that the troops have captured Sambisa forest and other hearts of Boko Harams operation grounds. Survivors of Boko Haram - on NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Shortage of equipment, trained staff impedes cancer care in Nigeria IAEA By Sola Ogundipe Lack of access to radiotherapy facilities coupled with shortage of trained staff in radiotherapy and issues in maintaining existing machines and equipment are factors militating against treatment and management of cancer cases in Nigeria. An equity gap case study on access to radiotherapy in Nigeria conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEAs Directory of Radiotherapy Centres, showed that there are only three functional radiotherapy machines in Nigeria, equating to 0.016 radiotherapy machines per 1,000,000 people compared to 1 to 250,000 population in the developed world. A statement by the Union for International Cancer Control UICC, released on this years World Cancer Day, observed that one of the biggest gaps between radiotherapy machine availability and need is in Nigeria. Recalling a 2016 study of patients at the Radiation Oncology Department at University College Hospital (UCH) in Oyo State, Nigeria, the IAEA study observed that 80 percent of patients were unable to afford radiotherapy without financial assistance while geographical access also played a critical part in a patient accessing radiotherapy. According to the IAEA: Radiotherapy is one of the major modalities of treatment and care for some of the most common cancers, including cervical, breast, colorectal, head, and neck cancers. On average, it is recommended for 52 percent of cancer patients. Nigerias major cancer control success has been improvements in the availability of equipment for cancer treatment, including the installation of radiation equipment in eight hospitals. Given issues in maintaining the functionality of these facilities, the IAEA are assisting in the implementation of a curriculum for medical physicists to ensure quality control in radiotherapy centres. In December 2017, the Federal government announced a new machine for the Radiotherapy Department at the National Hospital, Abuja while a second machine is to be installed by June 2018 and also at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital , LUTH. The IAEA said success of the Africa Radiation Oncology Network (AFRONET), a pilot telemedicine project supports professionals in radiotherapy centres within Anglophone Africa to discuss individual cancer cases online and share views on treatment with experts around the world, has helped to strengthen clinical decision-making. Noting that access to radiotherapy is marked by global inequities, with access least developed in Africa, the Agency said at least 55 percent of all cancers in Africa could respond to radiotherapy, yet radiotherapy is only available to 5 percent of the African population. According to Professor Sanchia Aranda, President of UICC and CEO of Cancer Council Australia: Set in 2011, the World Health Organizations target to cut premature NCD deaths by 25 percent within 14 years is coming towards its half way mark. We can meet the target, but more action than ever will be required. Inequality in access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care makes reducing premature deaths from cancer difficult. If we are committed to achieving this goal, we must act quickly and decisively to make access to cancer services more equal all around the world. Also speaking, IAEA Director General, Mr Yukiya Amano, said: Cancer has reached epidemic proportions and is increasing at an alarming rate in developing countries. Nuclear techniques are key to addressing this global health issue, from prevention to palliation. The Society of Oncology and Cancer Research Nigeria noted that the need for access to radiotherapy in Nigeria is critical. If we are to make any progress in reducing the number of premature cancer deaths in our country, we must urgently address the access, infrastructure and human resource gaps in delivering radiotherapy treatment to cancer patients in Nigeria. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | PDP will win the 2019 Presidential election, says Governor Wike Obasanjo, Babangidas statements vindicate PDP Secondus By Adekunle Aliyu and Dirisu Yakubu Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will win the Presidential election in 2019 because Nigerians yearn for the return of pro-people leadership. Also the National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus said the party is leaving no stone unturned in a bid to regain power in 2019 and save the country from disintegration. L-R: Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus and Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa during the meeting of the National Working Committee and PDP Governors Forum in Asaba on Sunday night. The governor declared that though the APC Federal Government and electoral officials are plotting to subvert the will of the people, they will be resisted by Nigerians. He spoke in Asaba on Sunday night during the meeting of the National Working Committee and PDP Governors Forum. According to Governor Wike, if democratic principles are respected, those pretending to be seeking a second term after a woeful performance would have declined contesting elections. We are going to win the Presidency in 2019. We take it for granted that we have won our governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly seats, he said. He said at present, PDP Governors are orphans in Abuja, hence the need to take over leadership at Federal level The governor added: Frankly speaking, If Nigeria is a country where democracy is democracy, so many wont talk about contesting election. Because first of all you need to tell the people what you have done for them. What will they come to tell Delta people that they have done in the area? Nothing. What is their confidence? What will they say they have done in the Niger Delta? What they dont understand is that we are more prepared now than in the past. Anybody who thinks that he can come and rig us out, will fail. Governor Wike said that the fight against corruption must include the struggle for the promotion of a credible democratic electoral process. He said: Part of corruption that we must fight is the corruption of stealing peoples mandate. That is the biggest corruption. When we get that right, other things will fall in place. It is corruption when you dont allow those who have won to be declared as winners. He regretted that Nigeria goes to smaller countries to observe how elections are conducted, but are unable to conduct credible polls. The governor said that no matter the antics of the APC Federal Government, Nigerians will insist on credible polls in 2019. PDP, working hard to regain power- Secondus National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has said the party is leaving no stone unturned in a bid to regain power in 2019 and save the country from disintegration. Prince Secondus stated this to a crowd of jubilant party supporters who came to receive him in Asaba, the Delta State capital on Sunday. The PDP chair in a statement signed by his media Adviser, Ike Abonyi said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed woefully and Nigerians were now yearning for the PDP to form the next government. According to him, the ongoing rebuilding and repositioning in the PDP is aimed at rebranding the party to meet the challenges ahead. Secondus also told Delta PDP members to support Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in his effort at transforming the State in line with his electioneering campaign promises. Delta is a PDP State and will remain a PDP State because through the party the State has experienced phenomenal development, said Secondus. He charged the people to get their Permanent Voters Card, PVC, which he described as The real instrument of their power. On the recent counsel by ex- Heads of Government, Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida on the performance of APC and the President, Prince Secondus said, Its a confirmation of what the PDP has been sayings all the while that the ruling party lacked the democratic wherewithal to lead the country. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Benue, Nasarawa ethnic groups demand Nigerias restructuring By Peter Duru MAKURDIWorried by the unending killings in Benue villages by suspected herdsmen, leaders of 12 ethnic groups from across the country have demanded for the immediate restructuring of Nigeria to accommodate the creation of state Police and ensure true federalism in the country. President Muhammadu Buhari In a statement by the chairman, communique drafting committee, Chief Dan Ekah and other tribal leaders at the end of an emergency meeting weekend, in Makurdi by the ethnic groups resident in Benue and part of Nasarwa states, the ethnic leaders commended the collective steps taken by the leadership of Mdzough U Tiv, Idoma National Forum and Omi NyIgede to end the recurrent killings in Benue State and resolved to support the initiative. The statement read in part, we however blame the Federal Government for her lukewarm approach to the killings of innocent citizens, we therefore have no confidence in the Nigeria Police Force handling of the massacre in Benue and other states, as they are extremely bias especially the Inspector General of Police. We therefore reaffirm our support for ranching as best solution to herdsmen/farmers clashes and condemned the idea of cattle colony. The leaders appealed to the Governor of Nasarawa State to check the usage of his state as transit camp for herdsmen attacking Benue and also check the pogrom against the Tiv people in Nasarawa State, saying We also urge all socio-cultural organizations such as the Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, Afenifere, South- South and Middle Belt Forums and others to join forces with the Benue Community to defend their people. And given the humanitarian crisis created by the development, we appeal to humanitarian organizations to come to the assistance of the internally displaced persons in Benue State. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Gov Ganduje asks Fulani herdsmen to relocate to Kano By AbdulSalam Muhammad KANO Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State, yesterday, called on all Fulani herdsmen resident in other parts of the country, especially Benue and Taraba states, to relocate to his state since the state has vast grazing land to accommodate them and their cattle. Ganduje, a Fulani, who stated this while inspecting the vaccination of over one million cattle and other small animals free-of-charge at Kadawa artificial insemination centre in Garum Malam Local Government Area of the state, as part of activities to mark the 2017/2018 livestock vaccination programme, condemned the recent killings emanating from clashes between farmers and herdsmen, describing it as unacceptable. Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje He said the exercise was to keep the animals healthy and improve the economy of the state. He explained that the over one million cattle and small animals vaccinated for free will be free of animal diseases, adding that his administration is committed to the welfare and economic wellbeing of the Fulani herdsmen. The governor further said that as part of the governments commitment to encourage herdsmen in the state, Kano State government has continued to provide facilities that will contain the herdsmen and their cattle to prevent them from travelling to other states in search of grazing lands. Ganduje also stated that Fulani herdsmen of Kano origin do not move out of Kano to other states because we have enough grazing land, ranches and traditional stock route. He said: So, they dont have any reason to move out of the state. We take care of them and we accord them the respect and dignity they deserve. I am inviting herdsmen from all parts of Nigeria to relocate to Kano because we have enough facilities to accommodate them. We have grazing lands in Rogo, Gaya, Kura, Tudun Wada, Ungogo and other reserved places where facilities are in place to accommodate the herdsmen and their cattle. The governor also revealed that already, his administration was in collaboration with the Federal Government and foreign agencies to convert the Falgore Games Reserve into a modern grazing land. Falgore Game Reserve can take care of millions of herdsmen and their cattle in Nigeria. The place has been designed to contain schools, human and animal clinics, markets, recreational centres and other social amenities that can give the herdsmen enough comfort to take care of their animals and do their business without hindrance. These killings must stop. We cannot afford to continue to witness these senseless killings in the name of Fulani herdsmen and farmers clash over lack of grazing land while we have a place like the Falgore Game Reserve under utilized. There is no longer fear of cattle rustling in Kano. Cattle rustling are now history because we fought the menace headlong. In Falgore right now, we have enough security there. Those rustlers have relocated elsewhere, while some of them who repented from their evil ways were given amnesty and rehabilitated, Ganduje said. He also said that his administration has embarked on the registration of herdsmen and the numbers of their cattle to enable government take care of them through free vaccination and other incentives that will add value to their business. A Cattle Intervention centre has been established to address the challenges associated with rumination of herdsmen within Kano. Just recently, we sponsored the training of over 61Fulani who were sent to Turkey to learn artificial insemination. They are back to Kano and I must tell you that they are doing well in various places to have been assigned to do their job, he stated. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Igbo Is Most Foolish Tribe In The World Uwazuruike Self-acclaimed freedom fighter, Chief Ralph Uwazurike has blamed South-easterners for their political misfortunes,w linked with lack of unity. Founder and leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazurike, has described the Igbo as foolish. The MASSOB founder insisted that Igbo may not become Nigerias president because they only fight for their pocket. Speaking with Punch, Uwazurike recalled how Igbo was pushed aside after forming the former ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 1999. He insisted that anyone calling for the unity of Nigeria does not mean well for the already troubled nation. His words, Remember, it was the Igbo man that formed this PDP but they snatched it from him. Then, it was clear that an Igbo man would be the President of Nigeria. But in Jos, it was the Igbo who robbed themselves of that opportunity. The Igbo at that political event in Jos started speaking Hausa. The Igbo started sponsoring (Olusegun) Obasanjo against (Alex) Ekwueme; giving N100 million and all that to another tribe to emerge. Let me tell you, the Igbo tribe is the most foolish tribe I have ever seen in the world. While the Yoruba embraced unity, the Igbo man was the person speaking Hausa in Jos; the Igbo man was the one donating money against his own brother in Jos to another candidate. Is that a wise tribe? Then, who should I apologise to for using the word foolish? Then what have we achieved from the PDP? For how many years have the Yoruba people used the PDP? Eight years! Now, when it was the turn of the South-East, they sent it to South-South. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | He is a Maradona - Reactions trail IBBs statement on 2019 A statement credited to former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, where he reportedly called for a new generation of leaders to assume the mantle of leadership in the country come 2019 has generated a buzz on social media. IBB as he is popularly called, had caused stir on Sunday, February 4, after he called for new leadership in 2019, but only to retract the statement hours later. However, the former head of state has maintained that his earlier statement stands, his aide, Kassim Afegbua, stood by his statement and dismissed the alleged refutal by his boss in a Channels TV programme on Sunday, February 4. READ ALSO: 2 police officers, 4 others killed in Benue gun battle with militias The confusion created by the release of IBBs statement has not gone unnoticed on social media as some Nigerians have been discussing the issue. While some praised the former military president, for his statement on the state of the nation, others claimed he lacked the moral right to criticise the Buhari regime. Read some reactions on the issue below: PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app Meanwhile, Senator Shehu Sani, representing Kaduna central, has claimed that former military president, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, indeed issued a statement telling President Muhammadu Buhari not to stand for re-election in 2019. Babangidas spokesman, Kassim Afegbua in a statement issued on Sunday, February 4, allegedly on behalf of Babangida quoted him as saying that President Muhammadu Buhari should step aside after 2019. In a tweet on Sunday, February 4, Shehu Sani stated that the first version where Babangida allegedly asked President Buhari not to contest in 2019 was the real statement. The next President of Nigeria. Who will win the 2019 elections? on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Breaking: Olisa Metuh arrives court in ambulance (photos) - A former publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Meuh, arrived the court in an ambulance on Monday - Metuh was brought into the courtroom on a stretcher - The doctors had said he was in a critical condition and had left the hospital premises at his own peril A former publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Meuh, on Monday, February 5, arrived the Federal High Court in an ambulance. Metuh who has been receiving treatment at the National Hospital in Abuja, arrived the court in the hospital's ambulance. Although Metuh was brought in by the hospital's ambulance, NAIJ.com gathered that the former PDP's spokesperson left the hospital on his own will. Olisa Metuh was brought into the court in an ambulance. Photo credit: Nnesochi O. He was also taken into the courtroom on a stretcher. READ ALSO: Spokesman insists IBB authorised Vote out Buhari in 2019 statement Sources within the hospital said the former spokesperson left the premises at his own peril. Olisa Metuh reportedly left the hospital on his own will. Photo credit: Nnesochi O. The sources said Metuh also signed an undertaken with the hospital after he insisted on attending the court proceedings today, February 5. READ ALSO: PDP passes critical message to Buhari concerning herdsmen crisis Olisa Metuh also signed an undertaken with the hospital before leaving. Photo credit: Nnesochi O. The source said: "He was warned not to leave the hospital but he insisted he must be present at the court today so the doctors insisted he signs an undertaken with the hospital." Sources said Metuh was brought to the court against the doctor's advise. Photo credit: Nnesochi O. NAIJ.com earlier reported that Metuh's doctor had said he was in critical condition. The chief medical director of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anthony Igwegbe, said Metuh is gradually losing feeling in the lower region of his body. Sources said Metuh was brought to the court against the doctor's advise. Photo credit: Nnesochi O. The doctor said Metuh needed an urgent surgery on his spinal cord. Recall that Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court had insisted that Metuh must be in court today despite report from hospital. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Following Abang's order, Metuh was moved from the intensive care unit of UNT. he arrived the National hospital on Sunday, February 4, night from where he was now moved to court in national hospital ambulance. The luxury of corruption: What money can buy - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Adopt zero tolerance against extra fees from workers: UN Rapporteur United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Philipe Gonzales Morales has said that the government should adopt zero tolerance policy against those abusing the labours and demanding extra fees from migrant workers. Home | News | General | Herdsmen Killings: Rosicrucians chide Buharis inability to bring perpetrators to book By Emmanuel Ayungbe Idiodi who argued that heinous crimes are not peculiar to Nigeria alone lamented,what is worrisome is the federal governments apparent lack of political will to stop the violent killing of armless citizens and bring the perpetrators to justice. The leader of the Order made the remark,weekend while fielding questions from reporters in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state at the 42nd Eastern Regional Rotational Conclave (ERRC) with the theme, the Souls Immortality and Universal Love. herdsmen The Grand Administrator English West Africa, disclosed that the Rosicrucian Order being a spiritual and mystical organization has been addressing the challenges facing the country which have given rise to violence through the channel of prayers and intercessions. For decades, we have had cause to engage in metaphysical and spiritual practices which are design to even prevent the onset of violence, he explained. Idiodi said the solution for sustainable peace and unity of Nigeria could be located when Nigerians advising that Nigerians should jettison selfish interests and radiate the universal love of God among the populace, irrespective of creeds, religions and other sentiments. According to him, the malaise of Boko Haram, herdsmen killings, economic backwardness and corruption would fizzle out gradually, when the good virtues as enunciated by the Supreme Intelligence (the God Almighty) were allowed to dictate the thoughts and actions of humanity. He, therefore, urged Nigerians from all walks of life to ponder on the things that bind the people and not those things that tend to divide them. He noted that the love of God supersedes every personal effort at finding a lasting solution to the incessant skirmishes in the polity. AMORC as a knowledge-based organization, according to Idiodi, would continue to propagate the virtues of the universal of love, noting that if such attributes of God were allowed to be ventilated sincerely, the country would not be thrown into feuds and killings of one another in the country. He urged adherents to continue to be in the vanguard of safeguarding the essential characteristics of God and to deploy such values in their quest to make the world a conducive social and spiritual environment for humanity to attain their spiritual vision and mission on earth. In the same vein, Prof. Gabriel Umoh, the Uyo Regional Monitor and Chairman of the Conclaves Planning Committee, admonished Nigerians to refrain from overheating the polity with hate speeches, but embrace the virtues that promote peace and unity of Nigeria. On daily basis, we are inundated with hate speeches, news of violent conflicts, strife and gripping stories of wars. Indeed, it appears, and sadly so, that love seems to be scarce in the hearts of men and women alike, he noted CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Murder of Ex-PDP Chairmans Son: I am 3 months pregnant, killer wife, tells court By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA Maryam Sanda, who was remanded in prison custody for allegedly killing her husband who is the son of former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Bilyamin Bello, on Monday, told the trial court that she is three months pregnant. *Love gone sour: Maryam Sanda reportedly stabbed her husband, Bilyamin Bello, to death The alleged killer wife begged trial Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Abuja High Court sitting at Jabi to reconsider an earlier application she filed to be released on bail pending the determination of the murder charge against her. Maryams lawyer, Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, urged the court to take pity on her client who he said would require proper medical attention at this early stage of her pregnancy. Besides, Daudu, SAN, said he has raised objections against the competence of the charge which he said ought to have been commenced with a First Information Report, FIR, as envisaged under the Penal Code. The defence lawyer further contended that the Nigerian Police Force failed to secure the consent of the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, before it filed the charge. Meantime, Justice Halilu adjourned the matter till Wednesday to decide whether or not the defendant should be released on bail based on her pregnancy claim. Police had through its lawyer, Mr. James Idachaba, opposed Maryams fresh bail application, saying there was insufficient evidence before the court to prove that she is indeed three months pregnant. It will be recalled that Justice Halilu had previously rejected plea for the defendant who is nursing a six-month old baby girl, to be released from Suleja prison on bail. The court had on November 24, 2017, remanded Maryam in prison after she was arraigned on a two-count charge of culpable homicide punishable by death under section 221 of the Penal Code Law. In the charge marked CR/15/17 which Police filed pursuant to section 109(d) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, Maryam was accused of stabbing her husband to death with a broken bottle on November 19 at their Abuja residence. The prosecution told the court that Bilyamin died as a result of several stabs on his chest and neck. Police maintained that the defendant attacked her husband with the knowledge that her act was likely to cause his death. She was equally charged with the offence of causing grievious hurt, contrary to section 247 of the Penal Code Law. The late Bilyaminu who is a real estate developer, was the son of ex-PDP Chairman, Mr. Mohammed Bello Haliru. However, Maryam pleaded not giulty to the charge, even as she begged the court shortly after her arraignment to release her on bail pending the trial, a request that was refused. Police subsequently amended the charge and added Maryams mother, Maimuna Aliyu, her brother, Aliyu Sanda and one Sadiya Aminu, as co-defendant in the matter. The prosecution alleged that Maryams family members attempted to destroy evidence that linked her to the murder. It alleged that upon realizing that an offence of culpable homicide was committed, the other defendants,did caused evidence of the offence to dissappear. It said the other defendants had carefully cleaned the blood from the scene of the crime with the intention of screening the 1st defendant, Maryam from legal punishment. According to the prosecution, the three persons involved in the scrubbing-off of murdered Bilyamins blood, by their action, committed an offence punishable under section 167 of the Penal Code Law. Nevethless, the court granted Maryams co-defendants bail after they produced two surties each and surrendered their all their travelling documents CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Shettima lauds military for crushing Boko Haram The Governor of Borno, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, on Monday commended the Nigerian military for the successes recorded so far in the war against Boko Haram. The commendation comes amid latest claims by the military authorities that the insurgency has been total crushed. Shettima Boko Haram, which is seeking the enthronement of a strict Islamic code in Nigeria, launched its deadly insurgency in 2009, killing thousands of people and leaving the economy of Nigerias northeast in ruins. Shettima, who was speaking in Maiduguri at the inauguration of a special town hall meeting for military and security agencies in the northeast, hailed the military for demonstrating high patriotism and professionalism. He said that the military made huge sacrifices to facilitate the restoration of peace and security in the northeast. Shettima noted that the military had successfully defeated and over-ran the insurgents in the past few weeks. He said that the military had through its counter-insurgency campaign, facilitated a return to normalcy and the resurgence of social and economic development in the northeast. In the past three years, Boko Haram insurgents took over 20 Local Government Areas of Borno State. Maiduguri faced serious threats. We were in a state of siege. Thousands of people were killed, maimed and displaced, due to the insurgency. The ugly situation changed for the better because of the hard work and commitment of our gallant troops, he stated. According to him, Boko Haram, having been decimated, resorted to suicide bombing, targeting soft targets, a clear sign of cowardice and weakness on their part. The governor noted that the successes recorded in the war against the insurgents were made under military commanders of southern Nigeria extraction. Shettima called on Nigerians to complement the efforts of the military in the restoration of peace by living harmoniously, irrespective of ethnic or religious differences. He also lauded the Federal Government for its efforts in ending the war as well as its initiative in addressing the humanitarian crisis caused by the insurgency. The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that the meeting was designed to enable the government to interact with the populace. Mohammed said that the Federal Government accorded priority to ending the insurgency and boosting security in the country. He commended the troops for their gallantry and for defeating the terrorists. The Ministers of Defence and Interior, Mannir Dan-Ali and Abdulrahman Dambazau as well as the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmad, were at the meeting. Also in attendance were members of some states houses of assemblies, emirs and developments organizations, drawn from six states. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Alleged N400m fraud: Metuh arrives court in ambulance, as court suspends trial By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA Erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, who is facing corruption charges, was on Monday, brought before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court in an ambulance for continuation of his trial. Metuh on stretcher, arrives court in Ambulance Metuh was wheeled into the courtroom in a stretcher by a team of medical experts from the National Hospital, Abuja, even as his lawyers persuaded the court to suspend the trial till a later date. Metuhs lead counsel, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, told the court that his client discharged himself from hosiptal contrary to serious warning from his doctors. Aside filing an affidavit of fact that detailed the current state of health of the former PDP spokesman, Ikpeazu, SAN, equally adduced two exhibits, one being a letter that warned Metuh of the consequences of his decison to personally discharge himself from the University Teaching Hospital, Enugu. The letter was signed by one Prof. Wilfred Mezue, a Consultant Neuro-Surgeon, who warned the defendant that the hospital would not be liable for any adverse consequence of his decision to discharge himself, on his health. Meanwhile, the second exhibit was a document disclosing that Metuh had earlier paid the sum of N198, 000 to Memphis hospital for an MRI scan to be conducted on him. The defence lawyers therefore urged trial Justice Okon Abang to exercise the milk of human sympathy and adjourn the matter for at least one month to enable the defendant to be medically fit to stand trial. Ikpeazu said his client was referred to UNTH Enugu by Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital Nnewi, where he was initially hospitalized. Similarly, the defence lawyer said his team would not object should the prosecution decide to conduct its own medical examination to determine the actual state of health of the defendant. Even if your lordship decides to go on with this case, the defendant will not appreciate or understand the trial. He is a sick man. He is terribly indisposed. The first concern of a sick man is to get himself healed. What is the use of going on with the trial where the accused, though present in court, does not appreciate the sequence of what is going on? I will therefore plead with your lordship to exercise the same milk of human sympathy which has characterised your adjudication in this matter and adjourn the case in line with application of the first defendant, counsel to Metuhs firm, Chief Tochukwu Onwugbufor, SAN, pleaded. On his part, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, through its lawyer, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, said it was not opposed to the adjournment request. My lord, we are not in a position to counter what is contained in the affidavit of fact before this court. However, since there was no timeframe in the medical report for the defendant to be fit for trial, we will leave the issue of duration of the adjournment to the discretion of the court, Tahir submitted. He said there was need to disabuse minds of the public that EFCC was not out to persecute the defendant. In a bench ruling, Justice Abang said he was minded to grant the adjournment requesnt since it was not opposed. A court of law must be firm in its decision. A court of law must be fair to parties and when occasion demands, a court should also be humane. I am therefore inclined to exercise my discretion in favour of the defendant to enable him to receive medical treatment. This case is further adjourned till 14, 15 and 16 March, Justice Abang held. Immediately the case was adjourned, Metuh was wheeled into an ambulance from the National Hospital in Abuja marked 44Q- 20FG. It will be recalled that Justice Abang had on January 25, threatened to order Metuhs arrest should he fail to appear in court. Justice Abang said Metuh would be arrested and remanded in prison custody pending the conclusion of the charge against him, in the event that he failed to attend Mondays proceeding. The court said it was not persuaded by claim that Metuh was lying critically ill at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital at Nnewi in Anambra state. The former PDP spokesman had previously orwarded to the court, a letter dated January 21, 2018, which was signed on behalf of the hospital by one Dr. O. C. Ekwegwu, indicating that he was admitted for medical treatment. Metuh is answering to a seven-count criminal charge alongside his firm, Destra Investment Limited. EFCC is prosecuting him over allegation that he had before the 2015 Presidential election, received N400million from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, without executing any contract. The agency alleged that the fund was electronically wired from an account that ONSA operated with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to Metuh, via account no. 0040437573, which his firm operated with Diamond Bank Plc. It told the court that the fund which was released to Metuh and his firm by detained former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, retd, was part of about $2.1billion earmarked for the purchase of arms to fight insurgency in the North East. Besides, the prosecution which had earlier closed its case after it called eight witnesses that testfied before the court, equally alleged that Metuh was involved in an illicit transaction that involved the exchange of $2million. Owing to his absence in court for continuation of the trial, EFCC, at the last adjourned date, applied for his bail to be revoked, adding that he should be made to attend the courts proceedings from prison. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State has dismissed claims that, Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation was attempting to bribe some APC members who dumped the party with the sum of N20m. The Coordinator of APCs non-indigenes in the state, Callistus Nwachukwu alleged that its former coordinator, Chief Uchenna Okokoba; the former vice chairman, Wole Agunbiade and former Secretary, Alhaji Yusuf Tanko who dumped the party were trying to blackmail the Minister with the alleged bribe story. Nwachukwu insisted that the three former APC members resigned their membership of the party for selfish interest. Speaking yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, Nwachukwu said the three former officers should not be taken seriously. He said, On Saturday, our former coordinator, Chief Uchenna Okokoba; the former vice chairman, Wole Agunbiade; and the former Secretary, Alhaji Yusuf Tanko, went on air to announce the resignation of their portfolios and their membership of our great party, the APC, in Rivers State. Their resignation was unilateral. They did not consult the executive members of non-indigenes APC in Rivers State, the stakeholders, unit leaders and the elders of the party. We believe that their decision was borne out of their personal interest or for pecuniary reason. There is a rumour going round, which we deem necessary to debunk. The three former officers have been going round, claiming that our great leader, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the Transportation Minister, through somebody, has been making overtures of N20 million to them to rescind their decision and return to the APC. That is a lie from the pit of hell. They are using it (N20 million overture claim) as a game plan to shore up their market value and increase their bargaining power with PDP. They do not possess any value. They should be very careful. The three estranged officers are on their own. Hon. Emma Chindah is one of the leaders of APC. There was never a time that Hon. Emma Chindah met with the so-called Okokoba, much less of offering him money. Home | News | General | Military has restored peace to Borno state and entire northeast - Shettima - Governor Kashim Shettima said Maiduguri faced serious threats by Boko Haram insurgent - Shettima said the insurgents recently took over 20 local government areas of Borno state - He, however, said the military has made huge sacrifices to facilitate the restoration of peace and security in the state and entire northeast The governor of Borno, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, on Monday, February 5, commended the Nigerian military for the successes recorded so far in the war against Boko Haram. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commendation comes amid latest claims by the military authorities that the insurgency has been total crushed. Boko Haram, which is seeking the enthronement of a strict Islamic code in Nigeria, launched its deadly insurgency in 2009, killing thousands of people and leaving the economy of Nigerias northeast in ruins. READ ALSO: The FG has not done its best to fund the force - Nigerian police Shettima, who was speaking in Maiduguri at the inauguration of a special town hall meeting for military and security agencies in the northeast, hailed the military for demonstrating high patriotism and professionalism. He said that the military made huge sacrifices to facilitate the restoration of peace and security in the northeast. Shettima noted that the military had successfully defeated and over-ran the insurgents in the past few weeks. He said that the military had through its counter-insurgency campaign, facilitated a return to normalcy and the resurgence of social and economic development in the northeast. He said: ''In the past three years, Boko Haram insurgents took over 20 local government areas of Borno state. Maiduguri faced serious threats. We were in a state of siege. ''Thousands of people were killed and displaced, due to the insurgency. The ugly situation changed for the better because of the hard work and commitment of our gallant troops.'' According to him, Boko Haram, having been decimated, resorted to bombing, targeting soft targets, a clear sign of cowardice and weakness on their part. The governor noted that the successes recorded in the war against the insurgents were made under military commanders of southern Nigeria extraction. Shettima called on Nigerians to complement the efforts of the military in the restoration of peace by living harmoniously, irrespective of ethnic or religious differences. He also lauded the federal government for its efforts in ending the war as well as its initiative in addressing the humanitarian crisis caused by the insurgency. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! The minister of information Lai Mohammed, said that the meeting was designed to enable the government to interact with the populace. Mohammed said that the federal government accorded priority to ending the insurgency and boosting security in the country. He commended the troops for their gallantry and for defeating the terrorists. The ministers of defence and Interior Mannir Dan-Ali and Abdulrahman Dambazau as well as the minister of state budget and national planning Zainab Ahmad were at the meeting. Also in attendance were members of some states houses of assemblies, emirs and developments organizations, drawn from six states. Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that the minister of information and culture Lai Mohammed led a federal governments delegation comprising of four other ministers to Maiduguri the Borno state capital for a special town hall meeting on military and security. The special adviser to the president on new media, Bashir Ahmad, in a tweet on Monday, February 5, disclosed that Lai Mohammed at the meeting said the delegation was there to let the world know the giant efforts the President Buhari administration is putting in place to make Borno return to normalcy and a more habitable place. Survivors of Boko Haram - on NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Ships fully laden petroleum products, food items, to arrive Lagos ports - Fully laden with petroleum products, food items will arrive Lagos ports - The ships will arrive Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports in Lagos from February 5 to February 24 - Six of the expected 29 ships would sail in with petroleum products Twenty nine ships laden with petroleum products, food items and other goods are expected to arrive Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports in Lagos from February 5 to Feburay 24. The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) stated this in its publication, `Shipping Position, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday, February 5. NAN reports that six of the expected 29 ships would sail in with petrol. READ ALSO: He is a Maradona - Reactions trail IBBs statement on 2019 NPA said that other ships contained buck fertiliser, bulk sugar, empty containers, aviation fuel, bulk gypsum and containers laden with goods. The document indicated that five ships had arrived the ports waiting to berth with bulk fertiliser and petrol. READ ALSO: Spokesman insists IBB authorised Vote out Buhari in 2019 statement NAIJ.com earlier reported that some ships laden petroleum products and food items arrived at the Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports last month. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app The ships contained buck wheat, frozen fish, bulk gas, bulk fertiliser, aviation fuel, bulk sugar, empty containers, diesel, petrol. Six ships had already arrived the ports waiting to berth with bulk fertiliser, containers, aviation fuel, base oil and petrol. Source: NAN Fuel scarcity: This is getting too much for us - Nigerians lament on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Muhammadu Buhari's way to becoming the president of Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari has stayed in office since 2015, but new presidential elections are about to begin, and Nigerians want to know if they want to give their voices again for this person. How did he become a president of Nigeria? What is Buhari Biography? Continue reading to find out more! President Buhari of Nigeria President Buhari is a retired Major-General of Nigerian Army. He was also the Head of State from 1983-1985. He came into power through a coup d'etat. His leadership during this period was also described as Buharism. READ ALSO: Muhammadu Buhari's health: what do we know? In Buhari biography, he tried to become a president of Nigeria for several times between 2003 and 2011 but failed. His first victory as the president of Nigeria came into the reality when he was chosen as a candidate for the All Progressive Congress party. Buhari won the race for the presidency from Goodluck Jonathan. It was the first case in the history of Nigeria when an opposition leader wins the election against an incumbent president. Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in 2015. During his previous presidential campaign, he described his new personality as a Converted Democrat. Nonetheless, he can't change the past, and a lot of his political opponents point out to his Buharism in the past. Early life of Muhammadu Buhari The future president of Nigeria was born on 17 December 1942. His hometown is Daura in Katsina State. He was born in the Fulani family to Adamu and Zulaihat. President Buhari family was quite big, he was the twenty-third child in his family. His father died very early. He changed several schools during his childhood. He studied at Daura primary school. After that, he proceeded with his education at Katsina Model School. A few years later, attended Katsina Provincial Secondary School. Military Career of Buhari In 1961, the future president enrolled in the Nigerian Military Training College. In 1964, this college was renamed the Nigerian Defence Academy. In 1962, Buhari underwent the officer training at Mons Officer Cadet School in England. In 1963, Buhari graduated as a second lieutenant. He was appointed as a Platoon Commander to the Second Infantry Battalion in Abeokuta. He grew through the ranks and in 1967 he was appointed as a brigade major of the First Infantry Division. Civil War The future president met the beginning of the civil war under the command of Lt. Col Mohammed Shuwa. Buhari was assigned to the First Division as an Adjutant and Company Commander of 2 Battalion Unit. This Battalion was one of the first to move forward to Gakem near Afikpo. The rebel capital Enugu was taken within weeks after the start of the military actions. Buhari witnessed the implementation of new tactics towards the military campaign of Nigeria. The new tactics involved securing of new lands instead of swift military advances. The new sectors of operations were created within the Awka-Abagana-Onitsha regions. After War After the war, Buhari spent used this time for education, where he attended the Defence Services Staff College. He was also the Acting Director of Transport and Supply at the Transport Headquarters. In July 1975, Buhari was among the officers who participated in the military coup. In 1975, Buhari got the post of the Governor of the North-Eastern State. He also served as a governor of Borno State. In 1976, Buhari was appointed as the Federal Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources. Today, this post can be compared with the position of petroleum minister. Nonetheless, in 1978, Muhammadu Buhari returned to the militaryrvice. He became a member of Supreme Military Council. He also continued his military education with attending the US Army War College and even gained the Masters Degree in Strategic Studies. Coup D`etat 1983 Major General Buhari was one of the main leaders of the Military Coup of December 1983. Buhari justified military actions against the democratically elected powers by defying the democratic government as corrupt. The coup d`etat leaders also justified their actions as a desire to correct the economic situation in Nigeria. Buhari was appointed as the head of state where he provided quite strict policies against the citizens. One of his most famous policies was War Against Indiscipline. In some cases, it included harsh prison sentences, like 21 years in prison for cheating on the exams. In coup d'etat in 1985, Buhari was sentenced to three years in prison. After the prison, he decided to start a new life. He divorced his first wife and married to Aisha Halilu. In the civil life, he serviced as the Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund. Presidential Elections Since 2003, Buhari started to take part in the presidential elections. He managed to become a candidate for the presidency in 2003, 2007, 2011. Nonetheless, only 2015 provide the significant success, and he became President Buhari of Nigeria. The president spent almost the whole 2017 in medical clinics. Therefore, there are some doubts if he can participate in the next elections. Moreover, the whole secrecy about his ailment provided a stage for the critics of Buhari. Will this stop him from becoming a president in 2019? Share your ideas in the comments! READ ALSO: Fela Kuti's quotes targeted at President Muhammadu Buhari (video) [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Office dresses for ladies in 2018. Keep up with fashion trends! Do you think that it is impossible to look stylish and beautiful for work? Would you like to know the latest office gown styles for ladies in 2018? We have gathered for you the most beautiful dresses for work, choose the best designs and shine every work day First of all, business or office style is classic and strict. For womens stylish look at work, fashion designers update their collections of corporate wears as well as English gown styles every year. What styles of gowns are trending this year, let's find it out! Colors and decor of corporate gowns for office For properly selected dresses, you need to consider colour and accessories, it's worth selecting blue dresses. In business, blue colour is considered as a standard. A black dress is also a must have in Nigerian ladies' wardrobe. The black colour emphasizes femininity and hides all the figures shortcomings. Violet tone is in demand too. We must mention gray dresses as they arent on trend this year. At the peak of fashion are the outfits of a saturated green colour. They also suit almost all girls. For business style, a white outfit is not welcomed, the alternative to white color is beige. As for the patterns designers are planning to make corporate dresses with thin strips and geometric ornaments. Rhinestones can be used on the shoulder or neckline of the dress. Trendy office dresses in 2018 The loose dress cut is a trapeze. It recently returned on trend again. The trapeze dresses look baggy and feminine at the same time. Their features for 2018: Short sleeves, V-shaped neckline, blue and green colors, cotton fabrics are good for hot weather. Long sleeves, round or sharp collar, and monochrome colours are perfect for a cool day. You can wear loose and flared dresses with classic shoes: ballet shoes, shoes with various heels, boots, and half-boots. This dress suits practically for all girls. Trendy dress-jacket 2018 Dress-jacket is quite unusual and strict image. Its a fashion hit in 2018. The dress looks line elongated jacket. The length and style of dress-jacket: Its a mini dress. Short dresses are suitable for business meetings and everyday work. The most common length is to the knees. It has buttons. The sleeves have various lengths. The dress can be sleeveless too. The collar looks like a jackets collar. It has a pointed form. The neckline is deep and has many variants. Its a wrap over dress. Not all the models have pockets. The gown can be either straight or flared. You can wear it with scarves instead of a tie or with a tie tied on a bare neck. It goes with shoes, boots, court shoes and sandals or even sneakers. Trendy dresses-cases 2018 Dress-cases are in fashion for ages. In 2018, they are updated with color and decor. Buy a new model of dress-case, even if you have one in your wardrobe. You can wear it not only for everyday work or business meeting but also for a festive corporate event. Features of dresses-cases in 2018: For a business image, its better to choose dark and two-colored dresses. If you are a boss, you are allowed to choose a red dress. And in other cases, you can take purple and black gowns. The sleeves are short or sleeveless. Peplum dresses and draped ruches in the front part of item look perfect. The neckline can be V-shaped or round. The back cutout is possible too. The length is mini or midi. Combine the dress-case with shoes on a flat sole, shoes with heels, boots, and sandals. Office fashion 2018: retro style Speaking of the dresses in retro style, we imply the outfits of the 70s. One-colored brown, black, and blue dresses go with the business style. The main features are: narrow strips of white or other pastel colors; it should be contrastive to a dress; a bow or knot at the side of the neckline; marine themes (blue and white), as well brown and black gowns; skirt-sun. Such dress goes with high-heels shoes, sandals, and court shoes. Handbags should be small and on a rope over the shoulder. Trendy gowns of free tailoring 2018 For girls who like free tailoring, designers offer over-size dresses and baggy clothes. Such gowns are airy and free. They can be worn with almost any bag and shoes. For office style, its necessary to choose one-colored dresses from dense fabrics. Long options must have pockets. An excellent option is a checked dress with knee-length or to the floor. You can wear loose dresses with shoes on flat soles, shoes, and sandals. They are perfect for ladies with a creative nature. READ ALSO: Female senator styles ladies should wear in 2018 Trendy dresses-shirts 2018 Such gowns are in great demand this season. Their features are: knee-length of the dress; black, blue and white tones; presence of buttons, collars, ruches; long sleeves or sleeveless. Sleeveless gowns in 2018 Designers make sleeveless almost all kinds of models, except for oversize items. The length can be diverse. Ivory, black and black with white is trendy colors for such dresses. They look great with a jacket, bolero or turtleneck. Take shoes with stilettos for such gown. Dresses with a skirt-sun 2018 Skirt-sun gowns fit women of any age. They include retro and classic designs. When choosing a dress for the office, it's worth emphasizing the waist with a belt. Belts and straps should be narrow and without rhinestones. Sleeves can be of different lengths. The length is midi or long. Such dresses go with high heeled shoes and sandals or items with a wedge and platform. Prints and patterns in 2018 In business style, prints and ornaments can be geometrical, floral or abstract. Striped and checkered fabrics are acceptable too. For girls of low height, you can find an outfit with vertical stripes. At the same time, the pattern should not be extremely bright. Trendy dresses-bustier 2018 The parade completion of business gowns is a dress-bustier. All designs are with bare shoulders. Actual colors are black, purple, and green. The top can be draped with a textile or lace. The waist is decorated with a peplum or belt. Combine such dress with bolero and jackets. Wear dresses-bustier with shoes on a thick or thin heel. Complete the image with a handbag and small earrings. Office gown styles range of designs in 2018 helps you to create unique and attractive images for work. Keep up with fashion trends! READ ALSO: Gorgeous beaded Ankara styles for real fashionistas [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | We get less than 20% of what we need to operate properly - Nigerian police - Abba Kyari, assistant commissioner of police, states that most of the efforts put up by the force stem from commitment and sacrifices of officers - Kyari says that if the police gets up to half of what it requires to function, there will be a lot of positive changes in the force - He is optimistic that when the National Assembly passes the police trust fund bill into law, there will be a turnaround Abba Kyari, an assistant commissioner of police and head of the Nigerian police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) recently condemned the poor funding of the force by the federal government. Kyari, well-known for leading the team that arrested the alleged notorious kidnapper Chukwudi Onuamadike, aka Evans, said Nigerian police officers were poorly paid and only have much less than what they require for optimum delivery. READ ALSO: Breaking: Olisa Metuh arrives court in ambulance (photos) Kyari said in the comment section of a Facebook post where the death of a police sergeant who was killed by kidnappers was mourned: Google and read about the funding of Nigeria police and salaries, we physically get less than 20 % of what we need to operate properly." He pointed out that the sergeant was among the IRT officers that foiled a plan to abduct a foreigner in Nasarawa state. In his absolving of the current Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, of any blame, the assistant commissioner of police pointed out that police officers in countries such as the Republic of Benin, Kenya and Colombia, all of which are poorer than Nigeria, are better paid. He stated: Everything is done by managing and out of personal sacrifice and selflessness of some officers notwithstanding that we have an IGP that is not corrupt and have welfare (sic) of men at heart but Government have not given him enough funds to operate and that has being (sic) the case for over 3 decades since President Shehu Shagari regime of the 80s where the police was well funded. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! If we would be given half of what we need or even half of what the police in other countries are given to run their operations and take care of their personnel Welfare(sic) u will see wonders. "A policeman in Colombia (a country not richer than us) is paid more than 4 times what his equivalent in the Nigerian Police earns not to talk of proper funding of their police operations because I was there September last year and I saw it first-hand, However, he was optimistic that the welfare of Nigerian police officers would improve when the National Assembly passes the police trust fund bill into law. Meanwhile, NAIJ.com reported that Ibrahim Idris, the inspector general of police said the total amount of money that the force annually need is N1.13 trillion but only got N36.1 billion in 2017 budget. It was reported that Idris made this known on Tuesday, July 11, 2017, while delivering a speech on a bill for an act to establish the Nigeria police reform trust fund and for other related matters. Are Nigerian Policemen the worst in the world? On NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... British Army promotes Nepali origin officer as Lieutenant Colonel British Army has promoted a Gurkha officer of Nepali origin to the post of Lieutenant Colonel, the sixth-ranked officer in the army. Lieutenant Colonel Tol Khamcha Magar was promoted to the post earlier this week on February 2 amid a special ceremony at the Regional Command Headquarter based in Aldershot, England. Abba Kyari, an Assistant Commissioner of Police and head of the Nigerian Police Intelligence Response Team has berated the Federal Government over the poor funding of the Force. Kyari said police officers were poorly paid and only have access to less than 20 per cent of what they need to operate properly. The ACP, who is famous for leading the team that arrested alleged billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudi Onuamadike, aka Evans, stated this in a post via his Facebook to mourn a police Sergeant who was killed by kidnappers. Kyari, who absolved the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, of any blame, noted that police officers in countries such as the Republic of Benin, Kenya and Colombia, which are poorer than Nigeria, are better paid. He wrote: Google and read about the funding of Nigeria Police and salaries, we physically get less than 20 per cent of what we need to operate properly. Everything is done by managing and out of personal sacrifice and selflessness of some officers notwithstanding that we have an IGP that is not corrupt and have wellfare (sic) of men at heart but Government have not given him enough funds to operate and that has being (sic) the case for over 3 decades since President Shehu Shagari regime of the 80s where the police was well funded. If we would be given half of what we need or even half of what the police in other countries are given to run their operations and take care of their personnel Welfare(sic) u will see wonders. A policeman in Colombia (a country not richer than us) is paid more than 4 times what his equivalent in the Nigerian Police earns not to talk of proper funding of their police operations because I was there September last year and I saw it first-hand, policemen in the Benin Republic, Kenya etc are paid better than Naija Police. Home | News | General | EFCC recovers N473b, $98.2m, 294,851 in 2017 - Magu - The EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu, has revealed the amount recovered by the commission in 2017 - He said the anti-graft agency recovered N473b, $98.2m, 294,851 last year - Magu also said that identified whistle blowers were being paid timely to encourage other Nigerians buy into the policy The acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has said that the commission was able to recover crime related funds amounting to N473b in addition to $98,258,124.97; 294,851.82; 7,247,363.75; 443,400 Dirham and 70,500 Rand. The Nation reports that Magu also confirmed that identified whistle blowers, including the Osborne Towers, Ikoyi whistle blower were being paid timely to encourage other Nigerians buy into the policy. READ ALSO: Babangida's aide denies news of his arrest NAIJ.com gathered that he said: "During the course of 2017, the commission also succeeded in securing final forfeiture of the Osborne Towers, Ikoyi cash of $43m as well as N32b; $5m recovered from a former petroleum resources minister and N449m discovered at Legico Plaza in Victoria Island, Lagos." While defending the commissions 2017 budget before the Kayode Oladele-led House of Representatives Committee on Financial Crimes on Monday, February 5, Magu said the $43m Osborne Towers cash got forfeited to the federal government because no one came forward to claim it. The committee had asked Magu whether the Osborne cash was ever traced to anyone. In response, Magu explained that the document recovered from the property from where the money was recovered showed that it belonged to a company owned by the wife and son of a former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). "However, after due diligence and no one coming forward to calm it, the court had to pronounce its final forfeiture. "Among other recoveries and forfeitures from proceeds of crime, Magu said over N329b was recovered from petroleum marketers by the Kano office of the Commission; withholding tax recovery of over N27.7b from banks; 6.6m recovered from Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); recoveries of about N1.1b on behalf of AMCON; and recovery of subsidy fraud funds of over N4b", he said. Magu, however, reiterated government commitment to the whistle blowing policy, saying, promised incentives are being paid timely. He said that the Ikoyigate whistle blower has also been paid, Magu noted the payment policy was meant to encouraged more Nigerians to join in the campaign against corruption. On the 2017 budget implementation, the EFCC boss complained of delay in fund releases which he said affected operations of the Commission Delayed and irregular release of the overhead component of the recurrent vote affected the commissions investigation and prosecution activities especially in the Zones. Out of the total sum of total sum of N17,202,253,360 appropriated in 2017, only N11,737,492,342.07 or 68 percent has so far been released out of which N9,759,277,008.53 has been utilized. From the sum of N7,127,316,354 appropriated for Personnel, N6,533,373,324 was released; from N3,000,713,298 appropriated for Overhead only N1,667,007,163.70 has been released while from N7,074,223,708 appropriated for Capital expenditure, only N3,537,111,853.87 was released to the commission so far, he added. He also complained that the Commissions 2018 budget proposal of N45b was reduced to about N21b, which is capable of hampering the activities of the Commission for the year. Magu also informed the Committee that Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has been granted autonomy. In the course of the outgoing financial year, the NFIU was granted self-accounting status by both the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the Budget Office. Effective date of implementation is 1st January, 2018 with a budget proposal of N2.903b. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app "Of the sum, N339.350m was proposed for Personnel cost; N22.500m for meals and refreshment to cater for numerous sub-regional, national and internal meetings while N26.500m was proposed for publicity and advertisement for stakeholders in the financial sector", he said. Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned five medical doctors before a Benin high court for allegedly stealing the sum of N21 million and conspiracy to commit fraudulent false accounting. The EFCC stage a walk against corruption - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Babangidas aide speaks out about alleged arrest over statement - Kassim Afegbua denied claim that the police has ordered his arrest - The spokesperson to Babangida described the report as cooked up Kassim Afegbua who is the spokesperson of former head of state, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has denied that he was arrested by the police. Afegbua signed a statement on behalf of his boss on Sunday, February 4 and on Monday, February 5; there were reports of his arrest. READ ALSO: The FG has not done its best to fund the force - Nigerian police Premium Times reports that the spokesperson to the former head of state said Theres nothing like that describing the news as a cooked up story. Responding to report that sources in the presidency claimed there was order for his arrest, Kassim said: Are presidential sources the Nigerian police? Meanwhile, controversy has continually trailed as Kassim Afegbua, the spokesman of general Ibrahim Babangida restated that the former military president approved the statement he issued, calling on Nigerians to vote out President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. Daily trust reports that Afegbua maintained that IBB has not denied the statement. According to him, ''The statement is in order. IBB did not hold any press conference in Minna. It was overzealous people that issued that statement of his denial. ''I wouldnt issue any statement without his approval. Go ahead with the statement. I have spoken with him and he said he has not recanted the statement.'' It was learnt that Babangida in a press statement released on Sunday, February 4, by Afegbua, urged Buhari to sacrifice his personal ambition for national The next President of Nigeria. Who will win the 2019 elections? - on NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Why I visited Emir Sanusi in Kano - VP Osinbajo gives clarification - Professor Yemi Osinbajo denied meeting any political group in Kano - The vice president said his visit was to attend a wedding - He said he met Emir Sanusi on a customary basis Vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has denied report that he was in Kano state to meet with any political group. The vice president was in the state during the weekend and there were report that he had met with a political group. READ ALSO: Babangida's aide denies news of his arrest In a statement signed by Laolu Akande who is the spokesperson to the vice president, Osinbajo clarified that he attended a wedding of one of his aides and also paid a customary courtesy visit to the emir. The statement reads: The attention of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has been drawn to a TV news report suggesting that he was in Kano State on Saturday, 3rd of February, 2018 to meet with some political groups. This is completely false and misleading. On the contrary, the vice president was in Kano to attend the wedding ceremony of his Personal Assistant, Hafiz Ibrahim Kawu, which was well publicised over the weekend. On arrival, he was met by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje at the airport, and went straight to the mosque, venue of the wedding nikhai. After that, he paid the traditional courtesy call on the Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness, Muhammadu Sanusi II, and proceeded back to the airport. At no time during the visit did he meet with any political group or groups. Any attempt to give the impression that he was in Kano for a political purpose is mischievous and should be disregarded. Indeed, the Vice President has, in the past few weeks, met in Abuja with the Kano APC leadership to ensure unity and full cooperation among party leaders, and this has also been well reported in the media. Meanwhile, following the growing animosity between former governor of Kano state, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and his successor, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, Aminu Dabo, a chieftain of the APC and former managing director of the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), says President Buhari may lose his Kano political base if Kwankwaso leaves the APC. The APC chieftain disclosed this in Abuja, on Saturday, January 3. He also urged the leadership of the party to wade into the matter He said the president stands to lose his strongest political base with the handling of the crisis, Tribune reports. Who is Nigeria's greatest president ever? - on NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Tam-George gets major appointment months after leaving Wike's government - Dr Austin Tam-George has moved on to the corporate world after his foray into politics - Dr. Tam-Georges 23 years experience in communication and corporate strategy has landed him in Jagal Group - Jagal is a leading Nigerian conglomerate that operates energy businesses and manages a diverse portfolio of investments The immediate past commissioner of information in Rivers state, Dr Austin Tam-George, has moved on to the corporate world. Tam-George resigned from the Governor Nyesom Wike-led government seven months ago, citing personal reasons. Tam-George has now been appointed the new Group Corporate Affairs Director of Jagal Group, a leading Nigerian conglomerate that operates energy businesses and manages a diverse portfolio of investments. It's a new dawn in the career of Dr. Austin Tam-George. Photo credit: Rivers state government READ ALSO: Abia state complies with NJC directive as Justice Ogwe is sworn in as acting CJ His experience in communication and corporate strategy spans a period of over 23 years and covers different sectors including, education, oil and energy, as well as media relations. He is a communication and Industrial Relations expert with a Ph.D from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. He was also Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Cape Town, and an alumnus of the IESE Business School, University of Navarra, Spain, where he studied communication and institutional leadership. Dr. Tam-George has taught in different universities including the University of Cape Town and the Pan African University, Lagos. He was also the Executive Director of the Institute of Communication and Corporate Studies, (ICCS), Lagos. Over the years, Dr Tam-Georges training series on communication strategy, community relations and stakeholder management had drawn managers from Chevron Nigeria, Shell Petroleum, Exxon Mobil, Pan Ocean, Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas, Niger Delta Development Commission, Halliburton, and many other organizations in Nigeria. As the Group Corporate Affairs Director, Dr. Tam-George will lead all internal and external communications and represent Jagals reputation for excellence in all its business practices. READ ALSO: Buhari renames university after Alex Ekwueme Can Nigeria solve its power problems? Top engineers offer solutions on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Buhari needs special prayers to lead Nigeria to greatness - Cleric - Malam Bashir Yankuzu says President Muhammadu Buhari does not need only the support of Nigerians, but their prayers - Yankuzu pleads with the citizens to join hands with the president to lead the country to greatness Malam Bashir Yankuzu, chief imam of the Federal University of Technology, Minna Mosque, on Monday, February 5, called for special prayers for the president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, to be able to steer the country to greatness. Yankuzu reportedly told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna, Niger state that President Buhari needed the cooperation and support of all citizens, irrespective of tribe and religions. READ ALSO: Spokesman insists IBB authorised Vote out Buhari in 2019 statement It is not writing a long letter to Mr President that shows patriotism but by offering useful suggestions that would ensure good governance. "We should all seek divine intervention in the nations socio-economic and political activities for peace, progress and political stability," he added. The cleric said the time was ripe for citizens to shun sentiments and support the government to move Nigeria out of its present insecurity challenges. He further called on Nigerians to always wish their leaders well, to enable them to implement policies and programmes that would tally with the yearnings and aspirations of the people. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app Yankuzu commanded Buhari for demonstrating the political will in ending the senseless killings of Nigerians by insurgents in the north east. He said that Nigerians should assist the government and security agencies with relevant information that would solve the crises in Nigeria. NAIJ.com earlier reported how the secretary of Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) and chairman, Kaduna state Peace and Reconciliation Commission, Bishop Idowu Fearon, met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa. List President Buhari's achievements in two years - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Was it a machine or a monster? Donald Duke's bike shocks! Nobody has seen anything like this Donald Duke's bike before. All eyes were on the fantastic machine which obviously stole the show. Lets check out the amazing pictures of the stunning power bike. Yes, it's a dragon! What as it all about? Since 2004, people in the Cross River State have had their own Calabar Carnival. It all began when former governor of the state, Donald Duke, began the international event known as the Calabar Carnival. Donald and Onari Duke at the Carnival in 2010 READ ALSO: Nigeria's rich cultural heritage on display as 26 states participate in 2017 Calabar cultural carnival The programme of the carnival differs each year. So differ the participants: apart from the natives and guests from other states, there are numerous guests from other countries and even other parts of the world. The carnival is always well worth visiting. Why did everybody notice that Donald Duke bike at carnival? It was a special day for bikers and their machines to show how cool and irresistible they are. In fact, everybody tried to impress the others with the look or style of their bikes. The current governor of the Cross River State Ben Ayade and his wife Linda were present, too. They were rode a crimson vehicle that looked like a scorpion and definitely stood out from the crowd of others. Ben and Linda Ayade riding their red scorpio Yet, when there came the Donald Duke monster bike, it was impossible not to notice this incredible machine. The luxurious matte finishing completed the stylish and gorgeous look of the bike. People approached the vehicle to take a close look at it, to touch or take a couple of selfies with it. Now, lets take a look at several pictures of the astonishing machine. Well, the Donald Duke powerbike was definitely a thing to catch peoples eye. Some of them wondered how much such a toy would have cost the former governor. READ ALSO: Tinkoriko: Calabar celebrates new year with significant cultural display [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Police officer detained after death of girlfriend in his room - Sergeant Bright Opoku has been detained after a woman was found dead in his residence - He has been transferred to Kumasi pending an investigation by CID A police officer of the Konongo Divisional Task Force has been detained by authorities in connection to the death of his alleged girlfriend which reportedly occurred in the said policeman's residence. According to popular reports, a tutor of the Kumasi Girls High School was found dead, in Sergeant Bright Opoku's residence in a suburb of Konongo. Sergeant Bright Opoku, age 30, according to recent reports has been transferred to Kumasi, the regional capital, pending an investigation which is being conducted by the police regional Criminal Investigations Department (CID). READ ALSO: Nigerian woman welcomes quadruplets a year after doctors said she had no womb Vida Frema, who was a tutor of the Kumasi Girls High School, was found dead, hanging by the neck in Sergeant Bright Opoku's room in Konongo. Whiles all appearances point towards a su*cide, Vida Frema's relatives suspect that someone had a hand in their relative's death. Pay attention: Download NAIJ.com mobile app Vida Frema - Deceased girlfriend of detained policeman It has been reported that authorities also found a blood stained knife in the room where Vida Frema's body was found hanging from the ceiling. The Police have failed to make any comments to shed more light on the matter. The district police command has officially cordoned off the place where Madam Vida Frema's body was found, while police are yet to confirm if they received an autopsy report which was due to be released on Thursday, February 1, from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. Can you take a blood oath with your partner? - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Governor Okorocha names new set of people to have their statues in Imo as state marks 42 years anniversary - Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo says some former Nigerian leaders would be honoured with statues in the state - Okorocha mentioned those to benefit as late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu; Dr Michael Okpara and Chief Sam Mbakwe - The governor says a high-powered committee to be headed by the speaker of state House of Assembly, Acho Ihim, had been set up to handle the event Even though he was heavily criticized for erecting the statues of some African leaders including Jacob Zuma of South Africa and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state says some Nigerian leaders are next to be honoured. Okorocha, while speaking with journalists, about the states plan for its 42nd anniversary, said he would soon unveil statues to honour of late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu; the late premier of the defunct Eastern Region, Dr Michael Okpara and Chief Sam Mbakwe, another former leader. Daily Independent reports that the governor also revealed that a high powered committee to be headed by the speaker of state House of Assembly, Acho Ihim, had been set up to handle the event. READ ALSO: PDP governors forum meet in Delta state According to the governor, the event would among other things feature an Imo merit award on February 28. NAIJ.com reports that the governor said the award would be bestowed on 42 indigenes and non-indigenes of the state who have distinguished themselves in their service to humanity. Okorocha further said the less privileged would be put into consideration while the celebration lasts. NAIJ.com earlier reported how Governor Rochas Okorocha, on Monday, February 5, announced the establishment of six new tertiary institutions as he met with journalists in Owerri adding that the step was part of plans to revolutionize education in the state. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new institutions include the "University of Engineering, Onuimo, University of Agriculture, Aboh Mbaise, Ihitte Uboma College of Education and Ehime Polytechnic." What must President Buhari do to regain the trust of Nigerians? - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | President Buhari signs air services agreements with Algeria, Congo, China, Qatar, Singapore - President Muhammadu Buhari has signed bilateral air service agreements with five countries - The five countries are Algeria, Congo, China, Qatar, and Singapore President Muhammadu Buhari has signed bilateral air service agreements with five countries. The five countries are Algeria, Congo, China, Qatar, and Singapore. READ ALSO: Why we want to rearrange election order - Ekweremadu The signing was confirmed in a terse statement by Buharis spokesperson, Garba Shehu. Following the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja signed the Instruments of Ratification of the Bilateral Air Services Agreements between the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Governments of the Peoples Democratic Republic of Algeria; the Republic of Congo; the Peoples Republic of China; the State of Qatar and the Republic of Singapore. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app With the execution of these Instruments, it is expected that Nigerias aviation links with the respective countries will improve significantly, Shehu said. (NAN) Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had earlier reported President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, February 5, signed an executive order to improve local content in public procurement with science, engineering and technology components. According to Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity in a series of tweets stated that the Executive Order is expected to promote the application of science, technology and innovation towards achieving the nations development goals across all sectors of the economy. 2019 Presidency: Nigerians reveal why they prefer Atiku to President Buhari - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Bulldozers take away jobs from villagers Locals in most mountain and hilly regions have been rendered jobless by bulldozers. Excavators are being used to carve out roads in mountainous terrain as development activities intensify, and in the process, labourers who used to work on construction sites are being deprived of their livelihood. Home | News | General | Farmers-herdsmen clash: Police gives latest details of operation in Benue - Fatai Owoseni said said more police have been deployed to Benue - The police chief said security was being maintained in the state - He also said mercenaries have been flushed out from some communities The inspector-general of police, Ibrahim Idris, has deployed 15 additional police units, special forces, technical and intelligence teams to contain further attacks in Benue. Mr Fatai Owoseni, the commissioner of police in the state, disclosed this on Monday, February 5 in Makurdi while addressing newsmen. READ ALSO: Babangida's aide denies news of his arrest He said: The inspector-general is seriously committed to bringing to an end the killings in the state and the country. It is that commitment that informed the reinforcement of our command continuously on daily basis to nip in the bud the act of criminality and killings in the state. The inspector-general has continued to support us, as of today 15 units squadrons from 15 states have been deployed to support the existing officers on ground. We also received the deployment of Police Special Forces, Intelligence and Technical teams in the state, Owoseni said. NAN reports that he said the command had rescued a Non- Commissioned Officer (NCO) who got missing during the February attack in Yogbo community in Guma Local Government Area in the battle between police and suspected herdsmen. He said that the rescued officer was unhurt, his weapon was safe, he was in high spirit and has rejoined his colleagues in the ongoing operations in Guma. The commissioner said that security operatives were able to flush out the mercenaries from the community and hoped to sustain the success recorded. He stressed that relative peace had been restored in Yogbo village. He said the command had deployed forces in Kwande, Agatu, Gboko, Makurdi, Buruku, Katsina-Ala, Gwer West and Vandeikya local government areas for proactive measures. Meanwhile, the minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, led a federal governments delegation comprising of four other ministers to Maiduguri, the Borno state capital for a special town hall meeting on military and security. The special adviser to the president on new media, Bashir Ahmad, in a tweet on Monday, February 5, disclosed that Lai Mohammed at the meeting said the delegation was there to let the world know the giant efforts the President Buhari administration is putting in place to make Borno return to normalcy and a more habitable place. Survivors of Boko Haram - on NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Why we want to rearrange election order - Ekweremadu - The deputy Senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu has revealed why NASS wants rearrangement of the order of election - He said the rearrangement would help voters to judge each candidate on his or her own merit - He also assured that legislative work on the Electoral Act and the Constitution amendment would be concluded in a matter of weeks The deputy Senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Monday, February 5, said that the National Assembly wants rearrangement of the order of election to help voters to judge each candidate on his or her own merit at each level of election. NAIJ.com reports that Ekweremadu said that the rearrangement of the order of election as passed by the House of Representatives, if adopted by the Conference Committee of both Houses, would no doubt help the electorate to make up their minds on each candidate seeking their votes at each level of election. READ ALSO: EFCC recovers N473b, $98.2m, 294,851 in 2017 - Magu He also assured that legislative work on the Electoral Act and the Constitution amendment would be concluded in a matter of weeks. Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu while playing host to a delegation of the British High Commission in Nigeria led by the High Commissioner, Paul Arkwright. Ekweremadu was said to have stated this when he received a delegation of the British High Commission in Nigeria led by the High Commissioner, Paul Arkwright. A statement by the special adviser on media to the deputy Senate president, Uche Anichukwu said that Ekweremadu expressed gratitude to the British Government for always showing interest in state of the Nigerian union and her democracy. It said that Ekweremadu noted that concluding the amendments to the Electoral Act and Constitution amendment was top on the priority list of the 8th National Assembly to ensure better governance and smooth elections in 2019. The deputy Senate president was quoted to have said: The 2019 election is very important to Nigeria. The amendments to the Electoral Act and the Constitution all form part of the ongoing electoral reform to continue to improve on the quality of our elections. Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu while playing host to a delegation of the British High Commission in Nigeria led by the High Commissioner, Paul Arkwright. In the previous amendment, a timeframe was set for the determination of election petitions. Now we are working on setting a timeframe for pre-election matters. In the previous amendments, we also created a window for direct and indirect primary by political parties. In the current amendment, we want to make more elaborate provisions regarding direct party primaries for political parties that may wish to adopt it to ensure greater fairness, transparency, and internal democracy in choosing their flag bearers. We are also working to lift the restrictions on the use of electronic voting by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. That way, it will be up to the election management body to determine if it is sufficiently prepared to deploy electronic voting or when to adopt electronic voting. He said: The bottom line is that the Conference Committees on both the Electoral Act and Constitution Amendment are meeting separately this week to conclude work on the entire amendments to ensure a smoother and more credible electoral processes as well as promote good governance of the country. It said that the British High Commissioner, Arkwright, noted that they came to see Ekweremadu on political developments, especially as it concerned the prospects for the Peoples Democratic Party and legislative activities of the National Assembly. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app The legislative programme, which you have in the Senate and the National Assembly, the changes to the electoral laws are also important to us, Arkwright was quoted to have said. Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu while playing host to a delegation of the British High Commission in Nigeria led by the High Commissioner, Paul Arkwright. Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that the deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure his administration conducts a credible, free and fair election in 2019. 2019 Presidency: Nigerians reveal why they prefer Atiku to President Buhari - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | JABU offers partial scholarship to all students - The Joseph Ayo Babalola University has reduced the school fees of its students - Students studying religious studies will benefit more from the scheme - The vice chancellor said it is to make the school more attractive The Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji Arakeji, Osun state has announced that it has offered partial scholarships to all students of the institution. The Punch reports that those in religious studies are the most favoured in the mew scholarship which is in the form of reduction of tuition fees. READ ALSO: My visit to Kano not political - VP Osinbajo Professor Sola Fajana who is the vice chancellor of the institution revealed this new development. He said the move was made to making education in the school more attractive especially religious studies. He said all students will receive 10 per cent reduction in their school fees. There will be 15 percent school reduction for parents who have two students in our school, 20 percent reduction for students who are members of the Christ Apostolic Church, while members of staff of the institution who are students will have their school fees reduced by 15 percent. There will be 40 percent discount for non-CAC students studying religious studies, while pastors or wives of pastors studying religious studies will enjoy 60 percent discount in their school fees. C.A.C students studying religious studies will have 50 percent discount in their fees. We have resolved to make living on our campus more conducive and comfortable for our students, and we want to be known as the go-to place for our immediate and remote communities to have their problems solved. Meanwhile, the respected British-Nigerian Hollywood actor, David Oyelowo, announced via a post on his Instagram page that he will sponsor the education of five Nigerian girls who survived the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast. Oyelowo said that it is important that the girls embark on the journey toward their true destiny, having managed to overcome the effects of the Boko Haram attack. How we fed, clothed over 17,000 widows with about N60million - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... CIAA starts probe into Nepal Tel 4G plaint The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority has initiated probe into a complaint of irregularities in the tender process that Nepal Telecom has announced to expand its 4G service. Home | World | Africa | Mnangagwa set to hold first 2018 Cabinet meeting PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa, will hold this year's first Cabinet meeting tomorrow. Speaking in Chegutu at the weekend, the President's special adviser, Christopher Mutsvangwa said Cabinet will be seized with the cholera issue when they meet for the first time on Tuesday. "Let me assure you Chegutu residents that your problem will be discussed on Tuesday when Cabinet meets for the first time this year" he said. Asked how the government was operating without such important meetings, newly-appointed acting Information, Media and Broadcasting Services minister Simon Khaya Moyo said Mnangagwa had a busy schedule in January that took him to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Ethiopia for AU Summit and other African countries. "The President was busy updating his Sadc colleagues about what happened and is happening in the country, attending Davos and AU meetings inside one month" he said. Pressed further if the Vice-President cannot chair Cabinet in the event that the President is away, Moyo refused to answer reminding this reporter to stick to his earlier question of the first Cabinet meeting. Failure to hold Cabinet meetings impacts day-to-day operations of the government as exposed during the cholera outbreak in Chegutu, where the Civil Protection Unit was found wanting in terms of drugs and other resources. Academic and political analyst Ibbo Mandaza said the present Cabinet has nothing to offer and it shows that decisions are done elsewhere other than government. "There are two issues here, firstly, Cabinet no longer exist it is different from the 1980's and secondly it shows that decisions are done elsewhere not in the Cabinet," he said. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: Africa Loading... Home | World | Africa | Land dispute turns nasty A dispute over land, in Harare's high density suburb of Budiriro 4, has degenerated into a nasty battle between apostolic sect members, leading to one being dragged to court over rape. Herbert Senda, 34, was involved in a land dispute with Clifford Chimusoro, Muchineripi Utete, Blesssing Chimbadzo, Wellington Kadzutu and Taurai Munyika all of Budiriro 4. The land originally belonged to Johanne Masowe YeChishanu Nyenyedzi Nomwe Housing Cooperative led by Senda, aka Madzibaba Enock. It is alleged Chimusoro, Utete, Chimbadzo, Kadzutu and Munyika connived and sold the land without Madzibaba Enock's knowledge. Madzibaba Enock wrote a letter of complaint to the police which is in the possession of the Daily News on December 21, 2017 alleging that the four were selling land unlawfully. As the conflict ensued, Madzibaba Enock alleges, Chimusoro "hatched a plan to fix me. They went and paid Alice Mupoperi to level rape charges against me. As a result, Mupoperi reported rape charges against me at Budiriro 2 Police Station, leading to my arrest. What is shocking is that a mobile money transaction record shows that Chimusoro paid Mupoperi and her mother $200 on December 22, 2017." "It appears the rape allegations, filed on December 22, were generated as a counter move to the letter I had wrote to the police a day earlier," Madzibaba Enock added. Madzibaba Enock's attorney, who can not be named for professional reasons claims that following his client's arrest, the prosecutor who is now handling the case also allegedly received $40 through a mobile money transaction, whose record is in our possession. The attorney says, ordinarily, the prosecutor (name supplied but withheld) should have recused himself from the case given the relationship between him and Chimusoro. He added that they obtained a court order to enable them to get Chimusoro's mobile money statement printout after suspecting that the complainant had been paid by Chimusoro. In the case that is already before the courts, the State alleges that Madzibaba Enock, on some date in August 2016, had sexual intercourse with Mupoperi, of Buhera, without her consent on two occasions. Mupoperi, the State alleges, had visited the accused's shrine in Budiriro 4 to be prayed for. It is alleged the accused, while praying for the complainant, started caressing her stomach and ended up raping her. The State also alleges that the accused threatened the complainant saying "his angels would be able to see it instantly and would kill her instantly" if she told anybody about the alleged rape. Madzibaba Enock is out of custody on $50 bail. The case is continuing today when the complainant is being recalled to answer to the questions arising from mobile money transfers Chimusoro made to her. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: Africa Loading... Home | World | Africa | Africa should emulate Zimbabwe's smooth transition Pan African Parliament (PAP) president Honourable Roger Nkodo Dang, who is touring the country made three courtesy calls to the Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda, Senate president Edna Madzongwe and Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi. Honourable Dang was accompanied by a foreign delegation that includes PAP Ambassador to the United States Mrs Arikana Chihombori Quoa, member of parliament for Zambia Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa and the local contingent among them Chief Fortune Charumbira, Senator Chen Chimutengwende, Honourable Tapiwa Mashakada and Honourable Ladislus Ndoro. The PAP president exchanged notes on various issues affecting Africa as a whole with his counterparts in Zimbabwe. He emphasized that Africa should celebrate and emulate how leadership renewal should be done without bloodshed so that they can have socio and economic development. Honourable Dang then met Ziyambi, where discussions on the importance of Zimbabwe ratifying the Malabo Protocol was highlighted. The PAP president took the opportunity to handover the Malabo Protocol to the three dignitaries that he met for further perusal and he winded up by a familiarisation tour of parliament building where he and his delegation had a photo session. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: Africa Loading... PHUKET: Twilight Sky invite you to celebrate St Valentines Day. Say it with dinner whilst listening to the sweet sounds of our live duo band on February 14th, 2018 from 6pm onwards. 2,500 THB net per couple or 3,300 THB net per couple with wine paring. Chef Sonthaya has designed a perfect menu for lovers. WARMING UP: Lobster Cake infused with Brandy Lobster Sauce paring with Bisol & Figli Jeio Cuvee Brut. SOFT KISS SALAD: Beet Salad with Feta cheese, Walnut and Balsamic Reduction paring with Concha y Toro Sendro Sauvignon Blanc. PURE LOVE SOUP: Cold Strawberry and Watermelon Soup. LOVE IN LOVE: Roasted Wagyu Beef Truffle Mashed Potato and Red Wine Jus paring with Concha y Toro Sendero Merlot. ENDLESS LOVE: Valentines Chocolate Magic Ball paring with Wolf Blass Red Label Pink Moscato. Get 10% off when purchase before February 10th, 2018. For reservation please call 0622452779 or purchasing the package at Grand Hall, Central Festival Phuket on 10th February 2018. Black mambas are extremely dangerous. Credit: Shutterstock/NickEvansKZN For city dwellers, especially those in the developed world, the idea of being bitten by a venomous snake seems outlandish. But it is a daily and very real risk for millions around the world and that includes many people living in African countries. Over one million snakebites occur annually in sub-Saharan Africa alone. These cause over 20 000 deaths and leave 60 000 people permanently disabled or disfigured. So approximately every hour in the region 115 people are bitten, seven suffer permanent damage, and three die. Snakebite can cause a variety of clinical symptoms. These include paralysis, necrosis and bleeding, among others. Snake venoms contain a myriad of highly diverse toxins that manifest in very different ways clinically. This means there's no single "magic bullet" treatment. Even so, there's no doubt that antivenoms are crucial in the fight against snakebites. The World Health Organisation (WHO) is spearheading a global effort to get effective and affordable antivenoms to parts of the world that really need them. It is doing this in several ways, including through strict pre-testing for antivenoms whose manufacturers want to release them commercially. Such coordinated international efforts may be key to improving the life expectancy and health of many snakebite victims. The impact of bad antivenoms The only specific treatment for snakebite envenoming (the injection of venom by a snake) is to intravenously administer antivenom to a victim. Antivenoms are made by immunising a larger animal, like a horse, with increasing doses of snake venom. This triggers a reaction in the animal's immune system, increasing the production of specific antibodies against the venom toxins. The antibodies are then extracted from the horse's plasma and formulated into the final antivenom product. Because snake venom differs from snake to snake, even within the same species, the neutralising ability of an antivenom must be carefully assessed before a fresh batch can be released and used on patients. Until recently there was no external process or committee established to assess antivenom manufacturers' preclinical testing. This was because these processes required a major investment of time and money. The result has been that not all antivenom products have lived up to expectations while in some cases they haven't met some regions' actual therapeutic needs. In sub-Saharan Africa, for instance, low quality antivenoms have been on sale. This has been a major problem because certain antivenoms had little or no therapeutic value and can even cause harm, such as triggering allergic reactions and serum sickness. A case in point was the decision taken by Ghana's health ministry to switch from using Fav-Afrique one of sub-Saharan Africa's most effective snakebite antivenoms to the cheaper antivenom AsnaAntivenomC in 2004. This led to a 10-fold increase in mortality (from 2% to 12%) because the new antivenom was inefficient. In Chad, the use of inefficient antivenom drove the snakebite death rate up to 15%. Fixing the problem News that Fav-Afrique was set to expire in 2016 caused dismay among public health experts and advocates, and received a great deal of media coverage. The WHO decided to step in. In December 2015 it implemented a pre-qualification scheme for antivenoms. This scheme involves antivenom manufacturers assessing all aspects of their anti-venom production before submitting a dossier to the WHO, which then assesses if the antivenom lives up to the required standards. Each production facility and manufactured antivenom is assessed by the WHO. Antivenoms with a favourable riskbenefit ratio are then entered into a list of prequalified antivenoms on the WHO website. This list can easily be accessed by procurement agencies. To date, 90 antivenoms from 45 different manufactures have been listed publicly on the site. This is an important step because it offers a database from which organisations such as Doctors Without Borders and national health ministries can make educated choices about which antivenom would be the most relevant, safest and most economical. There is precedent for schemes like this. In 2001, the WHO launched a prequalification scheme for AIDS medicines. This has been hugely successful suggesting that the antivenom prequalification scheme could make a real difference to millions of snakebite victims. A step further In 2017 the WHO took its attention to snakebite a step further: it re-added snakebite envenoming to its list of neglected tropical diseases. It is expected that this will add impetus to antivenom development and boost the likelihood of investor funding for snakebite prevention and treatment access initiatives. For example the Ministry of Health in Kenya is developing local guidelines on snakebite management and plans to engage local and international donor health agencies. The WHO has recently established a working group on snakebite envenoming that aims to develop a strategy for prevention and treatment of snakebite. Finally, snakebite is on the World Health Assembly's agenda for the first time this year, receiving support from the Kofi Annan Foundation. These are all developments worth celebrating. But it is important to continue pushing so that more can be achieved and snakebite deaths can, ultimately, become a thing of the past. Explore further Antivenoms ineffective for common fatal snakebite This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Marbled crayfish specimen. Credit: Ranja Andriantsoa A genome study has proven that all specimen of Marmorkrebs, or marbled crayfish, originate from a single female. About 30 years ago, the original clone evolved in an aquarium. Ever since, the female animals have been able to spread successfully without any help from males, scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) report in a current publication. The clonal genome evolution of the crayfish may also help explain processes in tumors. Some years ago, a freshwater crayfish that reproduced alone in the aquarium puzzled pet owners and scientists. This could only be explained by a phenomenon called parthenogenesis, a natural form of asexual reproduction. Now, genome sequencing and comparative studies of individual animals have shown that, in fact, all specimen descend from a single mother crayfish. The Marmorkrebs clone is a separate species (Procambarus virginalis), which, as genetic studies have shown, has split from the slough crayfish found in the Everglades (Procambarus fallax) some 30 years ago. In a current publication, Frank Lyko and his team from the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) in Heidelberg have provided proof that the all-female offspring of the marbled crayfish is genetically identical. Lyko explains: "We could detect only a few hundred variants in a genome that is larger than the human genome. That is an incredibly small number." The minute variations can be ascribed to natural mutations. The DKFZ researchers counted 3.5 billion base pairs in the crayfish genome, which makes it about seven percent larger than the human genome. In another part of the study, a scientist in Madagascar additionally examined how well the crayfish is able to spread in the wild via parthenogenesis. Its enormous reproductive success came as a surprise to the scientists. "It was known that the crayfish can establish itself in the wild after releases from the aquarium," Lyko said. "But the news was that it can spread so rapidly and massively." Apart from subtropical Madagascar, Marmorkrebs can also be found, for example, in Sweden, Japan, Freiburg, Hanover, or Heidelberg. This is evidence of its remarkable adaptability -without any sexual reproduction. According to textbook knowledge, it is precisely the "invention of sex" and the resulting mix of paternal and maternal genes that enlarge genetic variety, thus facilitating rapid adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. However, although all marbled crayfish are born with the same genes, they are able to adapt to a wide variety of habitats. This is made possible by epigenetic mechanisms. These are regulated by small chemical tags attached to DNA, the genetic substance. Epigenetic mechanisms basically regulate the interpretation of genetic information. They work like switches that turn genes on or off. "Epigenetic variants are often influenced by genetic variants. In Marmorkrebs, however, epigenetic variation is independent, because there is virtually no genetic variation," Lyko explained. This epigenetic regulation makes the marbled crayfish extremely interesting for tumor researchers. A crayfish for cancer research - what sounds like a play of words in German ("Krebs" is the word for the disease and also for 'crayfish'), has in fact become reality. Lyko said: "Marmorkrebs is an animal that reproduces clonally and therefore represents a model of a central aspect in tumor development." A tumor is also capable of adapting to its environment, for example, by developing resistance against anticancer drugs. Scientists have known for a couple of years, partly from studies at the DKFZ, that epigenetic mechanisms also play a key role in these processes. They can influence cancer risk and the disease course. A phenomenon called clonal evolution occurs both in Marmorkrebs and in tumors. Lyko: "Tumor genomes also evolve clonally, because they go back to a single original cell." A variety of factors play a role in this process, such as chance mutations in genes, genetic drift, selective pressure and epigenetic adaptation to the environment. The team led by Lyko now wants to use marbled crayfish to further investigate their role. According to Julian Gutekunst, who is the first author of the present publication, the key question to be pursued is "which impact environmental factors have on epigenetics and gene regulation." These findings may enlarge our knowledge about processes in tumors and open prospects for new approaches in tumor treatment. Explore further A cray-active solution for cancer research More information: Clonal genome evolution and rapid invasive spread of the marbled crayfish, Nature Ecology & Evolution, nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/s41559-018-0467-9 Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution Clonal genome evolution and rapid invasive spread of the marbled crayfish, A U.S. Army photograph of the nuclear reactors at Camp Century in Greenland. Credit: U.S. Army Greenland's vast ice sheet has long been home to Project Iceworm, an abandoned Cold War-era U.S. Army initiative designed to deploy ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads against the Soviet Union. When the project was shuttered in 1967, military planners expected that any materials left on site would be safely frozen in ice and snow in perpetuity. Now, melting ice in a changing Arctic has remobilized some toxic waste at one Project Iceworm site and threatens to do the same at other project sites. The consequences, a new study finds, could extend far beyond those to the environmentcreating unexpected cleanup costs or costs for compensating local inhabitants affected by environmental problems as well as political and diplomatic conflict between the U.S. and countries hosting the bases. Environmental problems at U.S. bases can also cause political conflict between the U.S. and countries neighboring base-hosting countries if toxic wastes from bases migrate beyond the boundaries of the host country. Contestation over responsibility for such costs at the Project Iceworm sites has already led to the ouster of Greenland's foreign minister. Jeff D. Colgan, an associate professor of political science and international studies at Brown University, details the consequences of Project Iceworm in a new study published in Global Environmental Politics. Lessons learned from this case, he says, can create a framework for understanding the political, diplomatic and financial impact of environmental problems at U.S. military bases. "This case could be the canary in the coal mine for future environmental politics surrounding military bases," Colgan said. Colgan used Project Iceworm as a case study for understanding the likely political fallout from what he calls "knock-on effects" of climate change. Those effects are secondary environmental problemssuch as damage to infrastructure or the release of chemicals or wastethat can manifest when temperatures and sea levels rise. Project Iceworm was a particularly useful site to study in considering the impact of climate change on military bases, Colgan says, because climate change has dramatically affected weather patterns in Greenland. In addition, the areas immediately surrounding the project's sites are uninhabited, so the causal effect of climate change can be isolated from other factors and forecast with relatively high scientific certainty. The main environmental problem at Project Iceworm is the release of toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). There is also diesel fuel and a reportedly small volume of low-level radioactive waste at the sites, according to Colgan. "If remobilized, PCBs from the four sites would likely bioaccumulate within the marine ecosystem in this region," Colgan wrote. The PCBs could cross national boundaries, impacting populations in Greenland and Canada, and potentially put personnel at the U.S. Air Force's Thule Air Base at risk, according to the study. Thus, the political fallout of remobilized PCBs could entangle the U.S. and Denmark the countries that signed the original treaty allowing the bases to operate Greenland, now a semi-sovereign territory of Denmark, and Canada, whose waters and fishing areas might be affected. A complicating issue is that at the time the 1951 Defense of Greenland Agreement establishing the bases was signed, Denmark "had a nominally nuclear-free foreign policy," Colgan wrote in the study. That matters because the treaty allowed the U.S. to remove property from the bases or dispose of it in Greenland after consultation with Danish authorities. But "Denmark could argue that it was not fully consulted regarding the decommissioning of certain abandoned military sites, and thus any abandoned waste there remains a U.S. responsibility," Colgan wrote, adding "the Danish government, let alone its electorate, was never officially approached with a request or plan to deploy nuclear missiles to Greenland." While the specific communications between the U.S. and Denmark suggest that Danish authorities may not have wished to be fully briefed about the activities at the site, as Colgan describes in the study, the legal and historical context provides a means of contesting treaty agreements allowing the U.S. to leave waste at the bases. A U.S. Army photo of one of the ice tunnels in the Project Iceworm project. Credit: Brown University The effects of climate change on overseas and domestic military bases The possible exposure and mobilization of toxic materials due to rising temperatures demonstrates how climate change's unanticipated effects can destabilize both the operating or decommissioning plans established for military bases and the political orders under which they operate, Colgan said. But environmental effects at military bases are not restricted to locations that depend on ice for containment of toxic wastes. In addition to changes in precipitation and storm patterns that affect bases worldwide differently, rising seas are a serious concern at low-lying bases that house toxic waste. "The rising sea levels associated with climate change elevate the risk that toxic materials left on low-lying coral islands will be remobilized into the ocean," Colgan said. During the Cold War, the U.S. military left radioactive waste at the Johnston Atoll and the Marshall Islands, the study notes. Toxic materials were also left in Guam, Micronesia, the Solomon Islands and Midway Island, Colgan wrote. "Other countries, especially those located in the Pacific, could object strongly," Colgan asserted. This has both scholarly and policy significance. "The United States alone has hundreds of overseas bases that require continuous political coordination with host governments," he said. "Climate-related environmental hazards could represent a new kind of tension within international political alliances." Conflict could also occur between the U.S. government and the residents of host countries who are directly affected by base operations, according to the study. Additionally, environmental problems could generate political tensions between groups within the same country who are affected differently. Domestically, Colgan said, there are concerns that rising sea levels could submerge long quays that destroyers or cruisers use to dock, like those at the base in Norfolk, Virginia. Of the U.S. military's response to the threat unforeseen environmental problems present to political and diplomatic stability, Colgan said, "The military is very good at managing directly anticipated problems, but it's not as good at handling complex interactions that arise from unanticipated effects." Colgan noted, however, that the federal General Accountability Office recently released a report saying that the military is not doing enough to address the problems climate change is expected to cause at military bases. "I hope this study will give the military and policymakers an extra nudge to think more carefully about the complicated politics that come with overseas military bases in a world of climate change," Colgan said. "Outside of the military, I think policymakers in Congress and elsewhere ought to see this study as one more example of the dangers of climate change, and be additionally motivated to mitigate the risks of climate change." Explore further Melting ice sheet could release frozen Cold War-era waste More information: Jeff D. Colgan, Climate Change and the Politics of Military Bases, Global Environmental Politics (2018). Jeff D. Colgan, Climate Change and the Politics of Military Bases,(2018). DOI: 10.1162/GLEP_a_00443 Last week it emerged that German auto giant Volkswagen tried to keep secret the results of a diesel emissions test on monkeys because it showed a worse health impact than expected The European Union on Monday urged carmakers to "behave more ethically" and responsibly, following a scandal over diesel emissions, and revelations of diesel exhaust tests on monkeys and humans. EU commissioner for industry Elzbieta Bienkowska told deputies in the European parliament that she will ask all member states "to verify that such tests on human and animals are not being conducted". Last week it emerged that German auto giant Volkswagen tried to keep secret the results of a diesel emissions test on monkeys because it showed a worse health impact than expected. Amid a storm of criticism over the experiment and over separate tests on German human volunteers commissioned by an auto industry-financed research institute, VW suspended its chief lobbyist Thomas Steg and labelled the testing "unethical and repulsive". Bienkowska told the MEPs assembled in Strasbourg that "the car industry has to behave more ethically and responsibly," adding the EU Commission, the bloc's executive arm, was "shocked" by the news of the tests conducted on animals and humans. The experiments, revealed in a New York Times article, were commissioned by a now defunct research body funded by Daimler and fellow German auto giants BMW and Volkswagen. The same organisation, the European Research Group on Environment and Health in the Transport Sector (EUGT), also carried out tests on human volunteers. "There is no EU law that justifies such behaviour," she stressed, especially coming after the "Dieselgate" scandal. The scandal was sparked by Volkswagen's 2015 admission that it had fitted out millions of cars with software that enabled them to cheat pollution tests. Some 52 percent of Germans said they had "lost confidence" in the auto industry in a poll published last month, while a sizeable majority of 73 percent said politicians treated the vital sector too leniently. Explore further German car sales shrug off new diesel woes 2018 AFP Artists rendering of NOAA-20, originally known as JPSS-1, orbiting Earth. It is the first in an advanced series of polar-orbiting weather satellites. Credit: NOAA, NASA On Nov. 18, 2017, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA launched the Joint Polar Satellite System, the first in an advanced series of polar-orbiting weather satellites. The new satellite, named NOAA-20 after its launch, continues a legacy of providing scientists and citizens across the world free access to the weather data it collectswithout restrictions or encryption. For decades, the world meteorological satellite community has operated under a policy of freely shared data. It represents a philosophy and model of cooperation first promoted by the United States and adopted by global satellite agencies, which endure regardless of political or national persuasion. It's also a legacy and philosophy with roots that trace back decades to the University of WisconsinMadison Space Science and Engineering Center and the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies. "We at SSEC and CIMSS are very proud of our part in establishing and promoting this world community approach to better understanding and forecasting weather and climate," says SSEC scientist Liam Gumley. Better forecasting with NOAA-20 In the early 1980s, scientists at SSEC developed some of the first software tools to process data from instruments on NOAA's early polar-orbiting satellite series known as TIROS. Today, Gumley specializes in receiving and processing data from satellites like NOAA-20 for use by everyone from other researchers and meteorologists to the general public. The NOAA-20 satellite was designed to circle the planet 14 times each day. From its low orbit just over 500 miles above the Earth, it collects high-resolution data in consecutive swaths to construct a picture of the planet twice daily. NOAA-20 observed Tropical Cyclone Cebile, and its well-defined eye, in the Indian Ocean on Jan. 30, 2018. Imagery and data from NOAA-20 are preliminary, until the satellite is declared operational. Credit: NOAA, CIMSS The satellite joins its predecessor, Suomi NPP (named for SSEC's founder, the late Professor Verner Suomi), as well as satellites operated by other countries, in making important measurements of Earth's environment, forming the backbone of the global observing system by delivering detailed information on the state of the planet's atmosphere, land and oceans. Gumley and his team, other scientists at SSEC, and scientists worldwide are using NOAA-20's data in three distinct ways: to improve forecasts; to assist in real-time decision-making; and to analyze global environmental processes over longer periods of time. Improving forecasts is paramount to scientists like Gumley, who notes that while weather balloons, aircraft, ground-based instruments and other sources provide data that feeds into weather prediction models, "by far, the most important data source is the satellite data," he says. Data from these satellitesall of which have infrared and microwave sensors onboardare crucial to the numerical weather prediction (NWP) at the heart of U.S. forecasting, which harnesses the power of computers to run algorithms that process massive amounts of satellite data. Making satellite data accessible Data from all United States geostationary and polar orbiting environmental satellites are stored in NOAA's CLASS archive (Comprehensive Large Array-Data Stewardship System) within about 10 hours of collection. Anyone can visit CLASS and download these data. However, those with an interest or need to obtain the data soonerlike weather agencies for forecasting purposescan install an antenna and specific hardware to receive data in real time, directly from the satellite. Within minutes of digitization on the satellite, this direct broadcast data is transmitted to receivers below. In developing countries, where acquiring and running the proper equipment to directly receive and process the data may be cost-prohibitive, Gumley says that for less than $1,000 they can purchase a small antenna or computer to receive rebroadcasts from another source. For NOAA-20, the European satellite agency EUMETSAT or NOAA can receive and process the data, uplink it to a telecommunications satellite, and then beam it back down on a signal similar to that of a digital television. The Great Lakes region early on the morning of Jan. 30, 2018 via the Suomi NPP VIIRS Day/Night Band. Data acquired and processed via SSEC direct broadcast antenna. Credit: University of Wisconsin-Madison Rebroadcasting is not done directly at SSEC, Gumley says, but the center does assist EUMETSAT with some of the data to rebroadcast it over Europe as part of a system called EUMETCast. "It is gratifying to see that all of the money, expertise and hard work that goes into building these systems results in something that is shared for the global good," Gumley says. Connecting decision-makers with satellite data Data from satellites like NOAA-20 also play a key role in decision-making, especially when time is of the essence. Scientists like Gumley are critical to that endeavor. Satellite Data Services at SSEC ingests and archives daily data from numerous satellites. With almost immediate access, Gumley and colleagues can view and analyze satellite data streams and imagery in 15 minutes or less. In fact, his team developed a suite of software called the Community Satellite Processing Package (CSPP) that can be downloaded from the program's website, without cost or restriction, aimed at supporting the decision-making process in the U.S. and making it more economical for other countries. As part of a community effort, SSEC and partner sites have developed CSPP products that convert digital satellite signals into usable information. The products can be used to detect fires, gain information about temperature and water vapor, assess vegetation and more. The data can aid in weather forecasting and disaster response. The immediacy it affords users, like NOAA's National Weather Service, allows them to quickly assess situations that could affect public safety. For example, the VIIRS Day/Night Band on NOAA-20 can detect nighttime fog in valleys. If low-level fog is blanketing a highly traveled interstate, forecasters can quickly inform the state highway patrol or other relevant agencies to alert drivers of diminished visibility. Or, notes Gumley, "fires can be spotted from satellite images, too. If we see a fire at a particular latitude and longitude, we can notify fire protection agencies so that they can dispatch personnel." Suomi NPP VIIRS true color image over the continental U.S. on Jan. 18, 2018. Data acquired and processed via SSEC direct broadcast antenna. Credit: University of Wisconsin-Madison Researchers are also using these data to study global processes over an extended period of time (20-30 years) to determine climate trends. For example, scientists have already determined that clouds are one important variable in the global radiation budget. For today, says Gumley, the question is: "Are we seeing more or less high clouds as a result of climate change?" NOAA-20 will continue these and other types of observations collected and archived from previous generations of satellites for the last 25 years, which makes identifying trends more reliable. Additionally, Gumley's group is part of the ground team tasked with characterizing the data from NOAA-20 for its completeness, validity, accuracy and consistency. Starting three days after launch, and as sensors onboard the spacecraft were turned on, his team has worked with NASA and NOAA to ensure the integrity of several terabytes of data each day. "Now that NOAA has given the go-ahead," says Gumley, "we are supplying it to NWP centers so they can start evaluating the NOAA-20 data, too." Tracing back to Suomi NPP and extending to NOAA-20, SSEC also continues to be involved in a contract with NASA to create atmosphere products that support long-term climate study, called Science Investigator-led Processing Systems (SIPS). It is the only one of six groups involved in SIPS development that is based outside of NASA. For Gumley, it is rewarding to work within a global collaboration where despite differing environments and locations, everyone receives the same data and is interested in using it for improving forecasts and studying environmental conditions. "It's not just the U.S., but because of its example, all the major satellite operators are participating," he says. Explore further NASA launches next-generation weather satellite Scientists and members of the Polarstern crew lift a box corer on board. The box corer was used to recover a sediment core from the ocean floor of the East greenland shelf. Credit: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Maciej Telesinski On the basis of a unique global comparison of data from core samples extracted from the ocean floor and the polar ice sheets, AWI researchers have now demonstrated that, though climate change has decreased around the globe from glacial to interglacial periods, the difference is by no means as pronounced as previously assumed. Until now, it was believed that glacial periods were characterised by extreme temperature variability, while interglacial periods were relatively stable. The researchers published their findings in the journal Nature. If you want to know how the climate will change in the future, you need to look at the past. By looking at the climate changes that took place thousands of years ago, we can improve predictions for future climate. Comparing layers in ice-core samples and ocean sediments has allowed researchers to deduce how the average temperature on Earth has changed over time, and also how great the variability was. From the height of the last glacial period 21,000 years ago to our current interglacial period, the Earth has warmed by an average of 5 degrees Celsius. In view of future global warming, it's vital for today's global population to know whether temperatures will rise steadily, or whether there will be sudden, major fluctuations. The frequency of extreme events represents an essential benchmark for climate change adaptation measures, since, when it comes to flood protection, transport and building materials, we need to be prepared for the worst-case scenario, and not just for "average" changes. Climate researchers from the Helmholtz Young Investigators Group ECUS at the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) in Potsdam have now investigated how temperature variability changed as the Earth warmed from the last glacial period to the current interglacial period. To date it has been assumed that temperatures varied greatly during the last glacial, while the current interglacial was largely characterised by small temperature variations. This interpretation was based on water isotope data from central Greenland ice cores. The team, led by Dr Kira Rehfeld and Dr Thomas Laepple, compared the Greenland data with that from sediments collected in several ocean regions around the globe, as well as from ice-core samples gathered in the Antarctic. They demonstrate that the phenomenon of major temperature fluctuations during glacial periods has by no means manifested uniformly worldwide, but has instead varied from region to region. For instance, in the tropics, the temperature variations were three times as intense as today at the height of the last glacial, whereas the ice cores from Greenland indicate variations that were 70 times as intense. "The ice cores from Greenland are, without a doubt, an important key to understanding the climate of the past. That being said, our study confirms that the conclusions regarding Greenland aren't always representative of the entire world," explains Young Investigators Group leader Laepple, who also heads the ERC-funded Young Investigators Group SPACE. First author Kira Rehfeld and her colleagues have, for the first time, gathered and compared data from diverse climate archives and a total of 99 research sites. In the climate research community, ice cores are generally considered the gold standard, because their layers are highly consistent, unlike sediment layers from the seafloor, which are frequently marred by tectonic shifts, currents or marine organisms. The AWI researchers have devised mathematical methods that allow them to estimate the uncertainties and potential sources of error while assessing various paleoclimate archives, and to take these factors into account in their analyses. "As such, we can compare the sediment samples with the ice cores for various epochs in the planet's history," says Laepple. The more intensive variations during glacial periods are due to the greater difference in temperature between the ice-covered polar regions and the Tropics, which produced a more dynamic exchange of warm and cold air masses. "If we then follow that idea to its logical conclusion, it tells us the variations will continue to lessen as global warming progresses," says Rehfeld - simply because the difference in temperature between the warming North and the Tropics will decline. "However, our data covers timeframes spanning centuries and millennia - we can't zoom in on just a handful of years, which means we can only draw indirect conclusions regarding the extreme events that shape weather," explains climate researcher Rehfeld, who is currently pursuing research with the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Climate modellers had previously postulated the mechanism of reduced variability under warmer climatic conditions in 2014. Yet with their analysis, Rehfeld, Laepple and colleagues are the first to reinforce this theory with global climate data from the past. The AWI researchers describe their next endeavour as follows: "We plan to investigate in detail the changes in short-term variations in the past and their relation to long-term climate changes. To do so, we need reliable climate archives, and to improve our understanding of how they work." Increasing the accuracy to a level at which paleo-archives can also reflect extreme events will likely be one of the greatest challenges for the years to come. Explore further Climate instability over the past 720,000 years More information: Kira Rehfeld et al, Global patterns of declining temperature variability from the Last Glacial Maximum to the Holocene, Nature (2018). Journal information: Nature Kira Rehfeld et al, Global patterns of declining temperature variability from the Last Glacial Maximum to the Holocene,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/nature25454 Dealing with refugees South Asian countries lack national refugee laws despite the fact that the region hosts some of the worlds largest refugee populations. Only Afghanistan among members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) has signed the UN Refugee Convention. A composite image of the Western hemisphere of the Earth. Credit: NASA A study led by the University of Leeds has found that no country currently meets its citizens' basic needs at a globally sustainable level of resource use. The research, published in Nature Sustainability, is the first to quantify the sustainability of national resource use associated with meeting basic human needs for 151 countries. Each country's resource use and well-being achievements have been made available as a website built by the academics involved in the study. Lead author, Dr Daniel O'Neill, from the Sustainability Research Institute at Leeds, said: "Almost everything we do, from having dinner to surfing the Internet, uses resources in some way, but the connections between resource use and human well-being are not always visible to us. "We examined international relationships between the sustainability of resource use and the achievement of social goals, and found that basic needs, such as nutrition, sanitation, and the elimination of extreme poverty, could most likely be achieved in all countries without exceeding global environmental limits. "Unfortunately, the same is not true for other social goals that go beyond basic subsistence such as secondary education and high life satisfaction. Meeting these goals could require a level of resource use that is two to six times the sustainable level." Co-author, Dr Andrew Fanning, also from the Sustainability Research Institute, said: "Our results suggest that some of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, such as combatting climate change and its impacts, could be undermined by the pursuit of other goals, particularly those focused on growth or high levels of human well-being." This study builds on research by the Stockholm Resilience Centre that identified nine environmental processes that regulate the planet and proposed safe "planetary boundaries" for each thatif persistently exceededcould lead to catastrophic change. The planetary boundaries include issues such as climate change, land-use change, and freshwater use. The researchers distributed seven planetary boundaries among nations according to their share of global population, and then compared these boundaries to national resource consumption, after correcting for international trade. At the same time, the study scored countries on 11 social objectives established in previous research on what it would mean for countries to develop in "safe and just" way. The objectives included healthy life expectancy, access to energy, and democratic quality among others. The study benchmarked each country's resource use against the planetary boundaries, and mapped these alongside the social indicators. The mapping showed no country performed well on both the planetary and social thresholds. Co-author Dr William Lamb, from the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC), said: "In general, the more social thresholds a country achieves, the more planetary boundaries it exceeds, and vice versa. "Although wealthy nations like the US and UK satisfy the basic needs of their citizens, they do so at a level of resource use that is far beyond what is globally sustainable. In contrast, countries that are using resources at a sustainable level, such as Sri Lanka, fail to meet the basic needs of their people." Co-author Dr Julia Steinberger, from the School of Earth and Environment at Leeds, said "Radical changes are needed if all people are to live well within the limits of the planet. These include moving beyond the pursuit of economic growth in wealthy nations, shifting rapidly from fossil fuels to renewable energy, and significantly reducing inequality. "Our physical infrastructure and the way we distribute resources are both part of what we call provisioning systems. If all people are to lead a good life within the planet's limits then these provisioning systems need to be fundamentally restructured to allow for basic needs to be met at a much lower level of resource use." Explore further Shale gas is one of the least sustainable ways to produce electricity, research finds More information: Daniel W. O'Neill et al, A good life for all within planetary boundaries, Nature Sustainability (2018). Daniel W. O'Neill et al, A good life for all within planetary boundaries,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41893-018-0021-4 Credit: Michigan Technological University Students often learn best when they can apply what they're learning. In the world of science, that means engaging in the practice of science. But this can be a challenge for teachers when dealing with subjects that are hard to observelike biological evolution. The solution? Digital evolutioncomputer software in which populations of digital organisms evolve. Avida is a digital evolution software used by biologists and engineers in which digital organisms replicate, mutate and compete with other digital organisms for resources in their virtual environment. Avida is said to provide a true instance of evolution, not a simulation. Recognizing that Avida could be a powerful educational tool, researchers developed an educational version of the software called Avida-ED. Amy Lark, an assistant professor of science education at Michigan Technological University, says Avida-ED is a more user-friendly program than Avida, a research platform for conducting and analyzing experiments with self-replicating and evolving computer programs. Avida-ED allows students to observe and experiment without any specialized computer science knowledge. Lark and colleagues at Michigan State University (MSU) recently published the results of a nationwide, multiple-case study in The American Biology Teacher detailing how Avida-ED curriculum was used in high school and college classrooms. Lark's co-authors include Robert Pennock, developer of Avida-ED and a professor of philosophy at MSU; Gail Richmond, a professor of teacher education at MSU; Louise Mead, education director of MSU's BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action; and Jim Smith, a professor of biology at MSU. Lark also co-authored a practitioner piece with Wendy Johnson, a biology teacher in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that described how Johnson implemented Avida-ED in her AP Biology class; the practitioner piece was published as a companion to the multiple-case study in the same issue of American Biology Teacher. Start with the Basics Teaching the basics of evolution is difficult. To assess Avida-ED's effectiveness, as well as how it might impact understanding and even accepting evolution, the researchers selected 11 instructors teaching at eight different US institutions to implement the Avida-ED program into their classrooms. Students started with a common assessment to gauge their understanding of the scientific principles of evolution. Teachers would then provide a tutorial on Avida-ED so that students would understand how to use the software and what they were seeing on their computer screens. Lesson plans varied widely, but each instructor would cover the concepts of variation and randomness. To apply those concepts, students could, for example, predict what an organism would look like after replication, based on the mutation rate. After observing what happened at the individual level, they could consider what happens at the population level. After that, they might design an experiment of their own. Grasp the Science In using Avida-ED, students received structured lessons that targeted misconceptionsfor instance, that evolution is completely random. The process shows the differences between random mutation and natural selection. As students set up experiments, they could observe that mutations are random, but selection is not. Once the curriculum was over, students took the same common assessment they took at the start of the course. Lark and her colleagues would then compare changes in scores. In most instances, where content scores increased, so did acceptance of evolution. "My interest is in effectively teaching the science," Lark says, explaining that understanding or learning about something and accepting it are not the same thing. "It's possible not to accept evolution, but understand the process and how it works. There are also people who accept evolution, but have no idea how it works. Avida-ED is an effective tool no matter the perspective you approach it from. "The goal is not to change people's minds," Lark says. "The goal is to help them understand the science." Lark is working with colleagues at Michigan Tech to potentially develop a program similar to Avida-ED that could be used for teaching climate science. Explore further Delegating the dirty work is a key to evolution More information: Amy Lark et al, Exploring the Relationship between Experiences with Digital Evolution and Students' Scientific Understanding and Acceptance of Evolution, The American Biology Teacher (2018). Amy Lark et al, Exploring the Relationship between Experiences with Digital Evolution and Students' Scientific Understanding and Acceptance of Evolution,(2018). DOI: 10.1525/abt.2018.80.2.74 Credit: CC0 Public Domain A team of researchers at the University of Michigan has conducted a thought experiment regarding the nature of a universe that could support life without the weak force. In their paper uploaded to the ArXiv preprint server, the researchers suggest life could be possible in such an alternative universe, but it would definitely be different from what we observe in ours. Physicists have debated the possibility of the existence of alternate universes for some time, though there is no evidence they exist. In this new thought experiment, the team at UM wondered if one or more of the laws of physics that we have discovered in this universe might not exist in othersif they do exist. Because it would be hard to imagine a universe that could exist without gravity and the strong and electromagnetic forces, the team instead focused on the weak forcethe one behind such things as neutrons decaying into protons. The team wondered what a universe without the weak force would look like. To visualize it, they created a simulation of such a universe starting from the Big Bang. In the simulation, matter was still created and condensed into stars, but from there on, things would be different, because in our universe, the weak force is responsible for the creation of the heavier elements. In a universe without the weak force, the existence of anything other than stars would require more free protons and fewer neutrons (because they could not decay). In such a universe, neutrons and protons could link up to make deuterium. Stars fueled by deuterium instead of hydrogen, the researchers note, would still shine, they would just look differentlikely redder and larger. But such stars could also serve as the source of all of the elements in the periodic table prior to iron, and the stellar winds could carry them out into space. If planets happened to form, they further note, they could hold water made from deuterium rather than hydrogenand it is not impossible to imagine, they suggest, life forms made with deuterium water. More information: Universes without the Weak Force: Astrophysical Processes with Stable Neutrons, arXiv:1801.06081 [astro-ph.GA] Universes without the Weak Force: Astrophysical Processes with Stable Neutrons, arXiv:1801.06081 [astro-ph.GA] arxiv.org/abs/1801.06081v1 Abstract We investigate a class of universes in which the weak interaction is not in operation. We consider how astrophysical processes are altered in the absence of weak forces, including Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN), galaxy formation, molecular cloud assembly, star formation, and stellar evolution. Without weak interactions, neutrons no longer decay, and the universe emerges from its early epochs with a mixture of protons, neutrons, deuterium, and helium. The baryon-to-photon ratio must be smaller than the canonical value in our universe to allow free nucleons to survive the BBN epoch without being incorporated into heavier nuclei. At later times, the free neutrons readily combine with protons to make deuterium in sufficiently dense parts of the interstellar medium, and provide a power source before they are incorporated into stars. Almost all of the neutrons are incorporated into deuterium nuclei before stars are formed. As a result, stellar evolution proceeds primarily through strong interactions, with deuterium first burning into helium, and then helium fusing into carbon. Low-mass deuterium-burning stars can be long-lived, and higher mass stars can synthesize the heavier elements necessary for life. Although somewhat different from our own, such universes remain potentially habitable. Journal information: arXiv 2018 Phys.org Structural and electronic properties of Ag2BiO3. Crystal structure of a the ferroelectric Pnn2 and b the hypothetical paraelectric Pnna phase. Red, gray, green, blue, and purple spheres are O2, Ag+, Bi4+, Bi3+, and Bi5+ ions, respectively. c and d are the band structures of the Pnn2 and Pnna phases, respectively. The Fermi level is shifted to 0 eV. High symmetry points in the first Brillouin zone are defined in Supplementary Figure 1. e and f are the spin textures of the inner and outer branches of conduction bands at the R point in the polar Pnn2 phase. The color code indicates the energy level with respect to the bottom of conduction band. Credit: Nature Communications (2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02814-4 The search and manipulation of novel properties emerging from the quantum nature of matter could lead to next-generation electronics and quantum computers. But finding or designing materials that can host such quantum interactions is a difficult task. "Harmonizing multiple quantum mechanical properties, which often do not coexist together, and trying to do it by design is a highly complex challenge," said Northwestern University's James Rondinelli. But Rondinelli and an international team of theoretical and computational researchers have done just that. Not only have they demonstrated that multiple quantum interactions can coexist in a single material, the team also discovered how an electric field can be used to control these interactions to tune the material's properties. This breakthrough could enable ultrafast, low-power electronics and quantum computers that operate incredibly faster than current models in the areas of data acquisition, processing, and exchange. Supported by the US Army Research Office, National Science Foundation of China, German Research Foundation, and China's National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, the research was published online today in the journal Nature Communications. James Rondinelli, the Morris E. Fine Junior Professor in Materials and Manufacturing in Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering, and Cesare Franchini, professor of quantum materials modeling at the University of Vienna, are the paper's co-corresponding authors. Jiangang He, a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern, and Franchini served as the paper's co-first authors. Quantum mechanical interactions govern the capability of and speed with which electrons can move through a material. This determines whether a material is a conductor or insulator. It also controls whether or not the material exhibits ferroelectricity, or shows an electrical polarization. "The possibility of accessing multiple order phases, which rely on different quantum-mechanical interactions in the same material, is a challenging fundamental issue and imperative for delivering on the promises that quantum information sciences can offer," Franchini said. Using computational simulations performed at the Vienna Scientific Cluster, the team discovered coexisting quantum-mechanical interactions in the compound silver-bismuth-oxide. Bismuth, a post-transition metal, enables the spin of the electron to interact with its own motiona feature that has no analogy in classical physics. It also does not exhibit inversion symmetry, suggesting that ferroelectricity should exist when the material is an electrical insulator. By applying an electric field to the material, researchers were able to control whether the electron spins were coupled in pairs (exhibiting Weyl-fermions) or separated (exhibiting Rashba-splitting) as well as whether the system is electrically conductive or not. "This is the first real case of a topological quantum transition from a ferroelectric insulator to a non-ferroelectric semi-metal," Franchini said. "This is like awakening a different kind of quantum interactions that are quietly sleeping in the same house without knowing each other." Explore further Superlattice design realizes elusive multiferroic properties More information: Jiangang He et al, Tunable metal-insulator transition, Rashba effect and Weyl Fermions in a relativistic charge-ordered ferroelectric oxide, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications Jiangang He et al, Tunable metal-insulator transition, Rashba effect and Weyl Fermions in a relativistic charge-ordered ferroelectric oxide,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02814-4 The Cretaceous arachnid Chimerarachne yingi was found trapped in amber after 100 million years. Credit: University of Kansas An extraordinary new species of arachnid, resembling a spider with a tail, has been discovered in amber from Myanmar (formerly Burma), of mid-Cretaceous age, around 100 million years ago. The finding is described in a paper appearing Monday in Nature Ecology & Evolution by an international team including Paul Selden of the Paleontological Institute and Department of Geology at the University of Kansas and colleagues from China, Germany, Virginia and the United Kingdom. "There's been a lot of amber being produced from northern Myanmar and its interest stepped up about ten years ago when it was discovered this amber was mid-Cretaceous; therefore, all the insects found in it were much older than first thought," said Selden. "It's been coming into China where dealers have been selling to research institutions. These specimens became available last year to Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology." The new animal resembles a spider in having fangs, male pedipalps, four walking legs and silk-producing spinnerets at its rear. However, it also bears a long flagellum or tail. No living spider has a tail, although some relatives of spiders, the vinegaroons, do have an anal flagellum. Four new specimens have been found, and all are tiny, about 2.5 millimeters body length, excluding the nearly 3-millimeter-long tail. "Any sort of flagelliform appendage tends to be like an antenna," the KU researcher said. "It's for sensing the environment. Animals that have a long whippy tail tend to have it for sensory purposes." KU researcher Paul Selden said the ancient arachnid likely used its whippy tail as an antenna. Credit: University of Kansas This exciting new find confirms a prediction made a few years ago by Selden and colleagues when they described a similar tailed arachnid, which resembled a spider but lacked spinnerets. These animals, from the much older Devonian (about 380 million years ago) and Permian (about 290 million years ago) periods, formed the basis of a new arachnid order, the Uraraneida, which lies along the line to modern spiders. "The ones we recognized previously were different in that they had a tail but don't have the spinnerets," said Selden. "That's why the new one is really interesting, apart from the fact that it's much youngerit seems to be an intermediate form. In our analysis, it comes out sort of in between the older one that hadn't developed the spinneret and modern spider that has lost the tail." The new animal, called Chimerarachne after the Greek mythological Chimera, a hybrid creature composed of the parts of more than one animal, lies one step closer to modern spiders on account of its possession of spinning organs. Selden said little of the tiny spider's day-to-day behavior could be determined. "We can only speculate that, because it was trapped in amber, we assume it was living on or around tree trunks," he said. "Amber is fossilized resin, so for a spider to have become trapped, it may well have lived under bark or in the moss at the foot of a tree." Dorsal view of entire Chimerarachne yingi specimen. Credit: University of Kansas While the tailed spider was capable of producing silk due to its spinnerets, Selden said it was unlikely to have constructed webs to trap bugs like many modern spiders. "We don't know if it wove webs," said the KU researcher. "Spinnerets are used to produce silk but for a whole host of reasonsto wrap eggs, to make burrows, to make sleeping hammocks or just to leave behind trails. If they live in burrows and leave, they leave a trail so they can find their way back. These all evolved before spiders made it up into the air and made insect traps. Spiders went up into the air when the insects went up into the air. I presume that it didn't make webs that stretched across bushes. However, like all spiders it would have been a carnivore and would have eaten insects, I imagine." Selden said the spider's remote habitat made it possible that tailed descendants may still be alive in Myanmar's backcountry to this day. "We know a lot about the Burmese biota during the Cretaceous," he said. "It was a pretty good tropical rainforest, and there are a great many other arachnids we know were there, particularly spiders, that are very similar to the ones you find today in the southeast Asian rainforest. It makes us wonder if these may still be alive today. We haven't found them, but some of these forests aren't that well-studied, and it's only a tiny creature." Explore further Largest spider fossil found in China More information: Bo Wang et al, Cretaceous arachnid Chimerarachne yingi gen. et sp. nov. illuminates spider origins, Nature Ecology & Evolution (2018). Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution Bo Wang et al, Cretaceous arachnid Chimerarachne yingi gen. et sp. nov. illuminates spider origins,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0449-3 This artists impression shows the view just above the surface of one of the middle planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system, with the glare of the host star illuminating the rocky surface. At least seven planets orbit this ultracool dwarf star 40 light-years from Earth and they are all roughly the same size as the Earth. They are at the right distances from their star for liquid water to exist on the surfaces of several of them. This artists impression is based on the known physical parameters for the planets and stars seen, and uses a vast database of objects in the Universe. Credit: ESO/N. Bartmann A series of four studies have shed new light on the properties of the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system, currently our most optimal hope for evidence of biological life beyond the Solar system. Since the extent of the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system was revealed in February 2017, it has captured the imagination of people the world over. The new studies, including papers published today in Nature Astronomy and Astronomy and Astrophysics, are the result of researchers working to better characterise the planets and collect more information about them. The international team first refined the properties of the star at the centre of the system, and secondly improved the measurements of the planets' radii. A third study offers better estimates than ever for the planets' masses while in the fourth study the team performed reconnaissance observations of the planets' atmospheres. The four international studies were produced in collaboration with University of Birmingham astronomer Dr Amaury Triaud. He explains, "After discovering this incredible planetary system our team was extremely eager to know more about TRAPPIST-1. A year on, we are reporting our results. Thanks to our efforts the TRAPPIST-1 planets are becoming the best studied worlds outside the Solar system." The team found that all seven planets are mostly made of rock, with up to 5 percent of their mass in water - a significant amount. By comparison, our Earth's oceans account for only 0.02 percent of our planet's mass. In addition, five of the planets appear devoid of an atmosphere made of Hydrogen and Helium, like for Neptune or Uranus. This new information reinforces the notion that the seven planets of TRAPPIST-1 are similar to the rocky worlds of the Solar system in many ways. The form that water takes on TRAPPIST-1 planets would depend on the amount of heat they receive from their star, which is a mere 9 percent as heavy as our Sun. The seven planets are considered temperate, meaning that under certain geological and atmospheric conditions, all could possess conditions allowing water to remain liquid. Work, including the team's series of results, is now proceeding to pinpoint which of these temperate planets are most likely to be habitable. Of the seven, TRAPPIST-1e, the fourth from the star, is currently the most akin to Earth although much remains to be known, notably the conditions at the surface, and whether it holds an atmosphere. Dr Triaud continues, "When we combine our new masses with our improved radii measurements, and our improve knowledge of the star, we obtain precise densities for each of the seven worlds, and reach information on their internal composition. All seven planets remarkably resemble Mercury, Venus, our Earth, its Moon, and Mars." Professor Brice-Olivier Demory, co-author at the University of Bern, added, "Densities, while important clues to the planets' compositions, do not say anything about habitability. However, our study is an important step forward as we continue to explore whether these planets could support life." As part of this series of work, the team used the Hubble Space Telescope while the planets passed in front of their star, attempting to catch minute signals while starlight interacts with the planets' atmospheres. Their careful measurements found no evidence for hydrogen-dominated atmospheres on planets TRAPPIST-1d, e and f (b and c were done last year) although the hydrogen-dominated atmosphere cannot be ruled out for g. So far, the collected data is still consistent with, but cannot confirm whether the planets have atmospheres similar to Venus, or Earth. This identification will be carried out by new observations. "Hubble is doing the preliminary reconnaissance work so that astronomers using Webb know where to start," said Nikole Lewis of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland, co-leader of the Hubble study. "Eliminating one possible scenario for the makeup of these atmospheres allows the Webb telescope astronomers to plan their observation programs to look for other possible scenarios for the composition of these atmospheres." What is TRAPPIST-1? TRAPPIST-1 is named for the Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST) in Chile, which discovered two of the seven planets we know of todayannounced in 2016. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, in collaboration with ground-based telescopes, confirmed these planets and uncovered the other five in the system. Since then, NASA's Kepler space telescope also observed the TRAPPIST-1 system, and Spitzer collected additional data. This new body of data helped the team paint a clearer picture of the system than ever beforealthough there is still much more to learn about TRAPPIST-1. The TRAPPIST-1 planets huddle so close to one another that a person standing on the surface of one of these worlds would have a spectacular view of the neighbouring planets in the sky, which would sometimes appear larger than the Moon looks to an observer on Earth. They may also be tidally locked, meaning the same side of the planet is always facing the star, and each side is in perpetual day or night. Although the planets are all closer to their star than Mercury is to the Sun, TRAPPIST-1 is such a cool star that its planets are temperate. What might these planets be like? It is impossible to know exactly how each planet looks, because they are so far away. In our own solar system, the Moon and Mars have nearly the same density, yet their surfaces appear entirely different. Based on available data, here are scientists' best guesses about the appearances of the planets: TRAPPIST-1b, the innermost planet, is likely to have a rocky core, surrounded by an atmosphere much thicker than Earth's. TRAPPIST-1c also likely has a rocky interior, but with a thinner atmosphere than planet b. TRAPPIST-1d, meanwhile, is the lightest of the planetsabout 30 percent the mass of Earth. Scientists are uncertain whether it has a large atmosphere, an ocean or an ice layerall three of these would give the planet an "envelope" of volatile substances that would make sense for a planet of its density. Scientists were surprised that TRAPPIST-1e is the only planet in the system slightly denser than Earth, suggesting it may have a denser iron core than our home planet. Like TRAPPIST-1c, it does not necessarily have a thick atmosphere, ocean or ice layermaking these two planets distinct in the system. It is mysterious why TRAPPIST-1e is so much rockier in its composition than the rest of the planets. In terms of size, density and the amount of radiation it receives from its star, this is the most similar planet to Earth. TRAPPIST-1f, g and h are far enough from the host star that water could be frozen as ice across these surfaces. If they have thin atmospheres, they would be unlikely to contain the heavy molecules of Earth such as carbon dioxide. How do we know? Scientists are able to calculate the densities of the planets because they happen to be lined up such that when they pass in front of their star, our Earth and space-based telescopes detect a dimming of its light. This is called a transit. The amount by which the starlight dims is related to the radius of the planet. To get the density, scientists take advantage of what is called "transit timing variations." If there were no other gravitational forces on a transiting planet, it would always cross in front of its host star in the same amount of timefor example, Earth orbits the Sun every 365 days, which is how we define one year. But because the TRAPPIST-1 planets are packed so close together, they change the timing of each other's "years" ever so slightly. Those variations in orbital timing are used to estimate the planets' masses. Then, mass and radius are used to calculate density. Next Steps The next step in exploring TRAPPIST-1 will be NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which will be able to delve into the question of whether these planets have atmospheres and, if so, what those atmospheres are like, and whether they allow adequate surface conditions to permit liquid water. Explore further TRAPPIST-1 system planets potentially habitable Droplets of a cholesteric liquid crystal as viewed through a polarizing microscope. Credit: Mikhail Krakhalev. A team of scientists from Kirensky Institute of Physics of the Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Science and Siberian Federal University (SFU) together with Russian and foreign colleagues studied droplets of a cholesteric liquid crystal that contained a twisted defect loop. The results of the study were published in Scientific Reports. Liquid crystals (LCs) are chemical substances that enter mesophase (the state between solid matter and liquid) within a certain range of temperatures. Liquid crystals combine two opposite properties. They have fluidity typical of liquids, and anisotropy of physical properties characteristic of solid crystals (i.e., a difference in properties depending on direction). These peculiarities are explained by orientational order of long molecular axes. As a result, the molecules of an LC remain relatively mobile, but are oriented in a certain way determining the anisotropy of properties. Molecules may have different orientations, and may change under the influence of an electric field. That is why LCs are widely used in electrical optic devices, such as display screens. The team worked with liquid crystals called cholesterics or chiral nematics. Each molecule of a liquid crystal has several rotation axes. In orientation structures, a predominant direction of long molecular axes is called a director. In case of cholesterics, the director forms a twisted helical structure. It means that the directions of long molecular axes (and therefore their dipole moment) are turned against each other at a certain angle, and their ends trace out a spiral line (a helix) around the axis of the helicoid. The peculiar orientation of LC molecules leads to spatial modulation of a cholesteric's refraction index, i.e. it changes harmonically. The light moving through such a structure diffracts. The feature of light propagation through a cholesteric LC is determined by the parameters of the helical orientation structure that depend on the properties of the liquid crystal and the nature of its interaction with the environment. The scientists studied the structure of a cholesteric LC in droplets that were tens of microns in size and had perpendicular directors at the boundary with polymer. It turned out that the helical structure in various parts of droplets had different helix pitch, i.e. the distances at which the director made a complete turn. "We've studied the structure formed in the droplets of a cholesteric LC in detail, and showed how the droplets look at different aspect directions and droplet sizes using an optical microscope. We've also studied the influence of an electric field on the periodicity structure and the shape of linear defects," said Mikhail Krakhalev, a co-author of the work, a candidate of physical and mathematical sciences, senior scientific associate of Kirensky Institute of Physics, and the dean of the Chair of General Physics at the Institute of Engineering Physics and Radio Electronics, SFU. The scientists proved that a defect shaped as a twisted double helix is formed in cholesteric droplets. The authors also studied the optic textures of such structures that could be observed in an optical microscope. Given that the structures formed in cholesteric droplets are quite complex, respective optic textures are determined by a bigger number of factors. "We've studied and described the correlation between the optical texture of the droplets and their size and the aspect directions. The described structures may help identify similar configurations in other systems, and the approach suggested by us may be used to analyze complex orientation structures," concluded Mikhail Krakhalev. Explore further Liquid crystals open new route to planar optical elements More information: Mikhail N. Krakhalev et al. Bipolar configuration with twisted loop defect in chiral nematic droplets under homeotropic surface anchoring, Scientific Reports (2017). Journal information: Scientific Reports Mikhail N. Krakhalev et al. Bipolar configuration with twisted loop defect in chiral nematic droplets under homeotropic surface anchoring,(2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15049-6 Provided by Siberian Federal University A group of creatures known as cnidarians, which includes sea anemones, are the only animals that inject venom via sting cells. Credit: pxhere/ picture is in public domain A multi-stage genetic process for the formation of sting cells in sea anemones could inspire a new way of delivering drugs into the human body. It's part of a field of work that looks at how venom and the way it's produced in animals could be used to create life-saving treatments for humans. Dr. Kartik Sunagar, at the Centre for Ecological Sciences of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, India, is investigating the origin of venom-delivery systems. He says that even though science is starting to grasp which genes encode the production of deadly toxins, little is known about how venomous creatures evolved the arsenal needed to discharge venom into their prey. Most species rely on fangs, beaks or stingers, but some of the oldest venomous species on Earth today still deliver their payload through a long-established alternative. More than 600 million years ago, ancient species like jellyfish, corals and sea anemones, known as cnidarians, evolved a bio-mechanical method of poisoning their prey. Their cells lock venom inside failsafe molecular capsules, accelerating them into their target with a force of 40 000G (acceleration of Earth's gravity), making it one of the fastest biomechanical processes observable in nature. "Cnidarians are the only animals that use stinging cells to inject venom," said Dr. Sunagar. He is genetically engineering sea anemones to produce fluorescent stinging cells. The colour marker makes it possible to screen any proteins involved in venom delivery, offering unprecedented insight into how sea anemones manufacture their stinging cells, and how they function. For two years, Dr. Sunagar has studied the genetic development of venom-injecting cells in sea anemones as an EU-funded researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel. He found that stem cells in these creatures follow directions from specific sets of genes to specialise as stinging cells. "When the cells are young, they express certain sets of genes that are important to develop the venom capsule and synthesise toxins," said Dr. Sunagar. "However, once the stinging cells have fully formed the capsule, the synthesis of toxins and structural proteins diminishes." The knowledge could make it possible to eventually manipulate stinging cells as clean and efficient micro-drug delivery systems. Applications But it's not just the delivery system that could have healthcare applications. Scientists are also looking at whether the properties of venom itself could be used to treat health conditions including gastrointestinal disorders, cancer and chronic pain. "Venom is among nature's most complex cocktails," said Dr. Sunagar. "You don't see this level of intricacy in any other physiological protein." Toxins released by anemones, snails and other venomous creatures have evolved over millions of years to paralyse prey and fend off predators. Because evolution has been fine-tuning biological processes for so long, venoms tend to be very potent and highly selective. They bind with exceptional efficiency to specific cell receptors. Cnidarians - which include jellyfish and sea anemones - are the only animals that use sting cells to inject venom. Credit: Horizon magazine This pickiness leads to fewer side-effects in venom-derived medicine. It can also open new avenues to reach elusive receptors that could help tackle currently incurable diseases. Dr. Markus Muttenthaler at the University of Vienna in Austria is investigating how chemical compounds found in venoms could help cells repair the outer lining of damaged intestines. He says that one in 10 Westerners suffer from chronic gastrointestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. With support from the EU's European Research Council, he has started exploring how to target cell receptors involved in healing gut wounds. If drugs can be tailored to trigger these receptors, they could support the protection or reconstruction of gut tissue when the body fails to do so itself. At present, no drugs are up to the task. But venomous creatures like sea snails, spiders or scorpions may be a good place to start looking. Dr. Muttenthaler says a single species can present up to 1 000 unique bioactive compounds in the venom it secretes. As part of his research, Dr. Muttenthaler has travelled to exotic ecosystems like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Amazonian jungle to collect venomous species. Back in the lab, his team extracts the venom and tests it on live cells against a panel of receptors that have been associated with medical conditions such as pain, cancer or inflammation. "If we find compounds that accelerate the gastrointestinal healing process then we have a new therapeutic lead," said Dr. Muttenthaler. These compounds are then optimised so that they remain stable in the human body and manage to reach their target organs. In principle, some could help other tissues heal faster, broadening applications 'to many other wounds in the body." Omics Venom research has picked up pace in the last decade thanks to an approach known as omics, which studies how biological molecules of a certain type function together as a collective system. "In the last 10 years, omic technologies have completely revolutionised research on venom," said Dr. Maria Vittoria Modica from Montpellier University in France. These technologies, which crunch huge volumes of data, allow researchers to chart out all the molecules produced in a cell and help decipher the role of each biological compound produced. Some compounds can then be adapted for applications in healthcare. Dr. Modica has launched the EU-funded VIPS project to analyse the venoms produced by two marine invertebrate organisms and get an idea of their potential for applications. So far she has collected tissue samples from the feeding glands of millimetre-wide snails in the Mediterranean. She also retrieved toxin-secreting cells from the corals that the snails prey on. Previous instruments could not have analysed such minute drops of venom. But transcriptomics and proteomics using big data tools to log the complete set of instructions produced by genomes have helped her to sequence many of the molecules at work in venom glands. By the time her research project ends in 2019, Dr. Modica expects to have identified the molecules involved in predator-prey relationships in snails and corals, revealing potentially useful bioactive compounds that remain as yet unknown to science. Dr. Modica says that venoms are such a promising source of active ingredients not least because nature has been optimising them since primeval times. "They are the result of a chemical arms race between predators and prey," she said. "One species evolves increasingly potent toxins and the other ever stronger defences." Explore further Research points to a 'two-speed' evolution of animal venom Deer infected with chronic wasting disease are doomed to a slow and certain death, eventually wasting away as they lose the ability to eat and drink. There is no cure and no vaccine, and the number of infected deer continues to rise every year. But University of Illinois scientists recently published a new study that could help explain the movement of the disease across the landscape. "Our biggest goal is to support the management of this non-curable disease in an animal that is an economically important resource for the state of Illinois," says Michelle Green, research assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at U of I and co-author of the study. Chronic wasting disease is caused by a prion, a sort of mutant protein with an unusual folding pattern that tricks the body's own proteins into mutating, too. After enough proteins get in on the act, holes begin to form in the brain, causing physiological and behavioral changes. The disease is part of a group known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, which includes mad cow and a few other rare diseases. A key element to managing the disease is reducing exposure to the prion. The disease is primarily passed from deer to deer through direct physical contact, but it can also be passed from mother to fetus or picked up indirectly when a deer comes in contact with the disease agent in the environment. The new study focuses on the indirect pathway. "When infected deer urinate, defecate, or salivate, they can shed prions. When a susceptible deer comes along and licks, ingests, or inhales infected soil it could pick up a prion. But soil is complex. It's not clear what soil characteristics are associated with the persistence of chronic wasting disease in deer," says Nohra Mateus-Pinilla, veterinary epidemiologist at the Illinois Natural History Survey-Prairie Research Institute and study co-author. In the study, the team looked at the relationship between soil characteristics and presence of deer with the disease in five northern Illinois counties where infected deer are prevalent. They focused on seven physical and chemical properties of soil that could affect the ability for a prion to stick around in the environment. "The goal was to identify which soil characteristics have a greater effect on the persistent presence of chronic wasting disease in the five counties," says Sheena Dorak, lead author of the study and research associate with the Illinois Natural History Survey. The first step was to break the five-county area into 1-mile square sections that either had a strong history of the disease or not. The researchers laid this grid over a detailed soils map and created a statistical model to predict the likelihood that the disease would stick around based on the soils. According to the analysis, the amount of clay in a given soil was a major determining factor to predict where the disease was more likely to persist. And the data clearly indicated a break point that could be useful in future management schemes: Soils with more than 18 percent clay were associated with a steep drop in cases of the disease. "I think what's groundbreaking about this work is finding this threshold. It's like a switch," Green says. "Clay can tend to immobilize molecules, and we think at these higher concentrations, clay is holding onto the prions so they're not bioavailable," Dorak says. Soil pH was also influential, with more cases of the disease at a pH greater than 6.6. Again, changes in soil pH may relate to how "sticky" the soil environment is for prions. Above pH 6.6, prions don't stick as well to the soil and are free to be picked up by curious deer. The researchers emphasize that their study is observational and based on data from large Natural Resources Conservation Service databases. As such, they cannot confirm exactly what's going on with prions in the soil based on their work. But they say their results are important because they provide a clear starting point for experimental follow-up. "With these results, we can now look at the entire state and say, for example, there are a lot of infected deer in one area and not too far away, there are soils that have the right mix of conditions to hold prions persistently should an infected deer contaminate the area," Green says. "We would recommend a management scheme to keep the infected deer out of such high-risk areas." The article, "Clay content and pH: soil characteristic associations with the persistent presence of chronic wasting disease in northern Illinois," is published in Scientific Reports. Explore further Researchers show environment can neutralize lethal proteins More information: Sheena J. Dorak et al, Clay content and pH: soil characteristic associations with the persistent presence of chronic wasting disease in northern Illinois, Scientific Reports (2017). Journal information: Scientific Reports Sheena J. Dorak et al, Clay content and pH: soil characteristic associations with the persistent presence of chronic wasting disease in northern Illinois,(2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-18321-x Elon Musk, CEO of Space X, shows off a mockup of the Falcon Heavy rocket, which is finally ready for its first launch SpaceX is poised for the first test launch Tuesday of its Falcon Heavy, which aims to become the world's most powerful rocket in operation, capable of reaching the Moon or Mars some day. The launch, scheduled for 1:30 pm (1830 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida, is the most ambitious yet for SpaceX, and has been hailed by industry experts as a game-changer because of its potential to propel the California-based company to the very forefront of the modern day space race. "NASA may decide to use it (the Falcon Heavy) as a way of fast-tracking its plans to get to the Moon and Mars," Erik Seedhouse, assistant professor of applied aviation sciences at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, told AFP. Tuesday's launch is a "huge deal, even for a spaceflight company that routinely accomplishes huge deals," said Jason Davis of the Planetary Society, describing the Falcon Heavy as "mythical." No people are on board, just a mannequin wearing a futuristic spacesuit, strapped into CEO Elon Musk's very own cherry red Tesla car. "Starman in a Red Roadster," Musk posted on Instagram Monday, showing the rocket's payload on a pedestal, aiming skyward. Musk has also said David Bowie's hit "Space Oddity" would play in the vehicle during the launch. An animated video released by SpaceX to preview the launch showed all three rocket boosters returning to upright landings on Earth, while the car and mannequin emerged from the protective nose cone and sailed into orbit. The car is destined for an elliptical orbit around the Sun, taking it into the vicinity of Mars. "At times, it will come extremely close to Mars, and there is a tiny, tiny chance that it will hit Mars," Musk told reporters. "Extremely tiny." Musk reiterated his warning that the maiden launch of the Falcon Heavya project he first unveiled in 2011may indeed fail. It may even explode on the launchpad. "I would consider it a win if it just clears the pad and doesn't blow the pad to smithereens," he said. There is also a chance the Tesla might not make it beyond low-Earth orbit. First it has to go through the violent Van Allen belt where it will be pummeled by charged particles for about six hours. "It is going to get whacked pretty hard," Musk said. Even if there is a disaster Tuesday, Seedhouse said it is unlikely to harm the reputation of SpaceXalready a top cargo supplier to the International Space Station under a $1.6 billion contract with NASA and busy with a steady stream of satellite clients and government payloads. "Last year, they had more launches than any other country in the worldnever mind any other company," Seedhouse said. "Every failure they have had they have bounced straight back." Description and facts on the Falcon Heavy rocket, with comparison of other major launch vehicles Most powerful in operation The Falcon Heavy is essentially three Falcon 9 rockets in one, with a total of 27 Merlin engines. These engines "together generate more than five million pounds of thrust at liftoff, equal to approximately eighteen 747 aircraft," said SpaceX. The 230-foot (70-meter) tall rocket is designed to carry nearly 141,000 pounds (64 metric tonnes) into orbit, more than the mass of a fully loaded 737 jetliner. Although SpaceX has said the Falcon Heavy was "designed from the outset to carry humans into space and restores the possibility of flying missions with crew to the Moon or Mars," the plans for it to one day carry people appear to have changed. Musk said another massive rocket under development, called BFRshort for "Big Fucking Rocket"may be the one to transport crew, while Falcon Heavy may be reserved for equipment. In any case, when the Falcon Heavy lifts off, "it will be the most powerful operational rocket in the world by a factor of two," SpaceX said. The Falcon Heavy is designed to lift more than twice the payload of the next closest operational vehicle, the Delta IV Heavy, at a far lower cost. The Delta IV Heavy costs about $350 million per launch, according to United Launch Alliance. SpaceX's Falcon Heavy starts around $90 million. "That is way, way, way below anything else in the government launch industry," Seedhouse said. Previous rockets that are no longer in commission have been more powerful than the Falcon Heavyincluding the Saturn V moon rocket, last flown in 1973, which delivered more payload to orbit. The Soviet era Energia, which flew twice in 1987 and 1988, was also more powerful than the Falcon Heavy. The United States has been unable to send its own astronauts to space since 2011, when the 30-year shuttle program ended, leaving the world's astronauts to rely on Russian Soyuz rockets for transport to the International Space Station. NASA is building its own massive rocket, called the Space Launch System, but costs are high and the project is years away from completion. Musk said he was feeling "giddy" about Tuesday's launch, and was not feeling the dread and anxiety he usually experiences ahead of time. "It is guaranteed to be exciting, one way or another. Either it is going to be an exciting success or an exciting failure," he told reporters. "I'd say tune in. It is going to be worth your time." A live webcast of the launch is scheduled to begin around 1:00 pm (1800 GMT) on SpaceX.com. Explore further SpaceX's Elon Musk to launch his own car into deep space 2018 AFP Durbarmarg gang rape: Inspector Thakuri suspended The Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday suspended Inspector Laxman Thakuri of Kathmandu Durbarmarg Police Circle, who stands accused of not registering a rape case when the victim herself made complaint at the police station. Hold your horses on those card bitcoin purchases Lloyds Banking Group on Monday joined major US banks in banning purchases of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies via credit card amid debt and security concerns. An LBG spokesman said the ban was across its Lloyd Bank, Bank of Scotland, Halifax and MBNA branded credit cards. In a brief statement, he said LBG does "not accept credit card transactions involving the purchase of cryptocurrencies". Over the past few days, US lenders Bank of American, Citigroup and JPMorgan each introduced the same ban. There is a concern that customers who bought bitcoin late last year when crytocurrencies in general surged in value have been left with big losses following massive declines in recent weeks. On Monday, the price of bitcoin tumbled to $7,950, two months after breaking through the $20,000 mark. It comes as China plans to stamp out all remaining cryptocurrency trading in the country by blocking access to overseas-based websites and removing related applications from app stores. The international value of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have plunged this year amid fears of a crackdown in Asia and concerns that many currencies' rapid rise in value last year could reflect an bubble. -Bloomberg News contributed to this story - Explore further China looks to stamp out cryptocurrency trading 2018 AFP Ex-King Gyanendra Shah off to India Former King Gyanendra Shah on Monday left for India in what has been described as a religious trip. He will be visiting Indian state of Odisha. 1 Wall Street research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Premier Oil in the last year. There are currently 1 hold rating for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street research analysts is that investors should "hold" Premier Oil stock. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in PMO, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares. View analyst ratings for Premier Oil or view top-rated stocks. Ormat Technologies, Inc. operates as a holding company. The firm engages in the provision of geothermal and recovered energy power business. It operates through the following segments: Electricity, Product and Energy Storage. The Electricity segment focuses in the sale of electricity from the company's power plants pursuant to PPAs. The Product segment involves in the manufacture, including design and development, of turbines and power units for the supply of electrical energy and in the associated construction of power plants utilizing the power units manufactured by the company to supply energy from geothermal fields and other alternative energy sources. The Energy Storage segment consists of battery energy storage systems as a service and management of curtailable customer loads under contracts with U.S. retail energy providers and directly with large commercial and industrial customers. The company was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Reno, NV. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Xylem: Aanderaa Data Instruments AS, Beijing United Gas Meters Co. Ltd., Bellingham & Stanley Ltd., Bombas Flygt de Venezuela S.A., CMS Research Corporation, EmNet LLC, FARADYNE Motors LLC, Faradyne Motors (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Flow Control LLC, Flowtronex PSI LLC, Fluid Handling LLC, Godwin Holdings Ltd., Goulds Water Technology Philippines Inc, Grindex AB, Grindex Pumps LLC, HYPACK Inc, Heartland Pump Rental & Sales Inc., IMT b.v., Jabsco Marine Italia s.r.l., Jabsco S. de R.L. De C.V., Lowara UK Ltd, Lowara Vogel Polska SP ZOO, Lowara s.r.l., MJK Automation ApS, MultiTrode Inc., Multitrode Pty Ltd, Nova Analytics Europe LLC, O.I. 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Ltd, Xylem Analytics Australia Pty Ltd., Xylem Analytics France S.A.S., Xylem Analytics Germany GmbH, Xylem Analytics IP Management GmbH, Xylem Analytics IP Management SCS, Xylem Analytics LLC, Xylem Analytics UK LTD, Xylem Australia Holdings PTY LTD, Xylem Brasil Solucoes para Agua Ltda, Xylem Canada Company, Xylem Delaware Inc., Xylem Denmark Holdings ApS, Xylem Dewatering Solutions Inc., Xylem Dewatering Solutions UK Ltd, Xylem Europe GmbH, Xylem Financing S.a.r.l, Xylem Germany GmbH, Xylem Global S.a.r.l, Xylem Holdings S.a.r.l., Xylem IP Holdings LLC, Xylem IP Management S.a.r.l, Xylem IP UK S.a.r.l., Xylem Industriebeteiligungen GmbH, Xylem Industries S.a.r.l., Xylem International S.a.r.l., Xylem Lowara Limited, Xylem Luxembourg S.a r.l., Xylem Management GmbH, Xylem Manufacturing Austria GmbH, Xylem Manufacturing Middle East Region FZCO, Xylem Middle East Water Equipment Trading & Rental LLC, Xylem Russia LLC, Xylem Saudi Arabia Limited, Xylem Service Hungary Kft, Xylem Service Italia Srl, Xylem Services Austria GmbH, Xylem Services GmbH, Xylem Shared Services Sp. Z.o.o., Xylem Technologies & Partners S.C.S, Xylem Technologies GmbH, Xylem Water Holdings Limited, Xylem Water Limited, Xylem Water Services Limited, Xylem Water Solutions (Hong Kong) Limited, Xylem Water Solutions Argentina S.R.L., Xylem Water Solutions Australia Limited, Xylem Water Solutions Austria GmbH, Xylem Water Solutions Belgium, Xylem Water Solutions Chile S.A., Xylem Water Solutions Colombia SAS, Xylem Water Solutions Denmark ApS, Xylem Water Solutions Deutschland GmbH, Xylem Water Solutions Espana S.A., Xylem Water Solutions Florida LLC, Xylem Water Solutions France SAS, Xylem Water Solutions Global Services AB, Xylem Water Solutions Herford GmbH, Xylem Water Solutions Holdings France SAS, Xylem Water Solutions India Private Limited, Xylem Water Solutions Ireland Ltd., Xylem Water Solutions Italia S.R.L, Xylem Water Solutions Korea Co. Ltd., Xylem Water Solutions Magyarorszag KRT, Xylem Water Solutions Malaysia SDN. BHD., Xylem Water Solutions Manufacturing AB, Xylem Water Solutions Metz SAS, Xylem Water Solutions Mexico S.de R.L. de C.V., Xylem Water Solutions Middle East Region FZCO, Xylem Water Solutions Muscat LLC, Xylem Water Solutions Nederland BV, Xylem Water Solutions New Zealand Limited, Xylem Water Solutions Norge AS, Xylem Water Solutions Panama s.r.l., Xylem Water Solutions Peru S.A., Xylem Water Solutions Polska Sp.z.o.o., Xylem Water Solutions Portugal Unipessoal Lda., Xylem Water Solutions Rugby Limited, Xylem Water Solutions Singapore PTE Ltd., Xylem Water Solutions South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Xylem Water Solutions South Africa Holdings LLC, Xylem Water Solutions Suomi Oy, Xylem Water Solutions Sweden AB, Xylem Water Solutions U.S.A. Inc., Xylem Water Solutions UK Holdings Limited, Xylem Water Solutions UK Limited, Xylem Water Solutions Zelienople LLC, Xylem Water Solutions(Shenyang) CO. Ltd, Xylem Water Systems (California) Inc., Xylem Water Systems Hungary KFT, Xylem Water Systems International Inc., Xylem Water Systems Japan Corporation, Xylem Water Systems Philippines Holding Inc., Xylem Water Systems Texas Holdings LLC, Xylem Water Systems U.S.A. LLC, YSI (China) Ltd., YSI (Hong Kong) Ltd., YSI (UK) Ltd., YSI Incorporated, YSI Instrumentos E Servicos Ambientais Ltda., YSI International Inc., YSI Nanotech Limited, and ylem Analytics Germany Sales GmbH& Co. KG. Some latest discoveries have led the scientists to scratch their heads regarding the exact time Homo sapiens left Africa. Recent findings of a series of stone tools in the southern periphery of India has led to the rise of the fact that homo sapiens could have left Africa much earlier than it was predicted previously. Similar tools excavated way earlier at Attirampakkam 60km from Chennai was estimated to be the remains of the era that could be traced back to 385,000-172,000 years prior today. The estimation about the African history by a geologist named Robert Bruce had revealed that the human race would have migrated from the eastern periphery of Africa about 70,000 years ago had settled in the southern periphery of Asia about 50,000 years ago. The stones artifacts of the Acheulian cultures included some chopping tools and bifacial handles and cleavers and were found layered beneath the sediment deposits of the river. Unlike the earlier studies which had dated the middle Paleolithic Culture in India to about 1,25,000 years ago, the new theory has dated the onset of the middle Paleolithic Culture to about 3,85,000 years ago and its continuance to around 1,72,000 years ago. The revealed theories have also shown the place from where the stone tools were excavated to be earlier inhabited by hominines and apes about 1.7 million years ago. As stated by the researchers, it is yet to be found out whether the tools were made by Homo sapiens or some other evolved creature as no human fossils were found near the tools during the excavation. An archeologist named Michael Petraglia stating his views against the theories and predictions said that the findings should not be taken as a proof for emphasizing on the sooner exit of Homo sapiens from Africa because he believed the tools to be made independently by some other evolved creature. As of true evidence, fossilized human remain has only been found in the 1982 discovery of the Narmada Valley which strongly traced back the Homo sapiens exit from Africa to 385,000-172,000 years ago. A physics researcher from Ahmedabad named Ashok Singhvi has said that the Indian environment is such that it doesnt support the reveal of organic remains. As per the researchers the question as to who made the tools can only be answered and the time of human exit from Africa can only be brought to light if and when human remains get excavated from India. Este blog promueve informacion en seguridad biologica (Bioseguridad), que involucra a los procedimientos para evitar la liberacion de microorganismos al ambiente y promover el control de infecciones. Este blog es BILINGUE! In-depth: Scientists discuss how to improve climate models Posted on 5 February 2018 by Guest Author This is a re-post from Carbon Brief While global climate models do a good job of simulating the Earths climate, they are not perfect. Despite the huge strides taken since the earliest climate models, there are some climatic processes that they do not simulate as accurately as scientists would like. Advances in knowledge and computing power mean models are constantly revised and improved. As models become ever more sophisticated, scientists can generate a more accurate representation of the climate around us. But this is a never-ending quest for greater precision. In the third article in our week-long climate modelling series, Carbon Brief asked a range of climate scientists what they think the main priorities are for improving climate models over the coming decade. These are their responses, first as sample quotes, then, below, in full: Prof Pete Smith Chair in plant and soil science University of Aberdeen I think the ESMs [Earth system models] have a pretty good representation of many of the processes, but because theyre trying to cover the whole Earth, then you have a relatively simple description of most things in the models. There are still ESMs, for example, that have a very limited representation of nutrients so, for example, nitrogen and phosphorus limitations on plant growth in the future. Weve got a great representation of these things within ecosystem models that we tend to use uncoupled and we just run those on the land surface. Weve got a good detailed representation of some of those processes in those models but those arent all yet into the ESMs. So getting that level of detail in I think is important, as well as improving the regional downscaling and improving the resolution of those ESMs. That used to be limited by computing power, but thats no longer a limitation. So we can get that extra level of detail into the models and check that thats an appropriate level of detail, of course because a more complex model is not necessarily a better model. Dr Kate Marvel Theoretical physicist NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies Higher resolution is the first priority. Right now, climate models have to approximate many physical processes that turn out to be very important; air flowing over mountain ranges, for example, or small eddies mixing water in the ocean. This is because its too hard to get the large and small scales right: theres simply no computer powerful enough to keep track of very small and large scales simultaneously. Different models make different approximations and this contributes to uncertainty in their projections. But as computing power increases, well be able to explicitly capture a lot of the small-scale effects that are very important to regional climate. You can think of this as sharpening the blurry picture of climate change. Number two is better cloud simulation. Clouds are hard for models to get right and we know that different climate models dont agree on how hot its going to get, in large part because they dont agree on what clouds will do in the future. If we can get climate models to more credibly simulate current cloud patterns and observed cloud changes, this might reduce the uncertainty in future projections Three is better observations. Satellites have been a real game-changer for climate research, but theyre not perfect. We need to keep evaluating our models against observational data and this is difficult in the presence of observational uncertainty. Long-term global datasets are often cobbled together from many different satellite and ground-based observations, and different measurements of the same variable often disagree. Dedicated long-term measurement devices like the instruments on NASAs Afternoon Constellation (A-train) of satellites will help us understand reality better and this will allow us to benchmark and re-evaluate our models. Prof John Mitchell Principal research fellow Met Office Hadley Centre The top priorities should be reducing uncertainties in climate sensitivity, getting a better understanding of the effect of climate change on atmospheric circulation (critical for understanding of regional climate change, changes in extremes) and reducing uncertainties in radiative forcing particularly those associated with aerosols. Prof Daniela Jacob Director Climate Service Center Germany I think from a societal point of view, its important that models will be able to simulate local characteristics, so that they are able to simulate the local climate in parts of a city, in mountainous regions, in valleys, along the coast. There are still limitations in the climate models. Although theyve made a lot of progress over the last decades, we still do not really know how climate is changing on a local scale. If you look at the scientific questions behind this, then I think the most important areas to look at are clouds, how to simulate clouds, the development of clouds, the life cycle of clouds, the land surface. The representation of the land cover and the land management is something which needs to be looked at. Of course, there are many, many other questions. It really depends on what you want to use the model for. All climate models, global or regional, are made for a specific purpose. I think thats important to have in mind. Not all models can do the same and they are not all good in the same way. For us, the priority is to simulate the water cycle correctly. I was very interested in getting the precipitation amounts, locations and frequency, intensity, times, weird rains correct to get the runoff simulated. Prof Kevin Trenberth Distinguished senior scientist National Center for Atmospheric Research The top priorities over the next decade for improving climate models are: Precipitation. Every model does this poorly and it is socially acceptable. It has to change. By precipitation I mean all characteristics: frequency, intensity, duration, amount, type (snow vs rain etc) at hourly resolution. Aerosols. The indirect effects of aerosols on clouds are poorly done. Some processes are included, but all models are incomplete and the result is nothing like observations. This affects climate sensitivity. Clouds. This is more generic and relates to sub-grid scale processes. Land-surface heterogeneity: this is a resolution issue and deals also with complexity. Air-sea interaction and the oceans. This also relates to mixing in the ocean, the mixed layer depth and ocean heat storage and exchanges. Prof Piers Forster Director Priestley International Centre for Climate at the University of Leeds By far the biggest uncertainty in our climate models has been their inability to simulate clouds correctly. They do a really bad job and they have done ever since they first began. And this has all sorts of knock-on effects. It gives a big uncertainty in projections going further forward in time because we dont understand the way they work, and it also gives big uncertainty to things like extreme precipitation so that we dont understand rainfall extremes that well. So we have all these big uncertainties from our incorrect simulation of clouds. It is intimately tied with observations but theres also been a huge advance in the last 10 years in the way we can observe the way clouds work. We have unprecedented satellite instruments up there currently, that can really observe clouds in a far more sophisticated way than we ever have been able to before. Theyre fantastic, and by exploiting these wonderful observations weve got, I think we can really test the way these climate models work. Dr Lesley Ott Research meteorologist NASA Goddard Space Flight Center One area thats really critical is cloudaerosol interactions. Its something that we really dont know too much about, were seeing some tantalising evidence that there could be important effects but on a global scale its very hard to understand. For us, in our office, it took a lot of work to get our model to run with the kind of cloud microphysics and aerosol microphysics that would actually allow us to study that. Were now at that point where we are starting to do that kind of work and I think youre going to see in the next five or ten years a lot more research on that. The other thing that is particularly important, which is my research area, is understanding carbonclimate interactions. Right now, one thing that not a lot of people know is that 50% of human emissions get absorbed by plants on the land and the oceans and thats been a really valuable resource in limiting climate change to the effects were seeing today. If we didnt have that valuable resource wed be seeing things progress much more quickly, in terms of CO2 concentrations and global warming. The problem is we dont understand those processes well enough to know if theyre going to continue. Were seeing a lot of energy both with atmospheric observations and new observations of the lands surface and I hope were going to continue to see progress. Dr Syukuro Manabe Senior meteorologist Princeton University As the models get ever more complicated or, as some people say, sophisticated no one person can appreciate whats going on inside them. What we have to do now is more of the things that I was doing in the old days when I used a simpler parameterisation of the sub-grid scale process, but keeping basic physics such as the hydrodynamical equation, radiative transfer, etc. That model is run much faster than the so-called Earth system model which they now use for the IPCC[Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change]. And then using a much faster computer you can run a large number of numerical experiments where you can change one factor at a time, as if the model were a virtual laboratory. You can then see how the model is responding to that change. (This is an extract taken from the Carbon Brief Interview with Manabe conducted in July 2015.) Prof Stephen Belcher Chief scientist Met Office I think the Paris Agreement really changed the agenda for climate science. And at the Met Office, were really focused on two aspects of improving climate models. The first is understanding extreme events and the risks associated with extreme weather and climate events in the current climate, but also in a future climate. For example, the kind of heatwaves weve seen in Europe we had one in 2003 and 2006 just how severe will they become and how frequent might they become? Some of the wet winters weve been having in Europe as well are they going to become the new normal, or are will they just remain unusual events? So, having climate models that can really give us the precision around these extreme weather and climate events is definitely one priority. The other priority is that in order to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, well need to have a very close eye on the amount of carbon we emit into the atmosphere and the amount of CO2 that remains in the atmosphere. There are other factors in the climate system that drive the concentration of CO2 and hence global warming. For example, we know that as the planet warms, permafrost might melt and emit greenhouse gases of their own warming the planet still further. But our quantitative estimate of that permafrost and the warming that might give are not very quantitatively accurate at the moment. Secondly, about half of the CO2 we release into the atmosphere is absorbed either by plants on land or into the ocean and tightening up those numbers is really important. As we approach the targets given in Paris, the amount of precision we need on these allowable carbon budgets to meet the temperature changes is going to get sharper and sharper, and so were going to need better climate models to address those carbon budget issues. Prof Drew Shindell Nicholas professor of Earth sciences Duke University One of the key uncertainties is clouds, understanding the physics behind clouds and how clouds interact with aerosol particles. That has, unfortunately, also been a key uncertainty for a long time and is likely to remain one. In particular, better computer power [is needed] because we do have some observations and some process understanding, but they happen at very fine spatial and temporal scales, and thats the hardest thing to model because it takes an enormous amount of computer power. We can get better observations from things like satellite data, but a lot of that is very challenging because the uppermost level of clouds blocks everything below and then you cant see whats really going on. You can fly airplanes and get detailed information, but for one short period of time and one short area. Those are really challenging things to improve from an observational perspective and require immense computer power. I would say that as far as advancing our ability to really look at the issue of climate change, I think one of the things we really need to do is to make our models interact more between the physical sciences and the social economics, and to really understand the link a little more closely between climate change and the drivers and impacts of climate change. Prof Michael Taylor Deputy dean and senior lecturer University of the West Indies I think for us there is still some difficulty in understanding the land and sea border and certainly any advances in differentiating that land-sea contrast within the model would be an advantage for island states especially small island states. Certainly advances in representing topography at a finer scale putting the mountains in the right place, achieving the right height for the small scale would represent significant improvements for the small islands. And improvements in coastal processes, the dynamics of coastal climate would represent improvements for the small island community. Prof Stefan Rahmstorf Head of Earth systems analysis Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research I think a key challenge is non-linear effects, or tipping points. For example, the Gulf stream system. We still dont know how close we are to a threshold there. We know there is one because we know these non-linear phenomena are very sensitively dependent on the exact state of the system and so models still widely disagree on how stable or unstable the Gulf stream system will be under global warming in the future. There is another effect which is the changes in the atmospheric circulation, including the jet stream. Thats one area of research that we are working on currently which has a really big impact on extreme weather events and its this kind of phenomena that we need to understand much better. Ive had a longstanding interest in palaeoclimate. The last few million years have been generally colder with ice ages, but if you go way back in time for many millions of years, there are much warmer climates on Earth and we are very interested in modelling these. But it is quite difficult because of the long time scales that you have to do deal with so you cant use the models that are used to simulate a hundred years or two hundred years. You have to design models that are highly computationally efficient to study palaeoclimate. Dr James Hansen Climate scientist Columbia University The fundamental issue about climate change, the difficulty, is the delayed response of a system and thats due to the oceans heat capacity. But then the effective heat capacity, the surface temperature, depends on the rate of mixing of the ocean water and I have presented evidence from a number of different ways that models tend to be too diffusive because of numerical reasons and coarse resolution and wave parameter rise, motions in the ocean. It can tend to exaggerate the mixing and, therefore, make the heat capacity more effective. Dr Doug McNeall Researcher in climate change impacts Met Office Hadley Centre As weve gone through time, climate models have got more complex, so thats not only been due to increasing resolution, but also adding more processes. I think we need to continue both of those trends. We need to be adding more processes, modelling new things and also we need to be modelling finer detail so we can better explain the climate. We need to better explain the impacts of climate on the systems we care about, such as the human systems, ecological, carbon cycle systems. If you make the model better, if you make it look more like reality, it means that your knowledge of how the system will change gets better. Dr Ronald Stouffer Senior research climatologist and group head of the Climate and Ecosystems Group at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) Princeton University The top priorities over the next decade for improving climate models are: Evaluating and understanding climate response to changes in radiative forcing (greenhouse gases and aerosols). Improving the cloud simulation (distribution 3D and radiative properties). This is of first importance for better estimates of the climate sensitivity. Improving the ocean simulation particularly in the Southern Ocean. Models do a fairly poor job currently and this is a very important region for the uptake of heat and carbon from human activities. Higher model resolution. This helps provide improved local information on climate change. It also reduces the influence of physical parameterisations in models (a known problem). Improve the carbon simulation and modelling in general. Modelling land carbon changes is particularly a challenge do to the importance of small local scales. Prof Adam Scaife Physicist and head of monthly-to-decadal prediction Met Office Hadley Centre There is a signal-to-noise problem evident in climate models which means that, in some mid-latitude regions, predicted climate signals are too weak. This possibility was realised in the past and has actually been around in climate models for many years. It is the top priority of my research group to try to solve this problem to improve our climate predictions and, depending on the answer, it could affect predictions on all timescales from medium range forecasts, through monthly, seasonal, decadal and even climate change projections. Dr Jatin Kala Lecturer in atmospheric science and ARC DECRA fellow Murdoch University, Perth The top priorities over the next decade for improving climate models are: Improving our abilities in simulating climate extremes. Improving the skill of climate models in simulating key modes of natural climate variability. Moving towards unstructured climate model domains (current models use a square/rectangular domain, but using mesh approaches is the next step). More realistic representation of vegetation processes. Improving convection parameterisations Dr Katharine Hayhoe Climate Science Center director Texas Tech University Climate modelling is an enormous undertaking. I think few people realise just how complex these models are. As soon as theres a new supercomputer available anywhere in the world, theres a climate model waiting to be run on it because we know that many of our physical processes right now are not being directly represented. They have to be parameterised because they occur at spatial or time scales that are smaller than the grids in the time steps that we use. So the smaller the spatial grids and the smaller the time step we use in the model, the better were able to actually explicitly resolve the physical processes in the climate. Were also learning that natural variability is really important when were looking over time scales of anywhere from the next year or two to even a couple of decades in the future. Natural variability is primarily controlled by exchange of heat between the ocean and the atmosphere, but it is an extremely complex process and if we want to develop better near-term predictive skills which is looking not at whats going to happen in the next three months but whats going to happen between the next year and 10 years or 20 years or so if we want to expand our understanding there, we have to understand natural variability better than we do today. (This is an extract taken from the Carbon Brief Interview with Hayhoe conducted in November 2017.) Dr Chris Jones Lead researcher in vegetation and carbon cycle modelling Met Office Hadley Centre I think the major gaps would include the ability to trust climate models at finer and finer scales, which, ultimately, is what people want to know. At a global scale we understand the physics very well about how greenhouse gases trap energy in the atmosphere, and so the models do a pretty good job of the global scale energy balance and how the world as a planet warms up. We can recreate the 20th century global climate patterns pretty well and we know why that is. When we start to get into the details that really affect people, thats where the models are not yet perfect, and thats partly because we cant represent them in enough fine scale detail. There is always a big push as soon as we get a new computer to try and increase the resolution that we represent, and weve seen them get better and better in that respect over the years. The other aspect and something that I work on is increasingly trying to look at the interactions between climate and ecosystems, and if what that allows us to do is to inform climate negotiations around things like carbon budgets, so how much CO2 can we emit to stay within a certain target. Prof Christian Jakob Centre deputy director School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University In my view, the highest priority is to have more people involved in the model development process so that more new ideas can be generated and implemented. This has proven difficult. Other priorities would be to improve the physical realism of the models, in particular the representation of precipitation and clouds, and to significantly increase the model development workforce in the relevant areas. Prof Richard Betts Head of climate impacts University of Exeter & Met Office Hadley Centre Its worth saying at first that they are remarkably good already at simulating the general patterns of climate, the general circulation of the atmosphere and the past trend of global temperatures. But we still see systematic biases in some of the models so we have to often correct for these biases when looking at other models for impact studies. It would be good to be able to eliminate that because that introduces another level of uncertainty and inconsistency. Say we could have detailed, realistic, regional climates that dont require this adjustment that would be a major victory. The other thing we need to do is to find ways to represent the other aspects of the climate system that arent always captured in the climate models [such as] tipping points, non-linearities. They dont always, or hardly ever, emerge from the models. You can artificially force the models to do this. We know these things have happened in the real climate in the past. We need to find ways to reproduce these in a completely realistic way so that we can do a full risk assessment of future climate change including these surprises that may occur. Dr Bill Hare Director Climate Analytics I think one of the important issues is to be doing modelling of the climate system is consequences of fully 1.5C pathways and maybe even more than that. This would allow us to begin to understand how we could prevent some of the major tipping point problems that we can already foresee coming, even for 1.5C warming, and to try and understand what it would take to protect and sustain important natural ecosystems such as coral reefs, or to prevent ice sheet disintegration. One of the underdeveloped areas, including in IPCC assessment reports, is evaluating what are the avoidable impacts [of climate change]. Its very hard to find a coherent survey of avoidable impacts in an IPCC assessment reports. I think we need to be getting at that so we can better inform policymakers about what the benefits are of taking some of the big transformational steps that, while economically beneficial, are definitely going to cause political problems as incumbent power producers and others try and defend their turf. (This is an extract taken from the Carbon Brief Interview with Hare conducted in November 2017.) Prof Detlef van Vuuren Senior researcher PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency For me, broadening the representation of different factors would have a higher priority than deepening the existing process representation. I think quite a number of key Earth processes are still not very well represented, including things like the role of land use, but also pollution and nutrients. I would see that as a high priority. Activities are going on in this area, no doubt. But I personally think that the balance might shift still in this direction. Second, ensuring somehow that we keep older versions of the models active. The idea sounds attractive to me that in addition of having ever better models, but still being slow despite progress in computing power, we would also the ability to have fast model runs. This could be used for more uncertainty runs, having larger ensembles, exploring a wider range of types of scenarios. Finally, I would expect that there will be a further representation of the human system in Earth system models (ESMs) and that integrated assessment models (IAMs) will try to be more geographically explicit in order to better represent local processes, such as water management and presence of renewable energy. These together might mean that there is the agenda of merging ESMs and IAMs more. I think this is interesting, but, at the same time, it is also very challenging as both communities already are rather interdisciplinary (so one would risk having models based on different philosophies and being too complex to understand the results). On paper, Denmark looks like a paradise for working mothers. Theres the ample paid leave. Danish families are entitled to 52 weeks of it after the birth of a child, meaning parents have a year to care for their new baby without having to worry about their job or their ability to pay rent. Once a mom decides to go back to work, theres generously subsidized public day carethe government picks up at least three-quarters of the tabto help them juggle a job and kids. More than 90 percent of children younger than 6 end up enrolled. Advertisement Here in America, by comparison, mothers get a paltry 12 weeks of unpaid time off to bond with their infant, and day care can cost more than college. Its enough to give you an acute case of Scandi envy. Remember when Bernie Sanders said America could stand to be more like Denmark? Their family-friendly approach to government was a big reason why. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet, for all Denmark does to support working parents, it turns out that there, much like here, motherhood is still a pretty devastating career choice. In a new study, a trio of economists used a large cache of government administrative data to look at what happened to the earnings of 470,000 Danish women who gave birth for the first time between 1985 and 2003. The results were dramatic. Before they became parents, the researchers found, mens and womens pay grew at a similar pace. After kids, their career paths split. Fathers mostly continued on as if nothing had changed. Mothers, however, saw their earnings quickly collapse by 30 percent on average, compared to what they would have hypothetically earned without children. They became less likely to work at all, but earned lower wages and clocked fewer hours if they did. Worse, their careers never fully recovered. After 10 years, womens pay was still one-fifth lower than before they had kids. Advertisement The problem isnt even moving in the right direction. The paper, which is still a draft and was released last month by the National Bureau of Economic Research, concludes that in 1980, Danish women overall earned 18 percent less than men thanks to to the impact of kids on their careers. In 2013, they earned 20 percent less. There used to be many different reasons for gender inequality [in Denmark], Princeton economist Henrik Kleven, one of the studys three authors, told me. Many of those are disappearing over time. Children is the one that isnt changing. Advertisement Advertisement Denmark isnt the only plush, pro-family Scandinavian welfare state where having children still craters womens earnings. A 2013 study of Swedish couples published in the Journal of Labor Economics found that during the 15 years after giving birth, the pay gap between men and women increased by 32 percentage points. In one of the most philosophically egalitarian nations on earth, mothers careers flounder, while fathers careers march on. So, why cant even Scandinavian women have it all? Part of the answer may be a story about unintended consequences. If your goal is to help women get back to work and earn a paycheck the size of her male peers, then providing free or dirt-cheap day care is unambiguously helpful. But generous child leave is more of a mixed bag. On the one hand, it allows women to stay at home and care for their infant without having to quit their job. At the same time, it keeps them out of the workforce for an extended period, which can set anyone back in their careers and possibly discourage them from returning to their old path. Advertisement Advertisement That may especially be a problem for women chasing high-powered careers. Economists have found that women in countries with robust welfare states are more likely to work but less likely to end up in high-paid managerial positions. And while extensive paid leave policies may boost employment for females overall, theres some evidence they may reduce the earnings of more educated women compared to men. (Once youve stepped off the corporate ladder, it can be hard to step back on.) In Denmark and Sweden, women have some of the highest labor-force participation rates in the world, but the labor markets are notoriously gender-segregated, with females much more likely to take jobs in the lower-paid, more flexible public sector. Advertisement Advertisement With some policies, we say if some is good, more is better, and it may be true, Francine Blau, a labor economist at Cornell University and a leading expert on the gender wage gap, told me. With parental leave, it may be true, but its complicated. In Denmark and Sweden, women have some of the highest labor-force participation rates in the world, but the labor markets are notoriously gender-segregated. Some countries have tried to deal with the downsides of family leave by encouraging mothers and fathers to split it up. But for the policy to work, governments need to essentially force men to take time off. In Denmark, spouses can divide up 32 of their 52 weeks of leave however they please. But as of 2014, men took just 27 days on average, or 8.9 percent of all time off. In Sweden, where parents get a whopping 480 days of paid parental leave, three of those months are reserved exclusively for men. The use-it-or-lose-it policy seems to have been at least somewhat effective at getting men to take more time off for child rearing: The country used to have a national joke about dads using their parental leave to go moose hunting; todays stereotype of the Swedish dad is that of an enlightened male pushing a stroller. Still, the Swedes havent evened things out entirely. As of 2014, men still only took about 123 days off, compared to 356 for women. Advertisement Advertisement We also dont know even know whether policies that nudge fathers to take time off actually help womens careers long-term. As one article in the Journal of Economic Perspectives explained last year, [T]o date, there is no evidence of beneficial impacts of paternity leave rights on mothers careers. Taking time off immediately after giving birth isnt the only thing that hobbles mothers careers in Sweden and Denmark. In both countries, a lot of women simply work part time. In Sweden, some of that may be the result of yet another public policy intended to be family-friendly: parents with young children there are entitled to part-time work schedules. (Notably, feminists in Denmark have opposed implementing a similar policy, arguing that it would be bad for equality.) But much of this also likely boils down to cultural preferences. In their recent working paper, Kleven and his co-authors point out that around 60 percent of adults in Denmark and Sweden believe that women with school-age children should work part time. They also find that how much mothers work after giving birth seems to be influenced by their own upbringings. In traditional families where the mother works very little compared to the father, their daughter incurs a larger child penalty when she eventually becomes a mother herself, they write. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tradition can be hard to budge. In Denmark, labor unions and fathers rights groups have actually advocated for a Swedish-style use-it-or-lose-it policy that would require dads to take more leave. Many men would apparently love an excuse to spend more time walking around Copenhagen in a BabyBjorn. But along with employers, theyve run into opposition from mothers, who dont want to lose their own time with the kids, even if it means they bear more domestic responsibility. This brings up a point thats sometimes easy to overlook: In the end, many women may be happy to trade some of their career for a family life, especially when government policies make it into less of an all-or-nothing deal. Advertisement So what does all of this mean for the U.S., where we are woefully behind on parental leave and child care policy? To some degree, the situation in Denmark and Swedenwealthy, progressive countries where cultural expectations are still driving some of the gender gapsuggests that theres only so much public policy can do. As the authors of the Swedish couples study put it, so long as family responsibilities are unequally shared, the gender gap is not likely to close and not even to narrow significantly. Advertisement With all of that said, there are still good reasons to yearn for a dose of Nordic-style social democracy here in the states. It might not be a miracle cure for gender inequality. But paid leave and subsidized child care do make being a parent less of nightmareespecially if you do decide to try to balance work and children. Plus, the pay gap between men and women in Denmark and Sweden who choose to work full time is still smaller than it is in the U.S., meaning that theyre arguably closer to achieving equal pay for equal work than we are. It may not be utopia, but its better than here. Better Life Lab is a partnership of Slate and New America. Taking Leave is a Better Life Lab series marking the 25th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act. When I was expecting my first child in 1977, there was no federal law to protect workers who were pregnant. Just having a baby bump could be cause for firing. The following year, after a more than decade-long fight, activists won the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. That law says employers cant refuse to hire you and cant fire you for being pregnantbut it has no requirement that the company hold your job open while youre out giving birth. Many new mothers still lost their jobs. Others, like me, went back to work too soon to prevent that or to keep a paycheck, at a cost to body and psyche. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then in 199325 years agoadvocates passed the Family and Medical Leave Act, with bipartisan support. That law was a big step forward. It acknowledged that having a child or a dad with cancer shouldnt cost you your job or your health insurance. It recognized that men also have new children and that even those who arent parents have parents or partners or their own health that from time to time needs care. The FMLA guarantees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for care of a new baby, a seriously ill child, spouse or parent, or a personal illness. Since its passage, Americans have used that leave more than 200 million times. The richest country in the world stands alongside only Papua New Guinea in having zero weeks of paid leave. Advertisement But two-fifths of the workforce isnt covered by the FMLA, because they work for a company with fewer than 50 employees or dont work enough hours on one job or havent been there a full year when the need arises. The laws definition of family doesnt resemble real familiesthe FMLA doesnt kick in for unmarried partners or siblings or grandparents or other loved ones in our lives. And perhaps the biggest kicker? The leave you can take under the FMLA is unpaid. This means that millions who are eligible for it each year skip treatment or go back to work before they, or a loved one, are ready because they simply cant afford not to. Advertisement Advertisement As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the FMLA this week, theres reason to be hopeful. Americans overwhelmingly agree that we shouldnt be kept from caring for a new baby or punished for helping a parent get through chemo or recover from a stroke. And as stories about the desperation of those without access to paid leave rise to the surface, momentum around the structures it would take to change this is gaining traction. Advertisement Lauren Agoratus first needed family leave in 1992 when she gave birth to her daughter, Stephanie. Lauren had six weeks of disability leave and expected to go right back to work, but the baby was born with a serious kidney problem that required longer hospitalization and care. You go to all the Lamaze classes and La Leche League, and no one ever says something could go wrong, Lauren said. Advertisement The richest country in the world stands alongside only Papua New Guinea in having zero weeks of paid leave. She worried about keeping her job as a bilingual service rep, but she was fortunate to have a boss who let her take the time she needed. To pay the bills, Lauren used up every day of vacation and sick time shed been accruing over the years. The doctor finally said Stephanie could be in an in-home child care setting with a minimum number of other kids, so Lauren could go back to work. Advertisement Still, Stephanie kept getting sick. The doctor decided she needed more time at home and away from day care to build up her immune system. So, in 1993, Lauren took leave again. By now, the Family and Medical Leave Act had passed and she didnt have to worry about her job. But the time was unpaid. Advertisement We cut back on everything, Lauren said, and we werent extravagant to begin with. We discontinued any subscriptions. We volunteered in the Share program to get a couple bags of groceries. At one point I sold my high school ring. For the first time, we got credit cards, alternating between two. We wound up with $20,000 in debt, which was a lot back then. I was afraid wed lose our home. As she became an advocate for her child, Lauren met other families of children with special needs and became the New Jersey Coordinator of Family Voices. She also got involved in the fight for statewide paid family leave. I knew what families go through, she said. The FMLA gives job security, but people, especially those with medical bills, need income coming in. Advertisement Advertisement Lauren worked with Time to Care NJ, a coalition made up of labor and business owners, health care professionals, and groups that focused on ending poverty and inequities, that advocates for kids and for seniors. In 2008 New Jersey became the second state to pass a family leave insurance program, following California, which pioneered a program six years earlier. Advertisement For Lauren, this policy would pay off more personally than she could have imagined. In 2011, Stephanie, then age 19, needed a kidney transplant. At first I thought, Here we go again, Lauren said. But it was totally different this time. It was such a relief, knowing it wouldnt be just drain, drain, drain. We didnt have years of getting out of debt. I didnt worry about our home. Advertisement Thanks to paid leave, Stephanies mother and father were able to be with her as she celebrated her prom and graduation from the Childrens Hospital in Philadelphia and then on the weekly three-hour trips for follow-up appointments. The time also allowed them training in the care they would need to provide back at home, including giving vitals and handling a two-page list of medications. Stephanie is now attending Mercer County Community College with the help of a nurse. For too many people in the U.S. today, no paid leave means putting off or never getting time like this when family needs it or suffering a financial crisis. A growing number of employers, most recently Lyft, Walmart, and Starbucks, have figured out that updating their paid family leave policies is the smart as well as the right thing to do. Corporate lobbyists point to these changes to argue that decisions about paid leave are best left to individual employers. But if we left social progress solely to corporations, we likely still would have child labor and no minimum wage. Notably, Lyft and Walmarts new policies leave out many of their own workforce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each new state paid leave win has brought improvements to the model. Rhode Island added job protection for all leave-takers. New York expanded the number of weeks available for bonding with a new child or caring for an ill family member to 12 weeks. The District of Columbia is making leave affordable by raising the percentage of wages workers will receive while on leave and making it a progressive rate to better serve low-income workers. Washington state ensured their law is portable between jobs and covers every single worker, including those in the public sector. More wins are on the horizon. This movement is paving the way for a federal law that will pick up where FMLA left off 25 years ago. Everyone wants to be there for family, Lauren Agoratus said. Paid leave makes that possible. This post is part of Outward, Slates home for coverage of LGBTQ life, thought, and culture. Read more here. Ten days before the June 2015 Supreme Court ruling that established marriage equality throughout the United States, Greg and I got married in our home state of California. Earlier, we had tossed around the idea of visiting all 50 states in the order of legalization, but with so many ultimately sharing the last date, we dropped the gimmick. Instead, we talked about the form our delayed honeymoon might take: riding a train across Canada in the snow, visiting friends and relatives on the East Coast, or taking a tour through the Moselle Valley, his favorite wine region. Advertisement All those plans evaporated the night I came home from work last October to find Greg collapsed on the floor. I called out his name and thought for a moment he would get up and laugh over my concern. But when I grabbed his hand it felt cold, though not yet stiff. His face was as serene as the Pieta. The rest of the night is a blur. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I was younger, I had never anticipated getting married, let alone becoming a widower. I came out during college, not long before Massachusetts became the first state to permit same-sex marriage in 2004. I remember being worried about backlash, both from scared straight people and those in the gay community who feared assimilation into mainstream culture. But my feelings on the issue were rooted in theory, not experience. My early relationships were futile endeavorsone fizzled out before our second date, and another ended due to astrological incompatibility, a reason no more comprehensible to me a decade later. I felt confused about the line between friend and lover, undermining my attempts to build a circle of gay friends. In the end, I decided I simply didnt fit in with the gay community, so I gravitated toward straight friends whose interests ran nerdy: video and board games, anime, and sci-fi/fantasy. I met a lot of great people but had no luck with relationships. Although I marched to protest Prop 8s passage in California in 2008, I didnt feel the right to marry would ever have a personal impact on me. Advertisement After graduate school, I moved into a huge Victorian house in Oakland with four presumably straight guys charging a ridiculously low rate for the attic. On moving day, I was struggling to get my dresser up three flights of stairs when one of my new roommates got up, carried it on his back, and then offered me a beer when we were finished. His name was Greg, and he had beautiful red hair. When I brought my cat the next day, I learned that he owned the houses resident tabby. We soon became video game buddies, then genuine friends, and, as I was wont to do, I formed a seemingly hopeless crush on him. One night a year after I moved in, my roommates were up in the attic watching an old tape of their high school rock band. When everyone had gone, I realized that Greg had fallen asleep on my bed. I sat in the light of the muted TV, trying to decide if I should wake him up or sleep on the couch. My deliberations ended when he reached out and touched my arm, beckoning me to join him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greg wasnt out at first, and he identified with gay culture even less than I did. Like me, he felt his sexuality wasnt a lens through which to filter the world. He liked rough thingssports, action movies, and heavy metalbut treated me with surprising tenderness and patience when I revealed that I needed to take things slow due to past trauma. Things were on and off for a while, but when we grew more serious, I introduced him to my parents, and seeing them laugh, drink, and swear with him moved me. It was after the second such gathering that he told me he loved me, words I had said to him six months earlier, hoping one day he would return them. My quest for belonging in the gay community, already halfhearted, came to a halt. I had finally found my place. Advertisement My quest for belonging in the gay community came to a halt. I had finally found my place. When we decided to legalize our relationship in 2011, marriage wasnt an option due to Prop 8, so we formed a civil union. We sent a notarized form in the mail, and six weeks later we received our certificate. Although I was grateful for our legal benefits, it didnt feel exactly equal. When marriage equality came to California with the repeal of Prop 8 in 2013, we felt no urgency. But eventually a tax incentive made marriage sensible. Why dont we just do it then? Greg said one day. Were basically married alreadythis is just an upgrade with a dog and pony show. It may have been the least romantic proposal in history, but it fit a man who preferred going to KFC on Valentines Day. Advertisement Advertisement We both thought planning a wedding would be horrible, but it was surprisingly easy to whittle our to-do list down every month. With no preconception of what our wedding should look like, we ended up picking options a la carte. We had a tame bachelor party, exchanged vows, took photos, and had dinner and dancing at our beach house venue. Meanwhile rings, flowers, and suits were wholly absent. An unexpected parade of shirtless lifeguards jogged down the beach just after the ceremony ended, which my father-in-law joked was kind of appropriate. Advertisement As many people have counseled me, marriage changes a relationshipI knew a couple who were together for 10 years only to get divorced a few weeks after their wedding. For us, marriage made our bond stronger. The way we argued changed, working more toward resolution than yelling about our differences. I found joy in doing small things that I knew would make him happy (remembering to shut kitchen cabinets, bringing home dinner as a surprise). I loved being married to a person who was genuinely excited to see me at the end of the day. And, as I said, we were looking forward to traveling together. We were preparing to renew our passports when, suddenly, he was gone. Advertisement Advertisement Being married shaped the events following Gregs death as much as it had shaped our life. My name was on all the forms, and I had the final say about everything from what to do with his remains to the music played before the ceremony. I felt grateful for my position, in contrast to stories I had read about gay and lesbian couples where the surviving partners legal standing was rated lower than estranged relatives who may or may not acknowledge their relationship. I felt reassured that my place in the funeral was not subject to whim and did my best to honor Gregs memory while respecting the wishes of my in-laws. The details were important to mein place of a religious icon hung an As pennant, and his favorite brown quilt was draped over the coffin. I held that quilt close the night after the funeral; it smelled of lilies and formaldehyde. Advertisement A week after the funeral, I picked up his ashes, realizing that the clothes I had chosen were cremated along with him. On leave from work, I struggled to fill the gulf of each day. One evening I found myself wanting to talk about how it felt surreal to still feel desire for someone who is deceased. As I scrolled through my phone, I couldnt find a single person who seemed appropriate to call. I was blindsided by the yearning to talk to another gay man, only to realize the only one I had been close to was gone. Marriage, which had once been the solution to my loneliness, had now become a factor in my isolation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Grief is strange and bewildering. My grandmother died a month after Greg, and I dont think Ive even begun to process that yet. Im still adjusting to a world where its my job to feed the cats and check the mail, chores I pawned off on him for years. Most days, just getting through the bare minimum feels like an accomplishment, and anything else is a bonus. But its not all bad either; there are mornings where I wake up dreaming of him, nights where I dance to the music we both danced to, and moments of pleasure where an image of him comes to my mind, stunning in both its clarity and fragility. Fifteen years have passed since I came out. I am wiser and more confident; I have loved and been loved. Somewhere on the other side of grief there is a life to be lived, friends to be made, and traveling to be done. And in that future, I hope to revisit my feelings and assumptions about the gay community. Perhaps there is a place waiting for me once Im ready to find it. On Monday, Justice Samuel Alito rejected Pennsylvania Republicans last-ditch effort to preserve the partisan gerrymander of their states congressional map. The justices decision effectively ensures that Pennsylvanias 2018 congressional elections will be held under a much fairer map, giving Democrats an opportunity to win several more seats in the state. In fact, the dissolution of Pennsylvanias gerrymander gives Democrats a significantly better shot at winning control of the House of Representatives in November. SCOTUS intervention in the Pennsylvania redistricting litigation was always unlikely. When the Pennsylvania Supreme Court invalidated the current map on Jan. 22, it did so exclusively under the Pennsylvania Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court cannot overrule a state supreme court on a question of state law; it may only step in when a state law or court order violates the federal Constitution. Republican legislative leaders had argued that the Pennsylvania Supreme Courts decision ran afoul of the federal Constitutions Elections Clause, which allows state legislatures to prescribe the times, places and manner of holding [congressional] elections. Legislators asserted that their state Supreme Court had unlawfully stripped them of their constitutional prerogative to draw congressional maps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But this argument is plainly untenable for two reasons. First, the U.S. Supreme Court held in 2015 that the Elections Clause does not grant state legislatures exclusive redistricting power. Indeed, the court found that citizens could prohibit their state legislature from redistricting altogether and direct an independent commission to draw congressional maps instead. If a legislature can be deprived of all redistricting power, surely it can also be compelled to draw districts that comport with the state constitution. Second, the GOP legislators position would bar courts from reviewing the legality of any congressional gerrymander. Under their argument, no court could strike down a gerrymander, partisan or otherwise, or draw remedial maps to remedy constitutional flaws. Courts are not legislatures, after all, so judges would have no authority to intercede in gerrymandering disputes. No justice, not even Clarence Thomas, has ever held that legislative redistricting is insulated from judicial review. Advertisement Alitos dismissal of Pennsylvania Republicans appeal, then, was pretty much inevitablealthough the justice appears to have given it more consideration than it deserved. (Alito reviews emergency appeals out of Pennsylvania; he dismissed this appeal without referring it to the full court, though he did order a response from voting rights advocates.) Mondays decision was also excellent news for Democrats, who were hobbled by the GOP-drawn map. Registered Democrats significantly outnumber registered Republicans in Pennsylvania, yet Republicans won 13 out of 18 congressional districts in 2016. The Associated Press found that the gerrymander likely gave Republicans at least three extra House seats. Mondays dismissal is especially bad news for one Republican in particular: Pennsylvania Senate President pro tempore Joseph Scarnati. Last Wednesday, Scarnati declared that he would defy a Pennsylvania Supreme Court order requesting data to help it commission a nonpartisan map. The legislator insisted that SCOTUS would soon reverse the state Supreme Court. Now that it has refused to do so, Scarnati is out of options: He must turn over the data or risk being held in contempt of court. Pennsylvanias midterm elections will be held in much fairer districts, whether Republicans like it or not. Left alliance govt will neither be pro-China, pro-India; it will be pro-Nepal Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swarajs visit to Kathmandu last week comes at a time when the left alliance of the CPN-UML and the CPN (Maoist Centre) is set to form a new government. Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley and Lindsey Graham have released a declassified version of their letter to Rod Rosenstein requesting a criminal investigation into Christopher Steele, the former British intelligence officer behind the controversial Trump dossier. In the letter, released Monday, the two senators accused Steele of receiving information for the dossier from a Clinton ally and misleading the FBI about his contacts with the media. The largely redacted letter alleges Fusion GPS had received a report from the State Department from a foreign sub-source who is in touch with [redacted], a contact of [redacted], a friend of the Clintons, who passed it to [redacted]. They wrote that [i]t is troubling enough that the Clinton Campaign funded Mr. Steeles work, but that these Clinton associates were contemporaneously feeding Mr. Steele allegations raises additional concerns about his credibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The letter also expressed concerns over Steeles interactions with reporters. The senators allege that Steele had spoken to journalists for various publications during his investigation and had included unsolicitedand unverifiedallegations in the dossier as a result. [W]hen information in those classified documents is evaluated in light of sworn statements by Mr. Steele in British litigation, it appears that either Mr. Steele lied to the FBI or the British court, or that the classified documents reviewed by the Committee contain materially false statements, the senators wrote. Grassley and Graham had already publicly recommended that Steele be investigated when in January they sent the letter, publicly announcing that they had found evidence that Steele had lied to the FBI. Advertisement The letter is the latest development in the Republican campaign to discredit the Russia investigation. On Friday, a controversial memo written by Rep. Devin Nunes and Republican staffers, who accused the FBI and Justice Department of malfeasance stemming from anti-Trump bias, became public over the objections of the DOJ after Republicans voted using an obscure procedural rule to release it. It wasnt just Democrats who blasted the move as partisan politics: Former FBI Director James Comey attacked the dishonest and misleading memo for wreck[ing] the House intel committee, destroy[ing] trust with Intelligence Community, damag[ing] relationship with FISA court, and inexcusably expos[ing] classified investigation of an American citizen. John McCain, too, rebuked his colleagues. The latest attacks on the FBI and Department of Justice serve no American interestsno partys, no presidents, only Putins, he said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement The release of the Nunes memo, a hyped-up moment in the drama over the Russia investigation, billed itself as damning proof of an orchestrated campaign within the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation to smear Donald Trump, as Jeremy Stahl wrote in Slate. Advertisement The memo itself, however, offered very little new information and fell far short of providing evidence of conspiring. The basis of the Republican complaint lies in the assertion that several senior law enforcement officials signed off on FISA warrant applications to surveil former Trump adviser Carter Page based on information provided by the Steele dossier. The problem, they argue, is that these officials did not properly disclose that the dossier was funded in part by the Democratic National Committee. But, as Stahl wrote in Slate, this charge in itself is not damning without knowing if there was other evidence backing the warrant as well, as the firm behind the dossier has testified. Democrats have responded to the Nunes memo by crafting their own memo in response. Rep. Adam Schiff is expected to call for a vote to release the memo Monday afternoon. On Monday morning, Trump attacked Schiff on Twitter as being one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! and praised Nunes as a Great American Hero for what he has exposed and what he has had to endure! Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee are pushing their colleagues to vote to release a memo that rebuts the Republican document that alleges misconduct at the FBI and was declassified on Friday to much fanfare. Democrats have long said the Republican memo mischaracterizes highly sensitive data and their response memo is likely to detail their objections to the GOP-written document. A source tells Reuters the committee meeting to consider the declassification would take place at 5 p.m. on Monday. Several Republican lawmakers have also expressed willingness to declassify the Democratic memo and all signs point to the committee likely approving its release. Advertisement Several Democrats have been calling on the president and Republican lawmakers to approve the release of their memo. I believe it is a matter of fundamental fairness that the American people be allowed to see both sides of the argument and make their own judgments, Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer wrote in a letter to Trump that he published on Twitter on Sunday morning. Refusing to release the Democratic memo will confirm the American peoples worst fears that the release of Chairman Nunes memo was only intended to undermine Special Counsel Bob Muellers investigation, Schumer wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr. President, as a matter of fundamental fairness, after the release of the #NunesMemo, the Democratic memo spearheaded by @RepAdamSchiff should be immediately released. pic.twitter.com/ykXmHvqDrC Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 4, 2018 If the House Intelligence Committee approves the release of the Democratic memo, Trump would have five days to object to the release. On Friday, a White House spokesman said that Trump would be inclined to greenlight the release of the memo assuming it passes a security and legal review. On an unseasonably warm October evening, a group of Sierra Leonean men sat around a communal chafing dish of rice and cassava-leaf stew at Tasty African restaurant in Southwest Philadelphia and passionately discussed their countrys upcoming election. The walls, as one of the more vocal members of the party pointed out, were painted a bright red-orange, a clear sign of support for the countrys ruling party. He wore a bright-green tracksuit and running shoes: the colors of the opposition. Theyd been talking for more than an hour, and the recently arrived food did little to quiet their animated but jovial debate. If anything, sustenance seemed to fuel it. Advertisement Ezzy Tholley opened the restaurant with his wife, Mimi Kamara, who runs the kitchen. He watched the discussion without comment, eating the same simple dinner as his more animated customers and translating for me between bites from Sierra Leonean Krio into English. He explained that, while they take these things seriously, the raised voices werent so much a sign of hostility as of intimacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A few months earlier, these same men had met here to follow the Freetown mudslide that, the news reported, took the lives of more than 400 people in the capital. Sitting at the entrance of the restaurant that night, one of them pulled out his phone to show me a picture of piled-up bodes, sent to him via WhatsApp from back home. The number of dead was almost certainly higher than the official count, he commented before heading inside to pick up a meal to go. Advertisement For the first time, were claiming a section of America for Africans. Voffee Jabateh Since its opening in 2015, Tasty African restaurant has become an important gathering place for Sierra Leonean immigrants living in Philadelphia, but its just one of the many African restaurants, grocery stores, and shops that dominate the 6500 block of Woodland Avenue, the heart of what is commonly known as Southwest Phillys Little Africa. Though the neighborhood is largely West African, flags representing every country on the continent as well as the Caribbean hang from telephone poles. Travel agencies advertise flights to Dakar, Bamako, Monrovia, Freetown, Accra. After sunset, grills pop up along the sidewalk and customers line up to buy spicy kebabs called suya, a staple in predominantly Muslim West Africa. Advertisement For the first time, were claiming a section of America for Africans, says Voffee Jabateh, the Liberian CEO of the Southwest Phillybased African Cultural Alliance of North America. Though African neighborhoods exist in other U.S. cities, the city of Philadelphia has approved the endeavor, making it more of an official distinction. At his walk-up office above a shop on Chester Avenue, four blocks from Woodland, he points to a map of the neighborhood and outlines an area stretching from 40th Street all the way to the city limits, just beyond 72nd Street, covering about 10 square miles, on which ACANA has focused its community development efforts. ACANA organized the installation of the flags on Woodland Avenue and hopes to characterize the area as Diaspora Village, a name that Jabateh feels would be more inclusive of Caribbean immigrants and black residents than Little Africa, and that he hopes would help attract tourism. Like Chinatown, he says. Advertisement Advertisement Though Little Africa is home to people from Senegal, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, and almost every other West African nation, the neighborhood likely wouldnt exist were it not for the estimated 15,000 Liberians in the Philadelphia area, the single largest group of African immigrants in the city. Advertisement The relationship between Liberia and Philadelphia began as a movement back to Africa, a corrective to centuries of forced migration that had brought Africans to North America in the first place. Liberia was founded in 1822 by a group called the American Colonization Society, which supported the resettlement of free blacks to the African continent. Consisting of mostly white men, the ACS included some unusual alliances between slaveholders and abolitionist Quakers, the latter group having a significant presence in Philadelphia. Many black Americans and abolitionists opposed the idea, viewing it as a neocolonial scheme to protect slaveholding in the United States by ridding the nation of free blacks. Advertisement Beginning with its founding in 1816, the ACS raised funds to purchase land directly from locals along the African coast (according to other accounts, at least some of the land was, in fact, stolen). Four years later, emigration began with some 54 Philadelphians among the founding settlers. For nearly 30 years, the settlement operated as a colony of the privately-run ACS, then, in 1847, it declared its independence as the Republic of Liberia. The mass migration of Liberians to Philadelphia began more than a century later in the 1990s as Liberia collapsed into an extended period of civil war, which began in 1989 and ended in 2003.More than a decade of near-constant conflict resulted in at least 300,000 deaths and an exodus of refugees. Starting in the early 1990s, some of those refugees found their way to Philadelphia because, as Jabateh puts it, we were welcomed here by the black community, the black churches. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the first wave of refugees, Philadelphias Liberian population grew to be one of the largest in the U.S. Estimates from community leaders and local media vary, but official census data pegs the Philadelphia metro area as having the largest Liberian population of any city, closely followed by Minneapolis, with large populations in Washington and New York City as well. By the early 2000s, the Liberian community in Southwest Philly was flourishing. Before long, immigrants from neighboring West African states like Guinea, Sierra Leone, Mali, Ivory Coast, and Senegal started settling there. On a cold November evening, I visited Sahara Restaurant, run by Moussa Doumbia, who moved to Philadelphia from Mali 10 years ago. The dining room was mostly empty. Doumbia cradled his infant son while his wife took takeaway orders over the phone. A small Malian flag stood on the counter. If you need something from Africa, definitely, you can find it here, Doumbia told me. Advertisement West Africa is an incredibly diverse region, with multiple ethnic groups populating each of its 18 countries. Though similarities exist across culinary cultures, many identify strongly with what they perceive to be their national dish. Doumbias specialty, for instance, is zame, a Malian dish of rice cooked in spicy tomato stew and topped with vegetables or meat. It takes time to cook, he told me, a phrase I heard repeated in almost every West African restaurant in the neighborhood, a way to draw attention to the love and attention that goes into every dish, and a subtle criticism of American restaurants, with their fixation on efficiency and speed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though most restaurants are known for serving a particular nation-specific specialty dish, they also, for the most part, serve beloved regional staples like attieke, a couscouslike dish made from cassava; fufu, a large dumpling of pounded yams, cassava, or plantains; jollof rice; fried plantains; and stews made from peanut butter or okra served with your selection of goat or whole tilapia, grilled or fried. West African street foods like kala (fried dough), peanut brittle, chin chin (crunchy fried wheat flour), and desserts like dege (sweet yogurt with millet) are as ubiquitous on Woodland Avenue as they are anywhere in Francophone West Africa. Advertisement One of the neighborhoods more popular restaurants is Le Mandingue, a splashy contrast, with its colorful sign and fairy lights in the street-facing window, to the more modest restaurants that dominate the area. Fanta Fofana, the owner of Le Mandingue, arrived in Philadelphia in 1996, having fled the violence back home in Liberia after her little brothers death in the war. Upon arriving in the U.S., Fofana entered nursing school, but her studies were cut short when she lost her left leg in a car accident. After that she decided to open Le Mandingue, named using the French term for the Malinke ethnic group that lives in Guinea, Liberia, Senegal, Gambia, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Sierra Leone. Today, her clientele includes patrons from every one of those nations. Advertisement Food is a way of bringing people together, she explained when we met in February. People can come and eat and be comfortable with each other. Neighborhood regulars stop in constantly to eat or sometimes just to talk. It makes me feel like Im at home, a little bit. Since opening her restaurant 12 years ago, Fofana has staffed her kitchen principally with young, female refugees. The restaurant is frenetic as staff members race from the kitchen to the front of house, keeping an eye on a steaming pot of cassava greens while answering the constantly ringing phone and taking orders at the counter. Fofana works busily beside them. Only once in two hourslong visits did I catch a glimpse of her taking a break from the heat of the kitchen, sitting down to fan herself out of the customers line of sight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of the ingredients used in kitchens like Fofanas, Doumbias, and Tholleys are rarely sold in traditional American grocery stores, which is where shops like Uncle Musas Grocery, nestled between another Liberian grocer and a Liberian restaurant, come in. Musa Barry, the stores owner, imports containers full of ingredients directly from his hometown of Monrovia, Liberias capital, a time-consuming and unpredictable process. One afternoon, while unloading boxes of diapers from the bed of a truck, Barry told me that a shipping container had arrived at the Port of Philadelphia the night before. But, he said, voicing the neighborhoods refrain, it takes timemeaning, in this case, to clear customs. Advertisement Advertisement A week later, the container still hadnt made it through. They said it should be ready tomorrow, he told me, not sounding entirely convinced. (It wasnt.) He took out his phone and showed me a video of the previous time a shipping container arrived, panning between the storefront and the opened doors of the container, filled to the brim with jugs of West African palm oil. Those jugs, like most of the goods Barry imports, started out at Red Light Market, one of the largest in Monrovia. One of Barrys family members in Monrovia spends about a month buying goods to put in the shipping container, which has to be full, Barry says, so that he can maximize profits after paying for the container to ship. It takes another month for the container to reach port in New Jersey (I dont know the name of the port, Barry told me with a shrug). From there, it comes by truck right to his shops front door. Barry would prefer to ship directly to Philadelphia to save costs. We tried to tell the city of Philadelphia: Theres too many Africans here, were importing too much, he says. Theres a port here, but theyre not taking international shipping. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not all the goods that Barry stocks come from Liberia, but importing from multiple ports would be far too complicated and costly for a small business. Thats why Barry and other local business owners have devised a system of sharing their goods. When Barry receives a large shipment of palm oil, he sells it on to other groceries and restaurants in the area. In turn, another grocer might import a surplus of yams from Ghana or fabric from Cameroon, and Barry will be able to buy some of that off of him, too. Customers wander in and out of Uncle Musas throughout the day, and Barry greets most of them by name. When I came in this country, I struggled a lot. I worked at a car wash and on a boardwalk in Atlantic City, he says. Now he runs a total of four businesses in Philadelphia, including another grocery store and a clothing store. Advertisement On the day I visited, I met Richard Joh, from Liberia, and Joijoi Seye, from Senegal, stocking small tubs of palm oil on shelves in the back. Joh came to Philadelphia before there was a Little Africa. I came here in 1989 and there were no African stores. Le Mandingue was a tuxedo store! I went to try on a tuxedo in 1994 for my cousins wedding. Now I go for African food. Advertisement People come from all over the place to buy food here, Seye adds. It comes from Africa straight to Philadelphia. In those early years in the United States, Joh went on, If you wanted fufu, you combined mashed potatoes and potato starch, and used spinach for potato greens. If you wanted to buy fish in the American grocery store, there was no head! I said, Wheres the head? and they said, You eat the head? When youre raised on a certain dish, its hard to break away from it, he said. You always find a way, and thats what Africans did. He smiled. We dont have to do that anymore. Advertisement Advertisement Restaurant owners throughout the neighborhood told me, with a hint of pride, that more and more native-born Americans have come to appreciate home-cooked African food as a healthier alternative to fast food. According to Ezzy Tholley and Mimi Kamara, Philadelphias thriving, largely black Muslim community, concentrated in neighborhoods like Southwest Philadelphia, has become a particularly important part of the customer base. Local Muslims seek out West African restaurants because the food is almost always halaleven if you are a Christian from Ghana, you may be serving a Muslim from Nigeria or Ivory Coast (Tholley and Kamara, for instance, come from Sierra Leone, where most of the population is Muslim). They dont eat at that other restaurant, they eat right here, Tholley says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite a diversifying clientele, most restaurants in Little Africa still rely principally on local customers to survive. The community that exists continues to produce a demand for traditional food of the it-takes-time variety. Only time will tell whether the city will embrace Diaspora Village like it does Chinatown or Korea Town or the Italian Market. Advertisement On a recent Thursday night back at Tasty African restaurant, the winter had finally hit. It was dark outside, and just as it had been in the summer and early fall, the room was full of men discussing current events and women chatting with each other by the kitchen. Tholley stood by the cash register waiting for a plate of foodrice and okra stew, this time served with fish. I fast every Thursday, he told me, and then, if Im having a problemI fast for three days, and pray to God. He took a seat and offered me a plate, as he had every time Id entered the restaurant over the past several months. For over 20 years, Africans have been here, he told me, then turned his attention to one of his customers, who, after all these years, was also more like a friend. I watched as customers came in and out, many with young children in tow. On the wall near the back of the restaurant, there is a map of the African continent. Framed collages of different West African cities hang above the tables, depicting independence monuments, sunny streets, and colorful cityscapes. Though the next generation will grow up as American citizens, they will still come of age on their parents food, surrounded by images of their parents homes. Those cities may seem worlds away from the dark, narrow streets of Philadelphia, but the smell of onions cooking in palm oil makes the gap between them that much smaller. An outspoken neo-Nazi and Holocaust denier is set to become the Republican nominee for an Illinois congressional seat. Arthur Jones, a 70-year-old retired insurance agent, told the Chicago Sun-Times he once led the American Nazi Party and heads up a group called the America First Committee, which excludes Jewish members. On Jones campaign website, under a section titled, The Holocaust racket, he insists the murder of 6 million Jews was the biggest blackest lie in history and that the Holocaust amounted to propaganda, whose purpose is designed to bleed, blackmail, extort and terrorize, the enemies of organized world Jewry. Advertisement Jones is running unopposed in a highly Democratic district that includes a part of Chicago and is expected to be easily defeated in the general election. According to his website, Jones is campaigning to, among other things, bring our troops home NOW to defend our borders; to end amnesty for undocumented immigrants and sanctuary cities; to make English the official language; and to fight an agenda he believes, that the federal government has to change neighborhoods found to be too White, too Christian, or too straight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Chicago Tribune reported that he opposes interracial marriage and school integration and was unsure when asked whether black people or Latinos should have the right to vote. According to the Sun-Times, Jones protested the opening of the Illinois Holocaust Museum in 2009. Another time, when he spoke to a group of white supremacists, he said he regretted voting for Trump because the president surrounded himself with hordes of Jews, according to the Sun-Times. He told the Tribune he appeared in TV commercials dressed as a storm trooper and presented himself as the White Peoples Candidate in 1976. In another election attempt, he advertised in the newspaper with swastikas, according to the Tribune. I dont believe in equality, he told the paper. Jones has run repeatedly for office through the past four decades, first seeking Milwaukees mayoral seat in 1976. He has attempted to win the GOP 3rd Congressional District primary seven times, according to the Sun-Times. In 2016 he also ran unopposed, but he was removed from the ballot by the Illinois Republican Party because of issues with his paperwork. Leaders of the Illinois Republican party have distanced themselves from Jones. He will face the Democratic candidate for the 3rd District in the general election in November. A few Republican lawmakers walked a thin line on Sunday, subtly but clearly disagreeing with President Trumps contention that the memo that was declassified Friday and alleges wrongdoing by the FBI vindicates the commander in chief in the special counsels investigation into Russian meddling in the presidential election. Four Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee said on Sunday that the controversial memo doesnt somehow invalidate the probe that is being carried out by Robert Mueller. The statements were seen as an effort to distance themselves from a tweet President Donald Trump sent on Saturday in which he said that the memo totally vindicates Trump in probe. Advertisement This memo totally vindicates Trump in probe. But the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on. Their was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction (the word now used because, after one year of looking endlessly and finding NOTHING, collusion is dead). This is an American disgrace! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2018 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I actually dont think it has any impact on the Russia probe, Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina said on CBS Face the Nation. Gowdy, who is one of the four authors of the memo that was released Friday, insists that the infamous Steele dossier was essential to approving the surveillance warrant for former Campaign adviser Carter Page. But that has nothing to do with the Mueller probe. There is a Russia investigation without a dossier, he said, noting that the dossier has nothing to do with the Trump Tower meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer. Advertisement In response to the Nunes memo, heres Trey Gowdy on @FaceTheNation saying that theres a Russia probe even without the dossier because of an email from Cambridge Analytica, among other reasons.https://t.co/sXbjxmh3fw David Carroll (@profcarroll) February 4, 2018 Rep. Will Hurd of Texas agreed with his colleague that there was no reason for Mueller to end his probe. I want to stress, Bob Mueller should be allowed to turn over every rock, pursue every lead so that we can have trust in knowing what actually the Russians did or did not do, Hurd said on ABCs This Week. Host George Stephanopoulos asked Hurd point blank whether he agreed with presidents view on his own vindication from the memo and the lawmaker made it clear he disagreed. I dont, Hurd responded. Advertisement Advertisement Does @HurdOnTheHill agree with Pres. Trump that the House GOP memo vindicates him in the Russia investigation? I dont he tells @GStephanopoulos. #ThisWeek pic.twitter.com/lokrB4sOPk This Week (@ThisWeekABC) February 4, 2018 Advertisement Rep. Brad Wenstrup from Ohio also said that the memo is a separate issue from the Russia probe. I dont think it really has anything to do with that, he said on CNNs State of the Union. Rep. Chris Stewart agreed that the two are very separate issues. I think it would be a mistake for anyone to suggest the special counsel should not continue his work, Stewart told Fox News Sunday. This memo, frankly, has nothing at all to do with the special counsel. Advertisement WATCH: Rep. Chris Stewart on Fox News says "it would be a mistake" for anyone to suggest Bob Mueller should not finish his investigation. pic.twitter.com/dVlV4PNUp4 DNC War Room (@DNCWarRoom) February 4, 2018 Advertisement Less surprisingly, Democrats also came out strong against the contention that the memo released Friday somehow vindicates Trump. No, of course it does not, Durbin said on CNN. We ought to be trying to focus on an investigation on a professional level by Bob Mueller, and not trying to find a way to obstruct justice or to absolve this president from any responsibility he has. In a column for Esquire, Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat in the Intelligence Committee also said the memo doesnt vindicate Trump in any way. The memos release provided none of the vindication the President sought or would claim, but it was hugely consequential nonetheless, in how it undermined the system of checks and balances designed to insulate the FBI from White House meddling established in the wake of Watergate, Schiff wrote. Welcome to Should This Thing Be Smart? Each month, Justin Peters examines a smart object and try to determine whether there is any good reason for its existenceand how likely it is to be used for nefarious reasons. Previously on Should This Thing Be Smart?: the $60 smart fork, the $199 smart socks, and the $80 coffee mug. Product: BEAM smart button by Beam Authentic Price: $99 on beamauthentic.com. Function: The Beam (styled BEAM by its maker) is a wearable, Bluetooth-connected smart button with an AMOLED display that can store and broadcast virtually any message you desire. Slogans, drawings, GIFs, inspirational sentiments, little rebus puzzlesits really up to you. Users can design their own message via the Beam Authentic app, share it with the broader Beam community, and interact with other users designs. Sounds sort of social networkish for a humble button, right? Well, according to beamauthentic.com, the Beam isnt just a buttonits a self-expression platform. If youve been dying to express yourself via a $99 battery-powered button governed by a 5,000-word terms of service agreement, then the Beam might be the button for you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case for the smart button: The Beam is a very interesting button! It solves a problem that has vexed the button community since the geniuses behind I Like Ike first put slogan to pin: a button is an inherently limited communications medium. It only says one thing at a time, and it says that one thing all the time. Once a catchphrase is stamped onto a button, brother, it bears that catchphrase for lifewhich poses a problem for those of us who change our minds more often than we change our buttons. Enter the Beam. The Beam is what youd get if a whiteboard mated with one of those electronic photo frames and had a 2-inch-long child that you could pin to your backpack. It transcends the finite buttons of yore by making it easy for you, a person with something to say, to amend obsolete sentiments, create new ones, and toggle through stored button designs in order to select a message that is perfect for the moment you are in. Advertisement You can see how this could be a useful tool. The other day, for example, I saw a grim-faced woman walking down the street wearing, appropriately, a button that read UGH. But her buttons world-weary message might seem incongruous if, for example, she learned that she had just won $10 million. Thats the sort of news that would make anyone start dancing down the street and hugging complete strangers. Well, the Beam makes it easy to revise your buttons message from UGH to HUG. Thanks, Beam! The Beam has progressive ambitions! Its official website encourages buyers to pledge that they will be compassionate, open-minded, nondiscriminatory members of the global community. Also, when you buy a Beam at beamauthentic.com, the company donates $3 from your purchase to one of three charities. Does your local button retailer donate three dollars to charity whenever you buy one of her buttons? No, she does not, in part because typical buttons cost less than $3. Advertisement Advertisement Beam is what youd get if a whiteboard mated with one of those electronic photo frames and had a 2-inch-long child that you could pin to your backpack. The Beam is a boon for those of us who have more than one thing to say but are running out of lapel space in which to say it. There is such thing as messaging overload when it comes to old-school buttons. You can only wear so many buttons at once before the buttons lose their messaging power and people begin to mistake you for a waiter at Chilis or a fluoridation alarmist. The Beam solves this problem by consolidating all of your sentiments into one high-tech button-shaped device. The Beam allows you to have fun with friends! As a Beam owner, you can give friends or other trusted Beamers the ability to transmit a message or image of their choice directly to your device for all the world to see. This creates ample opportunity for some good-natured button-centric razzing, which, after all, is the foundation upon which lifelong friendships are built. Imagine the laughs when your buddy Frankthe one who loves Impractical Jokers and sometimes goes to open micsbeams the word Butthead directly to your Beam. Good one, Frank! Keep on honing that tight five! Advertisement Advertisement The Beam can theoretically help your button concepts go viral. Independent button artisans working in traditional button media can create the worlds most attractive button and yet find no audience for their designs. Why is this? Because without the proper production and distributioncontrolled, I assume, by Americas button oligarchsyour cool new button might as well not even exist, as far as the market is concerned. Curse you, oligarchs! Your time is growing short, and the instrument of your destruction has a name. That name is Beam. The case against the smart button: The Beam feels inessential. Unlike other smart devices I have covered in this column, the Beam seems less an improvement on existing technology than an expensive and unnecessary variation on existing technology. In part I think this is because it is hard to improve on the good ol button. Have you ever heard anyone say a bad word about the button? Probably not. The traditional button is a nigh-perfect accessory that helps its users have fun and express themselves without breaking the bank. You know what really ought to be disrupted? Buttons, is another thing that you have never heard anyone say. The Beam is a solution in search of a problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Beam is a button for the fickle and uncommitted. There is merit in being made to choose a slogan and stand by it for more than 12 seconds at a time. There are people in this world who are still wearing buttons that read Vote for Pedro, almost 15 years after Napoleon Dynamite was a thing, and its not just because theyve forgotten its there. No, it is because donning a button used to mean something, dammit! The Beam likely requires network effects to reach its full potential, which might aggravate early adopters seeking a full-fledged community experience that does not yet exist. While the official Beam website presents an inspiring vision of countless socially conscious millennials using their devices to express themselves and raise awareness for worthwhile causes, I have literally never seen a Beam out in the wild. True, I have not been looking very hard, but I feel like Im pretty plugged in with the button community. Advertisement I take great issue with the notion of the Beam as a legitimate platform for self-expression. The best platformslike, for example, a nonsmart buttonare neutral and unmediated and cannot be easily commandeered by unseen third parties. I do not think that I would ever truly feel free expressing myself on an expensive digital button made by a company that reserve[s] the right to modify or terminate the Service or your access to the Service for any reason, without notice, at any time, and without liability to you, and that also reserves the right to send you promotional messages and provide personalized content and information to you and others, which could include online ads or other forms of marketing. Granted, I feel similarly about platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, but thanks to network effects I practically have no choice but to use them. Cant say the same thing for you, Beam. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A button isnt just a communications medium, it is an artifact. It links you to the time and place when you acquired it. Even if the message it bears grows obsolete, the connection to the past remains indelible. The Beam is connected to nothing except its own app and your phones Bluetooth signal. Like all battery-powered devices, your Beam will one day die; like all tech companies, Beam Authentic may one day disappear. When that happens, what will happen to your memories? Yes, I do have hoarder tendencies, why do you ask? Beam is in partnership with Goop. Security risk factor: I think its fair to worry about malicious actors hacking into your Beam and broadcasting slogans or designs that may be offensive to you or others. Can you imagine a world in which you, the well-intentioned Beam wearer, set off for, say, the Womens March with the appropriate sentiments loaded up on your buttononly to look down and find that some alt-right clown has caused everyones Beam to show Pepe the Frog? Yes, of course you can imagine that world. Probably the only reason it hasnt happened yet is that not enough people actually own Beams. Advertisement Advertisement Generally, I would be worried about a device either being used as an access method to my devices or as an information-gathering tool on its own, James Loving, a security researcher affiliated with MIT, told me via email. But in this case, he said: Im not particularly worried about either concern: The Beam only advertises Bluetooth capabilities (Id be worried if it advertised Wi-Fi, which has a longer range and is thus more easily exploited), and doesnt add much capability to an adversary. (The only sensor appears to be for ambient lightno camera or microphone). The worst I can think of off-hand? An adversary channeling their inner Draco Malfoy to create some form of a Potter Stinks button-virus. Advertisement Advertisement Draco Malfoy would totally join the alt-right, Im just saying. Is the Beam more likely to be used to solve or commit a crime? I would say solve a crime, because in my estimation we are only a few years away from some a world in which, assuming widespread Beam adoption, photographs of wanted criminals are sent out by police and compulsorily displayed on all wearers devices. Should this thing be smart? Sure, why not? The Beam seems harmless enough and the charitable sentiments professed by Beam Authentic are laudable. While the product just seems superfluous to meand while spending $99 on a smart button certainly strikes me as kind of stupidIm sure there are people out there who have been dying for the chance to wear GIFs on their lapel. If you are that sort of person, you will probably enjoy the Beam. Automation infiltrates shared services Innovations in business service centres include robotic process automation, applied biometrics and blockchain technologies, digital signage and leisure rooms. Font size: A - | A + Twenty years ago, when business service centres first started appearing in Slovakia, they covered mostly simple transactional activities. That has changed, however, and nowadays, they deliver more complex processes. What is a business service centre? Business service centre (BSC), or shared service centre: an organisational unit responsible for the execution of specific tasks (for example finance & accounting, IT support, HR) supporting the core activity of the company an organisational unit responsible for the execution of specific tasks (for example finance & accounting, IT support, HR) supporting the core activity of the company Business process outsourcing (BPO): involves contracting of the operations and responsibilities of specific business processes to a third-party service provider. Source: Business Service Center Forum 2017 Survey Transactional activities in business service centres (BSCs) are gradually becoming automated. The use of modern IT technologies, computing and the Internet of Things (IoT) concept enhances the efficiency and savings of centres. While IoT was designed mainly for industries, many sectors now use IoT in their daily routine. In BSCs, these technologies enable employees to engage in sophisticated tasks that require high qualifications, unlike those needed for purely transactional work. BSCs are definitely companies working with the most advanced and modern technologies and tools for business administration and processing activities, Paul Burt, managing director of IBM International Services Centres, told The Slovak Spectator. A significant share of Slovakia-based BSCs manage financial activities, so their innovations mainly concern the prediction of cash flows and the preparation of complex company-wide reports, according to the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO). Jan Papula from the Department of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at Comenius University in Bratislava also sees the use of innovations in marketing, data analytics, human resources, trade and logistics. Progress in the automated recognition of text and forms will lead to a significant reduction in the share of human work needed in transactional jobs, he said. Likewise, automated call centres and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in customer and employee support as well as procurement will be popular in the near future, Papula told The Slovak Spectator. Dependent Slovakia Today, the innovation of Slovak BSCs is strongly dependent on other markets since their parental companies main R&D centres are located abroad. Basically, BSCs introduce new technologies and knowledge that is typically not used in the rest of the country, said Maros Cuchta, head of Accenture Advanced Technology Center in Bratislava. 5. Feb 2018 at 6:30 | Peter Adamovsky Defence Minister cancels radar purchase The tender launched under former defence minister Martin Glvac will be cancelled, allegedly due to procrastination. Font size: A - | A + The Defence Ministry has halted the international tender for the purchase of 3D radars. The department announced the tender under former minister, Martin Glvac of Smer. In response, the ex-minister said, as quoted by the Sme daily, that he does not understand why the ministry would cancel it. The ministry claims they dislike the fact that in more than two years, not even the first round of the tender has been completed, and thus, the tender failed to achieve a result. Ministry seeks to terminate the tender The Defence Ministry is considering how to end the competition, according to a report by the public-service TV broadcaster RTVS on February 2, thereby allowing the competent authorities to develop a new plan for the procurement. Given that until January 31, 2018, the international competition had lasted for more than two years and not even the first round had been completed, we are currently working on the necessary measures to put an end to it and in a short time, we will report on a new way to procure the radars that is as effective and transparent as possible, the ministry stated for RTVS. This international competition was launched in 2015, with four candidates in the first round. The estimated contract value was 60 million excluding VAT, the TASR newswire wrote. Ex-minister slams the decision Former defence minister Lubomir Galko (former coalition, now opposition Freedom and Solidarity/SaS party) will demand an explanation from Defence Minister Peter Gajdos (Slovak National Party/SNS) at the next session of the parliamentary defence and security committee as to why the international tender for the procurement of radars was scrapped, TASR wrote on the same day. Galko also added, as quoted by the newswire, that the decision to cancel the tender launched by the previous administration headed by Glvac flew in the face of Slovakias security interests. According to him, the current leadership at the ministry is only managing to prolong the Slovak Armed Forces dependency on Russian equipment. The Slovak army is currently using obsolete military radars produced in the former Soviet Union, the lifetime of which has already reached its end. At the same time, the manufacturer can no longer supply replacement parts or provide upgrades due to ongoing sanctions against Russia, the SITA newswire wrote. 5. Feb 2018 at 13:22 | Compiled by Spectator staff Modi visit likely after Oli becomes PM: Gyawali Indian PM Narendra Modi could visit Nepal soon after KP Sharma Oli is elected prime minister, CPN-UML Secretary Pradeep Gyawali said on Sunday without giving much detail. Newest Boeing 737 MAX 8 lands in Bratislava The Czech company Travel Service is one of the first airlines worldwide to purchase and operate this latest type of plane. Font size: A - | A + A new type of Boeing plane, the 737 MAX 8, landed at M.R. Stefanik airport in Bratislava on the night of February 3, 2018. It arrived from Oman, the airport spokesperson, Veronika Sevcikova, informed. It is characterised by more economical performance and a new type of winglets, she added. The new plane engines can save about one-tenth of the fuel compared to older machines. The airplane has more comfortable seats, too, with more space for cabin baggage. The Czech company, Travel Service, operates the plane as one of the first airlines worldwide to acquire the latest type of Boeing, the Sme daily wrote on February 5. 5. Feb 2018 at 13:45 | Compiled by Spectator staff Belgian hotelier: Slovakia is still unknown to Belgian and Dutch tourists A Belgian hotelier operating in Slovakia helps spread the word about the country as a tourist destination. More information about travelling in Slovakia Please see our Please see our Spectacular Slovakia travel guide Slovakia, which became independent in 1993, is still largely an unknown country to potential tourists from Belgium and the Netherlands, Belgian entrepreneur Gerdi Vanfleteren told the TASR newswire at the Holiday Fair in Brussels (February 1-4) on February 4. They still dont know about it, said Vanfleteren, who owns the Sojka Hotel in Malatiny (Zilina Region). They still ask Where is it? Is it Slovenia? Is it Prague?... I still need to explain that its a beautiful destination even for people from Benelux. Vanfleteren has been presenting the beauty of Slovakia to people in Belgium and the Netherlands for 13 years. He has cooperated with the Slovak Transport and Construction Ministry in the Netherlands in order to promote the brand Good Idea Slovakia. At the Brussels fair he offered the Tatra Tea liquor and Slovak wines to visitors. The Belgians and Dutch seem to be interested in Slovakia, but it is up to him to persuade them that it is a safe country with nice people, and with the euro as the means of payment, he told TASR. Read also: Read also: Hotel Sojka lures tourists from Benelux Read more Hotelier instead of official representation When asked how he views the fact that Slovakia was not officially present at the Brussels tourism fair, he said that it was a big mistake. video //www.youtube.com/embed/sRmQLJAwOYA Its not only myself that I have to sell, but the whole of Slovakia, Vanfleteren pointed out, as quoted by TASR. The first step that I have to take is to tell people that they should come to Slovakia, and only after that invite them to come to see me. The Belgian entrepreneur added that he advertises Slovakia as a country of beautiful scenery, castles, culture, unusual churches, lakes, thermal springs and sporting opportunities. Slovaks make up almost 70 percent of the customers at his hotel in northern Slovakia, while 20 percent come from Belgium and the Netherlands. Read also: Read also: How to feel Slovak life Read more 5. Feb 2018 at 14:06 | Compiled by Spectator staff Wife of top police officer dies of gun shot The woman died of a gun-shot from a police weapon in Kosice; suicide is considered the most likely reason for the death. The wife of Jaroslav G, head of the eastern branch of the National Criminal Agency (NAKA) in Kosice, was found dead of a gunshot on February 2 in the early morning in a flat on Cordakova Street at the local KVP housing estate. The woman (aged 40) died at about 05:00 from a shot that came from the pistol of her husband, the regional daily Korzar wrote. Her body was found by neighbours. After the initial investigation and medical inspection, the police are suggesting suicide rather than murder as the cause of death. This is backed up by the discovery of a suicide note. Fingerprint analysis and the autopsy will provide further details, the daily wrote. Jaroslav G. will, however, be sanctioned for negligence. A clinical psychologist pointed out that most suicides take place in the hours of the early morning. 5. Feb 2018 at 13:59 | Compiled by Spectator staff Amazon in Sered to take over part of Czech returns centres operation Workers from the closing Samsung plant in Voderady may find new jobs at Amazons returns centre. Font size: A - | A + The US online retailer Amazon announced last week the closure of its returns centre in Dobroviz near Prague in the Czech Republic. The recently launched returns centre in Sered should take over part of its operation, the Hospodarske Noviny daily informed. Amazon opened one of its largest and most technologically advanced returns centres last November. It is still looking for staff and hopes that some of the 1,500 workers from the nearby Samsung plant in Voderady, which is expected to close in April, might move to its centre in Sered. They can find jobs either in our returns centre in Sered as well as in our corporate office in Bratislava, said Miroslava Remenarova, PR manager of Amazon, as cited by the daily. In January, the South-Korean company Samsung confirmed the consolidation of its local production. After 10 years of operation, it will close down the less sophisticated production plant in Voderady near Trnava and move it 20 km to its second plant, in Galanta. It cites lack of workers and intensifying pressure to increase wages as the reason. Sered is about 20 km from Voderady and about 12 km from Galanta. Read also: Read also: Samsung will shut down its Slovak plant Read more Samsung employs about 570 core employees in Voderady with 1,000 more hired from external sources. Jana Mesarova from the HR agency Wincott People believes it is quite possible that people from Samsung would go to Amazon. It will also depend on the conditions Samsung offers them, said Masarova. Samsung has promised to offer all its core employees in Voderady a working place in Galanta under the same conditions. Amazon, as part of its consolidation of its operation, will close down its returns centre in Dobroviz near Prague as of May. Its employees will move to the local distribution centre. Read also: Read also: Amazon returns centre in Sered already in operation Read more We decided that in the Czech Republic we will focus fully on the operation of distribution services at our logistics centre in Dobroviz, said Remenarova as cited by idnes.cz. The returns centre in Dobrovis was opened in 2013. Two years ago, Amazon also opened a 95,000 square metres distribution centre nearby with the capacity to handle 18 million items. This enables Amazon to dispatch up to one million parcels per day. Amazon has more than 140 distribution centres, of which one third are in Europe. 5. Feb 2018 at 22:43 | Compiled by Spectator staff Bank of America Corp. is a bank and financial holding company, which engages in the provision of banking and nonbank financial services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth and Investment Management, Global Banking, Global Markets, and All Other. The Consumer Banking segment offers credit, banking, and investment products and services to consumers and small businesses. The Global Wealth and Investment Management provides client experience through a network of financial advisors focused on to meet their needs through a full set of investment management, brokerage, banking, and retirement products. The Global Banking segment deals with lending-related products and services, integrated working capital management and treasury solutions to clients, and underwriting and advisory services. The Global Markets segment includes sales and trading services, as well as research, to institutional clients across fixed-income, credit, currency, commodity, and equity businesses. The All Other segment consists of asset and liability management activities, equity investments, non-core mortgage loans and servicing activities, the net impact of periodic revisions Read More Best Buy Co., Inc. engages in the provision of consumer technology products and services. It operates through two business segments: Domestic and International. The Domestic segment comprises of the operations in all states, districts, and territories of the U.S., operating under various brand names, including Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile, Geek Squad, Magnolia Audio Video, Napster, and Pacific Sales. The International segment includes all operations outside the U.S. and its territories, which includes Canada, Europe, China, Mexico, and Turkey. It also markets its products under the brand names: Best Buy, bestbuy.com, Best Buy Direct, Best Buy Express, Best Buy Mobile, Geek Squad, GreatCall, Magnolia and Pacific Kitchen and Home. The company was founded by Richard M. Schulze in 1966 and is headquartered in Richfield, MN. Read More NAC, OBOR reach 8-point agreement The Nepal Art Council (NAC) and the China-Nepal OBOR Cultural Exchange Promotion Association have reached an eight-point agreement in relation to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and cultural ties between the two neighbours. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. owns and leases freight railroads. It operates through three segments: North American Operations, Australian Operations, and U.K./European Operations. The company transports various commodities, including agricultural products, autos and auto parts, chemicals and plastics, coal and coke, food and kindred products, lumber and forest products, metallic ores, metals, minerals and stone, petroleum products, pulp and paper, waste, and other commodities. It owns or leases 122 freight railroads, including 105 short line railroads and 2 regional freight railroads located in the United States, 8 short line railroads located in Canada, 3 railroads located in Australia, 1 railroad located in the United Kingdom, 1 railroad in Poland and Germany, and 2 railroads in the Netherlands with a total of approximately 16,200 miles of track. The company also operates 6,200 additional miles of track that is owned or leased by others. In addition, it operates deep sea maritime containers and provides bulk haulage, including coal, aggregates, cement, and infrastructure services. Further, the company provides rail service at approximately 40 ports; rail-ferry service in North America, Australia, and Europe; and contract coal loading and railcar switching for industrial customers. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Darien, Connecticut. Read More Andeavor, through its subsidiaries, operates as an independent petroleum refining, logistics, and marketing company in the United States. The company operates in three segments: Marketing, Logistics, and Refining. The Marketing segment sells gasoline and diesel fuel through retail, branded, and unbranded channels. This segment operates a network of 3,255 retail stations under the ARCO, Shell, Mobil, and SUPERAMERICA brands. The Logistics segment gathers and transports crude oil by pipelines, as well as by trucks. It operates approximately 13 million barrels of crude oil, feedstock, blendstock, refined product, and asphalt storage tanks. The Refining segment buys and refines crude oil and other feed stocks into transportation fuels, such as gasoline and gasoline blend stocks, jet fuel, and diesel fuel, as well as other products, including heavy fuel oils, liquefied petroleum gas, petroleum coke, calcined coke, and asphalt. It also sells refined products in the bulk market principally to independent unbranded distributors, other refining and marketing companies, utilities, railroads, airlines, and marine and industrial end-users in the western United States. This segment owns and operates 10 petroleum refineries with a combined crude oil capacity of approximately 1,157 thousand barrels per day. The company was formerly known as Tesoro Corporation and changed its name to Andeavor in August 2017. Andeavor was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. Read More Nepali officials to inspect Indian ports Senior officials from the Ministry of Commence are leaving for India on Monday to inspect Indian ports that Nepal has been using for imports and exports of goods. PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P. is engaged in the business of acquisition, development, ownership, operation and commercial management of natural gas storage facilities. As of December 31, 2012, the Company owned and operated three natural gas storage facilities located in Louisiana, Mississippi and Michigan. The Company also leases storage capacity and pipelines transportation capacity from third parties. The Company provides natural gas storage services to a mix of customers, including local gas distribution company's liquefied natural gas (LNG), electric utilities, pipelines, direct industrial users, electric power generators, marketers, producers, LNG exporters and affiliates of such entities. In December 31, 2013, Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (Plains) completed the merger of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P with a wholly owned subsidiary of Plains, with Plains surviving the merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of PAA. Read More Protesters burn tyres and damage vehicles Protesters indulged in stray incidents of arson and vandalised a few vehicles, including a van with Indian registration, for defying their strike call on Sunday in Birgunj. Raut elected FSFN PP leader in Province 2 The Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN) has elected its state assembly member Lal Babu Raut as the Parliamentary Party (PP) leader for Province 2. Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship. Es mundus excrementi, Everton by | 05/02/2018 If the campaign Everton supporters have been forced to endure since July had to be catchily summed up in one juicy soundbite, then "Season From Hell" should fit like a hermetically sealed shroud. Many a strange-faced mooncalf has stood accused of being at the root of the stygian shitstorm we've been mired in. Koeman, Walsh, Allardyce, Moshiri, the entire playing staff sans Seamus Coleman and, of course, doughty defender of the faith, Bill Kenwright. Numerous half-arsed theories have been put forward in a futile attempt to fathom precisely how and why our form became so horrendously piss poor. So, err....here's another one. 'The Exorcist'. As a child, I grew up in front of grainy VHS copies of 70's and 80's horror movies. My education in the genre beginning at an age when most of my mates were still busy making the case that Mumm-Ra could 'have' He-Man in a one on one brawl to the death (but only if Battle Cat was deffo banned from getting involved because, otherwise, all bets were off). Such child friendly fare as 'Halloween', 'Carrie', 'The Omen', 'Don't Look Now', 'Dawn Of The Dead', 'Suspiria', 'Basket Case' and...of course... 'Scream, Blacula, Scream', provided a steady, blood curdling, stream of background sights and sounds to my scoffing of bowls of Sugar Puffs and 'proper scientific' pointing out of who was and was not a "prick" in the pages of 'Shoot'. One movie to have a profound effect on me at that stage was William Friedkin's 'The Exorcist'. Watching an old copy my old queen must have borrowed from somewhere, at the age of 6, and then not being able to revisit it again for over a decade (due to the film being banned in the UK from 1984 until 1998), led to my younger self developing a yearning to devour every bit of info I could find on the film. I was kind of like a mini, mid-level, Mark Kermode with less cockish hair (although, ultimately, his 'The Fear Of God' documentary, produced for the film's 25th Anniversary, probably had a hand in the film finally being passed uncut by the BBFC, so we'll let the pompadour slide). Being well aware of the above, my wife thought she would 'surprise' me with tickets for the West End theatre production of The Exorcist. Admittedly, I was surprised because, not being the slightest bit interested in the British theatre scene, I had heard nothing about it. I was even more surprised to discover they weren't just tickets to 'The Exorcist'. Oh no. They were tickets to 'Bill Kenwright presents: The Exorcist'. Anyway, we went and I was squirming in my seat, flesh crawling, the whole way through. The last time I cringed, sighed, shook my head and muttered "this is complete shite" so often was at a live performance of 'Bill Kenwright presents: Everton vs West Brom'. Jenny Seagrove 'starred' in the crucial role of Chris Macneil, some bloke off a Davina McCall hosted dance show decided to alternate between Damien Karras and fucking Crocodile Dundee, while the best 'acting' in the piece came courtesy of a crackly cassette tape of Ian Mckellen's voice, recorded at home in a spare five minutes while he was mooching about waiting for his red-hot bath water to cool. "Curse you, Kenwright!", I thought. "It's not enough you turned sitting through Everton games into some form of slow torture, you're now taking it a step further and tarnishing my favourite horror classics as well? Where will it end? What have I ever done to you?". Then it hit me. Maybe the 'curse' has already started? William Peter Blatty was first warned off penning a story based on the (purported) real-life possession and subsequent exorcism of a young Mount Rainier boy by a concerned Jesuit Priest. The Priest posited that revealing the existence of the Devil, in any way, would inevitably lead to retaliation and revenge on his part because, with bloody good reason, the big red shite would be pretty pissed off at his insidious methodology being made public, his privacy being invaded, plus having to turn a deaf ear to incessant accusations of how he's a bit of bad tit. Rumours of a curse have long surrounded the movie itself. The set famously caught fire. Actors Jack MacGowran and Vasiliki Maliaros both died in post-production after their respective characters suffered the same fate on screen. Max Von Sydow's brother died on his first day of shooting for his role as Father Merrin. Linda Blair's grandfather died. A night watchman on the set died. Jason Miller's son was mowed down by a motorcycle and only just survived. Mercedes McCambridge's son lost his mind and murdered his wife and children before taking his own life. An extra in the film later stabbed a film critic to death and was suspected of having killed six other men whose bodies washed up on the Hudson River, wrapped in plastic bags. When Bill (and by inevitable association, Everton) blundered onto the decades old battlefield, surely bad luck was bound to follow? The UK premiere of Kenwright's pre-teen possession extravaganza took place in Birmingham on October 16th 2016 and it continued to play, as part of a strictly limited run, until November 6th. During that brief period, Ronald Koeman's Everton suffered a surprise defeat at the hands of Burnley, along with a 0-5 horror show at Chelsea. The day after the premiere, Philip Green was accused of being a shadow director of Everton in the House Of Commons. Leighton Baines suffered a setback in his attempted return from injury, and James McCarthy tore his hamstring. The production started it's later run in London's West End on the 20th October 2017 (and is scheduled to finish on the 10th March 2018). The first game after opening night was the five goal hammering by Arsenal that brought the guillotine down on Ronald Koeman's Everton reign. Trust the Everton board to then further compound matters by bringing forth the big boss demon himself and, like Faust, making a dicey deal with 'Meffystiflethese'(or Sam, to his mates). Now, we're stuck bearing witness to one of the most brutal, eye bludgeoning, cases of defilement ever wrought on an institution once dubbed the School of Science. The stuff we're being subjected to is utterly horrific and the managers decades long track record of dour mediocrity and desperate, self-serving, short-termism, should send a screeching warning signal that his hand should be among the last you want steering the future direction of your club. Yet, some not only countenance his presence, they practically cheer it. "Needs must", they say. Like the doctors prodding and poking Regan and putting her through a pointlessly painful spinal tap, they stick resolutely to the 'rational' claim that the club is sick and Allardyce is merely administering the necessary, stomach churning, medicine. When it begins to become acceptable to regularly go into games with no real intention of actually engaging the opposition, with an expensively assembled squad of international players drilled to concentrate primarily on containment and playing the percentages, then even those with the most faith can eventually begin to lose sight of the fact it should always be possible to strive for better. "His attack is psychological, Damien, and powerful.Yet, the demon's target is not the possessed; it is us...the observers...I think the point is to make us despair...to see ourselves as ultimately vile and putrescent; without dignity; ugly; unworthy". Seriously, these are dire times. I well know the sheer dread that can derive from dabbling with demonic forces. My wife once had a ouija board resting on her lap as she tried in vain to contact the spirit of futuristic tubby tin can Twiki from 'Buck Rogers In The 25th Century'. No matter how many times she spelt out "Biddie Biddie Biddie", the six-foot under, silvery shortarse, never bothered to respond. However, the tranquility was short lived, as no sooner did I decide to take matters out of her hands....by reaching over to spell out 'G-O P-U-T T-H-E D-I-N-N-E-R O-N N-O-W'....then she went absolutely ballistic. Face contorted in rage, gurning like a reject from The Garbage Pail Kids, phlegm flying from her expletive spewing mouth, the aura of pure evil radiating from every pore. I don't know which particular demon it was that had taken possession of her body, but i'm guessing such snarling satanic beasts must share some sort of special psychic affinity with the wife's family, as a similar hate filled entity has been residing, quite openly, in my mother-in-law ever since the day I first met her. So, next time you're at Goodison, if you happen to hear a guttural voice in the crowd, moaning and groaning, before shouting something along the lines of "Yer Mar(tina)'s a prossie in hell, Karras", you know what's behind it....'Bill Kenwright presents: The Exorcist'. Return to Talking Points index : Add your Comments Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer About these ads ToffeeWeb >> A quiet Vietnamese visa run (part 1) If youve gotta travel, youve gotta shop! Finally got my nifty new visa without any fuss or bother but why, oh, why do the Cambodians and the Vietnamese feel the need to fill a whole page in a passport with a ridiculously overdesigned visa sticker? My ten-year passport now needs renewing and theres still three years left on the passports validity! One nice thing about both Kuala Lumpur and Phnom Penh is you dont have to go far for shopping. Another benefit is that both cities display far more civilized behavior about pedestrians. Theres none of the run you down because I refuse to acknowledge your existence rubbish. The traffic actually stopped to let me pass when I was running late to cross the street! I hate to say it, but Ive mostly given up trying to buy clothes in Vietnam. It just seems as though Vietnam exports the good quality stuff and the locals deal with cheaper, poor quality clothes that just dont last that long. Even basic T-shirts Id purchase in Vietnam barely seem to last longer than four months. Most of my shopping is done in Phnom Penh or Malaysia. High-end market shopping malls are sprouting up almost everywhere in Phnom Penh along with luxury-style apartment blocks. However its a mystery to me who, apart from the government elite, can afford to live in such splendor. So thenthe shopping malls. AEON, a Japanese operated mall (I think), is my choice for goodies. Not cheap and hosts most of the same brands youll find in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, yet unlike Vietnam, theres simply more thats better under one roof so less running around. Generally I buy a years supply of clothes and toys as Im big manga and action movie fan. So its a few figurines from Guardians of the Galaxy and a book-sized model Millennium Falcon from Star Wars for me. But thats the thing isnt it? Try wandering around Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi for shopping goodies almost impossible, right? In both Kuala Lumpur and Phnom Penh, I found nearly everything I was looking for within a kilometer of my hotel; so its easy enough to reach on foot. Da Nang in my opinion is still in the not quite there stage there are some under-one-roof malls such as Vincom shopping mall and Metro, however the city truly lacks a real shopping district. A bookstore in Cambodia. Photo: Stivi Cooke One scary new phenomenon is the Bitcoin craze I witnessed emblazed on a few Cambodian shopfronts. Its now banned as a means of payment in Vietnam although people are still investing it. As an internet-based cybercurrency, Bitcoin is not backed by any real assets and is not a currency because it isnt supported by a government. Its bad enough that people dreaming of getting rich fast (gamblers) are hooked on it; poorer Cambodia investors could be even more at risk. Only one thing stands out for me when traveling; buying books. Well-stocked Western language bookshops are extremely far and few between in Vietnam compared with many of its neighbors. Im currently retired from teaching although I keep up an interest in education. Im building up a collection of childrens literature and educational materials at home so Im always bringing back stuff on each trip. Phnom Penh has quite a few international school book suppliers as well as Monument Bookshop and Ds bookshop which stocks extensive second-hand collections. Considering Vietnams infuriating book importing procedures and customs taxes, this is the easier option. Intriguingly, I was amazed at the number of Cambodians looking for Western books, particularly for kids Vietnams narrow choices are robbing kids of the joy of reading as well as dragging them away from texting! Shame, Vietnam, shame! One last thing, I do recommend if you have the money, fly. Annoyingly, you cant fly direct from Da Nang. Probably to create that stop-over which makes you spend money in places you dont want to visit! Phnom Penhs airport is modern, spacious, and efficient and visas can be done on arrival within minutes. And theres a book kiosk too! Its hard getting back to the cloudy chill of central Vietnam with all its noise and mayhem but it does beat the suffocating rules and politically correct madness of the Australian culture. Still, beer is about a dollar, cigarettes are the same, everyone said hi when I got back and the fridge is re-stocked now. Ahhh And to think Ill have to do this all again in three months timeI wonder what Taiwans like? Boeing may express interest in a jet fighter competition in Canada despite a recent trade row, but is still studying the matter, a senior executive said on Monday. Boeing has until Feb. 9 to express interest in taking part in the bidding for 88 jets worth between C$15 billion and C$19 billion ($12.1 billion to $15.3 billion). Asked ahead of the Singapore Airshow whether the U.S. plane maker would express interest by Friday, Gene Cunningham, vice president for sales at Boeing Defence and Space, told reporters: That is certainly a possibility and we will let you know as that unfolds. Boeings relationship with Canada has soured since it complained that Canadian planemaker Bombardier was dumping airliners on the American market. A U.S. trade commission dismissed Boeings complaint on Jan. 26. Cunningham also said Boeing was in discussions across Asia for possible future defense sales, including attack helicopters in Philippines and Thailand. Boeing has also had preliminary conversations with Vietnam, following the lifting of a U.S. arms embargo in 2016. We have been to Vietnam several times to have conversations, but we are still in a formulative phase, Cunningham said, adding that Boeing would strictly follow specific export controls that apply to all military products. Demand for cleaning and security services is skyrocketing ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday in Ho Chi Minh City, providing attractive job opportunities for many people, especially college students. While the Tet festival is a perfect time for people in Vietnam to take a break from their daily responsibilities, many consider it a good opportunity to earn some solid income. In Ho Chi Minh City, house cleaners and home security guards have emerged as in-demand positions ahead and during this years Tet holiday. In Vietnam, the 2018 Lunar New Year begins in February 16, but preparation and celebration often take place one week before and after the date. Luong Thi Thuy Quynh, a resident in Phu Nhuan District, said she often seeks house cleaning services during this time of the year, adding that she would pay about VND1.5 million (US$66) for the job to be done at her four-story residence. Nguyen Minh Tam, who has earned a living by washing couches for the past decade, stated that orders for his service have tripled compared to regular days. I have to work day and night to finish the orders. Washing a set of couches earns me about VND200,000 [$9] to VND300,000 [$13], Tam elaborated. Meanwhile, many residents have been looking for the right people to entrust their homes during their vacations this holiday. The demand for home security guards or house-sitters has never been higher. However, it is difficult to meet such demands as not many people would want to spend their Tet at someone elses home. Dao Hong Hanh, residing in District 9, has been able to strike a deal with a young man who is fit for the job, after contacting multiple security guard companies. Hanh agreed to pay him VND6 million ($264) for guarding her house in 10 days during the Lunar New Year. Nga, a representative of a security guard firm in Tan Phu District, said her company had been trying to recruit a large number of employees, both male and female, for this kind of job. The salary is VND540,000 [$24] to VND760,000 [$33] for a 12- to 16-hour shift, threefold of that on an average day, Nga elaborated. The firm also promises a series of incentives to expand its human resources, she continued, adding that they are still short of personnel. Other insiders expected that payment for home security services would continue rising as an unoccupied residence is highly susceptible to robbery. Job opportunities According to a survey by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, many university and college students have decided to stay in the southern metropolis instead of celebrating the holiday in their hometowns. They intend to apply for a variety of seasonal gigs, which will help pay their tuition. Pham Thi Thu Hoai, a sophomore at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, said she will offer cleaning services for several houses in the city at up to VND700,000 ($31) per day. Hoai expected herself to accumulate about VND5 million ($220) by February 16, which will be used for her tuition after the holiday. Dang Hoang Cong, a student of the University of Technology and Education, stated he had not returned to his hometown in the south-central province of Ninh Thuan during Tet in the past two years. Cong will work as a house-sitter for a family in Ho Chi Minh City, who promised to pay VND600,000 ($26) a day, plus a VND2 million ($88) bonus. Despite being far away from home this holiday, Im still happy as the extra income will help me afford tuition of the next semester, the young man said. Hoang Le Quang, a resident in District 2, has also recruited a student from a local university, and will pay him VND800,000 ($35) a day. The employee is required to guard the house, water the plants, feed the fish. He is allowed to sleep in the living room and must not invite anyone over, Quang highlighted. The house owner said he had reviewed very carefully the students background before making the decision. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Four people, including three family members, have been killed after their boat overturned in the middle of a lake in northern Vietnam. The tragic accident happened at around 3:00 pm on Sunday in Dong Lo Commune, Hiep Hoa District, Bac Giang Province, according to the Vietnam News Agency. Nguyen The Son, 31, along with his son, eight-year-old Nguyen Giang Duc Huyen, and his daughter, six-year-old Nguyen Son Bang Tuyen, was visiting the neighborhood prior to the incident. Son was born in Dong Lo but lived with his children in Hanoi. During their visit to the commune, the three decided to take a trip around a nearby lake on a boat. Their boat overturned in the middle of the journey, causing the three to fall into the water. After noticing the accident, Nguyen Van Hoa, 45, a resident in Dong Lo Commune, swam toward the victims, attempting to save them. As the rescue effort was unsuccessful, Son, his two children, as well as Hoa drowned. Competent agencies were able to bring the bodies of the victims ashore around 6:00 pm the same day. The lake covers an area of about 1,000 square meters and is two meters deep, according to a local official. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The scheme is part of a national campaign to control and eradicate animal-borne diseases during the 2018-2021 period. Accordingly, citizens who own dogs and cats must register the animals with the local government, which will be in charge of keeping a record of all the pets in their authority. Dogs that are taken outside must be accompanied by a person, and either wear a muzzle or be kept on a leash for the safety of others, according to the scheme. Dog owners are to pay for any costs of dealing with unattended dogs in public, including the expenses of having the stray animals impounded, fed and incinerated, if necessary, by animal control bodies. The owners are also required to pay any medical expense and compensation for those harmed by their unattended dogs. Regular pet vaccination is also mandatory under the new scheme, which looks to fine owners for failing to have their dogs and cats vaccinated according to a recommended schedule. Debate has been raging in both mainstream media and online in Vietnam over keeping dogs on a leash or muzzle in public places and impounding stray or unattended dogs off the streets. From September last year, residents in Ho Chi Minh City would face fines of up to VND800,000 (US$35.14) for letting their dogs run loose on the streets, as per a decree on administrative penalties in the field of veterinary medicine. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Quang Ngais administration has reportedly agreed to allow estate developer Hop Nghia JSC to construct a convention center under the build-transfer (BT) financing model. According to the agreement, the company will be given a 13.7-hectare piece of land in Quang Ngais Le Hong Phong Ward. They are expected to use 9.9 hectares of the land to construct a convention center, which will be transferred to the provincial administration upon completion. The remaining 3.8 hectares of land is for Hop Nghia JSC to develop projects for their own benefit. At four stories high, the convention center will include a 1,000-seat conference hall, four meeting rooms, and eight dining halls capable of hosting up to 400 guests each. The venue will host important meetings and events in the province after its completion. However, the scale of the building has given rise to questions regarding the need for Quang Ngai to own such a luxurious venue at all cost, including accepting the convention center valued at less than two-thirds of the worth of the golden piece of land. The 3.8-hectare area of land Hop Nghia will take for their own is valued at upwards of VND600 billion (US$26.43 million), while the cost of developing the convention center is only VND377 billion ($16.61 million), according to an estate broker. The central province already has a functional convention center that was put into use in 2015 and a venue for public events at a local culture house. According to a former leader of Quang Ngai, the province rarely hosts meetings or events where the number of participants gets close to 1,000. There isnt an immediate need for such a grand convention center, the retired official said. According to Bui Thi Quynh Van, chairwoman of the Quang Ngai Peoples Council, both the development and payment method for the convention center had been approved by the provincial Party Committee. Vo Duc Huy, a former Party chief of Quang Ngai, asserted that the project should be thoroughly mulled over before launching, as there is more public infrastructure in need of urgent development in the province. The Vietnamese government was also reviewing the shortcomings of BT projects nationwide, Huy said, therefore making it advisable that Quang Ngai advance its project with caution." Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! S Lanka Embassy marks 70th Independence Day The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Nepal celebrated the 70th Anniversary of the National Independence Day of Sri Lanka on Sunday at the Embassy Premises. On tonights Catalyst, a group of pioneering scientists take their robots into the world of agriculture to see if they can help keep Australian farmers on the land by tackling some of their biggest challenges. Theres a tech revolution unfolding in Australia but its not happening where you might expect. A team of scientists led by internationally renowned roboticist, Professor Salah Sukkarieh, are opening up a new world of farming science; one that could give Australian farmers more control over their future than ever before. The need for greater productivity to feed a growing population, and changing climate conditions are making it hard for farmers to continue supplying the food on everyones plates. Added to this the loss of young blood from the industry and one of the harshest natural environments on Earth means Australian farmers are up against it. But help is at hand. Catalyst joins engineers from the Australian Centre for Field Robotics as they explore the world of agriculture to develop robots and create smarter ways of farming. But are these prototype robots up to the many tasks of a farmer? Will they change the way weve been farming for generations? Can the robots lead the farmers (and their cattle) to greener pastures? Professor Salah Sukkarieh is an international expert in research, development, and commercialisation of field robotic systems. Salah is Associate Dean (Industry and Innovation) and Professor of Robotics and Intelligent Systems at the University of Sydney, and the Director of Research and Innovation at the Australian Centre for Field Robotics. He has over 500 academic and industry publications in robotics and intelligent systems, and was awarded the 2017 CSIRO Eureka Prize for Leadership in Innovation and Science. 8:30pm Tuesday on ABC. Upcoming NITV kids drama Grace Beside Me is one of 4 Australian finalists in the 28th Prix Jeunesse International in Germany. The bi-annual competition aims to shine a spotlight on the world of outstanding television productions for children. Grace Beside Me from Magpie Pictures has been pre-selected in the 7 10 Years Fiction category, which is judged by a German childrens jury consisting of 600 children as well as a professional jury. A German voice-over version will be produced. Other Aussie finalists include Kazoops, First Day and Whats it Like to Experience a Disability? -all from ABC. Grace Beside Me producers Lois Randall and Dena Curtis said Were honoured to be a finalist in this important award. Grace Beside Me is a thirteen episode series adapted from the novel by Sue McPherson. We believe the selected episode Sorry which was written by Sue McPherson and Sam Carroll and directed by Nicholas Verso, is very much in-line with the theme of resilience. We want to acknowledge the beautiful performances of first time actor Kyliric Masella as 13 year old Fuzzy Mac, and Tessa Rose as her grandmother Nan, they said, and we congratulate all our team and the other finalists. The 28th Prix Jeunesse International is taking place in Munich from 25 30 May. Grace Beside Me premieres on 16th February on NITV. Today marks 50 Years since Skippy the Bush Kangaroo first hit Australian screens. Widely regarded as our first international TV export, it screened on Nine from 1968 1970. At its height Skippy was watched by 300 million viewers around the world -it still screens on Nine today at around 3am. TV Historian Andrew Mercado said, One of the reasons that Skippy still endures to this day is because of the deal made by its makers and Frank Packer back in the day. Packer agreed to fund the series on the proviso that he be able to screen the show in perpetuity and for that reason, and probably that reason alone, new generations have discovered this Aussie classic. It was a huge financial risk that Producer John McCallum took in making this show, given he filmed it on film and in colour almost a decade before colour TV came to Australia. He gambled big that overseas countries would be interested in watching the show and that gamble paid off. Its possible that thousands of international tourists have come to Australia based on their childhood viewing experience. The deal famously could not forsee residuals and DVDs for is cast, with actor Tony Bonner losing a courtcase for royalties. In 2016 Featherdale Wildlife Park in Doonside, NSW, celebrated 50 years since the pilot was filmed. Skippys Ranger Headquarters, which featured in the series, was based at Waratah Park in Duffys Forest. Justin Bonomo Wins the First US Poker Open Event February 05 2018 Jan Kores Justin Bonomo has been in an excellent form in the last months, and he carried his momentum to the US Poker Open. The 32-year-old American pro showcased his talent in the first $10,000 No Limit Hold'em event, topping the 68-entry field for a $190,400 payday. "I've just had an incredible run of cards in the last two months, and I hope it continues." "I've just had an incredible run of cards in the last two months, and I hope it continues," said Bonomo who already came into the US Poker Open as the #1 ranked player on the GPI Player of the Year leaderboard. Bonomo takes an early lead in the race for the overall US Poker Open title which comes with a spectacular, 25-inch tall trophy. In the moments after his victory, Bonomo declared he'll jump straight into the $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha event that kicked off earlier today. Bonomo has constantly been showing his prowess in the toughest tournaments all around the world. He's also an accomplished mixed games player and the combination of his skill set, fine form and a brilliant start immediately puts him among the hottest favorites for the US Poker Open crown. US Poker Open - Event #1: $10,000 No Limit Hold'em results: Position Player Country Prize 1 Justin Bonomo United States $190,400 2 Boutros Nadim Lebanon $136,000 3 David Peters United States $88,400 4 Justin Young United States $68,000 5 Stephen Chidwick United Kingdom $54,400 6 Sam Soverel United States $40,800 7 Cary Katz United States $34,000 8 Andy Park United States $27,200 9 Jake Schindler United States $20,400 10 Anthony Zinno United States $20,400 Bonomo came back for the final day holding the chip lead. But even the shortest stacks among the final six contenders maneuvered a solid 40 big blinds, so everyone had a legitimate shot at the victory. The main character of the opening period was Boutros Nadim, a recreational player from Lebanon who fearlessly competed in a lot of pots, seeing many flops. Nadim's approach paid off when he tangled in a three-bet pot with Sam Soverel who eventually called Nadim's all-in on a turn. Soverel had just a third pair, and a gutshot straight draw and Nadim's top pair dodged lethal damage as he stacked a big double to take over the lead. Meanwhile, Bonomo kept handling his big stack with excellent precision, picking his spots with pinpoint accuracy. Other contenders were making moves as well with the 30-second shot clock keeping the tournament at an entertaining pace. PokerGO viewers could watch the dramatic battles with the hole cards up. Soverel was eventually the first player to leave the table as he couldn't mount a comeback after the loss to Nadim. Stephen Chidwick finished him off in a fair race, beating Soverel's sevens with ace-jack. However, Chidwick ended up being the next casualty. A few unfortunate collisions significantly wounded his stack, and Chidwick put his last nine big blinds in play when his king-jack was dominated by David Peters' king-queen. It was Nadim still guarding the pole position at the time, but Peters was getting more involved in the action with his stack growing to a more comfortable position. The fact that Justin Young didn't double his short stack certainly helped Peters and Bonomo whose game plan could shift a little away from the ICM. Bonomo took care of Young, raise-calling a 15-big blind shove with king-queen suited. Young was a hair ahead with ace-seven, but a king on the flop sent him packing. Justin Young Peters was the shortest stack among the final three, but he patiently cruised his chips until he found himself on the better side of a cooler, getting a full double from Nadim. Peters flopped a set versus top two, and while both players slow-played their hands, the river brought the inevitable fireworks. Peters was still trailing his two remaining rivals, but he narrowed the gap and even took over the lead for a moment before facing off with Bonomo in a key pot. They had been to many of the blind-versus-blind battles before, and Bonomo had the advantage of a better position. Most of the pots between the two heavyweights ended in small contests, but the 131st hand on the final table was a different one. Peters limp-called with six-five suited and flopped an open-ended straight draw. After a checked flop, Bonomo hit a top pair on the turn, but Peters took the betting lead. Bonomo called, and Peters hit his own pair on the river, but it was only a third pair. He checked and Bonomo over-shoved, puzzling Peters. He eventually pulled off a call only to see Bonomo claiming the pot worth two-thirds of all chips in play. But Nadim was ready to fight for the win as hard as he could. That looked to be the decider, even more so when Bonomo knocked out Peters on the following hand. He entered the heads-up as a three-to-one chip leader over his less experienced opponent. But Nadim was ready to fight for the win as hard as he could. He was one card away from being eliminated when he over-shoved with a bottom pair only to run into a top pair, but the river not only saved him but also catapulted to the lead. Poker gods were fair to Bonomo and rescued him once as well when he was all-in with two pair against the same two pair but holding a worse kicker. The river brought a chop, and the final match would continue for a few more dozens of hands. It was a case of many double ups for Nadim who bounced back from five big blinds at one point, scoring three doubles in a span of just six hands. But Bonomo tackled his rival again when they clashed in a massive cooler. Nadim had no chance to escape as he looked down at ace-king. Bonomo, however, held the bullets and the chips naturally went in preflop. Bonomo's aces held strong, and he finally busted Nadim in the next hand, the 183rd of the final table. "You put me in some really tough spots, man," Bonomo said to Nadim, praising him for his aggressive approach. "I enjoyed it," Nadim replied. Justin Bonomo is the first winner at the US Poker Open, but there are seven more tournaments to find their champions so make sure you tune back to PokerGO for the cards-up final table broadcast and to PokerNews for the live coverage of the series. The US Poker Open continues, and another final table is ready to be played. Check the US Poker Open live reporting section on PokerNews for live updates from all the events. Toby Lewis Leads Final Seven in 2018 Aussie Millions Main Event February 03 2018 Yori Epskamp It took six days to bring the record-breaking field of 800 in the 2018 Aussie Millions Main Event down to its final table. The 36 hopefuls that started the day were whittled down to seven over the course of seven levels. Each of the seven has already secured a massive cash of A$235,000 but all eyes will be on the first-place prize of A$1,800,000, which will be awarded to the victor at Crown Casino on Sunday, February 4. The biggest story coming into the day was another deep run by former champions Ari Engel (2016) and Ami Barer (2014). No player has ever won the Aussie Millions Main Event twice, and it won't happen in 2018 as Barer (36th) and Engel (10th) both missed out on the final table. England's Toby Lewis will start the final table as the chipleader with 5,835,000 in chips. The 28-year-old from Southampton is easily the most recognizable name left in the field, and with $3.2 million in lifetime winnings already amassed, including an EPT title, is the odds-on favorite to claim the prestigious title and ANTON Jewellery bracelet that's up for grabs. Lewis' biggest hand of the day was a massive coin flip against the man who will come back second in chips: Espen Solaas (5,680,000). While Solaas may not have Lewis' pedigree coming into the final table, the Norwegian showed relentless aggression during Day 4 and is a dangerous contender. Solaas sat on top of the chip counts for most of the day and will have more than 100 big blinds to work with on the final day. The Brit and Norwegian headline an international final table, as no less than six nationalities are represented among the final seven. Joining Lewis and Solaas are Ben Richardson (4,870,000), Mike del Vecchio (3,065,000), Stefan Huber (1,975,000), Chul-Hyon Park (1,670,000) and short stack Johan Schumacher (955,000). Boisterous rails were aplenty in the packed poker room of Crown Casino, with the rowdiest supporters cheering for Huber (the Germans) and Richardson (the local Aussies). All players and their supporters will return on Sunday, February 4, in what will no doubt be one of the loudest-cheered final tables in recent memory. Final table seating and chip counts Seat Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Espen Solaas Norway 5,680,000 113 2 Johan Schumacher Belgium 955,000 19 3 Mike Del Vecchio United States 3,065,000 61 4 Toby Lewis United Kingdom 5,835,000 116 5 Chul-Hyon Park Australia 1,670,000 33 6 Stefan Huber Switzerland 1,975,000 39 7 Ben Richardson Australia 4,870,000 97 Day 4 Action While the aforementioned seven can take a days rest before returning for the final on Sunday, for 31 others, their shot at Aussie Millions glory ended on Day 4. Coming into the day, the biggest story was the unlikely deep run of not one, but two former champions: both Ari Engel (2016) and Ami Barer (2014) had a chance to win the prestigious Main Event for the second time. It wasn't meant to be, though, as each of them failed to make it through to the final table. Barer was the first of them to go and finished in 36th place. After losing all-ins with fours against queens, then with queens himself against ace-jack, Barer was left short. Nine big blinds went in with queen-jack but he couldn't catch up against Schumacher's ace-trey, ending his bid. Engel made it through to the final ten, where he met his demise at the hands of Solaas. Holding pocket jacks, Engel was all in and ahead against Solaas' king-ten, but a king on the turn ended his attempt at repeat Aussie Millions glory. Engel finished in 10th place and received A$120,000. Ari Engel finished in 10th place (A$120,000) Other notables that busted out during the penultimate day were Daniel Nelson, Anthony Hachem, Tobias Hausen, who finished 3rd last year, and Day 2 chipleader Najeem Ajez. Two of the most accomplished pro's in the field bowed out in 15th and 14th place, respectively. After a raise from Lewis, Artur Koren shoved 27 big blinds in the middle with pocket deuces. Unfortunately for Koren, Lewis held kings and knocked the Austrian out. Aaron Lim, a two-time APPT champion, shoved king-jack into the pocket jacks of Richardson in a blind-on-blind confrontation and couldn't catch up to bust shortly after Koren. Tu Lan, Kim Au and Ross Grammer busted next and had to settle for A$120,000 in prize money. Next to go was up-and-coming star Kahle Burns. The Australian Poker Young Achiever Award winner was short stacked with the final nine players. With ten-seven suited, he found himself at risk against ace-eight and bowed out after an ace hit the flop. With eight players left, one more player had to bust out before the official final table was set. It took three hours before Chen An Lin finally became the one to succumb. It was a classic setup ace-king against the aces of Richardson to deny Lin the final table. The final table will commence on Sunday, February 4 at 12:30 p.m. local time (2:30 a.m. CET / 20:30 p.m. EST on Saturday 3) and will be livestreamed on Twitch.tv, powered by runitup. The broadcast with hole cards up will shown on a 30-minute security delay. There will be 23 minutes left in Level 26 with blinds at 25,000/50,000 and a running ante of 5,000 to start. Besides the final table, the $100,000 Challenge will also kick off on Sunday in the biggest casino of the Southern hemisphere. Follow the PokerNews live updates and don't miss any of the action from these two tournaments as the 2018 Aussie Millions comes to a close! Espen Solaas starts final table 2nd in chips Toby Lewis Wins the Largest Ever Aussie Millions Main Event February 05 2018 Mo Nuwwarah He came in as the chip leader, and the player with by far the most live cashes, so Toby Lewis looked like the clear favorite heading into the final table of the 2018 Aussie Millions Main Event at Crown Melbourne. Lewis: "I've been working really hard on my game lately, more than ever. I just felt really comfortable." The former EPT champion and an accomplished online player had his mind locked in on the biggest chance of his life for a career-defining score, but the 28-year-old British pro said he felt no pressure heading into the final day. "It's probably the least amount I've ever felt heading into a major final table," Lewis said. "I've been working really hard on my game lately, more than ever. I just felt really comfortable. I had an understanding of the players I was playing against. "I tried to stay off social media as much as possible and tried not to hype myself up too much." It must have worked. Lewis put on an absolutely dominant display of poker Sunday night on the big stage at Crown, moving into a huge chip lead and using it to roll over most of his opponents en route to an A$1,458,198 payday for topping a field of 800 a record for the 21-year-old event. That adjusted amount came after a three-way deal between Lewis, Stefan Huber, and Espen Solaas, with Lewis locking up more than second-place prize money and proceeding to win the A$75,000 and commemorative bracelet set aside for the winner. Official Final Table Results Place Player Home Country Prize in AU$ Prize in US$ 1 Toby Lewis United Kingdom AU$1,458,198 $1,156,653* 2 Stefan Huber Switzerland AU$909,699 $721,579* 3 Espen Solaas Norway AU$1,177,103 $933,686* 4 Chul-Hyon Park Australia AU$470,000 $372,807 5 Mike Del Vecchio United States AU$370,000 $293,486 6 Ben Richardson Australia AU$300,000 $237,962 7 Johan Schumacher Belgium AU$235,000 $186,403 In perhaps an indicator of what was in store for the day, Lewis began making hands more or less immediately when the final day of play got underway and began broadcasting with Jason Somerville and Co. on the Run It Up stream. The player with the least to lose, Johan Schumacher, experienced just the opposite fortune. He got his stack in the middle twice, both in dominating spots and got one chop and an elimination for his efforts, the latter coming when Solaas binked a flush with seven-five suited all in against Schumacher's pocket fives. PARK: "It was the most stressful thing that I've ever done in my entire life." Continuing something of a theme for the event, Lewis made a big laydown with tens on a seven-high board when local player Chul-Hyon Park turned a set of sevens on him. Avoiding that potential mine enabled Lewis to stay afloat in the top two spots despite a strong challenge from Solaas. The Norwegian certainly got dealt all of the hands one could hope for at the final table, but things didn't always work out as he hoped after that. He held with kings against home crowd favorite Ben Richardson's ace-queen but dropped two other big pots when kings got cracked by Huber's ace-four and he ran ace-king ran into Park's aces. Ben Richardson After coming in with one of the bigger stacks, Richardson got nothing going on the final day. "It was a pretty bad start," he said. "I lost every hand I played, mostly." Lewis, on the other hand, got a dream board with ace-king against Park's jacks when he flopped top pair, turned trips and hit a full house on the river. Park paid off a huge river bet and that pot cemented Lewis as the clear leader. Mike Del Vecchio, the lone American at the final table, held that lofty position for awhile on earlier days. He came into the event hot after a third-place finish at WPT Five Diamond in December that netted him a career-best payout of $750,000 but that would remain his biggest score as he gambled with a flush draw against Lewis' two pair and didn't get there to go down in fifth. That prompted a four-handed battle with Lewis way out in front and the short stacks eyeing each other, all trying to ladder. Nobody wanted to miss out on a big money jump, and that benefited Lewis, who began hauling in every blind and ante in sight. Park was a little ahead of Huber and Solaas and clearly was looking to outlast them, folding hands such as pocket fives in position to Lewis' opens. "He knew he had to be very tight," Lewis said. "[Huber and Solaas] both understood ICM very well. It's an absolute disaster for either of them to get it in against me. It was one of those spots where eventually something had to give but nobody wanted it to give." Stefan Huber What gave was Park's luck. No Aussie Millions final table is quite complete without a local satellite player making a Cinderella run, and Park was the man for 2018, just a year after Shane Vijayaram took the whole thing down in 2017. However, he would lose with queens all in preflop against Solaas' sevens to go out fourth. "It was the most stressful thing that I've ever done in my entire life," Park said afterward. "It was tough playing against all the pros. I was the underdog definitely with the least experience. But, I enjoyed it and hopefully, I can do it again." The three pros remaining began talking deal, and eventually they came to an agreement based on chip stacks with A$75,000 set aside for the winner. They locked up A$1,383,198 (Lewis), A$1,177,103 (Solaas) and $A909,699 (Huber). Lewis was already guaranteed his biggest cash. "Obviously, I was over the moon," he said. "I have a lot of respect for both of those guys. These spots don't come around very often, so I wanted to make sure I realized a good amount of equity. Lewis: "I would have liked to have taken a little bit more. But, Espen played a very hard deal." "I would have liked to have taken a little bit more. But, Espen played a very hard deal." Things got very aggressive after that, with players beginning to reraise each other more often and jam lighter than before. Solaas was first to bust when he ran into Lewis' kings and bricked with ace-nine. Despite running poor in a number of huge spots during the last two days Solaas lost a particularly monstrous Day 4 flip to Lewis that could have seen the Norwegian lock up 40 percent of the chips with two tables left he maintained that he ran well throughout the tournament. He credited the staff for running a great event with a great structure. Lewis had a big lead on Huber and didn't take long to finish him off, much to the disappointment of a jovial, beer-swigging German contingent of supporters. Still, Huber's charity, Raising for Effective Giving, is likely to get a handsome chunk of change. Fellow British pros Sam Grafton and Ludovic Geilich were among those enfolding Lewis in big hugs after the final card hit the felt. Lewis credited Grafton in particular with helping him on the day off before the final table, as the two did a few hours worth of preparation work on Saturday. It's a continuation of the past few months overall, which Lewis said have been filled with hours of study and less play than usual. It all paid off with an Aussie Millions title, and Lewis joined his brethren for celebratory drinks in what's sure to be a special day in his career no matter what heights he reaches in the years ahead. The Aussie Millions Main Event may be over, but there's more poker to be played in Melbourne. The $100,000 Challenge is on to Day 2, and PokerNews remains in the Crown Melbourne to bring you live updates till a winner is crowned. Head over to the Aussie Millions live updates page for the latest news. Toby Lewis and friends Toby Lewis Stats England All Time Money List 22nd All Time Money List 376th Global Poker Index Ranking 711th Total Live Earnings $4,379,236 Toby Lewis' Biggest Scores Year Buy-in Event Position Prize 2018 AU$10,000 Aussie Millions Main Event 1st $1,156,653 2010 5,300 EPT Vilamoura 1st $594,568 2013 25,500 EPT Grand Final High Roller 5th $304,735 2016 $5,300 PCA Main Event 4th $267,340 2013 $10,000 LAPC Main Event 6th $193,560 2012 $5,250 EPT Grand Final 6-max 2nd $170,469 2015 $10,000 WSOP Main Event 53rd $137,300 2017 $1,675 WSOP Circuit LA 2nd $134,145 2010 1,100 UKIPT London 1st $105,474 2014 $4,400 WPT Merit North Cyprus 4th $102,820 UK Prime Minister Theresa May sought to heal a widening division among ministers over Brexit on Monday when she said Britain would not remain in the customs union after leaving the EU. An official source was quoted by British media as saying: It is not our policy to be in the customs union. It is not our policy to be in a customs union. Chancellor Philip Hammond, and the Business Secretary, Greg Clark, were reportedly in favour of staying in a customs union for goods. However, International Trade Secretary and a proponent of a 'hard Brexit' Liam Fox, last week dismissed the idea out of hand, saying it would hinder the UK in making free trade deals elsewhere. It is very difficult to see how being in a customs union is compatible with having an independent trade policy, because we would therefore be dependent on what the EU negotiated in terms of its trading policies, and wed be following behind that, he said," he said in a television interview. The clarification from Downing Street on Monday came as May and Brexit Secretary David Davis prepared to meet chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier ahead of the next round of talks. Staying in the customs union would give the UK tariff-free trade within the EU, but it would lose the ability to agree trade deals with countries outside the bloc. Labour MP Hilary Benn, who chairs the Brexit select committee, said there was still confusion around what the government wanted from a final deal. I think the government is in a state of open disagreement. The prime minister has been immobilised. Were 19 months since the referendum and we still dont know what it is we want," he told the BBC. I think its a profound mistake to leave a customs union with the European Union. Security persons and civil servants killed during conflict declared martyrs The Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, National Investigation Department personnel, civil servants and teachers who were killed in the line of duty during the armed conflict in the country have been declared as martyrs on Monday. A major UK business lobby group has criticised the government for shelving release of its plans for a post-Brexit immigration system until after Britain leaves the EU. The influential Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said the decision to delay publication of the immigration white paper would result in businesses being "hugely frustrated". The plan was originally scheduled to be published last summer and will now not see the light of day until after a transition deal is agreed with the EU. From tech start-ups to care homes, not knowing what staff you will be able to access will deter investment," said CBI deputy director general Josh Hardie. Firms need time to plan for change and that is why many will be deeply disappointed by any delays to the White Paper. It is perfectly possible to be clear on peoples rights to work in the UK, for the transition period at least." The government should commit now that peoples rights to work wont change over the first two years from our date of departure from the EU. Reports suggested the UK's proposals for the terms on which new EU migrants can come to Britain after its departure from the bloc in 2019 would be set out in a Bill to be published after the current round of talks are completed. The EU agreed last week that those migrants be granted free movement rights and a special status to all arriving before the final day of the transition at the end of 2020. The position on immigration was reportedly inserted after concerns from Poland and other eastern European states, sources of large numbers of immigrants to the UK, over Britain imposing new entry rules to EU nationals during the transition. In particular, the provisions of the citizens rights part of the withdrawal agreement should apply as from the end of the transition period, the paper states. In effect it would grant indefinite leave to remain to EU citizens arriving after Brexit but before the end of 2020. Tell us more You are seeing these quotes based on previous browsing related to sectors such as Britains biggest bank has banned its customers from investing in cryptocurrencies with its credit cards, following moves from US banks last week, while China is planning to step up its regulation of the area. The cryptocurrency has plummeted by more than 57% in just two months, falling below $8,000 on Friday after topping $19,500 in December as a US regulatory investigation reared its head. Bitcoin plunged 10.5% to just over $7,500 following the Peoples Bank of China stating it would step up measures to remove any onshore or offshore platforms related to virtual currency trading or ICOs, "to prevent financial risks". Last week the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission was investigating the cryptocurrencys wild ride to almost $20,000 at the end 2017 rise for signs of market manipulation. Worried that it might end up having to pay the bill for unpaid debt if the price of bitcoin keeps falling, Lloyds on Monday banned customers from paying for the digital currency using credit cards issued by its Halifax, Bank of Scotland and MBNA arms. Lloyds' crackdown follows similar moves by many US banks, including the two biggest, JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America, both stating on Friday that they were stopping purchases of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies on their credit cards. Governments across the globe continue to clamp down on retail investors speculating on cryptocurrencies, said Miles Eakers, market analyst at Centtrip. The announcement pushed Bitcoin down even further, and its now trading at $7,530. We envisage this decline will continue, setting the next technical level at $5,000 a coin, Eakers said. Connor Campbell at Spreadex said on the cryptocurrencys situation, Bitcoin started this week as it ended the last, battered and bruised following some more bad news for the payment system. With Lloyds Bank banning the purchase of the product on its credit cards the cryptocurrency shed another 9% after the bell, taking bBitcoin below $7850 per coin. Bitcoin's price has come crashing back down amid the threat of regulations from the governments in the US, South Korea, China, Russia and India, as well as corporate bans from Facebook, which has banned adverts for cryptocurrencies due to scams and hoaxes being promoted on the site, and now Lloyds. British Prime Minister Theresa May has said that cryptocurrencies should be carefully watched because they are very popular amongst criminals to finance their illegal activities. The uncertainty surrounding bitcoin is leading investors to put their money in more reliable assets like gold. Googles Waymo is taking Uber to court for allegedly stealing trade secrets related to self-driving technology in one of Silicon Valley's biggest legal battles in years. Waymo claimed that former employee Anthony Levandowski, a leading figure in autonomous driving research, was in talks with Uber before leaving the Google company and that he stole more than 14,000 confidential documents. When he left Google, Levandowski founded Otto, an autonomous trucking company which was then acquired by Uber for $680m. "This is not a case where an engineer accidentally stepped over the line from know-how to stealing trade secrets because they didn't know where the line was," a Waymo spokesman said. "The evidence shows that Levandowski and other individuals at Uber intentionally and willfully misappropriated Waymo's trade secrets." Uber has said that although it acknowledges the documents were taken, it insists nothing useful was gained from them. Levandowski is expected to appear in court as a witness but he has pleaded the protection of the Fifth Amendment, which allows him not to say anything that could incriminate him. If Uber loses the trial it could be expected to pay a huge sum in damages or the court could decide to block Ubers self-driving programme to ensure none of the secrets have been put to practice. Judge William Alsup, the federal judge in San Francisco in charge of the case has had to speak out to make clear the case isnt set out to demonise Uber. "The central issues in this case remains whether or not Uber misappropriated Uber's trade secrets, not whether Uber is an evil corporation. Nearly 2,000 jobs could be axed at Homebase stores as Australian owner Wesfarmers announced the closure of up to 40 stores. Wesfarmers, which owns Homebase's parent firm, Bunnings UK, said on Monday that it has booked a 454m non-cash impairment charge on the acquisition of Homebase. Managing director Rob Scott said: "The Homebase acquisition has been below our expectations, which is obviously disappointing. In light of this, a review of BUKI has commenced to identify the actions required to improve shareholder returns. "We will take a disciplined approach to further capital deployment in BUKI and provide an update on the outcomes of the business review and our plans for a broader conversion to Bunnings at our Strategy Briefing Day in June." Wesfarmers said Bunnings UK & Ireland is expected to report an underlying loss before interest and tax of 97m for the first half of the 2018 financial year. Bunnings group managing director Michael Schneider said: "It is clear that a significant amount of change has been driven through Homebase since the acquisition and the disruption caused by the rapid repositioning of the business has contributed to greater than expected losses across the Homebase network. "Sales have been affected as non-core categories and concessions were exited ahead of the implementation of the Bunnings format, and investments in price and new ranges have not offset these lost sales. Trading was particularly weak during the latter part of the first half of the 2018 financial year. "Our focus is on improving the profitability of Homebase through improved ranging and execution in stores, while continuing to develop plans for a broader conversion to Bunnings. The team has been strengthened, including through the addition of strong local expertise, to support improved outcomes." The company said on Monday that between 20 and 40 stores could be closes due to poor performance. British Airways parent International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) saw passenger revenue per kilometre increase 3.2% on last January, while available seat kilometres rose 2.8%. Revenue per passenger kilometre improved to 18,636m. Yet British Airways traffic dropped 1.6% year-on-year to 11.3m, while Aer Lingus' traffic jumped 6.4%, that at Iberia by 9.9%, and Vueling's leapt ahead 17%. IAG's Iberia, and its subsidiary Iberia Express, were the most punctual airlines in 2017, according to a list of carriers ranked by FlightStats, with the former ranking number one amongst global airlines for the second year running with 88.97% of flights arriving on time. Iberia Express touched down 91.77% of its flights on time, making it the most punctual of all low-cost carriers for a fourth consecutive year. Total passengers carried by IAG moved ahead 7.5% to 7.19m in January, while overall domestic passenger numbers increased 14% to 1.73m and in Europe, the group came in 8.3% higher at 3.58m. IAG saw passenger numbers drop in the North American and Asia Pacific markets, down 1.1% to 751,000 and 6.8% to 178,000, respectively, but saw smaller upticks of 3.3% in the Latin American and Caribbean market and a 4.3% increase in figures to 513,000 from its Africa, Middle East and South Asia flights. As of 1700 GMT, shares had slipped 0.60% to 625.80p. Lloyds is gearing up to eliminate about 1,000 jobs over six divisions as chief executive officer Antonio Horta-Osorio sets the wheels in motion for a full-scale makeover of Britain's biggest mortgage lender. Lloyds, one of the UK's "big four" banks, let staff know in January that most cutbacks would come out of its commercial banking, chief information office, risk, community banking, insurance and wealth divisions, but added that in time, it eventually planned to add as many as 465 positions back into the businesses. "Where it is necessary for employees to leave the company, we will look to achieve this by offering voluntary redundancy," a spokeswoman for Lloyds told Bloomberg in a statement. "Compulsory redundancies will always be a last resort," the statement continued. Several analysts anticipate Horta-Osorio's overhaul plans to lean heavily on further cost reductions and technological investments as more and more customers start to make the move into online banking, after a set of announcements back in November revealed that the lender would be closing branches under the Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Lloyds names throughout 2018. As of 1610 GMT, shares had lost 0.84% to 68.19p. London's FTSE 100 was down 1.1% to 7,361.94 in afternoon trade on Monday as investors fretted that the Federal Reserve might hike rates more than expected after last week's strong wage growth figures and following the release of disappointing UK services data. B&Q owner Kingfisher was in the black after Australian retailer Wesfarmers wrote off competitor Homebase for $1bn, which is more than it bought it for two years ago, and said it could close between 20 and 40 stores in the UK. Miners were on the front foot as copper prices rose, with Anglo American, Antofagasta, Glencore and BHP Billiton all firmer. On the downside, Randgold Resources lost its shine despite doubling its dividend and reporting better-than-expected full-year production along with a 14% jump in full-year profits to $335m. Vodafone retreated, giving back gains made late on Friday when it confirmed it is in talks with Liberty Global about the acquisition of some assets in Europe. Analysts were optimistic that talks between the two could finally lead to a concrete deal, so the losses may still be on the back of Vodafone's third-quarter update last Thursday, in which it reported a 3.6% drop in revenue. Risers Kingfisher (KGF) 357.40p 2.29% Anglo American (AAL) 1,674.00p 1.58% Antofagasta (ANTO) 914.00p 1.40% Glencore (GLEN) 385.90p 0.82% Whitbread (WTB) 3,828.00p 0.37% BHP Billiton (BLT) 1,540.20p 0.20% Smith & Nephew (SN.) 1,253.00p 0.00% HSBC Holdings (HSBA) 749.10p -0.15% Fresnillo (FRES) 1,333.00p -0.15% Ashtead Group (AHT) 2,030.00p -0.20% Fallers Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 6,792.00p -3.58% Vodafone Group (VOD) 211.71p -3.55% Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 838.20p -3.10% G4S (GFS) 272.60p -2.92% ITV (ITV) 164.45p -2.61% Just Eat (JE.) 789.80p -2.52% Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) 242.90p -2.49% Scottish Mortgage Inv Trust (SMT) 444.72p -2.47% WPP (WPP) 1,261.25p -2.46% Old Mutual (OML) 228.30p -2.44% Shares in CityFibre Infrastructure fell on Monday after the announcement that Vodafone was in talks with cable network owner Liberty Global about possible European asset sales. Vodafone said on Friday that it was in talks with 'cable cowboy' John Malone's Liberty about potentially buying some of the "overlapping continental European assets" owned by the Virgin Media owner. The possibility of Vodafone and New York-listed cable giant Liberty merging has been a long-running City topic, with reports late last year that Liberty was exploring a sale of its Swiss and Austrian arms as a way of clearing the way for a merger. In November, AIM-listed CityFibre, the UK's largest alternative provider of wholesale fibre network infrastructure, announced a long-term strategic partnership with Vodafone to bring gigabit-capable full fibre broadband to up to five million UK premises by 2025. Under the wholesale agreement, Vodafone will have a period of exclusive rights during the construction phase of each city network to market ultra-fast consumer broadband services on the FTTP network to be built, operated and owned by CityFibre to help fix the UKs relative digital inadequacy. Milton Keynes was announced as the first site for the roll-out of the partnership. Construction of the first phase of deployment to one million premises was due to start in the first half of 2018, and was expected be largely complete in 2021. Both parties have the right to extend the commercial terms of the agreement to expand coverage to a further four million homes and businesses by 2025. On Monday, Mike van Dulken, head of research at Accendo Markets, said shares in CityFibre were likely to be faring badly due to worries that any Vodafone-Liberty transaction "harms" the wholesale partnership. "A VOD-LIB transaction could mean the CITY-VOD partnership suffers, especially if continental assets offer better investment opportunities. "Milton Keynes may well have just been announced as the first site for the CITY-VOD partnership rollout, but with Liberty Global owning Virgin Media - 1m connections up to 300Mbps, itself trying to connect to 4m UK premises - with which VOD/CITY would be in direct UK competition, might the proposed 12 city roll-out need to be slowed up as a concession?" he wondered. "Possibly worse news for the smaller partner than the telecom giant, especially if the latter changes its priorities." Speaker vote fixed in 4 provinces Provinces 2, 5, 6 and 7 held the first meeting of their assemblies on Sunday. The maiden Provincial Assembly sessions were concluded by announcing the speaker election and endorsing their working procedures. On Monday, February 5, 2018, the Virginia Tech Police Department took a report of a sexual assault, which occurred on February 2, 2018 in an unknown location. The survivor and suspect are both Virginia Tech students. This information is being released in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, commonly known as the Clery Act. The Clery Act requires all colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to keep and disclose information about crime on and near their respective campuses, including timely warnings of crimes that may represent a serious or ongoing threat to the safety of students or employees. The Virginia Tech Police Department reminds all community members of the following information about sexual assault. Note that this information is general in nature and does not necessarily relate to any specific incident: If you engage in sexual activity, be sure you understand your partner's limits, and communicate your own limits clearly. Don't engage in sexual activities without affirmative consent. The Hokie Handbook defines consent as "knowing, voluntary, and clear permission by word or action, to engage in mutually agreed upon sexual activity. The existence of consent is based on the totality of circumstances, including the context in which the alleged consent occurred. Silence does not necessarily constitute consent and coercion, force, or threat of either party invalidates consent. Consent cannot be given where a person is incapacitated due to drugs or alcohol; or where a person has a disability; or is not of legal age to consent as defined by law. Consent to any one form of sexual activity cannot automatically imply consent to any other forms of sexual activity. Consent can be withdrawn at any time. Previous relationships or prior consent cannot imply consent to future sexual acts." According to many published reports, any college community member might become the target of a sexual assault regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. Survivors of a sexual assault are never responsible for the behavior of the suspect nor the harm done to them by the suspect. The most common type of sexual assault is not by a stranger but by someone the survivor knows, typically a date or acquaintance. Trust your instincts. If you feel uneasy or sense something is wrong, do what you can to get yourself and those who may be with you out of that situation or call for assistance. Make a plan in advance for a safe means of getting home. Use and encourage others to have a companion or a safe means of getting home, i.e., a trusted friend, taxi, or Safe Ride if available. Be active in supporting a safe and respectful community. If you see others engaging in disrespectful or inappropriate actions, speak up and get involved, or contact someone else to assist. For more information, see: http://stopabuse.vt.edu/Get_Involved.html Alcohol and drugs are often used to create vulnerability to sexual assault. Studies of sexual assault incidents show a high correlation between acquaintance rape and drug/alcohol usage. Be alert to people pressuring you or others to use alcohol or other drugs. Be alert to people pressuring you or others to accept either alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks prepared by others. If you do not feel comfortable accepting a drink you did not prepare yourself, do not do so. If you have imminent concerns for the safety of yourself or others, call the police to ask for assistance. If you are sexually assaulted, you have several options. Please see related information at this website: www.stopabuse.vt.edu. The website has guidance for filing anonymous or formal reports. In addition, assistance is available through the following resources: Women's Center at Virginia Tech: 540-231-7806 Women's Resource Center of the New River Valley: 540-639-1123 Kelly Oaks: Title IX Coordinator: 540-231-8771 Katie Polidoro: Deputy Title IX Coordinator: 540-231-1824 Cook Counseling Center: 540-231-6557 Dean of Students Office: 540-231-3787 Virginia Tech Police Department: 540-382-4343 If you report a sexual assault that occurred on the Virginia Tech campus, Virginia Tech Police will investigate, provide assistance, and offer related services to support your safety and well-being. If the crime occurred in another jurisdiction, Virginia Tech Police will assist you in accessing assistance in that jurisdiction. The Virginia Tech Police Department offers a range of personal safety programs, including Rape Aggression Defense courses. For more information: http://police.vt.edu/programs-training/rad.html SSF-N, RJP-N vying for chief ministers post With no formal talks between the Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal and the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal on government formation, both the parties are staking their claim to the post of chief minister in Province 2. The following companies are subsidiares of The Procter & Gamble: "Procter & Gamble Services" LLC, "Procter & Gamble" LLC, Agile Pursuits, Agile Pursuits Franchising, Arbora, Arbora & Ausonia, Arborinvest, Billie, Braun (Shanghai) Co., Braun GmbH, Braun-Gillette Immobilien GmbH & Co. KG, Celtic Insurance Company, Compania Procter & Gamble Mexico, Compania Quimica S.A., Corporativo Procter & Gamble, Cosmetic Products Pty. Ltd., Detergent Products B.V., Detergent Products SARL, Detergenti S.A., Eurocos Cosmetic GmbH, FPG Oleochemicals Sdn. Bhd., Fameccanica Data S.p.A., Fameccanica Industria e Comercio Do Brasil LTDA., Fameccanica Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Fater S.p.A., Fountain Square Music Publishing Co., Gillette (China) Ltd., Gillette (Shanghai) Ltd., Gillette Aesop Ltd., Gillette Australia Pty. Ltd., Gillette Canada Holdings, Gillette Commercial Operations North America, Gillette Diversified Operations Pvt. Ltd., Gillette Egypt S.A.E., Gillette Group UK Ltd, Gillette Gruppe Deutschland GmbH & Co. oHG, Gillette Holding Company LLC, Gillette Holding GmbH, Gillette India Limited, Gillette Industries Ltd., Gillette International B.V., Gillette Latin America Holding B.V., Gillette Management LLC, Gillette Nova Scotia Company, Gillette Pakistan Limited, Gillette Poland International Sp. z.o.o., Gillette Poland S.A., Gillette U.K. Limited, Gillette del Uruguay, Giorgio Beverly Hills Inc., Hyginett KFT, Industries Marocaines Modernes SA, LLC "Procter & Gamble Novomoskovsk", LLL "Procter & Gamble Distributorskaya Compania", Laboratorios Vicks, Liberty Street Music Publishing Company, Limited Liability Company 'Procter & Gamble Trading Ukraine', Limited Liability Company with foreign investments Procter & and Gamble Ukraine, MDVIP, MERCK KGAA NPV, Marcvenca Inversiones, Modern Industries Company - Dammam, Modern Products Company - Jeddah, New Chapter, New Chapter Canada Inc., Olay LLC, Oral-B Laboratories, P&G Distribution Morocco SAS, P&G Hair Care Holding, P&G Industrial Peru S.R.L., P&G Innovation Godo Kaisha, P&G Israel M.D.O. Ltd., P&G K.K., P&G Northeast Asia Pte. Ltd., P&G Prestige Godo Kaisha, P&G Prestige Service GmbH, P&G South African Trading (Pty.) Ltd., PGT Health Care (Zhejiang) Limited, PGT Healthcare LLP, PPI ZAO, PT Procter & Gamble Home Products Indonesia, PT Procter & Gamble Operations Indonesia, Phase II Holdings Corporation, Procter & Gamble (Chengdu) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (China) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (China) Sales Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble (East Africa) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Egypt) Manufacturing Company, Procter & Gamble (Enterprise Fund) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Consumer Products Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Enterprise Management Service Company Limited, Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Health & Beauty Care) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Jiangsu) Ltd. China, Procter & Gamble (L&CP) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Procter & Gamble (Manufacturing) Ireland Limited, Procter & Gamble (Shanghai) International Trade Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Acquisition GmbH, Procter & Gamble Administration GmbH, Procter & Gamble Algeria EURL, Procter & Gamble Amazon Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Amiens S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Argentina SRL, Procter & Gamble Asia Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Australia Proprietary Limited, Procter & Gamble Azerbaijan Services LLC, Procter & Gamble Bangladesh Private Ltd., Procter & Gamble Blois S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Brazil Holdings B.V., Procter & Gamble Bulgaria EOOD, Procter & Gamble Business Services Canada Company, Procter & Gamble Canada Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Chile , Procter & Gamble Chile Limitada, Procter & Gamble Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Commercial LLC, Procter & Gamble Commercial de Cuba S.A., Procter & Gamble Czech Republic s.r.o., Procter & Gamble DS Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Danmark ApS, Procter & Gamble Detergent (Beijing) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Deuttschland GmbH, Procter & Gamble Distributing (Philippines) Inc., Procter & Gamble Distributing New Zealand Limited, Procter & Gamble Distribution Company (Europe) BVBA, Procter & Gamble Distribution S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Eastern Europe, Procter & Gamble Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Procter & Gamble Egypt, Procter & Gamble Egypt Distribution, Procter & Gamble Egypt Holding, Procter & Gamble Egypt Supplies, Procter & Gamble Energy Company LLC, Procter & Gamble Espana, Procter & Gamble Europe SA, Procter & Gamble Export Operations SARL, Procter & Gamble Exportadora e Importadora Ltda., Procter & Gamble Exports, Procter & Gamble Fabricacao e Comercio Ltda., Procter & Gamble Far East, Procter & Gamble Finance (U.K.) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Holding Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Management S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Financial Investments LLP, Procter & Gamble Financial Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Financial Services S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Finland OY, Procter & Gamble France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH, Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH & Co. Operations oHG, Procter & Gamble GmbH, Procter & Gamble Grundstucks-und Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG, Procter & Gamble Gulf FZE, Procter & Gamble Hair Care, Procter & Gamble Hellas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Holding (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Holding France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Holding GmbH, Procter & Gamble Holding S.r.l., Procter & Gamble Holdings (UK) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Home Products Private Limited, Procter & Gamble Hong Kong Limited, Procter & Gamble Hungary Wholesale Trading Partnership (KKT), Procter & Gamble Hygiene & Health Care Limited, Procter & Gamble Inc., Procter & Gamble India Holdings, Procter & Gamble Indochina Limited Company, Procter & Gamble Industrial - 2012 C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Industrial S.C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Costa Rica, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Guatemala, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Panama, Procter & Gamble International Operations Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble International Operations SA, Procter & Gamble International Operations SA-ROHQ, Procter & Gamble International S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Investment Company (UK) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Investment GmbH, Procter & Gamble Italia, Procter & Gamble Japan K.K., Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan Distribution LLP, Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan LLP, Procter & Gamble Korea, Procter & Gamble Korea S&D Co., Procter & Gamble Lanka Private Ltd. Sri Lanka, Procter & Gamble Leasing LLC, Procter & Gamble Levant S.A.L., Procter & Gamble Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Berlin GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Marketing Romania SRL, Procter & Gamble Marketing and Services doo, Procter & Gamble Maroc SA, Procter & Gamble Mataro, Procter & Gamble Mexico Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Mexico Inc., Procter & Gamble Middle East FZE, Procter & Gamble Nederland B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Investments B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Services B.V., Procter & Gamble Nigeria Limited, Procter & Gamble Nordic, Procter & Gamble Norge AS, Procter & Gamble Operations Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Overseas India B.V., Procter & Gamble Overseas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Pakistan (Private) Limited, Procter & Gamble Partnership LLP, Procter & Gamble Peru S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals France SAS, Procter & Gamble Philippines, Procter & Gamble Polska Sp. z o.o, Procter & Gamble Portugal - Produtos De Consumo, Procter & Gamble Product Supply (U.K.) Limited U.K., Procter & Gamble Production GmbH, Procter & Gamble Productions, Procter & Gamble Productos de Consumo, Procter & Gamble RHD, Procter & Gamble RSC Regional Service Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Retail Services BVBA, Procter & Gamble S.r.l., Procter & Gamble SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Satis ve Dagitim Ltd. Sti., Procter & Gamble Seine S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Service GmbH, Procter & Gamble Services (Switzerland) SA, Procter & Gamble Services Company N.V., Procter & Gamble Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Share Incentive Plan Trustee Ltd., Procter & Gamble South America Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Spol. s.r.o. (Ltd.), Procter & Gamble Sports and Social Club Ltd., Procter & Gamble Sverige AB, Procter & Gamble Switzerland SARL, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Limited, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Sales Company Limited, Procter & Gamble Technical Centres Limited, Procter & Gamble Technology (Beijing) Co., Procter & Gamble Trading (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Tuketim Mallari Sanayii A.S., Procter & Gamble UK, Procter & Gamble UK Group Holdings Ltd, Procter & Gamble UK Parent Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Universal Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Verwaltungs GmbH, Procter & Gamble Vietnam, Procter & Gamble d.o.o. za trgovinu, Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.C.A., Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.R.L., Procter & Gamble do Brasil S/A, Procter & Gamble do Brazil, Procter & Gamble do Nordeste S/A, Procter & Gamble-Rakona s.r.o., Progam Realty & Development Corporation, Redmond Products, Richardson-Vicks Real Estate Inc., Richardson-Vicks do Brasil Quimica e Farmaceutica Ltda, Riverfront Music Publishing Co., Rosemount LLC, SPD Development Company Limited, SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH, Scannon S.A.S., Series Acquisition B.V., Shulton, Surfac S.R.L., Sycamore Productions, TAOS - FL, TAOS Retail, Tambrands Inc., Temple Trees Impex & Investment Private Limited, The Art of Shaving - FL, The Dover Wipes Company, The Gillette Company, The Gillette Company LLC, The Gillette co., The Procter & Gamble Distributing LLC, The Procter & Gamble GBS Company, The Procter & Gamble Global Finance Company, The Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Company, The Procter & Gamble Paper Products Company, The Procter & Gamble U.S. Business Services Company, This is L., US CD LLC, Vidal Sassoon (Shanghai) Academy, Vidal Sassoon Co., WEBA Betriebsrenten-Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Walker & Company Brands, and iMFLUX Inc.. Medtronic Plc is a medical technology company, which engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of device-based medical therapies and services. It operates through the following segments: Cardiac and Vascular Group; Minimally Invasive Technologies Group; Restorative Therapies Group; and Diabetes Group. The Cardiac and Vascular Group segment consists of products for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of cardiac rhythm disorders and cardiovascular disease. The Minimally Invasive Technologies Group segment focuses on respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, renal system, lungs, pelvic region, kidneys, and obesity diseases. The Restorative Therapies Group segment comprises of neurostimulation therapies and drug delivery systems for the treatment of chronic pain, as well as areas of the spine and brain, along with pelvic health and conditions of the ear, nose, and throat. The Diabetes Group segment offers insulin pumps, coninuous glucose monitoring systems, and insulin pump consumables. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Read More Teenager rapes 3-year-old girl A 13-year-old boy has allegedly raped a three-year-old girl in Krishnasabaran Rural Municipality-6 in Saptari district, police said. The following companies are subsidiares of General Motors: 2140879 Ontario Inc., ACAR Leasing, ACAR Leasing Ltd., ACF Investment, ACF Investment Corp., AFS SenSub, APGO Trust, Adam Opel, Adam Opel GmbH, Aftermarket (UK), AmeriCredit, AmeriCredit Consumer Loan, AmeriCredit Consumer Loan Company Inc., AmeriCredit Financial Services, AmeriCredit Financial Services Inc., AmeriCredit Funding, AmeriCredit Syndicated Warehouse Trust, Annunciata Corporation, Argonaut Holdings, Argonaut Holdings LLC, BOCO (Proprietary), BOCO (Proprietary) Limited, Banco GMAC, Banco GMAC S.A., Baylis (Gloucester), Boco Trust, Boden Brussels, CHEVYPLAN, CHEVYPLAN S.A. Sociedad Administradora de Planes de Autofinanciamiento Comercial, Cadillac, Cadillac Europe, Cadillac Europe GmbH, Carve-Out Ownership, Carve-Out Ownership Cooperative LLC, Chevrolet Deutschland GmbH, Chevrolet Sales (Thailand), Chevrolet Sales (Thailand) Limited, Chevrolet Sales India, Chevrolet Sales India Private Ltd., Chevrolet Sociedad Anonima de Ahorro para Fines Determinados, Controladora General Motors, Controladora General Motors S.A. de C.V., Cruise, DCJ1, DCJ1 LLC, DMAX, DMAX Ltd., Dealership Liquidations, Dealership Liquidations Inc., Delphi Energy and Engine Management Systems UK, Delphi Energy and Engine Management Systems UK Overseas Corporation, EDS (Electronic Data Systems), FAW-GM, Fundacion Chevrolet, G.M.A.C., GCAR Titling Ltd., GM (UK) Pension, GM (UK) Pension Trustees Limited, GM APO Holdings, GM Administradora de Bens, GM Administradora de Bens Ltda., GM Asia Pacific Regional Headquarters Ltd., GM Auslandsprojekte, GM Automotive, GM Automotive Services Belgium, GM CME, GM Canada Holdings, GM Canada Limited, GM Components Holdings, GM Components Holdings LLC, GM Cruise, GM Cruise Holdings LLC, GM Cruise LLC, GM Defense LLC, GM Eurometals, GM Eurometals Inc., GM Europe Treasury, GM Finance, GM Finance Co. Holdings LLC, GM Financial, GM Financial AB, GM Financial Canada, GM Financial Canada Leasing, GM Financial Canada Leasing Ltd., GM Financial Colombia Holdings LLC, GM Financial Colombia S.A. Compania de Financiamiento, GM Financial Consumer, GM Financial Consumer Discount, GM Financial Consumer Discount Company, GM Financial Del Peru, GM Financial GmbH, GM Financial Holdings LLC, GM Financial Insurance Services, GM Financial Mexico Holdings, GM Financial Mexico Holdings LLC, GM Financial Real Estate, GM Financial de Mexico, GM Financial de Mexico S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.R., GM Financial del Peru S.A.C, GM Global Business Services, GM Global Propulsion Systems -Torino S.r.l., GM Global Purchasing and Supply Chain, GM Global Technology Operations, GM Global Technology Operations LLC, GM Global Tooling, GM Global Tooling Company LLC, GM Global Treasury Centre Limited, GM Holden, GM Holden Pty Ltd., GM Holdings U.K. No.1 Limited, GM Inversiones Santiago Limitada, GM Investment Trustees Limited, GM Korea, GM Korea Company, GM LAAM Holdings, GM LAAM Holdings LLC, GM Mexico Holdings, GM Mobility Europe GmbH, GM PSA Purchasing Services, GM Personnel Services, GM Personnel Services Inc., GM Philippines Inc., GM Plats (Proprietary), GM Regional Holdings, GM Regional Holdings LLC, GM Retirees Pension Trustees, GM Retirees Pension Trustees Limited, GM Subsystems Manufacturing, GM Subsystems Manufacturing LLC, GM Technical Center Korea Ltd., GM Viet Nam Motor Company, GM-DI Leasing, GM-DI Leasing LLC, GMAC - Instituicao Financeira de Credito, GMAC Administradora de Consorcios, GMAC Administradora de Consorcios Ltda., GMAC Banque, GMAC Continental, GMAC Espana de Financiacion, GMAC Holdings (U.K.), GMAC Lease B.V. (aka Masterlease Europe), GMAC Nederland N.V., GMAC Prestadora de Servicios de Mao de Obra Ltda., GMAC Servicios, GMAC UK, GMAC de Venezuela, GMAC-Prestadora de Servios de Mo-de-Obra, GMACI Corretora de Seguros, GMACI Corretora de Seguros Ltda, GMAM Real Estate I, GMCH&SP Private Equity II, GMCH&SP Private Equity II L.P., GMF Australia Pty Ltd, GMF Europe, GMF Europe Holdco, GMF Europe LLP, GMF Floorplan Owner Revolving Trust, GMF Funding, GMF Germany Holdings, GMF Global Assignment, GMF Global Assignment LLC, GMF International, GMF International LLC, GMF Leasing LLC, GMF Leasing Warehousing Trust, GMF Wholesale Receivables, GMGP Holdings, General Motors (China) Investment Company, General Motors (China) Investment Company Limited, General Motors (Thailand), General Motors (Thailand) Limited, General Motors - Colmotores, General Motors - Colmotores S.A., General Motors Advisory Services LLC, General Motors Africa and Middle East, General Motors Africa and Middle East FZE, General Motors Asia, General Motors Asia LLC, General Motors Asia Pacific Holdings, General Motors Asia Pacific Holdings LLC, General Motors Asset Management, General Motors Asset Management Corporation, General Motors Australia, General Motors Australia Pty Ltd., General Motors Austria, General Motors Austria, General Motors Auto, General Motors Auto LLC, General Motors Automobiles Philippines, General Motors Automobiles Philippines Inc., General Motors Automotive Holdings, General Motors Automotive Holdings S.L., General Motors Belgique Automobile NV, General Motors Belgium, General Motors Chile, General Motors Chile Industria Automotriz Limitada, General Motors China LLC, General Motors Daewoo Auto and Technology, General Motors Daewoo Auto and Technology CIS LLC, General Motors East Africa, General Motors Egypt, General Motors Egypt S.A.E., General Motors Espana, General Motors Europe Holdings, General Motors Europe Limited, General Motors Financial Chile, General Motors Financial Chile Limitada, General Motors Financial Chile S.A., General Motors Financial Company, General Motors Financial Company Inc., General Motors Financial International, General Motors Financial Italia, General Motors Financial Suisse, General Motors Financial UK, General Motors Financial of Canada, General Motors Financial of Canada Ltd., General Motors Finland, General Motors France, General Motors GBS Hungary, General Motors Global Service Operations, General Motors Global Service Operations Inc., General Motors Hellas, General Motors Holden Australia, General Motors Holden Australia NSC, General Motors Holden Australia NSC Pty Ltd., General Motors Holden Australia Pty Ltd., General Motors Holdings LLC, General Motors IT Services (Ireland) Limited, General Motors India Private, General Motors India Private Limited, General Motors International Holdings, General Motors International Holdings LLC, General Motors International Operations, General Motors International Operations Pte. Ltd., General Motors International Services Company, General Motors International Services Company SAS, General Motors International Services LLC, General Motors Investment Limited, General Motors Investment Management, General Motors Investment Management Corporation, General Motors Investment Participacoes, General Motors Investment Participacoes Ltda., General Motors Investments, General Motors Investments Pty. Ltd., General Motors Ireland, General Motors Israel, General Motors Israel Ltd., General Motors Italia, General Motors Japan, General Motors Japan Limited, General Motors LLC, General Motors Limited, General Motors Manufacturing Poland, General Motors Nederland, General Motors New Zealand Pensions, General Motors New Zealand Pensions Limited, General Motors Overseas, General Motors Overseas Commercial Vehicle, General Motors Overseas Commercial Vehicle Corporation, General Motors Overseas Corporation, General Motors Overseas Distribution, General Motors Overseas Distribution LLC, General Motors Peru, General Motors Peru S.A., General Motors Poland Spolka, General Motors Portugal, General Motors Powertrain (Thailand), General Motors Powertrain (Thailand) Limited, General Motors Research Corporation, General Motors South Africa, General Motors South Africa (Pty) Limited, General Motors Suisse, General Motors Taiwan, General Motors Taiwan Ltd., General Motors Technical Centre India, General Motors Technical Centre India Private Limited, General Motors Treasury Center, General Motors Treasury Center LLC, General Motors Turkiye, General Motors UK, General Motors Uruguay, General Motors Uruguay S.A., General Motors Venezolana, General Motors Ventures, General Motors Ventures LLC, General Motors Warehousing and Trading (Shanghai), General Motors Warehousing and Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., General Motors de Argentina, General Motors de Argentina S.r.l., General Motors de Mexico, General Motors de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., General Motors del Ecuador, General Motors del Ecuador S.A., General Motors do Brasil, General Motors do Brasil Ltda., General Motors of Canada, General Motors of Canada Company, General Motors-Holden's Sales, General Motors-Holden's Sales Pty. Limited, GigaPower LLC, Global Services Detroit, Global Services Detroit LLC, Global Tooling Service Company Europe, Global Tooling Service Company Europe Limited, Go Motor Retailing, Go Trade Parts, Grand Pointe Holdings, Grand Pointe Holdings Inc., Grand Pointe Park Condominium, Grand Pointe Park Condominium Association, H.S.H., Haines & Strange, Holden New Zealand, Holden New Zealand Limited, IBC Pension Trustees, IBC Pension Trustees Limited, IBC Vehicles, Lease Ownership Cooperative, Lease Ownership Cooperative LLC, Lidlington Engineering Company, Lidlington Engineering Company Ltd., Limited Liability Company "General Motors CIS", Master Lease Germany, Maven Drive, Maven Drive LLC, Millbrook Pension Management, Millbrook Pension Management Limited, Monetization of Carve-Out, Monetization of Carve-Out LLC, Motor Repris Automocio, Motors Holding, Motors Holding LLC, Motors Properties, Motors Properties (Trading), Multi-Use Lease Entity Trust, North American New Cars, North American New Cars LLC, Omnibus BB Transportes, Omnibus BB Transportes S. A., OnStar Connected Services Srl, OnStar Egypt Limited LLC, OnStar Europe, OnStar Europe Ltd., OnStar Global Services, OnStar Global Services Corporation, OnStar LLC, OnStar de Mexico, OnStar de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Opel Bank, Opel Danmark, Opel Group, Opel Group Warehousing, Opel Leasing, Opel Norge, Opel Sonderdienste, Opel Southeast Europe, Opel Sverige, Opel Szentgotthard Automotive Manufacturing, Opel Wien, P.T. G M AutoWorld Indonesia, P.T. General Motors Indonesia, PIMS, PIMS Co., PT. General Motors Indonesia Manufacturing, Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center, Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center Company Ltd., Prestadora de Servicios GMF Colombia S.A.S., Rapid Motor Vehicle Company, Reliance Motor Car Company, Riverfront Holdings III Inc., Riverfront Holdings Inc., Riverfront Holdings Phase II Inc., SAIC GM (Shenyang) Norsom Motors Co. Ltd., SAIC GM Dong Yue Motors Company Limited, SAIC GM Dong Yue Powertrain Company Limited, SAIC GM Wuling Automobile Company Limited, SAIC General Motors Corporation Limited, SAIC General Motors Investment Limited, SAIC General Motors Sales Company Limited, SAIC-GMAC Automotive Finance Company Limited, SAIC-GMF Leasing Co. Ltd., Servicios GMAC S.A. de C.V., Shanghai Chengxin Used Car Operation and Management Company Limited, Shanghai OnStar Telematics Co. Ltd., Sherwoods (Darlington) Limited, Sidecar Technologies, Skurrays Limited, Stam-Terberg Autobedrijven B. V., Strobe Inc., VHC Sub-Holdings (UK), Vauxhall Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Vehicle Asset Universal Leasing Trust, Vickers (Lakeside) Limited, Vision Motors Limited, WRE, WRE Inc., and Zona Franca Industrial Colmotores SAS. Courtesy Ohio State Wexner Medical Center A pacemaker-like device implanted in the frontal lobes of the brain may slow the progression of some Alzheimer's disease symptoms, a new study says. The treatment, known as deep brain stimulation (DBS), in which implants send electrical signals to regulate the firing of brain cells, has long been used in the frontal lobes (the brains motor control area) to successfully inhibit the tremors that can occur with Parkinsons disease. But the Ohio State University study, published this week in the Journal of Alzheimers Disease, marks the first time an Alzheimers study has tested DBS in the brains frontal lobes the area where problem-solving, organization and other executive-function skills are processed. Researchers at Ohio State followed three Alzheimers patients who had the devices implanted for about two years. They compared their abilities with those of people who did not have DBS and found that two of their three subjects had statistically less decline than those with no DBS. One woman in the DBS group even regained some daily functioning abilities. She was able to do a few things she had stopped doing, including preparing dinner for herself and her husband and planning an activity outside the home. Mercy Virtual has been called a hospital without patients, and the description is both true and false. There are neither beds nor patients in the gleaming four-story medical facility, which opened in late 2015 in Chesterfield, Missouri, a St. Louis suburb. But the facility is a hub of very real care for very real patients, in hospital beds and at home. Part of the Mercy health care system, which spans 44 hospitals in the Midwest, Mercy Virtual is the incarnation in bricks and mortar of what has generally been consigned to the ether: virtual care. Also referred to as telemedicine or telehealth, virtual care involves the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients by medical experts who are miles or even continents away. Heralded as a way to save money while providing quality care for patients who might not otherwise have access to specialists, telemedicine has exploded in growth during the past decade. One report claims that, globally, telemedicine will be a $36.2 billion industry by 2020, up from $14.3 billion in 2014. This new approach to health care is of particular importance to older Americans, because it creates the potential of putting a virtual doctor or nurse right into the homes of patients, as frequently as needed, monitoring their health and making real-time diagnoses and treatment adjustments. While many health care providers are developing elaborate virtual-care operations, no other single initiative to date reaches the grand scale exemplified by Mercy Virtual, the first built-from-scratch virtual-care center in America. With a team of more than 700 physicians, nurses and support staff serving 750,000-plus patients last year, Mercy Virtual is an experiment in telemedicine writ large. But does it work? Gauging virtual care Let me introduce myself: I am an academic physician specialized in internal medicine and preventive medicine, and the founding director of Yale Universitys Prevention Research Center at Griffin Hospital. Until I turned my attention to Mercy, I was relatively uninitiated in the ways of virtual health care. In truth, my predispositions were mostly negative, and my skepticism ran deep. Wouldnt bedside and virtual care conflict? Wouldnt there often be added cost, without added benefit? Wouldnt the technology prove daunting for homebound patients? Most important, wouldnt virtual care be impersonal, without the human touch that so many of us see as central to the healer-patient relationship? Mercy was eager to address my questions and hosted me for two full days, to observe its processes and meet with staff and patients. Federal privacy laws prohibited me from talking with random patients or viewing any case details; the patients I spoke with were cleared in advance by Mercy. That said, my access to staff, patients, facilities and information seemed more than sufficient for me to make a reliable assessment. Seen from the outside, Mercy Virtual is a sleek and inviting place, the mostly glass facade offering glimpses of warm wood and large spaces. Inside, a wide central staircase and open layout are conducive to impromptu group conversations. At the same time, clever engineering allows for privacy protection in the patient-care areas; partitions on swivels look like a hybrid of giant wings, umbrellas and hot-air balloons. The effect would be more mystical than medical were it not for the state-of-the-art consoles and mass of neatly arrayed clinical information on multiple computer screens at the heart of each hub. UT fans will be patient with Josh Heupel, depending on what he does next football The pendulum swings The first sessions of the newly elected provincial assemblies are currently underway. They have already been held in five provinces, and will be held in the remaining two provinces over the next few days. PROMOTIONS REDW LLC has promoted 13 staff members in multiple practice areas in its Albuquerque office. They are: Daniela C. Moya, CPA, Senior Associate II in the firms audit & assurance department. Moya joined the firm in 2016. She has a bachelors degree in accounting and a masters degree in accountancy, both from New Mexico State University. Steven Jaramillo, Senior Audit Associate I in the firms audit & assurance department. Jaramillo joined the firm in 2015. He has a bachelors degree in accounting from the University of New Mexico. R. Neil Mortensen, Senior Audit Associate in the firms audit & assurance department. Mortensen joined the firm in 2014. He has a bachelors degree in accounting from Southern Utah University. Yvette Nunez, Senior Audit Associate I in the firms audit & assurance department. Nunez joined REDW LLC in 2016. She has a bachelors degree in accountancy from NMSU; and a masters degree in accounting from UNM. Steven Purwin, CPA, Senior Audit Associate in the firms audit & assurance department. Purwin joined the firm in 2015. He has a bachelors degree in accounting from UNM. Kristen Rodriguez, CPA, Senior Audit Associate I in the firms audit & assurance department. Rodriguez joined REDW LLC in 2014. She has a bachelors degree in accounting and a masters degree in accounting with a concentration in information assurance, both from UNM. Jacob Morrison, Audit Associate II in the firms audit & assurance department. Morrison has a bachelors degree in accounting, cum laude, from UNM. Cole Schnoor, Audit Associate II in the firms audit & assurance department. Schnoor joined the firm in 2016. He has a bachelors degree in accounting from UNM. Rebecca Stamp, Audit Associate II in the firms audit & assurance department. Stamp joined the firm in 2016. She has a bachelors degree in accounting from Colorado State University; and a masters degree in accountancy from NMSU. Antonio Flores, CPA, Manager, Business Software in the business software department. Flores has a masters degree in finance and masters degree in accounting, both from UNM. Leslie Jiron, CPA, Tax Manager in the tax department. Jiron joined the firm in 2014. She has a bachelors degree in business administration from UNM. Brandon Remley, CPA, tax manager in the tax department. Remley has a bachelors degree in accountancy from NMSU. Mike Pattengale, CPA, CGMA, Manger, Valuation & Forensic Services in the Valuation, Forensic & Litigation Services department. Pattengale has a bachelors degree in accounting from the University of Arizona; and is a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA). Randi Valverde has been promoted to shareholder by Montgomery & Andrews, P.A. Valverdes practice includes litigation and counseling clients regarding employment law, labor law, and insurance defense matters. APPLAUSE The Albuquerque chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has recognized two Albuquerque Public Schools projects during the 2017 Architecture Design Awards Program, held on Dec. 8, 2017. They are: Career Enrichment Center (CEC) which was honored with a AIA Merit Award for the imaginative transformation of a common warehouse into new instructional and commons space that adjoins the schools existing building and curriculum. An APS magnet high school, CEC provides specialized science, technology, and vocational classes for students from all APS high schools as well as its own full-time student body enrolled in AP high school classes and college honors courses in partnership with CNM. Designed by Lee Gamelsky Architects P.C., the two-story, 20,667-square-foot space was devised to reflect the schools unique curriculum. Ernie Pyle Middle Schools new 23,500-square-foot 6th-grade building, science lab, and administration space earned an AIA Honor Award. Designed by Baker Architecture + Design, the two-story plan provides a covered first floor outdoor teaching and gathering space. The project is also a LEED Gold certified project. ETC. The Association for Talent Development of New Mexico (ATDNM) has elected their 2018 board of directors. They are Deb Howard, president; Sara Sanasac, past president; Leah Kier, vice president of programs; Shanika Ricks, vice president of finance; Julie Fisher, co-vice president of membership; Laura Suazo, co-vice president of memberhsip; Felipe Amaral, vice president of technology; and Charles Hinson, vice president of operations. Cathy Colvin, associate broker at Vista Encantada Realtors, has been elected Regional XI 2018 vice president of the National Association of Realtors. Region XI consists of New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. The Apartment Association of New Mexico (AANM) has elected new board of director officers for 2018. They are Bobby Griffith, NAHP-e, HCCP, C3P, HCM-H, COS, HCM-R, STAR CFO/Principle of JL Gray Company, president; Steve Ross executive director, Supportive Housing Coalition of New Mexico, vice president of education; Sara Minnick-Lujan market development manager at Xfinity Communities, vice president of membership; Josh Smith vice president commercial lending, Washington Federal, treasurer; and Gene Vance Vancek Chavez & Associates, secretary and legal counsel for the board. The Realtors Association of New Mexico (RANM) has elected the new officers for the 2018 Executive Committee. They are Connie Hettinga, Las Cruces, president; Paul Wilson, Albuquerque, president-elect; Victoria Murphy, Santa Fe, immediate past president; Todd Clarke, Albuquerque, central district vice president; Paul Romero, Taos, northeast district vice president; Julie Blair, Farmington, northwest district vice president; James Russ II, Ruidoso, southwest district vice president; Bill Davis, Roswell, southeast district vice president; and M. Steven Anaya, Santa Fe, CEO of RANM. From construction sites to the C-suite level of new startups, New Mexico is shouldering its share of a nationwide struggle facing the business world: how to find enough qualified workers. Employers are battling: a changing workforce as baby boomers retire, a skills gap haunting a variety of occupations and a legion of people who simply failed to re-enter the workforce after the Great Recession. The number of unfilled job openings nationwide last year topped about 6 million for five months in a row, a record streak, according to the Washington Post. With the U.S. unemployment rate at 4.1 percent, the lowest in 17 years, employers are competing for fewer workers. In New Mexico, though, the unemployment rate (which measures those who are jobless and looking for work) remains stuck at the second-highest level in the nation. It was 6 percent in December, the most recent month available. So when you talk about a shortage of labor (in the state), its got to be in specific occupations, said Jim Peach, New Mexico State University economist. There are people out there willing and able to work, but there may be a mismatch of skills. We dont have a general shortage of labor. One big factor, he said, is the states relatively low wages. If you need more workers, offer a higher wage and theyll show up, Peach said. The biggest workforce shortage facing New Mexico through at least 2020 is among doctors, nurses, dentists and other health-care providers, according to a study by AARP Research. The problem is especially acute when it comes to the states rural areas, but in general, regardless of any foreseeable change in health care or health care delivery, New Mexico will have substantial shortages in most health care professions, said Dr. Richard Larson, executive vice chancellor at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. Also not expected to change any time soon is the workforce gap in New Mexicos construction industry. This booming part of the states economy has for months been unable to fill the demand for skilled workers. Our industry really has a huge challenge, said Kelly Roepke-Orth, chief operations officer of the Associated General Contractors of New Mexico. We saw a large portion of the labor force move to other industries or out of state altogether. Even the states youngest businesses are not immune. Startup companies focusing on everything from scientific discoveries to technological applications sometimes struggle to find qualified administrators to fill their top ranks, said Stuart Rose, founder of The BioScience Center and FatPipe incubator, both in Albuquerque. What is missing here are people who are experienced entrepreneurs, who can become C-level executives in companies emerging (from a) startup base, Rose said. Heres a look at some of the shortages expected to continue facing the state: Health care While rural areas across the nation are suffering from a lack of licensed providers, things are worse in New Mexico, Larson says. I dont believe we have identified a profession or specialty where there is not a shortage, he said. The question is how severe is the shortage. For example, 30 of New Mexicos 33 counties are below national workforce levels when it comes to registered nurses, while two-thirds of the states counties are short on primary-care doctors and physician assistants, according to a 2017 report by the New Mexico Health Care Workforce Committee. When it comes to nurses, the state faces a tsunami of potential retirees, some of whom are in their 70s and looking at leaving the profession soon, said Deborah Walker, executive director of the New Mexico Nurses Association. Were now at a tipping point where more people are retiring than were producing, she said. The state Legislature recently approved a multistate compact allowing nurses licensed elsewhere to practice in New Mexico, but Walker said thats just one step toward ensuring an adequate workforce. Jason Mitchell of Presbyterian Healthcare Services said the provider shortages are so persistent that relying solely on recruiting new bodies will not be enough. Mitchell, chief medical officer, said the key will be making fundamental changes in how health care is dispensed. He pointed to certain primary-care visits that are now conducted over the phone or through video visits. Already, 8 percent of Presbyterians primary-care visits are now by phone, he said. Were aging in place as a state not growing overall and people are getting older, Mitchell said. So what we have today will not work tomorrow if we do it the same way. Startups need higher-ups While New Mexico has made strides in providing capital and support for new companies, finding chief executive officers and vice presidents to oversee them can be difficult. Thats because New Mexico lacks a big enough ecosystem, Lisa Kuuttila, CEO of the University of New Mexicos technology transfer office, said of the need for top administrators just below the CEO level. With its relatively small population, the state is limited in people with the skill sets to be a startup CEO, Rose said. Those skills include the ability to raise money, set strategic direction and the ability to manage people, Rose said. He added, though, that even in New York or Boston, its not always possible to find every kind of person youre looking for. Kuuttila said some companies that look for people outside of New Mexico find it hard to recruit because we dont have enough of a base to make it attractive to move here. Someone qualified to fill a vice president-level job, for example, might be more tempted to go to a larger market where there are more opportunities if the startup fails, she said. Said Rose, They ask themselves, What am I going to do if that company (is not) going to succeed? Where is the next job in New Mexico? We dont have a good answer yet. That person may also wonder whether his or her spouse can also find a job in the state, he said. For John Lahoff of Southwest Labs, the difficulty has been finding workers skilled for the very niche, technical business. The Albuquerque company, which has about 55 employees, features an advanced toxicology lab that specializes in clinical drug testing. Lahoff, the companys marketing director, said recent college graduates have limited opportunities locally and end up leaving New Mexico for more pay elsewhere. He said his company has learned to be creative in finding people who have the core skills required but who need some extra training. We have as talented people as anywhere; you just have to look at it differently, he said. You have to think outside the box. Rose and Kuuttila agree that New Mexico is making strides and becoming more attractive. Once we have a few companies that are successful, and the word gets out into the world outside of New Mexico that says something is going on (here), thats when this will become much easier, he said. Were getting closer but were not there. Construction A workforce shortage in the building trades has been much in the news over the past year as the national economy has ramped up and skilled workers have become more scarce. Roepke-Orth said New Mexicos gap mirrors the one measured at the national level recently by the Associated General Contractors of America. The report, released on Jan. 3, found that 82 percent of companies surveyed expect it will remain difficult or become even harder this year to find enough workers. Clinton Beall, senior vice president of B&D Industries Inc. in Albuquerque, said his company would like to add 30 to 50 employees to its 350-member workforce over the next year but faces the same squeeze as other contractors. The industry, he said, was hit by a perfect storm stemming from the economic downtown and subsequent lost labor force on top of a lack of experienced workers to train newcomers. A bright spot, he said, is ongoing construction of the Facebook data center in Los Lunas, which is providing a wealth of jobs. The work is also serving to bring in an influx of travelers, or out-of-state workers, who are helping to close the gap. The industry in New Mexico, he said, is seeing new people coming into construction, (but), in general there isnt always enough skilled labor to train them. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal Nearly three dozen startup entrepreneurs and investors will glide together over the Taos Ski Valley slopes on Feb. 22 in the fourth annual ski lift pitch competition. The ABQid business accelerator has selected 15 companies to compete in this years event for a $10,000 prize. Another 15 investors from New Mexico and elsewhere will serve as judges. Its the largest lineup of companies and investors since the annual ski lift pitch began in 2015, said ABQid Executive Director T.J. Cook. We had the highest number of applications ever, so we decided to expand the competition from 12 companies last year to 15 this time, Cook said. The competitors will pair off with investors in three different groups, allowing each startup to pitch its business ideas individually to five different judges during successive rides up the Kachina Peak Lift. Most of the participating companies and investors are from other states, including California, Colorado, Illinois, New York and Arizona. Only five of the competing startups are from New Mexico. That incudes: AdWallet, an Albuquerque firm that pays consumers to watch ads on mobile devices. Twistle, which is marketing instant-messaging technology to link doctors and patients in hospitals. Rodin Scientific, which has technology to monitor and track the progress of patients with heart problems in their homes. Hangtime, a Santa Fe startup with a novel, tethered phone case for outdoors people to avoid dropping or losing their devices. DataButterfly, a Los Alamos firm with an app that uses artificial intelligence to command drones to shoot better quality photos and video. Attracting out-of-state participants is good for New Mexico, Cook said. Its helping get the word out about New Mexicos startup ecosystem, he said. Were seeing more interest and awareness as a result about deals and opportunities here among investors in places like the Silicon Valley, Chicago and New York. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal The countdown has begun for launch of the worlds first commercial Internet and phone service in space, courtesy of Solstar Space Co. in New Mexico. The Santa Fe-based firms new Schmitt Space Communicator is now awaiting flight on Blue Origins New Shepard spacecraft, set to launch in Van Horn, Texas, in the coming weeks. Jeff Bezos highly secretive rocket company wont publicly announce the flight date, but Solstars communicator will be on board to test real-time internet and wi-fi communications. That would be a first for todays emerging commercial space industry, one that may soon enable tourists and researchers flying on rockets or housed on future space stations to directly communicate by internet and phone with family, friends and colleagues on the ground. Space tourism is getting close, with suborbital and eventually orbital flights, said space author Leonard David, who has followed Solstars work. The idea that people will be able take a picture in flight and send it to friends and family is exciting. Everyone wants that Kodak moment looking down at Earth from 65 miles up. Apart from selfies, tweets and phoning home, Solstars technology could provide a critical boost to nearly every endeavor in the new age of commercial space, from research and manufacturing to rocket-based travel across the globe. Made in Space, for example, could eventually rely on commercial services from Solstar or other companies for real-time communications to operate space-based 3-D printers from the ground. The Silicon Valley firm currently uses NASAs network to communicate with a 3-D printer it runs on the International Space Station. But the ISS is slated for either shutdown or privatization by 2024, and the company will need commercial alternatives to communicate with its printers, said Matt Napoli, vice president of in-space operations. Solstar is building a commercial solution, Napoli said. Were excited about that. Solstars new Schmitt Space Communicator, named after Apollo 17 astronaut and moonwalker Harrison Schmitt, is the brainchild of Solstar President and CEO Brian Barnett. It represents 30 years working in the space industry and in satellite-based telecommunications. Barnett managed payload integration for NASAs space shuttle from 1987-1993, giving him critical field experience and extensive contacts in the space industry. He later moved into satellite communications, launching two companies in Albuquerque SatWest LLC to sell satellite phones and airtime; and Solstar Energy Devices, to develop and market solar-powered battery chargers for satellite phones. Barnett still sells phones, airtime and chargers through Solstar Energy Devices. But he disbanded SatWest in 2014 to focus on building technology for space-based communications through Solstar Space Co. The goal is to offer cost-effective, secure communications 24/7 for operators to connect with colleagues and payloads from any connected device on the planet or in space, Barnett said. Well provide communications by satellite for everything from suborbital rockets to space hotels and private space stations, all of which are being developed today, he said. Its all about connecting people and things in space to Earth . But it takes a lot of rocket science to make that happen. Communications signals must be carefully synchronized as they bounce among satellites, rockets and space stations moving at hyper velocities, in different directions and at wildly varying altitudes. And equipment must be robust enough to withstand rocket flight and the harsh conditions of space. Solstars patent-pending device contains all the basic modem, antennae and electronics for communications. But its integrated with a proprietary design to navigate the challenges of space. Its encased in a robust metal box for protection and stability. Barnett already proved the basic system will operate on a rocket. He flew an initial design on a suborbital UP Aerospace launch from Spaceport America in 2013. Students from the Bosque School in Albuquerque successfully sent 16 computer text messages like Hasta la vista baby to the rocket, and Barnett received signals in return. That proved the technology would work on a spacecraft moving at rocket velocities in space, Barnett said. Now, Solstar will test the full internet and wi-fi system on the next two Blue Origin flights, paid for by NASA through a program that helps private companies experiment with new space technologies. Solstar ground tested the system on the New Shepard spacecraft last summer. During the upcoming Blue Origin flights, well send and receive data on the launch pad, on the rockets way up, when its in space, and on the way back down, Barnett said. Once Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic begin passenger and payload flights, Barnett expects his device to keep space tourists and scientists connected online throughout their journey. Solstar will bill users for service. As the commercial space industry matures, demand for Solstars technology could grow exponentially, said Christopher Stott, chairman and CEO of the satellite communications firm Mansat. Brian is meeting a real market need, Stott said. Demand is pulling his technology forward. Made-in-New Mexico technology shoots Internet, WiFi into space Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal An outside attorney counseled the states largest university on how to potentially amend the states public records law, newly released documents show but exactly what kind of amendments remain a mystery. Zachary McCormick of the Albuquerque law firm Modrall Sperling billed the University of New Mexico $1,806 for IPRA advice in November, according to documents recently obtained by the Journal. IPRA is the states sunshine law, formally called the Inspection of Public Records Act. In December, a UNM spokeswoman described McCormicks consultation as part of an ongoing effort to improve the universitys response to IPRA. She said the university had no plans to pursue legislative changes to the law. In order to comply with our states record inspection law while also using staff resources as effectively as possible, UNM sought a one-time outside legal opinion to advise on our policies and fulfillment of the requirements of the law, spokeswoman Cinnamon Blair said in a written statement Dec. 19. But documents indicate that McCormick, who met with UNM officials Nov. 1, provided input about how to change the law. In a Nov. 8 email to University Counsel Elsa Cole, McCormick said he had produced a memo with a few suggestions about your response protocols and letters and some suggestions about statutory amendments that might have a chance. The full nature of the advice remains unclear. In response to a Journal records request, UNM provided a heavily redacted copy of McCormicks Nov. 8 memo, citing an exception for attorney-client privileged documents. Asked recently if UNM had paid McCormick for advice on possible ways to change IPRA, Blair said in a written statement, As per the invoice, UNM paid Modrall-Sperling for the scope of services specified in the letter of engagement. The engagement letter dated two weeks after McCormick met with UNM officials and one week after he drafted his memo cites his advice regarding questions concerning compliance with and possible amendemtns (sic) to the Inspection of Public Records Act. McCormick declined to answer Journal questions about his work for UNM. McCormick detailed his advice in a two-page memo. UNM redacted almost the entire second page in the copy it provided the Journal. The released portions of the memo do not spell out any specific changes to IPRA. Blair said again recently that UNM does not plan to pursue any legislative changes to IPRA. In the released portion, McCormick counsels officials on in-house procedures related to public records. He recommends UNM ask employees to track the time they spend fulfilling records requests. Instead of saying We spend large amounts of employee time in complying, you will be able to show actual numbers, which I think is far more persuasive, he wrote. He adds that employees who view the time logs as more busywork might more readily cooperate if you can get them to understand that it might help get some relief from IPRA in the future. UNM has begun asking employees to log time spent answering requests. Blair said she could not say what McCormick meant with the phrase relief from IPRA. No, those are his words. Our decision to add the logs to our protocol was made so that we would be able to use data over time to determine how to be most effective with our resources, and to demonstrate how burdensome a request might be if challenged in court as some future time, she said. IPRA permits access to most public records and requires public bodies to produce records within 15 days of receiving a request, except those deemed excessively burdensome. Agencies can charge reasonable fees for copying records, but the law does not allow them to charge for employee time spent fulfilling requests. Peter St. Cyr, New Mexico Foundation for Open Government executive director, said the time tracking could help enhance transparency at UNM if the university uses the information to budget for improving access. It is always a good idea to collect data to rationally allocate resources and to prepare to be more efficient, St. Cyr said. But their track record and that tone of (McCormicks) language could signal the interest in creating additional barriers or applying a tax on records. UNM had received more than 630 records requests through mid-December. Thats compared to 387 in all of 2016. The university has one public records custodian, and officials have said the request volume has at times proven overwhelming. McCormicks memo also suggests that UNM should produce better documentation when it claims a burdensome exemption for not delivering records within the legally proscribed 15-day window. It could help when preparing an exhibit to show the court you are in good faith, he wrote. Loving Municipal Schools saved nearly $7,000 in utilities since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2018 after implementing the four-day-week school calendar, said Superintendent Ann Lynn McIlroy. McIlroy presented an update at a school board meeting last month on the schedules impact on finances and student growth for the months of November and December. She said about $1,600 in utilities was saved between those two months specifically. Thats pretty cool to see that, she said. The district and its three schools about 12 miles southeast of Carlsbad has 546 students enrolled as of last month, a number that has remained steady throughout the 2017-18 school year 248 elementary school students, 133 middle school students and 165 high school students. McIlroy said student attendance for Loving Elementary and Loving High School increased within those months, but there was a decrease in attendance at Loving Middle School. McIlroy attributed the decreases to many students being sick. We really struggled with the flu (in December), said Loving Middle School principal Vince Taylor. Taylor, who was also sick at one point, said students were either sent home by the nurse or parents came to pick up their child in the middle of the day. He said those students slowly recovered and returned after Christmas break. We almost had every student (every day), Taylor said. It (the four-day week) has been awesome. Its been a big adjustment for students, teachers and administrators. The district implemented the four-day schedule in the 2017-18 school year as a response to budget cuts by the state into the 2016-17 school year. The state cut nearly $200,000 from the school district in 2016 New Mexico Legislative special session and 2017 regular session. Grasping for a way to describe the indescribable, stunned survivors of terror attacks have often reached for the imagery of cinema: It was like a movie. But that phrase has never taken on quite the same meaning as it has for Spencer Stone, Alek Skarlatos and Anthony Sadler. On Aug. 21, 2015, the three young American friends were on a backpacking trip through Europe when they thwarted a terror attack on a high-speed Thalys train from Amsterdam to Paris, tackling and subduing Moroccan-born Ayoub El Khazzani, who was armed with an AK-47 assault rifle, a 9mm pistol and other weapons. Their bravery made headlines around the world and earned Frances Legion of Honour, various military awards and a visit to the White House. Now, in the latest improbable twist, the three are playing themselves in a Clint Eastwood-directed film about the event, The 15:17 to Paris, opening Friday. On a recent afternoon, Stone, Skarlatos and Sadler who are all 25 sat in a hotel lobby in Burbank after a taping of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, trying to wrap their heads around this surreal turn of events. Childhood friends who grew up together in Sacramento, the three have never been in so much as a school play. Yet here they are starring in a major studio film directed by a genuine Hollywood legend. We were raised on Clint Eastwoods movies I still remember at Spencers house he had Hang Em High, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, said Skarlatos, who was an Oregon Army National Guard specialist at the time of the attack, on holiday after a stint in Afghanistan. He shook his head. To get to do all this with guys that youve been friends with for so long our whole lives have been like a movie. Its ridiculous. Eastwood first met Stone, Skarlatos and Sadler when he presented them with the Hero Award at the 2016 Spike Guys Choice Awards. Agreeing to direct The 15:17 to Paris which retraces the events leading up to the attack all the way back to the three mens childhoods he had spent weeks auditioning actors to play them. But in his mind, he kept circling back to the real-life guys. I thought they were very charismatic, and all three of them seemed like they were extremely smart, Eastwood said. I thought, If I can get them approaching this thing without too much thought and too much worry and anxiety, they could do it.' Casting people as themselves in movies is not unprecedented, of course. Decorated World War II soldier Audie Murphy played himself in the 1955 film To Hell and Back. Jackie Robinson and Muhammad Ali starred in their own biopics, as did Howard Stern. Many more real-life figures have popped up in small cameos in film versions of their stories. Still, when Eastwood first asked Stone, Skarlatos and Sadler if theyd be up for playing themselves, they werent sure how to respond. Though they had co-authored the 2016 book on which the film was based with Jeffrey E. Stern, the idea of actually appearing in the movie had never occurred to them. The start of production was just three weeks away, and none of them had ever even set foot on a movie set. They said yes, then almost immediately began to second-guess themselves. I really didnt want to ruin the movie, Sadler said. Im like, Actors can do this and it would probably be more successful. But Spencer was like, Are you really going to look 20 years down the line and say you could have been in a Clint Eastwood movie but youre not? And that convinced me right there. Theres no way you could deny that. With what little time they had before shooting, the three wanted to prepare in any way they could. When the reality set in, we were like, Were really thankful for the opportunity, Mr. Eastwood, but we also think were going to need some acting classes, said Stone, who was an Air Force medic at the time of the attack. And he was like, No, you dont want to do that, because then it will make it look like youre acting. I just want you to go out there and be natural and do it how it happened. Eastwood admits that the prospect of casting nonactors didnt thrill the executives at Warner Bros. I dont think they were excited at the beginning, he said with a dry laugh. But in a testament to the tremendous amount of clout Eastwood has at the studio where his production company is based and where he has directed such films as Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, American Sniper and Sully they agreed to go along with the idea. There were some bumpy moments at first. In his first big scene, set in a Jamba Juice, Stone felt like I was crashing and burning. In another scene, Sadler, unaware of the need for continuity, kept picking up different things with his hands in different takes. But things soon slipped into gear, and the studio was reassured that the experiment could work. I think or at least I hope that they were pleasantly surprised, Eastwood said. The attack itself was re-created over five days on a moving train traveling back and forth between Paris and Amsterdam. Along with Stone, Skarlatos and Sadler, a number of other real-life participants were also on hand, including Mark Moogalian, who had sustained a gunshot injury to the neck, and English businessman Chris Norman, who had helped restrain the attacker with a necktie and some cable. Though the actual attack lasted only about two minutes, Eastwood was intent on re-creating it with exacting, second-by-second fealty, with no extra Hollywood action-movie bells and whistles. I didnt want to make it look like guys were hanging from the bottom of a train and doing crazy things, Eastwood said. In his mind, what transpired in those two minutes was dramatic enough. Moments after the attack had begun, Stone who had been awakened from a nap by sounds of gunfire and screaming ran straight at El Khazzani and took him down. In a stroke of luck, the attackers AK-47 had jammed and he had accidentally dropped the magazine from his pistol. (We got the worlds worst terrorist, Skarlatos said dryly.) In the ensuing struggle, Stone sustained gashes to his neck and thumb with a box cutter, putting El Khazzani in a chokehold as Skarlatos disarmed him and bashed him in the head with the butt of his rifle, knocking him unconscious. Drawing on his medical training, Stone then worked to stop the bleeding in Moogalians neck. That was an intense flashback, said Stone of re-creating that moment onscreen. Were wearing the same clothes. Its Mark. Its his wife. Everything was exactly the same. For Eastwood, the film hinges on the question of what motivated the three to move toward danger in that critical moment. What would most people do especially me? Youd hide under the seat, Eastwood said. What makes a person just jump up and run at somebody who has a very reliable weapon pointed at them? Though Eastwood insists that the film has no political bent, its story of everyday Americans foiling a terror attack seems likely to strike a similar chord with some audiences as 2014s American Sniper. That film grossed $547 million worldwide, easily the biggest hit of Eastwoods career. But as for what it will mean to moviegoers to watch the actual participants rather than actors re-creating that story, Eastwood isnt certain. I dont know, he said. Theres certainly a curiosity about it, at least from my experience of people on the street. They seem to think its an interesting idea. But well see. For their part, Stone, Skarlatos and Sadler still speak of their time with Eastwood with a sense of awe. We worked out with Clint Eastwood in Venice, and this dude did 10 body-weight dips, marveled Skarlatos, who was a contestant on Season 21 of Dancing With the Stars, finishing in third place. 87 years old! It was the coolest thing Ive ever seen. Having gotten a taste of Hollywood, the three all now aim to pursue acting professionally. Stone has already moved to Los Angeles and Sadler is soon to follow. Acting classes have been taken. Agents and publicists have been retained. Ill never forget: One day between takes Clint Eastwood looks at me and hes like, Not a bad way to make a living, is it? Sadler said. I was like, No, youre right. Its not a bad way to make a living. Wed all like to pursue it for sure. That said, he added, If it ends now, it would be enough. And even if all of the world hated the movie, how could we hate it? This is what happened. I read the letter on Jan. 4 by Capt. J Craig McClure, retired, with mounting horror and disgust. I dont know where he gets his facts but suspect some right-wing blog site. At least he spews the same fake news that they do. First of all, our FBI isnt doing the same as the KGB, Stasi or Gestapo did. If it was the same, they would now be investigating Hillary Clintons aide and James Comey without legal cause as President Trump wants them to do. It is our president who wants to turn them into a dictators enforcement arm. Not in over 200 years has a president tried to use our law-enforcement and judicial systems for personal political purposes until Trump. Second, there is no law, regulation or rule that prevents any career employee of the government from belonging to any political party and donating to that party and its candidates if they so desire. Portraying some of the dedicated men and women involved in the investigation as being compromised is insulting to them and their many years of service to the country. Yes, there was one investigator who made the mistake of sending emails to another agent that were derogatory to candidate Trump and, upon learning that fact, (Robert) Mueller did the proper thing and let that investigator leave the team. Third, if political partisanship is a problem, then why are the assistant attorney general, a Republican appointee, and Mueller, a life-long Republican who was appointed by said Republican assistant attorney general, allowed to head the investigation? They are allowed because they are men of honor who do not allow politics to deter them from doing their duty the same as the rest of the investigative team. Fourth, the investigation isnt unproductive at all. One high-level campaign and White House employee, (Michael) Flynn, and a lower-level operative, (George) Papadopoulos, have pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about what they did during the campaign and transition. Since Mueller is an honorable investigator, he isnt leaking salacious news daily or weekly so we dont know where the investigation stands now, but I would bet that when it is over it will have proven to be extremely productive. I have to agree that the investigation is tiresome. It would probably be over and done with already if the Trump team and a number of Republican members of Congress would stop trying to obstruct justice and lying to the public and investigators. PARK CITY, Utah Yance Ford has just made history. He has become the first transgender director to be nominated for an Academy Award. His documentary, Strong Island hip-hop slang for Long Island, N.Y. tells the tragic tale of the death of his older brother, William Ford Jr. On April 7, 1992, the 24-year-old African-American man was shot through the heart by a white, 19-year-old mechanic named Mark Reilly. Although the cause of death was listed as homicide, and no one disputes that Reilly fired the gun, a grand jury made up of 23 white people declined to bring charges. While a transgender mans groundbreaking Oscar nomination is certainly a cause for celebration, this achievement is steeped in pain, so eloquently evoked in this poetic, haunting masterpiece. The documentary, on its surface, is a cold-case investigation. Yance rhymes with Nancy opens the film with a phone call to the Suffolk County prosecutor who handled the case over a quarter-century ago. I was calling to see if you were willing to answer some of the questions that have been plaguing me, he asked, to which the prosecutor curtly replied, Everything that happens in the grand jury is confidential I dont want to discuss the case with you. Yance told us on the Democracy Now! news hour, the day after receiving the Oscar nomination: My brothers case, 25 years ago, simply affirms what we are seeing now, which is, it doesnt matter if you follow the rules. The justice system isnt meant to work for people of color in this country. In New York state, those who testify before the grand jury are free to share their experiences, so we hear from his mother, Barbara Dunmore Ford, and his brothers best friend, Kevin Myers. Through their experiences, we see a system riven with racism. The police had turned my brother into the prime suspect in his own murder, Yance says in the film. Kevin Myers was questioned before the grand jury, but no one bothered to tell him that it was a grand jury. He was just trying to help the authorities pursue the case, but they seemed more interested in Williams height and weight, building an image of him as a large, imposing black man who might have created enough fear in Reilly to justify shooting in self-defense. Yet William was only 5 feet 8 inches tall. The historical fear belongs to the person of color who winds up dead, not to the white person who overreacts with deadly force, Yance told us. Yances mother, Barbara, the pillar of the family, is central to the film. Interviewed by Yance in the family kitchen, his mother said: I looked at the grand jury, I looked around. I saw who was paying attention. How could you come to a viable decision if youre reading a magazine, if youre doing a crossword puzzle, if youre talking with somebody? Serving on a jury, particularly a grand jury, is one of the greatest privileges of citizenship in this country. My feeling is that they just didnt give a damn. She continued: I will die believing that they didnt care because my son was a young man of color. I will always believe that. Always. Until the day I die. In order to focus on editing the film, in the midst of the series of recent high-profile killings of so many unarmed African-American men, Yance relocated to Europe for a number of months. It was very important to me, conceptually, he told us, that the film be driven by black characters, because so often black people and brown people and folks who lose unarmed loved ones to violence, they get shoved out of the way, as if they are somehow unreliable witnesses to the lives of their dead. Yances first documentary, a powerful statement on race and society and a deeply moving tribute to his brother, is an astounding accomplishment. Yance Ford, the first transgender director to receive a nomination, also sees this moment as an opportunity: Trans people of color are murdered at such rates in this country every year. It should be treated as a law-enforcement priority, but its not. If my nomination can help in any way to advance the issues of trans equality and protection for LGBTQ people under the law, then I am as humbled by that as I am by the nomination. Amy Goodman is the host of Democracy Now!, a daily international TV/radio news hour airing on more than 1,400 stations. She is the co-author, with Denis Moynihan and David Goodman, of Democracy Now!: 20 Years Covering the Movements Changing America. Distributed by King Features Syndicate. WASHINGTON Now that President Trump has appraised the state of the union, its worth remembering what still ranks as one of the worst decisions of his presidency: the withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP. It happened just about a year ago. Youll recall that the TPP was an agreement between the U.S. and 11 other countries Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Chile and Peru representing about 40 percent of the world economy. Rejecting the TPP was, for Trump, a highly symbolic act buttressing his assertions that the United States has made bad trade deals that have diverted jobs, incomes and influence to foreign countries. He pledged to do better. The reality is just the opposite, as a short analysis by economist Jeffrey Schott of the Peterson Institute makes clear. It turns out that the other 11 countries werent willing to sacrifice the TPPs benefits. They decided to adopt the agreement anyway without the United States calling it the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or, a mouthful, CPTPP. Its scheduled to be signed on March 8 in Chile. The new agreement makes the United States the biggest loser from the whole TPP episode, Schott writes. For starters, there will be lower exports and incomes. Economic simulations done by researchers at the Peterson Institute estimated that the TPP would ultimately raise U.S. gross domestic product by $131 billion, or 0.5 percent of GDP. Those gains are now gone. Schott notes that a number of TPP provisions advocated by the United States but opposed by most other countries have been dropped in the new agreement. These include obligations regarding patents on certain pharmaceutical products, procedures involving investor-state disputes, prohibitions on the illegal taking and trade in wildlife and restrictions on government-owned firms. The biggest winner in the TPP episode is, almost certainly, China. Although China wasnt a member of the TPP, Trumps decision to withdraw leaves other Pacific-rim countries less dependent on the United States for their trade and more dependent on China and, therefore, more subject to Chinese economic and political influence. Rarely has the United States embraced a policy that, in contrast to the supporting rhetoric, is so contrary to its own interests. Even Trump may recognize this. In his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he hinted obliquely that he might resume negotiations with the other TPP nations if it is in the interests of all. The open question now is whether the president will repeat his mistake by repudiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the trade pact among the United States, Mexico and Canada that Trump has sharply criticized. The damage would be even greater. Samuelsons columns, including those not published in the Journal, can be read at abqjournal.com/opinion look for the syndicated columnist link. Copyright, The Washington Post Writers Group. Thick fog halts flights at Dhangadhi Airport Scheduled flights in Dhangadhi have been affected since the last few days due to thick fog. According to the airport authority, flight cancellations and delays have caused inconvenience for hundreds of travellers in province 7. New Mexico Teacher of the Year Ivonne Orozco accompanied U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich to the State of the Union this week, and some of President Donald Trumps comments hit close to home for the 26-year-old Mexican immigrant. Orozco, a Spanish teacher at the Public Academy for Performing Arts, was brought to the United States illegally by her parents at age 12. She benefited from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, which the Trump administration plans to phase out March 5. During Tuesdays State of the Union, Trump claimed illegal immigrants have caused the loss of many innocent lives, citing the 2016 murders of Long Island teenagers Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens by members of MS-13, a gang with Latin American ties. Many of these gang members took advantage of glaring loopholes in our laws to enter the country as unaccompanied alien minors and wound up in Kayla and Nisas high school, the president said. Orozco said it was upsetting to hear criminals used to represent the immigrant community. It was really unfortunate that it wasnt acknowledged that the majority of us, especially when it comes to people who qualify for the Dream Act, we identify ourselves as Americans and have nothing to do with MS-13, Orozco told the Journal. We are teachers. We are doctors. We are first responders. We are starting businesses in our communities. Still, Orozco is hopeful that Congress will come up with a bipartisan solution to help the nations roughly 700,000 DACA recipients. She met with Heinrich and other lawmakers in Washington, D.C., and felt they were doing everything they can to create a pathway to citizenship. The trip also connected her to other Dreamers who are sharing their stories. Orozco said it is important for all of them to continue speaking out and challenging false impressions of immigrants. We do go in with this message, and we do go in with a lot of heart to say we are here, we are contributing and all that we want is a seat at the table, Orozco said. Heinrich said he was honored to have Orozco as his guest at the State of the Union and give her the opportunity to share her story. Dreamers like Ivonne represent the future of a great America, he said in a statement. Orozcos story begins in Chihuahua, Mexico, where she lived until she was 12 years old. After crossing the border with her parents, Orozco attended middle school and high school in central New Mexico, then went on for her bachelors degree in secondary education at the University of New Mexico. She is currently enrolled in a masters program at UNM. New Mexico Education Secretary-designate Christopher Ruszkowski named her the states 2018 teacher of the year in October, citing her commitment to education that provides students with the tools to create real change in their world. WASHINGTON The House intelligence committees probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election spun further into charges and counter-charges among angry U.S. lawmakers and President Donald Trump Monday as the panel voted to release a second classified memo about whether the FBI and Justice Department conspired against him. This memo was written by Democrats on the panel who are pushing back against a GOP document, declassified by Trump last week, that criticizes the methods the FBI used to obtain a surveillance warrant on a onetime Trump campaign associate. The Democratic document attempts to counter some of the arguments and evidence put forward by the Republicans. The battle of classified memos has further deepened the partisan divide on the committee, which is supposed to be jointly investigating the Russian meddling and possible connections between Russia and the Trump presidential campaign. It also takes attention from the separate investigations by special counsel Robert Mueller and the Senate intelligence committee. Trump said over the weekend that the GOP memo totally vindicates him. Both Republicans and Democrats disputed that, and Democrats also bemoaned the release of formerly classified information and the possibility the precedent could compromise future investigations. After the House committees Monday evening vote, which was unanimous, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the panels top Democrat, said he believed the Democratic document would help inform the public of the many distortions and inaccuracies in the majority memo. But he also said he was concerned about political redactions the White House might make before its release. The president now has five days to decide whether to allow the materials publication. Schiff said he would compare any deletions the FBI and the Department of Justice might request with any White House edits to try to identify any attempts to withhold information for political purposes. Texas Republican Rep. Mike Conaway, a leader of the panels Russia probe, said after the vote that parts of the document should not be released. There are things in the memo that I would be uncomfortable with if the White House did not redact, he said. Tensions between Trump and the Democrats were high before the vote, as the president and Schiff traded insults on Twitter Monday morning less than a week after Trump called for more bipartisanship in his State of the Union address. Trump tweeted that Schiff is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington and must be stopped. Schiff quickly shot back: Instead of tweeting false smears, the American people would appreciate it if you turned off the TV and helped solve the funding crisis, protected Dreamers or really anything else. White House spokesman Raj Shah said merely that consideration of a release would allow for a legal review, national security review led by the White House counsels office. As a second week of memo-watching commenced, the committee was also prepared to interview Steve Bannon, Trumps former chief strategist, as part of the Russia probe. But that meeting was put off, according to two people familiar with the committees schedule. They declined to be named because the schedule is private. It was unclear if the House would hold Bannon in contempt. He has been subpoenaed and has now delayed answering the panels questions three times as the committee negotiates with his lawyer and the White House over the terms of his interview. At issue is whether the White House will allow him to answer questions about his time in the Trump administration. As the committee continues to negotiate Bannons interview, Democrats have been raising questions about whether the committee chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes of California, coordinated with the White House in drafting the GOP memo. After the documents release last week, the president quickly seized on it to vent his grievances against the nations premier law enforcement agencies. The goal here is to undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI, discredit the Mueller investigation, do the presidents bidding, Schiff said. I think its very possible his staff worked with the White House, Schiff added, referring to Nunes. Nunes was asked during a Jan. 29 committee meeting whether he had coordinated the memo with the White House. As far as I know, no, he responded, then refused to answer when asked whether his congressional staff members had communicated with the White House. He had previously apologized for sharing with the White House secret intelligence intercepts related to an investigation of Russian election interference before talking to committee members. Trump praised Nunes in a separate tweet Monday, calling him a man of tremendous courage and grit, may someday be recognized as a Great American Hero for what he has exposed and what he has had to endure! The Republican memo released last Friday alleges misconduct on the part of the FBI and the Justice Department in obtaining a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to monitor former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page. Specifically, the memo takes aim at the FBIs use of information from former British spy Christopher Steele, who compiled a dossier containing allegations of ties between Trump, his associates and Russia. The underlying materials that served as the basis for the warrant application were not made public. Even as Democrats described that memo as inaccurate, some Republicans quickly cited it released over the objections of the FBI and Justice Department in their arguments that the FBI investigation that Mueller inherited is politically tainted. Still, some Republicans, including Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina and House Speaker Paul Ryan have said the memo should not be used to undermine Muellers probe. The GOP memos central allegation is that agents and prosecutors, in applying in October 2016 to monitor Pages communications, failed to tell a judge that Steeles opposition research was funded in part by Hillary Clintons presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Page had stopped advising the campaign sometime around the end of that summer. Steeles research, according to the memo, formed an essential part of the warrant application. But its unclear how much or what information Steele collected made it into the application, or how much has been corroborated. ___ Associated Press writer Catherine Lucey contributed to this report. LAS CRUCES He promised to be back by noon. But hours later, he was found dead. Nearly 24 years later, the death remains a mystery for authorities and family members who have made it their lifes mission to answer the seemingly unanswerable question: Who killed Robert Rocha? Its a question that has haunted Rochas mother since June 28, 1994, when her sons lifeless body was found with two gunshot wounds next to his Ford pickup in an area known as Shady Grove near the Mesilla Dam. To this day, I dont have a closure. I dont know who did it, Emilia Rocha, now 86, told the Sun-News, and every day I pray for everybody I pray for the people that did it. The investigation into Rochas death has spanned almost a quarter century. It is one of more than 20 cold cases under investigation by the Dona Ana County Sheriffs Office. Detectives have conducted more than 200 interviews and built an expansive file of records that are contained in a staggering 25 binders but no suspect or motive has ever emerged. The lack of progress has left family members disheartened. Theres times that I get upset Its been this long. Why cant we solve it? Why cant you get somebody? There are a lot of whys, Becky Garibay, one of Rochas sisters, said. Indeed, the Rocha case appears to have more questions than answers. Rocha, a Vietnam veteran with no criminal history, was born on Dec. 16, 1950, in Las Cruces. He graduated from Mayfield High School in 1969. At age 18, he enlisted in the Navy. Garibay described Rocha as a family man and outdoor enthusiast who enjoyed camping and hunting. He kept the family together, she said, adding, We were all close. He had six younger siblings. Later in life, Rocha married and had three daughters. In 1975, he started working for White Sands Missile Range as a planner/estimator, a job he held for almost 20 years. He was 43 years old when he was found dead on the night of Friday, June 28, 1994. His mother said she spoke with Rocha for the last time hours before his death. He was going to come at noon, she recalled, and him and his dad were going to go to Canutillo or someplace because he was remodeling his mobile home. But her son never showed up. My husband came home and he asked me, Wheres Bobby? I said, well, he hasnt come home, she said. We never heard from him again. He never showed up, and my husband went all over looking for him but nothing. However, Rocha had visited Shady Groves, then a popular spot for gatherings near the Mesilla Dam. Mr. Rochas family had said he had gone to the river, south of Mesilla, to scout an area (for a party) for his niece who was getting ready to go to college that fall, Kelly Jameson, a spokeswoman for the sheriffs office, said. He was alone, and sometime around the time the sun was setting, another female who was with a different party was in a vehicle that had gotten stuck. She went to go look for help and made the discovery of (Rochas) body. His body was found next to his pickup with two fatal gunshot wounds. Jameson said that when deputies arrived on scene, they estimated Rocha had only been dead for about an hour. He was discovered without any clothes on and we knew he had been shot. We didnt know much else, she said. There was no evidence indicating any other motive or any other information that could lead us to anybody else, Jameson said. Deputies were able to collect various DNA samples at the scene. Detectives are hopeful that a federal law requiring DNA to be collected in all felony arrests will lead to a break in the Rocha case. Were hopeful that with creation of Katies Law that perhaps whoever did this to Robert Rocha if hes still out there he or she or if theres an arrest in the future that maybe that DNA evidence will link the suspect to this investigation, Jameson said. But with no firm leads or suspects to pursue, the Rocha family is left with little solace, especially Emilia Rocha, who can still recall the night she learned of her sons death. That night, I heard people talking in the living room, she said. Her husband had been speaking to authorities around 2 a.m. I went to the room and I saw the deacon when I asked my husband what they were doing there, and the deacon held my hand and said, Mrs. Rocha, sit down, something terrible happened.' She immediately thought it had something to do with one of granddaughters. No, the deacon told her, its your son. She knew it was her oldest son, her first-born child whom she affectionately called Bobby. What happened to him, she asked. He was found murdered at Mesilla Dam, by his truck, the deacon told her. I couldnt talk I couldnt believe it, she said. I just couldnt believe it. Rocha was laid to rest about a week later. We had the detectives there, at the funeral services, Garibay said, and all youre doing is just looking back like, whos around? We still feel that way. Like that person is sitting there looking at us to see what were doing, she said. Detectives have since been tight-lipped with details and will not divulge any theories or name anyone who has been interviewed in the case. It is the familys belief that somebody was with Rocha on the day he was killed. In a 2014 interview with the Sun-News, Rochas brother-in-law, Chuy Garibay, said he was convinced that someone fired a gun from the inside of Rochas truck. The family also said that a cooler containing a brand of beer that Rocha was not known to drink was found on the scene. Becky Garibay said it was immensely difficult for the family to carry on after Rochas death. My brother is the oldest one; hes the one that kept us together and we were lost, she said. Her brothers death was especially hard on her father, who died without knowing who killed his son, she said. After Rochas death, the family received threatening phone calls from people claiming to know who was behind the murder. Garibay believes the calls were attempts to stop the family from further investigating Rochas death. But neither those calls nor anything else has stopped the family. Im not going to stop, Garibay said. Were not going to stop. My sisters are going to help were all going to be together and were going to (push for answers) until, I guess, were not longer here. If you have information about Rochas murder, contact Detective William McNeil at 575-525-1911. Crime Stoppers of Las Cruces is offering $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest in the Rocha case. Call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Carlos Andres Lopez can be reached 575-541-5453, carlopez@lcsun-news.com or @carlopez_los on Twitter. Joshua Bachman can be reached at 575-541-5449, jbachman@lcsun-news.com or @JBachmanphoto on Twitter. 2018 the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) Visit the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) at www.lcsun-news.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. _____ BLUE ASH, Ohio President Donald Trump accused congressional Democrats on Monday of being un-American and perhaps even treasonous for refusing to cheer positive economic news during his State of the Union address. As he spoke, the stock market was plunging toward its largest single-day point drop ever, erasing its gains for the year. Trump has frequently showcased the strong market as a barometer of his economic success and as a boon for everyday Americans and their retirement accounts. He did not mention the stock market during his speech, nor when reporters shouted questions as he returned to Washington after the markets had closed for the day. At its close, the Dow Jones industrial average had fallen more than 1,150 points. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders stressed that the nations long-term economic fundamentals remain exceptionally strong, adding that Trumps tax cuts and regulatory reforms would further enhance the U.S. economy and continue to increase prosperity for the American people. During his wide-ranging remarks, Trump took special aim at House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi for describing as crumbs the bonuses of $1,000 or more that some companies, including the one where he was speaking, are giving their workers as a result of the tax cuts. He also accused Democrats of being un-American for not clapping, even for positive news during his address to the nation last week, in contrast to fellow Republicans, who he said were going totally crazy wild over everything in the speech. They were like death. And un-American, Trump said about the Democrats. Somebody said treasonous. Can we call that treason? Why not? They certainly didnt seem to love our country very much, the president said. He said Democrats would rather see Trump do badly than our country do well.(backslash) Earlier Monday, Trump had gone after California Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee that is investigating possible connections between Russia and Trumps presidential campaign. On Twitter, the president labeled Schiff one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington. He added that Schiff must be stopped. Schiff retorted: Instead of tweeting false smears, the American people would appreciate it if you turned off the TV and helped solve the funding crisis, protected Dreamers or really anything else. As for Pelosi, Trump, who boasts that he is worth billions, said: Shes a rich woman who lives in a big beautiful house. He said the crumbs talk was not a good day for Pelosi. He referred to her as the Republicans secret weapon and predicted his party will fare well in Novembers congressional elections. Pelosi, who represents San Francisco, responded on Twitter, writing: Every American should be alarmed by how @realDonaldTrump is working to make loyalty to him synonymous with loyalty to our country. That is not how democracy works. Trumps wife, Melania, accompanied him to Ohio aboard Air Force One but peeled off to visit a childrens hospital. She was briefed on the states opioid epidemic while he pitched the tax cuts he signed into law just before Christmas. The presidents political broadsides contrasted with the softer touch employed by his wife on her visit to Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, where executives briefed her on the opioid crisis in Ohio. She also visited some patients in an activity room, handing each child a Valentines Day card. Children will always be my top priority, the first lady said in a written statement after the visit. Mrs. Trump has accompanied her husband on numerous domestic trips, to introduce him at events or as they decamp to one of their own establishments for the weekend. Mrs. Trump also joined her husband on several trips to survey damage after hurricanes slammed parts of Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico, where she attended briefings by emergency management officials and helped console storm victims. But Mondays journey had a different twist in that it marked a less-typical instance in which she split from the president for a policy event separate from his. The trip also followed a period of public speculation about the first couples relationship after The Wall Street Journal reported that Trumps personal lawyer brokered a payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in October 2016 to keep her from publicly discussing an alleged years-old affair with Trump. The attorney, Michael Cohen, has denied any relationship between Trump and Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Cohen gave the Journal a statement from a person identified as Stormy Daniels denying she had received hush money. Daniels has also issued statements denying a relationship with the future president. As they headed out on Monday, the president and first lady chatted as they walked from the Oval Office to the helicopter that would take them to Joint Base Andrews for the flight to Ohio. She patted her husband on the back at the top of the stairs to Air Force One. At the hospital, Mrs. Trump took a toddler in her arms briefly before moving to tables where children were making crafts and playing games. The first lady smiled as she watched two young boys playing the game Sorry, occasionally pulling cards for them. She also sat down with Maya Baughman as the little girl showed her a play castle where she was arranging small toy figures. Nodding approvingly, Mrs. Trump observed a little girl painting a watercolor. Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich did not attend Trumps event, not surprising given Kasichs vocal opposition to Trump and his stances on health care, immigration and the Russia investigation. ___ Associated Press writer Lisa Cornwell contributed to this report from Cincinnati. Superville reported from Washington. Sens. John McCain and Chris Coons an Arizona Republican and a Delaware Democrat introduced legislation today that takes aim at several unresolved immigration issues with the hope of resolving the long-running and contentious Capitol Hill debate. The legislation would deal with the soon-to-expire Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program that lets young people who were brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents stay in the country without fear of deportation. President Donald Trump canceled the Obama-era program in October with a six-month grace period that ends on March 5 without a legislative fix. The McCain-Coons measure would allow so-called Dreamers who have enrolled in the DACA program to remain in the country and would also extend them the option of securing permanent U.S. citizenship. The McCain-Coons bill also authorizes a study of needed border security enhancements but stops short of providing the $25 to $30 billion the White House has said is needed to build a wall. Additionally, it would boost resources for immigration courts to help process a deep backlog of cases. Trump seemed to reject the proposal in a Monday morning tweet. Any deal on DACA that does not include STRONG border security and the desperately needed WALL is a total waste of time, the president tweeted. March 5th is rapidly approaching and the Dems seem not to care about DACA. Make a deal! The bipartisan bill introduced Monday would not restrict family-based migration or end the visa lottery system for immigrants as Trump has demanded. The McCain-Coons bill is an identical companion to a bill already pending in the U.S. House and sponsored by Reps. Will Hurd, R-Texas, that has evenly-split bipartisan support of more than 80 members. Democratic Reps. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Ben Ray Lujan are sponsors of the bill. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., is not. The USA Act is fair, bipartisan, targeted legislation that provides Dreamers with certainty, enacts common sense border security measures, and should be passed without delay, Lujan Grisham said. The McCain-Coons proposal comes with another government shutdown looming at midnight Thursday if the House and Senate cant agree on a spending plan. Democrats refusal to accept a long-term spending deal without a DACA fix briefly led to a shutdown in January, before both chambers agreed to a temporary stopgap spending measure to keep government open while immigration negotiations resumed. For months, I have been calling on my colleagues to complete a bipartisan budget agreement to lift the caps on defense spending and fully fund the military, McCain said Monday. While reaching a deal cannot come soon enough for Americas service members, the current political reality demands bipartisan cooperation to address the impending expiration of the DACA program and secure the southern border. Our legislation, which already has broad support in the House of Representatives, would address the most urgent priorities of protecting Dreamers, strengthening border security, alleviating the backlog in immigration courts, and addressing the root causes of illegal immigration, McCain added. The bill Im introducing with Senator McCain today doesnt solve every immigration issue, but it does address the two most pressing problems we face: protecting DACA recipients and securing the border, Coon said. I believe there is bipartisan support for both of those things and I believe that we can reach a budget deal that increases funding for our military and important domestic programs. We need to find a way through this gridlock to get Congress working again, and this is a viable path forward. A man is in custody after the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office said he stole a deputys cruiser in a knock out, drag out fight in Sandia Heights on Monday morning. Undersheriff Rudy Mora said two deputies were called to the area near San Bernadino and Tramway NE around 7 a.m. for calls about a suspicious person in the area. According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court, residents in the area said a man, later identified as 34-year-old Kevin Estrada, was arguing with someone in front of the residence. Another caller later said his truck had signs of being broken into and the license plates had been ripped off. The deputies said Estrada appeared to be nervous and although he initially was cooperative, he quickly became combative and aggressive and fought with deputies. They used their batons and a Taser but nothing slowed him down, according to the complaint. Mora said he even ripped a badge off the uniform of one of the deputies. It was a pretty violent struggle with two deputies, Mora said. Hes a relatively large individual and he at one point was able to take the Taser away from the deputies. Thats when, Mora said, Estrada ran to one of the deputys vehicles, which had been left idling with the keys in it. Mora said that is common practice to keep the cruisers running so as to keep the computer system on. Estrada fled the area in the stolen cruiser, with the deputies in pursuit in their other vehicle, leading them to a dead-end dirt driveway near Lowell and Elena NE a couple of miles away, according to the complaint. He lost control and crashed into a retaining wall before climbing out the passenger side window. The deputies cornered Estrada at gunpoint, and he began to comply with their instructions until they took him into custody. While attempting verbal de-escalation to gain compliance, I noticed that Kevin appeared to be screaming for help, a deputy wrote in the complaint. It appeared to me that Kevin was speaking to someone else. Estradas aunt, Irene Perea, said she raised him since he was 14, and he is mentally ill and exhibits signs of paranoia. Estrada has a lengthy history of misdemeanor battery charges, many of which were dismissed. He is currently awaiting trial for felony aggravated battery after police say he stabbed his neighbor with glass in the arm and neck. Hes got mental problems to begin with, and when he does that meth, he goes really berserk, Perea said. (He thinks) people are coming after him, he thinks the police are looking for him, going to kill him. Estrada was booked into the county jail and faces a slew of charges, including battery upon a peace officer and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle. Around 1 a.m. Monday, Albuquerque police officers wrapped up a 13-hour standoff over Interstate 40, when they eventually convinced a suicidal man not to jump off the Louisiana overpass. They say the man told them he had stopped taking his medication and he raved about being framed for murder and a microphone that he believed was implanted in his neck. Officer Simon Drobik, an APD spokesman, said the man was eventually taken to the University of New Mexico Psychiatric Center. He has not been publicly identified. Drobik said around 11:30 a.m. Sunday, police received a call stating my friend is in crisis and needs help in the area. They soon found a man had climbed on to the overpass where Louisiana crosses I-40 and was clinging to the fence with about 2 inches of concrete under his shoes. At that point, Drobik said, the officers decided to close the eastbound interstate lanes, worried that if the man jumped he could be a danger to passing motorists as well as himself. The lanes remained closed for the rest of the day while officer Drobik, Sgt. Steve Lowell and Lt. John Gonzalez who have all been trained in crisis intervention techniques tried to get him off the ledge. There are no magic words to get someone off a bridge, Drobik said. Its all about keeping him safe in the moment. Drobik said as the officers were working to build trust with the man, the situation was complicated by drivers who would yell out the window for him to jump. Hes already hearing someone tell him in his head to jump and people are physically telling him to jump as they go by, he said. I saw a dad with his kids in the car do it. It was totally revolting. New Mexico State Police and the Albuquerque Fire Department assisted with traffic control and rescue efforts, and eight APD officers helped direct traffic as vehicles were diverted off the highway at Carlisle and back on at Louisiana. Meanwhile, the officers on the bridge gave the man water, offered him pizza, and cut a hole in the fence for him. Eventually, Drobik said, the man climbed through to safety. He is not facing any charges. The mental health issues and crisis of him attempting suicide overshadow a minor criminal trespass charge, he said. Were looking at human life more than charges and the human part is getting that guy help. The unprecedented length of time for the negotiations caused frustration from drivers as the interstate was closed down for much of the day. Around 9 p.m., in an unrelated incident, westbound I-40 was shut down at Eubank for a fatal rollover crash. If that was someone you loved how long would you want us up on that bridge? Drobik said. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal Conrad Candelaria, U.S. marshal for New Mexico, resigned over the weekend after nearly eight years in that position, a spokesman for the service confirmed Monday. The retired Albuquerque police officer was nominated for the position by then-President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate in 2010. Drew Wade, a spokesman for the Marshals Service, said Candelaria's resignation went into effect Saturday and Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Brent Broshow took over as the interim senior manager of the New Mexico office on Sunday. Wade did not provide any explanation for Candelaria's resignation and said that the organization generally does not comment on personnel issues. Candelaria could not be reached for comment. His tenure was not without controversy. In February 2016, 23-year-old Edgar Camacho-Alvarado was shot and killed by a Marshals Service task force member searching a West Central trailer park for a homicide suspect. The Marshals Service said Camacho-Alvarado pointed a gun at officers, but an attorney representing his family questioned whether deputy marshals knew that he wasn't the person they were looking for, and whether the marshals were identifiable as law enforcement at the time of the shooting. And months later, in May 2016, members of a U.S. Marshals task force had to be rescued by the APD SWAT team when they came under fire while attempting to arrest Mario Montoya, 31, for a probation violation. According to a search warrant, the gunfire left the group trapped in an apartment. Montoya was shot and killed by the marshals task force. Online White House documents show President Donald Trump has not yet nominated a possible replacement. But in May, members of New Mexico's congressional delegation sent the president a list of four candidates who they said had the qualifications, experience and temperament necessary to effectively serve as U.S. marshal: James Burrell, assistant chief deputy U.S. marshal; Sonya Chavez, FBI supervisory special agent; Larry Harper, supervisory deputy U.S. marshal; and Pete Kassetas, New Mexico State Police chief. Michael Coleman of the Journal Washington Bureau contribute to this report. BEIRUT Syrian opposition rescue teams pulled babies from incubators in a hospital under attack, rushing them to safety in a pick-up truck. Elderly patients lay motionless on the ground and rescue workers searched for survivors in the rubble of a destroyed apartment building as stepped up airstrikes by Syrian government forces and their Russian allies on the countrys last remaining rebel strongholds killed at least 28 civilians on Monday. It is like the end of days, said Raed Saleh, the head of the first-responders known as White Helmets, describing the last 24 hours of attacks on the opposition-held eastern Damascus suburb of Ghouta and northwestern Idlib province. The escalating offensive, which included a suspected chlorine attack a day earlier, reached a new ferocity after insurgents downed a Russian Su-25 over the weekend, the first time they scored such a major hit against the governments main ally, Moscow. Russia has waged a punishing aerial campaign against Syrias armed opposition since intervening in the civil war on the side of its ally, President Bashar Assad, in 2015. Cease-fire deals have failed to quell the violence or restore humanitarian aid to besieged Ghouta, were 400,000 residents are holed up amid warnings of a looming humanitarian disaster. If a Russian plane was downed, revenge should not be on civilians and children, Saleh said. Now more than any other day, we need the international community to restore the humanity it has lost in Syria. The al-Qaida-linked Levant Liberation Committee, which is the dominant militant group in Idlib, said its fighters shot down the Russian jet near the town of Saraqeb in Idlib province and killed its pilot after he ejected from the plane. Rebels have previously claimed to have downed Syrian government planes or drones, but it was the first time they hit a Russian aircraft. Russias military bases in western Syria were also hit last month in a series of drone attacks, challenging Moscows gains in the country still torn by conflict. Since then, activists say Russian and Syrian government forces have stepped up their attacks. Activists and rescue workers reported at least 28 civilians, including six children, were killed on Monday in Ghouta, where nearly 40 airstrikes hit the suburb that is the last opposition stronghold in Damascus. In Idlib, two hospitals have been hit with airstrikes since Sunday and at least 14 people killed. Rescue workers continued Monday to sift through the wreckage of a six-story building flattened a day earlier, pulling out three bodies after daylight. At least eight residents remained missing when the search was suspended at nightfall, one rescuer said. In Idlib, a hospital in the town of Kafranbel was bombed early Monday, according to the activist-run Edlib Media Center and the Observatory. Another hospital, in Maaret al-Numan, was struck three times late Sunday and put out of service, according to the Syrian American Medical Society, which runs the facility. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 70 people were wounded Monday and the number of casualties was likely to climb as rescue operations got underway. The dead included a rescue worker who was killed as his team searched for survivors in the town of Arbeen, which was hit by 15 airstrikes Monday afternoon. Yousef al-Boustani, an opposition media activist in eastern Ghoutas Douma neighborhood, called the air raids hysterical. We were seeing three planes in the air at a time, he said. On Sunday, the White Helmets search-and-rescue group and a medical charity reported that several people suffered breathing difficulties after a suspected chlorine gas attack on Saraqeb, days after the Trump administration accused Assads government of producing and using new kinds of weapons to deliver poisonous gases. Damascus denied the White Houses charges, and The Associated Press could not independently verify the reports of a chlorine gas attack. The White Helmets said three of its rescuers and six other people suffered breathing problems. The Syrian American Medical Society said its hospitals in Idlib treated 11 patients for suspected chlorine gas poisoning. A U.N. investigative commission said in 2016 that the Syrian government was behind at least three chlorine gas attacks during the seven-year civil war, but activists and monitoring groups contend there have been more. Meanwhile, Turkey dispatched a large military convoy deep inside rebel-held territory to establish an observation post at Tel al-Eiss, close to the front line with government forces, according to activists who filmed the convoys movements. Turkey began deploying forces to northwestern Syria in October, as part of an agreement with Iran and Russia to stabilize the lines of conflict in war-torn Syria. But those deployments have failed to calm the fighting. Turkey says its forces are deployed in an observer role. TUCUMCARI, N.M. Authorities say a Tucumcari Municipal Court judge has been arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. New Mexico State Police say 71-year-old Joe Dominguez was taken into custody Sunday. Its unclear if he has a lawyer yet. State Police say a patrol officer saw a pickup truck go through a stop sign in Tucumcari and pulled the vehicle over. The officer says he smelled alcohol when he approached the truck. He says Dominguez admitted to drinking and failed sobriety tests. A blood test showed Dominguezs blood alcohol level was at .09 percent, which is over the legal limit for drivers in New Mexico. State Police say Dominguez identified himself as a Tucumcari Municipal Court judge. Hes been booked into the Quay County Detention Center and is facing a DWI charge. The U.S. Air Force will initiate the design of an $85 million project at Holloman Air Force Base to construct a new MQ-9 Formal Training Unit operations facility to house three MQ-9 Reaper Attack Squadrons, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., said in a news release. The drone squadrons are the training units for new pilots and sensor operators for the MQ-9 Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft. The new facility will include administrative space, academic space, Fixed Ground Control Stations, maintenance functions, training simulators and all secure spaces required to support the mission, according to the release. The Remotely Piloted Aircraft mission is one of the fastest growing and demanding missions in the military, and it is of critical importance to our national security. The decision to invest in Holloman is a reflection of the tremendous community support and the exceptional training environment and expertise that New Mexico has to offer, Heinrich said. Located just six miles from Alamogordo, Holloman contributes to the local economy and is part of a top-notch community that supports its airmen unlike any other in the country. According to the release, Heinrich went on to say that the project was a smart investment and will create more jobs at Holloman. This is a smart investment for a state-of-the-art facility that will create jobs at Holloman in the interim and hopefully for years to come, he said. I will continue using my position on the Armed Services committee to highlight the unique advantages that our state and our people offer to the military. Holloman Air Force Base is the nations premier RPA training location and Cannon Air Force Base hosts a special operations RPA mission. Heinrich has led efforts to expand the RPA mission at Holloman, and in 2015 the Air Force heeded Heinrichs call to address RPA personnel shortage, according to the release. New Mexico seems to be sharing the wealth in the digital world. The digital series Snatchers, which is produced by Stage 13, will begin principal photography in February through mid-March in Albuquerque. The series will film its second and third seasons, which air on Verizons go90 media brand. This isnt the first New Mexico-filmed show to air on the platform. The series T@gged airs on the g090 and is prepping its new season. Were proud to welcome Snatchers to New Mexico as part of our growing platform of web-based series, says Nick Maniatis, New Mexico Film Office director. New Mexicos powerful incentive, robust film infrastructure and incredible natural beauty make us a perfect fit for these productions, as we continue diversifying our economy. Maniatis and the film office have been trying to grow the digital media for years. Everything changes in an instant, he says. Were trying to stay up to date in all the types of shows that are being made. Each day is different. According to the film office, the production will employ 50 New Mexico crew members and about 15 New Mexico principal actors. This is in addition to about 200 background talent. Created, written and executive produced by The Olde Money Boyz Stephen Cedars, Benji Kleiman and Scott Yacyshyn the series features a returning cast, including leads Mary Nepi, Gabrielle Elyse, Austin Fryburger, JJ Nolan, Nick Gomez and Ashley Argota. Season two of Snatchers picks up right where season one left off. Teenage heroes Sara, played by Nepi, and Hayley, played by Elyse, are in over their heads against the evolving alien threat. With Saras mom, Kate, played by Nolan, in the clutches of the creatures, the girls have to enlist help from Skyler, played by Fryberger, the alien baby-daddy himself. Snatchers is directed by Kleiman and Cedars. As more and more businesses and industry move into Valencia County and revitalize the areas economy, theyll all soon gather together to let the public know who they are and what they can offer. The Valencia Trades Conference and Job Fair is set from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday at the Belen Business Center, 719 S. Main St. New Mexico Economic Development and Workforce Solutions will present workshops on a variety of topics, including Valencia Countys emerging economic development, its challenges, the solutions and the economic development forecast. Steven Tomita, Belens planning and economic development manager, said he got the idea for the conference during a recent workshop with Albuquerque business leaders and elected officials who were grousing about the lack of international manufacturing companies in the state. I stood up and said we have about six or seven international manufacturing industrial companies in Valencia County that work in 20 to 100 countries, including two plastic manufacturers Keter and Aristech, Tomita said. They looked at me dumbfounded. Some of the councilors and representatives said they didnt know. I told them You didnt want to know.' Representatives from international and local companies, such as Aristech Surfaces, LLC, Clariant Corp., CEMCO, Inc., Keter Plastics, New Mexico Travertine, Sisneros Brothers, Geomni and Wall Colmonoy, will speak at the conference. Facebook, which is building a $1 billion data center near Los Lunas, wont be represented. One of the challenges to be discussed at the conference is the lack of recognition of economic development in Valencia County. A lot of international companies are asking why come to New Mexico if theyre going to be the first ones there, Tomita said. Another challenge Tomita said is the idea he once had that Valencia County didnt have enough of a workforce. But Keter has been able to hire 80 employees without problem and is looking to hire another 75. Along with the trades conference, the event will include a job fair. Tomita encourages people to bring their resumes. For information about the Valencia Trades Conference and Job Fair, email Steven Tomita at steven.tomita@belen-nm.gov. Nyika Allen is stepping down as president and CEO of the New Mexico Technology Council, but she leaves behind a revamped organization on a solid growth path. Allen, who took the councils helm in 2014, will join Mayor Tim Kellers administration on Feb. 20, although the city has yet to announce her new position. The council is now searching for a new leader. But thanks to Allens legacy, the incoming director will take over a well-greased organization that in the past four years has emerged from relative obscurity into a leadership role in Albuquerques technology community and startup ecosystem. Shes left us in an excellent position to further the organizations mission, said council board chair Curt Schatz. She helped put a framework in place fore the next CEO to come in and succeed immediately. Police say a man shot at a security guard, grazing his head with the bullet, after being told to leave a southeast Albuquerque Allsups Sunday. According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court, an officer was on patrol near Zuni and Indiana SE when he saw a security guard looking panicked as she ran into the convenience store. When he stopped to talk with her, the security guard told him her partner had just been shot in the head. The officer found the other security guard had a graze wound on the top left side of his head. The guards said they had been asking Steven Walker, 36, to leave the property because he was causing a disturbance and he became even more irate and started yelling at them. They were walking behind the business attempting to ensure that Steven left the property when he became upset and (one of the guards) pepper sprayed Steven, the officer wrote in the complaint. Steven grabbed his handgun and shot in their direction. Officers found Walker nearby and he was carrying a Glock 9 mm pistol, according to the complaint. He is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center. As DIGIXX Awards 2018 moves ahead to its second edition, to be held at The Leela Ambience on March 9, the first Jury list of eminent industry names has been released. The DIGIXX Awards are judged by an independent panel of highly acclaimed thought leaders in the advertising ecosystem, who create campaigns for the worlds most powerful brands, marketers with direct control over many of the largest advertising budgets and major media company leaders. Jury to select the best of the best: Rubeena Singh, Chief Executive Officer, iProspect India Akash Banerji, Head - Marketing & Partnerships, Viacom18 Digital Ventures Chetan Asher, Founder & CEO, Tonic Worldwide Dippak Khurana, Co-Founder & CEO, Vserv & VMAX Pradeep Dwivedi, CEO, Sakal Media Group Rohan Mehta, Co-Founder and CEO, Social Kinnect Gurmit Singh, Vice President, India Business at Oath Bhavana Mittal, Regional Head of Media, Digital and Communications for Reckitt Benckiser, South Asia Akash Deep Batra, Head Brand Communication, Corporate Brand And Digital, Nestle India Shamsuddin Jasani, MD, Isobar India Priti Murthy, CEO, OMD Jaswant Singh, Country Manager, Comexposium India. Dhruvi Joshi, Co-founder and Head, Media & Innovationt, PivotRoots. Megha Tata, COO, BTVI Priyanka Tikoo, VP and Head Marketing, CNBC TV18, CNBC Awaaz, CNBC BAJAR, Forbes and Forbes Digital, ETV/NEWS18 language Commenting on the DIGIXX Awards, Pradeep Dwivedi, CEO, Sakal Media Group, said, In the exponential digital ecosystem fuelled by social media for an increasingly demanding consumer, the marketers who create and leverage digital assets innovatively will be the real business thought leaders of value by building customer intimacy and success for their brands. DIGIXX 2018 is as fantastic platform for them to showcase their creativity, marketing acumen and set benchmarks. DIGIXX, an award platform by Adgully in association with ad:tech, has on board Sony LIV and Voot as the Digital Partners. BTVI is the Business Television Partner, while PivotRoots is the Digital Creative Partner. Click here to send in your entries and for more information on the Awards. Read More: https://www.adgully.com/digixx-2018-to-recognise-the-most-powerful-influencer-on-digital-75947.html https://www.adgully.com/digixx-2018-to-recognise-excellence-in-ott-space-with-special-awards-75874.html https://www.adgully.com/digixx-2018-be-the-early-bird-in-the-digital-domain-75730.html Turkish Airlines, winner of Skytraxs Best Airline in Europe award six consecutive years, has just debuted its new commercial on Sunday, February 4th during the NFLs final game and the most-watched show in U.S. TV history, the Super Bowl. Award-winning Danish director Martin Aamund took the reins for the film, which will be broadcast in many countries, that the national flag carrier flies to, across Europe, South Africa, the Far East, the Middle East, and the Americas including North America (Canada), Latin America, and the United States. Shooting wrapped up within a month across diverse destinations served by Turkish Airlines in Northern Europe, Africa and the Far East. Filmed under extreme weather conditions, with temperatures up to 50 C in the Sahara Desert, and below 0 C for the Northern Lights, the commercial celebrates the magic of the human body to excel in diverse conditions. Widen Your World is a call to the viewer to explore the world, and through it ourselves, with our five senses. Senses allow us to experience the world in a unique way. Touch, smell, sound, sight and taste are five magic ways of literally taking in a place and creating a moment, an experience, and a memory. Within the five senses are held some of the most precious memories, which can transport us through time. Uniquely, these grand voyages are most often inspired through the tiniest of details, whether the scent of a flower, or the taste of a spice. The Five Senses campaign encourages viewers to experience a sense of awe at the universe inside the body, as well as the amazing planet that Turkish Airlines connects us to. Ahmet Olmustur, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Turkish Airlines commented on the new campaigns debut at the Super Bowl; "As the airline that flies to more countries than any other, we strongly believe that our mission is so much more than bringing our passengers to their destination. We actively encourage them to discover the world and through it, discover themselves. Our new Five Senses campaign aims to emphasize the experience every journey brings towards discovering the unknown with our five senses to their fullest. We are more than satisfied by the feedback and outcomes of our celebrity ad campaigns with world-famous figures so far. Our campaign last year ad with Morgan Freeman was a great hit. Now we are looking forward to this new cooperation with Dr. Oz. We will maintain our leadership with our Widen Your World mission through our journey, which will inspire the whole world to seek new discoveries. Dr. Mehmet Oz emphasizes the importance of a high quality passenger experience; "As a doctor who has dedicated his life to communicating the wonders of the human body to the world, I am thrilled to work with Turkish Airlines on their novel Five Senses project. Together we will explore the unique experiences we can have across diverse locations around the world as we invoke curiosity and a sense of wonder for our audience." This follows on from the launch of a highly successful commercial starring Morgan Freeman, which aired during the commercial break at the 2017 Super Bowl and went on to become the most watched Super Bowl commercial on YouTube with 53 million views. In 2016, Turkish Airlines sponsored "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", and broadcasted its commercial as part of the sponsorship deal, at the Super Bowl for the first time with an estimated audience of over 800 million people worldwide. "Kobe vs. Messi: The Selfie Shootout", another of the national flag-carrier's commercial deal with Lionel Messi and Kobe Bryant, was also selected the best commercial film of the last decade by YouTube. Read More: https://www.adgully.com/the-final-four-of-the-turkish-airlines-euroleague-will-take-place-in-istanbul-in-2017-69036.html https://www.adgully.com/turkish-airlines-the-official-airline-partner-for-euro-2016-takes-off-on-its-maiden-flight-to-paris-66367.html https://www.adgully.com/turkish-airlines-partners-with-warner-bros-65095.html https://www.adgully.com/turkish-airlines-expands-its-presence-in-india-signs-free-sale-codeshare-agreement-with-air-india-49450.html Forbes India released this weekend the fifth annual Forbes India 30 Under 30 list, featuring 30 young achievers that meet three broad criteria: The extent of impact of their achievements, and their ability to disrupt the status quo; scalability of the business or line of work and; their potential to stay a long-term player. They range across several categories such as artistes, chefs, designers, entertainers, entrepreneurs, finance gurus, musicians and sportspersons. The 2018 Forbes India 30 Under 30 list, includes 30 honourees across 15 categories. All under 30 years old, the achievers were arrived at following a three-fold research process: One, interviews by the Forbes India team with sources across relevant categories as well as through studies of databases and media coverage. Two, on forbesindia.com, inviting applications from, or nominations of, entrepreneurs and professionals who fit the criteria. Three, spreading the word on social media. This helped the Forbes India team arrive at a longlist of over 300 names across 15 categories. The next step was narrowing down to a short longlistthe names most likely to make it to the top 30. This pool of around 100-odd names was decided in consultation with experts. The last stage was separating the final 30 from the other contenders. Armed with expert views, the Forbes India editorial team debated, argued and vetoed its way down to the final 30. The Forbes India 30 Under 30 List is a celebration of dreamers and daring-doers, venturerers and adventurers, says Brian Carvalho, Editor, Forbes India. This bunch is driven to break new ground by either excelling in areas theyve chosen to make their own, or looking for new competitive advantages with tech-driven business models. Joy Chakraborthy, CEO Forbes India and President, Revenue Network18 said, With the prestige attached to this list, apart from recognizing the talent of these entrepreneurs, we hope it will provide the right impetus for more achievers from Generation Z to follow. The Forbes India 30 Under 30 list has considered for selection those who were under the age of 30 as on December 31, 2017 (the cutoff date for selection of the list). Thus, in the case of enterprises which have several co-founders, it has considered only those where at least one of them is under the age of 30. Read More: https://www.adgully.com/forbes-india-super-50-list-celebrates-india-inc-s-finest-67895.html https://www.adgully.com/forbes-unveils-india-s-richest-in-collector-s-edition-launching-today-69462.html https://www.adgully.com/forbes-india-leadership-awards-69730.html IndiGo, Indias largest passenger airline, is pleased to announce yet another addition to its leadership team with appointment of Mr. Rajagopalan Raghavan as the Senior Vice President of the Human Resource department. The announcement comes briefly after IndiGo appointed Mr. Wolfgang Prock-Schauer as its COO indicating IndiGos resolve to build a solid foundation that can take the company to greater heights. Rajagopalan popularly known as Raj, is joining from 1st April and brings with him not only deep functional expertise in the area of human resources and talent management but also learnings of best practices from world class companies. In addition to HR, he will be also responsible for the Administration function and will also oversee ifly IndiGos learning academy (continued to be headed by Ms. Summi Sharma). He will be reporting to Aditya Ghosh, President and Whole Time Director, IndiGo. Raj earned his undergraduate degree in Economics from University of Madras and Masters in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations at Madras School of Social Work. He is currently with Amazon heading its Human Resources and supporting the launch of several businesses and technology development centers in the country. Prior to joining Amazon, Raj was Head of HR for GEs Global Research and India Technology Centers. He joined GE in 1999 and held various senior HR leadership positions supporting several businesses in various locations. Prior to this, Raj has held several senior HR leadership positions across geographies in organizations such as Hindustan Unilever, Ford Motor Company and HSBC. On the new appointment, Mr. Aditya Ghosh, President and Whole-Time Director, IndiGo said, We are delighted to welcome Mr. Raj to the IndiGo family. With his in-depth expertise and knowledge, I am confident that this important and positive step in strengthening our leadership team will serve as a great building block for the future of IndiGo and our continued success as a team. The process of encouraging Made in IndiGo leadership talent combined with attracting world class talent will be an ongoing exercise for us to reach greater heights. Raj, while commenting on his new role with IndiGo, said, IndiGo is an exemplary example of strong team growth with great values within a short span of time. I am extremely delighted to be a part of 6E family to explore bigger opportunities that lies ahead of us as the brand continues to make robust expansion. Customer Logins Obtain the data you need to make the most informed decisions by accessing our extensive portfolio of information, analytics, and expertise. Sign in to the product or service center of your choice. The role of photography in the modernization of countries in Latin America has been largely understudied by North American institutions, but, notes Hyperallergic, that neglected history is being addressed in the exhibition Photography in Argentina, 1850-2010: Contradiction and Continuity, part of the Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA initiative focusing on Latin American and Latino art at the J. Paul Getty Museum. The exhibition focuses on how photography created and perpetuated a national imaginary in that country. Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up! Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican heavyweight from South Carolina, made a stop in Aiken on Monday afternoon. Graham visited the Aiken Rotary Club, and, in a rapid-fire speech, he addressed a breadth of current events. Graham was particularly passionate about the state of nuclear in South Carolina and the recently released House Intelligence memo, which alleges FBI authority abuse. In turn, Graham also brought up special counsel Robert Mueller. 'Nuclear renaissance' Graham, in the very first minutes of his speech, called for a South Carolina "nuclear renaissance." "We're going to do more, not less, on the nuclear side," Graham said. In a pre-speech interview, Graham said he'd like to "completely, fundamentally" redesign energy in the United States. That starts with nuclear reform, he said, referencing the V.C. Summer nuclear station buildout fiasco. Graham said the Fairfield County failure broke his heart, but it didn't ruin nuclear energy for him. Reform is also needed at the Savannah River Site's Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility, Graham said. U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan questions SRS, MOX futures during federal hearing The Savannah River Site and the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility were topics of discussion during a U.S. Department of Energy modernizati "If I had to explain to somebody from Mars what's wrong with the federal government," Graham said, "I'd use the MOX program as an example." MOX, a project under construction at SRS, has faced ballooning timelines and support fallout. Once completed, MOX would turn weapons-grade plutonium into commercial reactor fuel. MOX is the product of a denuclearization commitment between the United States and Russia in 2000. Reaching completion, though, is apparently a tricky thing: U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., and others have said MOX is 70 percent complete. Others have said that number is notably lower. A 2016 U.S. Department of Energy analysis pinpoints both 2029 and 2048 as potential finishes. "The big issue is: Is it 70 percent built or 30 percent?" Graham said to the Rotary Club. "Welcome to the federal government. We're arguing about where the damn thing is." Graham said MOX mix-ups budgeting, for example require some firing. "If you were in the private sector, you would be out of a job," Graham said Monday. Former President Barack Obama did not want to fund MOX. President Donald Trump's 2018 budget initially eliminated funding for MOX. At the time, Graham said discontinuing the facility would be ruinous to U.S.-Russian relations. Graham, on Monday, said he'll put up "one hell of a fight" to keep MOX a project he said had no other alternatives going. "I was there from the very beginning," the senator said. "I was there when we signed the agreement in 2004. I was there when we poured the first layer of concrete." Downblending, mixing defense plutonium with inert material and burying it, has previously been floated as a MOX alternative. Graham confirmed U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, who spent last Thursday and Friday at SRS, toured MOX. Graham said Perry was "impressed." Wilson said he is convinced Perry knows MOX is 70 percent along. Graham also said SRS is in a position to grow, echoing Perry, who said SRS's future is "very bright." Graham said he supports spent nuclear fuel reprocessing at SRS and moving plutonium pit production there. Pits the triggers to nuclear weapons haven't been produced since 2011. Graham said in order to modernize the American military, a promise he said Trump will fulfill, the nuclear arsenal needs a little love, too. NNSA analysis of alternatives The National Nuclear Security Administration studied locations for possible plutonium pit production and issued this document in November 2017. Pits were exclusively produced at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. National Nuclear Security Administration documents show the New Mexico lab needing updates to the tune of at least $1.9 billion. Establishing pit production at SRS, according to the same documents, would cost at least $1.4 billion and could start sooner. "You need to go to some place that has a history of making stuff," Graham said of SRS's pit production qualifications. Graham said local pit production would be "a great opportunity" for the Site. Perry said the same thing Feb. 2. FBI, Russia, memos Jumping from the United States' nuclear nonproliferation agreement with Russia to national news about Russia, Graham said he had read Friday's House Intelligence memo. The senator said the memo does not clash with special counsel Robert Mueller's campaign investigation. "I agree with Trey Gowdy," Graham said. "None of this affects the Russian investigation of Trump's campaign." U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., a memo author, said the memo does not discredit Mueller or his ongoing Russian meddling analysis. On Feb. 2, a memo, declassified by Trump, was released by House Republicans. The memo details why Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants were issued on a former Trump campaign adviser and how a controversial dossier allegedly led to the warrants. Memo opponents Democrats, namely contested the release: Some said it was pushed out for political leverage. Others said it will be used to undermine Mueller. Trump, on Twitter, said the memo "totally vindicates" him. Graham, though, is not so sure: "They're two separate issues," he said. "I'll let Mueller do his job in terms of investigating how the Russians interacted with the Trump campaign, if they did at all," Graham said. Instead of harassing Mueller, Graham would prefer to examine potential political bias within the FBI. "I think the FBI needs to be held accountable," Graham said, adding that the FBI might have had anti-Trump inclinations while surveilling Carter Page, the memo-named Trump adviser. The memo asserts a Democrat-ghostwritten, unverified dossier led to an American citizen being spied on. "Products like that shouldn't be used to get warrants," Graham said of the dossier. Graham said the dossier's author, Chris Steele, was a "political operative" and not an FBI informant. A long simmering row between Turkey and the Netherlands reignited today with the latter announcing the withdrawal of its ambassador from Ankara. The Dutch Foreign Ministry said in a statement, The Netherlands and Turkey have recently held talks at various levels. At this stage, these talks do not yet offer a perspective to normalizing the bilateral relations. The Dutch ambassador to Ankara, Cornelis van Rij, had effectively been denied entry to Turkey since March. Turkey's government spokesman sought to downplay the decision. Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag told reporters after a Cabinet meeting, This does not mean that diplomatic ties between Turkey and the Netherlands are cut off. There are charges daffaires carrying out the relations between the two countries. However, the move suggests that Turkeys demands for an apology from the Dutch government for the normalization of relations are not going to be met. The tension reached a boiling point when Turkeys ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) sought to campaign for a controversial April 16 referendum on boosting the powers of the presidency on Dutch soil. A plane carrying Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who was supposed to woo ethnic Turkish voters in Rotterdam, was not allowed to land in the Netherlands. Family Affairs Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, who snuck in overland from Germany, was forced to leave. Her deportation provoked violent clashes between Turkish demonstrators and police outside the Turkish consulate building in Rotterdam. A furious Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the Dutch Nazi remnants, plunging relations to a new low. Kati Piri, a Dutch member of the European Parliament who is the bodys Turkey rapporteur and a fierce critic of the AKPs descent into authoritarianism, aired regrets over van Rijs withdrawal, arguing it ought to have been a measure of last resort. She told Al-Monitor, Its a sad situation that is not tenable in the long run as both countries are NATO allies and have important strategic ties. She added, "It's clear that without a Dutch ambassador in Turkey, Dutch interests will be less well defended. The Netherlands is the biggest foreign investor in Turkey, accounting for around $22 billion, roughly 16% of total foreign direct investment. It didnt help that last years row coincided with the Netherlands own parliamentary elections, in which anti-immigrant right-wing groups were expected to increase their share of the vote, forcing liberal Prime Minister Mark Rutte to take a tougher line than usual. His Peoples Party for Freedom and Democracy won the elections but lost some seats, and he was only able to cobble together a ruling coalition in October. Municipal elections are due to be held next month and Rotterdam, with its large ethnic Turkish community they make up nearly 8% of its total population will be one of the most fiercely contested cities. Denk, an unabashedly pro-Erdogan party founded by two Turkish-Dutch lawmakers in 2015, has announced a list of candidates in another sign of how Turkey and the Netherlands domestic politics are becoming ever more intertwined. Froukje Santing is a prominent Dutch commentator on Turkish affairs. She told Al-Monitor that the large and deeply polarized population of ethnic Turks and Kurds is making it increasingly difficult for Dutch leaders to balance formal relations with the Turkish government, as Erdogans popularity among the ethnic Turks allows him to meddle in their domestic affairs. Dutch authorities have a hard time reading Erdogan, who swings from calls for friendship to labeling them Nazis, she said. In the end it's mostly about Erdogan maintaining his own popularity at home, she contended. Indeed, as recently as December, the pro-government Turkish media was heralding reconciliation, claiming that Turkey would soon appoint a new ambassador to the court of King Willem-Alexander and that the Netherlands own envoy would be returning to Ankara. The English-language Daily Sabah quoted unnamed sources as saying that Turkey expected the Dutch Foreign Ministry would express their sadness about the March 2017 incidents. Apparently it did not. Marc Pierini, a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe and a former EU ambassador to Turkey, believes the Rotterdam crisis remains acute for two reasons. He told Al-Monitor, Turkish politicians wanted to use freedom of speech [in the Netherlands] to campaign for 'yes' in the constitutional referendum, while in Turkey proponents of 'no' were not allowed to campaign freely. The other problem is that Dutch politicians were equated with Nazis and the scuffles outside the Turkish Consulate with the WW2 Holocaust that killed some 6 million European Jews. Its the Dutch who feel they are owed the apology. The formal downgrading of diplomatic ties between the two NATO allies reflects a broader unease between Turkeys and the European Union. Talks for Turkeys full membership remain virtually frozen and show no signs of a thaw as the Turkish government continues to ruthlessly suppress all dissent and subvert justice in flagrant violation of EU norms. Federica Mogherini, who is vice president of the European Commission and its foreign minister, will address a session of the European Parliament tomorrow on human rights and Turkeys ongoing military offensive against the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units in Afrin. The rising number of civilians killed in Turkish airstrikes in the Kurdish-dominated Syrian region will undoubtedly figure alongside Turkeys swelling population of journalists, politicians and other government critics who are being held on flimsily constructed terror charges. Pierini noted there have been six formal statements against Turkeys accession issued since October in turn from the Netherlands, Austria, France, Germany and Belgium. This is a sea change, Pierini said. The new Dutch decision only reflects in another way the current mood among the public and politicians alike in Europe about Turkey. The Turkish military operation in Afrin against Kurdish fighters has sparked different reactions among various parties involved in Syria, based on how each actor interprets the goals and implications of Ankaras unilateral move. While the United States has appeared to be against the operation, especially given Washingtons support for the Kurdish forces fighting under the banner of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Russia has silently gone along with the move. Iran, as another influential actor on the Syrian stage, has preferred to take a line between total rejection and total acknowledgement of the operation. Tehrans first reaction came from Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi, who on Jan. 21 expressed hope that the operation in Afrin would end immediately to prevent further instability in Syria. While stating that the Islamic Republic is monitoring closely and with concern the recent events, Ghassemi underlined the necessity of preserving territorial integrity of Syria and respecting the national government of this country. The following day, chief of staff of Irans armed forces, Maj Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, held a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar, in which the Iranian side once again stressed the importance of maintaining Syrias territorial integrity, while stopping short of calling upon Turkey to end its operation. Based on these remarks, one can reasonably say that Iran has adopted a rather modest stance regarding the Turkish move, avoiding directly condemning the operation, while not supporting it at the same time. Iran has adopted a rather modest stance regarding the Turkish move, avoiding directly condemning the operation, while not supporting it at the same time. In analyzing the reasons behind Tehrans stance, it should first be noted that in the eyes of the Islamic Republic, one of the main challenges it is facing in post-Islamic State (IS) Syria is Washingtons desire to maintain and expand its influence in the country, especially using proxy groups such as the SDF. While the previous attempts by the United States to form and support an effective armed opposition had failed, the SDF introduced itself as a more successful experience, with the liberation of Raqqa from IS as its main achievement. As Kurdish fighters form an important part of the SDF, Ankaras operation naturally means a blow to the SDFs expanding influence, and thereby that of the United States. In the same vein, by clearly condemning Washingtons support for Syrian Kurdish groups and warning the United States over its military plans in northern Syria, Ankara is actually distancing itself further from its longtime NATO ally. It is no secret that the widening gap between Ankara and Washington which started in the aftermath of the failed July 2016 coup in Turkey is welcomed by Tehran as a favorable development. For Iran, this trend means that the United States is facing more hurdles in its policy of containing it in the region. Irans general concerns over Kurdish centrifugal sentiments in the region must also be taken into account when considering the situation. If Syrian Kurds manage to maintain their rule in northern Syria, the next step would be for them to demand a meaningful degree of autonomy if not full independence from the central government in Damascus. In line with the still fresh desire for independence among Iraqi Kurds, this could potentially reignite the Kurdish issue in the region, posing a great challenge not only for Damascus, but also for Tehran, Ankara and Baghdad. Last but not least, Iran seems to be satisfied at least for the time being with the "Idlib for Afrin" deal between Turkey and Russia. In other words, together with Moscow, Tehran had apparently reached the conclusion that allowing Ankara to achieve what it wants in Afrin would free the Syrian governments hand to retake the areas under the control of Turkey-backed rebel groups in Idlib province. From this viewpoint, as a state actor with a legitimate set of national security goals, Turkey will be easier to deal with in the future when it comes to reintegrating northern Syria into the framework of a unified Syrian territory, compared to the Kurdish or other armed groups as nonstate actors with still vague agendas. Yet these considerations have not led Iran to take a supportive stance regarding the Turkish operation. First, unlike Turkey, Iran is cautious not to entirely alienate different Kurdish parties in the region. On Jan. 21, when Ankara had just launched Operation Olive Branch, Iran was hosting the prime minister of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government, Nechirvan Barzani. During his stay in Tehran, Barzani stressed that the KRGs territory will not be used against the Islamic Republic, while expressing his support for a unified Iraq. Barzanis remarks, as well as the timing of the trip, could be interpreted as a signal by Iran that it is ready to deal with the Kurds as long as they observe Irans core interests in the region. In this vein, Iran is worried that if Turkey decides to go beyond its declared goals and seeks to purge the whole of northern Syria of Kurdish groups, the move could mobilize and radicalize the Kurds not only in Syria, but around the region, thereby further destabilizing the regional situation. On the other hand, by complicating the political process as has already happened given the Kurdish groups refusal to take part in the Syrian National Congress in Sochi radical and terrorist groups could once again gain momentum and push Syria deeper into chaos. Ghassemi in fact mentioned this last point when he warned that the crisis in Afrin may lead to restrengthening of takfiri-terrorist groups in Syria. Finally, Ankaras expressed plan to expand the scope of its operation further to the east to Manbij, as well as the latest encounters between the Turkish and Syrian armies in Aleppo, could for Iran mean that Turkey might be looking for something bigger than just defeating the Kurds. This could involve attempting to create a permanent zone of influence for itself across northern Syria. This is not something Iran is ready to accept. As such, the intertwined sets of positive and negative factors at play have all caused Iran to adopt a cautious approach toward Turkeys military move though the position could change at any moment depending on Ankaras future choices in Syria. MOSCOW Russia responded quickly and fiercely to the Feb. 3 downing of an Su-25 jet over Syria's Idlib province and the subsequent shooting death of its pilot. Shortly after the incident, the Russian Defense Ministry ordered precision missile strikes on the area and claimed to have killed at least 30 militants. Russia is particularly concerned because the plane was apparently shot down by a portable anti-aircraft missile system, which would have been provided by some outside source. There were some discrepancies over who controlled the area where the plane was downed and who did the shooting. The pilot, Russian air force Maj. Roman Filippov, managed to eject, but as he was descending, militants fired at him. Russian media reported the airman was still alive when he landed in the al-Nusra-controlled area and, probably mindful of his possible fate if captured, returned fire until he died. Several Russian outlets reported the pilot blew himself up with a grenade at the last minute and took out militants as they closed in on him. The Conflict Intelligence Team, an independent investigative group that first obtained photos and documents about the incident, said Filippov was believed to be one of the best pilots in the Russian air force. BBC reported that the Russian Defense Ministry-controlled TV Zvezda said the pilot has been posthumously awarded the Hero of Russia medal, also known as the Gold Star. Dozens of miles of Idlib province are contested among an array of groups, including the terrorist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a rebrand of Jabhat al-Nusra, which was affiliated with al-Qaeda; the Free Syrian Army; and its affiliate Jaish al-Nasr, which is considered a moderate opposition group" that received weapons from the United States. Minutes after the downing of the Su-25, Alaa al-Hamwi, the military commander of Jaish al-Nasrs aid defense battalion, claimed responsibility for the attack. Alaa argued that Jaish al-Nasrs command supplied weapons to protect against the Russian air assault. Later, however, HTS claimed responsibility for downing the plane. The three immediate questions that arose from the attack were how the downing was made possible, how the militants acquired the arms and whether there was a bigger-level player behind the attack. Russian aircraft usually operate at heights unreachable by portable missiles, though Su-25 strike fighters do tend to attack from midrange altitudes. This Su-25 was operating rather low. Russian military experts told Al-Monitor that, in situations like this, the specific type of missile system and the operator's experience also matter. Mulling over possible options for the source of the weapon, experts brought up US supplies to the region, admitting, however, that the launcher could have been among Soviet-made arms captured by terrorists from Syrian army depots or supplies linked to Turkey, Qatar or Saudi Arabia. Dmitry Sablin, the head of the Russian-Syrian parliamentary coordination group, implied that Moscow believes the missile used to down the Russian Su-25 was supplied via a state adjacent to Syria. "Countries through which arms are supplied to be used against the Russian military should understand it won't go unpunished," he warned. Franz Klintsevich, the first deputy chair of the Russian Senate Defense and Security Committee, didnt mince words, saying he was "absolutely positive the MANPADS, or man-portable air-defense systems, had been supplied to the terrorists by the United States via third countries. Also, he said, Western countries may be trying to provoke certain reactions. Today, we are undergoing a very complicated process, and provocations" are a useful tool. "The situation in the area is under Turkeys control and [the downing of the jet] could have served to exacerbate the Russian-Turkish disagreements. I think Western intelligence services [also damaged] our further relations with the United States, said Klintsevich, a hard-liner and a staunch critic of the United States. Our Defense Ministry is now conducting a serious investigation to find out who was behind this attack," he said. "But in this complex configuration of military actions, the role of American intelligence is becoming clear. They want to discredit our work on the fight against terrorists, and such provocations will continue. This view is in line with earlier Russian statements regarding chemical attacks in Syria and possible US military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Theres a firm belief in Moscow that Washington has been seeking to derail Russian political initiatives. A recent Russian Foreign Ministry press release said, The US' stubborn desire to enact in Syria the scenario previously applied in the former Yugoslavia, Iraq and Libya is glaringly obvious." All the US-related trash talk might indeed indicate that some segments of Russian security are seriously concerned at this point, yet the Kremlin still hasn't given up on the idea of seeking cooperation with US President Donald Trump on security and counterterrorism matters. Last week, the heads of Russias top security agencies were in Washington: Sergey Naryshkin of Russias Foreign Intelligence Service, Federal Security Service chief Alexander Bortnikov and Igor Korobov, the head of Russias military intelligence. The security officials met with CIA Director Mike Pompeo to discuss prospects for such cooperation. Earlier, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov mentioned in an interview with Russia's RIA Novosti news agency that Moscow was ready to increase cooperation with the United States in Syria. Russian officials have been careful in mentioning the possible role of another usual suspect in the Idlib jet incident: Turkey. Russian officials have been careful in mentioning the possible role of another usual suspect in the Idlib jet incident: Turkey. At the expert level, however, the rationale that Ankara might have played an official role in the attack stems from the deep-seated distrust between Russia and Turkey, their tacit disagreements over Idlib, and previous incidents, including both Turkey's downing of a Russian jet over Syria in 2015 and the recent shelling of the Khmeimim air base. In addition, even though President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan both expressed positive assessments of the recent Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi, Ankara has reason to be less optimistic about the role the opposition groups it supports play in the process and on the ground. Moscow believes that because Turkey has deep contacts with the opposition, including its radical groups, Ankara can thus help rein them in. The belief is evidenced by the Russian Defense Ministry reaching out to its Turkish counterparts for help in getting the pilot's body returned to Russia. Other players see the incident as an opportunity to manipulate emotions in Moscow. Some, like the local Kurdish militias under fire from Turkey and its opposition allies, have sought to enlist Russian support. Reizan Hedu, the official representative of the Kurdish defense forces in Afrin, was among the first to express condolences to Russia on the loss of the pilot and asserted, The Russian pilot was killed at the hands of terrorists who also bear responsibility for the death of Kurds. Hedu added, "I think everyone understands who supports these terrorist groups. They are besieged in Idlib and can only receive support from Turkey. In Idlib, the Syrian government forces are being countered by groups that support Turkeys offensive in Afrin." Regardless of who was behind the attack, any gloating among Russias opponents over the humiliation Moscow has suffered in the downing of its jet wont help their political cause. If the attack indeed was a well-plotted action, as most Russian narratives suggest, it overlooked the longer term implications the incident may have on Russias Syria policies. The drawdown of Russian troops in Syria announced in December was seen as a result of Russias successful large-scale military involvement in Syria. Putin thought it was the right moment to save Russia from a military quagmire and focus predominantly on the political settlement in Syria, including via Moscow-led initiatives such as the Sochi congress. Despite the controversies accompanying the Sochi meeting and attendees' mixed bag of reactions afterward, the idea behind the Sochi event was meant to signal Russias flexibility to work with all sorts of local players and engage with anyone ready to interact. The Russian strikes have slowed, but essentially never stopped and the roles Moscow wants the actors in Syria to play were to be set by Russia, not the opposition or its sponsors. In recent months, however, Moscow has been willing to consider compromises with different actors to see how a political settlement one favorable to Russian interests, of course could be tailored. The situation in Afrin, for that matter, was part of the equation where, as Al-Monitor reported, Moscow exercised one of the prime principles of its Middle East policies: "Steer away from crises where Russia's own security interests are not directly at stake." It matters little how tough Moscow gets in the short term, even if the group behind the attack is eliminated rather quickly. Putin is nearing his highly likely re-election March 18 and wont let anyone escape punishment for a provocation threatening to shatter his own or Russias public image. What matters is what far-reaching conclusions Russia may be drawing from the attack on its jet and pilot, especially if Moscow believes that attack shares similarities with previous offensives on its military infrastructure in Syria, and how its going to square this conclusion with its future presence in Syria and the Mideast, its operational objectives and its role in the political settlement. Militarily, the downing of the jet is a pinprick and is unlikely to make Moscow reverse its decision on its troops' presence. But the Kremlin is now likely to throw even more weight behind Assad (especially since Moscow has been seeking to leverage Assad lately), beef up its military strikes on the terrorists and uncooperative opposition alike, and be less flexible politically. At the end of the day, Russia believes it now has yet another reason to think its doing the right thing in Syria. ALEPPO, Syria The Syrian regime's airstrikes have hit a number of cities, towns and villages in the Idlib countryside over the past few days, causing a great deal of destruction to the local infrastructure and raising fears that the area will suffer the same fate as the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo. A Jan. 30 air raid that targeted a market killed 15 people and wounded others in the town of Ariha. Regime helicopters dropped numerous barrel bombs on Tell Sultan, Salamin and Kanayes villages in the east, where no injuries were reported. Idlib's southeastern countryside is held by the Syrian armed opposition factions and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The Syrian regime's shelling of Saraqeb killed five people and wounded others on Feb. 1. Idlib Media Center reported that members of the Civil Defense corps were wounded while treating the wounded. According to opposition activists, Russian aircraft hit the village of Jarjnaz in Idlibs southern countryside Feb. 1 with bombs carrying napalm, but no casualties were reported. On Jan. 29, the regimes warplanes targeted the potato market in Saraqeb, in the Idlib eastern countryside, killing 14 people and wounding others. Five people including a woman and four children were killed in Maasaran village, east of Idlib, in the regimes air raids on residential areas. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 175 civilians, mostly women and children, have been killed in 35 days of intensified regime actions in the area beginning Dec. 25, 2017. The air raids come alongside the ongoing battles between the regime and armed opposition forces in Idlib countryside. The regime forces are advancing, taking over numerous towns and villages in Idlib's southeastern countryside and gaining control of the Abu al-Zohour military airport Jan. 21. The airstrikes on Saraqeb have prompted the towns local council to plead for help on social media Jan. 28. The council urged international and UN institutions to put a halt to the brutal raids that have targeted the citys unarmed population and to bring the perpetrators to justice. Laith Faris, a volunteer for the Civil Defense corps in Saraqeb, told Al-Monitor that 125 airstrikes hit the town in four days," explaining, "Different sorts of bombs, thermobaric weapon, S-5 and S-8 rockets, cluster munitions and rockets containing napalm were used. There is a high rate of civilian casualties and a great deal of damage was caused to the towns infrastructure. Owdai Hospital is the only hospital in the town and closed due to an airstrike. The blood bank and paramedic service are also inoperative after they were hit by warplanes. The towns laboratory suffered great damage, in addition to the western water treatment plant and the interim governments mill. Two mosques were also bombarded, he added. In a Jan. 29 statement, Doctors Without Borders condemned the airstrikes on medical facilities in northern Syria. According to the statement, two airstrikes by the Syrian regime forces hit Owdai Hospital in Saraqeb while patients were being treated there, forcing the hospital to close. Luis Montiel, the organization's mission chief in northern Syria, wrote, This latest incident demonstrates the brutality with which healthcare is coming under attack in Syria. The fact that this attack occurred on a facility while it was treating incoming patients is particularly egregious and a clear violation of international humanitarian law. Ahmad Sheikho, director of the Civil Defense corps media office in Idlib, told Al-Monitor, Since Dec. 17, civilians in Idlib's southeastern countryside have been subjected to a fierce offensive by the Syrian regime and its allies. They were targeted by hundreds of airstrikes in which various types of bombs were used. The offensive has killed 312 civilians, including 94 children and 69 women, and wounded 667 people, including 200 women and 172 children. The airstrikes shut down six hospitals. They hit seven of the Civil Defense corps centers in Saraqeb, Khan Sheikhoun, Bidama and Ariha, as well and other towns and villages. The warplanes targeted four popular markets resulting in massacres, as in Ariha and Saraqeb, in addition to 13 mosques, a number of schools, silos and mills. He went on, Unbelievably, the offensive is getting more intensive leading to further deaths and wounded. More than 100 raids targeted Saraqeb alone in the past two days, killing about 30 people and wounding more than 50. 300,000 people were displaced from Idlib's southeastern countryside in the biggest wave of displacement in Idlib governorate. The warplanes also target 11 temporary refugee camps in the suburbs of Saraqeb. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip In an effort to combat intolerance and promote dialogue, independent civil society organizations in the Gaza Strip are organizing youth debates for Palestinian youth and university students. The debates, where each youth team presents opposing viewpoints on a specific political, social or economic hypothesis suggested by the organizing party, are judged by a panel of jurists composed of civil servants, lawyers, writers or academics. The jury selects the winning team based on who presented the stronger and more convincing argument. The Filastiniyat Foundation, a local media association aimed at promoting the active participation of Palestinian women and youth on all decision-making levels, encourages debates in Palestinian society through the annual Debate Tournament for Gaza Universities. Wafa Abdel Rahman, the foundations director, told Al-Monitor that the foundation has been organizing the annual tournament between five Palestinian universities in Gaza for the past five years. It is funded by Socialist International, a global organization of social democratic, socialist and labor parties. Socialist International currently brings together 140 political parties and organizations from all over the world. Prior to the debate, 30 male and female university students receive training to develop their debating skills, particularly on supporting their point of view with facts. On Dec. 24, Filastiniyat concluded the 2017 Debate Tournament, where teams debated the statement, "This council believes the Palestinian division has extended the life of the Israeli occupation. The team representing the Islamic University of Gaza, which supported this hypothesis, won the debate against the team representing the University College of Applied Sciences in Gaza, which supported the view that the failure of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israel in reaching a settlement prolonged the occupation, not the division. Abdel Rahman explained that debate is still a novel idea in Palestinian society, where partisan fanaticism prevails among numerous Palestinian political parties and their supporters. The youth often adopt the ideas of the party they are affiliated with without questioning or discussing them, which prevents them from considering the merits of other points of view or even tolerating them. She noted that the debates also aim at addressing several negative patterns of behaviors among the Palestinians, such as blindly believing things without verifying them, the lack of respect of alternative opinions and interrupting the other party repeatedly without giving them an opportunity to express their point of view. These debates give young people the opportunity to explore, investigate, research and examine information about the issue under discussion; build a logical and scientific discourse based on evidence and persuasion; and respect another point of view, Abdel Rahman said. Journalist Mohammed El Najjar, 30, who has participated in three youth debates as a member of the youth groups since 2016, told Al-Monitor that this new experience has helped him learn many principles he could employ during a dialogue, such as listening to others and forming convincing arguments in defense of a specific issue. This experience has taught me that my point of view can in fact be wrong if I have not done my research and listened to others. Debates can help eliminate intolerance. It has helped me gain self-confidence and form strong, convincing arguments, Najjar said. Nashaat al-Aktash, a professor of journalism at Birzeit University in Ramallah, the West Bank, told Al-Monitor that encouraging the youth debates is very important because it significantly contributes to promoting positive dialogue in a society that is still suffering from the consequences of intellectual intolerance, most notably due to the internal conflict between the two largest Palestinian parties, Hamas and Fatah, which resulted in the Palestinian division that has persisted since 2007. He explained that the tribal system that governs Palestinian society strengthens the idea of intolerance since the entire tribe [blindly] adopts the opinion of the tribal chief, but with technological development and social media, young people are given ample space to talk and discuss with others. Aktash added, In addition to this newfound openness, the youth debates have created a new environment for young people to share information and opinions and promote dialogue. The Palestinian Institute for Communication and Development in Gaza, an independent institution that held youth debates in 2016 and 2017, has used debate as a tool for transparency. In their debates, students, journalists and social media activists make up one team and local officials another. Then the two teams hold a debate on issues for which the local officials are responsible and accountable. The institutes director, Fathi Sabbah, told Al-Monitor, We have been able to turn debates into a tool that the public can use to hold local municipalities accountable at a time when the Palestinian Legislative Council fails to play an effective role. He said that four debates were organized in 2017 that involved 30 students, journalists and local officials, pointing out that these debates are funded by the official PA-affiliated Palestinian Central Elections Commission and the civil society organization Transparency Palestine. Sabbah noted that his institute is in the process of developing a new method for these debates by making youth teams face official teams, made up of ministers and deputy ministers, and addressing issues related to their everyday lives, services and many topics that concern citizens such as the electricity crisis. He added that despite the two years of work his institute has put into promoting a culture of dialogue and acceptance, they still have a long way to go. We need to work even more in the coming years, so we can make progress and change this culture, he concluded. Former employees from Facebook and Google have formed a coalition of technologists with the goal of pushing for a campaign meant to combat tech addiction among various demographics of Internet users. The alliance called the Center for Humane Technology seeks to spread awareness of its campaign called The Truth About Tech among students, parents, and teachers from a large swath of public schools across the United States. The coalition will carry out the initiative in partnership with the Common Sense Media, a nonprofit media watchdog organization which will donate $7 million to fund the campaign. The goal of the campaign is to tell the intended audience about the harmful effects of social media and the internet as a whole on the overall well-being of a person. Also, a study conducted by Jean M. Twenge, a San Diego State University professor with a major in psychology, recently revealed that excessive screen time is causing a lower level of happiness among teenagers who spend more time on digital activities such as chatting, gaming, social networking, and texting than among young users who invest more of their time in physical interactions, sports, and reading print materials. On top of the ad campaign, both groups also plan to advance a lobbying effort intended to fight tech addiction. It is perhaps worth noting that Common Sense Media is backed by Comcast and DIRECTV, among other partners, with $50 million in donated media and airtime. As part of efforts to reform the tech landscape, the coalition intends to launch a website called Ledger of Harms, whose objective is to educate tech professionals about the pros and cons of the products big tech firms ask them to create. The website will feature content that will tackle the impact of a wide variety of technologies on an individuals health as well as a guide on how to build healthy tech solutions. On the regulatory front, the Center for Humane Technology and Common Sense Media will initially support two bills, including the one authored by Senator Edward J. Markey which seeks to fund research on the effects of technology on childrens health, as well as another legislation introduced by Senator Bob Hertzberg with the goal of making unidentified digital bots unlawful. The Lava Red variant of the OnePlus 5T released in India late last month is coming to the United States and Europe as part of the companys Valentines Day offerings, OnePlus said Monday. The handset will become available for orders tomorrow, priced at $559 in the U.S., 499 in the United Kingdom, and 559 in the rest of Europe. As its price tag implies, the Lava Red color is attached to a more premium version of the OnePlus 5T which boasts 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal flash memory, and usually retails for the same price. Consumers in the United States and other select markets who order the limited-edition smartphone until Friday will also receive free shipping from the Shenzhen, Guangdong-based company. The handset itself is only available until supplies last and hence may already go out of stock before the end of the week, as is often the case with special iterations of the firms devices. While some industry watchers previously criticized OnePlus for frequent shortages that often lead to its products being unavailable, others pointed to the phenomenon as a result of a possible marketing strategy that generates anticipation among consumers through artificial scarcity. The Midnight Black variant of the OnePlus 5T is presently in stock in all of the firms target markets approximately three months after being released, though the Lava Red model is unlikely to be available for long and it remains to be seen whether OnePlus manages to continue offering it until Valentines Day. The firm is also planning to commemorate next Wednesday with a handful of 15-percent discounts on some of its accessories and appropriately named offerings such as the Keep The Music Alive Bundle and Love Will Protect Us Bundle that come packed with pairs of earphones and protective cases, respectively. The Chinese phone maker has a relatively successful year behind it as it managed to post approximately $1.4 billion in revenue over 2017, though it has yet to disclose its profits that is insists are healthy. OnePlus is now entering 2018 with ambitions to record its fifth consecutive year of growth across all metrics, with its first step in that endeavor being the launch of the OnePlus 6 thats expected this spring, most likely in May. A promotional video for the Alcatel 3V that highlights some of the key features of the smartphone has been leaked recently. The video was released by the industry insider Roland Quandt and it highlighted features like the smartphones 18:9 display and its dual rear cameras. In its video, the smartphone manufacturer emphasized that the 18:9 display of the Alcatel 3V will bring better multitasking experience, while the dual rear cameras of the smartphone will offer software-adjustable bokeh. The promotional video also mentions that the Alcatel 3V will feature both a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and a face recognition technology which can be used to quickly unlock the device. In a separate tweet, Roland Quandt also provided more information about the specifications of the Alcatel 3V. The handset, according to the leak, will be powered by the MT8735A chipset from the Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturer MediaTek. This SoC is comprised of a quad-core ARM Cortex A53 64-bit CPU running at a maximum frequency of 1.45GHz and the Mali T720 MP2 GPU. The handset will sport a 6-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 2160 by 1080 pixels and an aspect ratio of 18:9. Moreover, the rumor states that the device will contain 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal flash storage, which could be expanded using a microSD card with a capacity of up to 128GB. Meanwhile, it is also reported that the dual rear cameras of the Alcatel 3V will be equipped with one 12-megapixel snapper and one 2-megapixel sensor. The rear shooters are capable of recording videos with a resolution of 1080p and a frame rate of 30 fps, the leak indicates. On the other hand, the front-facing camera of the smartphone will have a single 5-megapixel sensor and an LED flash. The leak further claims that the Alcatel 3V will contain a 3,000mAh battery to keep its lights on. The rumor also indicates that the handset will be available in single SIM or dual SIM dual standby variants. The Alcatel 3V will ship with Android 8.0 Oreo pre-installed, and it will be available in three color options, namely Spectrum Black, Spectrum Blue, and Spectrum Gold. A previous report stated that the Alcatel 3V will be priced at 179 ($219). Advertisement Alcatel 3V: here's really, like really official spec sheet of this thing. And a few more beauty shots. pic.twitter.com/O7Bj6q7ygY Roland Quandt (@rquandt) February 1, 2018 Video Advertisement Alcatel 3V: Seen at CES, launching at MWC. Here's a promo vid. pic.twitter.com/hHTczPsdLK Roland Quandt (@rquandt) February 1, 2018 A render depicting whats said to be the Lilac Purple variant of the Samsung Galaxy S9 appeared online on Monday, having been shared by known industry insider Evan Blass. The light purple color of the leaked device rests on a matte finish and while the renders dont appear to strongly hint at a glass back, one should still be part of the package, with Samsungs upcoming Android flagship being widely expected to continue boasting wireless charging capabilities supported by its predecessors. Rumors of a purple version of the Galaxy S9 have been circulating the industry since early December, though no insider has shared the official moniker of the color until now. Besides the new purple finish, Samsung is set to offer the Galaxy S9 series in Midnight Black, Titanium Gray, and Coral Blue, according to the same source. Its presently unclear whether the four rumored colors are meant to be available for both the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus and whether theyll span all variants of the latter that should be launched in at least two of them, with the base model supposedly featuring 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal flash memory. The 5.8-inch Galaxy S9 is said to be more similar to its direct predecessor, boasting 4GB of RAM and a 64GB storage space base. While a violet iteration of a Samsung-made Android flagship has already been rumored last year in the run-up to the launch of the Galaxy S8 lineup, no credible depictions of such a model have surfaced until now, with the new leak giving much more credence to the possibility that Samsung actually ends up commercializing the Lilac Purple color. The Seoul-based phone maker has a long history of revising its high-end offerings so the launch variants of the Galaxy S9 lineup are unlikely to be the only colors available over the shelf life of the upcoming devices. The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus are scheduled to be officially announced in the run-up to the 2018 iteration of the Mobile World Congress on February 25 and should start retailing by mid-March, with recent rumors suggesting the handsets will have higher starting prices than their predecessors did. Samsung on Monday unveiled its first 5G tablet prototype in partnership with Verizon and Korean telecom giant KT, having used it to demonstrate the capabilities of its experimental networking equipment as part of a test that saw it conduct a live video call connecting Seoul and Minneapolis. The 5G conference attempt was entirely successful, though Samsung has yet to share any photographs of the setup that it claims proves its technologies are already viable for commercial use cases. The three partners called the experiment a huge milestone thats meant to illustrate the extent of their efforts to spearhead 5G research and development, adding that theyre aiming to continue collaborating going forward. Samsung, Verizon, and KT all contributed to the first 5G standard Release 15 the 3GPP completed late last year in Lisbon, Portugal. The 5G tablet prototype used by Samsung for the test is described as supporting multi-gigabit download speeds over 5G networks, in addition to being compatible with existing 4G LTE technologies. The ability to seamlessly switch between the two is a crucial part of the device and demonstrates how all smartphones and tablets set to be released between Gs will have to operate in order to allow for a consistent user experience, according to Samsung. The exact specifications of the slate havent been disclosed by the company and its presently unclear whether its decision to deliver a prototype in the form of a tablet indicates its first commercial 5G device will also belong to the same product category. Sprint recently said its 5G deployment set to start in early 2019 will be accompanied by multiple 5G-ready smartphones from a leading Korean manufacturer, heavily implying Samsungs Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus will be capable of communicating with the fifth generation of mobile networks. Besides the experimental tablet, the recently concluded test involved 28GHz home routers, as well as a virtualized core network and one such radio access network. Verizon recently chose Samsung as the equipment supplier for its upcoming 5G fixed wireless access service planned to be rolled out to select U.S. cities in the second half of the year. Large-scale 5G deployment is expected to start by early 2019 in some parts of the world, whereas the four national carriers in the U.S. should offer country-wide 5G coverage by 2020, according to recent estimates. The Galaxy S9s support page surfaced on Samsung Germanys official website at the end of last month, and now three additional support pages popped up, though this time around were looking at the Galaxy S9 Plus support pages. These there support pages appeared in Scandinavia, on the companys official website, of course. To be more specific, these listings appeared on Samsung Denmark, Samsung Sweden, and Samsung Norway websites. That being said, these support pages are for single-SIM Galaxy S9 Plus models, not dual SIM variants. Unfortunately, these support pages did not share any additional info, so well have to wait until February 25 in order to get all the official info, but thanks to various rumors and leaks, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus have already been exposed, more or less. The two handsets will be made out of metal and glass, just like their predecessors, though it seems like those two handsets may sport thinner bottom bezel, which essentially means that their top and bottom bezels will not be identical in terms of thickness, as was the case with the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus. The Galaxy S9 is expected to sport a single camera on the back, while the Galaxy S9 Plus, whose support pages surfaced, will arrive with two rear-facing cameras. Both devices will feature a rear-facing fingerprint scanner, which will be better-positioned than the fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, at least if leaks are to be believed. Both phones will feature curved displays, and we are, once again, looking at Super AMOLED Infinity QHD+ panels (18.5:9 aspect ratio), though were still not sure what will their exact size be just yet. Samsung will, once again, release two SoC variants of these two handsets, US consumers will get Snapdragon 845 variants of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus, while European consumers will get the Exynos 9810 variants, for example. Android Oreo will come pre-installed on the two phones, and on top of it, youll be able to find the Samsung Experience 9.0 skin, which the company talked more about a couple of days ago. The Galaxy S9 is rumored to ship with 4GB of RAM, while the Galaxy S9 Plus may ship with 6GB of RAM on the inside. The two phones will probably go on sale in March, though nothing has been confirmed just yet. Advertisement Samsung Norway Galaxy S9 Plus support page Samsung Sweden Galaxy S9 Plus support page Samsung Denmark Galaxy S9 Plus support page Footing the bill. It is not true that the PP government has not engaged in political action to deal with the Catalan issue. It has, indeed, and by means of the States every entity. They have closed ranks and are willing to foot the bill of Spains democratic regression. A democracy that was once perceived as an international success story, thanks to the political Transition [following General Francos death] and the growth of its economy, is now watching as the Spain brand name is degraded, and that is not good news. The Spanish government has outsourced its political decisions to the judiciary and the most immobilist elements in every stratum of the State have sided with them. In Spain you can always rely on the elites having a mandarin in the ministries, someone by the name of Rufino, who will ensure that nothing changes. You could say that Rufino is Madrids equivalent of Sir Humphrey, the Prime Ministers Permanent Secretary [on Yes, Prime Minister] who made sure that no deep core changes were ever made, even in the off-chance that his own political master might entertain such a notion. The Catalan movement, with all its mistakes and recklessness rather than courage, with its lack of a strategy, actually poses a far-reaching challenge for Spains deep structure. It is an intolerable challenge for Spains army of Rufinos, who hold a unitary, homogenous view of how public affairs should be conducted. This time they are led by the justice system and the Crown. Its core is composed of journalists who are willing to protect Spains unity at the expense of the truth, judges willing to hand down preventive rulings by twisting the law, ministers whose shoddy performance record is masked by patriotic rhetoric, and a stilted monarchy that has missed a historic opportunity to modernise Spain. Sitting at the other end are the Spanish citizens who feel uncomfortable but remain quiet. They choose not to point out that the quality of Spains democracy is deteriorating, for fear of having the establishments media storm point fingers at them. This reactionary, chauvinistic Spain, the one that hides behind the flag, impervious to any external influx, sits side by side with another Spain that is economically active and keen to turn Madrid into the Latin American bridgehead in Europe. Regret. In order to justify keeping former Interior Minister Joaquim Forn in custody pending trial, the judge claims that Forns ideology coexists with a political context in Catalonia where there is no certainty that the intention to achieve independence no longer exists. He goes on to say that clearer indications beyond stepping down as MP are needed before he will consider Forns release. The atmosphere is ideologically asphyxiating and the persecution of political views is being normalised by a State which believes that it can resolve the problem through repression. But those Catalans who have concluded that a respectful, diverse relationship with Spain is impossible (the 47.5 per cent of the electorate who voted for a secessionist party on December 21) are not going away. They are not going to vanish. Catalan citizens might put their activism on hold if Madrids crackdown tires them out rather than humiliates them, but they will never be the same again. The political events of recent years have transformed a society that wont be the same after the independence referendum on October 1. The perception of power abuse cannot be forgotten and Spain will fail to prevent it from being voiced at the ballots. The pressure is on. They decided not to elect Puigdemont weeks ago. They want to liquidate him like they did with Artur Mas. If so, they should speak out. The truth is useful. These are the words of a legitimist Puigdemont supporter who is outraged by the Speakers decision to postpone the parliamentary session where Carles Puigdemont was due to be voted president. The secessionist camp is split between pragmatists and legitimists. The former believe that Puigdemont should merely receive symbolic recognition whilst reclaiming the Catalan institutions, whereas the latter think that a full restitution is in order, as a matter of dignity. This divide exists across the board and does not quite match the party boundaries between ERC and Junts per Catalunya (JxCat). Catalonias institutions have been completely taken over. Information does not flow from the ministries in Barcelona to the outside world and the PP government keeps making constant demands for information amid opaque decisions. We are seeing a full-on attempt to take apart Spains system of autonomous regions. The final decision as to how this parliamentary term will pan out and how long it will last is in the hands of president Puigdemont. He commands over half the JxCat lawmakers, who joined him out of sheer loyalty despite their diverse even antagonistic political views. Puigdemonts catch-all slate and the notion that the president should be reinstated meant that Junts per Catalunya was the most voted pro-independence ticket. ERC would rather avoid another snap election, as would the PP and the PDECat, even if the latter will not stand in the way of Puigdemonts intentions. It is Carles Puigdemont who must make the most difficult decision. Like Artur Mas did in January 2016, Puigdemont will decide whether to go to a snap election or to form an ideologically contradictory government whose priority will be to regain the institutions and build a new strategy for Catalonias sovereignty movement. Belarusian defense industry is developing a new AR-type assault rifle chambered for 7.62x39 (M43) cartridge, according to local media outlets. A prototype of the rifle was presented at a meeting of Belarus' State Military-Industrial Committee (Goskomvoenprom, GKVP). It had no designation; however, the Belarusian media outlets named it the AR-15 assault rifle chambered for the Soviet/Russian 7.62 mm cartridge. New Belarusian assault rifle chambered for 7.62x39 (M43) cartridge (Picture source BMPD journal) Unlike the classic AR-family assault rifles, the firearm developed by the Belarusian defense industry is based on the short stroke-piston gas-operating scheme. The integration of piston results in the increase of the rifle's reliability and the reduction of its sensitivity to low-quality ammo. The direct impingement (DI) gas-operating scheme developed by Eugene Stoner for the AR family of assault rifles is sensitive to mud and low-grade cartridges. The Belarusian 7.62 mm assault rifle has retained the M16A4-type body fitted with an upper MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail interface system (RIS). The angle of the firearm's magazine receiver has been increased in order to incorporate the Kalashnikov AK/AKM 30-round box magazines. The assault rifle has received a Key-Mod handguard that can carry various weapon accessories (i.e., flashlights, laser pointers, etc.) and additional side-mounted Picatinny rails. The firearm is also fitted with an ergonomic pistol grip, a telescopic polymer stock, removable iron sights and an M16-type slotted (cage-type) muzzle break. The demonstrator rifle was fed by a slightly modified Kalashnikov AK/AKM organic metal magazine; however, the weapon is believed to be able to incorporate all types of 7.62x39 30-round box magazines intended for other Kalashnikov AK/AKM derivatives. According to the official information issued by the Goskomvoenprom, the new Belarusian AR-type assault rifle has an overall length of 985 mm. The firearm is fitted with a 406 mm (16) barrel. As mentioned above, the weapon is fed by 30-round Kalashnikov magazines. The firearm is claimed to be accurate at a distance of up to 1,000 m with the use of a daylight optical sight. Belarus' Belspetsvneshtekhnika (BSVT) is promoting the new assault rifle on the global market. It is noteworthy that the Belarusian industry says nothing about the new firearm, nor does it provide additional information about the rifle's development, trials, etc. The Belarusian Armed Forces are reported to be using traditional Kalashnikov assault rifles, namely 7.62 mm AKM and 5.45 mm AK-74 and their derivatives. Therefore, the new firearm is believed to be an export-oriented item of hardware. It might be intended for special forces as they often use weapons chambered for the M43 effective and widespread cartridge. Two new pistols were also demonstrated at a meeting of the Goskomvoenprom, a traditional handgun and a pistol in a mount with a folding stock. However, Belarusian officials did not provide any information about these firearms. Foreign small arms manufacturers also develop their own 7.62 mm designs that are fed by Kalashnikov AK/AKM magazines. For instance, Swiss Sig-Sauer has introduced a variant of its SIG556Xi assault rifle chambered for 7.62x39. Italy's Beretta has re-chambered its ARX160 assault rifle, a part of the Soldado Futuro (The Soldier of Future) program, for the M43 cartridge. Kazakhstan is reported to have acquired the 7.62 mm ARX160 for its Special Forces. The 7.62x39 cartridge remains popular as it features a higher penetrating effect compared to that of 5.56 mm STANAG 4172 and 5.45 mm M74 ammo. According to STANAG 4569, Level 2 protection is required to protect a serviceman or a vehicle against armor-piercing incendiary (API) bullets of the M43 cartridge. It should be mentioned that Belarus rarely develops its own firearms. The BSVT company usually promotes Soviet-age small arms on the global market, including 7.62 mm Kalashnikov AKM assault rifles, 7.62 mm Kalashnikov PKT tank machineguns, 9 mm Makarov PM handguns, 7.62 mm Simonov SKS semi-automatic carbines and even WWII-age 7.62 mm Mosin-Nagant M1891/30 bolt action rifles and 7.62 mm Tokarev TT pistols. Copyright 2018 TASS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A team of nine lawyers including three partners has joined the growing Melbourne office of Kennedys from national firm TressCox.The hires include a team of healthcare specialists led by partners John Petts and Cindy Tucker, which includes special counsels Anjali Woodford, Elaine Fabris and Abby Neylon, lawyers Rose Hopkins and Rod Felmingham and four support staff.Also joining Kennedys Melbourne office, which opened in August 2017, are employment partner Chris Molnar and senior associate Phoebe Blank.Our ambition when we opened in Melbourne was to grow to service the breadth of insurance and related industry sectors that align with our capabilities in Sydney and around the world, commented Matt Andrews, Kennedys Australias managing partner.Banking and finance partners Eric Tan and Daniel Lau are joining Ashurst in Hong Kong to serve the firms clients in Greater China.Tan has more than 15 years experience with firms including Linklaters and Fangda Partners. Lau joins from Allen & Overy in Beijing.Greater China continues to be a key region in terms of driving growth. Ashurst has an exceptional profile and a strong relationship with major banks and financial institutions in the region, commented Ashursts Hong Kong managing partner Joshua Cole. Eric and Daniel will enhance our ability to offer exceptional client service in the region."Using analytics within a law firm adds value according to 90% of respondents to a new survey.Almost a third of those polled by ALM and LexisNexis Legal & Professional said the use of analytics was invaluable while most firms plan to increase its use.Weve seen tremendous growth in the use of analytics among law firms and corporate legal departments since it was introduced four years ago, but now it has become an indispensable, must-have technology for a growing number of attorneys and firms, said Josh Becker, CEO of Lex Machina.Every one of the respondents said that using analytics helped demonstrate their expertise or competitive advantage to clients; while 98% said it is valuable for determining legal strategies for particular courts or judges (98%), predicting likely outcomes of legal strategies or arguments (96%), and performing case assessments (94%).The main benefits of using analytics according to those who said it was valuable are cost saving (92%), pricing projects (90%), winning cases (88%) and attracting new client business (82%).Of those firms not using analytics, a third said it was because partners dont believe it is valuable, 27% said no one in the firm is trained in its use, and 22% cited cost. Free newsletter Subscribe to our FREE newsletter service and well keep you up-to-date with the latest breaking news, cutting edge opinion, and expert analysis affecting both your business and the industry as whole. Please enter your email address below and click on Sign Up for daily newsletters from Australasian Lawyer. The video is grandiose. It shows the Wrangler in its natural element, coming out of the woods and thrusting head-on into a lake, throbbing violently as the water gets as high as its headlights. It soon embraces the lake bank, climbing it as if it were a mere pebble on the tarmac and then heading off courageously towards a tiny waterfall to conquer it as well.The video, if you do not read the fine print, is supposed to portray an off-the-shelf Wrangler , with a throaty voice narrating its adventures in the wild. Not saying, but doing. Not promising, but showing. No grandiose speeches, no big declarations, no big truths.When you make the most capable Jeep Wrangler ever, you could talk about it, or you could just let it speak for itself, says Jeep.Of course, the Wrangler is not off-the-shelf. It uses aftermarket accessories and has optional features that permit it to show off the way it does in the 40-seconds clip. And it does so not in the real wild but a closed, human-made lake and waterfall. A controlled environment, if you like.The 2018 Wrangler was introduced at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show last year. It is equipped with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine (a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 as well as a hybrid powertrain are in the works for 2019 and 2020, respectively) and a six-speed manual transmission.In the U.S., the Wrangler retails starting at $26,995 excluding the destination charge ($1,195). Release candidate in final testing phase Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 2, 2018 Early access build and especially Dev build are feature-rich, but the features arent reliable enough yet Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 2, 2018 All Tesla vehicles sold after October 2016 came equipped with the hardware necessary for Level 4 autonomy, according to the company. After famously deciding against LIDAR and opting for a mix of radar detection, video cameras, and short-range ultrasonic sensors, Tesla said that was all the equipment it needed to allow the AI to control the car in any situation. One day.That day was never specified in any way, but customers were asked to pay an optional premium if they wanted their vehicles' systems unlocked and ready to receive the much-awaited update. And yet up to this point, the Autopilot 2.0 (as they called it) still performs less satisfactory than the 1.0 version, developed with Israeli firm Mobileye.Tesla's reasons behind fitting the hardware on all vehicles, regardless of whether the customers pay to have full use of them or not, is easy to understand: it allows the company to have a huge fleet of cars out there that run the self-driving system in ghost mode, gathering the much-needed data for the learning algorithms.But the owners are starting to show their frustration with the slow progress on the new Autopilot, with their worries fueled further by the recent revelation of the fact Tesla didn't register a single mile of autonomous test driving on the public roads of California, deciding to keep its advancements hidden from the public.Proving Twitter is a weapon that works both ways, the Model S and Model X owners have begun complaining to Elon Musk, which prompted a response from the CEO. None other than Chris Lattner, the head of the Autopilot team for much of 2017, was among those expressing their disappointment, but it wasn't him that Musk chose to reply to.The CEO's message was a short and concise one, giving very little in the way of details. He said the "release candidate [is] in final testing phase," and that was it for the usually very talkative Musk. Six minutes later, however, he replied to another tweet suggesting we shouldn't expect too much from the announced update as the more important features are still too "unreliable yet."In other words, the message conveyed by Musk was that work is being done, but the team is still some distance away from bringing any major improvements to the system. How far? Well, we can't say "nobody knows," but it's definitely not somebody who has the liberty to say anything about it. Let's just wait and see what the new update brings and see where it goes from there. The announcement of the deal is expected to come in the following few days, making the Chinese company, should it acquire 5 percent of Daimler, the third largest single shareholder, after the Kuwait Investment Authority, who owns 6.8 percent, and BlackRock, also 6 percent.The announcement to be made this week is not a surprise, given Geely's similar attempt in November last year. At that time, Daimler rejected the offer made by the Chinese (estimated at $4.5 billion) citing internal regulations.Industry sources say Geely is interested in active participation in Daimler, aiming to create a joint-venture with the Germans to develop electric vehicles. Currently, Daimler has such working partnerships with BYD and BAIC in China.In the second day of 2018, Geely announced it had become AB Volvo's largest shareholder , increasing the portfolio of companies it already owns in Europe: Geely Auto, Volvo, Polestar, Lynk & Co, LEVC, Proton, Lotus, and Terrafugia.Its efforts to become a premier manufacturer of electric mobility was crowned last week by the introduction into service of the LEVC TX, the electric version of London's iconic black cabs. The Chinese were planning to produce 36,000 vehicles each year and send them on the streets of more countries as taxis.Also, electric truck-builder Via, founded by Bob Lutz, announced it entered a joint venture with Geely to co-develop a medium duty extended range electric truck, for launch in China and the Americas in 2019.With the help of Volvo, Geely is also planning to become China's first company to build a car in Europe, a vehicle which is expected to be announced later this year. A market starved Today, we are spoiled for choice. Except Skoda, SEAT, Renault, FIAT and Samsung, we can choose from easily 40 world name brands. Thirty years ago, the little car market we had that was served by a handful of brands was abandoned because of the foreign exchange crisis post Ninoy Aquino assassination. Ford abandoned its body stamping plant in Mariveles, Bataan and paid all its tax liabilities with fully assembled Lasers and Telstars. Delta Motors, the Toyota distributor, was foreclosed by the banks for insolvency, laying to waist Toyota's investment in gasoline engine, vehicle manufacturing for the Mini Cruiser and the Tamaraw AUV and NipponDenso's extensive investment in parts manufacture. GM gave up its facilities and [PEC Pilipinas Engine Corp. Dasmarinas, Cavite] diesel engine plant to Isuzu who maintained the dwindling stock of Gemini diesels for taxi fleets. Universal Motors Datsun were nursing their dwindling stock of 620, 1.1 liter mini pick ups and 180B sedans. Commercial Motors, assemblers of basic spec ancient W123 Mercedes 200D and 200 sedans were also no longer replenishing their stock of CKD's, already superseded by the W124 in 1985. Tropical Distributors of Renault had only a few R20s left before they were about to close shop. Francisco Motors, makers of the Pinoy AUV also stopped production since it could no longer source Mazda parts. Two Manufacturers of consequence Newbie, Pilipinas Nissan, hunkered down for the long haul. They were building a huge plant in Santa Rosa, which was designed to handle high production volumes by robot assembly in the near future. They bought the remaining body stamping bits of the Ford Fiera III and rebadged it as the Nissan Bida, using the locally made PEC diesel engine, a barely disguised Isuzu C-190. Nissan's current model then was the B12 Sentra to which Nissan just introduced a 1.7-liter diesel, on top of 1.3 and 1.5 liter gasoline variants. The 1.8-liter T-12 Maxima was the biggest car one could buy from a local volume brand at that time. With Nissan's commitment, owners of Pulsars and T-11 Stanza were not in fear of losing parts and service support. The other manufacturer who stuck it out in the Philippines was Mitsubishi who continued to build the rear wheel drive Lancer, fondly nicknamed box type. Mitsubishi added the L300 van to its menu, which was an instant hit with large families and the new People Power elite with their train of bodyguards and hangers-on. Mitsubishi also soldiered on with its manual transmission plant, its contribution to the fading PCMP car making program. Besides, Nissan, the only AUV maker left was Isuzu with its KC 20. Orphaned, grey market Orphaned brands, like Toyota continued limited sales of the first front wheel drive Corolla and rear wheel drive Cressida through independent jobbers. With the collapse of the local car makers, the grey and surplus market boomed. Imports of pristine pre-owned North American Federal version Mercedes Benz W126 300SD turbo diesels and a sprinkling of 190E 2.3 wer the car of choice of the new elite. Taking advantage of Balikbayan or returning resident reduced tax privilege, the grey imports multiplied in the garages of the high society top 400. Those who preferred European sourced W124's, waited and paid deposits for ADB [Asian Development Bank] expats who dispose of their Mercedes's to the local market after a 3 year residency. The Surplus revolution On the other side of the spectrum, and following the successful market coverage of imported used right hand drive heavy trucks from Japan, Johnny Tan, today's patron of racing circuits, imported surplus Isuzu NKR/Elf light trucks, supplying the burgeoning Small and Medium Scale enterprises with versatile sub 4.5 ton light cargo and panel delivery vans. The surplus light truck import grew by phenomenal leaps and bounds, filling in a gap left by the absence of any significant LCV [light commercial vehicle] seller. Surplus engines, transmissions, velour seats, dashboards, factory tinted glass, doors, body parts, engine computers, etc. coming from breaker yards in Japan were soon flooding the market, keeping many a car or truck mobile and roadworthy. With JDM standards of OEM parts, some locally made Japanese branded cars were even treated to a style and feature [seats, dash, power steering, power windows] upgrade. Popular Toyota engines, like the Crown's 5R, Cressida/Mark 2's 18R, Corona's 12R, Corolla 3K were so abundant, they also became the power plant of choice for backyard assembled owner jeeps. There were also Mitsubishi Astron, Orion and Saturn engines but the Toyota's dominated. Isuzu C-190 and C-240 dominated the surplus diesels and many powered PUJ's. Mitsubishi diesel engines were the choice for mini buses though. It was not unusual to find a local spec 80s Corolla, ditch its 4k engine for twin side twin cam 2TG, courtesy of the surplus importers. Booming 2nd hand car sales and body/paint shops With a shortage of new cars, 2nd hand car prices shot to the roof. For instance, a 1985 Ford Laser Ghia automatic, which retailed for less than 100k PHP brand new, was selling for 150k, used at car exchanges in 1987. Corolla lift-backs of 1980 vintage, SRP in 1980 at 50k were sold, 100,000km on the odo, warts and all, for 80k, 7 years later. Car restoration became a boom business as body and paint shops multiplied. Arthur Tuason, the racer, an ex-emigre from Canada and who used to run AT Ford Escort performance tuner in Bankal Makati, reincarnated as a refinisher with his Sikkens branded wet look paint shop chain. Bayer of Germany introduced 2-pack polyurethane with its Anzahl brand while BASF's Glasurit gave Rinshed Mason's Macnell competition in the Acrylic lacquer segment. By now, paint shops were shifting in droves from nitrocellulose masilia de mano to polyester body filler like Bond Tite. Body shops generally stuck to oxy-acetylene welding. Sphero nitrocellulose lacquer was relegated to the backyard assembled owner jeep and mini-bus category. Nippon paints, who used to have all the assembly plants to itself, were now selling OEM pre-mixed colors as either Nippelac acrylic or NAX urethane to retail paint stores. Throughout all this competition, Anacleto Lao of Binondo, Ditzler PPG distributor, kept to his premium pricing and his insistence on color matching and mixing paint formula by weight instead of guesstimate by sight. Dominant new car Rust-proofers Ziebart and Tuff-kote Dinol offered body repair and painting services making them one-stop-shops for automotive restorations. Accessorize, upgrade Ever since the PCMP limited locally made cars to basic spec, a huge market for aftermarket car accessories grew. Popular items were alarms, side view mirrors, film window tint [Gila or 3M], wider tires and alloy wheels, spoilers, audio equipment upgrade, seat covers [corduroy or twill], fancy fleck floor mats, Italian leather or wood steering wheels [MOMO], driving lamps [Hella, Bosch] etc. The go-to guy in Makati in those days was Roger Lo of Roadstar, one among many accessory traders and fitters in Makati Auto Cycle on Buendia. Other venues for car accessories were Anson's Motor Square and SM ACA. But nothing beats Banawe street in Quezon City for a comprehensive choice among hundreds of shop fronts. It's cash only and be prepared to haggle. For more esoteric mods like Koni adjustable shock absorbers one went to Anacleto Lao in Binondo. Weber side draft carbs, Italian branded aftermarket central locking, rear window defroster, power windows and luxury fabric upholstery, Britax cassette sunroofs and flip up glass moonroofs, Cibie and Marchal lighting, Paddy Hopkirk accessories for Mini and non Mini fans, Campagnolo alloy wheels were available from FCC which started in Biak-na-bato Quezon City area but later moved to Wilson on Ortigas in posh Greenhills. Popular alloy wheels were locally made by Rota-Italia, the predecessor of Mick-Mick Rojas's PAWI, or Phil. Aluminum Wheels Inc. Spend a bit more and you can buy Ronal, Rial or BBS-Mahle wheels and Bridgestone or Yokohama tires instead of Firestone or Goodyear. Locally available wide radial tires like BFGoodrich radial T/A were the obvious cosmetic upgrade that came with a change of alloy wheels. Equalizers, amps and sub woofers were the minimum audio upgrade, if one already has an AM/FM cassette player with a digital LCD frequency display and a power antenna or a rubber duck coil antenna. Panasonic ceiling mount and Blaupunkt's Berlin gooseneck series, were quite popular. Mods and tuning If only Pacho Blanco and Gono's Autoplus dyno existed 30 years ago, it would have saved all mod and tuner shops from trial and error at the owner's expense. In today's tuner lingo of cat-backs, piggy back and chips, Pacho still says that the quickest and cheapest way to a bit more power is upgrading the exhaust to a free flow system, that passes local noise standards. Well, 30 years ago, exhaust was also the default performance improver as owners, even under warranty ditched the OEM CPM mufflerhaus aluminized mufflers in favor of twin pipe Bravura's. For a bit more, a complete stainless steel exhaust system with hydraulically bent compound curve headers, can be custom cast by part time Rallye racer, Paeng Nodalo, same guy of his eponymous replacement exhaust retail chain. Mitsubishi had a complete range of camshaft set-ups ground to stage 1 [mild] to stage 7 [wild]. Free flow foam air filters, go faster ignition coils, high tension wires, breakerless ignition and special spark plugs were easily available at car accessories shops. Gas stations also sold fuel and oil additives from STP. High spec brake fluid rated as DOT 5 from Ate blue and Nitto gave one assurance that your brake fluid will never boil going downhill from Tagaytay or Baguio. Optical tuning was also served with Kamei and Foha's range of polyurethane front air dams and rear deck lid spoilers. There were various wind noise cheating plastic wind deflectors for the top of the side glass, encouraging heavy smokers to crack open a window for added exhaust. Project cars Enthusiasm thwarted by economic realities but stoked by glossy imported car magazines and, in our case, frequent self drive trips to Europe, we, like every local motor-head, tried to get the best of a desperate situation. And so we resorted to making project cars of our daily drives. The body/paint shop was the local Alcayde Motors in Meycauayan, Bulacan, not far from our 1926 ancestral home. Master paint and tinsmith contractor Remy Banaag, ex-OFW to a Saudi body and paint shop, hales from Capalangan-Apalit, Pampanga, the body/paint/breaker/restoration yard masters of Luzon. His finish of choice was always Anzahl 2-pack urethane. 1985 Ford Laser 1.5 Ghia automatic [one in a fleet of four] Bought in 1987 from a Marikina car exchange at 40% more than SRP brand new, the Laser was in response to perceived changes in motoring needs. 1. The Greenhills Makati commute traffic now demanded 2 pedal motoring if only to save the left foot from needless aches Before even getting into office. We also upgraded the rims to 14in. Alloys with the correct offset, using Nissan Maxima mags paired with 60 series Yokohamas. It was a subtle tribute to the wide tire plus one philosophy. From the fleet car white, we chose a Daimler Benz code metallic burgundy to go with the fabric tan interior, inspired by the Ford Orion service car I use in Zurich. The Ghia chrome mouldings were taped over with 3M ScotchCal matte black tape. Steering wheel replaced with a 4-spoke MOMO all wood wheel. Stick on wood from a German art laminate company was applied to the black plastic surround of the A/C vents and over a small brushed chrome strip above the glove box. Pale beige reed-look mats completed the picture. Audio was by AM FM cassette by ALPINE. Thanks to Ford Phils' cathodic factory dip, Lasers were the few locally made cars that didn't rust through within the first 3 years. The short wheelbase of the Laser pitched a lot and struts all around gave it a stiff legged ride. It was light and very spacious. Its Mazda 323 sibling beat the Corolla as Japan best selling domestic market car in 1984. Quite peppy, even with air con on. 1980 Toyota Corolla Liftback Dx [E71] Bought brand new [5-speed gearbox was the clincher] with Japanese style wing mirrors, chocolate brown fabric seats and dash, styled steel rims, black steel bumpers, rear window defogger and in maple yellow. Rust perforation [poor Delta Motors paintwork] within the first 2 years, despite dealer rustproofing [not name brand], led to a complete makeover with Ditzler DB series icon gold poly acrylic lacquer, a color first seen on the 1976 450SL Mercedes. FIAMM paired windtone horns [not air compressor horns] replaced the Denso mini discs. Fiberglass body color sideskirts by Congje fiberglass bodies of Binky Victa were installed [Atoy body kit was still in diapers then]. Foha air dam and rear spoilers were added. Rota-Italia BBS-Mahle look gold center mesh 13in mags with 60 series tires graced the wheel arches. Nodalo's stainless double pipe muffler was stuck to the rear, as well as a Bosch red cube rear fog light. Cibie H4 yellow bulb conversions ditched the Koito sealed beam units. Englemann tinted door side view mirrors replaced the wing mirrors. 3M bronze tint went on top of the OEM blue tinged glass. Audio had a Blaupunkt gooseneck equalizer, Panasonic amp and digital receiver. Astro turf floor mats matched Portillo's RECARO facsimiles replacement front seats, in rainbow fabric inserts on matching brown velour. MOMO Gritti 3-spoke alloy and brown stitched leather steering wheel. Out went the 2T 1.6 liter ohv engine for a 1600 2TG twin cam twin side Mikuni Solex, tuned by Mr. Unco, Dante Silverio's mechanic based in Bankal, Makati. This needed a set of NODALO's headers. Parted ways with it at a 30% premium over brand new SRP, 7 years later. Like all RWD Corollas, it had a sweetly supple front suspension ride, only to be betrayed by a jolting rear suspension. A very lively drive. 1983 Toyota Corolla Dx [E70] Ex FAME taxi, Ex Rallye car. Last Delta Motors made model; 5MPH bumper look. Congje fiberglass hood and front wings. White 13in. mags with Yokohamas. 1.6 liter 2TG twin cam, twin side Mikuni. 5-speed. Beige interior and beige all vinyl seats. ALPINE audio. Nodalo's stainless exhaust system. Dark grey metallic Anzahl finish. Stock [lousy] headlamps. Auxiliary underfloor lighting, linked to dome light. MOMO all wood 4-spoke steering wheel. BOSCH windtone paired horns. Gila tint all around. More comfortable than the Laser. Supple front ride, jolting rear. Some loss in structural integrity due to Rallye shunts. There was still no Velocity Motors then to fix the structural integrity of a hammered unitized body. Eats 80's Opel Rekord but not 2.0 liter Ford Cortinas for breakfast. 1984 Mercedes Benz 200D [W123] Dad's car. Bone stock. Bias ply tires on steel rims and hub caps, stored, practically brand new by previous owner [hoarded it thinking the Ninoy assassination was the end of the world] before reselling three years later. Only option was the pricey OEM Behr air con. Black local vinyl seats white dealer installed double knit white seat covers. No tint clear Safevue local glass. No power steering. 4-speed long throw, long clutch travel transmission. No mats, just generic brown paper delivery mats with 2 big printed foot prints. Only one color : German taxi ivory off-white. And yet this was the most expensive locally made non current model car in those days. A dinosaur before its time, Commercial Motors never understood the meaning of sweetening a deal and sold it as if it was a limited edition collectible. Powered by a natural aspirated 2.0 liter diesel pumping 60hp, this car's acceleration is what you cannot call hurried. When the W123 was discontinued in 1985, surplus engines and parts from abroad made the makeover into Euro spec a reality. In went a 3.0-liter 5 cylinder engine mated to a 4-speed slush box, with all original console. Sekurit tinted glass all around with defroster rear window. Becker AM/FM cassette with the knobs that matched the Mercedes console. Italian fleck mats. Ronal Merc-look 14.in. mags. Bridgestones. Bosch rubber duck rear fender antenna.Mercedes metallic light blue Anzahl refinish. Headlights converted to OEM H-4 halogens. And an honest 300D chrome typescript on the trunk lid. Door cards and original matching vinyl seats to replace the brittle plastic local items were on order in 1988. Still a ponderous dog to drive with unbecoming NVH in the rear passenger cell. BOSCH paired percussion disc horns. Maintaining old Mercs The family corporation also maintained 16 assorted models of Mercedes Benz W115 200D/220D/240D's, vintage 1972-1975. All selectively benefitted from the Euro-upgrade courtesy of imported OEM surplus parts ; tinted glass, black [instead of ivory] licorice steering wheel, Blaupunkt or Becker radios, power steering kits, power windows, original leatherette upholstery, carpets and door cards. Dogs and cats injured in fires being transported by ambulance. Hyperbaric oxygen chambers used to treat pets with smoke inhalation. Firefighters running a 24/7 emergency response service for pets. These are a few of the advances helping pets caught in residential fires. About 40,000 pets die in residential fires each year, most from smoke inhalation, and 500,000 pets are affected overall. Philadelphia firefighter Jen Leary said, "You see enough people who have just lost everything having to make horrible decisions about what theyre going to do with their pets." The Salvation Army is on the scene giving out blankets, the Red Cross providing emergency shelter, and medics attending to human injuries. "But there are no resources for the other members of the familythe pets," she said. The Red Cross can arrange temporary housing for displaced residents but not for pets. "Most of the time, people left them in their burned-out dwelling, or gave them to some neighbor or stranger on the street they didnt know, or had to surrender them to animal control," Leary said. The Red Paw Emergency Relief Team responds to emergency alerts for fires, explosions, gas leaks, water main breaks, and, as here, building collapses. Red Paw found this dog and a cat in the debris. Three days later, the familys pet Chihuahua crawled out from under the rubble. (Courtesy of Red Paw Emergency Relief Team) "It dawned on me one day, someone should do something, and that someone was me," she said. In 2011, Leary created the nonprofit Red Paw Emergency Relief Team to provide search and rescue, shelter, and emergency veterinary care for animals injured in fires and other disasters. Philadelphias fire communications center sends an alert to a Red Paw dispatcher anytime at least two engines and two ladder trucks are called into service for a fire, explosion, building collapse, water main break, or gas leak. A Red Paw response vehicle is sent out by the on-duty dispatcher, either the one based at Learys home in south Philadelphia or the one at Engine 22 in northeast Philadelphia. There are two full-time responders, four per diem responders, and three volunteer responders. Each is a firefighter or military veteran. At the scene, Red Paw checks in with incident command and canvasses the residents, asking whether they have pets. Red Paw responders get the OK from incident command to enter the building and do a thorough sweep, even if theyre told by first responders no pets are there or a family isnt home. "We get told quite often that either an animal couldnt have survived or the animal ran out, but 99 percent of the time, animals never run out of the fire building. They always go hide someplace they feel safe," Leary said. A few months ago, Red Paw responded to an apartment building fire in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Firefighters had told members of one family that their cat was dead and members of the other family that their cat ran away. Leary said, "We sent our guys in to search each apartment. They found the one cat was not dead and needed oxygen and to go to the hospital, and they found the other cat hiding behind the refrigerator. Had we not been there and not checked the apartments thoroughly, they both would have been left a long time, if not forever." Jen Leary with a dog found under debris after a house fire. (Courtesy of Red Paw Emergency Relief Team) Pet oxygen masks are put on animals with traumatic injuries and pressure applied to any cuts before the animals are taken to a veterinary emergency hospital, often to spend a night or two receiving oxygen in cages sealed with plastic wrap. Red Paws partner facilities and certain veterinary emergency hospitals provide up to 72 hours of emergency shelter for displaced animals. Some boarding facilities will donate up to two weeks of shelter. If an animal is seriously injured and its family cant take it back within two weeks, Red Paw enlists one of its special foster volunteers, often a veterinarian or veterinary technician, to provide healing care until the family is in a position to take the animal back. The organization consults with Red Paw board member Dr. Lisa Germanis, who is also medical director of the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. At Penn Vet We get told quite often that either an animal couldnt have survived or the animal ran out, but 99 percent of the time, animals never run out of the fire building. They always go hide someplace they feel safe. Jen Leary, Philadelphia firefighter and founder of the Red Paw Emergency Relief Team The University of Pennsylvanias Ryan Veterinary Hospital in Philadelphia and the Center for Animal Referral and Emergency Services in Langhorne are two places where Red Paw transports pets that need oxygen therapy or that have sustained burns or other trauma. Dr. Kenneth Drobatz is chief of the Section of Critical Care and director of emergency services at Ryan Hospital, which is designated one of the nations top veterinary trauma centers by the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. "Here at Penn, we tend to see more (pets injured in fires), especially in winter with indoor heaters. Because of our relationship with Red Paw, we see a fair number of post-fire patients that need some care. We see both dogs and cats," he said. He considers Red Paw a fantastic grassroots organization that has saved a lot of animals. "Any pets that are injuredor the owners are injuredthey take them in. If theyre stable, they keep them. If theyre having problems, they bring them to us," he said. Massive paw burns from walking on embers are common. Dr. Drobatz said major skin injury is rare because an animal that has gotten that close to fire also would have decreased oxygen capacity and probably carbon monoxide poisoning. Those with skin injuries land in the intensive care unit because of major fluid and protein loss. The Penn Vet team does basic emergency bloodwork, especially for hydration status. Pets often hide someplace they consider safe instead of escaping in an emergency. (Courtesy of Red Paw Emergency Relief Team) Penn Vet also tests for blood lactate concentration. Lactate builds up when cells dont get enough oxygen, usually the result of carbon monoxide preventing the oxygen from getting to the tissues, unless its from the animal being in cardiac shock, Dr. Drobatz said. "Some plastics have cyanide, so they can get cyanide toxicity, but more likely we see carbon monoxide toxicity. We usually dont routinely measure that in veterinary medicine; we make presumptions they already have it." Corneal burns and ulcers are commonly caused by irritants in the smoke and probably the heat as well. Dr. Drobatz said some animals need antibiotics and pain medication, but most of the time, these injuries are fairly uncomplicated to treat. Hyperbaric oxygen chambers Dr. Jon Geller of Fort Collins Veterinary Emergency and Rehabilitation Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado, said that for smoke inhalation, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is the primary treatment. At Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital in Colorado, the eyes of a puppy are stained to detect any corneal damage after the puppy was stolen from the Colorado Humane Society, wrapped in duct tape, and set on fire. (Courtesy of Dr. Elisa Mazzaferro) One treatment of 1 1/2 hours at 2.5 ATA barometric pressure is generally what it takes to displace the carbon monoxide from the hemoglobin in the red blood cells so oxygen can go to the tissues, Dr. Geller said. Also, oxygen at high pressure is dissolved in the plasma, so hemoglobin is not required to transport oxygen to the tissues. At an average $180 for treatment, depending on the region, its cost-effective compared with over a thousand dollars for two to three days of 100 percent oxygen in the hospital, he said. Dr. Geller is among a handful of veterinary hyperbaric technologists certified by the National Board of Diving and Hyperbaric Medical Technology, along with hyperbaric technologists and registered nurses, plus diver medics. They all must pass the main examination and be recertified every two years. The board offers the examination in conjunction with meetings of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society. Veterinarians and veterinary technicians who pass the main examination, complete an NBDHMT-approved training course, and meet the requirements of a defined preceptorship become eligible for the veterinary-specific examination offered through the UHMS and the Veterinary Hyperbaric Medicine Society. Many general practitioners may not know where the nearest veterinary hyperbaric chamber is. The VHMS maps all the known chambers in the U.S., whether or not VMHS approved. The map, at www.vhbot.org/usa-locations, currently lists 70 veterinary chambers in 19 states. Even if the closest chamber is a distance, an animal benefits from treatment if started within 12 hours of smoke inhalation, Dr. Geller said. His hospital has one of two chambers in Colorado. "Weve had cases referred from Denver and the Canadian border," he said. Sedation isnt typical, but trazodone is given if needed. With the white noise, many patients fall asleep. Colorado is one of the first states to allow emergency medical technicians to provide emergency veterinary care and transport pets to a veterinary hospital if the EMTs have completed a training program and call in to a veterinary hospital during the emergency (see "Good Samaritan laws protect responders"). Dr. Gellers hospital has an agreement with a human hospital a half-mile away that when the EMTs respond to a vehicular accident or fire that involves pet injuries, the EMTs will transport the pets to Dr. Gellers hospital after taking injured people to the human hospital. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is the primary treatment for smoke inhalation in animals. (Courtesy of Dr. Jon Geller) "Pets riding in an ambulance is a pretty new concept, and its a groundbreaking change that EMTs (can give emergency care to pets)," Dr. Geller said, and owner permission isnt needed for the veterinary hospital to treat the victims. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is in its infancy, and other clinical uses have yet to be scientifically proved by quality research, the NBDHMT acknowledges. Dr. Geller is exploring the possibility of HBOT eventually becoming a veterinary specialty, as in human medicine, but the practitioners are few, and, he said, "We are lagging as a potential specialty group because we dont have a central database of cases yet." However, case studies are being collected by the two main manufacturers of veterinary hyperbaric chambers, Hyperbaric Veterinary Medicine in Boca Raton, Florida, and Sechrist Industries Inc. in Anaheim, California. A range of veterinary expertise Smoke inhalation and burn injuries are a core aspect of training for emergency and critical care residents, but how much knowledge do veterinary students and general practitioners have? Dr. Drobatz at Penn Vet said, "Because of the number of cases we see here, a lot of our students do get exposed during clinical rotations to animals that have been exposed to fire." General practitioners probably dont treat many fire victims, however, and may not have had specific education in this area, he said. He has presented continuing education on smoke inhalation, usually in respiratory or environmental toxicology sessions. Treatment of smoke inhalation and burn injuries is a small portion of the veterinary curriculum, taught as part of methods of oxygen therapy in respiratory physiology courses, according to Dr. Elisa Mazzaferro, immediate past president of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. "I have lectured all over the world on this topic, teaching general practitioners how to be prepared and what to do in the event that an animal presents after being in a fire," she said in an email interview. "I think that the general practitioner knows that these patients need supplemental oxygen. However, some of the more serious cases who have lost consciousness, have extensive skin burns, or develop neurologic sequelae after a fire and smoke inhalation are better to be monitored 24 hours a day at a specialty referral hospital or a 24-hour emergency facility," she said. Dr. Mazzaferro will never forget New Years Day 2007. She was awakened with the news that 24 dogs had been in a kennel fire and were being transported to Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital, the Colorado referral practice where she directed emergency services. "Our surgeon was taking thoracic radiographs. Interns were monitoring vitals and helping place catheters," she said. "Nurses were staining eyes to look for corneal burns. Technician assistants were wrapping cage doors in our ICU with saran wrap, making cages into which oxygen lines could be placed to increase oxygen in smoke inhalation patients. Dr. Brendan McKiernan, a world-renowned respiratory specialist, was putting blood samples on ice for evaluation of carbon monoxide levels at a local hospital." Three dogs had been unresponsive at the fire scene. One had been revived by CPR but, despite 24-hour care, eventually succumbed to the effects of smoke inhalation, her trachea so severely damaged the inner lining sloughed. In 2012, Dr. Mazzaferro moved back to her home state of Connecticut, where she practices at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists in Stamford. Dr. Elisa Mazzaferro changes a bandage on Babey, who was in an apartment fire just before New Years Day 2018, at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists in Stamford, Connecticut. (Courtesy of Cornell University Veterinary Specialists) The important first contact Dr. Drobatz said, "I think it is important for the first responders who get there to tell us what they foundif the animal was unconscious or had altered mentationto give us an idea what happened. Some may have had too much carbon monoxide or are hypoxic from not getting enough oxygen during the fire and could be passed out, and this might have significant consequences down the road for neurologic changes and things like that. It also gives us a sense of the severity of their exposure to the fire and how close they were." Many veterinarians in emergency medicine hold classes at a local fire department, police facility, or their own hospitals to train EMTs, firefighters, and police officers to care for canine officers as well as animal casualties at the scene of a fire. Some also offer classes for pet owners. The Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Foundation trains first responders in conjunction with the annual meeting of the International Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Society. Last fall in Nashville, Tennessee, over 60 police officers took part in the VECCF training session. Do oxygen masks make a difference? Dr. Drobatz said, "Absolutely. One of the first things you do especially with an animal thats comatose or unconscious is give them oxygen immediately because of the decreased oxygen content in the area where the fire was burning and the carbon monoxide. Oxygen supplementation will decrease the amount of carbon monoxide. If in doubt, we always give them oxygen." Three nonprofits that provide pet oxygen masks are Project Breathe from the Invisible Fence Co., Project Paws Alive, and the Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists (see sidebar "Pet oxygen masks"). A cat is reunited with its family after a fire. (Courtesy of Red Paw Emergency Relief Team) Dr. Mazzaferro said, "I have had animals transported to me by fire truck and ambulance after being maliciously burned as well as having been in a house fire and have signs of smoke inhalation. If a fire truck does not have oxygen masks specially made for animals, pediatric face masks work well to deliver oxygen to cats, and face masks or nasal prongs made for humans can be used for dogs. "Severe smoke inhalation can definitely lead to chronic problems including increased susceptibility to respiratory infection and pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis/scarring, and as long-term sequelae bronchiectasis, weakness, and dilation of the airways." One of the dogs maliciously burned had been set on fire after being stolen from a humane society and wrapped in duct tape. Another dog died after his owner went off her schizophrenia medication and set him on fire. Dr. Mazzaferro has had to deal with severe skin burns as well as the systemic effects of burns and inflammation. "We use a combination of wet-to-dry bandages and vacuum-assisted wound care along with a variety of antimicrobial ointments such as silver sulfadiazine for deep skin burns," she said, adding that skin grafts are not common. Like Dr. Drobatz, she has seen corneal burns as the most common injury sustained by animals in residential fires, along with injury to the inner lining of the respiratory system from inhalation of superheated particles in the air. The Red Paw model Red Paw is the only such organization Leary knows of. The nonprofits funding has been a challenge, with 93 percent coming from donations and 7 percent from grants and foundation money. Ideally, she would like to expand Red Paws response area, even go national, but at the very least, getting counterparts up and running in other cities would help the cause. "It keeps me up at night thinking of all the fires in other parts of the country," she said. "Its not the job of firefighters to look for and care for pets on the scene. They have a lot of other stuff going on. Our job is specifically to do that." Pet oxygen masks The following nonprofits are among the organizations that provide pet oxygen masks. The Project Breathe Program provides oxygen mask kits to fire departments and rescue units. Invisible Fence sponsors the program and donates the masks, which the company estimates have saved 10,000 pets. A kit can be requested for a fire station at www.invisiblefence.com/why-invisible-fence/project-breathe Project Paws Alive has a mission of providing first responder agencies with pet oxygen recovery mask kits. It relies on donations to provide the kits. http://projectpawsalive.org/pet-oxygen-recovery-mask-kits The Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists accepts donations to purchase pet rescue or recovery masks as well as requests from firefighters and EMTs to receive a kit. http://apaws.org/about/support/donate Resources A map of veterinary hyperbaric chambers in the United States is available at www.vhbot.org/usa-locations. The National Board of Diving and Hyperbaric Medical Technology at http://www.nbdhmt.org/chtv.asp offers certified training courses in hyperbaric technology and an examination to become a certified hyperbaric technologistveterinary assistant. The American Veterinary Medical Foundations emergency planning guide "Saving the Whole Family" is downloadable for free at www.avma.org/products under "Disaster Preparedness." Related JAVMA Content Good Samaritan laws protect responders (Feb. 15, 2018) The National Aeronautic Association has named its candidates for the 2017 Robert J. Collier trophy, which is awarded annually for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America. The nominees are: Boeings 737 Max; the Cirrus Aircraft Vision SF50 single-engine jet; the autonomous helicopter system developed by the U.S. Marine Corps Office of Naval Research and Aurora Flight Sciences; the high-altitude glider Perlan Project; the Zee Aero Division of Kitty Hawk Corporation; the Vanilla Aircraft VA001 drone; the Edwards Air Force Base F-35 Integrated Test Force; the NASA/JPL Cassini Project Team; and the TSA, ALPA, and A4A Known Crewmember and TSA Pre Programs. The Collier Trophy Selection Committee will meet on March 22 in Arlington, Virginia, and the recipient will be announced the next day. The formal presentation of the trophy will take place on June 14, at a location to be determined. The trophy has been awarded annually for 105 years. Past winners include the crews of Apollo 11 and Apollo 8, the Mercury 7, Scott Crossfield, Elmer Sperry, Howard Hughes, and Orville Wright. Projects and programs that have received the trophy include the B-52, the Boeing 747, the Cessna Citation, the F-22 and the International Space Station. The five most recent recipients are the Blue Origin New Shepard Team; the NASA/JPL Dawn Mission Team; the Gulfstream G650; the Northrop Grumman, US Navy, and X-47B Industry Team; and the NASA/JPL Mars Curiosity Project Team. This years outstanding group of nominees represent the great depth and breadth of our aviation industry, said Greg Principato, NAA president. Each is changing our world for the better. The Collier Selection Committee will have its work cut out for it this year and we at NAA couldnt be more excited. Consolidation of the commercial airliner business has been happening since the first passenger-carrying biplanes rattled across the landscape. In the middle of the last century, there were dozens of viable manufacturers innovating and doing their best to cater to a rapidly evolving industry. But being the best has never been a guarantee of business success and Douglas Aircraft was a classic example. The DC-3 was hands down the most successful design of its time but Douglas was unable to leverage that into a dominating position in the jet era. The DC-8 was a rushed response to the Boeing 707 and while it had its fans as a pilots airplane it never seriously challenged the 707. On the other hand, the DC-9 was a tremendously successful design that didnt end commercial service in the U.S. until 2014 when Delta finally retired the steam-gauge workhorses after 50 years of service. So its more than a little ironic that Deltas choice for replacing the DC-9, whose derivatives ended up being built by Boeing until the middle of the last decade, is the Bombardier CSeries. It ordered 75 with an option for 50 more and nobody is denying it got a smoking deal on what current operators of the type say is a really good airplane. That choice turned into one of the biggest shifts in dynamics in the aerospace industry in decades. It also sets the stage for a major battle of giants. Boeing started the spat by trying to keep Bombardiers little jets out of the U.S. Its quickly turned into full-scale warfare with arch-enemy Airbus and the battleground will be the U.S. It also really annoyed Canada, which may not sound like a big deal but it has a role to play in all this. Boeing convinced the Department of Commerce to slap an unprecedented 292 percent tariff on the CSeries that Delta ordered in a transparent appeal to economic nationalism. Bombardier responded by turning the CSeries program over to Airbus with the idea of building Deltas planes at Airbuss Mobile, Alabama, facilities. They would be late, but Delta would eventually get them. Then, in a decision that surprised every aviation pundit, the U.S. International Trade Commission unanimously rejected the Department of Commerce tariffs, saying since Boeing doesnt make 100- to 150-seat airliners (since it stopped making the DC-9-derived 717), Boeing couldnt be harmed by the CSeries sale to Delta. The whole thing changed. Delta can now get its aircraft on time and Bombardier has wisely committed to continuing the arrangement with Airbus because that will blunt any further challenges on U.S. deals that Boeing might mount. Cash will be flowing and the CSeries will be in service in the U.S. sooner rather than later. Airbus can be ready to crank out CSeries in Mobile as Deltas U.S. competitors, comforted by the big safety net the association with Airbus offers in the future support of the type, watch the efficient new jets start playing in their sandbox. Boeing hasnt commented on the trade commission decision and says its waiting for the full reasoning before it decides on a response. It might appeal but the decision was unanimous and the odds of success dont look good. At best it would be a delaying tactic but Airbus and Bombardier seem to have that covered. In the meantime, Boeing is talking to Embraer about taking over its airliner business in a Hail Mary rearguard action. While Embraer has a solid track record in the small airliner business, any deal with the Brazilian company will not include any defense work because the government of Brazil, which holds a veto vote on the Embraer board of directors, is not about to give up those capabilities to a foreign power. There are no such constraints on the Bombardier/Airbus deal and that may be a factor in Canadas long-overdue purchase of $20 billion worth of fighters. Until the CSeries fracas, Boeing was considered the odds-on favorite to win that contract with the last production run of its Super Hornet but the trade dispute has all but ruled that out according to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. So, in its attempt to swat a fly, Boeing has inadvertently stuck its hand down the throat of a lion. Time will tell how many fingers it loses. I wonder what Donald Douglas would think. By Laman Ismayilova One of the most brilliant pages in the history of national music undoubtedly belongs to legendary Azerbaijani composer, Gara Garayev. February 5, 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of one of the most outstanding figures in the national culture. Garayev inherited his love of music from his parents. His father Ebulfaz Garayev was a famous pediatrician in Baku. Ebulfaz Garayev was known for his kindness and generosity. When patients were too poor to pay for treatment, he often left money under the prescription that he had written out for them. He knew Azerbaijani folk music very well and loved to sing. Garayev's mother, Sona Khanim, was among the first graduates of the Music School, the Baku branch of the Russian Music Society. At the age of eight, Garayev first entered the junior music school at the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire. His exceptional musical talents let him to study simultaneously in two faculties at the conservatoire. His teachers were Georgi Sharoyev, Leonid Rudolf, and the prominent Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli. In 1938, Garayev composed his first musical piece, a cantata "The Song of the Heart" to the poem by Rasul Rza. It was performed in Moscow's Bolshoi Theater in the same year. He was only 20 years old at the time. Garayev returned to Baku in 1941. He began teaching students at Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Society. In 1945, both he and Jovdat Hajiyev wrote the "Motherland" opera, for which they were awarded a prestigious Stalin Prize. At the age of 30, Garayev was again awarded this prize for his symphonic poem "Leyli and Majnun", based on the same-titled famous work of Nizami Ganjavi. In 1952, under the direction of the choreographer P. A. Gusev, Garayev's "Seven Beauties" ballet was staged at the Azerbaijani Theater of Opera and Ballet. Based on Nizami Ganjavi's famous poem, "Seven Beauties", it became the first Azerbaijani ballet and opened a new chapter in the history of classical music of Azerbaijan. His ballet, "Path of Thunder", staged in 1958, was dedicated to racial conflicts in South Africa. In the same year, he wrote the score for the documentary film" A Story About the Oil Workers of the Caspian Sea", directed by Roman Karmen and set at the Oil Rocks. Through his life, Garayev wrote nearly 110 musical pieces, including ballets, operas, symphonic and chamber pieces, solos for piano, cantatas, songs and marches, and rose to prominence not only in Azerbaijan, but also worldwide. He brilliantly juxtaposed features of Mugham with jazz, blues, African music, European counterpoint styles, and developments related to the 20th century Western music such as the 12-tone technique. Garayev died on May 13, 1982 in Moscow at the age of 64. The composer leaved behind a legacy of music that will be felt for generations to come. The memory of great composer will always live in the hearts of Azerbaijani people. President Ilham Aliyev signed an order on October 17 to mark the 100th jubilee of the legendary Azerbaijani composer. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Education and the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, are tasked to prepare and execute an action plan for the jubilee in consideration of proposals of the Union of Composers. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) that takes place from April 9-11, 2018, announces UAE International Investors Council (UAEIIC) as its Official Investment Partner that will boost cross-border FDI flow in Asia, Africa and MENA The UAE has been named the 13th Most Promising Home Economy for Investment in 2017-19 according to a survey conducted by the United Nations Council for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and Investment Promotion Agency (IPA) Observer. The ranking, published in the UNCTADs recently released annual World Investment Report (WIR) 2017, reflects the UAEs liberal and investment-friendly business policies as the country also moves up in the World Banks Doing Business ranking for 2018 to 21. Meanwhile, the UAE International Investors Council (UAEIIC), a semi-government investment institution with an objective to promote two-way investment, has announced its partnership as Official Investment Partner with the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) to be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from April 9-11, 2018, that is expected to boost the US$1.85 trillion global FDI flow expected in 2018. The decision comes as the UAE prepares to liberalise its foreign investment laws allowing greater foreign ownership in local companies in key sectors that will help a greater inflow of investment in to the UAE a major foreign investment destination. AIM, the largest annual gathering of government ministers, trade bodies, chambers of commerce and industries, investment authorities as well as private investor groups, will see a flurry of activities including investment policy reforms, ease in doing business to allow greater flow of capital and goods movement across the region. Welcoming the UAEIIC as the Official Investment Partner of Annual Investment Meeting, Mr Dawood Shezawi, President of AIM, says, Our partnership with UAEIIC will help boost two-way investment into the UAE and outward investment from the UAE and help us play our role as a promoter of investment flow for development. Over the last few years,AIM has created a global platform for international and local investors to promote opportunities for investors to identify the right investment projects and help create employment in different parts of the world. As the Official Investment Partner, the UAEIIC will play a great role in promoting investment. According to the World Investment Report 2017, global investment flow declined 2 per cent to US$1.75 trillion in 2016. Flows to developing economies reached $646 billion in 2016, UNCTAD report shows. The flow of outward investment from developing economies registered a 1 per cent decline to $383 billion, despite a surge of outflows from China, now the second largest investing country in the world, said the World Investment Report 2017. A modest recovery in global FDI flows is forecast for 2017, although flows are expected to remain well below their peak of 2007. A combined upturn of economic growth in major regions and improved corporate profits will boost business confidence, and consequently MNEs appetite to invest, said the World Investment Report 2017. A cyclical uptick in manufacturing and trade is expected to result in faster growth in developed countries, while a likely strengthening of commodity prices should underpin a recovery in developing economies in 2017. As a result, global FDI flows are expected to increase by about 5 per cent in 2017 to almost $1.8 trillion. In this regard, the UAEIIC has decided to strengthen its engagement in trade and investment promotional activities to boost two-way investment. The UAEIIC takes firm steps to be the voice of the UAE to invest abroad, as it represents a national umbrella of great importance for the development of national investments issued in view of its role in communication and coordination with government agencies to support, protect, promote and expand the interests and objectives of UAE investors abroad and in the interest of the national economy, according to Jamal Al Jarwan, Secretary-General of the UAEIIC. The current global economic situation offers a greater opportunity for international investors when asset prices become very attractive making acquisition less costly and help investors attain a higher and faster return on investment, Jamal Al Jarwan said. In this regard, we find AIM a perfect fit to attract investment and promote economic opportunities prevalent in the GCC region for global investors, while at the same time, helping UAE investors to find the right investment projects in different countries and help the emirati investors to benefit from the opportunities. AIM is a real opportunity to highlight the role of the council with foreign officials and non-members investors to discuss the experience of the council in previous years. The UAEIIC pays special attention to building and expanding the network of international strategic partnerships. Our participation in AIM is in line with the goals of the UAEIIC in exploring investment opportunities around the world and closely monitor the investment climate to achieve sustainable development for our foreign investments, he says. The eighth edition of the Annual Investment Meeting will be held on 9 - 11 April 2018 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, under the theme, Linking Developed and Emerging Markets through FDI: Partnerships for Inclusive Growth & Sustainable Development. In a span of three days, an array of activities are staged including a Conference, Exhibition, Capacity Building Workshops, Country Presentations, Investors Hub, Gala Dinner, Investment Awards, various G2G, G2B and B2B Networking Features, AIM Startup Innovation Showcase and Pitch Competition. About Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) is the worlds leading platform for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), aimed at facilitating strategic networking and promoting investments. It is the largest gathering of the international investment community, policy makers, business leaders, regional and international investors, entrepreneurs, leading academics and experts showcasing up-to-date information and strategies on attracting FDI. It convenes key decision-makers from around the world, bringing together businesses and countries willing to engage in sustainable partnerships with investors. It offers a variety of features aimed at facilitating strategic networking and promoting investments while providing a worthwhile learning experience. The eighth edition of the Annual Investment Meeting will be held on 9 - 11 April 2018 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The theme is Linking Developed and Emerging Markets through FDI: Partnerships for Inclusive Growth & Sustainable Development. In a span of three days, an array of activities are staged including a Conference, Exhibition, Capacity Building Workshops, Country Presentations, Investors Hub, Gala Dinner, Investment Awards, various G2G, G2B and B2B Networking Features, AIM Startup Innovation Showcase and Pitch Competition. About UAE International Investors Council (UAEIIC) In light of the global developments and the UAEs strategic plans, and in line with the States policy to promote economic diversification, a group of UAE international investors proposed the establishment of a council bringing them together and coordinating action amongst them. Once established, members of such Council would have the opportunity to support investment decision-making as well as economic and political decision-makers at both economic and political levels in the country; by providing them with clear indicators and parameters of the ongoing developments in all areas of UAE investments worldwide. During the second half of September 2009, a meeting was chaired by the then Ministry of Foreign Trade with a group of UAE companies with distinct investment presence abroad in various sectors such as: telecommunications, real estate development, energy and tourism. The meeting also included representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance and Economy where the companies declared their desire and willingness for the idea offering support to the proposed council. As well, all attendees expressed their desire that UAE Cabinet provides the moral support to the Council represented in approving the establishment. For further information, kindly contact us: Mariam Mikhail Public & Media Relations Manager Pan Asian Group PO Box : 39865, Dubai, UAE Tel : +9714-2281021 Cell : +97156 2228535 E-mail : m[email protected] Photo Caption: Mr. Jamal Al Jarwan, Secretary-General, UAE International Investors Council, at AIM 2017. American co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Andrew Schofer and US ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta have visited a newly-built block for IDPs in Masazir settlement, Absheron region. Deputy chair of the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs Fuad Huseynov highlighted what the Azerbaijani government has done to improve living conditions for refugees and IDPs, Azertag reported. He said 760 IDP families were temporarily accommodated in the newly-built block. Huseynov said 97 modern IDP settlements have been built so far, accommodating 265,000 refugees and IDPs. Head of Zangilan Region Executive Authority Ramiz Hasanov said 20 per cent of the Azerbaijani lands still remain occupied as a result of the Armenian aggression. "The ethnic cleansing was carried out in the occupied lands and more than a million Azerbaijanis became refugees and IDPs." Ambassador Cekuta said the US is interested in a peaceful settlement of the conflict. The American diplomats viewed apartments and spoke with IDPs, who asked the United State to speed up efforts, as an OSCE Minsk Group co-chair, to find a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The American diplomats also visited a local school and museum. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Co-chairman of the European Union-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee Javanshir Feyziyev has held a number of meetings at the European Parliament in Brussels to discuss ways of developing parliamentary cooperation between the country and the EU. Feyziyev met with heads of political groups and parties as well as co-rapporteurs for the South Caucasus at the European Parliament, Azertag reported. They also discussed recent developments in the region, and Feyziyev provided information about the Armenians` violating ceasefire on a regular basis. He also highlighted the political and economic reforms carried out in the country. The meetings will continue in Strasbourg next week. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Sara Israfilbayova Azerbaijan was represented at the Asia-Pacific Food and Crafts Bazaar charity fair taken place in Abu Dhabi. Displaying a variety of different foods and tastes, 13 countries came together to take part in the charity fair to showcase their unique and cultural delicacies. Organized by the Asian Group of Spouses of Ambassadors, the event was hosted at the South Korean ambassadors residence, and featured countries including Pakistan, Japan, Fiji and Malaysia, among many others. The Azerbaijani pavilion prepared by the Azerbaijani embassy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) aroused great interest among visitors from different countries. Various national dishes and sweets produced by Azerbaijani companies, including compote, jam, tea, printed products, as well as kelagai and other souvenirs were presented at the fair. Employees of the embassy informed visitors about the Azerbaijani culture and traditions. In particular, dolma, recently recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO, attracted great interest among visitors. Representatives of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Dubai and Abu Dhabi actively participated in the exhibition. Bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the UAE, especially their political component, are at a high level: relations between these countries are based on multi-vector cooperation taking into account mutual interests. The two nations see rapidly increasing economic cooperation and are keen to promote tourism. Frequent visits of the leaders of two countries significantly strengthened the political ties between the countries, at the same time stimulated the growth of economic interaction, particularly in the field of tourism. Mainly Azerbaijan imports goods from the UAE, which are, in fact, re-exported from other countries. It is mostly metallurgical and chemical products, textiles, building materials, tobacco products, and household equipment. Azerbaijan mainly exports to the UAE fruits, juices, nuts, metal semi-finished products and so on. The tourism has become popular recently between the countries thanks to facilitation of visa regime for the UAE citizens. President Ilham Aliyev issued a decree on simplifying the visa regime for citizens and residents of the UAE. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the United Arab Emirates amounted to $15.10 million in January-June 2017, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The order to hold early elections fully complies with the requirements of the Constitution and legislation of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani President's Assistant for Public and Political Affairs Ali Hasanov told Trend as he commented on the presidents order to conduct early presidential elections in the country. Hasanov noted that all elections in Azerbaijan have been held in a democratic, transparent and fair manner in accordance with the Constitution, Election Code and other relevant legislative acts so far. Presidential, parliamentary as well as municipal elections have reflected the will of the people and have been highly appreciated by local and international observers. Taking into account that every three years in five years are connected with the elections in Azerbaijan, Article 101 of the Constitution was amended and the presidential term was extended from five to seven years. As the presidential term was extended to seven years, the president of Azerbaijan has been granted the right to appeal to voters for a vote of confidence to declare early presidential elections. Therefore, the issues envisaged in the Order on Declaring Early Presidential Elections in Azerbaijan fully complies with the requirements of the Constitution and the legislation of the country," Ali Hasanov said. The presidential assistant noted that in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the presidential elections of 2018 were scheduled for autumn, October. However, beginning from this May, a number of important local and international events will be held in Azerbaijan, including a series of events marking the centenary of the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, as well as International Humanitarian Forum and others. Most of these events will be held at the end of the year and might overlap with the elections, the presidential assistant said. On the other hand, according to the existing electoral practices in Azerbaijan, all the elections are held in autumn, Hasanov said, adding that given the internationally accepted electoral practices, it is more appropriate to conduct elections of different levels in different seasons of the year, as well as in the beginning of the year. Moreover, the election of the president of Azerbaijan for a seven-year term ensures the timely implementation of presidential responsibilities from the beginning of the next work year. This, in turn, creates an additional opportunity for more effective execution of the tasks set out the in the social and economic areas. Hasanov mentioned that the independent policy pursued by President Ilham Aliyev has served the national interests of Azerbaijan, ensuring comprehensive and rapid development of the country, renewing and modernizing all aspects of society, and improving welfare of the people. Nowadays, Azerbaijan is known as one of the most influential countries in international community. All abovementioned realities are the key factors pointing to the high confidence and full support of people, citizens and voters of Azerbaijan to President Ilham Aliyev. We can say with confidence that Ilham Aliyev has a great opportunity to win a brilliant victory and to be re-elected as the president. Therefore, the conduct of the presidential elections in October or April neither should be interpreted as limiting the opportunities of potential candidates and Ilham Aliyev, nor as giving them additional advantages. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Kamila Aliyeva The Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) project is on right track, Laurent Ruseckas, senior adviser to the Global Gas team in the London-based IHS Markit said in an interview with Azernews. TAP will be operating, maybe a bit later than it was planned, but I dont think it is such a big deal, he said. If you go back for a couple of years, everyone in the oil and gas industry globally was talking about how mega projects are disastrous, the expert noted drawing Kashagan field as an example of such a giant project which was over-budgeted and years and years late. He also mentioned the Gorgon gas project in Australia in this regard. At the beginning of Shah Deniz a lot of people were thinking the same. However, it never happened. Its been almost perfect, Ruseckas noted. Commenting on the rising demand for gas in Europe, the expert talked about additional sources of gas for SGC. It is expected that about 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas will be delivered to EU member states and 6 bcm to Turkey, he said. As to additional sources, there is no obvious answer from where additional gas supplies may come to Europe. There are now some discussions again with Turkmenistan about Trans Caspian pipeline, but I think this would be difficult to achieve. From economic perspective as well. Gas price is very low in Europe and they are going to be low for a while. Therefore, bringing gas all the way from Turkmenistan seems difficult for now, he said. There are also some talks about Iranian, Israeli and Iraqi gas supplies, he added. I dont think any of them is very likely, at least not in the next two years. The most likely option is to supply extra gas from Azerbaijani fields, for example from Absheron, he noted. It is difficult to take big investment decisions when the prices are as low as they are today, according to Ruseckas. The expert further highlighted that Turkish Stream project, which was agreed upon by Russia and Turkey, has nothing to do with the SGC. It is just to bypass Ukraine, basically, delivering gas to the same market. There are a lot of journalism about TurkStream and the SGC. People who follow the politics cannot resist the story. In the gas industry it differs. All these long-aterm contracts with buyers who guarantee to purchase these volumes for a long term period have been concluded with regards to the gas from Shah Deniz-2, he said. Whatever happens, the SGC project will not be affected, according to Ruseckas. The Southern Gas Corridor, worth $41.5 billion, is considered as one of the priority energy projects for the EU, which strives for diversification of gas supplies. The project envisages the transportation of gas from the Caspian region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey. At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. Other sources can also connect to this project at a later stage. As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline and Trans Adriatic Pipeline. The first gas within the Shah Deniz-2 project will be delivered to Turkey in 2018, and to Europe in 2019. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Sara Israfilbayova The UK government allocated some 1.3 billion worth of funds within a framework of implementation of Oil & Gas High Value Campaign (HVC) in Azerbaijan in 2016-2017. The HVC programme identifies large scale overseas projects and aims to provide an intensive level of support to help UK businesses win contracts in and around these opportunities. The report of the Department for International Trade of the UK Government (DIT) Overseas Business Risk Azerbaijan reads that oil and gas is by far the largest sector in Azerbaijan and therefore currently attracts the most DIT attention. The report says that Azerbaijan is the second most successful country where DIT HVC is implemented, adding that since October 2015, to support the HVC, DIT, together with the Ministry of Economy, BP and SOCAR, runs the UK/Azerbaijan Partnership Programme to promote and support collaboration between UK and Azerbaijani companies in the oil and gas sector. To date, this Programme has been responsible for some 65 partnerships and is set to continue for the next three to five years. Outside of oil and gas, DIT is looking to diversify into other sectors including healthcare, mining, renewable energy, agri-business, tourism and education. The UK recognized the independence of Azerbaijan on 26 December 1991 and the diplomatic relations between two countries were established a yeal later. The economic cooperation, especially in the energy sector, between the two countries is a core of the bilateral relations. Azerbaijan cooperates with the UK in the field of exploration and transportation of the oil and natural gas from the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea. BP as a leading oil company has been active in Azerbaijan since 1992 and participates in the main production sharing agreements such as the Contract of Century (Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli) and the Shah Deniz project. The UK has invested over $27 billion in the Azerbaijani economy, so far. Currently, over 500 companies with British capital operate in Azerbaijan. As an example of the successful activities of British companies in Azerbaijan, can be led BP, which is involved in seven oil and gas projects, including the Southern Gas Corridor and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline. The trade turnover with the UK reached $281.1 million last year. Export of national goods to the UK amounted to $41.2 million, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Kamila Aliyeva The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) forecasts an increase in oil production in Kazakhstan to 2.7 million barrels per day by 2040 in its report. At the moment, the Central Asian nation extracts an average of 1.8 million barrels per day. OPEC explains that Kazakhstan will keep the current figures until 2022, and since 2025 oil production will increase. In 2025, the country will receive two million barrels per day. In 2030, this figure will reach 2.3 million barrels, in 2035 - 2.6 million barrels, and in 2040 - 2.7 million barrels. OPEC analysts emphasize that Kazakhstan managed to level indicators to 1.74 million barrels per day in 2017, which demonstrates the implementation of the agreement on oil production cuts. However, the growth of production is mainly affected by the Kashagan and Tengiz fields. In Kazakhstan, the volume of oil production in 2017 amounted to 72.932 million tons, which is 11.2 percent more than in 2016, according to the statistics committee of the National Economy Ministry. Kazakhstan's proven oil reserves as of early 2016 stood at 30 billion barrels, according to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy. Tengiz, Karachaganak and Kashagan are the largest oil fields in Kazakhstan. Three oil giants will be able to bring Kazakhstan's oil production to a new level in the coming years even if new oil fields are not discovered. With the start of oil production at the Kashagan field, the forecasts of several international organizations on oil production in Kazakhstan immediately grew. OPEC agreed on a total reduction in oil production by 1.8 million barrels per day at the end of 2016. Thanks to this, it was possible to stabilize world oil prices, which had been rapidly declining before. In November 2016, the OPEC summit was held in Vienna, where OPEC members reached an agreement on reducing oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day. In December 2016 was a meeting of oil producers outside the OPEC. The meeting ended with signing an agreement to reduce oil production by a total of 558,000 barrels per day starting from January 2017. OPEC and its partners decided to extend its production cuts till the end of 2018 in Vienna on November 30, as the oil cartel and its allies step up their attempt to end a three-year supply glut that has savaged crude prices and the global energy industry. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Kamila Aliyeva Coal will be supplied primarily to the population of Kazakhstan. The Energy Ministry of Kazakhstan proposed to change the scheme of coal shipment, Kazinform reported. The Energy Ministry in these days is concerned with the issue of coal deficit in the regions, according to the message. The ministry will submit a proposal to the Government to review the scheme for coal shipment. The prerogative will be given to the communal and household needs of the population, and only then to the thermal power plants and export, Deputy Energy Minister Bakhytzhan Dzhaksaliev said during the meeting on the Karazhyra section in the East Kazakhstan region. The ministrys message indicates that shipment of coal for public utilities and the population in 2017 amounted to 12.5 million tons, showing an increase of 18 percent compared to 2016 (10.6 million tons). Karazhyra is one of the richest coal deposits in Kazakhstan, located in Zhanasemey district of the East Kazakhstan region, 130 km south-west of the city of Semey. Coal reserves here are estimated at more than a billion tons. The ministry stressed that the situation with providing coal to the population in the country is stable and there is no agiotage with a deficit of solid fuel in any of the regions of Kazakhstan. In 2017, Kazakhstan produced 106.7 million tons of coal. Kazakhstan contains Central Asias largest recoverable coal reserves.The country has more than 400 coal deposits of which a third are classified as brown coal or lignite deposits. The Karaganda, Ekibastuz and Maikuben basins, and Kushokinsk, Borly, Shubarkol and Karazhyr deposits, as well as some other (small) deposits in various regions of the Republic (where coal mining is presently of insignificant volume, to meet local requirements), are developed and operating. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Aygul Salmanova Sea tourism, one of the most dynamic, high-tech, high-yield spheres in the world, is becoming a new branch of the tourism industry in the Land of Fire. Azerbaijani citizens and foreign guests may travel by a cruise ship along the Caspian Sea in summer, Minister of Culture and Tourism Abulfas Garayev told reporters on February 2. He added that Russia is already preparing ships to organize sea cruises along the Caspian Sea. Several projects have already been discussed, he said. The cruises will be organized in summer." In accordance with President Ilham Aliyevs decree On additional measures to increase the flow of tourists to Azerbaijan signed in 2017, the Foreign Ministry jointly with the State Maritime Administration, the Caspian Shipping Company and Baku International Sea Trade Port were charged with holding talks with the Caspian-littoral countries to organize sea cruises in the Caspian Sea. The Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company and Moscow River Shipping Company signed a memorandum of cooperation on cruise shipping in the Caspian region by using Peter the Great new cruise passenger ship on December 28. The memorandum envisages joint activities to study and develop optimal routes for cruise passenger vessels, such as ports of the Black Sea - inland waterways of the Russian Federation - Astrakhan - ports of the Caspian Sea; Moscow-Baku; Astrakhan - Makhachkala - Baku; Baku - Anzali - Nowshahr - Turkmenbashi - Aktau - Astrakhan and others. By this cruise liner, passengers will be able to travel across the Black Sea, the port cities of Russia, the Caspian-littoral countries. The ship has a fitness room, restaurants, a cinema and other conditions for leisure. The sea cruises will attract more tourists to Azerbaijan and contribute to the development of tourism in the country. This project will attract tourists from the EU countries, the U.S., Australia, China and other regions of the world. In recent years, Azerbaijan is experiencing a boom in tourism sector, and this positive trend continues to grow. Over the past 10 years, the number of tourists visiting the country increased by five times. The talks about creation of a new cruise line in the Caspian Sea arose in 2005, when the sides planned to open the cruise-passenger along the route Astrakhan (Russia) - Baku (Azerbaijan) - Enzeli (Iran) - Aktau (Kazakhstan) - Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan). However, the cruise line has never been opened and the issue was always postponed for the following years. The Caspian Sea, with enormous deposits of oil and gas as well as rich fisheries, can rightfully become popular cruise destination. Fresh water flows into the sea via the Volga River and Ural River in the north, however, the sea remains somewhat salty. The flora and fauna of the Caspian Sea is not only rich and diverse, but also different from the fauna and flora of other seas and lakes. The sea is home to 755 species and subspecies of plants, and also inhabits about 920 species of animals, and among them there are many that you will not find anywhere else in the world. For example, the Caspian seal is the only mammal of the Caspian Sea, and this subspecies is not found anywhere else in the world. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Aygul Salmanova The number of air companies launching flights to Azerbaijan, a country located in Southern Caucasus, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, has been gradually increasing. Japan Airlines announced that it expanded its existing codeshare agreements, with Qatar Airways, the foreign media reported. The codeshare will also cover flights from Doha to Amman, Jordan, and Baku as well as six routes to Africa, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban, South Africa; Nairobi, Kenya; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; and Dar es Salaam, Ethiopia. The expanded codeshare will take effect on April 1, 2018. A codeshare agreement, also known as codeshare, is an aviation business arrangement where two or more airlines share the same flight. Sharing, in this sense, means that each airline publishes and markets the flight under its own airline designator and flight number as part of its published timetable or schedule. Many tourists have visited Azerbaijan, especially its capital Baku, during past years and their number increases annually. This is natural, as Baku is among the most visited cities of the CIS countries. Over the past year, Azerbaijan received over 2 million tourists. In general, for the past 10 years, the number of tourists visiting the country increased by five times. People in Azerbaijan are well known for their hospitality, while the countrys nature with its climate, beauty and uniqueness mesmerizes even the most claimant tourists. The country with rich ancient history has thousands of places to visit, ranging from the capital to the unique villages lost in the clouds. Diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Japan were established in 1992. A number of important projects are being implemented in Azerbaijan through the financial support of Japan, while very important infrastructure projects had already been commissioned in the country through Japanese government`s loans. Japan was one of the first countries to support Azerbaijan's forward-looking oil strategy. Today two major Japanese companies Itochu and Impex are involved in the Contract of the Century [signed on September 20, 1994 in Baku, a large-scale international contract on the joint development of three oil fields - Azeri, Chirag, Gunashli in the Azerbaijani Sector of the Caspian Sea]. Moreover, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has financed four loan projects in the country in the amount of $900 million in the sectors of energy, water supply and sewerage, since the beginning of its cooperation with Azerbaijan. JICA has allocated $64 million for grant projects in the sectors of agriculture, health, energy, irrigation and road administration. Leaders of Japanese business, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Marubeni, and Sojits are involved in energy and infrastructure projects in the country. In late October, Baku hosted an exhibition of Japanese food products for the first time, where about 500 high-quality Japanese products, including food products, drinks, cosmetics and many other products were presented. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Japan amounted to $49.59 million in January-June of 2017, according to the Azerbaijan's State Customs Committee. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Aygul Salmanova One of the leading chefs of the U.S., John Tesar from Dallas, will visit Azerbaijan to demonstrate the culinary wealth of the country. In his interview with Food and Wine, John Tesar noted that Azerbaijan, bordering the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains, is one of the most stunning places with an ancient history in Eurasia. Azerbaijan has so much history; its close to Turkey, the Middle East and Asia, so its a melting pot of different cultures, Tesar sayed. Theres also a lot to explore; you are right on the Caspian Sea, and theres museums, and so much history. Its a beautiful city and if you are interested in how caviar is truly made and where it came from this is the place to go. Tesar will also explore the various caviar vendors that occupy the countrys fish markets, where Azerbaijani, Persian and Russian caviar can be purchased. It was formerly a Soviet Republic, and Americans didnt pay much attention to the Soviet Union even though they loved Russian caviar, Tesar tells Food & Wine. But, thats where it came from. Really good caviar only comes from two places on the Caspian Sea: Iran and Russia. Theres no longer the Soviet Union, so Azerbaijan is the new place for great caviar." During the trip Tesar will get acquainted with caviar suppliers and study places where you can buy good caviar. He will also visit Lahij, Sheki, Guba and other cities of Azerbaijan. At the same time, the Food and Wine edition reminded that travelers should not visit the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh in any case, since this is considered a crime in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani cuisine belongs to one of the most interesting cuisines in the world thanks to its originality and diversity. Some of its dishes were included in the menu of international cuisines and loved by every tourist visiting the country. The national cooks have preserved old cooking methods, flavour and traditions and modified them taking into account up-to-date techniques. Nine out of eleven climate zones are present in Azerbaijan. This hugely contributed to the fertility of the land, which in its turn results in the diversity of national cuisine. There is no lack of ingredients in the cuisine of the Azerbaijani people, as the countrys mountain and subtropical climate gives everything needed to cook delicious and healthy food. The majority of national dishes are mutton, beef, poultry, minced meat and surely fish. Pilaf with fragrant saffron, juicy kebab flavored with sumac, over 200 varieties of dolma, buglama and levengi fish dishes, , shekerbura and pakhlava - sweets , a table overladen with fresh fruits and vegetables and fruit juices all these are various and original Azerbaijani food. Some Azerbaijani dishes are cooked in special utensils: piti soup is prepared in clay pots, pilaf - in special boilers with a thick bottom (kazan), kebab is planked on special skewers. More than 2,000 recopies are known in the national cuisine. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Most of the $2.4 million raised by committees supporting and opposing questions on the November 2018 Massachusetts ballot has come from labor unions, with the Massachusetts Nurses Association leading the pack. The nursing union supports a proposal calling for strict nurse-to-patient ratios in hospitals, SouthCoastToday.com reports. Here are five things to know: 1. The Committee to Ensure Safe Patient Care raised the most money last year, relying heavily on unions. The group is pushing the question that would require nurse-to-patient ratios; it has raised nearly all of the $1,051,300 it pulled in last year from the Massachusetts Nurses Association. 2. The question aims to improve patient safety by establishing a maximum limit on the number of patients assigned to a nurse at any single time. 3. The Coalition to Protect Patient Safety, a group opposed to the question, raised a single $10,000 donation from the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association last year. The group says the question will drive up costs. 4. Raise Up Massachusetts raised the next highest amount in 2017, bringing in $511,441. The group supports the minimum wage question and a question that would help guarantee paid family and medical leave for workers. 5. The amount of money individuals can contribute to political candidates is limited, but there is no limit on donations to ballot question committees. More articles on quality: DEA rules NPs, PAs can now prescribe opioid addiction medications 6 key insights Spending on unnecessary medical care hits $282M in Washington state: 5 things to know Nurses, employers can benefit from tuition reimbursement: 4 things to know Here are seven updates for ASC leaders to know for Feb. 5, 2018. CMS to terminate Medicare benefits of Lags Surgery Center Oxnard CMS will terminate its Medicare provider agreement with Lags Surgery Center Oxnard (Calif.) at 12:01 a.m., Feb. 15. CMS found the Oxnard-based surgery center was "not in compliance with regulatory requirements for participation as an Ambulatory Surgery Center in the Medicare Program." New York hospital weighing applying for grant to modernize ASC, other facilities Lowville, N.Y.-based Lewis County General Hospital will hold a community engagement meeting to seek input on a grant application it'll use to modernize its ASC. Hospital administration plans to apply for a statewide grant to build a new health and wellness center, modernize its ASC and intensive care unit and relocate its Adult Day Health Care Center. Medical Facilities Corp. completes acquisition of 7 ASCs through joint venture Medical Facilities Corp. completed its acquisition of seven ASCs for $46.5 million through its joint venture with Leawood, Kan.-based NueHealth. The joint venture is 94.25 percent owned by MFC, with the purchase funded primarily by cash and by drawing on MFC's credit facility. In CON tussle, Georgia county commission opposes Erlanger's claims, for now Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Erlanger Health System and Chattanooga-based CHI Memorial Hospital are in the midst of a regulatory battle to receive approval to build their own surgery centers on opposite sides of a street in Ringgold, Ga., and for now the Catoosa County Commission is siding with CHI. Envision Physician Services taps Dr. Srinivas Bollimpalli as VP of pain management Srinivas Bollimpalli, MD, will be Envision Physician Services' vice president of pain management. Dr. Bollimpalli most recently served at Valley Anesthesiology and Pain Consultants in Phoenix, where he practiced for 18 years. U of Chicago Medicine snags Washington University in St. Louis physician for leadership role University of Chicago Medicine tapped Peter Nagele, MD, to lead its anesthesia and critical care department, effective March 1. Dr. Nagele was most recently with Washington University in St. Louis, where he was chief of trauma anesthesiology and an associate professor of anesthesiology and genetics. Dr. Eric Neff completes 1st TKR at Surgery Center of Chesapeake Eric Neff, MD, of Virginia Beach, Va.-based Atlantic Orthopedic Specialists, completed the first total knee replacement procedure at Surgery Center of Chesapeake (Va.). The procedure was the first TKR at a freestanding ASC in Virginia's South Hampton Roads region. American Gastroenterological Association President Sheila Crowe, MD, spent the day on Capitol Hill meeting with eight legislators to advocate for issues important to the association. Here's what you should know: 1. Dr. Crowe spoke about a number of issues including increasing funding for the National Institutes of Health and for biomedical research as well as supporting the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act and Restoring the Patient's Voice Act. 2. On increasing NIH funding, Dr. Crowe said the eight legislators she met with were supportive of the idea. The respective chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees Tom Cole, R-Okla., and Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said legislators are close to approving a deal to increase budget caps, which would allow for increased NIH funding. 3. Dr. Crowe said the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act continues to have wide bipartisan support in both legislative branches. The act seeks to fix the coinsurance issue where Medicare beneficiaries are charged when a screening colonoscopy becomes therapeutic. 4. On the Restoring the Patient's Voice Act, Dr. Crowe advocated for the implementation of a "fair and equitable appeals process" for when step therapy is proposed. She hopes the process would provide common sense exceptions for a physician to appeal the use of step therapy. Step therapy protocol can have adverse effects on a patient's health. 5. Dr. Crowe also met with Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., on the Food is Medicine Working Group. The group is attempting to regulate costs related to hunger, while examining the importance of nutrition when treating chronic illness or disease. Read more about the issues here. Becker's Hospital Review reported on the following latest hospital and health system executive resignations. They are listed below, in alphabetical order. 1. Wayne Brackin, COO of Miami-based Baptist Health South Florida, left his post. 2. Slidell (La.) Memorial Hospital CEO Bill Davis decided not to renew his contract when it expires at the end of 2018. 3. Reginald Eadie, MD, resigned as regional COO of Detroit Medical Center. 4. Whiteville, N.C.-based Columbus Regional Healthcare System CEO Carla Hollis is resigning for a new job at a new behavioral health and substance abuse hospital in Raleigh, N.C. 5. Livingston (Mont.) HealthCare CEO Bren Lowe is resigning for a new job opportunity. 6. Eau Claire, Wis.-based HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital President and CEO Julie Manas abruptly departed from her roles. 7. Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Chief Compliance Officer James Mathis left, effective Jan. 22. 8. Tom Mee, BSN, president and CEO of McLaren Greater Lansing (Mich.), resigned. 9. Kyle Rasmussen, CEO of Meeker Memorial Hospital in Litchfield, Minn., tendered his resignation. 10. Little Rock-based University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Medical Center CFO Dan Riley tendered his resignation Jan. 26. 11. Mark Robinson, CEO of Capital Regional Medical Center in Tallahassee, Fla., is stepping down to take on a new role. 12. William Russell, CEO of Three Rivers (Mich.) Health, resigned. 13. Brent VanConia, president of SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital-Jefferson City (Mo.), resigned, effective Feb. 12. 14. Aberdeen, Wash.-based Grays Harbor Community Hospital's CFO Joseph Vessey will step down March 23. Jon Huntsman Sr., a Utah businessman who donated over $1.4 billion to cancer research and created the Salt Lake City-based Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, died Friday at age 80, according to The New York Times. In addition to founding successful packaging and chemical companies, Mr. Huntsman served in President Richard Nixon's administration. He unsuccessfully ran for governor of Utah in 1988, and his son, Jon Huntsman Jr., served as the state's governor from 2005 to 2009. Mr. Huntsman's interest in cancer philanthropy began in 1992 after both his parents died from the disease. He founded the Huntsman Cancer Institute in 1995 with a $10 million donation and recently pledged an additional $120 million to the center. "Jon M. Huntsman was a great man who led a profoundly inspiring life. Other than his family, his goal to eradicate cancer from the face of the earth was the greatest passion of his life," said Mary Beckerle, PhD, director and CEO of the Huntsman Cancer Institute. A judge ordered each member of the Maryland Board of Physicians to pay tens of thousands of dollars in damages to Mark Geier, MD, stating the board abused its power in an attempt to humiliate Dr. Geier and his family, according to The Washington Post. Here are seven things to know about Dr. Geier's case. 1. Dr. Geier reportedly caught the Maryland Board of Physicians' attention in 2006 for his treatment of autistic children. Dr. Geier espoused his belief the mercury in vaccines caused early puberty, aggression and symptoms of autism theories scientists have widely debunked. Dr. Geier would prescribe his patients Lupron to to reverse the purported effects of vaccines, according to the report. 2. The Maryland Board of Physicians suspended Dr. Geier's medical license in April 2011 and revoked it the following year, stating Dr. Geier had misrepresented his credentials and that there is no credible medical research showing the effectiveness Dr. Geier's methods to treat autism, according to the report. Several others states followed suit and revoked Dr. Geier's medical license. 3. In January 2012, the Maryland Board of Physicians posted a cease-and-desist order on its website, alleging Dr. Geier improperly prescribed medication for himself, his wife and his son while his license was suspended. The order also listed the prescribed medications, which is not typical of such orders, according to the report. 4. After sending the board a letter through his lawyers asking the order be removed from the MBP's website, Dr. Geier filed a lawsuit against the board in December 2012. The lawsuit alleged the MBP publicized the details of the order in an attempt to punish Dr. Geier for his unconventional ideas regarding vaccines, according to The Washington Post. 5. In December 2017, Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Ronald B. Rubin sided with Dr. Geier and his family and awarded him $2.5 million in damages. He said the MBP's cease-and-desist order constituted a significant breach of medical privacy and accused the board of failing to preserve internal emails related to the case. "If [the Maryland Board of Physicians'] testimony were to be believed, which the court does not, it is the worst case of collective amnesia in the history of Maryland government and on par with the collective memory failure on display at the Watergate hearings," Mr. Rubin wrote in a December opinion. 6. The judge ordered 14 board appointees, as well as the board's lead attorney and the lead investigator on the case, to pay half of the $2.5 million in damages between $10,000 and $200,000, depending on each person's net worth out of their own pockets, the report states. 7. A spokesperson for the Maryland attorney general's office, which represents the Maryland Board of Physicians, told The Washington Post, "We believe there are serious errors in both the facts and the law and will vigorously pursue those on appeal." To access the full Washington Post report, click here. When asked whether they had been harassed by a patient, significantly more nurses 71 percent than physicians 47 percent said yes, according to a Medscape report. Medscape gathered responses from 569 nurses, 408 physicians and 68 other healthcare providers on their experiences with harassment in an online poll Dec. 20. Here are five things to know about the report. 1. The poll defined harassment as patients stalking providers, making persistent attempts at communication or engaging in inappropriate contact with providers on social media. One of the questions addressed physical harassment. 2. More than twice as many women took the poll as men. Ninety percent of nurse respondents were female, as were 66 percent of healthcare providers and 41 percent of physicians. 3. When compared by gender, female nurses and physicians were significantly more likely to say they had been sexually harassed by a patient than their male counterparts. Seventy-three percent of female nurses said they had been sexually harassed by a patient, compared to 46 percent of male nurses. For physicians, 58 percent of female physicians said they had experienced this kind of harassment compared to 39 percent of their male counterparts. 4. Among physicians, 39 percent reported a patient had attempted to communicate with them in an inappropriate manner, either online or using social media, compared to 22 percent of nurses. 5. Nearly all male nurses 96 percent and 84 percent of female nurses said they had been physically threatened by a patient. For physicians, the percentages were 61 percent for men and 63 percent for women. Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina's CEO Patrick Conway, MD, said he hopes a recently mended relationship between the insurer and Asheville, N.C.-based Mission Health System will last for decades, the Citizen Times reports. Dr. Conway's statement comes about two months after Mission Health and BCBSNC ended their monthslong contract dispute over reimbursement rates. The former CMS official joined BCBSNC Oct. 1, 2017, four days before its in-network contract with Mission Health expired. "Our goal for Mission and health care providers generally is to have them in network so people can receive the care they need," Dr. Conway told the Citizen Times. "I do think the agreement with Mission is stable." While Dr. Conway didn't offer specifics of BCBSNC's contract with Mission Health, he said the agreement is "essentially three years" and provides room for more collaboration between the two parties. For the full Citizen Times interview, click here. More articles on payer issues: Top 6 BCBS plans see Q3 profit margins improve DOJ requests information on $69B CVS Health-Aetna deal: 3 things to know 25k removed from Indiana Medicaid for not paying premiums: 5 things to know Molina Healthcare of New Mexico filed a lawsuit against the New Mexico Human Services Department over a lost bid to manage the state's Medicaid program, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. Here are three things to know about the contract. 1. In its lawsuit, filed in the First Judicial District Court in Santa Fe, N.M., Molina alleges the state health department used a consultant with a possible conflict of interest during the application process. Molina claimed the consultant has a multibillion-dollar contract with a sister company of Western Sky Community Care, which won a contract to manage some of New Mexico's Medicaid recipients. 2. Molina also argues the health department unreasonably sped up its contracting process and changed evaluation factors, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. 3. New Mexico's multibillion-dollar Medicaid program covers 850,000-plus beneficiaries. New Mexico chose Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico, Presbyterian Health Plan and Western Sky Community Care to manage Medicaid beneficiaries. UnitedHealthcare and Molina, both in the last year of their five-year contracts to manage the program, lost bids to retain their roles beginning in 2019. More articles on payer issues: Top 6 BCBS plans see Q3 profit margins improve DOJ requests information on $69B CVS Health-Aetna deal: 3 things to know 25k removed from Indiana Medicaid for not paying premiums: 5 things to know Theresa Puckett, RN, a temporary nurse at Cleveland-based University Hospitals, was fired for taking two sick days after catching the flu, reports WSMV. Here are four things to know. 1. Ms. Puckett took one sick day at the end of 2017. She returned to work soon after, but a superior sent her home as she was still symptomatic. "I was putting in my cough drops, I was drinking my water," Ms. Puckett told WSMV. "I mean the whole nine yards just to patch myself up enough to go to work." 2. While Ms. Puckett had a doctor's note recommending she should not interact with patients, UH fired her per the hospital's attendance policy, which says temporary nurses may be let go after two unapproved absences in 60 days. "When it happened to me, and I really truly was too sick to go to work, I was punished for that," Ms. Puckett told WSMV. "I was punished for staying home with a doctor's note." 3. The hospital told WSMV "notes from a physician do not 'excuse' an occurrence of absence" and said the attendance policy falls in line with those at many other health systems nationwide. 4. UH also said it asks employees to stay home when they are sick to protect the health of patients and hospital workers. "We realize that our healthcare professionals who care for our patients occasionally need time off to care for themselves," a UH spokesman told Becker's Hospital Review. "UH has a reasonable and competitive attendance policy. For full-time and part-time employees, counseling begins after six unscheduled absences within 12 months, and nine absences may result in termination. PRN, or as-needed, employees work fewer shifts than regularly scheduled employees and may be removed from on-roll status after two occurrences of unscheduled absences within a 60-day period." Pfizer notified customers Jan. 31 it is having difficulty making certain prefilled syringes of opioid painkillers marking the third time in six months the company has encountered manufacturing issues, reports STAT. Here are six things to know. 1. Pfizer attributes the latest manufacturing snag for Pfizer's Carpuject and iSecure syringes to an issue with a component made by a third-party supplier, according to a letter sent to customers obtained by STAT. As a result of the component problem, all Carpuject and iSecure product releases have been suspended, meaning no additional syringes will be shipped to customers. 2. The supply disruptions for the opioid-filled syringes began in 2017, when the drugmaker moved to fix FDA-cited violations at its McPherson, Kan.-based manufacturing plant. The Kansas plant makes Pfizer products and manufactures medicines for other companies. 3. As a result of the remediation at its plant in Kansas, the drugmaker initially anticipated a shortage of the syringes for several months but expected to meet demand once again by March 2018, according to a letter Pfizer sent to customers in July 2017. 4. However, because the renovations at its manufacturing plant are taking longer than expected, in November 2017 Pfizer pushed the full recovery timeline into 2019 and warned customers to anticipate backorders and product shortages. 5. A Pfizer spokesman told STAT the company is working closely with the third-party supplier to solve the issue with the component. And for now, Pfizer does not anticipate the component problem will affect its plan to resume shipments by 2019. 6. The opioid-filled syringes are used in hospitals nationwide in surgeries and to treat pain. Hospital pharmacy leaders told STAT the dwindling supplies are "a huge problem" and will require hospitals to "get creative." Gov. Charlie Baker appointed Michael Dean Medlock, MD, to the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine, according to The Salem News. Here are five points: 1. The neurosurgeon treats patients at North Shore Medical Center Salem (Mass.) Hospital and is an assistant visiting surgeon at Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital. 2. He serves as president of the Massachusetts Association of Neurosurgeons. 3. Dr. Medlock previously was chief of neurosurgery at Chicago-based North Shore Medical Center as well as director of pediatric neurosurgery at Washington, D.C.-based Georgetown University Medical Center. 4. The state board is an independent agency managing licensing, regulation and discipline of physicians and acupuncturists. 5. The governor appoints members to three-year terms; the board encompasses five physicians and two public professionals. Orthopedic surgeons in Florida are opposing opioid prescription bills that look to impose strict limits on the prescriptions, according to The Ledger. Here are five takeaways: 1. Florida legislators are looking to pass bills that impose three day limits on opioid prescriptions. The bill would cover prescriptions for Schedule II painkillers and give providers the ability to extend the prescription limit to seven days if deemed medically necessary. 2. Orthopedic surgeon Hank Hutchinson, MD, is worried the bills overstep their boundaries, stating the limits are too arbitrary. 3. Florida Orthopedic Society is concerned with how lawmakers can define pain, its director Fraser Cobbe said. The group has offered suggestions to legislators; however, he doesn't believe changes to the bills will be made. 4. Brandon Luskin, MD, expressed his apprehensions of the bill, noting once the bill is a law there is not any wiggle room for physicians. 5. Along with the prescription limits, the bills look to revamp the state's database to monitor prescriptions. A Belfast tech expert taking up a top post at multibillion-dollar payments giant Stripe has said he hopes Northern Ireland's IT workers will be in the running for dozens of new jobs with the firm in Dublin. David Singleton moved from Google to take on the role as head of engineering at Stripe. The company was founded by Limerick brothers John and Patrick Collison in 2010, and is based in San Francisco. Now it's setting up a new engineering base in Dublin. Mr Singleton, who attended Methodist College in Belfast, taught himself coding at the age of 14 in order to help his family business. And as part of his hugely successful career, he spent 11 years at Google, one of the world's biggest firms. At Stripe, he's responsible for the company's global engineering efforts across its payments infrastructure. The firm employs 1,000 worldwide, across nine offices. But the Dublin office is its first engineering hub outside the US. "I think these will be fantastic jobs at the heart of Stripe, and with the great talent in the workforce in Northern Ireland, with Queen's University and Ulster University, there is great opportunity," he told the Belfast Telegraph. "We are really excited about moving more of Stripe back to Ireland. We are launching our first international engineering hub outside of the US." The firm already has its European headquarters in Dublin, with around 100 staff. "It means a lot to bring the very core of Stripe back to Ireland," said Mr Singleton. Stripe's customers include Intercom, Deliveroo and Slack. But Mr Singleton said smaller Northern Ireland businesses, such as Ferguson Flowers in Belfast, were also using the system. He said, after receiving "tremendous" support during his school days when teaching himself programming, that he would like to see more investment in teaching children about it during their time at school. "I was born and grew up in Belfast and went to Methody. It was while I was at secondary school in Northern Ireland that I got into computing," he added. "I taught myself to program when I was 14. I started to find ways to use computer programming to help my parents with their small business. "I am keen to see more investment in teaching people how to create and achieve things at that age. Programming is an incredibly creative pursuit. "I'm also excited that there are some great technology companies in Belfast using Stripe." Speaking about the main Stripe business, he explained: "Stripe is a technology company. We build economic infrastructure for the internet. "We have a product that enables anyone who wants to start a business to start using payments and accepting payments. "It's very flexible for small businesses. We have a very powerful product which grows with your business, without a lot of work, allowing you to do work across countries." Last year, Stripe founders the Collison brothers launched a new magazine to help provide insider tips from some of Silicon Valley's most successful entrepreneurs. Fifty Shades Of Grey star Jamie Dornan has said the implications of Brexit keep him awake at night. The Bafta-nominated actor from Co Down could not envisage a positive outcome for Northern Ireland. Dornan (35) disclosed his fears for the future during a lengthy interview with broadcaster Eamonn Mallie, to be screened on UTV this Wednesday. He said: "I am kept awake at night for what it means for this country. I can't really see a sort of sound solution, some of the people who have a say in it over here break my heart a little bit. "I think this is the last thing that this country needs at the moment, and I just don't see how there's a positive outcome for Northern Ireland in the matter." Northern Ireland's position post-separation has been the subject of intensive negotiations as part of the Brexit talks in Brussels. Dornan added: "There's lots of different very interesting options on the table, and I think they should all be seriously considered - but who knows where we will end up?" The latest film adaptation of the Fifty Shades books is released this month. Dornan played Christian Grey in the franchise of EL James's erotic novels and still receives attention when he comes home to Northern Ireland. If he was recognised in a New York pub, people were more polite, he added. He said: "In Belfast you're in a headlock before you know it, someone's just grabbed you, they're taking a picture without asking you and once they finally release you from a headlock then it's like they invariably know someone, it's like two degrees of separation here, as opposed to six." Dornan also said that he feels Irish and holds neither the Catholic nor Protestant religion. "I just feel Irish, a lot of that's down to so many different reasons, mostly geography, that we are an island separate from the UK, so how could you, why would you feel more connected to that other piece of land than you do to the piece of land that you are living on?" He is a big rugby fan, following Ireland internationals enthusiastically. "I have had my whole life either being in Lansdowne Road in Dublin or watching it on TV or watching it in pubs all over the world, just screaming 'go on Ireland, come on Ireland' and how could I not call myself Irish?" Dornan has also had a starring role in BBC drama series The Fall as serial killer Paul Spector. Co Down star Jamie Dornan has said he feels he is Irish and holds neither the Catholic nor Protestant religion. The Fifty Shades of Grey actor reveals his thoughts during a lengthy interview with broadcaster Eamonn Mallie, to be screened on UTV this Wednesday. "I just feel Irish," he said. "A lot of that's down to so many different reasons, mostly geography, that we are an island separate from the UK, so how could you, why would you feel more connected to that other piece of land than you do to the piece of land that you are living on?" The Bafta-nominated actor also told Mallie the implications of Brexit keep him awake at night and could not envisage a positive outcome for Northern Ireland. Dornan, 35, said: "I am kept awake at night for what it means for this country, I can't really see a sort of sound solution, some of the people who have a say in it over here break my heart a little bit. "I think this is the last thing that this country needs at the moment, and I just don't see how there's a positive outcome for Northern Ireland in the matter." Northern Ireland's position post-separation has been the subject of intensive negotiations as part of the Brexit talks in Brussels. Dornan added: "There's lots of different very interesting options on the table, and I think they should all be seriously considered - but who knows where we will end up." The latest part in the film adaptations of the Fifty Shades books is released this month. He played Christian Grey in the franchise of EL James's erotic novels and still receives attention when he comes home to Northern Ireland. He said: "You are in the public eye and you are from here and you have gone away and done whatever and you are recognisable, people feel that they have a sort of, an ownership of you almost here." If he was recognised in a New York pub, people were more polite, he added. He said: "In Belfast you're in a headlock before you know it, someone's just grabbed you, they're taking a picture without asking you and once they finally release you from a headlock then it's like they invariably know someone, it's like two degrees of separation here as opposed to six." He is a big rugby fan, following Ireland internationals enthusiastically. "I have had my whole life either being in Lansdowne Road in Dublin (where Ireland play) or watching it on TV or watching it in pubs all over the world just screaming 'go on Ireland, come on Ireland' and how could I not call myself Irish?" Dornan has also had a starring role in BBC drama series The Fall as serial killer Paul Spector. Nadine Coyle had the best voice in the group, says Walsh Irish pop impresario Louis Walsh has revealed he always thought Londonderry's Nadine Coyle had the best voice in Girls Aloud - and that the other band members were upset by his view. Walsh (65) - who managed a welter of big name bands including Westlife and Boyzone, as well as Girls Aloud - told the Irish Times: "I said (Nadine) had the best voice and the other girls hated me for it. "It didn't work out." The pop svengali also felt it was time for a Girls Aloud reunion. "They'd do really, really well. "If Bananarama could do it, why can't Girls Aloud do it?" former X Factor judge Walsh also told The Sun newspaper. But he won't be managing the comeback. "Girls are too much trouble," he said. As the sun set over a stunning Thailand scene, Nikki Cooke clutched her incense stick and shed a tear as she witnessed the Buddhist burial ceremony of Lucy the elephant. It was one of the most beautiful rituals I have seen, says the Belfast-born veterinary nurse, who has chosen a life less ordinary than that of her 30-something peers. For the past decade, Nikkis love of animals and travel has taken her to some of the worlds most spectacular destinations, working with a menagerie of magnificent and, sadly, endangered creatures. With Lucy, problems arose with mistreatment at the hands of her owners. She had been given amphetamines for most of her life to avoid sleep and make her work harder, explains Nikki. Unsurprisingly, this led to massive problems with her ability to function normally. She swayed constantly and was never fully aware of her surroundings. Unfortunately, Lucy passed away a week later due to the cruelty she had endured. When she died, I cried my eyes out. Nikkis incredible journey began at the age of 19 when she decided to face her shyness and dyslexia head-on and move to London to study veterinary nursing. Ive always had the travel bug, but I was too shy when I was younger to really go exploring by myself, she confesses. Leaving home and meeting lots of people from around the world helped me overcome my fears. Soon, Nikki combined a job managing an animal hospital in London with travelling all over Europe with her Australian boyfriend. Luckily, I was able to adjust the rosters to enjoy long weekends off, she recalls. We had a rule that we always had a holiday booked. Expand Close Nikki with some animals shes helped / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nikki with some animals shes helped At 26, Nikkis relationship took her on her first long-haul trip to Australia where, just two months later, the couple split up. The next six months were horrible, she admits, but I had met the most amazing people through friends and work. I think going through a heart-wrenching break-up in a new country gave me the confidence to do what I wanted. I had survived that and I wanted to explore everywhere. For the next two years, Nikki made Australia home, including working in a Melbourne sanctuary with exotic animals such as possums, wombats, koalas and even a crocodile. I made myself hold a snake for the first time, which is an experience Ill not forget in a hurry, she remembers with a shudder. I also got to work with dolphins in Australia, which was an incredible experience. Australias epic landscape and indigenous animals gave Nikki a dream start to her career as she tended a captivating array of creatures, including Spud the wombat. Expand Close Animal lover: Nikki Cooke travels the world helping endangered animals / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Animal lover: Nikki Cooke travels the world helping endangered animals Spud was found in a potato field. His brother Chips was healthy but Spud needed a urinary catheter, explains Nikki. I spent my morning feeding him, checking his catheter and talking to the visiting public about this condition. Nikki also nursed a cuddly koala to health with the help of a trusty teddy bear. After a bush fire, this guy was found alone and we had to treat his paws for burns, she says. The teddy bear represented his mum and helped him back to a full recovery. Belfast then seemed a world away for Nikki, whose sights were firmly fixed on exploring more countries. My version of travel is a little different to a week or fortnight in Spain, she admits. I prefer longer stays and becoming more immersed in the culture. It was after those two years in Australia that Nikki spent three months in Thailand working with elephants. Since then, her tireless wanderlust and career drive has seen her living and working in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, China, South Africa, practicing Spanish in Tenerife and basing herself in Argentina, then Bolivia for two years and counting. I am currently in Peru and heading back to Bolivia to work in an animal sanctuary, says Nikki of her nomadic lifestyle. When asked to describe her job, she replies: Its a funny question because I think as a vet nurse we are always a little on the defensive side. Most people tend to think we stand around stroking animals! The role is varied but normal duties can range from sedation and medication to radiography and minor surgery. I also provide advice and post-op care, as well as assisting the vet. As Nikkis travels expanded her horizons, it also saw her extend her animal checklist. In China, I was very lucky to work with moon bears, whose bile is extracted and sold as traditional medicine, she explains. One particular bear, Rocky, needed an operation after he was rescued from the bile trade. The vet removed his gall bladder, which had become highly infected after a catheter had been left in for years to remove the bile. A sample of his liver was also taken for analysis along with blood, hair and skin scrape. Normally their canine teeth are broken from biting the bars of the cage, which is so sad. After six months quarantine, bears like Rocky are introduced into huge areas with other bears. Seeing them happy brings tears to your eyes every morning. Working with such big, wild beasts is a daunting task but, for Nikki, the job and its dangers have become second nature. Fortunately, Ive been very lucky, she admits, even with a few elephant run-ins under her belt. I once got kicked by an elephant, but I dont blame her I had to clean an abscess on her rump every day and I knew she was getting more and more annoyed. And another poor collapsed elephant nearly broke my wrist when I was giving her water. Smaller animals, not to mention badly behaved humans, can also deliver quite the punch and cause problems for staff. Working in the clinic in Bolivia, Ive had to deal with monkey attacks on people, applying first aid before a trip to hospital for a stitch-up, says Nikki. Away from the animals, she turns to her favourite hobby to unwind and get together with new people. Im big into rollerblading and my skates come everywhere with me, the veterinary nurse says. I used them all the time in Buenos Aires, which was one of the main reasons I stayed there. Its an amazing way to keep fit, learn new tricks, meet people and practice a new language. Indeed, her dyslexia hasnt stopped Nikki fulfilling another dream. Spanish is my other passion, she says. I have always wanted to learn a language but never felt it was possible. Being dyslexic, English was never my strong point. But I started learning with YouTube and it has just continued from there. With a second language in the bag, it seems the world continues to be Nikkis oyster. At 36, the only problem is where to visit next. I want to go everywhere, she admits. The list gets longer, never shorter. I have always wanted to work with big cats, being a massive fan of our domestic moggy. And I did get to work with ocelots and a puma in Bolivia. Its not just the big beasts that have captivated Nikkis heart. I would also travel anywhere in the world to work with tortoises and turtles, she adds. I was lucky enough to live with marine biologists in Western Australia, where I helped record GPS co-ordinates of turtle nests. But its the worlds largest land animal that holds a special place in the Belfast girls affections. I still have an incredible love and respect for elephants, she says, I would love to work with them again. Having spent the past decade travelling the world, and with no plans to return home, how has this incredible journey changed Nikkis outlook on life? I think the most important thing for me is the confidence I have gained, she says. Travelling has taught me to be myself. I think sometimes we try to conform to what society wants us to be. For some people thats not a problem, but not everyone fits that plan. I enjoy being a travelling 36-year-old, even though its not the norm. If youre one of the many people out there who sees the new year as an opportunity to reassess your life, perhaps Nikkis story will inspire. My advice to anyone thinking of making a change is do it, she says. The strangest thing I always hear is, How do you do it? Well, you quit your job, buy a ticket and pack your stuff. This obviously isnt possible for everyone, but for most people without kids or a mortgage, it is. Fear is the big stopper. I get that and I get scared sometimes, but you only get one life its worth a few risks. Aaron Montgomery on his graduation day with his grandmother and his parents Stephen and Jacqueline Adam Montgomery and his wife Rebecca with a photo of Aaron A heartbroken Co Antrim man who cradled his dying brother after a fatal ''one punch" assault by a stranger has revealed that he tortured himself with blame for years afterwards. Adam Montgomery's brother Aaron was just 23 when, in a catastrophic case of mistaken identity, his life was tragically cut short outside a nightclub in Belfast city centre. And, as the 10th anniversary of the young marketing executive's death approaches, what happened on Valentine's Day 2008 remains particularly painful for 31-year-old Adam, his sister Rachel (27) and their parents Stephen (59) and Jacqueline (55). Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph ahead of a fundraiser he's organising in Aaron's memory, salesman Adam recalled that he had been the one who had suggested that the two brothers, along with a friend, should take the train from Moira into Belfast that fateful night. "I had dark moments after he died because it was my idea to go out, and it was my decision to go to that particular club," he said. "None of us had a girlfriend at the time. "My brother asked if he could head out with us. "I opted for us to go to Skye nightclub because I used to work there as a glass collector and did PR for them when I was at university." That Thursday evening Adam, then aged 21, said the trio had a few beers in the downstairs bar before heading upstairs for an enjoyable night at the now defunct Howard Street club. The unprovoked attack occurred while they were waiting for a taxi at around 1.30am. Belfast Crown Court later heard that the man who punched Aaron once to the side of the head, instantly rendering him unconscious, had been headbutted by someone as he was leaving the bar. The attacker was mistakenly told by a friend that it was Aaron who had assaulted him. "Our taxi was coming and just as I was saying goodbye to the bouncers I heard a thud; I turned round and my brother was lying at my feet," Adam recalled. "No one saw it coming. "It happened so quickly." Adam said he fondly recalls a conversation with his older brother just prior to the incident that contained the last words Aaron ever spoke to him. "We were coming down the stairs and I remember Aaron putting his arm around me and saying: 'Another brilliant night's craic, bro'. "We'd got ourselves a seat in the VIP area, so we'd somewhere to go, sit together, chill and chat. "We'd had fun." Just minutes later fatally injured Aaron was being rushed to hospital by ambulance, with Adam and their friend Dean following in a taxi. "He was dead straight away - I don't know how I knew that, but I knew," said Adam. "People were telling me to calm down and that he'd be fine... they said he'd just been knocked out, but I replied: 'My brother's dead, I know he is'." He added: "I remember screaming and shouting and going a bit mad. "I was yelling: 'Help me'. "I was trying to get him to come round but he wasn't coming round, obviously... even though I knew he was dead, I was holding him in my arms and pleading with him to come back to me." Adam vividly remembers running into Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital that night to ask where his brother was. "A door to the side opened and there was a nurse standing there," he recalled. "She invited Dean and I to come in. "I kept asking if he was okay but she said he wasn't okay and that she said she was sorry, that there was nothing they could do." In the depths of his own grief a distraught Adam somehow found the wherewithal to call his parents and tell them to come to the Royal immediately. "It hit me so hard. I phoned the house in the early hours of the morning and Mum answered," he said. "I just told them to get to the hospital as soon as they could. "That was all I could say. "I couldn't tell them the whole story over the phone." Around 3am Adam - who broke down in tears due to the pain of recounting the worst day of his life - saw his mum, dad and sister walking through the doors of the waiting room. "They had feared the worst," he said. "I just remember being on my knees crying, waiting for them. "When they arrived, Mum, Dad and Rachel hugged me." After spending a little time with Aaron, the Montgomery family returned home while Adam and Dean were taken to a police station to give statements. "We must have been there for hours... it felt like forever," he explained. "That didn't go down well. "Mum and Dad needed me there for them, but I wasn't." Aaron's funeral was delayed because of the inquest into his death. He was buried over a week later beside his grandparents Elizabeth and Edgar Montgomery. Adam said he has no idea how his family got through the whole ordeal back then, and admitted that, 10 years on, he is still trying to come to terms with it. "It was awful but I remember thinking at the time that I had to be strong for Mum, Dad, my sister and my granny Lina (now 84)," he said. "I didn't think about myself for a long time. "I was too worried about everyone else." It's on days like June 5, 2015 - when he married dental nurse Rebecca (31) - that Adam misses Aaron most. "I think about him every day but on special occasions like that it hurts even more," he said. "He was remembered in our speeches at the wedding reception at Ballygally Castle but, unfortunately, he never got to meet Rebecca, who has been my rock since Aaron's death." Queen's University student Ciaran Laverty (then aged 19) pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Aaron. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment, and served 12 months. The family felt the crime merited a much lengthier sentence, but Adam said it's not something he dwells on. "It wasn't really justice in our eyes, but Aaron had been taken from us and nothing was going to bring him back," he said. "I don't worry about the bad things. You could drive yourself crazy thinking negative thoughts." He added: "I always say to myself that everyone has a sad story to tell and mine is only one of many. I just try to remember Aaron in the best way I can." On October 5 Adam and a friend are setting out to trek Machu Picchu in Peru to raise 10,000 to support the Helping Hand Charity for Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children in memory of Aaron. They will finish their fundraising expedition on October 12 - what would have been Aaron's 34th birthday. Visit https:/www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/in-memory-of-aaron for more information Amanda Knox stunned chat show presenter Ray DArcy by singing a chorus from the song Come Out Ye Black And Tans Amanda Knox, the American woman convicted and later cleared of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher in 2007, left a top RTE presenter stunned by singing a chorus from a song celebrating the IRA during the War of Independence. The 30-year-old appeared on Ray D'Arcy's popular Thursday night chat show to speak about her time in prison, the final twists of her fight to freedom, and her life before and after the highly publicised trial. In a bizarre segment of the interview, Knox sang a line from Come Out Ye Black And Tans. She explained that an Irish supporter had sent her a CD of the 50 most popular Irish rebel songs while she was in prison. "My world collapsed," Knox said. "I didn't realise that the world was so unfair. "That was not something that I grew up with. "That was something that a lot of Irish supporters of mine felt. "I got letters from lots of Irish people who really understood, like, of course, authority taking advantage of a vulnerable person and spinning it in a bad way, of course, we know that. "They sent me Irish rebel songs and everything they sent me this CD of the 50 most popular ones. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Amanda Knox said the prosecutors wanted to make the case about her rather than Meredith Kercher Cleared: Amanda Knox AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Amanda Knox said the prosecutors wanted to make the case about her rather than Meredith Kercher "You know, there's like, Come out you Black and Tans and fight me like a man'," she said, giggling. "That's the oddest thing I've ever witnessed," chat show host D'Arcy said after Knox's impromptu performance. The one-time murder accused said that she didn't really know what the songs were about. "It was great, and I had no idea what they were talking about, like "slandering Parnell" and I didn't know what any of that meant. "I just understood the fighting spirit of it, and I appreciated that." Meredith Kercher was 21 when she was murdered in Perugia, an Italian provincial town, in 2007. She was found dead in a pool of blood in her bedroom. Expand Close Meredith Kercher / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Meredith Kercher Three people were eventually charged with her murder: Knox, Rafaello Sollecito, Knox's boyfriend, and local man Rudy Guede. Knox and Sollecito were found guilty in 2009, but freed on appeal two years later. They were convicted again of the murder in 2014, but ultimately the pair were finally acquitted of the murder by the Italian Supreme Court in 2015. Guede was convicted under a different 'fast-track' legal route, and was given a 16-year sentence. Last month Knox told a US audience at Roanoke College, Virginia, that she had been cast as a "she-devil". "I believed that didn't matter because only truth mattered," she said. "The nonsense spattered about me didn't matter. "I thought it just showed that it was a weak case. "I still believed there was a light at the end of the tunnel because the truth mattered," local paper the Roanoke Times reported. Police at the scene of the burglary in Aughnacloy An 83-year-old woman who fell from a window during a break-in at her Aughnacloy home is in a stable condition in the Royal Victoria Hospital. Pat Davidson was alone when four men gained entry to her home on Tuesday January 23. It is understood the widow jumped from an upstairs window trying to escape the intruders. The woman was rushed to the Craigavon Area Hospital in a critical condition but has since been moved to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast where a spokeswoman for the trust said she is "stable". The PSNI is treating the incident as attempted murder. Last week PSNI detectives assisted by Gardai, conducted two searches of properties in the Tallaght area of Dublin in relation to the burglary and a number of items were seized for further examination. Police are investigating a possible link between the incident and three other burglaries. A black Saab vehicle that is believed to have been used by the suspects during the burglaries was recovered in Dundalk. In the PSNI's most recent appeal Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell said: "The investigation is ongoing into this horrific incident and we are following a number of lines of enquiry connected to the attempted murder and the three other burglaries in the Aughnacloy, Ballygawley and Seskinore areas, which we believed are linked. We are continuing to investigate this appalling incident in which the vulnerable 83 year old woman sustained serious injuries as well as the other burglaries which we believe are linked. We have made good progress and I would like to thank members of the public who have come forward to police with information you have made a difference. I continue to appeal for information about a silver car, possibly a Ford Focus, with false registration 06 WX 6313. Anyone who has any information about this car or about the burglaries should contact detectives in Dungannon. "We have set up an incident room in Dungannon to deal with any information. Please call 101 ex 53135 quoting reference 1218 of 23/01/18. Alternatively, information can also be provided about the incidents to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime." A community has been left "disgusted" following a suspected arson attack on a gospel hall in Carryduff. It happened at the weekend at Ballymagarrick Gospel Hall on the Comber Road. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus dealt with the ground floor fire and said the cause appears to be deliberate. Three appliances were sent to the scene just before 9am on Sunday and the incident was dealt with by 10:16am. Police are investigating the circumstances of the fire which happened sometime between 10pm on Saturday, February 3 and 8.55am on Sunday where the the hall sustained damage as a result of a fire. DUP councillor Luke Poots said both he and the local people were "disgusted". He said that this was the sixth attack on a church in the greater area in the past year. Mr Poots told the Belfast Telegraph: "The local people are disgusted. The Saturday night meeting was on and they closed the hall up. "On Sunday morning when they inspected it the hall had been vandalised and all the chairs piled up as high as possible. "Praise has to be given to the members of Ballymagarrick Gospel hall who when building their gospel hall made sure the building was fire resistant in fact even the seats the intruders stacked to set on fire were also fire resistant. "The members put a lot of thought into building that hall and made it fit for purpose so the fire couldn't get properly going." He said the local community were shocked at the incident. "Whether your children went to Sunday school or a meeting or the bible club, a lot of people in the community would have been in and out of it at some stage. "If you aren't linked to the church you are linked to the people in it." He added: "I would appeal to anyone who witnessed anything suspicious between last night and this morning to contact the police." Inspector Niall Collins said: I would appeal to anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in the area of this hall to contact Detectives in Lisburn Police Station on 101, quoting reference 509 04/02/18. "Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime. The clock is ticking on resurrection of devolved institutions. A DUP MLA has said that significant gaps still remain between the DUP and Sinn Fein in a bid to break the long running Stormont power sharing impasse. Politicians have been holding discussions since last month in a renewed bid to resurrect the devolved institutions. The SDLP, UUP and Alliance joined the DUP, Sinn Fein and the British and Irish governments for a round table discussion along with Northern Ireland secretary Karen Bradley. Speaking from Stormont Simon Hamilton said the parties are are trying to work their way through all the issues and to bridge the gaps. He said: "What we want at the end of this process is an inclusive executive sharing power across all the parties for the people of Northern Ireland. "We have been working intensively with Sinn Fein over the past week and we will continue to do that. "People are calling out for a devolved government. Decisions need to be made on health, education and in the job sector, so this cannot be a drawn out process." Mr Hamilton added: "We need to have a budget so we can make decisions across our public sector, although significant gaps still remain. "We have huge differences between the key parties on a range of key issues and we are continuing to work our way through them, but there are still big - and in some cases quite significant, gaps." Sinn Fein's Conor Murphy stated although some progress has been made, there are still some gaps. The Sinn Fein MLA said: "The process will come to an end in the next short while. "We will then make a judgement then as to whether a deal is possible or not. The Ulster Unionist Party said it was a day of huge frustration. UUP MLA Steve Aiken said: "We have seen no progress at all and found it incredibly frustrating. "It doesn't seem that there has been much progress at all. "We have been told time and time again that we are becoming closer to a result ..the differences are as wide apart as ever. Former Stormont deputy first minister Martin McGuinnesss resignation more than a year ago in a row over the running of a botched green energy scheme left Northern Ireland without a devolved government. Alliance councillor David Armitage introduced the motion, saying recent anti-religious attacks must not be tolerated, and calling for all faiths in the city to be celebrated Belfast Islamic Centre has welcomed a council motion opposing hate crimes against minority groups in the city. Alliance councillor David Armitage introduced the motion, saying recent anti-religious attacks must not be tolerated, and calling for all faiths in the city to be celebrated. Members of the Islamic and Jewish community attended Thursday night's meeting to address the council. The move follows a series of incidents in December, including the throwing of pig meat at the doors of the Islamic Centre in south Belfast and deputy leader of far-right Britain First calling the centre "a den of iniquity". On Thursday presentations were made by Dr Sandra Ballie on behalf of the Jewish community, and Methodist College Belfast pupil Zoraiz Kashif on behalf of the Muslim community. Zoraiz told councillors: "It is difficult to hear the words of those striving to make certain members of society feel unwelcome because of their faith or background: desperate to cause division, suspicion and fear. "However discouraging, they will not prevail. The voices of support and acceptance have been much louder." Given the recent focus on Muslims in Northern Ireland, he said many were not aware of local links with Islam dating back to the 1800s. Of a local population of around 6,000, he noted that 500 were in university here and approximately 400 Muslim doctors currently worked in the province. He added: "Careers and achievements are secondary to the fact that Muslims are mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, friends, work colleagues and neighbours. "Muslims are not merely contributors to Northern Irish society, we are an integral part of it." Mr Armitage said afterwards: "Belfast is a diverse city, home to many different groups from various faith backgrounds. "This isn't something we should hide from, but rather celebrate, and as a council we have a responsibility to lead the way." "It makes me extremely sad to have witnessed the recent number of anti-religious actions - especially against those of Jewish and Islamic faith backgrounds." The grieving family of Dean McIlwaine are appealing for suicide prevention patrols on Cave Hill. The 22-year-old Newtownabbey barber was found dead at the beauty spot last July. His family spoke out after the body of Michael Cullen (33) were found there last week following a three-week search for the missing man. His funeral will take place tomorrow morning at Sacred Heart Church on Oldpark Road. Dean McIlwaine's aunt Ann Taylor (62) is calling for extra measures to prevent more people from taking their lives in the Cave Hill area. "My sister Karen, her husband Rod and my nephew Glen find it hard to accept Dean's passing," she said. "They have to get up and go on, but when they close the door at night it's a different story. "The joy has left their lives - it's like they're dead behind the eyes." Ms Taylor said more needed to be done to address mental health issues in Belfast. "Where suicide is concerned, if someone is in that frame of mind they may feel that there is no way out, and if they do get as far as going somewhere like Cave Hill, then a dedicated suicide prevention warden might make the difference between life and death," she said. "At the very least there should be wardens patrolling the main routes every day. "I would also be keen to see signage up at Cave Hill with the numbers of counselling organisations, which people could ring if they are in distress. Even if there was a bench or something with a big sign on it that someone sees as they are walking up there. It could save another family from going through what we have had to endure." She added: "I don't want Cave Hill to become a suicide hotspot. "Perhaps fencing off some of the pathways or closing them at night could help. It would make it easier to patrol. "There's nothing more precious than a life. Even if it saves only one life it would be worth it." SDLP MLA Nichola Mallon said she had been contacted by people who feel a simple message of hope and helpline numbers should be provided. She said: "I have put in a request (to Belfast City Council) to give serious consideration to putting signage in Cave Hill and other areas where we have had tragedies. "We need to speak to experts. But my thinking and a number of people, friends of Michael Cullen and others who have been bereaved by suicide, have contacted me and what we are thinking is a simple message of hope and helpline numbers. "So if anyone is feeling distressed there is a message of hope, and sign posting and clearly displaying who they can call to get help. "We think it's a very practical thing that could make a difference. "If it saves one person it's worth doing." Pat Lynch of mental health charity Aware NI urged anyone with concerns to seek help. "In Northern Ireland, six times more people die of suicide than on our roads - it's the equivalent of having a plane crash every year," he pointed out. "It's a huge issue for our society, and it can affect anybody at any time." Belfast City Council, which is responsible for Cave Hill Country Park, said it had staff working there every day. "Belfast City Council is part of the Protect Life Implementation Group and works closely with the health trusts, the Public Health Agency and others in suicide prevention in the city," it said. "We have trained our park wardens and safer neighbourhood officers in internationally recognised 'SafeTalk' training to enable them to support anyone they encounter feeling particularly anxious or distressed. "Currently, we are also looking at incorporating the Lifeline number in to some of our public signage to ensure people in crisis know support is available. "Belfast City Council is very much aware that every person lost to suicide is a tragedy that affects families, friends and the wider community. We extend our condolences to the recently bereaved families." Anyone who is feeling anxious or depressed can contact Lifeline's free, 24-hour crisis helpline on 0808 808 8000. Gerry Kelly's actions in removing a wheel clamp from his car have led to confusion around the law in Northern Ireland in relation to parking and the removal of clamps. And one legal commentator has suggested the Stormont political deadlock may have allowed clamping to continue in Northern Ireland after it was effectively banned in the rest of the UK. Read More Sinn Fein policing and justice spokesman Gerry Kelly parked in a yellow box in Exchange Street, Belfast, before attending a nearby gym. Printed on the yellow box was "no parking," while there were signs on the wall which read "private parking only". There are a number of other signs on the wall warning of a clamping operation in force. Video footage shows the MLA work at the clamp with bolt cutters before placing it on a wall. Sinn Fein said Mr Kelly removed the clamp before heading off to meetings. Police are investigating and Mr Kelly was interviewed on Sunday evening. Legal expert Joshua Rozenberg, speaking on the BBC Stephen Nolan show, said the law in Northern Ireland appeared not to have been updated since the 1970s. "The law says you can't damage other people's property without lawful excuse," he said. Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close General view of a clamping zone on Exchange Street in Belfast City Centre where footage was recorded of Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly removing a clamp from his car. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye General view of a clamping zone on Exchange Street in Belfast City Centre where footage was recorded of Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly removing a clamp from his car. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye General view of a clamping zone on Exchange Street in Belfast City Centre where footage was recorded of Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly removing a clamp from his car. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye General view of a clamping zone on Exchange Street in Belfast City Centre where footage was recorded of Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly removing a clamp from his car. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp General view of a clamping zone on Exchange Street in Belfast City Centre where footage was recorded of Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly removing a clamp from his car. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Using the example of someone coming across a house on fire, he said it would be deemed reasonable to smash a window to help those inside. "So there are circumstances in which you are allowed to destroy other people's property but it's up to the courts to decide what a lawful excuse would be." No one can be above the law. I made a voluntary arrangement to meet the police and met them today for interview. I want to get the issue resolved as soon as possible. Gerry Kelly (@GerryKellyMLA) February 4, 2018 He outlined how clamping in England, Wales and Scotland had been effectively banned. "Maybe because you don't have a functioning legislature, maybe because things a bit slowly I don't know as far as I know the law has not been changed in Northern Ireland," he added. "I don't think there is any provision banning wheel clamping on private land in Northern Ireland and I don't think the courts have dealt with the question if whether it is lawful or not. "Everyone assumes if you have private land you can call in a private company, put up signs and they can charge you to have the clamps released. "That seems to be lawful but that hasn't been tested in the courts in Northern Ireland for as far as I know. "And if this case where to go to court it would be very interesting to see whether it was a lawful excuse. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Gerry Kelly used bolt cutters on a clamped car close to the MAC in Belfast on February 2 2018 (Photo by Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The CCTV footage of Gerry Kelly using bolt cutters to remove clamp Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The CCTV footage of Gerry Kelly using bolt cutters to remove clamp Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The CCTV footage of Gerry Kelly using bolt cutters to remove clamp Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The CCTV footage of Gerry Kelly using bolt cutters to remove clamp Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Screen grabs from social media showing Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly removing a wheel clamp from his car parked in Belfast city centre on Friday morning. Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gerry Kelly used bolt cutters on a clamped car close to the MAC in Belfast on February 2 2018 (Photo by Belfast Telegraph) "If you look at the wording of the criminal damage Northern Ireland order it says it doesn't matter whether they believe that your actions in cutting through the chain is justified or not, if it is honestly held. "So in other words if Mr Kelly believed that if his car was in need of protection and that what he did was reasonable, he may well have a defence to a charge of criminal damage." The Department of Infrastructure has been asked for a comment. Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly has spoken for the first time about his removal of a car wheel clamp in Belfast. He said the matter had been settled and that he had paid a 100 fine and a further 50 for the damage done to the clamp to the company involved. Read More The Sinn Fein policing and justice spokesman said he did not carry bolt cutters around in the boot of his car but had borrowed them from the gym. It, he said, used them to force lockers open when people lost their keys. Read More Speaking to BBC Talkback, the veteran politician said he came out of the gym just after 8am noticing his car had been clamped earlier. After calling the clamping company he only got their on-hold music. He said he was under some pressure to get to meetings and had noticed the bolt cutters in the gym. "I removed the chain and then arranged a meeting with police", he said. "The matter has been resolved between myself and the company as I have paid a fine." Mr Kelly had parked in a yellow box in Exchange Street, before attending a nearby gym on Friday. Printed on the yellow box was "no parking," while there were signs on the wall which read "private parking only". There are a number of other signs on the wall warning of a clamping operation in force. Video footage shows the MLA work at the clamp with bolt cutters before placing it on a wall. Sinn Fein said Mr Kelly removed the clamp before heading off to meetings. Police are investigating and Mr Kelly was interviewed on Sunday evening. He said he regretted his actions saying they were on the "spur of the moment" and he felt the clamping was "unreasonable". He said he did not know why his car was clamped and not the others. "I did what I did, I regret doing it," he added. "I haven't done it before. People think I carry bolt cutters in my car - to be clear this is the first time I've done it and won't be doing it again." He said the gym had no idea what he was doing and that he was a regular and that they would not have known what he needed them for. Mr Kelly said he told staff he had an issue with his car and they "couldn't have known," what his intention was. He said he had never removed a clamp before and would never do so again. The North Belfast MLA said he wanted to remain in his position as his party's spokesman on policing and justice but that was up to the Sinn Fein leadership to determine. "My history is an open book," he added. "I have been involved with policing since the Patten report.. I am capable of doing the job but that is a matter for the party." He said the reaction to the matter was "purely political" and insisted he was "not above the law". He acknowledged his actions were a "big issue" locally but that his expressing regret was not to do with his being caught. "I didn't do it to appear on video, but everyone has a phone now," he added. A woman who claims to have been raped by two Irish rugby players did not seek help when another female walked in on the alleged attack, a court has heard. Belfast Crown Court was told she was "petrified" of being filmed. During cross examination on day six of the high-profile trial, Brendan Kelly QC said: "Why did you not ask for her help?" The woman responded: "What was she going to do? "I didn't know her. I thought she was going to film me." Paddy Jackson, from Oakleigh Park in Belfast, and Stuart Olding, from Ardenlee Street in the city, deny raping the same woman at a house in south Belfast in June 2016. Jackson denies a further charge of sexual assault. Two other men have also been returned for trial on charges connected with the incident alleged to have happened at an after-party following an evening at a Belfast nightclub on June 28 2016. Blane McIlroy, 26, from Royal Lodge Road, Ballydollaghan, Belfast, has pleaded not guilty to one count of exposure, while Rory Harrison, 25, from Manse Road, Belfast, denies perverting the course of justice and withholding information. Mr Kelly, who is defending Jackson, added: "She might have helped you and stopped them raping you. "That's what she could have done. Isn't it? "She could have said 'stop' couldn't she?" "You would have been able to point to the blood and the tears, if they were there." The woman said: "In that moment, I was so petrified of being recorded I just turned my head away. "It was too late. "I had already been raped." The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, has been giving evidence from behind a screen. Her testimony is played to the court on a screen. The court has previously heard how she had been attending an after-party at Jackson's house with a number of other men and women. She had consensually kissed Jackson in a bedroom earlier in the night. The rape is alleged to have happened when she returned to the bedroom to retrieve a clutch bag, the court heard. She rejected defence suggestions she had consented to sex and invited Olding to join in. Mr Kelly said: "When Stuart Olding walked in you were engaged in consensual sexual acts were you not with Paddy Jackson? "When he walked in it was you who motioned him towards the bed. Do you accept that or not?" The woman replied: "No, I do not." She was asked whether she was aware of any "sexual noises" such as groaning and moaning "more consistent with pleasure than pain" before the witness had walked into the bedroom. "There were no pleasurable noises coming from me, no," she told the court. At one point during proceedings, the woman wiped away tears. She also contested defence claims she had taken her top off by "agreement". Although she could not recall who made the alleged request, the woman said: "I was ordered to take my top off. "I wanted it to be over, so I took my top off." The trial continues. The British and Irish Governments should end their "hands off" approach and forcefully drive negotiations to a conclusion, the SDLP has said ahead of the first round-table talks between all Northern Ireland's major parties. Politicians have been holding discussions since last month in a bid to break the long-running Stormont power-sharing impasse. Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley is due to update the House of Commons on progress later this week. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said: "If both Governments continue to take a hands-off approach with this process, the DUP and Sinn Fein will carry on threatening to write the obituary of the Good Friday Agreement. Both Governments need to wake up to the political reality that they are not bystanders in our politics. "It is the authority and the balance provided by the two Governments which ultimately underpins the politics of Northern Ireland. "Their job is not alone to be facilitators of these talks. Their job is to be forceful in finally driving these negotiations to a conclusion." Mr Eastwood has called on the DUP and Sinn Fein to disclose what compromises they were prepared to make during a previous set of negotiations. Former Stormont Deputy First Finister Martin McGuinness's resignation more than a year ago in a row over the running of a botched green energy scheme left Northern Ireland without a devolved government. An endless series of talks involving the local parties and the British and Irish Governments has failed to break the deadlock. Sinn Fein has called for an inter-governmental conference between the British and Irish to map a way forward. The DUP wants to see the restoration of direct rule by ministers from Westminster. Mr Eastwood called for a joint paper from the British and Irish Governments outlining their view on a fair deal which could restore Stormont. He added: "Both Governments now have every right to jointly and strongly intervene - they no longer have a right to let this farce go on. "After a year of waiting, they can be confident that far more people will thank them for intervening than those who will criticise them." Meanwhile, Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry MLA warned that political instability was holding back economic reforms at a time when there is "a perfect storm" of threats to Northern Ireland's future prospects. The party's economy spokesman said: "There is a real danger this prolonged economic impasse is doing real damage to our long-term economic prospects." All-party Northern Ireland talks, set to begin on Monday, have already suffered a setback. The SDLP, UUP and Alliance were set to join with the DUP, Sinn Fein and the British and Irish governments for a round table discussion in a final and renewed bid to resurrect the devolved institutions. However, while they were thought to meet late on Monday morning, it's been reported they will not now meet until at least 4pm. The SDLP and UUP have pressed for the first matter up for discussion to be on the progress made in the past year of exclusive talks between the DUP and Sinn Fein. Both parties and both governments need to publish on what has been agreed. Colum Eastwood SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said if Monday's delay paved the way for things to happen, then he welcomed it. "We have been waiting a long time, we have been waiting for over a year and the last few months of this process has been shrouded in secrecy," he told the BBC. "Both parties and both governments need to publish on what has been agreed. We were told there was significant progress made in November, but none of us know what that was and importantly the public don't know. "And all the while the civil service needs decisions to be taken and the public sector needs more money. We are in a very precarious situation." He said his party wanted to be part of the process and wanted a deal to restore the devolved institutions done. "The two governments have given these parties enough cover," the MLA added. "We can't go in and hear there has been progress and not hear what that progress is." "I don't want to see - and we are heading this way - that the British Government in conjunction with the DUP in some secret committee in Westminster making decisions on the north of Ireland and we can't have that." I think the people of Northern Ireland want to know where they got to. Steve Aiken The UUP also pressed for the details of the previous year's talks to be revealed. "We want to see the DUP and Sinn Fein to outline where they actually got to in their decussions. We have been told time and time again that they got close to an agreement and we want to see at the round table today is exactly where they got to," said MLA Steve Aiken. "I think the people of Northern Ireland want to know where they got to." He added: "The British Government needs to put in a paper on where they were at, publish that, let everyone know in Northern Ireland and then let's move on. "Things are getting even more serious over the last year than what they have been." Meanwhile, Alliance has said, as have others in past weeks, reform of the petition of concern (POC) will lead to a "sustainable" Assembly and Executive. Even if the Assembly returns under its present format, the mutual vetoes currently in the hands of the DUP and Sinn Fein would seriously hamper free and open debate, as well as decision-making. This could easily lead to similar situations developing and blocking any potential progress for our society," said MLA Kellie Armstrong. Significant reform of the POC will future proof the Assembly to deal with other social policies and equality issues, preventing any single party being able to evade scrutiny or accountability to the Assembly or to frustrate the will of the electorate in future. Secretary of State Karen Bradley, in calling for the all-party talks to resume on Monday said there was one final chance and a small window of opportunity to return devolution. She described Wednesday as a "milestone" as it is Northern Ireland questions in the House of Commons, however, she later played down the significance of any statement she may meet. Speaking in the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee she said she "hoped to have something concrete" to tell MPs. THIS week could be the coldest of the winter with a series of severe weather warnings in force for Northern Ireland. A 'yellow' warning of snow and ice is in force from 8pm this evening until 3pm tomorrow, with snow predicted over high areas. Away from coasts, 1-3cm of snow is possible with up to 5cm above 200 metres, the Met Office has predicted. As skies clear from the west early tomorrow morning, ice is likely to develop across Northern Ireland, and another warning for snow and ice will be in force from 5am until 9am on Wednesday. Snow showers are likely to be frequent along the north coast, where hail and thunder are also possible. These will gradually fade overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, with icy stretches developing as skies clear, particularly where early snow has melted and then refrozen overnight. Around 5cm of snow is likely at low levels, with some places above 200m seeing 7-10cm. The Met Office said the mercury could plummet as low as minus 7C (19.4F) in some parts of the UK, while the bulk of the population can expect to shiver through sub-zero temperatures. Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said the first full week of February will probably be "one of our coldest weeks of this winter so far". He said: "It's going to be a cold week, plenty of dry weather around, but many places will probably see some snow at some point during the week, but for a lot of us not really amounting to much at all. "Probably one of our coldest weeks of this winter so far, but snowfall wise, doesn't really look too disruptive at this stage." Mr Snell said the working week would start on a "bitterly cold" note, with the bulk of the population waking up to temperatures between 0C to minus 2C (32-28.4F) Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 10th December 2017 A view of Belfast from the Castlereigh Hills as snow continues to lie across Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com General views of Snow in Belfast on December 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Vehicles on the M1 outside Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Photos taken near Queen's - December 2017 / Credit: Steven Egan Ballyclare - December 2017 / Credit: TT A snowy morning walk in Knockbracken- - December 2017 . Pic: Lindsay Abraham A snowy morning walk in Knockbracken. Pic: Lindsay Abraham Rush hour traffic on the Ballygowan Road in east Belfast after snow fell across Northern Ireland overnight. - 17th January 2018 General view of a Transit van which skidded off the road on the Hannahstown hill. Mandatory Credit Stephen Hamilton Stephen Hamilton/ Snow in Belfast. Pic: Elisabete Tavares Horses as Snow falls near Divis on the outskirts of West Belfast in Co Antrim on Tuesday , as heavy snow falls across the country. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker A snowy morning walk in Knockbracken. Pic: Lindsay Abraham Heavy snow has caused widespread travel disruption in Northern Ireland, with bus and rail services affected and some roads closed. Peter Wachs from Belfast out with dog Muppet at Divis Mountain. Mandatory Credit Stephen Hamilton Stephen Hamilton/ Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th January 2018 Vehicles on the M1 outside Belfast as the Met Office upgrades its warning for snow and ice from yellow to amber across Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye 16/1/2018 Peter Wachs pictured at Divis mountain in Belfast during a heavy fall of snow with dogs Muppet and Lulu Mandatory Credit Stephen Hamilton Stephen Hamilton/ 16/1/2018 Horses pictured at Divis mountain in Belfast during a fall of snow. Mandatory Credit Stephen Hamilton Stephen Hamilton/ 16/1/2018 A rear wheel drive BMW cant make its way through the icy roads in Lisburn. Mandatory Credit Stephen Hamilton Stephen Hamilton/ Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 16th January 2018 Vehicles on the M1 outside Belfast as the Met Office upgrades its warning for snow and ice from yellow to amber across Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Walkers trudge through the Snow on the Outskirts of Armoy in Northern Ireland. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 Battling threw the snow on Divis Mountain in Co Antrim , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 Snow time in Crumlin , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Snowfall in Northern Ireland by Maureen McHenry. Submitted January 2017 Snow covers a fence in Greenloaning, near Stirling, as blizzard conditions are set to bring "a real taste of winter to the whole of the UK". Andrew Milligan/PA Wire PA Snow in Ballymena, Co Antrim, as blizzard conditions are set to sweep in, bringing "a real taste of winter to the whole of the UK". Niall Carson/PA Wire PA Presseye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 9th December 2017 Children enjoy the recent snow fall at Stormont in east Belfast. Mandatory Credit Matt Mackey / Presseye.com PressEye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 8th December 2017 General views of snow at Stormont Estate. Picture: PressEye / Philip Magowan Philip Magowan PressEye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 8th December 2017 General views of snow at Stormont Estate. Picture: PressEye / Philip Magowan Philip Magowan Presseye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 9th December 2017 Children enjoy the recent snow fall at Stormont in east Belfast. Jack (5) sledges down the hill at parliament buildings. Mandatory Credit Matt Mackey / Presseye.com Presseye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 9th December 2017 Children enjoy the recent snow fall at Stormont in east Belfast. Jack (5) along with his sister Mia (10) and friend Rachel (11) pictured at parliament buildings. Mandatory Credit Matt Mackey / Presseye.com Presseye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 9th December 2017 Children enjoy the recent snow fall at Stormont in east Belfast. Mia (10) pictured at parliament buildings. Mandatory Credit Matt Mackey / Presseye.com Presseye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 9th December 2017 Children enjoy the recent snow fall at Stormont in east Belfast. Mia (10) pictured at parliament buildings. Mandatory Credit Matt Mackey / Presseye.com Presseye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 9th December 2017 Children enjoy the recent snow fall at Stormont in east Belfast. Jack (5) sledges down the hill at parliament buildings. Mandatory Credit Matt Mackey / Presseye.com Presseye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 9th December 2017 Children enjoy the recent snow fall at Stormont in east Belfast. Jack (5) sledges down the hill at parliament buildings. Mandatory Credit Matt Mackey / Presseye.com PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 9/12/2017: Ella and Bobby McMullan from Aghalee have fun in the snow at the Enchanted Winter Garden which opened on Saturday in Antrim's Castle Gardens. The annual Christmas event is now in it's fifth season. Enchanted Winter Garden is running to 20 December in Antrim Castle Gardens, Antrim. For event information and tickets visit www.enchantedwintergarden.com PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 9/12/2017: Sarah and Ethan Gillespie from Limavady have fun in the snow at the Enchanted Winter Garden which opened on Saturday in Antrim's Castle Gardens. The annual Christmas event is now in it's fifth season. Enchanted Winter Garden is running to 20 December in Antrim Castle Gardens, Antrim. For event information and tickets visit www.enchantedwintergarden.com PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON PACEMAKER, BELFAST, 9/12/2017: Teal-Bella Alexander from Bangor has fun in the snow at the Enchanted Winter Garden which opened on Saturday in Antrim's Castle Gardens. The annual Christmas event is now in it's fifth season. Enchanted Winter Garden is running to 20 December in Antrim Castle Gardens, Antrim. For event information and tickets visit www.enchantedwintergarden.com PICTURE BY STEPHEN DAVISON 10/12/17 PACEMAKER PRESS People make the best of the snow in the grounds of Stormont. PICTURE MATT BOHILL PACEMAKER PRESS 10/12/17 PACEMAKER PRESS People make the best of the snow in the grounds of Stormont. PICTURE MATT BOHILL PACEMAKER PRESS 10/12/17 PACEMAKER PRESS People make the best of the snow in the grounds of Stormont. PICTURE MATT BOHILL PACEMAKER PRESS 10/12/17 PACEMAKER PRESS People make the best of the snow in the grounds of Stormont. PICTURE MATT BOHILL PACEMAKER PRESS 10/12/17 PACEMAKER PRESS People make the best of the snow in the grounds of Stormont. Brian Buckley with his two children Finn and Jenna take their sled out. PICTURE MATT BOHILL PACEMAKER PRESS Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 10th December 2017 A man walks his dog in Fourwinds outside Belfast as snow continues to lie across Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 10th December 2017 Children enjoy the snow at Stormont in east Belfast as it continues to lie across Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 10th December 2017 Snow continues to lie across Northern Ireland as this robin red breast is pictured in the Fourwinds area outside Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 10th December 2017 Four-year-old Noah Adams enjoys the snow at Stormont in east Belfast as it continues to lie across Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 10th December 2017 Faith Adams(4) and Gracie Worth(7) enjoy the snow at Stormont in east Belfast as it continues to lie across Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 10th December 2017 A view of Stormont from the Castlereigh Hills outside Belfast as snow continues to lie across Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 10th December 2017 A view of Stormont from the Castlereigh Hills outside Belfast as snow continues to lie across Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 10th December 2017 Four-year-old Noah Adams enjoys the snow at Stormont in east Belfast as it continues to lie across Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 A dog enjoying the snow in Crumlin , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press Belfast 08-12-2017: Heavy snow showers overnight have led to disruption across parts of Northern Ireland. Dozens of schools have been closed due to the wintery conditions. The snowfall means an unexpected day off for some young people. Police are advising road users to use extreme caution on the roads. Anne Curley pictured enjoying the snow. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker. Queens University, picture by Steven Egan Picture by Steven Egan Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 Children Ruben and Zara McGlinchey , Nathan McCann and Shea McLaughlin enjoying the snow in Crumlin , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 A dog enjoying the snow in Crumlin , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 A Snow Man on Divis Mountain in Co Antrim , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker General views of Snow in Belfast on December 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Pacemaker Press Belfast 08-12-2017: Heavy snow showers overnight have led to disruption across parts of Northern Ireland. Dozens of schools have been closed due to the wintery conditions. The snowfall means an unexpected day off for some young people. Police are advising road users to use extreme caution on the roads. Paul and Ollie Forbes pictured enjoying the snow. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker. Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 A Snow Man on Divis Mountain in Co Antrim , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 Battling threw the snow on Divis Mountain in Co Antrim , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker General views of Snow in Belfast on December 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 Children Ruben and Zara McGlinchey , Nathan McCann and Shea McLaughlin enjoying the snow in Crumlin , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 Battling threw the snow on Divis Mountain in Co Antrim , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press Belfast 08-12-2017: Heavy snow showers overnight have led to disruption across parts of Northern Ireland. Dozens of schools have been closed due to the wintery conditions. The snowfall means an unexpected day off for some young people. Police are advising road users to use extreme caution on the roads. Snow in North Belfast. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker. Pacemaker Press Belfast 08-12-2017: Heavy snow showers overnight have led to disruption across parts of Northern Ireland. Dozens of schools have been closed due to the wintery conditions. The snowfall means an unexpected day off for some young people. Police are advising road users to use extreme caution on the roads. Patrick Morgan pictured enjoying the snow. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker. Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 Children Ruben and Zara McGlinchey enjoying the snow in Crumlin , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press Belfast 08-12-2017: Heavy snow showers overnight have led to disruption across parts of Northern Ireland. Dozens of schools have been closed due to the wintery conditions. The snowfall means an unexpected day off for some young people. Police are advising road users to use extreme caution on the roads. Patrick Morgan pictured enjoying the snow. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker. Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 A dog enjoying the snow in Crumlin , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 Children Ruben and Zara McGlinchey , Nathan McCann and Shea McLaughlin enjoying the snow in Crumlin , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 Walking the dogs in Crumlin , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 Eoin Donnelly plays football in Crumlin , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker People make their way to work as snow falls over Belfast. Picture Colm O'Reilly People make their way to work as snow falls over Belfast. Picture Colm O'Reilly Snow falls over Belfast. Picture Colm O'Reilly Snow falls over Belfast. Picture Colm O'Reilly Snow has fallen over Belfast. Tourists have their pictures taken in the snow at Clarendon dock Belfast. Picture Colm O'Reilly People make their way to work as snow falls over Belfast. Picture Colm O'Reilly People make their way to work as snow falls over Belfast. Picture Colm O'Reilly Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 Snow falls in Crumlin , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 Snow time in Crumlin , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 Salting the foot patch as Snow falls in Crumlin , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 Young Boys play in the snow in Crumlin , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 Snow falls in Crumlin , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Pacemaker Press 08/12/2017 Snow falls in Crumlin , as heavy snow falls across Northern Ireland on Friday morning, leaving difficult driving conditions for motorists and some schools closed. Pic Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Snow begins to fall on the Stormont Estate in east Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye Snow begins to fall on the Stormont Estate in east Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye Snow begins to fall on the Stormont Estate in east Belfast. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye Loving the snow are my pups Murphy, Lexi and Dexter. Submitted by Kathy Mackin-Jackson, from Armagh. Jan 2017. Loving the snow are my pups Murphy, Lexi and Dexter. Submitted by Kathy Mackin-Jackson, from Armagh. Jan 2017. Picture submitted by Fiona Burns - Jan 2017 Snowfall in Ballycastle, January 2017 - submitted by Tony Bowen Our spectacular Thursday afternoon drive around Giants Causeway. Submitted by Sharon Saverin & TJ Abraham. January 2017 Jonathan Sims took this photo at Katesbridge. Submitted Jan 2017 Our spectacular Thursday afternoon drive around Giants Causeway. Submitted by Sharon Saverin & TJ Abraham. January 2017 This is a view from my window in Rathfriland, the Mournes at the far back left of the picture. Submitted by Lucy Barry - January 2017 Walkers threw the Snow on the Outskirts of Armoy in Northern Ireland, as snow fall hits across the country with more expected. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press A farmer battles through the snow on the outskirts of Armoy in Northern Ireland. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Drivers battle through the snow on the outskirts of Armoy in Northern Ireland. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Snow on the outskirts of Armoy in Northern Ireland. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Snow on the outskirts of Armoy in Northern Ireland. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Sheep in the snow in Ballymena, Co Antrim, as blizzard conditions are set to sweep in, bringing "a real taste of winter to the whole of the UK". Niall Carson/PA Wire PA Snow covers a road sign in Greenloaning, near Stirling, as blizzard conditions are set to bring "a real taste of winter to the whole of the UK". Andrew Milligan/PA Wire PA A dog walker in the snow in Ballymena, Co Antrim, as blizzard conditions are set to sweep in, bringing "a real taste of winter to the whole of the UK". Niall Carson/PA Wire PA Cars drive through snow on the A26 in Ballymena, Co Antrim, as blizzard conditions are set to sweep in, bringing "a real taste of winter to the whole of the UK". Niall Carson/PA Wire PA Snow lies on Tan Hill in North Yorkshire, as others parts of the country are bracing themselves for wintry showers. Steve Parsons/PA Wire PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 10th December 2017 A view of Belfast from the Castlereigh Hills as snow continues to lie across Northern Ireland. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com Then, between 9pm tonight and 3pm tomorrow, there is a further chance of snow and ice for the north of England, Northern Ireland, north Wales and Scotland. A spell of rain, sleet and increasingly snow will move east across the UK, gradually weakening across England and Wales. Mr Snell added: "Quite a lot of the UK will see some snow as we head through Tuesday but as it ventures into the Midlands, south-west England and eventually later in the day across south-east England, it's just going to be a few flakes of snow. "So many people will see some snow, but don't expect to build a snowman." A front of rain is expected to move through the country on Thursday, before the cold air swiftly returns. The cold snap is expected to grip the UK until at least next weekend, with the chance that milder weather may not arrive until the middle of the following week. Two men whose lives were devastated by the Troubles will this week make a poignant journey to the scene of one of Belfast's worst atrocities. Alan McBride, whose wife and father-in-law were killed in the Shankill bombing, and Stephen Travers, who was badly injured in the Miami Showband attack in which three of his colleagues were killed, will speak at an event organised as part of the Four Quarters Festival. Before that the two will visit the scene of the IRA's Shankill fish shop bombing, in which Mr McBride's wife Sharon was one of nine people murdered. One of the bombers, Thomas Begley, also died. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Travers said: "The core of our message is that no side - and I don't even feel comfortable about using that word side - has a monopoly on suffering and loss. "I feel that, too often, atrocities that happened in the past are being held up separately to bash one side or the other. "People with vested interests are using one story, or the story of one atrocity, to beat the other side with - as opposed to holding up atrocities that happened to both communities and saying: 'Here is clear evidence that both sides suffered'. Mr Travers was a guitarist with the Miami Showband when the musicians were ambushed by the UVF near Newry in July 1975. He was shot and badly wounded in the attack in which three of his bandmates were murdered. Two of the attackers - both members of the UDR - also died when a bomb they were carrying exploded. In 2016 Mr Travers established the Truth and Reconciliation Platform (TARP) to give people from all sides the opportunity to tell their stories from the Troubles. "Alan has taken part in TARP events over the past two years since we founded it," he added. "He was one of our first speakers, and I got to know him and his story to the extent that I almost feel I know Sharon. "I was keen to learn more about it, having spoken to Alan on many occasions. "Loss is loss, suffering is suffering: there's no difference. I feel very privileged that Alan is taking me to see where it happened. It will be very sad." Mr McBride said that the site where Frizzell's fish shop once stood was important to him. And while he is happy to take Mr Travers to the scene, he is also wary of creating another stop on Northern Ireland's 'Dark Tourism' circuit. "Frizzell's fish shop is where 10 people died. I think of it as a sacred space," he said. "The last thing I want to do is to turn the Shankill bomb site into one of those. "Stephen just wants to pay his respects, that's why I've agreed to take him up there. "He's a good guy, Stephen. I like him." But the widower is less happy about affairs in Northern Ireland 20 years after he voted for the Good Friday Agreement. "I've had to get over a lot of hurt," he added. "I've had to put up with the injustice of knowing that the person who murdered my wife served only seven years in prison. "The only reason I was prepared to do that was that the society we were trying to create was going to be better than what we had. But while some things are a bit better, politically it hasn't really worked." The poignant visit of the two men to the site of the Shankill atrocity on Thursday is to be filmed for a documentary currently in preparation by US media giant Netflix, Mr Travers said. The Miami massacre survivor will be the focus of the programme, which will explore the consequences of violence as a political weapon. Mr Travers and Mr McBride will speak on Thursday at 7.30pm at St John's Parish Hall on the Falls Road. Patients are travelling from all over Northern Ireland to the clinic in south Belfast rather than face a month-long wait to see their GP, it has been claimed A private GP service in Northern Ireland has seen consultations soar by a third over the past 12 months as NHS family doctors struggle with patient numbers. Patients are travelling from all over Northern Ireland to the clinic in south Belfast rather than face a month-long wait to see their GP, it has been claimed. It comes just a week after the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) launched a campaign to encourage people to only visit their family doctor when necessary, to ease pressure on the service. The RCGP campaign, 3 Before GP, calls on patients to consider whether it would be appropriate to practice self-care, use a reputable website such as NI Direct, or visit a pharmacist before booking an appointment to see their family doctor. Now it has emerged that a growing number of people are turning to a GP service operating at an independent hospital. GPs working at Kingsbridge Private Hospital saw a record number of patients over the past 12 months, with an additional 1,500 patients coming through the doors in 2017 compared to 2016. The service aims to relieve pressure on the NHS - where medical colleagues are operating severely stretched and underfunded practices - by giving patients who cannot get prompt appointments easy access to quality healthcare. Dr Lisa Nelligan, who has worked as a GP for 10 years, said in addition to short appointment waiting times, they can also offer almost immediate access to life-saving diagnostic tools, whereas NHS patients frequently face lengthy waits. "I had a woman in with me with suspected ovarian cancer and, unfortunately, it turned out that she did have ovarian cancer, but we were able to diagnose her on the same day," explained Dr Nelligan. "The earlier a person with cancer is diagnosed, the better, so it is fantastic to be able to do that because we would not be able to do that on the NHS. "Even if you make a red flag referral for a patient you suspect has cancer, it can be weeks before they will get a hospital appointment." The service, which was launched seven years ago, is open to anyone who needs to see a doctor and Dr Nelligan said difficulties in accessing NHS doctors means more people are now relying upon the service provided at Kingsbridge. "We see people of all ages, we would get people bringing in their elderly parents because they don't want them waiting weeks to see their own GP," she continued. "We also see people with mental health problems and while that might seem unusual, nowadays people don't tend to see the same GP at their own practice all the time. "We can spend at least 20 minutes with our patients in each consultation whereas in the NHS, GPs only really get about five minutes and that isn't really sufficient time to spend properly discussing issues. "We can also see the patients again as often as we feel necessary, so there is that continuity of care." Tributes have been paid to a passionate teacher and mother-of-two who has been laid to rest one week after she passed away in her Co Down home. The sudden death of Lisburn mum-of-two Joan Campbell (47) has devastated staff and pupils at Strangford College, where she taught for nearly 20 years. Heartbroken sixth form students from the integrated Carrowdore school formed a guard of honour for their beloved maths teacher at Roselawn Cemetery on Saturday morning. Friends and pupils then gathered in the Stormont Hotel to celebrate the life of Mrs Campbell, who loved baking, and enjoyed her favourite chutneys and cheeses. Her husband John and sons Maurice and Sean joined colleagues in the hotel to share precious memories. Fellow maths teacher Sarah McAuley (29), who described her friend and colleague as "one of the most respected teachers" in the school, said the event was a fitting tribute to her petite friend with a big appetite. "It was just a lovely time for friends to talk and share stories about Joan," she said. "There were lots of photographs on display which captivated everyone and brought back so many memories. "Joan really loved food and was always baking, she brought so much life to the staff room that way, but she loved people and had a real presence when she walked into the room." Mrs McAuley said Joan's deep love for all the children at the school was reciprocated. "Joan was such a hard worker and she knew exactly how to get the best results from her pupils," she said. "She was passionate about maths and passionate about teaching, there wasn't one person in the school whose life wasn't touched by Joan. "There is a real sadness in the school, we are all absolutely heartbroken." Another colleague described Joan as a "brilliant teacher, a funny and passionate woman and someone who cared deeply about her pupils and friends". School principal Clare Foster described her "esteemed colleague and friend" as a "much loved, respected and valued member" of staff. "Over the coming weeks, the school community will make plans to honour the memory of Joan Campbell and the many years of excellent service she has given to the school," she wrote on the school's Facebook page. "For now, our priority is to respond sensitively and thoughtfully to Joan's family and to the staff and students of the school." Distressed pupils, who were notified of the tragic news last Monday morning, have been offered support following the loss of a second faculty member in the same academic year. The school community was left devastated after teaching assistant Sherry Campbell (29) choked to death in the kitchen of her family home in Orlock last September. Her father Shannon assumed she had fallen asleep on the sofa when he noticed the lights were still on in their family home in the early hours of September 7, before being confronted by the tragic scene. Gerry Kelly has said "no one is above the law" following a police interview in which he was questioned about using bolt cutters to remove a wheel clamp in Belfast. The North Belfast Sinn Fein MLA is facing calls to resign and could be reported to Stormont's standards watchdog after he was filmed taking off the clamp following a visit to a gym. Read More Last night, Mr Kelly tweeted: "No one can be above the law. I made a voluntary arrangement to meet the police and met them today for interview. "I want to get the issue resolved as soon as possible." Sinn Fein leader-in-waiting Mary Lou McDonald appeared lost for words when quizzed on the matter by reporters yesterday. She said Mr Kelly's solicitors were dealing with the issue, and she did not yet have "the facts of exactly what happened". Asked why Mr Kelly was carrying a set of bolt cutters, Ms McDonald laughed: "I have absolutely no idea. "I have absolutely no clue why Gerry has a bolt cutter in his car." TUV leader Jim Allister, who is calling for former Policing Board member Mr Kelly to resign, said he would "explore" lodging a complaint with Stormont's Office for the Commissioner for Standards. However, with no commissioner in place, it is unclear what action, if any, can be taken. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close The CCTV footage of Gerry Kelly using bolt cutters to remove clamp Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The CCTV footage of Gerry Kelly using bolt cutters to remove clamp Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The CCTV footage of Gerry Kelly using bolt cutters to remove clamp Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The CCTV footage of Gerry Kelly using bolt cutters to remove clamp Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Online pranksters have parodied incident / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The CCTV footage of Gerry Kelly using bolt cutters to remove clamp Video footage of the incident, which occurred last Friday, shows Mr Kelly coming out of a silver car in Exchange Street, behind the Metropolitan Arts Centre. On the driver's window of the car is a large 'Stop' sign warning of the clamp. The MLA is seen bending down to lift a set of bolt cutters, before appearing to work at a chain under the car. He then appears to remove the orange clamp from the vehicle's right-hand wheel, before resting it against a nearby wall. The maximum sentence for criminal damage in Northern Ireland varies from a community order to 12 months in custody and a compensation order. Mr Kelly's actions were reported to the PSNI by the company that fitted the clamp, the Parking and Enforcement Agency (PEA). A spokesman for the MAC said the area was "clearly marked as a no parking zone" with "signage in the area". Last night the PSNI said it had spoken to Mr Kelly. It said: "Police have interviewed a 64-year-old man at Musgrave Police Station in relation to an allegation of criminal damage which occurred at Exchange Street, Belfast, on Friday." Mr Allister said the Sinn Fein MLA "had no right" to remove the clamp and must not get away with it. "His audacious taking of the law into his own hands must not go unchallenged by the law enforcement agencies," he said. "Sinn Fein's spokesperson on policing seems to think that he is above the law. "A complaint can still be made to the Assembly's Commissioner for Standards, even though it wouldn't be activated until there was a commissioner is in place. I will be exploring putting in a complaint. "I think he should do what Mr McElduff did and exit the public stage." Posting on the South East Fermanagh Foundation Facebook page, victims' campaigner Kenny Donaldson described the incident as the "latest two fingers to law and order". And Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs also called on Mr Kelly to resign. He said: "Gerry Kelly's actions demonstrate contempt for private property and a complete lack of respect for rules that apply to the rest of us in Northern Ireland. "He sets an appalling example. If this was to happen in any other part of the United Kingdom, or indeed the Republic, the relevant politician would be gone." Alliance's Trevor Lunn, who sat on the Policing Board with Mr Kelly, said the MLA's role as his party's policing spokesperson added an "extra level of irony to the situation". "It seems very strange behaviour, particularly for an MLA who sat on the Policing Board," he said. "I have seen people reported to the Commissioner for Standards for less. "It's particularly silly for an elected member. I wonder what he thought he was playing at." "I will reserve judgment on whether he should step down to see what the outcome of the enquiries is." SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly said: "The law applies to everyone equally, and MLAs should have a higher standard of behaviour. "I think there will be plenty of people lining up to report him to the Commissioner for Standards." Meanwhile, North Belfast DUP MP Nigel Dodds called for the Sinn Fein leadership to "finally take action" over Mr Kelly, after its handling of the recent Barry McElduff controversy. "The Gerry Kelly incident is symptomatic of a wider pattern of behaviour by leading Sinn Fein figures," he said. "They regard themselves as not being bound by the same rules as the rest of society. "They preach respect but show little or no respect for people, rules or laws which they disagree with. They preach equality but, to them, some are more equal than others. "This is another significant test for the Sinn Fein leadership." Sinn Fein said that Mr Kelly had "returned to his car after an early morning gym session to find that his car had been made immobile by a clamp just after 7.20am". It added: "He removed the clamp from the front wheel. "He left the device nearby and drove off to pre-arranged meetings. His solicitor is dealing with the matter and he will be making no further comment at this time." The Office of the Commissioner for Standards' website says all complaints will be passed to the next commissioner "as soon as one is appointed by the Assembly". A difficult year so far for Sinn Fein It's only the start of February, but already 2018 is proving to be an annus horribilis for Sinn Fein. Last month, its West Tyrone MP Barry McElduff resigned under pressure after posting a tweet with a loaf of Kingsmill bread on his head on the anniversary of the IRAs Kingsmill massacre in 1976. At the weekend, the party said it had suspended a Dublin councillor following a complaint from another Sinn Fein representative. The partys claim to pay representatives the average wage also came under scrutiny after it emerged one TD was given a special deal in 2011 to allow him to claim the full 90,000 (79,400) Dail salary. And allegations of a bullying culture inside the party have continued to emerge regularly. Kent was among the places which saw snow on Monday (Philip Toscano/PA) Snow and ice will create treacherous rush hour conditions as freezing weather grips the UK. Temperatures across the country will plummet once more overnight with northern parts most likely to face disruption on Tuesday morning, the Met Office said. The wintry conditions are expected to continue into the weekend and there are warnings that Britain could face unusually cold weather for the rest of the month. Met Office forecaster Alex Burkill said: There are indications of quite a prolonged cold period. It's going to be a #cold one tonight with a severe #frost in places, so whatever you're doing stay warm pic.twitter.com/kKVgNPqfcR Met Office (@metoffice) February 5, 2018 Snow is set to fall in almost every part of the country in the coming days, with this week predicted to be one of the coldest of the winter so far. Sub-zero temperatures are expected widely on Monday night and could drop to -6C in parts of northern England and the Midlands, the Met Office said. A band of rain, sleet and snow will sweep in across Scotland and Northern Ireland overnight. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Between 1cm and 3cm of snow will fall widely and hilly areas could see up to 5cm, before the weather pushes into northern England and Wales. Snow and ice warnings have been issued for swathes of the country over the next two days. It comes after snow showers left between 1cm and 2cm in Kent and Essex on Monday and caused several crashes on the M20. Mr Burkhill said: As we go through the next 24 to 48 hours, its going to stay cold, and we are going to see some snow and pretty much anywhere in the country could see something. Warnings are in force for #snow and #ice across large parts of the UK. Here are the details #weatheraware #uksnow pic.twitter.com/dr5ZRg187u Met Office (@metoffice) February 5, 2018 He added: Across a big chunk of Scotland and Northern Ireland, where we have had snow overnight, thats likely to then lead to some ice in time for morning rush hour tomorrow. Across northern parts of England and Wales we are likely to have some snow falling during morning rush hour, so thats likely to cause some difficult driving conditions and there could also be some icy patches too. British Airways said 70 short-haul flights to and from Londons Heathrow airport did not operate on Monday due to the weather and a further 10 have been cancelled on Tuesday. Temperatures will dip further on Tuesday night and could sink as low as -11C in parts of Scotland and northern England. Another band of snow, sleet and rain would sweep across the country from Wednesday to Thursday and bring a milder blip in the weather, Mr Burkill said. But he added: The cold weather is likely to return as we go towards the weekend. Really much of February and perhaps even into March it is going to stay on the cold side, so temperatures generally below average, with further frosts and also the risk of rain, sleet and snow as well. File photo of the wreckage left at the Mulberry Bush pub in Birmingham after a bomb exploded The aftermath of one of the blasts, which killed 21 File photo of the wreckage left at the Mulberry Bush pub in Birmingham after a bomb exploded The sister of a victim of the IRA Birmingham pub bombings has rejected condemnation of the attack from Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams urging him to use his influence to help her and others in their fight for justice and truth. Julie Hambleton was speaking on the BBC Stephen Nolan show after the outgoing Sinn Fein president addressed the 1974 atrocity in an interview on Sundays Andrew Marr Show. Julies sister Maxine was among 21 people killed when two bombs detonated in Birmingham city centre just after 8pm. Over 200 people were injured in the attack. Six people - known as the Brimingham six - were later wrongly imprisoned for the attack and spent almost 17 years in jail before they were entirely exonerated. Asked what the moral difference was between the IRA bombings and last years Manchester Arena attack, Mr Adams said he had no compunction in condemning either and had done so in the past. The Birmingham pub bombings were wrong. I would have wished no one, no one, had been killed or injured in the course of the conflict. The IRA have gone, I did defend the IRA, but I was also critical of the IRA. I dont condone everything the IRA did. Julie Hambleton said it was the first time she had heard Mr Adams condemn the Birmingham pub bombings. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Why now? she asked. Why didnt he condemn it in 1974 when it happened or in 1975, 1976, 1991, when the Birmingham Six were released ... they were allowed to sit and rot in prison for a crime they didnt commit. He must have an ulterior motive. Gerry Adams doesnt do or say anything without having an ulterior motive. What has he done for the victims of terrorism? She added: We are the surviving relatives of 21 people who were killed in cold blood for absolutely no reason whatsoever. Were going into our 44th year where we are still having to fight for truth, justice and accountability. Expand Close Gerry Adams / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gerry Adams It is within his sphere of influence to to encourage the IRA to tell us if they did it, who did it, why they did it and provide the information so we can move forward. Mr Adams, who has been president of Sinn Fein since 1983 is to be replaced by Mary Lou McDonald later this month. He said the republican movement turned away from violence because we were able to create an alternative. When you can put forward an alternative then sensible people will embrace that, he added. No one sensible wants to be either supporting or part of armed action. You can only make moral judgements about people when you walk in their shoes and thankfully we are talking about history. We are talking about something that has passed. How could anyone - even if it is accidental - stand over the killing of a child or stand over the killing of a civilian? Its a different matter entirely if its soldier v soldier. But in the awfulness and horror of war you can not stand over some of those incidents. In an extended interview Gerry Adams discussed how he missed Martin McGuinness every single day, how Brexit would be a disaster, his legacy and on how Tony Blair made a significant contribution to peace. Expand Close The memorial to those who died in the 1974 bombings Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The memorial to those who died in the 1974 bombings When asked if he had failed in his campaign to unite Ireland he responded no and said if he lived long enough, he would see a united Ireland. Asked if it was worth keeping to the abstentionist policy given the possibility Sinn Fein taking their Westminster seats could have a major say on British and Irish matters Mr Adams said he could not betray those that voted for his party. People always ask what will your legacy be?, he added I wont be around. The Presbyterian Moderator is undertaking an extensive week-long visit to the Dublin and Munster Presbytery. Rt Rev Dr Noble McNeely's trip, which began yesterday, is his third and final visit to a presbytery as Moderator before he leaves office in June. The Dublin and Munster Presbytery has 32 congregations with 4,000 members. It covers 24 counties in the Republic, stretching from Kerry and Cork to Leitrim, Cavan and Louth. Dr McNeely said: "Each of our congregations across Ireland have their unique characteristics, and I look forward to discovering how our ministers are impacting on their local communities. "I want to encourage our ministers in their work, as they often minister in isolated situations." Dr McNeely preached in Malahide and then in Howth Presbyterian Churches yesterday, and last night he spoke at Greystones, Co Wicklow. Later this week he will visit Enniscorthy and Wexford, and Athy and Carlow, as well as Adelaide Road and Abbey Churches in Dublin. He will also join Methodist President the Rev Dr Laurence Graham in a visit to the Dublin nursing home Mount Tabor. His week-long tour will end next Sunday when he will preach at Arklow Presbyterian and at St Andrew's, Blackrock. Meanwhile, the 19 presbyteries across Ireland will elect a new Moderator tomorrow. The contest will be between the Rev Brian Boyd, from Kells and Eskylane; the Rev William John Henry from the Maze and Ballinderry, and the Rev Charles McMullen from West Church, Bangor. Each presbytery will have one vote, and in the event of a tie another vote will be taken. The result should be known tomorrow evening. POLICE in the Republic are investigating whether one of the parents of a baby boy found stabbed to death in Kerry in 1984 is living in Northern Ireland. Detectives are to extend their hunt for clues to the UK's DNA database, with particular focus on Northern Ireland. The movement of a number of people between Kerry and Northern Ireland in 1983/84 has prompted gardai to examine the British DNA database for any potential link to the 'Kerry Baby' investigation. The dramatic move is being considered given that the Republic has only 15,000 DNA samples on its national database in comparison to some six million samples in the UK and Northern Ireland. Cross-references of the Irish DNA database have so far failed to yield any matches to the sample taken from the murdered baby in 1984. Detectives are aware a significant number of people moved between Kerry and Northern Ireland in the mid-1980s. Similar movements between Kerry and the rest of the UK now make an examination of the London database potentially critical. If Baby John's mother or father had any relatives on the DNA database for Northern Ireland, England, Scotland or Wales, it will immediately trigger a cross-referencing 'hit'. The DNA profile was obtained from a tissue sample taken from Baby John by former Irish State pathologist Dr John Harbison as part of the post-mortem examination in 1984. That has undergone a battery of high tech tests - and gardai now have a full DNA profile of the infant they can cross-reference with other samples in a bid to obtain a familial link. Gardai now believe the vast and detailed UK DNA database could deliver the breakthrough they need. "Every avenue for the investigation is now being looked at," a senior source said. Founded in 1995, the UK's DNA database is one of the most extensive in the world, with samples taken under far wider circumstances than is the case in the Republic, where DNA samples are only taken in a number of specific instances. The British database increases by between 30,000 and 40,000 samples each month - and 60% of DNA samples obtained from a UK crime scene can now be linked to a person. DNA sampling is now so advanced that even distant sixth and seventh cousins can be detected through genetic 'links'. The advantage of examining a large-scale database is that it offers an enhanced possibility of getting a DNA 'hit' on distant relatives of the individuals being sought - and allows detectives to finally focus their investigation on specific individuals. Baby John was thought to be around five days old when he was killed. The infant, with 28 stab wounds, was discovered by a jogger at White Strand beach, Cahersiveen, on April 14, 1984. He had also suffered an horrific spinal injury. Kerry gardai, under Supt Flor Murphy, said they believe the answers to the Baby John tragedy still rest within the south Kerry community. Despite the lapse of 34 years since Baby John's murder, gardai believe DNA sample will prove critical to their investigation. "It's never the wrong time to do the right thing," Supt Murphy said. "It just had to be done. We have a duty to investigate this. "There's a five-day-old infant stabbed to death - we just can't let that happen," he added. However, DNA samples from people in the south Kerry area can only be obtained voluntarily unless it is in relation to someone already under arrest in connection with an alleged offence under any of six different legal provisions. Gardai stressed they are "exploring every opportunity" as regards cross-referencing of DNA samples under current legislation. The Irish DNA database regulations came into force in 2015 - almost 20 years after the UK began working to build its own DNA database. The grave of Baby John has been the focus of attacks at Cahersiveen graveyard over the past 20 years. The infant's grave was initially marked with a simple wooden cross, but Tom Cournane, the Kerry undertaker who first christened the infant Baby John, later replaced it with a black marble headstone. It bears the inscription: "I am the Kerry Baby baptised 14-04-1984, named John, and I forgive." In July 2004, the headstone was smashed. Sinn Fein have demanded that a councillor hands back her seat after she resigned following a row over allegations of bullying and assault. Noeleen Reilly, who serves on Dublin City Council, said she was quitting after the party hierarchy suspended her for six months over a bullying complaint she faced. Ms Reilly, who represents the Ballymun and neighbouring areas, was disciplined by the Sinn Fein national executive at the weekend and then took to social media to claim she suffered an assault. She also said she first complained of being a victim of bullying four years ago. Dessie Ellis, TD in the Dublin North-West constituency, was censured by party chiefs for his involvement in the long-running dispute with Ms Reilly and apologised for public comments he made about his former party colleague. After Ms Reilly announced her resignation, party bosses called on her to give up the council seat. I am resigning from Sinn FAin with immediate effect. Today I hand in my resignation from Sinn FAin after 17... https://t.co/4JHBssMtkK Cllr Noeleen Reilly (@NoeleenReilly) February 5, 2018 The party is now requesting that she hands the Sinn Fein Dublin City Council seat back to the party. Sinn Fein will not tolerate bullying, the party said in a statement. Ms Reilly said: I have been the victim of an orchestrated bullying campaign by a number of people in Dublin Northwest. She added: Unfortunately I was just up against the wrong people and this was never a battle I was going to win. My treatment included physical assaults, verbal abuse, total isolation, smear campaigns, the list goes. I was always told to keep these matters internal and I did so for four years hoping that justice would take place. Ms Reilly has vowed to work on as a councillor. Sinn Fein said she was told on numerous occasions to report allegations of assault to gardai. The father of alleged computer hacker Lauri Love has said his son should not face extradition to the United States. Mr Love will find out if he has successfully challenged a ruling that he can be sent to the US. Two judges sitting at the High Court in London will give their decision on Mr Loves appeal on Monday. His father, the Reverend Alexander Love, warned that his son fears for his life because he did not think he could cope with the trauma of being sent to the US. Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and Mr Justice Ouseley heard argument during a hearing in November that extradition would not be in the interests of justice for a number of reasons, including the high risk that Mr Love, who suffers from Asperger syndrome, would kill himself. Authorities in America have been fighting for Mr Love to face trial on charges of cyber-hacking, which lawyers have said could mean a sentence of up to 99 years in prison if he is found guilty. Mr Love, 32, who lives with his parents near Newmarket in Suffolk, and also suffers from a depressive illness and severe eczema, is alleged to have stolen huge amounts of data from US agencies, including the Federal Reserve, the US army, the defence department, Nasa and the FBI in a spate of online attacks in 2012 and 2013. His father told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: He is very distressed, he is obviously afraid because he has stated on more than one occasion that he fears for his life because he doesnt think he can cope with the trauma of being taken away from his family and his country and taken in exile to America. Rev Love added: If he is in this country his family could visit him on a weekly basis, he could telephone us on a daily basis, he will have the support of a chaplaincy and a prison service which is dedicated to the care of those with mental health issues. If he is taken to America he is going to be incarcerated in an American system which is not geared up for that kind of support. He acknowledged that his son should face the music if he had done wrong but said it should be a British band. If we have a special relationship with the United States they should trust us to deal with Lauri in an appropriate way. In September 2016 a district judge at Westminster Magistrates Court ruled that Mr Love could be extradited. The High Court appeal centred on that ruling made by District Judge Nina Tempia. Edward Fitzgerald QC, for Mr Love, submitted that there were overwhelming reasons of justice and humanity why any trial should take place in the UK. He argued that it would be unjust and oppressive to extradite him because of his severe mental disorders. Peter Caldwell, representing the US, made submissions inviting the judges to dismiss Mr Loves appeal. In written argument he said the district judges conclusion on extradition was reasonably open to her on the findings of fact she made. Having identified a high risk of suicide, she properly assessed whether and how that risk could be managed were the appellant to be extradited. Theresa May and David Davis are to hold talks with Brussels chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as officials prepare to open negotiations on transitional arrangements for after Britain leaves the EU. The meetings will take place after Downing Street said the UK will categorically leave the customs union after Brexit. The talks in Downing Street will mark the first time the trio have met since EU leaders gave the green light for the second phase of negotiations to start at their December summit in the Belgian capital. Since the euphoria surrounding that meeting, fresh tensions have emerged after the European side insisted that EU law must continue to apply in the UK throughout the post-Brexit transition period expected to last around two years. Mrs May has already made clear that she intends to push back against the blocs demands that EU citizens who come to UK during the transition should enjoy the same rights as those who come before Britain leaves the EU on March 29 2019. Looking forward to catching up w/ @DavidDavisMP on Monday to discuss UK's orderly withdrawal, and meet w/ @EBA_News on #Brexit preparedness of EU financial service providers. Next EU/UK negotiation round starts on Tuesday in Brussels: pic.twitter.com/KMKlsrkQQ6 Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) February 2, 2018 Ministers have complained said that the demand goes beyond what was agreed at the December summit but senior EU figures including the European Parliaments Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt insist it is not negotiable. The Government has also come under fire from its own backbenchers for agreeing that any changes to EU law which are passed during the transition will apply in the UK even though Britain will have had no say in the decision-making process. During a testy Commons committee hearing last month, Brexit Secretary Mr Davis was accused by the leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg of allowing Britain to become a vassal state of the EU a charge he rejected. The meeting in Downing Street will be followed on Tuesday by the first technical discussions by UK and EU officials in Brussels on the transition arrangements intended to ensure businesses and citizens are not faced with a cliff edge break when Britain leaves the bloc. Meanwhile senior ministers are also preparing for the first discussions on Britains future relationship with the EU by Mrs Mays so-called Brexit war cabinet. Members of the Cabinet Brexit sub-committee will meet on Wednesday and then again on Thursday as they seek to thrash out an agreement on thorny issues like customs arrangements with the remaining EU27. Expand Close Brexit Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Brexit The subject is so sensitive that the Prime Minister has previously declined to authorise any formal discussion in the group. Over the weekend, Home Secretary Amber Rudd brushed aside warnings from hardline Brexiteers that Mrs May could face a leadership challenge if she fails to deliver a clean Brexit. Ms Rudd said ministers would not be intimidated and insisted that there was greater agreement around the Cabinet table than MPs sometimes realised. Downing Street sought to calm the fears of backbench critics insisting the Government was committed to leaving the customs union as well as the single market. It is not our policy to be in the customs union. It is not our policy to be in a customs union, a source said. The source said they would be seeking an arrangement with the EU to ensure trade remained as frictionless as possible after Brexit. Some remain suspicious accusing Chancellor Philip Hammond of seeking to pursue his own policy aimed at keeping Britain as closely aligned as possible with the EU. The special relationship between the US and UK has lurched from cordiality to open criticism since Donald Trump entered the White House. The US president again risked inflaming tensions with one of his countrys closest allies by deriding the NHS as broke and not working. He rarely minces his words about UK affairs, a habit which has posed a diplomatic headache for Theresa May as she seeks to forge stronger relations with Brexit looming. Here are the key moments of his premiership: 2016 November Mr Trump is elected as president of the United States, forcing UK politicians to quickly change tack in their handling of the billionaire businessman. Prime Minister Mrs May congratulates Mr Trump on his victory and says Britain and America will remain strong and close partners. I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next President of the United States. Full statement: https://t.co/7W2feuodUE Theresa May (@theresa_may) November 9, 2016 Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader of whom Mr Trump is an admirer, embarrasses Mrs May by beating her to a meeting with the new president. 2017 January The Prime Minister becomes the first world leader to meet the president following his inauguration. She faces criticism for offering President Trump a state visit just seven days into his presidency. But they are photographed holding hands outside the White House, and Mrs May gets a significant commitment from the president to Nato. Mrs Mays spokesman says she does not agree with Mr Trumps refugee ban, an executive order signed just hours after their meeting, and will make representations if it affects Britons. February Cracks begin to appear in the relationship when Mrs May eventually denounces Mr Trumps travel restrictions on Muslims as divisive and wrong, echoing statements from her ministers. And she reportedly pokes fun at the size of Mr Trumps hands, telling a Conservative fundraising party in response to applause from donors: Thank you very much for that wonderful reception. I dont think I have received such a big hand since I walked down the colonnade at the White House. March Mrs Mays spokesman denounces ridiculous allegations made by the White House press secretary that GCHQ spied on Mr Trump before the presidential election. The president refuses to give a public apology. May The PM rebukes Mr Trump after intelligence shared with the US in the wake of the Manchester terror attack is leaked to American media. Mr Trump later describes the PM as very angry about the leaks, which prompted British police to temporarily suspend sharing information across the Atlantic, and promises to investigate. June In a bad month for relations, the Prime Minister tells Mr Trump of her disappointment at his decision to pull America out of the Paris Accord on climate change. She then directly condemns Mr Trumps attacks on Sadiq Khans handling of the London Bridge terror attack as wrong. September Mrs May delivers a rebuke to the US president after he claimed the Parsons Green Tube bomber was in the sights of Scotland Yard. The Prime Minister said: I never think its helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation. November Mrs May and Mr Trump fall out spectacularly over his retweeting of anti-Muslim videos posted online by the deputy leader of the far-right Britain First group, Jayda Fransen. The PM said Mr Trump was wrong to retweet the videos, and the US president hits back at Mrs May on Twitter by telling her to focus on destructive radical Islamic terrorism in the UK, rather than on him. 2018 January The US president says he has cancelled plans to travel to the UK to open the new American embassy, hitting out at the location of the project. Later in the month, Trump blows hot and cold with the Prime Minister during a trip to the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. Following talks with Mrs May, the president appears keen to clear the air about tensions between the two nations, declaring: We love your country. But then, in an interview with Piers Morgan, he pours scorn on Britains approach to Brexit negotiations and says he would take a tougher approach with Brussels. February Mr Trump uses the NHS as an example of why universal health care should not reach US shores. Downing Street has insisted the UK will not be in a customs union after Brexit as Tory tensions over the Governments plans continued to simmer. The move by Number 10 to categorically state the UK will be leaving the customs union came as Theresa May and David Davis prepared to hold talks with Brussels chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier. Confirmation of the Governments approach may placate Tory MPs and ministers who are keen for a Brexit arrangement which allows the UK to strike trade deals around the world something which a customs union could have prevented. But business leaders have urged the Government to remain in a customs union and Tory Brexit rebel Anna Soubry urged Number 10 to do the maths and listen to company bosses. She claimed the hard Brexit European Research Group (ERG) of Tory MPs, led by Jacob Rees-Mogg, had a deeply unattractive plan which involved leaving the customs union to chase unicorn trade deals at the expense of existing relations with the EU. It's deeply unattractive that the only reason they want to leave #CustomsUnion is to chase unicorn trade deals https://t.co/xeeTCltMx0 Anna Soubry (@Anna_Soubry) February 5, 2018 The intervention by Downing Street sought to draw a line after days of sometimes confused messages from the top of Government about the approach to future customs arrangements. It is not our policy to be in a customs union, a source said. The source said they would be seeking an arrangement with the EU to ensure trade remained as frictionless as possible after Brexit. Some Tories remain suspicious, accusing Chancellor Philip Hammond of seeking to pursue his own policy aimed at keeping Britain as closely aligned as possible with the EU. The chairman of the Commons Exiting the EU Committee, Hilary Benn, said further detail was still needed from ministers if the terms of a future deal with Brussels are to be agreed by October as hoped. I wish it was clarity but I dont think it is. I think the Government is in a state of open disagreement, the Prime Minister has been immobilised, the Labour MP told BBC Radio 4s Today. We are 19 months since the referendum, we are nine months to go and we still dont know what it is we want. It was a profound mistake to leave a customs union, he said, and it would create the need for checks at the Northern Irish border. The talks in Downing Street with Mr Barnier will mark the first time Mrs May, Mr Davis and the Brussels official have met since EU leaders gave the green light for the second phase of negotiations to start at their December summit in the Belgian capital. Since the optimism surrounding that meeting, fresh tensions have emerged after the European side insisted that EU law must continue to apply in the UK throughout the post-Brexit transition period expected to last around two years. Mrs May has already made clear that she intends to push back against the blocs demands that EU citizens who come to the UK during the transition should enjoy the same rights as those who come before Britain leaves the EU on March 29 2019. Looking forward to catching up w/ @DavidDavisMP on Monday to discuss UK's orderly withdrawal, and meet w/ @EBA_News on #Brexit preparedness of EU financial service providers. Next EU/UK negotiation round starts on Tuesday in Brussels: pic.twitter.com/KMKlsrkQQ6 Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) February 2, 2018 Ministers have complained that the demand goes beyond what was agreed at the December summit but senior EU figures including the European Parliaments Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt insist it is not negotiable. The Government has also come under fire from its own backbenchers for agreeing that any changes to EU law which are passed during the transition will apply in the UK even though Britain will have had no say in the decision-making process. During a testy Commons committee hearing last month, Brexit Secretary Mr Davis was accused by the leading Brexiteer Mr Rees-Mogg of allowing Britain to become a vassal state of the EU a charge he rejected. The meeting in Downing Street will be followed on Tuesday by the first technical discussions by UK and EU officials in Brussels on the transition arrangements intended to ensure businesses and citizens are not faced with a cliff edge break when Britain leaves the bloc. Meanwhile, senior ministers are also preparing for the first discussions on Britains future relationship with the EU by Mrs Mays so-called Brexit war cabinet. Members of the Cabinet Brexit sub-committee will meet on Wednesday and then again on Thursday as they seek to thrash out an agreement on thorny issues such as the customs arrangements with the remaining EU27. Expand Close David Davis and Michel Barnier will discuss transition arrangements after Britain leaves the EU Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp David Davis and Michel Barnier will discuss transition arrangements after Britain leaves the EU The subject is so sensitive that the Prime Minister has previously declined to authorise any formal discussion in the group. Over the weekend, Home Secretary Amber Rudd brushed aside warnings from hardline Brexiteers that Mrs May could face a leadership challenge if she fails to deliver a clean Brexit. Ms Rudd said ministers would not be intimidated and insisted that there was greater agreement around the Cabinet table than MPs sometimes realised. A district judge has urged the parents of a teenager convicted of a terror offence: Dont blame yourselves after the boy broke his bail conditions by getting up to his old activities. Emma Arbuthnot, district judge at Westminster Magistrates Court, made the comments during a youth court hearing after the 16-year-old suspect admitted illegally accessing the internet while awaiting sentence for another terror matter. The boy, who cannot be identified because of his age, previously pleaded guilty to booking a one-way flight to Istanbul with the aim of fighting for a banned organisation in Syria. He appeared before the district judge at the youth court on Monday where he admitted using the internet without adult supervision. The court heard police believed the boy was posting inflammatory comments on the Telegram messaging service he later told investigators he was bored. Addressing the boys family as he was remanded in custody, Ms Arbuthnot said: They must not blame themselves. Look at the time hes been accessing (the internet) theyll have been asleep. This court trusted him, his parents trusted him, I thought we wrapped him up quite carefully. This young man was given conditional bail he breached it hes been up to his old activities. But I have to protect the public and what hes doing is grooming himself. I wont have that on my watch. Defending, David Gottlieb said there were flickers that he would not offend again, his most recent internet use coming days before he pleaded guilty to the original terror offence in January. He said the boys father wasnt able to keep an eye on (his son) 24/7 because he worked during the day. Addressing the family including the father, who appeared to rub his eyes as details of the bail breach were briefly read out in court the district judge repeated: Dont blame yourselves, dont blame yourselves. Prosecuting, Kristel Pous told the court how the youth was not allowed to access the internet without adult supervision, and unless it was for an educational purpose. She said he was arrested at the weekend after police became suspicious, during which he admitted breaching the terms of his bail. Ms Pous said: He said that he had been bored and had been seeking information from a theological perspective. She said the teenager had yet to surrender the password to his Dell laptop, and that he was also being investigated for disseminating terrorist material. The boy will be sentenced for both offences at Birmingham Youth Court on March 26. He will also attend another administrative hearing at the same court on February 26. A man has been arrested over an alleged sexual assault on a woman in a park in Dundee. The incident was reported to have taken place at Orchar Park, Broughty Ferry, during the early hours of Saturday. UPDATE ON ORCHAR PARK INCIDENT Police Scotland can confirm that a 27 year old man has been arrested in connection with a sexual assault which happened on Saturday 2nd Feb in Orchar Park, Broughty Ferry. Enquiries are ongoing at this time. Tayside Police (@TaysidePolice) February 5, 2018 Police Scotland have now arrested a 27-year-old in connection with the alleged attack. Officers said inquiries are continuing. The Queen greets well-wishers as she attends St Peter and Paul Church in West Newton, Norfolk The Queen beamed broadly as she greeted well-wishers at her last Sunday service in Norfolk. Her Majesty attended a morning service at St Peter and Paul Church in West Newton, where she smiled warmly as she was handed flowers by people in the crowd outside. The Queen (91) wore a deep red overcoat with a gold brooch and feathered hat on a sunny yet chilly day as she arrived in her Bentley with Prince Philip (96). Children from Sandringham Group Sunday School performed a play during the service. Afterwards the Queen handed them prizes, including novels by the Belfast-born author of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, CS Lewis. The royal couple have been staying at Sandringham in East Anglia since mid-December, but will be returning to London this week. The 20,000-acre Sandringham royal estate includes a number of churches, and last week the royals attended St Mary Magdalene Church. The Pope and the Turkish president meet in the Vatican (AP) Kurdish and Italian protesters have clashed with police as Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan met the Pope in the Vatican to discuss the status of Jerusalem, human rights and refugees. Officers in riot gear blocked around 150 protesters near Romes Tiber River as Mr Edrogan paid the first Vatican visit by a Turkish head of state in 59 years. One protester suffered a bloody gash on his head in the scuffle. Police said another was detained. President ErdoAan at the Vatican Apostolic Palacehttps://t.co/dOwY0snyLV pic.twitter.com/98Q1m9xvyW Turkish Presidency (@trpresidency) February 5, 2018 Turkey last month launched a military offensive in a Kurdish-held enclave in Syria. The Turkish government said the US-backed Syrian Kurdish militia there is a terrorist organisation and an extension of Kurdish insurgents fighting within Turkey. Both the Turkish and Vatican sides described the private talks as cordial. Francis and Mr Erdogan have made plain their concern over the Trump administrations decision two months ago to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Mr Erdogan, in an interview with Italian daily newspaper La Stampa, said he and the Pope had already spoken by telephone about the Jerusalem issue and said both of them favoured working to maintain the status quo for the city considered holy by three religions. Expand Close Pro-Kurdish demonstrators hold flares during a sit-in near the Vatican in Rome (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Pro-Kurdish demonstrators hold flares during a sit-in near the Vatican in Rome (AP) In a brief statement, the Holy See said Francis and Mr Erdogan discussed the Middle East with particular reference to the status of Jerusalem, highlighting the need to promote peace and stability in the region through dialogue and negotiation, with respect for human rights and international law. The pope and Erdogan previously met in Turkey in 2014. The Vatican communique issued on Monday made no mention of the widespread international criticism of Turkeys human rights record, including the arrests and firings of tens of thousands of Turkish citizens after a failed coup in 2016. The Vatican said Mr Erdogan and Francis also discussed Turkeys reception of the many refugees and the challenges linked to this. Turkey agreed to try to hold back the flood of refugees trying to reach Europe as part of a three billion euro deal with the European Union. The state-run Anadolu Agency said Mr Erdogan and Francis also expressed the need to avoid provocative statements that link Islam with terrorism. Referring to Jerusalem in December, Francis emphasised that the city is sacred to followers of Christianity, Judaism and Islam and prayed that no new elements of tension would be added to a world already suffering many conflicts. Maldives soldiers on the streets of Male (AP/ Mohamed Sharuhaan) Soldiers have forced their way into the Maldives Supreme Court building where judges are believed to be taking shelter, according to an opposition member of parliament. Ahmed Maloof said the soldiers went in hours after the government declared a 15-day state of emergency. Officials said the emergency decree gives the government sweeping powers to make arrests, search and seize property and restrict freedom of assembly. Expand Close Opposition supporters want the government to obey a Supreme Court order (AP/ Mohamed Sharuhaan) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Opposition supporters want the government to obey a Supreme Court order (AP/ Mohamed Sharuhaan) A surprise Supreme Court ruling last week ordering the release of imprisoned opposition leaders has led to growing turmoil. President Yameen Abdul Gayoom lashed out at the court, opposition protests spilled into the streets of the capital Male, and soldiers in riot gear deployed to the parliament building to stop legislators from meeting. The government did not immediately comment on soldiers going inside the building. The presidents main rival urged people not to obey what he called an unlawful order. This declaration is unconstitutional and illegal, former president Mohamed Nasheed, the countrys first democratically elected leader, said in a statement. Mr Nasheed, who lives in exile, was one of the opposition leaders that the court ordered freed. Statements made today by AG Anil, CDF Shiyam and Acting CP Nawaz, to disobey SC orders is tantamount to a coup. They, and President Yameen must resign immediately. Security services must uphold the constitution and serve the Maldivian people. Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) February 4, 2018 In a statement issued after the state of emergency was announced on state television, Mr Yameen said that during this time though certain rights will be restricted, general movements, services and businesses will not be affected. In a letter to the court released by his office earlier on Monday, he said the order had encroached on the powers of the state and was an infringement of national security and public interest. He urged the court to review the concerns of the government. Officials say the court has not properly responded to a series of letters citing problems with implementing the order, including that the cases against the political prisoners are at different legal stages. A Supreme Court statement on Sunday said there are no obstacles in implementing the ruling and that this has been informed to the Prosecutor Generals office. The Supreme Court ruled that the politicians guilty verdicts had been politically influenced. The ruling has led to protests by opposition supporters urging the government to obey the order. Clashes have erupted between police and the opposition supporters. Soldiers have occupied the parliament building to stop legislators from entering. The United Nations and several foreign governments, including the United States, have urged the Maldives to respect the court order. Mr Nasheed has been living in exile in Britain since 2016 after being given asylum when he travelled there on medical leave from prison. In addition to ordering the release of the political prisoners, the court also reinstated 12 legislators who had been ousted for switching allegiance to the opposition. When those legislators return, Mr Yameens Progressive Party of the Maldives will lose its majority in the 85-member parliament, which could result in the legislative body functioning as a rival power to the president. Known for its luxury tourist resorts, the Maldives became a multi-party democracy 10 years ago after decades of autocratic rule by the current presidents half-brother, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. But the nation lost much of its democratic gains after Mr Yameen, who has maintained a tight grip on power, was elected in 2013. He had been set to run for re-election this year virtually unopposed, with all of his opponents either jailed or exiled. On Friday, Mr Nasheed said he would mount a fresh challenge for the presidency this year. Mr Nasheed was sentenced to 13 years in prison after he was convicted under the Maldives anti-terror laws. The trial was widely condemned by international rights groups. Declan Kearney MLA claimed the IRA and Sinn Fein were behind the 1960s civil rights drive The Polish Government is trying to legislate away the ugly truth that although many Poles fought heroically against the Nazis, others collaborated. Understandably angry when outsiders refer to Polish rather than German concentration camps, they want to hide the anti-Semitism that manifested itself in the mass murder of Jews in 1941 in more than 200 cities and small towns. Warsaw is now introducing a law to criminalise anyone accusing Poles of being complicit in the Holocaust. Being one of those people who ignores instructions not to mention the war, I've had many conversations with Germans about the horrors of the Nazi period. Maybe I've been lucky, but I've always been struck by their courage in facing up to their past without self-delusion or equivocation. On the other hand, until the 1990s - when a brave politician acknowledged the crimes of many Austrian citizens - Austria, which had ecstatically welcomed Austrian Adolf Hitler's annexation of the country in 1938, tried to portray itself as "Hitler's first victim" despite enthusiastic participation in the murder of hundreds of thousands of Jews. Closer to home, I've always found the English prone to guilty breast-beating about imperial crimes, but it's only now, since the Republic of Ireland grew up, that it has begun to look self-critically at a past in which Irish were perpetrators as well as victims. The centenary commemorations of 1916 acknowledged all those killed, including those murdered in the service of the State. And now public discussions about discrimination against southern Protestants and sectarian murders - particularly in Cork - are being welcomed by all but the most bitter republicans. In Northern Ireland unionists have been far more inclined to examine their own record critically than have nationalists. I've often discussed bigotry with Ulster Protestants and I've met few who claimed to be free of it. Almost all Ulster Catholics, however, even those who retrospectively cheer the murder of Protestant neighbours, insist that bigotry is a uniquely Protestant failing. In the culture war republicans demonstrate their loathing and contempt for the beliefs, loyalties and values of unionists while carefully affecting deliberately non-sectarian rhetoric. It was disquieting how many of the green persuasion went bonkers when David Trimble spoke at the Nobel ceremony of the "dark sludge of historical sectarianism" which both communities had created and must leave behind. He was given no credit whatsoever for a thoughtful analysis of where unionism had gone wrong. How dare he suggest there were two of them in it! Sinn Fein is not simply forgetting its own crimes and those of the IRA; it is shamelessly making up the history that suits it. The ludicrous exaggeration of discrimination extends to equating it with apartheid. The demonization of police and soldiers has been rampant, with wild allegations of collusion being the corrupt currency. But additionally it seeks to airbrush out non-violent nationalist achievements. Not content with dissembling to visitors to Derry about the republican role in the civil rights movement, in a blog last week Declan Kearney MLA - the canary Sinn Fein sends out to see if an idea will run - claimed the civil rights movement in the late Sixties was spearheaded by "the strategic decision of the IRA and Sinn Fein leaderships at that time" to demand reform. This and other gross perversions were rightly described by Brid Rodgers of the SDLP as "outrageous and quite simply untrue". "A peaceful mass movement," she pointed out, had been the catalyst for political advances, but tragically John Hume's exhortation to "spill sweat for Ireland and not blood" was ignored by the Provos. What was "the intention at the heart of these distortions of history?" she asked. Was "Sinn Fein so ashamed of its own past that it has to rewrite it?" Commenting on Mary Lou McDonald's recent celebration of a terrorist who blew himself up, ex-prison governor Ian Acheson wrote a brilliant assessment on Facebook. "They are prisoners of their own past, celebrating an organisation which deprived so many of their neighbours of a future. "Desperate rewriting of history produces ever diminishing returns. The squalid past and their part in it remains chained to them." The truth will always out. Like Austrians and Poles, someday republicans will have to face that. A woman with a drink problem told neighbours she was collecting wine for charity hampers - and then drank it herself. South Belfast woman Diane Lamont has been spared jail over offences which her lawyer described as "impulsive and unsophisticated frauds". Lamont, from Danesfort in the affluent Malone area, admitted two counts of fraud by false representation on November 6 and December 4 last year. A prosecuting lawyer told Newtownards Magistrates' Court on Friday how in one incident, Lamont (51) claimed she was collecting wine for a Marie Curie cancer charity hamper. In the other incident she claimed to be collecting wine for her son's school Christmas hamper. The lawyer said that in the first incident, Lamont was drunk and wearing pyjamas which raised suspicions. The neighbour called the police and they arrested Lamont who made full admissions at interview. When the second incident was reported to police a few weeks later, the description lead police to arrest Lamont for a second time and she again made full confessions. Judge Mark Hamill asked if she had actually managed to get any wine. Lamont's solicitor confirmed she had in the Marie Curie cancer incident but had drunk it. He told the court that since her first court appearance, Lamont "hadn't had a drink...she's on the wagon." Imposing the 12 month probation order, during which time Lamont must undergo an alcoholic counselling programme, Judge Hamill said it was clearly a case of "an alcoholic desperate for drink." The judge said there was truth in the saying of "someone needing help more than punishment." Bombs and artillery did not spare this mosque in Lumbac Madaya, a village in Marawi city, Oct. 26, 2017. Four months have passed since the guns fell silent and the siege of the southern Philippine city of Marawi by pro-Islamic State (IS) militants ended. But popular disenchantment with President Rodrigo Dutertes government could turn into more active support for extremists in the south because of a string of missteps by him. The five-month battle in Marawi led to the deaths of more than 1,100 people, mostly militants, and displaced over 200,000 civilians. The siege was an enormous setback for the Philippine government and its security forces. Not only were militants able to procure, stockpile and infiltrate more than 500 fighters and weapons into the city, the militarys random shelling also left much of the city in ruins. Although many of the militants leaders, including the Maute brothers and Abu Sayyafs Isnilon Hapilon, were killed, several senior leaders apparently escaped and have begun recruiting anew. Using funds looted from banks during the siege, the militants are reportedly actively recruiting, paying families large sums for their sons. One local press account cited a family that was paid 15,000 pesos (about U.S. $300), more than the average annual income in the region, for their 11-year-old son. The tide of public opinion toward the government was already low. Angry at the mishandling of the war, the five months it took to defeat the militants, the extension of martial law and the squalor of life in temporary shelters, the displaced residents were anxious to return what little was left of their homes. The government has done a very poor job at managing expectations. The recent announcement that reconstruction would take up to four years infuriated locals. This alone would be a challenge for any government. But the Duterte government has made a number of errors in the past three months, which compounded the situation. In the aftermath of Marawi, President Duterte pledged to make the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) a legislative priority. Indeed, in January the Senate held an inspection tour and meetings with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), where lawmakers assured them passage of the BBL. The Senate does seem to understand the urgency of the bill, as MILF continues to lose disaffected members to more radical groups. But the real problem is in the House of Representatives, whose members are more parochial, and where empathy for the Moros appear weaker. And a critical issue is whether Congress will pass the BBL that the Bangsamoro Transition Committee submitted or continue to water down key provisions of the bill. Stoking the fire An added problem is that Duterte remains focused on his primary legislative goal, a constitutional amendment to create a federal system. Although he promised MILF that the BBL would come first, the president is aware that he only has so much political capital. Duterte seemed to undermine his own pledge in mid-December, when he publicly questioned the constitutionality of the BBL. I do not think that it will hurdle constitutional binabasa ko paulit-ulit (I keep reading it repeatedly) the constitutional barriers. MILF wants territory. If you do that, it does not fit in the rule of [the] Constitution, you have to amend the Constitution, he said. More recently, he has made the case that federalism has to come first to ensure the constitutionality of the BBL, but that argument could be spurious. The BBL either the 2014 version or the current watered down iteration has never been challenged in court. But Dutertes move has angered the MILF. And many MILF revival organizations can point to it as evidence of the Philippine governments continued duplicity in its commitment to Moro autonomy. Dutertes push for federalism threw an unexpected wrench into the works. Duterte ally Aquilino Pimentel Jr., a former president of the Philippine Senate, publicly asserted that any devolved federal system should include the Malaysian state of Sabah as the 13th Federal State. This is something that the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), in particular Duterte ally Nur Misuari, will seize upon. While it does not seem a major issue, the MNLF, dominated by ethnic Tausugs in the Sulu archipelago, claims Sabah. MILF, which receives key support from Malaysia, does not. This is yet another wedge in issues between the rival organizations, when a common position on the peace process is more important than ever. Furthermore, the claim to Sabah, which Duterte himself has made, was quickly rebuffed by the Malaysian government, arguing that the matter was resolved in the 1963 referendum, and was therefore a moot point. More to the point, Malaysia warned that the Philippines risked undermining the close cooperation in regional security should it revive its dormant claim. Malaysia sponsors the peace process with the MILF, leads the peace monitoring mission, and is a key partner in the maritime trilateral policing agreement with the Philippines and Indonesia. The Armed Forces of the Philippines has further raised hackles by stating its intention to build a military base in the middle of Marawi to deter another attack by militants. Yet, Marawi is already part of the existing Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). (Passage of the BBL would supplant the ARMM with the Bangsamoro). While the military is allowed to have bases within the ARMM or Bangsamoro, it certainly violates the spirit of the agreement. The Moro are supposed to be responsible for their own security. And one of their core grievances is that they already feel like they are under Philippine occupation. Beyond bad optics, construction of a military base will divert resources, funding and manpower away from urban reconstruction, which should be the governments top priority. Facing other security issues Finally, there has been a spate of violence across Mindanao, Basilan and Sulu that serves to remind just how many security challenges the government faces. In early January, security forces were ambushed by militants from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), which broke away from the MILF in 2008. The two-day battle left one soldier dead. BIFF members launched several attacks using improvised explosive devices (IEDs), including a botched one in December that left 16 civilians wounded. On Jan. 19, the Philippine military engaged the regrouped Maute forces in their first battles since Marawi; leaving 8 soldiers wounded. In a number of small operations, the Mautes have shown that they have quickly reconstituted. And in the past week, the Abu Sayyaf have killed four civilians. Despite the military's claims of more defections, the Abu Sayyaf has shown proof that it is able to attack at will. The reality is there remains too much ungoverned space in the southern Philippines. And a small but steady stream of foreign militants continues to exploit that, helping the alphabet soup of local militant groups to regroup and forge tactical alliances. Zachary Abuza is a professor at the National War College in Washington and the author of Forging Peace in Southeast Asia: Insurgencies, Peace Processes, and Reconciliation. The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect the position of the U.S. Department of Defense, the National War College or BenarNews. Malaysian authorities on Monday said they recovered explosives, guns, ammunition and a small amount of methamphetamine during weekend raids in northern Kelantan state that led to the arrests of six Thai nationals. The suspects, between the ages of 19 and 55, are all related and include two married couples from Thailands insurgency-stricken Deep South, according to police. The six were arrested following two raids Saturday morning raids on houses in Ketereh, a town along Kelantans border with the Deep South. Investigations revealed that the bomb was not related to Daesh and we believe that they wanted to use the explosive for their protection (from authorities), state police Chief Hasanuddin Hassan said, using a different term for the extremist group Islamic State. We also believe the guns were used by the suspects for protection as they were involved in drug trafficking. All six had entered Malaysia illegally and began renting the houses in the middle of last year, Hasanuddin said. The suspects are under remand until Feb. 10. A team from the state police narcotics department raided the first house around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, arresting a married couple, ages 23 and 19, and a man, 39. Police recovered three pistols and explosive components including an electronic circuit board, batteries, sulphur and firecrackers, along with methamphetamine valued at 150 ringgit (U.S. $38.50). Kelantan state polices bomb disposal unit was deployed to inspect the home-made explosive device, Hasanuddin said. The second raid occurred about 4:40 a.m. and led to the arrests of another couple and a woman between the ages of 31 and 55. Police recovered a fourth gun, 164 rounds of ammunition, methamphetamine valued at 100 ringgit ($25.70) and bomb-making components, according to Hasanuddin. We believe the seized items were smuggled through an illegal base at the Malaysia-Thailand border in Kelantan, he said. Police: Suspects rented handguns to others Police believe the handguns were smuggled into Malaysia after the suspects bought them for between 5,000 ringgit ($1,283) and 6,000 ringgit ($1,539) each, Hasanuddin said. We believe they also rented their handguns to locals, but we are still investigating whether they had been used in drug or other criminal activities, he said. A security official in the Thai Deep South said the six had stayed in Kelantan illegally for nearly a year and the handguns likely were purchased and brought across the border through Sungai Kolok town to Kelantan. The Malaysia-Thai border that runs through Kelantan and the neighboring northern states of Perlis, Kedah and Perak is infamous for smuggling activities involving drugs and weapons. The Deep South has seen nearly 7,000 people many of them civilians killed in violence between Muslim and Malay-speaking separatists and the government since 2004. Since 2015, Thailands military-controlled government has held exploratory talks with MARA Patani, a panel that claims to represent all rebel groups in the region. But those negotiations, facilitated by Malaysia, have failed to produce a limited ceasefire seen as a crucial first step in settling the conflict. Thomas Triomphe, Asia Pacific director of Sanofi Pasteur, gestures during a Philippine congressional inquiry in Manila regarding a dengue vaccine made by the French pharmaceutical firm, Feb. 5, 2018. A French pharmaceutical firm Monday rejected a Philippine government demand to fully refund about 3.2 billion pesos (U.S. $62 million) paid for a dengue vaccine found to be potentially hazardous and that health officials said could be linked to the deaths of three schoolchildren. Sanofi Pasteur had already reimbursed Manila for unused doses of Dengvaxia in its inventory amounting to about 1.4 billion pesos ($27 million), or less than half of what the government had spent on the vaccine, Thomas Triomphe, the pharma giants Asia Pacific director, told a Philippine congressional inquiry. He said the buyback was meant to show Sanofis commitment to the Philippines, the first country in Asia to approve the use of Dengvaxia against the mosquito-borne disease that infects about 200,000 Filipinos every year. I would like to stress that this has nothing to do with the safety and quality concern of the product, which there is none, Triomphe told lawmakers. Triomphe acknowledged replying to a demand letter from Philippine Health Secretary Francisco Duque on Monday morning. With all due respect, we decided to refuse the proposal of the secretary of health to actually reimburse the used doses, he said. Doing so would imply that the product is ineffective, Triomphe said, emphasizing that the drug was safe for public use. We stand, as previously mentioned, behind the efficacy and safety of the product and that is why we are not reimbursing the already-used doses, he said. In addition, we do believe that doing so will create confusion in the minds of the population where the parents of the kids who have been immunized completely [will have] the wrong impression of the efficacy of the product. So we decline this request, your honor, he told the congressional inquiry. Deaths linked to Dengvaxia use Triomphe testified a few days after the Department of Health released a study to examine possible links in 14 deaths to the use of Dengvaxia. Between March 2016 and October 2017, 830,000 primary students in the Philippines received doses of the vaccine as part of a nationwide school-based anti-dengue immunization drive. Three cases showed a causal association, meaning that their deaths could be linked to Dengvaxia, the study found. Of the other 11 cases, three showed inconsistent causal association to immunization, two others were unclassifiable because of a lack of given information. Six others showed inconclusive results and further tests were needed. The children died due to dengue despite being vaccinated with Dengvaxia two of which may be on account of vaccine failure, the health department said, although it said further tissue samples were needed for testing to complete its investigation. Soon before the Philippines suspended its Dengvaxia program in December, Sanofi issued an advisory warning that the drug could carry health risks for people who had no history of prior infection with dengue. The DOH (Department of Health) recognizes that these issues continue to cause fear and confusion especially to our parents whose children were given Dengvaxia, the department said. It said the results showed that Dengvaxia was not fit for a mass immunization program that does not screen for prior dengue infection. The results have been handed over to the Justice Department as it continues post-mortem studies while investigating several health officials who allegedly worked with Sanofi Pasteur to roll out the vaccine. Sanofi, as well as ex-president Benigno Aquino III, who appeared earlier at the congressional probe, denied allegations of corruption involved in purchasing the drug. While the case-fatality rate of those infected with the disease remains low, the health department said it acknowledged that the many parents had been spooked from voluntarily receiving free vaccinations for their children from the government. Experts warn that this could reverse earlier gains in combating common diseases, such as flu. Indemnity Anthony Leachon, an independent director of the government medical insurance body, PhilHealth, said Sanofi must be held accountable. They should be made to pay, Leachon said. If they will not pay, I suggest that government blacklists them and sends them home to France for good. Meanwhile, many mothers, especially those whose children go to public schools, now doubt the governments health programs. That repercussion is not surprising, said Julie Caguiat, whose group, the Coalition for Peoples Right to Health has been closely observing the case. The government needs to be truthful in its probe because the publics trust would not be regained if it does not make those responsible accountable for their mistakes. President Rodrigo Duterte has refused to criticize Aquino, his predecessor and a critic of his government. He had said that if he were in Aquinos shoes, he may have also allowed Dengvaxias release because studies at that time showed it was effective. On Monday, Duterte spokesman Harry Roque said government physicians were under instructions to continue with their independent autopsies because it was necessary to establish the truth. He also warned Sanofi that the government investigation was ongoing and the results would be forwarded to the justice department. They must be dreaming if they think theyre off the hook, Roque said of the Sanofi officials. Let us not make any conclusion either way. No one is responsible and yet, no one is off the hook at this stage. Dream on, Sanofi, he said. By Marie Dunn-Harris '95 For the fourth year in a row, a Bowling Green State University graduate has been the recipient of the Ohio Music Education Associations (OMEA) Young Music Educator of the Year award. The award was created four years ago to recognize and honor OMEA members for excellence in music education who have been teaching between three to eight years. Each year since its creation, a BGSU graduate has won. This years award goes to Ryan Hurd 14."Ryan is a dynamic teaching professional and Im fortunate to observe his spirited pursuit of music excellence." I really appreciate that theyd think that much of me. It means the world to me that people think that Im OK at what I do, Hurd said. Hurds mentor Kathleen McGrady 81, who is now the president-elect of the Ohio Music Education Association and recipient of the 2014 OMEA Educator of the Year, expressed admiration for Hurd in her nomination letter. I truly believe he exemplifies the ideals of what it means to be an outstanding music educator, she said. He is an example of what we in the music education profession want to aspire in our young educators. Hurd is in his fourth year as associate director of bands at Jackson Middle School, located in Jackson County in southeast Ohio. Mark Broermann, principal of Jackson Middle School, was one of six people who nominated Hurd for the award. In his nomination letter, Broermann wrote, not only does Mr. Hurd excel at making music personally, he is able to lead more than 200 middle school students through lessons, practices, and performances that are always dynamic. Hurd takes pride in his work, and it shows. Since joining the staff, Jackson Middle School Bands has grown by 35 percent. Hes known to spend hours mentoring students so that they continue their music education in high school. His students have even nicknamed him Band Dad. Ryan makes exceptional efforts to connect with students and establish outstanding rapport, said Aaron Rex, Jackson director of bands. He develops a nurturing culture and environment for students that drives them to push each other to succeed. Outside of the classroom, Hurd is very involved in his community, participating in the Jackson Community Band, volunteering at the Markay Theatre and the Southern Hills Arts Council. Ryan is a dynamic teaching professional and Im fortunate to observe his spirited pursuit of music excellence, said John Lewis, president of the Southern Hills Arts Council. While at BGSU, Hurd credits his passion for music to his professors, who mentored him throughout his time here as a student. My saxophone professor guided me in playing my instrument and the artistry of being a musician, Hurd said. Many of the techniques that I use with my students are the same ones used to teach me. Hurd mentors his students the way he was taught because he understands how important it is to help them succeed. I went into music education with the focus that I can make at least a small difference in someones life, he said. Thats all I wanted. He gives this advice to current students who are hoping to follow the same career path: Every single opportunity thats presented to you, whether its a gig that youre playing or a private student youre teaching one-on-one, or a job through a school, take that opportunity and run with it because you never know what its going to turn into. Hurd will be presented with the award Friday, Feb. 9 at the OMEA Professional Conference in Columbus. The Indo UK Institute of Health (IUIH) Medicity Programme was announced as a Joint Statement between the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron in 2015. One of the largest public-private partnership (PPP) healthcare infrastructure projects in the world, Indo UK Institute of Health (IUIH) plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Assam for setting up an integrated IUIH Medicity in the state. The Indo UK Institute of Health (IUIH) Medicity Programme was announced as a Joint Statement between the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron in 2015.The programme involves an investment of Rs 17600 crores into Indian healthcare aimed at benefitting over 400 million Indians by opening 11 institutes across India in partnership with the world's best healthcare system - the National Health Service (NHS), UK. Each IUIH Medicity, including the one to come up in Assam, shall be developed with an investment outlay of Rs 1600 crores and have a 1000 bed hospital in association with one of UK's leading NHS hospital. The IUIH Medicity in Assam shall also have medical college, nursing college, PG academy and a training facility for allied health professionals. IUIH has tied up with leading implant companies like Stryker, Medtronics, Zimmer Biomet, Johnson & Johnson; and leading medical equipment companies like Toshiba, GE healthcare, Philips, Canon etc. Many of them would start their manufacturing operations in IUIH Medicities in accordance with Prime Minister Modi's 'Make in India' program bringing the healthcare cost further down for patients in India. Besides Assam, the other 11 states to benefit from the IUIH programme include Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana. The park is proposed in 350 acres with an investment of Rs.3,035 crore. The promoters promise direct employment for 12,000 and indirect jobs for 17,500. A world-class cancer research park is soon to be developed in Visakhapatnam. A high-level team from America-based Elixsys and noted companies in cancer care will be visiting the city to explore the project further. Named Vyas Cancer Park (VCR), it is aimed at making the park a prominent hub for cancer research. The aim of the project is to create a comprehensive life science ecosystem that specialises in bringing together various stakeholders from around the world to undertake research in the VCR Park. The park is proposed in 350 acres with an investment of Rs.3,035 crore. The promoters promise direct employment for 12,000 and indirect jobs for 17,500. The promoters of the project, experts from all over the world, and State government officials, along with Ministers, will be attending a conference being held in Visakhapatnam on February 17 and 18 to discuss about cancer research and progress with regard to establishing the park. The primary objective of the conference is to create alignment between the leadership in industry, academia, clinical care, start-ups, and government, and design innovative initiatives to improve clinical outcomes for cancer patients. The forum will provide a unique opportunity for all the delegates to showcase their expertise and participate in creative problem solving. Deepika Padukone Turns Royally Bengali For Sabyasachi's Updated Creation For Nilaaya Bollywood Wardrobe Dona Deepika Padukone's ROYAL look in latest Photoshoot for Sabyasachi; Watch | Boldsky There is no matter of doubt when it concerns Sabyasachi Mukherjee's designs. Apart from his fashion creations, he is an expert interior designer too and for his interior collection for Asian Paints' Nilaaya, he created some new designs and that too reflects India's true essence. Actress Deepika Padukone has always been Sabya's favourite model and once again for Nilaaya, Deepika modelled with sheer elegance. The Bong Emperess One who is fond of Bengal's history might find a sheer resemblance of Deepika, in this look with any royal or 'bonedi' family's women. Deepika wore a beige Sabyasachi saree with emerald choker and a typical bong lady makeup and hairdo. She is posing in front of the floral 'Guldasta' background created by the designer. The Elegant Stance This look too resembles a Bengali woman, decked up in a glossy red Benarasi saree, hand-painted by the Sabyasachi Art Foundation. Deepika matched classy jewellery along with the look. She did not miss the tiny touch of a bindi too. Keeping a sheer 'Bengal Red' background with motifs of flora and fauna inspired by the tree of life. The Zamindari Look The royal families in Bengal had such a style book for their women and Deepika got into the image flawlessly. She wore a peach Benarasi saree which had golden zari embroidery and motif prints on its body. The blouse was also matching which had zari floral embroidery one its sleeves and the rest of the body. The Mix-n-match Jewellery The kundan jewellery including the gorgeous necklace and the touch of Rajasthan art with the Borla made her look prettier than ever. Deepika also accessorized the Bengali signature red bindi and the low-bun hairdo. The North Calcutta Reflection Sabyasachi's 'Bangali' side comes out in his creations including the antique interior designs. The mossy and floral designed walls, the antique painting and furnitures, each of these elements reflect the North Calcutta impression. By Padraig Hoare The Government must be ready to pump in much more investment to help build transport and other public infrastructure in Cork, because it is set to be the fastest growing region over the next two decades. That was the message of Cork Chamber president Bill OConnell to an audience of 1,000 business and political figures at the organisations annual dinner last Friday night in Cork City Hall. The Company of the Year Awards, of which the Irish Examiner is a media partner, voted Boston Scientific Cork as the overall winner, while Teamwork.com took home the award for the best company in the large company category. This years Cork Emerging Company of the Year award was given to EviView, while the title of Cork SME Company of the Year was won by Spearline. Blackpool-based Teamwork.com was started 10 years ago by two college friends Peter Coppinger and Dan Mackey. It is leading the way for SaaS, which is a software distribution model where a third-party provider hosts applications and makes the services available to customers over the internet. Disney, PayPal and eBay are among the companies who used Teamwork.com last year. Over the last four years, the company has posted annual growth rates of 40%. It plans to have as many as 400 people working for the company by 2020. Winners of Cork Large Company Daniel Mackey and Peter Coppinger from Teamwork.com. Pic: Darragh Kane Spearline, which was founded in 2003 by university friends Kevin Buckley and Matthew Lawlor, has become a global leader in toll and toll-free number testing. Its home base has helped cement Skibbereens burgeoning reputation as an IT centre. Its clients include Google, Airbnb, Skype, Microsoft, as well as Amazon. EviView was established in 2015. It provides smart analytics software for pharmaceutical firms. In its third year, EviView aims to expand further in Ireland and to launch in Poland and the US. The winners of the awards, which were run in association with Vodafone Ireland, were lauded by the Cork Chamber president. On the potential for growth in Cork, Mr OConnell said: Cork Chamber calls for commitment by Government to invest in Corks public transport needs, a rapid-transit system to enable our city region [and] high-speed rail connecting Cork and Dublin. "We call for recognition of Corks Docklands as a national strategic asset, a space where people will enact Governments vision of living and working in a vibrant, high-density city. By Ann O'Loughlin An application is to be made to re-enter in the Commercial Court a dispute over alleged breaches of agreements to clear contaminated materials from the former Irish Steel plant site in Cork. However, the application by Louis J O'Regan Ltd, Staffordshire, England, is being opposed by Hammond Lane Metal Co Ltd which says re-entering is impermissible under law because the case was settled in the Commercial Court over seven years ago. That case concerned Louis J O'Regan's action seeking some 114m damages against three companies over an alleged breach of contracts relating to the clean-up operation at the Haulbowline Island site. The case was against CTO Greenclean Environmental Solutions Ltd, with an address at Sarsfield Road, Wilton, Co Cork; Hammond Lane Metal Company, Pigeon House Road, Dublin and Eastwood Ltd, Herbert Street, Dublin. In October 2010, following a six-day hearing, the action was settled on terms including a judgment for almost 600,000 against CTO Greenclean. Today, Mr Justice Brian McGovern was told Louis J O'Regan was seeking to re-enter the case. Counsel for Hammond Lane said they would be opposing the matter on grounds it was impermissible due to the case having been settled previously and on grounds that scandalous allegations were being made against his client's solicitors. Mr Justice McGovern, who was told lawyers for Eastwood Ltd would be applying to cease representing the company, adjourned the matter for three weeks so that papers can be served on all parties. In its original proceedings, Louis J O'Regan had alleged breaches of a purported partnership agreement and written contracts of August 2007 reached between the sides for the clearance of the contaminated materials from the Haulbowline site. Irelands only steelworks operated at the Haulbowline site from 1939 until its closure in 2001. The clean-up of some 650,000 cubic metres of waste from steel production was initially expected to cost some 30m. But when the real level of contamination was discovered in 2008, it was estimated to cost multiples of that figure with the result the government terminated the entire contract. The main clean-up contract had been given to Hammond Lane Metal Company which sub-contracted some of the work to CTO which was later wound up. By John Whelan The most lucrative jobs in Ireland are held in the rapidly growing aviation leasing industry, where pay has soared by almost 275% in 10 years, according to official figures. With the CSO figures showing the average annual pay was 165,000 at the end of 2016, recruitment firms say pay climbed by a further 25% last year. However, corporation tax paid by aircraft leasing firms has been at relatively low levels. The industry paid only a 6% tax rate on its 2016 profits, well below the 15% rate paid as recently as 2009. Pay has increased by an average 22% a year in the last 10 years, based on the CSO figures. The high salaries are being driven by the specialist skills required to execute long-term lease contracts for aircraft valued at between 76m for the Boeing 737 plane flown by Ryanair, to the 205m Airbus A330s used by Aer Lingus for its transatlantic flights. Salaries have also been driven by the continued expansion of the aircraft leasing business both in Ireland and internationally. There are now 1,482 people employed in the leasing industry here, three times the number working back in 2007, and most of the people in the industry are Irish nationals. Many of the top positions are held by ex-Guinness Peat Aviation executives, who learned their trade under its founder, Tony Ryan, the founder of GPA. However, the industrys high wages has attracted the best financial brains from Aer Lingus and Ryanair as well as further afield, according to experts. Two-thirds of sales are generated from leases sold to airlines outside Europe and in China, which now accounts for a 14% share, as well as Russia with 6% of all sales. Aircraft leasing to the US, the largest market, is mainly handled by US leasing corporations located there. The revenue generated across the Irish leasing industry in 2016 was 14.3bn, yielding a healthy 21% net profit of 3bn. Tax as a percentage of profits has followed a downward trend and will likely be a worry for the Revenue Commissioners, coming soon after the challenges Ireland has faced from the EU in recent years over the low corporation tax deals in other industries. The most lucrative jobs in Ireland are held in the rapidly growing aviation leasing industry, where pay has soared by almost 275% in 10 years, according to official figures. 1. Yes. COVID-19 can only be stopped through vaccinations. A mandate is needed. 2. Yes. This is a major step, but were facing a national emergency. It is a justifiable move. 3. No. The government is right to promote vaccinations, but not to require them. 4. No. This is government overreach and legally questionable. A mandate is wrong. 5. Unsure. Its in the publics interest, but mandates infringe on individuals rights. Vote View Results By Ruth Doris In healthcare, virtual consultations are now commonplace. In Ireland, all of the major health insurers offer a GP video consultation service, while in the UK the NHS has adopted a virtual doctor app. A new Irish platform is aiming to make virtual consultations possible across a wide range of areas, from the comfort of your home using an internet connection and a laptop. Expertise Direct, set up by brothers, Timothy, Kevin and David Woods and their father Brendan, wants the platform to become a one-stop-shop for expert advice. They describe the concept as the Amazon of expertise. The idea came from an experience Timothy Woods had when he had travelled with his father about 160km for a 15-minute business meeting in a storm. They got a flat tyre. It was an absolute nightmare. We said this is just not ideal, why cant we have a more efficient system, he says. Travelling is redundant now; surely we could have just done this [meeting] online, he asked. We decided that wed like to create a platform that allowed you to connect with the world of expertise from the comfort of your couch. With no more expensive time and travel costs. Thats essentially the idea, he says. The company, which is privately funded, started out covering areas such as medical, business and finance and health and fitness. The platform has since expanded to 16 areas, including psychology, interior design, and private investigation. Experts register and fill out their profiles on the site, including details of their education and employment history. They can also include a link to their website or LinkedIn profile. Users looking for advice can come onto the platform, choose an expert in their desired category from anywhere in the world, send the expert a message and book a video consultation, which is secure and in high definition. Mr Woods, who is in the final year of a degree in Business and Law in UCD, gives an example. Say Im a consumer and I want to log in and find a business advisor, I will go to the business and finance section, I will find the appropriate expert. I will click on their profile, send them a quick message, he says. The client and expert enter a meeting room on the platform and start a video call. The entire transaction is done through the platform, he says. Experts can set their own price, choose their clients and times for the appointment. They can take their traditional business online, use the platform to generate leads or to earn extra income. There is no fee to join and no membership costs. When a consumer books a consultation, the platform takes 10% commission of the fee after the call with the client. Mr Woods says that pricing depends on the service provided with psychologists charging up to 160 an hour, whereas, in the education category, where some of the experts are university students offering grinds, the rate would be much lower. The founders say that users of the platform are no longer restricted by their geographical location from accessing the expert advice that they need. Existing platforms such as Upwork have similarities to Expertise Direct, Mr Woods agrees. However, while Upwork provides a database for freelancers to list their services, Expertise Direct is more business to customer focused. It also opens up a list of categories that Upwork wouldnt offer, like psychotherapist and animal welfare. Since its launch last month, Expertise Direct has signed up 220 experts from over 26 countries, including Ireland, the UK, US, Russia, and Germany. Another 200 experts are registered with their profiles going live in the coming weeks. The priority is to continue to develop the platform with a target of 1,000 experts over the next six months, Mr Woods says. The end goal is to become a centralised go-to platform for expertise globally, to become the Amazon of expertise, he says. By Ann O'Loughlin A 12m arithmetic mistake in a bid to relocate container shipping at one of the country's busiest seaports could hold up the 82m project, it has been claimed in Commercial Court proceedings. Building company BAM Civil Ltd, which won a 46m tendering process for some of the relocation works at Cork port, says it made a "significant mistake" in the computation of its tender. It has told the Port of Cork Company that, after carrying out a review of their 46.3m tender price, they "discovered there was an arithmetical error" and had "omitted approximately 12m" from the price. That consisted of 6% for head office/offsite overheads and 18% for site preliminaries/overheads "such that our tender is not sufficient to construct the project". As a result, Port of Cork Company has brought proceedings against BAM seeking a number of orders, including that it commence permanent and temporary works referred to in the contract, provide tax clearance certificates, evidence of insurance and "performance security" for the project. The contract is part of an 82m plan to move the existing container shipping activity at the city-centre Tivoli location to Ringaskiddy by 2025. It will comprise a 360-metre single berth, a straddle carrier operating system and a new maintenance building for the straddle carriers. Around 160 acres of the Tivoli land is to be redeveloped for residential and mixed-use purposes. The relocation project, says Port of Cork Company is part of the Government's March 2013 National Port's Policy Statement and it has already been awarded significant grant funding by the EU. Port of Cork Company has also signed funding agreements, following approval by the Government, with AIB, the European Investment Bank and the Irish Strategic Investment Fund. John Geoghegan, project director for Port of Cork Company's Ringaskiddy redevelopment, says in an affidavit that Port of Cork Company sent a letter of acceptance of the 46.3m tender offer to BAM on December 20 last. This followed a 13-month tender process. However, Mr Geoghegan says, in various letters since then, BAM has purported to raise questions as to whether a contract was concluded and more recently sought to deny the existence of the contract. It asserted it made a mistake and was "entitled to rescission of any such contract by reason of mistake or alternatively rectification". BAM also stated "no legal relationship or other obligation shall arise" between the parties unless and until the contract had been formally executed in writing. Port of Cork Company says the contract was concluded by reason of the letter of acceptance sent on December 20 last. In subsequent correspondence, BAM asserted, for the first time, that having carried out a review, it discovered the 12m arithmetical error, Mr Geoghegan says. There is a risk that Port of Cork Company will not have sufficient time to complete the redevelopment if BAM does not progress the works in accordance with the timelines in the contract, he says. It may also mean having to re-run the tendering process and re-negotiate financing, he says. On application of Brian O'Moore SC, for Port of Cork Company and with the consent of the defendant, Mr Justice Brian McGovern admitted the case to the fast track commercial list and fixed a date for hearing in July. There have been calls for the development of Ireland's tallest skyscraper in Cork to be scrapped. Those opposing the planned 40-storey building say it will destroy the heritage of the Port of Cork. The site was purchased last year by developers, who plan to put a hotel and office space on the grounds. Green Party's Cork North Central representative Oliver Moran, says the area is of significant historic value. "This was very highly valued land from an amenity point of view that was in State ownership. It was owned by the Port of Cork," he said. He believes the land was sold for "a song". "It was 5m when it was sold off when it represents much more to the people of Cork," he said. Moran's calls come in the wake of a public petition opposing the construction set up by Cobh-based artist John Adams. The petition has garnered over 1,200 signatures and will be presented to Lord Mayor Tony Fitzgerald in the coming weeks. - Digital Desk Alternative mortgages are to be offered to people who find it difficult to get approved by banks. The loans from specialist lender, Pepper Money, are aimed at those who are self-employed, have a poor credit history, refinancers, first-time buyers and buy-to-let. In addition to its existing mortgage products, Pepper Money will now allow people to buy one-bedroom apartments in Dublin. The company also announced that it was expanding its reach to more counties in Ireland. Prospective borrowers will be able to apply for loans up to 1.25m for properties in Dublin. Barry Delaney, Head of Sales and Marketing at Pepper Money said: "Weve identified demand for certain types of products and certain categories of borrowers, such as more flexibility for Irelands self-employed to get a foot on the property ladder and a more relevant equity release model for refinancers. "Weve tried to remain responsive to whats going on in the marketplace and to offer mortgage products that are needed and wanted by Irish mortgage seekers, especially those that fall outside the mainstream loan criteria." David Hall Director of the Irish Mortgage Brokers Association says all buyers need to do their homework. He said: "It's all about competition, it's all about looking at different options, looking at different mortgage rates, looking at what you're on and finding out if there is a better option to fix, a better option for a lower variable rate switch. "The key word here is switch. Look, look, look. The long-term value here in savings can be quite significant. "The more people switch, the more competition will come to the market, the bigger kick in the backside the banks get, the better for all of us." Update 1.11pm: Sinn Fein have demanded that a councillor hands back her seat after she resigned following a row over allegations of bullying and assault. Noeleen Reilly, who serves on Dublin City Council, said she was quitting after the party hierarchy suspended her for six months over a bullying complaint she faced. Ms Reilly, who represents the Ballymun and neighbouring areas, was disciplined by the Sinn Fein national executive at the weekend and then took to social media to claim she suffered an assault. She also said she first complained of being a victim of bullying four years ago. Dessie Ellis, TD in the Dublin North-West constituency, was censured by party chiefs for his involvement in the long-running dispute with Ms Reilly and apologised for public comments he made about his former party colleague. After Ms Reilly announced her resignation, party bosses called on her to give up the council seat. "The party is now requesting that she hands the Sinn Fein Dublin City Council seat back to the party. Sinn Fein will not tolerate bullying," the party said in a statement. Sinn Fein said she was told on numerous occasions to report allegations of assault to gardai. Earlier 9.14am: Dublin councillor Noeleen Reilly resigns from Sinn Fein Ballymun councillor Noeleen Reilly has resigned from Sinn Fein. Ms Reilly claims she sought an intervention from Mary Lou McDonald and Gerry Adams over a long-standing dispute between Dublin North-West TD Dessie Ellis. She had been suspended on Saturday by the party for a period of six months on foot of a complaint from another councillor. Mr Ellis has said that he accepted a censure from his party over comments he made about Ms Reilly. Ms Reilly resigned from the party this morning, but will remain as a councillor. "Today I hand in my resignation from Sinn Fein after 17 years a member," she said. "Their decision on Saturday left me with very little choice as I could not remain in the party or allow myself to be treated in this way. "I have been the victim of an orchestrated bullying campaign by a number of people in Dublin Northwest. "I first went to the party in Feb 2014 over this bullying and have consistently done so to try and get it stopped. "Every time I did so it was either ignored or an angle was found to blame me for their treatment. "Unfortunately I was just up against the wrong people and this was never a battle I was going to win. "My treatment included physical assaults, verbal abuse, total isolation, smear campaigns, the list goes. "I was always told to keep these matters internal and I did so for four years hoping that justice would take place as some time. "I will be remaining as a councillor and will continue to work hard for the people of Dublin Northwest. "I want to wish all the good people in Sinn Fein the best in the future and thank you for your support over the years." Sinn Fein has struggled to deal with a series of internal disputes in recent months amid allegations of bullying within the party. Ms McDonald has previously insisted such cases are localised incidents and the party has repeatedly denied there is a culture of bullying in the organisation. Ms McDonald is set to replace Gerry Adams as Sinn Fein president at a special ard fheis next Saturday. - Digital Desk By Tom Tuite Fresh charges have been brought against a director of the former owners of Clerys over the handling of collective redundancies at the iconic department store on Dublins OConnell Street. OCS Operations Ltd petitioned the High Court for liquidation on June 12, 2015. This was followed by the collective redundancies in which 460 people lost jobs; 130 of them were directly employed by Clerys which was later bought by Natrium Ltd. Today, Niamh Tuite, the solicitor acting for the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and the Minister for Enterprise and Innovation, told Dublin District Court that the new charges were against James Brydie, the director of OCS Operations (now in liquidation). Mr Brydie, with an address at Kingsmere Road, London, faces six charges. He is accused of impeding and giving false or misleading information to a WRC inspector as well as four counts of breaking protection of employment laws. Ms Tuite said the case was linked to another prosecution already before the court. She said the accused lived in the UK but that there had been substitute service of the summonses at the office of a law firm in Dublin. Mr Brydie was not present and had no legal representation during the hearing today. Ms Tuite asked Judge John Brennan to adjourn the case to allow him to be notified again and to have a final opportunity to appear before the court. She said that if there was no appearance on the next date her application would then be for the case to go ahead in his absence. Judge John Brennan adjourned the case until April 9 next. Mr Brydie is accused of impeding an inspector and giving false or misleading information to an inspector on May 13, 2015, contrary to the Workplace Relations Act. He is also facing four charges under the Protection of Employment Act in which it is alleged that on June 12, 2015, he failed to initiate consultation with representatives of employees affected by redundancies in OCS Operations Ltd; that he failed to supply employee representatives with relevant information relating to the redundancies; that he failed to notify the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in writing of the collective redundancies, and that he failed to keep records that entitled the Minister to ascertain whether or not there had been compliance with the principles of the Protection of Employment Act. Natrium Ltd is no longer facing any charges in connection with the redundancies. However, proceedings are still pending against Deirdre Foley, Mark Redmond and OCS Operations who have indicated that they would be contesting charges brought against them. Ms Foley, who had a 20% stake in Natrium, faces trial on charges under Protection of Employment Act for failing to initiate consultations with representatives of employees, failing to supply them with all relevant information relating to the redundancies and not notifying the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in writing, on June 12, 2015. Mark Redmond, of Belfry Dale, Citywest Road, Saggart, Co. Dublin is an employee of D2 Private Ltd, a firm owned by Deirdre Foley. He faces the same charges. OCS Operations Ltd has four charges. It operated Clerys Department Store and Warehouse, from 2012 until a liquidator was appointed in June 2015, when it ceased trading. It is facing trial for failing to initiate consultations with representatives of employees affected by the collective redundancies in OCS Operations Ltd, failing to supply employee representatives with all relevant information relating to the redundancies and not notifying the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in writing, on June 12, 2015 the day of the Clerys takeover. It is also accused of failing to keep records as required to ensure compliance the Protection of Employment Act. By Declan Brennan A garda superintendent has stated he did and said nothing that could have given rise to an incorrect allegation that garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe was blackmailing a senior colleague. The allegation was contained in a letter handed in to the O'Higgins Commission on Monday, 18 May, 2015. The commission, which sat in private in 2015, investigated complaints made by Sgt McCabe about serious allegations against senior officers including then Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan. The letter stated in error that at a 2008 meeting with Supt Noel Cunningham, Sgt McCabe said he made allegations against a senior officer, then Supt Michael Clancy, to force him to release directions from the DPP which had exonerated Sgt McCabe following an investigation into a child abuse allegation by Miss D. The letter was part of legal submissions to the commission on behalf of the Garda Commissioner and other senior gardai, including Supt Cunningham. Today at the Disclosures Tribunal, Supt Cunningham told Michael McDowell SC, for Sgt McCabe, that he travelled back to Dublin on the evening of Sunday 17 May and read the letter on his phone. He said he only received a hard copy of it the following morning and signed off on it. He said there was a rush to get the document handed in to the commission and he didn't get to read the hard copy of it before signing it off. The document incorrectly stated that during the meeting on August 25, 2008, Sgt McCabe advised Superintendent Cunningham that the only reason he made the complaint against Superintendent Clancy was to force him to allow Sgt McCabe to have the full DPP directions conveyed to him. Supt Cunningham told the tribunal that this was clearly wrong but that he didn't spot the mistake at the time. I should have seen it. I did not see it. Others should have seen it too but I made a mistake and its a pity I made a mistake. Im embarrassed by the mistake. Im embarrassed it caused any distress to Sgt McCabe, he testified. The tribunal also heard that a report which Supt Cunningham had written in 2008, which gave an accurate account of the meeting with Sgt McCabe, was also handed in to the Commission at the same time. Asked by Michael McDowell SC, for Sgt McCabe, if the mistake in the letter was counsel's error the witness said it wasn't for him to apportion blame but added that he believed his instructions to the legal team were very clear at all times. You did and said nothing which could have given rise to that error? Mr McDowell asked. Mr Cunningham said that was his belief. Mr Cunningham said that in February 2008 Supt Michael Clancy assigned him to investigate complaints made by Sgt McCabe against Mr D, the father of Miss D and a serving garda. He said that at all times he acted in good faith to try to protect the parties involved in the investigation. He said that his relationship with Sgt McCabe had been positive before this but it changed afterwards. He said that a number of allegations made by Sgt McCabe against him were all subsequently withdrawn or found to have no foundation, he said. One allegation was that he had lied or covered up, the Tribunal heard. Other than corruption, this is as hurtful and as damaging as you can get. To this day, I cannot understand how Sgt McCabe made those allegations. It's being very difficult, he said, appearing to become emotional at this point. He said that suggestions in the media in 2016, arising from the leaks from the commission, that he was about to perjure himself at the commission in 2015 were completely and absolutely false. The Gardas head of human resources has said he did not fabricate an allegation against a former colleague and does not hold a grudge against him. John Barrett. John Barrett, the Garda's civilian head of human resources, told the Disclosures Tribunal last week that the garda former chief administration officer, Cyril Dunne, told him in May 2015 that we are going after whistleblower Maurice McCabe at the OHiggins Commission. He said he was shocked when he was told the news, as it jarred with the work he had been doing with Sgt McCabe. Mr Dunne denies making the remark. In its current module, the tribunal is examining whether unjustified grounds were inappropriately relied upon by the former Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan to discredit Sgt McCabe at the O'Higgins Commission. The commission, which sat in private in 2015, investigated complaints made by Sgt McCabe about certain policing matters and about serious allegations against senior officers including then Garda Commissioner, Martin Callinan. Mr Barrett last week said that he believed the meeting he described took place on 13 May 2015. Today, he said that he was unclear about the date but said my uncertainty as to when this comment was made in no way reflects any uncertainty as to the comment. He said he had a visceral reaction to the remark because he felt it could damage the work he had done to build up trust between Sgt McCabe and the Garda organisation. Asked by Mr Justice Peter Charleton why then he did not contact the Garda commissioner and say 'look there may be a problem here', Mr Barrett replied: I very much regret not doing it. I was swept forward and let the matter unfold. Mr Barrett said it weighed heavily on him that he had done nothing and that Sgt McCabe trusted him. Mr Barrett admitted he and Mr Dunne had a difference of opinion in relation to how the force investigated and dealt with financial irregularities at the Garda Training College in Templemore. Michael McDowell, counsel for Sgt McCabe, asked the witness if it could be inferred that he had fabricated the remark attributed to Mr Dunne and that he did so in part to settle some score, a result of a grudge against Mr Dunne. Mr Barrett said that none of those assertions were true. I feel no animosity for Mr Dunne and that is a matter of fact. I respect his integrity, said Mr Barrett, adding that they shook hands at the Tribunal last month. It is reported that gardai are to investigate allegations of sex assault against Harvey Weinstein. Police in the UK are believed to have forwarded a file to Irish detectives in relation to alleged harassment in Dublin. These details of allegations against Harvey Weinstein are understood to have been sent to gardai late last year when the sexual harassment scandal began. Irish film producer Laura Madden was one of the first people to go on the record with the New York Times about the movie producer's conduct when she worked for his company. She said Weinstein would ask her for massages when he was staying in hotels in Dublin and London in the 90s. "It was so manipulative," she told the New York Times last October. "You constantly question yourself am I the one who is the problem?" Now according to reports in The Irish Times, British police have forwarded allegations of sex crimes for the gardai to investigate. Gardai say they never comment on communications with other police forces. - Digital Desk By Ann O'Loughlin A High Court ruling means good news for about 400 debtors anxious to pursue court reviews of creditors rejections of their proposed personal insolvency arrangements. Ms Justice Marie Baker today rejected arguments by banks and other creditors that such reviews are exclusively a matter for a debtor's personal insolvency practitioner (PIP) and she ruled the law envisages a role for the debtor in the process. Addressing concerns by the Insolvency Service of Ireland (ISI) that, if the law required reviews be pursued by PIPs with no debtor involvement, then fear of incurring legal costs might discourage PIPs seeking reviews, she considered it would be "truly exceptional" to have costs awarded against a PIP. About 400 insolvency cases are on hold pending the clarification of the roles of debtors and PIPs in seeking reviews of creditors rejections of their personal insolvency arrangements (PIAs). The judgment was on test cases involving five debtors and followed an earlier ruling by Ms Justice Baker [the Reilly case] on a preliminary issue raised by Bank of Ireland. In Reilly, the judge said Section 115A of the Insolvency Act requires a review must be applied for by a debtor's PIP, not the debtor themselves. In opposing the test cases, the creditors involved argued those cases were aimed at achieving a situation where PIPs, who are involved in a commercial enterprise, would be insulated from any costs of bringing applications on behalf of debtors. In her judgment, Ms Justice Baker noted the Act does not stipulate how an application for a review under Section 115A of a rejection of a proposed PIA is to be heard. Having analysed the scheme and purpose of the Act, she found it does not envisage a PIP is the sole voice to be heard in a court review of the rejection of a PIA. While the Reilly ruling meant a debtor has no "free standing right" to bring applications under Section 115A without the engagement of a PIP, there is a residual right of a debtor to be heard in the process, she held. She did not accept the creditors' arguments the PIP is the only voice to be heard in articulating a debtor's interests in a review. The PIP must consider the reasonableness of the review application before it is lodged but the PIP does not bear sole responsibility of answering the objections or arguments of a creditor, she said. The PIP is not the agent of either the debtor or creditor but rather an "intermediary" interposed to bring financial knowledge and analysis to the process of orderly debt resolution. The issue of how the debtor is to be heard is a matter for the court conducting the review, she said. She considered the Oireachtas, in enacting the law, had envisaged a two-stage process of a review application being made and the hearing of the review conducted according to directions of the court. While there was some procedural incorrectness in relation to how these cases were advanced, it was not such as to require any of the cases be struck out, she added. Noting the Act makes no provision for payment of fees of lawyers for the PIP or the PIP themselves, she said it would be "absurd" if the PIP was to be personally responsible for those costs or for those to be treated as liabilities of the insolvent debtor to be dealt with outside the insolvency process. She considered a costs order would not be made against a PIP unless it could be shown they acted without bona fides, dishonestly or with impropriety and that the circumstances in which a costs order would be made would be "truly exceptional". Correspondence from certain creditors - although not the creditors in these cases - threatening that costs would be sought against a PIP in a routine or ordinary case which was lost was "not appropriate" and not something the court would condone. The cases have been adjourned to allow the sides consider how the reviews should proceed in light of the judge's findings. By Ann O'Loughlin Sean Dunne has gone to court in a bit to get access to documents in advance of the hearing of the official assignees application for an extension of his bankruptcy. Ms Justice Caroline Costello today began hearing submissions on both sides on the discovery application before the High Court. Bill Shipsey, SC for Mr Dunne, said his side were seeking three categories of documents including certain correspondence relevant to an application by the official assignee Chris Lehane for the extension of Mr Dunnes Irish bankruptcy to the maximum term of eight years. Some of the correspondence sought by the Dunne side includes all correspondence between the official assignee Mr Chris Lehane and the US Trustee in Bankruptcy between 2013 and the end of last year. Ulster Bank petitioned the High Court in February 2013 to have Mr Dunne adjudicated bankrupt here over default on some 164 million in loans. The following month, Mr Dunne filed for bankruptcy in Connecticut, US, when he claimed to have debts of $1 billion and assets of $55 million. In July 2013, he was adjudicated bankrupt here. Mr Lehane in 2016 initiated the bankruptcy extension application over alleged non-co-operation by Mr Dunne with him. Mr Dunne denies that. Mr Dunnes Irish bankruptcy was temporarily extended pending the outcome of the full hearing concerning whether any extension should be granted. Today, Mr Shipsey said the position of Mr Dunne is that he disclosed all his assets in his statement of affairs in relation to his US bankruptcy and there are no other assets other than those disclosed. Counsel said it was essential his side got the documents that underpin the official assignees belief that Mr Dunne allegedly failed to co-operate. Mark Sanfey, SC for the official assignee, said there is a major concern at how wide the categories of discovery sought by the Dunne side are. Counsel said it has all the hallmarks of a fishing expedition. The case before Ms Justice Costello continues on Wednesday. Gardai have arrested a man in connection with the murder of Edward (Eddie) Hutch, brother of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch two years ago. The arrested man was conveyed to Mountjoy Garda Station where he was subsequently detained under Section 50 Criminal Justice Act 2007 as amended. By Declan Brennan A Dublin man who took part in a newsagent raid, during which the shop keeper was viciously attacked with a hammer, has been jailed for seven years. Daryl McKeon (23) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to attempted robbery and assault causing serious harm to Kevin Tansey at Tansey's newsagents in Finglas, Dublin on March 18 last year. McKeon and another man had their heads and face covered when they went into the shop just after 8am. Kevin Tansey tried to get out of the shop but McKeon blocked the door and held on to the victim. During the struggle, the other man pulled out a hammer and viciously struck the back of Kevin Tansey's head three times, Detective Sergeant Alan Brady said. CCTV footage played in court showed Mr Tansey slumping to the ground. He lay there in a pool of blood while McKeon stepped over him to try to open up the cash register. A passing milkman who saw the assault tried to enter the shop but the other raider lunged at him with the hammer. The two raiders then made off in a car. Dt Sgt Brady said that McKeon, of North Cumberland Street, Dublin, was linked to the attack by his fingerprints. The other raider is still under investigation. The victim suffered extensive fractures to his skull which caused bleeding on the brain. He suffered a seizure en route to hospital and later slipped into a comatose state, Gerardine Small BL, prosecuting, told the court. A medical report stated that the severe traumatic brain injury caused by the assault was potentially fatal and could cause disability. Mr Tansey had been acting as the sole carer to his wife, who is blind, and took care of all the driving for them and their three children. In a victim impact statement, Michelle Tansey, said that during the days after the assault she feared she would lose her husband. He pulled through but his condition later deteriorated. His normal mood changed to impatience and irritability and Ms Tansey said she found this upsetting. His character remains altered by the injuries and his mood alternates from high to low, she said. The Kevin I knew was so loving, caring and understanding. He was always there. Since the assault this has changed. Kevin is still not himself, she said. McKeon's 12 previous convictions include car theft and trespass. He was on bail for district court offences at the time of the attack. Aisling Kelly BL, defending, said her client became addicted to cocaine and MDMA and began committing crimes to feed his habit. She said that he was sincerely remorseful for his actions and was incredibly grateful that the victim had made a limited recovery. Counsel said her client pleaded guilty on the basis of joint enterprise and she asked the court to take into consideration that he was not the man wielding the hammer. Today, Judge Melanie Greally said it would not do justice to summarise the victim impact statement made on behalf of Mr Tansey about how the assault had affected his and his family's lives. She acknowledged that McKeon didn't strike the victim, but noted that he participated whole heartedly in the attempted robbery from CCTV footage of the incident. She imposed an eight-and-a-half year sentence with the final 18 months suspended and backdated the jail term to when McKeon entered custody in March 2017. By Ann O'Loughlin The Pro Life Campaign will apply to the Supreme Court tomorrow to allow it to be heard in the forthcoming appeal concerning the extent of the rights of the unborn. Today, Benedict O Floinn BL, for the Campaign, told the Chief Justice Mr Justice Frank Clarke that the group, arising from "concerns over recent developments", wished to be joined to the action as an amicus curiae - an assistant to the court on legal issues. Mr Justice Clarke granted counsel permission to serve short notice of its application to be joined as an amicus and returned the matter to Tuesday when he is due to hold a further case management hearing concerning the appeal. The appeal is due to open before a seven-judge court on February 21 and has been set down for two days. It will potentially involve the courts widest ever consideration of the extent of the unborns constitutional rights and the court's judgment may affect the wording of this summers referendum on repeal of the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution - Article 40.3.3, giving the unborn an equal right to life to its mother. The appeal is against findings of the High Courts Mr Justice Richard Humphreys in July 2016 that the unborn has constitutional rights in addition to the right to life in Article 40.3.3 and is a child within the meaning of Article 42A with constitutional rights the State is required to protect and vindicate. The State will argue the High Court got it wrong in deciding the unborn has constitutionally protected personal rights, equivalent to those of an Irish citizen child, extending beyond the right to life in Article 40.3.3. Its core argument is that the unborn is not a child within the meaning of Article 42A inserted as a result of the 2012 Childrens Referendum and its only constitutional right is the right to life as set out in Article 40.3.3. If the Supreme Court decides otherwise, that has wide-ranging implications for the rights of pregnant women, as well as for the functions of a range of agencies, particularly Tusla, the State believes. The State will be represented in the appeal by three senior counsel Mary OToole, Nuala Butler and Denise Brett; and three junior counsel, Simon Mills, Silivia Martinez Garcia and Andrea Mulligan. The lawyers who acted for the plaintiffs in the High Court case are opposing the appeal and will be represented by a team of four barristers, senior counsel, Michael Conlon and Maurice Collins, and junior counsel, Paul OShea and Irene Fisher. While Mr Justice Humphreys judgment was given in an immigration case, the implications of his findings - if upheld - extend well beyond immigration cases. The Supreme Court will also be asked to consider an apparent clash between two other High Court judges, in judgments in two other immigration cases, about the extent of the rights of the unborn. Other issues to be addressed in the appeal include the rights of unmarried couples and their children. Those arise from the High Courts view that, in light of EU law and legal and societal changes, including laws permitting same-sex marriage, non-marital relationships attract constitutional protection under Article 41. The Taoiseach says people's health is more important than alcohol exports. Lobbyists have claimed aspects of the Public Health Alcohol Bill will reduce Ireland's exports and reduce the number of people coming to visit distilleries here. It is due to be debated in the Dail this week. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says he does not foresee any further amendments to the Bill. "We need to put public health first," he said. "If you look at the number of people who die prematurely because of alcohol, the number of people that are in hospital at the moment because of alcohol, sexual assault, child abuse, violence on our streets, road deaths, all very much linked to alcohol. "Exports are important but maybe not that important." - Digital Desk The first round-table talks between all Northern Ireland's major parties begin today. The British and Irish governments should end their "hands off" approach and forcefully drive negotiations to a conclusion, the nationalist SDLP said. Politicians have been holding discussions since last month in a bid to break the long-running Stormont power-sharing impasse. Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley is due to update the House of Commons on progress later this week. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said: "If both governments continue to take a hands-off approach with this process, the DUP and Sinn Fein will carry on threatening to write the obituary of the Good Friday Agreement. "Both governments need to wake up to the political reality that they are not bystanders in our politics. "It is the authority and the balance provided by the two governments which ultimately underpins the politics of Northern Ireland. "Their job is not alone to be facilitators of these talks. Their job is to be forceful in finally driving these negotiations to a conclusion." Mr Eastwood has called on the DUP and Sinn Fein to disclose what compromises they were prepared to make during a previous set of negotiations. Former Stormont deputy first minister Martin McGuinness's resignation more than a year ago in a row over the running of a botched green energy scheme left the North without a devolved government. An endless series of talks involving the local parties and the British and Irish governments has failed to break the deadlock. Sinn Fein has called for an inter-governmental conference between the British and Irish to map a way forward. The DUP wants to see the restoration of direct rule by ministers from Westminster. Mr Eastwood called for a joint paper from the British and Irish governments outlining their view on a fair deal which could restore local government. He added: "Both governments now have every right to jointly and strongly intervene - they no longer have a right to let this farce go on. "After a year of waiting, they can be confident that far more people will thank them for intervening than those who will criticise them." - PA One of the countrys oldest independent bookshops, Liam Ruiseals in Cork city, is to close later this year after over a century in business. Brid Hughes, a granddaughter of shop founder, Liam Ruiseal, confirmed this afternoon that the shop will close within a few months. Another rail strike could be on the cards. The NBRU and Siptu will ballot all train and Dart drivers for industrial action as it says that Iarnrod Eireann is forcing changes to the training regime without agreement. Drivers currently train new recruits on a voluntary basis but the union says the company's decision to make changes is an "unprecedented attack on industrial relations". NBRU General Secretary, Dermot O'Leary, said: "The management at Iarnrod Eireann have set themselves on a course of major confrontation with its train drivers as a result of their decision to dispense with longstanding practice, by completely ignoring the jointly agreed procedures around how industrial relation matters are addressed. "The fact is that the agreed training regime at the company is currently one of a voluntarist nature, and is solely at the discretion of the individual driver. The decision to break this agreement by forcing actual changes to terms and conditions onto workers is both unprecedented and contrary to how disputed matters should be addressed within our dispute procedures; it has also moved the disputed matter from one of an individual employee/employer relationship, to one which now concerns the representative unions." The unions have written to the Workplace Relations Commission to request an immediate intervention. Mr O'Leary said: "The unions met with Iarnrod Eireann management last Thursday within our procedures, and advised the company that we were prepared to look at an interim solution, by placing the necessity to gain some material recognition around the train drivers longstanding agenda of a reduction in the working week with that of training. "The company simply ignored our suggestion and indicated that they are moving ahead without the agreement of its own staff. "We are, even at this late hour, determined to pursue every avenue available to avoid this unnecessary and damaging dispute." Irish Rail said: "We have engaged repeatedly and extensively with our trade unions to resolve this over the past two years, under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission and Labour Court, resulting in a Labour Court recommendation last July addressing driver mentoring and past productivity. "The trade unions requested a further engagement to develop a framework with the assistance of Kevin Duffy, former Chairman of the Labour Court, which was agreed to by Iarnrod Eireann. "However, this recommendation and framework was rejected, and we now see the pressures on driver resources becoming intolerable in the face of growing demand." The strike ballot will begin in the coming days and the result is expected within two weeks. By Aoife Nic Ardghail A former Securicor worker has described how his colleague appeared extremely distraught the instant he saw him on the morning of a 2.28m cash-in-transit van robbery 15 years ago. Sean Kelleher told the jury his cash-in-transit van partner Paul Richardson was running up and down with cash inside the vehicle looking extremely distraught, erratic and not himself. The witness said his friend told him: You have to help me, my worst nightmare has come true my family has been kidnapped. Mr Kelleher revealed Mr Richardson then showed him two photographs. The witness said these were of Mr Richardson's family and taken by people who had been at his house the previous night. I knew he wasn't joking, Mr Kelleher told Dominic McGinn SC, prosecuting. The witness said he turned his mobile phone off straight away as per the raiders' instructions and told Mr Richardson: I will do whatever it takes to save your family. Mark Farrelly (46), Christopher Corcoran (70), David Byrne (45) and Niall Byrne (36) have all pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the false imprisonment of four members of the Richardson family at their home at Ashcroft, Raheny, Dublin, on March 13 and 14, 2005. Mr Farrelly of Moatview Court, Priorswood, Coolock, Mr Corcoran of Rosedale, Raheny, Dublin, David Byrne of Old Brazil Way, Knocksedan, Swords, and Niall Byrne of Crumlin Road Flats, Dublin, also pleaded not guilty to robbing Paul Richardson and Securicor of 2.28 million on March 14, 2005. Mr Kelleher said he and a third crew member accompanied Mr Richardson to the cash drop-off location at the Anglers' Rest pub car park in west Dublin. He described how he thought Mr Richardson was going to have a heart attack as he drove the van erratically along the N4 as he had been instructed to do after dropping the cash. Mr Kelleher said he eventually persuaded Mr Richardson to pull the van over about an hour into the N4 journey. The witness said once he hit the van's panic button, he was put directly through to Securicor control who informed the crew that Mr Richardson's family were safe. Mr Kelleher agreed with Feargal Kavanagh SC, defending Niall Byrne, that he didn't see a photo including a gunman but added that he was only shown the image of Mr Richardson's family for a second. A third van crew member revealed that he had been filling in for a worker who had phoned in sick that morning. Paddy O'Callaghan told Mr McGinn that he didn't doubt Mr Richardson or Mr Kelleher when they told him about the kidnapping, saying: I knew by the look of the two of them, they weren't jokers. He agreed with Mr Kavanagh that he had had been bolshie with one of the raiders during a brief phone conversation on the way to drop the cash. He said he thought it was rich when this raider had told him not to swear. He agreed he thought the man had a northern accent, but couldn't say if that had been put on. The trial continues before Judge Melanie Greally and an enlarged jury of seven women and eight men. It is set to last three months. An Amtrak passenger train crashed into a parked freight train in the early-morning darkness on Sunday after a thrown switch sent it hurtling down a side track, US authorities said. Two Amtrak crew members were killed and more than 100 people were injured. It was the third deadly crash involving Amtrak in less than two months. The Silver Star, en route from New York to Miami with nearly 150 people aboard, was going an estimated 59mph when it struck the empty CSX train at around 2.45am, Governor Henry McMaster said. The crash happened near a switchyard about 10 miles south of Columbia, South Carolina, where trains hauling cars are loaded and unloaded. Robert Sumwalt, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, said investigators found a switch had been set in a position that forced the Amtrak train off the main track and onto the siding. He said the question for investigators is why that happened. Amtrak president Richard Anderson appeared to point the finger at CSX, saying the signal system run by the freight rail company at that spot was down at the time, and CSX dispatchers were manually routing trains. The NTSB said it was working to confirm that. CSX issued a statement expressing condolences but said nothing about the cause of the accident. Mr Sumwalt said that positive train control - a GPS-based safety system that can automatically slow or stop trains - could have prevented the accident. "That's what it's designed to do," he said, referring to technology that regulators have been pressing for for decades with mixed success. Investigators recovered a camera from the front of the Amtrak train and were looking for the data recorders from the two trains. The switch that triggered the crash was padlocked in position, which conductors are supposed to do when they move a train from one line to another, Mr Sumwalt said. The conductor and engineer aboard the Amtrak locomotive were killed and 116 people were taken to four hospitals, according to the governor. At least three patients were hospitalised in critical or serious condition, with nearly all the rest treated for minor injuries such as cuts, bruises and whiplash. Palmetto Health emergency room doctor Eric Brown said so many passengers were hurt that they were brought in on two buses, and a tent that had been set up as a waiting room to keep people separate from flu patients was turned into a triage area. The locomotives of both trains were left crumpled, the Amtrak engine on its side. One carriage in the middle of the Amtrak train was snapped in half, forming a V off to one side of the tracks. "It's a horrible thing to see, to understand the force involved," the governor said after touring the scene. In a statement, Amtrak said that it was "deeply saddened" by the deaths and added that it was cooperating fully with the NTSB, as did CSX. But Amtrak also also said CSX maintains all the tracks and signals where the accident happened and controls access to the sidings and yards. Mr Anderson said the crash shows the importance of making sure that positive train control is installed on every train and track in the nation by the government's year-end deadline. The system is in place in the north east, but railroads that operate tracks used by Amtrak elsewhere in the US have got extensions to the deadlines. Amtrak officials gathered up luggage and other belongings and within hours put passengers aboard buses to their destinations. Many of them were asleep when the crash happened. Before being sent on their way, those who were not hurt were taken to a shelter set up at a middle school, and local businesses provided coffee and breakfast. "We know they are shaken up quite a bit. We know this is like nothing else they have ever been through. So we wanted to get them out of the cold, get them out of the weather - get them to a warm place," sheriff's spokesman Adam Myrick said. The dead were identified as engineer Michael Kempf, 54, of Savannah, Georgia, and conductor Michael Cella, 36, of Orange Park, Florida. - PA After a difficult gestation - including a behind-the-scenes brouhaha which resulted in directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller being replaced with Ron Howard - the standalone Star Wars film Solo was always going to have to make some noise on its first bow. It has done so this week with not just one but two trailers: first, a teaser trailer unveiled during the US telecast of the titanic Super Bowl, and second, a full film trailer released a day later. On the basis of those two sneak peeks, like the Old Republic, the last remnants of behind-the-scenes drama of Solo appear to have been swept away. Solo is the 10th Star Wars feature film, and the second "standalone"; that is, a Star Wars film set in the familiar universe but disconnected from the Skywalker saga which form the narrative of the near-complete three "trilogies" produced so far. A woman accused of critically injuring an elderly woman has been denied bail, but smiled throughout her court appearance even when told her alleged victim was expected to die of her injuries. Amy Tran, 30, is accused of attacking 77-year-old Le Ngoc Le, who was walking her two dogs in a St Albans street around 7pm last Thursday. Ms Tran was arrested, not far from the scene of the attack, on Friday morning. Photo: Courtesy of Seven News Ms Le suffered serious head injuries and is in a critical condition in hospital. On Monday, prosecutor Amelia Digance told Melbourne Magistrates Court: It is anticipated the victim will die." A rolled truck carrying a load of dirt is causing delays in Malvern East. Motorists have been urged to avoid the intersection of Princes Highway and Warrigal Road in Malvern East after a truck rolled over, spilling a load of dirt. The truck driver, a 49-year-old Scoresby man, was uninjured. Four lanes are blocked city-bound on the Princes Highway, leaving only two open. Delays start at Ferntree Gully Road. Drivers should use the Monash Freeway or Waverley Road as an alternative. All lanes are closed southbound on Warrigal Road at the Princes Highway. Perth's beer war looks like it's escalating with the Claremont Hotel the latest watering hole to offer cut-price pints to drinkers. The Claremont pulled $5 pints of Wild Yak as a one off promotion for its Sunday session, having already $5 Coronas on Mondays with $2 tacos. Perth's beer war is spreading. Credit:Kirsty Wigglesworth The cheaper drinks come hot on the heels of The Vic - six kilometres up the road in Subiaco - which started selling pints of Rogers and Swan Draught for $3.50 after the nearby Village Bar dropped their "beer of the month" from $10 to $4 for the entire month of January. Their beer rivalry has seen the lowest Perth beer prices since the 1980s, with the Vic's owner Bevan Marwick telling Radio 6PR in January he struggled to keep up with demand. Two fishermen have been rescued from a life raft after their vessel caught fire off the West Australian coast. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority detected a distress beacon for fishing vessel Conquistador just before 2.30am on Monday. AMSA's Challenger jets have long range and endurance to patrol Australia's vast ocean spaces. Credit:AMSA Less than three hours later, AMSA's Challenger jet found a life raft from the Conquistador about 40km west of Lake Macleod, north of Carnarvon, and both men were brought onboard bulk carrier Ikan Senyur for a medical assessment. AMSA search and rescue manager Alan Lloyd said the men were lucky to be alive and he thanked the Ikan Senyur crew for responding to AMSA's request for help. Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne has stepped up the Turnbull government's attack on Labor over the ongoing citizenship crisis, calling for dual citizen MP Susan Lamb to quit this morning or face referral to the High Court. As federal Parliament resumed on Monday, Mr Pyne foreshadowed a relentless focus on the Labor MPs with a cloud over their eligibility, indicating the Coalition was prepared to break with niceties and use its numbers to target opponents. He confirmed the government would refer Ms Lamb - who holds the Queensland seat of Longman - if she did not quit of her own accord. "Shes sitting in the House of Representatives and she is a citizen of the United Kingdom," Mr Pyne told ABC Radio National on Monday. With Question Time wrapped up and both parties off maneuvering for the week ahead, myself, Alex Ellinghausen and Dominic Lorrimer will be signing off on the blog for today. Key take outs: New Liberal Senator Jim Molan has landed in controversy in his first day in office, after it was revealed he had shared several race-hate videos. has landed in controversy in his first day in office, after it was revealed he had shared several race-hate videos. The rising cost of living is the issue that will define debate in Question Time until either company tax cuts get passed or wages start to show signs of life. is the issue that will define debate in Question Time until either company tax cuts get passed or wages start to show signs of life. And as long as there are questions over dual-citizenship, it will continue to be a distraction. We lost a giant of the craft on Saturday. Today, The Age's former political editor Michael Gordon was remembered by Malcolm Turnbull, Bill Shorten and all his colleagues in the press gallery. You can read some of the many tributes to him here. Thanks for joining us. Full-time police officers would be embedded in 10 Victorian high schools as part of a state opposition plan to combat a "violent scourge of youth crime". Ramping up the Liberal's tough-on-crime agenda, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy announced on Monday that if elected, he would restore the police in schools program. "The best way to prevent crime, the best way to engage, is to adopt a police in schools program,'' Mr Guy said during a visit to Kew Primary School. Matthew Guy at Kew Primary School on Monday. Credit:Joe Armao The initiative would cost $50 million over four years and involve state, Catholic and independent schools. Last year, Victoria's primary students were Australia's top performers in six out of 10 NAPLAN domains including both years 3 and 5 in the key areas of writing and numeracy. In two short years we've already made progress in key areas related to the targets, including better results in reading and maths, and our most disadvantaged students are making bigger gains than in previous years. Real change takes time. That's why we set 10 ambitious targets by which to measure success in the Education State. Some of the early results of these were published in The Age on Monday. We are in the second year of our decade-long education reforms. These are the biggest changes our education system has seen in generations. And recent international studies have shown Victoria is not only outperforming the rest of Australia, but many other jurisdictions worldwide. But we want to do better. We could have chosen a quick fix. We could have decided not to set challenging targets. We could have encouraged teachers to teach to the test, watched results rise a little and taken the credit. This kind of short-term thinking is exactly what our schools, and our kids, don't need. So we looked to the long term and have a 10-year plan to truly make this the Education State. Our curriculum challenges students not only to learn the 'three Rs', but to think critically and creatively and to consider their place in the world. Our literacy and numeracy strategy gives teachers the tools they need to lift outcomes from good to excellent. We've set up a new system so schools with great results can help schools whose results aren't as strong. We've also strengthened the requirements to become a teacher, meaning we'll get the best and brightest working in our schools. We've invested billions of dollars in building and upgrading schools across Victoria and our early-childhood reform plan means when students start school they are ready to learn. We have also implemented breakfast clubs and provided funding for students with additional needs meaning kids who need extra support are now getting it. Colombo: Maldives security forces broke into the Supreme Court on Monday, court spokesman Faisal Adam told Reuters, hours after President Abdulla Yameen declared a state of emergency for 15 days, in an escalation of a legal battle with the archipelago's top court. Yameen had earlier defied a Supreme Court ruling that nine jailed opposition leaders must be released. Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom. Credit:AP Legal Affairs Minister Azima Shakoor announced the emergency in a televised address. Under its terms, judges will no longer be granted special privileges if they are facing arrest. Washington: The US Supreme Court on Monday refused to block a lower court ruling requiring Republican-drawn congressional districts in Pennsylvania to be reworked immediately, boosting Democratic hopes of winning control this year of the US House of Representatives. Justice Samuel Alito denied an emergency application filed by Republicans to stop the immediate reworking of the electoral district boundaries, preserving a ruling by the state's top court that they had unlawfully sought partisan advantage over the Democrats in drawing the maps. Residents using an electronic voting machine at polling location. Credit:Bloomberg The January 22 Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling gives Republican legislators until this Friday to submit a revised map to Democratic Governor Tom Wolf, who would have until February 15 to sign off on the changes. If those deadlines pass without an agreement, the state court said it would rewrite the map itself. ASIC has banned a broker from engaging in credit activities as part of its investigation into a group that advised clients to set up SMSFs and buy property with their superannuation.NSW mortgage broker Michael Wilkins is barred from doing credit business for three years.ASIC said that on five occasions in 2010, Wilkins submitted loan applications in which he deliberately overstated clients savings by between about $130,000 and $179,000.By submitting these loan applications, ASIC found that Mr Wilkins gave to the bank information or a document that was false or misleading, said ASIC today.Wilkins' banning is part of ASIC's ongoing investigation into a group of companies called the Heritage Group. The group advised clients to set up SMSFs and buy property with their superannuation.ASICs investigation has also led to the permanent banning of John Dimitropoulos from providing financial services or engaging in credit activities, and the cancellation of the credit licence of a company formerly called Heritage Financial Solutions and Heritage Freedom & Security.The regulator has also cancelled the credit licence of a company formerly called Sunpac Finance Pty Ltd on its own application, as well as credit licence of Smithson & Baye. Regulators may ease home lending restrictions if property prices fall sharper than expected, reported The Australian Financial Review based on its interview with federal treasurer Scott Morrison. Morrison said the government was closely monitoring the slowing housing market and that stricter house lending rules imposed on banks over the past year were "completely malleable". Tougher lending conditions have been blamed for the declining housing prices, particularly in Sydney. Sydneys property prices have fallen for a fifth straight month with a 0.9% decline over January, data from CoreLogic shows. The citys median house price remains lower than it was six months ago, with annual growth slowing to 4.0% year-on-year, according to the December Quarter Domain House Price Report. At the national level, property prices fell 0.3% in January, with annual growth slowing to 3.2%, from 4.3% in December. Economists have lowered their forecasts for house price growth this year amid slowing Sydney house values, with NAB now expecting house prices to increase by only 0.7% in 2018 -- down from its earlier forecast of 3.4%. Morrison said he was meeting regularly with APRA to discuss the Council of Financial Regulators process, reported the AFR. The council is the coordinating body for main financial regulators and is the guiding body informing APRA's lending rules for banks. The prudential regulators moves to restrict lending to investors and to cap interest only loans had been "very effective" in achieving a "soft landing", said Morrison. However, he signalled APRAs measures were open to revision depending on market conditions, said the report. Last year, APRA capped the amount of new loans that can be interest-only at 30% after limiting the growth of investment lending up to 10% per year in 2014. It also called on banks to make sure serviceability metrics are set at appropriate levels and to continue to limit lending growth in high-risk segments, including high loan-to-income loans and high LVR loans. "The great thing about these macroprudential controls, as opposed to a structural change to your tax system, is that they are completely malleable," he said. Morrison welcomed Sydney house price growth slowing from a high of 17% annually to about 3% in 2017, said the report. Related stories: A silver lining in slowing mortgage growth? Sydneys house price growth still sluggish Investor lending slows: RBA Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC This powerful new play is sometimes hard to watch. Adrienne Kennedys He Brought Her Heart Back in a Box, now playing at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center in Fort Greene, is a period piece, set mostly in Montefiore, Ga., in 1941, but it feels terrifyingly of the moment. The details the Jim Crow South, a Negro boarding school, the rapidly intensifying World War II, the excitement of running away to New York City to go on the stage come from the past, but under the elegant direction of Evan Yionoulis, the play makes you feel like the corrosive, inescapable legacy of racism has never been more present. It tells the simplest of stories: small-town boy meets small-town girl, they run away together to embrace their destiny in the Big City, life intervenes, and the relationship ends tragically. But the boy, Chris (played by Tom Pecinka), is the white son of one of the towns most prominent landowners, and the girl, Kay (Juliana Canfield), is the illegitimate daughter of a black woman and a different prominent white citizen, so their story bears the weight of the towns racial history, and that of their families. Chriss father, the literal architect of the segregation policies and landscape of the town, is represented only by an eerie, omnipresent mannequin, which also stands in for the rest of the towns white elders. Chris and Kay are alone on stage, but their relationship is built out of the stories of their pasts, including Chriss three black half-siblings his fathers children by three different black women and Kays mother, who suffers a brutal death. And as much as they and we in 21st century America try to escape the past, they are dragged back down by the worst things in them. Pecinka and Canfield capture the strength and gravity of what Chris and Kay are trying to do, but they are allowed only the most fragile hope before their brutal fate. They are strangers trying to find a way out from the crushing pressure of the past and it feels like they, and we, may never succeed. The play is well done, but it also soul-crushingly sad. He Brought Her Heart Back in a Box at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center (262 Ashland Pl. between Lafayette Avenue and Fulton Street in Fort Greene, tfana.org). Playing through Feb. 11, TueFri at 7:30 pm, SatSun at 2 pm and 7:30 pm. $90$100 ($20 students). Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC The Sisters of Mercy lived up to its name and bowed to loud public backlash by backing down on the early eviction of the Narrows Senior Center from the Angel Guardian home. The nuns who sold the sprawling former orphanage in Dyker Heights gave up their plan to evict the seniors months before the end of their lease after the oldsters rallied with local pols on Feb. 2 to protest their imminent ousting. The Sisters will now allow the senior center to stay in the building until June 4 when its lease ends and the organizer of the rally said she felt vindicated that the nuns wouldnt be kicking them to the curb in the freezing February temperatures. At least we got until June, said senior Pauline Castagna. The goal that I was hoping for with the rally was to have the seniors be able to stay until the summer. A group of the centers seniors gathered outside the 63rd Street entrance of the city-block-sized campus bound by 12th and 13th avenues on the day they were originally supposed to leave to protest the Sisters secret sale of the 119-year-old building, which is forcing the centers move to a Borough Park basement a mile away that many of the seniors consider inferior. The seniors carried signs condemning the Sisters, such as Sisters have no mercy for our elderly, money talks seniors are out, and these majestic buildings must be saved. One stalwart of the center said the nuns sale of the property to a mystery developer who does not plan to keep the center or include affordable senior housing in the space shows the Sisters are greedy. The Sisters want to take over this place and throw us out, said Jean Detorre. Money is all theyre interested in. They dont care about the senior citizens. Another elder who has been attending the center since it opened in 2003 said the nuns were making a moral mistake by kicking out the oldsters. Its not the right thing to do, said Paul Pandolfo. This is a second home for us. Local pols including councilmen Justin Brannan (DBay Ridge) and Carlos Menchaca (DSunset Park), state Sen. Marty Golden (RBay Ridge), and Assemblyman Peter Abbate (DBensonhurst) joined the seniors in condemning the Sisters. Abbate said the seniors should not have to vacate their space, and that the nuns werent living up to the Sisters of Mercys values. The seniors deserve this, Abbate said. Those nuns who are there today are a disgrace to this order. Golden concurred, vowing to stand by the seniors as they fought to stay. It isnt right for our Narrows seniors, and were not going to take it, Golden said. Menchaca, the councilman who represents the district, said he and neighboring Brannan who has come out swinging against the Sisters would work together to save the center. We want to save this senior center, Menchaca said. They need to listen to us. Brannan first publicly castigated the Sisters last month in his inaugural appearance on Brooklyn Paper Radio, saying that the nuns were giving our neighborhood the finger as they leave. At the Friday protest, he led the seniors in chants of Save Our Center and Hell No, We Wont Go, and later said in a statement that the Sisters were further insulting locals by keeping terms of the sale secret. We dont even know who is buying the property or what they plan to do with it, Brannan said. [The Sisters of Mercy] are spitting in the face of this community. After the Sisters sold the property at the end of last year to an unknown developer who plans to include some affordable housing and public space, the nuns told the Catholic Charities Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens which operates the senior center that it had to vacate the property in 60 days, by Feb. 2. But within two weeks of our sister publication the Bay Ridge Courier publishing the news, the nuns offered the seniors a one-month grace period, allowing them to stay through March 4. Then, immediately following the Feb. 2 rally, Catholic Charities issued a statement that the nuns offered a verbal agreement allowing the seniors to stay through May 15. And within two hours, Catholic Charities received verbal confirmation from the Sisters that the seniors could stay through the leases original termination date of June 4, according to spokeswoman Lucy Garrido-Mota, who added that its legal team was finalizing paperwork. The Sisters of Mercy did not respond to a request for comment by press time. Castagna, who organized the rally, vowed to continue the fight to stay in the building forever though she admitted that may prove difficult, since the developer will likely bulldoze it. Its gonna be a little difficult to stay forever if they sell the buildings. How can we stay? she said. But well do our best. Ryanair on Monday warned it would face down what it said were "laughable demands" by pilots for conditions typical of high-cost rivals even if that meant strike disruption as Europe's largest budget carrier reported an increase in profits. The Irish airline also warned that its competitors were being overly optimistic in their expectations for fare rises on European short-haul routes next summer and urged analysts to maintain "extreme caution" on fare forecasts. Profits at the Irish airline increased by 12% in the three months to the end of December on an annual basis despite a turbulent period in which it had to deal with mass cancellations and the threat of strike action by pilots. It said it would return 750 million euros to shareholders via a share buyback. Ryanair averted the threat of widespread Christmas strikes by unilaterally recognising unions for the first time in its 32-year history, but it has struggled to formalise relations with unions since then and said it expected further threats during Easter. Buoyed by strong financial results and formal agreement on recognition with its British pilots, Chief Executive Michael O'Leary said it was preparing to face down other pilot unions even if that meant localised disruption. "We have some jurisdictions where we are getting ... laughable demands for legacy-type inefficiencies," O'Leary said referring to the pay and working conditions typical of the higher cost carriers Ryanair has undermined in recent decades with its ultra-low-cost model. Pilots say they only want the same conditions to those at low-cost rivals such as easyJet and Norwegian Air Shuttle, and some say they will refuse the pay rise unless they get assurances it won't impact future pay talks. Some pilots have complained of a toxic working atmosphere at the airline and a lack of trust between staff and management. "Frankly we will never agree to those ... if we have to take strikes or disruptions in those jurisdictions, then we will take those," he said in a pre-recorded presentation to investors. Profit after tax for the quarter was 106 million euros, up 12% from a year ago and slightly ahead of a consensus forecast of 101 million euros in a Ryanair poll of analysts. Revenues for optional extras such as pre-booked seats and extra bags beat expectations, while the airline increased its passenger forecast for the year to end-March to 130 million from 129 million. Ryanair reiterated it expected to make a profit after tax of between 1.4 billion and 1.45 billion euros in its financial year, which ends on March 31, 2018, a forecast that remains unchanged since a wave of cancellations announced in September sparked the recent turmoil. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie It was announced today that a net total of 3,700 new jobs were delivered in 2017 by start-ups and small businesses from across the country that have been supported by the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs). This brings the total number of new jobs created by LEO-backed companies to 15,000 since the LEOs were set up in 2014. The jobs results by the LEOs were welcomed by the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys T.D. and the Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, Pat Breen T.D, as they opened the annual LEO Forum in Athlone today. The 31 LEOs nationwide, run in partnership by Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities, provide a first stop shop for the supports available to entrepreneurs, start-ups and small businesses. Commenting on the 2017 LEO results, Minister Humphreys said, "Creating more and better jobs in regional and rural Ireland is a priority for the Government. As the Government rolls out its plans for balanced economic development over the next ten years, I believe the LEOs will have a major role in supporting entrepreneurs to start and stay locally." Representing the Local Enterprise Offices, Sheelagh Daly added, "These jobs figures are a testament to the determination of local entrepreneurs who are growing their own businesses with the help of their Local Enterprise Office. Every day, thousands of small businesses are accessing a range of supports through LEOs, such as training, mentoring, grants and microfinance loans." Source: www.businessworld.ie Regulators will block access to cryptocurrency trading websites that operate domestically, according to Financial News, a newspaper run by the People's Bank of China. Photo: VCG Chinas financial regulators are preparing to intensify their crackdown on cryptocurrencies by preventing domestic players from buying into initial coin offerings (ICOs) and trading the virtual currencies on overseas websites and platforms. Although the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC) hasnt yet made an official announcement, the Financial News, a newspaper run by the central bank, reported the proposal on Sunday. Regulators will block access to cryptocurrency trading websites that operate domestically, among other measures, the paper said, without providing further details. After domestic exchanges closed, many users switched to overseas platforms to continue trading cryptocurrencies, the Financial News said. But risks remain, including illegal issuance, fake projects, fraud and even pyramid selling. It may be even more difficult for investors to recover any losses. Domestic investors have increasingly turned to overseas websites and trading platforms since the government initiated a sweeping bans last year on fundraising through ICOs and investing in cryptocurrencies. The PBOC and six other regulatory agencies issued a joint statement on Sept. 4 that banned ICOs, saying that raising money through the issue of new cryptocurrencies is a form of illegal fundraising that is rife with fraud. Domestic exchanges were ordered to close, and in response, some moved overseas, to Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong, and continued to serve domestic investors and traders. But some companies continued to operate on the mainland by acting as market-makers and guarantors in over-the-counter trading, which was not explicitly banned. They allowed Chinese traders to buy cryptocurrencies using local payment methods, including Alipay and WeChat Pay. The authorities are now moving to close those loopholes. What is and is not allowed was clearly outlined in the September 4 document, a source with knowledge of the recent moves told Caixin. There arent any new measures. The regulations coming out now are about deepening implementation. Several official newspapers reported on Jan. 20 that the central bank had issued a document asking payment providers to conduct internal checks to ensure they were not facilitating cryptocurrency transactions. On Jan. 23, the National Internet Finance Association (NIFA), a self-regulatory body set up by the Peoples Bank of China and other financial watchdogs, issued a warning (link in Chinese) on the risks associated with trading cryptocurrencies on overseas platforms while clarifying that over-the-counter trading does not comply with existing rules. On Thursday, Shanghai-based cryptocurrency exchange platform Binance announced that it will no longer provide services to Chinese mainland users, while Hong Kong registered Kucoin.com, another exchange platform, announced last month that it is blocking IP addresses from the Chinese mainland. The Financial News laid out the official stance on cryptocurrency trading. We will close each illegal exchange and website we find; whats more, we do not rule out further regulatory measures depending on market developments, the article said. Contact reporter Liu Xiao (liuxiao@caixin.com) The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection signaled in January that banks will become the next target of the countrys sweeping anti-corruption campaign which began in 2012. Above: China Banking Regulatory Commission, the countrys top banking regulator. Photo: Visual China China's financial regulators are usually portrayed as the good guys guarding against risks, investigating and exposing wrongdoing, and handing out fines and punishment. But a commentary (link in Chinese) in The People's Daily, the mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party, has highlighted a series of shortcomings that have often aligned officials' interests with those of the regulated rather than the regulator, and weakened the integrity and effectiveness of the watchdogs in carrying out their mission. The author of the article, which appeared on the commentary page, was named as Ouyang Jie although he was not further identified. The article, titled Financial Regulators Should Be Good Guardians, is another sign that Chinese authorities are stepping up their efforts to control risk and stamp out corruption in the financial industry. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the party's top anti-graft agency, signaled in January that banks will become the next target of the countrys sweeping anti-corruption campaign which began in 2012. The CCDI said it will focus on officials who have continued to engage in wrongdoing since the 18th Party Congress in November 2012, and step up scrutiny over groups with vested interests that have intertwined political and economic ties. The People's Daily has in the past been used by China's authorities to convey strong messages to the country and to millions of government and party officials across the country. In May 2016, an interview with an unnamed authoritative person highlighted the dangers of high leverage and in January this year Guo Shuqing, the head of the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) gave an interview to the newspaper in which he reiterated the watchdog's commitment to deepen the campaign against financial risk. Monday's commentary called for a line to be drawn between regulators and those being regulated to prevent the inevitable unconscious softening of supervision. A fire wall needs to be built between regulators and the institutions they oversee, including preventing officials from going to work for the companies they previously supervised, to prevent corruption and moral hazard, it said. If regulation is really going to have teeth, we must dismantle the revolving door between financial institutions and regulatory bodies, and prevent their interests from becoming entwined, the commentary said. It also called for supervision to be more open and for regulatory power to be kept in the public eye which would result in more effective regulation and stop it being just a cat-and-mouse game between watchdogs and companies. The article pointed to a series of scandals that had exposed complicity between officials and the institutions punished for misconduct. In January, the CBRC said it had fined Shanghai Pudong Development Bank 462 million yuan ($73.4 million) for illegal lending activities in Chengdu, Sichuan province, marking one of the stiffest penalties handed out so far in the crackdown on financial wrongdoing. It also also led to the dismissal of the head of the Sichuan CBRC. A total of 69 banking regulatory officials were punished last year for negligent or inadequate performance of their professional duties exposed by major risk incidents, the commentary said, a sign that the authorities are already taking action to root out collusion and malpractice in the watchdogs themselves. At least four top-level securities, banking and insurance regulators have fallen since late 2015, including Zhang Yujun, assistant chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC); Yao Gang, vice chairman of the CSRC; Yang Jiacai, assistant chairman of the CBRC; and Xiang Junbo, the chairman of the China Insurance Regulatory Commission and the first incumbent head of a financial watchdog to be removed as a result of a corruption investigation. Contact reporter Leng Cheng (chengleng@caixin.com) The brand value of Chinas top banks increased by 22% in 2017, more than double the average growth experienced by the worlds top 500 banks. The value of the 45 Chinese bank brands on the top 500 list rose to $317 billion, while the 76 U.S. bank brands on the list were valued at $260 billion in total, according to new research from consultancy Brand Finance. The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and China Construction Bank are the worlds two most valuable bank brands, valued at $59.2 billion and $56.8 billion, respectively. Chinas two other major state-owned banks, Bank of China and Agricultural Bank of China, ranked fourth and sixth on the most valuable bank brands list. The four banks are also the worlds largest by assets, according the to the most recent ranking from S&P Global. According to Brand Finances research, the worlds top 500 bank brands, valued at $1.18 trillion, will see competition from the technology sector. The big tech companies are already encroaching into areas traditionally supplied by banks such as payments and financing, and are backed by powerful brands, said Brand Finance CEO David Haigh. Brand Finance calculates a brands value by applying a royalty rate to forecasted revenues attributed to the brand. The royalty rate is calculated based on the industrys royalty range, which is calculated from licensing agreements, combined with a company or banks brand strength determined by marketing investment, stakeholder equity and business performance. Contact reporter Liu Xiao (liuxiao@caixin.com) Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission has released an official employment notification calling out for aspirants to apply for the posts of Naib Tehsildars and Tehsil Welfare Officers. The employment is on a contract basis for a stipulated period of time. Interested candidates can check out the eligibility, salary, how to apply and the complete details of the government job here. The last date to apply for this civil service job is 22 February 2018. Telangana Public Service Commission Recruitment For Hostel Welfare Officer: Earn Up To INR 71,510 Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details Name Of The Post Department Name Number Of Posts Salary Scale Educational Requirement Age Naib Tehsildar Department of Revenue 9 INR 10300 to 34800 plus Grade Pay INR 4800 Completion of graduation from a recognised university 18 to 45 years Tehsil Welfare Officer Department of Social Justice & Empowerment 11 NR 10300 to 34800 plus Grade Pay INR 4200 Completion of graduation from a recognised university 18 to 45 years Also Read: Indian Railways Recruitment 2018 For 26502 Assistant Loco Pilot And Technician Posts How To Apply For Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission Recruitment 2018 In order to apply for Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission Recruitment 2018, follow the steps given here: Step 1 Log on to the HPPSC official website . Step 2 Click on the Apply Online link on the left hand side of the home page. Step 3 A login page will appear. On the right-top corner, click on the link that reads, New User Sign Up Here! Step 4 Enter your details in the member registration form. Step 5 Click Create User button. Step 6 Go back to the log in page and enter your credentials. Follow the subsequent pages. Click Here to read the official notification. Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission Recruitment 2018 For Various Posts If you were in Lansing, Michigan, in early 1990, you might have caught Dean Sienko, M.D., M.S., on television. He could have been commenting on the death of a child or maybe an outbreak of influenza. As medical director of Ingham County, he was the voice of public health and high-profile deaths in a county that houses the state capitol, a university, and auto manufacturers. But by the end of the year, he was half a world away, serving in Saudi Arabia as a flight surgeon in Operation Desert Storm. It was a turning point for Sienko and cemented a dual career path for the physician, currently the Carter Centers vice president for health programs. He had been a member of Army National Guard, joining after his third year of medical school. "I had an appreciation for being an American, and thought that was one way I could serve," he said. And although he had done his one weekend a month and two annual weeks of active duty for years, having his unit called up to serve in Saudi Arabia changed him. "After that, I could appreciate serving in a combat zone," Sienko said. "And I wanted to continue to work with people who would make such a serious commitment and sacrifice." So he doubled-down on his military service and decided to make a career of it, switching to the Army Reserve so he could eventually lead units as a commanding officer. That is, of course, in addition to his full-time job as the chief medical officer in Ingham County. Sienko knew he wanted to be doctor from childhood, and became interested in public health and preventive medicine. "I honestly didnt know if that was a legitimate career path for a physician," he said. In his last year of medical school, he took a clerkship with the state epidemiologist in Wisconsin, against the counsel of his advisors, who wanted him to work in a hospital. He eventually joined the Epidemiological Intelligence Service, a two-year training program with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He mostly worked as a medical officer in Michigan during the program but welcomed a stint in Chad to address famine in 1985. The program also sent him to Guatemala to study a novel way to deliver measles vaccine. In 2011, Sienko retired as medical director of Ingham County and moved his office a few miles away to Michigan State University as an associate dean. All the while, he continued to serve in the Army Reserve. In 2012, he got an offer from the army he couldnt refuse: go on active duty as the commanding general of Army Public Health Command. "I had a wonderful time," Sienko said. The army had units all over the globe, and the public health duties were diverse. He was responsible, for example, for ensuring the safety of the food supply for troops around the world and analyzing air, water, and soil samples from anywhere on earth the U.S. had troops for more than 30 days. The public health command fed Sienkos desire for unpredictability and excitement. "I enjoyed having global responsibilities," he said. "Something was always happening somewhere." When active duty ended and he retired from the military, he found the pace of academic life back at Michigan State less exciting and too removed from hands-on public health. He jumped at the chance to lead the Carter Centers health programs, where he could move back into a global role and deal with the inevitable challenges of international work. Since joining the Center in June 2016, Sienko's traveled regularly to see the health programs firsthand. "It's incredible to me, the responsibility we have and the work we do with a small but dedicated staff," he said. The Carter Center's health work would seem a perfect match for this former military officer used to taking the challenges as they come. "The world of public health is always very dynamic," he said. "And that has been an attraction to me throughout my career." They have even been the subject of films. In some accidents in nature, it causes fear and bewilderment, but it... NCB holds 15th seminar ICR Research By Published 05 February 2018 The 15th NCB International Seminar on Cement, Concrete and Building Materials held between 5-8 December 2017 at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi, India, was attended by over 1000 delegates. The technical programme featured 200 papers delivered on a diverse range of topics relevant to the industry, whilst an exhibition consisting of 90 companies highlighted the latest manufacturing technology. The opening session of the 15th NCB International Seminar saw senior industry figures review the Indian cement sector. As the second-largest cement-producing country in the world, the Indian cement industry has a hopeful outlook for the coming year. An upcoming boom in housing and other infrastructure projects is expected to drive capacity increases even further. The inauguration panel acknowledged that while the countrys capacity is approximately only 15-16 per cent of Chinas capacity, they expect to close the gap in the coming years. To continue reading this story and get access to all News, Articles and Video sections of the CemNet.com website, please Register for a subscription to International Cement Review or Login Special counsel Robert Mueller continues to investigate the possibility of collusion between Russia and President Donald Trumps campaign. While new information about it arises almost every day, many of the details still remain shrouded in mystery. The investigation could end in a number of ways. Here are the most likely scenarios for what Trump will do, from what we know so far. 1. Mueller could bring criminal charges against Trump While the special counsel could bring legal charges, many legal scholars doubt he will succeed. No legal precedent exists for it. In 2000 after the Clinton v. Jones sexual harassment lawsuit in 1997, an opinion concluded that the indictment or criminal prosecution of a sitting president would unconstitutionally undermine the capacity of the executive branch to perform its constitutionally assigned functions. An assistant attorney general wrote the memo almost two years after Clintons impeachment. That said, charges could come down after Trump leaves office. Those hoping Mueller will prosecute Trump live in a fantasy world, according to Paul Rosenzweig, a former deputy of Kenneth Starr who wrote the memo. If we know anything about Mueller, we think we know that he follows the rulesall of them, Rosenzweig wrote in The Atlantic. Mueller will not indict Trump for obstruction of justice or for any crime. Period. Full stop. End of story. Speculations to the contrary are just fantasy. Next: But heres what happens if that fantasy comes true. 2. Trump could get indicted for collusion Andrew Wright, who served as an associate counsel to former President Barack Obama, told Newsweek earlier this year that constitutional law allowing criminal charges after a presidents removal enjoys wide interpretation. Trumps personal lawyer, John Dowd, also argued that the president cannot obstruct justice because he is the chief law enforcement officer under the Constitution. In addition, The New York Times obtained a memo from Starrs independent counsel investigation into Clinton. Experts consider the report the most thorough government-commissioned analysis of such a situation. It further goes against the idea that presidents cannot be prosecuted while they serve. It is proper, constitutional, and legal for a federal grand jury to indict a sitting president for serious criminal acts that are not part of, and are contrary to, the presidents official duties, the Starr memo stated. Next: The charges could go higher than Mueller, some experts say. 3. Rosenstein could recommend Congress impeach him Once Mueller decides whether Trump actually committed any crimes, he will, according to Department of Justice regulations, file a report on his findings with the attorney general. Since Attorney General Jeff Sessions remains recused from the investigation, that falls to the deputy, Rod Rosenstein. He then gets the enviable task of deciding whether that report goes public and whether to send it to Congress. Here, it gets complicated. DOJ regulations do not specify whether Rosenstein must release those reports. Consequently, it remains almost entirely up to him. But if he does release them to Congress, that could in theory set off impeachment proceedings. A lot would have to fall into place for that to happen. That said, it does not rest entirely out of the question. Next: The president may very well fear this issue more than collusion. 4. Trump could also face money-laundering charges As Rosenzweig writes in The Atlantic, Trumps finances have long come under scrutiny. Some say they do not look as healthy as the president continually asserts. And we all remember the tax return problem. As Rosenzweig points out, investigations remain open into both Trumps own financial entanglements and those of his family. Tellingly, some of Muellers special counsel hires specialize in money-laundering. I dont think [Mueller] would have brought them onto his team if that wasnt going to be an area that would be focused on, former federal prosecutor Kenneth McCallion told NPR. He would know, since he helped investigate ties between Trump and the New York Mafia in the 1980s. In addition, several reports say Muellers team issued subpoenas to Deutsche Bank for records pertaining to Trump and his associates. Deutsche Bank lent money to Trump after a string of bankruptcies, and it also stands accused of laundering Russian money by the New York State Department of Financial Services. While White House attorneys deny the subpoenas, the bank has not commented either way. That looks bad for Trump. Next: Of course, Trump could always go after this high-level official. 5. The president could even fire Rosenstein The deputy attorney generals inclusion in the now-infamous Nunes memo could prove problematic. Republicans, The New York Times speculates, could potentially use Mr. Rosensteins decision to approve the renewal to suggest that he failed to properly vet a highly sensitive application for a warrant to spy on Mr. [Carter] Page. That means the memo implies Rosenstein looks, at best, incompetent and, at worst, corrupt. Theoretically, this provides some cause for Trump to dismiss the deputy attorney general. Since Trump cannot fire Mueller without Rosensteins approval, cause to fire Rosenstein could give Trump a serious advantage. In December, he said he could find no good cause to fire Mueller. But instead, the president could decide to get rid of Rosenstein based on the memo. Next: That would set off an interesting chain of events. 6. He could also get rid of Mueller According to the Washington Post, Trump told his close advisers that the memo could give him cause to force Rosenstein to resign. If he does that, he can either restrain Mueller by hiring someone more sympathetic to his administration as Muellers boss. Experts write that the deputy attorney general could essentially cripple the investigation by rejecting his requests to investigate more people, obtain new evidence, or pursue additional charges. Trumps new appointee could just fire Mueller outright. The Nunes memos release may have caused a ripple effect, which we will not see play out for some time. Rosenstein and Mueller might stand as just the first blocks to fall. The release of the memo, and the fabrication of a set of ideas around the memo, empowers Trump to go after the FBI, Ryan Goodman, a former Defense Department special counsel and current editor of Just Security, told Vox. The ultimate goal is undermining the Mueller investigation. There doesnt seem to be another reason for the president to be so obsessed with Rod Rosenstein and to be gunning for him. Next: Heres what could happen next. 7. Trump could fill the FBI with sympathizers If Trump fills Rosenstein and Muellers seats with those who agree with his cause, that essentially dismantles the system of checks and balances put on the executive branch. Trump is shockingly overt about believing that the problem here is that the FBI is staffed by loyalists to the wrong person, said Julian Sanchez, a Cato Institute expert on surveillance. He does, in fact, seem to think that the job of the DOJ, and the FBI, and the rest of the intelligence community is to protect the president and follow his orders including going after his political enemies based on stuff he saw on Fox News, if thats what he wants to do. The Senate could stop this from happening, however. Senate Republicans also have to confirm Trump appointees to the Justice Department, and they hold the power to block Trumps picks, if he does decide to clean house at the DOJ or the FBI. If they let them through, it carries some pretty scary implications for our political future. I shudder to think what the [2020] election looks like when youve got a guy who says, I saw Fox & Friends this morning and my opponent is a crook except now youve got an FBI and a DOJ that say, Yes, sir, Sanchez noted. Follow The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Though hes only four, Prince George of Cambridge is already a legend. After all, the small tot is the future King of England. The eldest son of Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton, Prince George is growing up right in front of our eyes. Though being a public figure isnt an easy feat for anyone, Prince George is just enjoying being a kid. Well into his first official year at school, it seems like the toddler is already shining amongst his classmates. He even had a super cute role in his schools nativity play. Schooling fit for a king The tiny prince headed to his first day of school back in September, clutching his father Prince Williams hand. (His mother Duchess Kate is pregnant and was feeling too ill to attend.) The 4-year-old attends Thomass Battersea. Though its not the same school that the Princes father or uncle, Prince Harry attended, it is at $24,000 a year, the best English education money can buy. Be kind Though Thomass Battersea is a Christian school, they accept pupils from any faith or background. The school also has a wide range of extracurricular activities including, ballet, drama, LEGOS, fencing, and so many others. Despite all of this, the schools most important rule for its students is to be kind. In todays age of bullying and intolerance, we think thats a wonderful principle to instill in children. Simon OMalley, the schools headmaster said, Our ethos, aims and values actively support the upholding of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. Center stage Prince George has already mastered being center stage. After all, the young royal and his 2-year-old sister Princess Charlotte have been seen waving to the press, on Buckingham Palaces balcony, and shining in their aunt Pippa Middletons wedding already. Its no surprise then that Prince George snagged the perfect role in his schools Nativity play. The perfect role Recently during his visit to Manchester, Prince William revealed that Prince George stole the show at his play. He said, I went to my boys Nativity play. It was funny. He was a sheep. How perfect would Prince George be in a sheep costume? Holiday wishes It looks like the nativity play isnt the only thing thats gotten Prince George in the holiday spirit. Hes also geared up to be visited by Father Christmas, and from the 4-year-olds own accord, hes been nice and not naughty this year. Were obsessed with how sure he is about himself. A list for Father Christmas Prince William let us in on Prince Georges Christmas list during a two-day tour of Finland when he ran into a Finnish Santa. Daily Mail was even able to snag a close up of the list, which included only one item a police car! How sweet is George? It looks like he can search for the car under the Christmas tree. When he handed his sons list to Santa, Prince William said, Ive seen you, and I had to give you this letter. He hasnt written down many requests, so I think one request is probably OK. A new role in the New Year A sheep isnt the only role Prince George will be taking on. Next year, he will also play a major part in his uncle Prince Harry and future aunt Meghan Markles wedding. The newly engaged couple are set to tie the knot in May 2018, and Prince George will be on hand as a pageboy. His sister Princess Charlotte will be a bridesmaid for the ceremony. Prince Harry adores his nephew and niece, and apparently, Markle has already met the tots several times. Though their new sibling will only be about a month old when the couple weds were sure he or she will be on hand to witness the event as well. Follow Aramide on Twitter @midnightrami. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! The second youngest of President Donald Trumps children, Tiffany Trump seems to be living her best life right now. The tumultuous affair and marriage between Tiffanys mother, Marla Maples, and Mr. Trump laid the groundwork for Tiffany to be considered the black sheep of the family. In some cases, shes referred to as the forgotten daughter. Even though Trump never defaulted on his child support, Maples solely raised and parented Tiffany as a single mom. Besides being smart and beautiful, shes figured out a nice balance between life as a First Daughter, socialite, and student. Plus, she doesnt seem to be pinching any pennies. Take a peek to find out all the ways Tiffany is spending her Daddys money, including her fashion preferences (page 8). Well also take a quick look at some other fascinating things you didnt know about her, including what she was named after (page 9). 1. Italian yacht trip with Mother Marla What better way to enjoy summer vacation than by boarding a 130-foot luxury yacht named Mirage IV? The mother-daughter duo basked in the Italian sunshine, sipped cocktails, and drank tea for the week-long getaway. Of course, no vacation for a First Daughter would be complete without the Secret Service, who joined Maples and Trump aboard. Next: Can Tiffanys Democrat boyfriend get along with the GOP-loving family? 2. Sojourn to Europe, Secret Service included The precursor to the yacht trip was Trumps Berlin and Budapest sojourn with boyfriend (and noted Democrat) Ross Mechanic. While Trump seems to have spared no expense during the couples getaway, its American taxpayers who were left holding the bag. The Secret Service ran up a tab of over $22,000 for lodging alone not to mention all of the other expenses that go along with keeping members of the First Family safe and secure. Next: Does Ivanka know shes wearing this rivaling brand? 3. Taoray Wang clothing and Aquazzura shoes Trumps racier sense of style often comes courtesy of Shanghai designer Taoray Wang. The edgy and clean designs of these couture pieces must be specially ordered and they arent cheap. When it comes to Trumps shoes, shes been spotted in all sorts of high-end brands, however, her affinity for Aquazzura stands out the most. The patriotic shoe pictured here costs $725. Ironically, Aquazzura filed a lawsuit against Ivanka Trump alleging she copied the companys shoe designs. Next: A Trump heirs education is no joke. 4. Law school at Georgetown Trump carried on the family tradition by earning her undergrad degree at the University of Pennsylvania, but shes at Georgetown Law School now. She enrolled in August 2017 and seems to be enjoying her studies. The Georgetown education comes with a hefty price tag upwards of $58,000 per year. Next: Nightly room rates that cost more than a middle-class mortgage payment. 5. Mid-term luxury Bahama vacations Trump and Mechanic took off to unwind after mid-terms in the spring of 2016, and they did so at the luxury Cove Resort in Eleuthra, Bahamas. Rates for a standard suite begin at $1,500 and cap out at $5,300 per night for an oceanfront villa. Next: The forgotten daughter doesnt share in this Trump holiday. 6. Holiday ski trips spent away from her dad and siblings Trump and Maples have spent holidays away from the Trump clan for many, many years. So it was no surprise to see Trump and her mother dashing out to Utahs Sundance Ski Resort for a holiday ski vacation. The two were seen enjoying fine restaurants and ziplining in the winter wonderland. Next: Have you ever heard of the Rich Kids of Instagram? 7. Southampton summers with her squad Summertime for Trump equals party time in Southampton with her Rich Kids of Instagram buddies. The group of extremely wealthy, young socialites can thank their parents for footing the bill on fancy dinners and late night ragers. Next: She drops thousands on these couture pieces. 8. Daniel Basso gowns and Chanel handbags You wont be pulling a Daniel Basso gown off the rack at Macys. These handmade couture gowns cost thousands of dollars, and Tiffany Trump is willing to pay for them. For many of Trumps formal events, shes been seen wearing and favoring the label. As for handbags, what girl doesnt want Chanel? Trump is no exception. She also spends thousands on the designer bags. Next: The surprising rich story behind how Tiffany got her name. 9. She was named after one of Donalds favorite deals Leave it to the egocentric Donald Trump to name his child after a business conquest. This one, in particular, refers to the landmark jewelry store. Tiffanys mother, Marla Maples, told The New York Times that their only child together was named after one of the real estate moguls favorite deals: Trump purchased the air rights above the Tiffanys store in Manhattan so he could build Trump Tower. Next: How involved was Donald in Tiffanys upbringing? 10. She was raised by a single mother Before she was another one of Donald Trumps ex-wives, Marla Maples was a lover of the arts, acting on the big and small screens, performing on Broadway, and landing magazine covers. Two months after little Tiffany was born, Trump married Maples, who, of course, is probably most known for her six-year marriage to the now president of the United States. Next: There was a country between Tiffany and her father. 11. She grew up in California Growing up, Tiffany didnt get much face time with her father, who has five children with three different women. According to her website, Maples and her daughter moved to Southern California in 1999 to focus on finding a quieter, more spiritual existence. Apparently, growing up on the other side of the country from her father and his infamous antics served her well; Tiffany didnt experience the same kind of media attention as her older siblings. Next: When did she actually get to see her father? 12. She mostly saw her father during spring breaks growing up After Donald Trumps first divorce, his children grew up just an elevator ride away. After his second divorce, however, it was a different story. Quality time between Trump and his youngest daughter was certainly limited, which could be why some consider Tiffany the Jan Brady of the Trump clan. (She was even left out of the super awkward Millennials for Trump photo.) But it seems the two have been getting closer than they were during Tiffanys childhood. The New York Times reported that Tiffany spent spring break at Mar-a-Lago with her father, and also saw him for any occasion that warranted a visit to California, like when she won awards. Next: Her school-aged acquaintances have a very famous last name. 13. She was acquainted with the Kardashians Tiffany and her mother associated with one of the most fascinating family empires of our time the Kardashians. Marla Maples was friends with Kris Jenner, so Tiffany knew the family while she was growing up in Calabasas, California. Next: Tiffany hoped to take after her mother. 14. Growing up, she wanted a career in show business Like mother, like daughter or, at least when Tiffany was younger, that is. Growing up in Southern California with a mother who had a professional life in show business, its no surprise Tiffany thought about getting into the spotlight herself. According to The New York Times, As a teenager, Tiffany seemed interested in having a show business career like her mother. She took acting lessons with her mothers coach, and in 2011 she recorded a pop song, Like a Bird.' Additional reporting by Julie Peirano. For Subscribers Small Business week to celebrate, aid Pueblo businesses The Pueblo-based Southern Colorado Small Business Development Center is set to honor small business owners and their impact on the economy. Back in 2015, I told you about a piece by Washington Post columnist Charles Lane. In it, he described what he called the sinister expansion of physician-assisted suicide in places like the Netherlands and Belgium. Lane wrote that Whats noteworthy about euthanasia in Europe . . . has been its tendency to expand, once the taboo against physician-aided death was breached in favor of more malleable concepts such as patient autonomy. One study by leading bioethicists concluded that reports from the Low Countries seem to validate concerns about where these practices might lead. To that, Lane replied, Thats putting it mildly. Two years later, Lane has turned his sights, and hopefully those of his readers, on euthanasia once more. The lead in his latest column is the story of a 74-year-old Dutch woman referred to in Dutch records as 2016-85. The woman, who suffered from dementia, had an ambiguously worded advanced directive requesting euthanasia. By the time she was placed in a nursing home, she was no longer able to clarify her wishes. So her husband requested it for her. That still left the problem of whether she really wanted it. Well, that was not a problem for the Dutch euthanasia machine. The doctor concluded her suffering was unbearable and incurablethough there was no terminal physical illnessand prepared a lethal injection. What followed combined elements of a Monte Python skit and a horror movie. To ensure the patients compliance, the doctor gave her coffee spiked with a sedative. When that proved insufficient and the woman recoiled from the looming needle, he asked family members to hold her down. Finally, After 15 minutes were spent by the doctor trying to find a vein, the lethal infusion flowed. In Lanes words, this death was neither voluntary, painless nor dignified. Even Dutch officials were taken aback: Prosecutors are investigating what happened to see if a crime was committed. But no one should be shocked. As Lane points out, Euthanasia is commonplace in the Netherlands, and the legal criteria are utterly subjective. Words like unbearable suffering and, in the case of patients like the woman, a voluntary, well-considered request can mean anything and, therefore, nothing. Thus, an NIH study found that Between 2012 and 2016 . . . there were 33 cases in which Dutch regulators found that doctors had broken at least one rule while ending a persons life. Not surprisingly, Pro-euthanasia activist doctors were overrepresented in problematic cases. Utterly subjective criteria plus pro-euthanasia activist doctors equals a society with a strong bias towards killing, not palliative care or alleviating suffering, as next-door Belgium attests. There, social workers and nurses who specialize in palliative care, are quitting their jobs. In Belgium, euthanasia has become a normal way of dying. So much so that these nurses and social workers functions[ were] reduced to preparing patients and their families for lethal injections. Theres no reason to doubt that the Netherlands isnt headed in the same direction as the case of 2016-85 shows. The right to die is morphing into the duty to die even if it requires drugged coffee and being held down while the executioner finds a vein. The headline of Lanes Post article asks how many botched cases like the one Lane described, would it take to end euthanasia for the vulnerable? The answer is no amount would be enough. As Lane himself has acknowledged, once the taboo against physician-aided death was replaced by this ideal of autonomy, the rest is nothing but messy details. BreakPoint is a Christian worldview ministry that seeks to build and resource a movement of Christians committed to living and defending Christian worldview in all areas of life. Begun by Chuck Colson in 1991 as a daily radio broadcast, BreakPoint provides a Christian perspective on todays news and trends via radio, interactive media, and print. Today BreakPoint commentaries, co-hosted by Eric Metaxas and John Stonestreet, air daily on more than 1,200 outlets with an estimated weekly listening audience of eight million people. Feel free to contact us at BreakPoint.org where you can read and search answers to common questions. Eric Metaxas is a co-host of BreakPoint Radio and a best-selling author whose biographies, children's books, and popular apologetics have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Publication date: February 5, 2018 Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Is it possible to talk about Jesus too much in politics? Is "What Would Jesus Do" politically relevant? Frequent rhetoric from Religious Right and Religious Left beg the question. Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr., a prominent Evangelical supporter of President Trump and son of one of the Religious Right's founders, provoked controversy with this recent tweet: Jesus said love our neighbors as ourselves but never told Caesar how to run Rome-he never said Roman soldiers should turn the other cheek in battle or that Caesar should allow all the barbarians to be Roman citizens or that Caesar should tax the rich to help poor. That's our job. Falwell then added: All the clowns commenting on my tweet below with their bowels in an uproar can relax b/c the other side of the coin is Jesus never told Caesar he shouldn't tax the rich to help the poor either. You can be a good Christian whether you vote conservative or liberal! Evangelical Left activist Shane Claiborne, who's been trolling Falwell many months with his challenge to debate whether Jesus would support Trump, tweeted responsively: Honestly, this is some of the worst theology I've ever heard. And this heresy is from the president of the largest Christian university in the world. And then: Not only is this "bad" theology... it is also deadly theology. Similar ideology was used to justify apartheid and to excuse Hitler... this notion that sin is personal but rulers are immune to it. Plus: The idea that Caesar or a Roman soldier... or anyone... is exempt from God's command to love our enemy, care for the poor, or welcome the stranger is heresy. Jesus said we will ALL be asked how we cared for "the least of these." (Mt.25) Evangelical Left author and pastor Brian Zahnd tweeted supportively with Claiborne: It's truly amazing. And there's a part of me that feels sorry for @JerryFalwellJr and those who share his views. I'm convinced they believe what they say, but it only serves to show how far from Jesus people baptized in religious nationalism can be. We need to send missionaries. And Claiborne is apparently mulling a Religious Left protest in Falwell's Lynchburg: If we were to organize a #LynchburgRevival where there was preaching, worship and prophetic action... that challenged the toxic evangelicalism of @JerryFalwellJr... would you come? In 2008 Claiborne wrote a book Jesus for President, which I reviewed here, which was a neo-Anabaptist polemic likening America to Ancient Rome, Babylon and the Third Reich. Ostensibly faithful followers of Jesus abjure "empire" and its violence while also demanding the empire universally feed, cloth, medicate, and award automatic citizenship. This perspective is largely based on the teachings of the late modernist Mennonite theologian John Howard Yoder, who reinterpreted the Cross primarily to signify rejection of all violence and power instead of atonement from sin. Claiborne and other Christian activists of the Left like accusingly to ask "Whom would Jesus bomb?" "Whom would Jesus deport?" "Whom would Jesus execute?" "Would Jesus open carry?" "Would Jesus support Trump?" The answer to these questions is nobody and no, but not for the reasons Claiborne et al offer. Jesus during His earthly walk of several years was a prophet, preacher, healer, and above all Savior of humanity. He didn't marry, have children, own property (apparently), work for wages (at least presumably not after leaving his earthly father's carpentry shop), or do a lot of what ordinary people are called to do. He had a special calling, the most unique ever in history, which He fulfilled wondrously, and which He still fulfills. Jesus during His relatively brief ministry didn't make political statements, about which Falwell was correct, nor would He have taken up arms, about which Claiborne is correct, because these exercises of earthly power, while not wrong of themselves in the right circumstances, weren't His calling. But Falwell perhaps is similar to Claiborne, at least in these tweets, in projecting too much onto the earthly ministry of Jesus. The Christian faith has many principles, based on the Scriptures that include but are not confined to the Gospels, along with two millennia of church tradition, that should guide our understanding of politics, without typically offering dogmatic specific policy instruction in contemporary times. Claiborne should agree with Falwell that Christians can sincerely operate within different political perspectives. It also should be pondered that Christian faith by itself doesn't necessarily guarantee compelling political insight. Wonderful saints can be politically clueless. Claiborne as a lay political activist believes he serves Jesus by organizing demonstrations and sometimes getting arrested in acts of civil disobedience on behalf of causes of the Left. Falwell, as a layman and college president, believes he does so with his pro-Republican pronouncements. Maybe each, with different understandings of Jesus, has very different callings that serve wider providential purposes. It's important to remember that Christians understand Jesus not just as the earthly prophet, healer and preacher Who was crucified but also as the Risen Savior and Second Person of the Trinity, present before the foundation of the universe, Who rules and will rule forever. This understanding precludes pigeonholing Him into our earthly political categories of the moment. Instead of emphatically claiming Him for our causes, and confidently asking "What Would Jesus Do," we can bow before Him reverently and struggle modestly to understand His will on earth, asking what He might have us do. Originally posted at Juicy Ecumenism. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Warned by others that we were not only putting our own lives at risk, but the lives of our children as well, my husband and I packed up our family and moved to the "Muslim" and former communist country of Albania. 9/11 fears were prevalent when my husband and I made this decision. Compelled by the need for people to know of Christ's love, we really did not know what danger might lie ahead of us, but we decided to move to Albania where we have lived for over 11 years now. The truth we discovered when we arrived really surprised us, though. Contrary to the fears of our friends and, on our worst days, our own fears, we were warmly welcomed in Albania with invitations to coffee in homes and coffee shops right away. As we have learned Albanian customs and culture, a secret has emergedthat coffee comes first in relationships where we now live, a rite of sorts. Do you want to make a friend? You invite or accept an invitation for coffee. Do you want to ask a business question or influence decision-making? This happens over coffee. If someone is interested in courting or marrying someone, meetings over coffee are a part. Then to celebrate an engagement or birth of a child, the whole neighborhood and all family come one by one and in groups for coffee. The same happens when someone passes away. Coffee means community and tradition, relationships and respect. We have discovered that this cultural tidbit is not just true of Albania; it is true among most peoples that call themselves Muslims, though for some tea, and not coffee, would be their drink of choice. Not only were we welcomed with hospitality when we arrived in Albania; we also found that the religion of the people was not exactly what we expected. As I walked down the street the other day, a rock was pressed into my hand by a "Muslim" friend with whom I have drank coffee on several occasions. She insisted that I needed this rock that was perceived to be from a holy place in their country since it would give me mbaresi or "good luck". I was able to share with her that the Bible invites us to take our concerns directly to God in prayer in one of many encounters with my Muslim friends here that revealed their real faith to be what is often referred to as "folk Islam." Walking down the street in any given part of our church's area of outreach, where over 60,000 people live, almost every family has a stuffed animal or garlic hanging from their house. Almost no one we know attends the mosque and yet, everyone we know believes in a spiritual world and does what they can to ward off evil from their families. The fears of others and our own that could have kept us from befriending "Muslims" here were rapidly dispelled. It is also evident that the years of communism never convinced the Albania people that there is not a spirit world. A very sad truth has become clear to us in Albania, but one that has opened a door for belief in the hope that we share. For financial reasons, many Albanians are seeking work outside of their country. They are without hope for their families and their basic needs getting met in their country. So, some have received with open arms the hope offered to them in the Bible and the love we have shown them through compassionate ministries. One girl who came to know the Lord through our ministries shares in one of the many poems about God she has written that she was "walking on a road without direction" where she "could not experience any joy", looking for happiness in "friendship and maybe some riches", but then found the salvation of her heart and "a life full of joy". Another friend of ours is over 60 years-old and nearer the opposite end of her life. She talks about years of communism and hardships unlike any I have ever known. Since this woman has come to know the Lord through a Bible study, her daughter says that she can see a clear difference in her mom's life. She has passed from darkness to light and is full of joy. Is God calling all Christians to pack their bags and move to another country? Certainly not. Some might be led to do so, but not all. Most Americans, though, live near "Muslims" right where they are, whether they realize it or not. About 3.45 million people living in America call themselves Muslims, according to the Pew Research Center. Not too far from where I grew up in America, an ABC News affiliate estimates that over 45 percent of the residents of Dearborn, Michigan are Arab Americans and many of those would call themselves Muslims. A Harvard University study estimates that over 43,000 Albanians live in Michigan. Many of those who would call themselves Muslims do not attend a mosque and in many ways, resemble the people we have met in Albania. Our fears stemming from past terrorist attacks are unlikely to be realized in the Muslims that most Americans will encounter living in their vicinity. In fact, with a little effort most of us when in America could probably share coffee or tea with a newfound Muslim friend and find ourselves able to share God's love and hope to an attentive ear as well. Instead of being captive to fear, we can be bringers of hope! Caryl Aukerman, along with her husband and three children, has lived and worked in Albania for over 11 years. While she spends much of her time sharing God's love and truth with people in Albania, she also homeschools and writes in her free time. She is a contributing writer to the Annesley Writers forum and has had articles published in several publications in recent years. Evangelical Alliance rubbishes 'spiritual abuse' language: It could 'criminalise' conservative teaching on sexuality An influential evangelical body in the UK is rubbishing the term 'spiritual abuse', warning it could 'enshrine religious discrimination on the statute book'. The Evangelical Alliance (EA) is highly critical of the definition and claims it could lead people 'potentially to criminalise whole religious communities with whose theology they happen to disagree'. The EA warns against its use as a category in safeguarding policy, describing it as 'vague and incoherent terminology' that is 'not fit for purpose'. It comes after a vicar in Oxfordshire was found guilty by the Church of England of spiritually abusing a teenage boy. Timothy Davis, of Christ Church, Abingdon, was found guilty under the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM) 2003 of 'conduct unbecoming or inappropriate to the office and work of a clerk in holy orders through the abuse of spiritual power and authority'. But the report by the Evangelical Alliance's Theology Advisory Group (TAG) urged its member churches to avoid the term. The 18-page document warns that using 'spiritual abuse' could end up meaning that conservative Christian teaching on homosexuality, marriage and sin would count as abuse. 'It still seems unlikely that it would be the classic Christian theology of marriage and sexuality qua theology that would be criminalised. Rather, it is more likely that the threshold of what might actionable in the existing legal definition of hate speech would be lowered to include even pastorally measured classic Christian preaching on biblical texts,' the report reads. The document singles out a paper presented to the Royal College of Psychiatrists in April 2017 by Jayne Ozanne as 'of the most concerning examples' of using the term spiritual abuse. The EA claims practices 'deemed potentially actionable by Ozanne include preaching and teaching most mainline churches' positions on same-sex relationships and gay marriage; using "charismatic gifts" referred to in the New Testament; encouraging baptism in the Spirit, and belonging to a "Charismatic Tribe"'. But Ozanne said the EA's analysis of 'spiritual abuse' was 'at best defensive, and at worst scaremongering'. She told Christian Today: 'I am deeply perplexed, as I'm sure others will be, as to why the Evangelical Alliance has seen fit to effectively dismiss the concept of spiritual abuse, rather than looking to work constructively with victims to create a safer and more caring church. Their report contains various unfounded claims, which feed the notion that certain parts of the church are under threat from secular society. 'I do not believe my paper has been fairly or accurately characterised and would urge people to read it for themselves.' The EA's report warns that adopting 'spiritual abuse' into legislation or safeguarding policies could lead to police officers and the Crown Prosecution Service making judgments on whether certain theological teachings amount to abuse. 'In a culture characterised by increasing hostility to classic Christianity, and the growing association of such Christianity with the language of "extremism", the use of "SA" [spiritual abuse] terminology has proliferated in such a way that its further use risks damage to fundamental freedoms of religious thought, expression and assembly,' it says. It comes after a report by the Churches' Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS) found two-thirds of respondents claimed to have suffered from 'spiritual abuse'. Pointing to characteristics such as 'coercion and control, manipulation and pressuring of individuals, control through the misuse of religious texts and scripture and providing a "divine" rationale for behaviour', 1,002 out of 1,591 respondents to an online survey said they had suffered from 'spiritual abuse'. But the EA said the sample used was problematic and instead said churches should stick with current definitions of emotional and physical abuse, which it said were sufficient without needing to adopt the term spiritual abuse. Rev Dr David Hilborn, Chair of TAG, said: 'We are deeply uneasy about increasing usage of the unhelpful and potentially misleading term "Spiritual Abuse". We believe the existing legal frameworks of Emotional and Psychological abuse are sufficient and need to be enforced in religious contexts, as in other contexts. 'However, creating a special category of "Spiritual Abuse" just for religious people potentially singles them out for criminalisation. As such, it carries the risk of religious discrimination, and threatens social cohesion. As a diagnostic term, "Spiritual Abuse" may be well-intended, but this report shows that it is not fit for purpose.' Steve Clifford, General Director, Evangelical Alliance UK said, 'Churches can and should be healthy communities where people, including those who are vulnerable, are encouraged to flourish. Churches need the support of robust safeguarding language, legislation and training to do this. This report makes a valuable contribution on all of these fronts. It underlines that the Evangelical Alliance is committed to wise, bold scrutiny of policy and practice that ensures the church is able to support people pastorally, and make Jesus known effectively throughout our communities.' How a North Korean woman found faith in a labour camp Tens of thousands of Christians are imprisoned for their faith in North Korean labour camps, but for one defector, Esther [not her real name] it was going to a labour camp that led her to Jesus. Esther was arrested for escaping to China and taken back to North Korea. She says: I was quickly sentenced to a few months detention in a small labour camp. We were treated like animals. Our cell was only two by two square metres and there were around 40 inmates in the cell. It was such a painful experience. When I tried to sleep, I would lie down on my side and put my legs up against the wall. There was one lady in the cell who was different from anyone else. We were in a hellish situation, yet she looked so peaceful. At one point, I gave her a little push and asked her: 'Hey, what's going with you? Why are you so calm?' She answered: 'When I was in China, God treated me like a princess.' I looked at her. She was a fragile, old lady. Why would anyone treat her like a princess? I mocked her. 'Okay, I want to be a princess too.' 'Alright,' she said. 'Just pray like me.' I played along. So she went: 'Thank you, God, for everything. Do what you wish. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.' That was the strangest thing I had ever heard. 'Why should I give thanks for this prison?' I asked her. 'Just do it,' she said. 'Thank him repeatedly.' I don't know why but I followed her example. I gave thanks and asked God to release me. 'God's princess' shared a minimal version of the gospel with everyone in the prison cell. She told us to pray to 'the Father,' or 'the One' or 'in Jesus' name'. She also had a lot of faith, because she told us she would leave the prison soon. And it happened. She was able to leave with one male family member. Three days after that first prayer, one of the guards approached me in the cell and asked: 'Do you have any relatives around this area?' I told him I had a brother. That evening the guard came back and said he had found my brother. That was a miracle! My brother would come soon and after a few days he showed up. He was able to give me some extra food and he also made an arrangement with the guard. He would pay a bribe in instalments and after a few months, I was released. God had answered my prayers. Once Esther was free, she escaped back to China. She says: In China, I met a missionary and I attended his Bible study. When I studied the Bible, I was fully transformed. For example, I read about Moses and God's ten plagues he poured out over Egypt. And I knew from experience that those plagues can be very real. I started to experience the living God. Of course, I believed in Christ and I confessed my sins. A few years ago, I decided I wanted to live in freedom and took the risk to travel to South Korea. Thanks to God's grace, I arrived here safely. God truly is a God of miracles. When I was in prison, I wanted to share with the outside world what's happening in North Korea. Now, Open Doors gives me the opportunity to do exactly that. Looking back, Esther realises that she was from a Christian family. She says: When I was young, my grandfather had friends over on Sunday. Very often I stayed with him on weekends, but when his friends came I had to play outside, even when I didn't want to. I didn't understand. Sunday was a day of rest in North Korea. Why would they have another meeting? Many years later, when I was in China, a South Korean missionary showed me a picture of a Bible. That night I dreamed of my grandfather. I saw him with his friends, kneeling around a Bible. I thought I was the first in my family to come to faith, but then I realised that my grandfather had been praying for me for all these years. Following Christ in North Korea is done in the utmost secret. My grandfather never shared the gospel with me. He is still alive, which is why I cannot share details about him. In another dream I heard him say: 'Keep quiet!' And I replied to him: 'But I know you are a believer.' Since leaving North Korea, Esther has been able to reconnect with her family she still has two children in North Korea. She says: When I was in North Korea, nobody knew where my children were. But only a few months ago, somebody was able to connect me with them. We spoke on the phone and they will try to escape as soon as they are able. God has done many miracles, but I'm still asking for a few more. First, that my children will come to South Korea, and second, that I'll be able to share the gospel with them so that they will also become followers of Christ. Thank you for faithfully praying for North Korea. There's still a lot to improve, but thankfully, God is using your prayers to perform many miracles. North Korea is number one on the Open Doors 2018 World Watch List, making it the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian. Despite this, Open Doors estimates that there are between 200,000 and 400,000 Christians in North Korea, worshiping secretly, or imprisoned in labour camps. Open Doors workers risk their lives to smuggle Bibles and other vital aid, such as food and medicine, into North Korea, to support persecuted Christians. Open Doors also runs safe houses for North Korean defectors in China, and broadcasts Christian radio programmes into North Korea. Open Doors has launched an appeal to support this work. Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S release date, specs rumors: To be first ever to boast Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Xiaomi is confirmed to be among the participants of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 later this month. The Chinese handset maker is expected to steal the limelight once again from tech giants such as Samsung and Sony with its high-end and budget-friendly devices. Based on the recent reports, Xiaomi is set to unveil the new Mi MIX 2S handset, which will be the world's first smartphone powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 chipset. Many weeks prior to the MWC convention in Barcelona on Feb. 25, Xiaomi has already been rumored to be developing a new entry in the Mi MIX series. At first, it was believed that the company is gearing up for a brand-new Mi MIX 3 handset, but the latest leaks hint that it will be called the Mi MIX 2S instead. From the name itself, the upcoming device will barely differ in terms of hardware specs and design from the Mi MIX 2. However, the Snapdragon 845 will be a game-changer for the device, giving it a performance boost and an additional power efficiency. Xiaomi and Qualcomm already confirmed their partnership earlier this year by featuring the Snapdragon 845 in one of Xiaomi's upcoming flagship devices. It was initially believed that the Mi 7 would be the first to boast the high-end processor, but the Mi MIX 2S will be taking its place on the MWC 2018 presentation, NDTV reported. The Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S is also expected to feature an improved camera over its predecessor. According to GSMArena, previous specs leak shows that the handset will use the latest Sony IMX363 camera with dual-pixel autofocus technology. This enhanced snapper will allow the device to capture high-quality photos even at night. Rumor has it that the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S will borrow some of the top-notch features of Apple's latest flagship, the iPhone X. The Mi MIX 2S is already expected to have an all-screen display with very minimal bezels, just like the Mi MIX 2 last year. However, the handset may now include a notch area on the top display, making a resemblance with the iPhone X. The notch will include the required image sensors for facial recognition, and the Snapdragon 845 inside the Mi MIX 2S will support this feature with its artificial intelligence (AI) functionalities. Dogs recently got into Fort Bend ISD's Ronnie Davis Agriculture Center and killed three pigs and a lamb, the second such incident in the current school year. The latest attack killed four students' animals during the week of Jan. 26, according to Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Charles Dupre. He said the attack came as hundreds of Fort Bend ISD students were preparing their animals for the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the biggest event of the year for students in the agriculture program. "I realize that not all of our families participate in FFA (Future Farmers of America) programs, but I am writing today to express my sincere regret that this happened, and reiterate our commitment to ensuring the safety of our students, and in this case, the animals in their care," Dupre wrote in a blog post. Amanda Bubella, a spokeswoman with Fort Bend ISD, said two of the dogs responsible for the attack were caught by Missouri City Animal Services, while a third was spotted but escaped. Dupre said a similar incident happened in November, when at least one animal in the agriculture center was killed by a dog. After that attack, he said crews worked to reinforce pens and fencing around the facility. "...these efforts were ultimately not enough to keep the animals out of harm's way," Dupre wrote. "We are implementing plans to create additional barriers and regrade the property to eliminate gaps in the fence line so this does not happen again. We will also continue to assess the other older agriculture facility, the Jimmy Klemstein Agriculture Center, to ensure it is safe for our students and their animals." Dupre said multiple fundraisers have been launched for students whose animals were killed, including a BBQ Plate Sale to be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 17 at Arcola Feed & Track, 6215 FM 521 Road in Rosharon. Another student livestock death made headlines last week after a Katy ISD student was charged with a felony for shooting a pig he was raising at that district's agriculture facility. On a recent morning, Syed Ahmed Jamal was getting ready to take his daughter to school when he was stopped outside his home in Lawrence, Kan. Officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement were on his front lawn. Before Jamal, 55, could say goodbye to his wife and three children, the agents detained him and led him away in handcuffs. The arrest of a "beloved Lawrence family man, scientist and community leader" came as a shock to Jamal's friends and neighbors in the Kansas City area, where he has lived since arriving in the United States on a student visa from Bangladesh more than 30 years ago. He would go on to also attain graduate degrees in molecular biosciences and pharmaceutical engineering, then settle in Lawrence to raise a family. Along the way, he switched from student visas to an H-1B visa for highly skilled workers, then back to a student visa when he enrolled in a doctoral program, his family said. At the time of his arrest, Jamal was on a temporary work permit, teaching chemistry as an adjunct professor at Park University in Kansas City and conducting research at various local hospitals. In a statement to the Washington Post, an ICE official said the agency "continues to focus its enforcement resources on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security." Asked whether Jamal had done anything that would have placed him in this category, the official said that, "as ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan has made clear, ICE does not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement." Jamal's arrest is also the latest example of ICE agents abruptly targeting noncitizens with no criminal record who have, in the past, been allowed to stay in the country because they were seen as contributing positively to society, according to Jeffrey Y. Bennett, an immigration lawyer who filed a request to stay Jamal's deportation on Friday. Shortly after he was elected, Donald Trump vowed to immediately deport 2 to 3 million undocumented immigrants after his inauguration, saying the focus would be on those with criminal records. During the first year of Trump's presidency, however, many immigrants who were previously allowed to stay found themselves swept up by ICE, such as in the recent case of a Michigan father, too old to qualify for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, who was deported to Mexico after three decades in the United States. In January, ICE targeted 7-Eleven stores in a nationwide sweep for unauthorized workers and, later that month, detained a Polish doctor and green-card holder who had lived in the United States for nearly 40 years. "The first wave (of people getting detained) was right after President Trump was elected and came into office. For a few months everyone was basically in hysteria. There were lots of incidents of people getting picked up coming out of the courtroom where they appeared for (check-ins), at churches, jails, schools," Bennett said. "It kind of tapered down over the summer. Now I'm starting to hear over the local attorney listservs, I'm seeing an uptick on the same thing." What are the benefits of hybrid clouds and hybrid IT? Elasticity, scalability, and cloud bursting When it comes to extending on-premises environments to public clouds, a key motivation and advantage is being able to elastically use resources when needed in public clouds to meet market demand, scaling up and down. This is known as cloud bursting. Customer-facing applications, and specifically e-commerce ones, are great examples for cloud bursting, with users being able to benefit from rapid scaling at periods of high demand, such as holidays. Using public clouds can also contribute to easier increase of availability for its end users due to the distributed nature of the infrastructure (geolocation zone options) that can assure performance as well as bring apps closer to their intended users. Access to innovation An important driver behind the formation of hybrid cloud and hybrid IT architectures is the access to public cloud services. Organizations have been more and more extending their on-premises environments to the public clouds in order for their development teams to benefit from platform offerings (PaaS) and reduce time to market when building applications. This multicloud ecosystem of services and the flexibility it offers for organizations to build and deploy application components anywhere drives the need for more and better integration and control across different environments. Efficiency With the right operational model and tooling to control costs, hybrid clouds and hybrid IT architectures can offer cost efficiencies, especially when it comes to reducing capital expenses for infrastructure on-premises. Conversely, managing costs across hybrid environments can be a challenge without the right tools and process in place. Its chilly out. Lets make chili, with chiles or chilies. Or maybe chili oil. Okay, the first means cold, and the second obviously refers to the stew-like dish. But how come we have two words (at least) for hot peppers or products of hot peppers? ICYMI: Merriam-Webster reveals its word of 2017 Its a mystery. To be historically accurate, we would all call the peppers chile, since thats how it is spelled in Spanish. Then again, the Spanish took it from the language of the Aztec (also known as Nahuatl), which used it to describe a local plant that produced hot peppers. But a Nahuatl dictionary (in French!) wrote it as chilli. Lets get one thing out of the way first: The peppers have no relationship with the South American country Chile, whose name may come from words for the ends of the earth, or from the name of a tribal chief, a neighboring valley, or a bird. But even that nation was called Chili until the early part of the 20th century. The Associated Press Stylebook entry is mild: chili, chilies Refers generally to spicy peppers, as well as the meat- or sometimes bean-based dish. Exception is the Hatch chile produced in Hatch, New Mexico. The APs section on food guidelines reinforces that usage with an entry for Thai chilies, Thai chili sauce. Sign up for CJR 's daily email The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage gets a little stronger: chile(s) for a pepper or peppers (chile pepper is redundant). But the hearty and usually meaty dish flavored with chiles is chili con carne, or simply chili. Then came this mind-blower from Sam Sifton in the Times: Confusingly, chile powder and chili powder are two different things. (More confusingly, The Times has conflated them for years.) Chile powder is just dried, pulverized chiles. Chili powder, on the other hand, is a mixture of dried, ground chiles with other spices, and it helps bring a distinctive flavor to the dish that bears its name. (Emphasis in the original.) Its enough to give you heartburn. So lets go to the dictionary! Not because it provides the answer, but it can at least offer some guidance. And since most publications use a specific dictionary as part of their style guidelines, it can help you sift through the heat of the argument. ICYMI: Notable changes in AP style Websters New World College Dictionary, the one used by the AP and the Times, sides with the AP on this one, preferring chili for the peppers and calling chile an alternate spelling. But it also lists chile relleno as the preferred form over chili relleno, because thats the way Mexican Spanish spells it. Merriam-Webster is on the chili wagon, too, listing as alternative spellings chile and chilli, though that last one is chiefly British. So British, in fact, that there is no separate entry for chili in the Oxford English Dictionary: Its included as part of the chilli/chilly entry. So unless you work for the Times, use its stylebook, or follow a specialized stylebook with its own ideas, go ahead and use chili all around. But heres hot news: The stew-like dish entered English in 1857 as chile con carne, the OED says. Heres a great visualization of how chile con carne and chili con carne were neck and neck in books until the 1940s, when chili took off. And chili is still winning. Go into a store, and youll generally find chili powder, sometimes even when its made out of only one pepper. Many manufacturers and marketers seem to care little how its spelled: An Amazon.com search for chile powder yields a selection of single-chile powders, single-chili powders, and blends of both chili and chile, sometimes in the same description. Put the spicy little devils in oil, though, and its almost universally spelled chili oil. The word chill that gives us chilly derives, not surprisingly, from words for cold. But heres one last kick. The hot, desert wind called sirocco in many places has an alternate name in Tunisia, the OED says. They call the wind chili. ICYMI: A bombshell scoop that started with an 11-word, late-night text Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Merrill Perlman managed copy desks across the newsroom at the New York Times, where she worked for twenty-five years. Follow her on Twitter at @meperl. Hartford, Conn., officials say they cannot find a 30-year-old insurance policy that could play a key role in any damages or settlement the city would have to pay in a lawsuit filed by a man wrongly imprisoned for murder for two decades. The inability to locate the policy prompted federal Magistrate Judge Joan Margolis in New Haven on Monday to order the city to subpoena insurance companies in an effort to find it. Miguel Roman, of Manchester, filed the federal lawsuit against the city and police officials in March 2011, alleging malicious prosecution, suppression of evidence and violation of his civil rights. City officials deny the allegations. His lawyers have been seeking information on the citys insurance policies since the lawsuit was filed nearly seven years ago. Mr. Roman is satisfied that the court granted him the relief that he sought, said his lawyer, Rosemarie Paine. The courts ruling provides a timeline for taking the necessary steps to locate the missing policy and move the case forward. Nathalie Feola-Guerrieri, senior assistant corporation counsel for the city, declined to comment. She wrote in court documents that city officials have made many efforts to find the policy, including asking insurance companies to look for it, but to no avail. Roman, 61, was convicted of murder in the 1988 killing of his 17-year-old girlfriend, Carmen Lopez, of Hartford, who was pregnant. Roman, who was not the father of the unborn baby, served 20 years of a 60-year sentence before being released in December 2008 and later exonerated based on new DNA testing that resulted in another man being convicted of her killing. State officials later awarded Roman $6 million for his wrongful conviction. The excess policy that is missing could be key in the lawsuit because it would cover any damages or settlement the city would have to pay above $2 million, which is the liability limit of the citys primary insurance policy issued by Travelers that was in place 30 years ago. Hartford struggled with its finances over the past year and was near bankruptcy before getting help in the new state budget passed in October. Travelers has recommended to the city that it notify the carrier of its excess policy about the lawsuit, because of the chance that any award to Roman could exceed $2 million. The excess policy presumably was in effect in 1988, when Roman said he was wrongfully arrested. An unanswered question in the case is whether the citys insurance policies in effect in 2011, when he filed his lawsuit, would cover any award to him. Roman has not disclosed a specific dollar amount for the damages he is seeking. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Austin Court of Appeals issued a decision in a case involving the high prices that air ambulances charge Texas workers compensation insurers. Workers compensation insurance is a heavily regulated line of insurance. In fact, the state-mandated insurance policy requires workers compensation insurers to pay lifetime medical costs for injured workers, but also mandates that they pay whatever state law requires. State law, in turn, requires that the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), Division of Workers Compensation (DWC) develop a fee schedule designed, among other things, to contain medical costs and not cross-subsidize any other payors. TDI enforced the payment of 125 percent of Medicare for payments to air ambulances. The air ambulances challenged this fee based on a federal law that deregulated the commercial airline industry so that those airlines could compete on price for travelers and shipping. The air ambulances use this law to attempt to recover their full billed charges (which are often 500 percent or more of their costs). The appellate court agreed with the air ambulances on one thing: that the federal law preempts the state fee mandate. However, the court did not order the insurers to pay billed charges. In finding that the Airline Deregulation Act applied, the court relied on several cases from other jurisdictions that reach the same result (although many of them are still on appeal). And none of these courts has ordered insurers to pay billed charges either. In fact, if in the end the state laws are actually preempted by a federal act, participants face a void: no court would have apparent authority to order the insurers to pay anything other than their contractual obligation to pay state-set charges. The struggle to contain sky-high air ambulance prices continues in many contexts, as it will in this one, said Mary Nichols, senior vice president and general counsel for Texas Mutual. The Texas workers compensation system is one of the best in the nation, due to its carefully designed balance of interests. Inserting unlimited medical costs into that system does serious damage to the system, and thus to those conscientious employers of Texas who choose to protect their workers with workers compensation insurance. Source: Texas Mutual Insurance Company A federal appeals court has rejected Louisianas contention that the federal government should pay $586 million to restore barrier islands and wetlands damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld decisions by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, an arbitration panel and a district court. NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune reports that the decision says the islands and wetlands would have had to be improved and maintained to get FEMA money. The request included most of the southern edge of Louisianas coastline, including both barrier islands and headlands _ that is, beaches and back wetlands connected to land. Many of the islands have been or are being rebuilt with other money, including federal fines and penalties from the BP oil spill in 2010. The ruling wont stop efforts to get FEMA money to restore barrier islands, the state Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority said in a statement after the ruling was handed down Monday. Rather, it said, the ruling is effectively procedural, and about whether the state will have one or several arbitrations with FEMA. CPRA firmly believes that Louisiana is entitled to public assistance for its barrier islands and it intends to pursue all avenues of recovery, the statement said. The restoration of these islands is vital to their very existence and by extension, Louisianas coastline, wetlands and wildlife, as well as the life and property of Louisianas citizens. The original arbitration panel suggested separate applications for each island for which the state could provide a record of improvements and maintenance. Even as the state pursued its appeal, it has filed separate requests for several individual islands. Those requests are pending. But the state also had made earlier individual island repair requests totaling $200 million soon after Katrina and Rita, and those requests were denied by FEMA for similar reasons. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was showing "disdain" for China's approach to Latin American by saying that the far east nation was assuming the role of "new imperial powers" alongside Russia, a nationalistic Chinese newspaper said over the weekend. "Chinese people might be surprised to find out that their country is labeled a 'new imperial power,'" said Global Times in an op-ed. "The question is: What did China do in Latin America? China has no military bases in the region and has dispatched no troops to any of the Latin American countries," the Chinese Communist Party-linked newspaper added. On the charge that China is using its economic influence to exert political pressure over the region, the paper claimed Beijing's actions brought only benefit to those nations. "China is merely doing business with Latin America and all the trade ties are based on the countries' free will and for mutual benefit," it said. "China respects Latin America and the first principle in trade cooperation is win-win and reciprocity. However, the U.S. has long seen Latin America as its backyard." China's comments came after Tillerson on Friday said in a speech on Friday about China's influence in Latin America that the region "does not need new imperial powers." "Today China is getting a foothold in Latin America. It is using economic statecraft to pull the region into its orbit; the question is at what price," Tillerson said at the University of Texas at Austin en route to Mexico. "Latin America does not need new imperial powers that seek only to benefit their own people," he said. "China's state-led model of development is reminiscent of the past. It doesn't have to be this hemisphere's future." State-owned China Daily responded to Tillerson by saying said there is a "perception gap" between the U.S. and China. Referring to Tillerson's Friday speech insinuating China is a "potential predatory actor," the paper said the current U.S. administration believes it is living during the Cold War, "even though the rest of the world has moved on and is living in 2018." That is, Washington is suffering from "paranoia," the paper said. "Which is why what appears perfectly normal to China and other countries can look offending, even unacceptable to the U.S." Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying also hit out at Tillerson's comments over the weekend, saying "the relevant allegation from the U.S. side is totally contrary to the facts and shows no respect for the vast number of Latin American countries." The latest tit-for-tat between the world's two largest economies came as the U.S. is seen to be turning inward under the Trump administration and as China expands its international footsteps and global influence, especially through the Belt and Road Initiative. The project initially spanned the Eurasia region, but China recently invited Latin American and Caribbean countries to join. "I want to call out the great work of our marketing and design teams," says Pichai, according to a transcript of the call . "I want to thank all our employees, Google users, partners and advertisers around the world." "I want to take a moment to recognize the tremendous amount of work that went into creating iPhone X. Our teams carried out an extremely complex launch from both an engineering and operations perspective, executing an outstanding product ramp that required years of research and development," Cook says . "[W]e are very proud of their achievements." Thursday, both Apple and Google reported their quarterly financial performance. And in amid a whole lot of investor speak, there was also a key lesson in leadership: Take the time to recognize your team for their hard work. But thanking your team for their work is really important. It's the mark of a true leader. It's so easy to forget you're busy, up against deadlines and rushing from one meeting to the next. Of course, it is well within these CEOs best interests to brag about their teams as investors are listening, but there is a greater lesson to be had: It's good business to say "thank you" to employees. It doesn't cost anything and the return is potentially very large. According to a 2013 survey from jobs website Glassdoor, more than half of respondents say they would stay longer at a company if they felt they were more appreciated by their boss. And 81 percent of survey respondents say they are motivated to work harder when their boss shows appreciation for their work, which is more than twice the 38 percent of employees who say they are motivated to work harder when their boss is demanding and 37 percent of employees who report being motivated to work harder because they are worried about losing their job. PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi takes the value of saying "thank you" one step further: She sends thank you notes to the parents of her senior executives. That amounts to more than 400 letters. It all began when she became the CEO of PepsiCo in 2006. She traveled to India, where she grew up, to see her mother. A slew of guests came through the house congratulating Nooyi's mother on her daughter's promotion. "When I got home and I sat in the living room, a stream of visitors and random people started to show up," Nooyi says on "The David Rubenstein Show." "They'd go to my mom and say, 'You did such a good job with your daughter. Compliments to you. She's CEO.' But not a word to me." Nooyi started the practice of thanking the parents of her senior executives. "I said, 'Thank you for the gift of your child to our company,'" Nooyi tells Rubenstein. Nooyi's notes went a long way to establishing herself as a trustworthy leader. The responses were effusive, like "My God, this is the best thing that's happened to my parents. And it's the best thing that's happened to me," according to Nooyi. See also: Why Pepsico CEO Indra Nooyi writes letters to her employees' parents Apple CEO Tim Cook: 'Don't work for money ... you will never be happy' Google CEO: You don't need to code to be successful at many jobs of the future but you will need this Bitcoin fell below $8,000 for the third time in four days on Monday amid a broader sell-off in cryptocurrencies that has seen over $60 billion of valued erased from the market in 24 hours. The price of bitcoin traded as low as $7,178.65 on Monday and sat below the $8,000 mark for most of the morning's trade, according to CoinDesk. It's the lowest price for bitcoin since November 16. CoinDesk's bitcoin price index tracks prices from digital currency exchanges Bitstamp, Coinbase, itBit and Bitfinex. On Friday, bitcoin fell below $8,000 for the first time since November 24. It then rose above $9,000 over the weekend before falling below $8,000 on Sunday. It was not only bitcoin that fell either. Other major virtual currencies, including ethereum and ripple, fell sharply in the last 24 hours. The market capitalization or value of the entire cryptocurrency market fell to around $350 billion around 11:23 a.m., ET, Monday, according to data from CoinMarketCap.com. This was a drop of around $67.7 billion in 24 hours. While many of its peers are giving up on Wells Fargo, Bank of America Merrill Lynch still recommends the embattled bank. The Federal Reserve said Friday it is restricting Wells Fargo's size in response to "widespread consumer abuses." The government is prohibiting the bank from growing any larger than its total assets as of the end of 2017 until "sufficient improvements" are made. Wells Fargo shares declined 9.2 percent Monday. At least five Wall Street investment banks downgraded the shares following the news. Bank of America Merrill Lynch reiterated its buy rating for Wells Fargo shares, saying the dramatic drop in its shares after the Fed's action is an overreaction. "We dug deeply into earnings drivers at WFC, between now and 2020. And, while we expect shares to be weak near term, we conclude that EPS cuts of 2-3% are less than the implied after-market decline of 6%," analyst Erika Najarian wrote in a note to clients Monday. "We would view any potential weakness in the shares as a particularly attractive buying opportunity." Najarian slightly lowered her price target for Wells Fargo shares to $69 from $70. The new target is 8 percent higher than Friday's closing price. In 2016 Wells Fargo admitted that employees, facing pressure to meet sales goals, enrolled customers in products without their knowledge, affecting as many as 3.5 million accounts. Last year, it revealed that thousands of customers had been charged for car insurance they did not need. The bank replaced its CEO and remade its board and will name another four new board members this year. The analyst said Wells Fargo's estimate on the potential negative impact to net profits from the asset restriction is $300 million to $400 million, or roughly 2 percent of the 2018 earnings per share consensus for the bank. She said the bank will be able to reorient its asset portfolios to maximize its financial results. "If there is any silver lining for shareholders, it is that the order forces WFC to optimize its balance sheet," she wrote. "We show how WFC can stay under the asset cap and still grow loans and spread revenue, by running off low-value, high cost deposits and shifting excess cash and other low-yielding cash flow into Ginnie Mae securities without compromising liquidity needs." Nearly 60 percent of Wall Street does not have buy ratings for Wells Fargo shares, according to FactSet. CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this story. Facebook is talking to advertisers about a more direct assault on YouTube Facebook has talked to media buyers about expanding Watch to more individual creators and creating an advertising system where everyone would get a split of revenue, similar to YouTube. The company has also indicated that it will allow brands to select which shows they want to advertise on and potentially create a tiered advertising system to allow companies to advertise on top Watch videos. Michelle Castillo | @mishcastillo Facebook is talking about expanding its TV-like service, Watch, into a rival to Google's YouTube by opening the platform to more individual creators, according to several people familiar with the plans. This would increase the amount of long-form video content that Facebook can sell ads against, and could reverse a decline in the time users are spending on the site. Facebook wants to allow more people to create their own shows on Watch, according to three media agencies who asked they remain anonymous because the conversations are private. Instead of buying rights to these shows, however, Facebook wants to create a system where creators can upload their shows for free, then earn a cut of the revenue from ads placed on that content similar to how YouTube pays its online creators. Another source with knowledge of the situation said Facebook's ultimate goal is to create a sustainable ad-supported video platform, where it won't have to pay for the majority of content. Creators are hungry for other video platforms that can earn them more revenue after YouTube made it harder to earn advertising money on its platform. Amazon has also talked to advertising agencies about creating more ad-supported video initiatives. More broadly, the move continues Watch's encroachment into YouTube's territory. Currently not everyone on Watch makes advertising revenue. Facebookpays some media, production companies and creators for rights for their shows, ranging from $10,000 to $500,000 per episode depending on the length and exclusivity, according to four companies who have Watch deals. Some shows are uploaded for free on a "partner" basis. Facebook declined to comment. An opening Launched in August 2017, Watch is an effort to get more long-form episodic shows on to Facebook in hopes of capturing more video advertising revenue from leader YouTube. Early shows on the service have included "Comeback Kids" by digital media company The Dodo, and "Struggle Meals," which shows users how to cook meals for under $2. Digital video advertising was a $5.2 billion industry during the first six months of 2017, according to a report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau. Facebook said in December 2017 it will add commercials before videos, a first for the platform. At the same time, to make sure users stay engaged, Facebook is requiring videos to be at least three minutes long to qualify for ads in the middle of them, and those ads can appear only after 60 seconds of content. Previously, videos only needed to be 90 seconds to qualify for ad breaks, and an ad could appear after only 20 seconds. Facebook also hopes the move to long-form video will keep people on the site longer. Last quarter the company said time spent on the site was reduced by 50 million hours per day, partly because of News Feed algorithm changes. Google has provided an opening for Facebook as it clamps down after an advertiser backlash over ads appearing next to inappropriate content. To combat the problem, in January it announced a revamp of its advertising program Google Preferred, which allows companies to buy ads on its top "safe" videos. Under the new rules, a human must review every single video that qualifies for the program. It now also requires creators to have 4,000 hours of "watchtime" over a year and more than 1,000 subscribers in order to earn advertising revenue, as opposed to a previous threshold of just 10,000 lifetime views. Media agencies say their clients are excited about the prospect of video advertising on Facebook, but most of the money is earmarked for buying sponsored placements in the News Feed rather than Watch ads. Brands are hesitant about advertising on Watch, and are particularly concerned about where their ads might appear, because Facebook category designations are extremely broad. Expanding Watch to more creators will make it harder for Facebook to vet content, they note. However the company told two buyers it is thinking about allowing the purchase of specific shows starting in Q2. The method, which is similar to how television is sold, could be a way to weed out lower-quality shows which won't earn ad revenue and may convince advertisers to spend similar amounts of money as they would on television commercials. Facebook also seems to be considering creating a tiered advertising system, similar to YouTube advertising program Google Preferred, one source noted. About CNBC: With CNBC in the U.S., CNBC in Asia Pacific, CNBC in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and CNBC World, CNBC is the recognized world leader in business news and provides real-time financial market coverage and business information to more than 409 million homes worldwide, including more than 91 million households in the United States and Canada. CNBC also provides daily business updates to 400 million households across China. The network's 15 live hours a day of business programming in North America (weekdays from 4:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. ET) is produced at CNBC's global headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and includes reports from CNBC News bureaus worldwide. CNBC at night features a mix of new reality programming, CNBC's highly successful series produced exclusively for CNBC and a number of distinctive in-house documentaries. CNBC also has a vast portfolio of digital products which deliver real-time financial market news and information across a variety of platforms including: CNBC.com; CNBC PRO, the premium, integrated desktop/mobile service that provides live access to CNBC programming, exclusive video content and global market data and analysis; a suite of CNBC mobile products including the CNBC Apps for iOS, Android and Windows devices; and additional products such as the CNBC App for the Apple Watch and Apple TV. Members of the media can receive more information about CNBC and its programming on the NBCUniversal Media Village Web site at http://www.nbcumv.com/programming/cnbc. For more information about NBCUniversal, please visit http://www.NBCUniversal.com. Broadcom increased its bid for rival chipmaker Qualcomm on Monday morning. If it succeeds, the deal is likely to generate some $3 billion in cost synergies, according to KeyBanc analysts. That would likely mean cutting thousands of jobs, running counter to the pro-jobs agenda of the White House. That could strain the friendly relationship between Broadcom and the Trump administration. President Donald Trump in November publicly thanked Broadcom CEO Hock Tan for returning the company's headquarters to the United States and Tan in return praised the then-forthcoming tax overhaul. But billionaire investor Kevin O'Leary sees a bright side, he told CNBC's "Squawk Box" Monday. "People love this deal," he said. "Many people that own Broadcom and Qualcomm, like me, want to see this." The reasoning is pretty simple: $3 billion in "synergies" a term often used to mean cost-saving layoffs protects profits in the long run and, in this case, frees up engineers to fill the well-established tech talent shortage. "Those people will get hired immediately by other competitors," O'Leary said. "These are very expensive engineers. Get the whacking stick out. I love that." A combined Broadcom-Qualcomm could feed innovation in the rapidly growing semiconductor sector and eliminate some of the operational headaches. "[Broadcom CEO Hock Tan] already made that commitment to show that he'll bring jobs to America," O'Leary said. "Now he's going to synergize America, which is even better more productivity." Qualcomm consistently ranks at the top of its peers in innovation. Last year Strategy&, the global strategy consulting arm of PwC, listed the company 26th on its Global Innovation 1000 study of top R&D spenders, and CNBC named it to its own IQ 100 Index. But Qualcomm has been tied down for years in ongoing litigation with Apple over licensing agreements. "There are many shareholders, including me, who think Qualcomm is very poorly managed," O'Leary said. "I would like adult supervision to come in from Broadcom, work it out with Apple and make it so that I can make more money with Apple as opposed to litigating until the cows come home." CNBC Interview with the Crown Prince of Liechtenstein Following are excerpts from a CNBC interview with the Crown Prince of Liechtenstein and CNBC's Joumanna Bercetche. JB: Liechtenstein is the definition of an open economy in the sense that trade is a very integral part of the economy, no tariffs applied. When you hear the likes of Donald Trump, President of the US saying he's going to pursue an America first policy, does that concern you? Perhaps the world is moving away from a globalisation model to a more inward model? PA: It is a concern. Luckily, I would say up until now with few exceptions there hasn't been a strong move in this direction, yet. Most of the other countries raised the point that it shouldn't move in this protectionism. But we saw in the last few years elements of that. Not only coming from the US side where it was perhaps raised most loudly, but you could see in some from other countries. I think it's good that there's a lot talk that one has to be careful, one shouldn't go in this direction. I'm confident that we don't go too far there, but it is a concern for a small country like Liechtenstein. We are very dependent on open economies. JB: Do you think that perhaps that some of the rules need to be rewritten though? PA: I think it's worthwhile to look that the international rules are working in the sense of a level playing field. But I think it's important that they don't get rewritten in the sense of protectionism. I think that would be dangerous not only for the big countries but very much more for the smaller ones as well. In the example of Liechtenstein international trade, globalisation is not a zero-sum game where you have only one party that benefits and the other part not. If Liechtenstein was not able to not have this open trade, we couldn't have a sophisticated economy here. We have to import almost everything in order to be able to specialize in goods and services on those areas where we can do well and export them. And this way we can finance the imports. Otherwise, if our industrial companies and financial institutions only had Liechtenstein as a market, they would have to close down immediately and we would have to move back to subsistence farming. For a country of the size of Liechtenstein that would mean a large part of the population would have to leave the country. So we are concerned but we hope that the international community will realize that it is actually beneficial to everyone that we have good free trade, free exchange between the countries and the level playing field. We hope that these developments will continue in the right direction. JB: Speaking of trading arrangements, Liechtenstein is of course part of EEA, so when you heard results of Brexit referendum, were you concerned at all that this would have an impact on the people's Liechtenstein on whether they wanted to stay part of this programme as well? PA: We are integrated into the European Economic Area, the common market, through our membership as countries together with Norway and Iceland on one side and the EU countries on the other side. So an exit of the UK out of the EU would mean an exit out of this common market, and we have together with our other two partners and EU countries have to see what kind of new regulation and new way to solve this free trade can be found. JB: While doing the research I discovered the UK national anthem is rather similar to the Liechtenstein national anthem. I just wonder perhaps if the UK should adopt a similar trading model that Liechtenstein has adopted to the rest of the EU, what do you think? PA: I think that there are some elements that might be beneficial to the UK. Obviously, the UK could consider joining EFTA again, and through EFTA membership, could be part of common market. However, if one looks at why the UK left the European Union, there are quite some elements that they would have to take on again, which mean they would again be subject to foreign judges, on the whole regulation, have to take on all EU regulation with exception of agriculture. So if you consider the reasons why they have left, I don't see why they would use the exact same ways of integration. JB: Being as you just mentioned as part of the EEA, you are also subject to some of the EU rules and regulations. Has that ever hindered or stopped the progress of some forms of development in your view or has it actually benefited the country? PA: It benefited. Such a small country, 38,000 people on 160 square kilometers, you are always closely integrated into your neighborhood. If you look back in history, that is always the case. You have to be prepared to take on regulations of your neighbors, the larger neighborhood, international regulation because otherwise you wouldn't be able to have these open markets, free trade. So the acceptance for that in a very small country is perhaps higher than in a bigger one where you think we have to be the one who determines exactly what regulations there areOur approach is that we have to accept we are not the big one on the table who can determine the rules but we have to a large extent live with what the big ones come up with. We obviously have to try to bring up our ideas in this process. For us it's more important to see what types of niches are attractive for us in this international framework. JB: So when you think of the state of Europe today, are you optimistic about the future? PA: It looks better again particularly if you look at the economy of the EU. However, there's still a lot of homework to do. There are big building places if you want to call it like this. You have the whole immigration problem, not really solved yet. You still have quite some uncertainty about the future of the euro. Brexit is a big subject. As such there's a danger that if you have market turmoil. It's not so clear. We've had a number of periods of growth worldwide, not a very strong one, but numbers and stock markets are very high, you could see in the next 2-3 years a shift there and if something like this happens, Europe is not very prepared for that. JB: Like the IMF there you have to fix the roof when the sun is shining. PA: Exactly that's a problem. Generally, it's easiest to fix the roof in politics if the sun is not shining because it's easier to push through difficult reforms. There should be more done in Europe than is currently done. JB: I'd like to switch gears and talk about wealth management. The Liechtenstein family wealth has been around since the 12th century, that's more than 800 years. I just wonder, how the royal family has managed to secure the wealth over such a long time and secure the assets, really. PA: Obviously such a long history you have to be lucky as well. I think after having made first experience how difficult it is, we came up in the beginning of the 16thcentury and then again improved in 17thcentury with very clear statute of how we governed the family, how the wealth is kept together, managed, and that really helped to preserve it over the centuries. There are critical periods, large parts of family wealth was expropriated in the 15th century, then after the second world war, biggest part of the family wealth was in what is now the Czech Republic , was expropriated then after the war. So it was important that the family always had a diversified asset allocation if you would call it in modern terms. So that was one part and the other is that I think that you ensure if you train a next generation JB: Let's pick up on diversification point. A big portion is invested in art, vineyards, and the private bank as well. So can you give us an idea of the allocation to each one of those perhaps? PA: I would say the biggest parts are very traditional elements, going back into the centuries, agriculture, farmland and timberland, still are an important part. We've moved into other agricultural areas such as the seed business. That's one traditional part and a traditional part is the also the real estate side. And the more let's say modern parts are the financial services industry which is nowadays an important part with a particular focus on private banking and asset management, both for private persons and institutional management. We also build up our own direct private equity investment vehicles where we have - I think unlike a normal private equity - a long-term orientation. We try to diversify and obviously to the traditional part belongs the art collection that we try to manage over the centuries. JB: I noticed a Rubens painting in the room next door. Can you tell me a little bit about the art collection. Are you planning to acquire new art or is it based on legacy art, and if so, how was that acquired in the first place? PA: Well let's begin on how it was acquired in the first place. Initially members of the family, the reigning prince would collect art or decorate the houses, palaces. After a certain time it was an element of representation, from that perspective, to invest in high quality works of art. And then I would say later on it became more something where you would collect on purpose. Some family members had a bit of competition of what you would collect. For example with Rubens we were in competition with the Habsburgs, and the Bavarian families. And then we had unfortunately after the Second World War had expropriation of arts. Most of it we managed to bring to Liechtenstein, but as the family assets had to be completely restructured for a certain time, we had to sell quite a lot of art. The last 20-30 years we were quite active on the markets to fill the gaps. Now we filled more or less most of the gaps, some of them we may never be able to fill. Now we are rather looking into diversifying into other asset classes. JB: Would you think of diversifying into cryptocurrencies? PA: It something particularly this new economy digital economy to look into more into the future. Currently we don't have the internal expertise to do that directly. We would rather do that currently through our general exposure through our private equity investing. JB: But it's a technology that could be interesting in your view? PA: It could be interesting. Particularly, the blockchain technology. Where the cryptocurrency will move to that's still open still. JB: It moves quite a lot. PA: So I think one has to see it as a very risky asset class, well if it is an asset class. Obviously, people are investing quite a lot. So, blockchain will change a lot of areas, lot of businesses in the future we can assume it will do, even on the stateside, I think it will make the state more efficient. JB: Liechtenstein removed the banking secrecy model in 2009. So what have you done to continue to attract investment into the country? PA: Luckily Liechtenstein was always a very stable country. Both from a political perspective and an economic perspective. We're not only a financial centre but we have for a small country a very diversified economy. We are among the highest industrialised country in the world. Almost 40% of people employed and of GDP are in manufacturing of goods, and that makes it very stable in this unstable environment. Particularly after international financial crisis, people like to look for safe locations, the sense of diversification of risk, both in asset classes and jurisdiction. That helped to position Liechtenstein again as a safe haven. That's one part. The other is that we continue to try to increase already high level of services, expertise where we benefit from also excellent universities in the neighborhood in Switzerland, south of Germany, small one in Liechtenstein. Then I think one of the benefits is that Liechtenstein offers at the same time as the only place in Europe direct access to the common market and to the Swiss market which is always important to the financial industry. In current discussion with regards to Brexit that's an important, attractive element. And the Swiss currency is a very important element of stability. JB: Does it worry you that the Swiss currency has started appreciating so much? PA: It was a problem particularly for our export industry, but it has now stabilized. The good thing is the improved economy in the EU, you could see the euro going up against the Swiss franc, but it is also an issue particular on the private banking side. You see clients like to come here but even though the Swiss currency is a currency of stability, they don't like to only invest Swiss denominated but have usually also still an exposure to euro, dollar. Income generated from private banking is therefore quite heavily euro influenced but the whole cost basis is Swiss franc. It is a difficulty for the export industry where it's more obvious but also the financial sector. JB: I want to talk about the Monarchy now. Back in 2012 they held a referendum on whether the Monarchy's power should be reduced. That was defeated by 76%. So my question to you is what makes the Monarchy in Liechtenstein so successful, why are you so popular? PA: I think it's our unique combination of having a parliamentary democracy with a strong monarchic element with a very strong element of direct democracy. You don't find that anywhere else. That ensures that the Monarch has to act in the interest of the people. The people in the Liechtenstein have the right of vote of non-confidence against reigning prince and through a popular vote abolish the Monarchy which ensures the reigning prince and myself always have really to make sure in all our decisions we have in focus the long-term interests of the people. On the other hand on the strong monarchic element you can bring stability, continuity, long-term orientation into politics. I don't have to be re-elected every four years, so it's much easier to focus on subjects that are perhaps not so popular, like pension reform and other areas that often in other countries politicians try to push to the next legislation JB: You're not afraid of pushing through contentious legislation? PA: Yes for instance that's why I went out first that we change our corporation on tax matters. Half a year before elections it was easier for me to make that subject. JB: Queen Elizabeth didn't express any view on Brexit scenario when it was topic of conversation. When is it right when the Monarchy to get involved in important long-term political decisions and when is it better to not say anything at all as in the case of Queen Elizabeth? PA: I think you have different systems of monarchies in various monarchies in Europe, and also worldwide. I think what might apply or be good for Liechtenstein might not be the right strategy for another monarchy. In Liechtenstein really my grandfather, my father and myself we tried to focus on subjects of great importance to the country, over the long-term, where we spent a lot of time looking in detail, discussing with experts, with the parties, with government, interest groups, citizens of the country, and tried to come up with a clear message. So it's more what perhaps a chairman in a company would do because we have also in Liechtenstein for the daily business a government, doing the operative part of government, so they are perhaps more comparable to CEO and top management. That has been the kind of division of labour, of tasks between Monarchy in Liechtenstein and the government, and obviously Parliament. We don't raise our voice too often. We leave many other areas of government and to parliament, but on those things where we have been very prepared and we think it's important to say something we do that. And that for instance if you want to look at her comparison to Brexit helped that Liechtenstein is now a part of the EEA and Switzerland isn't. My father at the time was a very strong advocate of that, and the role of the Monarchy was very important. JB: But at the same time you also have the power to veto referendums. So doesn't that detract a little bit the power of democracy if the Monarchy can overrule or veto a referendum outcome. PA:' Theoretically yes, the question is how you use it in practice. I think if you look back at the last 100 years it was used actually 2 or 3 times, the veto, and perhaps announced publicly that one was considering a veto another 2 or 3 times. It's important to think it through carefully and don't make it an everyday thing because then the danger is you go too far with that. So my grandfather, my father and myself we obviously signed a lot of laws that we thought we would have made different. It's important that you have this element and particularly in Liechtenstein because the element of direct democracy, works very strong and much faster than in Switzerland. In Switzerland it usually takes a long time from an initiative to a new law or are new constitutional article, it takes at least 2 years to finally come up, finally decide with a popular vote. In Liechtenstein that can be much faster, and there it's important to have the Monarchy also as a counterbalance no accident is happening. If you look back at the past at least one or two times where the Monarchy didn't sign, it was actually because people didn't want him to do that. JB: Some of the critics of Monarchy today say that it's out of touch with the people. In your case you host an event every year where you invite all of the population of Liechtenstein to the castle, is that your way in staying in touch? What's your approach? PA: I think once a year an event would not be enough. I think the advantage in Liechtenstein is that we're 38,000 inhabitants, it's much easier to stay in touch. I went to primary school like everyone else at the local school here, then later on. So with 38,000 you already know a certain amount of the population. I try to participate in many events in the country. There's always a possibility to interact with the people. I have open house in the sense that if someone in Liechtenstein wants to discuss something with me, has some concerns about something, they can always organise a meeting that's something that's possible in Liechtenstein. It's impossible for a big monarchy, for a monarchy in a big country. That allows me to be close to the people. And additionally I try to have a lot of meetings with government, parties, interest groups, business associations, with others as well. JB: It's almost a form of analogue social media. You're meeting people in person, rather than sending out tweets or something along those lines PA: Yes, you're right. I haven't switched yet on tweets. I obviously use sometimes email but I prefer to have the direct dialogue and that's possible, luckily, in Liechtenstein. JB: How often do you see other royals in Europe? PA: You meet on a regular basis, usually on celebrations, anniversaries, weddings, unfortunately sometimes funerals. Usually 2-3 occasions each year where a lot of the other European monarchs or their representatives will meet JB: Speaking of weddings, are we going to see you at Prince Harry's wedding this year? PA: That I don't know yet. JB: Is there any advice you would give Megan Markle, the future wife of Prince Harry entering into the royal family? PA: Ican'tI think it's so different. JB: Thank you so much for sitting down with CNBC today, it's been wonderful talking with you. PA: Thank you very much. It was very nice to have you here. ENDS For more information contact Jonathan Millman, EMEA Communications Executive: Jonathan.Millman@CNBC.com About CNBC International: CNBC is the number one business and financial news network on the planet. Our mission is to help the influential and aspirational to make astute decisions to get ahead. CNBC International ensures no matter where you are you can keep up to date with the latest breaking business and financial news. With international headquarters in London and Singapore, we provide you with the perfect 24-hour global business briefing. In addition to our global TV channel, available in more than 409 million homes worldwide, CNBC is also available on mobile, tablet and desktop. CNBC.com is the preeminent financial news source on the web, featuring an unprecedented amount of video, real-time market analysis, web-exclusive live video and analytical financial tools. That followed reports last week that increased worries about potential price manipulation at Bitfinex, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Dec. 6 subpoenaed Bitfinex and a digital coin company called Tether, run by many of the same people as the exchange, Bloomberg reported, citing a source. The New York Times said Wednesday that a person familiar with the matter also affirmed the report. The CFTC declined to comment to CNBC. A representative for Bitfinex and Tether had no further comment. Bitcoin 's rapid tumble from December records comes amid a slew of negative headlines pushing back against cryptocurrencies' advancement into established financial markets. Bitcoin dropped more than 10 percent to $7,334.93 on Monday morning, according to CoinDesk's bitcoin price index, which tracks prices from exchanges Bitstamp, Coinbase, itBit and Bitfinex. That marked bitcoin's lowest since mid-November. Bitcoin 12-month performance Source: CoinDesk On Tuesday, Facebook also banned ads for cryptocurrencies. Meanwhile, worries about a regulatory crackdown are growing. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has stepped up its efforts to halt cryptocurrency-related fraud, while authorities in South Korea have banned anonymous trading accounts in an effort to limit speculation. Japanese regulators are inspecting local cryptocurrency exchanges after Coincheck lost the equivalent of more than $500 million in digital currency to hackers in January. The heads of the SEC and CFTC are set to testify before the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday. In India, the country's minister of finance, Arun Jaitley, said in a speech Thursday that the government "does not consider cryptocurrencies legal tender or coin and will take all measures to eliminate use of these cryptoassets in financing illegitimate activities or as part of the payment system," according to a transcript from the daily newspaper The Hindu. "Short term regulatory scrutiny may be a set-back to crypto prices, but long term professional investors need better regulation and more clear guidance regarding the crypto space," Gabor Gurbacs, director, digital assets strategy at VanEck, said. "The more regulators understand the markets, the higher the probability for regulated products, such as ETFs." The cryptocurrency had skyrocketed 2,000 percent to above $19,000 in just 12 months, fueled by a surge of investor interest and speculation of increased participation from institutions. The peak came just as CME, the world's largest futures exchange, launched bitcoin futures. Its competitor Cboe launched its own product a week earlier. Many digital currency enthusiasts expected that the launch of futures by the two major exchanges would pave the way for a bitcoin exchange-traded fund, which would likely bring even more institutional funds into cryptocurrencies. However, after a race to file for a bitcoin ETF in late December, many of the companies withdrew their applications in early January. The SEC cited concerns about liquidity, volatility and investor protection. Ryan Schoen, senior financial services policy analyst at research firm Washington Analysis, said he thought six months ago that a bitcoin futures-based ETF would likely launch in the first quarter of 2018. Now, "if you've got regulators that are concerned about Bitfinex, market manipulation, you could say goodbye" to that idea, he said. As for retail investor participation, Square did announce last week that is allowing most customers to buy and sell bitcoin using its Cash payments app. Stock trading app Robinhood is also rolling out bitcoin and ethereum trading this month for customers in five states. But the ban on purchases from major credit card companies will make it more difficult to buy bitcoin. Energy stocks were the biggest decliners throughout much of a second day of selling on Wall Street on Monday, with the sector heading for its worst two-day performance in 2 years. The S&P 500 energy sector fell 4.4 percent, led lower by natural gas fracker Chesapeake Energy, American independent driller Hess and oil giants Exxon Mobil and Chevron. Over the two-day stock market sell-off, the sector dropped 8.3 percent. That is its worst two-day performance since Aug. 24, 2015, when energy stocks dropped 8.5 percent. Crude oil prices also fell as investors dumped risk assets, with international benchmark and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude both losing about $2 a barrel, or roughly 3 percent, since the end of Thursday's session. Chesapeake Energy was the biggest loser of the day, dropping 7.2 percent. It is down more than 20 percent over the last week since announcing it would lay off about 13 percent of its workforce. The stars of the European Union sit on banners flying outside the European Central Bank headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, on July 20, 2017. Krisztian Bocsi | Bloomberg | Getty Images The European Union is getting ready to vote on another key seat in European policymaking. The next vice president of the European Central Bank (ECB) will be elected shortly to replace Vitor Constancio, whose mandate expires in May. That vote will follow the December election of Portuguese Finance Minister Mario Centeno as Eurogroup president a role that brings together the 19 finance ministers of the euro zone and the January appointment of the Netherlands' Hans Vijlbrief as president of Eurogroup Working Group, which prepares the background work for Eurogroup meetings. So far, two names have been mentioned as potential replacements for Constancio: Spanish Economy Minister Luis de Guindos and Philip Lane, the governor of Ireland's central bank. All applications need to be summited to Brussels by Wednesday and the Eurogroup will publish a list of its suggested candidates on February 20th. Spain officially nominated Luis de Guindos as its candidate on Wednesday morning. European leaders will then hold a vote to select the ECB vice president at a summit in March. Who could replace Constancio? "The vice president is usually from a smaller country, because the larger countries get to be president," Erik Jones, Professor of European Studies at John Hopkins University told CNBC via email. "The current governor of the Bank of Ireland, Philip Lane has the inside track. He is very well-respected as an economist in addition to being a central banker. Moreover, Ireland has not had that position (before)." Lane has been governor of the Irish central bank since November 2015, when Ireland was trying to recover from its sovereign debt crisis. However, there's long been speculation that Spain's De Guindos could take the position in Frankfurt, Germany. He has previously run for other European seats, but withdrew from running a second time for the Eurogroup presidency at the end of last year. This was seen as a signal that he is seeking the ECB vice president role. Constancio has been on the board for 7.5 years and has proved to be one of the intellectual forces within the ECB. Elwin de Groot head of macro strategy at Rabobank "Spain has not been represented on the six-member Executive Board of the ECB since Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo ended his eight-year term of office in May 2012," Michael Schubert, senior economist at Commerzbank, said in a note. "Spain's government representatives have therefore repeatedly called for a Spaniard to take over from the current ECB vice president Constancio." However, some members of the European Parliament, which also has a say on ECB appointments, are reticent in appointing a former minister given that the ECB needs to keep its independence from politics. "Constancio has been on the board for 7.5 years and has proved to be one of the intellectual forces within the ECB. Strong communication skills (as he/she needs to attend the regular press conferences) are key," Elwin de Groot, head of macro strategy at Rabobank told CNBC via email. He added that despite lacking a central banking background, de Guindos is the most likely choice. Why does this vote matter? European Central Bank President Mario Draghi at a press conference in Frankfurt, Germany, on January 19, 2017. Krisztian Bocsi | Bloomberg | Getty Images The United Kingdom and the European Union are still negotiating final divorce terms, but there is "absolutely no doubt" that Brexit will negatively affect the region's aviation industry, the European Commission said Monday. "Brexit is extremely unfortunate and it will have a negative impact on aviation more generally. There is absolutely no doubt about that," Henrik Hololei, the European Commission's director-general for mobility and transport, told CNBC. What is also certain at this point, pending a final agreement, is that the U.K. would not remain in the European Aviation Safety Agency, he said. That's because Britain has indicated it won't accept the supremacy of the European Court of Justice, which is a pre-condition to staying in the EASA. The agency ensures airlines respect safety rules and certifies aerospace products across the bloc, helping to bring down the costs of development and production within the industry. The U.K. has been "a very significant contributor" to the EASA both with finances and its leadership on ideas and policies, according to a November 2017 report by CAPA Centre for Aviation. The U.K. will also not get full access to the E.U. single market for aviation, Hololei explained that's the opportunity for manufacturers and airlines to trade tariff-free throughout the region. Losing "a member of that caliber," said Hololei, is something "everybody will be feeling very sorry about." Nevertheless, Hololei said he envisions the European Commission having an aviation agreement with the U.K. similar to what the organization currently has with the U.S. and Canada. The E.U. and the U.S. have a bilateral agreement that allows European airlines to fly from the region to the U.S. without restrictions. "We're looking more into the kind of relationship that we have with the United States and some of the other third countries," he said. "We are ready to engage but we also would like to know more what kind of relationship the U.K. itself is looking for." Reuters contributed to this report. A trader monitors financial data at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in Germany. Alex Kraus | Bloomberg | Getty Images The German stock market tumbled on Monday as investors reacted to news that German Chancellor Angela Merkel's party and the Social Democrats (SPD) failed to agree to a coalition government on Sunday. Talks between the parties are now continuing into Monday and perhaps beyond. The German DAX opened 100 points lower at 12,685 on Monday morning, before falling further to trade 140 points, or 1.1 percent, lower. By mid-morning, the DAX had pared some losses but was still trading 83 points lower. Market jitters have risen over the possible outcome of talks between Merkel's Christian alliance of Christian Democrats and Christian Social Union (CDU-CSU) and the SPD. The global market sell-off is not helping sentiment either. It is now months since the country's federal election back in September 2017, which failed to produce an outright winner. The result led to protracted talks between major and minor political parties in Germany aimed at forming a coalition government. 'Going into talks with goodwill' On Sunday, Chancellor Merkel said that her conservative bloc faced tough negotiations with the SPD, and talks passed a self-imposed midnight deadline. Reuters reported that the parties had reached agreements on migration, energy and agriculture but continued to debate healthcare and labor policies. It was also announced on Monday that the parties had reached agreements on Europe, pledging to to invest more in the euro zone and end austerity. On Sunday, Merkel said it was "not yet possible" to say how long talks could last. "We did good groundwork yesterda,y but there are still important issues that need to be resolved," Merkel said before heading into negotiations, Reuters reported. "I'm going into talks with goodwill today, but I also expect that we'll face difficult negotiations," she said. Meanwhile SPD General Secretary Lars Klingbeil said on Sunday: "We had a very constructive day today and we reached a lot of agreements," telling reporters that talks were "heading into the homestretch." Long-running impasse The SPD somewhat reluctantly agreed late in 2018 to hold coalition talks with Merkel's conservative alliance after her attempt to form a coalition government with two other parties, the pro-business Free Democrats and the Green party, failed. The SPD has been in government with Merkel before, so it is a tried and tested alliance but the SPD, under leader Martin Schulz, had previously vowed to remain in opposition. In return for its backing this time, the party has said it will extract deep concessions from the CDU-CSU, making talks more contentious. President Donald Trump lashed out at the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee Monday, a day after Democrats and Republicans said Trump was wrong to assert that a GOP-produced classified memo on FBI surveillance powers cleared him in the Russia investigation. The House intelligence panel plans to meet Monday afternoon and is expected to consider whether to release a Democratic rebuttal memo. The committee rejected that move last week, with one Republican member saying revisions were needed so the memo would not endanger national security. Trump would decide whether to release the memo if it contains classified information. A White House official said Monday that the administration would consider releasing the Democratic memo, subjecting it to a similar review process as the Republican memo. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and sought anonymity to discuss internal thinking. The Senate's Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, has urged Trump to back the public release and said that refusing to do so would show the president's intent to undermine the Russia investigation. Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating possible collusion between the Trump 2016 presidential campaign and Russia as well as whether there have been efforts to obstruct the investigation. House Speaker Paul Ryan has said he supports the release of the Democrats' memo, if sensitive intelligence information is removed. Trump strode into the debate Monday on Twitter, saying: "Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped!" Schiff has branded the GOP memo "a political hit job" and has questioned whether the chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., had coordinated with the White House in drafting the document seized on by the president to vent his grievances against the nation's premier law enforcement agencies. "The goal here is to undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI, discredit the Mueller investigation, do the president's bidding," Schiff said. "I think it's very possible his staff worked with the White House." Nunes was asked during a Jan. 29 committee meeting whether he had coordinated the memo with the White House. "As far as I know, no," he responded, then refused to answer when asked whether his staff members had communicated with the White House. He had previously apologized for sharing with the White House secret intelligence intercepts related to an investigation of Russian election interference before talking to committee members. Trump's Saturday tweet that the memo "totally vindicates 'Trump' in probe" even as "the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on" found no echo from four committee Republicans who appeared on the Sunday talk shows. Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, said, "I think this is a separate issue." Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, said, "No, it doesn't end that." Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, said, "I don't," when asked whether he agreed with Trump. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., asked whether the memo affected the investigation, said, "No, not to me, it doesn't, and I was pretty integrally involved in the drafting of it." The Democratic response was more expected: "Of course, not at all," said Schiff. Added Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.: "No, of course it does not." Lawmakers also said the memo should not impede Mueller. "I think it would be a mistake for anyone to suggest that the special counsel shouldn't complete his work. I support his work. I want him to finish it. I hope he finishes it as quickly as possible," Stewart said. The memo released Friday alleges misconduct on the part of the FBI and the Justice Department in obtaining a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to monitor former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page and his ties to Russia. Specifically, it takes aim at the FBI's use of information from former British spy Christopher Steele, who compiled a dossier containing allegations of ties between Trump, his associates and Russia. The underlying materials that served as the basis for the warrant application were not made public in the GOP memo. Even as Democrats described it as inaccurate, some Republicans quickly cited the memo released over the objections of the FBI and Justice Department in their arguments that Mueller's investigation is politically tainted. The memo's central allegation is that agents and prosecutors, in applying in October 2016 to monitor Page's communications, failed to tell a judge that the opposition research that provided grounds for the FBI's suspicion received funding from Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Page had stopped advising the campaign sometime around the end of that summer. Steele's research, according to the memo, "formed an essential part" of the warrant application. But it's unclear how much or what information Steele collected made it into the application, or how much has been corroborated. Republicans say a judge should have known that "political actors" were involved in allegations that led the Justice Department to believe Page might be an agent of a foreign power an accusation he has consistently denied. The memo confirms the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign began in July 2016, months before the surveillance warrant was sought, and was "triggered" by information concerning campaign aide George Papadopoulos. He pleaded guilty last year to lying to the FBI. The confirmation about Papadopoulos is "the most important fact disclosed in this otherwise shoddy memo," Schiff said Saturday. Schiff did not immediately respond to a request for comment. As most retailers have halted growing their footprints, mall and shopping center landlords are forced to compete for the best in the business. A deal for Nordstrom marks just the latest example of this trend. The high-end department store chain revealed late last week it will be leaving Oak Park Mall in Overland Park, Kansas, for Country Club Plaza, roughly 12 miles down the road in Kansas City. The move won't officially happen until 2021, but Nordstrom will then be upgrading from a "B" mall, owned by CBL Properties, to an "A" mall, owned in a joint venture between real estate investment trusts Macerich and Taubman Centers. "Exciting new retail and dining will ensure [Country Club Plaza's] future success and that it remains the crown jewel of the market," Taubman Chief Operating Officer William Taubman said about the deal. Nordstrom added that the move will allow it to offer a freshened shopping experience with better digital capabilities in its new building. "You're seeing more pressure on 'B' [and 'C'] rated malls because the retailers Nordstrom being the best of the department stores they want to be in the best malls," Boenning & Scattergood analyst Floris van Dijkum told CNBC. "The good malls will pick off the good tenants," van Dijkum said. "It's indicative of the heightened competition. ... Nordstrom is making a rational decision to go from a $460 sales-per-square-foot mall to a $625 sales-per-square-foot property." Meanwhile, CBL will be forced to fill a giant gap at a time when not many big-box anchors are growing. Dividing the space for a handful of smaller tenants, such as a gym or a grocer, could be one route the REIT might take. "We are excited about the opportunity to recapture this prime real estate for future redevelopment," a CBL spokeswoman told CNBC. "The retail environment is changing rapidly and this decision provides us with an excellent opportunity to transform Oak Park for even greater success in the future," she added. "Our team has ample time to evaluate various redevelopment scenarios in order to create the plan that makes the most sense for the market." According to industry experts, landlords have been battling for brands and trying to sweeten the pot for deals like this Nordstrom's move to Country Club Plaza to happen for years. The trend is only being exacerbated as the retail landscape becomes more cutthroat, and there are fewer tenants looking to grow. Hulen Mall, an asset owned by General Growth Properties in Fort Worth, Texas, has been picking off retailers from Ridgmar Mall, a privately held center, for years. "A lot of these conversations go on behind the scenes," Mizuho Securities analyst Haendel St. Juste told CNBC. "Mall owners are always trying to upgrade their offerings." Country Club Plaza is closer to a more affluent community, its tenant mix is more "high-quality," and there are more jobs in that area, St. Juste explained. Macerich and Taubman are also both expected to invest more in the property upgrading the exterior, among other changes in the coming years. Lloyds Banking Group said it was stopping people buying cryptocurrencies using credit cards. Lloyds Banking Group said on Monday that it was stopping people buying cryptocurrencies using credit cards, following moves last week from several major U.S. lenders. "Across Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland, Halifax and MBNA, we do not accept credit card transactions involving the purchase of cryptocurrencies," the company told CNBC in a statement. Concerns have been mounting that people buying digital currencies like bitcoin with credit cards could be getting into debt given wild price swings, particular recently given bitcoin fell below $8,000 for the first time in over two months. In November, just before bitcoin hit its record high of over $19,000, the search term "buy bitcoin with credit card" was on the rise. U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May told Bloomberg in a recent interview that the government should consider looking at cryptocurrencies "very seriously." Other regulators around the world from China to South Korea have also bought in rules to try to regulate the space. Lloyds' move follows banks in the U.S. J.P. Morgan Chase, Bank of America and Citigroup said Friday they are no longer allowing customers to buy cryptocurrencies using credit cards. "Over the years I've made almost every mistake you can imagine. I've made dozens of technical errors and bad deals. I've trusted the wrong people and I've put talented people in the wrong roles. I've missed important trends and I've been slow to others. I've launched product after product that failed," writes Zuckerberg of his missteps. "I was 19 when I started Facebook, and I didn't know anything about building a company or global internet service," Zuckerberg says in a Facebook post published on Sunday. Now a titan of the tech industry and sitting at the helm of a company with a market capitalization of almost $550 billion, Zuckerberg says that when he launched Facebook, he had no idea what he was doing. And to hear the 33-year-old entrepreneur tell it, he had to learn everything. On the 14th birthday of the launch of Facebook , Mark Zuckerberg reflects on what he has learned building the social media behemoth. He also indicates he and Facebook still have room to grow. "It's a moment to reflect on how far we've come from that dorm room at Harvard and how far we still have to go to bring the world closer together. And it's a moment to think about what we need to do better," Zuckerberg says. "We are still early in this journey and we will keep working to improve. That focus has always been our strength, and that's what this year is all about." Since the early days, Facebook has grown massively. Today, the social media behemoth sees 1.4 billion daily active users and 2.1 billion monthly active users. Notably however, in the most recent quarter, Facebook said users spent 50 million fewer hours per day on the platform. According to Facebook, that's due to algorithm changes made to reduce the number of viral videos displayed. "The reason our community exists today is not because we avoided mistakes. It's because we believe what we're doing matters enough to keep trying to solve our greatest challenges knowing full well that we'll fail again and again, but that it's the only way to make progress," he says. Indeed, Facebook has had a challenging year. The social media conglomerate has come under intense scrutiny after Russian hackers disseminated "fake news" on the platform in a way that allegedly influenced the Presidential election. Further, the company itself has admitted that social media can be bad for users, if they scroll passively through content as opposed to engaging actively with individuals who mean something to the user. In response to these and other challenges, Facebook has pledged to add 10,000 people to its ranks to as of December 31, 2017, the social media giant had 25,105 employees to address safety and security. Also, Facebook says it will change its algorithm to promote more local news and will prioritize news from "high-quality news sources" and users' friends. "Bringing us closer together with our family and friends matters, and 14 years in I'm proud of what we do and grateful to be a part of something so meaningful," Zuckerberg says. "It's an honor to be on this journey with you." See also: Ex-Twitter CEO: 'I completely, 100 percent agree' Donald Trump should stay on Twitter How Mark Zuckerberg came up with the idea for Facebook Mark Zuckerberg: Here's how to use Facebook to feel happier One inexpensive and quickly deleted tweet by House Speaker Paul Ryan is raising a whole bunch of donations for his Democratic challenger. Ryan, R-Wisc., was hit with a quick Twitter backlash Saturday after highlighting a news story in which a public school secretary said she was taking home a whopping $1.50 extra per week because of the recently passed Republican tax bill. Ryan, in a tweet, noted that the woman had said she was "pleasantly surprised" by her extra pay, which "will more than cover her Costco membership for the year." Randy Bryce, a Wisconsin ironworker and Democrat who is seeking to unseat Ryan this fall, promptly jumped on the speaker's tweet with one of his own that pointed out the tax bill's much, much larger windfall for two leading Republican billionaire donors. Tweet Other Twitter users lashed out, making fun of Ryan for what they considered his tone-deaf tweet about the relatively small amount of money the woman was getting from the tax bill. Tweet Ryan quickly deleted his tweet. That act, in turn, drew derision from a number of people, including Bryce, who began fundraising off it. Tweet In the 48 hours after Bryce's tweet, his campaign had collected $151,850.80 in donations, his spokeswoman, Lauren Hitt, told CNBC on Monday. There were 12,253 individual donations for an average contribution of $12.39. And there were nearly 5,800 donations in the amount of $1.50. Hitt said that more than $49,000 was pledged in recurring donations that will continue through the election. Hitt said that Ryan's tweet "hit such a huge core with people because of feelings they already had about the tax plan." "The immediate backlash was pretty strong," she noted. Ryan's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC. Politico, in an earlier story about the fundraising effort, noted that Bryce remains well short of Ryan in cash on hand. Ryan has $9.6 million available for his campaign, while Bryce has $1.3 million, Politico reported. A South Korean appeals court on Monday suspended a jail sentence handed down to Samsung Group heir Jay Y. Lee, setting him free after a year's detention amid a corruption scandal that brought down the former president. Seoul High Court jailed Lee for two and a half years, reducing the original term by half, and suspended the sentence for charges including bribery and embezzlement, meaning he does not have to serve time. Lee, the 49-year-old heir to one of the world's biggest corporate empires, has been detained since February 2017. President Park Geun-hye was dismissed in March after being impeached in a case that brought scrutiny to the nature of the ties between South Korea's chaebols big family owned corporate groups - and its political leaders. Park, who denies wrongdoing, is standing trial accused of bribery, abuse of power and coercion. A lower court in August convicted Lee for bribing Park for help in strengthening his control of Samsung Electronics, the crown jewel of the country's largest conglomerate and one of the world's biggest technology companies, as well as embezzlement and other charges. The court said Samsung's financial support for entities backed by a friend of Park's, Choi Soon-sil, constituted bribery, including 7.2 billion won ($6.4 million) to sponsor the equestrian career of Choi's daughter. Presiding senior judge Cheong Hyung-sik on Monday called the nature of Lee's involvement in Samsung's monetary support for Choi a "passive compliance to political power". Prosecutors and Samsung did not have an immediate comment. Lee, whose face was noticeably worn, did not show any emotion when the ruling was announced. Prosecutors had sought a 12-year jail term for Lee. The ruling is expected to be appealed again to the Supreme Court, legal experts said. With the end of his year-long detention, which according to local media he adjusted to with physical workouts and reading books, Lee could continue with his existing roles including director of Samsung Electronics. However he has been found guilty of some lesser charges and is prohibited from travelling outside South Korea without a judge's approval, according to law firm Cho & Partners. The lower court ruling in August had said while Lee never asked for President Park's help directly, the fact that a 2015 merger of two Samsung affiliates did help cement Lee's control over Samsung Electronics implied he was asking for the president's help to strengthen his control of the firm. His lawyers had strongly challenged this logic and said that the merger was done for business reasons. Some criminal lawyers had expected Lee to be found innocent of most of the charges, as much of the evidence at the trial has been circumstantial. But although he was set free from detention by the appeals court, the stigma may stick, lawyers say. "Public opinion will get riled up and people will keep thinking there was some quid pro quo between Samsung's Lee and the president," Lee Jung-jae, a lawyer at law firm Jung said. As more tech companies enter the transportation market, their capabilities with big data and other disruptive technologies could spell trouble for airlines. An Amazon-branded Boeing 767 freighter, nicknamed Amazon One, flies over Lake Washington during the Seattle Seafair Air Show on Aug. 5, 2016 in Seattle. "A tech giant who extracts customer behavior will be much better placed than an airline, for example, which only has information on its own operations," said Henrik Hololei, director-general for mobility and transport at the European Commission. Speaking at the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit on Monday, a day before the Southeast Asian nation kicks off its annual air show, Hololei pointed to Amazon as an example. The world's largest online retailer announced air cargo services for its U.S. deliveries in 2016, raising fears that CEO Jeff Bezos could soon compete with global logistics giants such as FedEx or DHL. From Google's self-driving car to Uber's helicopter tie-up with Airbus, a number of Silicon Valley names are now concentrating research and investment on moving customers from point A to point B. Tech firms enjoy access to huge stores of data and boast the ability to process that information, which means they "know better what the customer wants," Hololei said. Once a company flies a drone, it may have more ambitious plans in the pipeline, he cautioned. Leveraging data analytics offers a number of benefits for airlines, from optimized on-the-ground operations such as baggage tracking to increased revenues. A cherry red Tesla Roadster owned by Elon Musk is set to be fired into space on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket. The private space company, headed by Tesla CEO Musk, hopes to launch what it calls "the most powerful operational rocket" from Florida's Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday. On the social media site Instagram, Musk posted an image of his car fixed to a part of the rocket with a dummy figure at the wheel. It has been reported that the car will be playing the song "Starman" by David Bowie when it's released into zero gravity. The Tesla Roadster is to be sent on an elliptical orbit around the Sun and will at one stage pass closely by Mars. Should the launch succeed, Falcon Heavy will be the biggest and most powerful rocket to be launched into space since Nasa's giant Saturn V in 1973. SpaceX has described it on its own website as the most powerful rocket around today. SpaceX Falcon Heavy sat on a launch pad. SpaceX Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell: Wells Fargo Federal Reserve said it is restricting the bank's size in response to "widespread consumer abuses." Wells Fargo said it will replace four board members, three by April. The bank's shares were downgraded by at least five firms on Monday, including JPMorgan, Citigroup, and Morgan Stanley. Broadcom Broadcom raised its takeover offer for rival chipmaker Qualcomm to $82 per share, consisting of $60 per share in cash and the rest in stock. Broadcom is calling this bid its "best and final offer." Bristol-Myers Squibb The drugmaker reported adjusted quarterly profit of 68 cents per share, one cent a share above estimates. Revenue also beat forecasts and the company announced that its cancer drug Opdivo has been approved for use in patients with a certain type of melanoma. The company also did well in clinical trials as part of a combination treatment with certain lung cancer patients. Boeing Boeing may be interested in bidding for a Canada jet fighter contract despite the ongoing trade dispute involving Canada's Bombardier, according to a senior executive. Boeing has until February 9 to decide to bid. Separately, UPS placed an order for 14 747-8 freighters, easing doubts about that aircraft's future. Equifax The probe of Equifax has been pulled back, according to Reuters quoting people familiar with the matter. Former consumer protection bureau head Richard Cordray is said to have authorized an investigation of Equifax's massive data breach, which it revealed in September, but Reuters reports the probe has sputtered under current head Mick Mulvaney. Apple Apple Music is growing faster than music streaming rival Spotify in the U.S., according to The Wall Street Journal, and is on pace to surpass Spotify's subscriber numbers this summer. Amazon.com Amazon has settled its tax dispute with France, according to reports out of Europe, although terms were not disclosed. France had claimed Amazon owed nearly $250 million in back taxes and penalties. Pfizer Pfizer has gotten only two bids for its consumer unit, according to a Bloomberg report. GlaxoSmithKline and Reckitt Benckiser are the only companies to bid, with rival candidates having walked away. Analysts say the unit could be worth between $15 billion and $20 billion. Lowe's Lowe's was upgraded to "buy" from "hold" at Jefferies, which also called the home improvement retailer's stock its "franchise pick" for 2018. Jefferies thinks Lowe's can triple its earnings per share over the next five years, thanks to changes that will close profit and productivity gaps with competitors. Charter Communications The cable and broadband provider was upgraded to "outperform" from "market perform" at Wells Fargo, which said it has renewed confidence in a successful turnaround after the company's last earnings call, despite a tough competitive environment. Church & Dwight The maker of Arm & Hammer baking soda and numerous other consumer products reported adjusted quarterly profit of 52 cents per share, 2 cents a share above estimates. Revenue beat forecasts, as well. The company also raised its quarterly dividend by 14% to 21.75 cents per share. By Andrew Bagala A man suspected to have killed Moses Ssekigobo who was widely known by the stage name Mozey Radio has been arrested by police. Godfrey Wamala alias Troy is alleged to have beaten Radio, while at De Bar, a popular hangout in Entebbe town causing head injuries that later led to his death at Case Hospital where he had been admitted for about a week. According to Katwe Division Police Commander Frantile Lwamusaayi, the suspect was arrested on Sunday night in Kyengera, Wakiso district where he was hiding at a friends home. He was then taken to Katwe police station where he recorded a statement before being transferred to Entebbe police station where the offence was committed. The officers, who participated in his arrest said he confirmed to them that he was with Mowzey, David Washington Ebangit, Pamela Musiimire, one Hassan and others on the fateful day. He said when the fracas started they were seated on the same table. He said the fracas was sparked off when Mowzey poured alcohol on Hassan, who got angry and attempted to fight but the two were separated before they could even exchange fists. He said the bar personnel intervened. He reportedly told investigators that during the scuffle, men whom he didnt know came and grabbed Mowzey near the table and dragged him outside of the bar. He said Mowzeys colleagues, including Washington, remained seated, but he moved out of the bar only to find Mowzey lying down motionless near the entrance. Although he denied beating Mowzey, De Bar managers, who are currently detained by the police accuse him of have assaulted the deceased. He said it was then that all the people came to his aid and Pamela, Washington and others took the motionless Mowzey to the medical centre. He said thereafter, he went back to home but learnt two days after the incident that the police was hunting for him, which triggered him to go into hiding. Mowzey died at Case Hospital on February 1 and he was buried on Saturday at Nakawuku in Wakiso District. Thousands of home solar and battery systems are set to be introduced in South Australia, creating what authorities are calling world's biggest "virtual power plant." The initiative has begun with a trial involving more than 1,000 homes, the office of Jay Weatherill, South Australia's premier, said Sunday. The scheme is being rolled out in phases. Initially, five kilowatt solar panel systems and 13.5 kilowatt hour Tesla Powerwall 2 batteries have been fitted to 1,100 properties. The homes will not be charged, with the systems financed through the sale of electricity. Eventually, the plan is for at least 50,000 homes to take part in the scheme over the next four years. "We will use people's homes as a way to generate energy for the South Australian grid, with participating households benefiting with significant savings in their energy bills," Weatherill said in a statement Sunday. "Our energy plan means that we are leading the world in renewable energy and now we are making it easier for more homes to become self-sufficient." In 2017, authorities in South Australia announced details of their Energy Plan. The plan aims to deliver cleaner, cheaper and more reliable energy to people in the state. Part of the plan included building a massive battery to store renewable energy and provide "back-up power" as and when necessary. Tesla and French renewable energy company Neoen won the contract to deliver the project. Musk committed to deliver the battery within 100 days of the grid interconnection agreement being signed, or it would be free. The battery was eventually delivered in November 2017, after only 63 days. It stood for 10,316 days. Now, as of Monday, the Berlin Wall has been gone for as long as it had divided the city. Two years after the end of the Berlin airlift that broke the Soviet blockade of the western part of the city, construction began in the summer of 1961 by Communist East German authorities trying to stop people from escaping to the West. It sliced Berlin into an eastern Communist sector and capitalist enclave surrounded by East Germany. The wall, perhaps the most powerful symbol of the Cold War, stood for more than 28 years until it was torn down starting Nov. 9, 1989, during the collapse of the Soviet empire. At least 140 people had died trying to cross the wall to escape to the West. Monday marked the 10,316th day since the wall has been gone. Here are some scenes: Brokers now have a couple of new weapons to help them battle financial fraud against older Americans. One rule, which takes effect Monday, allows brokers to put a temporary hold on a requested account withdrawal if financial exploitation is suspected. "A lot of times, advisors haven't had the ability to stop a suspicious transaction," said Marve Ann Alaimo, a partner at the law firm Porter Wright Morris & Arthur in Naples, Florida. "This, at least, lets them protect their clients and put it on hold until they can verify if it's a valid transaction," Alaimo said. Separately, an amendment to an existing securities rule will now require brokers to ask customers for a trusted person the advisor can reach out to if fraud or mental decline is suspected. The request for a trusted contact will be made either when accounts are opened or when brokers are updating information for existing clients. The Crown Prince of Liechtenstein has told CNBC that blockchain and cryptocurrencies like bitcoin could be one way to help his family restore its wealth. "Particularly with this whole new digital economy, it is something to look into more into in the future," Crown Prince Alois told CNBC on Friday. Liechtenstein is a German-speaking microstate in Central Europe with a population of less than 40,000 people. The principality owes much of its wealth to its traditional status as a tax haven, though it has attempted to rebrand itself as a legitimate financial centre. Bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and Austria to the east and north, the principality is headed by the Prince of Liechtenstein although in practicality, power now lies with his son, Crown Prince Alois. Protesters seen shouting slogans while holding several placards and posters during the demonstration. Thousand of people marched in London in a protest called 'NHS in crisis - fix it now' to call for government action to demand the end of NHS crisis. President Donald Trump is citing protests over health care funding in Britain to attack Democrats for "pushing for Universal HealthCare." Trump says on Twitter Monday: "The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working. Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks!" Donald Trump tweet Thousands of people marched in London Saturday, demanding more government money for Britain's overburdened National Health Service. Trump has sought to repeal President Barack Obama's health-care law. Congress repealed the repealed the unpopular requirement that most Americans carry insurance or risk a tax penalty. That takes effect next year. But other major parts of the overhaul remain in place. U.S. Rep Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., watch during the State of the Union address in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives January 30, 2018 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump on Monday ripped into Democrats who held their applause during his first State of the Union address, saying the behavior could amount to "treason." In a speech in Ohio promoting the GOP tax law and Republican midterm candidates, the president questioned why Democrats in Congress refused to clap during many moments of his speech. Most of the caucus sat stone-faced during Trump's address last week as he promoted Republican economic policies and pushed for immigration changes that Democrats largely oppose. On Monday, the president lambasted Democratic lawmakers and called their behavior "un-American." He specifically pointed out a widely shared moment in which nearly all of a group of Congressional Black Caucus lawmakers did not react when Trump pointed out that the unemployment rate for black Americans was the lowest ever in December. "You're up there, you've got half the room going totally crazy wild, they loved everything, they want to do something great for our country," Trump said. "And you have the other side even on positive news, really positive news like that they were like death. And un-American. Un-American. Somebody said, 'treasonous.' I mean, yeah, I guess, why not? Can we call that treason? Why not! I mean they certainly didn't seem to love our country very much." Wall Street veteran Ed Yardeni told CNBC on Monday the corporate tax cut championed by President Donald Trump and Republican leaders on Capitol Hill will prevent the recent stock nosedive from tipping into a bear market. "I've been listening to these [earnings] conference calls and they are almost giddy with excitement about all the money they have and what they are going to spend it on," the market historian said in a "Squawk on the Street" interview. Under the new Republican tax law, the federal corporate income rate was cut from 35 percent to 21 percent. "Since the tax cut, earnings expectations have been increased by $9 a share. That's a big, big number," said the president of Yardeni Research. "There's still plenty of room for good news in the next earnings season, not just this one." "There's [also] still $1 trillion to $2 trillion in cash coming back from overseas as a result of the lower tax rate on repatriated earnings," he said. The overseas income that companies have been hording and deferring paying U.S. taxes on will now be taxed at a one-time rate of 15.5 percent. Perhaps Yardeni's comments might reassure the White House, which on Monday expressed concern about the sell-off. "We're always concerned when the market loses any value, but we're also confident in the economy's fundamentals," an official said in a statement to CNBC. Trump, who has repeatedly pointed to the strong stock market as a yardstick of his success, has yet to encounter a significant market pullback since he took office. The S&P 500 had been off to a roaring start to 2018, adding more than 7 percent as of the Jan. 26 record high to a gain already of 25 percent since Trump was elected in November 2016. But at the open on Wall Street on Monday, after Friday's plunge, the index fell to the threshold of a 5 percent decline since that all-time high. But later in the morning, the index actually turned positive briefly on the session. Yardeni said he won't start to worry unless the market falls 10 percent from all-time highs, which is the definition of a correction. "Since the beginning of the bull market, we've looked at all these corrections and panic attacks. And this latest one makes it 60," he calculated. "One of these days, the panic attack will be the beginning of a bear market. But I don't think this is it." A bear market is defined by a drop of at least 20 percent from recent highs. The bull market in stocks started in March 2009 when the S&P bottomed after the financial crisis. Since then, the S&P has surged about 300 percent, excluding dividends. President Donald Trump takes a sip of water as he delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. January 30, 2018. President Donald Trump's legal team backs the idea of appointing a second special counsel to investigate the FBI and Justice Department, a White House spokesman said Monday. The president's attorneys have already signed off on the notion of picking a special counsel to probe U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies' actions during the 2016 presidential campaign, Axios reported Monday, citing White House spokesman Raj Shah. The Justice Department would have to appoint the special prosecutor. If a second special counsel takes shape, it would mark perhaps the most drastic move by the Trump administration to delve into accusations of wrongdoing at the FBI and Justice Department leveled by the president and conservative lawmakers. Trump has repeatedly tried to draw attention away from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign coordinated with the Kremlin. Shah also said that more documents, like the incendiary House GOP memo released Friday through an expedited disclosure process, will be handled in the same way. They will allow for a "legal review, national security review led by the White House Counsel's Office, and then within five days, the president will make a decision about declassifying it." That process, which circumvents a lengthier review process involving input from intelligence agencies, was followed on the basis of a rule that had never been used before. The memo, which alleges that political bias in the FBI's sources and methods led to improper surveillance on a former Trump advisor, has fueled speculation among Democrats that Trump is gearing up to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Democrats, along with the FBI and Justice Department, have called the memo "reckless" and "misleading," among many other criticisms. But Shah also told reporters that Trump is not considering any moves at the Justice Department right now, appearing to swat away fears of the probe's defenders. Rosenstein appointed Mueller to lead the Russia probe after Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from it. On Monday, Trump congratulated the memo's author and leading advocate, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., for his work on the document. Trump tweet British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday she was proud of the country's healthcare system, responding to comments by U.S. President Donald Trump who tweeted that the service was "going broke and not working." "The prime minister is proud of having an NHS that is free at the point of delivery. NHS funding is at a record high and was prioritized in the budget with an extra 2.8 billion pounds ($3.9 billion)," the spokesman told reporters. "In the recent the Commonwealth Fund international survey the NHS was rated the best in the world for a second time. Trump drew a fierce reaction from angry Britons, including Health Minister Jeremy Hunt, after criticizing Britain's publicly funded National Health Service. Trump used the NHS to make a domestic political point arguing against the provision of universal healthcare, but in doing so was perceived to have bad-mouthed a system held dear by his country's closest ally. "The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the U.K. because their U system is going broke and not working. Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks!" Trump tweeted. Britain's health system delivers free care for all. It is typically one of the most important issues for voters during elections and often regarded as a weakness for May's Conservative, or Tory, Party, whose opponents accuse the government of inadequately investing in it. Tweet Twitter users flooded to defend the NHS, with many pointing out that the march Trump referred to was organized by groups that want to increase the health service's funding, not dismantle it. The rally drew 60,000 people to central London on Saturday according to one of its organizers, Health Campaigns Together. Protesters demanding more funding for the service marched on Prime Minister May's office. Even Health Secretary Hunt, one of the main targets of the protesters' anger, snapped back sharply at Trump. "I may disagree with claims made on that march but not ONE of them wants to live in a system where 28 (million) people have no cover. NHS may have challenges but I'm proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance," said Hunt. Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted back to Trump: "Wrong. People were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it. Healthcare is a human right." According to the World Bank, Britain spends 9.1 percent of its GDP on health care, compared to 17.1 percent in the United States. Average British life expectancy is 81.6 years, nearly three years longer than in the United States. Last month, May apologized after the health service postponed tens of thousands of non-emergency operations to free up staff and beds to deal with emergency patients. Trump's latest Twitter outburst against Britain comes only a week after he offered to apologize for a row triggered last year by his reposting of anti-Muslim videos originally posted by a leader of a British far-right fringe group. He also drew scorn from across the British political spectrum last year for criticizing the mayor of London after attackers drove a van into a crowd and stabbed people near London Bridge, killing eight. May was the first international leader to visit Trump in Washington after his inauguration last year and has given him an invitation on behalf of Queen Elizabeth for a state visit. Trump was due in London to open a new U.S. embassy building this month but canceled the visit. U.S. forces have begun reducing their numbers in Iraq after Iraqi authorities declared "victory" over Islamic State, an Iraqi government spokesman said on Monday. Iraqi forces backed by a U.S.-led international coalition last year captured all the territory that fell under Islamic State control in 2014 and 2015, including the northern city of Mosul, which served as the militants' de facto capital. "The American forces have begun reducing their numbers as victory has been achieved over Daesh," the spokesman told Reuters. "Coordination continues, to maintain (U.S.) assistance to the Iraqi forces in accordance with their requirements." The United States had more than 5,500 troops in Iraq at the height of the battle of Mosul in July 2017, making up about half the total force deployed by the coalition in the country. A coalition spokesman declined to confirm or deny that the drawdown had begun. "It is our intent to publish a release whenever we have forces moving out of the theater," the spokesman, U.S. Army Col. Ryan Dillon, told Reuters. "Continued coalition presence will be conditions-based, proportional to the need and in coordination with the government of Iraq," he said. [The stream is slated to start at 2:30 pm ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.] President Donald Trump traveled to the greater Cincinnati, Ohio, area on Monday to tout the Republican tax cut legislation he signed into law last year. The trip is also designed to build excitement among Republicans in the Buckeye state for the 2018 midterm elections. Trump won Ohio in 2016, and the GOP hopes to unseat Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in November. Republican Sen. Rob Portman is expected to join Trump on stage at the event. Portman, who is not up for reelection until 2022, has so far kept his distance from the president, politically speaking. The president could also use the trip to formally endorse Rep. Jim Renacci, R-Ohio, one of a number of Republicans running in a Senate primary on May 8, the winner of which will face Brown, the incumbent, in November. Having innovative ideas can help you stand out in any job. But truly original concepts are hard to come by, according to Adam Grant, organizational psychologist, author of the books "Give and Take" and "Originals" and top-rated professor at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania for five years. The problem is that most people are approaching the brain-storming process incorrectly, Grant explains. "The first ideas you think of are usually the most conventional," Grant says in an interview with Amazon. "If you want to be creative, you need variety. Adam Grant speaks about "Option B," his new book written with Sheryl Sandberg, at a Commonwealth Club event in San Francisco. Dominic Barton, global managing partner at McKinsey, agreed. "We do work with a lot of pharma companies on improving clinical trials and a typical project that would take three months, now takes just three days," he said. Across all sectors, education and training in AI and machine learning will prove critical to business. But government and business leaders also stressed the need for education among the public to alleviate growing fears of problems such as massive job losses. On this, Gref shared some surprising projections. "By 2030, 800 million people will lose their jobs to AI," he said. "But at the same time, AI will create 890 million new jobs." Gref asked the guests if AI was relevant to all companies, and what AI transformation meant for businesses. Most agreed that the technology will provide unparalleled data analysis opportunities. "I cannot emphasize enough that AI is a data strategy first," said Michael Van der Bel, Microsoft's corporate VP for EMEA. "But AI is augmenting human capabilities and that's the future we're looking at." Former British Labour MP Peter Mandleson offered a more cautionary note. He said: "There is a vast disconnect between the world of technology, those who live in the technology bubble, and civil society." Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel agreed. "I think human relations are still very important and a computer will never replace feelings," he said. "But the public need to be informed, and we need the public sector for this. They need to understand AI is a chance and not a danger." At the end of the discussion, 88 percent of the audience voted in favor of the importance of AI and said they will implement AI changes in their businesses. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form Windows 10 breached the 70% share barrier last month when calculated as a portion of Windows-only desktops and laptops, putting the operating system on track to account for three out of every four Windows PCs by the end of January. According to U.S. analytics vendor Net Applications, Windows 10's share jumped by 2.8 percentage points, the most since January, and ended October on 64% of all systems. When figured as a fraction of Windows-only machines, Windows 10 accounted for 72.2%, a record for the five-year-old OS. This second number is the more important of the pair, as it provides the most accurate representation of Windows 10's position within the business universe, where runs-on-Microsoft remains central. (Windows 10's percentage of only Windows PCs was larger than the percentage of all personal computers because Windows did not power every system last month. In October, Windows was the OS on 88.8% of all PCs worldwide, up one-tenth of a percentage point from September. Of the remaining 11% and bits, all but a picayune 10th of a point ran macOS, Linux or Chrome OS.) Windows 10 has been piling up the share this year, pandemic and business chaos be damned. Through the first 10 months of 2020, Windows 10 has added 10.7 percentage points of share, representing a 20% increase. Meanwhile, Windows 7 took a dive almost as steep as Windows 10's climb. Windows 7 lost 2.4 points of share, plummeting to 20.4% of all personal computers, representing 23% of Windows-only PCs. The downturn was the largest one-month decline since January 2020 and the final number was a record low for Windows 7 on its post-2015 swan song. So far this year, Windows 7 has shed 9.2 points of share, which represents a 31% decline in the operating system since January 1. Windows 10 shoots for 80% by mid-2021 The major changes to Windows' shares upended the forecasts Computerworld made as recently as a month ago. Windows 10's prognostication skewed upwards compared to the one issued at the beginning of October. By April, Windows 10 should account for more than 78% of all Windows, up two percentage points from the previous prediction. Come June 2021, Windows 10 should own 80% of all Windows editions, a point above the former forecast. On the other hand, Windows 7's decline-of-doom will continue. The now-retired OS will slip under the 20% mark (of all Windows) in February 2021, two months sooner than had been expected. And by August, the operating system should be below 15%, two points lower than the forecast of a month ago. (At the end of January 2021, near the one-year anniversary of its retirement, Windows 7 will account for about 20% of all Windows, a couple of points under October's estimate.) Elsewhere in Net Applications' numbers, Linux rebounded after two consecutive months of losses, adding seven-tenths of a percentage point and bringing its total share up to 2.2 points. While that was below its peak of 3.6 points in June and July 2020, it put paid to the Computerworld theory that the sudden growth of the OS (Net Applications tallies all distributions) was little more than the aftereffects of an open-source daydream. As Linux again jumped, macOS took a drubbing, losing 1.3 points a one-month record to end up licking its wounds at 8.4%, the lowest mark of the last three years. Net Applications calculates operating system share by detecting the agent strings of the browsers used to reach the websites of Net Applications' clients. The firm tallies visitor sessions of those browsers to measure global operating system activity. Or it used to. At the same time it published October's share numbers, Net Applications announced that it was pulling the plug on its OS metrics. "October 2020 is the last month of data," the company said. "Why? An upcoming change in browsers will break our device detection technology and will cause inaccuracies for a long period of time." The change Net Applications cited would remove much of the agent string information used not only to compile analytics such as operating system share, but also by advertisers and/or scammers to "fingerprint" individuals so that they can be more thoroughly tracked as they conduct their online lives. Computerworld has not yet decided whether to continue the "Windows by the numbers" series, and if so, which alternate data source might be used. Stay tuned. January 2018 was a month that will go down in patching infamy. Looking back on my notes, we had patches released, yanked, re-released and/or re-re-released on 15 different days in January. Untold thousands of machines were bricked by Microsoft patches. Millions of hours were lost chasing down bad patches and bad advice. Although there were a couple of real bugs fixed in the January patches the Equation Editor vulnerability being suspect #1 most of the angst was completely superfluous. The Meltdown/Spectre patches at the heart of the drama attacked a problem that wasnt and isnt there. We still have no known Meltdown or Spectre exploits in the wild. None. If you ever wanted a good reason to hold off patching Windows to see if others are having problems, you just saw it played out in slo-mo. Reported problems At this point, Im seeing a few reported problems with the Win10 1709 cumulative update released on Jan. 31, KB 4058258: Windows Explorer crashes spontaneously (no known fix; uninstall the update) Repeated failure to install , errors 0x80073715 and 0x80070bc2 (install manually) Audio stops working (no known fix; uninstall the update) Machine wont boot specifically with the Phenom II processor (no known fix; uninstall the update) Failure to install with error 0x80070643 is an acknowledged bug in this and other Win10 patches this month. Microsofts advice is to ignore it. Microsoft has also fessed up to bugs in several of the latest Win10 cumulative updates (too many of em to count!), saying: After installing this update, some users may experience issues logging into some websites when using third party account credentials in Microsoft Edge. Theres no known fix. My suggestion is that you join the vast majority of Win10 customers and use a different browser. Theres one other persistent problem with this months patches that doesnt have an easy solution. After installing this months Win10 cumulative updates (not sure which ones), your computer throws a blue screen when it starts, with the error Inaccessible Boot Device. Theres a very lengthy thread on the Microsoft Answers forum, with a possible manual solution for some people (helps to have a degree in Advanced Microsoft Bugology), but it doesnt work in all cases. Microsoft does acknowledge the problem for sites running WSUS update servers, and the solution for admins is bizarre: do not run automatic repair but manually delete a registry key. If you go through the steps in either solution and cant get your machine going again, it looks like the only solution is to re-install Windows. Ive seen reports of a wide array of additional problems everything from blue screens to frozen logons to unexplained crashes but I dont see any definitive patterns. Make sure you have that backup ready to get you out of any tight spots, OK? Im looking forward to Windows for Pacemakers. In S Mode, no doubt. Just not sure how to boot to recovery media. Can you imagine an autonomous driving system based on Windows? For those of you who held off installing the December cumulative update for Win10 1709, you should get patched up, in spite of the problems noted above. Microsoft released three cumulative updates in January just for you. In the normal course of events, Id just chalk Januarys patches up to experience and recommend that you not install them at all wait for the February patches to roll out and listen for screams as they go through the usual unpaid beta-testing phase. Unfortunately, this month, we have the, uh, specter of Spectre breathing down our collective necks. General caveats So it is with no small amount of fear and trepidation that I urge you to take the plunge and get the January patches installed but use your head about it. If you want no-brainer patching, get a Chromebook. Seriously. [ To comment on this story, visit Computerworld's Facebook page. ] ProTip #1. Dont install any firmware updates. I dont care if they have security certificates from the Vatican. If your Dell Update or SupportAssist or HP Update Tools or Lenovo System Update or Fujitsu DeskUpdate tool tells you that you absolutely have to have this juicy new version of your machines microcode or firmware (BIOS or UEFI update), laugh demonically as you click No Way. Neither Intel nor AMD have reliable Meltdown/Spectre patches just yet. And weve seen the mess created by Intels garbage patches, even though they had six months to build and test them. Yes, I know Microsoft updated the Surface firmware with patches in January. I havent heard any loud scream about those patches, so if theyre being offered for your Surface machine, theyre probably OK. ProTip #2. Make sure your antivirus is copacetic with this months patches. If you have a reasonably recent version of your antivirus software updated in the past few weeks youll be fine. If youre running Windows Defender, youre fine. But if you have a weird antivirus product, or youve stopped doling out antivirus payola, I figure its best to uninstall your current antivirus and get Windows Defender or Microsoft Security Essentials working, just for as long as it takes to get Windows updated. Check with your antivirus vendor for details. If you dont want to trust your PC to Microsoft who can blame ya? check out Kevin Beaumonts detailed list of antivirus vendors and their patch proclivities. If you want to check to see if your machine, specifically, is ready for the January patches, follow the steps posted by OscarCP on AskWoody.com. ProTip #3. Make a full system image backup before you install the January patches. This month more than ever, theres a non-zero chance that the patches even the latest, greatest patches of patches of patches will hose your machine. Best to have a backup that you can re-install even if your machine refuses to boot. This, in addition to the usual need for System Restore points. There are plenty of full image backup products including at least two good free ones: Macrium Reflect Free and EaseUS Todo Backup. ProTip #4. If you were duped into buying a Windows 10 S machine, upgrade it to Pro before you try anything else. The S in Windows 10 S stands for sucker. Based on some insider info unearthed by Paul Thurrott and Brad Sams, it looks like Win10 S is headed to the trash can where it belongs, replaced by a complex series of ill-defined in S mode inanities. The Win10 S version that some of you have now is worse than lame, its dangerous. Patching by the numbers .Net patches Microsoft claims that the bugs in the early-January versions of the .Net patches have been fixed in the later January versions of the .Net patches. I remain skeptical, but patching .Net has been such an unholy mess for so long that its hard to say. Office patches Once again this month, Microsofts ongoing list of acknowledged bugs in Office updates offers some worthwhile caveats. (Will Windows ever get anything comparable?) The January Outlook buglist includes misbehaving searches and a warning about not being able to use Outlook 2010 on Windows XP after installing the January patches. The Word and Excel buglists include many bugs that have been floating around for months. Windows 7 and 8.1 patches Ive seen so many bugs in the January patches that I simply lost count. At this point, though, the situation seems to be much more stable than it was two weeks ago. Microsoft is blocking updates to Windows 7 and 8.1 on recent computers. If you are running Windows 7 or 8.1 on a PC thats a year old or newer, follow the instructions in AKB 2000006 or @MrBrians summary of @radosuafs method to make sure you can use Windows Update to get updates applied. If youre very concerned about Microsofts snooping on you and want to install just security patches, realize that the privacy paths getting more difficult. The old Group B security patches only isnt dead, but its no longer within the grasp of typical Windows customers. If you insist on manually installing security patches only, follow the instructions in @PKCanos AKB 2000003 and be aware of @MrBrians recommendations for hiding any unwanted patches. Note that AKB 200003 has been modified to incorporate Microsofts fixes-of-fixes in January. For most Windows 7 and 8.1 users, I recommend following AKB 2000004: How to apply the Win7 and 8.1 Monthly Rollups. If you want to minimize Microsofts snooping but still install all of the offered patches, turn off the Customer Experience Improvement Program (Step 1 of AKB 2000007: Turning off the worst Windows 7 and 8.1 snooping) before you install any patches. (Thx, @MrBrian). Watch out for driver updates youre far better off getting them from a manufacturers website. After youve installed the latest Monthly Rollup, if youre intent on minimizing Microsofts snooping, run through the steps in AKB 2000007: Turning off the worst Win7 and 8.1 snooping. Realize that we dont know what information Microsoft collects on Window 7 and 8.1 machines, but Im starting to believe that snooping on Win7 is getting closer and closer to that on Win10. Windows 10 With the caveats noted above, Microsofts Win10 patches have finally stabilized. Go ahead and install them. If youre running Win10 Creators Update, version 1703 (my current preference), or version 1607, the Anniversary Update, and you want to stay on 1607 or 1703 while those on 1709 get to eat Microsofts dog food, follow the instructions here to ward off the upgrade. As you go through the steps, keep in mind that Microsoft, uh, forgot to honor the Current Branch for Business setting so you need to run the feature update (read: version change) deferral setting, if you have one, all the way up to 365. And hope that Microsoft doesnt forget how to count to 365. If youre running an earlier version of Win10, youre basically on your own. Microsoft doesn't support you anymore. If you have trouble getting the latest cumulative update installed, make sure youve checked your antivirus settings (see ProTip #2 above) and, if all is well, run the Windows Update Troubleshooter before inventing new epithets. If you still cant get it installed, check out this Reddit page and follow the instructions to reset your Hosts file. Weird, but it seems to help. To get Windows 10 patched, go through the steps in "8 steps to install Windows 10 patches like a pro." Parting shots As is always the case, DONT CHECK ANYTHING THATS UNCHECKED. In particular, dont be tempted to install anything marked Preview. Its time to get patched. Tell your friends and warn your enemies. Or vice versa. If you bump into some self-described security expert who tells you to install all Windows security patches as soon as theyre released, send em over to the Lounge. Well take care of em. For lots of help, and a bit of sympathy, join us on the AskWoody Lounge. May rules out membership of either the or a Customs Union A customs partnership aligning border practices might serve as a compromise FT The lack of a clear lead allowed a free-for-all FT Downing Street hopes to divide Johnson and Gove The Times Whitehall database tracks Brexit preparation progress The Times Fox appoints senior trade commissioners Daily Telegraph South Korea expected to drive a hard bargain for a trade deal Daily Telegraph Theresa May has categorically ruled out keeping Britain in any form of customs union with the EU in a significant victory for Brexiteers ahead of two crucial Cabinet meetings this week. Downing Street said it wanted to put to rest arguments that have raged for weeks about whether the UK would join a customs union after Brexit. Following reports that Eurosceptic Tory MPs were plotting a coup if Mrs May bowed to the will of Remainers, sources close to the Prime Minister insisted customs union membership was off the table. A No 10 source said: We must be free to sign trade deals with the rest of the worldso it is not our policy stay in the Customs Union. It is not our policy to stay in a customs union. It represents a significant change in stance from Mrs May, who as recently as Friday refused to rule out being part of a customs union. Daily Telegraph Editorials Good, but now she must show leadership The Sun Says The Treasury must stop trying to undermine Brexit Daily Express Leader Opinion >Today: ODonnell accuses Brexiteers of selling snake oil A former head of the civil service accused Brexiteers yesterday of selling snake oil as the war of words between officials and the Tory right escalated. Brexiteer ministers and officials have been at loggerheads since the leak of a classified civil service analysis showing Britain will be worse off under all Brexit scenarios. MPs are likely to be able to see the analysis for themselves tomorrow after Labour threatened a parliamentary vote to force its disclosure. One source said that the sight of the economic analysis would make some MPs do their collective nut, and further leaks from it are now expected. The Times >Yesterday: The health surcharge for migrants is doubled They promised to triple fees, so why have they only doubled them? The Sun Says Google and the NHS work together to develop an AI that can diagnose eye disease FT Patients die from malnutrition on NHS wards Daily Mail We need to talk about ageing John Harris, The Guardian University applications from EU and non-EU students rise again Daily Telegraph Time to take students out of the migration target The Times Leader The growing costs of PFI FT Theresa May has watered down her pledge to tackle health tourism by only raising the fee for NHS access to 400 a year instead of the 600 promised in her manifesto. The immigration health surcharge paid by temporary migrants from outside Europe to use the health service will double from its current rate of 200. The discounted fee for students and those on the Youth Mobility Scheme will double from 150 to 300 per year. But the Tory manifesto at last Junes General Election promised to triple both rates. It risks accusations of a climbdown over the controversial immigration health surcharge dubbed the cheapest travel insurance on the planet. Every non-European migrant or student applying for a UK visa for more than six months must pay the health surcharge at the time of applicationThe Government insists the increased fees will better reflect the costs to the NHS of treating migrants. An estimated 220million extra a year will be raised to support the NHS. The Sun The Government plans to criminalise abuse of parliamentary candidates The UK prime minister is set to reveal plans for a new criminal offence aimed at activists who threaten or intimidate parliamentary election candidates. Theresa May will call on all sides of the political spectrum to take a stand for decency tolerance and respect, in a speech to mark the centenary on Tuesday of womens right to vote. The government will announce a consultation on the changes to electoral law that could see the introduction of a new offence for those found guilty of intimidating candidates and their campaigners. It comes after an inquiry by the Committee on Standards in Public Life found ethnic minority, women and gay candidates were disproportionately subjected to abuse in last years general election. Candidates and MPs from across the political scale have spoken out about receiving death threats and being targeted by activists on social media. FT >Today: ToryDiary: Universities. The Conservatives will be stepping up our speaker programme. Here are some suggestions. >Yesterday: WATCH: The moderate Labour leader who quit in Haringey speaks out over the NEC, Momentum, sexism and intimidation Retired Admiral warns that the Navy could lose its next war MoD pays 2 million to farmers for traumatised livestock The Times Security cant be done on the cheap Nia Griffith, The Times Gauke pledges to examine possible divorce law reforms The Royal Navy would struggle to win a war after decades of shrinkage, a former admiral has warned. Chris Parry, a former Nato commander, said the naval service appeared more like a maritime bureaucracy than a credible fighting force. He cited a survey of middle-ranking officers between 2015 and 2017 that indicated that none was confident about going to war against a peer competitor in the current generation of surface ships. The comments were in an article in The Naval Review, a pro-navy publication whose readership is largely serving and former personnel. The use of such blunt language by a former naval officer in such a highly regarded journal is an indication of the concern about the state of the Royal Navy, which has undergone years of cuts to manpower, ships and submarines. You could say that it has made explicit what was implicit, Mr Parry, 64, told The Times. Its like an alcoholic admitting at last he has a problem. The Times The justice secretary has agreed to examine the case for reforming divorce laws that force couples into damaging and false allegations of blame. The move by David Gauke comes after senior judicial figures called for an end to the unjust and outdated laws in support of a campaign by The Times. Mr Gauke said: I know The Times has campaigned vigorously for reform of family law, including fault-based divorce, and a number of respected figures have voiced their support for change. I acknowledge the strength of feeling on this issue and will study the evidence for change. However he added that he would not rush to a conclusion. His comments come as the government pledges to look at other reforms to the marriage laws. On Friday ministers indicated they would consider a review of the law to extend the right to enter civil partnerships to opposite sex couples, another plank of The Timess Family Matters campaign to reform the marriage laws. The Times Corbyns water nationalisation plan would cost 90 billion Merkel misses her own deadline for coalition talks Labours plans to renationalise the water industry would cost 90 billion, the equivalent of the education budget, according to a leading think tank. The figure would be more than a tenth of all annual government spending, the Social Market Foundation said, adding that the size of future investment in a newly nationalised water industry would also probably be cut back since it will have to compete with schools and the health service for cash. John McDonnell has suggested that Labours mass renationalisation would not cost taxpayers a penny. Speaking in November to the BBC he said: Cost is always covered because these are profitable industries and that will cover the cost of any borrowing. It will not be a burden on taxpayers. The SMF calculated, however, that a government that chose to buy the English water industry at fair market prices would pay between 87 billion and 90 billion. This is a takeover price based on an assessment of company accounts and following valuation methods used by investment banks and fund managers. The Times Germany has been without a government for more than four months and concerns are growing across the world that Europes largest economy may not be in a position to introduce key policies as Brexit and eurozone reform issues loom. Merkels Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party and the SPD had agreed to renew the grand coalition by today, but it now appears talks will continue into the beginning of next week as major differences prevent the chancellor from forming a coalition. The parties had planned to negotiate until midnight tonight but a senior SPD member has said talks will stop for today before resuming on Monday morning. SPD General Secretary Lars Klingbeil said: We had a very constructive day today and we reached a lot of agreements, adding negotiators had realised the parties remain far apart on some issues and wanted to go over them in more detail. Daily Express Her backbenchers are uncomfortable about the slide towards European fiscal union Wolfgang Munchau, FT GCHQ counter-fraud measures block 54 million online attacks News in Brief UK security chiefs took down more than 120,000 fake websites last year and blocked 54m malicious online attacks as part of a great British firewall designed to stop cyber criminals targeting the public for money and secret data. According to a report to be released on Monday, GCHQs National Cyber Security Centre says its active defence programme has led to a 2 per cent reduction in the volume of global phishing and malware attacks hosted in the UK since July 2016. While the report, seen by the Financial Times, does not cover severe cyber attacks launched by hostile state actors such as North Korea or Russia, the NCSC said it was the first time the UK had outlined the scale of what it called commodity attacks that caused the majority of people the majority of harm. Ciaran Martin, chief executive of the NCSC, who warned last month that it was a question of when not if a big cyber attack hit the UK, launched the active cyber defence initiative in September 2016. FT Thomas Hogg is a startup founder based in London and Hamburg. We are living amongst the stormiest of British political times since the Second World War. On the face of it, there are two main political parties the same ones as in 1945 but, just under the surface, we can see four or five movements, from neo-traditionalist to Marxist. At the helm, we have a woman standing somewhere between two or three of these nascent movements, holding us on course for a destination to which many dont want to go. Some are trying to turn us back, and others are worried well never make it. Perhaps most astounding is what has been achieved in this time, considering the circumstances thus far. Getting her priorities right When Theresa May stood before the door of Number 10 for the first time as Prime Minister, she said We believe in a union not just between the nations of the United Kingdom but between all of our citizens every one of us whoever we are and wherever were from. She was right. That sense of fraternity between British citizens is what makes us a nation, rather than a disparate group of individuals living coincidentally on the same island. The need to strengthen our Union is the first requirement of our society May saw that when many did not. But the Prime Ministers government was always going to be defined by one policy: leaving the European Union. A reluctant remainer, she was the perfect choice to unify the country. Even so, with a wafer-thin majority, she was going to need all the help she could get. The Snap election Every decision comes with risk. Without it, theres no success. But to call an election seemed like a small one last April. Mike Gapes described his fellow Labour MPs as turkeys voting for Christmas. It was hard to disagree. The party was in a shambles, and up to 20 points behind in the polls. The comparisons to Browns lack of mandate, the need for a strengthened hand in the EU negotiation and the desire to finish Brexits implementation period before the next election made calling the election a risk worth taking. Some of what happened in the election campaign was the Prime Ministerss fault, but much of the blame lies with fundamental problems in CCHQ campaigning. A lot of factors were at play. When Parliament reconvened after the election, party unity was more necessary than ever in one thrown apart by the European question. May did what she needed to: a confidence-and-supply deal with the DUP a fair deal for a functioning government, with conditions for it to fulfil for Northern Ireland to receive extra infrastructure funding. But the Parliamentary arithmetic was clear her role was as a unifier now. Any agenda of her own would have to be tempered by what her whole Party would vote for. The Phase One Deal If one bears this in mind, her Brexit Phase One deal was a masterpiece. Just when it looked as though there would be no deal before Christmas, all sides agreed a fair one. Britain would, contingent on a trade deal, wind down her financial commitments for the equivalent of less than four years of membership much less than what the EU originally asked for, and frameworks for citizens rights and Ireland were agreed. Both Boris Johnson and Anna Soubry took to Twitter to welcome the deal: if you can bring those two together while leading a minority Government, you must be doing something right. That drama was set against a background of falling unemployment, falling borrowing, huge reading improvements among children, greater spending power for the poorest, a serious agenda to conserve our environment and an economy which has outperformed all predictions. Britains major challenges But just as one problem is dealt with, another arises: the NHSs Winter Crisis. The health service needs a lot more money and perhaps major structural improvements too. This is not a new problem. We all knew that with an ageing population and large-scale immigration, pressures on the NHS would grow exponentially. That its coming to a head when one of the countrys most complicated legislative challenges (Brexit) is also underway is not the fault of a Prime Minister who first entered Number 10 in mid-2016. That it needs a long-term solution is clear, and it is, May and Jeremy Hunts responsibility to provide it quickly and thoroughly. The same is true of the other big issues of the day: homelessness; the rollout of Universal Credit; housing. These issues are huge and they must all be addressed: all three should have been dealt with better by the Cameron Goverment too. The Perceptions War I do wonder how many of the Governments problems are more to do with them losing the perceptions war. How many people think that the Government wants to destroy the NHS? Caused the Grenfell Tower tragedy? End animal sentience? Spend 500 million anew on blue passports? Destroy young peoples chances of going to university? Is homophobic? Anti-women? Anti-immigrant? None of these things are true and yet, to varying degrees, they are widely believed. To avoid a hard Left Government leading us all to poverty, this must be addressed too: and thats an obligation on all Conservatives everywhere, and especially CCHQ. May should stay I want to finish by imploring you to consider the effect on our Brexit negotiations if we change negotiators half way through; if we re-open the wounds of the referendum with a leadership fight; if we risk letting in self-proclaimed Marxists who cant answer basic questions about costs; if we risk having a leader who may be less beyond moral reproach than Theresa May. And who would be better to steer us through these choppy waters than the reluctant remainer with a focus on social cohesion? Surely he Prime Minister who returned with the best Brexit Phase One deal that was realistically available. Im not unrealistic about May. If everyone felt everything was fine, I would point out the things she got wrong. But David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, John Major and Margaret Thatcher made their blunders too. This political situation is like walking on eggshells: May must tread carefully, but her record so far shows she can still make a success of it, as much as any other Prime Minister did in their day. The Prime Minister will make speech in Manchester tomorrow to mark the centenary of women winning the right to vote. If the advance reports are right, and judging from her Twitter feed today they appear to be, then she will also propose a change to the criminal law to offer candidates specific protection from abuse. We all know the genesis of this idea. Graffiti, vile messages, intimidating behaviour and so on was far too common an experience at the last election. Many Conservative candidates were targeted in this way, as were various candidates of other parties. Plenty of activists have experienced similar abuse, and the attempt by masked thugs to disrupt a speech by Jacob Rees-Mogg on Friday is a reminder that such threats havent gone away. In December, the Committee on Standards in Public Life recommended that Government should consult on the introduction of a new offence in electoral law of intimidating Parliamentary candidates and party campaigners. From the newspaper reports yesterday and today, it seems that Theresa May is minded to take up that proposal. However, at best the idea is only superficially attractive. The fact that even the Prime Ministers own tweet (pictured, right) uses three different terms threats, abuse and intimidation interchangeably is a warning sign. Threats and intimidation are, rightly, already criminal offences in this country. Abuse, on the other hand, is an extremely broad term which could encompass such criminal behaviour but also is routinely used to refer to legal (if sometimes unpleasant) actions like insulting or criticising somebody, with or without merit. Are So far as I can see there are two possibilities as to how such a new law might work. Perhaps it would restrict its scope to actions that are already criminal the threats and intimidation but offer additional, special legal protection to Parliamentary candidates and party campaigners, as the CSPL suggested. But if the police already fail to protect candidates and activists from behaviour that is already illegal, will creating a new category for the same offences really make any difference? And are there not obvious downsides to giving the impression that people involved in politics are an exalted and separate class, whom it is more serious to threaten or intimidate than a random passerby? That seems like a poor use of law, and a negative message to send to an electorate already disillusioned with what many see as a remote and self-serving political class. Alternatively, perhaps such a new law might extend the scope of what is currently illegal, criminalising abuse of election candidates in addition to the above additional legal protection. That would be a dangerous restriction on free speech, and you can bet that it would instantly become a tool used by some in politics to silence robust but legitimate criticism by their opponents. What does abuse mean? Would I be committing a criminal offence if I wrote that Jeremy Corbyn is a useful idiot of various tyrants and enemies of this country? How about if I shouted it at him at a public meeting?If a member of Britain First is standing for election, would it be a crime to call them fascist scum? Would it be illegal to say that Richard Burgon, the Shadow Justice Secretary, routinely gives the impression of being a man who could be easily outwitted by a revolving door? Should it really be a criminal offence to boo a Tory speaker at a public hustings? How about on Question Time? Such laws are an obvious mire in the making. Worst of all, we might end up with one which adopts the flawed logic of existing hate crime legislation, which gives the power of judgement entirely to the person who claims to be a victim. Think about how much people dislike politicians right now. Then consider whether it will make them more or less popular if they are able to get people arrested and convicted simply on their say-so that someone was criminally rude to them. If youve suffered abuse at the hands of political opponents, you might find such proposals tempting. But remember, laws cannot be designed on the assumption that those using them are good and reserved, and they will be available to your opponents, too. Jacob Rees-Mogg might use such power rarely, if ever, and with great care; Tulip Siddiq, who recently reported Channel 4 journalists to the police for asking her awkward questions, might not. Its only four years ago that the Conservatives changed the law in favour of free speech by reforming Section 5 of the Public Order Act, a bad law which previously outlawed insulting language. It would be deeply unwise to effectively reintroduce such an offence, only made worse by framing it as a privileged protection reserved only for politicians and their activists. By all means, enforce the current law; catch and punish those who threaten, terrify and harm. Expose those who sling abuse and act awfully, so that voters can pass judgement on them and those who enable them. But dont get bogged down in trying to legally regulate political rudeness. This site is not available in your country CORNWALL, Ontario Jamie Lafave, 19, of Long Sault and two 17-year-old Cornwall youths were arrested and charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle. It is alleged on Sept. 9, 2017 Lafave was operating a motor vehicle in a dangerous manner when he was towing a sofa with passengers in the area of Second St. and Saunders Dr. All three were taken into custody, charged accordingly for their involvement and released to appear in court at a later date. The names of the two youths were not released as per provision of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. WARRANT CORNWALL, Ontario Jesse Vallieres, 27, of Cornwall was arrested on Feb. 2, 2018 on the strength of a warrant. It is alleged the man failed to report a change of address in Dec., 2017 and a warrant was issued for his arrest. On February 2nd, 2018 a member of the Cornwall Community Police Service attended Smith Falls as Smiths Falls Police had the man in custody on the strength of Cornwalls warrant. He was transported to Cornwall and held for a bail hearing. THEFT UNDER $5,000 CORNWALL, Ontario Justin Rainey, 29, of Cornwall was arrested on Feb. 2, 2018 and charged with theft under $5,000. It is alleged on Feb. 2, 2018 the man removed merchandise from a store on Second Street East making no attempt to pay for the items as he left the store. Police were contacted and located the man a short distance away. He was taken into custody, charged accordingly and released to appear in court on March 13, 2018. TAKE MOTOR VEHICLE WITHOUT CONSENT, POSSESSION OF COCAINE, BREACH CORNWALL, Ontario Samantha Derouchie, 25, of Cornwall was arrested on Feb. d, 2018 and charged with take motor vehicle without consent, possession of cocaine and breach of probation for being in possession of cocaine and failing to keep the peace. It is alleged on Feb. 2, 2018 the woman took a motor vehicle without permission and police were contacted to investigate. In the early morning hours of Feb. 3, 2018 the woman was located by police, taken into custody and found to be in possession of a quantity of cocaine. She was charged accordingly and held for a bail hearing. ASSAULT, THREATS CORNWALL, Ontario A 24-year-old Cornwall man was arrested on Feb. 4, 2018 and charged with assault and threats. It is alleged during an argument on Feb. 4, 2018 the man assaulted his common-law wife and threatened to harm her. Police were contacted and an investigation ensued. During the investigation the man was taken into custody, charged accordingly and held for a bail hearing. His name was not released as it would identify the victim in the matter. ASSAULT, DANGEROUS OPERATION OF A MOTOR VEHICLE, FAIL TO REMAIN AT THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT. CORNWALL, Ontario A 36-year-old Kanata man was arrested on Feb. 4, 2018 and charged with assault, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and fail to remain at the scene of an accident. It is alleged during an argument on Feb. 3, 2018 the man assaulted his girlfriend and her son. He then drove his pickup in a dangerous manner striking another vehicle as he left the area. Police were contacted and an investigation ensued. On Feb. 4, 2018 the man was located by police, taken into custody, charged accordingly and held for a bail hearing. His name was not released as it would identify the victim in the matter. WARRANT CORNWALL, Ontario Robert MacDonald, 18, of Cornwall was arrested on Feb. 4, 2018 on the strength of a warrant. It is alleged the man failed to report as directed and a warrant was issued for his arrest. On Feb. 4, 2018 the man was located by police, taken into custody on the strength of the warrant and released to appear in court on March 1, 2018. OVER 80 CORNWALL, Ontario Amy Benedict, 27, of Akwesasne was arrested on Feb. 5, 2018 and charged with over 80. It is alleged on Feb. 5, 2018 the woman was driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol in the area of Pitt Street and Fifth Street. She was taken into custody during a traffic stop, charged accordingly and released to appear in court on Feb. 15, 2018. There were 134 calls for service in the City of Cornwall in over the weekend (8 a.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Monday morning). To see whats happening in your neighbourhood visit our Crime Plot Map @ http://www.cornwallpolice.ca/ . CCPS reserves the right to not post all calls for service in order to protect the identity of the victims. The Port of Townsville in Australia announced it will welcome 19 cruise calls in 2018, with 11 bookings confirmed for 2019 and five for 2020. The P&O Pacific Eden will complete a mini-turnaround this September as part of a trial program, the port said. Earlier this week P&O Cruises Australia confirmed it will return to Townsville in 2019 after recently adding Townsville to its domestic itineraries, the port said, in a statement. Townsville has paid close attention to the welcome experience, with a new port uniform for staff, free WiFi and new signage. Other recent improvements include shade structures at the pick up area (for taxis), a staff member on site all day to ensure super-quick service, and $5 gift vouchers provided to all passengers. Townsville City Council also made some changes to the free city shuttle bus service, moving to smaller capacity vehicles to allow better access through the CBD/Strand. The local market is set for the next cruise call on Feb. 16 with all 25 market stalls booked. The city has introduced a ballot/lottery system so vendors are rotated. Costa Cruises today unveiled its 4GOODFOOD program, aiming to cut food waste onboard its fleet of cruise ships by 2020. The starting point for the project is recognizing the value of food, said Costa, which added it serves some 54 million meals per year. The company thus decided to review its food service processes and remodel them based on a new approach on sustainability while ensuring the proactive engagement of guests and crew. Partners in the pilot project include Fondazione Banco Alimentare ONLUS, Cittadinanzattiva, the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity, Universita degli Studi di Scienze Gastronomiche di Pollenzo and Winnow. The project was been successfully developed and tested on the Costa Diadema in 2016 and is now rolling out fleetwide. Costa said the program has thus far yielded a 50 percent reduction in food waste in 11 months. Costa Cruises President Neil Palomba said: "We've taken a good hard look at the value of food and responsible consumption, and come up with practical solutions. 4GOODFOOD is unprecedented in global shipping: thanks to this program we intend to cut food waste on our ships by half by 2020, ten years ahead of the deadline prescribed by the United Nations 2030 Agenda. We've laid down a marker for the industry by promoting a more sustainable shipboard food preparation and consumption model, without in any way impairing the quality of the cruise experience. But the most important aspect - and this is one of our top priorities - is that this project will engage around two million guests a year as well as our 19,000 crew members, meaning there'll be a positive knock-on effect shoreside as well. "I am proud to vouch for the progress made by Costa Cruises on the path to food sustainability while contributing to the cultural change that is taking place vis-a-vis this issue. All of this goes to show that the business world and civil society are taking a firm stand when it comes to tackling food waste. I am in no doubt that a heightened sense of responsibility is the key to spreading the message that the right to food is an inalienable one; therefore, we need to boost our joint commitment so as to create more opportunities for dialogue, thereby engaging the community and fostering best practices, including tangible synergistic actions like the initiative presented here today, said Italian Deputy Minister Andrea Olivero. Together with Winnow, specialists in optimization of processes in professional kitchens, Costa has placed kitchen scales in the galleys and kept a centralized record enabling the mapping, quantification and analysis of wastage at food processing and preparation level, the company said. This system has enabled the gradual implementation of integrated improvement actions onboard the ships, and it is already in use on more than half the fleet. Part of the process has been training some 2,400 galley crew. In addition, new initiatives in the self service buffet have cut consumption by 20 percent, Costa said. The company is also donating surplus food in Civitavecchia, totaling some 16,000 meals in six months. Plans are on the table to expand the program to Palermo, Cagliari, Bari and Venice in Italy plus Marseille, Barcelona, Athens and Valletta (Malta) later this year. The Connecticut State Dental Association has announced its legislative priorities for the 2018 Connecticut session of the General Assembly, with preserving funding and slicing sugary drink consumption among its main goals. Every year, the association supports legislation to protect, advance and increase access to oral health for the states residents. During Connecticuts 2018 legislative session, the CSDA urges legislators to preserve dental Medicaid funding and support initiatives that aim to decrease the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Iran Adopts Russian Style CyberWar Tactics Reports indicate that the Iranian regime has deployed online bots to push back against the people who want it dismantled and have relied on Internet access to organise protests. Iran, like Russia, reportedly uses cyber trolls and bots to push its propaganda to sway and influence social media trends in its favor. The Saudi news outlet Al-Arabiya claimed in a recent analysis piece that the Iranian regime has activated all sleeping and active fake persons in various social networks in response to the widespread social uprisings throughout the Islamic republic. The outlet notes that the objective of these bots and trolls is to combat information against the regime from members of Irans protesting civil society with their stream of pro-government propaganda and to intimidate Iranians who are intent on seeing the regimes fall. In January, Breitbart News reported, Anti-regime Iranians intent on seeing the dismantling of Irans Islamic regime have gone to war against pro-regime loyalists over social media, reportedly using bots to saturate Twitter and Instagram with propaganda against those seeking true democracy and freedom. However, the Al-Arabiya analysis notes that the Iranian regimes army of trolls differs from Russian trolls in that the Iranians are far less advanced than their Russian counterparts, including lacking the ability to create websites, pages, and communities on Facebook on a mass scale. Furthermore, Iranian activists reportedly told Al-Arabiya that Iran may have approximately 5,000 government-affiliated trolls working on its behalf to undermine the second consecutive week of protests that seek to topple Irans dictatorial regime. While social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Viber are blocked in Iran, requiring everyday Iranians to use VPNs to access them, the countrys leadership can use these same services without interruption. In fact, Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sends out tweets from his account on a near-daily basis, as do President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. Al-Arabiya noted that sometimes, Iranian government-backed trolls cooperate with Iranian government hackers. For example, thousands of American and Israeli citizens, mainly military, journalists, and experts based in Washington, DC, were reportedly targeted by these entities. One such pro-regime bot on Twitter tweeted, Ive just arrived and no one is here. Why are you lying? in response to thousands taking to the streets, throughout various cities in Iran, to protest Irans regime. Ein News: You Might Also Read: Iran Turns Off The Internet: Irans Cyber Capabilities: Iran Wants To Collect All Social Network Data: There is no denying that when it comes to mainstream Indian media, there is no such thing as rock bottom, but our neighbour Pakistan often tries its best to outdo us and it always succeeds. The sheer absurdity of bad Pakistani journalism is exemplified by the antics of one Hanan Bukhari. A reporter for City 41 channel in Pakistan, Bukhari did the unthinkable: He reported live on his own wedding; and that too in proper wedding attire. Bahut khushi ka din hai, mere liye bhi, aur mere gharwalo ke liye bhi. Meri, kyunki love marriage hai, aur love marriage mein meri wife bhi khaasi khush hain. Na sirf meri wife balki unke ghar waale bhi khush nazar aate hain. Mere Walid-e-Mohtaram bhi yahan maujood hain, jinhone betahasha ant tak mehnat karne ke baad yeh din dekha hai. Aur tamam intezamaat bhi sambhaale the unhone (my family members and I are very happy today. Since ours is a love marriage, my wife and her family members are happy, too. My mother and father present here have gone to great lengths to make arrangements... to make this day come true...), announced the groom-cum-reporter in a now viral news clip, armed with a mic and the unearthly confidence TV journalists are blessed with. He then proceeds to interview the bride and her father. Despite the fact that reporting ones own wedding is, at the very least, amazing; it is definitely only the tip of the iceberg when you consider the bizarre surgical television strikes Pakistan is home to. The most famous is by Chand Nawab, a reporter who achieved meme status thanks to a viral video that showed him (unsuccessfully) trying to report on Eid at Karachi railway station. In fact, his viral video became the source of inspiration for Nawazuddin Siddiquis character in the Salman Khan film Bajrangi Bhaijaan. But it doesn't stop here. Amin Hafeez, a Geo News Urdu anchor, gives Nawab tough completion with his antics. In 2016, Hafeez was seen presenting a comprehensive TV news report in which he interviewed cattle. He reported about the genteel cattle of Lahore that are forced to use a footbridge to cross roads. He was seen holding a mic to buffalos and even supposedly asking for their opinion, noting their every moo. Hafeez has also been known to express his intense joy with rains in Lahore. And then there is this Pakistani journalist who pranks innocent men. The man interviews multiple people mourning Zulfikar Ali Bhuttos death anniversary, and bombards them with questions about masturbation, calling them lesbians - trolling them at ease. India may have loud anchors, courtroom dramas and active fist fights on TV news, but when it comes to the real bizarre and beautiful moments just like Coke Studio it is Pakistan thats the clear winner. Also read: 5 smartphones under Rs 35,000 that you should avoid buying The countrywide protests over Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film Padmaavat(i) and violence over the anniversary celebrations of Bhima Koregaon in Maharashtra have a common thread. Both incidents are rooted in interpretations of historical contexts, caste pride and have varying degrees of violence attached to them. Despite the similarities the two incidents have evoked contrasting reactions. While reactions to the Padmaavat(i) controversy were shrouded in the language of myopia and the constricted prism through which such historical incidents are viewed - freedom of expression, women's pride, and communal shades among others, the Bhima Koregaon incident was dismissed merely as casteist, antinational, anti-development and a show of lawlessness. What is pertinent to note here is that while the government wasted no time in booking the so-called Dalits blamed for the Bhima Koregaon violence putting them in jail even as eyewitnesses claimed that they were not guilty, in the case of Padmaavat(i), no action was taken by the police or the government against those indulging in violence and issuing open threats to people. The government took to action even as threats were issued openly and on television screens by various caste leaders of Rajput groups and the Karni Sena. The protests against Padmaavat(i), even after the Supreme Court cleared the film for release, were essentially an assertion of Rajput pride that was couched in the garb of misinterpretation of history, women's honour and ultimately an assault on Hindu pride in depicting a relationship between Rani Padmini and Alauddin Khilji. The CBFC took note of protests that included attack on a school bus carrying children home from school against the song "Ghoomar". The song was re-released with "computer generated clothes" covering the hitherto bare midriff of Deepika Padukone, playing Padmavati. Even while the movie was being shot, members of Rajput groups vandalised the sets and threatened to stop the shooting. In contrast, the government was quick to clampdown on Dalit activists, they were denied permission for their rally and in fact no opportunity was lost to label their actions as disruptive and causing harm to people and property. The hypocrisy could not have been more evident. The contrasting reactions to these two incidents throw light on the double standards of the mainstream narrative. One, caste is the big fat elephant in the living room that no one wishes to talk about - especially if you live in the echelons of urban, middle class India. But the hard reality is that no matter how much this section of the population may wish away caste and pretend that it does not exist, caste raises its ugly head every now and then. On the other end of the spectrum, the members of subaltern sections of society view everything in life through the prism of their caste identity. While one can find fault with this singular obsession with one's caste identity but the realities of our deeply casteist society explain why such obsession exists. A recent survey conducted by the Social Attitude Research India (SARI) indicates that the practice of untouchability remains high - almost two-thirds of the population admit to practising it in some north Indian states and almost half of them are also opposed to inter-caste marriages involving Dalits and non-Dalits. The internalisation of this dominant narrative almost therefore denies the existence of the other India where caste is integral to everyday life and living, and survival is an everyday fight against the prevailing systems. Is it any wonder then, as demonstrated by the latest National Crime Records Bureau data that crimes such as rape, murder, and violence related to land matters against Dalits have been increasing every year? Any person from these not so privileged classes who rises up the ranks and disturbs the prevailing status quo scares the upper caste/class mainstream to such an extent that they are projected as threats, as leaders trying to break up the country on the grounds of caste. Even in Parliament, upper caste membership is at a two decade high of 44 per cent, while the number of backward caste leaders has fallen to 22 per cent and the top decision-making bodies have always been dominated by the upper castes. In fact, even in cases of corruption, there seems to be sufficient evidence to state that when convicted, upper caste politicians are exonerated or face lighter sentences in comparison to the likes of their lower caste colleagues. This is not surprising as RTI data shows that even today approximately 84 per cent of Class I employees in the government sector belong to the upper castes, while in corporate India, nearly 93 per cent of board members (of the 1,000 top Indian companies) have been found to be upper caste members. And not to mention the terrible under-representation of Dalits and backwards in media and judiciary. The above data leaves no doubt therefore that even today, the marginalised sections of our society face an uphill struggle in the effort to make their voices heard and to change the narrative that dominates discourse. It is no surprise that open threats issued by Rajput groups against the life and liberty of the director and protagonists of Padmaavat(i) or threatening violence against its release is almost legitimised in the name of honour and caste pride. In contrast, a subaltern assertion such as the recent Bhima Koregaon violence is branded as divisive, regressive, casteist and antinational forgetting the centuries old history of Dalit oppression. The argument about meritocracy is made by the privileged caste members only when they question caste-based reservations. While asking for gender-based reservations, it is quietly accepted that our minds have at least vestiges of patriarchal biases but we are in constant denial of any casteism in our mindsets. The idea of reservation is within the spirit of the Constitution and to call it casteist and divisive is akin to questioning the Constitution itself. Wishing away the assertions and resistance of the marginalised communities through counter-violence, negation and piecemeal mollification will not work anymore in the new millennium, where young, educated, grassroots leaders from backward and Dalit communities are changing the face and narrative of societal equality. At the same time, there are identity assertions from upper castes too. For instance, the Brahmins celebrating Parshuram Jayanti. Removing the (I) from Padmaavat(i) may be symbolic, but is it just a coincidence that the removal of one letter succeeds in mutilating the caste (i)dentity of queen Padmaavat(i)? Doesn't the removal of this single letter cause actual damage and distortion of history as opposed to the allegedly creative distortion by Bhansali? The only true solution therefore will be to strive towards a total abolition of the caste system, instead of just caste-based reservations from India's socio-cultural-political reality - that will be the real game changer in the social order. Also read: Bezel-less display and more: All we know about Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 I could not believe my eyes when I saw a recent change in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's fashion. Look at the images in this tweet, zoom in and see his kurta pyjama. PM @narendramodi arrives at New Delhi after attending WEF Summit in Davos, Switzerland. pic.twitter.com/GNoq0bCq4j PIB India (@PIB_India) January 24, 2018 Kumusta po Philippines!PM @narendramodi arrives in Manila to attend ASEAN and East Asia Summits; heralding 3-days of intense diplomatic activity furthering our #ActEastPolicy pic.twitter.com/ZDC3GG0Oan Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) November 12, 2017 You will notice he is not wearing kurta pyjama. He's wearing shalwar kameez. Fresh from a recent trip to Pakistan, I am 99 per cent sure it's the Pakistani/Afghan style shalwar kameez he is wearing. It's not just the rounded edges of the kameez that give it away. Also notice how the kurta/kameez doesn't look chafed or wrinkled at all. Compare the images above to other images of the prime minister in kurta and churidar pyjama, and you will notice the wrinkles. Such as this image on the cover of Time magazine: Why Narendra Modi Matters Time Magazine Cover https://t.co/J97O6GSC05 pic.twitter.com/CeegUTfErX aeonsource (@aeonsource) November 14, 2017 The biggest discovery of my Pakistan trip in November was the wrinkle-free fabric of the ubiquitous shalwar kameez. It has a name: Wash 'N' Wear. Many shops call it "washnwear" as though it was always one word. "Ek piece washnwear dijiye ga, black colour," I found myself saying. It is a synthetic fabric as comfortable as any "pure cotton". As the name suggests, it's wrinkle free. Unlike pure cotton kurtas we wear, there is no need to iron and starch to keep them straight. Credit: Shivam Vij I decided against buying readymade shalwar kameez for fear of confirming allegations that I'm a Pakistani at heart. Instead, I bought countless pieces of the fabric to get it stitched like Indian kurtas. Little did I know that Prime Minister Modi would be ahead of me in this discovery. And now that he's wearing it in the Pakistani or Afghan style - loose pyjamas, kameez with rounded edges - I no longer fear doing it myself. As we all know, Prime Minister Modi is a fashion trendsetter. His half-sleeved kurtas, his appropriation of the Nehru jacket as the Modi jacket, his carefully chosen headgear - he's a fashionista of a kind. Even if he is wearing shalwar kameez, it's a tribute to the dress. The dress is called Pathani Suit in India, but shalwar kameez in Pakistan. In India it is as exotic as the Pathans of the North West Frontier Province, a place now called Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Thanks to Tagore's Kabuliwallah story many Indians have read in school, we have a distant, vague memory of the Pashtuns roaming around north India before Partition. Today the shalwar kameez is as exotic as the Pashtuns, though we see both in the form of Afghan medical tourists these days. Credit: Shivam Vij In Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, I found the shalwar kameez to be ubiquitous. When I close my eyes and think about my Pakistan trip, the image I see is that of men wearing shalwar kameez. Why do they call it shalwar kameez whereas we call it Pathani suit? And why don't we wear it? To know the answer, I called up a 95-year-old Partition refugee in Gurgaon. Pran Neville is one of the most famous Indians in Lahore. In 1992, Neville published Lahore: A Sentimental Journey, a book he wrote about what pre-Partition Lahore was like, entirely from memory. Neville said that Hindu, Muslim and Sikh men alike used to wear shalwar kameez in pre-Partition west Punjab, but they also wore other dresses such as shirts and trousers. The Pashtuns, however, wore only and only the shalwar kameez. That's why the dress came to be identified with Pathans in north India. Credit: Shivam Vij After Partition, the refugees slowly gave up the dress as it came to be identified in modern India with Muslims, Neville said, even though it's not what Indian Muslims wear. Dress has often been a marker of religious identity. In his book, Neville has a short chapter called "Clothes and Class". He writes how Muslims wore the tehmat and Hindus the dhoti, but after World War I, Lahore saw a fashion revolution. There was a lot of experiment. As western dresses arrived, clothes began to have a stronger association with class. In Pakistan today, everybody wears the regulation shalwar kameez in wash 'N' wear fabric. I found the elites and commoners alike wearing it. Now that our Prime Minister Modi has adopted it, I can do it too. He has solved my dilemma: I'll get my Wash 'N' Wear fabric stitched just like the Pakistanis do. Pathani suit is all I need to say to the tailor. Pakistani mangoes may be inferior to Indian mangoes, but here's a toast to Wash 'N' Wear shalwar kameez. It's a fashion trend India could do with. FabIndia, take note. Also read: Shameful, Ankit Saxena's father had to request media to not communalise his son's killing The Bank of Nova Scotia provides various banking products and services in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Colombia, the Caribbean and Central America, and internationally. It operates through Canadian Banking, International Banking, Global Banking and Markets, and Global Wealth Management segments. The company offers financial advice and solutions, and day-to-day banking products, including debit and credit cards, chequing and saving accounts, investments, mortgages, loans, and insurance to individuals; and business banking solutions comprising lending, deposit, cash management, and trade finance solutions to small businesses and commercial customers, including automotive financing solutions to dealers and their customers. 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Read More Christopher & Banks Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty retailer of private-brand women's apparel and accessories in the United States. The company designs and sells women's apparel and accessories to customers ranging in age from 40 and older. Its stores offer women's apparel consisting of casual clothing, everyday basics, wear-to-work, leisure/active wear, and sleepwear in missy, petite, and women sizes, as well as jewelry and accessories. As of December 4, 2018, the company operated 461 stores, including 314 MPW stores, 80 Outlet stores, 35 Christopher & Banks stores, and 32 stores in its women's plus size clothing division CJ Banks in 45 states. It also operates christopherandbanks.com, an e-commerce Website for its Christopher & Banks and CJ Banks brands. The company was formerly known as Braun's Fashions Corporation and changed its name to Christopher & Banks Corporation in July 2000. Christopher & Banks Corporation was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Minnesota. Read More American Electric Power Co., Inc. engages in the business of generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. It operates through the following segments: Vertically Integrated Utilities, Transmission & Distribution Utilities, AEP Transmission Holdco and Generation & Marketing. The Vertically Integrated Utilities segment engages in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity for sale to retail and wholesale customers through assets owned and operated by its subsidiaries. The Transmission & Distribution Utilities segment engages in the business of transmission and distribution of electricity for sale to retail and wholesale customers through assets owned and operated by its subsidiaries. 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It offers artificial lift systems, including reciprocating rod, progressing cavity pumping, gas, hydraulic, plunger, and hybrid lift systems, as well as related automation and control systems; pressure pumping and reservoir stimulation services, such as acidizing, fracturing and fluid systems, cementing, and coiled-tubing intervention; and drill stem test tools, and surface well testing and multiphase flow measurement services. The company also provides safety, downhole reservoir monitoring, flow control, and multistage fracturing systems, as well as sand-control technologies, and production and isolation packers; liner hangers to suspend a casing string in high-temperature and high-pressure wells; cementing products, including plugs, float and stage equipment, and torque-and-drag reduction technology for zonal isolation; and pre-job planning and installation services. In addition, it offers directional drilling services, and logging and measurement services while drilling; services related to rotary-steerable systems, high-temperature and high-pressure sensors, drilling reamers, and circulation subs; managed pressure drilling, conventional mud-logging, drilling instrumentation, gas analysis, wellsite consultancy, and open hole and cased-hole logging services; reservoir solutions and software products; and intervention and remediation services. Further, the company provides equipment and drilling tools; tubular handling, management, and connection services; equipment rental services; and onshore contract drilling and related services through a fleet of land drilling and workover rigs. Weatherford International plc was incorporated in 1972 and is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland. Read More Wall Street analysts have given iShares Silver Trust a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but iShares Silver Trust wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Wall Street analysts have given Compagnie de Saint-Gobain a "Buy" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but Compagnie de Saint-Gobain wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Suncor Energy Inc. operates as an integrated energy company. The company primarily focuses on developing petroleum resource basins in Canada's Athabasca oil sands; explores, acquires, develops, produces, transports, refines, and markets crude oil in Canada and internationally; markets petroleum and petrochemical products under the Petro-Canada name primarily in Canada. It operates in Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; Refining and Marketing; and Corporate and Eliminations segments. The Oil Sands segment recovers bitumen from mining and in situ operations, and upgrades it into refinery feedstock and diesel fuel, or blends the bitumen with diluent for direct sale to market. The Exploration and Production segment is involved in offshore operations off the east coast of Canada and in the North Sea; and operating onshore assets in Libya and Syria. The Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil and intermediate feedstock into various petroleum and petrochemical products; and markets refined petroleum products to retail, commercial, and industrial customers through its other retail sellers. The Corporate and Eliminations segment operates four wind farm operations in Ontario and Western Canada. The company also markets and trades in crude oil, natural gas, byproducts, refined products, and power. The company was formerly known as Suncor Inc. and changed its name to Suncor Energy Inc. in April 1997. Suncor Energy Inc. was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. is an insurance and financial services company. The company provides life insurance, group and employee benefits, automobile and homeowners insurance and business insurance, as well as investment products, annuities, mutual funds, and college savings plans. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, Property & Casualty Other Operations, Group Benefits and Hartford Funds. The Commercial Lines segment provides workers compensation, property, automobile, liability and umbrella coverage under several different products, primarily throughout the U.S., within its standard commercial lines, which consists of The Hartford's small commercial and middle market lines of business. The Personal Lines segment includes automobile, homeowners and home-based business coverage to individuals across the U.S. The Property & Casualty Other Operations segment includes certain property and casualty operations, currently managed by the company, that have discontinued writing new business and substantially all of the company's asbestos and environmental exposures. The Group Benefits segment offers group life, accident and disabi Read More Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Sunshine and a few afternoon clouds. High 87F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 64F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. The following companies are subsidiares of The Travelers Companies: 10762962 Canada Inc., 350 Market Street LLC, 8527512 Canada Inc., Aetna Life and Casualty Co, American Equity Insurance Company, American Equity Specialty Insurance Company, Aprilgrange Limited, Arch Street North LLC, Auto Hartford Investments LLC, Bayhill Restaurant II Associates, Camperdown Corporation, Constitution State Services LLC, Discover Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Discover Specialty Insurance Company, F&G UK Underwriters Limited, Farmington Casualty Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Underwriters Inc., First Floridian Auto and Home Insurance Company, Gulf Underwriters Insurance Company, IHP Capital Partners Fund VIII L.P., Northbrook Holdings Inc., Northfield Insurance Company, Northland Casualty Company, Northland Insurance Company, Phoenix UK Investments LLC, SPC Insurance Agency Inc., Select Insurance Company, Simply Business Holdings Inc., Simply Business Inc., St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company, St. Paul Guardian Insurance Company, St. Paul Mercury Insurance Company, St. Paul Protective Insurance Company, St. Paul Surplus Lines Insurance Company, Standard Fire Properties LLC, Standard Fire UK Investments LLC, TCI Global Services Inc., TPC Investments Inc., TPC U.K. Investments LLC, The Automobile Insurance Company of Hartford Connecticut, The Charter Oak Fire Insurance Company, The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company, The Family Business Institute LLC, The Phoenix Insurance Company, The St. Paul Companies Inc., The Standard Fire Insurance Company, The Travelers Casualty Company, The Travelers Home and Marine Insurance Company, The Travelers Indemnity Company, The Travelers Indemnity Company of America, The Travelers Indemnity Company of Connecticut, The Travelers Lloyds Insurance Company, TravCo Insurance Company, Travelers (Bermuda) Limited, Travelers Brazil Acquisition LLC, Travelers Brazil Holding LLC, Travelers Casualty Company of Connecticut, Travelers Casualty Insurance Company of America, Travelers Casualty UK Investments LLC, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of Europe Limited, Travelers Commercial Casualty Company, Travelers Commercial Insurance Company, Travelers Constitution State Insurance Company, Travelers Distribution Alliance Inc., Travelers Excess and Surplus Lines Company, Travelers Global Inc., Travelers Indemnity U.K. Investments LLC, Travelers Insurance Company Limited, Travelers Insurance Company of Canada, Travelers Insurance Designated Activity Company, Travelers Insurance Group Holdings Inc., Travelers Lloyds of Texas Insurance Company, Travelers London Limited, Travelers MGA Inc., Travelers Management Limited, Travelers Marine LLC, Travelers Participacoes em Seguros Brasil S.A., Travelers Personal Insurance Company, Travelers Personal Security Insurance Company, Travelers Property Casualty Company of America, Travelers Property Casualty Corp., Travelers Property Casualty Insurance Company, Travelers Seguros Brasil S.A., Travelers Syndicate Management Limited, Travelers Texas MGA Inc., Travelers Underwriting Agency Limited, Ultramar Travel Management, United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, Xbridge Limited, Zensurance Brokers Inc., and Zensurance Inc.. Wall Street analysts have given BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. IWG plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides workspace solutions in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company offers co working and office space; virtual and membership offices, as well as lounges; private workshop, professional, and flexible and scalable spaces; meeting rooms; and reception services and conference products. It provides its services to property owners and investors, landlords, franchisees, brokers, and various other customers under the Regus, Spaces, No18, HQ, and Signature, as well as Open Office, The Clubhouse, The Office Operators, Stop & Work, BizDojo, and Basepoint brands. In addition, the company operates Meetingo, a digital platform that provides solutions for meeting; Easy Offices, an online broker that helps to find places to work; Rovva, an online toolkit which provides a range of products and services that help the clients to take their businesses further; Worka, an easy-to-use app. to search, compare, and book office space, coworking, and meeting rooms; and managed conventional office solutions that provides customized workspaces. It operates through 3,313 locations in 1,131 towns and cities across 120 countries. The company was formerly known as Regus plc and changed its name to IWG plc in December 2016. IWG plc was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland. Read More Jones Energy, Inc., an independent oil and gas company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas properties in the mid-continent United States. It owns leasehold interests in oil and natural gas producing properties, as well as in undeveloped acreage located in the Anadarko Basin in Oklahoma and Texas. As of December 31, 2017, the company's total estimated proved reserves included 104.8 million barrels of oil equivalent. Jones Energy, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 211 E. Russell Road LLC, Air-Relief, Belliss & Morcom Brasil, Belliss and Morcom, Boardwalk Enterprises, Charm Merger Sub Inc., CompAir, CompAir (Hankook) Korea Co. Ltd., CompAir Acquisition (No. 2) Ltd., CompAir Acquisition Ltd., CompAir BroomWade Ltd., CompAir Canada, CompAir Finance Ltd., CompAir GmbH, CompAir Holdings Limited, CompAir Holman Ltd, CompAir International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CompAir Korea Ltd, CompAir South Africa (SA) (Pty) Ltd., CompAir UK Ltd, CompAir USA, Consolidated Distribution Holdings Ltd., DV Systems Inc., Emco Wheaton, Emco Wheaton GmbH Branch, Emco Wheaton Gmbh, Emco Wheaton UK, Emco Wheaton USA Inc, Enza Air Propriety Limited (South Africa), GD Aria Holdings #2 Limited, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Investments Limited, GD First UK Ltd, GD German Holdings GmbH, GD German Holdings I Gmbh, GD German Holdings II GmbH, GD German Investments GmbH, GD Global Holdings, GD Global Holdings II, GD Global Holdings UK II Ltd., GD Global Ventures I B.V., GD Global Ventures II B.V., GD Global Ventures III B.V., GD Industrial Products Malaysia SDN. BHD., GD Investment KY, GD UK Finance Ltd., Gardner Denver (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Austria GmbH, Gardner Denver Bad Neustadt Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Belgium NV, Gardner Denver Brasil Industria E Comercio de Maquinas Ltda., Gardner Denver CZ + SK sro, Gardner Denver Canada Corp, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Engineered Products India Private Limited, Gardner Denver FZE, Gardner Denver Finance II LLC, Gardner Denver Finance Inc & Co KG, Gardner Denver France SA, Gardner Denver France SAS, Gardner Denver Group Services Ltd, Gardner Denver Group Svcs Ltd, Gardner Denver Hoffman, Gardner Denver Holdings, Gardner Denver Holdings Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Ltd, Gardner Denver Iberica, Gardner Denver Industries Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd. Branch, Gardner Denver International, Gardner Denver International Ltd., Gardner Denver Intl Ltd Middle East Regional Rep Office, Gardner Denver Investments, Gardner Denver Italy Holdings S.r.L., Gardner Denver Japan, Gardner Denver Kirchhain Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Korea, Gardner Denver Korea Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd South Africa, Gardner Denver Ltd., Gardner Denver Ltd. Branch (Ireland), Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co, Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Gardner Denver Nash Brasil Industria E Comercio De Bombas Ltda, Gardner Denver Nash Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd., Gardner Denver Nederland BV, Gardner Denver Nederland Investments B.V., Gardner Denver Oberdorfer Pumps, Gardner Denver Oy, Gardner Denver Petroleum Pumps, Gardner Denver Polska Sp z.o.o., Gardner Denver Pte Ltd., Gardner Denver S.r.l., Gardner Denver Schopfheim GmbH, Gardner Denver Schopfheim Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Schweiz AG, Gardner Denver Slovakia, Gardner Denver SudAmerica S.r.l., Gardner Denver Sweden AB, Gardner Denver Taiwan Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas, Gardner Denver Thomas GmbH, Gardner Denver Thomas Pneumatic Systems (Wuxi) Co., Gardner Denver Thomas Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver UK, Gardner Denver Water Jetting Systems, Garo Dott. Ing. Roberto Gabbioneta S.r.l., Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom, ILMVAC (UK) Ltd., ILS Innovative Labor Systeme, ILS Inovative Laborsysteme GmbH, Indonesia Foreign Trade Representative Office, LeROI, LeRoi International Inc, MP Pumps Inc., Mako Compressors, Nash, Nash Elmo, Oina VV, Oina VV Aktiebolag, Robuschi, Rotary Compression Technologies, Runtech Systems, Runtech Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Runtech Systems Inc., Runtech Systems OY, Shanghai CompAir Compressors Co Ltd, Shanghai Compressors & Blowers Ltd., Syltone, TCM Investments, TIWR Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, TODO AB, Tamrotor Marine Compressors AS, Thomas Industries, Thomas Industries Inc., Tri-Continent Scientific, Welch Vacuum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zinsser Analytic, Zinsser Analytik GmbH, and Zinsser NA. Painted Pony Energy Ltd. engages in the exploration, development, and production of petroleum and natural gas resources in Western Canada. It focuses primarily on the development and production of natural gas and natural gas liquids from the Montney formation in northeast British Columbia. The company was formerly known as Painted Pony Petroleum Ltd. and changed its name to Painted Pony Energy Ltd. in May 2017. Painted Pony Energy Ltd. is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More Wall Street analysts have given Bonavista Energy Co. (BNP.TO) a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but Bonavista Energy Co. (BNP.TO) wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Royal Dutch Shell plc operates as an energy and petrochemical company worldwide. The company operates through Integrated Gas, Upstream, Oil Products, Chemicals segments. It explores for and extracts crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids; markets and transports oil and gas; produces gas-to-liquids fuels and other products; and operates upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver gas to market. The company also markets and trades natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), crude oil, electricity, carbon-emission rights; and markets and sells LNG as a fuel for heavy-duty vehicles and marine vessels. In addition, it trades in and refines crude oil and other feed stocks, such as gasoline, diesel, heating oil, aviation fuel, marine fuel, biofuel, lubricants, bitumen, and sulphur; produces and sells petrochemicals for industrial use; and manages oil sands activities. Further, the company produces base chemicals comprising ethylene, propylene, and aromatics, as well as intermediate chemicals, such as styrene monomer, propylene oxide, solvents, detergent alcohols, ethylene oxide, and ethylene glycol. Royal Dutch Shell plc was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands. Read More Yext, Inc. is an emerging growth company engages in software development. It offers a cloud-based digital knowledge platform, which allows businesses manage their digital knowledge in the cloud such as financial information, resources and performance of these resources on a consolidated basis and sync it to other application such as Apple Maps, Bing, Cortana, Facebook, Google, Google Maps, Instagram, Siri and Yelp. It offers the Yext Knowledge Engine package on subscription basis, which has an access to Listings, Pages, Reviews and other features. The Listing feature provides customers with control over their digital presence, including their location and other related attributes published on the used third-party applications. The Pages feature allows customers to establish landing pages on their own websites and to manage digital content on those sites, including calls to action. The Reviews presence enables customers to encourage and facilitate reviews from end consumers. The company was founded by Howard Lerman, Brent Metz, and Brian Distelburger in 2006 and is headquartered in New York, NY. Read More CF Industries Holdings, Inc. engages in the manufacture and distribution of nitrogen fertilizer. The firm owns and operates nitrogen plants and serves agricultural and industrial customers through its distribution system. It operates through following segments: Ammonia, Granular Urea, UAN, AN, and Other. The Ammonia segment produces anhydrous ammonia, which is company's most concentrated nitrogen fertilizer product as it contains 82% nitrogen. The Granular Urea segment produces granular urea, which contains 46% nitrogen. The UAN segment produces urea ammonium nitrate solution, which is a liquid fertilizer product with a nitrogen content from 28% to 32%, is produced by combining urea and ammonium nitrate. The AN segment produces ammonium nitrate, which is a nitrogen-based product with a nitrogen content between 29% and 35%. The Other segment includes diesel exhaust fluid, nitric acid, urea liquor and aqua ammonia. The company was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Deerfield, IL. Read More United Technologies Corporation provides technology products and services to building systems and aerospace industries worldwide. Its Otis segment designs, manufactures, sells, and installs passenger and freight elevators, escalators, and moving walkways; and offers modernization products to upgrade elevators and escalators, as well as maintenance and repair services. The company's Carrier segment provides heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration, fire, security, and building automation products, solutions, and services for commercial, government, infrastructure, residential, and refrigeration and transportation applications. This segment also offers building services, including audit, design, installation, system integration, repair, maintenance, and monitoring. Its Pratt & Whitney segment supplies aircraft engines for commercial, military, business jet, and general aviation markets; and provides aftermarket maintenance, repair, and overhaul, as well as fleet management services. The company's Collins Aerospace Systems segment provides electric power generation, power management, and distribution systems; air data and aircraft sensing systems; engine control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems; engine components; environmental control systems; fire and ice detection, and protection systems; propeller systems; engine nacelle systems; aircraft lighting, seating, and cargo systems; actuation and landing systems; space products and subsystems; avionics systems; flight controls, communications, navigation, oxygen, and training systems; food and beverage preparation, and storage and galley systems; and lavatory and wastewater management systems. The company offers its services through manufacturers' representatives, distributors, wholesalers, dealers, retail outlets, and sales representatives, as well as directly to customers. United Technologies Corporation was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Farmington, Connecticut. Read More WellCare Health Plans, Inc. provides government-sponsored managed care services. The company operates in three segments: Medicaid Health Plans, Medicare Health Plans, and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs). The Medicaid Health Plans segment offers plans for beneficiaries of temporary assistance for needy families, supplemental security income, and aged blind and disabled residents; and other state-based programs, such as children's health insurance programs and long-term services and supports programs for qualifying families who are not eligible for Medicaid. The Medicare Health Plans segment provides Medicare, a federal program that provides eligible persons aged 65 and over, as well as some disabled persons with a range of hospital, medical, and prescription drug benefits; Medicare Advantage, a Medicare's managed care alternative to the original Medicare program, which offers individuals standard Medicare benefits directly through Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; and coordinated care plans that are administered through health maintenance organizations and require members to seek health care services and select a primary care physician from a network of health care providers. The Medicare PDPs segment provides Medicare part D PDP plans to Medicare-eligible beneficiaries. Its PDP plans offer national in-network prescription drug coverage, including a preferred pharmacy network. As of December 31, 2018, the company served approximately 5.5 million members in the United States. WellCare Health Plans, Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. Read More Wells Fargo & Co. is a diversified, community-based financial services company. It is engaged in the provision of banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance. It firm operates through the following segments: Community Banking, Wholesale Banking, Wealth & Investment Management, and Other. The Community Banking segment offers complete line of diversified financial products and services for consumers and small businesses including checking and savings accounts, credit and debit cards, and automobile, student, and small business lending. The Wholesale Banking segment provides financial solutions to businesses across the United States and globally. The Wealth and Investment Management segment includes personalized wealth management, investment and retirement products and services to clients across U.S. based businesses. The Other segment refers to the products of WIM customers served through community banking distribution channels. The company was founded by Henry Wells and William G. Fargo on March 18, 1852 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA. Read More 2:00pm 3:00pm The Faculty of Science (Department of Psychology and Neuroscience) presents: Exploring the routes toward Antiracism and (Neuro)science Dr. Oliver Rollins, Department of American Ethnic Studies, University of Washington Agriculture has not been doing well. In the latest Economic Survey, it has been pointed out that the estimated growth rate of agriculture is only 2.1 per cent for the year 2017-18. Agriculture is the biggest source of livelihood and employment in this country. As it was expected, the government did focus on rural and agriculture sector in this budget. Agriculture is a state subject in India and the role of the Central government is limited. Given this constraint, this years budget has put significant focus on the rural sector. In a major move, finance minister Arun Jaitley has increased the Minimum support Price (MSP) to 1.5 times the cost of production of the eligible crops. This is a good move but its effectiveness will only be maximised if procurements are made in an unbiased and comprehensive manner. Mr Jaitley proposed setting up supporting institutions to make farmers aware about possible price movements in the agricultural markets. This is a good move and can help farmers cope with high price volatilities associated with the farm sector. There are also a host of initiatives launched to improve marketability of agricultural products. There are plans of creating Graamen Agricult-ural Markets by upgrading village haats and improve connectivity among rural markets. While these plans sound good on paper, the effectiveness of these schemes will depend on how well they are implemented. But marketing of crops only through APMCs has been a major hindrance for small farmers. This initiative may allow them to directly market their products. The government also proposes to launch schemes to improve horticulture, organic farming, bamboo and medicinal plants. These are welcome steps. The Northeastern part of India can significantly benefit from such initiatives. There are also a number of initiatives announced for food processing sector and the government has also announced plans for setting up food parks. The level of processing in India for agricultural goods is abysmally low and there is an urgent need to improve it. Improved availability of processing facilities will help increase shelf life for agricultural goods and may lead to better price realisation by farmers. The government expects that availability of better processing and increase in number of food parks will allow India to increase its exports of agricultural goods. The plan of the government is to push agricultural exports to $100 billion from the present level of $30 billion. However, it will not be easy as the global market is very standard-driven and Indian agri exports quite often have failed to meet international standards. Among other initiatives, the government has extended use of Kisan credit cards to fishery and animal husbandry sector. There has been an increase in the allocation for farm credit and there are proposals to change the capital structure of Food Corporation of India. (The writer is Parthapratim Pal) The accidental death of a person, accompanying a patient for an MRI examination to a Mumbai hospital, reveals the fact that hospitals are places to tread with caution than rush in foolishly. People checking into hospital face risks. Expecting to get better, some actually wind up getting worse. Hospitals have many unique hazards that can potentially affect the health of patients and visitors. Hazards include biological (viruses and bacteria), chemical and physical hazards, hazardous drugs and ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Patients and bystanders at a hospital, often for the first time, are totally lost. They are ill, anxious and tense. Hospitals should have adequate sign boards and staff to guide people and have Hazard and Do Not Enter signs in areas potentially dangerous. Many times minor accidents occur at the entry point to hospital. The driver of the emergency vehicle may be so engrossed in reaching the patient to the casualty that he might not notice pedestrians, two-wheelers and other vehicles. In the hurry to transfer the patient from the vehicle to the emergency department, attendants can slip, fall or hurt themselves (or even the patient). Often many people accompany a patient making it difficult for others, especially doctors and nurses, to move about. Often children tag along. They might wander and get lost; or might get caught in a lift, slip off the stairs or ramp; or might wander into hazardous areas and get into trouble. Visit patients only at prescribed times. Whole families visit the patient as if they are on a picnic! Imagine the impact on other, especially the very sick with cancer, heart or kidney failure. Mind you, bystanders are exposing themselves to hazards of hospital-acquired illnesses! Blood-borne pathogens Blood-borne microorganisms transmit disease by contact with blood. Contact may be direct, such as needle-sticks or splashes of blood-containing fluids to the mucous membranes or open wounds, or indirect, such as when surfaces contaminated with blood come in contact with someones mucous membranes or abraded skin. The most common blood-borne risks are Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV), and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections. HBV can cause persistent infections, liver failure and liver cancer in the long term. In acute illness, it causes fever and jaundice and, rarely, acute liver failure. HCV infections rarely cause acute illness, but most of those infected will develop chronic infection and 10-15 percent will develop cirrhosis and liver failure. HIV infection may cause an initial infection with flu-like symptoms. Without treatment, HIV progresses to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which damages the immune system. The patient and attendant should know of these hazards and avoid getting accidentally infected. Avoid going to infectious diseases wards. Do not walk barefoot in hospital as there may be some blood or body fluid on the floor. A wound on the leg can expose the person to the infection. Avoid touching areas where body fluid samples are collected and kept. If by chance one comes in contact with these, inform the infection control officer of the hospital at the earliest. Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Staphylococcus aureus (S aureus) is a human pathogen, causing a wide range of infections from mild skin and soft tissue infections to severe blood infection. It is also found on the skin and in the nose of healthy individuals. S aureus strains which are resistant to the antibiotic methicillin and other antimicrobials are increasingly prevalent in hospital environment and are responsible for increased mortality in hospital inpatients. Their importance is due to the fact that they are more difficult to treat with typical antibiotics. MRSA can be contracted from patients and thus can be hazardous to the patients attendant. A person can get MRSA by contact with his/her own nasal bacteria, by contact with an infected persons sore, or by contact with a carrier who is colonized, but has no symptoms. Hands are the most important means of transmitting infection. Objects such as clothing, equipment, and furniture can be involved in transmission. Patients and attendants must frequently wash hands. Tuberculosis Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB). It is transmitted through airborne particles called droplet nuclei which are formed when individuals with pulmonary TB cough, sneeze, shout or sing. Droplets are very small and remain airborne for prolonged spells, spreading throughout hospital. Individuals suffering from HIV, diabetes, under-nutrition and vitamin deficiencies, and end-stage kidney failure are at a higher risk for developing tuberculosis. Alcoholism, corticosteroid therapy, malignancy and genetic susceptibility are other risk factors associated with tuberculosis. It is very important for patients and other people visiting the hospital to be aware of this and stay away from individuals who have cough. Medical waste It generally includes cultures and stocks of infectious agents (discarded culture dishes), liquid human and animal waste, materials stained with blood or body fluids, pathological waste (i.e., tissues or organs) and used sharps. Other waste streams generated by hospitals, such as discarded personal protective equipment (masks, surgical gowns), excess prescription medication, chemical wastes, and radioactive materials may have adverse effects on both people and the environment. Usually these are discarded in appropriate places by the hospital staff. However, there is always a risk of an individual coming in contact with this when he accidentally wanders into these areas. Health hazards Chemical hazards Cleaning agents Although hospital environmental service workers and housekeeping staff are at highest risk of exposure, patients, visitors and other hospital staff also can be exposed. Accidental exposures to large concentrations can occur through spills or during mixing of incompatible chemicals. Primary routes of exposure to cleaning agents are inhalation of aerosolized droplets or vapors and skin exposure. Several cleaning agents are known sensitizers and can lead to dermatitis upon repeated skin exposure. The patient and the attendant should stay away from areas (whenever possible) where cleaning is going on. This will help keep the hospital environment clean as well as prevent exposure to chemicals. Mercury Mercury is primarily used in thermometers and blood pressure machines where it is present as metallic mercury. It is also found in dental clinics; in laboratory chemicals; in pharmaceutical products; as contaminants of cleaning products formed in the manufacture of certain ingredients; in batteries; in fluorescent, high-intensity-discharge and ultraviolet lamps; in electrical switches and relays; and as waste in plumbing. Metallic mercury and other forms of mercury can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Exposure is possible when mercury is spilled, during improper cleaning of a spill, during the maintenance of mercury-containing equipment, when mercury is transferred, or from inadequate ventilation to control vapor from sources and from past spills. The nervous system is very sensitive to all forms of mercury. Metallic mercury vapors are more harmful than other forms found in hospitals, because more mercury reaches the brain. The primary long-term effects from exposure to high levels of metallic, inorganic, or organic mercury are permanent damage to the brain, kidneys, the lining of the mouth and lungs, and the developing fetus. Mercuric chloride, used in some laboratory solutions, can cause cancers. Avoid touching or playing with mercury thermometers and BP apparatuses. Slips and falls Patients and attendants want to get things done very fast and rush from one place to another. Ideally different floor surfaces (sanitary room, wards and units, operating theaters, kitchens, corridors and stairs) require different types of flooring. In their anxiety, many people slip and fall, injuring themselves. Stairways require handrails, slip-resistant coating for steps, high visibility (clear of obstructions), nonslip markings for edges of steps and adequate illumination. Ramps should be well marked with appropriate signs. One should take care while using the ramp especially at turnings where the floor may be at an angle. While being shifted on a wheelchair or trolley, care must be taken to prevent the patient slipping off the wheelchair of trolley at these areas and causing more injury. Aerosolized medications Aerosolized delivery of medications has an advantage to the patient of direct delivery to the target organ, the respiratory tract, rather than indirectly via the mouth or as injections. Medications for asthma such as bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids are the most commonly used. Aerosolized mucolytics (mucous thinning drugs) and antibiotics have been used to treat chronic lung infections. These medications may be administered by a respiratory therapist, nurse, physician or other healthcare workers, or rarely with the help of the patients attendant. Sometimes, if careless, the person administrating the medicine may be exposed to the same. Patient attendant administering aerosolized medications may have cumulative dosing of the same agent. The potential side effects of the various aerosolized agents are diverse, depending on the medication. Examples of potential side-effects range from stimulation of the nervous system to constricting blood vessels, to suppressing immunity. Repeated exposure to antibiotics could trigger drug-resistant strains, or possible allergic reaction. Ionizing radiation and general controls Ionizing radiation is atomic particles or electromagnetic waves that possess enough energy to produce ions, or charged particles, when interacting with matter. Radiation cannot be seen, tasted, or smelled. The hazard level of radiation depends on the activity, energy, and the type of radiation. In hospitals, ionizing radiation is used in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. It is produced either by a machine, such as an X-ray machine, or from radio-nuclides, which are unstable elements (or isotopes) that emit ionizing radiation as they decay. Ionizing radiation may cause different types of cancer (including stomach, liver, colon, lung, breast, uterine and thyroid cancer and leukemia). High radiation exposures can also damage blood and tissues, including the heart, eyes, intestine, skin, and reproductive organs, depending on the type of radiation, the route of absorption, and its potency. Visitors to hospital (especially pregnant women) should avoid going to areas where there is risk of exposure to ionizing radiation. (To be concluded) The woman also alleged that the man had filmed their intimate moments and threatened to release them on the internet, if she did not convert to Islam and marry him. (Representational Image) Ahmedabad: A Kochi woman alleged that her husband, Mohammed Riyaz, attempted to sell her off as a sex-slave to ISIS in Syria. The woman was born and brought up in Jamnagar, Gujarat, National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe has revealed. NIA has reached out to Gujarat police for assistance in the investigation into the Jamnagar link. "The woman studied in a school in Jamnagar. Her father worked in a private company there and the family shifted to Kerala after he retired," said a senior Gujarat police official who is working closely with NIA Kochi. She came to know Mohammed Riyaz in 2014 when they were studying in the same college and later fell in love. The woman also alleged that Riyaz had filmed their intimate moments and threatened to release them on the internet, if she did not convert to Islam and marry him. Following this, she married him in 2017, police sources said. She was subsequently taken to Saudi Arabia by her husband as his parents lived in Jeddah. It was here that he tried to sell her off as a sex-slave to the ISIS. Fortunately, she could make a call to her parents and warn them of Riyaz's plans and was rescued. Mohammed Riyaz was taken into custody for interrogation by the NIA on Sunday after he landed in Chennai airport. He has denied all allegations and said his wife is being used as a tool by her parents. New Delhi: The CBI is now tightening its grip around former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi over its probe into the IRCTC hotel scam. It is reliably learnt that the CBI is preparing to issue summons to her for seeking certain clarifications in connection with the case. The probe agency has already questioned RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav over the case. After scrutinising the statements given by Lalu and Tejashwi, the CBI is now planning to question Rabri Devi in connection with the case. We will soon issue her summons for questioning, a CBI source said. In July, CBI sleuths had searched the premises of the Lalu Yadav family in a 2006 case of the IRCTC transferring two railway hotels to Sujata Hotel Pvt Ltd, in an alleged violation of norms during Lalu Yadavs tenure as railway minister. Police have launched a hunt for a middle aged woman and a teenage girl who conned a home-alone woman and escaped with over Rs 25,000 cash by selling fake gold coins on Saturday evening. (Representational image) Chennai: Police have launched a hunt for a middle aged woman and a teenage girl who conned a home-alone woman and escaped with over Rs 25,000 cash by selling fake gold coins on Saturday evening. The incident happened in Perambur and the victim, Chandra (47) of Muniyappa Chetty street was alone at home when the incident happened, police said. Her husband, Kanagaraj was out at work when a middle aged woman approached her along with a 15-year-old girl. The woman told Chandra that she hailed from a once wealthy family and her family was now in a financial crisis. She told Chandra that her husband was hospitalised with cancer and she needed money for his treatment. She offered ten gold coins at a cheaper rate. Chandra took the bait and told her that she would take the coins for `25,000 after verifying if they were original. The woman gave Chandra one of the gold coins and when Chandra took it to the pawn broker nearby, it was found to be gold. After that, she decided to buy all the gold coins and handed over the money. When her husband returned, Chandra told him about what transpired after which he took all the coins to the pawn broker and found that except for one all were fake. The man filed a complaint with the Sembium police, who have launched a hunt for the woman and the teenage girl. Police are perusing the CCTV footage from the locality, to identify them. Special CBI Judge Sunil Rana allowed the CBI to interrogate Indrani Mukerjea for two days and directed that she be brought before it on February 7. (Photo: File) New Delhi: A special court in Delhi sent Indrani Mukerjea, a prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, to two days CBI custody on Monday in connection with a case related to INX Media. Special CBI Judge Sunil Rana allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to interrogate Indrani for two days after the agency sought three days custody and directed that she be brought before it on February 7. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram's son Karti's name has also cropped up in the case, which relates to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval granted in 2007 for receipt of funds by INX Media. During the proceedings, the probe agency submitted before the court that Indrani has to be questioned and confronted with other accused in the case. It said that during an earlier interrogation in the matter, it was revealed that further investigation requires her custodial interrogation. There is voluminous record in the case and permission to interrogate had been granted earlier also, the CBI said. However, the Mumbai Police told the court that Indrani has to be produced before a Mumbai court on February 13 and cannot be kept in Delhi beyond that. The Enforcement Directorate has registered a case against INX Media, its founders Peter Mukerjea, former media baron and his wife Indrani, and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). INX Media has been accused of violating Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) guidelines while receiving investments from Mauritius. The Mukerjeas are facing trial in Mumbai for allegedly conspiring to kill Sheena Bora, Indrani's daughter from an earlier relationship, in April 2012. Security was heightened and the entire area was barricaded to restrict movement of Tanwir and his accomplice. (Representational Image | PTI) New Delhi: Days after Kasganj in Uttar Pradesh surfaced in news for communal clashes on Republic Day, a sharpshooter from the clash-hit Kasganj was arrested following an encounter in Delhi on Monday morning. According to NDTV report, the accomplice of the shooter managed to flee from the clutches of police. Police reports state that the person, Tanwir alias Munnawar, was a member of the Chhenu gang in Uttar Pradesh and is wanted in a number of cases, including a double murder in Delhi and a case of firing at policemen. Tanwir carried a Rs 70,000 reward for his capture. The police had information that Tanwir would reach Okhla Mandi in southeast Delhi with an accomplice early on Monday morning. Security was heightened and the entire area was barricaded to restrict their movement. As soon as they entered the area in a Swift car, they opened fire on the police team. The police retaliated and attacked their vehicle. According to the report, several rounds were fired and Tanwir was hit twice. He was saved as he was wearing a bulletproof jacket. The cops overpowered him, but his associate managed to escape. Tanwir was arrested and taken to a hospital. Two policemen were also injured in the encounter. Tanwir has a dozen cases of murder and loot against him in Delhi and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. In 2016, he fired at police officers in Delhi and escaped. He was involved in murder of two youngsters in Brahmpuri and Seelampur in Delhi last year, the police said. The incident was caught on the CCTV camera, but Tanwir and his men couldn't be arrested. Besides other cases, the police will also investigate if Tanwir had any role to play in the communal violence in Kasganj in which a 22-year-old man was shot dead. The victim, Chandan Gupta, was among the bikers who had participated in a "Tiranga Yatra" organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) to mark Republic Day on January 26. New Delhi: India is stepping up its diplomacy with the Arab world where a large number of Indians stay and work. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Palestine, the United Arab Emirates and Oman from February 9 to 12, it was announced on Sunday that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj too will visit Saudi Arabia from February 6 to 8. She will inaugurate the Janadriyah Festival of Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. India has been invited as the guest of honour country at the festival, which is the most prestigious and popular "National Heritage and Culture Festival" of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and is being organised annually since 1985. New Delhi on Sunday thanked the Saudi King, who is the patron of the festival, for the invitation. MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted, EAM @SushmaSwaraj will visit Saudi Arabia from 6-8 February to inaugurate the Janadriyah Festival of Saudi Arabia on 7 February. Interestingly, India will also be showcasing both Yoga and Bollywood as part of the cultural component during the festival. At a joint press conference in Saudi Arabia with the Saudi Minister of National Guard, Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. (retd.) V.K. Singh said, We greatly value our close and deep rooted civilisational and strategic relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This relationship got further impetus and new direction after the historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Kingdom in 2016. The Kingdom is also home to more than 3 million-strong Indian Community. Indias participation in the festival will be multifaceted. We will have an Indian Pavilion where we will project a number of Indian themes and projects. The India Pavilion will comprise glimpses of Traditional and Modern India. There will be displays and presentations by Ministries/Departments. Hyderabad: Minister for NRI affairs K.T. Rama Rao said on Sunday that the state government is taking all steps to ensure a hassle-free return of NRIs from Kuwait. He said that all those persons who are unable to afford flight tickets would be helped by the government on humanitarian grounds. Mr Rama Rao had appealed to NRIs to make use of the opportunity and return to India. Officials have been asked to coordinate with the Indian Embassy in Kuwait for the purpose. The minister said that the NRI affairs department is collecting details from the embassy about the people from Telangana. TS appealed to the persons to contact on 9440854433 or send email on so_nri@telangana.gov.in. in need of help. Later, they find jobs there and obtain a job visa, such criminals stay there for years at a stretch, avoiding local law enforcement agencies. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: Criminals from the city who flee and hide in the UAE can no longer find a legal job there. The UAE government has introduced a system wherein those coming for work must obtain a good conduct and behaviour certificate from their home country. The rule came into effect on Sunday and the special branch authorities here are receiving requests to issue the certificate. Hyderabad had a record number of criminals who escaped to the UAE on tourist and visiting visas. Later, they find jobs there and obtain a job visa, such criminals stay there for years at a stretch, avoiding local law enforcement agencies. Several persons, including gangster Ayub Khan, who was recently released from the prison had stayed in the UAE after obtaining a work visa before his arrest in 2017. Several other criminals involved in murder, Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA) cases, land cases and other grave crimes are holed up in the UAE. The new rule will help ensure that the criminals do not get shelter in the UAE easily. Otherwise, they evade the police due to legal tangles and diplomatic efforts, a senior police official said. There will be more than 100 scientific talks and 170 posters presented at this meeting, from scientists based in universities as well as research institutes. Hyderabad: About 400 scientists, young faculty, researchers and students from across the country and abroad, have come to participate in the 36th annual general meeting of the Astronomical Society of India (ASI) that is being held at the Osmania University from February 5 to 9. The Astronomical Society of India is the oldest and largest association of professional astronomers in the country and was, in fact, founded in Osmania University in 1972. The annual meetings of ASI are held in a different city every year and they are returning to their Hyderabad home after a gap of 11 years. There will be more than 100 scientific talks and 170 posters presented at this meeting, from scientists based in universities as well as research institutes. Some of these talks will be on their latest discoveries and some of them based on results from many new Indian observatories like AstroSat which is a satellite in space, and the upgraded GMRT, a radio telescope near Pune. There will also be discussions on future observatories . These are Aditya L-1, a solar mission to be launched by ISRO and LIGO-India, a gravitational wave observatory. They also include international projects like the Square Kilometre Array and the Thirty Metre Telescope, of which India is a key partner. SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday witnessed a ruckus over the Army and civilians casualties caused in the latest ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC), leading to the adjournment of the House. Four Army soldiers including a captain were killed and two others and a BSF trooper and two civilians injured in the Pakistani firing in Bhimber Gali sector of Rajouri district and Shahpur sector in neighbouring Poonch district on Sunday. The cross-LoC firing was reported also from Manjakote area of Rajouri and at a couple of places in Poonch during the day. The Army had said that the Pakistani troops used small and medium automatic weapons and mortar guns to target the Indian forward posts and civilian areas in these sectors. It also said the Indian troops retaliated strongly and effectively to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing by the Pakistani troops, using the same calibre weaponry. The Pakistani authorities had reported one civilian death and injuries to two children in the Indian firing in Haveli (Poonch) area on their side of the de facto border. In view of tensions and to prevent harm coming to students and teachers, the district authorities ordered closure of 84 schools located in close proximity to the LoC in Rajouri for three days. Weve closed 84 schools for three days as a precautionary measure. Weve also deputed teams to assess the loss to properties and livestock in the Pakistani firing in the district, said Rajouris Deputy Commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary. The current spell of ceasefire violations began on January 18 and since as many as ten Army and BSF personnel and seven civilians have been killed and many others wounded. On Sunday, Captain Kapil Kundu, a resident of Ransika village in Haryanas Gurgaon district, Havildar Roshan Lal (42) of J&Ks Samba district, Rifleman Subham Singh (23) of J&Ks Kathua district and Rifleman Ramavatar (27) of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh were killed in the Pakistani firing in Rajouris Bhimber Gali sector. Two teenage civilians Gulnaz Akhter (15) and Yasin Arif (14) were injured in Islamabad village of Bandi Chacian sub-sector in LoCs Shahpur sector of Poonch earlier during the day. The officials said that the Pakistani army started indiscriminate firing in Rajouris Balakote sector on Sunday afternoon resulting into the on-the-spot death of Captain Kundu and three other soldiers and injuries to Lans Naik Iqbal Ahmed. Another ceasefire violation was reported from Bandi Chacian sub-sector of Poonch in which one Army jawan Sepoy Kishore Kumar and two teenage civilians sustained injuries. In yet another violation in Sunderbani area of Rajouri, BSFs ASI Ajab Singh was injured. Cross-LoC firing was reported also from Bhawani and Lam sectors but without causing any casualties. The firing from both the sides stopped at around 7.45 pm, said J&Ks minister for parliamentary affairs, Abdur Rehman Veeri. While the deaths and destruction caused by the cross-LoC firing has set off anger in entire border belt, the State Assembly on Monday witnessed pandemonium after the opposition members led by National Conference (NC)s Devinder Singh Rana jumped into the Well to protest over the fatalities. This was followed by another NC member Altaf Kaloos yelling that a 22-year-old youth has been injured in the Army firing in the Valleys Kulgam area. This added to vehemence of the opposition members who began chanting anti government slogans like Modi sarkar hai hai, PDP-BJP sarkar hai hai and RSS sarkar hai hai. The BJP MLAs and independent member Pawan Gupta responded by chanting anti Pakistan slogans in House. On this NCs Rana took a jibe at them by asking tuhmari chappan inch wali chatee kahan gayyi (where has your 56 inch chest gone)? Speaker Kavinder Gupta made repeated appeals to the members to calm down and resume their seats but in vain. Amid ruckus, he adjourned the House for ten minutes. While speaking to reporters outside the House, BJPs MLA Ravinder Raina who represents Nowshehra constituency of Rajouri, one of the worst hit in the Pakistani firing in recent weeks, said that it was high time for Indian Air Force to come forward and bombard Pakistan as they cant understand the language of diplomacy and talks. He said, The way Indian (Army) posts are being made target by Pakistan is not acceptable to us. The IAF should be given full authority and all the terrorists places in Pakistan should be targeted by it (sic). He added that Pakistan was a nation which never understands anything unless we take the bold step of allowing our Air Force to take a lead step and bombard the terrorist places in Pakistan. Later the State government while making a statement in the House said that dialogue and reconciliation are only way to restore peace along the borders and in the mainland in Jammu and Kashmir. It assured the members that all possible measures to avoid loss of life and damage to property in the cross-LoC firing are being taken by it. Our stand is that dialogue and reconciliation is the only way to restore peace, said Veeri while responding to the concern expressed by the members over the loss of life and damage to the property due to recurrent incidents of cross-border firing in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri and other parts of the State. He said the process of reconciliation initiated by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vaypayee in 2003 needs be taken forward for everlasting peace in the State. He said that the district administrations in Rajouri and Poonch are taking all possible measures to avoid loss of life and property. He said alternate arrangements for boarding and lodging have also been put in place for the affected population. Leader of Opposition in the House and former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, called for a resolution to be adopted by the House urging that the people of Jammu and Kashmir demand both the governments to initiate the dialogue process so that peace is restored along the borders and within the mainland. Thiruvananthapuram: CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's elder son Binoy Vinodini Balakrishnan has been trapped in the UAE. A Dubai court on Feb 1 issued a travel ban on him on a cheating complaint of a tourism company and asked him to deposit his passport with it. He will be permitted to travel outside Dubai only after depositing AED 1 million (nearly Rs 1.74 crore) and legally settling the case. It said, We order to ban the debtor from travel and deposit his passport in the court's safe with publicising this resolution to all access points the matter shall be repealed in case of; 1. Depositing the amount (1,000,000 dirhams) .... Speaking to a regional TV channel from Dubai, Binoy confirmed that ban following a civil case. I was neither detained at the airport, nor my passport was seized. I didnt go to the airport at all, he said while denying reports that he was prevented from leaving the airport. He also spoke to CPM's People TV and produced his passport before the crew to show that it was in his possession. He said there was deliberate attempt to politicise a cheque case to create controversy and target his father. The development has come as a major embarrassment for the CPM secretary who had earlier maintained that there was no case against his son in Dubai. He had also taken a dig at Dubai company head asking why was the "Arabi" moving around in India and why was he not initiating legal proceedings against his son who was in Dubai. Binoy had gone to Dubai recently to prove that he was free to travel to that country. However, with the court now issuing travel ban against him, he will have to stay put there till the required money is deposited and the case disposed of. He would have to reveal the source of money if he were to deposit a big amount to the tune of Rs 1.74 crore. Earlier his younger brother Bineesh Kodiyeri also confirmed that there was a travel ban. "The ban is because of a civil case filed by the opposite party. We didn't say that there is no case. A case of 1 million dirhams is pending, and that is the only dispute," he said. He said his brother would be able to file an appeal against the court order within a week and it will take a decision. "We don't have the required amount now. Let Binoy stay in Dubai. There is no urgency for him to return," he said. JAAS Tourism LLC owner Hasan Ismaeel Abdullah Al Marzooqi had sought Indian government's assistance for registering a formal complaint to extradite him after he absconded from Dubai. He has accused him of cheating his company and his partner of AED 7,000,000 (Rs 13 crore). Mr Binoy had claimed that there was no case pending against him in Dubai and there was no travel ban. He had deposited 60,000 dirhams as penalty following which the case against him was scrapped. He even produced an electronically generated good conduct certificate from Dubai Police and document from a court stating that no case is pending against him. DMK working president M.K. Stalin has issued a stern warning to his partys district secretaries asking them to work in coordination with DMK office-bearers and members. CHENNAI: DMK working president M.K. Stalin has issued a stern warning to his partys district secretaries asking them to work in coordination with DMK office-bearers and members. Mr Stalin, who is holding meetings with party cadres from across the State on a daily basis, said action would be taken against those district heads who failed to listen to other functionaries or acted unilaterally. He also asked them to constitute a 20-member committee for each polling booth. The committees should involve people, who are voters of the booth, he advised. The DMK has named a 16-member panel, headed by a senior functionary N.R. Elango, to look into the grievance petitions of cadre and it will submit a report to Mr Stalin. A box named Theervu Kanum Petti, (box to resolve issues) has been kept at the venue of the meeting to encourage party workers to submit their grievances. The panel would look into those petitions. According to a senior DMK leader the situation in Tamil Nadu is such that state assembly election may be called early along with the Lok Sabha elections next year, besides the expected civic polls. About 18 MLAs who threw their lot behind Dhinakaran, were disqualified from the Assembly last year and the matter is pending in the Madras High Court. Depending on the outcome of the case and its implications, there could be early Assembly election if the ruling party cannot muster a majority. The DMK would hold its Coimbatore zonal conference at Erode on March 24 and 25. During the first 10 days of the interactive sessions, the DMK leadership is focused on the western region, known in the state as Kongu Nadu, which includes Erode, Tirupur and Salem, where the ruling AIADMK is comparatively much stronger. Then, they would focus on cadres from districts, including Tiruchirappalli and Ariyalur districts in central Tamil Nadu, following which workers from other districts would attend the sessions. According to a senior DMK leader the situation in Tamil Nadu is such that state assembly election may be called early along with the Lok Sabha elections next year, besides the expected civic polls. Chennai: Tamil Nadu would never be able to get Cauvery water from Karnataka, declared BJP Rajya Sabha member Dr Subramanian Swamy, insisting that setting up desalination plants along the coastline was the only answer to the states water crisis. People must first decide what they want water or Cauvery water? If they want Cauvery water, they will never be able to get that. But if they just want water, we could have the vast seawater converted into potable water through desalination plants. Let Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami ask me if he does not know and I shall get four desalination plants from Israel for installation here, the inimitable Dr Swamy told reporters at the airport here on Sunday. You will never have any water problem if I get the Israeli desalination plants installed here, Dr Swamy said. When it was pointed out that TN was knocking on Karnatakas doors as there was not enough water in the Mettur reservoir to save the standing samba crop in the Cauvery delta, he said desalination plants would provide a permanent solution. You will never have water crisis after that, he said. To another question on inadequate allocations for TN in the Central Budget, Dr Swamy said the TN MPs should function effectively in the Parliament to secure enough funds and projects for the state. They should not function like cattle, he said. This is not the first time that Dr Swamy is recommending Israeli desalination plants to quench TN thirst. Even on January 30, he had tweeted: Tamil Nadu CM must stop begging for Cauvery water from Karnataka govt. He should instead set up four desalination plants on the TN coast. That tweet got huge response in social media with many raising questions how water from desalination plants could be pumped across vast hinterland to reach the delta farmers the distance, the cost of maintenance and diesel. One twitterati asked Dr Swamy why he could not get the Israeli PM Netanyahu to sell the desalination technology directly to TN when he visited India a couple of weeks ago. Without TN CM asking me? shot back the BJP senior. Its Pakistans version of the gang that couldnt shoot straight. Part circular firing squad, part regular firing squad, and part wedding video of aerial firing that sends guests and gunmen alike scrambling. Welcome to 2018. Possibly, arguably, already worse than 2017. Because with the latest act to join the national circus, we have a full programme. Part tragedy, mostly comedy, its wholly unpredictable. At least when it comes to guessing what may come next. Politeness and fear of the gavel will cause most to either look away or pretend to examine the weeds and draw out nuance and theory. Its apparent there is none. Because this is a war the judiciary cant win. The populist, people-oriented aspect we can set aside. If the court wants to probe the lurid and the tawdry to protect us all, go right ahead. If it wants to throw crumbs at the poor and the desperate, why the hell not. Its not like we were on the verge of great reform. Two military-court constitutional amendments in two-and-a-quarter years settled that debate. There has not and wont be anything that cuts closer to the heart of judicial power. Because the first and last rule of institutional relevance is to protect institutional turf. Its what caused the power of anti-terrorism courts to be watered down all those years ago and what has left the FSC in limbo. Even, funnily enough, in times of dictatorship. Because the court has positioned itself as the only institution that can deliver legitimacy in the first instance. Ever wonder why a newly-installed dictator has not tried a different path? Say, by holding a rigged referendum in the first 90 days of taking over or throwing together a council of elders to bestow legitimacy? The dictator cant because the court has positioned itself as the only place where legitimacy can be sought and granted. Its why military rule is synonymous with PCO. Judicial reform, or the distant dream of judicial reform, died when the court validated the military-court constitutional amendments because it reinforced the status quo. What the boys want, the boys get as long as theyre polite enough to allow the court to give its imprimatur. So let the court have its say and fun in a broken system where theres largesse to be bestowed and public approval to be won. We werent exactly on the verge of great judicial reform anyway. The problem is in the political realm. Theres already a bit of queue and you can bet that therell be others lining up soon enough. Because what greater honour than to have a chance to please the boss and show your loyalty by lining up to be locked up for contempt. One down, two to go. And then another and another. It is, after all, an election year. If youre Nawaz, you may even encourage it. The more it looks like the court has a problem with him, the less legitimate his judicial woes will seem. And thats an edge he needs in a season of electoral gridlock and uncertainty. Short of a direct takeover, the only other realistic possibility of keeping Nawaz shut out of the system was a solidly reasoned, good-precedent-setting judgment. That didnt happen not because Nawaz says it didnt happen, but because everyone can see it didnt happen. But fate and the sequence of judicial elevation may have created the tiniest of openings for a third possibility. Of the five who disqualified Nawaz, number one and number two in seniority are slotted to become the next CJP, and after a gap of one, the CJP after. All of that, though, would only kick in after an election and after Parliament has had a few months to settle in and bargain over the constitutional fate of Nawaz. A smoother, less controversial path to nailing the door shut on Nawazs return to electoral politics would be for someone other than the original five to reach the same conclusion and to do it in a more measured tone. Instead, by jumping the gun and firing off in all directions, the timeline for judicial controversy has been brought forward. The steady hand has given way to mercurialness. And mercurial justice is the best friend of the politician in trouble seeking electoral redemption. From here, every little bit will add to the story of political victimhood. If the judge vows that the door has been slammed shut on dictatorship, it only serves to remind everyone of the possibility of dictatorship. If the judge avers that justice will be done in every instance, it only serves to remind everyone that maybe justice hasnt been done in a certain instance. If the judge starts locking up people for contempt, it may grow the queue or, dangerously, encourage Nawaz to jump to the front of the queue. A bad idea doesnt turn good by doing more of it. This is a war the judiciary cant win. By arrangement with Dawn Here's What CBFC Chief Prasoon Joshi Has To Say About Suggesting 300 Cuts In Deepika Padukones Padmavat! After months of being at the centre of controversies, Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Padmavati is expected to release on January 25, as per sources. Though the production house or anyone from the films team is yet to confirm the date, trade sources are emphatic that the film is indeed releasing over the Republic Day weekend. However, in the midst of this, claims have emerged that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) asked for modifications which effectively mean 300 cuts in the original edited version of the film, according to a Mumbai Mirror report. The tabloid reported that Bhansali has been instructed to delete all references to Delhi, Chittorgarh and Mewar from his magnum opus. It effectively meant 300 cuts in the film. Reacting to the report, Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairperson Prasoon Joshi on Tuesday told IANS, The makers have submitted the final film with agreed five modifications which has already been communicated and a U/A certificate has been given to the film. CBFC's process is complete and any further news about cuts is absolutely untrue. Let's refrain from utilising CBFC's name unnecessarily. Earlier, in a statement, Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairman Prasoon Joshi clarified that they have only advised five modifications, including the title change, but no cuts. The board has also suggested modifications in disclaimers, pertinently adding one regarding not glorifying the practice of Sati and also relevant changes in the song Ghoomar to befit the character portrayed, he said. Deepika Padukone plays the titular role of Rani Padmini while Ranveer Singh essays the role of invader Alauddin Khilji in the film that stars Shahid Kapoor as Maharawal Ratan Singh.The film is said to be based on Malik Mohammad Jayasis poem Padmavat. Earlier in 2016, when Udta Punjab was at the centre of controversies, the then CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani drew a lot of flak for demanding 94 cuts in the movie that talked about drug abuse in Punjab and nearby areas. The board had asked for all instances the words Punjab, Amritsar, Tarntaran, Jalandhar, Moga, Chandigarh, Jashanpura and Ludhiana to be removed from the Shahid Kapoor-Alia Bhatt-starrer movie . The makers -- Balaji Motion Pictures and Phantom films -- had moved court against this order by the CBFC and the Bombay HC cleared the film with just one minor cut. Dismissing the demand to beep out names of places in Punjab, the court had said, We do not find anything in the script of the movie that affects the sovereignty of the nation. It is for filmmakers to choose the setting of their films as it was the underlying key to creative freedom. Kylie Jenner Confirms Pregnancy After Giving Birth To A Baby Girl Ever since reports about Hollywood star Kylie Jenners pregnancy came to light, there have been a lot of speculations about her child. The 20-year-old model was pregnant with Travis Scott. And according to latest reports, Kylie has recently revealed that she has been blessed with a baby girl. Earlier Kylie stayed away from public appearances. Talking about the reason for her secrecy on social media, the actress said, I'm sorry for keeping you in the dark through all the assumptions. I understand you're used to me bringing you along on all my journeys. My pregnancy was one I chose not to do in front of the world. I knew for myself I needed to prepare for this role of a lifetime in the most positive, stress-free, and healthy way I knew how. She further said that she has had the most beautiful and life-changing experience being pregnant and she would miss all of it. She revealed, My beautiful and healthy baby girl arrived February 1st and I just couldn't wait to share this blessing. I've never felt love and happiness like this I could burst! Thank you for understanding. For latest movie reviews, ratings and trailers, download the Desimartini App. Source: cdn.pinkvilla.com Venky Kudumula: Wanted To Make My Debut With Naga Shaurya Venky Kudumula is going to mark his debut directorial with the upcoming film Chalo, which stars Naga Shaurya and Rashmika Mandanna. The debutant had earlier worked with prominent directors of the south film industry like Trivikram, Teja and Yogi. His film is set to hit theatres on February 2. Talking about how he met Naga Shaurya and revealing his desire to cast Shaurya in his films, the director said, I met Naga Shaurya while doing Jadoogadu and we became good friends. He wanted to introduce me as a director and even I wanted to make my debut with him. Moreover, he revealed that he got this break when he was asked by Naga Shaurya to come up with a story. Also talking about Rashmika, who plays the female lead character in this film, the director said that he was impressed with her performance in Kannada film Kirik Party. The director and Shaurya felt that she would be the best choice for the film. For latest movie reviews, ratings and trailers, download the Desimartini App. Source: s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com They had us all for drongos (idiots). After much hype around a second Crocodile Dundee sequel following a 30 year hiatus, it turns out that the heavily-teased Danny McBride and Chris Hemsworth bush adventure is in actual fact a well-thought out ploy to bring more tourists to the land down under. And they certainly did a damn fine job of it. The official trailer popped up on Youtube five days ago and featured a stellar cast of Australians including Hugh Jackman, Isla Fisher, Margot Robbie, Ruby Rose, Russell Crowe and more all playing their convincing part. See it below. It wasnt until todays Superbowl though that two extra teasers were released, finally revealing that the movie trailers were in actual fact tied to Tourism Australia featuring a cameo from Paul Hogan himself. Many have praised the ad for its sneaky prowess but also lamented over the fact that there will be no Dundee sequel. Damn we all got curved by #TourismAustralia Jess(ica) Layburn (@jesSLAYburn24) February 5, 2018 Watch it for yourself and let us know if these faux trailers pull at your green and gold heartstrings. The Donegal Democrat has been informed of the following deaths: - Mrs Margaret Arthur, Trentamuchley, St. Johnston - Anthony Martin, Donegal and Dublin - Annette (Netta) Francis Cole, Newtowncunningham - Liam Reilly, Chapel Road, Dungloe - Daniel Gallagher, Craigadoes, St. Johnston - Sheila Ward, Caravan Road, Dungloe - James Friel (Snr), Raphoe and formerly of Mountaintop, Letterkenny - Sean McNelis, Derries, Glenties - Daniel Gallagher, Craigadoes , St Johnston - Pat Doyle, St. Peters Terrace, Chapel Road, Dungloe Mrs Margaret Arthur, Trentamuchley, St. Johnston The death has taken place at Brentwood Manor Nursing Home, Convoy, of Mrs Margaret Arthur, Trentamuchley, St. Johnston. Reposing at her daughter Pearl Arthurs residence, Trentaboy, Drumkeen Monday, February 05 from 7pm. Funeral from there on Wednesday, February 7th at 1pm for service in St. Eunan's Cathedral, Raphoe at 2pm and burial afterwards in the family plot at Toughboyne Parish Church, Carrigans. Family time from 11pm to 11am. Family flowers only. Donations, if desired, to Alzheimers Association, Donegal Branch care of Gibson Funeral Directors, Convoy. Anthony Martin, Donegal and Dublin The death has occurred of Anthony (Tony) Martin, late of Donegal and Dublin. Reposing at 72 Amiens Street on Wednesday, February 7 from 4 o'clock to 6 o'clock. Funeral on Thursday, February 8, in Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Walkinstown arriving for Mass at 10 o'clock. followed by cremation in Mount Jerome Crematorium. Donations, if desired, to Inner City Helping Homeless donation box in church. Further enquiries to Murphy Funeral Directors 018484444. Annette (Netta) Francis Cole, Newtowncunningham The death has taken place of Annette Francis Cole also known as Netta. Funeral leaving her home, Gortinlieve, Newtowncunningham on Tuesday 6th February at 1.30pm going to Monreagh Presbyterian Church for service at 2pm, followed by burial in adjoining church cemetery. Family flowers only. Donations if wished in lieu of flowers to Monreagh Presbyterian Church. All Enquiries to Adair and Neelys Funeral Directors 02871 311321. House private please. Liam Reilly, Chapel Road, Dungloe The death has taken place at Letterkenny University Hospital of Liam Reilly, Chapel Road, Dungloe. His remains will be reposing in McGlynn Funeral Home from Monday 5th February from 12 noon with rosary at 10pm. Viewing tomorrow, Tuesday February 6th from 11am with rosary at 9pm. Funeral Mass on Wednesday, February 7th in St Cronas Church, Dungloe at 1pm with interment afterward in adjoining cemetery. Daniel Gallagher, Craigadoes, St. Johnston The sudden death has taken place at his home of Daniel Gallagher, Craigadoes, St Johnston. Reposing at his late residence Monday, February 5th from 7pm. Funeral leaving his home on Wednesday morning, February 7th at 10.20am. for Requiem Mass in St Baithins Church, St Johnston at 11am. Interment afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Family time please from 11pm to 11am. Sheila Ward, Caravan Road, Dungloe The death has occurred in Dungloe District Hospital of Sheila Ward, Caravan Road, Dungloe. Her remains will be reposing at her home Monday, February 5th from 3pm with Rosary at 9pm. Funeral Mass on Wednesday morning, February 7th at 11am in St Cronas Church, Dungloe with interment afterward in the adjoining cemetery. Family time please from 11pm to 10am and also private on the morning of the funeral. Family flowers only. Donations in lieu to the Dungloe Patients Comfort Fund c/o any family member or Shaun McGlynn Funeral Directors, Dungloe. James Friel (Snr), Raphoe and formerly of Mountaintop, Letterkenny The death has occurred in Lifford Hospital of James Friel (Snr) Tullyvinny, Raphoe formerly Bohurl, Mountain Top, Letterkenny. His remains will be reposing at Tullyvinney from 4pm this afternoon, Monday, February 5th. Funeral from there on Wednesday morning, February 7th at 10.30am going to St. Eunans Church, Raphoe for 11am requiem mass with burial afterwards in Ramelton, in St. Marys Chruch Cemetery. Family flowers only, donations in lieu if desired to Lifford Hospital Patients Comfort Fund c/o Kelly Funeral Directors, Oakfield, Raphoe or any family member. Family time from 10pm to 11am. Sean McNelis, Derries, Glenties The death has taken place at Letterkenny University Hospital of Sean Mc Nelis, Derries, Glenties. His remains are reposing at his late residence. Removal from there on Tuesday afternoon to St. Connell's Church, Glenties for requiem Mass at 2pm followed by burial in the local cemetery. Family time from 11pm until 11am. Family flowers only; donations in lieu if desired to Oncology Ward at Letterkenny University Hospital c/o James Mc Guinness & Sons, Funeral Director, Main Street, Glenties, Co. Donegal. Pat Doyle, St. Peters Terrace, Chapel Road, Dungloe The death has occurred in Letterkenny University Hospital of Pat Doyle, St. Peters Terrace, Chapel Road, Dungloe. His remains will be in McGlynns Funeral Home tomorrow Sunday, February 4th from 6pm with Rosary at 9pm. Should you wish to have a death notice included on our website, contact us with the details via this email address: editorial@donegaldemocrat.com Please include a contact number for verification. The new 230cc UM bike will the first mass-market motorcycle from the company and will be positioned below the Renegade Sport S. Another exciting motorcycle which is set to debut at the auto expo is the UM Renegade Thor electric bike, similar to the Renegade electric showcased at the EICMA 2017. While UM has not revealed the specifications of the new 230cc bike, we expect the motorcycle to employ an air-cooled engine producing around 19bhp. The bike will share most of the components of other UM bikes to keep the cost as low as possible. We expect the UM 230cc price should be in the region of Rs 1.5 lakh ex-showroom. The new 230cc UM bike is expected to feature disc brake at the front and drum brake at the rear. Also, expected are analogue-digital instrument console and other features which will set it apart from the Royal Enfield 350cc bikes. UM has been focusing on increasing its dealerships across the country and now has quite some of them. With the considerable number of dealers, UM will look to improve its sales with the 230cc cruiser. Currently, the UM Renegade Sport S is the most affordable UM bike in India with a price tag of 1.59 lakh ex-showroom (Delhi). With the UM 230cc bike, the new bike will be the most affordable motorcycle from the company. Thoughts About The UM 230cc Bike Debut At Auto Expo 2018 The new 230cc UM bike is expected to give a stiff competition to the Royal Enfield Classic 350 which leads the segment with a considerable margin. Pricing will be the crucial aspect for UM to cater to the Indian market. That said, Royal Enfield enjoys a cult following in India and UM has to increase its presence in the biking culture to take on Royal Enfield. Instantly delete email threats with 365 Threat Monitor 365 Threat Monitor scans all emails as they reach your users' mailboxes to detect ransomware, phishing and spam. Receive real-time phone alerts, get real-time security breach updates and instantly delete threats with just one click - for free! Learn More. The mushrooming popularity of smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Home will fuel e-commerce in the coming year. "You're going to have a whole new frontier of commerce space driven through voice and brand recognition," said Michael Levine, marketing vice president at Photon. "It's going to be a different type of playing field for these brands," he told the E-Commerce Times. "Where it used to be more visual, it's now going to be driven by voice." As smart speakers and speech recognition spread throughout living rooms in America, retailers will start adapting to the new technology and learning how to engage consumers with it. "Brands will use these to create enhanced connections with consumers and augment their voice assistant offerings to deliver tailored, data-driven buying experiences," said Bob Glazer, managing director of Acceleration Partners. That will occur "especially as voice-enabled search becomes more accurate and user friendly," he told the E-Commerce Times. More Voice Buys in 2018 Advertisers also will feel the impact of smart speakers in the coming months. "A recent study by Walker Sands revealed that one in three consumers plan to make a purchase through a voice-controlled device in the next year," noted Andrew Mimault, a senior digital media specialist at Chacka Marketing. "This should serve as a wake-up call to increase emphasis on how advertisers -- both big and small -- integrate voice into their search program and how to use it creatively," he told the E-Commerce Times. "Voice and pay-per-click will merge in the same way we've seen programmatic buy placements with television," Mimault added. Online merchants can expect to see smart speakers getting "smarter" next year, too, which will impact sales and customer engagement. "We will see intelligence that will better understand our preferences," said Patti Doyle, CEO of Vennli. It will "impact how those voice assistants drive customer engagement from before the sale all the way though to customer experience," she told the E-Commerce Times. New Agnostic Voice UI Voice interfaces for retailers won't be limited to the smart speaker leaders, either. "Look for new, merchant-agnostic voice interfaces as well," said Mike Comstock, a senior adviser at GrandCanals. "You can speak to TVs now -- and perhaps Xfinity from Comcast, which already has voice navigation, will enter the retail interface arena," he told the E-Commerce Times. While retailers and advertisers will be discovering the benefits of voice-driven sales and engagement next year, they will discover its limitations as well. "Retail is a highly visual space," noted Judge Graham, CMO of Ansira. "Consumers may use home assistants to place their usual and routine Amazon orders or fulfill their Amazon Fresh grocery lists, but for larger and more unique retail purchases, mobile and desktop shopping will remain essential," he told the E-Commerce Times. There's a long way to go before the ideal voice shopping experience emerges in the market, said Jack O'Leary, an analyst with PlanetRetail RNG. Still, "I do think the tech will get there, and retailers and brands should be prepared," he told the E-Commerce Times. Subscription Mania A hot trend in 2017 that will get hotter in 2018 is product subscriptions. "Anything that saves consumers time will grow, so anything that requires continuous, frequent purchases will shift toward the subscription model," Crowdtap CEO Matt Britton told the E-Commerce Times. The addition of connected devices in the home will contribute to an increased use of the subscription model. For example, Brita is connected to Amazon's Dash system, so when a filter needs to be replaced in a Brita device, a new one is ordered automatically. Competition also will fuel the subscription fires. "The subscription landscape is one of the fastest-growing ones," said Erich Litch, chief revenue officer at 2Checkout. "Traditional retailers realize more and more that they are now in direct competition with a new breed of companies focused on subscription offerings," he told the E-Commerce Times. Meanwhile, online retailers may go beyond auto replacement in the coming year and into auto procurement. "Amazon is going to start sending you things before you order them, based on the history of what you bought," CrowdTap's Britton predicted. "As they integrate their purchase of Whole Foods, I think that's more likely to happen." Make It Personal Personalization will be another sweeping trend next year. "Personalization will dominate the e-commerce space in 2018," Ansira's Graham said. "Creating unique customer experiences will be an important part of the industry, and product suggestions based on past purchase history, geographic location and personal information will be key," he noted. "The focus will no longer be on closing the sale, but on understanding the customer decisions that ultimately impact their purchase and loyalty," said Vennli's Doyle. Customization will become increasingly important next year, because the target demographics of retailers will be changing. "Retailers are coming to the realization that their main target demographics -- millennials and, increasingly, Gen Z -- connect with brands that are proactive in engaging them," Acceleration Partners' Glazer observed. "In 2018, we'll see more brands looking to create free-flowing channels of open dialog and product customization options with audiences to deepen brand connections and drive product interest," he predicted. Omnichannel Becomes Table Stakes For the first time in history, millennials and Gen Zers have the greatest percentage of purchasing power, GrandCanals' Comstock noted. "So you can expect increasing approaches that cater to those segments' behavior in the use of mobile and social platforms they already use, such as Instagram and Snapchat -- and even virtual or augmented reality," he said. 2018 also will be the year that "omnichannel" will become entrenched in the e-commerce industry. "You want to have a seamless presence across all platforms -- retail store, branded online store, mobile app -- because people are judging all those experiences as one," explained Evan Tennant, national director of e-commerce for Adtaxi. "Up to now, that idea of a seamless presence across platforms has just been a best practice," he told the E-Commerce Times. That's about to change, though. "Omnichannel is going to go from something that's a suggestion or recommendation," Tennant predicted, "to something that's going to be table stakes." John P. Mello Jr. has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, IT issues, privacy, e-commerce, social media, artificial intelligence, big data and consumer electronics. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including the Boston Business Journal, the Boston Phoenix, Megapixel.Net and Government Security News. Email John. Day Zero," the day drought-stricken Cape Town, South Africa is projected to run out of municipal water, has been moved to mid-May 2018 following a decline in agricultural usage, according to a statement from Alderman Ian Neilson, the city's executive deputy mayor. Day Zero was previously projected to fall on April 16. Capetonians, however, were urged to continue reducing consumption as "there has not been any significant decline in urban usage," Neilson said. The city's four million residents must continue to use no more than 50 liters of water per person per day. Total consumption is at 547 million liters per day97 million liters above the target of 450 million liters per day. Current dam levels stand at 25.85 percent capacity, compared to 26.3 percent the week before. If the dams reach 13.5 percent, the municipal water supply shuts off for all but essential services, such as hospitals and key commercial areas. Neilson said that many of the agricultural users in the Western Cape Supply System, where the city also gets its water, have used up the water allocated to them per an agreement with the National Department of Water and Sanitation. Agricultural usage is therefore likely to drop significantly over the next weeks. The agriculture sector currently draws about 30 percent of the water in the supply scheme. It should fall to approximately 15 percent in March and 10 percent in April. "This is a welcome decline in water usage and gives Cape Town and some of the other municipalities hope," Neilson said. However, he noted that water consumption still needs to come down so the remaining water supply does not run out before the arrival of winter rains. "We cannot accurately predict the volume of rainfall still to come, or when it will come," Neilson said. "Last year, we had abnormally low winter rainfall, and we cannot assume that this year will be any different. Even if we have been given a slight reprieve at this stage, we are likely to be facing a late and dry winter." He warned that with hot weather predicted over the week ahead and expected high evaporation rates, coupled with an expected increase in water use by our residents as a result of the weather, "we dare not rest on our laurels now." "It will be to the detriment of our efforts as Team Cape Town," Neilson said. By Tim Radford The probable changes as the world heats are so great that climate adaptation to cope with the inevitable is now essential, scientists are warning. Forest damage, drought and floods, for example, will all worsen, and tidal ranges are already changing. More than half of all the natural vegetation of California is at risk as temperatures rise. Even were the U.S. and other nations to honor the promises made in the Paris agreement of 2015, one fourth of California's natural wilderness would be under stress from global warming, a new study shows. And on top of temperature rise, California is increasingly at risk from severe drought, says a different study. U.S. government scientists believe they have established a link between the retreat of Arctic sea ice and a decline in rainfall in the Golden State. Drought and Flood And while California becomes ever more parched, its forests at ever-greater risk of insect attack and wildfire, 43 other U.S. states face a dramatic increase in flood hazard, with a tenfold rise in the numbers of people at risk from the worst river floods. Andalthough President Trump has dismissed climate change as a hoax and announced a withdrawal from the Paris agreement to limit the use of fossil fuelsthe tide gauges of the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays on the East Coast of the U.S. tell a different story. They confirm that climate change has already begun to affect high and low water tides. U.S. researchers report in the journal Ecosphere that they looked at the consequences for California if global greenhouse gas emissions continue at their present rate, to go on fueling global warming. They mapped 30 different vegetation typesCalifornia's canopy includes a huge variety of mountain conifer, forest coastal woodland, upland sagebrush scrub, grassland and so onand considered nine climate and precipitation variables, and then looked at computer models of future global warming, which predict, at worst, a global average rise of 4.5 C by 2100. "At current rates of emissions, about 45-56 C of all the natural vegetation in the state is at risk, or from 61,190 to 75,866 square miles," said James Thorne of the University of California Davis, who led the study. "If we reduce the rate to Paris Accord targets, those numbers are lowered to between 21 and 28% of the lands at climatic risk." The research measures only the impact of climate change: not of the accompanying hazards. During the 2012-2016 Californian droughtthe worst on recordmore than 127 million trees died of insect infestation, and wildfire devastated huge tracts of forest and scrub. And according to researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, more drought could be on the way. They report in Nature Communications that the steady attrition of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean triggers a change in atmospheric convection over the tropical Pacific, which creates the right conditions for an atmospheric ridge over the North Pacific, which means California gets a lot sunnier, and therefore drier. Rising Rivers "On average, considering a 20-year mean, we find a 10-15 percent decrease in California's rainfall. However some individual years could become much drier, and others wetter," said Ivana Cvijanovic, who led the research. "The recent California drought appears to be a good illustration of what sea ice-driven precipitation decline should look like." Elsewhere in the U.S., drought may not be the big problem. German researchers report in the journal Science Advances that they calculated the necessary increase in flood protection over the next 25 years worldwide, as the planet warms. They looked not just at individual countries but at cities too, to calculate the numbers at hazard of rising rivers, including Europe. In Germany, the numbers at risk from the worst 10 percent of all floods will rise sevenfold. In North America, the increase will be tenfold. In the U.S. 43 states could see more damage from the worst floods. Risk Is Greatest in Asia The overall numbers at risk are greatest in Asia70 million people now, and 156 million by 2040. The scientists make the case that governments need to think about adaptation. The surprise was that even the most developed nations would be affected. "The findings should be a warning to decision-makers," said Anders Levermann, of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, and one of the authors. "If they choose to ignore the issue, sadly enough disaster will come." "The time has come where mitigating future climate change must be accompanied by adapting to the climate change we have already caused. Doing nothing will be dangerous." And the impact of climate change so far is now backed up by evidence in the Journal of Geophysical Research. Once again, the research is driven by a concern to identify future sources of flooding or erosion. Shifting Tides Oceanographers built a computer model based on a century of measurements of the tides at 15 locations in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays on the U.S. Eastern Coast. Overall, by 2100, sea levels could rise by as much as a meter. They found evidence that sea level rise so far has already begun to change the ranges of low and high tidesin some cases by up to 20 percentwhich in turn are governed by the contours of the two great river estuaries. "In the Delaware Bay, as you go upstream toward Philadelphia, the shore lines are converging in a kind of funnel shape, and so we see that amplifies sea level rise's effects on the tides," said Andrew Ross, a meteorologist then at Penn State University, but now at Princeton. "That amplification gets magnified the farther you go upstream." Reposted with permission from our media associate Climate News Network. Some of our oceans' largest creatures are being threatened by the tiniest bits of plastic that litter our seas, a new analysis published in the journal Trends in Ecology & Evolution found. Filter-feeding marine animals such as manta rays and whale sharks swallow hundreds to thousands of cubic meters of water a day to capture plankton to eat. But at the same time, these gentle giants are swallowing up microplastics from plastic-filled waters or through contaminated prey. Ingesting these bits could be hazardous to filter feeders because of the toxic chemicals the particles contain. According to a review of the study, "plastic-associated chemicals and pollutants can accumulate over decades and alter biological processes in the animals, leading to altered growth, development and reproduction, including reduced fertility." The research was led by Elitza Germanov, a researcher at the Marine Megafauna Foundation and Ph.D. student at Murdoch University. The creatures happen to feed in microplastic pollution hotspotsincluding the Gulf of Mexico, the Mediterranean Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Coral Triangle in South East Asian watersand can swallow up a staggering amount of plastic. Per the BBC, whale sharks in the Sea of Cortez off Mexico's Baja Peninsula ingest about 200 pieces of plastic per day, while fin whales in the Mediterranean Sea swallow about 2,000 microplastic particles per day. "As these areas are hotspots for microplastics, our results could indicate that filter feeders are taking up microplastics in their feeding grounds," said study co-author Maria Cristina Fossi, a professor of ecology and ecotoxicology from the University of Siena in Italy. Several species of filter feeders are already listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as globally threatened species. Germanov pointed out that microplastic contamination could further reduce their population numbers, as these animals live for many years and have few offspring. While a definitive link between microplastic ingestion and toxin exposure for filter feeders is yet to be confirmed, Germanov noted that other studies of sea birds and small fish have found a link. "Despite the growing research on microplastics in the marine environment, there are only a few studies that examine the effects on large filter feeders," she said. "This is because it is difficult to assess plastic concentrations via conventional methods such as stomach analysis, because these are unsuitable for threatened species like whale sharks and manta rays." Germanov said long-term studies will help shed light on the effects of microplastic contamination on the health of filter feeders. "As plastic production is projected to increase globally, the establishment of long-term monitoring programs is needed in the feeding grounds of these ocean giants, so we can check on toxicity levels in these creatures over a period of time," she said. Germanov added, "Raising awareness of this issue in communities, among governing bodies and industries could help to change behaviors around the production, management and use of plastics." By George Kimbrell One year down, three to go. Trump and his enablers are hell bent on destroying or selling to the highest bidder the federal agencies they are charged with running in the public interest. In the past year, they have been unrelenting in their attacks on food safety, environmental protections, climate change, government transparency and so many other values we hold dear. We are in the midst of the most significant environmental and public health challenges imaginable. We're no longer dreading the harm the Trump administration could do to our health and environmentwe're living it. If you watched the State of the Union address last week, you may have picked out a common thread: gutting regulationsmany of them crucial to protecting our food and environmentfor the sake of higher corporate profits. Trump's boast that "we have cut more regulations in our first year than any other administration in history," may be good if you're Monsanto or Exxon, but it's dangerous for you and me and our families. Let's take a look back at Trump's first year in office. What is the State of the Food and Environment Union? Here are just a few (of the many) ways the administration is undermining the food system, public health and the environment. 1. Trump and GMOs At the wishes of Big Ag and their deep pockets, the Trump administration is keen on approving new GMO plants, fish, insects and animals as fast as possible, with as little oversight as possible. These actions will result in new risks to our food system and environment, not to mention millions more pounds of cancer-causing pesticides poured onto our crops and sprayed near schools, the extinction of native salmon species, the disastrous collapse of pollinators, harm to children and much more. In two current lawsuits, Center for Food Safety (CFS) sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to force it to rescind approvals allowing dangerous pesticides to be used in new ways, over-the-top of genetically engineered (GE) crops resistant to them. Monsanto's Round-Up Ready crops have become obsolete because of "superweeds" resistant to its main ingredient, glyphosate. In response, the chemical companies are peddling new GE crops that can tolerate older, even more toxic herbicides, namely dicamba (produced by Monsanto) and 2,4-D (a chemical compound in "Agent Orange"). The approval and release of these GE crop systemspesticides and GE seeds resistant to themwill result in hundreds of millions of more pounds of toxic pesticides being sprayed on our food. Meanwhile, Trump is delaying long-overdue disclosure of all GMO ingredients in foods, required by federal law starting July 2018. Last August, CFS sued and won a case against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) when missed the first labeling deadline. (The administration immediately relented and complied with the law 12 days later.) The Trump administration also has delayed new rules for the regulation of GMOs, withdrawing proposed updated regulations late last year, despite being long overdue and urgently needed. This was not an accident: Recently, in a speech at the American Farm Bureau Federation, President Trump declared that he is "streamlining regulations that have blocked cutting-edge biotechnologysetting free our farmers to innovate, thrive, and grow. Oh, are you happy you voted for me. You are so lucky that I gave you that privilege.'" 2. Trump and Pesticides In March, President Trump's U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reneged on a proposed ban on chlorpyrifos, a pesticide that's known to harm kids' brain development, and chose instead to protect the profits of Dow Chemical, the maker of the pesticide. And in November, a hidden bill being pushed by the pesticide industry was obtained by CFS that would dismantle Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections against deadly pesticides. Two of Trump's cabinet nomineesMichael Dourson and Sam Cloviswere so toxic that they were forced to withdraw their nominations instead of being rejected in Congress. At his committee hearing, Dourson's questionable track record and refusal to commit to recusing himself from working on chemicals he's been paid by industry to "study" in the past led Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) to tell Dourson, "You're not just an outlier on this science, you're outrageous in how far from the mainstream of science you actually are. It's pretty clear you have never met a chemical you didn't like." Sam Clovis withdrew from consideration for Chief Scientist at USDA after being roundly criticized by Congress and the public for being an admitted climate change "skeptic," saying that climate science is "junk science" and "not proven." To make matters worse, Clovis has a history of racism, sexism and homophobia. 3. Trump and Food Safety In March, Trump announced billions in dollars of cuts to USDA and FDA, undermining their ability to keep our food safe. In November, the Trump administration proposed a delay in enforcement of urgently needed rules aimed at keeping produce free from fecal contamination. Contaminated irrigation water is a major cause of foodborne illness outbreaks. In 2006, a major outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 linked to Dole baby spinach was eventually traced back to water contaminated with cattle and wild pig feces. Foodborne illness had become a full-blown epidemic, affecting 1 in 6 Americans. In response to that and many other foodborne illness outbreaks connected to food such as peanuts, fruit and vegetables, Congress passed the landmark 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which includes requirements that the Food and Drug Administration develop rules governing produce safety, including the water quality used to grow, harvest and pack produce. From 2012-2014, CFS previously challenged FDA's unlawful delay in drafting and completion of all of FSMA's six major rule-makings, including the produce rule, succeeding in having all the rules completed by court-ordered deadlines. The rule allowed growers to phase in water quality and testing requirements between 2018 and 2022, depending in part on the size of the farm. However, now under the new proposed Trump administration delay, growers would not have to test water for E. coli contamination until between 2022 and 202411 to 13 years after FSMA's passage, endangering food safety. 4. Trump and Factory Farms Many of today's farms are actually large industrial facilities, not family farms with green pastures and red barns that most Americans imagine. The operation of these factory farms has little to no regard for the environment, animal welfare or food safety, and they often put the health of consumers and rural communities at risk for the sake of profit. Yet, the EPA, the agency charged with protecting our environment and public health, made a third attempt to further delay the hazardous substance release reporting requirements for industrial-scale livestock operations (concentrated animal feeding operations or CAFOs). In November, CFS joined other groups to oppose this egregious action that would allow these facilities to keep operating in a way that sees health-harming pollution as status quo. We asked the court to make it clear that EPA's "preliminary guidance" is illegal because it represents the agency's third attempt to hide information from the public about CAFO releases of dangerous pollution, particularly ammonia and hydrogen sulfide. Sonny Perdue, Trump's pick to head the USDA, is also no stranger to putting people's health and animal welfare at risk. Earlier this year, inspectors detected bird flu outbreaks in a Tennessee-based poultry breeding operation contracted by Tyson Foods, Inc., the largest chicken meat producer in the U.S. This event demonstrates that confining birds indoors for their entire lives in no way safeguards against disease. The pathogen responsible for bird flu becomes more lethal in large, over-crowded, confined, indoor farming operations like those contracted by food giant Tyson. Preventing these deadly outbreaks requires reforming how chickens are raised. Strategies implemented by many organic chicken producers, for examplesuch as access to the outdoors, low densities, and adequate lightingare necessary to raise chickens and other food animals in the most healthy, safe and sustainable manner. USDA also is charged with overseeing the National Organic Standards, for labeling organically grown food. Yet rather than taking steps to prevent future outbreaks and ensure higher animal welfare standards for organic, USDA gave in to Big "Organic" Poultry and in December announced plans to withdraw previously finalized organic animal welfare rules that had been the culmination of almost 15 years. Rather than listen to the public who have concerns about public health and animal welfare, USDA sided with large-scale producers who fear the new rules will expose their less-than-organic practices. 5. Trump and Oceans Livestock and poultry are not the only animals living in factory farm conditions. Our oceans are the new frontier. Commercial fishing and industrial aquaculture are polluting waterways as well as leading some species toward distinction. Despite a 97 percent decline in population, in August the Trump administration denied endangered species status of Pacific Bluefin tuna. It's not enough for people to stop eating Bluefin tuna; it needs a protected status to prevent it from being fished. The Trump administration would rather side with large-scale fisheries than protect our natural world. The Gulf of Mexico sees its fair share of pollution resulting in growing annual dead zones from industrial agriculture runoff down the Mississippi River as well as oil spills. Yet, The Trump administration wants to pile on the pollution by allowing factory fish farms in the Gulf, which would be the first time ever for aquaculture in U.S. federal waters, anywhere. Industrial aquaculture will harm Gulf fishing communities and ocean ecosystems. Last year, CFS filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration for violating our core fisheries and environmental laws in attempting to set up this unprecedented industrial activity in our ocean waters. This is not just happening in the Gulf, but also in the Pacific Northwest. CFS is also in court, in another case filed last year, to stop a commercial shellfish aquaculture permit approved in Washington State by Trump's U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the same Army Corps that approved the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline). This irresponsible permit approval would allow a massive expansion of this already large industry, with no protections for wildlife, water quality, ecosystems or people. Oh, and remember Trump's GMO "streamlining"? It's not just plants: the first ever GE animal for food, a genetically engineered salmon is currently under court review. However, that case provided a major win for those of us fighting for transparency and accountability within the Trump administration in late January. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the FDA's attempt to hide thousands of pages of key government documents revealing how the agency arrived at its controversial approval. The court order rejected the Trump administration's position that it can unilaterally decide which documents to provide and which to withhold from public and court review. A broad coalition of commercial and recreational fisheries interests, environmentalists and tribes, led by CFS, challenged the GE salmon approval in 2016. Although FDA considered the application for the GE salmon for nearly two decades, the agency's record for court review was paltry, including mostly documents already publicly available on their website and only four agency emails. FDA refused to provide thousands of critical documents about how and why it approved the GE salmon. 6. Trump and Climate One of Trump's first acts in office was to pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement. President Trump's decision to pull out from the 2015 Paris climate agreement was a major setback for the treaty, and for our ability to combat the climate crisis. The U.S. is the world's second-largest carbon polluter after China. In March, President Trump signed an Executive Order that drastically rolls back progress made by the Obama administration to tackle the environmental, economic and public health impacts of global climate change. The order specifically set into motion the unravelling of the Clean Power Plan, which was intended to cut pollution from coal-fired power plants and create new jobs in the renewable energy sector. Trump's coal-focused energy program as outlined in the order will also make it nearly impossible for the U.S. to meet climate solution commitments set by the 2105 Paris agreement. The Executive Order also revoked the requirement that federal agencies analyze climate change impacts in all their decision-making. If President's Trump exclamation in his State of the Union address, "we have ended the war on American energy, and we have ended the war on fuel, clean coal" are only the latest signal that his administration's attacks on our climate and environmental laws are far from over. Your Voice Has Power If the first year of the Trump administration is any indication, we clearly have our work cut out for us. The public interest, which should be government's highest duty, is in exile. Government agencies are being unduly influenced by Big Ag's lobbying and money, if not simply controlled directly by those doing their bidding, the foxes in the henhouse. Now is when nonprofit organizations are needed more than ever. CFS will continue to watchdog the Trump administration and challenge the agencies that are supposed to oversee our food system. But you are the most important voice for Congress and the Trump administration to hear. Here are a few important actions you can take right now: 1. Tell the Trump Administration that GMO labeling must be clear and on the package Make sure the Trump administration issues GMO labeling regulations that requires the labeling of ALL GMOs, and does so on food packages, for all Americans, not only through discriminatory and secondary "QR code" smart phone disclosure. 2. Protect Endangered Species from Pesticides The pesticide industry is pushing a bill that threatens the survival of endangered species. Tell Congress to oppose any legislative attempt to weaken ESA protections for species affected by pesticides! 3. Tell the Senate: Ban chlorpyrifos While Trump's EPA put corporate profits over public health, Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico (D) has introduced a bill that would outlaw chlorpyrifos. The bill is called the Protect Children, Farmers and Farmworkers from Nerve Agent Pesticides Act of 2017 (S. 1624). Tell your senators to protect our kids and ban this toxic pesticide once and for all. George Kimbrell is the legal director at the Center for Food Safety. Reposted with permission from our media associate AlterNet. By Andy Rowell In another major setback for President Donald Trump, the White House has been forced to withdraw the nomination of a leading climate skeptic to become the chair of the influential Council on Environmental Quality. The nomination of the skeptic, Kathleen Hartnett White, had been mired in controversy due to her comments on climate change and other environmental issues, and she was struggling to win support even amongst Republicans in the Senate. Her nomination process had dragged on for over a year. Like many Trump nominees, she is ideologically opposed to environmentalism, and she is a fellow at the conservative, free-market think tank Texas Public Policy Foundation. But over the weekend, she asked for her nomination to be withdrawn, according to the Washington Post. She said in a statement: "I want to thank President Trump for his confidence in me and I will continue to champion his policies and leadership on environmental and energy issues of critical importance to making our nation great, prosperous and secure again." She added that her name should be withdrawn "in the best interest of facilitating confirmation of the President's nominees throughout his administration, as well the needs of my family and work." She has long said controversial statements. Back in 2011, she asserted that "there is no environmental crisisin fact, there's almost no major environmental problems" in the U.S. She also was on record saying renewable energy is "a false hope that simply won't work" and called scientists' climate findings "the dogmatic claims of ideologues and clerics." In September last year, Hartnett White had described believing in "global warming" as a "kind of paganism" for "secular elites." Her extreme views were also on show in November at her nomination hearing at the Senate committee on environment and public works, where she struggled to answer basic questions about carbon dioxide and climate: "CO2 in the atmosphere has none of the characteristics of a pollutant that, you know, contaminates and fouls and ... can have a direct impact on human health," she replied when asked if she was worried by rising CO2 levels. "As an atmospheric gas it's a plant nutrient," she added. When asked whether she was aware of any problems in the oceans relating to fossil fuel emissions, she replied: "there are probably a number of them." When probed to name a few, she said she had a "very superficial understanding" of the issues. She could not answer the question by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) about how much of excessive heat from rising CO2 emissions had been captured in the oceans. Whitehouse later tweeted, "I don't even know where to begin with @realdonaldtrump's CEQ nominee Kathleen Hartnett Whiteshe outright rejects basic science." She was also taken to task by Senators for writing an article that said that "signing the Paris agreement was the worst way to celebrate Earth Day." Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) criticized her: "It seems to me that you don't believe that climate change is real." She started to reply "I am uncertain," before clarifying her remarks, saying, "Climate change is of course real," but added the extent to which human activity was causing global warming is "very uncertain." When asked whether she would rely on scientists to give her that answer, she replied, "No, I have had that question for a very long time." It is not surprising that to coincide with the hearing, more than 300 scientists had signed a letter urging the Senate to reject her nomination, arguing, "This is not a partisan issue; it is a matter of defending scientific integrity." Confirming Harnett White, the group said, "would have serious consequences for people and the ecosystems of the only planet that can support us." The news of her withdrawal was welcomed by scientists: Andrew Rosenberg, director of the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told the Post, "A while ago, I wrote that many Trump appointees to science-based positions could be considered to either have deep conflicts of interest, to be fundamentally opposed to the mission of the agency they were to lead or totally unqualified. Hartnett-White was all threea trifecta," he said. The news was also welcomed by Democrats: Sen. Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.), the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, added in statement that "Withdrawing Kathleen Hartnett White's nomination is the right thing to do, and I believe it is past time for this administration to nominate a thoughtful environmental and public health champion to lead this critical office in the federal government." Reposted with permission from our media associate Oil Change International. Yellow weather warning issued due to frost, ice A yellow weather warning will be in place on the Isle of Man throughout today after temperatures fell below freezing overnight. The Met Office is warning of frost and ice across the Island, with a widespread frost and icy patches on damp roads expected. Although temperatures will increase during the day, meteorologists at Ronaldsway expect some ice will remain in spots that are shaded from the sun. As a result, the weather warning will remain in place until 6pm. 2018-02-05 Maeci The Ministers first engagements for the OSCE chairmanship: from the Conference on Anti-Semitism in Rome to the mission to Ukraine and Russia A large conference on the fight against anti-Semitism was held in Rome with representatives of OSCE Participating States and the leaders of the worlds most important Jewish organizations: Minister Alfano planned this Conference to be his first engagement as Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. On Monday morning, the Farnesinas International Conference Hall hosted 50 international delegations, 20 of which were led by ministers or deputy ministers, to commemorate the tragedy of the Shoah and to reflect on how to combat the new outbreaks of anti-Semitism. It was an important event that was preceded by a solemn moment at the audition with Pope Francis in the Vatican City, which focused on the key topic of the conference: responsibility. Minister Alfano said he was deeply moved by the words of the Pope who urged to create an alliance against indifference. The Conference was structured into a Plenary Session which opened with remarks by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Angelino Alfano, the Secretary General of OSCE, Thomas Greminger, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir, and the President of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald Lauder and four discussion panels. Minister Alfano expressed the wish that the conference become a fixed date for the OSCE and recalled that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights but also the 80th anniversary of Italys adoption of racial laws. We must be intolerant with intolerance because if we sow the seed of dialogue, we will reap the fruit of peace and security. If we sow the seed of hatred, we will reap violence and insecurity. Today we have contributed to sowing the right seed, said the Minister. During a break in the Conference, the president of the European Jewish Congress, Moshe Cantor, gave Minister Alfano the Golden Jerusalem Navigator Award for his commitment in the struggle against anti-Semitism. The minister also had bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Israel, Tzachi Hanegbi, Serbia, Ivica Dacic and Macedonia, Nikola Dimitrov. The week continued on Tuesday, with the engagements in his capacity as the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in a mission to Ukraine and Russia. In an interview with TASS, Minister Alfano defined Crimea an open wound in Russias relations with the West and called unsatisfactory the progress made in implementing the Minsk Agreements. His first meeting was with his colleague Pavlo Klimkin in Kiev. Minister Alfano said: The Ukrainian crisis is one of the top priorities of our chairmanship. We are committed to playing an active role towards a solution of stable and enduring peace to the crisis. There is no alternative to the Minsk Agreements. . The ministers engagements in Ukraine included the Italy-Ukraine Business Forum, and meetings with the President of the Republic Petro Poroshenko, and with Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, with whom Minister Alfano took stock of bilateral relations, which were judged to be good but liable to further improvement. On Wednesday, the Minister visited Mariupol, in Eastern Ukraine, a visit judged to be important because my eyes enabled my mind to understand, much better than could exclusively be drawn from reading dossiers, what is really happening in this region. It is a situation that is inacceptable in the heart of Europe. Apart from speaking as the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, when speaking as the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mister Alfano announced: Considerable support for the International Committee of the Red Cross, UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP): Italy wants to give all the support necessary to alleviate the enormously difficult conditions of part of the civilian population. Minister Alfano expressed Italys full support to the head of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, Ertugrul Apakan. He said: Your work in a high-risk area for security is crucial for the implementation of the Minsk Agreements and to prevent the dangerous escalation of the conflict. On Thursday evening, the last day of the mission, the Minister went to Moscow where he met with his colleague Sergey Lavrov, to whom he said: The Ukrainian crisis is a priority for our chairmanship; we must avoid a new escalation and assure the safety of OSCE observers. He went on: Italy has taken on the chairmanship of the OSCE with the intention of favouring inclusive dialogue, as we did last year at the UNSC and at the G7. We attribute a strategic role to the OSCE because it has in its DNA the mission to maintain the East-West dialogue open. Minister Lavrov answered: The plans of Italys OSCE chairmanship are very constructive and we heartily welcome them: Moscow supports Italys proposal to strengthen the OSCE vector in the Mediterranean in order put a stop to the migration crisis in Europe. He added: From your statements, I understand that you are attempting to tackle these problems not through confrontation but through inclusive dialogue, and I greatly appreciate this approach. With Lavrov, Minister Alfano also discussed the Libyan crisis, defining 2018 as the year of the beginning of the end of the transition, adding that the UN Special Envoy, Ghassam Salame, has long been working for an international conference on Libya with a view to coming to free elections: Italy, Russia, the EU and the whole international community are united in supporting the vision of the Action Plan." Before leaving Moscow for Rome, Alfano also expressed his wishes for success to the newly appointed Ambassador to the Russian capital, Pasquale Terracciano, recalling his long-dated experience: It is what we need now, seeing the delicate moment in Moscows relations with the rest of Europe. After returning to Rome, on Friday Minister Alfano, met with the leaders of tomorrow at the event Change The World Model United Nations, which is organised annually by the Association of Diplomats: it is a forum in which secondary school and university students from around the world simulate the functioning of United Nations agencies. ALEXANDRIA, Va. (February 5, 2018) - The American Statistical Association (ASA), the world's largest community of statisticians, together with leaders of the Puerto Rican scientific community and more than 1,800 petition signers are urging Puerto Rico's legislature and Governor Ricardo Rossello to keep its statistical agency independent. The calls are part of growing opposition to a proposal that would eliminate the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics (PRIS), the Caribbean island's only independent and dedicated source of statistics. On Friday, a bipartisan group of 15 members of the US Congress sent a letter to Nancy Potok, chief statistician at the Office of Management and Budget, with a copy to Bryan Moyer, director of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and Rossello, expressing their concern about the possible elimination of PRIS and underscoring their support for the agency's independence. Billboards also started to emerge over the weekend urging Puerto Rico statistics be kept transparent. The proposal to dismantle PRIS is concerning because it eliminates the executive director position and independent board of directors and requires the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DEDC) secretary to outsource all statistical functions currently performed by PRIS. Currently, PRIS is an independent government agency of the executive branch with many protections in place to ensure its impartial collection, production and communication of statistical data. The executive director position, for example--currently held by Mario Marazzi--is a 10-year appointment by the PRIS Board of Directors. The executive director has full control over PRIS operations to ensure the independence of its data. The ASA and the petition signers call on Rossello and the legislature to ensure PRIS operates independently of political influences and bureaucracy; that it has an autonomous and impartial board of directors--composed of private citizens--without connections to the current or previous administrations; and that the institute obtain the financing it needs to fulfill its functions. "With its economic challenges and the devastation from Hurricane Maria, objective and trustworthy statistics are especially important to Puerto Rico," stated ASA President Lisa LaVange. "PRIS data--now and in the future--shed light on a broad swath of the impacts of and recovery from both. They also help direct resources to where they will be most helpful. As a scientist, Governor Rossello surely understands the importance of these data to evidence-based policymaking and data-driven decision-making." Experts believe many of the problems Puerto Rico is now facing--including an exacerbation of the government's bankruptcy situation and poor surveillance of Hurricane Maria death toll, flu cases and Zika-related congenital defects--are partially due to inaccurate and dated statistical systems. Although PRIS has been underfunded for years and must constantly deal with resistance from other local agencies to collaborate, its accomplishments have helped the commonwealth in many ways. For example, its work helped identify Medicaid fraud, saving taxpayers $10 million annually, and revealed a statistical bias in the formulas used to compensate doctors in Puerto Rico under Medicare that cost the local economy about $120 million annually. The agency also played a crucial role in correcting the Consumer Price Index, which the government had been overestimating between 2001 and 2006, causing Puerto Ricans to unnecessarily pay more for everyday items such as gasoline. The Puerto Rico House of Representatives could vote on the bill as early as Wednesday, even though no hearings on the bill have been held in that chamber. Puerto Rico Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz has indicated his intention to discuss the bill this week, as well. This is the second letter from the ASA to Rossello regarding the PRIS. In the first one, sent on January 9, LaVange expressed her disappointment that the PRIS had not been included in the working group that will review the number of deaths due to Hurricane Maria, although it has the expertise and knowledge about the mortality statistics program. LaVange also expressed concern about the lack of funding and autonomy of the institute, saying the following: Government statistics play a powerful role in any democracy. They empower the economy, serve the health and welfare of its citizens, improve governance and inform decisions and policies in the public and private sectors, among many other vital functions. Government statistics are also fundamental to evidence-based policymaking, the engagement of which is on a rapid rise in local, state and federal governments. Government statistics are produced through rigorous scientific processes and analyses performed by experts that can function independently.... Accurate, objective and timely statistics will help you and all PR residents. ### You can read the petition demanding the autonomy and impartiality of the PRIS be preserved here: http://chn.ge/2namcdj. Further reading: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/voices/why-is-puerto-rico-dismantling-its-institute-of-statistics/ https://www.significancemagazine.com/science/582-data-debt-and-disaster-in-puerto-rico http://www.amstat.org/ASA/News/Puerto-Rico-Government-Considers-Eliminating-Statistical-Agency.aspx About the American Statistical Association The ASA is the world's largest community of statisticians and the oldest continuously operating professional science society in the United States. Its members serve in industry, government and academia in more than 90 countries, advancing research and promoting sound statistical practice to inform public policy and improve human welfare. For additional information, please visit the ASA website at http://www.amstat.org. For more information: Steve Pierson ASA Director of Science Policy (703) 302-1841 pierson@amstat.org Making the Arctic accessible for excellent science EU funds an Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium, which will provide researchers with improved access to research icebreakers. Fourteen partners from thirteen countries including two North American partners from USA and Canada have joint forces to improve the capacities for marine-based research in the ice-covered Arctic Ocean. In the project "ARICE- Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium", they aim at better coordinating the existing polar research fleet, at offering scientists access to six research icebreakers and at collaborating closely with the maritime industry. The European Commission funds the project, which is coordinated by the German Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), with 6 million Euros. The project kick-off meeting takes place at the German Maritime Museum in Bremerhaven 6th to 7th February 2018. Retreating sea ice and warming waters create opportunities and challenges that have given rise to an unprecedented political and economic interest in the Arctic Ocean over the past decade. Increased European funding of polar research demonstrate how critical science-informed decision-making has become in the face of a changing Arctic. These investments have enabled European scientists to contribute substantially to understanding the ongoing processes. However, compared to the knowledge base needed for effectively predicting the effects of climate change, the available datasets are still insufficient. One weak point of the polar research community is the small and ageing existing polar fleet. Research icebreakers are a crucial infrastructure and tool for conducting scientific investigations in the ice-covered areas of the Arctic Ocean - those regions that urgently need to be explored before they disappear. The lack of availability of icebreakers in Europe and beyond and a weakly coordinated polar research fleet impedes Europe's capacity to investigate this region. There is thus an urgent need for providing polar scientists with better research icebreaker capacities for the Arctic. This need has now been taken up by the EU funded Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium (ARICE). The consortium, consisting of fourteen partners from thirteen different countries including two North American partners aims at giving the Arctic science community fully funded access to six research icebreakers capable of venturing into the Arctic sea ice. For the first time ever, European scientists and the international community will be able to apply for valuable time on any of the icebreakers in order to conduct their research in the Arctic Ocean. "Who gets access is based solely on the scientific excellence of their research proposal. However, we especially encourage early career scientists and scientists from countries lacking direct access to a polar vessel to apply for ship time", states Nicole Biebow, the ARICE project coordinator from the Alfred Wegener Institute. ARICE will amongst other expeditions, give scientists access to the German research icebreaker Polarstern during the MOSAiC expedition. MOSAiC stands for Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate and is the first year-round expedition into the central Arctic exploring the Arctic climate system. PRV Polarstern will drift with the sea ice across the central Arctic from October 2019 until October 2020, serving as a platform for measurements over a full annual cycle. Besides granting transnational access to a scarce resource - time on a research icebreaker - ARICE will develop strategies to ensure a coordinated and improved use of the existing polar research vessels at a European and international level. In the long run, ARICE aims at implementing a sustained International Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium, which jointly manages and funds ship-time in the Arctic. This would ensure a cost-effective usage of the existing research icebreakers and streamline polar research programmes across national borders in order to jointly address the global challenges imposed by Arctic change. Finally, ARICE works towards establishing closer links to marine business in order to adding to the observational capacities in the northern polar region. By establishing a programme of ships and platforms of opportunity, commercial vessels operating in the Arctic Ocean will collect oceanic and atmospheric data on their cruises. At the same time, science and industry will work together to explore new technologies, which can improve ship-based and autonomous measurements in the Arctic Ocean. One output of the project will be a 3D virtual icebreaker, which allows remote access to data and provides real-time information to a broad audience. Given the strategic importance of ARICE, the European Commission (EC) decided to fund the project within its Horizon 2020 Work Programme. Over a project lifespan of four years, the EC invests 6 million Euro in the consortium, of which 50 % will be used for giving researchers access to the research icebreakers. Members of the consortium Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Germany (Coordinator) Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS), Germany (hosted by the Alfred Wegener Institute) Arctic Portal (AP), Iceland British Antarctic Survey (NERC-BAS), UK Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), Finland Institute of Oceanology (IOPAN), Poland Italian National Research Council (CNR), Italy National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), France Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI), Norway Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Spain Swedish Polar Research Secretariat (SPRS), Sweden University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), USA University of Laval (ULAVAL), Canada Technical University of Denmark (DTU-Aqua), Denmark World Ocean Council (WOC), UK The research icebreakers PRV Polarstern, Germany IB Oden, Sweden RV Kronprins Haakon, Norway (under construction, to be operative in 2017) RRS Sir David Attenborough, United Kingdom (under construction, to be operative in 2018) CCGS Amundsen, Canada RV Sikuliaq, United States of America ### Background ARICE - Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium is an international cooperation strategy aiming at providing Europe with better capacities for marine-based research in the ice-covered Arctic Ocean. The consortium joins the efforts of 14 partners from 13 different countries (Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom, Norway, Iceland, Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Finland, Denmark, Canada and the United States of America). The partners are working together to coordinate the existing polar research fleet, to offer transnational access to a set of six international High Arctic research icebreakers and to collaborate with maritime industry in a "programme of ships and platforms of opportunity". The project is funded by the European Commission's HORIZON2020 Framework Programme. It was launched in January 2018 and will run for 4 years. Grant Agreement Number: 730965 Additional information can be found on the project website: http://www.arice.eu More than a billion people worldwide suffer from high blood pressure (hypertension). Prolonged hypertension damages blood vessels, which can result in damage to the heart, the kidneys, and the brain. Possible consequences include heart attack, kidney failure, and stroke. Besides obesity, salt consumption, and alcohol intake, genetic factors play an important role in the development of hypertension. In some rare cases, familial hypertension is caused by mutations within single genes. These genes play important roles in blood pressure determination, and mutations typically cause early-onset hypertension, even in young children and adolescents. Ute Scholl and a team of scientists from the United States and Australia have now identified a new hypertension disease gene. The study focused on a particular and very rare form of high blood pressure, known as familial hyperaldosteronism type II. This inherited disease causes the adrenal gland to produce too much aldosterone - a hormone that regulates how much salt and water the kidneys retain in the body. Too much of this hormone results in high blood pressure. Mutation in the CLCN2 gene alters blood pressure regulation Familial hyperaldosteronism type II was first described in an Australian family 25 years ago. The research team investigated this family along with other patients suffering from hyperaldosteronism in childhood and adolescence. A total of eight families, including the large Australian family, showed mutations in a gene that had not previously been associated with blood pressure regulation. The CLCN2 gene carries information for building a channel in the cell membrane through which chloride ions can pass. In specific cells of the adrenal gland, these chloride channels regulate membrane voltage and aldosterone production. Gene mutations in patients with familial hyperaldosteronism cause changes in the membrane voltage and result in the overproduction of aldosterone, which raises blood pressure. Study results enable early detection and treatment "Patients with suspected familial hyperaldosteronism and their relatives will benefit from our findings," explains the study's lead author Ute Scholl, "because in the future they can be screened for mutations in the CLCN2 gene." Study patients also responded to medication that is already used in the treatment of hyperaldosteronism. "For families with familial hyperaldosteronism type II, identifying the genetic cause doesn't just help with early detection of the disease, it also enables targeted treatment," says Scholl. As BIH Johanna Quandt Professor, Ute Scholl and her research group will now use the results from the study to delve deeper into their research at the Berlin Institute of Health. "We plan to further investigate the role of chloride channels in the adrenal gland," says Scholl. "We also try to better understand the regulation of these channels in order to develop improved treatment strategies." ### The findings from this study have been published in the scientific journal Nature Genetics. International collaborations led to the breakthrough The publication in Nature Genetics* is the outcome of an international research collaboration. Michael Stowasser and Richard Gordon's group at the University of Queensland in Australia identified and characterized the large Australian family. This made it possible for Ute Scholl's group to pinpoint CLCN2 as the candidate gene. The researchers were then able to confirm their findings using a large cohort from Richard P. Lifton's laboratory at the Yale School of Medicine in the United States. The electrophysiological work was conducted in Christoph Fahlke's laboratory at Forschungszentrum Julich. Ute Scholl holds one of three BIH Johanna Quandt Professorships at the Berlin Institute of Health and Charite - Universitatsmedizin Berlin. This limited-term W2 professorship is funded by Stiftung Charite. Ute I. Scholl, Gabriel Stolting, Julia Schewe, Anne Thiel, Hua Tan, Carol Nelson-Williams, Alfred A. Vichot, Sheng Chih Jin, Erin Loring, Verena Untiet, Taekyeong Yoo, Jungmin Choi, Shengxin Xu, Aihua Wu, Marieluise Kirchner, Philipp Mertins, Lars C. Rump, Ali Mirza Onder, Cory Gamble, Daniel McKenney, Robert W. Lash, Deborah P. Jones, Gary Chune, Priscila Gagliardi, Murim Choi, Richard Gordon, Michael Stowasser, Christoph Fahlke & Richard P. Lifton. CLCN2 chloride channel mutations in familial hyperaldosteronism type II. Nature Genetics, 2018. DOI: 10.1038/s41588-018-0048-5 CLEMSON, South Carolina - Researchers from Clemson's Nanomaterials Institute (CNI) are one step closer to wirelessly powering the world using triboelectricity - a green energy source. In March 2017, a group of physicists at CNI invented the ultra-simple triboelectric nanogenerator, or U-TENG - a small device made simply of plastic and tape that generates electricity from motion and vibrations. When the two materials are brought together - through clapping your hands or tapping your feet, for example - a voltage is generated that is detected by a wired, external circuit. Electrical energy, by way of the circuit, is then stored in a capacitor or a battery until it's needed. Nine months later, in a paper published in the journal Advanced Energy Materials, the researchers have uncovered a wireless version of TENG, called the W-TENG, which greatly expands the applications of the technology. The W-TENG was engineered under the same premise as the U-TENG, using materials that are so opposite in affinity for electrons that they generate a voltage when brought in contact with each other. In the W-TENG, plastic was swapped for a multipart fiber made of graphene - a single layer of graphite, or pencil lead - and a biodegradable polymer known as poly-lactic acid (PLA). PLA, on its own, is great for separating positive and negative charges, but not so great at conducting electricity - which is why the researchers paired it with graphene. Kapton tape, the electron-grabbing material of the U-TENG - was replaced with Teflon, a compound known for coating nonstick cooking pans. "We use Teflon because it has a lot of fluorine groups that are highly electronegative, whereas the graphene-PLA is highly electropositive. That's a good way to juxtapose and create high voltages," said Ramakrishna Podila, corresponding author of the study and an assistant professor of physics at Clemson. To obtain graphene, the researchers exposed its parent compound, graphite, to a high frequency sound wave. The sound wave then act as a sort of knife, slicing the "deck of cards" that is graphite into layer after layer of graphene. This process, called sonication, is how CNI is able to scale up production of graphene to meet the research and development demands of the W-TENG and other nanomaterial inventions in development. After assembling the graphene-PLA fiber, the researchers exploited additive manufacturing - otherwise known as 3D printing - to pull the fiber into a 3D printer, and the W-TENG was born. The end result is a device that generates a max voltage of 3000 volts - enough to power 25 standard electrical outlets, or on a grander scale, smart-tinted windows or a liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor. Because the voltage is so high, the W-TENG generates an electric field around itself that can be sensed wirelessly. Its electrical energy, too, can be stored wirelessly in capacitors and batteries. "It cannot only give you energy, but you can use the electric field also as an actuated remote. For example, you can tap the W-TENG and use its electric field as a 'button' to open your garage door, or you could activate a security system - all without a battery, passively and wirelessly," said Sai Sunil Mallineni, the first author of the study and a Ph.D. student in physics and astronomy. The wireless applications of the W-TENG are abundant, extending into resource-limited settings, such as in outer space, the middle of the ocean or even the military battlefield. As such, Podila says there is a definite philanthropic use for the team's invention. "Several developing countries require a lot of energy, though we may not have access to batteries or power outlets in such settings," Podila said. "The W-TENG could be one of the cleaner ways of generating energy in these areas." The team of researchers, again led by Mallineni, is in the process of patenting the W-TENG through the Clemson University Research Foundation. Professor Apparao Rao, director of the Clemson Nanomaterials Institute, is also in talks with industrial partners to begin integrating the W-TENG into energy applications. However, before industrial production, Podila says more research is being done to replace Teflon with a more environmentally friendly, electronegative material. A contender for the redesign is MXene, a two-dimensional inorganic compound that has the conductivity of a transition metal and the water-loving nature of alcohols like propanol. Yongchang Dong, another graduate student at CNI, led the work on demonstrating the MXene-TENG, which was published in a Nov. 2017 article in the journal Nano Energy. Herbert Behlow and Sriparna Bhattacharya from CNI also contributed to these studies. Will the W-TENG make an impact in the realm of alternative, renewable energies? Rao says it will come down to economics, "We can only take it so far as scientists; the economics need to work out in order for the W-TENG to be successful," Rao said. ### The team's paper, detailing the advent of the W-TENG, was published in the journal Advanced Energy Materials in December 2017. Startup funds for the study were provided by Clemson University and by the University's Watt Family Innovation Center (grant number 2301812.) The researchers at the Clemson Nanomaterials Institute are wholly responsible for the content of this study, of which the funders had no input. Washington, DC, February 5, 2018 - A study published in the February 2018 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) reports that five novel genetic variants associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been identified by exploiting genetic overlap between ADHD and educational attainment. "In this study, we aimed to explore the genetic architectures of ADHD and educational attainment and to what degree they have a shared genetic basis," says Alexey A. Shadrin, lead author of the study and postdoctoral research fellow at the Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT). "Our findings may increase the understanding of the genetic risk underlying ADHD and its connection to educational attainment, which has important socioeconomic and health-related life implications," Dr. Shadrin explains. The researchers used advanced statistical tools to analyze large genetic datasets from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on ADHD in 3,000 patients and educational attainment in more than 300,000 individuals. The data originated from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and the Social Science Genetic Association Consortium, respectively. "Interestingly, we found evidence for a shared genetic basis between ADHD and educational attainment, in which the majority of ADHD genetic risk variants were associated with lower educational attainment," says Professor Ole A. Andreassen, senior author of the study and director of NORMENT. "This finding suggests that part of the reason for why individuals with ADHD tend to have academic underachievement may be driven by genetic risk. However, we do not know in what way these genetic variants exert their influence on ADHD risk and educational attainment, which must be investigated in subsequent studies." The authors report five novel genetic loci (locations on the chromosome) associated with ADHD, of which three were also shared with educational attainment. Four of the five ADHD-associated loci implicate protein coding genes: KDM4A, MEF2C, PINK1, RUNX1T1. The researchers also found a pronounced negative genetic correlation (as one factor increases, the other decreases) between ADHD and educational attainment supporting a shared genetic basis between these phenotypes. "It is important to treat identified genetic associations with caution, bearing in mind that their effect sizes are tiny. This makes them uninformative for clinical diagnostics or treatment guidance, yet they may provide important clues into disease biology that may be interrogated in experimental studies", says Olav B. Smeland, who is currently working as a psychiatric resident and postdoctoral research fellow at Oslo University Hospital. "Although we have some idea how the genes work, we could learn more about them by blocking the function of each gene in mice and study the impact on brain function." The study's evidence for a shared genetic basis between ADHD and educational attainment adds to the conceptual framework for why children with ADHD tend to have academic underachievement and emphasizes the need for ongoing therapeutic interventions for children with ADHD in the school setting. ### The study was supported by the Research Council of Norway (248778, 223273, 213694, 248980), the KG Jebsen Stiftelsen (SKGJ?MED?008), the National Institutes of Health (R01GM104400), and the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 667302. Complete list of authors, funding sources, and disclosures are provided in the article. Notes for editors The article is "Novel Loci Associated With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Are Revealed by Leveraging Polygenic Overlap With Educational Attainment," by Alexey A. Shadrin, Olav B. Smeland, Tetyana Zayats, Andrew J. Schork, Oleksandr Frei, Francesco Bettella, Aree Witoelar, Wen Li, Jon A. Eriksen, Florian Krull, Srdjan Djurovic, Stephen V. Faraone, Ted Reichborn-Kjennerud, Wesley K. Thompson, Stefan Johansson, Jan Haavik, Anders M. Dale, Yunpeng Wang, and Ole A. Andreassen, (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2017.11.013). It appears in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, volume 57, issue 2 (February 2018), published by Elsevier. Copies of this paper are available to credentialed journalists upon request; please contact Mary Billingsley at mbillingsley@aacap.org or +1 202 587 9672. Journalists wishing to interview the authors may contact Alexey A. Shadrin, PhD, Oslo Universitetssykehus HF, Ulleval, Seksjon for psykoseforskning, Kirkeveien 166, 0424 Oslo, Norway; e-mail: a.a.shadrin@medisin.uio.no About JAACAP Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) is the official publication of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. JAACAP is the leading journal focusing exclusively on today's psychiatric research and treatment of the child and adolescent. Published twelve times per year, each issue is committed to its mission of advancing the science of pediatric mental health and promoting the care of youth and their families. http://www.jaacap.org The Journal's purpose is to advance research, clinical practice, and theory in child and adolescent psychiatry. It is interested in manuscripts from diverse viewpoints, including genetic, epidemiological, neurobiological, cognitive, behavioral, psychodynamic, social, cultural, and economic. Studies of diagnostic reliability and validity, psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological treatment efficacy, and mental health services effectiveness are encouraged. The Journal also seeks to promote the well-being of children and families by publishing scholarly papers on such subjects as health policy, legislation, advocacy, culture and society, and service provision as they pertain to the mental health of children and families. ABOUT ELSEVIER Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions -- among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Elsevier Research Intelligence and ClinicalKey and publishes nearly 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and over 35,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works.. Elsevier is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries. Media contact Mary Billingsley JAACAP Editorial Office +1 202 587 9672 mbillingsley@aacap.org Planets around the faint red star TRAPPIST-1, just 40 light-years from Earth, were first detected by the TRAPPIST-South telescope at ESO's La Silla Observatory in 2016. In the following year further observations from ground-based telescopes, including ESO's Very Large Telescope and NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, revealed that there were no fewer than seven planets in the system (http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1706/ ), each roughly the same size as the Earth. They are named TRAPPIST-1b,c,d,e,f,g and h, with increasing distance from the central star [1]. Further observations have now been made, both from telescopes on the ground, including the nearly-complete SPECULOOS facility at ESO's Paranal Observatory, and from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and the Kepler Space Telescope. A team of scientists led by Simon Grimm at the University of Bern in Switzerland have now applied very complex computer modelling methods to all the available data and have determined the planets' densities with much better precision than was possible before [2]. Simon Grimm explains how the masses are found: "The TRAPPIST-1 planets are so close together that they interfere with each other gravitationally, so the times when they pass in front of the star shift slightly. These shifts depend on the planets' masses, their distances and other orbital parameters. With a computer model, we simulate the planets' orbits until the calculated transits agree with the observed values, and hence derive the planetary masses." Team member Eric Agol comments on the significance: "A goal of exoplanet studies for some time has been to probe the composition of planets that are Earth-like in size and temperature. The discovery of TRAPPIST-1 and the capabilities of ESO's facilities in Chile and the NASA Spitzer Space Telescope in orbit have made this possible -- giving us our first glimpse of what Earth-sized exoplanets are made of!" The measurements of the densities, when combined with models of the planets' compositions, strongly suggest that the seven TRAPPIST-1 planets are not barren rocky worlds. They seem to contain significant amounts of volatile material, probably water [3], amounting to up to 5% the planet's mass in some cases -- a huge amount; by comparison the Earth has only about 0.02% water by mass! "Densities, while important clues to the planets' compositions, do not say anything about habitability. However, our study is an important step forward as we continue to explore whether these planets could support life," said Brice-Olivier Demory, co-author at the University of Bern. TRAPPIST-1b and c, the innermost planets, are likely to have rocky cores and be surrounded by atmospheres much thicker than Earth's. TRAPPIST-1d, meanwhile, is the lightest of the planets at about 30 percent the mass of Earth. Scientists are uncertain whether it has a large atmosphere, an ocean or an ice layer. Scientists were surprised that TRAPPIST-1e is the only planet in the system slightly denser than Earth, suggesting that it may have a denser iron core and that it does not necessarily have a thick atmosphere, ocean or ice layer. It is mysterious that TRAPPIST-1e appears to be so much rockier in its composition than the rest of the planets. In terms of size, density and the amount of radiation it receives from its star, this is the planet that is most similar to Earth. TRAPPIST-1f, g and h are far enough from the host star that water could be frozen into ice across their surfaces. If they have thin atmospheres, they would be unlikely to contain the heavy molecules that we find on Earth, such as carbon dioxide. "It is interesting that the densest planets are not the ones that are the closest to the star, and that the colder planets cannot harbour thick atmospheres," notes Caroline Dorn, study co-author based at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. The TRAPPIST-1 system will continue to be a focus for intense scrutiny in the future with many facilities on the ground and in space, including ESO's Extremely Large Telescope and the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope. Astronomers are also working hard to search for further planets around faint red stars like TRAPPIST-1. As team member Michael Gillon explains [4]: "This result highlights the huge interest of exploring nearby ultracool dwarf stars -- like TRAPPIST-1 -- for transiting terrestrial planets. This is exactly the goal of SPECULOOS, our new exoplanet search that is about to start operations at ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile." ### Notes [1] The planets were discovered using the ground-based TRAPPIST-South at ESO's La Silla Observatory in Chile; TRAPPIST-North in Morocco; the orbiting NASA Spitzer Space Telescope; ESO's HAWK-I instrument on the Very Large Telescope at the Paranal Observatory in Chile; the 3.8-metre UKIRT in Hawaii; the 2-metre Liverpool and 4-metre William Herschel telescopes on La Palma in the Canary Islands; and the 1-metre SAAOtelescope in South Africa. [2] Measuring the densities of exoplanets is not easy. You need to find out both the size of the planet and its mass. The TRAPPIST-1 planets were found using the transit method -- by searching for small dips in the brightness of the star as a planet passes across its disc and blocks some light. This gives a good estimate of the planet's size. However, measuring a planet's mass is harder -- if no other effects are present planets with different masses have the same orbits and there is no direct way to tell them apart. But there is a way in a multi-planet system -- more massive planets disturb the orbits of the other planets more than lighter ones. This in turn affects the timing of transits. The team led by Simon Grimm have used these complicated and very subtle effects to estimate the most likely masses for all seven planets, based on a large body of timing data and very sophisticated data analysis and modelling. [3] The models used also consider alternative volatiles, such as carbon dioxide. However, they favour water, as vapour, liquid or ice, as the most likely largest component of the planets' surface material as water is the most abundant source of volatiles for solar abundance protoplanetary discs. [4] The SPECULOOS survey telescopes facility is nearly complete at ESO's Paranal Observatory. More information This research was presented in a paper entitled "The nature of the TRAPPIST-1 exoplanets", by S. Grimm et al., to appear in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. The team is composed of Simon L. Grimm (University of Bern, Center for Space and Habitability, Bern, Switzerland) , Brice-Olivier Demory (University of Bern, Center for Space and Habitability, Bern, Switzerland), Michael Gillon (Space Sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research Institute, Universite de Liege, Liege, Belgium), Caroline Dorn (University of Bern, Center for Space and Habitability, Bern, Switzerland; University of Zurich, Institute of Computational Sciences, Zurich, Switzerland), Eric Agol (University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA; NASA Astrobiology Institute's Virtual Planetary Laboratory, Seattle, Washington, USA; Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, Paris, France), Artem Burdanov (Space Sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research Institute, Universite de Liege, Liege, Belgium), Laetitia Delrez (Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, UK; Space Sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research Institute, Universite de Liege, Liege, Belgium), Marko Sestovic (University of Bern, Center for Space and Habitability, Bern, Switzerland), Amaury H.M.J. Triaud (Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge, UK; University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK), Martin Turbet (Laboratoire de Meteorologie Dynamique, IPSL, Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Paris, France), Emeline Bolmont (Universite Paris Diderot, AIM, Sorbonne Paris Cite, CEA, CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France), Anthony Caldas (Laboratoire d'astrophysique de Bordeaux, Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Pessac, France), Julien de Wit (Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA), Emmanuel Jehin (Space Sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research Institute, Universite de Liege, Liege, Belgium), Jeremy Leconte (Laboratoire d'astrophysique de Bordeaux, Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Pessac, France), Sean N. Raymond (Laboratoire d'astrophysique de Bordeaux, Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Pessac, France), Valerie Van Grootel (Space Sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research Institute, Universite de Liege, Liege, Belgium), Adam J. Burgasser (Center for Astrophysics and Space Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA), Sean Carey (IPAC, Calif. Inst. of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA), Daniel Fabrycky (Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Univ. of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA), Kevin Heng (University of Bern, Center for Space and Habitability, Bern, Switzerland), David M. Hernandez (Department of Physics and Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA), James G. Ingalls (IPAC, Calif. Inst. of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA), Susan Lederer (NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, USA), Franck Selsis (Laboratoire d'astrophysique de Bordeaux, Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Pessac, France) and Didier Queloz (Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, UK). ESO is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world's most productive ground-based astronomical observatory by far. It is supported by 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, along with the host state of Chile and by Australia as a strategic partner. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope and its world-leading Very Large Telescope Interferometer as well as two survey telescopes, VISTA working in the infrared and the visible-light VLT Survey Telescope. ESO is also a major partner in two facilities on Chajnantor, APEX and ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. And on Cerro Armazones, close to Paranal, ESO is building the 39-metre Extremely Large Telescope, the ELT, which will become "the world's biggest eye on the sky". Links * Research paper - http://www.eso.org/public/archives/releases/sciencepapers/eso1805/eso1805a.pdf * Link to Hubble release on atmospheres of TRAPPIST-1 planets - https://www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic1802/ * More information about TRAPPIST-South - http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/lasilla/trappist/ * More information about SPECULOOS - http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/speculoos/ * NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope - http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/ * NASA's Kepler Space Telescope - https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/kepler/main/index.html Contacts Simon Grimm SAINT-EX Research Group, University of Bern, Center for Space and Habitability Bern, Switzerland Tel: +41 31 631 3995 Email: simon.grimm@csh.unibe.ch Brice-Olivier Demory SAINT-EX Research Group, University of Bern, Center for Space and Habitability Bern, Switzerland Tel: +41 31 631 5157 Email: brice.demory@csh.unibe.ch Richard Hook ESO Public Information Officer Tel: +49 89 3200 6655 Cell: +49 151 1537 3591 Email: rhook@eso.org An international team of astronomers has used the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to look for atmospheres around four Earth-sized planets orbiting within or near TRAPPIST-1's habitable zone. The new results further support the terrestrial and potentially habitable nature of three of the studied planets. The results are published in Nature Astronomy. Seven Earth-sized planets orbit the ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1, 40 light-years away from the Earth [1]. This makes TRAPPIST-1 the planetary system with the largest number of Earth-sized planets discovered so far. These planets are also relatively temperate, making them a tantalizing place to search for signs of life beyond our Solar System. Now, an international team of astronomers has presented a study in which they used the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to screen four planets in the system -- TRAPPIST-1d, e, f and g -- for traces of atmospheres [2]. Three of the planets are within the system's habitable zone, the region at a distance from the star where liquid water -- the key to life as we know it -- could exist on the surface. The fourth planet orbits in a borderline region at the inner edge of the habitable zone. The data obtained rule out a cloud-free hydrogen-rich atmosphere for three of the planets -- but for the fourth planet, TRAPPIST-1g, such an atmosphere could not be excluded [3]. Lead author Julien de Wit, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, describes the positive implications of these measurements: "The presence of puffy, hydrogen-dominated atmospheres would have indicated that these planets are more likely gaseous worlds like Neptune. The lack of hydrogen in their atmospheres further supports theories about the planets being terrestrial in nature. This discovery is an important step towards determining if the planets might harbour liquid water on their surfaces, which could enable them to support living organisms." The observations were made while the planets were in transit in front of TRAPPIST-1. In this configuration a small section of the star's light passes through the atmosphere of the exoplanet and interacts with the atoms and molecules in it. This leaves a weak fingerprint of the atmosphere in the spectrum of the star. While the results rule out one type of atmosphere, many alternative atmospheric scenarios are still consistent with the data gathered by de Wit and his team. The exoplanets may possess a range of atmospheres, just like the terrestrial planets in our Solar System [4]. "Our results demonstrate Hubble's ability to study the atmospheres of Earth-sized planets. But the telescope is really working at the limit of what it can do," adds co-author Hannah Wakeford from the Space Telescope Science Institute, illustrating both the power and limitation of Hubble. These latest findings complement the analysis of ultraviolet observations made with Hubble in 2017 (heic1713 ) and help us understand more about whether life might be possible in the TRAPPIST-1 system. By ruling out the presence of a large abundance of hydrogen in the planets' atmospheres, Hubble is helping to pave the way for the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope . "Spectroscopic observations of the TRAPPIST-1 planets with the next generation of telescopes -- including the James Webb Space Telescope -- will allow us to probe deeper into their atmospheres," concludes Michael Gillon, from the University of Liege, Belgium. "This will allow us to search for heavier gases such as carbon, methane, water, and oxygen, which could offer biosignatures for life." ### Notes [1] The planets were discovered using the ground-based TRAPPIST-South at ESO's La Silla Observatory in Chile; TRAPPIST-North in Morocco; the orbiting NASA Spitzer Space Telescope; ESO's HAWK-I instrument on the Very Large Telescope at the Paranal Observatory in Chile; the 3.8-metre UKIRT (http://www.ukirt.hawaii.edu/) in Hawaii; the 2-metre Liverpool and 4-metre William Herschel telescopes on La Palma in the Canary Islands; and the 1-metre SAAO telescope in South Africa. [2] The observations were performed in the infrared with the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) between December 2016 and January 2017. [3] An atmosphere largely dominated by hydrogen, if cloud-free, should yield prominent spectroscopic signatures in the near infrared. However, the spectra for TRAPPIST-1d, -e, and -f do not show significant features. [4] This includes atmospheres dominated by water vapor, nitrogen, carbon dioxide or tenuous atmospheres composed of a variety of chemical species. More information The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA. The team is composed of Julien de Wit (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA), Hannah R. Wakeford (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, USA), Nikole K. Lewis (Space Telescope Science Institute, USA), Laetitia Delrez (Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, UK), Michael Gillon (Universite de Liege, Belgium), Brice-Olivier Demory (Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, UK; University of Bern, Switzerland), Emeline Bolmont (Astrophysics Division of CEA de Saclay, France), Vincent Bourrier (Observatoire de l'Universite de Geneve, Switzerland), Adam J. Burgasser (University of California San Diego, USA), Emmanuel Jehin (Universite de Liege, Belgium), Jeremy Leconte (Universite Bordeaux, France; CNRS, France), Susan M. Lederer (NASA Johnson Space Center, USA ), Frank Selsis (Universite Bordeaux, France; CNRS, France), Vlada Stamenkovic (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA; California Institute of Technology, USA), and Amaury H. M. J. Triaud (University of Cambridge, UK) Image credit: NASA Links Images of Hubble - http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/archive/category/spacecraft/ Hubblesite release - http://hubblesite.org/news_release/news/2018-07 ESO release on the discovery of the planets - http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1706/ Hubble delivers first hints of possible water content of TRAPPIST-1 planets - https://www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic1713/ Science paper - http://www.spacetelescope.org/static/archives/releases/science_papers/heic1802/heic1802a.pdf Contacts Julien de Wit Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, USA Tel: 1-617-258-0209 Email: jdewit@mit.edu Hannah Wakeford Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, USA Email: Hannah.Wakeford@nasa.gov Michael Gillon Universite de Liege Liege, Belgium Tel: 32-4-3669743 Email: michael.gillon@ulg.ac.be Nicole Shearer ESA/Hubble Public Information Officer Garching bei Munchen, Germany Cell: 49-8932006376 Email: nshearer@eso.org In 2016, a team of researchers led by EU-funded astronomer Michael Gillon at the University of Liege, Belgium, discovered three temperate Earth-sized planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1, an ultra-cool dwarf star just 40 light years from Earth. A few months later, Gillon surprised the world with the discovery of a whole planetary system made of a total of seven planets around this star. A set of new studies reveals today the nature and composition of the planets, shedding light on their potential habitability. The four studies published today are essentially based on the intensive observations made by the terrestrial telescopes TRAPPIST and SPECULOOS and the space telescopes Hubble and Spitzer. Focusing on the mass, radii, and first atmospheric constraints of the exoplanets, the latest findings confirm the terrestrial and globally rocky nature of the TRAPPIST-1 planets. They also suggest a high presence of water, up to five percent of their mass and about 250 times more than Earths Ocean. The closest planets to TRAPPIST-1 star could be surrounded by dense steamy atmospheres, much thicker than Earth's. The more distant ones may have water frozen on their surfaces. However, "the best is yet to come", says Michael Gillon, co-author of the four publications. The next important step in studying the planets of TRAPPIST-1 will be the spectroscopic observation of their atmospheres using the new space telescope James Webb, which will be launched next year by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA). "The James Webb will enable us to study in detail the atmospheres of these planets, notably to measure their composition and detect possible molecules of biological origin", explains Gillon. Prof. Gillon's focus will also be on intensifying the search for planetary systems similar to that of TRAPPIST-1". As part of his ERC-funded research project SPECULOOS that led to the discovery of the TRAPPIST-1 system, the astronomer is currently setting up an observatory at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) of Paranal in Chile. "The TRAPPIST telescopes focus on about a hundred ultra-cold stars but the SPECULOOS telescopes will target about a thousand stars. Europe trusted me to make this possible. We are now on the good path to finding many interesting new planets and to learn much more about them". ### Boston, MA - Vaccines have enormous impact not just on health, but on keeping people out of poverty, according to a new study led by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. They estimated that increased investments in 10 vaccines administered in low- and middle-income countries over a 15-year period could avert up to 36 million deaths and 24 million cases of medical impoverishment. The study will be published February 5, 2018 in the February issue of Health Affairs. "This study explicitly points at how investing in vaccines in low- and middle-income countries can have a broad health and economic impact," said Stephane Verguet, assistant professor of global health. "Policy makers should look at targeted vaccine programs as powerful mechanisms for improving health equity and reducing poverty." The researchers developed a mathematical model to estimate the impact of distributing 10 vaccines--measles, hepatitis B, human papillomavirus, yellow fever, Hemophilus influenzae type b, Streptococcus pneumoniae, rotavirus, rubella, Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A, and Japanese encephalitis-- in 41 low- and middle-income countries from 2016-2030. They found that the poorest households would likely receive the most benefit from increased access to vaccines, as they are at higher risk, are limited in their use of health care, and consequently are more vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases. The largest share of deaths averted by vaccines was in the lowest income quintile. All vaccines led to an important reduction in the number of cases of medical impoverishment. "Vaccines prevent not only diseases but also impoverishment. This is why it is so important that everyone, especially the poor, have timely access to high quality vaccines," said first author Angela Chang, who was a doctoral candidate at Harvard Chan School when the research was completed and is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington. ### This study was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "The Equity Impact Vaccines May Have On Averting Deaths And Medical Impoverishment In Developing Countries," Angela Y. Chang, Carlos Riumallo-Herl, Nicole A. Perales, Samantha Clark, Andrew Clark, Dagna Constenla, Tini Garske, Michael L. Jackson, Kevin Jean, Mark Jit, Edward O. Jones, Xi Li, Chutima Suraratdecha, Olivia Bullock, Hope Johnson, Logan Brenzel, and Stephane Verguet, Health Affairs, online February 5, 2018, doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2017.0861 Visit the Harvard Chan School website for the latest news, press releases, and multimedia offerings. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health brings together dedicated experts from many disciplines to educate new generations of global health leaders and produce powerful ideas that improve the lives and health of people everywhere. As a community of leading scientists, educators, and students, we work together to take innovative ideas from the laboratory to people's lives--not only making scientific breakthroughs, but also working to change individual behaviors, public policies, and health care practices. Each year, more than 400 faculty members at Harvard Chan School teach 1,000-plus full-time students from around the world and train thousands more through online and executive education courses. Founded in 1913 as the Harvard-MIT School of Health Officers, the School is recognized as America's oldest professional training program in public health. Researchers demonstrate how a gas escapes ice at an extremely cold temperature, providing insight about how stars form in interstellar clouds. The mechanism by which hydrogen sulphide is released as gas in interstellar molecular clouds is described by scientists in Japan and Germany, in the journal Nature Astronomy. The process, known as chemical desorption, is more efficient than previously believed, and this has implications for our understanding of star formation in molecular clouds. Molecular clouds are rare, but are important parts of the galaxy where molecules form and evolve. In the colder, denser areas, and under the right conditions, stars are formed. Theoretically, in molecular clouds at temperatures of 10 Kelvin, all molecules except hydrogen and helium should be locked into ice on the surface of dust, not freely floating around. However, observations have shown this is not the case. Understanding how molecules are released from dust at low temperatures is crucial to explaining how chemicals evolve in such cold clouds. The dissolution of particles from ice due to ultraviolet radiation, a process called photodesorption, has been demonstrated to play a role in some parts of the massive clouds. However, this would be inefficient in the darker, denser areas where stars are formed. Researchers have supposed chemical desorption is at work in those areas, releasing particles using excess energy from a chemical reaction. The idea was first proposed 50 years ago, but scientists had not provided proof of the process until now. The research team led by Yasuhiro Oba and Naoki Watanabe from Hokkaido University in Japan, in collaboration with the University of Stuttgart in Germany, set up the conditions to investigate. Using an experimental system containing amorphous solid water at 10 Kelvin and hydrogen sulphide (H2S), the team exposed the H2S to hydrogen and monitored the reaction with infrared absorption spectroscopy. The experiment demonstrated that the desorption is caused by hydrogen interacting with H2S and the reaction is therefore a chemical one. They were able to quantify desorption after the reaction, and found it was a much more efficient process than previously estimated. This work is the first infrared in-situ measurement of chemical desorption, and gives detailed descriptions during reactions which are key to understanding interstellar sulphur chemistry. "Interstellar chemistry is of great importance to understanding the formation of stars, as well as water, methanol and possibly to more complex molecular species," says Watanabe. A significant step forward in the fields of astronomy and chemistry, the experimental setup can now be used to examine other molecules in the future. ### Scientists at the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen have examined health insurance data of more than 300,000 people with diabetes in Germany. Their report, published in the medical journal Diabetes Care, breaks down the costs involved in treating various complications of the disease. The Helmholtz authors are members of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD). It is estimated that around seven million people in Germany have type 2 diabetes. Even in its early stages, the disease can cause damage to blood vessels and other organs. This includes eye conditions that can lead to blindness, kidney damage that can result in renal failure, foot problems that may make amputation necessary and serious cardiovascular diseases including myocardial infarction or chronic heart failure. "We wanted to know the extent of the associated costs that are borne by the statutory health insurance and thus by society as a whole," says first author Katharina Kahm, summing up the aim of the study. The doctoral candidate and her colleagues from the Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management (IGM) at the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen therefore examined the data of 316,220 people with type 2 diabetes from the years 2012 to 2015. High health care costs associated with complications of type 2 diabetes Based on this data, the researchers made a detailed assessment of the costs of diabetes-related complications. Since type 2 diabetes is most prevalent in older adults, they exemplarily calculated costs of a man between the ages of 60 and 69. In the quarter in which the respective complication occurred, costs were estimated as follows: eye disease (retinopathy) approx. 700 euros blindness approx. 3,000 euros kidney damage approx. 3,400 euros (dialysis-dependent) renal failure approx. 23,000 euros diabetic foot approx. 1,300 euros amputation approx. 14,000 euros "Furthermore, the costs associated with cardio- and cerebrovascular disease range from 2,700 for angina pectoris to 20,000 euros for fatal ischemic heart disease," adds Dr. Michael Laxy, who heads the working group at the IGM. "And in the quarters following the initial occurrence of these complications, the costs remain at a high level." The study is the first of its kind to be conducted on such a large scale and in such detail, the authors say. The long-term aim is to improve prevention programs: "The results show clinical and health policy decision makers the considerable financial consequences of diabetes-related complications," says Prof. Rolf Holle. "The study can thus be helpful in the planning and prioritization of new prevention and treatment programs in the management of type 2 diabetes." In the future, group leader Michael Laxy and his team aim to examine the economic impact of multiple co-existing diseases. ### Further information Background: Katharina Kahm is a participant in the Helmholtz Graduate School for Environmental Health, or HELENA for short. Her doctoral thesis is supervised by Prof. Rolf Holle, who has retired and whose working group is now being led by Dr. Michael Laxy. Original-Publikation: Kahm, K. et al. (2018): Health Care Costs Associated With Incident Complications in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in Germany. Diabetes Care, DOI: 10.2337/dc17-1763 The Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, the German Research Center for Environmental Health, pursues the goal of developing personalized medical approaches for the prevention and therapy of major common diseases such as diabetes and lung diseases. To achieve this, it investigates the interaction of genetics, environmental factors and lifestyle. The Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen is headquartered in Neuherberg in the north of Munich and has about 2,300 staff members. It is a member of the Helmholtz Association, a community of 18 scientific-technical and medical-biological research centers with a total of about 37,000 staff members. http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/en The Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management (IGM) examines approaches to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of health care. The health care system faces the challenge of delivering high-quality, economically viable medical services to meet the needs of the population. Rapid advances in medical technology and fast-changing demographics further aggravate this problem. A firmly based evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of health care structures and processes is therefore an essential prerequisite for a rational health care policy. http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/igm The German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) is a national association that brings together experts in the field of diabetes research and combines basic research, translational research, epidemiology and clinical applications. The aim is to develop novel strategies for personalized prevention and treatment of diabetes. Members are Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen - German Research Center for Environmental Health, the German Diabetes Center in Dusseldorf, the German Institute of Human Nutrition in Potsdam-Rehbrucke, the Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden of the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen at the University Medical Center Carl Gustav Carus of the TU Dresden and the Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen at the Eberhard-Karls-University of Tuebingen together with associated partners at the Universities in Heidelberg, Cologne, Leipzig, Lubeck and Munich. http://www.dzd-ev.de/en/index.html Contact for the media: Department of Communication, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstadter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg - Tel. 49-89-3187-2238 - E-mail: presse@helmholtz-muenchen.de Scientific contact at Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen: Katharina Kahm, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management, Ingolstadter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg - Phone: 49-89-3187-4161 - E-mail: katharina.kaehm@helmholtz-muenchen.de Aerosols are colloids of tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere. Their diameters typically range between 0.001 and 100 m. Aerosols are recognized as a major factor of influence in global and regional climate changes owing to their ability to scatter and absorb solar radiation. Indirectly, they modulate Earth's energy balance by altering cloud properties--in particular, cloud droplet size--by serving as cloud condensation nuclei, which further influence the cloud fraction, height and lifetime. All these aspects result in modification of the planetary albedo and hydrological cycle. Some important environmental issues, such as haze, acid rain and tropospheric ozone pollution, are also closely correlated with aerosol pollution. Dr. Boru MAI and Professor Xuejiao DENG from the Guangzhou Institute of Tropical and Marine Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, and Professor Zhanqing LI from the University of Maryland, employed seven years (2006-12) of Cimel sunphotometer data collected at Panyu--the main atmospheric composition monitoring station in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region of China--to investigate the aerosol optical properties and direct radiative effects on surface irradiance. They found that, during the dry season (October to February), about 90% of aerosols in the PRD region were dominated by fine-mode strongly absorbing particles, with an Angstrom exponent (AE) = 1.35, single scattering albedo (SSA) = 0.86, and aerosol optical depth (AOD) = 0.52. Fine-mode strongly scattering particles constituted about 9.5%, with AE = 1.3, SSA = 0.96, and AOD = 0.65. High contents of fine-mode aerosol loading significantly influence the radiation exchange between Earth's surface and atmospheric system. The study---published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences and included in a special issue : Aerosols, clouds, radiation, precipitation, and their interactions---also found that, during 2006-12, the mean diurnal shortwave direct radiative forcing caused by aerosols at the surface, inside the atmosphere (FATM), and at the top of the atmosphere, steadily declined over time, with the decrease in FATM being significant. Moreover, the SSA increased from 0.87 in 2006 to 0.91 in 2012. These findings may be attributable to the drastic measures taken to reduce emissions, especially absorbing aerosols, over the past decade by the transformation of the region's economy. Relevant research will be carried out in future to dig deeper into these issues. Optical properties and radiative impacts of absorbing particles can be used to improve the accuracy of inversion algorithms for satellite-based aerosol retrievals in the PRD region and to better constrain the climatic effect of aerosols in climate models. ### After years of investigation, researchers at Johns Hopkins, the University of California, Davis, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases have discovered how the immune system might protect a person from recurrent bacterial skin infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus (staph). The findings, publishing online this week in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, open new doors to someday developing vaccines to prevent staph skin infections, which account for 14 million outpatient visits, nearly 500,000 hospital admissions and $3 billion to $4 billion in inpatient health care costs in the U.S. per year. "There's a huge, unmet clinical need for new approaches against staph skin infections because of declining antibiotic development and rising drug resistance," says Lloyd Miller, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of dermatology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "There are concerns that current antibiotics will not provide a durable solution to this public health threat." Staph is a common bacterium and the most common cause of skin infections in people. Additionally, multidrug resistant strains, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), are causing severe skin infections in healthy people outside of hospitals. And once you've had an infection, the recurrence rate is 50 percent within six months. Staph can also spread from the skin and cause invasive and life-threatening infections such as sepsis, osteomyelitis and pneumonia. "This is particularly concerning for people with diabetes and those with compromised immune systems," says Miller. Using mice with defective immune systems, Miller's research team found that after an initial exposure of the skin to staph, they were surprisingly protected against a second skin exposure with the same bacteria. After testing for antibodies and other "usual suspects" of the immune system against this infection, it was not at all clear what immune response was protecting the mice. The researchers then tested a drug FDA-approved for treatment of multiple sclerosis, which acts by preventing certain immune cells from leaving lymph nodes for sites of inflammation. "We couldn't have figured out what was happening without the expertise of our collaborators at U.C. Davis, who determined the genetic sequence of every single cell marker on the cells in the lymph nodes," says Miller. That genetic sequencing data revealed that specific cells substantially multiplied after the initial infection, then moved to the infection site and provided protection against the second infection. These so-called gamma delta T cells account for less than 1 percent of all the cells in the lymph node prior to infection. After infection, they accounted for more than 20 percent. "Our lab specializes in developing novel genetic methodologies to study T cell repertoires, but we had never applied this technology to study how the immune system responds to an infection," says Emanual Maverakis, M.D., associate professor of dermatology at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine. "We're thrilled to have played a role solving an important question that Dr. Miller had been working on for several years. This is just the first in a series of collaborative projects with the Miller lab that we have in store for the future." Since this work was performed in mice, the team wanted to see if its findings were applicable to people. Working with collaborators from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, the researchers tested blood from healthy individuals and people with a rare immune disorder that makes them highly susceptible to staph skin infections. According to Miller, half of people with the disorder die by age 10, but if they survive to adulthood they somehow overcome their susceptibility to staph infections. In blood samples from these patients, the researchers found an increase in the percentage of gamma delta T cells, similar to what they observed in mice, which remained stable over years. "This was a totally unexpected result," says Miller. "We are excited to learn more about these cells and how they confer this long-lasting protective immunity." Miller hopes these new findings and especially gamma delta T cells may be targeted for developing new therapies or even a vaccine against staph skin infections. This, he says, could alleviate the burden of staph skin infections, prevent invasive complications and reduce health care costs. Miller receives grant support from MedImmune, Regeneron, Moderna Therapeutics and Pfizer, which are developing therapeutics and vaccines against staph and other pathogens. This work was supported by grant numbers R01AR069502 and R21AI126896 to Miller and 1DP2OD008752 to Maverakis, by the Division of Intramural Research of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, and an early career award from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. ### Other authors on this paper: Carly Dillen, Bret Pinsker, Haiyun Liu, Nathan Archer, Da Lee, Yu Wang, Roger Ortines, Steven Lee, Mark Marchitto, Shuting Cai, Alyssa Ashbaugh and Lloyd Miller of Johns Hopkins; Alina Marusina, Alexander Merleev, Larissa May, Scott Simon and Emanual Maverakis of the University of California, Davis; Orly Farber, Alexandra Freeman and Steven Holland of the National Institutes of Health; and Loren Miller and Michael Yeaman of the University of California, Los Angeles. Advances in veterinary technology provide pet owners with an ever-increasing array of treatment options for their pets. However, more options can lead to complex situations and difficult questions about care goals and quality of life that must be navigated by veterinary caregivers and pet owners. Clinicians and researchers from North Carolina State University and Duke University have developed a first-of-its-kind veterinary medical ethics committee to aid care providers in navigating these situations. Jeannine Moga, a veterinary social worker at NC State, has seen some of these issues firsthand. "Even though everyone involved in an animal's case is trying to act in the animal's best interest, determining the best course moving forward can lead to conflicts and that can be distressing for the people involved," Moga says. "I wanted to find an ethics-based way to help our hospital staff address differences and form consensus in these cases." Moga contacted Dr. Philip Rosoff for guidance and advice on how to proceed. Rosoff, pediatric oncologist and director of the clinical ethics program at Duke University Hospital, is corresponding author of a new paper describing the committee's formation. "The establishment and growth of veterinary specialty hospitals for very sick animals is a relatively recent phenomenon," Rosoff says. "It's not surprising that veterinary hospitals also now see the need for ethics committees to mediate and adjudicate disputes about care." Together, Rosoff, Moga and Bruce Keene, Jane Lewis Seaks Distinguished Professor of Companion Animal Medicine at NC State, set out to adapt human ethics committee guidelines currently in use to address issues in a veterinary hospital, creating NC State's first Clinical Ethics Committee (CEC). "The pediatric model works very well for our situation in veterinary medicine," Keene says. "In both cases, you're dealing with a patient who cannot advocate for him or herself, and a decision-maker who is very involved in the process. However, we do deal with some thorny issues - such as euthanasia - that human hospitals do not." The CEC consists of seven people: three doctors, three veterinary technicians and a social worker. When cases arise, as many as four or as few as two members of the committee meet with the veterinary patient's care team to serve as a resource or a sounding board. The entire process operates independently from the academic and business aspects of the NC State veterinary hospital to avoid conflicts of interest. The CEC formed in late 2016 and as of December 2017 had worked on seven cases. While the CEC currently serves veterinary clinicians, staff and students, Moga hopes to expand its availability to hospital clients in the near future. "Our job is not to make treatment recommendations," Moga says. "We are there to make sure that any ethical issues raised are dealt with openly and fairly. Sometimes it's as simple as just getting everyone in the same room to hash things out. "Figuring out which medical options are feasible and ethical in a way that also respects client autonomy can be difficult, but dealing with ethical issues pre-emptively rather than reactively is in everyone's best interest." ### The research appears in the American Journal of Bioethics. Corresponding author Rosoff is also a resident scholar of the Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities and History of Medicine and a professor of pediatrics and medicine at Duke University School of Medicine. Moga and Keene are co-authors along with Chris Adin, associate professor of surgery, Callie Fogle, clinical associate professor of equine surgery, veterinary technicians Heather Hopkinson and Charity Weyhrauch, and NC School of Science and Math student Rachel Ruderman. Note to editors: An abstract of the paper follows. "Resolving Ethical Dilemmas in a Tertiary Care Veterinary Specialty Hospital: Adaptation of the Human Clinical Consultation Committee Model" DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2017.1409824 Authors: Philip Rosoff, Duke University Medical Center; Jeannine Moga, Bruce Keene, Christopher Adin, Callie Fogle, Heather Hopkinson, Charity Weyhrauch, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine; Rachel Ruderman, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Published: American Journal of Bioethics Abstract: Technological advances in veterinary medicine have produced considerable progress in the diagnosis and treatment of numerous diseases in animals. At the same time, veterinarians, veterinary technicians and owners of animals face increasingly complex situations that raise questions about goals of care and correct or reasonable courses of action. These dilemmas are frequently controversial and can generate conflicts between clients and healthcare providers. In many ways they resemble the ethical challenges confronted by human medicine and that spawned the creation of clinical ethics committees as a mechanism to analyze, discuss and resolve disagreements. The staff of the North Carolina State University Veterinary Hospital, a specialty academic teaching institution, wanted to investigate whether similar success could be achieved in the tertiary care veterinary setting. We discuss the background and rationale for this method as well as the approach that was taken to create a Clinical Ethics Committee. The search and manipulation of novel properties emerging from the quantum nature of matter could lead to next-generation electronics and quantum computers. But finding or designing materials that can host such quantum interactions is a difficult task. "Harmonizing multiple quantum mechanical properties, which often do not coexist together, and trying to do it by design is a highly complex challenge," said Northwestern University's James Rondinelli. But Rondinelli and an international team of theoretical and computational researchers have done just that. Not only have they demonstrated that multiple quantum interactions can coexist in a single material, the team also discovered how an electric field can be used to control these interactions to tune the material's properties. This breakthrough could enable ultrafast, low-power electronics and quantum computers that operate incredibly faster than current models in the areas of data acquisition, processing, and exchange. Supported by the US Army Research Office, National Science Foundation of China, German Research Foundation, and China's National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, the research was published online today in the journal Nature Communications. James Rondinelli, the Morris E. Fine Junior Professor in Materials and Manufacturing in Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering, and Cesare Franchini, professor of quantum materials modeling at the University of Vienna, are the paper's co-corresponding authors. Jiangang He, a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern, and Franchini served as the paper's co-first authors. Quantum mechanical interactions govern the capability of and speed with which electrons can move through a material. This determines whether a material is a conductor or insulator. It also controls whether or not the material exhibits ferroelectricity, or shows an electrical polarization. "The possibility of accessing multiple order phases, which rely on different quantum-mechanical interactions in the same material, is a challenging fundamental issue and imperative for delivering on the promises that quantum information sciences can offer," Franchini said. Using computational simulations performed at the Vienna Scientific Cluster, the team discovered coexisting quantum-mechanical interactions in the compound silver-bismuth-oxide. Bismuth, a post-transition metal, enables the spin of the electron to interact with its own motion -- a feature that has no analogy in classical physics. It also does not exhibit inversion symmetry, suggesting that ferroelectricity should exist when the material is an electrical insulator. By applying an electric field to the material, researchers were able to control whether the electron spins were coupled in pairs (exhibiting Weyl-fermions) or separated (exhibiting Rashba-splitting) as well as whether the system is electrically conductive or not. "This is the first real case of a topological quantum transition from a ferroelectric insulator to a non-ferroelectric semi-metal," Franchini said. "This is like awakening a different kind of quantum interactions that are quietly sleeping in the same house without knowing each other." ### Only two gene changes were observed when airway tissue was exposed to glo vapour compared to thousands of changes on exposure to cigarette smoke Scientists at British American Tobacco observed changes in just two genes when human airway tissue was exposed to vapour from its tobacco heating product (THP) - glo. This compares to thousands of gene changes observed in tissue exposed to cigarette smoke. The impact on tissue exposed to glo vapour was minimal and more comparable with that of air when tested in laboratory conditions (Figure 1). These results add to evidence suggesting that glo has the potential to be substantially reduced risk compared to smoking conventional cigarettes. 'Products like glo are very new and consumers and regulators alike want as much information as possible. That is why testing the impact of glo vapour compared to smoke is so important,' explains Dr James Murphy, Head of Reduced Risk Substantiation at British American Tobacco. 'Here we are observing gene expression, which can give an indication of whether exposure to an aerosol, like smoke or glo vapour, has had particular toxic effects.' 'Our results clearly show that cigarette smoke triggers a robust gene expression response,' Murphy says. 'However, exposure to vapour from glo, a tobacco heating product (THP), has very limited impact on gene expression compared to smoke--there is a striking difference!' glo is part of an ever-increasing portfolio of potentially reduced risk products being developed by British American Tobacco as an alternative to traditional cigarettes. Human Tissue In this study, scientists at British American Tobacco used human cells grown in the lab to test the impact of glo vapour compared to smoke and air. The tissue (MucilAir) is made up of cells that grow in the lab to create a 3-dimensional structure that mimics the natural structure and characteristics of the living human airway. The resulting tissue is, for example, capable of producing mucus, just like in the living airway, and is covered in hair-like projections called cilia, which are used to expel inhaled dust from the respiratory system. Using a robot that mimics how consumers use their products, this tissue was exposed to air, smoke from a reference cigarette (3R4F), or vapour from glo continuously for one hour. Then, to measure the cell response, the scientists mapped the genes that were switched on and off at 24 hours and 48 hours after the one-hour exposure. This involves breaking open the cells and the cell nucleus to get at the genetic material inside it. The material is then studied to determine what genes are impacted. 'Our technology is state-of-the-art', says Murphy. 'We have the capability to profile the activity of tens of thousands of genes simultaneously, providing more information than ever before on the genetic profile of exposed cells.' Gene Profiling Results show that cigarette smoke triggered thousands (2809) of changes in the expression of genes strongly involved in the development of lung cancer, inflammation and fibrosis. In contrast, only two genes were affected by exposure to glo vapour*. (Figure 1). These results, which are published in the journal Scientific Reports (doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-19627-0) add to evidence that glo vapour may cause less damage to cells as compared to cigarette smoke. Future studies will look at the impact on human tissues of more intense and longer exposure to this vapour. Previous research conducted by British American Tobacco has shown that glo vapour contains around 90-95% less toxicants compared to cigarette smoke from a reference cigarette, in terms of the priority list of nine toxicants that the World Health Organisation recommends reducing in cigarette smoke*. British American Tobacco's Commitment to NGPs British American Tobacco has invested more than US$2.5 billion over the last six years in developing and commercialising a world-leading portfolio of products in the Next Generation Products (NGPs) category. British American Tobacco currently has NGPs in 16 markets with plans to be in 40 countries by the end of 2018. BAT has a bold ambition to realise revenue of more than 5bn from NGPs by 2022. ### Hong Kong is the global hub for the more than USD 1 billion Live Reef Food Fish Trade (LRFFT), much of it unreported and unregulated with serious consequences for vulnerable species, food security and livelihoods in Southeast Asia, according to a report released on February 1. Published jointly by the Swire Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), ADM Capital Foundation and the WWF Coral Triangle Program, the report, Going, Going Gone: The Trade in Live Reef Food Fish, says popular wild-caught reef fish species could be gone from diners' tables within our lifetime if we do not act now to stem this burgeoning and often illegal trade. "The rate at which we are taking reef fish from our oceans, including juveniles, is simply not sustainable," said Dr Yvonne Sadovy, a professor of biological sciences at HKU and lead author of the report. "The LRFFT is symptomatic of the pressure being put on these fish resources and the potentially devastating effects on livelihoods. As the epicentre of the LRFFT, it is critical Hong Kong takes steps to regulate before it is too late." Live seafood is part of the culinary tradition of southern China, with most species coming largely from the seas of Southeast Asia. Demand for these attractive and increasingly rare fish species, eaten mostly at banquets and as displays of wealth, has grown with expanding affluence in Mainland China. Although the trade is not large by global fisheries standards, it is disproportionately valuable, estimated between 20,000 and 30,000 metric tonnes (mt) annually in the trade hub of Hong Kong, and valued in excess of USD 1 billion, according to the report. This does not count illegal trade. The trade supplies a luxury seafood market with high retail value fishes, with some species, such as Napoleon fish, fetching in excess of USD 600 per kg. The legal LRFFT represents almost one-third of the valuable Western and Central Pacific tuna fisheries, despite being less than 5% of the volume of those fisheries. "The real value of the trade, however, is unknown since much is traded illegally, on a black market," said Dr Geoffrey Muldoon, Senior Manager with the WWF Coral Triangle Program, and co-author of the report. LRFF volumes imported into Hong Kong are being underestimated, perhaps by as much as 50%, because of inadequate monitoring of the trade, particularly imports by sea, and deliberate misreporting, the report said. "Traders, transport and logistics carriers are allowed to exploit a vacuum created by inadequate and outdated regulation, loopholes in the law and lax enforcement of live seafood trade into, within and through Hong Kong," added Dr Muldoon. "Governments are likely not benefitting as they should from this valuable trade because of the culture of deliberate tax avoidance, poor governance, and lack of transparency in the marketing and transport of live fish," said report co-author Sophie Le Clue, environment program director at ADM Capital Foundation. The LRFFT should be providing 'sustained' income along the trade chain, from fishers and their communities to exporters, transporters, importers and retailers, but because of the secretive and exploitative nature of the trade, those potential long-term benefits are being lost, she said. According to the report, 15 to 20 species of reef fishes, largely groupers, supply the LRFFT from both wild populations and farmed sources with the major source countries currently being Indonesia and the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and to a lesser extent Australia. Many of these species are biologically vulnerable to fishing pressure, being long-lived and late to sexually mature. Persistent overexploitation, where catch levels have outstripped natural reproduction rates by between two-and-a-half and six times, has threatened some species. Napoleon (or Humphead) wrasse stocks, for example, have been devastated in some areas future livelihoods ruined by overexploitation of this species, according to Dr Sadovy. Other species threatened by the trade are the Camouflage, Tiger and Squaretailed groupers. Concern is also growing for the Coral Trout. Although mariculture is supplying an increasing portion of the trade and driving the growth in imports, the report emphasised that this will not help reduce trade impacts on wild fish populations; mariculture can even increase overfishing due to the reliance on wild juveniles for grow out of species such as Coral Trout that cannot be hatchery-produced in commercial quantities and the dependence on wild fish for their feed. Also, consumers still have a preference for 'wild' fish which are also the most economically valuable for traders. All of these factors point to unrelenting pressure on wild stocks, Dr Sadovy noted. The report includes many recommendations to protect our vulnerable species and their reefs. For Hong Kong these include that authorities must work to stop illegal, unregulated and unmonitored trade, by updating laws on the import of live fish, improve vessel reporting and traceability, better monitor and control of cargo/live fish carriers, and better oversight of fish cargo vessel entry/exit. For traders and retailers, traceability is paramount if the trade is to supply legal fish to consumers into the future, and to ensure sustainable sourcing, the report said. Retailers should ensure, for example, that the Napoleon fish they buy is legal. Finally, as Chinese New Year is fast approaching, consumers may wish to give consumption of live reef fish a second thought, the report authors said. The WWF-Hong Kong Seafood Choice guide has suggestions for sustainable options. "We are not talking about not eating fish at all. What we are talking about is not eating so many wild fish that we destroy their populations," Dr Sadovy said. "We need to know where seafood comes from, that it's legally sourced, safe to eat, and that it is sustainable". ### Flowering plants likely originated between 149 and 256 million years ago according to new UCL-led research. The study, published today in New Phytologist by researchers from the UK and China, shows that flowering plants are neither as old as suggested by previous molecular studies, nor as young as a literal interpretation of their fossil record. The findings underline the power of using complementary studies based on molecular data and the fossil record, along with different approaches to infer evolutionary timescales to establish a deeper understanding of evolutionary dynamics many millions of years ago. "The discrepancy between estimates of flowering plant evolution from molecular data and fossil records has caused much debate. Even Darwin described the origin of this group as an 'abominable mystery'", explained lead author, Dr Jose Barba-Montoya (UCL Genetics, Evolution & Environment). "To uncover the key to solving the mystery of when flowers originated, we carefully analysed the genetic make-up of flowering plants, and the rate at which mutations accumulate in their genomes." Through the lens of the fossil record, flowering plants appear to have diversified suddenly, precipitating a Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution in which pollinators, herbivores and predators underwent explosive co-evolution. Molecular-clock dating studies, however, have suggested a much older origin for flowering plants, implying a cryptic evolution of flowers that is not documented in the fossil record. "In large part, the discrepancy between these two approaches is an artefact of false precision on both palaeontological and molecular evolutionary timescales," said Professor Philip Donoghue from the University of Bristol's School of Earth Science, and a senior author of the study. Palaeontological timescales calibrate the family tree of plants to geological time based on the oldest fossil evidence for its component branches. Molecular timescales build on this approach, using additional evidence from genomes for the genetic distances between species, aiming to overcome gaps in the fossil record. "Previous studies into molecular timescales failed to explore the implications of experimental variables and so they inaccurately estimate the probable age of flowering plants with undue precision," said Professor Ziheng Yang (UCL Genetics, Evolution & Environment) and senior author of the study. "Similarly, interpretations of the fossil record have not fully recognised its shortcomings as an archive of evolutionary history, that is, that the oldest fossil evidence of flowering plants comes from very advanced, not primitive flowering plant lineages," Professor Donoghue added. The researchers compiled a large collection of genetic data for many flowering plant groups including a dataset of 83 genes from 644 taxa, together with a comprehensive set of fossil evidence to address the timescale of flowering plant diversification. "By using Bayesian statistical methods that borrow tools from physics and mathematics to model how the evolutionary rate changes with time, we showed that there are broad uncertainties in the estimates of flowering plant age, all compatible with early to mid-Cretaceous origin for the group," said Dr Mario dos Reis (School of Biological and Chemical Sciences at Queen Mary University of London), a co-author of the study. ### The team involved researchers from UCL, Queen Mary University of London, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Natural History Museum and the University of Bristol. The study was kindly funded by the Biotechnology and Biosciences Research Council (UK), the Natural Environment Research Council, the Royal Society and the Wolfson Foundation. Childhood play experiences strongly shape a person's spatial skills, according to a new CIRES-led study--those skills can be critical to success in fields like science and engineering. Young adults who played with construction-based toys such as Legos, or with certain types of video games outperformed other peers in tests of spatial reasoning--like the skill needed to mentally rotate objects. And most notably, the new research found that gender differences in spatial skills disappear when the researchers considered the impact of childhood play. "The human brain is malleable and trainable," said Anne Gold, lead author and director of CIRES Education & Outreach. "By providing spatial training to K-12 children, and providing spatially demanding toys before schooling starts, we can give them the opportunity to develop skills important in fields like science, technology, engineering and math." The team, who published their work today in Geosphere, surveyed hundreds of undergraduate students and found a huge spread in their spatial skills--students scored between 6 and 75 percent correct responses on a written, spatial-knowledge test. This poses a problem: It's difficult to teach a college-level class with so much variability in skill level. Gold and her colleagues sought to explain this contrast because most geologists need strong spatial skills to be successful. "All of these students completed a K-12 education. If spatial skills were taught in grade school, we wouldn't see this significant spread of skills across the university classroom," said Gold. "Something must be happening earlier in childhood or outside of school that makes some kids better spatial thinkers." She and colleagues from the University of Colorado Boulder and Carleton College in Minnesota gave written tests to 345 university undergraduates enrolled in geology courses at CU Boulder. Students tackled multiple-choice questions that required them to mentally rotate obscure shapes, for example, or visualize an object's cross section. The researchers dissected the influence of several factors on spatial skills scores, including: college major, childhood play patterns, standardized test scores, number of science courses taken, and gender. They found that childhood play patterns made a huge difference: Spatial skill scores were significantly higher among students who engaged with construction-based toys, and certain video games. Other studies have shown the influence of childhood play on spatial skills, but Gold's team is the first to show how the gender difference well described in the literature is mediated through childhood play. Overall, male students performed better than female students on the test, but the young women and men who played with construction-based toys and video games performed equally well. In other words, when researchers controlled for the impact of childhood play patterns, gender differences disappeared. The new research highlights the need for more access to spatial training and experiences for girls and women--or for anyone who desires success in a STEM career. In addition to providing spatially engaging toys to young children, Gold also suggests offering spatial trainings in grade school or even adulthood. She has preliminary evidence that people can improve their skills with spatial training, whether they lacked spatial skills in the first place or have just gotten rusty over the years. "What you choose to do over your life can affect your spatial reasoning," said Gold. "It doesn't need to be video games or Legos specifically--but you should engage in something that's spatially demanding. It can really make a difference." ### URBANA, Ill. - Deer infected with chronic wasting disease are doomed to a slow and certain death, eventually wasting away as they lose the ability to eat and drink. There is no cure and no vaccine, and the number of infected deer continues to rise every year. But University of Illinois scientists recently published a new study that could help explain the movement of the disease across the landscape. "Our biggest goal is to support the management of this non-curable disease in an animal that is an economically important resource for the state of Illinois," says Michelle Green, research assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at U of I and co-author of the study. Chronic wasting disease is caused by a prion, a sort of mutant protein with an unusual folding pattern that tricks the body's own proteins into mutating, too. After enough proteins get in on the act, holes begin to form in the brain, causing physiological and behavioral changes. The disease is part of a group known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, which includes mad cow and a few other rare diseases. A key element to managing the disease is reducing exposure to the prion. The disease is primarily passed from deer to deer through direct physical contact, but it can also be passed from mother to fetus or picked up indirectly when a deer comes in contact with the disease agent in the environment. The new study focuses on the indirect pathway. "When infected deer urinate, defecate, or salivate, they can shed prions. When a susceptible deer comes along and licks, ingests, or inhales infected soil it could pick up a prion. But soil is complex. It's not clear what soil characteristics are associated with the persistence of chronic wasting disease in deer," says Nohra Mateus-Pinilla, veterinary epidemiologist at the Illinois Natural History Survey-Prairie Research Institute and study co-author. In the study, the team looked at the relationship between soil characteristics and presence of deer with the disease in five northern Illinois counties where infected deer are prevalent. They focused on seven physical and chemical properties of soil that could affect the ability for a prion to stick around in the environment. "The goal was to identify which soil characteristics have a greater effect on the persistent presence of chronic wasting disease in the five counties," says Sheena Dorak, lead author of the study and research associate with the Illinois Natural History Survey. The first step was to break the five-county area into 1-mile square sections that either had a strong history of the disease or not. The researchers laid this grid over a detailed soils map and created a statistical model to predict the likelihood that the disease would stick around based on the soils. According to the analysis, the amount of clay in a given soil was a major determining factor to predict where the disease was more likely to persist. And the data clearly indicated a break point that could be useful in future management schemes: Soils with more than 18 percent clay were associated with a steep drop in cases of the disease. "I think what's groundbreaking about this work is finding this threshold. It's like a switch," Green says. "Clay can tend to immobilize molecules, and we think at these higher concentrations, clay is holding onto the prions so they're not bioavailable," Dorak says. Soil pH was also influential, with more cases of the disease at a pH greater than 6.6. Again, changes in soil pH may relate to how "sticky" the soil environment is for prions. Above pH 6.6, prions don't stick as well to the soil and are free to be picked up by curious deer. The researchers emphasize that their study is observational and based on data from large Natural Resources Conservation Service databases. As such, they cannot confirm exactly what's going on with prions in the soil based on their work. But they say their results are important because they provide a clear starting point for experimental follow-up. "With these results, we can now look at the entire state and say, for example, there are a lot of infected deer in one area and not too far away, there are soils that have the right mix of conditions to hold prions persistently should an infected deer contaminate the area," Green says. "We would recommend a management scheme to keep the infected deer out of such high-risk areas." ### The article, "Clay content and pH: soil characteristic associations with the persistent presence of chronic wasting disease in northern Illinois," is published in Scientific Reports. Additional authors include Michelle Wander, Marilyn O. Ruiz, Michael Buhnerkempe, Ting Tian, and Jan Novakofski, representing U of I departments of animal sciences, natural resources and environmental sciences, pathobiology, and the Illinois Natural History Survey. The work was supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Project [W-146-R], the University of Illinois--Illinois Natural History Survey [Prairie Research Institute], and the University of Illinois Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Research. A study led by the University of Leeds has found that no country currently meets its citizens' basic needs at a globally sustainable level of resource use. The research, published in Nature Sustainability, is the first to quantify the sustainability of national resource use associated with meeting basic human needs for 151 countries. Each country's resource use and well-being achievements have been made available as a website built by the academics involved in the study. Lead author, Dr Daniel O'Neill, from the Sustainability Research Institute at Leeds, said: "Almost everything we do, from having dinner to surfing the Internet, uses resources in some way, but the connections between resource use and human well-being are not always visible to us. "We examined international relationships between the sustainability of resource use and the achievement of social goals, and found that basic needs, such as nutrition, sanitation, and the elimination of extreme poverty, could most likely be achieved in all countries without exceeding global environmental limits. "Unfortunately, the same is not true for other social goals that go beyond basic subsistence such as secondary education and high life satisfaction. Meeting these goals could require a level of resource use that is two to six times the sustainable level." Co-author, Dr Andrew Fanning, also from the Sustainability Research Institute, said: "Our results suggest that some of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, such as combatting climate change and its impacts, could be undermined by the pursuit of other goals, particularly those focused on growth or high levels of human well-being." This study builds on research by the Stockholm Resilience Centre that identified nine environmental processes that regulate the planet and proposed safe "planetary boundaries" for each that -- if persistently exceeded -- could lead to catastrophic change. The planetary boundaries include issues such as climate change, land-use change, and freshwater use. The researchers distributed seven planetary boundaries among nations according to their share of global population, and then compared these boundaries to national resource consumption, after correcting for international trade. At the same time, the study scored countries on 11 social objectives established in previous research on what it would mean for countries to develop in "safe and just" way. The objectives included healthy life expectancy, access to energy, and democratic quality among others. The study benchmarked each country's resource use against the planetary boundaries, and mapped these alongside the social indicators. The mapping showed no country performed well on both the planetary and social thresholds. Co-author Dr William Lamb, from the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC), said: "In general, the more social thresholds a country achieves, the more planetary boundaries it exceeds, and vice versa. "Although wealthy nations like the US and UK satisfy the basic needs of their citizens, they do so at a level of resource use that is far beyond what is globally sustainable. In contrast, countries that are using resources at a sustainable level, such as Sri Lanka, fail to meet the basic needs of their people." Co-author Dr Julia Steinberger, from the School of Earth and Environment at Leeds, said "Radical changes are needed if all people are to live well within the limits of the planet. These include moving beyond the pursuit of economic growth in wealthy nations, shifting rapidly from fossil fuels to renewable energy, and significantly reducing inequality. "Our physical infrastructure and the way we distribute resources are both part of what we call provisioning systems. If all people are to lead a good life within the planet's limits then these provisioning systems need to be fundamentally restructured to allow for basic needs to be met at a much lower level of resource use." ### Notes for editors: The 151 countries included in the analysis were restricted to those with a population of at least one million people. The eleven social indicators and seven environmental indicators used for measuring the achievement of basic needs within planetary boundaries are part of a framework put forward by economist Kate Raworth. This "safe and just space" framework is described in her recent book Doughnut Economics. The "safe" space refers to the environmental indicators, which are based on the planetary boundaries framework originally published in the journal Nature in 2009 by a group of Earth-system scientists led by Johan Rockstrom. Planetary boundaries have been proposed for nine Earth-system processes that are linked to maintaining the relatively stable conditions of the past 10,000 years. The "just" space refers to the social indicators, which are based on a comprehensive analysis of government submissions to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, held in Rio in 2012. These social indicators are also closely aligned with the high-level social objectives in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, to be achieved by 2030. Further information The paper "A good life for all within planetary boundaries" will be published in Nature Sustainability on 05 February 2018 (DOI: 10.1038/s41893-018-0021-4) The interactive website accompanying the paper will be made available on the same date at: https://goodlife.leeds.ac.uk (website publically accessible at 16:00GMT 05 February 2018) For additional information and to request interviews please contact Anna Harrison, Press Officer at the University of Leeds, on +44 (0)113 34 34196 or a.harrison@leeds.ac.uk University of Leeds The University of Leeds is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK, with more than 33,000 students from more than 150 different countries, and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. We are a top ten university for research and impact power in the UK, according to the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, and are in the top 100 for academic reputation in the QS World University Rankings 2018. Additionally, the University was awarded a Gold rating by the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework in 2017, recognising its 'consistently outstanding' teaching and learning provision. Twenty-four of our academics have been awarded National Teaching Fellowships - more than any other institution in England, Northern Ireland and Wales - reflecting the excellence of our teaching. http://www.leeds.ac.uk Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) The MCC explores sustainable management and the use of common goods such as global environmental systems and social infrastructures in the context of climate change. Seven working groups conduct research on the topics of economic growth and development, resources and international trade, cities and infrastructure, governance and scientific policy advice. Research led by the Universities of Leicester and Edinburgh and 12 other research institutions into surface ozone levels that are important for human health Ozone found at the Earth's surface (the troposphere) is an air pollutant harmful to human health. The regulatory ozone limit values designed to protect human health vary by country. This study uses a variety of ways of measuring the occurrence of high ozone levels to assess the frequency of periods a given population is exposed to harmful ozone levels and how this has changed over time. A large international team has produced the first surface ozone assessment report based on all available surface observations across the globe using data from over 4,800 monitoring stations. Surface ozone levels potentially detrimental to human health are found in many regions around the globe, both in urban and non-urban areas. Our different methods of determining high and peak ozone levels worldwide produce generally similar results. While ozone has decreased in much of Europe and the North America over the past 15 years, the study shows it is increasing in parts of East Asia with increasing development and pollution emissions. A large publicly available database has been compiled which includes a complete set of statistics and graphics available for viewing and download. Maps of present-day ozone levels and changes between 2000 and 2014 throughout North America, Europe and East Asia are available here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ilmf18lcihumwe6/AADHWAmPQCh7V6RD_gwabaaWa?dl=0 "Despite improvements in air pollution emissions in Europe and North America, ozone levels that are harmful to human health are still a cause for concern across the world and ozone is rising in East Asia" - Dr Zo? Fleming, National Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Leicester New research led by the Universities of Leicester and Edinburgh and twelve other institutions worldwide (listed below) has analysed ozone levels across the globe, with some regions of East Asia showing increasing levels of ozone air pollution. The other institutions involved were the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) and Forschungszentrum Julich in Germany, the Universities of Colorado, North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and Maryland as well as A.S.L. and Associates in the U.S., the Stockholm Environment institute in the UK, INERIS in France, the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences and Chinese Academy of Science in China, NILU (Norwegian Institute for Air Research) and the Norwegian Meteorological Institute in Norway, Chalmers University in Sweden and the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa. The research is a component of the Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report (TOAR), an international effort to improve scientific understanding of ozone's global distribution and trends. Published today in the scientific journal Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene, the results provide the most ambitious ever ground-level ozone assessment, using data from over 4,800 monitoring stations across the globe. As part of the study, ozone levels potentially detrimental to human health have been assessed where data are available, both in urban and non-urban areas worldwide. There is considerable variation within regions and hot-spot locations with the highest ozone levels have been identified. Changes in ozone levels from trend analysis shows that ozone has decreased in much of Europe and North America over the last 15 years. However, the research shows that ozone is rising in some parts of East Asia over the same period, reflecting increasing development and pollution emissions. Previously, analyses of ozone trends at individual or smaller groups of sites often left researchers unable to draw robust conclusions about regional trends in areas such as Europe and North America. The large number of sites now included in this more comprehensive dataset have allowed for more robust conclusions that reveal that a decrease predominates in these regions. Dr Zo? Fleming, from the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) at the University of Leicester's Department of Chemistry, said: "TOAR is the most ambitious project to date to assess global ozone levels at the surface of the Earth, helping us to better understand potential human health impacts. "Despite some improvements in air pollution emissions in Europe and North America, human health impacts from ozone are still a cause for concern across the world and are rising in East Asia, with the potential for serious health consequences on their populations. "There is an increasing awareness of the issues of human health from poor air quality and making such a database freely available and disseminating the results from the study will inform the public on the health implications of ozone." The data come from certified monitoring stations with rigorous calibration procedures. Statistical analysis was carried out on the data, in order to calculate peak and high ozone levels and to interpret trends and changes in the data. The study uses five different recognized methods for measuring the daily or seasonally highest ozone levels. These so-called metrics show similar patterns and highlight the different assessment methods. TOAR has created a large publicly available database which also includes a complete set of statistics and graphical downloads. Air quality monitoring is a crucial element for quantifying current air pollution levels and evaluating the effectiveness of emissions controls and informing the evolution of air pollution policy. There are still large regions of the world where such monitoring is sparse or non-existent. To effectively understand and tackle air pollution, expanded monitoring is critical. Professor Ruth Doherty, from the School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, said: "The ability to quantify for urban regions worldwide the changes in high and peak ozone levels over the last 15 years and longer is an exciting research development, that we hope will be useful to air quality managers to inform and evaluate strategies to protect human health from the adverse effects of ozone." Dr Owen Cooper, from the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, US, said: "TOAR was made possible by an international team of scientists who volunteered their time and expertise to build the world's largest database of ozone metrics and then made those data completely open access." ### The research is funded by the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry project (IGAC), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Forschungszentrum Julich with the support of a large international team of experts who recognized the need for an up-to-date tropospheric ozone assessment. PHILADELPHIA (February 5, 2018) - Pressure-related skin injuries, a nurse-sensitive quality indicator in hospitals, are associated with increased morbidity and higher costs of care. There's been much attention focused on hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPI) in the adult population. However, while preventable, immobility-related and medical device-related pressure injuries (MDPI) also occur in hospitalized infants and children. Preventing pressure injury in infants and children requires that clinicians accurately identify at-risk patients and apply reliable prevention strategies for those patients. Often, the Braden Q Scale is used to help identify pediatric patients at risk for developing these pressure-related skin injuries. Until recently, initial predictive validity testing of the Braden Q Scale only included immobility-related pressure injuries in critically ill pediatric patients aged two weeks to eight years. In a study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing), a new, simplified Braden QD Scale now describes combined immobility-related and MDPI risk in a broader, more diverse sample of pediatric patients typically cared for in acute care environments. The multicenter, prospective cohort study was published in the January issue of The Journal of Pediatrics. "The Braden QD Scale provides acute care pediatric clinicians with one instrument to predict both immobility- and device-related pressure injuries across diverse age and clinical populations," says lead-author Martha A. Q. Curley, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Ruth M. Colket Endowed Chair in Pediatric Nursing at Penn Nursing and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "This instrument may be helpful in preventing iatrogenic injury, in facilitating quality monitoring of care, and in helping to guide resource allocation in the prevention of HAPI in hospitalized infants and children." ### Co-authors of the study include: Natalie R. Hasbani, MPH; Sandy M. Quigley, RN, MSN; Lindyce A. Kulik, RN, MS; Catherine N. Caillouette, RN, MS; and Margaret A. McCabe, RN, PhD, all of Boston Children's Hospital; Judith J. Stellar, RN, MSN, of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Tracy A. Pasek, RN, DNP, of the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh; Stacey S. Shelley, RN, MSN, of the Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City; Tracy B. Chamblee, RN, PhD, of the Children's Medical Center, Dallas; Mary Anne Dilloway, RN, BS, of Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego; and David Wypij, PhD, of Harvard Medical School. About the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the world's leading schools of nursing. For the second year in a row, it is ranked the #1 nursing school in the world by QS University, and has four graduate programs ranked number one by U.S. News & World Report, the most of any school in the United States. Penn Nursing is currently ranked # 1 in funding from the National Institutes of Health, among other schools of nursing. Penn Nursing prepares nurse scientists and nurse leaders to meet the health needs of a global society through research, education, and practice. Follow Penn Nursing on: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube. Scientists at USC have found a new catalyst that more efficiently converts methane to olefins USC scientists have unlocked a new, more efficient pathway for converting methane - a potent gas contributing to climate change - directly into basic chemicals for manufacturing plastics, agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. In research published on Dec. 4 in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, chemists at USC Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute say they have found a way to help to utilize this abundant and dangerous greenhouse gas, which is generally burnt or flared to produce energy. Among common greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide is often cited as the largest culprit for trapping heat on earth, contributing to climate change. However, it is not the most potent. That distinction belongs to methane. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, methane traps heat and warms the planet 86 times more than carbon dioxide over a 20-year horizon. More fuel, fewer emissions, reduced energy use Lead author Patrice T. D. Batamack, senior author G. K. Surya Prakash and Thomas Mathew of the USC Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute used a catalyst called H-SAPO-34, derived from a class of nanoporous crystals called zeolites. This simple method of converting methane directly to ethylene and propylene, or olefins, would replace what are traditionally difficult, expensive, and inefficient processes that add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The majority of ethylene and propylene is produced from petroleum oil and shale liquid cracking, which consumes enormous amounts of energy. When USC's first Nobel Prize winner, George Olah, converted methane to olefins in 1985, the process required three steps. Since then, researchers have reduced it to two steps, but the Loker team is the first to realize the conversion with a single catalyst based on zeolites. "Contact time is the key for this effective and simple catalyst to produce usable fuel from methane. In real estate, they say, location, location, location. In chemistry, it is all about condition, condition, condition," said Prakash. Global methane emissions have surged since 2007 and output is particularly bad in the United States. According to a recent Harvard University study, the United States could be solely responsible for as much as 60 percent of the global growth in human-caused atmospheric methane emissions during this century. Contributing to the global surge is the increased supply of livestock and rice fields in countries like India and China, the two leaders in total methane output, according to the World Bank. 'If carbon is the problem, carbon has to be the solution' While being the most potent of our popular greenhouse gases, and even after the largest methane leak in U.S. history at the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility a few years ago, there are no signs that methane's abundant production will slow down anytime soon. Shale fracking and other resource extraction techniques are increasing natural gas reserves, and the Loker scientists believe methane may soon become the most popular of all raw materials for producing petrochemical products. About 30 years ago, Prakash and his mentor Olah first began refining the concept of "The Methanol Economy," a host of methanol-based solutions mitigating the production cycle of the greenhouse gases that are accelerating climate change. While similar in structure and name, methane is not directly interchangeable with methanol, although most methanol is synthetically produced from methane. Methane is a naturally occurring gas and the simplest one-carbon compound containing hydrocarbon. By further reducing the steps necessary to efficiently convert methane to olefins, the scientists at Loker may have brought us that much closer to realizing one of the original steps laid out in "The Methanol Economy." "If carbon is the problem, carbon has to be the solution. There is plenty of methane to go around in the world and it is become easier and safer to turn it into products that we can actually use,'" said Prakash. ### This research was made possible with the support of the USC Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute and the U.S. Department of Energy. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - It isn't often that researchers have the luxury to examine data from a long-term research project. While most research projects last from three to five years, scientists with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture recently published a study that covered a 29-year period to find the benefits of cover crops on no-till cotton fields. Cotton is a major crop grown in the southeast and after harvesting there is very little residual biomass. Without a crop covering the ground, there is an increased amount of soil exposure that can lead to erosion from winter rains and runoff. No-till agriculture was steadily adopted by producers as a way to save topsoil and reduce soil erosion in their fields. Cover crops, such as winter wheat were also added to the mix by some producers to enhance the benefits of no-till production. The study, published in Nov. 2017 in Agronomy Journal, was the brainchild of the late Don Tyler, a renown UTIA soil scientist, who was interested in how no-till and cover crops may help reduce erosion. "Back in the 80's he saw that this was a potential problem down the road and set up an experiment in Milan, Tennessee, to see how no-till and cover crops can impact cotton yields," said Chris Boyer, the paper's lead author and a UTIA associate professor of agricultural and resource economics. The team looked at the data from the past 29 years to determine whether it is profitable to include cover crops in an erosion management strategy. They found that while cover crops can cut into profitability over the short term, there are a number of benefits over long-term adoption. "The benefits are accumulated benefits and it takes a number of years of this practice before you see them," said Boyer. The study found that conventional tillage practices result in higher profits than no-till practices; however, continuous no-till planting reduces risk exposure by decreasing yield variability. In addition, a number of environmental benefits may be realized through the adoption of no-till practices along with cover crops, primarily in decreased soil erosion. "While the study didn't measure environmental impacts, it is a very valid reason for producers to adopt no-tillage and or cover crops," said Boyer. Boyer says that data sets covering such a long period of time are very unusual in research projects. "Our approach of looking at the problem from a long-term financial standpoint was really unique to what other studies have done. It was the genius of Don Tyler and his foresight that have us such an incredible data set to examine," said Boyer. ### The research team includes Boyer and his colleagues Dayton Lambert and James Larson, also of the UTIA Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. Tyler is also listed as a co-author. A video of Boyer explaining the project is available on YouTube. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture celebrates 50 years of excellence in providing Real. Life. Solutions. through teaching, discovery and service. ag.tennessee.edu. MADISON -- Lennon and McCartney. Abbott and Costello. Peanut butter and jelly. Think of one half of any famous duo, and the other half likely comes to mind. Not only do they complement each other, but together they work better. The same is true in the burgeoning field of oxide electronics materials. Boasting a wide array of behaviors, including electronic, magnetic and superconducting, these multifunctional materials are poised to expand the way we think about the functions of traditional silicon-based electronic devices such as cell phones or computers. Yet until now, a critical aspect has been missing -- one that complements the function of electrons in oxide electronics. And a team led by University of Wisconsin-Madison materials scientist Chang-Beom Eom has directly observed that missing second half of the duo necessary to move oxide electronics materials forward. It's called a two-dimensional hole gas -- a counterpart to something known as a two-dimensional electron gas. For more than a decade, researchers have recognized a hole gas appearance was possible, but haven't been able to create it experimentally. Writing today (Feb. 5, 2018) in the journal Nature Materials, Eom and his collaborators provided evidence of a hole gas coexisting with the electron gas. They designed an ultrathin material, known as a thin film structure, specifically for this research. "The 2D hole gas was not possible primarily because perfect-enough crystals could not be grown," says Eom, the Theodore H. Geballe Professor and Harvey D. Spangler Distinguished Professor of materials science and engineering. "Inside, there were defects that killed the hole gas." Eom is a world expert in material growth, using techniques that allow him to meticulously build, or "grow," each layer of a material with atomic precision. That expertise, combined with insight into the interaction between layers in their structure, was key in identifying the elusive 2D hole gas. "We were able to design the correct structure and make near-perfect crystals, all without defects that degrade the hole gas," he says. Also important in identifying the hole gas was the almost-symmetrical way in which Eom assembled the various layers -- something like a club sandwich. While other researchers have made the material in a bi-layer structure, Eom designed a triple layer. He alternated layers of strontium oxide and titanium dioxide on the bottom, then layers of lanthanum oxide and aluminum oxide, then added additional layers of strontium oxide and titanium dioxide on the top. As a result, the hole gas forms at the interface of the layers on the top, while the electron gas forms at the interface of the layers on the bottom -- the first demonstration of a very powerful complementary pair. Just as people 50 years ago likely could not have envisioned communicating via wireless devices, the advance sets forth a platform that can enable new concepts-applications that today remain beyond our wildest dreams. "We're not just improving the performance of devices," says Eom. "So, not improving a cell phone, for example -- but envisioning an entirely new device made possible by this advance. This is the beginning of an exciting new path." ### Eom's collaborators from UW-Madison include physics professor Mark Rzchowski and graduate students in materials science and engineering and physics, as well as collaborators from The Ohio State University, the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Argonne National Laboratory, and Sungkyunkwan University and Pohang University of Science and Technology in Korea. This research was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (DMR-1629270, DMR-1420645 and DMR-1305193), the U.S. Department of Defense (AFOSR FA9550-15-1-0334), the Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development (FA2386-15-1-4046) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DE-FG02-06ER46327 and DE-AC02-06CH11357). -- Renee Meiller, (608) 262-2681, meiller@engr.wisc.edu Zika virus may cause significant damage to the fetal brain even when the baby's head size is normal, according to a new animal study led by researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. The damage, which can be difficult to detect even with sophisticated brain scans, may also occur in children infected during early childhood and adolescence, the researchers warn. "Current criteria using head size to diagnose Zika-related brain injury fail to capture more subtle brain damage that can lead to significant learning problems and mental health disorders later in life," said lead author Dr. Kristina Adams Waldorf, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the UW School of Medicine who specializes in maternal and fetal infections. "We are diagnosing only the tip of the iceberg." The study appears in the Feb. 5 issue of Nature Medicine. In addition to Adams Waldorf, the lead researchers were Dr. Michael Gale Jr., a professor of immunology at the UW School of Medicine and an expert on how the body responds to viruses, and Dr. Lakshmi Rajagopal, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine and expert on newborn infectious diseases at Seattle Children's Research Institute and UW Medicine. An epidemic of Zika virus infections occurred in Brazil in 2015. Since then, there has been a surge in the number of infants in the Americas born with small heads due to brain damage that occurred when their mothers were infected during their pregnancy. The virus targets and destroys neural stem cells. These produce new brain cells for normal brain growth and development. Many of these children are diagnosed during pregnancy by ultrasound or at birth because they have markedly small heads, a condition called microcephaly. More recently, medical scientists have recognized that even children with a normal head size at birth may be diagnosed with serious eye injuries or late-onset microcephaly, when the head fails to grow normally after birth. In the new study, researchers looked for subtle changes in the brains of five fetal macaques whose mothers had been infected with the Zika virus in pregnancy. The animals were chosen because macaques are considered one of the closest animal models to human pregnancy. They are also ideal for the development of vaccines and treatments to protect humans from the virus. In all but one case, the researchers found no obvious fetal abnormalities with weekly ultrasounds, a medical imaging technique that is commonly used during pregnancy to assess the health of developing fetuses. The brains of the infected fetuses, however, did grow more slowly than normal, but they remained large enough so that their smaller size did not meet the criteria for Zika virus-associated microcephaly used by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Under these criteria, most children (between 91 percent to 96 percent) born in the United States whose mothers were infected with Zika during the pregnancy are not considered microcephalic. As a result, those children might not be checked regularly for Zika-related brain injury. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the fetal brains, however, were abnormal in 4 of 5 of the animals. Certain areas of the brain were not growing as quickly as others. Brain regions that were particularly hard hit were areas that generate new brain cells. These regions include the subventricular zone in the wall of the lateral ventricle, which contains the largest number of neural stem cells in the brain. Another injured part of the fetal brain was the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus in the hippocampus, a structure where neural stem cells play a key role in memory and learning and continue to contribute to brain health through at least adolescence. "The study clearly shows that cells within these brain regions are highly susceptible to Zika virus infection. The findings suggest that neural stem cells within these sites, and at specific stages of development, are unable to suppress virus replication," said Gale. Because neural stem cells in the hippocampus, which are vulnerable to Zika virus damage, are present during childhood and adolescence, Rajagopal said, we should be concerned that viral infection in children and young adults may significantly affect brain health. "Subtle damage caused by this virus during fetal development or childhood may not be apparent for years, but may cause neurocognitive delays in learning and increase the risk of developing neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and early dementia," she added. "These findings further emphasize the urgency for an effective vaccine to prevent Zika virus infections." "All children exposed to Zika virus in utero should be followed long-term for problems with learning and development, regardless of head size at birth," Adams Waldorf said. "And we should also be worried about children and young adults becoming infected with the Zika virus because they have the same vulnerable stem cells in their brains as the fetus." ### This work was primarily supported by private philanthropy, including gifts from five anonymous donors from Florida. Further support came from the University of Washington Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Seattle Children's Research Institute, University of Washington Center for Innate Immunity and Immune Disease, National Institutes of Health , NIH training grants, Keck Foundation, Perkins Coie Award for Discovery, and the NIH Office of Research Infrastructure Programs. The authors also thank the Allen Institute for Brain Science founders, Paul G. Allen and Jody Allen. DALLAS - Feb. 5, 2018 - Looking at how well hospitals adhere to treatment guidelines for heart failure is more important than comparing patient volumes at hospitals, new research shows. While volume alone didn't make much difference to mortality or readmission rates, hospitals seeing fewer heart failure patients were "significantly" less likely to follow American Heart Association treatment guidelines, the researchers found. Interventional cardiologist Dharam Kumbhani, M.D. Q&A: Heart Valve Replacement and Interventional Cardiology Blog: Peripheral artery disease Meet Dr. Kumbhani Heart Valve Disorders Guide UTSW Clinical Heart Center "There's a very small, incremental relationship between how many patients a hospital sees with heart failure and the actual patient outcome once you adjust for adherence to the guidelines," said lead author Dr. Dharam Kumbhani, an interventional cardiologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center. "But we found that lower-volume hospitals have worse adherence to important heart failure processes than higher-volume hospitals." Heart failure, which the American Heart Association says affects 6.5 million Americans, results when damage to the heart leaves it unable to pump enough blood to support the body. Without a heart transplant, it can be fatal. Medications such as beta-blockers, and medical devices such as defibrillators, are commonly used to help such patients. But researchers found that hospitals treating fewer patients were less likely to: prescribe beta-blockers or ACE inhibitors - medications commonly used for heart failure patients run tests to check how well the heart's left ventricle was pumping blood install a defibrillator or cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) pacemaker. The study, which appears in American Heart Association journal Circulation, was based on records for more than 125,000 heart failure patients at 342 U.S. hospitals, admitted between 2005 and 2014. The study involved collaborations between scientists at UT Southwestern, which is recognizing its 75th anniversary this year, UCLA, Stanford University School of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School. Rather than directing patients to larger institutions, which can involve travel barriers and added costs, a better solution would be to find ways to give more hospitals easy access to treatment guidelines, said Dr. Kumbhani, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, and an epidemiologist. ### Related Research This study in Circulation More not necessarily better with heart valve operations Readmission penalties don't correlate to heart attack outcomes Technology may help. For example, doctors treating patients at large metropolitan hospitals like UT Southwestern's William P. Clements University Hospital have guidelines readily available on computer screens and even their smart phones that smaller hospitals sometimes cannot afford. Moreover, these are incorporated into admission and treatment order sets, leveraging the power of electronic medical record systems. Researchers concluded that hospital profiling should focus on heart care improvement programs, adherence to process metrics, and risk-standardized outcomes rather than on hospital volume itself. About UT Southwestern Medical Center UT Southwestern, one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution's faculty has received six Nobel Prizes, and includes 22 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 18 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 14 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The faculty of more than 2,700 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in about 80 specialties to more than 100,000 hospitalized patients, 600,000 emergency room cases, and oversee approximately 2.2 million outpatient visits a year. In a BJS (British Journal of Surgery) analysis of published studies in obese patients with type 2 diabetes, researchers found that weight loss surgery helps prevent the development of microvascular complications--which affect small blood vessels--better than medical treatment. The analysis was conducted by investigators from the Surgical Department of the University of Heidelberg in cooperation with the Study Center of the German Surgical Society. Microvascular complications of diabetes include diabetic nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy, which affect the kidneys, nerves, and eyes, respectively. These diabetes-related complications are responsible for the high healthcare costs of type 2 diabetes and the leading causes for dialysis, amputations, and blindness in the Western world. The risk of developing microvascular diabetic complications was 4-fold reduced in patients with type 2 diabetes undergoing surgery compared with patients with current guideline-based medical therapy. The analysis also found that pre-existing diabetic nephropathy was strongly improved by surgery compared with medical treatment. The likelihood for improvement or remission in patients with diabetes-related kidney damage was 15-times higher after surgery compared with current medical therapy. "Medical therapy for type 2 diabetes seems to have reached its limitations, even with the newly available drugs. Metabolic surgery strongly reduces the risk for diabetes-associated complications and seems even to improve existing diabetic kidney damage in 1 out of 2 operated patients," said lead author Dr. Adrian Billeter, of the University of Heidelberg, in Germany. "Such strong and reliable effects, especially on very difficult-to-treat diabetic kidney damage, are not even remotely possible with the current medical therapy," added senior author Prof. Beat Muller-Stich, also of the University of Heidelberg. ### Based on a detailed statistical analysis of multiple datasets, the Flint Area Community Health and Environment Partnership (FACHEP) research team found that the majority of Legionnaires' disease cases that occurred during the 2014-15 outbreak in Genesee County, Michigan, can be attributed to the change in of the City of Flint's drinking water supply to the Flint River. The researchers also found that the specific strain of Legionella isolated from Flint residences as part of FACHEP's sampling in 2016 is not readily detected by common diagnostic tests for Legionella. These conclusions are part of two peer-reviewed scientific reports authored by FACHEP and recently published in the academic journals Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS) and mBio. The researchers conducted an exhaustive analysis of data on Legionnaires' cases in Genesee, Wayne and Oakland Counties from 2011 to 2016. FACHEP researchers determined that in 2014-15 there was an increase in the risk of acquiring Legionnaires' disease across the Flint water distribution system that is consistent with a systemwide proliferation of Legionella bacteria. An estimated 80 percent of Legionnaires' cases during this period are attributable to the change in water supply, according to the article in PNAS. "During the period when their water was supplied from the Flint River, Flint residents were seven times more likely to develop Legionnaires' disease," said lead author Sammy Zahran, professor of economics at Colorado State University. "After public announcements urging residents to boil their water, there was a lower risk of developing the disease, likely because people avoided using their water." Data indicate that the Legionnaires' outbreak at a local hospital alone could not account for the increase in Legionnaires' disease cases that occurred in Flint during the water crisis. "Our study shows that during the water crisis, the risk of a Flint resident having Legionnaires' disease increased as the amount of free chlorine in their water decreased," said Shawn McElmurry, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Wayne State University and the FACHEP principal investigator. "Since municipalities typically evaluate the risk of waterborne illnesses by measuring free chlorine, a better understanding of how chlorine is deactivated can inform future water management policies and practices." Chlorine is a chemical that is routinely added to drinking water to kill microbes. During the water crisis, the likelihood of Legionnaires' disease occurring in communities adjacent to Flint also increased, probably due to the number of people who commuted into Flint. The analysis also suggested that chlorine residual levels recommended by regulatory agencies (0.2 or 0.5 parts per million) may not be sufficient to protect communities from Legionella pneumophila exposure when water quality conditions are such that they support strong Legionella pneumophila growth. These were the conditions in Flint during and immediately after the water change. After the city returned to the Lake Huron water source supplied by the Great Lakes Water Authority, the risk of a Flint neighborhood presenting with Legionnaires' disease retreated to historically normal levels. From a random sampling of water from approximately 130 Flint households in fall 2016, after return to the Lake Huron water source, Legionella bacteria were isolated from 12 percent of homes surveyed. This frequency was similar to findings from residences in neighboring areas. While Legionnaires' disease is typically associated with Legionella pneumophila strains classified as "serogroup 1," the majority (16 out of 18) of strains isolated from Flint residences were closely related serogroup 6 Legionella pneumophila strains, according to the article published in mBio. In the United States and Europe, more than 90 percent of Legionnaires' disease cases are diagnosed using a urine test that readily detects serogroup 1, but not serogroup 6 or other serogroups of Legionella bacteria. "In laboratory tests of disease risk, the serogroup 6 strain isolated from Flint and Detroit homes resembled the serogroup 1 bacteria obtained from Legionnaires' disease patients in Southeast Michigan," said Michele Swanson, professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Michigan Medical School and senior author of the mBio article. The strains obtained from Flint and Detroit residences are similar to bacteria isolated from Legionnaires' disease patients in other countries, as judged by their genetic fingerprint. One Legionella pneumophila strain isolated from a Flint residence is genetically similar to the serogroup 1 bacteria obtained from Legionnaires' disease patients in Southeast Michigan. Whether this small group of patients became ill after inhaling contaminated water in a Flint home can be assessed by more detailed analysis. The study did not determine whether serogroup 6 Legionella pneumophila contributed to pneumonia of unknown origin in Southeast Michigan. Other studies have found that serogroup 6 can cause Legionnaires' disease. Swanson said that more research is needed. "To evaluate risk, we need to know whether serogroup 6 Legionella pneumophila survive as well as serogroup 1 bacteria do in water aerosols, since that's how people inhale this bacterium," she said. "Whether the treated Flint River water altered the virulence or resilience of Legionella pneumophila is another key question we need to examine." McElmurry noted that the investigation was challenging. "These are very complicated questions, and we are working with a very talented team of investigators including epidemiologists, infectious disease specialists, microbiologists, water engineers, social-behavioral scientists and statisticians to understand what happened in Flint," he said. "Most important was the assistance of residents who worked directly with us on this challenging problem." The peer review process for research published in academic journals helps verify that the methods and conclusions have been evaluated by experts in the field and meets rigorous standards for accuracy. Research and the peer review process take time. "While we have been anxious to share these results as soon as possible we thought it was also important that our research was subjected to the highest level of independent review," said McElmurry. "Peer review allows us to demonstrate that our work is independent and free of any external influence." Dr. Lawrence Reynolds, a Flint area pediatrician and member of Governor Snyder's Flint Water Advisory Task Force and the Flint Water Interagency Coordinating Committee, noted that the FACHEP group engaged the community in its research efforts. "This abandonment of basic human and civil rights by those who once had the public trust led to water quality, safety and access issues that endangered the public health. In the midst of this maelstrom, a group of engineers along with medical, public health and social scientists assembled a research team to pursue answers to problems that others would rather leave unexamined. The authors of these papers from several universities and members of the research team - which included community members in meaningful roles - affirmed the higher purpose of science - to expand knowledge and serve the common good. As this FACHEP team developed, the key underpinning was the attention to clear, honest communication and careful listening to disenfranchised, marginalized Flint residents." FACHEP is a consortium led by Wayne State University that includes the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Kettering University, Colorado State University and the Henry Ford Health System. The FACHEP team collected water samples from 357 randomly selected homes in Flint including 136 homes in 2016 and 221 homes in 2017. It also collected samples from 268 randomly selected homes in Genesee County, including 51 homes tested in 2016 and 217 homes tested in 2017, and 141 randomly selected homes in Wayne County. Samples collected in Genesee County, outside of Flint, and in Wayne County will serve as comparisons to Flint samples to better understand water quality in Flint. ### The FACHEP team conducted multidisciplinary research in Flint through funding from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Health, Wayne State University, the University of Michigan, and Michigan State University. Additional information about Legionnaires' disease can be found at the Genesee County Health Department website, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services website, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Escorted by two giant Belgian policemen in balaclavas, a handcuffed Salah Abdeslam entered a Belgian courtroom, his beard now thick and his hair long and slicked down. Hopes were high that, after insisting on attending the trial, the 28-year-old sole survivor of the Paris attacks cell would take the opportunity break nearly two years of silence about the bloodshed. But when he did speak it was not to offer any explanations. Instead, he refused to answer all questions from the judge, and then launched into a tirade in the name of Islam. I dont wish to reply, Abdeslam mumbled in a faint voice when presiding judge Marie-France Keutgen instructed him to stand. At least questions about your identity? she asked, but the Belgian-born Frenchman of Moroccan origin repeated that he would not answer any questions, before falling back into silence. It was a homecoming of sorts, Abdeslams return to the city of his birth where he was dramatically shot in the leg and captured after four months on the run following the Paris attacks. He was on trial over a shootout with police on March 15, 2016, in which three officers were wounded, with a trial in France over the November 2015 Islamic State attacks in the French capital expected at a later date. I was asked to come, I came The youthful face with gelled spiky hair that appeared on television screens worldwide was now covered in a thick beard, his hair matted and glistening with gel. His grey jacket, white shirt, dark trousers and brown dress shoes contrasted with the hooded track top of his co-defendant, Sofiane Ayari. As his handcuffs were removed, he frowned, brushed his hair back with both hands and sat down. He blew his nose and turned to speak to his lawyer, Sven Mary, but gave no impression he was listening to the hearing. Then, after Ayari, a 24-year-old Tunisian, answered a series of questions from the judge, Abdeslam got another chance. I do not want to respond. I am tired, said the high-profile defendant, still seated, but his voice hinting at anger. The presiding judge persisted, saying: You wanted to be present today but again he refused. When Keutgen asked why he insisted on being present, he shrugged. I was asked to come. I came, very simply, he replied. My silence neither makes me a criminal nor a guilty person. Then, despite his vow of silence, Abdeslam could not helping himself from launching into a diatribe. Now that there is scientific proof in this case, I want it to be based on that and that you are not swayed by satisfying public opinion, he told the judges, adding that they should not give up their function to the media. Trust in Allah He then turned to his religion. What I see is that Muslims are judged and treated in the worst of ways, mercilessly. There is no presumption of innocence, he said. He declared the Muslim profession of faith the Shahada before the court, saying: I declare that there is no god but Allah, Mohammed is his servant and his messenger. Judge me, do what you want with me, its in my Lord that I place my trust, he said. I am not afraid of you, I am not afraid of your allies. I put my trust in Allah and thats all, I have nothing else to add, Abdeslam told the court. The judge said curtly that the court takes note of his response. Handcuffed, he was led back to his cell during the lunch break by the police. They did not take their eyes off him once. Relatives of victims of the Paris attacks who attended the trial were neither surprised, nor impressed. I personally never thought he would cooperate with the Belgian courts, no more than he cooperated with the French courts, said Philippe Duperron, whose son Thomas was killed in the Bataclan concert hall in Paris. Duperron said Abdeslam only showed his incoherent behaviour. He added: He did not reply other than with a provocative statement, by appealing to his god Allah. The No Billag initiative, which seeks to abolish the licence fee used to finance public radio and television, is supported by a relatively small number of parties and organisations. The main supporters include the Swiss Peoples Party and the Swiss Arts and Crafts Union. Most other parties and organisations advocate rejecting the initiative. Political parties in favour Swiss Peoples Party It is the only party in government that supports No Billag. Its members have been clear in their support for the initiative. Young Peoples Party, Young Radical-Liberals The youth sections of the Swiss Peoples Party and the Radical-Liberal Party were among the earliest supporters of the initiative. Organisations in favour Swiss Union of Arts and Crafts The umbrella organisation of small and medium enterprises supports the initiative and expressed this decision by a two-thirds majority. Initiative Committee At the heart of the initiative are young Swiss people who call themselves libertarians. The initiative committee has only a few elected politicians. Federal Council and Parliament Both the government and both Houses of Parliament reject the initiative. Political parties against the initiative Social Democratic Party The partys leadership unanimously voted to reject the initiative. Radical-Liberal Party The delegates voted in favour of the rejecting the initiative. Christian Democratic Party Party members clearly said no to the initiative. Green Party The Greens rejected the initiative at their general assembly. Conservative Democratic Party The vast majority of members voted against the initiative. Liberal Green Party Here again, members mostly voted no at the partys general assembly. Organisations against the initiative Conference of Cantonal Governments The governments of the various Swiss cantons are opposed to the initiative. Economiesuisse The umbrella organisation of Swiss companies rejects the initiative. Organisation of the Swiss Abroad The OSA, which represents the interests of around 770,000 Swiss nationals abroad, rejects the initiative. Tourist Organisations The Swiss Tourism Federation, which includes Hotelleriesuisse, Gastrosuisse and the Swiss Cable Car Association, rejects the initiative. Swiss Farmers Union The management of the Union has decided to reject the initiative. Association of Swiss Municipalities They unanimously reject the initiative. Union of Swiss Cities Here too, the Union unanimously requests that the initiative be rejected. Swiss folk culture This organisation, which represents 33 associations with more than 400,000 active, rejects the initiative. Senior citizens A number of pensioners organisations voted against No Billag, including the Swiss Association of Seniors and the Federation of Swiss Pensioners and Welfare Associations. Religious Communities The Federation of Protestant Churches and the Swiss Conference of Bishops reject this initiative. Unions Trade union groups, in particular the Swiss Trade Union Federation and Travail Suisse, are in favour of rejecting the initiative. Mountain regions The Consortium of Swiss Alpine Regions is opposed to the initiative, which would cut many jobs and reduce the media coverage in these regions. Disabled people The NGO Pro Infirmis recommends rejecting the initiative. swissinfo.ch is part of the Swiss Public Broadcaster SRG SSR. Half of its budget is financed by the licence fee and half by the federal government. German workers approved Monday their union's results in talks with India's Tata Steel and ThyssenKrupp's steel division ahead of a planned merger -- but the vote does not remove all obstacles to the tie-up. Some 92.2 percent of IG Metall members polled agreed to executives guarantee not to slash jobs or close major sites until at least September 2026 if the fusion succeeds, the union said in a statement. We managed to clear up important points in favour of the employees, said Detlef Wetzel, who sits on ThyssenKrupp Steels supervisory board as a worker representative. Nevertheless, workers acceptance of the guarantees does not mean the deal can immediately go ahead. Only the supervisory board can decide that, and its far from certain whether worker representatives will agree, Wetzel continued. IG Metall has commissioned expert studies on whether the merged companies would be economically viable, it said. ThyssenKrupp and Tatas tie-up would create a firm with combined annual sales of around 15 billion euros ($18.6 billion) and 48,000 employees, second only to ArcelorMittal in Europe. The firms say a fusion is necessary to combat chronic overcapacity in an industry roiled by a flood of subsidised Chinese steel. While the merger will allow for economies of scale and other savings, the firms warned in December it will also lead to some 4,000 job cuts that will be shared roughly evenly between the two groups. Three of ThyssenKrupps sites in Germanys historic industrial heartland of North Rhine-Westphalia are only guaranteed to remain open until 2021 under the deal. But if the merger is completed, ThyssenKrupp a sprawling group that also makes products ranging from car parts to elevators and submarines has also said it will invest at least 400 million euros per year in its German steel works and retain workers voting rights on the supervisory board. tgb/mfp/rl Privacy Settings This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. Which cookies and scripts are used and how they impact your visit is specified on the left. You may change your settings at any time. Your choices will not impact your visit. NOTE: These settings will only apply to the browser and device you are currently using. Proceedings to extradite to Russia an Israeli suspected of being the brains behind an international organ-trafficking gang will begin in Cyprus later this month, a court ruled on Monday. The hearing will take place on February 21 after documents from Russia approved by the Cyprus justice minister were presented to the court. Moshe Harel, a 70-year-old travel agent, was arrested at Larnaca airport on December 28 and will remain in custody until the hearing, Larnaca district court ruled. He is accused of seeking out people needing kidney transplants and luring donors to Kosovo from Turkey and the former Soviet Union. Both Russia and Kosovo, which Cyprus does not recognise, had issued international arrest warrants for him. Cypriot authorities activated the Russian request, which was issued last year for offences committed in 2006. State prosecutor Marina Spiliotopoulou told the court on Monday the attorney generals office had now received the necessary paperwork from Russia for the extradition process to begin. Harel is suspected of running an organ-trafficking ring in Russia and Kosovo from 2006 until 2010. He has been wanted for almost a decade for allegedly exploiting victims, often recruited from poor areas in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, by promising $18,000 (15,000 euros) for an organ. Recipients, mainly Israeli, would pay up to $122,000 (100,000 euros) for a transplant. The trafficking network came to light in 2008 after a Turkish man collapsed at Pristina airport after having a kidney removed. In 2013, a European Union-led court in Kosovo sentenced five Kosovan doctors to up to eight years in prison for organ trafficking. Donors, whose organs were illegally removed, were left without proper medical care and treated like waste, prosecutors said at the time. But Kosovos supreme court annulled the verdict in 2016 and ordered a new trial, which is ongoing. The indictment named Harel as the networks mastermind, and Turkish doctor Yusuf Ercin Sonmez branded by Kosovo media as the Turkish Frankenstein and still on the run was suspected of performing the transplants. Monday, February 5, 2018 At Least Get the Basics of Immigration Right By Peggy Sands Orchowski Immigration is a hot hot topic these days. Many pundits and experts from other fields seem eager to talk about immigration issues with voices of great authority and even passion. They often relate to stories from their own family history starting with "when my grandparents came here" But it is often shocking to me how little they actually know about immigration what drives it, why we have immigration laws, even what it is! I have been covering immigration law-making in the U.S. Congress for the past ten years as a credentialed (that mean non-advocacy press) Senior Correspondent. I have written two books about how immigration politics and laws have evolved and constantly change over time. Those who talk, write and opine about immigration should at least understand the basics. For instance a charming professor of philosophy gave a keynote speech about immigration at the Library of Congress' Law Library recently (no need to shame with names here!). But he completely mixed up the concept of migration (even birds do it!) with immigration (only people immigrate). Immigration is about sovereign nation states, permits, citizenship. "Citizenship?" he said? "Oh. Hmmm." During the floods in Houston last year, an NPR reporter asked a "DACA DREAMER" who had lived 17 years in Texas and was afraid to seek shelter because he might be deported "Why haven't you gotten citizenship?" Did the reporter have any idea how that happens? -- ie: be on a green card, (Permanent Legal Resident LPR permit) at least five years! It seems few reporters have read the infamous three page DACA order that defines a recipient as an individual (have to apply individually!) who "came in the United States before the age of 16" (legally, illegally, alone or with others, on a plane or by assaulting a wall, etc.). The words "brought in illegally by parents" don't exist! Many who talk about DACA DREAMERS don't seem to know that presidential memos and orders are not laws, do not convey legal status and can be rescinded at anytime. Many seem to think "immigration laws are broken" and therefore can be ignored. Many seem to believe that that poem about "bring me your huddled masses" on the base of the Statue of Liberty is American immigration policy writ in stone. Many seem to believe that an "American" is anyone whose big toe is in the U.S. rather than a U.S. citizen the only word we have for it. Many seem to think, as President Obama said, that "immigration law must be settled now 'once and for all'. In truth it never will be "done!" Immigration laws are a work in progress. They always respond to changes in world and national economy, politics, demographics and technology. Immigration is a paradox. The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (article 13b) states that "Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country". But no one has the human or the civil right to settle in and become a citizen of another country just because they want to. Every sovereign nation state has the sole right and duty to choose who can immigrate (come in and stay) to their country under what conditions, how many and how they can become a citizen. Same with refugees. Every nation state then has the right to decide how immigration decisions are be enforced, including through removal. National immigration decisions are rendered through immigration laws. Every country in the world has them. Deportation is a law enforcement measure, not a crime against humanity. The founding fathers had mixed feelings about immigrants from countries other than England. For the first century of our nation, towns and states mainly determined which immigrants were welcomed to settle in their communities. We didn't have national immigration laws until 1882. In1923 we passed our first comprehensive immigration law, our second in 1965. Over the years, various temporary visas were established to supplement the 1965 limited LPRs that prioritized extended family unification. Perhaps a simple analogy will help those who want to write and talk about immigration to understand its basics. Think of popular immigrant destinations like the U.S.A. as a highly desired college. Tens of thousands of people are qualified and want to get in. But the college can only take a certain number to maintain its standards. So the college establishes admission policies. They change over time. Anyone can apply. But the college chooses. If an applicant isn't accepted or doesn't apply, they can't storm the dorms, take the classes and demand a degree; they have to have a Plan B. The institution can forcefully evict those who don't follow the admissions rules. # # # # # # Peggy (Margaret) Sands Orchowski is a Senior Congressional Correspondent and author of "The Law That Changed The Face of America: The Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965" and "Immigration and the American Dream: Battling the Political Hype and Hysteria" (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015 and 2008 respectively). She is available for interviews, article assignments and speaking engagements. porchowski@hotmail.com As the Vice President of the Washington DC based Brookings Institution Darrell West wrote in recommending her book: "We can't know where we're going if we don't know where we've been". A portion of this article appeared in The Georgetowner online newsletter by Peggy Sands. Orthodontia, or braces, can greatly improve the appearance and function of the teeth and build your confidence. However, orthodontic appliances may also contribute to your gums growing over your braces, enlarged gums, or even gum recession. The fact is, wearing braces can make cleaning or brushing your teeth more difficult. When you cant clean your teeth thoroughly, bacteria can gather and irritate the gum tissue causing it to become inflamed and overgrown or swollen. This gum tissue growing over your braces makes it even more difficult to clean your teeth causing added irritation. Another issue that could cause your gums to grow over the braces could be the proximity of the hardware on the teeth. While your gums may return to their normal, healthy state after your braces are taken off , we do see a number of patients with persistent gum overgrowth during and after their braces are removed. You can treat this very successfully with a procedure called crown lengthening . Receding Gums Due To Braces Your braces can also contribute to the opposite problem gum recession. With orthodontics, your teeth are moved out of their natural position and pushed into a new one. The strength used to straighten the teeth can cause stress on the surrounding bone and gum, contributing to recession. Gum recession can cause various problems including tooth decay, sensitivity, an undesirable appearance, bone loss, and possibly even tooth loss. Thankfully, your gum recession can now be treated with the minimally-invasive Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation Procedure. Home Treatment If you have this issue, youre not alone. We get many questions on our YouTube channel asking how to stop your gums from growing over your braces without professional care. Heres What You Can Do You can start by brushing aggressively in the areas where your gums are growing over your braces or swelling, making sure that you clean those areas as thoroughly as possible with a Waterpik on high pressure. It may be tender or bleed at first but this is the best way to reduce the gum swelling. In the places where your gums are receding make sure you brush very gently and use the Waterpik on low pressure. Check out our video on brushing with recession. In this video, Dr. Nemeth goes into more detail about proper brushing technique: [embedded content] We care about our patients and see many during and after their orthodontia treatment. Often times they need further treatment after their braces are removed. Dr. Nemeth has helped hundreds of patients complete their smile transformation. If youre noticing your gums growing over your braces, there are steps you can take now to reduce the rate of gum growth. For more information about hyperplasia or gum swelling or to schedule an appointment, please call (248) 357-3100. One-hundred and fifty farmers have a chance to grab a start-up support grant worth 40,000 as a part of a Young People in Agriculture Scheme. The Welsh Government has set aside 6m to fund the scheme which is designed to assist high achieving young farmers, under the age of 40, who are looking to establish a new business or develop an existing one. Successful applicants will need to demonstrate they have the attributes to lead a dynamic business and drive change in the wider industry as we transition out of the EU. The money available can be used as working capital and will be paid in three instalments up until 31st March 2020, but individuals will need to meet with the agreed key performance indicators to qualify. Applications will be scored and ranked according to how they meet the selection criteria. Different points will be awarded according to the business type, business structure, academic qualifications, level of continuing professional development and the strength of the business plan. All applications will be ranked until the maximum number is reached. Young People in Agriculture In addition to the grant scheme the government has also proposed the creation of a Young People in Agriculture Forum. Forum members will work with Welsh Government to develop policies that benefit agricultural families, businesses and rural Wales. The Forum aims to provide young people with an opportunity to express their views directly to ministers, senior officials and industry bodies with a view to supporting the next generation into agriculture. Following the launch of the new scheme, Dafydd Jones, Wales YFC Rural Affairs Chairman said that agriculture is a "challenging industry" for young people to access, and with the average age of farmers now near 60, the industry needs "new blood more than ever". "This support is crucial for young entrants to utilize and get their foot on the farming ladder to ensure vibrant, effective farming businesses here in Wales alongside a sustainable food production system," Mr Jones explained. A second devastating dog attack on sheep in less than a fortnight has left another pregnant ewe dead and two others with bites to their necks. The attack happened at Cissbury Ring on the Downs north of Worthing on Friday morning (February 2). It is believed the same dog was responsible for both attacks. The dog is thought to be the same one that seriously injured three of the ewes on January 20 and following an appeal by the National Farmers' Union, a video has come to light showing the first attack. Sergeant Tom Carter of Sussex Police said he is "frankly astounded" how whoever owns this dog can return and let their animal "wreak havoc once again". (Photo: Sussex Police) "We know that some dogs will attack sheep and their owners are horrified at how their docile pets can quickly turn into killers," Sergeant Carter said. "However, if as we believe this is the same dog, then its owner's action is recklessly irresponsible." The dog is described by police as "very distinctive". It is quite a big animal, with a tan body and white forequarters, head and tail. It has been described as having a long face. 'Keep dogs on lead' Sergeant Carter continued: "There is a second black dog in the video, but we don't think that was involved in the attack and wasn't seen during the second incident. However, its owner may have important information that could help us identify the other dog and I would urge them to get in touch." "We invariably see a rise in sheep-worrying incidents as the days start to draw out as more dog owners head for the countryside to exercise their pets. "We urge people to keep their dogs on a lead while they are walking in rural areas and around livestock. So often in these incidents the owners are horrified by what their dogs have done, but they have to accept that even the most docile of pets can quickly turn into a killer given the opportunity. "A farmer can legally shoot a dog that is chasing livestock and seek compensation from the person responsible for the animal, so please don't take the risk." The incident is the second case of sheep worrying in a matter of days. Police in Moray are investigating a sheep worrying incident which occurred last week resulting in the deaths of four sheep. Anyone with information can report online or call 101 quoting serial 493 of 02/02. There has been a significant reduction in the number of horses being actively fly-grazed in Wales following the implementation of a law designed to crack down on the illegal practice. Three years on from the introduction by the Welsh Government of a law to address fly-grazing, a new report shows it has had a positive impact in reducing the number of horses reported and removed due to fly-grazing straying or abandonment. The report by Equiventus Ltd shows a link between the reduction in this behaviour and the approach taken to the problem in Wales, including the introduction of the Control of Horses (Wales) Act 2014. The report says that there has been a "significant reduction" in the number of horses being actively fly grazed. This is represented in the reduction seen in average seizure figures from 30 per month in 2014 to 18 per month in 2016. It says that this is further evidenced by South Wales Police, who have seen an 83% reduction in the number of incidents reported between 2012 and 2016. 'So many difficulties' Other key interventions include an increase in education programmes for horse owners, a rise in public awareness of the problem and improved communication and collaborative working between the key agencies involved. Welcoming the publication of the report, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths said flygrazing has caused "so many difficulties" for the communities affected. It is positive news indeed the Act has played such an important role in reducing the number of horses reported and ultimately removed due to fly grazing, straying or abandonment, Ms Griffiths said. It is clear from the reports findings that the Act has made a positive impact on reducing behaviour that has caused so many difficulties for the communities affected and for the animals involved. However, while the report by Equiventus Ltd is very good news we should not let our guard down and must continue with the partnership approach, with local authorities, the Police, landowners and welfare organisations to deliver on the reports recommendations. Lifting the BSE ban on British beef exports to China could be worth 250 million in the first five years, according to the AHDB. New measures to improve market access to China were announced by Prime Minister Theresa May last week, in a move which could see beef from the UK exported to the country for the first time in over 20 years. AHDB, a government funded levy-board, said China is a "major market" for British goods. It is anticipated the BSE ban could be lifted within six months if a visit from Chinese inspectors this spring is successful, clearing the way for detailed discussions and the completion of a five-step process to open the Chinese market to British beef. The news has been welcomed by AHDB, which has been working on the market access in the region for a number of years, and is good news for exporters keen to look to new, non-EU markets. AHDB Head of Exports Peter Hardwick said: The announcement is a vital first step in unlocking this major market for beef without which we could not progress to the substantive approval process. This agreement comes after an intensive programme of inspections and visits by the Chinese authorities over the last two years, led by AHDB in collaboration with government and industry organisation. It is still an ongoing process but we will continue to play a key role in helping to steer discussions to ensure we unlock the full potential of the Chinese market for beef producers here in the UK. The announcement came on the first day of the Prime Ministers three-day trade mission to Beijing, where she was joined by senior business leaders and industry representatives including AHDB Chief Executive Officer Jane King. During her visit she held meetings with members of the Chinese government and other industry leaders where products ranging from pork to malting barley were discussed. Ms King raised the urgency of lifting the beef ban with both the Prime Minister Theresa May and Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox. Both indicated it was a government priority. Prime Minister Theresa May has insisted Britain will leave the customs union after Brexit amid warnings from the farming industry. Ahead of a week of key Brexit meetings with EU negotiators, a Number 10 source said the government are "categorically leaving" the customs union. It said: To put this to rest, we are categorically leaving the customs union. At home, Brexit is about taking back control of our money, laws and borders. We are going to deliver that, but Brexit is also about the freedom to strike out into the world and sign our own trade deals. We want a good, deep trade deal with the EU and customs arrangement which are as frictionless as possible. The EU's customs union helps reduce administrative and financial trade barriers and enhance economic cooperation. However, they also limit the freedom of their individual members to strike their own trade deals. The uncertainty of where the Brexit negotiations are heading amid perceived 'hard Brexit' language has prompted the farming industry to call for common sense to prevail. 'Incontrovertible' The Farmers' Union of Wales has said the evidence supporting the need for the UK to remain in the customs union and the single market after Brexit is "incontrovertible", and that common sense "must prevail." Continuing membership of these two institutions is the only way to avoid the dire collapse in incomes predicted in the latest AHDB report and in the FAPRI report in August, said FUW President Glyn Roberts. The FUW has in the past demanded Welsh access to the customs union, calling it "critical" for rural Wales. Stephen James, former NFU Cymru President, said that the only sensible option for Brexit negotiators was for the UK to remain a part of the customs union, at least until a time where a comprehensive free trade agreement can be reached. He said: In my mind the only sensible option is for us to remain in the Customs Union until such time as a comprehensive free trade agreement is agreed between the EU and the UK. 'Sticking point' A briefing paper in the House of Commons Library has warned that agriculture can prove difficult in trade talks. The authors of the document, 'Brexit: Agriculture and Trade,' said agricultural issues can be a "sticking point" in trade negotiations. It said the interests of consumers and producers need to be balanced. The paper said: "On leaving the EU customs union, the UK will be able to negotiate its own free trade agreements. This has the potential to open up new markets for UK agriculture." However, it said: "It remains to be seen how easy these trade negotiations will be. Examples have already been raised where there could be issues such as around the import of hormone-fed beef and chickens washed in chlorine, which are currently banned in the EU." The farming industry has frequently warned that future trade deals must not allow cheaper food produced to poorer standards to be imported once the UK is out of the customs union. Poultry industry leaders have said they are "very concerned" about a United States suggestion that the UK will have to accept chlorinated chicken to secure a trans-Atlantic free trade deal. Clarkson holds meeting with villagers over farm shop traffic It follows the huge success of Clarkson's Farm Photograph: Mirjam Claus/123RF A post shared by Boris | @meet.maker (@borisbaldinger) on Oct 11, 2017 at 10:55am PDT While the southernmost region of Portugal is best known for its pristine beaches and sandy islands, there's much more to see - beautiful hillsides, historic towns, rich flora and fauna and plenty of walking trails. Here's how you can max out your time in Algarve region - check out some North-African inspired architecture, be a part of its many religious festivals, explore the ruins of Milreu, and much more.The best way to start your trip is by paying a visit to, the southwesternmost point in Europe. This was a revered place even in the time of the Phoenicians. At sunset, you can almost hear the sea hissing as the sun hits it. At the end of the cape is a wind-whipped red lighthouse and the excellent. Next, head to the. This natural park is mostly a lagoon system stretching for 60km along the Algarve coastline and is home to plenty of wetland birds, along with ducks, shorebirds, gulls and terns. This is the nesting place of the little tern and the rare purple gallinule. While Faros beach can get fairly crammed in July and August, you can get a ferry out toand, a long and narrow strip of sand just off the mainland. There is little to do here besides some serious relaxation. Actor Sanjay Dutt breathes a sigh of relief as the Bombay High Court rubbishes baseless allegations claimed on the actor. The actor expresses happiness as truth prevails. The judicial bench of Bombay High Court dismissed the petition citing favouritism showed towards Sanjay Dutt as the PIL lacked any material from official records to substantiate the claim. The HC stated no violation has been made by the State in Sanjay Dutt's early release. A public interest litigation was filed against the State for favouring the actor as opposed to other inmates. The PIL claimed special treatment to Sanjay Dutt as, despite exemplary conduct of several other inmates, only the actor was granted early leave. The petitioner also raised an objection on the frequent paroles and furlough, which are rubbished by the Court. Relieved by the High Court's verdict Sanjay Dutt said, "This is a big relief. The honorable high court has quashed all such baseless allegations. Truth prevails." The Bench headed by Justice SC Dharmadikari and Bharti Dangre was earlier quoted saying, "We found nothing contrary in the record submitted by the state Home department and the explanation offered by the state. No violations or abuse of discretionary powers were detected." Sanjay Dutt was convicted for the illegal possession of arms in the 1993 serial bomb blast case. The actor spent a little over a year and four months in jail as an undertrial and two and a half years as a convict. The actor was acquitted from Yerwada jail on February 25th, 2016, which is eight months and 16 days before the completion of his five-year sentence. Also Read: DAMN SCARY! Ranveer Singh Talks About A Shocking Incident That Happened On The Sets Of Padmaavat Air New Zealand Will Be Skipping Holiday Gifts to Benefit Kids In previous years, Air New Zealand has sent elite flyers Christmas gifts as a gesture of goodwill and thanks for their loyalty. Starting in 2018, the practice of giving gifts will come to an end, with the budget redirected into the airlines Airpoints for Schools program. Air New Zealand will no longer offer Christmas gifts to elite flyers, but instead, use that budget to invest in their Airpoints for Schools charity program. The announcement was made in an e-mail to elite flyers and posted to the FlyerTalk Forums. In past years, we have sent gifts to our Elite members at Christmas, but because it is difficult to cater to differing tastes and preferences, each year we receive mixed feedback, the e-mail reads. This year we will use those funds to give even more Kiwi kids the means to realize their dreams through a greater Air New Zealand contribution to the Airpoints for Schools program. The charitable arm of the New Zealand flag carrier is described on their website as a program that allows schools to campaign for Airpoints Dollar donations to help with their travel costs for flights that support outstanding environmental, cultural, social or educational goals. Previous travel projects funded by Airpoints include school trips to museums, leadership camps and the Special Olympics. Although the airline claims the shift is due to mixed feedback about previous gifts, flyers are sending negative feedback about the change directly on FlyerTalk forums. Many are calling the decision a devaluation of their elite benefits, leaving some to question if they will even continue to seek out status in future years. Offering a gift isnt about offering the most expensive or the flashiest, sbiddle writes in the forums. Its simply about receiving something to thank me for the $20,000 or so that they have got from me this year. FlyerTalk has reached out to Air New Zealand about the changes in the program. As of this time, our requests for more information have yet to be returned. Like many who follow and analyze the market, I like turning my analysis of current trends into predictions of what could happen in the future. In each of the past two years, I've outlined some rather bold predictions for the oil market. In both cases, I correctly called one trend, came close on a second call, and totally missed the third. What I learned from that review is that I got the macro trends right and came close to calling the price of oil, but I whiffed on my M&A guess. That's leading me to refine my approach this year by focusing on the macro and oil price trends that I've been most successful at predicting, and forget about calling the next M&A deal. With that background, here are my three bold predictions for the oil market this year. OPEC gets hooked on higher high oil prices and decides to keep cooperating In late 2016, OPEC joined forces with several non-member nations in a coordinated effort to reduce their oil supplies by 1.8 million barrels per day for six months starting in January 2017. The partners extended that agreement a few months later and recently agreed to stick with the plan for all of 2018. While it took a while for the strategy to kick in, crude prices have been off to the races in recent months: With crude rising so sharply, some analysts believe that OPEC might end the agreement early, potentially gradually adding supplies back to the market later this year. But instead of talking about how to exit this deal, recent comments from top oil officials suggest they're thinking about continued cooperation. "We should not limit our efforts to 2018," top Saudi oil official Khalid al-Falih told reporters earlier in January. "We need to be talking about a longer framework for cooperation." Russia seems to agree that "the world's two biggest oil producing and exporting countries can continue their cooperation for the good of the crude industry, for the good of stability," according to its energy minister, Alexander Novak. I think that after a few brutal years, OPEC and non-member nations like Russia will want to reap the windfall of higher oil prices for as long as they can, which is why I predict that these groups will extend their cooperation into 2019. While it might not be at the same rate, I don't see them walking away from what's working. Shale drillers go on a buying binge, but not on what you'd expect The rapid rise in crude prices over the past few months has been a boon to U.S. shale drillers. Many had already pushed their cost down so they could run well on $50 oil. However, with crude now in the mid-$60s, these companies are beginning to produce a gusher of cash flow. Many analysts expect them to spend that cash on boosting output even further. However, that doesn't seem to be the plan in most cases. The early indications are that oil companies intend on sticking with their strategy to spend within the cash flow they can generate at around $50 oil this year. That means most will produce a boatload of free cash flow. For example, at $50 a barrel, Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE:APC) will generate enough cash flow to spend what's necessary to increase its oil production at a 10% to 14% annual clip over the next three years. Meanwhile, at $60 oil, it could achieve that growth rate while generating about $1 billion in free cash flow per year. While Anadarko could plow that cash into more wells, the company seems increasingly likely to return that money to shareholders through a higher dividend and additional stock repurchases. It's not the only one, since a growing number of U.S. oil companies have decided to return excess cash to shareholders with a buyback. I believe that trend will accelerate in 2018, and I think stronger shale drillers will use the bulk of their oil-fueled windfall to buy back stock. Crude confounds expectations and touches $80 a barrel Most analysts believe that oil prices have come too far, too fast. The International Energy Agency, for example, doesn't think 2018 will be a happy year for oil prices, expecting crude to dip in the first half of the year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration, meanwhile, forecasts that oil will be in the mid-$50s this year. The driving force behind those predictions is a view that U.S. oil producers will ramp up their drilling efforts and unleash a torrent of production that will push down oil prices. However, as I noted in my last prediction, I don't think this will happen. As a result, the oil market should remain tightly balanced this year, which should continue nudging crude prices higher until an unexpected supply disruption sends it soaring. While it's anyone's guess which of the many potential disruptions will be the catalyst, I expect that something will drive oil to $80 this year. Rocket fuel for oil stocks If I'm right, this year could be an excellent one for oil stocks. That's because my view is that rising oil prices will provide producers with a gusher of cash flow that they'll use to buy back shares. If that happens, it should send their stock prices soaring. That's certainly what has happened with Anadarko since it unveiled its buyback plans in September, with shares up 35% since then, and could happen with peers that follow in its footsteps. Although Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM) may have just had its ambitions for introducing a reduced-risk electronic cigarette stubbed out by an FDA advisory panel, 2017 was a year to remember for the tobacco giant. And that doesn't mean it won't have a great 2018, either. Smoke gets in your eyes Philip Morris set the stage for what last year would become when it declared the future would be "smoke free." It then set about laying the groundwork for that to happen. Shipments of reduced-risk products rose to an estimated 20 billion units last year, from 3.7 billion the year before, and were orders of magnitude larger than the 62 million it shipped in 2015. In Japan, the market where its iQOS heat-not-burn device has been available the longest -- it was first introduced in Nagoya, Japan, in 2014 and has since been rolled out there nationally -- Philip Morris shipped 8.3 billion units in the third quarter, four times the number it shipped in the same period a year ago. But more importantly, it was more than the number of combustible cigarettes shipped in the country. For the first time, Philip Morris' reduced-risk product was the dominant cigarette brand in a market. Considering the total market in Japan for combustible and reduced-risk products is 44 billion units, the iQOS device alone has an 18% share of the market, and Philip Morris as a whole has a 37% share. Just say no The success the tobacco company has enjoyed in Japan is fueling its willingness to expand into numerous other markets, including the U.S., though the anti-smoking sentiment of U.S. regulatory agencies is more stringent than is found elsewhere. It's created a strange anomaly where the FDA seems to be encouraging people to give up combustible cigarettes by floating the idea of reducing nicotine levels in cigarettes to negligible amounts, which would effectively ban them, but its advisory panel just came out very strongly against letting Philip Morris earn a reduced-risk classification for its iQOS device. That doesn't mean it won't be allowed to sell them -- and since most people consider electronic cigarettes a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes, it may benefit anyway. But Philip Morris won't be able to declare they're a safer alternative -- that is, if the FDA follows its advisory panel's advice, which it usually does, though it isn't required to. Yet Philip Morris International seems sincere in wanting to have people stop smoking combustible cigarettes -- to go smoke-free -- and switch over to e-cigs as an alternative. School of hard knocks Last year, Philip Morris established the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World to stamp out smoking and committed to supporting it by investing upwards of $1 billion in the effort. However, rather than welcome the move, anti-smoking activists have criticized the effort. Just last week, 17 schools of public health from the U.S. and Canada, including Harvard and Johns Hopkins University, declared they would not accept any contributions from the foundation. The World Health Organization has also refused to work with it. Such myopic views haven't stopped Philip Morris from pursuing its aim, as on New Year's Day it took out full-page ads in U.K. newspapers saying it wanted this year to be the year it quits smoking. That goal isn't going to happen overnight, but it does appear the tobacco giant is moving inexorably in that direction. In fact, the attitude of U.S. health agencies and those of their U.K. counterparts couldn't be further apart. Advisory agency Public Health England has gotten fully on board with electronic cigarettes as a useful tool for quitting smoking, joining with the country's leading vaping association last year to encourage people to quit cigarettes for October, and in January they made e-cigs a focus of their latest campaign. Data now indicates the U.K. has the second lowest smoking rates in Europe and the lowest ever reported locally. With dominant market share in each of the markets in which its products have been introduced, and with the potential for greater uptake of reduced-risk electronic cigarettes -- whether regulators want to call them that or not -- it's understandable why Philip Morris International was able to crush it in 2017, with its stock gaining more than 15% for the year. An FDA setback might hurt those returns somewhat, but if it gains marketing approval for the iQOS, it could still smoke the competition in the year to come. [This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Gamasutra and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press.] Monday February 5, 2018, Manchester, UK. - Merge Games Ltd., a privately-owned video game publisher, is proud to announce it has partnered with Angry Mob Games to bring the party fighting game, Brawlout to Nintendo Switch retail. Merge Games Managing Director, Luke Keighran, remarked, We are delighted to have teamed-up with Angry Mob Games. Brawlout is an awesome title and partnering with Angry Mob Games has been a great experience. We believe Brawlout on the Switch will be warmly welcomed by retailers and fans alike. Due for release in early May 2018, Brawlout will be available as a Nintendo Switch physical edition. Brawlout is a party fighting game, designed for couch play, online matches and competitive tournaments. Angry Mob Games CEO, Bogdan Iliesiu, commented, Brawlout had such an amazing reception on Nintendo Switch, with a dedicated community of over 80K players in its first month alone. It's impressive, and humbling, to see people throw themselves so wholeheartedly into Brawlout and we hope to cater to even more types of gamers with the physical release! ### For more information, please contact: Nick Clarkson - [email protected] About Merge Games Merge Games is an independent video game publisher and distributor based in Manchester, UK. The company publishes and distributes interactive software worldwide for personal computers, video games consoles and mobile devices. Merge Games also specializes in publishing collectable games for retail and worldwide digital distribution for independent developers. More information about Merge Games products can be found at www.mergegames.com . About Angry Mob Games Angry Mob Games is a premier video game developer, defying genre boundaries since 2007, to deliver next-generation gaming experiences like Alien vs Predator: Evolution & Muffin Knight. Brawlout is the newest release from the studio, who are all rabid fans of fighting games! For more information, please visit http://www.angrymobgames.com/ Indian premium smartphone segment grew 20% by volume in 2017 News oi-Priyanka Samsung was behind OnePlus, capturing the third spot, as promotions for its Galaxy S8 and Note 8 remained strong. But it had tough competition from the iPhone 7 and the iPhone X. According to Counterpoint Research's latest analysis, Indian premium smartphone segment grew 20 percent annually by volume and 28 percent by value in the calendar year (CY) 2017. The report said that "The growth of the Indian premium segment (above Rs 30,000) is a positive development for brands like Apple, OnePlus and Google looking to expand their presence in the world's second-largest smartphone market." Adding that Apple is still the leader in the premium segment, capturing 47 percent share during Q4 2017 and 38 percent during CY 2017, driven by strong shipments of iPhone X and iPhone 7. However, demand for iPhone 8 remains soft and, as a result, the overall Apple shipments in the premium segment declined 31 percent YoY. "The decline is also partly due to last year's strong quarter when sales of the iPhones spiked owing to demonetization and the high volume of cash transactions," Tarun Pathak, Associate Director, Counterpoint Research, wrote in a blog post. The quarter also saw strong promotions for iPhone through e-commerce channels (Amazon iPhone fest) and operators (iPhone X with Airtel), he wrote. The report further pointed out that the OnePlus was the fastest growing brand (+ 343 percent) in the segment - capturing 25 percent during Q4 2017 and 19 percent for CY 2017 and It was the second successive quarter for OnePlus to capture the second position in the premium smartphone segment, surpassing Samsung. The OnePlus 5T drove the sales for OnePlus, as it became the second best-selling model in the segment within two months of its launch in India, Tarun added. Furthermore, the firm said that Samsung was behind OnePlus, capturing the third spot, as promotions for its Galaxy S8 and Note 8 remained strong. But it had tough competition from the iPhone 7 and the iPhone X. Other notable brands which expanded their presence in the premium segment included: Google; Xiaomi; LG; and Nokia HMD. In terms of best selling models, iPhone X was the leading model in the premium segment, capturing one-fifth of shipments, followed by the OnePlus 5T and Samsung Note 8. Going forward, we expect the premium segment to continue to grow by more than 20 percent, both in terms of volume and value in 2018, as more brands are likely to enter the segment. These include OPPO, Vivo, and Huawei, which have some of their best selling models in China already in this segment. Additionally, the promotional activities in the premium segment are likely to increase, as e-commerce players leverage their scale and promotions to focus on premium smartphones, Pathak concludes. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Dual cameras from ZEISS There appears to be a dual camera setup at the rear with 12MP and 13MP lenses from ZEISS. It looks like the dual rear camera setup comes along with 2X optical zoom. In addition to this, the marketing material gives us a hint that the front-facing camera is a 16MP that is also from Zeiss. Like the recent smartphone launches from HMD Global, the Nokia 7 Plus is also believed to arrive with the support for Bothies that will click photos using both the front and rear cameras and merge them together. Snapdragon 660 SoC Going by the recent claims including the leaked benchmark listing, the alleged Nokia 7 Plus might make use of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset. From the leaked marketing material, it looks like the Nokia 7 Plus might arrive with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage space that can be further expanded using a microSD card. Like many other high-end smartphones that exist in the market, this one from HMD is said to feature a USB Type-C port but there is no word about the 3.5mm audio jack. The battery capacity remains unknown but it is said to support quick charging. MWC 2018 announcement possible The smartphone is said to arrive with a 6-inch display with the above-mentioned 18:9 aspect ratio. It is also believed to boot Android 8.0 Oreo out-of-the-box. Having said that the Nokia 7 Plus has entered mass production, there are claims that the smartphone might be unveiled at the MWC 2018 tech show. Samsung Galaxy S9 price revealed by industry source; to cost over Rs. 70,000 News oi-Chandrika A recent report also claimed the Samsung Galaxy S9 duo will be the most expensive Galaxy S smartphones to date. Samsung Galaxy S9 series is being anticipated by millions across the world. The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are all set to get unveiled on February 25, one day before the commencement of MWC 2018. The smartphones have appeared in so many leaks already that we know what will they bring to the table in terms of features and specifications. But what about the pricing part? Well, some reports coming from Samsung's home country have made some speculations so far. ETNews recently claimed the Samsung Galaxy S9 duo will be the most expensive Galaxy S smartphones to date. Now, TechRadar, citing sources in the UK mobile phone deals industry has revealed the pricing of the Galaxy S9 and it is line with previous leaks. According to the publication, the smartphone will cost 100 more than last year's Galaxy S8. This means, the Galaxy S9 will carry a price tag of 789 (approximately Rs. 71,500) as the Galaxy S8 was launched in the UK at 689. Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ First Impressions "You can expect the S9 to cost 100 more than the Galaxy S8 when it was released last year," the anonymous source was quoted as saying. "The truth is that last year's massively inflated smartphone prices on handsets like the S8, Note 8 and iPhone X have shown that there are plenty of people out there willing to pay these higher prices," the source added further. It is important to note that the pricing may vary depending on the markets, though there should not be much difference. If we translate the Galaxy S9's alleged price of 789 to Indian currency, it will be around Rs. 71,500. Not to startle you, but the smartphone's larger sibling Galaxy S9+ is expected to carry a higher price tag. To be honest, we are really surprised by this news. Almost all the 2018 flagships are likely more expensive than last year due to the increased purchase cost of components and exchange rate fluctuations. However, the real question is will customers be willing to pay so much for a phone? Especially for a price sensitive market like India where pricing plays a big role in buying decision. Guess, we will only know once the Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ get launched in India. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Just for Fun: Why Modi ignored AP in budget Why didnt Prime Minister Narendra Modi make any major allocations to Andhra Pradesh in the just presented Union budget in the Parliament? Here is a funny anecdote doing rounds in the social media circles on Monday. Just a day before the presentation of the Union budget in Lok Sabha, Modi convened a meeting of all important leaders including BJP president Amit Shah, finance minister Arun Jaitely, finance secretary and other officials of the finance department to discuss and finalise the budget proposals. After going through the budget documents, Modi said: This is fine. We are giving top priority to agriculture and rural development. I think it doesnt require any changes. Jaitely ji, you can go ahead with it. And he looked at Amit Shah and asked him: What do you say Shah ji? Shah replied: Yes of course. But Any problem? Please tell me, said Modi. Before Shah said anything, finance secretary intervened and told the Prime Minister: Sir, everything is okay. But we have not made any major allocations to Andhra Pradesh state, including for Polavaram, capital construction and railway zone etc. It may cause heart burn among the people of AP. He looked at Jaitely, but the finance minister turned to Modi indicating that Modi could take a decision. Modi smiled at everybody. Well, how can we allocate any funds to AP in the budget? In fact, we are planning to ask AP to grant us loans, he said, much to the amusement of the party leaders and officials in the meeting. He called his PA and asked him to bring something from his room. Within minutes, the PA brought a bundle of newspapers and dumped them on the table. They are different editions of Eenadu and Andhra Jyothy Telugu dailies. Modi, then, asked the PA to read out each paper. And he started reading the headlines: Rs 10 lakh crore investments from investors in Visakhapatnam partnership summit China to invest Rs 5 lakh crore in AP soon Flood of investments from Somalia, nearly Rs 8 lakh crore to flow in next two years Chandrababu Naidu firms up agreements at Davos to bring Rs 20 lakh crore investments into state Lokesh Naidu on investment mobilisation in US, likely to fetch Rs 5 lakh crore And from continent Mars, AP is going to get Stop, said Modi, even as all the others in the meeting were still in a state of shock with their mouths open like frogs in Discovery Channel. So, so far, how much money Andhra Pradesh has got by now? asked Modi. Sir, it is around Rs 50 lakh crore, said Jaitely, after making a quick calculation. What is our total budget outlay? Sir, it is Rs 25 lakh crore. So, it is just around half of the investments AP is getting from different countries. Then, what more can we give them? With those investments, they construct international standard capital, complete Polavaram. And with regard to special category status, it is given to poor states which have no resources. What can we give anything more to the state which was getting crores of rupees of investments, giving crores of jobs, setting up more than 60 IT companies and constructing the world-class capital city. Just tell me, what we can give to AP? Modi asked. Yes sir. We cant do anything, said all of them with one voice. So, finalise this budget without any changes, Modi said, before getting up from his chair indicating that the meeting is over. While going out of the chambers, the Prime Minister turned to Amit Shah and said: By the way, please call up Naidu ji and ask him to send Rs 10 lakh crore urgently. We need money as elections are fast approaching. Everybody was dumb-struck. Like our Andhra leaders, nobody dared to utter a word! Click Here for Latest Direct-to-OTT Releases (List Updates Daily) Naidu building up pressure group within NDA? Does Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu have a different strategy in not pulling out of the NDA immediately? Though his critics say the TDP is just enacting a drama with regard to continuing the alliance with the BJP because he is scared of cases, a section of analysts say Naidu is definitely unhappy with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for neglecting AP, but he is of the view that it would be politically disastrous for him if he withdraws from the NDA immediately. First, there is no immediate political benefit to Naidu if he comes out of the NDA because elections are still one more year to ago, unless they are advanced. Secondly, the Centre would tighten its screw on release of funds for Naidus projects like Polavaram and Amaravati (which would be released in different forms) by raising several queries and both the projects would come to a halt, causing immense damage to the TDPs electoral prospects. So, instead of launching a direct fight against the Centre, Naidu is planning to adopt an indirect strategy to bring pressure on the Centre for releasing funds. He is contemplating launching a pressure group within NDA by joining hands with the other allies of the BJP in other states. While Shiv Sena, the second biggest alliance partner in the NDA, already declared that it would go alone in the next assembly elections, Siromani Akali Dal in Punjab is also not happy with the BJP for the Centre ignoring Punjab in the budget. The Akali Dal, in fact, is apprehensive that the BJP is trying to grow independently in Punjab by kicking up Hindu sentiments among the Sikhs. In Bihar, too, chief minister Nitish Kumar of JD (U) faction is unhappy with Modi for going back on the promise of Rs 1.5 lakh crore special package announced before the last assembly elections. Similarly, in Jammu and Kashmir, BJP alliance partner PDP led by Mehbooba Mufti is also not happy with the Modi style of administration. If Naidu can galvanise the support of all these forces, he can bring pressure on Modi, since the BJP will have tough time in the next elections and the BJP definitely needs the support of allies, say analysts. Click Here for Latest Direct-to-OTT Releases (List Updates Daily) The Nokia 7 plus will be the first Nokia phone to have the new-standard 18:9 screen and that screen will stretch 6-inches across. The screen will sit underneath Gorilla Glass while the back of the Nokia 7 Plus will be made of aluminum and house a dual camera with Zeiss branding. The camera will offer 2x zoom thanks to a "wide" 12MP and "tele" 13MP snappers. The cameras will be bolstered by Nokia's Pro mode for fine shooting parameters control and will be able to capture "Bothies" with the aid of the front-facing snapper (said to be a 16MP one). Nokia 7 plus specs leak The Nokia 7 plus will also feature a dual-tone design thanks to a few gilded bits and pieces like the fingerprint scanner ring, the dual-camera casing and the Nokia logo on the back. The aluminum is said to have a Ceramic texture and feel, meaning it should be less slippery than plain aluminum. To complete the list of expected specs the Nokia 7 plus will be powered by a Snapdragon 660, as previously known, mated to 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage and a microSD slot. USB-C port with Quick Charging and Android Oreo out of the box are the other highlights. Source | Via 1 | 2 It is often asserted that the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 proved that HWA was right and he really did see the future. This of course is nonsense. Herbert W. Armstrong said that Christ would return within twenty years in his book Mystery of the Ages. (PCG has since deleted those words so someone in there knows HWA spoke nonsense.) How convenient for them to forget this. Also Herbert W. Armstrong never said the Soviet Union would collapse. He thought it would survive intact until a few years after Christ's return. It shows how biased some many in the COGs are that they never seem to notice this. This inconvenient truth is just tossed into the memory hole. It is true that HWA said that some Eastern European states would break away from Moscow's orbit and join the European Empire he said would arise at any moment. But he never talked of the Soviet Union collapsing. He did not teach that. Also he portrayed the rise of the European Empire to be far quicker then what has actually happened. In Mystery of the Ages Christ was supposed to return by 2005 at the most. So assertions that the fall of the Berlin Wall somehow prove that HWA was right is just complete nonsense spread by people who, for whatever reason, are still in denial that HWA was a false prophet who merely talked out of his own "human reasoning". Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news Login Sign Up Email Password Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password. Stay logged in Help By William Schwartz | Published on 2018/02/04 Soo-ah (played by Cho Yeo-jeong) is a senior prison chef. What this means is, that when condemned inmates request a last meal, she is the one who has to provide it. It's an aggressively pointless job that has been made even less purposeful by the political circumstances of the nineties, which have made the practical abolition of the death penalty virtually inevitable. But then, Soo-ah has never really understood the death penalty in the first place- as is noted here by the case of Min-joong (played by Ha Joon). Advertisement There's really good social commentary here, less about the death penalty itself, and more about how useless broad assumptions are when it comes to individual people. Everyone knows from the red tags condemned inmates are forced to wear that they are monstrous criminals of some sort. The word psychopath is frequently used by the prison guards to distinguish death row inmates from other kinds. But when we look at the actual behavior of the condemned inmates, they really aren't that different than anyone else. We're just encouraged to think of them that way because of the red tags. Consider Min-joong, with his creepy habit of taciturnity. It especially doesn't help how Min-joong tends to disappear and reappear out of nowhere. Yet Min-joong consistently comes off more as weird than dangerous, especially when contrasted with the more traditionally aggressive behavior of the normal prisoners. All the prisoners, both the condemned men and the regulars, come off as normal human beings with quirks rather than the monsters they are described as in dialog. The lack of clarity as to what crimes they've committed or whether they're actually guilty of them especially heightens this contrast. Are we dealing with serial killers here, or just political scapegoats? The difference becomes less meaningful the more we see of "Drama Stage - The Woman Who Makes the Last Meal" because the stories always end the same way- with a brutal, senseless death by hanging that takes just a little more out of Soo-ah's psyche. Like the opening title says, "Drama Stage - The Woman Who Makes the Last Meal" is less about any quintessentially South Korean experience when it comes to the death penalty and deals more with the ethical vagaries in general. People prefer to believe that their actions, especially radical ones like ending another human's life, have some sort of meaning. Even if Soo-ah finds that meaning at the end, we're still left wondering whether there was ever any real purpose to it. Review by William Schwartz "Drama Stage - The Woman Who Makes the Last Meal" is directed by Hwang Joon-hyeok, written by Park Joo-yun, and features Cho Yeo-jeong and Ha Joon. Havre Daily News staff The following Montana Tech students have been placed on the honor roll, deans list and Chancellors honor roll for the fall semester 2017 at Montana Tech in Butte. Students are listed by hometown. A full-time undergraduate student enrolling in and completing a minimum of 12 credits who earns a 3.25 GPA during the semester is listed on the semester honor roll. A student who earns a 4.0 GPA is placed on the chancellors honor roll. Those earning a 3.5 GPA will receive recognition for being listed on the deans list. Ashley N. Allderdice, Big Sandy honor roll and deans list Jacob J .Schuster, Big Sandy honor roll Derek T. Bell, Chinook honor roll Kane A. Gabrielsen honor roll Nathan A. Korb, Havre honor roll and deans list Sheena Lehnert, Havre honor roll Jacob A. Sedahl, Havre honor roll and deans list Kolby B. Sukut, Havre honor roll and deans list Sheridan S. Spicher, Hingham honor roll, deans list and chancellors list Justin T. May, Joplin honor roll. The candidacy of a Havre resident for the U.S. Senate seat took a new twist Friday when, apparently on his way out of town, William James Dean is alleged to have tried to pull his children out of school, leading the school to go under a lockdown. A letter to parents of students at St. Jude Thaddeus School posted on the school's Facebook page Friday says the school went into a lockdown at 2:25 p.m. Friday and decided to dismiss early due to a custody issue, although at no time was the individual in question in the school. Havre Police Chief Gabe Matosich confirmed this morning that officers responded to a call from the school Friday and escorted William James Dean off the premises, telling him he needed to make an appointment with the school administration to see his children. Matosich said the incident report with details was not available at that time. He had not called back with additional information by printing deadline this morning. The administration of St. Jude Thaddeus School - which opened two hours late today due to the weekend winter storm - had not by printing deadline this morning returned a call asking for more information. The incident comes with a court hearing pending on a charge of contempt of court Dean faces for allegedly not making child support payments. Dean said Friday in an interview that he believes a minor relative of his was raped. He said the reason he and Sarah Dean moved to Havre in August was to "figure out what was going on and search for answers" about concerns they had with where he children. James Dean said that in October - he and Sarah Dean filed as Senate candidates on opposite sides of the ticket for the same seat with the Federal Election Commission Sept. 25 - his daughter said she had been raped. Oct 27, he requested a temporary order of protection. Havre Daily News/File photo James Dean Holly Frederickson, acting justice of the peace in the case, denied the request, saying testimony by a Havre police officer who interviewed the girl "yielded no allegations against the (person accused)" and that testimony by two Child and Protective Services employees showed the minor children were in a safe situation in the household. Dean appealed, and Nov. 2 state District Judge Daniel Boucher denied the appeal, writing that he reviewed the audio file and written record and found no reason to change Frederickson's ruling. Dean said Friday that the incident is two years old - he said he and Sarah Dean first had the impression that something was wrong while the children were visiting him in California - and that the truth would come out in cross-examination. -- Alex Ross contributed to this story. A cafe in the south of Melbourne has paid back some workers almost $10,000 after an audit conducted by the Fair Work Ombudsman found it had been underpaying employees as young as 18 years old. Degani Bakery Cafe underpaid 15 workers, who were engaged as waiters or cooks in its Mornington outlet, by $9,375 between September and November 2016. The group included juniors under 21 and five others aged 25 or younger. The Fair Work Ombudsman made the discovery after an audit that involved 14 Degani cafes. The audits were prompted by employee enquiries and intelligence that indicated some branches were not meeting their obligations. The cafe paid flat rates of $18 to $21 an hour to its casual employees even as they were entitled to higher wages under the Restaurant Industry Award 2010. The worker with the largest underpayment of $1,318, for example, was given a flat hourly rate of $20 despite being entitled to base rates including casual loading of $23.64, weekend rates of up to $28.37 and $47.28 on public holidays. Degani also failed to provide unpaid meal breaks for employees who worked more than five hours, roster part-time employees for at least three consecutive hours and pay annual leave loading. But the Mornington outlets operators Kerry Marie Rowson and her company, [email protected], fully cooperated with Fair Work inspectors after failing to correctly apply advice about annualised rates from a workplace relations advisory firm. Under an Enforceable Undertaking they entered into with the Fair Work Ombudsman, Rowson and her company agreed to back-pay the workers in full and overhaul their business practices. It will also apologise to workers and display notices in the workplace and on its website detailing the breaches it had committed. The EU also entails: A new USC Stem Cell study, published in Nature Medicine, describes how a gene mutation led to toxicity in nerve cells, causing many cases of ALS and a certain type of dementia. In the study, Yingxiao TK Shi and Shaoyu Sebastian Lin describe how a mutation in a gene, called C9ORF72, leads to toxicity in nerve cells causing 10 percent of all cases of ALS and an additional 10 percent of frontotemporal dementia. To understand how this happens, the researchers extracted blood from ALS patients carrying the C9ORF72 mutation and reprogrammed these blood cells into the motor nerve cells that degenerate and die in the disease. They also extracted blood from healthy patients, reprogrammed these blood cells into motor nerve cells and used gene editing to delete the C9ORF72 gene. Whether patient-derived or gene-edited, all motor nerve cells with the mutation had reduced amounts of the protein normally made by the C9ORF72 gene. Furthermore, by adding supplemental C9ORF72 protein, the researchers could stop the motor nerve cells from degenerating. Breaking down proteins Through a series of experiments, the researchers revealed that the motor nerve cells use C9ORF72 protein to build lysosomes cellular compartments used to engulf and break down toxic proteins and other garbage. Without enough lysosomes, the cells accumulate garbage, which eventually kills them. Guided by these discoveries, the Justin Ichida Lab is now using patient-derived motor nerve cells to test thousands of potential drugs with a focus on those that affect lysosomes cellular compartments used to engulf and break down toxic proteins and other garbage. By understanding the role of lysosomes in ALS and frontotemporal dementia, we can better target our search for new drugs or therapies to treat these devastating diseases, said Ichida, an assistant professor of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine at USC, and a New York Stem Cell Foundation-Robertson Investigator. His lab served as the site for the research. Co-authors include Kim Staats, Yichen Li, Wen-Hsuan Chang, Shu-Ting Hung, Eric Hendricks, Gabriel Linares, Yaoming Wang, Brent Wilkinson, Louise Menendez, Toru Sugawara, Phillip Woolwine, Mickey Huang, Michael J. Cowan, Brandon Ge, Nicole Koutsodendris, K. Perry Sandor, Jacob Komberg, Valerie Hennes, Marcelo Coba and Berislav Z. Zlokovic from USC; Esther Y. Son from Stanford University; Xinmei Wen and Davide Trotti from Thomas Jefferson University; Kassandra Kisler and Amy R. Nelson from USC and Thomas Jefferson University; Vamshidhar Vangoor, Ketharini Senthilkumar, Leonard H. van den Berg, and R. Jeroen Pasterkamp from the University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands; Tze-Yuan Cheng and Shih-Jong J. Lee from DRVision Technologies; Paul August from Icagen Corporation; Jason A. Chen, Nicholas Wisniewski, Victor Hanson-Smith, T. Grant Belgard and Alice Zhang from Verge Genomics; and Chris Grunseich and Michael Ward from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Ichida and August are co-founders of Acurastem Inc. Seventy-five percent of the research was supported by $6 million of U.S. federal funding from the National Institutes of Health (AG039452, AG023084, NS034467, R00NS077435 and R01NS097850) and the Department of Defense (W81XWH-15-1-0187). Twenty-five percent of the work was supported by $2 million from private and non-U.S. sources, including the ALS Foundation Netherlands (TOTALS), Epilepsiefonds (12-08, and 15-05), VICI grant Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, the Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation, the Tau Consortium, the Frick Foundation for ALS Research, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the New York Stem Cell Foundation, the Regenerative Medicine Initiative at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, the USC Broad Innovation Award and the Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Staats received support from a Muscular Dystrophy Association Development Grant, Menendez from an NIH training grant (T32DC009975-04) and Son from a Walter V. and Idun Berry Postdoctoral Fellowship. University of Southern California A UCL-led team has developed a cognitive test to detect subtle memory deficits years before Alzheimers disease symptoms develop, set out in a new paper published in The Lancet Neurology. The study involved 21 people who carry the mutation for early onset Alzheimers disease who have not shown any symptoms based on standard cognitive tests, alongside 14 controls. On average the study participants were seven years away from predicted onset of symptomatic disease. The participants underwent a memory test with 30-minute recall, and were then checked seven days later to see if they still remembered. The authors found that people who were closest to the expected onset of symptoms could remember things after 30 minutes but then had forgotten things after seven days. The researchers say their findings demonstrate that memory formation wasnt the issue, so typical tests wouldnt identify any problems. Its really a case of accelerated forgetting. Many people have a feeling that something is going wrong with their memory, but when they take the current test, it doesnt show anything 30 minutes isnt really enough time. The people who carried the mutation and are at an early stage of the disease did no worse at 30 minutes but at seven days they were quite a lot worse. The difference was really quite remarkable, senior author Professor Nick Fox (UCL Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology), told The Telegraph. The researchers found a correlation between long-term forgetting and subjective memory complaints. They say this could be the earliest test to detect changes in someones cognition that lead to Alzheimers disease. The studys first author, Dr Philip Weston (UCL Dementia Research Centre), said: The study would appear to significantly advance our knowledge of the earliest cognitive changes in Alzheimers, and offers a new useful approach to testing people both in drug trials and in the clinic. They say their study advances the scientific understanding of how exactly memory losses begin, as the researchers say this kind of long-term forgetting seems to start quite early. While the study was only done in people who carry the mutation for autosomal dominant Alzheimers disease, alongside healthy controls, the researchers are hopeful that their findings would also be relevant to later-onset (sporadic) Alzheimers disease, as the disease progression is understood to be very similar. The early test could help identify people for early clinical trials, in addition to helping monitor whether a treatment is working. The study involved researchers at UCL, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the University of Oxford and the University of Exeter, and was funded by the Medical Research Council, the National Institute for Health Research, Alzheimers Research UK, Dementias Platform UK, Dunhill Medical Trust, Epilepsy Research UK, Great Western Research, Health Foundation and the Patrick Berthoud Trust. Links Image Histopathogic image of senile plaques of amyloid beta seen in the cerebral cortex in a patient with Alzheimers disease of presenile onset. (Credit: KGH, Source: Wikimedia Commons) University College London Intensive, home-based and effective treatment of postnatal depression has been shown to be associated with positive child development. Postnatal depression is a common experience for women after the birth of a baby, affecting at least 1 in 10 mothers in the UK. For some mothers feeling low may last for a relatively short period of time, whereas others can experience symptoms for many months. Postnatal depression can be associated with negative effects on the child and the risks are increased when the depression persists. Previous research suggests that treating maternal depression alone may not be sufficient to mitigate any possible effects on childrens development. A team of researchers at the University of Oxfords Department of Psychiatry, led by Alan Stein, conducted a randomised controlled treatment trial for women experiencing persistent depression in the postnatal period. The aim was to test whether combining a psychological treatment for depression with an intervention specifically focussed on supporting parenting would enhance aspects of childrens development. Thus, all women were provided with evidence-based cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for depression. Half of the women also received a video-feedback intervention to support the mothers interaction with their infants; while the other half received progressive muscle relaxation (a treatment for general stress which acted as a control). All treatment was provided by clinical psychologists in the family home. In total 144 mothers and their children were enrolled into the study, with 72 mother-child pairs in each group. Therapy was delivered when the children were aged between 5-12 months. There were 11 therapy sessions before child age one year, followed by two booster sessions in the second year of life. The results, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, show that following the intervention mothers in both groups had high levels of remission, with over 80 % no longer being clinically depressed at the end of treatment at one year; and these levels of remission were sustained at the final assessment when the children were two years of age. Childrens development was assessed when they were two years old. There were no differences between the two groups and all aspects of their development were as expected for children of this age, including cognitive and language development, behaviour and attachment. The finding of these positive developmental outcomes for children suggest that if mothers get the help they need for their persistent depression it is important in promoting their childrens development. The researchers believe four aspects of the treatment were key in effectively reducing depression: 1. The therapy being home-based, which meant families did not need to travel anywhere or arrange childcare for either their baby or any older children. 2. Having the CBT content focused on issues of direct relevance to a mother with a young baby. 3. The duration and frequency of the home visits. 4. Having the extra visits (boosters) some time after the end of the main therapy sessions, which provided a useful reminder of strategies and techniques. Professor Alan Stein of Oxfords Department of Psychiatry, said: The findings of this study suggest that treatment of postnatal depression, even when persistent, can be effective in the majority of cases; and that such treatment is associated with good child outcomes. Given that evidence-based treatments are available, the provision of these treatments should be a high public health priority and consideration should be given to providing them at home. The full paper, Mitigating the effect of persistent postnatal depression on child outcomes through an intervention to treat depression and improve parenting: a randomised controlled trial, can be read in The Lancet Psychiatry. Rita, Christy and John Whelan at the grave of their brother Liam, who died in the Munich Air Disaster Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern has attended a special ceremony to remember Manchester United player Liam Whelan on the 60th anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster. The Cabra man was among eight 'Busby Babes' who died in the fateful plane crash on February 6, 1958. In all, 23 people died when the plane tried to take off in the snow. Prayers and poems were read out at Whelan's graveside in Glasnevin Cemetery yesterday morning. Among those attending the intimate ceremony were members of Whelan's family, including his brothers, Christy and John, and sister Rita. The family stood for a photograph as they held aloft a T-shirt emblazoned with the old club crest and the words Flowers Of Manchester. The club sent representatives to the wreath-laying ceremony. Respects Club academy operations manager Nick Cox and education officer Dave Bushell paid their respects. Similar events are being held across the UK for the seven other 'Busby Babes'. The disaster happened as the team were travelling back from Belgrade after a European Cup tie. The plane stopped off in Munich to refuel. However, in heavy snow and a slush-covered runway, British European Airways Flight 609 twice failed to take off. On the third attempt, the plane crashed. Twenty of the 44 on board died at the scene. Conor McGregor turned up with the rest of the clan to show support for Erin MMA champion Conor McGregor is not used to sitting ringside. However, last night the champion fighter and his partner Dee Devlin jetted in from New York to Ardmore to cheer on his elder sister Erin in Dancing With The Stars. The mum-of-two was delighted to have The Notorious and Co in the crowd. "It's amazing having such a great support system - whether he is here or not here, he is still behind me 100pc," she said. Sadly, Conor didn't hang about too long after the dance contest - probably all that jet lag. However, he did tell reporters, "I am so proud of her" as he darted out the doors. Last night, Maia Dunphy became the third contestant to waltz off the show. JUDGES "I am very disappointed," she said afterwards. "Of course I am." Many viewers felt the judges were unduly harsh in their marking of Maia's routine. "I don't like starting conspiracy theories and you don't want to be a bad loser," Maia said. "But Twitter was ablaze with it. When you work hard, it is a knock but it is nice that people think we were harshly scored. "People say you have to be more confident, but if someone is giving you low scores and criticising you, it chips away at your confidence." Maia thinks the rural vote may have been the reason for her departure. "There's a tribal element to it... regional audiences tend to support their own slightly more, but it sounds like I'm a sore loser." Asked if she would keep dancing, she replied: "Maybe in my kitchen". Star of the night was a shirtless Jake Carter, who did a contemporary ballroom to Sign of the Times, by Harry Styles, which received a standing ovation. Marty Morrissey was hoping to edge out of the relegation zone with an energetic Charleston. Sadly, it wasn't to be and he was bottom of the leader board for the third week running. "Could we simplify things?" judge Loraine Barry said afterwards, while Julien Benson recommended Marty downing a few "double espressos to get your feet moving". Thankfully for voters, everyone's favourite dancers - Marty and comedian Bernard O'Shea - sailed through the eliminations unscathed. A father-of-one who stole cash from a parking meter had known a "little trick" to release the money, a court has heard. Ioan Bibart (31) was in financial hardship when he took 63 from the meter on a south Dublin street. Judge Anthony Halpin fined him 99, adding that the cost of parking was "unbelievable". Bibart, of The Paddocks Square, Lucan, pleaded guilty to theft. Dublin District Court heard he was caught on CCTV footage taken at Ailesbury Road, Ballsbridge, last May 30. At 5.20am, he was seen interfering with a parking meter, removing 63.10 from it. The cash was never recovered. The court heard that Bibart, who had nine previous convictions, was fully co-operative with gardai. Stable Bibart had been working since he came to Ireland from Romania in his mid-20s, his solicitor Tony Collier said. He had been in full-time employment for most of that time, was in a stable relationship and was supporting his child. However, at the time of the theft, he found himself in financial hardship and "knows a little trick how to release this money," Mr Collier said. Judge Halpin said: "He has an angle on this." Bibart had kept out of trouble, but resorted to this "trick" and regretted his actions, Mr Collier added. Judge Halpin said the cost of on-street parking was 4 an hour and was "unbelievable". "But it still doesn't make it right. You can't do that, it's wrong," he added. Mr Collier agreed that the parking cost was "extortionate", but the accused accepted his actions were wrong. The judge said not many people would park on the street in question. He gave the accused six months to pay the fine. A "standard" daily rate of 1.70 now applies, but this can be increased to rate of 2.20 if a prisoner is compliant, or reduced to 95c if they misbehave. Stock photo: PA Archive Nearly 2.6m of taxpayers' cash was doled out to prisoners as pocket money last year, new figures have revealed. Inmates received a "daily gratuity" from the Irish Prison Service (IPS), which can be used to buy confectionery, cigarettes or computer games. Nearly 30m has been given to prisoners under the taxpayer-funded scheme since 2009. Behaviour However, an increase in the number of prisoners on a reduced rate of gratuity as a result of bad behaviour contributed to the total cost of the scheme falling by almost 340,000 last year compared with 2016. Before 2012, all inmates were entitled to a flat-rate gratuity of 2.35 per day. An incentivised regime was then introduced, allowing pocket money to be increased or reduced depending on behaviour. A "standard" daily rate of 1.70 now applies, but this can be increased to rate of 2.20 if a prisoner is compliant, or reduced to 95c if they misbehave. Records released under the Freedom of Information Act show the proportion of prisoners on the punitive basic rate increased from 7pc to 9pc last year, while 45pc and 46pc of inmates were paid the standard and enhanced rates respectively. In addition to receiving a daily allowance, inmates can earn additional pocket money by mucking in with chores, including painting, cleaning, cooking, grounds maintenance, laundry and waste management. Prisoners can spend the cash on discretionary items such as toiletries and tobacco from the tuck shop, as well as paying for television rental or other services offered by the IPS. The money can also be saved until a prisoner is released. Inmates at Shelton Abbey in Co Wicklow, who were given 72,352 last year, can also spend their money on the high street as the institution is an open prison. Detainees can also apply for interest-free loans from the prison, and repay the borrowing using their daily gratuities. Killers A total of 500,000 was loaned to prisoners between 2014 and 2016 for a wide variety of purposes including the purchase of games consoles and stereos. Last year, the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise, which houses notorious killers Graham Dwyer and Mark Nash, paid the highest amount of pocket money to inmates through the gratuity schemes at 570,470. This was followed by 396,328 paid by Mountjoy Prison and 310,487 by Wheatfield. The total paid to prisoners under the gratuity scheme last year was 2,596,018. The drinks industry has warned that the new Public Health-Alcohol Bill could undermine surging Irish drinks exports, result in lower visitor numbers to distillery heritage centres and even prevent the entry of new boutique spirit manufacturers to the sector. The warning came as the proposed new legislation was defended by public health campaigners, with Alcohol Action Ireland warning that the priority of the drinks industry was to sell alcohol and not to safeguard public health. Damaging However, the Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI), the representative body of alcohol manufacturers, warned that the unintended consequences of the new regulations could prove hugely damaging to the drinks industry. ABFI cited two expert reports by DKM and Power Consultants as highlighting the potential consequences for the industry of alcohol advertising bans and tough new labelling controls that include a cancer warning. The Irish drinks industry exported goods valued at 1.2bn last year and employs more than 90,000 people directly and indirectly. The drinks industry warned that a ban on alcohol-related advertising could hit every- thing from drinks exports to tourist numbers visiting Ireland's growing number of whiskey heritage centres. The DKM report warned that the new regulations could even prevent Ireland being used as a 'test bed' for new drinks products. However, Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI) hit out at the claims. "We believe the bottom line remains the same - there is an irreconcilable conflict between those who wish to protect public health from alcohol harms and those who seek to guard pecuniary interests selling alcohol," said AAI director Eunan McKinney. He added that Failte Ireland surveys have found tourists visit Ireland for the people, scenery and historical culture, with industrial distilleries not mentioned in the first 13 most important visitor-influence factors. Impact Carlow Brewing Company boss Seamus O'Hara said the new measures will have a significant impact. "The proposed changes to labelling would be damaging for craft breweries like ours," he said. "On the one hand, the Government has identified the craft beer sector as a major driver of future growth, and yet on the other hand it wants to brand our products with a cancer warning label. "No other country in the world has mandatory cancer labels on alcohol products, and we believe such a measure applies a stigma to products produced in Ireland." For Subscribers It's Defenders Day in Maryland. Do you know why? It's Defenders Day in Maryland, a state holiday that commemorates the military actions that led to the composition of our national anthem. The central committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) recently voted against party general secretary Sitaram Yechurys proposal of having a pre-poll alliance with the Congress. Yechurys predecessor Prakash Karat and the Kerala faction of the party led the charge against this line. Many believe that the Karat camp is being obdurate in preventing opposition unity against the BJP. The CPI(M)s recent political history does not support such arguments. The question of having a pre-poll alliance with the Congress has never arisen in the CPI(M), including in 2004 when a BJP government was in power. The year 2004 was the best electoral performance of the CPI(M)-led Left parties. The bulk of their seats came from the stronghold states of West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura. The Congress was the CPI(M)s main opposition in Kerala and Tripura. In West Bengal, the Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC) were the main opposition in the northern and southern parts of the state. The CPI(M) provided outside support to the Congress-led UPA government in 2004 on the basis of a Common Minimum Programme without much debate. The Karat camp seems to be arguing for a replication of these tactics which yielded the best result for the CPI(M) in its electoral history. Why is there even a debate on the issue? The answer lies in the radical change in the CPI(M)s position in West Bengal. From 35 out of 42 Lok Sabha (LS) seats in 2004, the CPI(M)-led Left front has come down to two Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 elections. A 20 percentage point fall in vote share is responsible for this. The TMC has established itself as the dominant party after 2014, winning 34 LS seats with a 40% vote share. Having lost ground, the CPI(M)s West Bengal leadership is not averse to ceding political space to the Congress in order to arrive at a pre-poll alliance. The Kerala party does not want to trade winnable seats and fritter away its political credibility by allying with the main opposition party. To be sure, the pro-Congress line could be justified if it helps the CPI(M) regain its lost clout in West Bengal. But neither logic, nor history supports such an argument. If the idea behind a pre-poll alliance with the Congress is to build the widest possible front against the BJP in 2019, why should it exclude the TMC in West Bengal? After all, the TMC is the strongest party which can challenge the BJP. There are good reasons to believe that the Congress might explore this option. Five Congress MLAs have joined the TMC after the 2016 assembly elections. Not going with the TMC can increase these desertions. Would the CPI(M) agree to join such an alliance as the number three partner? Any blank cheque for a pre-poll alliance with the Congress in West Bengal requires that this question is answered transparently. So far, the CPI(M) leadership has been equating the TMC with the BJP. Even a CPI(M)-Congress alliance does not look very promising. The CPI(M)-led Left front and the Congress contested together in the 2016 assembly elections. The Congress did not trade its seats in areas where it was stronger, while the CPI(M) gave away winnable seats to forge the alliance. As a result, the CPI(M) ended up losing the leader of oppositions post to the Congress. Why is the West Bengal party arguing for this alliance then? The TMC got its first major break in the 2009 LS elections when it had an alliance with the Congress. The West Bengal comrades blamed the Lefts withdrawal of support from the UPA government over the Indo-US nuclear deal for the opposition unity which did them in. This gave them a useful alibi to sidetrack questions on discontent among the peasantry the partys biggest support base in the aftermath of the land acquisition related protests in Singur and police firing on farmers in Nandigram. If the coming together of the Congress and TMC was the reason for the CPI(M)s defeat, it should have bounced back to power in 2016 when it contested with the Congress against an isolated TMC. None of that has happened. The CPI(M)s West Bengal leadership has been acting like the proverbial drunkard who searches for his keys under the lamppost of instead of the park, because that is where the light is. It is wrong politics which led to the erosion of its class-based support, and not election arithmetic which is the source of the CPI(M)s problems in West Bengal. It would be interesting to see whether the forthcoming party congress can change this. Self-sufficiency was nothing short of a dream for Suresh Yadav, a visually impaired resident of Vidisha, until he was informed about a special skill development programme tailored for people like him. Yadav was told that enrolling in the Computer Operator and Programming Assistance (COPA) trade course at the Industrial Training Institute-Bhopal would provide him with all the skills required to turn his life around. An optimistic Yadav made a two-hour-long trip to Bhopal and joined the COPA trade course. He assured his family that when he returns, it will be as an expert in cyber technology. However, it didnt take long for Yadavs dreams to come crashing down. Yadav did not even touch a computer in the eight months that followed. When the authorities finally arranged for a customised desktop, he could not learn anything in the absence of a qualified teacher. They awarded him with a degree in State Council on Vocational Training (SCVT) last year, but it remains a meaningless document in the absence of any practical knowledge on the subject. Like Yadav, there are over 200 visually challenged students who joined industrial training institutes (ITIs) to secure their future but ended up feeling shortchanged. They now possess degrees in SCVT as well as NCVT (short for National Council on Vocational Training), but it amounts to nothing in the absence of any practical knowledge on the subject. COPA trade course introduced for skill development In 2016, the Madhya Pradesh Social Justice department introduced the COPA trade course in four different ITIs across the state Bhopal, Ujjain, Jabalpur and Rewa to ensure skill development of youngsters. However, in the absence of proper infrastructure and trained teachers, the students learn precious little during their time there remaining unqualified for a job. Premlata Rahangle, head of COPA trade at ITI Bhopal, admitted that the course was introduced in circumstances nonconducive for any meaningful training. We did not even have computers with screen-reader software such as JAWS and NVDA. So, we only imparted theoretical knowledge to the students to help them clear the exam, Rahangle said. The students, quite understandably, feel cheated. The department mocked our condition by teaching us theory. Even the teachers here werent qualified to train us, said Shyam Vishwakarma, a 32-year-old student at IIT-Rewa. The teachers blame the administration for the sad state of affairs. The infrastructure has improved but software glitches remain. The syllabus also needs to be changed. When we brought this to the authorities notice, they asked us to continue teaching theory, said Reena Gupta Mathur, a training officer. The officials concerned are busy passing the buck to each other. We are trying to fix things at our end, but the onus lies the social justice department (which runs the course), said state skill development department director Sanjeev Singh. Social justice department principal secretary Ashok Shah, for his part, accused the skill development department of not appointing qualified teachers. Its not been long when many Indian states saw violent protests against director Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Padmaavat. The film was accused of distorting the historical facts by the protesting groups. Now, another period film has started facing a similar opposition. Bollywood actor Kangana Ranauts Manikarnika is drawing opposition in Rajasthan on a similar ground. The film is based on the nineteenth-century queen of Jhansi, Laxmi Bai, a prominent figure in Indian modern history. Addressing a press conference in Jaipur on Monday, Suresh Mishra, the president of the Sarva Brahman Mahasabha (SBM) alleged that the film Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi distorts history regarding Laxmi Bai and depicts a love affair between her and a British man. We learnt about it from our friends and acquaintances in various parts of Rajasthan where some scenes of the film are being shot. The film is based on a foreigners book and tries to dampen the queens reputation, said Mishra. He added that he sent letters to the film producer Kamal Jain enquiring about the writers of the film, profile of the historian consulted and details of songs in the film, if there are any. However, he did not receive any response from the producer which produces that his intentions are not good, alleged Mishra. Producer Kamal Jain told Hindustan Times that The film shows Rani Laxmibai in a respectful manner. We have taken care about portraying her including consulting historians and scholars in Jhansi. She was a freedom fighter and one of the most respected leader our country has seen. She is a symbol of valour in our country. The films story depicts the same. The film doesnt portray anything objectionable about her. There is no love affair depicted in the film and there is no distortion of history in anyway. It pains me to hear these statements about one of the greatest leaders India has seen. Is this what independence means? We are making a film which depicts the real story of Rani Laxmibai. Having said that, we are open and willing to show the script (to people who might have doubts). We have nothing to hide. We are proud to be making a film and want the world to see one of the greatest leaders of India. This film is a tribute to Rani Laxmibai. Laxmi Bai was a Brahmin and therefore the organisation and community have queries as the film is related with Brahmin sentiments and emotions, the letter to the producer from the organisation read. Nobody can even imagine that Maharani Laxmi Bai could have an affair. She died fighting the British at a young age. If a film is to be made on her life, it should be a biopic, said Mishra, adding that the organisation is opposed to distorted portrayal of historical figures for commercial motives. He also urged the state government to obtain an affidavit from the producers that no distortion of history should take place in the film. If the same had been done in the case of Padmaavat, there would have been no issue at all, he said. Indian customers will have the first right over the assets of foreign banks operating in India in case of bankruptcy or any resolution action, the department of economic affairs under the finance ministry has indicated to a parliamentary panel. This system will be a part of the contentious Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill 2017, which is under scrutiny by a joint House panel. The panel is expected to submit its report by the end of the budget session. At a meeting of the panel, the department clarified that in case of any resolution action on the parent company in a foreign country, Indian customers will have the first right over the assets of the local arm. The creditors of the specified service providers in India shall have first charge on the assets of the specified service provider for the purpose of resolution or liquidation under the bill, said a ministry note. The department of economic affairs has further clarified that the resolution of the Indian branches will be done in accordance to the bill and not be subjected to provisions of the foreign resolution plan. It empowers the appropriate regulator to initiate resolution against a branch office of a corporate body incorporated outside India, the note further said. Experts say this is an effort to ringfence Indian depositors. This provision in the bill will ringfence Indian depositors against risks , said Kuntal Sur, partner and head of financial services risk at PwC India. He added that currently there is no law that prevents foreign financial firms from repatriating some of the funds, unless the Indian branch has been structured as a wholly owned subsidiary of the parent company. According to RBI records, there are currently 43 foreign banks operating in India through their branches. The list includes Citibank, Standard Chartered, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, American Express Banking Corp and Barclays Bank Plc. RBI data also shows the combined loans by these banks stood at Rs 3.42 trillion during 2016-17. The resolution corporation is a new entity whose creation has been proposed by the bill which the government is keen on legislating. The bill envisages the corporation taking over some of the responsibilities of the RBI that have to do with the resolution process when a bank collapses. The body will also have jurisdiction over Indian branches of all foreign financial firms operating in the country. Such bank offices may be classified in the category of critical risk to viability by the appropriate regulator, and resolved in accordance with the provisions of the bill, said a note of the finance ministry submitted to Parliaments joint committee reviewing the bill that has been seen by Hindustan Times. The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the bidding process under Jaypee Infratech Ltds resolution process that was initiated to raise money for completion of the developers delayed projects as part of its debt resolution process. The bidding process will continue before the interim resolution professional (IRP), said Chief Justice Dipak Misra. Jaypee Infratech is among the 12 companies against whom the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), through its 13 June directive, had asked banks to file insolvency petitions. Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL), the parent company of Jaypee Infratech, told the court that it had deposited Rs550 crore against its total liability of Rs2,000 crore that it was required to furnish under a September order to protect the interest of home buyers. Amicus curiae (friend of the court) Pawan Shree Agrawal also told the court that claims of approximately Rs1,150 crore had been received on the online portal where home buyers could submit their claims for refund or possession. On 22 November, the court had restrained independent directors and promoters of JAL and their family members from transferring any personal assets or property without the courts permission to safeguard home buyers interests. They will be held for criminal prosecution or contempt of court if found in violation of the order, the court held. The court was hearing an application filed in a public interest litigation by Delhi resident Chitra Sharma, who has booked a home in a Jaypee Infratech project. On 4 September, the apex court had stayed an order passed in August by the Allahabad bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), which initiated insolvency proceedings against Jaypee Infratech. A day later, IDBI Bank Ltd approached the court, seeking restoration of insolvency proceedings against Jaypee Infratech. The case will be heard next on 12 February. The country is in the middle of an agrarian crisis as we have been silently watching the plight of millions of farmers worsening by the day for nearly 20 years, senior journalist and author P Sainath said on Monday. Sainath, who was speaking on the first day of two-day International Conference on Governance for the Margins (in context of South Asia) organised by the Institute of Development and Communication (IDC), said the government is preparing to get out of the procurement process. The real crisis is that we are not ready to accept that we are in the middle of an agrarian crisis, he observed. Referring to Union finance minister Arun Jaitleys budget announcement of giving 1.5 times the input cost to farmers, he said, The scheme is neither practical nor effective. The current crisis is not just a crisis of water, electricity, land but a measure of the loss of humanity. He pointed out that in the 1960s and 1970s, the struggle for justice included even those who were not suffering and the state played an umpires role but it is not even pretending to be one today. Citing the Forbes magazines listing that says that the number of Indian billionaires has gone up from zero in 1992 to 101 in 2017, he said India has registered the highest rate of growth in terms of inequality in the world. While we grew in terms of number of billionaires, look at what happened to the rest of the country, he said. Later, he talked about disconnect between media and journalism at the Chandigarh Press Club. Today, the media is politically free, but imprisoned by profit, he said. Yesterdays media monopolies have now become a part of todays conglomerates, he said adding that this was the reality, both at national and global level. Many journalists have lost their jobs because their writings offended the powers that be, Sainath said. He said, the line between business interests and media houses working for each other has blurred as the corporate media house owners are among the biggest beneficiaries of any privatisation undertaken by the government.The media industry has been reduced to a bargaining chip, he said. Political families have entered media and its related businesses. There are no two ways about it, he added. 69% population gets less than 1% space Sainath said that analysis have shown that the main stream media devotes less than 1% (.67%) of the front-page space to issues of the deprived sections, even as they form 69% of the population. In TV, he said, sponsors dictate content, further sharpening the divide between media and journalism. Over the years, there has been a significant overlap between the media industry and the public relations (PR) industry, which has become a challenge for all the right-thinking practitioners. The print media deserves a clear and hard-headed look, he said. Use internet, dont romanticise it The problem with the internet is that it guarantees you a voice, but it does not guarantee that you will be heard, he said. The biggest and nastiest monopolies in history are digital monopolies and they have one thing that no other monopoly has, your data, he said, adding, Use the net, dont romanticise it. Journalism, for me, still remains, one profession that draws people out on the basis of ideals; you are an idiot, if you think you can make money as a reporter, he said. The future model of good journalism has to be scribes working around limitations and following idealistic journalistic practices.There has to be no government funding or corporate money involved, he said. I read this somewhere in my youth: Zinda kaumen paanch saal intzaar nahin karti (Live communities do not wait for five years). Back then, India was approaching the 25th anniversary of its independence and Ram Manohar Lohia, the proponent of this idea, believed that the Congress, a victim of dynastic rule, was wasting the nations time. Lohia and his followers were not alone. The fires of dissatisfaction were reaching other sections of society too. The seeds of rebellion were sowed in Naxalbari, resulting in what later came to known as the Naxalite movement. Since then, advocates of the bloody Maoist revolution, born out of the womb of Naxalism, have been fighting a losing battle against the state (any state) to usher in a revolution through the barrel of the gun. Around the same time, the Dalits, backward classes, and all oppressed and exploited communities have tried to escape the clutches of poverty. The formation of a non-Congress government in eight states in 1967 was the by-product of this tussle. In this period, there were many occasions when the Centre and states disagreed on ideological lines but they fought the nations internal and external threats as one. Despite domestic conflicts, India was able to divide Pakistan into two. All parties did their bit to fight the Maoist rebellion. To douse the fires of terrorism in the Northeast and Punjab, not just national but even regional parties played an equal part. It is a tale of a nation turning into a sovereign state. But why have I chosen today to recount all this? Let me explain. Speculation is rife in a nation progressing towards its diamond jubilee that we should get freedom from elections which are held every few months. President Ram Nath Kovind gave this idea his stamp of approval by mentioning it during his address to Parliament. Before this, the prime minister, while speaking to a news channel, expressed a similar desire. When the interviewer asked him, How will you manage to do it? Modi replied: Not just me alone, we will do it by taking everybody along. Clearly, the government has cast the die for simultaneous elections. But is this change necessary? Let us first consider those who are in its favour. The government believes simultaneous elections can help save precious time and resources spent when polls are held every few months. Governments in the Centre and the states can assume power with a vision for five years so that the wheels of development can turn quickly. It so happens that elections are due in eight states this year. Elections to the Lok Sabha are slated to be held in the first half of next year. Soon after, the festival of democracy is likely to be celebrated in another seven states. Clearly, with some negotiation and persuasion, before the end of 2018, early elections can be organised for the Lok Sabha and assemblies in 15-16 states. Those who oppose this idea believe that the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh favour a Presidential form of governance and want to inch closer to it through this excuse. Simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and assemblies are just the first step, they argue. They remind you that all these questions were discussed when the Constitution came into force, but the creators of the Constitution went in for the Westminster model after great deliberation. Over the past 70 years the model has dispelled all doubts and question marks. It is the ideal model for a country where the dialect changes every few miles. Opposition parties also believe that if the BJP succeeds in getting the proposal implemented, the party, which has been winning elections in one state after another, may manage to wrest new states apart from retaining power at the Centre. However, there are many examples of simultaneous elections where the voters elected different candidates or political formations at the Centre and states. Consider this carefully. Over the past 50 years, even as voters tested new horizons to examine the worth of their vote, those who assumed power have set new records in corruption. As a result, three former chief ministers are in jail on charges of corruption. Nobody could have imagined that Lohias cry for change would meet such a sad fate. Shouldnt such people be charged with the infanticide of the dreams of communities? I wouldnt hesitate to say this: irrespective of when and how elections are conducted, if they dont facilitate the election of suitable candidates, our dreams will continue to be shattered. The fault lies in the elected representatives, and those who elect them -- not in the method of choosing them. Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief Hindustan letters@hindustantimes.com Dehradun police have arrested two eunuchs after a video went viral showing a group of eunuchs thrashing 17-year-old Ajay Pal, a transgender socially adopted by doctors at Coronation Hospital here. Despite prompt police action, transgender people living in the hill state dont feel safe due to various reasons, including conservative worldview of some of their community members. The arrested eunuchs belong to a group led by Rajni Rawat, who is still absconding. Pal was allegedly beaten up and paraded naked because she wanted to undergo sex reassignment surgery (SRS), but Rawat was opposed to this. Mujhe insaaf chahiye aur kuch nahi (I only want justice), says Ajay after she was beaten mercilessly. HT on January 27 broke a story on Ajays social adoption by the doctors. Ajay, however, is not alone who has wished to undergo SRS. Meet 21-year-old Oshin Sarkar, a transgender student from Haridwar enrolled in a certificate course in German at Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh. Last year, she and two other transgenders, including 28-year-old Divya, a native of Chamoli district, enrolled in post-graduate course in Hindi at PU. With this, the strength of transgender students in PU increased to four. Prior to joining the varsity, Divya and Oshin were residing in Dehradun. Recounting their experience in the city vis-a-vis the life at the Panjab University, Oshin says the biggest difference between Dehradun and Chandigarh is that the attitude of other transgenders towards those who want to get educated is very different in the two cities. Unlike Chandigarh where transgenders are relatively more accommodating, the transgenders in Dehradun have a very conservative worldview. Older transgenders here are opposed to anyone doing anything other than the traditional occupation of seeking badhai (going to peoples house to collect money), she says. Divya adds that her life could have been a nightmare had she stayed back in her village in Chamoli district, or even in Dehradun. She was born as a male, but over the years, Divya realised that she was a female trapped in a males body. Oshin and Divya are not the only transgenders from Uttarakhand in PU. In 2016, 46-year-old Dhananjay Mangalmukhi, a native of Devaprayag in Uttarakhands Tehri Garhwal district, became PUs first transgender student when she took admission in a post-graduate course in human rights. Oshin adds that though in the initial days there were occasions when they were harassed by some students, but now people have started accepting them. Of course, some exceptions will always be there, she says. Not an easy journey so far Two years back when Divya told her family about her sexual identity, she was abandoned. Even in my teenage, there were clear signs that I was different from other boys. My family ignored this. When I came out of the closet, they initially asked me to get married, saying things will be all right. I refused, following which they said they wont finance my expenses. They also stopped talking to me, she says. Prior to joining PU, she was pursuing a diploma course in fashion technology. To manage her expenses, she would often stage dance performances at cultural events. On the other hand, Oshin says it was a long struggle to gain some acceptance in her family. My mother and sister are supportive, but my brother isnt. However, I hardly get any financial help from them. Dhananjay, who has been advocating LGBT rights in Chandigarh, has extended support to Ajay. We will surely approach the human rights commission and other forums to seek justice (for Ajay), she says. Higher education minister Dhan Singh Rawat is again a part of controversy after he ordered suspension of five officers at MBGPG (Motiram Baburam Government Post Graduate) college in Haldwani. Along with higher education director and two professors, two other staffers were suspended last week for fake admissions. Over 2,500 staff of government degree colleges, across Uttarakhand, went on indefinite strike against the suspension on Monday. The staff members are demanding immediate cancellation of the order. For a fake admission of one student, how can the government suspend five staff which includes director of higher education and four professors? SS Rautela, joint secretary of ministerial association of staff of government degree colleges, said. Agitated employees tied black ribbon on their arms and staged protest at MBGPG college. Meanwhile, a similar protest was held in 100 government degree colleges across Garhwal and Kumaon regions. Rawat, who was earlier in news, for mandatory reciting of Vande Mataram in degree colleges, mandatory dress code for teachers and students and cultural attire during convocation, has landed in another controversy. He is backing the suspension order claiming that an internal investigation has revealed how several admissions in the said college were done illegally. He has also alleged involvement of Congress government behind these admissions. Leader of opposition and MLA Haldwani, Indira Hridyesh rejected all such claims and said, He is unnecessarily intervening in college administration. Suspending the higher education director for fake admissions in only one college is a bold step. BC Malkani, higher education director, who was suspended could not be contacted despite several efforts. Rawat, however, said, It was after investigation that we found the involvement of these people in several fake admissions at the college. The decision taken was to avoid such incidents in future. Two teenage students were detained for stealing two-wheelers from different parts of Dehradun, police said on Monday. One of the accused is a resident of Nawada and the other lives at Patel Nagar, said Sachin Pundeer, the in-charge of Jogiwala police post. Both the accused are aged 17 years. We called their parents to the police station and informed them about the case. They were later handed over to their parents. We will soon hand over the stolen vehicles to their owners, he said. The police officer said that looking into the vehicle thefts in the city, a police team was stationed at bridge number 6 on the Ring Road in Jogiwala area on Sunday. When the two youths, coming from the Dobhal Chowk side on a two-wheeler, saw the cops, they tried to flee. However, the cops were able to nab them, he added. On being quizzed, the youths accepted that they had stolen the scooter they were riding on, stated the in-charge of Nehru Colony police station in a press release. The duo pleaded forgiveness stating that they are students and used to steal vehicles to make quick money, the officer added. After probing into the matter, the police found that a report regarding the stolen scooter was lodged at the Nehru Colony police station . After detailed questioning, the accused reportedly admitted to stealing six other two-wheelers from Patel Nagar, Prem Nagar and Raipur areas of the city and hiding them in a forest area, the police said. Later, the police recovered three scooters and an equal number of motorcycles from the forest area, the police added. A 24-year-old alleged contract killer of Chennu Pehalwan gang was arrested after a dramatic chase by Delhi Police and exchange of fire outside Okhla Mandi in south Delhi in the early hours of Monday, police said. His associate, identified by his first name Pappu, however, managed to escape despite being surrounded by over 30 police personnel. Eight bullets were exchanged between the alleged criminals and the police. Of the four bullets fired by the policemen, two hit the bulletproof vest that the alleged contract killer, identified by his first name Tanvir, was wearing. Police said Tanvir survived the shoot-out because of the bulletproof vest. An inspector and a sub-inspector sustained one bullet each fired by Tanvir. They escaped unhurt because they too were wearing bulletproof vest, police said. Tanvir, who is also known as Munnavar, was wanted by the police in three crimes, including two murders of his rivals committed within a span of three hours on the intervening night of October 22 and October 23 last year in northeast Delhis Jafrabad and Bhajanpura. The murders were allegedly a result of a fallout between two criminal gangs in trans-Yamuna areas one led by Irfan alias Chennu Pehalwan, and another by Nasir alias Khyber Hayat. A reward of Rs 70,000 was announced by the city police on Tanvirs arrest. Chinmoy Biswal, deputy commissioner of police (southeast), said Tanvir is a native of Kasganj in Uttar Pradesh and started criminal activities in 2011 from there. Biswal confirmed that Tanvir was not involved in the Kasganj communal violence that had erupted on Republic Day during the Tiranga Yatra taken out by the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in which one person was killed several were injured. The chase The police operation started on Sunday midnight when special staff team of southeast district police received a tip off about Tanvir and his accomplice visiting their associate in Garhi in white Maruti Swift car, police said. A trap was laid between Garhi traffic signal and Captain Gaur Marg outside Okhla Mandi. Around 4.30 am, the car turned towards Okhla Mandi from Lajpat Nagar side and policemen started following it from Garhi traffic signal. Teams positioned at Okhla Mandi traffic signal were asked to block the car using iron barricades and police vehicles. On realising that they are being followed, the cars driver accelerated in a bid to flee and hit a barricade, said Biswal. As the car stopped, our policemen asked the occupants of the car to surrender. But Tanvir, who was behind the wheel, rolled down the windowpane and opened fired. Our staff retaliated and fired back. Tanvir was overpowered while his aide manage to flee, Biswal said. Tanvirs interrogation, Biswal said, revealed that after shifting his base in Delhi from Kasganj in 2015, he joined gangster Satya Prakash alias Sattes gang and began committing robberies and other street crimes. Tanvirs habit of indiscriminately firing at his victims or police on the slightest provocation or resistance impressed Chennu Pehalwan and he included him in his gang in 2016, said Biswal. In the two murder cases of October last year that were captured in CCTV cameras, Tanvir and his accomplices had pumped more than two dozen bullets into the bodies of Wazid and Arif Hussain, said police. All vehicles that are more than 15 years old will be impounded and sent to scrap dealers for dismantling, according to newly drafted Delhi government rules that aim to make the Capital the first Indian city with an end of vehicle life policy. The rules, likely to be notified by the end of this year, have been framed to implement a 2014 order by the National Green Tribunal that vehicles older than 15 years should not be allowed to ply on Delhis roads and should not be parked in public spaces. If the draft rules are approved, the impounding of vehicles will start early next year, senior officials in the Delhi transport department said. Delhi has over one crore registered vehicles, of which about 37 lakh are older than 15 years, according to government data. There is no rule at present to guide the police or the government as to what is to be done with the vehicles after they are impounded. The new rules will create a mechanism to ensure proper disposal of old vehicles. This is going to be a first-of-its-kind policy in India, said commissioner (transport) Varsha Joshi. Under the Delhi Scrapping of Vehicles Rules, 2018, all impounded vehicles, including two-wheelers, will be sent directly to empanelled scrap dealers for dismantling and owners will be paid a scrapping charge, which has not yet been defined. The enforcing agencies will be the Delhi traffic police, the municipal corporations and the transport department. For the last four years, the traffic police and the transport department have expressed their inability to seize old vehicles despite the NGT order because of lack of space to park and the lack of a proper mechanism to dismantle these vehicles. According to the draft rules, seen by Hindustan Times, the transport department will begin issuing licences to scrap dealers who have scrapyards of at least 1,000 square yards in non-residential areas in Delhi-NCR, and are certified by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee. The licences will be issued to dealers against a bank guarantee of Rs 10 lakh, say the draft rules, which are likely to be uploaded for public comments and suggestions in March. The rules allow owners to voluntarily give away old cars and two-wheelers to empanelled dealers against an assured amount. The entire process will be online, the draft rules say. Any junk vehicle found parked in public place shall be impounded and a communication will be sent to the registered owner, who will have to submit an undertaking for scrapping within a period of 15 days, said KK Dahiya, special commissioner (transport). If the vehicle owner does not come forward, the impounded vehicle shall be scrapped through an authorised scrap dealer and the value will then be credited to the government account, Dahiya added. To ensure that the scrapping is done in a non-hazardous and environment friendly way, the rules will also make it mandatory for licensed scrap dealers to have CCTV cameras installed in their yards. CCTV cameras will be installed at the scrapping yard. The live feed of the scrapping recording be made available to the Operational Control Centre of the Transport Department on a 24x7 basis and back-up facilities for three months, the draft rules state. Expressing concern over the rising levels of air pollution in Delhi, a bench of the Supreme Court of India said the governments health care programmes will go haywire if air pollution is not controlled. A bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur observed, All your health care programmes will go haywire if pollution is not controlled. People will keep falling sick because of pollution. The court made these observations while hearing a case related to pollution during which the ministry of environment, forest and climate change informed it that pollution emission standards for several categories of industries in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) had been notified. Justice Lokur said,Even Amitabh Bhachan has been coming on TV saying that 13 of the top 20 polluted cities are in India, the govt has accepted the problem... The solutions should not be too little too late.. Children already born and those who are yet to be born are all being adversely impacted by air pollution, Justice Lokur added. On the ban on pet coke, the Centre told the bench that there was a deficit in the availability of pet coke domestically and consultations were going with the ministry of petroleum and natural gas (MoPNG) on this. Appearing for the Centre, ANS Nadkarni said the use of pet coke may be allowed in calcium carbide-based industries as per the recommendations of the Central Pollution Control Board. On the issue of providing natural gas to power plants, the Oil and National Gas Corporation (ONGC) said it was willing to cut its profits and reduce transport charge for gas to the Bawana power plant. The plant is working at 20% of its capacity since gas was not being fully supplied. The ONGC said that by reducing its profits and other charges, gas will become cheaper and would be supplied to Bawana, allowing its one unit to work at full capacity. The bench asked the government to come out with a notification on the remaining issues within three weeks. The tussle between Maldives Supreme Court and its president has raised the spectre of military intervention in the Indian Ocean nation, something that is bound to worry policymakers in New Delhi who have much at stake. The trouble began last week with the court clearing former president Mohamed Nasheed of terrorism charges and ordering the release of eight opposition leaders. The move prompted Nasheed, currently in self-exile, to say he would return to contest elections that are expected to be held later this year. The court also ordered the reinstatement of 12 disqualified lawmakers, a move that will give the united opposition the parliamentary majority needed to impeach the president. The government has so far refused to comply with the courts orders and the embattled President Abdulla Yameen has said the directive on the opposition leaders should be revoked. The army, which has said it will not obey an unconstitutional order, and the police force appear to be rallying behind Yameen, and a top police officer who said the courts order would be enforced was hastily dismissed by the attorney general. On Monday, the army began patrolling around the Supreme Court clearly an effort to show the judges who is in the driving seat. Since he took over as president in 2013, Yameen has progressively weakened the multi-party democracy that had emerged five years earlier, solely with the intent of clinging to power in the face of strong and legitimate challenges to his leadership. Last year, he used troops to prevent an attempt by the opposition to impeach the Speaker of Parliament. He has also detained political opponents and curtailed protests and freedom of speech. The Maldives has been buffeted by one political crisis after another since Nasheed, the first democratically-elected president, was forced to quit in 2012. The political uncertainty has coincided with growing Chinese influence in the island nation. In December, the Maldives signed its first free trade agreement with China, after the pact was rushed through Parliament, and agreed to cooperate with Beijings Maritime Silk Route initiative. Both developments caused considerable consternation in India, which perceives the Maldives as clearly within its sphere of influence. There are also worrying reports of the radicalisation of Maldivian youngsters, some 200 of whom are believed to be fighting with the Islamic State even as a front for Pakistans Lashkar-e-Taiba has made a foray into the country. India may have to respond to calls from the Maldives opposition to intervene, but in doing so, it will have to tread lightly so that it is not seen as taking sides. Akshay Kumars Pad Man hopes to spark a conversation and spread awareness about menstruation a topic rarely discussed in the open in India. Women and girls on their periods are often considered unclean and impure and are subjected to discrimination. They are not allowed to go to the temple, or cook and touch certain food. They also go through the most embarrassing, weird and hilarious experiences when they start menstruating and even later in their lives. We spoke to a few women ahead of the February 9 release of the film based on the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, a social activist from Tamil Nadu who created a low-cost sanitary pad-making machine. Here are the scary, humorous and bloody tales from seven women: Madhuri Sen (early 40s), strategic marketing consultant and social entrepreneur, Mumbai I was a precocious early bloomer. I started menstruating during the summer holidays when I was about nine and half years of age. Since no one could possibly have foreseen that, my mother hadnt yet briefed me in advance. My first self-diagnosis was that I was dying of blood dysentery. I declared so to my mother, who was at that moment making parathas for breakfast. I wonder now if the following five days were more distressing for me or her. While trying to explain what periods really meant, she said that the child-bearing machine inside me had started. I was in tears over the fact that I would have a child while I was one myself. She explained that it wouldnt happen till I got married. My sobbing turned to minor sniffles, but I still wanted to know the exact process by which the child-bearing machine could be activated by the wedding ritual. I wanted to know next since I didnt really want to have babies, whether I had the option to stop this messy bleeding and mild stomach cramps. This was at about 2am. My exasperated mother said yes it was possible if I surgically cut out the child-bearing machine called the uterus. I was exhilarated. I waited impatiently until the next morning to ask when we could go to the surgeon to have the procedure done. She had quite a time convincing me that it wasnt something young girls did just because menstruating was messy and inconvenient. I, for sure, am glad I never had a daughter (at least not yet) to have to explain menstruation to. Kriti (29), lawyer, Delhi When I was maybe around 7 or 8 years old, I saw a Whisper ad on TV. I had no clue what it was so asked my mom and dad, who were sitting right there. And in retrospect, I realise they were very uncomfortable and just changed the topic with a You dont need to know this face. I had a proper chat with my mom a few years later, of course, and she wasnt thrown off guard this time because she was the one who brought it up. Another incident happened a few weeks ago in the company of friends when I loudly proclaimed that I needed to step out to buy sanitary napkins. It surprised me that my friends, who are married to each other, seemed a little surprised at my unabashed vocalisation. I had come to believe that people are generally a lot more comfortable speaking about menstruation now, but I guess we still have a long way to go. Almas Mirza (30), media professional, Mumbai We now know that periods are a monthly thing and I prefer to be prepared for it anytime, anywhere. Ideally, one would expect every female to carry a sanitary napkin or tampon or menstrual cup in her bag irrespective of whether she is menstruating and especially around the date she is due. But, surprisingly, a countless number of times, I have come across colleagues who have asked me for a pad. I got my periods. Do you have a pad? I am not carrying one! While I readily helped them, it just made me wonder if I am the only one who is so prepared throughout the month. There were times when multiple women asked me for pads on the same day! I started being careful ever since I felt totally helpless when I got my periods while hanging out with college friends and had to go around scouting for a shop where I could buy pads. Which is why I strongly feel we need to have sanitary napkin dispensers in our country. Disha Doshi (29), strategic planner at an advertising agency, Kolkata Being a part of an all-girls school, I saw 1,000 mood swings creating a symphony on our school campus daily. I remember the phase when I had finally learnt to remember my period table and the use and disposal of pads while it was evident that not many girls had yet found a civil way to dispose of their used napkins. There was this one time when a junior came out howling, saying Theres a haunted broken piece of plaster in the loo! The rumours got so spiced up that many girls stopped using that particular loo for a while even after it was cleaned. Navneet Kapany (35), mental health professional, Chandigarh I got my periods when I was 9.5 years old and the first thing I did when I saw my stained undie was to run to my grandmother, who was doing a paath in Waheguru jis room, and before she could react I ran to my parents bedroom and told my dad that something terrible has happened to me. That was the funny part. After that, I have dealt with horrible period pains, been on hormones to help with the dysmenorrhea and gained weight. I met some sympathetic doctors and some who thought there was nothing wrong with me and that I am just a spoilt brat. When I was in class seven I bled for six months and the only silver lining was that I didnt give my final exams. My parents were too cute. My dad would sneak in ice cream cups once in a while or ask me what soup I wanted. My mum caught hold of a beauty parlour didi, who would come once a week to give me a head massage or pedicure. I had a constant supply of books and paints so that I never felt sick. Two years ago, the pain during my periods became unbearable and I had to take ovarian injections. Most doctors again rubbished my complaints as they thought I was not being tough enough or wasnt taking my painkillers properly. I was also told to get married as in India marriage is the solution to all problems. I finally met a sensible doctor and, mind you, he is not even a gynaecologist. He suggested an ultrasound, which no gynae had thought of advising because they assumed they knew it all. I had cysts on my ovaries that were haemorrhaging. Around that time I met a good gynae, who understood my problems and prescribed different hormones and pain management treatment. I had a high CA 125 score, a test for ovarian cancer, indicating that I had endometriosis. I decided that I need a surgery because I couldnt deal with this. When it came to the surgery, I wanted a complete hysterectomy but my doctor told me she could decide what to do only once she goes in because hysterectomy has its own side effects. Last September, I had my surgery and all the growth and cysts were removed and the ovaries and uterus saved. Endometriosis is very common, so many of us suffer from it but not much is being done. The reason I am sharing my story is that I want more people to know. Sunetra Dasgupta (30), lecturer, Mumbai I was around 12 or 14 years old when I got my first period. Though we were into the new millennium, periods were something that was not openly explained or spoken about so my mother had really not given me any idea about what they were. I came to know about periods from someone else. When I got my first period I didnt know what to do, how long it lasted or what was I supposed to do. I remember we had a very dark coloured skirt and I got my first period in school I didnt know we needed a pad or how to wear one. I just wished if the day was over, the whole period thing will go away. I came home and I didnt tell anyone about it. Next morning, my mom discovered that the entire bed sheet was stained and I used to share a room with my brother. When he noticed it, he told her about the stains and mom explained that they were from my bleeding teeth. She then haphazardly taught me how to wear a pad. And, when other people came to know that I had my period they started looking at me like I had murdered someone. Kanika Sharma (24), co-founder of Short Stories Events, Delhi It is horrifying to wake up on a bed sheet with a huge blood stain. Then you need to wash the bed sheet and your clothes in that terrible pain as if someone is, literally, stabbing you in the stomach. And you know what is even more horrifying? When you spend the night at a male friends place (just a friend) and its just too bad you cant remember your period dates. There is a red stain on a white bed sheet as big as your palm. Sooner or later he will see it. And this is a mess you have to clean up yourself because otherwise, its just disgusting. So before you can panic that you are out of tampons, you have to confront him about it. Wake him up and then have a very awkward conversation about where you can wash the bed sheet. Then you have to run back home, wash your own clothes and then be miserable for the whole day with pain and embarrassment because its almost like you wet someone elses bed. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more The body of Captain Kapil Kundu who was killed in Pakistani shelling in Rajouri on Sunday was cremated with full military honours late Monday night in Ransika village in Pataudi near Gurgaon after the flight carrying his remains was delayed due to bad weather. Captain Kundu was among four soldiers killed on Sunday. Drama unfolded through the day as his mother and two sisters waited anxiously for the body to arrive. According to family members, the body was initially expected to arrive in Ransika village, 33 kilometers from Gurgaon, by 3 pm. But by sunset, it hadnt. After a day-long wait, Captain Kundus mother Sunita lost her cool and burst into tears when she was told that his remains may arrive only on Tuesday morning. I have lost a child. He died yesterday, it has already been 24 hours, why should I have to wait for another 24? she said, before fainting. Kundus eldest sister Soniya, had gone to the Palam airport in the morning itself to bring the body home but was told that the flight had been delayed because of bad weather, said relatives. Officials, however, refused to confirm the cause of the delay. I cannot comment on this, as the matter relates to the Ministry of Defence (MoD). However, I can confirm the last rites will take place on Monday itself, said Vinay Pratap Singh, deputy commissioner of Gurgaon. The family claimed that they were asked late evening if they would like to delay the cremation to Tuesday. Even after the plane took off, officials were asking us if we wanted to conduct his last rites today or delay it until tomorrow. We want to ensure all the ceremonies are conducted today because our mother is in very bad shape. We do not want her to endure this wait again until tomorrow. It will be easier on her if she gets closure in this regard today itself. said Kajal, Captain Kundus older sister who was also the last person to speak to him, around 1 pm on Sunday. We are aware that this would mean he will be cremated after dark, but our brother has died at such a young ageGod has not been with us so far, so why should we worry about traditions and religion right now? she said. It was around 9:15 pm that the Captains body finally reached his village. Captain Kundu would have turned 23 on February 10. Even as the cries of Vande Matram and Bharat Mata ki jai filled the air, his body was carried outside his home where his family got their last few minutes with him even as a large crowd watched on, shouting anti-Pakistani slogans from time to time. Among those who came to pay their respect were Deputy Commissioner of Gurgaon Vinay Pratap Singh, Pataudi MLA Bimla Chaudhary, PWD Minister Rao Narbir Singh, SDM Pataudi Vivek Kalia and Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda. Captain Kapil Kundu who was killed in the line of duty on Sunday in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri when Pakistani forces shelled the area, virtually wore his patriotism on his sleeve, says his family. The young officer would have turned 23 on February 10 when he was scheduled to return home on his birthday. For residents of his native village Ransika in Pataudi, located around 33 kms from Gurgaon, his life had become a source of inspiration for many simply because he was the first person in the village to become an army officer. There have been people who have been recruited in the army in the past but nobody had gone onto to become an officer. He was the first among us to scale new heights and become an inspiration for the next generation, Tarif Kundu, a resident of the village said. A quote posted by him on his Facebook profile seems to capture his motto stating life should be big instead of long. The youngest of three siblings, Captian Kundu leaves behind his mother Sunita and two sisters - Soniya and Kajal. His father Lala Ram who worked as a manager in a tile company in Nagpur died of a heart attack six years ago. Lala Ram had passed away six years ago following a heart attack and Kapil had borne a large share of the familys finances as a cadet in the National Defence Academy (NDA) which he had joined in 2013. His mother recently underwent a knee surgery for which she family moved temporarily to New Delhi to be closer to better medical facilities. Both the sisters stay in Delhis Najasfgarh area and the mother was staying with her eldest daughter Soniya. Kajal was the last person in the family to speak to him at 1 pm on Sunday when he appeared to be very happy following his promotion to the rank of Captain on January 26. He had been transferred to Rajouri from Poonch after the promotion. The last time he came home was during Diwali for three weeks and we were all looking forward to his return. On Sunday afternoon I spoke to him and he was brimming with happiness at the prospect of returning homeLife has taken an unforeseen turn, Kajal said. Kapil studied at the Divine Dale International School, in the nearby Sherpur village. He passed out of the school in 2013. His teachers from the school said that he was a good student, who was very fluent in English. He was a student from the first batch of the school and we monitored his progress all through his graduation. Maths and English were his favourite subjects but he excelled in all subjects. He was thankful to his teachers for his education and also invited some of us to his passing out parade in 2016, Purna Thaliya, the Principal of his school said. Thaliyas daughter Ramya, was also in the same class as Captain Kundu remembers him as someone who loved writing poetry and faced severe obstacles in his life such as losing his father on his birthday during his board examinations. Villagers say he was initially assigned to the armys supply corps but managed to convince his seniors that he was better suited for combat roles. His sister Kajal says the family was planning his marriage married in the coming 2-3 years, once he was posted to a location which had more peace. On Monday, everyone from the village gathered outside his residence to pay their condolences. For the next generation of this village, he remains a heroic figure. Each time, Kapil bhaiya came to the village he will get me stickers of various kinds of planes. Seeing him in a uniform, and the respect it instilled, I too want to join the armed forces as a pilot in the airforce, Himanshu Kunda, a 10-year-old neighbour said. Kapil Kundu had been promoted to the rank of captain on January 26, Republic Day, and transferred to Rajouri from Poonch on the same day. Eight days later, on Sunday, he fell to Pakistani shelling. For residents of Ransika in Pataudi, his native village located around 33km from Gurgaon, Kundu had been a source of inspiration. He was the first from his village to become an army officer and on the day he came back home in a coffin, locals gathered outside his residence to pay their condolences. While there people in our village who were drafted into the army, he was the only one who went on to become an officer. He scaled new heights and was an inspiration for our children, Tarif Kundu, a resident of the village, said. Even as a pall of gloom descended on the village as word of his death filtered in, children and youths said he died a hero and recalled the days when he was home on leave. Each time Kapil bhaiya came to the village, he would get me stickers of planes. Every time I saw him in uniform, I grew more determined to join the armed forces. I, too, want to defend my country as a fighter pilot, Himanshu Kundu, a 10-year-old neighbour, said. Read I Gurgaon: BSF jawan found dead in suspected suicide was to go on leave in two days Some village boys recalled the days when he spoke passionately about the army. Rohit Singh, a village youth, said, Whenever he was in the village, he would speak glowingly on the Indian Army. He exhorted us to stay focussed on our studies and contribute to the betterment of the country. He also wanted us to consider joining the army. The village elders remembered Kapil as a brave son of the soil whom they took a lot of pride in and said he was loved by all. During school holidays, he was the only child in the village who stayed home and cultivated a reading habit, while others played on the streets. He was well mannered and never got into a fight with anyone, Sundu Ram, an elderly neighbour, said. The chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday may have left the families of the victim and the accused dissatisfied, but Ashok Kumar, the private schools former bus conductor who was first accused of murdering the eight-year-old student by the police, is a happy man. Incorrectly accused of murder by the Gurgaon police that even claimed he confessed to the crime, the 42-year-old, had to overcome many obstacles in his fight for freedom and truththe first among them being shunned by the Gurgaon and Sohna bar associations. Later, a lawyer from Rohtak came forward to support Kumar and help him prove his innocence. Mohit Verma, lawyer for the conductor, said, Somehow, I always believed that Ashok was innocent and, now, this has become even more evident in the chargesheet filed by the CBI. Although the CBI, in its chargesheet, did not charge any official of the Gurgaon police in the case, the agency did not mince its words while describing the role played by the police in framing Kumar. According to the report filed by the CBI, my client was neither involved (in the murder) nor did they find any evidence against him in the Gurgaon private school murder case. Therefore, my next step is to make arguments on the charges of my client on February 12, and make sure he walks out free, with respect. The Gurgaon police arrested Kumar within hours of the murder, after which he stayed locked up in the Bhondsi jail till the court released him after the CBI apprehended the juvenile accused for the murder on November 8 last year. Upon his release, Kumar had said he was tortured by the police while he was in custody. Kumar was happy after he learned that the CBI has given him a clean chit in its chargesheet presented on Monday, and he thanked God for it. But Kumar is all but free from his past and the horrors of his unjust arrest. I cannot forgive, nor forget, what the Gurgaon police officials have done to me. The torture still haunts and I am unable to sleep at night. Whenever I see anyone in a police uniform, I still get scared and try to hide, Kumar said. However, there are more immediate struggles that scare Kumar now. Unable to get a job, he has been struggling to earn a living. Kumars wife Mamata said, Everyone has seen him (on the TV) and knows about the (murder) case. Even after a clean chit, our life remains affected. No one is ready to give him a job, and this is the Gurgaon polices doing. He is now planning to sell vegetables (to earn a living). The former bus conductor said he is pinning his hopes on legal and divine justice, and wants the officials who framed him to be put behind the bars. My lawyer will file a defamation case against the police, and now they will have a tough time, Kumar said. Without any prior warning -- no trailers, no images, not even a confirmed title -- The Cloverfield Paradox, the third in director/producer JJ Abrams science-fiction series, was released on Netflix. Its keeping in line with the unique marketing Abrams used for the previous two entries -- 2008s Cloverfield debuted after a spectacular trailer caught the attention of the internet, and 2016s 10 Cloverfield Lane, was previously thought to be an entirely different movie until the title at the end turned it into a Cloverfield sequel. And now this. For months, there were rumours online that God Particle, a typically secretive new movie by Abrams was in some way a part of the Cloverfield universe, but it was only a few hours before the Super Bowl that some people on Twitter started murmuring that the movie might be released on Netflix, that same day. A trailer was release, and two hours later, so was the movie. The Cloverfield Paradox was previously supposed to get a theatrical release through Paramount, but along with Natalie Portmans Annihilation, it was unloaded by the studio and sold to Netflix. Its about a group of astronauts trapped aboard a space station when a mysterious creature (that may or may not be related to the Cloverfield monster) begins hunting them down. Its a lot like Alien and 2017s Ryan Reynolds-Jake Gyllenhaal-starrer, Life. But set in the Cloverfield universe. The film is directed by Julius Onah and stars a diverse cast that includes Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Oyelowo, Chris ODowd, Daniel Bruhl, Aksel Hennie, John Ortiz and Elizabeth Debicki. You can check out other Super Bowl trailers for Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Avengers: Infinity War, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Skyscraper, Solo: A Star Wars Story and Red Sparrow by clicking on the titles. Follow @htshowbiz for more A December 25 cross-border raid by India in which four Pakistani soldiers were killed was the immediate trigger for heightened military activity along the Line of Control that saw the killing of four Indian soldiers, including a captain, in a mortar attack in the Rajouri sector of Jammu region on Sunday, according to a senior army officer who tracks developments on the de facto border. Till February 5, 2018, there have been 242 incidents of the ceasefire being violated by Pakistan, according to the Indian army. The December 25 attack itself was a response to the December 23 killing of four Indian soldiers by Pakistan in an ambush in the Keri-Rajouri sector. Pakistan has shelled Indian posts and civilian areas almost every day since December 25, leaving India with no choice but to launch a series of fierce counter assaults. The armys hardened military resolve was reiterated on Monday by its vice chief Lieutenant General Sarath Chand who said the force would lets its actions speak at the LoC. What is unfolding at the LoC is a worsening loop of action and reaction. The Pakistanis violate the cease-fire and we strike back. I see no signs of the tensions easing off, said Lieutenant General Vinod Bhatia (retd), who was the director general of military operations (DGMO) between 2012 and 2014. While the December 23 ambush may have been the trigger, analysts say the first signs of Pakistan raising the ante along the disputed border were visible in the months following the September 2016 surgical strikes by India against terror launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The surgical strikes were a watershed in the sense that Pakistan began escalating tensions in a systematic way along the LoC and that trend continued through 2017, said another senior army officer familiar with the situation at the border. Both officials asked not to be identified. The strikes were a loss of face for Pakistan. And an aggressive posture along the LoC may have seemed to be a good option for the Pakistan army to redeem itself, the second officer added. Figures accessed by Hindustan Times through a Right to Information application corroborate this. Some volatile sectors along the LoC recorded an unprecedented spike in cease-fire violations by the Pakistani army. In Naushera, the Pakistani army shelled Indian positions 220 times in the first 10 months of 2017 compared to 30 in 2016. The trend was similar in Krishna Ghati sector where the cease-fire was breached 128 times against 20 in 2016. And in the Poonch sector, Pakistan violated the cease-fire 112 times in the first 10 months of 2017 compared to 13 in 2016. Overall, there were 860 incidents of cease-fire violations by Pakistan last year according to the Indian army almost a fourfold jump over the number recorded in 2017. Such violations are aimed not only at causing Indian casualties but also to help terrorists sneak into Jammu and Kashmir. However, the gamble hasnt paid off for Pakistan. India lost more than 60 troops at the disputed border but Pakistani casualties have been far higher. At his annual press conference on January 12, army chief General Bipin Rawat said the Pakistani army was suffering heavy losses along the LoC and its casualty figures were three to four times higher than Indias. India is retaliating to inflict punishment, said strategic affairs expert Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd). This should be progressively increased till it eventually becomes prohibitive (for Pakistan). They understand no other language, he said. The unending firing and shelling has left the November 2003 cease-fire in tatters. The cease-fire is good for both India and Pakistan. But the Pakistanis should remember they need it more than us, said General Bhatia. (With inputs from Jeevan Prakash Sharma). The Trinamool Congress will portray itself as the most suitable force to lead against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in a strategy finalised by party chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, a senior leader said on Monday. Almost all anti-BJP forces have acknowledged the administrative skills of Mamata Banerjee as well as her focus in waging relentless struggle to protect peoples interest, Trinamools secretary general and state education minister Partha Chatterjee said. Other regional forces would like to have an understanding with Trinamool against the BJP or NDA. Accordingly, the party will decide its strategy, Chatterjee added. A senior Lok Sabha legislator of the party said the chief minister has instructed them to hold a dialogue only with the top central leaders of Congress and not with any state-level leader. The other parties with which the Trinamool will initiate dialogue include the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Samajwadi Party and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the Lok Sabha MP said. Even talks with Odishas ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) cannot be ruled out. However, nothing has been decided about Shiv Sena that has recently exited from the NDA or Telegu Desam Party (TDP) that has also expressed dissatisfaction over certain policies of the NDA government, the member of Parliament, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic, said. The final decision about these two parties will be taken by the chief minister. Trinamool leaders say after the Congress only TMC will have the distinct possibility to win more than 35 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, which will easily make it the second largest party in a possible grand alliance against the NDA. Banerjee said while speaking on the floor of the West Bengal assembly on February 2 that though Congress opposes her party in the state, in New Delhi the All India Congress Committees high command is well aware that Trinamool is indispensable. She has kept up a high-pitched criticism of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre on a number of issues from cow politics to demonetisation and goods and services tax to minorities since she won the assembly polls in 2016. The ruling Trinamool also retained the Uluberia Lok Sabha seat and snatched the Noapara assembly constituency from the Congress, winning both the West Bengal by-elections by huge margins in the recently held elections. The bypolls came a few months ahead of local polls in rural areas, which are being seen as a precursor to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The BJPs president Amit Shah is keen to bag at least half of the 44 seats that Bengal offers. West Bengal is one of the few states where the BJP has been trying to make inroads. The BJP could win just two out of 42 Lok Sabha seats it contested in West Bengal in 2014, but polled about 87 lakh votes with a vote share of 17%. Its performance dipped in the 2016 assembly election and the BJP could win just three out of 294 assembly seats with a vote tally of about 56 lakh and a vote share of 10.3%. Allegations of getting Rs 100 crore in charities from Bahrain have prompted Dana Majhi, a poor Odisha tribal who shook the nations conscience in August 2016 after being forced to walk home with his dead wifes corpse on his shoulder, to file a police complaint. Television stations played on the loop images of a penniless Majhi, accompanied by one of his sobbing daughters, walking 10km from a Bhawanipatna hospital in Kalahandi district to his village with his dead wife wrapped in cloth as he was unable to pay for transport. The video prompted many individuals and organisations to open their purse strings for the marginal farmer. His benefactors included Bahraini prime minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, who gave him Rs 9 lakh. Majhi, who never had a bank account earlier, now has a sizeable fixed deposit that will mature in five years. The farmer took offence when a local TV channel, Naxatra News, reported this January that a non-government organisation helping Majhi may have earned Rs 100 crore in donations from abroad using his name. Majhi lodged a case at Bhawanipatna police station on Sunday, alleging that the news channel and a social activist tried to defame him. In the news aired by the channel, the activist alleged that I got Rs 100 crore after I carried the body of my wife. The news is false and motivated. The news would also endanger my life, he alleged. Read | Wife, house, bike: Life moves on for Dana Majhi who trekked 10 km with his wifes body He said he came to know about the report a few days ago and accused the activist and the TV channel of denigrating poor tribals like me through their accusations. According to the Naxatra News report, an education baron who runs a large tribal school made around Rs 100 crore from foreign donors using Majhis name. Naxtra News chairman Prabhat Mallick denied Majhis allegation that he was defamed. We had based our story on a high court case filed by an activist. We have shown how some vested interests are exploiting Majhis name. If Majhi minutely watches the report, he can understand that we have not maligned him. He has been instigated to lodge the case, he said. Police have yet to register an FIR based on Majhis complaint. According to Bhawanipatna police station inspector Ramesh Bisoi, he could be asked to approach a court to file a suit under the defamation law. Majhi has remarried and the three daughters from his first wife study in a residential school in Bhubaneswar after an educational institute offered to provide them free education. A 36-year old man killed his wife and two children in a fit of rage and surrendered to the police in Hyderabad on Monday. According to police, Malle Harinder Goud, a resident of Sumitra Enclave apartment at Jillellaguda, killed his wife Jyothy (33) by banging her head to the wall repeatedly and later strangling his two children, Abhijit (6) and Sahasra (4), in their sleep. He later surrendered himself to the Meerpet police station. Goud, who was working as a technician in a dental clinic, had been in depression ever since he lost his job. He told police that Jyothy was quarrelling with him and insulting him over the matter. On Monday morning too, he had a quarrel with his wife. And in a fit of rage, he committed the brutal murders, police said. A case has been registered and probe is on. The cooperation between India and Egypt in the field of antiquities will receive a boost as an Egyptian archaeologist is set travel to India to advice on the preservation of Egyptian mummies located in different Indian museums, Indias ambassador to Egypt Sanjay Bhattacharyya has said. Mummies conservation expert Rania Ahmed will be travelling to India by next month to give advice on preservation of six Egyptian mummies, which are located in different Indian museums, including the Indian Museum in Kolkata and museums in Jaipur, Maharashtra and other. We are very happy that we have finally concluded the discussion for the travel of an Egyptian archaeologist to travel to India to look after and advice us on conversation and preservation of six Egyptian mummies that are in different museums in India, Ambassador Bhattacharyya told PTI. We had been very concerned for a long time about how to take care of these beautiful Egyptian objects and now with the help of Minister Khaled el-Anani, we have and agreement that an Egyptian expert will be travelling to India to do this, which is big development for us, Bhattacharyya added. The Ambassador also inaugurated a photography exhibition of the antiquity collection of the Museum of Islamic Arts entitled Lens at the Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC) on Sunday. The exhibition is a result of a photography competition organised by The Museum of Islamic Art in cooperation with Adasa Club in Alexandria. More than 280 photographers participated in the competition, out of which the photos of 39 artists were selected for the exhibition. This cooperation with the Museum of Islamic Art is very special for the Indian Embassy. We have a population of 180 million Muslims in India who also have their art forms and the Museum of Islamic Arts has a few of these objects most particularly a couple of beautiful paintings from the Mogul period, he said. Egypts Museum of Islamic Art is home to one of the worlds most important collections of Islamic artifacts. It was first opened in 1903, and was closed in January 2014 after a bomb attack on the Cairo police directorate across the street which severely damaged its facade and dozens of exhibits. The Museum houses artifacts charting more than 1,300 years of Muslim civilisation in Egypt and includes pieces from throughout the Muslim world. Mohamed Abdel-Latif, the assistant minister of antiquities and head of Islamic and Coptic antiquity sector in the ministry of antiquities said during the opening of the exhibition that the Museum of Islamic Art contains Islamic antiquities from India like paintings from the Mogul era, wooden boxes and antiques made of stone. Perhaps this exhibition will be a start for a cultural cooperation in organising temporary exhibitions for antiquity which confirms the deep cultural relation between India and Egypt and build more cultural, artistic and scientific bridges between the two countries, Abdel-Latif said. The exhibition shows 64 photos which features the glimpses of artworks in different stages of Islamic civilisation in different parts of the world. The photos include pottery, glassworks, manuscripts, jewelries, metals, weaving and Islamic arts. The Narendra Modi government will begin talks to buy Israeli anti-tank guided missile Spike, with a meeting between Israels visiting defence secretary Major General (retired) Udi Adam and his Indian counterpart Sanjay Mitra on Monday. Adams two-day visit beginning Monday is set to be significant as South Block officials said the defence ministry will negotiate to buy at least 3,000 Spike missiles manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems through a government-to-government (G2G) route. This will meet the armys urgent requirements and fill the gap before the indigenous Nag anti-tank missile system is inducted. The talks follow the governments cancellation this January of a US $900-million order to make Spike missiles in India through full transfer of technology. The defence ministry hopes to buy the Israeli missile at a cheaper price as the tech transfer clause will not exist now. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which is developing the Nag, has no objection to the governments plans to buy the Israeli missile so long as the tech transfer term is not applied. The Nags heat-seeker guidance system is at a test stage and the missiles commercial production is likely to take some time. The third-generation Nag with a range of 4km was tested successfully last September by the DRDO. The Spike is an advanced fire-and-forget weapon since the 1980s as it can be launched from the an infantrymans shoulder to hit tanks and aircraft 4km away, or 25km for no-line-of-sight targets that the missile seek out with its heat-tracking system. It will be manufactured under the Make in India rubric by Kalyani Strategic System-Rafael JV in Hyderabad for global exports. Senior officials, requesting anonymity, said India and Israel are set to sign an inter-government agreement once the price of the Spike is finalised by the negotiating committee under the countrys director general (acquisition) and manufacturer Rafael Systems. The price will dictate how many missiles and launchers India will buy, but the officials said the government could settle for 3,000 Spikes to meet the armys requirements. The cancelled order was for 3,000 missiles with another 5,000 from the Hyderabad factory. The order now should be around 3,000 Spikes, with the army having the option to purchase the missiles from the joint company in Hyderabad, one of the officials said. Union home minister Rajnath Singh condemned on Monday the cross-border firing by Pakistan in which four Indian soldiers, including a Captain, were killed, saying he has full faith in the valour of the army who shall give proper reply to the neighbour. Have full faith in the valour of our soldiers, and they shall give proper reply, Rajnath Singh told reporters. Earlier, minister of state for home affairs Hansraj Ahir too condemned Sundays ceasefire violation in Jammu and Kahsmirs Rajouri and Poonch districts saying that it shall cost Pakistan dearly. Pakistan has been violating ceasefire along the LoC. And this year the number of ceasefire violations are high, Ahir said. Yesterday (Sunday) also, they again violated ceasefire. We will not forgive Pakistans actions, the minister said. The ceasefire violations would prove to be Pakistans foolishness and will cost them dearly, he added. Union minister for MSME, Giriraj Singh, slammed Pakistan for the ceasefire violations and said, Have faith in the Indian Army. When the right time comes they shall give a proper reply to them. Referring to the 2016 surgical strikes, the minister said, When the Army carried out surgical strikes it didnt tell the media about it. Similarly they shall act accordingly at the right time. He said India has been following international laws. There is a Hindi saying in Bihar latkhor (addicted to being beaten), and similarly Pakistan is latkhor and thus proper reply would be given to them, he added. The ministers remarks came in the wake of the increased cross border firing in Kashmir valley. On Sunday, four Indian soldiers were killed and four others were injured in firing in Rajouri and Poonch districts. The killed soldiers included Captain Kapil Kundu, who would have celebrated his 23rd birthday on February 10. Hailing from Haryanas Gurugram, he is survived by his mother Sunita. The others were Riflemen Ramavatar, 27, from Baraka village in Madhya Pradeshs Gwalior, besides Subham Singh, 23, from Kathua and Havilder Roshan Lal, 43, from Samba in Jammu and Kashmir. The Army on Monday indicated it would take retaliatory action against the killing of four army men in heavy shelling by Pakistani forces along the LoC in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, saying that its action would speak for itself. Vice chief Lt Gen Sarath Chand said the Army has been responding appropriately to Pakistan shelling, asserting that India will continue to give a befitting reply to such acts. That (retaliation) goes without saying, I think I dont have to say that. (Our) action will speak for itself, he said when asked about the killing of a Captain and three other Army men in the Rajouri sector. The Captain and three jawans were killed and at least four people injured on Sunday in the heavy Pakistani shelling along the LoC. Chand also accused the Pakistani Army of supporting the infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir. We will continue with our process of giving a befitting reply (to such acts), he told reporters on the sidelines of an event here, adding that there were even incidents of mutilation of bodies of jawans last year. We have been responding appropriately, he said. There has been cross-border shelling from their (Pakistans) side. And one of the shells landed near the officer and his men, leading to the casualties, he said when asked about yesterdays shelling. Captain Kapil Kundu, a resident of village Ransika in Haryanas Gurgaon district, was killed just six days before his 22nd birthday, Army officials said. Havildar Roshan Lal, 42, a resident of Samba district, Jammu and Kashmir, Riflemen Ramavatar, 27, of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, and Subham Singh, 23, of Jammu and Kashmirs Kathua district were also killed in the shelling. Home Minister Rajnath Singh said earlier on Monday that the Indian Army would give proper reply to Pakistan. People of the country have full faith in the valour of the Indian Army, and they shall give proper reply, Rajnath told reporters outside Parliament when asked about the steps India would take in response to the attack. Minister of state for home affairs Hansraj Ahir also condemned Sundays ceasefire violation and said that it shall cost Pakistan dearly. Senior officials from Israels foreign office in India will hold a meeting with officials from the ministry of home affairs to discuss the possibilities of working closely on security related matters, a senior government official said. The meeting, likely in March, will the first among many and a part of the follow-up action taken by the two governments after Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited India last month. A senior ministry official did not disclose the details of the meetings core agenda but said that issues related to terrorism, internal security, and foreign affairs, affecting both Israel and India, will be discussed. The meeting is the first one between government officials from both sides after the visit of Mr Netanyahu. We are hoping that both countries work closely and cooperate with each other on matters of security, the official said. In his speech, Netanyahu had said that Indians and Israelis knew too well the pain of terrorist attacks. We remember the horrific savagery in Mumbai. We grit our teeth, we fight back, we never give in, he had said. Other than a close cooperation on terror-related issues, the two governments are also working together in other areas, including agriculture and environment. The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has issued a fresh legal notice seeking damages of Rs 525 crore from the ethnic wear retail chain Fabindia over its allegedly unauthorised use of the registered trademark khadi. The KVIC, an autonomous body under the Union ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises, which promotes the traditional homespun cotton identified with Mahatma Gandhi, issued the notice on January 29 through legal consultants Kochhar & Company, according to documents seen by Hindustan Times. The KVIC has alleged that Fabindia Overseas Private Limited was using the word khadi on its price tags, and misleading consumers by selling factory made cotton garments spun in mechanised charkhas (spinning wheels) as khadi. The agency says that khadi can only be spun and woven in a hand-driven spinning wheel called Ambar charkha. Fabindia described the notice as baseless and denied any wrongdoing. Under the governments Khadi Mark Regulations, 2013, no organisation/institute/company can sell products using the word khadi without getting a Khadi Mark certificate. This certificate is obtained by applying online at the KVIC site after paying a registration fee of Rs 10,000. It takes 40 days to grant the certificate, which is valid for a year. Fabindia has been given seven days from the date of receipt of the notice to comply with KVICs demand, failing which legal proceedings will be initiated against the ethnic wear brand founded by American businessman John L Bissell in 1960. The KVIC and Fabindia have been locked in a battle over the issue since 2015, when the body issued a notice to the retail chain for the first time on the grounds that it had not applied for a certificate. It sent two more notices in the two subsequent years. Your continued violation and unauthorised/illegal use has caused and continues to cause irreparable loss/harm and damage to our clients khadi trademark and its goodwill and reputation In these circumstances, you have rendered yourselves liable to institution of both civil and criminal proceedings, without prejudice to any other rights that our client (KVIC) may have in law or in equity, the notice states. The KVIC chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena declined to comment. The body has demanded that Fabindia immediately surrender its entire stock bearing the khadi or charkha marks, including unused cartons, brochures, pamphlets, price lists, circulars and advertisements. It has also asked Fabinidia to hand over its inventory and profit-and-loss accounts for the last three years for inspection. We are in receipt of the notice from lawyers instructed by KVIC, and are surprised at its contents. We have made it clear to KVIC through extensive correspondence and in multiple meetings over the last two years that Fabindia is not in violation of any of the provisions of the KVIC Act or regulations framed thereunder. The claims made in the notice are baseless. The notice has been entrusted to our lawyers and any action taken in pursuance of the notice will be defended by us vigorously, said a Fabindia spokesperson. According to the notice, Fabindia officials met the KVIC chairman last year and assured him that they would comply with Khadi Mark Regulations. A fashion industry insider said that as long as a designer is procuring the handloom from a credible source it should not matter if a weaver is spinning it in a mechanised or hand-woven spinning wheel. As a consumer your only concern should be that you are getting a credible product, said Sunil Sethi, president, Fashion Design Council of India, an independent association of fashion designers. Having said that, I do feel that you have to have a regulatory body to ensure that spurious material is not passed as khadi. If KVIC has set up norms, everybody including Fabindia should meet the requirement, he added. When I was young, I didnt know what a homosexual was. I was shy, even prudish, but always rebellious. I gave up my job at my fathers marble and granite business and started a restaurant when I was 23 years old. I come from a conservative, Marwari family but have always made my choices. I remember walking around the house with my fathers briefcase, and while nobody took me seriously, I was scripting my freedom. I have never had any self-doubts about my choices, professional or personal. My relations with women have always been very strong. Even as a child, I remember I always wanted to impress women. I realised I was a lesbian when I met another woman and felt deep love. I was 23 and even back then I never thought, Will I be in trouble? I have never been scared, not even of the realisation that I was different. Unlike me, my partner grappled with her sexual orientation for a long time; not because there was lack of love. A lot of people struggle because of social pressure, because internally you feel you are doing something different and, of course, theres the law. In the eyes of the law, I am a criminal and that is unacceptable. According to the Indian Penal Code, people like me are guilty of unnatural offences. The law book, left behind by the British, tries to govern our lives through Section 377 and can imprison us for a term of life for carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal. I am many things but I am not a criminal, and a coward I am not. I am a celebrated chef with seven restaurants around the world. I want to be known as a chef; not as a lesbian chef. I have never been in the closet but I dont feel the need to wear a T-shirt announcing my sexuality. My family and friends, who matter, know me for what I am. After a four-year stint in London, I returned to Delhi and decided to speak to my parents. My mother just went silent. Two days later, she sent a box of mangoes to my partner. I am not an activist and have no desire to be one but I have now signed a petition seeking a review of a colonial-era law that criminalises consensual same-sex-relations between adults. I now believe none of us has the right to expect a change without doing our bit to bring about that change. A few years ago, I joined the gay pride in Delhi. I have never been ashamed of my orientation, but now cant bear the ways in which members from my community are discriminated against. The freedom to love is not just about sexuality, but how do you begin to explain that? We become vulnerable to blackmail and extortion by the police and even by domestic helps or drivers. The horrific section called 377 is used as a tool to scare and intimidate. What I do within my home should be my business. I am a worthy, tax-paying citizen like the rest of you. I was disturbed when two young girls who fell in love were arrested and one was raped by villagers who thought the extreme act of sexual assault would cure her. How can love between two human beings be a criminal act? Frankly, I dont even care about acceptance but how dare you label me a criminal? The truth is that I live in New Delhi, am financially independent and fairly well-known. All these help protect me but one only has to visit smaller cities, or go to villages to find out more about discrimination. Ill also say that its not only about class and money; it is also about the environment. Imagine a mindset in which girls are raped in the belief that theyll become straight. I was cautioned about signing the petition. I was told that it would have repercussions on my daily life, but I have to do my bit. We are not asking to be treated as a minority; were not asking for quotas and reservations; only dignity and privacy to be who we are. Read: Section 377 and the law: What courts have said about homosexuality over time I realised Im also putting my family and friends in the limelight. One of my relatives actually asked my mother if my partner and I were sleeping in the same bed. I was prepared to be beaten by a conservative woman like my mother, for her to be crying, but she stands by me like a rock. When I broke up with my partner, she was worried that her daughter would be lonely. I have had several messages since I signed the petition, calling me a pervert, asking me to go to an ashram etc but I have had more than double the number of texts appreciating the stand that I have taken. Homosexuality is not a crime. It has been part of our texts and our temples. Our mythology is full of it. The Victorians came and changed it and the law criminalising it needs to change too. I am mighty proud of myself. I am a businesswoman, not an activist. Yes, lets talk about 377. (Ritu Dalmia is a chef and restaurateur. ) This is the first part of Lets Talk About 377, a five-part series on the challenges faced by Indias LGBT community. Join the conversation with #LetsTalkAbout377 on social media or send us your stories and suggestions at talktous@hindustantimes.com. Militants attacked the armys 50 Rashtriya Rifles camp in south Kashmirs Pulwama district on Monday evening with a grenade but no casualties or damage were reported, police said. South Kashmir deputy inspector general of police SP Pani said a hunt was launched to capture the militants who ran away after throwing the grenade at the camp in the Kakpora area. According to a Kashmiri news agency, the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant organisation claimed responsibility for the attack. Two RPG rockets were fired and they hit the target, the agency quoted JeM spokesman Hassan Shah as saying. Earlier in the day, security forces claimed to have busted a JeM module and arrested five people allegedly working for the outfit responsible for carrying out grenade attacks in the state. A former militant of the JeM was among those arrested. The module has confessed to having carried out grenade attacks in Pampore and Awantipora areas of Pulwama district, said a police officer, who doesnt want to be identified. Mondays attack happened a day after an army Captain and three soldiers were killed in heavy Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi morally unfit to hold the post after he accused the Congress government in the poll-bound state of supporting corruption. Siddaramaiahs riposte came after Modi said in a rally on Sunday that Karnataka has a 10% commission government and promised that the BJP would root out corruption if voted to power in elections scheduled this May. Even if Modi makes 100 visits to the state or (BJP chief) Amit Shah engineers communal riots, we will win the upcoming state elections, the Congress leader said. He accused the Prime Minster of having supported and facilitated corruption by failing to set up a Lokpal in the past four years, and by not naming a Lokayukta for nine years when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. He did not speak like the Prime Minister of this country, Siddaramaiah said. According to me, he is morally unfit to be the Prime Minister, the chief minister said. The chief minister alleged that the BJP in Karnataka ran a government of looters. The Lokayukta had given reports about how much ill-gotten wealth had been generated through illegal mining, he said. [Former chief minister BS] Yeddyurappa was sitting next to him when he accused us of corruption. There is nothing more shameful than this, he said. There is nothing more shameful than the Prime Minister of 1.3 billion people stooping to the level of Yeddyurappa. Siddaramaiah questioned Modis understanding of the Constitution, saying he and BJP chief Shah were unaware of the difference between a states share from taxes and grants given by the Union government. This was in response to the BJP repeatedly pointing out that the state had received Rs 3 lakh crore. Where do the central governments taxes come from? It is collected from states, Siddaramaiah said. Karnataka contributes 9% of the total taxes collected in the nation, which is the third highest. But we get only 4.65% from the Centre, he said, asking the BJP to answer for this discrepancy. Siddaramaiah criticised Modi for failing to speak about farmers problems at the rally. Farmers were hoping that he would speak about their distress, that he would say he will intervene in the Mahadayi water-sharing dispute, but he did not. He accused the Prime Minister of lying about the states law and order. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, Karnataka accounts for only 5% of the total crimes in the country. BJP-ruled states Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are way ahead, he said. Reacting to the chief ministers comments, the BJP said the state government appears rattled by the support Modi received at the rally. Prime Minister Modi won the mandate of the people and the whole world respects him. Such politically motivated statements are being made because Siddaramaiah is desperate as he knows he will lose, said Union minister DV Sadananda Gowda. Gowda said Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath had launched a crackdown against underworld groups in his state, but the opposite was true for Karnataka. The Union minister also said the chief minister has actively made the Lokayukta toothless and so has no right question the Prime Minister on Lokpal. The Pune teenager who was labelled as an IS suicide bomber by the Jammu and Kashmir Police last month but exonerated after extensive questioning by police and intelligence agencies, on Monday lamented that her academic career had been ruined by the misleading media reports. Sadiya Anwar Shaikh, 18, who came before the media after her return from Srinagar early Sunday, said she had gone there with her mother Sumiyya for admission to a local nursing college. After securing her admission to the SET Paramedical and Nursing Institute in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama in mid-January, Sadiya was busy completing other requirements while her mother returned to Pune. On January 25, I was shocked to see local newspaper and television reports purportedly referring to me as some kind of ISIS (IS) human-bomb. Immediately I approached the nearest police station and informed them of the reality of my visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Sadiya, flanked by her mother, told media persons. Thereafter, the entire Jammu and Kashmir Police top brass, the Intelligence Bureau, National Investigation Agency and other agencies subjected her to sustained interrogation but finally cleared her. The Jammu and Kashmir Police have sent an email to Pune police clearing me of all the falsehoods. Unfortunately, because of the wrong and biased media reports and campaign against me, on January 27, the college abruptly cancelled my admission for the nursing course, Sadiya said. Undeterred, the convent-school educated girl, who has been a topper all through her academic career, said now she will complete her graduation from a Maharashtra college and later appear for the civil services examinations, with a dream to become an IAS or IPS officer. Mulnivaasi Muslim Manch President Rafi Anjum Inamdar announced that his NGO has decided to take care of all the future education expenses of Sadiya, and provide her all help to secure admission in a college of her choice in Pune, Mumbai or any other place. We will also appeal to the Press Council of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give justice to this young girl who has been a victim of blatant falsehoods by some media groups. This has affected not only her academics, but could also affect her job and marital prospects in future, Inamdar told IANS after the media conference. On January 22, the Jammu and Kashmir Police had circulated an alert from IB of the possibility of the Pune girl who could act as a human bomb on Republic Day celebrations in that state, leading to Sadiyas travails. India plans to attack installations along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to sabotage the multi-billion dollar project, Pakistans interior ministry has claimed. The ministry, in a letter to Gilgit-Baltistans home department, warned of possible terrorist attacks on the CPEC route, including bridges at Karakoram Highway and other important points. It issued directives for making foolproof security arrangements to avoid any untoward incident, Dawn online reported on Monday. An official of the home department said the letter claimed that India had sent 400 Muslim youngsters to Afghanistan for receiving training to be able to carry out attacks. The Gilgit-Baltistan government said it enhanced security on the CPEC route, including two dozen bridges built on Karakoram Highway from Khunjerab Pass to Diamer district. Police officials said the movements of foreigners in Gilgit-Baltistan would be monitored and their documents would be verified. The letter said police personnel deputed for the security of bridges at Karakoram Highway needed to be put on high alert. It said local police officers should conduct combing operations, supervise checking at vulnerable points, hotels and guest houses. The project, a key artery of Beijings mega Belt and Road initiative, has caused much friction between India and China over the past few years. The CPEC links Chinas Kashgar in Xinjiang province with Pakistans Gwadar port in Balochistan through a network of roads, railways and highways. India strongly objects to the route of the corridor, which goes through Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah is on Monday expected to lead the ruling side during a debate on the Presidents speech in the Rajya Sabha. The motion of thanks, as the debate is known, is an opportunity for both the government and the Opposition to raise and discuss vital issues. In his joint address to the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on January 29, President Ram Nath Kovind supported the idea of simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly election, something that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also keen on. While Shah, a first-time member, will initiate the debate in the Upper House, the Lok Sabha is likely to be adjourned for the day. A member from Uttar Pradeshs Kairana, Hukum Singh, passed away on Saturday. The Prime Minister is likely to participate in the Rajya Sabha debate on Tuesday. Frequent polls were a huge burden on human resources and impede development due to promulgation of the model code of conduct, the President had said on the opening day of the ongoing budget session. Therefore, a sustained debate is required on the subject of simultaneous elections and all political parties need to arrive at a consensus on this issue, Kovind said. The Presidents speech is a policy statement that lists the governments achievements while laying out the legislative agenda. Kovind also spoke at length about the governments commitment towards the welfare of farmers, battling distress over shrinking profits. The union budget presented on February 1 listed several measures for farmers and improving agriculture. In his speech, Kovind had also pushed for the passage of the triple talaq bill, saying for decades dignity of Muslim women has remained captive to political cost-benefit. The Lok Sabha has passed the bill that seeks to criminalise the Islamic practice of instant divorce but the legislation is stuck in the Rajya Sabha, where the ruling alliance is in a minority. The Opposition says the bill needs to be discussed thoroughly. A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modis rally in Karnataka, actor Prakash Raj took to Twitter on Monday and criticised the central government over farmers issue and unemployment. Prakash tweeted, Promise toothpaste sold in 2014 (forget brushing the teeth) could not bring a smile on distressed farmers or jobless youth of my country. Do you believe Promise Toothpaste sold yesterday (Sunday) in Karnataka rally? Will bring it? Just asking. Modi on Sunday launched a no-holds barred attack on the Congress as he addressed the people at the culmination of BJPs 90-day long journey to build a new Karnataka rally, across the poll-bound state. The BJP could take Karnataka to new heights with a focus on improving the lives of farmers and creating better infrastructure, Modi said. Sounding the election bugle, the Prime Minister urged people to throw the corrupt and dynastic Congress out of power in the state assembly polls due in late April or early May. There are still seven lakh homes in Karnataka which are in the dark with no access to electricity even years after Independence. Electricity will brighten their lives, Modi said. The Union Budgets announcement of a suburban train network for Bengaluru could benefit nearly 15 lakh passengers, the Prime Minister said. The partys state unit had opened an online registry and used social media to personally invite the youth, techies, educated class and prominent citizens to the venue, assuring them of seating arrangements. The Nava Karnataka Nirmana Parivartana Yatra, held with a view of bringing the BJP back to power in the state on the plank of transforming Karnataka through development, was led by its state unit chief and former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa. The BJP came to power on its own for the first time in 2008 but lost to the Congress after five years in the May 2013 assembly election. The details of the deal with France for the Rafale fighter jets cannot be disclosed as per the Inter Governmental Agreement as it is classified information, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman told Parliament on Monday. Sitharamans response, in a written reply, came to a question by Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha member Naresh Agrawal seeking to know why the government was not disclosing details of the deal in which Congress has alleged that the price of the fighter jets being paid by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is higher than what was finalised by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in a previous deal. As per Article 10 of the Inter-Governmental Agreement between Governments of India and France on the purchase of Rafale aircraft, the protection of the classified information and material exchanged under IGA is governed by the provisions of the Security Agreement signed between Government of France and Government of India in 2008, she said. In response to a question whether a private sector company was included in the deal, Sitharaman said that neither any public sector undertaking nor private sector industry was included in the agreement. The Congress has alleged that there are irregularities in the deal for buying 36 Rafale fighter jets off-shelf from France, claiming that they were being bought at a price higher than negotiated in the previous multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) deal under which 126 fighter jets were to be bought, and included a number of fighters being assembled in India. Sitharaman has in past said that the allegations are motivated and baseless, and the price that the Narendra Modi led government has finalised is lesser than the earlier deal. Leaders of the Congress and some other opposition parties had also sought a disclosure of price being paid in the present deal. In order to replace the existing MiG-21 aircraft, a case to procure 126 Mirage-2000 aircraft was initiated in the year 2000, which was later converted to procurement of 126 MMRCAs. A Request For Proposal (RFP) was issued in 2007, wherein six vendors had responded. On completion of Field Evaluation Trials, only two out of the six vendors were found to be fully compliant. Commercial proposals of both vendors EADS and Dassault Aviation were opened and negotiations were commenced with Dassault as the L1 vendor in November 2011. The RFP was formally withdrawn on June 24, 2015. India and France signed the inter-government agreement for buying 36 Rafale fighters, off the shelf, on September 23, 2016, following long negotiations on the deal, agreed upon during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to France in April 2015. The Rajya Sabha was on Monday adjourned till 2 pm before even the Question Hour was taken up after opposition MPs trooped into the well of the house and raised slogans in protest . Samajwadi Party MPs were protesting against the alleged encounter killings by the police in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh when M Venkaiah Naidu, the Rajya Sabha chairman, adjourned the house. The proceedings began at 11am with the tabling of the listed papers, after which the Zero Hour is held where members raise issues of public interest. The Question Hour, where MPs can ask the government questions about various policies, usually takes place at noon. Members of the Aam Aadmi Party too protested, but against the issue of sealing of commercial establishments in Delhi. Congress member Ramachandra Rao also came into the Well holding a banner that read Do Justice to Andhra Pradesh in protest against the state not finding a mention in the Union Budget for 2018-19 presented last week. Naresh Agrawal (SP) had given a notice under rule 267 seeking adjournment of proceedings to take up a discussion on the issue of fake encounters, which was rejected by Naidu who said the matter could be raised through a different notice. I dont want to run the House like this, Naidu remarked as SP, AAP and the lone Congress member trooped into the Well of the House. Let us not have an encounter of Zero Hour, he said as members shouted slogans. This is not the way, he said as he ordered that slogan shouting would not go on record. Derek OBrien (TMC) rose to make his Zero Hour submission but nothing could be heard in the din. Lok Sabha adjourned too The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day after paying tribute to BJP member Hukum Singh, who died on Saturday. Soon after the House met, three new members Congress members from Rajasthan Karan Singh Yadav and Raghu Sharma as well as TMC member from West Bengal Sajda Ahmed took oath. Yadav has been elected from Alwar while Sharma and Ahmed represent Ajmer and Uluberia constituencies, respectively. After the members took oath, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan made the obituary reference about Singh, who represented Kairana constituency in Uttar Pradesh. The 79-year-old Singh was also the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Water Resources and member of General Purposes Committee of the Lok Sabha. A literary person with deep passion for reading scriptures; poetry and classics, the spirit of which he imbibed in his disciplined life and also reflected in his insightful articles, Mahajan said while mourning the demise of Singh. The House stood in silence for a brief while as a mark of respect before the proceedings were adjourned. The Delhi High Court decriminalised gay sex in 2009 but its judgment was overturned by the Supreme Court. Last year, the top court said it will review its order. Heres a timeline of Section 377 in the courts: 2001: A Delhi-based NGO, Naz Foundation, files a public interest litigation in the Delhi High Court challenging Section 377. September 2004: High court dismisses the PIL, saying Naz Foundation has no locus in the case. December 2004: Activists approach the Supreme Court against high courts order. April 2006: The Supreme Court directs the high court to reconsider the matter on merit. September 2008: Centre seeks more time to take stand after contradictory statements by the home ministry, which backs Section 377 and health ministry, which admits law is hampering fight against HIV/AIDS. Later that month, Centre says gay sex is immoral. October 2008: High court pulls up the Centre for relying on religious texts and asks it to come up with a stand based on scientific reports. July 2009: High court reads down Section 377 to remove consensual same-sex acts in private from its purview. December 2013: Supreme Court sets aside the Delhi high court order, asks Parliament to come up with law. January 2014: Supreme Court dismisses a central government petition seeking a review of its verdict. January 2016: Supreme Court agrees to hear a curative petition the last available judicial recourse in open court. June 2016: Supreme Court refers a petition filed by five well-known members of the LGBT community to the Chief Justice for appropriate orders. August 2017: Supreme Court passes landmark ruling declaring individual privacy a guaranteed fundamental right and calling sexual orientation an essential attribute of privacy. January 2018: Supreme Court refers Section 377 to a larger bench of the court, saying its 2013 decision requires reconsideration. Working hard to earn a living is better than being unemployed, said BJP president Amit Shah on Monday, using his speech in Parliament to hit back at Opposition criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his statement about employment. Selling pakodas is not something to be ashamed of. Someone who sells pakodas today, his progeny can become entrepreneurs tomorrow. Today a son of chaiwala is the PM of this nation. You cannot compare the self-employed with beggars, Shah said in his first speech in the Rajya Sabha Modi, in a recent interview to Zee News TV channel, had said, If someone opens a pakoda shop in front of your office, does that not count as employment? The persons daily earning of Rs 200 will never come into any books or accounts. The truth is massive people are being employed. Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday criticised Modis speech, saying the government didnt know how to create jobs. By that logic, even begging is a job. Lets count poor or disabled persons who are forced to beg for a living as employed people... The truth is India is witnessing a three-year spell of modest, but jobless growth and the government is clueless about how to create jobs, said Chidambaram, a former finance minister. Shah rejected the Congresss criticism and said the party had failed to help Indias people in over seven decades of its rule. He said the Modi government had implemented its promises such as opening bank accounts for the poor, building toilets, and providing electricity to 16,000 villages. The Modi government has kept its promise of working for the poor and deprived, farmers, youth, tribals, Dalits and women. We dont announce policies to appease people, we announce schemes that are good for the people. Shah said 31 crore zero-balance bank accounts have been opened to ensure that money intended for the poor reaches them through the direct benefit transfers scheme. He compared Modis appeal to the rich to give up their subsidised LPG gas connection to former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastris call to forego a meal during the 1965 war with Pakistan. Shah said the government has not only promised houses for all in rural areas, but is also sanctioning gas connections through the Ujjwala scheme that has changed the lives of women. Modi has ended the ills of dynastic rule, casteism and discrimination, said Shah. Modi was present in the House. Shah, who was elected to the upper house last year, also criticised the Congress for calling the goods and services tax (GST) Gabbar Singh Tax and said it is unfortunate that the opposition party was inciting people not to pay tax and trivialising it. A special court in New Delhi on Monday sent Indrani Mukerjea, a prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, to two days CBI custody in connection with a case related to INX Media. Special CBI Judge Sunil Rana allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to interrogate Indrani for two days after the agency sought three days custody and directed that she be brought before it on February 7. During the proceedings, the probe agency submitted before the court that Indrani has to be questioned and confronted with other accused in the case. It said that during an earlier interrogation in the matter, it was revealed that further investigation requires her custodial interrogation. There is voluminous record in the case and permission to interrogate had been granted earlier also, the CBI said. However, the Mumbai Police told the court that Indrani has to be produced before a Mumbai court on February 13 and cannot be kept in Delhi beyond that. The ED has registered a case against INX Media, its founders Peter Mukerjea, former media baron and his wife Indrani, and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). INX Media has been accused of violating FIPB guidelines while receiving investments from Mauritius. The Mukerjeas are facing trial in Mumbai for allegedly conspiring to kill Sheena Bora, Indranis daughter from an earlier relationship, in April 2012. Study seriously for exams. Havildar Roshan Lal, one of the four Indian Army soldiers killed in Pakistan shelling in Rajouri district on Sunday night, gave this advice to his son when they spoke in the morning. Lal, 42, hailed from Nichla village in Ghagwal tehsil of Samba district in Jammu. As his family mourns his death and people console them, there was anger and talk of settling scores. He died in a proxy war, said Darshan Kumar about his older brother Lal as mourners gathered at the family home in Nichla. Lets settle it once and for all, said Kumar, who works with the paramilitary Central Industrial Security Force and believes his brother would have inflicted heavy damage on the Pakistani side in a regular war. Lal, who joined the army in 1995, is survived by his father, Des Raj, wife Asha Devi and two children. My father talked to me [over phone] on Sunday morning and asked both of us to study seriously for the final exams, said Abhinandan, a Class 10 student at the Army School in Samba. His sister, Artika, is in Class 8. Captain Kapil Kundu who killed along was Lal, was six days short of his 23rd birthday, an army official said. Kundu, who hailed from Ransika village of Gurgaon district, would have turned 23 on February 10. The other two soldiers killed in Pakistan action were identified as riflemen Ram Avtar and Shubam Singh. Last few weeks have seen bloody skirmishes along the international border as well as the line of control, the de facto frontier, between India and Pakistan. Nineteen people, including 12 security personnel, have been killed this year. Heavy shelling has also forced villagers living along the border to move to safer places and schools have been shut in many areas. Four crore, he said, describing his poll expense in 2013. Of that, Rs2.8 crore was from my pocket. I got the rest from friends and family. My constituency has fewer than 2,5000 people. Yet, I came second. In a state in which political defections are the norm rather than exception, he had moved since the last election to a new party. He is once again preparing to contest in the Nagaland state assembly polls, slated for February 27. The lesson from last time is simply that my rival spent more than I did. I need to spend more probably double, in the range of Rs7 or 8 crore. While a significant section of Naga civil society and political opinion has asked for a solution to the larger Naga political issue before the polls, the Centre has made it clear that elections will be held. While discussing polls, the most common refrain one hears in the state is that money will have a great bearing on the outcome. Elections everywhere in India are expensive affairs, and political finance is non-transparent. But in Nagaland, this seems to have assumed a different dimension with direct purchase of votes, turning around the logic of democracy where elected representatives are supposed to work for constituents once they win. Here, as a party leader put it, there is almost a contract between voters and aspiring representatives: since you wont do much between elections, we want benefits during elections. To tackle such malpractices, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council has started a Clean Election Campaign and the Election Commission is strengthening its monitoring mechanisms. Given the illegality of the practice, most interlocutors wished to remain anonymous. The mechanics of vote-buying He won as an independent in the last election and admitted the average cost per constituency was between Rs6-8 crore. What are the key expenditure sub-heads? The first is direct purchase of votes. Households are given cash, depending on the number of people per household. It could be Rs10,000 for, say, a family of four or five. But this, he said, was a gamble. They could take the money and vote for someone else; they could take money from more than one candidate. It is a risk, but all of us have to take it. Since elections are so micro and the constituencies so small, you usually know who is voting where. The second key expense is paying off influential clan leaders Nagaland has several tribes and sub clans who control a substantial number of votes. I may offer an elder who has 100 votes a few lakhs. He may tell me hes getting Rs5 lakh from another candidate. I then make a counter offer. The final key expense, often seen in elections elsewhere, is an inducement in kind. Giving bikes and cars to young supporters ends up costing a fair bit. And then there is the food and drink. Nagaland has prohibition, yet there is rampant illegal distribution of alcohol. During elections, it becomes more expensive. A bottle costing Rs140 goes for Rs500. And people start demanding a bottle each day for 15 days in the run-up to elections. And then you organise feasts, explained the independent politician. But it is fine. It is all worth it. The voter-politician contract It is worth it for politicians, says Kesosul Christopher Ltu, president of Naga Student Federation, the umbrella organisation of student unions in the state, because they use the expenses during the elections to do nothing after elections. Ltu says, MLAs get development funds. But a lot of expenditure is skimmed off. Their excuse is voters have already taken money during elections. But voters really get a very, very small slice of the cake. The cake is eaten up by the political elite here. A local journalist has a similar explanation. There is little governance. The political elite disappears for the most part. This is the only opportunity for voters to extract something. It is now a vicious cycle. Officially, political leaders say Nagaland is not unique. A Kikon, spokesperson of the ruling Naga Peoples Front, said, If you compare it to elections in South India, it is not expensive. Yes, we cannot deny there are expenses involved. But it is not fair to allege that every Naga household is subject to purchase. They do vote for principles, leaders, candidates. Ethical and informed voting Abhijit Sinha, chief electoral officer of Nagaland, admits there is a problem. There have been a lot of complaints about high expenditure and monetary inducements. We are aware of the matter. To deal with it, Sinha says the EC has adopted a two-pronged approach this time. We are strengthening our regulatory and monitoring mechanisms. There will be a substantial increase in the number of Election Expenditure Observers. We will have over 90 check-posts and a minimum of three flying squads per constituency. Sinha also said the other component was focusing on behavourial change through voter orientation camps to encourage ethical and informed voting. Privately, leaders remain cynical that initiatives like Clean Election Campaign or the ECs efforts will have much impact. A BJP strategist for the region said, It is a ritual to give money during elections. Giving it is no guarantee of victory but not giving it means defying the ritual and losing for sure. Voters and politicians have reached an arrangement, a compromise. In the easternmost corner of India, this compromise reflects distortions in Indian democracy. Known for his incendiary statements, BJP MLA from Goshamahal, Hyderabad, T Raja Singh was at it again in Neemuch when he said that those who do not go to RSS Shakha cannot be Hindus, angering the Congress which strongly condemned his statements. Speaking at a dharma sabha organised as part of the Hindu Utsav Samiti in Neemuch on Sunday, Raja said every Hindu should join a RSS shakha. BJP MP Shakshi Maharaj was also present at the function. Raja said those who attended the shakha were nationalists and thought about the welfare of the country. I do believe that those who do take part in a shakha can work for the betterment of the country and religion, he said. Shakshi Maharaj said there are various political organisations, and they may differ in their ideologies, but they are all made up of Hindus. You might be angry with your MLA or MP, but do not punish Bharat Mata and Prime Minister Modi for it, he said. Youth Congress leader and farmer leader Ramesh Rajora criticised Raja and Shakshi Maharajs statements and said, They do not have the right to say who is a Hindu and who is not. A person who is born in a Hindu family is a Hindu and they do not need a certificate from the RSS to prove it. Rajora also said that in the name of Hindu they were canvassing for the BJP and added, Not even one percent of the Hindus attend RSS shakhas and these politicians are exaggerating the hold and influence of RSS among Hindus. Underworld gangster Abu Salem is required to remain in prison for 60 years, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told a special court through special public prosecutor Deepak Salvi. The statement was made after Taloja jail authorities sought the opinion of the court set up to try cases under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) on remission of the sentence awarded to Salem. Jail authorities cited an eight-year-old guideline issued by the state government in March 2010, where prison authorities were supposed to initiate the process of review for remission of a convict awarded the life sentence, after he or she completes 12 years in prison. The superintendent of Taloja had moved the application on December 12, 2017, after Salem completed 12 years and 11 months in the jail. Special TADA judge GA Sanap had asked the CBI to file a reply to the issue raised by jail authorities. The CBI, in its reply, stated Salem was convicted for life for the murder of builder Pradeep Jain, and was given the same sentence in the 1993 serial blasts case. The TADA court also had sentenced Salem to 25 years in prison for being part of a larger conspiracy behind the 1993 serials blasts case. Salvi, on Monday, filed a reply to the letter that said according to the same guidelines issued by the state government on March 2010, Salem is required to undergo imprisonment for 60 years. The letter further quoted a Supreme Court judgment where it categorically stated that life imprisonment cannot be equivalent to imprisonment for 14 years or 20 years or even 30 years, rather it always means the whole natural life. The agency, in its reply, also said, it is pertinent to note that the accused Abu Salem is extradited to India from Portugal, and during extradition, the government of India has given assurance of punishment as per provisions of the Extradition Act. As per the extradition condition, Salem cannot be kept behind bars for more than 25 years. The agency has asked the court to consider the guidelines of the state government, order of the apex court on terms of life imprisonment along with the undertaking given by the Indian government while extraditing Salem. Meanwhile, the superintendent of Central Prison, Kolhapur, too, approached the court for its opinion of remission of three convicts who were sentenced to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court for their roles in the 1993 serial blasts. The three accused are Mohammed Rafiq Usman Shaikh, Uttam Potdar and Munna alias Mohammed Ali Khan alias Manojkumar Bhavarlal Gupta. The Supreme Court on Monday told khap panchayats not to be the conscience keepers of society, again asking them to desist from interfering in the marriage of two consenting adults. The observation was made by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra that is hearing a plea seeking a ban on khap panchayats and also guidelines to stop honour killings. We cant say which marriage is null or void, which marriage is good or bad... just stay out of it, the CJI said. Two persons marry...they are adults...you are no one to interfere in it. They were not against inter-caste or inter-religious alliances but only opposed same gotra marriages because they were the conscience keepers, the lawyer appearing for khap panchayats said. To which the CJI said, Dont be the conscience-keepers of society. Khaps are caste or community groups that wield considerable influence in rural areas of north India. They are known to hold kangaroo courts that dissolve marriages, dictate dress code, mostly to women, ban cellphones and even force rape victims into marrying rapists. Their opposition to marriages on the basis of caste or religion has also led to murders. A khap panchayat leader in Haryana had blamed chow mein for the rise in rape cases in India. This was the second time in less than a month that the top court came down hard on khaps. Attacks on those opting for inter-caste marriage were absolutely illegal and khap panchayats can not threaten adults for marrying each other, the court said during the previous hearing. If an adult man and woman marry, no khap, panchayat or society can question them, the bench had said. A non-government organisation Shakti Vahini had in 2010 filed the petition seeking directions to the Centre and state governments for preventing honour crimes. Khaps were against inter-caste and intra-caste, as a result several people had been killed in the name of honour, the PIL said. Senior counsel Raju Ramachandran, who is assisting the court in the matter, in a report has said khap panchayats were influential and the SC should take steps to control them. The case will now be heard on February 16. The select committee of the Rajasthan Assembly, which is deliberating upon the controversial Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill, 2017, commonly referred to as the gag bill, sought more time on Monday before submitting its report. After Governor Kalyan Singhs address to the budget session of the Assembly, home minister Gulab Chand Kataria, who is chairman of the select committee, sought an extension until the first week of next session to submit its report on the bill. The state government brought an ordinance that sought to shield public servants, judges and magistrates from investigation without the sanction of the state government. The ordinance came into effect on September 7 and lapsed on the night of December 4 but it set off a firestorm of protests. The government introduced a bill to replace the ordinance in the Assembly on October 23 but referred it to the select committee following protests. An ordinance can only remain valid for 42 days after a bill to turn it into a law is tabled in the assembly. The bill makes it mandatory for judicial magistrates to seek the governments nod before taking note of corruption complaints against former and sitting judges and public servants filed under Section 156 (3) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The bill also provided for a two-year jail term for mediapersons who report such complaints before the government gives its go-ahead. For this reason, it was also called the gag bill. The government said it brought the ordinance followed by a bill to check misuse of CrPC section 156 (3). Kataria sought the extension until the first week of the next assembly session. Soon after, BJP MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari raised objections. He asked the government to tell the House how many meetings the select committee had held and what they discussed. Tiwari said that it was replacing the bill for an ordinance. He said that the ordinance has already lapsed and in the high court the government had stated that it does not intend to bring the law, then why does the government want to extend this. He also had heated arguments with parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Rathore. The extension was given by voice vote. Two bills in the last assembly session were sent to select committee of which five meetings were held to discuss on The Code of Criminal Procedure (Rajasthan Amendment) 2017. The committee needs more time to discuss The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) 2017, said Rathore. Tiwari walked out of the house in protest. A member of the select committee, who did not wish to be named, said that the panel met five times after the bill was referred to it but it did not discuss the bill. The bill was only referred to once on January 30, the last time the panel met. Committee members Manik Chand Surana, Pradhyuman Singh and Kirori Lal Meena were against the bill. Kataria, who heads the committee, was in favour of approving the bill unanimously, the member added. A vaccine that prevents pneumonia will be included in immunisation programmes in nine districts of Rajasthan from April, officials said. The vaccine, called pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), will be given to children under a Centres pilot programme, which is in its second phase. The first phase was launched in 2017 in Himachal Pradesh and parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. A lot of children in Rajasthan die of pneumonia that can be prevented through PCV. On success of the pilot programme in nine districts, it will be extended to other districts of the state, said Naveen Jain, mission director of the National Health Mission. Pneumonia is number one killer among leading infectious diseases in the under-5 age group in India. The introduction of PCV will help in curbing pneumonia and other illness caused by pneumococcal bacteria. The health department organised a two-day workshop on Monday for reproductive and child health officers, and selected medical officers of nine districts -- Banswara, Barmer, Dungarpur, Jalore, Pali, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Sirohi and Udaipur for training in the new vaccine. These nine districts have high under-5 mortality in Rajasthan and PCV will benefit approximately 4.6 lakh children, Jain said. Director, reproductive and child health, Dr SM Mittal said PCV will reduce incidence of pneumonia, meningitis and other serious bacterial infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria. Two primary doses (of PCV) will be administered to newborns at sixth week and 14th week and a booster dose at the ninth month, Mittal said. The PCV vaccine is available in private sector and three doses of it cost around Rs 10,000-12,000, which only a few could afford. By including it in routine immunisation programme, the underprivileged and poor people can get it administered to their children free of cost. Around 10 lakh deaths take place every year in the world, of which 16% in under-5 were due to pneumonia. India shares 20% of global deaths due to pneumonia, according to World Health Organisation and Maternal Child Epidemiology Estimation 2017. In Rajasthan, the under-5 mortality rate is 45 as per Sample Registration System 2016; in 2015, the rate was 50. The trained officials will further train all the health workers and medical officers of their districts, Mittal said. A suspected militant affiliated to the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), a banned terror outfit responsible for the 2014 Burdwan blast, was arrested in Murshibad district on Sunday night. Azhar Hossain (22) is the fourth alleged JMB member to be held in the last one week. Shamserganj police said a large cache of ammunition and IED explosives was recovered from his possession. We arrested Hossain from Ratanpur village on Sunday night, said Amit Kumar Bhakat, officer-in-charge of the Shamsherganj police station. They later produced him before a court in Jangipur, and sought 14-day police custody. While two alleged militants Paigambar Sheikh (24) and Jamirul Sheikh (31) were arrested from Murshidabad and Siliguri on January 30 in connection with a low-intensity blast at Bodh Gaya late last year, a third Shish Mohammad was held in Shamserganj later. A National Investigation Agency team probing the Burdwan blast has uncovered an alleged JMB network spread across at least four districts of the state (Nadia, Birbhum, Murshidabad and Burdwan). Police have slapped several charges under sections 120 (concealing design to commit offence punishable with imprisonment), 121 (waging, or attempting to wage war against the government of India), 122 (collecting arms with the intention of waging war against the government of India) and 123 (concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war) against Hossain. Officers of the district intelligence wing said a police team raided his house and seized 75 rounds of ammunition, a loaded magazine, 25 kg of explosives and some jihadi literature on a tip-off. While Hossain works as a van driver, he came into contact with JMB members over the last few months. According to police, JMB leader Salauddin had delivered a speech at Dhulian in Murshidabad a few months ago at a secret event attended by Mohammad and Hossain. The duo had joined the banned group soon afterwards. Mohammad and Hossain were allegedly trained in manufacturing IEDs by Mijan Sheikh, an explosives expert affiliated to the JMB. Interrogations of the arrested persons have revealed that several modules and sleeper cells of the JMB are now active in Murshidabad and neighbouring districts. They have recruited several youngsters so far, a police officer said on the condition of anonymity. For years, 36-year-old Subhendu Pramaik, a barber, had been attending to his customers - comprising mostly poor people - on a pavement along the Eastern Metropolitan Bypss that connects Kolkata to its fast-developing southern outskirts. Few ever bothered to notice him. During the long weekend that started with Republic Day, the humble barber was photographed and caught on video by thousands who drove down from all over Kolkata. Many even clicked selfies with him. Reason: Pramanik now has his shop in a boat that floats on a 8000 square metre artificial lake at Patuli, a small township set up by the erstwhile Left regime. The vegetable sellers are making brisk business because for buyers, the experience is unique. (Tanmay Chatterjee / HT Photo) After failing to procure land for a market for shopkeepers and hawkers displaced by development projects six years ago, the Trinamool government has rehabilitated 128 of these people on 114 boats. The beneficiaries were selected through lottery. Not all are lucky enough to have an entire boat and Pramanik figures among those who have been asked to share space. Wooden gangways have been set up on raised platforms that crisscross the water so that customers can walk around. The boats are tied to these platforms to prevent rolling. The shopkeepers, many among whom are women, have been given life jackets for their safety. Built on a budget of Rs 10 crore and inaugurated on January 24, the project has not only made Kolkata the first Indian metro to have a floating market but has also altered lives and perceptions. Samar Biswas (47) is one of the four shopkeepers who sell chicken. (Tanmay Chatterjee / HT Photo) Public reaction to this experiment has caught even the administration by surprise. Since January 26, Google is offering Kolkata as its first response to the search words floating market. Parking space in the neighbourhood is getting scarce and traffic managers are having a tough time. All my life I sold fish on the streets out there and I knew most of my customers by face. Now, I am meeting complete strangers. Not all people come to buy but out of every 100, at least 90 click selfies with my boat and the fishes, quipped Sukdeb Haldar, 40, pointing at his stock of Rohu and prawns. We open shop at 5.30 am and leave around 11 at night. These boats have special compartments inside the hull. We keep perishable items in iceboxes, said Haripada Chowkidar, the only fishmonger who accepts e-wallet payments. Prices here are the same as in other markets, he pointed out. Sale has been brisk for some this weekend. I was a little apprehensive and brought only 20 live chickens and some eggs on Friday. Everything was sold, said Samar Biswas, 47. A flower shop at the floating market. (Tanmay Chatterjee / HT Photo) I have heard that people sell many things on boats at Dal Lake in Kashmir and there are floating markets in Bangkok. We, too, have joined them, said Babu Gazi, 46, a butcher who sells mutton. What Gazi possibly didnt know is that the five floating markets in Bangkok draw mostly foreign tourists. A couple capturing the moment on Republic Day. (Tanmay Chatterjee / HT Photo) Interestingly, the man who fought for the rehabilitation of these people visited Thailand several times to talk to shopkeepers and civic officials. I studied the floating markets in Bangkok and realised that we need to improvise. The design of our boats was approved by experts from Jadavpur University. Urban development minister Firhad Hakim launched the project and allotted funds, said Shaktiman Ghosh, president of the National Hawker Federation. Loaded with pillows and blankets, this boat stands out at the floating market. (Tanmay Chatterjee / HT Photo) Ghosh has fought for rehabilitation of urban hawkers since the 80s and partnered with union leaders in foreign shores to create the International Federation of Hawker and Urban Poor in Japan, Laos, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Zambia, Thailand, Indonesia and Brazil. Cities will grow because development cant be stopped. But rehabilitation must be ensured, said Ghosh. He held the first review meeting with shopkeepers and engineers on the banks of the lake on Republic Day. We have to show those swanky shopping malls that we are not inferior in any way, he told the hawkers. The crowd cheered. At the floating market, at least ten boats cater to the fish - loving Bengali. Women run four of these shops. (Tanmay Chatterjee / HT Photo) Talking of odds, the shopkeepers do face a few. We have been told not to light fire on the boats. I sell tea and omelette. How can I manage without fire? a woman asked Ghosh. Rules are rules. Start a different business if you have to, he replied firmly. Local residents who used to go for walks on the banks of the lake have now started carrying shopping bags. The face of our neighbourhood has suddently changed. We must preserve it, said Amal Dutta, a retired engineer and resident of Patuli. While septuagenarian Uttar Pradesh celebrated its first-ever birthday with much fanfare on January 24, not many know that the process of naming the state, which began in 1947, went on for over two years and also proved to be an onerous task. More than 20 names like Aryavrata, Hindustan, Himalay Pradesh and Uttarakhand had been suggested and deliberated upon before there was a compromise on Uttar Pradesh (UP). The rare and the lively insight into two years of tumultuous and sometimes acrimonious debates and discussions in the state legislature as well as the Constituent Assembly in New Delhi has been recorded in book Gyanesh Kudaisya, a Singapore-based-UP-born historian. Titled, Region, Nation, Heartland Uttar Pradesh in Indias Body Politic, the book delves into political history of Uttar Pradesh. A separate chapter on Renaming the Heartland claims that Aryavrata was the front runner among all names suggested but it could not be adopted for various reasons. This is true that Uttar Pradesh got its name after a lot of discussion over various alternatives, many of them quite interesting, says Hriday Narayan Dikshit, speaker Vidhan Sabha, Uttar Pradesh. WHEN THE SEARCH BEGAN? A few days after Independence a debate started in the legislature over the question of a suitable name of the newly born province that had been known as United Province of Agra and Oudh since 1902 and was shortened to United Province (UP) in 1937. During a debate, on September 11, 1947, Chandra Bhal, a Congress MLC, rose to move a resolution for changing United Provinces (UP) name. We are witnessing a new birth. I think we should have a new and suitable name. After the birth, the most important ceremony is the Nam Karan everywhere and I think we should signalize this birth of a new age and a new life in our people by having a really good name for our province, he pleaded. The resolution received overwhelming support. BUT CONSENSUS ELUDED Though there was strong agreement over the need to change the name, there was no consensus on what the new name should be. Education minister, Sampurnanand pointed out difficulties in adopting Oudh as the new name as suggested by Chandra Bhal. The name, he argued, may not be acceptable to people of Braj and Kashi. Chandra Bhal clarified that Oudh was merely an example. Other possible names according to him could be Aryavarta, even Hindustan or just Hind. Finally, it was decided that government should appoint a committee to consider various proposals for naming UP within a month. Ram Chandra Gupta, another Congress legislator, supported the proposal and explained in detail how the name United Province was an unattractive one. Soon, speaker after speaker argued that United Province as a colonial appellation was not a suitable name and people could not be expected to feel patriotic about such a name. ARYAVRARTA FRONT RUNNER Soon the debate seemed to settle over Aryavarta. Speaking in support of this, legislator, Bandri Datt Pandey said, When Aryans came here, they called it Aryavarta or the abode of Aryans. I think this the original name. The Aryans came here and settled and they wrote these wonderful books, the Vedas, the Darshans and other systems of philosophy. However, there were important dissenting voices too. Sheikh Masood-ul-Zaman, a Muslim legislator, shot down the very idea of renaming the province. Criticizing the Aryavrata proposal, he said, it would not appeal to many people, especially minorities. Suppose we name the province Aryavrata, are we in that case going to be known as Arya Samajist? he questioned. Another dissenter was Abdul Hamid of the Muslim League. The United Province, he argued was a lovely name which he claimed reflected a sense of strong unity. Radhe Ram and Ram Narayan Garg were among others who rose in support of the Aryavarta proposal. At this point, communication minister, Hafiz Muhammad Ibrahim intervened to say that the term Hindustan would be wrong as with it were associations of a much larger country. As the only Muslim of the Pant Cabinet, he pleaded for a consultative approach. As the debate became more strident, official benches had to intervene to diffuse the situation. Sensing that the mood in the Council was overwhelmingly in favour of adopting Aryavrat as the name of the state, finance minister, Sri Krishna Dutt Paliwal shrewdly argued that an immediate decision based on a majority resolution was likely to be hasty and that it should be left to the Pant cabinet to consider and resolve the matter in due course. OVER 20 SUGGESTIONS WERE DISCUSSED Once the issue came into public domain, a lively debate followed and many new suggestions surfaced. By June 1948, several local bodies and individuals had already suggested as many as 20 names to the UP Cabinet. They included, Aryavarata, Aryavarata Pradesh, Avadh, Bharat Khand, Brij Kaushal or Brij Koshal, Brahmvarta, Prant Bhagirath Pradesh, Bhramadesh, Brahmadesh, Hindustan, Himalay Koshlam, Krishna Kaushal Province, Madhyadhesh, Naimisharana Pradesh, Nava Hindu, Ram Krisnna Prant, Ram Krishna Pradesh, Himalaya Pradesh and UttaraKhand. The issue re-surfaced with some urgency in October 1949 as the Constituent Assembly was finalizing the draft Constitution in New Delhi. The new Constitution had to feature the names of the provinces in the Union. Members from UP in the Constituent Assembly re-opened the issue of naming the state. Mahavir Tyagi, a prominent Congress leader from western region, raised the issue. However, no consensus could still be reach. Under the circumstances, president of the Constituent Assembly Dr Rajendra Prasad ruled that he could not allow a debate on the subject as this would seriously hamper and delay the work of the Assembly. He suggested the question of nomenclature be left to respective provincial governments and the Constituent Assembly could later obtain their views and incorporate the same in the draft Constitution. ARYAVRATA VS HIND The issue was back on the table of the United Province government. On November 1, 1949, at the initiative of education minister, Sampurnanand, the cabinet considered the issue. Reports indicated that within the Cabinet, an overwhelming majority favoured the proposal for Aryavarta. However, a final decision was not taken as it was felt that the matter should also be placed before the Provincial Congress Committee (UPCC). Later, the same month, the UPCC met at Benaras. In a two-hour long debate, an overwhelming majority of 106 members supported the motion in favour of Aryavarta. The only other name that was considered worthy of discussion and voting was Markandey Singhs Hind which secured 22 votes. Armed with the verdict, Pt Govind Ballabh Pant conveyed the decision to the Constituent Assembly on November 15, 1949. The Aryavarta proposal was, however, stalled within days. In a heated discussion at a meeting of Congress members of the Constituent Assembly in New Delhi, the Central leadership repeatedly intervened into the matter and the entire issue was dropped. The Central leadership in New Delhi disregarded the fact that the proposal enjoyed the support of the state government and the UPCC. On November 17, 1949, Pant retracted publicly from the debate. He informed the Assembly that the Aryavrata proposal was being given up as this was not found acceptable to other parts of the country. FEAR OF HEGEMONIC NAME Earlier during the debate, RK Sidhwa, a member from CP-Berar, had insinuated that the United Provinces was anxious to monopolise the name of India. Further, he expressed the fear that though the name Aryavarata may have been given, the United Province government might still forward the name Hindustan instead. Names of this kind, Sidhwa charged signified not merely United Province but the whole of India. He was concerned that United Province looked upon itself as the super-most province of India. To address such concern, Union law minister, Dr BR Ambedkar moved a bill, which was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949, empowering the governor general to alter names of provinces consisting of the Union. Pant promised that names like Aryavarta or Hindustan would not be suggested again Thus, the push for renaming the United Province as Aryavarta, according to Kudaisya, was stopped in its track by timely intervention by the Central leadership. Following this, a meeting of Congress members of the Constituent Assembly from UP was convened to work out a compromise upon the name Uttar Pradesh. Dikshit said as a countrys cultural unit, the state offered answers (uttar) to many vexed questions satisfying peoples inquisitiveness. And hence its naming Uttar Pradesh then was the right thing, he said. But with things deteriorating in terms of employment, law and order etc over the years, not many talk of making it an Uttam Pradesh. The much awaited installation of next generation smart energy meters will begin from Lucknow and Varanasi very shortly, marking the rollout of the project aimed at checking power theft in cities. The UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) has informed the Centre about the proposed launch of the project. The corporation has said it has already purchased 40 lakh smart meters, according to the minutes of the meeting held by the union power ministry with states to review the progress of the Ujjwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) last month. The UP authorities also told the Centre the meters were procured on OPEX (operating expenses) model through the tendering process conducted by the EESL, a Central government organisation. Under the OPEX model, no upfront cost needs to be paid to the supplier by discoms. The payment is to be made on satisfactory installation of all the meters. Installation of smart meters will start from Lucknow and Varanasi on an immediate basis, the UPPCL said at the meeting, the minutes of which were received here a few days ago. Of 60 lakh consumers in these two cities, 40 lakh meters will be replaced with smart meters, it said. A senior UPPCL official said the preparations were made to start installing smart meters any day this month. The work may begin any day, he said. Smart meters are hi-tech energy meters that help the service provider keep track of the consumers energy consumption pattern remotely, reducing the possibility of pilferage by consumers. Apart from Lucknow and Varanasi, the UPPCL has identified around a dozen more cities for installation of such meters in power theft-prone areas. These cities include Kanpur, Meerut, Gorakhpur, Aligarh, Saharanpur Mathura, Bareilly, Jhansi and Faizabad. The UPPCL is expected to float more tenders to purchase smart meters to meet the requirement. Officials of the union power ministry stressed the need for installation of smart meters in all the states. They also said performance with regard to distribution transformer metering in cities and feeder separation in villages needed to improve. These two mechanisms also aim at checking power theft and reducing line losses. Only 47% of the distribution transformer metering and 13% feeder segregation targets for the year 2017-18 had been achieved till September 2017 averaging all the UDAY states, it was said. UP, according to sources, was far behind the target. It was also found that in UP like in many other states, the gap between average cost of supply (ACS) and average revenue realization (ARR) had increased. In UP, it went up to Rs 0.41 per unit in 2016-17 and Rs 0.86 per unit in 2017-18. Secretary, power, AK Bhalla directed all the states to improve. There a need for greater efforts to further reduce aggregate technical and commercial losses and ACS-ARR gap as UDAY is almost halfway through implementation, he cautioned. UDAY is a financial package that the Narendra Modi government had announced in 2014-15, taking over discoms debts against certain conditions with a view to achieving their financial turnaround. At that time, UPs discoms alone had debts of more than Rs 50,000 crore. Around 22,000 students of about 100 government-run Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Maharashtra will take their semester examinations online, in place of traditional pen-and-paper tests. In the second phase of introducing online exams, the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (DVET) will conduct the first semester examinations of 36 vocational trades at around 100 government-run ITIs, located at district headquarters. All the other exams will be held manually. Once successful, the online testing will be expanded to other ITIs and trades as well. The move comes at a time when the University of Mumbai (MU) is struggling to implement on-screen assessment of exam papers. While the varsity was criticised for implementing the on-screen assessment project at one go, the DVET has decided to make its switch to digital in a phased manner by first doing it on a pilot level. Earlier, 5,000 out of 2 lakh ITI students were given online tests. Anil Jadhao, director, DVET said digital exams also minimise the hassle of disbursing question papers to students on exam days. Often the Directorate General of Training (DGT), the apex national body of vocational training, sends wrong question papers. Sometimes, the bundles dont have sufficient question papers. The institutes have to undergo the painful exercise of getting them photocopied. It often results in delay in examination, he said. Jadhao also said holding exams online will plug question paper leaks and ensure timely delivery of results. In manual examination, the answer sheets are collected at district centres and then dispatched to the head office. Then, an agency appointed by the DGT visits us and scans all the answer sheets. It then collates all the results and publishes them. The entire exercise takes around two to three months. A 28-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly beating his supervisor to death with an iron rod following a heated argument at Raymond Ltds factory in Thane, the police said. On Sunday, the victim Siddharth Marathe,28, a supervisor and labour supplier, had a spat with the accused, Babasaheb Waghmare, 28, for not doing work properly, the police said. In the wee hours of Monday, the Vartak Nagar police received a call that a man was lying in pool of blood inside the Raymond company compound. The police reached the spot and rushed Marathe to hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival. During investigations, after speaking to other labourers, we found that Waghmare and Marathe had a heated argument more than once on Sunday, said a police officer from Vartak Nagar police station, requestion anonymity. The police hunted down Waghmare and took him in for questioning. During interrogation, he confessed to attacking Marathe, the officer said. The police said the duo had an argument on whose work was better once again late on Sunday. As the argument escalated, Waghmare picked up an iron rod lying on the spot and hit Marathe on the head two to three times, the officer said, adding: Marathe collapsed and started bleeding profusely, and Waghmare fled. Waghmare has been arrested under section 302 ( punishment for murder) of the Indian Penal Code. A 66-year-old retired nurse was cheated of Rs17.16 lakh, by her Facebook friend on the pretext of making her pay customs duty on a gift he was allegedly sending her. The MHB Colony police are trying to trace the accused, whose identity is unknown. The victim, Theresa Aranha, a resident of New Link Road, in Dahisar (West), on January 10, received a friend request from the accused, which she accepted. According to the police, the accused is a youth. The accused started messaging Aranha on the social media website and eventually got her to exchange numbers with him. The accused kept in touch with the elderly woman. They exchanged messages on WhatsApp, between January 10 and January 31. During this time, the accused told her he will be sending her a gift. It is unclear where the accused was operating from. To ship the gift to Mumbai, the accused claimed she will have to pay some customs charges, said Ashok Jadhav, senior inspector from MHB Colony police station. The accused convinced the woman to transfer lakhs of rupees, in multiple transactions in less than a week, said officials. Aranha continued transferring money, thinking she was paying for customs duty. On January 31, Aranha realised she was conned and alerted the police. She had not told anyone at home that she was in touch with the accused, said officials. The MHB Colony police have registered a case of cheating against the unidentified accused under sections of Indian Penal Code. The police said further investigations will reveal where the accused operates from and if he has targeted other people in this way. Retired army man Ramdayal Yadav, 68, voluntarily regulates traffic near the crowded Nalla Sopara (East) police station every day. He served in the Indian army as a cook from 1962 to 1982. He opted for voluntary retirement service after the death of his son in an accident at Bhayander. He has three daughters, of whom one is widowed, who is the one he lives with.Before moving in with her to Nalla Sopara in 2013, Yadav lived in Kandivli, where he first began to regulate traffic after seeking permission from the police. Owing to heavy traffic, people used to honk a lot near my house. When I found out that only one traffic constable had been stationed in the area, I decided to do something about it, says Yadav. After shifting, he sought approval from the Tulinj police station to continue the practice. This daily routine keeps me physically and mentally fit, said Yadav. Since Yadav is not authorised to fine motorists, Yadav alerts the traffic officials when he notices anyone flouting traffic rules. Kerubhau Kolhe, senior police inspector, Tulinj police station, said, He has made our job easier, given that it is difficult to manage traffic in this area. Yadav stands near the police station for four hours every day. Thanks to him, motorists are beginning to obey traffic rules. How do architects respond to a rapidly changing cityscape? How does their work reflect changes in technology, demography and law? These were some of the questions posed to architects at Mondays urban design and architecture sessions held as part of the Hindustan Times Kala Ghoda Arts Festival. Delhi-based Akshat Bhatt of Architecture Discipline, Biju Kuriakose of the Chennai-based architectureRED discussed their design philosophy and their experiences in the field with moderator Kaiwan Mehta. When designing a project, the foremost concern for my team and I is to decide how a building can engage with its occupants while embracing sustainability, Bhatt said. We try to do this by incorporating elements of local topography and architecture, allowing as much natural light and air in as possible. This pushes you to design the kinds of structures that will capture the public imagination, he added. Kuriakose emphasised the need to share space in our cities. Where government bylaws should be facilitating collective living, they segregate the limited land available, he said. India has 17% of the worlds population, but only 2% of its land. We need to find ways to organise this density. Emphasis should be put on creating social infrastructure instead of individual projects. Architects do not function in a vacuum, Mehta said. Their work reflects the changes India is undergoing, and the challenges we face. Among the audience was Ameya Kaulaskar, an architect and philosophy student. I have been following Akshat Bhatts work for a long time, he said. The most striking thing about it is its articulation. His use of natural resources is not about editing for the sake of editing. Its not about being modern or being traditional. Its about making the best use of what the space has to offer. Gharapuri or Elephanta island, which houses the famous Elephanta Caves, will finally get permanent power supply as the work to electrify the three villages in Gharapuri Shetbander, Morabandar and Rajbandara is almost over. The project is likely to be inaugurated this month by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Though located only 10 kms off Mumbai coast, the island, housing caves designated as UNESCO world heritage site, has been powerless for decades with some use of solar power and generators. Lighting up the island, officials said, will also give a boost to tourism as a sizable number of inland and foreign tourists travel to the island for a day trip from Gateway of India. While the project was to be completed in August last year, the officials faced hurdles when it came to getting clearances from the forest department. An official from Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) said this is the first time they have laid cables under the sea. The work of laying the 22KV power supply network, 20-25 meters below the sea, was undertaken in February 2017. Power supply will be offered from MSEDCLs Nhava-Sheva power sub-station. Recently, Maharashtra energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule also visited the site with officials and asked them to submit a proposal for street lighting in the popular tourist destination. We have completed a pilot test in the area successfully. Around 50-60 people from the villages have also filled forms to obtain new connections so the work of setting-up meter boxes is also on, the official said. The project has cost the state around Rs18.5 crore and is set to benefit 950 villagers who have been living without proper electricity since decades. The cables have been laid with assistance from companies from the UK and the US that can withstand choppy seas and underwater pressure. Come summer, international flyers travelling to the west coast of the United States need not go to the national capital Delhi first. Mumbaiitees will soon be able to fly directly to San Francisco, thanks to the national carrier Air India. For its summer schedule, Air India which is likely to be privatised this year, has announced its first ever direct flight from Mumbai to the west coast of United States. Until now, the only direct flight from India to San Francisco was from Delhi. In the Indian aviation context, summer schedule typically commences from March end and continues till late October. The flights between Mumbai and San Francisco will operate thrice a week and a Boeing 777 aircraft has been deployed for the same. Currently, there are six operations from Delhi to San Francisco in a week. Once the operations from Mumbai began, the total number of flights to the Californian city will increase to nine. According to Air India officials, the plan to connect Mumbai directly to San Francisco comes after the national carriers routes to the US have seen good traffic. There are direct flights to Chicago and New York from Delhi. We also have a direct flight operating to Newark in New Jersey from Mumbai, which is seeing good passenger traffic. We are expecting the first direct connectivity from Mumbai to San Francisco also to do well, said an airline official on condition of anonymity. According to recent media reports, Air Indias new chairman and managing director Pradeep Singh Kharola is keen to explore US and Australian markets and had said that the airline is also working to improve their On Time Performance (OTP). Is the basa fillet on your plate an unblemished white? However appetising it may look, the reason behind this could be that most of the basa imported into India from Vietnam is bleached. The original basa is more yellow, said Hussain Shahzad, executive chef at the Goan-cuisine restaurant O Pedro. Similarly, bright red raw tuna may have been treated with carbon monoxide, so its safer to go for tuna thats a dull pink. Shahzad was at an event titled The current and future waves of the sea, organised as part of the Hindustan Times Kala Ghoda Arts Festivals food section powered by Bertolli. Panellists Shubham Karchaudhuri, president of Mumbais Food Truck Association, Ketki Jog from KnowYourFish.org.in, Kumud Dadlani of Impresario Hospitality, seafood retailer Junaid Daruwala and Shahzad discussed what they considered the most disturbing aspects of the fishing industry, and its impact on the marine ecology and on diners. Ketki Jog, a researcher with the website Know Your Fish, discussed the importance of knowing when to eat a particular kind of fish. Surmai or kingfish, for instance, should not be eaten between March and May and between October and November because that is when they breed on the western coast, she said. If you want to be a responsible consumer, avoid eating fish in their prime breeding months, to avoid disrupting their reproduction cycle. Her website accordingly offers details on the breeding cycles of various fish popular as seafood in Mumbai and elsewhere in coastal India. Try and find out where your fish comes from, was another common refrain during the session. With inland fish-farming growing, the problem is lack of regulation; you cant be sure some are not being treated with chemicals or antibiotics to boost yield, said Daruwalla. For instance, India is the largest producer of farm-reared shrimps, he added. In the audience were seafood-lovers, hospitality students and food entrepreneurs. Ashwin Ramachandran, 30, who is looking to open his own restaurant, said he wanted to know how to be a conscious consumer and entrepreneur. I was interested in knowing more about the science of sustainable food production, and this has certainly given me a different perspective on being responsible while utilising resources, he said. Sumeet Patil, 22, who is studying hotel management, said he found the session informative . I never put much thought into what fish I eat, he said. I love eating prawns and shark but now Im definitely going to pick other options during their breeding months. Did you know that the Bombay Castle a warehouse, administrative centre and church set up before the seven islands of the city were even connected is still standing? Or that the original fort after which the Fort area was named enclosed the dockyard that grew up around it? These were some of the historical details revealed during the Good Bay walking tour held on Sunday, as part of the Hindustan Times Kala Ghoda Arts Festivals heritage walks section presented by Bajaj Electricals. For the 55 lucky registrees, it was a rare opportunity to walk through Lions Gate, into one of the citys most highly secured areas. This walk was really exciting, said Ebrahim FM, 54, an interior designer from Fort. As Kruti Garg conducted the walk through the Naval Dockyard Indias oldest dry dock the group was led by commodore Shirish Dube and commander Santosh Kumar through some of the earliest and oldest surviving structures of the island city. This is virtually where the city of Bombay was established, Dube said. The buildings styles ranged from simple wooden twin-roofs erected by the Portuguese to grey basalt-rock constructions from the 1800s. Some structures, such as the Bombay Castle, have been painstakingly restored over the years. There were restored fire-fighting wagons, with mounted water hoses; metal plaques honouring Lowjee Nusserwanjee Wadia, the first ship-builder, and his descendants. The roots of the Wadia family of Bombay Dyeing fame can be traced back to him. The details and old structures caused considerable excitement among the group of walkers. I love learning about the history of the city and Kala Ghoda never fails to disappoint, said Ankur Jain, 36, an IT executive from Powai. The dockyard, architecturally, reads very differently from the Victorian Gothic identity that Bombay would eventually get, Garg said. I am thankful to the officers who allowed us access to Asias oldest dockyard, she added. I am always most intrigued by areas where access is restricted, so I am very pleased that we could make the dockyard visit happen. Its required a lot of study on my part, but it was fun, said Dube, with a laugh. Builder Deepak Sakharam Kulkarni, popularly known as DSK, and his wife Hemanti will have to be present at the Economic Offences Wing office, Pune, for four hours every day till February 13. Giving the order, the Bombay high court on Monday directed the couple, who is facing a number of criminal cases for allegedly cheating hundreds of investors of crores, to appear before it on February 13. Justice Sadhana Jadhav issued the directive after special public prosecutor Pravin Chavan said there was no unencumbered property owned by the DSK Group which could be sold to repay the depositors. He was responding to the Groups offer to sell four of its properties, which can purportedly fetch Rs45 crore to Rs50 crore. Chavan said that DSK Group has misled the court to buy time. The comment came after DSKs lawyer, senior advocate Ashok Mundargi, submitted that the realty firm had failed to make available Rs50 crore which was supposed to be transferred from Singapore to one of its bank accounts in India. Mundargi said the foreign bank involved in the transaction wanted some audit reports of the foreign firm, which was supposed to send the amount. Chavan and some investors said the net worth of the foreign firm was zero and its share capital was only 1 Singapore dollar. Chavan told the court that a government auditor had detected serious frauds in DSK Groups accounts. The court was hearing the anticipatory bail pleas filed by the couple. Justice Jadhav rapped the police and the revenue officials for failing to attach all DSK Groups properties by invoking provisions of the Maharashtra Protection of Interests of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act, 1999. Shame on you you have not taken any steps to invoke provisions of the MPID Act, said Justice Jadhav. She was irked to note that though the police had filed proposal for invoking the MPID Act, the sub-divisional officer had not acted on it. On October 28, DSK and his wife were booked for cheating and criminal breach of trust after a complaint lodged by a Kothrud resident. The Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) has decided to withdraw its notice banning non-vegetarian food at a cafe in the campus premises, after students protested against the move. The decision was taken on Monday in a meeting held between the head of the civil engineering department, deputy director of the institute and other senior faculty members. The decision to disallow non-vegetarian food at this cafe was to ensure that students dont end up eating stale food. However, students have not taken it in the right spirit. Non-vegetarian dishes will be served at the cafe as usual. In the meantime, we will conduct an audit on the cafe, said a senior official. We have received several complaints of food poisoning from students who have eaten there and the audit will check the cleanliness levels maintained by the caterer and the quality of every dish served at the cafe, added the official. In the last week of January, the institutes civil department issued a notice to Civil Cafe, which is popular among students as it has an adjoining terrace. The notice, which outlines a list of 15 dos and donts, states, Non-vegetarian items are strictly banned and should not be served; lunch services are not permitted and the list of veg items on the menu will be reviewed by the food committee. It also prohibits the cooking inside the area allotted to the cafe as it is set-up in the academic section. Students had claimed that the institute was discriminating against non-vegetarians. Controlling our food choice is not what we expect from an institute like IIT-B, especially when the complaints come from such a small percentage of students, said a student. Last month, the institute faced criticism from students after one of the hostels asked students to use separate tables and plates for non-vegetarian and vegetarian food items at the hostel mess, after receiving complaints from some vegetarian students. An official statement release by the institute on Monday evening said, The notice issued was in the context of stale food and the no-cooking policy in the academic area. The institute does not favour any one preference over another or discriminate on such grounds. Though the overall number of economic offences, popularly known as white collar crimes, dipped marginally in 2017, the quantum of properties involved in these financial crimes increased twofold and it jumped from Rs4,273 crore in 2016 to a whopping Rs9,838 crore in 2017. Among the various financial frauds, investment fraud comprised over 70 percent of the financial cheating cases in Mumbai. According to the statistics procured from Mumbai police, in 2017 the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the city police registered 109 cases as compared to 119 in 2016. Investment fraud and housing fraud witnessed an increase in numbers. Five big cases of investment fraud were registered in 2017 and the case registered in the last quarter of 2017, the PanCard Clubs (PCL) was the biggest case of all time as it was worth over Rs7,000 crore, said a senior EOW official. The EOW has booked PCL and its six directors under sections of the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (MPID) Act . PCL had floated various schemes for hotel stays. Enrolment to PCL required a fee and members were offered incentives to enrol other members. The members were offered holiday packages. On not getting any of the promised benefits an investor complained to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). An inquiry by Sebi found that PCL ran a collective investment scheme (CIS) for which Sebis approval was required, but the directors never secured any such permission. Other financial crimes decreased in comparison to 2016. While banking fraud cases dipped from 12 to 7 cases, general cheating dropped 38 to 33 cases and shares fraud from 12 to 5 cases in the year 2017. Fresh regulations from RBI ensuring more transparency in banks functioning could be one of the reasons why banking fraud observed a decrease. While the digitisation of the share trading system also cut down malpractice and as a result fewer share-related frauds were reported, an EOW officer said. Former director general of police Praveen Dixit white collar crimes will come down in coming years as people are slowly becoming aware of such crimes and laws dealing with them. The RBI also played an important role in bringing in newer measures to ensure checks and curb flaws in the system, Dixit said. Joint commissioner of police (EOW) Ashutosh Dumbre said, There is a sense of awareness among people. But still we feel there is a lot to do in the future. When victims approach the police they come with lots of hopes and we put in efforts to fulfil their expectations. Real deal: Demonetisation, cash crunch led to more housing frauds Mumbai: The city has witnessed an increase in number of housing frauds in 2017 as people opted to report cases against builders who duped them of their life savings in the name of building their dream homes. According to the Mumbai police statistics, 50 cases of housing frauds were registered in 2017 as compared to 32 cases in 2016. Maximum of these 50 cases are registered under the Maharashtra Ownership Flat Act (MOFA) and involved transactions of around Rs1,085 crore collectively. Officials from the economic offences wing (EOW) attributed the uptrend to the cash crunch post demonetization and to booking builders under MOFA on not delivering flats to buyers in time. There was a phase post demonetization, when the market observed a serious cash crunch. And the phase adversely impacted small and middle level builders and developers. They failed to complete housing projects and deliver them to buyers on time, as their traditional system of using black money for the work collapsed, said an EOW officer, requesting anonymity. Another EOW officer said many builders found themselves on the wrong side of the law as they followed the practice of misusing the home buyers money. A builder takes money from home buyers and then puts that money in other projects he has. So, if one project gets stuck owing to some problems or clearance, the other projects get affected too. We have seen cases wherein builders have invested house buyers money in other non-housing projects and films, the officer said. Former director general of police, Praveen Dixit, said, Earlier few cases would come up to the FIR level as builders would use their lobbies to influence the enforcers. But, the practice was cut down by the MOFA, which was there in place, but was not being used. During my tenure, I had given instructions to all unit heads in the state to register cases against builders under the MOFA. There is also a need for spreading awareness among people about their legal rights when they go to buy homes, he said. A senior EOW official said that the cases of housing frauds are likely to drastically go down in the coming years because of the effective and transparent mechanism of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA). The new mechanism leaves almost no scope for builders to cheat home buyers, he said. A 24-year-old man was attacked by a group of seven to eight men, as yet unidentified, near Naigaon, central Mumbai, very early on Monday, hours after he intervened in their fight with his younger brothers friend. The RAK Marg police station, which is investigating the case, said the victim, Sanket Popat Awhad, was on his way home around 12.10am after work when he saw his younger brothers friend fighting with a group of older men near Naigaon police quarters. When Awhad intervened and tried to help his brothers friend, the men turned their attention to him, attacking him with leather belts, choppers and blade. Meanwhile, his brothers friend ran away. When Awhad collapsed bleeding, the group fled too, leaving him behind. People living nearby rushed Awhad to KEM Hospital in Parel, where he is being treated and is in a critical condition. Police officials said they have registered a case of attempt to murder against unidentified men. We are now working to identify and track down the attackers, said a police officer from RAK Marg police station, who did not wish to be named. We are questioning his brothers friend to find out why they were fighting, too. In a first, a private health insurance company has launched a medical insurance coverage scheme up to Rs3 lakh for those diagnosed with autism. Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to a range of conditions in which patients have challenges with social skills. For example, these patients display repetitive behaviour and speech. Doctors have said that the condition is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Star Health Insurance launched the scheme on January 29 stating that the policy will cover most in-patient and out-patient services for patients in the age group of three to 35 years. The policy will include behavioural therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. In-patient management of medical and surgical complications associated with autism including its treatment for seizures, soft tissue and bony injuries, medical and surgical procedures for spasm of muscles and infectious diseases, said their press release. While Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) welcomed the policy, they said it is vital that only scientifically validated interventions are covered under the scheme. Diagnosis and intervention for autism are often expensive and this move will benefit parents as it may reduce out-of-pocket expenses, said Dr Samir Dalwai, who was one of the authors of IAPs National Consensus Guidelines for autism. Star Health Insurance had started a pilot project along with a Chennai based non-governmental organisation in 2016, as a group health insurance, to study the model, after which they launched this special policy. The premium for this policy is 23% more than routine premium as these patients are prone to injuries, fits and recurrent respiratory infections, said Dr S Prakash,chief operating officer, Star Health Insurance Dalwai said that the diagnosis and treatment for autism falls largely in the unorganised sector, because of which many treatments that are not evidence based, are promoted by some doctors. This, in fact ,may help regulate and offer correct interventions to children and prevent non-scientific quack therapies. This may prevent unscrupulous practices, he said. Dipti Shah, a Dadar resident and mother of a 15-year old boy who was diagnosed with autism at the age of five, said her monthly expenses for her sons speech and occupational therapy at a nearby private clinic adds up to Rs 30,000 a month. I havent read about this policy, I think it may help many parents whose children have autism as the treatments are expensive, she said. A 2011 census showed that 2.2 million children in the age group of two to nine years in India have autism. Mumbai Congress has announced to intensify its protest against the price hike of petrol and diesel. Party workers will be holding marches outside major railway stations on February 12. The party has said that heavy taxes and duties imposed by the state government have led to the prices of fuel to be the costliest in Mumbai, among all the metro cities. Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam demanded to bring the petrol and diesel under Goods and Services regime to reduce their prices. He said that the excise duty, VAT and surcharge, amount to the taxation of Rs23.62 per litre on petrol, and Rs13.60 per litre on diesel in the city. Nirupam has also demanded that Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations commissioner Ajoy Mehta should announce the name of the political leader who was putting pressure on him during the investigation of the Kamala Mills fire, which had claimed the lives of 14 people. Mehta had said that a political leader who has his partnership in 17 hotels across Mumbai has been putting pressure so that there is a favourable investigation. It has been more than a month since the tragedy occurred. But the commissioner has not revealed the name of the politician yet, Nirupam said. The six jail personnel, who were booked for allegedly killing Byculla jail inmate Manjula Shetye, have approached the special womens court seeking discharge on the ground that there was delay in the government granting sanction to prosecute them. Vaibhav Baghade, lawyer for the six accused, on Monday moved a plea seeking discharge of all the six jail staffers jailer Manisha Pokharkar, and constables Bindu Naikade, Waseema Shaikh, Shital Shegaonkar, Surekha Gulve and Aarti Shingne. As per the rule, to prosecute any government official, the investigating agency has to obtain a sanction from the government. In case of the jail staff, the state government had recently granted sanction to prosecute six jail personnel who have been charge-sheeted in Shetyes murder. However, the defense claims that the prosecution sanction has come late. The sanction order from the government has come late. Admittedly there was no prosecution sanction at the time, the crime branch filed the charge sheet before the magistrate court. The order was not presented when the magistrate court took cognisance of the charge sheet, Baghade said. After taking the plea on record, the court has now asked the prosecution to reply on the submissions of the defense. The special public prosecutor Vidya Kasle said they would make submission on February 20, when the court is scheduled to hear the plea. As per the prosecutions case, Shetye, a convict and a jail warden, was allegedly brutally assaulted by the officials of Byculla prison on June 23, 2017 because she had complained about missing eggs and loaves of bread from the morning ration. The police recorded the complaint of an inmate who was an eyewitness. The probe was handed over to Mumbai crime branch who, on July 1 arrested six jail officials for murder. The Thane crime branch has found new leads in the call data records (CDR) scam investigation. It has seized more than 1,000 compact discs and WhatsApp chats from those arrested, including Indias first woman private detective Rajani Pandit. A police officer from Thane crime branch said, We have seized mobile phones, and are also checking the accounts of the social networking sites operated by the accused. During investigation, we have found WhatsApp chats of Pandit and the other accused. Pandit, 65, who was arrested on Friday from Dadar, has been remanded in police custody till February 7. The police said they have checked emails of the accused and have found chats over buying and selling of CDRs, which can prove to be crucial evidence in the case. The officer added, A few years back, the other accused approached Pandit to help her in private detective business. Pandit gave them two- three numbers to check for their CDR. When the accused got the CDR, Pandit started buying and selling CDRs for her clients. The police said the accused were also approached by insurance companies and by couples who were about to get married. It was disclosed by the accused that they were approached by insurance companies to reject claims of their clients. Couples who were to get married also used to give numbers of their partners to the accused to get their call data records, so as to keep an eye on their partners, said an officer. A day after Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray discussed their future in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Thackeray announced that Sena will be contesting all the upcoming elections alone, without joining hands with its oldest ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Addressing a function at Paithan in Aurangabad, Thackeray spared no words to target the BJP. From the last 25 years, we helped nurture your base and took all your tantrums, but not anymore. We will contest all elections on our own, and win them with larger margins. We allied with the BJP just to avoid the division of Hindu votes but they betrayed us, said Uddhav, who inaugurated crushing season of a sugarcane factory on Sunday. The Sena chief also said despite being the part of the government, he will continue to criticize his ally in the interest of the common man. Uddhav also poked fun at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that the benefits of the schemes announced by him hardly reach the masses. The Sena had a few days back already announced that it would be contesting the general and assembly elections alone. For years, the Sena played the role of the big brother of the alliance. However, it all changed during the 2014 assembly polls, when both the parties contested separately, and BJP won larger number of seats than the Sena. Though the two parties are now allies in the state and the Centre, Sena believes that the BJP has been trying to sideline it. The Shiv Sena alleges that in the central government it has been given an insignificant portfolio, while in the state its ministers are not been given a free hand in governance. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday dismissed news reports that Andhra Pradesh chief minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu and he discussed the treatment that the Bharatiya Janata Party has been meting out to its alliance partners, through an editorial in Saamana. However, the party used the opportunity to criticise the BJP over its treatment of its partners. Naidu reportedly made a phone call to Thackeray on Saturday morning, ahead of an emergency TDP meeting called to decide the partys future in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The Andhra CM is reportedly upset with the BJP-led Centre for ignoring his state in the Union Budget, presented on February 1. However, the TDP, which is the BJPs biggest ally in south India, has decided not to break ties with the saffron party after its Sunday meeting. In its editorial, the Sena mouthpiece Saamana criticised the media for false reports, and said that soon there would be reports of other NDA leaders dialling Matoshree, Thackerays Bandra residence. The editorial in the Marathi daily, seen as a reflection of Thackerays opinion, also used the opportunity to once again slam its ally, this time over its treatment of its partners. In politics, there are new and old [allies], but the tactic of projecting old allies as enemies is sickening. We have spoken up against such ill-treatment meted out to us, and now Naidu has too, it said. The Sena also said that in politics, there are no permanent friends or opponents. In politics, there are differences over ideologies, but never personal animosity or enmity. But what is the scenario today? The editorial said the TDP and the Sena are very different political parties and that Naidu would decide the political future of his party. He has our best wishes. If he decides to break the shackles of slavery and work for Telugu pride, he will surely get the support of the people. But he will have to chalk out his own political course, the editorial said. Nine men allegedly blackmailed and repeatedly raped a 15-year-old girl for more than a year in a chawl in Vile Parle. Six have been arrested. The accused used an intimate video to blackmail her, police said. The girl recently told her mother, who filed an FIR on Saturday. The police said all the accused are known to the girl, live in the same locality and are aged between 20 and 25 years, except for a 30-year-old, whose mother is an ex-corporator and with the Bharatiya Janata Party. The accused would threaten the minor girl saying his mother had political connections and the police would not take action against him. In the FIR, police have applied a section of criminal intimidation. The police said the rapes began with one of the accused taking the girl to his house where he showed her a pornographic video. He then forced himself on her while his friend shot a video secretly, police said. The friend then allegedly used this video to blackmail and rape the girl. The duo circulated the video among the rest of the accused, police said. All the accused raped the girl on multiple occasions until this month, police said. A police officer, privy to the investigation, said: All the nine accused have raped her. Some raped her twice, some thrice. Two weeks ago, the girls health deteriorated. The police said she had slipped into depression and her mother spotted serious behavioural changes in her. When the girl realised the rapes would not stop, she confided in her mother. A police officer said, She is mentally unstable. On Monday, she will be subjected to multiple medical tests. Five policewomen will be with her. We are also trying to get a good counsellor for her. We will produce her before the Child Welfare Committee on Monday, which will decide if she should continue living with her parents. A FIR was registered on Saturday under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections for rape, voyeurism and criminal intimidation. The police have also applied sections of IT Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). The accused were produced before a sessions court on Sunday and have been remanded in police custody till February 12. Parag Alavani, BJP MLA from Vile Parle, said: The mother of one of the accused was our candidate during the civic elections held last year. She has not asked for any intervention in the case, and we cant even think of it. The boy does not hold any post in the party. Several developments related to Mumbais transport infrastructure have taken place in the past few days. The most significant ones are the new railway infrastructure projects for Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) that were cleared in the Union budget presented by finance minister Arun Jaitley. Railway minister Piyush Goyal, a Mumbaiite, put together a few projects to increase the capacity of the suburban train network and also extend the network in the MMR under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) 3 A. It will be a major step in upgrading the suburban commute. The civic budget presented by civic chief Ajoy Mehta on Friday avoided any big announcements but it aims to give a push to infrastructure projects, especially Mumbai Coastal Road and Goregaon Mulund Link Road (GMLR). Earlier last week, the state wildlife board cleared a proposal to conduct a study for a tunnel under the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbais green lung that is under tremendous pressure because of encroachments from all sides. Going by all these development, it would look like the city is getting yet another big infrastructure push. The question is: Will it really help us? Are these projects being taken up on piecemeal basis or is there a well thought-out plan behind them? Transport experts and urban planners have been repeatedly raising the issue of feasibility of some of the projects. For instance, the BMC has planned Rs2,347 crore GMLR to connect western and central suburbs through Aarey. At the same time, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is planning to build a road linking Borivli and Thane through a tunnel under SGNP. Does the city really need this second road that will be built by spending a couple of thousands of crores? The Shiv Sena, the ruling party in the BMC, is keen on building the Coastal Road at an estimated cost of Rs15,000 crore. It is touted as a solution for traffic congestion in south Mumbai as well as western suburbs as the western express highway and SV Road are under tremendous pressure. These claims are being contested by experts. When it comes to mega infrastructure projects, often the long term utility is also considered. The rush hour traffic on any transport corridor is 2 to 2.5 lakh person per hour, say experts. Nobody can guarantee that this will increase anytime soon as the commercial activities have reached a saturation level. Currently the traffic in the island city is heavy because south Mumbai is the biggest business hub in the city. Will it remain so in the long term? BKC has taken away a number of commercial establishments. In less than a decade, parts of Navi Mumbai are likely to emerge as parallel commercial hubs. The state government is building Mumbais second international airport there and has planned a township around it. It wants to connect this area to south and south central Mumbai through the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link. Within Mumbai, the government is building a bouquet of Metro projects including the Colaba Seepz Metro 3. As part of its project to develop idle port land, the Mumbai Port Trust has a plan to build a transport corridor to connect central and eastern suburbs to south Mumbai. In these circumstances, it would make sense to check feasibility of some of the planned projects. For instance, the railways did a rethink on its Rs10,000-crore Churchgate-Virar elevated corridor after they realised that the state government has taken up Metro 3 project that would run almost parallel to the same up to Andheri. The government should relook at what they are planning and whether these projects would be feasible. The thrust should be on public transport than something like coastal road that will promote private vehicles, says transport expert Ashok Datar. Maybe, the mandarins in Mantralaya should take a cue from what happened to the Rs2,500-crore Monorail project. Nobody knows if it will get any response in future or will have to be shut down. At the end of the day, all these projects are built with taxpayers money. Taking a cue from an incident wherein an under-training sub-inspector (SI) allegedly shot a 25-year-old gym trainer, police chiefs of Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad have ordered that no under-training SI be given a service weapon. As a precautionary measure, we have directed that all under-training SIs in Gautam Budh Nagar not be given service weapons. Although there is no such rule, a decision was taken in the wake of the recent incident, as a precautionary measure. They will be provided weapons at the end of their training period, said Love Kumar, senior superintendent of police, Gautam Budh Nagar. Late Saturday night, Jitendra Yadav, a 25-year-old gym owner was allegedly fired at by SI Vijay Darshan on the outskirts of Parthala village. The accused SI was accompanied by another under-training SI, Pankaj, who was also in plainclothes, and two constables in uniform. SI Darshan was arrested, after a case was registered in incident, and sent to jail. The incident has led to a public outcry and protest by Yadavs family members, who alleged that the policemen tried to stage an encounter in order to get an out-of-turn promotion. Following the allegations by victims family, the Noida police denied any encounter angle to the incident and said there was some altercation at the spot which triggered the firing. The Noida police sources said the police team arrived at the spot as the men in a car were playing loud music and the policemen tried to stop them. According to officials, Gautam Budh Nagar has nearly 100 under-training SIs while Ghaziabad district has nearly 137 sub-inspectors. According to norms, under-training SIs have a training period of one year. During this period, each SI has to spent six months each in urban and rural centres. Ghaziabad SSP HN Singh on Monday directed officers that the under-training SIs should not be given service weapons. SSP Singh said the direction was taken as a precautionary measure to avoid incidents such as the one that happened in Noida. I have directed that all the under-training sub-inspectors should be wearing uniforms on duty and no one should be in plainclothes. Further, I have also directed that they should not be given service weapons. This is a temporary measure and a more permanent decision about this will be taken in the future, SSP Singh said. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath will hold a meeting with Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway industrial development authority officials to review the progress on flat delivery issues faced by homebuyers and land audit reports, among other issues, in Lucknow on Tuesday. On August 22, the Uttar Pradesh CM constituted a three-member committee to look into homebuyers issues. The committee comprises industries minister Satish Mahana, urban housing minister Suresh Khanna and minister of state for industry and sugar mills Suresh Rana. The committee in the past had many meetings with buyers and officials to solve the issues faced by the buyers. However, the issues are yet to be addressed, claim buyers. In November, the government had directed the chief executive officer of three authorities to conduct an audit to ascertain how much land is grabbed by the land mafia. Chief executive officer, additional chief executive officer and officer on special duty from the three authorities are expected to attend the meeting in Lucknow. The CM wants to take stock of the progress made on all infrastructure projects, buyers issues and land audit report among other issues. He will check what are the hurdles to addressing and solving buyers issues. Also, the UP governments main motive is to finish ongoing developmental projects without delay, a senior Noida authority official said. Read I Noida homebuyers to protest outside BJPs Delhi office on Nov 18 The Noida authority needs to free 600 hectares of its prime land, which is encroached on by small developers, land grabbers and farmers. The authority has acquired 12,000 hectares of agricultural land for setting up industries and residential purposes since 1976. The authority took away the land for urbanisation and also paid compensation. But out of 12,000 hectares, 600 hectares is encroached on since the last 40 years due to poor monitoring by the officials concerned. Similarly the Greater Noida authority and the YEIDA has also readied the land audit report. We will inform the government about the land audit. The report consist of the exact details of the land which needs to be freed, Amarnath Upadhyay, additional chief executive officer, YEIDA, said. The family of Jitendra Yadav, the 25-year-old man who was allegedly shot at by a trainee police sub-inspector (SI) in Noidas Sector 122 late Saturday night, alleged that the officer was trying to conduct an encounter to gain a promotion. Jitendra, a resident of Parthala village, sustained a gunshot injury to his neck when he was allegedly fired upon by SI Vijay Darshan, who used his service weapon. Jitendra was returning from his cousins wedding in Behrampur along with his uncle, Kripal, brother Dharmendra Yadav, and two friends, Sunil Jat and Gautam, when the incident took place. In the FIR, Dharmendra alleged that Darshan, while firing at Jitendra, had told him that he had to show an encounter on his record to get an out-of-term promotion. The SI was accompanied by another sub-inspector in civil dress and two constables in uniform. All four have been suspended by the senior superintendent of police (SSP) and SI Darshan arrested. Love Kumar, SSP of Gautam Budh Nagar, however, denied the allegations made Jitendras family. He said, Out-of-term promotions are banned these days. So, it is difficult to believe that SI Darshan was involved in such an incident to get promoted. Maybe a common man wont know about the current departmental decisions but I am sure that Darshan is well aware of the fact that out-of-term promotion is not possible. Kumar said that this was not a case of an encounter as Darshan and Dharmendra knew each other well. He said that it could be a case of personal enmity. Virendra Yadav, Jitendras uncle, alleged that Darshan used the facilities at the gym run by Jitendra for free and also harassed local grocery and sweet sellers Parthala village. It is a small village and everybody knows the local policemen. Darshan has been taking things for free from the local shops that have been rented to different persons by Dharmendra and Jitendra in the market of Parthala village. Darshan has even used Jitendras gym at times and that also, for free, Virendra said. Dharmendra, on the other hand, did not confirm his uncles claims. There is a boy at the local police post who used to come to make payments on behalf of Darshan. I am not aware if he was taking things for free. Darshan has never used our gym, Dharmendra said. According to a senior police officer, Dharmendra and Darshan know each other well and on the January 26, he had also dropped the trainee SI at the Republic Day parade. However, Dharmendra refuted the claims. I dont know who is coming up with these stories. I never dropped Darshan anywhere, ever. If the police department has any evidence of me dropping Darshan then they must produce these, Dharmendra said. Darshan and Dharmendra knew each other well and we are sure of it and they have met multiple times in the past as well. We will also check the claims of Jitendras uncle if Darshan used to take things for free from the shops, the SSP said. Nepal Yadav, Jitendras father, was in an inconsolable state on Sunday afternoon. The police wanted to do an encounter of my son for no fault of his. My sons and their friends were returning from a wedding when they were stopped by the SI and his colleagues. My son is in a bad shape. They are not criminals who need to be dealt with this way, Nepal said. On late Saturday late night, Jitendra was shot at and was rushed to a hospital, where his condition is said to be stable. There has been a spate of encounters in Uttar Pradesh in the last few days. The police have cracked down on criminals and arrested dozens of people in different districts after encounters. Even as the contractor allotted the work to replace 48,000 streetlights in the city with long-lasting light-emitting diode (LED) lights has missed two deadlines, the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC) has failed to penalise the agency. The firm, Energy Efficient Service Limited, was awarded the contract in February 2017, during the tenure of former mayor Asha Kumari Jaswal, to replace the streetlights within six months. One year later, the firm has managed to replace only 39,000 streetlights. Worse, 30% of the lights, located in southern sectors, are not working. According to the indenture, MC can penalise the agency for delay in executing the work. But, let alone a penalty, senior civic body officials have granted three extensions to the firm. As per the contract, the firm was to also set up a Centralised Computing Centre Management System (CCMS) at the MC building in Sector 17. Some of worst-affected areas are Sectors 38 ( West), 40, 61, 62, Modern Housing Complex, Manimajra, Ram Darbar, Phase 2, Sector 49 and 50, and various villages and colonies. At the last MC House meeting on January 30, several councillors had complained of the streetlights in their wards not working, and that residents did not know where to lodge complaints. Superintending engineer NP Sharma had suggested that complaints can be lodged with the MC, even as the contract mandates that the firm maintain the lights for seven years. Having missed the first deadline of August 2017, the firm had assured the MC House at a meeting in September last year that all streetlights will be functional by Diwali. But the deadline was extended to December 31, and again to April 30 this year. Significantly, the corporation has not maintained records of any breach in the terms and conditions of the agreement, under which the MC will pay the firm for energy saved through LED lights for seven years after their installation. Former executive engineer (electrical) RS Randhawa wrote several letters to the company last year complaining of its departure from the contract. The letters also mentioned the complaints about the non-functional LED lights. Ajay Raj, deputy general manager (technical), Energy Efficiency Services Limited, said, We have instructions from the headquarters to not talk to the media. Agency fails to set up CCMS centre As per the contract, the firm was to also set up a Centralised Computing Centre Management System (CCMS) at the MC building in Sector 17. The centre was meant to monitor and control the LED lights. At the last meeting held to discuss the matter in December last year, executive engineer Kuldeep Singh had said the centre will be set up by January 2018, but it has yet to see the light of the day. This story has been removed as the matter in question has been settled in court. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Popular Telugu actor Nandamuri Balakrishna on February 3 underwent a surgery for the rotator cuff tear of shoulder. Balayya, as hes fondly called by his fans, sustained the injury on the sets of Krish-directed 2017 historic drama Gauthamiputra Satakarni. Due to his back-to-back commitments, Balakrishna couldnt take time to attend to his shoulder and postponed the surgery plan on multiple occasions, only to make things worse. Recently, when he had issues with the shoulder again, he was immediately advised to undergo surgery. Over the last week or so, he was under tremendous pain and he had to call off shooting. This surgery wasnt planned, but he had to undergo to deal with the pain. The surgery happened on Saturday evening under the supervision of doctors Deepti Nandanreddy and Ashish Babulkar. He has been asked to rest for a few days, a source close to Balakrishna told Hindustan Times. The 57-year-old actor, currently basking in the success of his Sankranti release Jai Simha, has begun shooting for the NTR biopic, in which he plays his late father and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao. After months of contemplation, cinematographer-director Teja got the golden ticket to helm the prestigious project which will hit the screens next year. In December 2017, the team assembled at Hyderabads Ramakrishna Studios to shoot a special teaser to announce the commencement of the project. While the teaser is yet to be released, not long ago the makers teased us with a poster and officially announced the films title as NTR, and it shows the veteran standing on top of a vehicle in the middle of a traffic-clogged road. Going by the poster, NTR looked all set to make a speech presumably during an election campaign. Interestingly, maverick filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma is also planning a biopic on the legendary actor. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop The team of Vijays next yet-untitled outing with AR Murugadoss has been shooting at breakneck speed. After wrapping up the first schedule in Chennai, the makers are currently in Kolkata where theyll shoot some important scenes and action sequences for nearly three weeks. Well-known stunt choreographers Ram-Lakshman, popular for their work in Telugu filmdom, have been roped in to take care of the action scenes in the film. The twin brothers have worked on Telugu films such as Gabbar Singh, Mirchi and Brindavanam among others. The brothers have bagged most number of Nandi awards for their work over the years. Some of their upcoming projects include Bharath Ane Nenu, Naa Peru Surya and Rangasthalam. The project was officially launched with a puja in Chennai last month. Sun Pictures, best known for producing Rajinikanths Enthiran, is bankrolling the project on a lavish budget. It was recently announced that double Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman was officially signed on for the project, which will mark his reunion with Murugadoss after the Hindi version of Ghajini. While it has already been confirmed that Girish Gangadharan, the young lensman whose recent work includes Kali and Solo, has been signed on for the project, editor Sreekar Prasad, who has worked with Murugadoss in projects such as Thuppakki and Spyder, is also part of the film. All eyes are on Thalapathy 62 as the combination of Vijay and Murugadoss has set the bar very high. Two of Vijays best films in recent years have come from Murugadoss and it naturally has built high anticipation around their next project. Keerthy Suresh has been finalized as the leading lady. It is believed that the project is being planned as a Diwali 2018 release and it might lock horns with Ajiths Viswasam and Suriya-Selvaraghavan film at the box-office. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop For anyone travelling with family and children, the United States offers a range of fun and educational experiences. Here are the seven top attractions to keep travellers engaged and entertained: 1. The Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois, is famous for its Tyrannosaurus rex fossil named Sue, but also features mummies, totem poles and meteors. Its perfect for kids of all ages, but those under six will especially like the interactive fun in the PlayLab. Insider tip: Skip the special exhibitions, which charges an additional fee, and focus on the permanent collection, which is extensive and engrossing. 2. National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York Magic is the word to describe The Strong: National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. Children aged three to 10 can shop at the supermarket thats just their size and play in made-up snow. Insider tip: The Strongs National Toy Hall of Fame is a great place to show your kids toys from the past. 3. Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama Kids aged seven and up will love a visit to Space Camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. They can explore space vehicles such as capsules and rockets. Sign up for a family camp and train for a mission to the International Space Station. Insider tip: Even kids who arent especially interested in space will enjoy the simulator space rides, which are included with admission. 4. Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware The boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, stretches along the coastline of this small seaside town. Go for a walk while sampling treats like Italian ice and salt water taffy. Rehoboths main season is from June through September, and most shops and attractions are closed from January through March. Insider tip: Funland offers classic amusement park rides for toddlers for just 25 cents each. 5. Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming A summertime trip to the Western USA wouldnt be complete without attending the worlds largest rodeo at Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Plan a mid-July visit to witness skills like steer roping and bronco riding, enjoy carnival rides and visit Indian Village and Frontier Town. Insider tip: Plan to attend a Grand Parade to see floats, marching bands, antique cars, tractors and horses. 6. LEGOLAND Florida Resort in Winter Haven, Florida Tour the USA from coast to coast virtually at LEGOLAND Miniland in Winter Haven, Florida. Kids aged one to 10 can dig for dinosaur bones and ride a dragon roller coaster. Pack your bathing suits and float down the Build-A-Raft River in the large water park. Insider tip: Save some room for a sweet snack of Grannys Apple Fries served warm with vanilla whipped cream. 7. The San Diego Zoo in San Diego, California The world-famous San Diego Zoo in San Diego, California, has something for every animal lover, including koalas, elephants, gorillas, hippos and polar bears. On weekends, pay a little extra to feed the giraffes. Insider tip: If you only have part of a day to spend here, take a bus tour to cover more ground. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more Singapores tourism agency has hit back at lifestyle magazine Time Out for ranking the wealthy city state among the worlds least exciting cities, by releasing a video that mockingly declares, There is nothing exciting to do. The magazines City Life Index 2018, published this week, ranked Singapore 31st out of 32 cities, one spot above Istanbul, based on a survey of more than 15,000 people. Chicago topped the index, followed by Porto in Portugal and New York City, scored on factors such as food, drink, culture, friendliness, affordability, happiness and liveability. Singapore won praise for safety and public transport, but was rated the lowest for its arts and culture scene, with just 17% of respondents saying, There is always something to see and do. In response, the Singapore Tourism Board posted a 56-second video on its Facebook page, opening with the tongue-in-cheek claim, Singapore is boring ... there is nothing exciting to do. (facebook.com/VisitSingaporeOfficial/videos/10159896164810704/) The message backdrop features Universal Studios Singapore, the Formula One race, and the citys Artscience Museum, as well as a newly-opened A J Hackett bungy jump at Sentosa island. Yeah, Time Out London, were pretty unexciting, it continues, turning the spotlight to Singapores delicacies, including a S$2 ($1.52) Michelin-star soy sauce chicken meal at a Chinatown food stall with the caption, Everything is so expensive. Terrence Voon, the Singapore Tourism Boards digital and content director, said, We created this light-hearted response to let the audience have a glimpse of what Singapore can offer. It is not the first time the tourism board has rebuffed what it regards as misconceptions of the island. Last April, it posted photographs debunking geographical and factual inaccuracies in an episode of CBSs Criminal Minds, which referred to Singapores red light district of Geylang as the dark side of paradise. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more He is the silent survivor of the 10-man Islamic State cell that terrorised Paris in November 2015, refusing all pleas to shed light on the attack that killed 130 people in the French capital or the one in Belgium four days after his arrest. After spending nearly three years jailed in isolation, Salah Abdeslam is set to go on trial Monday in his hometown of Brussels for a police shootout that he himself fled. The man who covered for his getaway with a spray of automatic gunfire died. Abdeslams escape was short-lived he was captured on March 18, 2016, in the same neighbourhood where he and many of his Islamic State fighter colleagues grew up. Four days later, Islamic State suicide attackers struck again, this time at the Brussels airport and subway. In all, that sprawling network of IS fighters killed 162 people in the two European capitals. Most of the extremists were French speakers, raised in one of the cities they struck. The plots execution depended upon Islamic States success in wedding crime and religion. Abdeslam, who along with his brother was suspected of dealing drugs from the bar they ran, is the starkest example of that convergence. But in Paris, the trial of three men accused of giving safe haven to the attackers also provides a revealing look at the intersection that made possible two of the deadliest terror attacks in Europe since World War II. The operational commander of the cell was Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a petty criminal who used his home neighbourhood of Molenbeek in Brussels as a fertile recruiting ground for IS. Abaaoud even recruited his 14-year-old brother. Police officers and rescue workers are seen at the Petit Cambodge restaurant after a shooting in Paris on November 13, 2015. (AFP File Photo) But many of the young men who followed him into IS were small-time criminals themselves, part of the extremist organisations deliberate attempt to make use of skills that include accessing black market weapons, forging documents and handling covert logistics. When the night of carnage in Paris November 13, 2015 finally ended, seven attackers were dead and three were on the run: Abdeslam, Abaaoud and another Molenbeek native named Chakib Akrouh. Abdeslam called friends in Brussels to drive through the night and pick him up. Abaaoud also called his cousin, Hasna Ait Belkacem, who lived in a suburb of Paris and vacillated between hard-line Islam and even harder drug use. She was happy to help. She called her dealer. He called another dealer. It took a few days of sleeping under bushes, but for 150 euros ($187) wired from Belgium, they secured a room in the Paris neighbourhood of Saint-Denis, near the national stadium they had attacked on November 13. In the pre-dawn hours of November 18, frantic French investigators tipped off by a friend of Ait Belkacem tracked them to the building and sealed off the neighbourhood. Abaaoud, Ait Belkacem and Akrouh all died when Akrouh detonated a suicide vest. Just before his building crumbled to the ground, one of the drug dealers, Jawad Bendaoud, showed up to find out what was happening and explained on live television that he was just doing a service by renting out his room. With the cameras still rolling, Bendaoud was taken into custody. At their trial, fellow dealer Mohammed Soumah explained how he framed the world: Good citizens, delinquents, rapists, and terrorists. Me, I dont fit in the terrorist box. Im a thug, a scumbag, Soumah told the judge. But there he was sitting in the box for terrorism defendants in central Paris alongside Bendaoud. As for why neither man made the connection between the two Belgians desperate for a hideout amid a massive police manhunt and an outpouring of grief for Frances 130 victims, Soumah had another explanation. The criminal life goes on, he said. But the lines between terrorists and criminals are less clear now than ever, said Peter Neumann, director of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation. ISIS is perhaps the first jihadist group that has explicitly targeted this demographic, and theyve done it very consciously and especially in Europe, Neumann said. If you go to Sweden, Norway, Holland, Germany, they will all tell you that 50%-plus of the people who have turned up travelling to Syria or involved in domestic plots have previous criminal convictions, often for petty crime. The attacks often are interwoven as well. On Friday, a Belgian career criminal was transferred into French custody over allegations that he housed the jihadi who attacked the Thalys high-speed train between Brussels and Paris in August 2015. The suspect, Youssef Siraj, is also believed to have put up some of the Brussels attackers, according to the Belgian news site DH. The same group allegedly is linked to a raid in the Belgian town of Verviers, where authorities say a jihadi cell was on the verge of a coordinated attack against police. We are coming to realise that Verviers, Thalys, November 13, the attacks of March 22, its a large and perhaps single operation of Daesh, Belgian federal prosecutor Frederic Van Leeuw said, using another term for IS. All were bound by ties of crime and extremism. The jihadi who wired the money to pay Bendaoud and Soumah was himself a petty criminal in Sweden before joining the Islamic State group, a thief who picked up firearms skills during his time in Syria named Mohamed Belkaid. It was also Belkaid who opened fire on Belgian police as they raided Abdeslams Brussels hideout. He was shot dead in the March 15, 2016, raid. Abdeslam escaped through a window over the rooftops. He was traced to a cousins apartment on March 18, 2016, near his Molenbeek home. Still more members of the cross-border Islamic State cell struck Brussels on March 22, 2016, including the bomb-maker for both attacks. Thirty-two people were killed in Brussels, along with three suicide attackers. Abdeslam has been imprisoned ever since. His trial will be the first time he is seen in public since his capture. According to the French network France Inter, Abdeslam stored a message in his computer similar to the farewells written by other jihadis before suicide attacks. In it, France Inter reported , he explained that his suicide belt malfunctioned in Paris and that, although he dreamed of going to Syria upon reflection, I concluded that the best thing would be to finish the job with the brothers. The Maldives state health minister said on Monday he has resigned from the administration of President Abdulla Yameen in protest against the governments decision to not enforce a Supreme Court order freeing opposition leaders from prison. State health minister Hussain Rasheeds resignation is the first since the government defied Thursdays court order and said it will resist any attempt to enforce the decision. It is not possible for my conscience to accept the lack of answers to the way the government is dealing with the orders of the highest court on state institutions, Rasheed said in his letter of resignation, which was reviewed by Reuters. Beleaguered Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen has declared a 15-day state of emergency, his aide Azima Shukoor announced on state television Monday. The move gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects, and comes amid a deepening political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation as Yameen refuses to comply with a Supreme Court order to release political prisoners. The president has refused to comply with a court order to release political prisoners, despite growing international pressure and concern. Shukoor read out the declaration on state television shortly after Yameen sent three letters to the judges asking them to reverse their decision. India issued an advisory asking its citizens to defer all non-essential travels to the nation amid the prevailing law and order situation. Indian nationals are, therefore, advised to defer all non-essential travels to Male and other atolls until further notice. Indian expatriates in Maldives are also alerted to the need for heightened security awareness, and urged to exercise due caution in public and avoid public gatherings, advisory by the external affairs ministry said. This is the second time Yameen has declared a state of emergency. He last took the step in November 2015 after an alleged attempt to assassinate him. Officials said the president is required to inform the parliament about any declaration of emergency within two days, but the countrys legislature has been suspended indefinitely by authorities. The Supreme Court on Thursday had also restored the seats of 12 MPs who had defected from Yameens party, effectively handing the opposition a majority in the 85-member parliament, making the president vulnerable to impeachment. The only surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, defied Belgian judges on Monday and said he put his trust in Allah on the opening day of his trial for a shootout that led to his capture. The 28-year-old, who was transferred under heavy security from a jail near the French capital overnight for the trial, refused to answer questions about the gunbattle in Brussels or stand for the court. I am not afraid of you, I am not afraid of your allies, said a defiant Abdeslam, who has grown long hair and a beard during his nearly two years behind bars. I put my trust in Allah and thats all. The Belgian-born French national of Moroccan descent alleged that the court in Brussels was biased against Muslims as he explained why he would not cooperate despite having asked to attend the trial. My silence does not make me a criminal, its my defence, Abdeslam said. Muslims are judged and treated in the worst of ways, mercilessly. There is no presumption of innocence. He also refused to allow photographs or video images to be taken of him. In this courtroom sketch, Salah Abdeslam, right, and Soufiane Ayari, left, appear at the Brussels Justice Palace in Brussels on Monday, February 5, 2018. (AP Photo) He has point-blank refused to speak to investigators since his arrest in Brussels March 2016, three days after the gunbattle in the Forest district of the city for which he is on trial. Abdeslam and Sofiane Ayari, a 24-year-old Tunisian arrested with him, face charges of attempted terrorist murder of police officers and carrying banned weapons. Three police officers were wounded and an Algerian fellow jihadist was killed. The pair face up to 40 years in prison if convicted. Heavy security Abdeslams arrest ended four months on the run as Europes most wanted man following the November 2015 Paris attacks that killed 130 people, and in which his brother Brahim carried out a suicide bombing. Police officers wearing body armour and black balaclavas with eye- and mouth-holes stood guard next to them as the trial started. Abdeslam, wearing a long-sleeved light shirt and dark trousers, launched into his diatribe after presiding judge Marie-France Keutgen asked why he insisted on attending the trial where he refused to answer questions about the charges against him. The judge rejected his accusations of bias, insisting he was presumed innocent. A Belgian soldier stands guard in front of Brussels Palace of Justice, ahead of the trial of Salah Abdeslam, one of the suspects in the 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, Belgium, February 5, 2018. (Reuters Photo) Hundreds of members of Belgian security forces turned the Palais de Justice court building into a virtual fortress while a helicopter with searchlights circled overhead as he arrived. The non-jury trial is the prelude to a later one in France and prosecutors hope the Brussels case will yield clues not only about the Paris attacks but also the Brussels bombings on March 22, 2016. Investigators believe Abdeslams capture three days after the shootout caused members of his jihadist cell to bring forward plans for the attacks on Brussels airport and a metro station in which 32 people were killed. Ayari, who is cooperating with authorities, told the judge he knew Ibrahim Bakroui, one of the suicide bombers at Brussels airport, adding he visited the apartment where the shootout occurred. The same cell is believed to have been behind both the Paris and Brussels attacks, which were claimed by the Islamic State group. But Ayari -- who entered Europe via the Greek islands during the European migration crisis in 2015 -- insisted: I dont think I am a radical. Manhunt The plans for transferring Abdeslam from Fleury-Merogis prison in the Parisian suburbs, and then back to a prison just across the border in northern France every night, were shrouded in secrecy. Two separate convoys left Fleury-Merogis in the middle of the night with an escort of elite French officers with blue lights flashing, while a third group of unmarked vehicles left shortly afterwards. The boyish former bar owner has spent nearly 20 months in isolation under 24-hour video surveillance at Fleury-Merogis, after being transferred to France after his arrest. President of the first French speaking instance court of Brussels Luc Hennart (R) gestures as he speaks with layers representing the civilian party during the opening of the trial of prime suspect in the November 2015 Paris attacks Salah Abdeslam, in courtroom at the "Palais de Justice" courthouse in Brussels, on February 5, 2018. (AFP Photo) Police say Abdeslam and Ayari escaped through the back door of the flat in Forest while a third suspect, Algerian Mohamed Belkaid, died while providing covering fire for their escape through a back door. Police say they found Abdeslams fingerprints in the flat, confirming they were on the trail of the last suspect in the rifle and bomb attacks on the Bataclan concert hall, bars, restaurants and the national stadium in the French capital on November 13, 2015. Abdeslam is reported to have disposed of a suicide belt before fleeing. He is also suspected of being the driver in the attacks. Three days after the raid, armed officers shot Abdeslam in the leg and captured him and Ayari just yards from Abdeslams home in Molenbeek, a gritty Brussels immigrant neighbourhood. The UNs human rights chief has warned that Myanmars persecution of the Rohingya Muslim minority has the potential to spark regional conflict. Zeid Raad al-Hussein reiterated while in Indonesia on Monday that acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing may have occurred in the campaign of violence against Rohingya that sparked an exodus of nearly 1 million people to neighbouring Bangladesh. Myanmar faces a very serious crisis with a potentially severe impact on the security of the region, Zaid said in a speech to a rights conference at Indonesias Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is sometimes said that todays human rights violations will become tomorrows conflicts, he said. If the Rohingya crisis were to spark a broader conflict based on religious identities, the ensuing disputes could be a cause for great alarm. Zeid said the spasms of violence that began in August and sparked the refugee crisis were the culmination of five decades of discrimination and violence against Rohingya in Myanmars Rakhine state. The government of predominantly Buddhist Myanmar denies any atrocities have taken place and insists Rohingya are illegal immigrants. Zeid also expressed concern about the deteriorating state of democracy in Asia even as countries in the region become wealthier. On the pretext of protecting public security, numerous governments are cracking down on freedom of expression and attacking the independence of the court system and independence of the press, he said. Indonesias poor human rights record including persecution of religious minorities, LGBT people and indigenous Papuans is expected to be under scrutiny during Zeids three-day visit. Amtrak blamed a freight rail operator for causing a crash on Sunday that killed two people and injured more than 100 others when one of its passenger trains was diverted onto a side track and slammed into a parked, unmanned freight train in South Carolina. In the US passenger rail operators third fatal crash in as many months, Amtrak Train 91, carrying nine crew members and 136 passengers, was travelling from New York to Miami when it hit the CSX Corp freight train that was stopped on a side track, or siding, at about 2:35 am. Amtrak president and chief executive Richard Anderson said CSX was responsible for the tracks and signals, including one that had a lock attached to it and diverted the Amtrak train onto the side track. CSX had lined and padlocked the switch off the mainline to the siding, causing the collision, he said in a statement. CSX did not address the comments by the Amtrak CEO but said it was working with federal investigators. Both Amtrak and CSX offered their condolences to the families of the two people who died. Robert Sumwalt, chairman of the US National Transportation Board, told a news conference the section of track was operated by CSX and there was a padlock on the switch that steered train traffic onto the siding. Key to this investigation is learning why the switch was lined that way, he said, calling the damage to the locomotives catastrophic. An NTSB investigation team was at the site. Amtrak engineer Michael Kempf, 54, of Savannah, Georgia, and conductor Michael Cella, 36, of Orange Park, Florida, were killed, Lexington County coroner Margaret Fisher told reporters. Autopsies were being conducted, she said. Two of the 116 people injured were in critical condition after the wreck, which occurred about 8 km southwest of the state capital, Columbia. Its a horrible thing to see, to understand what force was involved, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster told reporters. The first engine of the freight train was torn up, and the single engine of the passenger train is barely recognizable. Deadly crashes Anderson said the passenger train hit the tail end of the CSX train. That train had two locomotives and 34 empty auto racks used to transport cars, the NTSB said. The passenger trains locomotive was left lying on its side, and the first car was bent and also derailed, although it remained upright, images from the scene showed. At least four of the freight trains cars were crumpled, looking like crushed tinfoil, but remained on the tracks. The passenger train was part of Amtraks Silver Star Service. Officials said some 5,000 gallons of fuel leaked as a result of the collision but that there was no threat to public safety. US President Donald Trump received regular updates on the crash while at his resort in Palm Beach, Florida. My thoughts and prayers are with all of the victims involved in this mornings (sic) train collision in South Carolina, he tweeted. Thank you to our incredible First Responders for the work theyve done! McMaster said he had been told the Amtrak train was travelling at about 95 kmph on impact. The NTSB did not release details on the speed at which the Amtrak train was travelling. In December, three people were killed when an Amtrak passenger train derailed in Washington state. The engineer later told the NTSB he had misread a signal and tried to brake before the accident. In late January, an Amtrak train carrying Republican members of the US Congress killed one person in a garbage truck with which it collided in Virginia. A Federal Railroad Administration Investigative team was also on the scene in South Carolina to help establish what happened. It is important to understand the factors that contributed to this tragic accident and how all stakeholders can ensure a safe and reliable rail system going forward, the US Department of Transportation said in a statement. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has welcomed the Union budget presented in Parliament by finance minister Arun Jaitley but said companies would have liked to hear more about measures to reduce the compliance cost of GST and corporation tax for larger investors. The presentation of the budget was keenly followed in London in the context of eagerness to enhance trade relations with India post Brexit. Several British and Indian representatives participated in a seminar at the Indian high commission after the budget was delivered. CBI international director Ben Digby said: This is a budget to make life that little bit easier. This will be applauded by British companies, who employ one in twenty of the population of India in the organised private sector, and are committed to improving the lives and prosperity of people and communities across the country. British investors will recognise the considerable progress on economic reform the finance minister outlined in his statement, including the implementation of GST, and measures to improve the ease of doing business, as well as a more open climate for foreign direct investment. However, he said firms would have liked to hear more about measures to reduce the compliance cost of GST and corporation tax for larger investors. He added that the announcements on healthcare provision, education, the new defence production corridor, and rural infrastructure all provide great opportunities for UK in areas which very much play to its strengths. The UK is among Indias top trading partners, ranking 16th in 2016-17. According to the office for national statistics, UK-India bilateral trade in goods and services was 16.33 billion in 2015-16. The UK is also the fourth largest inward investor in India after Mauritius, Singapore and Japan, with a cumulative equity investment of $24.37 billion (April 2000- December 2016), accounting for around 7% of all foreign direct investment in India. Supplier News 5 February 2018 Amazon made a canny move in becoming the first major company to roll out and heavily market smart speakers. This first-mover advantage has made Alexa the go-to for the travel industry's initial attempts to deploy voice technology finds EyeforTravel's new Can Voice Change the Way We Travel? Report, which is free to download now. It's easy to see why travel brands are largely teaming up with Amazon as it has by far and away the most popular smart speaker in terms of sales currently. Amazon has at least 70% of the market share currently according to estimates and substantially beating out Google Home in terms of web search interest in 2016 and 2017. Even more importantly its Alexa personal assistant, as they have made it part of their strategy to focus on the supporting ecosystem and bring in external developers. This has allowed Alexa to grow the number of 'skills', or programmed tasks and apps on the system, exponentially across 2017 from around 7,000 to more than 25,000 by the end of the year. Hotels are putting their own offerings among these skills, as are metasearch companies, airports, online travel agencies, and airlines. This covers a multitude of brands, including KAYAK, United Airlines, Marriott, IHG, Best Western, Skyscanner, Edwardian Hotels, Heathrow Airport, and Kimpton. Hotels are probably the most prominent users of Amazon Alexa and Echo speakers currently as there is an obvious use case for in-room speakers that act as concierges. For IHG, they have begun testing their own virtual concierge through Alexa. However, they found that the human element was still critical, using their call centre to train, "Central Reservation Offices (CROs) have been trying to manage a downward cycle in that not many people are calling them anymore, but they know a ton about the way people actually talk, their cadence and what they ask for," said Bill Keen, IHG's VP of mobile solutions & digital guest experience at EyeforTravel North America 2017. "Through voice listening tools they actually powered our initial Alexa implementation in the hotel rooms, where we actually had a repository of things that guests normally ask when they call the call centre desk and we could actually build it into." However, current adoption trends doesn't mean Amazon will have its own way for the foreseeable future. Multiple players are eyeing the opportunities that voice afford, including Baidu, Samsung, Microsoft, Apple and Alphabet/Google. "I'm a huge Alexa fan, but I think Google is going to have a big advantage as they have a lot of the context," said Paul English, CEO of Lola Tech. "When you do a simple query to Google Home, it can piece together all of that." This data advantage appears already to be having an effect as independent research has found that Google Assistant is more accurate in coming up with spoken answers than any competitors. Similarly, Chinese rivals have made huge progress and claim that their systems are now more effective at transcribing than native Mandarin speakers. It therefore remains to be seen whether Amazon can keep its lead but right now it is the biggest player in terms of dedicated voice applications being built by the travel industry. For more on the topic of voice and its impact on the travel industry, click here to download the complete report for free. You can also download our free report on in-room technology, including smart speakers here. External Article 5 February 2018 Just over a year ago, Justin Giovanni's hotel in Surabaya, Indonesia was running at 30 percent occupancy and his staff struggled with employing technology. Nowadays, occupancy is at 70 percent and WhatsApp is indispensable in dealing with customer requests. Giovanni is one of over 500 hotel owners who have joined RedDoorz, an online budget hotel marketplace set up by Amit Saberwal to revolutionize the Southeast Asia travel industry. Supplier News 5 February 2018 LONDON, UK -- The Direct Booking Summit the only event to focus solely on increasing hotels' direct bookings will be back and bigger than ever in 2018 and 2019! Triptease, summit host and pioneer of the Direct Booking Movement, today announces the dates for the return of the Europe and Americas summits, and the very first Asia-Pacific edition of the event. The series will kick off in Europe, with a two-day conference in Amsterdam on June 27 and 28, 2018. Dallas will then host the Americas leg on September 19 and 20, 2018. Finally, the first Direct Booking Summit: Asia-Pacific will take place in Singapore in early 2019*. In just two years the Direct Booking Summit has become one of the industry's must-attend events. It brings together hundreds of hoteliers, from savvy independents to those from world-leading brands, to strategise, network and drive the Direct Booking Movement forward. Previous speakers and delegates have come from Hyatt, The Leading Hotels of the World, Deutsche Hospitality, Kempinski Hotels, trivago, Kalibri Labs, McKinsey & Company, ReviewPro, The Guestbook and Mirai. Julissa Quiroz, of the Fortune House Hotel, Miami, attended last year's Direct Booking Summit in New York and said: "We loved everything! We had two very productive days, we are definitely implementing new strategies and ideas at our property to maximise guest satisfaction and hotel revenue." Summit chairman and Triptease Chief Tease, Charlie Osmond, added: "This is the event for any hotelier who cares about growing revenue and perfecting guest experience. Every summit we hear from hoteliers trying unique and daring things, whether it be using FaceTime to connect with older guests or standing up to wayward wholesalers. It's a huge source of inspiration and I can't wait to see what emerges from this bigger and bolder summit series." To celebrate the launch of the event, Triptease is offering a 50% discount on tickets for a limited time only. Get yours now via Eventbrite at the following links: Tickets for Direct Booking Summit: Europe Tickets for Direct Booking Summit: Americas Those wishing to attend the Direct Booking Summit Asia-Pacific can pre-register and secure the 50% offer by sending an email to [email protected]. *Exact date to follow About the Direct Booking Summit The Direct Booking Summit has one mission: to help hotels increase direct bookings. The closed-door event for hoteliers and their friends is a place to learn from experts and peers, share best practices and set the agenda for the industry. In 2017, nearly 430 people attended the summit series and its 49 talks, panels and workshops. About Triptease Triptease creates digital tools that help hotels build stronger relationships with guests and increase direct bookings. Its Direct Booking Platform: Ilio Edition comprises Price Check, the original price comparison widget for hotels, Disparity Dungeon, a real-time log of incidences of undercutting, Message Porter, a campaign manager that creates and delivers tailored messages to customers, and Front Desk, a live chat service designed specifically for hotels. The company is headquartered in London but has growing offices in New York and Singapore. As the travel planning journey continues to become increasingly more complex, hoteliers need to be looking for more impactful ways to engage and retain their best potential guests. Todays typical online travel consumer is exposed to over 38,983 micro-moments in any 60-day timeframe, during which time they visit an average of 18 websites via multiple devices in eight sessions before making a hotel booking (Google). Hotels are not just competing with OTAs, their competitive set, and Airbnb - they are also competing with every micro-moment that distracts the travel planner, such as emails, text messages, video, and social media feeds. Background As the travel planning journey continues to become increasingly more complex, hoteliers need to be looking for more impactful ways to engage and retain their best potential guests. Todays typical online travel consumer is exposed to over 38,983 micro-moments in any 60-day timeframe, during which time they visit an average of 18 websites via multiple devices in eight sessions before making a hotel booking (Google). Hotels are not just competing with OTAs, their competitive set, and Airbnb - they are also competing with every micro-moment that distracts the travel planner, such as emails, text messages, video, and social media feeds. There is some serious competition out there for the travel consumers attention, making it all the more important to engage and convert them while they are visiting the property website. A key imperative for hoteliers in 2018 is preventing these travel planners from becoming distracted by digital noise and serving them content at the correct time in order to convert them into bookers. Why is it important to improve website conversion rates? The average hotel website conversion rate (bookings divided by unique monthly visitors) is typically below 2%. For example, imagine 100 people visit your hotel website. Out of those people, less than two will complete a booking, and more than 98 will look around before leaving to make a booking elsewhereeither with your competitors or with the OTAs. Hoteliers are spending precious advertising dollars on SEO, paid search, online media, PR, and social media in order to bring users to the hotel website. However, 98% of them are not converting. Now imagine the monetary benefit from improving the conversion rate from a property with an ADR of $200, a website with 25,000 unique monthly visitors, and 1.5% conversion rate. If conversion rate increases by 25%, this will result in additional website revenue of $37,500 per month. A 33% increase will bring an additional $50,000 per month. What Are the Main Factors Impacting Hotel Website Conversion Rates? Market parity : How do the property rates compare to the compset in the destination? Are your rates comparable to your competition? In order to increase revenues for the hotel website, hoteliers need to ensure that their rates are competitive with the compset, as well as the properties that review sites (such as TripAdvisor) are listing as similar properties. : How do the property rates compare to the compset in the destination? Are your rates comparable to your competition? In order to increase revenues for the hotel website, hoteliers need to ensure that their rates are competitive with the compset, as well as the properties that review sites (such as TripAdvisor) are listing as similar properties. Rate parity: Are the property rates in parity across all distribution channels, including OTAs? As mentioned, todays traveler is shopping like crazy and will find a lower rate for the hotel if it exists. Does the hotel website have a Best Rate Guarantee that is visible throughout the site and the booking engine? Is there a Book with Confidence message to reinforce the rate guarantee and security messaging at point of sale on the reservation screens? Maintaining strict rate parity will not only help re-train the traveler to look on the hotel website to find the best rates, but it will also ensure maximum profitability to the hotels bottom line. Quality of website and user experience (UX): It is staggering how hoteliers often fail to understand the crucial role the hotel website and its UX plays in the overall health of the property and its bottom line. With over 50% of website visitors now viewing on mobile devices, a fully responsive mobile-first website design is a must. How old is the hotel website? If it is older than two years, its due for a re-design. Websites older than two years often have not implemented the latest best practices in technology, design, and UX, such as a mobile-first design, reservation abandonment applications, merchandising applications, Google AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages), Schema.org, technical SEO, and more. An outdated website leads to lower conversions. Case Study: Luxury Island Resort Increases Revenue with a New Responsive Website With their previous website, only 4% of total room revenue was coming from their online channel. Despite the beauty and luxury of the hotel, the property was losing money each year due to their website. In order to increase online revenue and conversion rates, the entire website was re-vamped with new copy and images all controlled by an advanced CMS. After one month the website paid for itself, with year-over-year revenue increasing by 203%. The total return on their investment was 2,168%. Website Download Speeds : The website download speeds across various devices inevitably affects conversion rates on the hotel website. Fast download speeds drastically improve the user experience and increase the users desire to transact on the site. According to Google, 53% of visits are abandoned if a mobile site takes longer than three seconds to load. A mobile-first responsive website with cloud hosting and CDN (Content Delivery Network) provides far better server response times and faster download speeds across geographies. : The website download speeds across various devices inevitably affects conversion rates on the hotel website. Fast download speeds drastically improve the user experience and increase the users desire to transact on the site. According to Google, 53% of visits are abandoned if a mobile site takes longer than three seconds to load. A mobile-first responsive website with cloud hosting and CDN (Content Delivery Network) provides far better server response times and faster download speeds across geographies. Quality of the booking engine: This is another key feature some hoteliers underestimate which can harm their website revenue. A weak booking engine with slow download speeds, and a lack of good product presentation and UX, hurts conversions and revenues. The website merchandising platform: Does the hotel website CMS technology enable the property to sell rooms and generate leads on every page of the website via a complete ecosystem of modules, functionality, and capabilities? Does the technology offer special banners and live rates that dynamically change anytime they are updated in your CRS? Does the technology enable the hotel to "sell on value," as opposed to "sell on rate," and maximize revenues on the hotel website? Enticing promotions: How enticing are the property special offers, packages, and promotions? Are promotions unique, seasonal, and outshining the competition? Whether its a discounted room rate or a special partnership that gives guests an experiential activity outside the hotel, special offers can be a quick and easy way to convert lookers into bookers, while capturing more direct bookings on the hotel website. Reservation abandonment technology: Acquiring a new website visitor is ten times more expensive than retaining an existing one. As mentioned, typically less than two out of 100 visitors to the hotel website complete a booking. Does your website feature reservation abandonment technology to win back users who start the booking process without completing it? Your website should be the final touchpoint to convert the visitor into a hotel guest. Case Study: A Central California Hotel Increase Conversion Rates by 25% With Reservation Abandonment Tools With a collection of four hotels, this resort was in need of increasing their website conversion rate and getting website users back to the booking engine. After implementing Reservation Abandonment Emailers and Reservation Abandonment Lightbox Displays, the resort saw a 25.9% increase in their conversion rate year-over-year and a 3,520% return on their investment. Dynamic personalization : In todays digital landscape, consumers demand personalization. The hotel website typically has eight seconds to capture a visitors attention. One out of five visitors will deflect within 10 seconds of landing on the website. Does the hotel website deliver personalized promotional, textual, and visual content dynamically tailored to each visitor? Does it allow real-time tracking of behavior and data to serve personalized dynamic content based on geographic location, demographic information, loyalty status, pathing, and booking behavior? Case Study: An NYC Boutique Hotel Increased Their Conversion Rate by 55% with Smart Personalization As more consumers expect a personalized experience, this NYC hotel was looking for a strategy that would improve the user experience on their website while increasing conversion rates. With messages targeted to visitors depending on their location and behavior, the hotel was able to see an increase of 55% year-over-year in the website conversion rate and a 44% increase in revenue after just three months. Guest Recognition/Reward Program : Travel consumers demand online experiences that make them feel special. Your website should recognize who they are and reward them for being loyal customers. You do not have to be a major hotel brand to recognize and reward your frequent guests or members of a reward program. Seventy-nine percent of bookings on hotel websites are made by travelers that belong to a hotel loyalty program or guest recognition program, i.e., travelers with loyalty status (Phocuswright). Does your property website feature any kind of guest recognition, instant rewards, or a membership program? Does it provide gated, member-only rates? Conclusion: Developing a robust website conversion strategy should become the top priority for hoteliers in 2018. This is a crucial step for improving direct bookings and lowering distribution costs. Any investment in website conversions will not only pay for itself, but will reward the hotel generously by improving the bottom line. Start by evaluating your current website conversion rates, the quality of your website technology, and the overall design. About HEBS Digital: Founded in 2001, HEBS Digital is headquartered in New York City and has global offices in Las Vegas, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Through its Smart Guest Acquisition Suite, including the smartCMS, Smart Personalization Engine, Smart Data Marketing, and full-stack digital consulting and marketing solutions, HEBS Digital helps hoteliers drastically boost direct bookings, lower distribution costs, and increase the lifetime value of guests. Part of NextGuest Technologies, HEBS Digital and Serenata CRM, the most comprehensive Hotel CRM Suite today, are the creators of the hospitality industrys first Fully-Integrated Guest Engagement & Acquisition Platform. A diverse client portfolio of top-tier luxury and boutique hotel chains, independent hotels, resorts and casinos, franchised properties and hotel management companies, convention centers, spas, restaurants, DMO and tourist offices across the globe are all benefiting from HEBS Digitals direct online channel strategy and digital marketing expertise. HEBS Digitals technology, website design and digital marketing services have won more than 500 prestigious industry awards, including World Travel Awards, HSMAI Platinum Adrian Awards, Stevie Awards (American Business Awards), Travel Weeklys Magellan Awards, and more. The HEBS Digital team is comprised of thought leaders, a diverse team of experts comprised of over 33 nationalities speaking over 22 languages. Contact HEBS Digitals experts at 1 (800) 649-5076 (North America), +64 (0) 9 889 8489 (Asia Pacific) or success@hebsdigital.com. Editorial Contact: Garrick Lee Marketing Manager, HEBS Digital Phone: (212) 752-9425 Email: garrick@hebsdigital.com Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource This year, the worlds largest tourist market will get even larger! But they are also savvier and well-informed too. So, whats the secret to reaping a slice of this enormous pie? 2018 Is The EU-China Tourism Year (ECTY) On January 19, the European Union and China jointly commemorated a program to further boost collaborations in the travel and tourism sectors. The EUs goal is to achieve an annual increase in Chinese visitors by 10%, equal to at least 1 billion a year for the tourism industry. Dubbed as Ready for China, the initiative is to foster commercial and cultural exchanges between the European Union and China. The ECTY is funded by EU and involves the European Travel Agency, European Tourism Association and China National Tourism Association. Key objectives are to help every segment of the travel industry to attract and welcome the Chinese travellers better. For more details, click here and here. Number One Tourism Market Since 2012 The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) reported that the combined Chinese tourists expenditure in 2016 exceeded USD 261 billion (21% of the world's international tourism spending). The growth in their outbound travels has benefitted a myriad of tourist, hospitality and leisure destinations in the Asia-Pacific, notably Japan, the Republic of Korea and Thailand. Their favorite long-haul destinations are in the United States and Europe. Aside from China, all the other Asian-based outbound travellers markets have also registered positive growth, such as the Republic of Korea (US$27 billion) and Hong Kong (US$24 billion), an increase of 8% and 5% in spending, respectively. Forecast by China Outbound Tourism Research Institutes (COTRI) COTRIs final forecast on Chinese nationals making outbound trips in year 2017 was 145 million. Barring unforeseen events, COTRI projects the numbers crossing border in year 2018 will be 154 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 6.3%. In breaking down year 2018 numbers, COTRI projects 68 million will be making trips within Greater China destinations, while 86 million will arrive at destinations in the rest of the world (a growth of 10% against 2017). Chinese nationals making trips to tourist destinations across the world have been doubling year-on-year. Perhaps a remark by COTRI Director, Dr Wolfgang Georg Arlt, amplifies the message to all businesses in the travel and hospitality industries, Its time many destinations stop talking about arrival numbers and start to concentrate on quality and sustainable development efforts. For more details on COTRIs report, click here. How To Successfully Reap The Chinese Travel Market? Many marketing teams in the hotel, hospitality and leisure industries have already seen the immense potential of the Chinese outbound tourists market. But few have reacted positively due to the key challenges in winning them over. It has been reported that the modern day Chinese travellers are extraordinarily savvy in planning and making their holiday getaways. Many even opt for the do-it-yourself travel experience. Its therefore imperative that the promotional information on websites, at destinations, social media platforms, various marketing avenues, etc., are able to effectively engage with the Chinese audience, in their preferred language. It has been said time and time again, that the use of automated Translation Machine is doomed for failure, while literal translation alone is just not enough to deliver that expected emotional connection with the Chinese or with any other native-language speaking audiences. It will be most unfortunate for businesses that continue to take these routes. Not only will they fail to capitalize on the burgeoning Chinese travel market, the sub-standard content they displayed will even tarnish their brand. You need Transcreation (translation infused with creative writing or creative translation) that takes into account all the various nuances of the vernacular of that language. Transcreation helps you transcend language and cultural boundaries, which is paramount to ensuring an effective content marketing strategy. To engage with the well-informed Chinese audiences, or other native-speaking communities around the world, we need targeted, clear messages that connect and engage remember, If they can't read it, they won't buy it. So, instead of taking chances with your valuable marketing resources and hoping that your message reaches the right eyes, relying on end-to-end content transcreation is a prudent bet. With specialized creative translations in multiple languages, marketing campaigns will have better traction at enticing and inspiring target readers with the right tone and the right impact. In other words, transcreation can help convert clicks into bookings and readers into customers. About IPPWORLD As a LSP (language service provider), IPPWORLD helps hospitality, travel and lifestyle brands and businesses go global with transcreation expertise. Transcreation creative translation provided by IPPWORLD delivers end-to-end management of localized, contextualized content for your website, as well as brand and marketing campaigns. Transcreation into multiple global languages drives conversions, grows revenue and builds brand loyalty. With full-fledged offices in Singapore, Shanghai and Mauritius, as well as associates around the world, IPPWORLD is always available. Over two decades in multilingual transcreation and localization services. Trusted then, trusted now. For more information on how we can assist you with global marketing content, visit www.ippworld.com, or email: info.singapore@ippworld.com. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Fans of Kobe Bryant's signature sneakers will be happy to know that it looks like Nike has plans to retro his iconic line of kicks. Kobe teased the release of a retro line on his IG stories with a photo of him holding his first Nike shoe, the Nike Zoom Kobe 1, along with a caption that reads, "Were always looking to build on things that weve done in the past to try to improve them." Nike has re-released some old school Kobes in the past, including the "Fade To Black" pack as well as the "Prelude" Collection, but both of those were limited edition runs. Hopefully this time around the Kobe retros will be more readily available. As of now there are no details regarding when Nike plans to release any retro Kobe sneakers, but "Mamba Day" is celebrated on April 13th and that seems like a perfect time to introduce the return of some of Kobe's classics. Which Kobe sneaker are you most looking forward to? It's been an excruciatingly painful few months for the rapper who was on the rise just a few months ago before he fell ill to an unknown illness. River had been fighting extreme symptoms that were leaving him with extreme sensitivity to light, nausea and even paralysis. After being told it was mental illness more than a handful of times by plenty of doctors, Rivers was almost ready to give up. He reached out on social media by describing the symptoms that seemed scarily painful and hard to diagnose. Undoubtedly he was also left hanging by the system who failed to pay enough attention, and listen to the rapper when he made pleas that this was not just something in his head. You can read the full thread here. Finally his team announced just days ago on Instagram, "after a lot of pushing, a neurologist was able to find it. Paraspinal pain, severe anemia, a dislocated jaw joint but most importantly intracranial hypertension. His brain has been sagging in his head for 40 days. Who among us doesnt enjoy a good old-fashioned Spike Lee Joint? It was 30 years ago that the world was gifted with the veteran filmmakers second feature film in the form of his School Daze cult classic and hes celebrating the milestone with a special screening this month. The film, centered around Greek life at a historically black college, was spawned from Spikes personal experiences as an undergraduate in the Atlanta University Centerthe consortium consisting of Lees alma mater Morehouse College, its sister school Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, and Morris Brown College. Fittingly, the director will be traveling back down to Atlanta to deliver on a special screening at the citys historic Fox Theatre on February 19th, a week from the date of the original release of School Daze. On February 19th At 7PM, The 30th Anniversary Screening Of School Daze Will Be Held At The World Famous Fox Theatre In Atlanta, Georgia, Spike revealed by way of an Instagram post accompanying the films original poster. Come Repping Your Frats, Sorors And HBCU. I Will Join You There In Living Black Color And 30th Anniversary Collectors Edition School Daze Merchandise Will Be Available. Stay Tuned For Details. School Daze was the follow-up to Spike Lees debut feature film Shes Gotta Have It, which has since been revamped into a series on Netflix. The series has seen its share of success, too, as its since been renewed for a second season, continuing to introduce a newer generation to the wonders of Spike Lee. YG recently linked up with Complex's Joe La Puma at Flight Club in Los Angeles for a brand new episode of "Sneaker Shopping," in which the Compton-native talked about collecting Air Jordans, his friendship with James Harden, and why Russell Westbrook reminds him of Michael Jordan. Although he grew up on the West Coast, YG explains that he loves the Chicago Bulls thanks to his dad, who has a Jumpman tat on his leg and still collects Air Jordans to this day. During the visit to Flight Club LA, YG discussed his style growing up and how he pioneered the skinny jeans/Vans movement in his neighborhood at a time when nobody was supporting the look. Of course, as a Bulls fan, he also had plenty of Air Jordans coming up, specifically the Air Jordan 1s and 13s which are his favorite kicks to hoop in. Check out the full episode of "Sneaker Shopping" below. sting laws in the United States are meant to prevent workplace discrimination against pregnant women, but complaints come in anyway especially from women in blue-collar with physically demanding jobs.In 1978, Congress passed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, making discrimination based on pregnancy- and childbirth-related medical conditions illegal.In 2008, amendments were made to the Americans with Disabilities Act, requiring employers to provide necessary accommodations to pregnant women with certain pregnancy-related conditions that could qualify as disabilities.Still, between 2010 and 2015, nearly 31,000 pregnancy discrimination charges were filed with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.Last year alone, $15million in settlements were paid out for pregnancy discrimination charges filed with the EEOC, reported CNN.In the 31,000 charges, a large number of women were denied simple requests for accommodations more frequent breaks, time off for prenatal visits or less physically-demanding duties.Elizabeth Gedmark, senior staff attorney and director of the southern office at A Better Balance, a family rights advocacy, believes the passage of the more specific Pregnant Workers Fairness Act federal legislation first proposed in 2012 would help eliminate confusion.Instead of this web of laws, there would be a very clear standard," Gedmark said. "If a pregnant woman needs an accommodation and the company can accommodate her, absent any undue hardship, they have to. Ultimately, this would be best for workers and best for companies, who would avoid turnover costs."Gedmark is one of the lawyers who helped 30-year-old Whitney Tomlinson file a case against Walmart, the biggest non-government employer in 22 states.Tomlinson, a packer at the companys distribution centre in Atlanta, wanted to take paid time off because she felt nauseated at work.Her supervisor told her to bring a note from her doctor, and human resources told her she was a liability because of her restrictions.CNN reported that Tomlinson was not allowed to return to work until after she gave birth and that she would need to apply for a formal unpaid leave of absence to avoid losing her job in the long run. Ask The Doctor: Mu Is A COVID 'Variant of Interest', Its Virulence Is Yet To Be Determined Ugh, if I heard one more person tell me to "be careful," I was going to lose it. I was packing my bags for my first-ever international speaking gig at the Social Media Masters Forum in Bahrain this past December. The event, now in its fifth year, brings together a group of social-media experts from around the Middle East and a group of four Americans. It was my first time visiting the Middle East. There were high-ranking Bahrani government officials, members of the local news media, a U.N. official, and even the American ambassador in attendance. Before I left, I posted about how excited I was for the trip on Facebook. I received several congratulatory comments from people, but many of them were accompanied by the words, "be careful." Many others expressed words of greater caution to me in private messages. I started to second-guess myself. Maybe there was something I was missing? Was I putting myself in danger by going to Bahrain? I needed to do more research. What I found out was that Bahrain has one of the lowest murder and violent crime rates in the world. I could find zero evidence of Americans being unsafe there. It turns out that you are far more likely to get murdered anywhere in the U.S. than you are in Bahrain. Later it dawned on me that all of the people who were telling me to be careful and questioning my decision for going to Bahrain had one thing in common. None of them had ever actually been to Bahrain! We are so subjected to the negative stories of war, terrorism, and natural disasters in our coverage of the news in the Middle East and other areas of the world that stereotyping others becomes second nature. We subconsciously begin to assume that much of the world lives in constant chaos because that is what the news subjects us to. The people of Bahrain were amazing to us. One American friend of mine who was skeptical of the trip had this to say when I told him how well the American speakers were received, "Well, of course they were going to be nice to you at the conference! You were speaking at their event!" What I told him was this story. The conference was over, and I had to head to the airport in a few short hours. I had been so busy, I hadn't been able to buy something to take home for my daughters, aged 5 and 9. I hurried off to the local marketplace. It was a busy and bustling environment. I wanted to find something local that we couldn't get in Colorado. It couldn't be too big either, because I didn't have much room in my suitcase. Shopping is not my thing, and I couldn't find the right gift. It was either too expensive, too cheap, something they already had, not the right size, not the right color (you get the picture). I stood on the street corner with a look of concern as I knew my time was running out. Just then a local lady approached me and said in perfect English, "Sir, you look lost. Can I help you?" I told her that I wasn't lost, but I couldn't find the right gift for my daughters. She offered to help. So, I told her my requirements. She said, "Come with me. I know the perfect thing." We walked a couple of blocks over to a jewelry store. My heart started to race; didn't she hear the part about me being on a budget? She came back with these multi-colored jeweled bracelets--think Middle Eastern princess. They were absolutely perfect in every way. She even negotiated in Arabic and got a solid local price for me that was significantly less than the price tag! I thanked her over and over. However, I felt it wasn't enough. I offered to give her a tip. I at least wanted to give her the money she saved by negotiating. However, she refused to accept it and had this to say, "Keep your money. My tip is that you have a wonderful stay here in my country." I was honestly taken aback by her kindness. In case you were wondering, my daughters absolutely loved the bracelets. Can travel really end prejudice? I believe that travel broadens your perspective. It enables you to view humanity through your own lens, without the filters of the brain-altering headlines in the media. I found this quote from Mark Twain to be very intriguing. In his book Innocents Abroad, Twain stated: "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." However, can it be proven? As it turns out, there is substantial scientific research that would suggest there indeed is a correlation between travel and lower levels of intolerance and prejudice. Lead researcher Jiyin Cao of Northwestern University conducted five studies across various research methods to determine if there was any validity to Mark Twain's claims. The studies determined that people who have traveled are more trusting of different types of people. Distance away from home was also a key piece to the correlation. Their findings concluded that people who have visited more places that were different from where they come from were the most trusting and accepting of differences. When you travel, you will find people who love what you love. Suddenly, differences become petty and insignificant. Your fear of the unknown lessons and your mind opens up. The wonga coup, the perfect plot, meticulously planned, audacious and hugely lucrative, the takeover, no less, of a small country with massive oil riches. And the perfect leader for the battle-hardened soldiers of fortune who would make it happen, Simon Mann, Old Etonian, bon viveur and former officer in the SAS. But the operation collapsed even as it got under way amid recriminations and charges of betrayal with the plotters scattered across prisons in Africa. Now after four years of hard captivity Simon Mann, 55, is prepared to make public his account of what really took place in the failed mercenary mission to Equatorial Guinea. Manacled hand and foot, with his straggly beard shot through with grey and dressed in prison fatigues, Mann appeared at Black Beach prison in Malabo to claim that a London-based oil trader was the mastermind behind the scheme. There was more: Sir Mark Thatcher, the son of the former prime minister, was far more deeply implicated than he had admitted; the governments of South Africa and Spain not only knew what was being planned but they encouraged it to go ahead. The interview, by Channel 4 News, was mired in controversy and the subject of legal action. The television company had to overturn an injunction sought by Mann's wife. It was also claimed that much of what Mann said was unreliable as he was implicating others as part of a deal with the Equatorial Guinea regime to secure a lighter sentence on charges of terrorism and attempting to murder President Obiang. Certainly during his talk with reporter Jonathan Miller the former soldier was at pains to repeatedly state that conditions were fine at Black Beach, a prison with a notorious reputation for brutality which had drawn repeated protests from international human rights groups. He was also keen to justify himself, insisting that more powerful and influential players in the coup had got away while he carried the can. "I was if you like the manager ... I was not the architect of the plot, I was not the main man." Asked who this was, he replied " Ely Calil ... If someone wants to do me a favour they should put a pair of handcuffs on Ely Calil and put him on an aeroplane to Malabo ... As you know it was a fuck up and I have to carry the can for that. Really and truly, I blame myself most for simply not saying 'cut' two months before I was arrested." Mr Calil and Sir Mark are facing civil action for damages by the Equatorial Guinea government and Baroness Thatcher's son received a four-year suspended jail term and fined R3m (265,000) by the High Court in South Africa after pleading guilty to charges in connection with the plot. He claimed he had been an inadvertent participant. Asked about Sir Mark's involvement, Mr Mann said: "He was part of the team." Both Mr Calil and Sir Mark Thatcher strongly denied the charges made by Mr Mann who, they said, must be in "considerable distress" in his present conditions. Mr Calil added that the former soldier had made contradictory statements in the past "many times" while Sir Mark said he had nothing to add to his previous stance on the matter. There were also denials from the South African and Spanish governments who respectively described Mr Mann's allegations as "baseless" and a "fabrication". The mercenaries had planned to replace President Obiang with Severo Moto Nsa who had fled the country and lives in Spain. Mr Mann accused Mr Moto and Mr Calil of "misleading." him. He said: "They gave me the very strong impression that things were diabolically bad here and a regime change was a crying need. They also told me that the regime was faltering, in a state of collapse. I mean, coming here now, obviously I was told a load of rubbish." Among other names linked to the plot were Jeffrey Archer, the disgraced peer and former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party who had once used Mr Calil as a financial adviser. Peter Mandelson, a European commissioner, was also dragged into the affair. Both men have denied involvement. Last night Mr Mann dismissed suggestions that either had been involved. He said: "God knows where that came from, I mean that is a real mystery to me." There were others said to be "connected" to what was going on: David Hart, another Old Etonian who was adviser to Margaret Thatcher during the miners' strike; Mr Mann's friends were being advised by Lord Bell, Mrs Thatcher's former public relations guru. All have strenuously denied any involvement and none have been charged with any offence. Some of the names emerged soon after Mann's arrest when South African police intercepted a letter to his wife in Cape Town with a "wonga list" featuring Smelly (a nickname for Mr Calil) and Scratcher (Sir Mark Thatcher) among the alleged financiers. Mr Mann was transferred to Equatorial Guinea from the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, where he had served four years in jail after being arrested en route to Malabo to allegedly lead the coup. His wife said: "It was like a dagger to my heart when I heard he was there. One of the things that fills me with fear is they will beat the living daylight out of him, that it could be happening while I speak, or that there will be one of those 'accidents' that happens in these places." To add to Mrs Mann's fear President Obiang, according to reports, had threatened to "personally sodomise" and then "skin alive" her husband. But Mr Mann insisted last night: "I am being well treated here. My accommodation is good. There is water, there is food and there is no coercion." he went on to stress the lack of coercion several times and objected to the word "interrogated ... Interview would be better than interrogated." His manacles, he continued were "nice ones" unlike the ones in Harare. Mr Mann complained bitterly that he had been "abducted ... pushed and shoved around, smacked with an AK..." from the Harare prison just as he was about to be freed and sent to Equatorial Guinea. "Here I am accused of terrible things when nothing happened. The intent was there, but it was a fuck up. I am actually a victim of a far more serious crime than any crime I have committed." Asked about his thoughts on the coup, he smiled: "I am sorry, I have been saying for four years that I am sorry. I should write that on my forehead." Behind the accusations and self-justification lay the fact that Simon Mann had indeed planned to be in Malabo but not quite like this. If the coup had succeeded then he would have been in the Equatorial Guinea capital as a kingmaker with the rewards that would bring. The plot read like a Frederick Forsyth thriller and that turned out to be one of the main reasons for its failure. Those involved appeared to have mixed up reality and fiction, seemingly believing a successful outcome, just like such a novel, was inevitable. Long before Mann and 68 South African and Angolan mercenaries were arrested in Harare, en route to Equatorial Guinea with 100,000 worth of arms the "wonga coup" was being talked about, with an astonishing degree of indiscretion by some of those taking part. Details were discussed, it is claimed, in the bars and restaurants of both Cape Town and London. Veterans of African wars were telling each other of the "big job" was going to take place and a lot of easy money was on offer. Unsurprisingly, among the recipients of the information were the intelligence services of a number of countries. Jack Straw, while foreign secretary, was forced to retract Foreign Office claims that the British Government had no warning of the coup attempt. Nick Du Toit is Mr Mann's fellow inmate at Black Beach. He was among a group of South African mercenaries who were arrested in Malabo after their arrival as an advance party for the coup. Mr Du Toit received a 34-year sentence and will die in the jail unless he is pardoned by President Obiang. Mr Mann had craved excitement and adventure. He had set up the security company, Executive Outcomes, with the British financier Tony Buckingham in 1993. Two years later he founded another company in the same field, Sandline International, with Lieutenant Colonel Tim Spicer which was later in the centre of controversy over shipping arms to Sierra Leone in breach of a United Nations embargo. But now there was the realisation that not everything goes according to the script."You go tiger shooting, but you don't expect the tiger to win", he smiled wryly. He said he was under pressure to get to talks at Stormont (Niall Carson/PA) Sinn Feins Gerry Kelly has said he regrets removing a clamp from his car with bolt-cutters and has paid his fine. The North Belfast MLA was reported to police for alleged criminal damage after he was filmed removing the clamp from his car outside a Belfast gym. He said he was under pressure to get to talks at Stormont when he realised his car had been clamped on Friday. After being unable to contact the clamping company Mr Kelly said he borrowed blot cutters from the gym and removed the clamp a decision he now regrets. He said: I came out of the gym just after 8am to head to Stormont for talks. I saw that my car had been clamped. I phoned the number on the notice and the only response I got was music. I then went in to the Mac (Metropolitan Arts Centre) and asked had they another number for the company. I immediately rang that number and this number was out of use. The MLA said he was under pressure to get to the talks meetings, adding: I remembered that the gym had a set of bolt cutters and I borrowed them. Let me add that staff at the gym were not aware what I was using the bolt cutters for. I then removed the clamp. I made an on-the-spot decision which I now regret. I have contacted the company and paid the fine. The issue has now been resolved. The incident happened near the Mac in Belfast. The clamp was fitted by a private company called Parking and Enforcement Agency (PEA). Footage of the incident was posted on social media. On Sunday evening Mr Kelly tweeted that no one can be above the law and that he had made a voluntary arrangement to meet police for an interview. He added he wanted the matter resolved as soon as possible. His actions were criticised by other political parties. 'Thursday will see the ECB publish its economic bulletin, while Yves Mersch, a board member of the ECB, is due to speak in London about cryptocurrencies.' Stock photo: PA Wire/PA Images Brexit will be back on the agenda this week when envoys from the post-Brexit European Union member states meet to discuss the current negotiations with the UK. Also on Wednesday the European Central Bank (ECB) Banking Supervision will host its annual press conference in Frankfurt, while the European Commission will publish its economic forecasts. ECB president Mario Draghi is also due to present his annual report to the European Parliament. Today the Services PMI numbers for Europe are released. Thursday will see the ECB publish its economic bulletin, while Yves Mersch, a board member of the ECB, is due to speak in London about cryptocurrencies. Elsewhere, Elon Musk's SpaceX will launch its Falcon Heavy Rocket tomorrow. Musk plans to load the rocket with a red Tesla Roadster and David Bowie's 'Space Oddity' playing on repeat. The US government's funding will again run out on Thursday unless a deal is done. BP, Toyota, Twitter and Tesla have results this week. Tullow Oil and Smurfit Kappa both have full year results out on Wednesday. Calender countdown: Pressure is mounting further on Theresa May as the Brexit deadline looms ever closer. Photo: PA Theresa May has categorically rejected keeping Britain in any form of customs union with the EU in a significant victory for Brexiteers ahead of two crucial cabinet meetings this week. Downing Street said it wanted to "put to rest" arguments that have raged for weeks about whether the UK would join a customs union after Brexit. Following reports that Eurosceptic Tory MPs were plotting a coup if Mrs May bowed to the will of Remainers, sources close to the prime minister insisted customs union membership was off the table. A Number 10 source said: "We must be free to sign trade deals with the rest of the world... so it is not our policy to stay in a customs union." It represents a significant change in stance from Mrs May, who as recently as Friday refused to rule out being part of a customs union. Later this week, the British cabinet's Brexit sub-committee will meet twice, to discuss what Britain wants from a future trade deal with the EU. Downing Street acted after Amber Rudd, the Remain-supporting Home Secretary, alarmed Eurosceptics by hinting that a cabinet compromise was close. Expand Close Compromise: UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Compromise: UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd. Photo: PA Ms Rudd said: "I have a surprise for the Brexiteers, which is the committee that meets in order to help make these decisions... is more united than they think. I think that we will arrive at something which suits us all. "There may be - there will be choices to be made within that - but we all want the same thing which is to arrive at a deal that works for the UK." Sources in the cabinet's Leave camp said Ms Rudd's suggestion of harmony was "fanciful" and Dominic Raab, the Leave-supporting housing minister, insisted the UK would not be in "any form of customs union" with the EU because Britain "would have our hands tied in negotiating free trade deals with other parts of the world". A Downing Street source said: "To put this to rest, we are categorically leaving the customs union... "We have brilliant companies in the UK and we want to strengthen their opportunities to export. We would not want to do something that limits those opportunities. "So it is not our policy to stay in the customs union. It is not our policy to stay in a customs union." Mrs May instead wants "a highly streamlined customs arrangement between the UK and the EU" with trade being "as frictionless as possible" while still striking deals with the rest of the world. Critics in Brussels have said such a "have cake and eat it" demand is impossible. Another possibility being examined by Mrs May is a "customs partnership" with the EU, "aligning our approach to the customs border in a way that removes the need for a UK-EU customs border", which would be good news for Ireland's Border with the North. Brexiteers are likely to argue that such close alignment with the EU would stand in the way of global trade deals. Mrs May and David Davis, UK Brexit secretary, will meet Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, in Number 10 today ahead of a week of negotiations in Brussels to discuss the terms of a transition period. ( Daily Telegraph, London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] This tractor carrying bales struck a bridge in Cahir last week. Image: An Garda Siochana Gardai in Tipperary have warned farmers to check load heights on their traliers following an accident in Tipperary. This tractor carrying bales struck a bridge in Cahir last week. "Thankfully, no one was hurt. Always check the height of loads & be aware of restrictions," Gardai said. Gardai also called on members of the public to ring the Gardai if they see any unstable loads. Meath accident It comes as Gardai said a lorry driver is facing court following an incident on the M1 motorway last weekend. Meath Traffic Unit attended an incident where an articulated lorry, which had a number of large square bales strapped down on top of loose grain in a tipper trailer. According to Meath Gardai, the straps came loose and two of the bales fell onto the carriageway, one of them landing on the bonnet of a car. Gardai also say that a following motorcyclist had a lucky escape when he drove across the remnants of the bale but managed to maintain control his bike. The matter is understood to be under investigation and gardai have said the driver of the lorry is facing a court appearance for dangerous driving. Other recent agri related road offences Driver stopped in Wexford. No licence to tow trailer- so no insurance. He won't be able to dig his way out ot that. pic.twitter.com/6k4YFLjZFv An Garda Siochana (@GardaTraffic) March 14, 2017 Gardai conducting Operation Thor checkpoint in Wicklow seized Tractor as it hasn't been taxed/insured for 15+ years. pic.twitter.com/OibMXBI3e5 An Garda Siochana (@GardaTraffic) March 8, 2017 'Time to retyre' - Tipp Traffic Corp seized this tractor driving on 3 wheels & 4th wheel tied to rear. Driver was 'wheely wheely sorry' pic.twitter.com/WlMibLG6QD An Garda Siochana (@GardaTraffic) February 21, 2017 Meath traffic unit on patrol, driver of tractor holding a mobile phone. FCPN issued 80 and 3 points. pic.twitter.com/QINBJ34NcM Garda Info (@gardainfo) November 29, 2016 Meanwhile, the issue of tachographs has also been highlighted by those in the agriculture community recently. Recent legislation put a limit of 100km radius for tractors to travel from their base of operations. However, Farm Contractors Ireland (FCI) said recently that many modern tractors are required to transport machines and farm produce greater distances, where the use of a truck would not be practical or economical due to the relatively low value of the goods in transit, such as straw. FCI is calling for this limit to be raised to 180km. A SIX-YEAR wait for the bureaucratic Leader programme to be reviewed is far too long, members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture have said. Speaking at a recent special hearing with the European Court of Auditors, members of the committee called for the issue of delayed Leader funds to be investigated by the EU auditors. Green Party senator Grace OSullivan said that those in charge of development programmes in rural Ireland would only feel the burden of further delayed payments and unnecessary bureaucracy if the Leader programme wasnt examined soon. People in rural Ireland are feeling the burden. When will it be reviewed so we can take action here in Ireland? If youre telling me weve to wait six years, thats too much time and there is a burden of bureaucracy in the system, she said. Sinn Fein MEP Matt Carty added that the entire brand and philosophy of the Rural Development Programme will be in jeopardy if the issues of delayed payments arent reviewed. A spokesperson for the Department of Rural and Community Development said: The Departments focus has been on getting projects by community groups and businesses approved, and then providing them with the time and space to deliver these projects. The spend will follow as those projects are delivered. In January, almost 4m has been approved and that figure will rise again before the end of the month. It is the nature of the Leader programme that direct spend on projects is always low in the initial period of the programme. Many of these are significant projects that have only been approved since the latter half of 2017 and which will take time to deliver. Therefore, we would not expect to have seen much spend on them yet. This will occur as the projects are rolled out. Red tape Fianna Fail TD Charlie McConalogue added that red tape is impacting the effectiveness of the Rural Development Programme and efforts should be made to make the process of issuing payments more flexible. However, court of auditor member and former secretary general at the Department of Finance, Kevin Cardiff, pointed out that the courts funding structure means it rarely has the ability to examine an individual programme more than once in a 10-year period. We are supposed to audit about 140bn of funding each year. Each audit takes 13 months. Theres so many different spending programmes and coming back to them more than twice in 10 years is difficult, he said. The auditors added they would recommend to the Commission that the process of applying for funds be simplified. The Irish stockbroking sector is set for the biggest shake up in more than a decade with Goodbody Stockbrokers and Investec now takeover targets and bidders in the hunt for other assets. Rising regulatory costs, the fallout from Brexit and opportunities linked to the economic recovery are driving activity, market sources say. The Irish Independent revealed on Friday that South Africa's Investec is in talks with bidders, including AIB, to offload its Irish arm. 'The Sunday Times' reported yesterday that a Chinese consortium fronted by an unnamed Irish business figure is looking to buy Goodbody for 100m. US broker Cantor Fitzgerald and Bank of Ireland are also lined up as potential consolidators in the broking and wealth management sectors. Taxpayer-owned AIB sold Goodbody for 24m in 2011 to Kerry-based Fexco and Goodbody management. A 100m sale of Goodbody will raise questions over that sale, made at the behest of European bailout authorities. AIB also missed out on about 1bn by selling its stake in Polish lender Bank Zachodni in 2010. Meanwhile, the country's largest broker, Davy, is targeting expansion in the UK, including a possible bid for IFG's investment adviser Saunderson House. We are "coming close to crunch time" when Ireland will have to make fundamental changes to its tax regime, a source from the European Commission told the Irish Independent. Political pressure for Ireland to move to a harmonised EU tax base has increased significantly in recent months. A crusade by the French government has upped the ante among all EU member states. President Emmanuel Macron says he wants multinationals to pay their fair share of tax in the countries where they make their sales. This view is shared by the European Commission, which last year renewed its proposals to push for a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB) throughout the EU. It is also shared by states such as Germany and Spain whose finance ministers are said to frustrated by Ireland's refusal to share responsibility for tax matters with the EU. As Ireland keeps reminding Brussels, tax is an area solely for national competence. But several EU officials say the time has come for Ireland to nail its colours to the mast about where it 'really' stands on fair taxation. So far, Dublin has resisted agreeing to such changes to the Irish tax regime, as it would likely damage the tax advantages multinationals like Apple gain when investing here. The Irish position is that any changes to how tax giants are treated should come through an international body like the OECD, which is due to publish updated proposals in the spring. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and all Irish officials contend that the practice of aggressive tax avoidance will not end if the EU does it alone, as countries outside the EU can then attract such investment. But Brussels sources say while they are eager to review the suggestions by the OECD, they may not be "robust" enough to tackle the problem. "We'd prefer to see it happen on a global level too, but if it doesn't conform to how the EU wants to proceed ... if they're not robust or credible enough, then we will go ahead ourselves", they said. "We see the numbers coming from Dublin," and over the years, the Irish Exchequer hasn't been taking in enough money from the likes of Apple and others to warrant such a system. "We don't see how Ireland can rely on this model," they said. Ratings agency, Moody's Investors Service, is considering upgrading Ulster Bankss credit rating after its parent RBS separated out its retail and business banking operations from its more risky investment banking division. The move, required by new legislation, has strengthened the Irish lenders credit profile according to Moodys , which this morning announced it has placed Ulsters long-term debt and deposit ratings on review for an upgrade. The Irish banks potentially higher credit score had been flagged last week when the ratings agency recalibrated its ratings outlook on RBS, following the ring-fencing of its core banking divisions. The overhaul prompted Moodys to consider a downgrade on RBSs overall rating but stressed the banking goliaths retail and business operations would benefit from the change as these entities will retain mostly retail, SME, and large corporate activities. However Moodys warned that if Ulster Bank were to be excluded from RBS Group's ring-fenced sub-group of retail and commercial banking activities, that could trigger a downgrade to the lenders long-term debt and deposit ratings. Ryanair has warned investors to expect "negative PR" as it finalises union discussions. "While union recognition may add some complexity to our business and may cause short-term disruptions and negative PR it will not alter our cost leadership, or change our plan to grow to 200 million traffic per annum by March 2024," Michael OLeary, chief executive of Ryanair, said. During the three months to 31 December the airline reported a 12pc increase in profit to 106m, while revenue grew to 1.4bn, a 4pc increase year-on-year. Traffic at the airline grew to 30.4 million in the three month period, a 6pc increase year-on-year, as average airfares fell by 4pc to 32 per customer. Unit costs fell 1pc during the period, however, excluding fuel costs, then costs rose by 3pc at the airline due to what Ryanair said was higher staff costs, and costs arising from the September rostering failure and the airlines decision to cancel flights in September and October. Ryanair went on to say that it expects staff costs to rise by an additional 45m this year, as it rolls out pay increases of up to 20pc and raise its crewing ratios. "Staff costs accounted for 10pc of total revenue last year and we will not allow our industry leading productivity to decline," Mr OLeary said. The company also used the update to announce that it will return 750m to shareholders through a share buyback programme. Looking to the final three months of its financial year, the airline said that it was maintaining its full year guidance in a range of 1.4bn to 1.5bn. "This guidance depends heavily on the absence of union disruptions, unforeseen security events and close-in Easter bookings," Mr OLeary said. Ireland is playing by the rules and implementing new measures to prevent multinational tax avoidance, according to the OECD. Pascal Saint-Amans, the director for tax policy and administration at the OECD, said that the Paris-based body currently had no problem with Ireland and its tax relationship with international companies. However, he said that from a reputation point of view, the country was still facing challenges as "perceptions are hard to change". It comes just days after a Dutch MEP accused Ireland of tax piracy and stealing the tax base from other countries. "I would say, reputation wise, Ireland is still facing challenges as perceptions are hard to change, though progress is real and substantial," Mr Saint-Amans told the Irish Independent. But he said the decision taken by the previous government not to end the so-called 'Double Irish' until 2020 weakened the country's position, rather than strengthening it. In Budget 2015, just over a year after Ireland was branded a tax haven by two high-profile US senators, then finance minister Michael Noonan announced the phased closure of the 'Double Irish', which allowed companies to shift profits to tax havens, in one of the biggest changes to Ireland's corporate tax structure since the 1990s. The new laws ending the loophole took effect three years ago, but there was a transition period for existing companies until 2020. "I would say that the grandfathering of the 'Double Irish' would actually weaken Ireland rather than strengthen it," Mr Saint-Amans said. "It keeps some [elements] of the regime which are not tolerated by the public, or public perception, a bit too long. "That is more a problem than having it as a safeguard for two years. The decision was taken, can you come back to it? I don't know. I'm not sure that was the smartest decision." Mr Saint-Amans - who has spearheaded the OECD's base erosion and profit shifting (Beps) project, a co-ordinated international approach to combat tax avoidance by multinationals - said Ireland was implementing the Beps measures. "Ireland has implemented the Beps project, so I think it's fine," he said. "Today, I wouldn't say we have a problem with Ireland on this or that." Mr Saint-Amans also said that the surge in corporation tax receipts here in recent years ias sustainable. CT receipts have almost doubled since 2014 to 8.2bn and now account for 16pc of total tax receipts. "I would say that the reason for the growth of Irish corporate income tax may be linked, and significantly so, to the recent international tax developments," Mr Saint-Amans said. "We had a good understanding with the Irish authorities, Michael Noonan, to say if you want to remain attractive and sustainable with the 12.5pc rate, you need to implement the 12.5 and get rid of all the schemes and facilities to reduce the rate by shifting profits to zero tax jurisdictions. "As a result of Beps, you will have seen some on-shoring of activities which do explain the bulging of the tax base of companies in Ireland. Is it sustainable? Yeah, sure." Landlords who are seeking a mortgage for a one-bed apartment will need a deposit of at least 30pc of the propertys value, in line with Central Bank rules. Stock photo: PA Specialist lender Pepper Money is to loosen its lending criteria by offering mortgages for one-bed apartments and home loans to the self-employed based on one year's accounts. Pepper, which lends to people with impaired credit histories or those who can't get a mortgage because they work for themselves, is keen to expand its business. The Australian-owned non-bank lender is also extending its geographical reach to take in more counties below a line from Dublin to Galway. Pepper's head of sales and marketing Barry Delaney revealed it is to increase its maximum loan amounts to 1.25m for lending in Dublin. But Mr Delaney denied the loosening of the lending criteria was high risk. Asked if it was moving into subprime lending, Mr Delaney said: "Not at all. "Prudential lending and adhering to the rules is incredibly important to us. "The Central Bank guidelines are never breached." The Pepper Money executive said mortgages for one-bed apartments would allow first-time buyers to borrow up to 90pc of the property's value, in line with Central Bank rules. Most banks will only loan up to 80pc of the value of a one-bed apartment, while other lenders will not finance the purchase of a one-bed. Mr Delaney said that the mortgages for one-beds will be restricted to Dublin initially, but may be extended to other areas in time. Landlords who are seeking a mortgage for a one-bed apartment will need a deposit of at least 30pc of the property's value, in line with Central Bank rules. Pepper will allow certain self-employed people to qualify for a mortgage with just one year's financial accounts. Most lenders require three years of accounts. Mr Delaney said there would also be a requirement to produce another six months of management accounts. The lender has rates as low as 3.1pc for residential borrowers. Broker Michael Dowling, of Dowling Financial, in Dublin, said that this was more competitive than the variable rates offered by Bank of Ireland or Permanent TSB. Pepper charges the self-employed an extra 0.5pc, he added. People with an impaired credit history, who are now back on track, are offered variable rates staring from 3.85pc. Mr Delaney said many of the changes reflect rising property prices. "We've identified demand for certain types of products and certain categories of borrowers, such as more flexibility for Ireland's self-employed to get a foot on the property ladder, and a more relevant equity release model for refinancers." He is one half of the most successful tech entrepreneur partnership ever to come out of Ireland, creating a company worth almost 10bn and a place among Silicon Valley's top tier. Now, Patrick Collison (29) is returning to place a "big bet" on Dublin as the next European centre for technology. Stripe, the payments company which is a strong competitor to PayPal, is announcing a major new engineering base in Ireland's capital. The facility will develop "core" new technologies for the company, a function normally reserved for the San Francisco base. Limerick-born Collison, together with younger brother John (27), could have picked Berlin, Paris or London for the critical function, all of which have international reputations for cutting-edge tech development, as well as Stripe offices. But Collison says that Dublin is now the place to do it. Why? Because it's the best place to live. "There's real engineering and tech talent, to be sure," he told the Irish Independent. "But as importantly, a lot of people really want to move to Dublin. It's now a cosmopolitan, desirable place to live." This doesn't appear to be a platitude. Stripe isn't announcing a new call centre. It's creating a "core" engineering base to compare with the one it has in San Francisco. This is the type of centre that is difficult to hire for anywhere in the world, given the level of tech expertise required. It's also an unusual thing for a multinational tech company to do in Ireland. "There's often this broader tension around companies moving operations or support to Dublin and not necessarily treating those offices as real research and development centres," said Collison. "But we've spent time now in Dublin and are struck by how much real engineering and tech talent there is now, and how that's trending upwards. So we took a broad view on where we might base this European engineering office and have decided to place our bets on Ireland and on Dublin." Part of the plan, he says, is to hire advanced tech engineers from "every corner of the globe", as well as locally, to create an elite engineering unit in Dublin. As if to emphasise this, Stripe's recently hired Global Head of engineering, David Singleton, will be overseeing growth in the new Irish engineering function. Singleton is not an administrator who acts as a human resources 'country manager', but a star Silicon Valley engineer recently poached from Google, where he was in charge of the tech giant's massive Android Wear smartwatch development. His involvement is being interpreted as a signal of intent that Stripe is serious about getting top engineers into the new Dublin facility. "Ireland is now the fastest growing technical workforce in Europe," said Singleton. "The Dublin engineering team is going to work on the core of Stripe, our payments. We see Dublin as much more than a back office for Europe and we're investing for the long term in engineering, which is really the core of Stripe and what drives our growth." Hiring will now start with a new European head of engineering, various managers and multiple engineers. "We'll start with payments and see what other projects we'll take up over time," said Singleton. Together with his younger brother John, Collison founded Stripe in 2010 as an easier way for companies to accept payments online. The firm is now one of the world's most valuable financial technology companies, recently valued at almost 10bn. It employs more than 1,000 people. Can Stripe succeed in building a top-tier engineering base in Dublin to rival centres such as London and Berlin? Collison believes it can. He says that Dublin is in a seminal moment of its industrial development. "Silicon Valley is not pre-eminent because Silicon Valley itself produces all these great technologists," he said. "It's pre-eminent because of the people who move to Silicon Valley. Dublin now has an orientation in welcoming people from a very broad variety of countries, too. "People come from every corner of the globe to relocate there." However, he has also sounded a warning on infrastructure issues that could jeopardise Dublin's future as a place that can keep attracting highly skilled workers and investment. "One of my biggest concerns is rapidly rising housing costs in Dublin and the challenges that creates for people," he said. "It's going to be to Dublin's detriment if people are priced out of the city." Collison is not alone in expressing concern on this issue. A recent report from the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland, which represents firms such as Google and Facebook, predicted Dublin is at a "tipping point" in turning future jobs investment away because of the accommodation crisis. It has predicted that such investment will shrivel unless at least 30,000 new apartments become available in the capital by 2022 and over 200,000 nationally. Recent figures from the Central Statistics Office suggest big tech companies employ more than 100,000 people in Ireland and are responsible for a growing chunk of economic activity in service companies which supply the tech firms. Despite this, Stripe is bullish on making its "bet" on Dublin for the future. "Stripe is live in 25 countries today, but actually building an engineering presence outside the US is really going to boost our understanding of that global market," said Singleton. "Money is actually quite cultural. The way that people want to pay in the Netherlands is different to the way they want to pay in Ireland. To achieve a true product fit in every market, I think we need a diversely distributed, global engineering team. And establishing it in Dublin is our first step in doing this outside the US. I'm looking forward to spending a lot of time with the team in Dublin in order to help make the most of the investment that we'll have there." Local businesses will be able to manage a business profile on the app and post notifications about their products, offers and events According to its creator Philip Cullen (pictured), RUBAN is about shopping local and keeping the country's high streets busy An app that will give local businesses the chance to compete online with big brands is launching this week. According to its creator Philip Cullen, RUBAN is about shopping local and keeping the country's high streets busy. Local businesses will be able to manage a business profile on the app and post notifications about their products, offers and events. Speaking to Independent.ie, Philip said the annual subscription fee to the app will cost less than a local newspaper ad. He said there are no special skills required to manage their business profile, and said businesses get to keep 100pc of the revenue. Expand Close Philip Cullen, the man behind RUBAN / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Philip Cullen, the man behind RUBAN "It's to give local businesses a chance against the Amazons, whether they have an online presence or not," he said. "It's a vision for keeping things local, for looking up local businesses, events, community gatherings. Expand Close Local businesses will be able to manage a business profile on the app and post notifications about their products, offers and events / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Local businesses will be able to manage a business profile on the app and post notifications about their products, offers and events "The app is free for users. When a user opens the app, it'll automatically give them everything going on around you within a 20 mile radius. "You can delve into it and search hairdressers, butchers, etc. Meanwhile, the hairdresser with a subscription can post as many notifications on the app as they'd like about their offers, products or maybe even if they have a free appointment." Expand Close 'It's a vision for keeping things local, for looking up local businesses, events, community gatherings' / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 'It's a vision for keeping things local, for looking up local businesses, events, community gatherings' He continued; "RUBAN was born out of frustration. I got so sick of looking for information about businesses and services in my home town, first on various local directories, then on Google, then Facebook, Groupon, Instagram, Tripadvisor, Done Deal, the list goes on. "Often, I was searching for something that was available just down the road, but it was invisible to me, because it was invisible online." Philip and his team are kick-starting the app in Wexford, which will be followed by a 12-month roll-out nationally. An advocate of 'keeping things local' and supporting rural businesses, Philip's team consisted of app developers and telemarketing and marketing teams from around the country in Wicklow, Cork, Galway and Westmeath. They are currently recruiting businesses to get involved and said they plan to place the free app on the market on April 5. It will be available on iOS, Android and on all web browsers. "It'll give us a few weeks to get a sufficient number of businesses involved," he said. "We now have two months to register as many businesses as possible. "Businesses will get their own mini website, or we're calling it a business profile, they will get to bump out offers, details and events as much as they'd like. It can be used to let people know about coffee mornings, road closures, appointment cancellations, everything. "Businesses will have full access to manage their account but we can help people if they're stuck. "It's definitely as easy, if not easier, as putting an ad on DoneDeal," he added. Businesses pay a monthly subscription fee of 19.99 or an annual 199.99 subscription. If interested, they can email Philip at info@ruban.ie. An old saying is business is: 'You snooze, you lose'. When it comes to managing the process for the National Broadband Scheme, the Department didn't just nod off, but went into a coma. Deadlines have been missed time and again. Communications Minister Denis Naughten was only in the job a few months when he had to announce that a previous deadline of awarding the contract for the scheme by June 2017 would be missed. Here we are in February 2018 and there is continued uncertainty about what happens next, following the withdrawal of Eir from the process. It is now nearly six years since this plan was first given the go-ahead and there is still no final tender round conducted, never mind a shovel in the ground. Eir was quick to blame the regulator, ComReg, for its decision but this looked more like a hard-nosed commercial decision. Relations between ComReg and Eir have been robust in recent years, with the regulator making findings against Eir on governance. Eir, in turn, has issued legal proceedings against ComReg. Eir executives have been teeing the company up for a sale for several years. And they managed to do just that. The recent takeover of Eir by French telecoms billionaire Xavier Niel seems to have been a factor in Eir's withdrawal. Niel is believed to be more interested in pursuing urban broadband initiatives. However, if the Department had not been so slow in developing the tender process, this contract might well have been awarded, done and dusted before any Niel-inspired change of strategy. Perhaps Eir wouldn't have won it, or perhaps they would, but at least there would have been a two-horse or even a three-horse race. A one-horse race is not a recipe for taxpayer value for money. In fairness to Enet, it has shown its commitment to this project throughout and has done nothing wrong. As the last remaining bidder in the current process, it has been consistent. But surely it would have been better to have more than one final bidder. The government is insisting that the process will go ahead and there will be no loss to the taxpayer. Enet has also suggested that having communicated its views on the rollout of the project, the State has a clear idea of the cost parameters and there simply isn't scope for it to do a major U-turn on price. However, there are still several unknowns about this process. How much of a subsidy will Enet need to roll out this new network? How much will Eir charge it for using its network over part of the broadband route to rural housing? Surely, the cost of building this new network is rising by the month, so the longer it drags on the more expensive it will be to build. This in turn will require a larger subsidy from the State. But what is Enet? It all started in the early Noughties when the government decided to start investing in broadband technology around the country, because a newly-privatised Eircom was not doing enough investment in towns and villages. The network built by the State was managed by a private sector company called Enet. This business was sold to US investment group Granahan McCourt in 2013 for around 43m. Then, in 2016, the Irish Infrastructure Fund, managed by Irish Life, bought a 78pc stake in the venture while Granahan McCourt and a friend of Warren Buffett, called Walter Scott, retained a combined 22pc. The Irish Infrastructure Fund was set up in 2012 with 250m from the Irish Strategic Investment Fund, which is run through the NTMA. The fund now has around 400m invested in various projects. So, Enet, the last company standing in the broadband bid process, is 78pc-owned by an investment fund largely funded by the State. It would be best if the situation can be salvaged with Enet proceeding with the contract fairly soon. But no matter what happens now, questions about value for money and the ultimate cost of the delays will hang over any outcome. Viridian's big Dublin power play Eir wasn't the only one talking about pulling out of something this week. Energia parent group Viridian is considering closing its two electricity plants here. This followed the failure of one of the plants to win a contract from Eirgrid, the company which manages the country's electricity requirements. You win some, you lose some, should be the mantra from Viridian, but it isn't. The company has suggested that it would not be economically viable for it to run just one plant here. According to Eirgrid, any generator chosen to provide supply must give three years' notice before shutting down and withdrawing from the market. Talks are ongoing between Viridian and Eirgrid but they are likely to generate plenty of electricity if Viridian proceeds with plant closures in just a few months' time. Recent accounts for Viridian Power show how much the electricity generation market has changed. In 2013 turnover was 163m. This fell to 132m in 2014 and 90m in 2016. Viridian Power, which operates at Huntstown in Co Dublin, made a loss in 2013, 2014, and 2016, but made a profit of 7.5m in 2015. Viridian Group was bought by US investment firm I Squared Capital for 1bn in 2016 and it obviously isn't happy about the latest development in the market here. Security of supply will be the challenge for Eirgrid given that Viridian can supply a huge percentage of Dublin's electricity needs. But if Viridian wants to fold up its tent, Eirgrid will just have to find it elsewhere. How many other outsourcing firms are still to show on radar? The world of outsourcing is taking quite a hammering in 2018. First came the collapse of Carillion and this week Capita announced that it was raising fresh capital and cutting its dividend. Capita is seen as well-stretched but not a candidate for liquidation. Analysts believe the outsourcing company, which employs a few thousand here in Ireland, can be turned around. It will take some sale of assets and about two years they reckon. Any change of ownership could lead to job losses. But how come it didn't show up on the radar before now? The company has not grown organically since 2014 yet its share price soared through 2014 and 2015. It acquired its growth through acquisitions - 17 in 2014 and 16 in 2015. While this was going on, it paid out more than 1bn in dividends between 2011 and 2016. Its pension deficit rose from 86m in 2011 to 380m. All these acquisitions cost money so its net debt also grew to 1.2bn. This should have set off alarm bells that it was an emperor with no clothes, or not as many clothes as the market presumed. Its shares were trading at 132 in July 2015 and are now down to 1.60. Somebody took a close look under the bonnet and saw what was really there. It makes you wonder, how many others are out there like that. Booker boss Charles Wilson will head up Tesco's UK business following the supermarket's 3.7bn (4.2bn) takeover of the wholesaler. The appointment of highly-regarded Mr Wilson will see current UK and Ireland boss Matt Davies, who joined Tesco in 2015, leave the group in April 2018 after a handover period. Tesco group chief executive Dave Lewis said: "I am delighted Charles will be joining the Tesco board and executive committee. "He brings substantial commercial and retail experience and has an exceptional track record of increasing performance and driving growth in customer-focused businesses. "Charles is ideally suited to lead the UK & ROI business for the combined group in the next phase of our turnaround." The retail veteran will receive a base salary of 575,000 per year and an annual bonus opportunity of up 200pc of that sum, as well as an annual performance share plan opportunity of up to 225pc of his pay. Mr Wilson began his career in 1986 with Procter & Gamble, after which he held roles at OC&C Strategy and Abberton Associates. In 1998 he became an executive director at Booker before taking the top job in 2005. In December Tesco, which is undergoing a turnaround under Mr Lewis, got the green light from the competition watchdog for its takeover of Booker. Tesco has more than 3,000 stores across the UK, while Londis and Budgens owner Booker is the country's largest wholesaler. It supplies more than 5,000 stores under the Premier, Londis, Budgens and Family Shopper brands, as well as thousands of independent retailers and caterers. A raft of rival wholesalers have raised concerns that the deal could see Booker benefit from improved supplier terms, making it difficult for them to compete. They argued that this could eventually kill competition and see Booker raise prices to the shops it supplies. But the CMA said Booker would be able to negotiate better terms from its suppliers for some of its groceries, and that it was likely to pass on these savings to the shops it supplies. Tesco also said today that the group's trading performance is in line with expectations and it expects to deliver "at least" 1.575bn in operating profit for the full year. Business and consumer confidence across Europe is almost uniformly high. In some cases it is at record levels. Last week's first estimate of euro-area GDP for the final quarter, and the year as a whole, confirmed the durability of the upswing. The continental core is finally showing some of the dynamism that parts of the periphery - including Ireland and the Baltics, for instance - have been showing for some time. The surge in optimism and positivity about the Continent's economy began early last year when almost all indicators started to perk up. That was unexpected. Europe's recovery since the euro crisis of 2010-13 had been lacklustre. As of the start of last year there was no particular reason for forecasters to expect 2017 to bring about change. But change came, and, although finding an explanation is not easy, stronger economic growth has been universally welcomed. The euro-area economy expanded by 2.5pc last year. That was the fastest since 2007 and the third-fastest annual rate of increase this century. All 19 countries in the currency bloc grew. Unemployment fell in 18 countries over the course of the year. There is a lot of momentum all across the single currency area, something that augurs very well for 2018. As the big four economies - France, Germany, Italy and Spain - account for 80pc of the euro-area economy, the focus here will be mostly on them. But before looking at how they are doing it, it is worth highlighting a few issues from the smaller 15 countries that have the euro as legal tender. The former communist countries that are in the single currency grew more rapidly than the longer-established democracies to the west. The three Baltics states, along with Slovakia and Slovenia, are on course for full-year expansions of 3-5pc last year (full-year figures have yet to be published for many national economies). Their non-euro neighbours are also doing well. As such, the income gap between east and western Europe is narrowing, although it is still large in most cases despite almost 30 years having elapsed since the Berlin Wall came down. There was also good news on the north/south divide last year. The three southern countries that were bailed out during the crisis - Greece, Portugal and Cyprus - are all likely to register their best years since the crisis started a decade ago, with the latter two growing at a decent clip. Although Greek growth was weak last year, it is the first year in which the economy has expanded since 2014 when the then nascent recovery was killed off by the political brinkmanship of a new and inexperienced government. Returning to the big four, let's start with the star performer. That was, yet again, Spain. The Iberian economy expanded by 3.1pc last year, the third consecutive year in which it is exceeded the 3pc threshold. The continued strong performance of the Spanish economy came despite the enormous political shock of events in Catalonia towards the end of the year, which appears to have had only a limited impact on the national economy. Germany continue to grow strongly, if less spectacularly, than Spain. Last week, it reported full-year GDP growth of 2.2pc. Last year was the first year in half a decade that the German economy grew by more than 2pc. French president Emmanuel Macron was born lucky. The French economy grew by around 1pc a year between 2014 and 2016. He became president in the middle of last year and growth almost doubled. Even better was the composition of the expansion. It was driven by accelerating investment and export growth. For two decades Italy has been bringing up the rear when it comes to growth in the big continental economies. That ignominious record continued last year. But with growth accelerating to a creditable, if relatively sluggish, 1.5pc, the big European economy that needs growth most urgently got it last year. So while the European economy is doing well, and there is every reason to believe that it will continue to do well in the short term (barring a shock), the damage of the past decade will take a long time to fix. This is particularly true of the public finances. The politics of the developed world is very much predicated on economic growth. Without it, the entire system comes under immense strain. Since the 1970s most governments across the western world have spent more than they have taken in taxes. Running perpetual deficit is perfectly feasible when economies expand, but in the absence of growth, the deficit and debt dynamics change quickly, as was all too clear during Ireland's crash and for many other countries during the euro crisis. Across the single currency area as a whole the deficit between revenue and spending continued to narrow last year. In the second and third quarters it was less than 1pc of GDP, the first time that has happened in two consecutive quarters since 2007. Shrinking deficits and stronger growth combined to push public debt in the euro area down. As of September it stood at 88pc of GDP. But that is down a mere four percentage points below its peak five years ago. This shows just how hard it will be to bring it to levels that would give some fiscal leeway when the next downturn takes place. What's even more concerning is the trend in one country: Italy. As the chart shows, it has made no progress at all in bringing down its public debt. At 134pc of GDP, it is at levels recorded in Greece when that country plunged into crisis. The failure to reduce the debt is all the more concerning given that debt-servicing costs have been historically low thanks to multi-trillion purchases of government bonds by the European Central Bank. With an end to those purchases now clearly on the horizon, debt servicing costs will rise over the coming years. Without an extended period of solid economic growth, it is all too easy to see Italy facing a Greek-style crisis. And as was made too clear during the euro crisis, the single currency is only as strong as its weakest link. That has not fundamentally changed. Dozens of large companies have announced the results of their tax-cut number-crunching, and many of them have oddly arrived at the same conclusion: $1,000. Consider Alaska Air Group Inc. The company could save as much as $135m next year from the change in the tax law, which reduced the corporate income rate to 21pc from 35pc. As a result, in early January, the company said it was paying its employees a $1,000 bonus. Lowe's Companies, on the other hand, by the same math could save more than $700m a year from the tax change. On Thursday, it became the latest large company to announce what it would do with its savings: Pay its employees a - you guessed it - one-time $1,000 bonus. Lowe's has 290,000 employees, and Alaska Air has 22,000, so the cost of their bonuses will be different. But still, the similarity is odd given that their tax math is most likely vastly different, particularly given how similar it is to what other companies have been announcing. Of the 51 companies in the S&P 500 that have detailed how they will spend their tax windfall, 23 have announced $1,000 one-time bonuses. Just four have said they will hire more workers. It's not clear why $1,000 became the going rate. Some observers have pointed to Gary Cohn. In late September, Cohn, one of the president's chief economic advisers, in trying to sell the tax cut, said that an average family could expect to see additional income of $1,000 from the president's tax plan. Cohn was mocked for saying that they could use the money to "renovate their kitchen, or buy a new car". Cohn appears to have been talking about tax savings, not wage increases. Nonetheless, companies could be rushing in to fill the void, effectively proving the administration correct and winning points with Trump. Monopolistic Another answer could be that companies are paying bonuses because they are worried that if they don't they may lose employees to others that do. If that's the case, the similar bonuses could be signalling that the labour market is a lot tighter than many think it is, or perhaps more monopolistic than we like to admit. But the companies announcing the bonuses range from banks to retailers to railroads. Those companies most likely pay different wages to start with and require a different skill sets from their employees. Still, Home Depot, Lowe's and Walmart, all $1,000 bonus payers, may have reason for concern. Perhaps the best answer is a giant case of what economists call anchoring. In mid-December, AT&T became the first big company out of the gate with its tax plans, which was a one-time $1,000 bonus to 200,000 employees. Despite the added cost, AT&T's shares rose that day and the next, which may have signalled that $1,000 was the sweet spot for employees and investors. And so other companies either consciously or not followed suit, even though the total cost of those bonuses will be different and most likely don't reflect the actual impact of the tax law. Then again, maybe $1,000 just rolls trippingly off the tongue and into Trump's good graces. ( Bloomberg) Fifty Shades Of Grey star Jamie Dornan has said the implications of Brexit keep him awake at night. The Bafta-nominated actor from Northern Ireland could not envisage a positive outcome for the country. Dornan, 35, disclosed his fears for the future during a lengthy interview with broadcaster Eamonn Mallie, to be screened on UTV this Wednesday. He said: I am kept awake at night for what it means for this country, I cant really see a sort of sound solution, some of the people who have a say in it over here break my heart a little bit. I think this is the last thing that this country needs at the moment, and I just dont see how theres a positive outcome for Northern Ireland in the matter. Northern Irelands position post-separation has been the subject of intensive negotiations as part of the Brexit talks in Brussels. Don't forget the #Belfast born actor #JamieDornan is my guest (Wed 7th Feb at 22.45) in the final episode of my @utv series aEamonn Mallie: Face to Face with...a Portrait below of the #NorthernIreland star is by/courtesy of @colin_davidson #emf2f #ChristianGrey #FiftyShadesFreed pic.twitter.com/OxCyXeaO2Y Eamonn Mallie (@EamonnMallie) February 4, 2018 Dornan added: Theres lots of different very interesting options on the table, and I think they should all be seriously considered but who knows where we will end up. The latest part in the film adaptations of the Fifty Shades books is released this month. He played Christian Grey in the franchise of EL Jamess erotic novels and still receives attention when he comes home to Northern Ireland. He said: You are in the public eye and you are from here and you have gone away and done whatever and you are recognisable, people feel that they have a sort of, an ownership of you almost here. If he was recognised in a New York pub, people were more polite, he added. He said: In Belfast youre in a headlock before you know it, someones just grabbed you, theyre taking a picture without asking you and once they finally release you from a headlock then its like they invariably know someone, its like two degrees of separation here as opposed to six. Dornan also said that he feels Irish and holds neither the Catholic nor Protestant religion. I just feel Irish, a lot of thats down to so many different reasons, mostly geography, that we are an island separate from the UK, so how could you, why would you feel more connected to that other piece of land than you do to the piece of land that you are living on? He is a big rugby fan, following Ireland internationals enthusiastically. I have had my whole life either being in Lansdowne Road in Dublin (where Ireland play) or watching it on TV or watching it in pubs all over the world just screaming go on Ireland, come on Ireland and how could I not call myself Irish? Dornan has also had a starring role in BBC drama series The Fall as serial killer Paul Spector. In the year of Trump and #MeToo advertisers played it safe with alliances to social causes and mild comedy at this year's Super Bowl. As the Philadephia Eagles battled the New England Patriots, eventually coming up trumps, the ads kept the momentum going during breaks. The aforementioned social causes were popular from Budweiser showcases its employees sendin gwater to places in need to Hyundai's donations to paediatric cancer research. People attending the Super Bowl who had keys to a Hyundai were directed to a room where they met with childhood cancer survivors. Toyota's ad was a moving and inspiring one, telling the story of Paralympic skier Lauren Woolstencroft, to promote its Paralympic sponsorship. Verizon, meanwhile, showed people thanking first responders who had saved their lives. Rapper Pras' new media platform Blacture had an add that leaned into more political territory, showing an African American man standing on a stage with tape over his eyes and mouth. "Blacture. Be celebrated. Not Tolerated," read a message on the screen. The ad for Fiat Chrysler's Dodge Ram didn't go down quite so well with viewers as it featured a speech, made 50 years ago, by Martin Luther King Jr and depicted people doing good deeds. Some viewers were uncomfortable with linking this to the Dodge. The overall feeling generated by the ads, however, was one of mild humour. Morgan Freeman and Peter Dinklage had a lip sync battle to the tune of Missy Elliot and Busta Rhyms as the advertised Doritos and Moutain Dew. And Danny DeVito played a human M&M in another ad for the crunchy candies. Washing powder Tide posed as ads for other products including insurance and Old Spice - in which there were no stains on any items of clothing. Stranger Things star David Harbour appeared in each one. Clever. Amazon enlisted the help of stars including Rebel Wilson, Anthony Hopkins, Cardi B and Gordon Ramsay to perform as the voice of Amazon's Alexa. CHRISTIAN CARTER and 85-year-old Richard Stanley, the joint landlords of a Co Dublin house which at one point had been used to house up to 70 South American and east European tenants, were told by a judge today to pay a local authoritys legal costs that could run close to 60,000. Judge Jacqueline Linnane directed the costs order be made jointly and severally against both Carter and Stanley which means either of them could be sued for the full amount following taxation or they could agree to equally share the load. Expand Expand Previous Next Close The house where up to 70 tenants were living Inset: Christian Carter The house where up to 70 people were living / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The house where up to 70 tenants were living Inset: Christian Carter The Circuit Civil Court heard that Carter, of Dunedin Drive, Monkstown, Co Dublin, had been paying Richard Stanleys son, Dermot, 2,000 a month by bankers order and 2,000 in cash for the five-bedroom house, The Pines, Lehaunstown, Cabinteely, Co Dublin. Judge Linnane heard that in turn Dermot Stanley, who lives in London, was paying his father Richard, who owns the house, 2,000 a month. In an email to Carter in August 2015, Dermot Stanley stated his father had noticed some mattresses out the back of the house last time he collected rent. Dermot Stanley added in the email: If you can make sure your guy keeps it looking ok for rent day then at least youll save me the grief. Thanks. Barrister Fran Rooney, counsel for Carter, told the court his client had sublet the property with the consent and knowledge of the Stanleys after the son, Dermot, had agreed to the deletion of a clause in the Lease prohibiting sub-letting. Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close A dormitory in The Pines in Cabinteely, where up to 70 people were reported to be living Photo: Tony Gavin A room full of bunk beds at The Pines, Lehaunstown. Photo: Independent.ie The balcony of the house in Cabinteely which has 70 people living in it / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A dormitory in The Pines in Cabinteely, where up to 70 people were reported to be living Photo: Tony Gavin In another Dermot Stanley to Christian Carter email, opened by Mr Rooney to the court, Stanley the younger had given his consent to the sub-division of the house into 15 bedrooms. In the second email of October 2015, he told Carter he was set for another year..providing you keep my father happy every time he comes over to collect the rent. The living conditions in the 'unauthorised hostel' were first reported on by Independent.ie earlier this year. Barrister Liam OConnell, counsel for Dunlaoghaire-Rathdown County Council, which had sought injunctions restraining the continued use of the house as a multi-occupancy dormitory property, told Judge Linnane today that her order to clear the house of tenants by Saturday last had been fully complied with. Its now just a matter of legal and administrative costs that has to be decided by the court, he said. Michael Binchy, who appeared with solicitor Kevin OHiggins for Richard Stanley, asked the court to award costs against Mr Carter as Mr Stanley senior had moved at all times to bring an end to the unauthorised development at the property. He said Mr Stanley had not known what Mr Carter had been doing at the property and if the court held against him on awarding full costs against Mr Carter he said a 25-75 per cent costs order in favour of Mr Stanley would reflect blame worthiness of the parties. Judge Linnane said that if 50 people had been paying 50 a week each to Mr Carter he would have been receiving 10,000 a month. Sixty tenants would have been paying him more than 12,000 a month. At an earlier hearing it was estimated Carter had been collecting up to 16,000 a month in rent. Mr Rooney, who appeared with OBrien Redmond Solicitors for Carter, said the sewage problems at the house had been fully cleared up by an environmental company employed by his client. Judge Linnane struck out the local authoritys application and awarded legal costs jointly and severally against Carter and Stanley senior, to be taxed in default of agreement. She directed that the local authority be paid 2,810 for administrative expenses. Mr Carter confirmed that all tenants have now been re-housed. Speaking to Independent.ie after the court case, he said: "People are my age that I'm renting to. I know what it's like to have a landlord mess you around. I'm not like other landlords. I've never increased rent on anybody, ever." The court also heard how Mr Carter had employed a man by the name of Dillon De Brun to collect the rent cash-in-hand on his behalf. Independent.ie broke the story in January through an undercover investigation and revealed how a man using the name 'Dyl O'Reilly' was advertising The Pines on Facebook. This was in fact Mr Dillon De Brun, who Mr Carter confirmed was employed directly by him. None of the tenants had leases and were each paying 200 per month to live there. The court also heard how 15 rooms in the house were being used as bedrooms, in what was meant to be a five-bedroom house. Each of the bedrooms had been subdivided and up to 36 people were sleeping in the basement, with up to eight people sleeping in the attic. The brother and business partner of Irish entrepreneur Peter Conlon, who is at the centre of a case involving the alleged misappropriation of 3.8m, said he doesn't know his sibling's current address. Michael Conlon (68) resigned as secretary of Pembroke Dynamic Internet Services in November last year. However, documents notifying the resignation to the Companies Registration Office (CRO) were not lodged until January. The company was behind the Ammado charity fundraising website, which is the subject of the High Court action. Mr Conlon indicated in the document that he was unaware of his brother's residential address. "Current residential address not known to me," Mr Conlon wrote under a declaration of current officers of the company. "I confirm that I have no claim whatsoever of any kind relating to my position as secretary or its termination," he said in a letter to his brother, included in the CRO filing. There was no one home when the Irish Independent called to Michael Conlon's Dublin home yesterday and he did not respond to calls. Peter Conlon (63) is understood to be in police custody in Zurich, Switzerland, having been arrested in December. The missing funds were uncovered and Irish authorities alerted after the Revenue appointed liquidator Myles Kirby, of Dublin firm Kirby Healy, to recover approximately 400,000 in unpaid taxes from Pembroke Dynamic Internet Services on January 22. Rossa Fanning, SC for the liquidator, previously told the High Court that Mr Conlon had gone to ground and has been uncontactable. Irish charities including Trocaire and Concern, along with hundreds of international organisations, were signed up to use the Ammado fund-raising website. "It would appear that at least 800 charities may be affected by the liquidation of the company, which is connected to the Ammado Foundation," according to a letter on behalf of the liquidator. It is understood investigators are looking into assets held by Peter Conlon in Malta, Belgium and the Isle of Man. He attempted to find new financial backers as recently as December 6. He circulated a prospectus that claimed Ammado Technologies had no debts and owned valuable intellectual property, despite the main related trading business being on the brink of collapse by that point. The High Court heard last week that there was currently just 357,000 in the company's bank account. Investigating gardai are appealing for witnesses to contact them at Naas Garda station on 045 884300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111, or at any Garda station. Stock Image A three-year-old girl has died following a car crash in Co Kildare. The girl, who had been travelling in the car with her father, died following a three-day fight for life with serious injuries in hospital. Her father, aged in his 40s, was driving the car and is still receiving treatment for his injuries at Tallaght Hospital following the crash. The accident occurred when two cars collided head-on on the Brannockstown Road, just outside Kilcullen, last Thursday morning. A Garda spokesman said the incident occurred shortly after 8am. "The collision occurred when two cars collided at approximately 8.05am on the R413 Brannockstown to Kilcullen Road on Thursday," he said. Ambulance "The girl was taken by ambulance to Naas General Hospital and later transferred to Children's University Hospital, Temple Street, where she was pronounced dead earlier today," he added, speaking last night. Investigating gardai are appealing for witnesses to contact them at Naas Garda station on 045 884300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111, or at any Garda station. Local Fine Gael councillor Billy Hillis told the Irish Independent he had heard about the accident but was unaware that someone had died. "I had heard it was a very bad accident. "I'm very sorry to hear that, it's just very sad for anything like that to happen," added Cllr Hillis. Homeless groups across the city are concerned that there are a lack of emergency plans in place for rough sleepers as temperatures are set to plummet to -4C tonight. Met Eireann has issued two weather warnings in the last 24 hours. A low temperature warning was in place overnight, but has since expired. Temperatures will sink even further this evening as a snow-ice warning comes into place. It will remain in effect from 6pm Monday evening until 6 Tuesday morning, when the worst of the icy conditions are expected to ease. The alert covers Dublin and all of Leinster as well as Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Leitrim, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary and Waterford. Inner City Helping Homeless Head of Communications, Brian McLoughlin told Independent.ie: "With a snow warning in place for Dublin this evening we have major concerns for the safety of people sleeping rough around the city tonight. "Having liased with Met Eireann we understand that from 9pm tonight there will be snow showers that continue until the early hours of the morning. "Only last week we saw the first death of the year as a man sleeping rough passed away near Parnell Street. On that night the DRHE confirmed that there were no available beds left in the system had the man wanted to access accommodation for the night. On the same night the ICHH outreach teams assisted 60 individuals that were sleeping rough so there is still a huge issue with the number of available beds in the system. "We have reached out to the DRHE to find out what contingency plans are in place for tonight and if extra beds will be made available with the weather warning in place. We are awaiting their response at present. The public can help us by giving us a call on 01-8881804 or 085-8389281 if they see anyone sleeping rough around the city tonight." The Peter McVerry Trust has made available 25 additional spaces as part of a broader sectoral response to the cold weather alert, a spokesman said. "This complements the work of the Housing First Street Intake Team which will be engaging people sleeping rough and encouraging them to access available shelter and homeless services ahead of the predicted snowfall," he added. A spokesman for the Dublin Region Homeless Executive said the DRHE is "working hard" to ensure that anyone who looks for shelter will be facilitated. "The DRHE in conjunction with charity partners have activated contingency measures for the Yellow Weather Warning period to include a large number of additional emergency placements which are now operational. "We are asking the public to please report if they see anyone sleeping rough to this link. Housing First teams are out in Dublin now linking in with people sleeping rough and supporting them to access accommodation. Reports to this link really assist us in locating those that are sleeping rough, so that the outreach teams can link in with them." David O'Sullivan has been missing in America since April last year Volunteers searching for missing David O'Sullivan are now trying to recover CCTV footage from the ATM where it is believed he last carried out a transaction. David O'Sullivan from Midleton, Co Cork, has not been seen - or heard from - since April 2017 when he went missing on a hiking trip from California to the Canadian border. He last made contact with his family on April 7, when he sent an email from the mountain town of Idyllwild. Volunteers who have been carrying out weekly search parties for the Cork man are now trying to access CCTV footage from a Bank of America ATM in Idyllwild where his bank card was last used. Cathy Tarr, who has been leading the search parties, said: "While we have no photos of David on the trail, he did withdraw money from this ATM [pictured below] in Idyllwild. "Bank of America believes it's very possible the footage is still available and now the authorities are being asked to submit a subpoena. This footage would tell us what color his clothing/hat etc. is. If someone was with him, or if it was indeed David withdrawing the money." Commercial pilots and aerial surveyors have been carrying out aerial surveys over Idyllwild in recent weeks. More than 1,000 images were collected during the searches and they've been working to enhance the images to try pick up David's blue backpack. Expand Close Bank of America said the CCTV footage should still be available / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bank of America said the CCTV footage should still be available The gruelling hike across the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs from Mexico, along the west US coast up to Canada, usually takes around five months. David was due to meet a friend in Santa Barbara in early May, but never showed up. His older brother, Niall O'Sullivan, previously told Independent.ie that his family are overwhelmed by the response from "complete strangers". "We're delighted with the search efforts so far and with absolutely everyone who has volunteered. The response has been unbelievable. And all we can do at the moment is wait and hope that the photographs can point us in the right direction." Any financial donations to future searches can be made here . The sister of a man who was missing for a week in Bangkok said he is "very weak" and "very shook" but they are hopeful for a speedy recovery. Anthony O'Sullivan, from Mitchelstown, Cork, was discovered in a local hospital following an intensive search, co-ordinated by his brother Martin Patrick who had travelled to the Thai capital. An experienced traveller,Anthony (54) had disappeared from his hotel room on January 18. He was subsequently found lying on a city street and rushed to hospital where he lay in a coma until last week. He was expected to travel home this week, the Corkman reports. Now, his sister has launched an online appeal to help cover the cost of his medical treatment and repatriation. Anna Cotter had also travelled to Bangkok to help in the search, which was aided by officials from the Irish embassy. Expand Close Anthony OSullivan in his Bangkok hospital bed / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Anthony OSullivan in his Bangkok hospital bed She was told on arrival that Anthony had been located and was in hospital. Speaking briefly to C103FM Cork Today show during the week, Ms Cotter said she her goal was to get her brother home for further treatment. "I have to get help to get him discharged - at the moment I have to pay his hospital bills to get him discharged. "I have to get a letter from the hospital to say he is okay to fly but because he is not 100 per cent better, they are very slow to give me that letter which is very frustrating," said Ms Cotter. Ms Cotter explained her brother had suffered a perforated bowel which had left him "very weak and very shook" while he had also lost a lot of weight, so she was very anxious to get him home quickly. "He has a lot of bacteria in his body and it could take two weeks for it to clear with antibiotics, but I don't want to stay in Bangkok for two weeks longer," she said. Ms Cotter has since set up a Go Fund Me page aimed at raising the money needed to cover Anthony's medical bills and flight home. "It appears that Anthony suffered a condition called Diverticulitis, which in turn caused his bowel to perforate. It is still unsure if Anthony was assaulted or not, as his memory is still not great," she wrote online. She wrote that the combined cost of Michael's medical treatment and flight home would be in the region of 7,500. Both she and her other brother Martin will be funding their own expenses. "We would really appreciate your help in raising this money and thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for all the well wishes and to the people all over the world that shared our brothers plight on social media," wrote Ms Cotter. "I cannot overstate how much it meant to land in Bangkok after a very long journey to be told he had been found." Within 18 hours of the appeal being set up more than 60 donations totalling almost 2,000 had been received. You can donate to the appeal here. The grave of Kerry Baby named John in Caherciveen Co Kerry. Gardai are probing whether one of the parents of Baby John fled Kerry and is living in the North. Detectives are going to extend their DNA hunt for clues to the UK's DNA database, with particular focus on Northern Ireland. The movement of a number of people between Kerry and Northern Ireland in 1983/84 is what has prompted gardai to examine the UK's DNA database for any potential link to the Kerry Baby investigation. The DNA hunt for clues as to the identity of the parents of Kerry's 'Baby John' will be extended to the UK database amid concerns one or both may no longer be in Co Kerry. The dramatic move is being considered given that Ireland has only 15,000 DNA samples on its database in comparison to some six million samples in the UK. Cross-references of the Irish DNA database have so far failed to yield any matches to the sample taken from the baby murdered in 1984. Detectives are aware a significant number of people moved between Kerry and Northern Ireland in the mid 1980s. Similar movements between Kerry and the UK now make an examination of the London database potentially critical. Expand Close The grave of Kerry Baby named John in Caherciveen Co Kerry. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The grave of Kerry Baby named John in Caherciveen Co Kerry. If Baby John's mother or father had any relatives on the DNA database for Northern Ireland, England, Scotland or Wales, it will immediately trigger a cross-referencing 'hit'. The DNA profile was obtained from a tissue sample taken from Baby John by former State pathologist Dr John Harbison as part of the post-mortem examination in 1984. That has undergone a battery of tests - and gardai now have a full DNA profile of the infant that they can cross-reference with other DNA samples. Gardai believe the vast and detailed UK DNA database could deliver the breakthrough. "Every avenue for the investigation is now being looked at," a senior source said. Founded in 1995, the UK's DNA database is one of the most extensive in the world, with samples taken under far wider circumstances than is the case in Ireland, where DNA samples are only taken in a number of specific instances. The UK database increases by between 30,000 and 40,000 samples each month - and 60pc of DNA samples obtained from a UK crime scene can now be linked to a person. DNA sampling is now so advanced that even distant sixth and seventh cousins can be detected through various genetic 'links'. The advantage of examining a large-scale database is that it offers an enhanced possibility of getting a DNA 'hit' on distant relatives of the individuals being sought - and allows detectives to finally focus their investigation on specific individuals. Baby John was thought to be around five days old when he was killed. The infant, who died by 28 stab wounds, was found by a jogger at White Strand beach, Cahersiveen, on April 14, 1984. He had also suffered a horrific spinal injury. Kerry gardai, under Supt Flor Murphy, said they believe the answers to the Baby John tragedy still rest within the south Kerry community. Despite the lapse of 34 years since Baby John's murder, gardai believe DNA will prove critical in the investigation. "It's never the wrong time to do the right thing," Supt Murphy said. "It just had to be done. We have a duty to investigate this. "There's an infant stabbed to death - we just can't let that happen," he added. However, DNA samples from people in the south Kerry area can only be obtained voluntarily unless it is in relation to someone already under arrest in connection with an alleged offence under any of six different legal provisions. Gardai stressed they are "exploring every opportunity" as regards cross-referencing of DNA samples under current legislation. Ireland's DNA database regulations came into force in 2015 - almost 20 years after the UK began working to build its own DNA database. The grave of Baby John has been the focus of attacks at Cahersiveen graveyard over the past 20 years. The infant's grave was initially marked with a simple wooden cross, but Tom Cournane, the Kerry undertaker who first christened the infant 'Baby John', later replaced it with a black marble headstone. It bore the inscription: "I am the Kerry Baby baptised 14-04-1984, named John, and I forgive." In July 2004, the headstone was smashed by vandals. When it was replaced, it no longer had the words 'I forgive'. A middle-aged man is in a critical condition after a suspected assault in a Cork pub. Gardai are investigating what they have described as a serious assault in the licensed premises on Abbey Street in Fermoy in the early hours of last Sunday morning. The man, who is in his mid 50s, suffered a serious head injury in the incident and was rushed to Cork University Hospital (CUH). He underwent emergency surgery and is now understood to be in a critical condition. The injured party, who is from Fermoy, had been socialising with friends in the premises when the incident occurred. The confrontation is believed to have followed an exchange of words between two males. One source indicated that it is believed just a single blow was struck with the injured party apparently striking his head on the ground as he fell. The other individual involved in the incident, a man in his 40s, is understood to have been resident in the north Cork town for several years. Fermoy Gardai have appealed for witnesses to the incident to contact them. Gardai have also appealed to anyone who was in the licensed premises at the time to contact them. Anyone with information is asked to contact Fermoy Garda Station (025) 82100, the Garda Confidential Line (1800) 666111 or any Garda Station. Bunk beds in one of the rooms which sleeps 10 people One of the rooms which sleeps four people and has no wardrobes The advert for the house on Daft.ie The advertisement which is posted on a weekly basis in Facebook rental groups The advert for the house on Daft.ie A PROPERTY management company in Dublin is renting a number of houses across the capital to up to 70 people at a time, with up to 15 people in some rooms, Independent.ie can reveal. The owner of two properties implicated said he leases the houses to the company and allows them "to do what they like with them", insisting "theres no breach of regulations". But undercover recordings by Independent.ie reveal tenants have no written leases and a man, who works with the company, claimed the overcrowded houses are rented to foreign nationals because "[with] their way of living theyd agree to it a lot more". This man uses the name 'Dyl O'Reilly' to advertise properties on rental pages on Facebook. One house, located in Lehaunstown, Cabinteely, has up to 70 people living there, with only two showers in the house. "It's not great, I wouldn't even show it to you [as you're Irish]," Dyl OReilly responded, when asked if it would be possible to rent the house in Cabinteely for 200 per month. Expand Close The basement of the house in Cabinteely / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The basement of the house in Cabinteely Standard of housing A former tenant described the living conditions in that house as "disgraceful and dangerous". "When I moved in, my room was in the basement. The other tenants were like, 'You do know the ceiling above you has completely collapsed twice during parties?' and were like, 'Oh you have a window, lucky you'. "People all had yellow fungal diseases on their feet as there were only two showers at the time for the whole house, and you wouldnt have washed a rat in them." Expand Close The advertisement which is posted on a weekly basis in Facebook rental groups / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The advertisement which is posted on a weekly basis in Facebook rental groups Jordan Rhodes (21), originally from Newcastle, lived in the house for two months due to "desperation". He claimed that when an electrician called to the house one day, he advised the tenants that if he hadnt fixed a problem with the fusebox, the house could have been burned to the ground. When I moved in, there was around 40 people living there, mostly South American and Eastern European. When I left, there was around 70 after they put more bunk beds in the basement. There are extension leads all over the house because there are so many people. I was told that the house was cleaned 3-4 times per week and that bin bags and toilet roll would be provided at all times, which of course wasnt the case. Expand Close The advert for the house on Daft.ie / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The advert for the house on Daft.ie With the kitchen being shared between 70 people, preparing a meal was a long forgotten dream. On top of this, there was only two washing machines, only one of which worked for about fifty percent of my stay. Expand Close Two rooms attached together, with 15 beds / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Two rooms attached together, with 15 beds The house has three floors and is located in a rural area outside Dublin city. The basement has been converted into a room which sleeps up to 15 people, and all bedrooms have a minimum of five people in them. Another room, located on the ground floor, has five sets of bunk beds and is for females only. Expand Close One of the rooms which sleeps four people and has no wardrobes / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp One of the rooms which sleeps four people and has no wardrobes These former tenants confirmed the director and secretary of the company ran the house while they lived there and Mr Rhodes said Dyl OReilly was acting as property manager during his tenancy and refused to return all of his deposit. He also claimed that 'Dyl O'Reilly' knocked 50 off the rent if a person brought a new tenant into the house. Independent.ie met with Dyl OReilly to view a property in Dundrum which he was also advertising. The Dundrum house had a double-room available for 800 a month and two rooms with four single beds in them, with each bed coming at a price of 350 per month, meaning the landlord would be collecting 3,600 in rent. In the Cabinteely house, with up to 70 tenants paying 200 each month, the company would potentially be collecting circa 14,000 in rent - or 168,000 per year. Another property managed by the company, located in the Rathmines area, has between 20 and 40 people living there - all females. The owner of the property denied any knowledge of this and advised us to take the matter up with the management company. One of the tenants said because the cost of renting in the city centre is so high, they are "left with no option" but to live in such conditions. There are also houses located on the Howth Road which are rented under similar circumstances. The properties located in Cabinteely and Rathmines are not registered with the Residential Tenancies Board. It is not known exactly how many houses the company is managing across Dublin. Ownership The company is run by a father and son - the father acting as director and the son acting as secretary. The son has denied any involvement in the properties viewed by Independent.ie and claimed, that as of two weeks ago, the company has been passed over to new owners. At the time of writing, the Companies Registration Office confirmed to Independent.ie that no application has been made for a change of directorship. He also denied that 'Dyl O'Reilly' worked with the company. He said: Even though we had some business with those properties before, I was never managing the properties above you mentioned. He stated the previous business involved consulting. Breach of regulations Tenants in the Cabinteely house claimed they would not get their deposit back unless they found someone to take their place in the home, and they subsequently use portals like Daft.ie to find their replacements. The advertisements claim there are only nine people living in the house. Martin Clancy of Daft.ie said that any advertisements which give out false information should be reported: "As we are a property advertising portal, we don't deal with the properties directly. Any ads that are reported to us that are in breach of our house rules we edit or remove from the website." A spokesperson for the RTB said that this many people renting one house is a serious health and safety risk. "It is extremely worrying if the report that up to seventy people are living in a house is correct. While the 2004 Act does not set out precisely the number of persons than can reside at any one time in a property, it is generally expected that the most that could share a room, depending on its size, is two. "Consequently, if the number is correct this poses serious health and safety concerns for those tenants in the event of a fire. "Having checked the Register we can confirm that two of these tenancies are not registered. "Given the serious health and safety issues raised, the property concerned could not possibly comply with the Housing Regulations 2009 for the provision of proper light and ventilation, cooking and hygienic food storage, and fire safety measures. "In light of the information received, the RTB will write immediately to the landlord setting out our concerns for the welfare of the tenants, and for the number of tenants in the property which does not conform with the registration of the dwelling. "In addition, we will write to Dublin City Council, asking them to arrange, as a matter of urgency, an inspection of the dwellings." Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly has said "no one is above the law" following a police interview in which he was questioned about using bolt cutters to remove a wheel clamp in Belfast. The North Belfast MLA is facing calls to resign and could be reported to Stormont's standards watchdog after he was filmed taking off the clamp following a visit to a gym. Last night, Mr Kelly tweeted: "No one can be above the law. I made a voluntary arrangement to meet the police and met them today for interview. "I want to get the issue resolved as soon as possible." Sinn Fein leader-in-waiting Mary Lou McDonald appeared lost for words when quizzed on the matter by reporters yesterday. She said Mr Kelly's solicitors were dealing with the issue, and she did not yet have "the facts of exactly what happened". Asked why Mr Kelly was carrying a set of bolt cutters, Ms McDonald laughed: "I have absolutely no idea. "I have absolutely no clue why Gerry has a bolt cutter in his car." TUV leader Jim Allister, who is calling for former Policing Board member Mr Kelly to resign, said he would "explore" lodging a complaint with Stormont's Office for the Commissioner for Standards. However, with no commissioner in place, it is unclear what action, if any, can be taken. Expand Close Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly outside Antrim Police station in 2014 Pic:Mark Condren / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly outside Antrim Police station in 2014 Pic:Mark Condren Video footage of the incident, which occurred last Friday, shows Mr Kelly coming out of a silver car in Exchange Street, behind the Metropolitan Arts Centre. On the driver's window of the car is a large 'Stop' sign warning of the clamp. The MLA is seen bending down to lift a set of bolt cutters, before appearing to work at a chain under the car. He then appears to remove the orange clamp from the vehicle's right-hand wheel, before resting it against a nearby wall. The maximum sentence for criminal damage in Northern Ireland varies from a community order to 12 months in custody and a compensation order. Mr Kelly's actions were reported to the PSNI by the company that fitted the clamp, the Parking and Enforcement Agency (PEA). A spokesman for the MAC said the area was "clearly marked as a no parking zone" with "signage in the area". Last night the PSNI said it had spoken to Mr Kelly. It said: "Police have interviewed a 64-year-old man at Musgrave Police Station in relation to an allegation of criminal damage which occurred at Exchange Street, Belfast, on Friday." Mr Allister said the Sinn Fein MLA "had no right" to remove the clamp and must not get away with it. "His audacious taking of the law into his own hands must not go unchallenged by the law enforcement agencies," he said. "Sinn Fein's spokesperson on policing seems to think that he is above the law. "A complaint can still be made to the Assembly's Commissioner for Standards, even though it wouldn't be activated until there was a commissioner is in place. I will be exploring putting in a complaint. "I think he should do what Mr McElduff did and exit the public stage." Posting on the South East Fermanagh Foundation Facebook page, victims' campaigner Kenny Donaldson described the incident as the "latest two fingers to law and order". Meanwhile, North Belfast DUP MP Nigel Dodds called for the Sinn Fein leadership to "finally take action" over Mr Kelly, after its handling of the recent Barry McElduff controversy. "The Gerry Kelly incident is symptomatic of a wider pattern of behaviour by leading Sinn Fein figures," he said. "They regard themselves as not being bound by the same rules as the rest of society. "They preach respect but show little or no respect for people, rules or laws which they disagree with. They preach equality but, to them, some are more equal than others. "This is another significant test for the Sinn Fein leadership." Sinn Fein said that Mr Kelly had "returned to his car after an early morning gym session to find that his car had been made immobile by a clamp just after 7.20am". It added: "He removed the clamp from the front wheel. "He left the device nearby and drove off to pre-arranged meetings. His solicitor is dealing with the matter and he will be making no further comment at this time." The Office of the Commissioner for Standards' website says all complaints will be passed to the next commissioner "as soon as one is appointed by the Assembly". It's only the start of February, but already 2018 is proving to be an annus horribilis for Sinn Fein. Last month, its West Tyrone MP Barry McElduff resigned under pressure after posting a tweet with a loaf of Kingsmill bread on his head on the anniversary of the IRAs Kingsmill massacre in 1976. At the weekend, the party said it had suspended a Dublin councillor following a complaint from another Sinn Fein representative. The partys claim to pay representatives the average wage also came under scrutiny after it emerged one TD was given a special deal in 2011 to allow him to claim the full 90,000 (79,400) Dail salary. And allegations of a bullying culture inside the party have continued to emerge regularly. A Fianna Fail TD has had his Facebook account hacked with scurrilous and defamatory remarks. The post - which was shared as a status update on January 28 - levelled a number of personal accusations at Marc MacSharry. Mr MacSharry has described the remarks posted as scurrilous and defamatory. The Sligo-Leitrim TD has apologised to those named in the original post and has reported the matter to gardai. These are false without foundation and highly damaging, he said. A legal investigation is underway and the identity of the party who posted this will be discovered and pursued to the full extent of the law, he wrote in a second status update. I would like to apologise for any distress caused, particularly to those who were also named in the post and will be in personal contact with each, he went on to say. Mr MacSharry also thanked those who brought the now-deleted post to his attention. Mr MacSharry declined to comment when contacted by Independent.ie, however speaking to the Sligo Champion he said the comments were up for five minutes on Sunday afternoon before they were removed by him. I took it down, changed my passwords, made contact with legal representation and made a statement to the Gardai," he told the paper. He said: I have no difficulty with legitimate political criticism of me and my performance in my work. Indeed I welcome it but this was a step too far and I will be taking the appropriate action. I have hired a cyber specialist solicitor in Dublin and expect the Gardai to carry out an investigation. There are specialist companies who are able to identify IP addresses which would show the origins of comments like this. I will be taking advice from my legal people. There are always ways for people to get around whatever is put in place. Ive a thick skin, I will deal with this as best I can," he added. Seamus Pattison, one of Europe's longest-serving parliamentarians, has died aged 81. Mr Pattison was a Labour Party TD for Carlow-Kilkenny from 1961 until 2007 and also won the respect of all deputies as Ceann Comhairle and Leas-Chomhairle of Dail Eireann. A native of Kilkenny city, he was first elected to the Dail in October 1961 for Carlow-Kilkenny, a seat previously held by his father, James, who was a TD for the constituency from 1932 to 1951 and again from 1954 to 1957. He had unsuccessfully fought a by-election in June 1960 and also worked as a trade union official for a time. Mr Pattison was very active in local politics, was mayor of Kilkenny on three occasions and was awarded the freedom of Kilkenny. He also served as junior social welfare minister from 1983 to 1987. A quiet-spoken man, he was liked and respected by politicians of all parties. He was known as someone who helped and supported younger politicians at Leinster House with wise advice, and he was respected as an independent chairman of Dail sessions. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Mr Pattison was a well respected Ceann Comhairle who represented his constituents in Carlow and Kilkenny for nearly five decades with distinction. "I send my condolences to his family at this sad time," Mr Varadkar said. Labour leader Brendan Howlin paid a warm tribute to his former colleague, remembering him as generous and supportive to him in his younger years as a TD. "Seamus represented the best of an old Labour tradition. I was proud to have known him and worked with him. May he rest in peace," Mr Howlin said. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin was also prominent among those who saluted Mr Pattison's memory. "He was a gentleman who commanded the respect of all sides of the house. He was fair and impartial and ensured that all TDs got a fair hearing when he sat in the chair," Mr Martin said. Mr Pattison never married and he is survived by brothers Joseph, Michael and Monsignor Francis Pattison, who lives in San Diego, California. The husband of a woman missing for 10 months has expressed outrage at reports two off-duty gardai held up a hand-written sign at a darts match appealing for her to return home. Garda authorities are now investigating the incident which involved two male officers and came to light via social media last weekend. Tina Satchwell (45) vanished from her home in Youghal, Co Cork on March 20 last. Her husband, Richard, is adamant that she left home to deal with personal issues - and that she must have had assistance in her disappearance. Tina did not have a passport and a painstaking trawl of CCTV footage from both Irish and UK ports and airports has yielded no clue as to her whereabouts or movements. Mr Satchwell said he "felt sick" when he learned about the apparent social media posting. Expand Close Tina Satchwell has been missing from her home in Youghal since March. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tina Satchwell has been missing from her home in Youghal since March. "Late on Saturday evening I got a phone call from An Garda Siochana advising me that there was a photo of some kind gone viral on social media involving two Gardai and a sign saying 'Tina Come Home'. They have apologised for it and advised me that the two people involved will be dealt with internally," he said. Mr Satchwell said the incident was very upsetting and he found it insulting to both himself and his wife. "I felt sick - that two professional people should find it funny to make a joke out of the predicament I find myself in," he told TV3. "I think one of the things that is hard for people is to say sorry. "I would like something to be said to them by An Garda Siochana but I would like a written apology from the two of them." It is understood the internal investigation will determine whether the matter is referred to the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC). Neither of the two serving gardai are involved in the investigation into the disappearance of Tina from her Cork home last March. The photograph of the duo holding up the hand-written appeal was posted via social media. It carried the message: "Come home Tina." The circumstances of the incident remain unclear - and it is understood Garda chiefs want to determine whether the image may have been digitally altered. Photographs of the sign indicated that it was either written on or pasted to a UniBet poster. Both gardai are based in Cork. Tina was reported missing by her husband after he had initially suspected she had gone to stay with family members in the Fermoy area. Mr Satchwell also said he believes someone helped his wife with her disappearance - and claimed 26,000 is missing from the family home. However, he is adamant he does not believe his wife is dead. The couple were 26 years married last November. He has again appealed to her to return home - and insisted he will welcome her with "open arms." "She is my daylight - she has been my life since meeting her, even before I spoke to her." "To be honest with you, my life altered (since she vanished)." The couple got engaged two years after meeting and married in 1991 on Tina's 20th birthday. Mr Satchwell has insisted he had nothing to do with his wife's disappearance - and said he believes she left Youghal to deal with personal issues. "My wife is going to turn back up or she is going to get in touch with the gardai. One way or another this will all come out and, in time, it will (be shown) that I have done nothing." "I have been with my wife for 28 years - (I have tried to provide) a good quiet, loving marriage and nothing else." "I have never once in nearly 30 years of being together laid a finger on her - the most I have ever done to her is have a tight cuddle, loving the bones off her." Gardai stressed that they are now "very concerned" for Tina after repeated appeals for information on her whereabouts over the previous 10 months yielded nothing. Tina was last seen at her home on March 20 and while two suitcases were missing from her home, travel documents and other financial material were still in the house. Tina's mobile phone has not been used. The couple have been together for 28 years and lived in Fermoy, Tina's hometown, for 18 years before they relocated to Youghal in May 2016. Tina was well-known for her love of fashion and glamorous clothing. "She loves posing. She loves her fashion. She loves going around second-hand shops looking for the one individual item so that nobody can go down to Penneys or Dunnes and have the same thing." Gardai have appealed for anyone who may have information on Tina to contact Midleton Garda Station on (021) 4621550 or the Garda confidential line (1800) 666111. Pictured at The Garda Siochana Press Briefing on Operation Ketch, targeting suspects in possession and distribution of Child Exploitation Material at The Serious Crime Unit at Harcourt Square, was Assistant Commissioner John O'Driscoll. Pic: Colin O'Riordan GardaI have issued a stark warning to paedophiles saying that their sexual interest in children will be exposed following a series of raids across 12 counties. Detectives seized computers and phones containing "tens of thousands" of images of child pornography following raids at 31 locations. The seizures occurred over the past four days under Operation Ketch. Nobody has been prosecuted yet. But gardai insist that arrests are expected over the coming days and weeks. Expand Close Pictured at The Garda Siochana Press Briefing on Operation Ketch, targeting suspects in possession and distribution of Child Exploitation Material at The Serious Crime Unit at Harcourt Square, were Det. Supt. Declan Daly and Assistant Commissioner John O'Driscoll. Pic: Colin O'Riordan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Pictured at The Garda Siochana Press Briefing on Operation Ketch, targeting suspects in possession and distribution of Child Exploitation Material at The Serious Crime Unit at Harcourt Square, were Det. Supt. Declan Daly and Assistant Commissioner John O'Driscoll. Pic: Colin O'Riordan Gardai could not confirm as yet whether the children who are in the images were resident in Ireland. Announcing details of the operation today, Detective Superintendent Declan Daly, of the Garda National Protection Services Bureau, said that the raids "should serve as a stark warning to those who possess and distribute such imagery". Addressing paedophiles, he said: "Your homes will be searched, your sexual interests in children will be exposed and will ultimately result in a possible prosecution or conviction." Det Supt Daly said that the evidence-gathering phase of the operation has now been completed. "The task of conducting individual investigations involving the examination of media seized and the arrests of the subjects begins now. "Additionally, the operation should provide a level of assurance to the public of the critical importance placed on child protection by An Garda Siochana," he said. Det Supt Daly said that those typically involved in viewing and distributing child abuse images were male, professionals, aged between 25 and 50 and with medium to advanced IT skills. He added that the common perception of a culprit operating out of a basement, or in a dark room, was often not the case. A key priority of Operation Ketch is to try to establish whether any of the children who are featured in the indecent images which have been seized remain in danger. The operation was led by the Online Child Exploitation Unit (ONCE) and the Garda National Protection Services Bureau. The searches began last Friday and continued today in homes across Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare, Limerick, Kerry and Waterford. Gardai have gotten help from the FBI and the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children in the US, as well as from the National Child Exploitation Co-ordination Centre in Canada, in targeting suspects. Detective Superintendent Michael Daly said that efforts were under way to maximise a successful outcome in any future prosecutions. He said that members of the force were re-assigned to a new beat last year and are now targeting paedophiles who engage in online activity. "There are members of An Garda Siochana who were walking the beat in Dublin at the beginning of last year who are now on a new beat. "They are patrolling the internet," he said. When asked about the activities of vigilante groups that target paedophiles online, Assistant Commissioner John ODriscoll said that these groups had the capacity to hinder Garda operations. "For anyone else to go about to try to enforce the law, it is fraught with danger. "There is a danger that people who might otherwise be convicted of offences may not end up in such a scenario and may go free because of the way in which the information has been handled," he said. TRAIN passengers face the threat of an all-out strike in a row that has already halted the roll out of a ten minute DART service. Members of the National Bus and Railworkers Union are set to hold a ballot for industrial action. The union has accused management of forcing them to train new drivers rather than continuing with a system in which they volunteer to do it. It is only two months since rail passengers suffered disruption when staff at the commercial semi-state company halted services for two days in November in pursuit of a pay rise. It is understood that there are around 32 drivers who are waiting to be trained. Last month, the drivers rejected a 1pc pay rise recommended by the Labour Court in return for mentoring newer drivers. Now the NBRU has claimed the company plans to forge ahead with its plan to impose compulsory mentoring after both sides failed to reach agreement at talks last week. In a statement, it said it will hold the ballot in response to an "unprecedented attack" by the company by forcing changes to members' terms and conditions. "The management at Iarnrod Eireann have set themselves on a course of major confrontation with its train drivers as a result of their decision to dispense with longstanding practice, by completely ignoring the jointly agreed procedures around how industrial relation matters are addressed," said General Secretary Dermot O'Leary. "The fact is that the agreed training regime at the company is currently one of a voluntarist nature, and is solely at the discretion of the individual driver. "The decision to break this agreement by forcing actual changes to terms and conditions onto workers is both unprecedented and contrary to how disputed matters should be addressed within our dispute procedures." Mr O'Leary said the company previously agreed to talks to find a temporary solution. Unions sought a reduction in the working week in return for concessions on training. However, the NBRU said the company has ignored this. Unions have also accused management of an anti-frontline worker approach after it issued a 500 voucher as part of a Labour Court recommendation that only worked in Dunnes Stores. They wanted an All for One voucher that could be spent in more outlets. Unions have written to the Workplace Relations Commission asking it to intervene. Irish Rail has said that the training debacle has stopped it from expanding its services, including a ten minute DART service and off-peak commuter services. Passenger numbers climbed to 45 million last year, matching levels in 2007. A YOUNG man has suffered a slash injury to his head after a street row in Waterford this afternoon. The 23-year-old man is in a stable condition in University Hospital Waterford (UHW) after being injured in the incident on John Street in Waterford city centre at 3.30pm. It is understood the incident followed a dispute between a group of up to five men in the John Street area. The confrontation quickly escalated and the young man was approached from behind and apparently slashed across the back of the head with a knife or blade. Gardai and emergency services were at the scene within minutes. The injured man, who was bleeding profusely, was rushed to UHW for emergency treatment. He is now in a stable condition and his head injury is not described as life threatening. Gardai have appealed to anyone who witnessed the incident to assist their inquiry. CCTV security camera footage from premises in the area is now being examined to identify those involved in the confrontation. Gardai hope to be able to speak to the victim about the circumstances of the attack later tomorrow. Detectives urged anyone with information to contact Waterford Garda Station on (051) 305300. Some of us will be tickled pink (Floyd). Bill Kopp's new tome, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to the Dark Side of the Moon, hits the shelves next week (to say nothing of Roger Waters playing Dublin's 3Arena on June 26 and 27.) It will be sure to be a rollicking read. It will mark the 45th anniversary of a certain album that sold 50 million copies. Kopp delves into how the Floyd rebooted themselves after the April 1968 departure of the incomparable Mr Barrett, and in particular those five years between Syd being jettisoned and the band's most illustrious release Dark Side of the Moon (originally called Dark Side of the Moon: A Piece for Assorted Lunatics, until the Floyd discovered a band called Medicine Head had put out an album with the same name) appearing in March 1973. It was the band's great leap forward. As Michael Gallucci wrote in Ultimate Classic Rock, "The psychedelic tones Barrett brought to the music were still there, but the albums became headier - sturdier in ways that the always-delicate Barrett couldn't conceive or articulate. Through a series of musically complex and exploratory records, the four remaining members of Pink Floyd connected personal themes to space age freak-out music." "Syd had been the central creative force in the early days, and so his having succumbed to schizophrenia was an enormous blow," Roger Waters said in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. "And also, when you see that happening to someone you've been very close friends with and known more or less your whole life, it really concentrates the mind on how ephemeral one's sensibilities and mental capacities can be. For me, it was very much, 'There but for the grace of God go I'." Indeed. There is the apocryphal story that Syd once crushed a tube of Brycreem mixed with the drug Mandies onto his head at a Floyd gig; "his face appeared to be melting under the lights". This goes along with the just-as-apocryphal tale of Syd imprisoning his girlfriend in a broom cupboard and feeding her only water biscuits. In an interview in 1971, Syd said: "I don't think I'm easy to talk about. I've got a very irregular head. And I'm not anything that you think I am anyway." He released two solo albums The Madcap Laughs and Barrett in 1970 and not long after he walked away from it all, retreating to his mother's house in Cambridge until his death in 2007. Solo tracks like Wouldn't You Miss Me (Dark Globe), Octopus, Gigolo Aunt, Terrapin, Effervescing Elephant and Baby Lemonade shone some sort of a light into his mental state. Syd was one of the great lost geniuses of his or any era. As David Bowie, who was no stranger to genius himself, once said, Syd was "a major inspiration. He was the first guy I'd heard sing pop or rock with a British accent. The few times I saw him perform in London at the UFO and the Marquee clubs during the 1960s will be forever etched in my mind." His music, also, will be similarly etched in the minds of anyone who listened to it. Damon Albarn said after Syd died at the age of 60: "I'm no acid basket case but of course I love Syd Barrett's songs, especially the ones that sound unfinished. He wrote about his own reality in a way that very few people can. A couple of years ago I made a record called Demo Crazy. Not many people got to hear it, because it was just unfinished scraps of would-be songs I'd recorded in hotel rooms. But it was made totally under the influence of Syd Barrett. It simply couldn't have existed without him." In 1975, Syd's one-time band mates in Pink Floyd, the group he founded in 1965, dedicated Shine On You Crazy Diamond - and the album Wish You Were Here - to him. The reality was Syd hadn't been there, or anywhere, for years. To think that he once shone like the sun. Now there's a look in your eyes. Like black holes in the sky. You might hate Monday, but you'll love our weekly pick of Ireland's top travel offers... 30pc off CityJet flights CityJet, which flies from Dublin to London City Airport, is offering 30pc off flights - bookable to midnight tonight (use promo code 'SPRING2STEP'). cityjet.com. Save up to 400 per couple with TUI Summer holiday incentives are in full flow this week, with TUI offering up to 400 off per couple on Canary Island breaks. Deals include 4-star Tenerife from 736pp on August 31 (reduced from 1,090pp), and 3-star Tenerife from 633pp in May (reduced from 857pp). tuiholidays.ie 20pc off with WOW air WOW air has a summer sale with 20pc off return flights from Dublin, bookable to today. The deal is valid on flights to 15 destinations including Reykjavik from May 1 to September 30. Use the promo code WOWSUMMER on wowair.ie. 391.50pp: Late deals to Vegas There have been some sensational deals to Sin City in recent months - and GoHop.ie has return flights (one-stop) with five nights at the 4-star Lucky Dragon from just 391.50pp, departing February 20. This doesn't include local resort fees - and be sure to check the total flight times when booking to ensure the shortest trip possible. 01 241-2389; gohop.ie. 1,049pp: Tastes of Tuscany road trip ITAA member Travelnet.ie has a seven-night self-driving tour of Tuscany, including 4-star accommodation, breakfasts, transfers, car hire and return flights from 1,049pp. It's available from May to October 2018. 021 485-1700; travelnet.ie; itaa.ie/offers. NB: All travel deals subject to availability/change. Pittsburgh may not strike many Irish people as an appealing destination. For much of its history, it has been closely associated with the steel industry, after all. In the 19th Century, the city air became so clogged and sooty that businessmen were obliged to change their shirts at lunchtime, and their wives felt compelled to buy the aptly-named Smokey City Antiseptic Laundry Flakes. Fire and fumes belched from its vast steelworks, pollution seeped into its three rivers, and one visitor memorably described it as "hell with the lid off". This was the crucible of American heavy industry - and during World War II the demand for steel meant the city's mills operated for 24 hours a day. The result was the highest levels of air pollution ever recorded. But, by the 1960s, Pittsburgh had begun to slide into what looked like a terminal decay. However, thanks to the foresight of its citizens, the city has avoided much of the fate of other American rust-belt cities. In recent years, it has undergone a radical transformation that is, in its own way, no less remarkable as that of turning coke, iron ore, and carbon into steel. When President Trump cited Pittsburgh as an example of the benefits of a return to fossil fuels, his comments were greeted with dismay by many of Pittsburgh's citizens. They did not want a return to the previous levels of pollution. The city is now ranked as one of the most easy-to-live-in cities in America, and its restaurants are a Mecca for foodies from throughout the country. It is now more accessible than ever, as WOW air flies from Dublin to Pittsburgh, via Reykjavik. Expand Close Jamie at PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jamie at PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates As the city continues to reinvent itself, some of its historic buildings are finding new life. Galleries have appeared in converted warehouses, and stylish hotels have sprung up in the remains of this former industrial city. I stayed in the Ace Hotel housed in an old YMCA building. My room was the last word in cool: full of quirky details and a wonderful power shower. Famished, I headed down to the Whitfield restaurant - a meat-focused eatery set up by one of Brooklyn's best-known butchers, Brent Young. He had organised a tasting in a converted three-storey gym. My steak was tender, juicy, accompanied by fries, mac 'n' cheese, and washed down with a selection of excellent local craft beer. Driving at night, Pittsburgh's skyline presents a dizzying mixture of architectural styles. There are soaring Gothic skyscrapers, and huge Renaissance revival hotels, sitting beside converted industrial factories and warehouses. It was this huge variety of architecture which inspired Christopher Nolan to use it as the setting for Gotham City in The Dark Knight Rises. The Omni William Penn Hotel was the last building commissioned by the magnate Henry Clay Frick, one of Pittsburgh's wealthiest industrialists. Frick had managed to survive an assassination attempt by a Russian anarchist, and perhaps, he wanted this hotel to serve as his legacy. Designed on a colossal scale, it was intended to rival the great hotels of Europe. During the era of Prohibition, Pittsburgh's only speakeasy could be found below the hotel lobby. It was so hidden that in the years that followed the repeal of Prohibition, its purpose was forgotten, and it was used as a storage space. In recent years, the Speakeasy has been painstakingly restored to its origins with plush scarlet seating surrounded by lavish flocked wall coverings and a ceiling of shiny tin. Dark and sensual, cosy and private, it effortlessly captures the elegance and discretion needed during Prohibition. I recommend it as a perfect place to while away the night with a few cocktails. The famous ketchup-making company Heinz was founded in Pittsburgh in 1869. The Heinz centre is located in the restored Chautauqua Lake Ice Company building. The museum includes some hilariously kitsch examples of early Heinz advertising. There is even a painting commemorating the Big Mac, which was first launched here in 1967. Primanti Bros in the Strip district was founded in 1933, and is firmly established as a city institution. I ordered one of the signature tall boys - the Double Roast and chilli cheese fries. I was taken aback when it arrived, since it was almost the same size as my head. I worked my way slowly through the half pound of thinly sliced roast beef, double cheddar and parmesan and horseradish mayonnaise. It may have shortened my life, but it was delicious. The Mattress Factory is located in the Mexican War Streets neighbourhood, a vibrant area full of colourfully painted buildings, initially intended as a space for artists and writers to live, work and build their own community. Over the years, they have gradually acquired more buildings. Rather than gentrifying the area, the community has been central in helping preserve the unique feel of the neighbourhood. It has a mixture of permanent and temporary exhibits, and is one of the most enjoyable exhibition spaces I have ever visited. Andy Warhol may have found his fame in New York, but his roots are in Pittsburgh. Born Andrew Warhola, to Slovakian emigre parents in the city, much of his early identity was forged here. When he died in 1987, the city was quick to establish itself as a guardian of his legacy. The Andy Warhol Museum opened within seven years of his death. It is by far the largest museum anywhere in North America that is dedicated to a single artist. It fills seven floors of a vast converted warehouse in the North Shore district. The collection includes versions of some of Warhol's most recognisable work, along with some fascinating taped interviews and examples of his early commercial work. These provide some remarkable insights into Warhol's development as an artist, and is well worth a visit. Andy Warhol once claimed that, "in the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes", I can guarantee that Pittsburgh will leave a much longer-lasting impression. Get there Jamie stayed at the Ace Hotel. For more info see acehotel.com/pittsburgh. For information on Pittsburgh go to visitpittsburgh.com. WOW air flies from Dublin to Pittsburgh up to four times weekly from as little as 139.99 one way including taxes. The airline offers low-cost transatlantic travel to 15 US destinations, via Reykjavik, from Dublin. The WOW Stopover option also allows passengers to explore Iceland on either leg of their transatlantic journey for an unlimited time. Thats two getaways for the price of one. For more info see wowair.ie. At a certain point in the last seven-and-a-half years, I decided to stop answering the question: "Did you know before she was born?" Some people asked it innocently, merely wondering if it had been a shock when my daughter was born with Down syndrome. With others, however, I knew it was pointed. These were the people who were trying to ascertain my side of the fence. I was even congratulated once when I said that I hadn't had the tests while pregnant. I mentally kicked myself for giving them the imagined ability to decide that put me on the anti side of the abortion debate. In the same spirit, I have resisted entering into the conversation about repealing the Eighth and Down syndrome (DS). I don't want to write this. I don't want to enmesh my experience as a parent of a child with DS or my child herself, in the argument. I don't want either side claiming me or her. And I don't speak for her. Nor do I speak for any other parents of people with DS or any other people with DS. Many of these will disagree with me entirely, because we're not a coherent group bonded into consensus by the experience of a third chromosome 21. But I feel compelled to speak because there has been so much shutting down of this conversation in recent weeks. One side shouts "eugenics", the other shouts "offensive", and we get nowhere, as usual. I don't hold with putting photographs of cute children with DS on posters. Nor would I ever judge or condemn or even blame the people who decide to terminate a pregnancy with a DS diagnosis. That is their choice. However, what I wish we could explore as we discuss repealing the Eighth, is what that might mean for the existence of DS in Irish society. And don't bother saying it will have no effect or jump up and throw at me the Netherlands, either, because that's just dismissive cherry-picking. For some reason, we've adopted the Netherlands as our poster-people for proper and decent behaviour around pre-natal DS testing and decisions to proceed and terminate. You could choose to take Iceland instead, where between 80 and 85pc of pregnant women avail of testing and where almost 100pc of pregnancies diagnosed with DS are terminated. In 2015, Denmark had a termination rate for DS of 95pc, in cases of positive diagnosis. In the same year, France had a 77pc rate of termination for DS. There are stats on termination internationally that can be selected to back up any position, but, for some reason, the Netherlands is the one we've decided we'll model ourselves on. As if the Netherlands are historically our go-to on how we conduct ourselves. We're not the Netherlands. Nor are we Iceland, nor are we France or the US. We are Irish and we are, as usual, refusing to discuss something until it happens. We keep being told, by TDs and journalists and Dr Peter Boylan that it's OK, the DS issue is a red herring because tests can't occur conclusively before 12 weeks and they are very expensive and availed of by only a few. Therefore, we're told, it's misleading and unhelpful even to discuss how pre-natal testing could have an impact on the incidence of DS. We're being told not to worry about that. It's never going to happen. Last week, Health Minister Simon Harris shut down any proper conversation about termination of pregnancies diagnosed with DS by saying that he found it "somewhat offensive to suggest women in Ireland are seeking abortions for that reason [disability]". The following day, it was reported that over 2015 and 2016, there were 83 Irish women who had pregnancies terminated in the UK under its "Clause E", which allows for termination in cases of "severe disability". One point to be made in relation to this statistic is that there are 120 births recorded with DS annually in Ireland. If you took it that there were about 40 terminations for DS in both the cited years, then that would mean that a quarter of all pregnancies diagnosed with DS were terminated. Also, we don't know how many pregnancies were diagnosed with DS and decided not to terminate. So it could be the case that 100pc of those who did the test and got a diagnosis chose to terminate, or it could have been 50pc or even 10pc. We don't know because we don't have those statistics. This is more of the attitude to date in this country, where we have chosen to pretend that termination doesn't happen. This is what we're supposed to be getting away from, an attitude that if we pretend something isn't happening, then it isn't happening. To date, we have let termination occur elsewhere, out of sight, out of mind, or in women's bedrooms with pills they bought on the internet, and now we're trying to grow up and talk about it and do something about that. So why, then, are we shutting down conversation about termination in cases of disability by saying it's "somewhat offensive" to think that any Irish person would do such a thing? Two days later, Minister Harris modified his comments to say that no Irish person would take the decision "lightly" to terminate in a case of DS diagnosis. Apart from the fact that he was proven to be wrong in asserting that Irish women wouldn't terminate for disability, perhaps he realised on reflection another hole in that suggestion. For if you're saying termination for disability is offensive, because an Irish person would never do such a thing, then what are you saying about economic reasons, or case of rape or inability to cope? Too often lately, the debate around testing for DS has been batted away with the assertion that discussion of it is irrelevant because it has no bearing on the 12-weeks-unrestricted proposal. The assertion is that presently, the tests available pre-12 weeks are not definitive and also, at a cost of approximately 500, prohibitively expensive to most people. A private clinic in the Beacon in Dublin offers the Panorama test from week nine of a pregnancy. It is not a diagnosis, but its results indicate probability of a chromosomal syndrome. The patient with an indication can then decide to go for a Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) test, which is not recommended before 10 weeks of pregnancy because of risk of miscarriage, and results are delivered in 10-14 days - though one clinic said they can have results in a week. The website of the Rotunda Hospital says that if the patient wishes, and for an additional fee, they can get results of CVS in two-three days. If you crunch these numbers, it is the case that it's possible the 12-week limit would pass before a diagnosis of DS was reached. However, even if this was absolutely the case, this is not grounds to dismiss any conversation about it as irrelevant, or a distraction, or in some way abusive of people with DS and their families. Dismissal of the issue of testing as irrelevant is at best disingenuous. It shocks me that Dr Peter Boylan, who spent so long in obstetrics, doesn't acknowledge that testing is an issue because technology changes so fast. Today, it might be unlikely for a DS diagnosis to land before 12 weeks, but next year it might be achievable in 10 weeks. The science behind testing has changed massively in the last decade. Testing was once only possible from the second trimester, now you can get a good indicator of DS from week nine. Are we really saying that this won't change or, depending on your standpoint, advance? The stifled, "offensive" discussion so far, deals only with the situation as it is right this minute and simply refuses to acknowledge that the technology around testing advances all the time and also that costs are not set in stone. Interestingly, the Rotunda Maternity Hospital is currently involved in a study of the Panorama test that sees the 500 cost reduced to 350 for participants who take the test and then agree to tracking of their progress through and beyond the pregnancy. Testing for chromosomal syndromes in pregnancy are now available for free on the NHS in the UK. There is no reason to think that we won't reach the same point. Which is why we simply need to talk about what this means. I need to repeat that I don't judge anyone who gets a diagnosis of DS in pregnancy and elects to terminate. I don't think they're wrong. I don't think people are wrong to test. I think it will be very wrong, however, in the case of repeal, if, before legislation is in place, we don't discuss these things. To paraphrase Sean O'Rourke in his rigorous interview with Tanaiste Simon Coveney last Thursday, it's a dangerous thing to legislate on the basis of trust. In the Netherlands, if you want to make an example of their stable DS birth rates despite availability of both testing and termination, they seem to counsel very comprehensively pre-termination. Perhaps, when it comes to forming legislation here, we can talk about how pregnancies with diagnoses of disability will be dealt with. Will parents have it presented to them as something that will ruin their lives and possibly the lives of their existing children? Will they be presented with the positives? Will they be told, as Ruth Coppinger put it in the Dail last month, that the raising of a child with a disability in Ireland is "no cake walk"? We need to talk about this honestly and the way things are going, I fear we won't. When Senator Ronan Mullen asserts that we "have a tradition here in Ireland where children with Down syndrome are perhaps more cherished than in many other countries", it is patronising and woolly when these children are in fact badly served by State and services. And not just when they are the kind of cute children you can put on posters and tug at heartstrings, but as teenagers and adults, too. That, however, is a problem in a society and not with people with DS themselves. What we need to discuss, perhaps, is what kind of society we wish to be. It may well be the case that the world is moving towards a point where congenital or diagnosable disability will not exist. That may be where science is bringing us, but we should talk about what that means to us as people, as a society. Even if that is difficult and divisive and causes some to invoke eugenics. Everyone, on both sides, recognises that we are at a crossroads in Ireland right now. There is shame, surely on both sides, at how people have suffered from our tendency to stick our heads in the sand when confronted with difficult issues, export our problems and pretend that makes them go away. You may say it's disrespectful to discuss Down syndrome in the repeal debate. I suggest that to ignore it is worse and something we will live to regret. The Irish rental market is a ticking time bomb akin to a Bond film, rolling down to zero. But in this instance there will be no 007 to save the day. We now have a situation where an ever-increasing 34pc of the Irish population are renting, some by choice, most by necessity. There are currently fewer than 3,000 properties available to rent in Ireland, just 0.15pc of the total housing stock. Demand is at least four times that level. Rental values have increased more than 65pc in some urban areas over the last four years. Currently, fewer than 5pc of newly constructed homes are being bought by investors. At the height of the Tiger's roar, this figure exceeded 45pc. So where are these rental properties going to come from? Take a regional town of 5,000 people. A town of this nature would have a demand for at least 200 privately rented properties. Who is going to service this market in the future? Due to its fragmented nature, it holds no appeal for the large investor. Most one-off investments are now purchased with cash. Servicing a loan at rates north of 4pc is simply a non-runner, in addition to paying income tax, USC, LPT and increasing RTB compliance costs. What this means is that the only real potential upside for the investor is capital appreciation, but values have increased by up to 50pc in many urban areas over the last four years, which will make investors more cautious. The Government recently announced it had exceeded the 2017 target by housing 23,000 people. The devil is in the detail - delve a little deeper, and fewer than 1,000 new social homes were built in 2017 with a further 500 provided through Part V. Many people have little or no sympathy for landlords, believing they played an integral part in both inflating house prices during the 2000s and the subsequent crash. Herein lies the problem. With property values currently increasing 10pc per year, additional homes must be provided for the increasing number who cannot afford or secure a mortgage, or the ever-increasing number who simply choose to rent. It is a responsibility of Government to provide housing for those who cannot secure a home. Our current rulers, in their wisdom, decided after the crash that the private sector would deliver the homes needed. This was never going to happen. An industry which had been forced to take a long lunch - six years - was always going to take some time to reinvent itself. On top of this there is the archaic planning process to contend with. The construction industry has returned to growth, but only in the large urban areas where values are now making it profitable again to build. Rebuilding Ireland was launched in mid-2016 by the Government to much fanfare. While it can be applauded for success with the Help to Buy Scheme and the introduction of fast-track planning permissions, it has failed to deliver in a number of areas. At one point, 'modular housing' appeared to be the answer to all our prayers! This was short-lived. The recent announcement of the home purchase scheme through county councils should be cautiously welcomed as it will only assist a small percentage of home buyers. Also, a note of caution: historically, similar type schemes have proved to accrue arrears issues. Rent controls have had varied success internationally. It is too early to say how they have fared since their introduction here in December 2016, but they do not seem to have stemmed increases in average rents. A downside is that they have punished many landlords who had a good relationship with their tenants, and this was reflected in the agreed rent. Many of these landlords are now leaving the market as they cannot legally charge the market rent once they are placed in one of the 21 electoral Rent Pressure Zones. Solutions? Two areas of focus: the supply side and the taxation side. As is now happening in the UK, the Government must attract back the smaller buy-to-let investor. Our cities will be well-served by professional investors like REITs and pension funds for decades to come with large built-to-rent type developments comprising hundreds of rental properties in desirable areas. What about the regions? Incentives for the small-time investor should include lower income tax from rental income, extra allowances for capital expenditure and reduced CGT on exit, which currently stands at 33pc. On the planning side, the level of social housing in Ireland currently stands at 10pc of the total housing stock, with a further 24pc of residential homes privately rented. This figure is higher in cities. In addition to Part V, introduce a requirement that 10pc of the total number of units in new developments must be sold to private investors. Currently, investors cannot compete with the FTB for starter homes. For the FTB, this is to be welcomed, but for those requiring somewhere to rent, it is limiting options. Some would claim this move would just increase pressure on the FTB. To alleviate this, housing densities could be increased by one unit per acre, for a limited period. The rental market needs rental properties or else it is just a market. People need to recognise that landlords play a fundamental role in the property food chain and those who find it hard to accept will need to accept them as a necessary evil. Philip Farrell is a market commentator and property consultant Actress Uma Thurman has become the latest high-profile actress to accuse disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of forcing himself on her sexually. The allegation was immediately denied by Weinstein's lawyer with a threat of legal action, but the mogul admitted making an "awkward pass". In a separate allegation, Thurman also said 'Kill Bill' director Quentin Tarantino coerced her into driving a car that she believed to be faulty, resulting in injuries including a permanently damaged neck, a concussion and damage to her knees. Thurman's allegations against Weinstein, who has been accused of rape, assault or other sexual misconduct by scores of women, had been widely anticipated since she hinted late last year that she had a story to tell but wanted to wait until she was less angry. "I used the word 'anger,' but I was more worried about crying, to tell you the truth," Thurman said. "I was not a groundbreaker on a story I knew to be true. So what you really saw was a person buying time." Thurman said that an early encounter with Weinstein in a Paris hotel room in the 1990s ended with him suddenly appearing in a bathrobe and leading her to a steam room, but that she did not feel threatened. She said the first "attack" happened later in London. "He pushed me down," she said. "He tried to shove himself on me. He tried to expose himself. He did all kinds of unpleasant things. But he didn't actually put his back into it and force me. You're like an animal wriggling away, like a lizard." Later, she alleged, she arranged a meeting with Weinstein and warned him: "If you do what you did to me to other people you will lose your career, your reputation and your family, I promise you." Thurman's memory of the Weinstein encounter stops there, but it quotes a friend who was waiting downstairs as saying Thurman emerged from an elevator dishevelled and shaking. "Her eyes were crazy, and she was totally out of control," said the friend, Ilona Herman. When Thurman was able to talk again, Herman said, she revealed that Weinstein, who was one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, had threatened to derail her career. Ben Brafman, Weinstein's lawyer, said the producer was "stunned and saddened" by accusations from Thurman. He emphasised Weinstein and Thurman had worked together for more than two decades. The lawyer said Weinstein acknowledged making "an awkward pass at Ms Thurman 25 years ago, which he regrets and immediately apologised for". He said it was a mystery why Thurman would wait so long to come forward or "embellish what really happened to include false accusations of attempted physical assault". He said he was considering whether any legal action against her would be appropriate. Casey Cloe Evans (4) from Drimnagh feeds the deer at Dublins Phoenix Park yesterday. Photo: Frank McGrath A dog jumps into the air to catch a ball along the beach near Rossbeigh, Co Kerry, yesterday. Photo: Clodagh Kilcoyne Motorists have been warned of "hazardous driving conditions" in the next 24 hours as Met Eireann issue a snow, ice and frost warning. Two weather warnings have been issued by forecasters in the last 24 hours. A low temperature warning was in place overnight, but has since expired. Temperatures will sink even further this evening as a snow-ice warning comes into place. It will remain in effect from 6pm Monday evening until 6 Tuesday morning, when the worst of the icy conditions are expected to ease. Apart from a few showers on the east coast, it will be dry and cold overnight with clear periods. Sharp or severe frost in most places with icy patches on untreated surfaces. Some mist and fog patches also. Lowest temperatures of -5 to +1 degrees. pic.twitter.com/DFyyVXIiAD Met Eireann (@MetEireann) February 4, 2018 The alert covers Dublin and all of Leinster as well as Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Leitrim, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary and Waterford. Motorists and pedestrians have been warned to expect possible snow falls, ice and severe frost for the next two days. Met Eireann forecaster Gerry Murphy told RTE Radio One Morning Ireland listeners that the snow will "not be excessive, but enough to cause disruption." "The rain will move in from the west later today, and will turn into sleet and snow as it hits the east," Mr Murphy said. "The snow-ice warning is for east Cork, Waterford and Tipperary in Munster, all of Leinster and Cavan, Monaghan and also Leitrim. "We're expecting up to 3cm of snow, which is not excessive but enough to cause disruption. "Significantly, once it clears we will see freezing behind it. "The frost will make for hazardous driving conditions overnight and into the morning. "Tomorrow morning will see wintry showers of sleet and snow," he continued. "All areas will be very frosty overnight with the possibility of very hazardous driving conditions." Gardai and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) have also urged people to drive with extreme caution. "Some areas will see snow showers, but there is also a serious risk of ice on many roads," a Garda source said. "Motorists should be particularly wary of black ice if travelling over roads untreated with rock salt or grit." Gardai have advised road users to check local weather and traffic conditions and be aware of the conditions before setting out on a trip. In a statement issued to media this afternoon, they wrote; "Drivers should reduce speed and increase braking distances. "Use dipped headlights at all times to ensure you are seen by other motorists. "Watch out for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists and allow extra space. "Cyclists and motorcyclists check local road conditions and consider alternative transport where necessary. "Pedestrians should walk on a footpath, not on the street. Walk on the right hand side of the road, facing traffic if there are no footpaths." They have also advised motorists to clear their windows and mirrors before setting out, and to carry a screen scraper and a de-icer. "Do not use hot water on the windscreen," they added. "And do not leave your car with the engine running and unattended, as a number of car thefts occur every frosty morning." The RSA urged commuters to allow extra time for journeys, to slow down, allow ample braking distances to vehicles in front, and to have warm clothing and proper safety equipment in case of any roadside incident. Speaking about the week ahead, Met Eireann forecaster Mr Murphy said we are due for a "cold and unsettled" week. "We are in for sharp frost at night and wintry showers at times," he said. "Wednesday will start dry, but the rain will move in and towards the end of the week, we will have cold, wintry and showery weather on Thursday, Friday and into the weekend. "Overall, it's a cold week in store." Online retailer Amazon has reached a deal with French authorities to pay about 250 million dollars (177 million) in back taxes. Amazon was asked in 2012 to pay the amount over earnings made in 2006-2010 and has since been involved in a dispute with tax authorities. Details of the deal have not been revealed. The company said it has reached an overall settlement agreement with the French tax authorities on past issues, and our main objective remains to provide the best possible buying experience for our customers in France, where we have invested more than two billion euro since 2010, and created more than 5,500 permanent jobs. Amazon last year reached a similar deal with Italian authorities to end a 100 million euro (83 million) dispute over its tax payments from 2011-15. Companies have been responding to the Civil Aviation Authority's consultation on Heathrow (Steve Parsons/PA) The owner of British Airways is calling for an end to Heathrows monopoly on the airports terminals, saying competition between third operators would lower costs for passengers. International Airlines Group (IAG) was responding to a consultation related to Heathrows expansion, saying the development provides a great opportunity for independent firms to design, build and run commercial facilities at the airport, including terminals. IAG chief executive Willie Walsh said: Heathrows had it too good for too long and the Government must confirm the CAAs (Civil Aviation Authority) powers to introduce this type of competition. This would cut costs, diversify funding and ensure developments are completed on time, leading to a win-win for customers. He said the companys proposal will ensure Heathrow is focused on cost control, something it has been reluctant to do in the past. IAG claims that the move would also create a new source of funding for the airports infrastructure projects, whereas its current investments are funded through debt. This is not rocket science. Most major US airports have terminals owned or leased by airlines and there are European examples at Frankfurt and Munich airports, Mr Walsh said. Theres absolutely no reason why this cannot happen at Heathrow. Expand Close Willie Walsh / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Willie Walsh The Department for Transport is due to publish final proposals for a third runway at Heathrow in the first half of the year for a vote in Parliament. If the scheme is approved, the airport will submit a planning application after consulting local communities on detailed proposals. It hopes to begin construction in early 2021, with the runway completed by the end of 2025. The third runway was due to cost about 16.8 billion, but Heathrow claims it can complete the project for 14 billion. Airlines have expressed concerns that landing charges could be hiked to help pay for the investment, but the airport insists that the landing charges currently around 22 per passenger will remain close to todays levels. Mr Walsh said that if airport charges fail to decrease after its completion, IAG would join other airlines in calling for a price cap. With more passengers and the introduction of internal competition, the airports charges should go down, Mr Walsh added. If they remain at current levels we, along with other airlines, support a price cap to ensure they cannot rise and have written to the Transport Select Committee to highlight this. Discount retailer Aldi has voluntarily recalled 38,000 packs of its frozen mixed vegetables after a grandmother said she found half a rat inside one. Pat Bateman (60) had just fed her two-year-old granddaughter lunch and was putting the bag back in the freezer when she noticed something "out of place" in the pack. Aldi offered her 500 (564) compensation and reassured her that there was no rat infestation where the vegetables were produced. The retired florist from Cornwall told the Sun newspaper she felt "physically sick" after finding the rodent. In a statement the supermarket said: "Following Mrs Batemans complaint, we removed this product from sale to prevent any further issues. We have suspended all orders from this production site whilst we investigate this matter. A spokeswoman for Aldi told Independent.ie: "Aldi Ireland was not affected. The product was not on sale in Ireland." Fertility doctors in the UK have been given permission to create the country's first "three-parent" babies to help prevent women passing on inherited diseases to their children. Two women being treated at the Newcastle Fertility Centre at Life will now receive mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT) after being deemed suitable by the UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). The aim of the treatment is to prevent women passing on defective genes in the mitochondria - tiny rod-like power plants in cells which supply energy. But the technique, which involves giving a woman an IVF baby with DNA from three individuals, is highly controversial. The baby will have nuclear DNA from its mother and father, which define characteristics such as personality and eye colour. In addition, it will have a tiny amount of mitochondrial DNA provided by a female donor - the third "parent". An estimated one in 200 children is born with defective mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Britain became the first country in the world to formally allow MRT when the HFEA gave a cautious green light to the procedure last year. Approval of the Newcastle clinic's facilities, equipment and staff was announced by the HFEA in March, but separate appraisals are still needed to assess the suitability of each candidate. These have to take account of medical history and personal biology to ensure that the procedure is safe and likely to meet with success. A HFEA spokeswoman said: "Our Statutory Approvals Committee has considered applications from the Newcastle Fertility Centre at Life, part of Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, for the use of mitochondrial donation in treatment for two patients, both of which have been approved." Dr Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, which funds medical research in the UK, welcomed the news. "It is wonderful that after more than a decade of research, public consultation, scientific and legal review, the first women are now taking the next steps to being able to have this treatment and a healthy baby," he said. "Our best wishes go to families setting out on their exciting and momentous journey." The director of the Progress Educational Trust, Sarah Norcross, said: "The granting of licences to treat two women in the UK is the latest milestone in seeking to help parents avoid passing on mitochondrial disease to their children. "The pace at which these treatments are being rolled out may seem slow, but this highly regulated and measured approach will ensure the highest standards of treatment and follow-up research. Options which for many years have been tantalisingly out of reach to patients are now a step closer." In 2015, British politicians paved the way for the change by voting to alter the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act which sets the legal framework for fertility research and treatment. Mitochondrial replacement has been made an exception to the general rule which outlaws tampering with "germline" inherited DNA. Belgian lawyers Romain Delcoigne, left, and Sven Mary speak before the arrival of their client, Salah Abdeslam, at the Brussels Justice Palace in Brussels on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Salah Abdeslam and Soufiane Ayari face trial for taking part in a shooting incident in Vorst, Belgium on March 15, 2016. (Danny Gys, Pool Photo via AP) Belgian lawyer representing Salah Abdeslam, Romain Delcoigne, looks on in the courtroom prior to the opening of the trial of Salah Abdeslam, one of the suspects in the 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, in Brussels, Belgium February 5, 2018.. REUTERS/Danny Gys/Pool A court artist drawing shows Salah Abdeslam, one of the suspects in the 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, in court during his trial in Brussels, Belgium, February 5, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Capelle Belgian judge Marie-France Keutgen is seen at the start of the trial of Salah Abdeslam, one of the suspects in the 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, in Brussels, Belgium February 5, 2018. REUTERS/Danny Gys/Pool A court artist drawing shows Salah Abdeslam, one of the suspects in the 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, in court during his trial in Brussels, Belgium, February 5, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Capelle The prime surviving suspect in the 2015 Islamic State attacks on Paris said he would answer no questions as his trial in Belgium over a shooting that preceded his arrest got under way in Brussels on Monday. Salah Abdeslam, 28, his long black hair and beard a stark contrast to the cropped, clean-shaven young man familiar across Europe from wanted posters during his four months on the run, was asked by the judge to rise and identify himself. Appearing in public for the first time since the November 2015 attacks and his arrest in Brussels four months later, he remained seated, flanked by two masked Belgian police officers. "I do not wish to answer questions," Abdeslam said. Expand Close A court artist drawing shows Salah Abdeslam, one of the suspects in the 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, in court during his trial in Brussels, Belgium, February 5, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Capelle / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A court artist drawing shows Salah Abdeslam, one of the suspects in the 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, in court during his trial in Brussels, Belgium, February 5, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Capelle After a first session during which his alleged accomplice admitted to having fought for Islamic State in Syria and said that both accused were present during the March 2016 shootout with Brussels police, the judge again asked Abdeslam to speak. Citing his right to silence and declaring his Muslim faith, he accused the media of condemning him before his trial: "Judge me. Do as you want with me," he told the judge. Expand Close Belgian judge Marie-France Keutgen is seen at the start of the trial of Salah Abdeslam, one of the suspects in the 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, in Brussels, Belgium February 5, 2018. REUTERS/Danny Gys/Pool / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Belgian judge Marie-France Keutgen is seen at the start of the trial of Salah Abdeslam, one of the suspects in the 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, in Brussels, Belgium February 5, 2018. REUTERS/Danny Gys/Pool "I put my trust in my Lord." "I remain silent. That is a right which I have," he said, adding: "My silence does not make me a criminal or guilty. "I am defending myself by remaining silent." He asked the prosecution to base itself on forensic evidence "and not swagger about to satisfy public opinion", adding: "Muslims are judged and treated in the worst kind of ways. They are judged without mercy. There is no presumption of innocence." Expand Close Belgian lawyer representing Salah Abdeslam, Romain Delcoigne, looks on in the courtroom prior to the opening of the trial of Salah Abdeslam, one of the suspects in the 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, in Brussels, Belgium February 5, 2018.. REUTERS/Danny Gys/Pool / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Belgian lawyer representing Salah Abdeslam, Romain Delcoigne, looks on in the courtroom prior to the opening of the trial of Salah Abdeslam, one of the suspects in the 2015 Islamic State attacks in Paris, in Brussels, Belgium February 5, 2018.. REUTERS/Danny Gys/Pool That reluctance to engage with the court may prove a disappointment to Parisians who hoped that he might end more than two years of silence to give some indication of how and why the attacks which killed 130 people were organised. His trial in France is not expected until next year. He was not charged over the Islamic State attacks in Brussels four days after his arrest, though prosecutors say the suicide bombers who killed 32 people acted swiftly out of fear that Abdeslam might reveal plans for a new attack in France under interrogation. Expand Close Belgian lawyers Romain Delcoigne, left, and Sven Mary speak before the arrival of their client, Salah Abdeslam, at the Brussels Justice Palace in Brussels on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Salah Abdeslam and Soufiane Ayari face trial for taking part in a shooting incident in Vorst, Belgium on March 15, 2016. (Danny Gys, Pool Photo via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Belgian lawyers Romain Delcoigne, left, and Sven Mary speak before the arrival of their client, Salah Abdeslam, at the Brussels Justice Palace in Brussels on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Salah Abdeslam and Soufiane Ayari face trial for taking part in a shooting incident in Vorst, Belgium on March 15, 2016. (Danny Gys, Pool Photo via AP) Among those attending the trial was Bob de Zwart, who survived the gun attack during a rock concert at Paris's Bataclan concert hall on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. He told Reuters that he had come to Brussels because he wanted to see Abdeslam. He was, however, not surprised that the alleged lone survivor of the group had not broken his two-year silence. Abdeslam arrived under heavy guard from France, where he has been held under 24-hour suicide watch near Paris. He will spend the nights of the coming week of Belgian hearings in a high-security French prison just across the border. Co-accused Sofien Ayari, a 24-year-old Tunisian, told the court that he had been with Islamic State forces in Syria. He said he had been with Abdeslam at the site of the shootout, though only a third man, who was killed by police marksmen, had he said, fired on the police officers who raided their hideout. In the trial, which relates only to the incident on March 15, 2016, in the southern Brussels borough of Forest, Ayari and Abdeslam face up to 40 years in prison for attempted murder in the context of terrorism. Three days later, Abdeslam and Ayari were arrested in the western Brussels borough of Molenbeek, close to the former's family home. A French citizen, he was born and raised among the Belgian capital's large Moroccan immigrant community. Lawyers for Abdeslam accept that he was in Paris when gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 at the Bataclan, near the national stadium and at cafes and restaurants. His elder brother, with whom he ran a bar in Brussels, was among those who blew himself up. Prosecutors believe the younger Abdeslam, whom they accuse of running logistics for the attack including ferrying fighters from Syria across Europe, would have met the same fate had his explosive vest not malfunctioned. Hans-Georg Maassen, head of the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. AP Photo/Michael Sohn North Korea secretly tried to obtain the technology for its nuclear weapons programme via its embassy in Berlin, according to disclosures from German intelligence. The embassy repeatedly attempted to buy equipment that could be used for ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons, said Hans-Georg Maassen, head of Germany's secret service. "We discovered procurement activities taking place there, which we believe were focused on the missile programme, and also to some extent on the nuclear programme," he said. The head of the Bundesamt fur Verfassungsschutz, or Office for the Protection of the Constitution, added: "When we detect something of this sort, we take steps to prevent it, but we can't guarantee that we are able to detect and prevent every case." He made the disclosures in an interview for German television to be aired in full today. In extracts released in advance, Mr Maassen described how the North Korean embassy had bought "dual use" technology that could be deployed for civilian or military purposes. He did not specify what material the embassy was attempting to buy for its nuclear or missile programmes. But in a separate incident in 2014, a North Korean diplomat is believed to have tried to obtain a multi-gas monitor that could be used to develop chemical weapons. Along with the UK, Germany is one of a handful of European countries to maintain some diplomatic ties with North Korea. But Germany withdrew several diplomats from its embassy in Pyongyang in the wake of last year's missile tests, and has demanded North Korea reduce its diplomatic staff in Berlin. The German Foreign Ministry last year denied reports it was coming under US pressure to close its embassy. A spokesman added: "But that doesn't mean we're ruling it out." Berlin's slightly less frosty relations with Pyongyang than most Western governments date to the Cold War, when communist East Germany viewed North Korea as an ally. Angela Merkel's government hoped it could exploit that shared past to serve as a bridge with the regime of Kim Jong-un. But little has materialised, and the latest disclosures are unlikely to raise expectations. ( Daily Telegraph, London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] Hundreds of armed police are guarding the Brussels court where the trial of Salah Abdeslam, the prime suspect behind the November 2015 Paris attacks, opens today after his secret transfer from a prison outside the French capital. Mr Abdeslam, a French national of Moroccan descent, is being tried on charges of terrorism, possession of weapons and attempted murder during a shoot-out with police in Brussels three days before his arrest in March 2016. He will face another trial in France at a later date for his alleged role in the Paris attacks that left 130 people dead and hundreds wounded. During the court hearings in Brussels, Mr Abdeslam (28) is being held at a jail in northern France near the Belgian border from where he can more easily be brought to court by helicopter or road. Hundreds of elite officers will escort him and guard the route. Another 200 officers are posted inside the court building in case of an attempted attack while security has also reportedly been stepped up across Brussels. Mr Abdeslam's capture in Brussels after four months on the run following the slaughter in Paris is believed to have prompted his jihadist cell to bring forward a plan for attacks in the Belgian capital. He is believed to be the survivor of the 10-man Isil cell that terrorised Paris in 2015, and has refused all pleas to shed light on the attacks. After nearly three years jailed in isolation and silence, he goes on trial today. The man who covered for his getaway with a spray of automatic gunfire died. Mr Abdeslam's escape was short-lived - he was captured on March 18, 2016, in the same Brussels neighbourhood where he and many of his Isil fighter colleagues had grown up. Four days later, Isil suicide attackers struck again, this time at the Brussels airport and subway. In all, that sprawling network of Isil fighters killed 162 people in the two European capitals. Most of the extremists were French speakers, raised in one of the cities they struck. The plot's execution depended on Isil's success in uniting crime and religion. Mr Abdeslam, who along with his brother was suspected of dealing drugs from the bar they ran, is the starkest example of that convergence. The lines between terrorists and criminals were less clear now than ever, said Peter Neumann, director of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation. "Isil is perhaps the first jihadist group that has explicitly targeted this demographic, and they've done it very consciously and especially in Europe," he said. "What we saw in Brussels and Paris - this is not an isolated case. This is actually reflecting the situation across Europe. If you go to Sweden, Norway, Holland, Germany, they will all tell you that 50pc plus of the people who have turned up traveling to Syria or involved in domestic plots have previous criminal convictions, often for petty crime." Belgian police raided Mr Abdeslam's Brussels hideout on March 15, 2016, but he escaped through a window over the rooftops. He was traced to a cousin's apartment on March 18, 2016, near his Molenbeek home. Still more members of the cross-border Isil cell struck Brussels on March 22, 2016, including the bomb-maker for both attacks. Thirty-two people were killed in Brussels, along with three suicide attackers. Mr Abdeslam has been imprisoned ever since. This week's trial marks the first time he has been seen in public since his capture. According to the French radio network France Inter, Mr Abdeslam stored a message in his computer similar to the farewells written by other jihadis ahead of suicide attacks. In it, France Inter reported, he said his suicide belt malfunctioned in Paris and that he dreamed of going to Syria. Germany is on track to weaken labour laws for high-earning bankers as part of a push to attract City firms to Frankfurt following Brexit. The deputy head of Chancellor Angela Merkels CDU party, Volker Bouffier, was among those spearheading the proposal, which was then pushed by its deputy finance minister Jens Spahn during coalition talks with the Social Democrats (SPD), a source told the Press Association. The move would effectively strip away the rights of employees who earn more than about 180,000 euros (159,000), making it easier to fire and replace high-earning staff. It is understood the plans have been agreed by negotiators, but have yet to be formally announced as politicians continue to hash out the final details of the coalition agreement. Germany has been without a ruling government since the September 24 election failed to deliver a clear majority. Hubertus Vath, managing director of the Frankfurt Main Finance lobby group, said the plans were undoubtedly driven by an interest in drawing UK-based bankers to Germany. As a result of Brexit, banks indicated that they would be transferring more jobs in trading to Frankfurt, if German labour law would be loosened. Expand Close City stock / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp City stock The proposal would still have to pass through the Bundestag the German parliament before coming into effect, but Mr Vath said there was little risk of it being watered down. If that loosening became part of the coalition treaty, yet to be finalised, you can consider it is on its way, as this treaty forms the basis of the governments work. UK-based banks and insurers are widely expected to start pulling the trigger on Brexit contingency plans by the end of the first quarter, when the UK will be about 12 months away from leaving the EU. Germany is set to be one of the main beneficiaries of the exodus, though businesses are also expected to flee the UK for rival financial hubs including Dublin, Paris, Luxembourg and Milan. US banking giant Goldman Sachs which employs around 6,500 UK staff is set to at least double its Frankfurt office to 400 employees through a mix of relocation and local hiring, and has also signed a lease on a yet-to-be-built skyscraper that can house up to 800 workers, with options to take up additional space. Paris where Goldman employs around 150 staff will serve as a dual hub alongside Frankfurt, with additional moves to offices including Milan, Madrid, Stockholm and Dublin. American peer Morgan Stanley is understood to have plans to move 200 of its 6,000 UK staff to Frankfurt, but is taking a similar approach by bulking up offices in Milan, Madrid and Paris, while Citigroup notified its bankers in July that it may need to create 150 new roles at its Frankfurt offices as well as those in Amsterdam, Dublin, Luxembourg, Madrid and Paris. JP Morgan, which has 16,000 staff in the UK, will ramp up operations at a number of its EU sites with plans to move up to 1,000 London front and back office roles. A raft of Asian banks including Nomura, Daiwa, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) and Mizuho Securities are also on track to expand their operations in Frankfurt. The Iraq government has declared victory over IS (AP) An Iraqi government spokesman has confirmed that the drawdown of American forces from Iraq has begun following Baghdads declaration of victory over Islamic State (IS). Government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi said: The battle against Daesh (IS) has ended and so the level of the American presence will be reduced. Mr Al-Hadithi stressed the drawdown is still in its early stages and at present does not mark the beginning of a complete withdrawal of US forces. The US first launched air strikes against IS in Iraq in August 2014 and in the following years closely backed key Iraqi military victories, including the retaking of Mosul, Iraqs second-largest city. The Pope and the Turkish president meet in the Vatican (AP) Kurdish and Italian protesters have clashed with police as Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan met the Pope in the Vatican to discuss the status of Jerusalem, human rights and refugees. Officers in riot gear blocked around 150 protesters near Romes Tiber River as Mr Edrogan paid the first Vatican visit by a Turkish head of state in 59 years. One protester suffered a bloody gash on his head in the scuffle. Police said another was detained. President ErdoAan at the Vatican Apostolic Palacehttps://t.co/dOwY0snyLV pic.twitter.com/98Q1m9xvyW Turkish Presidency (@trpresidency) February 5, 2018 Turkey last month launched a military offensive in a Kurdish-held enclave in Syria. The Turkish government said the US-backed Syrian Kurdish militia there is a terrorist organisation and an extension of Kurdish insurgents fighting within Turkey. Both the Turkish and Vatican sides described the private talks as cordial. Francis and Mr Erdogan have made plain their concern over the Trump administrations decision two months ago to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Mr Erdogan, in an interview with Italian daily newspaper La Stampa, said he and the Pope had already spoken by telephone about the Jerusalem issue and said both of them favoured working to maintain the status quo for the city considered holy by three religions. Expand Close Pro-Kurdish demonstrators hold flares during a sit-in near the Vatican in Rome (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Pro-Kurdish demonstrators hold flares during a sit-in near the Vatican in Rome (AP) In a brief statement, the Holy See said Francis and Mr Erdogan discussed the Middle East with particular reference to the status of Jerusalem, highlighting the need to promote peace and stability in the region through dialogue and negotiation, with respect for human rights and international law. The pope and Erdogan previously met in Turkey in 2014. The Vatican communique issued on Monday made no mention of the widespread international criticism of Turkeys human rights record, including the arrests and firings of tens of thousands of Turkish citizens after a failed coup in 2016. The Vatican said Mr Erdogan and Francis also discussed Turkeys reception of the many refugees and the challenges linked to this. Turkey agreed to try to hold back the flood of refugees trying to reach Europe as part of a three billion euro deal with the European Union. The state-run Anadolu Agency said Mr Erdogan and Francis also expressed the need to avoid provocative statements that link Islam with terrorism. Referring to Jerusalem in December, Francis emphasised that the city is sacred to followers of Christianity, Judaism and Islam and prayed that no new elements of tension would be added to a world already suffering many conflicts. The Maldives government has declared a 15-day state of emergency as the political crisis deepened over a stand-off between the president and the supreme court in the Indian Ocean nation. A surprise supreme court ruling last week ordering the release of imprisoned opposition leaders has led to growing turmoil, with the president lashing out at the court, opposition protests spilling into the streets of the capital, Male, and soldiers in riot gear deployed to the parliament building to stop MPs from entering. The extent of the emergency order is not immediately clear. President Yameen Abdul Gayoom said on state television: During this time, though certain rights will be restricted, general movements, services and businesses will not be affected. Exiled former president Mohammed Nasheed Mr Yameens main political rival is among the people who were ordered released by the court. Mr Yameen, in a letter to the court released by his office earlier on Monday, said the order had encroached on the powers of the state and was an infringement of national security and public interest. He urged the court to review the concerns of the government. Officials said the court had not properly responded to a series of letters citing problems with implementing the order, including that the cases against the political prisoners are at different legal stages. A supreme court statement on Sunday said there are no obstacles in implementing the ruling and that this has been informed to the prosecutor generals office. The supreme court ruled that the politicians guilty verdicts had been politically influenced. The ruling has led to protests by opposition supporters urging the government to obey the order. The United Nations and several foreign governments, including the United States, have urged the Maldives to respect the court order. Mr Nasheed has been living in exile in the UK since 2016 after being granted asylum when he travelled there on medical leave from prison. In addition to ordering the release of the political prisoners, the court also reinstated 12 MPs who had been ousted for switching allegiance to the opposition. When those MPs return, Mr Yameens Progressive Party of the Maldives will lose its majority in the 85-member parliament, which could result in the legislative body functioning as a rival power to the president. Known for its luxury tourist resorts, the Maldives became a multi-party democracy 10 years ago after decades of autocratic rule by the current presidents half-brother, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. But the nation lost much of its democratic gains after Mr Yameen, who has maintained a tight grip on power, was elected in 2013. He had been set to run for re-election this year virtually unopposed, with all of his opponents either jailed or exiled. On Friday, Mr Nasheed said he would mount a fresh challenge for the presidency this year. Mr Nasheed was sentenced to 13 years in prison after he was convicted under the Maldives anti-terror laws. The trial was widely condemned by international rights groups. The political crisis in the Maldives has deepened as the government of the island nation said it would not obey a supreme court order to free a group of imprisoned opposition leaders. The surprise judicial ruling last week has led to an increasingly tense stand-off between the supreme court and the government of President Yameen Abdul Gayoom. Protests have spilled into the streets of the capital, Male, and soldiers in riot gear have been deployed to the parliament building to stop MPs from meeting. Legal affairs minister Azima Shakoor said the government does not believe that the supreme court ruling to release the political prisoners can be enforced. Expand Close Guilty verdicts against several people, including former president Mohamed Nasheed, were found to have been politically influenced (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Guilty verdicts against several people, including former president Mohamed Nasheed, were found to have been politically influenced (AP) She explained the decision by saying that the supreme court had not acted on a series of government letters, saying there were numerous challenges to implementing the ruling. On Sunday, a supreme court statement said that there are no obstacles in implementing the ruling and releasing political prisoners and that this has been informed to the Prosecutor Generals office. There was no immediate comment from Mr Yameens main rival, exiled former president Mohammed Nasheed, who is among the prisoners ordered freed. The supreme court ruled that the political leaders guilty verdicts had been politically influenced. The ruling has led to protests by opposition supporters urging the government to obey the order. The United Nations and several foreign governments, including that of the US, have urged the Maldives to respect the court order. Mr Nasheed has been living in exile in the UK since 2016 after being granted asylum when he travelled there on medical leave from prison. Expand Close Protesters have gathered in the capital (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Protesters have gathered in the capital (AP) In addition to ordering the release of the political prisoners, the court also reinstated 12 MPs who had been ousted for switching allegiance to the opposition. When those MPs return, Mr Yameens Progressive Party of the Maldives will lose its majority in the 85-member parliament, which could result in the legislative body functioning as a rival power to the president. Known for its luxury tourist resorts, the Maldives became a multi-party democracy 10 years ago after decades of autocratic rule by the current presidents half-brother, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. But the nation lost much of its democratic gains after Mr Yameen, who has maintained a tight grip on power, was elected in 2013. He had been set to run for re-election this year virtually unopposed, with all of his opponents either jailed or exiled. On Friday, Mr Nasheed said he would mount a fresh challenge for the presidency this year. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison after he was convicted under the Maldives anti-terror laws. That trial had been widely condemned by international rights groups. Residents in the Syrian town of Saraqeb, Idlib province were hit by a suspected chlorine gas attack overnight. Rescue workers in the area told The Associated Press that civilians and three of their volunteers have been injured, suffering suffocation and choking. Local media are reporting up to 20 people dead, but this has yet to be confirmed by authorities. The suspected attack occurred one day after an al-Qaeda offshoot claimed responsibility for the downing of a Russian fighter jet. Syrian rebels shot down the Russian warplane on Saturday and killed its pilot on the ground after he ejected from the plane, Russia's defence ministry and Syrian rebels said. Strikes The SU-25 came down in an area of northern Idlib province that has seen heavy air strikes and fighting on the ground between Syria's government forces backed by Russia and Iran, and rebel groups opposed to President Bashar al-Assad. Syrians opposed to Assad see Russia as an invading force they blame for the deaths of thousands of civilians since Moscow joined the war on the side of the government in 2015. The U.S. State Department said it had seen reports about the incident and allegations that the United States provided missiles to groups in Syria. "The United States has never provided MANPAD missiles to any group in Syria, and we are deeply concerned that such weapons are being used," said State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert. "The solution to the violence is a return to the Geneva process as soon as possible and we call on Russia to live up to its commitments in that regards." The Russian plane was shot down over the town of Khan al-Subl near the city of Saraqeb, close to a major highway where the Syrian army and Iranian-backed militias are trying to advance, a rebel source said. Although the Russian pilot escaped the crash, he was killed by rebels who had tried to capture him, the source said. Authorities investigate the scene of the fatal Amtrak train crash in Cayce, South Carolina. Photo: AP Two people died when an Amtrak passenger train slammed into a freight train parked on a side track in South Carolina. It was the third deadly wreck involving Amtrak in less than two months but the company has pointed the finger at the owner of the CSX freight train. The Silver Star was on its way from New York to Miami with nearly 150 people aboard about 2.45am when it ploughed into the CSX train at an estimated 100kmh, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster said. The crash happened at a switchyard about 16km south of Columbia. The governor said investigators had yet to determine how the Amtrak train ended up on that stretch of track. "The CSX was on the track it was supposed to be on," Mr McMaster said. The National Transportation Safety Board has sent investigators. Amtrak engineer Michael Kempf (54), of Savannah, Georgia, and conductor Michael Cella (36), of Orange Park, Florida, were killed, Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher said. Mr McMaster said 116 people were taken to four hospitals. The main trauma hospital in the area had three patients in critical or serious condition, with the rest treated for minor injuries such as cuts, bruises and whiplash, said Dr Steve Shelton, Palmetto Health director of emergency preparedness. The locomotives of both trains were left crumpled, the Amtrak engine on its side. One carriage in the middle of the Amtrak train was snapped in half. "It's a horrible thing to see, to understand the force involved," Mr McMaster said after touring the scene. Expand Close Authorities investigate the scene of the fatal Amtrak train crash in Cayce, South Carolina. Photo: AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Authorities investigate the scene of the fatal Amtrak train crash in Cayce, South Carolina. Photo: AP The area has three rows of tracks, and the freight train was parked on a "loading track or a side track" and "not the main track," Mr McMaster said. "The first engine of the freight train was torn up, and the single engine of the passenger train is barely recognisable." Control Amtrak said it was "deeply saddened" by the deaths. It said CSX owned and maintained the area where the crash occurred. Expand Close Injured passengers were taken to a local school for shelter while they awaited transportation. REUTERS/Randall Hill / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Injured passengers were taken to a local school for shelter while they awaited transportation. REUTERS/Randall Hill "CSX controls the dispatching of all trains, including directing the signal systems which control access to sidings and yards." Officials said that about 22,000 litres of fuel leaked as a result of the collision, but it was under control and no threat to public safety. Many passengers were asleep when the train began shaking violently and then slammed to a halt, said passenger Derek Pettaway. "You knew we'd hit something or we'd derailed," he said. Elliot Smith told 'The State' newspaper of Columbia that he was staying with a friend when they heard what sounded like a propane tank exploding. "The sound was so loud, you instantly knew it was bad," he said. Mr Smith said he and his friend saw passengers limping along the tracks, while others tried to get everyone out of the carriages. Amtrak officials gathered up luggage and other belongings and within hours put passengers on buses to their destinations. Before being sent on their way, those who were not hurt were taken to a shelter set up at a middle school, and local businesses provided coffee and breakfast. "We know they are shaken up. We know this is like nothing else they have ever been through. So we wanted to get them out of the cold, get them out of the weather," sheriff's spokesman Adam Myrick said. Last Wednesday, a chartered Amtrak train carrying Republican members of Congress to a strategy retreat slammed into a rubbish truck at a crossing in rural Virginia, killing one person in the truck and injuring six others. On December 18, an Amtrak train ran off the rails along a curve during its inaugural run south of Tacoma, Washington, killing three people and injuring dozens. It was going nearly 120kmh, more than twice the speed limit. A key former foreign policy adviser to Donald Trump's presidential campaign reportedly boasted in a letter dated from August 2013 of his high-level Kremlin contacts. The correspondence, obtained by 'Time' magazine, was written to an editor of an academic publication with whom he was in disagreement over an unpublished manuscript. In it, Carter Page wrote: "Over the past half year, I have had the privilege to serve as an informal adviser to the staff of the Kremlin in preparation for their presidency of the G20 summit next month, where energy issues will be a prominent point on the agenda." The unnamed editor said that Mr Page's views on Russia were notably different from those of other scholars. "He wanted to make the argument that we needed to look more positively at Russia's economic reforms and Russia's relationship with central Asia," the editor said. Mr Page's letter was penned two months after he was interviewed by the FBI, which feared Russian intelligence services were attempting to recruit him. Mr Trump's defenders have always played down Mr Carter's role in the campaign team, saying he overstated his position as well as his Russian contacts. But on Friday, he was thrust back into the spotlight with the release of the classified memo detailing the FBI's successful attempts to get a secret warrant to monitor his movements. John Brennan, the former director of the CIA, last night called the memo's release by Republicans "appalling" while accusing Devin Nunes, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, of "abusing" his power. The memo suggested that a politically motivated FBI and Department of Justice did not tell the full truth to a special court when seeking a surveillance warrant against Mr Page. Mr Brennan said the Republican politician selectively released information to accuse law enforcement officials of acting improperly. He also played down the importance of the dossier written by Christopher Steele, a former British spy, saying it was never a factor in the intelligence community's assessment that Moscow interfered in the 2016 election. "It's just appalling and clearly underscores how partisan Mr Nunes has been," Mr Brennan said in interviews on US TV. "He has abused the chairmanship of [the Intelligence Committee]." Mr Brennan led the CIA from 2013-17 and oversaw the investigation that concluded Russia had attempted to interfere in the election. The findings were disregarded by Mr Trump. The release of the memo has raised concerns that Mr Trump will use it as grounds for firing Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, who oversees the special counsel probe investigating Mr Trump's ties to Russia. ( Daily Telegraph, London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] A Palestinian has stabbed an Israeli man to death at a bus stop near a West Bank settlement before fleeing the scene, officials said. The Israeli military said an army officer chased the assailant after the stabbing at a bus stop near the entrance to Ariel, hitting the attacker with his vehicle, but the culprit managed to get away. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the Israeli man died as a result of the stabbing wounds shortly thereafter. Israeli media reported that the Palestinian was armed with two knives, and identified the stabbing victim as a father of four. Channel 2 News aired footage from the scene showing the attacker crossing a busy road and then lunging at the man, taking him by surprise. The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered his condolences and said security forces are currently chasing the murderers. Last month, an Israeli was killed in a drive-by shooting near a settlement outpost in the West Bank. Palestinians seek the West Bank, which Israel captured in the 1967 war, as part of their future state. Most of the international community views Israeli settlements there as illegal and an obstacle to peace. Israel said the fate of settlements must be resolved through negotiations. There has been a spike in Palestinian violence since US president Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital on December 6. The move sparked outrage across the Muslim world, where it was seen as the US taking Israels side on the most contentious issue of the decades-old conflict. Palestinian demonstrators have clashed with Israeli troops in the West Bank and along the Gaza-Israeli border, and 19 Palestinians have been killed in the violence since Mr Trumps announcement. A Palestinian has stabbed an Israeli man to death at a bus stop near a West Bank settlement before fleeing the scene, Israeli officials said. The military said an army officer chased the assailant after the stabbing at a bus stop near the entrance to Ariel, hitting him with his vehicle, but the attacker got away. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the Israeli man died from stab wounds shortly after. Israeli media identified the victim as Itamar Ben Gal, a 29-year-old father of four. Channel 2 News aired footage from the scene showing the attacker crossing a busy road and then lunging at the man, taking him by surprise. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered his condolences and said security forces are currently chasing the murderers. Last month, an Israeli was killed in a drive-by shooting near a settlement outpost in the West Bank. Palestinians want the West Bank, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war, as part of their future state. Most of the international community views Israeli settlements there as illegal and an obstacle to peace. Israel says the fate of settlements must be resolved through negotiations. There has been a spike in Palestinian violence since President Donald Trumps December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital. The move sparked outrage across the Muslim world, where it was seen as the US taking Israels side on the most contentious issue of the decades-old conflict. Palestinian demonstrators have clashed with Israeli troops in the West Bank and along the Gaza-Israeli border, and 19 Palestinians have been killed in the violence since Mr Trumps announcement. In this courtroom sketch, Salah Abdeslam, right, and Soufiane Ayari, left, appear at the Brussels Justice Palace (Petra Urban via AP) The only surviving member of the Islamic State cell that attacked Paris in November 2015 has refused to rise for a Belgian court or answer questions about his actions. Salah Abdeslam is on trial in his hometown of Brussels on charges of attempted murder over a police shootout. A man who covered for his getaway with a spray of automatic gunfire during the shootout was killed. Abdeslams escape was short-lived he was captured on March 18 2016, in the same area where he and many of his Islamic State fighter colleagues grew up. Abdeslam arrived in the Belgian capital on Monday after being transferred from a prison in France. Security was high at the Brussels courthouse, with armed guards and multiple checkpoints leading to the courtroom. He is being tried alongside a second defendant, Sofiane Ayari, in relation to the shootout. The judges questions on Monday were oriented towards establishing which of the two had also fired on officers. Asked why he was refusing to stand, Abdeslam said: Im tired, I did not sleep. Abdeslam, now wearing a full beard and longer hair than in pictures released before he was arrested, was flanked by masked guards and refused to answer questions beyond a few formalities. I do not wish to respond to any questions. I was asked to come. I came, he said. I defend myself by keeping silent. Muslims are judged and treated without pity, there is no presumption of innocence. Im not afraid of you, Im not afraid of your allies. I place my faith in Allah. Abdeslam has previously refused to speak to investigators in France about the attack there that killed 130 people in November 2015. Days after his capture, extremists struck in Brussels. In total, 162 people died in the two attacks. The trial relates to the 2016 shooting in Brussels, some four months after the Paris attacks. Abdeslam and two suspects were hiding in an apartment when police arrived for a routine search. Three officers were wounded in the shootout that followed and one suspect was killed. Abdeslam was captured a few days later in the flashpoint Brussels neighbourhood of Molenbeek. Guillaume Denoix de Saint Marc, a member of V-Europe, a victims association, said: We want to see what elements will be provided in order to have a better understanding of this series of events and terror attacks, in France and in Belgium. This trial is one of the pieces of a global puzzle which will answer some of our questions. But at the same time, we expect to be very disappointed and to learn nothing. Ryanair has reported rising third-quarter profits but warned of further disruption to flights as it thrashes out deals with unions across Europe. The Irish carrier booked a 12% increase in net profit to 106 million euros (93.5 million) in the three months to December 31. Revenues rose 4% to 1.4 billion euros while passenger numbers rose 6% to 30.4 million during a period in which Ryanair was forced to cancel flights after mismanaging pilots annual leave. The debacle, which affected 700,000 passengers, came alongside pilot strike action. Ryanair has since pledged to increase pilot pay by 20% and beef up its cabin crews, a move that will see staff costs rise by an additional 45 million euros (39.7 million) this year. The airline also agreed to recognise the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa), the trade union representing pilots. But Ryanair warned on Monday: As we finalise union discussions along similar lines to that agreed in the UK, we expect some localised disruptions and adverse PR so investors should be prepared for the same. Expand Close Ryanair cancellations / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ryanair cancellations The group also pointed to European airline consolidation and bankruptcies such as Monarch, Air Berlin and Alitalia which, it said, are providing more growth opportunities in the UK, Italy and Germany in particular. Boss Michael OLeary said: We are pleased to report this 12% increase in profits during a very challenging third quarter. Following our pilot rostering failure in September, the painful decision to ground 25 aircraft ensured that punctuality of our operations quickly returned to our normal 90% average. While union recognition may add some complexity to our business and may cause short-term disruptions and negative PR, it will not alter our cost leadership in European aviation, or change our plan to grow to 200 million traffic per annum by March 2024. The group also announced a 750 million euro (661.3 million) share buyback and maintained its full-year profit guidance in the range of 1.4 billion euros (1.24 billion) to 1.45 billion euros (1.28 billion). A weekend-long snowstorm in Moscow has delayed flights, cut power supplies to nearby villages and even prompted authorities to call a snow day a highly unusual occurrence in the frost-resistant Russian capital. The Meteorological Office said on Monday that more than a months average fell on Moscow over the weekend, with the height of snow now reaching up to 55 centimetres (22 inches) in some parts of the capital. Expand Close Children ride inflatable rings in Moscow (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr /AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Children ride inflatable rings in Moscow (Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr /AP) In a city where school is rarely ever cancelled, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said parents were not expected to take children to school on Monday. More than 60,000 households in regions around Moscow were left without electricity over the weekend but the power supply was restored by Monday. The Maldives government has declared a 15-day state of emergency as the political crisis deepened in the Indian Ocean nation amid a bitter stand-off between the president and the Supreme Court. Hours after the emergency was declared, soldiers forced their way into the Supreme Court building, where the judges were believed to be taking shelter, said Ahmed Maloof, an opposition member of parliament. Soon after that, security forces arrested opposition leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on charges including bribery and attempting to overthrow the government, his lawyer Maumoon Hameed said. .@PoliceMv have arrested Pres. @maumoonagayoom on charges of bribery of MPs, attempted bribery, & attempting to unlawfully overthrow the government. Police have also informed Pres. Maumoon that after their search of his residence, he will be taken to Dhoonidhoo Custodial Jail. Maumoon Hameed (@maanhameed) February 5, 2018 Mr Gayoom was the archipelago nations president from 1978 to 2008 and is the half brother of the Maldives current president. A surprise Supreme Court ruling last week ordering the release of imprisoned opposition leaders has led to growing turmoil, with President Yameen Abdul Gayoom lashing out at the court, opposition protests spilling into the streets of the capital Male, and soldiers in riot gear deployed to the parliament building to stop legislators from meeting. The emergency decree gives the government sweeping powers to make arrests, search and seize property and restrict freedom of assembly, officials said. The government did not immediately comment on soldiers going inside the building or Mr Gayooms arrest but the presidents main rival, who lives in exile, urged people not to obey what he called an unlawful order. Expand Close Maldives defence soldiers patrol on the main street of Male (AP/ Mohamed Sharuhaan) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Maldives defence soldiers patrol on the main street of Male (AP/ Mohamed Sharuhaan) This declaration is unconstitutional and illegal, former president Mohamed Nasheed, the countrys first democratically elected leader, said in a statement. He was one of the opposition leaders the court ordered freed. In a statement issued after the state of emergency was announced on state television, Mr Yameen said: During this time though certain rights will be restricted, general movements, services and businesses will not be affected. In a letter to the court released by his office, he said the order had encroached on the powers of the state and was an infringement of national security and public interest. He urged the court to review the concerns of the government. Officials said the court has not properly responded to a series of letters citing problems with implementing the order, including that the cases against the political prisoners are at different legal stages. A Supreme Court statement on Sunday said: There are no obstacles in implementing the ruling and that this has been informed to the Prosecutor Generals office. Expand Close Mohamed Nasheed (Dave Thompson/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mohamed Nasheed (Dave Thompson/PA) The Supreme Court ruled that the politicians guilty verdicts had been politically influenced. The ruling has led to protests by opposition supporters urging the government to obey the order. Clashes have erupted between police and the opposition supporters, and soldiers occupied the parliament building to stop legislators from entering. The United Nations and several foreign governments have urged the Maldives to respect the court order. Mr Nasheed has been living in exile in the UK since 2016 after being given asylum when he travelled there on medical leave from prison. In addition to ordering the release of the political prisoners, the court also reinstated 12 lawmakers who had been ousted for switching allegiance to the opposition. When those legislators return, Mr Yameens Progressive Party of the Maldives will lose its majority in the 85-member parliament, which could result in the legislative body functioning as a rival power to the president. Syrian government forces and their Russian allies have stepped up attacks on rebel-held areas, killing at least 23 civilians east of Damascus and striking at hospitals and residential buildings in the northwestern Idlib province, opposition activists claim. The assault on Idlib, the last rebel-held province in Syria, has intensified in recent weeks but reached a new ferocity after militants shot down a Russian Su-25 near the town of Saraqeb over the weekend. Russia has waged a punishing aerial campaign against Syrias armed opposition since intervening in the civil war on the side of its ally, President Bashar Assad, in 2015. The al Qaeda-linked Levant Liberation Committee, which is the strongest militant group in Idlib, said its fighters shot down the Russian jet and killed its pilot after he ejected from the plane and landed on the ground. Russias Defence Ministry confirmed the attack, saying preliminary information indicated the plane was shot by a portable ground-to-air missile in an area held by al Qaeda militants. Russian #ASF Commander-in-Chief Col. Gen. Sergei Surovikin told about exploit by Russian pilot Maj. Roman Filipov fallen in #SYRIA https://t.co/Jg8gpt8MNF pic.twitter.com/hvIDA7fbBw NN NN (@mod_russia) February 5, 2018 Government forces have also stepped up operations against rebel-held suburbs near Damascus known as eastern Ghouta. Opposition activists said government airstrikes killed at least 23 civilians in the area on Monday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said waves of airstrikes hit at least five neighbourhoods in the eastern Ghouta, the only remaining rebel stronghold near the capital, Damascus. The town of Arbeen was struck by 15 airstrikes, and airstrikes killed six people in Hazeh. The activist-run Ghouta Media Centre also reported that 23 were killed. The Observatory says at least 70 have been wounded and that the number of casualties is likely to climb as rescue operations are under way. An estimated 400,000 people live in eastern Ghouta, which is besieged by government forces. In Idlib, a hospital in the town of Kafranbel was bombed early on Monday, according to the activist-run Edlib Media Centre and the Observatory. Another hospital, in Maaret al-Numan, was struck three times late on Sunday and put out of service, according to the Syrian American Medical Society, which runs the facility. Booker boss Charles Wilson will head up Tescos UK business following the supermarkets 3.7 billion takeover of the wholesaler. The appointment of highly-regarded Mr Wilson will see current UK and Ireland boss Matt Davies, who joined Tesco in 2015, leave the group in April 2018 after a handover period. Tesco group chief executive Dave Lewis said: I am delighted Charles will be joining the Tesco board and executive committee. He brings substantial commercial and retail experience and has an exceptional track record of increasing performance and driving growth in customer-focused businesses. Charles is ideally suited to lead the UK & ROI business for the combined group in the next phase of our turnaround. The retail veteran will receive a base salary of 575,000 per year and an annual bonus opportunity of up 200% of that sum, as well as an annual performance share plan opportunity of up to 225% of his pay. Mr Wilson began his career in 1986 with Procter & Gamble, after which he held roles at OC&C Strategy and Abberton Associates. In 1998 he became an executive director at Booker before taking the top job in 2005. Expand Close Tesco and Booker merger / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tesco and Booker merger In December Tesco, which is undergoing a turnaround under Mr Lewis, got the green light from the competition watchdog for its takeover of Booker. Tesco has more than 3,000 stores across the UK, while Londis and Budgens owner Booker is the countrys largest wholesaler. It supplies more than 5,000 stores under the Premier, Londis, Budgens and Family Shopper brands, as well as thousands of independent retailers and caterers. A raft of rival wholesalers have raised concerns that the deal could see Booker benefit from improved supplier terms, making it difficult for them to compete. They argued that this could eventually kill competition and see Booker raise prices to the shops it supplies. But the CMA said Booker would be able to negotiate better terms from its suppliers for some of its groceries, and that it was likely to pass on these savings to the shops it supplies. Tesco also said on Monday that the groups trading performance is in line with expectations and it expects to deliver at least 1.575 billion in operating profit for the full year. President Donald Trump has lashed out at the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, a day after Democrats and Republicans said the president was wrong to assert that a GOP-produced classified memo on FBI surveillance powers cleared him in the Russia investigation. The House intelligence panel plans to meet on Monday afternoon and is expected to consider whether to release a Democratic rebuttal memo. The committee rejected that move last week, with one Republican member saying revisions were needed so the memo would not endanger national security. President Trump would decide whether to release the memo if it contains classified information. A White House official said that the administration would consider releasing the Democratic memo, subjecting it to a similar review process as the Republican memo. The Senates Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, has urged President Trump to back the public release and said that refusing to do so would show the presidents intent to undermine the Russia investigation. Mr. President, as a matter of fundamental fairness, after the release of the #NunesMemo, the Democratic memo spearheaded by @RepAdamSchiff should be immediately released. pic.twitter.com/ykXmHvqDrC Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 4, 2018 Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating possible collusion between the Trump 2016 presidential campaign and Russia as well as whether there have been efforts to obstruct the investigation. House Speaker Paul Ryan has said he supports the release of the Democrats memo, if sensitive intelligence information is removed. President Trump strode into the debate Monday on Twitter, saying: Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped! Expand Close Rep Adam Schiff (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rep Adam Schiff (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) Mr Schiff has branded the GOP memo a political hit job and has questioned whether the chairman, Rep Devin Nunes, had coordinated with the White House in drafting the document seized on by the president to vent his grievances against the nations premier law enforcement agencies. The goal here is to undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI, discredit the Mueller investigation, do the presidents bidding, Mr Schiff said. I think its very possible his staff worked with the White House. Quite the opposite, Mr. President. The most important fact disclosed in this otherwise shoddy memo was that FBI investigation began July 2016 with your advisor, Papadopoulos, who was secretly discussing stolen Clinton emails with the Russians. https://t.co/2rGOE1jGg2 Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) February 3, 2018 Mr Nunes was asked during a January 29 committee meeting whether he had coordinated the memo with the White House. As far as I know, no, he responded, then refused to answer when asked whether his staff members had communicated with the White House. He had previously apologised for sharing with the White House secret intelligence intercepts related to an investigation of Russian election interference before talking to committee members. US president Donald Trump has traded insults with the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, a day after Democrats and Republicans said Mr Trump was wrong to assert that a classified memo on FBI surveillance powers had cleared him over the Russia investigation. Mr Trumps attack on California congressman Adam Schiff came before a meeting of the House intelligence panel, where the committee is expected to consider whether to release a Democratic rebuttal memo. Democrats are seeking to push back on the Republican document, which questions methods used by the FBI apply for a surveillance warrant on a Trump campaign associate. On Twitter, Mr Trump called Mr Schiff one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, adding that he must be stopped. Mr Schiff quickly shot back that: Instead of tweeting false smears, the American people would appreciate it if you turned off the TV and helped solve the funding crisis, protected Dreamers or really anything else. The committee did not release the Democratic memo last week, with one Republican member saying revisions were needed so the memo would not endanger national security. Key Democrats are seeking to put out the document, including the Senates Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, who urged Mr Trump to back the public release and said that refusing to do so would show the presidents intent to undermine the investigation into Russian election interference. Mr Trump would need to sign off on the memo if it contains classified information. A White House official said if the Democratic memo made it out of the committee, the administration would consider releasing it, subjecting it to a similar review process as the Republican memo. Mr. President, I see youave had a busy morning of aExecutive Time.a Instead of tweeting false smears, the American people would appreciate it if you turned off the TV and helped solve the funding crisis, protected Dreamers or...really anything else. https://t.co/lVqQRu2Gjl Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) February 5, 2018 House Speaker Paul Ryan has said he supports the release of the Democrats memo, if sensitive intelligence information is removed. Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating possible collusion between the Trump 2016 presidential campaign and Russia as well as whether there have been efforts to obstruct the investigation. Mr Trump tweeted over the weekend that the memo totally vindicates Trump in probe even as the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on. But that statement was not backed by Republican committee members who appeared on the Sunday talk shows. Representatives also said the memo should not impede Mueller. Mr. President, as a matter of fundamental fairness, after the release of the #NunesMemo, the Democratic memo spearheaded by @RepAdamSchiff should be immediately released. pic.twitter.com/ykXmHvqDrC Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 4, 2018 Utah representative Chris Stewart said: I think it would be a mistake for anyone to suggest that the special counsel shouldnt complete his work. I support his work. I want him to finish it. I hope he finishes it as quickly as possible. Mr Schiff branded the Republican memo a political hit job and has questioned whether the chairman, Devin Nunes, had coordinated with the White House in drafting the document seized on by the president to vent his grievances against the nations premier law enforcement agencies. The Democrat said: The goal here is to undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI, discredit the Mueller investigation, do the presidents bidding. I think its very possible his staff worked with the White House. American troops have started to draw down from Iraq following Baghdads declaration of victory over Islamic State (IS) last year, according to officials. In Baghdad, an Iraqi government spokesman confirmed that the drawdown has begun, though he stressed it is still in its early stages and does not mark the beginning of a complete pullout of US forces. Dozens of American soldiers have been transported from Iraq to Afghanistan on daily flights over the past week, along with weapons and equipment, western contractors based in Iraq said. Reporters at the Al-Asad base in western Iraq said they witnessed troop movements reflecting the contractors account. Coalition spokesman Col Ryan Dillon said: Continued coalition presence in Iraq will be conditions-based, proportional to the need and in coordination with the government of Iraq. Iraqi government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi said: The battle against Daesh (IS) has ended, and so the level of the American presence will be reduced. Mr al-Hadithi spoke just hours after reports of the American drawdown the first since the war against IS was launched more than three years ago. One senior Iraqi official close to Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said 60% of all American troops currently in country will be withdrawn, according to the initial agreement reached with the US. The plan would leave a force of about 4,000 US troops to continue training the Iraqi military. A Pentagon report released in November said there were 8,892 US troops in Iraq as of late September. America first launched air strikes against IS in Iraq in August 2014. At the time the military intervention was described as limited, but as Iraqs military struggled to roll back the extremists, the US-led coalitions footprint in the country steadily grew. The drawdown of US forces comes just three months ahead of national elections in Iraq, where the indefinite presence of American troops continues to be a divisive issue. Mr al-Abadi, who is looking to remain in office for another term, has long struggled to balance the often competing interests of Iraqs two key allies: Iran and the United States. While the US has closely backed key Iraqi military victories over IS such as the retaking of the city of Mosul, Iraqs Shia-led paramilitary forces with close ties to Iran have called for the withdrawal of US forces. The prime minister has previously stated that Iraqs military will need American training for years to come. The Iraq drawdown also follows the release of the Pentagons National Defence Strategy, which cited Chinas rapidly expanding military and an increasingly aggressive Russia as the US militarys top national security priorities. Without leisure, a civilised life is impossible. Without leisure we are sunk in barbarism, thats the essence of the new book The Pleasures of Leisure by Robert Dessaix, award winning author from Australia. Dessaix was in Kolkata recently to participate in the Apeejay Literary Festival and spoke to Ranjita Biswas about his thoughts on leisure and travel Why this book on leisure? You see people today working harder, running around to save enough money and hoping to enjoy leisure after retirement. But they dont know how to do it. Theres no balance, either in Australia or Kolkata-if I may say so. Either people are over-worked or some dont work and dont understand the value of leisure. There should be both in a well-balanced way. What is good leisure according to you? Loafing. Nesting. Playing. Loafing can be walking, travelling, learning a new language, taking a siesta without feeling guilty about wasting time. Sometimes doing nothing and let yourself be at peace, happy to converse with your inner being. Nesting you can enjoy with a compatible partner at home. Playing may be different for different people but basically, it means enjoying something that you like. Hobbies, for instance. Why do you say without leisure life is impossible? Life without leisure is mechanical, soul-less. Enjoying leisure makes you enjoy freedom. Among other books, you have written on travel. How do you look at travel as a leisure activity? I travel to a place because I want to be there. But I must find the place interesting to enjoy it. For example, while walking along Chowringhee I find Kolkata interesting- the people, noise, everything -though I find the roads today much more congested than in my previous visits. I find Darjeeling interesting and have written about it in the book. Khajuraho is interesting too. For me its not necessarily have to be big cities, or a particularly famous tourist destination to write abou. Like Goa, which I found too commercialised. What do you feel is good travel writing? I consider books that talk about how people feel, how they relate to a place are interesting to read. In short, containing a humanising experience that a reader can discover and relate to, and not just the tourist spots. How do you look at a place when you visit, and write about it? I try to feel the pulse of the place. When I go to Rome, I already know about its history, the Renaissance paintings, Vatican etc. etc. but how is Rome today? What makes it tick? There is an inner life, a soul, even to a city or place. Can I touch it, even if a little, I ask myself. Whats your take on the social network phenomenon? Isnt it a new boulevard, a place to meet? Social media has made people more isolated. It was created to make people connect with each other but instead has made them disconnected and distant. I liked visiting the Indian Coffee House in Kolkata where people were animatedly discussing something or the other, face to face. Does the social media offer it? With one sweep of a finger, its finished and done. Why do you say young people today are getting colonised? I see most of the young generation today, whether in Australia or elsewhere, following a certain way of lifestyle, a homogenisation of tastes led by America. They talk about the same songs, cinema or like to eat the same kind of food. What do I call it but cultural colonisation? Kolkata, Feb 5 (IBNS): Former chief of the Indian army staff India, General Shankar Roy Chowdhury(Retd), on Sunday said India in 2018 is not the same as it was in1962. Gen. Chowdhury made the comment while speaking on India China relations on the occasion of the launching of a book Shadow of the Dragon and Recent Developments by journalist Amalendu Kundu at the Calcutta Club. Geography cant change, Gen. Chowdhury pointed out, and India would have to co-exist with China as a neighbour. We have to compete, contain but if necessary we also have to confront China. The former chief of the army staff assured that there was nothing wrong with India militarily. At the level of the soldier, the officer, the commander or the field commander, there is no problem. But, I dont know what is happening at the level of higher command or at the political level. But it was necessary for India to build its economy, an area where China had excelled over India, he added. Gen. Chowdhury said the policy-makers in Delhi had always paid more attention to the western border. The east has always been distant from Delhi. But, all these were now changing, General Roy Chowdhury assured. The Look East Policy was an instance, though this had come in confrontation with the One Belt One Road project of China. Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy has said China had no intention of invading India and making it a colony. It wants to keep the pot boiling and keep India on its toes so that India cant devote its entire energy in economic development. Roy also pointed out that the present problem is a result of a long period of negligence by Indian decision makers of the past. Former Director General of Police of Sikkim RK Handa, who had also served as the senior police official in Darjeeling in the days of Gorkhaland movement of Subash Ghisingh, said the Gorkhaland movement was aided by the Congress government in Delhi in those days to put the Jyoti Basu government in West Bengal government in trouble. But Jyoti Basu, an astute politician that he was, did not allow Bengal to be divided again. The agitation leaders in Darjeeling should be told there cant be a Gorkhaland state there, Handa said. Amalendu Kundu, who has spent a lifetime in journalism in Sikkim, recalled the way the contemporary history of Sikkim had unfolded in front of his eyes. The book, published by Poets Foundation, is divided in three sections: India-China relations, the Gorkhaland agitation in Darjeeling and the situation in Sikkim. Besides the main author Amalendu Kundu, there are contributions from writers from different walks of life. Jammu, Feb 5 (IBNS): A youth has been injured as the Army opened fire at the protesters in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, media reports said. The injured youth has been identified as Arif Ahmad Lone. An eyewitness told media that the Army had opened fire after they were pelted with stones by few youth. Lone was rushed to hospital immediately. He was hit by a bullet in his mouth, report added. Bengaluru, Feb 5 (IBNS): Priyank Kharge, the IT minister of Karnataka, took to the microblogging site Twitter to counter Prime Minister Narendra Modi who addressed a large gathering in Bengaluru on Sunday evening, according to media reports. Priyank Kharge is the son of veteran Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge, the party's floor leader in the Lok Sabha. Tweeting under #NammaKarnatakaFirst, on Sunday, he said, "Welcome to Karnataka Sri. @narendramodi We will be happy to help you understand the Karnataka Model of Development better so that it can be replicated across the country. We are quite ahead in most of the sectors." Karnataka #1 in startup funding, with a whopping number of 366 deals and $7.5 Bn funding in 2017. #StartupIndia should partner with us, & not follow Gujarat Model of Development, We can help the nation in innovation & invention.#NammaKarnatakaFirst Priyank Kharge (@PriyankKharge) 4 February 2018 In another tweet on Sunday, Priyank Kharge said, "Karnataka #1 in startup funding, with a whopping number of 366 deals and $7.5 Bn funding in 2017. #StartupIndia should partner with us, & not follow Gujarat Model of Development, We can help the nation in innovation & invention." While PM Modi tweeted, "Path breaking decisions with regard to more MSP for farmers and Ayushman Bharat will bring a qualitative change in the lives of India's hardworking farmers and those who cannot afford quality healthcare. NDA Government is fully committed to furthering 'Ease of Living' for all." Kharge countered the PM by saying, "Farmers are TOP PRIORITY, says PM and he changes the definition of drought in NDRF which ensures that nothing is declared as drought struck. Does @BJP4Karnataka agree to the new norms of NDRF? Please let us know. . #MahaMosaModi #KarnatakaTrustsModi." Matter of another 3 months @BJP4Karnataka , you will be asleep for another 5 years. No princes from Gujarat can kiss you and wake you up. https://t.co/ndkXZUBIaC Priyank Kharge (@PriyankKharge) 4 February 2018 When the state BJP tweeted on its official handle, "Ever sleeping @siddaramaiah will have sleepless nights after PM Shri @narendramodi's rally. The message coming out of this rally is simple, #KarnatakaTrustsModi" --- Kharge tweeted in reply, "Matter of another 3 months @BJP4Karnataka , you will be asleep for another 5 years. No princes from Gujarat can kiss you and wake you up. The war on the microblogging site appeared to be spreading fast among the present and former chief ministers too. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tweeted, "I welcome PM @narendramodi aaaa to Namma Karnataka - the no. 1 state in investments,innovation & progressive policies. Through a unique model of development, we have scripted several national firsts across key sectors. I am confident that Karnatakas success makes India proud." Former state CM and currently the state BJP president, B. S. Yeddyurappa, tweeted in reply, "Thanks for the welcome CM @siddaramaiah avare! Yes. Karnataka indeed has scripted several firsts - No.1 Corrupt State, 3,500+ farmer suicides, collapse of law & order, mysterious deaths of officers, transfers of honest officials, crumbling infra of Bengaluru." As the Karnataka state Assembly elections loom large on the horizon, it seems the battle of words across social media is set to get stronger. New Delhi, Feb 5 (IBNS): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah made his debut speech in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, according to media reports. Shah highlighted the achievements of his party and said that BJP is the first government to come to power at the Centre in 30 years yet it formed the government with its allies. He said that his party has done 'historic work', with '50 achievements in three years'. He said the BJP government is for the poor and the weaker sections of society. He highlighted how the Swachh Bharat Mission, unlike schemes of the previous governments, has built toilets for the people, especially women, who do not have to go out in the open any more to relieve themselves. Shah said that his government acknowledged that 'employment and jobs are an area of concern' but he put the blame on the Opposition -- mainly the Congress -- and said, "It tells directly of the job you did. This is the result of the so-called work you have done," according to media reports. "I want to ask the Congress what exactly they think they are doing? You say one thing in parliament, another in the state assemblies, and yet another In GST council meetings," said Shah during his speech. In a retort to an earlier jibe by Congress at PM Modi when the latter had said that if a person sells 'pakodas' and takes home Rs 200 every evening, "will it be considered employment or not?" -- Shah said that it was better to sell pakodas than go jobless, according to media reports. He said that the money from GST is being spent towards 'providing financial security to the soldier on the border, to the poor for their gas subsidy, towards electrifying homes of those who have never seen electricity in their homes'. "It is my humble appeal to you all that the GST is going to take India forward leaps and bounds," said Shah in the Rajya Sabha. He said that it was his government that turned One Rank One Penison (OROP) into a reality. On a day the country is mourning the death of four Indian soldiers following a cease fire violation along the India-Pakistan border, Shah, in his maiden RS speech said that his government 'has given the armed forces the power it needs to stand up to threats'. "After the surgical strikes, India showed to the world that after the United States and Israel, India is the only country that can go to any extent to protect its armed forces and its people. The world has taken notice and views India in a very different light today<" said Shah. He spoke about his government's keenness to implement the Triple Talaq Bill. In the morning, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned until two pm following protests by the Opposition over various issues, according to media reports. Image: RSTV Newe Delhi, Feb 5 (IBNS): Following the maiden speech by BJP president Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, in his speech said that the BJP government has been renaming schemes that had been started by the earlier Congress-led UPA government, according to media reports. He said that the former Jan Awshadi Scheme has been renamed as the Prime Minister's Jan Awshadi Scheme while the National Child Programme, started by the UPA government in 2008, was renamed the Beti Bachaao Programme. Azad said that the Modi government has failed to live up to its promises made in 2014 wherein the BJP had promised 50 per cent profit on their produce, media reported. He also said that it was promised that petrol, diesel and gas prices would be reduced. "Gas cylinders that used to cost Rs. 300 earlier, now cost Rs. 800," said the senior Congress leader. Rupees 550 crore have been spent only on publicising schemes, after an RTI was filed, said Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad in the Rajya Sabha, according to media reports. Criticising the BJP government over its policies regarding security and safety for women, Azad said that the UPA government 'was sensitive enough to bring a strict law in place during the Nirbhaya case and said the current BJP government was not doing the same'. "Nobody knows repackaging better than the BJP government," the media quoted Azad as saying on Monday at the Rajya Sabha. Guwahati, Feb 5 (IBNS): Assam police will grill nine more officials of Assam Civil Service (ACS), Assam Police Service (APS) and other allied service on February 7 in connection with the cash-for-job scam of Assam Public Service Commission (APSC). A top police said that the Dibrugarh Police had already summoned the officials and asked them to appear at the headquarters of Assam Police Special Branch (SB) at Kahilipara in Guwahati on February 7. The government officials are Avisikha Baruah (ACS), Rituraj Gogoi (ACS), Joydev Mahanta (ACS), Kaushik Kalita (APS), Sanjan Phukan (ACS), Debabrata Dey (APS), Satyajit Sarkar (Assistant Employment Officer) and Abhishek Borbora (Inspector of Excise). Police had already arrested 27 officials of ACS, APS and other allied services in connection with the scam. Among the arrested officials, the Assam government had sacked three officials and rest were suspended. The investigating team had accessed the forensic report of several answer scripts, which were earlier seized from the APSC office in Guwahati. We have already identified few more officials after receiving the forensic report and would likely to be asked them to appear before the investigating team, the top police official said. The top official of Assam police said that apart from it, police had also identified at least 12 middlemen for their involvement in the cash-for-job scam. Sacked chairman of APSC Rakesh Pauls brother Rajib Paul, Sudip Das, Mrigen Saikia and Mofidul Islam are among the middlemen, who are presently absconding. The entire scam came to light after the Dibrugarh police had arrested an engineer named Naba Kanta Patir from Upper Assams Dibrugarh district after they caught him red handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 10 lakh from a lady doctor to provide a secured government job on October 27 in 2016. Following the incident, the Dibrugarh police had registered a case and arrested then chairman of APSC Rakesh Paul from Guwahati and later few more persons including former members of APSC Samedur Rahman, Basanta Doley, Pabitra Kaiborta, Musharaf Hussain, Mabud Ali Choudhury, three ACS officers Bhaskarjyoti Dev Sharma, Bhaskar Dutta and Amit Sharma. On August 31 last year, the Gauhati High Court had granted bail to 10 accused persons including three Assam Civil Service (ACS) officials, who were arrested in connection with the cash-for-job scam of Assam Public Service Commission (APSC). (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Guwahati, Feb 5 (IBNS): Two Assam Rifles troopers were injured in twin blasts in Imphal, Manipur on Monday. According to the reports, the first blast took place near a security tent while the second at BT road at Polo ground in Imphal. The injured security personnel were rushed to a hospital. Both are reported to be out of danger. More reports are awaited. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) New Delhi, Feb 5 (IBNS): After Shiv Sena and Telegu Desam Party (TDP), another NDA ally Shiromani Akali Dal on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), media reports said. SAD leader Naresh Gujral said he has full support to the TDP which had alleged the Union budget 2018 had little allocation for Andhra Pradesh. Gujral was quoted by media: "Complaints of the TDP are genuine. When Andhra Pradesh was created it was to be given a special status, this was promised to them on the Floor of the House. This is now being denied. We are with the TDP on this issue." He even alleged that the present BJP is showing arrogance being in alliance which former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee didn't. Shiv Sena has already announced that it will go solo in the 2019 General Election. However, the Sena will not leave the coalition government in Maharashtra now which is run with the support of the saffron party. "Prevent Unauthorized Transactions in your demat / trading account Update your Mobile Number/ email Id with your stock broker / Depository Participant. 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The site provides comprehensive and real time information on Indian corporates, sectors, financial markets and economy. On the site we feature industry and political leaders, entrepreneurs, and trend setters. The research, personal finance and market tutorial sections are widely followed by students, academia, corporates and investors among others. A bill to authorize keno games in Arizona has drawn objections from the Navajo Nation , Capitol Media Services reports. At a January 31 hearing , an attorney for the tribe said SB1059 would violate the exclusivity provisions of the Class III gaming compact, according to the report. The agreements specifically treat keno as a Class III game. A violation of the compact could lead to tribes withholding revenue sharing payments to the state. In the last quarter alone, they shared $15.5 million, according to the Arizona Department of Gaming . More than $1.3 billion has been shared since 2004. The concerns prompted the bill's sponsor to withdraw it for the time being, Capitol Media Services reported . But Sen. Sonny Borrelli (R) is still interested in pursuing the idea, according to the report. Borrelli was behind a similar keno bill last year. Tribes raised objections to that one too, The Arizona Republic reported at the time. "Gaming has been one of the very few economic activities that has succeeded in Indian country. It has created tens of thousands of jobs," said Bernadine Burnette, the president of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and the chairwoman of the Arizona Indian Gaming Association , The Republic reported. "It has allowed us to provide services to our tribal members that we could never have afforded before." The keno games would be run by the Arizona Lottery if SB1059 becomes law. Read More on the Story: State-run keno game hits snag (Capitol Media Services February 2, 2018) Join the Conversation The conservative Argus Leader newspaper sent a journalist to He Dog school in November to do a story on an initiative established through a grant, to increase Lakota language and culture in the classroom. The article was released last month and upset many people. I viewed the article as another example of poverty porn. Lakota people have been subject to poverty porn for years. When wasicu reporters try to write authentic Lakota news reports, the result is often poverty porn. A classic example of poverty porn was the Dateline episode that Diane Sawyer did at Pine Ridge a few years back. Wasicu reporters and journalists cant share a genuine Lakota perspective on any topic. They are not Lakota. These news stories are the result of wasicu journalists being called upon to write our stories. Personally, I was offended that a wasicu reporter was allowed into my community school to do such a negative report on the work being done there. Those of us who work in the journalism field wonder why Lakota reporters are overlooked when it comes to writing news articles on Lakota students attending schools on Indian reservations. Its another example of how we are invisible to mainstream society and oftentimes, our own people who live off the reservation. There are many educated, capable Lakota journalists in South Dakota. Im sure were all wondering why one of us wasnt commissioned to write this story. Vi Waln, a journalist and publisher of Sicangu Scribe , an independent news outlet based on the Rosebud Reservation , discusses a familiar topic to many in Indian Country. What happens when the non-Native media comes to your community? Read More on the Story: Vi Waln: We Must Write Our Own Stories (Sicangu Scribe February 4, 2018) Join the Conversation Next time, you feel that hunger pang gnawing at your insides while you try to keep your mind off of a McDonald's meal, give in. Next time, when your mouth drools over the magnificence of McDonald's fries and you try to wash it down with water, don't. Because according to a new study, the crispy crunchies can now cure baldness apart from satisfying your insatiable bellies. A bunch of Japanese scientists has regrown hair on mice thanks to a simple technique which uses human stem cells, reports the Daily Record. afp Also read: McDonald's Customers Face Health Hazards If They Eat At East And North India Outlets The technique helped them grow new follicles from the stem cells which were capable of producing hair. Within days, the mice had reportedly grown hair on their backs and scalps. The secret ingredient which helped the scientists produce hair on mice was Dimethylpolysiloxane - a chemical used in McDonald's fries. The chemical is added to the food to prevent cooking oil from foaming. According to the scientists, the reason it worked for growing hair was that it allowed oxygen to pass through it. The scientists are now hopeful that their breakthrough will help people suffering from hair loss. getty images/miami.com Also read: McDonald's In Hot Water, East India Outlets Closed, Several In North May Shut Shop Soon Professor Junji Fukuda, of Yokohama National University, said, "This simple method is very robust and promising. We hope this technique will improve human hair regenerative therapy to treat hair loss such as androgenic alopecia." Oh science, thou art amazing. One thing that people (read - aunties) in India love to do is worry about the younger generation getting married and reproducing to populate the next generation. The target of their uncalled for, and idiotic, concerns are desi 'woke' women who are questioned about their life choices every single day. Living life on our own terms, putting career before marriage, not succumbing to set standards of beauty and not following the patriarchal societal norms are a few of the decisions us millennial women are making for ourselves. But clearly, we are hurting the sentiments of our dear, dear aunties, who just want us to settle down in life. Saher, who goes by the name The Pakistani Martha Stewart, is an artist who illustrates the desi girl problems and believe us its the most relatable thing you will find on the internet today. Her Instagram account is full of savage anti-aunty posts and we love, love each one of them. Check out her comics below, and do let us know which ones your favourite. 1. Aunty Gossips We all know those aunts who believe once a woman is divorced, her life is pretty much done and dusted. Well, guess what? Youre wrong, aunty ji. A post shared by Saher (@thepakistanimarthastewart) on Jan 19, 2018 at 8:11pm PST 2. What A Housewife Does In Her Free Time So what if a woman is a housewife? She can cook, she can clean and yeah, she kickbox too. A post shared by Saher (@thepakistanimarthastewart) on Jan 21, 2018 at 9:55am PST 3. The Perfect To-Do List Thats pretty much what women in the 21st century are doing all day, every day. A post shared by Saher (@thepakistanimarthastewart) on Oct 18, 2017 at 7:19am PDT 4. Stop With The Rishtas, Please! Its time we roam around holding a big signboard that says exactly THIS. A post shared by Saher (@thepakistanimarthastewart) on Oct 14, 2017 at 7:17am PDT 5. Enough With The Fat-Shaming We wont take it anymore. Geddit? A post shared by Saher (@thepakistanimarthastewart) on Oct 28, 2017 at 1:55pm PDT 6. When The Decision To Get Married Is Not Yours Can we let a woman choose her life partner herself FFS?! A post shared by Saher (@thepakistanimarthastewart) on Oct 19, 2017 at 11:35am PDT 7. The Unnecessary Wedding Shenanigans Why spend so much money to feed people who will gossip and complain behind your back, anyway? A post shared by Saher (@thepakistanimarthastewart) on Nov 24, 2017 at 9:00am PST 8. Ways Aunties Find To Annoy Us And then there are ways we can shut them up too. A post shared by Saher (@thepakistanimarthastewart) on Dec 4, 2017 at 3:25pm PST 9. Because Only Doctors Are Eligible Bachelors But hey, us girls arent ready to fall into the trap youve set all our lives. A post shared by Saher (@thepakistanimarthastewart) on Dec 7, 2017 at 9:51am PST 10. Argh! The Misogynistic Songs A desi girl wont succumb to these unrealistic beauty standards. You heard us! A post shared by Saher (@thepakistanimarthastewart) on Dec 7, 2017 at 9:43pm PST 11. All The Wonderful Things Aunties Say About Us When nothing works, sarcasm does. A post shared by Saher (@thepakistanimarthastewart) on Dec 12, 2017 at 8:58pm PST 12. Wife Or Maid? Lets clear this, shall we? A post shared by Saher (@thepakistanimarthastewart) on Dec 13, 2017 at 9:04am PST 13. Lower Your Expectations, Darling A desi woke girl will not compromise. A post shared by Saher (@thepakistanimarthastewart) on Dec 13, 2017 at 8:10pm PST 14. Brown And Proud A man should love a woman for who she is and not for her skin colour. A post shared by Saher (@thepakistanimarthastewart) on Dec 14, 2017 at 9:17am PST 15. *Cant Hear Anything, BRB* Dear aunty, question your son, before you question anyone else. Russian air strikes have killed atleast 30 militants in Syria on Sunday, the IANS reported. A Russian jet was shot down and the pilot was killed. "A series of high-precision weapon strikes have been delivered in the area controlled by the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group, which brought down the Russian Su-25 jet by using a portable anti-aircraft missile system in the Syrian province Idlib," Russia's Defense Ministry said. "According to radio intercepts, more than 30 Jabhat al-Nusra militants were killed," Xinhua quoted the ministry as saying. Earlier on Saturday, the ministry said a pilot survived the fighter jet crash but was later killed in a ground fight with terrorists. The pilot had reported earlier that he ejected by parachute in the area, controlled by Jabhat al-Nusra militants. In May 2017, the guarantors of the Syrian ceasefire - Russia, Iran and Turkey - agreed to set up the Syrian de-escalation zones in Syria, which includes Idlib province. While many countries across the world are moving towards automated cars on their roads, India has decided that it will take some time and first make sure that automation does not impact the employment opportunities for its people. AP Union transport minister, Nitin Gadkari, said that the government will not allow driverless cars on Indian roads. "How can we allow such vehicles when we already have huge number of unemployed people?" He also pointed out that there is a shortage of 2.2 million drivers in the country. Gadkari said the decision is taken keeping in mind the millions of driver jobs that might be affected due to automation in the sector. Cab aggregators like Ola and Uber are making money by using our driving skills. If cab aggregators think they can make more money by introducing technology like driverless cars and render people unemployed, the government is not going to allow it. As of now self-driving cars also know as autonomous cars are being tested in countries including US South Korea, Germany and Australia. AP These cars uses a sophisticated system of GPS, infrared and cameras to help the vehicle navigate through the road. A number of tech companies including Google, Tesla and Uber already have prototypes which have undergone rigorous trials, while Apple has also expressed its intention to venture into the field. AP So far the trials have been successful, with just one major crash in 2016, involving a Google car. Other accidents involving Tesla and Uber have remained relatively minor, which has once again established the reliability of these cars. BCCL Even before the government said no to automated cars, former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and Google CEO Sundar Pichai had indicated that India won't be getting automated cars anytime soon, owing to the haphazard roads and chaotic traffic which makes it difficult to navigate for the self-driving cars. The Army said that "it goes without saying" it will retaliate against Pakistan's ceasefire violations yesterday and when it does, "action will speak for itself". "That (retaliation) goes without saying, I think I don't have to say that. Action will speak for itself," said Sarath Chand, Vice Chief of Army Staff, on the Pakistani aggression of yesterday, in which four soldiers were killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri sector. Read more Khap Panchayats Cannot Become 'Self-Appointed Conscience Keepers' Says Supreme Court The Supreme Court (SC) had harsh words for 'khap' panchayats taking the law into their own hands with so-called honour killings, and strongly urged the Centre to protect couples from such 'khap' actions. The apex court also told the 'khaps' they cannot become "self-appointed conscience keepers" when there is a law and there are courts to deal with marriages that may be prohibited by law. Read more Angry Over Having A Girl Child, Andhra Techie Tries To Electrocute Sleeping Wife In a shocking incident, a software engineer from Andhra Pradesh has been arrested for allegedly trying to kill his wife by electrocuting her. The incident which happened on Friday came to light the next day after the woman made a police complaint against her husband. Read more Six Mumbai Men Arrested For Sexually Exploiting Minor Girl For A Year, Three Still On The Run Police in Mumbai's Vile Parle has arrested six people for the alleged sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old girl for a year. According to police, the accused had made a video of her which they used to blackmail her and keep her silent. In her complaint the Class X student said the accused have sexually assaulted her on several occasions since May 2017, when she was studying in Std IX. Read more CCTV Visuals Of Delhi Photographer Killed By Lover's Family Emerges, Shows Him Making Frantic Phone Calls Security camera visuals from the spot where a 23-year-old photographer was stabbed to death by the family of his alleged lover last week in Delhi has now surfaced. The CCTV footage, dated February 1, showing Ankits last few minutes before he was attacked. In the video, Ankit is seen wearing a leather jacket, making frantic phone calls. Read more ISRO's Chandrayaan-2 Mission Ready For Launch, Rover Will Spend 14 Days On Moon Surface Gearing up for its most challenging space mission, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is leaving no stone unturned to make the Chandrayaan-2 mission a success. Unlike the first lunar mission when a PSLV rocket carried the spacecraft to the moon's orbit, this time heavy-payload lifter GSLV Mk II will launch the spacecraft weighing 3,290kg as the module will carry an orbiter, a rover and a lander to the moon. Read more It seems that PM Modi's ambitious plan of providing the country with clean energy his hanging in a state of neglect. According to reports, Solar modules worth more than $150 million are stuck at various Indian ports due to a dispute over their classification and the import tax applicable to them. Modi has set an ambitious target of nearly tripling the country's total renewable energy capacity to 175 gigawatts (GW) by 2022, spurring global firms including Japan's SoftBank and Goldman Sachs to invest in solar projects in the country. According to Reuters, most of the solar modules come from China, but several consignments are now held up because customs officials have demanded that some of them be classified as "electric motors and generators", attracting a 7.5 percent duty, not as "diodes, transistors and similar semi-conductor devices" with no duty. reuters/representational image Two customs officials in the southern port of Chennai confirmed the issue regarding the classification. C Narasimhan, president of the Indian Solar Association, said that up to 2,000 solar module containers are now stranded at four major ports. "Port disruptions like this will hamper the country's progress towards achieving the target of 100 GW in installed solar capacity by 2022," said Narasimhan, a former lawmaker. The Indian unit of Germany's Enerparc had 30 of its containers stuck at Chennai for three weeks as it finished some "paperwork" and paid a demurrage - a charge for failing to discharge the ship on time - of about 7 million rupees ($110,471), its Managing Director Santosh Khatelsal said. reuters/representational image The renewable energy ministry has already asked the finance ministry to resolve the matter without disrupting business, said a government official with direct knowledge of the matter. reuters/representational image "The dispute has the potential to disrupt deployment by increasing the cost of projects but at the same time might protect the domestic manufacturers." The finance ministry is examining a proposal from the renewable ministry to exempt projects bid earlier from paying the duty, the official said. "Life Should Be Big Instead Of Being Long," reads the Facebook description of Captain Kapil Kundu. And he lived true to the word... The 22-year-old from Gurugram was among four soldiers killed in cross-border shelling by Pakistani troops in Rajouri district of Jammu region on Sunday evening. Captain Kapil Kundu was the second Army officer to have died in Pakistani fire in the last 40 days. Captain Kapil Kundu was six days short of his 23rd birthday, a senior Army official said. Apart from Kundu, others who died were identified as riflemen Ram Avtar and Shubam Singh, and havaldar Roshan Lal. Another soldier, Niak Iqbal Ahmed, is being treated for his injuries in hospital. Earlier in the day, two teenagers and a jawan were injured in the Shahpur sector of Poonch district in shelling from across the border. BCCL/Representational Image Rajouri deputy commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudary ordered closure of all 84 schools close to the border, from Sunderbani to Manjakote, for the next three days. Deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh said the administration had already evacuated people to safety. "There is heavy firing and shelling going on along the LoC in my Nowshera assembly constituency," he said. AFP/Representational Image Official sources said the Pakistani army opened unprovoked fire on the Army's 15 J&K Light Infantry posts in the Bhimber Gali sector on Sunday. "The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively, and heavy damage has been inflicted on Pakistani posts," an Army spokesperson said, vowing "a befitting response". In a daring act, a woman in Lucknow managed to save her husband from a deadly assault, thanks to a revolver. In a video tweeted by ANI, the man is seen talking to someone outside his house when a group of men appear on the scene and start beating him up. The man who fell down was assaulted by what appears to be an iron rod by one of the attackers. At this moment, the victim's wife, apparently hearing the commotion outside comes out with a gun. Seeing the woman with a revolver in her hand, the assailants back off and leave the scene in a hurry. Bengaluru police have detained ten students for selling pakoras near Bengaluru's Mekhri Circle, a few metres away from the Palace Grounds, where Mr Modi was to address the BJPs Parivartana rally on Sunday. The students sold Modi pakoras, Amit Shah pakoras and Yeddy pakoras for Rs 10 plus GST, ahead of the PM's address. ANI However, the police took them into custody before the Prime Ministers arrival. Selling pakoras or tea isnt bad, but you dont need degrees for that. The Prime Minister should speak with responsibility, a protester said. ANI The students took up the creative protest in response to the PM's recent comment on job creation. Speaking to a news channel PM Modi had said that someone earning Rs. 200 by opening a "pakora" shop by the street cannot be called unemployed. Twitter Recently, a group of youth from Karnataka for Employment (KFE) had set up pakora stalls in front of the state BJP office. At a time when communal tensions are rife, here is some news that will restore your faith in coexistence and interfaith harmony. Moin Memon, a Muslim man in Ahmedabad, has undertaken renovation of a 500-year-old Hanuman temple. ANI For the past two weeks, Memon, a 43-year-old builder, has devoted almost all his time at the site of 'Bhid Bhanjan Hanuman' temple in Hanuman Gali of Mirzapur area of the walled city of Ahmedabad. He personally oversees workers fixing saffron Italian tiles on the temple's facade. Memon has taken it on himself to shoulder all the expenses of the renovation work to restore the Hanuman temple to its original glory. Memon has steadfastly refused to divulge the cost involved in the good deed. He has received the temple priest Rajesh Bhatt's blessings for his work. ANI "I have grown up seeing the temple in its vibrant glory. I offer namaz five times a day but as I passed by the temple, its dilapidated condition pained me. I contacted the priest, Rajesh Bhatt, and offered to renovate it. He Happily agreed," said Memon. ANI Bhatt, who has offered his services at the Hanuman temple for the past 30 years, said Memon had especially ordered saffron tiles from Italy for the temple's facade. "The restoration work will be over in a week's time. It is a shining example of communal goodwill and brotherhood for the entire country," Rajesh Bhatt, the priest of the temple said. ANI Vrajesh Mehta, priest of the adjoining 'Shri Eklingji Mahadev' temple, says 'Hanuman Dada' must have inspired Memon to renovate the temple without worrying about the money. A new protocol to treat rabid dog bite patients can prove to be a major breakthrough that even the WHO recommends as one of the least expensive therapies in the world, cutting costs by a factor of almost a 100. For a single treatment, the price worldwide was expected to reach just a few dollars. Its a revolutionary treatment that drastically reduces the dose of medicine, Omesh Kumar Bharti, a field epidemiologist with the Himachal Pradesh government, told IANS. He added, so is the cost of treatment that would drastically cut to just Rs 350 ($5.50) from the exiting Rs 35,000 ($545) per patient. The last weeks World Health Organisation (WHO) update on rabies vaccines and immunoglobulins acknowledged the new low-cost treatment protocol established by Bharti, who is working at Intra Dermal Anti-Rabies Clinic and Research Centre of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital here. As per earlier WHO guidelines, a dog or monkey bite victim was administered a vaccine intra-dermally along with rabies immunoglobulins that was injected both in the wound and muscle. The rabies immunoglobulins were calculated as per the patients body weight, which was a costly proposition. Reuters While the vaccine part almost remains the same, the WHO new update involves injecting rabies immunoglobulins only in the wound. The rabies immunoglobulins neutralise the rabies virus in the wound within hours. The omission of rabies immunoglobulins administration intramuscularly would drastically reduce the cost of treatment from Rs 35,000 to Rs 350 per patient and will have a huge impact globally by sparing the overall cost, medicine and thus saving lives, Bharti explained. At present over $1.6 billion are annually spent on the rabies post-exposure prophylaxis across the globe, which is likely to come down to few million dollars as over 90 per cent of this cost is attributed to rabies immunoglobulins to be given as per the earlier WHO protocol that came in 1992. Around 59,000 persons die of rabies globally every year, out of which 20,000 deaths are reported in India alone. Most of these deaths occur due to unaffordability and unavailability of the medicine. The UK is planning to roll out driverless cars on its roads by 2021. British Finance Minister Philip Hammond will announce funding worth 75 million pounds for Artificial Intelligence and driverless vehicles. Also read: NASA Is Helping Uber Build Driverless Flying Taxis, Have Them Buzzing In The Air By 2020 reuters According to the budget released on Sunday, Hammond will announce regulation changes to allow the nation's driverless car industry to roll out the cars within the next three years. As Britain plans to make the switch to zero-emission transport, the people wanting to buy battery-electric cars will also be allowed to access funding. reuters The government estimates Britain's driverless car industry to be worth 28 billion pounds by 2035. Also read: Google's Waymo Is Finally Running Its Driverless Cars On Public Roads With No Safety Driver The UK the government is also planning to shell out 75 million pounds to aid companies developing AI and devote 160 million pounds to developing 5G technology, which the government believes will be necessary for the mass introduction of driverless cars. Self-driving cars are the future of the automotive industry. The thing is, even if your technology is really safe, you still need to convince consumers of that. Thats why Nissan tried to ease people into the technology by building something similar on a smaller scale. They want you to have self-driving slippers. The company developed a set of slippers with its ProPilot semi-autonomous driving technology, and put them into action at a traditional Japanese inn. Located in Hakone near Tokyo, these slippers drive and park themselves at the inns entrance at the push of a button, much to the delight of holidayers. Each slipper has two tiny wheels on the bottom, a motor, and sensors to let it navigate across the inns floor, weaving through tables, cushions and guests. But not content with just that, Nissan also put the technology into the inns tables and pillows as well, so you can watch the places furniture creep around on its own like some sort of weird parody of a ghost haunting. Images courtesy: Nissan In a press release, Nissan says it wanted to entertain guests and reduce staff workload, but its clearly also a promotion for the Nissan Leaf, a fully-electric, semi-autonomous vehicle the company launched lat last year. The self-parking slippers are meant to raise awareness of automated driving technologies, and their potential, non-driving applications, a Nissan spokesman told Reuters. ProPilot is currently only capable of helping keep a driver in their lane or taking over cruise control on highways, but the plan for Nissan is to eventually make all its cars completely autonomous. In the meantime, something like this would at least make sure youd never have get up from the sofa to pick up the TV remote ever again. Time To Worry About A Market Correction? Taurus Trading LLC - Sat Sep 11, 3:00PM CDT Is S&P 500 starting a bigger sell off or just a pull back buy? Pope: Aim to counter fundamentalist violence with schooling AP - Sat Sep 11, 2:51PM CDT VATICAN CITY (AP) Unchecked poverty and ignorance help fundamentalist violence to take hold easily, Pope Francis said as he urged fellow religious leaders and others to counter the phenomenon by promoting... $SPX : 4,458.58 (-0.77%) $DOWI : 34,607.72 (-0.78%) $IUXX : 15,440.75 (-0.77%) Divided over talks with Spain, Catalonia's separatists rally AP - Sat Sep 11, 2:11PM CDT BARCELONA, Spain (AP) Catalan separatists held their first major mass gathering since the start of the pandemic on Saturday, trying to offer a display of unity despite the divisions in their ranks... $SPX : 4,458.58 (-0.77%) $DOWI : 34,607.72 (-0.78%) $IUXX : 15,440.75 (-0.77%) Merkel calls migrant push at EU's border 'unacceptable' AP - Sat Sep 11, 10:41AM CDT WARSAW, Poland (AP) German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday that she found it unacceptable that refugees were being used to apply pressure to Poland and other European Union members on the border... $SPX : 4,458.58 (-0.77%) $DOWI : 34,607.72 (-0.78%) $IUXX : 15,440.75 (-0.77%) Serbs protest against lithium mining, other eco problems AP - Sat Sep 11, 10:15AM CDT BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Several thousand people protested in Serbia on Saturday demanding a ban on planned lithium mining in the Balkan country as well as a resolution to scores of other environmental... $SPX : 4,458.58 (-0.77%) $DOWI : 34,607.72 (-0.78%) $IUXX : 15,440.75 (-0.77%) Grains recover on USDA reports, cattle freefall Sidwell Strategies - Fri Sep 10, 6:12PM CDT Market slippage reassess risk levels No legitimate broker will sell customers motor insurance via the likes of Snapchat, and the City of London Police is making sure everyone gets the memo.With todays launch of its national awareness campaign called Steer Clear of Fraud, the police forces Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) is sending a stern warning against ghost brokers who are jeopardising motorists by letting them think they are adequately covered by what are actually fake policies. It is feared that many are currently driving without valid insurance.Nearly 900 ghost broking cases were referred to Action Fraud, the national fraud and cyber reporting centre hosted by the City of London Police, from November 2014 to October 2017 over 400 of which resulted in action being taken against the offenders following IFEDs probes. This type of fraud cost individuals and organisations alike a reported 631,000 during the period.It is essential that we raise awareness about the issue of ghost broking to stop innocent victims being targeted and to educate those who may consider buying insurance from a disreputable source, noted Ben Fletcher, director of the Insurance Fraud Bureau. We work closely with police and insurers to track all those involved in ghost broking scams in order to bring about charges for those guilty parties.IFED said ghost brokers typically carry out the scam either by forging insurance documents, falsifying the drivers details, or taking out a genuine policy but cancelling it soon thereafter to claim the refund as well as the victims money. The police unit added that likely targets are men aged 20-29, with social media being the most common method to make initial contact.As part of the awareness campaign, leaflets on ghost broking will be available for free through IFEDs dedicated ghost broking website. The department will also use the hashtag #SteerClearOfFraud to inform netizens about how they can protect themselves.Be wary of ghost brokers using only mobile phone or email as a way of contact, warned IFED. Ghost brokers have even been reported using messaging apps, including WhatsApp, Snapchat, and Facebook. Fraudsters dont want to be traced after theyve taken your money.When in doubt, the police advise turning to the Financial Conduct Authority or the British Insurance Brokers Association for a list of authorised insurance brokers. Prospective policyholders may also contact the insurance company directly to verify the brokers details.As well as the personal harm experienced by victims, ghost brokers also cause financial harm to the insurance industry, driving up the cost of insurance premiums for all motorists, said detective chief inspector Andy Fyfe, head of IFED. While an offer of cheap car insurance may seem tempting, falling victim to ghost broking will end up costing you far more in the long run both in terms of money and your licence. A highly significant longevity reinsurance agreement has been signed by two insurance giants on either side of the Atlantic Ocean.The Prudential Insurance Company of America, part of Prudential Financial, is taking on around $1.8 billion of annuity liabilities held by Scottish Widows, part of Lloyds Banking Group.Prudential is privileged to be chosen by Scottish Widows as it seeks to efficiently manage its longevity risk over the coming decades said David Lang, Prudentials lead negotiator for this transaction. With our new partnership, Scottish Widows attains more flexibility for managing longevity risk, trusting that, with PICA, it has chosen a strong counterparty with shared values and a long-term commitment to the longevity risk transfer business.Prudential is seen as a global leader in the pension reinsurance market with more than $45 billion in international reinsurance transactions since 2011 this includes a $27.7 billion deal involving the BT Pension Scheme. Now, Scottish Widows is looking to capitalize on this financial strength.I am delighted to have completed our first longevity reinsurance transaction with Prudential Financial, said Michael Downie, finance director, annuities and investment strategy at Scottish Widows. Their financial strength and long-term commitment to the market was a key consideration for Scottish Widows when selecting a counterparty. Throughout the negotiations, PICA took the time to understand our needs and actively tailored their offering to meet our requirements. Underwriting line-up expanded to meet needs of insureds and brokers Evergreen Insurance and Risk Management has promoted one of its employees to serve as the companys newest vice-president of operations.Joel Kivelevitz, who was most recently account executive for large businesses, was tapped to serve as the new vice-president. His promotion came into effect earlier this month.Kivelevitz has been working at Evergreen for more than five years. As the vice-president of operations, he will be in charge of managing services and account renewals. He will report directly to COO Alan Pollak.This is our most exciting day yet at Evergreen. We have achieved many outstanding accomplishments and marked several milestones, but this one tops them all, said Evergreen president and CEO Izzy Green. This shows that when someone invests heart and dedication into Evergreen, their efforts will be rewarded. It demonstrates that everyone can build themselves a future at Evergreen.When I first joined Evergreen a little over five years ago I was looking to change my career. I sat across the table from Sol and Izzy and I saw and heard their vision and enthusiasm for growing the company. I embraced their vision and accepted the job, commented Kivelevitz.I am not surprised that the company has grown tremendously from its relatively humble size then, as I envisioned that the company would be really big one day. Evergreen is always looking to be up to date; growing, changing and educating themselves to be at the forefront of the industry.One of the main reasons I enjoy working here is that the partners are always open to employee suggestions and ideas and they cultivate a great atmosphere in the office. Evergreen truly values its employees, Kivelevitz added. The epidemic of assignment of benefits (AOB) abuse that has been plaguing Florida for several years is only getting worse, says a new report from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR). The most recent data call of water or roof damage homeowners claims closed between Jan. 1, 2015 and June 30, 2017 shows the frequency of water claims per 1,000 policies has increased 44 percent since 2015 and severity has increased by 18 percent, according to OIR. The report was released by OIR in early January and analyzed detailed information for 144,983 water claims from the top 25 homeowners and dwelling fire writers as of 2015. OIR omitted information in the data call from Citizens Property Insurance Corp., which has borne the brunt of the abuse, stating the state-run insurer of last resort has submitted its own data that has already been examined and reported on. OIR said Southeast Florida has the highest frequency of water losses, and the region experienced a 60 percent increase in water claims frequency during the two-year period. But the highest combined change in frequency and severity occurred in Central West Florida, where there was a 35 percent increase in claim severity between 2015 and 2017, underscoring how the abuse has spread from South Florida to other parts of the state in the last few years. OIR noted that all regions of Florida experienced significant increases in water losses. When water loss claims are coupled with an AOB, the severity of a claim is generally at least 85 percent more, according to OIRs data. Since 2015, OIR found the use of AOBs has increased from 12.8 percent of water claims to 17 percent of water claims. OIR concluded in its report that the increase in both the frequency and severity of water losses, the rising use of AOBs, and the acceleration of those trends over the last several years is resulting in tangible consumer harm. Absent any intervening changes in the way AOBs are being used today, it is expected that these trends will continue to deteriorate, the report states. Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier took the release of the data call report as an opportunity to stress the need for lawmakers to enact reform during the 2018 Florida Legislative Session. Without a legislative remedy, this problem will lead to an increase in homeowners insurance premiums and lack of consumer choice as insurers stop writing or renewing policies in areas with high water losses, he said. Lawmakers are weighing AOB reform options in the current legislative session, which ends on March 9. Topics Legislation Claims Florida Homeowners The Mississippi Insurance Department (MID) and the Mississippi Collision Repair Association have partnered to protect residents from buying cars damaged by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Officials say thousands of flood-damaged vehicles have made their way out of Texas, Louisiana and Florida and into Mississippi to be eventually sold to buyers who are unaware they were damaged, according to a statement from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). Many of the cars have been sold to unscrupulous dealers or dismantlers who clean them up, retitle them and sell them for a quick profit. Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney said the biggest threat is from cars that were not insured for flood damage. While those insured cars may show up in NICBs VINCheck database, the ones that didnt have insurance are likely to be sold by the original owner for a few hundred dollars and then cleaned up and retitled by an unscrupulous dealer who will resell it for a few thousand dollars with no indication that the vehicle suffered any flood damage, said Chaney. MID and repair shops that are members of the states Collision Repair Association are working together to offer free inspections for car buyers. John Mosely of Clinton Body Shop and the Mississippi Collision Repair Association said its members can check cars to verify they have not been in a flood. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Auto Flood Hurricane Mississippi Mississippis insurance commissioner is pushing a bill to strip a tax subsidy and authority from the states insurer of last resort for hurricane-prone coastal residents. Commissioner Mike Chaney says the Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting Association, known as the wind pool, spends too much on backup insurance. The move would bolster his authority in his dispute with the board that runs the pool. Chaney said the measure will make premium increases less likely on the pools 25,000 policyholders in six coastal counties. Customers there pay $1,700 on average to cover only wind and hail. The number of policies has been falling in recent years, in part because rates are deliberately kept high to encourage property owners to buy insurance from other carriers. Policies in the pool ballooned after 2005s Hurricane Katrina as traditional insurers balked at covering coastal risks. House Bill 948 requires Chaneys approval before the pool can buy more backup coverage, known as reinsurance, above a certain level. Chaney said hes been imploring the board that runs the pool to buy less reinsurance for years. The pool spent $38.4 million last year to buy enough coverage to cover $910 million in losses. Chaney said his office will release an audit on how much reinsurance the board buys and what it pays. He added Alabamas pool paid only $15 million in 2017 for roughly the same amount of insurance. Pool manager Joe Shoemaker said that if the pool were to run out of money after a severe hurricane, insurance customers across the state would be forced to make up the shortfall. Shoemaker said the pool board wants to avoid such an assessment. The bill also requires the pool to self-insure at least $100 million in risk, using the $250 million the pool has built up from premiums and public subsidies. Chaney said that will allow the pool to spend less on reinsurance in years without a storm. Shoemaker said that would deplete the pools reserve if a hurricane strikes. The bill would also divert $3 million yearly in insurance fees that have been subsidizing the pool since after Hurricane Katrina to help buy rural fire trucks. Topics Hurricane Reinsurance Mississippi The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts (SJC) has ruled two former board members and investors in a limited liability company are not liable for failing to pay the LLCs former president, in a case that the SJC called quite unusual and removed from the core concerns of the Wage Act. The case, Andrew Segal vs. Genitrix, LLC, & others, was brought by plaintiff Andrew Segal, former president of Genitrix LLC, against defendants H. Fisk Johnson III and Stephen Rose, two former Genitrix board members and investors. The Massachusetts SJC concluded in the case that the defendants are not liable for failing to pay wages owed to Segal because they were company officers who had limited agency authority. Segal was the only officer having the management of the company and chose not to pay himself for a period of time as a result of the companys financial difficulty. The Massachusetts Wage Act In Massachusetts, The Wage Act requires employers to compensate their employees for earned wages. An employer who violates the Act may be sued by the affected employees. Section 148 of the Act defines employer as a person having employees in his [or her] service. For corporations, these include the president and treasurer of [the] corporation and any officers or agents having the management of such corporation, in addition to the corporation itself. The statute does not include board directors or investors in its definition of employer. The provision also indicates two requirements: the defendant must both be an agent and have the management of the company, according to the SJC document. Although an employee may always sue the president and treasurer of a company for unpaid wages, the Massachusetts SJC stated, the plaintiff in this case is the president and sole officer of the corporation and the only person identified as responsible for Wage Act violations. Genitrix Background The case comes after representatives for Johnson initially contacted Segal about investing in his cancer research in 1997, and Segal and Johnson agreed to form a biotechnology startup. Genitrix was then established as a Delaware limited liability company headquartered in Boston, with Segal serving as president and CEO and Johnson providing initial funding. Stephen Rose was a representative for Johnson and spoke to Segal on Johnsons behalf during their negotiations over the formation of the company. Segal transferred his intellectual property rights to the company in exchange for a substantial equity interest. Johnson also received a substantial equity interest in return for his initial investment in the company. Johnson served on the board for the companys first year. Rose was appointed as one of Johnsons board representatives in 1999 and remained a Johnson board member until the companys dissolution. As a condition of Johnsons investment in the company, he required Segal to sign an employment agreement with Genitrix. The agreement stated Segal would serve as the president and CEO of the company, responsible for conducting the companys business, research and development and managing its finances and other administrative matters, subject to board authority. The agreement also specified Segals salary for the first two years of his employment. Afterward, his salary was to be determined by a 75 percent vote of the board. The employment agreement identified Johnson as a third-party beneficiary and authorized him to enforce the companys rights under the terms of the agreement. In 2003, Johnson began funding Genitrix through Fisk Ventures LLC, an entity owned by Johnson and Rose. Fisk became the largest shareholder of Genitrix. As the president and sole officer, Segal was responsible for all day-to-day operations. He supervised the laboratory, directly managed human resources, was in charge of fundraising and generating new capital and handled the companys payroll. As the only person at the company with authority to sign checks on the Genitrix bank accounts, he wrote checks for employee wages. When Genitrix began using a company called Paychex to handle its payroll, Segal still had to order each payroll individually, including for himself. However, he needed board approval for several actions, including material personnel practices or policies, hiring and firing employees earning $45,000 or more, setting compensation for officers and employees other than himself and acquiring debt or equity in the company, the SJC document said. Financial Difficulties On March 23, 2006, Segal informed the board that the company was running out of funds to pay its employees. He told the board it would need to lay off at-will employees the company could not afford to pay in order to avoid liability under the Wage Act. At the start of 2007, Genitrix was still short on money and struggling to make payroll. Because of this, Segal stopped taking his salary in January 2007. He testified that he did this to help the company afford to pay Elihu Young, its last remaining employee other than Segal. Segal explained that he was put in a position where he felt it was necessary not to pay himself, the SJC document said, adding that Segal later suggested this to the board. Johnsons board members eventually agreed to lay off Young. When Young left, he closed the companys laboratory. Months after he left Genitrix, Young threatened to bring a Wage Act claim against the company for outstanding unpaid wages. In March 2008, after Rose directed Fisk to invest enough money in Genitrix to compensate Young for his unpaid wages, Young signed an agreement releasing Genitrix, its board members and its agents from liability. Rose did not, however, direct Fisk to invest money in Genitrix toward Segals salary. Dissolution of the Company As a result of the companys financial condition, Rose filed a petition for the judicial dissolution of Genitrix on behalf of Fisk in June 2007. The petition was filed in Delaware, where Genitrix was incorporated. Segal was a named party to the Delaware dissolution proceeding because he was still the president of the company. For the next two years, Segal opposed the dissolution. In July 2007, he brought counterclaims in that proceeding against the defendants for breach of the LLC agreement, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, breach of fiduciary duties and tortious interference with his employment agreement. Segal did not bring a Massachusetts Wage Act claim in those particular proceedings. As the dissolution proceedings continued, Segal did other work as president, including paying patent annuity fees and protecting the work associated with those patents, securing directors and officers insurance and making necessary tax filings, the SJC document said. Segal testified that he continued to work for the company during this time despite no longer taking a salary because he thought he would eventually get paid. He believed when the company sold its patents, that money would be used to pay him, at least in part, the SJC document said. Segal Files Suit In early 2009, Segal filed suit against Rose and Johnson in Massachusetts under the Wage Act for unpaid wages from 2007 to 2009. The defendants moved for summary judgment in the suit, and a Massachusetts Superior Court judge granted the motion in 2013 after finding the defendants did not have the management of the company. The Massachusetts Appeals Court then reversed and remanded the grant of summary judgment on the Wage Act claim, with the jury finding both defendants individually liable under the Wage Act. On appeal, the defendants argued there was insufficient evidence to find Wage Act liability. The defendants moved for judgment notwithstanding the verdict and a new trial. Both motions were denied, and the defendants appealed. Supreme Judicial Court Decision While Segal had significant officer and agency authority, the defendants had limited express agency authority, the Massachusetts SJC document stated. Additionally, Segal was given responsibility to manage the finances and the payroll and made the decision not to pay himself, the document added. Because of this, the Massachusetts SJC concluded the agency authority in this case was insufficient to make the defendants individually or collectively liable under the Wage Act. With this in mind, the SJC reversed the denial of the defendants motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict and remanded to the Superior Court for entry of judgment for the defendants. Topics Massachusetts Worldwide Facilities has announced the opening of a new location in Boston, Mass., and hired Mike McNally and Todd Pollock to the office as senior vice presidents. Worldwide Facilities is a national wholesale insurance broker and managing general agent that has been in business since 1970. McNally brings 14 years of experience in the property and casualty practice to his new role. Previously, he oversaw the Northeastern property and casualty operations at Keating. His areas of expertise include construction, environmental, life sciences and transportation. Pollock is a 23-year veteran in the insurance industry with a specialization in the workers compensation field. He started his career at EBI Companies as a sales underwriter before being promoted to sales and underwriting manager. In 2001, Pollock entered into the wholesale world, joining the PMC Insurance Group as a workers compensation broker. Prior to joining Worldwide Facilities, Pollock was with Keating, where he served as president and managing partner of workers compensation and created a new division called Keating Comp. Source: Worldwide Facilities Topics Workers' Compensation Independent insurance broker ONI Risk Partners (ONI) has hired Mike Loveless as a commercial risk adviser in ONIs Fort Wayne, Indiana, office. ONI is a full-service insurance agency delivering commercial, employee benefits, and personal insurance products and services to families and businesses. Loveless most recently worked for JPMorgan Chase as a branch manager. He brings an established track record of educating and advising clients about a wide range of products and then customizing a plan to protect their most valuable assets and manage their risk effectively. At ONI, Loveless focuses on the identification, assessment, and management of the overall impact and cost of risk to his mid-to-large commercial clients to help improve their bottom line. ONI Risk Partners became part of the Prime Risk Partners family in 2016. Source: ONI Risk Partners Topics Mergers Commercial Lines Business Insurance Indiana Male rats exposed to very high levels of the kind of radiation emitted by cellphones developed tumors in the tissues around their hearts, according to a draft report by U.S. government researchers on the potential health risks of the devices. Female rats and mice exposed in the same way did not develop tumors, according to the preliminary report from the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP), a part of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The findings add to years of research meant to help settle the debate over whether cellphone radiation is harmful. Although intriguing, the findings can not be extrapolated to humans, NTP scientists and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Friday. They noted that the animal studies were meant to test extreme exposures to cell phone radiation, and that current safety limits on cellphone radiation are protective. However, the two 10-year, $25 million studies the most comprehensive assessments of health effects and exposure to radiofrequency radiation in rats and mice to date do raise new questions about exposure to the ubiquitous devices. In the studies, about 6 percent of male rats whose entire bodies were exposed to the highest level of cell phone radiation developed schwannomas a rare type of tumor in nerve tissue near their hearts, while there were no schwannomas in animals that were not exposed to radiation. The intriguing part of this is the kind of tumors we saw were similar to tumors noted for quite some time in some epidemiological studies in heavy duty cellphone users, John Bucher, a senior scientist with NTP, said in a telephone interview. Of course, these were in the nerves in the ear and next to the brain, but the tumor types were the same as we saw in the heart. Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, noted that the studies were negative for common tumors. These draft reports are bound to create a lot of concern, but in fact they wont change what I tell people: the evidence for an association between cellphones and cancer is weak, and so far, we have not seen a higher cancer risk in people, he said in a statement on Twitter. Brawley said if cellphone users are concerned about this data in animals they should wear an earpiece. Unlike ionizing radiation such as that from gamma rays, radon and X-rays, which can break chemical bonds in the body and are known to cause cancer, radiofrequency devices such as cellphones and microwaves emit radiofrequency energy, a form of non-ionizing radiation. The concern with this type of radiation is that it produces energy in the form of heat, and frequent exposure against the skin could alter brain cell activity, as some studies have suggested. In the NTP study, rats and mice were exposed to higher levels of radiation for longer periods of time than what people experience with even the highest level of cellphone use, and their entire bodies were exposed all at once, according to the draft report. Bucher said the effect likely only showed up in the male rats because they were larger, and likely absorbed more radiation than the female rats or mice. Cellphones typically emit lower levels of radiation than maximum levels allowed, the draft report said. Cellphone radiation quickly dissipates, so the risk, if any, would be to areas of the body in close proximity to the device emitting the radiation, Bucher said. He said the findings are intended to help inform the design of future cell phone technologies. The study looked at only 2G and 3G frequencies, which are still commonly used for phone calls. It does not apply to 4G or 5G, which use different frequencies and modulation, he said. NTP, a part of the National Institutes of Health, will hold an external expert review of its findings on March 26-28. Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, head of the FDAs radiological health division, said there is not enough evidence to say cellphone use poses health risks to people. Even with frequent daily use by the vast majority of adults, we have not seen an increase in events like brain tumors, he said in a statement. We believe the current safety limits for cellphones are acceptable for protecting the public health. Asked what the public should take from the study, Bucher said, I wouldnt change my behavior based on these studies, and I havent. Nevertheless, the findings are potentially a concern for device makers, especially the worlds three biggest smartphone sellers, Apple Inc., Koreas Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Chinas Huawei Technologies. The CTIA, the trade association representing AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc., Apple Inc., Sprint Corp., DISH Network Corp, and others, said on Friday that previous studies have shown cellphone RF energy emissions have no known heath risks. We understand that the NTP draft reports for its mice and rat studies will be put out for comment and peer review so that their significance can be assessed, the group said. Samsung and Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Bill Berkrot and Caroline Humer in New York, David Shepardson in Washington and Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Susan Thomas and Diane Craft) Topics USA Medical Professional Liability Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc., a property and casualty insurance holding company, has appointed Kirk H. Lusk as its chief financial officer. Until April 28, 2018, Lusk will serve as co-chief financial officer with Steven Martindale, the companys current CFO. Martindales contract expires on April 28, 2018, and he intends to pursue financial consulting opportunities. Martindale will remain involved with the company and has been appointed to its board of directors, upon which time Lusk will transition to sole CFO of the company. Lusk joined the Heritage team on Nov. 30, 2017, when it acquired NBIC Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Narragansett Bay Insurance Co. (NBIC). He served as CFO for NBIC since January 2013, providing financial oversight and developing operating and financial strategic plans to advance NBICs overall business objectives. He has over 20 years of finance and insurance experience working as an underwriter, controller and CFO. Prior to NBIC, Lusk served as International chief financial officer of Aetna, Inc., CFO of Alea Group Holdings Bermuda Ltd., and CFO of GE Employers Reinsurance Corporation Global Casualty and GE According to Bruce Lucas, Heritage chairman and CEO, Lusk was instrumental in managing NBICs financial operations and his experience at large insurance carriers will help the company as it continues to evolve as a superregional insurer. Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc. is a property and casualty insurance holding company headquartered in Clearwater, Fla. Its subsidiaries, Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Zephyr Insurance Company and NBIC Holdings, Inc., write personal and commercial residential premium through a large network of experienced agents in Florida, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, and also in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island with the recent acquisition of Narragansett Bay Insurance Company, headquartered in Rhode Island. Topics Florida Property Casualty The latest tally of January fire fatalities has the Tennessee State Fire Marshals Office (SFMO) urgently renewing its call that residents turn their focus to fire prevention during the high-risk winter months. SFMO data as of Feb. 2 indicated that 15 fatal fires caused 20 fatalities in Tennessee during January 2018, making it the third-deadliest month for fire deaths since 2010 (December 2016 had 24 deaths; January 2010 had 21 deaths), the office said in a statement. The numbers could rise further once all January fire incident reports have been received. Historically, January leads all other months in residential fires, heating fires and fatal fires in Tennessee. While fire safety efforts are important all year long, winter brings more fire-related tragedies in Tennessee than any other season and this winter had an especially deadly start, said State Fire Marshal and Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. With two more months of winter still ahead, we are urging Tennesseans to follow safety precautions in order to avoid common winter fire hazards and help prevent fire-related deaths. The brutally cold weather the state has experienced this year has played a significant role in elevating the fire death toll. In Tennessee, nearly half (46.8 percent) of all fatal fires occur between November and February. When the temperature drops below 32 degrees, Tennesseans are 40 percent more likely to have a home fire than if it were above 32 degrees. For temperatures below 15 degrees, Tennesseans are twice as likely to have a fire. While all data has not been gathered, heating fires are believed to be a major contributing factor for the increase in fires and fire deaths. SFMO data indicates that 37.7 percent of fatal heating fires may have been caused by electric space heaters. The second leading possible source of ignition was wood stoves at 23 percent. Tennesseans can help avoid the devastation of a heating fire by remembering a few simple safety tips, said TDCI Deputy Commissioner Gary West. Always turn off portable space heaters when leaving a room, test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure theyre working, practice a home fire escape plan with your family, and always close the door behind you if you have to escape a fire. To reduce fire deaths, the SFMO coordinates a monthly fire fatality team meeting to review fatal fire incidents, identify trends, and discuss ways to prevent the incidents from reoccurring. In addition, the SFMO works with local fire departments to offer free door-to-door smoke alarm installations as part of its successful Get Alarmed program. Source: Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance, State Fire Marshals Office Topics Tennessee Should full frontal lobotomies be required of Silicon Valley engineers looking to change jobs? Uber Technologies Inc. has said with a touch of hyperbole that thats what the future holds if Waymo wins its lawsuit accusing the ridesharing giant of stealing trade secrets by hiring engineers who worked at the Alphabet Inc. unit. Jurors will have to weigh a complicated distinction: Did the self-driving hardware that engineers developed at Uber come from trade secrets stolen from their former employer, or did they just rely on know-how they internalized at Waymo and had every right to keep in their brains? Are they actually trade secrets? Thats what the jurys going to have to decide, U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco told prospective jurors at the start of the selection process Wednesday. Uber vehemently denies the claims, the judge said, and argues by the way, these arent trade secrets anyway. The judge plans to give jurors instructions to help navigate the law, and hes worried aloud about what he calls the employee mobility problem, though he did tell Uber lobotomies wont be the answer. The freedom to move between competing companies has long been a source of conflict in the technology sector, and Alsup noted at a pretrial hearing that Silicon Valley and the rest of the technical world out there in the United States is very interested to know how we balance these competing factors here. Waymo is seeking almost $2 billion in damages and a court order blocking its competitor from continuing to use the technology in dispute. The companies are part of a fierce race to market driverless technology, estimated to be worth hundreds of billions of dollars a year in revenue. Opening arguments begin Monday, and the trial is expected to be thick with allegations of backstabbing plots, greed and grudges. Witnesses will include Travis Kalanick, the voluble co-founder of Uber who was forced out as its chief executive officer in June, and Alphabets reclusive chief, Larry Page, who rarely speaks publicly. Anthony Levandowski, the engineer accused of spiriting thousands of proprietary files from Waymo to Uber, also will be called to testify, even though he has remained mostly silent since the case was filed. If he chooses to stay quiet, Levandowski will be required to assert his constitutional right against self-incrimination in front of the jury as Waymo lawyers barrage him with questions. Waymo and Uber Head for a Self-Driving Car Crash in Court Jurors will hear about a heap of circumstantial evidence that Levandowski colluded with Kalanick even before he left his job at Waymo. The Alphabet unit also says it has technological evidence that Uber stole secrets to copy its LiDAR, the reflection of laser beams self-driving cars rely on to sense surroundings and avoid pedestrians, obstacles and other vehicles. This is not a case where a group of engineers had an accidental foot-fault and crossed the line from know-how to trade secret because they didnt know where the line was, said Amy Candido, a lawyer for Waymo with Quinn Emanuel. This is a case where Levandowski and other individuals at Uber intentionally, brazenly and willfully together misappropriated Waymos trade secrets. It was not an accidental case of stepping over the line. Silence from Levandowski as a central figure in the trial leaves open loose threads on all sides, and that invites speculation by the judge and jury, said Eric Goldman, a professor at Santa Clara Universitys law school. Levandowskis refusal to answer questions could make it harder for Waymo to prove its case, and it could also complicate Ubers effort to argue that it didnt benefit from his actions, Goldman said. It works in Ubers favor that California, where both companies are based, has a well-established public policy of protecting, even encouraging, employee job-hopping. The law goes out of its way to protect employee mobility because it is essential to innovation, to a dynamic economy, and to free choice to work where you want, Uber said in a statement. In the end, it may come down to whether the jury is convinced that information claimed as trade secrets actually qualifies for legal protection, the professor said. The judge really wants to make sure general knowledge isnt converted into trade secrets, and bars employees from taking new jobs, he said. The case is Waymo LLC v. Uber Technologies Inc., 17-cv-00939, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco). Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics California USA InsurTech Tech Talent Training Development Sharing Economy Ridesharing Uber Marsh & McLennan Insurance Agency has promoted eight executives to principals of the firm. In San Diego, the new Principals are Donna DeBolt, Wayne Pages, Greg Pendergast, Erin Quigley, Jeff Simpson, Ryan Stover, and Chris Wilson. In MMAs Anchorage office, Jennifer Meyhoff was also named principal. DeBolt joined the firm in 2003 and works in MMAs commercial property and casualty division. She has more than 40 years of industry experience and works primarily with technology and life science companies. DeBolt is also a member of MMAs multinational practice and serves as the Western Region Coordinator. Meyhoff joined the firm in 2004 and leads the employee benefits division in MMAs Anchorage, Alaska office. She has more than 25 years of industry experience and works with companies on health and welfare, compensation and retirement services. Pages joined the firm in 2007 and is director of actuarial and underwriting services. He has 22 years of employee benefits experience and works with clients to analyze claims trends and forecast healthcare costs. Pendergast joined the firm in 2003 and is a Client Executive in MMAs Commercial Property and Casualty Division. He works with companies to develop risk management solutions and has extensive experience working with firms of all sizes. Pendergast earned a Bachelor of Science in finance from San Diego State University and holds the Certified Insurance Counselor designation. He is a member of the FM Global Property Broker Council. Quigley joined the firm in 2007 and is director of corporate communications. Quigley directs the firms corporate communications and marketing strategy for MMAs West region. She is also responsible for media relations, branding strategy and special projects for the Barney & Barney Foundation. Quigley has more than 12 years of industry experience. Simpson joined the firm in 2008 and is a client executive in the property and casualty division. He has more than 13 years of experience and specializes in workers compensation, property/casualty, professional liability, and cyber liability for technology, manufacturing and nonprofit organizations. Stover joined the firm in 2009 and is a client executive in retirement services. He has more than 20 years of experience and helps lead the retirement services division. Wilson joined the firm in 2012 and is a Client executive in the employee benefits division. He develops employee benefit solutions for middle market companies and has more than 12 years of industry experience. MMA is an insurance brokerage offering a risk management and employee benefit solutions. Topics California Property Property Casualty Alaska What Is SEC Form 15-12G? SEC Form 15-12G is a form that allows for certification of termination of registration of a class of security under Section 12(g) or notice of suspension of duty to file reports pursuant to Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Key Takeaways SEC Form 15-12G is the certification and notice of termination of registration of a class of securities under Section 12(g)of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Form is also used to provide notice of suspension of duty to file reports under sections 13 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act. When a company registers securities, it is obligated by regulation to file periodic and current reports with the SEC. Form 15-12G may end those obligations as securities are de-issued. Understanding SEC Form 15-12G SEC Form 15-12G is provided by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in reference to Sections 12(g), 13 and 15(d) of the 1934 Securities Exchange Act. The Form allows issuers to seek termination of a registered security class or suspension of duty for filing SEC mandated reports. SEC Form 15-12G releases companies of some of their reporting requirements under Sections 12(g), 12(h), 13 and 15(d) of the 1934 Securities Exchange Act. Companies may use this form if they plan to terminate a security class listing. SEC Form 15-12G may also help companies to be relieved of certain reporting requirements. When completing SEC Form 15-12G, issuers have the option for termination or suspension of reporting under the following: Rule 12g-4(a)(1), Rule 12g-4(a)(2), Rule 12h-3(b)(1)(i), Rule 12h-3(b)(1)(ii), Rule 15d-6 and Rule 15d-22(b). Section 12(g) SEC Form 15-12G allows companies to terminate their registration as filed under provisions required in Section 12(g). Section 12 of the 1934 Securities Exchange Act details registration requirements for all types of securities. Section 12(g) specifically discusses the registration requirements for companies involved in interstate commerce. Section 12(h) outlines the SECs authority to provide reporting exemptions for Section 12(g). Sections 13 and 15(d) SEC Form 15-12G allows companies to file for suspension of reporting obligations under Sections 13 and 15(d). Section 13 outlines the full reporting requirements companies must maintain as registered under Section 12. Section 15(d) details the securities analyst reporting process and potential conflicts of interest that may occur from analyst and research reports provided by security analysts. The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 was part of a legislative movement that sought to increase transparency and financial market trading infrastructure efficiency following the 1929 market crash. The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 created the Securities and Exchange Commission and gave it broad powers for monitoring all types of transactions across the investment industry in the United States. All securities seeking to trade publicly on open exchanges must register with the SEC. Detailed registration requirements for corporations and managed funds are outlined in the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940. These three acts form the framework for company registration, securities registration, securities issuance of publicly traded and private investment offerings, and securities trading. By Kyran Fitzgerald As employment in Ireland returns to levels last seen a decade ago, many businesses are discovering that an economic recovery has a downside. However, conservative approaches in tax policy and blinkered thinking at board and executive levels has ensured skills-hungry firms are failing to tap into an obvious source of labour supply. Many thousands of women, along with some males, have left the workforce for a number of years to care for a growing family or elderly relatives. A recent study suggests that the countrys tax system is deterring many so-called second earners from either returning to the workforce or from taking on additional responsibilities when they do have paid work. A growing number of experts both here and in Britain are also highlighting the difficulties faced by those returning following lengthy absences, including by many women who rose to senior positions in their company before quitting the workforce. We all know about the cost to society stemming from the loss through emigration of people such as nurses, doctors, and engineers who have been trained up at great expense. However, under our noses, highly trained and experienced people are in effect, being kept out of the workforce as a result of ageist attitudes and some of the worst offenders are in high-tech companies often run and dominated by younger males who view themselves and are viewed as trailblazers. Labour market expert Karina Doorley has suggested that females, in particular, face significant barriers when seeking to return and she calls for a completion of the process of individualisation of the tax system which was begun back in 1999 by the then finance minister Charlie McCreevy. At the time, the ministers move to scrap the prevailing dual system of taxation was fiercely opposed by those concerned that single income households with home-worker mothers would be discriminated against. In September 2000, the National Competitiveness Council backed Mr McCreevy and called for completion of the individualisation programme initiated in Budget 2000. In its view, it was vital that married women aged over 35 be encouraged to rejoin the labour market. It called for improved skills training for this demographic. However, political realities dictated that the individualisation programme remained incomplete and that Ireland ended up with in effect, a hybrid system of income taxation. Ms Doorley set out her views in the 2018 Barrington Lecture. She pointed out that whereas 64% of Irish woman were at work, this compared with a rate of 77% for men. Corresponding rates in the UK are 72% for women and 83% for men. The Irish rates are very close to an EU average for men and women because participation rates of women are particularly low in much of southern Europe. She sets out the historical context, pointing to the existence of a marriage bar across much of the public sector for women from 1932 which only ended in 1973 after we joined the EEC. Ms Doorley highlighted a particular problem in the case of our tax system where basic rates are comparatively low, but marginal rates are quite high. Eden Recruitment last year described the absence of mostly young educated homemakers from the workforce as a second brain drain. Whereas 86% of women without children under 65 are at work, the figure falls to 57% for those with children aged three or under. But perhaps the real issue is what happens to women later on. The Eden Recruitment writer suggested that after an extended break from work, people can lose confidence in their abilities. In the UK, returnees have frequently faced problems trying to secure posts that match their skills and previous experience. But even in the UK, women in the 35 to 55 year age group have an employment rate that is 20% lower than men. A number of organisations have set out to improve matters. A UK group called Women Returners aims to assist people in surmounting challenges, including what its UK managing director Julianne Miles describes as the significant bias among employers against those who dont have recent experience. She says: They are perceived to have lost skills and the women themselves to have diminished confidence. They are seen as too risky. In reality, they offer more valuable experience, learned efficiency from multitasking and are more dependable compared with more footloose and fancy-free millennials. Women Returners has expanded its activities in Ireland and is led here by Elaine Russell. Another group, The Return Hub is geared to people seeking to re-enter the financial services sector, at a senior level. Returnees have to be realistic. Many have returned initially in more junior roles before rising in the ranks. Some do not want to return to highly pressured positions and may well be seeking more creative and less than the top-paid jobs. Writing recently, Ms Miles and Ms Russell point to continuing challenges: Weve heard too many stories of highly qualified women engineers and tech professionals being dismissed out of hand by recruitment agencies. All of which represents a big loss to a country which has, after all, invested heavily in their training, even before taking into account the personal commitment of the individuals involved. It is surely time to start accessing the talent that is going to waste. Switzerland's market regulator has banned the national affiliate of Russia's Gazprombank from taking new private clients over money laundering concerns during a 10-year period which emerged from the Panama Papers leak. The move marks the first time that Swiss markets authority FINMA has specifically identified any company over wrongdoing following the leak that exposed international tax avoidance worldwide, including by members of Russian president Vladimir Putin's inner circle. The laws of gravity cannot be held responsible for people falling in love Albert Einstein. Valentines Day is just around the corner and love is in the air. We think we fall in love in a random way but can attraction actually be defined scientifically? Do opposites attract? Do we choose our soul mates because we see in them everything we are not? Maybe two different halves make a whole? You might be surprised to hear that scientific studies suggest that actually, when it comes to long tasting love, opposites do not attract as much as we might think. We are more drawn to people that are similar to us, especially when it comes to personality. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder What about looks? Are we attracted to people who look more, or less, like us? It would appear that we are indeed attracted to people that look like ourselves. Studies using facial images that were digitally enhanced to mimic subtle features of the test participants reported that these people typically ranked the faces that were similar to theirs as the most beautiful. The results of another study even suggest that what we find attractive changes, depending on our relationship status. Single people rate opposites more attractive, while those in a steady relationship tend to prefer the looks of people that have similar features to themselves. The romance of the immune system There are exceptions of course; apparently when it comes to our partners immune system, we do look for differences, perhaps so that any future offspring will have a more extensive defence system. But how do we get the measure of the immune system of someone we just met? We cant really follow a Hi, do you come here often? With what type of immune system genes do you have? It turns out there are ways around this, it is all down to smell. I love your eyes, your lips and your...smell When we smell someone we receive a lot of information about them, much of it contained within their pheromones. Some of that information includes the genetic make-up of their immune system, particularly a set of genes called the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes. The mathematics of beauty It would seem that our eyes, and our brains, are naturally drawn to people with symmetrical faces. This may be down to something called the Perceptual Bias View; our visual systems are hotwired to more easily process symmetrical stimuli. Beauty and its perception may go further than mere symmetry. There is evidence to suggest that faces that are considered very beautiful have a specific ration of distances between the eyes, eyes to nose etc. These beautiful faces follow a mathematical ratio called the Golden Ratio. Nature versus nurture Of course science cant completely dictate the power of love and attraction. One very interesting study carried out in 2015 compared how different sets of twins, both identical and fraternal, perceived beauty. The study was set up to investigate if our preferences were genetically coded. The results reported that the sets of twins ranked beauty very differently, even when they shared an almost identical genetic make-up and had experienced the same upbringing. They concluded that our life experiences, rather than our genes, may guide our opinion of attractiveness. It seems beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. Naomi Lavelle is a science communicator and mother to three children. She can be found at sciencewows.ie. If your child has a question, email drhowsciencewows@gmail.com. One persons waste is another persons gold. A saying that could crystallise the philosophy of an Irish scientist who is making a name for himself internationally in the field of alternative transport fuels, writes Donal Hickey. The fast-growing Irish whiskey production industry is keeping an eye on what a UCC microbiology graduate is doing with waste from the distillation process, in the UK. Martin Tangney, a native of Macroom, Co Cork, was recently awarded a British honour for his groundbreaking work in Scotland. He has been developing a biofuel from the dregs of whiskey production to power motor vehicles, proving that drink and driving are not always incompatible. With much of the focus now on electric cars, theres a danger that the potential of biofuel a gas liquid or solid substance made from natural sources, such as plants could be overlooked as a renewable fuel. The legendary Henry Ford saw that potential, long ago, that Prof Tangney, of Edinburghs Napier University, now sees huge potential for biofuel. His company, Celtic Renewables, is going ahead with the building of a plant in Grangemouth which will produce a half-million litres of the fuel, biobutanol, annually. It is believed to be the first plant of its kind in the world using entirely sustainable raw materials. Like many good ideas it seems simple enough using raw waste materials from Scotlands biggest industry without the need for additional crop production. Clean, renewable fuel is being made from the waste of barley grains (draff) and pot ale, a copper-laced liquid. The fuel can replace petrol, or diesel. Last year, Prof Tangney proved a car can be powered by this fuel. Henry Fords estimable Model T car was run on biofuel, he says. The Irish whiskey industry, meanwhile, is growing apace. Several distilleries have opened here in recent years. In four years, the number rose four to 18, with 16 more planned. A downside is that it is an energy-intensive industry and less than 10% of all products that go into making uisce beatha actually end up in the bottle. It costs money to dispose of all the waste from the process, much of which is used for fertiliser and animal feed. The Tangney biofuel has been adapted from a system used more than a century ago in Britain to produce material for explosives used in the First World War, but it was phased out in the 1960s due to competition from the petrol industry. Meanwhile, the EU has a lot of work to do if it is to meet its target of renewable sources accounting for 10% of all transport energy by 2020. At present, only 6% of transport fuel comes from renewables. Patrick Kent, of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association, has called on the EU to encourage farmers to grow crops for biofuel production. At 85, retired vet Ian Stretch is the oldest Cork superhost on Airbnb. He tells Helen OCallaghan why his remote home has been such a hit with tourists. A retired veterinary surgeon and octogenarian living on the edge of the sea, halfway along the northern side of the Sheeps Head Peninsula, is the oldest superhost on Airbnb in Cork. Ian Stretch, 85, was only vaguely aware of Airbnb when a friend suggested he and his wife could put their one-bed annexe on the Airbnb platform. Ian and retired veterinary nurse Jeannie live in a farmhouse the deeds go back to 1745 on 10 acres, and the separate guesthouse with bathroom/shower used to be a turf shed until an artist turned it into a studio 40 years ago. It was rented out by agents in London Alec Guinness stayed, as well as The Who and, someone in the news recently Frances Fitzgerald, says Scottish-born Ian, none of whose five children and 10 grandchildren live in Ireland. Its had quite a history. Located 10km from Bantry, the area is remote. So its interesting to meet people from other countries. And it tops up our pension. Its useful income. As seniors, Ian and Jeannie, 68, are part of the fastest growing Airbnb host demographic in Europe the number of senior hosts in Europe almost doubled between July 2015 and July 2016. In fact, senior host growth outpaces every other demographic by nearly 10%. In Ireland, 13% of Airbnb hosts are seniors. Ian and Jeannie, who retired to West Cork from Isle of Wight Ian worked as a vet in Bandon during the 1960s have been given Superhost status on the Airbnb website. Weve got 100% five-star reviews, he says. Which fits with the trend: hosts aged 60 and over are consistently the best rated Airbnb hosts in Europe they get a higher percentage of five-star reviews than any other age group, with 70% of trips hosted by them resulting in a five-star review. Hosting on Airbnb for three years, Ian has plenty stories to tell. A favourite is the one about the German couple who helped him dig potatoes. Were pretty self-sufficient in vegetables. They saw me digging potatoes and asked if they could give me a hand. We got a whole lot done in one afternoon. "To thank them, I invited them to have a few pints of my home-brewed beer. Living on a fairly steep cliff with a path down to the shore that gets overgrown, Ian says some guests have volunteered to clear it. And there was the Dutch couple staying for four days, who helped out when he had to go to hospital overnight. They suggested Jeannie stay overnight in Cork rather than having to make two journeys theyd look after the place. They fed the hens, checked the sheep had water, checked the greenhouse wasnt too hot and fed the donkey they did a perfect job. Not that its all been plain sailing. There was the pleasant but thoughtless couple who went off for the day, leaving clothes drying on a heater turned up high. Jeannie went over to check the towels. If she hadnt, the place could have gone up in flames. Practically all guests are from abroad. Most are touring the West of Ireland and are always amazed by Ians favourite spot, the Beara Peninsula. Most are couples. We had one solo guest for a week during the West Cork Literary Festival. We tend to get people aged from mid-20s to 60s, though we had a couple of South Korean girls at university in Paris. I picked them up in Bantry. They stayed three nights. The weather was dreadful and I took them back to Bantry, they got the bus to Cork, the train to Dublin and flew back to Paris. Sheeps Head was the only part of Ireland they saw. Ian charges 55 per night for the room, which includes breakfast. Were so far from a cafe here we provide a very good cold breakfast, which if wanted includes our own home-produced eggs. Almost half (45%) of senior hosts in Europe say the additional income they make by sharing their homes helps them afford to stay in their home. One quarter say hosting has directly helped them avoid foreclosure or eviction. The typical senior Airbnb host in Europe hosts guests for roughly 23 nights per year, earning just under 3,000 annually. In 2015 in Ireland, a senior Airbnb host earned 2,514. Ian and Jeannie operate between May and September. Were not working at full pitch or taking it all madly seriously. We leave a day between bookings to clean the accommodation. "Were not looking for every last euro. We enjoy what we do if it became a burden we wouldnt do it. The couple dont display a sign on their road theyre not looking for passing trade. Bookings are through the website potential guests have profile and past history and you can hear from other people whove put them up. So if theyve had a problem with them, theyre possibly troublemakers. Ian can think of only one slight disadvantage. Some people want to leave early in the morning, so you have to give them breakfast at 7am, but never mind thats not too bad in summer. Has he tips for other would-be senior hosts? Get your wife to do most of the work, he quips, though acknowledging Jeannie actually does the bulk of the work. First impressions have to be spot on, he says so a friendly welcome and clean fresh-smelling accommodation. Leave a break of a day between bookings, he advises. Dont overdo it. Take it steady. Then just go for it and enjoy it. I was chuffed (thats not choughed, now, and birds are few in this column) to hear the virtues of voles much lauded on the Living the Wildlife RTE 1 programme on Tuesday last week, writes Damien Enright. Only a few days before, Paddy Sleeman, a mammal researcher working at UCC, and I had been talking about the little critters, as he called them. The programme, presented by Colin Stafford Johnson, doyen of Irish and worldwide nature photography, followed owl expert John Lusby on his tour of barn owl nest sites, and the nutritional value of voles was credited with helping this increasingly rare species survive. Voles are one of our more welcome four-legged invaders. Of course, not all the invaders invaded but, rather, were brought here by people who had making a million in mind. Mink, muskrat, and coypu escaped from fur farms set up to make the owners rich, and became a threat to native fauna, riverbanks, domestic animals and so on. I know Paddy through an old friend, a retired marine zoologist Jeremy Dorman, native to the village I live in, currently suffering in China, so he tells me in letters larded with discontent. Jeremy has a sense of humour as dry as the Danakil Depression and as bleak. However, he weathers the slings and arrows he encounters in every part of the world whereto he travels and they are legion with a stiff upper lip and forbearance fortified by side-splitting letters home. More of Jeremys letters at another time: this is about Dr Sleeman and voles. Sitting in front a hearty wood stove in his West Cork cottage, he gave me the inside track on our voles, Myodes glareolus or bank voles, normally associated with dense cover but here surviving in the kind of pastoral habitat colonised by field voles in Britain. Id thought they arrived in Limerick as shipboard stowaways circa 1964 but Paddy corrects me. According to my Fauna of Ireland, by Fergus ORourke, professor of zoology at UCC, bought when on holiday here in 1971, the bank vole was first discovered on August 20 1964 near Listowel, Co Kerry, by AM Claassens, a Dutchman and a Christian brother. ORourke noted that: So, far its distribution is limited to a small area in north Kerry/ Limerick region (OGorman and Claassens). In an aside, Dr Sleeman told me that OGorman mischievously accused Claassens of smuggling the vole in from Holland in his pocket. In fact, his own research infers, that the creatures had probably arrived in Foynes at the Shannon mouth (perhaps on my grandmothers home farm?) in the early 1920s having hitched a lift on massive earthmoving equipment travelling from Germany to work on the Ardnacrusha Hydroelectric Scheme. His further investigations would seem to bear this out: The DNA of Irish bank voles matches not that of their UK kindred but of their German relations. What would have caused the Germans to leave home? Population pressure? Paddy found that there were especially fertile mast years, (years when beech and oak, in particular, produces an abundance of fruit higher than the average) in the 1920s. The forest, i.e. bank voles, would then have experienced a series of irruptions, huge rises in population and, like their northern cousins, the lemmings, have gone wandering. However, instead of marching to the sea in the desperate need to find new territory, some climbed aboard earthmovers and, along with them, were shipped to Foynes. There because the open landscape and changed ecosystem of Ireland was unfamiliar they likely stayed until, acclimatised over a few decades, they went forth to colonise. While farmers may have occasionally seen them, or farmers cats brought them in, they went unremarked until they were seen, and recognised, by a zoologist in 1964. Chestnut-brown, with a white undersite, ears barely visible above the fur, and a tail half their length, they are unlike rats or mice, and rarely seen, living, as they do, in the very heart of the hedge, and foraging at night. This is, of course, the perfect time for owls to prey on them, and they provide a major food source for our seriously endangered barn owls. Unlike the greater whitetoothed shrew, a recently established and unwelcome alien, they make good and nutritious eating, while owlets, fed by their parents on the shrew, do not thrive. All in all, Dr Sleeman says they are no harm to the country. He was sorry to find three voles and two wood mice in mouse traps in his cottage; destructive house mice were his target. In his vole-researching days, hed have been glad if, instead of hunting them in moonlit hedges on raw nights, the voles had come to him! Crabs, the armoured personnel carriers of the creepy-crawly world, fascinate children, writes Richard Collins. No visit to a beach, or exploration of a rock-pool, would be complete without a close encounter with one of these slightly-ghoulish creatures. Crab Watch, an initiative of the EUs Sea Change project, wants us to become children again and go crabbing. The volunteer crab-twitchers, visiting coasts and estuaries, will spread ocean literacy among the public and provide valuable data on our rapidly-changing marine environment. Crabs have profile. Carcinus, the giant crab of Greek mythology, was killed by Heracles. In response, Juno placed the creature among the stars and a sign of the Zodiac bears its name. In 1840, William Parsons, third Earl of Rosse, discovered a nebula, which, we know now, is the remnant of a supernova explosion. Resembling the shell of a crab, it became the second astronomical object named after the humble crustacean. There are moves afoot to designate an annual international crab day. Not all the associations of the worlds best-known creepy-crawly are positive. A crew-member who puts his oar into the water at the wrong moment is said to catch a crab, an unforgivable rowing offence. Tiny insects which infest pubic hair, causing intense itching, are known as crab lice, while the characteristic shape of many tumours spawned the name cancer. In 1958, a naval diver went missing, while examining the hull of a Russian warship on a goodwill visit to Portsmouth; Commander Crabb triggered a Cold War incident. Crabs are found throughout the world in coastal waters and some freshwater ones. There are even some land-based species. Their lifestyles render crabs conspicuous; sharp claws are used in hunting and defence. Soft body parts are tucked inside a hard protective shell, the carapace. As it grows, a crab must shed carapaces, from time to time, and develop new ones. These crustaceans need our help. Rising sea temperatures and excessive harvesting are threatening them. The Chinese mitten crab, which arrived in Germany on the hulls of ships a century ago, is on the IUCNs list of the worlds 100 Worst Invasive Species. A mitten crab was caught by an angler in Co Waterford in 2006, but, as yet, the Central Fisheries Board has found no evidence of an established population here. Other undesirables, Asian shore crabs native to the Pacific coasts of China and Japan, were found in South Wales and Kent in 2014. Invasions are not all one way; our familiar European shore crab, that great entertainer of childhood seaside visits, also appears on the list of a hundred baddies. It turned up on the Massachusetts coast in 1817. Recorded in San Francisco Bay in 1993, it colonised 750km of the US and Canadian Pacific coast. By 2003, it had spread southwards, as far as Patagonia. The Crab Watch project will provide early-warnings of alien invaders and gauge the impact they have on native ecosystems. Volunteers will search the shoreline for crabs and for the remains of deeper-water ones washed up on the tide. Fishing lines and crab-nets can be used off piers and rocky coastlines. The Sea Change website features an app to help new participants. This includes a field-identification guide to the 32 crab species known to occur in European waters. Each is illustrated by photographs, with distinguishing field marks indicated. Size details and interesting facts about the species are given. There is even a ruler with which to measure the dimensions of specimens found. Records of crabs should be sent, using the app, to crabwatch@mba.ac.uk; seachangeproject.eu. A more mature Mark ORowe says his new play has eased off on the visceral approach that marked his earlier work, writes Liam Heylin. Fans of the visceral and highly charged work of playwright Mark ORowe might find something more reflective in his new play, The Approach. When you are younger you are in to the spectacle, the virtuosity. Getting older it becomes less interesting for you to watch (that kind of stuff) as well, says ORowe. You want to be dealing with subjects important to you communication and stuff like that, where we stand morally, what it is to be empathetic, I want to give but I am afraid to give. The play deals with those questions on an intuitive level. They want to give to each other. It is the territory they are navigating. Aisling OSullivan, the Tralee-born actress who is one of the three stars of The Approach explains who they are: Two sisters and one friend they have known each other since college days the play occurs over about five years. "In the play there are three conversations. Marks impulse is to work in a spirit of enquiry and try to understand. The three women meet and have conversations. Through the conversations we learn a lot about the women and a lot about life. It sort of examines how we communicate verbally and non-verbally. It is mysterious. We (OSullivan, Derbhle Crotty and Cathy Belton) are trying to find ways in rehearsal to support that mystery. That is the heart of the play. "It is beautiful and profound. We are trying to find ways to release those things, OSullivan says. Mark O'Rowe Indirect hit While ORowe speaks directly in interview this is an inclination he curbs when dealing with issues in his dramatic writing. In other words he doesnt want to hit the point square on the nose and leave the audience simply sitting there on the receiving end of a message. Giving too little information frustrates an audience but I am not crazy about on the nose. If you get them to reach towards it. "When you write half of it the audience get the other half. The more I am writing the more I am trying to make that happen. You write a play, intuiting your way through it and it happens slightly musically because it is only words on a page. "You only get a certain amount from reading it. But then the way the actor can inhabit it. I can hear she is not feeling what I thought she was feeling. "It leads to a domino effect everything begins to change slightly now. You have to leave the writer at home, the playwright says. He knows that he could come into rehearsal with tons of notes making declarations of how it should be. He is the writer, after all. But that is not how he approaches direction of his own work. You cannot be too prescriptive with the actors. You guide and cajole, you suggest, you give permission. If they find it they feel they have earned it and then they own it. From play to play it is always a different starting point. In this play before I wrote it I wanted to work with those three actors. I pictured the three of them. I kind of knew what they would be. But you always have the possibility that it might not happen the way you see it in your head. It is only the start, it is the impulse. I will write a play out of that. Citing Daniel Day Lewis being quizzed about his exhaustive method of researching characters and whether it is necessary and so forth, the actors answer echoes with ORowe It is enough that I believe it. You need something like that. It is enough to push you do it. There is always a doubt. But you have to believe it is going to happen. He says that some writers who direct their own work cannot take off the hat of writer. Rehearsal should always be an exploration, an allowing and cajoling. They have to search. They have to search together within the room. The nature of the play is three conversations, two people in each conversation. It is very in the moment. It doesnt have that much plot, it is more about behaviour, he says. It sounds like the play is going to require an audience being attentive to all of the verbal and non-verbal tics going on. Far from that asking too much of the audience the writer feels it is asking them only to do the very thing we are coming to the theatre for to be constantly actively engaged. Daniel Day Lewis Gender issues As well as offering a fresh challenge to the audience it is offering something new to OSullivan as an actor at a time when gender-related debate is to the fore in the arts. It is the first time she can ever recall working in an all-female cast. I think it is very energising. I find it very appropriate that the arts should be a place where this is worked out. It is a visible place where choices matter. "It is very exciting at this time that the arts can be an area where humanity can be examined. We should be holding up a mirror and provoking and discussing, showing the best and worst of ourselves. As for the gender debate in the background in Irish theatre, OSullivan says of this play, It is a different moral debate (in the play). It is outside of that. It is more universal, more primal. ORowe was obviously more than aware of the momentum out of #wakingthefeminists and #metoo as he embarked on a play comprised of three women. But whatever of the surrounding circumstances in which a piece of work is being performed the play has to drive on, in a sense regardless. If I start qualifying or changing anything because of something outside of the piece of art I have already compromised. Every time I write a play I wish it will work, that it will be anything other than shit, or 90% work and that the 10% that doesnt work is concealed in it and makes it awful. "I cannot think any further than that. I cannot think of the effect on society. The best you can hope for is that it will be a work of art worth looking at. After hes done with The Approach, much of the focus for ORowe will switch to his film-directing debut, The Delinquent Season. Due for its Irish premiere at the upcoming Audi Dublin Film Festival, the movie features Cillian Murphy, also the star of two films written by ORowe: Intermission and Perriers Bounty. The evolution continues. Landmark Productions present the world premiere of The Approach from 1 - 24 February at the Project Arts Centre Dublin and from 27 February - 3 March 2018 at The Everyman Cork. There is something magical about embarking on a boat trip into the past where for part of your journey there is almost nothing modern in the scene before you apart from the bow of the boat, writes Dan MacCarthy. Setting forth from Mountshannon pier in Co Clare to the historic monastic site of Holy Island on Lough Derg the view is no different to that encountered by St Colum in the sixth century. Across the surface of the lake lie other islands Bushy, Young, Red, hard to detect against the high escarpment of the Arra Mountains of west Co Tipperary with their brooding summits of Tountinna and Corbally Hill. The same tall reeds grow in the shallows. The same water laps the shore. Maybe you can glimpse a modern house through the trees on the mainland or hear the drone of a car engine, but the scene is largely the same as St Colum encountered when he arrived there to build his church and worship god. Back to the present, and as the modern boatman approaches the island the round tower protrudes like a needle above the canopy of trees. Where coastal islands by their very nature look outwards to the ocean and worlds beyond, islands on lakes and rivers look inwards and take their influence from their immediate environment. There is something more secretive about such islands. They almost never had sizeable communities, and hence attract anchorites or small families eking out an existence. And though they have an air of mystery to them, access to these islands is also usually much easier. Excepting Abbey Island near Caherdaniel, Co Kerry or Omey Island in Co Galway where you can walk at low tide, most of our coastal islands require a boat to reach, often over wild seas. By contrast, islands on lakes and rivers are sometimes just metres from shore. The vocabulary too is different. Otters rather than seals; swans, ducks and coots, rather than fulmars, kittiwakes and puffins; reeds not seaweed; pike, tench and carp not bass, mackerel and herring. And the water of course fresh, not salt. All of these factors make a dramatic difference to lacustrine islands. Holy Island or Inishcaltra, island of the burials, is perhaps the best known of Irelands inland islands. This Holy Island is often confused with Station Island (known as Lough Derg Island) on Donegals Lough Derg, which is a major pilgrimage site. St Colum arrived at the island sometime in the sixth century and built a church. Over the next several hundred years more churches were added. principally by St Caimin. At one time Holy Island had no fewer than five churches St Caimins Church, St Michaels Oratory, St Bridgids Church, St Marys Church and The Church of the Wounded Men. Apart from the main one, St Caimins Church, the others were much smaller structures. The dominant feature is the round tower. There are also found a holy well, bullaun and a pilgrim path. Today, St Caimins is the only church with a roof and is in good condition. In its interior are several cross slabs and even a sundial. Later, Brian Borus brother Marcan was bishop abbott in the 11th century. Of course, the brothers were born down the road at Killaloe and the island was within their bailiwick. The Vikings of course took an interest in Holy Island and plundered it twice in 836 and 922. The graveyard of St Marys Graveyard was in use from 1807 to 2003 with people from the nearby towns and villages of Ballina, Scariff and Mountshannon interred there including the names of Carolan, Kenneally, McCarthy, McNamara, Murphy and ORourke. An added attraction to a trip to this island is the possibility of sighting a white-tailed sea eagles which were introduced to Lough Derg in 2011 from the Norwegian island of Froya. The male, appropriately named Caimin and the female Saoirse went on to rear the first chick born in Ireland in over 100 years. The eagles can be seen from a viewing platform at Mountshannon. How to get there: Boat tours or hire boats from Ger Madden, Mountshannon, Co Tipperary. holyisland.ie; Facebook:Holy Island Tours. April to October. Other: discoverloughderg.ie; mountshannoneagles.ie No fair reading of the memo would compel anyone to argue that the probe into Russian interference in the US election is discredited, writesEli Lake. The US House speaker, Paul Ryan, was correct. Nothing in the highly anticipated memo from the Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee impugns the investigation of special counsel Robert Mueller. If US president Donald Trump had hoped the memo, released on Friday, would discredit the probe into Russian influence of the 2016 election, hes wrong. It turns out the story is both smaller and potentially larger than the broader investigation into Trumps campaign. Its smaller because it revolves around a relatively minor figure in the Trump-Russia affair, Carter Page, a former volunteer who was not even with the campaign when the Federal Bureau of Investigation asked a secret court to surveil him in the weeks before the election. Its potentially larger because of what the Republican allegations say about the process for obtaining Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants. The Republican memo says that the FBI presented an opposition research dossier as evidence to a secret court for warrants to spy on Page beginning in October 2016. The bureau did not tell the court that this dossier was paid for by the Democratic Party and the Hillary Clinton campaign through cutouts. Senior officials at the bureau and the Justice Department knew all of this, but declined to tell the judge who approved the warrant, according to the memo. That smells bad. Yet the information presented by Republicans here is incomplete. There is nothing in their memo that speaks to the rest of the evidence presented to the FISA court for the Page warrant. This is one reason Democrats on the committee say the memo is wrong and would be discredited if the entire FISA application for Page were declassified. Today, the Democrats will ask the committee again to vote to release their memo to the public. Its likely that some of that information remains highly classified, so its quite possible the evidence Democrats say debunks the Republicans contentions will never be disclosed to the public. Nonetheless, the allegation matters because it puts on the public record the full extent of Republicans objection to the FBIs relationship with the former British spy Christopher Steele, who produced the opposition research dossier. Trump claims that the entire probe against him and his associates is the product of Democratic Party opposition research. The memo, though indirectly, acknowledges that the FBIs initial investigation stemmed from a tip by an Australian diplomat who was told by another Trump campaign staff member, George Papadopoulos, that Russians had compiled dirt on Clinton and were willing to share it with the Trump campaign. That information does not appear in the dossier compiled by Steele for the opposition research firm Fusion GPS. This gets to the central complaint by Trumps critics. They fear that Trump is looking for excuses to fire deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, who oversees the special counsels investigation, and, by extension, Mueller. They are right to be concerned that the president will and has violated the post-Watergate tradition of keeping federal law enforcement independent from the president and the White House. This is one reason FBI directors traditionally enjoy 10-year terms; its also why most of Washington was shocked when Trump fired FBI director James Comey last year, after Comey had confirmed to Congress a continuing FBI investigation into the Trump campaigns contacts with Russia in 2016. But the virtue of independent law enforcement goes both ways. The memo says former deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe told the intelligence committee in December that no warrant on Page would have been sought had it not been for the information in that dossier. If that claim withstands scrutiny, it suggests that the warrant to spy on a Republican relied on the findings of opposition research paid for by Democrats. It makes it all the more worrying that the origins of the dossier and financial interests of its author were shielded from the court, as the memo alleges. Again, thats the allegation. Democrats, and for that matter the current FBI director, Christopher Wray, say the Republicans omitted important facts, rendering their memo inaccurate and misleading. Whats more, the FISA process requires new information to be presented to the court every 90 days to continue the warrant, as the Page warrant was three times. This suggests that its possible the wiretap on Page collected more probable cause, independent of the dossier. For now, its worth calming down. Both parties have overplayed their hand. Democratic senator Cory Booker said the release of this memo was tantamount to treasonous. Republican members assured the press last month that the memo exposed crimes worse than Watergate. Its neither of those things. The good news is that no fair reading of the memo would compel anyone to argue that Muellers probe is discredited. Lets await the rebuttals of the FBI and the Democrats to see whether we can say the same for the surveillance of Page. Eli Lake is a Bloomberg View columnist. He was the senior national security correspondent for the Daily Beast and covered national security and intelligence for the Washington Times, the New York Sun, and UPI. There were 237 investments into Ireland in 2017 99 were in regional locations outside of Dublin. Martin Shanahan emphasises the importance of continuing this trend. In 2015, in our new five-year strategy Winning: Foreign Direct Investment 2015-19, IDA Ireland set challenging targets for the creation of 209,000 jobs across the country, and an increase in investment of 30% to 40% in each region outside of Dublin. Those were hugely ambitious targets at the time and represented a significant increase over the previous five years. We announced last month that employment levels in foreign-owned companies have reached 210,443, surpassing the overall five-year target two years ahead of schedule and we recorded growth in investments in all regional locations last year. That is obviously an encouraging start. That said, the business environment for foreign direct investment (FDI) is more competitive than ever, with many other countries vying for the same investments as Ireland. It was extremely clear in Davos recently at the World Economic Forum where you had many countries, large and small, pitching for investments. International developments may also impact FDI flows globally, with a greater move towards protectionism and nationalistic policies in some quarters. There were 237 investments into Ireland in 2017 111 of those investors were investing in Ireland for the very first time. Crucially, 99 of those investments were in regional locations outside of Dublin. FDI employment in all regions increased in 2017; in the south-west, employment increased by 4.2%, and by a remarkable 9.2%, to 14,918, in the south-east. However, there is a lot more to be done and we will continue to work relentlessly in 2018 to secure investments and jobs for areas outside of Dublin. Coming from a rural background myself as a Kerry native, I am acutely aware of the importance of jobs for regional sustainability and development. It remains a challenge to convince international investors to consider locations outside of Dublin and the larger urban areas. Typically, investors are more attracted to large urban centres where competitors are thriving and providing a magnet for highly skilled workers and which have the necessary infrastructure and services. Convincing investors that regional locations can support their operations given population densities and skills availability is a challenge. However, there are some fantastic examples of companies that are thriving in regional locations and we continually showcase those examples across the country. Making an area as inviting as possible to live and work is key. A key element of the offering is a dynamic portfolio of land and property solutions to assist with winning investment. Land and property is sold and acquired each year to ensure that appropriate options are available for clients. Some 65% of IDAs land bank is currently available for further investment. The availability of sites and property solutions for clients is a key element of IDAs suite of marketing tools that is required to win projects in the competitive world of mobile investment. It also enables companies to expedite their investments and get started quickly. Having available land is essential to achieve regional investment. Private developers have not been investing in property solutions outside Dublin, having largely withdrawn from that market in 2008. As a result, IDA Ireland, with financial support from Government, has stepped in as an investor of last resort to ensure property solutions in regional locations are in place to attract investments. IDAs Regional Property Investment Programme was designed to create high-spec, advance-build, turnkey property options that businesses could move into at short notice. To date, IDA has secured tenants for the first buildings completed under the programme in Waterford, Athlone, and Sligo. Construction of two new advance technology buildings in Castlebar and Tralee is now complete and the properties are being extensively marketed. Construction is also under way in Galway and new buildings are planned for Carlow, Dundalk, Limerick, Athlone, and Waterford over the next two years. The property programme also allowed for upgrade works to a number of our existing IDA business parks. We have secured some great investments for regions in 2017, including pharma packagers Wasdell and employment services firm Graebel, which announced 300 and 125 jobs, respectively, for Dundalk, as well as Mercury Filmworks in Kilkenny, which partnered with Cartoon Saloon to create an animation studio, and more than 140 jobs in the process, while Mobile Technologies announced it is to hire 150 people in its newly established European HQ in Drogheda, among others. As well as working to attract new FDI, an important focus for us is working with established client companies, helping them to develop and expand their business to grow jobs this is reflected in expansion and jobs announcements last year from companies in regional locations such as Northern Trust in Limerick, Beckman Coulter in County Clare, National Pen in Dundalk, Janssen Sciences in Cork, MSD in Carlow and Cork, Element Six in Shannon, and Borg Warner in Tralee. While the US remains our key market, we are also working assiduously on diversifying our portfolio, expanding and deepening our relationships in Europe as well as in countries such as China, India, South Korea, Singapore, and Australia, and we will explore new market opportunities in the UAE, Turkey, and South Africa as a means of generating new business. In recognition of Brexit we are reorganising our global footprint from three to four territories: The US, Europe, AsiaPac, and UK the UK is being treated as a separate territory. In future, our European business will be managed out of Dublin and Frankfurt instead of London, and we are opening a new Canada office in Toronto this year. Continuing to invest in infrastructure and education, while maintaining the competitiveness of the economy, remains essential in attracting FDI generally, and into regional locations. Overall the resilience of the Irish offering remains strong, with investors continuing to value talent, track record, and our stable regulatory environment. The outlook for the first half of 2018 currently looks strong, despite global uncertainty. Martin Shanahan is chief executive of IDA Ireland. Of that number, 40,000 were on outpatient lists up from 32,823 in 2016 while 13,812 of these people were waiting more than a year and 7,589 more than 18 months. The Association of Optometrists (AOI) says that eye-care services need to change urgently to meet ever-growing demand: 11,150 people were awaiting hospital procedures at the end of 2017, the second-largest inpatient list of any medical speciality. The AOI is calling for radical overhaul in the provision of specialist eye care and says its 600 members should be allowed to take on more cases in the community, leaving hospitals free to look after only the most complex cases. AOI chief executive Sean McCrave said: Hospital eye departments cannot, and will not, meet patient, ever-growing demand. In the UK and across Europe, there has been an increasing move towards community based eye-care, and that is where Ireland, too, needs to go. Mr McCrave said one-fifth of the outpatient waiting list concerned cataracts, which could be alleviated by rolling out nationwide a scheme that has been operating successfully in the north-west for the past eight years. AOI is calling for national roll-out of the Sligo Post-Cataract Scheme, which has proven highly successful in reducing waiting times and costs in the north-west. Under the scheme, cataract patients follow-up appointment is co-managed by optometrists in the community, and ophthalmologists in hospital, said Mr McCrave. With over 20,000 cataract procedures a year, rolling out the Sligo protocol nationally would reduce out-patient cataract appointments by up to 20,000, with no capital expenditure. Under the scheme, optometrists are provided with access to the hospital IT infrastructure and electronic patient records, and given training on the specific protocol to follow. Instead of two, separate follow-up appointments one in the hospital and one with the community optometrist patients are given the option of a single appointment with their local optometrist, said Mr Mc-Crave. This can be made at the patients convenience. This combined appointment facilitates the optometrist to examine the eye and carry out a refraction in one appointment, and then enter the details on the electronic patient record held in the hospital. With over 20,000 procedures a year, rolling out the Sligo protocol nationally would reduce out-patient cataract appointments by approximately 20,000, at reduced cost, with no capital expenditure. An AOI adviser and optometrist, Lynda McGivney-Nolan, who helped devise the scheme, said it has been a huge success. It started out as a pilot scheme in Sligo, but now covers the whole of the north-west, said Ms McGivney-Nolan. We have more than 100 optometrists taking part, at this stage, and we have not had a single adverse event, since the scheme started eight years ago. That is a pretty good record. However, the State agency has insisted it is making every effort to showcase regional Ireland abroad, following criticism that rural towns are not seeing enough of the record foreign direct investment. In todays Irish Examiner, Martin Shanahan, chief executive of the body tasked with attracting foreign companies, writes that while he is acutely aware of the need for jobs from foreign companies in rural towns, it remains a challenge to convince international investors to consider locations outside of Dublin and the larger urban areas. Fianna Fail TD Niall Collins has called on the Government to assist the IDA in bringing investment to rural towns after it was revealed that just 55 of 154 IDA sites across the country are occupied. Almost 20 sites in Cork city and county have vacancies, including Kilbarry on the citys northside, and a site in Fermoy that has lain idle for nearly two decades. The Fermoy site, which saw millions pumped in before its opening in a blaze of publicity in 2002, is fully serviced but has no clients. Councillor Noel McCarthy said it is now used as a place for people to walk their dogs. It is sad that in almost 20 years, there hasnt been a soul in there, he said. It cannot go on indefinitely. Cities are getting first go when it comes to IDA visits but towns cannot be left out altogether. The former Amgen site in Carrigtwohill in East Cork has lain idle for more than a decade after the pharmaceutical giant pulled out of a plan to invest 1bn that would have created more than 1,000 jobs. Youghal has seen a large number of foreign-owned manufacturing companies leave the town since 2000, with thousands of jobs lost. Councillor Mary Linehan Foley said: We, like many rural towns, feel like we have been forgotten about. Look, we know the heady days of 500 people employed in one factory have gone forever, but surely there is room to encourage four or five industries with 40-50 employees. Even 20 employees all those jobs add up and help mould a great community. We cannot just accept that we have lost out forever; we are willing to fight for those jobs if we are assisted. It is 12 years since one of the most significant job and foreign direct investment announcements in the history of the State was made in Cork. The news of a $1bn (800m) investment by pharmaceutical company Amgen that would bring more than 1,100 jobs to Carrigtwohill in east Cork was greeted with great fanfare. The excitement was palpable with families dreaming of high-quality jobs in their locality. Politicians couldnt do enough to push each other out of the way to stand for photographs at the Ballyadam site. Carrigtwohill suddenly became one of the hottest property locations in Cork. House prices, already inflated in the grip of the Celtic Tiger mirage, spiked in east Cork. Just a year later, in 2007, the dream was shattered. Amgen indefinitely postponed the project after running into difficulty with a patent. In 2010, Amgen said it no longer wished to proceed with the project. The company soon handed back the 133-acre site to the IDA, the authority tasked with attracting foreign direct investment into the country. It has remained idle ever since. In Fermoy, there is a fully-serviced business campus for foreign direct investment companies lying idle for the last 16 years. It is now best-known as a safe venue for dog walkers to let their pets roam free. The IDAs multi-million euro park in Fermoy, which encompasses 20 acres that can be utilised by a wide range of industries, has been empty since it opened in 2002 in a blaze of positive publicity. The park on the Dublin Road has access to water, power and the main route to either Cork or Dublin. It has never seen a client locate there. The IDA has rightly been lauded for its performance over the decades in bringing industry from abroad to Irish shores. Last year was its best on record, with its client employment rising by 5.3% against the national average of 2.3%. Employment levels in foreign-owned companies reached 210,443 as of last month. About 237 investments were secured by the IDA during the year. The organisation has been heralded for punching far above its weight across the world, particularly in the US, for persuading foreign companies to set up in Ireland. Yet for all the victories of the IDA in companies locating in Ireland, the prevailing perception is that it is cities, or urban towns close to cities, getting all the benefits of foreign direct investment. In June last year, it was revealed that Cork has the highest number of vacant IDA sites in Ireland 19. About 20% of all idle factories are in Cork, predominantly in the countys towns or on the northside of the city. There are 104 sites available nationwide to prospective investors 19 in Cork, including five in Cork City. There are also two each in Fermoy, Youghal, Carrigtwohill, and Kanturk. Some 49 potential investors visited IDA sites in Cork last year. Galway has 12 vacant sites, the next highest number, followed by Dublin, with seven, and Donegal and Leitrim, with six each. Clare is the only county with no IDA sites vacant. Charleville, Kanturk and Youghal are some of the other communities crying out for investment from foreign companies, if only they were chosen, local representatives say. Quite why rural towns across Ireland are missing out on foreign direct investment is open to debate. The IDA remains heralded by most, but needs more assistance from local authorities, central government and members of the Oireachtas if the regional imbalance is to be remedied, critics say. Outside of the Amgen fiasco, Carrigtwohill has done very well from foreign direct investment with the likes of Stryker investing heavily in its site in the towns western end. However, the former Amgen site remains a symbol of the difficulties facing the IDA. Cork Fine Gael county councillor Anthony Barry was chair of Carrigtwohill Community Council at the time of Amgens announcement. Amgen announcing they were investing was huge. Carrigtwohill is unique in that we have a huge industrial base anyway, with up to 5,000 people working in the area. The IDA has been spectacularly successful here in Carrigtwohill in many ways, with Stryker building a new plant, and the industrial estate at the western side of the town has been a fantastic success. This site where Amgen was to locate was zoned as a one-off site, it has everything and is ready to go, he said. It now lies idle, with speculation every so often that a giant like Ikea, Nissan or Samsung is interested. Such speculation is said to be wildly off-base with the particular nuances of the site suiting a pharmaceutical client. However, for all its advantages, no pharmaceutical giant has taken a bite after the Amgen non-starter. Mr Barry said it was time to consider locating two or three clients on the site, with a new hospital for Munster to be considered to complement the areas planned mass housing development in Water Rock and Carrigtwohill. Part of the jigsaw left here is the upgrade of the N25 road between Carrigtwohill and Midleton. "I dont believe anything can happen with this site until that happens. And I believe nothing can happen with the Water Rock masterplan area or Carrigtwohill North without this piece of dual carriageway being upgraded to a motorway. It is probably in the top five or six busiest stretches in the country. There is agricultural traffic, private residents, and it can be treacherous. Amgen were talking well over 1,000 jobs. Industries like that dont pop up overnight. So maybe wed look at a few industries here rather than one. Maybe two or three plants would complement each other. We should actually be looking at expanding this site. You have the railway, you have the water, you have the sewage scheme, the gas and electricity. There is nothing stopping a hospital and industry together, he said. Fermoy had a real track record for attracting foreign direct investment in the 1980s and 1990s that was the envy of rural towns all over Ireland. Thanks to the efforts of figures like local businessman Michael Hanley, the town attracted thousands of jobs from companies. The IDA and Fermoy Enterprise Board successfully showcased the town as an excellent place for foreign companies to come and do business. A tarmacadamed road and vacant land inside the IDA site at Rathgoggan, Charleville. Picture: Eddie OHare. Fermoy Enterprise Board, formed in 1986 and headed by Mr Hanley, has been hailed as a driving force in attracting hundreds of jobs to the town during the period, through companies such as Sanmina-SCI, Metropolitan Life and Berg. He said the current malaise for foreign direct investment not reaching rural towns was not an IDA problem. I would say the IDA has been absolutely first class in what it does and has been marvellous for Fermoy down through the years. I would praise it to the highest degree. Where I believe things went wrong is that the value of volunteering by business and community figures to showcase various towns has been discarded and not by the IDA. You had the likes of superb businesspeople in John McCarthy and Tom Cavanagh in Fermoy who would go above and beyond for the town in the past. The local authorities and central government have a lot to answer for. I remain appalled at how lacking the assistance was for town councils by their local authorities and central government. People who are willing and able to assist the IDA in showing off their towns are not being utilised and it is totally frustrating. We also have a problem with industries leaving towns and letting former premises become dilapidated and run down. How can you expect to showcase your best if rundown buildings are left behind? If politicians really wanted to help, they should make legislation that would leave the upkeep of sites in the hands of the last company out. Mr Hanley said he still had hopes for the IDA Business and Technology Park in Fermoy, saying a sharing of resources with stakeholders in neighbouring Mitchelstown to partner with the likes of Teagasc at nearby Moorepark should be explored. The thrill for me when the likes of Sanmina and FCI came to Fermoy was seeing people at work in their town. Fermoy is a wonderful town for companies to locate and has a proud record of handling large-scale industry handsomely. ABEC is a good example. Pennsylvania biopharmaceutical manufacturer ABEC located its European headquarters in Fermoy in 2015, and has thrived in the town. Yet the idle business park stands out like a weeping sore. County councillor Noel McCarthy said the Fermoy IDA Technology and Business Park was now best-known for recreation. People use it to walk their dogs. Thats what it has become. People were so excited when it was set up, we thought we would have people beating down the door to come. The IDA brought it to the highest standard, it is two minutes from the motorway and has a population ready, willing and able to work there. It is sad that in almost 20 years, there hasnt been a soul in there. It cannot go on indefinitely. Cities are getting first go when it comes to IDA visits but towns cannot be left out altogether. I think the time has come for the park to be zoned for a hotel, which the town badly needs. The town has been crying out for a hotel that can cater for weddings or conferences. After almost 20 years, new ideas are needed. I believe the IDA would be willing to listen. Even a hotel and a couple of smaller industries in there would be fantastic for Fermoy. We cannot have this for another 20 years, he said. Like towns all over the country, Kanturk, Charleville and Youghal badly want new industry. Independent county councillor Mary Linehan Foley said Youghal, once a proud manufacturing town, had seen that reputation stripped away as industry after industry left in the past two decades. However, just because the manufacturers left doesnt mean the desire to manufacture did, she said. Youghal is now totally reliant on tourism but it can be so much more. You have a workforce here that did industry proud and we had an excellent reputation as manufacturers. Id love for the IDA to be able to promote the likes of Youghal as alternatives to Cork. We, like many rural towns, feel like we have been forgotten about. Look, we know the heady days of 500 people employed in one factory have gone forever, but surely there is room to encourage four or five industries with 40-50 employees. Even 20 employees all those jobs add up and help mould a great community. Id like to see the IDA being helped by the Government to showcase rural towns. Id like to see brochures given to foreign direct investment companies highlighting the quality of life in Youghal, how we excelled in the past with industry, how we are a short distance to Waterford and Cork, and how that workforce is willing to rise to the challenge once more. Perhaps local authorities could look at incentives in costs like commercial rates to get foreign direct investment in. We cannot just accept that we have lost out forever. We are willing to fight for those jobs if we are assisted, she said. There is similar desire in north Cork towns like Kanturk, Charleville and Newmarket, according to Independent county councillor Timmy Collins. Councillor Mary Linehan-Foley at the entrance sign to the former IDA Springfield site, Youghal. Picture: Denis Minihane. The familiar sight of people in their cars heading for Cork is one tinged with sadness, Mr Collins said. There are areas of north Cork that are starved of employment. Factories like Irish Pride left towns like Kanturk and the vacuum was never filled. To be fair, the business situation improved because of proactive townspeople in Kanturk since the recession but we cant help feel left behind when it comes to the IDA and foreign direct investment coming to north Cork. The IDA can and should be doing more for rural Ireland. I see people leaving for Cork and Mallow in the mornings and feel terribly sad that they cant work in their own locality. People make light of the Healy-Raes in Kerry but they fight and scrap for everything they can get for Kerry. That is why people vote for them, because they feel at least they are listening. Rural Ireland has been forgotten about with the national broadband plan up in the air as well as foreign direct investment, he said. While Co Cork towns have felt little of the foreign direct investment miracle of recent years, the northside of Cork city has not fared much better. Kilbarry Business Park has a number of superb industries onsite, both local and internationals, but there are some glaring empty premises at the IDA site. Some buildings lie in an almost derelict state, while a foreign direct investment firm present in Kilbarry for 30 years, French firm Yves Rocher, announced just before Christmas it was to close. Fianna Fail TD for Cork North Central, Billy Kelleher has been critical of the lack of investment in Kilbarry and the northside of the city as a whole. The IDA can only do so much, he said, without a commitment from the Government for the Northern Ring Road, the most vital road infrastructure in Cork, he said. According to business leaders, the long-mooted northern ringroad from the Glanmire bypass towards Poulavone in Ballincollig would open up the areas economic potential. Proponents argue that Corks northside has shown its potential to handle the biggest companies, pointing to Apple in Hollyhill. Foreign direct investment on a smaller scale in the northside could really take off with that infrastructure in place, say business and political leaders. Mr Kelleher says the IDA site at Kilbarry has been underutilised for years. The IDA must start talking to the city and county councils about their infrastructural plans for the northside. Without improved access, the Kilbarry IDA site will continue to see the grass grow and nothing else, he said. The State is facing seven High Court claims from former Air Corps technicians, who say they suffer chronic illnesses due to exposure to toxic chemicals while they were cleaning and servicing aircraft. A number of whistleblowers have made protected disclosures about working conditions in Air Corps headquarters at Casement Aerodrome. The Health and Safety Authority subsequently investigated, and threatened legal action, unless the Defence Forces improved worker safety. Mr Howlin raised the issue in the Dail last month, and has since received correspondence from the Government. Ive raised it with the Taoiseach directly and Ive gotten a two-page response from the minister with responsibility for defence, and Im not satisfied, Mr Howlin said. There needs to be at least an expert-review panel set up to look into this in some detail. However, Mr Howlin did not call for a full commission of investigation, but said that the findings of an external review should determine whether such a process is necessary. Whether a full tribunal of investigation is required remains to be seen, but the first step to that is to have an external, expert review, and that needs to happen immediately, and I certainly will be pressing for that, he said. This review should include a health study of Air Corps members past and present to determine if they have a higher prevalence of chronic conditions compared to the general public, he said. That would have to be a critical part of the review, because, once the fears are there, they have to be empirically checked out, Mr Howlin said. They are either fact or not fact. Theres no point in people either dismissing them, or saying its a fact. We need to have external, independent, authoritative decisions on these matters. Mr Howlin was speaking in Cork last Friday, where he opened the partys new office on Bandon Rd. His comments came days after calls for health studies were made in the Dail by Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail. Given the possibility that there is a major health scandal hidden in the Air Corps, due to bad health-and-safety standards, is it not logical that an audit, or survey, of the health of serving members and ex-serving members be carried out to determine the scale of the health problems in Ireland, similar to the survey that was undertaken in Australia, when that country became aware of serious exposure of serving members to deadly chemicals? said Sinn Fein defence spokesman Aengus O Snodaigh. Australia is but one of a number of countries that have identified major flaws in their health-and-safety regimes. When the Australians identified those flaws, one of the first things they did was to conduct a survey of serving and ex-members to determine their health status. Fianna Fail defence spokeswoman Lisa Chambers said: We need an inquiry into whether technicians in the Air Corps developed cancer, neurological disorders, and other chronic conditions, as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals during their employment. We need a medical review of all those potentially affected. Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy will present an altered document after 1,050 suggested changes to his original draft plan were received for discussion. Rural TDs have voiced their objections, saying the plan is Dublin-biased and neglects rural Ireland. The Irish Examiner understands that, following discussions with Rural Affairs Minister Michael Ring, Mr Murphys latest version is equally balanced between urban and rural. We fully expect to address many of the points aided over in he Last number of months, a source close to the Housing Minister told the Irish Examiner. Minister Murphy has work closely with his own parliamentary party over the last number of weeks and indeed with Minister Ring over the last number of months to ensure that both regional and urban Ireland are both equally balanced in this plan. About 75% of growth will be outside Dublin. The Government said the purpose of the original plan was consultation . The National Planning Framework is at risk of being rejected by the Dail. Opposition TDs insist it will kill rural Ireland. Members of Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein, and Labour, along with some Independents, last week united in protest at the framework. The Ireland 2040 plan sets out priorities for infrastructure investments in the years ahead. In recent weeks, Fine Gael TDs complained to Mr Murphy the draft version is too focused on urban areas. Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice said regional development has become a buzzword but there was no real interest of everywhere working together. Labours Alan Kelly saying the report is generic and hugely flawed. We cant chock up Dublin. Dublin has to be a liveable city. The North West of Ireland might as well be somewhere in outer space. Fianna Fails Eamon O Cuiv questioned whether it was a plan for an economy or a country. Quality of life for our citizens is the ultimate measure, he said. It pushes resources into urban areas and expects people to follow the resources. If Fianna Fail does not support the final report when it comes before the Dail, it could threaten the stability of the confidence and supply arrangement with Fine Gael. A spokesperson for Mr Murphy said it was curious that TDs would set out to oppose something they havent yet seen. The Cork Foundation, which works with donors in Ireland and overseas to fund social enterprise projects in the Cork region, has announced the Ludgate Hub is to benefit from its fund-raising programmes. The charity has five fund-raising programmes Pledge to Cork and the Champions Programme under which the Ludgate Hub initiative is categorised as well as Friends of Cork, The Patron Programme, and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Connection. Established five years ago, the foundation has so far funded 22 projects in the Cork area, according to chief executive Padraic Vallely, who points to projects such as the Cork Life Centre, an education programme based in Sundays Well supporting early school-leavers to finish their state exams, The Field of Dreams on the Curraheen Road, a horticultural training centre for adults with Down Syndrome, and Benchspace on the Marina, which hires carpentry equipment at a reasonable rate to aspiring carpenters, supporting them in setting up their own business. The organisation, he explains, connects or matches local and international donors to relevant social enterprise projects in the wider Cork community, thus helping to create employment. This improves the lives of families and provides an opportunity for successful people to give back to their people, place and heritage, said Mr Vallely, who added that the Ludgate Hub was considered a good fit for the Cork Foundation: Ludgate is a social enterprise project which is community driven, community focused and which empowers the creation of jobs in the community. It has made Skibbereen a one-gigabit town, thus encouraging more and more people to live and work there. This will be a strategic partnership which would, in turn, be part of our fundraising arm we want to support a total of 45 projects in the next three years and we want to invest 1m in these projects, he said. The hubs mission, meanwhile, is to help create 500 jobs in the West Cork area by 2020, Mr Vallely emphasised the funding to the Ludgate Hub would very much depend on the level of financial contributions the foundation received from its donors. On average, we would expect to put 30,000 into each full-time project, but theres no guarantee of funding as it all depends on what we receive from our donors. We are completely donor-driven and donor-funded across Ireland, UK and the US. Last September, the foundation established a committee in London to target funding from London-based donors interested in supporting projects in Cork. It is currently working towards establishing a similar mission in San Francisco. The London initiative had been very successful to date, Mr Vallely reported: So far we have been pledged significant contributions towards different projects in Cork. They are adamant he will not cut and run to the country, despite Fine Gaels well-established lead over Fianna Fail and the fact he is the most popular taoiseach in a decade. They say they are keen to have the confidence-and-supply deal extended and claim they are working the back channels with Micheal Martin, and his inner circle, to that end. There is a genuine attempt, across government, to get things done and certainly, since Leo came in, to implement the programme for government in a more meaningful way than before, a source in Mr Varadkars office told the Irish Examiner. What the Government is trying to ensure is that confidence-and-supply is honoured and to keep, through back room channels, Fianna Fail up to speed as to what is going on and that extends to ministers. Ministers have tried to mind their opposite numbers. It is not a diktat from Leo, but he would have emphasised the need to do that from time to time, as good housekeeping. While Mr Varadkar is keen to make it look like he wants to continue, not all of his ministers share the view. There are mixed views in government about extending confidence-and-supply, said a source. It makes sense on our side. On the other side, if we are entering into an election cycle, we will be going up against FF, so it is a delicate balance. I dont think there is a unified Cabinet view. If you are in government, you want to be seen to extend confidence-and-supply. We are somewhat in a state of flux; a delicate balance. We do want the agreement to continue, but if it is not going to, then we have to get ready. However, there is also a growing fear within Government that even if Mr Martin wants to extend the deal beyond Octobers budget, he will not be able to. I am not sure Micheal will be able to get his party to extend confidence-and-supply, even if he wants to, said the source. He could find himself in a position of not being ready to go and he could find himself causing an election without being able to guarantee the outcome. The battlelines for the election are already being drawn. From Fianna Fails perspective, talk of lovebombing from Leo and his ministers is hilarious. For some in Fianna Fail, they see the relationship as professional. They have their weekly meeting of advisors, plus line spokespeople engage with their ministers. Some relationships are better than others. The speech given by Mr Varadkar in the Seanad said alot about his attitude. It was prematurely righteous and certainly wasnt humble. Talking about a lost decade is clearly a means of blaming us and boosting themselves, said one party figure. A long-standing dispute between Dublin North-West TD Dessie Ellis and Ballymun councillor Noeleen Reilly has required an intervention from party bosses. Ms Reilly claims she sought an intervention from Mary Lou McDonald and Gerry Adams, suggesting she was requested to stay quiet to protect the party. She has been suspended, the party said, for a period of six months on foot of a complaint from another councillor. Ms Reilly took to social media to vent her fury, saying she repeatedly sought assistance from party bosses but it was not coming. Mr Ellis has said that he accepted a censure from his party over comments he made about Ms Reilly. I accept the decision of the ard chomhairle, and I apologise for the comments I made in the media about Cllr Reilly, said Mr Ellis. I now want to move on to represent the people of Dublin North-West and to build the party locally. When contacted by the Irish Examiner yesterday, he said he had no further comment. In a statement, the party said: Following a complaint from a fellow councillor, Cllr Noeleen Reilly has been suspended from the party for six months. With regard to complaints by Councillor Noeleen Reilly about comments in the media by Dessie Ellis, TD, he will be censured by the party. As per our party constitution, the people concerned can appeal these recommendations. Speaking to the Irish Examiner, a party spokesman said any matters which cannot be dealt with under party procedures should be referred to gardai and parties involved have been advised as such. Sinn Fein has struggled to deal with a series of internal disputes in recent months amid allegations of bullying within the party. Ms McDonald has previously insisted such cases are localised incidents and the party has repeatedly denied there is a culture of bullying in the organisation. She is set to replace Gerry Adams as Sinn Fein president at a special ard fheis next Saturday. Meanwhile, police have been notified of alleged criminal damage after Sinn Feins policing spokesman in the North was filmed apparently using bolt cutters to remove a clamp from his car. Gerry Kelly removed the device after finding his vehicle had been immobilised while he was at a gym in Belfast city centre on Friday morning, the party said. News 5,000 Rally in Myitkyina to Call For Pause In Fighting Protesters in Myitkyina demonstrate on Feb. 5, 2018. / Nang Pu / Facebook YANGON Some 5,000 people, including members of civil society organizations, religious organizations and town elders, staged a protest in the Kachin capital of Myitkyina on Monday to call for a halt to a Tatmadaw offensive in the state, to allow villagers stranded in the nearby town of Tanai to seek refuge. The fighting between the Tatmadaw and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has intensified since Jan. 22, causing more than 750 people to flee into the jungle in Sumprabum Township, while more than 2,000 are trapped in Nam Gun, the battle zone near Tanai township amid cold winter weather. Three civilians were killed and five severely injured due to aerial bombardments and artillery barrages on Jan. 26, said a statement from the local Emergency Relief Committee for the Displaced. The protesters on Monday gathered at Manau Park in Myitkyina and marched to the local government offices. The aim of the demonstration was to find a way that people from other parts of Kachin State can contribute in helping those trapped to escape the conflict areas and to provide shelter for them before they can go back to their homes, said U Zau Jat from the Emergency Relief Committee for the Displaced. There is no adequate support (for the trapped villagers) with only a few relief workers in Tanai, he said, referring to the assistance provided by local relief workers and the Catholic church and the Kachin Baptist Convention. The local Emergency Relief Committee urged the NLD government to allow them to provide more help to the displaced and trapped civilians and for the Tatmadaw not to bar relief workers from providing such assistance. The Committees statement released on Monday condemned the Tatmadaws aerial bombing of civilians, putting civilians in hostage situations and for using them as human shields. It said the trapped civilians must be allowed safe transit back to their homes. The Committee said that the NLDs silence on the issue was encouraging the intensification of the civil war. Last week, the Committee requested a meeting with the Kachin State government and the head of the Northern Command to discuss assisting those caught up in the fighting, but there had been no response, U Zau Jat said. Dr. Khet Aung, the chief minister of Kachin State, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that the government response team comprised of police, immigration officials and Tanai administrators had rescued over 700 of the 2,000 trapped villagers since last week. The villagers, however, must pass through a military checkpoint before they can get help, he said. There are troops deep inside the jungle. The trapped villagers are inside the fighting zone and the civil servants cannot even enter. There are only soldiers there. We sent the Tanai township administrator, police and immigration officials to go as far as they could to rescue the civilians. Dr. Khet Aung urged the displaced persons not to flee into the jungle, but instead to try to come to the town to take shelter. Fighting between the KIAs Battalion 11 and Tatmadaw troops has continued near Tanais amber mine, but the fighting has temporarily ceased in Sumprabum and Mansi townships, U Zau Jat said. Burma Military Blocks 2nd Attempt to Erect Statue of Late Karen Leader A statue of the late KNU founder and leader Saw Ba U Gyi is moved to the groups liaison office in southern Karen State on Saturday. / KNU/KNLA / Facebook YANGON The Myanmar army has blocked a second attempt by the Karen National Union (KNU) to erect a statue of its late founder and leader Saw Ba U Gyi at its liaison office in Kyar Inn Seik Gyi Townships Win Yaw town, in southern Karen State, according to a KNU member. The KNU transported the statue from the town of Three Pagodas Pass, where government soldiers blocked the groups first attempt to set it up in December, to its liaison office on Saturday, only to have soldiers stop it again. The army blocked us from erecting it. They should not do that because they often say they want to have unity with ethnic people, to have harmony with ethnic people. But look at their bad actions. Win Yaw town chairman Saw Maung Shwe, a KNU member, told The Irrawaddy on Monday. Many ethnic Karen followed the statues journey to the office and performed traditional dances at a ceremony to celebrate its arrival but were left disappointed by the militarys refusal to let them erect it. In a video posted to the Karen Land Facebook page of a meeting on Saturday between KNU leaders and General Tun Tun San, tactical commander of the Myanmar armys Southeast Regional Command, the general says the KNU needs to negotiate with the government before erecting the statue, as per the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement it signed in 2015. Saw Maung Shwe said the KNU has to store the statue in the jungle and out of sight for the time being. This is the history and heritage of the ethnic Karen people, but they do not let us express it. How can they build unity with the countrys ethnic people by acting this way? he said. The Myanmar army first prevented the KNU from erecting the statue of Saw Ba U Gyi, who died in 1950, in Three Pagodas Pass as part of the groups plans to mark Karen New Year on Dec. 19. In November the online Karen News wrote that the Myanmar army was opposed to the statues creation out of concern that it would inspire Karen youth to oppose the government. Mann Aung Pyi Soe, vice chairman of the Phalon-Sawow Democratic Party, disagreed. This status is not to stage a revolution in the country. It is just for the Karen so they can pay respect to their national leader. They should not stop the Karen from doing it, he said. While the national government has branded Saw Ba U Gyi an enemy of the state, he added, to his people he was a revolutionary who fought for equal rights for the ethnic Karen. Saw Closay, an ethnic Karen, said his people remember Saw Ba U Gyi as an intelligent and honest leader who sacrificed for the Karens ongoing struggle for self-determination. He said sidelining his statue would not extinguish his vision. Saw Ba U Gyi is our national hero as much as General Aung San is a national hero to Myanmar, he said. I have known about him since I was 10 years old. Most young Karen and well-read Kayin recognize him as a visionary leader. Burma Pro-Military Rally Denounces Peace Performance, Mocks Student Leader A rally in support of Myanmars military is held in Yangon on Sunday. / The Irrawaddy YANGON Former ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party members, veterans and nationalists joined a rally in support of the military in Yangon on Sunday. They denounced a former student leader who recently drew the ire of the Tatmadaw, Myanmars military, over the depiction of the institution in a peace-building performance he organized. Officially billed as the Rally Against Those Sowing Discord Between the Military and the People, the event drew several thousand people. Among them were Buddhist nationalists, including monks who are the subject of arrest warrants for their participation in communal rioting last year as well as for staging an anti-government sit-in in Yangon. Former dictator Ne Wins grandson Aye Ne Win, former USDP lawmaker U Hla Swe and other nationalists also attended. An organizer told the media the event was intended to show solidarity with the military after the recent peace-building performance, which critics felt damaged the militarys image. He was referring to an activity late last month intended to foster support for the government-sponsored 21st-Century Panglong Peace Conference. During the event, to call attention to the lack of peace in the country, performers wearing fatigues pointed guns at people dressed as civilians while children begged the soldiers for mercy. Addressing the rally on Sunday, former USDP lawmaker U Hla Swe mocked Ko Min Ko Naings personal appearance and his reported academic failures as a youth, calling the leader of the 88 Generation Students Group a buck-toothed illiterate. He once denied that it was the military that won Myanmars independence. This buck-toothed dimwit is an illiterate. Someone told me he failed the eighth grade twice before finally getting through, he told the crowd. Ko Min Ko Naing once said in a lecture that Aung San, viewed as the father of Myanmars independence, went to England in January 1947 as a civilian, not as a general, to sign an agreement with British Prime Minister Clement Atlee declaring that Burma would be independent within a year. Ko Min Ko Naing was not available for comment. The military condemned the performance and demanded an apology. The student leader has taken full responsibility for the performance. He has not apologized. Burma Rakhine Govt to Sue AP over Report of Mass Graves in Buthidaung An aerial view of a burnt-out village in Buthitaung Township in northern Rakhine State. / Min Aung Khaing / The Irrawaddy The Rakhine State Government plans to sue The Associated Press for falsely reporting the existence of mass graves near Gutar Pyin Village in Buthidaung Township, northern Rakhine State. The state government is discussing with the attorney general of Rakhine State, U Kyaw Hla Tun, the possibility of a lawsuit against the news agency, according to Colonel Phone Tint, the state minister for security and border affairs. We have instructed the chief law officer to look at ways to sue the news agency, Col Phone Tint said. He said the laws under which the agency would be sued would be made known to the public soon. At the time The Irrawaddy published the story on Monday at 6:38 PM, the AP had not replied to a request for comments. Later that evening, the wire agency replied that it stood by its reporting. On Feb. 1, the AP reported that hundreds of bodies had been found in five mass graves near Gutar Pyin Village in Buthidaung, Rakhine State. It said the bodies had been burned with acid in an apparent attempt to destroy them. The Union government ordered the Rakhine State government to investigate the claims. The state government sent an investigation team led by the Buthidaung Township administrator to the site, but the team found the claims to be untrue, according to a statement released by the Union government on the evening of Feb. 2. On Aug. 28 last year, Gutar Pyin Village was the scene of fighting between security forces and ARSA militant terrorists, one of a series of clashes in Buthidaung, Maungtaw and Yathedaung in northern Rakhine State, the statement said. It added that during the fighting in Gutar Pyin, about 500 villagers joined a raid by ARSA militants on security forces, and that in the resulting fighting, a member of the security forces was injured and 19 militants were killed. According to the statement, the 19 bodies were properly buried and Case No. 5/2017 was filed under Section 50 (i) of the Counter-terrorism Law at Nyaung Chaung Police Station, the statement said. The press release stated that the government was not necessarily denying the allegations and would investigate further if reliable new information comes to light. If any rights violations were found to have occurred, action would be taken against the perpetrators in line with existing laws, it said. The Rakhine State government said it is investigating whether similar incidents took place in surrounding villages and that plans are in place to carry our further investigations when more information and evidence becomes available. The story was updated on Tuesday morning with the APs response. Burma Shan State Coalition Names New Chair Committee for Shan State Unity leaders pose for photos at the end of their latest annual meeting in Shan State on Feb. 2. / Shan News YANGON The Committee for Shan State Unity named the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) its new chair at its annual meeting last week in Shan States Mong Pan Township. It takes over the role from the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), one of the states ethnic armed groups. The committee a coalition of Shan political parties, armed groups and civil society organizations formed in 2013 to work toward achieving peace in Shan State. Its chairmanship rotates annually. SNDP Chairman Sai Aik Pao, a former Shan State minister on mining and forestry, was not able to attend the Feb. 1-2 meeting for health reasons. SNDP General Secretary Sai Boe Aung, the committees new spokesman, said the alliance will continue to try to achieve unity among Shan States many ethnic groups and to focus on building peace and a federal union. He told The Irrawaddy that residents of the state have become more politically aware as a result of the committees work. The people in our state are collaborating more because they are taking part in the peace process of the country more. So it is a good sign that we, the indigenous people of Shan State, will be more involved in Shan State affairs, he said. The committee has repeatedly urged the two Shan political parties, the SNDP and Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, to merge. Though divergent policies continue to keep them apart, Sai Boe Aung said they would try to work together on the goals they share. The group usually meets in Yangon or Chiang Mai, Thailand, but has been obstructed by the Myanmar military in both locations over the past two years. This years annual meeting was its first in Shan State. We always wanted to hold such talks in our own state, but for many reasons we could not do so, Sai Boe Aung said. The committee had to cancel public consultations on the peace process in December, in part because the Myanmar military objected to the participation of the Shan State Progressive Party/Shan State Army North, a committee member. Sai Boe Aung said the committee would continue trying to hold the consultations, which are meant to inform their national-level dialogues on the peace process. Burma Wary of Chinas Foothold, Japan Urges India to Help Myanmar Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi hold a press conference in Naypyitaw on Jan. 12. / Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Facebook Japans special envoy to Myanmar urged New Delhi to play an active role in protecting the troubled country before it falls back into Chinas orbit. India, with her old relationship, should play a more proactive role in Myanmar, Yohei Sasakawa was quoted as saying in the Times of India. Myanmar faces mounting international pressure over the Rohingya crisis, including the threat of US sanctions. At the same time, the special envoy said, China has been taking a greater interest in the conflict. He warned of security problems for Japan and India as China grows more assertive in regaining its foothold in Myanmar by, for instance, taking a more active role in the countrys peace process. China is establishing a foothold in Rakhine State with its promise to develop a deep-water port at Kyaukphyu at a cost of about $7.3 billion, a very big investment for Myanmar. But Yohei Sasakawa said there was little coordination between Japan and India on Myanmar, a surprise given how close the countries have become on the security front. According to the Times, the special envoy was also critical of the administration of US President Donald Trump for, as he saw it, lacking clarity in its approach to Myanmar. Also according to the Times, he said the Myanmar government and military were wary of moving further into Chinas sphere of influence despite sharing an old and deep relationship with the Asian superpower but may have no choice if the West turns its back on Myanmar. The Japanese government is supporting the Myanmar government. We would like India to do more. Because of the US attitude, India must step up, Yohei Sasakawa said. In November, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited both Bangladesh and Myanmar and urged the neighbors to hold bilateral talks. China has also backed Myanmar at the UN Security Council. In January, Taro Kono, Japans foreign minister, went to Rakhine State, becoming the first minister of a foreign country to visit the region since the latest outbreak of violence there in late August. Japan is willing to help [the Myanmar government] make the country a place where communities from different faiths can live together peacefully, Kono said to a village chief. Monday, February 5th, 2018 (11:28 am) - Score 31,499 At present if an ISP feels that the Dynamic Line Management (DLM) profile for a UK Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC / VDSL2) based broadband line needs a reset then it usually requires an Openreach engineer visit, but progress is being made on a new remote reset solution. The DLM system is used to control the performance and stability of related lines, which in practice means that your speed may go up or down depending upon how stable / error prone DLM thinks the line is. Broadly speaking the DLM system on Openreachs FTTC network works pretty well, although sometimes a connections profile may become stuck at a lower level or other problems can occur that might benefit from a profile reset. Unfortunately ISPs have not previously been able to perform remote resets on FTTC circuits, which is partly because to do so would require an engineer visit (attracts a cost). Last year we mentioned that Openreach were working to improve DLM by tweaking how it works and also offering an interim solution for resetting the caution counters (technically a DLM reset), which would allow ISPs to request a caution counter reset on a number of their lines each day. Since then several ISPs (e.g. Plusnet) have started offering the option of a remote DLM reset as part of a trial with selected customers. The reset seems to take place in phases and has in a few examples helped to return some FTTC lines back to a higher speed. Today Openreach issued an interesting update to tout an interim solution that will allow [ISPs] to request a DLM reset and replaces the ability to request caution counter resets (here). The briefing itself isnt public, although ISPs inform us that it does indeed extend the trial from a caution counter reset to a full DLM reset, which should fix banding problems and some other issues with DLM profiles; assuming of course that the original underlying problem has been resolved first. We understand that this change will come into play from the 19th February 2018. Using this approach means that each day an ISP can submit a list of circuits to be reset, which is then applied overnight by Openreach. A limit of 1000 circuits per day per ISP remains in place, although weve not seen any complaints about this restriction. Obviously this is something that ISPs dont expect to use a lot but its a useful tool for them to have and could save on engineer visits, as well as satisfying some users. Monday, February 5th, 2018 (8:17 am) - Score 6,043 Cable ISP Virgin Media (Liberty Global) has officially passed an additional 1 million UK premises as part of their 3bn Project Lightning network extension, which is bringing ultrafast broadband and TV services to 4 million extra homes and businesses. But its still behind schedule. The operators expansion was first announced in February 2015 and back then it was expected to bring their predominantly urban focused Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) based EuroDOCSIS network to 17 million premises (60%+ coverage of the UK) by 2020 (here), which would add 4 million premises to their existing cable coverage. In April 2016 the operator optimistically revised their plan by pledging that 2 million premises in the new expansion would also be reached by using Gigabit capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) technology via Radio Frequency over Glass (RFoG). On top of that they then pulled the expected completion date forward from 2020 to 2019 (here). Today The Times (paywall) carries word that more than 1 million premises have now been reached by the project and the millionth property was a home in Walsall (West Midlands of England). The operators CEO, Tom Mockridge, said: Its a big job, but we are pleased with the outcome. The positive news is a significant milestone and we should learn the exact figure next week when Virgin Medias full year results are published, although their progress is still behind schedule. The operator ended Q3 2017 with a total of 943,000 premises passed since the build began, but they only added 376,000 premises during the first three quarters of 2017 (the original projection was to reach up to 800,000 in 2017). Unfortunately VM took a hit last year after they admitted to having overstated the progress of their build (here and here). Since then additional resources have been committed to help ramp-up their rollout and weve also seen them adopt an increasingly cautious approach when considering more difficult deployment areas (here). On top of that Virgin Media refuses to say how many FTTP premises have been completed. Overall we still expect Virgin Media to complete 4 million premises, although their original completion target for the end of 2020 now seems more viable than the 2019 goal. Tom Mockridge has also called on the government to cut red tape and reform the wayleaves system, which would help them to more easily run their cables into properties (e.g. large apartment buildings) that are owned by local councils or private landlords. Virgin Media claims that around 750,000 flats are being forgotten because of delays with related permissions and that Openreach (BT) has an advantage in this area because their existing copper line network is often already present in such buildings. In fairness, Openreachs VDSL2 or G.fast based Fibre-to-the-Basement style broadband upgrades (these harness their existing copper network to deliver superfast or ultrafast broadband) may also sometimes require special permission in order to properly cater for such buildings (e.g. installing DSLAMs in the basement or when adding FTTP lines). Some cities, such as London, have already tried to tackle such problems by standardising wayleave agreements, but clearly that doesnt completely resolve the issue. Some landlords will always be more cooperative than others. Monday, February 5th, 2018 (9:53 am) - Score 1,185 London-based Satellite ISP Avanti Communications has appointed Kyle Whitehill to be its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The move comes ahead of their planned March 2018 launch of the new HYLAS 4 spacecraft that will offer cost-effective and high-speed broadband across Africa and Europe. Kyle joins Avanti from his former position as CEO of the Liquid Telecom Group in South Africa. Prior to that Kyle was with Vodafone Group for almost 15 years, where he served as CEO of Vodafone Qatar, overseeing the successful launch of the countrys 4G+ network, as well as being CEO of Vodafone Ghana for three years and COO of Vodafone India. The new CEO replaces former boss David Williams, who announced last summer that he was leaving the company after 17 years at the helm. A non-executive board director, Alan Harper, has been overseeing Avanti as an interim CEO and will now return to his previous role. Kyle Whitehill said: I am delighted to be part of Avantis new beginning. As HYLAS 4 is launched, a new story will be written. There is great opportunity here. We are bringing much needed, secure and reliable broadband communications services to communities, governments and companies across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In Africa, we will help transform a continent by bringing communications and opportunity to unserved communities. I look forward to working with the team at Avanti and, with my contacts across these regions, to deliver great services to Avantis customers and great results for its investors. The operator recently announced revenue for Q3 2017 of $9.7m and EBITDA of $3.8m, with a period end cash balance of $90.0m and a period end backlog of $95.2m. Financing the new HYLAS 4 satellite has put a lot of pressure on Avanti, which is now banking on a successful launch to help steer it through difficult times. On the bright side Avanti has just agreed a new partnership deal with Global Partnership for Education (GPE), which will use Hylas 4 to connect 1,000 rural schools across Africa to the internet. Apparently the marginalised schools will be able to get access for approximately $10 a day. The connectivity itself will be delivered via Avantis Every Community Online (ECO) scheme, which provides schools and surrounding communities with WiFi access (fuelled via their Satellite). Security firm Bitdefender says it has been monitoring a complex custom-built piece of Windows malware, that it has named PZChao because of the name of the domain at which its command and control server resides. Researchers Ivona Alexandra and Bogedan Botezatu released a detailed white paper on the threat, which they said had a network of malicious domains, each of which was used for a specific task - download, upload, remote access trojan-related actions, and malware DLL delivery). "The payloads are diversified and include capabilities to download and execute additional binary files, collect private information and remotely execute commands on the system," they said. Highly targeted spam messages with a malicious VBS file attached appeared to be the main means of infecting Windows computers. The script acts as a downloader for further malicious payloads from a distribution server. Alexandra and Botezatu said the IP address of the distribution server resolved to one located in South Korea as of 17 July, when the initial payload had been first isolated. The IP address 125.7.152.55 hosts the down.pzchao.com. New components are downloaded and executed on the compromised hosts at every stage of the attack as seen below. Botezatu told iTWire in response to queries that PZChao used several readily-built components such as the open-source Gh0stRAT that have been seen in the past. "Tech-wise, PZChao can't compare to the TAO (Equation Group). However, judging by different metrics (such as the success rate of the attack), the PZChao approach is proven to work and have the same outcome as a state-of-the-art, brand-new attack: data exfiltration over a long period of time," he added. The server, as well as the entire infrastructure, had been taken offline following abuse complaints to South Korean authorities. "But this does not change anything for the victims who have already fallen for the attack and had their information compromised," Botezatu added. "Hackers can easily re-create this environment on a different server, in a different part of the world and reconfigure the payloads to connect to the new infrastructure." Asked about the extent of the spread of PZChao and the use it was put to, he said, given the nature of the targets entities in education, government, telecommunications and technology "we believe that this is a highly targeted attack that focuses on gathering intelligence and intellectual property". A simplified view of the location and nature of the targets. "Advanced persistent threat groups are not exclusively focused on politics, but rather go for the full spectrum of mission-critical infrastructure. Political and commercial espionage go hand in hand, especially in countries where advanced intellectual property stolen from say, a US company, could be paired with a cheap workforce to create extremely competitive products." As to the name chosen for the malware, Botezatu said: "Operation PZChao has been called like that because it is centred around a command and control infrastructure located at pzchao(dot)com. We have no idea what went through the attacker's mind when they chose this domain name, but this name is unique enough to differentiate this attack from other extremely similar attacks." Graphics: courtesy Bitdefender Aeon Flux was a movie about a devastating virus that nearly destroyed all human life, but with Cisco, Apple, Aon and Allianz, you can manage cyber risks and malware-related threats and avoid any flux ups. Promising a first in "cyber risk management" with a "combined approach integrating technology, services and enhanced cyber insurance to make businesses more resilient", the awesome tech titan foursome have a fearsome new solution. We're told this new cyber risk management solution for businesses comprises of "cyber resilience evaluation services from Aon, the most secure technology from Cisco and Apple, and options for enhanced cyber insurance coverage from Allianz". The solution is fearsome to the bad guys, of course, with the solution said to be "designed to help a wider range of organisations better manage and protect themselves from cyber risk associated with ransomware and other malware-related threats, which are the most common threats faced by organisations today". As Apple's media release warns, the "cyber security risk is growing", and "losses from cyber threats are outpacing investment in IT security". This stat has multiple sources, form an article from Fortune, Jan 2015, entitled "Lloyds CEO: Cyber attacks cost companies US$400 billion every year," to Juniper Research from May 2015 entitled: "Cyber crime will cost businesses over US$2 trillion by 2019." Two more sources for good measure see one from Cybersecurity Ventures in August 2016, in an article entitled: "Hackerpocalypse: A Cybercrime Revelation, 2016 Cybercrime Report," with the final source being Gartner's November 2017 "Forecast: Information Security, Worldwide, 2015-2021, 3Q17 Update." With that fact well established, Apple and its partners then warn of the "low adoption of cyber insurance", from Ciab's Cyber Market Survey Sprint 2017, combined with "an active adversary, a fragmented security technology market and a security skills shortage, means it is difficult for many organisations to understand and manage this risk effectively". We are thus told that this new solution "covers the primary dimensions of cyber protection for businesses", and that "the key elements of the offering include:" Cyber resilience evaluation: Aon cyber security professionals will assess interested customers cyber security posture and recommend ways to help improve their cyber security defences. Aon cyber security professionals will assess interested customers cyber security posture and recommend ways to help improve their cyber security defences. Cyber insurance: Allianz evaluated the Cisco and Apple technical foundation of the solution and determined that customers using Cisco Ransomware Defence, and/or qualified Apple products can be eligible for the Allianz-developed enhanced cyber insurance offering, acknowledging the superior level of security afforded to businesses by Cisco and Apple technology. This, in combination with individual risk insights gained through the Cyber Resilience Evaluation, makes possible the enhanced cyber insurance coverage to Cisco and Apple business customers. Enhancements include market-leading policy coverage terms and conditions, including potentially qualifying for lower, or even no, deductibles in certain cases. The cyber insurance coverage is underwritten by Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS). Cisco Ransomware Defence is part of Ciscos integrated security portfolio that leverages industry leading threat intelligence from Cisco Talos to see threats once, and block them everywhere. The solution includes advanced email security, next-generation endpoint protection and cloud-delivered malicious internet site blocking, to strengthen an organisations defences against malware, ransomware and other cyber threats. Apple products: iPhone, iPad and Mac give employees the best experiences at work with the strong security that businesses need. The tight integration of hardware, software and services on iOS devices ensures that each component of the system is trusted, from initial boot-up to installing third-party apps. Users benefit from always-on hardware encryption, as well as support for secure networking protocols like Transport Layer Security (TLS) and VPN out of the box. Allianz evaluated the Cisco and Apple technical foundation of the solution and determined that customers using Cisco Ransomware Defence, and/or qualified Apple products can be eligible for the Allianz-developed enhanced cyber insurance offering, acknowledging the superior level of security afforded to businesses by Cisco and Apple technology. This, in combination with individual risk insights gained through the Cyber Resilience Evaluation, makes possible the enhanced cyber insurance coverage to Cisco and Apple business customers. Enhancements include market-leading policy coverage terms and conditions, including potentially qualifying for lower, or even no, deductibles in certain cases. The cyber insurance coverage is underwritten by Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS). Incident Response Services: Organisations will have access to Cisco and Aons Incident Response teams in the event of a malware attack. The companies say the new solution is available "today", with further information here. Chuck Robbins, chairman and chief executive, Cisco said: At Cisco, security is foundational to everything we do. As the leading enterprise security company, we know that in a digital world security must come first, and our integrated security architecture reduces customers overall risk of exposure to ransomware and malware attacks. Cisco Security technology is central to the new holistic risk management solution and we are excited to bring another important benefit to our customers with greater options for cyber insurance. Tim Cook, Apples chief executive, said: The choice of technology providers plays a critical role in any companys defence against cyber attacks. Thats why, from the beginning, Apple has built products from the ground up with security in mind, and one of the many reasons why businesses around the world are choosing our products to power their enterprise. iPhone, iPad and Mac are the best tools for work, offering the worlds best user experience and the strongest security. Were thrilled that insurance industry leaders recognise that Apple products provide superior cyber protection, and that we have the opportunity to help make enhanced cyber insurance more accessible to our customers. Jason Hogg, chief executive, Aon Cyber Solutions, said: Ransomware is an evolving risk that impacts every level of an enterprise. Organisations urgently need to be managing these risks from both the technical and the financial perspective. This holistic solution provides our clients with an integrated approach to addressing ransomware risk. We can provide customers with guidance on what cyber defences, resources and processes to deploy to improve their cyber posture. Its the improved cyber posture that makes them eligible for enhanced/broader cyber insurance protection. Bill Scaldaferri, president and chief executive, AGCS North America, said: Proactive analysis coupled with the latest technology creates an ideal defence against todays ever-changing ransomware and malware attacks. This strategic alliance with Aon, Apple and Cisco allows us to provide a unique solution to companies using this integrated platform to manage risk and ultimately strengthen their battle against high-profile threats. British security researcher Lauri Love has won an appeal against extradition to the US to face charges of allegedly breaching the computer networks of a number of federal government agencies. The appeal judges opposed his extradition on the grounds that it would be "oppressive by reason of his physical and mental condition", the BBC reported. American officials have a fortnight to ask for an appeal in the UK Supreme Court. Love, who has Asperger syndrome, won the right to appeal in April 2017. He would have faced 99 years in jail if he was tried in three separate trials in the US, and a fine of up to US$9 million. His extradition was ordered by British Home Secretary Amber Rudd in November last year after he was unable to persuade a judge that he should be tried in the UK. But on Monday, the appeal judges told the Crown Prosecution Service to try Love in England. Love said: "I'm hoping that this outcome can contribute to the discussion we are having as a society about how to accommodate people that have neuro-diversity, whose brains are made up in a slightly different way. "There is an ongoing problem with people with autism in the justice system they have actually been debating it in Westminster Hall. "I hope in the future to be able to contribute to a slightly better understanding of the stigma associated with depression." Love was first taken into custody in 2013 on suspicion that he had breached the networks of the FBI, the Federal Reserve and NASA. Lauri Love court decision in full https://t.co/kIEaeQmzg7 pic.twitter.com/6Lge3sVBeT Mustafa Al-Bassam (@musalbas) 5 February 2018 Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and Mr Justice Ouseley said Love, who also suffers from depression, "did not seek impunity for the acts alleged against him, but contended that he should be tried and, if convicted, sentenced in the United Kingdom". "We accept that the evidence shows that the fact of extradition would bring on severe depression, and that Mr Love would probably be determined to commit suicide, here or in America." Emma Norton, head of legal casework for British human rights group Liberty, who intervened in the case, said: "Where unlawful activity is alleged to have taken place in the UK, those suspected should be tried in the UK not packed off to foreign courts and unfamiliar legal systems. This is especially important in cases of vulnerable people like Lauri Love. "We are delighted that the court has recognised Lauri's vulnerability, close family connections to the UK and the potentially catastrophic consequences of extraditing him. This was always a case that could have been prosecuted here and it's shameful that Lauri and his family have been put through this terrible ordeal." I'm happy to see @laurilove win the extradition fight. #trialAtHome was the only compassionate option. The US correction system is a dumpster fire. pic.twitter.com/zzo34stRFR Jake Williams (@MalwareJake) 5 February 2018 Another British infosec expert, Gary McKinnon, was not extradited for accessing US Government computers in 2012, after a 10-year legal battle, because he was considered to be seriously ill. The decision against his extradition was made by the current British Prime Minister Theresa May who was home secretary at the time. A third British security researcher, Marcus Hutchins, is awaiting trial in the US, after being arrested in Las Vegas in August last year after he had boarded a plane to leave the US after attending the annual DEFCON security conference. The chargesheet against him says he wrote and helped distribute a banking trojan named Kronos along with an unnamed co-conspirator. Local taxi payment vendor Cabcharge has tied up with Chinese payment platform Alipay to try and attract the ever growing number of Chinese tourists into using taxis and using a payment method which is familiar to them. Alipay, which is already available in taxis in New York and Los Angeles, has an active user base of 520 million. As iTWire has reported previously, digital use in China is far ahead of the rest of the world. The deal means that Chinese tourists who travel by taxis in Australia which use Cabcharge will be able to pay their fares using Alipay. Cabcharge said it would roll out the technology in its 22,000 taxis after an initial trial run. The company added that it would also the marketing features available in Alipay to introduce Chinese tourists to its taxis before, and during, their visit to Australia. In the year to 30 June 2017, about 1.2 million Chinese tourists visited Australia, and spent $9.8 billion. More than 3.3 million Chinese tourists are expected to visit each year by 2026. George Lawson, country manager of Alipay ANZ, said: Cabcharge is an early adopter of Alipay in Australia and they understand that better servicing Chinese customers in market can lead to revenue growth. "This technology will help Australian taxi-drivers break-down language and currency barriers and limit anxieties that that may have stopped Chinese tourists from using taxis in the past. In recent years, there has been a notable shift away from traditional Chinese tourist groups to more independent travellers. This is a tremendous opportunity for the taxi industry and makes the acceptance of Alipay even more critical. Andrew Skelton, Cabcharges chief executive and managing director said: Cabcharge is proud to be partnering with Alipay to extend its payment capabilities and offer additional choices for passengers. "Our strategic investment in technology has contributed to us remaining at the forefront of non-cash payment technologies in Australia. The acceptance of Alipay enables the Australian taxi industry to more effectively service Alipays growing user base in Australia. Cabcharges partnership with Alipay is an example of our continued commitment to improve the passenger experience by making our payment services as seamless, secure and simple as possible." Photo: supplied NBN Co, the company rolling out Australia's national broadband network, has signed a deal worth $184 million over 10 years with Speedcast International to deliver wholesale business satellite services to regional and remote Australia. The services are expected to be available by the early part of next year. A statement from the company said it had enlisted Speedcast's subsidiary Speedcast Managed Services to develop the services using NBN Co's Sky Muster satellites. NBN Co has two Sky Muster satellites in service with total capacity of 240,000 active services in regional and remote parts of the country. There are 84,000 active services and about 1000 take up service every month. The company said the provision of these satellite services had been part of its business plan since 2014 would not have any effect on its provision of residential services. Speedcast is an Australian company that specialises in satellite communications technology. We are honoured and grateful to have been chosen for such an important programme and we are excited to play a part in expanding the communication services available in Australia," said Pierre-Jean Beylier, chief executive of Speedcast. "This contract is another huge success for Speedcast in our efforts to provide next-generation communications solutions to our clients and partners around the world. I thank NBN Co for their trust in Speedcasts ability to deliver reliable communications services enabling mission-critical applications that enterprise and government customers rely on; something we are passionate about and have been doing very successfully in Australia for many years as well as in over 100 countries around the world. The company said that it was the largest provider of satellite communication services to enterprises in Australia and globally. NBN Co has said that it will complete the rollout of the network to all premises that do not pose issues by 2020. With MWC 2018 only a few weeks away, industry specialists attending the show are lining up to discuss what they think this year's defining trends will be. With MWC always at the beginning of the year, albeit in late February, there's always a stack of telco and related news to come, and with 5G clearly the top of the totem pole when it comes to obvious topics. But there's a few other big topics, such as AI and IoT that have been building steam, building capability and sophistication this year, dovetailing as they do with the incredible potential that 5G connectivity and its ultra low latency offers. It also wouldn't be a telco show without C-RAN and Massive MIMO, along with everything else that will be showcased, including various 5G smartphone prototypes on top of all the vendors claiming their 5G solution is the one, so what do five companies, unsurprisingly offering various aspects of the promised trends, think about these and other developments will impact the telecoms industry at MWC and beyond? Naturally, they'd make for an interesting article, and with these companies all set to have a stand at the show, you can always approach them direct if you're physically going to be there. 1. So, let's start with Amdocs, which is predicting that AI will get "sentimental at MWC". Doron Youngerwood is the AI product manager at Amdocs, and he says that "Over the last year or so, we have witnessed a surge in the adoption of AI platforms to drive customer engagement and enable service providers to deal with the high volumes of inbound requests. "Machine learning and automation have become essential due to the speed, scale, or complexity of the customer data that needs to be processed. Based on this intelligence, operators can anticipate issues that are likely to lead to complaints and pre-emptively engage with those customers before they pick up the phone to contact the call centre. AI can save operators time and money - reducing inbounds to call centres by around 15%, while increasing net promoter scores by 20%. We expect to see lots more traction in this space with AI making its mark at MWC this year, particularly in light of recent developments in the field of sentiment analysis. Its now possible to gain a deeper understanding of the customers emotional state in real-time by analysing vocal intonations to detect their current mood, prompting an emotionally-aware response. "The convergence of sentiment within the context of voice interactions is pivotal to the future of customer service. It will transform the way operators filter, manage and prioritise calls and inbound requests, helping to increase customer satisfaction. We anticipate a string of AI-related announcements at the show, and not just from the mobile carriers but other service providers and brands too, all looking at ways and means to deliver a more complete customer experience. Were looking forward to seeing new AI concepts and innovations across the board. 2. Then comes Netscout, which says that "Operators [can] get smart with data to monetise the IoT." Here we hear from John English, senior product manager for Service Providers at Netscout, who says: "Digital transformation will power a surge in momentum for the IoT, with the number of connected devices predicted to reach 30.73 billion by 2020. This will give rise to an unprecedented amount of data that can be harnessed by operators, enabling them to become smart, and gain actionable and meaningful insights. Service providers are already looking to become much more than just the dumb pipes or networks that provide connectivity, and with the advent of the IoT, they will need to evolve their business models to become part of how the IoT solution is delivered. Discussions in Barcelona will therefore centre on how, instead of offering basic data plans for connectivity, IoT solutions will enable operators to provide smart data that can be monetised as part of IoT transactions. "This could encompass metering, geo location and usage charges; for example, providing information for security, lighting, parking, etc. in smart cities. Through expanding their compensation into new IoT device and service payment schemes, as well as service level agreements, operators will relieve their dependency on flat rates and unlimited data plans for internet connectivity. This will allow them to create valuable new revenue streams and invest in their networks. At MWC, we also expect to see more examples of how the IoT can touch all aspects of the digital economy, unlocking enormous benefits in a wide range of sectors, from agriculture to automotive. With more and more IoT technologies underpinning critical applications, such as disaster monitoring and military situational awareness, service delivery assurance and security assurance will come into sharp focus. Conversations at the show will therefore focus on the increasing challenge of maintaining connectivity and communication across a myriad of devices and infrastructures in the IoT age." 3. Next we get to BICS, who don't make pens, but potentially do pen-testing, and who say that "IoT, LTE roaming and security will shape operator strategy". The chief executive of BICS is Daniel Kurgan, who says: "At MWC, discussions around the urgent need for global carrier-grade connectivity will come to the fore, as service providers and businesses look to unlock the socio-economic benefits of a connected world. The IoT is fuelling this need, with billions of devices and services now dependent on connectivity. As such, we expect the IoT to again be front and centre in Barcelona. This in turn will drive conversations around roaming at the show. Our recent data reveals an astonishing growth in LTE data roaming traffic, including an increase last year of up to 800% in Europe during the summer months compared with 2016. When compounded with the surge in the number of connected devices crossing borders, its clear that connectivity can no longer be siloed by country. Lastly, we expect security to take centre stage during the event. Technology is advancing and fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated, meaning operators must look to stop threats before they hit. Protecting networks, revenues, customers and business reputation requires a global, collaborative approach, with organisations working together to safeguard communications and connectivity. MWC offers a fertile ground for discussing these issues and planning for the future. 4. Waltzing onto the stage now is Blue Danube Systems, with the message that "Operators turn to Massive MIMO to solve their capacity problems." Sesh Krishnamoorthy, director, Product Management at Blue Danube Systems is our next contestant, and he says that: "One of the biggest challenges facing operators today is that consumers are increasingly using their phones for high-bandwidth LTE services such as HD video streaming which is impacting network throughput and user experience. At MWC 2018, we will see new technology that can address operators capacity demands and performance issues in high-density areas, in a cost-effective way. This new technology will be in the form of innovations in Massive MIMO. The technology can direct antenna energy to areas where users are accessing high-bandwidth services, whilst directing it away from areas where there are no, or fewer users. It can also reduce overall network interference by directing radio frequency signals to desired users. Critically, the technology can be immediately added to an LTE network infrastructure, enabling operators to maximise ROI on their existing investments. As a long-term solution to their capacity and network performance issues, operators are also investing heavily in the 5G, which will inevitably be the hottest topic at the show. The real winners at MWC will be the technology providers offering a 5G ready solution today, which can also support operators with their current deployments. 5. The Cobham Wireless "Coverage business" ensures we won't run past C-RAN, which is says "will be central to smart cities". Rami Hasarchi, vice-president of Coverage at Cobham Wireless, says: Smart cities will be a major point of focus at MWC, from the autonomous vehicles which will transport their citizens to the innovations in the medical industry which will help improve welfare. Digital DAS deployed in a C-RAN model will emerge as the critical network architecture required to make these concepts a reality, allowing capacity to be cost-effectively distributed to different sectors of a building or areas across a smart city. "This approach can support a wide range of applications, including cellular, public safety and last-mile IP backhaul for WiFi services, such as surveillance cameras and IoT devices. Expect the GSMAs Innovation City pavilion to be especially busy this year, as stakeholders from across the industry discuss how best to invest in their networks to support smart city growth. Operators at MWC will be seeking coverage solutions that can solve the capacity challenges of today whilst also being 5G-ready. "Vendors will be working to ensure their technology can support this demand, as updating networks and technologies to support smart infrastructure further down the line will be prohibitively expensive for many. 6. Cobham Wireless gets a second bite of the cherry with its network testing business and declares that "MEC and network slicing become the building blocks of 5G". Our key spokesman here is Li-Ke Huang, the Research and Technology director at Cobham Wireless, who says: "Conversation about the future of the connected automotive industry will again fill the Firas halls at MWC, with numerous parties keen to get a slice of this lucrative pie. This sector has been characterised by the rapid development of prototypes and impressive demos of futuristic cars and platoons of trucks. Conversation will be mainly exploratory, as were unlikely to hear about any detailed agreements on the underlying technologies needed for commercial roll-out. Expect announcements at MWC of further trials of driverless cars, and new collaborations between AI and machine learning specialists, and vehicle manufacturers. But slow and steady will win this race: there will be no commercial deployment of autonomous vehicles next year, and it will be more important to invest resources into developing and crystallising the 5G fundamentals. 7. Finally, we hear from the folks at Mimosa Networks, who talk about "Mid-band spectrum for 5G connectivity". Jaime Fink, chief technology officer and co-founder, Mimosa Networks, says: "Millimetre wave 5G connectivity was all the hype at MWC last year. At this years show, service providers will be focusing their attention on the properties of the mid-band spectrum for delivering 5G connectivity. The mid-band is set to become the workhorse for urban 5G capacity as well as wireless broadband in residential and rural areas. "These complementary mobile and fixed applications are rapidly pushing to expand in the mid-band because of improved propagation characteristics. Broader coverage afforded by mid-band spectrum will reduce the cost to deploy 5G mobile capacity in cities and will also accelerate deployments of fibre-fast dedicated wireless broadband solutions in unserved and underserved areas. With almost no overlap geographically, both mobile and fixed services can co-exist in the mid-band spectrum. Many residential and rural areas are only reached today with scarce low-band mobile spectrum and have a very limited choice of wireline broadband options. "This underscores the need to push new wireless broadband options to homes in these areas where fibre is too costly and where mobile coverage and capacity are not viable options. It is important that underserved areas are provided with an alternative to the expensive wireline providers; MWC is the perfect setting for this important conversation. So, with these commentators just a tiny slice of what to expect at MWC, in amongst all those massive 5G vendors and 5G smartphone prototypes and IoT devices, is everything else that fits in between and creates the humongous ecosystems that merge and intertwine to create all our connected futures. Here's to all that and more as the golden age of 5G in the 2020s leads to an inevitable but still far off 6G future! CPAs in general are focused, driven, meticulous, and hardworking. But day in, day out, how do they stay inspired? We asked nine accountants what inspires them and what advice they would give to help others in the profession find that inspiration. Here are their replies: Make a difference. Sole proprietor James Scherer, CPA, owner of James T. Scherer, CPA, in Hiawatha, Kan., strives to better the lives of his clients, even beyond accounting. "I took one client to get her cataracts removed 70 miles away because there was no one else to help her," he said. "I approach each day knowing that I will make a difference in someone's life." His advice for staying inspired: Realize that you will influence your clients' lives and finances. "Your client is not just a number or someone who received that 1099, but they are a person who is just like your mother, father, spouse, child," he noted. Meditate. A few years ago, Josh Ray, CPA/CITP/PFS, principal at Ray CPA P.C. in Round Rock, Texas, felt tired, stressed, and overwhelmed. So he began meditating, and he saw results immediately. Through meditation, he tries to "connect" and have compassion for everyone, including family, friends, colleagues, and clients. "My entire life has changed as a result," he said. "Even if I disagree with someone, I try to see things through their eyes. I no longer have enemies, only teachers. We are all connected." Envision growth and success. Laura Canales, CPA, of Laura L. Canales CPA, in Eagle, Idaho, finds inspiration from the possibility of "growth and success" she sees with her business clients. She helps them solve problems through research and guidance. "I am always trying to figure out new things to teach them, connect them with other professionals who can advise them, and really try to push them to be better and more efficient in the use of their resources," she said. Her advice: "Look for the ways you can genuinely help your clients become their adviser, not just their number cruncher." This can also help your business because you will likely gain referrals. Help staff and young entrepreneurs. Tim Fulmer, CPA, CGMA, partner at Carr, Riggs & Ingram in Miramar Beach, Fla., feels inspired by helping his staff "learn and flourish in the exciting business of public accounting," he said. One way he does this is by allowing young employees to shadow him in client meetings "to show them how our work product impacts a case or how it impacts the client in getting a good result," he said. Fulmer also gets inspired when he uses his expertise to help young entrepreneurs. Do what you love. Denise Kautzer, CPA, a licensed professional clinical counselor at the counseling and mental health firm Alberg & Associates in St. Paul, Minn., stays inspired through activities like yoga, cooking, painting, and reading. "I try to take the same advice I give to clients, which is, 'Find out what you like to do and do more of it.' I do these activities because they help to keep me mentally and physically healthy. They all provide ways to help reduce stress, which allows me to approach my work in a calm and even-tempered manner." Her additional advice for staying inspired: Work in an area or industry that you enjoy, find creative ways to use your expertise, and do work that you deem important. Aspire to be the best. Honey Hernandez, CPA, audit manager at Fortner Smalley PLLC in Kingsport, Tenn., said she tries to be the best accountant for herself, her family, and her employer and that keeps her motivated. "My job has meaning," she said. "I want to do the very best for my clients." Her advice: Keep up to speed on the latest regulatory rulings and how they will affect your clients. Get to know clients and avoid burnout. Denise Graham, CPA, owner at Graham & Associates CPAs in Alabaster, Ala., gets inspired by engaging with clients, helping them with their businesses and taxes, and "getting to know them personally, along with their families," she said. Her advice for staying inspired and effectively working with clients: Avoid burnout. Pace yourself. "If you find that nothing is getting completed or you find it impossible to answer phone calls, schedule meetings, respond to emails, then you have too much on your plate." Take a step back and get to the core of the problem, whether it's workload, a client, an employee, or a need for a vacation. Connect with clients. Matt Solvason, CPA (Canada), CA (chartered accountant), and owner of Matt A. Solvason Chartered Professional Accountant Inc. in Winnipeg, Manitoba, loves learning and tries to stay up-to-date on any income tax changes by reading blogs and other websites. But he also finds inspiration by talking with his clients throughout the year to see how their businesses are faring. "It is always best to find out whether your client is thinking of buying or selling a business, deciding to purchase or lease equipment, etc., beforehand so that you can provide them with value-added services and analyses of the alternatives," he said. By doing this you can potentially save clients money, which can in turn help their businesses grow. His advice: Determine what you enjoy most about your work and incorporate that into your daily or weekly activities. Create variety. Joe Rapacki, CPA/PFS, founder of Rapacki & Co., in Edina, Minn., finds inspiration in the mixture of work he does and the various clients his firm serves. "Although much of the accounting and tax work can be routine, I'm inspired by the variety of ideas clients have come up with, which results in successful small businesses," he said. "This is fun to learn and makes the work more interesting." Cheryl Meyer is a freelance writer based in California. To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Chris Baysden, senior manager of newsletters at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. Reddit Email 82 Shares William J. Astore | ( Tomdispatch.com ) | Whether the rationale is the need to wage a war on terror involving 76 countries or renewed preparations for a struggle against peer competitors Russia and China (as Defense Secretary James Mattis suggested recently while introducing Americas new National Defense Strategy), the U.S. military is engaged globally. A network of 800 military bases spread across 172 countries helps enable its wars and interventions. By the count of the Pentagon, at the end of the last fiscal year about 291,000 personnel (including reserves and Department of Defense civilians) were deployed in 183 countries worldwide, which is the functional definition of a military uncontained. Lady Liberty may temporarily close when the U.S. government grinds to a halt, but the countrys foreign military commitments, especially its wars, just keep humming along. As a student of history, I was warned to avoid the notion of inevitability. Still, given such data points and others like them, is there anything more predictable in this countrys future than incessant warfare without a true victory in sight? Indeed, the last clear-cut American victory, the last true mission accomplished moment in a war of any significance, came in 1945 with the end of World War II. Yet the lack of clear victories since then seems to faze no one in Washington. In this century, presidents have regularly boasted that the U.S. military is the finest fighting force in human history, while no less regularly demanding that the most powerful military in todays world be rebuilt and funded at ever more staggering levels. Indeed, while on the campaign trail, Donald Trump promised hed invest so much in the military that it would become so big and so strong and so great, and it will be so powerful that I dont think were ever going to have to use it. As soon as he took office, however, he promptly appointed a set of generals to key positions in his government, stored the mothballs, and went back to war. Here, then, is a brief rundown of the first year of his presidency in war terms. In 2017, Afghanistan saw a mini-surge of roughly 4,000 additional U.S. troops (with more to come), a major spike in air strikes, and an onslaught of munitions of all sorts, including MOAB (the mother of all bombs), the never-before-used largest non-nuclear bomb in the U.S. arsenal, as well as precision weapons fired by B-52s against suspected Taliban drug laboratories. By the Air Forces own count, 4,361 weapons were released in Afghanistan in 2017 compared to 1,337 in 2016. Despite this commitment of warriors and weapons, the Afghan war remains according to American commanders putting the best possible light on the situation stalemated, with that countrys capital Kabul currently under siege. How about Operation Inherent Resolve against the Islamic State? U.S.-led coalition forces have launched more than 10,000 airstrikes in Iraq and Syria since Donald Trump became president, unleashing 39,577 weapons in 2017. (The figure for 2016 was 30,743.) The caliphate is now gone and ISIS deflated but not defeated, since you cant extinguish an ideology solely with bombs. Meanwhile, along the Syrian-Turkish border a new conflict seems to be heating up between American-backed Kurdish forces and NATO ally Turkey. Yet another strife-riven country, Yemen, witnessed a sixfold increase in U.S. airstrikes against al-Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula (from 21 in 2016 to more than 131 in 2017). In Somalia, which has also seen a rise in such strikes against al-Shabaab militants, U.S. forces on the ground have reached numbers not seen since the Black Hawk Down incident of 1993. In each of these countries, there are yet more ruins, yet more civilian casualties, and yet more displaced people. Finally, we come to North Korea. Though no real shots have yet been fired, rhetorical shots by two less-than-stable leaders, Little Rocket Man Kim Jong-un and dotard Donald Trump, raise the possibility of a regional bloodbath. Trump, seemingly favoring military solutions to North Koreas nuclear program even as his administration touts a new generation of more usable nuclear warheads, has been remarkably successful in moving the worlds doomsday clock ever closer to midnight. Clearly, his great and powerful military has hardly been standing idly on the sidelines looking big and strong. More than ever, in fact, it seems to be lashing out across the Greater Middle East and Africa. Seventeen years after the 9/11 attacks began the Global War on Terror, all of this represents an eerily familiar attempt by the U.S. military to kill its way to victory, whether against the Taliban, ISIS, or other terrorist organizations. This kinetic reality should surprise no one. Once you invest so much in your military not just financially but also culturally (by continually celebrating it in a fashion which has come to seem like a quasi-faith) its natural to want to put it to use. This has been true of all recent administrations, Democratic and Republican alike, as reflected in the infamous question Secretary of State Madeleine Albright posed to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Colin Powell in 1992: Whats the point of having this superb military youre always talking about if we cant use it? With the very word peace rarely in Washingtons political vocabulary, Americas never-ending version of war seems as inevitable as anything is likely to be in history. Significant contingents of U.S. troops and contractors remain an enduring presence in Iraq and there are now 2,000 U.S. Special Operations forces and other personnel in Syria for the long haul. They are ostensibly engaged in training and stability operations. In Washington, however, the urge for regime change in both Syria and Iran remains strong in the case of Iran implacably so. If past is prologue, then considering previous regime-change operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, the future looks grim indeed. Despite the dismal record of the last decade and a half, our civilian leaders continue to insist that this country must have a military not only second to none but globally dominant. And few here wonder what such a quest for total dominance, the desire for absolute power, could do to this country. Two centuries ago, however, writing to Thomas Jefferson, John Adams couldnt have been clearer on the subject. Power, he said, must never be trusted without a check. The question today for the American people: How is the dominant military power of which U.S. leaders so casually boast to be checked? How is the countrys almost total reliance on the military in foreign affairs to be reined in? How can the plans of the profiteers and arms makers to keep the good times rolling be brought under control? As a start, consider one of Donald Trumps favorite generals, Douglas MacArthur, speaking to the Sperry Rand Corporation in 1957: Our swollen budgets constantly have been misrepresented to the public. Our government has kept us in a perpetual state of fear kept us in a continuous stampede of patriotic fervor with the cry of grave national emergency. Always there has been some terrible evil at home or some monstrous foreign power that was going to gobble us up if we did not blindly rally behind it by furnishing the exorbitant funds demanded. Yet, in retrospect, these disasters seem never to have happened, seem never to have been quite real. No peacenik MacArthur. Other famed generals like Smedley Butler and Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke out with far more vigor against the corruptions of war and the perils to a democracy of an ever more powerful military, though such sentiments are seldom heard in this country today. Instead, Americas leaders insist that other people judge us by our words, our stated good intentions, not our murderous deeds and their results. Perpetual Warfare Whistles Through Washington Whether in Iraq, Afghanistan, or elsewhere in the war on terror, the U.S. is now engaged in generational conflicts that are costing us trillions of dollars, driving up the national debt while weakening the underpinnings of our democracy. They have led to foreign casualties by the hundreds of thousands and created refugees in the millions, while turning cities like Iraqs Mosul into wastelands. In todays climate of budget-busting defense appropriations, isnt it finally time for Americans to apply a little commonsense to our disastrous pattern of war-making? To prime the pump for such a conversation, here are 10 suggestions for ways to focus on, limit, or possibly change Washingtons now eternal war-making and profligate war spending: 1. Abandon the notion of perfect security. You cant have it. It doesnt exist. And abandon as well the idea that a huge military establishment translates into national safety. James Madison didnt think so and neither did Dwight D. Eisenhower. 2. Who could have anything against calling the Pentagon a defense department, if defense were truly its focus? But lets face it: the Pentagon is actually a war department. So lets label it what it really is. After all, how can you deal with a problem if you cant even name it accurately? 3. Isnt it about time to start following the Constitution when it comes to our wars? Isnt it time for Congress to finally step up to its constitutional duties? Whatever the Pentagon is called, this country should no longer be able to pursue its many conflicts without a formal congressional declaration of war. If we had followed that rule, the U.S. wouldnt have fought any of its wars since the end of World War II. 4. Generational wars ones, that is, that never end should not be considered a measure of American resolve, but of American stupidity. If you wage war long, you wage it wrong, especially if you want to protect democratic institutions in this country. 5. Generals generally like to wage war. Dont blame them. Its their profession. But for heavens sake, dont put them in charge of the Department of Defense (James Mattis) or the National Security Council (H.R. McMaster) either and above all, dont let one of them (John Kelly) become the gatekeeper for a volatile, vain president. In our country, civilians should be in charge of the war makers, end of story. 6. You cant win wars you never should have begun in the first place. Americas leaders failed to learn that lesson from Vietnam. Since then they have continued to wage wars for less-than-vital interests with predictably dismal results. Following the Vietnam example, America will only truly win its Afghan War when it chooses to rein in its pride and vanity and leave. 7. The serious people in Washington snickered when, as a presidential candidate in 2004 and 2008, Congressman Dennis Kucinich called for a Department of Peace. Remind me, though, 17 years into our latest set of wars, what was so funny about that suggestion? Isnt it better to wage peace than war? If you dont believe me, ask a wounded veteran or a Gold Star family. 8. Want to invest in American jobs? Good idea! But stop making the military-industrial complex the preferred path to job creation. Thats a loser of a way to go. Its proven that investments in butter create double or triple the number of jobs as those in guns. In other words, invest in education, health care, and civilian infrastructure, not more weaponry. 9. Get rid of the very idea behind the infamous Pottery Barn rule the warning Secretary of State Colin Powell offered George W. Bush before the invasion of Iraq that if the U.S. military breaks a country, somehow weve bought it and so have to take ownership of the resulting mess. Whether stated or not, its continued to be the basis for this centurys unending wars. Honestly, if somebody broke something valuable you owned, would you trust that person to put it back together? Folly doesnt decrease by persisting in it. 10. I was an officer in the Air Force. When I entered that service, the ideal of the citizen-soldier still held sway. But during my career I witnessed a slow, insidious change. A citizen-soldier military morphed into a professional ethos of warriors and warfighters, a military that saw itself as better than the rest of us. Its time to think about how to return to that citizen-soldier tradition, which made it harder to fight those generational wars. Consider retired General John Kelly, who, while defending the president in a controversy over the presidents words to the mother of a dead Green Beret, refused to take questions from reporters unless they had a personal connection to fallen troops or to a Gold Star family. Consider as well the way that U.S. politicians like Vice President Mike Pence are always so keen to exalt those in uniform, to speak of them as above the citizenry. (You are the best of us.) Isnt it time to stop praising our troops to the rooftops and thanking them endlessly for what theyve done for us for fighting those wars without end and to start listening to them instead? Isnt it time to try to understand them not as heroes in another universe, but as people like us in all their frailty and complexity? Were never encouraged to see them as our neighbors, or as teenagers who struggled through high school, or as harried moms and dads. Our troops are, of course, human and vulnerable and imperfect. We dont help them when we put them on pedestals, give them flags to hold in the breeze, and salute them as icons of a feel-good brand of patriotism. Talk of warrior-heroes is worse than cheap: it enables our state of permanent war, elevates the Pentagon, ennobles the national security state, and silences dissent. Thats why its both dangerous and universally supported in rare bipartisan fashion by politicians in Washington. So heres my final point. Think of it as a bonus 11th suggestion: dont make our troops into heroes, even when theyre in harms way. It would be so much better to make ourselves into heroes by getting them out of harms way. Be exceptional, America. Make peace, not war. William Astore, a retired lieutenant colonel (USAF) and history professor, is a TomDispatch regular. He blogs at Bracing Views. Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Book, Alfred McCoys In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power, as well as John Dowers The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II, John Feffers dystopian novel Splinterlands, Nick Turses Next Time Theyll Come to Count the Dead, and Tom Engelhardts Shadow Government: Surveillance, Secret Wars, and a Global Security State in a Single-Superpower World. Copyright 2018 William J. Astore Via Tomdispatch.com Reddit Email 228 Shares Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | It has long puzzled scientists that the gradual ending of the last glacial maximum or ice age beginning about 20,000 before present, extending into the 13,000s, was interrupted in the 12,000s by another short period, of 1,200 years, of ice age. When that one receded, the earth became and remained relatively warm, so that there were no ice sheets on e.g. Europe as there were during the glacial maximum (Britain was uninhabited for some 9,000 years, with 3 miles of ice on top of it, as though it were Antarctica.) The warming may have been caused by the release of CO2 from the Southern Ocean. Scientists are finding increasingly solid evidence for the thesis that about 12,900 Before Present (10,888 BC) a massive 64-mile wide comet slammed into the Upper Midwest of North America and threw the earth into a 1200-year ice age called the Younger Dryas. The hypothesis has been around for a while but has remained controversial. This recent study of sediment around the world gives substantial new support for it. The comet impact set off continent-wide wild fires that covered North America in soot, and threw so much dirt into the air that the sun shone dimly for centuries. Hurricane force winds swept the earth. Woolly mammoths, saber tooth tigers, giant camels and gargantuan short-faced bears found nothing to eat and died off. The population of indigenous Americans, suddenly without food, was reduced by 70 percent. (On top of everything else, The ozone layer was depleted by the changes initiated by the comet, increasing skin cancer in human beings.) Hale Bopp comet courtesy NASA Ice piled up miles over the land in North America and Europe. When the long-term warming trend resumed, allowing Europe to be repopulated, people from the Middle East gradually moved in, bringing agriculture and Indo-European languages. The old European population that had been killed or chased south by the ice ages seems to have been almost completely replaced by the newcomers coming in as the ice receded, who spoke an ancestor of Latin, Greek and Germanic languages (not to mention Hittite, Persian and Sanskrit). Climate denialists are always droning on about how climate change is a constant and the global heating we have been experiencing in recent decades is nothing intrinsically new. This glib talking point is wrong where the issue is most pressing. Of course, climate is a dynamic system and has changed in the past as well. But episodes of substantial global heating, where the average temperature increases over time, have in the past taken place over millions of years. Typically global heating is caused by an increase of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere, which interfere with the radiation back out into space of the heat the earth receives from the sun. Carbon dioxide and methane are two potent such heat-trapping gases. In past ages, volcanic eruptions were the main source of extra CO2 in the atmosphere, but only steady such eruptions over millions of years would cause the greenhouse effect. Sometimes release of gases from the sea bed could also cause them to build up in the atmosphere more rapidly than is typically the case with volcanoes. (There has been no significant volcanic activity or sea bed release or sunspotsno natural phenomena that could explain our own past few decades of rapid warming. Human beings are now the cause.) When you get climate change over millions of years, plants and animals have time to adapt. But rapid climate change is associated with mass extinctions. There were five before today, and we are now living the sixth. Human beings are putting 41 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year. They are doing this by virtue of driving gasoline automobiles, burning coal and gas to heat homes and run factories and generate electricity. There has been nothing like this enormous and rapid accumulation of heat trapping gases in the atmosphere in the geological record, happening over two centuries. But if you want to see what rapid climate change looks like, consider the Younger Dryas. The Clover comet abruptly took the earth in the opposite direction, toward cooling. Todays human beings, and above all Big Oil executives like Rex Tillerson and their willing allies like Trump, are the equivalent of the Clover Comet in their impact on the earth. The difference is that the victims of the Clover comet were helpless. We can forestall the very worst effects of our own climate change disaster, by stopping our farting out of carbon dioxide. Go to solar, wind and hydro. - Bonus video: Reddit Email 49 Shares Sawomir Sierakowski | (Project Syndicate) | A new Polish law criminalizes blaming Poles for any wrongdoing against other nations. But the move only serves to highlight the fact that some Poles were complicit in crimes against Jews, while jeopardizing the countrys relationship with its three most important allies: the US, Germany, and Ukraine. WARSAW The Polish government has provoked yet another international crisis, this time by adopting a law that is ostensibly meant to combat the phrase Polish death camps. The law targets a geographical shorthand, sometimes used abroad, for the extermination camps that the Nazis established on Polish territory during World War II. But there is more to the move than that. When Poles talk about the Warsaw Ghetto, no one sees this as a problem. Similarly, virtually no one who uses the phrase Polish death camps including former US President Barack Obama and former FBI Director James Comey does so out of ill will toward Poland. Such phrases can be found even in Polish schoolbooks, such as Zofia Nakowskas excellent book on the Holocaust, Medaliony. Nevertheless, many Poles believe that people abroad are misled by this phrase. This is not the first time Polish politicians have spoken out against Polish death camps, and the issues appeal is not limited to the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party. Indeed, the issue was first taken up by former Polish foreign minister Radek Sikorski. But the new law does not mention death camps. It criminalizes blaming Poles for any wrongdoing against other nations. While the law includes exemptions for scholarly publications and artistic works, it applies to journalistic writing, posing a threat to open public debate. The relevant wording of the legislation is worth citing: Whoever publicly and untruthfully assigns responsibility or co-responsibility to the Polish Nation or the Polish State for Nazi crimes committed by the Third German Reich () or for other crimes constituting crimes against peace, crimes against humanity, or war crimes, or in some other way markedly diminishes the responsibility of the true perpetrators of these crimes is subject to a fine or imprisonment for up to three years. The Israeli embassy in Waraw responded with a sobering question: Will Holocaust survivors giving testimony about their personal histories also be subject to criminal liability? And back in Jerusalem, the Knesset has threatened to adopt legislation that would classify diminishing the role of Poles who participated in the Holocaust as a crime. A draft bill has the support of 61 of the Israeli parliaments 120 members. Before Polands Sejm and Senate adopted the law, the US State Department issued its sharpest statement toward the country since 1989, warning of the repercussions this draft legislation, if enacted, could have on Polands strategic interests and relationships including with the United States and Israel. Neighboring Ukraines former foreign minister was blunter: Poland has ceased to be a strategic partner for Ukraine. Today, Poland is threatening to block our integration with Europe. Indeed, Poland is risking its relationship with its three most important allies the US, Germany, and Ukraine which up until now have tolerated the antics of Jarosaw Kaczynski, Polands de facto leader. Poland now faces the threat of isolation by the West and loss of international influence, leaving the country vulnerable to Vladimir Putins revanchist Russia. Despite much of the Polish elites evident horror at the law, Kaczynski will not back away from it. To be clear, Kaczynski, like his deceased twin brother, Lech, is not an anti-Semite. As president, Lech Kaczynski was an enemy of anti-Semitism in Poland and celebrated Hanukkah in a synagogue. In fact, until now, Polands government was probably the most pro-Israel in Europe, reflected in its abstention from a recent United Nations General Assembly vote to condemn US President Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital. But Jarosaw Kaczynski, whose populism was once held in check by his brother, shaped this new legislation in ways that are politically favorable to PiS, which he leads, by effectively taking centrist voters hostage. The legislation does not offend such voters because the idea of banning the phrase Polish death camps seems benign. At the same time, having expelled the most radical right-wing politicians from the government (Foreign Affairs Minister Witold Waszczykowski, Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz, and Minister of the Environment Jan Szyszko), Kaczynski needs to regain the trust of far-right PiS voters. They will be pleased that Poland is standing up to Israel, Ukraine, and, indeed, the entire world. The PiSs cynical approach is revealed by the fact that even its leading members acknowledge Poles role in the persecution of Jews. About a month ago, Ryszard Czarnecki, a PiS member and vice president of the European Parliament, compared an MEP from the opposition Civic Platform (PO) to a szmalcownik, a pejorative term for those who blackmailed Jews who were hiding from the Nazis or those who protected them. Never mind that the heads of four European Parliament groupings responded by calling for Czarneckis removal from his post, or that Polands prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, defended Czarnecki. In condemning szmalcowniks, was Czarnecki not admitting that in addition to Poles who saved Jewish lives, there were Poles who sent them to their deaths, as Polish historians like Jan Gross, Irena Grudzinska, Barbara Engelking, Jan Grabowski, Jacek Leociak, Dariusz Stola, and others have thoroughly documented? And now, a month after a senior PiS official advertised the existence of such Poles, the party has raised the profile of the phrase Polish death camps in a botched attempt to suppress it. As former Prime Minister Donald Tusk commented on Twitter: Whoever spreads the false phrase Polish death camps is harming Polands good name and its interests. The authors of this legislation have promoted this vile slander on the world stage more effectively than ever before. The ugly fact is that the new law was promulgated on the 73rd anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, and just before the 50th anniversary of the Polish communist governments anti-Semitic campaign of 1968, which resulted in an exodus of 20,000 Poles, depriving the country of some of its brightest minds. So far, there is one jarring similarity between these two events: both gave Poland a black eye while stoking nationalist fervor among the patriotic electorate. One hopes that this is where the similarities end. Sawomir Sierakowski, founder of the Krytyka Polityczna movement, is Director of the Institute for Advanced Study in Warsaw. Licensed from Project Syndicate Bonus video added by Informed Comment: AFP: Poles react to the Holocaust bill passed by senate TORONTO, Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gran Colombia Gold Corp. (the Company or Gran Colombia) (TSX:GCM) announced today that it has determined to offer for sale, on a best efforts private placement basis, up to 152,000 units (the Units) of the Company for anticipated aggregate gross proceeds of up to US$152,000,000 (the Offering). Each Unit is expected to consist of US$1,000 principal amount of senior secured gold-linked notes (the Notes) and a number of common share purchase warrants of the Company to be determined based on market conditions. The Company has retained GMP Capital Inc. (GMP) and UBS Securities LLC (UBS and collectively with GMP, the Agents) to act as agents in connection with the Offering. The net proceeds of the Offering are expected to be used for (1) the redemption in full, at par, of the Companys (a) Senior Unsecured Convertible Debentures due 2018, (b) Senior Secured Convertible Debentures due 2020 and (c) Senior Secured Convertible Debentures due 2024 (the securities referred to in (a), (b) and (c), collectively, the Outstanding Debentures) and (2) general corporate purposes. The terms of the Offering are subject to finalization based on market conditions. Subject to the final terms of the Offering, the completion of the Offering may be subject to the receipt of regulatory and shareholders approvals. Timing for the closing of the Offering and any requisite shareholders meeting will be announced by the Company at a later date. About Gran Colombia Gold Corp. Gran Colombia is a Canadian-based gold and silver exploration, development and production company with its primary focus in Colombia. Gran Colombia is currently the largest underground gold and silver producer in Colombia with several underground mines in operation at its Segovia and Marmato operations. Gran Colombia is continuing its expansion and modernization activities at its high-grade Segovia Operations. Additional information on Gran Colombia can be found on its website at www.grancolombiagold.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information", which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the Offering, including the expected timing and receipt of any required regulatory and shareholders approvals, the expected use of proceeds, the redemption of the Outstanding Debentures, the anticipated improvement to the Companys capital structure and reduction of potential dilution, anticipated business plans or strategies. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Gran Colombia to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form dated as of March 30, 2017, which is available for view on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and Gran Colombia disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For Further Information, Please Contact: Mike Davies Chief Financial Officer (416) 360-4653 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Mining Gold Corp. (First Mining or the Company) (TSX:FF) (OTCQX:FFMGF) (Frankfurt:FMG) is pleased to announce the drilling results of the four drill holes from its deep diamond drill exploration program within Zone 7 (see Tables 1 and 2) at First Minings 100% owned Goldlund Gold Project (Goldlund) located near the town of Sioux Lookout in northwestern Ontario, Canada. Drilling Highlights: Hole GL-17-010 intersected 83.0 metres of 1.35 grams per tonne gold including 1.0 metre of 74.95 grams per tonne gold Hole GL-17-051 intersected 72.0 metres of 0.65 grams per tonne gold including 2.0 metres of 6.18 grams per tonne gold Hole GL-17-106 intersected 56.0 metres of 0.40 grams per tonne gold including 2.0 metres of 4.74 grams per tonne gold Note: Assaying for the 2017 and 2018 Goldlund drill programs is being done by SGS Canada Inc. (SGS) at their laboratories in Red Lake, ON. and Burnaby, BC. Reported widths are drilled core lengths; true widths are unknown at this time. Assay values are uncut. The primary goal of the deep hole drilling campaign at Goldlund, which was comprised of four diamond drill holes, was to gain further knowledge on the geology and gold mineralization within the deeper sections of Zone 7 (See Figures 1 and 2). Each of these holes were originally drilled during the Phase 1 drilling campaign and were extended during the Phase 2 exploration and infill drilling program. Todays assay results demonstrate that gold mineralization at Goldlund continues to considerable depths. The Company is now focusing on exploration and infill drilling within the Zone 1 area and will soon shift to drill targets outside of the current resource estimate boundary. Keith Neumeyer, the Chairman of First Mining, stated, When First Mining acquired the Goldlund Project we knew that it had considerable upside. With our shift from infill drilling to exploration drilling outside of the current resource area, we hope to be able to demonstrate that Goldlund has exceptional exploration upside which we believe will yield considerable value for our shareholders. All four drill holes (GL-17-010; 051; 106; and 108) were previously drilled during the infill drilling campaign which was completed in May 2017. Drill hole GL-17-010 was originally drilled to a depth of 305.0 metres, with assay results made public in the Companys news release dated July 10, 2017. Subsequently this hole was extended to a depth of 629.0 metres during the Phase 2 campaign. Drill holes GL-17-051, GL-17-106 and GL-17-108 were originally drilled to depths of 341.0, 302.0, and 328.5 metres, respectively, with the assay results of these holes detailed in the Companys news release dated July 27, 2017. Subsequently, the Company decided to extend the depth of these drill holes so as to investigate the presence of additional gold mineralization at depth. Drill holes GL-17-051, GL-17-106 and GL-17-108 were extended to depths of 629.0, 455.0 and 500.0 metres respectively, during the Phase 2 campaign. In all four holes significant intersections of gold mineralization were encountered at depth. Gold observed during the current drilling program at Goldlund occurs both as fine disseminations in quartz vein stockworks and as more discrete larger grains up to 2 mm spatially associated with pyrite in the quartz veins. Calaverite, a gold telluride mineral, has been noted occasionally in higher grade intervals on fracture surfaces in the quartz veins. Higher grade gold distribution in the granodiorite dikes is often, but not always, associated with zones of more intense quartz stockworking and potassic alteration. Figure 2 below displays a cross-section of the geology and gold mineralization with drill holes GL-17-010 to GL-17-014. Table 1. Drill Hole Assay Results from Goldlund Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t GL-17-010* GL-17-010 389.0 390.6 1.6 1.49 and 545.0 628.0 83.0 1.35 inc 545.0 546.0 1.0 74.95 and inc 575.0 580.0 5.0 3.19 and inc 576.0 577.0 1.0 13.63 GL-17-051* GL-17-051 369.0 441.0 72.0 0.65 inc 369.0 371.0 2.0 4.87 and inc 398.0 399.0 1.0 6.27 and inc 413.0 421.0 8.0 2.59 and inc 413.0 415.0 2.0 6.18 GL-17-106* GL-17-106 315.0 371.0 56.0 0.40 inc 325.0 327.0 2.0 1.19 and inc 355.0 357.0 2.0 4.74 and inc 369.0 371.0 2.0 1.37 and 401.0 402.0 1.0 5.86 GL-17-108* GL-17-108 366.0 368.0 2.0 1.48 Assaying for the 2017 Goldlund drill program is being done by SGS at their laboratories in Red Lake, Ontario, and Burnaby, BC. Prepared samples are analyzed for gold by either Bulk Leach Extractable Gold (BLEG) assay techniques or by lead fusion fire assay with an atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) finish. Multi-element analysis on the mineralized zones is also being undertaken by two-acid aqua regia digestion with ICP-MS and AES finish. * These holes were drilled in Phase 1 then extended in Phase 2 therefore some intervals (not shown here) have been reported in earlier First Mining news releases. Figure 1. Plan Map: Table 2. Drill Hole Locations Hole ID Azimuth Dip Final Depth (m) UTM East UTM North Section GL-17-106 (Extended from 302 m) 180 -80 455 545900 5527275 545900E GL-17-108 (Extended from 328.5 m) 180 -80 500 545901 5527254 545900E GL-17-010 (Extended from 305 m) 180 -80 629 545752 5527244 545750E GL-17-051 (Extended from 341 m) 180 -80 629 545951 5527284 545950E QA/QC Procedures The QA/QC program for the 2017 drilling program at Goldlund consists of the submission of duplicate samples and the insertion of certified reference materials and blanks at regular intervals. These are inserted at a rate of one standard for every 20 samples (5% of total) and one blank for every 30 samples (3% of total). The standards used in the 2017 program consist of 5 different gold grades ranging from 1 to 9 g/t, and are sourced from CDN Resource Laboratories in Langley, BC. Blanks have been sourced locally from barren granitic material. Field duplicates from quartered core, as well as coarse or pulp duplicates taken from coarse reject material or pulverized splits, are also submitted at regular intervals with an insertion rate of 4% for field duplicates and 4% for coarse or pulp duplicates. Additional selected duplicates are being submitted for screened metallic fire assay analysis and to an umpire lab for check assaying. SGS also undertake their own internal coarse and pulp duplicate analysis to ensure proper sample preparation and equipment calibration. Figure 2. Cross-Section through the Goldlund Project Dr. Chris Osterman, P.Geo., COO of First Mining, is the qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) and he has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release. ABOUT THE GOLDLUND GOLD PROJECT The Goldlund deposit is situated within a land package of approximately 280 square kilometres (28,000 hectares) referred to as the Goldlund Gold Project. The Property has a strike-length of over 50 kilometres in the Wabigoon Subprovince. Goldlund is an Archean lode-gold project located in northwestern Ontario, approximately 60 kilometres from the township of Dryden. The claims that make up the land package cover the historic Goldlund and Windward mines. On January 9, 2017, the Company announced an initial mineral resource estimate for Goldlund that was prepared by WSP Canada Inc. in accordance with NI 43-101. At a 0.4 g/t Au cut-off grade, the Goldlund deposit contains pit constrained Indicated Resources of 9.3 million tonnes at 1.87 g/t Au, or 560,000 ounces of gold. At a 0.4 g/t Au cut-off grade, the Goldlund deposit contains pit constrained Inferred Resources of 40.9 million tonnes at 1.33 g/t Au, or 1,750,000 ounces of gold. The technical report for this resource estimate, which is titled Technical Report and Resource Estimation Update on the Goldlund Project and is dated February 7, 2017, is available under the Companys SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and is also available on the Companys website at www.firstmininggold.com. ABOUT FIRST MINING GOLD CORP. First Mining Gold Corp. is an emerging development company with a diversified portfolio of gold projects in North America. Having assembled a large resource base of seven million ounces of gold in the Measured and Indicated categories and nearly five million ounces of gold in the Inferred category in mining friendly jurisdictions of eastern Canada, First Mining is now focused on advancing its assets towards production. The Company currently holds a portfolio of 25 mineral assets in Canada, Mexico and the United States. For further information, please contact Patrick Donnelly, President at 604-639-8854, or Derek Iwanaka, Vice President of Investor Relations at 604-639-8824, or visit our website at www.firstmininggold.com. ON BEHALF OF FIRST MINING GOLD CORP. Keith Neumeyer Keith Neumeyer Chairman Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking information and "forward-looking statements (collectively "forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects, "anticipates, "believes, plans, projects, "intends, "estimates, envisages, "potential, "possible, strategy, goals, objectives, or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to future events or future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) the estimated amount and grade of Mineral Resources at Goldlund; and (ii) the potential for exploration upside at Goldlund. All forward-looking statements are based on First Mining's or its consultants' current beliefs as well as various assumptions made by them and information currently available to them. The most significant assumptions are set forth above, but generally these assumptions include: (i) the presence of and continuity of metals at Goldlund at estimated grades; (ii) the capacities and durability of various machinery and equipment; and (iii) success in realizing proposed drilling programs. Although the Companys management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions and estimates expressed above do not occur as forecast, but specifically include, without limitation: (i) risks relating to variations in the mineral content within the material identified as Mineral Resources from that predicted; (ii) general risks related to exploration drilling programs; (iii) developments in world metals markets; (iv) risks relating to fluctuations in the Canadian dollar relative to the US dollar; (v) managements discretion to refocus the Companys exploration efforts and/or alter the Companys short and long term business plans; and (vi) the additional risks described in First Mining's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Companys SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and in First Minings Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the SEC on EDGAR. First Mining cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to First Mining, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. First Mining does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on our behalf, except as required by law. Cautionary Note to United States Investors This news release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource and reserve estimates included in this news release have been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101) and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum 2014 Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC), and mineral resource and reserve information contained herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term "resource does not equate to the term "reserves. Under U.S. standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. The SEC's disclosure standards normally do not permit the inclusion of information concerning "measured mineral resources, "indicated mineral resources or "inferred mineral resources or other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral deposits that do not constitute "reserves by U.S. standards in documents filed with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. U.S. investors should also understand that "inferred mineral resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimated "inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource exists or is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves by SEC standards as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. The requirements of NI 43-101 for identification of "reserves are also not the same as those of the SEC, and reserves reported by the Company in compliance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves under SEC standards. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Volcanic Gold Mines Inc. (Volcanic) (TSXV:VG) announces that due to intransigence on the part of the Administrateur General of its Guinean operating subsidiary, Guiord SA (Guiord), Volcanic is not presently able to gain access to its Mandiana project in Guinea and has therefore postponed drilling activities at the project. The work program, originally to commence during the month of January, was to include drilling of a linear zone of artisanal workings 6.3km in length and up to 550m in width at Tadibakourou, at which coarse gold has been recovered from numerous shallow pits and shafts, as reported on July 26, 2017. Local regulations require that the Administrateur General of Guiord (Administrateur) take certain routine administrative actions in order for the intended site activities to occur. While the necessary arrangements are straightforward and rapid to implement, the execution thereof has been stalled by the Administrateur in an apparent attempt to force upon Volcanic a non-arms length service contract totally unacceptable to the Company. Volcanic is taking decisive steps to resolve this matter, including a corporate restructuring of Guiord which will permit Volcanics management to directly conduct the activities of Guiord and commence the planned drilling program on the Mandiana project. Volcanic holds an indirect 75% interest in the issued capital of Guiord, a company incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Guinea. The remaining 25% of Guiords issued capital is indirectly held by SOGUIPAMI, the Societe Guineenne du Patrimoine Minier, a state entity formed for the promotion of the mining and exploration interests in Guinea. Volcanic hereby takes the opportunity to recognize the positive support of SOGUIPAMI, and the Government and People of Guinea in the conduct of its business. About Volcanic Volcanic brings together a deeply experienced and successful mining, exploration and capital markets team focused on building multi-million ounce gold resources in the underexplored West African country of Guinea, and its neighbouring countries. Through the strategic acquisition of mineral properties with demonstrated potential for hosting gold resources, and by undertaking effective exploration and drill programs, Volcanic looks to become a leading junior gold resource company. For further information, contact Jeremy Crozier, at 604-801-5432, or visit our website at www.volgold.com. Volcanic Gold Mines Inc. Jeremy Crozier, President and CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking statements Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and include, without limitation, statements about the Companys proposed restructuring of Guiord and resumption of exploration activities at the Mandiana Project. Often, but not always, these forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as estimate, estimates, estimated, potential, open, future, assumed, projected, used, detailed, has been, gain, upgraded, offset, limited, contained, reflecting, containing, remaining, to be, periodically, or statements that events, could or should occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Such uncertainties and factors include, among others, whether the Company will restructure Guiord and resume exploration activities at the Mandiana Project as planned; changes in general economic conditions and financial markets; the Company or any joint venture partner not having the financial ability to meet its exploration and development goals; risks associated with the results of exploration and development activities, estimation of mineral resources and the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; unanticipated costs and expenses; and such other risks detailed from time to time in the Companys quarterly and annual filings with securities regulators and available under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management, including but not limited to: that the Company will restructure Guiord and resume exploration activities at the Mandiana Project as planned; that the Companys stated goals and planned exploration and development activities will be achieved; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; and such other assumptions as set out herein. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 5, 2018) - Duran Ventures Inc. (TSXV: DRV) ("Duran" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has entered into an agreement (the "Agreement") to purchase and process high grade copper sulphide mineralized material from Otuzco Copper Mining Corporation S.A.C. ("Otuzco"), a private Peruvian corporation with operations in Northern Peru. A fundamental term of the Agreement is to jointly share the profits by unifying operations. Currently Otuzco's main property has small-scale artisanal miners extracting copper sulphides from several adits. Duran will purchase the mineralized material at cost from Otuzco and will support Otuzco to ensure the extracted mineralized material is properly documented and transported to Duran's Aguila Norte Flotation Plant (the "Plant"). Otuzco will shortly have permits in place for the extraction of the mineralized material. The first transported mineralized material to the Plant is expected in late February but is dependent on weather conditions and receipt of final permits. The Agreement allows Duran to purchase up to 1500 tonnes per month with minimum copper grades of 5.0% copper in sulphides. In 2017 Duran's Plant processed 301.32 tonnes of this mineralized material containing chalcocite and covellite with an average head grade of 5.15% copper. Results were considered very favourable, producing 42.99 tonnes of copper concentrate grading 35.29%. Deleterious elements such as arsenic and antimony in the concentrate were low at 0.1%. Otuzco holds the mineral rights to the property and has agreements with the owners of the surface rights and local communities to continue the small-scale mining. Otuzco's intention is to eventually mine the copper sulphides once weather improves and permits are in place. Otuzco will allow certain small-scale miners to continue to operate. Duran will assist Otuzco on the technical side of the operations. The transportation route to Duran's Plant is very favourable as it is mostly by asphalt highway. The Agreement with Otuzco allows Duran to first recover all operating costs related to the processing of this mineralized material. The main costs include the purchase cost of the mineralized material, including delivery to the Plant, and transportation of the concentrates to the port facilities in El Callao. Duran's Plant will charge the normal processing fee ("Maquila") to Otuzco as part of the costs. After recovery of the operational costs Duran will share profits 50/50 with Otuzco. Duran is currently in discussions with several metal traders to provide working capital to purchase the mineralized material on a revolving credit facility. Duran is conducting several in-house laboratory metallurgical tests on the mineralized material to optimize copper recoveries in order to produce high quality copper concentrate. Jeffrey Reeder, Chief Executive Officer of Duran, commented: "We are excited to enter into this type of profit sharing agreement as building these Peruvian partnerships with miners of all sizes will establish Duran as a dynamic growth-oriented company. We are also very pleased with the progress made by First Quantum Minerals on our Panteria Cu-Au porphyry project and the recent agreement with IAMGOLD on our Minasnioc Au-Ag project. 2018 should be an exciting year for Duran." Jeffrey Reeder, P.Geo., and a qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has prepared, supervised the preparation, or approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release. About Duran Duran Ventures Inc. is a Canadian exploration company focused on mineral processing and the exploration and development of precious and base metal properties in Peru. MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Feb. 5, 2018) - Maya Gold & Silver Inc. ("Maya" or the "Corporation") (TSX VENTURE:MYA) is pleased to announce the results of an independent NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment Study ("PEA") on its Zgounder Silver Mine in Morocco. The mine is owned by Zgounder Millenium Silver Mining S.A. (ZMSM), a Maya 85% owned joint venture with l'Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines of the Kingdom of Morocco (15%). The PEA Study was prepared by GoldMinds Geoservices Inc. from Quebec City (GMG) and is effective as of January 30th 2018 and relies on mineral resource estimates reported on January 8th 2018. The details of the study NI 43-101 technical report will be available on SEDAR and Maya's website within 45 days. Maya started the first diamond-drilling program at Zgounder in April 2015 and both the diamond drilling programs of 2015 and 2017 allowed Maya to increase the mineral resource estimates of Zgounder. The milling operations began in July 2014 and Maya announced the first silver pour in August 2014 with the production of the 20 silver ingots. Maya has produced a total of 1.35 million ounces of silver at its Zgounder mine as of December 2017. Highlights of the Zgounder Silver Mine PEA Study: A project life of 10 years with the current resources up to 2027; ZMSM Internal Rate of Return of 134% and 118% after taxes; ZMSM pre-tax Net Present Value of US$215.1M (discounted at 6.5%) at variable silver price from US$17.50 to US$21.50 per ounce with yearly average of US$20.50 per ounce; ZMSM after-tax Net Present Value of US$200.2M (discounted at 6.5%) at variable silver price from USD$17.50 to USD21.5 USD per ounce with average of US$20.5 per ounce; The extraction of 3.974Mt at 292 g/t Ag for silver production of 33.682M ounces; Milling to increase to 500 tpd in 2018 then up to 2020 followed by a 2000 tpd in 2021; Production increase to 1.354M ounces per year up to 4.762M ounces of silver per year; Total operating cost of US $63.64 per tonne (averaged over the expected mine's life); Capex and sustaining capital requirements of US $46.9M MAYA Internal Rate of Return of 121% with an NPV of US$209.86M; The Zgounder PEA was prepared as combination of underground extraction, open pit extraction of mineralized material as well as reprocessing of old tailings based on the mineral resources reported on January 8, 2018. Cautionary Statements The PEA is preliminary in nature and includes the use of inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. Thus, there is no certainty that the results stated in the PEA will be realized. Actual results may vary, perhaps materially. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Additional exploration work is required to increase the quality of the mineral resources. Message From the President Noureddine Mokaddem, President of Maya, stated: "These positive results of the PEA is an important milestone reached at the Zgounder silver mine. We are very excited to see such high NPV, a break-even point before taxes of US$10.40/ounce Ag, well positioning Zgounder to face severe commodity fluctuations. The financial results outlined in the PEA are highly encouraging, indicating the economic viability of the known resources and supports our belief that Zgounder is a robust project, and has the upward potential in inferred resources to grow into an important silver producer. These results will help Maya continue to scale and achieve its aspirations." Mineral Resource Used in the PEA The NI 43-101 PEA Study was based on the undiluted mineral resource estimate prepared by GMG previously reported by Maya on January 8th, 2018. The table below summarizes the mineral resource estimated by GMG combining forty-eight (48) envelopes and the old tailings. A cut-off grade of 61.89 g/t was applied for the in-pit mineral resources and a cut-off grade of 125 g/t was applied for the underground mineral resources (just under the pit surface). Total resource estimate at Zgounder silver mine (rounded numbers). Measured Indicated Inferred Measured + Indicated Tonnes Ag g/t Ounces Tonnes Ag g/t Ounces Tonnes Ag g/t Ounces Tonnes Ag g/t Ounces 242,000 338 2,633,000 748,000 308 7,395,000 3,437,000 256 28,338,000 990,000 315 10,028,000 In-pit resource estimate at Zgounder silver mine (rounded numbers). Measured Indicated Inferred Measured + Indicated Tonnes Ag g/t Ounces Tonnes Ag g/t Ounces Tonnes Ag g/t Ounces Tonnes Ag g/t Ounces 208,000 315 2,108,000 616,000 293 5,794,000 1,886,000 248 15,012,000 824,000 298 7,902,000 High grade underground resource estimate at Zgounder silver mine (rounded numbers). Measured Indicated Inferred Measured + Indicated Tonnes Ag g/t Ounces Tonnes Ag g/t Ounces Tonnes Ag g/t Ounces Tonnes Ag g/t Ounces 34,000 482 527,000 132,000 377 1,601,000 1,051,000 332 11,209,000 166,000 398 2,128,000 The old tailings Inferred mineral resources Inferred Tonnes Ag g/t Ounces 500,000 132 2,122,000 Project Economics A summary of the base case parameters and assumptions are shown below: Project Base Case Economic Parameters and Assumptions Items Units Values Silver price (yearly average) US/oz $20.50 Processed tonnage over LoM metric tonne 4,926,500 Silver metal production ounces 33,682,600 Royalty on sales (ONHYM) % 3.0 Maya Management Fees including NPI(1) % 2.75 Taxes for the first 5 years on gross revenues for a new company(2) % 0.5 Taxes after the first 5 years on profits % 17.5 1 Net Profit Interest on gross profits (sales less milling and mining costs) 2 After completion of OHNYM 8Million Oz commitment (15%), Project will be 100% owned by a new company owned by Maya in 2021. The project cash flow summary of the base case is shown in the following table: Project Cash Flow Summary ZMSM Items Value US Total revenue of silver sales $708,967,000 Total operating costs $313,515,000 After-tax undiscounted cash flow $325,182,000 After-tax discounted (6.5%) NPV $200,217,000 Project Sensitivities are shown in the following table: Sensitivity Analysis for Zgounder Millenium Silver Mining (ZMSM) Parameter Unit -30% -20% -10% 0% +10% +20% +30% Pre-Tax Capex M US$ 32,83 37,52 42,21 46,90 51,59 56,28 60,97 NPV @ 6,5% M US$ 224,68 221,49 218,30 215,11 211,92 208,73 205,53 IRR % 152 146 140 134 128 123 117 Opex M US$ 219,46 250,81 282,16 313,51 344,87 376,22 407,57 NPV @ 6,5% M US$ 275,55 255,40 235,26 215,11 194,96 174,81 154,66 IRR % 182 165 149 134 119 106 93 Metal Price (avg) $/oz 14,35 16,40 18,45 20,50 22,55 24,60 26,65 NPV @ 6,5% M US$ 86,97 129,68 172,39 215,11 257,82 300,54 343,25 IRR % 59 83 108 134 161 189 217 Recovery (avg) % 61 70 78 87 96 NPV @ 6,5% M US$ 88,33 130,59 172,85 215,11 257,37 IRR % 60 84 108 134 161 Head Grade g/t 204 234 263 292 321 351 380 NPV @ 6,5% M US$ 94,07 134,42 174,76 215,11 255,45 295,80 336,14 IRR % 63 85 109 134 160 187 214 Parameter Unit -30% -20% -10% 0% +10% +20% +30% After-Tax Capex M US$ 32,83 37,52 42,21 46,90 51,59 56,28 60,97 NPV @ 6,5% M US$ 209,79 206,60 203,41 200,22 197,03 193,83 190,64 IRR % 135 129 124 118 113 108 103 Opex M US$ 219,46 250,81 282,16 313,51 344,87 376,22 407,57 NPV @ 6,5% M US$ 256,59 237,80 219,01 200,22 181,43 162,63 143,84 IRR % 155 143 130 118 107 95 85 Metal Price (avg) $/oz 14,35 16,40 18,45 20,50 22,55 24,60 26,65 NPV @ 6,5% M US$ 80,15 120,17 160,19 200,22 240,24 280,26 320,29 IRR % 55 76 97 118 140 162 185 Recovery (avg) % 61 70 78 87 96 NPV @ 6,5% M US$ 81,43 121,02 160,62 200,22 239,81 IRR % 56 77 97 118 139 Head Grade g/t 204 234 263 292 321 351 380 NPV @ 6,5% M US$ 86,87 124,65 162,43 200,22 238,00 275,78 313,57 IRR % 58 78 98 118 139 160 182 The sensitivity analysis suggests that the most sensitive parameters are the head grade, the recovery and the silver price. The project outlook calculation presents a robust positive project even at US$14.35/Oz silver and also shows important NPV with the increase in Metal price. Operating Costs The operating costs, also called operating expenditures (Opex), are expressed in USD per tonne processed, and are summarized below. This next Table outlines the costs of the total project. Operating Costs Items Cost Cost US US/t milled Waste development cost $102,074,242 $20.72 Mineralized Material production cost $51,842,142 $10.52 Mineralized Material process cost $95,507,510 $19.39 General and Administration $23,325,499 $4.73 Royalty & Management fees (incl. NPI) $40,765,601 $8.27 Total $313,514,993 $63.63 Note: The internal shaft, main ramp with all major underground developments of the mine down to 1620m level are in the Capex sustaining capital. Provision for additional underground development is taken into account with a 20% waste development of mineralized material mined at year 2021 as it is currently at 10%. Capital Costs The breakdown of the surface, mill and underground remaining capital cost expenditures (Capex) and sustaining capital to materialize the study is summarized in the following table. It is important to realize that the Zgounder project capital costs for the 500 tpd mill has already been paid with the mine revenues. The sensitivity analysis suggests that the remaining capital cost has low impact on the economical results. It is important to mention that operating costs are based on existing real cost adapted to up scaling scenarios. Moreover, the mill capital costs are based on real effective quotes received from Xinhai based in China. The 500 tpd mill is already on site and is being installed. Capex Summary Description Cost - US Mill 500 tpd $5 000 000 Mill 2000 tpd $20 000 000 Shaft+Rock B. $3 000 000 Ramp & Gallery $6 400 000 New tailing $1 500 000 Energy line $3 500 000 Explosive magazine $800 000 UG Maintenance room $750 000 Site prep. mill 2000 tpd $1 000 000 Air vent/Exit $250 000 Exploration+Studies $2 500 000 Water treatment plan $450 000 Ventilation $500 000 Upgraded Live Camp $1 250 000 Total $46 900 000 1US$=10Dirhams In addition to the capital cost needed of US $5,000,000 initially, there is an estimated amount of US $41,900,000 required for the sustaining capital included in the cash flow. No contingency on the Capex has been added, as it is a preliminary economic assessment with a +/- 30% precision. The Zgounder Cash Flow after tax is positive every year from its own revenues except for year three, which will require financing, and with a payback of one year. The 500 tpd mill is uphill near the existing base camp, while the proposed new 2000 tpd mill should be installed south of the 2000m level entrance and the existing 200 tpd mill. Mining The Zgounder deposit assumes the processing of an average of 340 tpd for the first year (half at 187.5 tpd and half at 500 tpd), with an envisioned expansion to 500 tpd forecasted for two years and 2000 tpd for the remaining seven years of production. The Zgounder deposit is located in competent rock and has a steep overall dip, making it easily mined using free falling methods. It is recommended to use the open long-hole mining method with sub-levels for the proposed new mining sites. It is proposed to excavate a main ramp to connect all existing levels to the East above the 2,000m up to 2,100m level. Continued ramp access to the 1,800m level below the 2000m level and reach out the develop levels down to 1,925m and the future levels down to 1,800m; this will facilitate the development and also the transportation of backfill when required. Above 2,100 m elevation, the levels are accessible by adits. As the mine has previously been in production, few new developments are required above 2000m. The total of additional development required is estimated at 20% of mineralized material tonnage with an average of 3.0m linear meters per working day. There is a provision in the Capex (sustaining capital) for an average of 6.0m linear per working day, including the ramp (3.4m x 4m section), for a total of 4,691 meters for the major access and a 315m internal shaft for the life of mine (LOM). The current processing plant was built to process 200 metric tons per day, assuming 350 working days per year, amounting to 70,000 tonnes per year. With the implementation of the new 500 tpd, mill assuming 350 working days per year, amounting to 175,500 tonnes a year, the feed would come from the underground mine above the 2000m level. Subsequently with the implementation of the 2000 tpd mill, mining and mill feed should come from the surface, underground and the ancient tailings in a proportion of 45%, 42% and 13% respectively. The scheduled tonnage for the 2000 tpd from surface is 900 tonnes, 840 tonnes from underground and 260 tonnes from the old tailings. This has been applied to the ratio of available resources and optimization has not been done. The surface extraction should use drill, blast, load, haul to crusher and/or ore pass of the existing Alimak. A fleet was initially selected and the management of ZMSM prefers to use national mining contractors to reduce the Capex burden. As well, underground mining equipment was initially selected as a fleet, as the mine is actually mining contractors, the company wishes to pursue that path and equipment list elaborated by Goldminds should be used as reference for the equivalence. With the present total mineralized material being in the order of 4Mt, the mine life would be 10 years with the upgrade to 500 tpd and the 2000tpd. The mineralized material available is 1.681Mt at 331 g/t from UG, 1.79Mt at 300 g/t from potential quarry and 500,000 tonnes at 132 g/t Ag from the old tailings. Material at the surface is pit constrained. According to the historical and the current mine production, the mining dilution is 10% and the mining recovery is 97%. The 10% mining dilution is applied up to year 2020 and afterward 30% as it represents the 10% from underground and an expected 50% dilution in the pit. These values are applied in the PEA Study. A dilution grade of 50 g/t Ag to the mill feed grade is applied. The Zgounder mine is accessible from adits on each main level, offering the advantage of straightforward dewatering and good natural air circulation from surface to the 2000m Level. Existing levels down to 1925m should be used in the redevelopment below the 2000m main level. Metallurgy and Processing Actual mill operation is about 185 tpd, the feed grade approximately 330 g/t Ag, and the silver recovery is in the 87% range. The intent of Maya is to gradually increase the Zgounder mill feed rate from +/- 200 tonnes per day to 2,000 tonnes per day. First step is to increase the mill feed rate to 500 tpd (2018 -2020) Second step is to increase the mill feed rate to 2,000 tpd (2021 -2027) The object of this chapter of the PEA is to describe in broad detail the mill operation at 500 and 2,000 tonnes per day. If this PEA proves successful, the 500 tpd operation will be addressed later in a future prefeasibility study. The 500 tpd process plant is designed to recover the silver by a gravity-flotation process followed by the cyanide leaching of the gravity and the flotation concentrates in two different mills. The "upper" mill, designed by Yantai Xinhai Mining Research & Design Co., Ltd. (Xinhai), which will be located some 1.5 km from the actual mill will incorporate the following sections: run of mine mineralized material storage, a three stage crushing plant, two 500 tonne fine mineralized material bins, a two stage grinding bay integrating gravity, a flotation section followed by gravity and flotation concentrates thickening and regrinding spaces. The "lower" mill (actual Zgounder mill), will essentially remain the same as it is now except for the removal of the two small ball mills and changing of the present clarifier by four filter-presses. The "lower" mill will be fed by gravity from the gravity-flotation concentrates (cyclones O/F) coming from the "upper" mill. The expected mill recovery is based on provided met test is set to 80%. For the 2,000 tonnes per day operation (2021 - 2027), ZMSM will need a complete new mill. Mill feed averaging 233 g/t (at least for years 2021 to 2024) will come from 3 different locations. Around 45% will come from the open pit, 12% from the old tailings and the other 43% from deep underground-mineralized sectors. To have a smooth and steady operation and to avoid large variations in feed grade and quality, the design criteria for the processing plant is based on a continuous and homogenous feed rate from all sources. The 2,000 tpd processing plant will be designed to recover the silver mainly by cyanide leaching followed by a CIP (carbon in pulp) process. The mill tentatively proposed by Goldminds Geoservices Inc. (GMG) should be located some 250m from the actual 200 tpd mill and will incorporate the following sections: run of mine mineralized material storage, a one stage crushing plant, two fine mineralized material bins, a two stage grinding bay integrating gravity, cyanide leaching followed by carbon adsorption, carbon elution and finally refining. The expected mill recovery based on provided met test with a complete new mill is set to 90%. Additional metallurgical testing is required to validate all parameters of the proposed process. Mill rejects should undergo cyanide destruction before disposal into the tailings pond or will be naturally destroyed in the pond. GMG is of the opinion that the new conceptual tailings pond has the capacity to store the whole mine life production of this PEA, that is to say during the next ten years of operation. Additional work will need to be done to validate the conceptual design. Supernatant from the tailings ponds will flow by gravity to a small polishing pond, where it will be treated if necessary, and approximately 80% will be pumped back to the mill. The other 20%, free of any cyanide, will be discharged in the valley connected to the small Zgounder River. Infrastructure The energy is coming from a new power line rating 22 KV, having a power of 2500 KVA, is expected to be powerful enough for the milling operation of the 500 tpd. Subsequently, for the 2000 tpd mill, a new line will have to be installed from Taliouine and preliminary discussions with the Office National of Energy (ONE) set the total Capex to US3.5 million. A new water line will have to be installed for the 2000 tpd mill upgrade and there is a provision in the Capex for this. As well, the existing tailings will be reinforced and modified to accommodate the whole mine life of the PEA. A polishing pond with water containment of 450,000 cubic meter is planned to assist in the management of recycle water. Provision for a water treatment plant near the polishing pond has been done. A provision in the Capex exists for the expansion of the existing accommodation camp will be required to lodge the additional workforce (the staff and mining contractors). Qualified Persons The technical content of this news release has been prepared and reviewed by Claude Duplessis Eng., Gilbert Rousseau Eng. and Dr. Merouane Rachidi P. Geo. from GoldMinds Geoservices Inc.: both independent Qualified Persons under NI 43-101 standards. TORONTO, Feb. 5, 2018 /CNW/ - Guyana Goldfields Inc. (TSX: GUY) (the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on its greenfield exploration activities including drill results from a combined 2,500 meters reconnaissance-style drill program at its Iroma and Wynamu prospects. Iroma: The Iroma prospect is located 10km northeast of the Aurora Gold Mine ("Aurora"). Gold mineralization is associated with north-northwest trending shear zones along an extensive 8.5km central zone of anomalous gold. Five coherent gold zones have been delineated along this northwest trending corridor. In 2017, a drill program initially focused on follow up work to test in bedrock significant results of saprolite drilling completed in 2013 (best results of 9 meters @ 2.28 g/t Au including 3 meters @ 8.17 g/t Au). Nine holes have been completed to date totaling 2,000 meters of drilling. Please refer to Table 1 for complete results. TABLE 1 - IROMA DRILL RESULTS February 2, 2018 Hole # Azimuth (True North) Dip (degrees) Drill Intercept (meters) Grade (g/t Au) From To Width IRD-001 50 -50 38 54 16.00 0.52 including 38 41 3.00 1.12 51 54 3.00 0.94 64 68 4.00 0.51 73 76 3.00 0.99 87 101 14.00 1.04 including 87 91 4.00 1.90 IRD-002 50 -50 64 90 26.00 1.01 including 64 71 7.00 2.47 67 69 2.00 3.69 82 90 8.00 0.76 IRD-003 50 -50 No significant results IRD-004 50 -50 101 102 1.00 1.16 IRD-005 360 -60 16 24 8.00 0.42 including 17 18 1.00 1.40 34 36 2.00 0.46 IRD-006 50 -50 82 85 3.00 0.30 IRD-007 50 -50 58 64 6.00 0.30 68 70 2.00 0.49 176 178 2.00 0.45 Assay results have been received for seven out of the nine holes drilled to date. Drill hole IRD-001 returned gold grades of 1.04 g/t Au over 14 meters with a higher-grade interval 1.90 g/t Au over 4 meters. Drill hole IRD-002, drilled 40 meters to the southeast of IRD-001, returned 1.01 g/t Au over 26 meters including higher grade intervals of 2.47 g/t Au over 7 meters and 3.69 g/t Au over 2 meters. Drilling has intersected several broad zones of intensely altered silica-ankerite-pyrite. Gold mineralization is hosted in altered intermediate intrusives (quartz diorite) with minor quartz porphyries and felsic dikes. Several broad zones of pyritic shear zones were intersected both in drill testing and surface trenching. The shear zone is open laterally to the northwest and southeast of the current drilling area. Drilling will continue to test the mineralized zones laterally and at depth. A drill rig road is currently being pushed towards Areas 2 and 3 along the 8.5km gold anomalous zone that will be drill tested. Wynamu: The Wynamu prospect is located 40km northeast of Aurora. A shallow diamond drill program commenced in 2017 to test significant gold-in-soil anomalies and trench sampling with best results of 58 meters @ 1.21 g/t Au. Four drill holes have been completed totaling 500 meters. Assay results have been received for all holes with drill hole WYD-01 returning gold grades of 2.67 g/t Au over 12 meters including higher grade intervals of 6.08 g/t Au over 5 meters and 11.73 g/t Au over 2.5 meters. Please refer to Table 2 for complete drill results. TABLE 2 - WYNAMU DRILL RESULTS February 2, 2018 Hole # Azimuth (True North) Dip (degrees) Drill Intercept (meters) Grade (g/t Au) From To Width WYD-01 225 -60 0 12 12.00 2.67 including 7 12 5.00 6.08 8 10.5 2.50 11.73 WYD-02 225 -60 1 6 5.00 0.32 16 18 2.00 0.34 28 30 2.00 0.30 38 41 3.00 0.41 WYD-03 225 -60 0 3 3.00 0.28 8 11 3.00 0.20 13 16 3.00 0.31 WYD-04 225 -60 5 6 1.00 0.25 11 12 1.00 0.41 18 20 2.00 0.31 26 27 1.00 0.24 Drilling results indicate two major lithologies undifferentiated mafic volcanics and diorite. Mineralization is associated with weak to moderately altered mafic volcanics. Alteration consists of pervasive chlorite and ankerite. Pyrite mineralization is generally weak and occurs as fine to coarse grained disseminations. Drill testing will continue towards the northeast of the drilled area to test anomalous gold in soils and trenches. Arangoy: The Arangoy prospect is located approximately 10 km to the northwest of the Sulphur Rose gold deposit which has a total gold resource of 566,830 ounces (277,580 ounces at 1.04 g/t Au in the measured & indicated category and 289,250 ounces at 1.42 g/t Au in the inferred category). Soil sampling conducted within the vicinity of the greenstone and intrusive lithological contact indicated a large and coherent gold anomaly in soils measuring roughly 1km by 0.5km. A trenching and drilling program is currently being planned to test the gold anomaly. Mobilization and resources to Arangoy will commence in the second half of February. Dan Noone, VP Exploration, stated, "We are very encouraged with the preliminary results to date demonstrating multiple significant intercepts of gold mineralization with the first ever diamond drilling at both the Iroma and Wynamu targets. The drilling has outlined a favourable geological environment coinciding with deep seated structures and gold mineralization shown at surface. We are excited to further advance these targets as all the geological prerequisites are present for us to have confidence that we will encounter significant economic mineralization along this highly anomalous trend." The Company is currently utilizing the services of two independent laboratories, Bureau Veritas and MSAnalytics. Both laboratories have facilities in Georgetown, Guyana. This news release and its contents have been reviewed by Mr. Augusto Flores IV (P.Geo), a qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101. About Guyana Goldfields Inc. Guyana Goldfields Inc. is a Canadian based mid-tier gold producer primarily focused on the exploration, development and operation of gold deposits in Guyana, South America. The 100%-owned Aurora Gold Mine achieved commercial production January 1, 2016 and has a total gold resource of 6.54 million ounces in the measured and indicated categories (62.83 million tonnes at 3.24 g/t Au) as well as an additional 1.82 million ounces in the inferred category (16.93 million tonnes at 3.34 g/t Au). For further details, please refer to the report entitled "February 2017: Updated Feasibility Study, Aurora Gold Project, Republic of Guyana - SRK" dated February 2, 2017 available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forwarding-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the estimation of mineral resources. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words and phrases such as "plans," "expects," "is expected," "budget," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "intends," "anticipates," or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and are based on various assumptions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the receipt of applicable regulatory approvals, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the actual results of exploration activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; political instability; as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. TORONTO, Feb. 5, 2018 /CNW/ - First Cobalt Corp. (TSX-V: FCC, ASX: FCC, OTCQB: FTSSF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce positive drill results from its 2017 drill program, intersecting over 30 metres of disseminated cobalt mineralization in the southern part of the Canadian Cobalt Camp. Multiple drill intercepts in this area demonstrate that cobalt mineralization likely occurs as a broad zone, over approximately 350 metres of strike length associated with the historically mined Woods Vein and other transecting structures. Highlights Over 70 metres of anomalous cobalt (>0.03%) as disseminated mineralization in drill hole KF-WV-0013 in the southern portion of the historic Keeley mine starting 15 metres from surface in the southern portion of the historic Keeley mine starting 15 metres from surface 15.7 metres of 0.12% Co , including 6.2 metres at 0.21% Co , reflect similar mineralization in surface grab samples , including , reflect similar mineralization in surface grab samples Evidence of a broad zone of mineralization outside of the historically mined veins that extends over a strike length of 350 metres Trent Mell, President & Chief Executive Officer, commented: "A key objective of our maiden drill program has been realized. We have demonstrated that disseminated cobalt and silver mineralization exist near-surface and outside the veins that were the focus of historic underground mining operations, confirming findings from our 2017 surface sampling and prospecting. Drilling is now underway at the Bellellen mine in Cobalt South and shortly thereafter we will drill targets in Cobalt North." First Cobalt has intersected a broad zone of cobalt mineralization in drill hole KF-KV-0013 (Figure 1), including over 30m of disseminated cobalt mineralization at 0.07% Co, at a vertical depth of 25 metres from surface (Figure2). Within this zone, 15.7 metres grade 0.12% Co, including 6.2 metres at 0.21% Co (Table 1). The exact geometry and hence true width of the mineralized zones cannot be assuredly concluded at this time therefore core lengths are reported. Overall, more than 70m of anomalous cobalt (>0.03%) were intersected 200m to the south of KF-K3-0001, which intersected 25m of silver mineralization (reported February 1, 2017). Anomalous cobalt and silver occur in several drill holes to the north and along strike of the Woods Vein. KF-KV-0016 is 330m due north of KF-KV-0013 and contains an 8m interval of cobalt mineralization along the Woods Vein. Recent assay results from drill holes KF-KD-0005 and KF-K3-0001, which respectively returned 5.5m of 0.12% Co and 138 g/t Ag (December 19, 2017 press release), and 13.7m of 106.2 g/t Ag (February 1, 2018 press release) are also along this structure and potentially highlight a broad zone of mineralization outside of the historic mine workings that extends over a strike length of 350m. In drill hole KF-KV-0013, cobalt mineralization is associated with highly altered mafic volcanic rocks containing chlorite, sericite and carbonate minerals. The drill core is highly fractured and broken resulting in poor core recovery in some places. Approximately two metres of core was unrecoverable in the interval between 41 and 45m and cobalt grade is low (>0.01%) in the interval compared to the rest of the samples within the 30m zone, suggesting cobalt minerals have not been recovered. Cobalt-bearing minerals are visible within a discrete interval between 45.8m to 46.2m grading 2.89% Co without the presence of obvious calcite veins. Most drill core in the hole is variably altered and anomalous Co (>0.02%) occurs below the zone to 90m downhole. Felsic and mafic dykes, typically <1m drilling width, occur throughout the zone that are relatively unaltered and unmineralized. Table 1. Summary of assay results from holes in the Keeley Mine area From To Length Co Ag Ni Hole ID m m m % g/t % KF-WV-0013 22.8 53.0 30.2 0.07 5.0 0.04 including 30.5 46.2 15.7 0.12 4.1 0.05 including 40.0 46.2 6.2 0.21 7.0 0.10 KF-WV-0013 49.9 50.5 0.6 0.03 63.0 0.48 KF-KD-0004 203.7 204.1 0.4 0.05 1.0 1.31 KF-WV-0016 7.0 15.0 8.0 0.04 5.6 0.07 Note: Lengths are measured along the drill core and true widths of mineralization are not known at this time. Nickel and silver are also contained within this 30m zone with grades of up to 0.48% Ni and 63 g/t Ag over 0.6m. Both nickel and silver are particularly concentrated in weakly altered and fractured volcanic rocks at the bottom of the mineralized zone below the high grade cobalt interval. Drill hole KF-KD-0004 intersected a portion of the Woods Vein within the Nipissing diabase, returning high nickel and anomalous cobalt (Figure 2). Core recovery was poor (<50%) in the reported interval, however nickel-bearing minerals (niccolite) were visible. Borehole electromagnetics detected this mineralization and indicate the veining may extend beyond the hole. This geophysical method may be applicable for further targeting using a ground survey system. Nickel was also intersected in separate veins west of the Woods Vein in KF-KD-0005 now called the KeeleyCo area (December 19, 2017 press release). Variations in cobalt, silver and nickel likely reflect metal zoning within a single hydrothermal system. Although the zoning pattern is still not well established by this early phase of drilling, high cobalt or silver or nickel in one place may reflect high values of the other metals nearby. High copper was also found in surface grab samples from several historic mines in the Cobalt Camp (e.g., Bellellen and Drummond) and is also likely part of the metal zoning group. First Cobalt believes that both could be byproduct metals of any future cobalt and silver mine. The assay results from KF-WV-0013 show that the mineralization likely extend beyond the Woods Vein where previous mining was focused. Another nearby drill hole, KF-WV-0014, intersected anomalous Co (up to 0.02% over 1m) intermittently in the hangingwall of the Woods Vein suggesting another transecting structure is associated with the cobalt mineralization. Surface mapping of stripped outcrops by the Company in the area has shown additional east-west and northeast-trending structures are prominent, illustrating a complex network is related to mineralization. This initial drill program near the Keeley mine was designed to test for disseminated and stockwork-style mineralization along the north-south strike length of the Woods vein, the main silver-cobalt bearing structure that accounted for over 80% of the historic silver production in the southern end of the Cobalt Camp. The Company believes that this has now been demonstrated, warranting further drilling in this area. For a table of drill hole assay results to date, visit https://firstcobalt.com/projects/greater-cobalt-project. Quality Assurance and Quality Control First Cobalt has implemented a quality-control program to comply with common industry best practices for sampling and analyses. Samples are collected from drill core from a range of 30 to 100cm length. Half-core samples are submitted for analyses. Standards and blanks are inserted every 20 samples. Duplicates are made from quarter core splits every 20 samples. Geochemical data were received from AGAT Laboratories in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. No QA/QC issues have been noted. AGAT Laboratories has used a sodium-peroxide fusion and ICP finish for analyses on all samples. Qualified and Competent Person Statement Dr. Frank Santaguida, P.Geo., is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 who has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release. Dr. Santaguida is also a Competent Person (as defined in the JORC Code, 2012 edition) who is a practicing member of the Association of Professional Geologists of Ontario (being a 'Recognised Professional Organisation' for the purposes of the ASX Listing Rules). Dr. Santaguida is employed on a full-time basis as Vice President, Exploration for First Cobalt. He has sufficient experience that is relevant to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet Pope Francis on Monday, with a protest ban imposed in central Rome as feelings run high over Turkeys offensive against Kurdish militia inside Syria. For the first such visit by a Turkish leader for 59 years, the Italian authorities have imposed a 24-hour ban on demonstrations which will cover Erdogans arrival late Sunday to his departure on Monday evening. A total of 3,500 police have been deployed for the visit. Nevertheless a sit-in protest by 200 people, organised by a Kurdish association in Italy, is scheduled to take place on Monday not far from the Vatican. Turkey on January 20 launched its Olive Branch operation against Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a terror group and a threat to Turkish territory. The Turkish army and allied Ankara-backed Syrian rebel forces are seeking to oust the YPG from its western border stronghold of Afrin but the operation has faced fierce resistance. In Afrin, a new crime against humanity is under way, the Kurdish association said. The pope, who has railed against the horrors of war and weapons of mass destruction, is likely to raise the Afrin issue during his meeting with Erdogan at 9:30 am (0830 GMT) on Monday. The YPG, while considered a terrorist group by Ankara, is allied to the United States in its battle against Islamic State group jihadists. Thousands of Kurds gathered in Syrias Afrin on Saturday to mourn fighters and civilians killed in a blistering Turkish assault on the region including female combatant Barin Kobani whose mutilated body appeared in a shocking video, prompting accusations by her family and Kurdish officials that she was defiled by Turkish-backed rebels. Erdogan for his part will probably thank the pontiff for opposing the decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. We are both in favour of the status quo and we have the will to protect it, Erdogan said in an interview published Sunday. Flying visit Erdogans flying visit to Italy will also include a meeting with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, with illegal immigration, defence and EU membership, something Turkey seeks, likely on the agenda. Pope Francis, a strong proponent of inter-faith dialogue, visited Turkey in November 2014, holding friendly talks with Erdogan, a devout Muslim. While in Istanbul the pope acknowledged that current global crises had made Muslims vulnerable to being stigmatised. Francis denounced those who said all Muslims are terrorists. Relations were not so cordial in June 2016 when the pope, during a visit to Armenia, referred to the 1915-17 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman forces as genocide. The Vatican was then forced to refute claims from Turkey that Pope Francis had showed a mentality of the Crusades over his use of the term. Turkey the Ottoman Empires successor state argues that it was a collective tragedy in which both Turks and Armenians died. On Sunday, Erdogan also insisted in a newspaper interview that Turkey wants full membership of Europe and did not rule out joint Italian-Turkish action in Libya. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Pope Francis on Monday while police enforced a protest ban in central Rome as feelings ran high over Turkeys offensive against Kurdish militia inside Syria. During the 50-minute meeting, Pope Francis gave Erdogan a medallion embossed with an angel strangling a demon of war a symbol of peace and justice. Meanwhile, a small Kurdish-led protest clashed with riot police not far from the Vatican. Two people were arrested. Erdogans visit, the first by a Turkish leader in nearly 60 years, saw the two leaders discuss Turkey, refugees and the situation in the Middle East with particular reference to the status of Jerusalem, the Vatican said. The talks also highlighted the need to promote peace and stability in the region through dialogue and negotiation, with respect for human rights and international law, a statement added. Before Erdogans arrival late Sunday, the Italian authorities had deployed 3,500 police and imposed a 24-hour ban on demonstrations. But that didnt stop a sit-in protest by some 30 people, organised by a Kurdish association in Italy. Turkey on January 20 launched its Olive Branch operation against Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a terror group and a threat to Turkish territory. The Turkish army and allied Ankara-backed Syrian rebel forces are seeking to oust the YPG from its western border stronghold of Afrin but the operation has faced fierce resistance. In Afrin, a new crime against humanity is under way, the Kurdish association said. Every family has lost two or three children, but what is the fault of the Kurds? Is this the reward for fighting against Daesh? (using another term for the group Islamic State), said Rasho Mohmad, a Syrian Kurd. Mohmad said the pope shouldnt meet Erdogan, who he labelled a murderer. Another protester Alessio Arconso, also a Kurd, said: Its a duty to be here today, Erdogan has become more than a dictator. Since a failed coup in Turkey in July 2016, some 55,000 people have been arrested and 140,000 public sector workers sacked or suspended. Angel of peace The pope, who has railed against the horrors of war and weapons of mass destruction, presented Erdogan the medallion with an angel of peace strangling the demon of war. Its a symbol of a world based on peace and justice, the pontiff said, according to two journalists present during the meeting. Erdogan for his part was expected to thank the pope for opposing the decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. We are both in favour of the status quo and we have the will to protect it, Erdogan said in an interview published Sunday. Erdogan and the pope also stressed the importance of jointly combating xenophobia and Islamophobia and not conflating religions with terrorism, sources said according to Turkish media. Armenian genocide spat Erdogans flying visit to Italy later included a lunch with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella, who spoke of a frank and respectful meeting, including discussions on Turkeys relationship with the EU. Pope Francis and Erdogan have had a somewhat mixed relationships The pope, a strong proponent of inter-faith dialogue, visited Turkey in November 2014, holding talks with Erdogan, a devout Muslim. While in Istanbul the pope acknowledged that current global crises had made Muslims vulnerable to being stigmatised and denounced those who said all Muslims are terrorists. But relations were not so cordial in June 2016 when the pope, during a visit to Armenia, referred to the 1915-17 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman forces as genocide. The Vatican was then forced to refute claims from Turkey that Pope Francis had showed a mentality of the Crusades over his use of the term. Turkey the Ottoman Empires successor state argues that it was a collective tragedy in which both Turks and Armenians died. Engineering Career Fair Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021 Hosted Online via Handshake 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. CST Visit with a wide range of engineering companies looking for interns, co-op, and full-time employees. Employers Attending Student Support Handshake: 10 Tips for Attending a Virtual Career Fair Updating Handshake Profile Settings Make sure you have a smooth experience the day of the fair by getting your Handshake profile ready. What steps do I need to take to update my profile before the fair? Navigate to the Your Interests section of your Handshake profile. Complete the information for JOB TYPE, CITIES, and ROLES. These are common fields that employers use to search for potential candidatesso including them in your profile is essential to getting recruited. Its also important to have your resume uploaded and viewable to an employer so they can prepare before you have a conversation during the fair. Fill out your EDUCATION SECTION! Check to ensure your major is up-to-date and follow your colleges process for changing this information with the Registrars office if it is not. Then, add Work Experience, Organization Activities, any relevant skills or examples of projects, and a head and shoulders profile photo to give your profile the polish that will help you stand out. What do I need to know about privacy settings? To participate in group sessions, you must set visibility to Community (this gives you access to Peer Messaging and makes you visible to other students and alumni across Handshake schools). To participate in one-on-one sessions, you must set your profile to Employers. Note: Handshake will prompt you to change your privacy settings if needed when you attempt to sign up for sessions. Registering for the Career Fair You can't participate if you don't register! How do I find the career fair in Handshake? Log into your Handshake account. Go to the EVENTS page via the top menu bar. Select CAREER FAIRS. How do I register for the fair? Once you have navigated to the fair by clicking EVENTS from the top menu bar, click on the name of the fair and then click the blue REGISTER button in the top right corner of the event page. How do I know which employers will be participating in the fair? Once you complete registration for the fair, you will be able to scroll through the employers that have registered to attend. Setting Up and Managing Sessions This is how you save your digital spot in line for the fair! How do I sign up for 1 on 1 sessions with an employer? How do I sign up for group sessions with an employer? What are these? You will have the ability to sign up for group or 1 on 1 sessions with an employer you are interested in. Signing up for a group session is theonline equivalent of attending an in-person information session.Signing up for a 1 on 1 session is the online equivalent of holding your spot in line at an in-person career fair (if you are familiar with a trip to Disney, think about this like a Fastpass). Its VERY IMPORTANT to note that you cant sign up for sessions until you register for the fair. It's also VERY IMPORTANT to note that you should not wait until right before the fair or the day of to try to sign up for sessions because there may be none left with the employer(s) you want to speak with. Group sessions are 30 minutes and 1 on 1 sessions are 10 minutes. You will need to manage your time since the sessions will not automatically end! Handshake will automatically end the session after 20 minutes. You can sign up for a session up to 1 minute before the session start time (but we really dont recommend this!), but once a session has started you will BE UNABLE to sign up for it. To find sessions to sign up for, log in to Handshake and click Events. The career fairs you are registered for will show up on the right side under Your schedule. How will I be able to remember what sessions Im participating in? When you are logged into Handshake and have clicked into the event, navigate to the YOUR SESSIONS tab. Here, you will be able to see all of the sessions you have signed up for and here you will find the button to JOIN THE SESSION on the day of the event. When you go to sign up for a session with an employer and are looking at time slots, session times that are not available due to your already scheduled sessions will display a red dot next to the time of the session. Can I cancel my sessions? All sessions will have the option of video, audio or text-based chat. The employer and student connecting will decide which medium to use, this is not standardized. If you are signed up for the session, you can launch video at any point once it has started. To begin a session, navigate to the fair in Handshake and click on the YOUR SESSIONS tab. Then, click the blue LAUNCH VIDEO button to join the session. You can join the session up to five minutes early to test your audio and video connection. to test your audio and video connection. You'll need to make sure you've allowed microphone and video access in your app or browser in order to participate in audio and video. Note : In group sessions with more than 15 participants, Handshake will automatically disable participant audio and video to preserve session quality. : In group sessions with more than 15 participants, Handshake will automatically disable participant audio and video to preserve session quality. Sessions will end automatically 20 minutes after the scheduled end time, to allow for additional conversation. I know I shouldnt wear sweats, but what dress is most appropriate for online fair sessions? Literally dont sweat! Consider an outfit that makes you look professional and comfortable. If you need help choosing an outfit, consider making an appointment with your career advisor. If you are in Manhattan this fall, you can still access the Career Closet by appointment. Will students be able to submit their resumes to employers? Without joining sessions? Yes! Students will be able to sign up to meet with employers in 1 on 1 and group sessions during a virtual fair and employers will have access to these students resumes before and after the fair. This doesnt mean that it is good etiquette to skip a session you have signed up for. Please practice professional behavior! Interacting with Employers Be sure to make a great first impression - even with this new, online format. Should I email my resume to the employer before the session? If an employer asks you to email your resume, yes, follow their instructions. However, best practice is to ensure you have uploaded an up-to-date version of your resume to your Handshake profile so that it can be viewed by an employer prior to a session. What are best practices for researching an employer before the fair? Thoroughly prepare! Research the employer with Handshake, LinkedIn and social media platforms to get a well-rounded view of the employer. Specifically, look at the companys history, any descriptors of the culture, what the mission is, where their locations are, what kind of work they do, which clients or customers they serve and recent news about the company. This will help you answer questions like, What do you know about us as an organization? Will I need to have my video turned on when talking with employers? Yes, if the recruiter has their video turned on as well. Try to mirror the behavior of the employer. If you need to turn off your video because of your WiFi connection, politely explain thats what is happening. Where do I find information in Handshake to be able to follow up with a recruiter after the fair? The company profile in Handshake should contain at least a generic email account that will allow you to follow up. However, it is best practice to end your session conversation by saying, Thank you for your time. Do you have contact information that will allow me to follow up with you once I apply? Use this contact information to send a quick thank you note to the employers you engage with during the online fair. For additional FAQs and tips for attending a virtual fair in Handshake, go to Handshake's Guide to Attending a Virtual Fair. After the Fair A man jailed for life following a cold-case investigation into a killing in Kilkenny 30 years ago has brought an appeal against his conviction for murder. John Joseph Malone (54), of Newpark, Kilkenny City, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of 69-year-old Ann 'Nancy' Smyth at her home on Wolfe Tone Street, Kilkenny on September 11, 1987. He was unanimously found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury following three hours and 26 minutes of deliberating and accordingly given the mandatory life sentence by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy last April. Ann 'Nancy' Smyth lived with her pet Labrador on Wolfe Tone St in Kilkenny. Ann Lahart, who was a bartender in a pub on John Street where Nancy was a regular in 1987, described her as a "lovely person", quiet in her own way but happy to chat with those she knew. "She was partial to her rum and blackcurrant and she also liked her whiskey lemonade," she told the court. On the night she died, Nancy called to the pub around 9 o'clock and was in "great form". On the same night Malone was drinking in another pub in Kilkenny City and left around mid-night. Instead of going home he walked to Wolfe Tone Street where he was seen by several witnesses acting suspiciously. One neighbour, Geraldine Brennan, heard him banging on Ms Smyth's door and window and shouting: "Let me into the fucking house. I just want to fucking talk to you." At one stage he said: "I'll fucking get you." Ms Brennan went outside and saw Malone kick Nancy's door, bang her window and slam her gate. She described him as "angry and agitated". In the early hours of the morning of September 11, hours after Malone was heard threatening Ms Smyth, smoke was seen coming from Ms Smyth's home. When emergency services arrived they found the 69-year-old and her Labrador dead inside the burning house. The investigation into Ms Smyth's death received a boost in 2012 when, following an appeal for information that was recommended by the Serious Crime Review Team, several witnesses came forward. Each of them told gardai that Malone, the chief suspect, had confessed to Nancy Smyth's murder. Malone was on bail when the trial began but this was revoked after he was seen shouting abuse at the home of 81-year-old Eileen Kelly days before she was due to give evidence against him. Opening an appeal against his conviction today on the principle ground that the trial judge should have withdrawn the case from the jury at the close of the prosecution's case, Malone's barrister, Colman Cody SC, said the evidence of Geraldine Brennan was the ground on which his client's appeal turned. Mr Cody said Geraldine Brennan was living on Wolfe Tone Street with her parents in 1987. In a statement to gardai at the time, Ms Brennan said she was asleep in bed in the rear of their home and that the first she heard of anything untoward was at 5am when her father woke her up. However, Mr Cody said Ms Brennan made a further statement in 2013 which, she accepted, was substantially different and of an entirely different character. She stated that she had been on Wolfe Tone Street with her parents on the night in question and that she had effectively a ringside view of what was going on. Mr Cody said there were stark differences between what three other witnesses had observed on Wolfe Tone Street and what Ms Brennan said she had observed. She was the only witness to give evidence of Malone behaving in a verbally and physically aggressive manner towards the deceased including the words 'I'm going to get you'. She was the only witness to come forward to say that not only was Malone aggressive but that he had made a threat. Mr Cody said the initial Garda investigation in 1987 stalled. The first significant development came after an appeal for people to come forward with information was published in the Kilkenny People newspaper in 2005. One woman came forward with a statement claiming Malone confessed to her that he had killed Ms Smyth. As a result, Mr Cody said the Gardai were in a position to reactivate the investigation on foot of this "very significant breakthrough" but that didn't happen until 2012 when a cold case review was conducted and there was a reconstruction on RTE's Crimecall program which brought forward additional confession evidence. Mr Cody said Ms Brennan's father died in 2011. Her mother had died previously. This was relevant to the very culpable delay in the case. He said it was possible the defence would have been able to blow holes in the credibility of Ms Brennan's statement, had her parents been alive for the trial. Mr Justice George Birmingham remarked that the difficulty facing Malone in focusing his appeal on Ms Brennan, was that three other people put him at the scene at a relevant time and Malone had been going around Kilkenny confessing to people left right and centre. Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Sean Gillane SC, said the defence had secured from Ms Brennan what every defence counsel in the country seeks to obtain from prosecution witnesses: an admission that she hadn't told the truth in 1987. Ms Brennan stated that her father told her not to get involved and to get into the house because the Malone fella would come down to their house, Mr Gillane said. He said it would have been irrational for the jury to conclude Malone was not the man having that heated argument with Ms Flynn who was subsequently killed in the following number of hours in her home. One of the other witnesses decscribed the man as having a speech impediment and, Mr Gillane said, there was evidence Malone had a speech impediment. Mr Gillane said Malone made multiple confessions to different people in different contexts and none of them had an axe to grind. He submitted that Malone's conviction was safe, his trial satisfactory and that the trial judge's rulings could not have been in any other direction. Mr Justice George Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, said the court would reserve judgment. CONFESSIONS In 2012 gardai appealed for information and witnesses came forward. A number of those witnesses were members of a Presbyterian Bible group which Malone would join from time to time. Jude Curran told the court that Malone came to his house months after Nancy's death. He said: "I was reading the Bible and John Joe came in and just said to me: Jude, if somebody murdered someone, would God forgive them? A few months later Malone came to him again. He just said to me that he couldnt make out how forensics says that Mrs Smyth was strangled, he said. He had told me that he had argued with her and that he pushed her and she fell, he continued, adding that Mr Malone had told him she had banged her head off a stone. That he brought her in, sat her down and she died, and that he set fire to the house, he said. Billy Patterson, another member of the Bible group, said Malone once told him that he was considering becoming a Christian. Mr Patterson said he asked what would stop him, and that the accused replied that hed done something. He said he asked Malone if what he had done had to do with the old woman. He said yes, and I said to him: Did you do it? and he said yes." The court also heard from the accused man's brother, Barney Malone, who said John Joe had confessed to him one night about ten years ago. Barney's wife, Ann Malone, said the accused had once threatened her, saying he would burn her house down, as he had done to Nancy Smyth. 81-year-old Eileen Kelly also took the stand to reveal that a few months after Nancy was killed, she confronted him and he told her it was an accident. She said Malone told her he had argued with Nancy and she told him to go away and accused his brother of having robbed her in a pub. She said he told her that he caught Ms Smyth, shoved her in the door and squeezed her too tight. 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. By Lee Min-hyung There is a possibility that the PyeongChang Winter Olympics will set the stage for direct talks between the United States and North Korea. Pyongyang has yet to confirm whether it will send any high-ranking figures to the Olympics. But speculation is growing that Choe Ryong-hae, a vice chairman of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, will attend, based on the fact that he visited South Korea in 2014 for the Incheon Asian Games. Choe is believed to be the No. 2 man in North Korea. This raises the possibility that Choe could meet U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who is leading Washington's delegation to the Olympics. He will arrive in Seoul, Friday, and is scheduled to have dinner with President Moon Jae-in. "There is a 50-50 chance of Choe's visit to the Olympics, as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un offered a peaceful gesture to South Korea in his New Year address," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, Sunday. He said this was not an absurd assumption, because it would not be the first time the regime has sent Choe and other high-ranking political figures to a sporting event in South Korea. But the professor said there was little chance for Choe and Pence to have an in-depth diplomatic discussion, because a meeting has not been arranged in advance. "Even if a possible meeting is arranged, both sides are unlikely to share details about their ongoing political conflict," Yang said. "My view is that Pence and Choe will merely exchange greetings if they meet each other." About 8,000 thousands protesters scream, "Hire Koreans," at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul last year. / Korea Times photo by Jung Min-ho Unlike their Western counterparts, liberals in Korea tend to oppose immigration By Jung Min-ho Kathmandu, February 5: Nepal's orthodox tea exports will no longer have the logo 'Darjeeling, India' and will be sold abroad with its own identity, 154 years after tea cultivation commenced in the Himalayan nation, a media report said today. Nepal has received its own logo or trademark, with the long-standing efforts of the Nepal Tea and Coffee Development Board, organisations associated with tea production, and experts in the field, The Himalayan Times reported. The trademark comprises an image of mountains with 'Nepali Tea Quality from the Himalaya' written below it. Prior to this, Nepal's orthodox tea was being exported with the logo of Darjeeling, India, the report said. Nepal produces certain varieties of teas that are some what related to Darjeeling tea in its appearance, aroma and fruity taste. Ministry of Agricultural Development, with the support of Himalaya Tea Producers Association and Nepal Tea and Coffee Development Board, has developed the logo. Preparations have begun to hold an event at the base camp of Mt. Everest to establish the logo in the international market. Bigger buyers and world's journalists are scheduled to attend the logo inauguration event at the Mt. Everest Base Camp. However, using and establishing the logo is still a big challenge, shared Chandra Bhusan Subba, a tea expert involved in the development of the logo. For the implementation of the logo, the Ministry has issued Nepali Orthodox Tea Certification Trademark Implementation Directive 2074. The directive has fixed certain standards for the use of the logo including that the produced tea must be fully organic. Nepalese tea producers wanting to use the logo must submit an application after which the process will move forward, the report said. "Standards such as the quality of tea produced,employment security of the workers, sensitivity toward environmental protection must be met in order to use the logo," said Subba. "The logo and the directive have been approved, now Nepali tea will carve its niche in the international market." With this move, Nepali tea would get good price in the international tea market and farmers would directly be benefited, therefore all should stress proper implementation of the logo, Subba said. The tea farmers have become elated with the development of Nepal's own trademark, also hoping that this will induce good business and sustainability, the report said. According to the National Tea and Coffee Development Board, Nepal produces tea in over 66700 acres of land. Nepal mainly exports tea to India, Canada, Germany, the US and China. Tea cultivation that began in Nepal from Ilam since 1920, has spread to 44 districts. The then chief of the district 'Badahakim' Gajaraj Singh Thapa had first cultivated tea in Ilam, after which a factory was set up in 1935 that started tea production from the district. Ilam is also home to the oldest and historical tea factory of the country, the report said. The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) is to ballot all Locomotive and Dart drivers for all-out strike action in response to what it describes as, "Iarnrod Eireann's unprecedented attack on longstanding industrial relations procedures by forcing changes to terms and conditions (within the training regime), without agreement." Dermot O'Leary is the NBRU General Secretary. "The management at Iarnrod Eireann have set themselves on a course of major confrontation with its train drivers as a result of their decision to dispense with longstanding practice, by completely ignoring the jointly agreed procedures around how industrial relation matters are addressed. "The fact is that the agreed training regime at the company is currently one of a voluntarist nature, and is solely at the discretion of the individual driver. "The decision to break this agreement by forcing actual changes to terms and conditions onto workers is both unprecedented and contrary to how disputed matters should be addressed within our dispute procedures; it has also moved the disputed matter from one of an individual employee/employer relationship, to one which now concerns the representative Unions." "Both our members and the travelling public are entitled to ask, who is it that is actually in charge of the decision-making process at Iarnrod Eireann given that the current CEO has already announced that he is departing for a new gig in Australia. "It surely cannot be that the decision to risk an all-out strike with the consequential discommoding of hundreds of thousands of commuters by the breaching of jointly agreed procedures can be left to someone who will not be around to pick up the pieces should such a scenario develop? "The Unions met with Iarnrod Eireann management last Thursday within our procedures, and advised the Company that we were prepared to look at an interim solution (as provided for within those same procedures), by placing the necessity to gain some material recognition around the train drivers longstanding agenda of a reduction in the working week with that of training. "The Company simply ignored our suggestion and indicated that they are moving ahead without the agreement of its own staff. The Unions have written to the Workplace Relations Commission to request an immediate intervention in this extremely serious matter. "We are, even at this late hour, determined to pursue every avenue available to avoid this unnecessary and damaging dispute," Mr O'Leary concluded. Read more: Garda seize computers and phones as part of investigation into child abuse images. Tweet from Met Eireann shows track of snow storm. Peter McVerry Trust has today announced plans to expand its own Housing First work to County Kildare. Housing First service is staffed by a multi-disciplinary team which consists of an addiction specialist, psychiatric nurse, psychotherapist along with case managers. Tenants are provided with individually tailored supports, with some participants receiving up to three visits on a daily basis, from the team when required. Supports provided also include life skills such as budgeting, household management, cooking, cleaning and support to integrate in to the community. Tenants are supported to make positive changes within their lives. The national housing and homeless charity is set to expand its delivery of the model outside of Dublin to include counties Kildare and Limerick. Pat Doyle, CEO of Peter McVerry Trust, said Last year we embarked on a unique international partnership with the Pathways Housing First Institute and Dr Sam Tsemberis, who was the original proponent of the Housing First model. In 2017 we committed to a target of 25 people to be included in our Housing First programme. Not only did we meet that target but the tenants were working with have a 100% tenancy sustainment rate, which is an incredible result thus far. In 2018 the charity will mark 35 years in existence and to coincide that occasion we will expand our flagship Housing First programme by a further 35 individuals. This means the programme will expand from 25 to 60 participants. As part of the expansion we will deliver new small-scale interventions in counties Limerick and Kildare. We hope that by the end of 2018 we will have a cohort of 10 individuals in Limerick and a further 8 in Kildare. That will represent the beginning of a long-term Housing First interventions by Peter McVerry Trust in those counties. Mr Doyle said that Peter McVerry Trust is targeting a number of specific groups through its Housing First work. We are currently focused on people who are long-term users of homeless services. However, our plan now is to target other specific groups, such as those exiting State care and other institutions including hospitals and prisons. Our work with Dr Tsemberis will be critical in achieving successful interventions in these cases, as Dr Tsemberis own work had originally specialised in housing people who were exiting institutions. Our goal will be to work closely with the new National Director of Housing First as well as our partners in the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, Kildare County Council and Limerick City and County Councils. A partnership approach is essential to the success of the Housing First model, as it will ensure that we deliver the best outcomes for the individuals who will benefit from this newly expanded programme. The partnership approach has worked well to date with the Dublin Region Homeless Executive Focus Ireland Peter McVerry Trust Housing First project in Dublin, which has delivered over 176 tenancies since late 2014. Local community groups have been encouraged to take part in the latest Get Involved initiative, with winning projects in line to share a prize fund of 17,000. Now in its fifth year and with over 38,000 invested in 22 projects in local community projects across the country, the latest Get Involved Community Initiative has been launched with the sponsorship of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and the backing of the Local Ireland representative group for weekly newspapers. This community initiative aims to identify, promote and ultimately reward the best community initiatives undertaken by local groups throughout the country over the period January to September 2018. These projects fell into one of the following categories: Sustainable Energy; Food production; Nature/Biodiversity, and Waste-Resource Efficiency. The SEAI is firmly committed to the idea that every community can do something to ensure the well-being of its own area. This could involve starting a local energy conservation project, creating local, clean energy, local natural food production, a nature/biodiversity project, creating sustainable local employment. Every community can identify such a need, all is takes is for a few like-minded people to come together and make a plan. Projects do not have to be completed within the January to September period, but they must commence and follow a clearly defined project plan and adhere to the timelines specified in their application. To enter this years community initiative competition, go online to the official website, www. get-involved.ie and submit your application by Friday February 23, 2018. Once your entry has been received you will be contacted and then you are up and running! All successful entries will receive support in identifying local expertise, sources of funding and, where possible and at the discretion of the organisers, some professional mentorship. The competition judging panel will be chaired by broadcaster and environmentalist Duncan Stewart. Judging will take place in September 2018 and the awards presentation will take place in October 2018. See also www.get-involved.ie for film clips of last years winning entries. YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Vote for Kildare's Top 10 Most Memorable Sporting Moment The relocation of Naas Library, as reported in the Leader over two years ago, has been confirmed. Kildare County Council has signed a contract with a firm of architects which will lead to a plan to convert the Town Hall to accommodate the library - currently located at the Canal Harbour. The contract, with Dublin-based Deaton Lysaght Architects, will provide an integrated design solution for the conversion of Naas Town Hall into Naas Community Library. The Town Hall premises is a former jail building built originally in 1796 by the then Naas Corporation. In 1904 the building was renovated into the Town Hall. Among the building's features is an Italian classical style facade including a two faced clock. Some local politicians, including Cllr Anne Breen have been pressing for more uses to be assigned to the Town Hall and a library was mooted in 2015. Some concerns were expressed about the availability of car parking in the immediate vicinity of the Town Hall but Cllr. Breen said she fully supports the move because the Town Hall it not used enough. To have the library in the Town Hall would be an asset to the town and it could double as a heritage centre. Local people know where the library is but visitors don't and they are more likely to find the Town Hall, said Cllr. Breen. It's not clear what the existing library building will be used for but a community building has been suggested as a possible future use. A 16-year-old from Enfield will compete in Top Model UK in April. Sarah Ainscough, a fifth year student in Scoil Mhuire Trim, will travel to London with mum Sylvia, and her aunt, to take on up to 15 other models on April 7, 2018. Sarah was shortlisted after applying herself, with minimal modelling experience. I had never done modelling before and I actually found a really good interest in it so thats why Im trying to get into it now, really excited, she said. Sarah, who is 5'8, will be hoping to make a big impression on the day. You do your own personal style, you get to wear your own lingerie or swimwear, and theres a winner for every category, I think theres five different categories, and theres one overall winner, even if you dont win you get jobs from it, so that would even be a bigger opportunity in London. SEE ALSO: Kildare teen (15) through to Top Model Worldwide The shortlist for The Moodies the global airport digital, mobile and social media awards was revealed on Friday and Ireland West Airport are delighted to have been shortlisted for three global awards. The Moodies, which reward best practice in social and digital media among airports and airport retailers globally, has shortlisted Ireland West Airport, one of only two Irish airports to be shortlisted, in three categories for Best use of Facebook, the only Irish airport to make the shortlist in this category, Best Use of Paid Social for our campaign marking the opening of the new M17 motorway from Tuam to Gort and for the Best overall Use of Social & Digital Media by an airport. The overall winners will be announced later this month. Commenting on the news, Donal Healy, Head of Marketing & Communications at Ireland West Airport said, "The airport puts a major focus on Digital and Social media channels which helps the airport punch well above our weight on the international stage. "To be nominated for three global awards and to be alongside some of the biggest airports in the world reinforces our belief that digital and social media channels offer the perfect platforms for smaller businesses to compete alongside major international players and in many instances outperform them. "We are delighted to have been recognised for our work in this area with three nominations and in particular in relation to our use of Facebook, which has seen us shortlisted as the only Irish airport in this category, alongside major international airports such as Heathrow Airport and Amsterdam Schipol. "This acknowledgment helps put the airport and indeed the West of Ireland on the map on the global stage." Ireland West Airport currently has the second largest social media presence, for an airport, in Ireland with over 100,000 followers across our three main platforms Facebook (76,000 fans), Twitter (15,500 followers) and Instagram (4,600 followers). Last year social media generated content on the airports facebook page had a reach of over 27,000,0000 worldwide and generated 6 million video views, engaging with 1,500,000 people over the course of the year. The airports facebook page is currently ranked the 85th biggest airport page in the world. Social media and digital channels provide the airport with an opportunity to engage and communicate with a much larger audience worldwide than possible, through traditional media channels, for an airport of our size and resources. More importantly it provides us with the perfect platform to inform the wider public of our routes and services, promote the region and also listen to feedback from our customers which is a vitally important tool to assist the airports growth and development plans. Customer service is a hugely important focus across our social media channels and we always try to ensure feedback, both positive and negative, is acknowledged. In 2017, the annual number of passengers using the airport increased by 2% to 750,000, an increase of 15,500 passengers compared to 2016. The airport now serves 23 International destinations and is served by three of Europes major International airlines, Aer Lingus, Flybe and Ryanair. Feb 5, 2018, 9 AM By Jay Bigalke Are you ready for another edition of Linns Stamp News monthly magazine? We sure hope so, because the Feb. 19 issue is jam-packed with a marvelous assortment of in-depth, scholarly features that are sure to please. We offer three glimpses of what lies between the pages. A playbook to collecting U.S. stamp issues First-day ceremonies can serve as great hunting grounds for collectors looking for interesting and elusive items besides the stamps themselves to put in their albums or exhibits. This article by George Amick looks at the Bear Bryant stamp from 1997 and provides examples specific to that stamp issue. Nova Scotias first stamps Nova Scotia quickly acted when the opportunity arose to set up its own post office, explains Unveiling Classic Stamps columnist Sergio Sismondo. He looks at the postage stamps that were issued in 1851, engraved and printed in England by Perkins, Bacon and Co. William Fargo, Wells Fargo and western express mail Classic U.S. Postal History columnist Labron Harris looks at three covers that help tell the tale of William George Fargo, who carried mail for his local post office at age 13 and, in 1852, co-founded Wells, Fargo & Co. for the speedy transportation of mail and more. Want to subscribe? Get access to all of these articles, and so much more, with a Linns Stamp News print or digital edition subscription! Sign up and start reading now! Connect with Linns Stamp News: Sign up for our newsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter In this woodcut, a medieval missionary recounts that he has found the spot where the sky and the Earth touch. The illustration, by Camille Flammarion (1842-1945), a French astronomer and popular science writer, was used to illustrate the notion that mediaeval man believed the Earth was flat. A believer in flat-Earth conspiracies took another shot at shooting himself toward the stratosphere in a homemade rocket. Once again, it fell flat. "Mad Mike" Hughes, a self-proclaimed daredevil who rejects the fact that the Earth is round, posted a video on his Facebook page about two weeks ago saying that he planned to launch himself from private property to an altitude of 1,800 feet (550 meters) on Saturday, Feb. 3. Hughes had canceled and delayed launches before, so it wasn't really clear whether Saturday's event would happen. His homemade rocket sat on the "launchpad" in Amboy, California, for about 11 minutes before it didn't go anywhere, as shown on a live video of the event. Nevertheless, it spotlights a subculture that is increasingly gaining notoriety online. That subculture is flat-Earthers, people who argue that centuries of observations that the Earth is round (including astronaut photographs from space and the fact that round-the-world travel itineraries work) are either mistaken or part of a vast cover-up. Instead, flat-Earthers argue, the planet is a disk. Exactly what this looks like varies by who is theorizing, but many flat-Earth believers say that walls of ice surround the edge of the disk, and that the planets, moons and stars hover in a sort of dome-shaped firmament above Earth, much closer to Earth than they really are. [8 Times Flat-Earthers Tried to Challenge Science in 2017) As conspiracy theories go, it's a pretty all-encompassing one. So what is the appeal? For many believers, it's a matter of distrust of the scientific elite and the desire to see the evidence with their own eyes. And, psychologists say, flat-Earth conspiracy theorists may be chasing many of the same needs as believers in other conspiracies: social belonging, the need for meaning and control, and feelings of safety in an uncertain world. The draw of conspiracy Flat-Earth theories aren't new; in the modern era, they date back to an English writer named Samuel Rowbotham, who came up with a variety of creative interpretations of cosmology in the mid-1800s. There was a smattering of interest in the 1950s with the creation of the International Flat Earth Society, but today's resurgence of the theory seems to derive from social media, said Viren Swami, a social psychologist at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, England. Minor celebrities, such as rapper B.o.B and TV personality Tila Tequila, have boosted the conspiracy's profile by tweeting about their skepticism that the Earth is round. [7 (Easy) Ways to Prove the Earth Is Round] The internet-era flat-Earth movement is new enough that no one has done any psychological research on it, Swami said, though one of his students is working on a project on the phenomenon now. Still, psychologists have studied why conspiracy theories are appealing, in general. The reasons fall into three main categories, said Karen Douglas, a social psychologist at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England. The first reason has to do with the search for knowledge and certainty. People who feel uncertain tend to be drawn to conspiracies, Douglas told Live Science. This happens on both small and large scales: When people are induced to feel out of control in a psychology study, they become more open to conspiracy belief, 2015 research found. There is also evidence that conspiracy beliefs spike during times of societal crisis, such as after the 9/11 attacks, according to a paper published last year in the journal Memory Studies. Though imagining shadowy cabals behind every corner might seem scary, conspiracy theories also seem to offer believers the promise of control in the form of knowledge and insight that others lack, Douglas said. "You have a need for security and control, and you don't have it," she said, "so you try to compensate for it." Finally, conspiracy theories can give believers a self-esteem boost and allow them to feel good about the groups they belong to. Some studies suggest narcissism and conspiracy belief are linked, Douglas said, and many conspiracies divide the world into "good guys" (e.g., the moral YouTube star setting out to find the truth) and "bad guys" (e.g., the government, or a given ethnic group). Rejecting the basics People are often fairly self-aware about the underlying reasons they believe in conspiracies, said Michael Wood, a lecturer in psychology at the University in Winchester in England. "One thing I've found interesting in my own adventures on the flat-Earth side of YouTube is, people are often pretty upfront about their motives," Wood said. They'll say that they find it more appalling to believe in the universe as a huge, uncaring place, and that it seems more reasonable to imagine Earth was made for humans like a perfect snow globe. [10 Times Earth Revealed Its Weirdness] Some flat-Earth believers are motivated by religion, Wood noted; some harken back to biblical passages mentioning "the firmament" of the heavens. For others, the flat-Earth belief seems to grow out of other, space-related conspiracy beliefs, such as the belief that the moon landings were faked, Wood told Live Science. "If you read flat-Earth discussion groups, people talk about NASA, and they really hate NASA," he said. Part of the problem, Swami said, is that understanding the physics of the universe is very difficult, and flat-Earthers are, to some extent, right that science is elitist: It takes money, knowledge and time in higher education to be in a position to launch a satellite into space or understand the math that shows why the planet is round. (However, you can fairly easily prove it is round with home-based methods.) Flat-Earth theories simplify all the complexities and don't require believers to put any faith in science or scientists, Swami said. Interestingly, studies involving children suggest that although humanity has known that the planet is round since the time of the ancient Greeks, it's not an intuitive belief. Elementary-school students will say that the world is round when asked, according to studies dating back to the 1970s and 1980s, but further questioning often reveals that their mental image of the round Earth is quite confused. They might believe, for example, that the Earth up in space is round, but obviously the one we walk around on is flat. Or they might say the Earth is round, but also that it's possible to fall off the edge. These contradictory beliefs were common in kids up to age 10 or so, according to a 1985 study. By 13, most kids had grasped the concept of a spherical Earth, the study found, though some were still a little flummoxed by how gravity worked. Unfortunately, once a conspiracy belief is established, it's hard to change, said Swami; people tend to hold on to their beliefs. Arguments and discussions only tend to entrench those beliefs, as people tend to engage in what's called "psychological reactance," Swami said, spending time honing their own arguments and convincing themselves even further of their own rightness. Prevention, instead, seems to be key, Swami said. Analytical and critical thinkers have been shown to be less susceptible to conspiracy beliefs, he said. "It's really, really key that we teach properly critical-thinking skills and analytic skills," he said. Original article on Live Science. A drone pilot appears to have flown an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) into the path of a passenger jet. Video of the incident first appeared in a Facebook group called 1% FPV, posted by a user called "James Jayo Older," according to PetaPixel. The photography website reports that the video was captioned "Found the SD card.. 1%ers only." The short video, shot from the perspective of the drone in question, begins with a view of the landscape surrounding McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. Then the camera twists and tips downward revealing a Frontier Airlines passenger plane rapidly approaching. The UAV then dives toward the plane, which swells to briefly fill the field of view before passing narrowly below. It's unclear from the video just how close the drone came to the jet. Drone pilots and enthusiasts quickly shared and condemned the video outside the group. Online publication for the airline industry, Air Transport World, reported on the video, writing, "By all appearances, this is clearly and explicitly an illegal and reckless flight by a drone. The unmanned aircraft is above 400 ft., it is near an airport, and it is above another, manned aircraft all gross violations of the rules that govern unmanned aviation." The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) limits private drone operators to a height of 400 feet (122 meters). Air Transport World noted that several drone industry groups have condemned the pilot, and that the FAA has said it's aware of the incident and investigating. Originally published on Live Science. Local News, Crime By Long Island News & PR Published: February 05 2018 Police: Denis Melara, 32, attempted to convince the victim not to go to school; the victim felt something was wrong and told the defendant she wanted to leave. NCPD reports the arrest of Denis Melara of Glen Head, 32, for Luring A Child that occurred on Thursday, February 1. Westbury, NY - February 5, 2018 - Third Squad detectives report the arrest of a Third Squad detectives report the arrest of a Glen Head man for Luring A Child that occurred on Thursday, February 1, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. in Westbury According to detectives, Denis Melara, 32, was operating a white Ford van on Grand Blvd. when he observed the victim, a 15 year old female, walking to school. The defendant approached the victim and told her to get in the van. The victim complied, believing it was her mothers friend. The defendant attempted to convince the victim not to go to school. The victim felt something was wrong and told the defendant she wanted to go to school. Melara then dropped her off in the vicinity of Westbury High School. Melara was located by detectives on February 2, 2018 and placed into custody without incident. Detectives urge anyone that feels they may have been a victim of a similar crime to contact the Third Precinct Detective Squad at 516-573-6353. Denis Melara is charged with Luring A Child, Criminal Solicitation 4th Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. He was arraigned on Saturday, February 3, 2018 at First District Court in Hempstead Local News, Crime, Health & Wellness, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: February 05 2018 Legislation Will Add 11 Types of Fentanyl to the State's Controlled Substances Schedule. Albany, NY - February 5, 2018 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a 30-day budget amendment will be advanced to add 11 fentanyl analogs to the state controlled substances schedule and provide the New York State Health Commissioner the authority to add any new drugs that have been added to the federal schedule, to the state controlled substances schedule. These actions will support law enforcement in their efforts to stop the spread of lethal drugs in New York State. "Make no mistake: Fentanyl is potent, dangerous and its abuse is increasingly fueling the misery of the opioid epidemic," Governor Cuomo said. "These actions will give law enforcement the tools they need to combat this drug, holding the death dealers who peddle it accountable and helping ensure that our laws are able to keep pace with this evolving public health crisis." "New York is working aggressively to combat the opioid epidemic, which is tragically affecting families and communities across the state," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Co-Chair of the Heroin and Opioid Task Force. "Fentanyl is especially deadly - we must give law enforcement the tools to take it off our streets and save lives. By adding fentanyl analogs to the controlled substance list, Governor Cuomo is doing just that." In recent years, fentanyl analogs have been increasingly found pressed into pill form to resemble name-brand prescription opioids, and in heroin and cocaine being sold in New York State. Compared to 30 milligrams of heroin, just three milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal. A preliminary analysis conducted by the Department of Health identified more than 2,900 opioid-related deaths among state residents in 2016. Specifically, Staten Island saw a 700 percent increase in overdose deaths involving fentanyl - from seven deaths in 2015 to 58 deaths in 2016. Statewide, the number of fentanyl-related deaths increased by nearly 160 percent. There is currently a loophole in state law that has left 11 dangerous fentanyl analogs off New York's controlled substances schedule. In October 2017, Governor Cuomo proposed new legislation to close this loophole as a result of shocking increases in deaths caused by opioid overdoses, and to further New York's efforts to end the fentanyl crisis. This 30-day budget amendment will add these fentanyl analogs to Schedule 1 of the controlled substance schedules of New York State Public Health Law 3306. The 11 types of fentanyl to be added include: AH-7921; Acetyl Fentanyl; ButyrylFentanyl; Beta-Hydroxythiofentanyl; Furanyl Fentanyl; U-47700; and Acryl Fentanyl (or Acryloylfentanyl); N-(4-fluorophenyl)-N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)isobutyramide; Ortho-Fluorofentanyl; Tetrahydrofuranyl Fentanyl; Methoxyacetyl Fentanyl. This 30-day budget amendment will also certify that the New York State Health Commissioner has the authority to add to the state controlled substances schedule any new drugs that have been added to the federal schedule. The Governor's budget amendment builds on New York's multi-pronged strategy to combat the heroin and opioid epidemic. In April of 2017, the Governor signed historic legislation investing over $200 million to address the epidemic through a comprehensive approach targeting each component of heroin and opioid addition- prevention, treatment, and recovery. Additionally, at the Governor's direction , the New York State Department of Financial Services took immediate action in October 2017 to prevent insurers from instituting arbitrary limits on coverage for overdose reversal drugs, ensuring that New Yorkers have access to adequate doses of life-saving naloxone. Over the past few years, the Governor has instituted new policies to continue the state's fight to end heroin and opioid addiction, including: Limiting initial opioid prescriptions for acute pain from 30 to 7 days; Expanding insurance coverage for substance use disorder treatment; Increasing access and enhancing treatment capacity across the state, including a major expansion of opioid treatment and recovery services; Implementing the comprehensive I-STOP law to curb prescription drug abuse; Launching a public awareness and prevention campaign to inform New Yorkers about the dangers of heroin use and opioid misuse and the disease of addiction; and Assembling a task force to propose initiatives to tackle the heroin and opioid epidemic. New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state's toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369). Local News, Crime By Long Island News & PR Published: February 05 2018 Multiple fire departments responded, and Red Cross responded to scene to assist displaced residents. Woodbury, NY - February 5, 2018 - The Second Precinct reports the details of a Fire which occurred on Saturday, February 3, 2018 at 6:05 p.m. in The Second Precinct reports the details of a Fire which occurred on Saturday, February 3, 2018 at 6:05 p.m. in Woodbury According to police, patrol officers responded to a 911 call for a building fire on Pheasant Lane. They arrived to find a housing unit fully engulfed. Connected housing units were also damaged. Multiple fire departments responded. Red Cross responded to scene to assist displaced residents. There were no casualties or injuries reported. Campaigners have gathered in Maidenhead to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day. Dozens of cars, vans and other vehicles met at Holiday Inn, in Manor Lane, this morning to begin the journey to London for a day of protests to raise awareness of the situation in the disputed territory. Organised by the Overseas Pakistanis Welfare Council (OPWC), the convoy, which included about 80 people, was due to head to the Indian Embassy and then on to the Houses of Parliament. Amir Kabal, of Badget Close, Maidenhead, the Greater London coordinator of OPWC and owner of Maidenhead taxi firm On Time Cars, said the event was intended to highlight the issue in the minds of the public and politicians. He added: We want to send a message through to Parliament and to Theresa May to help the Kashmiris and to take the message to India to take their army out and let the Kashmiris decide where they want to go. Kashmir Solidarity Day is a national holiday in Pakistan to show solidarity with nationalists in the Indian-administered territory. Tom Trottier examines the rise and fall of the Labor Party, which was founded by an alliance of unionists in 1996 and won some support, but rapidly declined in the late-90s and early-2000s. Tom explains why the Labor Party failed and why Marxists must draw lessons from the past to start laying the foundations and framework for a future mass, working-class, socialist party in the United States. Against this collective power of the propertied classes the working class cannot act, as a class, except by constituting itself into a political party, distinct from, and opposed to, all old parties formed by the propertied classes. This constitution of the working class into a political party is indispensable in order to ensure the triumph of the social revolution and its ultimate endthe abolition of classes. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, 1871 London Conference of the First International There is no better road to theoretical clearness of comprehension than to learn from ones own mistakes. And for a whole large class, there is no other road, especially for a nation so eminently practical as the Americans. The great thing is to get the working class to move as a class; that once obtained, they will soon find the right direction, and all who resist . . . will be left out in the cold with small sects of their own. Friedrich Engels, in an 1886 Letter to Florence Kelley The question of how the US working class will create a party of its owna class-independent, mass socialist partyhas been a foremost concern of Marxists since the earliest beginnings of the movement, both in the US and around the world. Reactionaries have long pointed to the lack of a working-class party as an indication of American exceptionalism and the weakness of the class struggle in the land of McCarthy. Meanwhile, revolutionaries have tirelessly maintained that a mass workers party is an objective historical step that must be achieved in order for the US working class to fight back effectively and reverse decades of lost ground in the class struggle. That this discussion is being taken up again is a healthy indication of a revival of historic class instincts among millions who are equally fed up with both parties of US capitalism. After the experience of the Bernie Sanders campaign and the 2016 election in general, support for the two-party system is at record lows. The subsequent growth of the socialist movement, particularly around DSA, has opened up widespread strategic debates about how a mass socialist party can be built, what it would mean to break with the Democrats, how to win over the labor movement to such a perspective, and of course, what went wrong in the past. Mass forces are required to build a mass party. The AFL-CIO has the resources to build a party or millions, but the present labor leadership has no such intentions, and there is no organized socialist opposition force in the unions at present moving in that direction. Bernie Sanders could have built such a party instead of backing Clinton in 2016. Even today, Sanders could call for such a party and hundreds of thousands would join, but he continues to embrace and collaborate with the Democratic Party, in contrast to his past independent socialist political standpoint. The present forces of the socialist movement are too small to build a mass party on our own, but in the current political vacuum, we can and must do the necessary work to build the foundation and framework for what can be a mass socialist party in the not-too-distant future. The effort to build a labor party 20 years ago, along with the concrete problems it posedwinning over the labor movement, breaking with the Democrats, and taking on the political apparatus of the bourgeois stateprovided lessons that have not yet been fully absorbed by the socialist movement today. The role of Tony Mazzocchi Tony Mazzocchi was the key labor leader behind the effort for a labor party in the 1980s and 1990s. He must be given credit for being one of the few leaders at the time to stand up and publicly call for the creation of a labor party. However, Mazzocchi also had a flawed method, which eventually led to a stillborn party. Tony Mazzocchi / Image: Oakland Socialist In 1989, a small group of American Marxists, grouped around the paper Labor Militant, set up a group called the Campaign for a Labor Party (CLP). The goal of the CLP was to bring the issue of the labor party to the union ranks, to the picket lines, to organizing campaigns, to students, and non-union workers. Labor Militant was part of the Committee for a Workers International, which the comrades who later became the IMT were part of until 1991. The 1989 founding CLP conference in NYC had then-mayor of Burlington, Vermont, Bernie Sanders, as a speaker, as well as the Marxist MP from the British Labour Party, Terry Fields. The context of this conference was the following. Bernie had run for Congress as an independent in Vermont in 1988, and though he lost to the Republican by 3 points, he pushed the Democrats to third place, with less than 19%. In November 1989, after the Pittston Coal strike, Jackie Stump, a member of the UMW (United Mine Workers), initiated a write-in campaign in Virginia just weeks before the elections to the House of Delegates and defeated the longtime Democratic incumbent. It should be noted that Bernie ran again in 1990 and won the seat with 56% in a three-way race, with the Democrat getting just 3%. Tony Mazzocchi was invited to speak, but he declined, as he was only willing to speak on platforms which had a union local or higher labor body endorse the meeting. Given the ties between the labor leaders in NYC and the Democratic Party in 1989, there was no official labor endorsement of the CLP Conference. Shortly after this, Labor Militant and CLP members in Oakland, California were able to get AFSCME (American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees) Local 444 to endorse a meeting on the need for a labor party and they were also able to get endorsements from other labor bodies in the Bay Area. Mazzocchi agreed to speak. Though he thought there would be a weak turnout, he was surprised and enthused when more than 100 people attended the meeting, and there was complete support for the idea of a labor party. A mechanical attempt to build a party It was after this Oakland meeting that Mazzocchi agreed that there needed to be an organized attempt to build a labor party, and he set up Labor Party Advocates (LPA). People would join LPA and pay a yearly fee. LPA had only one purpose: to advocate for a political party of labor. There would be no other goals or positions, and it would take no action. Once it achieved 100,000 members, a founding conference of the labor party would be called. Chapters of LPA were organized, but the leaders were appointed by Mazzocchi and completely under his direction. In NYC, a retiree who was a member of the CPUSA, a political organization that usually supported the Democrats, was put in charge of the NYC LPA. The way LPA was organized flowed from Mazzocchis core conceptions: 1) He wanted complete control from the top; 2) He believed the party could be built in an abstract way, divorced from the real struggles of the working class. That is, the idea of a labor party would be presented, but once you joined, you would only try to get new membersno other activity was proposed. Mazzocchi was also against the formation of rank-and-file committees to push for a prolabor party leadership in the unions. And if something like this did develop, he did not want his or LPAs fingerprints on this. In addition to the above, Tony Mazzocchi had a flawed view of what a labor party should be. Mazzocchi was born in Brooklyn in 1926, and he grew up in New York, where the American Labor Party (ALP) had existed in the 1930s through the 1950s, and he was influenced by this. This was a party that had permanent ballot status in NY state for almost 20 years. The party was used to get workers who would not vote for Democratic Party candidates and liberal Republicans to vote for them under the ALP fusion line. In this way, they got the most advanced workers to vote for FDR, instead of voting for the Socialist Party or the Communist Party. Occasionally the party would run its own independent candidates for some offices. The ALP is similar to the Working Families Party today, but the WFP rarely runs independent candidates. Therefore, Mazzocchi had a conception of building a labor party as a pressure group on the Democratic Party, as opposed to a real independent party of the working class that would seek to win power and form a workers government. This is not to say that he did not imagine a day when a labor party could be much more than that, but as far as he was concerned, that day was a long way off. The Democrats in power lead to the founding of the LP Some leaders of unions like the OCAW, UMW, ILWU, UE, the California Nurses Association, and others started to give Mazzocchi some support, at least as a way to provide some left pressure on the Democrats and to shift the political debate in favor of the labor movement. They went through the experience of 1993 & 1994 when the Democrats controlled the presidency and both houses of Congress. The only pro-labor reform passed was Family and Medical Leave Act, which guarantees certain employees up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave each year with no threat of job loss. But how many workers can afford to take three months of unpaid leave? Along with that reform, the Clinton administration ratified NAFTA and passed a notorious crime bill, which greatly increased the prison population. This led to the 1994 election, in which the Republicans, with their Contract with America, gained control of the House and Senate. Many workers and youth did not want to vote for the lesser evil and had no other alternative, so they sat it out as the right wing mobilized its voting base. Despite these conditions, due to its limited perspective and scope, Mazzocchi never achieved his magic number of 100,000 LPA members, though several unions representing hundreds of thousands of members endorsed it. The reality is that building a mass labor party requires a clear vision, perspectives, and activity linked to the real struggles of the working class. In addition, the organization must be structured and function in a thoroughly democratic manner. Most workers will not get active today in an effort to build a party at some point in the distant future. Workers will join an effort that fights to improve their lives today while connecting this with a longer-term goal such as building a mass party and fighting for a labor government. But if all there is to do is wait, most people will wait at home. Mazzocchi also did not understand the importance of getting young workers involved in this effort. Whenever social change occurs, it is youth and young workers who play the key role, as they did in building the CIO unions. In 1936, when Walter Reuther became the President of his UAW local, he was only in his late 20s! Mazzocchi nevertheless felt that the LPA should be wound up, and a founding conference for a Labor Party was held in 1996. The partys program, though limited to reforming capitalism, was significantly to the left of the Democrats. But despite being a party, it did not run Labor Party candidates (or even endorse independent labor candidates). Unfortunately, most of the labor leaders who supported the LP did not want to directly challenge the Democrats. Nor did they want to spoil the vote, thereby allowing the greater evil Republicans to win elections. They had no problem putting a little pressure on the Democratsbut not too much! Unfortunately, Mazzocchi would not go beyond the limits set by the labor leaders. In addition to not running candidates, the LP did not try to organize mass demonstrations, organize non-union workers, or advocate militant strike support tactics, as this would conflict with the outlook of the labor leaders. Imagine if the Labor Party and the unions supporting it started demanding a significantly higher minimum wage and coordinating mass demonstrations in labor strongholds such as NYC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, and San Francisco. This, as well as running real workers as candidates, pledged to receive only a workers wage if elected, could have really built the Labor Party. However, the vast majority of workers did not turn to the Labor Party, just as many union members in recent years have turned away from the unions in frustration, as they experience one contract after another with givebacks and concessions. All they know are union leaders who do not organize and mobilize for struggle, who are unable or unwilling to take on the class enemy. We must never forget that unions were not built politely but through militant mass struggle. Can a mass party of workers be built without a fight and with the permission of the bosses and their parties? Can we make an omelet without cracking eggs? Wrong conclusions drawn from the past Recently, Seth Ackerman of Jacobin wrote the following about the experience of the Labor Party: In a history of the party based on interviews with major participants, LP activist Jenny Brown cited two key factors as being most important in explaining its decline. The first was the weakening of the labor movement itself after 2000, especially the industrial unions that had formed its original core. But the second, more immediate reason was essentially political: the party failed to attract enough support from major national unions. That wasnt due to any great fondness for the Democratic Party on the part of the labor leadership of the time, or because they opposed the idea of a labor party on principle. As Mazzocchi said in 1998: Ive never found a person in the top labor leadership say theyre opposed to a labor party. Instead, the problem arose from the oldest dilemma of Americas two-party system: running candidates against Democrats risked electing anti-labor Republicans. For unions whose members had a lot to lose, that risk was considered too high. Despite the dedication of its organizers, the Labor Party didnt succeed. But its founders were right to believe that a genuinely independent party, rather than a mere informal faction of the Democrats, is indispensable to successful working-class politics. A similar point of view was put forward by Mark Dudzic, a former organizer of the Labor Party, and Katherine Isaac, when they wrote the following in an article titled;Labor Party Time? Not Yet: Mistakes were certainly made in the short history of the Labor Party. And some obstacles proved too difficult to overcome. Perhaps the most difficult was the development of a strategy to extract the labor movement from the tentacles of the two-party electoral process. An organizing dynamic took hold in which enthusiasm for developing an alternative to the Democrats peaked in the off-cycle election years and diminished as unions mobilized for yet another round of elections. This dynamic cannot solely be attributed to muddled, compromised, or timid union leadership. Unions, and working people in general, have real, concrete interests and concerns which must be defended in the electoral arena even as we work to transcend the boundaries set by the two parties of the bosses. The prospect of breaking completely with the Democratic Party without an established alternative was too risky for even the most militant unions and remains the biggest challenge to any effort to build an independent labor politics. The above indicates that Ackerman, Brown, Dudzic, and Isaac also support lesser evilism in some form, even if only temporarily. However, the points they raise are merely assertionsand assertions are not arguments. We agree that workers have real interests that must be defended and fought for, but we absolutely reject the idea that lesser evil politics can defend these interests. In contrast to the timid and defeatist view put forward by the above authors, Socialist Revolution believes the following: We must put forward class politics, not lesser-evil politics. The only solution to the capitalist crisis is a workers government implementing socialist policies. For this, we need a mass socialist party of the working class. As part of the struggle for a workers government, we will win concrete reformsfar more reforms than the lesser-evil strategy. Our starting point must be the understanding that capitalism cannot be regulated or reformed out of existence, and that a system in crisis cannot provide the kinds of reforms that people got accustomed to during the anomaly of the 19461974 postwar boom. Our eventual aim should be to run independent socialist/labor candidates in every single electoral district, with candidates run in a handful of strategic districts from the very beginning. All such candidates should be directly accountable to the membership and party program, which should also be determined democratically. The ruling class controls the Democratic Party directly and indirectly via the DNC, state committees, capitalist media, lobbyists, and, of course, the mothers milk of bourgeois politicsmoney! Like the Republicans, the Democrats exist to implement capitalist policy, which is in contradiction to the interests of the working class. So as far as a labor party playing spoiler, there is nothing to spoil. Just look at the Democrats in power. As an example, from 1977 to 1980, the Carter administration and Democrat-controlled Congress began implementing the Reagan agenda even before The Gipper was elected. They increased the military budget, cut social programs, deregulated oil and gas prices, as well as the airlines and trucking industrysponsored by that great friend of labor Ted Kennedy. When Reagan got into office, it was Tip ONeill, the Democratic Speaker of the House, and other Democrats who colluded in raising the Social Security retirement age. 1993 and 1994 were already covered above. And what about 2009 and 2010, Obamas first two years in office? The only reform was Obamacare cribbed directly from Romneycare, a massive handout to private insurers that left millions without coverage and millions of others with huge deductibles. If one accepts lesser evilism, the greater evil eventually wins. Let down yet again, and without an alternative, demoralized workers stay home or even vote to the rightlets not forget that given Clintons record, many workers saw Trump as the lesser evil in 2016. In 2000, many accused Ralph Nader of stealing votes from Al Gore. But it was Gores program, the Electoral College, electoral fraud in Florida, and the Supreme Court, not Nader, who led to GW Bush. In 2016, when we said that only socialism beats Trump, and that an independent Bernie campaign could beat both Clinton and Trump, people thought we were crazy. But in the end, Sanders capitulated to the Clinton machine, a historic opportunity to launch a new party was missed, and Trump won anyway, despite losing by nearly 3 million popular votes. Those who say the Labor Party could not run candidates as it would have served as a spoiler do not explain why the party did not stand in the many Congressional safe districts firmly controlled by either Democrats or Republicans. Even assuming that 75 districts are up for grabs, the Labor Party could have run in 360 districts and still not played spoiler. In any case, we reject the idea that any district should be off limits to a party that represents the working class majority. Why should the Democrats, who represent the interests of a handful of billionaires and millionaires get any gimmes when it comes to elections? Like Gore in 2000, they should earn the votes of voters, not take them for granted, never mind the millions who abstain altogether. Electoral campaigns are not only about immediate results but are an indispensable way of making a partys program and ideas known, thus establishing a base of support for future victories. By building support, showing the workers an alternative, and engaging in real-life struggles, a labor party will eventually be seen as viable and begin to win elections. One thing is certain: a party that runs no candidates will never win any elections! Bernie Sanders did not let accusations of spoiler stop him from running for Congress and winning, despite an initial defeat. Without a doubt, there are many barriers and challenges when it comes to getting non-Democrats or Republicans on the ballot. Part of our task is to continue exposing bourgeois democracy for what it is: democracy for the bourgeois. But we must also recognize that there is tremendous anger and even class hatred against the Republicans and Democrats, which was reflected in both Trump and Sanderss campaigns. Bernies campaign showed how much money can be raised from millions of workers and youth, and he could have mobilized hundreds of thousands of his supporters to get on the ballot as an independent socialist. Consciousness can and has changed dramatically and quickly, and we must not have a gradualist, conservative, and evolutionary approach. Our starting point must be absolute confidence in the power and ability of the working class to take control of its destiny and to change society. The decline of the Labor Party Mark Dudzic says that one of the reasons the Labor Party declined was because the labor movement was on the defensive. On the surface, this seems like an airtight argument. However, if we look at history, we see that this is actually a defeated and defeatist argument. When labor is being attacked and on the defensive, militant strategy and action can make all the difference. In the 1920s and early 1930s, labor was smaller and weaker than it is today, but militant socialists and communists leaders turned the labor movement around, and by the mid-1950s more than 35% of labor was organized. When the anti-globalization Battle in Seattle took place in 1999, and when Nader ran for President in 2000, what did the Labor Party have to offer? Those were prime opportunities for broadening the partys appeal. Nader was a Labor Party member, and his campaign as a Green was only an attempt to fill the vacuum left by the LPs fateful decision not to run candidates. And although the 2000 election debacle, September 11 attacks, and war on terror cut across these processes, an orderly retreat could have prevented the rout suffered by labor and left-wing activists. Battle in Seattle / Image: Flickr, Steve Kaiser The fact is that from 1990 to 2002, LPA and the Labor Party tried to build a party without intervening in elections. This is what ultimately led to its withering on the vine. It is true that the lack of support from the biggest unions also contributed to its decline. But such support was never forthcoming for a party that didnt go all in and build enthusiasm among workers both unionized and unorganized. The fact that OCAW merged and the Paperworkers did not support the Labor Party effort could have been made up elsewhere, had there been momentum, a sense of direction, and a clear plan to win workers political and economic power. Mazzocchis death in 2002 dealt a decisive blow to the effort, and although the LP ran a couple of candidates in South Carolina in 2006, it was too little too late. The failure of the Labor Party to establish itself and gain a mass following was ultimately a combination of difficult objective conditions and subjective mistakes. The late 1980s and 1990s saw the collapse of Stalinism, a debt-fueled period of modest economic growth, and a fierce ideological offensive by the capitalist class proclaiming the death of communism and the end of history. While a series of successful political revolutions in the USSR and Eastern Europe would have opened new vistas for the world revolution, the capitalist counterrevolution of 198991 was a major historic setback for the world working class, leading to enormous demoralization, confusion, and ideological capitulations to the enemy class. However, it is clear from the above, that had the labor leaders around Mazzochi taken a different approach to party building, a small labor party could have been established, one that ran some candidates and engaged in other activities as well. Even a small party could have become a point of reference when times changed. For example, in 2010, the disappointment with Obama that spawned the Tea Party could have also led to a growth of the Labor Party. It is also not an exaggeration to say that, had a labor party of even modest size been present in 2016, Sanderss campaign, the entire election, and the course of US history may have been different. The Socialist Party of Eugene Debs was on track to becoming a mass party but the effort came to an end due to the split over the Russian Revolution, further exacerbated by the repression of the Red Scare. The Communist Party also had a good chance at developing into a mass party, had it adopted genuine Marxism, but its initial ultra-leftism and later Stalinist opportunism cut across its potential. During the huge labor upsurge of the 1930s, if the CP had had a correct political method, it had the kind of influence that could have resulted in a mass labor party at that time. The postwar boom of 1946 to 1974, the weakness of the Left, and the acceptance of capitalism by the labor leaders, all led to the postponement of this task. Today, the crisis facing capitalism in the US and on a world scale has opened up new opportunities. Even though it was not successful, several thousand people were involved in the Labor Party effort, and they did try to bring about change. The best thing activists can do today is to learn the lessons so we will not fail next time. The path forward is not to build a party that pressures the Democrats but to build a party that can organize the working class to establish a workers government. This is our classs unfinished historical task. The way forward Building a mass party that represents workers interests and fights for socialism must start with a perspective that accepts there will be ups and downs, victories and defeats. The broad shifts coming now are mainly anti-Trump and the Democrats will inevitably benefit to some degree from these swings. At this stage, socialists must not target the broad mass but rather, the more advanced layers, while warning all who will listen that the return of the Democrats to power will not solve anything. These seeds must be planted now so that when the Democrats do regain power, ever-wider layers will draw increasingly radical conclusions and thus boost our forces. We must also see youth and young workers as the key to building in the next periodthey can eventually win over the older layers of workers. DSA, as the largest socialist group in the US today, has a key role to play in building support for the idea of a mass socialist party while strengthening itself and increasing its influence. With a clear perspective for how we can win socialism in our lifetime, DSA could easily grow to 50,000, then 100,000 members, and beyond. This would transform the situation and open up other possibilities. In the meantime, socialists could set a goal of running five to ten independent socialist candidates for Congress in the 2018 elections. DSA has a key role to play in building support for the idea of a mass socialist party / Image: David Shankbone In our view, they should run on a clearly socialist ballot line, or, if the laws against alternative parties are too onerous, run as independents but identify as and campaign on an unapologetically socialist program. These candidates would then have a platform to reach out to those workers and youth looking for an alternative to the two parties of the bosses. The DSA nationally could pour its resources into these races and turn the next election season into a truly national campaign to build DSA and further increase interest in socialism. As part of this strategy, socialists who are members of unions could set up committees to raise awareness and gain support from the rank and file, explaining the key role of organized labor in the success of a future mass labor party effort. This could start a real debate in the labor movement about how to go from the defensive to the offensive at both the workplace and the ballot box. As an example, in 2017, DSA member Jabari Brisport ran for the City Council in Brooklyn on both an independent socialist line and a Green Party line. Even though it was his first time running and he had no major forces supporting him, he received 30% of the vote and over 1,000 votes on the socialist line. This occurred in a low turnout, municipal election and shows the potential that exists. We are passing through a low ebb of the class struggle but this can change from one day to the next. Socialists must start today to lay the foundations and framework for a future mass party, or at the very least, to play a role in influencing mass forces in that direction. Participating in elections is not a magic solution, but the increased visibility can help us strengthen and support other struggles, such as the fight against police violence, organizing nonunionized workers, solidarity with strikers, protests against government austerity, etc. As the experience of the Campaign for a Labor Party shows, even small groups of socialists, using a correct method, can begin to influence events. We live in critical times. There is no time for routinism and we cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past. by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, February 5, 2018 CMOs are searching for new agencies more frequently with the Agencies of Record (AOR) changing every three to 3 and 3.5 years -- down from 3.75 in 2012 and 7.2 years in 1984. The CMO and AOR are often tied together -- meaning that when one leaves so does the other, according to the latest trends report from Agency Spotter, a database of agencies aimed at assisting brands find agency partners. The fourth edition of Agency Spotter's 2018 Marketing Trends Report shows that companies have more AORs today than in the past, mainly because of the numerous digital media buys required for national brands -- digital media buys and ad creation for display, video, mobile, search, social, CRM and branding. Some 61% of those who make the decisions say they are ready to hire a search partner within three months, and 29% of those decision makers are at the director level or higher. More are searching on mobile devices to find an agency. This year's report shows that mobile use rose significantly. advertisement advertisement Not surprisingly, the top 10 cities in 13 countries worldwide where brands search most for agencies on Agency Spotter's site include New York, Chicago, London, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Austin, San Jose, Portland, San Diego, and Seattle. The top agency searches for Europe grew 36% in 2017, with UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Spain, Italy, Poland, Russia and Sweden taking the lead. Northern European held the No. 1 spot for the most searches at 48%, followed by Western Europe followed with 20.2%, then Eastern Europe with 16.4% and Southern Europe with 15.3%. Advertising was the No. 1 searched-for service in 2017. Direct marketing came in at No. 2 in 2017 -- up from No. 3 in 2016 -- which pushed web services to No. 3 from No. 2, respectively. Digital strategy and social media held steady at Nos. 4 and 5, respectively. Branding rose to No. 6 from No. 8. The big news on the list, search paid and search engine optimization took the biggest jump in 2017, rising to No. 7 from No. 17 in 2016. Where is the budget going? Some 26% said they put the funds into traditional media advertising, followed by 12% who put budget into website and ecommerce, 11% into search advertising, 10% into social and another 10% into brand publishing, 9% into digital video and another 9% into influencer marketing, and finally 9% into environment. The five biggest services trending upward include direction marketing, email marketing, SEO and paid search, inbound marketing, and healthcare marketing. by Sara Guaglione , February 5, 2018 Teen Vogue has named Samhita Mukhopadhyay its first executive editor. She will oversee the brands editorial team and work on brand strategy, reporting to Chief Content Officer Phillip Picardi. Mukhopadhyay was previously the senior editorial director of culture and identities at millennial-focused Mic. Her experience leading the sites coverage on topics like Standing Rock, Islamophobia, the Black Lives Matter movement, trans issues and college sexual assault is a logical fit for Teen Vogue. The publication has recently taken a dive into covering political and social justice issues affecting younger generations. I am deeply impressed with Teen Vogues coverage of the most important issues impacting young womens lives today ... stated Mukhopadhyay. She added she want to expand and deepen its coverage on everything from body positivity, fashion, pop culture, Black Lives Matter, college sexual assault and more. advertisement advertisement Last month, Picardi was named Chief Content Officer at the Conde Nast publication, where he was previously digital editorial director. That role is now the most senior at the publication, after Conde Nast removed the editor-in-chief position at Teen Vogue, following Elaine Welteroths exit in January. Mukhopadhyay has also served as executive editor of Feministing.com and is the co-editor of "Nasty Women: Feminism, Resistance and Revolution in Drumpf's America" and author of "Outdated: Why Dating is Ruining Your Love Life." Separately, Hearst Newspapers has promoted two executives. Mike DeLuca, Hearst Newspapers senior vice president of digital and CEO of LocalEdge, Hearsts local digital marketing service, has been promoted to executive vice president of advertising sales. DeLuca will manage sales, marketing, customer experience, talent development and new initiatives to support the development of Hearsts digital and print teams. He will continue to oversee LocalEdge. John McKeon, Houston Chronicle president and publisher, will become Hearst Newspapers executive vice president and Texas Newspapers president. This move underscores Hearsts commitment to further our reach in Texas, stated Hearst Newspapers president Mark Aldam. In his new role, John will spearhead our continued investment in Texas markets, while expanding our media assets into new local communities. McKeon will assume responsibility for the seven daily and over 30 weekly newspapers that Hearst publishes across Texas, as well as the 24 associated digital businesses in the state. McKeon has served as president and publisher of Houston Chronicle since 2015. In 2016, Hearst acquired Houston Community Newspapers, and McKeon led the integration of the teams behind its 22 local titles into Hearst Newspapers. The last we saw of Captain America was in Civil War where he went head-to-head with Tony Stark and essentially left the Avengers in the wind. He then travelled to Wakanda, the insanely advanced African kingdom ruled by The Black Panther, to help his friend and brainwashed agent Bucky a.k.a The Winter Soldier. During the events of Civil War Captain America essentially gave up his shield and walked away from the Avengers. Marvel Studios The iconic red, white and blue shield was emblematic of the struggle of Cap. That shield has been with him for a long, long time and to see him without one is a sacrilege. Marvel Studios But fear not, Marvel fans, as Cap has a brand new, kickass pair of shields, courtesy of The Black Panther. Steve Rogers has got a spanking new set of shields that look great and essentially wrap around Cap's forearm like an extended claw. We can't wait to see the super soldier kick some serious ass with these insanely cool looking shields. They are smaller than his previous shield but I'm sure they pack just as much of a punch as the old one. Marvel Studios We even see it in action as the shield extends itself to make it even more badass. The Black Panther should definitely be proud of his handiwork here. Marvel Studios Avengers: Infinity War will hit theatres in May and we're clutching our bladders in excitement. I mean, Thanos vs. The entire MCU? Say it ain't so! This is the culmination of almost 20 films, spanning across 10 years. If there is one thing we can say about Marvel is that they're bloody consistent. Check out the Superbowl trailer below and give us your thoughts on what you think about the new shield. The LGBT community in our country is still struggling for support and ideal recognition in the eyes of the law, but the good Samaritans in this society are changing perceptions and shattering prejudices, one person at a time. The recently concluded 'Queer Azaadi March' in Mumbai witnessed an amazing number of people who took to the streets in support of the LGBT community. Mumbai, today you truly were in the best form. Queer Azaadi March, 2018. All my love and support #MumbaiPride #377QuitIndia pic.twitter.com/agOVodlFFF Jayati Bhola (@Jayatiib) February 3, 2018 From funny placards to thought provoking messages, people did rattle their brains and came up with kick ass stuff! The theme for this year was '377 Quit India' and if the community continues getting the well deserved support, that's going to happen pretty soon. While it is sad that we are still fighting for equality and trying very hard to change mindsets that are basically carved in stone, it's things like these which make you smile and make you believe that change is possible, if only all of us become a part of that steering wheel. The government has decided to hike customs duty again on imported mobile phones from 15% to 20%, in a move designed to protect local manufacturing. The higher tariffs take effect from April 1. The move, which will make imported iPhones more expensive, follows less than two months after the country raised the import duty from 10 percent to 15 percent. This move will not just affect iPhones though, even Google's Pixel smartphones are set to go up by 3-4% due to the increase. Luckily, we shouldn't be seeing any price hike on the iPhone SE because it is assembled in India. MensXP Apple has been trying to assemble it's devices for a long time in India but has always found itself in some bureaucratic hurdle or the other. Apple has been negotiating with the Indian government to lower tariffs on certain components, but the increased duties are still not in its favour. A senior industry executive told Economic Times that smartphone makers may decide to absorb a part of the duty increase because Apple had increased iPhone prices by an average 3.5% in December after the government had raised import duties by 5%. Apple declined to comment. Twitter The increase on import duties is designed to promote local manufacturing. The moves taken by the government to ensure local sourcing have started paying off though - multiple companies like Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo and BlackBerry have started making / assembling phones in India to avoid the high import duty and also further gain benefits the government has to offer under the 'Make in India' scheme. The fact that the phones are sourced in India is often a point of emphasis for these companies and another marketing point to the consumer. Last year, Apple supplier, Wistron started producing iPhone SE models in India. This week, we reported that the supplier is now close to agreeing on a deal that will allow it to expand its manufacturing to begin building iPhone 6s handsets in India as well. Around 75% of all cellphones sold in India last year were assembled in the country, said Tarun Pathak, an analyst at Counterpoint Research to CNN. In Southeast Asia, the market was bullish because of reduced availability of the material, with Chinese suppliers out of the export market and offers of India-origin billet being scarce due to the strength of the countrys domestic long steel market.Meanwhile, in other global markets - the Middle East-North Africa, Turkey, the CIS and Latin America - a downtrend prevailed amid falling raw material prices as well as cautious buying.In particular, Metal Bulletins daily index for US-origin import HMS 1&2 (80:20) was $345.30 per tonne cfr Turkey on February 2, against $357.68 per tonne a week earlier.Middle East-North Africa, CISOffer prices for Iran-origin billet slipped to $490-500 per tonne fob last week while customers bid $480-490 per tonne fob.An Iranian producer offering at the higher end of the range said that the $500 per tonne fob price was high for the current market situation, but also said that there was tight material availability at the mill.A cargo of Iranian billet was reported sold to Oman at $505-508 per tonne cfr, equivalent to $489-491 per tonne fob Iranian ports. This information could not be widely confirmed at the time of publication, however.In the UAE, Iranian mills were offering steel billet at $520-525 per tonne cfr for late-March delivery, but no major bookings have been heard since several billet cargoes from Iran were booked earlier in January Billet from fellow member-nations of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) was offered to the UAE at $530-535 per tonne cfr.The latest confirmed sales of Iranian billet were heard done within the range of $496-505 per tonne fob in late January , to customers in the GCC, Jordan, Egypt and Southeast Asia.Sources on the Egyptian side confirmed that about 20,000 tonnes of Iranian billet was booked at $520 per tonne cfr.And CIS-origin rebar was on offer in Egypt at $505-515 per tonne cfr last week , $15 per tonne lower than in the previous week.No new bookings were heard, however.People will wait to see [how far this price drop goes. There are] already some quantities in port but clearing the material is slow, one market participant said.In Turkey, CIS billet suppliers were offering the material at $520-525 per tonne cfr , but a few sales were heard at $505-513 per tonne cfr.CIS-origin billet was available at $500-505 per tonne fob Black Sea last week. But on Thursday, an offer of $490 per tonne fob Black Sea was heard from one Ukrainian mill.The producer was said to be in negotiations with Algerian customers, but it was not clear whether the deal had been finalized by the time of writing.The demand in the Middle East-North Africa region was modest, and the producer was said to be offering its billet to Southeast Asia, where customers faced reduced availability of material, at $530 per tonne cfr.In Southeast Asia, offer prices for imported billet were increasing because of the tightening supply. Chinese mills were staying out of the export market, while India-origin billet was also scarce due to high domestic rebar prices in the country, a Singapore-based trader said.No deals or firm offers involving China-origin billet were heard over the week. Chinese offers seem to have disappeared, a trader in the Philippines said.Offers from Taiwan were heard at $540-545 per tonne cfr late in the week. Japanese cargoes were offered to Indonesian buyers within the $535-540 per tonne cfr range, according to a local trader.Earlier in the week, CIS-origin cargoes were offered at $545 per tonne cfr, narrowing upward from $535-545 per tonne cfr a week earlier. India- and Middle East-origin cargoes were offered at around $540 per tonne cfr.Small volumes of Japanese billet were offered at $536 per tonne cfr, while offers of material from mills in other Asian countries such as Vietnam were $540-545 per tonne cfr.Buyers in Southeast Asia indicated their interest at $535-540 per tonne cfr.Deals involving cargoes from the CIS were heard concluded at $543 per tonne cfr, while Middle Eastern billet was sold at $538 per tonne cfr.A major trading company sold an India-origin position cargo at $520 per tonne cfr to Thailand, sources said.Domestic billet prices were 3,620 yuan ($575) per tonne at 3pm on February 2, up by 20 yuan per tonne from last Friday.The inventory of product in Tangshan has risen to 720,000 tonnes, up by 120,000 tonnes from a week ago, a billet trader in Tangshan said, quoting a local industry information provider.Stockists and re-rolling mills were building inventories to cope with the expected temporary rise in demand created by Chinas lunar new year holiday, market sources said.Re-rolling mills will resume production around March 15. Market participants expect to see higher billet prices when these mills restart production.No billet offers were heard last week from foreign outlets. Taking domestic prices into account, export offers could be around $530 per tonne fob, a Chinese exporter said.Jessica Zong in Shanghai, Fiona Lam in Singapore, Serife Durmus in Bursa, Cem Turken in Mugla and Felipe Peroni in Sao Paulo contributed to this report. What Is ISIS-K? Two Experts on the Group Behind the Kabul Airport Attack and its Rivalry with the Taliban By 2018, the group had become one of the top four deadliest terrorist organizations in the world. YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan -- A sailor assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan was arrested Saturday by Tokyo police after being accused of sexual assault, the Navy said on Monday. Navy officials would not identify the sailor. "We are cooperating with Japanese authorities," Naval Forces Japan spokeswoman Cmdr. Reann Mommsen said in a statement. "Due to the ongoing investigation and privacy concerns, it would be inappropriate for us to comment on any additional details." A Navy official told Stars and Stripes that the alleged victim was not a Japanese national. A Tokyo Metropolitan Police spokesman reached on Monday afternoon was also unable to provide details. News of the arrest comes on the heels of a short-term alcohol ban placed on Ronald Reagan sailors. Capt. Michael Donnelly, the ship's commander, implemented the restriction on Sunday morning after an uptick in alcohol-related incidents. The ban was lifted on Monday afternoon after an all-hands call aboard the ship that focused on "the importance of safe and professional conduct every day, on and off duty," Mommsen said. One of those incidents involved a Ronald Reagan sailor being injured over the weekend at a Yokosuka barracks. Navy officials would not provide further details, but said the incident is under investigation and that the sailor is in stable condition. Homeported at Yokosuka, the Ronald Reagan is the Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier and has a crew of approximately 3,000 sailors. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was headed to Capitol Hill Tuesday to brief lawmakers on the major overhauls to U.S. nuclear weapons and conventional strategies that have drawn criticism from Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. Mattis will be joined by Air Force Gen. Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee focused on the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), outlined last Friday at the Pentagon, and the National Defense Strategy (NDS), which unveiled last month. The review sought to back up Mattis on how the U.S. nuclear deterrent would be channeled in confronting Russia and China, which are now viewed under the strategy as the main security challenges to the U.S., replacing terrorism. Over the weekend, both Russia and China labeled the review as a misguided Cold War relic that would only encourage nuclear weapons proliferation. In a statement, China's Defense Ministry said its own nuclear arsenal was at the "minimum level" required for its security and called on the U.S. to "abandon a Cold War mentality" and "shoulder its special and prior responsibility for its own nuclear disarmament." Russia's Foreign Ministry characterized the review as both "confrontational" and "anti-Russian." The Russian statement went on to call the document "an unscrupulous attempt to shift onto others one's own responsibility for the degrading situation in the field of international and regional security." Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned in a Twitter message that the review risked "bringing humankind closer to annihilation." For its part, North Korea was planning a massive military parade just before the Winter Olympics begin on Feb 8 at which its intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs, were expected to be on display, including the Hwasong-14, first tested last July, and the heavier Hwasong-15, tested in November. The Nuclear Posture Review outlined "tailored strategies" for dealing with Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, while also calling for the development of a new "low yield" submarine-launched ballistic missile and a new sub-launched cruise missile. The U.S. has never completely ruled out the "first use" of nuclear weapons, but the review went further and said the country would consider a nuclear first-strike response under the "extreme circumstances" of a devastating conventional attack. The "tailored strategy" for Russia was intended to "pose insurmountable difficulties to any Russian strategy of aggression against the United States, its allies, or partners and ensure the credible prospect of unacceptably dire costs to the Russian leadership if it were to choose aggression," the document said. "Our tailored strategy for China is designed to prevent Beijing from mistakenly concluding that it could secure an advantage through the limited use of its theater nuclear capabilities or that any use of nuclear weapons, however limited, is acceptable," it said. "For North Korea, the survival of the Kim [Jong-un] regime is paramount. Our deterrence strategy for North Korea makes clear that any North Korean nuclear attack against the United States or its allies and partners is unacceptable and will result in the end of that regime," the document said. On Iran, the review said the main goal was to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. "Were Iran to decide to acquire nuclear weapons, pressures on other countries in the region to acquire their own nuclear weapons would increase," it said. At the House hearing Tuesday, Mattis and Selva were also expected to be pressed on the overall costs of the review. Pentagon officials last Friday declined to give a cost estimate while stating that it would be a small percentage of the overall budget However, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has put the cost of modernizing the nuclear triad of bombers, land-based missiles and submarines through 2040 at $1.2 trillion. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. The Pat Tillman Foundation has begun accepting applications for the 2018 Tillman Military Scholarship program. The scholarship assists with academic expenses, and can be used for tuition and fees, living expenses, and books. Tillman Scholars can expect an average award of $10,000. The foundation began accepting applications on February 1, and will continue to accept them until midnight, March 1, 2018. The scholarship is open to active duty members, veterans, spouses, and surviving spouses who are attending (or plan to attend) a U.S. based college. Family and friends established the Pat Tillman Foundation (PTF) following Pats death in April 2004 while he was serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan. Through the Tillman Scholars program, PTF is building the leading fellowship program for military veterans and spouses. Founded in 2008, the program supports active-duty service members, veterans and their spouses with academic scholarships, a national network and professional development opportunities, so they are empowered to make an impact at home and around the world. These Tillman Scholars are already making a difference in the fields of medicine, law, business, technology, education, the arts and more. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded over $15 million to 525 scholars at more than 100 universities. For more information visit the Pat Tillman Foundation's website. Up until last week, Army veteran and Illinois state representative Jeanne Ives was considered a long shot to defeat Governor Bruce Rauner in the upcoming Republican gubernatorial primary. Then the West Point graduate crushed the governor in a debate before the Chicago Tribune editorial board and the whole dynamic of the race changed. Maybe she was just excited after that epic performance, but something made the candidate decide that it was time to release this online advertisement last Friday. The ad features a collection of individuals thanking the governor for his policies. 1. Theres a man in drag who needs a shave. In a deep bass voice, he says, Than your for signing legislation that lets me use the girls bathroom. 2. Then theres a woman in a pink pussy hat who says. Thank you for making all Illinois families pay for my abortions. 3. Next up is an anarchist activist in a hoodie with his face covered by a bandanna. Thanks for opposing law enforcement and making Illinois a sanctuary state for illegal immigrant criminals." 4. An African-American woman in a Teachers Union t-shirt thanks Rauner for having the state bail out Chicago teacher pensions. When Illinois political blog first reported the ad last Friday, some angry Ives supporters accused the blog of making up the story in an effort to undermine her campaign. Nope, this ad is 100% real. The former platoon leader and headquarters detachment commander for transportation units in Germany refused to back down, claiming that the ad is a fair and accurate representation of the implications of Gov. Rauners policies. Ives campaign spokeswoman Kathleen Murphy told the Associated Press, Rauner betrayed Illinois conservatives. He and his paid-for mouthpieces dont like his betrayals being illustrated and his radical left-wing social agenda being exposed. Rauner is the one who owes Illinois families in general and conservatives in particular an apology." Theres no hesitation or apology there. Ives devised a battle plan and shes determined to follow it. Only nine months until election day, folks. Buckle up. Local politicians in British Columbia are calling for an overhaul of the housing system with significant tax and regulatory changes in order to bring skyrocketing real estate and rental prices back to levels local residents can afford.The Union of B.C. Municipalities has issued a report containing 32 recommendations for provincial and federal governments based on research and best practices from across Canada and around the world.Mayor Greg Moore of Port Coquitlam led the initiative for the union and said there are numerous reasons for the crisis in housing affordability that require a multitude of solutions.The frustrating part that I see is many individuals and associations come out and say, Well if we just did (housing) supply then everything would be solved. Well its much more sophisticated than that, Moore said, as quoted by The Canadian Press.It has to look at the continuum of housing. Rental plays an extremely important part in that, but so does the demand management side of it.Speculation by foreign and domestic investors has contributed to escalating real estate prices in Metro Vancouver, which has had a spillover effect on other B.C. communities and the rental market, he said.Using taxes as a tool along with stronger regulations at the municipal level is the winning road to fix a complex issue, Moore said.Read more: Vancouver market could ease by Q3 2018 BCREA To curb real estate speculation, the union is requesting the province to consider expanding its 15% tax on foreign buyers in Metro Vancouver to include other areas, such as Victoria, where markets have been heating up. It also wants a review to determine if the 15% rate is sufficient.The strategy also called for more transparency around who owns property.University of B.C. geography professor David Ley, who contributed to the report, said the United Kingdom provides a good example where regulatory changes now require identifying the owner, preventing foreign investors from dodging taxes or laundering money.We want a declaration of who the actual owner is, Ley said, noting that property in B.C. can be owned by trusts or companies, hiding the person behind the purchase.Taxes have also been suggested to cut at the heart of the issue of profit-driven property flipping that has fuelled some B.C. markets, Ley said.The strategy included a sellers tax on those who flip their homes within a few years of purchase to make a profit. It also called for a more progressive tax system that will hit luxury properties at a higher rate.What we need to recognize here is that were in a very abnormal situation in Vancouver, abnormal in the scale of the affordability crisis, and it does require determined response from government, Ley said, adding a similar strategy could be helpful in Toronto where affordability has reached similar crisis levels. Brokering mortgages in smaller cities and towns isnt for the faint of heart, and in addition to existing challenges, B-20 has made it onerous.Properties are worth less outside major urban cities like Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, so increased volume is necessary to turn similar profits as those made in the aforesaid cities. Karen Matthey, a mortgage agent and co-owner of The Mortgage Professionals in Kingston, says her brokerages agents work on numerous mortgages at the same time, but that the bigger challenge to brokering in smaller regions, including their rural outposts, is infrastructure.One of the issues in a smaller market, at least our smaller market, is we have a lot of rural-based properties, like well and septic, she said. It makes it challenging to do those mortgages because the appetite from lenders isnt great. Theyre not comfortable with those properties. Theyre more comfortable in larger urban centres.Well and septic properties present a host of problems. For one, water must be tested by inspectors before a deal can close, but that process can take a while, as can bringing in an appraiser. If a client waives financing but the inspection fails, the client could be left in a bind.The problem is the moment we make that offer, the ball gets rolling, said Matthey. The client could even get sued in some situations because the seller is depending on that sale for their own purchase to go ahead, and if they havent sold their home by the time they have to close, it could be an issue.Matthey added that it isnt a common scenario, but the potential of it is frightening enough, and the results are frightening enough, that were always conscious of it. In some cases, the realtor is good enough to know they need to get these things ahead of time, so theyll get the sellers to check these things before, and it reduces risk.Another challenge to brokering in smaller markets is getting B deals done. In tandem with the 200 basis point stress test, Matthey says it has affected mortgages across the board, and added that some people have to qualify as high as 8%.That doesnt mean deals are impossible to get done, though.Part of it is marketing to our existing client data base and educating them about what these [B-20] changes mean to them, she said. For a lot of us, its relearning lender guidelines.Centum One Financial Group central underwrites mortgages for agents across the country, including in very small markets like Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland and Northern Ontario, and is routinely frustrated by small lender pools and fewer appraisers. Moreover, less demand reduces the likelihood of obtaining top value for a property.But according to Centum One mortgage broker and Vice President Greg Soucie, qualifying first-time buyers, many of whom are financially responsible, in smaller markets, has been arduous because of B-20.I think its unfair, frankly, for smaller markets where property values havent gone crazy, and where things have been relatively stable, said Soucie. The impact B-20 has had on first-time buyers in small markets is a real problem. We have a two-speed market with Toronto and Vancouver, and then the rest of the country, but theyre stuck with the same regulation. While Ontario landlords are looking to ban marijuana use in their rental units and several municipalities dont want legal cannabis stores in their neighbourhoods, a recent U.S.-based study suggested that recreational pot could lift property values.Property prices for homes in Denver near shops which converted from medical marijuana to recreational pot in 2014 saw values increase by 8.4%, compared to those slightly further away, the study by professors based in Wisconsin, Georgia, and California found.Experts said its too early to tell if Canadian homeowners can expect a similar effect, but note that marijuana retail locations could benefit neighbourhoods by driving foot traffic to merchants, as well as reducing crime.If it goes into a retail area and that spurs traffic for stores in that block or two, and they increase in value, there could be spillover to the residential neighbourhood, Queens University real estate professor John Andrew said in an interview with The Canadian Press.If you get excellent shopping and stores thriving in a particular area, people want to live near there.Read more: High times ahead for Canadas pot capital However, as Canada moves towards the legalization of marijuana for recreational use this summer, landlords and municipalities have voiced concerns about the impact of legal marijuana shops in the area or cannabis consumption in homes.The president of the Canadian Federation of Apartment Associations stated that landlords should be allowed to prohibit marijuana usage in their properties in Ontario, where proposed provincial law will limit pot consumption to private residences.In December, the Ontario government appeared to backtrack on its earlier statement that municipalities could not opt out of hosting marijuana stores as a City of Richmond Hill committee unanimously endorsed a statement saying it was not willing to host one.The Liquor Control Board of Ontario, which has been tasked with selling and distributing recreational weed once legal, plans to set up 150 stand-alone cannabis stores by 2020, with an initial 40 stores opening in 2018. Ontario consumers will also be able to purchase legal marijuana online, for home delivery.Among the selected municipalities that have been announced so far are Toronto, Windsor, and Niagara Falls but not Richmond Hill. However, the City of Richmond Hill has said it was notified by the LCBO in late November that community had been identified as a potential location.One of the key concerns reportedly raised by the municipality located north of Toronto is the associated cost of policing.But Christopher Alexander, Re/Maxs regional director for Ontario-Atlantic Canada region, argued that having a marijuana retail location in the area could potentially reduce criminal activity by providing a legal channel to buy pot.Crime should come down, which always has a positive impact on real estate prices, Alexander said. Well, this is going to make next Thanksgiving awkward. A California woman has been arrested for allegedly stealing the identities of her elderly in-laws to take out a $625,000 mortgage.Laurie Wider Uesugi, 45, has been charged with 12 felonies, including grand theft, theft from an elder, use of a counterfeit seal, and mortgage fraud, according to a report by The Whittier Daily News.It is alleged that in late 2015, Laurie Uesugi used the identities of her 80-year-old father-in-law and 78-year-old mother-in-law, and applied for a $625,000 mortgage in their names in order to purchase a house in La Habra Heights, Sgt. Alex Gilinets of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Office said in a statement.According to the Daily News, Uesugi allegedly told the mortgage lender that her in-laws were in Japan. She provided phone numbers and contact email addresses for them but those phone numbers and email accounts were actually ones that she controlled herself.Uesugi also forged the elderly couples signatures on power-of-attorney documents, which allowed her to sign the loan documents on her behalf, Gilinets said.Uesugi also allegedly convinced a friend to provide the $170,000 down payment as an investment, the Daily News reported. President Donald Trump View Photos President Trump made remarks last week at the 2018 House and Senate Republican Member Conference. Trump was Mondays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are his words: Its great to be among so many friends for the second time this week. Tuesday was an incredible evening, as we were all inspired. (Applause.) And I really mean that. We were inspired by Americas heroes and uplifted by everyone who has sacrificed in the fight for freedom. They were, and are, incredible people that we saw that night, and tremendous courage. And one of the people, I have to say boy, you got a very big hand, Steve. Steve Scalise. A great hand. (Applause.) And were all truly blessed to be Americans. Before going any further, I want to send our prayers to everyone affected by the train accident yesterday, and especially to the family of the person who was so tragically killed. Our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones. And thank you. With us today on stage is our incredible leadership team. And they really have if you look you just look at whats happened in the last short period of time. Without them, I could have never won the Presidency, I guess. I dont know, could I have won the Presidency without them? (Laughter.) Huh? Steve, yes, right? (Laughter.) I dont know. But theyve become very good friends, and were now in battle together and in friendship together. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. (Applause.) Thank you, Mitch. Great guy. (Applause.) That was a big win we had, Mitch. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn. John, thank you. Great job. (Applause.) House Majority Whip Steve Scalise. Again, Steve, thank you. (Applause.) House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. Kevin. (Applause.) Chair John Thune and House Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers. (Applause.) Did they forget your name, John? I dont know. Whats going on here? (Laughter.) John Cornyn, everybody knows. They didnt put his name up, but thats okay. Thats the first time thats ever happened. Hey, John, that will never happen again. (Laughter.) Working together, weve accomplished extraordinary things for the American people over the last year, and I really believe this is just the beginning. You know, Paul Ryan called me the other day, and I dont know if Im supposed to say this, but I will say that he said to me, he has never, ever seen the Republican Party so united, so much in like with each other. But, literally, the word united was the word he used. Its the most united hes ever seen the party, and I see it too. I have so many friends in this group, and there is a great coming together that I dont think either party has seen for many, many years. So right? SPEAKER RYAN: Yep. THE PRESIDENT: Thats good. (Applause.) I was hoping he wouldnt deny that. (Laughter.) But he did he called me, and I thought it was very nice. So thank you, Paul, very much. Every day, were removing government burdens and empowering our citizens to follow their hearts and live out their dreams. The priorities of Republicans in Congress are the priorities of the American people. We believe in strong families, and we believe in strong borders. (Applause.) We believe in the rule of law, and we support the men and women of law enforcement. (Applause.) We believe every American has the right to grow up in a safe home and attend a good school and to have access to a really great job. And we know that, for Americans, nothing absolutely nothing is out of reach because we dont know the meaning of the word quit. We dont quit. And the Republican Party certainly hasnt quit because if we did, we wouldnt be here today. Wed be sitting home saying, Boy, that was a tough year, instead of, That was one of the greatest years in the history of politics, in the history of our country for a party what weve done and what weve accomplished. I dont think its been done, and certainly not by much. We had a year that was almost, I would think, unlike any. It was a tremendous success, and I give everybody in this room the credit. And I give, certainly, these people behind me tremendous credit for what took place, especially in that last month. That was a month of tremendous pressure, and that was people that were able to act under pressure. My favorite type of person. They were able to act under tremendous pressure. So I just want to thank you all, because thats what it was all about. And, you know, it was interesting while we had a great year, we werent being given credit for it regulations at a level that nobody has ever done. In one year, we knocked out more regulations than anybody. Supreme Court justice, judges, all over. So many different records. So many successes. But when we got the great tax cut bill and we call it the Tax Cut and Jobs Bill we got that, it was like putting it all in a box and wrapping it with a beautiful ribbon. We started getting credit not only for that, but for all of the other things that we did during the year. Its amazing the way that happened. I was surprised, actually. But we got a lot of credit from a lot of people. And all of a sudden, theyre saying, While we had a lot of accomplishment and then they went on to do the thing. But the fact is (laughter) you understand that. But we really did. We got a lot of credit. It all came together in that final month. And so I give everybody in this room, really, kudos. Were a nation of builders and dreamers and strivers and fighters. And together, were building a safe, strong, and very proud America, already, since the election. Weve created 2.4 million jobs. Thats unthinkable. (Applause.) And that doesnt include all of the things that are happening. Youre going to see numbers that get even better. The stock market has added more than $8 trillion in new wealth. Unemployment claims are at a 45-year low, which is something. After years of wage stagnation, we are finally seeing rising wages. African American and Hispanic unemployment have both reached the lowest levels ever recorded. Thats something very, very special. (Applause.) And when I made that statement the other night, there was zero movement from the Democrats. They sat there, stone cold, no smile, no applause. You would have thought that, on that one, they would have, sort of, at least clapped a little bit. Which tells you, perhaps, theyd rather see us not do well than see our country do great. And thats not good. Thats not good. We have to change that. (Applause.) And as I said, weve eliminated more regulations in our first year than any administration has ever eliminated. And that means four years, eight years, or, in one instance, sixteen years. In one year, weve knocked out more regulations. Its an amazing thing. And I happen to think that that is every bit as important toward our success as the tax cuts. I have many business friends and many people in business that came to me and they say that including small businesses they say the fact that they no longer have to go through years of turmoil in getting approved and getting approvals, and getting rule changes and getting all sorts of things, and getting old while theyre waiting to get them the fact that all of that is gone is probably as important or even more important to the massive tax cuts weve gotten people. So thats something. Weve signed into law the biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history. And I have to say, included in there is the individual mandate. We repealed it. Thats a big one. (Applause.) Thats so big. By itself, that would be a big achievement. And we, sort of, take it as, well, that was included. And ANWR, one of the great potential fields anywhere in the world. (Applause.) And I never appreciated ANWR so much. A friend of mine called up, whos in that world and in that business, and said, Is it true that youre thinking about ANWR? I said, Yeah, I think were going to get it, but you know. He said, Are you kidding? Thats the biggest thing, by itself. He said, Ronald Reagan and every President has wanted to get ANWR approved. And after that, I said, Oh, make sure thats in the bill. (Laughter.) It was amazing how that had an impact. That had a very big impact on me, Paul. I really didnt care about it, and then when I heard that everybody wanted it for 40 years, theyve been trying to get it approved, and I said, Make sure you dont lose ANWR. (Laughter.) But its great for the people of Alaska. And Senator Sullivan and Senator Murkowski are here someplace. Where are they? But they are very happy campers. Senator? (Applause.) Good, Senator. Thank you. They worked very LEADER RYAN: And Don Young. THE PRESIDENT: Wheres Don Young? Hes such a quiet guy. Where Is Don? (Laughter.) Don Young, also. Don, thank you. AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Inaudible) all along. THE PRESIDENT: So no, we were always going to get it. We never had a problem with it. But if you think about, that by itself is a big bill. The individual mandate by itself is a big, powerful bill. That was just added on to what we did with the massive tax cuts. I want to thank Senate Finance Chairman and a very spectacular man Orrin Hatch. (Applause.) Wheres Orrin? Orrin. Orrin is I love listening to him speak. He said once, I am the single greatest President in his lifetime. Now, hes a young man, so its not that much, but (laughter). And he actually once said Im the greatest President in the history of our country. And I said, Does that include Lincoln and Washington? He said, Yes. I said, I love this guy. (Laughter.) I love him. But he is, hes a special guy. And House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady for their incredible work. (Applause.) Kevin? Where are you, Kevin? Thats what a job. Id call Kevin night after night. Kevin, what about this? What about that? You were always there. He was working. What did you average sleep for about four weeks? About maybe nothing? I think he had no average. But you did a great job. Nobody knows it better than you, Kevin. Thank you. Maybe well do a phase two, I dont know. Well do a phase two. Are you ready for that, Kevin? Huh? I think youre ready. (Laughter.) Well get them even lower. But we are proud of you. Here in West Virginia, as a result of our tax cuts, the typical family of four will save roughly $2,000 a year. To lower tax rates for hardworking Americans, we nearly doubled the standard deduction for everyone. Now, the first $24,000 earned by a married couple is completely tax-free. And when I came into this beautiful building just a little while ago, one of the people said, You know, I just got a check, and I have $221 more than I had last year at this time in my envelope. (Applause.) And that one really, thats what we were waiting. We were waiting for February, and then we got hit with these corporations giving tremendous bonuses to everybody that Nancy Pelosi called crumbs. That was a bad that could be like deplorable. Does that make sense? Deplorable and crumbs those two words, they seem to have a resemblance. I hope it has the same meaning. But she called it crumbs, when people are getting $2,000 and $3,000 and $1,000. Thats not crumbs. Thats a lot of money. We also doubled the child tax credit, and thats so helpful to so many. Weve gone from one of the highest business tax rates anywhere in the world, to one of the most competitive one of the lower ones so that our great workers and companies can compete and win against anyone. Weve now given them the tools to go out and win. And thats what theyre doing. And theyre also pouring back. A lot of you folks, you saw Davos the other day, theyre coming back. I believe I brought hundreds of billions of dollars with me back from Europe, back from Switzerland, when I went there the other day to make a speech. Theyre so excited about this country and whats happening here. And they would never, ever have come. In fact, if the opposing party had won the election, you would have had tremendous new rules and regulations put on everything, and other things would have happened. And instead of going up almost 50 percent, your stock market, in my opinion, would have gone down 50 percent I really believe that because they were stifling it. They were getting prepared to stifle even worse than it was. The changes to our business tax alone are expected to raise average household income by $4,000. Roughly 3 million workers have already received tax cut bonuses and raises totaling thousands and thousands of dollars per worker - and thats just over the past six weeks alone. Because of our tax cuts, Apple is investing $350 billion in the United States. Theyre bringing $240 billion back $240 billion. Theyre going to pay a tax of $38 billion, Mitch $38 billion. But theyre going to invest a total of $350 billion. And when I first heard the number, I said, You dont mean billion, you mean $350 million. Because Ive been saying to Tim Cook, Tim, we got to build plants here. You know, for $350 million, you could build a beautiful plant. But for $350 billion, theyre going to build a lot of plants. And this would have never happened without us and the work youve done. And theyre hiring 20,000 workers, by the way. (Applause.) And two days ago, ExxonMobil, in addition to many others, just announced that they are investing $50 billion in the United States. So the good news just keeps on rolling in, and its going to. And I want to thank Senator Tim Scott for opportunity zones. Our tax plan encourages this investment. Where is Tim? What a good guy Tim is. (Applause.) Tim. See him over there someplace? Thank you, Tim. But were investing in distressed communities to create more jobs for those who have too often been left behind. And Tim worked hard on that. We want every American to know the dignity of work, the pride of a paycheck, and the satisfaction of a job really well done. And were reaching our hand all across the aisle in pursuit of common ground and commonsense reforms for the good of all Americans. All Americans. We can reform our prison system to help those who have served their time get a second chance at life. And Ive watched this, and Ive seen it, and Ive studied it. And people get out of prison, and they made a mistake. And not all some are very bad, but many are very good. And they come home and they cant get a job. Its sad. They cant theres they cant get a job. Now, the best thing weve done to fix that, Paul, is the fact that the economy is just booming. I mean, that fixes it better than any program we can do, anything we can do at all. But the economy is so strong now and so good, and so many companies are moving in that I really believe that problem its a big problem is going to solve itself. But were working on it. We can invest in workforce development, job training, and open new vocational schools, because we want every American to be able to reach their full God-given potential. Vocational schools today you have community colleges and you have all of the when I was growing up, we had vocational schools. And when I was going to school, I remember I was in high school, and there were people in class one person in particular, he wasnt, like, the greatest student. And he just wasnt. And yet, I saw him one day, and he was able to fix a car engine, blindfolded. And everybody else was saying thats amazing how talented he is. He had a different kind of a talent. And we should have vocational schools. You learn mechanical, you learn bricklaying and carpentry, and all of these things. We dont have that very much anymore. And I think the word vocational is a much better word than, in many cases, a community college. A lot of people dont know what a community college means or represents. So were working very hard on vocational schools so that when all these companies move into this country, were going to have a workforce that knows exactly what theyre doing. In addition to that, when they move in, were giving them incentives to also train people themselves. Because, in many ways, thats the best way to do it. In Wisconsin, we have a great company moving in. They make all of the Apple iPhones, and theyre going to have a big program. Theyre going to have a tremendous program to teach people how to do this, because its a whole new skill. And it will be very successful. We can reduce the price of prescription drugs and ensure that terminally ill patients have a right to try. (Applause.) So important right to try. You know, those drugs, they sit in there for 12, 13, 14 years. And a person is terminally ill, they have two months left, and under the old system they dont want to give them even an experimental medicine because theyre afraid theyre going to be hurt. Well, theyre not going to be around for two months. So theyll sign a waiver, and were going to give them the hope of finding something. You have people and Ive known people like this they travel all over the world to try and find a cure. And we have great experimental drugs, but it will be years before they come on to the market. So its called Right to Try, and I hope you folks can approve it, and I hope you agree with it. But I think its so important. Its so important. (Applause.) And Scott Gottlieb is heading it up. And its and the other thing you get is you learn pretty quickly how effective it is; does it work. But you learn it really, very quickly. So, Right to Try. We can fix bad trade deals and negotiate new ones that are fair. And the most important word to me, on trade, is reciprocal. Because we have deals where companies will send in a motorbike, and we charge them nothing. But when we send a Harley-Davidson or a motorbike to those countries, they charge us 100 percent tax. Thats not fair. So theyll send their motorbikes, or something, into us zero. We send it to them 100 percent. Thats not fair trade. Thats not fair. So I like the word reciprocal. If theyre going to do it to us, were going to do it to them. And whats going to happen is your numbers are going to either come down, or were going to make a lot of money. And either one is okay, as far as Im concerned. We can rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, and we will; streamline the horrible approval process roadways that take 12, 13, 14 years to get approved. We used to build them in three months, and now it takes years and years of approvals. Were going to bring that down, ideally, to one year. Two years is our goal, but one year is our real goal. And we can get it done under budget, and we want to get it done ahead of schedule. Because you dont have too many of them. Under budget and ahead of schedule. We can deliver for our police, our veterans, and our brave servicemembers. And finally, after decades of waiting, we can finally pass immigration reform that protects our country, defends our borders, and modernizes our immigration rules to serve the needs of American workers and of American families. So important. One of the strengths of the Republican Party is that were a big tent with many diverse views, but the one thing we can all agree on and thats that, in every decision, we make our highest priority to serve and to protect the American people. We want an immigration policy thats fair, equitable, but thats going to protect our people. We want people coming into our country based on merit and based on the fact that they are going to love our country, and they respect our people and our country. We dont want visa lottery. Pick a lottery ticket. Pick a lottery. We dont want that. So we want it based on merit. (Applause.) We have a chance now to pass into law the immigration reforms that the American people have been demanding for decades and that many of you have been working on for your entire careers. We have a great opportunity as a Republican Party. As the Republican Party, we have a great opportunity. Were getting very little help from the Democrats, but I hope after I leave this room, were going to get a call from these people saying, Lets go. You know, they talk a good game. We have to get help from the other side, or we have to elect many more Republicans. Thats another way of doing it. (Applause.) Really, thats another way of doing it. And based on the numbers we just saw, we have a real chance of doing that. You know, 18 is going to be very interesting. But weve got to do one or the other. Either theyre going to have to come on board because they talk a good game with DACA, but they dont produce. And so either they come on board, or were just going to have to really work and were going to have to get more people so we can get the kind of numbers that we need to pass, in a much easier fashion, legislation. And to get it done, well all have to make some compromises along the way to get it done this way. Now, to get it done the other way, if we win more, we dont have to compromise so much. Okay? With the tax bill, we got what we wanted because we had, essentially, a unanimous vote. But we have to go, and we have to get it done and get it done properly, and were going to have to compromise unless we elect more Republicans, in which case, we can have it just the way everybody in this room wants it. We have to be willing to give a little in order for our country to gain a whole lot. If were united, if we work together for the good of the nation, and we can fulfill our sacred duty to the country and to our incredible voters, we have really fulfilled a solemn promise. As you know, I have put forward an immigration framework based on many months of meeting and working with Tom Cotton, and working with John Cornyn, who was in the office the other day, and David Perdue incredible people and Bob Goodlatte, whos out here someplace. Really incredible people. And its a strong bill, but its a very fair bill. And it protects our border. We have to protect our borders. (Applause.) It includes reforms that are overwhelmingly popular with the voters, including Democrats. The Democrats want to have the real Democrats, they want to have their borders protected. But it includes Democrats, independents, Republicans. Americans want an immigration system that works for everybody. And they want safety. And, by the way, they also want a strong military. And we have to be very powerful on our military. You know, our military has been depleted over the last long period of time, even beyond Obama. Its been depleted. Weve got to build up. This should not be a party thing; this should be common sense. Without our military, we might not be here talking. We have to have a strong military. And I think were very much on our way. From the one standpoint, were going for funding, which we need, and I think well get it. But we have a lot of fighting on that from the other side, and we cant even think about it. We need a strong and powerful military. And were going to have far more powerful than we were ever before. (Applause.) Nearly 7 in 10 Americans support an immigration reform package that includes a permanent solution on DACA. And Ive been hearing about DACA for so many years. Some people call it DREAMers. Its not DREAMers. Dont fall into that trap. Its just much different than DREAMers. And I said the other night, you know, we have dreamers too. We have dreamers in this country, too. You cant forget our dreamers. I have a lot of dreamers here. (Applause.) But DACA we want to take care of DACA, and I hope we will. We need the support of the Democrats in order to do it, and they might not want to do it. They talk like they do, but I dont think they do. But were going to find out very soon. We want something that is very, very tough and strong, in terms of the border. We need to end chain migration, and we need to cancel the terrible visa lottery. (Applause.) And those are the four pillars that I talked about the other night. We call them the White House framework a plan that will finally bring our immigration system into the 21st Century. The Republican position on immigration is the center, mainstream view of the American people, with some extra strength at the border and security at the border added in. What were asking for and what the American people are pleading for is sanity and common sense in our immigration system. We want immigration rules that protect our communities, defend our security, and admit people who will love our country and contribute to our society. I know that the Senate is planning to bring an immigration bill on the floor, to the floor, in coming weeks. And Im asking that the framework we submitted with great flexibility, great flexibility, working with both parties that something very positive will come out of it for our country, for everybody for our country. And I think that can happen. If the Democrats choose to filibuster a framework that includes a generous path to citizenship or something that is not fair, we are not going to approve it. Were just not going to approve it. So well either have something thats fair and equitable and good and secure, or were going to have nothing at all. And this has been going on for many years. It doesnt make sense, however, to have nothing at all, because this is something that people want. So we will be demonstrating that we are very, very serious. One of the reasons I gave a number that was, I thought, a very generous number was because I wanted to see whether or not they were interested in approving that. Because if they dont approve something within that sphere, that means, very simply, that theyre not looking to approve it at all. They want to use it for an election issue, but its now an election issue that will go to our benefit, not their benefit. (Applause.) But make no mistake: I will not rest until we have delivered for the citizens of our great country so many different things immigration, the strong military. Weve done an awfully good job of protecting our Second Amendment. That was in question during the campaign, you remember, and we have done a very, very good job. (Applause.) For the last 12 months, I have kept one promise after another, and were just getting started. So often Ill see and I must say, six, seven months ago, they were saying, he didnt fulfill his promise on this or that. I said, Ive only been here for four months. You know, other people were there for eight years and they would finally get something passed. I was there four months you know this, Paul and they were saying, He didnt fulfill a promise. But now weve fulfilled far more promises than we promised. (Laughter.) And theyre having a hard time with that. We have seriously fulfilled promises. I call it promises plus. (Laughter.) And one of the things were doing thats so important and Mitch has worked so hard on, and Don, and everybody is the justices, the judges all over the country. Were filling up the courts with really talented people who understand and read the Constitution for what it says. (Applause.) So its really not talked about that much, but it is a tremendous impact. Its having already a tremendous impact. And we have incredible people lined up just lined up that are getting ready to go into the courts. And, in many ways, Mitch, I think its going to be one of the most important things, if not the most important thing, that were doing. Defense is always the most. Got to be the most, John, right? But what were doing with the courts, I think, is going to go down as one of the greatest achievements, so I want to thank you for that. Thank you. (Applause.) And not only are we protecting America at home, were protecting our interests abroad. Its time to finally end the dangerous defense sequester. It would be wonderful if we could go back to a budget (applause) in order to fully fund our military, and do it properly and order properly, and have it over a period of time, and do it the right way. So at some point, I hope, were going to be able to do that and it should work. And in order to defeat terrorists, were also asking Congress to ensure that we continue to have all necessary power and everything we need to defeat and detain the terrorists. We cant treat terrorists like common criminals; they are really unlawful enemy combatants. (Applause.) When you see what they do and the way they do it, and the level of ferocity, we cant treat them the way we do the ordinary criminal. And as you saw on Tuesday, Ive signed an order keeping open our very secure detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay. (Applause.) Its another promise kept. And there is one more very important promise were keeping: No longer are we making apologies for America. We dont apologize anymore. (Applause.) Were proud of our history, were confident in our values, and were grateful to our heroes, and we are determined to create a brighter future for all of our people. We are restoring the bonds of love and loyalty that unite us all, as friends, as neighbors, as citizens, as Americans. Because when Americans are united, nothing nothing at all nothing can stop us. We win. (Applause.) As I said the other night, we are a nation that built the Empire State Building in one year. Actually, to be exact, it was we built it in less than a year. Would you believe it? Working 24 hours around the clock. We built the Hoover Dam in record time. We built the Golden Gate Bridge. We linked our nation together with railroads and highways. We dug out the Panama Canal. Were the nation that won two World Wars, defeated fascism and communism, and put satellites into space and planted our great American flag on the face of the moon. Weve healed the sick, cured disease, and cared for the poor like no other nation. Weve lifted millions into prosperity, and delivered millions into freedom. This is our legacy. This is our birthright. And this is the foundation on which we build our very glorious future. Because together, we are, indeed, making America great again. Thank you, and God bless you all. Thank you very much. (Applause.) Thank you. The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 FM. Items purchases with fake access cards View Photos Angels Camp, CA Residents of Sacramento and Antelope were arrested for using fraudulent credit cards to make nearly $6,000 in purchases at an Angels Camp business. The alleged crimes occurred at Calaveras Lumber. The store clerk became suspicious after two people made separate purchases, one for over $2,700 and the other for over $2,900. The card numbers had to be manually entered because the magnetic stripes on the back would not scan. The employee provided a vehicle description and partial license plate number to law enforcement officials, and a Calaveras County Sheriffs Office deputy located the vehicle later near the Mar-Val shopping center in Valley Springs, and pulled it over for unrelated traffic violations. The items from Calaveras Lumber were located in the vehicle. An investigation was carried out by the deputies, and officials with the Angels Camp Police Department. There were multiple people in the vehicle, but screen shots of the surveillance video helped officials identify 27-year-old Jennell C. Bartholomew of Antelope and 24-year-old Davon Martinez of Sacramento, as the pair that used the fraudulent cards. During the investigation it was determined that the two also made purchases last week at Sonora Lumber as well, in Sonora, using alleged fraudulent cards to buy $2,000 worth of items. The Angels Camp PD reports that Bartholomew admitted her involvement in the crimes, but Martinez refused to speak with the officers. They both face charges related to burglary and forging, acquiring, and using fraudulent access cards. An investigation is ongoing. Just in time for Valentine's Day, Match.com is exposing the cities committing dating fouls and cupid may need to have a chat with San Antonio. Each year, Match.com releases a "Singles in America" study. Austin360 gathered up the data and revealed which dating markets are plagued by breadcrumbers, ghosts and zombies. To get you up to speed on the terms: "breadcrumbing" is the technique of not being totally invested in a person, but dropping crumbs here and there just to keep the sap trailing along. "Ghosting" may even be more traumatic. It entails one person completely going M.I.A in the middle of dating with no explanation. Finally, a "zombie" is someone who returns from the grave of dead relationships just to bug you again. RELATED: S.A. woman bored by overdone dates tweets firestorm of local alternatives The results are in and though San Antonio singles aren't known for breadcrumbing, they rank on the list of ghosting and coming back from the dead. It's unclear how the study was conducted, but 60 percent of people in San Antonio admitted to ghosting while 44 percent fessed up to being zombies. We ranked 2nd in the nation for ghosting and 4th for being a land of the living dead, Austin360 reported. Our neighbors in Austin got the award for being home to "The Worst Behaved Men." Madalyn Mendoza is a digital reporter for MySA.com. Read more of her stories here.| mmendoza@mysa.com | Twitter: @MaddySkye Angel Gabara was at home with his mom Friday night when gunfire erupted down the block and a stray bullet pierced a window and struck the 14-year-old in the head. Paramedics rushed him to University Hospital in critical condition, but his chances of survival were slim. On Sunday afternoon, about a day and a half after he was shot, Gabara was pronounced dead. RELATED: Three charged in West Side shooting that injured multiple bystanders Court documents released Monday revealed more details about what happened that violent night on the West Side. At least 46 gunshots rang out around 11:30 p.m. in the 200 block of St. Christopher Walk, according to arrest warrants for the three people in connection to the shooting. One of the rounds traveled down South Picoso Street and struck Gabara and another grazed a passing driver in the head. "It's a miracle that nobody else was seriously injured or killed," said Officer Doug Greene, a spokesman for the San Antonio Police Department. Police responding to the shooting met with a woman who told them she saw Richard Montez, 33, standing outside firing a rifle and then run to a nearby apartment in the 900 block of Angela Walk with two other men. A SWAT team surrounded the apartment unit where Montez was believed to be hiding. After a nine-hour stand-off, hostage negotiators convinced Montez to come out and he was arrested. Inside the apartment with him were Juan Martinez, 18, and Andres Martinez, 20, who police determined lived in the apartment. They were detained for further questioning. All three were charged with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, but it's likely the charges will be upgraded in light of Gabara's death. RELATED: SAPD: Security guard shoots woman in neck as she tries to run him over during fight on NE side During interviews with police, all three suspects said the others had fired weapons, according to their arrest affidavits. Montez claimed a passing driver made a "movement that was threatening to him" so he began firing, using an AR-15 and a handgun. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus told mySA.com on Saturday morning after the standoff that Montez had started shooting after an argument with his girlfriend over money. "There was an argument between the two, and the suspect acted out in this way for some reason or another, couldn't begin to figure out what was in his head," he said. According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Montez also said Andres Martinez was armed with two guns and was firing akimbo-style alongside him. Andres Martinez said he wasn't shooting, but Juan Martinez and Montez had been. Juan Martinez admitted to shooting a handgun, and said Montez had been shooting as well. At least five weapons used in the shooting were eventually recovered, according to court records. Online court records indicate Montez has a lengthy criminal history, with convictions on charges including being a felon in possession of a firearm, domestic violence, marijuana possession and retaliation. Juan Martinez was on deferred adjudication for a marijuana charge at the time of the shooting. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns A party in student housing near the University of Texas at San Antonio's main campus got out of control early Sunday when one man was shot during an attempted robbery, police said. Police at the scene said two unidentified men tried to rob another man in the parking lot of The Luxx apartment complex, in the 60oo block of UTSA Boulevard, around 3:45 a.m. Yves here. This discussion of Britains unwritten constitution is over my pay grade, but I thought this piece might provoke some informative discussion from our UK-based readers (and recent expats). By Andreas Rahmatian, Professor at the School of Law, University of Glasgow. Originally published at openDemocracy More than it thinks, Britain may need its membership in the EU for the preservation of its national integrity and of its ancient constitutional settlement. After a preliminary agreement in December 2017 phase two of the Brexit negotiations has begun. Still, there seems little awareness that Britain might experience considerable internal constitutional and political changes as a result of its departure from the EU, including the risk of the disintegration of the country altogether. Unlike its European counterparts, Britain has an unwritten and essentially still feudal constitution with a constitutional continuity since 1689 (in the case of England) or 1707 (when England and Scotland together formed Britain). Feudalism is still the ultimate framework of the British state. Therefore in England and Wales every landowner is still a feudal tenant of the Crown, and the legislative and executive institutions, in particular the Crown and Parliament, have a feudal root. The legislative powers derive from (theoretically unfettered) parliamentary sovereignty, not from the people. That parliamentary sovereignty limits the prerogative of the Crown and its executive but to what extent depends on the constitutional decisions of the courts. Neither parliamentary sovereignty nor the prerogative of the Crown are in any way regulated by a written constitution. This feudal constitution is not an irrelevant historical baggage in a modern, and perhaps federal, democracy. Feudal systems are by nature centralist: if the regions had too much autonomy, the state would fall apart (such as historically in Germany); if the central power was strong (such as in France), the state could continue to exist as a unitary entity. In a feudal state structure, genuine federal systems are not possible, and indeed, they do not exist in the UK: what we have is an asymmetrical devolution, that is, in Scotland, but not in England. The impossibility of a federal system across the UK is reinforced by the fact that the source of legislative power still emanates from the British Parliament in London, not from a (written) constitution which could then also enact a genuine federalism, with autonomous federal parliaments in all parts of the country. Therefore the existence of Scottish devolution and the Scottish Parliament with its law-making powers is dependent on the continued support of the Westminster Parliament. That can change at any time, and Scottish MPs will never have a majority in Westminster to prevent this. Parliamentary sovereignty means that no future Parliament can be bound by a previous Parliament: this is undisputed. Moving on From Here The Westminster Parliament has recently enacted s. 63A of the Scotland Act 1998 according to which the Scottish Parliament and government are a permanent part of the UK constitution, and the Supreme Court decision of R. (Miller) v. Secretary of State for Exiting the EU in January 2017 has confirmed that. But this is the same idea of self-limitation of sovereignty by Parliament that has been used to explain EU membership and submission to the supranational legal system of the EU. It is precisely that legal order which the UK seeks to leave, so that the constitutional reconciliation of parliamentary sovereignty with (former) EU membership is a questionable precedent for devolution. Parliamentary sovereignty also means that Parliament cannot be bound for the future by a constitutional rule which it enacts. It may be unpopular in Scotland that there is no effective constitutional guarantee of Scottish devolution under the present British constitution. Now British parliamentary sovereignty is even politically reinforced (take back control). Indications that the Scottish devolution system may suffer after Brexit are already there. The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, in its original version, expects powers currently with the EU to revert as central powers to London, not as devolved powers to Edinburgh. In R. (Miller) the Supreme Court made clear that Scotland and Northern Ireland have no legal veto on the UKs withdrawal from the EU, although they voted in favour of EU membership. Both positions are constitutionally perfectly sound. This demonstrates that Britain could establish a partial system of federalism for Scotland more easily because it has been a member of the EU where the position of being a unitary sovereign nation state is less relevant: a Member State is embedded in a supranational legal and political framework. Once Britain is on its own after Brexit, the assertion of its national unity and centralist integrity will become much more significant. Scotland may object to these effects, as well as Northern Ireland and Gibraltar. More than it thinks, Britain may need its membership in the EU for the preservation of its national integrity and of its ancient constitutional settlement. Will of What People? This situation also shows that parliamentary sovereignty is enshrined in the unwritten British constitution, but democracy less so; at least there is no functioning minority protection: the people of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Gibraltar who have clearly voted against Brexit are apparently not part of the proverbial will of the people. The ancient prerogative of the Crown only emphasises that malleable notion of the will of the people where the people are really a kind of part-time sovereign. The British governments view that, based on the prerogative of the Crown, Art. 50 of the Treaty of the EU can be triggered by the government without the involvement of Parliament may appear appalling for modern democratic systems, but is not an absurd position under present British constitutional law. R. (Miller) proved the government wrong, but the decision confirmed the royal prerogative in principle. Theoretically, goodwill from all politicians may help maintain political stability. But constructive goodwill is still in contrast to some Brexit politicians attitude. The British government has set up Britain effectively as a direct political and economic competitor to the EU, not as a partner. Why should the EU then be interested in a comprehensive trade agreement or in the integrity of Britain after Brexit? NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller marked the first anniversary of NATOs enhanced forward presence in Lithuania during a ceremony on Monday (5 February 2018). Alongside Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite and Allied representatives, Gottemoeller paid tribute to Allied forces in Rukla. The Deputy Secretary General stressed that NATO's enhanced forward presence sends a powerful message that the Alliance is strong, united and will treat an "attack on one, as an attack on us all." In Lithuania, Germany currently leads forces from Croatia, France, the Netherlands and Norway. The battlegroup, which first deployed in January 2017, serves alongside Lithuanian troops to defend the Alliance and deter any possible aggression. Together with the three other battlegroups in Estonia, Latvia and Poland, these forces form part of the biggest reinforcement to NATOs collective deterrence and defence in a generation. Earlier in the day, the Deputy Secretary General met with President Grybauskaite for talks on NATO's enhanced forward presence, and preparations for the Brussels Summit in July. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited Oslo on Monday (5 February 2018) to have talks with Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Sreide, and the Minister of Defence Frank Bakke-Jensen. They discussed preparations for the Summit of Allied leaders in Brussels this July, the security situation in the High North, and Trident Juncture 2018, NATOs biggest exercise this year which will take place in Norway. The Secretary General also took part in the Norwegian Atlantic Committee Annual Leangkollen Security Conference, delivering a speech on NATO in a Challenging Security Environment. This was followed by a question and answer session. Mr. Stoltenberg also visited the parliament, and had an audience with His Majesty King Harald V of Norway. (Natural News) The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is essentially the vaccine compliance and enforcement division of the pharmaceutical industry. Their newly developed program, Immunization Information Systems (IIS), is part of the roll out of a kind of medical police state which would allow the government to monitor and track the mandatory vaccine compliance of every citizen. This data is collected automatically; there is no consent. The database tracks your personal and family health decisions, even when you say NO to a vaccine. The database will identify areas of under vaccination and track citizens who are not in compliance with the current childhood and adult vaccine schedules. According to their 2013-2017 functional standards, the IIS requires the following information in their database: patient name, birth date, sex, race, ethnicity, birth order, birth state, mothers name, vaccine type, vaccine manufacturer, vaccination date, and vaccination lot number. If a vaccine is refused, that information is collected, too. State vaccine registries are used to help compile the data. The data only becomes valuable when it is shared; this is why the IIS reserves the right to share your personal vaccination status to healthcare providers, public health, and other authorized stakeholders in all 50 states. The IIS also declares they can share the information with schools, daycare, and child camps, giving these institutions the data they need to enforce vaccine compliance. The language used by IIS is vague; the data could fall into the possession of any industry or government enforcement that has a financial incentive to see that you and your children are vaccinated as much as possible. Why else would this information be collected in the first place? The vaccine industry is a $30 billion industry worldwide and the CDC buys and sells over $4 billion in vaccines, while owning over 20 patents on vaccines. The World Health Organization encourages further investment in vaccines, predicting the industry to grow to $100 billion annually by 2025. There are 69 recommended doses on the childhood vaccine schedule, which is set up by the CDC. There are also 100 doses on the adult schedule and an additional 270+ vaccines in the developmental pipeline. The CDC openly and haughtily states that their goal is to get 95 percent or greater vaccine compliance, as if consent, body autonomy, and personal decision-making in health care no longer exists. The CDC sees unvaccinated individuals as a threat to their agenda. By their testimony alone, healthy unvaccinated individuals and children debunk the advertised need for these vaccines. Children and adults who are routinely damaged by vaccines are a glaring example of the vaccine industrys unchecked abuses. These people, often stereotyped as anti-vaxxers are viewed as a threat to this industry; therefore, the CDC needs this IIS surveillance system. The government may use this database to medically kidnap children and arrest parents who refuse to vaccinate The IIS is a potentially dangerous database because its purpose will be to track people who do not vaccinate to find ways to make them comply, whether by advertisement, force, or coercion. Child and Protective Services are already called upon to kidnap children when parents refuse to vaccinate their child. For instance, consider the nurses who are now being fired for refusing to vaccinate. Their employer has the data they need to discriminate against them. With IIS, there is no privacy with your health records. Your health records could be used against you to threaten your termination from employment and accuse you of putting the public at risk of infectious disease, even when there is no evidence to suggest you are a carrier of infectious disease. In fact, those who vaccinate with live attenuated flu virus vaccines emit 630 percent more flu virus aerosols on average than the unvaccinated. Viral shedding is a real problem with vaccines that perpetuates illnesses in society, but this fact is overlooked. If you doubt these surveillance systems are being used in a witch hunt and you are naive to the way the world works, consider that the CDC has already gained the power to implement Community Preventive Services Task Forces. These tasks forces were developed with the passage of U.S. Senate H.R. 3590, a law that gives the CDC the power to seek out unvaccinated children locally. On page 1202 of Public Law No. 111-148, the CDCs tasks forces can carry out immunization-promoting strategies for participants or clients of public programs, including assessments of immunization status, referrals to health care providers, education, provision [provide] of on-site immunizations, or incentives for immunization. Furthermore, the CDC gained the power for providing for home visits that promote immunization through education, assessments of need, referrals, provision of immunizations, or other services and can conduct assessments of and provide feedback to, immunization providers using immunization information systems to allow all States to have electronic databases for immunization records. The CDC is essentially a militant enforcement branch of the vaccine industry, not a public safety agency. The anti-American IIS database is a surveillance system that can only result in a grave abuse of power. The IIS should be redacted at once. (For more, visit Vaccines.News.) Sources include: GreenMedInfo.com GreenMedInfo.com NaturalNews.com BusinessInsider.com NaturalNews.com Vaccines.News (Natural News) Institutions of higher learning are supposed to be incubators of academic and intellectual liberty. But at Bath Spa University in the United Kingdom, the freedom to explore and learn new things apparently stops at hot-button social issues like the recent transgender phenomenon thats recently captured the news cycle. Psychologist and researcher James Caspian learned this the hard way when he decided to launch a study on people who regret having undergone so-called gender reassignment surgery which isnt all that surprising since Caspian specializes in providing therapy for transgender people. But when Bath Spa administration caught wind of Caspians intended research, they immediately shut it down because of the potentially politically incorrect results it might produce. More important to this university than facilitating the pursuit of truth, in other words, is catering to the whims of political correctness. Caspian had intended to file a lawsuit against the school back in December 2016, but was told that he should first utilize the universitys formal complaint procedure. He followed these instructions, but Bath Spa reportedly delayed the process for so long that it wasnt ready by the time the issue arrived in court. As a result, Caspians case was thrown out entirely. Adding insult to injury, Bath Spa then demanded a monetary judgment from Caspian in the amount of 5,000 (roughly $7,000) to which the court agreed. When Caspian offered to pay the school monthly installments of 200, presumably because he doesnt have thousands of dollars in cash just lying around, he says he received a nasty and aggressive email from the universitys solicitor, who demanded immediate payment of the full amount. This is obviously a tactic to get rid of me, Caspian is quoted as saying by The Times (U.K.). They have breached the most basic tenets of intellectual freedom of inquiry and are now trying to shut me down by bullying me about the money. Caspian raising money to file another lawsuit against Bath Spa: Spread the word! Bath Spa declined to comment about its demand for money, or on Caspians allegations that the school had threatened him about payments. It did, however, issue a claim that Caspians work wasnt rejected for political reasons, but rather on methodological grounds which isnt what the school initially told Caspian when it expressed concerns about the research being politically incorrect. The whole things stinks of corruption and censorship, and Caspian is committed to getting to the bottom of it. Thats why he recently launched a CrowdJustice.com campaign to raise money for another lawsuit against the school. With a goal of obtaining 50,000 by the end of February, the campaign is already well on its way with 13,585 pledged (as of February 2). But theres still a lot more to go, which is why we need your help in spreading the word about this important, precedent-setting case for academic liberty. Free speech and an independent academia capable of critical thought is a cornerstone of our democracy, Caspian explains about the importance of the case. My lawyers contend that Bath Spa Universitys veto of this important research is a failure of the university to comply with its duties under the Human Rights Act and the Equality Act. If a university a place for the exchange of ideas, discussion, dissent, questioning, research and critical thinking is unable to tolerate the risk of criticism, where then are left the most basic tenets of academic and intellectual freedom of enquiry? Be sure to check out Caspians CrowdJustice.com campaign to learn more about how you can help to protect freedom of speech and the liberty to conduct research at Bath Spa University. Read more news about the oppression and intolerance of the militant LGBT community at Gender.news. Sources for this article include: Breitbart.com TheTimes.co.uk CrowdJustice.com From day care providers to school bus drivers, California regulations require fingerprints and extensive criminal background checks for almost any worker who may be left alone with kids. But those same requirements do not apply to ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft, which have become popular with teens. To help keep kids safe, the states Public Utilities Commission relies on the companies to enforce their own policies that prohibit drivers from picking up underage riders traveling alone. But as the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit uncovered, those rules are ignored every day, potentially putting thousands of kids at risk. [[472677323, ]] One Peninsula teenager said she learned about the risks firsthand during an Uber ride home last February. She said her driver made sexual passes after she told him she was only 16. He started randomly asking me weird sexual questions, she said. He was asking me if I was a virgin; if I wasnt. How old I was when I lost my virginity. She asked NBC Bay Area to hide her identity out of fear of further harassment. She said she tried to ignore the drivers questions until he pulled over on the freeway and asked her to move into the front seat. Feeling alone and scared, she complied. When the driver finally reached her home the teen said his last words to her made her stomach turn. Hes like, Is it wrong that I have a boner right now, she said, and he looked down at his pants and it was really out there. It was disgusting. When she contacted Uber the next morning, the company apologized and refunded her fare. Then Uber kicked her off the app, citing customer terms of service that requires all riders to be at least 18 to sign up or ride alone. With no access to her account, she had no idea who allegedly harassed her and whether he continued to drive. A Peninsula teen discusses how she learned about the risks of riding Uber alone and underage. Meanwhile, our Investigative Unit Producer Kevin Nious shows how often underrage passengers requests rides during a recent job working as an Uber driver. San Mateo Police Sgt. Amanda Von Glahn said investigators couldnt find him either. Uber, like many companies, requires a subpoena before it will release a drivers name to law enforcement. But Von Glahn said police could not obtain a search warrant because the teens allegations amount to a misdemeanor and not a felony. Its frustrating that we cant take that next step, she said. The teen and her family are now suing Uber, citing negligent hiring and supervising. But the company contends that the driver is an independent contractor, not an employee. As part of the lawsuit, Uber revealed the drivers name in court last month, and police are now investigating. Uber declined an interview request but pointed to its guidelines, stating customers must be at least 18 to sign up or ride alone. A company spokesman said drivers and riders who violate the guidelines risk losing access to Uber. Ubers main competitor, Lyft, also prohibits unaccompanied minors from using the platform and encourages drivers to cancel rides from kids traveling alone. Those in violation can be permanently banned, a Lyft spokesperson told NBC Bay Area. PROTECTING KIDS The Peninsula girls story is just one of a string of claims from teenagers who allege they were sexually harassed or assaulted while using a ride-hailing app. Both Uber and Lyft prohibit drivers from picking up minors as part of a compromise with the California Public Utilities Commission. The CPUC requires ride-hailing companies that primarily transport kids to fingerprint their drivers and conduct expensive criminal background checks that include searching child abuse records. Uber and Lyft fought against imposing those mandates to their background checks, arguing that its not necessary because their apps are meant for adults. The CPUC relies on the companies themselves to enforce the policies prohibiting unaccompanied minors from using their services. But Joanna McFarland, the founder of HopSkipDrive, a ride-hailing company designed specifically for kids, said she believes every driver who picks up kids should be fingerprinted. When driving kids, the bar is higher, McFarland said, adding, We have driven hundreds of thousands of children. I think given the scale of several rideshare companies, its certainly possible they are driving vast numbers of unaccompanied minors. LYFT AND UBER AS THE NEW SCHOOL BUS While Uber and Lyft guidelines say drivers arent supposed to transport kids, NBC Bay Area found some drivers are breaking the rules. The Investigative Unit went undercover near schools and malls across the Bay Area and recorded more than a dozen ride-hailing drivers willing to take underage riders. NBC Bay Area spoke with one man who drives for both Uber and Lyft who turns down ride requests from minors up to 10 times a week. Mike told NBC Bay Area that he suspects the companies are turning a blind eye to the growing number of kids using their apps and the drivers willing to take them. It just takes one time, one incident, and its a tragedy, Mike said. Regulators need to make sure riders and drivers get the education that this is not acceptable. CPUC STRUGGLES TO REGULATE RIDE-HAILING Commissioner Liane Randolph expressed concern in 2016 that rideshare companies may be transporting unaccompanied minors. The CPUC is now considering whether additional regulations are necessary, but hasnt taken any concrete action. Nick Zanjani, the head of the agencys Consumer Protection and Enforcement Division, said the commission intends to debate how to best protect minors using ride-hailing apps in upcoming meetings. I think its a great idea to tee this important issue up in the context of the proceeding, he said. Im looking forward to seeing the comments that are received and seeing what rules and regulations we can develop. In the meantime, Uber and Lyft told NBC Bay Area they encourage drivers to report underage riders to their 24-hour support lines so they can take appropriate action. Lyft will not penalize drivers for canceling minors, according to the company. Last week, Lyft sent an alert to drivers reminding them to decline underage riders. Mike said it was the first alert he received from the company since he started driving a year ago. If you have a tip for the Investigative Unit email theunit@nbcbayarea.com or call 888-996-TIPS. Follow Liz on Facebook and Twitter. The NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit went undercover near schools and malls across the Bay Area. They recorded more than a dozen ride-hailing drivers willing to take underage riders. An Uber and Lyft driver also discusses how often he has to reject requests from underage passengers. A 5-year-old girl was recovering Sunday after she was bitten by an unleashed pit bull in Contra Costa County, according to the California Highway Patrol. At about 11:50 a.m., a CHP helicopter was on patrol near the area of Point Pinole Regional Park when the Richmond Fire Department broadcast a report of a child who was attacked by a pit bull, CHP officials said. The location was somewhere on a trail within the park, and the CHP chopper was overhead within minutes. When the chopper arrived at the scene, a CHP officer-paramedic began to assess the child and provide care for what turned out to be a minor injury, officials said. "She was bit in the chest by the pit bull," CHP Officer Shaun Bouyea said. "Luckily, when I landed and made patient contact, it turned out that it was a minor injury to her chest. However, the pit bull did grab her and drag her for a significant amount of time prior to releasing her." The girl was wearing a puffy winter jacket, which provided some protection, and the dog managed to only nick her, the CHP said. She was taken to a local hospital as a precaution. The incident was being investigated by the Contra Costa Animal Services and the East Bay Regional Parks District, officials said. Authorities say police fatally shot a German shepherd dog after it attacked a woman and tried to attack an officer. The East Bay Times reports police say the woman suffered minor injuries in the incident Saturday in East Oakland. Police say the dog was one of two canines that escaped a yard and started trying to attack people. Police say the woman told officers later she thought she was going to be killed by the dogs, which ran off after their encounter with her. Authorities say while an officer was talking to the woman, the two dogs reappeared and one tried to attack the officer, who shot and killed it. The other dog ran away but was found later at its home. The incident is under investigation. An epic court battle between Uber and a Google spinoff, centered on the alleged theft of self-driving car technology, began with accusations of sinister plots and other devious behavior lobbed in both directions. In opening arguments Monday, lawyers for Google's former autonomous car unit Waymo likened Uber to Rosie Ruiz, one of the most notorious cheaters in sports history. Waymo is seeking to prove that Uber bolstered its self-driving car program using technology stolen by Anthony Levandowski, a former star engineer at Google. "Losing was not an option," Waymo attorney Charles Verhoeven said of Uber in his opening statement. "They would do anything they needed to do, no matter what." In turn, Uber's lawyer William Carmody charged that Waymo filed a bogus suit filled with trumped-up claims just to thwart its rival. Carmody said there's no evidence that Uber relied on any of Waymo's technology, although he acknowledged that Levandowski may have acted improperly before he left Google to run his own startup in January 2016. Levandowski isn't named in the lawsuit, even though the case revolves around Waymo's allegations that the engineer illegally took thousands of documents from Google to Uber. Levandowski founded a self-driving truck startup called Otto after leaving Google; Uber later acquired it and appointed him to run its self-driving car division. The U.S. Justice Department opened a criminal investigation a few months after Waymo filed its lawsuit, and Levandowski asserted his constitutional right against self-incrimination during the evidence-gathering phase leading up to the trial. He is expected to take the stand during the trial, which is expected to last until late February. Waymo is seeking damages against Uber and a court order preventing the ride-hailing service from using eight of its trade secrets. The trial will provide a behind-the-scenes look at two of technology's best-known companies. Google was an early investor in Uber, but their relationship began to deteriorate in 2015 as their interests diverged. Like Waymo, Google is owned by Alphabet Inc., which led a $1 billion investment in Uber rival Lyft last year. Two competing story lines emerged from the first day of trial. In Waymo's account, former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick orchestrated Levandowski's departure from Google in order to turbocharge its self-driving car program with some secrets he took in the weeks leading up to his departure. In Uber's, Waymo filed a threadbare lawsuit because it was losing engineers to Uber and other companies and wanted to hobble its rival. Waymo CEO John Krafcik, for instance, testified that he views Levandowski as "an enemy" but one he kept tabs on after leaving Google. And Waymo attorney Verhoeven likened Uber and Kalanick, to Ruiz, who was disqualified as the women's winner of the 1980 Boston Marathon after it emerged that she'd ridden the subway instead of running the entire 26.2-mile course. "We bring you this case because Uber is cheating," Verhoeven said. "They took this technology in an effort to win this case at all costs." In Uber's telling, however, Google aimed to undermine Uber with its self-driving cars, but later grew worried about losing key employees and its position in the self-driving car market. It cited documents to show that Google leadership aimed to "consume" all of Uber's profits by 2025, and that key engineers were frustrated with the company's progress. Those frustrations were expressed in an email by Chris Urmson, one of Google's top self-car driving car executives, to Google CEO Larry Page and his co-founder, Sergey Brin. Uber had just hired leading engineers in robotics from Carnegie Mellon University in 2015, and Urmson warned Page and Brin that Google had missed out by not hiring some of those engineers first. "We have a chance to be the headline or the footnote in history books on the next revolution in transportation," Urmson wrote in the email, which was shown during Uber's opening statement. Urmson left Waymo in 2016, and now runs the self-driving car startup Aurora. An outspoken Holocaust denier is set to become the Republican nominee for an Illinois congressional seat. Arthur Jones, a former leader of the American Nazi Party, is running unopposed for the Republican nomination for Illinois' 3rd Congressional District. Jones is unlikely to be much of a contender in November. Currently held by Rep. Dan Lipinski, the 3rd Congressional District is among the most Democratic in the state, with residents supporting Hillary Clinton for president by a margin of nearly 30 points in 2016. While Jones has run unsuccessfully for elected office several times since the 1970s, a general election appearance on a statewide ballot is a significant victory for a candidate who refers to the Holocaust as the biggest, blackest lie in history on his campaign website and has praised the leadership of Adolf Hitler. "There is a great deal of material - numerous books - written by Jewish Holocaust survivors, which when calmly examined, is revealed to be simply masterful, and emotional propaganda, whose purpose is designed to bleed, blackmail, extort and terrorize the enemies of organized world Jewry into silence," reads a section titled "Holocaust?" on Jones' campaign website. Jones also ran for the same district in 2016, but had his petition signatures challenged by the Illinois Republican Party. Ultimately, he was removed from the ballot for flagrant disregard for election code, according to the Chicago Tribune. However, in 2017, the state GOP declined to challenge his candidacy after reviewing his signatures. Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider denounced their partys soon-to-be nominee in a statement, saying, "The Illinois Republican Party and our country have no place for Nazis like Arthur Jones. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Jones said he had gone door-to-door with his petitions in 2017 in order to survive a legal challenge from Republican establishment. Well, its absolutely the best opportunity in my entire political career, Jones said in an interview with the Chicago Tribune. Every time Ive run its been against a Republican who follows this politically correct nonsense. This time they screwed up. Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner was also among those denouncing Jones, saying in a statement, "There is no room for Neo Nazis in American politics. I condemn this man in the strongest possible terms." In February 1985, NBC 5 political editor Carol Marin interviewed Jones as part of a series called "Whites on the Far Right," investigating a rise in violent far-right extremism in the Midwest. In the interview, Jones did not condemn violence from groups such as the Aryan Brotherhood, saying instead, "I would do anything to save my country." "I dont condemn them for what they did, but I dont advocate it at this point in time." In the archived footage, a man that appears to be Jones can be seen wearing a Nazi Stormtrooper outfit and swastika armband, marching in a group and shouting into a bullhorn at a rally in Cicero. The business of selling alcohol in Indiana will likely be changing this summer with the expected lifting of the state's decades-old ban on Sunday carryout sales. The Indiana House and Senate have approved separate bills lifting the Sunday sales ban. Final passage is expected before this year's legislative session ends in mid-March. The South Bend Tribune reports that the change will spill across the state line to effect stores that have long drawn in the state's residents looking to get around that prohibition. The change could take effect as early as July 1. Owners of some stores just north of the Indiana-Michigan line are expressing concerns about losing its competitive advantage. Some small Indiana liquor stores also oppose the legislation, saying big retailers will have advantages over them. Two Simsbury business owners afraid of being ripped away from their two sons are pleading to stay in the country. ZheLong "Tony" Huang and Xiangjin "Kris" Li have been in the United States for nearly 20 years and have run Deco Nails in Simsbury since 2006. Lawmakers and the community rallied in Simsbury on Sunday to keep Huang and Li, who are both scheduled to be deported on Feb. 16, in the country. "I don't want to leave this country. I think this is my country. I don't want to leave here. Please help me don't (sic) leave this country," Li said with tears streaming from her face. Their friend Laurie Kane said the couple has two children who are 15 and 5 years old. Both were born in the United States and do not speak a Chinese language. "They took the risk because they wanted to provide a better life for their families," Kane said. The couple had work permits, she added. In an email to NBC Connecticut, attorney Erin ONeil-Baker said the couple will need to take their children with them to China or theyll be placed in state custody. Huang and Li, both Chinese citizens, have old removal orders from more than five years ago, according to ONeil-Baker. Theyve been granted stays, but now their old removal order is being enforced. Both Huang and Li filed for permanent residency more than five years ago, ONeil-Baker said, but those requests were denied by an immigration judge. "I get very emotional because I can't imagine having to leave my daughter," Mary Claire Whalen, a Simsbury resident, said at the rally. Huang and Li are filing various motions with the Board of Immigration Appeals to reopen their old removal order, according to ONeil-Baker. "Give me time to give my children a beautiful life. Don't split my family," Li said in tears. A spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released a statement on the case on Monday: "Both Mr. Huang and Ms. Li have previously been ordered by immigration judges to be removed from the U.S. to China, their country of origin. Both have filed unsuccessful appeals to these orders and must depart the country. ICE does not, for operational and security purposes, detail the specific dates or processes by which individual detainees are removed from the United States to their country of origin," the statement read. A suspect was shot and East Hartford police officers were injured when a car chase that began in East Hartford ended in a police-involved shooting in Glastonbury Sunday. Authorities said the pursuit began in East Hartford around 8:30 p.m. when officers spotted a car that had been reported stolen. Police followed the car to Turtle Creek Lane in East Hartford, where police confronted the driver and fired shots. During that confrontation, officers were injured. Officials did not provide a detailed description of that confrontation but said that the injured officers were not shot. Police continued to pursue the suspect, who fled the scene. According to Connecticut State Police, the suspect was involved in multiple crashes with other vehicles during the pursuit. The chase ended at the New London Turnpike near Copley Road in Glastonbury, where officers shot the suspect. The suspect was then taken to a local hospital, where he remains, according to state police. His condition was not clear. The injured officers were treated at local hospitals for minor injuries and have been released. Connecticut State Police Central District Major Crime Squad and the Hartford States Attorneys office are investigating. The New London Turnpike remains closed between the Quarry Road/Chestnut Hill Road intersection and Manchester Road (Route 83). Investigators want to speak with anyone who witnessed the incident. Tips can be made by calling Central District Major Crime at 860-706-5652 or text TIP711 and the information to 274637. All calls and texts will remain confidential. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. What to Know An Amtrak train traveling from New York to Miami derailed in South Carolina on Sunday morning Two people on the Amtrak train were killed and 116 were injured, authorities said. Most of the injuries were minor The crash also caused 5,000 gallons of fuel to spill; federal investigators are probing the collision As they begin to probe the circumstances of the fatal wreck in South Carolina, officials have already settled on one thing: that the crash between a passenger train and a freight car could have been prevented with technology already installed in parts of the U.S. It's been a decade since Congress approved a law mandating the GPS-based system called "positive train control," which is designed to prevent two trains from traveling on the same track at the same time. That's what happened early Sunday in Cayce, South Carolina, when a locked switch sent a New York-to-Miami Amtrak passenger train onto a side track where an empty CSX Corp. freight train was parked. Two Amtrak employees, a conductor and an engineer, were killed and more than 100 passengers were treated at hospitals for injuries. It was the third fatal Amtrak train crash in less than two months. "An operational PTC is designed to prevent this type of incident," National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt said Sunday, of positive train control technology. So why hasn't the system been widely implemented? Both industry experts and rail companies say in large part it comes down to costs and the sheer size of the nation's rail system. Following a collision between a commuter train and a freight train in Chatsworth, California, that killed 25 people, Congress in 2008 passed a law requiring railroads to adopt the technology on all tracks that carry passenger trains. A requirement for freight trains used to haul liquids that emit toxic gas if spilled was prompted by a 2005 train wreck in Graniteville, South Carolina, in which nine people were killed and over 250 were treated for toxic chlorine exposure. Positive train control, or PTC, relies on GPS, wireless radio and computers to monitor train positions and automatically slow or stop trains that are in danger of colliding, derailing due to excessive speed or about to enter track where crews are working or that is otherwise off limits. Railroads were given seven years to start using the technology across the country's 20,000 locomotives and 60,000 miles of track. But when it became clear that few if any railroads would meet the deadline, Congress extended it another three years to Dec. 31, 2018, with the option to grant railroads that show progress an additional two years to Dec. 31, 2020. Several freight railroads have previously told the government they won't be able to meet the 2018 deadline. Overall, freight railroads have implemented PTC on 56 percent of required route miles, according to the Association of American Railroads. The association said it's not clear yet how many of the seven large freight railroads operating in the U.S. will require extensions. A handful of the nation's 27 commuter railroads have already received extensions past the Dec. 31 deadline, and more extensions are expected, according to Randy Clarke of the American Public Transportation Association. Clarke also told The Associated Press on Monday that, although Congress first required railroads to adopt the safety technology 10 years ago, it took many years to develop the safety systems and to submit and win Federal Railroad Administration approval. To work, the system relies on devices on both locomotives and the tracks themselves, meaning that the companies must work together to ensure their technologies communicate properly, and shoulder their own costs independently of one another. In some areas of the northeastern U.S., where Amtrak owns both railways and locomotives, the company has been able to successfully set up PTC. But in areas like South Carolina, the tracks are owned by freight companies like CSX, on whom they must rely to implement that part of the technology. CSX issued a statement shortly after the crash to express condolences but said nothing about the cause. During a conference call with reporters, Amtrak President Robert Anderson said Sunday's crash underscores the importance of meeting the year-end deadline for widespread implementation. But Anderson also acknowledged that the biggest impediment is private companies working together to put the technology in place. "It's just a huge undertaking," said Mary Schiavo, former inspector general for the U.S. Department of Transportation. "Lives are at stake." The Silver Star was going an estimated 59 mph (94 kph) when it struck the freight train, Gov. Henry McMaster said. It was the middle of the night, and many people were jolted from sleep by the crash and forced into the cold. "I thought that I was dead," said passenger Eric Larkin, of Pamlico County, North Carolina, who was dazed and limping after banging his knee. Suddenly awake, Larkin said the train was shaking and jumping and his seat broke loose, slamming him into the row in front of him. He heard screams and crying all around him as he tried to get out. Other passengers were bleeding. The locomotives of both trains were crumpled on impact, and the Amtrak engine ended up on its side. One car in the middle of the Amtrak train was snapped in half, forming a V off to one side of the tracks. Engineer Michael Kempf, 54, of Savannah, Georgia, and conductor Michael Cella, 36, of Orange Park, Florida, were killed, Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher said. Of the 116 people taken to four hospitals, only eight remained in the hospital Monday. Two people were in critical condition, but most other injuries were limited to cuts, bruises and whiplash, authorities said. "Any time you have anything that happens like that, you expect more fatalities. But God blessed us, and we only had the two," Fisher said, her voice choked with emotion. On Wednesday, a chartered Amtrak train carrying Republican members of Congress to a retreat slammed into a garbage truck at a crossing where locals said the safety arms were down even when no trains approached. That accident in rural Virginia killed one person in the truck and injured six others. And on Dec. 18, an Amtrak train ran off the rails along a curve during its inaugural run near Tacoma, Washington, killing three people and injuring dozens. It was going nearly 80 mph (128 kph), more than twice the speed limit. "It's becoming almost like an epidemic for Amtrak," said Najmedin Meshkati, a University of Southern California engineering professor who has studied positive train control. CSX, which operates throughout the eastern U.S., has already spent more than $1.2 billion on PTC systems, according to congressional testimony by company executive Frank Lonegro in 2015. On its website, the company says it's also been limited by lengthy review processes needed to implement the system on 15,000 miles of track. Members of Congress are calling for renewed action on positive train control. On Sunday, Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal said "inaction is inexcusable." U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York followed suit Monday, saying that "time's up" on delays, adding that 2018 "has to be a hard, legal deadline for all passenger railroads to implement PTC." Amid the renewed calls for action, Schiavo said it's well-past time for positive train control to become a reality for all of the country's passenger rail systems. "People aren't focused on it until we have tragedies," Schiavo said. ___ Associated Press writers Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, Michael R. Blood in Los Angeles, and Joan Lowy in Washington contributed to this report, along with AP video journalist Josh Replogle. The House intelligence committee's probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election spun further into charges and counter-charges among angry U.S. lawmakers and President Donald Trump as the panel voted to release a second classified memo about whether the FBI and Justice Department conspired against him. This memo was written by Democrats on the panel who are pushing back against a GOP document, declassified by Trump last week, that criticizes the methods the FBI used to obtain a surveillance warrant on a onetime Trump campaign associate. The Democratic document attempts to counter some of the arguments and evidence put forward by the Republicans. The battle of classified memos has further deepened the partisan divide on the committee, which is supposed to be jointly investigating the Russian meddling and possible connections between Russia and the Trump presidential campaign. It also takes attention from the separate investigations by special counsel Robert Mueller and the Senate intelligence committee. Trump said over the weekend that the GOP memo "totally vindicates" him. Both Republicans and Democrats disputed that, and Democrats also bemoaned the release of formerly classified information and the possibility the precedent could compromise future investigations. After the House committee's Monday evening vote, which was unanimous, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the panel's top Democrat, said he believed the Democratic document would "help inform the public of the many distortions and inaccuracies in the majority memo." But he also said he was concerned about "political redactions" the White House might make before its release. The president now has five days to decide whether to allow the material's publication. Schiff said he would compare any deletions the FBI and the Department of Justice might request with any White House edits to try to identify any attempts to withhold information for political purposes. Texas Republican Rep. Mike Conaway, a leader of the panel's Russia probe, said after the vote that parts of the document should not be released. "There are things in the memo that I would be uncomfortable with if the White House did not redact," he said. Tensions between Trump and the Democrats were high before the vote, as the president and Schiff traded insults on Twitter Monday morning less than a week after Trump called for more bipartisanship in his State of the Union address. Trump tweeted that Schiff is "one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington" and "must be stopped." Schiff quickly shot back: "Instead of tweeting false smears, the American people would appreciate it if you turned off the TV and helped solve the funding crisis, protected Dreamers or ... really anything else." White House spokesman Raj Shah said merely that consideration of a release would "allow for a legal review, national security review led by the White House counsel's office." As a second week of memo-watching commenced, the committee was also prepared to interview Steve Bannon, Trump's former chief strategist, as part of the Russia probe. But that meeting was put off, according to two people familiar with the committee's schedule. They declined to be named because the schedule is private. It was unclear if the House would hold Bannon in contempt. He has been subpoenaed and has now delayed answering the panel's questions three times as the committee negotiates with his lawyer and the White House over the terms of his interview. At issue is whether the White House will allow him to answer questions about his time in the Trump administration. As the committee continues to negotiate Bannon's interview, Democrats have been raising questions about whether the committee chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes of California, coordinated with the White House in drafting the GOP memo. After the document's release last week, the president quickly seized on it to vent his grievances against the nation's premier law enforcement agencies. "The goal here is to undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI, discredit the Mueller investigation, do the president's bidding," Schiff said. "I think it's very possible his staff worked with the White House," Schiff added, referring to Nunes. Nunes was asked during a Jan. 29 committee meeting whether he had coordinated the memo with the White House. "As far as I know, no," he responded, then refused to answer when asked whether his congressional staff members had communicated with the White House. He had previously apologized for sharing with the White House secret intelligence intercepts related to an investigation of Russian election interference before talking to committee members. Trump praised Nunes in a separate tweet Monday, calling him "a man of tremendous courage and grit, may someday be recognized as a Great American Hero for what he has exposed and what he has had to endure!" The Republican memo released last Friday alleges misconduct on the part of the FBI and the Justice Department in obtaining a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to monitor former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page. Specifically, the memo takes aim at the FBI's use of information from former British spy Christopher Steele, who compiled a dossier containing allegations of ties between Trump, his associates and Russia. The underlying materials that served as the basis for the warrant application were not made public. Even as Democrats described that memo as inaccurate, some Republicans quickly cited it released over the objections of the FBI and Justice Department in their arguments that the FBI investigation that Mueller inherited is politically tainted. Still, some Republicans, including Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina and House Speaker Paul Ryan have said the memo should not be used to undermine Mueller's probe. The GOP memo's central allegation is that agents and prosecutors, in applying in October 2016 to monitor Page's communications, failed to tell a judge that Steele's opposition research was funded in part by Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Page had stopped advising the campaign sometime around the end of that summer. Steele's research, according to the memo, "formed an essential part" of the warrant application. But it's unclear how much or what information Steele collected made it into the application, or how much has been corroborated. Associated Press writer Catherine Lucey contributed to this report. A Miami-bound Amtrak train packed with passengers collided with a parked freight train early Sunday morning in South Carolina, injuring more than 100 and killing two employees. Florida resident and Amtrak engineer Michael Cella and the trains conductor Michael Kempf were identified as the two individuals killed in the crash. Both Cella and Kempf were pronounced dead at the scene due to body trauma sustained in the collision, according to a statement from the Lexington County coroner. Kempf's brother-in-law, Gabriel de Leon, lives in South Florida and traveled to Georgia to be with the family during this difficult time. He says Kempf worked at Amtrak about 15 years. "He's a nice guy, excellent person," de Leon said. "What can I say about him? What I wanna say is that life changes every second so enjoy life." Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board say a locked switch diverted the Amtrak train off its track and onto another track, one in which a freight train was parked. "Key to this investigation is learning why that switch was lined that way," said NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt. The train was moving at about 59 mph when it collided with the CSX freight train at 2:35 a.m. near a switchyard about 10 miles south of Columbia. I hope I can forget it. I dont plan to get on the train again, said Gloria Johnson, who was traveling to Miami with her husband, Walter, for a 2-week vacation. Investigators are now searching for the event data recorders, while the trains camera is being analyzed in Washington D.C. The NTSB has scheduled a news conference for 4 p.m. Monday to give an update on their investigation. More than 2,000 students in New Jersey are getting the day off because of the flu. All Branchburg Township schools are closed Monday because of a flu outbreak among essential personnel. Roughly a third of bus drivers in the district have called out sick because of the flu, according to officials. The district serves students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade. In New York, Sen. Charles Schumer recently called on federal health officials to dispatch a flu surveillance team to New York as the number of cases increases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this flu season has lasted for 10 weeks and could last as long as 20 weeks. Ram Truck used Martin Luther King Jr.'s voice to sell trucks and Twitter is not happy about it. The Super Bowl ad played emotional images of a fireman rescuing a child, a pregnant woman receiving a sonogram, and a service member reuniting with a family member as the voice of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. played in the background. Twitter users expressed their displeasure with the ad, as many recalled his life and death. April 4 marks the 50th anniversary of King's assassination. @JeffRichards232 tweeted: "I feel personally attacked by the @Dodge ram commercial" King's speech on greatness and service used in the ad was given by King on Feb. 4, 1968. The ad began with King saying, "If you want to be important, wonderful. If you want to be recognized, wonderful. If you want to be great, wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant...." The ad ends with the Ram Truck logo and "built to serve." One Twitter user asked King's daughter Bernice if the family had given permission for King's voice to be used. She tweeted in reply: "No." A spokesperson from Ram Truck's parent company, FCA US, responded to an email inquiry and stated that Ram Truck was given permission to use King's voice by his estate. "It is 50 years to the day that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave such a tremendous speech about the value of service. Ram was honored to have the privilege of working with the Estate of Martin Luther King Jr. to celebrate those words during the largest TV viewing event annually," the FCA statement read. "We worked closely with the representatives of the Martin Luther King Jr. estate to receive the necessary approvals and estate representatives were a very important part of the creative process every step of the way." A San Diego police officer remains hospitalized with significant injuries after being punched in the face near Chicano Park, where two opposing rallies were being held Saturday, SDPD said. The circumstances that led to the assault were not made clear, but San Diego Police Department (SDPD) said the individual was arrested. The unidentified SDPD officer was sent to the hospital with facial and nose fractures, SDPD Lt. Scott Wahl said. #ChicanoPark Update: We have made three arrests so far. An @SanDiegoPD Officer was punched in the face. We have arrested the person responsible. As a reminder violence, vandalism, or other criminal acts will not be tolerated. Unlawful behavior will result in your arrest San Diego Police Department (@SanDiegoPD) February 3, 2018 SDPD Chief Shelley Zimmerman tweeted that she visited the officer in the hospital Sunday, where he remained with significant injuries. He was expected to make a full recovery. I just left the hospital visiting with our @SanDiegoPD Officer who was injured working the protest at #ChicanoPark on Saturday. He has significant injuries but we are thankful he is expected to make a full recovery. Shelley Zimmerman (@ChiefZimmerman) February 4, 2018 On Saturday, a group of demonstrators who believe San Diegos Chicano Park discriminates against non-Latinos was met with a large crowd of counter-protesters in Barrio Logan. In all three people were arrested during the demonstrations at Chicano Park, located underneath Coronado Bay Bridge on Logan Avenue. The other two arrests were for possession of a billy club and for resisting arrest, SDPD said. [[472527153,C]] The rally, dubbed the Patriot Picnic, started at the San Diego Convention Center Saturday morning. Patriot Picnic organizer, Roger Ogden, described the gathering as a demonstration against the Chicano Park's "discrimination" and "radical political theme." The group of about a couple-dozen demonstrators marched through Barrio Logan to Chicano Park where they were met by hundreds of park supporters. In all, about 700 people were present, SDPD said. [[472527163,C]] Barricades were put in place to separate groups, SDPD said. About two blocks of Logan Avenue, between Cesar E. Chavez Parkway and Evans Street, was shut down during the demonstrations. #ChicanoPark Update: Crowds are estimated at 700 people. Barricades are put in place to keep the peace and protect First Amendment rights. Leaping over the barricades will lead to an arrest. San Diego Police Department (@SanDiegoPD) February 3, 2018 The first Patriot Picnic rally was held in September 2017. Counter-demonstrators believe the picnics have racial undertones, a claim that Ogden denies. Chicano Park in its current form dates back to the 1970s, when San Diego residents occupied Chicano Park in a successful effort to prevent the construction of a California Highway Patrol substation on the land where the City of San Diego had promised to build a park for the community. The park has served as a symbol to the predominantly Mexican-American community that makes up Barrio Logan since. [[472552613,C]] The park was designated a National Historic Landmark in January 2017 because it depicts a broad range of Americas rich, complex history, according to the U.S. Department of Interior. Ogden believes that the park's depiction of the Chicano Civil Rights Movement, through painted murals and flags, is part of what makes the park discriminatory to other groups. The Trump administration on Friday announced it will continue much of the Obama administration's nuclear weapons policy, but take a more aggressive stance toward Russia. It said Russia must be convinced it would face "unacceptably dire costs" if it were to threaten even a limited nuclear attack in Europe. The sweeping review of U.S. nuclear policy does not call for any net increase in strategic nuclear weapons a position that stands in contrast to President Donald Trump's statement, in a tweet shortly before he took office, that the U.S. "must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes." In his State of the Union address Tuesday, he made no mention of expansion, though he said the arsenal must deter acts of aggression. A 74-page report summarizing the review's findings calls North Korea a "clear and grave threat" to the U.S. and its allies. It asserts that any North Korean nuclear attack against the U.S. or its allies will result in "the end of that regime." It also cast China as a potential nuclear adversary, saying the U.S. arsenal is tailored to "prevent Beijing from mistakenly concluding" that it could gain advantage by using its nuclear weapons in Asia, or that "any use of nuclear weapons, however limited, is acceptable." The Pentagon-led review of the U.S. nuclear arsenal and the policies that govern it was ordered by Trump a year ago. In a written statement, Trump said U.S. strategy is designed to make use of nuclear weapons less likely. In an apparent reference to the threat of catastrophic cyberattack, he said the U.S. aims to strengthen deterrence of major attacks against the U.S. and its allies, including those that "may not come in the form of nuclear weapons." Known officially as a nuclear posture review, and customarily done at the outset of a new administration, the report drew blistering criticism from arms control groups. "President Trump is embarking on a reckless path one that will reduce U.S. security both now and in the longer term," said Lisbeth Gronlund, a senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists. She said the administration is blurring the line between nuclear and conventional war-fighting. The Trump administration concluded that the U.S. should largely follow its predecessor's blueprint for modernizing the nuclear arsenal, including new bomber aircraft, submarines and land-based missiles. It also endorsed adhering to existing arms control agreements, including the New START treaty that limits the United States and Russia each to 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads on a maximum of 700 deployed launchers. The treaty, negotiated under President Barack Obama, entered into force on Feb. 5, 2011, and its weapons limits must be met by Monday. The U.S. says it has been in compliance with the limits since August and it expects the Russians to comply by Monday's deadline. As of Sept. 1, the last date for which official figures are available, Russia was below the launcher limit but slightly above the warhead limit, at 1,561. "Moscow has repeatedly stated its intention to meet those limits on time, and we have no reason to believe that that won't be the case," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Thursday. The Pentagon's nuclear review concluded that while arms control can advance American interests, "further progress is difficult to envision," in light of what the U.S. considers Russia's aggression in Ukraine and violations of existing arms deals. Administration officials briefed Russian and Chinese officials Friday prior to the review's public release. The Trump nuclear doctrine breaks with Obama's in ending his push to reduce the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. defense policy. Like Obama, Trump would consider using nuclear weapons only in "extreme circumstances," while maintaining a degree of ambiguity about what that means. But Trump sees a fuller deterrent role for these weapons, as reflected in the plan to develop new capabilities to counter Russia in Europe. The administration's view is that Russian policies and actions are fraught with potential for miscalculation leading to an uncontrolled escalation of conflict in Europe. It specifically points to a Russian doctrine known as "escalate to de-escalate," in which Moscow would use or threaten to use smaller-yield nuclear weapons in a limited, conventional conflict in Europe in the belief that doing so would compel the U.S. and NATO to back down. "Recent Russian statements on this evolving nuclear weapons doctrine appear to lower the threshold for Moscow's first-use of nuclear weapons," the review said. The administration proposes a two-step solution. First, it would modify "a small number" of existing long-range ballistic missiles carried by Trident strategic submarines to fit them with smaller-yield nuclear warheads. John Rood, the undersecretary of defense for policy, declined to provide an estimate of the cost, saying it would be partially included in the 2019 budget that will be submitted to Congress later this month. He said the missile would be fielded "in the near term," but he refused to be more specific. Second, "in the longer term," the administration would develop a nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile re-establishing a weapon that existed during the Cold War but was retired in 2011 by the Obama administration. Robert Soofer, a senior nuclear policy official at the Pentagon who helped direct the policy review, said Moscow is likely to push back on the U.S. plan for fielding those two additional weapons. "I'm sure they won't respond well," Soofer said Thursday. The press secretary at the Russian Embassy in Washington, Nikolay Lakhonin, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Not only is it a showdown in Minneapolis with the Patriots taking on the Eagles for the Super Bowl on Sunday, but its also a showdown between the warmer air versus the colder air that settled over the region Saturday. It was a cloudy and warmer start to our Sunday, compared to Saturdays bright and frigid start. A few flurries have popped up in parts of New Hampshire and Maine at this point and the wind has started to pick up out of the SSW at 10-15 MPH with some gusts up to 30 MPH. Winds are expected to climb, along with the temperatures, as high temperatures will reach into the lower 40s for Boston and Providence as early as noon. Areas farther inland and higher terrain will be in the mid to upper 30s for highs, with lower 30s along the Canadian border. With the system sliding in, warmer air slides in by midday, making most of the precipitation falling as rain for most of southern New England, with a spot mix for the higher terrain in the Berkshires and the Worcester Hills. However, a Winter Weather Advisory has been posted along the spine of the Green Mountains of Vermont, northern New Hampshire, and northwestern Maine in anticipation of at least several inches of snowfall in those locations. The advisory is in effect through Monday morning. There is also a Wind Advisory posted for Downeast Maine through midnight tonight, with gusts upwards of 45 mph possible, meaning we could see some minor power outages there. As far as timing of the system Sunday for your Super Bowl travels, rain overspreads southern New England between 4 to 6 p.m. this evening, with the rain/snow line just north of an imaginary line from Bangor, Maine to Concord, New Hampshire to the Massachusetts/Vermont state line. So, most of Vermont, northern New Hampshire and northern Maine will deal with the snow showers through this evening before winding down after midnight tonight. However, as the snow showers start to simmer, the rain showers in southern New England start to ramp up. Between 9 to 11 p.m. we could see pockets of heavier downpours, along the immediate coastline of New England and the rain/snow line continues to retreat northward, giving way to a changeover from snow to rain for most of Maine and New Hampshire. Drier and colder conditions start to slide in as the system exits the region from west to east through Monday morning with some scattered snow showers developing along the higher terrain for Vermont, NW Massachusetts, and northern New Hampshire. In total, 3-6 inches are expected for areas closest to the Canadian border and along the higher elevations of the Green Mountains in Vermont, with some locally higher amounts up to 7 inches. One to three inches of snow is expected along and north from the Massachusetts/Vermont state line to Manchester, New Hampshire, to Lewiston, Maine. Colder air settles in for Monday and Tuesday with highs into the low to mid 30s south, and low to mid 20s north. Wednesday brings our next system with a mixed bag of precipitation and could make for a slick morning commute both Wednesday and early Thursday morning. Stick with NECN and NBC10 Boston on the air, online, and on-the-go with the app for the very latest updates to your forecast. In the meantime, we hope everyone has a fun and safe Super Bowl Sunday. Aired live in cinemas on Wednesday at 7.15pm You can experience The Royal Operas production of Puccinis classic thriller Tosca live in cinemas worldwide on Wednesday . One of the all-time great operas, Tosca combines drama, passion and glorious music. Instantly recognisable music from Tosca has been used countless times in film and television, most memorably as the soundtrack to an action scene in James Bond thriller Quantum of Solace. Set in Rome, the story follows painter Mario Cavaradossi who is captured and sentenced to death by Scarpia, the sadistic Chief of Police. Marios life can be saved and his freedom granted providing, his lover, Tosca, gives herself to Scarpia.This production is conducted by Dan Ettinger and stars the Canadian soprano Adrianne Pieczonka as Tosca. Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja) sings the role of Cavaradossi, alongside Canadian bass-baritone Gerald Finley, singing the role of Scarpia. The performance lasts three hours and includes two intervals which feature exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast and creative team. Tosca is sung in Italian with English surtitles. Catch it at The Corn Exchange and at Vue The optimal treatment for heart attack patients will be debated at Acute Cardiovascular Care 2018. The annual congress of the Acute Cardiovascular Care Association, a registered branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), will be held 3 to 5 March at the MiCo Milano Congressi in Milan, Italy. The full scientific program is available here. Recommendations for treating heart attack patients, such as time windows for diagnosis and treatment, are outlined in the 2017 ESC guidelines for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Two 'Great Debate' sessions will focus on controversies, including: whether to perform percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of non-infarct-related arteries immediately after primary PCI; the usefulness of risk scores in defining the optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy; and whether it is time to reconsider aspirin as a routine therapy for preventing a second heart attack. Professor Kurt Huber, Chairperson of the Scientific Program, said: "Hot topics in acute coronary syndromes will be discussed by leaders in the field in several sessions. We will debate, for example, whether antithrombotic therapy should start in the ambulance or the emergency room." Controversial treatments in acute heart failure, such as whether morphine should be given to all patients with acute pulmonary edema, will also be debated. The 2016 ESC heart failure guidelines recommend switching to sacubitril/valsartan3 if patients do not improve on standard medications. But awareness of the relatively new treatment is low, especially outside specialist clinics, and its use will be examined. Acute Cardiovascular Care is the leading scientific event for all health professionals caring for acutely ill cardiac patients. It brings together more than 1,000 cardiologists, intensivists, anesthesiologists, internists, cardiac surgeons, nurses, paramedics and other allied professionals from over 80 countries. One session is devoted to critically ill patients outside of hospital, who are initially seen by emergency doctors or paramedics. Subjects include what to consider when airlifting cardiac patients, when to terminate resuscitation, the cause and treatment of arrhythmias, and whether extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an option for patients with cardiogenic shock outside the hospital. ECMO is another hot topic that will be featured and members of the press can get the latest updates from research and practical experience. The use of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) will also be covered extensively. "The use of ECPR is gaining more attention and we have invited the leaders in this area to present their data," said Dr Sergio Leonardi, Co-Chairperson of the Scientific Program. The congress theme 'working together for acute cardiovascular patients' highlights the fact that patients with acute cardiac conditions often have other issues - for example with their kidneys or lungs, or an infection - that contributed to the acute situation. Cooperation among many specialists is needed to ensure that patients receive optimal, timely care. The congress emphasizes practical issues in caring for critically ill patients. Hands-on demonstrations and training will be given in the ACCA School, which covers ECMO, pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators, and renal replacement therapy. These are sessions not to miss for journalists wanting to see and hear the nuts and bolts of treating patients in this field. Dr Leonardi said: "This is the congress for practical insights into the management of complex patients encountered in everyday clinical practice. Acute cardiac care is a field in which it can be challenging to gather scientific evidence and the congress brings together clinician thought leaders to guide us through some of the most challenging scenarios we face every day." Professor Huber said: "The special thing about our meeting is that it's very patient-oriented. We discuss the most recent science and recommendations and then talk about what to do with the patient in front of you. This is the most important acute cardiac care meeting of the year." A study of around 300 volunteers, conducted in Austria by MedUni Vienna in collaboration with Diagnostic Graz, convincingly shows that Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the best choice for clarifying ambiguous mammography results. "MRI clearly shows whether findings are benign or malignant," explains lead author Claudio Spick from the Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy at MedUni Vienna. MRI scans are therefore an ideal, non-invasive and equivalent alternative to painful breast biopsies. Moreover, in around 5% of cases, they identify previously undetected malignant tumors. The benefit to patients in Austria: in Austria, women can have MRI scans free of charge - the costs are covered by the Health Insurance fund - if the results of their mammograms or ultrasound breast scans are unclear. In this respect, Austria is an international trendsetter. Says Spick: "This is not offered in Germany, for example." In the rest of the world, MRI screening is provided almost exclusively within the framework of screening programs for early detection of breast cancer in high-risk patients (for example, those with a family history of breast cancer). In contrast, Austrian patients who receive abnormal but non-definitive results from a mammogram or ultrasound breast scan (BI-RADS 0) conducted as part of a breast screening program, can have a breast MRI scan to provide further clarification. "The recent study confirms the high degree of accuracy of MR imaging. Not only was MRI able to definitively characterize ambiguous findings as either benign or malignant but, on top of this, we were able to detect additional, previously undiscovered, malignant tumors. The data therefore demonstrate that breast MR imaging is an accurate problem-solving tool," says Claudio Spick from the Medical University of Vienna. The only alternatives would be invasive biopsies or regular checkups, which would involve waiting times, complications and uncertainty. The scientists hope that MRI scanning will help them achieve the same diagnostic certainty as exists in the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Toyota to recall 181,797 cars in China over an air bag defect Beijing : Toyota will recall 181,797 vehicles over an air bag defect in China. The recall was filed by GAC Toyota Motor and Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ). Starting February 10, the company will recall 73,084 New Highlander vehicles manufactured between May 5, 2015 and February 4, 2016, and 98,218 Levin models produced between May 4, 2015 and February 4, 2016, as well as 5,804 Levin hybrid cars produced between October 11, 2015 and February 4, 2016, according to the AQSIQ. The recall also includes 4,691 Corolla hybrid cars manufactured by Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor between November 21, 2015 and February 2, 2016. There are concerns that flawed acceleration transducer parts in the air bags of affected vehicles may cause air bags to malfunction, which could pose a threat to safety, according to the statement. Toyota would replace the faulty parts for affected car owners for free. 935 terrorists neutralised in Syria, says Recep Tayyip Erdogan Istanbul : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said 935 terrorists have been "neutralised" since Turkey launched a military offensive against Syria's Afrin held by Kurdish militia, on January 20. "Of course, we also have martyrs," the President told reporters on Sunday here prior to his departure for the Vatican for a visit, Xinhua news agency reported. Turkey lost eight soldiers on Saturday, including five killed after their tank was hit by the Kurdish militia known as the People's Protection Units (YPG), marking the deadliest day for the Turkish troops since they started the so-called Operation Olive Branch along with the rebel Free Syrian Army. Erdogan said an investigation had been launched into the attack, including trying to determine which countries supplied the weaponry being used by the YPG, considered by Ankara as a terror group. "We have some estimations," he said. "When it is finalised, we will share it with the whole world." Ankara has been infuriated with US training and arming of the YPG as a reliable force in the fight against the Islamic State, and threatened to move on militarily against YPG-held Manbij in northern Syria, where US special operation forces are based. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and wife enjoy midnight ride in electric bus Pyongyang : North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-un took a midnight ride through the streets of Pyongyang on one of the city's new trolley buses, media reports said on Sunday. Kim Jong-un, who was accompanied by wife Ri Sol-ju and senior officials from the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, reportedly praised the homegrown electric bus as comfortable and reliable, Efe news reported quoting state news agency KCNA. He was also pleased with its speed and suspension, the report added. Kim had earlier inspected the bus during a trip to the Pyongyang Trolley Bus Factory. / Orangetown Police Department /Contributed photo BETHEL A Bethel man was scheduled to appear in a New York court last week after he was accused of stealing more than $50,000 from his employer. The Orangetown Police Department charged Richard Farrah, 59, with stealing from the Orangeburg, N.Y.-based Dynarex Incorporation, where he worked as an international sales associate. Farrah is accused of falsifying orders, so that he was paid for products instead of the company, according to police. An Illinois man is facing charges after he was accused of operating an unemployment benefits fraud and identify theft scheme, the Department of Justice said. Richard Lach, 31, of Richton Park, Illinois, was charged with six counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. The charges stemmed from a scheme to defraud a state unemployment insurance program in Connecticut, the DOJ said. Lach is accused of fraudulently filing claims with the Connecticut Department of Labor to receive unemployment benefits in the names of identify theft victims, according to the indictment. Lach allegedly used the names, dates of birth and social security number of victims to collect the benefits. The DOJ said Lach had the benefits directly deposited into debit cards he was using, that he opened in the names of the victims. The indictment also said Lach fraudulently obtained or tried to obtain unemployment benefits from agencies in other states including Idaho, Iowa, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas. Lach was arrested Friday morning in Matteson, Illinois. He appeared in court in Illinois Friday and was ordered to be detained pending his removal to the District of Connecticut. Each of Lachs six counts of wire fraud carried a maximum 20 year term of imprisonment. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory consecutive term of two years in prison. LONDON If an autopsy could have been performed on Bell Pottinger, Britains most audacious public relations firm, the cause of death may have been summarized as acute embarrassment. This is ironic because Bell Pottinger always seemed defiantly beyond shame. During its 30 years in the upper echelons of Britains spin doctoring game, it sought to polish the image of dictators (Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus), repressive regimes (Bahrain and Egypt, to name two) and celebrities accused of despicable crimes (the Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius after he was charged with murder). But in early 2016, Bell Pottinger signed a client that ultimately buried it in disgrace. The company worked for the Guptas, three brothers from India who built a sprawling, multibillion-dollar corporate empire in South Africa. Ajay, Tony and Atul Gupta had earned fantastic sums leveraging their friendship with President Jacob G. Zuma. By bullying officials and bending regulations to their will, they secured contracts in fields as varied as armaments, mining and railways. They offered ministerial jobs to politicians of their choosing. The Guptas and Mr. Zuma were so intertwined that critics had taken to referring to the Zupta regime. As the power of the Guptas and their holding company, Oakbay Investments, gained attention, the family wanted the public relations equivalent of a stun grenade a distraction that would draw attention away from them and onto their many enemies. Across a range of responsibilities, we simply expect much more of boards of directors than ever before, Mr. Powell said in a speech in August. There is no reason to expect that to change. This account is based on interviews with six people involved in or briefed on the negotiations, representing both the bank and the Fed, who were not authorized to speak publicly about regulatory matters. Wells originally got into trouble in 2016 for charging millions of customers for bank accounts they did not want and for auto insurance they did not need. The bank was repeatedly penalized and fined by regulators. Executives had convinced themselves last year that they were out of the woods, according to the people familiar with their thinking, who were not authorized to speak publicly about interactions with regulators. But that illusion was shattered in September, when Ms. Yellen said the bank remained under investigation. In early January, Wells officials heard from the Fed that the central bank planned to impose stiff new penalties. Executives were furious that the proposed sanctions seemed more draconian than those imposed on banks that nearly cratered the global economy a decade earlier, according to people familiar with the thinking of top bank executives. Then, on conference calls and face-to-face sessions in Washington, the negotiations began. One crucial participant was Wellss general counsel, C. Allen Parker. His advantage was that he was new to Wells, not part of what one bank adviser called the ancien regime. He joined last spring after more than two decades at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, the white shoe law firm where he had been the presiding partner. But keeping the memory of the four chaplains alive is growing more difficult. Each year, the number of living World War II veterans shrinks. According to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 558,000 of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II were still alive in 2017. They are dying at the rate of 362 per day, the department reports. Among the survivors of the Dorchester disaster, only one remains alive: Bill Bunkelman, who is in a nursing home in Michigan, Ms. Beady said. Stirred by witness accounts of how the men gave up their life jackets, the government in 1944 posthumously awarded each chaplain the Distinguished Service Cross and a Purple Heart. In 1948, a postage stamp was dedicated in their honor. In 1988, Feb. 3 was established by a unanimous Act of Congress as an annual Four Chaplains Day. The Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation tries to raise awareness through scholarship competitions, awards for valor, school group visits to its chapel and by funding an emergency chaplain corps. In Kearny, St. Stephens commissioned a large bronze sculpture depicting the chaplains on the sinking ship for the church grounds, and set up a special chapel with photographs of the four men. The local Boy Scout troops uniforms bear an image of the chaplains as their patrons. The news that President Trump last June nearly fired the special counsel Robert Mueller has revived interest in a pair of bills that would prohibit Mr. Trump from firing Mr. Mueller without good cause. The presidents recent attacks on the F.B.I., which seem intended to pave the way for Mr. Muellers ouster by putting his Russia inquiry under a cloud of suspicion, make the case for the bills even stronger. But Republicans still resist. They want to contain the Russia investigation and worry that any concession to the Democrats will instead bolster its credibility. They have tried to mask these partisan motivations with constitutional objections to the bills. It is important to understand why those arguments are specious. For context, one must go back to 1973, when Richard Nixon fired the special prosecutor Archibald Cox rather than turn over the Watergate tapes. The country was thrown into a political crisis, driven by uncertainty about how far Nixon would go to protect his presidency. Congress eventually responded with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978. This law created what came to be known as the independent counsel, who was given the power to investigate the president and his aides if they were suspected of wrongdoing. The independent counsel was appointed by judges; not removable by the president; removable by the attorney general only for cause; and further insulated with an independent budget. Donald Trump will destroy this entire country its institutions and its safeguards, the rule of law and the customs of civility, the concept of truth and the inviolable nature of valor to protect his own skin. We are not dealing with a normal person here, let alone a normal president. This is a damaged man, a man who has always lived in his own reality and played by his own rules. When the truth didnt suit him, he simply, with a devilish ease, invented an alternate reality. There were no hard and fast absolutes in his realm of rubber. Everything was malleable, and he had an abundance of gall and a deficit of integrity to push everything until it bent. Also, he didnt start his run for president believing that he could actually win, or even wanting to win. It was just another show, another act in the carnival. He came slowly, I believe, to the realization that he could win, and more important, that he wanted to. But again, he didnt want to win to serve the country; he wanted to win to serve his ego. He wanted to win simply because he hates losing, and to come close and lose was far more injurious than to be able to say early on that a party of traditionalists simply wasnt avant-garde enough for the radical change he represented. Warring between mayors and governors is as natural in New York as jaywalking. But the tough-guy act performed, each in his own way, by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio is singularly corrosive because the welfare of nearly six million daily subway riders is at stake. It is shocking how little progress on bridging differences has been made since the governor declared a state of emergency seven months ago. It feels like Groundhog Day, only far less entertaining, with the same points made over and over. Each side seeks to bolster its case by hauling out documents so old and long-ignored that they are about as relevant to this emergency as the Dead Sea Scrolls. Each also has a knack for getting under the others skin, needlessly so. Mr. de Blasios representatives stopped the M.T.A. board from approving, for now, a billion-dollar plan to spruce up 33 subway stations with countdown clocks, better lighting and other amenities. Frills, the mayor implied. Spoken like someone who doesnt appreciate how tired riders are of stations that look like the ruins of Stalingrad. For his part, Mr. Cuomo has elbows sharper than Freddy Krueger fingers, and he keeps swinging them. He proposed creating special tax districts in neighborhoods where property values go up because of new transit projects like the Second Avenue subway. The goal would be to capture increased property tax revenue to benefit the M.T.A. The concept is not without merit: If real estate is worth more because a subway is nearby, why not peel off some of the wealth to keep the rails in shape? But in typical fashion, the governor went off on his own, suggesting this without first clueing in the mayor and his aides, who need that same revenue for their own budget. Naturally, they pushed back. One day, we may all owe a debt of gratitude to Dexter the peacock. At Newark Airport last weekend, a woman tried to board a United Airlines flight with Dexter. She described him as her emotional-support animal. But given that peacocks are large birds and there is not much evidence of their therapeutic benefits, United said no, Dexter could not board. A predictable social-media storm ensued, both pro- and anti-peacock. By late last week, United Airlines decided it had enough of making ad hoc decisions about traveling animals and announced a tighter new policy. Dexter, unwittingly, may have struck a blow for sanity. If you spend any time on planes, youve probably noticed the surge of animals. There have been pigs, monkeys, turkeys, snakes and oh-so-many dogs, often sprawled across crowded cabins. Delta alone flies about 250,000 animals a year not even counting those tucked inside carry-on bags or checked in cargo holds more than double how many it flew in 2015. The number of problems is rising, too. A large part-Labrador mauled a man on a flight to San Diego last summer. A recent Delta news release included some words that dont normally appear in a corporate news release: urination/defecation and barking, growling, lunging and biting. According to a labor union for flight attendants, more passengers are suffering allergy attacks, and more are arguing, or worse, over animals. Another harrowing potential is the ability to trick the algorithms behind self-driving cars to not recognize traffic signs. Computer scientists have shown that nearly invisible changes to a stop sign can fool algorithms into thinking it says yield instead. Imagine if one of these cars contained a dissident challenging a dictator. In 2007, Barack Obamas political opponents insisted that footage existed of Michelle Obama ranting against whitey. In the future, they may not have to worry about whether it actually existed. If someone called their bluff, they may simply be able to invent it, using data from stock photos and pre-existing footage. The next step would be one we are already familiar with: the exploitation of the algorithms used by social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to spread stories virally to those most inclined to show interest in them, even if those stories are fake. It might be impossible to stop the advance of this kind of technology. But the relevant algorithms here arent only the ones that run on computer hardware. They are also the ones that undergird our too easily hacked media system, where garbage acquires the perfumed scent of legitimacy with all too much ease. Editors, journalists and news producers can play a role here for good or for bad. Outlets like Fox News spread stories about the murder of Democratic staff members and F.B.I. conspiracies to frame the president. Traditional news organizations, fearing that they might be left behind in the new attention economy, struggle to maximize engagement with content. This gives them a built-in incentive to spread informational viruses that enfeeble the very democratic institutions that allow a free media to thrive. Cable news shows consider it their professional duty to provide balance by giving partisan talking heads free rein to spout nonsense or amplify the nonsense of our current president. It already feels as though we are living in an alternative science-fiction universe where no one agrees on what it true. Just think how much worse it will be when fake news becomes fake video. Democracy assumes that its citizens share the same reality. Were about to find out whether democracy can be preserved when this assumption no longer holds. The #MeToo movement is accomplishing what sexual harassment law to date has not. This mass mobilization against sexual abuse, through an unprecedented wave of speaking out in conventional and social media, is eroding the two biggest barriers to ending sexual harassment in law and in life: the disbelief and trivializing dehumanization of its victims. Sexual harassment law the first law to conceive sexual violation in inequality terms created the preconditions for this moment. Yet denial by abusers and devaluing of accusers could still be reasonably counted on by perpetrators to shield their actions. Many survivors realistically judged reporting pointless. Complaints were routinely passed off with some version of she wasnt credible or she wanted it. I kept track of this in cases of campus sexual abuse over decades; it typically took three to four women testifying that they had been violated by the same man in the same way to even begin to make a dent in his denial. That made a woman, for credibility purposes, one-fourth of a person. Even when she was believed, nothing he did to her mattered as much as what would be done to him if his actions against her were taken seriously. His value outweighed her sexualized worthlessness. His career, reputation, mental and emotional serenity and assets counted. Hers didnt. In some ways, it was even worse to be believed and not have what he did matter. It meant she didnt matter. But these regulations did not kill coal-fired plants, and rolling them back, as Mr. Trump is doing, will not stop the unforgiving forces of the market, chiefly the switch to cheaper natural gas, and renewables increasing competitiveness. These are the forces that have been largely responsible for the decline in mining jobs and the closing, or conversion to natural gas, of hundreds of coal-fired plants. What miners need are real programs to help transition them to new jobs, not promises of beautiful, clean coal. That, incidentally, is not a new promise. Clean coal technology involves turning coal into a gas, then stripping out the carbon dioxide and burying it so it cannot pollute the atmosphere. Many environmental groups (and this board) hoped it would work. It hasnt. In 2015, the Obama administration finally pulled the plug on a clean coal experiment called FutureGen; then the Southern Company gave up on a clean coal venture in Mississippi after spending billions of dollars. Americas leverage in world markets has indeed improved, due largely to a spectacular surge in domestic oil and gas production from big shale deposits in Texas and North Dakota. Domestic production recently hit 10 million barrels of crude oil a day, a figure not seen since 1970. Oil imports have steadily dropped. This has helped change the old dynamic in which the United States was forced to rely too heavily on unstable parts of the world for its oil supply. All this production, however, has a dark side, rarely mentioned in the huzzahs about the 10-million-barrel milestone: the continued carbon-loading of the atmosphere as global temperatures rise, as one extreme weather event follows another, as almost all mainstream scientists say that to avoid a climate catastrophe, the world must leave a big chunk of its fossil fuels in the ground and spend heavily on more benign forms of energy. That is one reason Mr. Obama and his secretary of state, John Kerry, did not approve the Keystone XL pipeline from Canadas oil sands. Such concerns are nowhere to be found in the playbook of a man who says that climate change is a hoax. Hence, full speed ahead, at the Environmental Protection Agency and the Interior Department, with Mr. Trumps energy dominance agenda, and with the overturning of rules that seek to balance conservation and commercial exploitation, and the opening up of nearly all of Americas offshore waters to drilling whatever the risk, and however small the need. WASHINGTON As Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee backed away on Sunday from President Trumps claim that a newly released memo vindicates him in the Russia investigation, Democrats pressed for the release of their own classified rebuttal, with a vote expected on Monday on whether to make it public. The memo that the panels Republicans released on Friday claims that federal law enforcement officials abused their powers to spy on a former Trump campaign official. In the days since its release, members of the two parties have clashed sharply over its import: While some Republicans say it shows evidence of bias in the Russia inquiry from the start, Democrats have denounced it as a misleading tactic to undermine the investigation and protect Mr. Trump. Republicans on the committee voted against releasing the Democratic rebuttal memo last Monday at the same time they chose to initiate the release of their own three-and-a-half-page document. But several of those Republicans, as well as the House speaker, Paul D. Ryan, have indicated that they now favor releasing the Democratic memo, as long as it has been scrubbed of sensitive national security information. Democrats have said their 10-page memo corrects mischaracterizations by the Republicans and adds crucial context to actions by the F.B.I. and the Justice Department in obtaining a secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court order to wiretap the former Trump aide, Carter Page. And last week, after Mr. Trump latched on to allegations in a contentious Republican memo that the Justice Department and F.B.I. had abused their surveillance powers and called their conduct a disgrace, Mr. Sessions offered a meager defense of his lawyers and the institution. I have great confidence in the men and women of this department, Mr. Sessions said in a statement after the memo was released. But no department is perfect. Through a spokeswoman, Mr. Sessions declined to comment for this article. His muted response to Mr. Trumps remarks stood in stark contrast with the defiant statements made by Christopher A. Wray, the director of the F.B.I. I am determined to defend your integrity and professionalism every day, Mr. Wray said in a message to F.B.I. employees. Talk is cheap; the work you do is what will endure. Mr. Sessionss standing with Mr. Trump has eroded in his year as attorney general. The president criticized his Senate confirmation performance and his decision to remove himself from overseeing the Russia investigation, even musing that he would not have hired Mr. Sessions had he anticipated the recusal. He berated him so severely over Mr. Muellers appointment that Mr. Sessions offered his resignation. That fraught relationship has impaired Mr. Sessionss ability to act as a bulwark between his lawyers and politics, former career prosecutors said. Sessionss silence is evidence that Trumps public neutering of anyone close to this investigation is working, said Paul Pelletier, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Virginia who was a federal prosecutor for nearly three decades. It is deleterious to the whole criminal justice process. Mr. Pelletier said that although the attorneys general with whom he worked, from Edwin Meese III to Eric H. Holder Jr., clashed with their staff, they gave prosecutors and the institution itself unwavering public support. NAIROBI The most widely watched television stations in Kenya are shuttered, and the government has defied a court order to return them to the air. Opposition politicians are under arrest, and journalists have also been threatened with jail. And the government has officially designated some of its opponents an organized criminal group. This is a new crisis for democracy, said Willy Mutunga, a former chief justice of the Kenyan Supreme Court, who left the bench in 2016. Defying a court order is subverting the rule of law. The events in Kenya over the past week are a stunning about-face in a country praised mere months ago as a shining example of democracy, when the Supreme Court overturned a presidential election, and the winner, President Uhuru Kenyatta, agreed to abide by the ruling. That case was hailed as a powerful display of judicial independence and a win for the rule of law. But now many Kenyans fear their country is sliding away from democracy. The coming days, they say, may be critical in determining what direction the country will take. The result distances Ecuadors electoral system from those of neighbors like Venezuela and Bolivia, where the left-wing leaders Evo Morales and Nicolas Maduro have entrenched themselves in power while still holding elections. Instead, Ecuadors system moves closer to Colombias, which limits presidents to a single four-year term, and Perus, which allows re-election only if the terms are nonconsecutive. The steps taken by Mr. Correa, who was in power from 2007 to 2017, in hopes of allowing himself a potential fourth term were a stark contrast to the decade preceding his election to the top office, when the country had cycled through seven presidents in a period of political turmoil. Mr. Moreno can still seek a second term, because the Constitution allows one re-election. Mr. Correa, who had been living in his wifes native Belgium since last summer, returned to Ecuador last month to take an active role in campaigning against the referendum, calling it a coup detat that would end the rule of law in the nation. As he toured the country during the campaign, voters threw tomatoes and eggs at him on several occasions. In the western city of Quininde, he had to be evacuated by helicopter after rocks and trash were thrown at his car violence that Paola Pabon, a former senior official under Mr. Correa, charged was part of an effort led by Mr. Moreno to undermine his rival. For his part, Mr. Correa said he considered the referendum a campaign against his political legacy. Theyre trying to destroy everything that has to do with Correa, he told Reuters ahead of the vote. One of the women who protested on the street last week by taking off her scarf, and who requested anonymity out of fear of being arrested, said that the report was helpful, but that it did not go far enough. Women are demanding full freedom, the 28-year-old woman said, adding that the report showed that many people agreed with that view. This past week, dozens of women made the same symbolic gesture and shared their actions on social media: taking off their head scarves in public and waving them on a stick. They were emulating a young woman who had climbed onto a utility box on Dec. 27, removed her scarf and was subsequently arrested. Activists say she has since been released, but she still has not resurfaced in public. The protests, while small in number, are nevertheless significant as a rare public sign that dissatisfaction with certain Islamic laws governing personal conduct may have reached a tipping point in Iran. The first protest in December took place on a Wednesday and seemed connected to the White Wednesday campaign, an initiative by Masih Alinejad, an exiled Iranian journalist and activist living in the United States. Ms. Alinejad has reached out to Iranian women on Persian-language satellite television, through social media and through a website she runs called My Stealthy Freedom. On the website, women post images of themselves without head scarves, demanding an end to the compulsory head scarf law. The Islamic head scarf, or hijab, is seen by Iranian ideologues as a pillar of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The law regarding the scarf has been enforced since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and a head scarf is obligatory for every woman in the country, even tourists and visiting foreign dignitaries. Although women are subject to broader laws on matters like divorce and inheritance, the hijab is a highly public symbol of the rules imposed by Irans clerical leaders. Rules are also imposed on men, who are not allowed to wear shorts in public. Many Iranians now resent such restrictions as the country has grown more secular, and are increasingly flouting them. BERLIN The architect David Adjaye, the musician and composer Zakir Hussain, the choreographer Crystal Pite and the author Colm Toibin are the new mentors in the Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative, which pairs distinguished cultural figures with emerging artists in their fields. The names of the new mentors, and of their proteges, were announced in a public ceremony on Monday at the Staatsoper here. Rolex also announced that funding will be increased to allow some changes to the Arts Initiative, which began in 2002. It now has a major-name roster of mentor and protege alumni, including David Chipperfield, Anish Kapoor, Mira Nair, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Alexei Ratmansky, Robert Wilson, Jessye Norman, Pico Iyer, Margaret Atwood, Nicholas Hlobo and David Aaron Carpenter. The initiative has until now created yearlong pairings in seven fields: architecture, dance, film, literature, visual arts, music and theater. Starting in 2018, the program will expand to eight disciplines, but offer four at a time, each taking place over two years. Architecture, music, dance and literature will be the 2018-19 focus, while film, theater, visual arts and a wild card eighth discipline will run through 2020-21. Weve realized after observing this for many years now that in many disciplines, the mentors and proteges needed more time together, said Rebecca Irvin, the head of philanthropy at Rolex, in an interview. It felt like they barely got going before it was over. Ms. Irvin added that the rigorous and time-consuming selection process for the proteges meant that finding the final seven candidates for each cycle felt like a rush. An art gallery in England turned a 19th-century painting into a commentary on contemporary culture last month by removing it altogether. The Pre-Raphaelite painting, Hylas and the Nymphs, by the Victorian artist John William Waterhouse, is now back on display at the Manchester Art Gallery. It shows Hylas, a companion of the mythological hero Heracles, being lured into a lily pond by seven naked young women. (The women were nymphs and Hylas did not make it out alive, according to the Greek myth on which the painting is based.) In a statement, the gallery said the removal was meant to prompt conversation about how we display and interpret artworks in Manchesters public collection. It encouraged visitors to leave sticky notes at the spot where the painting had hung. And it posed questions, including: The gallery exists in a world full of intertwined issues of gender, race, sexuality and class which affect us all. How could artworks speak in more contemporary, relevant ways? In the week after the Grammy Awards, the condemnations came swiftly for Neil Portnow, the president of the Recording Academy, for saying that women in music needed to step up to advance their careers. Within days, artists like Pink and Kelly Clarkson spoke out, and a group of lawyers and talent managers called for Mr. Portnow to resign. Yet one important contingent of the business has been conspicuously silent: the top women executives at the major record labels and music publishers. No more. In a joint letter signed by six of the industrys most powerful women addressed to the Recording Academys board of trustees, the executives call the organization woefully out of touch with todays music, the music business, and even more significantly, society, and say that the academy, which presents the Grammys, needs to become more inclusive and transparent. The letter, sent to the board on Monday and obtained by The New York Times, was signed by Michele Anthony, an executive vice president at the Universal Music Group; Jody Gerson, the chief executive of Universals publishing arm; Julie Greenwald, the co-chairman of Atlantic Records; Sylvia Rhone, the president of Epic Records; Julie Swidler, the general counsel of Sony Music; and Desiree Perez, the chief operating officer of Roc Nation. BEIJING China has opened an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation into sorghum imports from the United States, the latest salvo in an escalating trade dispute between the worlds two largest economies. The decision, announced by Chinas Commerce Ministry on Sunday, could result in China imposing steep tariffs on sorghum. It came less than two weeks after the United States said it was imposing tariffs on solar panels and washing machines that were aimed at curbing cheap imports from China and South Korea. In espousing his America First agenda, President Trump has pledged to protect manufacturers in the United States. He has labeled the challenges posed by the Chinese economy as a threat to United States national security and opened separate trade investigations related to Chinese steel and aluminum imports and into whether Chinese stole intellectual property. In its statement, Chinas Commerce Ministry did not link its investigation to the decision on solar panels and washing machines. The ministry said it obtained preliminary evidence and information that showed that imported sorghum from the United States had received subsidies from the United States government. The agency found that domestic producers in China had suffered as a result. Broadcom raised its takeover bid for the rival chip maker Qualcomm to about $121 billion on Monday, piling pressure on Qualcomm to agree to what would be the technology industrys biggest-ever takeover and one that could affect the future of smartphones. In offering $82 a share, up from about $70 previously, Broadcom raised the stakes a month before Qualcomms annual shareholder meeting, at which it hopes to unseat the entire board. The bid, according to Broadcom, is its best and final offer. Any rational board would consider what weve put forward, Hock Tan, Broadcoms chief executive, said by telephone. Broadcoms move would create a tech giant whose products would be used in nearly all of the worlds smartphones. Whether a deal goes ahead, however, remains an open question: Qualcomms leadership fiercely opposes it, while analysts have said that even if shareholders approved the deal, it could be rejected on antitrust grounds. SEOUL, South Korea When Lee Jae-yong, the de facto leader of Samsung, walked free on Monday after spending barely a year in jail, it reaffirmed a pattern South Koreans have fought for decades to break: Business tycoons convicted of corruption here hardly spend any time behind bars. Mr. Lees arrest a year ago, and his subsequent conviction and sentencing, were hard-won victories for millions of protesters who took to the streets from late 2016. The demonstrations also felled President Park Geun-hye, impeached on charges of collecting bribes from family-controlled conglomerates, known as chaebol, like Samsung. But here in South Korea, Mr. Lees detention was as big a piece of news as Ms. Parks ouster. His father Lee Kun-hee, the son of Samsungs founder and the conglomerates chairman was twice convicted of bribery and other corruption charges but never spent a day in jail, creating an image of Samsung as untouchable. Many South Koreans hailed the lower-court ruling, which sentenced the younger Mr. Lee to five years in prison on corruption charges, as an important milestone in their countrys long-running campaign toward greater transparency and accountability. So when an appeals court freed Mr. Lee, 49, on Monday by reducing his prison term to two and a half years and then suspending it, the scene was dishearteningly familiar for many. Add this to the list of decisions affected by climate change: Should I have children? It is not an easy time for people to feel hopeful, with the effects of global warming no longer theoretical, projections becoming more dire and governmental action lagging. And while few, if any, studies have examined how large a role climate change plays in peoples childbearing decisions, it loomed large in interviews with more than a dozen people ages 18 to 43. A 32-year-old who always thought she would have children can no longer justify it to herself. A Mormon has bucked the expectations of her religion by resolving to adopt rather than give birth. An Ohio woman had her first child after an unplanned pregnancy and then had a second because she did not want her daughter to face an environmental collapse alone. Among them, there is a sense of being saddled with painful ethical questions that previous generations did not have to confront. Some worry about the quality of life children born today will have as shorelines flood, wildfires rage and extreme weather becomes more common. Others are acutely aware that having a child is one of the costliest actions they can take environmentally. I never used to think much about vinegar. The word itself, from the French term for sour wine, suggested it was for the most part something to avoid. I knew it was essential for salad dressings, and I loved malt vinegar with fish and chips, though repeated applications never seemed to yield quite enough flavor. As the wine critic for The New York Times, I understood that good vinegar existed, but I never sought it out. Perhaps I had been scarred by harsh industrial versions, and the cloying knockoffs of balsamic vinegar that had somehow kept showing up in my kitchen. Then, a few years ago, some really good vinegar shook me by the shoulders and said, Love me! It was not store-bought, but made by a colleague, the Times photographer Tony Cenicola, who often shoots the tastings by our wine panel. Afterward, he takes away the half-empty bottles to photograph them. What happened after that, I never thought to ask. Back in 2014, though, Tony told me he had been using the leftover wines to make vinegar. He offered me a bottle he had made from aglianico, a sturdy red from southern Italy. It was superb, gently acidic and subtly flavored, fruity with the mildest lingering bite. For me, this opened up a new world of uses for vinegar, like deglazing saucepans and flavoring braised greens. Making your own vinegar isnt foolproof, but part of its appeal is that it requires little in the way of an initial investment, and few tools. (Though serious vinegar-makers may rely on pH meters and other gadgets, a wide-mouthed jar and a piece of cheesecloth are all you really need to get started.) Vinegar, the result of acetic fermentation, simply requires oxygen, bacteria and alcohol. You can start the process with ready-made alcohol a bottle of wine, sake or cider or create your own alcohol by fermenting fresh peaches or coconut water. From there, the microbes get to work, turning the alcohol into vinegar. Mr. Lee has a space-saving method at his restaurant. He seals fruit with sugar and water in clear plastic bags and stacks these on sheet pans in the walk-in refrigerator. As the fruit rots, the bags puff. But before they burst open, Mr. Lee transfers the contents to finish fermenting in small two- to three-quart jars. He often draws out the process over several months, until the bacteria start to metabolize the acetic acid itself. Now, the vinegar changes, taking on new layers of flavor. Its sharp edges soften. As it ages, it becomes increasingly mellow. For me, good vinegar is something thats alive, Mr. Lee said. It has a good shot of umami; it makes your mouth water. Youre cool too, Monica journalist cool. One of your new projects is called Surfacing, which our executive and managing editors described (in their announcement to the newsroom) as a cross-platform column that will focus on subcultures around the world. Youve just hired three reporters for it. Tell me more about it. This is a vast country, and I think its endlessly fascinating. Because of the bubbles were in now, you can actually exist and have a certain set of interests and not know what the people down the street are interested in and doing. The goal of Surfacing is to really capture a slice of life and the unlikely pursuits of people from all over the world. Theres a lot to mine in the United States. But theres going to be some international stories, too. The first story was on these Jamaican girls who are really into synchronized swimming. We are planning a piece on a sport called pelota mixteca. Its about this group of Oaxacans who have moved to Southern California some of whom have been there for generations. Theyre playing this game thats been played for hundreds of years. We also just did a piece on the culture of very fervent fans of the Browns, an Ohio N.F.L. team. Were planning stories in Turkey, Sweden and one in Brazil. This is a chance for us to cover people and parts of the world we dont cover unless something is going wrong. So hopefully well have profiles of people in communities most people dont know about, people of all races and backgrounds. Where did your passion for travel and learning about other cultures come from? In college, I took a lot of courses that I liked. I took economics. I took a lot of math. I was going along a different path. But I always loved hearing peoples stories and understanding their lives. Do you use social media? If so, would you ever consider disconnecting from a particular platform you use now, or leaving all your social media feeds entirely? What do you think you would gain or lose? In the Opinion essay I Quit Twitter and It Feels Great, Lindy West writes about quitting Twitter more than a year ago: To be clear, its not brave to quit Twitter, or righteous (Im still on Facebook, which is just a differently shaped moral stockyard), or noteworthy. Quitting Twitter is just a thing that you can do. I mention it only because there was a time when I didnt think it was a thing that I could do, and then I did it, and now my life is better. Im frequently approached by colleagues, usually women, who ask me about quitting Twitter with hushed titillation, as if Ive escaped a cult or broken a particularly seductive taboo. Well, heres what my new life is like: I dont wake up with a pit in my stomach every day, dreading what horrors accrued in my phone overnight. I dont get dragged into protracted, bad-faith arguments with teenage boys about whether poor people deserve medical care, or whether putting nice guys in the friend zone is a hate crime. I dont spend hours every week blocking and reporting trolls and screen-grabbing abuse in case it someday escalates into a credible threat. I no longer feel like my brain is trapped in a centrifuge filled with swastikas and Alex Joness spittle. Time is finite, and now I have more of it. At the same time, I know this conversation is more complicated than that. Ive lost a large platform to self-promote and make professional connections, which isnt something many writers can afford to give up (less established writers and marginalized writers most of all in a horrid irony, the same writers disproportionately abused on Twitter). I get my news on a slight delay. I seethe at the perception that I ceded any ground to trolls trying to push me out. I will probably never persuade RuPaul to be my friend. Also, I loved Twitter. Twitter is funny and smart and validating and cathartic. It feels, when you are embroiled in it, like the place where everything is happening. (Scoff if you like, but the president of the United States makes major policy announcements there. This is the world now.) Students: Read the entire essay, then tell us: What are your thoughts on the experiences Ms. West says shes had while using Twitter and after she stopped using her account? Is Twitter a form of social media that you use regularly? What other platforms do you use? Are there any youd consider quitting? Why? Would you ever consider giving up all social media for a short time? What about permanently giving it up? Ms. West mentions that because shes a writer, there is an expectation that she engage with the discourse taking place on social media as well as use social media to network. Do you think your career will require you to maintain a social media presence? How do you feel about that? She also says she has more time as a result of giving up Twitter. What are your thoughts about that? What do you think would happen if everyone stopped using social media? But 40 years later, data collection is still haphazard as policing agencies that protect just 31 percent of the countrys population volunteer to abide by the deeper reporting standards. (An example: There is no national database of police officers use of deadly physical force.) Still, the F.B.I. is charging forward, vowing to move fully to its 1980s-era vision by 2021. Only last year did it began collecting data on two new offenses in its fraud category: hacking/computer invasion and identify theft. Crime data reporting in its current state is not collecting the right information to understand and analyze current events, Stephen G. Fischer Jr., an F.B.I. spokesman, said. Todays information age has changed how we see the world and what the world expects from policing. The panel of the National Academy of Sciences is looking past the F.B.I.s unmet goals which it sees as one component of a new approach. The panel wants a fresh system for understanding the nature and extent of crime today, said Janet L. Lauritsen, the panels chair and a criminology professor at the University of Missouri. It envisions a format modeled in part, on an international framework organized by the United Nations that would reflect 11 prime categories of crime and 189 sublevels, including many that are just not even part of the national conversation on crime, Ms. Lauritsen said. It would, for instance, capture reports from federal agencies, she said, that have never reported crime data to the F.B.I., even though there is actually a law on the books, the Uniform Federal Crime Reporting Act, from 1988, that compels it. Better data fosters transparency, which can build trust with civilians even if it yields statistical crime increases, said Col. Edwin C. Roessler Jr., the police chief in Fairfax County, Va., who is the F.B.I. directors chairman for converting policing to a new crime classification system. Data offers the evidence to lobby government for more money or better laws, he said. In fact, when Colonel Roessler demonstrated how each gang homicide, on average, required 25 search warrants for cyberdata, cellphones and other social media, it helped win financing for a new Cyber Bureau and new cyberexperts to work gang cases and build meaningful statistics and intelligence. Weve got gaps here, where were not catching the root causes of all kinds of criminal activity, the colonel said, a flaw with real-life consequences. So too, for Chief Magnus, in Tucson, who sees the lack of modern-day crime classification as one of our biggest frustrations. As he leads a force of 850 officers patrolling 300 square miles, lapses in accurate statistics on property crime, fraud, human trafficking and digital crime hurt his ability to deploy thin resources. Once you get into cyberspace, he said, data about anything is so limited that its really, really hard to figure out even what might be happening locally that impacts that crime. Willets Point is dead. Long live Willets Point. The $3 billion Bloomberg-era project to transform a neighborhood of broken streets and ramshackle auto repair shops across from Citi Field in Queens appeared dead in 2015, when a state court ruled that the city could not take a piece of Flushing Meadows Corona Park for a gigantic shopping mall and garage as it had planned. Still, bulldozers plowed over dozens of shops as the city used eminent domain to take some of the land and hundreds of immigrant workers lost their jobs. But on Monday, the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio struck a deal with the original developers for a new version of the plan, which will include 1,100 apartments for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers, a 450-seat school, open space and retail on six acres at Willets Point Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue. Notably not part of the plan: the mall. Instead of pursuing remnants of the old plan, the de Blasio administration will convene a task force with Melinda Katz, the Queens borough president, and Francisco Moya, the local City Council member, to fashion a framework for developing the remaining 17 acres at the site, which is also known as the Iron Triangle. Melvyn I. Weiss, whose avalanche of class-action lawsuits made him a pariah to corporate America, a hero to plaintiffs, a catalyst for legal protections of investors and consumers, and finally a felon, died on Friday at his home in Boca Raton, Fla. He was 82. The cause was amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, his son Stephen A. Weiss, a partner in the law firm Seeger Weiss, said. Mr. Weiss was a pro bono lawyer for terrorism victims and other causes, a fund-raiser for Democrats and a leader of the Israel Policy Forum, which favors a two-state solution to the Palestinian conflict. He and his wife, the former Barbara Joan Kaplan, sponsored a program in public-interest law at his alma mater, New York University Law School. But he was best known for building a fledgling law firm into a powerhouse that compelled miscreant and recalcitrant businesses to pay billions of dollars to aggrieved shareholders and customers. To the Editor: Re A Demand for Change Backed Up by $6 Trillion (Business Day, Jan. 16): Laurence D. Fink, the chief executive of the investment firm BlackRock, has taken an important step by urging companies to better serve all stakeholders and society. Yet a critical recommendation is missing. For companies to be held accountable, they must disclose all of their political spending, both direct and through secretive channels, to influence the election of state and federal officeholders. In Citizens United eight years ago, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy affirmed the principle of corporate political disclosure. It is a promise unfulfilled. Undisclosed money floods elections. Significant amounts of it come from public companies, which wield a mighty power to set the policy agenda in states and Washington. Nonetheless, in recent years hundreds of leading American companies have adopted a best practice of disclosing and having oversight of their political expenditures by boards of directors. We applaud them and encourage others to similarly pull back the veil. Posted Monday, February 5, 2018 6:45 am Last month at a legislative briefing at the Missouri State Capitol, the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) released a report outlining the dire state of Missouri family farmers and rural communities. Pointing to Missouris rural poverty rate which is now 30.9 percent higher than the urban poverty rate, and a 55-percent drop in net farm income since 2013, the report paints a picture of rural communities struggling as farming is increasingly industrialized and consolidated. Agribusiness firms that control inputs such as seed and chemicals, as well as meat and poultry processing have seen extreme consolidation, to the point of creating near monopolies. As a result, family farmers, once the economic engine of Missouris rural communities, are in rapid decline. Growing up in Missouri, I saw the struggles of mine and other farm families, said Joe Maxwell, a Missouri hog farmer and executive director of OCM. Over the past several decades, we have lost a million farmers nationwide and Missouri has felt the impact. Our report is very clear that the vertical and horizontal integration, the monopolization of inputs and buyers and foreign-owned mega-farms are extracting wealth and squeezing family farmers. The pressure of consolidation often hits young and minority farmers the hardest. Missouri was once home to thousands of African American farmers but as of the 2012 agriculture census only 239 were counted, said Webster Davis, chairman of the Missouri NAACP Agriculture Committee. Having to compete for markets that are predetermined to benefit rich agribusinesses, many African American youth chose not to enter the murky waters many farmers face year after year. The report includes a list of policy steps the Missouri legislature could take immediately to help level the playing field for family farmers, including a ban on foreign ownership of farmland, a country of origin requirement for meat, transparency in farm contracts and a focus on local/regional food systems. Family Farm Action communications director Chelsea Davis said, This report puts into black and white what many of us have known for years: Rural communities are hurting, and much of it is because family farmers dont have a fair and open market. That is why we are calling on Missouri lawmakers to move quickly to implement the recommendations of this report and begin the process of revitalizing our small towns. Family Farm Action is a coalition of family farmers and advocates for farmers and rural communities. Organization for Competitive Markets is a membership-based research and advocacy organization working for open and competitive markets and fair trade in Americas food and agricultural sectors. The overlapping issues of health care and employment discrimination remain pivotal ones for transgender communities. They became more so last month, when the Trump administration decided to allow states to institute work requirements for Medicaid. The unemployment rate for trans people is three times higher than the national average, according to a 2015 survey produced by the National Center for Transgender Equality a rate that results, in many cases, from anti-trans job discrimination. These new rules create a double bind for the most vulnerable trans people: Find work amid rampant prejudice and mistreatment, or lose critical medical coverage. In Kentucky, the first state to adopt work requirements, one in four transgender people report losing a job, being passed over for a promotion or not being hired because they are trans. The majority of states considering adopting work requirements are among the 30 in which gender identity is not considered a protected category. Of the 10 states currently carrying out or proposing Medicaid work requirements, only two Maine and Utah have an employment nondiscrimination law in place that protects trans workers. In contrast, Arkansas and North Carolina have state-level bans on local nondiscrimination ordinances that would safeguard the rights of queer and trans communities. Statistics regarding transgender people who lose their jobs because of their gender identities reveal only the cases in which such bias was blatant. Lost within these numbers are the more ambiguous stories of managers who may have rejected a request for a uniform that reflected an employees gender, workers terminated for requests to change their names on internal documents or employees whose presence was shown, through the actions of colleagues and superiors, to be unwelcome. SANTIAGO, Chile After President Michelle Bachelet of Chile leaves office in March, Latin America will have no female presidents. There was a time in 2014 when the region had four: Laura Chinchilla in Costa Rica, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner in Argentina, Dilma Rousseff in Brazil and Ms. Bachelet. Now, Latin America is left with few prospects for female presidents in the near future. More than most regions, Latin America has used affirmative-action laws to close the gender gap in political leadership. But to hold these gains, and to help ensure that women continue to rise to top political positions, Latin America needs to understand the limits of legal remedies for pulling women up. Quota laws for female legislative candidates have created opportunities for women to advance in politics, but they have not fully transformed traditional attitudes about who should lead a country. Museums are vital cultural institutions. They provide a glimpse into the past, a record of what once was and an exploration of how the present came to be. They are social cornerstones, shaping public opinion in subtle yet profound ways. In a world increasingly dominated by fake news, museums should stand as sanctuaries of truth and science. To do so, a natural-history museum must be accurate, faithful to the facts and trusted by the public. This is why it is so troubling that Rebekah Mercer continues to sit on the board of trustees of the American Museum of Natural History. Ms. Mercer and her family were important backers of President Trump. She has a stake in Breitbart News, and the family foundation has contributed millions of dollars to climate-change-denying politicians and organizations like the Heartland Institute, which says, Global warming is not a crisis and There is no need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and no point in attempting to do so. According to the Mercer Family Foundations tax reports, it gave the Heartland Institute nearly $5.9 million from 2008 to 2016, more than the $4 million it donated to the American Museum of Natural History during that period. This article is part of the Opinion Today newsletter. You can sign up here to receive the newsletter each weekday. If youve spent any time on an airplane in the last few years, youve probably noticed the animals. They seem to be everywhere. The number of flying animals classified in the either service or emotional-support category has more than doubled since just 2015, according to the best available statistics. And, yes, many of those animals are really just pets that their owners are masquerading as something else. My column today is about this strange phenomenon. In the last few weeks, it may have reached a turning point. I realize its not the most important story in the country right now, but I dont believe we should spend 100 percent of our time thinking about Donald Trump. To me, the story of flying pets is a case study of how mass dishonesty can become acceptable, with some significant costs. Attitudes about animal numerosity have changed dramatically since the mid-twentieth century when many researchers believed only humans had enough gray matter to think quantitatively. They cited as an object lesson the 1907 case of Clever Hans, the horse that supposedly could solve arithmetic problems and would tap out his answers by hoof; as it turned out, he was responding to unconscious cues from the people around him. Since then, researchers have approached the field with caution and rigor, seeking to identify the specific evolutionary pressures that might spur the need for numeric judgments in any given species. Social carnivores like spotted hyenas, for example, live in fission-fusion societies, collectively defending their territories against rivals but in ever-shifting groups of widely roaming members. You can never predict who youll find in which group, said Sarah Benson-Amram, an assistant professor of zoology and physiology at the University of Wyoming. You might be alone or in a group of ten. Because hyena jaws can pulverize zebra bones, encounters between competitors can prove deadly; every spotted hyena must have a good sense from moment to moment of how many there are of us versus how many of them. Dr. Benson-Amram and her colleagues tested hyena numerosity skills in the field, playing back the recorded whoops of spotted hyenas living in South Africa and Namibia to hyenas in Kenya. The Kenyan carnivores reacted to the whoops of strangers as predicted, approaching the hidden source of the sound when they had a home team advantage, retreating when they heard a few too many distinctive voices in a row. Or sometimes, when the local hyenas were outnumbered, theyd call for backup. I always loved it when the hyenas would whoop and others would come running in, Dr. Benson-Amram said. It was very dramatic, very aggressive, and I appreciated this ability to recruit other group members to the cause. DARWIN, Australia When the dry season spreads over the tropical savannas of Australias Northern Territory, rangers start watching for the so-called firehawks: flocks of black kites, whistling kites and brown falcons that hunt near bushfires, snapping up small animals flushed out by the smoke and sparks. If a fire begins to flicker out, locals claim, some of the birds will keep it going by carrying burning sticks to new locations. We get a lot of humbug from the birds, said Robert Redford, a ranger who is an Aboriginal Australian. We make firebreaks, and sometimes that bird makes another fire and he makes a lot of trouble. He do a lot of damage for us sometimes, and rangers have a hard time firefighting with all that. The idea that birds intentionally manipulate fire has long been greeted with skepticism in scientific circles. But a recent paper published in Journal of Ethnobiology gathers reports that all three species do spread wildfires for hunting purposes. Soon the hobbyist was giving away the crayfish to his friends. And not long afterward, so-called marmorkrebs were showing up in pet stores in Germany and beyond. As marmorkrebs became more popular, owners grew increasingly puzzled. The crayfish seemed to be laying eggs without mating. The progeny were all female, and each one grew up ready to reproduce. In 2003, scientists confirmed that the marbled crayfish were indeed making clones of themselves. They sequenced small bits of DNA from the animals, which bore a striking similarity to a group of crayfish species called Procambarus, native to North America and Central America. Ten years later, Dr. Lyko and his colleagues set out to determine the entire genome of the marbled crayfish. By then, it was no longer just an aquarium oddity. For nearly two decades, marbled crayfish have been multiplying like Tribbles on the legendary Star Trek episode. People would start out with a single animal, and a year later they would have a couple hundred, said Dr. Lyko. Many owners apparently drove to nearby lakes and dumped their marmorkrebs. And it turned out that the marbled crayfish didnt need to be pampered to thrive. Marmorkrebs established growing populations in the wild, sometimes walking hundreds of yards to reach new lakes and streams. Feral populations started turning up in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia and Ukraine in Europe, and later in Japan and Madagascar. Sequencing the genome of this animal was not easy: No one had sequenced the genome of a crayfish. In fact, no one had ever sequenced any close relative of crayfish. Its the stuff of prehistoric nightmares. Eight legs. Fangs. And a whip-like tail. Call it Chimerarachne yingi, a newly discovered arachnid that crawled around rain forests in what is now Southeast Asia more than 100 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. Its remains were found imprisoned in amber, as if Mother Nature herself tried to lock this tiny terror away from the rest of the world. Two different teams of researchers discovered four specimens of the new species in the amber markets of Myanmar. Their findings were published in two separate papers on Monday in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. The material is stunning in the quality of its preservation, said Greg Edgecombe, an invertebrate paleobiologist at the Natural History Museum in London, who was not involved in the study. It throws up a combination of characters that initially seems alien to an arachnologist. [READ: Ticks Trapped in Amber Were Likely Sucking Dinosaur Blood] C. yingi is not a spider, but rather a relative that lived alongside ancient spiders for millions of years. Its discovery provides insight into the evolutionary history of the creepy crawlers that have spun webs around the planet. I, personally, do not complain much when I get sick. Its true that I provide for the people around me running updates about the type and quality of my illness, the intensity and character of its effects, the particular sounds of the cough, the volumes and colors of phlegm discharge and my own feelings about all of the above. But these communiques, whether sent as text messages or shouted at my girlfriend from across the apartment, are useful news bulletins, provided in the spirit of CDC alerts. Theyre not complaints. Me? I dont complain. I update. My girlfriend, oddly, disagrees. So do, as it happens, millions of unfortunately partnered heterosexual women around the world. Men 10,000 percent are babies about getting sick, one female friend told me recently. Its like no one has ever been sick before. Everyone seems to agree: Men are drama queens about illness. When my girlfriends mother heard that I was looking into what she calls the Mancold, she insisted she be interviewed to provide cross-generational testimony to its existence. We all roll our eyes when the Mancold comes calling, she said. All activities come to a halt, and, much like sports, there is a continuous update, sighing and groaning. Under the name Man Flu, the phenomenon has entered the Oxford English Dictionary (A cold or similar minor ailment as experienced by a man who is regarded as exaggerating the severity of the symptoms), though all things considered I suggest the more clinical and less judgmental term Masculine Flu Drama Syndrome. The most common theory about MFDS is that it represents a kind of inversion of gender roles. Its hard for men to express weakness, so when science says we have a reason, we really lean into it, my friend Matt, who works in IT at a major hospital and is therefore something of a medical expert suggested. A gay friend theorized that the same dynamic can exist even in same-sex relationships. The dominant male in the relationship does like to subvert the traditional roles and be doted on and cared for for a few days, he told me. Have you seen Phantom Thread? The whole movie is about this. Jonathan Larson finished just two full musicals before his death at age 35 in 1996. But he left behind a vast collection of song demos, stray lyrics and unfinished ideas. Some of those rarely heard songs will be brought together in a concert called The Jonathan Larson Project, coming to Feinsteins/54 Below in October. The project will run Oct. 9-14 and feature lightly staged performances of roughly 18 songs from across Mr. Larsons life, including cut songs from his musicals Rent and Tick, TickBoom! The five-person cast will include Nick Blaemire and George Salazar, who recently starred together in an Off Broadway production of Tick, TickBoom! The project is being directed by Jennifer Ashley Tepper, a theater historian and the creative director at Feinsteins/54 Below. To select the songs for this performance, she spent hours combing through his tapes, notebooks and floppy disks at the Library of Congress and the New York Public Library. She received permission from the Larson family to stage the songs; she bounced ideas off his sister, Julie, as well as some of Larsons collaborators, including his former roommate Jonathan Burkhart and the actor Roger Bart. How Ive been thinking of the project is the song cycle that he never put on but that he would have, Ms. Tepper said in a phone interview. The song cycle is a lot about love and New York and politics. After the declaration of the defeat of IS in Iraq, the US is planning to redeploy its forces there to Afghanistan where terrorists are resurfacing taking control over swathes of tribal areas. US media speaks of a drawing dawn of American forces in Baghdad over the past week, along with weapons and equipment. Two Iraqi officials confirmed to the Associated Press that the US-led coalition and the Iraqi government have reached an agreement to reduce troops in Iraq for the first time since the war against IS started over three years ago. The reported agreement comes three months ahead of Iraqi elections in which the presence of US troops in the country is expected to be a divisive issue. US Army 1st Lt William John Raymond based at Al-Asad told AP: Weve had a recent change of mission and soon well be supporting a different theater of operations in the coming month. However, Raymond declined to say where his unit was being redeployed because the information has not yet been made public. Despite Mr. Trumps claims, the Republican memo did nothing to clear him of either collaborating with the Russians or obstructing justice the two lines of inquiry being pursued by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III. The memo undermined an effort by some Republicans to cast doubt on the roots of the investigation by confirming that contacts between another former Trump foreign policy adviser, George Papadopoulos, and Russian intermediaries not the material from Mr. Steele were the primary factor in the opening of the investigation in July 2016. Nevertheless, Democrats have denounced the document as a tactic to undermine the investigation and to protect Mr. Trump, and they have said it is riddled with errors and omissions. Specifically, the Democratic memo is said to contend that the F.B.I. was more forthcoming with the surveillance court than Republicans had claimed. People familiar with the Democratic document said that it reveals that while the F.B.I. did not name the Democratic National Committee or Mrs. Clintons campaign, the bureau disclosed to the court that the information it had received from Mr. Steele was politically motivated. Confronted on Monday with Democratic claims that such a disclosure was included in the application, Mr. Nunes conceded on Fox & Friends that there had been a footnote to that effect. But he called its inclusion a far cry from letting the American people know that the Democrats and the Hillary campaign paid for dirt that the F.B.I. then used to get a warrant. Democrats also contest Republican claims that Andrew G. McCabe, the deputy director of the F.B.I. at the time, had testified before the Intelligence Committee late last year that the agency would not have sought a wiretap of Mr. Page without Mr. Steeles dossier of information. The F.B.I. suspected that Mr. Page, a former Moscow-based investment banker who was under investigation once before, was acting as a Russian agent. The New York Times filed a motion on Monday asking the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to unseal all materials related to the wiretap of Mr. Page, including the F.B.I.s application for the warrant and other court documents. Since Congress enacted the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in 1978, no such wiretapping application materials have been made public. WASHINGTON The New York Times is asking the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to unseal secret documents related to the wiretapping of Carter Page, the onetime Trump campaign adviser at the center of a disputed memo written by Republican staffers on the House Intelligence Committee. The motion is unusual. No such wiretapping application materials apparently have become public since Congress first enacted the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in 1978. That law regulates electronic spying on domestic soil the interception of phone calls and emails undertaken in the name of monitoring suspected spies and terrorists, as opposed to wiretapping for investigating ordinary criminal suspects. Normally, even the existence of such material is a closely guarded secret. While applications for criminal wiretaps often eventually become public, the government has refused to disclose the contents of applications for intelligence wiretaps even to defendants who are later prosecuted on the basis of information derived from them. But President Trump lowered the shield of secrecy surrounding such materials on Friday by declassifying the Republican memo about Mr. Page, after finding that the public interest in disclosing its contents outweighed any need to protect the information. Because Mr. Trump did so, The Times argues, there is no longer a justification for the Page warrant orders and application materials to be withheld in their entirety, and disclosure would serve the public interest. The latest decision, from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, struck down the states congressional map, saying it clearly, plainly and palpably violated the states Constitution. The court told state lawmakers to redraw the states 18 House districts, which currently favor Republicans, and it left open the possibility that it would impose its own map. Under the current map, Republicans control 13 of those 18 seats. Election law experts say that a nonpartisan map could move as many as three of those seats to Democrats and increase that partys chances of regaining control of the House in the midterm elections this fall. The State Supreme Courts 5-2 decision divided along partisan lines, with the Democratic justices in the majority and the Republicans in dissent. The majority has promised to issue an opinion providing its detailed reasoning but has yet to do so. Republican lawmakers filed an emergency application last month asking the United States Supreme Court to step in, saying the case was partly governed by federal law. They pointed to Article I, Section 4 of the United States Constitution, which says that the times, places and manners of congressional elections shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof. The lawmakers said the State Supreme Court had thus usurped the legislatures role in violation of federal law. They relied on a closely divided 2015 decision from the United States Supreme Court allowing an independent redistricting commission in Arizona rather than its Legislature to draw congressional districts. Dr. Spinner pointed out that seeing the photos did not open up the childrens preferences for what toys they themselves wanted to play with; they were more likely to say that other boys and girls could play with a variety of toys, but the two experimental groups were equally unlikely to make those counter-stereotypic choices themselves. On the other hand, she said, it was only one exposure, and its possible, if there were more of those counter-stereotypic images around, that children might become more open to enjoying the whole spectrum of toys. Laura Zimmermann, a developmental psychologist who is a professor of psychology at Shenandoah University in Virginia, was the first author on a study published last year in the Journal of Children and Media, which looked at preschool childrens responses to toy commercials. Children are showing more flexibility than they used to, she said, in terms of who they thought the ads were meant for, responding that both boys and girls, for example, could like Batman, or like the female line of Lego building blocks. Their behavior got much more stereotypical when they were asked their own preferences, she said, and the boys especially were unwilling to say that they liked any of the ads aimed at girls. But the ads themselves, she said, continue to reflect the same old stereotypes. My concerns are that childrens ads shape and reinforce stereotypes, Dr. Zimmermann said. They are obviously not working alone; we have wider societal influences at work, but ads are powerful. This is not about taking away the doll, or banishing the train. If they arent interested in engaging in non-stereotypic gender play that is O.K. too, Dr. Zimmermann said in an email. Children should be free to play with the toys they enjoy toys should not be assigned by gender. But there is also research to say that when the lines are drawn too strictly, childrens worlds become not only more divided, but also more limited. Traditionally masculine toys like blocks and puzzles, Dr. Spinner said, encourage visual and spatial skills, while traditionally feminine toys encourage communication and social skills. If children only play with one, then they are missing out on a whole host of skills, she said. They are also limiting their own interests and the scope of their futures. He was a fixture in Kenyas wildlife scene, an eccentric American with a mass of white hair, known for meticulous work on the black-market prices of ivory and rhinoceros horn. Now he is the victim in a murder mystery. The victim, Esmond Bradley Martin, was found dead in his home in Nairobi, Kenyas capital, on Sunday, with a stab wound in his neck. It is not clear if Mr. Martin, who was 76, was killed in connection to his strident views or his work. No doubt he had made many enemies, writing report after report that exposed the depth of the ivory and rhino horn trade across the world that has killed tens of thousands of endangered animals. His death sent shock waves through East Africas wildlife circles. Kenyan police officials said they had yet to identify any suspects. Their leading theory is that Mr. Martin was killed in a robbery. NAIROBI, Kenya After a nearly week-old media blackout, the Kenyan government returned some television stations to the air late Monday, five days after a court order demanding their restoration with immediate effect. NTV, which is owned by the Nation Media Group, was restored to cable and satellite broadcasting just after 5 p.m., though viewer access to the station via public television remained blocked. KTN was fully restored. Government officials dismantled the transmission equipment of four stations last week as they broadcast an opposition event at which Raila Odinga, who lost an election to President Uhuru Kenyatta last October, declared himself the peoples president. The governments move to intimidate and censor the news media for reporting on dissent has alarmed rights lawyers and activists, who called it a stunning reversal in a country that had been praised as a shining example of democracy. But locals said the energy did not change in Kasganj until last year, when Yogi Adityanath, a firebrand politician with ties to far-right Hindu nationalist groups, was chosen as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, home to over 200 million people. The clashes began with a flag. On Jan. 26, a group of Muslims gathered in an open square in Kasganj, unstacking rows of red plastic chairs and preparing to hoist a flag into the air to celebrate Republic Day, which marks the enactment of Indias constitution in 1950. Around the same time, dozens of men on motorbikes affiliated with a far-right Hindu student group approached the assembly, asking that the Muslims move the chairs so they could pass. Accounts of what happened next vary. According to a police report filed by Sushil Gupta, the father of Abhishek Gupta, the man who was actually killed, a group of Muslims began taunting the Hindus, shouting Long Live Pakistan, and telling them that they would have to chant Hail Pakistan if they wanted to pass. Shamsul Arafeen, 70, a Muslim tailor who was part of the crowd, remembered the encounter differently, describing a big mob of Hindus who demanded that the Muslims move the chairs before boiling the argument down to religion. Others said the Hindus told the Muslims to go back to Pakistan. They started abusing us, saying, If you want to live in Hindustan, you must chant Hail Sita and Ram, Mr. Arafeen said, using another name for India and referring to two Hindu gods. The confrontation became physical soon afterward, with rioters from both sides throwing stones at each other and burning shops to the ground. Videos of the confrontations spread rapidly. The authorities shut down internet service in the area for hours. MALE, Maldives A political crisis in the Maldives deepened early Tuesday morning after a former president and two justices of the Supreme Court were arrested. The president, Abdulla Yameen, declared a state of emergency on Monday evening and sent troops to surround the Supreme Court, which had provoked his ire last week when it overturned criminal convictions against nine of the presidents opponents and ordered that those in jail be freed. So far, Mr. Yameen has refused to release the political prisoners. And now it appears that he is escalating the standoff, which is worrying tourists, foreign governments and countless Maldivians. The Maldives Independent, a news website, reported late Monday that special operations security officers had broken into the court, raising fears that the presidents forces were going to arrest the Supreme Court justices who had holed up in their offices. Several dozen protesters were also converging on the court, and witnesses said the police were trying to chase away the crowd. In the case of Mr. Worboys, law enforcement officials had assured the women he assaulted that he would never win parole, and that they would be alerted whenever he was considered for it. Both promises were broken, and the women were blindsided by news of his planned release after 10 years in prison. I literally felt like somebody had kicked me in the stomach, one of them said in an interview with the BBC. As far as I can see at the moment, Worboys could come out of prison tomorrow and live in the house next door to me, and there is nothing I can do to prevent it. The case, a topic of daily coverage in the British news media for the last month, has become the subject of sniping between political parties, and even within Prime Minister Theresa Mays fragile governing coalition. David Gauke, the justice secretary in Mrs. Mays cabinet, said he would not join in challenging the parole ruling in court, a decision that drew harsh responses, including some from members of his own party. Nick Boles, a Conservative member of Parliament, said Mr. Gaukes stance had shown a disgraceful lack of spine. Victims and some lawmakers from the opposition Labour Party are pressing for new charges against Mr. Worboys, who was prosecuted for a small fraction of the offenses that investigators say he committed. The Crown Prosecution Service has said that it does not plan to bring a new case against him, but critics hold out hope that the service will reverse its position. Mr. Worboyss accusers believe he remains dangerous, Ms. Wistrich said. Some of them are terrified for themselves, their daughters, their neighbors, she said. Victims say that Mr. Worboys, a former stripper and pornographic actor, could be charming and persuasive, and they expressed a fear that he had manipulated the parole board. BRUSSELS Salah Abdeslam, who is believed to be the only surviving member of the group that carried out a series of coordinated attacks in and around Paris more than two years ago, went on trial on Monday in a case that will be closely watched to see if it sheds light on the assaults that reverberated across Europe. Mr. Abdeslam, 28, and a co-defendant, Sofien Ayari, are accused of shooting at and wounding Belgian and French police officers who were searching for them in southern Brussels, four months after the attacks in Paris and St.-Denis that left 130 people dead, and days before two attacks in Brussels, one at the main airport and another on a subway train. The charges include possession of illegal weapons and attempted murder in a terrorist context. The trial in Brussels is the first time the public will be given a sense of how prosecutors are piecing together the parts of what they say was a larger conspiracy, and Mr. Abdeslam used his first opportunity to speak at the trial to suggest that he had been prejudged by both the public and the court because he is a Muslim. Mr. Abdeslam had refused to break his silence after his arrest, and the trial provides the authorities with a first opportunity to bring someone to account for the attacks, which focused attention on the threat of European fighters for the Islamic State who filtered back to their home countries with the intent of committing acts of terrorism. A Kuwaiti blogger who fled the country received Sunday a five-year prison sentence in absentia for insulting United Arab Emirates (UAE). A criminal court indicted Abdullah Al-Saleh for insulting a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member, UAE. Al-Saleh has left the country for the United Kingdom where he filed an asylum application. The blogger has been handed sum sentences put at 31 years for other charges that have been pressed against him in different cases, reports say. The GCC member has criminalized attacks of its citizens against other members of the council. In 2016, former MP Mubarak Al Duwailah was sentenced to two years in prison for derogatory comments against the UAE he made in December 2014 in a television interview, news website Gulf Business reports. The previous year, Political activist Tariq al-Mutairi was arrested over allegations that he insulted Saudi Arabia. TEHRAN A man wielding a machete was shot on Monday while trying to enter the central Tehran offices of Irans president, Hassan Rouhani, in a surprising breach of security. The intruder, described by state-run news media as around 35 years old, wore a white martyrs shroud, a symbol in Shiite Islam signifying willingness to die for a cause. He brushed past a lone guard at the entrance of the presidential complex, a white, two-story building in central Tehran. He then attacked a second guard, who fired once into the air before shooting the assailant in the leg, the government news agency IRNA reported. The man was hospitalized. Mr. Rouhani was never in danger: He had left the building to attend a symposium on public transportation, local news media reported. The incident was unusual for Iran, where security is high, especially around the most important government buildings. Security was heightened even further in June, after two militants linked to the Islamic State simultaneously attacked the Parliament and the tomb of the founder of the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, killing 17 and wounding dozens. In 1980, when loggers for the Georgia Kraft Corp. cut a chestnut oak into logs they made a grim discovery. Lodged in a hollow stretch near the top of the tree was a mummified hunting dog. Rather than send the section of the tree on to the sawmill, the loggers donated it to Forest World, a tree museum in Waycross, Georgia. He has been a star attraction ever since. The dog, named (slightly insensitively) Stuckie after a 2002 naming contest, had apparently been in the tree for approximately 20 years before the loggers discovered him. Experts believe that he had probably chased after some small game, wedging himself into the hollow tree and climbing a whopping 28 feet up before getting stuck. Photo: YouTube screengrab People always ask me, How did he get in there?, said Brandy Stevenson, Forest Worlds manager, told Roadside America. And I always say, Well, he was a hound dog. Maybe he was after a coon. And then theyll say, Poor old thing. I feel so sorry for him.' How the hound became mummified inside the tree instead of rotting is a much more interesting question, though. Usually, when an organism dies, the microorganisms in the body are left unchecked by the biological processes that keep them under control in living creatures. They begin to consume the body, and then the gut microorganisms start the process of putrefaction. The corpse bloats and decays, attracting bacteria, fungi, insects and other animals come to eat the remains. They grow, they reproduce, and they start taking over the body, thats the disgusting part said Kristina Killgrove, a biological anthropologist at the University of West Florida Stuckie, however, was spared this fate, thanks to the nature of the trap that ultimately killed him. The factors that led to his mummification are explained on a plaque beside the Stuckie exhibit at the Forest World Museum: A chimney effect occurred in the hollow tree, resulting in an upward draft of air. This caused the scent of the dead animal to be carried away, which otherwise would have attracted insects and other organisms that feed on dead animals. The hollow tree also provided relatively dry conditions, and the tannic acid of the oak helped harden the animals skin. Tannin is a natural desiccant, a substance that absorbs moisture and dries out its surroundings. The low-moisture environment stopped the microbial activity, Killgrove explains, which meant no decay. Thus poor Stuckies body was preserved in a remarkably good condition. If you want to see Stuckie the mummified dog in person, you can find him at the Southern Forest World Museum and Environmental Center in Waycross, Georgia. The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 9 am to 2 pm. At first first sight, Alla Lebedeva farm doesnt seem very different fro all the other in Prigorodny, a small village in western Siberia. But then you notice one of her fluffy Siberian cats, and then another, and another and you being to realize why this place is popularly known as Koshlandia, or land of cats. 59-year-old Alla and her husband Sergey got their first cat in 2003, a beautiful Siberian feline called Babushka. A year later, she gave birth to five kittens and before long cats pretty much took over the whole farm. When people ask how many cats live in Koshlandia, Alla simply says a million, maybe more. Some sleep in the henhouse, some in the shed, others are chilling on the fence around the farm or on the roof of the farmhouse. Theyre pretty much everywhere, and thats just how Alla and Sergey like it. In fact, they are so proud of their cat paradise that they always take photos of the cats and post them on social media. Photo: Alla Lebedeva Youve probably seen some of Alla Lebedevas photos before, but were under the impression that the adorable coons were Norwegian cats. Thats because a couple of years ago, when the photos first went viral online, the cats were presented as Norwegian by a website that just lifted the pics without even giving Lebedeva credit. Photo: Alla Lebedeva A couple of years ago I noticed that my pictures had gone viral, Alla told the Siberian Times. At first I spotted my photos on some website about Norwegian cats they used my pics twice, without any credit and now they are going around the world as Norwegian cats. Photo: Alla Lebedeva Alla says that the many cats living in Koshlandia are divided into two main groups, one that goes out hunting and doesnt return for months, and another that stays put and live on whatever their humans masters feed them and any mice and rats brave enough to venture into the land of cats. Photo: Alla Lebedeva Our cats move about freely. In general, all rustic cats are unusual and differ from cats living in apartments, just like a rabbit differs from a hare. They are wild and independent, Alla said. In the summer our cats divide into two groups. Some of them go hunting somewhere and dont come home for months. All the female cats are always neat and sit at home. Apart from the photos and clips Alla Lebedeva posts on social media sites like Twiter, cat enthusiasts can also follow the adventures of Koshlandia cats on YouTube, where Alla regularly uploads new videos. If youre a cat person looking for other cool places to visit, I recommend checking out the Monastery of Saint Nicholas of the Cats, in Greece, or The Cat Boat, Amsterdams floating sanctuary for cats. We all have that one acquaintance who takes their pet everywhere with them, so from that standpoint, Lisa Foxcroft, of Merseyside, in North West England, isnt that special. But what does make her stand out is that her pet is actually a taxidermy fox cub named Baby Jesus. The two of them have been getting a lot of attention on Instagram lately, as you can imagine. Baby Jesus was apparently hit by a car as he was trying to cross the road, but he was (sort of) given a second chance at live with the help of taxidermy, and gifted to Foxcroft as a Christmas gift, by a friend. She named him Baby Jesus to celebrate the holiday, and before you start accusing her of blasphemy, you should know that Lisa considers a devout Catholic who respects all religious beliefs. Anyway, most people would probably wince at the sight of such an unusual Christmas present, but Lisa absolutely fell in love with Baby Jesus the moment she saw him, and theyve virtually inseparable for the past two years. Photo: babyjesusfox/Instagram I have had Baby Jesus for two years now, I signed the final adoption papers on New Years Eve 2015, Foxcroft told Metro.co.uk. He was a Christmas miracle, a magical gift from a friend, the gift that keeps on giving. I took naturally to being his mum because he is just a little baby, and I look after him and care for him as if he is my own. I do take him absolutely everywhere, and I do get some strange looks people often ask me what he is and why I have him, but once I explain his history and what hes about, people are really positive. They often ask to hold him and take selfies everyone has been really nice, the young woman added. A post shared by Lisa Foxcroft (@lisafoxy) on May 16, 2016 at 6:57am PDT Foxcroft, who is a vegan, says that she gets more backlash from the foxs name than the fact that she carries a taxidermy dead fox around with her. She makes a point to explain that the fox, as well as the other animals in her collection, are all ethically sourced. Baby Jesus was roadkill and unfortunately died accidentally, but hes been preserved instead of decomposing on the side of the road. I see taxidermy as art, preserving a beautiful animal, and I would never promote cruelty to animals in any way. At first people often just see a dead animal but it is more than that, its an art form which has developed since the ancient Egyptians. Foxcroft explained. People are a lot more conscious now about sourcing taxidermy animals ethically. Plus, I always take time to dress him nicely he has an outfit for every occasion and its difficult to dislike that, he always looks so lovely. A post shared by Baby Jesus (@babyjesusfox) on Oct 13, 2017 at 11:31am PDT Foxcroft dresses Baby Jesus up as famous people for his Instagram pics, particularly reality TV star Gemma Collins, claiming that the resemblance between them is uncanny. Baby Jesus has, however, posed as everyone from Big Bird to Princess Diana. This past Christmas Foxcrofts taxidermy family expanded with the addition of a badger called Ainsley, named after the British celebrity chef Ainsley Harriot. Ainsley was a gift from her new boyfriend, who Foxcroft made a connection to in a very fitting way. A post shared by Baby Jesus (@babyjesusfox) on Jun 17, 2017 at 11:57am PDT I went on a first date to a mouse taxidermy class in the Baltic Social [in Liverpool] we both taxidermied our own mice and made them tiny little costumes, the woman told Metro. Mine was playing a piano in a top hat and Michaels my now boyfriends was riding a penny-farthing bicycle with a pair of blue wings. Last Christmas he presented me with Ainsley, so its becoming a tradition Im excited for next Christmas!Its my ambition this year to meet Ainsley Harriot in real life, and take along Baby Jesus and Ainsley, the badger. You can follow along with Baby Jesuss adventures on Instagram. Nna Fanta Camara, a healer from Guinea, in Western Africa, was recently arrested for conning over 700 women into thinking they were pregnant by giving them a strange cocktail of plants and medicines that left them bloated for long periods of time. Women desperate to become pregnant would apparently seek Camaras help and pay her considerable amounts of money for herbal concoctions that the so-called healer claimed would help them bear children. The con artist would make her clients drink plant mixtures that caused vomiting and diarrhea, but she reassured the women that this was all part of the process. She made it specifically clear that they were not to go to the hospital to treat their symptoms, but rather see Etienne Balamou, a laboratory technician running a clandestine clinic in Conakry, who police say was her accomplice. In time, the strange remedy made some of the womens bellies become permanently bloated, making them think they were pregnant. Some reported looking pregnant for 12 to 16 months. Police believe Nna Fanta Camara is responsible for conning over 700 women, charging them $33 per visit. That may seem like a modest fee, but in Guinea, the average monthly salary is only around $48. But apart from cheating them out of the their hard-earned money, Camara also caused serious conjugal problems. Police Colonel Moussa Tiegboro, who led the investigation in this case, told journalists that over 150 women who had sought the healers help were convinced they were pregnant. 47 of them were taken for an ultrasound, and all of them were shocked to hear that they had no babies in their wombs. These womens husbands are impatient wating for them to give birth, and this can tear families apart, Tiegboro said. I wanted to reach out to the state to help these poor women, they have no hope, and their lives are at risk. Nna Fanta will be brought to justice. Its been a year now since we first went to see this woman, one of Camaras victims told the BBC. During our first visit, she gave us some medicines of leaves and herbs that made us vomit. She assured us that this was good for us. As one continues to take these medicines, the stomach starts to rise a bit. After a while, we visited again, she examined us by just touching our bellies and she declared us pregnant. Guinean authorities believe that Nna Fanta Camara is responsible for conning over 700 women aged 17 to 45 into thinking that they were pregnant, but the healer denies these accusations. She claims that she was merely trying to help, and that God is ultimately responsible for a woman falling pregnant I work very hard to help [the women] realize their dream but the rest is in the hands of God, Camara told reporters in Conakry. All these women came to see me for treatment. I asked them all if they believed in God before giving them the remedy, which they took themselves, voluntarily. Despite her denial, a court is expected to charge Camara with endangering peoples lives. Welcome to Monowi, Nebraska, population 1. According to 2010 U.S. Census data, Monowi is the only incorporated town in the country with only one resident. As the only person living in Monowi, 84-year-old Elsie Eiler, is the towns mayor, clerk, treasurer, librarian, bartender, among other functions. Every year she hangs a sign in the tavern advertising mayoral elections and then votes for herself. Federal law also requires her to produce a municipal road plan annually to secure state funding, and pay $500 in taxes to keep the water and electricity turned on. She also does the required paperwork to keep Monowis incorporated status and prevent it from becoming a ghost town. Photo: video screengrab When I apply to the state for my liquor and tobacco licenses each year, they send them to the secretary of the village, which is me, she told the BBC. So, I get them as the secretary, sign them as the clerk and give them to myself as the bar owner. Im happy here. I grew up here, Im used to this, and I know what I want. Eiler added. Back in the 1930s, Monowi was a stop on the Elkhorn Railroad with a bustling population of 150, three grocery shops, several restaurants, and even a prison. Eiler was raised on a farm on the outskirts of town and met her husband Rudy in primary school. After graduating from high school, Rudy enlisted in the US Air Force. While he served in the Korean War, Eiler moved to Kansas City to pursue work with an airline. Photo: Andrew Filer/Wikimedia Commons I went to work for an airline with the dream of becoming a stewardess, she told BBC. I didnt much care for the city; Monowi had always been home. Eiler married Rudy at 19, and they raised two children in Monowi. In 1971 the couple decided to reopen the tavern that had belonged to Eilers father. By the time the Monowi Tavern opened, however, the little town had begun its decline. After WWII, rural economies collapsed throughout the Midwest, and entire communities began to disappear from the US heartland. In 1960 the church held its last funeral for Eilers father, and then between 1967 and 1970 the post office and only remaining grocery store shut down. The school closed in 1974. In the mid-70s both of Eilers children moved away to find work, and by 1980 the towns population had plummeted to 18. Twenty years later Rudy and Eiler comprised the entire population of Monowi until Rudy passed away in 2004. We probably have the record by going down in population 50 percent, Eiler cheekily told Reuters. Despite living alone, Eiler says that she isnt lonely. Six days a week she opens the tavern at 9:00 am and spends 12 hours serving her regulars, most of whom she has known her whole life. Its like one big family, Eiler said. There are fourth- and fifth-generation customers coming in. Its pretty neat when the people you remember as babies are now bringing their babies in to show me. Aside from the tavern, there is one other public building in Monowi Rudys Library. An avid reader in life, Rudys dying wish was to turn his private collection into a public library. Monowi now has a tiny public library with a selection of over 5000 books and magazines. Eiler, naturally, serves as librarian. A key hangs in the tavern for anyone who wants to check something out, using the honor system to do so. When Rudy passed away, Monowi surpassed nearby Gross, Nebraska, (population: 2) to become the only incorporated town in the US with only one resident. In the 14 years since, visitors have come from all over the world to see the town and filled four guestbooks with signatures. Eiler has five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, from her two children. The closest of them live in Ponca, Nebraska, about 90 miles away, but others live as far away as the Netherlands. I know I could always move closer to my children or stay with them whenever I want, but then Id have to make all new friends again, Eiler said. As long as Im able to be here, this is where I really want to be. The Didu Cafe in Moscow, is one of the most interesting-looking cafes in the world. Its walls are covered with over 140,000 colorful plasticine figurines made by visitors over the years. Its also home to the largest plasticine Mona Lisa on Earth. The founder of Didu Cafe wanted to give patrons a chance to leave their mark on this place in a semi-permanent way, but also give them something to do while waiting for their food and drinks. Plasticine was the perfect solution. Its easy to work with, colorful and ends up looking good, or at least funny, even in the hands of someone with no artistic talents. So he placed boxes of plasticine on all the tables and started inviting guests to create small artworks out of it and decorate the walls and ceiling of the cafe with them. Today, Didu is home to over 140,000 plasticine artworks, from abstract designs and childish figurines, to popular symbols and even profane messages. Photo: Didu Cafe/Facebook Those who have visited Didu Cafe say that the walls, ceiling and even some of the furniture are almost completely covered with plasticine, so some of the older artworks have to be removed regularly to free up space for newer ones. But one artwork that will probably never be removed is the record-setting plasticine Mona Lisa behind the cafes bar. The impressive work of art was also created by visitors of the cafe, under the careful guidance of Russian artist Nikas Safronov. The project lasted a whole month and required around 120 kilograms of plasticine. It measures 103 centimetres in width and 160 in height, and was declared the worlds largest plasticine Mona Lisa by the Guinness Book of Records. Didu Cafe is very popular with both locals and tourists. On weekdays, patrons can enjoy a variety of European dishes and drinks, and late on weekends it usually hosts lively dance parties. But the unusual decor is definitely the main draw. One thing you should consider before booking a table at Didu the next time youre in Moscow is the smell. According to some reports, due to the dozens of kilograms of plasticine covering the walls and ceiling of this place, the whole place has a certain smell. SO if you didnt enjoy the smell of plasticine as a child, this may not be the place for you. The unique looking cafe is reminiscent of popular tourist attractions in the US, like the colorful Bubble Gum Wall of Seattle, with its layers of old chewed-up bubble gum molded into various designs. Sources: Resto-Klub, Timeout Equatorial Guineas President Teodoro Obiang Nguema dissolved his government, the powers of the prime minister and his three deputies, a decree read out on state television over the weekend said. The move comes a month after authorities in the oil-rich nation said they foiled an overnight attempt to overthrow the government of Africas longest-serving leader, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasago. According to Malabo, some 31 mercenaries were arrested in southern Cameroon as they attempted to enter the country apparently to help execute the overthrow. It is unclear if the weekends move is related to the coup. The dissolved government team was formed in June 2016 after the presidential elections won by the current president. The new government team will be announced in the coming days, the presidential decree said. The ruling Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) won 99 of the parliaments 100 seats last year. The PDGE party last year re-elected President Teodoro Obiang-Nguema as head of the party for an indefinite term, meaning the 74-year-old leader could potentially become president of the Central African oil-producer for life. "10 per cent government, Mafias, Ease of murder": PM Modi's barbs against Siddaramaiah government India oi-Anusha "We are working towards Ease of living but Congress government in Karnataka is pushing Ease of murder," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his rally in Bengaluru on Sunday. Addressing the first official election campaign ahead of Karnataka Assembly elections 2018, PM Modi made scathing attacks on Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka. The BJP in Karnataka has been highlighting murders of purported Hindu activists, the collapse of law and order situation ahead of the assembly elections. PM Modi's speech set the premise for election agenda for the BJP levelling allegations of corruption against the Congress government. "The way BJP workers are being killed, the people should respond to it by means of votes," Prime Minister Modi appealed. While the world is talking about 'Ease of Doing Business' and 'Ease of Living', Karnataka has become notorious for 'Ease of Doing Murders'. Give Congress party a befitting reply through your votes : PM @narendramodi #KarnatakaTrustsModi pic.twitter.com/1kk5UtDP8R BJP (@BJP4India) February 4, 2018 "10 per cent commission government" is how PM Modi described the Congress government in Karnataka. "Congress government in Karnataka is inventing novel ways to corruption. Commission scams are rampant here and the standard is 10 per cent. No work is possible without commission. This is a 10 per cent commission government," the Prime Minister said. He did not forget to involve the controversial steel flyover project. "Had the people not resisted the steel flyover, crores would have been swallowed by big people with big plans," PM Modi said. While accusing the Congress of corruption, PM Modi refused to speak about BJP's five-year rule in the state between 2008 and 2013 when allegations of corruption and nepotism drove then Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to jail. The Prime Minister, while assuring a better government under BJP, alleged that sand mafia, steel mafia and the like thrived under the Congress government. Tomato, Potato, Onion- Farmer my TOP priority says Modi The BJP on Sunday had managed to gather a crowd exceeding one lakh to the Prime Minister's rally. After being pulled up for a poor turnout for BJP National President Amit Shah's rally during the inauguration of the Parivarthana yatra, the BJP was under pressure to gather large crowds for Sunday's rally. BJP's IT cell visited tech parks across the state to register techies to participate in the massive rally. 11,000 techies had registered to be part of the rally apart from thousands of people from every district of the state. MLAs, ticket aspirants for the upcoming elections, MLCs and district-wise leaders were assigned the duty of gathering people for the rally. Karnataka Assembly Election dates Date of notification April 17 Last date to file nominations April 24 Last date to withdraw nominations April 27 Date of polling May 12 Date of counting May 15 OneIndia News 64 percent of antibiotics sold in India are illegal, finds UK study India oi-Deepika By Deepika Millions of unapproved antibiotics are being sold in India and this has posed a threat to the international efforts to control antibiotic resistance, finds a UK study. The study done by the researchers at Queen Mary University of London and Newcastle University found that of 118 different formulations of fixed dose combination (FDC) antibiotics being sold in India between 2007 and 2012, 64% were not approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) - even though sale or supply of unapproved new medicines in India is illegal. The study, states that this could worsen the growing problem of antibiotic resistance in India and is a severe blow to the efforts made globally to fight antimicrobial resistance. India has among the highest rates globally of antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic consumption, and parliamentary investigations have highlighted failures of the country's drug regulatory system, researchers said. "Selling unapproved, unscrutinised antibiotics undermines measures in India to control antimicrobial resistance," said Patricia McGettigan, from Queen Mary University of London in the UK. "Multinational companies should explain the sale of products in India that did not have the approval of their own national regulators and, in many cases, did not even have the approval of the Indian regulator," said McGettigan, lead author of the study. Of 118 different formulations of FDCs being sold in India between 2007 and 2012, the team found that 64 per cent (75) were not approved by the national drugs regulator, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), even though the sale of unapproved new medicines is illegal in India. Only five of the formulations were approved in the UK or US. The 118 FDC formulations gave rise to over 3300 brand-named products made by almost 500 pharmaceutical manufacturers, including multinational companies. By 2011-12, FDCs made up a third of total antibiotic sales in India, yet 34.5 per cent of these sales (comprising 300 million Units) were unapproved formulations. Many of the FDCs combined two antimicrobials, often poorly chosen and likely to exacerbate resistance problems. The study also found that multinational companies manufactured nearly 20 per cent of the FDCs and SDFs sold. Twenty FDC formulations manufactured by multinational companies had no record of CDSCO approval, and only four of the fifty three FDC formulations made in India by multinational companies had UK or US regulatory approval. Some of the manufacturers who produce 45% of the 188 FDCs under 148 brand names are: Abbott, Astra Zeneca, Baxter, Bayer, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmith-Kline, Merck/MSD, Novartis and Pfizer. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 5, 2018, 17:26 [IST] Ahead of big Cauvery verdict, tense atmosphere in Karnataka, TN India oi-Vicky By Vicky With the Cauvery Waters verdict round the corner, the atmosphere is tense in both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The verdict is expected to be delivered before the end of this month by the Supreme Court of India. In Karnataka the verdict is being watched very closely as the polls are round the corner. An unfavourable verdict would put the Congress in Karnataka in a spot of bother as it relies heavily on the votes in the Cauvery belt. Recently Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, E Palanisami had sought for a meeting with his Karnataka counterpart Siddaramaiah. With the DMK launching an attack on the ruling AIADMK, this meeting for Palanisami had become important. However Siddaramaiah has not met with Palanisami as yet. He said that he was pre-occupied with the Karnataka state budget which is slated to be presented on February 16 2018. Karnataka's water resources minister, M B Patil had told reporters that Karnataka is in no position to release any water to Tamil Nadu. He said that TN had already received 113 TMC feet so far which is more than the stipulated amount under the distress formula. On the meeting between the two CMs, Congress spokesperson and one of the advocates on the Cauvery panel in the Supreme Court, Brijesh Kalappa said that no meeting would take place before the verdict. We are expecting 470 tmcft of water for Karnataka in the final award as against the 270 tmcft given by the tribunal, Kalappa also said. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 5, 2018, 6:48 [IST] Why do you hate Nehru so much? Sanjay Raut asks Centre Are our missiles just for exhibiting at the Rajpath? Shiv Sena on Pakistan ceasefire violation India oi-Deepika By Deepika Attacking the government over the repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut called for a show of force against India's western neighbour after four Indian soldiers were killed in mortar shelling in Bhimber Gali sector on Sunday. "Pakistan has used missiles in attacking our jawans yesterday, Are our missiles just for exhibiting and gathering applause at the Rajpath? Are they just for showing to the foreign heads on January 26?" Raut told news agency ANI. A young Army Captain and three army soldiers were martyred while at least four persons were injured after Pakistan troops resorted to heavy shelling across the Line of Control in Poonch and Rajaouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. It was the second time in three days that the Pakistani Army has targeted Poonch, using automatic weapons and mortars. They targeted military and civilian facilities in nearly a dozen areas of the Balakote sector last week. Those killed were identified as Captain Kapil Kundu, 22, Rifleman Ramavatar, 28, Rifleman Subham Singh, 22 and Havilder Roshan Lal, 42. Indian forces say there have been over 130 instances of ceasefire violations by Pakistan last month, the highest since 2014. At least 14 people including eight civilians and six security personnel had been killed in Pakistan firing in the Jammu region between January 18 and 22. More than 60 people were injured and dozens of homes were damaged and burnt down in the firing. In 2017, there were 860 ceasefire violations along the LoC, including 147 in December. There were 271 ceasefire violations in 2016, a climbdown from 387 violations in 2015. OneIndia News Nagaland to impose partial lockdown from April 30 to May 14: Here's what will stay shut and open As BJP, Congress spar over Naga accord, political stalemate continues in Nagaland India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Kohima, Feb 5: This election season, it is all about Naga peace accord in the hill state of Nagaland. The Assembly elections in Nagaland are slated on February 27. Other two northeastern states--Meghalaya and Tripura too are going to vote for new assemblies in their states on February 27 and February 18 respectively. After the recent election boycott declaration by all the 11 major political parties in the state (including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress), political uncertainty continues in the state. However, later the state unit of the saffron party decided to take part in the polls following instructions from the party's "high command" in Delhi. Soon, the Congress and the Naga People's Front (NPF) too indicated that they too would be a part of the polls, thus making the entire boycott of elections a flop show. The decision to boycott the elections was based on the popular sentiment that the Centre should first resolve the seven-decade long Naga political problem before conducting elections for the 13th state legislative assembly. In fact, the BJP has announced that it would contest the upcoming Nagaland state elections with the newly-formed Nationalist Democratic People's Party (NDPP). On Sunday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the proposed Naga peace accord--a draft peace deal signed between the centre and an armed rebel group- for stability and peace in the region. "August 2015, Mr Modi claims to create history by signing the NAGA accord. Feb 2018, Naga Accord is still nowhere to be found. Modi ji is the first ever Indian PM whose words don't mean anything. #CantFindTheAccord," Rahul tweeted. In August 2015, the Narendra Modi government signed an accord with the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland, after nearly two decades of peace talks to end the insurgency. Under the broad framework of the peace settlement, the Naga leadership has given up its demand for integration of the Naga inhabited areas under one administration, and has accepted the primacy of the Indian Constitution. After Rahul's jibe over the Naga accord, the BJP has hit back at the Congress for failing to resolve the Nagaland political dispute during its decades-long regime at the Centre. "He is conveniently forgetting that the party that ruled for at least 50 years in India. It is their doing and baggage. In fact, the improvement in the security situation in the Northeast now was never so in the last 50-60 years. Why wasn't it? That is a question the Congress needs to answer," MoS Jeetendra Singh told ANI. "If there was unrest in the region before, there might have been political greed behind. They have to answer this question instead of commenting on our three years of work," he added. BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi termed Rahul's jibe a failed attempt to turn the tide in the upcoming assembly election in Nagaland. "The Congress is losing in Nagaland and it is very, very apparent from the tweet which Gandhi has coined," Lekhi said. Lekhi also said the Congress is on ground zero in Nagaland and is merely seeking attention in a state in which it is almost wiped out. Nagaland Assembly Party 2013 Current Standing NPF 38 45 Election Date : Feb 27 2018 Counting : Mar 03 2018 IND 08 08 CONG 08 00 NCP 04 01 BJP 01 04 JDU 01 01 OTHERS 00 00 Total 60 59 (1 Vacant) OneIndia News Tripura: Out of 150 samples tested at least 90 are positive for the Delta plus variant Congress goes missing, as Left, BJP fight to win Tripura polls India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Agartala, Feb 5: The northeastern state, Tripura, has long been the bastion of the Left. In fact, Kerala and Tripura are the only two states in India where the Left is in power; otherwise the communist parties have been completely wiped out of India. As the Left tries to save Tripura from slipping away from its hands amid growing clout of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), strangely in the poll-bound state the Congress takes a backstage. The elections in the state are scheduled on February 18. The two other northeastern states--Meghalaya and Nagaland are also going to polls in February. The Assembly elections in Nagaland and Meghalaya are slated on February 27. The election results of all the three northeastern states will be declared on March 3. All the three states have 60-member assemblies. Political experts say the upcoming Assembly election in Tripura is going to witness a fight between the CPM-led Left Front and the BJP. The state had in the past witnessed an electoral battle between the CPM and the Congress. Sudip Roy Burman, former state Congress president and an MLA who had joined the BJP, said, "The Congress was not serious about fighting the CPI(M)" and claimed that the BJP would defeat the Marxists in the Assembly poll. Burman, who headed the state Congress in 2013 Assembly election, told PTI, "In 2013, the CPI(M) had faced strong anti-incumbency but the Congress central leadership had helped the CPM in the state clandestinely for enjoying the party's support in Parliament". CPM politburo member Prakash Karat also admitted that this time it is a contest between the Left Front and the BJP in the February election. "All the earlier elections in the state were fought between the Left Front and the Congress but this time, it is a contest between the BJP and the Left Front as Congress leaders and supporters had joined the saffron party", Karat had stated at an election meeting in South Tripura on Friday. Six Congress MLAs including Burman had crossed over to the BJP. "We are forced to join the BJP as we found that the Congress is not serious about fighting the CPM", Burman said. Tripura Congress vice-president, Tapas Dey said, "A communal party like the BJP became so strong in the state due to the misrule and partisan behaviour of the CPM". The CPM never fulfilled the justified demands of the people, he said and alleged, "The CPM has a vindictive attitude towards people who do not support them." CPM spokesperson Gautam Das said, Tripura is a model state in the country in terms of development. "The pro-people programmes of the Left Front government, especially for the poor and the working class, would bring it back to power," he said. To garner the tribal vote which constituted around 31 percent in the state, the BJP has stitched an alliance with the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT). "The alliance between the BJP and the IPFT will make a strong impact in the 20 tribal reserve constituencies," said Mrinal Kanti Deb, BJP spokesperson. Karat had, however, alleged that the IPFT is the mask of insurgents, who had killed people of the state a decade-and- a-half ago. The BJP forging an alliance with such a party was tantamount to "sedition", the senior CPM leader had said. That the BJP is very serious in wresting power from the CPM is evident from the list of its star campaigners like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president Amit Shah and a galaxy of party leaders who will campaign for party candidates in Tripura. Cautioning the people in the state, Karat had said, "The Assembly election in the state is important not only for Tripura, but for entire India, as it would show which way the country would move". Amid all these politically-charged statements made by the top leadership of the BJP and the Left, Congress president Rahul Gandhi's deafening silence over Tripura polls speaks volumes about the grand old party's lost ground in the northeastern state. Tripura Assembly Party 2013 Current Standing CPIM 49 50 Election Date : Feb 18 2018 Counting : Mar 03 2018 CONG 10 02 CPI 01 01 BJP 00 06 OTHERS 00 00 Total 60 59 (1 Vacant) OneIndia News Congress questions PM Modi's silence over Chinese fighter jets in Tibet India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Congress party on Monday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence over increasing Chinese military presence in Tibet. Opposition Congress went all gun blazing against the Centre after report by a private television on Chinese fighter jets in Tibet. Tiem Now reported that "A recent intelligence note says that in January 2017, "the number of fighters is between 47 and 51 in the last three weeks. This number is higher by approximately 10 aircraft in comparison to the previous year." Congress tweeted, "Chinese provocation doesn't end with Doklam. Chinese are upping the ante in Tibet as well. Why is the Govt in denial over the issue? Why doesn't Modi Govt reveal the true picture to the nation? Is our country safe? #Dhokalam." Social Media & Digital Communications head of Congress, Ramya/Divya Spandan posed series of questions to the Centre. Times Now and Republic had called Mr. Gandhis word play on Doklam as anti-national. NOW, Times Now has finally woken up to the fact that there is a "Dokha" and has used the term in its breaking news story which was subsequently pulled off air. Lets talk #Dhokalam @TimesNow pic.twitter.com/LRlb7lxu7D Divya Spandana/Ramya (@divyaspandana) February 5, 2018 Ramya asked, "Important point is, 10 years ago, there were actually no Chinese fighters in Tibet during the winter. Every year, there has been an increase in the number from 4 to 6 to 8. We are now looking at 47 to 51 in this last one month alone. Now the question is why- #Dhokalam." In August 2017, India and China agreed to "expeditious disengagement" of border personnel at the face-off site in Doklam following diplomatic communications. Troops of the two countries had been locked in a standoff in Doklam since June 16 after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the disputed area. OneIndia News Delhi: Kejriwal meets Ankit Saxena's family India oi-Vikas By Vikas Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday met the family members of Ankit Saxena, who was stabbed to death in west Delhi's Khyala area on February 1. Kejriwal had on Sunday spoken to Ankit's father Yashpal Saxena and assured the family that his government would make all possible efforts to ensure they get justice. The 23-year-old Ankit was stabbed to death by the family members of his girlfriend, whom he had been dating for three years. He was murdered in the most brutal fashion even as his parents begged and pleaded before the killers, the eyewitnesses told the police. Ankit Saxena was in love with a woman called Shehzadi. Her parents were opposed to the relationship. The Ankit Saxena murder was meticulously planned by his girlfriend's mother, the probe revealed. She had intentionally created a road rage like situation before killing the Delhi photographer. [Ankit Saxena murder: How girlfriend's mother meticulously planned the killing] "We want justice. Murderers of my son should get the death sentence. I am an ordinary man and I have no resources to fight the case. If the Delhi government helps us in getting best advocates and making a strong case, I will be thankful," reports quoted Ankit's father as saying. All four accused were sent to judicial custody on Saturday in connection with the case. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 5, 2018, 19:23 [IST] Delhi saw just 10 rainy days in August; air quality worsened British-era tunnel connecting Delhi Assembly to Red Fort found: Know its significance Plea in Delhi High Court to declare awarding gallantry medals system to armed forces \"arbitrary\" Delhi: Wanted criminal with Rs 70,000 reward held after encounter India oi-Madhuri An encounter took place between police and a criminal in Delhi's Okhla Mandi area in the early morning hours on Monday. Criminal carrying a reward of Rs 70,000 was arrested following exchange of fire. The criminal has been identified as Tanvir aka Munnavar from Okhla Mandi area. Tanvir was accused of killing two boys in National Capital's Barhmpuri and Vijayapark areas last year. Both the killings were caught on CCTV camera. Several members of this gang have been arrested after 2017 double murder, but he had managed to give police a slip till today. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 5, 2018, 8:16 [IST] A Look back at CMs who completed full 5-year term in history of Karnataka Dont forget Kannada Swabhiman, Siddaramaiah tells BSY India oi-Vicky By Vicky A Twitter battle between a Chief Minister and a chief ministerial candidate was one of the highlights of Sunday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Bengaluru on Sunday to address the valedictory of the Parivartana Yatra. A few hours before Modi arrived, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah welcomed him with a tweet. He welcomed the PM to the most progressive state which is also the top in investments and job creations. B S Yeddyurappa however decided to hit back and in a tweet said that Karnataka is the number 1 corrupt state. Siddaramaiah however decided to hit back at Yeddyurappa and called his statement a great irony. " Says a man who presided over India's biggest mining scam during his rule. Only a person totally lacking in Kannada Swabhiman can call Karnataka, one of the most progressive states in India as the number 1 corrupt state," Siddaramaiah said. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 5, 2018, 7:07 [IST] A special international court in the Nigerien capital Niamey has started the trial of eighty-one people accused of fighting for militant Boko Haram. The suspects came from three countries of the Lake Chad region, namely Niger, Nigeria and Chad. The public court sitting, which started last week, is the first of its kind after closed-door trials of suspected insurgents were criticized by human rights groups. Amnesty International said in a June 2015 report that more than 20,000 people had been arbitrarily arrested as part of the fight against Boko Haram. All the defendants have been detained since Boko Haram, which means no to western education, launched its campaign eight years ago. The near decade-long bid to create a caliphate in Nigeria has left about 20,000 dead and uprooting nearly 3 million in the Lake Chad region. According to Reuters, the Niamey court will hear 22 separate cases in 10 days, following the trial of nearly 300 people on similar charges last year. In all, nearly 1,000 people are expected to come before the court. A regional joint-troop last year wrested back large swaths of territory from the group. However, Boko Haram has killed nearly 400 people in a spate of suicide bombings last year using women and children. According to United Nations, violent extremism in Africa has killed more than 33,000 people over the last six years and caused widespread displacement. New Gujarat CM needs to be popular, experienced and acceptable to all: DyCM Nitin Patel Gujarat: Celebratory firing leaves youth dead India pti-PTI Ahmedabad, Feb 5: A 21-year-old youth was killed after a revolver misfired during a wedding celebration at Rampara village in Surendranagar district, Gujarat, last night, said police. The victim, Hitesh Vaghel (21), died instantly after a bullet pierced his chest while he was trying to fire a revolver during a wedding procession, said Police Sub Inspector MJ Jadeja of Joravarnagar police station. Police investigations have revealed that the licensed revolver belonged to Vanraj Vadhel, a relative of the deceased. "Both Vanraj and Hitesh were relatives. When the groom's procession was about to reach the wedding venue, Hitesh borrowed Vanraj's licensed revolver, may be to fire in the air to celebrate the moment. However, the gun misfired, killing Hitesh instantly," said Jadeja. Following the incident, a case was registered against Vanraj under section 304 (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code and under relevant sections of the Arms Act, the official said. He added that Vanraj fled the scene after the incident and police teams were looking for him. PTI Sheena Bora murder: Peter Mukerjea walks out after spending four years in jail CBI gets 2-day custody of Indrani Mukerjea in INX Media case India oi-Deepika By Deepika A Delhi court on Monday sent Indrani Mukerjea, prime accused in Sheena Bora murder case to two days' CBI custody in connection with the INX Media case. Special CBI Judge Sunil Rana allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to interrogate Indrani for two days after the agency sought three days custody and directed that she be brought before it on February 7. During the proceedings, the probe agency submitted before the court that Indrani has to be questioned and confronted with other accused in the case. It said that during an earlier interrogation in the matter, it was revealed that further investigation requires her custodial interrogation. There is voluminous record in the case and permission to interrogate had been granted earlier also, the CBI said. However, the Mumbai Police told the court that Indrani has to be produced before a Mumbai court on February 13 and cannot be kept in Delhi beyond that. A Mumbai Court on Friday allowed a production warrant against Indrani from Delhi's Patiala House Court after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) told the court that there were discrepancies in the income tax details of INX Media. A special court for the ED cases in Delhi had directed that she be produced before it. The ED has registered a case against INX Media, its founders Peter Mukerjea, former media baron and his wife Indrani, and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). ED sleuths had interrogated Indrani and Peter Mukejrea in prison here last year. INX Media has been accused of violating Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) guidelines while receiving investments from Mauritius. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram's son Karti is also an accused in the case, which relates to FIPB approval granted in 2006 for receipt of funds by INX Media. The anti-money laundering agency has claimed that Karti Chidambaram received money from INX Media to use his influence for grant of FIPB approval when his father was the Union finance minister. The Mukerjeas are facing a trial in Mumbai for conspiring to kill Sheena Bora, Indrani's daughter from an earlier relationship, in April 2012. OneIndia News (with PTI inputs) Its van politics for BJP in poll-bound Meghalaya India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Shillong, Feb 5: Meghalaya is not Madhya Pradesh for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), definitely. To end the Congress raj (rule) in the hill state (the Congress is ruling Meghalaya for the last 15 years), the saffron party is leaving no stone unturned. After Assam in 2016 and Manipur in 2017, the BJP aspires to capture Meghalaya in the 2018 state Assembly elections. Meghalaya is voting for a new Assembly on February 27. While Assembly elections in Nagaland are slated on February 27 along with Meghalaya, Tripura is voting for a new Assembly on February 18. The election results of all the three northeastern states will be declared on March 3. All the three states have 60-member assemblies. In order to woo voters, the Meghalaya BJP has employed 30 vans to spread the saffron party's message across the length and breadth of the state. Flag-off of the Publicity vans by Shri @NalinSKohli pic.twitter.com/3mpcKdhErB BJP Meghalaya (@BJP4Meghalaya) February 3, 2018 All the BJP vans look very colourful as they have been decorated with posters bearing party symbol (Lotus), photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief Amit Shah and other leaders. The vans also have LED TV in them. The vans carry the BJP's biggest message for Meghalaya with posters having the party's election slogan--"Time for change, time for BJP". The BJP is aiming to win 40 seats in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly. In the Congress-ruled state, the saffron party has no MLAs in the current state Assembly. Earlier in January, BJP party president Shah was in Meghalaya. Prior to that PM Modi was in the state in December last year where he inaugurated Shillong-Nongstoin-Rongjeng-Tura Road. During the event, Modi attacked the ruling Congress government for allegedly ruining the state during its 15 years regime. "The wave for change, which began with the Assam elections, is now reaching Meghalaya. This state can do wonders. Fifteen years of Congress rule has ruined Meghalaya," the PM said. Recently, Congress president Rahul Gandhi was in the hill state for a two-day visit. In the recent times, the Congress has witnessed a mini-rebellion of sort after five of its MLAs resigned from the state Assembly and joined the National People's Party (NPP) and two other legislators moved to the BJP and the newly formed People's Democratic Front (PDF). The Congress is facing strong anti-incumbency wave in Meghalaya. However, the BJP, the party known as a Hindu outfit, does not resonate well with the voters in the Christian-dominated state. Last year, the party faced flak in the state for planning to introduce pan-India ban on the sale of cattle for slaughter. Meghalaya Assembly Party 2013 Current Standing CONG 29 24 Election Date : Feb 27 2018 Counting : Mar 03 2018 IND 13 09 UDP 08 07 HSPDP 04 04 NPP 02 02 NCP 02 02 BJP 00 02 GNC 01 00 NESDP 01 01 OTHERS 00 00 Total 60 51 (9 Vacant) OneIndia News In the Talibans victory at Kabul, Al-Qaeda has a loud message on Jammu and Kashmir Anti-national activities': J&K cops release videos of what transpired at Geelani home after Pak flag row J&K: Pakistan ceasefire violations force 84 schools in Rajouri to close India oi-Madhuri Around 84 schools were closed as a precautionary measure after Pakistan violated ceasefire in Jammu & Kashmir's Rajouri sector on Sunday. Four Army personnel were killed and another injured during the ceasefire violation. Jammu & Kashmir: 84 schools closed as a precautionary measure after Pakistan violated ceasefire in Rajouri sector yesterday. Four Army personnel lost their lives & one was injured in the ceasefire violation; Latest visuals from Manjakote area pic.twitter.com/k8n9IGVBox ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 Talking to ANI, Rajouri DC SI Choudhary said the security forces have pressed into action it's emergency evacuation teams. Choudhary said people will be shifted to relief camps in case of emergency. Ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in January this year are already up to 134 according to data with the Ministry of Defence. With 860 ceasefire violation recorded in 2017, January recorded the highest number of ceasefire violations along the LoC in 14 years. OneIndia News Cannot order for use of traditional remedies like Red Ant Chutney as cure for COVID-19: SC Judge Loya hearing in SC heats up again: Let us not reduce court to fish market says Chandrachud India oi-Vicky By Vicky Things turned ugly in the Supreme Court during the hearing of the judge Loya case. The hearing in the case continued on Monday and there were some heated arguments. During the course of the arguments, Justice Chandrachud warned counsel Dushyant Dave. You cannot shout me down. You have to listen to the judge, he said. Dave responded by saying, I will not listen to you. To which Justice Chandrachud replied, " then we will not listen to you." Dave then said, Harish Salve who appeared for Amit Shah is not appearing for the Maharashtra government in the PIL. Salve is now protecting Shah, he said. He went on to say that a PIl was filed to sabotage the petitions in the Bombay High Court. The counsel for the petitioner Pallav Sisodia took offence and said, ' you can go to hell or heaven, we do not care. He even said Salve is capable of looking after himself. Justice Chandrachud said, ' we had appeared as juniors in this court. But now the dialogue has degenerated so much that it has become oppresive. Dave responded, "I will tell you what is oppressive. Salve appearing for Shah and now for the Maharashtra government. That is oppression.' Justice Chandrachud said let us not reduce the level of dialogue in this court to that of a fish market. have regard to the portraits of the judges in this room. You have a conscience, Dave said to which Justice Chandrachud replied, "please w know how to listen to our conscience." He further said that irrespective of the banter from both sides, we will hear every aspect. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 5, 2018, 17:06 [IST] Karnataka polls: "Modi is morally unfit to be PM": Siddaramaiah lashes out India oi-Anusha By Anusha Ravi Narendra Modi is unfit to be Prime Minister says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah | Oneindia News A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused Siddaramaiah government of corruption, the Karnataka Chief Minister lashed out, deeming Modi unfit to be Prime Minister. Responding to PM Modi's allegations during the conclusion of the Parivartana yatra, Siddaramaiah said that the Prime Minister was facilitating corruption. "PM Modi has only peddled lies about our government. He didn't speak like a Prime Minister. He is facilitating and supporting corruption. In my opinion he is morally unfit to be Prime Minister," Siddaramaiah said on Monday. While Narendra Modi limited his allegations to Congress government as an entity, Siddaramaiah charged directly at the Prime Minister, essentially positioning himself as the opponent to take on directly in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018. In a no holds barred attack, Siddaramaiah said that the countdown to dethrone Modi government had begun. Dear @narendramodi , being the PM of the country your words should carry high credibility. I would therefore request you to substantiate your allegation corruption & misgovernance are rampant with facts. Let us fight this election with dignity & based on #justfacts . https://t.co/D9gHyxWr61 Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) February 5, 2018 "How many ever rallies he (PM Modi) holds and how many ever communal riots Amit Shah engineers, people of Karnataka have already made up their minds to vote Congress back to power. The countdown for Modi government has in fact begun," Siddaramaiah said. The Karnataka chief minister questioned PM Modi's silence over corruption charges against B S Yeddyurappa, Mahadayi row, Ananth Kumar Hegde's statements over changing the constitution. "Karnataka contributes 38 per cent to country's total IT & BT exports. We stand number 1 in silk production and investments. Karnataka was the first state to announce a multisector startup policy, introduce online marketing in 157 APMCs which has led to 38 per cent increase in farmer incomes," Siddaramaiah said quoting a NITI aayog report, in an attempt to puncture PM Modi's questions over development in Karnataka under the Congress government. PM Modi during his speech had referred to Siddaramaiah government as a "10 per cent commission government", a claim that Siddaramaiah, accompanied by a host of ministers including U T Khader, K J George, Roshan Baig, D K Shivakumar, Ramalinga Reddy, vehemently opposed in a press conference on Monday. "Taxes collected from Karnataka amount to 9.47 per cent of total tax- the third highest across the country- but we only get 4.65 per cent as our share," Siddaramaiah said countering claims of PM Modi that the union government had given the state close to Rs 2 lakh crore. "According to 14th finance commission, in the last three years, Karnataka should have received Rs 95,200 crores but we have received only Rs 84500 crore. They (BJP) lie about giving Rs 2 lakh crore," the Karnataka Chief Minister said. OneIndia News Could not say no to Pulwama terrorists, they were armed and dangerous Kashmir suicide bomber case turns out to a hoax India oi-Vicky By Vicky The Pune girl who was detained on the suspicion that she was a suicide bomber has been released by the Jammu and Kashmir police. It was found during the investigation that the girl said to be allegedly radicalised by the Islamic State had reached Kashmir to marry a local boy. They had met on the social media. The detention was a clear case of misinterpretation of an intelligence alert by the Central agencies. The case was dismissed as a hoax following investigation. She was questioned by the police for 10 days at the Rambagh women police station. During the probe nothing incriminating was found on her. She was allowed to leave with her mother after it was found that the suicide bomber theory was a hoax. When she was detained ahead of Republic Day, it was alleged that she had arrived in the Valley with an intention of carrying out a blast. The Kashmir range Inspector General, Muneer Khan had said that it would be premature to declare her as a suicide bomber without proper investigation. The Maharashtra police too had said that there was no case registered against. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 5, 2018, 6:53 [IST] Kerala sex slave case: NIA arrests main accused Riyaz India oi-Vicky By Vicky The National Investigation Agency has made a crucial arrest in connection with the Kerala sex slave case. It arrested one Muhammad Riyaz, the prime accused from the Chennai International Airport. It may be recalled that the NIA had registered a case against nine persons following a complaint by a Gujarat based lady. She had alleged that she was forcibly converted to Islam and an attempt was made to sell her off to the Islamic State in Syria as a sex slave. The case was originally registered by the Kerala Police on December 13 2017 against nine accused persons and their unknown associates, based on a complaint received by the SP, Ernakulam Rural from the victim, who is a native of Pathanamthitta district, Kerala but presently residing in Gujarat state. The victim has stated in the complaint that Muhammed Riyaz, pursuant to the criminal conspiracy hatched with co- accused and their unknown associates had lured her, raped her, recorded her objectionable videos, threatened her, forcefully converted her to Islam and married her by creating forged documents. She has also alleged that she was taken to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia by the accused persons with the intention of further transporting her to Syria. Riyaz was detained at Chennai International Airport on his arrival from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Consequently, NIA investigators at Chennai had verified his identity and seized two mobile phones besides one pen drive from the accused, before summoning him to Kochi, for further examination. The accused reported to NIA Branch Office, Kochi and was examined in detail regarding the incriminating facts appearing against him, before he was arrested. OneIndia News NIA arrests 2 hawala operatives in Lashkar-e-Tayiba funding case India oi-Vicky By Vicky Two alleged hawala operatives were arrested by the National Investigation Agency from Uttar Pradesh on the charge that they were helping the Lashkar-e-Tayiba channelise funds. The duo have been identified as Dinesh Garg and Adesh Jain. The NIA alleged that they had been channelising funds from the UAE for the Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorists in India. The development came in the wake of the arrest of an alleged Lashkar-e-Tayiba sympathiser, Mahfooz Alam being arrested in Bihar. During his questioning he led the NIA to Garg and Jain. He said that the duo had helped him bring in the money through hawala channels from the UAE. He is the fourth accused person arrested in this case. The other three accused arrested in this include Shaikh Abdul Naeem, Dhannu Raja and Touseef Ahmed Malik. Mahfooz Alam had facilitated and provided logistic, financial support and shelter to the co-accused Naeem. He had also visited and established bases in Bihar, Odisha, U.P and Jammu and Kashmir on the advice of his handler Abdul. Mahfooz also facilitated raising, receiving and collecting fund by the co-accused Shaikh Abdul Naeem through International Money Transfer Services such as Western Union Money Transfer by providing his identity documents. These funds were to be later used for carrying out the terrorist activities by Shaikh Abdul Nayeem. From Garg the NIA recovered Rs 15 lakh in cash, a pistol, two note counting machines, a laptop and mobile phone. From Jain, the NIA recovered Rs 32.84 lakh in cash along with a Chinese pistol and records of foreign hawala traders. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 5, 2018, 6:16 [IST] Is it time to write obituary for physical banks? NITI Aayog CEO Kant says so Amitabh Kant to be NITI Aayog CEO for 2 more years India's power is truly represented by its sustained economic growth: NITI Aayog CEO Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant gets extension India oi-Vikas By Vikas Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant was on Monday given an extension till June 30, 2019. Kant, a 1980 batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre, was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog on February 17, 2016 for a two-year term. His extension order was issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday evening. Before he became Secretary in the ministry of DIPP in the Ministry of Commerce, he was CEO of ambitious industrial project Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), which is being funded by Japan, said reports. Kant was a key driver of the "Make in India", Startup India, "Incredible India" and "God's Own Country" initiatives that positioned India and Kerala as a leading manufacturing and tourism destinations. These campaigns won several international awards. These campaigns involved many activities, including infrastructure development, product enhancement, private-public partnership and positioning and branding. Kerala thereafter became India's leading tourism destination. He was also the National Project Director of the Rural Tourism Project of UNDP which created a paradigm shift in spreading tourism to Indian villages that had skills in handicrafts, handlooms and culture. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 5, 2018, 23:04 [IST] Th e top leaders of the African Union and the United Nations on Saturday expressed concern over the prolonged political crisis in Guinea-Bissau, condemning the recent actions taken by the authorities to prevent a political party from holding its conference. The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, express concern over the protracted political crisis in Guinea-Bissau despite the multiple opportunities offered to the main political stakeholders to arrive at a consensual arrangement, said an AU-UN joint statement. They condemn the recent actions taken by the national authorities to prevent the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde (PAIGC) from convening and holding its Party Congress, including the directive given to national security services to evacuate and shutter the partys headquarters, the joint statement added. Faki Mahamat and Guterres called on all relevant authorities to adhere strictly to international human rights and humanitarian law and to immediately remove all restrictions on the right to peaceful assembly, political participation and freedom of speech. They fully endorsed the recent decisions on Guinea-Bissau taken by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on January 27 and endorsed by the AU on January 29 during the African Summit. They also supported the measures being taken by ECOWAS against political obstructionists in the country, welcoming the communique issued by the ECOWAS ministerial mission that visited Guinea-Bissau last week. The two men, who reiterated their endorsement of the centrality of the Conakry Agreement of 14 October 2016, which, inter alia, provides for the appointment of a consensual Prime Minister, called on the main political stakeholders to faithfully and urgently implement this Agreement, as well as the ECOWAS Roadmap they have all signed up to. They reaffirmed their commitment to continue to closely follow all political developments and to support ECOWAS in its efforts to ensure a swift resolution of the protracted crisis in Guinea-Bissau, and stand ready to employ additional measures, should the situation require it, the joint statement pointed out. Media was critical of UPA during 26/11 attack, not the same with Narendra Modi govt: Rahul Gandhi Even small things by you can motivate the country a lot: Prime Minister Modi to para athletes [Video] It's historic: PM Modi to visit Palestine on Feb 10 India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Prime Minister Narendra Modi has undertaken his first historic visit to Palestine. He will be going to Ramallah on 10th of February, said Ministry of External Affairs. He will be the first Indian prime minister to ever embark on such a visit in seven decades. Prime Minister is visiting UAE and Oman from 10th to 12th February. From Palestine, he will reach UAE late in the evening of 10th February on the invitation of UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Prime Minister has undertaken his first historical visit to Palestine. He will be going to Ramallah on 10th of February: Ministry of External Affairs pic.twitter.com/ka4YwuDLaO ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 Besides Palestine, Modi will be attending the World Government Summit in the UAE where he has been accorded "guest of honour" status. This is his second visit to the Emirates. Modi had previously visited the UAE in August 2015. On the last leg of his trip, Modi will visit Oman, a member of the Indian Ocean Rim Initiative. OneIndia News Rich tributes paid to Captain Kapil Kundu who was martyred 6-days before his 23rd birthday India oi-Vikas By Vikas The Mortal remains of Captain Kapil Kundu, who was killed in heavy Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district yesterday, arrived at Delhi's Palam airport on Monday evening. The young Army Captain was among the four Army personnel who were killed after Pakistani troops initiated unprovoked firing and shelling in Rajouri district's Bhimber Gali sector last evening. Captain Kundu, who grew up in Ransika village in Haryana's Gururgram district, was killed six days short of his 23rd birthday. Only a few days ago, he'd written to his sisters, informing them that he would be coming home to celebrate his birthday with his family. Slain army officer's mother asked the government to conduct a second surgical strike on Pakistan to avenge the deaths of martyrs. Indian forces say there have been over 130 instances of ceasefire violations by Pakistan last month, the highest since 2014. Captain Kundu's mortal remains The martyrdom of the soldiers will not go in vain, the Indian Army has said. The ceasefire violations have been at an all time and these are signs of Pakistan getting desperate, officials say. In 2017, there were 860 ceasefire violations while 271 were reported in 2016. Capt Kundu's mortal remains at Palam airport A report of the Intelligence Bureau suggests that the ceasefire violations would go up. There are desperate attempts that are being made to aid infiltrations. The violations are only aimed at aiding infiltrations and providing cover fire. There has been no provocation of any sort from the Indian side for Pakistan to retaliate the note states. Army Chief pays tribute to Capt Kundu Sunday's incident too was an account of an infiltration bid. The BSF had foiled an infiltration bid at the Samba district on Thursday. The ceasefire violation was in retaliationtoThursday's incident. This clearly shows the desperation by Pakistan. It was only two weeks back that the Central IB had decoded a message from Pakistan. It was learnt that Pakistan had devised atwo prongedstrategy. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman A meeting in Rawalpindi, Pakistan discussed the strategy at great length in which it was decided to enhance infiltrations into the Valley. It was also decided that the Pakistan Army would provide cover fire to the terrorists infiltrating into the Valley. (Images credit - ANI/Twitter) OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 5, 2018, 20:10 [IST] Sushma Swaraj speaks with her Nigerian counterpart, seeks help to find missing oil tanker India pti-PTI New Delhi/Mumbai, Feb 4: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday spoke with her Nigerian counterpart and sought assistance in tracing a missing oil tanker with 22 Indians on board. Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama assured Swaraj of all help and assistance in locating the ship that went missing off the coast of Benin in the Gulf of Guinea, according to a tweet by Swaraj. The "Marine Express" continues to be missing in the piracy-plagued waters near West Africa, an official of the Mumbai-based Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) told PTI. "I have just spoken to Foreign Minister of Nigeria regarding missing merchant ship with 22 Indian nationals on board. Hon'ble Foreign Minister of Nigeria has promised all help and assistance in locating the missing ship. We have set up a Helpline no.(+234)9070343860," Swaraj said of her telephonic conversation with the Nigerian leader. The DGS official said that all the communication equipment on board has been switched off. No ransom call had been received, the official said. He said that the Indian mission in Nigeria was in contact with the Nigerian Navy and other agencies, while the DGS was also coordinating the efforts as it involved Indian sailors. The 22 sailors had been appointed on the ship by the Anglo Eastern Ship Management, the official said, adding that the Panamanian-flagged vessel was owned by the Ocean Transit Carrier SA, a Japanese company. The owners had set up a dedicated helpline for the families of the Indian crew, the official said. He described the area in which the vessel was sailing as "difficult". "The region has a history of piracy and it may be a case of suspected piracy," another official from the DGS had said yesterday. The ship has gone missing less than a month after another vessel, "MT Barret", disappeared off the coast of Benin in January, and was later confirmed to have been hijacked. The 22 crew of "MT Barret", most of whom were Indians, were reportedly released after a ransom was paid. PTI Don't do or say anything that could damage India's image: Naidu to Rajya Sabha members Taking law in hands in name of religion, caste is wrong: Venkaiah Naidu India oi-PTI Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said it was wrong for anyone to take the law in their own hands in the name of religion, caste or language. Speaking at the inauguration of the first International 'Kala Mela' at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts in New Delhi, Naidu said that people have to be careful about not hurting the sentiments of others because living together in unity, despite the differences, was the essence of the country. "At the same time, anybody taking law into their hands in the name of religion, in the name of caste, in the name of region, in the name of language is also bad. There is a system, we are a civilised society, there is a government..." he said. The Vice President said that it was the duty of the government to take care of law so that everyone is able to have their own rights, expressions and views. Describing culture as the "heartbeat" of a civilisation, Naidu said that it was a symbol of its value system, representing the hopes and aspirations of its people. "As the world is becoming increasingly globalised, we should preserve and propagate the best facets of our individual cultures. "He further said that irrespective of caste, creed, sex, religion and region, India is one nation, one, people, one country and that is the basic philosophy", he said. The Kala Mela, organised by the ministry of culture, is a 14-day festival where different forms of art from across the globe will be showcased by around 1,000 artistes in the heart of Delhi. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 5, 2018, 9:25 [IST] Terror funding: NIA to seek Letters Rogatory to Pakistan India oi-Vicky By Vicky The National Investigation Agency is set to approach a court to get a Letters Rogatory issued to Pakistan seeking details about some people allegedly indulging in false propaganda and running the website of the Hurriyat Conferences pro-Pakistan faction led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, officials said here. The agency will seek details about Zakir-ulllah who, it believes, handles the websites of the Geelani faction of the Hurriyat Conference and terror group Hizbul Mujahideen. After submitting a 12,794-page charge sheet in a case of terror financing in Kashmir Valley, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will soon approach the designated court for issuance of Letters Rogatory to Pakistan. Once the court issues the Letters Rogatory, which is a request from a court of a sovereign nation to a court of another sovereign nation, the same will be vetted by the Legal and Treaties department of the Ministry and External Affairs and sent to Pakistan through diplomatic channels. So far, Pakistan has never responded to such requests sent in other cases such as the hijacking of Indian Airlines plane in 1999, terror attacks including the Pathankot Indian Air Force base strike. According to the NIA charge sheet, Zakir-ullah, who hails from Rawalpindi, had designed the website of Tehreek-e- Hurriyat and that of Hizbul Mujahideen and was regularly updating it during 2016 when the Valley was witnessing widespread stone pelting. The telephone numbers mentioned on the website belong to the same individual and the same needs to be confirmed from Pakistan before further action could be taken, an NIA official said. The NIA has also identified a few more individuals who were laisoning with the Pakistani establishment especially its snooping agency ISI for the separatists groups hailing from Kashmir Valley. In its charge sheet, the NIA named Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed, Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin, seven separatists, including Syed Ali Shah Geelanis son-in-law Altaf Ahmad Shah, and prominent businessman Zahoor Watali. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 5, 2018, 6:59 [IST] Trouble for AAPs Satyendar jain as CBI recovers property documents worth crores India oi-Vicky By Vicky The Central Bureau of Investigation has allegedly seized property documents belonging to Delhi Minister, Satyendar Jain during raids in connection with a bribery case involving the Delhi Dental Council. CBI spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said that the locker contained three property documents belonging to Satyendar Jain - sale deed of land measuring 12 bigha 2 biswa; sale deed of another land measuring 8 bigha 17 biswa and a power of attorney for land measuring 14 bighas - all three in Karala village in Delhi. A deposit slip of bank counter foils pertaining to cheque deposits worth Rs 2 crore in 2011 in the name of Jain, his wife Poonam Jain and a company linked to them - JJ Ideal State Pvt Company; 41 cheque-books reflecting transactions worth crores by Jain and family apart from Rs 24 lakh cash and half kg gold were also recovered from the locker, he also said. The Aam Aadmi Party however rubbished the claims. Spokesperson of AAP, Saurabh Bharadwaj, said, "documents which the CBI is talking about has already been submitted by Satyendar Jain to CBI. He has also declared Income Tax return. What is new in this? BJP is only trying to spoil the image of Jain." OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 5, 2018, 7:25 [IST] Why Pakistan will get more desperate in the days to come India oi-Vicky By Vicky Pakistan is going to increase infiltration bids in near future | Oneindia News An Army Captain and three jawans were martyred in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the Line of Control on Sunday afternoon. From the incident it was clear that Pakistan had not used small arms. The Pakistan Army used indirect firing weapons of a higher calibre. Looking at the casualties, it was clear that small arms were not used, an initial assessment of the incident said. The martyrdom of the soldiers will not go in vain, the Indian Army has said. The ceasefire violations have been at an all time and these are signs of Pakistan getting desperate, officials say. In 2017, there were 860 ceasefire violations while 271 were reported in 2016. A report of the Intelligence Bureau suggests that the ceasefire violations would go up. There are desperate attempts that are being made to aid infiltrations. The violations are only aimed at aiding infiltrations and providing cover fire. There has been no provocation of any sort from the Indian side for Pakistan to retaliate the note states. Sunday's incident too was an account of an infiltration bid. The BSF had foiled an infiltration bid at the Samba district on Thursday. The ceasefire violation was in retaliation to Thursday's incident. This clearly shows the desperation by Pakistan. It was only two weeks back that the Central IB had decoded a message from Pakistan. It was learnt that Pakistan had devised a two pronged strategy. A meeting in Rawalpindi, Pakistan discussed the strategy at great length in which it was decided to enhance infiltrations into the Valley. It was also decided that the Pakistan Army would provide cover fire to the terrorists infiltrating into the Valley. The morale of both the terrorists and the Pakistan army is down, following a successful crackdown by the Indian agencies in Kashmir. They want to keep Kashmir on the boil at any cost. At the Rawalpindi meeting, it was also decided that the Lashkar-e-Tayiba would call on its cadres outside Kashmir and ask them to carry out attacks. An alert had been sounded following the decoding of the Rawalpindi message. The IB also said that the meeting was held between the ISI, Pakistan army officials and terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba. It was decided that the modules needed to be set up once again. The Lashkar-e-Tayiba bosses said that their cadres were demoralised and hence something spectacular needed to be done to lift their morale. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 5, 2018, 10:06 [IST] India has send 400 Muslim youngsters to attack CPEC: Pak media International oi-Vikas By Vikas Pakistan's interior ministry has reportedly written a letter to Gilgit-Baltistan's home department, asking it to make "foolproof security arrangements" as there can be attacks on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) routes. Pakistan's leading newspaper DAWN reported that the letter claims that "India had sent 400 Muslim youngsters to Afghanistan for receiving training to be able to carry out attacks". The letter said police personnel deputed for the security of bridges at Karakoram Highway needed to be put on high alert. It said local police officers should conduct combing operations, supervise checking at vulnerable points, hotels and guesthouses, said a report. Last year in November, Chairman of Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mehmood Hayat had accused India of stoking "chaos and anarchy" in the regions where CPEC work is going on. He alleged that Indian's intelligence agency RAW has established a special cell at a cost of USD 500 million to sabotage the CPEC. [RAW sabotaging CPEC: China rubbishes Pak allegations] Pakistan's top officials have been accusing RAW of sabotaging the CPEC as the Pakistani security forces had to battle numerous attacks by the Balochistan nationalist forces as well as the Islamic State in Balochistan province. The CPEC connects China's restive Xinjiang province with Gwadar Port in Balochistan. China would be constructing several infrastructure and hydropower projects, industrial parks, railway lines and all-weather roads and highways in Gilgit-Baltistan as well as in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. CPEC will also reduce by 12,000 km the distance from Middle East from where China imports its crude oil. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 5, 2018, 18:58 [IST] Where did the 'out of control' Chinese rocket debris land after re-entering Earth? Planning a trip to Maldives: You can do so from July 15 Maldives: President Abdulla Yameen declares state of emergency for 15 days International oi-Vikas By Vikas A day after he refused to abide by the Supreme Court's order to release political prisoners, Maldives President Abdulla Yameen on Monday declared a 15-days State of Emergency in the country. Yameen on Sunday refused to accept the Supreme Court order to release political prisoners and reinstate 12 MPs who defected to the opposition. Protests are being held across the country since President Yameen refused to follow SC's ruling. The army was on Sunday put on high alert after Yameen refused to accept SC's order. The Supreme Court order to restore the seats of 12 MPs who defected to the opposition would effectively reduce Yameen's party to a minority and expose him to the risk of impeachment. All basic rights have been suspended. Security forces have sweeping powers to arrest and search: Eva Abdulla, Member of Parliament #Maldives ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed had on Sunday claimed that he has been getting anonymous threat calls. The government had earlier expressed "concerns" over the judicial order and resisted complying with it, but the court said there can be no excuses. Dissidents must be released because their trials were politically motivated and flawed, the Supreme Court had said in a statement. [Maldives political crisis: Army on high alert after Abdulla Yameen refuses to accept court order] Former president and current opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed described the government's refusal to obey the Supreme Court as a "coup". Nasheed, who was controversially convicted of a terrorism charge and jailed for 13 years in 2015, urged police and troops to uphold the constitution. He has been in exile since 2016, when he left on prison leave for medical treatment. He is currently in Colombo, meeting Maldivian dissidents based in Sri Lanka. The MDP - which is led by Nasheed - has expressed fears that any move by the government to resist the Supreme Court's order may trigger unrest in the nation of 340,000 Sunni Muslims. OneIndia News 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 US Congress to meet as budget, immigration deadlines loom International pti-PTI Washington, Feb 5: As Republican infighting swirls and President Donald Trump complains he is getting zero cooperation from Democrats, bitterly divided US lawmakers return this week to face a shrinking window for reaching deals on immigration, federal spending and the debt. Trump vowed during his State of the Union address last week to "extend an open hand" to both parties in pursuing an immigration deal that shields 1.8 million undocumented migrants from deportation. But his proposal has been savaged by opposition Democrats, and Trump's "open hand" soon wagged an accusatory finger. "They Resist, Blame, Complain and Obstruct - and do nothing" to break the immigration stalemate, Trump tweeted a few days after his January 30 speech. Congress has also been haggling over spending caps for domestic programs and the military as they seek to finalize a budget for the remainder of 2018. But Republican leaders have acknowledged they will not meet a Thursday deadline for a spending bill, and will have to pass yet another stopgap measure this week -- with help from Democrats -- to avoid a government shutdown. House Speaker Paul Ryan said that while both sides were "making progress" on a budget agreement, a temporary spending bill was necessary to keep the lights on in Washington. "We're still negotiating the contents and the duration of that," he said. Lawmakers are smarting from an embarrassing three-day shutdown last month, when Democrats refused to back a spending measure that did not break the immigration impasse. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said this time he did not expect another threat of a government shutdown, which Trump critics blamed on Republicans but McConnell pinned on Democrats. "There's no education in the second kick of a mule," the Kentucky lawmaker said. PTI @NewsbySmiley U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio wants Miami Dade College to end its agreement with a controversial Chinese state-affiliated institution that has been criticized and canceled at some American universities over concerns about propaganda and censorship. In a letter sent to the college Monday, Rubio urged trustees to nix their contract to host the Confucius Institute, which has hundreds of locations around the world. The institute, funded and overseen by a government-affiliated entity called Hanban, has allowed the college to offer courses on Chinese culture and language at its downtown and Kendall campuses, as well as a language-based study abroad program to China. The program opened at the college in 2010 and was inaugurated with Miamis mayor in attendance. In November, college president Eduardo Padron referred to the institute as a treasure in our community, and the college praised the program as a relentless driver of positive social change through the expansion of community education and enrichment services in Chinese language and culture. But the Confucius Institute is also viewed by detractors as a quiet way for the Communist Chinese government to spread its influence across the world through classes on which it holds tight editorial controls written into its contracts with host universities. Rubio, who chairs the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, warned Monday of the Chinese governments increasingly aggressive attempts to use Confucius Institutes and other means to influence foreign academic institutions and critical analysis of Chinas past history and present policies. To read the rest, click here. A S C R A P B O O K O F S O L U T I O N S F O R T H E P H O T O G R A P H E R 5 February 2018 Applications are now being accepted for the 2018 Eddie Adams Workshop. The tuition-free, four-day meeting of top pros with 100 students chosen by their portfolios will be held Oct. 5 to 8. Eddie Adams covered 13 wars, beginning with a stint as a Marine Corps combat photographer in Korea in the early 1950s and ending in Kuwait in 1991. His signature image of a Viet Cong lieutenant being executed at close range on a Saigon street by a south Vietnamese general won the Pulitzer Prize. The workshop he started in 1988 continues his legacy in photojournalism. You can apply for a spot by submitting your portfolio of 15-20 JPEGs online with a fee of $45. The deadline is May 31. 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. Amnesty International is calling for the urgent release of Palestinian teen, Ahed Tamimi: "'There is nothing Ahed Tamimi has done that can justify the continuing detention of a 16-year-old child. The Israeli authorities must release her without delay. In capturing an unarmed teenage girl's assault on two armed soldiers wearing protective gear, the footage of this incident shows that she posed no actual threat and that her punishment is blatantly disproportionate,' said Magdalena Mughrabi, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International. Mughrabi continued, 'Israel is clearly, brazenly flouting its obligations under international law to protect children from overly harsh criminal punishments.'" (Note: Ahed's 17th birthday was Jan. 31, 2018. She spent it in an Israeli prison.) Ahed is one of approximately 350 Palestinian children currently being held in Israeli prisons and detention centers. Israeli soldiers have shot, maimed and killed a number of Ahed Tamimi's relatives. On Dec. 16, Ahed and others were protesting President Trump's proclamation to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Israeli soldiers shot her 15-year-old cousin in the head when he attempted to look over a wall to see if anyone was behind it. Later that day when the heavily armed soldiers entered her family's property, she was videoed yelling and slapping them as they swatted her away. (An unedited version of the recording shows the soldiers vigorously slapping her, first.) A few days later Israeli soldiers removed her from her home in the middle of the night - one could certainly say "kidnapped" -- and she has been in Israeli prisons since then. Ahed's cousin Nour was also arrested in connection with the incident but she was released on bail on Jan. 5. Ahed has been denied bail. UNICEF describes arrests of Palestinian children in their report, "Children in Israeli Military Detention": Many children are arrested in the middle of the night, awakened at their homes by heavily armed soldiers... Many of the children arrested at home wake up to the frightening sound of soldiers banging loudly on their front door and shouting instructions for the family to leave the house. UNICEF Logo (Image by (From Wikimedia) United Nations, Author: United Nations) Details Source DMCA For some of the children, what follows is a chaotic and frightening scene, in which furniture and windows are sometimes broken, accusations and verbal threats are shouted, and family members are forced to stand outside in their night clothes as the accused child is forcibly removed from the home and taken away with vague explanations such as "he is coming with us and we will return him later," or simply that the child is "wanted". Few children or parents are informed as to where the child is being taken, why or for how long. Ahed Tamimi has become the face of a nonviolent movement against injustice and has been called the "Rosa Parks of Palestine ... The real crime this 16-year-old Palestinian girl committed was resisting a hostile and racist military occupation and its human rights violations, and having the temerity to challenge the toxic masculinity of the Israeli military." "an unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself -- one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws." Martin-Luther-King-1964-leanin g-on-a-lectern (Image by (From Wikimedia) Trikosko, Marion S., Author: Trikosko, Marion S.) Details Source DMCA Martin Luther King Letter From Birmingham Jail 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. On February 2, US president Donald Trump approved public release of a memo from the US House Intelligence Committee concerning FBI malfeasance in its applications for warrants to surveil Carter Page, a former member of his campaign team. The following day, Trump triumphantly tweeted that the memo "totally vindicates" him in the ongoing "Russiagate" probe. It doesn't really do that -- proving a negative is always difficult -- but it does add a great deal of credibility to his charge that the probe is a politically driven witch hunt rather than a serious criminal investigation. According to the memo, the FBI based the probable cause claim in its multiple surveillance applications to Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judge on two pieces of "evidence": 1) A "minimally corroborated" (the FBI's own words) dossier of political opposition research on Donald Trump, compiled by a British former spy in the pay of Trump's political opponents; and 2) A Yahoo! News article based -- although the FBI denied it -- on leaks from that same foreign operative. The memo also claims that at no point did the FBI apprise the judge of the political origins or "minimal corroboration" of the memo. If these claims are true, then what happened was the equivalent of crazy Uncle J. Edgar going before a judge and using a picture of me with a Frisbee [TM] in the air behind me, taken by my angry ex-wife, as probable cause to believe that I'm from Mars, then asking for a warrant to search my garage for flying saucers. As you may recall, this is the same FBI which (and the same FBI director who) amassed mountains of evidence that Trump's opponent in the 2016 presidential election had committed multiple felonies in her grossly negligent handling of classified information as Secretary of State, yet recommended against prosecuting her because, well, she's Hillary Clinton. And as you may also recall, this is the same FISA court that, between 1979 and 2013 approved 35,434 warrant requests and denied 12. How many of those 35,434 requests were backed by evidence no more substantial than that described in the Nunes memo? How much more dumb and evidenceless did those 12 denied requests have to be to not get a pass? And why did the same Republican Congress which just released this memo recently vote to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, giving even more expansive powers to organizations which have clearly used those powers abusively and without regard to even minimal standards of evidence? Inquiring minds want to know. Did Trump and/or his campaign team "collude" with the Russian government to manipulate the 2016 presidential election? I don't know. But I do know that disguising a circus as an investigation isn't likely to shed real light on the matter. 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. By Dave Lindorff Image Deleted Because Wiki Page Empty or Removed Image I'm a white American, but like a majority of us, that's only small part of the story. In a country where the federal government is currently in the hands of so-called "nativists" like Trump and his white mostly male Republican Party backers only celebrate white roots, I like many of us have various genetic strands that include a little of what might best be called "diversity." There is a touch of Native American on my mother's side -- hardly enough to qualify for inclusion in the Algonquin Nation, but enough to remind me and my siblings that our ancestors include both conquerers and the conquered. Then too, while there is a direct line on both my mother's side and my father's side tracing back to the same Warren family that arrived on the Mayflower in 1620, there are also immigrants who came from Scotland (the Stewart Clan) and Ireland on my mother's side, and from Germany (Kerpol) and England (the Plymptons and Lincolns) on my father's. For me, one of the most interesting roots is my great great grandfather, a Lindorff who left Sweden for Germany, marrying a German woman. According to family lore I'd always heard while growing up, this Scandinavian immigrant had been chased out or fled from Sweden because he was a thief or something, though I later learned it was more likely that he was hounded out as a "red" or socialist undesirable. That seems to be correct because his daughter -- my great grandmother -- who with her German husband immigrated to the US in the early 1900s with her young children so they wouldn't get caught up in Europe's wars, according to my father proudly voted Socialist in US elections all her life -- first for Socialist Party leader Eugene Debs for president and then, after he died, for Socialist leader Norman Thomas. (Her sister, though, was a Nazi sympathizer during the 1930s, hosting gatherings at her home in New York City, to the consternation and embarrassment of my great grandmother.) As an aside, there's an irony in the family's having moved to escape Europe's wars: Both my grandfather and his older brother ended up fighting in WWI -- my great uncle as a bi-plane pilot, and my grandfather as an ambulance on the front lines in France, where he won a Silver Star for heroism under fire saving countless lives of wounded soldiers. I mention all this because it's important to think about all of this rich complexity -- racial, social and political -- when we talk about the historical and cultural roots of the United States. 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. The martyr won't die is the song by the Mothers of Kurdish martyrs in the City of Sanandaj-Kurdistan-Iran and by every Kurds who are the followers of Abdullah Ocalan teaching. Iranian Kurds as the members of the KODAR (Kurdish forces who fight Iranian Government for the Kurdish people right within Iran) and PJAK (The Kurdish Political organizations leading Iranian people in Iran) die by thousands to liberate Kurdish people in Turkey, Syria, and Iraq now. Tomorrow Kurds from Turkey, Syria, and Iraq will die for Kurdish People liberation in Iran. The Islamic Republic of Iran led by Islamist from Persian and Azeri people of Iran. The majority of Iranian people are from Medes by blood (Kurd, Ashkanian, Sassanid, Lur, Gilani, Taylish, Sorkah, and others). PJAK is organizing the original Medes people of Iran to challenge Persian traitors of Tamil and Azeri Turks of Mongolia. The Islamic Republic of Iran will face civil war sooner than later. KODAR Kurdish forces are gaining the support of Iranian people. Young Medes are joining KODAR to fight in Turkey, Syria, and Iraq now. The members of KODAR military forces are gaining knowledge to fight Islamist of Iran soon. The Islamic Republic of Iran is led by Islamic dictator. Iranian people liberations are only possible by war because the Islamist are not going to give up power peacefully through free election. The United Medes does not have any other choices but to fight Islamist of Iran in a similar way fighting Islamist of Turkey, Syria, and Iraq now. Indeed, Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan united clean Medes (Kurds and others). The Thieves and liars among Kurds are the followers of Barzani and Talabani mafia families. Every thieve among Kurds must be prepared for Punishment by the Kurdish people court after the war. References Dayiken Astiye yen Sine Berxwedana Efrine silav kirin .youtube.com/watch?time_continue=77&v=njKQBH1XjVY Dayiken Astiye click here Quicklink Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their quicklinks after publishing them. To see if the quicklink was renamed or re-published, please click here. Progressive Content Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing. To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here. 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. (Image by Twitter.com) Details DMCA In Los Angeles, the District Required Language ensures that compliance with many of these rules are written into charters that are approved by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education. It is only because of these requirements that I was able to request copies of the bank statements for Granada Hills Charter High School's Associated Student Body account and found that illegal loans had been made to cover the schools' operating expenses. As a result, the LAUSD's Charter School Division issued a Notice to Cure. Another PRA resulted in uncovering a Notice of Violation issued to the school as a result of unsafe construction projects that had been undertaken on the LAUSD-owned campus without the knowledge of the District. Documents from still another request are currently being analyzed to determine how much these missteps cost taxpayers. These examples prove that open government laws help to protect students and ensure that public funds are spent correctly. However, the California Charter School Association (CCSA) considers them to be part of a "bureaucracy" from which families need to be "protected" as if having access to information harms students and their parents. This is a rather ironic statement coming from an organization that is supposed to represent institutions of learning. After the takeover of the LAUSD Board by pro-charter Board members, one of the first actions of the CCSA was to coordinate a direct attack on the District Required Language. While they were unsuccessful in removing these requirements, the compromise with the District set the stage for Board members to directly vote on removing these important protections. (Image by Twitter.com) Details DMCA ____________________________________________ Carl Petersen is a parent and special education advocate, elected member of the Northridge East Neighborhood Council and was a Green Party candidate in LAUSD's District 2 School Board race. During the campaign, he was endorsed by Network for Public Education (NPE) Action and Dr. Diane Ravitch called him a "strong supporter of public schools." His past blogs can be found at www.ChangeTheLAUSD.com. 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. You have to work for a living (Image by me) Details DMCA I have long accepted this as true and right. It is part of the cultural water I swim in. But today I find it goes against the grain of my deeper values. It is a denigration of work and a denigration of living. Everyone deserves to live. No one should starve or freeze on the street. This applies without conditions to all. Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. From The Nation Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party, UK (Image by Chatham House, London) Details DMCA Donald Trump is an international ignoramus. He knows so little about what is happening in so many places that when he pulls out his cellphone to tweet an observation about developments beyond the borders of the United States, the expectation is that he will get something wrong. But there are some issues on which he is so scorchingly ignorant that his outbursts invite a shaming rebuke from a more informed global leader. That happened Monday morning, when Trump decided to offer a crash course in comparative health-care systems. "The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working," he tweeted. "Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks!" Trump got everything wrong. The British people take immense pride in their national health system, which has historically provided high quality and very personal medical care. According to the Ispos-MORI polling firm, "More than half (52%) of the public say the NHS is what makes them most proud to be British, placing it above the armed forces (47%), the Royal Family (33%), Team GB (26%) and the BBC (22%)." They cherish it so ardently that, when it is threatened in any way, they protest. That's what happened Saturday, when a huge crowd marched through London to call for an increase in NHS funding. "Bearing placards with slogans including 'more staff, more beds, more funds' and 'Saving lives costs money, Saving money costs lives,' they chanted 'Keep your hands off our NHS' as they set off from Warren Street at lunchtime," reported The Guardian. On the eve of the march, British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn ripped the Conservative government of Trump ally Theresa May for failing to provide adequate funding for the NHS. To the extent that there is a crisis, it is the result of May's cuts and Tory privatization schemes, which Corbyn and Labour's Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer John McDonnell have promised to halt after the Tories are voted out. "When we are in government, we will end the Tories' privatization, which siphons off money into the pockets of shareholders," Corbyn declared on Saturday. "We will give the NHS and its amazing staff the resources they need." Click Here to Read Whole Article Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. See original here The next big battle, says Senator from Massachusetts, "takes place at the ballot box in November." By Patrick Cochran The day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren found herself staring across the Boston Common, flooded with over a quarter of a million demonstrators at the Women's March, part of the largest political display in human history. As the Bay State's senior senator put it at a Town Hall in Malden on Sunday, she stood before an "army." "I saw an army, an army ready to fight for their values," Warren told over a thousand town hall goers, jammed into the Malden High School auditorium. "Well, let me tell you where that battle takes place. It takes place at the ballot box in November." The crowd was enthusiastic, even rowdy at times, frequently breaking into applause while Warren derided the first year-plus of the Trump administration, and lauded the New Deal-era economy that quelled extreme inequality from the Great Depression through the 1970's. The senator also implored stronger organization and greater involvement in the effort to rebuke the GOP and create a progressive movement. "It was amazing," Vanessa Pendexter, a big fan of Warren, said of the event. "I especially liked what she said about how people can get involved, to keep on going and make a difference." "I'm going to get more involved," said Pendexter, who served as a delegate to the Massachusetts Democratic Convention last year. In 2017, Massachusetts Democrats voted to establish one of the most progressive platforms in state history. Warren is up for reelection in November -- a contest not expected to be very competitive -- and is considered a top contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Malden Mayor Gary Christenson, who moderated the event, alluded to Warren's rising star in introducing her as "senator -- and who knows? -- maybe the next president." Christenson also noted that Malden High School is the most diverse high school in Massachusetts, symbolically significant as the discussion continually decried the GOP's racist and bigoted attacks on marginalized groups in America. But most of the event eyed the more immediate fight: the 2018 midterms. "Man, we've got to ratchet up democracy even harder and fight back," Warren said, adding that liberals and progressives need to target "local and state" offices down the ballot. 2018 features narrow paths for the Democratic Party to take control of the House and Senate. The party needs a net gain of 24 seats to regain the House of Representatives for the first time since 2011, and two to regain the Senate for the first time since losing the upper chamber in the 2014 midterms. (The road to a majority in the Senate is considered more of a long shot, as Democrats are defending seats in 10 states carried by Trump in 2016.) Dozens of governorships and thousands of state legislature seats will also be up for grabs. The crowd erupted at the conclusion of Warren's emotional story of her mother having to get a minimum-wage job to provide for the family after her father suffered a heart attack. 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 The National The teenager locked up in Gaza, despite never living there, was viewed simply as a package, to be delivered to whatever location was on the docket How did a 14-year-old Palestinian girl who has never set foot in the open-air prison of Gaza find herself being dumped there by Israeli officials -- alone, at night and without her parents being informed? The terrifying ordeal -- a child realizing she had not been taken home but discarded in a place where she knew no one -- is hard to contemplate for any parent. And yet for Israel's gargantuan bureaucratic structure that has ruled over Palestinians for five decades, this was just another routine error. One mishap among many that day. A single, abstract noun -- "occupation" -- obscures a multitude of crimes. What crushes Palestinian spirits is not just the calculated malevolence of Israel's occupation authorities as they kill and imprison Palestinians, seal them in ghettos, steal land and demolish homes. It is also the system's casual indifference to their fate. This is a bureaucracy -- of respectable men and women -- that controls the smallest details of Palestinians' lives. With the flick of a pen, everything can be turned upside down. Palestinians are viewed as numbers and bodies rather than human beings. The story of Ghada -- as she has been identified -- illustrates many features of this system of control. She was arrested last month as an "illegal alien" in her own homeland, for visiting her aunt. The two live a short distance apart but while Israel considers Ghada a resident of the West Bank, her aunt is classified a resident of Jerusalem. They might as well be on different planets. Ghada, we should note, suffers from epilepsy. After two days in detention and overriding opposition from Israeli police, a judge ordered her release on bail. All this happened without her parents present. Israel controls the Palestinian population register too and had recorded Ghada wrongly as a Gaza resident, even though she was born and raised far away in the West Bank. She is separated from Gaza by Israel, which she cannot enter. Presumably, no Israeli official wanted to harm Ghada. It was just that none cared enough to notice that she was a frightened child -- afraid of being alone, of the dark, of fences and watchtowers. And a child who needs regular medical care. Instead she was viewed simply as a package, to be delivered to whatever location was on the docket. Despite her anguished protests, she was forced through the electronic fence into the cage of Gaza. She was finally released by Israel and returned to her parents last Thursday, two weeks after her ordeal began. 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. Pentagon during 9-11 (Image by PanAmerican09) Details DMCA The 'BM War' (Big Money War) the b*tch Masters have declared on the rest of us will prove to be their downfall. Their Declaration revealed their intention to steal without limits, accountability, or recourse while caustically shoving continued Austerity Programs in our face. Here you have an opportunity to visualize these men of vision. Look-See what's behind the curtain as they spin the history of the successful 911 False Flag event. It's astonishing to see how utterly shallow they are as a group. They have been brainwashed to believe that their job is to destroy in order to preserve Capitalism. Clear the room of all whose intellect and wisdom go deeper than this and would have one person fewer than Thomas Jefferson when he dined alone. Rumsfeld 2.3 Trillion Dollars missing Pentagon 1 DAY before 911 On September 10, 2001 Donald Rumsfeld, the Secretary of Defense, announced: "According to some estimates, we cannot track 2.3 Trillion dollars." That's $8,000 for every man, woman and child in America. The next day, September 11, 2001, the War on Waste was replaced by the War on Terrorism. Jim Minneray, a former USMC accountant turned whistleblower, blew the whistle on a relatively minor (according to the way these people count) incident. When he brought up the discrepancy, he said, "The Director looked at me and said, "Why do you care about this stuff?" A drop in the bucket, according to the way they measure expenditures important to THEM. Where was Cheney on 911? Donald Rumsfeld was the head of the Department of Defense from 2001 to 2006 and the man who was to be contacted specialty in the event of a terrorist hijacking. According to the DOD's own guidelines, which were mysteriously revised just months prior to 911. Rumsfeld, the Secretary of Defense, was missing in action on this, the most important day of his career. So who really was in charge of emergency operations that morning? Vice President Dick Cheney was commanding the Emergency Operations Center. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). 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 Paul Craig Roberts Website All over the media, much is being made of Rep. Devin Nunes "admission" that he did not read the FISA applications made by the DOJ and FBI. The presstitutes say this proves that Nunes doesn't know what he is talking about. Here, for example, is CNN and its collection of press prostitutes. Here is CNN hosting a Democratic lawyer misrepresenting the memo. Let's examine this. First of all, as I have pointed out, it is not Nunes' memo. It is a report from the House Intelligence Committee. Second, why didn't Nunes read the FISA applications? The answer is that the House Intelligence Committee was repeatedly stonewalled in its request for documents. The deal finally struck was that one Representative and two investigators would be permitted to read the documents in a secure room. Not being egotistical, Nunes did not send himself. He sent the most qualified person, Trey Gowdy, a former federal prosecutor who would best understand the documents and their meaning. What kind of lowlife scum, pretending to be media, would intentionally misrepresent Nunes' highly responsible decision as an irresponsible one that discredits the committee's report? Why is it that CNN, the rest of the presstitutes, and Democratic lawyers and politicians are not ashamed to demonstrate their total lack of integrity? Do they think we are so stupid that we don't see that they have no integrity whatsoever? Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. From The Nation Asked at the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 if the delegates had created a republic or a monarchy, Benjamin Franklin is reported to have replied, "A republic, if you can keep it." Paul Ryan has abandoned the effort to keep it. At the heart of the US Constitution is a system of checks and balances that was established primarily to guard against the concentration of power in an executive branch that might tend toward royalism. The founders of the American experiment wanted to prevent a repeat of the monarchical abuses of King George III, against which their constituents had risen in revolution. "The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny," warned James Madison, the essential author of the Constitution, who explained, "The great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others." What Madison asserted in the late 1780s remains true to this day: For the system of checks and balances to function, the leaders charged with responsibility for the various branches of government must zealously defend the authority of the branches they lead. They cannot allow one branch to become the extension of another. This is the basic duty that House Speaker Paul Ryan rejected when he chose to make the legislative chamber subservient to President Trump's lawless executive branch. Ryan's abandonment of the Constitution began long ago. But it culminated with the speaker's decision to support Friday's release of a partisan memo produced by disgraced House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence chair Devin Nunes (R-CA) to discredit law-enforcement agencies that have organized and supported inquiries into Trump-campaign and Trump-administration wrongdoing. Click Here to Read Whole Article Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. Merman (Image by billyferguson) Details DMCA It's about an amphibian creature dredged from a river in South America. It's a fairy tale about a princess who falls in love with a monster. It's science-fiction fantasy about a gigantic scaly Merman who learns to communicate and to love. It's about a God made flesh who's killed by the state, but then rises from the dead and gives eternal life to his devotee. It's about an alien trying to get back home. Put otherwise, The Shape of Water is science fiction, fantasy, fairy tale, myth, and story of humans doomed attempts to effect the death of God. It's entirely redolent of Creature from the Black Lagoon , Beauty and the Beast , Mary Shelley's Frankenstein , ET , and the Jesus Myth . And for that reason, plus its artistic excellence The Shape of Water has struck a chord with viewers subconsciously hungry for meaning. They've called it tender, elegant and mesmerizing. It has been nominated for 13 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. For what it's worth, I agree. Sally Hawkins' performance as Elisa Esposito, the mute janitor-princess who falls in love with the Creature, is nothing short of magnificent. She deserves her Best Actress nomination - and the Oscar. The film's central theme is conveyed in its beautiful, mysterious title that invites its audience to imagine the impossible. The shape of water? Of course, it has none at all. Water takes the contours of its container. And that's the point imagistically asserted at the very beginning of the picture. There the story's world is portrayed as filled with the medium of life itself. As the movie unfolds, it's hard to miss that theological point: the world is full of possibilities for realizing the presence of the divine. The patriarchal establishment can't see that. Only the social misfits do - a mute janitor, her African-American friend, an aging gay unemployed artist, a Russian enemy of the state. There are plenty of references that suggest such meaning: - Biblical themes of the Great Flood and Crossing the Sea, as well as purgative baptismal images are all evoked by the film's water-world. - More than once, we're told that the film's androgynous monster is worshipped as a god by primitives in its place of origin. - It has powers to heal. - And resurrect from the dead. - Near the story's beginning, the fish-human's demented antagonist, Richard Strickland, discusses specifically his own idea of God. In doing so, he reveals why recognizing the divine in such unexpected form is impossible for him. He's looking for someone made in Strickland's own image. God's actual incarnation is anything but. - The central character's apartment is located above a movie theater showing a biblical film, The Story of Ruth who discovers and embraces God in a foreign and unexpected form. - A supporting character's name is Delilah, and the story of Samson and Delilah is told twice. - Meanwhile Giles (the aging unemployed artist) grows back his hair as, like Samson, he owns his ability to help destroy the enemies of the alien god he's come to love. 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. This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here. The groundwork is already laid for America's next war(s) in the Middle East and, in the process, one of the last relatively undamaged areas of Syria (at least before the Turkish military began to pound it with air strikes and artillery, then moving in tanks) is about to be added to the rubble of the region. The damage that began with the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 could now spread to yet another country, Turkey, already filled with Syrian refugees but relatively unscathed so far. At the moment, an autocratic Turkish president, angry over American backing for Kurdish forces in northern Syria and jockeying for popularity in his own country, is potentially repeating on a small scale the American blunder of 2003. He's blithely invading Kurdish-controlled parts of northern Syria, assuming that all will go splendidly, while President Trump's military finds itself, as it has so many times in these years, between a rock and a hard place. The U.S. has approximately 2,000 troops in northern Syria and, as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson only recently announced, they are slated to stay there not just until the last ISIS fighter is wiped off the face of the Earth, but possibly until the end of time (a decision for which the Trump administration naturally has no congressional sanction). Washington's latest stated goal: to support Kurdish fighters in the region and play a role in undermining both Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria and its Iranian backers. (Good luck with that!) Those troops now find themselves caught between NATO ally Turkey (which has let Washington use a key military base against ISIS) and American-trained and -armed leftist Syrian Kurds, who have done most of the hard fighting (and dying) against the Islamic State "caliphate." The Turks, who consider those Kurds "terrorists" (and backers of longtime Kurdish insurgents in Turkey), are angrily demanding that all U.S. troops immediately and unconditionally leave the Kurdish-controlled Syrian city of Manbij before they move in militarily (a demand already rejected by the head of U.S. Central Command). And oh, yes, the remnants of ISIS, driven back and no longer a "caliphate" or much of anything else, are still fighting. So much for Donald Trump's "victory" in Syria. While no one can possibly know what will come of all this, as with so much else in American war-making over these last 17 years, it's reasonable to assume that it won't be good, or peaceable, or end particularly well, or possibly at all. Count on one thing: you won't soon read about an American military unchallenged and victorious in a Syria brought to order. Quite the opposite: if recent years are any indication, the damage will only spread, more civilians will die, more homes will be destroyed, more populations will be uprooted, and embittered locals, angry at the U.S. among other participants in this mayhem, will be primed to join yet newer terror groups. TomDispatchregular and retired Air Force lieutenant colonel William Astore looks at this now eerily familiar process of American war-making, twenty-first-century style, and suggests what kinds of damage it's already done, not just in distant lands, but here at home and what we, the people (formerly, "We, the People"), might consider doing about it. Tom 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. Originally published at revcom.us A draft "Nuclear Posture Review" (NPR), prepared under the direction of James Mattis, secretary of "defense" in the Trump/Pence fascist regime, has been posted on the Huffington Post website (Jan. 11). The NPR, which will be finalized in February, is a strategic document that lays out the direction for the development and use of nuclear weapons. It regards nuclear weapons as the foundation of all political and military undertakings by the U.S. The Trump NPR calls for massive upgrading of existing weapons and development of new ones. It removes any pretense of nuclear disarmament, and criticizes previous U.S. leadership for putting caps on military spending. It expands the pretexts and conditions for using nuclear weapons. It repeatedly stresses that the U.S. must be poised to go to any length in any conceivable conflict, and develop the capacity to prevail--whatever "prevail" means in the incinerated, radiated deathscape that nuclear holocaust would create. It is a call for shifting the military's emphasis from fighting "low-intensity" counterinsurgency wars against Islamic fundamentalist jihadists to nuclear strikes against rivals or perceived threats, up to and including other major imperialists. A basic premise of the NPR is that the U.S. now confronts "an international security situation that is more complex and demanding than any since the end of the Cold War." It states the U.S. now contends with "a return to great power competition. Russia and China both have advanced their military capabilities to act as global powers." North Korea and Iran are also specifically cited as posing "proliferation threats." The NPR claims they undermine stability in particular regions of the world, and endanger the "international security environment" (translation: unimpeded U.S. domination). The NPR argues the U.S. must upgrade its existing "triad" of nukes (land-, sea-, and air-based weapons). This means developing new weaponry, improving existing weapons, and modernizing "support infrastructure." It means fortifying its "NC3"--nuclear command, control, and communications. The NPR says contention among nuclear powers now extends to outer space and cyberspace. There is no check or balance on the nuclear trigger. (Image by RCP Publications) Details DMCA The review calls for development of more "low-yield" nuclear weapons to enhance U.S. nuclear "flexibility." Low yield does not equal "nukes lite." The bombs the U.S. dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War 2 resulted in the immediate deaths of over 100,000 people, and tens of thousands more deaths from radiation poisoning. Today similar bombs would be considered "low yield." The leaders of the U.S. are moving towards building on the 4,000-plus nuclear weapons they already have with a broader range of weapons so they can "climb the ladder of escalation," and always be ready to up the ante in whatever conflict they find themselves. And these mass murderers have the audacity to present this as "deterrence"! The NPR warnings to North Korea concentrate its perverse medley of bloody threats and self-righteous sanctimony. "Our deterrence strategy for North Korea makes clear that any North Korean nuclear attack upon the United States or its allies and partners is unacceptable and will result in the end of that [the North Korean] regime. There is no scenario in which the Kim regime could employ nuclear weapons and survive." The U.S. has never made a "no first use" pledge regarding nuclear weapons. But it did claim that it would use them in response to specific and immediate threats of nuclear attack. In fact, several times during the era of confrontation and contention between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, the world teetered on the brink of nuclear war. Now, the U.S. claims the "right" to respond in advance with nuclear bombs to what the NPR describes as "extreme circumstances." These circumstances include "non-nuclear strategic attacks ... on U.S. or allied command and control, or warning and attack assessment capabilities." The review specifically insists that any force attempting to disrupt or disable the U.S. "NC3" will be "held accountable" and face "dire consequences." Only one country has actually used nuclear weapons--the United States. The U.S. has enough weapons to destroy the planet several times over. It has nuclear-armed submarines and aircraft carriers patrolling the seas, and bombers armed with "old fashioned" gravity bombs that can annihilate entire cities. It has ballistic missiles stored in silos capable of crossing continents to hit their targets. It has cruise missiles that can be fired with murderous accuracy from jets or submarines. 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 Sputnik All statecraft and politics is notoriously deceptive and duplicitous to a degree. It's part of the Machiavellian game and even at times, arguably, can be paradoxically key to success for good outcomes. But Washington's current problem is on an altogether different scale. Its rampant duplicity seems to be spinning itself into an ominous credibility crisis. A crisis that conveys historic existential consequences for American democracy and political function. Perhaps even a harbinger of world war. Take CIA director Mike Pompeo. Last week, he gave a big interview to Britain's state broadcaster, the BBC, in which he reiterated serious claims that Russia hacked into the American presidential election in 2016. Further, he forewarned that Russian state agents were planning to repeat their alleged meddling in the forthcoming mid-term Congressional elections later this year. However, within days of making such dire accusations against the Kremlin, the American spymaster was reportedly holding meetings in Washington DC with two senior Russian intelligence figures -- Alexander Bortnikov and Sergei Naryshkin. The two men represent Russia's federal and foreign intelligence services, the FSB and SVR, respectively. There was apparently nothing untoward about the top-level meeting. The American and Russian spy chiefs were reportedly exchanging views on counter-terrorism, which arguably is a positive thing. After all, a foiled terror attack in St Petersburg recently was thwarted by Russian security services reportedly following up on a tip-off from the American CIA. But here's the thing. Doesn't it seem a bit strange that the chief of the CIA is warning in very public media interviews that the Kremlin is meddling in US democracy through underhand means, yet virtually his next appointment involves hosting Russia's top spies? Not only that, but the two Russian intelligence chiefs in question have been put on an American government sanctions list and travel ban purportedly over Russia's "annexation" of Crimea and "aggression" in Eastern Ukraine. So, if American official concerns about alleged Russian subversion in the US and abroad are as vexed as they are made out to be in public announcements, then how does that square with Mike Pompeo greeting his Russian counterparts in a convivial professional setting? When the CIA director was challenged by Congressional Democrats about his meeting with the Russians he responded by claiming there was nothing incongruous about their cooperation in Washington, and, he said, it was tough-talking encounter. "You and the American people should rest assured that we covered very difficult subjects in which American and Russian interests do not align," stated Pompeo in a written reply to lawmakers. "We vigorously defend America in these encounters and pull no punches," he added. 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 Paul Craig Roberts Website "In keeping silent about evil, in burying it so deep within us that no sign of it appears on the surface, we are implanting it, and it will rise up a thousand fold in the future. When we neither punish nor reproach evildoers, we are not simply protecting their trivial old age, we are thereby ripping the foundations of justice from beneath new generations." -- Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn The American people do not realize the seriousness of the Russiagate conspiracy against them and President Trump. Polls indicate that a large majority of the public do not believe that Trump conspired with Putin to steal the presidential election, and are tired of hearing the media prostitutes repeat the absurd story day after day. On its face, the story makes no sense whatsoever. Moreover, the leaked emails are real, not fabricated. The emails show exactly what Hillary and the DNC did. The public knows that these transgressions were pushed out of news sight by the false story of a Trump/Putin conspiracy. The fact that the entirety of the US print and TV media served in a highly partisan political way to bury a true and disturbing story with a fake news story -- Russiagate -- is one reason some polls show that only 6% of Americans trust the mainstream media. All polls show that large majorities of independents, Republicans, and youth distrust the mainstream media. In some polls about half of Democrats trust the media, and that is because the media is servant to Democratic Party interests. Russiagate is a dagger aimed at the heart of American governmental institutions. A conspiracy involving top officials of the Obama Department of Justice, FBI, and other "security" agencies was formed together with Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee, the purpose of which was to defeat Trump in the presidential election and, failing that, to remove Trump from office or to discredit him to the point that he would be reduced to a mere figurehead. This conspiracy has the full backing of the entirely of the mainstream media. In other words, it was a coup not only against Donald Trump but also against American democracy and the outcome of a presidential election. There is no doubt whatsoever about this. The facts are publicly available in the declassified Top Secret Memorandum Opinion and Order of the FISA Court -- and in the declassified report from the House Intelligence Committee -- given by the presstitutes the misleading name of the "Nunes Memo," as if it is Nunes' personal opinion and not the findings of months of work by an oversight committee of Congress. All of this information has been posted on my website for some time. If you have difficulty following my explanation, former US Attorney Joe DiGenova explains the felony actions by the FBI and Obama Justice (sic) Department here. Briefly, the National Security Agency discovered that the FBI and DOJ were abusing the surveillance system. As a favor of one security agency to another, NSA Director Adm. Rogers permitted the FBI and DOJ to rush to the FISA Court and confess their transgressions before the NSA informed the Court. The FBI and DOJ pretended that their deception of the Court in order to obtain surveillance warrants for highly partisan political purposes was not due to their intent but to procedural mistakes. The FBI and DOJ told the Court that they were tightening up procedures so that this would not happen again. The FISA Court Memorandum and Order clearly states: "On October 24, 2016, the government orally apprised the Court of significant non-compliance with the NSA's minimization procedures involving queries of data acquired under Section 702 using U.S. person identifiers. The full scope of non-compliant querying practices had not been previously disclosed to the Court." What this legalese jargon is saying is that the FBI and DOJ confessed to obtaining warrants under false pretexts. These are felonies. The FISA Court Memorandum and Order is about resolving these deficiencies and returning the FBI and DOJ to legal practices. For example, the Court Memorandum and Order says: "On January 3, 2017, the government made a further submission describing its efforts to ascertain the scope and causes of those compliance problems and discussing potential solutions to them. See January 3, 2017, Supplemental Notice of Compliance Incidents Regarding the Querying of Section 701-Acquired Data ('January 3, 2017 Notice'). The Court was not satisfied that the government had sufficiently ascertained the scope of the compliance problems or developed and implemented adequate solutions for them and communicated a number of questions and concerns to the government." In other words, the FBI and DOJ were attempting to make corrections to their "compliance problems" in ways that would allow them to continue to mislead the FISA Court, and the Court wasn't letting them. The FISA Court Memorandum and Order was released prior to the House Intelligence Committee report and has been completely ignored by the utterly corrupt press prostitutes. The FISA Court Memorandum and Order, relying on the confessions of the FBI and DOJ, verifies the House Intelligence Committee report that the FBI and DOJ illegally obtained spy warrants for partisan political purposes. Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democrat who is a disgrace to the voters of his California district, to the Democratic Party, and to the House of Representatives, knows full well that the FBI and DOJ deceived the FISA Court. Schiff is so partisan that he lies to the hilt in the face of hard documented evidence from both the FISA Court and his own House committee. Schiff is so totally devoid of all honesty and integrity that he is the perfect leader for a shithole country, something that he and his ilk are turning the United States into. The honest left -- not the Identity Politics left, which is a collection of deranged idiots -- does not believe a word of the concocted Russiagate conspiracy against Trump. They object to the Russiagate conspiracy not because they like Trump, which they most certainly do not, but because they understand that it is a lie directed against truth. They understand that the American mainstream media has deserted factual, truthful reporting and serves as a propaganda ministry for the war/police state that American is becoming. For example, Eric Zuesse holds The Atlantic and its presstitute writer, David A. Graham, to account for lying about the House Intelligence Report. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Testing, Inspection, and Certification Market - Detailed Analysis and Forecast 2017-2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1748 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1748 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=1748 Global Testing, Inspection, and Certification Market: SnapshotThe soaring awareness about the quality and safety of various consumer products world over is a key factor driving the evolution of the testing, inspection, and certification market. The growing consumer awareness about the performance of products conforming to international standards is a key factor boosting the demand for testing, inspection, and certifications. A burgeoning export and imports in several developing and developed nations is also contributing to the growth of the market. The stricter enforcement of regulatory standards by producers and manufacturers is a key factor accentuating the growth of the market in various regions. The demand for quality control regulations and specifications in industries such as aerospace, automotive, food and beverages, and oil and gas for international acceptance of their products is a notable factor driving the market over the forecast period. The vastly rising demand for global testing, inspection, and certification services in oil and gas industries in numerous developed economies is a prominent factor boosting the market. In particular, the rising number of oil exploration and production activities in onshore and offshore areas is bolstering the demand for global certifications. Meanwhile emerging economies in Latin America and Asia Pacific are witness a surge of promising opportunities for players in the testing, inspection, and certification market. The rapid pace of industrial development bodes well for these regional markets. A rapidly growing middle class population in several of the emerging markets, combined with the general rise in disposal incomes, is a notable trend expected to catalyze the growth of the market. In addition, the widening awareness of safety of a number of packaged food products is a significant factor boosting the testing, inspection, and certification market. A growing number of international agencies offering accreditation is a notable trend accentuating the growth of the market over the forecast period.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Testing, Inspection, and Certification Market: OverviewThe testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) solutions verify that a product conforms to regulatory standards pertaining to quality, performance, and technical safety that are universally accepted. Product testing, inspection and certification is an approach to provide assurance to consumers and are in the interest of consumers for a safe purchase.Testing, Inspection, and Certification Market: Key TrendsThe top factor driving the global TIC market is the increasing awareness among consumers about the quality, performance, and safety assurance attached with products that conform to international standards. The increasing volume of international imports and exports, which is controlled by a combination of local and global standards and regulations is further fuelling growth of the global testing, inspection, and certification market. This has necessitated manufacturers to adhere to quality control specifications and obtain universally accepted certifications for participation in international trade. This is expected to boost the adoption of testing, inspection, and certification services predominantly in food and beverages, aerospace, automotive, and oil and gas industries.The oil and gas industry has contributed significantly to the growth of the TIC market over the past few years; the end-use segment held a dominant share of over 35% in the global market in 2015. This is because testing, inspection, and certification are mandatory across all stages of any exploration and production project, starting from project feasibility to de-commissioning of the site.Request TOC of the Report @With the increasing number of oil and gas exploration activities both onshore and offshore, the oil and gas industry is expected to extend growth opportunities to the testing, inspection, and certification market.Testing, Inspection, and Certification Market: Market PotentialTop companies in the TIC market are vying to obtain accreditation from international agencies in a bid to cater to regional markets and operate globally. In a recent industry development, Bureau Veritas a world leader in testing, inspection, and certification services has obtained certification from United Kingdom Accreditation Services to carry out verifications and assessments for services that are compliant with the regulations of European Union Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification.Testing, Inspection, and Certification Market: Regional OutlookEurope is a leading regional market as it has high concentration of some of the top vendors in the global testing, inspection, and certification market. The region contributed over 30% to the revenue of the global market in 2015.The developing economies of Asia Pacific and Latin America are expected to contribute significantly to the growth of the testing, inspection, and certification market. The region is anticipated to display growth at the fastest pace in the near future. Factors such as rapid industrial development and a growing middle class population with disposable incomes have led to high volume of international imports and exports in these regions. This has necessitated product manufacturers to comply with diverse safety and quality standards that are universally accepted, thereby driving the need for testing, inspection, and certification services. The booming food and beverages industry in the region and the increasing awareness among about the quality assurance of certified products will be predominantly driving the TIC market in the region.Get Discount @Testing, Inspection, and Certification Market: Competitive LandscapeSome of the key players in the global testing, inspection, and certification market are Bureau Veritas SA, SGS Group, ASTM International, Dekra SE, Lloyds Register Group Limited, TUV SUD AG, Intertek Group PLC, ALS Ltd., AsureQuality Ltd., Underwriters Laboratories Inc., DNV GL, and TUV Rheinland Group.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 Contact Lenses Market - New Era Of Industry & Forecast 2017-2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1760 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1760 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=1760 Global Contact Lenses Market: SnapshotThe global contact lenses market is foreseen to find lucrative growth opportunities produced by specific types of products such as corrective contact lenses. Some of the important applications of corrective contact lenses include the treatment of visual deficiencies, viz. presbyopia, astigmatism, myopia, and hyperopia/hypermetropia. The growth of the market could be further expanded by the growing number of visual inaccuracies. Soft lens is anticipated to be a major contributor to the market because of its wide range of applications. Between 2017 and 2025, players could acknowledge developments in contact lens technology as a significant factor augmenting their market growth.Drug delivering lenses and other trends have been growing in prominence in the recent time due to their increasing adoption. Players could sign up for long-term partnerships with distributors and suppliers in order to strengthen their geographical presence and product portfolios. For instance, Vision Direct Group Ltd. was acquired by Essilor International S.A. in 2016 to bolster the latters retail business and sale of online optical offerings. On account of their ability to incorporate multiple prescriptions, multifocal lenses are predicted to embrace an amplified demand in the coming years. These are mainly engaged in the treatment of age-related ophthalmic diseases such as presbyopia.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The global contact lenses market is envisaged to perceive a rising count of consolidations brought about by the execution of strategic initiatives such as acquisitions, mergers, and alliances. This could be because of the loyalty base and brand value built up by market players while establishing their global footprint.Global Contact Lenses Market: OverviewContact lenses are wafer-thin plastic lenses, placed directly on the eye ball to rectify vision or for decorative purposes. On account of being sensitive, they need to be handled carefully to prevent dislocation and infections. Depending upon the eye disorder, different types of contact lenses are available in the market, namely bifocal lens for astigmatism, scleral contact lenses, bifocal contact lenses, color contact lenses, and daily disposable contact lenses.Contact lenses have contributed substantially to the global eyewear and eye care industries. From being considered lifestyle products to becoming common eye accessories supplanting the traditional glasses they have come a long way.Global Contact Lenses Market: Key TrendsTwo of the primary growth drivers in the global market for contact lenses are a wide array of lenses and competitive prices. Additionally, the burgeoning world population afflicted with different ophthalmic disorders such as refractory errors and weakened eyesight is also bolstering growth in the market. The youth are a major contributor to the sales in the market. Efforts by contact lens manufacturers to train people about the correct and safe use of contact lenses coupled with the different types of products available for sale has also led to an uptick in demand.Request TOC of the Report @Extra caution needs to be exercised while wearing contact lenses as they are placed directly on the cornea of the eye and can easily cause eye infections, ulcerations and other eye diseases. They also need to be stored and handled carefully. This is one factor that is posing a roadblock to their swift uptake. Further, the fact that most practitioners are not equipped enough to prescribe contact lenses in certain developing countries in Asia Pacific and Middle East, is also negatively impacting the market to some extent.Global Contact Lenses Market: Market PotentialExhaustive research and development to come up with cutting-edge contact lenses by integrating it with recent technologies is slated to revolutionize the market in the near future. Google and Novartis, for example, are working on a contact lens that can measure glucose levels. In fact, the smart contact lens is one of the most eagerly awaited medical IoT (Internet of Things) technologies. Such groundbreaking applications of contact lenses along with an ageing population, economic upliftment, resultant rise in GDP, and growing urbanization will spell tremendous opportunity for the market in the next couple of years.Among the different technologies used in manufacturing of contact lenses, cast molding technology contributes to a lions share in the revenue. Going forward, the contribution of lathe cutting technology to revenues will likely increase at maximum pace.Get Discount @Global Contact Lenses Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the key segments of the global contact lenses market are Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and the Rest of the World. Among them, North America leads the market with a dominant share on account of the increase in ophthalmic issues among people of all age groups. In terms of pace of growth, on the contrary, Asia Pacific is slated to overtake all other regions due to the growing awareness about correct usage and benefits of contact lenses, application of sophisticated technologies in the manufacture of contact lenses, rising fortunes of people, and swift pace of urbanization.Global Contact Lenses Market: Competitive AnalysisThe global contact lenses market is dominated by a handful of players and hence is consolidated in nature. The prominent players holding a sway over the market that have been studied in the report are Johnson & Johnson, Alcona Inc., the Cooper Companies, and Bausch and Lomb.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 Ablation Technology Market - Advancements,Innovations & Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1772 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1772 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=1772 Ablation Technology Market: SnapshotAblation alludes to minimally invasive techniques which involve the surgical extraction of body tissues. Ablation systems are increasing quick prevalence over the globe by virtue of the way that they are utilized as a part of minimally invasive removal methods. Lower danger of harm to tissues, bring down danger of contamination, speedy recuperation and cost viability of removal are a portion of the significant drivers of this market. Minimally invasive therapeutic methodology pick up priority over invasive strategies inferable from the actualities that the previous incorporates moderately bring down post procedural dangers, shorter recuperation time and clinic remains. A surge in the request of minimally invasive techniques by virtue of the previously mentioned qualities will drive the development of ablation technology market.Ablation treatments can be utilized for the treatment of different infections over a few therapeutic spaces, for example, ophthalmology, tumor, gynecology, and cardiovascular. Being a negligibly obtrusive methodology, it is less difficult than regular surgical operations, prompting shorter recuperation time. What's more, it makes next to no harm the encompassing tissues. Despite the fact that it brings down the symptoms, it has a few disservices also. For example, extensive and massive tissues, for example, bone and neck knobs, can't be treated with ablation. Moreover, the accessibility of ablation treatment in remote areas is very confined.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Ablation Technology Market: OverviewThe term ablation refers to the surgical removal of harmful substances, abnormal growths such as tumors, and organs from the body. Ablation can be carried out via various methods such as cryoablation, laser or light, radiofrequency, microwave, ultrasound, hydrothermal, and electrical ablation technology. By application, the major segments of the global ablation technology market can be cardiovascular disease, urology, cancer, pain management, ophthalmology, cosmetic surgery, and gynecology.Global Ablation Technology Market: Key TrendsThe development of more innovative and effective ablation products is likely to influence the growth of the market for ablation technology. The growing number of ablation procedures, together with the greater espousal of minimally invasive procedures because of their being less painful, is ensuring that the market displays consistent growth over the next few years. Consequently, as the frequency of cardiac arrests and cancer increases worldwide, the demand for ablation technology will witness an upsurge. On the other hand, bruising at catheter insertion site and soreness in the chest after catheter ablation, and other side effects of various methods might slacken the growth of the market. However, as numerous companies are coming up with ablation devices featuring cutting-edge technologies, the negative impact of these restraints can be cancelled out.Global Ablation Technology Market: Market PotentialA key trend in the global ablation technology market is the introduction of innovative products by several firms and their approval by regulatory bodies. In March 2017, AngioDynamics, a leading U.S.-based provider of medical devices, announced that it received the CE Mark certification for its new product, the Solero Microwave Tissue Ablation (MTA) System. Although this new product is not intended for cardiac use, it is likely to play a crucial role in the ablation of soft tissue at the time of laparoscopic, open, and percutaneous procedures. Another example of product approvals is the FDA approval of a new sensor-enabled ablation catheter, FlexAbility, developed by Abbott.Request TOC of the Report @Another significant development during the same month is the launch of CUSA Clarity ultrasonic tissue ablation platform by Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corporation. This new product offers high precision, power, and comfort to surgeons, patients, and staff, maximizing performance. Longer and tougher procedures such as fibrous tissue removal will be made easier by the use of this device, which features an intuitive touchscreen, ergonomic handpiece, and tough tissue tip.Global Ablation Technology Market: Regional OutlookWith the U.S at the fore, the ablation technology market in North America is slated for substantial growth. According to the findings of American Heart Association, nearly 350,000 people suffer from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in the U.S. Of these, more than 90% patients die as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is not performed immediately. As a result, the demand for ablation technology will rise substantially.Asia Pacific is waiting in the wings to claim the foremost position in the global market for ablation technology, as the robust growth in healthcare industry, massive patient base, and extensive manufacturing and development of ablation technology products in countries such as India and China trigger growth.Get Discount @Global Ablation Technology Market: Competitive AnalysisA number of market players are investing in mergers and acquisitions, collaborations, and partnerships in order to expand their presence on a global scale. For instance, BioSig Technologies, Inc. a prominent medical device manufacturer, entered a strategic partnership with Mayo Clinic and Mayo Clinic Ventures in March 2017. One of the major objectives of BioSig Technologies is to develop better ablation technologies for the treatment of deadly atrial fibrillation, arrhythmias, and ventricular tachycardia.Some of the major companies operating in the global market for ablation technology are Biosense Webster, Inc., Olympus Corporation, VytronUS, CONMED Corporation, Smith & Nephew plc, Osypka AG, Medtronic plc, St. Jude Medical, Inc., AtriCure, Inc., Boston Scientific Corporation, Endosense SA, and St. Jude Medical, Inc.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 Diagnostic Imaging Market - Trends,Prospects Of Industry & Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1775 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1775 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=1775 Diagnostic Imaging Market: SnapshotDiagnostic imaging alludes to the utilization of various imaging modalities to get visual portrayals of the inside of a body for diagnostic and helpful purposes. The restorative imaging incorporates distinctive sorts of modalities that are utilized to picture the human body for finding and treatment of an assortment of sicknesses, and subsequently assumes an imperative part in enhancing wellbeing. The medicinal imaging industry has been upset from bed-side observing towards top of the line advanced examining.Innovative headways in diagnostic imaging gadgets, rising frequencies of ceaseless ailments combined with the quickly maturing populace, increment in number of restorative imaging systems, and rising mindfulness for early analysis of clinical issue are the key factors that are relied upon to help the market development.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The predominance of constant sicknesses relating to respiratory, mind, and cardiovascular conditions is expanding. The expanding geriatric populace alongside the stationary way of life is further encouraging the frequency of these incessant maladies. Likewise, headway in the medicinal and diagnostic imaging gadgets have upgraded the finding and treatment of ailments, for example, cardiovascular and disease, and are additionally anticipated that would bolster advertise development. In light of information distributed by the Carestream, four developments, for example, quickening handling speed, growing the parameters of 3D and 4D, capturing imagery at the perfect place at the correct time, and robotizing work process are normal for the medicinal imaging items in 2017.Global Diagnostic Imaging Market: OverviewDiagnostic imaging refers to techniques that allow physicians to look inside our body for clues pertaining to a medical condition. Various techniques and machines enable the imaging of activities, structures, and abnormalities inside our bodies. Some of these are computed tomography (CT) scans, ultrasound, x-rays, MRI scans, and nuclear medicine scans. By application, spine, neurology, gynecology, breast health, general imaging, thoracic, cardiovascular, and orthopedics can be some of the key segments of the global market for diagnostic imaging. Whereas, hospitals, diagnostic imaging centers, research and academic centers, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, and Contract Research Organizations (CROs) can be the chief end-use segments.Global Diagnostic Imaging Market: Key TrendsThe increasing incidence of diseases on a global scale, growing geriatric population, and technological advancement in the area of diagnostic imaging techniques are driving the market. Several government and private organizations are aiding the expansion of the global market for diagnostic imaging via vast investments directed at the development of new products. Among the diagnostic imaging methods, the x-ray based examinations are likely to exhibit maximum growth, contributing towards overall market growth.Request TOC of the Report @On the other hand, exposure to radiation involved in some techniques might increase the risk of cancer among patients, restricting the growth of the global market. Nevertheless, significant opportunities arising from the development of new products will help the market overcome the negative impact of this restraint.Global Diagnostic Imaging Market: Market PotentialA number of market players are developing innovative devices aimed at offering more precise and faster diagnosis. As a result, several hospitals and clinics have been offering diagnostic imaging services. For instance, in March 2017, Sequoia Hospital started offering 128-sliced CT scans for accurate diagnosis of medical conditions. This new 3D technology ensures that patients will be exposed to minimal radiation, offering high image quality and faster results at the same time.Another example is the unveiling of a new center by Delhi-based Mahajan Imaging, an India-based diagnostic center, at Gurugram (previously Gurgaon), in the state of Haryana. The center aims at providing latest diagnostic imaging equipment and services to the residents, with an emphasis on spreading awareness about and offering treatments for womens health issues.Global Diagnostic Imaging Market: Regional OutlookBased on geography, the major segments of the global diagnostic imaging market are Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and the Rest of the World (RoW). North America is expected to emerge as the leading market for diagnostic imaging. The growth of this region can be attributed to the alarming increase in medical conditions such as cancer.Get Discount @Asia Pacific is expected to exhibit tremendous growth, with countries such as China, Japan, and India representing a major share of the regional market for diagnostic imaging. The rising awareness about the availability and benefits of these tests, increasing prevalence of chronic disorders, growing healthcare expenditures, and favorable policies of the government are propelling the market for diagnostic imaging in this region.Global Diagnostic Imaging Market: Competitive AnalysisMergers and acquisitions, partnerships, and collaborations are some of the major business strategies adopted by several leading market players. For example, MedyMatch Technology announced its collaboration with IBM Watson Health in March 2017. The key objective of this collaboration was to bring cognitive tools to imaging experts who work with hospital emergency rooms and other crucial settings for helping physicians diagnose intracranial bleeding resulting from stroke and head trauma. Similarly, during the same month, Minneapolis-based medical technology firm CorVascular Diagnostics, LLC announced its collaboration with Novarix, Inc. a manufacturer of medical devices used in intravenous therapy.Some of the major companies operating in the global market for diagnostic imaging are Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, Siemens Healthcare GmBH, GE Healthcare, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Shimadzu Corporation, and Hitachi Ltd.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Stepper Motor Market Industry Insights by Type, End User, Technology, Demand and Growth Forecast to 2022 https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/stepper-motor-market/report-sample https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/stepper-motor-market https://www.psmarketresearch.com/send-enquiry?enquiry-url=stepper-motor-market www.psmarketresearch.com The global stepper motor market is expected to reach $2,172.5 million in 2022, growing at a CAGR of 3.8%. Among the various types of stepper motors, the rotary stepper motor segment accounted for about 73% share of the global stepper motor market. The advancement in stepper motor technology, in addition with increasing demand of waterproof stepper motors is expected to boost the demand of stepper motor system during the forecast period. During the recent years, the demand for miniature stepper motor has increased, owing to its growing penetration in electronic products with size constrain.Get a free sample of this research report:Permanent magnet (PM) stepper motors are the preferred selection for high power applications, such as navy propulsion and industrial drive applications. The technical advancements, such as design of variable flux PM stepper motor facilitate high power applications with high accuracy and control. The demand for hybrid stepper motors is expected to grow in the medical equipment industry. Hybrid stepper motors are used in array of medical equipment, including surgical hand tools, ventilation equipment, and medical pumps.The increased accuracy of closed loop stepper motor, owing to the recent technical development, has increased the cross penetration of stepper motor system in the applications, where servo motors were dominant earlier, such as belt drive. The significant reduction in noise and heat generation under high speed operation is laying new growth opportunities for the stepper motor market at high speed, and high voltage applications in industrial automation.Explore report at:The growth of the stepper motor market has been effected from a weak semiconductor market in Japan, slow economic growth in Europe, along with overproduction in China. In terms of revenue, the market is expected to witness slower growth during the forecast period, compared to the current growth of the stepper motor market.Make enquiry before buying the report:Some of the major companies operating in the global stepper motor market include Nippon Pulse Motor Co. Ltd., Schneider Electric SE., ABB Ltd., Applied Motion Products Inc., Delta Electronics Inc., SANYO DENKI CO. LTD., National Instruments Corporation, Nidec Corporation, Oriental Motor Co. Ltd., FAULHABER Group, and Lin Engineering LLC.About P&S Market ResearchP&S Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide market research reports, industry reports, business intelligence and research based consulting services across a range of industries.With the help of our professional corporate relations with various companies, our market research offers the most accurate market forecasting. Our analysts and consultants interact with leading companies of the concerned domain to substantiate every single data presented in our publication. Our research assists our client in identifying new and different windows of opportunity and frame informed and customized strategies for expansion in different regions.Contact:P&S Market Research347, 5th Ave. #1402New York City, NY - 10016Toll-free: +1-888-778-7886 (USA/Canada)Email: enquiry@psmarketresearch.comWeb: Professional Dental Care Market - Players Business Strategy & Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1799 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1799 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=1799 Professional Dental Care Market: SnapshotThe rise in awareness about oral care and the growing cases of periodontal illnesses and tooth caries all across the world have prompted the advancement of the expert dental care market. Various sponsored oral care medications in developed and developing countries have made dental tend to countless. The characteristic connection between general wellbeing and oral wellbeing, combined with expanding slant toward a preventive dental care, has empowered individuals to favor standard registration with dental specialists. Factors, for example, developing number of little/private dental facilities, rising occurrences of dental caries, expanding expendable earnings in rising nations, developing mindfulness about dental cleanliness, and financial additions for dental specialists are the central point driving the development of the worldwide market.Different government activities in created and creating economies have been engaged towards making oral care more reasonable, generally among country and low-wage groups, which has pushed the market. The developing concentration of different governments in highly developed countries of Europe and North America toward fair access to oral medicinal services is relied upon to drive the market along the estimate time frame. Incorporation between driving market pioneers in computerized dentistry has prompted the presentation of cutting edge robotizations arrangements that will change advanced works on, indicating the huge capability of the market. Europe represents a huge offer and the development in the local market is principally ascribed to the rising maturing populace, expanding use by the administrations of different nations of Europe, the expansion of private dental experts, and expanded mindfulness in regards to dental care.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Professional Dental Care Market: OverviewThe growing awareness regarding oral care and the soaring problem of tooth caries and periodontal diseases worldwide have led to the evolution of the professional dental care market. Numerous subsidized oral care treatments in developed and developing nations have made dental care affordable for a large number of people. The inherent link between general health and oral health, coupled with increasing inclination toward a preventive dental care, has stimulated people to prefer routine check-ups with dentists.The proliferation of private dental clinics, especially in emerging nations, has offered a robust impetus to the professional dental care market. Several dental providers are implementing advanced technologies, such as CAD/CAM technology, and adopting automated dentistry practices to streamline their workflows to meet the rising demand for professional dental care services. Professional dental care products typically include various dental accessories/ancillaries, denture products, and electric toothbrushes.Professional Dental Care Market: TrendsThe demand for professional dental care services and products is majorly driven by the increasing prevalence of dental caries among children and adults, a rise in disposable incomes in emerging economies, and growing worldwide awareness regarding dental hygiene. Various government initiatives in developed and developing economies have been focused toward making oral care more affordable, mostly among rural and low-income communities, which has propelled the market. The growing focus of various governments in advanced nations of Europe and North America toward equitable access to oral healthcare is expected to drive the market along the forecast period.Request TOC of the Report @The increasing adoption of digital dentistry among a large number of general dental practitioners is expected to create abundant opportunities for market players. Coupled with this, the rising demand for the advance oral care products, such as electric toothbrushes, and the rising popularity of cosmetic dentistry are expected to spur the demand for professional dental care.Professional Dental Care Market: Market PotentialIntegration between leading market leaders in digital dentistry has led to the introduction of advanced automations solutions that will transform digital practices, pointing to the enormous potential of the market. Recently, Align Technology, Inc. and exocad GmbH announced a partnership to connect iTero intraoral scanners and exocad Chairside CAD software. The technology integration is significant since it will provide various clinical settings advanced workflow solutions for carrying out efficient scanning, design, and production of in-house dental prostheses. iTero intraoral scanners are compatible with exocad DentalCAD software used in dental laboratories and the soon-to-be launched Chairside CAD connection is expected to provide accelerated productivity and manufacturing flexibility for dental care providers. Using the software, dentists can import iTero intraoral scans of the patients to the Chairside CAD software. The dentists can use a wide range of restorative and esthetic dental materials within a user-friendly and intuitive interface. The benefits of premium quality, predictability, and flexibility of the offered by the connectivity of Chairside CAD software and iTero intraoral scanners are expected to stimulate its demand. Restorations can be made using various connected milling systems or using 3D printing system.The connectivity option will be available to consumers somewhere at the end of 2017 and is a precursor to the adoption of advanced dental technologies. Dental professionals using the interface will have increased freedom to design and produce different types of restoration.Professional Dental Care Market: Regional OutlookThe major markets for professional dental care are North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Europe accounts for a significant share and the growth in the regional market is mainly attributed to the rising aging population, increasing expenditure by the governments of various countries of Europe, the proliferation of private dental practitioners, and increased awareness regarding dental care.Get Discount @Asia Pacific is anticipated to showcase ample opportunities for market players along the forecast period. The impressive growth of the Asia Pacific market can be attributed to the rising count of geriatric population suffering from dental caries, soaring number of periodontal diseases attributable to substance use disorders, and rising dental tourism across the emerging nations of the region.Professional Dental Care Market: Competitive AnalysisTop players are launching innovative digital technologies, which has led cost-effective dental restoration techniques and procedures to transform the professional dental care market. Increasing adoption of automated technologies by leading dental providers has offered them a competitive edge over others. Major companies vying for a sustained share in this market include Procter & Gamble Company, Young Innovations, Inc., Ultradent Products, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc, Koninklijke Philips N.V, 3M, and Colgate-Palmolive Company.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Audiological Devices Market - Real Time Analysis & Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1802 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1802 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=1802 Global Audiological Devices Market: SnapshotAudiological devices are amplifiers that are utilized as a part of the conclusion and treatment of hearing misfortune and adjust issue. A listening device chips away at change of sound waves to electrical signs. A sound wave is send crosswise over through a receiver, which at that point believers to electrical flags and conveys to an enhancer. The signs are then recovered by the intensifier and send through a speaker. The market now includes a huge assortment of reduced and even some for all intents and purposes undetectable amplifier frameworks, improving the probability of individuals buying them to treat their listening ability misfortune; a huge segment of the aggregate number of individuals with hearing misfortune over the globe don't have portable amplifiers due to the shame related with them. With undetectable or exceptionally minimized listening devices, the devices are less obvious, in this way alleviating this shame.Of the key variables supporting the general development of the global audiological devices market, the report refers to the rising occurrence rate of analyzed hearing misfortune cases, mechanical progressions empowering high solid quality, and the immense ascent in world's geriatric populace - a statistic very helpless against age-related hearing misfortune. Rising help from government and worldwide bodies for the expanded utilization of hearing help devices is additionally boosting the take-up of audiological devices over the globe. Enhancements in outline and advancements, bringing minimized and less noticeable devices stuffed with a few new highlights to the market, are additionally driving the expanded appropriation of audiological devices over the globe.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Audiological Devices Market: OverviewOver the past few years, the market for audiological devices, the variety of advanced technological devices used to study audiology and cure hearing-related conditions, has witnessed a sharp rise in the adoption of digital technology across key aspects of product design and development. The result has been the development of devices with vast improvement in sound quality and reduction in product sizes.The market now features a vast variety of compact and even some virtually invisible hearing aid systems, increasing the likelihood of people purchasing them to treat their hearing loss; a significant portion of the total number of people with hearing loss across the globe do not have hearing aids because of the stigma associated with them. With invisible or highly compact hearing aids, the devices are less visible, thus mitigating this stigma.Global Audiological Devices Market: Trends and OpportunitiesOf the key factors supporting the overall growth of the global audiological devices market, the report cites the rising incidence rate of diagnosed hearing loss cases, technological advancements enabling high sound quality, and the vast rise in worlds geriatric population - a demographic highly vulnerable to age-related hearing loss. Rising support from government and international bodies for the increased usage of hearing assistance devices is also boosting the uptake of audiological devices across the globe. Improvements in design and innovations, bringing compact and less visible devices packed with several new features to the market, are also driving the increased adoption of audiological devices across the globe.Request TOC of the Report @Global Audiological Devices Market: Market PotentialThe high costs of technologically advanced audiological devices and their exclusion from medical reimbursement plans across most key markets have limited their uptake to a huge extent. The Hearing Loss Association of America states that over 48 mn people in the U.S. suffer from hearing loss and only about 20% of the people who can benefit from hearing aids wear them. With low cost products, the remaining 80% population can be turned into potential consumer base. This is an excellent incremental opportunity as the worlds population is ageing at a rapid pace. A report by United Nations states that over the period between 2015 and 2030, the number of people aged 60 years or more across the globe will rise from nearly 901 mn to 1.4 bn, denoting a 56% rise.Global Audiological Devices Market: Regional OverviewFrom a geographical standpoint, the market for audiological devices in Europe contributes to the leading share of revenue to the global market. As a large number of key players in the audiological devices market are based in Western Europe, the region is often the first choice for new product launches. The Europe market also benefits owing to the rapid pace of technological advances, the increasing consumer demand for less visible audiological devices, and the rising prevalence of hearing impairment conditions.The report identifies excellent future growth opportunities in the Asia Pacific market. Factors backing this assumption include the rising population of geriatrics and the subsequent rise in hearing disabilities, positive developments across the healthcare infrastructures of developing countries, rising disposable incomes, and easy availability of technologically advanced products. The Asia-Pacific market for audiological devices is expected to exhibit growth at a promising pace over the reports forecast period.Get Discount @Global Audiological Devices Market: Competitive DynamicsThe global market for audiological devices features a largely concentrated vendor landscape, with a small number of companies accounting for a significant share in the overall market. The need for continuous research and technological advancements in products have developed high entry barriers for new entrants in the global audiological devices market. Nonetheless, the market features intense competition, with leading companies constantly striving to maintain their stronghold. Some of the leading companies operating in the market are Widex A/S, GN ReSound Group, Siemens Healthcare, Cochlear Limited, William Demant Holding A/S, Starkey Hearing Technologies, and Sonova Holding AG.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 Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market - Geographical Overview of Industry & Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1811 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1811 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=1811 Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market: SnapshotThe expanded use of neo-sourcing will drive the development prospects for the worldwide RPO market in the inevitable years. Neo-sourcing is its mix outsourcing and BPO and a development of BPO models offered by outsourcing organizations. Additionally, the market is seeing a developing number of business process reconciliation and the coming of mechanical answers for lessen costs and enhance efficiency and advancements. A portion of the central point in charge of the developing inclination for neo-sourcing in different associations is the change in business and advancement, which is a consequence of the joined administration of back-office operations and innovation for process re-designing. Moreover, the advantages of this innovation incorporate process advancement, cost lessening, access to the best worldwide practices, enhanced profitability, expanded worker confidence, and decreased process duration.Request Sample Copy of the Report @A portion of the main considerations in charge of the developing reception of RPO in North America is taken a toll diminishment, overseeing consistence, more noteworthy arrangement amongst HR and business, and access to innovation. Likewise, the market is expected to witness advance development because of its extension in nations like South America, Brazil, and Argentina as far as multi-nation recruitment process outsourcing (MCRPO) contract bargains. Besides, the process and execution of HR capacities have turned out to be quicker because of developing number of recruitments occurring through portable applications in the U.S. staffing framework.Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market: OverviewPreviously, recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) was perceived as a way of offloading certain non-core, high-cost, and time-consuming tasks of the human resource department. These days, however, RPO activities are considered as a necessity for the effective management of efficient human resources more than just an agenda made to bring down cost and time invested in the process of recruitment. The increased realization about the vast benefits of outsourcing recruitment process, including the more refined results owing to vast volumes of data that dedicated RPO providers easily provide and usage of automated tools for effective talent management, is leading to the increased adoption of RPO services.Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market: Trends and OpportunitiesOver the next few years, thriving industries such as information technology, hospitality, telecommunication, manufacturing, construction, hospitality, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare, especially across developing economies, will be the key driving force of the global RPO market. Companies across these industries will resort to RPO services to focus more on their core competencies to be able to stay ahead of competition. Moreover, the increased adoption of web-based and cloud services and solutions has helped streamline RPO models, which, in turn, has contributed to the overall development of the market over the years.Request TOC of the Report @Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market: Market PotentialIn an emerging economy such as India, wherein industries such as IT, telecommunication, and BFSI rank among the top across the world, RPO services are beginning to show their presence across these as well as an increasing number of other mammoth sized industries. Recently, leading automaker Tata Motors, financial services company Citigroup, and IT giants such as Honeywell, Mahindra, Wipro, and L&T Technology Services have decided to outsource their talent acquisition processes. In an increasing number of cases, companies in the country are progressively strengthening their focus on the implementation of the model, disbanding internal recruitment teams, and relying on third party recruitment specialists with larger talent acquisition bandwidth.Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market: Geographical OverviewFrom a geographical viewpoint, the recruitment process outsourcing market has been examined in the report for North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Middle East and Africa. Of these, the North America market is expected to account for a massive share in the market throughout the reports forecast period. The region is home to a large number of key players and has a well-established industrial sector. The market across Europe is primarily driven by the rising demand for RPO activities in countries featuring strong industrial establishments, such as Germany, France, the U.K., and Netherlands.In the next few years, Asia Pacific is expected to emerge as one of the most promising regional markets for RPO activities owing to the rising number of small- and medium-sized companies and the increased focus of multinational organizations on expanding their presence in emerging countries such as China and India. Improving economic conditions and a rising pool of graduates and post graduates in the region is also contributing to the overall development of the market.Get Discount @Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market: Competitive LandscapeCompanies in the market are increasing their focus on expanding their geographical presence, providing technologically advanced offerings through effective resource management software tools, and adopting cost-competitive and flexible operational models based on cloud computing. The market is intensely competitive and is expected to become further competitive owing to the rise in number of domestic players.Some of the leading companies operating in the market are Zyoin, Seven Step RPO, Randstad Holding Company, Pinstripe Inc., Kelly Outsourcing and Consulting Group, Futurestep, Pontoon Solutions, Argus Recruitment Solutions, TalentFusion, Accolo Inc., Manpower Group Solutions, The Rightthing, and Alexander Mann Solutions.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 Small Scale LNG Terminals Market - Regional Overview of Energy & Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1814 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1814 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=1814 Global Small-scale Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Terminals Market: SnapshotSmall-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals is a nascent industry that is proving both profitable and scalable. It serves to meet the ever-soaring demand for fuel by the trucking and shipping industries and is also a viable alternative to highly polluting fossil fuel that still powers most vehicles.Despite large-scale LNG terminals constructed worldwide, the demand for small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals is rising on account of the demand from remote places that also use LNG to generate power off-grid for residential and industrial needs. This has led to a growing thrust on miniaturizing LNG infrastructure. Technology has made it possible to design state-of-the-art small-scale LNG terminals and this is gradually serving to up competition in the market.Relatively less entry-level challenges as compared to large LNG projects have opened up avenues for development of creative and new technologies and have increased the number of new entrants in the market over the years. Apart from that, regulatory pressures forcing heavy-duty vehicles to adopt greener fuels is also stoking market growth.Request Sample Copy of the Report @From a geographical standpoint, North America and Europe are key markets for small scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals on account of the stringent regulations pertaining to environmental preservation in the region. Norway in Europe is said to have a very developed small scale liquefied natural gas infrastructure.In order to become more viable operation-wise, incumbent players in the global market for small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals are envisaging various business models. They are also expected to take the organic route of mergers and acquisitions in order to gain access to technological and other resources.Global Small Scale LNG Terminals Market: OverviewThe clean burning nature of natural is driving initiatives encouraging its increased usage across a number of industrial applications and across the transportation industry. The transportation industry, which largely relies on petrochemicals-based fuels with high emission levels to power engines, making it one of the most significant contributor to the rising levels of air pollution across the globe.In a bid to lower down the levels of environment-degrading emissions and pollutants, government bodies are increasing their participation in initiatives aimed at the increased the usage of natural gas and are focusing on the development of LNG infrastructure at a rapid pace. These initiatives are expected to pace up the rate of deployment and development of LNG terminal infrastructures. Although large LNG terminals have been conventionally the more preferred type of LNG supply centers, the rising demand for LNG from remote-located consumers is rapidly making small-scale LNG terminals the norm for the supply of natural gas across small geographies.Request TOC of the Report @Global Small Scale LNG Terminals Market: Trends and OpportunitiesOver the past few years, the global commoditization of LNG has led to a significant rise in the number of new applications and market of LNG. Technological solutions enabling small scale LNG terminals have become mature and modularization, standardization, and the rate of competitiveness have increased.Relatively lower entry-level challenges as compared to large LNG projects have opened up vast stores of opportunity for the rapid development of creative and new technologies and have increased the number of new entrants in the market over the years. The increased adoption of LNG as a fuel in the automotive industry, especially for powering heavy-duty vehicles, is also a key factor to have increased the adoption of small-scale LNG terminals across several regional markets.Global Small Scale LNG Terminals Market: Regional OverviewFrom a regional perspective, the small scale LNG terminals market is highly attractive across environment-conscious regions such as North America and Europe. Strict regulations in the marine sector have increased the scope of usage of LNG as a bunker fuel in Europe, stimulating the development of strategically located small scale terminals. In the next few years also, North America and Europe will continue to contribute significantly to the global small-scale LNG terminals market in terms of new installations and capacity expansions.Asia Pacific is also a highly promising market owing to its mammoth transportation industry. In China, several efforts in place to educate masses about the need to switch to clean fuels to lower down the levels of air pollution in cities, easy availability of natural gas, and substantial price difference between diesel and natural gas are driving the increased deployment of small scale LNG terminals.Get Discount @Global Small Scale LNG Terminals Market: Market PotentialThe field of LNG bunkering is increasingly becoming one of the key end-use segments of the global small scale LNG terminals market and companies operating in the field are registering large-scale expansion of operations and capacities at a rapid pace. In a recent development, the privately-owned company LNG Gorskaya has received funding worth $20.04 mn, which the company will use to develop its LNG bunkering plants in Estonia. With further funding, the company is planning to finance its LNG bunkering centers in Finland, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, and Sweden, establishing a series of small-scale terminals to be able to provide LNG to ships at around 320 km from its LNG bunkering stations.Global Small Scale LNG Terminals Market: Competitive LandscapeThe highly competitive vendor landscape of the global small scale LNG terminals market is expected to witness the introduction of several new business models in the next few years. The market is expected to witness a rise in mergers and acquisitions as companies focus on leveraging their project management competence and technological expertise to stay ahead of competition.Some of the leading companies operating in the global small scale LNG terminals market are Nippon Gas Co., Ltd., EcoElectrica Inc., Plum Energy, LLC, Linde AG, Santos Ltd, PT Donggi Senoro LNG, Prometheus Energy Company, Emirates Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) LLC, Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), and Skangass AS.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Global Power Semiconductors Market: Asia Pacific to Remain the Most Lucrative Region MRRSE https://www.mrrse.com/sample/4097 https://www.mrrse.com/power-semiconductor-market https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/4097 https://www.mrrse.com/ According to a report recently added to the vast repository of Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE), the global market for power semiconductor is slated to ride on a steady CAGR throughout the forecast period, 2017 to 2025. Sales of power semiconductors across the globe are expected to account for revenues worth approximately US$ 55,000 Mn by 2025-end. The report is titled, Global Power Semiconductor Market - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 2025 and offers a comprehensive analysis on the global power semiconductors market.Request a Free Sample Report @Advent of 5G Mobile Communication to drive Demand for Power SemiconductorsAdvent of the fifth-generation or 5G mobile communication across the globe is expected to be a leading growth driver for the power semiconductor market. The 5G mobile communication is anticipated to come into effect in this year, 2018, with the number of 5G base stations to surpass that of 4G base stations. As mobile communications create the requirement for power semiconductors, particularly the radiofrequency (RF) type, proliferation of 5G base stations will lead toward deployment of several power amplifiers for each base station. Gallium arsenide (GaA), gallium nitride (GaN), and silicon carbide (SiC), are among a slew of key compounds currently being used in the production of power semiconductors for the fifth-generation communication.With increasing penetration of electric vehicles, plug-in electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles, there has been a rapid rise in deployment of semiconductors in cars. In addition, the advent of x-by-wire and drive-by-wire technologies that include electronic throttle control, shift-by-wire, electric content, and steer-by-wire are increasingly replacing mechanical vehicle parts. In addition high power consumption requirements of data centers also acts as a major factor bolstering demand for power semiconductors. At present, WBG compound power semiconductors are substituting silicon-based power semiconductors, as they hold promise to effectively enhance the data center efficiency by helping curtail its cooling load.Read the Complete Report with TOC @Key Research Findings from the Report on Power Semiconductors MarketAutomotive electronics sector will continue to prevail as the largest end-user of power semiconductors, mainly driven by growing penetration of electric vehicles. Telecommunications will also remain a lucrative end-user of power semiconductors, as demand for IGBTs and RF amplifiers is witnessing a surge in this sector.Asia-Pacific will continue to be the most lucrative region for growth of the power semiconductor market. China significantly contributes to the regions market growth, with the country being the leading automotive production hub and the largest manufacturer of electric vehicles.Based on component, Gallium Nitride (GaN) will remain dominant in the market, with revenues projected to account for over one-fourth share of the market by 2025-end.The global market for power semiconductors is characterized by the occupancy of a numerous companies of varying sizes. The nature of the market is fragmented, with intense competition among vendors. Leading companies in the global power semiconductors market are adopting strategies including aggressive pricing, product upgrades, and product differentiation to sustain competition. Apart from these strategies, key companies in the market are also focusing on distribution partnerships, with an aim of enhancing their customer base, which in turn will enable them in expanding their regional and global market reach. Key market participants included in the report are Infineon Technologies AG, ON Semiconductor, Texas Instruments, Fuji Electric Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Group, ST Microelectronics N.V., Toshiba Corporation, and Semikron International GmbH.Have Any Query? Ask Our Expert at:About MRRSEMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.ContactState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite: Concrete Sealer Market 2018-2025 Overview and Demand with Prosoco, Evonik, BASF, SealSource, AmeriPolish, LYTHIC, W. R. MEADOWS, Larsen and Others ReportsWeb http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00011435014/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/global-concrete-sealer-market-professional-survey-report-2018 http://www.reportsweb.com/buy&RW00011435014/buy/3500 Global Concrete Sealer Market Professional Survey Report 2018 newly adds in ReportsWeb.com database. This report covers leading key company profiles with information such as business overview, regional analysis, consumption, revenue and specification.This report studies Concrete Sealer in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2012 to 2016, and forecast to 2022.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering Prosoco, Evonik, BASF, SealSource, AmeriPolish, LYTHIC, W. R. MEADOWS, Larsen, KreteTek Industries, Kimbol Sealer, Stone Technologies, LATICRETE International, Nutech Paint, NewLook, Euclid Chemical, Henry Company, Chem Tec, Mapei, Nanofront, Suzhou Jinrun and Guangzhou Ontop Building Material.FREE | Request Sample Copy is Available atOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into Silicate Sealers, Silane Siloxane Sealers, Acrylics Sealers, Epoxy Sealers and Other. By Application, the market can be split into Commercial Areas, Factories and Other. By Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want) North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India.Browse Complete Report atTable of Content1 Industry Overview of Concrete Sealer2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Concrete Sealer3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Concrete Sealer4 Global Concrete Sealer Overall Market Overview5 Concrete Sealer Regional Market Analysis6 Global 2012-2018 Concrete Sealer Segment Market Analysis (by Type)7 Global 2012-2018 Concrete Sealer Segment Market Analysis (by Application)8 Major Manufacturers Analysis of Concrete Sealer8.1 Prosoco8.1.1 Company Profile8.1.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.1.2.1 Product A8.1.2.2 Product B8.1.3 Prosoco 2016 Concrete Sealer Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.1.4 Prosoco 2016 Concrete Sealer Business Region Distribution Analysis8.2 Evonik8.2.1 Company Profile8.2.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.2.2.1 Product A8.2.2.2 Product B8.2.3 Evonik 2016 Concrete Sealer Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.2.4 Evonik 2016 Concrete Sealer Business Region Distribution Analysis8.3 BASF8.3.1 Company Profile8.3.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.3.2.1 Product A8.3.2.2 Product B8.3.3 BASF 2016 Concrete Sealer Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.3.4 BASF 2016 Concrete Sealer Business Region Distribution Analysis9 Development Trend of Analysis of Concrete Sealer Market10 Concrete Sealer Marketing Type Analysis11 Consumers Analysis of Concrete SealerPurchase this report atNote: If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Contact Info:Name: Sameer JoshiEmail: sales@reportsweb.comOrganization: ReportsWebPhone: +1-646-491-9876ReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.533, 5th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 Urgent Care Centers Market - Industry Competitive Dynamics & Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1817 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1817 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=1817 Global Urgent Care Center Market: SnapshotUrgent care center is a type of walk-in clinic that offers ambulatory care in a dedicated medical facility outside of a conventional emergency room (ER). They are mainly used for treating illnesses or injuries that need immediate care, but do not warrant a visit to the ER. They are affordable, quick, and provide quality services.Besides treating trauma and injury, urgent care centers also provide screening and monitoring, routine vaccinations, and occupational medicine. Serving to drive demand for urgent care centers is the burgeoning geriatric population, increasing occurrence of chronic diseases that require time to time monitoring and laboratory tests, and substantial money allotted by government and private bodies in urgent care centers.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Another reason driving the popularity of urgent care centers are quick services and appointment flexibility something which is non-existent in large corporate hospitals. Posing a challenge to the market, on the downside, is the dearth of qualified healthcare providers and the increasing upfront capital required to set up urgent care centers.From a geographical perspective, Europe and North America currently lead the urgent care centers. The market in North America is primarily powered by the U.S., which has maximum number of urgent care centers. Besides, the increasing preference for urgent care centers for non-emergency health issues mainly due to its affordability and easy, hassle-free services has also led to their swift uptake in the region. Asia Pacific is expected to emerge as another key market in the years ahead on the back of nations of China, India, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia, and New Zealand which have a sizeable chunk of elderly population.Global Urgent Care Centers Market: OverviewUrgent care centers refer to a variety of walk-in or no appointment healthcare centers designed to provide cost-effective, quick, and high-quality services to the general public. Urgent care centers serve patients with injuries or illnesses that are not life-threatening but are beyond the scope of primary care services. Majority of urgent care centers provide healthcare services for issues such as trauma and injury, routine vaccinations, screening and monitoring, moderate illnesses, and occupational medicine. The rising geriatric population and the heightened demand for cost-effective healthcare services have led to a significant rise in demand for urgent care centers across the globe of late.Global Urgent Care Centers Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe mounting global population of geriatrics, a vast rise in chronic diseases requiring timely monitoring and laboratory tests, and increased investment from government and private bodies in urgent care centers some of the key factors driving the global market for urgent care centers. The increased consumer preference to urgent care centers over big corporate hospitals owing to benefits such as quick services and appointment flexibility of the former has also fueled the demand for urgent care centers globally. The market is, however, negatively impacted owing to the lack of qualified healthcare providers and the rising costs of establishing urgent care centers.Request TOC of the Report @Global Urgent Care Centers Market: Market PotentialThe increased popularity of urgent care centers among patients is compelling many hospitals to extent their services through this healthcare model. In the U.S., which had 7,357 urgent care centers in 2016, according to the Urgent Care Association of America, hospitals such as St. Luke's University Health Network and Lehigh Valley Health Network have established several walk-in centers solely around the Lehigh Valley region. St. Luke's has seven such walk-in care centers and the Lehigh Valley Health Network has around 12 in and around the region. Many other corporate hospital chains have already established or are planning to extend their services in the urgent care sector.Global Urgent Care Centers Market: Regional OverviewFrom a geographical perspective, the urgent care centers market has been examined in the report for regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East and Africa. Of these, regions with prominent developed economies such as North America and Europe are presently the leading contributors to the global urgent care centers market. Owing to the rising numbers of urgent care centers in the U.S., the North America market is expected to retain dominance over the next few years as well. The high rate of preference to urgent care centers for non-emergency health-related conditions and the increased demand for cost-effective healthcare services also contribute to the healthy growth prospects of the urgent care centers market in North America.Get Discount @In the next few years, the market for urgent care centers in the Asia Pacific region is also expected to gain momentum. Countries such as India, China, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand in the region have been observed to have immense potential for the growth of the urgent care model, chiefly owing to a population that is cost-conscious and is rapidly ageing.Global Urgent Care Centers Market: Competitive DynamicsThe vendor landscape for the global urgent care centers market is largely fragmented and small vendors such as physician groups and private physician offices accounting for a significant share in total number of urgent care centers located across the globe. Some of the leading vendors operating in the market are CareSpot Express Healthcare LLC, MD Now, MinuteClinic LLC, FastMed Urgent Care, AFC/Doctors Express, MedExpress, U.S., NextCare Urgent Care, Concentra Inc., Patient First, and HealthWorks Inc.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 Venipuncture Procedure Analysis Market - Research Focused on Devices & Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1820 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1820 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=1820 Global Venipuncture Procedure Analysis Market: SnapshotThe significant rise in the prevalent of chronic diseases across the world, including the increasing incidence of cardiovascular diseases, which need early detection, is influencing the global market for venipuncture procedure analysis significantly. The continual increase in the geriatric population is also boosting this market substantially across the world. With the technological advancement in devices utilized for collecting blood, especially vacuum venipuncture equipment, the accuracy of the result gained by the analysis of the sample is likely to add to the polarity of venipuncture procedure analysis solutions in the years to come, reflecting greatly to the global market. However, the dearth of essential skills among medical professionals for handling venipuncture procedure accurately may affect the growth of the market adversely over the next few years.In a number of cases, when clinicians were proficient in this procedure, accuracy of the results have been compromised. However, the rising focus of healthcare providers over various pre-analytical activities, regarding the collection of blood samples and its handling, is likely to improve the efficacy of the process in the near future, leading to immense growth of this market. North America, thanks to the advent of the U.S. as the key domestic market for venipuncture procedure analysis, is likely to acquire the leading position among all the regional markets over the forthcoming years.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Venipuncture Procedure Analysis Market: OverviewVenipuncture is the medical procedure of drawing blood from veins in humans and animals, mainly for diagnostic purposes such as blood sampling of the blood components. Venipuncture procedures are also used to administer intravenous therapies. The procedure is performed by various clinicians including medical practitioners, medical laboratory scientists, paramedics, dialysis technicians, phlebotomists, and nursing staff. Venipuncture procedures are majorly performed with the help of evacuated or vacuum tubes that mainly includes needles and syringes.The venipuncture procedure has emerged as a vital tool in the hands of clinicians that help in the invasive diagnosis of various diseases. In the recent years, the procedure has gained popularity in the healthcare industry driven by several diagnostic purposes: monitoring levels of blood components, administering therapeutic treatments, chemotherapy, or nutrition; and removing some portion of blood to get rid of excess RBC.Global Venipuncture Procedure Analysis Market: TrendsThe global venipuncture procedure analysis market is majorly driven by increasing incidence of various chronic diseases, prevalence of cardiovascular diseases that require early diagnosis, and rising geriatric population. Technological advancement in the devices used for collecting blood, such as vacuum venipuncture equipment, has led to the accuracy of the sample analysis. However, lack of essential skills of medical professionals using the venipuncture process has largely affected the growth of the market. In many cases, the instances of the clinicians not being proficient in the process, has impeded the accuracy of the results.However, increasing focus of healthcare providers regarding various pre-analytical activities, pertaining to blood sample collection and its handling, has increased the efficacy of the process, boosting the uptake.Request TOC of the Report @Global Venipuncture Procedure Analysis Market: Market PotentialRecently, CorVascular, a Minneapolis-based leading supplier of advanced peripheral vascular diagnostic solutions, recently announced that it has entered into an agreement with Novarix Inc., a medical device company that develops innovative solutions in Intravenous (IV) therapy. Under the terms of the distribution agreement, CorVascular, will be the exclusive marketer of IV-eye, which is developed and manufactured by the medical device company in the UK. The device is a near infrared (NIR) vein imaging device that will assist clinicians in finding effective peripheral veins for performing venipuncture. Under the agreement, CorVascular has the task of making the device available to all resellers present across various healthcare segments in the U.S. The agreement is significant as this will increase the access of cost-effective imaging device for identifying the correct veins for the process of cannulation and venipuncture.Repeated failed attempts by medical practitioners to gain IV access in a large number of patients has resulted in prolonging the treatment and even can lead to significant delayto the tune of 16 to 30 minutes, estimates healthcare expertsin the administration of therapies, including medications. This has also contributed to poor patient experience with venipuncture, greatly impeding the uptake of the procedure. Furthermore, technological advancements and the measures taken by doctors to increase the safety of the procedure is expected to expand the market potential.Global Venipuncture Procedure Analysis Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the U.S. is a prominent market for venipuncture procedures and is expected to register impressive growth along the forecast period. The growth in the regional market is attributed to constant technological advancements leading to innovative products. These solutions have significantly increased the safety and efficacy of the procedure. In addition, the efforts taken by healthcare providers to train clinicians performing the procedure are expected to fuel the regional market in the coming years.Get Discount @The U.K. is another market showcasing lucrative avenues for the manufacturers of venipuncture equipment. A substantial demand is expected to be stimulated by advancement in evacuated tube systems which are extensively used in the venipuncture procedure. The market has witnessed significant demand for venipuncture procedure analysis in Germany and several Nordic countries.Global Venipuncture Procedure Analysis Market: Competitive AnalysisLeading players are making innovative product launches and consolidating their distribution networks to strengthen their market shares in various regions. Companies eyeing a sustained share in the venipuncture procedure analysis market include Translite LLC., Adam,Rouilly Limited, Kyoto Kagaku, Smiths Medical, and Sunphoria Co., Ltd, and CorVascular Diagnostics, LLC.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 Helmet Cameras Market 2018 Emerging Technology, Opportunities, Analysis & Future Threats ReportsWeb http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00011438937/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/global-helmet-cameras-market-professional-survey-report-2018 http://www.reportsweb.com/buy&RW00011438937/buy/3500 Global Helmet Cameras Market Professional Survey Report 2018 newly adds in ReportsWeb.com database. This report covers leading key company profiles with information such as business overview, regional analysis, consumption, revenue and specification.This report studies Helmet Cameras in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2012 to 2016, and forecast to 2022.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering MOHOC, Sena, Garmin, Gopro, Mio, Polaroid, YI Technology, RevZilla, Drift Innovation, Contour, Coleman, SJCAM, PowerLead, Sound Around and SVP.FREE | Request Sample Copy is Available atOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into 4K and 1080P. By Application, the market can be split into Personal and Commercial. By Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want) North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India.Browse Complete Report atTable of Content1 Industry Overview of Helmet Cameras2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Helmet Cameras3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Helmet Cameras4 Global Helmet Cameras Overall Market Overview5 Helmet Cameras Regional Market Analysis6 Global 2012-2018 Helmet Cameras Segment Market Analysis (by Type)7 Global 2012-2018 Helmet Cameras Segment Market Analysis (by Application)8 Major Manufacturers Analysis of Helmet Cameras8.1 MOHOC8.1.1 Company Profile8.1.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.1.2.1 Product A8.1.2.2 Product B8.1.3 MOHOC 2016 Helmet Cameras Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.1.4 MOHOC 2016 Helmet Cameras Business Region Distribution Analysis8.2 Sena8.2.1 Company Profile8.2.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.2.2.1 Product A8.2.2.2 Product B8.2.3 Sena 2016 Helmet Cameras Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.2.4 Sena 2016 Helmet Cameras Business Region Distribution Analysis8.3 Garmin8.3.1 Company Profile8.3.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.3.2.1 Product A8.3.2.2 Product B8.3.3 Garmin 2016 Helmet Cameras Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.3.4 Garmin 2016 Helmet Cameras Business Region Distribution Analysis9 Development Trend of Analysis of Helmet Cameras Market10 Helmet Cameras Marketing Type Analysis11 Consumers Analysis of Helmet CamerasPurchase this report atNote: If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Contact Info:Name: Sameer JoshiEmail: sales@reportsweb.comOrganization: ReportsWebPhone: +1-646-491-9876ReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.533, 5th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 Global Gable Top Liquid Cartons Market to Surpass US$ 5 Bn by 2026-End MRRSE https://www.mrrse.com/sample/4099 https://www.mrrse.com/gable-top-liquid-cartons-market https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/4099 https://www.mrrse.com/ According to a new report based on gable top liquid cartons, a value of close to US$ 5,300 Mn is projected to be generated by the global gable top liquid cartons market by the end of 2026. The report titled Global Gable Top Liquid Cartons Market - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 2026 has recently been submitted to the repository of Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE). According to the report, the market is projected to grow at 5.7% CAGR through 2026. In terms of revenues, the global market is likely to surpass a valuation of over US$ 5 Bn by the end of forecast period.Request a Free Sample Report @According to the report, demand for gable top liquid cartons will continue to be influenced by a number of macroeconomic and microeconomic factors. Among the chief macroeconomic factors driving market growth are increase in investments in high-quality packaging and consumer demand for safe and high-quality products. Gable top liquid cartons are effective in transporting premium beverages over long distances, and this is fuelling their adoption in the market. The broader trends in the packaging landscape, such as focus on active and next-generation packaging are also likely to provide an impetus to the growth.The global market has been categorized into various segments which are product type, material type, end use and region. The product type segment is further sub-segmented into cut opening cartons, clip opening cartons, king twist opening cartons, straw hole opening cartons and twist opening cartons. By material type, the market has been bifurcated into uncoated paperboard, aluminum coated paperboard and plastic coated paperboard. The end use segment is categorized into dairy products, pharmaceuticals, beverages and others. Geographically, the global market is divided into key regions which are North America, Latin America, Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Middle East and Africa.Read the Complete Report with TOC @According to the report, North America and Asia Pacific excluding Japan are among the most prominent markets for gable top liquid cartons market. In North America, the demand is concentrated in the US, whereas the emerging economies of China and India are fuelling demand in APEJ.A detailed competitive analysis of the key players in the market is offered in the report. Some of the key players profiled are Tetra Pak International S.A., Evergreen Packaging Inc, Elopak Inc, ITALPACK CARTONS SRL, SIG Combibloc GmbH, TidePak Aseptic Packaging Material Co.Ltd, Adam Pack sa and Parksons Packaging Ltd., NIPPON PAPER INDUSTRIES CO., LTD., American Carton Company and Sonderen Packaging.Have Any Query? Ask Our Expert at:About MRRSEMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.ContactState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite: Biomarkers Market - Increasing Focus on Research & Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1823 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1823 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=1823 Global Biomarkers Market: SnapshotThe global biomarkers market is witnessing a tremendous rise in its valuation, thanks to the increase in diagnostic applications of biomarkers. The augmenting investments for research and development activities in the pharma and biotech companies, rising number of CROs, and the low cost associated with the clinical trials in emerging economies are also boosting this market.Going forward, the high prevalence rate of cancer and novel initiatives for biomarker research are likely to propel this market in the years to come. On the flip side, heightened need for capital investments and the low cost-benefit ratio, various technical issues associated with collecting samples and their storage, and the poorly suited regulatory and reimbursement systems are likely to act as restraining factors to the growth of this market over the next few years.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Hitherto, North America, with massive share, has been leading the global market for biomarkers. With technological advancements and the increasing focus on research and development activities, this regional market is likely to remain on the top over the forthcoming years. Asia Pacific, among other regional markets, is expected to witness high growth in the years to come, thanks to the presence of ample raw materials.Global Biomarkers Market: OverviewA biomarker is considered as a biological gene or molecule which is being used extensively across the globe in order to evaluate accurate pharmacologic responses, biological procedures, and pathogenic procedures. In addition, biomarkers are used to check bodys response to a specific treatment for a condition or disease. This helps the medical professionals in making effective clinical decisions, which will further assist in diagnosing the health of patients. According to the research study, the global biomarkers market is predicted to register a progressive growth rate throughout the forecast period.Global Biomarkers Market: Key TrendsIn the last few years, there has been a significant research on biomarkers, owing to which the application areas are likely to expand. This is estimated to benefit the global biomarkers market in the coming years. The use of biomarkers for effective therapeutics for cancer is likely to generate potential growth opportunities. In addition, the key players in the market are emphasizing on developing economies across the globe in order to create a niche and expand their presence in the next few years.Global Biomarkers Market: Market PotentialThe approval for the use of biomarkers by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a surrogate end-points in the treatment development process is one of the major factors is projected to fuel the growth of the global biomarkers market in the next few years. In addition, the key players are focusing on new product development is anticipated generate potential opportunities for key players operating in the global biomarkers market in the next few years. On the other hand, the high cost of sample collection, tests, and storage is one of the key challenges being faced by the leading players in the global biomarkers market. This is expected to hamper the growth of the market in the next few years.Request TOC of the Report @Global Biomarkers Market: Regional OutlookAmong the key regional segments, in 2016, the North America market for biomarkers led the global market with a massive share. As per the research study, this segment is estimated to remain in the leading position throughout the forecast period. The robust growth of this region can be attributed to technological developments and the rising focus on research and development activities. The rising demand for biomarkers from diverse industrial sectors is estimated to accelerate the growth of the North America market in the next few years.On the other hand, Asia Pacific is projected to exhibit a progressive growth rate throughout the forecast period. The growing use of biomarkers for several diagnostic purposes, the rising incidence of chronic diseases, and the rising rate of outsourcing of pharmaceutical research and development activities are projected to supplement the growth of the Asia Pacific biomarkers market in the next few years.Global Biomarkers Market: Competitive AnalysisSome of the prominent players operating in the biomarkers market across the globe are Qiagen N.V., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Meso Scale Diagnostics, LLC., EKF Diagnostics Holdings, Inc., Enzo Biochem, Inc., Merck Millipore, Biosims Technologies Sas, Cisbio Bioassays, Signosis, Inc., and Perkinelmer, Inc. A significant rise in the number of players projected to enter the market is estimated to strengthen the competitive landscape of the global biomarkers market in the next few years.Get Discount @Furthermore, the growing focus of key players on innovations and technological developments is likely to encourage the growth of the global biomarkers market in the next few years. In addition, the expansion of the product portfolio is estimated to accelerate the growth of the market and benefit the prominent players operating in the global market.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Global In-Vitro Diagnostics Packaging Market Overview 2018, Demand by Regions, Share and Forecast to 2023 https://www.imarcgroup.com/request?type=report&id=902&flag=B https://www.imarcgroup.com/in-vitro-diagnostics-packaging-market https://www.imarcgroup.com/pharmaceutical-contract-packaging-plant https://www.imarcgroup.com/dairy-packaging-market www.imarcgroup.com The global in-vitro diagnostics packaging market has been witnessing a positive growth. This can be attributed to various factors such as rising prevalence of chronic infectious diseases, rising trend of self-testing at home and shifting focus towards emerging markets.Request a sample report:In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVDs) are different types of medical accessories and devices which are used for performing tests on samples. These tests help in diagnosing a medical condition, detect infection and prevent disease. IVDs can range from simple to complicated tests including control materials, reagents, kits, software and calibrators among others. As IVDs are highly sensitive to changes made in their packaging environment, they can be easily contaminated by moisture due to which they require appropriate packaging. A new research report by IMARC Group, titled In-Vitro Diagnostics Packaging Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2018-2023, estimates that the market was worth more than US$ 6 Billion in 2017. The report further anticipates the market to cross US$ 7 Billion by 2023, at a projected CAGR of around 3.5% over the forecast period.Read full report with TOC:Global In-Vitro Diagnostics Packaging Market Drivers:Over the past few years, there has been a rise in prevalence and incidence of chronic infectious diseases. This acts as one of the major factors which is primarily driving the growth of the global in-vitro diagnostics packaging market.Another major factor that has boosted the market growth is an increase in the diagnostic services as well as the rising trend of self-testing at home by patients globally owing to inflating incomes and hectic lifestyles.A rapid improvement in the current healthcare infrastructure along with a shifting focus towards emerging markets such as Brazil, India, Russia, and China has been proactive in maintaining a strong demand for in-vitro diagnostics packaging.Product Type Insights:On the basis of type, there are a large number of in-vitro diagnostics packaging available in the market. Currently, bottles and vials account for the majority of the market share owing to their ability to withstand high temperatures as well as chemical and thermal shocks. They are followed by tubes, petri dishes and closures.Application Insights:In-vitro diagnostics packaging can be used for various purposes which include diabetes, infectious diseases, cardiology, autoimmune diseases, oncology and drug testing. Among these, diabetes represents the largest segment.Regional Insights:On a geographical front, North America enjoys a leading position in the global in-vitro diagnostics packaging market. This is due to increasing aging population and a rapid rise in the number of people with infectious and chronic diseases in the region. Some of the other major market include Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America.Browse related reports:Pharmaceutical Contract Packaging Market Research Report:Dairy Packaging 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 Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome Market is driven by high prevalence of respiratory disorders https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/neonatal-respiratory-distress-syndrome.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2971 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=2971 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, also referred to as infant respiratory distress syndrome is characterized by a particular condition often observed in premature babies, usually born about six weeks before their due dates. During this condition, lungs of the premature infants lose the ability to produce enough surfactants in order to provide oxygen to the body. Surfactants are liquids made up of fat and proteins and it helps the lungs to remain inflated so that infants can breathe in and out immediately after their birth. Hence, the prime cause for the prevalence of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome is the lack of surfactant in the lungs. Various signs and symptoms associated with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome are as follows:Read Report Overview:Grunting respirationFlaring nostrilsCyanosisBlue-colored lips, fingers and toesSharp pulling in the chestRapid breathingBased on the treatments and mediations, the neonatal respiratory distress syndrome market can be segmented as follows:Surfactant Replacement Therapy: The infants who suffer from respiratory distress syndrome are given surfactant through a breathing tube. Surfactants are administered until the lungs start to make the substance on their own.Oxygen Therapy: Infants with severe breathing problems are given oxygen therapy through a ventilator or NCPAP machine, i.e., nasal continuous positive airway pressure. This therapy ensures that there is a sufficient supply of oxygen to the infant in order to breathe effectively.Supportive Therapy: Supportive therapy helps the premature infants to meet their basic needs of nutrition and protection. For instance, use of incubator to keep the baby warm, and fluids and nutrients intake through needles inserted into the needles veins.Other treatments: Other treatments include drugs and therapeutics to cure neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. Example, surfaxin (lucinactant), which was approved in March, 2012 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of infant respiratory distress syndrome.Download Brochure of Report:Based on geography, the neonatal respiratory distress market can be segmented into four major regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World. Out of these regions, North America dominates the neonatal respiratory distress market followed by Europe. The prime reasons which have driven the growth of this market in these regions are high prevalence of respiratory disorders in infants and increasing genetic problems with lung development. According to a survey, neonatal respiratory distress syndrome is estimated to affect around 20,000-30,000 infants each year in the United States. Asia Pacific is the most promising market for the growth of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome market as there are many developing regions that are growing at a steady pace. The major factors which will propel the growth of this market in Asia Pacific are high birth rate, increasing awareness related to the complications of respiratory distress syndrome in infants and increasing pregnancy-induced hypertension due to malnutrition. Moreover, increasing incidences of premature labor and high-risk pregnancy in mothers would drive the Asian market towards future growth.Many pharmaceutical companies and clinical trial institutes are constantly trying to come up with novel therapeutic development for the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. Some of the leading players operating in the neonatal respiratory distress market are Chiesi Farmaceutici SpA, Discovery Laboratories, Inc., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Auckland City Hospital, Menzies Research Institute and many others.Purchase Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome Market Research Report:About us:Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Phototherapy Equipment Market Expected to Grow US$ 603.2 Million by 2024 Market Research Reports Search Engine https://www.mrrse.com/sample/2923 https://www.mrrse.com/phototherapy-equipment-market https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/2923 https://www.mrrse.com/ https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ An up-to-date research report has been disclosed by Market Research Reports Search Engine highlighting the title Global Phototherapy Equipment Market Report 2018 which provides an outlook of current market value as well as the expected forecast including Rate on Investment (ROI) together with growing CAGR of 4.4% during 2018-2024. The report studies the phototherapy equipment market worldwide, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, size, growth, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions.Request For Free Sample Report @The report on the phototherapy equipment market analyzes the current and future scenario of the global market. Increase in prevalence of neonatal jaundice and skin diseases such as psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo and other diseases, advent of new technology for development of low cost equipment, and increase in preference for noninvasive treatment by patients and physicians, are the major drivers of the global phototherapy equipment market.The phototherapy equipment market report comprises an elaborate executive summary, which includes a market snapshot that provides information about various segments of the market. It also provides information and data analysis of the global phototherapy equipment market with respect to the segments based on product, modality, disease indication, end users and geography. A detailed qualitative analysis of drivers and restraints of the market and opportunities has been provided in the market overview section. In addition, the section comprises Porters five forces analysis to understand the competitive landscape in the market. This section of the report also provides market attractiveness analysis, by geography and market share analysis by key players, thus presenting a thorough analysis of the overall competitive scenario in the global phototherapy equipment market.Global Phototherapy Equipment Market: Key SegmentsBased on product type, the phototherapy equipment market is segmented as Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) phototherapy, light emitted diode (LED) phototherapy and others. The product market segments have been analyzed based on available approved technology and equipment, cost-effectiveness, and preference for equipment by physicians and patients. The market size and forecast for each of these segments have been provided for the period from 2014 to 2024, along with their respective CAGRs for the forecast period from 2016 to 2024, considering 2015 as the base year.Based on modality, phototherapy equipment market is segmented into full body phototherapy and partial body phototherapy. Based on disease indication, phototherapy equipment market is segmented into neonatal jaundice, skin diseases, and other. Skin diseases segment is further segmented into psoriasis, eczema and other skin diseases. The phototherapy equipment market has been segmented into three major categories on the basis of end users: hospitals, clinics, and home care settings. The market segments have been extensively analyzed based on prevalence of the diseases, available treatment, and geographical coverage. The market size and forecast in terms of US$ Mn for each segment have been provided for the period from 2014 to 2024. The report also provides the compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) for each market segment for the forecast period from 2016 to 2024, considering 2015 as the base year.Browse Full Report With TOC @Global Phototherapy Equipment Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the global phototherapy equipment market has been categorized into five major regions and the key countries in the respective region: North America (the U.S., Canada), Europe (the U.K., Germany, Russia, France, Spain, Italy, and Rest of Europe), Asia Pacific (Japan, India, China, Australia & New Zealand and Rest of Asia Pacific), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, and Rest of Latin America) and Middle East & Africa (South Africa, GCC countries and Rest of Middle East & Africa). The market size and forecast for each of these regions and the mentioned countries have been provided for the period from 2014 to 2024, along with their respective CAGRs for the forecast period from 2016 to 2024, considering 2015 as the base year. The research study also covers the competitive scenario in these regions.Companies Mentioned in the ReportThe report also profiles major players in the global phototherapy equipment market based on various attributes such as company overview, financial overview, product portfolio, business strategies, and recent developments. Major players profiled in this report include Atom Medical Corporation, Herbert Waldmann GmbH & Co. KG, Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, GE Healthcare, National Biological Corp., Solarc Systems Inc., The Daavlin Company, and Phoenix Medical Systems Pvt. Ltd, nice Neotech Medical Systems Pvt. Ltd., and Natus Medical Incorporated and others.The Global Phototherapy Equipment Market is segmented as given below:Global Phototherapy Equipment Market, by ProductCFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamps) phototherapyLED (light emitted diode) phototherapyOthersGlobal Phototherapy Equipment Market, by ModalityFull body phototherapyPartial body phototherapyGlobal Phototherapy Equipment Market, by Disease IndicationNeonatal JaundiceSkin DiseasesPsoriasisEczemaOther skin diseasesOthersGlobal Phototherapy Equipment Market, by End-userHospitalsClinicsHome Care SettingsGlobal Phototherapy Equipment Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaS.CanadaEuropeGermanyK.RussiaItalyFranceSpainRest of EuropeAsia PacificJapanIndiaChinaAustralia & New ZealandRest of Asia PacificLatin AmericaBrazilMexicoRest of Latin AmericaMiddle East & AfricaGCC countriesSouth AfricaRest of Middle East & AfricaEnquiry about This Report @About UsMarket Research Reports Search Engine(MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.ContactState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite :Read More Industry News At: Trends in the Corn Derived Humectant Market 2016-2024 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=13409 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/corn-derived-humectant-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Humectants are ingredients that retains and absorbs moisture from surrounding (air) into the objects surface. It keeps the surface of the object hydrated. Humectants can be used as food additives as it increases shelf life of food by determining and controlling physical properties, chemical changes and microbial activity, as these activities can reduce shelf life of food products.Humectants can be corn derived as well. Corn consists of maltodextrin, which is enzymatically derived from starch. One of the major application of maltodextrin is that it acts as humectants in confectionery products by performing the role of fat replacers and nutrition supplements. A corn consists of 15% moisture, which makes it a rich source of humectant. Humectants in food regulates the moisture content, and as a result, makes the food soft and easy to chew. Thus, in this way corn derived humectants is gaining importance in food application, which is driving the market growth.Download PDF Brochure @Corn Derived Humectant Market Dynamics:The market for corn derived humectant is anticipated to be primarily driven by sorbitol. Sorbitol, a sugar alcohol, which is derived from corn is mainly used as humectants in personal care and cosmetics and also as flavoring agent and fragrance ingredient. Sorbitol drives the market demand as humectant by keeping the skin hydrated, as it prevents loss of moisture by attracting water through process of osmosis from air. an ingredient in gel products, soaps containing glycerin, aftershave lotions, toothpaste, hair care products, baby shampoos and mouthwashes it is thus identified as a driver for corn derived humectant markets as it absorbs moisture and keeps the above mentioned products hydrated. Humectant corn syrup, which is made from corn is also driving the market demand due to its sweetening properties. It improves quality of foods, thus acting as an excellent humectant. However, increased use of corn based humectants leads to side effects few times such as allergic reactions, bloating, asthma and others, which is restricting the market growth.Corn Derived Humectant Market Segmentation:The corn derived humectant market is segmented on the basis of type, application and form. The application of corn derived humectant market is segmented into food industry, cosmetics & personal care products, animal feeds, pharmaceuticals and industrial applications. Cosmetics and personal care products is gaining the maximum share in application segment of the particular market. As the consumers are becoming more aware and modern they are tending to use such products that can keep their skin hydrated and moisture laden and as a result manufacturers are producing products, which contains excepted amount of humectants. Depending on the type, corn derived humectant market can be segmented into acids, polysaccharides, proteins, small molecules and alcohols such as sorbitol, urea and others. Protein is expected to be the leading segment due to the presence of many health benefits attached with the consumption such as simulation of essential enzymes and hormones. Form in which corn derived humectants are available are syrups, lotion, paste and powder. In all the form present lotion and paste dominates the market segment.Corn Derived Humectants Market Players:The major players identified across the value chain of corn derived humectants market are Global Starch Co., Limited, Kasyap Sweeteners Ltd., AG Commodities Inc., and others.Obtain Report Details @Corn Derived Humectants Market Regional Outlook:Geographically, the corn derived humectants market can be divided by major regions which include North America, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific region, Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America is the leading region for corn derived humectants market. One of the important corn syrup humectant market is the U.S., as it is less pricy and serves as a substitute to cane sugar. China is the second leading country after U.S. for the corn derived humectants market.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Transparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700,Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: 5G Wireless Ecosystem Market 2017 Technologies, Applications, Verticals, Strategies & Forecasts 2030 5G Wireless Ecosystem Market https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1170817 https://www.researchmoz.us/the-5g-wireless-ecosystem-2017-2030-technologies-applications-verticals-strategies-forecasts-report.html/toc https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1170817 https://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "The 5G Wireless Ecosystem: 2017 - 2030 - Technologies, Applications, Verticals, Strategies & Forecasts" to its huge collection of research reports.Despite the lack of sufficient LTE coverage in parts of the world, mobile operators and vendors have already embarked on R&D initiatives to develop 5G, the next evolution in mobile networks. 5G is expected to provide a single network environment to deliver not only existing mobile broadband and IoT services, but also new innovations such as self-driving cars, cloud robotics, 3D holographic telepresence and remote surgery with haptic feedback.In fact, many mobile operators are betting on 5G to diversify their revenue streams, as conventional voice and data service ARPUs decline globally. For example, South Korea's KT has established a dedicated business unit for holograms, which it envisions to be a key source of revenue for its future 5G network.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @At present, the 3GPP and other SDOs (Standards Development Organizations) are engaged in defining the first phase of 5G specifications. However, pre-standards 5G network rollouts are already underway, most notably in the United States and South Korea, as mobile operators rush to be the first to offer 5G services. SNS Research estimates that by the end of 2017, pre-standards 5G network investments are expected to account for over $250 Million.Although 2020 has conventionally been regarded as the headline date for 5G commercialization, the very first standardized deployments of the technology are expected to be commercialized as early as 2019 with the 3GPP's initial 5G specifications set to be implementation-ready by March 2018. Between 2019 and 2025, we expect the 5G network infrastructure market to aggressively grow a CAGR of nearly 70%, eventually accounting for $28 Billion in annual spending by the end of 2025. These infrastructure investments will be complemented by annual shipments of up to 520 Million 5G-capable devices.The 5G Wireless Ecosystem: 2017 2030 Technologies, Applications, Verticals, Strategies & Forecasts report presents an in-depth assessment of the emerging 5G ecosystem including key market drivers, challenges, enabling technologies, usage scenarios, vertical market applications, mobile operator deployment commitments, case studies, spectrum availability/allocation, standardization, research initiatives and vendor strategies. The report also presents forecasts for 5G investments and operator services.The report comes with an associated Excel datasheet suite covering quantitative data from all numeric forecasts presented in the report, as well as a 5G deployment tracking database covering over 60 global 5G trials, demos and commercial deployment commitments (as of Q12017)."The report covers the following topics:- 5G NR (New Radio) and NextGen (Next Generation) system architecture- Market drivers and barriers to the adoption of 5G networks- 5G requirements, usage scenarios, vertical markets and applications- Key enabling technologies including air interface design, higher frequency radio access, advanced antenna systems, flexible duplex schemes, D2D (Device-to-Device) connectivity, dynamic spectrum access, self-backhauling and network slicing- Complementary concepts including NFV, SDN, hyperscale data centers, Cloud RAN, satellite communications and aerial networking platforms- Case studies and review of mobile operator 5G commitments- 5G standardization, development and research initiatives- Analysis of spectrum availability and allocation strategies for 5G networks- Competitive assessment of vendor strategies- Review of investments on R&D and pre-standards 5G networks- Standardized 5G infrastructure, user equipment and operator service forecasts till 2030Forecast SegmentationMarket forecasts are provided for each of the following submarkets and their subcategories:5G R&D Investments- New Air Interface & Millimeter Wave Radio Access- MIMO, Beamforming & Advanced Antenna Technologies- Spectrum Sharing, Aggregation & Interference Management- Virtualization & Cloud RAN- Network Slicing & Other TechnologiesPre-Standards 5G Network Investments- Pre-Standards Base Stations- Pre-Standards User Equipment- Transport Networking & Other InvestmentsStandardized 5G Infrastructure Investments- 5G NR (New Radio)- - Distributed Macrocell Base Stations- - Small Cells- - RRHs (Remote Radio Heads)- - C-RAN BBUs (Baseband Units)- NextGen (Next Generation) Core Network- Fronthaul & Backhaul NetworkingGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @Standardized 5G User Equipment Investments- Handsets- Tablets- Embedded IoT Modules- USB Dongles- Routers5G Operator Services- Subscriptions- Service RevenueRegional Segmentation- Asia Pacific- Eastern Europe- Latin & Central America- Middle East & Africa- North America- Western EuropeThe report provides answers to the following key questions:- How big is the opportunity for 5G network infrastructure, user equipment and operator services?- What trends, challenges and barriers will influence the development and adoption of 5G?- How will 5G drive the adoption of AR (Augmented Reality)/VR (Virtual Reality) applications such as 3D holographic telepresence and 360 degree streaming of live events?- How have advanced antenna and chip technologies made it possible to utilize millimeter wave spectrum for mobile communications in 5G networks?- How can non-orthogonal multiple access schemes such as RSMA (Resource Spread Multiple Access) enable 5G networks to support higher connection densities for Millions of IoT devices?- What will be the number of 5G subscriptions in 2019 and at what rate will it grow?- Which regions and countries will be the first to adopt 5G?- Which frequency bands are most likely to be utilized by 5G networks?- Who are the key 5G vendors and what are their strategies?- Will 5G networks rely on a disaggregated RAN architecture?- How will 5G impact the fiber industry?- Will satellite communications and aerial networking platforms play a wider role in 5G networks?The report has the following key findings:- The Unites States and South Korea are spearheading early investments in pre-standards 5G trial networks, as mobile operators rush to be the first to offer 5G networks. SNS Research estimates that by the end of 2017, pre-standards 5G network investments are expected to account for over $250 Million.- Following completion of the 3GPP's first phase of 5G specifications in March 2018, SNS Research expects that early adopters across the globe will simultaneously begin commercializing 5G services in 2019.- Between 2019 and 2025, we expect the 5G network infrastructure market to aggressively grow a CAGR of nearly 70%, eventually accounting for $28 Billion in annual spending by the end of 2025.- Although early 5G R&D investments have primarily targeted the radio access segment, network-slicing has recently emerged as necessary ""end-to-end"" capability to guarantee performance for different 5G applications which may have contrasting requirements.- In order to support diverse usage scenarios, 5G networks are expected to utilize a variety of frequency bands ranging from established sub-6 GHz cellular bands to millimeter wave spectrum.Make an Enquiry of this report @List of Companies Mentioned- 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project)- 5G Americas- 5G Forum, South Korea- 5G PPP (5G Infrastructure Public Private Partnership)- 5G TSA (5G Open Trial Specification Alliance)- 5GAA (5G Automotive Association)- 5GMF (Fifth Generation Mobile Communications Promotion Forum, Japan)- 5GRUS- 5GTF (5G Technical Forum)- 5GTR (Turkish 5G Forum)- Alcatel-Lucent...- Yonsei University- Zain Group- ZTECountires CoveredContinue...About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Pneumonia Market 2018 - Global Industry size, Shares, Trends, Growth, Analysis and Forecast 2025 Pneumonia Market https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1513130 https://www.researchmoz.us/global-pneumonia-market-industry-analysis-outlook-20182025-report.html/toc https://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Pneumonia Market: Industry Analysis & Outlook (2018-2025" to its huge collection of research reports.Pneumonia is a lung infection that causes inflammatory condition in one or both lungs. It affects small air sacs known as alveoli by filing them with fluid or pus, making a person difficult to breathe. It can be classified into community-acquired pneumonia and hospital-acquired pneumonia. Hospital acquired pneumonia can be further classified into healthcare associated pneumonia and ventilator associated pneumonia. A person suffering from pneumonia can experience problems like fever along with chills, cough with pus or phlegm, shortness of breath, pain in chest while breath in or coughing and lower than normal body temperature, rapid heartbeats, ongoing nausea or vomiting and decline in energy levels.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The U.S. is expected to be the first region to start selling pneumonia drugs in pipeline and later on, penetration of pneumonia drugs would occur in Europe. The U.S. and Europe have high prevalence of severe forms of multiple drug resistance (MDR) organism which would result into a high demand for pneumonia drugs in future.The global pneumonia market is expected to grow in future with growing ageing population, increasing pharmaceutical R&D spending, increasing healthcare expenditure, accelerating economic growth, growing children population and rise in multiple drug resistance (MDR) organisms. Key trends of this market include progressing drug under pipeline, innovation in treatment options and increased preference towards combination therapy. However, there are some factors which can hinder growth of the market including stringent regulations and entry of generic drugs.The report Global Pneumonia Market: Industry Analysis & Outlook (2018-2025) by Koncept Analytics provides an extensive research and detailed analysis of the present market along with future outlook. The report discusses the major growth drivers and challenges of the market, covering U.S, and Europe along with the global market. The report profiles key players of the market including Merck & Co. Inc., Allergan Plc, The Medicines Company and Nabriva Therapeutics.Table of Content1. Market Overview1.1 Pneumonia1.2 Causes1.3 Symptoms and Diagnosis1.4 Treatment2. Global Pneumonia Market Analysis2.1 Pneumonia Market2.1.1 Global Lefamulin Drug Revenue Forecast2.1.2 Global ASN100 Drug Revenue ForecastGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @3. Regional Markets3.1 The U.S.3.1.1 The U.S. CAP Patient Population Forecast3.1.2 The U.S. CAP Patient Population by Category3.1.3 The U.S. CAP Outpatient Population Forecast3.1.4 The U.S. CAP Hospital Patient Population Forecast3.1.5 The U.S. HAP/VAP Population Forecast3.1.6 The U.S. Lefamulin Drug Revenue Forecast by Category3.1.7 The U.S. Lefamulin Drug Revenue Forecast by Patient Type for CAP3.1.8 The U.S. Lefamulin Drug Revenue Forecast for HAP/VAP3.1.9 The U.S. ASN100 Drug Revenue Forecast for VAP3.2 Europe3.2.1 Europe CAP Patient Population Forecast3.2.2 Europe CAP Patient Population by Category3.2.3 Europe CAP Hospital Patient Population by Category3.2.4 Europe CAP Outpatient Population Forecast3.2.5 Europe VAP Patient Population Forecast3.2.6 Europe Lefamulin Drug Revenue Forecast by Patient Type for CAP3.2.7 Europe ASN100 Drug Revenue Forecast for VAP4. Market Dynamics4.1 Growth Drivers4.1.1 Growing Ageing Population4.1.2 Increasing Pharmaceutical R&D Spending4.1.3 Increasing Healthcare Expenditure4.1.4 Accelerating Economic Growth4.1.5 Growing Children Population4.1.6 Rise in Multiple Drug Resistance (MDR) Organisms4.2 Key Trends & Developments4.2.1 Progressing Drugs Under Pipeline4.2.2 Innovation in Treatment Methods4.2.3 Increased Preference Towards Combination Therapy4.3 Challenges4.3.1 Stringent Regulations4.3.2 Entry of Generic Drugs5. Competitive Landscape5.1 Global Market5.1.1 Revenue Comparison of Key Players5.1.2 Market Cap Comparison of Key PlayersContinue...About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Market - Driving Factors and Trends of the Industry https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1510899&type=S https://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-cocoa-butter-replacer-cbr-sales-market-report-2018.htm/toc https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1510899&type=D http://www.qyresearchreports.com http://reportanalysis.blogspot.in Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Sales Market Report 2018 to its huge collection of research reports.The international market for Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) has been researched with every detail in the publication with increased emphasis on various important factors such as opportunities, and restraints, growth drivers. Each of the factors that pertain to shaping of the market dynamics has been studied and analyzed in detail by the analysts, so as to offer the best and most evaluative and exhaustive study to the report buyers. The snapshot or the executive summary that has been provided in the market intelligence study has been designed in such a way so as to give a quick overview of the market for receiving information on the go. This could help readers with hands-on data needed to make quick decisions anytime during their growth journey in the market.Request a Free sample of this research to evaluate more:top players includingWilmar International Limited, Mewah GroupCargill, Inc.Bunge LimitedAAK ABMewah GroupEPS IMPEX COFelda IffcoThe market segmentations study that has been offered in the publication explores some of the most significant segments of the world Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) market deemed important for the growth of industry participants. All of the segments that have been studied elaborately in the said publication have been deeply evaluated with assistance from best of the research techniques. The analysts have dissected each of the segments and have shed light on vital factors that influence the growth of the various segments. Using this crucial information, market players could rightly shape their business plans in favor of the betterment of their growth in the world market. Segments that have been analyzed in the publication could be related to product, end use, application, and geography.A group of experienced analysts who have prepared the said report delves deep into the various factors that hinder or fuel the global market for Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR). It also discovers and mentions the important trends that are emerging in the said market. Banking upon all these information that has been gathered so far, it has come up with the best course of action for all the stake holders of the market.On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoLauric Acid StearinNon-Lauric Acid StearinOn 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, includingFood & BeveragesFeedToiletriesOthersIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Read Complete Table of Content @Table of ContentsGlobal Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Sales Market Report 20181 Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR)1.2 Classification of Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) by Product Category1.2.1 Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Lauric Acid Stearin1.2.4 Non-Lauric Acid Stearin1.3 Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Food & Beverages1.3.3 Feed1.3.4 Toiletries1.3.5 Others2 Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Sales and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.2.2 Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)3 United States Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Sales and Value (2013-2018)3.1.1 United States Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Sales and Growth Rate (2013-2018)3.1.2 United States Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Revenue and Growth Rate (2013-2018)3.1.3 United States Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Sales Price Trend (2013-2018)Enquiry For Discount Visit @List of Tables and FiguresFigure Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Market Size (Million USD) by Regions (2013-2025)Figure United States Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2025)Figure China Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2025)Figure Europe Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2025)Figure Japan Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2025)Figure Southeast Asia Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2025)Figure India Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2025)Figure Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Sales Volume (K MT) and Growth Rate (2013-2025)Figure Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2025)Figure Global Market Major Players Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Sales Volume (K MT) (2013-2018)Table Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Sales (K MT) of Key Players/Suppliers (2013-2018)Table Global Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Sales Share by Players/Suppliers (2013-2018)Figure 2017 Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Sales Share by Players/SuppliersFigure 2017 Cocoa Butter Replacer (CBR) Sales Share by Players/SuppliersAbout USQYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.We provide a variety of syndicated studies and hold the potential of assisting our clients with their specific market research needs by offering insights based on extensive primary interviews, market surveys, company profiles, and competitive landscaping. Our far-sighted ideas have been successful in igniting a number of startups, investment programs, technology breakthroughs, and new product development projects.Contact US1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.comBlog: Industrial Enzymes Market: Global Industry analysis and Forecast to 2024 https://www.gminsights.com/request-toc/upcoming/1827 https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1827 https://www.gminsights.com https://www.gminsights.com/blogs Industrial Enzymes Market size is likely to get a hike in its CAGR in the forecast period. Industrial enzymes are vastly used across various end-user industries including food processing, biofuels and pharmaceuticals. Industrial enzymes play a significant role in accelerating production processes across various end-user industries including food processing, cosmetics, personal care etc.in an environment friendly manner.Additionally, it makes the process efficient and improves the overall quality which is likely to make substantial contribution to industrial enzymes market size over the projected timespan. Furthermore, these enzymes break down various components like proteins, starch, cellulose etc. to quicken the food and paper processing processes.Request for an in-depth table of contents for this report @Due to stringent environmental regulations the use various toxic chemicals are not permitted to use, however these chemicals improve the overall production processes. Yet as for customer acceptance, regulatory concerns in different industries, doubts regarding quality and safety of the industrial enzymes, volatility in production etc. are likely to obstruct the overall industrial enzymes market size over the projected timeframe. Rapid industrialization in the region primarily due to growing population coupled with rising need for methods which can influence the production in the manufacturing unit is likely to grow as a future opportunity for industrial enzymes market size by 2024.In terms of application, the market is segmented into pharmaceuticals, detergents & cleaners, cosmetics, food processing and others such as animal feed, textile and pulp & paper. Usage of these enzymes in food processing helps breaking down substances such as starch, pectin, cellulose and proteins from food items as it slowdowns the food processing process. It also helps to improve the physical properties of the food item too. Major product use in pharmaceuticals include prompting wound healing, killing disease-causing micro-organisms and diagnosing certain disease.Make an Inquiry for purchasing this report @Based on the regions, Asia-Pacific accounted for a major chunk of the overall industrial enzyme market size in 2016. It is expected to rise at a healthy CAGR primarily due to significant rise in healthcare, food & beverage, chemical, etc. industry which is attributed to rapid population pace along with rising consumer spending power/socio-economic factors in the region which will help attain substantial business size over the forecast timeframe.Some major industrial enzymes players in the market are DSM, DuPont, Novozymes, Associated British Foods, Dyadic International Inc., Amano Enzyme Inc., Codexis Inc. and BASF SE. Some other players in the industrial enzyme market are Advanced Enzymes, Cargill Inc., Maps Enzymes Ltd. Organizations such as DSM is going ahead with strategic acquisitions to become the market leaders in the industrial enzyme market, DSM acquired the food enzymes and its technologies from Verenium at USD 15 million in March 2012.About Global Market InsightsGlobal Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog:Connect with us: Facebook | Google+ | LinkedIn | Twitter Sweetener Market (Sugar, Polyols, HIS & Stevia) 2018 - Global Industry Size, Shares, Trends, Growth, Analysis and Forecast 2022 Sweetener Market https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1513128 https://www.researchmoz.us/global-sweetener-market-sugar-polyols-his-stevia-industry-analysis-outlook-20182022-report.html/toc https://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Sweetener Market (Sugar, Polyols, HIS & Stevia): Industry Analysis & Outlook (2018-2022)" to its huge collection of research reports.A food additive which provides a sweet taste just like that of sugar while containing less calories are known as sugar substitutes. Sugar substitutes are produced both by nature and synthetically. Those not produced by nature are called artificial sweeteners. There are various types of sweeteners available in the market, the major ones being high-intensity sweeteners and low-calorie sweeteners. The high-intensity sweeteners are organic compounds with multiple times the sweetness of sucrose but have extremely low-calorie counts or even no calorie content. The low-calorie sweeteners also known as polyols or sugar alcohols and are a hydrogenated form of carbohydrate and have low-calorie content as compared to sugar.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Sweetener market is one of the fastest growing businesses, which is a sub-segment of the food additives sector. An artificial sweetener is derived chemically and possesses the sweetness similar to sugar. On the other hand, sweeteners of natural origin are extracted from berries, fruits and certain plant species. The sugar market is one of the oldest food processing industries in the world, with more than 100 countries and territories participating in the value chain.The key factors driving growth of the global sweeteners market include rising diabetics population, increasing obesity cases, growing ageing population and increasing health expenditure to treat diabetics. Some of the noteworthy trends and developments of this industry include launch of new products, growing awareness towards health and wellness, self-regulations by companies, awareness of stevia, and rising demand for non-caloric sweeteners. However, the growth of the industry is being hindered by high prices, stringent regulations along with various health hazards associated with high sweetened food products.The report Global Sweetener Market (Sugar, Polyols, HIS & Stevia): Industry Analysis & Outlook (2018-2022) by Koncept Analytics provides an extensive research and detailed analysis of the present market along with future outlook. The report discusses the major growth drivers and challenges of the market, covering the U.S., India, Mexico and European Union along with the global market. It profiles the key players of the market including Tate & Lyle, Pure Circle, Cargill Inc. and Ingredion Inc.Table of Content1. Market Overview1.1 Sweeteners1.2 Types of Sweeteners2. Global Market Analysis2.1 Global Sweetener Market Forecast by Value2.2 Global Sweetener Market by Segments2.2.1 Global Bulk Sweetener Market Volume by Type2.3 Global Sugar Market2.3.1 Global Sugar Production Forecast2.3.2 Global Sugar Consumption Forecast2.3.3 Global Sugar Consumption by Region2.4 Global Polyols Sweetener Market2.4.1 Global Polyols Sweetener Market by Value2.4.2 Global Polyols Sweetener Market by Volume2.4.3 Global Polyols Sweetener Market by Type2.4.4 Global Polyols Sweetener Consumption Volume by Region2.4.5 Global Polyols Sweetener Consumption Value by Region2.5 Global High Intensity Sweeteners Market2.5.1 Global High Intensity Sweetener Market by Value2.5.2 Global High Intensity Sweeteners Market Volume by Type2.5.3 Global High Intensity Sweeteners Market by Application2.5.4 Global High Intensity Sweeteners Consumption Volume by Region2.5.5 Global High Intensity Sweeteners Consumption Value by Region2.6 Global Stevia Market2.6.1 Global Stevia Market Forecast by Value2.6.2 Global Stevia Market Forecast by Volume2.6.3 Global Stevia Consumption Volume by Region2.6.4 Global Stevia Consumption by End Market2.6.5 Global Stevia Fastest Growing Markets2.6.6 Global New Product Launches with Stevia Extract2.6.7 Global Food & Beverage Launches with Stevia by CategoryGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @3. Regional Markets3.1 The U.S.3.1.1 The U.S. Sugar Consumption Forecast3.1.2 The U.S. Sugar Production Forecast3.1.3 The U.S. Tabletop Sweetener Market by Type3.1.4 The U.S. HFCS Production Forecast3.2 Mexico3.2.1 Mexico Sugar Consumption Forecast3.2.2 Mexico Sugar Production Forecast3.2.3 Mexico HFCS Production Forecast3.3 India3.3.1 India Sugar Consumption Forecast3.3.2 India Sugar Production Forecast3.3.3 India Artificial Sweetener Market Forecast by Value3.3.4 India High Intensity Sweeteners Market Forecast by Volume3.4 European Union3.4.1 European Union Sugar Consumption Forecast3.4.2 European Union Sugar Production Forecast3.4.3 European Union Sugar Export Forecast3.4.4 European Union HFCS Production Forecast4. Market Dynamics4.1 Growth Drivers4.1.1 Rising Diabetic Population4.1.2 Increasing Obesity Cases4.1.3 Improving Economic Conditions4.1.4 Growing Ageing population4.1.5 Increasing Health Expenditure To Treat Diabetics4.2 Key Trends & Developments4.2.1 Rising Health and Wellness Awareness4.2.2 New Products Launch4.2.3 Self Regulations by Companies4.2.4 Awareness and Adoption of Stevia4.2.5 Rising Demand for Non-Caloric Sweeteners4.2.6 Sugar Liberalization in Europe4.3 Challenges4.3.1 High Prices4.3.2 Safety Concerns and Regulation Hurdles5. Competitive Landscape5.1 Global Market5.1.1 Revenue and Market Cap Comparison5.1.2 HIS and Polyols Market by CompaniesContinue...About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Global Electrophysiology Market Analysis & Trends - Industry Forecast 2018 to 2026 by Acumen Research and Consulting https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/tentative-table-of-content/503 https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/request-customization/503 https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/inquiry-before-buying/503 https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/buy-now/0/503 https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com Acumen Research and Consulting presents a new research report titled "Electrophysiology Market" that includes the analysis of the various segments of this market across the important regions in the world.This research study on the Global Electrophysiology Market offers detailed and insightful information on major regional markets and related sub-markets. The information is gathered via both, but not limited to, extensive secondary research and primary research. The major secondary data sources referred for collecting information include industry journals, white papers, databases, company reports, and up-to-date press releases among others. The study also comprises factors driving and inhibiting the development of electrophysiology market. The key opportunity areas and trends prevalent in this market are also been compiled in this study. The current size of this market and its predicted market size by the end of forecast period have been highlighted through this study.Download Table of Content@The report has been studied in terms of key market segments and sub-segments. The information on currently leading market segments and sub-segments and the reasons for this growth have been emphasized in the scope of this study. An extensive analysis of electrophysiology market has been encapsulated on the basis of estimations of key market segments in the forecast horizon. In addition, the technological developments that took place in the market and those predicted to take place in coming years have also been outlined through this study.The projections presented in this study on electrophysiology market have been made by analyzing market's future potential and prevalent trends. The market's growth in various geographies has been studied in detail under this report. The top regions in this market and the reasons for the growth in that particular region have been outlined in the report. Further, the report presents competitive landscape of the electrophysiology market, covering information on the market share/positioning analysis of leading players in the market. Under this section, the prime strategies of key players, their strengths and weaknesses, and contributions in market growth are discussed. These players are also evaluated on the basis of attributes such as revenue, gross, product overview, and contact information.Report CoverageMarket Electrophysiology MarketAnalysis Period 2015 2025Historic Data 2015 2016Base Year 2017Forecast Data 2018 2025Market Stratification Product, Indication Type, GeographyRegional Scope North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa (MEA)Report Coverage Market Trends, Drivers, Restraints, Porter's Five Forces Analysis, Competitive Analysis, Player Profiling, Value Chain AnalysisOur expert team will assist and customize the report so that it best fit your exact requirement, Click Here@The major market segments of global electrophysiology market are as below:Market By Product TypeEP ablation catheterso Radiofrequency (RF) EP ablation catheterso Laser ablation systemso Cryoablation EP catheterso Microwave ablationo Navigational advanced mapping accessoriesEP diagnostic catheterso Advanced EP diagnostic catheterso Conventional EP diagnostic catheterso Ultrasound EP diagnostic cathetersEP laboratory deviceso 3D mapping systemso X-ray systemso EP recording systemso Intra-cardiac echocardiography systems (ICE)o Radiofrequency (RF) ablation generatorso Remote steering systemsMarket By Indication TypeVentricular tachycardiaVentricular fibrillationAtrial flutterAtrial fibrillationAtrioventricular nodal re-entry tachycardiaAtrial tachycardiaWolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndromeMarket By GeographyNorth Americao U.S.o Canadao MexicoEuropeo UKo Germanyo Franceo Rest of EuropeAsia-Pacifico Chinao Japano Indiao Australiao Rest of Asia-PacificLatin Americao Brazilo Rest of Latin AmericaMiddle East and Africa (MEA)o South Africao Saudi Arabiao Rest of MEAMarket PlayersFew of the major market participants in the global electrophysiology market are Abbott Laboratories (U.S.), Biosense Webster, Inc. (U.S.), Boston Scientific Corporation (U.S.), BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG (Germany), Koninklijke Philips N.V. (The Netherlands), GE Healthcare (U.K.), Medtronic, Inc. (U.S.), St. Jude Medical, Inc. (U.S.), Microport Scientific Corporation (China), and Siemens AG (Germany).Inquiry Before Buying@Buy this premium research report@Would like to place an order or any question, please feel free to contact at sales@acumenresearchandconsulting.comAbout UsAcumen Research and Consulting (ARC) is a global provider of market intelligence and consulting services to information technology, investment, telecommunication, manufacturing, and consumer technology markets. ARC helps investment communities, IT professionals, and business executives to make fact based decisions on technology purchases and develop firm growth strategies to sustain market competition. With the team size of 100+ Analysts and collective industry experience of more than 200 years, Acumen Research and Consulting assures to deliver a combination of industry knowledge along with global and country level expertise.Contact -Frank WilsonSales Manager | Acumen Research and ConsultingEmail: frank@acumenresearchandconsulting.comPh - USA +1 716-2400-831Asia-Pacific +912065600384Website: Paracetamol Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Industry Demand, Application Analysis, Forecast To 2023 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2934894-2018-global-paracetamol-industry-research-report https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/2934894-2018-global-paracetamol-industry-research-report The reports shows the different types volume and Value in different applications. The major Paracetamol Market (including USA, Europe, China, Japan, India, etc.) is analyzed, data including: market size, import and export, sale segment market by product type and applications.The major players in global Paracetamol market includeMallinckrodtAnqiu Lu'anGranules IndiaZhejiang KangleFarmsonHebei JihengNovacylAnhui BBCA LikangAnhui FuboreSKPLRequest a Sample Report @On the regions, the Paracetamol market is split intoUSAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaSouth AmericaSouth AfricaOthersOn the classifications, the Paracetamol market is primarily split intoPowderGranulesOn the applications, this report coversTablet DrugGranules DrugOral SolutionOthersTable of Content1 Paracetamol Market Overview1.1 Product Overview of Paracetamol1.2 Classification of Paracetamol1.2.1 Type 11.2.2 Type 21.2.3 Type 31.2.4 Type 41.3 Applications of Paracetamol1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.3.3 Application 31.3.4 Application 41.4 Global Paracetamol Market Regional Analysis1.4.1 USA Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.2 Europe Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.3 Japan Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.4 China Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.5 India Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.6 Southeast Asia Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.7 South America Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.8 South Africa Market Present Situation Analysis1.5 Paracetamol Industry Development Factors Analysis1.5.1 Paracetamol Industry Development Opportunities Analysis1.5.2 Paracetamol Industry Development Challenges Analysis1.6 Paracetamol Consumer Behavior Analysis2 Global Paracetamol Competitions by Players2.1 Global Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Players2.2 Global Paracetamol Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Players (2017-2018)2.3 Global Paracetamol Price (USD/Unit) by Players (2017-2018)2.4 Global Paracetamol Gross Margin by Players (2017-2018)3 Global Paracetamol Competitions by Types3.1 Global Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Types3.2 Global Paracetamol Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Type (2013-2018)3.3 Global Paracetamol Price (USD/Unit) by Type (2013-2018)3.4 Global Paracetamol Gross Margin by Type (2013-2018)3.5 USA Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.6 China Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.7 Europe Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.8 Japan Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.9 India Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.10 Southeast Asia Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.11 South America Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.12 South Africa Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type4 Global Paracetamol Competitions by Applications4.1 Global Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.2 Global Paracetamol Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Applications (2013-2018)4.3 Global Paracetamol Price (USD/Unit) by Applications (2013-2018)4.4 Global Paracetamol Gross Margin by Applications (2013-2018)4.5 USA Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.6 China Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.7 Europe Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.8 Japan Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.9 India Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.10 Southeast Asia Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.11 South America Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.12 South Africa Paracetamol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications5 Global Paracetamol Production Market Analysis by Regions5.1 Global Paracetamol Production (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Regions5.1.1 USA Paracetamol Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.2 Europe Paracetamol Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.3 China Paracetamol Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.4 Japan Paracetamol Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.5 India Paracetamol Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.6 Southeast Asia Paracetamol Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.7 South America Paracetamol Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.8 South Africa Paracetamol Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.2 Global Paracetamol Production Value (Million USD) and Share by Region (2013-2018)5.3 Global Paracetamol Price (USD/Unit) by Region (2013-2018)5.4 Global Paracetamol Gross Margin by Region (2013-2018)6 Global Paracetamol Sales Market Analysis by Region6.1 USA Paracetamol Market Consumption Present Situation Analysis6.2 Europe Paracetamol Market Consumption Present Situation Analysis6.3 China Paracetamol Market Consumption Present Situation Analysis6.4 Japan Paracetamol Market Consumption Present Situation Analysis6.5 India Paracetamol Market Consumption Present Situation Analysis6.6 Southeast Asia Paracetamol Market Consumption Present Situation Analysis6.7 South America Paracetamol Market Consumption Present Situation Analysis6.8 South Africa Paracetamol Market Consumption Present Situation AnalysisContinuedAccess Complete Report @Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Battery-Powered Toothbrush Global Market Analysis 2018 | Latest Research Report Battery-Powered Toothbrush Market https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1465610 https://www.researchmoz.us/global-battery-powered-toothbrush-market-research-report-2018-report.html/toc https://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Market Research Report 2018" to its huge collection of research reports.In this report, the global Battery-Powered Toothbrush market is valued at USD XX million in 2017 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2017 and 2025.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Battery-Powered Toothbrush in these regions, from 2013 to 2025 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingPhilips SonicareOral-B (P & G)PanasonicOmron HealthcareColgate-PalmoliveFOREOWellness Oral CarePURSONICSmilexKolibreeOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoRechargeable BatteryNon-rechargeable BatteryOn the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, includingAdultsChildrenTable of ContentsGlobal Battery-Powered Toothbrush Market Research Report 20181 Battery-Powered Toothbrush Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Battery-Powered Toothbrush1.2 Battery-Powered Toothbrush Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Rechargeable Battery1.2.4 Non-rechargeable Battery1.3 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Segment by Application1.3.1 Battery-Powered Toothbrush Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Adults1.3.3 Children1.4 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Market by Region (2013-2025)1.4.1 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2013-2025)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Battery-Powered Toothbrush (2013-2025)1.5.1 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Revenue Status and Outlook (2013-2025)1.5.2 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2013-2025)2 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.1 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.3 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Average Price by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.4 Manufacturers Battery-Powered Toothbrush Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Battery-Powered Toothbrush Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Battery-Powered Toothbrush Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Battery-Powered Toothbrush Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, ExpansionGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @3 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018)3.1 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Capacity and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.2 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Production and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.3 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.4 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.5 North America Battery-Powered Toothbrush Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.6 Europe Battery-Powered Toothbrush Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.7 China Battery-Powered Toothbrush Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.8 Japan Battery-Powered Toothbrush Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.9 Southeast Asia Battery-Powered Toothbrush Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.10 India Battery-Powered Toothbrush Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)4 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2013-2018)4.1 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Consumption by Region (2013-2018)4.2 North America Battery-Powered Toothbrush Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.3 Europe Battery-Powered Toothbrush Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.4 China Battery-Powered Toothbrush Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.5 Japan Battery-Powered Toothbrush Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.6 Southeast Asia Battery-Powered Toothbrush Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.7 India Battery-Powered Toothbrush Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)5 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Production and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)5.2 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)5.3 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Price by Type (2013-2018)5.4 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Production Growth by Type (2013-2018)6 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Consumption and Market Share by Application (2013-2018)6.2 Global Battery-Powered Toothbrush Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2013-2018)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets/CountriesContinue...About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Heated IBCs Market Report, Analysis, Current Trends and Forecast till 2025 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1506882 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1506882/heated-ibcs-global-industry-market-research-reports https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/enquiry/1506882 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/checkdiscount/1506882 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ "The Latest Research Report Heated IBCs Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"This exclusive report will provide you with the market size and forecast (US$ Mn) for the global market and its segments for the period from 2017 to 2025 along with the growth rate (CAGR) from 2017 to 2025, considering 2016 as base year. In addition, drivers, restraints and opportunities, competitive landscape have also been covered under the current proposed table of contents, which will in due course help you to take strategic decisions with respect to the market.Global Heated IBCs Market: IntroductionExpanding cold chains and rising population across wider geographies is leading to efficient and reliable cold chain solutions. Bulk transportation of perishable liquids is a challenging task in food supply chains. In bulk liquids transportation where temperature control is required, heated inter mediate bulk containers (IBCs) are increasingly used. Heated IBC containers comes with many varieties of heating pads, which generally consists of a rubber pad and a covering jacket. Heated IBCs are also equipped with electronic heat sensors and monitors. The silicon rubber mat can be easily inserted and removed from the cage. The cage jacket is made of waterproof, weatherproof and flame retardant materials, like insulated polyurethane, with two separate heating circuits and thermostats. The growing demand for heated IBCs is influencing manufacturers of IBCs to expand their product portfolio by launching of new heated IBCs. Rising concern of food & beverages wastage during cold chain transport is influencing the cold chain service providers to adopt heated IBCs. Overall, the heated intermediate bulk containers market is expected to grow at a lucrative CAGR during the forecast period.Get Sample Copy of this report @Global Heated IBCs: Market DynamicsIn June 2017, Liquid CONcept GmbH & Co. KG, a transportation specialist in Germany invested in Heated Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs). Compared to other bulk transporting products, heated IBCs provide increased cost efficiency and reliability. These IBCs are predominantly used in temperature controlled foodstuffs e.g. chocolate, caramel paste and edible oils, but are also used to store liquid products. Food & beverage businesses in European countries such as Germany, Italy, France, Denmark, Slovakia, and others increasingly preferring these heated IBCs. In recent few years, IBC rental service providers are increasingly adding heated IBCs into their portfolio. The technology for temperature controlled or heated IBCs is continuously evolving. Manufacturers are increasingly investing in research & development to improve the performance of these IBCs. As of now, the market share of heated IBCs in overall bulk liquid transportation is very low and hardly stands at 2% - 3.5%.Global Heated IBCs: Market SegmentationThe global heated IBCs market is segmented on the basis of product type, capacity, and application. On the basis of product type, the global heated IBCs market is segmented into:Fabric Heating Jackets which wrap around the Intermediate Bulk ContainersSilicone Heaters that are placed under the Intermediate Bulk ContainerSubmersible Heaters that drop in the Intermediate Bulk ContainersBased on the capacity, global heated IBCs market is segmented into:Less than 500 L500 to 700 L700 to 1000 L1000 to 1500 L1500 to 2000 L2000 to 3000 LMore than 3000 LBased on the application, global heated IBCs market is segmented into:Vegetable oilsDairyFresh produceJuicesFood IngredientsOthersView Report @Global Heated IBCs Market: Regional outlookHeated IBCs market has been segmented on the basis of region into North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Middle East & Africa (MEA), and Japan. Western Europe is expected to dominate the overall global heated IBCs market, followed by North America. This is due to increasing adoption of heated IBCs in western European countries e.g. Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark and others. Over the forecast period, APEJ heated IBCs market is expected to overtake the Western Europe heated IBCs market. Emerging economies such as China, India, Brazil, Argentina and South Africa are expected to expand at a CAGR above 5%, due to growing demand for temperature controlled transportation packaging products.Global Heated IBCs Market: Key playersSome of the players associated with the global heated IBCs market are Holroyd Components Ltd, TPS Rental Systems, ELEMEX Ltd., Kuhlmann Electro-Heat A/S, Thermon South Africa (Pty) Ltd., BriskHeat Corporation, and others.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisSend An Enquiry Request @The regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.A separate analysis of prevailing trends in the parent market, macro- and micro-economic indicators, and regulations and mandates is included under the purview of the study. By doing so, the report projects the attractiveness of each major segment over the forecast period.Highlights of the report:A complete backdrop analysis, which includes an assessment of the parent marketImportant changes in market dynamicsMarket segmentation up to the second or third levelHistorical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volumeReporting and evaluation of recent industry developmentsMarket shares and strategies of key playersEmerging niche segments and regional marketsAn objective assessment of the trajectory of the marketRecommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the marketCheck Discount This Report From Here @About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Medical Imaging Market in APAC to grow at a CAGR of 9.57% during 2017-2021 | GE Healthcare, Koninklijke Philips, Siemens Healthcare, Toshiba Medical Systems, FUJIFILM https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1476044 https://www.researchmoz.us/medical-imaging-market-in-apac-2017-2021-report.html/toc http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Medical imaging is a process of creating visual representations of the interior of a body for medical applications and clinical analysis. It is performed to reveal internal structures hidden by the skin and bones, to examine and diagnose the medical condition. It plays a vital role in the diagnosis as well as in the treatment process since it is taken into consideration during the follow-up of various diseases. Based on product, the market is segmented into general X-ray equipment, ultrasound equipment, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment, computed tomography (CT) scanners, and positron-emission tomography/single-photon emission computed tomography (PET/SPECT) equipment.The medical imaging market in APAC to grow at a CAGR of 9.57% during the period 2017-2021. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the medical imaging market in APAC for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report presents a detailed picture of the market by way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources.Click to get Sample PDF:Technavio's report, Medical Imaging Market in APAC 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. 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It aims to help you build structures in the right way while ensuring quality of foundation, roof, walls, pillars, beams etc.If you are looking for structural or civil engineer in Texas then Universal Engineering is the company to contact.8721 Wellington View Dr., West Palm Beach, FL, 33411, United States IoT Connected Machines Market : Analysis Current Trends and Sales Forecast Till 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=2789 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=2789 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=2789 Global IoT Connected Machines Market: OverviewThe global IoT connected machines market is envisaged to be advantaged by the growing applications of intelligent broader embedded systems engaged for enabling effective communication and marketing of businesses using connected devices. IoT connected machines find a major application in real-time data tracking which could strengthen process optimization through flexibility, scalability, adaptability, traceability, and transparency. Industry players are prognosticated to cash in on the ability of IoT connected machines to promote real-time response and control over complicated automated processes.Global IoT Connected Machines Market: Key TrendsThe demand for IoT connected machines is anticipated to be propelled by the prominent factor of manufacturers increasingly focusing on their supply chain network to be equipped with close convergence for making end-to-end visibility and collaboration a reality. The market could experience a high positive impact due to the emergence of big data as connectivity between machines sees an incredible increase in demand. This is predicted to take shape on the back of real-time data communication presenting itself as the need of the hour. Furthermore, a greater emphasis is laid on secured backend and production floor operations.Request Sample Copy of the Report@However, there could be some challenges stunting the growth of players operating in the world IoT connected machines market. These could include open network security and privacy of data communication using IoT connected devices. Nonetheless, new avenues of growth are expected to open up in the near future with the rising popularity of promising networks built by IoT connected machines ecosystem. Another factor that could augment the demand in the market is the introduction of groundbreaking and innovative business models requiring IoT connected machines to improve productivity and lower costGlobal IoT Connected Machines Market: Market PotentialABB and HPE have recently announced their partnership at the global level for offering industry-based clients with powerful solutions generating actionable insights from the continually rising, expansive amounts of data produced by businesses. The goal of this strategic partnership is said to improve the flexibility and efficiency of their business operations and give them a competitive edge over their challengers. Currently, ABB claims to accommodate an installed base of 70 million connected devices.Request TOC of the Report @Global IoT Connected Machines Market: Regional OutlookAs per the analysis of the report, the international IoT connected machines market could see a classification into South America, North America, the Middle East and Africa, Europe, and Asia Pacific. According to experienced researchers, North America could secure a leading position in the market because of the growing prominence of IoT and rising application of connected devices. The growth of the regional market could be supported by the early adoption of latest technologies and aggressive digitalization practiced in several industry verticals. Commercial users in Asia Pacific, on the other hand, are foretold to surge the demand for IoT connected machines while adopting leading-edge technologies owing to strong initiatives introduced to improve IT infrastructure.Global IoT Connected Machines Market: Competitive LandscapeThe worldwide IoT connected machines market is projected to witness the presence of leading players such as Dell Inc., AT&T Inc., General Electric Company, Cisco Systems, Inc., and Robert Bosch GmbH. Market players could take to the adoption of common business strategies, viz. acquisitions, new product launches, and cutting-edge developments, to push up their growth in the market. Most of these players are involved in providing novel IoT solutions, services, and platforms to commercial clients across the globe.Get Discount @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 Bulk Container Packaging Market to exceed USD 6bn by 2024 https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/1127 https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1127 http://bit.ly/2D5uw43 http://www.thecampingcanuck.com/ http://marketnewsforecast.blogspot.com https://marketnewswire.wordpress.com https://www.gminsights.com/ The escalating commercialization of Bulk Container Packaging Market is influenced by a wide range of factors, increasing exports of comestible oil from South East Asia being a major one. As the transportation industry is continuously seeking for cost effective and efficient commodity trade, bulk container packaging is becoming the most preferred choice across utility domains. Indonesia and Malaysia are two main countries where the trend is notably increasing day by day.For instance, in 2007, Indonesia exported palm oil estimated almost around 14 million tons, which in 2013, rose to near about 20 million tons. Another factor which is favoring increasing penetration of the market is technological interventions in terms of packing innovation. As per a report by Global Market Insights, Inc., bulk container packaging market is poised to chart a double-digit growth rate of 10% CAGR over 2016-2024, with a target revenue of more than USD 6 billion by 2024.Request for a Sample copy of this Report@Global economy has always been one single common ground influencing the overall packaging market trends. The various products encompassing the bulk container packaging market including flexitanks, bulk container liners, and FIBC are mostly manufactured from petrochemical derivatives, which leads to the industry witnessing a relevant cost structure. Flexitanks have emerged as one of the prominent products that are widely being adopted for the export of wines, fruit juices, and edible oils. Some of the value-added characteristics of the product that allows its massive consumption include low weight, cost effectiveness, high payloads, eco-friendliness, and low contamination risks. With the growing regulatory norms subject to the environmental concerns, flexitanks bulk container packaging market is expected to witness the highest growth in the years ahead.Flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC) is another major product segment substantially contributing to the overall bulk container packaging industry share. These products are widely incorporated in industrial applications such as transporting building materials, detergents, polymers, non-hazardous chemicals etc. Holding the maximum bulk container packaging industry share in 2015, FIBC market is likely to witness substantial growth in the coming years.Inquiry Before Buying of this Report@Food and beverage sector contributed a major chunk toward bulk container packaging market share, covering almost 30% of the overall application landscape in 2015. The demand for food has witnessed a massive increase from the ever-increasing population base which has already crossed the seven billion mark. In addition, increasing consumer spending over beverages such as tea, coffee, wine, juice, have also considerably fueled the application growthBulk container packaging industry size from chemical applications will also chalk a profitable growth curve in the years ahead at a projected CAGR of 10% over 2016-2024. Easy availability of raw materials, supportive government policies, and increasing investments by the chemical manufacturers are some of the factors that have significantly augmented chemical trade across APAC belt. This, in turn, is expected to provide a significant push to bulk container packaging market growth over the coming seven years. Overall, with China at the growth front, Asia Pacific market will witness maximum gains with an annual growth rate of 11% over 2016-2024.Browse Report Summery@North America bulk container packaging market will also witness commendable gains over the coming years, driven by the growing demand for export of agricultural products including oilseeds, corn, grain, and soya bean. Estimates depict that North America dominated the overall bulk container packaging industry share in 2015, with major contributions from the U.S.Worldwide, bulk container packaging market is undergoing a transformation, with the spreading consumer awareness about the importance of sustainable and biodegradable packaging. The industry is highly consolidated with the major players sharing almost 50% of the global business space. Some of the prominent bulk container packaging industry participants include Braid Logistics, SIA Flexitanks, BLT Flexitank Industrial, and MY Flexitank (MYF).Read Our Blog:About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb: Global Translation Software Market 2018 Size, Development Status, Type and Application, Segmentation, Forecast by 2025 Translation Software Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2764941-global-translation-software-market-size-status-and-forecast-2025 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/2764941-global-translation-software-market-size-status-and-forecast-2025 Translation Software Market:WiseGuyReports.com adds Translation Software Market 2018 Global Analysis, Growth, Trends and Opportunities Research Report Forecasting to 2025reports to its database.Executive SummaryThis report studies the global Translation Software market, analyzes and researches the Translation Software development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeSDLMemoQAtrilLECFlittoPromptBabylonLinguaTechIdiomaXAuthorSoftWordMagicNeuroTranKingsoftYouDaoOmegaTMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoIOS System Supportive OnlyWindows System Supportive OnlySupport both Windows and IOS SystemsSupport Windows, IOS and other SystemsMarket segment by Application, Translation Software can be split intoCompaniesFreelancersOrganisations and InstitutionsUniversitiesOthersIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Request Sample Report @Global Translation Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 20251 Industry Overview of Translation Software1.1 Translation Software Market Overview1.1.1 Translation Software Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Translation Software Market Size and Analysis by Regions (2013-2018)1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Translation Software Market by Type1.3.1 IOS System Supportive Only1.3.2 Windows System Supportive Only1.3.3 Support both Windows and IOS Systems1.3.4 Support Windows, IOS and other Systems1.4 Translation Software Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Companies1.4.2 Freelancers1.4.3 Organisations and Institutions1.4.4 Universities1.4.5 Others2 Global Translation Software Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Translation Software Market Size (Value) by Players (2013-2018)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 SDL3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Translation Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 MemoQ3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Translation Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Atril3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Translation Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 LEC3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Translation Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Flitto3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Translation Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Prompt3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Translation Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Babylon3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Translation Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 LinguaTech3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Translation Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 IdiomaX3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Translation Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 AuthorSoft3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Translation Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 WordMagic3.12 NeuroTran3.13 Kingsoft3.14 YouDao3.15 OmegaT4 Global Translation Software Market Size by Type and Application (2013-2018)4.1 Global Translation Software Market Size by Type (2013-2018)4.2 Global Translation Software Market Size by Application (2013-2018)4.3 Potential Application of Translation Software in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Translation SoftwareContinuousFor further information on this report, visit Contact Us:Norah Trentsales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US); +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Wise Guy Reports Is Part Of The Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. And Offers Premium Progressive Statistical Surveying, Market Research Reports, Analysis & Forecast Data For Industries And Governments Around The Globe. Wise Guy Reports Features An Exhaustive List Of Market Research Reports From Hundreds Of Publishers Worldwide. We Boast A Database Spanning Virtually Every Market Category And An Even More Comprehensive Collection Of Market Research Reports Under These Categories And Sub-Categories.Addres:WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone :+91 841 198 5042 Global Air Ambulance Market Segment by Countries and Forecast 2025 : PHI, DRF, MED FLIGHT QYResearchReports https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1504469&type=S https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1504469&type=D Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Air Ambulance Market Size, Status and Forecast 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.The international market for Air Ambulance has been researched with every detail in the publication with increased emphasis on various important factors such as opportunities, and restraints, growth drivers. Each of the factors that pertain to shaping of the market dynamics has been studied and analyzed in detail by the analysts, so as to offer the best and most evaluative and exhaustive study to the report buyers. The snapshot or the executive summary that has been provided in the market intelligence study has been designed in such a way so as to give a quick overview of the market for receiving information on the go. This could help readers with hands-on data needed to make quick decisions anytime during their growth journey in the market.Interpret a Competitive outlook Analysis Report with Free Sample Report:The market segmentations study that has been offered in the publication explores some of the most significant segments of the world Air Ambulance market deemed important for the growth of industry participants. All of the segments that have been studied elaborately in the said publication have been deeply evaluated with assistance from best of the research techniques. The analysts have dissected each of the segments and have shed light on vital factors that influence the growth of the various segments. Using this crucial information, market players could rightly shape their business plans in favor of the betterment of their growth in the world market. Segments that have been analyzed in the publication could be related to product, end use, application, and geography.This report studies the global Air Ambulance market, analyzes and researches the Air Ambulance development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeAir MethodsAir Medical Group HoldingsPHIMetro AviationRegaDRFADAC Service GmbHRoyal Flying Doctor ServiceA group of experienced analysts who have prepared the said report delves deep into the various factors that hinder or fuel the global market for Air Ambulance. It also discovers and mentions the important trends that are emerging in the said market. Banking upon all these information that has been gathered so far, it has come up with the best course of action for all the stake holders of the market.Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Air Ambulance1.1 Air Ambulance Market Overview1.1.1 Air Ambulance Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Air Ambulance Market Size and Analysis by Regions (2013-2018)1.3 Air Ambulance Market by Type1.4 Air Ambulance Market by End Users/Application2 Global Air Ambulance Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Air Ambulance Market Size (Value) by Players (2013-2018)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in FutureEnquiry For Discount Visit @3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Air Methods3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Air Ambulance Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Air Medical Group Holdings3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Air Ambulance Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.2.5 Recent Developments4 Global Air Ambulance Market Size by Type and Application (2013-2018)4.1 Global Air Ambulance Market Size by Type (2013-2018)4.2 Global Air Ambulance Market Size by Application (2013-2018)4.3 Potential Application of Air Ambulance in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Air Ambulance5 United States Air Ambulance Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Air Ambulance Market Size (2013-2018)5.2 United States Air Ambulance Market Size and Market Share by Players (2013-2018)5.3 United States Air Ambulance Market Size by Application (2013-2018)6 EU Air Ambulance Development Status and Outlook6.1 EU Air Ambulance Market Size (2013-2018)6.2 EU Air Ambulance Market Size and Market Share by Players (2013-2018)6.3 EU Air Ambulance Market Size by Application (2013-2018)About Us:QYResearchReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYResearchReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us:1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com Global Hair Serum Sales Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2018 Market Research Report https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1463245 https://www.researchmoz.us/global-hair-serum-sales-market-report-2017-report.html/toc http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG http://summaryofmarketresearchreports.blogspot.in/ Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Hair Serum Sales Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2018" to its huge collection of research reports.In this report, the global Hair Serum market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report split global into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Hair Serum for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesChinaEuropeJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Hair Serum market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Hair Serum sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingStylecrazeDavid-mallettEvalectricJosie Maran CosmeticsStylecasterHenkelKaoProcter & GambleUnileverAmka ProductsAvonFantasiaGiovanni CosmeticsMirta de PeralesTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoConditionerEssenceOn 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, includingHair styling serumHair treatment serumOthersBrowse TOC @Table of ContentsGlobal Hair Serum Sales Market Report 20171 Hair Serum Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Hair Serum1.2 Classification of Hair Serum by Product Category1.2.1 Global Hair Serum Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Hair Serum Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Conditioner1.2.4 Essence1.3 Global Hair Serum Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Hair Serum Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Hair styling serum1.3.3 Hair treatment serum1.3.4 Others1.4 Global Hair Serum Market by Region2 Global Hair Serum Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Hair Serum Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Hair Serum Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Hair Serum Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Hair Serum (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Hair Serum Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Global Hair Serum Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.3 Global Hair Serum (Volume and Value) by Region2.3.1 Global Hair Serum Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.3.2 Global Hair Serum Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @Follow us on Blogger @ Rising capsules hotels at airports are one of the major trends for the growth of the global airport sleeping pods market https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/toc/1022 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/airport-sleeping-pods-market-1022 www.coherentchronicle.com Sleeping pods are enclosed beds, or state-of-the-art chair that converts into a sleeping pod with a fold-flat bed, which are used by passengers during layover at airports. These sleeping pods offer facilities such as Wi-Fi, television, and minimum requisite space for a human body resting. Increasing government investment for offering passenger-friendly facilities at airports is one of the major factors for growth of the global airport sleeping pods market. For example: in 2016, the Indian government announced plans to invest US$ 120 Bn for infrastructure development of airports. Most governments focus on allotting space for sleeping pods in airports to private parties who handle the installation and maintenance of pods. Also, rising numbers of air passengers plays a key role for growth of the global airport sleeping pods market. The Federal Aviation Administration Aerospace forecast, in 2017, around 229 million passengers are estimated to travel by flight in the U.S., up from 218 million passengers in 2016.Rising capsules hotels at airports is one of the major trends for growth of the global airport sleeping pods market. Capsules hotels are small box type hotels, which provide facilities such as Wi-Fi connectivity, electric components, television, and other facilities. Increasing demand for hotels or waiting rooms at airports have accelerated demand for capsules hotels.Request Table of Content of this ReportMoreover, some of the major challenges, which are adversely affecting growth of the airport sleeping pods market are high product costs, high maintenance costs, and adherence to stringent regulations regarding electrical components.North America airport sleeping pods market is projected to retain its dominance in the global airport sleeping pods market.On the basis of geography, the global airport sleeping pods market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. North America was the leading region in the global airport sleeping pods market in 2016, in terms of market share and is projected to retain its dominance over the forecasted period. Increasing number of air passengers is a major factor, driving growth of the market in North America. For instance, according to Federal Aviation Administration, by 2021 around 262 million passengers are estimated to travel by flight in the U.S. In addition to this, large number of airports in the U.S. have also accelerated adoption of this product. According to the United States Department of Transportation, in 2016, the number of airports in the U.S. was around 19,536 airports.Asia Pacific market is projected to register the highest growth rate over the forecast period, with India, China, and Japan being the major growth engines. Rising smart city projects, and increasing number of aero plane passengers in emerging economies are some of the major factors driving growth of the market in Asia Pacific. For example: according to Directorate General of Civil Aviation India, in January 2016, the passengers carried by domestic airlines was 7.65 Mn up from 6.24 Mn in 2016. Moreover, increasing travel and tourism industry in Asia Pacific further fuels demand for capsules hotels at airports, which fuels growth of the sleeping pods market in this region. For instance: according to India Brand Equity Foundation, direct contribution of tourism and hospitality industry to GDP is US$ 72 Bn in 2016 and is projected to reach US$ 178 Bn by 2027.Key industry participants are focusing on strategic initiatives such as collaborations with government bodies, offering better facilities in sleeping pods, and others to increase its market share. For instance, in 2013, government of Abu Dhabi announced installation of GoSleep sleeping pods, which enables passengers to rest in a private and secure environment at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Also, in 2017, SleepBox launched a cozy luxury sleep pods with features such as drop-down desk, Bluetooth-enabled speakers, Wi-Fi, and electrical outlets.Some of the major companies in the global airport sleeping pods market include GoSleep, Sleepbox, SnoozeCube, and MetroNaps.For More InformationAbout Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website: Global Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic Market 2018 - Denso, Delphi, Hitachi, Hyundai KEFICO Global Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic Market https://goo.gl/ZRRTRX https://goo.gl/kgAx9F www.apexmarketreports.com Global Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic Market 2018 Analysis Report audits a Market Regions, Product Categories, with Sales, Business Revenue, Goods cost, Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic piece of the overall industry and Growth patterns, concentrating on driving Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic industry players, showcase size, request and supply examination, utilization volume, Forecast 2017 to 2025.The major regions present in the continents like United States, Germany, Japan and China and their contribution to global Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic market is elaborated in this research document. In next section, the report discusses industry policies and plans, cost structures, the outline of Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic market globally, manufacturing processes. The growth rate exhibited by Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic market based on consumption ratio, consumer volume, market gains is included in this report.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here:The Global Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic report gives a thorough situation of the present and gauge Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic showcase procedures, improvement methodologies and development openings. Starting a discussion on the contemporary condition of Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic showcase, the report extra dissects the market powerful moving each area begun in it.Top Manufacturers Analysis of This ReportBoschContinentalDensoDelphiHitachiHyundai KEFICOInfineon TechnologiesNGK Spark PlugPanasonicStoneridgeThe report additionally concentrates the Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic bits of knowledge of the organizations and suggestions that will help the perusers to have progressive learning of the Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic showcase.Enquire Before Buying @A principal diagram of the Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic market is introduced to the perusers with the assistance of market definition, order, different applications, and production network examination. The Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic report covers the investigation of conventional and the developing markets. The report more expresses the Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic showcase rivals, their business profiles, freshest news, their piece of the overall industry, developing arrangements and methodologies, client volume and creating strategies.All in all, it is an exhaustive research report which will help perusers to break down the possibility of interest in Vehicle Under-the-hood Electronic advertise.About UsApex Market Reports offers elevating market research globally. We have collection of various syndicated reports of different categories. Apex Market Reports provides you to best services, weather youre searching for new trends in market or competitive scenario in emerging market.Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezCorporate Sales Specialist155 North Wacker Drive, Suite 4250Chicago, IL 60606Phone: +17739042683Email id - sales@apexmarketreports.comWebsite - Global Wireless Charging Market Size,Status and Forecast 2025 : BEZALEL, FONE, Iottie, Semtech QYResearchReports https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1498088&type=S https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1498088&type=D Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Wireless Charging Market Size,Status and Forecast 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.In this report, a detailed overview of the global Wireless Charging market has been given. The report takes into account primary and secondary sources in order to predict the Market's future. This report comprises a detailed discussion on the various factors which are expected to fuel the growth of the market in the years to come. The report also discusses in an equally detailed manner regarding the various factors which are expected to hamper the growth of the market or challenge it's growth. The impact analysis of these restricting factors is also given in this research report.Have Any Query? Ask Our Expert @The report is prepared by seasoned Market analyst who are well-informed and are updated about the latest happenings in the global Wireless Charging market. These researchers have a knack of spotting the friends which are expected to shape the future of the global Wireless Charging market. In addition to this, these analysis help in designing the report in a comprehensive manner by including all the important aspects of the market while disregarding any unimportant data. This is why purchasing the report will be profitable to all potential investors, players both established and new entrance rather than surfing the internet regarding the details about the global Wireless Charging market period 4, the internet is flooded with information regarding the global Wireless Charging market and it becomes a tedious and complicated to useful data from the rest.This report studies the global Wireless Charging market,analyzes and researches the Wireless Charging development status and forecast in United States,EU,Japan,China,India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market,likeErgo(aircharge)BEZALELFONENXP SemiconductorsIOttieHumavoxSemtechIntegrated Device Technology,Inc.Various factors which are expected to drive the growth prospects of the market have been listed. Several growth opportunities that lie in the market are also analyzed and discussed. The competitive landscape aftermarket has been given in the later part of the report. It includes a detailed case study of each of the prominent players within the global Wireless Charging market. Informative of data such as the business overview, Financial overview of each of the companies, the recent developments or accomplishments by companies, and the various challenges these companies had to face in achieving their leading position within the market has been given in this report.The report also studies the bargaining power of buyers and suppliers as well as the degree of competition. The threat of substitutes as well as threat of new entrants are also analyzed in the report.Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Wireless Charging1.1 Wireless Charging Market Overview1.1.1 Wireless Charging Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Wireless Charging Market Size and Analysis by Regions (2013-2018)1.3 Wireless Charging Market by Type1.4 Wireless Charging Market by End Users/Application2 Global Wireless Charging Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Wireless Charging Market Size (Value) by Players (2013-2018)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in FutureClick here to avail discount on this reports @3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Ergo(aircharge)3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products,Services and Solutions3.1.4 Wireless Charging Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 BEZALEL3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products,Services and Solutions3.2.4 Wireless Charging Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.2.5 Recent Developments4 Global Wireless Charging Market Size by Type and Application (2013-2018)4.1 Global Wireless Charging Market Size by Type (2013-2018)4.2 Global Wireless Charging Market Size by Application (2013-2018)4.3 Potential Application of Wireless Charging in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Wireless Charging5 United States Wireless Charging Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Wireless Charging Market Size (2013-2018)5.2 United States Wireless Charging Market Size and Market Share by Players (2013-2018)5.3 United States Wireless Charging Market Size by Application (2013-2018)6 EU Wireless Charging Development Status and Outlook6.1 EU Wireless Charging Market Size (2013-2018)6.2 EU Wireless Charging Market Size and Market Share by Players (2013-2018)6.3 EU Wireless Charging Market Size by Application (2013-2018)About Us:QYResearchReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYResearchReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us:1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com Bluetooth Smart SoC Market Professional Outlook and Forecast to 2025 by Bluegiga Technologies Oy, Nordic Semiconductor ASA The Insight Partners http://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPTE100000142 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/bluetooth-smart-soc-market Global Bluetooth Smart SoC Market Report 2018-2025 has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Bluetooth offers exchange of information over short range from mobile and fixed devices. It is a wireless technology developed as an alternative to data cables and it is wireless personal area network (WPAN) topology designed. Devices compatible with Classic Bluetooth (2.0 and 3.0) and Bluetooth 4.0 are identified as Bluetooth smart ready devices. Whereas, devices that supports Bluetooth 4.0 are recognized as Bluetooth smart devices.Furthermore, low power requirement is one of the chief factors for the adoption of Bluetooth smart technology. Presently, wireless sensors are implanted in many of the consumer wearable products and electronic gadgets. With the help of Bluetooth technology, these wireless sensors connects with each other. Therefore, development of smart wireless sensors is a significant driving factor to bolster the growth of global Bluetooth smart system-on-chip (SoC) market. Additionally, the users does not need to incur any extra costs as traditional Bluetooth Smart Ready products are only supported by Bluetooth enabled devices. Low cost coupled with low power requirements are the factors responsible for the increase in growth of Bluetooth smart SoC market. Increasing demand for tables, smartphones and other wearable devices are the key drivers for growth of global Bluetooth smart SoC market.Request a Sample Report atWith the increased adoption of Bluetooth and Bluetooth Smart enabled gadgets and accessories, a connected infrastructure for electronic gadgets has formed. However, Bluetooth lacks in transferring heavy data and has a low streaming capacity, as compared to Wi-Fi and near field communication. Low streaming capacity is a key factor that hinders the global Bluetooth Smart SoC growth. Also, privacy and security concerns regarding the use to Bluetooth technology can be a major challenge for the industry players.The global Bluetooth smart SoC market is segmented on the basis device type into Bluetooth smart and Bluetooth smart ready. The global Bluetooth smart SoC market is further segmented on the basis of applications into automotive, healthcare, building & retail, wearable electronics and consumer electronics. The global Bluetooth smart SoC market is bifurcated by regions into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America.North America dominated the global Bluetooth smart SoC market with the increased adoption of Bluetooth smart and Bluetooth smart ready products. Whereas, Asia Pacific is expected to witness fastest growth in the market with the rising penetration of smartphones that support Bluetooth.Bluegiga Technologies Oy, Nordic Semiconductor ASA, Qualcomm Inc., Dialog Semiconductor PLC, Broadcom Corporation, Texas Instruments Inc., Mediatek Inc., NXP Semiconductors, Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, CSR PLC, Marvell Technology Group, Ltd. Among others are some of the key markets players operating in the global Bluetooth smart SoC market.Bluetooth Smart SoC Market Key Players- Bluegiga Technologies Oy- Nordic Semiconductor ASA- Qualcomm Inc.- Dialog Semiconductor PLC- Broadcom Corporation- Texas Instruments Inc.- Mediatek Inc.- NXP Semiconductors- Cypress Semiconductor Corporation- CSR PLC- Marvell Technology Group, Ltd.View Complete Report atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comAbout Us:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.533, 5th Floor,Amanora Chambers, East Block, Amanora Township,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 SON (Self-Organizing Networks) Ecosystem Revenue Is Expected To Grow More Than $5 Billion By 2020: Market Focus Till 2030 Market Research Report https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=835177 https://www.researchmoz.us/the-son-selforganizing-networks-ecosystem-2016-2030-opportunities-challenges-strategies-forecasts-report.html/toc http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG http://summaryofmarketresearchreports.blogspot.in/ Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "SON (Self-Organizing Networks) Ecosystem Revenue Is Expected To Grow More Than $5 Billion By 2020: Market Focus Till 2030" to its huge collection of research reports.SON (Self-Organizing Network) technology minimizes the lifecycle cost of running a mobile network by eliminating manual configuration of equipment at the time of deployment, right through to dynamically optimizing performance and troubleshooting during operation. This can significantly reduce the cost of the operators services, improving the OpEx to revenue ratio.Amid growing demands for mobile broadband connectivity, mobile operators are keen to capitalize on SON to minimize rollout delays and operational expenditures associated with their ongoing LTE and small cell deployments.Originally targeted for the RAN (Radio Access Network) segment of mobile networks, SON technology is now also utilized in the mobile core and transport network segments. In addition, Wi-Fi access point OEMs are beginning to integrate SON features such as plug-and-play deployment, autonomous performance optimization, self-healing and proactive defense against unauthorized access.Despite challenges relating to implementation complexities and multi-vendor interoperability, SON revenue is expected to grow to more than $5 Billion by the end of 2020, exceeding conventional mobile network optimization revenue by a significant margin. Furthermore, the SON ecosystem is increasingly witnessing convergence with other technological innovations such as Big Data, predictive analytics and DPI (Deep Packet Inspection).To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The SON (Self-Organizing Networks) Ecosystem: 2016 2030 Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts report presents an in-depth assessment of the SON and associated mobile network optimization ecosystem including key market drivers, challenges, OpEx and CapEx savings potential, use cases, SON deployment case studies, future roadmap, value chain, vendor analysis and strategies. The report also presents revenue forecasts for both SON and conventional mobile network optimization, along with individual projections for 10 SON submarkets, 6 regions and 15 countries from 2016 through to 2030.The report comes with an associated Excel datasheet suite covering quantitative data from all numeric forecasts presented in the report.The report covers the following topics:Conventional mobile network planning & optimizationSON technology and architectureKey benefits and market drivers of SONChallenges to SON adoptionSON use casesSON deployment case studiesFuture roadmap of the SON ecosystemCompany profiles and strategies of over 120 SON ecosystem playersOpEx and CapEx saving analysis of SONWireless network infrastructure spending, traffic projections and value chainConvergence of SON with Big Data, predictive analytics and DPIStrategic recommendations for SON solution providers, wireless infrastructure OEMs and mobile operatorsMarket analysis and forecasts from 2016 till 2030Browse TOC @Forecast SegmentationMarket forecasts are provided for each of the following submarkets and their subcategories:Mobile Network OptimizationSONConventional Mobile Network Planning & OptimizationSON Network Segment SubmarketsMacrocell RANHetNet RANMobile CoreMobile Backhaul & FronthaulSON Architecture SubmarketsC-SON (Centralized SON)D-SON (Distributed SON)SON Access Network Technology Submarkets2G & 3GLTEWi-Fi5GRegional MarketsAsia PacificEastern EuropeLatin & Central AmericaMiddle East & AfricaNorth AmericaWestern EuropeCountry MarketsAustraliaBrazilCanadaChinaFranceGermanyIndiaItalyJapanRussiaSouth KoreaSpainTaiwanUKUSAThe report provides answers to the following key questions:How big is the SON and mobile network optimization ecosystem?How is the ecosystem evolving by segment and region?What will the market size be in 2020 and at what rate will it grow?What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth?Who are the key SON vendors and what are their strategies?What is the outlook for QoE based SON solutions?How can SON ease the deployment of unlicensed LTE small cells?What SON capabilities will 5G networks entail?What is the outlook for C-SON and D-SON adoption?How will SON investments compare with those on traditional mobile network optimization?What opportunities exist for SON in mobile core and transport networks?How will SON use cases evolve overtime in 3GPP releases?Which regions will see the highest number of SON investments?How much will mobile operators invest in SON solutions?What is the outlook for SON associated OpEx savings by region?The report has the following key findings:Despite challenges relating to implementation complexities and multi-vendor interoperability, SON revenue is expected to grow to more than $5 Billion by the end of 2020, exceeding conventional mobile network optimization revenue by a significant margin.Mobile operators have reported up to a 50% reduction in dropped calls and over 20% higher data rates with SON implementation. Besides common network optimization use cases, operators are also capitalizing on SON platforms to address critical business objectives such as refarming 2G/3G spectrum for LTE networks.In a bid to differentiate their products, Wi-Fi access point OEMs are beginning to integrate SON features such as plug-and-play deployment, autonomous performance optimization, self-healing and proactive defense against unauthorized access.SON platforms are moving from reactive systems to more advanced implementations that incorporate predictive analytics technology to make necessary changes to a network before any degradation occurs.Infrastructure and software incumbents are continuing to acquire smaller established C-SON players to accelerate their entry path into the C-SON market.List of Companies Mentioned3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project)Accedian NetworksAccelleranAccuverActixAexioAircom InternationalAirHop CommunicationsAirspan NetworksAlcatel-LucentAltiostar NetworksAlvarion TechnologiesAmdocsAniteArcadyan Technology CorporationArgelaARIB (Association of Radio Industries and Businesses, Japan)AricentAriesoCountires CoveredAustraliaBrazilCanadaChinaFranceGermanyIndiaAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @Follow us on Blogger @ Global Smart Metering Market (Electricity Gas & Water): By Major Companies - Landis+Gyr Group, Itron, Inc., Sensus (Xylem) and Silver Spring Networks Market Research Report https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1380393 https://www.researchmoz.us/global-smart-metering-market-electricity-gas-water-industry-analysis-outlook-20172021-report.html/toc http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG http://summaryofmarketresearchreports.blogspot.in/ Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Smart Metering Market (Electricity Gas & Water): By Major Companies - Landis+Gyr Group, Itron, Inc., Sensus (Xylem) and Silver Spring Networks" to its huge collection of research reports.Smart meters, enabling two-way communication, provide energy consumption data to both utilities and consumers. These smart meters prove to be the most energy efficient systems which provide accurate energy usage and bills and also eliminate the cost of manual labor force to conduct repeated checks. Smart meters are one of the three key elements of advanced metering infrastructure.A smart meter is an electronic energy meter that records energy consumption and transmits data to and from the utility company frequently, thereby, allowing direct meter reading and data analysis. These meters have helped in addressing the needs for power grids. Smart meters are broadly of three types i.e. smart electricity meters, smart gas meters and smart hot/cold meters.United States is one of the largest market for smart meters, but most growth potential at present is held by EMEA region because of compulsory government mandates and polies regarding renewable energy. The global spending on smart meters is increasing at a robust rate and the factors responsible for the overall market growth include new housing starts, increased penetration of smart meters, urbanization and economic growth.The key trends of the market include industry consolidation and increased focus of major companies on research and development (R&D). The market is largely challenged by technology evolution threat and increased competition from Chinese peers.The report offers an in-depth analysis of the Global Smart Metering Market: Industry Analysis & Outlook (2017-2021). Major companies that have been covered in the report include Landis+Gyr Group, Itron, Inc., Sensus (Xylem), Silver Spring Networks.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Table of Content1. Market Overview1.1 Advance Metering Infrastructure1.2 Smart Meter2. Global Market Analysis2.1 Global Smart Meter Market by Value2.2 Global Smart Meter Market Forecast by Value2.3 Global Smart Meter Market by Type2.4 Global Smart Meter Market Forecast by Type2.5 Global Smart Electricity Meter Market2.5.1 Global Smart Electricity Meter Market Forecast by Value2.5.2 Global Smart Electricity Meter Market by Region2.5.3 Global Smart Electricity Meter Market Forecast by Region2.6 Global Smart Gas Meter Market2.6.1 Global Smart Gas Meter Market Forecast by Value2.6.2 Global Smart Gas Meter Market by Region2.6.3 Global Smart Gas Meter Market Forecast by Region2.7 Global Smart Hot/Cold Meter Market2.7.1 Global Smart Hot/Cold Meter Market Forecast by ValueBrowse TOC @3. Regional Market Analysis3.1 The Americas3.1.1 Americas Smart Electricity Meter Market Forecast by Value3.1.2 The Americas Smart Gas Meter Market Forecast by Value3.1.3 Americas Investment on Smart Meters Forecast3.1.4 Americas Investment on Smart Meter Forecast by Region3.2 EMEA3.2.1 EMEAs Smart Electricity Meter Market Forecast by Value3.2.2 EMEAs Smart Gas Meter Market Forecast by Value3.2.3 EMEAs Investment on Smart Meters Forecast3.2.4 EMEAs Investment on Smart Meters Forecast by Region3.3 APACAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @Follow us on Blogger @ Global Side by Side Vehicle Market Competition by Top Players 2017 : Polaris, John Deere, Kawasaki QYResearchReports https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1080505&type=S https://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-side-by-side-vehicle-sales-market-report-2017.htm/toc https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1080505&type=D Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Side by Side Vehicle Sales Market Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.The report here gathers interchange perspectives having a place with the general Side by Side Vehicle market which verbalizes the present-day data and future exposures with reference to the dynamic powers at play. The prime reason behind the examination report is to offer the endorser with a wide design and make accessible the pleasing substances and records. The quantifiable and testing clarifications behind the examination other than executes data on issues, for example, drivers, shackles, and projections to gage the surrendered consequence of the general Side by Side Vehicle market through the cross of the said gage period in the examination report. The report in like course passes on a brief and world class record of the predefined market takes after, which joins a few occasions of the veritable fixations at work which are concentrated to trigger change in the market or may cause any negative effect.Request and Get Free Sample Report @This report other than stations into the general Side by Side Vehicle market by in a general sense breaking down the thing and industrialized chain of the market. This is required to in like route help in passing on honest to goodness information and data on compound parts of the fitting market, for example, material relating to systems for the overseeing body in the standard and general strata, transport and transmission structure, targets, and elucidations behind premium got for the contributed mean.Global Side by Side Vehicle market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Side by Side Vehicle sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingPolarisJohn DeereKawasakiYamaha MotorKubotaArctic CatHondaBRPThe report utilizes a few showed industry examination and whole contraptions. They permit the examination accumulate pass on an uncovered key assessment of the general Side by Side Vehicle market and help endorser and market troupes to be coordinated with respect to hypothesis and business judgments. The wide reasoning about the examination gives a market position on an unquestionable and minute scale. It assembles huge and optional research structures in this way. 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Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYResearchReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us:1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com EB-5 expert LCR Capital appoints former U.S. Senate attorney Matthew Virkstis as General Counsel New Delhi, 5th February 2018: Leading US private investment firm and EB-5 regional center operator LCR Capital Partners officially announced the appointment of Matthew Virkstis as General Counsel to the firm. He will be assisting LCR on US government affairs, legal, and compliance matters.Mr Virkstis nearly nine years of experience in US government service provides him a keen perspective on the political and policy issues that are crucial for the EB-5 investment visa program. Prior to coming on board at LCR, he was the Director of Government Affairs at the Pine State Regional Center. Previously, he served as the Senior Counsel to the US Senate Judiciary Committee for former Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, handling a broad portfolio of policy and oversight issues. While with the Senate Judiciary Committee, Mr Virkstis was instrumental in the enactment of several significant pieces of legislation championed by Senator Leahy, including the reauthorizations of the EB-5 program between 2006 and 2012. He has also advised clients on EB-5 and immigration policy issues at the law firm Greenberg Traurig.Matthew Virkstis, General Counsel at LCR Capital, said, I am delighted to join LCR and I look forward to supporting the firm and working to achieve our business goals for the coming year. I will be actively committed to assisting LCR safely and consistently navigate all legal and compliance issues with regard to the EB-5 program proceedings.Speaking on the appointment of Mr Virkstis to the rapidly growing LCR Capital team, CEO Suresh Rajan remarked, Matthews knowledge and legal expertise is unparalleled. His experience and achievements working with the US Senate Judiciary Committee, especially with regard to the policy issues of the EB-5 program are exemplary. We are very happy to welcome him to the LCR family.About LCR Capital PartnersFounded in 2012 by first-generation U.S. immigrants who met at and graduated from Harvard Business School, LCR Capital Partners is a private investment and advisory firm that deploys EB-5 investments as growth capital in signature real estate and hospitality projects as well the well-established U.S. franchise industry. Suresh Rajan, the CEO of LCR Capital, and his team are committed to providing high-net-worth investors with best-in-class, institutional quality EB-5 investment projects focused on strong job creation and principal protection. The firm's primary client base comes from India, Brazil and other Latin American countries, South Africa, and the Middle East. As a firm founded by first-generation U.S. immigrants, LCR takes its mission very seriously: to serve as a trusted and reliable partner to our EB-5 investors as they successfully navigate a transition towards U.S. residency.B 175 Sushant Lok, Part 1 DDI Emphasizes Importance of Reshaping Leadership Development in the Future of Life Science and Healthcare DDI Partners with Proventa International https://proventainternational.com/hr-life-sciences-healthcare/ Organizations in the life science and healthcare industry are no stranger to shifting business landscapes. With constant advances in technology and new standards of care, new business models, a growing population, and changing demographics, life science and healthcare companies need to be able to adapt year after year. Regulations, access to care, cost pressures, and legal and ethical considerations add to the challenge. Undoubtedly, organizations need great leadership to create a roadmap in ensuring the delivery of safe, high quality health care.While high potential efforts remain relevant, they are no longer sufficient as more needs to be done. Relying on a small group of leadership heroes is no longer enough. Organizations need to invest in programs that unleash leadership potential and capability right across the organization, shares Desmond Tan, Managing Director of one of Proventa Internationals co-hosts for HR Life Sciences & Healthcare Strategy Meeting 2018, Development Dimensions International, Singapore (DDI).Excited to share his knowledge and experiences at the upcoming HR Life Sciences & Healthcare Strategy Meeting 2018 in Shangri-La Singapore, Desmonds wealth of experience will be beneficial to both established and emerging life science and healthcare companies.About DDIWe are DDI. We work side by side with the people who are relentless about identifying and developing leaders who perform and will leave an enduring legacy. Because better leaders lead to a better future, weve been obsessed with the science and practice of leadership for nearly five decades. We help clients uniquely define and achieve great leadership at every level of their organization, from aspiring leaders to the C-suite. Our promise remains: Together, we can co-create a solution thats aligned with your business context and aimed squarely at your business goalsusing our leadership expertise in Strategy, Selection, Development, Succession Management.About HR Life Sciences & Healthcare Strategy Meeting 2018Proventa Internationals unique format of HR Life Sciences & Healthcare Strategy Meeting 2018 gathers seasoned local and global thought leaders in an exclusive discussion where each C-Level Director gets to share knowledge and insights on key strategic challenges that others are currently facing. This years HR Life Sciences and Healthcare Strategy Meeting will be held at Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore on 09 April 2018. For more information, please visitSubmit your interest to attend, sponsor or partner!Delegate Registration: kmj@proventainternational.comSponsorship Opportunities: lp@proventainternational.comMedia Partnership: jp@proventainternational.com.Proventa International is a Management Consultancy specialising within the Life Sciences sectors. We work with leading and most innovative emerging to large Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology organisations worldwide.By creating an executive network of strategic partnerships, we are able to engage and bring true innovation through our global stakeholders reducing timelines and helping to achieve their short, medium and long-term vision.Unit 51 Skyline Business Village, LimeharbourLondon E14 9TS, United Kingdom Electric Hoist United States Market Growth Analysis, Status and Outlook Electric Hoist market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/924680-united-states-electric-hoist-market-3 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/request-discount/924680-united-states-electric-hoist-market-3 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/924680-united-states-electric-hoist-market-3 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=924680 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/924680-united-states-electric-hoist-market-3 HTF MI recently broadcasted a new study in its database that highlights the in-depth market analysis with future prospects of Electric Hoist market. 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It provides information on trends and developments, focuses on markets and materials, capacities, technologies, CAPEX cycle and the changing structure of the United States Electric Hoist Market.This study also contains company profiling, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information of various international, regional, and local vendors of United States Electric Hoist Market, some of them are Kito, Terex, Hitachi Industrial, Columbus McKinnon, Konecranes, Street Crane, Ingersoll Rand, ABUS, Imer International, TOYO, Gorbel, DAESAN, Milwaukee Tool, VERLINDE, LIFTKET, Li An Machinery, DL Heavy Industry, Nanyang Kairui, Jiangsu Jiali, Niukelun, Chi Zong Machine, TBM, Chongqing Shanyan, Cheng Day, Shanghai Yiying, Beijing lingying & Shanghai Shuangdiao. The market competition is constantly growing higher with the rise in technological innovation and M&A activities in the industry. Moreover, many local and regional vendors are offering specific application products for varied end-users. The new vendor entrants in the market are finding it hard to compete with the international vendors based on quality, reliability, and innovations in technology.United States Electric Hoist (Thousands Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Market Split by Product Type such as Electric Chain Hoist & Electric Wire Rope HoistMarket Segment by Type 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022Electric Chain Hoist xx xx xx xx xx Xx xx-Change (%) xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx%Electric Wire Rope Hoist xx xx xx xx xx Xx xx-Change (%) xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx% xx%Check for discount @The research study is segmented by Application such as Factories, Factories, Construction Sites, Marinas & Shipyards, Mining & Excavating Operation, Warehouse & Others with historical and projected market share and compounded annual growth rate.United States Electric Hoist (Thousands Units) by Application (2017-2022)Market Segment by Application 2012 2017 2022 Market Share (%)2022 CAGR (%)(2017-2022)Factories xx xx xx xx% xx%Factories xx xx xx xx% xx%Construction Sites xx xx xx xx% xx%Marinas & Shipyards xx xx xx xx% xx%Mining & Excavating Operation xx xx xx xx% xx%Warehouse xx xx xx xx% xx%Others xx xx xx xx% xx%Total xx xx xx 100% xx%Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of Electric Hoist in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringMarket Segment by Regions 2012 2017 2022 Share (%) CAGR (2017-2022)The West xx xx xx xx% xx%Southwest xx xx xx xx% xx%The Middle Atlantic xx xx xx xx% xx%New England xx xx xx xx% xx%The South xx xx xx xx% xx%The Midwest xx xx xx xx% xx%Total xx xx xx xx% xx%Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @Key questions answered in this report - United States Electric Hoist Market Report 2018What will the market size be in 2022 and what will the growth rate beWhat are the key market trendsWhat is driving United States Electric Hoist marketWhat are the challenges to market growthWho are the key vendors in United States Electric Hoist market space?What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the United States Electric Hoist market?What are the key outcomes of the five forces analysis of the United States Electric Hoist market?Buy PDF version of this research report @There are 15 Chapters to display the United States Electric Hoist market.Chapter 1, to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Electric Hoist, Applications of Electric Hoist, Market Segment by Regions;Chapter 2, to analyze the Manufacturing Cost Structure, Raw Material and Suppliers, Manufacturing Process, Industry Chain Structure;Chapter 3, to display the Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Electric Hoist, Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, R&D Status and Technology Source, Raw Materials Sources Analysis;Chapter 4, to show the Overall Market Analysis, Capacity Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment);Chapter 5 and 6, to show the Regional Market Analysis that includes The West, Southwest, The Middle Atlantic, New England, The South & The Midwest, Electric Hoist Segment Market Analysis (by Type);Chapter 7 and 8, to analyze the Electric Hoist Segment Market Analysis (by Application) Major Manufacturers Analysis of Electric Hoist;Chapter 9, Market Trend Analysis, Regional Market Trend, Market Trend by Product Type [Electric Chain Hoist & Electric Wire Rope Hoist], Market Trend by Application [Factories, Factories, Construction Sites, Marinas & Shipyards, Mining & Excavating Operation, Warehouse & Others];Chapter 10, Regional Marketing Type Analysis, International Trade Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis;Chapter 11, to analyze the Consumers Analysis of Electric Hoist;Chapter 12, to describe Electric Hoist Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Electric Hoist sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Get Access to FREE sample pages @Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact Us:HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road, Edison, NJ USA - 08837sales@htfmarketreport.comPh: +1 (206) 317 1218 New Report Offers Ready-to-move-in Luxury Homes Market, Trends, Future Prospects during 2017-2025 MRRSE https://www.mrrse.com/sample/4295 https://www.mrrse.com/ready-to-move-in-luxury-homes-market https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/4295 https://www.mrrse.com/ https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ New research report offers a comprehensive analysis of the Global Market Study on Ready-to-move-in Luxury Homes: Residential Buyer End Use Segment Projected to be the Most Attractive During 2017 - 2025The main objective of this report is to deliver insightful information and clear-cut facts pertaining to the growth trajectories of the market.Request to view Sample Report @Residential buyers to outnumber corporate buyers in the global ready-to-move-in luxury homes marketThe global ready-to-move-in-luxury homes market consists of end users such as residential buyers and corporate buyers. Residential buyers in the scope of this report refers to those luxury residential property buyers, whose purpose of purchase is either for personal residency or for investment. Corporate buyers in the scope of this report refers to corporate organizations that purchase luxury residential properties for organizational purposes, such as employee short term stay and for organizational investment. According to the market analysis presented in the research report by Persistence Market Research, the residential buyer segment leads the market with a projected market value of over US$ 670 Bn in 2025, witnessing a robust CAGR of 7.0%. The corporate buyer segment is estimated to hold a market value of over US$ 250 Bn in 2025, with a comparatively lower CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period of 2017-2025.Factors leading to the increase in residential buyers for ready-to-move-in luxury homesThere are a lot of factors contributing to the rise in the number of residential buyers in the global ready-to-move-in luxury homes market. One of the main reasons is peoples growing preference towards luxury amenities, especially in the U.S. Global political instability and the potential weakening of the U.S. dollar creates opportunities for wealthy buyers who are looking for reliable places for real estate investment, which include New York Citys super luxury housing market, where homes are sold at US$10 million or more. Single-family homes in residential areas such as Bel Air, Brentwood, and Beverly Hills dominate the luxury market in Los Angeles. Buyers of super-prime properties prefer private entrances, spa and wellness offerings, and five-star hotel services. U.S. metropolitan cities offers expensive and luxurious homes that will continue to attract the worlds ultra-wealthy population, as buyers are becoming more perceptive in their search for the best location and amenities. This increase in demand for luxurious amenities is creating demand for ready-to-move-in luxury homes in the U.S.Browse Full Report with TOC @Crypto currencies is also considered as a driver of the global market revenue growth. There is a major shift in residential real estate as more people are looking to engage in property transactions using cryptocurrencies that offer quicker and more efficient transactions, among other benefits. Cryptocurrencies and smart contracts also aid in improving transparency, speed and security of property transactions. Peer-to-peer digital transactions are especially compelling in markets where international sales are common because they are instantaneous and remove the need for currency conversions and transfers between foreign banks, which can take weeks or in some cases months.Business travels increase the demand from corporate buyers in the ready-to-move-in luxury homes marketAlthough resident buyers outnumber corporate buyers in the ready-to-move-in luxury homes market, some factors are helping boost the demand from corporate buyers in the market. Consumers staying in urban and sub-urban areas, especially in regions like Latin America, are significantly impacting the progress of the economy and levels of corporate mobility, due to which business and leisure travel will continue to escalate. Business travel is the major source for serviced apartments as global spending in this category is rising at a high pace. Also, the relocation of working professionals can be a positive sign for the market. In a country like India, the service sector is one of the fastest growing in the world, attracting numerous working professionals from across the world to come here for work purposes. Now-a-days both national and international working professionals in the service industry are relocating from city to city for their official work, for longer or shorter periods of time. It is observed that these professionals prefer ready-to-move-in apartments, as these are less expensive in comparison to hotels and also ensure privacy, along with all the other benefits of luxurious hotel stays. Such relocations of working professionals throughout the globe to India is driving the sales of ready-to-move-in luxury homes in the country.Enquire about this Report @About (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At: Global Electronic Dispensing System Market Side Effects Analysis 2017 to 2018-2024 Electronic Dispensing System Market https://goo.gl/xs9Uyb https://www.marketsresearch.biz/report/global-electronic-dispensing-system-market-researc-141034/ Global market study on the "Electronic Dispensing System Market" across the woldwide, regional and country level. The report on the global Electronic Dispensing System market uses the top-down and bottom-up approaches to define, analyze, and describe the Electronic Dispensing System market trends for the next five years And Electronic Dispensing System market Size and Share. The Electronic Dispensing System market report further provides production, capacity, Electronic Dispensing System market price per region, gross margin, Electronic Dispensing System production cost, for all major regions and countries listed in Electronic Dispensing System report.Recently published a detailed market study on theGet Sample Copy Of Electronic Dispensing System Market 2018:The Global Electronic Dispensing System Market 2017 report includes Electronic Dispensing System market Revenue, market Share, Electronic Dispensing System industry volume, market Trends, Electronic Dispensing System Growth aspects. The Electronic Dispensing System Market research report analyses and provides the historical data along with current performance of the global Electronic Dispensing System industry, and estimates the future trend of Electronic Dispensing System market on the basis of this detailed study. Electronic Dispensing System Market also focuses on the growth drivers and restraints for the keyElectronic Dispensing System market studies the competitive landscape view of the industry. The Electronic Dispensing System report also includes development plans and policies along with manufacturing processes. The major regions involved in Electronic Dispensing System Market are (United States, EU, China, and Japan).Find More About Electronic Dispensing System Market 2018:The Electronic Dispensing System report does the thorough study of the key industry players to understand their business strategies, annual revenue, company profile and their contribution to the global Electronic Dispensing System market share. Diverse factors of the Electronic Dispensing System industry like the supply chain scenario, industry standards, import/export details are also mentioned in Global Electronic Dispensing System Market 2018 report.In conclusion, Global Electronic Dispensing System market 2018 report presents the descriptive analysis of the parent market based on elite players, present, past and futuristic data which will serve as a profitable guide for all the Electronic Dispensing System industry competitors.About UsMarketsResearch.Biz is a leading market intelligence team which making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@marketsresearch.biz Steering Columns System Market Latest Trends and Forecast Analysis up to 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/16183 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/16183 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/steering-columns-system-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com The Steering Column System is a device which is mainly used to connect the whole mechanism and transfers the driver's response rotation through the steering wheel. The steering column system comprises a transferable housing which holds a collapsible revolving shaft. The steering column system is linked to the shaft of steering gear by a flexible point, which permits the position and the transmission of the driver is reduced from road shocks.Few steering columns consist of the shaft which is in between that runs at slanting angle, from the steering column to the gear. Some of the steering columns system manufacturers produce sensors which control the steering column that provides all the information to the control modules of an electric assisted or any steering systems.Request Sample Report@Among steering types, electric power steering segment is anticipated to grow at rapid pace in the forecast period as the fuel efficiency and improving technology by electric power steering is the foremost driver for the segment. Almost all the passenger vehicles and cars have Electronic Power Steering Systems, which is driven by an electric motor which is not connected to the main engine and only operates when it is required.On the basis of the geographical market segment, it is segmented into seven different regions: North America, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia-Pacific region, Japan and the Middle East and Africa.In regional segments, Asia-Pacific is the leading market for the global steering columns system and is anticipated to continue its position during the forecast period. The expansion is mainly attributed to increasing of the automotive industry in developing nations such as India and China.Request Report for TOC @The Global Steering Columns System Market is expected to witness sustained growth over the forecast period. The growth of steering columns system market is driven as there is favorable growth in the automotive industry is a major factor which will boost the steering columns system market. Moreover, rising purchasing power of the consumers is also driving the steering columns system market. As the increasing vehicle production in all the regions around the world is also influencing the demand for steering columns system market.Some of the players operating in the Steering Columns System includes Bosch, Nexteer automotive, Pailton Engineering Ltd, TRW Automotive, Kostal of America Inc., Denso Corporation, Continental AG, Delphi Automotive PLC, Schaeffler, Marimba Auto, LLC, NSK, Coram Group, Mando Corporation and COBO International and few other regional players. Manufacturers are investing in research & development and also focusing on different strategies to maintain their market share in the Global Steering Columns System market.Read Report Overview @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Demand of Corrosion Resistant Alloys Market in Global Industry : Analysis, Insights, Research and Forecast 2018-2025 https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1506788 https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1506788 https://www.researchmoz.us/corrosion-resistant-alloys-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2017-2025-report.html http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG https://marketinfo247.wordpress.com/ Albany, NY, 5th February : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of "Corrosion Resistant Alloys Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025" globally.An alloy is a homogeneous mixture composed of two or more metals, nonmetals, or metalloids. Alloys are produced through fusion or electro-deposition process wherein, the parent metal is the base metal for the alloying material, while remaining metals are alloying agents in the form of metals, nonmetals, or metalloids.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @Alloys possess superior physical and chemical properties that are different from those of pure metals. Corrosion is a process of degrading materials that are exposed to the environment due to chemical or electrochemical reactions occurring at its surface. Corrosion resistant alloys are used to provide resistance to materials against atmospheric corrosion, galvanic corrosion, intergranular corrosion, pitting corrosion, crevice corrosion, wet corrosion, and corrosion fatigue.The global corrosion resistant alloys market is primarily driven by increasing demand for corrosion resistant alloys from various end-use industries such as automotive, oil & gas, and marine. Increase in utilization of alloys subjected to specific melting methods, controlled manufacturing routes, and extensive mechanical and corrosion testing methods are expected to propel the corrosion resistant alloys market. Increase in consumption of advanced corrosion resistant products to match the needs of various end use industries has been a key driver fuelling the corrosion resistant alloys market. Expansion of the oil & gas industry across the world is also anticipated to boost the demand corrosion resistant alloys during the forecast period. Onshore and offshore applications are expected be major contributors propelling the demand for corrosion resistant alloys. Use of deep-water exploration, subsea technology, and drilling technology has led to the rise in consumption of these alloys. Moreover, expansions and technological developments in the aerospace sector is projected to offer lucrative opportunities to the corrosion resistant alloys market. However, volatility in prices of raw materials of corrosion resistant alloys are likely to hamper the market.Make An Enquiry About TOC with tables & Figures @In terms of type, the corrosion resistant alloys market can be segmented into iron-based alloys, nickel-based alloys, cobalt-based alloys, and others. Nickel-based alloys holds a key share in the global corrosion resistant alloys market. Nickel-based alloys have high temperature strength, oxidation resistance, and creep resistance. These properties allow these alloys to be employed in high temperature applications such as turbine engines.Based on end-use industry, the corrosion resistant alloys market can be divided into oil & gas, automotive & transportation, aerospace & defense, process industries, and others. Alloys with a blend of molybdenum, nickel, iron, titanium, among others, impart specific characteristics to a wide range of applications. Process industries holds a significant share in the global corrosion resistant alloys market owing to its uses in food processing, metal mining & refining, plating, paper & pulp, and pharmaceutical applications.In terms of geography, the corrosion resistant alloys market can be segregated into North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. The market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at a rapid pace due to easy availability of raw materials in countries such as China, Japan, and India. North America and Europe also hold a significant share of the market owing to the increase in demand for corrosion resistant alloys in automobile and marine sectors.Key players operating in the global corrosion resistant alloys market include Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V., Corrosion Resistant Alloys, L.P., Haynes International, Inc., Hitachi Metals MMC Superalloy, Ltd., Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp., and Special Metals Corporation.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)Browse Report @The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.ResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on : Hair Styling Tools Market 2018 Global Key Players: WAHL, Andis, Oster, Phillips, Panasonic. Hair Styling Tools Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2821086-global-hair-styling-tools-market-research-report-2018 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/2821086-global-hair-styling-tools-market-research-report-2018 Hair Styling Tools Market:WiseGuyReports.com adds Hair Styling Tools Market 2018 Global Analysis, Growth, Trends and Opportunities Research Report Forecasting to 2025reports to its database.Executive SummaryGeographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Hair Styling Tools in these regions, from 2013 to 2025 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Hair Styling Tools market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingWAHL (US)Andis (US)Oster (US)Phillips (NL)Panasonic (JP)VS Sassoon (US)Conair (US)Remington (UK)Ningbo Trueman Electric (CN)Paiter (CN)SID (CN)POVOS (CN)RIWA (CN)On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoElectric ToolHand ToolOn the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, includingAdultsKidsIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Request Sample Report @Table of ContentGlobal Hair Styling Tools Market Research Report 20181 Hair Styling Tools Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Hair Styling Tools1.2 Hair Styling Tools Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Hair Styling Tools Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Hair Styling Tools Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Electric Tool1.2.4 Hand Tool1.3 Global Hair Styling Tools Segment by Application1.3.1 Hair Styling Tools Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Adults1.3.3 Kids1.4 Global Hair Styling Tools Market by Region (2013-2025)1.4.1 Global Hair Styling Tools Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2013-2025)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Hair Styling Tools (2013-2025)1.5.1 Global Hair Styling Tools Revenue Status and Outlook (2013-2025)1.5.2 Global Hair Styling Tools Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2013-2025)2 Global Hair Styling Tools Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Hair Styling Tools Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.1 Global Hair Styling Tools Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Hair Styling Tools Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Hair Styling Tools Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.3 Global Hair Styling Tools Average Price by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.4 Manufacturers Hair Styling Tools Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Hair Styling Tools Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Hair Styling Tools Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Hair Styling Tools Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Hair Styling Tools Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018)3.1 Global Hair Styling Tools Capacity and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.2 Global Hair Styling Tools Production and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.3 Global Hair Styling Tools Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.4 Global Hair Styling Tools Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.5 North America Hair Styling Tools Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.6 Europe Hair Styling Tools Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.7 China Hair Styling Tools Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.8 Japan Hair Styling Tools Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.9 Southeast Asia Hair Styling Tools Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.10 India Hair Styling Tools Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)4 Global Hair Styling Tools Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2013-2018)4.1 Global Hair Styling Tools Consumption by Region (2013-2018)4.2 North America Hair Styling Tools Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.3 Europe Hair Styling Tools Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.4 China Hair Styling Tools Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.5 Japan Hair Styling Tools Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.6 Southeast Asia Hair Styling Tools Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.7 India Hair Styling Tools Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)5 Global Hair Styling Tools Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Hair Styling Tools Production and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)5.2 Global Hair Styling Tools Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)5.3 Global Hair Styling Tools Price by Type (2013-2018)5.4 Global Hair Styling Tools Production Growth by Type (2013-2018)6 Global Hair Styling Tools Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Hair Styling Tools Consumption and Market Share by Application (2013-2018)6.2 Global Hair Styling Tools Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2013-2018)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets/CountriesContinuousFor further information on this report, visit Contact Us:Norah 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Ltd. And Offers Premium Progressive Statistical Surveying, Market Research Reports, Analysis & Forecast Data For Industries And Governments Around The Globe. Wise Guy Reports Features An Exhaustive List Of Market Research Reports From Hundreds Of Publishers Worldwide. We Boast A Database Spanning Virtually Every Market Category And An Even More Comprehensive Collection Of Market Research Reports Under These Categories And Sub-Categories.Addres:WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone :+91 841 198 5042 Industrial Anti-scaling Chemicals Market 2016 Trend, Analysis and Outlook to 2020 ReportsWeb http://www.reportsweb.com/global-industrial-anti-scaling-chemicals-market-2016-2020 http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001309784/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001309784/buying According to the market research analysts at Publisher, the global industrial anti-scaling chemicals market will witness steady growth at a CAGR of more than 4% over the forecast period. Anti-scaling chemicals are widely deployed in water treatment and water-intensive industries, which have high operating and system maintenance costs. Scaling of filtration membranes can result in expensive downtime and repairs; therefore, anti-scaling chemicals are essential in extending run times, reducing the frequency of cleaning, and enhancing the life of the filtration or RO systems. The substantial cost savings associated with the use of anti-scaling chemicals as opposed to descaling has prompted several end-user industries to use anti-scaling chemicals for cost reduction and enhanced profitability.For more information about this report:Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global industrial anti-scaling chemicals market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the study considers the revenue generated from the sales of anti-scaling chemicals by manufacturers.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:- APAC- Europe- Central and South America, Middle East and Africa- North AmericaPublisher's report, Global Industrial Anti-Scaling Chemicals Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors- Kemira- BWA Water Additives- Dow- ClariantRequest Sample Copy atOther prominent vendors- Accepta- Akzo Nobel- American Water Chemicals- Ashland- Avista Technologies- BASF- GE Water and Process Technologies- Genesys- Innovative Chemical Technologies- Italmatch Chemicals- Nalco- Nowata- Solenis- Solvay- Toray MembraneMarket driver- Rising demand for RO and nano-filtration membranes- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge- Environmental concerns- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend- Increased focus on biodegradability- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMake an enquiry:Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.Pune, India Global Market For Anti-Money Laundering Software Is Likely To Experience Healthy Growth, Registering 12.1% CAGR Between 2017 And 2026 To Reach US$ 4,262.0 Million Anti-Money Laundering Software Market https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1513136 https://www.researchmoz.us/antimoney-laundering-software-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2017-2026-report.html/toc https://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Anti-Money Laundering Software Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2026" to its huge collection of research reports.The rise in financial frauds across the globe is resulting in the increasing demand for the software that can help in preventing the fraud related activities. The anti-money laundering software market is likely to witness high growth in the near future as it provides several benefits to the financial services industry. Hence, anti-money laundering software providers are focusing on improving software by integrating various advanced features that can help in minimizing the risk of money laundering.Regulatory organizations worldwide are also moving towards making it necessary for financial institutions to adopt anti-money laundering software. The governments of various countries are also enforcing policies and laws to avoid unlawful financial activities. However, the high cost of implementation and difficulties in data interpretation restricting the growth of the global anti-money laundering software market. Meanwhile, integration of big data analytics with anti-money laundering software is also one of the latest trends in the market for anti-money laundering software.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Global Anti-Money Laundering Software Market- Research MethodologyThe global anti-money laundering software market report offers key insights on the market based on top-down and bottom-up approach. The report provides a forecast on the global revenue, segments and key regions in the market. The report comprises market dynamics such as market driving factors, market trends, key opportunities in the market, and challenges in the global anti-money laundering software market. the primary and secondary research was also done in order to identify a current scenario in the market and opportunities in the global anti-money laundering software market. As the part of the primary research, expert interviews were conducted to get a clear picture of the market. While analyzing annual and financial reports formed the part of the secondary research.The report also includes SWOT analysis and Porters five force analysis for better understanding of the market. Market attractiveness analysis was also conducted to identify various opportunities in the market. Incremental opportunity is also given in the report as it is one of the important factors that help manufacturers to identify growth opportunities. Advanced technologies, new product launches and research and development activities in the global anti-money laundering software market is also provided in the report.The report also talks about various regulations imposed by the regulatory bodies on the market. The leading players currently active in the global anti-money laundering software is also given in the report. A study also offers profiles of the companies including financial and company overview, product portfolio, new product launch, and key developments.Global Anti-Money Laundering Software Market- SegmentationThe global anti-money laundering software market is segmented on the basis of product type, end-user type, solution type, deployment type, and region. By product type, the segment includes transaction monitoring systems, customer identity management systems, Currency Transaction Reporting (CTR) Systems, and compliance management software.Based on the end-user type, the market segment includes retail banking, corporate banking, private banking, investment banking, asset management, insurance, multiple banking services, legal service providers, and other end-users.Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @On the basis of solution type, the market includes transactional monitoring, KYC (Know Your Customer), fraud, risk & compliance management, watch-list screening, data warehouse management, analytics and visualization, alert management and reporting, case management, and other solutions. By deployment type, the segment includes cloud-based and on-premise.The global anti-money laundering software market based on geography is divided into North America, Japan, Latin America, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Europe, and the Middle East and Africa (MEA).Competitive LandscapeThe report also provides extensive competitive analysis and profiles of the leading companies in the global anti-money laundering software market such as Fiserv, Inc., Accenture Inc., SAS Institute Inc., Opentext, Oracle Corp, Experian, FICO TONBELLER, EastNets, Ascent Technology Consulting, Trulioo., ACI Worldwide, Inc., BAE Systems, NICE, Verafin Inc., Siron, and NameScan, a member of the Neurocom group.About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Raleigh, NC - A 42-year-old North Carolina man and his 20-year-old daughter have been arrested on incest charges after having a love child last year--and reportedly getting married. Steven Pladl, 42, of Knightdale, and Katie Pladl, 20, were arrested Jan. 27, WNCN-TV reported, citing "warrants." They have also been charged with adultery and contributing to delinquency. The maximum sentence for the incest charge is 10 years in prison. The child, a boy, was born in September, the station reported. Steven Pladl was released on a $1 million bond. Katie Pladls bond is also $1 million but as of last week she was still being held in a North Carolina jail. They appeared in court last week. The charges were brought in Virginia where authorities believe the relationship began. The station reported that Pladl gave up Katie for adoption when she was an infant. They reunited in 2016 when she tracked him down through social media. At the time, according to the station, Pladl was living outside Richmond with his wife, Katies mother, and their two children, girls who would have been Katie's sisters. Katie moved into the home, the station reported. Subsequently, Pladl and his wife legally separated in November 2016 and began living apart. Online records show the wife filed for divorce in March 2017 and obtained a divorce decree three months later. The ex-wife told authorities that just before she moved out Steven would sleep on the floor in Katie's room, the station reported. The ex-wife learned Katie was pregnant last May after reading one of her daughter's journal, the station reported. Eight days later child welfare workers in Virginia began conducting interviews, according to the station. They interviewed the two young Pladl girls who said they had been told their father fathered Katie's baby. The warrants show that Steven told his two daughters to call Katie their step-mom, the station reported. Police in suburban Richmond issued arrest warrants for Pladl and Katie last November. The ex-wife told Richmonds WTVR-TV that her former husband and Katie married in Maryland and then moved to North Carolina. She believes her ex-husband brainwashed and manipulated Katie, the station reported. This is a pretty unique set of facts I would say, the stations legal analyst Todd Stone said. PIR Sensor Market Size, Share, Growth, Analysis Forecasts To 2025 GLOBAL MARKET ESTIMATES https://www.globalmarketestimates.com/pir-sensor-market/ https://www.globalmarketestimates.com/annual-research-partnership-services/ REPORT DESCRIPTION: PIR SENSOR MARKETThe market report is designed to provide a complete view on the global PIR Sensor market. This business intelligence report has been categorised into qualitative and quantitative insights over the forecast period (2017-2025). The demand and supply matrix section falls under the qualitative information category, wherein, the market dynamics for PIR Sensor have been studied considering a short term forecast of the factors/variables influencing the industry. The market segments and their respective estimates & forecasts have been covered under the quantitative information category. Forecasts & trend analysis for each country and region is also available in the study. The report concludes by providing competitor analysis for major market participants profiled by analysing their organic & inorganic growth strategies, regional presence, and product portfolio among others.Request for a sample copy of the PIR Sensor Market report at:Vendor Landscape: PIR Sensor MarketThe report contains a chapter dedicated to vendors operating in the market, covering raw material manufactures, equipment developers, manufacturers, and distributors. The report provides these insights on a regional level. This section of the report entails contact details, experience, products manufactured/supplied, and geographical presence of companies.End-User Landscape (Consumer Profile): PIR Sensor MarketThe report provides a detailed list of end-users operating across the world. The end-user landscape includes consumer contact details, geographical presence, revenue, product portfolio, organic and inorganic growth strategies among others.Competitor Analysis: PIR Sensor MarketThe major companies profiled in the PIR Sensor market include Atmel, Bosch Sensortec, Honeywell, Murata Manufacturing, STMicroelectronics, Cypress Semiconductor, Elmos Semiconductor, and Epson Toyocom. The report also includes a list of several other companies operating in the market. Companies are investing in innovation/R&D, brand building, and fostering strong relationships with customers to enhance their competitive position.Check our annual research partnership service at:Were constantly identifying and analysing high growth markets and revenue pockets. In consultation with various industry experts, our team of highly-skilled industry analysts study these markets through sophisticated tools and fail-safe, industry-approved methodologiesName: Global Market Estimates Research & Business ConsultantsAddress: A-9, Silver Croft CHSL, Mumbai:400064, IndiaContact No,: +91 9146632316Email Address: sales@globalmarketestimates.com Global Smart Insulin Pens Market Growth, Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2018-2027 Market Research Reports Search Engine https://www.mrrse.com/sample/3050 https://www.mrrse.com/smart-insulin-pens-market https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/3050 https://www.mrrse.com/ https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ An up-to-date research report has been disclosed by Market Research Reports Search Engine highlighting the title Global Smart Insulin Pens Market Growth 2027 which provides an outlook of current market value as well as the expected forecast including Rate on Investment (ROI) together with growing CAGR of 23.2% during 2017-2025. The report studies the medical oxygen equipment market worldwide, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, size, growth, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions.Click here For Free Sample Report @By connectivity, the Bluetooth connected smart insulin pen segment is expected to account for a value share of US$ 0.276 Mn in 2017. The segment is expected to reach a little more than US$ 2 Mn by 2027 end, registering the highest CAGR of 23.2% over the forecast period. Bluetooth connected smart insulin pens represent the future of insulin delivery devices. Such devices have an inbuilt Bluetooth connectivity feature allowing automatic insulin dosage data sharing with healthcare providers. The contribution of the Bluetooth connected smart insulin pen connectivity segment to the overall smart insulin pens market revenue is expected to increase from more than 30% in 2017 end to close to 50% by the end of 2027, with an increase of more than 1000 BPS.The USB connected smart insulin pen segment is estimated to create an absolute $ opportunity of US$ 0.090 Mn in 2018 over 2017. Revenue from the USB connected smart insulin pen segment is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 14.4% over 20172027, to reach more than US$ 2 Mn by 2027. Pendiq smart insulin pen is the only available USB connected smart insulin pen in the European market. Most of the companies in the global smart insulin pens market are focussing on developing Bluetooth enabled smart insulin pens; therefore, the Bluetooth connected smart insulin pen segment is expected to occupy a majority of the market share during the projected period.Increasing demand for improved diabetes management is expected to boost the market value of USB and Bluetooth enabled smart insulin pensIncreasing prevalence of diabetes is one of the growing concerns currently. According to the International Diabetes Federation, an estimated 415 million people were suffering from diabetes in 2015. This is projected to reach 642 million by 2040. Therefore, daily insulin dose management among diabetic patients is important in order to better manage the disease leading to rapid penetration of smart insulin pen technology in the global market. Smart insulin pens have transformed diabetes care through digitalisation and connectivity. A rapidly increasing diabetic patient pool is expected to create a positive impact on the Bluetooth connected smart insulin pen segment.Browse Full Report With TOC @Diabetes management with conventional insulin pens available in the market is tedious, time-consuming and requires patients to remember and document their data, making it difficult for them to manage their insulin dosage in a timely manner, and can lead to a misinterpretation of the results. Bluetooth and USB enabled smart insulin pens allow users to track their insulin doses and facilitate seamless documentation of insulin units and blood glucose levels. Smart insulin pens also send alerts to patients and healthcare professionals in case of missed doses. This is attributed to an increasing number of manufacturers focussing on introducing devices with smart connectivity, which allow automatic insulin dose data transfer on the patient portal for streamlined data dosage management.Needle stick injuries with diabetes injection needles and lancing devices are a key concern for diabetics. Insulin syringe needle stick injuries is a percutaneous wound injury caused by needle tips and can occur while using, handling, disassembling, or disposing of needles and syringes. High incidence rate of needle stick injuries and associated serious consequences persuade healthcare professionals to use injection pens. This is expected to augment the penetration of Bluetooth and USB enabled smart insulin pens in the global smart insulin pens market.Bluetooth connected smart insulin pen segment is expected to witness 4.9X growth in terms of revenue contribution in the Asia Pacific smart insulin pens marketBluetooth connected smart insulin pen segment is estimated to register the highest attractiveness index of 1.5 as compared to the USB connected smart insulin pen segment in the global market during the forecast period. This is due to the proliferation of Bluetooth connected smart insulin pens in the North America smart insulin pens market. Also, heavy investment by several big players to develop smart connected insulin pen devices is pushing the revenue generation of smart insulin pens in the North America smart insulin pens market. In Europe, the Bluetooth connected smart insulin pen segment is anticipated to register a market attractiveness index of 1.2 during the forecast period. USB connected smart insulin pen segment is expected to depict a market attractiveness index of 0.5 during the forecast period in the Asia Pacific region. India and China are the most populous countries in Asia Pacific with the highest number of patients diagnosed with diabetes. Increasing efforts by market players to expand their smart insulin pens business in Asia Pacific countries offer immense potential for revenue generation.Enquiry about this Report @About Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At: Hair Care Market: Rising Demand from Men to Provide Promising Growth Opportunities https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=310 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/hair-care-market.html The global hair care market is expanding at a steady pace and is likely to continue doing so during the course of the forecast period. One of the most important factors responsible for this stability is the demand for healthy, lustrous, and manageable hair and this need drives the purchase decisions of most consumers.The market for hair care products expected to grow significantly across developing and developed regions owing to increasing R&D activities for the enhancement of these products. Moreover, an emphasis on innovation in technology for the formulation of new hair care products is expected to impact the market globally.Download Brochure@The global hair care market was valued at US$81.3 bn in 2015 and is expected to reach US$105.3 bn by 2024, registering a steady 3.0% CAGR during the forecast period.Availability of Variety of Hair Styling Products and Devices a Key FactorIn terms of revenue, the shampoo segment accounts for the dominant share in the hair care market, and registered a 30.9% share in 2015. The shampoo market is gaining popularity thanks to product innovation based on evolving customer needs. The major players offering a wide variety of shampoos in the market include Procter & Gamble Co., LOreal S.A., and Unilever plc.Hair styling products form a highly attractive segment in the hair care market and is projected to expand at a 4.4% CAGR. Hair styling products include mousse, holding sprays, heat-resistant sprays, sprays for curly hair, serums, and gels. The growing demand for hair styling products due to the changing purchasing behavior and patterns of consumers is likely to boost this product segment. A key trend noted in this segment is the fact that local manufacturers in Africa and APAC have been focusing on new product development and innovation catering to consumer preferences so as to establish a loyal customer base over the years.Hair colors are gradually witnessing increased demand across the globe. This can be attributed to the ever-rising influence of the fashion industry and a rise in the global aging population. A recent trend noted in this segment is an increase in male consumers. Mens grooming products have gained much popularity in recent years and this global trend is reflected in the hair color market as well.MEA offers Immense Scope for Growth with Improving Disposable Incomes of ConsumersAsia Pacific accounted for the leading share of 33.12% in the global hair care market in 2016. The region, which comprises China, Japan, India, and Rest of Asia Pacific, is fueled by the increasing number of people facing hair and scalp problems such as hair fall and damage. In addition, rising self-consciousness among youth about their appearances is supporting the market. The growing variation of hair colors, styling products, oils, conditioners, and shampoos available in the market today is also attracting an increasing number of consumers in the region.The Middle East and Africa (MEA) market is expected to expand at a strong CAGR of 4.0% during the forecast period. The region, which includes UAE, South Africa, and the Rest of MEA, is expected to be supported by the growing opportunities for hair care products in rural areas thanks to the improving disposable income and changing lifestyles of the consumers. In addition, local and international key players have been investing significant capital in emerging markets since the crisis of 2009 led to a decrease in the prices of hair care products. This, in turn, is anticipated to boost the market for hair care in the region.Browse Report@The global market for hair care is extremely consolidated owing to the presence of several manufacturers, both domestic and international. The competition among manufacturers is intense and thus, the entry of new players is restricted. Some of the leading players competing in the global hair care market are Henkel Corporation, Procter Gamble Co., LOreal S.A., Unilever plc, Revlon Inc., Avon Products Inc., Aveda Corporation, Neutrogena Corporation, Amka Products (Pty) Ltd., and Combe Incorporated.About Us:-Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact Us:-State Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Future and Growth of UAV Market by 2021 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1131 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/uav-market Market Highlights:The UAV or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is an aircraft without a pilot on board. UAVs can be controlled remotely i.e. flown by a pilot at a ground control station or can fly autonomously, based on pre-programmed flight plans or more complex dynamic automation systems. UAVs are currently used for a number of missions, including reconnaissance and attack roles. In some cases, the abbreviation UAV has been expanded to UAVS (Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle System). Officially, the term 'Unmanned Aerial Vehicle' was changed to 'Unmanned Aircraft System' to reflect the fact that these complex systems include ground stations and other elements besides the actual air vehicles.Demand for UAVs is rapidly increasing from emerging and developing nations to counter national security threat. According to a recent study report published by the Market Research Future, Globally, the market for UAVs has increased its market growth in recent years and is expected to grow at a rapid pace during the forecast period. The global market of UAV is forecasted to witness a thriving growth by 2021, surpassing its previous growth records in terms of value with a striking CAGR of around ~ 11% during the anticipated period (2016 2021).As per the MRFR analysis, cost effectiveness is one of the key drivers for global UAV market to acquire and operate in comparison to manned aircraft and helicopters. The challenges associated with the market are the low endurance and stringent regulation associated with civilian and commercial usage of UAVs. Small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become popular on the battlefield for various military missions (such as ISR applications).UAVs are considered as cost effective and effective for operation in comparison to manned aircrafts, for military and commercial applications. Hence, the factors such as internal and external security threats, territorial disputes and modernization initiatives undertaken by armed forces across the world are providing impetus to the market growth of global UAV market. Furthermore, the augmented demand for UAVs from emerging markets, such as the Middle East and Asia, will result in this markets strong growth during the forecast periodRequest a Sample Report @The leading market players in the global UAV market primarily include AeroVironment, Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Northrop Grumman. The other prominent vendor includes Aeronautics Limited, Aeyron Labs, Aibotix, BAE Systems, DJI, Lockheed Martin and Prox Dynamics.Industry/ Innovation/ Related News:October 09, 2017- AeroVironment, Inc. announced the receipt of a contract award from the United States Navy on September 29, 2017, for continuation and expansion of its Blackwing small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) program. The contract includes orders for multiple Blackwing vehicles, sensor payloads and refurbishment kits for a total value of USD 2,578,822. The initial set of vehicles are anticipated for delivery by May 2018, and final delivery anticipated by November 2018.Sept. 19, 2017:- AeroVironment announced that it has delivered M1/M2/M5-compatible Raven and Puma AE unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to two DoD customers, with more orders and deliveries scheduled. In addition, the company will begin taking orders in December 2017 for M1/M2/M5-configured Wasp AE micro air vehicles (MAV) for delivery in spring 2018.January 23, 2017:- Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) expects to expand collaboration with local leading companies to integrate strategic state-of-the-art systems for the Indian MOD, in a number of areas; and in accordance with the Indian Government's Make in India policy. These collaborations are a direct continuation of IAI's business deals in India which totalled some USD 0.5 billion in 2016.Get a complete Report @Regional AnalysisThe US is the global market leader of both UAV demand and as a manufacturer. It is the largest operator of UAVs globally as well. The majority of this demand is mainly supported by military and defense applications, and the US army is the single largest buyer of UAVs worldwide. In addition to the large tactical UAVs, many small electric-powered UAVs have also become common on the battlefield. However, the market has slowed down to some extent in the past two years as the US had started to withdraw its military from the conflict regions (Afghanistan and Iraq), where many of these UAVs were implemented in service for various missions.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com UAV Payload and Subsystems Market - Changing Supply and Demand Scenarios By 2021 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1237 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/uav-payload-subsystems-market Market Highlights:UAV is an aircraft controlled remotely either by a pilot at a ground station or by on-board computers. . Payloads are one of the major components in the UAVs. These payloads are mounted below the UAVs and consist of various equipment depending on the mission requirement. UAVs are being largely utilized in military, civil and commercial market owing to its low cost.UAVs are increasingly being used in civil, commercial and military market owing to its low-cost. Military forces majorly utilize UAVs to execute missions that were considered unsafe with manned aircraft. They are widely used by the military forces across the world for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Commercial users utilize UAVs in wild life research, photography, and oil and gas industries. The agriculture industry uses UAVs to help farmers complete their work in given time. These factors drive the market during the forecast period.UAVs are not able to transmit or receive signals. This drawback increases the chances of collision with commercial flights. In the event of a crash, these vehicles pose huge threat to person and property. In addition, UAVs are prone to hacking using GPS signals, where the vehicle can be controlled by terrorists or anti-social elements, thereby risking human life.The advancements in technology have led to introduction of new generation UAVs such as medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAVs, miniature UAVs and others. There is a major shift toward solar powered UAVs as these are capable of flying at higher altitudes and endurance up to 300 hours. UAVs use the stealth technology previously used by manned vehicles, which enables the aircraft go undetected by radars.Request a Sample Report @Industry/ Innovation/ Related News:September 28, 2010:- Northrop Grumman Corporation and Bell Helicopter, a Textron company, have moved a significant step closer to being able to offer military users a vertical unmanned system that can ferry cargo either internally or externally over extended distances.Major Key PlayersAeroVironment,Boeing,Elbit Systems,Lockheed Martin,Northrop Grumman.The other prominent vendor includes Controp Precision Technologies Ltd, Alpha Unmanned Systems, BAE Systems, and Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.Regional AnalysisEmerging markets such as China continuously increase their military budgets YoY. The military expenditure of China military expenditure was valued at $131.57 billion in 2014, which represents an increase of 12.2% from the previous year. In 2011, the region invested $590 million on UAVs and is likely to invest more during the forecast period. This leads to the increase in investments on cost effective UAVs by the military segment.Browse Full Report @Competitive AnalysisThe global UAV payload and subsystems market is highly competitive. Vendors compete on the basis of cost, quality, reliability, and aftermarket service. To survive and succeed in such an intensely competitive environment, it is crucial for the vendors to provide cost-effective and high quality services.Vendors have to focus on global footprint network, in house manufacturing capabilities, product offerings, investment in R&D, and a strong client base, to gain an edge over competitors. Global economic recovery, growth in the aviation sector, orders for new unmanned aircraft, increased R&D activities, investments on fuel efficient engines, and lucrative retrofit market will provide growth opportunities for players in the industry.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com New Report Examines the Continuous Positive Nephroscopes Market Research 2017 - 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/18463 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/18463 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Nephroscope is a fiber optic instrument used in examination and visualization of the kidney through an inserted tube. Nephroscope contains three channels mainly for fiber optic light, telescope and irrigation. Nephroscopy is a non-surgical way of examining the inside of the kidneys and treating certain conditions in the upper urinary tract. Nephroscopy is a non-invasive and safe procedure that reduces the need for traditional surgery. In addition, it can also prevent the need for future surgeries for kidney stones and other problems. Nephroscope instruments has a narrow width which ensures comfort and provides superior image quality with optimized working condition. A nephroscope basically uses an ultrasound or a laser probe to break the large kidney stones. These pieces of stones are suctioned out with the scope.Request for Table of Contents @Nephroscope is used for laparoscopic bile duct examination, mainly for large impacted stones. Lithotripters and rigid graspers are introduced through the nephroscope for the fragmentation and removal of the calculi. Moreover, there are mainly two types of nephroscope instruments such as rigid nephroscope and flexible nephroscope, which are commonly used during the surgeries. But in case of complex stone diseases, combination of flexible and rigid nephroscope is used. Rigid nephroscopes are used to fragment and clear the stones by an ultrasonic system or by pneumatic lithotripsy. Nephroscopy is not routinely performed as a diagnostic procedure. However, the combination of flexible and rigid nephroscopy techniques can be used to treat the stone diseases, upper tract transitional cell carcinoma, ureteropelvic junction obstruction and calyceal diverticula.The nephrocsopes market is expected to grow in the forecast period due to its increasing demand in the nephroscopy surgeries. New developments in video technology has allowed the global nephroscopes market to increase. The easy accessibility of the nephroscope instrument and wide range of application in surgical procedures are the other factors that drive the global market of nephroscopes. Although nephroscope instrument are capable of accessing the most difficult areas, but because the instruments are fragile they requires major repair after an average of 6-15 uses. The common reasons for repair are damaged working channel, broken fiber optic fibers and loss of deflection. Presently the cost of maintenance and durability are the major restraints for the global nephroscopes market.The global nephroscope market on the basis of product type is segmented as rigid nephroscope and flexible nephroscope. Flexible nephroscope dominates the nephroscope market globally because it avoids the need for an additional access. Rigid nephroscope also hold a small portion of nephroscopes market as they are more durable because of their outer metal casing. On the basis of indication, the global nephroscopes market is segmented into diagnostic and therapeutic. On the bases of energy probe, the market is segmented into ultrasound energy probe and electrohydraulic energy probe. On the basis of end user the market is segmented into hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers ad others.On the basis of geography, global nephroscopes market is segmented into five key regions viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Europe is projected to hold the largest shares in the global nephroscopes market primarily due to the growing incidence of kidney surgeries and innovations in diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. North America is the next leading market with the availability of innovative techniques, reimbursement scenario and skilled professionals. Asia pacific nephroscopes market is anticipated to witness prominent growth during the forecast period owing to increased healthcare expenditure.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Some of the key players present in global nephroscpes market are SCHOLLY FIBEROPTIC GMBH, Maxerendoscopy, Olympus Corporation, Richard Wolf Company, MEDITECH, Hangzhou Nanyu Medical Instrument Co., Ltd. HealthWare, Blazejewski MEDI-TECH etc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Heater Blower Market Report Offers Intelligence and Forecast till 2017-2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/15751 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/15751 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/ Heater blower are important parts of the automotive. Blower Motor regulates the airflow to the AC unit or inside the vehicle in order to maintain the temperature of the passenger compartment of the vehicle. A blower motor is responsible for distributing both hot and cool air, depending on the climate or manual/automatic temperature control in an automotive. Blower motor deliver an effective and economical means for generating continuous or intermittent airflow. The blower motors are used for cooling, ventilation, aeration to drying and conveying materials. A heater blower is also a blower which is used to transfer heated air to passenger compartment. Usually a heater blower can transmit both hot and cold air whichever is required.Request Report for TOC @The heater blower consists of a motor, a fan, AC/DC unit, air filter, outer covering, a motor resistor and other parts. The blower motor resistor is used to reduce the fan speed. A Blower is attached to an AC Pipes and AC Hose which transmit the air to Air conditioning unit. In order to supply hot air, a heater blower pass the air flow to the heater core which causes the air to heat up. Also, if cold air needs to be supplied, the air is passed through the Air conditioning unit instead of the heater core. Heater Blower market is expected to witness an escalating demand globally due to increasing automotive market and vast usage among all varieties of automotive.Heater Blower Motor / Heater Blower: Market DynamicsHeater Blower market is mainly driven by the increasing demand in of automotive globally. Blower Motor and Heater Blower in a vehicle are prone to wear, tear and damage which also boost the demand. Heater Blower will witness a rise in the demand because of its use in cars, SUV, Sedan, TUV, XUV and other types of automotive. High-quality polymer products are getting traction in the market especially in luxury vehicle segment. Factor that fuels up the growth of the heater blower market is that the affordable price due to cheap production cost. A heater blower unit is used for both heating and cooling purpose making it a multitasking unit for every automobile which has a heating unit. Heater blower market is expected to grow during the forecast period due to its versatile uses.However, heater blower comes along with many restraints. Due to constant heating and cooling, as well as with a moisture present in the air, some parts of the blower can corrode. The resistor sometimes doesnt function which causes the blower motor fan to work in High-speed but not at low speeds. In some vehicles, if the resistor fails, the fan may also stop working entirely.The blower motor can also have a mechanical problem. It can also stop working when a foreign object jams the blower motor fan blade and prevents it from free spinning which can increase the flow of current through the resistor and causes it to overheat and fail. Some of the major reasons which restrict the proper functionality of a blower are the blower motor resistor failure, fan relay failure, and climate control switch failure.Heater blower market have an opportunity in high-quality materials which can give better strength and can save from wear and tear during operation.Request to Sample of Report-Heater Blower: Market PlayersThe market players in Heater Blower market are Auto 7 Inc., Motor Craft, ACDelco, A.P.A. Industries Inc., Crown Automotive Sales Co. Inc., Alexandra Elektro AC; HP; & Co., Hangzhou BeGEE Electric Appliance Co., Ltd., Everco, Continental Automotive GmbH and many more.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Flexible Display Market: Opportunity Assessment Research Study 2017-2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/10804 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/10804 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/ A flexible display is flexible by nature. The global flexible display market is expected to grow at a substantial growth rate due to the growing interest of many consumer electronics manufacturers to apply this display technology in mobile phones, e-readers and other consumer electronics. There are various trends which have been driving the technological innovations in the display industry which includes portability, quality, interconnectivity, screen size, user- friendliness, and power savings.Request to Sample of Report-The global flexible display market is segmented into four major categories, on the basis of material into polymer, glass, and glass-reinforced plastic, on the basis of components into organic material, substrate, conductive layer, backlight panel and other components. On the basis of applications the market is segmented into e-reader, smartphone, tablet, laptop, e-paper, and television. The market is also segmented by technology into emissive and non-emissive. The market is further segmented by geography into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe and rest of the world regions.The market is driven by factors such as the rapidly growing consumer electronics goods industry and its distinctive features. Some of the factors inhibiting the growth of the global flexible display market are manufacturing challenges and competing technologies. The growing penetration in multiple applications will serve as an opportunity, fuelling the growth of the global next generation biometric technology market.Request Report for TOC @Some of the key players dominating the market are Atmel Corporation, AU Optronics Corp., Corning Incorporated, Delta Electronics, Inc., Dupont Display, E Ink Holdings, Inc., Flexible Display Center (Asu), Hewlett-Packard Company, Kent Displays, Inc., LG Display Co. Ltd., Materion Corporation, Nanolumens, Nokia, Novaled AG and Philips Electronics among others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Connected Healthcare Market to USD 105.33 Billion Globally, in 2023 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1892 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/1892 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/1892 The Global Connected Healthcare Market is expected to reach USD 105.33 billion by the end of the forecasted period and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 30.2%.Connected healthcare has been viewed as a tool having greatest suitability for industries such as retailing, telecommunications etc. with the healthcare industry being a secondary choice for the applications of analytics. The high potential of connected healthcare is being eyed by a number of experts. For example, Nokia Technology President Ramzi Haidamus stated that future could lie with digital health. He supported Nokias decision to invest in connected health. "Were looking at digital health domain, where we have not launched any products and is something that comes very natural to Nokia" he said in 2016.Market research future released its latest report titled Connected healthcare solutions market - Forecast to 2022 a direct appreciation of the potential of a holistic view and applications derived from Connected healthcare solutions market.Get a Sample Report @Traditionally, healthcare is segmented by product, by therapeutic application, by route of administration, by drug class, by end user etc. This approach has evolved over time but is constrained by fragmentation and does not reflect the changing scenario of healthcare industry such as personalized medicines, changing regulation etc. To overcome this barrier, integration of databases is essential.The report supports the view that data generated in healthcare is better suited for integration due to its limited format and standardised interpretation. The report indicates that, contrary to popular perception the potential return on investment (ROI) on connected healthcare technology in healthcare industry exceeds that of other industries.The primary goal of the report is to access and review the opportunities provided by the application of analytics in healthcare industry.The second goal of the report is to access the barriers and risks involved in such a move and to provide a framework for integrating the multiple data sets into a single entity.The tertiary goal is to review the economic potential of connected healthcare technology in healthcare industry and its potential impact in creating value for business.Connected healthcare solutions consolidate information from many different spheres of a persons world to give a more complete picture of their health that includes biological, genetic, medical, lifestyle and sentiment/mood data. These solutions puts the patient at the centre of the healthcare system gathering, linking and interpreting information from many different sources to enable informed, patient-centred care decisions. The global market forKey Players:Some of the key players in this market are: Agamatrix, Inc. (US), Airstrip Technology (US), AliveCor Inc. (Australia), Allscripts (US), Athenahealth Inc. (US), Boston Scientific Corporation (US), Cerner (US), Koninklijke Philips N.V. (Netherlands), GE healthcare (UK), Qualcomm (US), Medtronics (Ireland) and others.Market trends and key developmentsThe connected healthcare market is ripe with merger and acquisitions and a number of behemoths are targeting the segment of connected healthcare.Nokia Technologies acquired French connected health device maker Withings for $191 million in April 2016. This move is a validation by Nokia of the potential of the market.In October 2016, Wolters Kluwer health, acquired Emmi Solutions, for $170 million.In September 2016, iHealth Labs, acquired Bordeaux, for $106 million. eDevice is a provider of back-end infrastructure that connects remote monitoring devices to hospitals and healthcare providers. eDevice's technology is expected to help iHealth to transfer data from its various devices to healthcare providers.In December 2016, BioTelemetry, acquired TelCare, maker of the first FDA-cleared, cellular-connected glucometer for $7 million with the potential for additional performance-based earn-outs of up to $5 million.Check Discount @Apples acquisition of health data-focused startup Gliimpse raised many eyebrows. Gliimpse is designed to collect and integrate health data created by consumers in one platform.The connected healthcare market is also witnessing a large influx of funds, indicating the high earning potential perception.Withings, maker of smartphone-connected weight scales, blood pressure cuffs, activity trackers, and thermometers, raised $34 million to date, with the latest being a $30 million round in 2013.Sproutling, developer a health sensing wearable device for babies raised $6.5 million, with investors including First Round Capital, Forerunner Ventures, FirstMark Capital, Accelerator Ventures, Lemnos Labs, BoxGroup, and Napster co-founder Shawn Fanning.Brief TOC1 Report Prologue2 Introduction2.1 Scope of Study2.2 Research Objective2.3 Assumptions & Limitations2.3.1 Assumptions2.3.2 Limitations2.4 Market Structure3 Research Methodology3.1 Research Process3.2 Primary Research3.3 Secondary Research4 Market Dynamics4.1 Introduction4.2 Drivers4.2.1 Connected Healthcare applications has increased the involvement of patient population4.2.2 Increasing use of Smartphones and wearable devices into healthcare has led to the growth of the market4.2.3 Cost effectiveness and Patients Convenience will drive the connected healthcare market4.2.4 Continuous increase in Lifestyle Disease has led to the development of personalized healthcare solutions4.3 Restraints4.3.1 Increasing privacy and cybercrimes restraint the growth of connected healthcare marketContinuedAsk to Expert @About Us:Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Flavored Milk Market: Opportunity Assessment Research Study 2015 - 2025 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-639 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-639 Overview:Flavored milk is a dairy drink produced with milk, sugar, colorings, and additional flavor and sweetener. It offers some vital nutrients such as calcium, potassium, protein, phosphorus, vitamins A, D and B12, niacin and riboflavin. The flavored milk is generally available in different flavors such as strawberry, chocolate and vanilla flavors in fat free and low fat ranges.The Global Flavored Milk industry is at nascent stage as the consumption is still low as compared to other drinks such as carbonated soft drinks. Upbeat consumer perceptions about the various health benefits of milk are creating prospects for flavored drinks consumption across the World. This will escalate the overall flavored milk market globally.Request For Report Sample@Global Flavored Milk Market Segmentation:Global Flavored Milk industry can be divided on the basis of types of ingredients such as calcium propionate, hydrocolloids, natural colors, natural flavors, food and beverage enzymes, food and beverage emulsifiers, food and beverage texturants, food phosphates, high intensity sweeteners, food and beverage preservatives, flavourant, food and beverage stabilizers and systems, food and beverage colorants, food and beverage sugar and its substitutes, and fruit concentrates. The industry can also be segmented on the basis of products such as high pressure processing and sodium reducing agents. Global Flavored Milk Market can also be segregated by types of packaging such as paper-based (cartons), plastic, glass, metal, and others.Global Flavored Milk Region-wise Outlook:Geographically, the Global Flavored Milk industry can be divided by major regions which include North America, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific region, Japan, Middle East and Africa. Presently, China captured the highest market share in the overall revenue of Global Flavored Milk market, followed by the U.S. and India holding second and third position respectively. In Asia, rising demand for flavored milk over the past few years were highly propelled by China, Indonesia, and India. In the next few years, the demand for flavored milk is anticipated to incline globally especially in Latin America and some regions of Asia.Global Flavored Milk Market Growth Drivers:Rising health consciousness and aspiration for nutritious and healthy food, changing lifestyle along with the change in consumers taste and preferences especially in developing countries are strengthening the growth of Global Flavored Milk industry. Besides this, consumers unscheduled eating habits due to busy working schedule are also fostering the demand for flavored milk in different parts of the world.Visit For TOC@Global Flavored Milk Market: Major Players:Some of the key players identified across the value chain in the Global Flavored Milk market includes Danone (France) and Kraft Foods Group (U.S.A.). These two companies have captured the major chunk in the Global Flavored Milk Industry. Besides this, there are other major players dominating in this industry such as Yili Industrial Group Company Limited (China), China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited, (Amul) Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Limited (India), Mother Dairy Fruit and Vegetable Private Limited (India).ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACTFuture Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: http.futuremarketinsights.com Crystal Oscillator Market: Industry Opportunities, Revenue, Gross Margin and Outlook Report https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/10780 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/10780 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/ Crystal oscillators are the main components of an electronic device. It uses piezoelectricity exhibited by certain crystals. It creates the waveforms which gives exact frequency which is based on mechanical vibration of the precision machined crystal.Request Report for TOC @The key drivers of this market includes increase in advancement of smartphones and tablets, placement of 3G and 4G networks, advancement in healthcare equipments and increasing demand for sophisticated and discerning automotive customers among others. The main factor restraining the market growth is the development of Si-Mems oscillators in the market. The biggest opportunity of this market is the evolution of Quartz Mems technology.The market is segmented on the basis of applications which includes telecom and networking, aerospace and military, consumer electronics, measurement and research, automotive, medical equipment and industrial among others. In addition, the market is segmented on the basis of technology which includes AT Cut, BT Cut and SC Cut oscillators.Request to Sample of Report-Some of the key players in the embedded system market are Aker Technology, Connor Winfield, Croven Crystals, CTS Corporation, East Crystal Electronic, Fox Electronics, Mercury Electronics, Siward Crystal Technology, Tongfang Guoxin Electronics and Vectron International among others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Military Satellite Market : Worldwide Industry Analysis and New Market Opportunities Explored https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1253 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/military-satellite-market Market Highlights:Satellite is an artificial object placed manually into orbit to serve various purposes. The functions could be navigation, weather information, civilian and earth observation, and research. The military satellites are used for conventional missions such as intelligence gathering, navigation, and military communications. These are computer-controlled systems that can perform tasks such as thermal control, telemetry, power generation, attitude control, and orbit control. Such data is used for several applications such as agriculture, water resources, urban development, mineral prospecting, environment, forestry, border and maritime security, drought and flood forecasting, ocean resources and disaster management. By 2012, 6,600 satellites had been launched, of which 1,000 were operational.In addition, the UAVs are the next-generation airborne ISR platforms that will be adopted by defense authorities globally. These drones are used in force multipliers, ISR platforms, target recognition, damage assessment, and electronic warfare. They are also equipped with light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (LASER) and global positioning system (GPS), which aid in ISR missions. Defense authorities around the world are investing in the development and procurement of UAVs to reduce the troop casualties and capital expenditure, and to replace some older and obsolete manned aircraft. In 2014, more than 10,000 different UAVs were in service in the global market.Request a Sample Report @Major Key PlayersSome of the key players in the Military Satellite market are Boeing, Israel Aerospace Industries, Raytheon, Thales, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, GE Aviation, SpaceX and ViaSat.Global Military Satellite Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 6% during 2016-2021.Industry/ Innovation/ Related News:March 18, 2017 - Boeings ninth Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellite launched into orbit today and will provide the United States and six allied nations with increased communications capabilities to prevent, protect against and respond to attacks. The WGS-9 satellite was funded through an agreement between the United States and Canada, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and New Zealand, and will also serve Australia (which funded the WGS-6 satellite). Each partner country gains access to the capabilities provided by the full WGS system, which include flexible and secure communication transmissions in the X- and Ka-band frequencies.May 28, 2017:- Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), IAI's Space division handed over the Vens satellite to the Israeli Space Agency in the Ministry of Science and its partner, the French National Center of Space Studies (CNES). The satellite will now be merged with Arianespace launcher and prepare for the launch that will take place this summer in French Guiana.December 21, 2016:- The U.S. Air Force has awarded Raytheon Company a USD 37 million contract to demonstrate new satellite communications technology that will continuously link tactical users with military leaders in contested environments.Browse Full Report @Regional AnalysisIt is expected that the market will be dominated by North America, followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific. Europe and North America are expected to be the fastest-growing markets for military satellites with a major share of expenses by the US, Russia, France, and Italy.The growing economy and increasing territorial disputes between Russia and the US, China and Vietnam, India and Pakistan, and North Korea and South Korea is expected to result in an increased adoption of advanced systems and technologies to strengthen their warfare capabilities. Also, due to the growing unrest situation in the Middle East and African countries (such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria), there has been significant growth in their defense budgets.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com D Food Printing Market Expansion to be Persistent During 2016 - 2026 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/11176 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/11176 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/ 3D food printing is designing and providing 3D shapes to the food ingredients and also maintaining structure, texture and taste of the ingredients. 3D food printing is bringing 3 dimensional digital design into real world object which is edible. 3D food printing is healthy and good for environment as it converts proteins from algae, beet leaves or insects into tasty products. One of the most important benefit of 3D printing is that it provides door for food customization according to the preferences and needs of individual. 3D food printing gives rise to new flavors, textures and shapes to provide new and unique eating experiences. 3D food printing is done by machines called 3D printers. 3D printed foods have to please the eyes and mind both at the same time. Even NASA is now looking for ways to 3D print food in space.Request Report For TOC @The market of global 3D food printing is anticipated to be driven by increasing market need for mass customization, ability of 3D printers to prepare food which is convenient and time saving, customization of nutrients required by an individual in their food products, getting the benefit of alternative ingredients and others. Now a days all the microwave made pancakes which are available in Netherlands are printed. As the world is getting more self-centered they are going for more customization and so their food. Market need for mass customization is increasing and is going for different shapes, colors, flavors, nutrition and textures. This customization is done mainly on food products like coffee, hamburgers, ice cream, cake, biscuits, confectionary and others. Technology is also one of the driving force behind 3D food printing market.With the enhancement in technology came up micro oven in every home and now 3D food printing machine is coming up. The market of global 3D food printing is anticipated to have restraints too. Many of the ingredients which are used for 3D printing are converted to paste. There are limited food which can be made into paste. 3D food printing is also a slow process which requires cooling many a times before the food can be consumed. Necessity of 3D food printing is that it can overcome the trend of prevailing food customization techniques which is less effective and at the same time its manufacturing cost is high.Global 3D Food Printing Market Segmentation:The global 3D food printing market is segmented on the basis of application, ingredients and region. 3D printed foods are applied and used to make modern food designs which gives pleasure to eyes before it can be consumed. Another application of 3D printed food is that it serves food for the elderly, for instance, 3D printed carrots are easy to chew and also easy to swallow. Few other applications are domestic cooking, catering services, personalized chocolates and homogeneous snacks. Product types where 3D printing is used are bakery products coffees, ice creams, confectionary and others. Among the product type confectionary segment is expected to grow at a faster CAGR over the forecast period. As chocolate, confectionary products are very popular among the children and it also attract elderly people. Edible ingredients can be segmented into dough, fruits & vegetable, proteins, sauce, dairy products, sugar, carbohydrates, yard, algae and others.Global 3D Food Printing Market Regional Outlook:Geographically, the global 3D food printing market can be divided by major regions which include North America, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific region, Japan, Middle East and Africa. Europe is the market leader in 3D food printing. In Netherlands all the microwave pancakes which are available in supermarkets are printed. In Spain, Natural Machines tried to bring the 3D food printing technology into the household. U.S. is also engaged in 3D food printing because there 3D printer maker 3D Systems along with Culinary Institute of America are setting many projects.Global 3D Food Printing Market Key Players:The major player identified across the value chain for global 3D food printing market are TNO (innovation for life), Philips, Electrolux, Barilla, Nestle, NASA, Hersheys, Modern Meadow, Choc Edge, 3D Systems, Natural Machines, ZMorph, Fab@Home.Request To Sample Of Report @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA,Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Recent Research: Monogenetic Disorders Testing Market Analysis to 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/18691 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/18691 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com According to Mendels Laws, the monogenetic disorders are inherited because of a single defective gene on the autosomes. The monogenic disorders are caused by single mutated gene which can be present on single or both chromosomes. Females and males are equally affected by this disorder due to the conditions on the autosomes.Request Report for TOC @Some of the tests are available for the mainstream of the common monogenic disorders such as Cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, SCID, Tay-sachs disease, polycystic kidney disorder, Gauchers disease, Huntingtons disease, neurofibromatosis, thalassaemia and familial hypercholesterolemia. There are several test performed to treat with the monogenic disorders such as diagnostic testing, carrier testing, predictive & pre-symptomatic testing, prenatal testing and new-born screening.The Carrier testing consists a type of genetic testing that is used to determine a carrier person for monogenic disorders. Predictive testing which is also known as pre-symptomatic testing is performed to detect the gene associated mutations with disorders that appear after birth and often later in life. Prenatal testing is performed during the pregnancy to detect the problems that could affect the child. New born screening testing is performed by a simple blood test to detect the certain conditions that can eventually cause problems.The global monogenetic disorders testing market is driven by rising awareness of genetic disorders among the population. The advanced technological platforms and improved genomic tools make the monogenetic disorders testing market feasible.The monogenetic disorders testing market is driven by the unique opportunity and the focused issues stress that need for more research on monogenic disorder tests and. Increasing prevalence of monogenic disorders throughout the globe will also boost the growth of the monogenetic disorders testing market. Lack of skilled professionals, and lack of knowledge act as a restraint to the market.The increasing investment by the hospital facilities and government for better healthcare is expected to drive the market. The monogenetic disorders testing market is classified by test type, disorder type and end user. The global monogenic disorder testing market is segmented by test type including carrier testing, diagnostic testing, new-born screening, predictive & pre-symptomatic testing and prenatal testing.In terms of disorder the global monogenetic disorders testing market is segmented into cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), Tay-sachs disorder, polycystic kidney disorder, gauchers disease, huntingtons disease, neurofibromatosis, thalassaemia and familial hypercholesterolemia. By end user, the global monogenetic disorders testing market is classified into hospitals, specialized clinics and ambulatory surgical centers. Hospitals are expected to gain the maximum value share over the forecast period.On the basis of geography, the global monogenetic disorders testing market is segmented as North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa. North America clearly dominates the global monogenetic disorders testing market due to high degree of intelligence and awareness regarding to the monogenic disorders testing procedures. The companies are focused on introducing the procedures with innovative technology, Europe is expected to hold the second large market followed by Asia-Pacific region.Request to Sample of Report-Some of the key players across the value chain of global monogenetic disorders testing market are Celera Group, Abbott, ELITechGroup, Quest Diagnostics, AutoGenomics, PerkinElmer Inc., Roche Diagnostics, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Applied Biosystems Inc., and Transgenomic Inc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Weather Forecasting System Market - Global Industry Growth, Trends and Forecast https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/10463 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/10463 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/ Weather forecasting is a typical combination of science and technology to foresee the atmospheric and environmental condition of a particular region. Weather forecasting is about collecting quantitative data of atmosphere of a particular location and processing this data through various scientific techniques to predict the atmospheric change. There are several weather forecasting systems available in the market comprised of various components including sensors, communication devices, computing systems, and software. These systems are typically used for collecting, processing, and interpreting the atmospheric data and transmitting this information to various channel across the globe.Request Report for TOC @Weather warnings play a significant role to protect life and property. From the end user's perspective, agriculture and defense sectors hold maximum potential for weather forecasting system market.Increasing safety and security concerns from any undesired climatic change is fueling the growth of weather forecasting systems market. A reliable prediction of weather in stipulated time can lead to significant cost savings or even enhance the fight against pollution, natural disasters, and ecological catastrophes. Additionally, weather forecasting system has witnessed traction in the market due to rising demand in military applications such as continuous weather updates and air traffic control. Continuous technological advancements in the computing systems are expected to enhance the capabilities of weather forecasting systems which would enable it to predict and display accurate weather in the near future.This is the biggest challenge for this industry is the complexity of the systems. Weather forecasting systems are complex in nature and requires trained professional to operate the weather forecasting systems.Request to Sample of Report-Airmar Technology Corporation, Thales Group, Lockheed Martin Corporation, All Weather, Inc., Columbia Weather System Inc., Skye Instruments Ltd, and Morcom International, Inc. are key players of global weather forecasting systems market.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Poultry Feed Market Analysis, Forecast, and Assessment 2015 - 2025 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-716 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-716 Poultry feed market is a part of vast animal feed market and makes an important part of it as poultry is invariably consumed in most parts of the world. The concept of animal feed has been there in the market for several years especially in the developed markets. However, with the advent of globalization and rise in the standard of living of consumers, companies are expanding in the emerging markets of the world with improved products and wide range of options for each animal group. Poultry meat is the highest among others such as pork, beef and fish meat. Therefore, vast opportunity lies in the poultry feed segment.Poultry Feed Market: Drivers & RestraintsRising per capita income and widespread poultry diseases are the major driving factors of the poultry feed market globally. In addition, growth of domestic and international quick service restaurants in developing countries and demand for quality meat products by consumers has significantly contributed to the rising demand of poultry feed those regions. In 2014, Asia Pacific was the largest market in terms of poultry feed demand and revenue and would continue to dominate the market for several factors. The market growth is attributed to the higher standard of living among consumers coupled with shift towards away-from-home-eating. Manufacturers are closely working with the factory farmers to direct them towards higher yield of poultry thereby increasing their return on investment (ROI). For instance, Cargill Inc. were engaged closely with Malaysia based TD Poultry to deliver best poultry solution. As a result, TD Poultry could achieve remarkable results in broilers with 1.63 feed conversion rates. Also, 2.35 kg body weight was achieved in 35 days, down from previous 40 days.Request For Report Sample@Poultry Feed Market: SegmentationThe various type of poultry feed additives available in the market consists of antibiotics, vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids, feed enzymes and feed acidifiers. Feed acidifiers are the largest among all other poultry additive segment across the world. The regional segmentation includes North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is the largest market followed by North America. On the basis of type, the poultry feed market can be segmented as broilers, layers, turkey and others. The consumption of meat varies from region to region, for instance, in North America, broilers is the most preferred meat category and antibiotics falls under the largest category under the feed additives segment.Poultry Feed Market: Market OverviewPoultry feed is required to increase the feed conversion ratio by improving gut micro flora thereby enhancing animals health. It also maintains animal health by preventing diseases among them. The manufacturers are concentrating more on the developing markets to tap the under penetrated feed market in countries such as Vietnam, India, Indonesia, South Africa, Lebanon and Turkey. These markets offer greater opportunities to increase revenue and sales with higher per capita expenditure on quality food. Moreover, it is a proven fact that with rise in per capita income, people tend to consume more meat and meat products. Therefore the poultry feed market is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR through the forecast period (2015-2020).Poultry Feed Market: Recent DevelopmentPlayers such as Novus International, Inc. and Kemin group continue to deliver new products for poultry farmers. In November 2012, Novus International, Inc. launched AVIMATRIX- a feed solution for optimized broiler performance by acting over gut environment through targeted and controlled release of compounds in the broilers gut. There is an increasing demand of solution oriented customized products from the poultry farmers in the emerging markets. In May 2013, a South African firm AgriProtein Technologies bagged the Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) for developing a commercial method to develop animal feed through maggots.Visit For TOC@Poultry Feed Market: Key PlayersKey global players of the poultry feed market include Alltech Inc., ADM (Archer Daniels Midland Company), ABF Plc (Associated British Food), BASF (Badishce Anilin und Soda Fabrik), Charoen Popkhand Foods, Cargill Inc., Evonik Industries AG, CHR.Hansen Holdings A/S, Novus International Inc, Nutreco NV, Royal DSM N.V., DLG Group and InVivo NSA.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACTFuture Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: http.futuremarketinsights.com Steady Growth to be Witnessed By Beet Sugar Market By 2026 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/11131 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/11131 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/ Sugar has been the most widely used sweetener in the world, with its closest substitute being high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Tropical beet sugar is a biennial sugar producing tuber crop developed in temperate countries. It constitutes around 30% of the total world production as well as distributed in more than 45 countries. Sugar beet is efficient converter of solar energy to a form that can be used by animals and men. The top ten sugar beet producing countries include Russia, France, U.S., Germany, Ukraine, Turkey, Poland, China, U.K. and Egypt. Beet sugar is an industrial crop utilized in food processing as well as in production of ethanol and biogas. In tropical countries, the sugar beet crop offers precious alternative to sugarcane. The beet sugar market growth in terms of production and consumption has showcased an upliftment over the past few years and is likely to intensify at a rapid pace during the forecast period.Request Report For TOC @The Global Beet Sugar market is segmented on the basis of consumption in industry such as cereal, bakery, ice-cream, confectionery, beverage and dairy industry. Over the next few years, beverage segment is anticipated to grab highest market attractiveness in the global beet sugar market till 2026. The global beet sugar market is also segmented on the basis of function such as regular and medical conditions. The global beet sugar market is also segmented on the basis of organizational structure such as unorganized and organized market. The share of former is anticipated to be more over the forecast period.Global Beet Sugar Market: Growth DriversRising population and personal disposable income is anticipated to bolster the growth of global Beet Sugar market. Apart from this, changing lifestyle along with urbanization and increasing health related disorders are expected to drive the global Beet Sugar market during the forecast period as the consumption will rise. The advent of new class of customers as well as the entry of various new global players is expected to intensify the growth of Beet Sugar market all across the globe during the forecast period.Global Beet Sugar Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the Global Beet Sugar industry can be divided by major regions which include North America, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific region, Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America contributed the highest share in the global Beet Sugar market in 2015. The size of America has been doubled over the past few years in production of beet sugar. For growers in Western and Central Europe, it is already a high value crop. But in Eastern Europe, while acreage and volumes are maximum, there is significant scope to increase quality of seed. Over the next few years, Asia Pacific is expected to expand at a higher pace during the forecast period. India is expected to be the worlds fastest growing market, driven by increasing standard of living. Apart from this, gains in developing regions such as Middle-east and Africa will also be strengthened by changing standard of living. Advances in Western Europe is expected to benefit from strong incline in number of new housing units.Global Beet Sugar Market: PlayersSome of the key vendors identified across the value chain of the global Beet Sugar market include syngenta, Renuka beet sugar, Spreckals Sugar Company, Michigan Sugar Company, Amalgamated Sugar Company. Various players are anticipated to appear in the industry with the manufacturing of new and innovative products in the industry. The companies are anticipated to invest in research and development in order to expand the business and to maintain the market share in the global beet sugar market.Request To Sample Of Report @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA,Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Global Wave and Tidal Energy Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024 MRRSE https://www.mrrse.com/sample/540 https://www.mrrse.com/wave-tidal-energy-market https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/540 https://www.mrrse.com/checkdiscount/540 https://www.mrrse.com/ https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) has been serving as an active source to cater intelligent research report to enlighten both readers and investors. This research study titled Wave and Tidal Energy MarketRequest a Free Sample Report @The worsening energy crisis has urged governments, consumers, and manufacturers to focus on alternative sources of energy. This has put the wave and tidal energy that can be harnessed from the oceans in a spotlight. The development of wave and tidal energy sector is gaining an accelerated momentum due to growing initiatives by several governments and developing countries to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and reducing their carbon footprint. The research report states that the global wave and tidal energy market is expected to be worth US$11345.0 mn by the end of 2024 from US$497.7 mn in 2014. During the forecast period of 2016 and 2024, the global market is expected to rise at a CAGR of 23.2%.Oceans are estimated to be inexhaustible sources of clean energy. Harnessing tidal and wave energy from the ocean surfaces is expected to be the next sustainable source of energy. Currently, tidal energy is expected to dominate the global market. The tidal energy segment is further divided into tidal range and tidal stream energy. Though both the concepts are new to the market, the tidal range energy sub-segment is known to be more developed than the other. Both the sub-segments are expected to undergo tremendous development with increasing investments in finding alternative sources of energies.Outlook Complete Report with Table of Content @Collaboration between Companies will Bring Down Fixed Costs and Tariff RatesWith a raft of companies experimenting with the development of wave and tidal energy sector, there isnt single leading technology. However, the fact that both tidal and wave energy sources will reap phenomenal benefits remains for certain. Presently, the market requires a high initial cost of investments in wave and tidal stream power plants in order to achieve better output and higher penetration. If the both these factors are achieved, the market will be able to offer wave and tidal energy at competitive and affordable prices.The future is likely to be witness to cost cuts as the overall industry is emphasizing on large-scale array deployment instead of project demonstration and prototype testing. Thus, the economies of scale are expected to benefit the manufacturers of energy converter devices and on-shore grid connection and power take-off systems infrastructure. Companies are also expected to collaborate to share fixed costs, which will further bring down the cost of production and overall tariffs.Send an Inquiry @Europe Leads the Pack as Region Witnesses Tremendous Technological AdvancementsGeographically, the global wave and tidal energy market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. The report suggests that Europe will be at the forefront of the wave and tidal energy market. The ongoing efforts by the governments in the region to cut down the carbon footprint, smaller region with surrounded by the coastline, and the rapid pace of technological advancements are expected to be the key contributors to the regional markets growth in the near future. Meanwhile, the tidal barrage operations in South Korea are expected to put Asia Pacific on the global map in the coming years. Furthermore, Australia is also expected to make a significant contribution to the soaring revenue of the Asia Pacific wave and tidal energy market.The key players operating in the global wave and tidal energy market are Ocean Power Technologies, Inc., Pelamis Wave Power Ltd., Carnegie Wave Energy Ltd., Ocean Renewable Power Company LLC, Tenax Energy, Atlantis Resources Ltd., AquaGen Technologies, S.D.E. Energy Ltd. (WERPO Wave Energy), Marine Current Turbines Ltd., and Aquamarine Power Ltd.Check Discount on This Report @About Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At: Gable Top Cap And Closures Market Globally Expected to Drive Growth through 2017-2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2823 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2823 www.futuremarketinsights.com Over the last few years, gable top cap and closures are consider as the standard for consumer convenience on gable top carton. Global gable top cap and closures key end use includes fresh milk, bottled water, and fresh juice products. Gable top cap and closures are made up of plastic and recyclable virgin paper boards, the name gable top come from the fold at top which look like a gable end of a house. Gable top cap and closures were initially designed to pack fresh pasteurized milk. Soon after, gable top cap and closures become standard packaging in many countries for fresh milk, and fresh juices owing to its attractive features in packaging. Other than liquid packaging, gable top cap and closures are also usually used to pack dry products. Gable top cap and closures are superior alternative to many traditional packaging solution due to factors such as better branding, convenience in storing, holding, and transportation. Gable top cap and closures is expected to gain substantial market growth owing to environment friendly property of it.Global Gable Top Cap and Closures Market: DynamicsIn recent times consumer become more conscious about environment and are demanding nature friendly products. In order to address consumers needs, manufacturers are working on product designing and innovation. Global gable top cap and closures market is expected to expand significantly over the forecast period. Demand for gable top cap and closures is estimated to observe gain owing to rising demand of fresh liquid packaging in bottle. Gable top cap and closures can be used in packaging of milk, yoghurt, cream, edible oil, juices, healthy drinks, liquor, wine and egg yolk. Moreover, paper gable top cap and closures are friendlier among both manufacturers as well as consumers owing to ease in manufacturing, and convenience in packaging.Request Report Sample@Global Gable Top Cap and Closures Market: SegmentationThe global gable top cap and closures market can be segmented on the basis of material, application, and region. On the basis of material, the global gable top cap and closures market can be segmented into paper, plastic, and others. Paper, material type segment is the most preferable among both manufacturers as well as consumers owing to the environment friendly properties of paper material. On the basis of application, global gable top cap and closures market can be segmented intobeverages, dairy products, fresh juices, pharmaceuticals, and others beverages. Based on application, dairy products and fresh juices are the most lucrative application in global gable top cap and closures market. On the basis of region global gable top cap and closures market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Middle East and Africa.Visit For TOC@Global Gable Top Cap and Closures Market: Regional OverviewThe demand for ecofriendly packaging is boosting the gable top cap and closures market worldwide. Asia Pacific region is expected to be the fastest growing region compared to other regions owing to rising manufacturing sector in this region. The Europe and North America market are highly mature with high presence of established key players in these regions. The global market for gable top cap and closures market is expected to witness rapid growth in near future owing to rising per capita spending of consumers on FMCG products along with presence of significant consumer base has led to increase in investment by various companies engaged in manufacturing and distribution of gable top cap and closures in the region. MEA and Latin America are expected to witness moderate growth in gable top cap and closures market over the forecast period.Global Gable Top Cap and Closures Market: Key PlayersThe main player of gable top cap and closures market are Blackhawk Molding Co., Inc., Amcor Limited, BERICAP GmbH & Co. KG, Global Closure Systems, Crown Holdings, Inc., Silgan Holdings Inc., Reynolds Group Holdings Ltd., Closure Systems International, Inc., Oriental Containers Ltd., Guala Closures S.p.A., Berry Plastics Corporation, Pelliconi & C. SPA, Parksons Packaging Ltd. and others.About Us Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Automotive Collision Avoidance System Market by Device, Technology, and Geography - Global Trends, and Forecast to 2025 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1128 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/market-insight/automotive-collision-avoidance-system-market-1128 The Automotive Collision Avoidance System market was valued at US$ 3.9 billion in 2016 and is projected to reach US$ 15.4 billion by 2025, according to a new market research report Automotive Collision Avoidance System Market by Device (Adaptive Cruise Control, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Detection, Driver Monitoring System, Electronic Stability Control, Lane Departure Warning, Night Vision, Tire Pressure Monitoring System), by Technology (Radar, Lidar, Camera, Ultrasonic) and Geography-Global Forecast to 2025 by Coherent Market Insights.Collision avoidance system tracks the object of collision risk and either prompts the driver to take evasive action or in case of no response from the driver, autonomously steers clear of the obstacle. With the help of a lidar (light detection and ranging), radar, camera the system detects the conflict and alerts the driver to avoid the collision. Adoption of electronic stability control system plays a major role for the growth of the market. The electronic stability control is a crash avoidance system that assists drivers to avoid accidents by reducing danger of skidding and losing control. With the help of microcomputer and electronic sensors, the electronic stability control continually monitors steering and braking inputs together with acceleration, wheel rotation and yaw rate. According to CMI study, it has estimated that electronic stability control can reduce the fatal crashes by 20% to 40%.Request Sample Copy of this Report :Key Takeaways of the Automotive Collision Avoidance System Market:Global Automotive Collision Avoidance System market was valued at US$ 3.9 billion in 2016 and is projected to reach US$ 15.4 billion by 2025, exhibiting a CAGR of XX.X% over the forecast period. On the basis of device, the autonomous emergency braking segment is projected to exhibit the highest CAGR over the forecast period. The increasing government regulation for vehicle safety concerns have accelerated the demand for autonomous emergency braking in the market for example: In 2016, U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have officially announced that the united states automaker have to make the autonomous emergency braking system a standard feature for all cars and trucks by 2022.On the basis of technology, the radar segment held the dominant position in 2016 and is projected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. The radar technology have a high capability to detect the signals that strongly reflect electromagnetic radiation. Hence, due to this the feature OEMs majorly uses radar technology for various systems such as automated parking systems, blind spot detection systems, collision avoidance systems etc.The Europe region holds the dominant position in the market in 2016 and is projected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the U.K. are some of the major growth engines of the automotive collision avoidance system market in this region. The increasing government regulations for vehicle safety concerns creates a favorable environment for growth of the market in the region. For example: in 2014, The European transport safety council have announced that its mandatory for the OEMs to install automated emergency braking systems, anti-lock braking systems, electronic stability control and seat-belt reminders in new vehicles.Some of the major companies in the global are Automotive Collision Avoidance System market are Alstom SA, Autoliv, Inc., Denso Corporation, General Electric Company, Hexagon AB, Honeywell International, Inc., Robert Bosch GmbH, Rockwell Collins, Inc., Siemens AG, and Wabtec CorporationFor More Information :About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.com PEG and PPG Esters Market Projected to Discern Stable Expansion During 2016-2026 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2297 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2297 www.futuremarketinsights.com PEG and PPG Esters Market: IntroductionPolyethylene glycol esters are the products of a fatty acid or fatty alcohol and polyethylene glycol. Whereas, polypropylene glycol esters are the combination of propylene glycol mono and diesters of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids which are derived from fats and edible oils. The feedstock required in the production of PEG and PPG esters include edible oils such as palm oil and sunflower oil among others. PEG and PPG esters are utilized in thickeners, resin plasticizer, pacifiers, formulation of emulsifier blends, emollients, viscosity builders, etc. The most common feature of PEG appears to be water-solubility. It is also soluble in inorganic solvents such as aromatic hydrocarbons which makes it useful for various purposes. Various physical and chemical properties of PEG and PPG esters include non-irritating, non-ionic emulsifiers and non-toxicity. PEG and PPG esters are generally considered as non-greasy ingredients and hence reduce the greasiness in various end-use products.Global PEG and PPG Esters Market: DynamicsRising demand for PEG and PPG esters from end-use industries such as personal care and cosmetics, pulp and paper is expected to push the market growth. Since these esters are derived from fatty acids and edible oil, human health risks caused by fatty esters are almost null. In addition, demand for these esters from lubricant industry is also expected to boost the market growth.Request For Report Sample@PEG and PPG esters cannot be exposed under direct sunlight or heat and also they have less storage time (generally 1 year). Aforementioned reasons are expected to weaken the demand of esters and thus in turn restraining the growth of global PEG and PPG esters market. Increased cost of PEG and PPG ester based lubricants is expected to hamper the growth of market. High production cost of PEG and PPG ester production for specific application may hinder the market growth. Chemically synthesized PEG and PPG esters are petroleum derivatives and hence instability in crude oil prices is expected to hinder the market growth.Niche applications of PEG and PPG esters such as solvency, bio-diesel and thickening are expected to provide significant growth opportunities for the manufacturers in this market.Global PEG and PPG Esters Market: SegmentationThe global PEG and PPG esters market can be segmented on the basis of end-use industry and application.Based on end-use industry, global PEG and PPG esters market can be segmented into,Metal ManufacturingPulp and PaperTextilePersonal Care and CosmeticsPharmaceuticalsPaints & CoatingsBased on application, global PEG and PPG esters market can be segmented into,LubricantsEmulsifiersSurfactantsGlobal PEG and PPG Esters Market: Region-wise OutlookConsidering regions, Asia-Pacific is dominated by other regions in the global PEG and PPG esters market. The region appears to be one of the largest markets in terms of both production and consumption; factors which include GDP growth and availability of raw materials have augmented the production capacity in countries such as India and China. Demand for PEG and PPG esters in personal care and cosmetic products have exceeded the demand from developed regions. In addition, demand from textile and lubricants industry is expected to drive the market in this region. North America holds the major market share in terms of consumption of PEG and PPG esters followed by Asia-Pacific, Europe and other regions. Upsurge in demand for PEG and PPG esters is expected to fuel the market in Europe.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Global PEG and PPG Esters Market: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants in the PEG and PPG Esters market identified across the value chain include Ivanhoe Industries, Inc., American eChem Inc., Venus Ethoxyethers Pvt. Ltd., ZSCHIMMER & SCHWARZ INCORPORATED, Fine Organics, Hangzhou GengYang Chemical Materials Co. Ltd., Pacific Texchem Private Limited, INEOS Oxide among others. Manufacturers of PEG and PPG esters are continuously focusing on removing impurities from various by-products such as 1, 4-dioxane and ethylene oxide.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Latest Report Details on Antimetabolite Drugs Market Size & Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1509398 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1509398/antimetabolite-drugs-global-industry-market-research-reports https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/enquiry/1509398 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/checkdiscount/1509398 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ Research Report on "Antimetabolite Drugs Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025".The main objective of this report is to define, describe, and forecast the global Antimetabolite Drugs market on the basis of types of applications, major sectors, deployment models, organization size, and regions. The report contains an analysis of the major factors influencing the growth of the market (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges). It aims to strategically analyze the micromarkets with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and their contribution to the market. The report attempts to forecast the market size for 5 major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America. It contains key vendor profiles and comprehensively analyzes their core competencies. The report also tracks and analyzes competitive developments, including partnerships, collaborations, acquisitions, new product developments, and R&D activities in the market.Get Sample Copy Of This Report @Antimetabolite is a chemical that inhibits a metabolite or interfere with metabolic pathways by enzymatic reaction. Antimetabolites are purine or pyrimidine analogs and folic acids. These chemicals are characterized by low molecular weight molecules and are one of the important chemotherapeutic agents. These chemicals have a similar structure like molecules used in nucleic acid synthesis. These are used as cancer therapeutics in leukemia, ovarian, and gastrointestinal cancers. The presence of these drugs has a negative impact on cell cycles as these drugs stop the cell growth and division; hence, these drugs are primarily used as chemotherapeutics in cancers. Antimetabolites are used in different applications such as trabeculectomy and antibiotics.The global antimetabolite drugs market is expected to expand at a significant growth rate during the forecast period. According to the World Health Organization, cancer is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally which impacts about 14 million people annually, resulting in the rapid increase in research activities worldwide. This is one of the major factors attributed to the growth of the global antimetabolite drugs market during the forecast period. Increasing prevalence of unhealthy lifestyles such as cigarette smoking, pipes, cigar smoking, and continuous exposure to asbestos are major factors that can cause cancer, which in turn, are projected to drive the growth of the market. Furthermore, factors such as development in the fields of drug delivery and oncology, and increased government funding and initiative to create awareness about cancer diagnosis and treatment are expected to propel the growth of the global market in the next few years. However, factors such as lack of awareness about health in many developing countries, high cost of drugs, and adverse effects of chemotherapies are projected to restrain the growth of the global antimetabolite drugs market during the forecast period.The global market for antimetabolite drugs is divided into type, application, and region. In terms of type, the global market is bifurcated into purine analogs, pyrimidine analogs, and folates. The folates segment is expected to account for a significant share of the global market since the drugs are more commonly used. In terms of application, the global market is divided into cancer therapeutics, antibiotics, and others. The cancer therapeutics segment is expected to dominate the global market during the forecast period. Factors such as high growing prevalence of cancer globally and high research activities in many regions are anticipated to fuel the segment growth.View Report @Geographically, the global market for antimetabolite drugs is distributed over North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to account for a significant share of the global market during the forecast period due to factors such as rise in incidence of cancer, prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle, and increase in government funding. Furthermore, increasing health care expenditure, advanced technology, high research activities, and rise in awareness about cancer treatment are expected to boost the market growth in the region. Europe is anticipated to hold the second highest share of the global market. Asia Pacific is expected to register the highest growth rate during the forecast period due to factors such as growing health care expenditure, rising geriatric population, surge in disposable income, prevalence of chronic diseases, growing focus of global pharmaceutical companies toward the Asia Pacific region, and rising awareness about novel drugs for cancer treatment.Key players operating in the global antimetabolite drugs market include Teva Parenteral Medicines, Inc., Fresenius Kabi Oncology Limited, Cadila Pharmaceuticals, Celon Laboratories Pvt. Ltd, and Eli Lilly and Company.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.Request For Enquiry @The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.A separate analysis of prevailing trends in the parent market, macro- and micro-economic indicators, and regulations and mandates is included under the purview of the study. By doing so, the report projects the attractiveness of each major segment over the forecast period.Check Discount @Highlights of the report:A complete backdrop analysis, which includes an assessment of the parent marketImportant changes in market dynamicsMarket segmentation up to the second or third levelHistorical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volumeReporting and evaluation of recent industry developmentsMarket shares and strategies of key playersEmerging niche segments and regional marketsAn objective assessment of the trajectory of the marketRecommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the marketAbout usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Contact usMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Infinium Global Research Announces a Publication of Market Research Report on Global Passive Optical LAN Market Infinium Global Research https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/Reports/MakeSampleRequest/100 https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/ict_semiconductor/passive_optical_lan_market https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/Reports/requestdiscount/100 https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/ict_semiconductor/global_computer_aided_engineering_market https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/ict_semiconductor/data_centres_market The report Passive Optical LAN Market by application, component, by end user, and by region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and RoW)", studies the global and regional markets of POL over the period of 2015 to 2023. According to Infinium Global Research the global POL market is projected to grow from USD 18.51 billion in 2016 to USD 77.36 billion by the end of 2023. The Asia-Pacific region accounted for the largest market size of USD 7.34 billion in 2016 followed by North America. Top 3 players accounted for over 60% market share in 2016.Get Free Sample Pages of this Report:Increasing demand for bandwidth is a major factor that drives the growth of the passive optical LAN market. The factors such as flexibility, scalability, better security features and ability to handle huge number of devices in enterprises with greater bandwidth drives the demand for POL from the corporate sector. Passive optical LAN is ecofriendly as it uses optical splitters and limits the use of non-renewable equipment and it drives the demand for the passive optical LAN worldwide to replace copper based networks. POL networks maintain HVAC standards to reduce power consumption and it is a major driver for the global POL market. Ease of up gradation of POL networks, as it requires only replacement of electronic equipment, while maintaining the existing fiber cables, enhances the demand for POL.Browse the Complete Report on Passive optical LAN Market:Key takeaways from the global POL market report Increasing investments from government, increasing establishment of strong optical networks, and growing demand for passive optical LAN to drive the growth of the APAC Passive optical LAN market The APAC region is set grow at a CAGR of 22.08% over the period of 2017 to 2023. North America is one of the important markets owing to significant growth in the POL market in the U.S. Optical Tranceivers accounted for the largest market share among the components of POL in 2016Get 15% Discount on this Report:Companies profiled in the reportThe companies covered in the report include manufacturers of global passive optical LAN market include Adtran Inc, Alcatel Lucent SA , Cisco Systems, CommScope Inc, Ericsson Inc, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd, IBM Corporation, TE Connectivity Ltd, Tellabs Inc, Verizon Communications Inc, Zhone Technologies and ZTE Corporation.Related Reports: Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) Market: Global Industry Analysis, Trends, Market Size and Forecasts up to 2023 Data Centers Market: Global Industry Analysis, Market Size, Trends, and Forecast to 2023About Us:Infinium Global Research and Consulting Solutions is started with a single motto of being business partner of first choice. We at Infinium work on the strengths of our clients to ensure we help them consolidate their market position. We firmly believe in the fact that if you are able to develop newer opportunities then you find there is no dearth of opportunities for you.Contact Us:Infinium Global ResearchGoyal Shinde Park, Bhau Patil Road,Bopodi, Pune-411 020.U.S. + Canada Toll Free: 1-800-638-0796Email: sales@infiniumglobalresearch.com Sound Sensors Market to 2025-Global Analysis and Forecasts by Type, Applications, End-users ReportsWeb http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001554977/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/sound-sensors-market-to-2025 The Reports Web added World Sound Sensors Market Report 2017-2025 by Technology, Application, and Industry Vertical to its research database.The restraints for this market include the concern regarding the surface acoustic wave sensors being substituted by other sensors in application and low mass sensitivity. Nevertheless, development of wireless technology and telecom infrastructure have expected to create larger opportunities for sound sensors market in the near future.The global sound sensor market is fragmented on the basis of types into sound acoustic wave (SAW) sensor and bulk acoustic wave (BAW) sensor. Furthermore, application wise, this market can be segmented into several industries such as automotive, healthcare, aerospace & defense consumer electronics and industrial. The progress in automotive industry has further boosted the growth of sound sensor market as a result of increasing concern for safety among vehicle manufacturers. Automotive industry is expected to remain leading applicant for sound sensor throughout the forecast period. Also, due to the technical advantages offered many more market players are expected to enter in this market. On the basis of sensing parameters, the global sound sensor market can be separated into pressure, mass, temperature, humidity, viscosity, torque and chemical vapor.Request a Sample Report atMicrophones or sound sensors are the devices that sense the changes in the sounds in its surroundings and then produces an output in the required form accordingly. The output could be in the digitized form. The sound is sensed by the sensor using various techniques, such as whenever there is a change in the air pressure, this pressure based changes instigate the device and it produces the output in the required form. The output can be stored or analyzed as per the requirement of the industrial application. Sound sensors are also popular as acoustic sensors and are useful as they can sense sounds that are difficult for human ears to sense. The marine industry finds its applications of using sound sensors at varying places. Besides the marine industry, sound sensors are also being used in the healthcare industry. The sound sensing devices have the potential to detect bone fractures.The primary driver for this market is the increasing application development besides product development. The customized and easy-to-use applications have propelled the growth in the application of such technologies. The other drivers for this market include rising demand of reliable, high performance and cheaper sensors which have been driven by various factors towards miniaturization. In addition, factors such as evolving inclination towards telecommunication market, low manufacturing cost and progress in various application segments are touted as the factors driving this market.View Complete Report atNorth American region holds largest market share globally for the sound sensor market and is expected to maintain its dominance over the forecasting period. Western Europe region is also leading the market in terms of revenues generated as most of the acoustic wave sensor manufacturers are located in this region. Moreover, Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow speedily over the forecasting period because of improving economies in this region and substantial development primarily in the automotive industry.The major players in global sound sensor market are API Technologies Corp, Honeywell International Inc., Teledyne Microwave Solutions, Vectron International, CTS Corporation, Boston Piezo-optics INC., Phonon Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, CeramTec and Epson Toyocom Corporation among others.Contact Us:Phone: +1-646-491-9876Email Id: sales@reportsweb.comAbout ReportsWeb:ReportsWeb is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township, Amanora Chambers, East Block, Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 Endometrial Cancer Treatment Market Size, Analysis, and Forecast Report 2017-2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2834 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2834 www.futuremarketinsights.com Endometrial cancer or uterine cancer is one of the most common gynecological cancers and 2.8% of women are diagnosed with the endometrial cancer at some point in their lives. According to National Cancer Institute statistics, in 2015 endometrial cancer contributed to 1.8% of all cancers and 3.6% of all new cancer cases were diagnosed as endometrial cancer. Early detection of endometrial cancer helps in the selection of proper treatment options. Endometrial cancers are typically diagnosed as type I and type II tumors and majority of the patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer represent early-stage cancers. According to Yale University School of Medicine, U.S., in 2014, type I tumors constitute 80% of all cases of endometrial cancers diagnosed in the U.S. Endometrial cancer can be treated by one or combination of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormone therapy. Most of the physicians recommend combination treatments as chemotherapy alone has traditionally been deem ineffective. Adjuvant radiation therapy is preferred in patients who have diagnosed with sage I or II endometrial cancer. Radiation therapy is also recommended in patients who have undergone the surgery, in order to avoid the relapse of endometrial cancer. Endometrial cancer is often detected in women above the age of 50 years and risk of endometrial cancer increases with the age. Also the risk of development of endometrial cancer is more in breast cancer patients who are being treated with tamoxifen or estrogen for long time. Plenty of chemotherapeutic agents are available and are recommended in the combination for the treatment of endometrial cancer. Some of the combination therapies include carboplatin & paclitaxel, Cisplatin & doxorubicin, Carboplatin & docetaxel and others.Endometrial Cancer Treatment Market: Drivers and RestraintsIncreasing incidence of uterine serous carcinoma a highly aggressive variant of endometrial cancer and relapse of endometrial cancers in patients treated with chemotherapy are the prime factors driving the growth of global endometrial cancer treatment market over the forecast period. In 2014, uterine serous carcinoma represented 10% of all caseload of endometrial cancers in the U.S. Some of the risk factors of endometrial cancer include obesity, presence of polycystic ovarian syndrome, long-term consumption of birth control pills, delayed pregnancy etc. Increasing incidence of obesity in the women aged above 50 can lead to the growth of endometrial cancer treatment market. However, divergent nature of cancer and increasing stringency in the regulatory requirements are the prime factors limiting the growth of global endometrial cancer treatment market. Besides this, side effects related to chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormone therapy also restricts the adoption of these agents for endometrial cancer treatment.Request Report Sample@Endometrial Cancer Treatment Market: SegmentationThe global endometrial cancer treatment market has been segmented on the basis of treatment type, end user, and geography.Based on treatment type, the global endometrial cancer treatment market is divided into following:ChemotherapyCarboplatinPaclitaxelIxabepiloneOthersHormonal TherapyMegestrol (Megace)Medroxyprogesterone (PROVERA)Others (anastrozole, letrozole, etc.)Radiation TherapyWhole Pelvic External-beam Radiation TherapyVaginal BrachytherapySurgeryHysterectomyBilateral Salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of both fallopian tubes and ovaries)Based on end user, the global endometrial cancer treatment market is segmented as below:Retail PharmacyHospital pharmacyClinicsVisit For TOC@Endometrial Cancer Treatment Market: OverviewGlobal market for endometrial cancer treatment is forecast to grow at moderate rate owing to less number of drugs approved for treatment of endometrial cancer. Despite of this, chemotherapy segment is expected to hold the highest share in the global endometrial cancer treatment market due to high adoption rate of chemotherapy over radiation and surgical treatment. Also chemotherapeutic agents such as carboplatin and paclitaxel are recommended as a first line of therapy in majority of the cases, which increases demand for these products. Recent FDA approval of IXEMPRA (ixabepilone) for use in the treatment of endometrial cancer treatment is expected to fuel the growth of global market over the forecast period.Endometrial Cancer Treatment Market: Regional Wise OutlookGeographically, the global endometrial cancer treatment market is classified into regions viz. North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America will continue to hold largest share in the global endometrial cancer treatment market due to high incidence of uterine serous carcinoma. Europe is expected to hold the second largest share in the global market partly due to increasing product availability in the region. North America is expected to expand at the highest rate over the forecast period.Endometrial Cancer Treatment Market: Key PlayersSome of the players operating in the global endometrial cancer treatment market include R-Pharm-US LLC., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Pfizer Inc., AstraZeneca Plc., Novartis AG and others. The global endometrial cancer treatment market is expected to grow in future due to increasing investment by multinational companies in cancer research.About Us Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Global Aloe Vera Gel Sales Market Report 2018 Marykay, Shiseido, Watsons, GNC, P & G, Unilever, LOreal https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1504021&type=S https://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-aloe-vera-gel-market-research-report-2018.htm/toc https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1504021&type=D http://www.qyresearchreports.com Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global Aloe Vera Gel Market Research Report 2018 to its huge collection of research reports.The report on global market for Aloe Vera Gel offers comprehensive and relevant research data meant for use of both established and new market players. At the outset, the report offers an overview of the market and then moves on to discuss the factors promoting or challenging it growth. To do so, the report studies both macro- and micro-fundamentals. It also packs in insightful prediction for the market for Aloe Vera Gel for the upcoming years after consulting leading industry experts and factoring in various statistical details.This report on global market for Aloe Vera Gel offers every important information needed to understand it and its types and application. It offers valuable insights pertaining to the product type and applications. For instance, it sheds light on which product or application segment pulls in maximum revenue, which is progressing at a faster clip, which holds greater market share, and which holds maximum promise in the near future for savvy players.Download Free exclusive Sample of this report:The report also details the competitive landscape in the market for Aloe Vera Gel. It does so by leveraging analytical tools such as Porters Five Forces Analysis and SWOT Analysis. It enables it to understand the opportunities and pitfalls awaiting players in the market. It provides information on the same so that players can formulate winning strategies carefully using all that information. The report also provides the value chain analysis for the market for Aloe Vera Gel.In addition, the report on the global market for Aloe Vera Gel studies the impact of the latest mergers and acquisition and joint ventures on the competitive landscape. It also offers crucial proposals for new project development that can enable companies optimize their operations and revenue structure. To prepare the report, analysts have extensively banked upon primary and secondary research.Table of ContentsGlobal Aloe Vera Gel Market Research Report 20181 Aloe Vera Gel Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Aloe Vera Gel1.2 Aloe Vera Gel Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Aloe Vera Gel Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Aloe Vera Gel Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Food Grade1.2.4 Pharmaceutical Grade1.3 Global Aloe Vera Gel Segment by Application1.3.1 Aloe Vera Gel Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Cosmetics1.3.3 Medicine1.3.4 FoodRead Complete Table of Content @2 Global Aloe Vera Gel Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Aloe Vera Gel Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.1 Global Aloe Vera Gel Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Aloe Vera Gel Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Aloe Vera Gel Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.3 Global Aloe Vera Gel Average Price by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.4 Manufacturers Aloe Vera Gel Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type3 Global Aloe Vera Gel Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018)3.1 Global Aloe Vera Gel Capacity and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.2 Global Aloe Vera Gel Production and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.3 Global Aloe Vera Gel Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.4 Global Aloe Vera Gel Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.5 North America Aloe Vera Gel Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.6 Europe Aloe Vera Gel Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)4 Global Aloe Vera Gel Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2013-2018)4.1 Global Aloe Vera Gel Consumption by Region (2013-2018)4.2 North America Aloe Vera Gel Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.3 Europe Aloe Vera Gel Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.4 China Aloe Vera Gel Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.5 Japan Aloe Vera Gel Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.6 Southeast Asia Aloe Vera Gel Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.7 India Aloe Vera Gel Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)5 Global Aloe Vera Gel Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Aloe Vera Gel Production and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)5.2 Global Aloe Vera Gel Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)5.3 Global Aloe Vera Gel Price by Type (2013-2018)5.4 Global Aloe Vera Gel Production Growth by Type (2013-2018)List of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Aloe Vera GelFigure Global Aloe Vera Gel Production (K MT) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Types (Product Category) (2013-2025)Figure Global Aloe Vera Gel Production Market Share by Types (Product Category) in 2017Figure Product Picture of Food GradeTable Major Manufacturers of Food GradeFigure Product Picture of Pharmaceutical GradeTable Major Manufacturers of Pharmaceutical GradeFigure Global Aloe Vera Gel Consumption (K MT) by Applications (2013-2025)Get discount copy @QYResearchReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYResearchReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com Supply Chain Analytics Market to 2025-Global Analysis and Forecasts by Solution, Service, Deployment Type and Industry Vertical ReportsWeb http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001554884/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/supply-chain-analytics-market-to-2025 The Reports Web added World Supply Chain Analytics Market Report 2017-2025 by Technology, Application, and Industry Vertical to its research database.In today's highly competitive environment companies are putting high focus on optimizing operational expenses in order to achieve high efficiency and manageability. Efficient supply chain analytics solutions and tools helps organizations to achieve efficient forecasting, improved supplier network, improved warehouse management and high supply chain visibility which will ultimately help companies for effectively and cost efficiently cater the changing and dynamic end user demands.The report aims to provide an overview of Global Supply Chain Analytics Market along with detailed segmentation of market by solution, services, deployment type, industry verticals and five major geographical regions. Global Supply Chain Analytics market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period due to as it provides end users greater visibility and improved forecasting accuracy.Request a Sample Report atThe objectives of this report are as follows:The objectives of this report are as follows:-To provide overview of the Global Supply Chain Analytics market-To analyze and forecast the Global Supply Chain Analytics market on the basis of solutions, services and deployment types.-To provide market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Supply Chain Analytics market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and South America (SAM), which are later sub-segmented across respective major countries-To evaluate market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend-To provide exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions-To profiles key Supply Chain Analytics players influencing the market along with their SWOT analysis and market strategiesView Complete Report atSome of the important players in Supply Chain Analytics market are SAS Institute Inc. SAP SE, Kinaxis Inc., Oracle Corporation, IBM Corporation, Entercoms Inc., Demand Solutions Group LLC, Tableau Software Inc., Birst Inc. and Tata Consultancy ServicesContact Us:Phone: +1-646-491-9876Email Id: sales@reportsweb.comAbout ReportsWeb:ReportsWeb is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township, Amanora Chambers, East Block, Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 Stationary Battery Storage Market to grow at 18% CAGR from 2017 to 2030 https://www.fractovia.org/request-sample/594 https://www.fractovia.org/request-purchase/594 https://www.fractovia.org With grid-connected batteries christened to be an attractive business prospect, Stationary Battery Storage Market is likely to witness a major upswing over the forthcoming years. The newfangled wave of renewable power generation having hit most industries, has left its impression on stationary battery storage industry as well. One of the major drivers that is responsible for the growth of this business space is the robust requirement of a sustainable electricity network pertaining to the clean energy demands across the globe. This initiative is supported by the investments from various government and private organizations. In addition, stationary battery storage market is quite regulatory-driven, given that the product utilization, in a way, will have a profound effect on environmental safety. Global Market Insights, Inc., estimates stationary battery storage industry to surpass a revenue collection of USD 35 billion by 2030.Request for a sample of this research report @The competitive landscape of stationary battery storage market involves the participation of reputed biggies vying with one another to consolidate their business position. Product differentiation stands as the main criterion for these behemoths, for instance, Teslas launch of Powerwall, the rechargeable lithium-ion battery, in 2016, posed a heavy threat to industry participants back then. Recently however, in response to Teslas Powerwall deployment in Australia, a Brisbane-based firm has declared the production of a residential battery named ZCell, forecast to be the dark horse infiltrating the battleground on which Tesla aims to secure triumph. The magnitude of stationary battery storage industry is thus, gargantuan, which is also quite evident from the competitive landscape of this market according to a stationary battery storage industry report, the revenue share of this business is apportioned among the big-league enterprises such as GS Yuasa, Hitachi Maxell, Uniper, Koninklijke Philips, A123 Systems, ACDelco, Valence Technology, Durapower, Exide Technologies, Hitachi Chemical, Duracell, LG Chem, Tesla, Johnson Controls, Toshiba, Roofer Technology, Samsung SDI, BYD Co., and Panasonic.The issue of energy crisis has now penetrated in most of the geographies across the globe. The Europe belt, in particular, has demonstrated an elevated level of aggressiveness when it comes to restricting the usage of fuels to contribute toward environmental safety. Regions such as UK, Germany, and France are thus, likely to stand out as potential business avenues for Europe stationary battery storage market. As per statistics, UK stationary battery storage industry size was worth more than USD 90 billion in 2016, and has been forecast to grow at an appreciable rate, primarily due to the numerous reforms enforced by regulatory bodies. For instance, the European Commission has initiated the Energy Efficiency Directive 2012/27/EU that assimilates the standardization of energy storage systems. Most of the battery manufacturing plants across the region comply with this regulation, thereby mapping a positive growth path for Europe stationary battery storage market.Industry players across the globe have set their eyes on manufacturing unique products to be utilized across numerous end-use sectors. For instance, a renowned German energy company, EWE Gasspeicher, has recently declared its partnership with a university for constructing a huge flow battery in underground salt caverns that will be capable of supplying electricity to the capital city for 60 minutes. The company claims that this grid-tied battery, with a capacity of 120MW/750MWh, would be the largest flow battery in the world post its launch in 2023. This project is one of those instances that demonstrates the far-reaching scope of flow battery market, which held more than 4% of the overall stationary battery storage industry in 2016. These batteries are utilized in a gamut of applications, with emergency power supply and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) constituting a larger share.The robust need to transform conventional grids to sustainable ones has led to a massive upsurge in the number of electrical network upgradation and grid refurbishment projects, which are certain to propel stationary battery storage market share. In fact, surveys depict that the emerging regions, with rapidly developing residential establishments will depict an increase in the number of refurnishing projects. Frequent grid failures at these places coupled with the extensive requirement for electricity will thus, collectively drive the demand for emergency power supply. Subject to this extensive demand, stationary battery storage industry size from emergency power supply will thus, exhibit a CAGR of 18% over 2017-2024, making this end-use sector one of the most lucrative investment grounds. Also, since flow batteries are massively utilized for this application, its positive growth rate is certain to provide a positive impetus to stationary battery storage market from flow batteries.Another lucrative product segment of stationary battery storage industry is the lithium ion battery, which is reputed to account for a widespread scope of real-time applications. Lithium ion batteries are extensively deployed for solar projects, uninterrupted power supply systems, reliable marine performance, portable power packs, surveillance systems, etc. Lithium ion battery market is anticipated to cross a valuation of USD 53 billion by 2024 this growth is certain to propel the development of stationary battery storage market as well. In 2017, Tesla has launched its grid scale lithium ion battery of 129 MWh in South Australia, aiming for the establishment of effective grid storage technology on a large scale. Similar efforts undertaken by other reputed giants stand to contribute massively toward stationary battery storage industry size.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @China stationary battery storage market trends over 2016-2030China has been forecast to emerge as one of the most lucrative regions for stationary battery storage industry. A plethora of factors can be attributed for this prediction, including extensive commercialization, the increasing need for power, heavy investments for grid upgradation, and expanding grid networks.China stationary battery storage market giants have also been reported to invest heavily in novel battery production. In fact, a reliable industry study claims that China is likely to manufacture the worlds largest battery and surge ahead of its counterparts. CNESA reports that China will observe a slew of changing trends pertaining to energy industry dynamics, which will unrefutably have a profound effect on the regional stationary battery storage market. Chinas projects on renewable energy grid integration amounted to a capacity worth 28.5 MW, in the first half of 2016, a factor that led to the growth of the regional stationary battery storage industry. The projects include the Kelu Electronics Solar Storage in Yumen and the Golmud City Solar Storage Station among others. In 2017, the National Energy Administration of China declared an investment of more than USD 335 billion for the integration of renewable technologies across China by the year 2020. The year 2016 witnessed companies such as China Aviation Lithium Battery Co., Lishen, Hefei Guoxuan High-Tech Power Energy Co., and BYD driving the battery market on the home ground. Other companies have been following suit lately, and are engaged in the manufacturing of Li-ion battery systems for electric cars. This is primarily because the rise in the demand for these cars had led to an upsurge in the requirement for Li-ion batteries, and the battery supply could not conform to the demand. As of 2017 however, Li-ion battery industry is being driven by major biggies, consequently impelling the domestic stationary battery storage market.Despite having projected a fairly progressive graph, experts are of the opinion that the growth curve of stationary battery storage industry is not likely to remain stable on a global level. Possibly, the rationale behind this proclamation is the plethora of drivers fueling the trends of this business sphere. Elaborating further, experts insist that these drivers are certain to change massively as per the region, depending on myriad factors such as the infrastructure, regulatory landscape, and the electricity supply framework.Other contributing factors that will have a profound effect on the regional stationary battery storage markets include energy demand trends, grid architecture network, population demographics, and the like. All in all, the general consensus declares stationary battery storage industry to exhibit immense growth potential, subject to global clean energy needs, while analysts claim this market to grow at a rate of 18% over the coming thirteen years.About Fractovia.orgFractovia.org is one of India's leading in-house and free news portal. It is fully automated, and operates on a constant premise, interfacing with news sites and offering redesigned breaking features to readers across the globe. Our mission is to offer individuals opportunities for connections with news writers and distributors which they can pursue. We operate by mapping articles pertaining to breaking news, constantly and progressively, against a pre-determined word-based theme, offering important connections to readers and clients, as well as distributers.Contact us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAFractovia.orgPhone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@fractovia.orgWebsite: Industrial Pipe Insulation Market to Reap Excessive Revenues by 2017-2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-3694 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-3694 www.futuremarketinsights.com Insulation is mainly done to retard the flow of heat. Pipe insulation is done in places where the operational temperature is above or below ambient temperature. Industrial pipe insulation is done to conserve energy by reducing heat loss or gain. It is also done to prevent the condensation of water vapour on the surface, which can cause corrosion. Insulation prevents the transfer of energy through conduction and maintains the ambient temperature, which will definitely increase the operational efficiency. Other than this, industrial pipe insulation also controls surface temperature for personnel protection. Industrial pipe insulation also prevents or reduces the damage of equipment from the corrosive atmosphere as well as prevents the heating of surrounding from radiant heat from the heated pipe. Industrial pipe insulation is also used in many manufacturing industries such as petrochemical, power and chemical to assist the mechanical systems in meeting the criteria for processing. There are basically four types of insulation done in industries, which are fiberglass pipe insulation, fiberglass board and blanket insulation, Rockwool pipe insulation and Rockwool blanket insulation. Wherein, fiberglass insulation is a one piece, high-density insulation made from inorganic glass fibre. It is used on piping systems in power and industrial applications as well as institutional and commercial buildings. It can be used in a system with temperature ranging from 0 to 1000F. Fibreglass board and blanket insulation are used for piping, as well as air-conditioning and heating ducts, wall and roof panel systems, power and process equipment, boiler and stack installations, tanks, valves, etc. Rockwool pipe insulation type is actually precision cut pipe coverings and is made from high-density mineral wool. It has much applications in systems with temperature range, 120F - 1200F. These insulations are mainly used in petrochemical industry, power plants, it is also used for steam and process pipework and for hot/cold water systems. Rockwool can also be used for the temperature up to 1200F. It is flexible and can easily be wrapped around the pipe and its applications include, large piping, groups of parallel pipes, breechings and flanged fittings and high-temperature duct systems.Request For Report Sample@Industrial Pipe Insulation Market:Market DynamicsIncreasing industrialization across the world is one of the major drivers for the industrial pipe insulation market. Moreover, increasing demand for an effective temperature control solution as well as increased emphasis on conservation of energy by reducing heat loss or gain to reduce operational cost will trigger the replacement of previously installed temperature control solutions. This will affect the growth of industrial pipe insulation market positively during the forecast period. Moreover, stringent regulations related to health and safety of the employees will also bolster the market of industrial pipe insulation. However, the abrading nature as well as high cost of insulation can act as restraints to this market. Also, availability of substitutes such as electric trace heating will hamper the market of industrial pipe insulation.Industrial Pipe Insulation Market:Market SegmentationSegmentation ofindustrial pipe insulation market can be doneon the basis of type as follows:Fiberglass pipe InsulationFiberglass board and blanket insulationRockwool pipe insulationRockwool blanket insulationSegmentation of industrial pipe insulation market can be doneon the basis of application as follows:Temperature controlpersonal protectionPrevention of corrosion.Prevent heat loss.OthersSegmentation of industrial pipe insulation market can be doneon the basis of end use industry as follows:Electric power industryFood and beverages industryChemical industryOil and gas industryAutomotive IndustryGeneral manufacturing industryOthersIndustrial Pipe Insulation Market: Regional OutlookAsia Pacific is a major market in terms of growth, in industrial pipe insulation market due to substantial growth of chemical industry, polymer industry, etc. in countries such as India and China. Asia Pacific is followed by North America and Europe, which also hold major shares in the industrial pipe insulation market, which is chiefly due to the growth of the construction industry in these regions.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Industrial Pipe Insulation Market: Market ParticipantsSome of the examples of the market participants in the global industrial pipe insulation market, identified across the value chain are:OWENS CORNINGJohns ManvilleArmacellKnauf InsulationParoc GroupL'ISOLANTE K-FLEX S.p.A.ODE YALITIMKaimann GmbHGILSULATE INTERNATIONAL, INCABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Smart Power Technology Market - Global Industry Insights, and Opportunity Analysis, 20172025 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/toc/660 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/smart-power-technology-market-660 http://www.coherentchronicle.com Smart power technology encompasses electrical power generation and power distribution in an eco-friendly and economical manner. Smart power technology allows for optimal utilization of resources in order to enhance power generation. Rampant growth in population, in turn creates a highly conducive environment for growth of the global smart power technology market. According to Population Reference Bureau Organization, the global population was pegged at 7,418 million, up from 7,336 million in 2015. According to Energy Information Administration, in 2012, 549 quadrillion Btu energy was consumed globally, which is expected to increase to 674 quadrillion Btu by 2025. Considering the limited conventional non-renewable resources available, there is an acute need to optimally harness resources, while ensuring optimal energy production, thus fueling growth of the smart power technologies market. Furthermore, increasing awareness among the global populace and corporates alike, regarding development of nature friendly products with a goal to decrease carbon emission is projected to increase demand for smart power technology devices. These devices are highly power efficient and have low cost of operation, in turn increasing consumer inclination towards these. However, high capital investment for installation of smart power generation plants and production and high cost of crude materials inhibits market growth to a certain extent.Request Table of Content of this Report :Smart power technology Market Outlook North America region holds the largest market share of the global smart power technology marketOn the basis of geography, global smart power technology market is classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. North America holds the dominant position in the global smart power technology market and is projected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. This is mainly attributed to the countries such as the U.S. and Canada, which are early adopters of novel technologies and account for a disproportionately high consumption of energy. According to Energy Information Administration, in 2012, 118 quadrillion Btu energy was consumed in the U.S., which is projected to increase to 128 quadrillion Btu by 2025.Smart Power Devices Ltd., Smart Power Technologies LLC, Texas Instruments Incorporated., STMicroelectronics N.V, RICOH Electronic Devices Co., Schukat Electronic Vertriebs Gmbh and Wartsila Corporation are some of major companies of the global smart power technologies market. Leading players are focusing on organic growth strategies and geographical expansion to strengthen their position in the market. For example, in 2015, April, Wartsila Corporationa Finland-based power source manufacturing and service providing companyannounced the installation of two new smart power generation power plants in Oman, for the Rural Area Electricity Company.For More Information :About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website: Available a new report on White Cement Market Size & Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1513023 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1513023/white-cement-global-industry-market-research-reports https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/enquiry/1513023 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/checkdiscount/1513023 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ Research Report on "White Cement Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025".The main objective of this report is to define, describe, and forecast the global White Cement market on the basis of types of applications, major sectors, deployment models, organization size, and regions. The report contains an analysis of the major factors influencing the growth of the market (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges). It aims to strategically analyze the micromarkets with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and their contribution to the market. The report attempts to forecast the market size for 5 major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America. It contains key vendor profiles and comprehensively analyzes their core competencies. The report also tracks and analyzes competitive developments, including partnerships, collaborations, acquisitions, new product developments, and R&D activities in the market.Get Sample Copy Of This Report @Global White Cement Market: OverviewThe global white cement market derives much of its growth from the increasing utilization of white cement in a number of industries, thanks to its high compressive strength. It finds significant usage in the construction of residential building and commercial spaces. To produce bright-colored mortar and concrete, it is mixed with inorganic pigments. Since white cement can be cast in any shape, it is ideal for utilization in sculptures, monuments, and in the restoration of archeological sites. This factor is driving the global market substantially.Although, the future of this market looks good; however, the factor that it is subjected to cracking, may hamper the growth of this market in the years to come. The high cost incurred in the production in comparison with gray cement may also restrict this market from growing smoothly.This research report is a thorough analytical study of the performance of the global market for white cement in past and over the period from 2017 to 2025. The report especially focuses on the growth boosters, obstacles, challenges, opportunities, and the prominent trends in this market to determine the pace of its progress.Global White Cement Market: Trends and OpportunitiesWhite Portland cement and white masonry cement are the prominent types of white cements available across the world. Among these, the demand for white masonry is relatively greater than Portland cement. Mixed with masonry grade sand, white masonry cement is utilized heavily to produce mortar for the usage in stone, block, and brick masonry construction.The industrial, residential, and commercial sectors have surfaced as the leading end users of white cement across the world. The residential sector has been reporting a higher demand for white cement and the trend is anticipated to remain so in the near future.View Report @Global White Cement Market: Regional OutlookIn terms of the region, the global market for white cement is spread across the Middle East and Africa, Latin America, North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe. Asia Pacific is leading the worldwide market for white cement, thanks to the rapid industrialization in Asian countries, such as India, China, and Japan. The market white cement in China is expected to rise substantially in the near future due to the tremendous rise of the construction industry in this country.The Europe market for white cement is also witnessing steady growth as European countries such as Germany, France, and Italy, strongly depend on white cement for the construction of concrete buildings. North America is the likely to report a rise in the demand for white cement over the next few years due to the policy of the U.S. government to revamp its infrastructure plans. The Rapid urbanization is expected to fuel the demand for white cement Latin America in the near future. The Middle East and Africa is also projected to offer promising opportunities to the global white cement market over the forthcoming years.Companies Mentioned in the ReportAt the forefront of the global market for white cement are Birla White (UltraTech), Cementir Holding, JK Cement, Federal White Cement, Cemex, Cementos Portland Valderrivas, Cimsa Cimento, Saveh White Cement Co., and Ras Al-Khaimah Co. The market demonstrates an extremely competitive business landscape due to presence of a number of established companies. The leading players are anticipated to involve into strategic collaborations in the years to come to support their businesses in the long run.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.Request For Enquiry @The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.A separate analysis of prevailing trends in the parent market, macro- and micro-economic indicators, and regulations and mandates is included under the purview of the study. By doing so, the report projects the attractiveness of each major segment over the forecast period.Check Discount @Highlights of the report:A complete backdrop analysis, which includes an assessment of the parent marketImportant changes in market dynamicsMarket segmentation up to the second or third levelHistorical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volumeReporting and evaluation of recent industry developmentsMarket shares and strategies of key playersEmerging niche segments and regional marketsAn objective assessment of the trajectory of the marketRecommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the marketAbout usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Contact usMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Remote Support Software Market Is Thriving Worldwide Remote Support Software Market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/926264-global-remote-support-software-market-1 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/926264-global-remote-support-software-market-1 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/926264-global-remote-support-software-market-1 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=926264 Unlock new opportunities in Remote Support Software market; the latest release from HTF MI highlights the key market trends impacting the growth of the global Remote Support Software marketHTF MI published a new industry research that focuses on Remote Support Software market and delivers in-depth market analysis and future prospects of Global Remote Support Software market. The study covers significant data which makes the research document a handy resource for managers, analysts, industry experts and other key people get ready-to-access and self-analyzed study along with graphs and tables to help understand market trends, drivers and market challenges. The study is segmented by Application/ end users [Small Business, Midsize Enterprise, Large Enterprise & Other], products type [Cloud, SaaS, Web, Mobile - Android Native, Mobile - iOS Native & Other] and various important geographies like United States, EU, Japan, China, India & Southeast Asia].Get Access to sample pages @The research covers the current market size of the Global Remote Support Software market and its growth rates based on 5 year history data along with company profile of key players/manufacturers. The in-depth information by segments of Remote Support Software market helps monitor future profitability & to make critical decisions for growth. The information on trends and developments, focuses on markets and materials, capacities, technologies, CAPEX cycle and the changing structure of the Global Remote Support Software Market.The study provides company profiling, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information of key manufacturers of Global Remote Support Software Market, some of them listed here are Pilixo, TeamViewer, Bomgar, iSupport Software, GoToAssist, Devolutions, LogMeIn, Giva, Zoho & ISL Online. The market is growing at a very rapid pace and with rise in technological innovation, competition and M&A activities in the industry many local and regional vendors are offering specific application products for varied end-users. The new manufacturer entrants in the market are finding it hard to compete with the international vendors based on quality, reliability, and innovations in technology.Global Remote Support Software (Thousands Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Market Split by Product Type such as Cloud, SaaS, Web, Mobile - Android Native, Mobile - iOS Native & Other. Further the research study is segmented by Application such as Small Business, Midsize Enterprise, Large Enterprise & Other with historical and projected market share and compounded annual growth rate.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of Remote Support Software in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), covering United States, EU, Japan, China, India & Southeast Asia and its Share (%) and CAGR for the forecasted period 2017 to 2022.Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @Following would be the Chapters to display the Global Remote Support Software market.Chapter 1, to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Remote Support Software, Applications of Remote Support Software, Market Segment by Regions;Chapter 2, to analyze the Manufacturing Cost Structure, Raw Material and Suppliers, Manufacturing Process, Industry Chain Structure;Chapter 3, to display the Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Remote Support Software, Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, R&D Status and Technology Source, Raw Materials Sources Analysis;Chapter 4, to show the Overall Market Analysis, Capacity Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment);Chapter 5 and 6, to show the Regional Market Analysis that includes United States, EU, Japan, China, India & Southeast Asia, Remote Support Software Segment Market Analysis (by Type);Chapter 7 and 8, to analyze the Remote Support Software Segment Market Analysis (by Application) Major Manufacturers Analysis of Remote Support Software;Chapter 9, Market Trend Analysis, Regional Market Trend, Market Trend by Product Type [Cloud, SaaS, Web, Mobile - Android Native, Mobile - iOS Native & Other], Market Trend by Application [Small Business, Midsize Enterprise, Large Enterprise & Other];Chapter 10, Regional Marketing Type Analysis, International Trade Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis;Chapter 11, to analyze the Consumers Analysis of Global Remote Support Software;Chapter 12,13, 14 and 15, to describe Remote Support Software sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Enquire for customization in Report @What this Research Study Offers:Global Remote Support Software Market share assessments for the regional and country level segmentsMarket share analysis of the top industry playersStrategic recommendations for the new entrantsMarket forecasts for a minimum of 5 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional marketsMarket Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimationsCompetitive landscaping mapping the key common trendsCompany profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developmentsSupply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsBuy this research report @Reasons for Buying this ReportThis report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamicsIt provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growthIt provides a six-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to growIt helps in understanding the key product segments and their futureIt provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitorsIt helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segmentsThanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact us :HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA 08837sales@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218 Latest Report Details on Windlass Market Size & Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1513024 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1513024/windlass-global-industry-analysis-market-research-reports https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/enquiry/1513024 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/checkdiscount/1513024 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ Research Report on "Windlass Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025".The main objective of this report is to define, describe, and forecast the global Windlass market on the basis of types of applications, major sectors, deployment models, organization size, and regions. The report contains an analysis of the major factors influencing the growth of the market (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges). It aims to strategically analyze the micromarkets with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and their contribution to the market. The report attempts to forecast the market size for 5 major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America. It contains key vendor profiles and comprehensively analyzes their core competencies. The report also tracks and analyzes competitive developments, including partnerships, collaborations, acquisitions, new product developments, and R&D activities in the market.Get Sample Copy Of This Report @Sailing ships have improved drastically since the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution made possible the usage of new materials and designs that developed and altered shipbuilding techniques. A windlass in utilized in order to move heavy ships from one location to another. A windlass allows cost-effective and efficient customized systems to be built to suit the marine vessels deck requirements and layout. Shipbuilding has, therefore, become a lucrative industry in several developing and developed countries.Windlass market for marine industry can be segmented based on type, power type, end-user, application, and region. Based on type, the windlass market for marine industry can be segregated into vertical and horizontal. Vertical windlass is also called capstan windlass. It is the most widely preferred windlass, as it requires less deck space in shipbuilding. A horizontal windlass requires less fall than a vertical windlass. A horizontal windlass is placed behind the windlass deck on the ship behind to support the anchor line. In terms of power type, the windlass market for marine industry can be further classified into manual windlass, electric windlass, and hydraulic windlass. Manual windlasses are utilized for shipbuilding as they are easy to install and potentially less risky. Electric windlasses employ a remote control or foot buttons while steering and motoring up the anchor. Electric windlasses are widely preferred as they offer power control for dropping the anchor with an electric brake to stop them. Hydraulic windlasses utilize pressurized hydraulic oil to operate large yachts and ships. In terms of end-user, the windlass market for marine industry can be segmented into offshore support vessels, defense vessels, cruises, large & small ships, and yachts. Based on application, the windlass market for marine industry can be segregated into oil & gas industry. Windlass is utilized to carry heavy offshore support vehicles for crude oil transportation. Based on application, the market can be further segmented into maritime security. Windlasses are employed on defense vessels for patrolling and monitoring marine activities in order to maintain maritime security. Moreover, the market is further classified into tourism industry, based on application. The tourism industry employs cruises, yachts, and small boats, which require windlasses, in order to promote and develop tourism.View Report @A major drivers of the windlass market for marine industry is its cost-effectiveness. An electric windlass is widely utilized due to its quick and easy installation. New technologies are being developed in order to reduce windlass production costs and to ensure better safety. A key restraint of the windlass market for marine industry is its high cost. A windlass needs to be affordable for small boat manufacturers. Furthermore, high maintenance cost needs to be reduced.In terms of geography, the windlass market for marine industry in Asia Pacific region is expanding due to the consistent rise in maritime activities in the region. This has boosted the demand for windlass due to the increase in oil exploration and tourism activities. Marine activities in Asia Pacific region are primarily witnessed in countries such as Australia, China, the Maldives, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and New Zealand which is forecasted to increase in demand for windlass. In North America, the market for windlass for marine industry is anticipated to expand due to the increase in oil & gas exploration activities in offshore areas of the region. In Europe, countries such as Germany, Norway, France and the U.K. are witnessing an increasing demand for windlass market for marine industry due to the significant growth in marine activities. The countries in Latin America are anticipated to witness an increase in demand for windlasses in the near future.Key players operating in the windlass market for marine industry are Maxwell, Lewmar, Ideal, Rolce Royce Plc., and Nautic Expo.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.Request For Enquiry @The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.A separate analysis of prevailing trends in the parent market, macro- and micro-economic indicators, and regulations and mandates is included under the purview of the study. By doing so, the report projects the attractiveness of each major segment over the forecast period.Check Discount @Highlights of the report:A complete backdrop analysis, which includes an assessment of the parent marketImportant changes in market dynamicsMarket segmentation up to the second or third levelHistorical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volumeReporting and evaluation of recent industry developmentsMarket shares and strategies of key playersEmerging niche segments and regional marketsAn objective assessment of the trajectory of the marketRecommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the marketAbout usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Contact usMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Current and Projected Military Communications Market size in terms of volume and value 2015-2025 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-627 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-627 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ The strength of the military is highly dependent on the effective communication system within the troops. Military needs agile and safe communication to effectively convey the messages dynamically. Slow and unsafe military communication products and services can result in catastrophic effects.Across the globe, the advanced technology is changing the military communication market. Many countries such as China, U.S.A. spend billions of dollars to equip their troops with the latest communication products.Request For Report Sample:The military communication products and services go through constant changes as the original equipment manufacturers and service providers are constantly adapting innovative technologies to add new frequencies and to produce cost-effective products.Military Communication Market: Drivers and ChallengesThe global military communication market is expected to grow, due to the constant investment by the governments of various countries in the defence sector to advance the military communication products and services. To cater to the change in demand, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are expected to come up with the innovative products and the constant innovation in the military communication products and services, which is expected to fuel the growth of global military communication market. The global military communication market is expected to experience a constant investment in long term evolution (LTE) cell in box during the forecast period.The latest network communication platforms such as second-generation (2G), third-generation (3G), fourth-generation 4G and LTE require updated hardware and infrastructure, this requires high investment, which is expected to inhibit the growth of global military communication market.Military Communication Market: OverviewThe global military communication market by value is expected to expand at a CAGR of around 7-9% during the forecast period (2015-2025), due to increasing investment in defence sector by various countries and emergence of advance communication technologies.Military Communication Market: SegmentationThe global military communication market can be segmented by communication type, by components by applications and by regionsBased on communication type, the global military communication market is segmented as:Ground Based CommunicationAirborne CommunicationUnderwater CommunicationShip-borne CommunicationAir-Ground CommunicationBased on components Type, the global military communication market is segmented as:Military SATCOMMobile Satellite ServiceFleet Satellite Communication SystemsVery Small Aperture TerminalMilitary Strategic and Tactical RelayMilitary Radar and Sonar SystemsEncryption SystemsMilitary Security SystemsElectronic Countermeasure SystemsInterception SystemsMilitary Radio SystemsData Links and TerminalsMobile Radio SystemsTactical Radio SystemsBased on application Type, the global military communication market is segmented as:Routine ApplicationsSituation AwarenessCommand and ControlMilitary Communication Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global military communication market is expectedto register a single-digit CAGR for the forecast period. Depending on geographic regions, global military communication market is segmentedinto seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. In terms of revenue, North America and Europe dominated the global military communication market in 2014. In terms of market revenue, Asia-Pacific military communication market is projectedto register a significant CAGR during the forecast period. Expected growth in the deployment of 3G, 4G and LTE networks and increase in the government investments in the defence sector are some of the factors which are fuelling the growth of military communication market in Asia-Pacific. India and China are forecast to register a significant growth in the Asia-Pacific military communication market.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Military Communication Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market participants in global military communication market are General Dynamics, Harris Corporation, Alcatel Lucent, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Thales Group, etc.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.Contact Us:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Global Bone Grafts And Substitutes Market Is Expected To Witness A Robust Cagr Of 5.5% https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1050 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/market-insight/bone-graft-and-substitutes-market-1050 http://www.coherentnews.com A bone graft is used to repair and rebuild diseased bone and transplant bone tissues of the hips, knees, spine, and various other bones in the body. Bone grafts are also used in order to repair the bone loss caused by fractures and cancers. The body accepts the newly implanted graft and provides a framework for growth of new living bone. Bone grafts used in a surgical procedures can be obtained either from the patients own body, a donor or can be entirely man-made from natural or synthetic materials. The two most common types of bone grafts used include an allograft, which refers to a bone obtained from a deceased donor or a cadaver that is sterilized and stored in the tissue or bone banks, whereas the other most frequently used bone graft includes autografts, which is obtained from the patients own body parts such as ribs, pelvis, wrist, and hips. Apart from autografts and allografts, bone graft substitutes made up of materials with osteoconductive and osteogenerative properties such as ceramics and polymers are also gaining popularity in the market due to the easy availability of these grafts and its nature to promote natural bone growth.Request For Sample Copy@Rise in trauma cases are responsible for accelerating growth of the global bone grafts and substitutes marketBone grafting is majorly performed in cases of sinus lift, ridge augmentation, fracture repair, nerve repositioning, and dental implantation. Bone damage is majorly attributed to rising incidence of trauma and accident cases across the globe. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 2.5 million people were hospitalized in the U.S. in 2014, due to accident injuries, indicating high risk of bone damage. This in turn, increases the demand for bone grafts and substitutes. The potential ability of bone grafting to repair the damage using natural mechanism can thus, be helpful and incorporated for bone healing procedures. Moreover, the National Trauma Institute in 2014, revealed that economic burden due to trauma cases increased to US$ 671 billion, including healthcare costs and lost productivity costs. Among geographical regions, North America contributes the maximum share in the bone grafts and substitutes market, owing to the increasing research and development activities in the field of bone grafting, which results in development of innovative bone grafts in the region. For instance, Artoss, Inc., a U.S.- based company introduced a complete line of bone grafts in 2017, which incorporates use of nanotechnology in the production of these grafts. Various other factors such as presence of key operating players and collaborative partnerships among the players are responsible for positioning North America as the largest market for bone grafts and substitutes. On the other hand, Asia Pacific is expected to gain significant traction, owing to the rise in medical tourism as well as development of novel bone graft substitutes by regional players, exhibiting equivalent efficiency at affordable prices.The global bone grafts and substitutes market was valued at US$ 2,640.1 million in 2016 and is expected to witness a robust CAGR of 5.5% over the forecast period (2017 - 2025).Consistent development resulting in innovative bone grafting products expected to propel growth of the marketA large number of players are focused on the development of novel products for bone grafting. For instance, in May 2017, the National Chemical Laboratory in India, developed two novel bone graft substitutes that are aimed towards augmenting and regenerating the bones that are lost during accident or injuries. The products are now in clinical trial phase for performance testing and are expected to be available in prices lesser than the currently available imported varieties of the same, leading to emergence of local players in the Asia Pacific market. Moreover, companies are also entering into mergers and acquisitions to strengthen their position in the market. For instance, Kuros Biosciences acquired Xpand Biotechnology in 2016, wherein Kuros will use Xpands granular formulation for the production of novel bone graft substitutes. Major players operating the global bone graft and substitutes market include Ace Surgical Supply Co., Inc., NovaBone Product LLC, Medtronic Plc, Stryker Corporation, Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc., BioHorizons Implant Systems, Inc., Novadip Biosciences, Orthofix International N.V., Globus Medical, Inc., and Bone Therapeutics SA.Get More Details On this Report:About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr.ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email:sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website: Mattress And Furniture Bags Market Dynamics, Segments and Supply Demand 2017-2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-3427 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-3427 www.futuremarketinsights.com Mattress and furniture bags are used to store and wrap around mattresses and furniture, especially for transit or storage. They are used to protect the products from exposure to dust, soil, light, water and moisture. Rapid urbanization and improvement in standard of living has led to an increase in the number of people moving homes on a given day. Across the world, millions of people are known to move to a new home, on any given day, thereby increasing the demand for solutions to keep heavy products like furniture and mattresses safe from physical and chemical harm. The preference for these bags is attributed to their flexibility and shapes. They come in various sizes and shapes, designed to match the shape of their contents, thereby reducing the extra space that other forms of packaging take, such as large cardboard boxes. Attributed to the protection that they provide to the contents, and the ease of unpacking them, the global mattress and furniture bags market is expected to rise over the forecast period.Mattress and Furniture Bags Market: DynamicsUrbanization has been known to have emerged as a rapid process with the fast changing technology and increasing disposable income. According to a UN report, the world is projected to have around 40 megacities, by 2030, with more than 10 million inhabitants each. 2.5 billion people are expected to be added to the global urban population by 2050. In addition to that, globalization has led to an increase in job opportunities, leading to many people deciding to move homes. Also, holidaying has emerged as a trend over the past couple of decades, resulting in families staying away from homes for long durations, during which, there are chances of bug and termite infestations in mattresses and furniture. They can be prevented by using mattress and furniture bags. The continuous evolution of the standard of living leads people to incline more towards materialistic comfort and convenience goods. Mattress and furniture bags occupy relatively less space and are easier to handle and move. All these are expected to fuel the global mattress and furniture bags market. Despite these factors, there are other potential restraints for the global mattress and furniture bags market, such as, the usage of other forms of packaging, which may be cardboard boxes and thermocole.Request Report Sample@Mattress and Furniture Bags Market: SegmentationThe global mattress and furniture bags market is segmented as follows: -For mattress:On the basis of packaging type:ZippedUnzippedOn the basis of Raw Material:PlasticOthersOn the basis of End Use:ResidentialInstitutionalIndustrialCommercialOn the basis of Size:Single/Twin size (75 x 39)Full size (74 x 44)Queen size (60 x 80)King size (76 x 80)California King size (72 x 84)CustomizedOn the basis of thickness:Standard (1 2 mil)Tough ( > 3 mil)For furniture:On the basis of size:Standard furniture sizeCustomizedOn the basis of application:For SofaFor ChairOthersOn the basis of thickness:1 mil2 mil3 mil and aboveVisit For TOC@Mattress and Furniture Bags Market: Geographical and Competitive dynamicsNorth America is expected to lead the global mattress and furniture bags market over the forecast period, owing to a higher consumer base, followed by Western and Eastern Europe. APEJ region is expected to register the highest CAGR, owing to a significant amount of domestic migration, fueled by an increasing inclination towards urban centers. Especially in emerging economies such as India, as much 1/5th of its population is expected to be added to the middle class by 2030, leading to an increase in the number of domestic migrants to metropolitan and urban places.Key PlayersSome of the players in the global mattress and furniture bags market are Britwrap protective packaging store, U-Haul International, Inc., FOUR STAR PLASTICS, Duo Plastics Limited, International Plastics Inc. etc.About Us Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Silicon Photonics Market Dynamics, Forecast, Analysis and Supply Demand 2015-2025 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-651 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-651 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ In silicon photonics technology, silicon is used as a platform for the photonic circuits to create optical communication system which is highly integrated. The modern trend of miniaturization of electronic devices with increasing requirement for speed and efficiency as well as keeping the cost economical, has led to the increase in demand for the global silicon photonics market. This has led to the silicon photonics market becoming an interesting avenue globally as it has the advantage of requiring low power consumption, having higher density of interconnects, higher integration and reliability. The global silicon photonics market is anticipated to grow with two digit compound annual growth rate.Request For Report Sample:Silicon Photonics Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe largest market for global silicon photonics market is data communication, as the protocol is providing services which is surpassing optical and copper technologies. The government providing financial support and the growing demand for the transference of data is driving the growth of global silicon photonics market. Demand for global silicon photonics market is also driven by covering distance or data rates which have not been provided by vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), providing faster data rates while maintaining low cost. Various constraints for the global silicon photonics market are high cost as the companies have to develop the Computer-aided engineering/Computer-aided design (CAE/CAD) on their own and competition with VCSEL which is available at a low cost.Silicon Photonics Market: SegmentationOn the basis of application, global silicon photonics market can be segmented into:TelecommunicationsDatacomHigh Performance Computer (HPC) and data centersMedicalSensing and instrumentsDefense/aerospace industriesResearch and developmentOthers (consumers-connecting PCs with HDTVs and desktop PC devices, commercial video, etc.)On the basis of products, global silicon photonics market can be segmented into:Silicon optical modulatorsWavelength division multiplexer filtersSilicon photo-detectorsSilicon photonic waveguidesOthers (silicon led, silicon optical interconnects, etc.)Silicon Photonics Market: Region-wise OutlookIn terms of region, North America has the highest market for silicon optical modulators and wavelength division multiplexer filters. North America is becoming an attractive destination for the companies to launch the silicon photonics market due to government support and increase in demand for the data transfer but Asia-Pacific has the highest CAGR for global silicon photonics market due to rising population, increase in urbanization and growing demand for data transfer.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Silicon Photonics Market: Key PlayersSome of the identified key players in the global silicon photonics market are Infinera, NeoPhotonics, Avago technologies, Luxtera, Mellanox technologies, OneChip Photonics, Cisco, Skorpios technologies, Photline technologies, etc.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.Contact Us:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Growth Opportunity Assessment - Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil Market https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=32033 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=320331 week occurred in 12% of patients with mBC and liposarcoma or leiomyosarcoma. Febrile neutropenia occurred in 5% of patients with mBC and 2 patients (0.4%) died from complications. Febrile neutropenia occurred in 0.9% of patients with liposarcoma or leiomyosarcoma, and fatal neutropenic sepsis occurred in 0.9% of patients. Patients with mBC with elevated liver enzymes >3 ULN and bilirubin >1.5 ULN experienced a higher incidence of Grade 4 neutropenia and febrile neutropenia than patients with normal levels. Monitor complete blood cell counts prior to each dose, and increase the frequency of monitoring in patients who develop Grade 3 or 4 cytopenias. Delay administration and reduce subsequent doses in patients who experience febrile neutropenia or Grade 4 neutropenia lasting >7 days. Peripheral Neuropathy: Grade 3 peripheral neuropathy occurred in 8% of patients with mBC (Grade 4=0.4%) and 22% developed a new or worsening neuropathy that had not recovered within a median follow-up duration of 269 days (range 25-662 days). Neuropathy lasting >1 year occurred in 5% of patients with mBC. Grade 3 peripheral neuropathy occurred in 3.1% of patients with liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma receiving HALAVEN and neuropathy lasting more than 60 days occurred in 58% (38/65) of patients who had neuropathy at the last treatment visit. Patients should be monitored for signs of peripheral motor and sensory neuropathy. Withhold HALAVEN in patients who experience Grade 3 or 4 peripheral neuropathy until resolution to Grade 2 or less. Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: HALAVEN can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with HALAVEN and for at least 2 weeks following the final dose. Advise males with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with HALAVEN and for 3.5 months following the final dose. QT Prolongation: Monitor for prolonged QT intervals in patients with congestive heart failure, bradyarrhythmias, drugs known to prolong the QT interval, and electrolyte abnormalities. Correct hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia prior to initiating HALAVEN and monitor these electrolytes periodically during therapy. Avoid in patients with congenital long QT syndrome. Adverse Reactions In patients with mBC receiving HALAVEN, the most common adverse reactions (25%) were neutropenia (82%), anemia (58%), asthenia/fatigue (54%), alopecia (45%), peripheral neuropathy (35%), nausea (35%), and constipation (25%). Febrile neutropenia (4%) and neutropenia (2%) were the most common serious adverse reactions. The most common adverse reaction resulting in discontinuation was peripheral neuropathy (5%). In patients with liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma receiving HALAVEN, the most common adverse reactions (25%) reported in patients receiving HALAVEN were fatigue (62%), nausea (41%), alopecia (35%), constipation (32%), peripheral neuropathy (29%), abdominal pain (29%), and pyrexia (28%). The most common (5%) Grade 3-4 laboratory abnormalities reported in patients receiving HALAVEN were neutropenia (32%), hypokalemia (5.4%), and hypocalcemia (5%). Neutropenia (4.9%) and pyrexia (4.5%) were the most common serious adverse reactions. The most common adverse reactions resulting in discontinuation were fatigue and thrombocytopenia (0.9% each). Use in Specific Populations Lactation: Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in breastfed infants from eribulin mesylate, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment with HALAVEN and for 2 weeks after the final dose. Hepatic and Renal Impairment: A reduction in starting dose is recommended for patients with mild or moderate hepatic impairment and/or moderate or severe renal impairment. For more information about HALAVEN, click here for the full Prescribing Information. About Eisai Inc. At Eisai Inc., human health care (hhc) is our goal. We give our first thought to patients and their families, and helping to increase the benefits health care provides. As the U.S. pharmaceutical subsidiary of Tokyo-based Eisai Co., Ltd., we have a passionate commitment to patient care that is the driving force behind our efforts to discover and develop innovative therapies to help address unmet medical needs. Eisai is a fully integrated pharmaceutical business that operates in two global business groups: oncology and neurology (dementia-related diseases and neurodegenerative diseases). Each group functions as an end-to-end global business with discovery, development, and marketing capabilities. Our U.S. headquarters, commercial and clinical development organizations are located in New Jersey; our discovery labs are in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania; and our global demand chain organization resides in Maryland and North Carolina. To learn more about Eisai Inc., please visit us at www.eisai.com/US. Contacts: Media Inquiries Investor Inquiries Michele Randazzo Alex Scott Eisai Inc. Eisai Inc. 201-746-2979 201-746-2177 SOURCE Eisai Inc. Related Links https://us.eisai.com SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Capping a recent expansion and a series of growth-oriented acquisitions and partnerships, Fair today announced the closing of their latest round of strategic equity funding, led by next47, the Siemens-backed global venture firm. Also making equity investments in the round are BMW, CreditEase FinTech Investment Fund, Millennium Technology Value Partners, 137 Ventures, G Squared, and Upfront Ventures. "These investments are an important part of Fair's continuing and rapid growth, and are further confirmation that the future of car ownership lies in the digital, flexible and affordable model that Fair provides," said Scott Painter, Fair CEO and founder. "We're gratified that Fair's reception from the investment community matches the enthusiastic response of our customers, who want to get a car the same way they make countless other digital purchasesfrom wherever they are and with no long-term commitment." This current funding follows an investment round last fall in which Fair attracted significant strategic equity investments from institutional and automotive investors, as well as dedicated debt capital from a group of top-tier investment banks. Fair used those investments to fund several moves in recent months, including using a secured loan facility provided by Goldman Sachs Bank USA to purchase the existing lease contracts and vehicles of Uber's Xchange Leasing subsidiary in January. Concurrent with that deal, Fair also entered into an exclusive, long-term partnership with Uber that enables its ride-share drivers to get a Fair car and turn it in any time. "At next47, we're dedicated to help grow companies that will define the next generation of global innovation," said T.J. Rylander, partner at next47. "It's clear that consumption models for personal transportation are changing rapidly and subscription-based pricing models are on the rise across all industries. Fair is at the forefront of marrying these two trends and making car ownership much more attractive for today's consumers while opening up new market opportunities for manufacturers and dealers." In addition to the Uber partnership, Fair has also acquired the vehicle-delivery app, Skurt, as part of its plan to quickly scale a cost-effective platform for vehicle delivery, pick-up and fleet management. Skurt's platform enables the digital initiation and monitoring of customer car deliveries from a central dashboard, as well as real-time notification, fleet location tracking, and instant communication throughout the process. Launching in the iOS App Store last August, Fair recently completed its expansion to all major markets in California, and plans to launch nationwide by the end of the year. Fair allows customers to get a car entirely on their phone and turn it in whenever they want. Users can scan their driver's license to get pre-qualified for a range of personalized monthly payments, sign for the car they want with their finger, and pick up the keys without any physical paperwork. About Fair Fair offers a forward-thinking model of flexible car ownership that responds to consumer demand for more freedom. Fair gives customers the flexibility to drive the car they want for as long as they want, and lets them walk away any time. Eliminating the long-term commitment of traditional financing or leasing, Fair allows you to select your car, miles, and view your paymentsall in a mobile and paperless end-to-end experience that's simple, transparent and affordable. Fair is headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif. For more information, please visit www.fair.com. Contact Michelle Horn Vice President, Edelman for Fair (323) 761-6541 [email protected] Yasmin Moaven Director of Investor Relations, Fair (800) 584-5000 [email protected] SOURCE Fair Related Links http://www.fair.com In retrospect, Haig never really had much of a chance. He could never figure out Reagan, who was put off by his displays of temper, and eventually tired of him. By the summer of 1982, Reagan stopped trying to make things work. "It's amazing how sound (Haig) can be on complex international matters, but how utterly paranoid with regard to the people he must work with," Reagan confided in his diary at the time. Reagan didn't want to fire Haig - he disliked confrontation and wanted to avoid a political firestorm - so he simply waited for the humiliations to mount. Eventually Haig got fed up with the lack of respect and had enough of what he saw as the administration's dysfunction, and in late June 1982 he quit, to be replaced by George Shultz. He had been in office for 18 months. Compared to Haig, Tillerson has some things going for him. He reportedly gets along with most of his colleagues, does not pick unnecessary fights, or sweat the small stuff. But he has never seemed to click with the president. He admits to never knowing when a presidential foreign policy tweet is coming, what it will say, or what it may even mean; and worse, he has been repeatedly undermined publicly ("save your energy, Rex"). Like Haig with Reagan, Tillerson has been an ill fit for this administration, and specifically this president. "We are so excited to celebrate this milestone with Family Dollar as they have been a strong partner with us for several years," said Chad Royal-Pascoe, national vice president, corporate and cause partnerships, resource development at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "Their support helps us continue our mission of helping kids and teens reach their full potential in communities nationwide. We are so thankful to Family Dollar and their commitment to great futures." To learn more about the Family Dollar and Boys & Girls Clubs of America partnership, visit https://www.bgca.org/about-us/our-partners/family-dollar. About Boys & Girls Clubs of America For more than 150 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, 4,300 Clubs serve 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at on Facebook and Twitter. About Family Dollar For more than 55 years, Family Dollar has been providing value and convenience to customers in easy-to-shop neighborhood locations. Family Dollar's mix of name brands, and quality, private brand merchandise appeals to shoppers in nearly 8,000 stores in rural and urban settings across 46 states. Helping families save on the items they need with everyday low prices creates a strong bond with customers who refer to their neighborhood store as "my Family Dollar." Family Dollar, headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dollar Tree, Inc. of Chesapeake, Virginia. For more information, please visit www.familydollar.com. SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America Related Links http://BGCA.org SEATTLE, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ORICULA THERAPEUTICS, LLC., a biotech company introducing medications to preserve hearing and balance, announced FDA permission to begin volunteer human testing for safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of their novel, new medicine, ORC-13661. In animal studies, ORC-13661 provided highly significant protection of hearing in rats exposed to high doses of aminoglycoside antibiotics, a common cause of human hearing loss. If the same benefits hold true in clinical trials, ORC-13661 may be the first FDA-approved medicine to prevent hearing loss for patients undergoing aminoglycoside treatment. Oricula Therapeutics CEO Malcolm Gleser, MD, Ph.D., elaborated, "Patients with cystic fibrosis, immune suppression, endocarditis, non-TB Mycobacteria, multiple drug-resistant TB as well as premature newborn infants are all candidate for aminoglycoside treatment and could benefit." The compound works by protecting the soundsensing hair cells in the inner ear that are necessary for hearing. Gleser added, "By reducing or eliminating the debilitating side effect of permanent hearing loss, Oricula sees expanded worldwide use of these inexpensive, highly effective antibiotics for treating lifethreatening bacterial infections." Oricula is commercializing research conducted at the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and holds an exclusive license to two extensive composition of matter patents. Edwin Rubel, Oricula co-founder and University of Washington Chaired Professor of Hearing Sciences said, "This research began in 2001 as a collaboration with Oricula co-founder David Raible, Professor of Biological Structure at the UW School of Medicine, to advance our understanding of the injury and death of receptor cells in the inner ear. Since these modest beginnings, we established a great, diverse team to accelerate development. We are now on the precipice of having an important, life-changing impact on the ability of people to communicate. I am enormously excited about the opportunity to begin clinical trials." Funding for the preclinical development was obtained through grants from the National Institutes of Health, including a $2.1 million grant from National Institute Of Allergy And Infectious Diseases. About Oricula Therapeutics Founded in 2013, privately held Oricula Therapeutics, LLC, headquartered in Seattle, Wash., is one of the first biotech companies introducing medications to preserve hearing and balance from the damaging effects of medications and aging. Oricula is commercializing research conducted at the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and holds an exclusive license to the resulting intellectual property. This uniquely positions Oricula to introduce the first FDAapproved medication designed specifically to prevent hearing loss for patients undergoing aminoglycoside antibiotic treatment and expand the worldwide use of these inexpensive yet effective antibiotics to treat lifethreatening bacterial infections. Oricula's first product has received FDA Initial New Drug (IND) approval to proceed with human trials. For more information, visit ORICULARX.COM. Media Contact: Cheryl Isen Media Relations [email protected] 425.233.9032 SOURCE Oricula Therapeutics Related Links https://www.oricularx.com DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, February 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- With the onset of the festive season, Ferns N Petals announced the guaranteed on-time delivery of gifts for its customers for the whole of 2018. Ferns N Petals, one of the leading gift portals in the United Arab Emirates, has guaranteed on-time delivery of products - an assured service enabling their customers the power to send gifts from a range of distinguished products without worrying about the delivery time on a particular date. In case the products are not delivered on the chosen date and time, complete amount to be refunded and a replacement will be provided by the company. Ferns N Petals prides itself as the one-stop-shop for all gift items ranging from cakes, flowers, chocolates and personalized gifts for all grand occasions. The organization accepts orders through multi-channel mediums including website, mobile site, and Android & iOS apps to allow the users to have an exemplary gifting experience. Commenting on the service announcement, Business Head - Ferns N Petals UAE, Mr. Rajesh Kumar said, "We understand the feelings behind our customers' heart when they expect gifts to reach their recipient in stipulated time. Adding to that, we promise them complete order refund-value along with the replacement if and when a gift does not reach on time." He further added, "We strive at complete customer satisfaction and it is ensured by a vigorous monitoring of quality. We deliver a gamut of gifts and cater to every big occasion in order to make our customers choose appropriate Valentines Gifts, Mothers Day Gifts, Women's Day Gifts and others." About Ferns N Petals Ferns N Petals having pioneered the concept of flowers and gifts in the country, today has become a driver of marketplace innovation and a contributor in local economies. Started with a single store in 1994 in Delhi, the company has been in the present business for more than 21 years now and has completely changed the entire landscape of online gifting. Leading the floral and gifting industry with 240 outlets across 94 cities, pan India, Ferns N Petals is consciously foraying into small towns and every nook and corner of the country to mark its presence. https://www.fnp.ae Media Contact- Mr. Rajesh Kumar +971-569975825 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Ferns N Petals Company invites individual and institutional investors as well as advisors to attend interactive real-time virtual VirtualInvestorConferences.com EXTON, Pa., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- First Resource Bank (OTCQX: FRSB) today announced that Glenn B. Marshall, President & CEO, will present live on February 8, 2018 at VirtualInvestorConferences.com. DATE: Thursday, February 8, 2018 TIME: 9:30 AM EST LINK: https://tinyurl.com/0218prepr This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time - both in the presentation hall as well as the association's "virtual trade booth." If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an on-demand archive will be available for 90 days. It is recommended that investors pre-register and run the online system check to save time and receive event updates. Learn more about the event at www.VirtualInvestorConferences.com. Recent Company Highlights 2017 had record annual net income of $1.7 million , a 32% increase over the prior year , a 32% increase over the prior year Non-interest bearing deposits grew 33% during 2017 First Resource Bank was listed on the 2018 OTCQX Best 50, a ranking of the top performing companies traded on the OTCQX Best Market last year. About First Resource Bank First Resource Bank is a locally owned and operated Pennsylvania state-chartered bank, serving the banking needs of businesses, professionals and individuals in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The Bank offers a full range of deposit and credit services with a high level of personalized service. First Resource Bank also offers a broad range of traditional financial services and products, competitively priced and delivered in a responsive manner to small businesses, professionals and residents in the local market. For additional information visit our website at www.firstresourcebank.com. Member FDIC. About VirtualInvestorConferences.com Since 2010, VirtualInvestorConferences.com, created by BetterInvesting (NAIC) and PRNewswire, has been the only monthly virtual investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for presenting companies to meet directly with investors using a graphically-enhanced online platform. Designed to replicate the look and feel of location-based investor conferences, Virtual Investor Conferences unites PR Newswire's leading-edge online conferencing and investor communications capabilities with BetterInvesting's extensive retail investor audience network. SOURCE First Resource Bank Related Links https://www.firstresourcebank.com PITTSBURGH, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- An inventor from Sulphur, La., has developed the AMERICAN PRESIDENTS FLAG, a flag designed to be educational while also celebrating the presidents who have served and led the country. "I developed my invention to provide knowledge to Americans regarding our heritage and diverse leadership," said the inventor. The AMERICAN PRESIDENTS FLAG honors and acknowledges the presidents who have served the United States. It provides an educational and patriotic symbol of the United States. This kit will ensure the flag is proudly displayed and clearly viewed. This flag is intended to fly next to the American flag as a complimentary symbol of the U.S. It is possible to produce this flag for other countries to honor the history of their leaders. The original design was submitted to the National Sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 16-HTM-6182, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com. SOURCE InventHelp Related Links http://www.inventhelp.com GivePay has signed a definitive agreement with the largest manufacturer of retail ATMs globally, Nautilus Hyosung, to introduce the program at the ATMIA conference in Las Vegas, NV. Other leading ATM manufacturers such as GenMega and Triton have also agreed to incorporate the GivePay application, making the sale of digital gift cards and wireless payments available to thousands of ATMs and ATM operators beginning Q2, 2018. No Plastic Needed: While waiting for cash at participating ATMs, customers will be given the opportunity to send a gift card via text or pay their wireless account. GivePay sends gift cards from updated ATMs utilizing the GivePay platform in real-time. Recipients receive digital gift cards, most of which can be saved to their smartphone with Apple Wallet or Android Pay for easy storage and redemption. "We're excited to be the first manufacturer to introduce the GivePay Gift Card Mall solution through Nautilus Hyosung ATMs," said Jason Kuhn, VP of Product Marketing and Planning at Nautilus Hyosung America. Min Hyung Kye, Chief Strategy Officer of Nautilus Hyosung America, said, "GivePay's unique approach to dynamically delivering payment solutions with our ATMs, coupled with our objectives to bring value added transactions to ATM operators and consumers, fits well with our long-term vision of being the market leader in the ATM industry." GivePay Commerce introduced FlatRatePay.com at NAC last year, providing new ways to pay for merchant processing. They will be exhibiting and demonstrating the GivePay platform to ATM operators and other manufacturers at the ATMIA conference, Feb 6th through 8th. At the conference, GivePay will share how operators can monetize digital gift cards and payments through their existing ATMs with no purchased hardware or up-front cost. "We're proud to partner with the top manufacturers in the ATM industry for the launch of the GivePay Gift Card Mall," said Jerry Jackson, CEO of GivePay Commerce. "We love working with ATM operators as agents of our payments division, FlatRatePay.com. Now, we're pleased to introduce an entirely new marketplace for ATM operators with GivePay. We believe adding GivePay will dramatically improve revenue and utility of participating ATMs while improving the overall value of owning an ATM portfolio." Are Your ATMs Gifted? Visit GivePay.us for more information about the GivePay Gift Card Mall or FlatRatePay.com for more information regarding innovative merchant processing solutions. GivePay Commerce is Connecting People, Places and Community to Commerce. Look for more GivePay announcements coming soon. Media Contact Nathan Dalton, 1-833-GIVEPAY, [email protected] SOURCE GivePay Commerce Related Links https://www.givepay.us By moderating consumption, and choosing sustainably-raised meat, we can all reduce our impact on the environment. MISSISSAUGA, ON, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Greenfield Natural Meat Co. has launched a bold campaign to encourage people to enjoy meat in moderation and reduce their environmental impact by going meatless on Mondays. "Climate change and environmental sustainability are among the most critical issues of our time," said Domenic Borrelli, Vice President and General Manager. "Greenfield is changing how meat is made to dramatically reduce our impact on air, land and water. But we all need to do more to live more sustainably. Through this campaign, we hope to elevate awareness of the need to enjoy meat in moderation and to choose meat that is produced more sustainably, from animals raised with care, free from antibiotics and hormones, and opt for more sustainable choices that have less environmental impact, including pork and poultry." "By going meat-free one day a week, and choosing more sustainable meat on other days, we can all contribute to a better planet. It's a simple act with a big impact," continued Mr. Borrelli. Greenfield has committed to reducing its environmental footprint by 50 per cent by 2025. This includes reducing its impact on climate change (energy and emissions), water and land. Encouraging North Americans to eat meat in moderation and make better choices has a critical role in advancing a more sustainable food system. Taking the Pledge Greenfield is launching a digital, social media and out-of-home campaign beginning the week of February 5th, that will inspire North Americans to go meatless one day a week. Consumers looking for vegetarian recipes, meaningful statistics and other inspiration can do so at www.greenfieldmeatless.com. Those who love meat and want it to be part of a sustainable future are invited to make the pledge today. About Greenfield Natural Meat Co. Greenfield is on a mission to make the world a better place by making meat right. This means producing meat in a more natural way, using simple natural ingredients, no antibiotics or hormones in raising animals and advancing high standards of care. For more information about us, visit www.greenfieldmeat.com. SOURCE Greenfield Natural Meat Co. RESTON, Va., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- GTL today announced that it continues to expand its state-of-the-art TouchPay automated payment services, which now also assist child support agencies in 11 states. According to a 2013 U.S. Census Bureau study on custodial mothers and fathers, 13.4 million Americans are classified as 'custodial parents.' When deployed by a child support agency, automated payment services can ease the process by which noncustodial parents make mandatory child support payments. State agencies have noted added efficiencies via automated payment services including more payments made, monies collected, and manpower hours saved. TouchPay (which was acquired by GTL in 2014 and does business as GTL Financial Services) provides payers in various industries with a range of services and payment options, including premise-based kiosks, countertop terminals, an online payment portal, and an automated phone system. Child support agencies that have chosen the TouchPay financial services solution have given noncustodial parents options that process child support payments in real time to avoid late fees, as well as minimize processing delays. "Like most government entities, child support agencies must be prudent with their budgets," said Keith Benton, Director of Government Payments for GTL. "By leveraging our TouchPay automated payment services and using the secure and versatile payment collection technology, a child support agency takes a giant step towards saving costs associated with manpower and time while also increasing convenience and ease of use for the constituents they serve." A number of unique benefits have led to increased usage of TouchPay automated payment services by child support agencies, including: Ability to handle all payment kiosk installation, maintenance, cash collection, accounting, training, IT support, marketing, and customer service for the agency. Availability of multiple payment options with a reliable and proven payment process. Compliance of all devices with PCI standards and adherence to Money Transmitter's License requirements in every state. In addition, payment platforms can simultaneously accept court payments, fees, fines, restitution, statutory surcharges, and payments for multiple agencies. This allows government agencies to partner on their payment needs, and allow taxpayers to conduct a range of transactions through one payment platform. "At this time, we provide payment kiosks and/or online channels, interactive voice response (IVR) automated phone systems, and/or countertop terminals to Child Support Agencies in the following states: Washington, Oregon, California, Hawaii, Arizona, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Georgia, and Texas plus we have kiosks in several Florida counties," added Benton. "We expect automated payment services will continue to grow in 2018 as more state agencies take advantage of the financial transaction efficiencies they provide." About GTL GTL leads the fields of correctional technology, education, and government payment services with visionary solutions and customized products that integrate seamlessly to deliver security, financial value, and operational efficiencies while aiding inmate rehabilitation and reducing recidivism rates. With the recent acquisition of Telmate, GTL has strengthened its suite of solutions for the corrections industry and expanded its community corrections portfolio with Telmate Guardian, a smartphone-based GPS monitoring solution. As a trusted industry leader, GTL provides services to over 2 million inmates in more than 2,500 correctional facilities in the United States and Canada, including 33 U.S. departments of corrections, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and many large city/county/provincial facilities. GTL is headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with an employee presence throughout North America. To learn more about GTL, please visit www.gtl.net or social media sites on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Press Contact: Vinnie Mascarenhas 703-955-3894 [email protected] SOURCE GTL Related Links http://www.gtl.net NEW YORK, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- The Vilcek Foundation is pleased to announce architect and urban researcher Teddy Cruz as the winner of the 2018 Vilcek Prize in the Arts and Humanities, this year recognizing the field of architecture. Awarded annually, the Vilcek Prizes call attention to the breadth of immigrant contributions to American society. Mr. Cruz is originally from Guatemala. "The work of Teddy Cruz and his partner, Fonna Forman, is as necessary as it is timely," says Rick Kinsel, president of the Vilcek Foundation. "It highlights the harmony and connection that still exists, even in these divisive times." The Vilcek Prize in Architecture, which comes with a $100,000 cash prize, is awarded to Teddy Cruz, professor at University of California, San Diego, and director of design at Estudio Teddy Cruz + Fonna Forman. Born in Guatemala, his work is deeply informed by his childhood there and his subsequent immigration to America. Arriving in California at the age of 20, he was struck by the many ways that the cities and communities of San Diego and Tijuana were both united and divided. This sparked a lifelong interest in using the tools and framework of architecture and urban planning to redefine the concepts of borders, citizenship, and community. Most recently, this has taken the form of designing, with his partner Fonna Forman, cross-border community spaces that host a variety of arts and educational programming. Created in tandem with local governments, universities, activists, and nonprofit groups, the spaces emphasize the shared values, peoples, and ecology on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Cruz's writing has been published widely, including features in the New York Times, The Guardian, and Harvard Design Magazine. He has received the prestigious Rome Prize in Architecture, and the work of Estudio Teddy Cruz + Fonna Forman will be included in the American Pavilion at the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale. The foundation also announces the winners of the Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise, given to younger immigrants who have demonstrated exceptional promise early in their careers. Each prize includes a $50,000 cash award. The winners in architecture are Iranian-born Mona Ghandi, assistant professor of architecture at Washington State University; Chinese-born James Leng, principal at Office James Leng; and Chinese-born Jing Liu, principal at SO-IL. The Vilcek Prize in the Arts is awarded in rotating disciplines. Previous disciplines include music, film, culinary arts, literature, dance, contemporary music, design, fashion, theatre, and fine arts. The Vilcek Foundation also awards corresponding prizes in the field of biomedical science each year. The prizewinners were selected by panels of experts in each field; they will be honored at an awards gala in New York City in April 2018. For more information about the Vilcek Prizes, prizewinners, and jurors, please visit vilcek.org. The Vilcek Foundation was established in 2000 by Jan and Marica Vilcek, immigrants from the former Czechoslovakia. The mission of the foundation, to honor the contributions of immigrants to the United States and to foster appreciation of the arts and sciences, was inspired by the couple's respective careers in biomedical science and art history, as well as their personal experiences and appreciation of the opportunities they received as newcomers to this country. The foundation awards annual prizes to prominent immigrant biomedical scientists and artists, and manages the Vilcek Foundation Art Collections. To learn more about the Vilcek Foundation, please visit vilcek.org. SOURCE The Vilcek Foundation Related Links http://www.vilcek.org BANGALORE, India, February 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- HeyHolidays, a global player in online vacation rentals, has raised $1 million funding from Hampton Capital. HeyHolidays has over 200,000 listings across India, Southeast Asia, Europe including Greece, France, Germany, Austria, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Denmark and Sweden, Cuba and the United States. Its Virtual Front Desk TM handles individual and group requests to help select and negotiate accommodations with its hosts as well as plan that special trip, holiday or honeymoon. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/628531/HeyHolidays_Logo.jpg ) "India was our first choice for the market's sheer potential. The country's travel market is set to grow over the next decade, especially the outbound travel, which is estimated to reach 50 million tourists by 2020," Mr. Blatt, Co-Founder of HeyHolidays, said in a statement. "For the past year, we listened to what our guests were asking for and helped better curate our hosts' offerings. We are more than just a random bed, we are a trusted and secure global portal matching guests with hosts across 100+ countries. For this reason, we wanted to create a brand identity for what we stand for. Our credo has always been 'Hey, how can we help you' and HeyHolidays says it all," stated Mr. Blatt. "The fund raised is for expanding our European footprint with increase in demand shown by our Indian outbound travelers. We will also increase our Indian base to cater to growing demand of European travelers visiting India by adding unique listings in holiday destinations, religious locations and heritage places," said Mr. Blatt. HeyHolidays believes in opening up new worlds and new spaces for every wanderer who walks to make someone's place their transient home. HeyHolidays gives immense importance to verification of both hosts and guests. Each host has to go through a 5-point verification before listing a property. Each guest has a similar rigorous identification process. About HeyHolidays HeyWorld Holiday Pvt. Ltd. company currently operates in more than 100 countries. In India, it is present across 100+ destinations. For more information or short stay home reservations, call at +91-80-41464444 or email us at [email protected] or visit the company website at http://www.heyholidays.com. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heyholidays Twitter: https://twitter.com/hey_holidays Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hey.holidays/ Email: [email protected] Media Contact: Name: Kenny Blatt Email: [email protected] Phone: +91-80-4146-4444 SOURCE HeyHolidays Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry will hold two Community Coffee events in the Upvalley area on Friday: the first from noon to 1:30 p.m., at Calistoga Roastery, 1426 Lincoln Ave., in Calistoga and the second from 2 to 3:30 p.m., at Napa Valley Roasting Company, 1400 Oak Ave., in St. Helena. Find the Color Collection that fits your style with our four stories of Next Journey, Individual Mix, Future Thinker and Thoughtful Living. Each Color Collection gives homeowners complete confidence to bring their vision to life and complete their projects inspired by HGTV, with a coordinated look that flows seamlessly room to room. These Color Collections of the Year encourage homeowners to paint more boldly, using colors they may never have considered, knowing that the palettes are carefully selected to work together in any combination and designed to bring color harmony into the home. "Each Color Collection of the Year palette has a story of its own and includes eight curated colors designed to be mixed and matched to make Room-to-Room Harmony effortless," said Ashley Banbury, Senior Color Designer at HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams. "The 2018 Color of the Year, Honeycomb, was inspired by the exploration of new worlds. It is an energetic hue that can be combined with other bold shades found in all the trending Color Collections to liven up any space." "Bright, bold and beautiful, Honeycomb represents an optimistic sensibility that enlivens any space with a powerful pop of sunshine," said Nancy Fire, HGTV HOME Design Director. "Used as a connector throughout the home or as an accent shade, Honeycomb brings warmth and style to any room." Here are the four trending 2018 Color Collections of the Year and the paint colors that articulate each trend: NEXT JOURNEY: Explore new places with this otherworldly Color Collection inspired by rare earths, the night sky, and places unknown. This palette includes Divine White (SW6105), Spiced Cider (SW7702), Riverway (SW6222), Comfort Gray (SW6205), Blue Nile (SW6776), Noteable Hue (SW6521), Salty Dog (SW9177) and Mink (SW6004). INDIVIDUAL MIX: Break boundaries and express your true self with this inspiring Color Collection made to bring out your individuality. This palette includes Parakeet (SW6711), Robust Orange (SW6628), Netsuke (SW6134), Antique Red (SW7587), Cerise (SW6580), Antique White (SW6119), Balanced Beige (SW7037) and Sealskin (SW7675). FUTURE THINKER: Inspired by the latest in technology, these bold colors are designed to stimulate the senses. This palette includes Something Blue (SW6800), Capri (SW6788), Framboise (SW6566), Jay Blue (SW6797), Honeycomb* (SW6375, *Color of the Year), Garden Spot (SW6432), Domino (SW6989) and Show Stopper (SW7588). (SW6797), Honeycomb* (SW6375, *Color of the Year), Garden Spot (SW6432), Domino (SW6989) and Show Stopper (SW7588). HONEYCOMB (SW6375) 2018 COLOR OF THE YEAR: A rich golden yellow that brings rays of sunshine and radiates warmth and comfort to liven up any space. Honeycomb works well in combination with all colors found in the trending Color Collections of the Year. THOUGHTFUL LIVING: Retreat to a place of calm and tranquility with this soft and airy Color Collection inspired by cozy simplicity. This palette includes Georgian Bay (SW6509), Totally Tan (SW6115), Greek Villa (SW7551), Fired Brick (SW6335), Charming Pink (SW6309), Snowbound (SW7004), Grayish (SW6001) and Adaptive Shade (SW7053). For more information on HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams 2018 Color Collections of the Year, please visit: http://www.hgtvhomebysherwinwilliams.com/color-trends About Sherwin-Williams Founded in 1866, The Sherwin-Williams Company is the global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution, and sale of paints, coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers. The company manufactures products under well-known brands such as Sherwin-Williams, Valspar, HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams, Dutch Boy, Krylon, Minwax, Thompson's Water Seal, Cabot and many more. With global headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, Sherwin-Williams branded products are sold exclusively through a chain of more than 4,100 company-operated stores and facilities, while the company's other brands are sold through leading mass merchandisers, home centers, independent paint dealers, hardware stores, automotive retailers, and industrial distributors. The Sherwin-Williams Performance Coatings Group supplies a broad range of highly-engineered solutions for the construction, industrial, packaging and transportation markets in more than 115 countries around the world. The combined company (S-W & Valspar) generated pro forma 2016 revenues of $15.8 billion and employs approximately 60,000 associates worldwide. It has a prominent market position in architectural paint in North America, South America, China, Australia and the UK. In industrial coatings, the combined company is a global market leader in packaging coatings, coil coatings, general industrial coatings and industrial wood coatings. Sherwin-Williams shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: SHW). For more information, visit www.sherwin.com. ABOUT HGTV HGTV delivers the superstar experts, fascinating families, compelling renovations and stunning transformations that make all things home fun. America's favorite way to get entertaining, relatable and inspirational home and lifestyle content, HGTV offers: a top 10 cable network that is distributed to more than 91 million U.S. households; a website, HGTV.com, that attracts an average of 9.7 million people each month; a social footprint of 16.8 million; HGTV Magazine, a monthly publication that reaches more than one million readers and exclusive collections of home-oriented products through the HGTV HOME consumer products line. Viewers can become fans of HGTV and interact with other home improvement enthusiasts through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, HGTV is owned by Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc., which also owns and operates Food Network, Travel Channel, DIY Network, Cooking Channel and Great American Country. SOURCE HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams Related Links http://www.hgtvhomebysherwinwilliams.com SHERMAN OAKS, Calif., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ICPW Liquidation Corporation (OTC PINK: ICPWQ), formerly known as Ironclad Performance Wear Corporation, today announced that the Company and its subsidiary (the Debtors), together with the Official Committee of Equity Security Holders (the OCEH and together with the Debtors, the Plan Proponents), filed a Joint Plan of Liquidation with the U. S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California, San Fernando Valley Division. Among other matters, the Joint Plan of Liquidation provides for the cancellation of all outstanding shares of the Company's common stock, an initial estimated distribution to record holders as of a to-be-determined record date of approximately 11.28 cents per share within 90 days following confirmation of the Joint Plan of Liquidation, and a path to a final distribution to the same record holders within 12 to 24 months following the initial distribution. While the Joint Plan of Liquidation remains subject to further revision by the Plan Proponents, the Bankruptcy Court has scheduled a hearing on February 12, 2018 to consider the confirmation of the Joint Plan of Liquidation. The Debtors can provide no assurance that the Bankruptcy Court will confirm the Joint Plan of Liquidation at such hearing. Among other matters, the Joint Plan of Liquidation provides that on its effective date, which will be the first business day at least 15 days following the date of entry of the Bankruptcy Court order confirming the Joint Plan of Liquidation and the satisfaction or waiver by the Plan Proponents of certain conditions to the effectiveness of the Joint Plan of Liquidation, the outstanding shares of the Company's common stock will be cancelled in exchange for non-transferrable beneficial interests in a trust (the Trust) to be established as of the effective date of the Joint Plan of Liquidation. The purpose of the Trust is, among other matters, to distribute proceeds to holders of beneficial interests in the Trust (the Trust Beneficiaries) and investigate and, if appropriate, pursue all claims and causes of action that belong to the Debtors' bankruptcy estates that are assigned to the Trust for the benefit of the Trust Beneficiaries. The Trust Beneficiaries will be holders of record (the Record Holders) of shares of the Company's common stock as of the date determined in accordance with the Joint Plan of Liquidation (the Record Date). The Company has requested that the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) halt trading in shares of the Company's common stock, and the Company will advise FINRA of the proposed Record Date not less than 10 days in advance of such date. Under the Joint Plan of Liquidation, all of the outstanding shares of the Company's common stock existing on the effective date of the Joint Plan of Liquidation will be cancelled, and the Record Holders who owned shares of the Company's common stock on the Record Date will become holders of non-transferable beneficial interests in the Trust in exchange for those shares. The Company or the Trustee of the Trust will seek to terminate the Company's reporting obligations in compliance with federal and state securities laws. Pursuant to the Joint Plan of Liquidation, the Company's Board of Directors, acting in its capacity as the administrator of the Company's 2006 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended (the SIP), will exercise its authority under the SIP to cancel on the date that is two business days prior to the Record Date (the Option Cancellation Date) all outstanding options to purchase shares of the Company's common stock issued under the SIP without payment of any consideration, and to notify (at least 10 days prior to the Option Cancellation Date) each holder of such outstanding options of such holder's right to exercise the vested portion of such outstanding options by the earlier of (x) their current expiration date or (y) 5:00 PM Pacific Time on the day prior to the Option Cancellation Date. Subject to the terms of the SIP, the Trustee will recognize all authorized shares of Common Stock issued to holders of Options that have been exercised and fully paid prior to the Option Cancellation Date (the Option Shares) as belonging to Record Holders. The Option Shares will be included in the total of Record Shares to be cancelled as of the Effective Date. The Company has preliminarily estimated an initial distribution of 11.28 cents per share by the Trustee based upon estimated available funds of $9,659,669 to the Record Holders and cancellation of 85,646,354 Record Shares on the Effective Date. If any of these assumptions proves to be inaccurate, that will necessarily effect on a dollar-for-dollar basis (higher or lower) the amount of the initial distribution to be made to the Record Holders and the availability of one or more secondary distributions. The Company can provide no assurance that the initial distribution from the Trust to Trust Beneficiaries will equal or exceed 11.28 cents per share. The actual amount of the initial distribution from the Trust to Trust Beneficiaries will be determined by the Trustee of the Trust once the Trust is established and funds are transferred to the Trust from and after the Effective Date. Cautionary Statements The Company's stockholders are cautioned that trading in the Company's securities during the pendency of the Debtors' voluntary petitions under Chapter 11 of the U. S. Bankruptcy Code (the "Chapter 11 Cases") is highly speculative and poses substantial risks. Trading prices for shares of the Company's common stock may bear little or no relationship to the actual recovery, if any, by stockholders under the Joint Plan of Liquidation. Accordingly, the Company urges extreme caution with respect to existing and future investments in its common stock. Generally, in bankruptcy cases the debtors are required periodically to file various documents with, and provide certain information to, the Bankruptcy Court, including statements of financial affairs, schedules of assets and liabilities, monthly operating reports, and other financial information. Such materials have been prepared or will be prepared according to the requirements of federal bankruptcy law. While they would be expected to accurately provide then-current information required under federal bankruptcy law, such materials will contain information that may be unconsolidated and will generally be unaudited and prepared in a format different from that used in the Company's consolidated financial statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the federal securities laws. Accordingly, the Company believes that the substance and format of such materials do not allow meaningful comparison with its publicly-disclosed consolidated financial statements. Moreover, the materials filed with the Bankruptcy Court are not prepared for the purpose of providing a basis for an investment decision relating to the Company's securities or for comparison with other financial information filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Most of the Company's filings with the Bankruptcy Court are and will be available to the public at the offices of the Clerk of the Bankruptcy Court or the websites https://www.pacer.gov or http://www.kccllc.net/ICPW or may be obtained through private document retrieval services. The Company undertakes no obligation to make any further public announcement or issue any update with respect to the documents filed with the Bankruptcy Court or any matters referred to therein. Information about Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, which include the following subjects, among others: the resolution of the Company's Chapter 11 cases, the Company's operations during the pendency of the Chapter 11 cases and distributions upon confirmation of the Joint Plan of Liquidation. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which that performance or those results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time they are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to: unanticipated delays related to the filing, announcement or pendency of the Chapter 11 cases, and other information that may be detailed from time-to-time in the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the Bankruptcy Court. Contact Geoff Greulich, CEO (972) 996-5664 SOURCE ICPW Liquidation Corporation BEER SHEBA, Israel, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthcare IT startup MDClone announced today it has raised $15 million from OrbiMed Israel Partners, who led the initial investment in 2016, and Lightspeed Venture Partners, who led the 2017 financing. MDClone introduces a new approach to healthcare data access, privacy, analytics, and research. The company addresses one of the greatest challenges and opportunities in healthcare today: a vast and ever-expanding amount of data, but a limited ability to derive meaningful insights, which can lead to more effective patient care and streamlined hospital operations. MDClone's Platform dramatically enhances the utility of data and its Synthetic Data Engine offers the first solution on the market to eliminate the risk of releasing identifiable patient information when conducting healthcare analysis and research. "MDClone has one of the most innovative, experienced and passionate teams in digital health in Israel, a rare combination in any startup," said OrbiMed Managing Director Anat Naschitz. "I believe this team can realize the significant potential afforded by the company's unique technology, translating it into commercial success. We see the entire healthcare industry benefiting from MDClone's solution." "The technology and vision we were presented caught our attention, and once we spoke to MDClone's customers throughout Israel and in the U.S., we were convinced this is a game-changing company," added David Gussarsky, Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners. "MDClone offers a giant leap in the way healthcare data is analyzed; with MDClone, organizations are finally capable of realizing the full value of their data assets to transform medical research, technology development and healthcare delivery." MDClone is based in Beer Sheba, Israel where it was founded in 2016 by CEO Ziv Ofek (founder and former Chief Innovation Officer of dbMotion, acquired by Allscripts in 2013), CTO Luz Erez and CFO Boaz Gur-Lavie. The company released its first product in February 2017, and counts most of Israel's healthcare system as customers. In January 2018, the company signed its first major deal in the U.S. with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The funding will be used for ongoing development of the MDClone Platform and for global expansion. About MDClone MDClone launched in 2016 with a mission to allow any user across the healthcare ecosystem to ask any question without programming skills and in familiar terminologies, with zero-time to data and insights and with zero-risk to patient privacy. Led by the founding team of dbMotion, a successful Israeli healthcare IT company (acquired by U.S.-based Allscripts in 2013), MDClone developed a comprehensive big-data solution designed for healthcare, featuring proprietary technology for longitudinal data representation and synthetic data generation with never-before possible approaches to healthcare data management, sharing and analysis. In less than two years from inception, MDClone has partnered with the vast majority of the Israeli healthcare market, streamlining healthcare operations, empowering researchers and creating new opportunities for technology development. In January 2018, MDClone launched its first major project in the U.S. with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. www.mdclone.com About OrbiMed OrbiMed is a leading investment firm dedicated exclusively to the healthcare sector, with over $15 billion in assets under management. OrbiMed invests globally across the spectrum of healthcare companies, from venture capital start-ups to large multinational companies. OrbiMed's team of more than 90 employees manages a series of private equity funds, public equity funds, royalty/debt funds and other investment vehicles. OrbiMed maintains its headquarters in New York City, with additional offices in Herzliya Israel, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Mumbai. The investment was made by OrbiMed Israel. www.orbimed.com About Lightspeed Venture Partners Lightspeed Venture Partners is an early stage venture capital firm focused on accelerating disruptive innovations and trends in the Enterprise and Consumer sectors. Over the past two decades, the Lightspeed team has backed hundreds of entrepreneurs and helped build more than 300 companies globally, including Snap, The Honest Company, Nest, Nutanix, AppDynamics, MuleSoft, and GrubHub. The Firm currently manages over $4 billion of committed capital and invests in the U.S. and internationally, with investment professionals and advisors in Silicon Valley, Israel, India and China. www.lsvp.com Media Contact Daniel Blumenthal 773-251-6128 [email protected] SOURCE MDClone Moda Highland Park's excellent location, large floor plans, and high-end finishes makes this a great addition to the Utah multi-family market. These townhomes cater to the rising demand of high-end rentals that offer luxuries that meet or exceed the typical first home. Site security, washer/dryers, smart-home control systems, stainless steel appliances, and an attached 2-car garage all come standard at Moda Highland Park. "Moda Highland Park's location is first class with exceptionally easy access to Sugar House, downtown, the international airport, and the Wasatch Front ski resorts. Additionally, the surrounding neighborhood offers excellent schools and shopping choices." Adam Paul, JF Capital. Salt Lake City recently cracked the top 10 on an annual ranking by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the third most desirable city in the U.S. market for real estate investment. In this same report Salt Lake was praised for its outdoor activities, dining scene, culture, and large Millennial population. For these reasons and Utah's projected economic growth, J. Fisher Companies continues to confidently invest into the Utah real estate market. "We are excited to have completed what we feel is one of the best townhome developments on the east bench of Salt Lake City. Moda Highland Park is a project that our team is very proud of and we are excited to continue to better the communities we have an opportunity to work in." Owen Fisher, J. Fisher Companies. The J Fisher Companies is a Utah-based real estate private equity and development firm dedicated to delivering superior product in superior locations to the market. The Moda Highland property is located at 1315 Crandall Avenue, Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information about this project, or other J. Fisher Companies' projects, visit www.JFisherCo.com. SOURCE J. Fisher Companies Related Links http://www.jfisherco.com CINCINNATI and BLACKBURN, United Kingdom, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) and EG Group, a privately-held petrol forecourt convenience store retailer based in Blackburn, Lancashire, United Kingdom, today announced a definitive agreement for the sale of Kroger's convenience store business unit to EG Group for $2.15 billion. The companies expect to close the transaction during the first quarter of Kroger's fiscal year. As part of the agreement, EG Group will establish their North American headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio and continue to operate stores under their established banner names. Kroger announced in October 2017 its intention to explore strategic alternatives for its convenience store business, including a potential sale, in conjunction with Restock Kroger. "Our convenience store business has been a part of our company for many years. We want to thank our management team and associates for their enduring commitment to our customers, and for the contributions they have made to build our supermarket fuel business," said Mike Schlotman, Kroger's executive vice president and chief financial officer. "As part of our regular review of assets, it has become clear that our strong convenience store business unit will better meet its full potential outside of our business." "One of the most important considerations in our decision-making process was continued operations to ensure minimal disruption to our associates. We are very pleased the EG Group plans to establish their North American headquarters in Cincinnati. EG Group is also a recognized international petrol forecourt convenience operator and they have a commercial model which clearly looks to enhance the consumer offer by working with leading retail brands customers know and trust," said Mr. Schlotman. "This is good for our associates across the country and for our headquarter city of Cincinnati. Throughout the process we were impressed with the EG Group's professionalism, investment commitment and more importantly their understanding of the US convenience retail market. We now look forward to working with them closely to ensure a smooth transition for associates." Mohsin Issa, EG Group Founder and co-CEO expressed "This is an exciting time for EG Group, the entry into the US market presents a fantastic opportunity to deliver a successful retail offer to consumers across the various states. We have had much success across Europe and we firmly believe the Kroger assets present a fantastic foundation to overlay our retail experience and know-how in the US. We are committed to investing in the Kroger network, partnering with leading retail brands and working with the exceptional management team and associates transferring across to deliver a comprehensive retail offer." "Our business model is simple but effective EG Group is creating a stronger relationship between consumers and leading retail brands they want to access. In the US we aim to create a retail environment which delivers convenience, provides value and serves as a retail destination offering excellent welfare to motorists who live and work near our petrol forecourt convenience retail stores," added Zuber Issa, EG Group Founder and co-CEO. Kroger plans to use net proceeds from the sale to repurchase shares and to lower its net total debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio. Kroger's convenience store business operates in 18 states. It includes 66 franchise operations. The stores employ 11,000 associates and operate under the following banner names: Turkey Hill, Loaf 'N Jug, Kwik Shop, Tom Thumb and Quik Stop. Kroger's convenience store business generated revenue of $4 billion, including selling 1.2 billion gallons of fuel, in 2016. Kroger's supermarket fuel centers and its Turkey Hill Dairy are not included in the sale. Additional Information The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. The company expects the transaction to close quickly as EG Group has no U.S. presence today. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Kroger and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is acting as legal advisor to Kroger. Morgan Stanley, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Barclays are acting as financial advisors to EG Group. Allen & Overy is acting as legal advisor to EG Group. About Kroger At The Kroger Co., we are dedicated to our purpose: to Feed the Human SpiritTM. We are 453,000 associates who serve nearly nine million customers every day in 2,793 retail food stores under a variety of local banner names in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Our Family of Companies operates an expanding ClickList offering a personalized order online service in addition to 2,258 pharmacies, 307 fine jewelry stores, 222 retail health clinics, 1,472 supermarket fuel centers and 38 food production plants in the United States. Our Company has been recognized as one of America's most generous companies for our support of more than 100 Feeding America food bank partners, breast cancer research and awareness, the military and their families, and more than 145,000 community organizations including schools. As a leader in supplier diversity, we are a proud member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable. About EG Group Founded in 2001 by brothers Zuber and Mohsin Issa, United Kingdom based EG Group is a leading petrol forecourt retail convenience operator who has established partnerships with global brands such as ESSO, BP, Shell, Carrefour, Louis Delhaize, SPAR, Starbucks, Burger King, KFC, Greggs and Subway. The business has an established pedigree of delivering a world class fuel, convenience and food-to-go offer. The EG Group currently employs over 12,500 staff working in over 2,600 sites across various European markets including the United Kingdom, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Italy. In 2017, the business secured approximately 1,000 petrol forecourt assets from Esso in Germany which will be transferred and integrated into the existing network in Q4, 2018. With the inclusion of the Kroger assets, EG Group will own and operate circa 4,400 sites across Europe and the US. EG Group has made a significant commitment to delivering a modern consumer retail offer which exceeds expectations and creates a true 'one-stop' retail destination to satisfy multiple consumer missions. The business is regularly recognized for innovation and investment in convenience retail assets, the employees and the systems. Zuber Issa and Mohsin Issa, Founders and co-CEOs of Euro Garages, were jointly named the 2016 NACS Insight European Convenience Industry Leader of the Year. Prior to including revenue from the convenience stores being acquired from Kroger, EG Group's European business pro forma revenue (including Italy and Germany) is $14.5bn. Including the revenue from Kroger's C-store business gives total EG Group pro forma revenues of $18.5bn. Further information at www.eurogarages.com This press release contains forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, about the future performance of Kroger. These statements are based on management's assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it. These statements are indicated by words such as "plans" and similar words. The closing of the transaction will be dependent upon approval receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals and the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to closing. Various uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These include the specific risk factors identified in "Risk Factors" and "Outlook" in Kroger's annual report on Form 10-K for our last fiscal year and any subsequent filings, as well as the following: Our ability to use free cash flow to continue to maintain our investment grade debt rating and repurchase shares, pay dividends, and fund capital investments, could be affected by unanticipated increases in net total debt, our inability to generate free cash flow at the levels anticipated, and our failure to generate expected earnings. SOURCE The Kroger Co. Related Links http://www.kroger.com NEW YORK, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Kudu Investment Management, LLC ("Kudu"), a leading capital provider to asset management and wealth management firms, announced today that it has closed a $250 million investment from funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. ("Oaktree"), the global alternative investment management firm, and from White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (NYSE: WTM) ("White Mountains"), the Bermuda-domiciled financial services holding company. Based in New York City, Kudu specializes in providing capital solutions to asset managers and registered investment advisors, including generational ownership transfers, management buyouts, acquisition and growth finance, as well as liquidity for legacy partners. Kudu was launched in 2015 by Rob Jakacki, former Chief Investment Officer of Asset Management Finance and a pioneer in making minority investments in this sector, and Charlie Ruffel, former Chief Executive Officer of Asset International. "Our partnership with Oaktree and White Mountains enables Kudu to pursue additional opportunities to invest in boutique firms in both traditional and alternative classes. We identify firms with focused capabilities and demonstrated value-added for their clients, where we can apply the flexible capital solutions and management alignment strategy that are the hallmark of our firm," said Rob Jakacki, CEO of Kudu. "Boutique asset managers are poised to benefit from many of the recent shifts in the asset management industry, including a move towards principal-owned firms that offer a sustainable value proposition," said Charlie Ruffel, Managing Partner of Kudu. "Our opportunity is to partner with the best of those boutiques and allow them to accelerate their growth." Brian Laibow, Managing Director at Oaktree, said, "We're looking forward to partnering with Kudu as they enter into their new era of growth. We appreciate and support Kudu's vision of investing in mid-size asset managers through minority investment constructs that allow firms to retain the independence and control that served as the foundation for their past successes, while benefiting from the new capital and expertise that Kudu brings." Manning Rountree, Chief Executive Officer of White Mountains, added, "We are delighted to back Rob, Charlie and the Kudu team, whose experience and capabilities are first rate, and to invest alongside Oaktree. We look forward to a fruitful partnership." About Oaktree Oaktree is a leader among global investment managers specializing in alternative investments, with $100 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2017. The firm emphasizes an opportunistic, value-oriented and risk-controlled approach to investments in distressed debt, corporate debt (including high yield debt and senior loans), control investing, convertible securities, real estate and listed equities. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the firm has over 900 employees and offices in 18 cities worldwide. For additional information, please visit Oaktree's website at http://www.oaktreecapital.com/. About White Mountains White Mountains is a Bermuda-domiciled financial services holding company traded on the New York Stock Exchange and the Bermuda Stock Exchange under the symbol WTM. Additional financial information and other items of interest are available at the Company's web site located at www.whitemountains.com. Contact: Todd Pozefsky 203-458-5807 Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included or referenced in this press release which address activities, events or developments which White Mountains expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. The words "will," "believe," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate," "predict" and similar expressions are also intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements with respect to White Mountains: change in adjusted book value per share or return on equity; business strategy; financial and operating targets or plans; incurred loss and loss adjustment expenses and the adequacy of its loss and loss adjustment expense reserves and related reinsurance; projections of revenues, income (or loss), earnings (or loss) per share, dividends, market share or other financial forecasts; expansion and growth of its business and operations; and future capital expenditures. These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by White Mountains in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors believed to be appropriate in the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will conform to its expectations and predictions is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations, including: the risks that are described from time to time in White Mountains's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to White Mountains's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 filed February 27, 2017; claims arising from catastrophic events, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, fires, terrorist attacks or severe winter weather; the continued availability of capital and financing; general economic, market or business conditions; business opportunities (or lack thereof) that may be presented to it and pursued; competitive forces, including the conduct of other property and casualty insurers and reinsurers; changes in domestic or foreign laws or regulations, or their interpretation, applicable to White Mountains, its competitors or its customers; an economic downturn or other economic conditions adversely affecting its financial position; recorded loss reserves subsequently proving to have been inadequate; actions taken by ratings agencies from time to time, such as financial strength or credit ratings downgrades or placing ratings on negative watch; and other factors, most of which are beyond White Mountains's control. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by White Mountains will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, White Mountains or its business or operations. White Mountains assumes no obligation to publicly update any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. Related Links http://www.whitemountains.com WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The national Latino Jewish Leadership Council (LJLC) convened in the nation's capital for a series of meetings on the first anniversary of its founding. "No matter what is one's political affiliation, building coalitions is critical to turn our nation in the right direction," Julian Castro, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Affairs, told the bipartisan Council. He expressed deep concern about the current polarized environment in American society. "Something has been unleashed that is detrimental to the Latino community, the Jewish community, to the well-being of our nation," said Castro, who is the newest member of the LJLC. Council members discussed the need for U.S. global leadership, the current status of Puerto Rico's relief and reconstruction efforts (and the potential for the Council's involvement), the pending DACA legislation, and support for Israel. Castro said that Latino political activism will "assure that the Latino community can live the American dream like any other group." Both the president and the director of Puerto Rico's Jewish community, as well as the publisher of the island's top newspaper, came to Washington especially to participate in the Council's meeting and advocacy on Capitol Hill. "We are citizens of the U.S.," said Jeff Berezdivin, president of the JCC Puerto Rico, in a passionate appeal for Washington to focus on assisting the urgent humanitarian needs and rebuilding of the island's economy and infrastructure. The day before the Council meeting, LJLC members joined with AJC leaders from across the country for meetings with members of both the House and Senate to discuss Puerto Rico, Israel's place in the world, immigration reform and U.S. global leadership. The Latin American region also was featured at the AJC Board of Governors and National Leadership Council events that preceded the LJLC meeting. Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), a vigorous defender of democracy in the hemisphere, addressed the deteriorating socio-economic situation and violation of human rights in Venezuela. "In the last five years, more than 4 million people have left country," he said, "because the authorities in Venezuela decided to stop being a democracy." The Secretary General also stressed that "the eradication of anti-Semitism as a social pathology is an unsolved issue in the region that requires everyone's involvement and commitment." In conversation with Almagro, Dina Siegel Vann, Director of AJC's Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs (BILLA), added that "the OAS must spearhead the efforts in the region to pass anti-terrorist legislation that recognizes Islamic terrorism as a global threat." During the event, AJC formally thanked Guatemala Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel for her country's decision to return its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. "The Republic of Guatemala, from the beginning, has decisively manifested itself in favor of the Jewish people. Our support to this cause is the manifestation of the aspiration for justice, and for the right of the Jewish people to live in peace. Guatemala believes in Israel, trusts Israel, and Israel can count on Guatemala as a friend and an ally," Minister Jovel told the AJC leaders. The LJLC is comprised of a prominent group of U.S. Jews and Latinos. Convened by AJC, the Council works to further strengthen Latino-Jewish cooperation in advocating for issues of shared concern and values cherished by both communities. SOURCE American Jewish Committee Related Links http://www.ajc.org FREMONT, Calif., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NEXTracker, a Flex company, announced today that Leclanche, a global integrator of energy storage, has selected NEXTracker to supply its NX Drive energy storage system (ESS) for battery solutions the company is installing at commercial and industrial businesses in Ontario, Canada. NX Drive is a standardized battery enclosure system for generation-plus-storage and stand-alone storage applications. In this installation, NX Drive ESS will be utilized as a stand-alone system, incorporating a storage inverter and entire ESS within the enclosure to help power several small businesses in metropolitan Toronto. Selected for its long-term value, intelligent design and quality components, each ESS unit has a capacity of approximately two MWh. "NEXTracker's NX Drive ESS technology exceeded our safety and aesthetic design requirements while reducing the required footprint," said Thom Reddington, Leclanche Sr. VP North America. "NEXTracker's expert team of storage engineers and advisors have been excellent partners and highly responsive; they were able to design the solution to incorporate the entire PCS (power control system) which includes not just a battery in the container, but also a fully integrated inverter and entire ESS system." "By partnering with Leclanche on this innovative program, we can help commercial and industrial customers minimize their energy demand costs with our NX Drive ESS," said Dan Shugar, NEXTracker CEO. "With the Canadian power supply relying more on renewable but intermittent power sources, NX Drive takes the pain out of these grid management challenges by providing an integrated and reliable storage system." NX Drive provides a flexible, pre-engineered balance-of-system (BOS) solution for virtually any generation-plus-storage or stand-alone storage application. NX Drive consists of a standard ISO form-factor enclosure with pre-engineered and integrated electrical, mechanical and thermal management safety features. Customers can also upgrade battery modules as technology evolves, and integrate photovoltaic and/or storage inverters, depending on design preference. Using advanced, patent-pending technologies to ensure safe operation and optimized performance, the NX Drive system infrastructure supports standard customer-supplied or NEXTracker-sourced Tier 1 lithium-ion batteries. These Leclanche energy storage projects support the larger trend in Ontario towards clean, reliable energy generation and grid resiliency. In 2010, Ontario launched the Long-Term Energy Plan which has phased out coal-fired electricity generation and built a clean system that is more than 90% free of greenhouse gas emissions. Now the Energy Plan is focused on ensuring there is a robust supply of electricity to power homes and businesses across Ontario by increasing the renewable mix on the grid using energy storage applications. ESS systems like NX Drive will help improve stability for Canada's transmission grid by managing unbalanced supply/demand scenarios like the steep demand peaks Ontario currently faces. Market dynamics are driving project owners to seek repeatable, flexible and pre-engineered solutions such as NX Drive to help accelerate the deployment of industry-leading energy storage technologies. To learn more about NX Drive, watch this video here. About NEXTracker NEXTracker, a Flex company, advances the power plant of the future with solar tracker and energy storage innovations to increase performance and reduce costs for project and plant owners. As the number-one tracker supplier worldwide with over 10 GW delivered, NEXTracker is globally recognized for delivering the most advanced photovoltaic solutions for hundreds of projects across five continents. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, the company has offices in Australia, India, Latin America, and Europe. For more information, visit: NEXTracker.com and follow the company on Twitter @NEXTracker. SOURCE NEXTracker Related Links http://www.nextracker.com Chris Janish, CEO of Legal-Bay, announcing the new contract option, "After many years of speaking with both plaintiffs and our law firm contacts, we have been able to provide what I believe is the most innovative contract in the legal finance industry. The contract has a balance of both low rates and fees, while also providing both the law firm and the client with the peace of mind that their lawsuit funding lien will never grow out of control. Legal-Bay is steadfast in our pursuit to deliver clients the lifeline they need at a difficult time in their life, while also ensuring that their payback to us (and our investors) is reasonable." All you need to do is simply apply and ask for a free case evaluation to see if your case would qualify. In addition, the rates on the Legal-Bay 30 month cap-out contract are substantially better as well. Here are some of the highlights: Monthly Usage Rates as low as 1.99% to 2.99% range (based on 3 year Avg.) Low processing/application fees Full Transparency contract explaining maximum payback regardless of how long your case goes 24 Hour Free Evaluation and Approval process (once all documents are received) No Risk payback only if you win your case Cases eligible for evaluation include (not all cases will apply for cap-out contract): Airplane or Aviation Accidents, Person Injury Accidents, Amusement Park Accidents, Asbestos and Mesothelioma Accidents, Bicycle Accidents, Bus Accidents, Car Motor vehicle Accidents, Casino Accidents, Construction or Labor Law Accidents, Cruise Ship Accidents, Defective Products Product Liability, Pharmaceutical Drugs, Dog Bite Accidents, Jones Act, Maritime, Boat or Ship Accidents, Bard & Cook IVC Filter cases, Metal on Metal Hip Recalls, Medical Malpractice Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Nursing Home Negligence case, Pedestrian Accidents, Police Brutality or Assault and Battery, Premise Liability Accidents or Slip and Fall cases, Product Liability Accidents, Semi or Tractor Trailer wrecks, Surgical Funding, Swimming Pool accidents, Taser Cases, TBI or Brain Injury Accidents, Train or FELA Railway Accidents, Truck and Commercial Vehicle Accidents, Workers Compensation Accidents, and Wrongful Death Accidents. SOURCE Legal-Bay LLC NEW YORK, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The prestigious Maggie Flanigan Studio (http://www.maggieflaniganstudio.com/) is once again offering their highly acclaimed six-week summer acting program where actors will receive a thorough and practical introduction to the Meisner Technique. The Meisner Summer Intensive begins June 8 at the studio's Manhattan location, and applications are now being accepted. Summer Acting Program - Meisner Summer Acting Program 2018 Begins - Maggie Flanigan Studio - Call 917-789-1599 2018 Meisner Summer Intensive Begins - Maggie Flanigan Studio - Call 917-789-1599 The Meisner Summer Intensive covers the first third of Sanford Meisner's first year training, easing participants into the rigors of professional actor training, with Meisner's straightforward, practical exercise that quickly unfolds into rich, sophisticated exploration of craft. "You cannot master the craft of acting in only six weeks," says Charlie Sandlan, executive director and head of acting at the Maggie Flanigan Studio, "but one can gain a better understanding of acting as an art form and an appreciation of the important fundamentals that any serious actor should master. Actors finish our summer acting program with greater insight and understanding of the hard work required to become a first-rate professional actor." The Meisner Summer Intensive immediately begins instilling in the actor important fundamental skills. These include active listening, nurturing of the imagination, and honing the ability to truthfully due under imaginary circumstances. Listening is the bedrock of acting, and this ability must be rooted in the actor. The Meisner Technique encourages being present and curious returning the actor to the freedom of their inner child rather than simply waiting for cues. When the practice of active listening becomes second nature, truly engaging and spontaneous performances become possible. A sharp focus on the imagination and the reality of doing helps students develop an organic approach to creating behavior rather than merely pretending or indicating. After a month spent working with Meisner's repetition exercise, the final two weeks of the six-week program challenges the actor to apply these fundamentals to scenes. Text is the actor's playground, and the ability to improvise spontaneously and personally from moment to moment is the mark of a well-trained actor. "Before I came to the studio I had no idea what acting was," says former student Carolina Solorzano. "I had no foundation and I didn't know where to begin; I didn't know how to approach it. The training I received here at the studio was comprehensive. I learned a lot. One of the things that just sticks out the most is being vulnerable. And I also realized that for me to learn behavior, I need to understand myself and that way I'll be able to respond truthfully." In the 1930s, Sanford Meisner was a member of the esteemed Group Theater, which boasted some of the leading actors, directors, and writers of the day. This is where Lee Strasberg developed his Method acting technique. Meisner, however, believed culling from one's own experiences to generate an authentic performance was ultimately a self-indulgent and unhealthy approach to acting. Upon joining the Neighborhood Playhouse in 1935, he began to gradually develop the technique that would bear his name. Today, the Meisner Technique is widely considered among the most productive and proven ways to teach acting fundamentals and the Maggie Flanigan Studio is the home for elite instruction in this technique. To learn about the acting programs at the studio or apply to the Meisner Summer Intensive, visit http://www.maggieflaniganstudio.com/actingprograms/ About Maggie Flanigan Studio We are proud to be NYC's most respected professional actor training program. We welcome aspiring actors interested in going the distance with themselves; risk-takers who want to feel safe, nurtured, and yet pushed in a way they could have never imagined in order to fulfill their fullest artistic potential. Executive Director Charlie Sandlan and all of the faculty approach every day honored to be the caretakers of Maggie Flanigan's artistic vision. Contact: Contact: Charlie Sandlan Email: [email protected] Direct: 917-789-1599 Maggie Flanigan Studio 153 W 27th St #803 New York, New York 10001 +1 917-789-1599 http://www.maggieflaniganstudio.com/ SOURCE Maggie Flanigan Studio Related Links http://www.maggieflaniganstudio.com CHICAGO, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Barack Obama was once just a young man with a new job in the city of Chicago. In "Making Obama," the new documentary podcast series from WBEZ Chicago [https://interactive.wbez.org/obama/], the former President and key advisers, mentors and rivals speak openly about his political career path and how Chicago was a conduit for his ultimate success as America's first African American President. Hosted by WBEZ's Jenn White and produced by Colin McNulty, the six-part podcast pulls back the curtain on Obama's rise to national prominence, from his early days as a South Side Chicago community organizer to his time as a rookie politician being hazed in the Illinois Statehouse, to an embarrassing run for U.S. Congress. The series culminates with an epic comeback and the start of the national political movement that catapulted him into the White House. "A story like mine could have happened in another city, but my story could have only happened here.., " said President Obama in an excerpt from the podcast. WBEZ sat down with the former president in a candid conversation, and interviewed those around him during the early days. In addition, the podcast draws on WBEZ Chicago's coverage of his political life and dozens of hours of original interviews about his formative years. "The city of Chicago played an essential role in shaping Obama's approach to politics and WBEZ had a front row seat to that journey," said White. "For this series, we spoke with many of the key players who were part of those pre-White House years some people you will recognize but others you probably won't." In another clip from the podcast, Chicago Mayor and former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel describes why Obama thrived in Chicago politics, "He has an unbelievable, warm, capturing smile. It covers a very tough, steel spine." WBEZ Chicago launched the "Making" podcast series in 2016 by sharing the inside story of Chicago icon Oprah Winfrey. Now, in the second season, listeners are given a rich, behind-the-scenes look at another famous Chicagoan, Barack Obama. "WBEZ is nationally acclaimed for its original reporting and documentary productions, and our Making series aims to share the compelling stories of people, movements, and ideas that have profoundly shaped American life," said Steve Edwards, vice president and chief content officer for WBEZ. The first episode of the "Making Obama" podcast series debuts Feb. 8, 2018 and will be available for download or streaming on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, wbez.org/Obama and other podcast platforms. Go to wbez.org/obama for more information as well as additional background on each episode. The episodes will be released weekly, culminating March 15 with an episode about Obama stepping onto the national stage in 2004. About WBEZ Chicago WBEZ 91.5 FM is Chicagoland's premier media hub for high quality, fact-based journalism and engaging, entertaining audio programs and podcasts. We seek to document our world, to tell meaningful stories, to celebrate and record the human experience. WBEZ's award-winning investigative journalists ask tough questions, dig deep for answers and expose truths that spark change. WBEZ Chicago is home to two daily local programs, The Morning Shift and Worldview, and a growing portfolio of popular podcasts, including Nerdette, Sound Opinions, and Making Oprah. WBEZ Chicago has a legacy launching ground-breaking and nationally-acclaimed programs including This American Life, Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! and the podcast phenomenon, Serial. Download the WBEZ app, available in the App Store and Google Play. Learn more about WBEZ Chicago, our award-winning programming and on-demand digital content at wbez.org, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter. MEDIA CONTACT: Kate Knox | 773-454-2748 | [email protected] SOURCE WBEZ Chicago Related Links http://www.wbez.org DUBLIN, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Allergan plc (NYSE: AGN) a leading global biopharmaceutical company, today announced that Matthew M. Walsh has been appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He will formally join Allergan later this month following a transition period from his current role as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer at Catalent, Inc. "Matt Walsh is an experienced Chief Financial Officer with a strong track record of creating value for shareholders, including 14 years as a CFO with three public companies and ten years in health care as CFO at Catalent where he led their transformation under private equity, a successful IPO and numerous acquisition and divestiture transactions, all while driving sustained organic growth. Matt brings to Allergan a unique combination of skills, including a technical background, a deep understanding of the healthcare industry, a rich experience across financial disciplines, and the ability to lead complex health care organizations," said Brent L. Saunders, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Allergan. "I'm pleased to welcome Matt to our team and look forward to partnering with him as we continue to drive strong financial performance and deploy our capital to increase shareholder return over the short- and long-term." "I'm very excited to join Allergan's fast-paced, results oriented culture. I look forward to working with Brent and the leadership team to realize Allergan's long-term growth potential in the U.S. and internationally, as well as unlocking additional value through the Open Science R&D pipeline," said Matt Walsh. Mr. Walsh currently serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Catalent, a role he assumed in 2008. Prior to joining Catalent, Walsh was President, Chief Financial Officer and Acting Chief Executive Officer at Escala Group, Inc. Prior to joining Escala, Walsh held a variety of finance leadership roles at industrial manufacturer GenTek, Inc., including Vice President-Finance & Chief Financial Officer, Vice President & Treasurer and Group Controller. Mr. Walsh previously served on the board of directors of Multi-Color Corporation from 2015 to 2017 and Escala Group, Inc. from 2006 to 2008. While on the board of Multi-Color Corporation, he also served as Audit Committee Chairman. Walsh is a CFA charterholder who received a MBA from Cornell University, SC Johnson Graduate School of Management, and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University, College of Engineering. About Allergan plc Allergan plc (NYSE: AGN), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is a bold, global pharmaceutical company and a leader in a new industry model Growth Pharma. Allergan is focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing branded pharmaceutical, device, biologic, surgical and regenerative medicine products for patients around the world. Allergan markets a portfolio of leading brands and best-in-class products for the central nervous system, eye care, medical aesthetics and dermatology, gastroenterology, women's health, urology and anti-infective therapeutic categories. Allergan is an industry leader in Open Science, a model of research and development, which defines our approach to identifying and developing game-changing ideas and innovation for better patient care. With this approach, Allergan has built one of the broadest development pipelines in the pharmaceutical industry. Allergan's success is powered by our global colleagues' commitment to being Bold for Life. Together, we build bridges, power ideas, act fast and drive results for our customers and patients around the world by always doing what is right. With commercial operations in approximately 100 countries, Allergan is committed to working with physicians, healthcare providers and patients to deliver innovative and meaningful treatments that help people around the world live longer, healthier lives every day. For more information, visit Allergan's website at www.Allergan.com. Forward-Looking Statement Statements contained in this press release that refer to future events or other non-historical facts are forward-looking statements that reflect Allergan's current perspective on existing trends and information as of the date of this release. Actual results may differ materially from Allergan's current expectations depending upon a number of factors affecting Allergan's business. These factors include, among others, the difficulty of predicting the timing or outcome of FDA approvals or actions, if any; the impact of competitive products and pricing; market acceptance of and continued demand for Allergan's products; the impact of uncertainty around timing of generic entry related to key products, including RESTASIS, on our financial results; uncertainty associated with financial projections, projected cost reductions, projected synergies, restructurings, increased costs, and adverse tax consequences; difficulties or delays in manufacturing; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in Allergan's periodic public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to Allergan's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and Allergan's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2017. Except as expressly required by law, Allergan disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. CONTACTS: Allergan: Investors: Daphne Karydas (862) 261-8006 Media: Lisa Brown (862) 261-7320 SOURCE Allergan plc Related Links https://www.allergan.com Dr. Smith is President of NSI Technologies, a Premier Oilfield Group Company. NSI is a leading petroleum industry software and consulting firm specializing in the design, optimization, and execution of hydraulic fracturing treatments. The company was formed in 1984 by Dr. Ken Nolte and Dr. Michael Smith, who co-developed the Nolte-Smith plot for net treating pressure analysis and the 'G' function for fracturing pressure decline analysis. NSI was acquired by Premier Oilfield Group to incorporate NSI's 3-dimensional fracture simulation software, StimPlan, with the company's geoscience and reservoir engineering solutions. "We are very excited to celebrate this honor with Mike," said Premier's CEO, Matt Bell, "Mike's expertise and history of innovation are truly an asset for Premier and its clients." With a Ph.D. in Rock Mechanics from Rice University, Dr. Smith has more than 40 years' experience in well completions and hydraulic fracturing. During that time, he has contributed to well fracturing operations in 46 countries. Along with worldwide consulting, he has served multiple times as a SPE Distinguished Lecturer, authored multiple chapters in the SPE Monograph on fracturing, and developed and presented SPE short courses on fracturing pressure analysis. Mike is co-author of the acclaimed book Hydraulic Fracturing and recipient of the SPE Lester C. Uren Award for his contributions to hydraulic fracturing technology. Premier Oilfield Group provides independent reservoir characterization and field development optimization services to service providers and operating companies. NSI supports Premier's mission to help oil and gas companies make better exploration and production decisions by connecting the dots from samples to simulation and solutions. For more information, please visit www.premieroilfieldlabs.com CONTACT: Jeremy Viscomi, (785) 760-3640, [email protected] SOURCE Premier Oilfield Group Related Links http://www.premieroilfieldlabs.com LUXEMBOURG, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Millicom announced today it has appointed Ambassador (retired) Stephen McFarland as Special Representative of Millicom in Guatemala. McFarland joins Millicom with 37 years of experience as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer across Latin America, as well as assignments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He first served in Guatemala as Deputy Chief of Mission and later as Charge d'Affaires from 2000 to 2003, before returning to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala between 2008 and 2011. McFarland holds a B.A. in Economics from Yale University. McFarland's extensive and in-depth knowledge of Guatemalan society, politics and business, as well as the country's opportunities and challenges, and his commitment to transparency and to the rule of law, make him exceptionally qualified to advise Millicom in support of the company's objectives with regards to its investment in Guatemala. Commenting on the appointment, Mauricio Ramos, Millicom's Chief Executive Officer, said, "Stephen's expertise and personal experience regarding matters of special interest to Millicom in Guatemala will prove invaluable as we are looking to further strengthen and develop our business in Guatemala to remain a leader in the provision of mobile and cable services, and a best in class example of doing business in a responsible and sustainable manner. We are delighted to have Stephen join the Millicom team." For further information, please contact Press: Vivian Kobeh Corporate Communications Director +1-305-476-7352 / +1-305-302-2858 [email protected] Investors: Michel Morin VP Investor Relations +352-277-59094 [email protected] Mauricio Pinzon, Investor Relations Manager Tel: +44-20-3249-2460 [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/millicom-international-cellular/r/millicom-appoints-stephen-mcfarland-as-special-representative-in-guatemala,c2444791 The following files are available for download: http://mb.cision.com/Main/950/2444791/786837.pdf Millicom appoints Stephen McFarland as Special Representative in Guatemala SOURCE Millicom International Cellular CORAL GABLES, Fla., February 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- FN Media Group Presents ValueInvestor.com News Commentary The enormous potential for expansion shows big revenue possibilities for investors and companies as operations and new mining opportunities hit the market. Mining Companies across the sector from nickel and lithium to graphite, gold, and other minerals include: Graphite Energy Corp (OTC: GRXXF) Lithium X Energy Corp. (OTC: LIXXF), PolyMet Mining Corp. (NYSE: PLM), Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (NYSE: NAK), and Novo Resources Corp (OTC: NSRPF). Graphite Energy Corp (OTC: GRXXF) Market Cap: $17.38M, current share price: $.84 Last month, GRXXF, a mining company focused on developing graphite resources, announced it has decided to commence a drill program at its Lac Aux Bouleaux Graphite Property following the promising results from its recently completed exploration work. GRXXF is currently engaged in the business of exploration of mineral properties in Canada and holds the right to acquire a 100% interest, subject to certain royalties, in the Lac Aux Bouleaux Graphite Property located near the town of Mont-Laurier in Southern Quebec. The Lac Aux Bouleaux Graphite Property lies adjacent to the south of Imerys Graphite's Lac des Iles graphite mine in Quebec, which is a world class deposit and was producing 25,000 tons of graphite annually. There are also several graphite showings and past producing mines in its vicinity. Lithium X Energy Corp. (OTC: LIXXF), Market Cap: $172.13M, current share price: $2.02 LIXXF is a lithium exploration and development company with a goal of becoming a low-cost supplier for the burgeoning lithium battery industry. The Company holds two projects in in the prolific Lithium Triangle in mining friendly Salta province, Argentina as well as participating in the Clayton Valley in Nevada through its ownership interest in Pure Energy Minerals Limited. PolyMet Mining Corp. (NYSE: PLM) Market Cap: $$375.88M, current share price: $1.18 PLM is an investor-owned Canadian junior mining company whose principal asset is one of the world's largest non-ferrous deposits located near Babbitt, Minnesota. The 4,000-acre NorthMet resource contains valuable quantities of copper, nickel, cobalt and platinum group metals. Last month, PLM posted the draft air emission permit and supporting permit documentation on its website for the NorthMet copper-nickel-precious metals project. Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (NYSE: NAK) Market Cap: $232.70M, current share price: $0.85 NAK owns 100% of the Pebble Limited Partnership (Pebble Partnership), which is advancing the world-class Pebble Project in Alaska towards permitting and development. The company is focused on designing, permitting, building and operating a modern mine that enhances the economic and social well-being of Alaskans. Novo Resources Corp (OTCQX: NSRPF) Market Cap: $424.17M, current share price: $2.73 NSRPF explores and develops gold projects in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, and Novo has built up a significant land package covering approximately 12,000 sq km. Novo also controls a 100% interest in approximately 2 sq km covering much of the Tuscarora Au-Ag vein district, Nevada. The diversity of the companies listed above, illustrate the expansive markets that are impacted by mining operations. From the production of lithium-ion battery elements to traditional metals mining, the market continues to evolve & expand, offering more and more to the consumer. The mining industry and more specifically the segments dealing with lithium-ion battery production is showing potential for becoming one of the fastest growing sectors on Wall Street due to the immediate demand begin created right now. Keep an eye on these companies as their market share grows with new progress and developments as they continue to "dig into" their claims. 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"Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements. Media Contact FN Media Group LLC e-mail:[email protected] +1-(954)-345-0611 SOURCE ValueInvestor.com Demand for the Company's Groundbreaking Transdermal Evolve NanoSerum Driving Production DENVER, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NanoSphere Health Sciences Inc. (CSE: NSHS, "NanoSphere") is pleased to announce that, in response to growing demand for the NanoSphere's Evolve NanoSerum product, its Colorado license partner has increased production capacity at its facility. "NanoSerum is a state-of-the-art formulation that carries a full spectrum of cannabinoids and phytochemicals with precision-metered dosing, every time," said Dr. Richard Kaufman, NanoSphere's Chief Science Officer. "This development is an extremely encouraging sign of market demand for new methods for cannabinoid delivery." "This is a watershed moment for our business," added David Sutton, NanoSphere's Chief Operating Officer and President. "Our partner achieved the capacity increase by switching to an ethanol distillation process whereby the facility can process 30,000 units per month." NanoSphere is commercializing its disruptive, next-generation nanoparticle cannabis delivery system platforms under the brand Evolve Formulas. In July 2017, Evolve Formulas launched its acclaimed NanoSerum product, the first clinically tested transdermal cannabis product to relieve pain in minutes, for the adult use and medical cannabis markets in Colorado. "As our company gains recognition in the market place, more and more customers are discovering and embracing our necessary delivery technology," NanoSphere Chairman and CEO Robert Sutton added. "The re-order rate of our Evolve NanoSerum product is testament to its quality and effectiveness." Evolve products are available in more than 70 accounts and are expected to be in over 250 accounts by year end throughout Colorado. Additionally, NanoSphere will be expanding to qualified manufacturers and operators in several states to license our delivery technology and bring the Evolve brand to new U.S. and Canadian markets, as well as, build on that success by further introducing new product applications. Each product application will deliver a unique pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of cannabinoid activity and therapeutic applications. About NanoSphere NanoSphere Health Sciences LLC, a wholly owned operating subsidiary of the Company, is a biotechnology firm specializing in the creation of the NanoSphere Delivery System, a revolutionary platform using nanotechnology in the biodelivery of supplements, nutraceuticals and over-the-counter medications for the cannabis, pharmaceutical and animal health industries, and beyond. The patent-pending NanoSphere Delivery System represents one of the most important developments for advancing the non-invasive and user-friendly delivery of biological agents in over 25 years. For more information on NanoSphere, please visit http://www.nanospherehealth.com. On behalf of the Board: Robert Sutton, Chairman & CEO [email protected] PR Contact: Anne Donohoe / [email protected] / 212-896-1265 Anne Szustek Talbot / [email protected] / 212-896-1210 Investor Contact: David Sutton, President & COO / [email protected] / 303.887.9300 Victor Goncalves, Executive Vice President /[email protected] / 204-997-5517 The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statement Caution This news release includes forward looking statements that are subject to assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Statements in this news release which are not purely historical are forward looking statements, including without limitation any statements concerning the Company's intentions, plans, estimates, expectations or beliefs regarding the future. Although the Company believes that any forward looking statements in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such forward looking statements will prove to be accurate. The Company cautions readers that all forward looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Company's future operations and business prospects, are based on assumptions none of which can be assured, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward looking statements. Readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Any forward looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in the forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE NanoSphere Health Sciences Inc. Related Links http://www.nanospherehealth.com FAR HILLS, N.J., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The State of New Jersey today reinforced its commitment to its 60-year open space program by rejecting offer letters from PennEast Pipeline Co. to purchase rights to build a 36" gas pipeline across taxpayer-preserved lands, says NJ Conservation. Since the program's inception in 1969, no lands owned or managed by the New Jersey Natural Lands Trust (NJNLT) have been condemned through eminent domain, according to the NJNLT. The lands were preserved with taxpayer dollars by New Jersey voters and set aside for the public and future generations to enjoy. Open space preservation protects wildlife habitats and wetlands that filter air and drinking water and reduce flooding, and prevents soil erosion. Following the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) conditional approval of PennEast's application, the company made final offers to acquire land rights from the state, land trusts and hundreds of landowners in the pipeline's proposed path. PennEast set a deadline of February 5 for the offers, and stated that the private company will attempt to seize the lands through legal action if the offers are refused. New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJ Conservation), the largest land trust within the densely populated state, applauded the State's move and said today that it has also rejected PennEast's offers to negotiate over the land NJ Conservation owns. "The Murphy Administration has sent a clear message that it will uphold the integrity of preserved lands and the state programs that protect open space, farmland and historic sites for our children and grandchildren," said Michele S. Byers, executive director, NJ Conservation. "New Jersey's preserved open spaces were not set aside for unneeded fossil fuel infrastructure, but rather to protect our clean drinking water, air, and land that supports the overall quality of life in New Jersey." "Today, we reinforced the commitment to protect permanently preserved open spaces, by rejecting the offers from this destructive, unneeded gas pipeline," said Tom Gilbert, campaign director, NJ Conservation. "We will never voluntarily surrender these lands to PennEast without a fight." FERC issued a certificate for PennEast despite criticism from the NJ Division of Rate Counsel and energy experts that there is no public need for the project. PennEast used the FERC Certificate to pressure landowners, including individual homeowners, the State, and NJ Conservation. FERC's approval was conditioned on the state's Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) review. On Friday, the NJDEP officially denied PennEast's 2017 application, although PennEast may reapply. PennEast's construction plans would involve installing its pipeline across 4,300 acres of permanently preserved open space and farmland. PennEast is now expected to try to seize these lands through eminent domain. If built, PennEast pipeline would damage thousands of acres of preserved lands, 38 of the state's cleanest protected streams, and increase greenhouse gas emissions, according to FERC (pg. 77, Certificate). In FERC's Certificate decision, three of the five FERC Commissioners expressed concerns about the pipeline's impacts to landowners. One Commissioner said he did not believe the pipeline is needed, and he criticized the Certificate process given its impacts to landowners along the 118-mile pipeline route due to PennEast's anticipated use of that Certificate to condemn lands before the state's environmental review takes place. "NJDEP's strong actions over past few days show us that they will protect preserved lands and fragile water supplies and other natural resources from PennEast, which cannot be constructed in a way that would meet New Jersey's strict environmental standards," said Jim Waltman, executive director, Stony BrookMillstone Watershed Association. Click to Tweet: NJ's 60-year commitment to open space upheld: State of NJ & NJ Conservation Foundation reject gas pipeline's offer to buy taxpayer-preserved lands. http://ow.ly/zkKh30idFPj #StopPennEast @ConserveNJ About New Jersey Conservation Foundation About Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association SOURCE New Jersey Conservation Foundation NORCROSS, Ga., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- One reality of America is that there are more skilled trade jobs open than there are qualified workers. Trade Schools carry an ever-increasing stigma about them that they are of lesser quality, or they're not worth it because skilled trades don't provide that strong of a return on investment. Neither of those things are true! There are incredibly high-quality programs that lead to jobs with steady growth rates and promising salaries. OnlineCollegePlan has ranked the Top 30 Highest Paying Trade School Jobs and Vocational Careers and designated a stand-out school that offers the program with the best return on investment, or ROI, per field. You can read it here: https://www.onlinecollegeplan.com/vocational-school-highest-paying-careers/ The article ranks careers based on the highest salary, from 30 to 1. Schools in the article were not put in any ranking order, but thanks to the research done by the editor of the article, each featured school offers the cheapest program in the field. Due to this, those are the schools offering the best bang for their buck based on projected salary and job growth. The highest paying career that you can enter with a vocational degree is that of a contractor or construction manager. It pays an average of $87,400 per year. What's more, in 2016, the BLS reported that there were 7.8 million unemployed Americans and 5.8 million available construction jobs. As the article states, "While not every unemployed American could physically work in construction, those numbers put things in a staggering perspective." The standout school for those who are aspiring contractors and construction managers is on the list a few times because of the affordability of its programs that are offered entirely online. The estimated cost of attendance for the degree required to do the job is just $789! In the article, you can read about the projected salary and growth about the 30 highest-paying trades, and learn about job responsibilities, and the cheapest program you can do in order to reach that position. The schools and programs mentioned in the article (in alphabetical order) include, Altierus Career College (Norcross, GA) Ashworth Community College (Norcross, GA) Association of Energy Engineers Energy Auditor Certification Program (Atlanta, GA) Augusta Technical College (Augusta, GA) Boilermakers National Apprenticeship Program (Chattanooga, TN) Brightwood College (Fort Lauderdale, FL) CDA Technical Institute (Jacksonville, FL) Central Georgia Technical College (Macon, GA) Champlain Valley Educational Services (Plattsburgh, NY) The College for Renewable Energy and Management (Aurora, CO) Downey Adult School (Downey, CA) Hill College (Cleburne, TX) Holmes Community College (Goodman, MS) Houston Community College (Houston, TX) Ivy Tech Community College (Sellersburg, IN) Metropolitan Community College (Kansas City, MO) New Mexico Junior College (Hobbs, NM) Northern Oklahoma College (Tonkawa, OK) Portland Community College (Portland, OR) San Diego State University (San Diego, CA) Shoreline Community College (Shoreline, WA) South Georgia Technical College (Americus, GA) Southwest Mississippi Community College (Summit, MS) State Fair Community College (Sedalia, MO) Stratford Career Institute (St Albans City, VT) Turtle Mountain Community College (Belcourt, ND) Alyssa Ryan, Research Editor https://www.onlinecollegeplan.com [email protected] 864-245-0751 SOURCE OnlineCollegePlan Related Links https://www.onlinecollegeplan.com Tickets for Paul Simon's Homeward Bound The Farewell Tour will go on sale beginning February 8 at 9 a.m. in Europe and February 9 at 10 a.m. in North America and the UK. The complete tour itinerary is listed below. Go to PaulSimon.com ( http://paulsimon.com ) for ticketing information as it becomes available. According to Simon, the Homeward Bound tour is a fitting culmination of a performing career that began in the early 1960s and has coincided with his artistic journey as a songwriter and recording artist until the present day. He said of this farewell tour, "I've often wondered what it would feel like to reach the point where I'd consider bringing my performing career to a natural end. Now I know: it feels a little unsettling, a touch exhilarating and something of a relief. I love making music, my voice is still strong, and my band is a tight, extraordinary group of gifted musicians. I think about music constantly. I am very grateful for a fulfilling career and, of course, most of all to the audiences who heard something in my music that touched their hearts." Having created a distinctive and beloved body of work that includes 13 studio albums, plus five studio albums as half of Simon & Garfunkel, Paul Simon is the recipient of 16 Grammy Awards, three of whichBridge over Troubled Water, Still Crazy after All These Years, and Gracelandwere Album of the Year honorees. In 2003, he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in Simon & Garfunkel, and has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. During his unparalleled career, Simon has achieved 29 Top 40 singles in the U.S. alone, with 14 of those reaching the Top 10 or higher, including "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" (which reached #1), "Kodachrome," "Loves Me Like A Rock," "Mother and Child Reunion," "Late In The Evening," "You Can Call Me Al" and many others. With Simon & Garfunkel, he wrote and performed the #1 singles, "The Sound of Silence," "Mrs. Robinson," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and numerous other timeless hits. Paul Simon is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and has been inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, both as a member of Simon & Garfunkel and as a solo artist. Simon was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2002 and was named one of Time magazine's "100 People Who Shape Our World" in 2006. In 2007, Simon was awarded the inaugural Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, which recognizes the profound and positive effect of popular music on the world's culture. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2011. And in 2012, he was named the recipient of the prestigious Polar Music Prize along with classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Simon's philanthropic work includes the co-founding of the Children's Health Fund (CHF), which donates and staffs 53 mobile medical units that bring health care to low-income children and their families in urban and rural locations around the United States. Since its inception in 1987, CHF has provided more than 3 million doctor/patient visits. Throughout his career, Simon has also raised millions of dollars for worthy causes as varied as Autism Speaks, The Nature Conservancy, CURE, Tibet House and the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation's Half-Earth Project, which is committed to stopping the species extinction crisis by conserving half the planet's lands and oceans. The Itinerary for Paul Simon's Homeward Bound The Farewell Tour is as follows: North America DATE CITY VENUE ON SALE (All Times Local) May 16 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena Fri, Feb. 9 @ 10am May 18 Seattle, WA Key Arena Fri, Feb. 9 @ 10am May 19 Portland, OR MODA Center Fri, Feb. 9 @ 10am May 22 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl Fri, Feb. 9 @ 10am May 23 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl Fri, Feb. 9 @ 10am May 25 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena Fri, Feb. 9 @ 10am May 27 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena Fri, Feb. 9 @ 10am May 30 Denver, CO Fiddler's Green Fri, Feb. 9 @ 10am June 1 Dallas, TX American Airlines Arena Fri, Feb. 9 @ 10am June 2 Houston, TX Toyota Center Fri, Feb. 9 @ 10am June 4 Austin, TX Frank Erwin Center Fri, Feb. 9 @ 10am June 6 Chicago, IL United Center Sat, Feb 10 @ 10am June 8 St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center Sat, Feb 10 @ 10am June 10 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Center Fri, Feb. 9 @ 10am June 12 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre Fri, Feb. 9 @ 12pm June 13 Montreal, QC Bell Centre Sat, Feb 10 @ 12pm June 15 Boston, MA TD Garden Sat, Feb 10 @ 10am June 16 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center Sat, Feb 10 @ 10am June 19 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum Fri, Feb. 9 @ 10am June 20 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena Sat, Feb 10 @ 10am UK & Europe DATE CITY VENUE ON SALE (All Times Local) June 30 Stockholm, SWEDEN Ericsson Globe Thu, Feb 8 @ 9am July 1 Oslo, NORWAY Spektrum Thu, Feb 8 @ 9am July 3 Copenhagen, DENMARK Royal Arena Thu, Feb 8 @ 9am July 5 Antwerp, BELGIUM Sportpaleis Thu, Feb 8 @ 10am July 7 Amsterdam, HOLLAND Ziggo Dome Fri, Feb 9 @ 11am July 10 Manchester, UK Manchester Arena Fri, Feb. 9 @ 10am July 11 Glasgow, UK SSE Hydro Fri, Feb. 9 @ 10am July 13 Dublin, IRELAND* RDS Arena Mon, Feb 12 @ 10am July 15 London, UK* Hyde Park, BST Festival On Sale Now * With Very Special Guests James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt SOURCE Paul Simon Related Links http://PaulSimon.com AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pragma Systems, a leading provider of enterprise-class remote access and SSH solutions, announces the release of its next generation of secure systems administration platform, Telemote. Telemote's launch customer is Change Healthcare, a healthcare services and IT company formed by McKesson Corporation and Change Healthcare, who adopted Pragma Telemote to provide remote support to hospitals worldwide who use the company's high-resolution imaging stations. Telemote brings full remote graphical access and high security utilizing the SSH communication layer to encrypt data and remote access to the systems management of Windows servers, desktops and embedded systems. Telemote is a comprehensive systems management platform built for the cyber security era where maximum security is needed to avoid an ever-evolving variety of hacks and threats. It is built with Pragma's FIPS, US Army Certified and Cisco UC APL tested highly secure SSH communications layers. Telemote provides six core sysadmin functions: screen access of remote machines via Telemote protocol, dashboard to manage systems, secure file transfer, remote PowerShell sessions, remote SSH command line & Microsoft RDP screen access. Telemote's advance features include high-resolution and multi-monitor support, full command line tools for task automation, multi-factor authentication, smart cards and RFC 6187 support, as well as IntelAMT BIOS level access. PowerShell remote is now fully functional with Telemote. Telemote adds a WinRM (Microsoft protocol built in within every Windows system) server and client that allows interactive applications like vi editors to run over PowerShell to edit configuration files or scripts. Alex Korolev, Senior Systems Engineer of Change Healthcare said, "Telemote has a rich feature set that met our needs for global support and sysadmin tasks of medical imaging stations we have in hospitals worldwide. Pragma is known for advanced products and we are pleased to work with them to adopt Telemote across our various groups and departments company-wide." "Pragma is known worldwide for its command line tools. Now we enter the graphical remote access market to serve our large install base who were clamoring for a secure product from us," said David Kulwin, CTO of Pragma. "Telemote was many years in the making and it will redefine how system admin products work in the industry. We have brought the maximum ease and the maximum security in Telemote. Sysadmins can install and use it in minutes," said Beth Redd, Customer Support Manager of Pragma Systems. Telemote is available in "Telemote Server" and "Telemote Viewer" packages. Telemote runs in all current Windows operating systems and has full support for Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016. Telemote is immediately available to order, and a 14-day free trial version obtained from www.pragmasys.com. About Pragma Systems Pragma Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of enterprise class remote access and secure file transfer software for Microsoft Windows platforms and is a Cisco Solution Partner & Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. Pragma is an industry leader of Secure Shell (SSH), SFTP, SCP and Telnet technologies. Pragma's SSH product line has US Army Certificate of Networthiness (CoN 201621769), FIPS 140-2, US DoD UC APL, and US Army TIC lab certifications as well as Microsoft Windows Certifications. Pragma's software products are deployed in the majority of Fortune 500 companies in the USA and over 5000 companies worldwide in 100 countries with millions of licensed nodes. To learn more, visit www.pragmasys.com. Contact: Edith H. Myers VP of Operations & Communications Pragma Systems, Inc. Phone: 512-219-7270 e-mail: [email protected] SOURCE Pragma Systems Inc Related Links https://www.pragmasys.com/ NEW YORK, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network it's easy and free. Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/queryform EXPERT ALERTS Solar Tariff Impact on Energy Grids Who Needs a Sales Funnel? The Future of Banking Lies in Customer Experience MEDIA JOBS Social Media Manager South China Morning Post (NY) Food Editor Time Out ( Abu Dhabi ) ) Digital Editor, The Future of Everything The Wall Street Journal (NY) OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES Five Questions With Zig's CEO and Co-Founder Blogger Conferences: Top Events to Attend in February Blog Profiles: Zero Waste Blogs ------------------------------------------------------------------- EXPERT ALERTS: Solar Tariff Impact on Energy Grids Dr. Alberto Lamadrid Assistant Professor of Economics Lehigh University Last week, the White House announced 30 percent tariffs on solar equipment made abroad, and the impact may not be a positive one. Renewable sources, including solar, are an important part of developing energy grids that are resilient and can recover from outages, especially with recent unprecedented natural disasters affecting infrastructure that could become the "new normal." "Slapping a tariff (on solar panels) will be detrimental to development of these microgrids," Lamadrid says. "It will increase the cost of resiliency." If the tariff slows implementation and growth of solar in the U.S., it will have not only short-term impacts but longer-term ones, as energy grids have "a long memory," he says. "This means if solar is not integrated now, that infrastructure will not be in place and may be difficult and expensive to retrofit. Making it harder to employ solar also may lead to increasing reliance on coal and natural gas, whereas diversification of power sources helps energy grids be nimbler, which helps during large disruptions. This will make recovering from large disruptions harder and more expensive. "The bottom line is slapping this kind of tariff will be a diversion of very valuable resources in terms of making the system more likely to withstand the likely impacts we will see on the system," Lamadrid says. "While tariffs of this type sometimes do provide income used to develop local industry, we'd be better off eliminating the tariff and experiencing the benefits of easier solar equipment importation." Dr. Lamadrid researches resilient microgrids, including use of renewable power sources to help grids bounce back during disasters and outages. He is part of the Integrated Networks for Electricity Research Center at Lehigh University. Bio: https://cbe.lehigh.edu/faculty-research/faculty/economics/alberto-j-lamadrid Contact: Amy White, [email protected] Who Needs a Sales Funnel? Russell Brunson Founder, CEO ClickFunnels Boise, ID How do you turn prospects into customers? It seems like a daunting problem, but the solution lies at the core of digital marketing strategy: the sales funnel. Says Brunson: "Anyone who wants to stop wasting money on marketing, branding, and websites that don't covert would benefit from a sales funnel. A great sales funnel will actually replace your current website, shopping cart, and email auto-responders with an all-in-one sales solution." Brunson is a noted entrepreneur who started his online business when he was a student and wrestler at Boise State University. With $20 and a simple idea, he sold more than a million dollars of his own products and services within a year of graduating. He has been featured on ABC, NBC, FOX News, and Entrepreneur (article: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/296526), teaching beginners how to start their own online businesses. Online Press Kit: http://clickfunnels.onlinepresskit247.com Website: https://www.clickfunnels.com Contact: Michelle Tennant, [email protected] The Future of Banking Lies in Customer Experience Steve DuPerrieu VP of Channels and Analytics Computer Services Inc. Franklin, TN The customer experience will serve as the great differentiator for banks in 2018. Says DuPerrieu: "We see a clear trend toward increasing the customer experience. [Banking executives] plan to increase spending on these experiences in 2018, with specific focuses on digital enhancements, branch transformation and a more fluid mobile banking experience." DuPerrieu can also speak about the rest of the results of CSI's 2018 Banking Priorities Study, as well as insights on digital banking innovations. He has been a contributor to CSI's thought leadership, and serves on the board of the Association for Financial Technology. Website: https://www.csiweb.com/ Contact: Phil Roulier, [email protected] **************** MEDIA JOBS: Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/ Social Media Manager South China Morning Post (NY) Food Editor Time Out ( Abu Dhabi ) ) Digital Editor, The Future of Everything The Wall Street Journal (NY) ***************** OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES: Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at [email protected] FIVE QUESTIONS WITH ZIG'S CEO AND CO-FOUNDER. With the debut of Zig, entrepreneur Joshua James wants to change the way people engage with and consume the news. Along with co-founders Adam Platzner and John Tornow, James launched the compelling new media platform earlier this month, and it's already garnering big attention. Former Vanity Fair Editor-in-Chief Graydon Carter , music producer Quincy Jones , and Live Nation are just some of the high-profile players backing the venture. For Carter, this is his first public project since leaving his post at Vanity Fair. In a recent news release, Carter says he wants to help the team how he can and believes the app "will find a wide and dedicated audience." That's likely because Zig promises to shake up the current ecosystem -- one that has delivered mixed results for publishers in the past. Read more: http://prn.to/2EspW0W wants to change the way people engage with and consume the news. Along with co-founders and John Tornow, James launched the compelling new media platform earlier this month, and it's already garnering big attention. Former Vanity Fair Editor-in-Chief , music producer , and Live Nation are just some of the high-profile players backing the venture. For Carter, this is his first public project since leaving his post at Vanity Fair. In a recent news release, Carter says he wants to help the team how he can and believes the app "will find a wide and dedicated audience." That's likely because Zig promises to shake up the current ecosystem -- one that has delivered mixed results for publishers in the past. Read more: http://prn.to/2EspW0W BLOGGER CONFERENCES: TOP EVENTS TO ATTEND IN FEBRUARY. This a monthly column of what's happening in the blog world. Here are top events to attend in the February: http://prn.to/febblogevents BLOG PROFILES: ZERO WASTE BLOGS. Each week, PR Newswire's Audience Relations team selects an industry/subject and profiles a handful of sites that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the conversation. This week, they look at a few zero waste blogs: http://prn.to/zerowasteblogs **************** PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire. To contact ProfNet: [email protected] or 800-776-3638, ext. 1 SOURCE ProfNet Related Links http://www.profnet.com COLUMBIA, S.C., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- PurePower Technologies, a leader in engineering and remanufacturing of diesel fuel injectors and turbochargers for OEMs and the aftermarket, has appointed Greg Butler as executive vice president of Operations. In this role, Butler will oversee the company's day-to-day operations, formulating policies and strategic plans for future growth, and managing all personnel, purchasing and administration functions, and will report to Jerry Sweetland, president and CEO, PurePower Technologies. Butler returns to PurePower Technologies from FN America, Columbia, S.C., where he was vice president and COO since 2013. Previously, he held increasingly responsible roles within PurePower at the company's Blythewood, S.C. manufacturing facility from 2006 2013, serving most recently as director, Engine Systems Business Unit. Earlier, Butler was a senior program manager, Manufacturing at Raytheon Technical Systems, Indianapolis, Ind., and plant manager, Owens Corning, Indianapolis, Ind. "We welcome Greg back to PurePower Technologies as he brings a wealth of operational experience to our senior leadership team," said Sweetland. "His high-energy, results-oriented approach will make him a highly effective leader at PurePower, and will serve us well as we continue on our accelerated path of continued growth." Butler earned a Bachelor of Science degree in organizational management from Oakland City University, Oakland City, Ind., and a Master's of Science degree in management from Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, Ind. About PurePower Technologies: PurePower Technologies, Inc. is the leader in engineering and remanufacturing of diesel fuel injectors and turbochargers for OEMs and the aftermarket. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the company is the authority for all precision fuel, air management, and after-treatment systems for light, medium, and heavy-duty diesel engines, having produced more than 30 million precision diesel fuel injectors since 1999. With more than 350 world-class engineers and technical specialists, PurePower offers a complete portfolio of design, engineering, manufacturing, and remanufacturing capabilities allows us to achieve levels of quality and precision that outpace the industry. For more information, visit purepowertech.com. SOURCE PurePower Technologies Related Links http://www.purepowertech.com TUCSON, Ariz., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunquest Information Systems, Inc., the leader in diagnostic informatics for laboratories, announced today it has won a 10-year tender valued at AUD $68.5 million to provision laboratory-related software solutions and services for the State of Queensland, Australia. The contemporary enterprise laboratory information system (LIS) and services will support improved care responsiveness, safety and healthcare outcomes for the millions of Queenslanders served by the state's 124 hospitals, 70 primary health centers and clinics, 17 aged care facilities and 33 extreme remote multi-purpose health services. Queensland Health performs more than 20,000 tests per day in 36 public pathology, forensic and scientific laboratories. "Together we're creating better healthcare services for Queenslanders in all areas of the state," said Keith Sturges, senior vice president of Sunquest International, Australia and New Zealand. "Over the next 10 years, we'll be working together to create world-class laboratories that deliver accurate, timely medical test results to give every patient the best chance at good health." "Our partnership with Sunquest will deliver more efficient diagnostic services and improve patient care and safety for Queenslanders," said Stuart Rodney, Chief Operating Officer at Health Support Queensland. "A contemporary laboratory information system will mean faster results and improved access to patient information, so healthcare professionals can spend more time with patients. This will ensure consistent, reliable and accurate laboratory services throughout the state that enable Queensland Health's advancement of safe, clinically effective and high-quality health services." The contract includes Sunquest's full end-to-end enterprise laboratory information system for all pathology disciplines including chemistry, hematology, microbiology, histopathology, cytology, blood transfusion and molecular. Sunquest will establish an office in Brisbane, capital of the state of Queensland. It is anticipated that more than 20 jobs will be created there. Sunquest demonstrates support for patient safety and communication with existing systems After being named Vendor of Choice from a field of seven vendors, ahead of the main contract Sunquest was required to create a working prototype to demonstrate key processes and achieve sign-off from a variety of stakeholders. The prototype, delivered in a prompt six weeks, successfully demonstrated interoperability with Queensland Health's existing systems showing Sunquest can meet Queensland's needs. The prototype was approved by all stakeholders, including clinical, laboratory, forensic, financial and IT leadership at Queensland Health. About Sunquest Information Systems Contact info: Trish Moxam Vice President, Corporate Marketing [email protected] 520-237-4024 SOURCE Sunquest Information Systems, Inc. Related Links http://www.sunquestinfo.com NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- 365 Connect, a leading provider of award-winning marketing, leasing, and resident technology platforms for the multifamily housing industry, announced today that its founder and CEO, Kerry W. Kirby, was featured for the seventh year in a row on the Silicon Bayou 100 List of the most influential leaders in technology and entrepreneurship in Louisiana. The Silicon Bayou 100 recognizes the most influential entrepreneurs and innovators in Louisiana. This prestigious accolade acknowledges Kirby's commitment to the technology community, from building one of the most highly acclaimed companies in the state to his mentorship of startups and support of educational events in the New Orleans area. His considerable achievements have made him a stand-out in the Silicon Bayou 100 List alongside other influencers across the state. Kirby stated, "I am proud to be an integral part of our technology community as much as I am honored to be recognized beside some of the most visionary entrepreneurs in our state. Together, we are transforming the economic landscape, creating opportunities for future generations to thrive, and proving that Louisiana is a hub for innovation." Kirbyis an entrepreneur, technology innovator, and the founder of New Orleans-based 365 Connect, an internationally recognized, award-winning technology firm focused in the multifamily housing industry. An acclaimed speaker, author, and technology expert, Kirby has published numerous articles, studies, and contributed to several nationally published books. He has served as a speaker and panelist at universities and conferences, in addition to appearing on various media outlets such as the BBC Digital Planet program and NPR News. Known for his passion to foster the next generation of innovators, Kirby is one of the most prominent supporters of educational events that are geared towards technology. "Louisiana, known as the Silicon Bayou, is rapidly becoming a place where entrepreneurs, innovators, and venture capitalists are making great strides in modern technology," Kirby explained. "State and local governments, economic development groups, universities, start-up accelerators, and many more are supporting entrepreneurship and high-growth companies in Louisiana like never before. I am excited to be a part of it." ABOUT SILICON BAYOU 100: The Silicon Bayou 100 is the annual list of the 100 most influential and active people in tech and entrepreneurship in Louisiana. The list is compiled by the community through an anonymous nomination process. The Silicon Bayou 100 is hosted by Silicon Bayou News, the leading start-up and technology media property in Louisiana, reaching hundreds of thousands of visitors per month from all 50 states and over 100 countries. For more information visit: www.SiliconBayouNews.com ABOUT 365 CONNECT: 365 Connect was founded in 2003 with an unwavering commitment to transforming how apartment communities market, lease, and retain residents. As a leading provider of award-winning technology platforms for the multifamily housing industry, 365 Connect delivers a fully-integrated suite of comprehensive solutions that automate marketing, simplify transactions, and serve residents after the lease is signed. The 365 Connect Resident Lifecycle Platform allows its clients infinite expansion, robust integrations, and the ability to revolutionize user experiences. Explore: www.365connect.com Related Links Like Us On Facebook Follow Us On Twitter SOURCE 365 CONNECT Related Links http://www.365connect.com A part of the Best In the Desert Racing Association off-road racing series, the Parker 425 features three laps of a rugged course through the southwestern Arizona desert. Each lap presents competitors with wide-ranging conditions, from sand washes and rough rock sections to wide-open rally roads. This year featured an added element, as the course deteriorated rapidly while a field of over 200 entries made its way around each lap. Starting fourth in a field of 11 Class 7200 V6 trucks, driver/team principal Jeff Proctor and navigator Evan Weller ran at a rapid pace on the opening lap, gaining two positions in the first 30 miles, then moving into the lead by race mile 80. After their first scheduled pit stop for fuel and rear tires, Proctor and Weller finished the first lap with a 4.5-minute lead on the field. Although the course began to deteriorate throughout the late afternoon and into the night hours, the Ridgeline continued to widen its gap over the Class 7200 field. At the end of the second lap, Proctor turned over driving duties to Pat Daily during the team's final scheduled pit stop. Daily continued to build a now substantial lead for the Ridgeline, all the while conserving equipment during a brutal third and final lap. The Honda Ridgeline Baja Race Truck crossed the finish line in a time of eight hours, 54 minutes, one hour and 15 minutes ahead of the second-place Class 7200 truck. Powered by a twin-turbocharged V6 produced by Honda Performance Development, the Ridgeline Baja Race Truck features a body designed by Honda R&D Americas' Los Angeles Design Studio, with inspiration taken from the current Honda Ridgeline, which was also designed and developed by Honda R&D North Americas. Key design cues drawn from the 2017 Honda Ridgeline can be seen in the front fascia, hood, roof, bed and side profile. Making approximately 550 horsepower, HPD's 3.5-liter HR35TT engine uses the same block, cylinder heads and crankshaft as the production V6 engine that powers the all-new Ridgeline. Additional, custom elements of the powertrain include an HPD-designed intake plenum and custom Engine Control Unit programming. Photos and information from the Ridgeline Baja Race Truck efforts at the Parker 425 can be viewed on Instagram at @hondaoffroadracing and @proctor_race. Honda Racing/HPD news and reports can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/HondaRacing_HPD and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HondaRacingHPD. Jeff Proctor (team owner/driver Ridgeline Baja Race Truck) started 4th, finished 1st in Class 7200 Unlimited V6 Trucks: "It feels so good to get a win for this Honda Ridgeline team at our season opener. We are so excited to bring this one home for the team." Pat Dailey (team manager, driver Ridgeline Baja Race Truck): "I couldn't be more proud of this entire team, their effort and commitment to earn a win. Now, the team is now focused on the [next round in the team's 2018 schedule] 50th anniversary of the Mint 400, on March 10th in Las Vegas." SOURCE Honda Racing/HPD ATLANTA, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ROI Healthcare Solutions, LLC In the healthcare IT services industry, hundreds of well-known vendors saturate the market with promises of quality, efficiency, reliable systems, and business value. Healthcare providers are charged with sifting through vendor options to find the best fit, based on their unique business goals. Many will leverage independent rankings and insights from third-party organizations like KLAS Research to provide valid and verifiable input. Within KLAS, over 80 product and services categories are evaluated every year and vendors are ranked based on anonymous customer reviews and healthcare industry demand. Effective January 30, KLAS Research has announced Best in KLAS and Category Leader winners for 2018. The President of KLAS has this to say about the noteworthy honor: "Category Leader is more than a ranking. It is a recognition of vendors committed to delivering superior solutions," said Adam Gale, President of KLAS. "It gives voice to thousands of providers who are demanding better performance, usability, and interoperability in healthcare technology." ROI Healthcare Solutions has officially been named 2018 Category Leader for Business Solutions Implementation Services. With a score of 96.6, ROI debuted as #1 this year based on candid anonymous customer reviews, such as "ROI Healthcare Solutions provides top-notch service. Their people are trusted advisers and continue to exceed our expectations." (Director, October 2017) Detailed vendor ranking and additional insights are available within the newly released 2018 Best in KLAS Awards: Software & Services report (Page 93). ROI leadership recognizes how critical each team member (Consultant) has been across various clients, resulting in this recognition. Passion, years of industry experience, deep technology expertise, and commitment to quality and delivery excellence are key differentiators for ROI, that consistently drive on-time, on-budget delivery of advisory, implementation, and optimization services projects (e.g., implementation of Infor's Healthcare ERP solution). According to ROI's President & Managing Partner, Jim Jancik, "I have always recognized KLAS as the independent authority for evaluating healthcare IT organizations since provider organizations trust their advice as credible. ROI is thrilled to join this community of Category Leaders for Business Solutions Implementation Services; this is a great honor for our organization and one that we will continue to work hard to earn every day." According to Bill Starks, Partner of ERP Services: "ROI's Infor practice is made up of some of the most talented Consultants I have ever worked with. They earned this award. They work shoulder to shoulder with our clients to implement and configure finance, supply management, HCM, and BI technology in a way that creates short-term and long-term success. Congrats to our team for the great work and thank you to our clients for sharing your experience with us via KLAS." About KLAS Research KLAS is a research firm on a global mission to improve healthcare delivery by enabling providers and payers to be heard and counted. Working with thousands of healthcare professionals, KLAS gathers insights on software, services and medical equipment to deliver timely reports, trending data and statistical overviews. KLAS data is accurate, honest and impartial. The research directly represents the voice of healthcare professionals and acts as a catalyst for improving vendor performance. To learn more about KLAS and the insights we provide, visit www.KLASresearch.com. *Selected commentary collected about ROI Healthcare Solutions by KLAS October 2017. For a complete view visit www.klasresearch.com About ROI Healthcare Solutions ROI Healthcare Solutions is a national, privately-held healthcare IT consulting firm that provides advisory & optimization, implementation, staffing, and support services to our clients, to help them drive clinical, financial and operational success. ROI is unique to competitors in the market, as we are a niche firm with very deep technology and operational expertise in the healthcare industry. Our team members are specialized and doing what they are great at and what they are passionate about. Our best practice methodologies guide our activities, our customers are referenceable, and our ability to deliver on time, on budget is consistent. Founded in 1999 in Atlanta, Georgia, ROI offers industry-centric project management, consulting services, ERP services (national Infor alliance partner), and healthcare IT system offerings. Our leadership is committed to delivering quality services with highly engaged team members to clients who appreciate long-term partnerships. Visit us at https://roihs.com. Contact: Danielle Watson ROI Healthcare Solutions Vice President, Marketing & Sales Operations + 1 678 270 2867 [email protected] Related Links This is ROI: Our Message Video Best in KLAS Report 2018: Software & Services SOURCE KLAS Research NEW YORK, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global law firm Ropes & Gray today announced that Filko Prugo, M.S., J.D., has joined its New York office as partner and chair of the firm's life sciences intellectual property litigation practice. Mr. Prugo, renowned for his understanding of life sciences patent issues, is a first-chair litigator and a nationally recognized practitioner of Hatch-Waxman Act and Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA) matters. Ropes & Gray's IP practices are thriving, and Mr. Prugo's arrival follows the recent addition of Scott McKeown, who joined Ropes & Gray in August 2017 as a partner in the firm's Washington, D.C. office and chair of the firm's Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) practice. The addition of Mr. Prugo will especially benefit Ropes & Gray's clients in the pharmaceutical and biologics space. He brings a solid foundation in chemistry and biotechnology, along with 20 years of experience representing the world's leading biopharmaceutical companies. Mr. Prugo has been extensively involved in all aspects of contested patent matters, and is among a handful of attorneys who have argued before all three patent venues of importance to life sciences clients in the United States: federal district courts for Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) litigation, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Mr. Prugo has led more than 20 litigation trial teams in his career. He has successfully tried and won cases in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware on behalf of Novartis and Sanofi Genzyme. He also argued a pair of IPR proceedings on behalf of Sanofi Genzymethe first relating to marketed biologicsand he recently helped obtain favorable settlements on behalf of AstraZeneca in Hatch-Waxman litigations and IPRs involving a hormone-dependent breast cancer treatment. He joins Ropes & Gray from O'Melveny & Myers LLP, where he was partner and co-founder of the firm's Hatch-Waxman and BPCIA practice. "Filko's significant ANDA litigation experience, winning litigation record and deep understanding of both chemistry and biotechnology will benefit our life sciences clients immediately," said Andrew Thomases, head of Ropes & Gray's IP litigation practice. "We are excited to welcome him to the firm." "Our focus has been to grow Ropes & Gray in New York and to provide the highest-quality counsel to our clients," said Eva Carman, co-managing partner of Ropes & Gray's New York office. "Filko's energy and experience are a perfect combination for the firm and to further our efforts here." Mr. Prugo has been widely recognized for his excellence in patent litigation, including in The Legal 500 US, LMG Life Sciences and, most recently, in the 2017 edition of Who's Who Legal: Patents. He is also a frequent speaker on developments in patent law, specifically as they concern Hatch-Waxman and BPCIA litigation. A registered patent attorney with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Mr. Prugo received his J.D. from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Canada, an M.S. in biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University (2017), and a B.S. (with first-class honors) in chemistry from York University in Toronto. He is a member of the Pharma & Biotech Committee of the Intellectual Property Owners Association. "When the opportunity to join Ropes & Gray in a leadership position presented itself, it seemed like a natural next step," Mr. Prugo said. "My extensive chemistry and biotech patent litigation experience nicely complements the firm's strong focus on the life sciences industry." About Ropes & Gray Ropes & Gray's intellectual property practice combines a sophisticated understanding of the latest legal developments with cutting-edge technical and scientific knowledge to offer an all-inclusive suite of IP services. The firm's global IP work covers a wide range of industries, including life sciences, technology and media, retail and consumer, private equity and financial services, and health care and education. In the highly competitive world of intellectual property, Ropes & Gray's IP attorneys are regularly recognized for their legal acumen by Chambers, The Legal 500, Managing Intellectual Property, Intellectual Asset Management and other national and global publications. The firm was also recognized by U.S. News & World Report as 2017 "Law Firm of the Year" for patent law. Ropes & Gray is a preeminent global law firm with more than 1,200 lawyers and legal professionals serving clients in major centers of business, finance, technology and government. The firm has offices in New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Chicago, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo and Seoul, and has consistently been recognized for its leading practices in many areas, including private equity, M&A, finance, investment management, hedge funds, real estate, tax, antitrust, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, litigation & enforcement, privacy & cybersecurity and business restructuring. www.ropesgray.com CONTACT: Eric Goldman Senior Public Relations Specialist Ropes & Gray [email protected] +1 212 596 9089 SOURCE Ropes & Gray Related Links http://www.ropesgray.com RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Rose Center for Public Leadership, jointly operated by the National League of Cities (NLC) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI), is working this week with Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney to advise the city on synthesizing and implementing a shared vision for Shockoe Bottom. The City of Richmond seeks to leverage existing investments in the area and honor its history to create a new destination district that supports the protection of its cultural and historic heritage, goals for economic development, and environmental sustainability. "We are excited to welcome this team of national experts who are generously donating their time to help us explore the exciting possibilities and unique opportunities in this part of our city," said Mayor Levar Stoney. "Our goal is to find ways to protect and honor the significant historical nature of this area while promoting its growth and opportunity given environmental challenges. By creating partnerships and working together, we are poised to find a solution that will create a compelling destination for our residents and our visitors." One of the city's oldest neighborhoods, Shockoe Bottom is a 129-acre district within the Shockoe Valley just east of downtown along the James River between Shockoe Hill and Church Hill. Much of the district has been razed and paved over; the tunneled Shockoe Creek beneath it is also a combined sanitary and storm sewer conveyance. But there has been significant investment in Shockoe Bottom in the last two decades, including: The renovation of Historic Main Street Station An archeological dig at the Lumpkin's Jail site (once the nation's second-largest slave holding facility) The Richmond Slave Trail (a self-guided walking trail of the history of the movement of enslaved Africans to and through Richmond ) ) The City of Richmond has enlisted the Smith Group JJR to lead partnership efforts to develop a museum at the Lumpkin's Jail site. Shockoe Bottom features numerous surface parking lots and vacant storefronts. Property owners are reluctant to develop or are asking for higher sales prices than the market will currently bear. Much of the district still lies within the FEMA 100- and 500-year flood plains, making sustainable infrastructure an important (and potentially costly) consideration for any future development. With a history of several unrealized efforts to revitalize the district, the Stoney administration has asked the Rose Center to help it find a way forward that balances community interest in the preservation of its historical sites while creating a viable economic platform to create growth and opportunity that can help fund the infrastructure needed to support all types of development in the district. "Through nine years of work with other large cities on their development strategies, the Rose Center has developed some familiarity with the complexity of urban development," said Jess Zimbabwe, Founding Director of the Rose Center. "We hope to bring that expertise to help the City find an approach in Shockoe Bottom that responds to the community's interests, market conditions, sensitive environmental implications, demand for economic growth and new housing development, and the need to preserve and tell the story of these historical sites for future generations." The Rose Center's mission is to encourage and support excellence in land use decision-making by providing public officials with access to information, best practices, peer networks, and other resources to foster creative, efficient, practical, and sustainable land use policies. Each year, the center's Daniel Rose Fellowship program invites the mayors of four large U.S. cities to select a team with land use decision-making authority to receive technical assistance on a local land use challenge. This year's fellowship class is from the cities of Columbus, Ohio; Richmond, Virginia; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Tucson, Arizona. "Local leadership is critical to achieving revitalization that meets the needs of residents and leads to better economic outcomes," said Clarence E. Anthony, CEO and executive director of the National League of Cities (NLC). "We look forward to working with Mayor Stoney through the Rose Center to help Richmond meet its goals and ultimately create a new destination district for the city." "The Rose Center has an excellent track record of helping cities reinvent themselves to be more vibrant, livable and successful," said Urban Land Institute Americas Chief Executive Officer Ralph Boyd. "Shockoe Bottom is a treasured part of Richmond's heritage and identity, and we look forward to working with the city on ways to revive this area. We're confident that together, we can come up with solutions that provide an economic boost through new employment opportunities, and which ultimately benefit all residents of the community." Mayor Stoney's team includes his designated Rose Fellows: City Councilmember Cynthia Newbille; Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Operations Robert Steidel; and Jane Ferrara, Chief Operating Officer for the Department of Economic & Community Development; who are assisted by project manager Ellyn Parker, Public Art Coordinator at the Department of Planning & Development Review. They will be joined by a panel of visiting experts assigned assembled by the Rose Center. The panel will be co-chaired by the Richmond Rose Fellowship team's faculty advisers: Andre Brumfield, Principal & Design Director for Global Planning + Urban Design at Gensler in Chicago; and Colleen Carey, President of The Cornerstone Group in Minneapolis. The panel will include Rose Fellows from the other three cities in this year's class: Michael Akerlow, CEO of the Community Development Corporation of Utah; Daniel Bursuck, a lead planner for the City of Tucson's Planning & Development Services Department; and Brent Sobczak, President of CASTO Communities in Columbus. Rounding out the panel are subject matter experts Karen Abrams, Program Officer for Equitable Development at The Heinz Endowments in Pittsburgh; Lisa Beyer, Senior Design Associate at Alta Planning + Design in Oakland, California; Christopher Coes, Director of LOCUS: Responsible Real Estate Developers and Investors at Smart Growth America in Washington, D.C.; Martine Combal, Vice President for Public Institutions at JLL in Washington, D.C.; Bryan C. Lee, Jr., Director of Design at Colloqate in New Orleans; Federico Maisch, a technical consultant in civil engineering and hydraulics from the Chicago area; and Ashley Wilson, the Graham Gund Architect at the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, D.C. Mayor Stoney and his team will brief the panel, who will then tour the district and meet with community representatives and advocates, business and civic leaders, and other stakeholders to share their local knowledge and perspectives. Drawing upon their professional expertise and experience, the panelists will apply the information gathered during the study visit and present recommendations for how the city, its partners and stakeholders can achieve their goals. Richmond's expenses to participate in the programincluding the panel's visitare underwritten by the Rose Center to ensure objectivity during the process. NOTE TO EDITORS AND REPORTERS: Representatives of the Rose Center will be making a public presentation with preliminary findings and recommendations from 9-11 a.m. EST on Thursday, February 8 at Main Street Station, 1500 E. Main St., on the second floor. The Daniel Rose Fellowship is the flagship program of the Rose Center, established in 2008 by the ULI Foundation Governor Daniel Rose. The purpose of the program is to provide city leaders with the insights, peer-to-peer learning, and analysis needed to successfully improve their cities. The fellowship's program of work includes a study tour of another U.S. or foreign city, working retreats at NLC's and ULI's national conferences, and study visits to each of the four fellowship cities. The cities of Anchorage, Alaska; Austin, Texas; Birmingham, Ala.; Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; Denver; Detroit; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Hartford, Conn.; Honolulu; Houston; Indianapolis; Kansas City, Mo.; Long Beach, Calif.; Louisville, Ky.; Memphis, Tenn.; Minneapolis; Nashville, Tenn.; Oakland, Calif.; Omaha, Neb.; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Pittsburgh; Portland, Ore.; Providence, R.I.; Rochester, N.Y.; Sacramento, Calif.; San Jose, Calif.; Seattle; Tacoma, Wash.; Tampa, Fla.; and Washington, D.C. have participated in the previous eight years of the program. About the National League of Cities The National League of Cities (NLC) is dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans. About the Urban Land Institute The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the institute has 40,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines. For more information, please visit uli.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. SOURCE National League of Cities Related Links www.nlc.org CARY, N.C., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- After decades of collaboration, Belfius has expanded its relationship with SAS to build and execute its digital strategy. Fueling innovation with data will help Belfius become the bank of the future and the leader in customer experience. Belfius is the fastest-growing financial institute in Belgium when it comes to mobile activity, and it has garnered a huge amount of data. As Geert Van Mol, Chief Digital Officer at Belfius Bank & Insurance, stated at the 2017 SAS Forum Belux, "These data are the starting point of the next wave of innovations. Using data for innovation will be a long and never-ending journey, which starts with the centralization and integration of all these data, while continuing to focus on customer experience. The most rewarding projects that will turn data into additional revenue are yet to come, but they will make a huge difference." The SAS Platform will be the foundation helping Belfius speed up innovation and accomplish these projects. Spanning data management, exploration and visualization, predictive analytics capabilities and governance, SAS will allow Belfius to turn data from anywhere in the organization into valuable insights that can be used in multiple domains like sales, risk management and marketing. The SAS Platform, and its SAS Viya capabilities such as embedded artificial intelligence and integration with open source, will allow Belfius to combine speed and governance while also focusing on superior customer experience. Anne-Marie Glineur, Chief Data Officer at Belfius explains this next step in the relationship: "We believe in SAS as a strong ally. Not just because of their decades of experience in analytics and data management, but also because SAS keeps investing in the newest technologies. They also reflect with us about how we can face current and future challenges to stay competitive in a rapidly changing environment." SAS will also help Belfius comply with the General Data Protection Regulation in a more industrialized way by centrally managing and processing data from all types of environments. "We look forward to taking the relationship we've built with Belfius over the years to the next level, not just as a software supplier, but as a true innovation collaborator," says Jeroen Van Godtsenhoven, Managing Director of SAS Belgium and Luxembourg. "The key to its success is our shared DNA. Both Belfius and SAS believe customer experience is crucial. In today's world of hyper-personalization and customer care you can't win without capitalizing on data and analytics through machine learning and artificial intelligence. SAS will help Belfius to serve its customers in the best way." About Belfius Bank Belfius Bank & Insurance is a well-established bank and insurance provider with a local focus. It operates in Belgium in three main areas: retail and commercial banking, financial services for the public and corporate sectors and insurance. Supported by 150 years of experience in the public sector and 50 years in retail banking, Belfius Banque et Assurances is wholly owned by the Belgian Government via the Federal Holding and Investment Company (SFPI). About SAS SAS is the leader in analytics. Through innovative software and services, SAS empowers and inspires customers around the world to transform data into intelligence. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW. SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright 2018 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved. SOURCE SAS Related Links http://www.sas.com ERLANGEN, Germany, February 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- From February 5-9 , Siemens will present concrete solutions for ways that companies and investors can shape the digital future. Digitalization opens up huge potential for small and mid-sized companies in the manufacturing industry - with productivity gains of up to 10 percent. In the energy and infrastructure markets, efficiency gains are used to attain a large degree of sustainability. These efforts will require extensive investments, which are made easier with innovative financing solutions like pay-per-outcome financing, software financing and project financing. During the opening session of Siemens Finance Week in the Siemens Technology and Application Center in Erlangen, about 60 decision-makers from small- and medium-sized enterprises learned about the potential of digitalization and ways that new, customer-centric business models can be introduced with the help of financing solutions. The Company Barometer prepared by the German Chambers of Commerce and Industry shows that 68 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises in Germany see opportunities for new digital business models. The optimization potential is enormous: In the manufacturing industry alone, according to the results of a Siemens Financial Services white paper, productivity can be boosted by up to 10 percent through continued digitalization. Figures from the United Nations Committee on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) indicate that this would amount to business volume of approx. 650 billion globally and 60 billion in Germany. "Digitalization is having an increasingly direct impact on companies: New business models are being continuously developed, product cycles are shrinking and investment needs are growing," said Roland Chalons-Browne, CEO of Siemens Financial Services (SFS). "These changes mean that access to financing is becoming a critical factor in business success, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. We help companies in all Siemens markets make the right investment decisions as they work to position themselves in this complex and dynamic market environment." Veronika Bienert, CFO of SFS, served as the moderator of the event in Erlangen and summed up the discussion this way: "Particularly in the manufacturing industry, the combination of technology and financing expertise is becoming an increasingly important factor in companies' ability to make quick, targeted investment decisions and thereby ensure their own competitiveness over the long term. This is exactly what SFS makes possible with its many years of experience in Germany and around the globe." SFS has provided numerous financing solutions that have facilitated new digital business models and sustainable investments in technology. The program of Siemens Finance Week includes a presentation about a manufacturer financing program for ASM Assembly Systems GmbH & Co. KG. The Munich-based producer of placement systems provides its customers with a tailored financing program put together with the help of SFS. The program enables small and medium-sized companies in various high-tech industries to increase their use of digitalization - with the help of Siemens technologies. SFS is providing commercial finance solutions for digitalization projects at small and medium-sized enterprises in 14 international markets. These customers include the small company Betrancourt in Picardie, France. SFS helped digitize their development work in aviation and aerospace. The Install Group, a company based in Khabarovsk, Russia, has used SFS financing solutions to modernize a number of its metal-processing facilities. At the automotive supplier ASR Industries of India, a financing solution provided by SFS facilitated the expansion and automation of production capacities. Chin Fong Machineries Ltd. of China used a SFS solution to optimize working capital and cash flow as a way of improving its working relationship with distributors. Join our Live Session summarizing the event on Monday, February 5, 2018, 15:45pm CET, via Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/siemens_SFS You will find additional real-time updates on Finance Week on Twitter, hashtag #FinanceWeek, as well as on http://www.siemens.com/financeweek Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/siemens_press Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for 170 years. The company is active around the globe, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world's largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is a leading supplier of efficient power generation and power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. The company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment - such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems - and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2017, which ended on September 30, 2017, Siemens generated revenue of 83.0 billion and net income of 6.2 billion. At the end of September 2017, the company had around 377,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at: http://www.siemens.com. Contact for journalists: Hartmut Hubner Tel.:+49 89 636-34183; E-mail: [email protected] SOURCE Siemens Financial Services GmbH MUNICH, February 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- From February 5-9 , discussions about the role that financing plays in digitalization and sustainability will be held each day Events in Erlangen ( Feb. 5 / small and medium-sized enterprises and digitalization), Dubai ( Feb. 7 / the sustainable energy industry) and New York ( Feb. 8 / infrastructure for cities) Online topic days with a new study on hurdles to investment in digitalization ( Feb. 6 ) and the implementation of sustainable projects in challenging regions ( Feb. 9 ) All information will be provided in real time on Twitter under the hashtag #FinanceWeek - including a Twitter Periscope live stream from Erlangen, Germany , on Monday, February 5, 2018 , 15:45pm CET : http://www.twitter.com/siemens_SFS During the week of February 5-9, Siemens is exploring a core topic each day that companies can use to add new momentum to the digital transformation and the transition to increased sustainability: The week began on Monday, February 5, with a podium discussion in Erlangen about financing models for the future of manufacturing. On Tuesday, February 6, discussions will tackle the challenges associated with the digital transformation. In addition, a new study containing a specific plan for introducing Industryie 4.0 in small and medium-sized enterprises will be presented. On Wednesday, February 7, the Siemens Finance Week will make a stop in Dubai to discuss how the future of energy production can be achieved. On Thursday, February 8, it will move to New York where discussion partners will talk about ways that investors can help cities achieve sustainable growth. The week will be concluded on Friday with answers to the question regarding how financing expertise can help bring complex and dynamic projects to fruition around the world. You will find real-time updates about Siemens Finance Week on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/siemens_SFS / hashtag #FinanceWeek as well as on http://www.siemens.com/financeweek Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for 170 years. The company is active around the globe, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world's largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is a leading supplier of efficient power generation and power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. The company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment - such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems - and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2017, which ended on September 30, 2017, Siemens generated revenue of 83.0 billion and net income of 6.2 billion. At the end of September 2017, the company had around 377,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at: http://www.siemens.com. Werner-von-Siemens-Strasse 1 Siemens AG 80333 Munich Communications Head: Clarissa Haller Germany Press Release No.: PR2018020145FSDE Contact for journalists: Hartmut Hubner Tel.:+49-89-636-34183; E-mail: [email protected] Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/siemens_press SOURCE Siemens Financial Services PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. (NYSE: IPOA) (the "Company") today announced that it will host an informal event for investors on Thursday, February 8, 2018. At around 5:15 p.m. EST, the Company will discuss general trends in the global technology sector. Investors who wish to access the live discussion can find dial-in information and related materials on the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at www.socialcapitalhedosophiaholdings.com. A recording of the Company's discussion will be available on the Company's website until March 8, 2018. The Company also announced today that Jacqueline Reses and Dr. James Ryans were appointed to its Board of Directors, effective February 5, 2018. Dr. Ryans will serve as the Chairman of the Board's Audit Committee and as a member of the Board's Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Ms. Reses has served as Square Capital Lead and People Lead of Square, Inc. since October 2015 and February 2016, respectively. From September 2012 to October 2015, Ms. Reses, served as Chief Development Officer of Yahoo! Inc. In this role, she focused on developing partnerships, acquisitions and investments, significant corporate and tax transactions, as well as recruiting, operations and people leadership. Prior to joining Yahoo, Ms. Reses led the U.S. media group as a Partner at Apax Partners Worldwide LLP, a global private equity firm, which she joined in 2001. Ms. Reses previously served on the board of directors of Alibaba Group Holding Limited and is currently on the board of National Public Radio and the Economic Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Ms. Reses holds a BS in Economics with honors from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Ryans has been a professor of accounting at London Business School since 2016. From July 2012 until May 2016, Dr. Ryans was an accounting instructor at the University of California Berkeley while he undertook doctoral studies. From June 2003 to June 2011, Dr. Ryans served in various senior management roles at Chelsea Rhone LLC and its affiliate HealthCap RRG, a mutual insurer providing commercial liability insurance to the long-term care industry, most recently as Director of Investments. From August 1999 until June 2001, Dr. Ryans was a Consultant and Senior Consultant at Deloitte & Touche. Dr. Ryans currently serves on the board of Groundspeed Analytics, Inc., an insurance data analytics provider. Dr. Ryans is a CFA charterholder and holds a Ph.D. in business administration (accounting) from the University of California Berkeley, an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan, and a B.A.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Waterloo. About Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. is a blank check company formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. focuses its search for a target business operating in the technology industries. Forward-Looking Statements This press release, and the discussion referenced above and other oral and written statements by the Company, may contain statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this press release and the discussion referenced above including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "possible," "potential," "seek" and variations thereof and similar words and expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance, but reflect management's current beliefs, based on information currently available. A number of factors could cause actual events, performance or results to differ materially from the events, performance and results discussed in the forward-looking statements. For information identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors section of the Company's securities filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The Company's securities filings can be accessed on the EDGAR section of the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Except as expressly required by applicable securities law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact: Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. [email protected] SOURCE Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. Related Links http://www.socialcapitalhedosophiaholdings.com Master Paintings & Sculpture Day Sale Total: $8.2 million Our Masters Week auctions concluded last Friday morning with the Master Paintings & Sculpture Day Sale. The auction was led by Jacopo Zucchi's 16th-century Portrait Of A Young Lady In An Embroidered Dress And Pearls, which sold for $567,000 more than four times its pre-sale high estimate (estimate $80/120,000). Master Paintings Evening Sale Total: $48.4 million Thursday's evening sale was led by an impressive pair of Venetian views by Canaletto, which sold for $4.2 million (estimate $3/4 million). Most likely completed in England in the 1740s, the pair offers waterfront views of two of the most recognizable facades in La Serenissima: the Church of the Redentore and the Prisons of San Marco. While there are other known views of the Church of the Redentore by Canaletto, the present view of the Prisons of San Marco is a unique composition for the artist of which no other version is known. The Line of Beauty: Drawings from the Collection of Howard and Saretta Barnet Total: $11.6 Million Assembled over some 40 years by the New York couple Howard and Saretta Barnet, this superb collection told the story of five centuries of the art of drawing in Western Europe. The auction's total of $11.6 million far outstripped its high estimate of $7.2 million, demonstrating the exceptional quality, beauty and market appeal for the Barnets' collection. The dedicated sale was led by Samuel Palmer's A Church With A Boat And Sheep from circa 1831, which achieved $2.4 million nearly seven times its high estimate of $350,000, and a new world auction record for the artist. The Otto Naumann Sale Total: $6.2 Million Wednesday's auctions concluded with a dedicated evening sale of property from the gallery and private collection of Otto Naumann, the preeminent dealer of Old Master and 19th Century paintings who is regarded as one of the most respected figures in the international art scene. Offering a supreme assortment of Dutch, Flemish, Italian, Spanish and British paintings spanning the 16th through the 19th centuries, the auction totaled $6.2 million surpassing its high estimate of $5.2 million. The sale established new auction records for eight artists, including benchmark prices for James Drummond, Denys Calvaert and Giovanni Bilivert. Old Master Drawings including the Collection of Professor Egbert Haverkamp-Begemann Total: $5.2 Million The various-owner sale of Old Master Drawings was anchored by the collection of the late Egbert Haverkamp-Begemann, the long-standing and much revered professor of the History of Art at New York University's Institute of Fine Arts. The collection totaled $1.5 million nearly double its high estimate and was led by Karel van Mander the Elder's record-breaking The Repentance of Zacchaeus the Tax Collector, a beautifully-preserved example of late 16th-century Dutch Mannerist draughtsmanship that sold for $387,000 (estimate $60/80,000). About Sotheby's Sotheby's has been uniting collectors with world-class works of art since 1744. Sotheby's became the first international auction house when it expanded from London to New York (1955), the first to conduct sales in Hong Kong (1973), India (1992) and France (2001), and the first international fine art auction house in China (2012). Today, Sotheby's presents auctions in 10 different salesrooms, including New York, London, Hong Kong and Paris, and Sotheby's BidNow program allows visitors to view all auctions live online and place bids from anywhere in the world. Sotheby's offers collectors the resources of Sotheby's Financial Services, the world's only full-service art financing company, as well as the collection advisory services of its subsidiary, Art Agency, Partners. Sotheby's presents private sale opportunities in more than 70 categories, including S|2, the gallery arm of Sotheby's Global Fine Art Division, and two retail businesses, Sotheby's Diamonds and Sotheby's Wine. Sotheby's has a global network of 80 offices in 40 countries and is the oldest company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (BID). Browse sale catalogues, view original content, stream live auctions and more at www.sothebys.com, and through Sotheby's apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, Apple TV and Amazon Fire New York | +1 212 606 7176 | Darrell Rocha | [email protected]| Amanda Bass | [email protected] | SOURCE Sotheby's Related Links http://www.sothebys.com 08:53 Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday lashed out at the BJP and the RSS for "divisive politics", and said if the current government is not ousted, it would be harmful for the country. Yadav addressed a rally organised by his party in Mumbai. "First, this government came to power by fooling the masses with a false promise of depositing Rs 15 lakh in everyone's account. And after taking over the reins, it has indulged in divisive politics and is raking up communal issues so that people forget the issues of unemployment, starvation, farmer suicides," he said. The government, guided by the RSS, is trying to distort the tenets of Constitution, he said. "It is trying to create a divide between Hindus and Muslims, between castes. This is harmful, and we know how to deal with it. We will dethrone these people in 2019 and 2022," Yadav said, referring to the next Lok Sabha and Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, respectively. "During 5-year term as chief minister, I got built roads where even an Air Force plane can land, and no other state including Maharashtra could do this despite having better financial resources," Yadav said. Referring to the BJP-led Maharashtra government's decision to build a grand memorial of warrior king Shivaji in the Arabian Sea, Yadav said when his party comes back to power in UP, it will create a grand park in Shivaji's name, spread over thousands of acres. The BJP-led governments in both Maharashtra and UP have miserably failed in tackling farmers' issues, and loan waivers are empty assurances, the SP leader said. "I fail to understand why farmers in a financially sound state like Maharashtra are continuing to commit suicide The same trend is now seen in Uttar Pradesh too," Yadav said. Narendra Modi government's demonetisation was a "complete failure", the former UP chief minister said. "GST and demonetisation have been duds. Corruption and black money still prevail. If you (the government) think that it (demonetisation) worked, then I suggest you repeat it once again. Perhaps it will work better this time," he quipped. Yadav also said he still have doubts about the electronic voting machines, and will continue to back the paper ballot system. "When an out-of-order EVM can be repaired, then can it it not be tampered with?" he asked. -- PTI "We can't wait to bring Soylent to stores and offices across New York so the millions of busy, on-the-go New Yorkers who are skipping meals or making unhealthy food choices have a better alternative," said Soylent CEO Bryan Crowley. "Jerry Reda and the entire Big Geyser team have already been invaluable collaborators, and I know they share our passion for providing complete, convenient meals that fuel people's days." "Soylent has done a fantastic job of building its eCommerce business, and we're excited to help them achieve that same success with our retail partners in New York," says Big Geyser COO Jerry Reda. "This truly innovative meal replacement line is a great addition to our portfolio of brands, and we all look forward to the success we'll share together." Soylent made its retail debut in July 2017 with a group of 7-Eleven stores in the Greater Los Angeles Area. The Company's breakneck sales pace has led to expansions in more than 1,000 locations across Los Angeles, the Bay Area, as well as the Greater Austin, Seattle, and Portland areas. The Company also signed distribution partnerships with Broadline Distributing and Austin Provisions for the Greater Los Angeles and Austin Areas, respectively. Soylent is on a mission to eliminate food voids for consumers everywhere, and its line of products are engineered from the ground-up to provide the vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and protein that the body needs - all in a convenient, ready-to-drink package. For additional information on retail locations go to https://www.soylent.com/stores/. About Soylent Soylent is a pioneer in food technology, producing healthy, functional foods that are good for the body and the planet. In 2013, Founder & Executive Chairman Rob Rhinehart developed the first iteration in his kitchen after recognizing the need for a simpler, more efficient food source. Soylent leverages science and technology to provide complete, convenient, sustainable nutrition to the world. Available at Soylent.com, on Amazon, and in select retail locations, Soylent's innovative products include Original Powder and 14oz Ready-to-Drink bottles available in Original, Cacao, Cafe Coffiest, Cafe Vanilla, and Cafe Chai. The Company is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. For more information, visit www.soylent.com. About Big Geyser: Big Geyser has been building brands in New York since 1986 and has a distribution footprint of over 25,000 doors, servicing accounts in all channels of trade throughout the 5 boroughs of NYC, Westchester, Putnam, Nassau and Suffolk counties. Founded by Irving Hershkowitz, a legend in the New York beverage world, Big Geyser started as a small operation and has transformed into one of the largest distributors of premium non-alcoholic beverages and snacks in the country. For more information about Big Geyser, please visit www.biggeyser.com. SOURCE Soylent Related Links https://www.soylent.com Company invites individual and institutional investors as well as advisors to attend interactive real-time virtual VirtualInvestorConferences.com VISALIA, Calif., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Suncrest Bank (OTCQX: SBKK), based in California, focused on banking, announced that Mr. Ciaran McMullan, President/CEO, will present live at VirtualInvestorConferences.com on February 8, 2018. DATE: Thursday, February 8, 2018 TIME: 11:30 AM EST LINK: https://tinyurl.com/0218prepr This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time - both in the presentation hall as well as the association's "virtual trade booth." If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an on-demand archive will be available for 90 days. It is recommended that investors pre-register and run the online system check to save time and receive event updates. Learn more about the event at www.VirtualInvestorConferences.com. Recent Company Highlights Record net income for 2017 of $4.7 million (1) , up 170.4% over the prior year , up 170.4% over the prior year Diluted full year EPS of $0.65 (1) , up 91.2% over the prior year , up 91.2% over the prior year Return on average assets of 0.96% (1) compared to 0.54% for the prior year compared to 0.54% for the prior year Return on average equity of 7.85 % (1) compared to 4.19% for the prior year compared to 4.19% for the prior year Efficiency Ratio of 59.32% compared to 76.66% for the prior year Organic growth in total assets of $81.3 million or 18.2% over the prior year or 18.2% over the prior year Organic growth in total deposits of $77.9 million , or 20.0% over the prior year , or 20.0% over the prior year Organic growth in total non-maturity deposits (2) of $93.0 million , or 30.5% over the prior year of , or 30.5% over the prior year Organic growth in total loans of $45.9 million , or 14.9% over the prior year , or 14.9% over the prior year New loan originations (3) of over $110 million with average commitment size of approximately $600,000 of over with average commitment size of approximately Merger with Community Business Bank is expected to close in the second quarter of 2018 and is subject to the customary closing conditions 1 Excludes one-time impact of tax expense associated with the "Tax Act" 2 Non-interest bearing demand, NOW, Savings and Money Market 3 Includes unfunded commitments About Suncrest Bank Suncrest Bank, member FDIC, is locally owned and operated and offers a full range of business, agribusiness and personal deposit products and loans in the California's Central Valley. It has branches in Visalia, Porterville, Kingsburg, Fresno and Yuba City. It is regularly rated Five Stars by Bauer Financial and is dedicated to providing a high level of personal service, and to supporting the communities which it serves. It is also a Preferred Lender with the Small Business Administration. Suncrest Bank stock trades on the OTCQX under the ticker symbol SBKK. For further information, visit www.suncrestbank.com. About VirtualInvestorConferences.com Since 2010, VirtualInvestorConferences.com, created by BetterInvesting (NAIC) and PRNewswire, has been the only monthly virtual investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for presenting companies to meet directly with investors using a graphically-enhanced online platform. Designed to replicate the look and feel of location-based investor conferences, Virtual Investor Conferences unites PR Newswire's leading-edge online conferencing and investor communications capabilities with BetterInvesting's extensive retail investor audience network. SOURCE Suncrest Bank Related Links https://www.suncrestbank.com CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- TCR2 Therapeutics Inc. announced today that its Chief Scientific Officer, Robert Hofmeister, Ph.D., has been invited to present at the prestigious Keystone Symposia Conference on Emerging Cellular Therapies: T Cells and Beyond being held February 11-15 in Keystone, Colorado. Dr. Hofmeister has also been invited to speak at the Molecular Med Tri-Con Conference, Adoptive Cell-Based Cancer Immunotherapy Symposium, being held February 11-16 in San Francisco, California. Dr. Hofmeister's oral presentations will discuss rationales and mechanisms for the company's HLA-independent TRuC-T cells and provide additional updates for TC-210, the company's lead program targeting mesothelin-positive solid tumors. TC-210 is advancing into the clinic later this year for solid tumor indications including ovarian, mesothelioma, cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic and lung cancers. Presentation at Keystone Symposia Conference Title: A Novel T Cell Therapy Engaging the Complete T Cell Receptor A Novel T Cell Therapy Engaging the Complete T Cell Receptor Session Title: Workshop I: Perspectives from the Industry Workshop I: Perspectives from the Industry Date & Time: Monday, February 12, 2018 from 2:30-4:30pm MST from Location: Keystone Resort, Keystone, CO Presentation at Molecular Med Tri-Con Conference Title : TRuC-T Cells: A Novel Kind of Engineered T Cells for Solid Tumors Exploiting the Signaling Power of the Complete T Cell Receptor : TRuC-T Cells: A Novel Kind of Engineered T Cells for Solid Tumors Exploiting the Signaling Power of the Complete T Cell Receptor Session Title: Next-Generation CAR-T Discovery and Development Next-Generation CAR-T Discovery and Development Date & Time: Friday, February 16, 2018 at 11:15am PST at Location: Hilton San Francisco, San Francisco, CA About TCR2 Therapeutics TCR2 Therapeutics is an immuno-oncology company that has pioneered a novel class of T cell therapies for solid tumors that utilize the full signaling power of complete T cell receptors (TCR). TCR2 has developed a unique proprietary TRuC platform which can reprogram the natural TCR complex to elicit rapid killing of cancer cells with persistence and low cytokine release. The company has demonstrated superior activity against several tumor targets in preclinical models compared to CAR T cells and will advance its lead program TC-210 into the clinic in 2018. TCR2 was founded in 2015 by Dr. Patrick Baeuerle and backed with a $44.5M Series A financing led by MPM Capital and F2 Ventures. It has since assembled a world-class team of immunotherapy experts and entrepreneurs located in the heart of Kendall Square in Cambridge, MA. For more information, please visit www.tcr2.com. SOURCE TCR2 Therapeutics Related Links http://www.tcr2.com BERWYN, Pa., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- TE Connectivity (NYSE: TEL), a world leader in connectivity and sensors, today announced that it will display its portfolio of innovative, efficient and high-performing connectivity and sensor solutions at MD&M West 2018, Booth #3149, Hall D, in Anaheim, California February 6-8, 2018. TE will showcase its latest medical technology offerings including patient monitoring temperature sensors, photo optic sensors, AD-101 ultrasonic sensors and board level pressure sensors, among minimally invasive, surgical, imaging and other sensor solutions. TE's booth will feature a cath lab simulation experience, allowing visitors to perform a simulated, life-changing clinical procedure. TE Connectivity designs and manufactures sensors to specifications needed for the rigors of medical applications, with ISO 13485 certification and FDA registration for various products. Product highlights of the MD&M West 2018 TE display: AD-101 ultrasonic sensors - developed for non-invasive continuous monitoring of fluid for air bubble detection. Using ultrasonic technology, this sensor is capable of positively identifying the presence of a break in flow of any type of liquid. Photo Optic sensors - a key component for non-invasively measuring blood and oxygenation (SpO 2 ) level and suitable for a variety of applications from patient monitoring, to wearables and home healthcare applications. ) level and suitable for a variety of applications from patient monitoring, to wearables and home healthcare applications. Patient Monitoring 400 series - provide 0.1C accuracy per EN-12470 requirements and are compatible NTC patient temperature monitoring sensors. Board level 1620 series - disposable medical pressure sensor measures pressure from -50 to 300mmHG for applications requiring AAMI compliance. "MD&M West provides us the opportunity to meet with engineers to discuss how TE's extensive sensor and connectivity portfolio can help them optimize the next generation of medical devices," said Mr. Sean Gough, sr. director of sensor product management, TE Connectivity. "TE is proud to be part of the medical device revolution by helping to advance applications ranging from home healthcare to wearable health and mobile medical devices." TE Connectivity's thousands of engineers provide support of application-specific, standard and custom requirements, from product concept through manufacturing. TE subject matter experts will be on site at MD&M West 2018 to share their insights and discuss engineers' design and manufacturing needs. ABOUT TE CONNECTIVITY TE Connectivity Ltd., is a $13 billion global technology and manufacturing leader creating a safer, sustainable, productive, and connected future. For more than 75 years, our connectivity and sensor solutions, proven in the harshest environments, have enabled advancements in transportation, industrial applications, medical technology, energy, data communications, and the home. With 78,000 employees, including more than 7,000 engineers, working alongside customers in nearly 150 countries, TE ensures that EVERY CONNECTION COUNTS. Learn more at www.te.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, WeChat and Twitter. TE Connectivity, TE and the TE connectivity (logo) are trademarks. Other company and/or product names might be trademarks of their respective owners. Contact: Media Relations : Keith Myers TE Connectivity +1 910 818 0046 [email protected] SOURCE TE Connectivity Related Links http://www.te.com DENVER, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a year of strong national growth in 2017, Teriyaki Madness landed a spot on the 39th annual Entrepreneur magazine Franchise 500 list, for its second consecutive year. The thriving fast casual restaurant known for its Seattle-style teriyaki, big bowls of flavorful food and famous "chorks" is ranked No. 490 overall. Entrepreneur ranked Teriyaki Madness on its list for exceptional performance across a number of key areas, including financial strength and stability, size, growth rate and brand strength. Currently operating in 16 states, Teriyaki Madness will be opening in five additional states in 2018. "We spend months gathering and crunching data in order to produce the Franchise 500 ranking. We're proud of the result and the way it continues to be a resource for the franchise community," says Jason Feifer, Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur. "Like every industry, franchising is ever-evolving and must smartly react to new technologies and consumer demands. We know it takes a lot to stay competitive, and are excited to celebrate those that do it best." Franchising since 2005, Teriyaki Madness has a restaurant model with industry-leading, proven franchisee profitability and plans to open more than 100 locations across the United States in the next five years, including store deals in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles and Miami areas. Each shop is individually owned and operated by people with diverse sets of backgrounds that turn their operations into successful establishments. Teriyaki Madness includes an Item 19, which shows every Profit & Loss statement for each of the Teriyaki shops open 2+ years. Additionally, each location has the opportunity for outsized profits on an average unit volume of $1,096,047*. "We have our dedicated team to thank for our growth over the past year. Their tenacity and drive to succeed is incredible, and the recognition we're receiving from Entrepreneur is a direct result of their hard work," said Michael Haith, CEO of Teriyaki Madness. "We're honored and thrilled to be recognized for the second consecutive year as a top franchise in America alongside such esteemed companies." With 45 percent of households consuming food with teriyaki at least once per month, Teriyaki Madness is becoming a leader in the Asian fast casual segment. They offer the choice of a bowl or plate, that can be customized to be low-carb and gluten-free. At an average price per bowl around $8, customers get big bowls of bold, flavorful food that are made to order with all-natural meat and fresh, never frozen ingredients. Customers have their choice of teriyaki chicken, steak or tofu and add yakisoba noodles, brown, white or fried rice and fresh-cut or steamed vegetables with a variety of made-in-house sauces. *Refer to the 2017 Franchise Disclosure Document About Teriyaki Madness Teriyaki Madness, a fast-casual teriyaki shop concept, is committed to unconditionally satisfying guests by offering delicious, made-to-order Teriyaki dishes prepared with all natural, fresh ingredients that are served quickly, at a reasonable price in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. The brand is dedicated to "Spreading the Madness" so everyone can experience the best teriyaki on earth. Teriyaki Madness was recently recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as a Franchise 500 company and by Franchise Business Review for their Top 50 Franchise Satisfaction award two years in a row. The brand also ranked on the top half of the Inc. 5000 list in 2017 with three-year sales growth of 171 percent. Teriyaki Madness was founded in 2003 and currently has franchise agreements for nearly 150 shops in the United States. Teriyaki Madness offers franchising opportunities nationwide for their concept to qualified single and multi-unit candidates. For more information, visit www.franchise.teriyakimadness.com or email [email protected]. About Entrepreneur Media Inc. For nearly 40 years, Entrepreneur Media Inc. has been serving the entrepreneurial community providing comprehensive coverage of business and personal success through original content and events. Entrepreneur magazine, Entrepreneur.com, and publishing imprint Entrepreneur Press provide solutions, information, inspiration and education read by millions of entrepreneurs and small business owners worldwide. To learn more, visit www.entrepreneur.com. Media Contact: Ann Maher, Fishman Public Relations, 847-945-1300 x253, [email protected] SOURCE Teriyaki Madness Related Links http://teriyakimadness.com WORCESTER, Mass., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- John C. Roche, president and chief executive officer at The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE: THG), is scheduled to speak at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2018 Insurance Conference at 4:05 p.m. ET on Wednesday, February 14, 2018. The discussion will be broadcast live through the company's website at www.hanover.com. Those who would like to listen to the presentation should go to the website 15 minutes prior to the start to register, download and install any necessary audio software. A replay of the event will be available on The Hanover website for 90 days, starting approximately one hour after the conclusion of the presentation. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements made during this discussion may constitute forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including those discussed in the Company's annual report and other documents on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the earnings press release dated January 31, 2018, which are also available at www.hanover.com under "Investors." About The Hanover The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. is the holding company for several property and casualty insurance companies, which together constitute one of the largest insurance businesses in the United States. The company provides exceptional insurance solutions in a dynamic world. The Hanover distributes its products through a select group of independent agents and brokers. Together with its agents, The Hanover offers standard and specialized insurance protection for small and mid-sized businesses, as well as for homes, automobiles, and other personal items. Through its international member company, Chaucer, The Hanover also underwrites business at Lloyd's of London in several major insurance and reinsurance classes, including marine, property and energy. For more information, please visit hanover.com. SOURCE The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. Related Links http://www.hanover.com BOCA RATON, Fla., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- TransMedia Group (www.TransMediaGroup.com) said it will introduce Timicoin (www.Timicoin.io), world's first cryptocurrency blockchain mobile platform for storing medical records that can be safely accessed from anywhere. "TransMedia will present Timicoin's ingenious proprietary blockchain solution to sharing medical records worldwide featuring a two-step authentication procedure with instantaneous doctor/patient notification," said TransMedia Group CEO Tom Madden. "Our publicity will show how Timicoin digitally improves and disrupts medical record keeping with its revolutionary enterprise solution that also protects against ransomware and other attacks, while providing unique mobility and ultra-safe access," he said. "We selected TransMedia to deliver the Timicoin message that we're first to bring blockchain security and mobility to medical records because of the PR firm's experience in healthcare innovations," said Will Lowe, Timicoin CEO and Co-Founder with Ramiro Pequeno. TransMedia plans to present Timicoin as the innovative leader in the blockchain technology space focused on medical history. "The Timicoin solution is exciting as I've always felt all doctors and patients should have access to medical records at their fingertips," said Lowe. "Just imagine the comfort this provides to millions of tourists traveling the world as they now possess a mobile health information platform accessible from anywhere." TransMedia will introduce industry professionals and consumers to Timicoin and brand its impact on doctors & patients, as well as on travelers, seniors and families with young children. "We'll emphasize this breakthrough technology can be lifesaving as it provides medical information in a few clicks, creating a sense of comfort for tourists who can quickly access their medical history from anywhere," said Madden. TransMedia will arouse media interest in Timicoin as a disrupter in an industry that has for the most part stayed technologically behind, said TransMedia PR Director Rebecca Shpektor. "We'll report on Timicoin's upcoming debut and how its disruptive technology was received at the Dallas Block Chain Super Conference Feb 17-19." Timicoin comes at a time healthcare is shifting towards a digital transformation with companies like Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase planning to disrupt with its own solution for an industry reeling from inefficiencies created by a web of doctors, hospitals, insurers and pharmaceutical companies. As each new technology is prone to cyberattack, Timicoin has patent-pending solutions to securing patient data, while providing unprecedented portability. Media contact, Rebecca Shpektor 561-750-9800 x2220; [email protected]. SOURCE TransMedia Group Related Links http://www.TransMediaGroup.com BALTIMORE, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Transamerica today announces a new Wealth + Health brand identity focused on helping customers improve their overall well-being by effectively managing both their wealth and their health. "At Transamerica, connecting the Wealth + Health of our customers is our driving focus. Our objective is to offer simple, sound, and holistic guidance that will help people improve the overall quality of their lives," said Dave Paulsen, executive vice president and chief distribution officer at Transamerica. "We are excited to lead this movement, because if you are capably managing both your Wealth + Health, you may add more years to your life, and more life to your years." Transamerica recognizes that financial security and physical health are not only inherently interconnected, but they are two of the most important components toward living a long, meaningful life and making wise choices and forming smart habits today, will have an exponential impact on one's future. "Applying the link between Wealth + Health, we want to help people reach their goals by showing them ways to build their savings, protect what's important to them, invest in their futures, and prepare for retirement," Paulsen explained. The Intersection of Wealth + Health Transamerica has developed numerous resources to help customers and financial professionals understand how Wealth + Health are connected, which are featured on its recently redesigned website, Transamerica.com. There, people can access research, education and guidance to learn more about how Wealth + Health come together at a variety of intersections, including: Savings and fitness Budget and nutrition Protection and prevention Debt and stress "Fitness, nutrition, debt, stress, budgeting and countless small daily decisions are all wrapped up in this together," Paulsen said. "Ultimately, it's about people striving for a better, more productive life, which is illustrated in our new brand tagline Be Well. Build Wealth." According to a recent study commissioned by Transamerica (Communicating on Wealth and Health, Deloitte Consulting, LLP 2017), the majority of respondents (adults ages 40-65 with an annual household income of at least $50,000) perceive a viable connection between Wealth + Health. The study offers detailed correlations, including: People who have at least $300,000 saved for retirement by age 55 are 41% more likely to take at least 8,000 steps in a typical day. saved for retirement by age 55 are 41% more likely to take at least 8,000 steps in a typical day. People who use fraud alerts on their credit cards or other financial accounts are nearly twice as likely to regularly participate in moderate to high intensity group exercise classes (such as spinning). People who have at least $1,000 saved in an emergency fund are 46% less likely to often feel it is difficult to focus or concentrate. Transamerica aims to provide a customer experience and interaction points that help people connect the importance of both Wealth + Health in their lives. Customers are enabled with web-based tools to track and receive guidance on both financial and health goals. "We plan to enhance our customers' support structure by enlisting the help of their agents, financial professionals and employers," Paulsen added. "For more than 100 years, Transamerica has been helping people pursue a lifetime of financial security. Today, that's about so much more, because your health has such an important role in your overall well-being now and in the future. Transamerica is a partner in helping people live the life they want." View Transamerica's short video introducing the Wealth + Health initiative. About Transamerica With a history that dates back more than 100 years, Transamerica is recognized as a leading provider of life insurance, retirement and investment solutions, serving millions of customers throughout the United States. Recognizing the necessity of health and wellness during peak working life, Transamerica's dedicated professionals work to help people take the steps necessary to live better today so they can worry less about tomorrow. Transamerica serves nearly every customer segment, providing a broad range of quality life insurance and investment products, individual and group pension plans, as well as asset management services. In 2016, Transamerica fulfilled its promises to customers, paying more than $7.2 billion in insurance and annuity benefits, including return of annuity premiums paid by the customer. Transamerica's corporate headquarters is located in Baltimore, Maryland, with other major operations in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Transamerica is part of the Aegon group of companies. Based in the Netherlands, Aegon is one of the world's largest providers of life insurance, pension solutions and asset management products, operating in more than 20 markets worldwide. For the full year of 2016, Aegon managed $784 billion in revenue generating investments. For more information, please visit www.transamerica.com. About the Survey "Communicating on Wealth and Health, Deloitte Consulting LLP 2017" was conducted with a national, web-based survey. Respondents were asked to report their behaviors and opinions on the topics of wealth and health. The data was used to determine what statistical correlations between wealth and health exist, and provide recommendations on what will likely resonate with and, be credible to, consumers. All conclusions in the report are based on 1,000 full survey completions. Respondent composition was mapped to represent the national US Census data, including regional distribution, for a sample population of US adults ages 40-65 with a total household income of $50,000 or more. Media inquiries: Julie Quinlan 213-742-5134 [email protected] Jim Van Someren 720-529-6886 [email protected] SOURCE Transamerica Related Links http://www.transamerica.com The Epson OmniLink TM-T88VI communicates wirelessly with Trec2go's Order Receiving App for merchants so they can print incoming orders and add them to their queue. Unlike other app ordering solutions, with Trec2Go, employees do not need to manage two order queues. Instead, online orders can arrive in the same list as orders made in-store. It also supplies merchants' customers with the option to receive a physical copy of the receipt in addition to Trec2go's email notification receipt. Communication setup simply involves information input by Trec2go in either the Epson Printer app or Epson NetConfig, allowing merchants to begin receiving orders in minutes. "It's all about convenience for the customer and Epson provides the ideal addition to our online ordering solutions," said Frank Sherman, president and co-founder, Trec2go. "The flexibility, durability and other rich features of Epson's OmniLink TM-88VI printer allow us to work alongside most POS systems on the market. Our joint effort helps accelerate the adoption of online ordering by our merchant customers and facilitates the way their customers want to be served." "Trec2go recognized the need for a more efficient and convenient mobile and online ordering solution," said Tom Kettell, director, commercial channel sales at Epson. "They have the technology and skill to take the ordering experience to the next level. Together, we can create a more appealing online ordering experience for customers while simultaneously enabling merchants to maximize their business potential." About Trec2go Trec2go crafts custom branded app and website ordering solutions that refine and enhance a business' sales performance. From donuts to dog walking to diesel delivery to drywall, Trec2go's solution is for any business that sells a product or service. Trec2go has leveraged a combined 57 years of experience in the payment processing, POS sales, and merchant communication industries to develop a solution simple to implement and even simpler to manage. Since their 2016 inception, Trec2go has reshaped the ecommerce of businesses in Arizona, New York, Connecticut, Utah, and California with unmatched success. Discover a superior customer experience solution at https://www.trec2go.com. About Epson America, Inc. Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Long Beach, CA, Epson America, Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. For over 40 years, Epson's advanced technology has been at work in millions of POS systems around the world. Today Epson's Business Systems Division continues to bring industry-leading, open architecture, smart technologies to the point of service. You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/Epson), Twitter (http://twitter.com/EpsonAmerica), and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/EpsonAmerica). EPSON is a registered trademark and EPSON Exceed Your Vision is a registered logomark of Seiko Epson Corporation. OmniLink is a registered trademark and EPOS is a trademark of Epson America, Inc. All other trademarks and/or registered trademarks are property of their respective owners. SOURCE Epson America, Inc. Related Links http://www.epson.com 23:32 After the Opposition parties boycotted the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, its chairman M Venkaiah Naidu issued a letter to the members of the House. The united Opposition earlier in the day boycotted the Rajya Sabha for the day alleging that they were not being allowed by the Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu to speak in the House. Naidu, in his letter, said it would be his commitment to allow any issue to be raised by anybody as per rules and procedures and nobody should have any misgivings about that. The letter also clarifies Naidu's decision to adjourn the House for a longer period instead of frequent adjournments. He also hinted at some sections of the House who are bent on not allowing smooth conduct of the house. Here is the full text of Naidu's letter: Hon'ble Members ! From the day I have assumed the office of Chairman of this august house, I have made it clear that any issue sought to be raised by any member of the House, will be allowed to be raised. I have reasons to believe that no hon'ble member would have any grouse in this regard. I am deeply concerned with the negative public perception of this august House on account of forced adjournments and that too quite frequently over the years, which frequently follows a pattern. A pattern aimed at not allowing the House to function smoothly, come what may. Ever since I started chairing the proceedings of this House, leaders of several parties have conveyed their anguish to me over how they are being deprived of their right to raise issue of concern to them as some parties strategise for disruptions leading to forced adjournments. I have shared this with floor leaders on more than one occasion. Coming to the pattern of disruptions, I would like to share with hon'ble Members that I have admitted a total of 42 zero hour admissions during the last three working days i.e 2nd, 5th and 6th of this month. Only one could make the submission. Who is to be held responsible for denying 41 members of their right to bring their concerns to the notice of this august House and to the Government. Another aspect of this pattern is that first Zero Hour is disrupted and then even question hour when the members get an opportunity to question the government is also disrupted. On many occasions over the years, house gets adjourned several times between 11 am and 1.00 pm. In this era of TV explosion, such frequent adjournments are adversely impacting the image and credibility of this house. In this backdrop, I thought that it would be better to adjourn the House for a longer period instead of resorting to frequent adjournments. That too when it becomes evident that some sections of the house were bent on not allowing smooth conduct of the house. I have discussed this concern of mine with Deputy Chairman first this morning and later with floor leaders. I have urged the leaders to ensure smooth conduct of proceedings. I also told leaders that if house proceedings were disrupted at the start, I would be left with no option but to adjourn the house till lunch. My intention in doing so is to promote a sense of collective responsibility in minimizing or doing away with such forced frequent disruptions. When members and parties realise that they would ultimately be the losers of such disruptions and adjournments, they would talk to each other and enable better functioning of the house. I realise some hon'ble Members have perhaps not properly understood my concern and anguish over the functioning of the house. I would like to reiterate again that it would be my commitment to allow any issue to be raised by anybody as per rules and procedures and nobody should have any misgivings about that. -- ANI FORT COLLINS, Colo., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- TurboTenant, a Colorado start-up company, announced today that renters insurance has been added to its online tenant management system. The renters insurance application and approval process is now seamlessly integrated into TurboTenant's suite of digital offerings. TurboTenant provides independent landlords extended access to professional, robust tools and technology that were previously only available to large property management companies. The online tenant management platform includes everything from law and lease resources to property listing management and tenant screening. TurboTenant partnered with the nationally-trusted insurance provider Sure, Inc. to offer renters insurance to users. Renters can purchase the insurance through the online platform, and landlords have the option to recommend the insurance to their tenants. The process is turnkey and saves both tenants and landlords time and effort. "Integrating renters insurance in our platform provides peace-of-mind for both tenants and landlords," says Sarnen Steinbarth, CEO and Founder of TurboTenant. "An increasing number of landlords require renters insurance, so providing an easy way for tenants to secure trusted insurance was an easy decision to make." TurboTenant's cutting-edge technology allows landlords to market their properties across dozens of the top rental listing sites, like Apartments.com and Realtor.com. Landlords can also create beautiful, professional listings on TurboTenant.com in just 3 minutes with a step-by-step template. Landlords average over 22 tenant leads with the software and are provided with 1-click tenant screening through TransUnion. "TurboTenant was designed to level the playing field between independent landlords and large property management companies by giving individuals access to professional-grade tools and resources," says Steinbarth. Visit TurboTenant.com to access the free digital suite of tools and solutions for landlords. About TurboTenant TurboTenant helps independent landlords improve the investment performance of their properties by offering them access to online tools, previously only available to large property management companies. Nearly 100,000 landlords across the U.S. turn to TurboTenant for free, online solutions for landlording. Features offered by TurboTenant include online rental applications, tenant credit and background reports, and property listings and automated marketing. All of TurboTenant's features focus on helping landlords manage smarter, faster, and more effectively. About Sure Inc. Sure helps savvy consumers with purchasing and managing the insurance policies that best suit their lifestyle. Through handpicked partnerships with leading providers like QBE and Assurant, they are able to offer comprehensive and trustworthy coverage at an affordable cost based on specific needs. SOURCE TurboTenant Related Links http://www.turbotenant.com SANTA FE, N.M., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyield announced today that Vice-Admiral Phil Wisecup USN (Ret.) has been appointed to the Company's Board of Directors. Phil brings 40 years of extensive operational experience, strategic planning, advisory and research to Kyield. Phil graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1977. In 2008 he became the 52nd President of the US Naval War College and left active duty in 2013 as the Inspector General of the US Navy having successfully completed 36 years of active service and three operational commands at sea, including the USS Ronald Reagan carrier strike group. He was also Director of the White House situation room, served at NATO Headquarters during Kosovo operations, and in Seoul Korea as Commander of US Naval forces. He is the recipient of the Bronze Star, as well as a variety of unit and personal awards, including the Cheonsu Medal from the President of the Republic of Korea for exceptional service. He was awarded the Vice Admiral James Stockdale award for inspirational leadership, which is a peer award. Phil has Masters Degrees from the University of Strasbourg France, and University of Southern California. "It is an honor to welcome Phil to Kyield's Board of Directors," said Mark Montgomery, Kyield's Founder and Chairman of the Board. "Phil's distinguished career as a Navy officer, scholar, strategic advisor and inspector general will be valuable to Kyield and our customers. We look forward to his contributions and unique insight." Phil recently completed three years as Director, Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group, where he received the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award for leading innovative research on future deployment patterns, Navy talent management, human/machine teaming and artificial intelligence. Phil is currently the Interim Vice Chancellor for Strategy and Strategic Engagement in the North Dakota University System in Bismarck, North Dakota. About Kyield Kyield has been a pioneer in AI systems since 1997. The company's flagship Kyield OS provides customers with enhanced governance, security, prevention, and productivity. The patented AI system is fully adaptive and tailored to each entity. Kyield offers a suite of related products including DANA (Digital Assistant with Neuroanatomical Analytics), HumCat for prevention of catastrophes, cyber security, and health management. www.kyield.com SOURCE Kyield Related Links http://www.kyield.com Grossman commented, "Weight Watchers is an iconic brand with enviable equity particularly on efficacy and community. But there is also incredible opportunity to elevate the brand and make WW more meaningful to today's world. Drawing on 20 years of proven brand-building experience, Gail will build on that heritage to develop the next evolution of the Weight Watchers brand that will inspire healthy habits that fit into everyday life. Her global mindset and successful track record with rolling out disruptive technologies in support of a greater brand purpose are tremendous assets as we look toward the future, when every consumer and employee touch-point around the world exudes our core brand promise." Tifford joins Weight Watchers from Unilever where she served as Vice President, Media North America and Global Digital Media Innovation. At Unilever, Tifford introduced the company's first digital disruption roadmap, which established a global vision and strategy for digital media innovation across social commerce, augmented reality, AI and blockchain. Prior to her tenure at Unilever, Tifford was Vice President, Strategic Partnerships at Viacom, where she led the development of multi-platform media and marketing programs for Fortune 500 companies on MTV and VH1 brands. On her appointment, Tifford said, "I am thrilled to join the dynamic team at Weight Watchers and work on a global brand with a clear purpose and impact. The company is at a pivotal moment to form deeper, more meaningful connections with individuals and communities. With the brand's rich heritage, I look forward to being part of a movement that encourages individuals to see Weight Watchers as their lifelong partner in health and wellness and makes the magic of the Weight Watchers community inclusive for all." Earlier in her career, Tifford spent more than 10 years at Unilever, driving long- term innovation and communication strategy for the Lipton brand in the United States and Canada, and building a growth-centric organizational culture across the Unilever marketing function globally. In 2016, Tifford co-founded #SeeHer, a key initiative of the Association of National Advertisers, to drive the more accurate portrayal of women and girls in Media and Advertising. She serves on the Board of Directors at the Fossil Group, Inc., and Tufts Hillel at Tufts University. Tifford earned her BA from Tufts University and JD from Brooklyn Law School. About Weight Watchers International, Inc. Weight Watchers International, Inc. is one of the most recognized and trusted brand names among weight-conscious consumers. Weight Watchers provides commercial weight management services through a global network of Company-owned and franchise operations and offers innovative, digital weight management products through its websites, mobile sites and apps. These services and products are built on the Company's weight management program, which helps millions of people around the world lose weight through sensible and sustainable food plans, activity, behavior modification and group support. Weight Watchers has an unparalleled network of service providers to assist members on their journey and also offers a wide range of products, publications and programs for those interested in weight loss and healthier living. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Sara Bosco, Weight Watchers 347-421-0389 [email protected] SOURCE Weight Watchers International, Inc. DENVER, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Welltok, the leading consumer health enterprise Software as a Service company, announced the launch of EngageME to address the communications conundrum population health managers across the nation are facing. EngageME is the first enterprise-wide solution that identifies, optimizes and resolves communication congestion, and is proven to reduce costs and increase member engagement and satisfaction. It is essential and, in many cases, mandatory for health plans to communicate with members about everything from explanation of benefits to health screening reminders to formulary changes. Yet, most population health managers do not have a holistic view of all the communications their members receive from various departments within the organization. EngageME provides total visibility into communication volume and improves campaign orchestration. For example, EngageME identified 2,500 instances where Medicare members received multiple communications on the same day within a three-month period. By identifying immediate ways to coordinate outreach and improve efficiencies, the organization could save an estimated $12 million. "EngageME was designed based on over a decade of experience sending billions of communications on behalf of health organizations," said AnneMarie Gramling, senior vice president of Welltok Engagement Services. "We saw the negative impact that uncoordinated and redundant messaging caused with disengaged members, lower plan satisfaction and suboptimal spending on ineffective outreach and we saw a way to reverse it." EngageME can be integrated into any communications strategy allowing health plans to coordinate every single piece of communication. It reveals communication intensity, cadence and engagement enterprise-wide. The data-driven solution also allows organizations to: Track outreach across multiple channels, such as automated voice, text, mail, email or live agent, and store consumer preferences to increase future engagement Optimize spend by resolving duplicate identities, ensuring compliance and identifying opportunities to avoid redundancy or combine messages Prioritize communications and stagger delivery to reduce overload, noise and fatigue Added Gramling, "This is one of those win-win scenarios. Consumers win by receiving more coordinated and intentional messages, and health plans win by streamlining communications and optimizing spend." About Welltok, Inc. Welltok, the leading consumer health enterprise Software as a Service company, is on a mission to empower consumers to achieve their optimal health. Its award-winning CafeWell Health Optimization Platform connects consumers with available and relevant benefits, resources and rewards by designing personalized action plans. Additionally, the company's technology-enabled services leverage both advanced analytics to derive meaningful consumer insights and multi-channel communications to reach consumers through the right channel with the right message. Welltok drives greater consumer engagement and healthcare value for customers across the healthcare continuum including payers, employers, pharmacy retailers and health systems. Follow Welltok on Twitter @Welltok. Media Contact: Erica Sniad Morgenstern 415.697.3496 [email protected] SOURCE Welltok Related Links http://www.welltok.com SAN FRANCISCO and BANGALORE, India, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company today announced its partnership with the World Economic Forum Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, a San Francisco-based hub dedicated to maximizing the benefits and minimizing the risks of emerging technologies. As a founding partner in the Center's IoT and Connected Devices project, Wipro will play an integral role in creating a framework for the ethics, values and regulations of IoT-related technology. In this role, Wipro will further assist organizations in their goal of successfully implementing IoT technologies and platforms across their global businesses. The Center, which opened in March 2017, is part of the World Economic Forum and committed to co-designing and piloting innovative approaches to the policy and governance of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. Center partners, including Salesforce, Microsoft, ABB and others, represent an exclusive and select group of global companies with a keen focus on how new age technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and IoT are revolutionizing the way people live and work. Jayraj Nair, Vice President and Global Head of IoT, Wipro Limited said, "As a founding partner of the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we look forward to co-creating IoT solutions at the intersection of design, strategy and technology. This partnership enables us to bring WEF's best-in-class resources, network, and solutions to our global clientele, while our presence in Silicon Valley provides WEF with an active and well-connected partner, dedicated to leveraging IoT technologies to create a safe, connected, and sustainable future." The partnership marks the next step in Wipro's ongoing commitment to the broader IoT ecosystem, as evidenced most recently by the launch of its Silicon Valley Innovation Center in Mountain View. Wipro also recently released a report, titled "Vision 2030: A Connected Future," which examines IoT's role in driving a sustainable environment. "The Center is an accelerator for impact," said Murat Sonmez, Head, World Economic Forum Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. "We are moving quickly to ensure we can maximize the benefits and minimize the risks of emerging technology. We are excited to have Wipro's expertise and scale to help tackle these opportunities." During World Economic Forum 2018 in Davos, Switzerland, Jayraj spoke at the Wipro Pavilion about the company's connected ecosystem of products and services, and how it is delivering human-shaped experiences. Jayraj's session, where he speaks specifically about IoT security and how IoT is creating a sustainable future, can be accessed at wiprodigital.com. About Wipro Limited Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 160,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future. About World Economic Forum Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Drawing on the World Economic Forum's global convening power, community creation and insight generation, the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in San Francisco aims to accelerate cross-sector cooperation for Fourth Industrial Revolution governance. The Center will develop, pilot and scale agile and human-centred governance tools that can be adopted by policy-makers, legislators and regulators worldwide to address challenges related to emerging technologies. Find out more at https://www.weforum.org/center-for-the-fourth-industrial-revolution/ and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Media Contacts: Purnima Burman Wipro Limited [email protected] Brianna Rabe Ruder Finn on behalf of Wipro Digital +1 (203) 246-1304 [email protected] Amanda Russo World Economic Forum Center for 4th Industrial Revolution +1 (415) 734-0589 [email protected] Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. SOURCE Wipro Limited Related Links http://wiprodigital.com GENEVA, February 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ZEDRA, the independent global specialist in Trust, Corporate and Fund Services, today announces that it will open its second office in Switzerland, in Zurich's main business district. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161003/414270LOGO ) The office will focus on building the firm's presence in the German speaking region with key attention on its corporate business, serial entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals. Stuart McLuckie, ZEDRA Managing Director, Switzerland, commented, "I am excited to announce the opening of our new office in Zurich - a logical step given the significant opportunities here. Our presence here will allow ZEDRA to be ever more receptive to our partners' and clients' immediate needs." Mr. Vadim Neumann who is currently based in Zurich will head up the firm's operations as Managing Director Zurich. He is an experienced professional, holding a Swiss LL.M. degree in Swiss and international taxation and a Belgian Masters degree in management. Before assuming his new challenge, Vadim worked as a director of the Zurich office for a well known international corporate service provider. Vadim will be supported by ZEDRA's Mario Cohn, Director, Corporate & Private Clients, Latam and Giovanni La Forgia, Director, Corporate & Private Clients, Europe, earmarked to spend a significant proportion of their time supporting the development of the office over the coming months. Ivo Hemelraad, ZEDRA Group Director Corporate, Funds & Legal, says, "Opening an office in the Zurich and Zug area allows ZEDRA to have an on-the-ground presence and enables us to offer a heightened level of support to our clients corporate needs. Providing innovative, high quality client service is a crucial component of ZEDRA's service offer." Based in 14 offices across 12 jurisdictions, ZEDRA's 500-strong team of industry experts is dedicated to creating and delivering bespoke solutions for clients. The business is focused on the strong commitment of an experienced team, fostering an entrepreneurial approach to delivering exceptional client services. The office will be located on Gartenstrasse 23, 8002 Zurich. For further information, please visit www.zedra.com About ZEDRA ZEDRA is an independent, global specialist in trust, corporate and fund services. The company was acquired from Barclays in January 2016 by an independent investor group, with an ambitious plan to grow the company, expanding and strengthening the services it offers to clients around the world. It currently has 14 global offices in 12 jurisdictions, including Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, Isle of Man, Jersey, Luxembourg, Miami, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland and the UK, where its large team of industry experts is dedicated to creating and delivering bespoke solutions for clients. The business is focused on the strong commitment of an experienced team, fostering an entrepreneurial approach to delivering exceptional client services. ZEDRA has a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals and their families, international corporations, institutional investors and entrepreneurs. Under the ownership of a private independent investor group, ZEDRA has the flexibility, boldness and expertise to respond to complex needs whilst maintaining the highest standards of corporate governance in an ever-evolving regulatory environment. SOURCE ZEDRA NATICK, Mass., Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Zyno Solutions, experts in providing intelligent infusion systems, announced the appointment of Steve Watkins to General Manager and Executive Vice President. Steve has more than 30 years of executive experience in the medical device industry with leading companies and is uniquely qualified to lead the Zyno Solutions infusion management business. "I am excited to join the team at Zyno Solutions with their innovative IV infusion product portfolio and drive the strategic direction of the company focusing on the evolving needs of our customers," said Steve Watkins. Prior to joining Zyno Solutions, Steve was President of Adventure Consulting where he also held many company Board of Director positions. In 2007, prior to his work at Adventure Consulting, Steve was CEO and founder of InfuSystem where he pioneered a managed care system for providing infusion equipment. In this position Steve was able to drive sustained growth and profitability while continuing to revitalize the company's internal operations. "As we continue to grow we understand the need to expand our leadership team to help manage this growth and are thrilled to have an expert in the field like Steve," said Chaoyoung Lee, President and owner of Zyno Solutions. "Steve brings us exceptional leadership experience and vision to help grow the company while continuing to focus on the unique needs of our customers." Zyno Solutions provides ambulatory pumps, large volume infusion pumps, integrated wireless infusion systems, IV infusion accessories, service and support. About Zyno Solutions, LLC: (www.zynosolutions.com) Zyno Solutions is a leader in providing IV infusion technology and is dedicated to delivering intelligent infusion systems that provide the highest quality of care and patient safety. Zyno Solutions offers technologically advanced products for the alternate care market and provides large volume infusion pumps, ambulatory infusion pumps, integrated wireless infusion systems and IV accessories. Zyno Solutions delivers these devices and systems for ambulatory infusion suites, oncology infusion suites, long-term care pharmacies, specialty pharmacies and home care providers. We offer cost effective technology solutions to support our customers evolving business and healthcare needs. Zyno Solutions is headquartered in Natick, Massachusetts. Media Contact Michael Smith Natick, MA 508-650-2008 SOURCE Zyno Solutions, LLC Related Links http://www.zynosolutions.com Redevco Iberian Ventures, the joint venture between real estate funds managed by Ares Management and Redevco, has acquired more than 70% of the gross leasable area in the Parque Corredor Shopping Center in Madrid. The majority stake was acquired through transactions with Sareb, a fund advised by Aermont Capital, and [] GUEST OBSERVER The revived trade agreement, now known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), has finally made it across the line. Its a considerable win for Australian farmers and service providers, in a trading area worth about A$90 billion. The 11 remaining countries from the initial Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement finally agreed to go ahead with the deal without the US, at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The deal reduces the scope for controversial investor-state dispute settlements, where foreign investors can bypass national courts and sue governments for compensation for harming their investments. It introduces stronger safeguards to protect the governments right to regulate in the public interest and prevent unwarranted claims. Despite earlier union fears of the impact for Australian workers, the CPTPP does not regulate the movement of workers. It only has minor changes to domestic labour rights and practices. The new agreement is more of an umbrella framework for separate yet coordinated bilateral deals. In fact, Australias Trade Minister Steven Ciobo said: "The agreement will deliver 18 new free trade agreements between the CPTPP parties. For Australia that means new trade agreements with Canada and Mexico and greater market access to Japan, Chile, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei." It means a speedier process for reducing import barriers on key Australian products, such as beef, lamb, seafood, cheese, wine and cotton wool. It also promises less competition for Australian services exports, encouraging other governments to look to use Australian services and reducing the regulations of state-owned enterprises. Australia now also has new bilateral trade deals with Canada and Mexico as part and parcel of the new agreement. This could be worth a lot to the Australian economy if it were to fill commercial gaps created by potential trade battles within North America and between the US and China. Whats in and out of the new agreement The new CPTPP rose from the ashes of the old agreement because of the inclusion of a list of 20 suspended provisions on matters that were of interest for the US. These would be revived in the event of a US comeback. These suspended provisions involved substantial changes in areas like investment, public procurement, intellectual property rights and transparency. With the freezing of further copyright restrictions and the provisions on investor-state dispute settlements, these suspensions appear to re-balance the agreement in favour of Australian governments and consumers. In fact, the scope of investor-state dispute settlements are narrower in the CPTPP, because foreign private companies who enter into an investment contract with the Australian government will not be able to use it if there is a dispute about that contract. The broader safeguards in the agreement make sure that the Australian government cannot be sued for measures related to public education, health and other social services. The one part of the agreement relating to the temporary entry for business people is rather limited in scope and does not have the potential to impact on low-skilled or struggling categories of Australian workers. In fact, it only commits Australia to providing temporary entry (from three months, up to two years) of only five generic categories of CPTPP workers. These include occupations like installers and servicers, intra-corporate transferees, independent executives, and contractual service suppliers. The above categories squarely match the shortages in the Australian labour market, according to the Lists of Eligible Skilled Occupation of the Home Affairs Department. Bits of the original agreement are still included in the CPTPP such as tariffs schedules that slash custom duties on 95% of trade in goods. But this was the easy part of the deal. Before the deal is signed The new agreement will be formally signed in Chile on March 8 2018, and will enter into force as soon as at least six members ratify it. This will probably happen later in the year or in early 2019. The geopolitical symbolism of this timing is poignant. The CPTPP is coming out just as Donald Trump raises the temperature in the China trade battle by introducing new tariffs. It also runs alongside Chinas attempts to finalise a much bigger regional trade agreement, the 16-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. Even though substantially the CPTPP is only a TPP-lite at best, it still puts considerable pressure on the US to come out of Trumps protectionist corner. It spells out the geopolitical consequences of the US trade policy switch, namely that the Asia Pacific countries are willing to either form a more independent Bloc or align more closely with Chinese interests. Will this be enough to convince the Trump administration to reverse its course on global trade? At present, this seems highly unlikely. To bet on the second marriage of the US with transpacific multilateral trade would be a triumph of hope over experience. Giovanni Di Lieto, Lecturer, Bachelor of International Business, Monash Business School, Monash University This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Since it was first published in 2008, Andre F. Clewell and James Aronsons Ecological Restoration: Principles, Values, and Structure of an Emerging Profession has become an important text in its field. But as the books publisher, Island Press, prepared to release a second edition in 2016, it came up against a common problem: it had no viable way to reach interested readers in other languages. As a mission-driven publisher, we were frustrated, said David Miller, president of the Washington, D.C.based company. We had been trying to sell the foreign rights in Spanish and Portuguese, but there were a lot of factors that made translation difficult. The biggest hurdle was the cost of translation, which Miller estimated to be $5,000$8,000 for an acquiring publisher or $9,000$35,000 for Island. So the publisher devised an entirely new translation workflow, based on the use of a widely available digital product, Google Translate API, which lowered the baseline costs of translation to $16.50 for a first pass on a manuscript. The process grew out of a recently completed digitization project in which Island converted its catalogue into the ePub format. The companys senior technology adviser, George Tourtellot, believed that ePubs information architecture would be compatible with Google, making it easy to take a formatted book in English, run it through the translation service, and have a formatted text come out at the other end. EPub is easy to work with because its basically a zipped folder of HTML with a bit of extra metadata, Tourtellot said. Because its HTML, I knew that the transfer of HTML using Google Translate would be effective. The entire process took two hours per language, but it was not without its difficulties. Googles translation interface only handles 5,000 characters at a time, so Tourtellot had to submit individual passages for translation in chunks. Along the way, the program made errors that would drive a copy editor mad, including swapping all em and en dashes in the text. Where he could, Tourtellot also developed scripts to ensure that the program addressed grammatical differences, such as the placement of periods inside or outside of quotation marks at the ends of sentences. Though the end result was accurate in many ways, it was still far from perfect. For instance, though the program easily translated common terms, Miller said it struggled with identifying technical terms and often misunderstood the input language as something other than English. Google Translate is good at [translating] Spot the dog ate his breakfast, Miller said, but certain terms for dry field restoration of grasses are a different matter. Island turned to the authors for help. Through their work in academia and at research institutes, Clewell and Aronson brought on multilingual graduate students to refine the text for an additional cost of a few thousand dollars. The result was reflowable ePub versions of the books second edition, updated with color photographs, in Spanish and Portuguese. As with automation in many industries, the process raises questions about the future of human translators. I understand their desire to use graduate students to save money, but at the same time it sets a bad precedent for translation as a viable art or job, said Chad Post, publisher of Open Letter Books, who oversees the Translation Database, which contains details about more than 6,000 books that have been translated into English (and which is hosted by PWs website). Tourtellot said, however, that he sees the process adding work for publishers in new areas: As automation comes about, it doesnt necessarily [only] take away jobsit creates new ones. Theres going to be a whole new side of the workforce that becomes important that is maybe undervalued now. For Miller, the project meets an immediate set of needs by creating a method to disseminate information broadly and quickly. In addition, he said, the project demonstrates to Island authors and supporters that the publisher is working on ways to get its books to more readers. The overall success of the endeavor remains to be seen. Translations in Portuguese and Spanish were completed by summer 2017, but Miller said that print-on-demand doesnt have the reach in bookstores in foreign markets, and no foreign publisher has acquired the rights yet. At last years Frankfurt Book Fair, however, Miller was able to share the finished translations and, he said, publishers expressed greater interest than ever in the books. It changes the conversation a lot, he added. Having $5,000$8,000 worth of translation costs go away is a lot of money. For now, e-book versions of the Spanish and Portuguese translations are available on Islands website. Meanwhile, Miller and his team are already looking for the next books in their catalogue to translate. For us its great to do these [particular translations] but the real goal here is theres a future, that theres a way to do this with 40 books a year, Miller said. As Island plots its next steps, its considering ways to streamline its approach. In a recent meeting, Millers team reviewed what went well and what went wrong with their first attempt. Reflecting on the em and en dashes, Miller said that the most important lesson of all is that its the little things that bite you. Among the range of sensitive government documents in the 'Cabinet Files' release last week, a list appeared with reference to a secret report intended for Australian eyes only, titled "Bilateral Planning with the United Arab Emirates on the defence of the UAE in the event of Iranian Hostilities". The title raises intriguing possibilities about what was being discussed or what, if anything, was decided. The document pre-dates Australia's commitment to fighting ISIS and the title doesn't indicate exactly what type of document it was. Was it bound for the National Security Committee of Cabinet? Was it simply an information brief about what had already transpired? Or was it a submission to request permission to undertake such planning? We will never know (which is as it should be). But before people go off thinking that Australia has some type of mutual defence treaty with Abu Dhabi, it is worth highlighting the relationship's context. In the lead up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Australia was looking for bases in the region from which to launch, command and sustain operations. The original plan of using Oman, as had occurred during the 1991 Gulf war, foundered when the Omanis reminded Canberra of promises for closer bilateral cooperation that had never been fulfilled after the war was over. So instead, the UAE proved to be a willing and generous host, and Emirati and Australian troops eventually conducted operations together in Afghanistan. By the end of 2009, Australian command, aviation and support elements were based in the UAE. But nothing is for nothing in the Middle East. The Emiratis always held the view that implicit in the arrangement to access to a base in the country was an understanding that Australia would assist should hostilities ever break out with its archnemesis Iran. Australia, for obvious reasons, has always tried to avoid committing itself to anything so prescriptive. Australia has a Defence Cooperation Agreement with the Emiratis, but this makes no mention of any commitment to mutual defence or even consultations in the event of conflict. Strategic ambiguity is a well-practised political art form, yet the Emiratis are also well aware of the power they hold over nations with bases on their territory, given these countries' sunk costs. The Emiratis used the basing of Canadian military assets in Dubai as leverage in a bilateral dispute in 2010 over the number of landing slots Canada was willing to grant Emirates Airlines. In the Australian context, it is quite possible Canberra decided that the appearance of cooperation, in the form of planning assistance, may have been a sufficient way of placating the UAE leadership, without the need to commit to anything more substantive. Or the discussion may have been something that Defence saw as a useful exercise, and sought government permission to explore. The paper referred to in the ABC Cabinet Files story is now five years old. Times have changed. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is now signed between Iran and the US, and both the Iranian and Australian foreign ministers have visited each others' countries. It is likely that the circumstances that precipitated that paper regarding Australia's bilateral planning with the UAE have passed. Still, the disclosure of the mere title of this document is a tantalising insight into the way bilateral military cooperation with non-liberal democracies works. There is always a real or implied cost to such arrangements, where politics is subject to personal fiat by the leader of the day. Western governments need to understand that before they commit forces, and to be prepared to employ deft diplomacy to navigate such challenges. Dr. Rodger Shanahan is a Research Fellow at the Lowy Institute. A former army officer, he had extensive service within the Parachute Battalion Group (PBG) and has had operational service with the UN in South Lebanon and Syria, with the PBG in East Timor, in Beirut during the 2006 war, and in Afghanistan. He was the former director of the Army's Land Warfare Studies Centre, and has also been posted to the Australian Embassies in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. Dr Shanahan has MAs in International Relations and Middle East Studies from the ANU, and a PhD in Arab and Islamic Studies from the University of Sydney. This article appeared originally at Lowy Institute's the interpreter. "One man seemed to speak for everyone when he made a brief, impassioned plea to the visiting officials. Our homes are being destroyed, our youths are being killed, people are suffering every day and being forgotten, he said. If, God forbid, we lose Lashkar Gah, then Helmand will collapse and the whole region and Afghanistan will collapse. Please save us from this chaos. Statement made to Gen. John W. Nicholson in October 2016, Lashkar Gah, Helmond Province.i Situation The Taliban was and remains an insurgency. It must be dealt with as an insurgency by focusing on the human terrain. The Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) must develop and pursue an indigenous Counter Insurgency (COIN) campaign focused on the principles of security, governance, and basic services. This does not need to be the full spectrum, comprehensive COIN led by the U.S. from 2010 to 2012, but a light version of that campaign. Regardless, GIRoA will likely require coalition forces to work by, with, and through them, providing training, advising, and assistance (TAA) in order for GIRoA to identify and address the specific elements of security, governance, and basic services which are the most critical for winning over the population and bringing the Taliban insurgency to an end. By 2016 the situation in Afghanistan had reached a point best described as a stalemate. The Taliban insurgents had been able to launch multiple concurrent offensives intended to seize four provincial capitals. The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) were successful in defeating these operations, but in doing so demonstrated that they were still very dependent not only on U.S. enabler support such as fires and intelligence, but also support to man, train, equip, sustain, and regenerate units. Additionally, the efforts to defeat the Taliban offenses disrupted ANDSF plans to not only further secure territory already under GIRoA control, but also to expand this territory. ii Neither side possessed the strength to defeat the other. By the fall of 2017 GIRoA only controlled territory containing less than 60% of the population which was down from over the 70% they held in 2016, and down from the 80% they held in 2014 when the lead for security operations transitioned from NATO to GIRoA. The remaining 40% was either controlled by the Taliban or was considered contested. iii The ANDSF were incapable of recapturing the contested portions of the country, or those portions under Taliban control without increased levels of U.S. support. This situation is amazing when one considers where Afghanistan was in 2011. Until 2009 the U.S. led coalition had prosecuted a fairly traditional combat campaign to defeat the Taliban. As we also saw in Iraq, it did not work. General McChrystal commented in 2009 as part of his initial assessment of the war in Afghanistan that Although considerable effort and sacrifice have resulted in some progress, many indicators suggest the overall situation is deteriorating. Further, he stated that Success is achievable, but it will not be attained simply by trying harder or "doubling down" on the previous strategy. He stated that what was needed was an integrated civilian-military counterinsurgency campaign that earns the support of the Afghan people and provides them with a secure environment." iv We realized we could not kill our way to victory. From 2010 to 2012 the U.S. led coalition conducted a full spectrum, comprehensive COIN campaign aimed at defeating the Taliban. At its zenith in 2011, the surge of military forces was in place, and both governance and socioeconomic development (stability operations) were an integral part of the campaign plan designed to secure the human terrain by facilitating GIRoAs ability to provide Afghans with security, governance, and basic services, while militarily defeating the Taliban.v The coalition, along with the ANDSF, was driving the Taliban, GIRoA had control over approximately 80% of the country, and security, governance, and basic services were largely in place. The ANDSF were maturing, and the transition of responsibility for security operations to Afghan control was underway.vi So what went wrong? According to General Nicolson, the Commander of United States Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A) and the NATO Resolute Support Mission, the previous Administrations plan to withdraw from Afghanistan was the problem. He states that weve drawn down too far and too fast, we communicated to the enemy that we had lost our will to win"vii It was just a matter of time, and the Taliban could simply wait us out. The NATO mission had transitioned from combat, to combat advising, to a functionally based security force assistance (SFA) model providing TAA support to the ANDSF on eight essential functions (EF) which were; Programming & Budgeting, Transparency & Oversight, Rule of Law, Force Generation, Sustainment, Planning, Intelligence, and Strategic Communications. However, this support was largely limited to conventional force TAA of the ANDSF at the Regional/Corps level and above. There was no intent for the SFA forces to conduct combat operations or advise below the Corps/Regional level. USFOR-A did maintain a small Special Operations Forces (SOF) command that focused on Counter Terrorism (CT) operations and providing TAA support the Afghan SOF. CT was the sole U.S. combat mission and focused largely on ISIS-K and AQ. The Taliban were generally not targeted by the U.S. The shift to functionally based SFA created a gap. There was no transition of the stability operations that had enabled the successful prosecution of the COIN campaign. These stability tasks were not considered one of the EFs.viii At that point, the COIN campaign that the U.S. had led reverted to a simple conventional combat campaign led by the ANDSF. Over the course of about three years, GIRoA proceeded to lose about 20 percent of the population it had under their control at the transition. Interestingly enough, at the same time, the Taliban also demonstrated an inability to expand their control much beyond their current holdings. There are several reasons for this, and they include; an ideology that has become too extreme and brutal for many Afghans; the Taliban being largely a Pashtun movement which limits its support in Hazara, Tajik, and Uzbek areas; and a heavy reliance on support from neighboring countries such as Pakistan which is unpopular among many Afghans. Given these shortfalls, some would argue that the Talibans best option is to pursue a negotiated settlement. ix This may be true, but the Taliban may also need a little convincing to take that step. This is where a new strategy is needed. A Needed Change in Strategy In 2017 the U.S. got a new administration and a new strategy. In August 2017 President Trump announced the new strategy for South Asia aimed at bolstering American security. The new strategy encompassed Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, the Central Asian nations and extended into Southeast Asia. He stressed the strategy would not have artificial timelines built into it but would be conditions-based. x The focus would be back on the Taliban. Specifically, "The ultimate goal is a negotiated peace settlement. So we continue to try to encourage peace process between the Afghan government and Taliban. We are not going to negotiate a separate peace with the Taliban. We want to see the Afghan government and the Taliban in negotiations."xi With a negotiated peace settlement as the objective, we would want to bring the Taliban to the table in a position of weakness. To accomplish this, the U.S. is taking specific actions. There will be a surge of advisors who will operate at the kandak (battalion) level and provide enabling support to the ANDSF as they conduct operations to clear and hold various population centers that are either considered contested or under Taliban control.xii The ANDSF intend to increase the percentage of the population under their control to approximately 80%, the same position they were in when the transition occurred several years ago.xiii Holding and controlling 80% of the population should place the Taliban in a position of weakness. Their ability to generate revenues through taxation and extortion would be greatly reduced, as will their ability to generate revenues via the drug trade. Finally, without the support of the local populace, the Taliban will not be able to fully reconstitute. But all this assumes GIRoA can hold the terrain and more importantly, the population. The Strategy is at Risk The enemy has a vote, and in this case, the Taliban has been a very resilient foe. It will likely take significant and prolonged (several years) effort to get them to participate in negotiations. This is still the Taliban that is an insurgency, and the human terrain is as important to them as it is to GIRoA. They rely on the population for financing and general support and sustainment. If we learned nothing else from COIN in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is that the key terrain is the human terrain. Supporting GIRoA and the ANDSF kinetic efforts to clear population centers is good. Trying to hold those areas is also a good thought. However, to truly hold the population, to keep them from supporting the Taliban, and to get them to support GIRoA, there needs to be a full package of security, governance, and basic services. GIRoA needs to demonstrate that they bring more to the table than the Taliban. They will be able to clear terrain, but it is unlikely that will be able to hold this terrain and positively influence the population without the package of security, governance, and basic services. This potential inability to hold the terrain and influence the population is the risk in the new strategy. Mitigating the Risk For GIRoA to hold the terrain and the population contained therein, they must wage a true COIN campaign, albeit perhaps a COIN Light campaign and this campaign must contain a plan that provides for a package of security, governance that is responsive and acceptable to the Afghan population, and basic services. This plan should be designed by GIRoA, although parts may actually be delivered initially by members of the international community (IC). This statement implies two things; that GIRoA can develop such a plan, and that they can synchronize this plan with the ANDSFs clear and hold operations. Unlike the U.S. led COIN campaign of 2010-2012, this emerging COIN campaign will not be the U.S. or even coalition led. The development of a package of security, governance, and basic services will be a GIRoA product. The good news is that there are still many members of the IC operating in Afghanistan who are very willing to support governance and development projects. The issue is that some agency will need to take the lead and provide GIRoA with the guidance and support to organize these groups, to include their own various ministries, and harness these finite resources to maximum effect. The development of the governance and basic services portions of the COIN Light Plan must be informed by and integrated with the ANDSF and their plan to clear and hold specific areas. The packages can then be tailored to support those areas. IC donors will also be identified to execute portions of those packages, working projects in those designated areas vice in other areas where the impact may not be as great, or worse, in areas where the Taliban may be able to extort funds from them. Finally, the components of those packages should be in place and ready to begin as soon as possible once the clearing operations terminate. Essentially what is required is an Afghan Interagency Task Force (IATF) that includes IC membership in addition to GIRoA security and non-security ministries. U.S. Departments and Agencies can and should also be members of this IATF. Again, GIRoA will likely need support in operating this IATF, TAA support if you will. The best source of this TAA is the United States Military because we are talking about expeditionary governance and basic service delivery in a combat zone. Conclusion Some readers may reject this article out of hand because it has counterinsurgency in the title. But those with an open mind should consider that for the new U.S. South Asia strategy to succeed and for the Taliban to be brought to the negotiating table, GIRoA needs to wage a COIN campaign. This does not need to be the full spectrum comprehensive COIN that the U.S. led coalition executed from 2010 to 2012, but it does need to be at least a light version of that campaign. The key point is that the United States does not have to do it or even pay for it, but it is very likely that we will have to guide or TAA it. The campaign, specifically the package of security, governance, and basic services does not have to be perfect. It does not need to result in the shinning democracy on a hill. It does not even need to be Afghan good enough. It just needs to better than what the Taliban offer. It should be designed by the Afghans in order to help Afghans and persuade the population to support GIRoA, not the Taliban. GIRoA needs to have a functioning COIN Light Campaign. With it, the South Asia Strategy and GIRoA stand a better chance at succeeding. Without it, GIRoA may clear some terrain, but the Taliban will absorb the body blows, eventually return, and will not be inclined to negotiate a peace settlement. Charles Barham is a retired U.S. Army Colonel with 29 years of service (1981-2010). He also served for four years as a Department of the Army Civilian Management and Program Analyst in the Afghanistan/Pakistan Hands Program (2010-2014). He currently serves as a Department of the Air Force Civilian Management and Program Analyst at USCENTCOM in an Interagency Planner capacity. He served for more than three years in Afghanistan as; Assistant Director of the Police Reform Directorate, Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan 2006-2007, Senior Socioeconomic Advisor in HQ ISAF-DCOS/STAB under Generals David Petraeus and John Allen 2011, as Deputy Director of the NATO/Afghan Transformation Task Force, HQ ISAF under General Joseph Dunford 2013, and as a Senior Planning, Programing and Budgeting Advisor to the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command. He has served for over six years in HQCENTCOM in positions including Senior Socioeconomic Advisor and Interagency Planner. He has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Richmond, a Master of Business Administration from Oklahoma City University, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. Notes: [i] Pamela Constable, Taliban Enter Capital of Helmand Province After Weeks of Fighting, The Washington Post, October 10, 2016. [ii] Caitlin Forrest, Afghanistan Partial Threat Assessment: November 22, 2016, Institute for the Study of War, November 23, 2016. [iii] John McCain and Lindsey Graham, Why We Need More Forces to End the Stalemate in Afghanistan, The Washington Opinions, March 13, 2017. [iv] GEN Stanley McChrystal, COMISAF Initial Assessment, September 21, 2009. [v] Jeff Goodson, Strategic Development and Irregular Warfare: Lessons From the High Water Mark of Full-Spectrum COIN, Small Wars Journal, August 15, 2015. [vi] Department of Defense, Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan, December 2012. [vii] Hans Nichols and Jonathan Allen, Still in a Stalemate, NBC News, Politics, November 24, 2017. [viii] Department of Defense, Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan, October 2014. [ix] Seth G. Jones, Why the Taliban Isnt Winning in Afghanistan, Foreign Affairs, January 3, 2018. [x] Jim Garamone, President Unveils New Afghanistan, South Asia Strategy, DoD News, August 21, 2017. [xi] NDTV, Donald Trumps New South Asia Strategy Making Progress, NDTV, December 3, 2017. [xii] Elizabeth McLaughlin, ANALYSIS: Losing troops and territory, will a new US strategy change the Afghan war?, ABC News International, December 31, 2017 [xiii] Ibid. US defence secretary James Mattis recently made his first trip to Southeast Asia. Significantly, the visit took in Indonesia and Vietnam, both listed in Washingtons newly released national security strategy and national defence strategy as partners of growing significance. The trip not only marked the two nations greater role in the region, but also signalled that the US is putting increased weight on cooperation beyond the regional treaty allies, Thailand and the Philippines. Recognising that no relationship stays the same, but they either get stronger or they get weaker, Mattis confirmed that America wants a stronger relationship with a stronger Vietnam. Hanoi has made active efforts from the early days of the US new administration to engage with it. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was the first Southeast Asian head of stateand the third from Asia (after Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese president Xi Jinping)to meet with President Donald Trump in Washington. Several more ministerial level visits have taken place and Trump visited Vietnam in November last year. The idea of a US aircraft carrier visit was floated during the visit to Washington of Vietnamese defence minister Ngo Xuan Lich in August. In Hanoi, Mattis met briefly with President Tran Dai Quang, visited the historic Vietnamese Tran Quoc pagoda, and discussed plans for the USS Carl Vinson to arrive in Da Nang in March 2018. It will be the first such visit since US forces left Vietnam at the end of the war in 1975. Just two days before Mattiss arrival, the US committed to dioxin remediation at Bien Hoa Air Base as it continued to address war legacies. While the carriers arrival will have considerable symbolismgiven the 50th anniversary of the Tet Offensivethe controversy it may well bring arises not from history but from current power plays in the region. So how is this being viewed by China? A Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson was reported as saying that China had no objection to the Carl Vinsons visit to Vietnam, but the Communist Partyrun Global Times called the plan a red line that neither the US nor Vietnam should cross. Beijing would see an aircraft carrier visit as meddling in South China Sea disputes that it wants external actors, such as the US, to stay away from. Chinas dissatisfaction with the WashingtonHanoi rapprochement isnt surprising, as these developments come amid the tension that followed the release of the US national defence strategy that explicitly named China as a strategic rival. Add to that the latest freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) by a US warship. On 17 January, the USS Hopper sailed near the Scarborough Shoalthe subject of an intense dispute between China and the Philippines after it was seized by China in 2012. China insists that the FONOP violated its sovereignty and says the patrols have forced it to strengthen its defence capabilities, including establishing military facilities on artificial islands. Vietnam has been actively and consistently upholding its own claims in the South China Sea. Mattiss visit to Southeast Asian countries, and in particular his commitment to closer cooperation with Hanoi, agitated Beijing further. Vietnam is a sovereign nation thats entitled to pursue independent foreign and defence policies. But China has been cultivating a habit of signalling what it expects from its neighbours, and what it doesnt want. Beijing regularly tells countries, such as Vietnam, that theyre overreacting, and the southern neighbour is by no means singled out. In the growing debate on Chinas coercive diplomacy, its important to appreciate that its rhetoricexpressing displeasure, disappointment or hurt feelingsis an integral part of Beijings strategy. Such rhetoric is often applied before, or often instead of, coercive action. For Chinas purposes, conveying its displeasure is often enough to alter the target nations behaviour. To stand up to Beijing, Vietnam needs to be sure of strong and continuing US support. Hanoi has developed a pattern of tailored reaction and a relatively good sense of when to give in and when to counter-coerce. For example, in May 2014, when China deployed the HYSY-981 oil rig into waters Vietnam claims around the Paracel Islands, the Vietnamese launched a concentrated diplomatic and media campaign to counter Chinese coercion. It resulted, eventually, in China withdrawing the rig ahead of schedule. In July 2017, however, under Chinese pressure to stop gas exploration in cooperation with the Repsol company, Hanoi bowed to Beijings demand. Of course, the reaction in each situation will depend on the severity of the issue and other factors such as the likely gains from concessions or the costs of countering Beijings coercion. Vietnam views the American aircraft carrier visit as an opportunity worth standing up to China over, but some room for negotiation remains, perhaps regarding the timing of the visit, the length of the carriers stay and what Hanoi says about its significance while its there. To put its foot down, however, Hanoi needs Washingtons continual reassurance that Mattiss tougher stance towards China isnt temporary and that a US commitment to the South China Sea remains on Trumps priority list. I cant understand why Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia remains a Democrat. Ideologically, he is far closer to Mitch McConnell or even Ted Cruz than he is to the Schumer-Pelosi Democrats. His constituents in the Mountaineer State (Mountaineer is the polite word for Hillbilly) gave President Trump overwhelming support in 2016, and remain loyal to him. A newly released document from the Senate Judiciary Committee says Christopher Steele, the former British spy who compiled the Trump dossier, wrote an additional memo on the subject of Donald Trump and Russia that was not among those published by BuzzFeed in January 2017. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and her advisers have made a remarkably good start at ending the Obama administrations abuse of federal regulatory power to attack the due-process rights of university students accused of sexual assault. But the more important taskthe crafting of Title IX regulations to ensure fair treatment for both parties in campus casesis ahead. Last September, DeVos publicly called for fairness to both sides in campus adjudications. About two weeks later, the Education Department withdrew the Title IX guidance" that the Obama administration had imposed to specify guilt-presuming procedures for the nations colleges and universities to use. DeVos has also ended the Obama practice of turning every allegation of sexual harassment into a sweeping, publicized federal investigation of all allegations university-wide over the past three years. But these actions will only begin to undo the damage done by the previous administration. And to date, DeVos has had little impact on the deeper problem of systematic discrimination by universities against the accused. (Almost all students accused of sexual assault are male.) In this #MeToo era, it might seem counterintuitive to suggest that campus systems have prioritized the interests of accusers over the need to achieve a just outcome. But in the context of student-on-student accusations, at least, college campuses are unlike the workplace, due both to campus ideology and to the effects of the Obama administration mandates. In 2011, 2014, and 2015, the Education Departments Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued "guidance" documents in the name of interpreting Title IX that effectively required more than 7,000 universities and colleges to use specified, guilt-presuming procedures to respond to sexual misconduct allegations. Announced with no public notice or opportunity for comment, these decrees resulted in procedures that lack the most basic elements of fairness and due process, are overwhelmingly stacked against the accused, and are in no way required by Title IX law or regulation, as 28 Harvard law professors wrote in an eloquent indictment in 2014. More than 70 judges have issued rulings (some of them preliminary) against schools for violating accused students rights. Most schools executed the Obama-era guidance so zealously as to be even more unfair to accused students than OCR explicitly required. But now virtually all have refused to implement provisions of the DeVos OCR's interim guidance. (After scouring the country, a trio of accusers rights organizations was able to find only one schoolthe University of Houstonthat was even considering changing its campus adjudication policies along the lines that DeVos had proposed.) And the pattern of injustice, which continues unabated, will almost certainly go on indefinitely unless and until the federal government takes much more forceful corrective action than anything DeVos has done so far. Fortunately, the education secretary may be preparing to do just that, and make campus Title IX proceedings far more just, through a necessarily protracted and complicated notice and comment rulemaking process that she announced last September. It is designed to produce by 2019 new regulations for enforcing Title IX that will seek fairness for both complainants and accused students. DeVos has committed to a two-step process to create a fairer campus Title IX system. First, in September, OCR issued new "interim guidance" containing several promising policy changes. Among other components, the interim guidance tells schools to: avoid sex stereotypes or generalizations and give accused students detailed, timely written notice of the allegations against them; use the same standard of proof in sexual misconduct cases that the school applies in other student misconduct cases, reversing the Obama demand that schools use the lowest possible standard of proof in sexual misconduct cases, even if they use a higher standard in other disciplinary cases; ensure that the investigator(s) be free of actual or reasonably perceived conflicts of interest and biases for or against any party, which seemingly excludes Title IX coordinators (whose powers the Obama administration sought to expand greatly) from the adjudication process, a provision that the final rules should make explicit; produce a written report summarizing the relevant exculpatory and inculpatory evidence," rather than simply looking for evidence that would support the accusers version of events. Finally, the interim guidance placed the burden . . . on the schoolnot on the partiesto gather sufficient evidence to reach a fair, impartial determination as to whether sexual misconduct has occurred. While this wording strongly implied that the accused student was entitled to a presumption of innocence, final regulations should make that implication clear-cut. As the Supreme Court has stressed, effective due-process protections in noncriminal cases are most critical when the impact and risk of an erroneous deprivation is great. Yet even these modest steps toward fairness drew frenzied denunciations from virtually every Democratic politician who has spoken publicly about them and a hostile or cool reaction from almost all university officials who have commented. As a result, DeVos has not yet been able to change things very much on the ground. Notice and Comment Rulemaking DeVos foreshadowed more important, detailed, and lasting regulatory changes when she vowed in September that we will launch a transparent notice-and-comment process to incorporate the insights of all parties in developing a better way, as provided in the Administrative Procedure Act of 1946 (APA). She stressed that just as one rape or one aggressive act of harassment is one too many, one person denied due process is one too many. The primary reference to due process for accused students in Obama-era OCR guidance, by contrast, was to caution that steps to accord any due process rights do not restrict or unnecessarily delay the protections provided by Title IX to the complainant. DeVos has eschewed what she calls Obamas rule by letter approach. We want to build a rule thats enduring and seen by all as fair, a top DeVos aide explains. Its a steady, thoughtful process, not a rush. The DeVos OCR initially has focused on developing detailed proposed rules for campus disciplinary proceedings involving alleged student-on-student sexual misconduct. After being finalized, approved by DeVos, and reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget and other agencies, the proposed rules will be published in the coming months. Interested parties then would have several weeks to file public comments. The APA requires that agencies such as OCR respond in detail to the comments, which could take months; make any appropriate revisions in the proposed rules; seek input on those from OMB, the Justice Department, and perhaps other agencies; and issue final rules. Accusers rights groups doubtless will criticize any new regulations, and court challenges are inevitable. But the final rules will have the force of law unless and until provisions are struck down by the courts or overhauled by the next administration, in another protracted rulemaking, or (less likely) by Congress. Proposed Procedural Rules for Campus Sex Cases The final regulations seem likely to include all the promising elements (presumption of innocence, requirement to document exculpatory evidence, avoidance of sex stereotypes, notice of allegations, prohibition of conflicts of interest and bias, elimination of a separate, lower standard for sexual assault cases) contained (and implied) in the interim guidance. But the interim guidance omits three requirementstwo of them endorsed by federal appeals courtsthat are absolutely critical to fairness. First, the regulations should require schools to tell both complainants and accused students at the outset of the process that they have a right to have a lawyer at their own expense, or another advocate, represent them at every stage of the process. They also should require schools to give every complainant and accused student a hearing before a panel of impartial adjudicators, with a right to meaningful and non-disruptive direct cross-examination of all witnesses, including the opposing party, on all contested issues of fact. The questions may be asked by the partys lawyer, or by another chosen advocate, except that a complainant who objects to a personal, face-to-face confrontation with an accused students lawyer or advocate has a right to answer his questions on video if she so requests. (Many schools now forbid lawyers from cross-examining the complainant or other witnesses or even speaking on their client's behalf. These restrictions make it difficult for innocent students to present an effective defense.) These changes would reverse the Obama-era OCRs strong opposition to meaningful cross-examination of accusers, which the overwhelming majority of schools now prohibit. That prohibition flouts both the Supreme Courts description (quoting a legal scholar) of cross-examination as the greatest legal engine ever invented for the discovery of truth and the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, in a case filed by an accused student from the University of Cincinnati, recognizing that cross-examination takes aim at credibility like no other procedural device. The unanimous three-judge Sixth Circuit panel castigated the university for assuming that cross-examination only benefited the accused student: In truth, the opportunity to question a witness and observe her demeanor while being questioned can be just as important to the trier of fact as it is to the accused. Thats because few procedures safeguard accuracy better than adversarial questioning. Second, the regulations must specify that procedures that are structurally unfair to either partynot just to the accuserconstitute gender discrimination under Title IX. From 2011 onwards, the Obama administration employed Title IX on behalf of a victims rights viewpoint, contending that campus policies it perceived as insufficiently tilted toward the interests of accusers constituted gender discrimination in violation of Title IXeven though not all complainants are victims and not all victims are female. The logical corollary of this approach is that if a campus system that tilts too far in favor of the accused violates Title IX, a system that tilts too far in favor of accusers also constitutes gender discrimination. But the majority of courts that have addressed this issue have concluded (as a district judge in a case filed against Rider University recently did) that bias, even overwhelming structural bias, in favor of the alleged victim of sexual assault . . . is not the equivalent of demonstrating bias against male students. The more compelling view, which the regulations should adopt, is that of a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. It refused in July 2016 to dismiss a students Title IX claim against Columbia University for anti-male discrimination. It ruled that a university that adopts, even temporarily, a policy of bias favoring one sex over the other in a disciplinary dispute, doing so in order to avoid liability or bad publicity, has practiced sex discrimination, notwithstanding that the motive for the discrimination did not come from ingrained or permanent bias against that particular sex. Even assuming for the sake of argument that discrimination against accused students does not violate Title IX, an obscure provision of the Higher Education Amendments adopted by Congress in 1992 appears to provide an independent source of authority for Education Department regulations designed to ensure fairness in campus adjudications of sexual assault. This provision requires colleges and universities to adjudicate all accusations of student-on-student sexual assault as part of their disciplinary systems. And that seems a sufficient basis for Education Department regulations to ensure that the adjudications be fair. Third, the rules should require colleges both to make public all materials used to train investigators and adjudicators in campus Title IX tribunals and to ensure that the training does not discriminate against either complainants or accused students, including by generalizing about truthfulness. Federal regulations have required training disciplinary panels in all Title IX cases, even though no such requirement exists for other campus disciplinary offenses. Almost all schools now cloak their training materials in secrecy, even from accused students. As we have reported, the materials currently used by many schools stack the deck against the accused by suggesting without a scientific foundation that false allegations of rape are very uncommon; that any internal inconsistencies in the complainants account or contradictions of other evidence should be attributed to the effects of trauma; and that rigorous questioning of complainants is forbidden as blaming the victim. Beyond these three critical components, Title IX regulations that seek to ensure a fair process rather than a pre-conceived result must: Remind colleges that Title IX does not trump the Constitutions protection of free speech or a professors right to academic freedom. Such a disclaimer would safeguard against notorious cases such as that of Northwestern University Professor Laura Kipnis, who in the guise of policing sexual harassmentwas subjected to a harrowing Title IX investigation for writing an article that criticized how Northwestern handled Title IX complaints. Specify that the notice of allegations that must be provided to accused students before they are asked to respond must include copies of any written complaint by the accuser or witness statements and a detailed written summary of any verbal complaint or witness statement . Accommodate criminal investigations by affording accused students a right to remain silent and requiring schools to defer campus proceedings for a reasonable time if so requested by police. Prevent investigators from also serving as adjudicators and prevent both from deciding appeals in the same case. Guarantee accused students a right to a meaningful appeal of any adverse finding for insufficient evidence, procedural violations, excessive sanctions, and newly discovered evidence . Permit schools to mediate between parties and help them settle cases on an informal basis (a practice forbidden by OCR since 2001). Reaffirm that OCR has no interest in limiting schools ability to provide counseling, medical, academic or housing accommodations, or other services to alleged victims of sexual misconduct. The new regulations also should reverse one of the most troubling elements of the Obama-era guidancea double-jeopardy requirement that schools with appeals processes (as virtually all do) must allow accusers to appeal not-guilty findings. As could have been predicted, this provision has resulted in institutions using dubious reasons to overturn panel decisions in favor of accused students. Unlike the civil justice system, in most campus Title IX tribunals the accused student faces not only the accuser, but also a college employee of some type who functions as investigator or even de facto prosecutor, followed by an adjudicator trained with one-sided material. Forcing a student who overcomes all these obstacles to then obtain a second finding of innocence is deeply unfair. The Need and Legal Justification for the Proposed Rules Any school that uses a system biased toward finding a student responsible for sexual misconduct . . . commits discrimination, DeVos has said. Congressional Democrats critical of DeVos, by contrast, too often appear to have viewed such bias as an irrelevant concern. In this pernicious framingmost recently offered by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), the House Democrats point person on campus sexual assault policycampuses need not much worry about fair procedures, since between 92 and 98 percent of accused students are guilty. Yet the studies referenced by Speier indicate that the evidence in more than half of allegations is ambiguous, demonstrating why in many cases, even a careful, unbiased, fair, professional fact-finding process cannot reliably separate the innocent from the guilty. Its undeniable that some schools, especially in cases involving allegations against high-profile athletes who bring in money to their schools, have made it difficult or impossible for student victims to achieve justice. Nonetheless, overwhelming evidence exists in the public record of campus procedures that have the effect, if not the intent, of denying accused students a fair opportunity to defend themselves. As Harvard Law professors Elizabeth Bartholet, Nancy Gertner, Janet Halley, and Jeannie Suk Gersen noted in a white paper titled Fairness for All Students, filed with OCR in August: Definitions of sexual wrongdoing on college campuses are now seriously overbroad. They go way beyond accepted legal definitions of rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment. They often include sexual conduct that is merely unwelcome, even if it does not create a hostile environment, even if the person accused had no way of knowing it was unwanted, and even if the accusers sense that it was unwelcome arose after the encounter. . . . The procedures for enforcing these definitions are frequently so unfair as to be truly shocking. . . . Title IX officers have reason to fear for their jobs if they hold a student not responsible or [fail to impose] a harshly punitive sanction. The prevalence of discrimination against accused students has been detailed by myriad journalists and scholars as well as by our 2017 book, The Campus Rape Frenzy, and books by Laura Kipnis and Robert L. Shibley. The journalists include Emily Yoffe, Cathy Young, Ashe Schow, and Robby Soave. The scholars include the 24 Harvard law professors mentioned above; 16 Penn Law School professors who issued a similarly reasoned open letter; and law professors Aya Gruber, Tamara Lave Rice, R. Shep Melnick, and Ben Trachtenberg, who have written individually on the issue. The nations leading campus civil liberties group, the Foundation for Equal Rights in Education (FIRE), for several years has cautioned that the implementation of Title IX has threatened fair treatment for accused students. Finally, schools should voluntarily distinguish among allegations of (1) violations of the criminal law as defined by the state where the campus is located; (2) sexual harassment as defined in these rules; and (3) any lesser form of sexual misconduct specified in the school policies. (For DeVos to make these distinctions mandatory would arguably conflict with existing Clery Act regulations.) As DeVos has said, many schools enforce ambiguous and incredibly broad definitions of assault and harassment. Trivializing what is a felony in all 50 states serves the interests of no one. These proposed rules may strike many as too prescriptive for a conservative administration that has vowed to cut back on federal regulation. And we wish we could think of a better way to protect the constitutional rights of independent-minded college students and professors. But we cant. The courts, limited to case-by-case decisions, cannot do it on a broad scale. And Congress, never a champion of the rights of accused people, will not do it. Nor will the states. The paradox is that nothing short of muscular federal regulation will stop our politically correct universities from trampling the liberty of students and faculty. WASHINGTON -- The autocratic leader lies and then falsely charges his opponents with lying. He politicizes institutions that are supposed to be free of politics by falsely accusing his foes of politicizing them. He victimizes others by falsely claiming they are victimizing him. The autocrat also counts on spineless politicians to cave in to his demands. And as they destroy governmental institutions at his bidding, they insist they are defending them. In her classic 1951 book, "The Origins of Totalitarianism," the philosopher Hannah Arendt offered two observations that help us understand the assumptions and purposes behind the memo created by the staff of Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., the chair of the House Intelligence Committee turned propagandist for President Trump. The totalitarian method of the 1920s and 30s, she noted, was to "dissolve every statement of fact into a declaration of purpose." She also said this: "Mass propaganda discovered that its audience was ready at all times to believe the worst, no matter how absurd, and did not particularly object to being deceived because it held every statement to be a lie anyhow." Bear Arendt's warnings in mind in pondering the Nunes screed whose sole purpose is to discredit an investigation that appears to be getting closer and closer to Trump. A blatant McCarthyite hit piece that breaks little new ground, it cherry-picks from troves of information to feed a dangerous narrative: Even if special counsel Robert Mueller gets the goods on Trump -- on Russian collusion, money laundering, obstruction of justice, or all three -- the facts won't matter because the inquiry was driven by partisanship. The memo pretends that the most important actor in the case is Carter Page, a Trump adviser who had left the campaign by the time the events it describes transpired. The memo's core assertion is that in a request to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court to authorize surveillance on Page, the FBI relied the findings of former British intelligence official Christopher Steele without informing the court that Fusion GPS, the firm that hired Steele, was paid by Democrats to collect bad stuff on Trump. Actually, Page is a side player in the story, and his engagement with Russian spies was on the radar of intelligence agencies long before Steele prepared his now-famous dossier. Among the document's many volumes of convenient omissions is that Fusion GPS was hired first by conservative foes of Trump. The thinness of the memo explains why some in the White House, according to The Washington Post and others, feared it would be a dud. To read it is to know why Trump's own Justice Department and the FBI were so furious at Trump's eagerness to make it public. And its underlying premise is laughable. To imply that the FBI's leadership is a nest of left-wing Hillary Clinton sympathizers is as absurd as declaring that a majority of Philadelphians were rooting for the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Equally specious is any suggestion of bias against Rod Rosenstein, a Republican named as deputy attorney general by Trump. It has been widely reported that Trump wants to fire him. This insubstantial account provides no justification for such a crisis-provoking move. The Nunes exercise fits snugly with Arendt's second observation. The cynicism of a significant part of the public, particularly Trump's supporters, leads them to believe that everybody in every institution lies. The Nunes talking points toss out distorted and disconnected facts, not to advance the truth but to cloud it in confusion. Thus did Nunes' ploy accomplish the opposite of its intention. It simply showed how petrified Trump and his backers are of a comprehensive probe. Our democratic regime is further endangered by the proclivity of Republicans in Congress to enable the executive abuses they're supposed to check. House Speaker Paul Ryan's disgraceful complicity in the release of the memo was made all the more shameful when he declared last Thursday that it "does not impugn the Mueller investigation or the deputy attorney general." Trump put the lie to this Friday morning when he tweeted: "The top Leadership and Investigators of the FBI and the Justice Department have politicized the sacred investigative process in favor of Democrats and against Republicans." Perhaps Ryan is fooling himself, but my hunch is that he's too smart for that -- which means he is trying to fool the rest of us. Autocrats don't prevail unless they have allies to give them cover. Thanks to House Republicans, our country has taken another step toward the chaos that autocrats thrive on. (c) 2018, Washington Post Writers Group Athens, GA (30605) Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. China has claimed another substantial gain in energy efficiency during 2017, when the official economic growth rate accelerated for the first time in seven years. On Jan. 19, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said that China's energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product fell 3.7 percent, exceeding the government's target of 3.4 percent for the year. The key efficiency index, also known as energy intensity, is a measure of China's progress in reducing waste in industrial production and economic output. While the government invariably reports annual improvements in energy intensity, the latest claim is notable because the NBS has also estimated that China's GDP rose at a 6.9-percent rate, gaining speed after growing 6.7 percent in 2016. The intensity estimate paints a picture of the best of both worlds faster economic growth with higher efficiency and less energy waste to cause climate change and smog. While that sounds like good news, it has been hard to verify. According to the NBS, China's total energy consumption edged up 2.9 percent last year, a far slower pace than the official GDP growth, supporting the calculation of less energy use per-unit of GDP. But indicators released so far suggest higher rates of energy use. China's electricity consumption rose 6.6 percent last year, the National Energy Administration (NEA) said. The rate outpaced the 5-percent increase in 2016 and a weak 0.5- percent rise a year before when GDP growth was also recorded as 6.9 percent. Apparent oil demand increased 5.9 percent last year, according to the research arm of state-owned China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC). In 2016, apparent oil demand crept up 1.3 percent, S&P Global Platts energy news estimated last year. Natural gas consumption jumped by some 16.6 percent, based on figures from the official Xinhua news agency, as China pressed northern cities to replace coal with the cleaner-burning fuel. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) reported a slightly lower growth figure for gas consumption of 15.3 percent, but that was still the biggest rise since 2012, Reuters said. As for coal, production and import figures both pointed to the first consumption increase since 2013. Domestic output rose 3.2 percent, the NBS reported. Coal imports climbed 6.1 percent, the General Administration of Customs said. Validity of economic claims While the electricity and fuel figures seem to be pushing against the NBS estimate of total energy consumption, they may also raise doubts about the validity of economic claims. But there were also signs that supported the story of stronger economic growth. Rail tonnage, a favorite "surrogate" indicator of the economy, along with power, rose 10.7 percent after an 0.8-percent decline in 2016. The wide year-to-year disparities in component figures raise questions about the relatively minor changes in GDP growth rates from 6.9 percent in 2015, to 6.7 percent in 2016 and back again to 6.9 percent in 2017. In reporting the 2017 results, The New York Times called the official GDP figures "implausibly smooth and steady." In a blog posting for the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, resident scholar Derek Scissors noted the virtually seamless stability of the official quarterly GDP growth rates, varying by only 0.1-0.2 percentage points over the past two years. The uncanny smoothness has prevailed despite jagged variations in contributing factors, including fixed-asset investment, retail sales, trade, and energy use. The preliminary NBS estimates are also typically unchanged despite more accurate data available later in the year. "Better numbers for calculating GDP appear later because they are hard to measure for such a huge population in less than three weeks after a quarter ends. GDP is easy because growth is so smooth that one almost knows the result in advance," Scissors said. The questions are compounded in the case of energy intensity, since it is a ratio of consumption estimates to official GDP. In a further complication, the NBS converts all forms of energy into "millions of tons of coal equivalent" (Mtcoe), using its own formulas. Yet, energy efficiency gains have also been remarkably stable, reaching a substantial 5 percent in 2016 and a whopping 5.6 percent in 2015, despite big variations in electricity use and outbreaks of smog. The intensity reduction announced for 2017 appears to put China on track to meet its five-year target of a 15-percent cut by 2020. Smoke is discharged from chimneys at a coal-fired power plant in Jilin city, capital of northeastern China's Jilin province, Jan. 8, 2014. Credit: ImagineChina Subject to revision David Fridley, staff scientist for the China Energy Group at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, said the latest estimates are subject to revision. "These early reports need to be taken with a grain of salt. No huge economy such as China's could possibly have GDP and energy consumption numbers for a year that just ended three weeks ago," said Fridley, who has tracked the energy intensity figures as far back as the 1980s. In practice, significant revisions of GDP and energy intensity estimates are rare, or rarely publicized, with some notable exceptions. In 2015, the NBS disclosed a massive revision to its coal figures, indicating that the country had been consuming up to 17 percent more of the high-polluting fuel than it previously recorded. "Even for a country of China's size, the scale of the correction is immense," The New York Times said at the time. The revision was seen as a major setback for efforts to curb greenhouse gases by the world's largest emitter, boosting estimates of China's carbon dioxide (CO2) releases by nearly 1 billion metric tons per year. Fridley said that factors like growth in power consumption may be of little value in assessing the official intensity estimates, since electricity represents only 19 percent of China's final energy use. When asked whether the latest efficiency claims appear credible, given the data that has been seen so far, Fridley gave a mixed response. "Yes and no. Yes, in that the figure is certainly consistent with performance of other years and there was no huge jump in heavy industrial activity," he said by email. "But no, in the sense that I rather doubt the GDP figure." Fridley cited more concern for the climate implications of the estimates than for the efficiency numbers themselves. In November, international climate scientists of the Global Carbon Project warned that world CO2 emissions would rise two percent, citing an estimated three-percent increase in China's coal consumption in 2017. "The intensity numbers are not that important, since we still saw an absolute increase in CO2 emissions, and that's the bottom line," Fridley said. Cambodias government has ordered internet service providers to block online access to The Cambodia Daily newspaper, which closed last year amid a widespread crackdown on media and civil society groups criticizing Prime Minister Hun Sens ruling Cambodian Peoples Party. In a letter dated Sept. 28, 2017, and only now made public, Cambodias Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications instructed Cambodia-based service providers to block IP addresses to the newspapers website. The governments order extended also to the papers Facebook page and Twitter account, though technology experts say these remain largely unblocked. Speaking to RFAs Khmer Service, Cambodian Center for Independent Media executive director Nop Vy called the governments move damaging to media freedom and open access to information in the increasingly authoritarian Southeast Asian country. Our citizens find it necessary to receive news and information from a wide number of sources, Nop Vy said, adding, The more they receive news that is independent [from government control], the better they will be able to live in our society. Calls from RFA seeking clarification from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications rang unanswered on Monday, though ISP offices in Cambodia have confirmed to customers and the Phnom Penh Post that they had blocked access to the website following government instructions. The Cambodia Daily closed its offices in September 2017 after failing to pay millions of U.S. dollars in what Prime Minister Hun Sen said were back taxes owed to the government. Cambodias government at about the same time expelled U.S.-funded NGO the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and suspended some 20 radio stations that aired content by U.S. broadcasters Radio Free Asia and Voice of America. Call for sanctions In a motion submitted on Feb. 5, Australian legislator Mark Butler called on Australias parliament to impose sanctions on Cambodia for what he called Hun Sens persecution of his political opposition, civil society, and independent media ahead of national elections this year. Australia has a solemn duty to the Cambodian people and to our own values of democracy and freedom to oppose the anti-democratic actions in the lead-up to Cambodias June general elections, Butler said. Australia, as most Australians know, played an integral role in the Paris Peace Accords promising to safeguard the process of transitioning Cambodia after the Khmer Rouge regime and, most especially, guaranteeing free and fair elections. This element of the peace accords remains woefully unfulfilled, he said. In a response, Cambodian Peoples Party spokesperson Sok Eysan called Butlers call for sanctions a reflection of the Australian parliamentarians own political bias, adding that all moves by Cambodias government have complied with the Paris Peace Accords and the rule of law. Only [a few] organizations that operated against the law have been shut down or expelled, he said. We havent committed any sins against the opposition. They made their own mistakes, and must be held accountable for their actions. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Richard Finney. The family members of detained Chinese human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng, who is currently detained on suspicion of subversion, have been denied permission to visit him, while another prominent rights lawyer is fighting a decision to have him debarred from the profession, RFA has learned. Yu was placed under criminal detention on Jan. 20, on suspicion of obstructing public servants in the course of their duties," but has since been transferred from Beijing to Xuzhou city in the eastern province of Jiangsu on a more serious charge of incitement to subvert state power. His family traveled to Xuzhou in the hope of paying him a visit, but were denied permission by the local police department, Yus wife Xu Yan told RFA. We went to the Tongshan district police department in Xuzhou and asked to visit Yu Wensheng, and for contact details for the officer in charge of his case so we could find out more about his case, Xu said. Two police officers came out, and told us wed have an answer regarding our request for a meeting within 48 hours, but that theyd have to ask what to do regarding the officer in charge of the case, she said. So today, we still have no result on either of these things. Xu said she had also asked the address of the place where Yu is currently being held under residential surveillance. They didnt tell me, she said. As his relative, I wanted to deposit some money for Yu to use, but they wouldnt let me do that either. Xu has rejected the charges against her husband, saying his detention is more likely a form of political retaliation for an open letter he penned the day before, calling for an end to party control of China's People's Liberation Army and other major changes in line with the countrys constitution. Yus defense attorney Huang Hanzhong said the authorities are also breaking the law by having the Tongshan police investigate under the direction of the Xuzhou city police department. This is actually a serious breach of the Criminal Procedure Law because according to the law, cases involving charges like incitement to subvert state power should be tried by an Intermediate Peoples Court, which means that the investigation should be carried out by a police department of city rank or higher, Huang said. It cant be delegated to the level below it can only be carried out by the Xuzhou police department, he said. The disappearance of Yu to an unknown location for residential surveillance in Xuzhou comes as fellow defense attorney, Sui Muqing, loses his license to practice. Yu, 51, has defended a number of clients in politically sensitive human rights cases in recent years, including forced evictees and the families of victims of a tainted vaccinations scandal in the eastern province of Shandong. In 2014, he was held by police for 99 days for showing public support for the pro-democracy Occupy Central movement in Hong Kong. Yu was stripped of his professional license to practice after he joined the defense team for detained fellow lawyer Wang Quanzhang, held incommunicado in the northern city of Tianjin amid a nationwide crackdown on more than 300 lawyers and rights activists that began in July 2015. License stripped Meanwhile, authorities in the southern province of Guangdong have revoked the business license of rights lawyer Sui Muqing after he ignored official warnings not to take on so many politically sensitive cases. Sui, who insisted on a review hearing to appeal the decision, that took place in the provincial capital Guangzhou last Saturday, has said the revocation of his license was likely the result of his defending a series of politically sensitive cases in recent years. An official at the Guangdong provincial department of justice confirmed to RFA that the appeal hearing had ended on Saturday, with the result to be announced at a later date. Suis lawyer for the hearing Zhou Feng said there were no grounds for his client to lose his business license. I wonder where the evidence is to justify stripping Sui of his license, Zhou said. We [his defense team] dont think he should be punished, and certainly not by losing his license. The main thing is that they heard us make our case; they heard our opinions, he said. They said they would use them to make a detailed report to their leaders, and then wait for orders. Dozens of supporters showed up on Saturday to show support for Sui, only to be faced with heavy security around the building. There were a few dozen of us there, and both the intersections outside were sealed off, in a radius of 500 meters (1,640 feet) by police vehicles, riot police and state security police, a supporter who asked to remain anonymous told RFA. They had blocked off the gate of the justice department with steel barriers, he said. Detained supporters Rights activist Zhang Wuzhou said she was detained at the scene after having tried unsuccessfully to get a permit to audit the hearing. I came here twice to see if I could get a permit to attend, and [they] had me fill out an application and leave my phone number, Zhang said. So I came here today, but no sooner had I arrived than someone called out my name, and before I knew it I was being put into a police vehicle. I came here yesterday with a few people from Hangzhou, and some women from Anhui, but I havent heard anything from them, she said. Theyre not answering their phones. A large number of rights lawyers have been denied a business license during annual reviews following the July 2015 crackdown, which saw more than 300 lawyers, law firm staff and rights activists detained, questioned, jailed, or placed under surveillance and travel bans along with their families. Lawyers say the government is now starting to use the justice departments and the Lawyers' Associations instead of criminal proceedings to target the legal profession and to deter them from taking on sensitive cases, or speaking out on behalf of disadvantaged clients. Last September, authorities in the eastern province of Shandong revoked the business license of lawyer Zhu Shengwu, to practice after he defended social media user Wang Jiangfeng, who was jailed for two years after he called President Xi Jinping by a forbidden nickname -- "steamed buns" -- in an online post. Reported by Gao Feng and Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wong Siu-san and Dai Weisen for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Residents of two cities in North Koreas North Hamgyong province are grumbling over a government directive requiring them to provide funds and supplies to aid the construction of the latest historic site to memorialize the countrys founder Kim Il Sung, according to local sources. In January, authorities in North Hamgyong declared a site at Mt. Wangjae in Onsong county one of North Koreas Revolutionary Historic Places, designating it a major provincial construction project, sources told RFAs Korean Service earlier this week, speaking on condition of anonymity. But rather than provide them with a source of pride, the designation has left residents furious over the latest project they will be expected to shell out for, even as families already face difficulties making ends meet, they said. Kim Il Sung (1912-94) is the grandfather of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The provincial authority named Mt. Wangjae Revolutionary Historic Place a major provincial construction project, but residents are openly questioning how many more Kim Il Sung Revolutionary Historical Places need to be constructed, said one of the sources from North Hamgyong. According to the source, the site at Mt. Wangjae has been used as an outdoor museum honoring Kim Il Sungs revolutionary history since 1970, and includes statues of Kim and anti-Japanese partisans, a monument, an exhibition center, and a guesthouse for military visitors. Once the site was confirmed as a Revolutionary Historic Place construction project, however, residents must cover all necessary funds and supplies for additional construction and maintenance, he said. The offering that Chongjin citys residents need to make is a minimum 10,000 won (U.S. $1.25) per household ... as well as an arbitrary additional amount of money or supplies, the source said, referring to North Hamgyongs capital on the countrys northeastern coast. The residents are complaining since they were informed about the construction. They are resentful of the fact that they already have dedicated so much by contributing money to the states large-scale construction projects upgrading Samjiyon county [in Yanggang province], the capital Pyongyang, and the [tourist beach] project in [Kangwon provinces] Wonsan city, he added. Food 'donations' A second source from North Hamgyong told RFA that residents of Hoeryonga city in North Hamgyong on the Tumen river across the border from Chinas Jilin provincealso received a directive to provide assistance for the construction of Mt. Wangjae Revolutionary Historic Place. They are being forced to provide food for construction workers at the site, he said, adding that each household is expected to deliver 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of grain in support of the project. They are strongly critical of the fact that they must make additional offerings, as they already gave out so much food for the Samjiyon and Wonsan construction projects. According to the source, authorities collect funds and supplies from residents every single day, twelve months a year, for varying reasons. The residents believe that the Central Committees directives for construction projects are just another trick to collect money and food, he said. While residents had regularly accepted Central Committee directives related to Revolutionary Historic Places in the past, the sources told RFA that open criticism of the practice is a relatively new phenomenon in North Hamgyong. Showpiece projects Last month, sources told RFA that a critical slush fund controlled by North Koreas leader Kim Jong Un is nearly depleted following a series of nuclear weapon and missile tests, and that he no longer has enough money to govern the country. In addition to expenditures on weapons tests, the sources said that Kim has also spent lavishly from the fund on showpiece projects such as the Ryomyong Street neighborhood in the capital Pyongyang and the Masikryong Ski Resort in eastern North Koreas Kangwon province, as well as on his on-the-spot guidance tours of different industries that are used as propaganda by state media. Earlier, sources had indicated that the Kim regime lacked funding for basic schemes such as building nursing homes for senior citizensordering North Koreas provinces to build the facilities as part of a New Years push to complete showcase projects, but passing the cost of labor and construction on to local citizens who are already strapped for cash. While funding for construction, including materials and labor, is being demanded from area residents, the sources said North Korean citizens are becoming increasingly frustrated with projects that will end up being hailed as among Kims achievements. Reported by Jieun Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. Zhao Wei, a Chinese national who operates a casino in Laos over the weekend rejected the U.S. Treasury Departments ruling that his network is transnational criminal organization involved in trafficking in drugs, people and wildlife. In a statement issued in writing and by video on Saturday, Zhao called the U.S. designation a unilateral, extraterritorial, unreasonable and hegemonic act of ulterior motives and malicious rumor-mongering. This action has severely mislead international public opinion and created unnecessary worries among some investors and tourists, said the statement, issued in Chinese and Lao. As an investor, all of my own activities and those of my staff and companies in all countries and areas are legal, ordinary business operations supervised by the legal authorities of the relevant countries that have not harmed the interests of any country or individual, wrote Zhao. After issuing the written statement on Saturday, Zhao repeated his denials in an interview with Bokeo Television. Zhaos response followed the Jan. 30 designation by the U.S. Treasury Department in Washington, which declared the Zhao Wei network a transnational criminal organization (TCO) and imposed sanctions on Zhao and three other individuals and three companies across Laos, Thailand and Hong Kong. Based in Laos within the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ), the Zhao Wei TCO exploits this region by engaging in drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering, bribery, and wildlife trafficking, much of which is facilitated through the Kings Romans Casino located within the GTSEZ, said the Treasury Department statement. The Zhao Wei crime network engages in an array of horrendous illicit activities, including human trafficking and child prostitution, drug trafficking, and wildlife trafficking, the statement quoted Sigal Mandelker, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, as saying. We are targeting key figures in this transnational criminal organization, which stretches from the Kings Romans Casino in Laos throughout Southeast Asia, she said. Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control is designating the Zhao Wei network as part of a broader strategy to disrupt the financial infrastructure of transnational criminal organizations that pose a threat to the United States and our allies, said Mandelker. Zhao, co-owner and director of Kings Romans International (HK) Co., Limited and related firms, maintains de facto control over the GTSEZ and engages in extensive bribery to facilitate money laundering, narcotics trafficking, and wildlife trafficking at the Kings Romans Casino, said the U.S. Treasury Department. The U.S. measure, which freezes any U.S. assets and prohibits Americans from dealing with the targeted people or companies, also named Zhaos wife Guiqin Su, an Australian named Abbas Eberahim, and Thai national Nat Rungtawankhiri for providing material support and acting for or on behalf of Zhaos group. The accusation is not true because the place is properly managed and operated. Furthermore, our government is also monitoring the venue, A Lao official of the Bokeo Province administration told RFAs Lao Service on Monday. Reported by RFA's Lao Service. Translated by Bounchanh Mouangkham. Written in English by Paul Eckert. Soldiers from the Kachin Independence Army secure an area on Hka Ya mountain in northern Myanmar's Kachin state in a file photo. Much-needed development programs for Myanmars remote, war-torn Kachin state have been hindered by fighting between the national army and an ethnic armed group, the states chief minister said Monday. Myanmars northernmost state bordered by China and India has been rocked by a resurgence of conflict since 2011 when a 17-year bilateral cease-fire agreement between the two sides broke down. The clashes have left hundreds dead and more than 100,000 displaced. The latest round of fighting began early this year when government soldiers launched air strikes in the Tanaing township gold and amber mining region, an area controlled by the KIA which relies on its natural resources as a source of income through the levying of a five-percent tax on mine operators. State media have reported that that the KIA, which controls large swathes of territory in the state, including its lucrative mining areas, has conducted assaults on the regional military headquarters in Kachin since late January. The government army has accused the Kachin rebel group of illegally using the areas natural resources and taking money from mining businesses that should otherwise go to the state. The KIA, however, has charged that Myanmar forces have attacked territory it controls in hopes of gaining control of it before a national peace conference later this month. Despite the hostilities, representatives from the Myanmar military held informal talks with KIA leaders on Feb. 1 in southwestern Chinas Yunnan province with the support of Chinese government authorities, the online news service Democratic Voice of Burma reported, citing KIA spokesman Colonel Naw Bo. But on Feb. 3, about 50 Kachin Independence Army (KIA) soldiers used small arms and heavy guns to attack Myanmar army camps in Lwele village in Myitkyina districts Moe Kaung township, with some injuries reported, Myanmars Mizzima news service reported. While answering questions about the situation in Tanaing, Kachin state Chief Minister Khet Aung told RFAs Myanmar Service said the recent flare-up in hostilities has stymied development projects that would benefit those whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted. Development programs in Kachin state are really stalled, he said. We must work to have peace. We have to work on development projects while we are working to forge peace. We will have the same problems as long as we dont have peace. Myanmars Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief, and Resettlement, the Red Cross, and government and civil society organizations are currently trying to help internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Tanaing mining region, he said. At least four civilians were killed during the fighting between the Myanmar army and KIA between Jan. 19 and 27, Democratic Voice of Burma reported. March in Myitkyina Meanwhile, about 5,000 ethnic Kachins, including local residents, members of religious organizations, and civil society groups, marched in the state capital Myitkyina on Monday, calling for an end to the national armys offensives and the rescue of people trapped in war zones, the online journal The Irrawaddy reported. Though more than 3,000 miners and their families were initially prevented from leaving the mining region by the Myanmar army after the current round of fighting started, the Myanmar army recently permitted about 1,000 to leave on foot and go to Tanaing town. But about 1,000 mine workers and their families are still trapped in the Tanaing region where they face food and water shortages, and about 1,000 others are stuck in Sumprabung township, The Irrawaddy said. We have sent a letter to state government and Northern Military Headquarters to rescue people who are trapped in Tanaing and Sumprabung townships, said Zaw Jut, chairman of the Emergency Relief Committee. If the government doesnt allow us to go into the war zone to rescue people, then we cant go because it is a government army-controlled area, he told RFA. Whenever we have fighting in the region, people become victims and suffer. We want to rescue them, and we want the international community to know that we have these refugees in Kachin. The KIA is one of several militias with which the Myanmar government is trying to end decades of ethnic separatist civil wars and forge peace in the country through a series of peace negotiations launched in August 2016 by de facto national leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the KIAs political wing, has not signed the governments nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) that eight of the countrys more than 20 ethnic armies inked in October 2015. Chopper attack on TNLA Also on Monday, government forces used helicopters to attack another ethnic militia in the Kutkai region of neighboring Shan state in eastern Myanmar, in the first chopper assault of the year, an officer from the rebel army told RFA. Fighting between the national army and Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) occurred in Kyaukme, Namhsan, Namtu, and Kutkai townships, said TNLA spokesman Colonel Tar Aik Kyaw. We engaged in hostilities with the government army at around 7 a.m. in Pharpon Village of Kutkai township, he said. Many government troops were injured, although we dont know the numbers. Around 10 a.m., two helicopters came in and opened fire on us for about 30 minutes each, he said. The government army has used choppers to attack TNLA forces in Shan state about 50 times in the past, he said. Around the beginning of the year, TNLA and KIA soldiers attacked government military headquarters in Kachin state government army base camps and the Lashio-Muse Highway, a main thoroughfare in northern Shan state. The offensive prompted Myanmar forces to launch counterattacks via aircraft, according to an announcement at the time by the office of Myanmars commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. The TNLA has been excluded from signing the governments NCA because of its ongoing hostilities with Myanmar's armed forces. The TNLA and KIA are members of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), which has called for a political dialogue with the government and for peace talks as a coalition rather than as individual members. Reported by Aung Theinkha, Wai Mar Tun, and Kyaw Myo Min for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Members of a commission looking into a news report about mass graves for Rohingya Muslims inspect one of the sites in Buthidaung township in western Myanmar's Rakhine state, February 2018. More than 800 Rohingya Muslims have left Myanmars volatile Rakhine state for neighboring Bangladesh in the past week, while others continue to cross the border daily, authorities in Buthidaung township said Monday. In total, nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhines three northern townships of Buthidaung, Maungdaw, and Rathedaung since a military crackdown targeting them began in August 2017. Buthidaung township administrator Kyaw Min Tun told RFAs Myanmar Service that the government and other organizations have provided support to the remaining Rohingya to get them to stay. Actually, the government, civil society organizations, and the U.N.s refugee agency have provided support to them for their survival, and they also can work on farms and in the fishing business because the situation in the region is getting calm, he said. Kyaw Min Tun also said Rohingya residents from Rathedaung, which has the smallest number of Rohingya of the three townships, are crossing the border as well. Most people from Rathedaung are going to Bangladesh, he said. They are going there for their own reasons, such as to join relatives already in Bangladesh, and they asked them to leave Rakhine state or else they have threatened to move out. Myint Kyaing, permanent secretary of Myanmars Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population, said the government has been trying to give the Rohingya what they need so that those still living in northern Rakhine will remain. [But] we can do nothing when they go to Bangladesh, even though we try to stop them, because it is their right to decide where they want to live, he said. About 850 people from 12 villages in Buthidaung township arrived at Dawdu Tharya Creek to go to Bangladesh on Jan. 28, Myanmars Information Ministry said in an announcement. Some Rohingya who escaped the crackdown have accused Myanmar forces of conducting a brutal campaign, including killings, rapes, torture and arson, in their communities. The U.N. and the United States have said that the atrocities amount to ethnic cleansing. The Myanmar government has denied the reports and blocked both a U.N. commission of investigators and the media from independently investigating refugees claims. Myanmar and Bangladesh signed an agreement in November 2017 for the voluntary repatriation of the Rohingya with returns slated to begin in January. But delays in compiling and verifying the list of people to be sent back has held up the process, and it remains uncertain whether significant numbers are willing to return. Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the U.N.s high commissioner for human rights, said during a speech in Jakarta on Monday that possible acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya could spark a religious-based conflict that spreads beyond Myanmars borders, Agence France-Presse reported. Myanmar faces a very serious crisis with a potentially severe impact on the security of the region, he was quoted as saying. It is sometimes said that todays human rights violations will become tomorrows conflicts, he said. If the Rohingya crisis were to spark a broader conflict based on religious identities, the ensuing disputes could be a cause for great alarm. Rakhine state to sue AP Zeids remarks came on the heels of the publication of an Associated Press report saying the news agency had confirmed the existence of more than five previously unreported mass graves in Buthidaung townships Gu Dar Pyin village through interviews of survivors in refugee camps in and time-stamped cellphone videos. Myanmars government rejected the report, denying that there were five mass graves of Rohingya in the village, and saying that 19 terrorists had been killed and buried in the area. The Rakhine state government said on Monday that it will sue the Associated Press for what it called a false report, though it has yet to announce under which laws it will file the case. We are going to sue the AP, said Maung Maung, secretary of Rakhine states Information Committee. We investigated the situation as AP said and found nothing. We have to find out what charges are applicable in order to sue it. Government authorities said that a commission consisting of the Buthidaung township administrator, a police officer, a legal officer, a doctor, and an immigration officer went to the five places AP mentioned, but had found nothing. Village heads and residents also said that no such incident as the AP reported had occurred in their village. Meanwhile, the Myanmar government is committed to not using the term Rohingya, Thein Swe, Myanmars minister of labor, immigration, and population told lawmakers on Monday in the capital Naypyidaw. He made the comment in response to a question from opposition lawmaker Tin Aye of the Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP) about the use of the term, which is not recognized by the Myanmar government. The government refers to the Rohingya as Bengalis, because they are considered illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. As such, they are excluded from Myanmars official list of 135 ethnic groups, and thereby are prevented from becoming citizens. Thein Swe also said that the Myanmar government has repeatedly told the media that there is no Rohingya ethnicity in Myanmar and that the term cannot be used in any speech or official message. Myanmar embassy officials around the world and Myanmar diplomats at the United Nations do not use the term, he said. But Thein Swe told reporters after the parliamentary meeting that the media can now use whichever term they want. We have been working for all interests for the nation [and] ethnic groups in the long term with a broad perspective and corrected actions, he said. We have responded with proper consideration and wisdom according to rules and regulations instead of responding emotionally. Reported by Min Thein Aung, Wai Mar Tun, and Win Ko Ko Latt for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. A refugee camp in Ukhia, Bangladesh shows some of the shelters that U.N. officials say could be devastated by mudslides and heavy rains during the upcoming monsoon, Nov. 13, 2017. [AP] At least 100,000 Rohingya huddling in squalid refugee camps in southeastern Bangladesh could be in grave danger from landslides and floods, the U.N.s refugee agency warned Friday as it ramped up efforts to blunt expected impacts of coming monsoonal rains. UNHCR issued the warning a day after U.N. special rapporteur Yangee Lee raised serious concerns about the possible devastation faced by about 600,000 refugees sheltering in low-lying land interspersed with rolling hills in the settlement camps. The findings of an initial risk analysis, mapping the worlds largest refugee settlement area in Kutapalong and Balukhali, which shelters more than 569,000 refugees, indicate that at least 100,000 refugees could be in grave danger from landslides and floods, UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic said in a statement. The sheer volume of refugee arrivals since late August 2017 relief agencies estimate that 688,000 Rohingya crossed over from Myanmar has added strain to the local environment because more trees are being cut down to make space for the newcomers, according to experts. Trees and roots used to keep the soil compact, Faisal, a local environmentalist, told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service. As there are no more trees, rain will now fall straight on the surface, erode soil and cause landslide and flooding. Heavy rains usually hit Bangladesh from mid-April to October, authorities said. Mahecic said UNHCR had worked with experts at Dhaka University and other agencies, including the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, to carry out the assessment. It concludes that up to one-third of the settlement areas could be flooded. More than 85,000 refugees could lose their shelters made up of bamboo poles and tarpaulins, and another 23,000 refugees living on steep slopes within the site could be at risk of landslides, Mahecic said. Environmentalists say Bangladesh is prone to flooding because it is on the Ganges Delta, one of the worlds largest river distributaries that takes heavy runoff from the melting snows of the Himalayas. The sprawling refugee settlements in Coxs Bazar district that were covered by dense forest have been stripped of vegetation, according to Faisal, an environmental consultant working for an NGO at the camps, who said he agreed with UNHCRs assessment. When refugees arrived in large numbers last year, he said, many even dug out the roots of trees and used them for fuel. Faisal, who uses only one name, said the camps were so congested that a collapse of a small hill would affect at least three layers of camps. During the first weeks after late August, when Rohingya refugees arrived from Myanmar in Bangladesh, there was little time to plan the location or construction of dwellings, according to the UNHCR. Last month, the agency distributed stronger load-bearing bamboo poles as part of construction kits to help the refugees build more robust structures. Refugees express worries Abdus Sadiq, a 25-year-old refugee living at one of the settlements, said he worried that his shelter could not handle the monsoon rains. We do not know how many of the rooms would survive, he told BenarNews. But it is better to die in natural calamities than die in the hands of the Myanmar military and the Moghs (vigilante Buddhists). Around 1 million Rohingya refugees are sheltering in southeastern Bangladesh, including the nearly 700,000 who fled their homes in Myanmar since late August 2017 amid a brutal military crackdown. It followed attacks on government security posts by Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) insurgents. Refugees have accused Myanmar soldiers, backed by their vigilante neighbors they derisively call Moghs, of committing killings, rapes, and arson in their villages. Lee, the U.N. rapporteur who visited Bangladesh and interviewed Rohingya refugees earlier this month, told reporters in Seoul on Thursday that Dhakas failure to prepare the refugee camps for the monsoon season would result in a disaster within a disaster for the Rohingya. On Nov. 12, 1970, one of the deadliest tropical cyclones recorded in history pummeled Bangladesh then known as East Pakistan killing about 500,000 people, according to official figures, mostly as a result of a storm surge that flooded the low-lying islands of the Ganges Delta. A day of rain could trigger landslides and flood lowlands decimating shelters, and could lead to casualties, Lee said. Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service. Afghan officials say seven men have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the beating of a woman since a video of the incident appeared on social media last week. The men are relatives of the victim, a spokesman for the governor of Takhar province told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan on February 5. The beating reportedly occurred in December in a remote village in the Chah Aab district of the northeastern province. The video shows a woman clad in a blue burqa kneeling as she is shouted at and insulted by a crowd of men that is said to have included family members. As she kneels, she receives heavy blows to her head, back, arms, and shoulders by several, stick-wielding men. "The men [who were arrested] are relatives of the woman, who is now in a safe house in the center of the province," the regional governor's spokesman Sunatullah Temor said. Witnesses have claimed that the 22-year-old woman was being punished on the orders of local clerics who had decided she was guilty of having an extramarital affair while her husband was away in Iran. The womans ordeal is not uncommon in Afghanistan. In recent years there have been several reports of women facing public punishment for alleged moral crimes. The most prominent was the violent death of 27-year-old Farkhunda Malikzada, who was beaten to death by a mob in Kabul after being falsely accused of burning a copy of the Koran. Her death in March 2015 prompted a national outcry and an outpouring of anger in the country. A prominent lawyer spoke openly about the beating of his client while in custody, perhaps thinking that it could stir change in Azerbaijan. Action was taken in the authoritarian country, but not against the police suspected of carrying out the beating. Instead, it is the whistle-blowing lawyer who finds himself being punished. Shortly after speaking out, Yalcin Imanov, who has defended a number of government critics, was suspended by the Azerbaijani Bar Association. He awaits a final decision this month on whether he will be formally disbarred. With the Bar Association refusing to release any documents on its decision, Imanov and others strongly suspect the action is tied to his work. "I've asked for a copy of the decision on terminating my practice and a transcript of the session when the decision was made," Imanov told RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service. "But so far I've heard nothing back." It wouldn't be the first time a lawyer has been singled out in Azerbaijan, which has been led by authoritarian President Ilham Aliyev since 2003. Aliyev has overseen the systematic dismantling of the country's civil society. Dozens of activists, journalists, and human rights activists have been arrested and convicted on what critics say are bogus, politically motivated charges. Independent media outlets have also been shut down. Critics now worry that Baku is taking things a step further by going after those who defend those who find themselves at odds with the state. "Lawyers are like the last bastions in this vicious crackdown in Azerbaijan, and if they fall, the rights of every citizen in Azerbaijan will be at stake," says Giorgi Gogia, South Caucasus director at Human Rights Watch, which highlighted the case in a November 27 report. Those working in Azerbaijan's justice system reject the charges, but scores of lawyers who have either defended opposition activists or organizations as well as criticized the workings of Azerbaijan's justice system have been disbarred or are facing being kicked out of the Bar Association. Getting 'Blacklisted' The situation threatens to make lawyers think twice about representing opposition-linked clients. "There are few lawyers who agree to defend opposition activists, independent journalists. Lawyers who are able to do their job properly are fewer and fewer," independent journalist Aynur Elgunes explains in an interview with RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service. A lawyer who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals from the authorities says that colleagues worry they will be "blacklisted" if they take up opposition-linked cases. "Even though it's not openly stated, everyone knows it. Usually, these cases [involving opposition activists, organizations] include serious legal violations. If you want to do your job properly as a lawyer, you have to expose those illegalities. If you do, you then become a target for those government bodies, prosecutors, or police who are behind those violations," the lawyer explains. In early August 2017, Imanov spoke to the press shortly after visiting his client in the notorious Qobustan prison, located some 40 kilometers west of the capital, Baku. Imanov said that Abbas Huseynov was repeatedly beaten and tortured by prison staff and confined in punishment cells under inhumane conditions. He said Huseynov had bruises over most of his body and could barely sit or walk as a result of the beatings. A month later, a Council of Europe member visited Qobustan prison, found the conditions there deplorable, and demanded that Imanov's client's torture claims be investigated. Imanov filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office, the ombudsman, and Baku district court in August, but the authorities rejected the allegations as groundless and refused to investigate. Meanwhile, the deputy chief of the Justice Ministry's penitentiary service filed a complaint with the Bar Association, accusing Imanov of spreading false information and requesting disciplinary measures against him. The Bar Association suspended Imanov's bar membership on November 20 and referred his case to a court to determine if he should be disbarred. Imanov cannot represent his clients in court until a ruling is made on his case later this month. Many Lawyers Disbarred Rights defender and coordinator of the Defense Center for Political Prisoners Oqtay Gulaliyev says the government casts a dark shadow over any of the decisions by the country's Bar Association. "Disbarring independent and experienced lawyers is aimed at depriving political prisoners of legal defense as well as totally eliminating the legal defense system in the country," Gulaliyev says. "They've ruined independent civic society and media and now the legal defense system is having its turn. This step is unacceptable and illegal." Anar Bagirov, the chairman of the Bar Association, says there is no coordinated attack on opposition-linked lawyers, dismissing local and international concerns. "Anytime they've criticized us we remained silent, but from now on we'll give a robust reply. We believe our decisions are based on law. If anyone can prove otherwise, let them do it. Every decision by the Bar Association is fair and objective," Bagirov told RFE/RL. However, such claims ring hollow given the list of lawyers either disbarred or facing disbarment for their opposition work, including Xalid Bagirov, Faxraddin Mehdiyev, and others. Alayif Hasanov -- who has defended opposition Azadliq newspaper editor in chief Qanimat Zahid, rights defender Leyla Yunus, and NIDA member Omar Mommadov -- says he was disbarred for defending the rights of government critics. Namizad Safarov, Aslan Ismayilov, and Muzaffar Baxisov were disbarred after criticizing the work of Azerbaijan's justice system, including its courts and judges, as well as the management of the Bar Association. Given the history, Imanov doubts he will be allowed to practice law in the future, saying, "I don't have any hope for a fair ruling." Pro-Kremlin media have been attacking Communist candidate Pavel Grudinin, whose poll numbers have been rising, according to pro-Kremlin pollsters. Kremlin-appointed Electoral Commission chief Ella Pamfilova has reprimanded Kremlin chief of staff Dmitry Peskov for statements that could be interpreted as illegally campaigning for Vladimir Putin. After submitting the signatures necessary to qualify for the ballot, socialite and television presenter Ksenia Sobchak called for the legalization of marijuana in Russia. Yabloko leader and perennial presidential candidate Grigory Yavlinsky released his platform, which calls for an end to Russia's "aggressive" war in Ukraine, an international conference on Crimea's status, an end to Russia's policy of violating the sovereignty of its neighbors, and the normalization of relations with the United States and the European Union. And Vladimir Putin says he'd work on a farm if he loses. If one didn't know better, it would appear that an actual election was going on. If one didn't know better, it would appear that Russians are debating the issues of the day in a consequential and competitive campaign. And that's kind of the point. But we, of course, do know better. Russia's election isn't really an election. But it sure is playing one on TV. And all of these data points, collected over the past couple of weeks, are part of an elaborately staged show designed to make a coronation and a legitimization ritual take on the appearance of a competitive election. A fresh face appears and seems to surge in the polls. Putin's mouthpiece gets a rare slap on the wrist from election officials. Nominally liberal opposition candidates take controversial stands. It's all part of a ploy to make something fake appear to be real. Keep telling me what you think on The Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page. Serbia and Montenegro "could potentially be ready" for European Union membership by 2025, according to the final draft of the European Commission's Western Balkans strategy seen by RFE/RL. However, the document does not mention any timeline for the four other countries in the region that remain outside the bloc -- Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Macedonia. The final draft of the strategy, which is to be made public on February 6, says that "accession negotiations are already well under way" with Montenegro and Serbia. "With strong political will, the delivery of real and sustained reforms, and definitive solutions to disputes with neighbors, they could potentially be ready for membership in a 2025 perspective," the document reads. But it warns that "this perspective is extremely ambitious. Whether it is achieved will depend fully on the objective merits and results of each country." A previous version of the text said Albania and Macedonia could start EU accession negotiations by the end of 2019, and that Bosnia-Herzegovina should open accession talks by 2023. Those dates have been removed from the final draft following pressure from larger EU member states, EU diplomats told RFE/RL under condition of anonymity. The text now says that the "commission is ready to prepare recommendations to open accession negotiations with Albania and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, on the basis of fulfilled conditions." "With sustained effort and engagement, Bosnia-Herzegovina could become a candidate for accession. Kosovo has an opportunity for sustainable progress through implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement and to advance on its European path once objective circumstances allow," it adds. The document also says that a "comprehensive, legally binding normalization agreement" between Serbia and Kosovo is "urgent," while a previous draft said such a deal should come in "2019 at the latest" The EU-sponsored dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina started in 2011 and has so far produced agreements in areas such as freedom of movement, justice, and the status of the Serbian minority in Kosovo -- as well as enabling Serbia to start EU accession talks and Brussels to sign an Association Agreement with Kosovo. The draft strategy also states that the EU "will not accept to import [regional] disputes and the instability they could entail." "Definitive and binding solutions must be found and implemented before a country accedes," it insists. The document also calls on countries in the Western Balkans to "strengthen significantly" the rule of law. "Today, the countries show clear elements of state capture, including links with organized crime and corruption at all levels of government and administration, as well as a strong entanglement of public and private interests. All this feeds a sentiment of impunity and inequality," it says. The final draft adds that all the countries in the region have "uncompetitive economies, with too much undue political interference and an underdeveloped private sector." Finally, it notes that joining the EU is "a choice" and that "there can be no ambiguity by leaders about where the Western Balkans belong and the direction in which they are heading." "This is necessary to secure and sustain the support of their own and of EU citizens, and must be reflected in leaders' communications and outreach to citizens," the document says. German prosecutors have demanded a sentence of life in prison for an Afghan asylum seeker accused of killing a woman after she converted to Christianity. The man repeatedly stabbed the 38-year-old Afghan woman in front of two of her children, aged 5 and 11, in April 2017, public prosecutor Oliver Moessner told the court in the southern German city of Traunstein on February 5. Moessner likened the killing to a public execution,saying that it took place outside a supermarket in the southern town of Prien am Chiemsee. Homicide carries a life term under German law, although convicts are usually released after 15 years. The suspect had reportedly confessed to killing the woman, but just before the start of the trial he claimed he could no longer remember it. Based on reporting by dpa, AFP, and dw.com Guards at Iran's presidential office building in Tehran opened fire, wounding a man carrying a large blade and trying to enter the compound, Iranian media said on February 5. The attacker was shot in the leg when trying to pass the security gate. Hamid Reza Goudarzi, deputy security chief, was quoted by the IRNA official news agency as saying that the 35-year-old man was taken to hospital. There was no information on his condition or possible motives for trying to enter the presidential complex. It wasn't clear whether President Hassan Rohani was in the complex. According to Iranian media, the man was wielding either a large knife or a sword, and was wearing a white shroud, symbolizing his readiness to sacrifice his life. The building is located in a district of Tehran that is also home to other key government institutions. Based on reporting by AP and Reuters U.S. forces have begun scaling down their numbers in Iraq after Iraqi authorities declared "victory" over the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, an Iraqi government spokesman has said. Saad al-Hadithi said on February 5 that the battle against IS had ended "and so the level of the American presence will be reduced." Hadithi stressed that the drawdown was still in its early stages and at present did not mark the beginning of a complete withdrawal of U.S. forces. Hadithi's statement came in confirmation of reports by Western contractors at a U.S.-led coalition base in Iraq, who said U.S. troops had started to withdraw from the country. The reports said U.S. soldiers, weapons, and equipment were being transported out of Iraq to Afghanistan. The contractors said dozens of U.S. soldiers had left on daily flights over the past week. The United States first launched air strikes against IS in Iraq in August 2014 and in the following years closely backed key Iraqi military victories, including the retaking of Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city. A Pentagon report released in November said there were amost 8,900 U.S. troops in Iraq as of late September. Based on reporting by Reuters and AP The U.S.-led coalition against the extremist group Islamic State (IS) says it will "shift its focus" in Iraq away from combat operations against the militants. The coalition said in a February 5 statement that the focus now will be on consolidating military gains made against the IS group, which seized large swathes of Iraqi and Syrian territory in summer 2014. In December, Iraq's Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced victory over the IS group, but the coalition said the militants were "still capable of offensive action." "We will retain an appropriate amount of capabilities as well as an advisory presence to continue training, advising, and equipping our partners in the continued fight against Daesh," it said, referring to the IS group by one of its Arabic acronyms. Meanwhile, the AP news agency reported that the United States had started to reduce the number of its troops in Iraq. It quoted Western contractors as saying that dozens of U.S. soldiers had been transported from Iraq to Afghanistan on daily flights in the past week, along with weapons and equipment. As of late September, there were nearly 9,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, according to the Pentagon. With reporting by AP BISHKEK -- A senior U.S. diplomat is visiting Kyrgyzstan. Henry Ensher, deputy assistant secretary at the State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, arrived in Kyrgyzstan after visiting neighboring Tajikistan, the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek said on February 5. Ensher was expected to meet with top officials and lawmakers to discuss bilateral ties. Kyrgyz authorities have said that a new Kyrgyz-U.S. cooperation agreement is under discussion. In July 2015, Bishkek formally terminated a 1993 agreement on cooperation with Washington. The Central Asian country's government made the move to protest a U.S. decision to grant a human rights award to Azimjan Askarov, a journalist and rights activist who is serving a life sentence in prison after being convicted of "creating a threat to civil peace and stability in society." Askarov, an ethnic Uzbek, was convicted following ethnic clashes in southern Kyrgyzstan in June 2010 when more than 400 people were killed. He says he was tortured by police. Ensher was in Tajikistan on February 3-4. Unidentified gunmen have opened fire on two Chinese nationals in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi, killing one and wounding the other. Police said the two employees of a Chinese shipping company were targeted on February 5 while they were traveling in a car in the Zamzama district. The perpetrators fired at least nine shots before fleeing in a car in what senior police officer Azad Khan described as a targeted attack. Khan said one victim, identified as Chen Zhu, 46, was shot in the head and died in the hospital. The other survived the attack. The two were said to be working for Cosco Shipping Lines Pakistan, a company that has been operating in the country since the early 1990s. There was no claim of responsibility for the attack and the motive was not immediately clear. Karachi, Pakistan's largest city with more than 14 million inhabitants, is considered a hiding place for the Pakistani Taliban and other militants. In May 2017, two Chinese nationals were abducted in Quetta, capital of the southwestern province of Balochistan, and later executed. The extremist group Islamic State claimed responsibility. The Chinese presence is growing in Pakistan, where Beijing has invested heavily in infrastructure projects. Also on February 5, a roadside bomb killed one person and wounded seven others in the town of Panjgur in Balochistan Province. Ghulam Ali, provincial home secretary, said the bomb was planted in a busy area and detonated remotely. Two of those wounded were in critical condition. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Resource-rich Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has been plagued by sectarian violence, Islamist militant attacks, and a separatist insurgency that has led to thousands of casualties since 2004. With reporting by AFP, AP, Reuters, and Dawn India and Pakistan traded accusations after an exchange of gunfire killed four Indian soldiers and a Pakistani civilian along the highly fortified Line of Control (LoC) that divides the disputed region of Kashmir. An Indian official on February 4 said Pakistan started firing artillery and small arms at Indian positions, while a Pakistani official blamed the Indian forces, saying they ignited the violence by firing onto the Pakistani side. Both sides said their forces only fired in retaliation after receiving incoming shells and gunfire. Officials said two Pakistani children and two Indian soldiers were also injured in the exchange of fire. India and Pakistan regularly accuse one another of violating a 2003 cease-fire accord. Cross-border fire frequently results in the deaths of civilians and soldiers on both sides. Two of the three wars that the nuclear-armed neighbors have fought have been over Kashmir, which is claimed by both India and Pakistan since they won independence from Britain in 1947. Based on reporting by AP, The Times Of India, and Dawn Several senior government officials in Russia's North Caucasus region of Daghestan have been detained on financial fraud charges, the Investigative Committee says. The committee said that acting Daghestani Prime Minister Abdusamad Gamidov and acting deputy prime ministers Shamil Isayev and Rayudin Yusufov were detained on February 5 on suspicion of misuse of federal funds allocated for social programs. Former Education Minister Shakhabas Shakhov and several other people were also detained, it said in a statement, adding that the detainees' homes were searched. Investigators found a golden TT pistol, Beretta pistols, a Makarov pistol and two AK-47 assault rifles in Gamidov's house, the statement said. It did not indicate that the guns had any connection to the allegations of financial misdeeds. The statement also says that the suspects will be charged at the earliest opportunity and a decision on their possible pretrial detention will be made after that. Interfax later reported that the suspects were brought to Moscow on a special flight from Daghestans capital, Makhachkala. Daghestan has been at the epicenter of a wave of violence by organized criminal groups linked to business turf wars, political disputes, clan rivalry, and the spread of militant Islam in recent years. Moscow authorities have struggled to clear the streets and told children they could skip school after the Russian capital was hit by massive snowfall. The national meteorological service said on February 5 that more than the monthly average of snow fell on Moscow over the weekend, with the height of snow reaching up to 55 centimeters in some parts of the capital. "That's an anomaly of course," Nadezhda Tochenova, the deputy head of the Hydrometeorological Center, told AFP news agency. However, she denied claims that the snowfall was an all-time record. Calling the event "the snowfall of the century," Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin hailed utility workers and other municipal employees he said had kept the city "functioning normally." "There is no collapse, no catastrophe," Sobyanin told journalists. The mayor said on February 4 that one person had been killed when a tree brought down electricity lines, and that 2,000 trees collapsed due to the massive snowfall. The city authorities said more than 100 of those trees fell on vehicles. Thousands of city workers have been working to keep Moscow's roads and the subway system open, while the Russian military said it had sent soldiers to help clear snowdrifts on the streets. Deputy Mayor Pyotr Biryukov said snowplows had cleared 1.2 million cubic meters of snow from the streets. Meanwhile, the emergency services urged drivers to use public transport unless there was "extreme need," and Moscow authorities announced that children need not come to school, although they would remain open. The heavy snowfall triggered the cancelation or delay of dozens of flights at Moscow's airports, as well as power failures in hundreds of smaller towns around the city. Officials at the Emergency Situations Ministry said that heavy snowfall also affected the regions of Leningrad, Tatarstan, Saratov, Penza, Ulyanovsk, Kaluga, and Vladimir, where power cuts affected tens of thousands of people. With reporting by AFP, AP, Reuters, TASS, and Interfax Investigators in Moscow have summoned opposition politician Aleksei Navalny for questioning over what they claim was an assault on the police officers who detained him at a rally late last month. Navalny wrote on Twitter that police came to his home at 7:30 a.m. local time on February 5 and handed him two subpoenas. He said he was accused of "hitting the police" who detained him at the protests, one of dozens that Navalny organized nationwide on January 28 to rally in support of his call for a boycott of Russia's upcoming presidential election. Navalny also wrote on Instagram that the case against him was linked to a video showing the moment he was detained. The video shows officers wrestling a struggling Navalny to the ground and bundling him into a police bus. It does not show him striking the police. Navalny was among at least 350 people detained at the demonstrations on January 28. The Investigative Committee said that several police officers suffered bodily injuries while detaining people at the protests. Navalny was released later the same day pending a court hearing, which has not yet been held. A vocal opponent of President Vladimir Putin, Navalny called for the boycott of the March 18 presidential poll after election authorities in December barred him from running because of a criminal conviction he contends was fabricated. Navalny has said the vote will not be a real, democratic election but the "reappointment" of Putin, who has been president or prime minister since 1999 and is seeking a new six-year term. Kremlin critics say most of the other candidates are being used as window-dressing in a vote that Putin is certain to win in Russia's tightly controlled political environment. Video from social media showed Syrian civil defense forces evacuating babies from a hospital after air strikes on Maarat al-Numan in Idlib Province on the evening of February 4. Russia intensified air attacks in the province after one of its warplanes was shot down and the pilot killed the previous day. (Reuters) The United States and Russia have both declared that they complied with a 2010 arms-control treaty limiting the two countries' massive nuclear arsenals, as Moscow criticized President Donald Trump's new nuclear policy. February 5 was the deadline for the two countries to comply with the New START deal, which restricts each to 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads and 700 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles and strategic bombers. With U.S.-Russian relations plummeting to levels not seen since the Cold War, and both countries moving to upgrade their arsenals, the status of the treaty has been closely watched by arms-control experts. Some of them fear another important arms-control agreement -- the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty -- is on the verge of collapse, amid U.S. accusations that Russia has deployed a prohibited missile system. And several influential Republican lawmakers in Congress who have criticized Trump's predecessor for its response to the alleged Russian violations suggested that they would not vote to extend New START when the treaty expires in 2021. The State Department said in a statement on February 5 that Washington fulfilled its commitments under New START in August 2017. Adherence to the treaty was "critically important at a time when trust in the relationship has deteriorated, and the threat of miscalculation and misperception has risen," department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. Russia has "repeatedly stated its commitment" to the treaty, including meeting the central limits, and we expect our upcoming data exchange under the treaty to reaffirm that commitment," she said. The Russian Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, said in a statement that it now had 1,444 strategic nuclear warheads and had deployed 527 intercontinental ballistic missiles and strategic bombers. Over the weekend, the ministry took aim at the newly announced U.S. Nuclear Posture Review, a policy document released on February 2 that lays out the thinking of the Trump administration on nuclear weapons use. The policy says the United States will modify some of its existing long-range ballistic missiles carried by submarines to fit them with smaller-yield warheads. It says the administration will develop a nuclear-armed cruise missile that can be launched by submarines. The new policy also points to a Russian doctrine known as "escalate to de-escalate." That doctrine, first articulated in 2000 not long after President Vladimir Putin took office, stipulates that Moscow would use or threaten to use smaller-yield nuclear weapons in a conventional conflict in Europe if Russia felt it faced an existential conventional threat. Moscow suggested the new U.S. policy was dangerous because it would make it difficult to confirm that a reconfigured U.S. weapon would not be carrying nuclear weapons, raising the prospect of a Russian nuclear response. "Readiness to use nuclear weapons to prevent Russia from using its nuclear arsenal, expressed in the new Nuclear Posture Review, amounts to putting in question our right to defend ourselves against an aggression that threatens the country's survival," the ministry said in a statement. At least 23 civilians were killed on February 5 as Syrian government forces launched air strikes against the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta near the capital Damascus, a monitor said. Four children were among those killed, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. The observatory says at least 70 have been wounded. The activist-run Ghouta Media Center also reported that 23 were killed. An estimated 400,000 residents live in Eastern Ghouta, besieged by Syrian government forces. Based on reporting by AFP and AP Syrian rebels shot down a Russian warplane on February 3 and killed its pilot on the ground after he ejected from the plane, Russia's Defense Ministry and Syrian rebels said. Video shared on social media showed what appeared to be the burning wreckage of the Russian Su-25 plane. A jihadist group called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham claimed responsibility, saying a shoulder-launched missile had been used. The plane came down in an area of northern Idlib Province that has seen heavy air strikes and fighting on the ground between Syria's government forces, backed by Russia and Iran, and rebel groups opposed to President Bashar al-Assad. (Reuters/Social media) KYIV -- A Kyiv court has rejected opposition politician Mikheil Saakashvili's appeal for protection against possible extradition, a ruling his lawyer says increases the chances he will be deported or handed over to the Georgian authorities. The Administrative Court of Appeals said on February 5 that a January 3 decision by another court, which in turn had upheld a previous ruling, remained unchanged. Saakashvili, who walked out of the court after several of his motions were rejected, contended that the ruling was politically motivated and dictated by President Petro Poroshenko -- a former friend who is now a bitter foe. "With this [ruling] I am losing the status of a resident in Ukraine. This is yet another decision by Poroshenko, not by the court," he wrote on Facebook. Saakashvili, who was president of Georgia from 2004-2013, is wanted there on charges including abuse of office, which he says are fabricated. "We all need to be prepared for the fact that the authorities in an illegal manner will make the decision on his compulsory deportation or possible extradition," a lawyer for Saakashvili, Ruslan Chernolutskyy, said in a video posted by Saakashvili. Saakashvili lost his Georgian citizenship in 2015, when he accepted Ukrainian citizenship and Poroshenko's offer of a job as governor of the Odesa region. But he resigned from the post in November 2016, accusing the government of undermining his efforts to fight corruption and carry out reforms. Saakashvili has become an outspoken opponent of Poroshenko, who came to power after Moscow-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych fled amid massive protests known the Euromaidan in 2014. In July 2017, Poroshenko stripped Saakashvili of his Ukrainian citizenship while he was abroad. In September, Saakashvili defied a border blockade and crossed back into Ukraine, where he has been leading anti-Poroshenko protests and taking on the state in a series of court cases. Ukrainian authorities have accused Saakashvili of abetting an alleged "criminal group" led by Yanukovych, and claim the protests he has led are part of a Russian plot against the government in Kyiv. Saakashvili has denied all the charges, calling them "absurd" and politically motivated. In December, Ukrainian Prosecutor-General Yuriy Lutsenko said Saakashvili was likely to be extradited to Georgia. On January 5, a Tbilisi court found him guilty of abuse of power, ruling that he tried to cover up evidence about a 2006 murder case, and sentenced him in absentia to three years in prison. With reporting by Reuters An Uzbek journalist and rights activist says he was tortured in prison and is looking forward to getting on with his life after nine years behind bars. Dilmurod Sayyid, 56, was released on February 3. He is one of several people widely considered political prisoners who have been freed since President Shavkat Mirziyoev came to power in 2016, after the death of longtime autocrat Islam Karimov. Sayyid told RFE/RL that he was very grateful to the activists, journalists, and human rights groups that pushed for his release. "In those nine years I experienced different kinds of pressure, including psychological and physical torture," Sayyid said after his release. "Now all of those things are behind me and I am looking forward to moving on with my life, to freely expressing my thoughts and opinions," he said. An independent journalist and member of Tashkent-based human rights group Ezgulik (Compassion), Sayyid was known before his arrest for writing articles that were critical of the economic and social situation in Uzbekistan. He was arrested in 2009 on charges of fraud and forgery, and sentenced to 12 1/2 years in prison in July of that year. Months after Sayyid was sentenced, his wife and six-year-old daughter were killed in a car accident on their way from Tashkent to visit him in prison in the city of Navoi. Sayyid told RFE/RL that he maintains his innocence and will seek full exoneration. Mirziyoev was named acting president in September 2016, after Karimov's death was announced, and was then elected to a five-year term in a tightly controlled vote in the Central Asian country. In October 2017, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that Uzbek authorities had taken "some positive steps" during Mirziyoevs first year in office and called for "sustainable" improvements in human rights. It said that "grave abuses," including torture and politically motivated imprisonment, "remain widespead" in the former Soviet republic. Karimov had been in power since before Uzbekistan gained independence in the 1991 Soviet collapse. Cancun shooting against civilian ends in shootout with police, arrest made Cancun, Q.R. A shooting that began against a civilian in residential Cancun ended with gunfire aimed at city police. On Saturday evening, police arrived at the scene of a civilian shooting in a residential area of suburban Cancun. While entering the area, municipal police themselves were attacked by gunfire. The incident occurred around 6:20 p.m. on Pagalo Avenue in a suburb of Cancun when one of two men walking through the neighborhood, a 35-year-old Canadian, was shot twice. According to preliminary information, municipal police were making their way toward the crime scene when they encountered a spray of bullets after intercepting a red car trying to flee the area. Upon returning fire, police were able to cause the fleeing Ibiza to crash into a roundabout, resulting in those inside running to escape, however, as more police arrived they gave chase and caught one of the men running from the car. He was arrested and taken to the Public Ministry for processing. While not officially confirmed, the red car involved in this incident was previously reported stolen and is thought to be related to other recent shootings in the city. The Canadian man who received the two bullet wounds was taken to Cancun hospital. Authorities are investigating. The village was used for expedition training by British explorer Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922) and his Norwegian counterpart Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930) before going to the South Pole. For this year festival, which was the 13th edition, a giant igloo was built, illuminated under blue and turquoise lights, and the audience, dozens of people, was huddled together in -24 Celsius. This festival is not for anyone sensitive to a shivering climate. Preparing the igloo for the Ice Music Festival in Finse The xylophone, claves and wind instruments have been painstakingly carved from ice blocks extracted from a frozen lake. Its about making the ice sing. The problem during a such event is the longer the musicians play, the more the instruments start to disintegrate. It is not an easy task to perform on instruments that are melting while you play them, says percussionist Terje Isungset, also the founder of the festival. The festival has previously been held in Geilo, a ski resort in the central mountain region of Norway. But this winter the ice was really slushy and difficult to deal with. Since starting service in August, the North Bays new commuter rail service has survived a fire that stopped at its tracks, given thousands of free rides to help fire victims and has had to fight to collect promised federal funding for a new extension to Larkspur. In short, SMART has been on something of a wild ride in its nearly six months of hauling passengers between Santa Rosa and San Rafael. Yet the service has still managed to meet or exceed ridership and revenue projections, and start work on that Larkspur extension, which will bring the trains riders to within a short walk to the Golden Gate Ferry to San Francisco. But Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transits biggest achievement may be that the passenger rail service, the first in the North Bay in 60 years, seems to have won over skeptics and critics, who are now calling for more service and more stations. Its only been six months, said Randy Rentschler, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, but I think this shows that theres a need for more than just a highway in that corridor. SMART has the opportunity to be a really great alternative. Now Playing: Aboard+the+SMART+train+between+San+Rafael+and+Santa+Rosa Video: SFChronicle Aboard the gray and green trains Thursday, commuters, sightseers and day-trippers raved about the service, especially the opportunity it provides to avoid Highway 101s torturous traffic. I love it, said Jennifer Romo Dowd, 40, a meeting planner who lives in Sebastapol and since October has commuted on the train between Cotati and downtown San Rafael. Theyre on time, theyre comfortable, theres beer and wine, and the Wi-Fi works most of the time. Its a great alternative to driving. SMARTs trains make 17 round trips between San Rafael and Santa Rosa on weekdays and five each way on weekends and holidays. The trains are diesel-fueled and self-powered, meaning they arent pulled by locomotives. Most consist of two cars, one with a restroom, the other with a cafe that serves snacks and beverages, including locally produced beers and wines. But higher-than-anticipated ridership on some trains, including a larger-than-expected number of passengers who bring bicycles aboard, prompted SMART to add a third car to 14 weekday trains, most of which run during the morning and evening commutes. SMART has carried more than 310,000 passengers since its start, said Jeanne Mariani-Belding, an agency spokeswoman. Thats slightly ahead of projections, despite the steep drop in the days after the North Bay fires and fluctuations that vary with the weather. When it rains, fewer bike riders commute, and when its warm and sunny, day-trippers and sightseers show up in larger numbers. It has not been a typical six months, Mariani-Belding said. We had wildfires, we had limited service, we had free rides, we had the holidays. Our ridership fluctuates, and its going to take a while to level out. SMART is also running ahead of revenue projections, meaning passengers are taking longer rides that expected. SMART had predicted it would collect $68,000 in fares each week but is averaging about $76,000 even with the free rides. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle The busiest stations are Petaluma, downtown Santa Rosa, downtown San Rafael and Sonoma County Airport. The most popular destinations are downtown San Rafael, downtown Santa Rosa, Marin Civic Center and Petaluma. Thursdays passengers, many of them occasional or first-time riders, said they were eager to see more trains, extended hours and the opening of promised extensions south to Larkspur and north to Windsor, Healdsburg and Cloverdale. Im not a commuter; I do this for fun, said Sally Mayer, 61, of Novato, who rides SMART to meet friends for lunch. Wed really like to take it to downtown Santa Rosa for dinner. We have some favorite places there. But the last train back leaves at 7 p.m. The 2.2-mile Larkspur extension, considered crucial to attracting San Francisco-bound commuters, started last summer but faces funding challenges, including uncertainty over $22.5 million in federal money promised in 2016 but delayed by the Trump administration. Farhad Mansourian, SMARTs general manager, said he recently met with Jane Williams, head of the Federal Transit Administration, in San Francisco and is optimistic the funds are coming soon. Bay Area transportation officials feared a repeat of the spring 2017 fight Caltrain had to wage to get promised federal money for electrification. Things are taking a little bit longer than usual, Mansourian said Friday, but as of today, our target date is early March. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. SMART expects to run trains to Larkspur by the end of 2019. Extensions northward will take longer. SMART plans to make it to Cloverdale, but the next anticipated stop 3 miles north of the current end-of-the-line Sonoma County Airport Station in Windsor lacks funding, although the plans have been drawn up and the environmental studies are completed. Even so, Mariani-Belding said the extension could be completed as soon as 2021. State transportation officials are also interested in seeing SMART eventually run east along Highway 37 using existing rails to Fairfield. The agency has applied for a grant to study the feasibility. SMARTs biggest challenge, exacerbated by the Tubbs Fire, which stopped right at its tracks near the Santa Rosa North Station, is hiring and retaining train operators and conductors scared off by the Bay Areas high price of housing. The SMART board recently approved hiring more people to run the trains, but it can be tough to pay them enough. As soon as were able to hire new people, Mansourian said, wed like to add more service, including earlier service on weekends and filling some of the gaps in our schedule. While SMART is off to a promising start, he said much work remains. Its a fantastic beginning, Mansourian said, but look at it this way: Were like a startup. Were not done. Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Georgetown, SC (29440) Today Mainly clear skies. Low 62F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear skies. Low 62F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Putting on a spacesuit is one of the most dangerous activities for astronauts. During spacewalks, there is little protection against micrometeoroids, which can puncture the protective suits. Occasionally, the suits themselves suffer failures that can threaten the life of the astronaut. To avoid this dangerous situation, what if astronauts could do activities that normally require a spacewalk with a maneuverable single-person spacecraft instead? That's the vision that the Maryland-based company Genesis Engineering Solutions suggests could work for future missions, including missions to NASA's proposed Deep Space Gateway near the moon. In the company's proposed spacecraft design, the vehicle would be attached to the larger station or living space, and all an astronaut would need to do is shinny through the bottom of the spacecraft to get inside it. It would be equipped with little robot arms to do repairs, and lots of fuel to zoom to even distant areas of the space station. Genesis recently completed "fit testing" of its spacecraft design at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The test involved placing a cage modeled as the spacecraft inside a large pool (to imitate the microgravity environment), and having scuba-diving volunteers in a range of sizes try to fit into the mock spacecraft, stand on its footrests and handle joysticks that control the robotic arms, all while looking through an opening where the spacecraft window would be. The company now is focusing on more "long-lead" items, said project manager Brand Griffin in an interview with Space.com. Engineers are designing the pressurized-crew enclosure, with the aim of building and testing it. They're also planning ground tests of the propulsion system. If the company had all the money in the world, Griffin said, they could have a working prototype doing a test flight in three years. But realistically, their timeline depends on who is interested in the technology. "There are people in NASA that love this thing, and others that don't we're aware of that," he said. "A lot of times, disruptive change like this [spacecraft] represents comes with a little bit of headwind." This cutaway view of the single-person spacecraft shows the crew enclosure, the servicing systems and an exterior view. (Image credit: D. Keim/Genesis Engineering Solutions) But Griffin who used to work as a senior engineer supporting the Advanced Concepts Office at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville is keeping up conversations with NASA. And Genesis is working on the single-person spacecraft project with Sierra Nevada Corp., creators of the robotic Dream Chaser cargo spacecraft that the company is preparing to send to the International Space Station. He also pointed out that over the decades, NASA itself has developed concepts for other types of vehicles like the single-person spacecraft. And he said Genesis is making use of NASA research in its design of the single-person spacecraft. For example, studies on the Skylab space station in the 1970s showed that astronauts tend to adopt a relaxed, almost fetal-like position when floating naturally in microgravity. The single-person spacecraft design makes use of this floating position to make the fit comfortable for future astronauts. Decades of development Fans of "Star Trek" may remember the 2009 reboot movie "Star Trek." Spock Prime (Leonard Nimoy) is piloting a cute little single-person spacecraft called the Jellyfish when he is drawn into a wormhole that leads to an alternate timeline. Later, the younger Spock from the alternate timeline (Zachary Quinto) pilots this ship onto a collision course with an alien ship. This science-fiction concept of a single-person spacecraft, however, dates back at least as far as the 1950s, Griffin said during a presentation at the Future In-Space Operations (FISO) Working Group seminar on Jan. 18. Wernher von Braun who is best known for developing the Saturn V rocket that got astronauts to the moon also envisioned a "bottle spacecraft" that could take single astronauts out into space. Other concepts include the Remora (Bell Labs) in the 1960s, the Scout (University of Maryland) in the 2000s, and even something called the FlexCraft Cherry Picker (from NASA), which Mitchell researched while he was at Marshall. NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless making the first-ever tetherless spacewalk in the MMU "jetpack" in 1984. (Image credit: NASA) Perhaps the most famous heritage technology is the Manned Maneuvering Unit, a sort of "jet backpack" that a few astronauts got to try in the 1980s. (Bruce McCandless, who died last month, is famous for his iconic picture in the MMU, backdropped by Earth.) The MMU allowed astronauts to venture far from the space shuttle; it was even used for satellite repairs. But after the Challenger shuttle explosion killed seven astronauts in 1986, NASA decided the MMU was unnecessary and ended the program, according to Smithsonian Magazine. Although the program is dead, the expertise still exists: MMU astronaut Robert Stewart is among the advisers helping Griffin with development of the single-person spacecraft. Genesis has done its own development for about two years, Griffin said; back in 2016, the companyran a contest to integrate student designs into the spacecraft. Griffin estimates that between his company's investments, advice from students and mentors, and in-kind contributions from entities such as the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, development of the spacecraft has taken tens of millions of dollars so far. Preparing for space Griffin points to many advantages of the single-person spacecraft over a traditional spacesuit. The spacecraft will fit more body types than a spacesuit. Astronauts can do repairs without injuring their hands, which is a common problem for workers in spacesuits, he added. There are also areas on the International Space Station that will need servicing as the station ages that are hard for astronauts to reach, Griffin said. That's either because there aren't any foot- and handholds for the astronauts, or because the Canadarm, which can carry astronauts, can reach only so far. (Just ask NASA astronaut Scott Parazynski, who did a tricky ISS solar panel repair on top of the Canadarm2 robotic arm back in 2007.) The spacecraft would also be flexible regarding destination. If astronauts want to go to the moon, the craft could work near the surface and avoid the corrosive lunar dust that can degrade spacesuits over time, Griffin said. Or, it could float by a small asteroid or moon such as Mars' Phobos, which is too small for humans to safely walk on due to reduced gravity. "We're picking and choosing our technology in terms of development," he said. "We'd like to fly a demonstrator a stripped-down version and get up there [to space] very soon, and add capability as needed." Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. A rare carbon-monoxide comet turns deep blue as it whizzes through the inner solar system in a series of images by astrophotographer Chris Schur. Named C/2016 R2 (PANSTARRS), or R2 for short, this comet is unusually rich with ionized carbon monoxide, which glows increasingly blue as it gets closer to the sun. "That is the gas carbon monoxide making its appearance," Schur told Space.com in an email. Its tail of dust will also continue to grow as the comet encounters increasing levels of solar radiation along the way. "The constantly contorting tail is a superb photographic target," Schur said. Schur's photos of R2 reveal a fuzzy-looking comet that appears teal at first and gradually turns blue as the tail becomes more elongated. [Best Close Encounters of the Comet Kind] Comet C/2016 R2 (PANSTARRS) on Jan. 5, 2018. (Image credit: Chris Schur/ www.schursastrophotography.com Comet R2 was discovered in 2016 by astronomers using the Pan-STARRS telescope in Haleakala, Hawaii. It was closest to Earth on Dec. 23, 2017, when it was a safe distance away: roughly 191 million miles (307 million kilometers). The comet will make its closest approach to the sun on May 9, 2018. If it doesn't burn up and disintegrate as it swoops around the sun, the comet will then start making its way back toward the icy outer region of the solar system known as the Oort Cloud. Comet C/2016 R2 (PANSTARRS) on Jan. 12, 2018. (Image credit: Chris Schur/ www.schursastrophotography.com Assuming that the comet survives its trip around the sun this time, C/2016 R2 will swing by Earth and the sun again but not for another 20,228 years, according to NASA's small-body database. To capture these images of the comet, Schur used a 10-inch Orion astrograph reflector telescope with an ST-10XME self-guiding CCD camera. Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. The patch for New Horizons' extended mission, which centers on a flyby of the object 2014 MU69 on Jan. 1, 2019. If you needed another reminder that a historic deep-space encounter is just around the corner, well, here you go. The handlers of NASA's New Horizons spacecraft have just revealed the official patch for the probe's extended mission, which centers on the flyby of a distant and mysterious object called 2014 MU69 on Jan. 1, 2019. The newly unveiled design will adorn many New Horizons materials going forward, from PowerPoint presentations to the shirts team members wear on flyby day, said mission principal investigator Alan Stern. [Destination Pluto: NASA's New Horizons Mission in Pictures] "I think it's cool because it's very '2001'-esque," Stern, who's based at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in Boulder, Colorado, told Space.com, referring to the classic film "2001: A Spacey Odyssey." "I think it has a nice sci-fi feel for a sci-fi target." The patch shows New Horizons zooming by 2014 MU69, which orbits about 1 billion miles (1.6 billion kilometers) beyond Pluto, in the ring of icy bodies known as the Kuiper Belt. That dwarf planet, of course, was the spacecraft's first flyby target: New Horizons famously got the first-ever up-close looks at Pluto, on July 14, 2015. You can't tell from the patch depiction whether MU69 is a single, multi-lobed object or two separate bodies. That design choice was intentional, Stern said, because either one of those descriptions might be accurate. MU69 is so distant and small mission team members think it's a maximum of 20 miles (32 km) wide that scientists haven't yet managed to nail down its true nature. The patch for New Horizons' original Pluto mission: The probe flew by the dwarf planet on July 14, 2015. (Image credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI) The patch also shows a number of other small Kuiper Belt objects in the distance a nod to the fact that New Horizons has been doing long-range investigations of many such bodies during its long cruise to MU69. And Pluto pops up in the design as well, tying the original and extended missions together: The dwarf planet's globe appears at the top of the patch, and New Horizons images of Pluto's terrain fill the border. Oh, and about that border: It's nine-sided, just like the official patch for New Horizons' original Pluto mission. (Both patches, by the way, are the work of New Horizons team member Dan Durda, who's a SwRI planetary scientist and an accomplished space artist.) I figured I knew the reason: that, in the eyes of Stern and the rest of the New Horizons team, Pluto is and forever will be the solar system's ninth planet. (The International Astronomical Union "demoted" Pluto to dwarf-planet status in 2006, in a decision that remains controversial to this day.) But I asked Stern to confirm that interpretation, just to be safe. His response: "Damn straight." Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. A close-up of Jupiters Great Red Spot taken by the JunoCam instrument on NASA's Juno probe, and color-enhanced by citizen scientist Jason Major. Jupiter's Great Red Spot has swirled for hundreds of years, but the source of its distinctive color remains a mystery. New laboratory experiments are working to produce that color and others found in Jupiter's stormy cloud tops here on Earth, and researchers have found that radiation and temperature play key roles in changing the color of some of the transparent material found in the clouds. A primary suspect in coloring Jupiter's clouds is ammonium hydrosulfide, a type of salt. Formed by ionized ammonium and bisulfide, it quickly decomposes at typical atmospheric conditions and temperatures on Earth, making it challenging to investigate its properties. "Models predict that ammonium hydrosulfide is the third most abundant cloud component [on Jupiter], behind ammonia and water," Mark Loeffler, an astrochemist at Northern Arizona University, told Space.com by email. Loeffler worked with fellow chemist Reggie Hudson, of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, to attempt to re-create the color of Jupiter's clouds in the laboratory. [Jupiter's Great Red Spot: An Iconic Monster Storm in Pictures] The scientists have run about 200 experiments on ammonium hydrosulfide in an attempt to match the color of the Great Red Spot. After hitting the salt with simulated cosmic rays, they compared them to observations made by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. "This work took a bit because there is not much published on this compound, and there appeared to be a lot going on in the sample," Loeffler said. The Great Red Spot's great mystery Jupiter's Great Red Spot, imaged by the Voyager 1 probe in 1979. (Image credit: NASA) With winds as high as 400 mph (644 km/h), Jupiter's Great Red Spot has been brewing for at least 150 years. Astronomers in the 1600s identified a blurry feature on Jupiter that may have been the spot, but scientists aren't certain that it was the same storm. In recent years, the storm has shrunk to the width of a single Earth. Previously, it was estimated to be three Earths wide. At the same time, observations showed that the color of the spot has been changing, suggesting that its composition may also be shifting. Though ammonium hydrosulfide is present in Jupiter's atmosphere, Loeffler said, it doesn't exist as a gas. Instead, it must be condensed as grains of salt that are mixed with or coat another material. By itself, ammonium hydrosulfide is transparent and colorless. But in Jupiter's clouds, the salt doesn't sit in isolation. Cosmic rays, the high-energy radiation traveling through space, bombard the planet and its clouds. These rays, which come from outside the solar system and even outside the Milky Way galaxy, can change the color of many salts, as previous experiments have revealed. To determine how ammonium hydrosulfide reacted to radiation, Loeffler and Hudson first had to cool the sample holder to temperatures where the salt would remain stable as a solid. Then, they sprayed ionized ammonia and hydrogen sulfide into the sample holder, where the two components reacted to produce the salt. Next, the researchers used a particle accelerator to bombard the sample holder with protons to represent cosmic rays impacting the cloud. Throughout the process, the researchers monitored the ice and collected images in both visible and ultraviolet light. Most of the nearly 200 iterations of that experiment took what Loeffler called "a long day," though some ran overnight. Loeffler summed up the process in a single word: "fun." The researchers found that varying the temperature of the "cosmic rays" affected the color of the salt. At low temperatures of minus 263 degrees Celsius (minus 441 degrees Fahrenheit) and minus 223 degrees C (minus 370 degrees F), the salts became orange or reddish orange. At higher temperatures of minus 153 degrees C (minus 244 degrees F) and minus 113 degrees C (minus 172 degrees F), the salts turned green. The researchers attributed that greenish tint to sulfur. Only a small fraction of sulfur has been identified in the clouds, however, at smaller ratios than those found in the salts produced in the lab. Samples of ammonium hydrosulfide hit by simulated cosmic rays vary in color from red to green. From leftTop left,: S sample at 10 Kelvin; top right, sample at 50 Kelvin; bottom left, sample at 120 Kelvin; bottom right, sample at 160 Kelvin. (Image credit: Mark Loeffler/Cosmic Ice Laboratory, NASA GSFC) That provides an interesting challenge, Loeffler said, because the Great Red Spot is thought to have a temperature closer to those that produce the greener salts, though the clouds clearly are red. "It would be nice if the red colors we see at low temperatures could be [responsible for] the Great Red Spot, but those are probably too cold," Loeffler said. So what role does ammonium hydrosulfide play in coloring Jupiter's legendary storm? The researchers still aren't certain. The visible color of the ammonium hydrosulfide (whether red or green or something in between) is determined by the wavelength of light that the compound emits, but the full profile of light coming from the compound includes wavelengths beyond just that visible range. So the researchers are comparing that full wavelength profile of ammonium hydrosulfide at different temperatures and doses with the full profile of light coming from Jupiter's Great Red Spot. Although the ammonium-hydrosulfide ice at low doses and low temperatures makes a "reasonable match" to what has been observed on the planet at some wavelengths, it doesn't match all the wavelengths scientists have seen in Jupiter's storms. Ices irradiated at higher temperatures make a better overall match, but the wavelengths that create the greenish color are obviously a mismatch with what Hubble has seen. "After comparison with this new low-temperature data, it seems evident that the best fit of a single [ammonium sulfide] ice is one that has been irradiated and warmed up to higher temperatures so as to remove the [sulfur] radical," the researchers said. Pointing to a 2016 study he worked on, Loeffler said warming the green samples to temperatures matching those found in the cloud layer of clear, unirradiated ammonium sulfide gets rid of the unattached sulfur ions and the greenish color. That study, along with another paper from 1976, focused on only a single temperature when the sample was irradiated. Along with the new research, which will appear in the March 1 issue of the journal Icarus, these are the only papers that report the results of laboratory work on ammonium hydrosulfide, according to the authors of the new study. That's because the instability of the salt makes it a challenge to work with, Loeffler said. "Also, the material smells bad think rotten eggs and cleaning solution," he said. "For safety, all the excess material has to be vented out of the room, so no one breathes it." Even worse, he said, the samples destroy lab components. "It really is not the best material to work with," Loeffler said. But that doesn't deter the scientists. Now that they've studied how ammonium hydrosulfide changes over a range of doses and temperatures, the pair plans to include other compounds in their experiments that could contribute to the coloring of the Great Red Spot. Follow Nola Taylor Redd at @NolaTRedd, Facebook, or Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebookor Google+. Originally published on Space.com. Tomorrow is a very big day for private spaceflight, and for space exploration in general. If all goes according to plan, SpaceX's huge new Falcon Heavy rocket will launch for the first time ever tomorrow (Feb. 6), rising off Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida during a three-hour window that opens at 1:30 p.m. EST (1830 GMT). You can watch the liftoff live here at Space.com, courtesy of SpaceX, or directly via SpaceX. The powerful Heavy is a potentially transformational vehicle, spaceflight experts say, so its maiden flight will be watched carefully and eagerly by many sets of eyes. [In Photos: SpaceX's 1st Falcon Heavy Rocket Readies for Launch] "It's a tremendous, monumental milestone for SpaceX and the commercial industry," Eric Stallmer, president of the nonprofit Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF), told Space.com. "This is a changing moment." A long road SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk announced the company's plans to develop the Falcon Heavy in 2011. Back then, he predicted it could be flying as early as 2013. Such optimism didn't seem unreasonable at the time. After all, the 230-foot-tall (70 meters) Heavy is basically an extension of SpaceX's workhorse Falcon 9 launcher: It links two Falcon 9 first stages to a central core, which itself is a modified Falcon 9. "At first, it sounds really easy: Just stick two first stages on as strap-on boosters. How hard can that be?" Musk said at a conference last summer. The answer? Pretty hard, actually. "But then everything changes," Musk explained. "All the loads change, aerodynamics totally change; you've tripled the vibration and acoustics." So it took a while for the Falcon Heavy to come together. But come together it has, and the launcher is now ready for its debut a shakeout cruise that will attempt to deliver a cherry-red Tesla Roadster into a highly elliptical orbit around the sun. (Musk also runs the electric-car company Tesla.) That orbit will bring the car close to Mars from time to time. This is a nod to Musk's long-stated goal of helping humanity settle the Red Planet, as is the Roadster's color. (SpaceX is already developing the Heavy's successor a giant Mars-settling rocket-spaceship combo called the BFR.) There's no guarantee that things will go according to plan tomorrow, of course; maiden launches of new rockets don't always go so well. Indeed, Musk has taken pains to lower expectations for the Heavy's debut. "I hope it makes it far enough away from the pad that it does not cause pad damage," he said at that conference last summer. "I would consider even that a win, to be honest." A failure tomorrow probably wouldn't have too big an impact on SpaceX or the Heavy's future, provided the company figures out what went wrong and fixes it in short order, said Scott Hubbard, a professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford University and the editor of the peer-reviewed journal New Space. "I wouldn't see that as a showstopper," Hubbard, who also restructured NASA's Mars-exploration program after several high-profile failures in the 1990s, told Space.com. (Disclosure: Hubbard has an affiliation with SpaceX. He chairs the company's commercial-crew safety panel.) [SpaceX's Falcon Heavy Rocket in Images] Reasons for excitement The Falcon Heavy will be capable of lofting more than 70 tons (63.5 metric tons) of payload to low-Earth orbit (LEO), and nearly 29.5 tons (26.8 metric tons) to geostationary transfer orbit, according to SpaceX's spec sheet. The Heavy will therefore be the most powerful American rocket since NASA's famous Saturn V, which launched astronauts to the moon back in the Apollo days. That immense power is part of the reason for all the excitement. Another factor is the Heavy's low price tag: $90 million. For comparison, the most powerful rocket operating today United Launch Alliance's Delta IV Heavy, which can loft nearly 32 tons (29 metric tons) to LEO costs between $300 million and $500 million, said CSF Executive Director Tommy Sanford. "The difference in using a Falcon Heavy versus a Delta IV Heavy you can buy an entire other satellite," with the savings, Sanford told Space.com. SpaceX has also developed the Heavy to be compatible with crewed missions. In fact, the company announced last year that it had signed a deal to fly two as-yet-unnamed people on a trip around the moon before the end of 2018, using the Falcon Heavy and the company's Dragon capsule. (SpaceX also holds a contract to fly NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station, but those taxi trips will involve the Falcon 9.) So, the Heavy could help open up lots of spaceflight opportunities, from crewed moon missions to the robotic exploration of deep-space targets such as Saturn's potentially life-supporting moon Enceladus, experts say. "This isn't just a new tool," Stallmer said. "It's a whole new toolbag." A new era The Falcon Heavy isn't the only big new rocket on the horizon. Blue Origin, the spaceflight company run by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, is developing its own heavy-lifter, known as New Glenn. That powerful launcher is on track to start flying in the 2020s, company representatives have said. And NASA is building a megarocket called the Space Launch System (SLS). The SLS and its companion Orion capsule will help astronauts get to deep-space destinations like Mars, agency officials have said. Like New Glenn, SLS is expected to fly for the first time in 2020. If all three rockets do get up and running soon, space exploration could take a big leap, Hubbard said. "There's nothing like competition to open up opportunities," he said. "Having multiple heavy lifts out there may finally after discussing this for decades push the space community past the inflection point where there just weren't enough launches to make it routine." Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, FacebookGoogle+. Originally published on Space.com. Latest Movie News (What is this?) 24th May 2018 - Scoundrels Featurette 10th May 2018 - Sneak Peek 3 + "Lieutenant" TV Spot 9th May 2018 - 2 Sneak Peeks 8th May 2018 - "Risk" TV Spot 5th May 2018 - "Ride" TV Spot 5th May 2018 - "Ride" TV Spot 4th May 2018 - "190 Years Old" Clip 3rd May 2018 - 360 Sneak Peek 3rd May 2018 - "Rivals" TV Spot 2nd May 2018 - Tour The Millennium Falcon with Donald Glover 1st May 2018 - "Team" TV Spot 30th April 2018 - Dolby Cinema Poster Check out the exclusive Solo: A Star Wars Story @DolbyCinema poster and see the film in theaters May 25. #HanSolo pic.twitter.com/NDYnJxRKHU Star Wars (@starwars) May 1, 2018 29th April 2018 - Becoming Solo Featurette 28th April 2018 - "Han" TV Spot 23rd April 2018 - UK Character Posters Were putting together a crew. Check out these new SOLO character posters! pic.twitter.com/NFOZ6mMhyz Star Wars UK (@StarWarsUK) April 23, 2018 SOLO: A Star Wars Story out May 24th. Get ready. pic.twitter.com/6WagdvWVBq Star Wars UK (@StarWarsUK) April 23, 2018 23rd April 2018 - Character Posters One crew. One shot. See Solo: A Star Wars Story, in theaters May 25. #HanSolo pic.twitter.com/QAticYHpJN Star Wars (@starwars) April 23, 2018 One crew. One shot. See Solo: A Star Wars Story, in theaters May 25. #HanSolo pic.twitter.com/1I4g8F8tRo Star Wars (@starwars) April 23, 2018 One crew. One shot. See Solo: A Star Wars Story, in theaters May 25. #HanSolo pic.twitter.com/1I4g8F8tRo Star Wars (@starwars) April 23, 2018 20th April 2018 - New TV Spot 19th April 2018 - New Poster Buckle up with the newest UK poster for Solo: A Star Wars Story. In theaters May 25. #HanSolo pic.twitter.com/IiHF64wHOX Star Wars (@starwars) April 20, 2018 17th April 2018 - "Risk" TV Spot 15th April 2018 - "Crew" TV Spot 8th April 2018 - Trailer + New Poster Check out the new poster for Solo: A Star Wars Story and see it in theaters May 25. #HanSolo pic.twitter.com/ddWgzswfGt Star Wars (@starwars) April 9, 2018 7th February 2018 - Promotional Photos 5th February 2018 - Teaser Trailer 4th February 2018 - Big Game TV Spot 16th January 2018 - Synopsis "Board the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in Solo: A Star Wars Story, an all-new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga's most unlikely heroes." Solo: A Star Wars Story features Hail, Caesar's Alden Ehrenreich as Han, with Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian and The Force Awakens' Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca. Woody Harrelson portrays Han's mentor, Beckett. Emilia Clarke, Thandie Newton, Paul Bettany, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge also star. Source: Disney Walt Disney Studios has released the very first plot synopsis from the upcoming SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY. The film hits theaters on May 25, 2018. The synopsis is as follows:"Board the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in Solo: A Star Wars Story, an all-new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga's most unlikely heroes."Solo: A Star Wars Story features Hail, Caesar's Alden Ehrenreich as Han, with Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian and The Force Awakens' Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca. Woody Harrelson portrays Han's mentor, Beckett. Emilia Clarke, Thandie Newton, Paul Bettany, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge also star. 17th October 2017 - Title Revealed Hey #Twitterville we just wrapped production so here's a special message #StarWars pic.twitter.com/8QJqN5BGxr Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) October 17, 2017 1st September 2017 - Paul Bettany Joins Cast The Outer Rim just got a little bit wilder #PaulBettany #ForceFriday pic.twitter.com/KzuAwhcIXy Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) September 1, 2017 It's my third opportunity to work with Paul. He's a blast & so talented https://t.co/8AQn0jFzOh Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) September 1, 2017 22nd August 2017 - Michael K. Williams Role Cut Amid Reshoots EXCLUSIVE: Michael K. Williams, an Emmy nominee for his supporting role in HBOs The Night Of, will not be in the new Star Wars stand-alone Han Solo movie after all. His part has been cut amid the reshoots now underway with new director Ron Howard. Williams said the revamped production schedule conflicted with his commitment to spy drama The Red Sea Diving Resort, his new movie now shooting in South Africa with Ben Kingsley and Chris Evans. Source: Deadline EXCLUSIVE: Michael K. Williams, an Emmy nominee for his supporting role in HBOs The Night Of, will not be in the new Star Wars stand-alone Han Solo movie after all. His part has been cut amid the reshoots now underway with new director Ron Howard. Williams said the revamped production schedule conflicted with his commitment to spy drama The Red Sea Diving Resort, his new movie now shooting in South Africa with Ben Kingsley and Chris Evans. 2nd August 2017 - Clint Howard to Appear You won't be disappointed Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) August 2, 2017 26th July 2017 - Warwick Davis Joins Cast Glad you are asking for one! I directed @WarwickADavis for the 1st time in 30 years today. It made me happy https://t.co/yW8E19MPCn Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) July 26, 2017 Source: The Hollywood Reporter Warwick Davis will appear as an unspecified character, director Ron Howard revealed slyly on Twitter Wednesday. 18th July 2017 - BTS Photos Hyperspace is real. My first experience. Wow. pic.twitter.com/POilRi5ePX Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) July 19, 2017 lining up a shot today from my director's monitor A post shared by RealRonHoward (@realronhoward) on Jul 18, 2017 at 2:44pm PDT can you guess whose closet this is? #UntitledHanSoloMovie pic.twitter.com/1gB17Rt1vN Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) July 11, 2017 10th July 2017 - Set Photos 22nd June 2017 - Ron Howard Steps in to Direct Lucasfilm is pleased to announce that Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard has been named director of the untitled Han Solo film. At Lucasfilm, we believe the highest goal of each film is to delight, carrying forward the spirit of the saga that George Lucas began forty years ago, said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. With that in mind, were thrilled to announce that Ron Howard will step in to direct the untitled Han Solo film. We have a wonderful script, an incredible cast and crew, and the absolute commitment to make a great movie. Filming will resume the 10th of July. Howard has made some of the biggest hits and most critically-acclaimed movies of the modern era. Among his many films are Lucasfilms Willow, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind (winner of four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director), The Da Vinci Code, Frost/Nixon, and Rush. He also narrated and produced the beloved comedy series Arrested Development, starred in George Lucas American Graffiti, and remains a TV icon for his roles in The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days. The untitled Han Solo film is slated for a May 25, 2018, release. Source: Star Wars Lucasfilm is pleased to announce that Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard has been named director of the untitled Han Solo film.At Lucasfilm, we believe the highest goal of each film is to delight, carrying forward the spirit of the saga that George Lucas began forty years ago, said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. With that in mind, were thrilled to announce that Ron Howard will step in to direct the untitled Han Solo film. We have a wonderful script, an incredible cast and crew, and the absolute commitment to make a great movie. Filming will resume the 10th of July.Howard has made some of the biggest hits and most critically-acclaimed movies of the modern era. Among his many films are Lucasfilms Willow, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind (winner of four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director), The Da Vinci Code, Frost/Nixon, and Rush. He also narrated and produced the beloved comedy series Arrested Development, starred in George Lucas American Graffiti, and remains a TV icon for his roles in The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days.The untitled Han Solo film is slated for a May 25, 2018, release. Howard, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter, will meet with the actors Alden Ehrenreich is playing the iconic smuggler, Donald Glover is playing Lando Calrissian, with Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke and Thandie Newton also on the roll call to soothe a rattled set and will pore over a rough edit to see what the project needs. Filming will resume on July 10. Source: The Hollywood Reporter The movie was scheduled to shoot for three and a half more weeks, with five weeks of reshoots built into the schedule the latter a standard procedure on large franchise productions.Howard, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter, will meet with the actors Alden Ehrenreich is playing the iconic smuggler, Donald Glover is playing Lando Calrissian, with Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke and Thandie Newton also on the roll call to soothe a rattled set and will pore over a rough edit to see what the project needs. Filming will resume on July 10. 20th June 2017 - Ron Howard Emerging as Front Runner to Direct EXCLUSIVE: Deadline hears that Ron Howard has emerged as front runner to replace Phil Lord & Christopher Miller on the untitled Han Solo Star Wars spinoff film. In Howard, Disneys getting a pro who can step right in and keep the picture on track for May, 2018 release. Howard has been busy as ever and recently agreed to direct a feature docu on Luciano Pavarotti while developing numerous features that includes an adaptation of the publishing phenomenon of Hillbilly Elegy, but I am hearing that he might well step right in here and keep the film on track. Trying to confirm with Disney. Source: Deadline EXCLUSIVE: Deadline hears that Ron Howard has emerged as front runner to replace Phil Lord & Christopher Miller on the untitled Han Solo Star Wars spinoff film.In Howard, Disneys getting a pro who can step right in and keep the picture on track for May, 2018 release. Howard has been busy as ever and recently agreed to direct a feature docu on Luciano Pavarotti while developing numerous features that includes an adaptation of the publishing phenomenon of Hillbilly Elegy, but I am hearing that he might well step right in here and keep the film on track. Trying to confirm with Disney. 20th June 2017 - Directors Exit + Details Why They Were Fired The friction was felt almost immediately into shooting, sources say, but the directors always thought it would be worked through. Kennedy, the producer and head of Lucasfilm, decided to back her lifelong colleague, who shaped much of Solos character in Empire and Return of the Jedi and who had a specific tone in mind for the new movie. The duo also didnt feel they had the support of producer Allison Shearmur, who was acting as Lucasfilms representative on the London set. Sources say that Lord and Miller, who had relocated to London with their families for pre-production and production of the movie, were said to have been blindsided by the firing, which they learned Monday, although another source disputed that account. The production had gone on a short hiatus to review what had been shot and to clear the air. Sources say that Ron Howard is one of the names that has emerged, although some say that Kasdan, who directed movies like The Big Chill and Silverado, will step in as he is already in prime position to know what needs to be fixed. Source: The Hollywood Reporter The friction was felt almost immediately into shooting, sources say, but the directors always thought it would be worked through. Kennedy, the producer and head of Lucasfilm, decided to back her lifelong colleague, who shaped much of Solos character in Empire and Return of the Jedi and who had a specific tone in mind for the new movie. The duo also didnt feel they had the support of producer Allison Shearmur, who was acting as Lucasfilms representative on the London set.Sources say that Lord and Miller, who had relocated to London with their families for pre-production and production of the movie, were said to have been blindsided by the firing, which they learned Monday, although another source disputed that account.The production had gone on a short hiatus to review what had been shot and to clear the air.Sources say that Ron Howard is one of the names that has emerged, although some say that Kasdan, who directed movies like The Big Chill and Silverado, will step in as he is already in prime position to know what needs to be fixed. A person with knowledge of the production said that the chemistry between the directors and Kennedy was never right. It was a culture clash from day one, the source said. She didnt even like the way they folded their socks. The source said that while Lord and Miller were supposedly hired for their vision and distinctive brand of filmmaking when it came to the Star Wars production, Kennedy did not approve of their shooting style and process of interacting with actors and crew. They werent given the leeway to do what they had to do, the source said. The duo also clashed with Kasdan, who has been an integral creative part of several Star Wars movies, dating back the the 1980 The Empire Strikes Back. Like Kennedy, he questioned many of the pairs directing choices. Kathy, her team and Larry Kasdan have been doing it their way for a very long time. They know how the cheese is made and thats how they want it made, said the source. It became a very polarizing set. Kennedy promised a new director would be announced shortly. It is unclear if and how Lord and Miller will be credited on the movie. Hollywood insiders said their forced departure in the middle of filming was a highly unusual situation. The directors did not leave the production voluntarily, but were fired by LucasFilm. The decision comes as the Han Solo film still has several weeks left to shoot, according to another individual with knowledge of the production. An additional several weeks of reshoots have been planned to take place later this summer. Some insiders believe that while Kennedy wants to make a splash by hiring young indie directors such as Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) and Rian Johnson (Star Wars: The Last Jedi), shes ultimately unwilling to empower them to make their own creative decisions. Unlike Edwards and Johnson, Miller and Lord felt they had earned their stripes, having worked extensively in the major studio system. Source: Read More on Variety Miller and Lord were stunned to find that they were not being granted freedom to run the production in the manner that they were accustomed to. They balked at Kennedys tight control on the set.A person with knowledge of the production said that the chemistry between the directors and Kennedy was never right.It was a culture clash from day one, the source said. She didnt even like the way they folded their socks.The source said that while Lord and Miller were supposedly hired for their vision and distinctive brand of filmmaking when it came to the Star Wars production, Kennedy did not approve of their shooting style and process of interacting with actors and crew. They werent given the leeway to do what they had to do, the source said.The duo also clashed with Kasdan, who has been an integral creative part of several Star Wars movies, dating back the the 1980 The Empire Strikes Back. Like Kennedy, he questioned many of the pairs directing choices.Kathy, her team and Larry Kasdan have been doing it their way for a very long time. They know how the cheese is made and thats how they want it made, said the source. It became a very polarizing set.Kennedy promised a new director would be announced shortly. It is unclear if and how Lord and Miller will be credited on the movie. Hollywood insiders said their forced departure in the middle of filming was a highly unusual situation.The directors did not leave the production voluntarily, but were fired by LucasFilm. The decision comes as the Han Solo film still has several weeks left to shoot, according to another individual with knowledge of the production. An additional several weeks of reshoots have been planned to take place later this summer.Some insiders believe that while Kennedy wants to make a splash by hiring young indie directors such as Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) and Rian Johnson (Star Wars: The Last Jedi), shes ultimately unwilling to empower them to make their own creative decisions.Unlike Edwards and Johnson, Miller and Lord felt they had earned their stripes, having worked extensively in the major studio system. "Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are talented filmmakers who have assembled an incredible cast and crew, but its become clear that we had different creative visions on this film, and weve decided to part ways. A new director will be announced soon, said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm in a statement. Unfortunately, our vision and process werent aligned with our partners on this project. We normally arent fans of the phrase creative differences but for once this cliche is true. We are really proud of the amazing and world-class work of our cast and crew, stated Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Source: The Hollywood Reporter Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are no longer directing the Han Solo Star Wars spin-off."Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are talented filmmakers who have assembled an incredible cast and crew, but its become clear that we had different creative visions on this film, and weve decided to part ways. A new director will be announced soon, said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm in a statement.Unfortunately, our vision and process werent aligned with our partners on this project. We normally arent fans of the phrase creative differences but for once this cliche is true. We are really proud of the amazing and world-class work of our cast and crew, stated Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. 24th March 2017 - Ian Kenny Joins Cast Ian Kenny, one of the actors in the acclaimed British movie Sing Street, has joined the cast of Disneys Han Solo movie, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. Details for Kennys character were unavailable. Source: The Hollywood Reporter Ian Kenny, one of the actors in the acclaimed British movie Sing Street, has joined the cast of Disneys Han Solo movie, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.Details for Kennys character were unavailable. 24th March 2017 - Disney CEO Bob Iger Reveals We Will Learn How Han Solo Got His Name Carrie Fisher appears throughout VIII. And what I can say about that is, were not changing VIII to deal with her passing, Iger said. So her performance, which were really pleased with, remains as it was in VIII. Now for the part that will relieve many fans of General Leia. In Rogue One we created digitally a few characters. One had been an actor who actually passed away and was in an earlier Star Wars film, he said, referring to Peter Cushings Grand Moff Tarkin. Were not doing that with Carrie. Iger shifted to the young Han Solo movie, and broke some news about the plot. That picks up Han Solo when he was 18 years old and takes him through when he was 24, the CEO said. There were a few things that happened [that were] significant in Han Solos life, like acquiring a certain vehicle and meeting a certain Wookiee, that will happen in this film. But youll also discover how he got his name. Source: Read More on EW Carrie Fisher appears throughout VIII. And what I can say about that is, were not changing VIII to deal with her passing, Iger said. So her performance, which were really pleased with, remains as it was in VIII.Now for the part that will relieve many fans of General Leia. In Rogue One we created digitally a few characters. One had been an actor who actually passed away and was in an earlier Star Wars film, he said, referring to Peter Cushings Grand Moff Tarkin. Were not doing that with Carrie.Iger shifted to the young Han Solo movie, and broke some news about the plot.That picks up Han Solo when he was 18 years old and takes him through when he was 24, the CEO said. There were a few things that happened [that were] significant in Han Solos life, like acquiring a certain vehicle and meeting a certain Wookiee, that will happen in this film. 6th March 2017 - Michael K. Williams Joins Cast Michael Kenneth Williams has joined the cast of the upcoming untitled Han Solo Star Wars movie.https://t.co/PasTbdOE7g pic.twitter.com/NuaA814vBE Star Wars (@starwars) March 6, 2017 StarWars.com is thrilled to announce that Williams has officially signed on for the upcoming untitled Han Solo Star Wars movie. Williams comes to Star Wars having played many memorable roles in both TV and film, including Omar Little in The Wire and Albert Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire, bringing charisma, humanity, and nobility to all his performances. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are directing the untitled Han Solo Star Wars movie from a script by Lawrence and Jon Kasdan, with a cast that includes Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, Thandie Newton, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, with Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca. Source: Star Wars Michael Kenneth Williams is going from his hometown of Brooklyn, New York, to a galaxy far, far away.StarWars.com is thrilled to announce that Williams has officially signed on for the upcoming untitled Han Solo Star Wars movie. Williams comes to Star Wars having played many memorable roles in both TV and film, including Omar Little in The Wire and Albert Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire, bringing charisma, humanity, and nobility to all his performances.Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are directing the untitled Han Solo Star Wars movie from a script by Lawrence and Jon Kasdan, with a cast that includes Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, Thandie Newton, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, with Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca. 3rd March 2017 - Michael K. Williams in Talks to Join Cast The Wire star Michael K. Williams is in final talks to join the upcoming Han Solo spinoff starring Alden Ehrenreich, Variety has learned exclusively. Details about Williams character are unknown, as are plot details for the movie, other then it being an origin tale of the rogue smuggler. Source: Variety The Wire star Michael K. Williams is in final talks to join the upcoming Han Solo spinoff starring Alden Ehrenreich, Variety has learned exclusively.Details about Williams character are unknown, as are plot details for the movie, other then it being an origin tale of the rogue smuggler. 21st February 2017 - Production Begins Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are directors co-piloting the movie, with a cast that includes Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, Thandie Newton, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, with Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca. "Watching such inspired people from all over the world, with such unique voices, come together for the sole purpose of making art, is nothing short of miraculous," Lord and Miller said. "We can't think of anything funny to say, because we just feel really moved, and really lucky." Written by Lawrence and Jon Kasdan, it will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur, Simon Emanuel and co-produced by Kiri Hart, Susan Towner and Will Allegra. Lawrence Kasdan and Jason McGatlin will executive produce. Crewing the ship will be some of the industry's top talent, including Academy Award nominee for his work on "Arrival," Bradford Young (Director of Photography), Chris Dickens (Editor), Dominic Tuohy (SFX Supervisor), Rob Bredow (VFX Supervisor) and Brad Allan (Action Designer). They will be joining returning Star Wars veteran crew members Neal Scanlan (Creature & Droid FX Creative Supervisor), Neil Lamont (Production Designer), Dave Crossman and Glyn Dillon (Co-Costume Designers), Jamie Wilkinson (Prop Master), Lisa Tomblin (Hair), Amanda Knight (Make-Up) and Nina Gold (UK Casting Director). The untitled Han Solo Star Wars Story is slated for release on May 25, 2018. Source: Star Wars The adventure-filled past of the iconic scoundrel and everyone's favorite Wookiee is going before cameras this month when principal photography on the untitled HAN SOLO - A NEW STAR WARS STORY officially began February 20th at Pinewood Studios, London. The movie will explore the duo's adventures before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope, including their early encounters with that other card-playing rogue from a galaxy far, far away, Lando Calrissian.Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are directors co-piloting the movie, with a cast that includes Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, Thandie Newton, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, with Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca."Watching such inspired people from all over the world, with such unique voices, come together for the sole purpose of making art, is nothing short of miraculous," Lord and Miller said. "We can't think of anything funny to say, because we just feel really moved, and really lucky."Written by Lawrence and Jon Kasdan, it will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur, Simon Emanuel and co-produced by Kiri Hart, Susan Towner and Will Allegra. Lawrence Kasdan and Jason McGatlin will executive produce.Crewing the ship will be some of the industry's top talent, including Academy Award nominee for his work on "Arrival," Bradford Young (Director of Photography), Chris Dickens (Editor), Dominic Tuohy (SFX Supervisor), Rob Bredow (VFX Supervisor) and Brad Allan (Action Designer).They will be joining returning Star Wars veteran crew members Neal Scanlan (Creature & Droid FX Creative Supervisor), Neil Lamont (Production Designer), Dave Crossman and Glyn Dillon (Co-Costume Designers), Jamie Wilkinson (Prop Master), Lisa Tomblin (Hair), Amanda Knight (Make-Up) and Nina Gold (UK Casting Director).The untitled Han Solo Star Wars Story is slated for release on May 25, 2018. 10th February 2017 - Thandie Newton in Negotiations to Join Cast Westworld star Thandie Newton may be heading to a galaxy far, far away. Sources tell Variety the actress is in negotiations to join the upcoming Han Solo spinoff starring Alden Ehrenreich. Newtons character is unknown. Source: Variety Westworld star Thandie Newton may be heading to a galaxy far, far away.Sources tell Variety the actress is in negotiations to join the upcoming Han Solo spinoff starring Alden Ehrenreich. Newtons character is unknown. 8th February 2017 - Phoebe Waller-Bridge in Talks for Eye Role Following her critically acclaimed turn in the Amazon series Fleabag, actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge is in talks for a key role in the upcoming Star Wars Han Solo spinoff starring Alden Ehrenreich. The role would be a CGI-driven performance from Waller-Bridge but would still be a significant part of the ensemble, similarly to key Star Wars characters in the past like Chewbacca, C-3P0 and most recently, Alan Tudyks K-2SO in Rogue One. Source: Variety Following her critically acclaimed turn in the Amazon series Fleabag, actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge is in talks for a key role in the upcoming Star Wars Han Solo spinoff starring Alden Ehrenreich.The role would be a CGI-driven performance from Waller-Bridge but would still be a significant part of the ensemble, similarly to key Star Wars characters in the past like Chewbacca, C-3P0 and most recently, Alan Tudyks K-2SO in Rogue One. 30th January 2017 - Filming Has Begun Han First Shot pic.twitter.com/KReR6rgKFT Chris Miller (@chrizmillr) January 30, 2017 11th January 2017 - Woody Harrelson Joins Cast .@WoodyHarrelson has joined the cast of the upcoming untitled Han Solo film. https://t.co/l9csioaS8I pic.twitter.com/KwyByINREG Star Wars (@starwars) January 11, 2017 Harrelson, known for wide-ranging roles in film and TV such as The Hunger Games, No County For Old Men, True Detective, Cheers, and Zombieland, will join actors Alden Ehrenreich (Han Solo), Donald Glover (Lando Calrissian), and Emilia Clarke in the adventure. This Star Wars Story is the second in a series of films that live outside the Skywalker family saga, and is set during the early scoundrel days of the iconic characters, prior to A New Hope. We couldnt be more excited to work with an artist with as much depth and range as Woody, said the films directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. His ability to find both humor and pathos, often in the same role, is truly unique. He is also very good at ping pong. The as-yet-untitled movie, which is being produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur, and Simon Emanuel, is scheduled for release in 2018. Source: Star Wars Veteran film and television actor Woody Harrelson is stepping aboard the upcoming Han Solo movie set to arrive in theaters next year.Harrelson, known for wide-ranging roles in film and TV such as The Hunger Games, No County For Old Men, True Detective, Cheers, and Zombieland, will join actors Alden Ehrenreich (Han Solo), Donald Glover (Lando Calrissian), and Emilia Clarke in the adventure. This Star Wars Story is the second in a series of films that live outside the Skywalker family saga, and is set during the early scoundrel days of the iconic characters, prior to A New Hope.We couldnt be more excited to work with an artist with as much depth and range as Woody, said the films directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. His ability to find both humor and pathos, often in the same role, is truly unique. He is also very good at ping pong.The as-yet-untitled movie, which is being produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur, and Simon Emanuel, is scheduled for release in 2018. 3rd January 2017 - Woody Harrelson in Early Talks to Join Cast as Han Solo's Mentor After playing a mentor to Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games franchise, Woody Harrelson might help guide another iconic characters journey. Sources tell Variety that, while talks are still in the early stages, Harrelson is the top choice to play Han Solos mentor in the upcoming Star Wars spinoff starring Alden Ehrenreich. The ensemble has already begun filling with rising stars, but executives wanted this role to go to an actor with considerable clout, and started meeting with actors over the past several weeks. Source: Variety After playing a mentor to Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games franchise, Woody Harrelson might help guide another iconic characters journey.Sources tell Variety that, while talks are still in the early stages, Harrelson is the top choice to play Han Solos mentor in the upcoming Star Wars spinoff starring Alden Ehrenreich.The ensemble has already begun filling with rising stars, but executives wanted this role to go to an actor with considerable clout, and started meeting with actors over the past several weeks. 18th November 2016 - Emilia Clarke Joins Cast Emilia Clarke is heading to a galaxy far, far away in the upcoming untitled Han Solo Star Wars movie.https://t.co/5EntiY4ktq pic.twitter.com/o1M2fTWTp0 Star Wars (@starwars) November 18, 2016 StarWars.com is excited to announce that Clarke, known for her stirring portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, will join the upcoming untitled Han Solo Star Wars movie. Clarkes role will round out a dynamic cast of characters that Han and Chewie will encounter on their adventures. Clarke joins Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover previously cast as Han Solo and Lando Calrissian, respectively in the highly-anticipated film, which is set prior to the original Star Wars trilogy. The untitled Han Solo movie, helmed by directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, is set for release in 2018. Source: Star Wars Emilia Clarke is heading to a galaxy far, far away and shes going to meet Han and Chewie.StarWars.com is excited to announce that Clarke, known for her stirring portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, will join the upcoming untitled Han Solo Star Wars movie. Clarkes role will round out a dynamic cast of characters that Han and Chewie will encounter on their adventures.Clarke joins Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover previously cast as Han Solo and Lando Calrissian, respectively in the highly-anticipated film, which is set prior to the original Star Wars trilogy.The untitled Han Solo movie, helmed by directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, is set for release in 2018. 21st October 2016 - Donald Glover Cast as Lando Calrissian Hello, what have we here? Donald Glover is Lando Calrissian in the untitled 2018 Han Solo Star Wars Story. https://t.co/ChueOBd0fv pic.twitter.com/54JOBM1P9K Star Wars (@starwars) October 21, 2016 Were so lucky to have an artist as talented as Donald join us, said Lord and Miller. These are big shoes to fill, and an even bigger cape, and this one fits him perfectly, which will save us money on alterations. Also, wed like to publicly apologize to Donald for ruining Comic-Con for him forever. Glover is best known for creating and starring in the critically acclaimed FX series Atlanta (which had the highest premiere numbers for any basic cable comedy show since 2013), as well as for starring in four seasons of the show Community, and for his Grammy-nominated album Because the Internet, performed under the name Childish Gambino. In addition, Glover appeared in the Academy Award-nominated The Martian, and will be seen in the upcoming Spider-Man: Homecoming. The untitled Han Solo movie is set for release in 2018. Source: Star Wars Lucasfilm announced today that Donald Glover, an acclaimed actor, award-winning writer, and Grammy-nominated artist, will be playing the part of Lando Calrissian in the still-untitled Han Solo Star Wars film, helmed by directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Glover will join Alden Ehrenreich previously cast as Han Solo in bringing two iconic Star Wars characters back to the big screen, but at a time in their lives previously unexplored. This new film depicts Lando in his formative years as a scoundrel on the rise in the galaxys underworld years before the events involving Han, Leia, and Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back and his rise to Rebel hero in Return of the Jedi.Were so lucky to have an artist as talented as Donald join us, said Lord and Miller. These are big shoes to fill, and an even bigger cape, and this one fits him perfectly, which will save us money on alterations. Also, wed like to publicly apologize to Donald for ruining Comic-Con for him forever.Glover is best known for creating and starring in the critically acclaimed FX series Atlanta (which had the highest premiere numbers for any basic cable comedy show since 2013), as well as for starring in four seasons of the show Community, and for his Grammy-nominated album Because the Internet, performed under the name Childish Gambino. In addition, Glover appeared in the Academy Award-nominated The Martian, and will be seen in the upcoming Spider-Man: Homecoming.The untitled Han Solo movie is set for release in 2018. 5th October - Tessa Thompson, Naomi Scott and Zoe Kravitz Testing for Female Lead Sources tell Variety that Selma and Creed star Tessa Thompson, Power Rangers Naomi Scott, and Zoe Kravitz tested in London this week for the female lead in the yet-untitled project. With production not starting till early 2017, directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller have taken their time in meeting with talent for the mystery female character as well as the role of Lando Calrissian. This would mark the second round of tests; a previous round took place earlier this summer. While it seems like a decision is on the horizon, sources it could still be a couple weeks till one is made. As for the role of Calrissian, reports had surfaced that Atlanta star and creator Donald Glover was high on the list, but Disney and Lucasfilm still wanted a second round of tests to be certain on their decision. Solos friend was played by Billy Dee Williams in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Source: Variety Though testing for Alden Ehrenreichs co-stars for the upcoming Han Solo spin-off has been slow and steady, the Star Wars anthology pic may be getting closer to adding another lead.Sources tell Variety that Selma and Creed star Tessa Thompson, Power Rangers Naomi Scott, and Zoe Kravitz tested in London this week for the female lead in the yet-untitled project.With production not starting till early 2017, directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller have taken their time in meeting with talent for the mystery female character as well as the role of Lando Calrissian. This would mark the second round of tests; a previous round took place earlier this summer. While it seems like a decision is on the horizon, sources it could still be a couple weeks till one is made.As for the role of Calrissian, reports had surfaced that Atlanta star and creator Donald Glover was high on the list, but Disney and Lucasfilm still wanted a second round of tests to be certain on their decision. Solos friend was played by Billy Dee Williams in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. 11th August 2016 - Casting Young Lando Calrissian Fans have speculated about which of the characters from Solos complicated past might turn up in Han Solo, and now we know at least one. The Cloud City cassanova was originally played by Billy Dee Williams, and the current code name in casting circles for young Lando is Chance perhaps a reference to the characters appreciation of cards and dice. Though we met Lando in The Empire Strikes Back in which Darth Vader forced him to betray Han, Leia, Chewbacca and C-3PO when they turned up at Cloud City he has a long history with Solo that we may see parts of in the new standalone film. Lando famously lost the Millennium Falcon to Solo in a game called sabacc though he got to fly it again in Return of the Jedi. The Han Solo solo film is being directed by Lego Movie and Jump Street team Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Reps for Lucasfilm declined to comment. Source: The Wrap Han Solo is getting a gambling buddy his standalone Star Wars spinoff film is casting a young Lando Calrissian.Fans have speculated about which of the characters from Solos complicated past might turn up in Han Solo, and now we know at least one. The Cloud City cassanova was originally played by Billy Dee Williams, and the current code name in casting circles for young Lando is Chance perhaps a reference to the characters appreciation of cards and dice.Though we met Lando in The Empire Strikes Back in which Darth Vader forced him to betray Han, Leia, Chewbacca and C-3PO when they turned up at Cloud City he has a long history with Solo that we may see parts of in the new standalone film. Lando famously lost the Millennium Falcon to Solo in a game called sabacc though he got to fly it again in Return of the Jedi.The Han Solo solo film is being directed by Lego Movie and Jump Street team Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Reps for Lucasfilm declined to comment. 5th May 2016 - Alden Ehrenreich Cast as Han Solo Phil Lord and Chris Miller have found their Han Solo. Alden Ehrenreich will don the vest and pick up the blaster for the Star Wars standalone, according to sources, which centers on a younger version of the franchise favorite. Following an exhaustive search, where 2,500 young men met for the project, a trio of Han hopefuls ended up on the finalist list, including Hail, Caesar!'s Ehrenreich, Kingsman actor Taron Egerton and Transformers: Age of Extinction's Jack Reynor. Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort and Brooklyn breakout Emory Cohen were among those on the shortlist in earlier rounds. Just as Ford has his own starting-out legend (he was cast as Solo after doing line readings with the actors who were actually auditioning for the movie and his sarcasm due to not being considered for the part seeped through, winning over Lucas), Ehrenreich too has a colorful discovery tale: Steven Spielberg saw the boy in a bar mitzvah video. His antics impressed the filmmaker, which led to open doors. After a couple of television appearances, he made his feature debut with Francis Ford Coppola's 2009 film, Tetro. Source: The Hollywood Reporter The Millenium Falcon has a new pilot.Phil Lord and Chris Miller have found their Han Solo.Alden Ehrenreich will don the vest and pick up the blaster for the Star Wars standalone, according to sources, which centers on a younger version of the franchise favorite.Following an exhaustive search, where 2,500 young men met for the project, a trio of Han hopefuls ended up on the finalist list, including Hail, Caesar!'s Ehrenreich, Kingsman actor Taron Egerton and Transformers: Age of Extinction's Jack Reynor. Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort and Brooklyn breakout Emory Cohen were among those on the shortlist in earlier rounds.Just as Ford has his own starting-out legend (he was cast as Solo after doing line readings with the actors who were actually auditioning for the movie and his sarcasm due to not being considered for the part seeped through, winning over Lucas), Ehrenreich too has a colorful discovery tale: Steven Spielberg saw the boy in a bar mitzvah video. His antics impressed the filmmaker, which led to open doors. After a couple of television appearances, he made his feature debut with Francis Ford Coppola's 2009 film, Tetro. 13th April 2016 - Alden Ehrenreich Emerges As Front-Runner For Han Solo Film The newcomer is also the lead in Warren Beattys yet untitled Howard Hughes project which will receive a fall release from Fox this year. The 26 year-old actor also gave a stand-out performance this year in Hail, Caesar! The Han Solo film, which Disney is slating for release on May 25th, 2018, will be directed The Lego Movie team of by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The picture will focus on Solos days before he linked up with the rebel alliance. Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy is producing. Lawrence Kasdan is exec producing with Jason McGatlin. Kasdan who wrote Star Wars pics The Empire Strikes Back, Return Of The Jedi and The Force Awakens scripted the new pic with his son Jon Kasdan. Disney did not return an email seeking comment. CAA, who reps Ehrenreich, would not comment either. Like we said, this casting is being guarded like its a matter of national security. Source: Deadline After screens tests that narrowed down the field of possible actors portraying Han Solo for the stand-alone movie in the Star Wars universe, Alden Ehrenreich has emerged as the front-runner for the coveted role. The casting of this character has been shrouded in secrecy to the point of it being referred to as project Red Cup (get it? Solo cups). After screen tests, it was narrowed down to only a handful of actors that included Taron Egerton and Jack Reynor. However, sources with knowledge of the casting process, said that Ehrenreich is now leading the pack after after an impressive performance.The newcomer is also the lead in Warren Beattys yet untitled Howard Hughes project which will receive a fall release from Fox this year. The 26 year-old actor also gave a stand-out performance this year in Hail, Caesar!The Han Solo film, which Disney is slating for release on May 25th, 2018, will be directed The Lego Movie team of by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The picture will focus on Solos days before he linked up with the rebel alliance. Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy is producing. Lawrence Kasdan is exec producing with Jason McGatlin. Kasdan who wrote Star Wars pics The Empire Strikes Back, Return Of The Jedi and The Force Awakens scripted the new pic with his son Jon Kasdan.Disney did not return an email seeking comment. CAA, who reps Ehrenreich, would not comment either. Like we said, this casting is being guarded like its a matter of national security. 12th January 2016 - Actor Shortlist Confirmed NDAs and test deals are still being worked out, but producer Kathleen Kennedy and directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller will begin testing the new group with a decision expected in the next couple of weeks. The film does not shoot until next January, but sources close to the situation say the reason for such an early decision has more to do with another Star Wars film currently shooting, rather than the untitled Han Solo pic. While insiders were unable to confirm, the new Solo could have a small cameo in Rogue One: A Star Wars before appearing in his own standalone pic. With the exception of Eastwood, whos 29, Disney and Lucasfilm seem to be zeroing in on actors between the ages of 20 to 25. The studios tested actors as young as 17 to as old as 34. Source: Variety Sources tell Variety that after seeing thousands of actors, execs have cut the list down to about a dozen actors with Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Dave Franco, Jack Reynor, Scott Eastwood, Logan Lerman, Brooklyn star Emory Cohen and Everybody Wants Some actor Blake Jenner among the names making the cut.NDAs and test deals are still being worked out, but producer Kathleen Kennedy and directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller will begin testing the new group with a decision expected in the next couple of weeks.The film does not shoot until next January, but sources close to the situation say the reason for such an early decision has more to do with another Star Wars film currently shooting, rather than the untitled Han Solo pic. While insiders were unable to confirm, the new Solo could have a small cameo in Rogue One: A Star Wars before appearing in his own standalone pic.With the exception of Eastwood, whos 29, Disney and Lucasfilm seem to be zeroing in on actors between the ages of 20 to 25. The studios tested actors as young as 17 to as old as 34. 7th July 2015 - Christopher Miller And Phil Lord To Helm Han Solo Anthology Film This is the first film weve worked on that seems like a good idea to begin with. We promise to take risks, to give the audience a fresh experience, and we pledge ourselves to be faithful stewards of these characters who mean so much to us. This is a dream come true for us. And not the kind of dream where youre late for work and all your clothes are made of pudding, but the kind of dream where you get to make a film with some of the greatest characters ever, in a film franchise youve loved since before you can remember having dreams at all. The screenplay is written by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan. The story focuses on how young Han Solo became the smuggler, thief, and scoundrel whom Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina at Mos Eisley. Source: Star Wars The next adventure in the Anthology series of Star Wars films will be directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, whose credits include the critically acclaimed The LEGO Movie and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, as well as 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street. Among the most sought-after filmmakers working today, the two have proven a formidable duo on the multiple films theyve collaborated on and are looking forward to applying their unique creative chemistry to the Star Wars universe.This is the first film weve worked on that seems like a good idea to begin with. We promise to take risks, to give the audience a fresh experience, and we pledge ourselves to be faithful stewards of these characters who mean so much to us. This is a dream come true for us. And not the kind of dream where youre late for work and all your clothes are made of pudding, but the kind of dream where you get to make a film with some of the greatest characters ever, in a film franchise youve loved since before you can remember having dreams at all.The screenplay is written by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan. The story focuses on how young Han Solo became the smuggler, thief, and scoundrel whom Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina at Mos Eisley. Recent Movie Roundups More photos here Scandaaaaaaaaal!!! Thats how hype I still am after seeing this badass episode. Whew! The People vs. Olivia Pope was everything I expected and more! Well, I could have done without that one thing that happened towards the end, but eh. Im over it. (No, Im not.) And as Kerry Washingtons television directorial debut? The episode was meaty as hell, and she so handled that! Oh! And did I mention that Janet Jackson was the soundtrack of the entire thing?! WHAT!! You heard me. Yall aint gonna take me out like this, Shonda. No, youre not, but I am laid out nonetheless. Laid. Out. Oh! And did I mention that Janet Jackson was the soundtrack of the entire thing?! WHAT!! You heard me. Yall aint gonna take me out like this, Shonda. No, youre not, but I am laid out nonetheless. Laid. Out. Lets get right into this thing. And the Light Goes Out The People opens up with Olivia emerging from the interior of Fitzs hotel room into the living room where Fitz is staring out of a side window. Shes in his bathrobe, and her eyes are on him as he turns towards her upon hearing her entry. She greets him with their classic Hi and he responds in kind. The smiles on their faces make it obvious that they had themselves a great night. (Heh.) As Olivia curls herself into a nearby chair, Fitz leans against the mantle of the fireplace and asks if she would like to go to Vermont. Olivia is caught off guard by the proposal and Fitz tells her that they dont have to limit their time together to just a night, that they can have the entire weekend. Olivia doesnt need much convincing as we see in the next shot, which is of them in a chopper heading for Vermont. Fitz is seated closest to the window and Olivia is next to him, her hands holding onto his one that is nearest to her. Fitz is staring out the window at the cityscape, and Olivia stretches a bit to look out as well, but her eyes soon shift to look at him instead. She contemplates him for a moment before she lays her head on his shoulder. At this, Fitz turns towards her and presses his cheek against her head and pulls her close. (Why are they like this?!) Janet Jacksons When I Think of You overlays these moments as they happen, and Im immediately put in my feels because who the hell told these people to take one of my favorite Janet songs and intertwine it with Olitz?! WHO?!?! Why would you do that?! For those who are unfamiliar with the song (WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?!), here are the partial lyrics to the first verse, which reflects what is going on in Olivias headspace: Oooh, baby / Anytime my world gets crazy / I have to do / To calm it / Is just think of you / Cause when I think of you, baby / Nothing else seems to matter / Cause when I think of you, baby / All I think about is our love Ill cut it off right there or Ill take us right into the dance break. At the risk of sounding like the sappy romantic that I secretly am (as if the gifs above didnt already blow my cover), I want to put more of a point on that head on the shoulder moment. In the review for 708, I remarked on the significance of Olivia showing up at Fitzs door after initially lashing out at him when he came to console her over Quinns death. I said then that she sought him out to receive emotional sustenance, and while I believe that to still be the case, there is a little bit more at play here. She isnt the unyielding Chief of Staff or the venom-spewing Command who carries herself as if nothing ever weighs her down here. Shes just Olivia, the one who exists in her vulnerability, the one who allows herself to lean into another because the load she carries is indeed too heavy. The expression on her face is that of one who has returned home after a trying stint away. Sigh. Anyway... Off the chopper now, the two are holding onto each other as they walk towards the entrance of their home. (Yes, I said their .) Olivia looks so damn happy to be there, her smile genuine as she looks up at Fitz and he gives her an affectionate kiss on the forehead. To note, Olivia is still in the same outfit that she had on when she came to Fitz straight from Quinns funeral the day before. This woman didnt even bother to go home and get herself a change of clothes or an overnight bag. I mean, I guess. When you know that you're going to be nekkid most of the time, you figure what's the point, right? Fitz opens the door and Olivia precedes him inside. She takes a few steps in and lets out an exhale as one would when theyve finally made it to paradise. She looks about in wonderment and smiles back at Fitz as she takes in everything around her. She hasnt been to the house since Fitz first revealed it to her in Vermont is for Lovers, Too (308), so her glancing about like a kid in a candy store wasnt at all surprising. When she was last there, house was unfinished. What is surprising is the record scratch moment when Huck gets up from one of the seats and jars Olivia right out of her daze! She stutters in shock as she asks him why he is there, and she whips around back towards Fitz as the sound of the closing door echoes with finality. Seeing the serious look on Fitz's face, Olivia turns back to Huck, who tells her that they are all aware of her dirty little secrets. Olivia notes his use of we and just then Abby, David, and Marcus emerge from where they had been hiding. Olivia looks about wide-eyed like an animal surrounded by predators. She takes several heavy breaths as if trying to calm herself of the inner panic that threatened to consume her just then. Back in D.C., the baby is crying in her crib as Charlie continues to choke the heck out of Rowan. Quinn comes to Rowans defense and is able to throw Charlie off of the old man, demanding that Charlie stop with his attack, that Rowan is protecting her. Stunned out of his mind, Charlie stares as Quinn picks up the crying baby and tries to calm her down. Jumping forward just a tad, Quinn is sitting with Charlie in the living room and she has already given him the lowdown on all that has happened. Rowan is leaning against a chair opposite them. Charlie rocks back and forth as he tries to process what he has been told, and Quinn is trying to get him to share what his thoughts are about what she has said. Charlie is finally able to look at her, and he expresses his disbelief over her actually being alive. When Quinn confirms that she actually is and grabs his hands to prove it, Charlie sits a moment with the reality of it all before he jumps out of his seat to ask why it is that she hadnt called him to let him know that she was alright. Rowan steps forward then (did he think Charlie was going to attack her??), but hes intervention isnt necessary. Quinn now is also on her feet as Charlie explains that he almost killed people over her, that he went to her funeral. In her best calming tone, Quinn points out to him that all of that is over now. She isnt dead and he isnt alone anymore. She is then able to coax him into going along with her so that he can meet their daughter. (Awww) Over at the White House, Cyrus has just clued Mellie in to the fact that it was Olivia who had Rashad killed!! Remember how Jake tried to link Fenton to the bombing of Rashads plane (706)? Cyrus never bought that that part of the tale, and after learning that QPA received intel of a link from Jake, Cyrus did digging on his own and found no such link (707). He confronted Jake about it, and Jake dismissed it as a potential mistake. Cyrus wasnt born yesterday and he certainly wasnt buying that evasive answer. Jake later dissuades Cyrus from digging further by issuing threats, which effectively placed Cyrus on a leash. All bets were off when Fenton ended their relationship and Cyrus suspected that Jake had something to do with it. Im extrapolating here, but considering how resourceful Cyrus is, he likely pieced together enough to figure out what happened. Mellie asks Cyrus to repeat what he had just told her, and he obliges. Mellie stares at him in stupefaction for a moment before asking if there is any proof. Cyrus replies that he believes that Quinn Perkins had some, and Mellie is stunned anew as she wonders aloud if hes also accusing Olivia of having had something to do with what happened to Quinn. Cyrus tells her that he believes Olivia to be responsible for all of it. Mellie sits for a few seconds in frozen silence as the implications of his words settle over her. She then turns to her phone to have her assistant summon Olivia to her. Surprised when Rachel tells her that Olivia is not yet in for the day, Mellie demands that she be found. Back over to Vermont, Huck asks Olivia if she killed Quinn, and when she doesnt immediately say anything, Fitz tells her to answer the question. Marcus speaks up then to say that no one is looking to punish her, and David adds that they wont punish her if they dont have to. Fitz then states that they are trying to help her. Olivia turns to each person as they speak, her moves jerky as she is hit from all directions. She finds it absurd that they are attempting to have an intervention with her, and Abby tells her to consider it a second chance. She then lays out their conditions, which is that Olivia is to give up the White House and B613 in lieu of David prosecuting her. Huck follows by revealing that Abby and David found a recording that Quinn made of her conversation with Olivia that night at the War Memorial. He accuses Olivia of having killed Quinn and demands that she admit it, but Olivia will not. She instead states that Quinns death isnt on her. (Uh) Abby is perplexed by her logic, and Olivia replies that B613 was handling a situation and that Quinn should have trusted that, and understood that she was doing what was absolutely necessary. When the only response she gets to that statement is all of them collectively looking at her in judgement, Olivia orders them to stop staring at her in the way that they are. Fitz asks her how it is that she means, and Huck supplies that they are looking at her like the monster that she truly is. (Yiiiiiiiikes!) Hucks going hard, and Olivia glares at him in surprise. Marcus speaks up to say that Olivia has to know that what she is saying isnt right. Olivia turns nasty then, her eyes squarely on Huck as she states that what she knows is that there isnt a single one of them who hasnt had to get their hands a little bit dirty at one point or another. (True, but...) Olivia singles out Abby, who wavers a bit as if hit by a zapper. Then she turns back to Huck to say that she knows that he of all people isnt calling her a monster. She then directs her ire at Fitzgerald, stating that after everything that he has done and all that has been done in his name, he certainly isnt the one who can stand there in judgement of her! How dare he or any of them wag a finger at her!! (Zzzz, Olivia. Zzzz) Fitz is unfazed by her barbs as she calls the house that he built for them ridiculous and tells him that it should have been built out of glass. (Okay, I laughed.) Fitz replies that she can take all the cheap shots that she wants at him, but that none of them will work. When he tells her that she isnt getting it, Olivias snap response is, Neither are you....and I DIE because I dont believe they are talking about the same it. Bedroom privileges revoked! Fitz informs her that she has no power there and Olivia is taken aback. He goes on to say that he has instructed his Secret Service to keep her from leaving, so she is going to be there for however long it takes for them to get through to her. Olivia laughs at the absurdity of the plan, calling it insane. Fitz tells her to give them what they are asking for and shell be free to go. Abby, Huck, and Marcus speak up then to inform her that her phone has been disabled and that she wont be able to communicate with anyone on the outside. No email, texts, or phone calls. David adds that he will start the process of filing charges. Appropriately panicked now, Olivia turns away from them and back to Fitz, begging him not to do this to her. Fitz again tells her to give them what they are asking for, and Olivia wonders if he doesnt find the whole business of making her his prisoner to be a bit of an old hat (referring to the time that he moved her into the White House in 508-509). She asks him if he is sure that he wants to go down that road again, and Fitz says that as long as she continues to pose a threat to others, to herself, and to the country, that yes, he is absolutely sure. Unsuccessful with pleading for her freedom, Olivia says to them all that they need to wake up. When she sees that she wont be making any headway with any of them, she asks herself why she is even wasting her breath, and she starts out of the room. She violently clips Marcus with her shoulder as she brushes past him, and disappears into one of the rooms down the hallway. This group certainly has their work cut out for them because this stubborn woman will not be doing down without a fight. Good luck, yall. Back at the White House, Jake is seen walking down the hallway towards their B613 lair. He is placing a call to Olivia, and all he gets is her voicemail. He tells her that he was just checking to see if she was planning to come in to work today, and that she should call him back. He proceeds into their sunken place, and there Madam President herself is waiting for him! Jake is quick to recover from his surprise at seeing her, and he asks Mellie how it is that she got in there. Mellie sarcastically replies that she used the front door same as he did, and Jake tells her that she shouldnt be there. Mellie asks him if it is because she isnt supposed to know that the lair exists, and she points out that she is the President and that the White House is her house, so she will know of everything that is going on within it. She then wonders if him saying that she shouldnt be there is because she isnt supposed to know what it is that they do down there. She then adds that maybe he believes that her staying out of the lair would keep her from being implicated in Rashad's assassination if she is unaware that her own Chief of Staff ordered it. Jake epic fails at pretending to not know what she is talking about, and Mellie cuts him off before he can get far with feeding her some bullshit. She says that she wants to know why Rashad had to die, and Jake replies that he doesnt know what it is that she wants him to say. Mellie in her classic condescending manner tells Jake that she isnt asking him for an answer, and asks why would she when Jake is nothing but Olivias dog. (LMAO!!) She tells him that this is her pinning a note to [his] collar and sending [him] back to [his] master. He is to tell Olivia that she wants her back at the White House and looking her in the eye, otherwise she will fill the pool with cement and make sure that Jake is in it. Fire-breathing Mellie is back, yall!! I dont even like her behind, yet here I am cheering her showing up at this most opportune of moments. YES! Over at Rowan the Grandfathers house, little Robin is crying and Charlie has no idea what to do with her. Hes trying to rock her as Quinn sits and eats ice cream, and when Rowan comes into the room, Charlie remarks that he thinks something is wrong with the baby and that they should probably get her to a doctor. Rowan chuckles at that and Quinn puts down her ice cream to relieve Charlie of the baby, telling him that crying is what babies do. Once she has Robin in her arms, Quinn starts singing Britney Spears Baby One More Time and.Rowan joins her. Yes. You read that right. He and Quinn take turns singing parts of the first verse, and Charlie looks as perplexed by this as I feel. Theyve even got choreography!! They make it all the way through to the chorus and the baby is now calm. Quinn and Rowan share an inside laugh among themselves, and Charlie is watching the whole thing as if he has dropped into the real life version of the Twilight Zone. Rowan turns to Charlie then to say that it isnt Stevie, but it works, a clear reference to how he used to use Stevie Wonder to calm Olivia down as a child. (Yeah, this dude really is trying to use Robin as a do-over, isnt he?) The Intervention Back in Vermont, Olivia has locked herself in that bedroom down the hall. She is trying to send Jake a text message, but she receives a delivery failure error. Dropping her phone to the bed, she goes for the landline phone that is by the bed, only to find it dead. She draws closed the curtains to the glass door in the room just as one of the Secret Service agents wanders by, and then she plops down on the bed in frustration. The series of events that happens from here on out is very reminiscent of Seven Fifty-Two, where each of the gladiators attempted to talk Huck back from the mental cage he had retreated into after he was locked in a box by Charlie (219). Though the circumstances are different, the goal of pulling a loved one back from the brink is the same. In the present, Abby is the first to come to the door. She begs Olivia to open up for her, but she is ignored. She proceeds then to speak to Olivia through the door, stating that she knows that Olivia believes that she had no choice in doing what she did and that she believes that she was making the best decision that she could under terrible circumstances, but Abby informs her that what Olivia did in actuality was whatever she could to hold on to her power. She says that she truly does understand how Olivia ran right over that cliff (cue 608), and she goes on to add that she knows Olivia cant feel good about what happened to Quinn because Olivia is a fixer, not a destroyer. (Weeeeell, thats debatable) When Olivia remains silent to all that she has said, Abby reminds her that she had saved them all from something once, and that it was now their turn to do the same for her. With silence continuing to be the only thing that greets her, Abby gives up and walks away. Back in Washington, Cyrus enters his office to find Jake waiting for him. He remarks that he doesnt recall the two of them having a meeting as he steps further inside the room, and while closing the door to the office, Jake replies that despite the lack of an appointment, Cyrus doesnt seem surprised to see him. He then goes on to say that he thought that he and Cyrus had an understanding, that bad things happen to people who dont leave well enough alone. Cyrus zeros in on the phrase well enough and points out that in order for one to leave something alone, one would have to agree that everything is indeed functioning as it should, and Cyrus says that they both know that this is not true. Jake tells him that he needs to return to Mellie and shut down the situation that he has instigated, and Cyrus replies that Jake does not give him orders. He then tells the Admiral to get the hell out of his office. At this point, Jake attacks him by pushing him up against the wall. He has a large pair of scissors in his hand, and hes got one of its blades up against Cyruss neck! He tells the Vice President that he is indeed going to do as he is told, otherwise Hannah is going to return from lunch to find that he killed himself using the scissors that he borrowed from her desk. Jake states that slitting Cyruss wrists would be a more plausible cover for his murder, but that slitting his throat is so much more fun for himself. (Creeper ass maniac. Why aint he dead?) Cyrus stares him right in the eyes and asks him what reason he would have to kill himself, and Jake replies that it could be despair over his lost boyfriend or guilt over the murder of a husband. (This man has a lot of gatdamn nerve bringing James up in this conversation.) He goes on to say that after the life that Cyrus has lived and the career that he has had, that the list of reasons for him killing himself must be endless. Cyrus doesnt even bother fighting him. He tells Jake to go right ahead and kill him, a response that Jake was clearly not expecting for he rears back a bit as if hes been doused with cold water. He presses the blade closer to Cyruss neck and asks what it is about him that would make Cyrus believe that he is bluffing, and Cyrus defiantly tells him that this isnt his first game of chicken. He states that hes been at this game a long time, and has dealt with and beaten people far worse than Jake. He declares that in comparison to those people, Jake is a baby! Cyrus continues by saying that Fenton didnt dump him, that Fenton ran away because he got too close and saw what was inside of him. Cyrus warns Jake to reconsider this attempt to push him if he doesnt want to see what it was that sent Fenton running for the hills. Jake looks doubtful now of his strategy, but he holds fast for a long moment, he and Cyrus staring each other down as he tries to decide on whether he is going to follow through on his threat or not. In the end, he removes the blade from Cyruss throat and pushes him away as he tosses the scissors onto the desk and strides out of the room. (Punk ass.) This move by Cyrus effectively obliterated whatever control that Jake had over him. Moving forward, Jake wont have a leg to stand on when it comes to threatening Cyrus about anything. Jake, ladies and gents, has essentially been neutered. Arf. Just as Jake is leaving the office, Hannah returns to let Cyrus know that she is back. Cyrus has his hand to his throat to hide his bleeding cut courtesy of Jake, and when Hannah asks if there is anything he needs, he initially says that he needs nothing, but then tells her to bring him a Band-Aid. Flipping back to Vermont, it is now Davids turn to try to get through to Olivia. He says that since Abbys words failed to sway her that hes going to give Olivia some numbers instead. He proceeds to read off a list that he has made of different criminal codes under which he could charge Olivia. Conspiracy against the United States; murder of internationally protected persons; private correspondence with foreign agents. That doesnt include the obstruction of justice, which David says is covered by a whole bunch of other codes. As he speaks, Olivia is standing by the glass doors and staring out. She eventually steps away from it as Davids voice echoes into the room, and she collapses into a nearby chair. David asks her if she wants him to go on, but of course, he receives no response. He states that the U.S. government hasnt executed anybody in nearly two decades and that Olivia is going to put him in the history books with her prosecution. Then he sarcastically thanks her for that. (LOL!!) Out in the living room, Huck is sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace and blankly staring ahead. Abby comes and sits next to him, and after a moment, she offers Huck an apology for not believing him when he came to her about his suspicions about Olivia (708). She says that because they were talking about Quinn, she never thought that Olivia could ever do anything to hurt her. Huck replies that he knows, and following a pause, he says that he misses the old Olivia. When Abby says that she, too, misses that Olivia, Huck says that he wants that Olivia back. Abby just looks over at him before the two of them lapse into silence. Back over at the White House, Cyrus is in the Oval going off to Mellie about what happened in his office with Jake. Mellie pours him some of her hooch and hands it to him as Cyrus declares Jake to be a spineless punk. (Hahahahaha!) Mellie tells him that he ought to get his neck looked at, but Cyrus waves that off. He says that he and Mellie ought to drop Olivia and Jake on Gitmo and leave them there to rot. (LOL!!) Monster Cyrus is BACK! YES! Hes been gone for so long, I was starting to wonder if Id ever see him again. Monster Cyrus is the best Cyrus. Together with fire-breathing Mellie, aint nobody fitna get away with jack in that White House. Not at all. Mellie addresses him with a calm tone, stating that no one is doing anything until she has a chance to speak with Olivia. Cyrus stares at Mellie dumbfounded for a moment before telling her that the time for talking is over. He says that Jake may have stopped short of killing him this time around, but that neither he nor Olivia will go quietly into the night. Mellie replies that if Olivia did indeed do as accused, she must have done it for a reason and she needs to know that reason before she can decide how to handle it. Cyrus looks at Mellie strangely at that, prompting her to ask why it is that he is looking at her as he is. It takes him a minute, but he finally observes that Mellie is scared. With her hackles up, Mellie comes to her feet and demands to know what he means. Cyrus elaborates that Mellie is afraid of doing her job without Olivia, He goes on to say that Mellie wants to talk to Olivia so that Olivia can cast her spell and convince Mellie that what she did was all done to help her. Cyrus concludes that Olivia has really jacked with Mellies head. Mellie steps forward then to say that what shes actually doing is looking for answers, but Cyrus doesnt by that. He tells Mellie that what she is doing is looking for a way out. He then asks her what it is that Olivia did to get Mellie to be completely dependent on her, wondering aloud if Olivia fed her crap about sisterhood and trust, and how they girls need to stick together. Oooh, Cyrus so has yall number, Mellivia! And I live because while some folks cheered, I called out that manipulative jibber-jabber disguised as feminist rah-rah back in 701. I sure enough did! I have the receipts. Cyrus strikes close to home with his comments and Mellie seeks to remind him who it is that he is addressing. (Ha! Mellie, girl, Cyrus has known you since when again?) Cyrus tells her to please remind him of who he is speaking with, and as Mellie angrily dismisses him from the Oval, he says that Mellie may be okay with Olivia making a fool out of her, but he will not allow Olivia to make a fool out of him. When Mellie asks him one last time to leave her office, he finally obliges and departs. Cyrus is just pushing them buttons. He knows all the right ones to press on, too. If there is one thing that Mellie does not like, it is being made a fool of and Cyrus knows this. Poke, poke, poke. Out in the hallway of the White House, Jake comes upon two Secret Service agents that are a part of Olivias detail. He tells them that he has important national security information to share with Olivia, but that he is unable to find her. He asks them to help him out and tell him where Olivia is, but the woman agent tells him that they wont be able to honor his request. When Jake presses, the woman bids him a good evening and the two agents move on. Welp. So a whole B613 super spy with the resources of the NSA at his fingertips cant find the woman who is serving as his Command? He cant triangulate the tower where her cell phone last pinged to figure out that she was last cuddled up with Fitzgerald in his hotel room?! What kind of Crackerjack operation are y'all running here? Some team yall are. The Desperation It's evening time now and we are back at the Pope residence. Rowan is folding up the laundered baby clothes when Charlie remarks on how small the items all are. Rowan replies that Charlie will be surprised by how fast they grow out of all of those little clothes. Taking a seat in a nearby chair, Charlie says that he owes Rowan an apology for attacking him earlier, and Rowan tells him that he owes him nothing, that he would have done the same or worse if he were in Charlies shoes. Charlie tells him that it has all been a lot to process, and he states that he never thought that hed have the opportunity to fold baby laundry, let alone watch his daughter grow out of them, and for that, he gives Rowan his gratitude. Rowan turns to Charlie at that and says that the pleasure has been his. With that bit of business out of the way, Charlie comes back to his feet and informs Rowan that he is ready to take over as protector of his family. He says that they can all be out of there by the morning, and Rowan says that he doesnt think so. He tells Charlie that Quinn and the baby are safer staying where they are, and Charlie counters by saying that he can take care of his own family. To that, Rowan quips that Charlie has done a poor job thus far. (Ouch.) He adds that the world needs to believe that Quinn is dead and that every minute that he remains in that house risks ruining this. Rowan then asks Charlie how long it is that he believes it will take for his friends to come looking for him. He says that Charlie is free to leave, but Quinn and the baby stay there with him. Charlie concludes that Rowan is jealous and that because he has lost his family, he is seeking to replace them with Charlies. Charlie says that Rowan wants to get rid of him because he is a threat, and Rowan angrily thunders that Charlie is absolutely not a threat to him. (Oh boy.) Back in Vermont, we see Fitz sitting out in front of the house when Marcus comes out to join him. He has brought with him some beer, and he hands Fitz a bottle before he claims the seat to Fitzs right. Fitz asks Marcus how his turn went with Olivia (we arent shown it), and Marcus tells him to drink his beer first and then hell tell him. Fitz concludes that it didnt go well, and Marcus says that it is hard to tell since one cant read reactions through a closed door. The two men sit in silence for a bit as they sip on their beer, and then Marcus remarks on how he has forgotten about how quiet it is out there. When he says that he finds the quiet to be creepy, Fitz chuckles before explaining that he picked that spot specifically for the quiet. He shares that he and Olivia had this thing where the two of them would stop for one minute and sit in silence whenever their lives got to moving too fast or were too loud. He says that that is the reason for the porch and the chairs. He thought that one day she and himself would come out there and just sit, and that it wouldnt have to end after one minute. It wouldnt have to end at all. Sigh. Shonda, why the hell are you doing this?! Yall have Fitz out here explaining one minute to Marcus? Hi. Vermont. One minute. Whats the reason for this assault?! Please stop. Meanwhile, inside the house, Huck has brought Olivia dinner. He sits the tray outside of her door and then pauses for some time outside of her door. When he finally brings himself to announce that food is there for her, Olivia, who is laying on the bed, turns towards his voice and calls out for him. Huck, who is walking away, stops in his tracks and moves no further. Olivia sits up in the bed then and listens for a moment before getting out of bed and approaching the door. She tentatively calls out for Huck again, asking if he was still there. Huck doesnt answer and Olivia carefully opens the door a crack and sees that he is still close. She whispers to him that she knows that he is angry and that what happened was horrible. (Ya think?) Hazarding a venture outside of the room, Olivia says to Huck that she needs him. Huck doesnt immediately respond nor does he turn towards her, his face exhibiting the pain that this ordeal is causing him. Olivia continues to try to lure him into helping her get out of the house by recalling him to the many times that she has helped him when he had lost [his] way. She tells him that she had always been there for him, forgiving him for the bad that he has done, reminding him of the person that he really is. She adds that Huck is more than just a coworker or a friend to her, that hes her gladiator. At this, Huck starts to turn towards her, and seeing this small success, Olivia repeats gladiator to him as if its some kind of doggie command. She tells him that she only started using the term because of him. So, uh, pause. Does this woman not remember that Huck bore witness to her little drunken meltdown in her old office? She had ridiculed the whole "gladiator" concept, yet here she is trying to use that very thing to lure Huck into springing her from the house? This chick has some nerve. Upon telling Huck that she needs him to free her, she asks him to leave with her and come run B613 to her. She steps fully into the hallway then, whispering still, her voice a tad creepy in its desperation. Shes like a fiend who will do and say anything to get themselves to their next hit. Huck tells her that he cant help her, and she counters by saying that he can. She holds his face between her hands and tries to connect with him, but Huck isnt hearing it. As he turns his face from her, Olivia gets a bit frantic as she states that she did this one terrible thing and wonders why it is that Huck cannot forgive her for it. Huck turns slowly back towards her then and the emotion on his face has shifted. Hes no longer looking like a sad puppy as he had just a moment ago. There is fierceness in his eyes now as he states that the two of them are not the same. He tells her that she killed one of their own, that Quinn was family! Olivia tries to get him to lower his voice, but Huck is done listening to her. He barks a "no" at her and lets her know that what she did was unforgivable. He then tells her that he isnt going anywhere with her. He says that he is done serving her and that he isnt her gladiator anymore. You go, Huck! Good on you for refusing to be sucked in by her foolery. The days of being her enabler are over. Back over at the Pope residence, Charlie is lamenting about Rowan to Quinn, but she interrupts to say that Rowan is right. She tells him that their friends and Olivia need to believe that she is dead, and Charlie says that if Olivia is the reason why she feels likes he must remain in hiding, then he will go out there and kill Olivia himself. (LOL!) Quinn tells him that he wont be going after Olivia all willy nilly because she is, after all, Olivia Pope. She says that in a situation like this, one must be crafty and take their time. Charlie replies that hes not an idiot, that he knows how to kill people, and Quinn says that they are not killing anybody. She states that they are better than that. What she wants is justice. What she wants is for Olivia to spend the rest of her life paying for what she did to them, and in order for her to have that happen, she is going to have to be smart and patient. She then tells Charlie that he is going to have to go. Elsewhere in DC, Jake is breaking into Olivias apartment. (You know, his second favorite past time behind being her bitch.) He calls out for her, but there is no answer. He steps inside of the apartment and then heads towards her bedroom. He stands for a moment, looking about as if searching for clues as to her whereabouts. He starts to go through a notebook on her nightstand when the sound of the apartment door closing draws his attention. Abandoning the book, he heads back out towards the living room and asks the person who had entered if they are Olivia, but when the person steps into view, its actually Mellie! (Wait, what??) Proceeding as one would when they are caught doing something that they shouldnt, Jake tells Mellie that Olivia isnt there, and Mellie informs him that she is actually there to see him. She then orders him to sit before she nods a dismissal to her Secret Service detail. Soooo its one thing for Jake to be all up and through Olivias apartment when she isnt around (invading her privacy is his thing), but Mellie is showing up there now, too? And all random like. First the lair and now this. I mean, was she just sitting in wait outside of the building on the off-chance that Jake would show up? Because while the apartment is close to the White House, it isnt that close. Mellie walked up in there within a minute of Jake breaking and entering. Now yall fitna have a meeting in her house?! In any case, these two make themselves comfortable, and Mellie wastes no time in getting down to the reason why she has tracked Jake down. She tells him that what she likes about him is that he has always told her the truth, even if it something that she doesnt want to hear, so because of that, she would like to know what really happened with Rashad. She wants Jake to confirm for her that it was indeed Olivia who ordered the assassination, and Jake tells her that she already knows the answer to that. Allowing that to marinate, Mellie sighs and then asks him to tell her why the hit was ordered, and Jake tells her that she is going to have to ask Olivia that. Mellie counters by saying that she is asking him for the answer. She wants to know if the kill was just and Jake is too quick in replying that it was. This lets Mellie know that he is lying and she informs him that she can tell. Jake then proceeds to feed her the company line about how Olivia tried to get Rashad his country back, but that it was too late. Olivia then made a deal with the rebels where they got the treaty in exchange for Rashads death. Mellie rejects this explanation, stating that she doesnt believe him. Jake throws up his hands and says that that is what happened. Mellie says that she understand that that is what happened, but it isnt why it happened. She states that Olivia is better than just giving the rebels Rashads head, that she always gets what she wants. She says that if Olivia didnt want Rashad dead, she would have offered the rebels something else in exchange. Using that Harvard-educated brain of hers and what she knows of Olivia, Mellie figures that Rashad is dead because Olivia wanted him dead. What Mellie is determined to get out of Jake is the reason why Olivia wanted that to be so. Jake is looking about uncomfortably at this point and is getting fidgety in his seat. He tries to divert Mellie, but she wants her answer. She stresses the severity of what took place, and remains undeterred in her quest to know the why of it. Finally, Jake tells her that its because she couldnt keep [her] damn legs closed. (Excuse me??) Reacting as if she had just be slapped, Mellie stares at him in stunned disbelief. Jake goes on to say that Mellie was going to go to war over Rashad and only God knows what else she would have done for him. He says that ending that threat was the right thing to do and that everything that Olivia has done has been in support of Mellie. (Buuuuuullshit.) Mellie orders him to stop talking, and when he continues on unabated, she repeats herself and he finally shuts up. Mellie sits for a moment as the truth of his words settles upon her. She looks up at him and stares for a long while before she finally stands up and leaves the apartment. Whew, chile. So because Olivia considered Rashad a threat due to Mellies feelings for him, she killed one bird and got two stones: Rashad eliminated and that treaty signed despite his death. I cant argue with the rightness of the logic strategywise, but there isnt any moral justification to be found here. Surely there had to have been some other way that Olivia could have handled the situation without killing the man, his niece and several crew members. Of all the times that her relationship with Fitzgerald posed a threat to national security, Olivias ass should have long been grass, yet here she is inflicting pain on the succeeding POTUS, who so happens to be Fitzgeralds ex-wife! Oh, the irony. (Back to this in a bit.) Back to Vermont we go, and its now Fitzs turn to talk to the crazy woman who he considers the love of his life. He twists on the door knob and finds that the door is still locked. He asks Olivia how she is doing in there, but she doesnt respond. On the other side, she is sitting on the floor with her back against the door. Fitz sighs and then lets out a small laugh before he launches into his own attempt at reaching her. He shares with her that hes been thinking about the day that they met, when she stood in front of his entire campaign staff and informed him that he was losing the primary because he didnt love his wife. He says that he didnt know her name then, but what he did know was that he hated her because she was right. He adds that she is always right (lies!), a trait that is his least favorite thing about her, but which also happens to be the the thing that he values the most. (Awww) Fitz continues by saying that while her rightness has been true in the past, she is wrong this time with the whole B613 and the Quinn situation. He tells her that she knows how wrong she is, that she is too smart and too right all the time to not know this. Olivia hears all that he says, but does not respond. Stepping back from the door a bit, Fitz repositions himself to sit on the floor in front of the door and he leans back against it. The two of them are now mirror images of each other, with one washed mostly in light and the other covered mostly in shadow. Olivia turns her head a bit when she doesnt hear anything coming from the other side of the door, but Fitz is still there, just momentarily silent. When he speaks up again, he quietly says to her that he isnt going anywhere. He tells her that hell be right there, so when she is ready, all she has to do is open the door. On the other side, Olivia looks to be affected by his words and she sits up as if considering finally stepping outside of the room. Back at the Pope residence, Charlie has come into Olivias old room to look in on little Robin. When the child starts to get fussy, Charlie has no idea what to do. He tries to pat her lightly, but that doesnt work. He tells her to take it easy and then starts to walk away, but the baby girl starts to cry in earnest just then. Charlie turns back to her and picks her up, and tries to calm her down, but hes failing. Rowan comes into the room then, and Charlie explains that he was merely coming to say goodbye to his daughter. Rowan tells him that he can leave in the morning, but Charlie insists that right then is better because he is terrible at goodbyes. He hands the baby over to Rowan then, and Rowan proceeds to coo at the baby to settle her down. He then hands little Robin back to Charlie and proceeds to each him how to do it himself. He instructs him on how to properly hold the baby and all that good stuff. Charlie does as Rowan instructs him to do, and soon enough he is successfully handling the intricacies of carrying a baby. He looks scared as hell though. (LOL!) Looking at Rowan then, Charlie again thanks him for his help and Rowan offers him a smile and a nod in response. Its a tender moment that still weirds me out because, I mean, its Rowan. Hes the same guy who screwed up in the affection department with his own child, but hes somehow able to give it to someone elses kid? The Deception The following morning, Olivia finally emerges from the room and walks out into the living room. There she finds everyone waiting in silence. One of them alerts the others to her presence, and they all come to life. Marcus and Huck, who were both lying down, get up into an upright position and Abby moves over to stand by David. Fitz was already standing, so he straightens up and turns towards Olivia. As she steps forward with the piece of paper that she has in her hand, she tells the room that she spent the night and most of the morning writing. She drops the paper onto the table and steps away. Abby steps forward then to pick up the sheet and read what is written on it. When Olivia asks her what she thinks of it, Abby tells her that it is smart, good. Olivia points out that it keeps Mellie clean, and Abby adds that it also succeeds in praising Mellie for her leadership and touting Olivias own achievements. When Abby goes on to say detail that Olivia also wrote that she is proud of what she has accomplished, Olivia interrupts rather defensively to say that she is indeed proud before Abby continues by indicating that Olivia intends to move on. Abby passes the note over to Fitz and Olivia says to him that she is resigning as Chief of Staff. She then adds that B613 will take time to handle, but interjects to Fitz say that B613s dismantling will have to happen immediately. Olivia clarifies that the time isnt for her, but for Jake to handle its dismantling. Her voice cracks at this point as she says that she wont be a part of that process. Olivia then tells them that she isnt admitting that she was wrong, that she tried to reason and listen to everything that they all said to her, but that she still cant bring herself to make that admission. She then struggles with the next part as she states that this inability to admit wrongdoing is what has led her to realize that she has to stop. She says that she cant continue like this. And it is at this point that my Spidey senses started to tingle. Something about all of this is feels too damn easy, but I keep watching and hoping that Im wrong because surely Olivia wouldnt be pulling some okey doke on her loved ones, right? Everyone is watching her with rapt attention as her face breaks, yet no tears are coming out of her eyes. (Suspect.) She apologizes to them and then she says that she wishes that she could also apologize to the person who needs to hear it the most, that person being Quinn. She tells them that since she cant apologize to Quinn, she is apologizing to them while she still can. She goes on to state that she will announce her resignation at the evenings White House press briefing. She says she doesnt know what happens after that, but what she does know is that it is time. Yeeeeeah, the senses are screaming at me now and Im mad that it also isnt screaming at the rest of them. Do they not remember who they are dealing with? Olivia splits from the room in dramatic fashion and Fitz goes after her. Everyone else is left sitting in stunned silence. Once she is back in her room, Olivia brings her hands up to her eyes as if to wipe away tears. She is facing the glass doors when Fitz comes in, and without turning around, she tells him that she is fine, and Fitz replies that she isnt. She turns to him then and insists that she is, but she has a hard time looking at him. Fitz steps forward then, and when he is directly in front of her, she looks up at him and says that she is doing the right thing. Fitz concurs and says that she always does. (Oh, Fitz) Staring at him for a moment, Olivia pulls him down for a hug and she holds on for dear life. Fitz returns the embrace and tightens his hold on her as he tells her that hell make the arrangements and have them heading back to D.C. within the hour. Olivia nods and then just holds him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. This woman is about to do something that she wont be able to come back from, and this hug of theirs is essentially a goodbye. Fitzgerald just doesnt know it yet. At the White House, Jake is in the Oval and remarks on the fact that Mellie set up a meeting with White House Counsel. Mellie confirms that she did indeed set up a meeting, and Jake steps forward then to tell her that she doesnt want to do that. Mellie looks up from her work to look at him and she chuckles before she pushes away from her desk to stand up. She asks Jake if he has any idea where Olivia has been over the past 24 hours, and before he can offer her an answer, Mellie tells him that she knows that he doesnt know because he was asking Secret Service to share that information with him. Coming around her desk to stand in front of Jake, she shares that she has just learned that Olivia has been in Vermont. She then proceeds to rake Fitz over the coals for his conduct during his time in office, stating that he had led with legs wide open for eight years (wow) and that they barely made a peep about it. She asks Jake if they should have killed Olivia or blown up her plane in response to their long standing affair. (Well, Cyrus did almost end her in 413, but I digress.) Mellie mockingly asks if the logic Olivia and Jake had applied to Rashad would have also been the right thing to do if Olivia had been the target. Jake just stands there like a dummy because (1) Mellie makes a valid point and (2) hes not crazy enough to venture a response when his Commander in Chief is this vexed. Mellie goes on to say that Fitz spilled his DNA all over this White House (heh) and all she did was basically stand by and let it happen. Hell, one could argue that she helped facilitate it, but Ima let Mellie have her outrage right now because, I mean, shes pointing out Olivias blatant hypocrisy. Rashad, who Mellie only managed to share a hot kiss with, was worthy of death because he threatened national security, but Olivia who was kidnapped and used to control the President is still walking the streets? How crazy is it that it is she who is cockblocking Mellie? Granted things were pretty much dead in the water between Fitz and Mellie, but Olivia was smack in the middle of that marriage. Then when she and Mellie get to being buddies, Olivia interfered with her relationship with Marcus. THEN she comes and kills Mellies next potential bae because...national security. If there is anyone who has benefited from Mellies lack of companionship, it has been Olivia Pope. Now thats not to say that Melody Grant hasnt also benefited from using Olivia as her mule all of these years. I wont bother going down that list because if I do, well be here until next week. Mellivia is the crack ship that just never left the dock for me. Leave it to sink, yall. Leave it to sink. Having vented all of that to Jake (who also happens to have his own issues with Olivia and Fitz), Mellie returns to other side of her desk before telling him that this whole matter isnt about B613, that it is specifically about Olivia. Mellie declares Olivia to be bad for the country, and she says that if Jake cannot see that, then he is as big a fool as she has been. LMAO!!! Yall are a damn trip. So now Mellie is inflicting on Jake the juju that Cyrus used on her? Hilarious! This Rashad business has resurrected spiteful Mellie (FINALLY!) and opened her eyes to a long ignored fact: Olivia isnt her friend or her partner in anything. Shell get better confirmation of that in 24 hours, but regardless of what is to come, Mellie, like Olivias family, has hopped off of the ride. That leaves Jake swirling about on the Olivia Pope Carousel of Chaos all by his lonesome. What do you think he who willingly accepts whatever crumbs Olivia tosses his way is about to do? Later that evening, Jake shows up at Olivias apartment, and when she opens the door, his first question is about Vermont. Olivia tells him that it isnt what he thinks as she drifts further into her apartment while taking a sip of some whisky. (She hasnt had herself some wine in a while.) Jake sarcastically remarks that its a relief that Vermont isnt what he thinks because what he thinks is that Command was rolling around in a pile of leaves with her boyfriend while a coup was happening in the White House. (Quite the imagination there, Jake.) Olivia interrupts then to say that she got all of his messages and that she is up to speed on what has happened since she was gone. Jake calms down then and wonders what it is that she intends to do about their situation. Olivia puts down her glass of liquor then and turns to him just as Janet Jacksons Rhythm Nation starts to play. And I will never forgive Shonda for this shit because as cheeky as she believes herself to be, I really did not need to have one of my Janet faves associated with the foolishness that is about to ensue. In so turning to Jake, Olivia says that the situation at the White House is tomorrows problem, and Jake wants to know what she means by that. Over at QPA, David has just joined Abby and Huck who are sitting in front of the television and waiting for Olivia to show up and make her announcement as promised. Instead, Olivia is in her apartment telling Jake that tonight is when she loses every friend that she has ever had. Then she grabs Jake by the neck and says that she will be losing everyone but him. Confused, Jake asks Olivia what is going on as she pulls him down to kiss him. When she doesnt immediately respond, he asks again, but she tells him that they arent talking anymore. She then kisses him again and hes unresponsive at first, but then his lame ass gives in. So yeah, were just going to skip right over the rest of this. Olivia breaks the very vow that she made in 701 about no longer crossing the line with Jake and hops right into bed with him because, you know, thats the logical thing one does after theyve intentionally deceived every true friend that they have. They double down on stupid and dig a deeper hole for themselves. With eyes glued to the television, Huck wonders where Olivia is when the White House press secretary takes to the podium. Abby says that maybe Olivia is waiting until the end, but then she immediately observes that the press secretary has no physical signs of stress over an eminent announcement coming of the Chief of Staffs resignation. The three of them are quick to realize that they had been played. Olivia poped her own people. Over at the Grant Institute, Fitz and Marcus are watching the presser, and Marcus already knows what the deal is, but Fitz holds fast. He says that they should give her more time, but hes merely setting himself up for heartbreak. When he attempts to reach Olivia by phone, he gets nothing but her voicemail. Thats because Olivia is busy getting buggered by her dog. I could have done without that entire interlude, but there was a point to all of it. (I know, I know. A point to a Nolake scene?! What? Yeah, bear with me here.) First, consider the emotional space that Olivia was in when she was going to Vermont and the space that she was in after she left it. She gets on the chopper in a love daze and she is emotionally open when gets there, only to be unexpected assaulted by people who rarely ever questioned her judgement. She was deprived of all modes of communication with the outside world and told outright that she had no power within the space that supposed to be a safe place for her. Failing to coax Huck into assisting her with an escape, Olivia figures out a way out of her predicament by giving them what they all wanted: her capitulation. As a fixer, it is on Olivia to figure out a way around all kinds of difficult scenarios in order to get to the end result that she wants. In her situation, she worked out that her freedom rested in giving her captors what it was that they wanted. Fitz said as much to her at the beginning of all of this. She told them what they wanted to hear and then she was set free to fulfill what it was that she promised that she would do, except she doesnt do it. Second, her business with Jake had nothing to do with her physical needs and everything to do with her wanting to reestablish her sense of control and that which she relies on as always being true. It was a power move. After being caged in Vermont, Olivia had to prove to herself that the world still operates as she expects it to; that things and people can still bend to her will. And who better to test that out on than Jake Ballard? Remember what she said to him in Til Death Do Us Part (518) about how she could dumping him and then tell him five minutes later that she wants to be with him and hell come crawling back to her every time? Yeeeeah. He fell into line now as he always does, but theres a twist. Dun, dun, dun! You know that saying about how doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different results being the definition of insanity? Keep that in mind. The following morning, Jake is lying awake in bed and staring up at the ceiling. He looks to have been up for a while contemplating on something. (Maybe he can recall that wife of his, but I digress.) It isnt long before Olivia wakes up and Jake greets her with a simple hey. Olivia responds with what can barely pass as a smile before she unceremoniously reaches over Jake to retrieve her phone from where it was sitting on the nightstand. Jake puts his hands up out of her way and tries to minimize himself as if the two of them were strangers who had never before done the horizontal mambo. It is a rather awkward morning after. Having confirmed the time, Olivia announces that they need to get to work. As she gets out of bed, she tells Jake that his first task of the day will be to go to Mellie and shut down the insurrection. Then he is to put together a kill folder on Mellie to remind her of her sins, get her off of her high horse, and get her back into the reality of ruling. (Whuuuut?) Jake is taken aback by the mention of the kill folder request and he tells Olivia that the issue with Mellie is that she has lost faith in her. He suggests that the carrot might be more effective than the stick here, but Olivia cuts him off to say that what she has instructed him to do was not a suggestion but an order. Like I said, power move. Not a damn thing has changed. Im betting that Jake already knew this going in, but being the crumb muncher that he is, he indulged her anyway. Mellies words about him being a fool must have been echoing in his head, too. In this moment, Jake was like Over at the Grant Institute, Fitz and Marcus are joined by Huck, Abby, and David in a conference room there. They are trying to figure out how to proceed with the Olivia situation, and Huck says that they will have to turn her in. Abby states that the only evidence they have is a recording, and David adds that it isnt enough to prosecute Olivia for Quinns murder. He informs them all that the best that they can do is build a circumstantial case against her for Rashads assassination. Marcus speaks up then to say that that isnt good enough. He states that if they dont have evidence that Olivia acted alone, Mellie could be taken down with her. He goes on to say that he isnt comfortable with burning the first woman President of the United States. When David says that he can try to give Mellie cover, Abby states that he is working on the assumption that Olivia doesnt have him killed by then, and David goes, Thank you for that, Abby. (LMAO!) Huck says then that prosecution might still be worth a shot, but Fitz chimes in to say that prosecuting Olivia means exposing B613, which would be them telling the world that the United States isnt a nation governed by laws, but by the whim of a single person with unchecked power. He states that it wont just be the end of Mellies Administration. The kind of exposure that B613 would create would kill the very idea of Americas democracy. Fitz turns to Huck then and regretfully says that he cant go through with it, that its not worth it. He stands from the table then and exits from the room. Once he is gone, Marcus turns to the rest of the group and asks them what it is that they are supposed to do now. Over at the White House, Jake presents Mellie with a folder. When she asks him what it is, he tells her that it is a kill folder intended for her. He directs her to open it and see within every terrible thing that she has ever done. From election rigging, her affair with Andrew Nichols, her fake miscarriage, her association with Damascus Bainbridge. Every dirty little secret. Slapping the folder shut, Mellies demon voice demands to know what it is that Admiral Ballard believes himself to be doing. Jake clarifies that he isnt the one doing anything, and says that all of this has been brought to her courtesy of Olivia. The folder was intended as threat and Mellie is shocked by this. (I dont know why since Cyrus warned her that Olivia wouldnt go down without a fight.) Jake tells her that while it is true that Olivia is threatening Mellie, he doesnt believe that a threat is what she needs. He says that what Mellie needs is to be advised on her survival. All ears now, Mellie leans back in her seat as Jake continues. He tells her that she will not be able to survive without B613. He says needs someone who will be protecting her and the country; someone whose only agenda will be these two missions. He states that Mellie needs someone who she can trust, who will listen to her, who will give her a voice and will include her in every decision no matter how difficult. Ooooh. The moment Jake said missions, I already knew what was about to go down. He had already come to the same conclusion that Mellie had about Olivia: she was bad for the country. Im guessing that the kill folder is what proved Mellies point and sealed the deal for him. Girlfriend had to go. Cue up Janet Jacksons Black Cat and we see Olivia walking down the White House hallway with determination. Shes all badass laser focus as she struts her stuff like a woman who knows she is back on top of the world. Its reminiscent of how she walked down the hall in 701 to Public Enemys Fight the Power, except in this instance, she looks like a woman with a chip on her shoulder. She has come for blood. The song choice is so apropos, especially when one considers Olivias behavior since the start of this season. Rowan did warn that her day of reckoning was coming. Black cat, nine lives / Short days, long nights / Living on the edge, not afraid to die / Heartbeat real strong, but not for long / Better watch your step or youre gonna die Olivias confident strut hits a stumbling block as she gets closer to her office. She sees some artwork being carted away and she stops to look back at it, having recognized it as her own. She then sees some more of her stuff being taken away. Stepping into the anteroom to her office, she comes upon Cyrus standing just outside of her office and she asks him what is going on and he says to her to she ought to tell him. She proceeds past him to stand in t he doorway of her office, and there she observes Jake unpacking his things into what is now his office! When he sees her, he mere stares at her with no remorse whatsoever. Just as he did in 701, Jake circumvented her and got Mellies ear before she herself could. How embarrassing must it be that in a fit of pique, Olivia tumbles back in bed with Jake only to have him snatch her JOBS right from under her?! She isnt Command or Chief of Staff, and she aint got no friends! I cant even be mad at Jake for the doublecross. Its exactly what Olivia deserves for being a dumbass and thinking that she knows better than everybody. Instead of facing the truth of what was being said to her at that intervention, she decided that the best course of action was for her to tumble headlong into the ravine and obliterate life as she knew it. She was so sure that she was going to have the White House and B613, so what would be the big deal with her burning her friends and giving the man that she loves a giant middle finger, right? Burn in solitude, Livvie. Im like Huck up in this piece, waiting for the day that the Olivia Pope that I love and adore will return. You, magpie, are not her. Over at QPA, Charlie waits in the conference room for the other gladiators to show up. Quinn is chilling in the kitchen at the Pope residence as Rowan prepares breakfast. Fitz is over in his office, doing what he was doing at the start of the episode and staring out of a window. Olivia is again on his mind, but this time around, he looks justifiably upset. Back at the White House, Olivia storms out of her office and heads right over to the Oval. When she walks in, Mellie is on the sofa going over some documents. Olivia slams the door behind her and asks Mellie what it is that she has done. Mellie glances up at her and defiantly stares at Olivia while crossing her arms over the document on her lap. Mellie is ready to do battle. And there ends the episode. OMG! Give me the next one now!!! What a ride. I am ever thankful that this episode was nothing like last weeks. Whew. That one put me in a conscious coma. So what did yall think? Is Olivia going to be able to convince Mellie to give her her job back or is this the end of her stint at the White House? Will she be able to come back from betraying her friends? What do you think Quinns going to do when she finally comes face to face with Olivia? Questions, questions!! Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below or with me on Twitter!! A rowdy crowd of Antipodean music industry bods were going wild at 37,000 feet on a flight from Auckland to Sydney during a mile-high gig, featuring Dizzee Rascal and local rapper Scribe. Suddenly a huge bang shocked the plane. The bass speaker blew. Pip Jamieson looked nervously at the Air New Zealand suits who had trusted her to organise the in-flight gig. Jamieson grimaced. The suits cheered. She breathed out. The former MTV music exec, born in New Zealand to British parents, spends more of her time on water than in the air these days. The 38-year old founded her LinkedIn for creatives business, The Dots, from her houseboat, Horace, on Regents Canal in late 2014. Shes since grown the business to take up more grounded Shoreditch surrounds, boasts well-known investors and a sexy client list including M&C Saatchi, Warner Music, Google, the Tate and Sony Pictures. Her networking site, Jamieson says, is aimed at no-collar workers, those under 35 unwilling to don a suit and keen to hop between jobs and projects. Employers can use the site to hire whole teams who worked on previous projects or cherry-pick fresh young talent. If, for example, you liked the Natwest app and wanted to hire the team behind it, you can see them all there, she explains. Clients pay for a monthly subscription and can pay extra for more extensive search and, increasingly, data analytics. She devised the concept during her marketing gig at MTV. I was constantly frustrated at not being able to find fresh talent which is really dangerous in the creative industries because, if you use the same people, what you create can feel very samey. The users motivation, she says, is simple: As we move to a more freelance, gig economy, people dont want to spend 10-15 years in one job and are developing portfolio careers where they might do three days a week on one project, then work, say, on a blog, podcast or their photography. Jamieson is thinking big. I want to be the next LinkedIn. It might sound arrogant and that its insurmountable but the opportunity is huge, so many people say LinkedIn is not for them. To achieve this, shes set up solid foundations. Through Lastminute.com founder Brent Hoberman, she met and brought in advertising veteran Sir John Hegarty as chairman and an investor. Shes raised money from The Garage Soho, Hegartys vehicle with venture capitalist Tom Teichman and female-focused network Angel Academe which contributed to a recent 4 million raise. Shes just hired Patrick Traynor, an early LinkedIn employee, bringing her team to 31. The business did hit an early hitch, however. As the network grew, Jamieson realised the majority of users in the spotlight in the sites profile pages were white men. She quickly instigated a rule that it must be 50% female and 30% people from BAME backgrounds. Signs-up to the site immediately became more diverse, she says. I did get some shit for doing that, but Id rather skew that way than LinkedIn, which goes the other way. Jamiesons career has, appropriately, been full of varied stints. Her childhood was spent travelling the globe with her music industry veteran father who worked with the likes of Kate Bush. Im a true rolling stone, she laughs. He wanted me to be in the creative industries so I rebelled and studied economics. That degree, in Edinburgh, was followed by a fast-track civil service programme where she worked under blind former home secretary David Blunkett (He was bright and so competent. He shows having a disability doesnt need to be a disability.) She finally gave in to her dynastic vocation, working on the Brits and then running MTVs marketing Down Under aged just 24 with just a brisk read of the Dummies Guide to Marketing as experience. The dyslexic entrepreneur now spends her weekends rowing her tender, Little Horace, up to Waitrose in Granary Square, Kings Cross to do the weekly big shop. Shell be taking a few more journeys over the next couple of years, with a further fundraiser planned 18 months away to help fuel international expansion. But the job in hand is growing quickly to stamp a mark on the capital. London has the most creatives in the world, more even than New York, its the best possible place to build a network like this. G raphene was first created in 2004 by two researchers at the University of Manchester and was hailed as the greatest British invention since the steam engine. Professors Sir Andre Geim and Sir Konstantin Novoselov shared the Nobel prize for Physics in 2010 for their work discovering the super-strong, super-light carbon material which was set to revolutionise everything from aircraft to smartphones and even condoms. But progress has been slow despite the Government pledging 22 million to making the product a commercial reality back in 2012. Neill Ricketts, chief executive at graphene maker Versarien, said: Weve definitely seen graphene go through the hype cycle. There were huge expectations, followed by disillusionment and now people are much more sober. Versarien which uses graphene in a number of manufacturing processes was founded in 2011 and listed on AIM in June 2013 with a 10.2 million market capitalisation. Interest in the stock was minimal as the company went through rigorous testing processes for its products. Then, in November, shares shot up, thanks to partnership announcements and a successful 2.9 million fundraising to aid expansion. The partnership that caused the biggest stir was its tie-up with the Israeli Aerospace Industries to make carbon-fibre structures for both military and commercial planes. But the firm remains susceptible to the success of its own clients, with many exposed to the recent decline in the oil and gas sector. Nevertheless, analysts believe there is plenty of growth left and that the commercial opportunities for graphene have only just started coming to fruition. Analysts point to the fact that the AIM-listed company is the only graphene specialist to have gained independent approval from its spiritual home, the University of Manchester. The company has also proved adept at handling acquisitions and in January last year bought an 85% stake in Cambridge Graphene, a spin-out company from the University of Cambridge. Ricketts said: It is the strategy to let our University partners to do the research and reward them with a licensing agreement. B rexit equals new trade deals. With the US, with China, with India, with everyone. All thats needed is a Royal Yacht, decent jam to sell and a go get em attitude at least according to some of the loudest Leavers. As ever, reality doesnt feature much in their pool of eternal optimism. With the transition agreement set to bind the UK to the EUs rules until at least 2020, fresh free-trade bounty looks a long way off indeed. Theresa May has been attempting to forge fresh trade links with China lately, but she might pay more attention to the 40-plus trade agreements to which were about to lose access because of Brexit. These free-trade agreements that the UK signed up to as part of the EU are with countries receiving up to 15% of our total exports, including Switzerland, Turkey and Canada. This might not sound like much, but it is far from insignificant when you consider that the EU and US eat up the vast majority of our exports, leaving not much left for the rest. Until recently, the UK government claimed it would be ready to replace all of these deals on Day One of Brexit. Trade Secretary Liam Fox said a while back: I hear people saying Oh, we wont have any [free-trade agreements] before we leave. Well believe me well have up to 40 ready for one second after midnight in March 2019. This was never possible, and so it has proved. With every best intention there is simply too much to do. Recreating multiple trade agreements takes time and institutional capacity, both of which are in short supply. This is not a simple cut and paste job. Partner countries have their own ambitions and domestic procedures too. And many have already indicated that they will seek to tweak the existing agreements. South Africa wants bigger quotas and fewer safety restrictions for its food exports, for example. To make matters worse, speeding up the process is not a priority for the EUs FTA partners, whose exporters will still be able to sell into the UK under the same conditions as now. This is because any status-quo transition period will require the UK to apply the EUs tariffs and safety checks on goods coming from non-EU countries, to maintain the integrity of the EUs internal market. Thankfully the UK has changed tack. In a letter to business leaders, the Government says it now intends to work together with the EU to ensure the UK remains covered by those international agreements, including free-trade agreements, to which it is currently a party through the transition period. But it remains to be seen whether the EU agrees to help, and whether the Government can convince the blocs FTA partners to continue treating British exports as they do now during the transition. It depends to a large extent on the EUs goodwill. And it will require the UK sucking up all of the EUs demands for transition, including full protection of EU citizens rights, until it is concluded. So long as the EU and UK provide a convincing legal justification it is difficult to imagine a partner country, which faces no practical change in circumstance throughout the Brexit transition phase, lodging a substantive complaint. This isnt to say none will voice their displeasure. The transition which should more accurately be referred to as a standstill agreement will buy the UK more time. But the free-trade agreements will still need to be replaced, and it remains a tight deadline. Although partner countries might accept a temporary EU/UK-imposed solution during the transition, the likelihood of their seeking recompense in the form of additional concessions from the UK afterwards are high. And even if the agreements are replaced, they will prove less useful to UK exporters than before. This is because products will struggle to qualify for the free-trade agreements because they do not contain enough local, UK, content to meet the necessary qualifying thresholds. Well need the help and goodwill of the EU to overcome this. Brexit might one day place the UK at the forefront of global trade liberalisation, striking free trade deals with far-distant lands. But first the British government has to save the numerous deals it already has, and agree what is going to be a complicated new trading arrangement with the EU itself, the destination for around half of the UKs exports. It will be many years before the UK will have the bandwidth to start concluding deals with new countries. In the meantime, it is destined to spend the coming months and years treading water, arms up in the air, begging the EU to throw it a lifebuoy. T he silence of the Cabinet has been deafening. On Friday night, when Jacob Rees-Mogg was physically intimidated by far-Left protesters on a university campus in Bristol, members of the Cabinet rushed onto social media to condemn the violence. Appalling, grim, ugly and an attack on democracy, they cried on Twitter and they were right. It was a disgrace. Responsibility lies primarily with the assailants but also with the Corbyn leadership, who have called for direct action against their opponents and injected an unpleasant, poisonous tone into the debate on the Left. The accounts emerging of the misogynistic bullying of council leader Claire Kober should disabuse anyone who thinks this mob is fighting for social justice. It therefore took particular courage for shadow cabinet member Angela Rayner to join her Tory opposite numbers and also utterly condemn the violence against Mr Rees-Mogg. We wish the same courage could have been shown by those same Conservatives Ms Rayner supported, when the very next day Mr Rees-Mogg verbally attacked the civil service and vilified the motives of those who serve in it. He accused officials in the Treasury, Cabinet Office and Brexit Department of deliberately manufacturing economic analysis as part of a politically influenced plot to persuade the Cabinet to opt for a softer Brexit. It was a trumped-up conspiracy theory that one minister has already had to apologise to Parliament for acknowledging. This was not the gentle, polite and respectful Mr Rees-Mogg that Tory Cabinet ministers had rushed to praise the day before. Instead, this was a calculated and cynical manoeuvre to discredit public servants to further his leadership hopes and to progress his ultra-ideology in the Conservative Brexit feud. And what did the majority of the Cabinet say about this attack on the officials who they work with every day? Nothing. What did the Prime Minister, who is also First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service, say about this assault on the integrity of all civil servants? There are some honourable if muted exceptions. Home Secretary Amber Rudd followed Ms Rayners example and called out one of her own: Mr Rees-Mogg was simply wrong, she said. Brandon Lewis politely disagreed with him. Ministers will be in their departments today asking for policy advice and analysis, of the kind that Mr Rees-Mogg is traducing, from civil servants whose integrity he is impugning. As long-serving former Treasury Permanent Secretary Lord Macpherson writes for the Evening Standard today, he does so in the full knowledge that they cannot answer back precisely because they are impartial, professional and silent. Indeed, Mr Rees-Mogg would be the first to express outrage if they did go public. So they rely on those who can speak on their behalf: their ministers. Those ministers should reflect that political courage is not just about what you stand for; its about what you stand against. Death on the streets What can be done to limit the horrific level of knife crime in the capital? Everyone agrees the figures are grim. Everyone agrees action is needed. Meanwhile the toll keeps growing: over the weekend two young people were stabbed to death and a third man died of wounds from an attack last month. Cressida Dick, Londons police chief, argues this must be dealt with as a public health crisis, not just a criminal one. So does Conservative London Assembly member Shaun Bailey, who today proposes using artificial intelligence alongside CCTV cameras to spot knives. All of this will only count if it is backed up by tough policing, including a robust approach to stop and search which, as Mr Bailey says, needs to focus on knives, as well as drugs. B ritains stability and success rest on the strength of its institutions. It is all too easy to take for granted our parliamentary democracy, our independent judiciary and impartial civil service. But they are cornerstones of a system of government, which commands cross-party support and popular consent. The more thoughtful exponents of Brexit argue that leaving the European Union is not about the economy but about restoring sovereignty to British institutions. That is why the recent onslaught on these institutions is both puzzling and a matter for concern. I could understand it if the attack came from the ultra-Left: Marxists have always regarded British institutions as instruments of bourgeois hegemony. But paradoxically the leaders of the assault nominally went into politics to conserve Britains constitutional settlement. The language of these latter-day Jacobins is instructive. First, they attacked the judges, describing them as enemies of the people: their crime, seeking to uphold the rule of law and parliamentary sovereignty. Then it was the Bank of Englands turn with Jacob Rees-Mogg claiming its Governor was an enemy of Brexit who was giving out pro-European propaganda and was totally undermining his independence. No matter that Mark Carney is generally seen as the leading central banker of his generation. And now it is the civil service which is under attack, with the Brexit minister, Steve Baker, casting aspersions on the Treasurys impartiality, a charge he later withdrew, and Mr Rees-Mogg accusing it of fiddling the figures. The civil service is an easy target it cant fight back. The role of civil servants is to advise. Ministers decide. Civil servants should be seen but not heard. Democratically elected politicians rightly are the public face of government. But the Minister for the Civil Service, who is also the Prime Minister, has been silent in officials defence. Over 30 years as a civil servant, I served governments of different parties with different priorities. I worked for seven Chancellors, three as Permanent Secretary. Nearly all welcomed argument and debate; one tiring of Treasury orthodoxy even went as far as to appoint a young official as a devils advocate. I saw my role as to speak truth unto power. When the government had made a decision, my role was loyally to explain and implement it. Greater clarity on strategy will help the civil service deliver what will be a fiendishly complex set of trade agreements Of course, the civil service is not perfect. It should be criticised if it gets things wrong. It is strong enough to take it. But impugning officials motives is altogether different. And the idea that the Treasury is fiddling the figures is manifestly absurd. It is also an insult to its dedicated and hard-working officials. The economists, statisticians and policy advisers who provide the analysis which inform Treasury advice are not well paid. They could command better wages in the private sector. But they are extraordinarily able and are committed. They leave their personal views at the front door, and work round the clock, often at weekends, in pursuit of the governments objectives. The claim that the Treasury is the last bastion of Europhilia does not stand up to scrutiny. The Treasury was a reluctant convert to membership of the Common Market. It was opposed to monetary integration. I speak from experience having helped draft the opt-out from the euro, negotiated by John Major and Norman Lamont at Maastricht. More recently, the Treasurys work on the five economic tests in 2003 played a critical role in ensuring Britain did not join the euro. That work reflected intensive and open engagement at home and abroad, and consisted of 18 supporting papers running to 2,000 pages. It epitomised high quality and rigorous analysis. As I recall, it was well received by those currently criticising the Treasury. Not least because the same economist was in the lead, the work on the euro provided the model for the Treasurys analysis of the costs and benefits of Scotland leaving the Union and the costs and benefits of the UK leaving the EU. These papers did not provide forecasts. But they did set out a number of scenarios, to inform debate. It is too soon to pass judgment on whether the Treasurys analysis has been prescient. We are still in the European Union. The Government has yet to articulate its vision for life outside it. Britains economic performance has deteriorated relative to the eurozone over the past 18 months. That may be down to Brexit. It may not. Time will tell. I would expect the economic consequences for living standards to build up slowly. The cumulative impact could still be considerable. One thing is certain: the greater the dislocation of trade with our main market, the EU, the greater will be the initial damage. I welcome Dr Foxs efforts to negotiate new trade agreements. But experience suggests these will take years. In the meanwhile, there is no escaping the fact that the UK exports as much in goods to Ireland as it does to Japan, South Korea, Australia and India put together. In my view, the case for Brexit was always political: it was about sovereignty and immigration. The economic case was much weaker. However, any lasting economic damage can still be limited if the Government adopts the right approach to negotiations with the EU, a realistic transition and sensible economic policies. That will require compromise. It will also require honesty. In the meanwhile, as Mr Barnier reminds us, the clock is ticking. As a Treasury official, I always wanted strong political leadership. It is not too late for the Government to show it. Greater clarity on strategy will help the civil service deliver what will be a fiendishly complex set of trade agreements. At the same time the Government should stop indulging a small minority of Jacobins and forge a national consensus. It should learn the lesson of history. The French Revolution did not end well. Think Scandi style and you probably picture crisp, clean lines and the mantras of minimalism propounded by brands such as Acne and Weekday. And yet, coming out of Copenhagen are a cadre of designers eschewing the traditional notions of Scandinavian minimalism, in preference of an altogether more colourful, playful philosophy. As Copenhagen Fashion Week comes to a close, we take a look at some of the coolest Danish fashion brands loved by the street style set. Their unifying trait? A rebellious riot of pattern and colour. 1. Ganni People. Fashion. Power. Delivered weekly. Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}} Founded in 2000 by husband-and-wife team Ditte and Nikolaj Reffstrup (both ex- art world), Ganni's rise from niche cashmere label to one of the most influential Danish brands has been stratospheric. In December LVMH bought a 51% stake in the company, cementing the likelihood of its going truly global. Their floral-print midi dresses, slogan tees and jersey co-ords are relevant and eye-catching enough to make them street style favourites, yet wearable enough to make them wardrobe staples, while their show is now the hottest ticket at Copenhagen Fashion Week, attended by an army of loyal #Gannigirls that numbers Camille Charriere, Pernille Teisbaek, Lucy Williams and Veronika Heilbrunner. The recent show signalled a move from the girly floral print dresses the brand became known for, towards a more utilitarian, outdoorsy aesthetic. But the Ganni cool was still there. If youre looking to add some affordable, on-the-money cool to your wardrobe, look no further. Shop it here. 2. Brogger Founded in London in November 2016 by Danish duo Julie Brgger and Linn Norstrom WeileBrgger started out dedicated to jackets, suits and coats, but at their recent show at Copenhagen Fashion Week, they provide themselves capable of so much more. Fabulous pastel patchwork suiting sat alongside shimmering lilac and silver ballon-sleeve gowns and the excellent outwear for which the brand became known. We believe in creating products women can cherish throughout and across seasons. Outerwear are amongst the most hardworking pieces in a wardrobe so they are worth investing in, says co-founder Linn Norstrom Weile Shop it here 3. Saks Potts In just five years, Saks Potts have firmly established themselves as leaders in outlandish, colourful outerwear. Founded by twenty-somethings Barbara Potts and Cathrine Saks in Copenhagen, the brand specialises in statement-making, colourful fur coats that firmly challenge the minimalist Scandinavian aesthetic. They shot to fame when influencers and editors Pernilla Teisbaek, Leandra Medine, Eva Chen and Emily Weiss all wore their signature Febbe coat to fashion weeks in 2016. The coat instantly sold out and remains tricky to find today. Theyve now added ready-to-wear to their offering, with floral dresses, pussy-bow blouses and swimwear. It's all delightfully colourful and fun. Shop it here. Copenhagen Fashion Week 2018: Street Style - In pictures 1 /23 Copenhagen Fashion Week 2018: Street Style - In pictures Copenhagen Fashion Week At Copenhagen Fashion Week no one was afraid to embrace their own personal style Getty Images Copenhagen Fashion Week Summery pastel hues were popular in the Danish capital Getty Images Copenhagen Fashion Week As were bright tonal looks Getty Images Copenhagen Fashion Week And co-coordinating ensembles with your friends Getty Images Copenhagen Fashion Week Lilac and yellow may be an unusual colour combination but this fashionista worked it Getty Images Copenhagen Fashion Week Burberry check was out in force along with streetwear-approved bumbags Getty Images Copenhagen Fashion Week In case you missed the memo, animal prints are going to be huge this season Getty Images Copenhagen Fashion Week We spot Shrimps' beaded bag, AKA the item to have this season Getty Images Copenhagen Fashion Week Yep, yet more Burberry Rex Features Copenhagen Fashion Week Transparent bags were a huge accessory trend Rex Features Copenhagen Fashion Week Yellow hues are still being championed this season Rex Features Copenhagen Fashion Week Citrus colour combinations were also a winner Rex Features Copenhagen Fashion Week As are multiple shades of millennial pink Rex Features Copenhagen Fashion Week Going out with two bags is now the 'it' thing to do Rex Features Copenhagen Fashion Week The Danish city gave us a wealth of inspiration when it came to styling cycling shorts Rex Features Copenhagen Fashion Week Blazers and bumbags? A surprisingly great combination Rex Features Copenhagen Fashion Week Especially when the bumbag is Balenciaga Rex Features Copenhagen Fashion Week A pop of neon never goes a miss Rex Features Copenhagen Fashion Week Bucket hats made a roaring revival Rex Features Copenhagen Fashion Week Celine bags were a popular choice Rex Features Copenhagen Fashion Week Neon hues were unmissable Rex Features Copenhagen Fashion Week Puff shoulders are still a key sartorial statement Rex Features Copenhagen Fashion Week Oversized suits made for a chic aesthetic Rex Features 3. By Malene Birger Founded in 2003, By Malene Birger is one of the more established Danish fashion houses on this list. The brand recently appointed a new creative director, Matilde Torp Mader, who previously did the womenswear at Mulberry, whose first collection (SS19) indicated a new, younger direction for the brand. The immensely wearable collection of loose tailoring, sequinned eveningwear and beautiful knitwear is underpinned by a strong collection of monogrammed leatherware. Theyre sold in Selfridges, Fenwick and Net-a-Porter, in addition to their standalone store on Marylebone High Street. Shop it here 4. Stine Goya For me, colours are an inexhaustible source of inspiration; an almost raw material I love to develop further," says Stine Goya, who established her namesake brand in Copenhagen in 2006. And her love of colour is evidenced in her designs. From kooky peach prints bombers to cornflower blue suede coats and star-print shifts, these are clothes for peacocking. For SS19, the brand showed a collection of pastel tulle, collared sequin gowns and floral midis all accessorised with a silk headcard and a bucket hat. For Stine Goya, fashion must be playful! We quite agree. Shop it here. 5. Baum und Pfergarden Copenhagen-based designers Rikke Baumgarten and Helle Hestehave, who launched their brand back in 1999, like things a little OTT. For SS19, the brand showed an a-typically reserved collection of mint green suiting; baby blue floral jacquard skirts and blue and yellow checked trousers and shirts, as well as a couple of pretty, breezy blush pink silk dresses.Not ones for the wallflower, their designs play with pattern, silhouette and colour to create clothes that have an unexpected quality and a fresh, teenage-in-a-good-way feel. A bar that exclusively serves premium prosecco has opened in London as sales of the sparkling wine continue to soar in the capital. In what is believed to be a London first, Prosecco House in Tower Bridge will only stock and serve Prosecco Superiore DOCG, a premium variety of the Italian sparkling wine. The Standard was given the first tour of the bar which launches on Monday. Owner Kristina Issa, 35, has been working directly with five family-owned vineyards from across the region to stock wines that are not available anywhere else in London. Ms Issa, a former financier who is originally from Syria, said she came up with the idea as she struggled to get the quality of prosecco shed enjoyed in Italy in London. It came to me over drinks with friends back in January, she said. I love prosecco but could never find a glass of the same quality here in London compared to Italy. I wanted to create a bar that feels both luxurious but is also open to everyone and that all feel welcome. There is a gap in the market for a high quality bar serving the finest prosecco that is not in a hotel or a cocktail bar. I am working closely with producers to ensure guests receive the finest prosecco that is so readily available in Veneto. Best Prosecco - in pictures 1 /10 Best Prosecco - in pictures Scroll to see the results of our Prosecco taste test... Shutterstock Valdobbiadene Prosecco Spumante Superiore DOCG Aldi has been upping the ante with low-priced luxury for the past year and this impressive bubbly is a fine example. Housed in a stylish bottle, it tastes just as a superior DOCG prosecco should and serves well with panettone. On the palate, dark autumn fruits mingle with delicate floral notes. Its finish was fresh, crisp and refined. Top marks all round. 7.99, Aldi, Buy it now Bortolotti Prosecco Extra Dry This fragrant blend offers hints of summer fruits and has a fresh, lingering finish. While classified as extra dry, it has a noticeable sweetness that makes it a good choice for pairing with puddings. Its a little pricey at just over twenty pounds, but if youre looking to impress some picky guests then this one should do the trick. 22, Harrods, Buy it now Sainsburys Taste the Difference Conegliano Prosecco 2015 This is a soft sparkler that goes down nice and easy, balancing tangy citrus with gentle apricot flavours. Its not too dry and has a very subtle sweetness, so its ideal for those who find most Prosecco too sugary. Great as an Aperitif and best served chilled. 8, Sainsburys, Buy it now Marks and Spencer Conte Priuli ORO Prosecco 2015 The perfect party Prosecco. Not only is it beautifully balanced with flavours of green apple, but its extravagant gold packaging earns it some major presentation points. It has just the right amount of fizz and a velvety texture with plenty of lasting froth. Pair with nibbles and canapes. 15, Marks and Spencer, Buy it now Tesco Finest Prosecco Valdobbiadene DOCG A generously fruity blend with aromas of apple, white peach and pear. Its pretty firm on the palate, but was a tad too citrusy for some. The finish is long, dry and slightly bitter. Best for pairing with cheeses like Gorgonzola. 10, Tesco, Buy it now Waitrose NV Glera Italian Prosecco Heres one to bring along to the next dinner party in your calendar. Light and refreshing, it boasts both floral and fruity flavours and has notes of sweet almond on the finish. Its balance of acidity and sweetness makes it great for drinking throughout the evening. 7.99, Waitrose, Buy it now Asda Extra Special Prosecco Straight from the vineyards of North-East Italy, this wine offers crisp apple flavours with subtle mineral notes. It had a noticeable lack of fizz and was mildly sweet. Easy to drink, but nothing mind-blowing. Asda recommends blending with peach juice to create a classic Bellini. 7.50, Asda, Buy it now Allini Proseeco Treviso Frizzante A pretty average Prosecco for day-to-day drinking. With light pear notes, this ones more suited to those looking for something soft on flavour for cocktail mixing. Its bright and creamy, but much drier than our other contestants. 2.69, Lidl, Buy it now Ombra Di Pantera Prosecco Superiore Brut Millesimato DOCG Fermented over 60 days, this new brand is the Porsche of proseccos. The fruity boquet is fresh and dry but without the bitterness commonly found, it has a robust sparkle that wont fizzle out as soon as its poured. A great bottle to enjoy leisurely, it goes down extremely easily some might say too much so. 25, Ombra Di Pantera, Buy it now Food. Bars. Going out. Delivered weekly Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}} More than 20 different proseccos are on the menu from the five wineries, Marchiori, Rivalta, Cirotto, TASI Bio and Andreola. Glasses start at 7.50 and bottles at 30. Guests will also be able to buy bottles to take home, or order them using Deliveroo, and a small selection of prosecco cocktails, including Aperol Spritz and Bellinis, will also be available. The believed first written reference to prosecco was in 1593 in a series of notes written by an English traveller exploring northern Italy. The name is derived from that of the Italian village of Prosecco near Trieste, where the grape and wine originated. Review at a glance F using French and Japanese food, shaking up a long list of cleverly complex cocktails, and boasting Europes first Macallan Whisky Lounge (plus some quirky art) upstairs, Four Degree is an interesting proposition. The fact that all this is happening in Vauxhall rather than Mayfair makes it all the more so. The restaurant is the first UK opening from a company called Oyster Talks, which runs venues in Beijing and Hong Kong, and the name references the ideal temperature of water that oysters like to live in. As for why there is no s on the end, were not sure. The menu kicks off with the saline favourites that give the name, available either raw or fried, and continues in fishy form with a large selection of sushi and sashimi, as well as thinly sliced and citrus-dressed yellowtail and sea bass. Its well-executed and the quality of the fish is clear but what else would you expect from chef Kyoichi Kai who comes here via Zuma. While the sushi is a strong point, and may well be the biggest draw locally, its a collection of quirkier dishes that signals a creative kitchen thats really worth watching. Food. Bars. Going out. Delivered weekly Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}} There are tacos made from crispy wonton skins, which come in a diverse trio filled with rich duck rillettes, zingy fish tartare, and fresh guacamole. Christmas party-style deep-fried camembert comes with a robustly flavoured lobster bisque for dipping. Asparagus comes in melted truffle-laced butter, foie gras is given the teriyaki treatment, and wagyu beef comes in a stew with poached egg, enoki mushrooms and Chinese leaves. Currently it feels like the team are trying a little hard to be different, and not every dish feels particularly polished, but its early days and its certainly interesting. 30 must-try dishes in London restaurants 1 /31 30 must-try dishes in London restaurants Bone marrow on toast with parsley salad at St John Not only has this dish kicked off countless wonderful meals over the course of St Johns 25 years, but it also gets credit for putting British cooking back on the global culinary map. Roasted bone marrow, coaxed out onto toast, cut perfectly with salad of parsley, shallots and capers. A nose-to-tail revolution, and utterly divine. Whole turbot at Brat Tomos Parrys talents with a turbot first came to feverish acclaim at Mayfair restaurant Kitty Fishers, but they are now the star attraction at his Michelin-starred solo spot. This whole fish grilled Basque-style, over hot coals and in a specially designed cage softens as if it has melted, and is basted at the table in an emulsion made with its own juices. Benjamin McMahon Marinara at 50 Kalo di Ciro Salvo Superlatives should be used in moderation but heck it, this might just be Londons best pizza. This under-the-radar London iteration of a Naples pizzeria serves an unrivalled marinara: just tomato sauce, oil, garlic and oregano. No need for any more with a sauce this good and a base so fine and perfectly charred, you can stop mourning your cancelled Italian holiday at first bite. Luciano Furia Clay pot baked pork and crab glass noodles at Kiln When we say Kiln is one of the hottest spots in town, we mean it hang over the counter at the Thai barbecue and youre not far out of range for the odd flame. Baking in the heart of the swirling heat is this must order: shimmering glass noodles, coated with a silky sauce enriched with fatty slicks of Tamworth pork belly and improbably unctuous crab meat. Lamb chops, Melabes Perhaps because its quietly tucked in among its unassuming neighbours down on the wrong end of High Street Kensington, Melabes is often overlooked by Londons food lovers. An unwarranted shame, as this partly Middle Eastern, partly Mediterranean set-up is really very good; it is somewhere to pick and choose from bits and pieces, and put a meal together yourself. The lamb chops, which come all smokey and burnished from the grill, are perfect; pink as a Vegas sign inside, but the fat all soft and dripping and delicious. A must, whatever the order. Steak tartare imperial at Bob Bob Ricard Theres Press For Champagne buttons, lobster in your mac and cheese and anything that stays still long enough gets gilded there is no point in going small at Bob Bob Ricard. Steak tartare is a luxurious pick at the best of times, but the Imperial upgrade here comes with a dollop of caviar even without the finishing touch, the tartare itself is one of the best in the capital. Bacon naan at Dishoom Londoners spent decades believing bacon in a bap with some ketchup (or brown sauce, but lets not have that argument now) couldnt be beaten and then Dishoom came along. This breakfast sandwich fills a fresh naan with bacon, a slathering of cream cheese, a luxurious tomato and chilli chutney, coriander and an oozing fried egg if you feel so inclined. Hangover be gone. Cacio e pepe at Padella Five years ago, you would have thought anyone queuing for pasta in London to have lost their minds this dish changed that. The starlet of Padellas much coveted is this plate of pici hand-rolled fat worms of eggless pasta with a mirror-shine sauce of parmesan cheese and pasta. Simple but unrivalled and itll set you back just 6. Jamon croquetas at Barrafina A dish like this should be elusive it is far too easy to eat seven portions of croquetas in a single sitting, which is why we presume Barrafina makes you queue. Very sensible. As the crunchy coating gives way to the oozing centre, enriched with the flavour of Spanish jamon (the best ham in the business), were already planning our next visit. Biang biang noodles at Xi'an Biang Biang Noodles There are oodles of noodles in the capital, but Guirong Weis triumphant take is one of the finest. First finding followers at her north London restaurant Xian Impression (soon to reopen for dine-in, but not yet), the dish of has inspired a whole spin-off restaurant in Spitalfields. Thick, hand-pulled, chewy noodles soak up all the spice and zing of the special sauce they swim in very special indeed. Souffle Suissesse, Le Gavroche Le Gavroche the street urchin is perhaps not for everyone. It is a Mayfair time machine, a reminder of how things were done once upon a time. Fortunately, it happens that how things were once done was very well indeed, and lunch or supper here is a masterclass in traditional French luxury (and often, happily, includes very large glasses of wine). Staff make the place, anyone who has been gently teased by the twins pretending to be each other will know. A tendency towards the old ways does mean the cooking offers little in the way of evolution or revolution, but new, after all, isnt always better. Michel Roux Jrs cheese souffle, baked on double cream, stuns, so overwhelmingly tasty, utter decadence that clings to the taste buds. Buttermilk Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Around the Cluck / 12:51 James Cochran found his signature dish early on, but its good it should stay with him for the rest of his career. While he has chops, and can do more beyond, theres something special in the way he works with his chicken; hotly spiced, gorgeously crispy, beautifully soft on the inside. A long-standing favourite and, though 12:51 cant operate as it did before, there are tables at his new project Around the Cluck, which is operating out of the same site. Breakfast at Hawksmoor Guildhall Your Full English is not full in comparison to the Hawksmoor breakfast at the steak connoisseurs Guildhall restaurant. The mind-boggling two-person spread swaps bacon rashers for an entire smoked chop, serves its bubble and squeak with short rib, puts trotter meat into its baked beans, and adds grilled bone marrow to all the usual trimmings. Cauliflower shawarma at Berber & Q Its not often that the main event at a barbecue restaurant is the veg, but Berber & Q have achieved just that. The cauliflower shawarma here is cooked on their flaming grill until softened and charred, before being doused liberally in tahini, pomegranate molasses, coriander, pomegranate seeds and a scattering of dried rose petals. BBQ Butter Chicken Wings at Brigadiers Brigadiers is a bold, boisterous sort of place: a labyrinthine City dining room, packed to the rafters with beer and Indian food that is indisputably gutsy. But arguably its finest moment comes in one of its smallest packages these chicken wings may be diminutive, but are mightily spiced, deftly charred and dripping with ghee-fuelled succulence. Beef brisket bun at Smokestak David Carters Shoreditch restaurant occupies itself by giving the entirety of Kansas City a run for its money on a daily basis. The star turn at this lauded barbecue restaurant is its beef brisket bun the meat is soft and juicy, riddled with its fats in the centre, while charred and treacle-like on the outside, paired perfectly with pickled chillies. To remember it is to salivate, we assure you. Snails, LEscargot LEscargot is one of Sohos old aristocrats and in its grand, beret red dining room there is always a mischievous sense of fun perhaps because it is still such a smart, suited, chandeliered place, and people are often drinking themselves rather silly. The clue to good eating is in the name; the snails come still clinging to their shells and submerged in their butter and parsley sauce. Dive in; you will emerge stinking gloriously of garlic. It wont matter a jot; roll on the red wine and settle in for a long, comforting night. Confit potatoes at Quality Chop House Yes, there are some high quality chops on offer at this 150-year-old Clerkenwell restaurant but blimey, leave room for the chips. Fine slices of potato are stacked into architecturally sound wedges, and confited until shatteringly crispy on the outside and devastatingly soft in the centre. They have been much imitated in recent years, but never bettered. Smoked eel sandwich at Quo Vadis Jeremy Lee cooks many things to a legendary level at Quo Vadis his pies could so easily have also made this list but he gets the nod here for his unrivalled take on the fancy sandwich. Smoked eel, horseradish cream and Dijon mustard, served with red onion pickle a combination so popular Lee says he nearly ran out of eel on post-lockdown reopening. Classic bao at Bao London has buns in abundance, but we still bow down to the fluffy superiority of Bao. The Taiwanese restaurant has become a cross-town favourite, thanks to its pleasingly pert rice buns (they are genuinely very pert, no crassness intended) and carefully considered fillings. The classic order comes filled with braised pork, fermented veg, coriander and a dusting of peanut powder. Carol Sachs Potato and roe, Core by Clare Smyth Clare Smyth has a knack that must infuriate other chefs; she is able to take the simplest of ingredients say, a single carrot and a smattering of lamb mince do something devilish with it and charge rather a lot for it; so good are the results, though, that few mind. Smyths sorcery is perhaps best witnessed with her signature, the potato and roe. It is simply a potato on a plate in a little sauce, but then it is also perhaps the best potato dish in the world; it has this wonderful salty richness, a certain seaside intenseness. It is glorious; so too is the smoked chicken that tends to come as an amuse bouche. Youll be treated here. Omelette Arnold Bennett Dont worry, no Arnolds were harmed in the making of this dish. Alongside impeccable service and an arguably perfect dining room, you could add another highlight to your breakfast at The Wolseley by ordering this creamy, haddock-filled dish, named for the writer who inspired its creation while staying at the Savoy. Fish pie, J Sheekey Long an actors favourite, J Sheekeys glamour has never lost its lustre. Its kept its regulars and charmed newcomers with a menu that plays the greatest hits of fine dining favourites. Seafood is Sheekeys thing; simply done sole is beautiful here, crab comes three ways, brill brushed in butter has a meatiness thats beyond satisfying. The fish pie is famous though, and rightly so; beneath the flaking pastry is a sea of cream, mustard and white wine, in it bobbing cod, haddock and salmon. It is simple but never fails; it does on its own for lunch, but is a failsafe at supper, too. John Carey The Ari Gold at Patty & Bun Theres a cheeseburger on every high street in the capital but not all of them are created equal. Patty & Bun has got the classic combination down to a tee with its curiously named Ari Gold burger: a fat, 35-day aged patty is served medium rare, and topped with gooey American cheese, smokey house mayo and tangy pickled red onions. Xiao long bao at Din Tai Fung Few dishes in the capital have been known to cause queues of four hours. Thats exactly what the world-famous xiao long bao dumplings did when top Taiwanese restaurant group Din Tai Fung first opened in Covent Garden. An intricately folded out layer (made by chefs trained for at least 18 months) gives way to succulent meat and a broth you could take on by the bowlful. Pig's trotter, the French House Upstairs in the Soho local, Neil Borthwick is quietly running one of the areas best kitchens. He orders in particularly good oysters, does brilliant things with brill and with his pigs trotter, has a dish that is rich and fatty, but with a beautiful salty cut that makes it madly moreish. The menu tends to change often upstairs in the French, but have this if its on. That little dining room is somewhere to go in early for lunch and stay until late, eventually spilling down into the pub below, to drink pints they do pints now, not just halfs all while merrily reliving the joys upstairs. Peter Clark Dover sole with crab butter at Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill There are so many delights at Bentleys, its tricky to pick a single one. This could so easily have been a plate of rigorously sourced oysters, the fish pie, the decadent Royal seafood platter (pictured). It is however, the Dover sole that wins. A sublime piece of fish always, expertly cooked without fail choose it either filleted with beautiful crab butter, or grilled and whole for a simple pleasure. Over in the City, Corrigan does similarly brilliant things with lobster at Daffodil Mulligan. Ragu, Lina Stores Sohos Lina Stores the pasta bar, not the longstanding Italian deli it comes from is the sort of restaurant one longs for; small, fun, friendly, not too pricey. They do small plates of near perfect pasta; their ragu, whether lamb or veal, is a gem. A good ragu is hard to find too often theres too little meat, or meat not cooked for long enough but here, they spend the time over it, cooking slowly, carefully. No restaurant can compare with a Nonna, but Lina gets gratifyingly close. Porterhouse steak, the Guinea Grill London is not short of steakhouses, but the Guinea does not number among them. A pub a proper one it is tucked down a Mayfair sidestreet, away from everything and yet still perpetually busy. Besides the small bar is a dining room that looks much as it must have done when the likes of Sinatra was in (or Bette Midler, or Kylie, or Regan, or, or, or), where theyve served prime Aberdeen Angus cooked on a smoking hot grill. The Guinea is all about having a good time pints, red wine, brandies, the lot but they cook beautifully, and their handling of a good piece of beef is second to none. Puree de pommes de terre, Le Comptoir Robuchon The late Joel Robuchon may have been the most decorated chef of his and perhaps any other era, but his signature stayed humble mashed potato. Until youve had it, it is hard to believe it could be quite so good; mash, after all, is mash. No matter the scepticism, it will always surprise; it is almost silly that so little could taste of so much. A side, it will match almost everything on the menu; of which, the lamb with aubergine on the menu of classics is extraordinarily good. Slick, suited-and-booted service, a solid wine list and different and delicious cocktails including the likes of the Whiskey Rinjin which blends vermouth, tonka and cocoa bean bitters and whisky, and comes streaming with smoke only confirm the potential here. F ebruary 5 is World Nutella Day, a day on which slathering hazelnut spread around your mouth like a toddler finally bears minimal shame. The Italian toast-topper is so beloved by our European cousins that it even once caused riots in a French supermarket. While British ardour for the product doesnt quite stretch that far (its not like its bacon, for heavens sake) we still have a healthy admiration for the treat. If you feel like going nutty for the stuff this week, put down the jar and that spoon and head to one of these London foodie hotspots serving up Nutella, gourmet-style. Bubblewrap Food. Bars. Going out. Delivered weekly Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}} Nutella and waffles probably werent actually made for each other, but it sure feels like it sometimes. If you want a waffle to warm your winter mits, then check out Bubblewrap, the puntastic and endlessly Instagrammable Chinatown cafe serving up sweet treats to serious queues. Choose a base, a gelato flavour and toppings, before slathering your creation in Nutella sauce. 24 Wardour Street, W1D 6QJ, bubblewraplondon.com Pizza Pilgrims Everyone gets excited when its pizza for dinner but what if it was pizza for dessert too? Make your doughy dreams come true at Pizza Pilgrims, where you can follow up your margherita with a Nutella pizza ring. This circle of their classic pizza dough comes stuffed with the coveted hazelnut spread and a complimentary dose of slightly savoury salted ricotta to balance out your sweet tooth. Christophers Why just eat Nutella when you can drink it too? Christophers in Covent Garden raises a glass to World Nutella Day every day, having dreamt up the ultimate tipple for fans of the spread. Served all year round in its martini bar, the Nutella martini is made with Grey Goose La Vanille vodka, Creme de Cacao, cream and Nutella. 18 Wellington Street, WC2E 7DD, christophersgrill.com Hummingbird Bakery This American-import bakery makes for some of the most tantalising shop windows in the city especially if youre hungry. Hummingbird Bakery cakes look pretty as a picture on the outside and are fluffy and densely flavoured on the inside. The Nutella cupcake tops chocolate sponge with a hazelnut and Nutella frosting and a sprinkling of hazelnuts to finish. Beas of Bloomsbury Is it a doughnut? Is it a muffin? Its neither and both. The Nutella offering at Beas of Bloomsbury is unlike any other its a duffin. Beas Nutella duffins are muffin-fluffy in texture, with the sugary exterior of a doughnut. Get them filled with jam or, of course, your favourite hazelnut spread. Confused? Dont be this is Nutella nirvana. C losing Dolly Aldertons first book, Everything I Know About Love, its hard not to feel a rush of emotion. While the book itself is an ode to female friendship rather that a guide to romantic love, the last chapter in particular is bound to hit a nerve with any twenty-something woman. During the final chapter of the book, Alderton recounts what she knows about love now, everything from not faking orgasms to how breakups will be the worst thing you will ever experience especially as you get older and why you should always look for a partner who is kind above all else. This relatability and the way Alderton can articulate these feelings so strikingly is what has made her a darling of the British media scene. Before the 29-year-old became a first-time author, she had a number of titles under her belt already. Having been the dating columnist with the Sunday Times for two years, Alderton was also a story producer for Made In Chelsea and a co-presenter of weekly pop culture podcast The High-Low. Alderton recently released a new podcast in conjunction with her book release. Called Love Stories, Alderton sits down with a different guest each week to talk love - and its instantly gone to the top of the charts. Everything I Know About Love is part-memoir, part-relationship advice and part-love letter to female friendship. Alderton begins the memoir by recanting her childhood she grew up in Stanmore, the end of the Jubilee line and which she describes as being as beige as the plush carpets that adorned every home. She tells of the trials and tribulations of being a teenager during MSNs golden years and how she followed her best friend to university where she made a tight-nit group of girlfriends that remain some of her closest pals to this day. One of the more poignant moments in the book is when Dolly describes what it was like to see her best friend get engaged at 25 how she said that nothing would change and yet everything changed. As we make our way through our twenties, this feeling is all too common. People meet each other, fall in love and decide to take the next steps. Some people move faster than others and if you are single during all of this, it can often feel like youre being left behind. The way Alderton articulates this feeling makes you really care something a lot of memoirs fail to do. This is the book we will thrust into our friends hands for the remainder of 2018, the book we excitedly messaged the women in our lives in caps telling them how much they NEED TO READ THIS and the book that will help heal a broken heart should you ever need it. Aldertons wise words can resonate with women of all ages. She feels like a best friend and your older sister all rolled into one and her pages wrap around you like a warm hug. S even years ago William Borrell began producing a craft Polish vodka made from potatoes and selling it in London. Making it requires taking as much care of the countryside or terroirs as a winemaker might, he says, and in this case he means his family's farmland in northern Poland, about 45 kilometres west of the coastal city of Gdansk. The connection to the area is through his Polish stepmother, whom hes known for over 30 years and who, with his father, set up a lodge by a lake and a forest where visitors can stay. The biggest misconception of Poland for me, describes Borrell, who is very familiar with Gdansk and the surrounding Tri-city area including Gdynia and Sopot, is that yes its really cold but in the summer its like continental Europe. Its warm, welcoming, delightful, and unspoilt - a bit like Scandinavia in the summer. And all along that Baltic Coast it is beautiful because it has white sand, then if you go back from the beach, there is some of the densest forest imaginable. Back from that are some beautiful unspoilt lakes. So theres a lot thats happening in quite a small space. In London, Borrell owns Ladies and Gentlemen, a bar set inside a former public toilet in Kentish Town. He is also part of the way through stripping out a new toilet bar next to Camden Road overground station, which will open in late Spring. Food. Bars. Going out. Delivered weekly Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}} Here, he tells us about Gdansk... What do you like about the food and drink in Gdansk and the surrounding area? For me its everything within the Tri-State region. There is deep, incredible countryside. That means the produce tends to be very fresh - Im totally spoilt. When my brothers and I are at the farm, we go and get these luminous yellow eggs for breakfast, or if we pick a tomato, it smells like a tomato. Even if youre buying loose vegetables from a supermarket in the UK, we dont have that same affinity with taste and smell. So those things are lovely, and youll get that in any farm or agro-tourism place. Theres also something about the slow-cooked, stodgy Polish food that when paired with vodka takes you to a different place. Youre full and drunk in a way that you arent normally here. Its very pleasant. Which bar do you always return to in Gdansk? At the top of my list is Eliksir, which is phenomenal. I recommend Le Coquette cocktail - champagne, apricot liqueur, and saffron. I love Saffron in cocktails as it's very difficult to make work but these guys nail it. The cocktail scene is really developing in Poland, and is probably where Paris was about five years ago when there was this explosion of cocktail bars. The younger generation seems to have a better understanding of hospitality whereas that didnt exist in the same way 30 years ago. So thats really changing. Which restaurant do you love in Gdansk? Gdansk Restauracja. Its all about the welcome. The place is fabulously decorated and the food is really fantastic, with great, traditional, Polish, hearty fare. If someone is a bit unsure about Polish food, I dont think you can go wrong at an entry level by trying some of their really good Polish dumplings filled with meat served with cabbage (pierogi kaszubskie z miesem i dodatkiem kapusty) and some really good Captains pork knuckle (Kapitanska Golonka zapiekana) - a great place to begin the odyssey. It is very meat-heavy cuisine, but there are also some exquisite vegetarian dishes. Gdansk Poland, by Edwina Langley Where would you go in Gdansk for drinks and people watching? Anywhere on the seafront - during the summer, there are lots of fantastic bars to go along there. Its perfect for looking at the Polish equivalent of the Italian passeggiata. There youll get glimpses of old-school Communist glamour, with fur coats and so on, and then you get the younger generations too. In the winter time, the whole dynamic changes and you just want to find somewhere inside to be cosy, and there are usually levels of storytelling and music and more of a sense of community. Where would you go to eat something sweet? Theres a cute patisserie called Umam. Possibly because of the weather in central and Eastern Europe, there are vast numbers of cakes to be found anywhere East of Vienna. In Poland, cakes, teas and coffee is a huge thing, and they go nuts about these big, unrelenting, creamy, buttery cakes. Everything here is delicious but my favourite things are doughnuts called Paczki (pronounced ponch-ki) which are huge and filled with something on the cusp of Advocaat and custard liqueur. Everyone eats these on Fat Thursday, their equivalent of Shrove Tuesday. What edible things would you recommend people bring back home? There isnt a huge amount of food tourism; vodka is good to bring home. Statistically people in Poland buy 86% of vodka from supermarkets and shops because of the tradition of drinking it at home with a meal to celebrate or commiserate, as we might here with wine. The shops have an alarming array of vodkas of every sort, but theres recently been a huge focus on its appellation, so there are now rules about what you can and cant do when producing it. Thats been a positive step forward for Polish vodka, and theres a lot to choose from. Do you have any other tips or recommendations? If youre interested in amber, Gdansk is one of the centres of production. Auschwitz is not far away, and its an experience that once youve been through you dont forget. Malbork Castle, which looks like a fairytale castle and is the oldest Tutonic castle, is lots of fun to visit. Finally, both the Long market in the Old Town and Oliwa Cathedral are worth seeing. It's been quite a year. And I make no predictions about the one to come. I do know that it will -- at least where we are -- start ou... Y ou may notice that pubs in the capital are a little busier than usual this week as New Zealand expats celebrate Waitangi Day. Phonetically pronounced why-tounge-ee, New Zealands national day is celebrated on February 6 each year and celebrates the day the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840. A public holiday in New Zealand, Kiwis celebrate the day with a variety of customary celebrations - and plenty of good food and drink. Here's everything you need to know about Waitangi Day: What is the Treaty of Waitangi and why was it signed? Waka Ama crew members welcome each other with a hongi (nose press) on the beach as they celebrate Waitangi Day / Getty After Brits began to colonise New Zealand, the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 by over 500 Maori Chiefs and representatives of the British Crown in what is essentially considered to be New Zealand's founding document. The Treaty of Waitangi takes its name from Waitangi, the town in the Bay of Islands where it was first signed. The Treaty was initiated by Lieutenant-Governor William Hobson, who was tasked with securing British sovereignty over New Zealand and the Treaty was prepared in just a few days before being translated to Maori from English on February 4, 1840. According to nzhistory.govt.nz: "Hobson and others stressed the Treatys benefits while playing down the effects of British sovereignty on Rangatiratanga (chiefly authority). Reassured that their status would be strengthened, many chiefs supported the agreement." By the end of September, around 540 Maori chiefs had signed the Maori version of the Treaty and Britain claimed sovereignty on May 21, 1840. However, there were some significant changes between the English and Maori texts, with the word sovereignty being translated to kawanatanga, which actually meant governance - which lead some Maori chiefs to believe that while they handed over gonvernment to their land, they still retained the right to manage their own affairs. Another significant difference in the texts was the English version guranteed 'undisturbed possession' of their 'properties' but the Maori version guaranteed full authority over thier taonga (treasures). These differing understandings have since been subject to debate in New Zealand, with Maori calling for the terms of the Maori version to be honoured, even staging marches and protests. How is Waitangi Day celebrated in New Zealand? A ceremony in front of the Meeting House for the Governor General of New Zealand. / Getty Waitangi Day is considered to be New Zealands national day and has been observed as a public holiday since 1974. Each year the Prime Minister will visit Waitangi and the Treaty House where the Treaty was signed on Waitangi Day to commemorate the signing - but this isn't without controversy. According to nzhistory.govt.nz: "Protests have continued at Waitangi, and the prime minister has not always attended events there on Waitangi Day. In 2004 some Maori used Waitangi Day to protest about the government's legislation regarding the seabed and foreshore. In the days leading up to Waitangi Day, National Party politicians were pelted with mud, and members of the government were jostled as they entered Te Tii marae." The past decade has also seen former Prime Ministers John Key and Bill English both refused speaking rights by the leaders of Te Tii marae, causing both to not attend during the 2016 and 2017 commemorations. Last year, current New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern attended Waitangi and has been confirmed to attend this year also. Elsewhere across New Zealand, some marae (a Maori communal or sacred place) hold open days or talks on the place of the Treaty in New Zealand today. 41 stunning places and things to see in New Zealand - in pictures 1 /41 41 stunning places and things to see in New Zealand - in pictures Mt Cook Unsplash A beach near Nelson Shutterstock Roy's Peak Unsplash Queenstown Shutterstock Lake Tekapo Pixabay Hot Water Beach, Coromandel Shutterstock Hobbiton Unsplash Pelorus River, near Nelson Shutterstock Cape Reinga Unsplash Hokitika Gorge Unsplash Lake Tekapo Unsplash Hooker Valley Track Unsplash Fiordland National Park Unsplash Split Apple Rock, Abel Tasman Unsplash Auckland City Unsplash Hooker Lake Unsplash Wharariki Beach Unsplash Kea (native bird) in Arthur's Pass Unsplash Mount Maunganui Beach, Tauranga Unsplash Hooker Valley Swingbridge Unsplash Lake Pukaiki Unsplash Lupins, found in the South Island Unsplash Lindis Pass Unsplash Lake Pukaiki Unsplash Milford Sounds Unsplash Mount Aspiring National Park Unsplash Homer Tunnel, Fiordland National Park Unsplash Lindis Pass Unsplash Cape Reinga Unsplash Mount Cook Unsplash Maori Bay Unsplash Auckland Unsplash Skippers Canyon Pixabay Marlborough Sounds Pixabay Sheep (you'd be hard-pressed not to find any) Pixabay Lake Tekapo Pixabay Wellington Pixabay Milford Sounds Pixabay Bridal Veil Falls Pixabay Pancake Rocks, Punakaiki Pixabay Mount Cook Pixabay What do New Zealanders in London do to celebrate Waitangi Day? New Zealanders perform the Haka in Parliament Square as they celebrate Waitangi Day. / Getty The unofficial celebration of Waitangi Day in London is the Waitangi Day pub crawl. Held the weekend before Waitangi Day each year, Kiwis from all over London gather at pubs along the circle line wearing their best NZ-inspired getups, drink and celebrate their national day. The pub crawl ends at Parliament Square in Westminster where a haka the national tribal dance often seen at All Black rugby games is performed. This pub crawl has been a tradition for over 30 years in London which is home to one of the largest Kiwi expatriate communities. A special badge to celebrate the beginning of the end of female genital mutilation has been launched. London activist and FGM survivor Nimco Ali created the triangular brooch to mark the fact that ending the brutal practice is a tangible reality. The gold-plated pin, pictured, was also made to coincide with tomorrows international day of zero tolerance for FGM and to celebrate the seventh birthday of Ms Alis niece Sofia, the first girl in her family to remain uncut. Ms Ali said: I was seven when I underwent FGM and the fact that she is the same age but her world is so far removed from mine is something to celebrate. The pins four triangles represent Sofia, Ms Ali, her mother and grandmother. Ms Ali said: There are four generations of women and one is uncut she is our hope and our future. "Ending FGM is a tangible reality now. It is not inevitable but it is possible. People can show support by wearing the pin and adding a new orange and gold frame to their Facebook profile. The profile picture filter has the words #ENDFGM and a red triangle. Ms Ali hopes people will post the red triangle emoji available on most phones on social media to spread awareness. The badge is backed by MPs Zac Goldsmith and Jess Phillips, chairmen of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Female Genital Mutilation. Ms Phillips said: For a good portion of the coalition government ending FGM was very high on the agenda The APPG is to try to revive some of that activity and make sure we dont move on to the next thing. She added: The pin is one of the things we can do to get people talking. Mr Goldsmith will host a screening of Jahas Promise on Thursday. The film follows survivor Jaha Dukureh as she campaigns to end FGM in her home country The Gambia. Latest figures from international charity Donor Direct Action show there are now just three African countries with high rates of FGM that have not yet made it illegal: Mali, Sierra Leone and Sudan. Kenya has reduced FGM rates from 41 per cent to 11 per cent over a 30-year period, and Liberia and Burkina Faso have made progress. But Donor Direct Action, which runs a fund for groups ending FGM, said not enough government money reached the frontline. S mart CCTV technology should be used to scan public spaces in London for knives and other weapons in the battle against youth violence, a report says today. The study by a Conservative London Assembly member says artificial intelligence technology could be used to monitor police-run CCTV cameras and detect knives being brandished in public. Shaun Bailey also calls for the Met to refocus its stop-and-search operations on targeting people carrying knives instead of drugs. The report, called Londoners Lives Matter, highlights figures showing just 15 per cent of stop and searches last year were motivated by a search for blades, with 60 per cent related to drugs. It says young black men are 10 times more likely to be stopped and searched for drugs than young whites, saying this erodes community trust and reinforces suspicions that the black community is disproportionately targeted for drug offences. A young man has been stabbed on Oxford Street while reportedly fending off a group of moped muggers. Police were called to the capital's busiest high street just before 9.30pm on Sunday to reports of a stabbing. A Scotland Yard spokesperson said a man in his 20s was found with a stab wound. A witness told the Guardian they saw a man fighting to get his phone back after it was stolen by another man on a moped. Police at the scene on Oxford Street / Nigel Howard They claimed he was stabbed during the altercation before a small group fled on mopeds, leaving the man lying on the ground clutching his chest. Another witness wrote on Twitter: "I was walking down Oxford street & saw what looked like a fight. As I got closer one guy jumped on the back of a moped and drove off. "Turns out they stole a guys phone and because he tried to resist, they stabbed him for it (sic)." A Met Police spokesperson said the victim had been taken to a central London hospital. His condition was not described as life-threatening or life-changing. Oxford Street was temporarily closed between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road while emergency services attend to the incident. Footage shared on social media showed paramedics lifting an injured person into the back of an ambulance. A teenager was stabbed to death near a football pitch by his home in a weekend of bloodshed in London. Hasan Ozcan, 19, screamed for help as he was repeatedly knifed before collapsing in a car park by Abbey Road, Barking, on Saturday. The university student was one of three people to die from knife attacks in just 48 hours in the capital. Youth worker Kwabena Nelson, 22, was also stabbed to death when he was ambushed walking home in the early hours on Saturday. And Juan Olmos Saca, 39, died in hospital yesterday six days after being stabbed in Peckham. Youth worker Kwabena Nelson, 22, was also stabbed to death when he was ambushed in the early hours on Saturday Horrified neighbours told how they ran out in their pyjamas to try to help Mr Ozcan as he screamed help me at around 10pm on Saturday. A mother-of-two said: He was screaming help me as loud as he could. The police were here quickly and were pressing on his chest for a long time. They did everything they could we are so upset to hear he died, he was so young. Mr Ozcan was studying criminology at Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent. Today his father Abdullah, 43, said the family had been left traumatised by his death. Hasan Ozcan, 19, was fatally stabbed in Barking He told the Standard: Why are our children killing each other? It must stop. Everyday they die on the streets. I dont want any other fathers going through what I have done. Our hearts are broken. He was home from school over the weekend and told me he was handing out CVs to get a weekend job so he could help our family like we helped him. I was so proud of him. He was a friendly, popular boy, everyone knew him around here. Everyone is devastated. Mr Ozcans death followed that of Mr Nelson, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was attacked just yards from his home in Tottenham at 1.30am on Saturday. Mr Nelson, whose family are originally from Ghana, worked for an award-winning project in Haringey which helps young people at risk of becoming gang members get back into education, employment and training. His sister Ama said online: I still cant believe that my little brother has been taken from me. Another sister said: My brother wanted to change and wanted to make a change. Last night, dozens of friends gathered at the scene in St Marys Close for a vigil, lighting candles and saying prayers. A friend said: He helped young people to do positive things with their lives. He even took a group of kids to Parliament so their voices could be heard. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. We just hope we get justice for Kobi. Twelve people, including three teenagers, have been killed by knife attacks since New Years Eve. A family have praised a hero cabbie who refused to accept payment for a fare when he rushed them across London to be with their dying daughter. Katy Shaw, 62, and her husband Chris, 65, were in Oxford Street when they received a panicked phone call from their daughter Izzy, 24, who had found her twin sister Olivia unresponsive. The couple immediately hailed a black cab and directed it back to their home in Herne Hill, south London, while on the phone to Izzy and paramedics. But when they arrived, they received the heartbreaking news that Olivia had died. While the cause of death is not clear, her family believe it could be due to an underlying heart condition. Post mortem results are expected this week. Tragedy: Olivia Shaw's parents fear she died of an undiagnosed heart condition Mrs Shaw, a teacher, said: We jumped in a taxi and kept calling home for news, and of course for that whole journey, the longer the resuscitation was being attempted the more we realised it wasnt good. When we arrived back the paramedics were standing waiting for us. Mr Shaw, who is retired, added: Throughout the journey, the taxi driver was very calm about saying which way do you want me to go?. "He was really calm, going as fast as he could without endangering us or others. He was such a lovely guy. After the paramedics told the family Olivia had died, the taxi driver sobbed and refused to accept the fare. Mrs Shaw said: People always say that black cab drivers are too expensive or they do this or that but we were in such a state and he showed us so much compassion and how kindness can make a difference to other people, especially when they are in their darkest moments. I think he should be recognised generally by people for what he did and we thank him for being so generous to us. The paramedics were also fantastic, they were so calm and kind. They did everything they could and the way they told us was so sensitive. Her sister Izzy added: One police officer, who was about my age, was amazing, she really comforted me and the kids. They all had such dignity for Ollie and us, and everyone was so patient and respectful. We called my son Zacks school and told them what happened and they came and picked him up and took him to a counsellor. The family have started a fundraising campaign for medical research into unexplained deaths in honour of Olivia, who graduated from the University of Essex with a psychology degree last year. Mrs Shaw said: My family was perfect twin boys and twin girls. You cant a more perfect family. Its just unbelievable. I still think I have twin boys and twin girls. N HS England boss Simon Stevens has said Donald Trump has got the wrong end of the stick after the US President lashed out at the health service. Mr Trump trashed the NHS on Monday and said thousands of people were marching in the UK because the health service was going broke and not working. Downing Street appeared to slap down his comments and said that Theresa May was proud of the NHS and its funding was at a record high. NHS England chief executive Mr Stevens later said Mr Trump had "got the wrong end of the stick" and invited the president to visit its "brilliant" staff and services during his planned trip to the UK this year. Jeremy Hunt and Donald Trump get into Twitter spat over NHS Mr Stevens said Britain delivers healthcare for all at half the cost of the US system, telling the Commons Public Accounts Committee: "Unfortunately and respectfully I think we'd suggest that tweet got the wrong end of the stick and that in fact people in this country don't want to ditch our NHS, notwithstanding everything that we've been talking about today, they want to keep it and strengthen it. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at Downing Street in London on Monday / REUTERS "So our invitation in the NHS should the president be visiting later this year will be to spend time with brilliant doctors, hospitals, technology experts, scientists, hear about the cataract services, the hip replacements, the modern scanners, the world-first liver, heart and lung transplant, the genomic revolution, all under way here in the NHS and go away understanding that healthcare for everybody delivered at half the cost of the US healthcare system is something that people in this country are deeply and rightly committed to." Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said: "President Trump is lucky in that he can afford the best health care available. "But there are millions of patients who can't and I for one am proud to work within a health system that doesn't simply cast the poor and vulnerable aside." Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt also hit back by attacking the US system which leaves millions without adequate health cover. Mr Trump made his remarks as he targeted Democrats pushing for a British-style universal health system in the US. Mr Hunt responded with a tweet of his own, saying no-one protesting about the state of the NHS wanted a US-style system. "NHS may have challenges but I'm proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage - where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance," he said. Number 10 backed Mr Hunt in the dispute, saying: "Of course he speaks for the Government on these matters." President Donald Trump's first year in office - in pictures 1 /40 President Donald Trump's first year in office - in pictures U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington Reuters 20 January 2017 President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump are greeted by President Barack Obama and his wife first lady Michelle Obama, upon arriving at the White House in Washington, DC. before being sworn in as the nation's 45th president during an inaugural ceremony at the U.S. Capitol Getty Images 20 January 2017 President Barack Obama greets President Elect Donald Trump on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Getty Images 20 January 2017 Attendees line the Mall as they watch ceremonies to swear in Donald Trump on Inauguration Day in Washington, DC Getty Images 20 January 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump sings to the song "My Way" while dancing with first lady Melania Trump during the inaugural Liberty Ball at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC Getty Images 21 January 2017 White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer makes a statement to members of the media at the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC. This was Spicer's first press conference as Press Secretary where he spoke about the media's reporting on the inauguration's crowd size Getty Images 22 January 2017 US President Donald Trump congratulates Senior Counselor to the President Stephen Bannon during the swearing-in of senior staff in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC AFP 22 January 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with James Comey, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), during an Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception in the Blue Room of the White House in Washington, DC Getty Images 27 January 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May with U.S. President Donald Trump walk along The Colonnade at The White House Getty Images 09 February 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House February 9, 2017 in Washington, DC. Prior to signing the three executive orders, Trump participated in the swearing in ceremony for new Attorney General Jeff Sessions (R) along with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (L) and Sessions's wife Mary (2nd R) Getty Images 19 February 2017 Muslim women protest against US President Donald Trump on in Chicago, Illinois AFP/Getty Images 27 February 2017 Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway checks her phone after taking a photo as U.S. President Donald Trump and leaders of historically black universities and colleges pose for a group photo in the Oval Office of the White House before a meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence in Washington, DC AFP/Getty Images 17 March 2017 Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ivanka Trump talk before a meeting with US President Donald Trump and business leaders in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC AFP/Getty Images 23 March 2017 U.S. President Donald J. Trump gets in the driver's seat of an 18-wheeler while meeting with truck drivers and trucking CEOs on the South Portico prior to their meeting to discuss health care at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 23 March 2017. The House of Representatives has yet to vote on the Republican-crafted American Health Care Act, that would replace the Affordable Care Act, as it remained unclear whether Republicans had enough votes to overcome opposition from Democrats and those within their own party. EPA/JIM LO SCALZO EPA 17 April 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks from the Truman Balcony with first lady Melania Trump and their son Barron Trump during the 139th Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images 04 May 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump (C) speaks while flanked by House Republicans after they passed legislation aimed at repealing and replacing ObamaCare, during an event in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC. The House bill would still need to pass the Senate before being signed into law Getty Images 22 May 2017 US President Donald Trump visits the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray in Jerusalem's Old City AFP/Getty Images 24 May 2017 Pope Francis walks along with US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump during a private audience at the Vatican AFP/Getty Images 26 May 2017 European Council President Donald Tusk, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. President Donald Trump, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker pose for the group photo at the G7 Taormina summit on the island of Sicily on May 26, 2017 in Taormina, Italy. Leaders of the G7 group of nations, which includes the Unted States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy, as well as the European Union, are meeting at Taormina from May 26-27 Getty Images 7 July 2017 US President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, AFP/Getty Images 25 July 2017 Incoming White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci talks with reporters during 'Regional Media Day' at the White House July 25, 2017 in Washington, DC. Conservative media outlets were invited to set up temporary studios on the north side of the West Wing so to interview White House officials and members of President Donald Trump's cabinet Getty Images 28 July 2017 Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) leaves the the Senate chamber at the U.S. Capitol after voting on the GOP 'Skinny Repeal' health care bill on July 28, 2017 in Washington, DC. Three Senate Republicans voted no to block a stripped-down, or 'Skinny Repeal,' version of Obamacare reform Getty Images 22 August 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump looks up toward the Solar Eclipse while joined by his wife first lady Melania Trump on the Truman Balcony at the White House on August 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. Millions of people have flocked to areas of the U.S. that are in the "path of totality" in order to experience a total solar eclipse Getty Images 22 August 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a rally at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. An earlier statement by the president that he was considering a pardon for Joe Arpaio,, the former sheriff of Maricopa County who was convicted of criminal contempt of court for defying a court order in a case involving racial profiling, has angered Latinos and immigrant rights advocates Getty Images 15 September 2017 11-year-old Frank "FX" Giaccio (L) gets a pat on the back from U.S. President Donald Trump (C) while mowing the grass in the Rose Garden of the White House September 15, 2017 in Washington, DC. Giaccio, from Falls Church, Virginia, who runs a business called FX Mowing, wrote a letter to Trump expressing admiration for Trump's business background and offered to mow the White House grass Getty Images 03 October 2017 President Donald Trump waves as he arrives at the Muniz Air National Guard Base for a visit after Hurricane Maria hit the island in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The President has been criticized by some that say the governments response has been inadequate Getty Images 11 October 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pose for photographs after Trudeau's arrival at the White House in Washington, DC. The United States, Canada and Mexico engaged in renegotiating the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement Getty Images 23 October 2017 Seven of U.S. President Donald Trump's eight border wall prototypes are shown near completion along U.S.- Mexico border near San Diego, California Reuters 30 October 2017 Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort gets into his car after leaving federal court, October 30, 2017 in Washington, DC. Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the U.S. election Getty Images 06 November 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump pours fish food out as Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe looks on while they were feeding carps before their working lunch at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Japan Reuters 09 November 2017 China's President Xi Jinping (L) and US President Donald Trump review Chinese honour guards during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing AFP/Getty Images 21 November 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, their son Barron, National Turkey Federation Chairman Carl Wittenburg and his family and members of the Draper County, Minnesota, 4-H chapater pose for photographs after Trump pardoned, Drumstick, the National Thanksgiving Turkey in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC. Following the presidential pardon, the 40-pound White Holland breed which was raised by Wittenburg in Minnesota, will then reside at his new home, 'Gobbler's Rest,' at Virginia Tech Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images 30 November 2017 President Donald Trump and the first lady Melania Trump attend the 95th annual National Christmas Tree Lighting held by the National Park Service at the White House Ellipse in Washington, D.C. The Beach Boys, Wynonna, The Texas Tenors, Craig Campbell were among the artists who provided the entertainment Getty Images 01 December 2017 Michael Flynn, former national security advisor to President Donald Trump, leaves following his plea hearing at the Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington, DC. Special Counsel Robert Mueller charged Flynn with one count of making a false statement to the FBI Getty Images 06 December 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump signs a proclaimation that the U.S. government will formally recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel after signing the document in the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House December 6, 2017 in Washington, DC. In keeping with a campaign promise, Trump said the United States will move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem sometime in the next few years. No other country has its embassy in Jerusalem Getty Images 14 December 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump cuts a symbolic piece of red tape during an event at the White House promoting the administration's efforts to decrease federal regulations in Washington, DC. The administration has vowed to remove two regulations for every single regulation added in an effort to reduce the amount of bureaucratic "red tape" Getty Images 18 December 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump pauses during a speech at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC. The president was expected to outline a new strategy for U.S. foreign policy through the release of the periodic National Security Strategy, a document that aims to outline major national security concerns and the administration's plans to deal with them Getty Images 20 December 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump, flanked by Republican lawmakers, celebrates Congress passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the South Lawn of the White House on December 20, 2017 in Washington, DC. The tax bill is the first major legislative victory for the GOP-controlled Congress and Trump since he took office almost one year ago Getty Images 22 December 2017 A Palestinian protester throws a stone during clashes with Israeli forces near the Huwara checkpoint south of Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, as protests continue in the region amid anger over US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as its capital AFP/Getty Images 12 January 2018 US President Donald Trump shakes hands with White House Physician Rear Admiral Dr. Ronny Jackson, following his annual physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland AFP/Getty Images Mrs May's official spokesman said: "The Prime Minister is proud of having an NHS that is free at the point of delivery. "NHS funding is at a record high and was prioritised in the budget with an extra 2.8 billion. "In the recent Commonwealth Fund international survey, the NHS was rated the best in the world for a second time." The US president's comments were also condemned by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and the organisers of the pro-NHS demonstration highlighted by Mr Trump. The president's comments came shortly after former Ukip leader Nigel Farage appeared on one of Mr Trump's favourite US TV news shows to talk about the NHS. Piers Morgan interviews Donald Trump Mr Farage's appearance on Fox And Friends appeared to prompt Mr Trump's Twitter comment. In a follow-up message, the president thanked the show for "exposing the truth". Mr Trump's social media messages came after a crowd of thousands chanting "Save the NHS" descended on Downing Street on Saturday to demand more funding for the health service. The demonstration, called NHS In Crisis: Fix It Now, was organised by the People's Assembly and Health Campaigns Together. Responding to Mr Trump's comments the groups said they were campaigning against moves towards an "expensive, inefficient and unjust" US-style system. In a message to the president the groups said: "This is what our demonstration was about on Saturday February 3 and tens of thousands of British people want to show their love for the principles of universal and comprehensive care free at the point of use, paid for through general taxation. "We don't agree with your divisive and incorrect rhetoric. No thanks." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mr Trump was "wrong" and people were marching because "we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it". The public row is the latest controversy in Mr Trump's relationship with the UK ahead of his visit later this year which is expected to be marked by mass protests. He had previously caused consternation in Whitehall when he announced on Twitter he would not be attending the opening of the new US embassy in London, saying it was a "bad deal" and he did not like the location of the new building. It led to speculation he was unhappy after being rebuked by Mrs May for retweeting videos posted by the far-right Britain First group. D owning Street insisted on Monday that Britain would leave the EU's customs union after Brexit. The move comes amid bitter divisions within the Conservative Party over how Britains future trading relationship with the EU will look. Ministers have appeared at odds over the issue. Home Secretary Amber Rudd said the UK would have a customs relationship with the EU, while Housing Minister Dominic Raab said there would be no form of customs union. What is the customs union? Under the existing customs union, there are no tariffs levied on goods moving between members of the union, and there is also a common external tariff on all goods entering the union. Negotiations in international trade deals are conducted by the European Commission on behalf of all members of the customs union. The customs union prevents its members from negotiating trade deals with other countries. The vs A customs union In an effort to clarify the governments vision of Britains trading relationship with the EU after Brexit in March 2019, a Downing Street source said: It is not our policy to be in the customs union. It is not our policy to be in a customs union. The customs union is a shorthand term for the existing EU customs arrangement. Membership would mean Britain would remain part of the union until Brexit, and would be prevented under its terms from striking trade deals with other countries. A customs union: Britain could attempt to negotiate a similar deal to the EU customs union. The arrangement, reportedly being considered by Labour, would prevent Britain from being able to strike other trade deals but would allow close ties with the EU to be retained. What happens next? Prime Minister Theresa May and Brexit Secretary David Davis are to meet the EUs chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, on Monday for the start of the second phase of negotiations with Brussels. A momentum activist has been selected to contest a key Labour battleground seat despite being blocked from standing as a councillor in north-east London. Arch-Corbynite Steven Saxby last night won a vote to fight the Cities of London and Westminster seat by 199 to 191. But the Standard has learned that last year Reverend Saxby was told by local party chiefs that they did not want him to stand in elections in Waltham Forest. Labour sources revealed that they had concerns over his candidacy and political views, including sharing a platform at a high-profile local event with George Galloway. Activists in his new seat also expressed their concerns. One member of the local partys executive told the Standard: He is hugely divisive. Labour is, for the first time, a serious contender for the central London seat after Tory MP Mark Field saw his majority cut at last years general election. The party has already stepped up its campaigning in the area, regarded as one of the jewels in the Tory crown in the capital, since the Conservative lead fell from 9,671 to 3,148. More immediately, Labour also harbours hopes of staging a shock victory by taking Westminster City Council from the Tories in Mays local elections. Three separate sources in Waltham Forest Labour confirmed the local party had decided that Mr Saxby, who was supported by the Unite union and shadow chancellor John McDonnell, was not a suitable council candidate. They cited concern over his political views. A YouTube film from 2015 shows him at a mosque criticising the Government for extremism over bombing in Syria, as well as attacking the Prevent anti-radicalisation strategy which was stigmatising Muslim children. They raised his links with Mr Galloway, the firebrand Left-wing politician who was banned from the Labour party after standing against it at the 2015 election, after the pair were pictured attending an event at a mosque. Mr Saxby told the Standard: In line with the candidate code of conduct, I am unable to comment on the selection process. However, a source close to him said: These underhanded attacks dont dignify a response and smack of complete desperation of whoever is briefing this, rather than working for a Labour victory. The Cities of London and Westminster constituency party chair was unavailable for comment. Left-wingers in Haringey have set out their vision of municipal socialism ahead of the local elections. L loyds Banking Group has banned credit card customers from buying Bitcoin amid fears they could be left in debt as the cryptocurrency's value continues to plunge. The banking giant, which includes Halifax, MBNA and Bank of Scotland, is thought to be the first in the UK to ban credit card customers from borrowing to buy the digital currency, which has more than halved in value in recent months. Bitcoin's slide has led to concerns that people who borrow money to purchase it will be left with large debts if the virtual currency continues to depreciate. Significant numbers of people in Britain are thought to have bought Bitcoin as it surged in value, peaking at nearly 20,000 US dollars (14,465) in December. As news of Lloyds's ban emerged on Sunday the value was around 8,000 dollars (around 5,700). A spokeswoman for the banking group said: "Across Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland, Halifax and MBNA, we do not accept credit card transactions involving the purchase of cryptocurrencies." The move follows warnings by regulators in the US, South Korea, China, Russia and India over the cryptocurrency. Loading.... Germany's Bundesbank has also called for global regulation of Bitcoin and France's finance minister wants tougher rules for cryptocurrencies. Meanwhile, Facebook banned adverts for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies on its sites after recent criticism from users about scams and hoaxes being promoted in their newsfeed. Critics say cryptocurrencies are used by criminals and rogue states to carry out clandestine transactions. Earlier this month, US billionaire Warren Buffett ruled out a foray into cryptocurrencies, warning that the Bitcoin boom will "come to a bad ending". What is Bitcoin? Everything you need to know about the cryptocurrency The chairman and chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway has joined the chorus of voices criticising the digital currency. His comments came just a day after JP Morgan chief executive Jamie Dimon said he regretted calling Bitcoin a "fraud". Despite the slide, Bitcoin's current value is significantly higher than its 900 dollar (640) position recorded in January 2017. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. F acebook's Europe vice president has received an outpouring of public support after she revealed she has incurable blood cancer. Nicola Mendelsohn, 46, spoke out for the first time on Sunday about being diagnosed with follicular lymphoma just over a year ago. Writing in the Sunday Times Magazine, she discussed the heartbreak of telling her four children about her condition, describing it as the hardest moment of her life. She told how her youngest son, 13-year-old Zac, asked her Are you going to die? She said: It is not a conversation I could ever have imagined having with them, not even in my worst nightmares, until it hit me in the face. Facebook's Nicola Mendelsohn / AFP/Getty Images Posting the article on social media, she said the disease is relatively unknown and added that she was telling her story on World Cancer Day in the hope of raising awareness. She wrote: "I often talk about how people can seize their own destiny, so its tough to be reminded that there are things you cant control. "Just over a year ago I was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma a slow developing cancer of the white blood cells that's not rare and that has no cure. "It is quite an unknown disease which is why I've decided to raise awareness by telling my story in the hope of driving research and a better understanding of it." Scores of well-wishers have posted on her Facebook and Twitter accounts, including organisations such as Lymphoma Association and Women in Marketing. Adjust Your Set founder Chris Gorell Barnes described Mrs Mendelsohn as so brave, while chief executive of M&G Investments Anne Richards said: You are one brave and amazing lady. Nikki Mendonca, global president of intelligent marketing operations at Accenture, wrote: Inspiring article! You are one brave lady! Sending lots of love & support! David Wheedon, group director of policy and public affairs at Sky, added: Thank you for sharing Nicola. It will mean a great deal to a great many people. Countless others took to Facebook describing Mrs Mendelsohn, the wife of Labour peer Lord Mendelsohn, as an inspiration and thanking her for sharing her story. She revealed that when she was diagnosed in November 2016 she was fit and had not been feeling tired or unwell, but noticed a lump on her groin. A CT scan showed she had tumours all over her body. She wrote that the cancer is slow growing but currently incurable, adding that 60 per cent of those living with lymphomas live more than 10 years. B ritish Airways cancelled 80 short-haul flights out of London Heathrow as the capital was gripped by a freezing cold snap. Sleet and snow flurries fell in parts of the capital on Monday morning including in Greenwich and Clapham, while wintry conditions had also swept across other parts of south-east England including Kent and Essex. Weather experts believe it will be one of the coldest weeks of the winter so far - and parts of the UK were blighted by sub-zero temperatures overnight. British Airways made adjustments to short-haul flights out of Heathrow on Monday and Tuesday over safety concerns caused by the predicted poor weather. The airline said aircraft had to be de-iced prior to departure to ensure safety. Will it snow in your area this week? Flights affected included trips to Aberdeen, Milans Linate airport and services to Manchester, Dublin and Edinburgh. More than 10,000 passengers have been rebooked on other services, the Independent reported. A British Airways spokesman said: On Sunday, due to the predicted poor weather, we proactively made some adjustments to our short-haul schedules on Monday and Tuesday. Snow is expected in almost every part of the UK, forecasters said on Monday / Getty Images We operate around 800 flights a day, with the majority of those operating as normal. During cold weather conditions aircraft have to be de-iced prior to departure to ensure that they are safe and additional measures are taken to ensure the safety of our operation is maintained at all times. We are sorry for any disruption to our customers' travel plans and will do all we can to minimise the effect the weather has on our operations. We would advise customers to arrive at the airport in plenty of time and to check ba.com for the latest information about their flights. British Airways customers vented their frustration at the cancellations. Snow in UK January 21 2018 1 /17 Snow in UK January 21 2018 People use umbrellas to shelter from a snowfall in central London PA Snow falls in central London on Sunday PA Snowfall at Alexandra Palace, London, on Sunday Members of the public waiting at bus stop during a snowfall at Alexandra Palace, London PA People walk during a snowfall at Alexandra Palace, London PA A person drives a vehicle in snowy conditions in Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales National Park PA People shield their faces in snowy conditions in Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales National Park PA Sheep in snow near Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales National Park PA A train in snowy conditions at the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales National Park PA Elizabeth Lewin, 10, (left) and Matthew, 13, in a snow tunnel near Newby Head Farm in the Yorkshire Dales National Park PA Isobella Bellamy, Katie Walls and Lucy Walls sledging near Newby Head Farm in the Yorkshire Dales National Park PA Snow weighs down on very early daffodils in Tring, Hertfordshire, on Sunday Snow in Tring, Hertfordshire JEREMY SELWYN Cross country runners set off through heavy snow around Peebles in the Scottish Borders PA Cross country runners around Peebles in the Scottish Borders PA A man runs during snow fall in Buxton Derbyshire, on Sunday REUTERS A woman walks a dog during snow fall in Buxton, Derbyshire REUTERS Joyce Cawthorpe said: Very disappointing @British_Airways cancelled my flight from #Aberdeen to #Heathrow tonight - no explanation, no compensation - will choose @flybe next time #customerservice #disappointing. Another customer said: My brothers flight from Manchester to Heathrow also cancelled by British Airways. Adverse weather apparently, shambolic! Sophie Clarke said: Thank you @British_Airways - first time I choose to fly with you and I only find out from a colleague that youve cancelled our flight. No text, email or anything to let me know! And you rebooked me without consulting me. #disappointed #britishairways. Forecasters said a cold air front would bring heavy snow to north-west Scotland and Northern Ireland in the evening. It will work its way into north Wales and north-west England overnight and into the south-east during Tuesday. M otorists are being warned of treacherous conditions on the roads this morning with travel disruption expected after a night of freezing temperatures and wintry showers. The Met Office has issued a weather warning for snow and ice in London and the South East which is in place until 10am today, on what is predicted to be the coldest week of the winter so far. The "heavy snowfall" has led to a series of accidents on the M20, with Kent Police warning drivers to be aware of "changing road conditions". Dramatic images shared on social media show an overturned car and a heavy emergency services presence on the motorway. Crash: Police are warning drivers to take extra care on roads after responding to incidents overnight / Kent Police The Met Office said: Wintry showers are expected to affect southeast England through Sunday night and Monday morning. Some roads and railways are likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services. Some icy patches are likely to develop on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths. Further weather warnings for snow and ice across the country are in place from Monday evening until Tuesday afternoon as the country endures a fiercely cold spell. Forecasters predict that between 1-3cm of snow is possible away from the coasts and up to 5cm in areas above 200 metres. Experts say ice is expected to develop across western Scotland and Northern Ireland during this period. Looking further ahead, a fourth yellow warning comes into play from 5am on Tuesday until 9am on Wednesday affecting the Highlands, Northern Ireland, south-west Scotland, Lothian and Borders, Strathclyde, Wales and south-west England. Craig Snell, forecaster with the Met Office, said the whole country will be affected over the next few days. He said: "We've got a weather warning which came into force from 6pm on Sunday which affects the east coast of England. "Untreated surfaces will be prone to some ice and there could be some disruption to travel." Windy Weather: January 2018 - In pictures 1 /13 Windy Weather: January 2018 - In pictures Commuters battle to work against high winds near Euston Station Jeremy Selwyn Gusts of up to 90mph are to hit parts of Scotland Jeremy Selwyn In the capital strong winds and heavy rain will arrive by lunchtime Jeremy Selwyn It comes after Storm Georgina arrived overnight Jeremy Selwyn The storm is the seventh named of the season Jeremy Selwyn Flooding, power outages and travel disruption are expected Jeremy Selwyn The storm will clear in the south east by Wednesday evening Jeremy Selwyn A cold front will move east from the North Atlantic throughout the morning Jeremy Selwyn Temperatures should drop by 'around 5C', forecasters warned Jeremy Selwyn Londoners faced a soggy commute early on Wednesday Jeremy Selwyn Gusts could reach 50mph in the capital Jeremy Selwyn The conditions will be 'unpleasant' for drivers Jeremy Selwyn People can expect a wet, blustery lunchtime break, forecasters warned Jeremy Selwyn Snow is expected to fall on hills above 100 metres in Northern Ireland early on Tuesday morning. But the warning has been extended to include Wales, West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humber from Monday night. S now brought chaos to one of the commuter belts busiest motorways as a series of pile-ups blocked the M20. Police warned of treacherous conditions for drivers in Sussex and Kent with heavy snow showers and ice turning roads into skating rinks. The worst incidents were on the M20 in Kent near Maidstone where there were at least five multiple vehicle crashes involving as many as 15 cars, although there were no reports of major injuries. Kent Police urged motorists to slow down and said in a tweet: Its now full on Millennium Falcon at light speed weather now over a lot of our network. So watch your speed and sudden road changes. Watch out for static vehicles and drive safely #goinglightspeed #snowontheroad #drivewithcare. Emergency services respond to an incident on the M20 in Kent where the tarmac turned into an 'ice rink' One witness, @cmbundock, said on Twitter: Ive never see anything like this! Absolute carnage with vehicles overturned, abandoned and facing the wrong way on the hard shoulder! Expensive day for the insurance companies! All because people dont adapt their driving to the conditions! Rail passengers were also hit with delays on some Southern Rail routes due to ice building up on the electrified rail as around 3cm of snow settled. Police halted traffic to deal with crashes on the M20 The Met Office issued a yellow warning for for snow and ice for London, South East England and parts of East Anglia. The cold snap is likely to continue most of this week with a new low temperature for this winter expected to be set in the Scottish Highlands tomorrow night. The coldest night of the year so far was on January 21 in Kinbrace and Altnaharra in Scotland where the mercury fell to minus 13.7 centigrade. Five year old Scarlett Cox plays in the snow on her way to school in Tunbridge Wells London is also expected to suffer a heavy frost with temperatures falling to minus 4C. Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said the first full week of February would be one of our coldest weeks of this winter so far. He added: Its going to be a cold week, plenty of dry weather around, but many places will probably see some snow at some point during the week, but for a lot of us not really amounting to much at all. A snow and ice weather warning has been issued for Wales, Northern Ireland, most of Scotland and northern England, beginning tonight from 8pm and continuing until 3pm tomorrow. A spell of rain, sleet and increasingly snow will move east across the UK, gradually weakening across England and Wales. The Local Government Association said 1.5 million tonnes of salt had been had been stockpiled to cope with the cold snap. Gritters will be out treating thousands of miles of roads as the big chill bites, and councils will be keeping people up-to-date about weather forecasts, road conditions and gritting activity, said transport spokesman councillor Martin Tett. A chemical found in McDonalds chips could cure baldness, new research suggests. Scientists in Japan found that a chemical used to cook the fast food giant's fries helped to cure hair loss in mice and are hopeful it could do the same in humans. Using a chemical called dimethylpolysiloxane found in silicone which is added to oil to cook fries researchers were able to produce follicles which could sprout human hair. Silcone is usually added to fries to prevent the oil bubbling and spitting. When the cells were cultured in the cooking aid they grew 5000 hair follicle germs simultaneously, scientists said. The follicle germs were then transplanted into bald mice that began to sprout fur within days. Scientists say that preliminary tests suggest that the technique could work in humans. Researchers said that the reason the chemical was so effective in encouraging hair growth was due to the fact that oxygen easily passes through it. We demonstrated that the integrity of the oxygen supply through the bottom of the silicone chip was crucial to enabling both HFG formation and subsequent hair shaft generation, Prof Junji Fukuda, of Yokohama National University told The Mirror. Scientists hope that the discovery will eventually be able to be used to treat hair loss diseases. T he only terrorist to survive the Islamic State attack on Paris that killed 130 people today went on trial, telling a judge: Im not afraid. Salah Abdeslam, 28, was flanked by two special forces police officers brandishing machineguns and wearing balaclavas at the Palais de Justice in Brussels. He refused to stand, refused to confirm his personal details and claimed he would remain silent during the four-day process. He faces up to 40 years in jail if found guilty of terror charges along with alleged accomplice Sofien Ayari, 24, from Tunisia. Abdeslam was the alleged quartermaster of the attacks in Paris on November 13, 2015, and is said to have planned to blow himself up outside the Stade de France, but dropped the device into a bin. Salah Abdeslam sitting in court today with his alleged accomplice Sofien Ayari / AFP He became Europes most wanted man until he was captured in Belgium four months later. Todays trial relates to a shootout with police in Brussels in March 2016. Abdeslam and two suspects were hiding in an apartment when police arrived for a routine search. Three officers were wounded in a gunfight and one suspect was killed. Abdeslam a French citizen born to Moroccan parents in Brussels was captured days later on March 18. He and Ayari are accused of the possession of weapons and attempted murder in a terrorist context. Marie-France Keutgen, the president of the judges bench, asked Abdeslam why he refused to stand up in court. Im tired, he claimed, to which the judge said he should show some respect and get off his seat. She then asked him why he had bothered turning up. Ive been asked to come, Im here, Im being accused, so Im here, Abdeslam replied. Im staying silent, its my right, it doesnt make me a criminal. Its my defence. I want it to be based on scientific and tangible evidence. He claimed: What I see is Muslims being judged and treated in the worst possible way. He added: Im not afraid of you, Im not afraid of your allies. C anadian university student unions were baffled after receiving a series of bizarre packages containing electronics including sex toys. Anonymous packages were sent via Amazon to more than 10 student organisations across the country. Some universities, including the University of Regina Students' Union and the student union at Lakehead University in Ontario, received more than 15 of the "strange" items. While it was initially thought to be an elaborate hoax, police have since been called on to investigate, according to reports. Thunder Bay, Ontario, RCMP Constable Darryl Waruk said the items were coming from distributors in China, according to the CBC. Packages have included phone chargers, head phones, light bulbs and a number of sex toys. "One was like a mint greenish multi-setting vibrator with like a rose gold end," Ryerson University student union vice president Camryn Harlick told campus paper The Eyeopener, which broke the story. Amazon said it is investigating the parcels, the CBC reported, which it said "violates [their] policies". The University of Manitoba Student Union donated a sex toy to an LGBTQ group to be given out as a free prize during an event. President of the union Tanjit Nagra said: "I was thinking it was kind of strange that we got this package." L awyers today warned that flagship new powers which aim to stop London property being bought with stolen fortunes could fail to purge the capital of corrupt oligarchs. Under the new unexplained wealth orders, those suspected of living off criminal profits could be ordered by the courts to prove where their money came from and face losing their assets if they fail to do so. The measure has been hailed by security minister Ben Wallace and the Governments anti-corruption champion, the MP John Penrose, as a vital new weapon in the fight against dirty money. The Kremlins business czar Boris Titov suggested that London could lose its status as a haven for the rich, with up to 40 exiles said to be considering leaving Britain. But leading London criminal defence lawyer, Peter Binning, said today that the new orders, which can be obtained under legislation which came into force last week, could be difficult to secure. He said this was because, although the burden of proof will be shifted on to the suspect to prove the source of their wealth, prosecutors would still have to provide evidence to counter the case put forward by an overseas tycoon. O ne of the worlds leading investigators into the illegal ivory and rhino horn trade has been found stabbed to death in Kenya. Esmond Bradley Martin, 75, was found unresponsive with a stab wound to his neck at his home in Nairobi on Sunday. Police investigating his death in the city suspect it was the result of a botched robbery, according to reports. The former UN special envoy for rhino conservation was well known for his work exposing the illegal ivory trade. He was at the forefront of exposing ivory traffickers in places including the US, Congo, Vietnam, Nigeria, Angola, China and more recently in Myanmar, according to conservationist Paula Kahumbu. He was in the process of writing up his findings when he died, the BBC reported. Martin was found dead by a family member who went to check on him after he did not respond to phone calls, the head of criminal investigations in the capital city was reported as saying. British High Commissioner to Kenya Nic Hailey said of Martin in a Twitter post: Shocked and very sad to hear of the death of Esmond Bradley Martin. A passionate and committed man who made a big difference to our planet. May he rest in peace. Conservation group Save the Elephants described Martin as "a longtime ally," a passionate champion of wildlife and meticulous researcher. J amie Dornan has revealed he wont be appearing in any future Fifty Shades of Grey projects as he is getting too old for it. The actor, who plays lead role Christian Grey in the erotic thriller, divulged the details during an interview about the third film with Lorraine Kelly. The 35-year-old was quizzed by the host as to whether the brand new film, Fifty Shades Freed, is the last of the raunchy instalments. Dornan said: Yeah I think so. Theres no other books. Erica wrote the first two books again from Christians perspective, but I guess weve done those films, the same stories, so they wont be doing that again. TODO: define component type brightcove Unless Erica keeps writing, but Dakota and I are particularly me, Im getting too old for this. The Fall actor has made it clear on a number of occasions that hes keen to retire his Fifty Shades persona. Speaking to The Sun, he said: We have done two movies back to back now, and Im actually finished with it. Ive done Fifty Shades forever. I move on very fast in my mind. As much as from the outside people think you are synonymous with one character, but Im very much like, Right, thats done and move on to the next project and worry about that character. Jamie Dornan - in pictures 1 /6 Jamie Dornan - in pictures Chiselled and bearded Jamie Dornan Premiere Sam Taylor-Johnson and Jamie Dornan 50 Shades of Grey co stars Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson In the buff Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey All scrubbed up Jamie Dornan Eye candy alert Dornan pictured with Calvin Klein models at House of Fraser The Northern Irish model also revealed that his wife, Amelia Warner, is yet to watch a single movie from the series. He said: Shes very supportive of them all, shes been to every premiere and was there for the entirety of filming, all three of them. J ohn Boyega has hailed Daniel Kaluuya a king after he revealed he once waited for him at a stage door. The Star Wars actor revealed he once received words of wisdom from the Black Mirror actor. Taking to social media to rave about Kaluuya, Boyega said: A few years ago I waited at the stage door to meet Daniel after his phenomenal performance and he was kind enough to speak to me giving me much needed wisdom for the future. Cut to 2018 and were both being honoured on the same night. Congrats king. Both Kaluuya and Boyega attended the Santa Barbara Film Festival on Sunday where they were honoured with Virtuoso awards. Fans were quick to take to social media to admire the duo for their open admiration. One fan said: Kings of inspiration and growth!! congrats to the both of you!! Another posted KINGS. A third tweeted: Honour, humility and grace. Kaluuya is also up for the coveted Best Actor gong at this year's Academy Awards after being nominated for his role in Jordan Peele's Get Out. Speaking to the LA Times about the nod he said: I know you've got to be professional, but this is funny, you have to enjoy it with me! Like, joyous vibrations. Countries & Areas Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia Zimbabwe Funny how time slips away. Seven years have passed before one could wink an eye. On Feb. 5, 2011 the landmark New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty entered into force. Russia and the US have complied with its terms. From now on, the strategic nuclear arsenals do not exceed the limits of 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads and 700 delivery vehicles operationally deployed. The treatys provisions include an effective verification regime with on-site inspections conducted to promote trust. This is a great achievement. After all, arms reduction agreements have always been a tough sell. No doubt, February 5 is a special day in history. It makes one wonder what is in store for arms control. While the treaty was being negotiated, one could see many people working with candor, dedication and mutual respect. Diplomats, military, politicians, pundits and interpreters spared no effort. They all realized how important their work was. The spirit was really high. Everyone involved in the process cherished the hope that it was the start of a broader process to make the world better. Those days are gone and the spirit is no longer here. But all is not doom and gloom as long as the parties meet their obligations. The New START expires in 2021 if not extended till 2026. Not much time is left but the US has indicated no interest in prolonging the treatys duration. The 2018 Nuclear Posture Review does not say anything about the extension and there are no talks on further reductions amid numerous problems to complicate the bilateral relationship. President Trump denounced the New START in a phone conversation with President Putin. According to him, its a bad deal and he wants to change its terms. America is to launch a $1 trillion, 30-year modernization program to have a new ICBM, a new bomber, a new submarine, and a new cruise missile. If ship-based intermediate range weapons are deployed near Russias shores, Moscow will have to take the threat into account, viewing them as an addition to the strategic potential. The US wants to re-equip some of the strategic bombers and submarines to carry conventional weapons. Nothing is decided, but it can be surmised that some Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers could be refitted the same way it was done in the 1990s when Rockwell B-1 Lancers were converted into conventional weapons carriers. It was done with Russias consent. More Ohio-class strategic submarines could be modified to carry cruise missiles and other conventional weapons. It can be done only if Russia says yes. According to the New START, Russia has a right to monitor the process and make sure the modifications cannot be rolled back. Will the US comply? It does not say it will. There is a very important aspect to take into account at this point. Both countries greatly benefit as they exchange precious information about the strategic nuclear forces. If not for the information exchange envisaged by the treaty, the parties would be left with no insight into what the other side is doing. It will be a large order to monitor each other's nuclear arsenals. Some Republicans want to link the extension of the New START with the resolution of dispute over the INF Treaty. Why should one of the two remaining major arms control treaties be sacrificed if the other one hits a hurdle is not clear but thats what Republican Senators Tom Cotton, Ron Johnson and Marco Rubio believe is right. This approach is offered in a bill to put into question the future of arms control. The entire system of arms control could soon unravel. It has never been that bad ever since the Partial Test Ban Treaty was signed in 1963. Today disarmament appears to be no longer an integral part of the US-Russia relationship. So, what do we have? There is no ground to believe the New START, the agreement that has served the purpose so well, will be extended. Its hope against hope. President Trump has criticized his predecessors for their arms control policies. It can be said with a high degree of certainty that the US will not come up with any new initiatives of its own. True, with no new agreements discussed, it would be prudent to extend the New START till 2026. Such a decision seems to be no-brainer but prudence does not appear to be in high esteem anymore. US allies in Europe want the treaty to stay in force. But no, America indicates no intent to behave like a responsible actor. With no curbs on nuclear activities in place, an unfettered arms race is inevitable. Its a pity, because arms control is the area where Russia and America could work together, putting aside tensions that negatively affect the ties. It is claimed that Russia is menacing Britain. Please dont burst out laughing. This is a serious business. The defence minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the colourful Mr Gavin Williamson, told enthralled readers of the xenophobic right wing Daily Telegraph newspaper (a sad and stumbling shadow of its former distinguished self) that Russia is a real threat to the UK. Williamson wrote that Russia was examining energy cables and pipelines between the UK and the EU, and warned that sabotage could come by a cyber-attack, missile or undersea activity. He asked Why would they keep photographing and looking at power stations, why are they looking at the interconnectors that bring so much electricity and so much energy into our country? And well he might ask that question, because all that anyone needs to do is tap Google Search and up will come dozens of maps showing exactly where power stations are located, by type, in Britain. Here is just one example, published by the UKs Daily Mail newspaper. And heres Pembroke Combined Cycle Power Plant in west Wales. There are thousands of maps and photographs published showing power plants, pipelines and cables all over Europe. And Russia, like other countries, has satellites that show in exquisite detail everything that is capable of being photographed. If it wants information about any of the creaking power infrastructure in poor old Britain there is no need to send a spook out of John Le Carre to look at power stations. The BBC pointed this out to its listeners in reporting the comment by Russias defence Ministry spokesman that for the minister's information, all data regarding the location of British power stations and pipelines is as secret as, for instance, photographs and the location of Westminster Abbey or Big Ben. The absurdity of Williamsons excited warning tends to erode his reputation for high intelligence, but then it is only too often, as observed in the analysis Clever Sillies, that the most intelligent people are more likely than those of average intelligence to have novel but silly ideas, and therefore to believe and behave maladaptively. Williamson is not alone in delivering breath-taking allegations of the supposedly active Russian danger. The BBC noted that he was backed by former First Sea Lord [civilian head of the Royal Navy] and security minister Lord West, who told the paper he was absolutely certain Russia was looking at how to get into the UK's critical infrastructure. His words echoed those of the head of the National Cyber Security Centre, Ciaran Martin, who alleged that Russia had already staged attacks against Britain's media, telecommunications and energy sectors over the past year. Then came the observation that all this comes as the Ministry of Defence is under pressure to avoid cuts that could be coming from the Treasury. When needing money, it is most tempting for politicians and their adherents to conjure up a threat that can be neither disproved nor discounted and is attractive to believe. These people dont need to provide evidence to back up their assertions (look at Trump), and the magic word patriotism is always implied, hanging unsaid but majestically dominant over those whose prudence and rationality are always defeated by the hype of contrived nationalistic fervour. Thats how the manic promoters of Brexit have managed to do so much damage to the essentially decent spirit of the people of the United Kingdom, and polarise the nation. It appears that Mr Williamson is trying his best to obtain a lot of money out of an unwilling finance ministry (the Treasury) in order to stop or at least slow down the decline in effectiveness of Britains Army, Navy and Air Force, which attracted the attention of the UKs satirical magazine Private Eye some months ago: There is no doubt that Britains defence forces are in a parlous state. They are at their lowest strength for over a century, and their capabilities have declined alarmingly. On February 4 the BBC reported that A government review has proposed axing up to 2,000 marines and the Royal Navy's two specialist landing ships, but a Commons Defence Select Committee report said such cuts would be militarily illiterate, which is far from reassuring to those remaining in the sadly depleted armed services. When I joined the British Army in 1958 the strength of the Royal Artillery, alone, was some 80,000. The most recent reports indicate that the entire army now numbers 77,440 fully trained regular soldiers. Not only that, but good soldiers are leaving the army (as I hear in London which Im visiting as I write this piece) because their conditions of service are terrible and the dreaded outsourcing of support services Britains disastrous privatisation racket has badly affected the ethos of the military family, be that centred on land, sea or air. But Williamson is not noted for his devotion to family, either his own or others. He is utterly bereft of sympathy or solicitude for those members of society who are disadvantaged through no fault of their own. For example, in Parliament he has consistently voted against measures to advance equality and human rights while voting in favour of reducing peoples benefits, and against raising them at least in line with prices. He has also voted against paying higher benefits over longer periods for those unable to work due to disability or illness. He voted against making it illegal for people to discriminate against others on the basis of caste and in favour of repealing the Human Rights Act 1998. You get the picture : hes hardly a caring and compassionate human being. According to the British Government The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly. Were working with businesses, local authorities, charities and community organisations to support the forces through services, policy and projects. Yet it is a matter of record that Mr Williamson voted against strengthening this covenant. He has voted against a legally binding covenant set out in law and against public bodies considering the effects of peoples service in the forces when setting healthcare, education and housing policies. Given his history of intolerance, coldness and insensitivity Williamson is hardly the sort of defence minister to engender support and respect from the armed forces, but that factor would not even enter his mind. What is uppermost in his mind is that the way to the political top of the Conservative Party is to attract attention and headlines and that one way of achieving publicity is to jump on the anti-Russia bandwagon by declaring that Russia is determined to Damage [Britains] economy, rip its infrastructure apart, actually cause thousands and thousands and thousands of deaths, but actually have an element of creating total chaos within the country. Fortunately, in addition to the editors of Britains Private Eye magazine, some other people and organisations have a sense of humour and treated Williamsons nutty outburst with calm derision. Russias defence ministry spokesman, Major General Igor Konashenkov, summed it up in a way that got a lot of positive attention in Britain. His pithy observation was that Gavin Williamson in his fiery crusade for military budget money appears to have lost his grasp on reason. His fears about Russia getting pictures of power plants and studying the routes of British pipelines are worthy of a comic plot or a Monty Python's Flying Circus sketch. Farce marches on. After 14 years of negotiations South Korea shipbuilder Kangnam has given up on working out a deal with India to build 24 badly needed MCMV (mine countermeasures vessels). Actually there were two efforts to negotiate a deal. The first one was delayed mainly by the anti-corruption measures India created to reduce misconduct in its procurement bureaucracy. But in many cases these measures are used to delay procurement decisions until those complaining (often a member of parliament) gets something in return. Not cash, of course, as that would be corruption, but something technically legal (like a future favor). To get needed purchases made the government has to tolerate these forms of legal corruption. As a result the quite lengthy delays continue. This killed the original deal in 2014 at which point India, desperate to obtain modern MCMVs offered a different arrangement where Kangnam would negotiate with an commercial Indian shipyard in Goa (a politically well-connected area) to license South Korean technology (much of it from Kangnam) and other South Korean manufacturers so that many of the components could be built in India under license. That effort also fell apart, apparently because Kangnam refused to accept responsibility if an Indian manufacturer failed to maintain quality standards. There were also problems with India guaranteeing that South Korean patents and trade secrets would be respected. The Indians insisted there would be no problems but the problems with the Indian defense bureaucracy and defense manufacturers are no secret and India admitted that by its continued unwillingness to provide written guarantees (with quick settlement of claims) was a major cause of Kangnam giving up. In 14 years the South Koreans obtained an expensive and painful education in why selling to India is so unpopular. The procurement scams the Indians continue to use are numerous. For example it is common for Indian defense officials to lie about the quality or quantity of engineers and technical specialists it has available in the government procurement bureaucracy to quickly and accurately transfer the foreign technical data to the Indian manufacturers. In addition it was common for Indian firms that were selected to manufacture high tech components via license to either misrepresent their capabilities or later claim at the last minute that they did not have the personnel or equipment to handle the job. Then there were often delays as state owned defense manufacturing firms argued with each other and the government over which of them would be in charge of managing the Indian work on license built foreign components. These disputes also involve efforts by state owned defense firms to get more political support for increasing pressure on foreign suppliers to give ground on exporting defense tech to India. What no one wants to say openly is that the corruption in India, especially in defense matters, is epic and most Western defense exporters do not trust the Indians unless there are strong (and embarrassing to Indian officials) legal guarantees about the security of exported tech. Kangnam had seen enough failures and broken promises in all this and after 14 years realized the best thing they could do was walk away. India badly needs modern MCMVs and South Korea ships are regarded as among the best in world. The South Korea mine hunters are 885 ton ships have a non-metallic hull and modifications to their engines and electrical gear to reduce noise and magnetic emissions. This reduces vulnerability to multi-sensor naval mines. Each of these MCMVs has a crew of 77 and is armed with two twin 30mm autocannon for defense. Top speed is 28 kilometers an hour, but the ship tends to operate at much slower speeds. All these advantages are the result of South Korean firms, mainly Kangnam, developing new technologies that they guard diligently. The Indians began the procurement effort in 2004 because the only mine hunting vessels they had were a dozen Russian ships they had obtained in the late 1970s. These ships are worn out and even in 2004 it was believed the last of them would be retired by 2020 and that still holds although the Indian Navy believes it can keep a few of the elderly Russian mine hunters operational until 2021. But these ships use technology that is practically useless against modern mines. The most dangerous mines are bottom mines, which lie on the bottom of shallow coastal waters. These mines are effective in waters up to 26 meters (80 feet) deep. To deal with these mines a high-definition sonar seeks out the mine sitting on the ocean floor and then sends down a USVs (unmanned seagoing vehicle, a miniature submarine) down to place an explosive charge then back off as the explosion destroys the bottom mine. The USVs are connected to the mine hunter via a fiber optic cable so the crew can see what is down there and operate the USV. Some USVs are built to be destroyed in the explosion, because they are simpler and cheaper to build that way and are simply considered am underwater guided missile. The Indian Navy believes it needs 24 modern mine hunters (16 on the west coast and eight on the east coast) to keep major Indian ports open in wartime. The navy began a formal search for a new mine hunter in 2005. The notoriously sluggish Indian military procurement system performed as expected and dragged out the process endlessly. The government says it is going to solicit manufacturers again to bid on building up to 24 MCMVs. There are only a handful of firms in the world capable to building what India needs. These include Kangnam, Intermarine (Italy), Navantia (Spain), Lockheed Martin (U.S.), ThyssenKrupp (Germany) and Russia, where MCMV building is still a state run entity that cannot match Western tech. Then there is China, which has improved on Russian designs and has a lot of tech stolen from the West. China also has its own technology and companies capable to building to world standards. But China is considered the major military threat to India and is not being asked to bid on the MCMV contract. With this new effort to find an MCMV supplier it will be a minimum of eight years before India gets the first ship and by then India will have to train crews from scratch because there will be no veteran mine hunter sailors to transfer to the new ships. The July 2017 peace plan the UN sponsored and still supports is still serving as an outline for national unification. This is supposed to be accomplished by national elections before the end of 2018. The UN backed GNA (Government of National Accord in Tripoli) has become less able to compete in those elections than the technically outlaw (according to the UN) HoR (House of Representatives government in Tobruk) which now controls or contests control in most of the country. The July 2017 agreement has been amended and extended several times and that has delayed plans for a nationwide ceasefire, an exact date for national elections and UN recognition of the LNA (Libyan National Army). The current understanding is that that elections will be held in 2018 and that the HoR is recognized as the major political player in the country. In late 2017 the HNEC (High National Elections Commission in Libya) began registering voters and by 2018 had determined that there were about 1.8 million potential voters and had shown that it was possible to register nearly all of them by mid-2018. Most local leaders agree that elections should be held this year and that there should be no foreign military intervention. The Libyans do welcome foreign investment and the improved security situation has more nations (like Germany) announcing that they will soon reopen their embassies in Tripoli. Currently the only two people likely to win a fair national election for president is Seif al-Islam Kaddafi (a son of the former dictator) and Khalifa Hiftar. This would be an ironic match because Hiftar was once a general in Kaddafis army, but disagreed with the dictator and fled to the United States in 1990 with the help of the CIA. When the Libyan revolution broke out in 2011 Hiftar returned to Libya and joined the rebels. The first post-Kaddafi elections in 2012 had nearly three million people voting. But since then many Libyans have fled the country or have given up on elections and just want peace. They might even elected Seif Kaddafi, who never held a government job and was considered the good son of the former dictator. Nevertheless he is still wanted by the ICC for war crimes (during 2011) and was convicted by a GNA court but later freed and granted full amnesty by HoR (at the behest of Hiftar). The UN now admits that they ignored the complexity of local politics in Libya and the ability of many local groups to block a nation-wide deal. It turned out that the HoR and their military leader Khalifa Hiftar had a lot more nationwide support than the UN or GNA realized or wanted to admit. HoR also had the LNA which has been demonized by many Europeans for a number of reasons most Libyans and Arab nations disagree with. The LNA was created by Hiftar and is the only organized and disciplined military force in the country. The LNA was initially founded to shut down Islamic terrorist groups and Libyan militias that supported them in eastern Libya. In contrast the GNA tried to build a national government with the support of militias, many of them supporting a new government using Islamic (Sharia) law and most Libyans had had enough of that because it was a tactic the former dictator Kaddafi has used to rule the country for decades until the 2011 revolution killed him and destroyed his hated government. The UN and EU (European Union) were also appalled by Hiftars harsh tactics against the people smuggling gangs that were responsible for most illegal of the illegal migrants arriving in Europe. Some EU countries (like Italy and France) backed Hiftar early on but more importantly so did most Libyans. Hiftar has said that because of national support the LNA could easily take Tripoli, the traditional capital if the UN negotiations failed. But Hiftar also pointed out that Tripoli was not a priority, dealing with smuggling gangs, Islamic terrorists and corruption in general was. Another advantage Hiftar had was that he was from eastern Libya and neighboring Egypt was keen to support his counterterrorism efforts. In contrast the GNA in the west had tiny Tunisia and mighty Algeria as neighbors. While Tunisia was where the 2011 Arab Spring revolution began (and one of the few places where it succeeded) Tunisia had all it could handle fighting local Islamic terrorists and those coming from Libya. Despite all this experience in fighting Islamic terrorism Algeria refuses to send troops to support any military operations outside Algeria, particularly in Libya or Mali. One can understand the reluctance to get involved with the civil war in Libya. Algeria does take sides. For example Algeria continues to side with Qatar in its feud with the other Gulf Arab oil states (and their allies, like Egypt and Israel). That means Algeria backs the UN faction in Libya while the UAE and most other Arab states back the HoR/Hiftar group. Actually Algeria was reluctant to back the UN approved government for Libya and that proved to be warranted when Hiftar rejected the UN proposal and demanded a more practical solution. This is a big deal for Algeria because of the long border they share with Libya. It is also a big deal for the UN, which considers Algeria the most successful North African nation when it comes to dealing with Islamic terrorism. Algeria has done well at guarding its Libyan (and Mali) borders but is keeping its troops at home no matter what. That means the Tripoli government got no help from Algeria. Egypt was quite different and became a major foreign participant in unifying the Libyan armed forces under the command of general Hiftar. Israel is not involved but approves of anyone who is active fighting Islamic terror groups and especially ISIL. This puts Israel at odds with some of its Western allies. In Libya there is an Arab preference for LNA commander Hiftar, which a growing number of Western leaders want to prosecute as a war criminal. That has not stopped Hiftar from travelling regularly to Europe, Russia, Egypt and the UAE to negotiate and plan how to bring peace and unity to Libya. Hiftar visited the UAE early in January (to discuss military aid) and Egypt later to discuss what can be done to improve security along the Libyan-Egyptian border. Egypt and UAE have always been the primary supporters of the LNA and Hiftar. The UAE has supplied both Egypt and the LNA with AT-802U manned aircraft and Chinese UAVs (similar to the American Predator) for surveillance and missile attack. The AT-802U is an armed version of a popular AT-802 crop duster. The LNA controlled Marj airbase in eastern Libya has played a major role in keeping Libyan based Islamic terrorists away from Egypt. This material support from Egypt and the UAE is increasing. Gang Wars After nearly a year of declining activity the people smuggling gangs have reorganized and are moving more people across the Mediterranean from Libya. Last year European nations paid off local officials in Libya to cease allowing people smuggling gangs to operate. That worked for a while until smuggling gangs moved or otherwise got around the impact of the European bribes. Despite improved police work in parts of Libya, Italy and some of the other areas (like India) where many of the illegal migrants come from, the business to too lucrative to eliminate by crippling some of the gangs. The big problem is the long Libyan coast has a lot of towns and cities where the smuggling gangs can buy enough cooperation to operate. The people smuggling operations can revive the economies of many coastal towns and heavily influence how some coastal cities (particularly their port operations) are governed. Italy is threatening to change its laws this year and forcibly expel back to Libya or their homeland over half a million illegal migrants. There are over 600,000 illegal migrants stuck in Libya and over 90 percent of them are African. For all of 2017 6,000 Nigerians were flown back to Nigeria. These Nigerians had used people smugglers in a failed effort reach Europe illegally. Another few thousand have returned so far in 2018. The Libyans and the EU (European Union) finally managed to disrupt many of the smuggling operations and persuaded (threatened, bribed, embarrassed and so on) the countries the illegals came from to take them back. This process has intensified during 2017 and has reached the point where so many illegals are being returned that fewer people are willing to risk the cash, and their lives, to make the trip. But the illegals are still coming, even though Libya is even more dangerous for illegal migrants. But now this effort is falling apart as the smuggling gangs are again able to get boatloads of illegal migrants to Italy. There is also a problem with Libyans displaced by fighting seeking to return to their homes. As peace returns to major coastal cities like Misrata in the west and Benghazi in the east. Militias that control these cites refuse to let some refugees return, usually because the refugees are related to militias or Islamic terror groups that were defeated to pacify the cities or were from pro-Kaddafi neighborhoods where civilians fled the rebels in 2011. Oil And The Economy Corruption is a major problem that has crippled the oil industry and government in general. The theft (of oil, refined products, payrolls and supplies) not only makes it difficult to keep oil production going but discourages foreign oil companies from investing billions of dollars to find and drill for new oil deposits and make needed repairs and upgrades on existing fields. Libya has lost over $140 billion in the last four years because of damage to the oil industry and lost production. Although Libya tripled its oil income (to $14 billion) in 2017 that achievement has attracted a lot of corrupt officials. This threatens the ability of the oil industry to function. Despite the chaos since 2012 the National Oil Corporation (NOC) and Libyan Central Bank (LCB) were generally left alone to deal with essential matters like importing food and other necessities that Libya does not produce itself. The NOC has managed to increase production for 2017 to record (since 2011) levels; about a million BPD (barrels per day, including natural gas equivalents). That was up from 250,000 BPD in mid-2016 and, 800,000 BPD in April 2017. Now production growth is stalled because of the lack of foreign firms willing to work in Libya to repair and expand Libyan oil facilities. The chaos created by all the militias and lack of a reliable central government means foreign firms rate Libya as one of the least reliable places to operate and opt for working in other areas, even though the profits are lower. Risk is a big deal in the oil industry because huge amounts (often billions of dollars) are often required to get new (or refurbished) oil facilities producing. There are still occasional disruptions because of all the independent minded factions. Despite that the NOC still hopes to reach 1.25-1.5 million BPD by the end of 2018 and 2.1 million BPD by the early 2020s. This is far in excess of pre-2011 levels (1.6 million BPD) but is necessary because of the need to finance reconstruction and adapt to the fact that the world price for oil keeps falling, despite OPEC (the Arab dominated oil cartel) efforts to reduce overall production and drive up the price. The problem is that the United States and Canada are producing a lot more due to new technologies (like fracking) that open up huge new sources that were long known but not reachable. A more immediate problem is the growing government corruption in Libya which is increasingly hurting employees of the National Oil Company. Since 2011 Libyan oil exports have shrunk and the Libyan Central Bank cash reserves are dangerously low. These reserves stood at $124 billion in 2012 and now only $67 billion remain. If peace and unity are not achieved soon no government would be able to buy and import food and other essentials. Even by Middle Eastern standards Libya was setting new records in self-destructive behavior. By 2017 more Libyans were agreeing that the situation was indeed becoming desperate and a lot more compromise was the only solution. Even with the current national compromise the tribal (Arab, Berber and black African) and religious differences (Islamic radicals versus everyone else) plus epic levels of corruption and entitlement keep peace and prosperity out of reach. At this point it was believed that most Libyans would settle for survival especially since living standards continue to decline each year. But there are still militia and Islamic terror group leaders who are unwilling to cooperate. In addition a growing number of senior officials are plundering the increased oil income and threatening revival of the national economy. The sad fact is that there is a Libya and a huge oil industry but there are not enough people native to Libya who act like Libyans. Instead they put personal, family or tribal welfare and consider theft of government resources a legitimate activity even though their public statements denounce this sort of thing. ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) ISIL continues to operate in south central Libya (Jufra/Jofra province, 770 kilometers south of Tripoli) where LNA forces have been fighting various Islamic terror groups since late 2016. General Hiftar saw Jufra turning into a sustained campaign because some Jufra militias that will tolerate Islamic terrorist groups and are generally wary of what the coastal militias are up to. The presence of ISIL remnants in Jufra encourages fighting down there as well. Egypt has become a favorite, if dangerous, route for ISIL survivors from Syria and Iraq to reach Libya. Added to this is the growing number of new ISIL recruits who deserted Hamas and other Islamic terror groups in Egypt to seek something more hard core. All this has brought hundreds of ISIL survivors to Sinai and other parts of Egypt looking for a new base area. They are not finding it in Sinai or western Egypt, where they are under constant attack and are heading for the Libyan border via the west Egypt desert between the Nile River and the Libyan border. February 4, 2018: In central Libya (south of Sirte) ISIL gunmen made three attacks on the Waha oilfield in the last 48 hours. The attackers failed to inflict damage and lost at least four dead. But the LNA troops defending the area lost four dead and nine wounded. February 1, 2018: In the south (Sabha) fighting, apparently between Tabu and Zaghawah tribesmen broke out again. There was a lot of shooting but no reports of casualties. Tribal violence down there is usually over who controls smuggling routes and has been flaring up regularly since the 2011 revolution. Most of this violence has been in or near the town of Sabha, which is 770 kilometers south of Tripoli and astride the main road going to the Niger border. It is the biggest city in the largely desert south. The fighting is a continuation of ancient animosities between tribes divided by ethnicity as well as loyalty to the former dictator Kaddafi, who used tribal loyalties to maintain power and favored certain tribes. Some of the pro-Kaddafi Tuareg tribes kept fighting after Kaddafi died in 2011. The violence is not so much about putting Kaddafi followers back into power, but holding on to Kaddafi era privileges and avoiding punishment for crimes committed to support Kaddafis rule. After 2011 violence continued on the southern border in part because the pro-rebel Tabu (or Tebu) tribesmen were put in charge of border (with Sudan, Chad and Niger) security. There they constantly skirmished with the Tuareg tribes over control of the smuggling business. Another element of this rivalry was that the Tabu are black African while the pro-Kaddafi tribes are Arab. Kaddafi tended to support Arab domination over black Africans, something many Arabs still prefer. However, in some cases Kaddafi favored black tribes in the north, and used them to keep the population in line. By 2015 the Tabu were still technically in charge of the border but mostly concerned with their control over smuggling (of fuel, drugs and people). The Tabu and Tuareg leaders have worked out agreements on dividing smuggling business but discipline in the tribes is not all that tight and fights keep breaking out. January 27, 2018: LNA warplanes attacked Islamic terrorist militias in Derna (200 kilometers east of Benghazi). This is the only eastern coastal city not under LNA control but has been under siege by the LNA since 2017. Since early 2017 LNA forces from further east followed the ISIL and other Islamic terrorist remnants to Derna. Some ISIL men managed to establish a presence there and have been seeking to carry out bombings and other terror attacks on the coastal areas (where most of the people are). Derna remains a problem as this city is about the same size (100,000 population) as the former ISIL capital Sirte. Earlier ISIL failures in Derna were the result of stubborn local militias who disliked outsiders in general. Hiftar was not popular with some of the Derna militias, especially those composed of Islamic conservatives and these groups were not cooperative. Now they are under attack by Hiftar forces and being pushed out of the area. The UN opposes the LNA tactics because it cuts many civilians off from essential supplies. The LNA points out that the Islamic terrorists control who gets what when supplies get through the current blockade. January 24, 2018: In the east (Benghazi) two car bombs exploded outside a mosque leaving 37 dead and over a hundred wounded. The second car exploded after first responders had arrived to treat the wounded. This was the first such terror attack in Libya this year and accounted for nearly all the civilian deaths from Islamic terrorism in January. In the west, 180 kilometers southeast of Tripoli outside Bani Walid a convoy carrying senior government officials but there were no casualties. January 15, 2018: In the east (Benghazi) two pro-government militias fought near the airport when negotiations to exchange prisoners broke down. In too many areas local security is still controlled by militias. There was similar fighting in Tripoli, where at least twenty died as the militiamen fought to gain control of airport access (and the fees that generates). LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Federal regulators have ordered a Nebraska rancher and county officials to clean up a remote stream after it was deluged with enough sand and sediment to change the shape of the waterway. EU Commission Green Lights Italy's Electronic Invoicing Plans by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels 05 February 2018 The European Commission has recommended that the EU Council approve a request from Italy to derogate from the VAT Directive in introducing a mandatory electronic invoicing obligation on all taxable persons established in Italy except exempt small firms. In its request, Italy submitted that introducing an obligation to provide such invoices through its Sistema de interscambio (SDI) platform, managed by the Italian Revenue Agency, would allow the tax administration to acquire in real time the information contained in the invoices issued and received by traders. As a result, tax authorities can then carry out timely and automatic checks of the consistency between VAT declared and paid. Italy considers that the introduction of a generalized electronic invoicing obligation would provide benefits in terms of combatting fraud and evasion, as well as in terms of simplification of tax collection. Since 2014 taxable persons carrying out commercial transactions with the public authorities in Italy (20 percent of taxable persons) are under mandatory electronic invoicing. All public administration invoices are channelled through the SDI and are forwarded to the general accounting office for expenditure control purposes and to public authorities. Also an optional system for the electronic transmission of data or for electronic B2B invoicing was introduced starting from 2017. The scheme gives the opportunity to opt for quarterly electronic transmission of data to the tax authorities on all invoices issued in the reference quarter. Alternatively to this periodic data transmission, the suppliers can send and receive electronic invoices through the SDI. As from July 2016, the tax authorities have made available a free web application for generating, transmitting, and storing electronic invoices. Consequently, a number of businesses are already under the obligation to issue electronic invoices while other businesses had or will have a chance to get acquainted with it before the introduction of the measure. The Commission has proposed that the Council should authorize this derogation, from Articles 218 and 232 of the EU VAT Directive, from July 1, 2018, until December 31, 2021. Article 218 of the VAT Directive puts paper and electronic invoices on equal footing by providing that member states shall accept documents or messages on paper or in electronic form as invoices. Article 232 of the VAT Directive provides that the use of an electronic invoice shall be subject to acceptance of such by the recipient. IRS Warns Practitioners Of New Identity Theft Tax Scam Mike Godfrey, Tax-News.com, Washington 05 February 2018 The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has warned tax professionals of a new filing season scam. On February 2, just a few days after the US 2018 tax filing season began on January 29, the IRS said it was aware that cybercriminals were using phishing emails to gain access to practitioners' computers to file fraudulent tax returns. In a few cases, fraudsters used the taxpayers' real bank account details to receive funds from the IRS. They would then contact the taxpayer, claiming to be a debt collection agency, requesting that the taxpayers pay back the funds to their account, saying it had been paid in error. "This scheme is likely just the first of many that will be identified this year as the IRS, state tax agencies, and tax industry continue to fight back against tax-related identity thieves," said the IRS. "Because the Security Summit partners have made inroads against identity theft, cybercriminals have evolved their tactics to focus on tax professionals where they can steal client data." "Thieves know it is more difficult to identify and halt fraudulent tax returns when they are using real client data such as income, dependents, credits, and deductions. Generally, criminals find alternative ways to get the fraudulent refunds delivered to themselves rather than the real taxpayers." Japan's Cabinet Endorses Tax Reform Plans by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong 05 February 2018 Japan's Cabinet recently approved tax reform bills, which have now been introduced into the country's parliament for debate. The bills propose to cut the corporate tax rate to 25 percent for companies who increase employee wages by three percent. A further reduction to 20 percent will be possible for companies investing in improving their productivity or engaging in digitalization. The tax relief starts in the next fiscal year, beginning in April, and will last for three years only. Other measures contained in the bills will see duties on tobacco products rise from October 2018, and a new departure tax of JPY1,000 (USD9.90) per person from January 2019. Proposed personal tax changes, taking effect from January 2020, include tax rises for workers earning more than JPY8.5m (USD77,394) per year, and reduced tax deductions for company employees. The changes contained in the bills were first announced in a tax reform package approved by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on December 14, 2017. UK Tax Advisers Welcome Inheritance Tax Review by Jason Gorringe, Tax-News.com, London 05 February 2018 The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) has welcomed the announcement that the UK's Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) is to undertake a review of inheritance tax. Philip Hammond, the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, addressed the OTS in a letter sent January 19, 2018, asking to hear of its proposals for simplification, "to ensure that the system is fit for purpose and makes the experience of those who interact with it as smooth as possible." He instructed the OTS that the review should focus on technical and administrative issues, such as the process of submitting returns and paying tax due, as well as practically issues around routine estate planning and disclosure. He suggested it could also look at how current gift rules interact with the wider IHT system and whether the current framework causes any distortions to taxpayers' decisions surrounding transfers, investments, and "other relevant transactions." John Bunker, Chair of CIOT's Succession Taxes Sub-Committee, said: "Modern IHT dates back to the 19th century when the Government introduced estate duty, a tax on the capital value of land. But the rules around it have grown piecemeal and not always in a logical fashion. A thorough review of its calculation and administration is long overdue." "The review must begin with an understanding that you cannot add simplicity, rather you must remove complexity. It may be beyond the scope of this review, but the creation of an additional residence nil rate band for an estate has undoubtedly added extra complication to the inheritance tax regime. While we recognize this is the deliberate product of a clear government policy objective indeed a manifesto commitment we think it worth investigating, in the context of this broader review, whether there are alternative ways of achieving the Government's objectives without adding so much additional complexity to the system." "Exemptions to inheritance tax are generally a complex area. We see definite potential for simplification here, possibly by a larger annual exemption in place of all the others such as marriage and small gifts. We would also suggest the OTS look at the complex interaction of Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief in its review." He added: "There is a good case for simplifying how trusts are taxed in relation to inheritance tax. A general review of trust taxation was announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn Budget. How the OTS's review will interact with this remains to be seen. It is important that both the OTS and the wider review do not lose sight of the fact that most trusts are set up for non-tax reasons such as protecting capital and vulnerable beneficiaries." US CEOs Call For Korean FTA Compromise by Mike Godfrey, Tax-News.com, Washington 05 February 2018 An association of US CEOs has stressed the importance for their businesses of access to the preferential terms of the US-South Korea free trade agreement. The US and Korea signed the United States-Korea free trade agreement (KORUS FTA) on June 30, 2007, and it entered into force on March 15, 2012. In July 2017, at the request of President Trump, the US Trade Representative initiated negotiations with Korea with a view to updating the agreement, including to "address the significant trade imbalance [in favor of Korean exporters] and to resolve market access problems in Korea for US exports." Most recently, US and Korean officials met in Seoul on January 31 to February 1 to resume negotiations on the agreement. Businesses are concerned that the US could potentially terminate the deal if changes cannot be agreed. Ahead of those talks, the Business Roundtable, a national organization of CEOs of companies with a combined annual turnover of USD7 trillion, called on the agreement to be updated rather than disbanded. Tom Linebarger, Chair of the Business Roundtable International Engagement Committee, said: "With the US exporting approximately USD65bn in goods and services to South Korea that support 360,000 American jobs, we urge the Trump Administration to focus on strengthening and improving KORUS. In addition, during times of uncertainty on the Korean Peninsula, this agreement is critical to maintaining an important national security relationship with a key ally. In these negotiations, we encourage both governments to address implementation issues under KORUS and market access issues faced by US companies." Korea is currently the sixth-largest trading partner of the US, with total trade amounting to USD144.6bn in 2016. In the latest round of meetings, the US emphasized the steps needed to rebalance the FTA in particular in relation to trade in automobiles and parts. The US also pressed for the resolution of "implementation concerns," stating these have hindered growth in US goods and services exports and opportunities in Korea. "These negotiations are an example of the Trump Administration's commitment to making trade deals fair and reciprocal," stated US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. "We must build on these negotiations with substantive and expeditious progress that will benefit the American people. In every trade relationship, the United States will stand up for US workers and manufacturers, especially those facing serious injury or harm by unfair trade practices." Im the only man youll meet with a dick on the back and a dick on the front Roger Stone tells a bemused Cambridge Union audience . He refers to the man he cites as his first political teacher: Richard Nixon- and the corresponding tattoo on his back. Stone wears a sharp suit cutting the shape of a powerful political figure highly regarded by his establishment. However, if Nixon eerily grimaces under Stones shirt- as classily inked as a mistake tattoo on a night out in Ayia Napa- then so too does something sinister and tacky lie just beneath the surface of the strategists conventional, conservative appearance. This Friday it was unsettling to sit through a session where the union audience struggled to interrogate all of Stones different layers. Journalist Jeoffrey Toobin characterizes Stone as the sinister Forrest Gump of American politics. His nickname: ratfucker marks him as one of the inventors of the modern political attack ad. Stone is often described as having had a hand in just about every criminal deed carried out by the forces of the American conservative movement in the past sixty years: from Watergate to the election of Donald Trump. Yet Stones personal presentation is elegant. In its best moments his speech at the union is erudite and factual. Stone even takes great pains to remind the crowd that he believes in same-sex marriage. Perhaps unsurprisingly, for a political strategist charged with being single handedly responsible for Trumps rise to power, he is educated, literary, and witty. In a final tactic to woo the university auditorium , Stone positions himself as a proponent of free speech. This statement falls awkwardly with the audience: as union members we subscribe to this value, but it is also a concept that ceases to be neutral the more parties adopt it as a buzz phrase. Particularly when Trump has been known for censoring anyone who spoke out negatively at his rallies. Stone appears unaware that Trump supporters in Cambridge, whilst unfortunately present in their minority , are no more common than a U in A Level Politics amongst students. Every so often his traditional flourishes of educated skill and questionable moral value are punctuated by an incongruously vacuous Trumpism such as : phony or loser. It is clear when he drops into scripts from the Republican party because the clarity, logic and naturalism with which he otherwise communicates fly out the chamber windows. It is as though Stone is the rope in a tug of war between the languages of traditional American politics the foundation of his career- and a new novelty in which he delights. This new novelty is a Trumpian language that is impulsive, obfuscating , and apparently the most exciting political weapon hes happened upon since Nixon. Whether or not Trump uses his mode of communication unwittingly- it is with total understanding of its limits and potentials Stone deploys his ammunition. Trump never uses a script Stone concedes to the crowd . His delivery mixes admiration with an awareness that Trumps theatrical approach would never have flown in the sixties. Stones observation is scripted. In this same debate chamber, one year and four months before, we waited for the American election results. As news of the world-changing result came in expectancy turned in some cases to fatalistic dismay as the energy and audience gradually filtered home. This mood was forgotten in the Stone talk. Watching Roger Stone speak I felt surrounded by an audience who were disturbed, and laughed- but questioned themselves when they did. I dont blame others for it- I was part of this stunned bafflement too. It was , somehow, the nature of the room. There was a feeling that there was a much bigger cultural force operating through Stone: that as Brits we cannot fully be exposed to or understand. We are looking in from a distant window: aware that with the potential of future trade deals it could stand to affect us in more ways than we could imagine. Some questions at the event began to interrogate, but generally offered a policy point in line with the Democrats. Therefore, Stone had rebuttals ready and was let off by a passive British- or institutionally perpetuated- politeness. Our words never did more than give vague traces of the ideologies he has been involved in conquering. I raised my hand with a question that never got selected. It would have gone something like this: You speak eruditely and seem incredibly educated. Yet the Trumpian ideology you currently support endorses, in its communication and education policies, a break down in the importance of universally enjoyed education, facts and logic. If meaningless dialogue is allowed to rule then in twenty years we might be looking at an America where a logical thinker such as yourself wouldnt have a useful place in government . How do you feel about that? None of us can put words into Stones mouth on this point, However, it is possible that there is some greater plan in place. Such a plan might be one that uses the shock impact of a disorganized Trump presidency to more coherently give far right ideologies an organized platform at the centre of the Western world. Conversely, the chaos described in Michael Woolffs recent Fire and Fury may be an encapsulation of a dominant culture in the Republican party that currently has no space to forge a long term plan. However, it is unthinkable that speakers such as Roger Stone should be left un-challenged. Especially in circumstances where those who are capable of challenging them have all the tools in place- but politeness or anxiety hampers the critical expression of the speaker. This week, Jonathan Freedland argued in The Guardian that John Humphrys gave Stone an easy ride on the BBCs Today programme. If this was an easy ride, at the union we gave him a cigar, a cocktail and a swimming pool to bask in. Next time we give a platform to a speaker such as Stone it is our role, as young people in a privileged position, to protect democracy from erosion by speaking up with an informed confidence. I unreservedly loved The Post. I was smiling by the end, feeling good: about journalism, about freedom, about doing what is right. The acting in the film is impeccable, the directing is assured and the film is well written and well paced. Meryl Streep is, as expected, fantastic as Katharine Graham, but of course, not knowing much about Graham before watching the film its difficult to make this assertion. The fact is, Streep is the centrepiece of a fantastic cast. This should be a point in favour of the film, but in this case it isnt. Streep is head and shoulders above everyone else, meaning when she is on scene you hardly pay attention to anyone else. In the first scene with her and Tom Hanks, when theyre having breakfast before shes due to have a meeting with investors, I couldnt take my eyes of her. Tom Hanks didnt matter, his character didnt matter, his characters opinions, job, life, didnt matter. All I cared about was Meryl Streep, and in a film thats supposed to be as much about anything else as it is about the relationship between Katharine Graham and Ben Bradlee you would have thought that a scene with both of them in it would be less centred on her. It also doesnt help, later on in the film, when there are scenes where you can almost see how much Tom Hank is enjoying Streeps performance, and how much all of the actors are enjoying themselves. This isnt to say that actors shouldnt enjoy themselves when theyre working, particularly in a film as gratifying as this, but when the audience can see it, it can take one out of the film. The endless parade of famous faces (Alison Brie, Bob Odenkirk, Matthew Rhys, Bruce Greenwood, Jesse Plemons, just to name a few) doesnt help this point and it makes their characters less believable. There is a moment in the film where Katharine Graham is picking up the phone at her home, and in two sequential takes we see Katharine Grahams personal assistant Liz Hylton (played by Jennifer Dundas) and Ben Bradlees secretary Debbie Regan (played by Deirdre Lovejoy), both taking charge and being fantastic at their jobs. Its a fantastic moment. It also felt utterly unbelievable because all I could think was wow, these secondaries are great. The film is distinctly a Spielberg film. He uses his directorial experience in his favour, and makes a fantastic end-product, but the speed at which the film was made (less than a year) can be felt in how he falls back into tropes he uses in other films, and how easy it is for him to use them. In many cases this is to the advantage of the film, but it sacrifices directorial creativity in favour of familiarity for the audience. This film, which is about journalism and doing what is right, which could hold some moral grey areas about publishing top secret documents, which could use a moral conflict, ends up being about goodies (the journalists) and baddies (the politicians); and the conflict is transferred to the pressures of publishing versus the pressures of investors. This is a mistake, because the fact is that any self-respecting journalist would have published when The New York Times was told they couldnt, unless they truly thought that publishing could harm the nation. This is mentioned in the film but not explored in enough depth to make it the central conflict, which would have made for a more powerful film, in my opinion. In the film, the decision to publish is a financially and personally brave decision, but not a moral decision. Morally, publishing is the least The Washington Post could do. There are other avenues that the film could have explored but only hinted at. The fact that Katharine Graham is often the only woman in the room (she was the only woman publisher of a major newspaper at the time) is shown beautifully in two opposing scenes: at the beginning when she is climbing up the stairs to the New York stock exchange and before the doors are opened she is surrounded by secretaries and other women looking at her in admiration, and once she gets up those stairs and the doors open, the room beyond is full of men, and at the end, when she does the opposite journey: climbing down the stairs of the Supreme Court, where she was surrounded by men, into a crowd of hippie women who again look at her admiringly, as the press ignores her. The relationship between newspapers and politicians at the time is also mentioned, but almost only in passing. I loved The Post because it made me happy. It made me happy to see a well-made, well-directed, well-acted film. But upon analysis I feel like its one of several films that could have been made using the same premise, and perhaps The Post is the least interesting, and the least powerful of these. Women of Cambridge has launched a new project aiming to record and detail the real-life experiences of sexual assault faced by women in Cambridge. The aim of the project is to shed light on the parts of womens experiences such as objectification and sexual harassment, both of which women are often told to accept as an inevitable part of daily life and which form an undercurrent running through their lives. Furthermore, in voicing the experiences of women in Cambridge, the project hopes to reveal the human factor behind the spread of such instances, usually made to feel invisible as individuals when reduced to statistics. Up Close and Personal, the title of the documentary, will be a short film which aims to shed light on these stories which have been swept under the carpet time and again. The artistic project will use the editing techniques of the French Wave, known for its preference for the male gaze, with the aim of replacing the victim video with a vibrant and diverse portrayal of all the women of Cambridge and their real-life stories. In a statement to TCS, Alice Sherwood, the project's director, said: "Up Close and Personal will be a bold and fresh piece of film documenting the real-life experiences of sexual harassment and objectification of female and non-binary Cambridge students. Whilst the stories told can have taken place at any point throughout a persons life, the all-female technical team behind this important project has come together with the aim of using our university as a sample to prove the widespread and commonplace nature of such experiences. As Director of this project, it was overwhelming when the call for team applications was sent out and almost three times as many needed applicants responded, the vast-majority of which were women from all corners of the university. Their messages spoke fiercely of how important they considered such a collective of voices to be, and how badly they wanted to be part of it. Brought together by our own personal histories and our desire to create a film which combats the still more degrading victim video, we are looking for more contributors to help realize our vision. It will be artistic and empowering; a short film made by and for a community which will simply no longer make room for harassments intrusive presence in its life." Women of Cambridge is looking for women to contact them with personal testimonies for their hard-hitting project. The groups Facebook page wants to hear from women who have been made to feel less than a person, wherever it was and whether through words or actions. The group is happy to receive testimonies via email or in person, with the ability to disclose as much or as little as you want, with the option of being filmed or included under condition of anonymity. The group has underlined that all contributions are important and very much welcome. The group have a Facebook page, and their email address is: womenofcambridge@gmail.com. Investments in oil and gas explorations onshore and offshore Morocco since 2015 have totaled $2.8 billion (25 billion dirhams), 96% of which was paid by partners of the Moroccan hydrocarbons and mining office. Speaking at a meeting of the board of directors of the office, the Moroccan government chief said that the increasing oil and gas explorations are drawing further investments by energy giants into the Moroccan market. In 2017, Morocco maintained the same momentum in oil and gas licenses, Saad Eddine El Othmani added, saying that investments worth $137 mln have been launched in the gas and oil sector. He said explorations covered a surface area of 170,000 square kilometers, including 22 onshore and 77 offshore licenses as well as 9 exploitation permissions. El Othmani noted that 7 development wells were drilled last year, four of which in the Gharb region where three yielded a commerciable gas potential. Earlier in January, British company SDX Energy confirmed gas discoveries in four of its wells in the Gharb region. Following its material successes in the Tendrara project in eastern Morocco, Sound Energy, the European and African focused upstream gas company, announced plans to shift its focus entirely on accelerating exploration drillings in Morocco. Sound Energy had announced that it would soon start commercializing the first gas from Sidi Mokhtar in Essaouira Basin, central Morocco. Several drillings for oil and gas operations are being conducted in Morocco, which imports about 95 percent of its energy needs. For foreign firms, the country represents a stable frontier in North Africa that is poised to be on the international gas map in the years to come. In May 2017 an anonymous reporting tool on the University of Cambridge's website was created to allow both staff and students to come forward to report incidences of sexual harassment. 173 reports have been filed between the creation of the reporting tool and 31 January 2018. A spike in reports was prompted by the Breaking the Silence campaign against sexual misconduct which was launched by the university in October 2017. The announcement today, 5 February, by the university of such a high number of anonymous reports coincides with the first day of National Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week of this year. The data from the reports will be used to identify the nature and scale of sexual misconduct taking place across the university, allowing for the creation of resources and support to tackle these pressing issues. Graham Virgo, the vice-chancellor for education has stated that the high number of reports indicates that the victims have confidence in our promise that these figures will be used to judge the nature and scale of sexual misconduct affecting students and staff, and to act on it accordingly. Virgo stresses that the aim of the reporting tool is to allow the university to be able to identify and then provide support to the students who need it, whilst also enabling them to measure the impact of university-wide campaigns, such as Breaking the Silence. Before the Breaking the Silence campaign, as Virgo notes, 52% of those reporting incidences of sexual harassment or violence thought nothing would be done even if they made a complaint, but this figure has dropped to 30% after the launch of the campaign. After being sentenced to five years behind bars for corruption in August 2017, Samsung Electronics vice chairman and heir-apparent Lee Jae-yong has just walked free from prison. Lee, who has been detained since February last year, was found guilty of bribery, embezzlement, hiding assets overseas, concealing profits from criminal acts, and perjury in a corruption scandal that led to the ousting of former South Korean president Park Geun-Hye. Prosecutors say Lee gave $38.4 million in bribes to non-profit foundations controlled by Parks close friend, Choi Soon-sil, in return for policy favors Having appealed his sentence, Seoul High Court cut Lees original term by half to two and a half years, though he was allowed to leave prison on a four-year probation, reports Bloomberg. Lee reportedly looked stunned when the decision was announced. Again, I feel sorry to everyone for not showing my best side. And it has been a really precious time for a year reflecting on myself, he told reporters. Lees time away hasnt affected Samsungs bottom line. The company posted an operating profit of $14 billion in Q4 2017, making it the most profitable quarter ever. It also knocked Intel off the top spot as the worlds biggest chipmaker for the first time in 25 years. Back in 2008, Lees father, Lee Kun-hee, was found guilty on charges of financial wrongdoing and tax evasion. He also received a suspended jail sentence. It isnt clear when Lee will return to Samsung in a formal role. Fake Apple products, which often originate from China, have been around for a long time. Now, the US Department of Justice has announced a victory in the fight against counterfeit goods after it arrested a Chinese national living in the US who sold over 40,000 knock-off devices. 43-year-old Jianhua "Jeff" Li, who has been living in the United States on a student visa, sold fake electronic devices like iPhones and iPads between 2009 and 2014. Li, along with Andreina Becerra, Roberto Volpe, and Rosario LaMarca, smuggled the items into the US from China. To avoid suspicion, the group shipped labels and packaging bearing counterfeit Apple trademarks into the country separately. Li is thought to have made around $1.1 million from the sale of the goods to customers who believed they were buying genuine Apple products. The DoJ states that cash generated from the sales went into the co-conspirators accounts that were held in Florida and New Jersey, and a portion of it was transferred to Italy to further disguise its origin. Li has pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods and labels and to smuggling goods. He will be sentenced on May 30. The three other members of the group have also pleaded guilty. LaMarca was sentenced to 37 months in prison in July last year, while Becerra and Volpe are awaiting sentencing. In 2016, Apple sued US-based firm Mobile Star LLC for trademark infringement, alleging that it had been selling counterfeit goods using Apple logos and product images in its listings. Lauri Love, the British hacker accused of breaking into several US government systems, will not be extradited to the United States. The High Court agreed with his lawyers arguments that he should be tried in the UK and that there was a risk he might kill himself if sent to the US. Love, who resides in the UK but holds dual British and Finnish citizenship, is accused of accessing confidential US government data described in the extradition request as telephone numbers, social security numbers, credit card details and salary information of employees, health care professionals, and service personnel. Love is accused of being part of hacktivist group Anonymous, who coordinated the hacks that were dubbed #OpLastResort. They were part of an online protest against the death of internet pioneer Aaron Swartz, who killed himself after being charged under the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. If found guilty, a US court could have sentenced Love to 99 years in prison. Now that his trial is taking place in the UK, his sentence is likely to be between 12 and 14 years. Love, who is currently free on bail, has been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, autism, and exhibits obsessive behaviors. Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen described him as a man with several severe disabilities during his initial extradition hearing in 2016. Loves lawyers have called conditions within US prisons unconscionable and medieval. The Guardian reports that his father, Rev Alexander Love, had said his son feared for his life because he did not think he could cope with the trauma of being sent to the US. Following the courts decision, Love said: This is not just for myself. I hope this sets a precedent for the future for anyone in the same position that they will be tried here. We are hopeful that other people will be able to rely on this. Emma Norton, head of legal casework at Liberty, which intervened in the case, said: We are delighted that the court has today recognized Lauris vulnerability, close family connections to the UK and the potentially catastrophic consequences of extraditing him. This was always a case that could have been prosecuted here and its shameful that Lauri and his family have been put through this terrible ordeal. Argentina opened early this Sunday the voting centers for the Primary, Open, Simultaneous and Mandatory Elections (PASO), in which Argentines define the candidates for seats in the National... | Read More The army has rejected the New York Times Saturday report that Israel secretly assists with its gunships, unmarked helicopters and drones in the fight against insurgency in Northern Sinai where Egyptian armed forced have been trying to overcome years of terrorist groups activities. Only the Egyptian army is authorized to and does conduct military operations in specific areas in northern Sinai, in cooperation with the civilian police, Egyptian military spokesperson Tamer al-Rifa told Russias Sputnik news agency. The NYT Saturday indicated that Egyptian President Fattah al-Sisi has given a go-ahead to Israel to strike jihadist positions in the Peninsula near the Israeli border. The paper said the strikes which began following the downing of a Russian commercial plane with 224 people onboard in October 2015 in the Sinai were directed by unmarked helicopters and drones to cover traces of the airstrikes. The airstrikes made successful impacts as jihadists according to the paper turned their guns and bombs against soft targets like mosques and churches. Israels covert operations according to the paper are known to US, European and Russian officials. Israel reportedly complained to the US that Egypt is not upholding its end of the agreement, and that Cairo was supposed to follow up on the airstrikes by sending ground forces into the region. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Sunday at the cabinet meeting did not comment on the report but noted that Israels presence in the Middle East has been decisive in preventing the spread of Islam radicalism and the Iranian influence. We do not seek war, but we will do everything thats needed to defend ourselves, he added. Photo: Jerome Cid/Getty Images Wearing the hijab became mandatory for all women in Iran in 1983, a few years following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. But, per a report released by President Hassan Rouhanis office on Sunday, 49.8 percent of Iranians believe the government should not mandate that a woman must wear a veil. This comes after 29 women were arrested for protesting the hijab law over the past week. The report itself is from back in 2014; as the New York Times pointed out, some see the timing of the release as highly strategic. Mr. President wants to be popular, and his team knows that an increasing number of women do not like the Islamic code of dress, political analyst Farshad Ghorbanpour told the paper. They want to woo the women and make sure the popularity of the president does not diminish even further. Photo: Getty Images New Yorks Sex Diaries series asks anonymous city dwellers to record a week in their sex lives with comic, tragic, often sexy, and always revealing results. This week, a 25-year-old stay-at-home mom who just relocated to Poland for her husbands Ph.D. program: 25, bisexual, married. DAY ONE 4:30 a.m. Im awake and breastfeeding Baby L. He falls back asleep easily this time, so I lay him down and climb back in bed, where my husband, Peter, is still sleeping. 6 a.m. Im dreaming about hooking up with a cute, shy chick then Baby L wakes me. I groan and ask Peter if hell change L. Peter obliges immediately I have a great husband. He lies in bed with me, holding my hand while the baby feeds. Once I lay L down, Peter starts rubbing my back. Im still kinda aroused from my dream. I spoon Peter and start touching him but am met with a soft no of rejection. It doesnt faze me; sometimes, one of us is just too tired for sex. 8 a.m. Im still awake, feeding Baby again. I have a headache and wish I could stay in bed, but I get up with L and start making tea. Peter surprises me by joining me in the kitchen. He greets me with a long kiss. Maybe today can still be a good day. 10:30 a.m. Peter leaves to buy nicotine lozenges. He quit smoking four years ago, back in college when we were just friends, but he cant quit using these. Hes irritable without them, and hes definitely stressing now. Lots of homework. We just moved to Poland last week for his Ph.D. program. Warsaw made sense because of Peters heritage: both his parents were Polish immigrants. Im realizing how far away home really is. Peter worked in marketing, but double-majored in philosophy and wants to pursue that. Hes 31 and a Ph.D. felt like a now or never deal for him. So I supported his decision we quit our jobs, and just five days after our sons birth, he flew off to start classes. I dont resent him, but three months alone with a newborn was tough. Now that were together again its still tough. 11:20 a.m. Baby is back asleep. Im tidying up and Peters studying. Its a quiet start to our weekend. I see a tourist group with a Brit flag below our flag if I were with them at least Id have people to talk to. Only Peter knows the language here. 1 p.m. Peters getting ready for a shower and Im blatantly eyeing his junk. He notices and gets on top of me, saying hed love a break with me after he washes up. 1:10 p.m. Hes already out of the shower and asks me how Id like to play today. I say I want him to teach me how to put his toy in his ass. He suggests using one on me instead. Yes, please! I put him in my mouth and between my breasts before he grabs our toy box. 1:30 p.m. Im on top with him inside me and a toy in my ass when he lets me use his toy on him after all. This is delightfully hot. I love it. And yay! Just before the baby wakes up. 3:30 p.m. We finally go out together as a family! Attractive people catch my eye around the city. I like both men and women, older and younger I dont really have a type. Im devoted to Peter, but I do notice people. 8 p.m. Back home and cozy! We snuggle a bit while L sleeps, but Peter needs to start work again. He tells me to save some energy for later, though Oh how I love this man. 9 p.m. Im playing with L. He smiles and giggles so much. This makes being a parent easy. Peter wants more kids, but I feel so fulfilled already with L. Why put ourselves through more stress? But I guess thats a conversation for later 1:45 a.m. We are totally burnt out after finally getting L to go down for the night. No sex tonight. We need some fucking sleep. DAY TWO 10:30 a.m. I feel sick but find the energy to get up and play with L. Peters being sweet and helpful again. He really is my one true love. Falling for each other was easy; wed been friends for so long that there were no secrets. Our ease with communicating made the sex mind-blowing. Still does. 11:50 a.m. Peter is caring for L in the other room and Im in bed thinking about masturbating, but I barely touch myself before passing out again. 1:30 p.m. Peter comes in and starts spooning me. I can tell hes hard. He says that taking care of me when Im weak turns him on. I lay our sleeping baby in the bassinet and hop back in bed. Peter is grinding against my ass and says he wants me 2:05 p.m. While hes still inside me, Peter tells me Im beautiful and perfect. I tell him hes the one thats perfect. 2:55 p.m. Peters sister is FaceTiming us from the States. She just gave birth to a healthy baby boy her sixth (!) child. Her baby makes sounds and I coo at the cuteness. Peter asks if this makes me want another baby. I say no easily. He ignores this and tells his sister I want another baby now. Holy shit, slow down! 7:45 p.m. Im bathing L. I think hes getting a little sick, too. Poor sneezy, coughy baby. 10 p.m. Yup, L definitely has a cold but luckily no fever. Peter promises more quality time later, so Im happy to take care of L while Peter does some work. 12:10 a.m. Hooray! I think I finally got L to stay asleep. I sit with Peter in the kitchen, feeling good. Im surprised when Peter gets irritated and says he cant deal with distraction right now. Ouch. I thought he wanted to spend time together. I go to the bedroom without another word. 12:40 a.m. Peter comes in and apologizes. I say nothing. Weve always agreed that apologies are only complete with physical affection. He hasnt done this, so I leave to take a shower. 1:10 a.m. Im back in bed. Peter holds me tight and all is forgiven. DAY THREE 10:30 a.m. Were all together. Peter is playing with L and making him laugh. My husbands an amazing father. Peters hugging me and giving me tons of little kisses this morning. 12:45 p.m. Peters gone to class and L is taking a nap. I lie down and masturbate thinking of Peter. Yes, really Peters all I need to come. Im relaxed now and decide to nap too. 2:50 p.m. Peter surprises me by coming home for a bite between classes. We eat soup together and he asks to cuddle me while we give L attention. 3:45 p.m. Baby just fell asleep and Peters touching me. He tells me to take my clothes off so hot! He ends up on top of me. 4:30 p.m. Peter needs to head back to the university. We kiss a long good-bye. 7 p.m. Peter comes home and I give him a long hug and kiss hello. He smiles and offers to make dinner. I ask him what his favorite part of the day was. He says, Coming home to you. 11:30 p.m. Nothing is helping L with his cough/congestion, and Im feeling worthless. I never felt like this before the move; before L, I had a great job in sales management. I felt confident and successful. I never expected to be an at-home parent. Peter wants me to be here for L, but I need the satisfaction of my career again. Peter asks if hes trapped me in this life, and I dont know how to answer He promises well address these feelings within the next few weeks. 1 a.m. We are at last successful at getting Baby L to sleep. 1:45 a.m. Im about to pass out when Peter asks if Im asleep yet 2:30 a.m. Were in postcoital bliss, saying what we each liked best about our sex session. I want to try more dom-sub together. Peter seems excited and says he thinks hes ready. I fall asleep with new excitement for our sex life. DAY FOUR 4:30 a.m. Fuck me, I need to get to bed earlier. Gotta feed the baby and then catch more sleep. 9 a.m. My husbands alarm wakes L and me, but Peters snoozing. I grumpily tell Peter he should be on baby duty if he disturbs Ls sleep. 6 p.m. Im so exhausted I cant think. L is just so upset from his cold. Peter is home now and just as tired. We go straight to bed after dinner because L finally closes his eyes. 6:45 p.m. We got in bed just five minutes ago, but L is wailing again. Does anyone decide to have kids knowing its this hard? 7:50 p.m. Peter leaves to buy a humidifier for L. In the meantime, I let L suckle my breast for comfort. 9:40 p.m. Peters back and the humidifier works great. Im glad my sore nipples get a break from Ls gnawing. 11 p.m. L is sleeping peacefully, but were awake, budgeting and talking about our roles in this relationship. 1:05 a.m. Were feeling better after talking. Peter wants some sleep before getting up again to study. He holds me and kisses me tenderly. I massage his back before we adjourn to our respective sides of the bed. No fooling around today. DAY FIVE 5 a.m. Havent slept. Neighbors are keeping L and me up with karaoke. I feel like Im going crazy. 6:30 a.m. I feed L back to sleep and Peter sends me back to bed. He massages me until I can relax and finally pass out. 1:35 p.m. After getting up late with L, I take him on a long walk and come home to do yoga. Im determined to get my body back. Ive already lost the pregnancy weight but need more toning. 7:55 p.m. What a long day. Peter tells me to go nap. I lie down, masturbate, and drift off to sleep easily. 10 p.m. Im awakened by Peters laughter as he exclaims over the incredible mess Ls made. Ls giggling, too. I smile and say this is my new favorite part of the day. 10:45 p.m. Ls miraculously asleep already. Peter gestures for me to sit on his lap and holds me for a long while. He says hes been waiting all day for this. 12:10 a.m. I want sex and Peter knows it. He lubes me up and fucks my ass while Im on my stomach. This is my favorite kind of sex and my favorite position; easiest for me to come this way. Its not long before Im close and he tells me to come with him. I have a gloriously long and intense orgasm. 1:20 a.m. We go back to bed, satisfied and content. DAY SIX 1:45 p.m. L is feeling a bit better today! Im able to get things done. 8:05 p.m. I meet up with Peter after his long day of classes to shop together. Im glad to have his help making transactions with baby in tow. 11:45 p.m. L goes down for the night, but Peter wants to stay up talking. We joke and laugh, enjoying each others company. Peter tells me he likes that we can be silly together. I feel the same. 2:05 a.m. Were both too tired to get frisky tonight. We drift to sleep while holding hands. DAY SEVEN 11:50 a.m. Its been a long morning of feedings but Peters just waking up. 12:30 p.m. I just got out of the shower and Peter hugs me in the hallway while Im still naked. Its arousing, but theres no time for sex before he has to leave. He tells me he looks forward to seeing me tonight. 8 p.m. Ls been fussy again, but its not getting us down. Its Friday night! Peter makes himself a drink and we cook sinful chocolate pudding together. 1:05 a.m. Baby is fast asleep, so we get in bed. Were cute and cuddly, naked under the sheets. Peter says Im beautiful and starts touching me. He says he wants to make me come with his hands. He works me until Im ready and tells me when to release. Im gushing over and over for him. Finally he enters me, bringing me to climax one last time before giving me his. 2:35 a.m. As I fall asleep in Peters arms, I promise myself that Ill keep communicating with him. That way, we can always make each other this happy. Want to submit a sex diary? Email sexdiaries@nymag.com and tell us a little about yourself. The 700 block of Will Brook Road, Airdrie, Alberta. (Screenshot via GoogleMaps) 12-Year-Old Boy Dies After Carbon Monoxide Leak in Alberta A 12-year-old boy has died after a carbon monoxide leak at an apartment block in Alberta, Canada. The apartment complex in Airdrie was evacuated for over six hours on Sunday, Feb. 4, after hazardous levels of carbon monoxide were detected, say police. The warning came too late for the 12-year-old boy, who died at around 5 p.m., according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). At the familys request, police are not releasing his name at the current time, said Airdrie RCMP Insp. Kimberley Pasloske during a press conference Sunday evening. Our community of Airdrie is very close and this news hits us very hard, said Pasloske. She refused to comment on the condition of the other two family members, who were also taken to the hospital. Police initially announced the evacuation of the four-storey apartment block at 700 Willowbrook Rd., at 9 a.m. on Sunday. By around 3:40 p.m. they declared all but six of the 136 evacuated units safe again, but warned residents to leave windows open to allow any residual gas to escape. We had extremely high readings of 2,100 parts per million on the second floor, which is really quite elevated, Airdrie Fire Department Deputy Chief Garth Rabel told CBC. Carbon monoxide is not only dangerous because it is so poisonous, but also because it is hard to detect until it is too late, since it is colorless and odorless. It also accumulates inside the body, EMS spokesman Stuart Brideaux explained to the Calgary Herald. The issue with carbon monoxide it has a great affinity in the body, so low concentrations over a long period can eventually have the same cumulative effect as a high concentration in a small period, he said. The problem is when you inhale it, very little to any of it is actually exhaled back out. Early symptoms are sometimes described as flu-like, except you wouldnt have a fever but you may have headaches and nausea, vomiting and general malaise, feeling dizzy, unwell, said Brideaux. Recommended Video: Toddler With Rare Heart Condition Gets to Go Home After 402 Days in the Hospital Lauri Love poses for media as he arrives for his extradition hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, Britain Sep. 16, 2016. (Reuters/Peter Nicholls/File Photo) Autistic UK Man Accused of Hacking FBI Wins Appeal Against Extradition to U.S. LONDONAn autistic British man accused of hacking into U.S. government agencies won his appeal against extradition to the United States on Monday but was told he should be prosecuted in Britain instead. Lauri Love, who has Aspergers syndrome, is accused of involvement in a series of hacks in 2012 and 2013 into computers at agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. army, the Missile Defense Agency and the Federal Reserve. Charged with multiple offences in three U.S. indictments, he had been facing a life prison sentence in the United States if found guilty, a fate which he has said could lead him to taking his own life. Very happy, relieved, very thankful for the High Court, for the judges, a beaming Love, surrounded by cheering supporters, told waiting reporters outside the courthouse after his appeal was upheld. A lower court in London had approved his extradition in 2016. Love has been diagnosed with clinical depression and suffers from stress-aggravated eczema, conditions which he manages with a complex medication regime and support from his parents. We come to the conclusion that Mr. Loves extradition would be oppressive by reason of his physical and mental condition, two High Court judges wrote in their ruling on his appeal. Loves lawyers had argued that he was not seeking to avoid justice, and was prepared to stand trial in Britain. The judges indicated that was what should now happen. The CPS [Crown Prosecution Service] must now bend its endeavors to his prosecution, with the assistance to be expected from the authorities in the United States, recognizing the gravity of the allegations in this case, they wrote. U.S. authorities say Love was connected to Anonymous, an international group of hackers, and that his actions had caused millions of dollars worth of damage. Precedent His legal case sets a precedent that could be relevant to future extradition cases, because it is the first successful use of a legal provision called the forum bar which allows British judges to block extradition if it is not in the interests of justice. The reason Ive gone through this ordeal is not just to save myself from being kidnapped and locked up for 99 years in a country Ive never visited, but its to set a precedent whereby this will not happen to other people in the future, Love said outside court. Were hopeful that other people may be able to rely on this verdict to ensure that theyre treated more humanely by the justice system. The lower court had ruled that the forum bar did not apply in Loves case, but the High Court judges said that it did. We emphasize however that it would not be oppressive to prosecute Mr. Love in England for the offences alleged against him, they wrote. If the forum bar is to operate as intended, where it prevents extradition, the other side of the coin is that prosecution in this country rather than impunity should then follow. The forum bar was introduced in 2013 after the extradition to the United States of Scottish hacker Gary McKinnon was blocked by Theresa May, in her former role as home secretary, or interior minister. She is now prime minister. McKinnon, who also had Aspergers, said he broke into U.S. state computers while on a moral crusade to find classified documents about UFOs. May said he was seriously ill and extradition would violate his human rights. Loves law firm, Kaim Todner, said in a statement his case was a legal landmark not only because of the successful use of the forum bar but also because the ruling recognized that mental health provisions in U.S. prisons were not adequate to keep Love safe. Recommended Video: Brazen Pickpockets Steal 1,000 From London Pensioner The California Aqueduct near Ranchero Road and 11th Avenue in Hesperia. (Screenshot via Google Maps) California Father Sacrifices Own Life to Save Drowning Son A California man gave his life to save his son when a bike ride alongside a dangerous aqueduct turned deadly. The names of the 31-year-old man and his 9-year-old son have not been released. The pair were spending the afternoon riding together along the California Aqueduct near Ranchero Road and 11th Avenue in Hesperia on Feb. 4 when the boy fell in. Hesperia Ranchero Rd./11th Ave. Dive Team searching for adult male in the aqueduct. 9 year old boy fell in, male rescued him but never surfaced. Updates to follow Cindy Bachman (@SBCSDcbachman) February 4, 2018 He said that he and his father were riding along the side of the aqueduct when he said that he lost control of his bicycle and he fell in, San Bernadino County Sheriffs Department spokeswoman Cindy Bachman told ABC7. The boys father immediately leaped into the cold, fast-moving water to save his son. Its just a tragic accident. A boy falling in and a man doing what any reasonable man would do. He jumped in to save his life, Bachman told CBS News. With the help of his father, the child made it to the bank and crawled to safety. His father disappeared beneath the waters dark surface. Police were called just before 1 p.m. Workers shut down the water flow through the aqueduct to allow rescue divers to search for the missing man. Divers found the childs bike near where both had gone in. Around 4:30 p.m. divers recovered the mans lifeless body a little farther downstream. Hesperia- Update* Ranchero Rd/ 11th Ave. Aqueduct search- Sheriff's Dive Team has recovered the body of the adult male. San Bernardino County Sheriff (@sbcountysheriff) February 5, 2018 Members of the victims family were nearby and rushed to the scene when they heard him shouting for help, but before anyone could do anything, the man had been swept out of sight. The sides of the aqueduct are steep and slippery, and the fence protecting it is studded with warning signs telling people to stay clear. Bicycles and cars are banned from the banks of the aqueduct, but pedestrians are free to use itat their own risk. Bachman told ABC7, Its very cold, it moves very fast and, again, its hard to find anything to grasp onto. At least six people drowned in the stretch of the aqueduct near Hesperia in 2017. Still, it remains a popular place for people to fish, sit, and walk their dogs. From NTD.tv Recommended Video: Firefighter Going Over 100 mph Before Deadly Crash Students from the Huazhong University of Science and Technology singing during their graduation ceremony in a sports stadium in Wuhan City, in China's central Hubei province, on June 20, 2017. (STR/AFP/Getty Images) Corrupt Chinese Officials Are Now Making Up Their Educational Backgrounds Party cadres use academic prestige for chances at promotion Chinese officials are known for cheating their way into amassing wealth, but now theyve been exposed for another kind of deceptionfaking their academic credentials. A state-published magazine called Half-Month Talk published an article on Jan. 26 detailing how 142 high-level officials who have been purged for corruption since the last Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership transition were found to have faked their academic backgrounds. Shortly after gaining control of the CCP in 2012, Xi Jinping launched a sweeping anti-corruption campaign to get rid of misbehaving officials that continues to this day. Many of those officials had degrees in fields outside of their work experience. For example, the former head of the Ministry of Public Security, Wu Changshun, never left the police field but received a masters of business administration (MBA) and an engineering doctorate in a very specialized field of machine design. Meanwhile, a former Yunnan Province deputy governor Shen Peiping majored in Chinese but received a doctorate in geography from a renowned university in Beijing. He was then hired by that school to be a professor at its natural resources institute. Others would receive higher education degrees in astoundingly short time periods. Former Hebei Province party secretary Zhou Benshun received a doctorate law within a year, at Wuhan University. According to the resume of the former chief of the United Front Work Department in Inner Mongolia, Wang Suyi, he was studying for a doctorate in legal theory and an MBA at the same time. These officials want to use fraudulent academic degrees as a means to give themselves prestige and increase their potential for promotion, while universities and higher education institutions are eager to please them because officials have the power to allocate resources for them, according to an expert at the Beijing-based education think tank 21st Century Education Research Institute quoted in the Half Month Talk article. This kind of tit-for-tat bribery benefits both sides: Schools get the political connections they need to prosper, while officials get to show off their smarts. Some officials take it further. Former Nanjing mayor, Ji Jianye was getting a doctorate at a prestigious university in Jiangsu Province while also serving on the schools board. Ji could help the school gain resources through his public post, while his position on the schools board guarantees preferential enrollment for his children in the future. Recommended Video: How Doctors in China Turn into Murderers U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents monitor the Rio Grande on a boat between the Mexican city of Ciudad Miguel Aleman (far side) and the Texan city of Roma, on May 31, 2017. (Benjamin Chasteen/The Epoch Times) DHS: Loopholes Congress Needs to Close to Secure the Border Department of Homeland Security and other officials tell Trump where legislation can help stem illegal immigration President Donald Trump sat with Homeland Security officials on Feb. 2 to hear about the biggest gaps in border security and how Congressional legislation can fix them. The roundtable was held at the Border Patrol National Targeting Center in Sterling, Virginia. After a dramatic drop for several months following Trumps inauguration, illegal border crossings have crept back up to beyond what they were in fiscal years 2013, 2014, and 2015, month for month. In December 2017, more than 40,000 illegal border crossers were apprehended or deemed inadmissible, according to statistics from Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Kevin McAleenan, acting commissioner of CBP said the increase in numbers come from two major groupsfamily units and unaccompanied children. A family unit includes at least one adult and one child under 18, whereas an unaccompanied minor is any child traveling alone under the age of 18. Border Patrol apprehended more than 83,000 people in those two groups in the last three months of 2017. The likely scenario for the 83,000 is that they claimed credible fear of returning to their home country, and were detained briefly by Border Patrol before being released to travel to their destination in the United Statesif they were a family unit. The unaccompanied minors are released to the Office of Refugee and Resettlement, where they will stay for an average of 45 days before being released to a sponsor within the United Statesmost often a parent or family member who is already in the country illegally. Weve seen a marked increase in hardened smugglers attempting to bring hard narcotics across our borders and into our communities. Kevin McAleenan, acting commissioner, Customs and Border Protection All 83,000 would have been given a date to appear in an immigration court to decide their immigration status, or whether they should be removed. Many will never show up at their court hearing, which means they will be automatically issued an order for removal in absentia. Whether they are located and removed or not now falls to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Last year, there were 700 percent more removal orders issued in absentia for cases that began with a credible fear claim than in 2009, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said on Oct. 12, 2017. From 2009 to 2016, the credible fear claims at the border went from approximately 3,000 cases to more than 69,000. Removal orders issued in absentia in all immigration cases have doubled since 2012, with nearly 40,000 issued in 2017 alone. The other factor weve seen is an increasing number coming to our ports of entry. Not even trying to cross the border illegally, but coming to our ports and presenting and claiming asylum in that route, McAleenan said. This is due to the fact that these groups can take advantage of loopholes in our legislation, court decisions, as well congestion in the asylum and immigration court processes. Immigration courts are so backlogged that it can be five years from when someone was apprehended at the border to their court date. The immigration court backlog for all immigration cases sits at more than 600,000 casestriple that in 2009. At the same time, and very concerningly, weve seen a marked increase in hardened smugglers attempting to bring hard narcotics across our borders and into our communities, McAleenan said. He said the increases are in every category: cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, and the synthetic opioid fentanyl. Trump signed the Interdict Act on Jan. 10 to increase the ability to screen chemicals, especially fentanyl and its analogues, in the mail system, as well as a boost in CBP personnel to improve screening. I think you need really tough enforcement, Trump said. And you need to get tough on the pushers, and you have to get tough on the dealersbeyond tough. The tougher the better. McAleenan said the increase in narcotics trafficking and illegal crossings is to blame for a 45 percent increase in assaults on CBP and Border Patrol agents over the last year. Border Patrol agents alone saw an increase in assaults of 73 percent in fiscal year 2017, with 786 cases reported, compared with 454 in fiscal 2016. We think theres two reasons, McAleenan said. One, weve got this increase in narcotics. Weve gotten more effective at securing our border, and so were dealing with a more determined, a more sophisticated, and a more dangerous population with these smugglers crossing, at the same time as were seeing this increased flow of families and unaccompanied children. Exploiting Loopholes Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen promised Trump his wall would be built. Youve just requested a $25 billion trust fund, she told him. We have a very specific and targeted way in which we will use that money to build a border wall system. Not just that infrastructure, but the technology and personnel that go with it. Nielsen said ICE has its own set of issues with interior enforcement. Once we apprehend somebody, we have difficulty under the current laws and loopholes detaining them and then removing them from the country. And thats going to stop, she said. Acting ICE Director Tom Homan said the Trafficking Victims Protections Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) had great intentions to help stop child trafficking, however it has turned into a tool for exploitation. He said children from Mexico can be returned to their country if it is determined they are not a victim of trafficking. However, a child from Central America cannot be returned back into Mexico and therefore must be accepted into the United States. Ninety-five percent of unaccompanied minors are from El Salvador, Honduras, or Guatemala. Almost 70 percent are aged between 15 and 17. Homan wants the TVPRA amended so that minors who are not genuine trafficking victims can be returned home or removed to safe third countries. Because once you release a child from Central America thats going to claim asylum once they get to courtif they show up at courtmost of them dont get asylum, he said. So theyre released in the community and very few of them are ever removed because theyre in the wind. Homan said only about 3.5 percent of the unaccompanied minors apprehended by Border Patrol are eventually removed from the United States. He said family units, in California for example, can only be detained for 20 days. If youre a family and want to come to the United States illegally, youll be detained by ICE for a couple weeks, youll get your vaccinations, you get your three squares a day, only to be released in the community, Homan said, saying this is the infamous catch and release program that the Trump administration has tried to end. We certainly dont want to get back to catch-and-release. However, because of these loopholes, we are at catch-and-release, Homan said. And because of these loopholes, it continues to drive more illegal immigration. It entices more families and children to come. Sanctuaries and Gangs Homan said sanctuary cities are another issue that Congress needs to rectify with legislation. Currently, many sanctuary jurisdictions do not honor detainers from ICE and will release a criminal back into the community rather than allow ICE to take custody. A detainer is a request from ICE to hold an inmate for up to 48 hours longer so ICE can take custody, or its a request for the jail to alert ICE 48 hours before the inmate is to be released. If we can have Congress act on a sanctuary city and make detainers legally viablefor instance, give the sheriffs the immunity, the protection; if they honor our detainers, the U.S. government will protect them, Homan said. The police officers in this country support us. They want to honor the detainers. They just need legislation. Rep. Todd Rokita (R-Ind.) introduced a bill to the House on Dec. 1, 2017, that would punish officials who implement sanctuary policies in their jurisdictions. Violators of the law, Stopping Lawless Actions of Politicians (SLAP) Act of 2017, could be sentenced to 5 years in federal prison and be fined up to $1 million. The bill was referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security on Jan. 9. Nielsen said immigration law needs to change to include gangs in the inadmissibility and removability criteria. Theyre only here to commit violence, she said. John Cronan, acting assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice, said the problem of gangs, especially the violent MS-13 gang, can be largely solved through legislation. Many MS-13 gang members enter the United States illegally as unaccompanied minors from Central America. They are engaging in rape, robbery, extortion, murder, often just for the sake of it, Cronan said. Theyre committing these acts for the sake of the indiscriminate, violent, and heinous killings. Theyre attacking their victims with chains, bats, machetes. They recruit children to be their murderers. They gang-rape young girls and sell them for sex. Its an awful, awful thing. The Criminal Alien Gang Removal Act passed the House in September and would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to expedite the removal of alien gang members from within the United States. Gang membership would become grounds for both deportation and for denying entry at the border. Currently, most gang members are only deported after committing an independent crime. The bill has sat in the Senate Committee on the Judiciary since September last year. Repatriation Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan said some countries refuse to take back their citizens when the United States tries to deport them. A Supreme Court ruling from 2001 says the United States must release a convicted criminal after six months if it is unlikely they are able to be repatriated within the foreseeable future. In fiscal year 2017, 1,666 criminal illegal aliens were released from ICE custody because of the court ruling, according to the administration. Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Carl Risch said one of the worst offenders is China. Most recently, in September, we started a visa sanction plan with Guinea, Eritrea, Sierra Leone, and Cambodia, Risch said. And were seeing some progress there. The visa sanctions do work in these cases. And were seeing that theres people going back to these countries that would not have gone back a year or two ago. Trump said he would look to solve the issue economically. Thats an easy one, he said. If they dont take them back, well put sanctions on the countries. Well put tariffs on the countries. Theyll take them back so fast your head will spin. And the other is, we give a lot of aid to some of those countries. And to those countries, well stop giving aid, and they will take them back instantaneously. Trump gave Congress his immigration framework on Jan. 25, which gives amnesty to 1.8 million illegal immigrants in exchange for increased border security, including a wall, an end to chain migration in favor of a merit-based immigration system, and an end to the diversity visa lottery program. Recommended Video: President Trumps First State of the Union Address Emergency Room Trips: A Tipping Point for Elder Health Why ER visits can signal deeper problems, and what you can do to support a loved one in crisis Twice a day, the 86-year-old man went for long walks and visited with neighbors along the way. Then, one afternoon he fell while mowing his lawn. In the emergency room, doctors diagnosed a break in his upper arm and put him in a sling. Back at home, this former World War II Navy pilot found it hard to manage on his own but stubbornly declined help. Soon overwhelmed, he didnt go out often, his congestive heart failure worsened, and he ended up in a nursing home a year later, where he eventually passed away. Just because someone in their 70s or 80s isnt admitted to a hospital doesnt mean that everything is fine, said Dr. Timothy Platt-Mills, co-director of geriatric emergency medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, who recounted the story of his former neighbor in Chapel Hill. Quite the contrary: An older persons trip to the ER often signals a serious health challenge and should serve as a wake-up call for caregivers and relatives. Research published last year in the Annals of Emergency Medicine underscores the risks. Six months after visiting the ER, seniors were 14 percent more likely to have acquired a disabilityan inability to independently bathe, dress, climb down a flight of stairs, shop, manage finances or carry a package, for instancethan older adults of the same age, with a similar set of illnesses, who didnt end up in the ER. These older adults werent admitted to the hospital from the ER; they returned home after their visits, as do about two-thirds of seniors who go to ERs, nationally. The takeaway: Illnesses or injuries that lead to ER visits can initiate a fairly vulnerable period of time for older persons, and we should consider new initiatives to address patients care needs and challenges after such visits, said one of the studys co-authors, Dr. Thomas Gill, a professor of medicine (geriatrics), epidemiology, and investigative medicine at Yale University. Research by Dr. Cynthia Brown, a professor and division director of gerontology, geriatrics, and palliative care at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, confirms this vulnerability. In a 2016 report, she found sharp declines in older adults life-space mobility (the extent to which they get up and about and out of the house) after an emergency room visit, which lasted for at least a year without full recovery. We know that when people have a decline of this sort, its associated with a lot of bad outcomesa poorer quality of life, nursing home placement and mortality, Brown said. Other research suggests that seniors who are struggling with self-care (bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring from the bed to a chair) or with activities such as cooking, cleaning, and managing medications are especially vulnerable to the aftereffects of an ER visit. A Tipping Point Why would seeking help in an ER often become a sentinel event, with potentially adverse consequences for older adults? Experts offer various suggestions: Seniors who were previously coping adequately may be tipped into an I cant handle this any longer state by an injury or the exacerbation of a chronic illness, such as diabetes or heart failure. They now may need more help at home than whats available, and their health may spiral downward. Other possibilities: Seniors who fall and injure themselvesa leading cause of ER visitsmay become afraid of falling again and limit their activities, leading to deterioration. Or, underlying vulnerabilities that led to an ER visitfor instance, depression, dementia, or delirium (a state of acute, sudden onset confusion and disorientation)may go undetected and unaddressed by emergency room staff, leaving older adults susceptible to the ongoing impact of these conditions. In response to concerns about the care older adults are receiving, the field of emergency medicine has endorsed guidelines designed to make ERs more senior-friendly. With the rapid expansion of the aging population, which accounts for more than 20 million ER visits each year, our traditional model of emergency medicine has to shift its paradigm, said Dr. Christopher Carpenter, associate professor of emergency medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The guidelines call for educating medical staff in the principles and practice of geriatric care, assessing seniors to determine their degree of risk, screening older adults deemed at risk for cognitive concerns, falls and functional limitations, performing a comprehensive medication review, making referrals to community resources such as Meals on Wheels, and supplying an easily understood discharge plan. Three levels of accreditationbasic, intermediate, and advancedwill be offered. For each of these levels, ERs will be required to provide walkers, canes, food and drink, and reading glasses to older patients. For intermediate and advanced accreditation, physicians will have to oversee improvement initiatives, such as limiting the use of urinary catheters in older patients. Also, changes to the ER environment such as non-slip floors and enhanced lighting will be required, along with amenities such as hearing devices, thicker mattresses, and warm blankets. How to Support a Loved One Family members can also help older adults during and after a visit to the ER. My biggest piece of advice is to get there and stay by their side throughout the experience, because things happen very quickly in emergency rooms, and these are difficult environments to navigate under the best of circumstances, said Dr. Kathleen Unroe, associate professor of medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Kevin Biese, chair of the board of governors for ACEPs geriatric ER accreditation initiative, offers these recommendations: Escape the crowd. Ask for a room, instead of letting your loved one stay out in the hallwaya horrible place for seniors at risk of delirium. Tell staff, who may have put Mom in the hallway because shes a fall risk and they want to keep an eye on her, Ill watch Mom and make sure she doesnt get out of bed. Supply a full list of medications. And ask the doctor or nurse to make sure that your list is the same as whats in [the hospitals] computer. If not, have them update the computer list. Dont leave without knowing which medications have been stopped or changed, if any, and why. Focus on comfort. Bring eyeglasses and any hearing-assist devices that can help keep your loved one oriented. If you think Mom is in pain, encourage her pain to be treated. Educate yourself. Know what happened in the ER. What tests were done? What diagnoses did the staff arrive at? What treatments were given? What kind of follow-up is being recommended? Communicate effectively. Utilize teach-back. When the nurse or doctor says, OK, youre supposed to do this when you get back home, say, Let me see if I understand. I hear you say take this medication on this schedule. Did I get that right? Follow through. Ask How is Moms regular doctor going to know what happened here? Whos responsible for telling himdo you make that call or do I? And how soon should we try to get in for a follow-up appointment? Keep tabs on your loved one. Finally, you need to see the few days after a visit to the ER as a time of critical importance when increased vigilance is required. Arrange for some extra help if you cant be around, even if only for a few days. Check in frequently on Mom and make sure her needs are being met, her pain is being adequately controlled and shes not getting delirious. Does the plan of care that she left the ER with seem to be working? Judith Graham is a writer for Kaiser Health News, which originally published this article. KHNs coverage of these topics is supported by John A. Hartford Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and The SCAN Foundation. 700 S Main St., the area the Springville police officer was patrolling when he was saved by a passerby on Feb. 2, 2018, in Springville, Utah. (Screenshot via Google Maps) Gun Owner Saves Policeman Getting Beat by Violent Suspect A Utah man used his concealed carry handgun to save a police officer getting attacked by a suspect. Derek Meyer was driving by on Feb. 2 at around 2 p.m. when he spotted a man attacking a police officer in Springville, Utah. Meyer yelled at the suspect, Paul Douglas Anderson, to stop punching the officer. Meanwhile, he took aim with his pistol, Fox 13 reported. I carry a gun to protect me and those around me, but primarily I carry a gun to protect my family first and foremost, Meyer told Fox 13. Outside of that, if I were to use my gun to protect anyone it would be law enforcement or military personnel. Before Meyer could fire Anderson ran away. Thirty minutes later, a witness saw Anderson hiding under a flatbed trailer across the street from where the attack occurred. He was arrested on suspicion of assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, theft, burglary, and failure to stop at the command of a police officer, according to the Daily Herald. Had he not been in the right place at the right time, who knows what would have happened, Cpl. Cory Waters of Springville Police told Fox 13. But he definitely stopped the attack from continuing and becoming much worse. He might have even saved either one of their lives. It could have gone really bad, even for the suspect. Meyer has a concealed carry license. He told Fox 13 he is very hesitant to use his gun. He said that in the moment, it felt like time actually slowed down or even stopped. Ive always said that I would much rather get in a fistfight with my gun securely holstered to my side than to ever have to pull my gun, especially to ever have to use my gun, said Meyer. When the officer first approached Anderson, he was rummaging inside a donation bin. Only his feet were hanging out while he was head first in the metal box. The officer ordered Anderson to get out, which he did, but he refused to remove his hands from his pockets. When Anderson finally complied, he let a flurry of punches fly at the officer, according to the Daily Herald. The officer survived with a fractured eye socket and gashes near his eye. From NTD.tv Recommended Video: Brazen Pickpockets Steal 1,000 From London Pensioner The 400 block of East Lincoln Street, Marion, Indiana, where two teenagers died on Jan. 4, 2018 (Screenshot/GoogleMaps) Indiana Police Investigating Suspected Murder-Suicide of Two Teens Two teenagers have died in a suspected murder-suicide in Indiana. Police are investigating the deaths of a 13-year-old girl and 17-year-old male after they were found unresponsive by the girls father in the early hours of Sunday morning. Police recovered a handgun from the house in Marion, Indiana, and believe that the deaths followed the break-up of a relationship, they said in a statement. The father of 13-year-old Alainee Byer was out at work when he was alerted to an incident at their home in the 400 block of East Lincoln Street, Marion. He returned to find his daughter unresponsive alongside 17-year-old Corbin Page, according to police. Emergency services pronounced them both dead at 2:29 a.m. Police said in a statement that the incident appeared to be due to the termination of the relationship between Byer and Page. In an earlier statement, the police described the deaths as a suspected homicide-suicide. Larry Thompson, a relative of Byer, said, Its a real sad situation. I really feel for the family. It was a tragedy. Its a real good family, Thompson told WTHR. The grandparents help anyone they can and Anthony, her father, is a very good person too. He took very good care of his kids and hes a hard worker. Autopsies have been scheduled for Monday, according to police. Both teenagers attended schools within the Mississinewa Community School Corporation. Mississinewa High School has already announced it will provide extra counseling for students impacted by the deaths. Recommended Video: Sleepy Truck Driver Causes Multi-Vehicle Crash Kim Cattralls Brother Found Dead in Canada Actress Kim Cattrall has said that her brother has died, after previously appealing for information on his whereabouts. Christopher Cattrall, 55, went missing from his home in Alberta, Canada, on Tuesday, Jan. 30. Sex and the City actress Kim Cattrall appealed for help on social media to find him. But less than 24 hours later, Canadian police said that he had been found dead. On Sunday, Cattrall posted to Twitter, It is with great sadness that myself and my family announce the unexpected passing of our son and brother, Chris Cattrall. Cattrall thanked her followers for the outpouring of love and support they had shown and asked for privacy. Officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they found Christopher on his rural property in Blackfalds, Alberta, reported CNN. The cause of death was not suspicious, police said, although they did not say why it wasnt considered suspicious. In an Instagram post written after her brother had gone missing, Cattrall said, His keys, cell phone,& wallet left on the table and his front door unlocked. This is not like Chris. He would never leave his unlocked home without those items nor his 7 beloved dogs. Mother of Natalee Holloway Sues Oxygen, Saying She Was Allegedly Tricked The mother of missing Alabama woman Natalee Holloway, whose disappearance has been the subject of international intrigue and numerous TV specials for more than a decade, has sued TV channel Oxygen. Elizabeth Ann Holloway, in a lawsuit, said that Oxygen Media tricked her into providing a sample of her DNA under a false claim that they found her daughters remains, TMZ reported. She said that when Oxygen went to do a six-part series on Natalees 2005 disappearance in Aruba, she said she was told that they had found remains that might belong to Natalee. No such remains were ever found, she said, adding that Oxygen lied to her, the report said. Elizabeth Holloway said she would not have provided the sample of her DNA if the channel hadnt allegedly misled her into thinking the remains were discovered. The mother is suing on behalf of Natalee using a legal theory called outrage, the TMZ report said, adding that she believes the six-part seriescalled the The Disappearance of Natalee Holloway and aired last yearwas a pre-planned farce. In October, Dr. Jason Kolowski, who is a forensic scientist who led testing of the bone fragments that were found in connection with the case, said that they dont belong to her. The mitochondrial DNA bone sample was not a match to [mother] Beth Holloway, he told Oxygen at the time. And so it was ruled out as being Natalee Holloway. Natalee, who was 18, disappeared while on a high school graduation trip to Aruba on May 30, 2005. She was supposed to appear on a flight home on that day, but she never appeared. The teen was last seen by classmates with Dutch national Joran van der Sloot and two local residents in a car. Van der Sloot was convicted in the murder of Stephany Flores Ramirez in Lima, Peru in 2010, CNN reported, and he still remains the prime suspect in the Holloway disappearance. Recommended Video: How Doctors in China Turn into Murderers Muskogee Man Too Heavy to Hide in Attic, Falls Into Middle of Police Search A man from Muskogee, Oklahoma, thought he could hide from the police officers coming to his house to arrest him by climbing into the attic. He would have done well to check the load-bearing capacity of his ceiling first. Muskogee police officers and U.S. Marshals went to the home where Tevan Adams was staying to serve multiple warrants on Feb. 2. MuskogeeNow reported. When law enforcement officials reached the home, they could see through the door drugs, paraphernalia, and weapons in plain sight. Muskogee Police Department Officer Jeramie Garcia told Fox23, Once we went to serve the warrant we noticed drug paraphernalia, drug activity, and weapons in the home. The officers entered the home at 2101 N. 37th Street and arrested the two other men named in the warrants, Antonio Gardner Jr. and Laquinta Anderson. Police searched the residence and found two rifles, a pistol, more than 150 ecstasy tablets, and a pound and a half of marijuana, MuskogeeNow reported. While they were searching, Adams, who had crawled into the attic, crashed through the sheetrock ceiling and slammed onto the bathroom floor. Adams was promptly cuffed and taken to Muskogee County Jail along with his friends. Adams was wanted for burglary and for possessing a firearm after a felony conviction. All three will now face drug and gun charges. On top of that, Gardner and Anderson will be charged with harboring a known fugitive. From NTD.tv Recommended Video: Sleepy Truck Driver Causes Multi-Vehicle Crash OPINION: For Accurate Reporting on the Nunes Memo, Look to The Onion New York Times and Washington Post dissemble in attempting to discredit the Nunes memo The so-called Nunes memo, written at the direction of the chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), to describe abuses in government surveillance carried out against the campaign of President Donald Trump, was finally released on Feb. 2. One day before the Nunes memo was released, the satirical news website The Onion tweeted this: FBI Warns Republican Memo Could Undermine Faith In Massive, Unaccountable Government Secret Agencies FBI Warns Republican Memo Could Undermine Faith In Massive, Unaccountable Government Secret Agencies https://t.co/edaqT2LocX pic.twitter.com/aKhCU1BPo4 The Onion (@TheOnion) February 1, 2018 On the same day, The New York Times and The Washington Post both warned against publicizing the memo. Sometimes life imitates The Onion. How times have changed. The Times published the Pentagon Papers and went to court to defend its actions. The Post unraveled the Watergate scandal. In order to stick it to the current resident in the White House, however, they have both advocated keeping the American people in the dark this time. Suddenly, for the Times, news perceived to be in favor of Trump is not fit to print; for the Post, democracy thrives in darkness. At least The Onion is consistent. When I saw the memo, I was a little disappointed. It did not contain much information that was not already widely circulated in the news media. This was the document that the Democrats fought tooth and nail against releasing? There were no sources and methods revealed, as the Democrats charged. I didnt see how anything in it could compromise national security. The obstruction from the Democrats exposed their true colors: saving their own skin is more important than justice, transparency, and the rule of law. What the Memo Says Nonetheless, the memo provides an official confirmation that surveillance abuses were committed by senior officials of the FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ). Heres a synopsis. During the 2016 presidential election cycle, the FBI and DOJ sought to surveil American citizen Carter Page, who had briefly volunteered for the Trump campaign. In order to do that, the FBI and DOJ went to the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to apply for warrants. Former FBI Director James Comey, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, former Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Sally Yates, former Acting DAG Dana Boente, and DAG Rod Rosenstein signed the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) applications. After the warrant was granted, it was renewed three times. The major evidence against Page that the FBI and DOJ presented to the FISA court was the infamous Steele dossier, a minimally corroborated political hit job partially funded by the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. The memo alleges that the dossier was so crucial that McCabe admitted in a congressional hearing that without it, FISA warrants against Page would not have been sought. The FBI and DOJ also cited news stories from Yahoo News to bolster their case. Comey, McCabe, Yates, Boente, and Rosenstein were aware the dossier was a result of opposition research, not a product from the American intelligence community. They also knew the author of the dossier, Christopher Steele, was desperate to get Trump, according to the memo. When the dossier was presented to the FISA court, however, the source of the memo and the animus against Trump were withheld from the judges. The FBI and DOJ also failed to tell the judges a news story used to support the application had been intentionally planted by Steele himself. Attempts to Discredit the Memo The Democrats and their media allies kicked into high gear immediately after the Nunes memo was released. Citing anonymous sources, The New York Times and The Washington Post attempted to discredit the Nunes memo. At the same time, the House Democrats drafted their own memo to respond to the Nunes memo. Apparently, they couldnt wait to release their memo through official channels, so they chose to leak it to the media. The New York Times criticized the claims made in the Nunes memo: The F.B.I. told the court that the information it received from Mr. Steele was politically motivated, though the agency did not say it was financed by Democrats, according to two people familiar with the Democratic memo. The Washington Post took a similar line: The court that approved surveillance of a former campaign adviser to President Trump was aware that some of the information underpinning the warrant request was paid for by a political entity, although the application did not specifically name the Democratic National Committee or the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter. But I think the Times and the Post misfired. The reports of the two newspapers affirmed that the Steele dossier, which former FBI director James Comey had testified was salacious and unverified, was used as evidence by the FBI and DOJ to get FISA warrants. It is no trivial matter for the government to surveil American citizens, not to mention individuals who are affiliated with political campaigns. Thats why we have the FISA court. The FBI was supposed to do due diligence to verify the evidence. The FISA court was supposed to scrutinize the evidence provided by the government. The fact the smear document was admitted by the court and the warrants were granted suggests how badly broken the system is. At a minimum, Comey, McCabe, Yates, Boente, Rosenstein, and the FISA judges demonstrated exceptionally poor judgment, which begs the question if they were sufficiently competent at their jobs. A less charitable take is the FISA warrants against Page were part of a larger scheme concocted by the top echelons of the FBI and DOJ to take down Trump. Moreover, the accounts by the Times and the Post did not dispute that the FBI and DOJ concealed information from the FISA judges. What they are disputing is the degree of concealment. According to the Times and the Post, the FBI and DOJ did not disclose the dossier was funded by the Democrats and the Clinton campaign. The withheld information could have been potentially favorable to the target of the FISA application. In addition, the government cited news stories planted by Steele as supporting evidence. The FBI and DOJ knew that citing a news story supporting the dossier whose only source was the information in the dossier was a form of deceit, but did not make a sound about it to the court. This suggests they had the intent to mislead the judges. In other words, the Times, the Post, and the Nunes memo agree the FBI and DOJ lied to the FISA court in the Page case. Nunes told Fox News that the memo was only Phase One. In Phase Two, the House Intelligence Committee will investigate the involvement of the State Department in the surveillance abuse saga. It is not yet clear if other institutions of the government are implicated. The American people should demand more government disclosure, not less. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Recommended Video: The Origins of Antifa Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Russia Deploys Nuclear-Capable Missiles at Polish Border Russia has deployed advanced nuclear-capable Iskander missiles to its Kaliningrad exclave on the Baltic Sea, the RIA news agency quoted a senior lawmaker as saying on Monday, Feb. 5. Russia has said previous deployments of Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad, a slice of Russia wedged between Poland and Lithuania, were temporary and a response to the United States building up its forces in the Baltic region, Reuters reported. Russia confirms it sent Iskander nuclear-capable ballistic missiles to its Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad after Lithuania announced the deploymenthttps://t.co/HIROu0TCls DAILY SABAH (@DailySabah) February 5, 2018 Washington says placing such missile systems near the Baltic states and NATO member Poland is destabilizing, while U.S. officials have expressed concern that the deployments represent a permanent upgrade to Russias forces in the area. Lithuanian Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis said that Russia intends to keep the missiles there permanently, ERR reported. On Monday, Iskander missiles are being stationed in Kaliningrad for permanent presence as we speak, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said in Rukla. This is not just a threat to Lithuania, but to half of all European countries. She said that Russia had transported nuclear-capable missiles to the Kaliningrad region, located between Poland and Lithuania, for drills. This time, its permanent, the minister said. It is permanent stationing with all the necessary infrastructure in place, Grybauskaite said. Lithuania accuses Russia of deploying nuclear-capable Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad (between Poland and Lithuania). Russia sent them there for drills in 2016, but Lithuanian President Grybauskaite says this time they were being deployed for a 'permanent presence'. @AFP pic.twitter.com/lXJDY7fTb1 Dmitry Zaks (@dmitryzaksAFP) February 5, 2018 Vladimir Shamanov, head of the Russian lower house of parliaments defense committee, said on Monday that Iskander missile systems had been sent to Kaliningrad, but did not say how many or for how long, RIA reported. Yes, they have been deployed, it quoted him as saying. The deployment of foreign military infrastructure automatically falls onto the priority list for targeting. The Iskander, a mobile ballistic missile system codenamed SS-26 Stone by NATO, replaced the Soviet Scud missile. Its two guided missiles have a range of up to 500 kilometers (about 300 miles) and can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads. According to military website Janes.com, Russia will also deploy Su-27SM3 fighter planes to the regime, and, eventually, it will deploy the latest version of the Su-35 fighter. Last week, the United States dispatched the anti-submarine P-8A Poseidon from RAF Mildenhall, in Suffolk, U.K., in the Baltic Sea just hours after a Russian jet came within five feet of a U.S. Navy plane, The Sun reported. Launched from RAF Mildenhall Eastern Poland & Baltic mission ?? US Air Force RC-135W Rivet Joint 62-4134 AURIS30 pic.twitter.com/IYWvdNMO0f Aircraft Spots (@AircraftSpots) January 30, 2018 Reuters contributed to this report. From NTD.tv Recommended Video: How Doctors in China Turn into Murderers President Donald Trump delivers his first address to a joint session of Congress from the floor of the House of Representatives in Washington, DC, on Feb. 28, 2017. (JIM LO SCALZO/AFP/Getty Images) Trump Calls Out 5 Officials as Liars and Leakers President Donald Trump slammed five high-level government officials as liars and leakers on Monday morning as part of a Twitter message aimed at House Intelligence Committee member Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! the president wrote. Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped! Schiff was one of the leading figures opposing the last weeks release of a secret memo which detailed abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) by high-level officials in the FBI and the Justice Department during the Obama administration. The four other officials in Trumps message include three top-ranking Obama-era intelligence executives, including former FBI Director James Comey, former CIA Director John Brennan, and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. The fifth official is Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. In a follow-up tweet, Trump praised the author of the declassified FISA-abuse memo, Devin Nunes. Representative Devin Nunes, a man of tremendous courage and grit, may someday be recognized as a Great American Hero for what he has exposed and what he has had to endure! Trump wrote. Trumps son, Donald Trump Jr., has accused members of the House Intelligence Committee of selectively leaking information from his confidential interview. Trump Jr.s lawyer demanded that the leaks be investigated in a letter to the committees chairman. Comey admitted that he leaked his memos, at least one of which was classified, to a friend with the intention of them reaching the news media. Comey was also the FBI director when the abuses of the FISA system detailed in Nunes memo occurred. Trump fired Comey in May last year. Trumps administration was inundated with selective leaks during the first six months of his presidency. According to a report by the Senate Homeland Security committee, an average of one leak per day occurred between the presidents inauguration and July 6 last year. The 125 leaks reviewed by the committee included disclosures of information potentially damaging to national security and sensitive intelligence on U.S. adversaries or possible military plans against them, the committee reported. Russia-related leaks made up more than half of the total and included closely-held information such as intelligence community intercepts, FBI interviews and intelligence, grand jury subpoenas, and even the workings of a secret surveillance court, according to the report. From NTD.tv Recommended Video: President Trumps First State of the Union Address Two Women Die Clam Digging Almost at Same Time Miles Apart Two 911 calls came in to the Pacific County Sheriffs Office less than five minutes apart on Friday, Feb. 2.both just as tragic. At 8:57 p.m., a call came in that a 70-year-old woman was lost in the surf while digging for clams north of Ocean Park on the Long Beach Peninsula in Washington. The sheriffs office and Surf Rescue dispatched teams to the site, but the search was hampered by rough surf and inclement weather, the sheriffs office stated on Facebook. Moreover, a Coast Guard helicopter was hit by a bird and wasnt able to get to the scene. The second call came in at 9:01 p.m., a 61-year-old woman from Toledo was reported missing while clam digging with her husband near Warrenton Cannery Road, about 14 miles north of where the first woman went missing. Several agencies dispatched personnel to the area, the sheriffs office stated. The first womans body was found on Saturday, 5 p.m., about 23 miles northward near Westport. The second womans body was also found on Saturday, at about 5:38 a.m., some 2-3 miles north of where she got missing. Debby Loers Esty, of Ocosta, Washington, said she was friends with the Toledo woman and was very devastated by the incident. She had a cabin down here with her husband. Was going to be her forever home when she retired, Esty said. She was an experience (sic) digger and had respect for the ocean. She was last seeing walking [back] to their truck by her husband. We spent all night looking for her. Only 1 sheriff showed up and just for a short time. There were a lot of crab boats out with their lights on. Very confusing. We are at a loss but we think she got turned around by the lights. These incidents serve as a tragic reminder that one must always be vigilant of the powerful surf and waves that are often present on our ocean beaches, the sheriffs office noted. Always stay close to other clammers, bring a flashlight or lantern, a waterproof cell phone, and never turn your back on the surf as sneaker waves can appear at any time. Recommended Video: Neighbors React to Parents Arrest After Their 13 Children Found Shackled, Malnourished in Home A Malaysia Airlines plane prepares for landing at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, outside Kuala Lumpur on July 21, 2014. (Mohd Rasfan/AFP/Getty Images) Vessel Searching Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Turns Off Tracking System for Days A vessel thats hunting Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which went missing in March 2014, switched off its Automatic Identification System for more than three days, according to reports. The system was disabled on the Seabed Constructor on Jan. 31, 10 days into the fresh search for the plane, and it wasnt reconnected until several days later, according to Australias News Ltd. It means there are about 80 hours of time that are unaccounted for. Some amateur aviation specialists and Flight 370 watchers have been observing the Constructors movements since it left port on Jan. 2 to search for the plane in a new area. Texas-based exploration firm Ocean Infinity is searching for the vessel under a no cure, no fee contract with the Malaysian government, CBS reported. If the Constructor doesnt find Flight 370or remnants of the missing planewithin 90 days, it wont get paid by the government. If it does, the firm will receive about up to $70 million. Last Wednesday, the vessel went dark, observers noted, according to the News Ltd. report. #MH370 Ok, So Seabed Constructor has shown up on AIS again. Looking at the image, where has she been for 3 days? NOT in the secondary area. Note where she is coming from. pic.twitter.com/It209WXJ9L Kevin Rupp (@LabratSR) February 4, 2018 U.K.-based space scientist Richard Cole wrote: I think that the AIS transmission from Constructor has been disabled. The question is whether this is finger-trouble by someone adjusting the AIS system settings ahead of departing for Fremantle, or deliberate action, according to the report. A few days later, the Seabed Constructor turned its Automatic Identification System back on and is now heading to Perth, Australia. Ocean Infinity is also slated to provide an update on the search later this week. #MH370 Morning Update Nothing new. Seabed Constructor is now over 15 hours without updating her AIS position. I will post as soon as anything changes Kevin Rupp (@LabratSR) February 1, 2018 The primary mission by Ocean Infinity is to identify the location of the wreckage and/or both of the flight recorders and present a considerable and credible evidence to confirm the exact location of the two main items, Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai told a news conference in January. We have a realistic prospect of finding it, Ocean Infinity Chief Executive Oliver Plunkett said at the time. While there can be no guarantees of locating the aircraft, we believe our system of multiple autonomous vehicles working simultaneously is well suited to the task at hand. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014, with 239 passengers and crew members on board. Recommended Video: How Doctors in China Turn into Murderers American Water Works Co., Inc. engages in the provision of complementary water and wastewater services. It operates through the following segments: Regulated Businesses; Market-Based Businesses; and Other. The Regulated Businesses segment provides water and wastewater services to customers. The Market-Based Businesses segment is responsible for Military Services Group, Contract Operations Group, Homeowner Services Group, and Keystone Operations. The Other segment includes corporate costs that are not allocated to the Company's operating segments, eliminations of inter-segment transactions, fair value adjustments and associated income and deductions related to the acquisitions that have not been allocated to the operating segments for evaluation of performance and allocation of resource purposes. The company was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Camden, NJ. 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Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc., ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics. 27 minutes ago Kansas City Southern picks Canadian Pacific bid for railroad KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Kansas City Southern has decided that a $31 billion bid from Canadian Pacific is the best of two offers on the table to buy the railroad. The Kansas City, Missouri, company said in a statement Sunday that it has notified rival bidder Canadian National that it intends to terminate a merger agreement and make a deal with Canadian Pacific. But it's not final yet. Read Article By JUSTIN PORTER and JASON M. BAILEY JAN. 28, 2018 Senator Marco Rubio of Florida announced late Saturday that he had fired his chief of staff after allegations of improper conduct. After an internal investigation, he determined that the employee had violated office policies regarding proper relations between a supervisor and their subordinates, Mr. Rubio said in a statement posted to his website. I further concluded that this led to actions which in my judgment amounted to threats to withhold employment benefits. Mr. Rubios statement did not identify his chief of staff by name. Clint Reed is listed in that position in the Washington Information Directory published by Congressional Quarterly; he also identified himself as the chief of staff on his social media accounts as of early Sunday. Mr. Reed did not reply to an email request for comment. He began working for Mr. Rubio when the senator was running for the Republican nomination for president in 2016, and ran Mr. Rubios campaign in Iowa. After Mr. Rubio ended his presidential bid, Mr. Reed ran his campaign for re-election to the Senate. Mr. Rubios statement said his office would not be disclosing any further details about the incidents which occurred, because the senator was respecting the wishes of those victimized by this conduct. It said Mr. Rubio, a Republican, was directly informed of the allegations on Friday afternoon. WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) today released the following statement: Yesterday afternoon, I was made aware, for the first time, of allegations of improper conduct by my Chief of Staff while under the employment of my office. These allegations were reported directly to me instead of our General Counsel or the Congressional Office of Compliance. Immediately upon receiving this complaint, I along with our General Counsel, began an investigation of this matter. By early this afternoon, I had sufficient evidence to conclude that while employed by this office, my Chief of Staff had violated office policies regarding proper relations between a supervisor and their subordinates. I further concluded that this led to actions which in my judgement amounted to threats to withhold employment benefits. This evening, I traveled from Florida to Washington D.C. and terminated his employment effective immediately. We have taken steps to ensure that those impacted by this conduct have access to any services they may require now or in the future. Pursuant to the wishes of those victimized by this conduct, we will not be disclosing any further details about the incidents which occurred. We will be formally notifying the appropriate Congressional and Senate administrative offices of this matter when they return to work Monday morning. ### Hudsons Bay Co. has plucked a leader in pharmacy retail in the U.S. to head the company as it seeks to get its global and online holdings working more smoothly together. Helena Foulkes, executive vice-president of CVS Health and president of CVS Pharmacy, will become HBCs chief executive officer on Feb. 19, replacing Gerald Storch, who stepped down in November after less than two years in the role. Foulkes will be in charge of HBCs global strategy and operations across all its banners, including Hudsons Bay, Saks Fifth Avenue and its European department store chains. Read more: Hudsons Bay under fire from investment firm after $201M loss in very disappointing quarter HBC under fire after CEO quits Opinion | David Olive: How Hudson's Bay can stop from becoming the next Sears Canada Governor and executive chairperson Richard Baker, who has been acting interim CEO since Storchs departure, said it was Foulkess reputation as a transformational leader that caught HBCs attention. CVS had 1,400 stores when Foulkes joined the company 25 years ago and it has 9,700 today, mostly as a result of consolidations and acquisitions. It was a very logical fit for a company that views itself as a consolidator of department stores globally, Baker said. While he didnt rule out more acquisitions for HBC, he pointed to other skills that made Foulkes the first choice in the global search for a CEO. I think there is a lot of opportunity for starters to maximize the businesses that we own, Baker said. Foulkes, 53, will also be appointed to HBCs board of directors. Im excited about the opportunity to reinvent the customer experience using both store and digital assets, and I think this is a great example of a company that can get to the next level through more of that, Foulkes said. Foulkes was a principal architect of CVSs move to become a recognized leader in health care. She also helped lead CVSs decision to discontinue sales of tobacco products and the creation of CVS digital, which is now used by 48 million consumers to fill prescriptions. Prior to joining CVS in 1992, Foulkes worked at Goldman Sachs & Co. and Tiffany & Co. She serves on the boards of the Home Depot and the Harvard University Board of Overseers. CVS said in January it will stop significant touch-ups of images used in its advertising for beauty products, and Foulkes said she is interested to see how that will play out in department stores. I think, in general, the idea is rooted in the notion of transparency and that is what women are looking for, and I think the beauty industry will evolve that way, and I am looking forward to seeing how thats relevant to HBC. Under Baker, HBC has acquired department stores across North America and in Europe, including Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Galeria Kaufhof in Germany and Galeria INNO in Belgium and Gilt.com. It has also expanded the Hudson Bay banner into the Netherlands. The company has been under pressure from an activist investor to surface more value for shareholders. With files from Dow Jones Former Google and Facebook employees and early investors are launching a campaign to warn people about the dangers of the technology they helped create. Roger McNamee, Tristan Harris and others have been agitating for change at companies such as Facebook. Now theyve formed a coalition, the Center for Humane Technology, and are launching a huge awareness campaign called the Truth about Tech. Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube are not neutral products, the website for the Center for Humane Technology states. They are part of a system designed to addict us. Read more: Apple urged to fight iPhone addiction in children Opinion | Emma Teitel: Our addiction to technology is the enemy, not technology Facebook is addictive and should be regulated like a cigarette company, says Salesforce CEO McNamee, a longtime tech investor who was an early backer of Facebook, and Rogers, former design ethicist at Google, have been sounding an alarm about the ill effects of technology and social media lately. In a recent interview with NBC News, they slammed Facebook for its role in spreading misinformation during the 2016 presidential campaign and election. McNamee has penned op-eds about his suggestions on how to fix Facebook. Now, with millions of dollars from San Francisco-based non-profit Common Sense Media and others, the new coalition aims to inspire companies to design their devices with tech addiction in mind; apply political pressure and advise governments on how to protect their constituents; helping consumers take control of their digital lives by spreading awareness; and empowering like-minded tech employees. This Wednesday in Washington, Harris will join tech and health experts and lawmakers at Common Sense Medias conference, Truth about Tech: How Tech Has Kids Hooked. Tech companies are conducting a massive, real-time experiment on our kids and, at present, no one is really holding them accountable, said James Steyer, CEO and founder of Common Sense, in a statement Monday. Last week, Common Sense and other advocacy groups and childrens health experts urged Facebook to pull the plug on Messenger Kids, its new messaging app. Steyers sentiments are in sync with McNamees and thats no coincidence. The two went to high school together at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, and McNamee introduced Steyer to Harris, according to Corbie Kiernan, vice-president of communications for Common Sense. The stepped-up action and awareness campaign comes amid the mea culpas and changes that tech companies such as Facebook, Twitter and Google are issuing and enacting. The tech giants have testified before lawmakers about how their platforms enabled the spread of misinformation and exploitation of the nations political divide, and are rolling out new initiatives and changing their practices to try to keep such things from happening again. In addition, the new campaign cites research about tech addiction and the harmful effects of social media on children and adults. Apple investors also recently asked the iPhone maker to take responsibility for studying the effects of smartphone addiction on kids. Facebook appeals to your lizard brain primarily fear and anger, McNamee told the New York Times, explaining his involvement with the campaign. And with smartphones, theyve got you for every waking moment. The Center for Humane Technology also was founded by tech entrepreneur Aza Raskin, best known for his work at Mozilla, and counts among its key advisers and supporters Lyft president John Zimmer and Omidyar Network. Read more about: LONDONEconomists have been puzzled in recent years by the so-called productivity paradox, the fact that the digital revolution of the past four decades hasnt resulted in big gains in output per worker as happened with earlier technological upheaval. Many developed economies have actually seen productivity stagnate or decline. A survey from Microsoft Corp. is bolstering one theory about this disconnect. In a poll of 20,000 European workers released Monday, Microsoft, which became one of the worlds most profitable companies by marketing office productivity software, acknowledges new digital technology can, in some circumstances, make businesses less productive. Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft joins a growing number of prominent Silicon Valley companies and entrepreneurs that are starting to question the social benefits of the technology they once championed. Facebook Inc. warned in December that its social network might, in some cases, cause psychological harm. Microsoft identifies a number of possible reasons for this negative impact, including: workers who are too distracted by a constant influx of e-mails, Slack messages, Trello notifications, texts, Tweets not to mention viral cat videos to concentrate for sustained periods; workers who arent properly trained to use the new technology effectively; tech that isnt adequately supported by the business, forcing workers to lose time because the computers are down; and workers who suffer burnout because, with mobile devices and at-home-working, they feel tethered to the job around-the-clock. Of course, Microsoft isnt saying that technology dampens productivity in all cases. Instead, it says that techs impact depends largely on the culture of the business. Those with a strong digital culture saw productivity gains from technology while those with what Microsoft termed a weak digital culture didnt. Microsoft defined companies with a strong digital culture as those where employees had proper training in the new technology, access to information, managers who promoted the adoption of new technology, and where executives conveyed to employees a clear sense of how the technology fit into the companys strategic vision. In such businesses, about 22 per cent of employees reported feeling highly productive and only about 5 per cent reported feeling unproductive, compared with just 12 per cent reporting they were highly productive and 21 per cent feeling unproductive in companies deemed to have a weak digital culture. The studys authors noted that even 22 per cent reporting high productivity suggests there is still more work that can be done to help every employee do their best work. The survey also found digital culture had a big impact on how new technology changed employees feelings of engagement with their work. In businesses with a strong digital culture, increased use of technology also boosted employees feelings of passion and focus. But, in companies with a weak digital culture, it had the opposite effect: the more technology the company deployed, the less attached workers became. In an introduction to the study, Michel van der Bel, Microsofts president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said businesses should look at the adoption of new digital technology as a people journey and not just an IT exercise. Read more about: Now that nine U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana, and with many other states with varying latitudes of access, cannabis has gotten a whole lot more sophisticated. And the beauty business is not about to miss out. Cannabis-derived ingredients feel trendy, and they may well offer a raft of possible benefits, which beauty brands are quick to tout. CBD oil, specifically, is nonpsychoactive (it wont get you high) and is said to offer relief from pain, anxiety and depression, stimulate appetite and have anti-inflammatory and anti-acne properties. Cannabis products also nod to enthusiasms that have already gained momentum in the beauty industry, such as ingestibles (CBD-infused gummies, caramels and drops) and wellness (CBD lotions to relieve soreness from new year workouts). There are already devout fans, some boldfaced, who are drawn to CBD topical products largely for their pain-relieving properties. Olivia Wilde recently told this reporter that she used it to relieve physical aches during a Broadway run. Fashion stylist Karla Welch, who works with Wilde, Ruth Negga, Katy Perry and Sarah Paulson, uses Lord Jones CBD lotion on her clients feet when they walk the red carpet. Read more: As legal weed looms, barriers to research still standing Canadian company plans to make dog treats with cannabis extracts The secret to getting the skin of a goddess Its perfect for long nights in high heels, Welch said. All my girls love it, and bottles live in my styling kit. Jessica Richards, the founder of Shen Beauty in Brooklyn, N.Y., is often a trendsetter in beauty retailing, and she started carrying Lord Jones in December. I do so much SoulCycle that I have one hip that hurts, she said. I tried out the CBD lotion. Its not a placebo. It really does work for pain management. Lord Jones, which is based in Los Angeles, is not the only brand to market a pain-relieving CBD body lotion, but it is one of the chicest. Founded in 2016 by Robert Rosenheck, who has a branding background, and his wife, Cindy Capobianco, who has led public relations for Banana Republic and marketing for Gap, it is a leader in a movement to make marijuana more attractive to a mainstream audience. The packaging, with a baronial crest and gold accents, would look at home in a fashionable department store. That celebrities use the products adds additional cachet. The closer we get to destigmatizing cannabis, the better it is for all, Capobianco said. That sentiment is shared by upstarts including Cannuka, a line of topical products containing CBD and manuka honey; Khus & Khus, a skin- and body-care line by Ayurvedic specialist Kristi Blustein; and Vertly, a line of lip balm by Claudia Mata, a former W magazine accessories editor, which is introducing body care this year. And beauty lines, including Malin & Goetz and Boy Smells, make reference to cannabis in their products purely for the scent. For example, Boy Smells has a cannabis-scented candle called Kush. Were aware that having a cannabis candle is a little provocative, but I personally love the flavour and smell of cannabis, said Matthew Herman, a founder, who previously worked for the fashion labels Giles Deacon, Proenza Schouler and Zac Posen. It has a wet earth smell that is very attractive. Herman also noted that the cannabis industry is undergoing a makeover. A lot of my friends have been getting their products from more luxury cannabis suppliers who are focusing on packaging and branding, he said. Its not like pot is new, but for a long time you had to go to a head shop and buy a cheesy pipe. It was always a little gnarly. Now its fun to see modern, minimal, elevated designs. But looks are one thing, efficacy is another. As CBD oil seeks to go mainstream, its tough to tell which products hold up to scrutiny. I get sent a million different brands saying they have CBD, and the stuff doesnt work, Richards said. Thats because there is confusion in the marketplace, said Verena von Pfetten, a one-time Lucky digital editor and a founder of Gossamer, a publication dedicated to the chic side of cannabis culture. The cannabis plant is complex with many compounds, von Pfetten said. CBD is one of them, and THC is one of them. There are studies, she said, showing that for pain relief, CBD works best within the plants cannabinoid system, meaning that combinations of compounds are more effective than isolated ones. Thats termed the entourage effect, and Lord Jones, for one, has sought to compensate for it by using CBD rendered from the entire hemp plant. Weve found CBD isolate, or crystals of pure CBD, to not work, Capobianco said. Speaking of hemp, theres debate there, too. Hemp is a type of cannabis that has had the THC largely bred out of it. Its legal across state lines, so only CBD derived from hemp can be distributed nationally. There is a lot less CBD and other cannabinoids in hemp than in cannabis strains that contain THC. The reality is that the levels of active ingredient in hemp are so low that, though CBD definitely offers benefits, there might not be a wake-up-and-feel-it moment, von Pfetten said. None of that is stopping companies from expanding beyond wellness into skin care. Lord Jones is introducing a face care line based on CBD early this year. Ildi Pekar, a facialist in Manhattan who has tended to Miranda Kerr and Irina Shayk, said that sales of her CBD facial oil are up and she plans on investing more in the ingredient, which she calls the argan oil of the future. Both cite reports that say CBD has anti-inflammatory qualities when applied topically. But Shereene Idriss, a dermatologist in Manhattan, said that those papers are vague. There was one study in 2014 that said CBD can help reduce oil production and thereby have anti-acne and anti-inflammatory attributes, Idriss said. It wasnt a perfectly well-rounded study, but it does have merit. The other study, from 2017, addressed cannabinoids in dermatology in general, including THC, but didnt deal with risks. I would need more, a randomized clinical trial, before I could with full-fledged belief recommend CBD oil as something more than just offering regular hydration, she said. If youre using CBD lotions for pain relief, Idriss said, there are better studies demonstrating efficacy but that more needs to be done. CBD lotion that also has THC in it, its going to help you much more with pain relief, she said. But the ones from hemp, are they going to help as much? Its hard to tell because we dont have the data and studies. Also, the problem is you often dont know how much you are getting its completely unregulated. Add this to the list of decisions affected by climate change: Should I have children? It is not an easy time for people to feel hopeful, with the effects of global warming no longer theoretical, projections becoming more dire and governmental action lagging. And while few, if any, studies have examined how large a role climate change plays in peoples child-bearing decisions, it loomed large in interviews with more than a dozen people ages 18 to 43. A 32-year-old who always thought she would have children can no longer justify it to herself. A Mormon has bucked the expectations of her religion by resolving to adopt rather than give birth. An Ohio woman had her first child after an unplanned pregnancy and then had a second because she did not want her daughter to face an environmental collapse alone. Read more: 2017 was the second hottest year on record, NASA says. And it wasnt even an El Nino year Climate change made Hurricane Harveys torrential rains worse, scientists say Oceans, including Canadian waters, are losing oxygen, marine scientists say Among them, there is a sense of being saddled with painful ethical questions that previous generations did not have to confront. Some worry about the quality of life children born today will have as shorelines flood, wildfires rage and extreme weather becomes more common. Others are acutely aware that having a child is one of the costliest actions they can take environmentally. The birth rate in the United States, which has been falling for a decade, reached a new low in 2016. Economic insecurity has been a major factor, but even as the economy recovers, the decline in births continues. And the discussions about the role of climate change are only intensifying. When we first started this project, I didnt know anybody who had had any conversations about this, said Meghan Kallman, a co-founder of Conceivable Future, an organization that highlights how climate change is limiting reproductive choices. That has changed, she said either because more people are having doubts, or because it has become less taboo to talk about them. Facing an uncertain future If it werent for climate change, Allison Guy said, she would go off birth control tomorrow. But scientists projections, if rapid action isnt taken, are not congruent with a stable society, said Guy, 32, who works at a marine conservation non-profit in Washington. I dont want to give birth to a kid wondering if its going to live in some kind of Mad Max dystopia. Parents like Amanda PerryMiller, a Christian youth leader and mother of two in Independence, Ohio, share her fears. Animals are disappearing. The oceans are full of plastic. The human population is so numerous, the planet may not be able to support it indefinitely, said PerryMiller, 29. This doesnt paint a very pretty picture for people bringing home a brand-new baby from the hospital. The people thinking about these issues fit no single profile. They are women and men, liberal and conservative. They come from many regions and religions. Cate Mumford, 28, is a Mormon, and Mormons believe God has commanded them to multiply and replenish the earth. But even in her teens, she said, she could not get another point of doctrine out of her head: We are stewards of the earth. Mumford, a graduate student in a joint-degree program at Johns Hopkins and Brigham Young Universities, plans to adopt a child with her husband. Some members of her church have responded aggressively, accusing her of going against Gods plan. But she said she felt vindicated by the worsening projections. A few years ago, she travelled to China, where air pollution is a national crisis. And all she could think was, Im so glad Im not going to bring a brand-new baby into this world to suffer like these kids suffer. Some pretty strong cognitive dissonance For many, the drive to reproduce is not easily put aside. If a family is what you want, youre not just going to be able to make that disappear entirely, said Jody Mullen, 36, a mother of two in Gillette, N.J. Youre not just going to be able to say, Its not really good for the environment for humans to keep reproducing, so Ill just scratch that idea. And so compromises emerge. Some parents resolve to raise conscientious citizens who can help tackle climate change. Some who want multiple children decide to have only one. For Sara Jackson Shumate, 37, who has a young daughter, having a second child would mean moving to a house farther from her job as a lecturer at the Metropolitan State University of Denver. She is not sure she can justify the environmental impact of a larger home and a longer commute. But for PerryMiller, the Ohio youth leader, the thinking went the opposite way: Once she had her first child, climate change made a second feel more urgent. Someday, my husband and I will be gone, she said. If my daughter has to face the end of the world as we know it, I want her to have her brother there. Laura Cornish, 32, a mother of two near Vancouver, said she felt some pretty strong cognitive dissonance around knowing that the science is really bad but still thinking that their future will be OK I dont read the science updates anymore because theyre too awful, she said. I just dont engage with that, because its hard to reconcile with my choices. The thing thats broken is bigger than us People who choose not to have children are used to being called selfish. But many of them see their decision as a sacrifice. Parenthood is something that I want, said Elizabeth Bogard, 18, a freshman at Northern Illinois University. But its hard for me to justify my wants over what matters and whats important for everyone. This attitude seems particularly common among people who have seen the effects of climate change firsthand. Hemanth Kolla is from Hyderabad, in India, where drought and scorching heat waves have been deadly. He lives in California, where the threat of wildfires is increasing and a six-year drought only recently ended. Kolla, 36, said it felt wrong to have a child when he did not believe the world would be better for him or her. And Maram Kaff, who lives in Cairo, said she had been deeply affected by reports that parts of the Middle East may be too hot for human habitation by 2100. Ive seen how Syrian refugees, who are running from a devastating war, are being treated, Kaff, 33, said in an email. Imagine how my children will be treated if they have to flee their country due to extreme weather, drought, lack of resources, flooding. I know that humans are hard-wired to procreate, she said, but my instinct now is to shield my children from the horrors of the future by not bringing them to the world. Kallman and Josephine Ferorelli, the founders of Conceivable Future, said that the predominant emotion at their gatherings was grief and that the very existence of these conversations should spur political action. These stories tell you that the thing thats broken is bigger than us, Ferorelli said. The fact that people are seriously considering not having children because of climate change is all the reason you need to make the demands. Most of the people interviewed, parents and nonparents alike, lamented having to factor climate change into their decisions at all. What kind of nightmare question is that? asked Guy, the Washington non-profit worker. That we have to consider that? Read more about: Investigators examine the wreckage from Sundays train crash on February 4, 2018, in Cayce, South Carolina. Photo: Bob Leverone/Getty Images Two people were killed and at least 116 were injured when an Amtrak passenger train slammed into a parked, unmanned freight train in South Carolina early on Sunday morning. Its Amtraks third fatal crash in seven weeks. The train, which was headed to Miami from New York, hit a CSX freight train loaded with cars near a switchyard about ten miles south of Columbia around 2:45 a.m. It was going an estimated 59 miles per hour. Its a horrible thing to see, to understand what force was involved, South Carolina governor Henry McMaster told reporters. The first engine of the freight train was torn up, and the single engine of the passenger train is barely recognizable. Amtrak engineer Michael Kempf, 54, of Savannah, Georgia, and conductor Michael Cella, 36, of Orange Park, Florida, were killed in the crash. Both were in the first car of the train. We should have had a lot more casualties, but we didnt, said Lexington County coroner, Margaret Fisher. The accident raised new concerns about Amtraks safety record. In December an Amtrak train derailed in Washington State, killing three people and injuring dozens. The train was going 80 miles per hour, more than twice the speed limit. Just five days ago, an Amtrak train carrying GOP lawmakers to their retreat in West Virginia hit a garbage truck, killing the vehicles driver and injuring six others. Amtrak was quick to blame the freight-rail operator for the crash, saying CSX was responsible for the tracks and signals in the area of the crash, and left a switch in the wrong position, diverting the Amtrak train onto the side track. CSX had lined and padlocked the switch off the mainline to the siding, causing the collision, said Amtrak president and chief executive Richard Anderson. CSX said its working with investigators, but did not comment on the accusation. Experts said they believe positive train control technology (PTC), a GPS-based system that can slow or stop trains automatically, could have prevented the crash. As NBC News reports, Amtrak has installed PTC on all of the tracks it owns, mostly in the Northeast Corridor. However, it hasnt been installed on the more than 100,000 miles of tracks that Amtrak uses, but doesnt own or operate. In 2008, Congress passed a law requiring PTC to be installed on all tracks that carry mainline trains by the end of 2015. However, Congress extended the deadline twice. The Federal Transit Authority says 81 percent of railroads are projected to have PTC installed by the new target, the end of 2018. Congress has allowed railroads to apply for yet another extension, which would push the deadline to 2020. Mark V. Rosenker, a former National Transportation Safety Board chairman, told the New York Times that the recent accidents were the result of a series of anomalies, but they may suggest theres a lack of safety culture at Amtrak. Accidents are never one thing, Rosenker said. Theyre a chain of events which come together which create a catastrophic result. HALIFAXA groundbreaking human rights case set to begin on Monday could help hundreds of Nova Scotians with disabilities move out of institutions and into small group homes, says a lawyer who has led a three-year-long effort to bring the cases before a formal hearing. Vince Calderhead will argue the Department of Community Services is breaking the Human Rights Act by housing 45-year-old Joseph Delaney and 46-year-old Beth MacLean in a hospital-like, institutional setting. If their cases succeed, he says, it may open the door to others who want to make the shift to supported housing. It could also set a precedent that could assist in similar human rights actions on behalf of people with disabilities in other provinces, he says. Read more: Human rights complaint says Toronto zoning restrictions discriminate against people with disabilities The province says there were about 504 people awaiting some form of support from the Department of Community Services as of last Thursday, and 1,024 people awaiting a transfer to a different housing option or location. It raises the profoundly important question for people with disabilities of whether they, too, are entitled to receive the supports they need to live in the community immediately and as a right, Calderhead said in an interview. The opening arguments of the Nova Scotia human rights board of inquiry begin at a local hotel in Halifax on Monday and continue through the month and into March. The hearing is expected to include testimony from MacLean and from Delaneys advocate, his sister Tammy Delaney. It will also hear from Olga Cain about the story of her sister, Sheila Livingstone, a woman with disabilities who died while the case wound its way through various delays. The Disability Rights Coalition is an intervener in the process. MacLeans story is laid out in the complaint while Delaney who cannot speak had a complaint prepared by his mother. MacLean described her life at the Emerald Hall unit of the Nova Scotia Hospital and her years at a facility in the Annapolis Valley as isolating. I cant leave the hospital when I want to. I only leave when a staff member happens to be free to go with me and a vehicle is available for a trip to a mall or somewhere, maybe twice a week, she said in the legal document. Throughout the years, shes repeatedly asked the Department of Community Services for a life in a home, on a street or in a neighbourhood, stating she could live outside of the hospital if provided supports such as cooking and shopping, the complaint says. I have very little of my own money and so I cannot pay for supports that I need to live in the community, she said. She and Delaney say the institutions are settings where large groups of people were housed in circumstances that bore little or no resemblance to normal life in a family home, in a community. Delaneys complaint was prepared by his mother, Susan Lattie, and it says hes a person with intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, hypothyroidism and other health conditions but that he can live in the community if proper support is provided. Lattie, who died since the 2014 complaint was launched, wrote that Delaney was admitted to a psychiatric hospital in 2010 and, as a result of having his classification changed, hasnt been able to find a spot back in the community in a small options home. He . . . got trapped in Emerald Hall, she wrote. Calderhead who takes up cases such as MacLeans and Delaneys free of charge in order to prompt social change said he believes Canadians need to evolve away from housing the disabled in institutions because they are too poor to pay for supports. He will attempt to show that section five of the Human Rights Act in Nova Scotia applies, and will likely be supported by equality rights provisions in the Canadian constitution. The section prohibits discrimination in the providing of services or facilities on the basis of physical or mental disability. The case will unfold in two stages, with the first portion in February and March focusing on whether there is a prima facie violation of the human rights act. Part two of the hearing would consider if there are legitimate reasons for the human right not to be applied, such as that the nature and extent of the physical disability or mental disability reasonably precludes performance of a particular . . . activity, or that the limiting of the right is a reasonable limit prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society. The board of inquiry chairperson is J. Walter Thompson. Jo-Anne Pushie, a friend of MacLeans who serves as her advocate in the proceedings, said its taken many years to bring the case through the human rights process. Beths waited a long time. Shes been very patient. Im very hopeful that Beth and others will have an opportunity to live a full life and have the benefits you and I experience, she said in an interview. A spokesperson for the governments legal position in the case was unavailable for comment. A Department of Community Services spokesperson said it is working to improve its Disability Support Program and to create more small options homes. Heather Fairbairn wrote in an email that a new program called Flex Independent will continue over time, as we are able to move people safely and ensure that the community-based supports are in place. Government is investing $4.2 million to develop eight small option, community-based homes over the next two years. This will bring the number of small option homes across the province from 222 to 230, she wrote. A Superior Court jury in the trial of a New Brunswick man charged with killing a Toronto man has been dismissed after failing to reach a verdict. Shawn Poirier, 32, had pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder. He admitted stabbing Mike Pimentel in a street fight but said it was in self-defence and he did not mean to kill him. The jury began deliberations around noon Friday. On Saturday, Superior Court Justice Ken Campbell urged the jurors to continue to try to reach a unanimous decision after they announced they were deadlocked. Late Sunday, the jury remained hung so a mistrial was declared. Poirier and his former girlfriend, Sascha Harten, were in Toronto on Dec. 31, 2011 when she stopped to urinate on a darkened street corner in Liberty Village after a night of New Years Eve bar-hopping. They were confronted by Pimentel, 32, who threw Harten to the ground and angrily challenged Poirier to a fight. A key piece of evidence was a cellphone video shot by a bystander that captured some of the altercation. Poirier testified he pulled out his knife to scare the larger man away, but ended up using it when Pimentel jumped him and started punching him in the head. Pimentel was stabbed nine times. Poirier testified he always carried a knife, because living in a small town, surrounded by wilderness, its a necessity. The jury also heard Poirier had a lengthy criminal record for breaking and entering and not obeying court orders. After the altercation, Poirier and Harten drove back to New Brunswick. Harten testified Poirier told her he worried he had killed the man. Poirier blamed his criminal record for not contacting authorities, saying no one would believe this man kept at me when I had a knife. He was arrested in 2015 after Harten contacted Toronto police when she saw her images from the cellphone video on social media. Lawyers are in the process of setting a new trial date. Read more: A man on trial for a Toronto murder says the victim smiled when he saw the knife Video in murder trial shows deadly Liberty Village fight Public urination led to fatal stabbing in Liberty Village, trial told In footage from the final hours of her life, police say, Tess Richey stands by a hotdog cart in Torontos Gay Village her dark hair loose at her shoulders, her green jacket in her hands. A man police have identified as 21-year-old Kalen Schlatter walks up. In the last video clip showing Richey alive, the pair walk toward an alleyway. When Schlatter next appears in the video, police say, he is walking away alone. Richeys mother found her body at the bottom of a stairwell in an alley, four days later, after an intense search driven by social media. The mother had travelled from North Bay to search for Richey, who was reported missing by her sister. Shortly after 11 p.m. Sunday, police charged Schlatter with second-degree murder. We will have to use all the strength and energy we can muster to be dignified while staring at the alleged evil who destroyed our family, Richeys sister Varina wrote on Facebook Monday morning before Schlatters first court appearance. Though the arrest came more than two months after Richeys death, police say Schlatter had been on their radar since early in the investigation. There was quite a bit of work to bring us to the point where we were able to place him under arrest for the homicide, Det. Sgt. Graham Gibson told reporters. Richey, 22, and Schlatter didnt appear to know each other before that night, and Gibson said it would be fair to call it a crime of opportunity. In the wake of the arrest, residents of a quiet stretch of Lansdowne Ave. at Davenport Rd., where Schlatter lives, were shocked by the murder charge. Youd never know, said Jack Coelho, who lives three doors down from the property listed by the courts as Schlatters home. Gibson told reporters the arrest was made near Schlatters residence. When the Star went to the home on Monday, Christmas lights and a wreath adorned the front of the house. A man inside declined to speak with reporters. Coelho told the Star two young men lived in that house, one very skinny. The police description of the suspect in Richeys killing was a slim, white male taller than her and with short, light-coloured hair. Coelho was surprised by the arrest, saying the men in the house were quiet. Another neighbour, Christine McPherson, said the news made her worry on a street filled with kids. I honestly had absolutely no idea, she said. Shed read about Richeys murder recently and didnt expect it to hit so close to home. Several neighbours told the Star theyd noticed police cars on their street lately. One said police came around in mid-December, while another pointed out an increased presence on Sunday night. Schlatter had never been before the courts until this arrest, Gibson said. Police communications later said that he wasnt known to police. Global News reported Monday that Schlatter had been witness to an attempted murder in August. A man was allegedly bludgeoned with a hammer by his neighbour, in Earlscourt Park, near Schlatters home, and the 21-year-old told Global at the time that he stepped in to help the alleged victim. That case is now before the courts. Sundays arrest comes at the end of a tense police investigation by both 51 and 41 divisions. Gibson told reporters on Monday that the forces professional standards unit is involved in the case, but that he couldnt comment on their work. He said he has been speaking to Richeys mother regularly. This is the kind of case where obviously you want to make an arrest, because its very high-profile and Tess was a young, innocent girl, he told reporters. You see homicide investigators here when something like this happens, and you talk about us in the papers, but theres a whole bunch of people who do things behind the scenes and they work hard hours long hours. He thanked the Centre of Forensic Sciences for its help in the case. The centre conducts scientific investigations in cases like Richeys, doing work such as bodily fluid identification or DNA profiling. Gibson would not elaborate on how long Schlatter and Richey were alone or what happened during that time, saying they were together for some time. The information is considered evidence, he said, and there has to be a trial. Schlatter appeared in court at College Park on Monday morning and has been remanded in police custody, Gibson said. Richeys disappearance is the subject of a police professional standards investigation into potential misconduct. Her disappearance in the early hours of Nov. 25 was not initially considered suspicious by police. Four days later, on Nov. 29, her mother found her body. A post-mortem on Dec. 1 determined that Richeys cause of death was a neck compression, and homicide detectives took over the investigation. At a news conference on Dec. 8, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders noted that police would be conducting an internal review into missing persons investigations in the wake of several high-profile cases last year, including those of Andrew Kinsman and Selim Esen. Last month, Bruce McArthur was charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Kinsman and Esen, as well as three other men. On Dec. 10, police released images of a man they believed to be related to the Richey investigation. After a description of the suspect was released, Gibson noted that police received a tremendous amount of support from the community. In a Facebook post Monday morning, Richeys family said police informed them Sunday night of the arrest. At approximately 11:25 p.m. last night we received the call we have all been waiting for, yet we never imagined wed ever receive, read the post, written by Varina Richey. This is not a celebration for us but it is a victory of sorts and we would now like to finally focus our energy and attention on honouring and remembering the best and zaniest little sister any of us Richey girls ever could have asked for. Read more: Police release images of man sought in Tess Richey case Missing woman Tess Richeys death ruled a homicide Toronto police to review handling of missing persons cases Thousands of city-owned computers and other electronics are sold off every year despite an official policy of offering them to nonprofits that serve Torontos most vulnerable people. Of the 11,434 devices the city declared surplus over the past three years including monitors, projectors, scanners, tablets, laptop and desktop computers just 222 were donated. The remaining devices were sent to a liquidator that sold or recycled the items, according to the citys own data. Since 2007, the citys policy has been to make surplus assets available to nonprofits that receive city grants. Leftover technology should then be offered to other nonprofits in the city, and then to the citys partners in an overseas donation program. Only then are any surplus electronics supposed to be sold off. The executive director of ReBOOT Canada, which connects low-income community members with cheap and refurbished technology, said he was stunned to learn that the city was selling equipment that could have gone to groups like his. Francisco Rota said a single computer could serve thousands of people looking to print their resumes, apply for jobs or access their email. He said that, despite a number of inquiries, he didnt know that a policy to donate the citys surplus items even existed. No one ever told us about it, said Rota, whose organization has been operating since 1995. Ive tried to speak to several people at the city and no one ever articulated a policy. City of Toronto spokesperson Stephanie Diodati said in an email to the Star that all donations requests are fulfilled before the devices are disposed of. Asked why so few items were donated, Diodati noted that receiving parties must pay for and arrange transportation, reinstall operating systems and install any other required software. The city recognizes that while the hardware is free, it does still require coordination efforts and cost on the part of recipients, she said. Rota said ReBOOT arranges all transportation and storage for donated items, as well as wiping hard drives, cleaning and refurbishing them. In 2017, Rota said he handled requests from 43 different not-for-profits throughout the GTA. The need is great, Rota said. We are just scratching the surface because we are limited. We dont get any donation from the city of Toronto. It would make a big difference if the city could possibly direct surplus devices to organizations that are concerned with alleviating poverty and the effects of poverty. Diodati said most donation requests come through city councillors offices on behalf of community groups. That came as a surprise to veteran Councillor Joe Mihevc, who put forward a motion in March 2017 asking the city to donate surplus technology. Council voted in favour of the strategy. Then Mihevc was told that the policy already existed. If the policy is good but no one knows about it, then its like a candle under bushel, said Mihevc, who called the citys actions shameful. We should really try to make sure our assets go the extra mile and that requires publicizing, he said. It should be on our website at least. That criticism was echoed by the executive director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance. Angela Siefer says city employees should be responsible for making sure the public knows about the policy. It has to be somebodys job, Siefer said. Right now, it is nobodys job. There needs to be a team of people to figure out a way to make sure those devices get into the hands of community members who need them and find the right local partners that have the skills to do that. Mihevc says the number of devices that dont get donated suggest the city is basically getting it out of our face as quickly as possible so we dont have to deal with it. We are not getting much money from the recyclers but the potential for good is very great if we do things different, he said. In 2017, the city received $18,832.80 for the items sold through Platinum Liquidators. In 2016, it got $15,382.26 and in 2015, $7,675.20. The funds were reinvested in citys IT assets, Diodati said. ReBOOT sells refurbished computers to not-for-profits and social assistance recipients for $165. The machines come with licensed software and warranty, monitors, keyboards, mice and cables. I think its important to understand how much we rely on, how much being an active member of our society and community sort of depends on what is your access to a computer, to the internet is, Rota said. As part of a digital equity program, the municipal government in Seattle, Washington has made its surplus computers, smartphones, tablets and laptops available for free to Seattle-based nonprofit agencies and schools. It also works with a nonprofit to offer affordable items to low-income community members and students. Municipalities and local governments are the ones that have to be at the forefront of working on the issue of digital equity, to make all people are connected, Siefer said. They gathered in anger, sorrow, fear and solidarity. In the wake of last weeks terrifying police revelation that a serial killer is behind the disappearance and murder of at least five men in Torontos Gay Village, close to 300 people filled Metropolitan Community Church Sunday evening to remember the victims with song and prayer. We are all here because we need to be here, Rev. Sam Morris told the vigil. For community, for healing and for sacred space. Church member Mary Lederer said she was startled to learn the man accused of the murders, landscaper Bruce McArthur, is the same age she is: 66. She and her wife live in a condominium close to the Thorncliffe Park apartment where McArthur lived and probably shopped at the same stores, she said before the service. I am just sickened and saddened at the same time, she said. McArthur has been charged with the murders of Andrew Kinsman, 47, Selim Esen, 44, Majeed Kayhan, 58, Soroush Mahmudi, 50, and Dean Lisowick, 47. Calvin Mullin attended the service in memory of his friend, Kinsman. Its very difficult, he said. Its my private memorial for him, I guess. We just dont know whats going to happen. Warren Schell, a retired United Church Minister, expressed the feelings of many at the gathering. I think there is a lot of anger around white male privilege, he said, referring to the lack of police response to the missing men, some of whom were immigrants. It would have been different if they had been white, blond, blue-eyed boys, he said in an interview. Rev. Jeff Rock, senior pastor at the Riverdale-area church, spiritual home to many in the LGBTQ community and the first to perform legal same-sex marriages in Canada in 2001, said the tragedy has felt close to home, because it is close to home. Rock shared that he uses online dating apps and frequents nightclubs in the Gay Village, just as some of the men who where murdered. So in the rush to know what happened, he urged those gathered not to let victim blaming and suspicion to divide us. Now more than ever we need solidarity, across the lines that divide us. Across the lines of race, religion, or gender or sexuality, he said. Because this isnt a gay tragedy, this isnt a race tragedy, this isnt a gender tragedy. This is a human tragedy. This is a tragedy for our city and for our country and for our world. We cant let our hard-fought battles for human rights, especially in the LGBTQ community be taken for granted. Rather than become more sexually conservative, we need to fight the shame and stigma of sexuality and create a culture where we can openly talk about who we are and what our sexuality is. Because thats how love wins. Thats how you build safety in a community. After candles were lit for each of the victims along with a sixth candle, for those still missing, dozens of people filed to the front of the church to receive oil on their forehead and a short prayer. Rev. Deana Dudley acknowledged the fear that our homes, or village, our city, has been defiled and made unsafe. Some of us just find this horrifying and confusing and crazy-making and we desperately want to know why and there are no answers, she said. So we pray for all of us, that we might not despair. That we might leave this place knowing that we have been seen and heard and known for who we are . . . and that we might have hope. Mayor John Tory, speaking with reporters after the service, said the vigil was a signal of togetherness during a deeply traumatic time and people have a shared responsibility to make sure nobody is afraid to live in this city. You certainly shouldnt be afraid because of who you are, or because of how you live your life, or because of your faith, or because of your sexuality, Tory said. When asked about the investigation, he said it was not his place to comment. There are a lot of unanswered questions, which I am sure will be answered as soon as possible. In the meantime, Tory said he will initiate some meetings with the leadership of the community to discuss how we can make sure the trust and lines of communication between the police and the community as a whole, including the LGBTQ community, are built up and strengthened. Correction February 5, 2018: This article was edited from a previous version that misstated Selim Esens age. With files from Emily Mathieu One of the longest serving trustees with the Toronto District School Board is taking a leave of absence after two reports by the boards integrity commissioner found she maligned staff. In one case, east-end trustee Sheila Cary-Meagher referred to a female employee she hated as a dyke and a bitch in casual chatter before a November meeting about a student expulsion. In the second case, Cary-Meagher told parents that the boards communications staff failed miserably and dropped the ball regarding information on a September police investigation near the Duke of Connaught Junior and Middle School in Leslieville. On Friday, after integrity commissioner Suzanne Craig filed her reports and recommendations, Cary-Meagher announced her leave of absence through a letter posted online. In her Letter of Apology, addressed to board chair Robin Pilkey, Cary-Meagher wrote, Last November, I made a comment that I deeply regret, using a term that I recognize was inappropriate and unacceptable. I accept full responsibility for that and apologize unreservedly to the people I offended, the students and staff of the TDSB, to residents of Toronto who I have been privileged to serve and to the LGBTQ community in particular. The Star requested an interview with Cary-Meagher. She responded by text message, saying she will abide by the Integrity Commissioners recommendations. Both reports with recommendations for written apologies to each complainant are on the agenda for the boards Wednesday night council meeting. The board must first accept the recommendations before any action is taken. Pilkey, the chair, said the findings show the boards new code of conduct, created to eliminate long-standing complaints about a culture of fear, is working to protect employees. This is a sign that we have taken steps to get past that . . . toxic culture, Pilkey said on Sunday. Cary-Meaghers letter of apology did not mention the complaint related to the communications staff. In that case, the integrity commissioner found that Cary-Meagher did not intend to malign staff but she did cast aspersions on their professional reputations during an Oct. 19 meeting with 100 parents without first asking staff how they communicated with parents and what details police said must be withheld. Police were invited to the public meeting but the communications staff was not. Parents were angry over what a lack of information related to an unspecified threat at the school, resulting in a two-day hold and secure that kept students inside. The commissioners report said police officers withheld information from communications staff and also requested certain details not be released during an active investigation. The report said, I am convinced that (Cary-Meagher) is a well-intentioned honest person, and a Trustee who is committed to serving her community . . . However, she is also very opinionated and anxious to express her personal opinions about her dissatisfaction with staffs work performance in a very public way. A trustees role is not to insert him or herself into the performance evaluation of staffs duties. Craig concluded that, Publicly criticizing members of staff in a way that casts aspersions on their professional competence and credibility is tantamount to workplace intimidation. In an interview, Craig said the board has done a lot of work around human rights and harassment issues under the new code of conduct. This includes a recommendation that trustees understand their obligation to respect the staff, she said. My hope is that the board will strongly condemn this type of behaviour. . . , she said. My hope is that the courage these complainants have shown demonstrates that there is some measure of faith in the process and some measure of belief that the change that has taken place in the last couple of years . . . is actually something the board lives by, and doesnt just write about. A Toronto woman is so desperate for psychiatric care that she has posted ads on telephone poles near Wychwood Barns, offering to exchange her services as a housekeeper for mental health service. The ad, posted near St. Clair Ave. W. and Christie St., offers the services of housekeeper with over 10 years experience. Willing to exchange housekeeping services for psychiatric care at the rate of $15 an hour, the ad reads. Native English speaker, clean police record, trustworthy, meticulous. The Star spoke with the woman who posted the ad, who asked to remain anonymous because she didnt want her employer to be aware of her mental health concerns. The woman is a permanent resident of Canada, and immigrated to Toronto from a small town in the U.S. to attend York University, where she studied music. While she posted the ad more than a week ago, she has had no calls about her offer as of Monday morning. After the woman graduated from York, she said, she hasnt qualified for OHIP coverage. In Ontario, you must work full-time for an employer for a minimum of six months in order to be eligible for OHIP, a requirement she said she has never been able to meet. OHIP covers some but not all mental health services. Those without OHIP coverage must foot the bill for any health services on their own. I was unemployed for the better part of a summer, and I didnt have anyone I could talk to about it, the woman said in a phone interview. I was not really close to anyone in the city . . . thats when things started to get really bad. Dr. Sylvain Roy, president of the Ontario Psychological Association, said even with OHIP, access to mental health services can often be an uphill battle, and difficult to navigate. Without the money to pay for services, people often end up stuck on backlogged waiting lists. Psychiatrists are fully covered by the public system, but there are not a lot of them, Roy said. There are waitlists for patients accessing these psychiatric services. After a breakup in 2016, she chose to see a student therapist at the Gestalt Institute of Toronto, where she says she paid for $40 sessions for three months. After coming into a period of financial difficulty, she could no longer afford to go to her sessions. The woman was taken to St. Michaels for treatment following a suicide attempt. I was kept in a little room for three hours, before someone came in and told me theres no treatment we can offer you . . . If you dont have OHIP, we cant admit you as an in-patient, she recalled. The woman says St. Michaels referred her to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health crisis line, as well as a drop-in mental illness centre for homeless youth. Because I had a job and a place to live, I felt like I was taking advantage of those resources, and taking them away from someone who would really need them, she said. She ultimately chose not to use the drop-in centres. Once I started doing better, I always had the idea that I could barter with a psychologist or a psychiatrist to get services, the woman said. However, this type of resource exchange could violate boundaries between doctors and patients. The College of Physicians and Surgeons declined to comment on this case, instead providing literature outlining potential boundary violations. One such example includes making exceptions for certain patients and not charging for services rendered where (the doctor) would usually do so. In an email to the Star, college spokesperson Kathryn Clarke noted that a dual relationship, such as one between an employer and an employee, who are also doctor and patient, may possibly be a boundary crossing, depending on the circumstances. Correction February 7, 2018: This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly said the woman attended sessions with a psychiatrist at the Gestalt Institute of Torontos student clinic. In fact, she saw a student therapist. Transit activists have banded together with local residents and business associations to show support for the King St. pilot project. At a news conference at King and University Ave. Monday morning, a coalition that included residents associations from Liberty Village, CityPlace, and the Garment District, as well as advocacy groups such as TTCriders, CivicAction, and Social Planning Toronto, launched a campaign called We Love King. The coalition, which has dubbed itself King for All, has set up a website asking the public to pledge support for the pilot project, which the city installed in November to improve streetcar service on the TTCs busiest surface route. Todd Hofley, president of the Liberty Village Residents Association, said before the pilot rapidly developing communities like his had a desperate desire to improve transit service. Share your thoughts Even though Liberty Village is outside the pilot area, which runs between Bathurst and Jarvis Sts., Hofley said since the project began there has been a huge improvement in King streetcar service to the condo-heavy neighbourhood. Streetcars come at regular intervals, travel times have been shortened, and instead of hopping in our cars to get downtown and creating more traffic, more congestion, and more delays to everyone, were hopping on the streetcar, opening up more space for others who need to drive, he said. The pilot restricts car movement by compelling drivers to turn right off of King at most major intersections. The city has also removed all 180 on-street parking spaces on King in the pilot area. Initial data released by the city shows it has reduced average streetcar travel times by as much as 13 per cent, and according to the TTC, streetcar ridership during morning rush hour has increased by almost 25 per cent. But the pilot has faced stiff opposition from some King business owners, particularly restaurateurs in the theatre district. Some restaurant owners there have launched their own campaign demanding the city cancel the pilot or ease its restrictions on car traffic outside of rush hours. The business owners claim the pilot has made it harder for people to access King and is driving away customers. Hofley said the debate about the pilot shouldnt be seen as pitting transit users against business owners, however. There are a ton of businesses that are really, really happy about this, because as I said, people can actually get to work on time now, he said. Trevor Dunseith yells out at restaurant owner Al Carbone who has launched a social media campaign to get support to stop the King Street pilot project, which has limited vehicle traffic on King Street. Dunseth made the comments on January 22 at a press event held by Carbone on King Street. Members of the King for All coalition include the Corktown Resident and Business Association, as well as at least one business owner, who runs Spin, a ping pong bar. The city has responded to business owners concerns with a public-relations campaign urging people to visit King, a promotional program for local restaurants, and an offer of up to two hours of free parking in the area. Last month Mayor John Tory and Councillor Joe Cressy (Ward 20 Trinity-Spadina), who represents much of the stretch of King covered by the pilot, asked staff to look into lifting the pilots traffic restrictions outside of rush hour. But at the news conference Monday Cressy said while no option is off the table, for the moment we dont have an appetite to ease those restrictions. The councillor said he is still pushing ahead with plans to introduce two-hour timed transfers on King, which would allow riders to make unlimited trips on the streetcar during a two-hour period on a single fare. Timed transfers are scheduled to be implemented across the TTC network in August, but Cressy believes bringing them to King would boost businesses by allowing transit users to hop on and off streetcars to patronize local shops and restaurants. Toronto Star reporters Ben Spurr and Tamar Harris rode the TTC's King streetcar along the pilot project route and drove a car on corresponding streets to see if travel times have changed during the morning rush hours. (Toronto Star) He wouldnt say when the policy could be rolled out on King, but said he was hoping there will be news soon. The pilot project is scheduled to last for one year, after which council will vote on whether to make it permanent. Amanda ORourke, executive director of public space advocacy group and coalition member 8 80 Cities, argued the project should be kept. She said, historically, Toronto has only measured its streets by how effectively they move cars, but the King St. pilot offers us the opportunity to break free of this thinking. It is about what kind of city we want to be, she said. A city trapped in the old ways of thinking about mobility, or a 21st century city adapting to an increasing demand for better, more reliable transit? A city for moving cars, or a city for moving people? Councillor Gord Perks thought it should be a no-brainer use the citys power as sole owner of Toronto Hydro to find out how much taxpayers money the utility is spending on Bay St. lawyers to fight a Toronto Star information request. But Perkss colleagues did not vote at last weeks Toronto council meeting on his motion to issue a shareholder direction that would have compelled Hydro to give them the information, confidentially or otherwise. Thats because Mayor John Tory and his allies backed a competing motion to ask Hydros board of directors to consider the request, with no compulsion to act and no timeline for response after Torys staff lobbied councillors, including on the council floor during a break in debate. That motion, from Councillor Stephen Holyday who sits on Hydros board of directors, passed 20-18 and made Perkss motion redundant. It would have failed on a tie had one more councillor voted against. At the root of Perkss request are Star freedom of information requests to Toronto Hydro. The first, filed just over two years ago, asks for information on consultants hired by Hydro for behind-the-scenes work on a possible privatization of the century-old electricity distributor. Another seeks details on how much Hydro has spent on consultants primarily lawyers from blue chip Bay St. firm Norton Rose Fulbright Canada to fight to keep those details secret. The Star revealed in October 2016 that two of Hydros privatization consultants Nick Kouvalis and Bob Richardson were key figures in Torys successful 2014 election campaign and are expected to be involved in his 2018 re-election bid. Sources told the Star in January 2016 that officials in Torys office were involved in the backroom privatization discussions, although the mayor himself was not included in those talks. Perks told council: Were elected to know how the public company that we own in stewardship for the citizens of Toronto, and the electricity ratepayers in Toronto, spends ratepayers money, and to make sure that the will of this council and the people of Toronto is being met. Thats a duty. In an interview, the Parkdale councillor and frequent Tory critic added: Council very deliberately decided not to find out how Toronto Hydro is spending public money. They made a deliberate choice to not act in the interests of the people they represent. For some reason many council members including the mayor do not want the public to know why Toronto Hydro hired two of the mayors key campaign staff. There are still procedural steps available but Im concerned that we wont know the information for months or years. His push to compel Hydro came after his administrative inquiry to Hydro executives via city manager Peter Wallace failed to get consultant spending. Holyday said in an interview that he was trying to ensure that city council follow the proper procedure. I take no position on whether the information should be released, the Etobicoke representative said. Im more interested in governance Toronto Hydro is a corporation and the shareholder agreement sets out its relationship with the city. If city council gives the shareholder (a) direction, its kind of like council taking over the corporation and it defeats the point of governance. Holyday, one of Torys deputy mayors, acknowledged mayors staff asked councillors to support his motion, but says it wasnt as his behest. Councillors told the Star that Vic Gupta, Torys principal secretary, and Luke Robertson, director of council and stakeholder relations, asked them to back Holyday. I hope (council members) realized that good governance is the right way to do things at council, Holyday said. Im glad that (mayors staff) told people to support it. Its an important decision. I didnt ask them to go shop for votes, no. Torys spokesman Don Peat responded to Star questions for the mayor with a statement: As the mayor said last week, he supports Deputy Mayor Stephen Holyday's motion to refer the item back to the Hydro board. This was a reasonable and sensible option. We have boards at these corporations for a reason and the mayor believes it is up to board members to make a decision on this information. Hydro spokesman Brian Buchan said: Following the process set out in the shareholder direction, the request of council from last week will be considered by Toronto Hydros board of directors and they will respond accordingly. I cannot speculate as to any decision they may make. Councillor John Campbell, who sometimes votes with Tory, said Perks and Torys staff each tried to persuade him to support their different positions. He said he was persuaded that Holydays motion followed the shareholder agreement. That agreement says a city representatives access to Hydros books and records is limited to a specific purpose or project where the representative has been unable to obtain it through shareholder reporting direction mechanisms or inquiries to senior Hydro management or a request from city council to the Hydro boards chair. The mayors staff just said Holydays going to move that, can you go along with that, and I said sure, Campbell said in an interview, adding he knew there were sensitivities around the issue because of the past report about Torys campaign officials later working as privatization consultants. In hindsight I wish I had asked a few more questions. Im normally a proponent for openness and transparency. I guess it was a bit of a miss on my part for not asking a few more questions. The office of Ontarios information and privacy commissioner, which is considering the Stars appeal of Hydros denial of access to any records, says it expects to release a ruling on those appeals shortly. The Canadian government provided more than $1 billion in loans to a mining company that used a complex offshore business structure to allegedly avoid nearly $700 million in Canadian tax. Turquoise Hill Resources, a Canadian company headquartered in Vancouver and listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges, received a loan of $750 million (U.S.) in 2015 from Export Development Canada, a Crown corporation that supports Canadian businesses abroad. The loan is worth more than $1 billion Canadian, according to EDCs disclosure database. Between 2010 and 2016, Turquoise Hill ran the finances for its massive Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia through shell companies in Netherlands and Luxembourg, The arrangement allowed it to avoid paying $559 million (U.S.) in Canadian corporate income tax, worth $694 million Canadian at current exchange rates, according to a report put out by the Dutch NGO SOMO this week. There does seem to be a contradiction there, said Karyn Keenan, director of Above Ground, an Ottawa-based NGO that advocates for corporate accountability. Should EDC be providing over a billion dollars of financing to a company thats engaging in tax avoidance? she asked. EDC is a public institution. Its an arm of the state. It should operate in a way thats coherent with the policies and the stated aims of the government. If the government of Canada is trying to impose a progressive tax regime to sustain the social contract with Canadians, then its surprising this kind of deal could happen, Keenan said. The loan was Canadas portion of a $4.4-billion (U.S.) finance deal to expand the Oyu Tolgois open pit with a second underground mine. The other sources of funds are EDCs U.S. and Australian counterparts and 15 commercial banks, including CIBC and HSBC. A EDC spokesperson, Phil Taylor, said due diligence is performed on all deals to make sure they comply with Canadian laws. We believe that the CRA is the ultimate authority on the appropriateness of Canadian corporate tax structures, and their specific approval in this case constitutes the final word on the matter from EDCs perspective, Taylor said. Turquoise Hill disputed the SOMO report, saying the company had received approval from the Canada Revenue Agency for its tax structure. Turquoise Hill and Oyu Tolgoi are committed to tax transparency and Turquoise Hill believes that our tax practices are . . . compliant with local laws, international standards and voluntary commitments, a company spokesperson, Tony Shaffer, wrote in an email. We believe a significant number of the statements presented as alleged facts in the SOMO report are inaccurate or unsubstantiated, he said. According to the report, which was based on public financial declarations, Turquoise Hill declared $2.1 billion in profit in Luxembourg, where it employs only one part-time staff member. The company paid $89 million in tax in Luxembourg a tax rate of 4.2 per cent. It paid no corporate income tax in Canada, the report states. Export Development Canada is a self-financing Crown corporation that supports Canadian businesses operating abroad with insurance and loans. Our job is to support and develop Canadas export trade, states EDCs website. We are committed to the principles of corporate social responsibility. Our rigorous due diligence requirements ensure that all projects and transactions we support are financially, environmentally and socially responsible. EDC has signed on to multiple international guidelines and standards for ethical business conduct, including the OECDs Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, which states that companies should refrain from seeking or accepting exemptions . . . related to . . . taxation. Enterprises should comply with both the letter and the spirit of the tax laws and regulations in all countries in which they operate, the guidelines state. The SOMO report also alleged Turquoise Hill deprived the Mongolian government of $230 million, mostly the result of a contract that gave it favourable tax treatment, even when the tax treaty it was based upon was repealed. In December, the Mongolian government handed Turquoise Hill a $155-million tax bill that the company is disputing. Turquoise Hill is of the firm view that Oyu Tolgoi LLC has paid all taxes and charges required under the Investment agreement . . . and Mongolian law, the company said in a statement at the time. Above Grounds Keenan said its common for multinational companies to stockpile their profits in a tax haven. Its a race to the bottom made worse by the fact that Canada is using this public institution to support a company that is undermining the fiscal basis for both Mongolia and Canada, she said. Parliament reviews EDCs mandate every 10 years, and will be asked to do so again in 2018. Keenan would like to see the government add stricter criteria to lending to make sure EDC doesnt fund operations that evade tax, participate in environmental degradation or human rights abuses. There are reasonable questions whether EDC is getting it right, she said. The government should be actively involved in overseeing EDCs deals. Oyo Tolgoi, which is expected to become the third-largest copper mine in the world when it reaches peak production in 2025, was discovered by Ivanhoe Mines in 2001. The Canadian company was founded by Robert Friedland, a U.S.-born Canadian citizen now living in Singapore, who spent years developing the stake before partnering with British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto in 2006. Rio Tinto took control of the company in 2012, and Friedland left, taking his corporate name with him. The company was rebranded Turquoise Hill, the English translation of Oyo Tolgoi. In 2015, Friedland sold his shares of Turquoise Hill for approximately $200 million, according to Bloomberg data. He is no longer associated with Turquoise Hill. In 2016, Friedland was inducted into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame, which called him a dynamic, transformative force in the Canadian and international mining industries and one of the most recognized mining personalities and achievers in the world, according to his online bio. Friedland did not return a request for comment sent to his new mining company, also called Ivanhoe Mines. Ugh, really? Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images Last fall, polls had Republican Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore leading his Democratic challenger by double digits in the deep-red state and then multiple women accused him of assaulting them as teenagers. Luckily, Democrats had a solid candidate in Doug Jones; he would become the first Democrat Alabama elected to the Senate in more than 20 years. It seems some Republicans did not heed one of the most basic lessons from this incident: always field a candidate. Thats why the Illinois Republican Party will be stuck with a Holocaust denier as their nominee in Illinoiss Third Congressional District this fall. Arthur Jones, a 70-year-old retired insurance agent, holds a variety of reprehensible views. According to the Washington Post, his website describes the Holocaust as the biggest, blackest, lie in history, and calls the Confederate flag a symbol of White pride and White resistance. The Anti-Defamation League has been tracking Jones for years, and noted that he protested the opening of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in 2009, and has spoken at numerous neo-Nazi rallies and events. Illinois Republicans do not want Jones representing their party. Tim Schneider, the partys state chairman, said in a statement to the Chicago Sun-Times: The Illinois Republican Party and our country have no place for Nazis like Arthur Jones. We strongly oppose his racist views and his candidacy for any public office, including the Third Congressional District. So why is he running unopposed in the GOP primary? The Third District, which comprises parts of Chicago and nearby suburbs, is heavily Democratic. The seat will almost certainly go to one of the two candidates facing off in the Democratic primary, incumbent Daniel Lipinski or challenger Marie Newman. Jones has made seven unsuccessful runs in the Republican Third Congressional District primary since the 1990s. In 2016, the Illinois Republican Party managed to have him removed from the ballot because his petitions were faulty, allowing Lipinski to run unopposed. The party looked into kicking him out of the primary again, but he was more careful with his signatures for the 2018 ballot. The party could have blocked him from winning the GOP primary by running any less bigoted Republican, but its too late for that, as the filing deadline was in December. When Jones was running in 1998, the Cook County Central Committee passed a resolution formally denouncing his candidacy because they were concerned that his nomination would be a national embarrassment for Republicans in the county. His impending primary win presents an even bigger headache today. Thanks to President Trump, Republicans are already fending off accusations that their party is sympathetic to anti-Semites and white supremacists. (Jones recently said hes sorry he voted for Trump because hes surrounded himself with hordes of Jews.) To make matters worse, the Illinois Republican Party is dealing with another bigotry-related scandal. Over the weekend, state Representative Jeanne Ives, whos launched a primary challenge against Governor Bruce Rauner, released an ad in which actors playing a transgender woman, a pro-choice activist, an illegal immigrant criminal, and other right-wing bogeymen thank Rauner for advancing their interests (for example, a woman wearing a pink pussy hat thanks him for making Illinois families pay for my abortions.). The state GOP denounced the ad, saying, There is no place in the Illinois Republican Party for rhetoric that attacks our fellow Illinoisans based on their race, gender or humanity. Unfortunately for Illinois Republicans, a passionate anti-Semite was able to find a place on their ballot. The province has found mercury in soil and possibly buried metal in an area upstream from Grassy Narrows First Nation and Wabaseemoong (Whitedog) Independent Nations that was identified by a former paper mill worker as a dumping ground for mercury-filled barrels. The Environment Ministrys findings confirm results found by the Toronto Star one year ago. The mercury-tainted soil and the metallic underground anomalies were found in a clearing identified by Kas Glowacki as the area in Dryden, Ont., where he and a small crew dumped 50 drums of salt and mercury in 1972. The province says it will dig up the clearing for more answers. We are continuing our site assessment and will be excavating areas where there are larger anomalies this coming spring, said an Environment Ministry spokesperson, Gary Wheeler, in an email to the Star. Between 1962 and 1970, 10 tonnes of mercury from the Dryden paper mill, then owned by Reed Paper, were dumped into the Wabigoon River, which flows to the two Indigenous communities in northern Ontario. Mercury contamination, a serious health risk, has plagued the people there for decades. Dangerous and persistently high levels of mercury found in the river sediment and fish in the river system suggest there is an ongoing source. Until recently, provincial officials had said the site was not an ongoing source of mercury to the river system. Scientist John Rudd has said that, historically, paper mills have been known to be sources of contamination long after they stopped using mercury in the paper-bleaching process. Mercury has not been used in paper production at the site in decades, and there is no suggestion that Domtar, several owners removed from Reed Paper, is responsible for any ongoing source of mercury. Last January, the Star and the environmental group Earthroots dug several holes in the area identified by Glowacki and had the soil tested at a lab. The holes were dug behind the riverside factory. The soil showed mercury readings up to 80 times natural levels. Originally published January 2017: The Star travels to Dryden, Ontario to follow a tip about contaminated soil behind the old mill. The results raise concerns. For more on this Toronto Star investigation go to: http://on.thestar.com/2jfMFVC or read the story below: In September, a provincial crew dug its own holes and in one (which the province labelled TS1 for the Toronto Star, as the Star had previously dug there) found mercury levels that were 240 times higher than expected natural levels in soils that were even deeper than those taken by the Star, according to a provincial report on the search that the Star has obtained. Western University Prof. Brian Branfireun said the provinces results confirm and strengthen the Stars findings last year. The deeper the soil samples, the higher the concentration, said Branfireun, who holds the Canada Research Chair in environment and sustainability. It still says to me the same thing that we saw last time, which is that the contamination is likely coming from a below ground source. The province did not explain why it took one year to confirm the Stars results. The underground metal anomalies were detected in October by a government worker who scanned the area with a hand-held electromagnetic surveying device. The Star first published Glowackis allegations in the summer of 2016, when he recounted that, as a 21-year-old casual labourer, he spent a week on a crew that shovelled out a vat and filled about 50 drums. At the top of the vat, veins of mercury streaked the salt, Glowacki said, adding that as he and a co-worker shovelled toward the bottom, the mercury concentrations seemed to increase. Glowacki remembered that some drums were carelessly pushed off a flatbed truck and toppled into a pit that was lined with polyurethane sheets. In 2015, a guilt-ridden Glowacki told the Grassy Narrows community about the alleged dump of mercury-and-salt-filled barrels. In response, an environment ministry staffer assured community leadership in an email that the Dryden pulp mill is not a source of mercury. This echoed what another ministry spokesperson told the public around that time: There is no evidence to suggest that mercury levels in the river system are such that any remediation, beyond continuing natural recovery, is warranted or advisable. In late 2016, Ontarios environment minister announced the province had searched for the barrels and concluded they did not exist. The government had searched an area, near that sampled by Earthroots and the Star. Before that search, an Earthroots representative asked the province to search in a larger area, which did not happen. There are other locations on the mill property that scientists believe could be an ongoing source of mercury to the river, including the site of the old chlor-alkali plant, where mercury was used to bleach paper. In November, the Star reported that the provincial government knew in the 1990s that mercury was visible in soil under that site and never told anyone from Grassy Narrows or Whitedog. The Star also reported that groundwater samples taken from wells on the mill property over the years have shown extremely high mercury levels. The provinces environment ministry said it was unaware of this data until the summer of 2016, when it received a report based on historical data commissioned by current owner Domtar. Cheri DiNovo may have left the house but she has found her home. On Sunday, DiNovo was formally installed as the reverend at Trinity-St. Pauls Centre for Faith, Arts and Justice, after stepping away from 11 years at the Ontario legislature representing Parkdale-High Park. And in her new, non-partisan role, the former New Democrat MPP was celebrated by Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne, who was invited to give the homily. Cheri is a master in the art of disruption and a master at speaking truth to complacency, Wynne told congregants at the downtown church, who laughed and clapped in agreement. She has lived a varied life that has not sought comfort or ease for herself, and she is unconditional in her support for the powerless. She is unafraid of emotion, dispute or difference and with that courage has been able to bring people together in ways all too rare in modern politics. Wynne noted that during DiNovos time at Queens Park, she passed more private members bills than anyone else. She pulled together more three-party agreement bills than anyone else. She has been a steady and noisy advocate for a rise to the minimum wage during her entire tenure, and a long time housing activist. And she carried Tobys Act over the finish line, making gender identity discrimination illegal in this province, and provoking a national dialogue on a subject that few others were prepared to step up to. Every member of the Ontario legislature understood and valued Cheris commitment to truth, and to honest debate. DiNovo, an ordained United Church minister who was first elected in 2006, announced last fall that she was leaving politics for Trinity-St. Pauls. She was the first to perform a legal same-sex marriage in Canada, and has been a champion of LGBTQ rights at Queens Park and the only LGBTQ critic in the provinces history. She continues her Radical Reverend radio show on CIUT. DiNovo told the Star she is enjoying her new role away from politics. Being at Queens Park is a little like being a chaplain in a war zone, she said. Theres only so many tours of duty you can do, and then you have to go home. The congregation at Trinity-St. Pauls is already incredibly engaged, she said, proof you can have a church thats thriving in the downtown. At the service which was livestreamed were Robin Pilkey, chair of the Toronto District School Board, Liberal MPP Cristina Martins (Davenport) and downtown city Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, who sat with Wynne and spouse Jane Rounthwaite. And, like many Sundays, most of my seminary profs are here so it feels like Im being graded when I preach, said DiNovo, laughing. During the homily, Wynne spoke of her own faith, growing up attending Richmond Hill United Church with her parents, and taking her own children to Fairlawn United in Toronto. She lauded Trinity-St. Pauls for being on the vanguard of the progressive movement in this city for decades. Youre a beacon for an activist faith, one that responds to Gods call to justice and one that will be well led by DiNovo who the premier expects will be leading delegations back to Queens Park to petition us on a new set of priorities! During the ceremony, DiNovo received a standing ovation from the congregation, and later said Trinity-St. Pauls is an incredibly good fit because of its focus on social justice. And Im close to Queens Park, she added. So I intend to be there the very first day the house is sitting, wearing my collar. I will be a presence, because a lot needs happening. Read more about: Expect a chilly Monday, and the cold temperatures are set to stick around for the upcoming week, according to Environment Canada. The city was treated to a brief moment of positive temperatures Sunday afternoon, but a flash freeze overnight left residents waking up to temperatures in the double digit negatives. Its predicted that the warmest it could get today is only -7C and with the wind chill, it could feel as cold as -20 C at times. Theres a 60 per cent chance of flurries overnight into Tuesday, when temperatures are expected to rise to a high of -5C. A cloudy night will bring a low of -12C, and on Wednesday the threat of snow increases to a 70 per cent chance. The temperature is set to inch up during the day to -4C. . Thursdays temperatures dont stray far from the day before, but there should be a little bit more sun. The end of the week sees the temperatures slowly creeping up a couple of degrees a day by Sunday we could be seeing a high of -2C. Although the cold may feel uncalled for, it is in line with average temperatures for this time of year, according to Environment Canada. And it could be worse: in 1948, Toronto saw temperatures as low as -25C on Feb 5. CAYCE, S.C.Federal investigators are trying to figure out why a switch was in the wrong position, sending an Amtrak train into a freight train and killing a conductor and an engineer in South Carolina. But they already know what could have prevented the wreck that injured more than 100 passengers: a GPS-based system called positive train control, which knows the location of all trains and the positions of all switches in an area, and can prevent the kind of human error that puts two trains on the same track. It could have avoided this accident. Thats what its designed to do, said National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt. Read more: South Carolina train crash is the third fatal Amtrak collision in two months Train carrying Republican members of Congress hits garbage truck; one person in truck killed Amtrak train brake automatically activated in fatal Washington derailment, official says Regulators have demanded the implementation of positive train control for decades, and the technology is now in place in the Northeast, but railroads that operate tracks used by Amtrak elsewhere in the U.S. have won repeated extensions from the government. The deadline for installing such equipment is now the end of 2018. CSX Corp. the freight railroad operator that runs that stretch of track issued a statement expressing condolences but said nothing about the cause. Business as usual must end, Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said after this latest crash. Sumwalt said the passenger train hurtled down a side track near Cayce around 2:45 a.m. Sunday after a stop 16 kilometres north in Columbia because a switch had been locked in place, diverting it from the main line. A crew on the freight train had moved the switch to drive it from one side track where it unloaded 34 train cars of automobiles to the side track where it was parked. The switch was padlocked as it was supposed to be, Sumwalt said. The system that operates the train signals in the area was down, so CSX dispatchers were operating them manually. Sumwalt said it was too early to know if the signal was red to warn the Amtrak crew that the switch was not set to continue along the main train line. Just hours after Sundays crash, which also sent 116 of the 147 people on board the New York-to-Miami train to the hospital, Amtrak President Robert Anderson said there must be no more delays from the federal government in installing the safety system by the end of 2018. He deferred to investigators about whether the system would have stopped this crash. Theoretically, an operative PTC system would include switches in addition to signals, so it would cover both speed and switches, Anderson said. The Silver Star was going an estimated 94 kph when it struck the freight train, Gov. Henry McMaster said. It was the middle of the night, and many people were jolted from sleep by the crash and forced into the cold. I thought that I was dead, said passenger Eric Larkin, of Pamlico County, North Carolina, who was dazed and limping after banging his knee. Suddenly awake, Larkin said the train was shaking and jumping and his seat broke loose, slamming him into the row in front of him. He heard screams and crying all around him as he tried to get out. Other passengers were bleeding. The locomotives of both trains were crumpled on impact, and the Amtrak engine ended up on its side. One car in the middle of the Amtrak train was snapped in half, forming a V off to one side of the tracks. Engineer Michael Kempf, 54, of Savannah, Ga., and conductor Michael Cella, 36, of Orange Park, Fla., were killed, Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher said. Of the 116 people taken to four hospitals, only about a half dozen were admitted. The rest had minor injuries such as cuts, bruises or whiplash, authorities said. Any time you have anything that happens like that, you expect more fatalities. But God blessed us, and we only had the two, Fisher said, her voice choked with emotion. On Wednesday, a chartered Amtrak train carrying Republican members of Congress to a retreat slammed into a garbage truck at a crossing where locals said the safety arms were down even when no trains approached. That accident in rural Virginia killed one person in the truck and injured six others. And on Dec. 18, an Amtrak train ran off the rails along a curve during its inaugural run near Tacoma, Wash., killing three people and injuring dozens. It was going nearly 128 kph, more than twice the speed limit. Its becoming almost like an epidemic for Amtrak, said Najmedin Meshkati, a University of Southern California engineering professor who has studied positive train control. BRUSSELSThe only surviving member of the Daesh cell that attacked Paris in November 2015 appeared in public Monday for the first time since his arrest and rejected the legitimacy of a Belgian court by refusing to rise or answer questions at his trial. Salah Abdeslam is facing attempted murder charges in Brussels from a police shootout four months after the Paris attacks. Abdeslam fled while another man sprayed automatic gunfire and was killed. He was captured a few days later in the same neighbourhood where he and many of his Daesh (also known as the Islamic State or ISIS) fighter colleagues grew up. Abdeslam arrived in the Belgian capital on Monday morning after being transferred from a prison in France. Security was high at the Brussels courthouse, with armed guards and multiple checkpoints leading to the courtroom. Read more: French court to hear first trial linked to 2015 Paris attacks France marks second anniversary of Paris terror attacks I do not wish to respond to any questions. I was asked to come. I came, said Abdeslam, who stayed seated for most of the hearing, flanked by police in balaclavas. I defend myself by keeping silent. Asked why he was refusing to stand, Abdeslam said: Im tired, I did not sleep. Abdeslam, now wearing a full beard and longer hair than in pictures released before his March 18, 2016 arrest, refused to answer questions beyond a few formalities and stared straight ahead for much of the hearing. Muslims are judged and treated without pity, there is no presumption of innocence, he said. Im not afraid of you, Im not afraid of your allies. I place my faith in Allah. He is being tried alongside a second defendant, Sofiane Ayari. The judges questions Monday were oriented toward establishing which of the two also fired on officers during the shootout. Federal prosecutors in Belgium are seeking 20-year prison sentences for both men. Abdeslam has previously refused to speak to investigators in France about the attack there that killed 130. Days after his capture, extremists struck in Brussels. In total, 162 people died in the two attacks. The trial relates to the 2016 shooting in Brussels, some four months after the Paris attacks. Abdeslam and two suspects were hiding in an apartment when police arrived for a routine search. Three officers were wounded in the shootout that followed and one suspect was killed. Abdeslam was captured a few days later in the flashpoint Brussels neighbourhood of Molenbeek. We want to see what elements will be provided in order to have a better understanding of this series of events and terror attacks, in France and in Belgium, said Guillaume Denoix de Saint Marc, a member of V-Europe, a victims association. This trial is one of the pieces of a global puzzle which will answer some of our questions. But at the same time, we expect to be very disappointed and to learn nothing. Read more about: WASHINGTONU.S. President Donald Trump says Democratic members of Congress were un-American and treasonous when they refused to clap for parts of his State of the Union address the same speech during which he called for bipartisanship and national unity. Trump, delivering an Ohio speech on Monday that was supposed to be about his tax cuts, levelled the sensational and obviously inaccurate allegation at his opponents while complaining that they did not applaud six days prior even when he spoke of the record-low in the unemployment rate for Black residents. Three days later, new government data showed that the Black unemployment rate had spiked, from the record 6.8 per cent to a non-record 7.7 per cent. But Trump likened the Democrats silence to a capital crime. Its very selfish. And it got to a point where I really didnt even want to look too much during the speech over to that side because honestly, it was bad energy. It was bad energy. Youre up there, youve got half the room going totally crazy wild, they loved everything, they want to do something great for our country. And you have the other side, even on positive news, really positive news, like that, they were like death, and un-American. Un-American, he said. Somebody said treasonous. I mean, yeah, I guess, why not. Can we call that treason? Why not, he said, throwing up one of his hands. I mean, they certainly didnt seem to love our country very much. In the State of the Union, Trump said: Tonight, I call upon all of us to set aside our differences, to seek out common ground, and to summon the unity we need to deliver for the people. Treason is a federal offence that does not cover behaviour such as non-clapping. It is defined as someone who betrays America by assisting its enemies who, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere. The crime is punishable by death or at least five years in prison. This is North Korea-esq(ue), former Hillary Clinton spokesman Jesse Ferguson said on Twitter. You either rise and applaud what Dear Leader says or he thinks youve committed treason. Hes beyond an egomaniac. Hes ego-maniacal. Trump has regularly used rhetoric more common from the leaders of authoritarian countries than from the president of the United States. As is his common practice, he did so this time in passing, with a kind of half-smile, before moving on to more conventional matters. The frequency with which he uses such language has diminished its capacity to shock. The accusation did not receive heavy immediate coverage in the U.S. media, which was busy covering a rapid decline in U.S. stocks. The rest of the speech was similarly uneven. In between talk about the growing economy, Trump boasted of his campaign success, mocked Clinton, offered a kind of pre-emptive excuse for the possibility Republicans will lose the congressional midterm elections, delivered a series of false or misleading claims, and gleefully declared that Republicans had embarrassed unnamed people, presumably the FBI, with the memo they released last week that misleadingly alleged wrongdoing. Read more: Analysis | This GOP memo is nonsense Analysis | Donald Trump made 24 false claims in a week that included his State of the Union address and the GOP memo controversy Analysis | Donald Trump has said 1125 false things as U.S. president Read more about: WASHINGTONThe House intelligence committees probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election spun further into charges and counter-charges among angry U.S. lawmakers and President Donald Trump Monday as the panel voted to release a second classified memo about whether the FBI and Justice Department conspired against him. This memo was written by Democrats on the panel who are pushing back against a GOP document, declassified by Trump last week, that criticizes the methods the FBI used to obtain a surveillance warrant on a one-time Trump campaign associate. The Democratic document attempts to counter some of the arguments and evidence put forward by the Republicans. The battle of classified memos has further deepened the partisan divide on the committee, which is supposed to be jointly investigating the Russian meddling and possible connections between Russia and the Trump presidential campaign. It also takes attention from the separate investigations by special counsel Robert Mueller and the Senate intelligence committee. Read more: Republicans distance themselves from Trumps claims that memo vindicates him in Russia probe Trump seized on what Republican FBI memo could mean before hed read it, sources say Trump claims Republican FBI memo totally vindicates him in Russia investigation Trump said over the weekend that the GOP memo totally vindicates him. Both Republicans and Democrats disputed that, and Democrats also bemoaned the release of formerly classified information and the possibility the precedent could compromise future investigations. After the House committees Tuesday evening vote, which was unanimous, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the panels top Democrat, said he believed the Democratic document would help inform the public of the many distortions and inaccuracies in the majority memo. But he also said he was concerned about political redactions the White House might make before its release. The president now has five days to decide whether to allow the materials publication. Schiff said he would compare any deletions the FBI and the Department of Justice might request with any White House edits to try to identify any attempts to withhold information for political purposes. Texas Republican Rep. Mike Conaway, a leader of the panels Russia probe, said after the vote that parts of the document should not be released. There are things in the memo that I would be uncomfortable with if the White House did not redact, he said. Tensions between Trump and the Democrats were high before the vote, as the president and Schiff traded insults on Twitter Monday morning less than a week after Trump called for more bipartisanship in his State of the Union address. U.S. President Donald Trump says a newly declassified GOP memo alleging FBI abuses shows, "a lot of people should be ashamed of themselves. (The Associated Press) Trump tweeted that Schiff is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington and must be stopped. Schiff quickly shot back: Instead of tweeting false smears, the American people would appreciate it if you turned off the TV and helped solve the funding crisis, protected Dreamers or ... really anything else. White House spokesman Raj Shah said merely that consideration of a release would allow for a legal review, national security review led by the White House counsels office. As a second week of memo-watching commenced, the committee also prepared to interview Steve Bannon, Trumps former chief strategist. Bannon has been subpoenaed and is scheduled to be interviewed behind closed doors Tuesday by the panel. But its unclear whether hell show up as negotiations continued over the terms of his interview. At issue is whether the White House will allow him to answer questions about his time in the Trump administration. Schiff has questioned whether Nunes had co-ordinated with the White House in drafting the document the president has used to vent his grievances against the nations premier law enforcement agencies. The goal here is to undermine the FBI, discredit the FBI, discredit the Mueller investigation, do the presidents bidding, Schiff said. I think its very possible his staff worked with the White House. Nunes was asked during a Jan. 29 committee meeting whether he had co-ordinated the memo with the White House. As far as I know, no, he responded, then refused to answer when asked whether his congressional staff members had communicated with the White House. He had previously apologized for sharing with the White House secret intelligence intercepts related to an investigation of Russian election interference before talking to committee members. Trump praised Nunes in a separate tweet Monday, calling him a man of tremendous courage and grit, may someday be recognized as a Great American Hero for what he has exposed and what he has had to endure! The Republican memo released last Friday alleges misconduct on the part of the FBI and the Justice Department in obtaining a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to monitor former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page and his ties to Russia. Specifically, it takes aim at the FBIs use of information from former British spy Christopher Steele, who compiled a dossier containing allegations of ties between Trump, his associates and Russia. The underlying materials that served as the basis for the warrant application were not made public. Even as Democrats described that memo as inaccurate, some Republicans quickly cited it released over the objections of the FBI and Justice Department in their arguments that the FBI investigation that Mueller inherited is politically tainted. Still, some Republicans, including Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina and House Speaker Paul Ryan have said the memo should not be used to undermine Muellers probe. The GOP memos central allegation is that agents and prosecutors, in applying in October 2016 to monitor Pages communications, failed to tell a judge that the opposition research that provided grounds for the FBIs suspicion received funding from Hillary Clintons presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Page had stopped advising the campaign sometime around the end of that summer. Steeles research, according to the memo, formed an essential part of the warrant application. But its unclear how much or what information Steele collected made it into the application, or how much has been corroborated. Read more about: In his first State of the Union address, Donald Trump again reiterated his campaign promise to bring down drug costs. But a year into his presidency, hes done nothing of the sort. And if U.S. negotiators and powerful corporate lobbyists have their way, the new North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will change in ways that would keep drug prices high and out of reach for people in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and beyond. Officials from NAFTA member states just wrapped up their sixth round of talks in Montreal, and on the table were serious implications for access to affordable health care. Time and again, Canadians reaffirm their belief in the basic principle of equitable access to health care for all. But the spirit of this very Canadian principle remains in peril as NAFTA negotiations forge ahead. Already, according to a 2015 Angus Reid study, one in five Canadians say a member of their household cannot afford medications prescribed to them. Millions of peoplebetween 10 and 20 per cent of the populationare compensating by not filling their prescriptions at all or taking unsupported measures to make them last longer. Canadians already pay some of the highest drug prices in the world according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, and pharmaceutical products are one of the three largest elements of our overall healthcare spending. There are two potential changes to NAFTA that threaten to derail progress toward affordable access to medicines: First, U.S. trade representatives are advancing Big Pharmas demand for more restrictive intellectual property rules, pushing longer patent terms and data exclusivity rules that would lengthen the period they can keep secret the data they submit to Health Canada for new drug approvals. This would delay the development of generics and boost patented companies already handsome profits at patients expense, by extending monopolies on medicines and thwarting market competition to lower consumer prices. Second, business lobbies are pushing hard to maintain and expand the widely-denounced investor-state dispute settlement mechanism currently found in NAFTA. Usually, disputes over trade agreements are hashed out between the governments that signed them. But this kind of clause allows companies to take direct legal action against governments for interfering with their profitsor even their expectations of profitsby regulating in the public interest. When these cases succeed, governments end up paying hundreds of millions of dollars for acting in the public interest, such as protecting access to medicines or the environment. At a minimum, these provisions in trade agreements create a chilling effect against governments doing the right thing from the get-go. The fine print of what Big Pharma and the U.S. are pushing in NAFTA is complex. But the end goal is clear: they want to rework the deal to increase corporate power and profits, when drug prices are already unaffordable for many. NAFTA could also be used as a dangerous template for global trade agreements to come. This is why Canadian and Mexican negotiators should stand up to the Americans, in the interest of their own people and of the millions around the world who cannot afford yet more deadly trade deals keeping medicines out of reach. Big Pharma is already well protected by existing World Trade Organization standards, based heavily on the original NAFTA. There is no need, nor moral defence, for even greater monopolies on medicines. It seems we cant count on Trumps promises to develop sound policy that would cut prescription drug cost. But north of the border there are concrete things Canada must do to safeguard affordable access to medicines, at home and abroad, and save lives. The Trudeau government keeps saying that governments must be allowed to regulate in the public interest. Instead of bowing to Big Pharma, Canadian negotiators now have the opportunity to advance a key Canadian interest. Over to you, Prime Minister Trudeau. Nicholas Caivano is a policy analyst and Richard Elliott is executive director of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. Read more about: Whatever the Vancouver-based mining company Turquoise Hill Resources is paying its tax lawyers, it isnt enough. Over the past seven years the company has used a complicated network of subsidiaries, foreign tax havens, and a variety of financial manoeuvres to avoid paying more than half a billion dollars in Canadian tax. Its also avoided paying another $232 million (U.S.) to the government of Mongolia, where it operates one of the worlds biggest copper mines. All this is detailed in a report by the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations, a Dutch non-profit known as SOMO, and highlighted this past week in the Star by reporter Marco Chown Oved. Why care about a mine in distant Mongolia or the tax dealings of a company most Canadians have never heard of? The simple reason is that the case of Turquoise Hill provides a classic example of how so many corporations operating internationally have used tax laws, international treaties and legal structures to minimize the tax they pay. In doing so, they are depriving governments of many billions of dollars a year in tax revenue money that could be going to pay for everything from health care to national defence. The approach of tax season serves as a pointed reminder that we all end up paying more when others find a way to pay less. In the case of Turquoise Hill Resources, its a lot less. The SOMO report spells out how the company, which is controlled by the British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto and has headquarters in Vancouver, arranged its affairs to minimize its tax obligations. It owns a majority interest in a copper mining operation in Mongolia called Oyu Tolgoi, and set up so-called letterbox companies in the Netherlands and Luxembourg through which it funneled billions of dollars in loans. The net result of all this complex finagling, according to SOMO, is that Turquoise Hill Resources ended up paying just $89 million (U.S.) over six years in corporate income tax in tiny Luxembourg (where it has a single part-time employee). Thats an effective tax rate of just 4.19 per cent. At the same time, it dodged paying $470 million (U.S.) in Canadian tax and $232 million (U.S.) more to the government of Mongolia, which it pressured by firing staff and delaying a planned expansion of the mine. One of the authors of the report, Vincent Kiezebrink, calls it shameless tax avoidance. It could just as well be called clever tax avoidance, since all these complex arrangements are, by all accounts, perfectly legal. Thats the defence that Turquoise Hill put forward when SOMO sought out its side of the story. In fact, a spokesperson for the companys parent firm, Rio Tinto, said the tax arrangements cannot be considered abusive because they were agreed to by both the Mongolian and Canadian governments including written approval from the Canada Revenue Agency. Further, he said, the Oyu Tolgoi mine is paying its fair share of tax in Mongolia. Therein lies the problem. Turquoise Hill is just one of countless corporations that take advantage of national tax laws, international tax treaties and tax havens to make sure their tax bill is as low as possible. Indeed, they would be failing in their duty to shareholders to maximize after-tax profit if they did not do so. Hence the lucrative fees they gladly hand over to their tax lawyers. What gets lost in that chain of logic, of course, is the greater public good. As corporations work all the tax angles, ordinary taxpayers in both rich and less-rich countries get stuck with a bigger bill from their governments, while the governments themselves scramble to find the revenue they need to pay for all kinds of services. It contributes mightily to the growing gulf between the wealthy few and the struggling many. And it feeds the paradox of private wealth amid public squalor. This has been well documented in recent years. The Panama and Paradise Papers both made clear the enormous cost of both legal tax avoidance and illegal tax evasion by corporations exploiting loopholes and tax havens around the world. At the same time, a Star/CBC investigation in 2016 estimated the cost to the Canadian treasury of tax treaties, known as Tax Information Exchange Agreements. It found that since 2011, deals enabled by these agreements had allowed corporations working in low-tax zones, such as Bermuda and Panama, to avoid paying taxes on some $55 billion in profits. If that money had been declared in Ontario it would have brought in about $14 billion in tax revenue. This is a loss for all of us, and it is reckoned in less robust public services, shoddier infrastructure and a rise in inequality. What happens in far-off Mongolia and many other places around the world has a direct effect on our daily lives. Entrepreneurial is one of the terms used to describe a bunch of Canadian bootleggers who found varying success in the illicit running of alcohol to the U.S. about a century ago. They are portrayed as swashbuckling adventurers who dared to defy laws that banned alcohol, laws that in retrospect were not only archaic but perhaps misplaced and costly. They are fondly posited as cheeky and rebellious, the forerunners of a liberal era of alcohol-infused pleasures. It was legal in Canada to produce alcohol prohibition was lifted by the 1920s while Americans still faced a ban. That illicit trade was the building blocks on which Canadian distilleries, the suppliers of that booze, made a fortune. The histories of the Bronfman family (who owned Seagram) and the Corbys, among others, are just a Google search away. During the roaring twenties, says the official Bay of Quinte website, many a Canadian lad . . . risked his life during this time for the daring and dangerous life of bootlegging. No such indulgent descriptors or profits appear to await the forerunners of a Liberal era of cannabis-infused pleasures. Read more: Opinion | Royson James: It stinks to high heaven when top cops are shilling pot Greenhouse growers take chance on cannabis in push for green Canada sold $1.2 billion of illegal cannabis outside country in 2017, StatCan estimate suggests As the banned substance begins to burgeon into a multi-billion-dollar industry, the once-petty crooks, many of them Black, with the grassroots know-how of how to run the business and who could become contributing members of society, are once again being shut out because they have criminal records. The government has talked about amnesty for past marijuana crimes that would mean erasure of those records. But it is unlikely to take any action until after legalization and already, others with money have plunked their grubby fingers in this pie to make more money. This includes, of course, that shameless hypocrite and former chief of multiple police forces Julian Fantino, who helped passed into law Bill C-10 that included mandatory minimum sentences on people for having as few as six plants. On Friday, The Canadian Press reported that a group of frustrated lawyers in Toronto is considering a class-action lawsuit against the government to push it into granting cannabis amnesty. They should just do it. Some advocates are also seeking an apology. A reckoning of the unfairness with which anything related to marijuana has been treated is a long time coming. Even the usage of the word marijuana which comes from Mexicocame into being during the Prohibition Era to warn off Americans by appealing to their xenophobic sensibilities with the suggestion that it could lead to the intermingling of races. In Canada, too, marijuana has proven handy as a system of racial control. In July last year, the Star published an analysis of 10 years of Toronto police data including two years when Fantino was police chief to show that Black people with no history of criminal convictions were three times more likely to be arrested for possession of small amounts of marijuana than white people. The users are Black and white at about equal rates, but the people behind bars are disproportionately Black. More recently, the American experience shows that even in states where the plant is legalized, while overall numbers of arrests have plummeted, Black people are still arrested at higher rates. Four times higher in Washington, D.C., 10 times higher in Alaska. From Richard Nixons so-called war on drugs to Ronald Reagans drug war to Bill Clintons tough on crime laws, the crackdown on drugs has always been an assault on race. The scholar Michelle Alexander points out in her seminal book The New Jim Crow that Nixons White House Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman recalled that Nixon emphasized that you have to face the fact that the whole problem is really the Blacks. The key is to devise a system that recognizes this while not appearing to. The Reagan administration created an indelible link between drug abuse and Black people, she wrote in HuffPost. It hired staff whose responsibility it was to publicize inner-city crack babies, crack mothers, crack whores, and drug-related violence. Clintons policies wrought the highest increase in number of people imprisoned. But a change was coming. The face of drug users in the public imagination was getting lighter-skinned. Think Breaking Bad. Ozark. Changing attitudes and policies became possible in large part because the media was no longer saturated with images of Black and brown drug dealers, Alexander said at a Drug Policy Reform conference in 2017. The colour of drug users and dealers got whiter in the public imagination, and so we, as a nation, got nicer. Nicer in Canada would mean erasing criminal records without a fight, the flawed structure of the RCMPs national criminal record database notwithstanding. That database can show whether someone has a record for possessing an illegal drug, but not necessarily which one, according to a report in Global News. That means that erasing marijuana possession (or trafficking) records could turn into a painstaking, manual process, involving searches in court and police archives across the country. No reason why people imprisoned for petty crimes should pay for the carelessness of those trafficking in power. Shree Paradkar writes about discrimination and identity. You can follow her @shreeparadkar Nunes may be aiming for more time in the pro-Trump sun. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes is planning to release as many as five additional memos targeting politically motivated wrongdoing at federal agencies, according to a new Axios report. On Friday, the House Intelligence Committee released a declassified GOP-written memo which accused officials at the FBI and Justice Department of abusing their power for politically motivated purposes and using misleading information to obtain a FISA warrant to surveil a former Trump campaign adviser who was suspected of having ties to the Kremlin. The overhyped memo got a lot of attention, but was far from the shocking conspiracy expose that Nunes and many other Trump allies had promised, and it in fact largely reinforced the rationale of the Russia investigation. Either way, its unlikely Nunes will be deterred by the criticism, so more memos are undoubtedly on the way. How credible they are, and how much damage they do to the federal institutions they target, remains to be seen. There are several areas of concern where federal agencies used government resources to try to create a narrative and influence the election, a Republican member of the House Intelligence Committee claimed to Axios, also teasing the possible appearance of Clinton operatives in the future memos. On Friday, Nunes said on Fox News that the FISA abuse memo was only the first phase of his efforts, and that phase two would go after agencies like the State Department. Nunes also told the Weekly Standard that additional memos wont go through the same process as the first one, which required a committee vote and President Trumps approval to get released to the public. Representative Nunes isnt the only one working to publish another memo, however. Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee are trying to pressure Republicans and the White House to allow the release of a rebuttal to Nuness memo, detailing its flaws. A debate on whether to release that memo or not will reportedly take place in the committee on Monday. How much attention Nunes and other pro-Trump Republicans and media figures will be able to drum up for future memos isnt clear. Nunes has probably damaged his credibility outside pro-Trump circles as a result of this episode, and as BuzzFeeds Charlie Warzel pointed out on Friday, the congressman arguably screwed up his own scandalmongering too: [T]he Nunes memo departed from the pro-Trump media playbook in an crucial way the reveal. After weeks of coverage, protest, and hand wringing, the #ReleaseTheMemo campaign had accomplished what it set out to do: push forward a narrative of corruption and anti-Trump bias. Without divulging classified information, Trump loyalists portrayed themselves and the administration as victims: They easily muddied the waters between fact, fiction, and partially true (and partially not!). Had the memo never been released, it may well have driven the news cycle for weeks more hanging like a cloud over the Trump-Russia investigation indisputable proof of something, just out of reach. Now that its out, its been defanged and its news value sapped. It will soon be subsumed by the next controversy. Then again, Nunes could also be planning on creating that next controversy in the form of another new memo. Looking ahead to the midterms, it doesnt look like Nuness new notoriety will cost him electorally back home in Central Californias heavily Republican 22nd district. Nuness main challenger in this Novembers election, Democratic prosecutor Andrew Janz, reportedly raised more than $110,000 on Thursday and Friday thanks to the memo controversy. But Politico reported on Saturday that while Janzs campaign may be energized and trying to capitalize on Nuness bad press, the candidate still faces long odds. Nunes already has a $3.8 million campaign war chest, and, unlike many other California Republicans, his seat is not being aggressively targeted by ambitious Democrats this fall. The New York Times checked in with random voters in Nuness district on Friday and found that people either werent aware of the memo controversy or didnt much care about it. Then again, as Ed Kilgore argued on Thursday, an upset this fall isnt out of the question, and no matter how this all turns out, Nunes is attracting an astonishing amount of attention to himself, and is out on a political limb that looks less stable every day. MONTREALIts a divided NDP family that will gather in Ottawa late next week for the partys first national convention under leader Jagmeet Singh. The last time the New Democrats got together two years ago in Edmonton, the issue of Thomas Mulcairs leadership split the convention down the middle. He resigned after having lost a confidence vote by two percentage points. Since then, some of the fault lines that surfaced at the time have become deeper. Larger cracks have appeared in the partys unity. One has to go back to constitutional debates of the Meech years in the late 80s to find comparable ones. They are too large to be easily papered over. The last convention featured friction between Albertas pro-pipeline NDP government and backers of the LEAP manifesto. Among other propositions, it calls for Canadas fossil fuels to be left in the ground. A majority of delegates at the 2016 federal gathering voted to consider embracing the manifesto. Between that convention and the upcoming one, the NDP formed a government in British Columbia. These days, the New Democrats in power in Edmonton and Victoria are engaged in a bitter feud over the plan to transport more Alberta oil to the Pacific coast by expanding the capacity of Kinder Morgans Trans Mountain pipeline. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau got a taste of the passion the project inspires at a town hall on Vancouver Island last Friday. But while federal support for the Kinder Morgan project has become a lightning rod for its opponents, it is worth noting that the town hall was held in NDP/Green territory. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley has staked the future of her government on the notion that carbon pricing and progress on the pipeline front go hand-in-hand. Thats the balance Trudeau also claims to be striking. But B.C. Premier John Horgan came to power on the promise to do all he can to prevent the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline. It is part of the glue that binds the Green Party to his minority government. The majority of New Democrats come from Ontario, B.C. and Quebec. To varying degrees they are hostile to new pipelines. That puts them on a collision course with fellow New Democrats from Alberta and Saskatchewan. As interim NDP leader in Saskatchewan, Trent Wotherspoon welcomed the approval of the Kinder Morgan project. He is one of two candidates vying for the permanent leadership of the party in a vote to be held March 3. The Palestine/Israel issue has long been a divisive one for the NDP with many of the partys activists promoting a more militant pro-Palestinian stance. They want the NDP to endorse the controversial Boycott Divestment and Sanctions movement. A year and a half ago, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May mused about resigning her position over the adoption of a pro-BDS party resolution. It was subsequently reworded. Although the NDP voted against a parliamentary motion condemning the BDS campaign two years ago, Mulcair made it clear he was adamantly opposed to the movement. There will be delegates at next weeks convention determined to revisit the issue. The socialist caucus has been demanding the resignation of MP Helene Laverdiere as foreign affairs critic. The non-parliamentary group claims she adopted reactionary stances that go against NDP principles and is too close to pro-Israel groups. Singh is unlikely to bow to that demand. Laverdiere is a former diplomat who twice beat Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe in Laurier-Sainte-Marie and a rare Quebec MP who supported Singhs leadership bid. The NDP caucus is already reeling from the events that led to an independent investigation into allegations of harassment against Saskatchewan MP Erin Weir last week. The NDP is the latest federal party to be conducting such an investigation. But it stands alone in having decided to proceed absent an actual complainant. Singh took action after MP Christine Moore sent an email to her caucus colleagues voicing concerns about what she had been hearing about Weirs conduct. Mulcair navigated his partys oft-tumultuous policy waters by keeping minds focused on the NDPs election prospects and the opportunity to oust the Conservatives from office. It helped that he had poll numbers that showed federal power to potentially be within the reach of the New Democrats. Singh can count on no public opinion crutch. His party is running a distant third in national voting intentions, far behind the Liberals and the Conservatives in every province east of Manitoba. His first convention as federal leader is shaping up to be more challenging than his first-ballot climb to the top of the leadership ladder. Chantal Hebert is a national affairs writer. Her column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Read more about: Justice Samuel Alito heard the plea of Pennsyvania Republicans for an intervention in a state judicial case, but decided it was none of SCOTUS business. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images The U.S. Supreme Court will not second-guess the Pennsylvania Supreme Courts recent decision forcing the GOP-controlled legislature of that state to fix gerrymandered congressional districts before this falls elections. Samuel Alito, the Justice with jurisdiction over emergency appeals from Pennsylvania, had given the legislatures plea for relief just enough credibility to require a response from proponents of the state courts action. But then today he rejected the request for a stay of that action without bothering to refer the case to the full Court. Alitos initial reaction to the stay requests raised alarms because the state court decided the case strictly on Pennsylvania Constitutional grounds, on which it is the final authority. Yes, the legislature claimed the state court had violated the federal Constitutions assignment of state election matters to legislatures rather than courts. But this is an argument SCOTUS rejected as recently as 2015. The only real precedent for supporting such a claim was a three-Justice (Rehnquist, Scalia, and Thomas) concurring opinion in the violently controversial Bush v. Gore decision, which the Court at the time said would in fact set no precedents. So raising it now to defend a legislatures right to gerrymander against its own states courts would have created a firestorm. Instead, the legislature will be forced to comply with a February 9 deadline (with action by the governor to confirm it on February 15) to draw constitutionally permissible congressional districts, avoiding the excessively partisan gerrymandering that created the old map. If they do not meet that deadline, the State Supreme Court will draw its own maps in time for use in a May primary. SCOTUS still faces a full docket of cases involving challenges to partisan gerrymandering under the U.S. Constitution. But those will arrive too late to save the Pennsylvania GOP from its painful chore. Gildan Activewear Inc. manufactures and sells various apparel products in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It provides various activewear products, including T-shirts, fleece tops and bottoms, and sport shirts under the Gildan, Gildan Performance, Gildan Hammer, Comfort Colors, American Apparel, Anvil by Gildan, Alstyle, Prim + Preux, and GoldToe brands. The company also offers hosiery products comprising athletic; dress; and casual, liner, therapeutic, and workwear socks, as well as sheer panty hoses, tights, and leggings under the brands of Gildan, Under Armour, GoldToe, PowerSox, GT a GoldToe Brand, Silver Toe, Signature Gold by Goldtoe, Peds, MediPeds, Kushyfoot, Therapy Plus, All Pro, Secret, Silks, Secret Silky, and American Apparel. In addition, it provides men's and boys' underwear products, and ladies panties under the Gildan and Gildan Platinum brand names; and ladies' shapewear, intimates, and accessories under the Secret and Secret Silky brands. The company sells its products to wholesale distributors, screen printers, or embellishers, as well as to retailers and consumer brand companies. The company was formerly known as Textiles Gildan Inc. and changed its name to Gildan Activewear Inc. in March 1995. Gildan Activewear Inc. was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Read More Trump attending a worship service at the International Church of Las Vegas less than a week before election day in 2016. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images When word came out last summer that Christian-right journalists David Brody (chief political reporter for the Christian Broadcasting Network) and Scott Lamb (a columnist for the Washington Times and author of a Mike Huckabee biography) were penning a spiritual biography of the 45th president, Trump critics got a good laugh. I suggested it might be a very brief book, with lots of photos. I was wrong about that. The Faith of Donald J. Trump: A Spiritual Biography, runs 320 pages, and has no photos at all. But the book is misnamed. It should have been titled Our Faith in Donald J. Trump. From beginning to end, the question of what, precisely, is going on in Trumps mind and soul the $64,000 question, one would think, in a spiritual biography can only be answered by circumstantial evidence. Indeed, theres this disclaimer in the introduction: One of the most often asked queries [from the authors friends] went something like this: Is Trump a Christian? Within the evangelical context that means: Is he born again? or Is he headed for heaven? or Is his name written in the Lambs book of life? OK, so just up front: Were not answering that question. Lord knows Brody and Lamb want to answer that question affirmatively, and let many of the large group of conservative Evangelical advisers filtering in and out of Trumps entourage testify that hes gaga for prayer and deeply interested in the Bible, despite the regular evidence that he probably isnt. But in the end, its never quite clear whether Trump is just telling all of these sanctified people what they want to hear and using them for their obvious political value. Its important to understand that by faith, Brody and Lamb very strictly mean their own conservative Evangelical faith. One of their central problems is that to the small extent that Trump has a verifiable pre-politics religious background, its in the mainline Protestantism for which the authors have complete contempt, clearly regarding it as not worthy of the appellation Christian. From that perspective, Trumps undeniable ignorance of church history and doctrine becomes a godsend: He cannot be blamed for the liberal heresies of mainline Presbyterianism. Instead, the book dwells obsessively on the conservative cultural values exhibited by his parents despite their troubling tolerance for bad theology. The 45th presidents inherited work ethic, patriotism, love for the military (reinforced by the military boarding school he attended for five years), and Republican political habits are all touted as being indicative of a predisposition for conservative Evangelicalism. (One of his current advisers approvingly said of him: Hes got that 1950s respect for clergy.) And the closest thing he had to an early religious mentor, the famous proto-prosperity-gospel preacher Norman Vincent Peale, is treated as a proto-conservative Evangelical despite his mainline affiliation. By the end of the book, which mostly chronicles the struggles of conservative Evangelicals to come to grips with and embrace this strange man with heathenish habits of mind and speech, Trumps cultural conservatism is treated as, well, good enough for the faithful, even if they cannot be sure hes washed in the blood of the Lamb himself: Trumps view of America benefits evangelicals immensely. His traditional views translate into traditional policies more in line with a pre-1960s America that comports itself more in line with biblical Christianity than the watered-down Christianity of today. For Brody and Lamb, there is no question that the most important of those traditional policies is the drive to eliminate legalized abortion. Thus the Neil Gorsuch nomination, assumed to obtain the fourth of five Supreme Court justices needed to overturn Roe v. Wade, is treated as ancillary proof that Trumps soul has been stirred by the Evangelicals circling his campaign and presidency: When assessing the faith of Donald Trump, the significance of the Neil Gorsuch nomination cannot be underestimated. Of course the access evangelicals have had to this president is unprecedented and should not be overlooked. The push of the pro-life agenda was a major development as well in the first one hundred days of this administration. The confluence of all three in totality presents concrete evidence that Donald Trump is trying to live out his faith with deed. You can sense the authors nagging doubts, though, perhaps nourished by the new presidents nasty Twitter language and other forms of thuggish behavior toward critics. Near the very end of the book they bring in their star witness for Trumps inner transformation: Vice-President Mike Pence, the Christian-right warhorse who constantly attests to the presidents reliance on both prayer and the prayer warriors (like Trumps all-Evangelical Faith Advisory Committee) for whom Pence runs interference. The fact that Pence is also a champion Trump sycophant, who thinks Job One is to confirm what his boss wants the world to think of him, should trouble Brody and Lamb in those moments when they fear that theyre being exploited by the great manipulator in the Oval Office. But ultimately, as the increasingly hagiographic tone of the book shows, Brody and Lamb and the conservative Evangelical thought-leaders they represent are working hard to overcome any doubts about Trump. The more the president outrages the Americans who arent pining for a return to the 1950s, the more these proud reactionaries cling to him like a Rock of Ages. Heres conservative Evangelical radio host Eric Metaxas, who also wrote the foreword for this book, reacting to the furor over Trumps comments defending the honorable intentions of the white rioters of Charlottesville: Were going to stand up for Trump a hundred times more. Its been unbelievably despicable the way hes been treated. And I think theres some kind of demonic deception. I mean Ive never seen anything like it begin to compare it to in my lifetime. If faith is indeed (as Paul suggested in his Epistle to the Hebrews) the evidence of things unseen, then the passionate faith that conservative Evangelicals are placing in their president needs little sustenance from the man himself. And thats a good thing for him and for them, if not for our country and all of the Americans who worship a God whos not necessarily Republican. Agilent Technologies, Inc. engages in the provision of application focused solutions for life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets. It operates through the following segments: Life Sciences and Applied Markets; Diagnostics and Genomics; and Agilent CrossLab. The Life Sciences and Applied Markets segment offers application-focused solutions that include instruments and software that enable to identify, quantify, and analyze the physical and biological properties of substances and products, as well as the clinical and life sciences research areas to interrogate samples at the molecular and cellular level. The Diagnostics and Genomics segment consists of activity providing active pharmaceutical ingredients for oligo-based therapeutics, as well as solutions that include reagents, instruments, software and consumables. The Agilent CrossLab segment includes startup, operational, training and compliance support, software as a service, and asset management and consultative services. The company was founded in May 1999 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA. Read More American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected]marketbeat.com | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. Rolls-Royce Holdings plc operates as an industrial technology company in the United Kingdom and internationally. The company operates in four segments: Civil Aerospace, Power Systems, Defence, and ITP Aero. The Civil Aerospace segment develops, manufactures, and sells aero engines for large commercial aircraft, regional jet, and business aviation markets, as well as provides aftermarket services. The Power Systems segment provides high-speed and medium-speed reciprocating engines, and propulsion and power generation systems for the marine, defense, power generation, and industrial markets. The Defence segment offers aero engines for military transport and patrol aircraft applications; and naval engines and submarine nuclear power plants, as well as aftermarket services. The ITP Aero segment engages in the design, research and development, manufacture and casting, assembly, and testing of aeronautical engines and gas turbines. It also provides maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for regional airlines, as well as business aviation, industrial, and defense applications. Rolls-Royce Holdings plc was founded in 1884 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Read More Donald Trump. Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images In 2009, hackers stole 3,000 emails and other documents from the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia. Right-wing climate-science skeptics quickly seized upon snippets of conversation contained within to paint a lurid picture of scientists conspiring to falsify the data in order to panic the world into adopting their nefarious statist agenda. Mainstream news organizations, presented with a legitimate news story the emails were, after all, real took the revelations largely at face value. Hundreds of private e-mail messages and documents hacked from a computer server at a British university are causing a stir among global warming skeptics, who say they show that climate scientists conspired to overstate the case for a human influence on climate change, read the lede to the initial New York Times account, which reported some of the shocking disclosures. In one e-mail exchange, a scientist writes of using a statistical trick in a chart illustrating a recent sharp warming trend. In another, a scientist refers to climate skeptics as idiots. The Times included some responses from the hacked scientists, and noted that the story was bound to inflame the public debate. Conservative media predictably responded with less caution. This was absolute proof of what the right had been saying all along. The more than 3,000 emails and documents from the University of East Anglias Climate Research Unit (CRU) that have found their way to the Internet have blown the lid off the science of manmade global warming, exulted Wall Street Journal columnist Kimberley Strassel. The scandal immediately hardened into a settled truth among the conservative faithful. A few months later, when Donald Trump conducted one of his frequent call-ins to Fox News, he dismissed climate science on the basis of the memorandum or whatever it was that they found a few months ago was devastating by the leaders of the movement of global warming. Five subsequent investigations all included that the hacked scientists had not engaged in any wrongdoing. Despite the insults they privately shared about climate-science skeptics, and in spite of a couple of putatively damning references to statistical illusions, they had not manipulated their data. And yet the corrections never reached into conservative media, which has clung to its initial, breathless conclusion. The FBI today finds itself in the same baffling position that climate scientists occupied in 2009. The memo written by Republican representative Devin Nunes, and published on Friday, is serving the function of the hacked emails. (Indeed, one of the sources it uses is private text messages between two FBI agents who were having an affair.) The memo, which had circulated in private, obtained the tantalizing aura of the forbidden and was whispered to contain tantalizing revelations. The memo, they said, revealed a conspiracy that was absolutely shocking, sickening, jaw-dropping and worse than Watergate. Mainstream news sources dutifully conveyed the story there undoubtedly was a memo and it did contain serious accusations and the competing claims surrounding it. Once again, as the facts have emerged in full, the underlying conclusions hyped by conservatives have melted away. The memo does not discredit the Russia investigation. It charges that one of the figures in the investigation, Carter Page, had been surveilled in part on the basis of a dossier that had been funded by Democrats, and that the FBI had not adequately disclosed this to the judges who approved the surveillance. If true, the accusation would be legally unimportant (courts frequently approve surveillance on the basis of biased sources), and in any case, the FBI had been investigating Page for years before. The minuscule claim turns out not to be correct anyway as the Washington Post reports, the court that approved the surveillance of Page was aware that some of the information underpinning the warrant request was paid for by a political entity. But, also like in Climategate, the collapse of the factual underpinnings beneath the conservatives claims left no impression on them whatsoever. There is no sense of chastening or remorse on the right. To the contrary, Republicans retain all of their initial fervor to use the memo to prosecute their targets in the deep state. Donald Trump Jr. calls the memo sweet revenge. Sean Hannity is renewing his demands for the Robert Mueller probe to be shut down in the wake of the memos findings. House Republicans are promising that more memos will come, and Kimberley Strassel (who has played the same credulous role in both Climategate and the memo episode) is already teasing new shocking findings to follow. It might seem perverse that Republicans would respond this way in the wake of a high-profile humiliation. Yet, from their perspective, it is not a humiliation at all. Republican voters have absorbed the intended message. The rank and file, which once considered support for law enforcement a definitional trait, has quickly turned against the FBI: Various news reports have conveyed the sense of dismay and shock within the FBI, a bureau that historically tends to attract disproportionately conservative staff and leadership. (The FBI has never had a Democratic director.) The Russia investigation has forced it into the same disorienting circumstance as other institutions that conservatives have needed to discredit, like the news media, scientists, academia, and budget forecasters. Cultivating distrust in institutions that are designed to play a neutral, mediating role is one of the central functions of conservative politics. It is a game that conservatives know how to win, because they are waging asymmetric warfare. There is no good way for an institution to withstand partisan attack when its existence relies upon maintaining some distance from partisanship. For one thing, there is almost always at least some factual element of truth to attacks on fairness. No institution is perfectly clairvoyant. Climate scientists, budget forecasters, and news reporters make errors of analysis and, especially, prediction. Some of the people in those institutions will inevitably express an ill-considered thought that leaks out into public. Even if the errors balance out, relentless attention to the errors in one direction will produce the appearance of bias. Imagine a highlight video that shows all of the bad officiating calls that hurt your favorite team, while ignoring all of the bad calls that helped them. A 1993 Washington Post story described followers of television evangelists as largely poor, uneducated and easy to command. The newspaper apologized almost immediately, but conservatives have continued to recirculate the quote for the last 25 years as proof of liberal-media bias. Scientific models have measurement errors or disagree with one another. An institution that attempts to prove its good faith by opening itself to criticism and acknowledging failure will merely provide more grist for its bad-faith critics. On the other hand, if the institution closes itself off to introspection, it risks taking on the partisan qualities it was accused of having and becoming a mirror image of its critics. There is no way to refute bad-faith criticism. The mainstream news media has spent decades trying to disarm Republican attacks on its credibility. The Congressional Budget Office adopted dynamic scoring that conservatives demanded. None of these concessions have met with even cursory approval. The New York Times hounded Hillary Clinton with relentless coverage of her genuine but relatively pedestrian offenses, and published a historically terrible and false story in late October asserting that the FBI had no clear link between Russian election interference and the Trump campaign. Republicans still dismiss every unflattering report in the Times as liberal fake news indeed, their voters are so trained to believe this, the mere mention of the words New York Times is sufficient to activate their skepticism. The CBO used favorable growth assumptions, and when it still found that the Republican tax-cut plan would increase the deficit by a trillion dollars, the entire party, moderates included, dismissed its findings. Indeed, the FBI finds itself in its current straits in part because its already attempted to placate conservative distrust. In 2016, the bureau broke its policy and publicized its investigation of Hillary Clinton because the leadership feared the withering attacks they would face from the congressional GOP after a presumed Clinton victory. (They had no such fear of Democrats, which is why they kept their investigation of Trumps connections with Russia secret before the election.) Trump even used the FBIs demonstrated unfairness toward Clinton as a pretext to fire its director last year. At best, the Republican attacks will clear the way for Donald Trump to close down the Mueller probe or turn federal law enforcement into a weapon of partisan control. At worst, they will supply his followers (including a critical mass of congressional Republicans) with a rationale for ignoring any incriminating conclusions the investigation yields. The FBI has no idea what the Republicans have in store for it, and no way out of the trap that awaits it. Jeep has a long history of producing Super Bowl commercials that resonate with its owners. The automakers commercial for Super Bowl LII follows along that same blueprint. There are no celebrities trying to fit inside the SUV to make a pitch. There are no witty lines and slapstick comedy routines. There are, however, plenty of beautiful shots of Americas roads and expansive highway systems. Theres also a brooding voiceover that emphasizes the importance of roads in todays world and the need to, on some occasions, look past them. The message of the commercial is clear: its not really about Jeep or any one of its models. Its about Jeep promoting its identity as a story-teller. The idea of roads and highways is a beautiful thing for practical reasons. But these arent the places where Jeep can tell its best stories. These stories are reserved in places that are far from the urban jungles and closer to where man and nature can still meet and coexist. Its not a surprise that Jeep concluded the ad with a shot of the all-new Cherokee heading up a stream to God-knows-where in the woods. This kind of environment is where Jeep thrives. The voiceover hit it in the head when he said that the road is someone elses idea. There are no stories to tell there because all of them have already been told. But out in the woods where only a few go? Thats where the narratives are at their best. And, at least in Jeeps mind, theres no better companion to tell these stories than the all-new Cherokee. References Read our full review on the 2018 Jeep Wrangler. Read our full review on the 2019 Jeep Cherokee. Read more Super Bowl news. Featured infographic, @justchad_cga: Over half of oranges traded globally are sourced from Africa who would have thought!! Extract from latest USDA Foreign Agriculture Services reports: South Africa Citrus Annual, Egypt: Citrus Annual, Citrus: World Markets and Trade TFTA update: The 13th COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite FTA session of Principal Secretaries took place yesterday in Addis. @Kiptoock, while chairing the session of the PSs, urged Partner States to fast track the negotiations of outstanding issues so as to pave way for the implementation of the TFTA agreement to allow countries to enjoy benefit of greater market access, wider investment area etc. CFTA set to unleash Africas full potential, says ECAs Songwe (UNECA) Africas signature policy reform of 2018, the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA), is set to unleash the continents full potential with more African countries trading with each other in a wider integrated market, says Economic Commission for Africas (ECA) Executive Secretary, Vera Songwe. In opening remarks to the 5th Annual Ministerial Symposium at the 2018 Mining Indaba that kicked off Monday in Cape Town, Ms. Songwe said the mining sector on the continent was set to benefit the most from the CFTA and could help with the transformation of Africas economies. African trade policy events starting today: In Addis: CFTA negotiation meetings (until 17 February) In Pretoria: Law Society of South Africa application on the 2014 SADC Protocol as it relates to the SADC Tribunal In Harare: Establishing a trade facilitation roadmap in Zimbabwe (Module 3) In Kampala: Sectoral meeting on TBR Implementation Harmonized EAC Standards to facilitate trade (textile and products) In Geneva: Trade and Development Board executive session (Least Developed Countries). Advance documentation includes the Selected Sustainable Development Trends in the Least Developed Countries 2018. Extract (pdf): The above interpretation of the evidence is vindicated by the evolution of terms of trade and exports/imports volume indices across LDC groupings (Figure 9). Despite the impact of the 2009 global financial and economic crisis, LDC merchandise exports have increased significantly in volume terms, to the extent that the corresponding index for the whole LDC group rose from 100 in the year 2000 to 285 in 2011, and 376 in 2016 (Figure 9, panel A). Across African LDCs and Haiti (Figure 9, panel B), however, the expansion of merchandise imports, in volume terms, has largely outpaced that of merchandise exports. Hence, as long as high commodity prices (especially for fuels) sustained the terms of trade, the group actually posted a trade surplus; but as the positive terms of trade shock waned out, import compression became inevitable. This situation contrasts sharply with the prevailing developments among Asian LDCs (panel C), where merchandise exports and imports grew at a similar pace (at least in volume terms), as well as among island LDCs, where export volumes clearly outpaced import ones. Both Asian and island LDCs, however, have posted broadly stable or slightly declining terms of trade since the early 2000s, which explains why the sustained boost in export volumes translated only marginally into improved trade balances. Africas currency manipulators havent finished reforms yet (Bloomberg) Angola and Morocco last month became the latest African nations to loosen long-held currency pegs, following the lead of Nigeria and Egypt as they sought to revive struggling economies. The question is whether theyve done enough. The four nations among Africas six biggest economies have relieved some of the pressure that was causing dire dollar shortages or hindering businesses, but they may all have to make further moves and reforms to benefit from the currency shifts and fully satisfy investors. They changed stance for different reasons. Uganda overtakes South Africa in Kenya exports (Daily Nation) Uganda overtook South Africa for the first time in November as the largest source of goods ordered by Kenyans, underlining the impact of drought which saw electricity and food imports shoot up. Kenyas monthly import bill from Uganda jumped more than two-fold to Sh7.59 billion compared with Sh2.93 billion in October, marking the highest ever recorded monthly imports value from the land-locked country. Goods from South Africa stood at Sh4.60 billion, a 5.66% drop compared with Octobers value. Imports from Uganda in the January-November period doubled to Sh35.08 billion from Sh17.75 billion in the same period in 2016, leapfrogging Egypt to become the second importer of goods to Kenya in Africa. South Africa, however, remained the biggest seller of goods to Kenya in the continent in the period at Sh57.70 billion, a growth of 28.31% year-on-year. South African coal loses Europe, but gains South Asia (Reuters) A decade ago South Africa sent the bulk of its coal exports to Europe, a market now disappearing right before its eyes. But far from being worried, South Africas coal exporters are confident that they can increase shipments in coming years by becoming the supplier of choice to new markets in Asia, particularly Pakistan and India. The common theme among speakers at last weeks South African Coal Export Conference, hosted by IHS Markit, was that South Africa is in pole position to take advantage of growth in South Asia. While India is currently the worlds second-largest coal importer behind China, the outlook for imports is far from certain, with the government officially targeting a goal of zero foreign purchases, a position in conflict with the views of several utilities that rely on imports to fuel coastal power plants. Rwanda: How tax evaders smuggle goods into the country (New Times) Rwanda Revenue Authority recently announced that they were battling rising cases of smuggling among other malpractices with used clothes and alcoholic products being among the most smuggled goods. The move to increase levies on imported used clothes saw an increase in attempts to smuggle these clothes as a section of traders seek to retain their profit margins. This is because though the supply has reduced significantly as some business people are abandoning this line of business, the demand remains the same. For instance, RRA has intercepted about 230 tonnes of used clothes being smuggled into the country. People with knowledge on logistics and importation of products say that among the major ways smugglers use is import goods and send them to a neighbouring country (mostly DRC and Uganda) then find a way to smuggle back into the country, through porous borders. Kenya: Safaricom-backed logistics firm eyes Africa expansion (Business Daily) Sendys chief executive Meshack Alloys says the company now has sufficient financial muscle to foray into East African countries. We shall expand into East Africa by this year, he said in interview, but declined to disclose the specific countries the firm is eyeing. Sendy has about 50,000 customers and serves over 4,000 businesses in Thika, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nairobi. The company last year said it expected to move to new towns in Kenya in the next few months. The on-demand logistics firm allows customers to order courier services over their mobile phones. Trade facilitation and its contribution to food security in East and Southern Africa (EA Trade Hub) The presentation (available for download) highlights the food crisis in East and southern Africa, but also stresses that the region has the ability to feed itself if food were allowed to move freely from surplus to deficit regions. It also provides information on The Hub and the Eastern Africa Grain Council trade facilitation forums that have been successful in promoting food security. In 2017, the USAID Hub and EAGC facilitated contracts for 1.2 million MT of staple grains for cross-border trade, supporting the food security of an estimated 14.4 million people. [Rwanda: Horticulture sector players tipped on how to reduce post-harvest losses] Is the United States prepared for China to be Africas main business partner? (CSIS) The question has changed from what Africa needs from the United States? to how can the United States create win-win opportunities with Africa? The concern is: can the United States change its approach to Africa and compete for business opportunities there? If not, then China will end up as Africas partner of choice and will continue to be the go to commercial partner for the future unless we make some drastic changes in our approach. Strong partnerships between African countries and China have major geostrategic and national security implications for the United States and the Trump administration. We need to leverage and expand on our current assets, including our traditional foreign assistance as well innovations such as Power Africa, and leverage our trade and financial institutions like the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Export-Import Bank, and the US Trade and Development Agency to help level the playing field for American businesses in Africa. (i) Recommendations for the White House and Congress: (ii) Recommendations for business leaders and US agencies: [The authors: Daniel Runde, Christopher Metzger, MacKenzie Hammond] Georgetown Africa Business Conference: keynote address by Dr Bukola Saraki (Proshare) Another interesting dimension to the Africa Rising narrative is that much of what is celebrated as economic growth on the continent was in fact serendipitous. Because much of Africa still relies on commodity exports, we are able to make a connection between its economic growth and the rise in global commodity exports, rather than any new thinking or deliberate planning. I tend to align with those who reject this notion of Africa as a piggy-backer on the global economy as rather simplistic especially given the remarkable political and social transformation that the continent had undergone by the end of the last century. Democratization and the more accountable governance system that comes with it, promote a way of thinking and doing things, which in turn create more conducive environments for business and investments. It was hardly a coincidence, therefore, that the Africa Rising mantra emerged about the time that almost all the countries of Africa had embraced constitutional democracy as the only legitimate form of government. I believe, however, that this kind of skepticism is healthy. It forces us to continue to interrogate the markers of our growth, what it means, what policy options it places before us and what choices we must make if economic development is to yield real dividends for the people, and address the social and economic challenges that we face. [The author is President of Nigerias Senate] Informal sector heterogeneity and income inequality: evidence from the DRC (World Bank) This paper uses 1-2-3 survey data on the Democratic Republic of Congo to analyze heterogeneity in the informal sector. It empirically identifies three types of entrepreneurs in the sector. The first group of entrepreneurs top performers is growth oriented and enjoys greater access to capital. The second group constrained gazelles includes entrepreneurs who share many characteristics, especially management skills, with the top performers, but operate with less capital. The third group survivalists comprises firms struggling to grow. BRICS-plus: Alternative globalization in the making? (WEF) Indeed, despite the creation of the New Development Bank and some of the initiatives to boost economic ties between BRICS members, there is a sense that the BRICS is starting to encounter limitations to further integration. One of the ways to overcome this may be to shift the focus from trade liberalization or large-scale integration towards building a wider framework of integration and cooperation in the developing world that opens new gateways for cooperation among BRICS and their partners across continents. This kind of framework may be realized through Chinas initiative to create a BRICS+ circle that according to Chinas foreign minister Wang Yi will represent a new platform for the South-South cooperation via holding dialogues with other major developing countries or groups of developing countries to establish a more extensive partnership. Thus, rather than expanding the core set of BRICS members, the BRICS+ initiative seeks to create a new platform for forging regional and bilateral alliances across continents and aims at bringing together the regional integration blocks, in which BRICS economies play a leading role. Accordingly, the main regional integration blocks that could form the BRICS+ platform include Mercosur, SACU, EEU, SAARC, as well as the China-ASEAN FTA. Altogether, in such a setting, 35 countries form the BRICS+ circle. [The author: Yaroslav Lisovolik] ICC Court and Miami Law International Arbitration Institute team up on major cost study (ICC) The ICC International Court of Arbitration and the International Arbitration Institute of the University of Miami School of Law and have announced their collaboration on an unprecedented research project aiming to bring greater transparency to international arbitration. The state-of-the-art platform will allow those involved in international arbitration scholars, arbitrators, counsel, and users to organise data across different variables to test various hypotheses. They can assess if there is any correlation between, for instance, the governing law and the number of legal experts; the value of the dispute and the presence of dissent; the bifurcation of specific issues; and the length of the arbitration. Europes new data protection rules export privacy standards worldwide (Politico) When the regions regulators roll out the changes known as the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR on 25 May, it will represent the biggest overhaul of the worlds privacy rules in more than 20 years. The new regulations offer EU citizens sweeping new powers over how their data can be collected, used and stored, presenting global leaders outside the 28-country block with a stark choice: bring their domestic laws in line with the EUs new rules, or risk being shut out of a market of 500 million well-heeled consumers. About Viking was named the #1 River Cruise Line by Conde Nast Traveler in their 2017 Readers Choice Awards, and for the second year in a row, the #1 Ocean Cruise Line* by Travel + Leisure readers in the Worlds Best Awards 2017. The innovative travel company believes in offering extraordinarily well-designed cruises that bring travelers closer to the cultures of the world. With destination-focused itineraries across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Australia and beyond, Viking invites its guests to explore with like-minded travelers on what it calls The Thinking Persons Cruise, a culturally rich, immersive experience designed to help guests discover the most intimate nuances of their destination both on board and ashorewith enriching shore excursions, insightful lectures, Destination Performances, cooking classes and regionally inspired cuisine. Plus, with Viking Inclusive Value, just about everything is covered, from meals and beverages to shore excursions and shipwide Wi-Fi. Enjoy all this while sailing on board one of the state-of-the-art ships of the newest fleets in the industry. Whether it be a Viking Longship or an ocean sister ship, the award-winning vessels of Viking have been recognized for their small ship luxury, streamlined Scandinavian design, refined onboard ambience and understated elegance. *Ship size category: 6002,199 guests The military-industrial complex. Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump promised to streamline the government for the 21st Century to slash bureaucratic bloat, and run what remains of the Executive branch with all the ruthless efficiency of a business (or, a business that isnt run by Donald Trump). From one angle, his administration has pursued this objective aggressively. Even as the White House has expanded Americas involvement in a wide array of foreign conflicts, it has insisted that the State Department lay off 8 percent of its employees, and cut staff at nearly every other major Cabinet agency. Congressional Republicans, for their part, are so fanatically opposed to government waste, theyve proposed massive cuts to the federal bureaucracy, while imploring certain agencies to eliminate fraud and abuse in public programs. Last year, the GOP called on the IRS to crack down on low-income people who claim a larger earned-income tax credit than they technically qualify for. The amount of revenue lost to such claims is trivial but the Republican Party is too dogged in its commitment to fiscal probity to let it slide. And yet, the president pushed through an $80 billion increase in military spending last year; and, right now, congressional Republicans are warning that failure to immediately pass a new budget that increases spending on Defense further still would inflict damage on the military and threaten national security. Now, theres nothing odd about the GOP privileging military spending over other kinds of public investment; the supreme importance of a strong national defense is a core part of its ideology. But if Republicans are remotely sincere in their opposition to bureaucratic waste, their unflinching support for constantly increasing the Pentagons budget is difficult to comprehend. After all, as Noam Chomsky has documented, the Pentagon was spending upwards of $125 billion on administrative waste as of 2015. Whoops. Did I just type Noam Chomsky? I meant the Pentagons own internal analysis. And a new report from Politico suggests that giving the Pentagon unconditional increases in its financing, even if it wastes hundreds of billions on ill-conceived fighter jets, unnecessary pencil-pushers, and large-scale Middle Eastern wars that accomplish little beyond increasing Irans regional influence has not been an effective way to persuade the Defense Department to get thriftier: One of the Pentagons largest agencies cant account for hundreds of millions of dollars worth of spending, a leading accounting firm says in an internal auditobtained by POLITICO that arrives just as President Donald Trump is proposing a boost in the military budget. Ernst & Young found that the Defense Logistics Agency failed to properly document more than $800 million in construction projects, just one of a series of examples where it lacks a paper trail for millions of dollars in property and equipment. Across the board, its financial management is so weak that its leaders and oversight bodies have no reliable way to track the huge sums its responsible for, the firm warned in its initial audit of the massive Pentagon purchasing agent. In one part of the audit, completed in mid-December, Ernst & Young found that misstatements in the agencys books totaled at least $465 million for construction projects it financed for the Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies. For construction projects designated as still in progress, meanwhile, it didnt have sufficient documentation or any documentation at all for another $384 million worth of spending. The agency also couldnt produce supporting evidence for many items that are documented in some form including records for $100 million worth of assets in the computer systems that conduct the agencys day-to-day business. Technically, this audit is an indictment of the Pentagons bookkeeping, not of the wastefulness of its spending. But if the Departments of Education, Housing and Urban Development, or any other agency whose mission does not involve incinerating people overseas, admitted that it couldnt be sure how it had spent hundreds of millions of dollars but was certain that the money had been well spent, and that billions in new funding were needed it is inconceivable that congressional Republicans would take the bureaucracys word for it. Its true that a few Republicans on Capitol Hill have evinced some concern with the Pentagons shaky accounting, Senator Chuck Grassley among them; but virtually none believe that Congress should turn off the funding spigot until the military gets its books in order. From this, it seems reasonable to conclude that most Republican lawmakers have no sincere opposition to government waste per se. They just want to defund agencies staffed with left-leaning civil servants, and to use waste, fraud and abuse as an excuse for cutting government aid to the poor. If a couple hundred dollars of taxpayer money is given to a poor person who doesnt actually qualify for the EITC, thats a crisis. If hundreds of billions are spent on unnecessary weapons programs and construction, then Republicans (and many Democrats) can pat themselves on the back for giving their campaign donors a major return on investment. And the post-9/11 bipartisan consensus for an ever-growing military budget ensures that voters will never punish them for participating in such graft. Even the most liberal members of the Democratic Party are reluctant to call for cuts to military spending. But if the progressive movement is ever going to build sustainable systems of universal health care, child care, higher education, and affordable housing, someone is going to have to start making the case for butter over guns (beyond, ya know, Donald Trump, circa the Republican primary). Could it be that fewer people are comfortable buying cheap, disposable clothing made in horrific conditions? H&M; is struggling. The Swedish fast fashion retailer saw sales drop 4 percent in the last quarter of 2017 and 14 percent across the entire fiscal year. As a result, H&M; plans to shutter 170 stores and open 390 new ones, meaning it will add a net 220 stores this year -- significantly less than last year's 388 new stores. The slowdown is attributed in part to fewer customers visiting brick-and-mortar locations. Online shopping is on the rise, and H&M; has not been as effective as other fast fashion retailers at capturing online sales. Retail Touchpoints reported that H&M;'s "online presence has floundered compared to that of its major competitors," and that its number of website visits grew only 22 percent from March 2014 to March 2017, compared to its rival Zara's increase of 71 percent and Uniqlo's 470 percent. However, it's worth noting that even Zara's sales slowed in late 2017, but regained pace by November. H&M;'s CEO Karl-Johan Persson said the results were "clearly below our expectations": "Our online sales and our newer brands performed well but the weakness was in H&M;s physical stores where the changes in customer behaviour are being felt most strongly and footfall has reduced with more sales online. In addition, some imbalances in certain aspects of the H&M; brands assortment and composition also contributed to this weaker result." This could be a reference to H&M;'s supply chain being less flexible than that of its main rival Zara. As Business Insider explained, Zara manufactures its clothes in-house, which means it has a much shorter lead time than other apparel brands. Meanwhile, Fortune reported that H&M; has had inventories pile up over the past two years. While H&M; is scrambling to figure out its next steps and reassure investors, some of us are wondering if this indicates a global shift in people's attitudes toward fashion. Could it be that fewer people want to waste their money on clothing that's made to be essentially disposable? Or perhaps events such as the tragic Rana Plaza factory collapse in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 2013 alerted shoppers to the atrocious conditions in which most garment workers work and have led them to question their role in supporting the fast fashion industry. From growing interest in minimalism and frugality, to higher-quality capsule wardrobes and concern over carbon footprints, Persson is absolutely right when he says "the fashion industry is changing fast." It just might not be changing in the direction he'd like to see. -:- Message from Tripadvisor staff -:- This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one. To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason. Im biased and prefer Cologne. You could climb up the tower of the Cathedral, visit Romisch Germanisches Museum (next door) or the Chocolate museum (for the kids). There is a nice little train running around the city, perhaps fun for the kids as well. You can have a ride by the cable car across the Rhine....or just stroll along the Old Town. In your case Dusseldorf might be an alternative, its less far, there are some nice shopping areas, a scenic Rhine promenade and of course a big and lively Old Town. But Im not sure if all the (brewery) pubs might be a center of attraction for your kids:-)) Hi, We were in Australia for 6 weeks last Mar/Apr. April is still the wet season in the Darwin/Litchfield/Kakadu area - while you might be able to enjoy swimming in a couple of pools at Litchfield (if that is one of the reasons for going) - other areas/waterfalls/pools might be off limits due to water levels. I'd consider Uluru as an alternative to Darwin area, if that's of interest. With 2-3 days there you could explore Uluru & Kata Tjuta - with 4 days, you could include an overnight at Kings Canyon. Suggest looking at flying Adelaide to Melbourne and doing a round trip on the GOR - it will save a lot of driving & time ... and might be less expensive for flights than the surcharge for a one way car rental from Adelaide to Melbourne. Do you have a tour group in mind for Kangaroo Island? It's easy to explore on your own, although 1 night is really short due to the size of the island and all that there is to see there. Two days in Sydney is really short - 3 there plus an overnight or day trip to the Blue Mountains would be good. Just a suggestion ... when/if you repost revised plans, it helps if you indicate the # of nights vs. days (i.e. difficult to tell if 3 days is also 3 nights ... or 2 nights/3 days). Good luck with your plans :) Edited: 3 years ago You are arriving where? Yokohama? and going to Kyoto and flying out of Osaka/Kansai, So that is only one long distance trip. The rail pass will cost roughly double that journey. Where else are you going to make you rail pass pay-off? If you are wanting advice on what to do for 14 days, that is a bit different. Could you rephrase the question because it isn't very clear. Also, what do you like doing - that will dictate what people respond with. No point suggesting theme parks and roller coasters when if you want to go deep-sea fishing. We are hoping to spend a few hours exploring Greenwich Village when we visit NYC in March. Can anyone suggest a good starting point in terms of subway stop/streets to explore? Any must see areas? From the Greenwich area we are going to continue onto the High Line and walk to Chelsea market for lunch. African Union (AU) chair Paul Kagame (L) with US President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum African leaders were very close to officially demanding US President Donald Trump publicly apologize for reportedly crude remarks about the continent and immigration, but backed off, reports say. The African Union drafted its response to the president at a summit this week. The draft warned that Trump's racist and xenophobic behaviour puts the strategic partnership between the United States and Africa at risk. It says African heads of state are appalled by the Trump's apparent remarks and dismayed and shocked by the increasingly consistent trend from the Trump administration to denigrate people of African descent and other people of colour. But the African Union decided not to release the draft. It pointed to a January 25 letter from Trump in which he pledged his deep respect for Africa and announced that secretary of state Rex Tillerson will make an extended visit to Africa in March. Trump also met with Rwandan President Paul Kagame on the sidelines of the Davos economic forum last week. Kagame is the current chair of the African Union. He says the AU will have to find a way to get along with Trump. When the United States decided to give us Trump as their president, we will deal with that president, Kagame said. Trump reportedly called Africa, Haiti, and El Salvador shithole countries during a White House meeting on immigration earlier this month, and wanted to exclude Haiti from any immigration reform deal. He denied using such crude language. Education minister Janet Museveni Proprietors of private schools have blamed government bureaucracy and incompetence on their failure to obtain operational licenses on time. At least 1,000 unlicensed schools face closure but officials from the Federation of Non-State Education Institutions (Fenei) say this due to the challenging and tedious licensing process. This is exacerbated by the inadequate capacity of the Education ministry to swiftly clear schools that submit their documents for operational licenses. Patrick Kaboyo, the Fenei national secretary, says several schools have submitted all necessary documents for licenses but are yet to get any feedback from the ministry. We have many of our members whose files are still stuck at the ministry of education and sports, some of them for over a year, noted Kaboyo at a press conference held today at the Sea Scallop restaurant in Kampala. In a recent meeting with Fenei, Alex Kakooza, the permanent secretary at the ministry of Education confirmed that the ministry was faced with a backlog especially in the licensing and clearing for primary schools licenses. He promised that all schools that had submitted documents for licensing shall be assisted. Kakooza explained that licensing is a process that cannot be completed in a day or week. It is not true that schools that submitted their files have not been worked on. They either gave those provisional licenses as they study their files or will not be closed. [But] for schools that have not taken any step in licensing their schools, we shall close them as soon as they open, Kakooza said. Early last year, the education ministrys directorate of education standards (DES) closed at least 1,300 illegal education institutions. The schools lacked qualified teaches, had no structures, no licenses and pit latrines, among other minimum requirements set by the ministry. Some illegal schools closed for short while but later opened for second term in 2017. This prompted the ministry to issue fresh circulars to illegal schools in which Kakooza urged district education officers to implement their closure. At the start of the exercise, parliament had blocked the ministrys directive pending an independent investigation from members on the parliamentary education committee. However, parliament later okayed the closures saying the situation was more than appalling in the schools cited by the ministry as illegal. DES also introduced an electronic form to guide parents on checking for the registration statuses of their schools. To check for a license, you go to messages and type SCV, leave a space, name of school, and send to 8700. The messages are free of charge. Even with the wrong spelling of a school, you can get schools that follow or share similar names of the selected school. According to Fenei, over 300 member schools have not submitted their documents and are at a great risk of closure. Meanwhile, Zaujja Ndifuna Matovu, the vice chairperson of Fenei, blamed this delay on the huge list of requirements for acquisition of an operational license, thereby hampering them from submitting their documents since they do not yet have all the requirements in place. He urged government to consider phasing out the complex licensing process so that schools that meet certain crucial minimum requirements can be licensed in the interim as they work on attaining the rest of the requirements. It is absolutely very good to have standards in our education system but there is need for flexibility from the government, said Matovu, who also urged school owners to endeavor and get their schools licensed. Although this move, if undertaken by the ministry, will leave several learners and parents stranded, Dr Stephen Waako, the Fenei vice chairman for Eastern region, noted that there are schools that have opened without the necessary requirements and they will help them get in order or risk closure. priscabaike2@gmail.com triumpdk@gmail.com The Co-operative Bank of Kenya is one of the leading banks we have in Kenya with a vast network of branches and services. Co-operative Bank of Kenya popularly known as Co-op bank is a bank that is duly recognized under the Kenyan constitution as it is incorporated as a limited company under the companys Act and its banking services registered under the Banking Act. The history of Co-operative Bank of Kenya dates back to 1965 when it was founded and licensed as a co-operative society. The bank transacted as a co-operative until December 22nd 2008 when it decided to go public. Co-operative Bank of Kenya was listed at the NSE- Nairobi Securities Exchange and started transacting as a bank. This bank has come a long way to become the darling of many bankers and investors. Though its journey has not been easy, Co-operative Bank of Kenya has successfully managed to accomplish a lot. Thanks to its vision that states to be the leading and dominant Kenyan bank with a strong countrywide presence, playing a central role in the co-operative movement and providing relevant and innovative financial services to our customers for the optimum benefit of all our stakeholders, the bank has been able to achieve a lot. One of the notable milestones is the numerous Co-operative Bank of Kenya branches spread all over the country. The following are some of the services you will get around the many Co-op bank branches in the country. Deposits and withdrawals Account openings for different categories including; individual, business, children, joint and foreign currencies account SWIFT and RTGS services Moneygram and Western Union services Loan facilities for businesses and individuals ATM services KRA Tax Collections Electronic Money Transfer for Bulk Payments Customer Service Co-operative Bank of Kenya branches operating hours When it comes to offering banking services the Co-op bank is one among the leading banks we have in the country. The bank has been able to achieve its many banking functions through its many branches and overseeing all the activities at their Co-operative Bank of Kenya head office located at Co-operative House, Haile Selassie Avenue, P.O. Box 48231 - 00100, NAIROBI. Inasmuch as the banks operational activities are similar throughout the country, different branches have different cultures. These cultures ranges from service delivery, customer care to the banks opening hours. This is understandably so because of the different locations at which the branches are located at has a huge impact on their activities. One thing amidst the varying Co-op bank branches opening hours is that all these branches always remain closed during Sundays and on Public holidays. The following is a brief about the various Co-op banks branches and their different opening and closing hours. Buruburu opened on Weekdays: 0830 Hours - 1600 Hours and on Saturday: 0830 Hours - 1200 Hours Gigiri Mall Branch, opened on Weekdays: 0830 Hours - 1600 Hours and Saturdays: 1000 Hours - 1600 Hours Embakasi branch, opened Weekdays: 0830 Hours - 1600 Hours and Saturday: 0830 Hours - 1200 Hours Lavington Mall branch, opened every Weekday: 1000 Hours - 1800 Hours and Saturday: 1000 Hours - 1400 Hours Money Transfer Centre (Hilton), opened Weekdays: 0830 Hours - 1700 Hours and Saturday: 1000 Hours - 1600 Hours Kitengela branch, opened Weekdays: 0830 Hours - 1600 Hours and Saturday: 0830 Hours - 1200 Hours Maasai Mall opened Weekdays: 1000 Hours - 1800 Hours and Saturday: 1000 Hours - 1600 Hours Ngong, opened Weekdays: 0830 Hours - 1600 Hours and Saturday: 0830 Hours - 1200 Hours Westlands branch, opened Weekdays: 0830 Hours - 1600 Hours and Saturday: 0830 Hours - 1200 Hours Nyali Mall branch, opened Weekdays: 1000 Hours - 1800 Hours and Saturday: 1000 Hours - 1600 Hours Mombasa Road opened Weekdays: 0830 Hours - 1600 Hours and Saturday: 0830 Hours - 1200 Hours Green House Mall opened Weekdays: 1000 Hours - 1800 Hours andSaturday: 1000 Hours - 1400 Hours Aga Khan Walk opened Weekdays: 0830 Hours - 1600 Hours and Saturday: 0830 Hours - 1200 Hours Thika Road Mall (TRM) opened Weekdays: 1000 Hours - 1800 Hours and Saturday: 1000 Hours - 1600 Hours Langata Road opened Weekdays: 0830 Hours - 1600 Hours and Saturday: 0830 Hours - 1300 Hours Naivasha branch opened Weekdays: 0830 Hours - 1600 Hours and Saturday: 0830 Hours - 1200 Hours Changamwe opened Weekdays: 0830 Hours - 1600 Hours and Saturday: 0830 Hours - 1200 Hours Kisumu opened Weekdays: 0830 Hours - 1600 Hours and Saturday: 0830 Hours - 1200 Hours Other than having varying opening and closing hours, Co-operative Bank of Kenya branches code differs from one branch to another. The essence here usually is to help with branch identification and ease communication between one branch to another. Above is just a brief on different cooperative bank branches opening and closing times. For further information, get the respective Co-operative Bank of Kenya branches contacts from the banks main website and reach out to them for more help. Source: Tuko - ACK Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit told the government to stop competing with the opposition - He said this as he spoke about the television stations shut down and the arrest of opposition legistlators - He reminded the government Kenyans were wise enough to know what to believe and that they should instead focus on reconciling the country Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit called on the government to stop competing with the opposition. TUKO.co.ke reliably learnt that Sapit told the government that this move would continue polarising the country. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Picha hii ya Lilian Muli akiwa nusu uchi yazua midahalo mitandaoni According to a report by Daily Nation on Monday, February 5, Ole Sapit spoke in the context of the government shutting down three major television stations for airing the controversial swearing in of Raila Odinga as the people's president and the arrests of legislators that followed. President Uhuru Kenyatta greeting ACK Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit during a past meeting. Photo: Facebook/Uhuru Kenyatta. READ ALSO: Do not address us until you are sworn in, NASA MPs tell Kalonzo "The government should allow Kenyans to be informed on the status of the country They are wise enough to know what is good and bad, they are able to differentiate what to believe, "The government should also stop arresting opposition leaders as this would continue dividing the country. They should instead find solutions to the causes of conflicts during elections, ways of reconciling the country which divided along tribal lines," said Sapit. He also advised the government to stop arresting the opposition leaders because it only hardened them and made them more popular. According to prior TUKO.co.ke reports, prior to the swearing in ceremony, the government summoned and gave media owners and top editors a dress down with the threat of shutting down their television stations if they aired the swearing in ceremony. READ ALSO: Famous Githeri man pictured drunk and disorderly days after national fame Miguna Miguna (l) and TJ Kajwang (r) administered the oath to Raila Odinga as he was sworn in as the people's president. Photo: TUKO.co.ke Install TUKO App To Read News For FREE The stations went ahead and covered the event live, only for their signals to be switched off mid-air. The government said the stations ignored national security concerns and so would be placed under investigations. Following the swearing in, Miguna Miguna and Ruaraka MP TJ Kajwang who administered the oath of the office of the president were arrested on various dates. Kajwang was later released but Miguna remained in custody a while longer. Makadara MP George Aladwa was also arrested on suspicion of masterminding a grenade attack on National Super Alliance co-leader Kalonzo Musyoka's Karen home and inciting Kibra constituency residents to violence following the arrest of Miguna. READ ALSO: NASA was too unprepared to win the 2017 General Election - William Ruto Makadara MP George Aladwa. Photo: Daily Nation. He was released on bond. Have something to add to this article? Send to news@tuko.co.ke Source: Tuko Kenya - Embakasi East Member of Parliament, Babu Owino has narrowly escaped a court order to arrest him moments after it was issued - The order was issued after Babu and his bodyguard failed to appear in court for the mention of a case where they were accused of assault - Babu Owino says he was attending to another case in Kibera which delayed them Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino and his bodyguard Fanuel Owino escaped a court order to have them arrested moments after it was issued by magistrate Martha Mutuku. The magistrate issued the order after the two failed to appear in court on Monday, February 5 for the mention of a case where they were accused of assault. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Wakumbuka maneno haya ya kushtusha ya Miguna Miguna kuhusu Raila miaka 6 iliyopita? Arrest warrant issued to Babu Owino. Photo: Citizen TV READ ALSO: Mutahi Ngunyi celebrates Miguna Miguna's arrest in the most epic way The controversial legislator and his bodyguard claimed they were attending to another case in Kibera which had delayed them to appear before the magistrate. The duo were on Monday,January 22, 2018 arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts and charged with assault after they attacked David Gichagu at Fortis Towers in Westlands, on January 11. They pleaded not guilty and were released on KSh 20,000 personal bond each. READ ALSO: I would rather die than work with or for Raila Odinga- self appointed NRM leader Miguna once said TUKO.co.ke had earlier reported that Babu was arrested just outside parliament on Friday, January 19 and taken to Parklands police station where he cooled his heels behind bars for a straight two days. He was however released on Sunday,January 21 following the intervention of Nairobi senator Johnson Sakaja who made an undertaking of KSh.104,000 and promised to produce him in court. ALSO WATCH: Babu Owino threatens to arrest Matiang'i once he becomes Interior Cs. Source: Tuko - Controversial economist David Ndii attacked the president whose presidency he claimed was illegitimate - Ndii, without offering any evidence, claimed the president was an alcoholic who should check into rehab - The NASA strategist is known to have little respect for the president and he does not shy to express the same especially on social media Opposition National Super Alliance's top strategist, David Ndii, took to social media with some rather sensational remarks about President Uhuru Kenyatta's state of mind and health. In a series of Twitter posts seen by TUKO.co.ke on Monday, February 5, Ndii wrote the controversial statements without providing any proof on the same. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens In not so many words, Ndii claimed President Uhuru was an alcoholic with mental issues. READ ALSO: Wakumbuka maneno haya ya kushtusha ya Miguna Miguna kuhusu Raila miaka 6 iliyopita? NASA's Chief Strategist David Ndii. Photo: Facebook/NASA Coalition READ ALSO: Mudavadi's demand for NASA supporters to act against Jubilee met with fire and fury online READ ALSO: Famous Githeri man pictured drunk and disorderly days after national fame President Uhuru and DP Ruto during a past presser. Photo: PSCU Install TUKO App To Read News For FREE Ndii's sentiments came amid outcries against the government for disobeying court orders to switch on the television signals of three major stations and to release lawyer Miguna Miguna from jail. According to prior TUKO.co.ke reports, the opposition is on record for repeatedly making such claims. On Tuesday, September 5, Raila Odinga claimed Uhuru was not sober when he went on a rant against Chief Justice David Maraga and the Supreme Court after his victory was nullified. READ ALSO: We are ready for talks - Ruto tells Raila Opposition leader Raila Odinga. Photo Facebook/Raila Odinga READ ALSO: Leaked details on what NASA plans to do on the swearing-in day and thereafter "After the ruling Uhuru went and drunk alcohol, came out red-eyed and started abusing the Supreme Court. We warn you Uhuru, stop abusing the Supreme Court," said Raila. In July 2017, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho was quoted claiming that Kenya had a drunk driver (President Uhuru) and a thieving conductor (DP Ruto) despite being mandated to drive passengers (Kenyans) to a safe place. Have something to add to this article? Send to news@tuko.co.ke Source: Tuko.co.ke If you do not get your child vaccinated soon, you'll have to wait until the country acquires Russian-backed militants launched five attacks on positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) area in Donbas over the past day. This is reported by the ATO Headquarters press center. In Donetsk direction, the enemy fired 120mm mortars at Ukrainian positions outside Kamyanka (62km south of Donetsk) and Novotroitske (32km south of Donetsk), violating the Minsk agreements. ATO troops also came under light anti-tank grenade launcher fire near Vodiane (16km north-west of Donetsk). In addition, militants fired over 40 mortars of 82mm caliber and grenade launchers of different types at Ukrainian strongholds outside Butovka coal mine (11.4km north-west of Donetsk). In Luhansk direction, the enemy shelled Ukrainian defenders near Zaitseve (67km north-north-east of Donetsk), using small arms. As the ATO Headquarters press center reported, two Ukrainian soldiers were wounded and another one was injured as a result of the enemy shelling in last day. ol Two Ukrainian soldiers were wounded and another one was injured as a result of the enemy shelling in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) area in eastern Ukraine over the past day. Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Spokesperson Dmytro Hutsuliak said this at a press briefing on Monday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Two Ukrainian soldiers were wounded and another one was injured as a result of the attacks of Russian-terrorist troops. The soldiers were immediately delivered to a military mobile hospital and provided with the necessary medical assistance, he said. Russian-backed militants launched five attacks on positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) area in Donbas over the past day. ish L-R: Angella Kemirembe, Jane Asiimwe and Edith Matega at Mulagos radiotherapy department Angella Kemirembe, 39, a resident of Kawempe, was among the first cancer patients to undergo treatment using Ugandas newly commissioned and only Cobalt 60 radiotherapy machine recently. She had been diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2016. This is part of her story about the treatment. Her first radiotherapy session was on December 13, 2017 at 6am. She spent about five minutes in the machine, the latest phase in her struggle to stay alive. After being diagnosed with cancer, I was first put on chemotherapy treatment for six months. After completing the dose, they referred me for radiotherapy although the machine had broken down. So, I had to wait, Kemirembe told The Observer. When I heard in the media that the new machine had started working, I ran very fast here in the first week of December to access treatment. On December 12, Kemirembe was prepared for radiotherapy by a team of doctors. They marked out the exact area of her body affected to focus the machines rays. On December 13 at exactly 6am, I started my radiotherapy treatment in the new machine. The doctors came at around 5am, prepared us and they read our names following the queue. When I entered into the radiotherapy room, they told me to place my polythene paper on the machine and lie down on it facing upwards, she said. They told me to only open the planned area which is affected by cervical cancer and the machine only pointed at the affected part to avoid much energy and x-rays from entering into other parts of the body. I spent only five minutes there. They told me to return the next day, same time for a similar treatment. I have been receiving the same treatment daily for five recommended weeks and I have completed it today, she said. When you enter this machine, you dont feel anything, neither heat nor cold. You feel normal temperature. But after two or three hours, you can feel heat inside your body and you sweat. I suspect its that heat that has brought wounds. Doctors said every cancer machine gives such side effects. They have prescribed drugs for the wounds which I have to buy, Kemirembe says. Each time, the doctors repeated the procedure over five weeks. Now, Kemirembe has noticed some improvements since; the pain in her abdominal area has reduced. Edith Matega, 45, a resident of Katosi, Mukono district, also started her first treatment on December 13, 2017. Both Kemirembe and Matega have since reported the occurrence of wounds on their backs post-treatment as the most noticeable side effect so far. This reaction was not entirely unexpected, although it cannot be said with certainty what exactly triggered the wounds; over-exposure, patient sensitivity or just the cancer itself. Dr Henry Dungu, the consultant oncologist/hematologist at the cancer institute, said, But we inform the patients about the expected side effects. We give radiotherapy for two reasons; to treat and cure the disease or sometimes use it to alleviate suffering. If one gets a high dose, sometimes complications could be injury to the skin since skin cells get burns easily. Dungu said while the cobalt 60 machine is not dangerous, side effects should be expected for some people depending on how long they are exposed although all patients take not more than five minutes. According to the website of Cancer Research UK, the long-term side effects of radiotherapy depending on the area treated include skin appearing darker and feeling indifferent to touch. You might develop red spidery marks on your skin (for white people), unable to become pregnant or father a child if your ovaries or testicles were in the radiotherapy field. The patients hair might grow a different colour or texture in the treatment area or having a permanent hair loss the site says. Limited options Modern radiotherapy treatments, Dungu said, are designed to cause fewer permanent side effects. The machines that plan and give the radiotherapy today are more sophisticated and accurate than they have ever been. Doctors have to balance the chance of cure with the risk of side effects. The higher the dose of radiation, the more likely you are to have side effects. But if you dont have a high enough dose, the chances of controlling or curing your cancer are lowered. So, you cant avoid the risk of side effects completely, he said. It is a Catch-22 situation really. Each part of the body has a radiotherapy limit and this varies depending on how sensitive that part of the body is to radiation. Doctors know from experience what that limit is. But they have no reliable way of knowing how each person will react to treatment, he said. What next? The executive director of Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI), Dr Jackson Orem, said the department registers more than 7,000 new cases every year with revisits estimated at between 34,000 and 37,000 cases. This shows that the burden of cancer is on the increase. We receive patients not only from Uganda but from as far as Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Kenya, he said. Writing in a local daily in the week when UCI launched the cobalt 60, Orem said international standards recommend one radiotherapy machine to serve a population of 26,000 patients. So, with Ugandas population of about 40 million, it means, if they are to use the formula of 1,000,000 people for one machine, we need 40 machines just to have one at this point is a drop in the ocean. It may not be as gratifying as we would have wanted but the process is an indicator of the progress. We will also acquire another radiotherapy machine (linear accelerator) that is expected to improve on radiotherapy treatment he said. The first patient was treated on December 4. More than 800 patients have been in since then. Morocco with a population like Ugandas has 80-plus cobalt 60 radiotherapy machines bought through their national cancer plan. It is reported that the Moroccan government sets aside over $80 million every year to buy cancer treatment machines. Minister of Health Jane Ruth Acieng said; The number of patients is increasing and one machine is not adequate. There is need to fast-track the next phase of our response to the crisis; the modernization and expansion of radiotherapy services. In order to deliver radiotherapy treatment safely, government is constructing additional modern bunkers and the construction is about 90 per completion, she recently said. The cobalt 60 replaced the old cancer machine which broke down in March, 2016. This left about 2,000 patients without proper cancer treatment. The broken machine has been donated to Uganda by China in 1995. zurah@observer.ug The Infrastructure Ministry has approved the allocation of EUR 58,178 for carrying out certification of Uzhhorod International Airport, according to Chairman of Zakarpattia Regional State Administration Hennadiy Moskal. "The Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine has agreed to allocate EUR 58,178 for carrying certification for Uzhhorod International Airport. The certification will be carried out by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA, he wrote on his official website. According to Moskal, the full operation of the airport can be resumed only following the certification. Uzhhorod International Airport is the only airport in Ukraine that uses airspace of the neighboring state (Slovakia), which is a member of the European Union and operates under the requirements of the EASA. iy The Ukrainian Government expects to receive telecommunication equipment worth more than $1.5 million from the People's Republic of China. A draft memorandum on non-repayable aid between the two countries was published on the Governmental portal. "Within the framework of this project, the Economic Development and Trade Ministry of Ukraine received telecommunication equipment worth CNY 10 million (over USD 1.5 million) under non-repayable aid," the statement reads. The Cabinet authorized First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine - Minister of Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv to sign the document. This will allow the parties to formally complete their internal administrative procedures for the implementation of the project envisaged by the agreement between the Governments of Ukraine and the People's Republic of China on providing the Economic Development and Trade Ministry of Ukraine with the telecommunication equipment. ish The visit of a group of German lawmakers to the annexed Crimea is an irresponsible step and will entail legal consequences for them. Ukrainian ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk wrote this on Twitter. "The irresponsible voyage of several politicians from the Alternative for Germany Party of a local scale to the illegally occupied Crimea can entail very deplorable legal consequences for these no-good lawmakers. It's a pity that our warnings are still not taken seriously," Melnyk wrote. Earlier, Radio Liberty reported that the German parliamentarians from the right-wing Alternative for Germany Party from the three regional parliaments of the country had arrived in the annexed Crimea on February 3. According to Russian media, German MPs will stay on the peninsula until February 9. ol Integration and preparation for joining NATO and the EU remain among priority issues for Ukraine. Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Parubiy said this at a joint briefing with Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman on Monday, February 5, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "Integration and preparation for joining NATO and the EU remain priority for us. As for the issue of joining NATO, one of the key laws is the law on national security of Ukraine, which reforms the security field and is also necessary for joining NATO, since it brings the security system to standards of the EU and NATO. As for the EU issue, together with the prime minister, we held several meetings regarding the laws that should be adopted to fulfill our obligations under the Association Agreement, and we agreed to put them as priorities at the beginning of each session," Parubiy said. This week, the session will begin with consideration of the laws necessary for the European integration - the draft law on limited liability companies and the draft law on capital markets and regulated markets, the speaker said. ish Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Valeria Lutkovska admits the lack of opportunities to effectively protect the rights of Ukrainians in Crimea, since there are no real levers of influence on the situation on the peninsula. Lutkovska said this at a press conference on Monday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "This is a huge problem for us, because we can not adequately protect Ukrainian citizens who are illegally detained on the peninsula's territory. We can just inform the international organizations, asking them to get involved as much as possible in protecting these people, and call on the Russian Federation Commissioner for Human Rights to respond," Lutkovska said. She recalled that she had visited Crimea last time in December 2016 together with her Russian counterpart Tatyana Moskalkova. "Unfortunately, there has been no such opportunity since that time, but I very much hope it will appear," the Ukrainian human rights commissioner added. According to her, now there are only two mechanisms for helping Ukrainians, who have been illegally imprisoned in the territory of Crimea: the appeal to the Russian Commissioner for Human Rights and the appeal to the international community to tell about the horrors taking place on the peninsula. "Today it is a grey zone for the international organizations. No international organization has its office there, no trustworthy organization can come and monitor the situation there," Lutkovska said. ol The criminal proceedings have been initiated over the violation of the procedure for entry to the temporarily occupied territory by the citizens of Germany. This is reported by the press office of the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. "Following consideration of the appeal of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Federal Republic of Germany, the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea entered the corresponding data into the unified register of pre-trial investigations and initiated a pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings into a criminal offense under Part 1, Article 332-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine over the violation of the procedure for entry to the temporarily occupied territory by the citizens of Germany," the statement reads. According to the information of the Prosecutor's Office, on February 3, 2018, the citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany arrived in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, having violated a prescribed procedure for entry to and exit from the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine. The German citizens planned to use their trip to meet with representatives of the Russian occupation authorities and discuss with them the ways to establish the contacts with the German side. ol In some regions of Spain, highways are blocked, and flights at the largest Madrid Barajas Airport are delayed due to heavy snowfall. The Department of Consular Service of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine reported this on Twitter. "Spains meteorological service warns of the snowfalls in Huesca, Zaragoza, Cantabria, Albacete, Catalonia, Castellon and Asturias. The roads are blocked, the flights at the Barajas airport are delayed," the statement reads. The Department of Consular Service informs that in case of an emergency, a person can contact the Ukrainian Consul by phone numbers + 34 620 64 13 24, +34 629 38 29 36. ish Ukrinform journalist Roman Sushchenko, who is illegally held in Lefortovo prison in Moscow, has sent an answer to members of the PEN club, literary artists from Sweden and Germany. The letter also includes the poem "Widertritt by Catharina Regina von Greiffenberg, an Austrian poet of the 17th century, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. My dear colleagues, representatives of the PEN Club, Morten Blomkvist, Annika Thor, Shirvan Nurey, Bennit O. and Hans Poppel. Let me thank you for your kind and sincere words of support. Im very touched. On the Christmas Eve, I was glad to read your words full of deep meaning, directness and warmth. God works in mysterious ways. We learned about each other under sad circumstances. Lets have the pleasure of knowing each other. Its a great honor for me," Sushchenko wrote. In his letter to the writers, poets and journalists from Sweden and Germany, Roman Sushchenko chose the poem "Widertritt, which he found in the prison library in Lefortovo. The poem is about the strength of will and unwavering courage. Also, Sushchenko said he was pleased to learn that during the holidays, Ukrinform had received greeting cards in his name from PEN clubs of Great Britain, Tasmania, Melbourne, Austria, Belgium and other countries. It should be noted that Sushchenko is forced to write letters in Russian because of censorship. As reported, Ukrinform correspondent in France Roman Sushchenko was arrested on September 30, 2016 in Moscow, where he arrived on a private visit. He was accused of espionage, allegedly being a member of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. The Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate denied allegations of the Russian Federal Security Service. January 24, 2018, the Moscow City Court extended the arrest of Ukrinform journalist Roman Sushchenko until March 30, 2018. Roman Sushchenko has been working with the Ukrainian National News Agency Ukrinform since 2002, being a Paris-based correspondent since 2010. iy 02/05/2018 By Ed Brennen What started as a pilot program in 2014 with nine Manning School of Business students visiting India over winter break to learn about entrepreneurship and innovation has grown into a nationally recognized model of international education. The Institute of International Education (IIE) has named the universitys Global Entrepreneurship Exchange (GE2) program as the winner of a 2018 IIE Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education. The GE2 program, led by senior lecturer Ashwin Mehta, will receive the Best Practice Resource: Study Abroad award at the IIEs annual Best Practices in Internationalization Conference in New York City on March 16. Its a great recognition that wouldnt have been possible without the efforts of so many faculty and staff members, not only here in the Manning School, but across the campus, Mehta says. Its also an indication that UMass Lowell is at the forefront when it comes to global engagement and entrepreneurship. Since the programs inception four years ago, more than 670 students from 12 countries have come together to experience multidisciplinary and multicultural immersion in entrepreneurship, complete with project-based activities and field visits to businesses in the region. Photo by Ed Brennen Photo by Ed Brennen GE2 students interact with a video conferencing robot while visiting iRobot's headquarters in Bedford during a summer session in Lowell. UMass Lowell students earn three credits as they study abroad for two weeks in India (winter or summer) or China (summer). They can also take part in a three-credit summer course on campus with students visiting from India, China, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Pakistan, Vietnam, Guyana, Haiti and Nigeria. The program is open to both undergraduate and graduate students and has included students majoring not only in business, but also engineering, science and nursing. The GE2 program is a great example of a successful short-term experiential program with reaches across academic disciplines and cultures, says Fern MacKinnon, director of the Office of Study Abroad & International Experiences. We are proud to be able to offer the enriching exchange it provides to its participants. I never thought it would grow into something like this, says Mehta, who, along with Asst. Prof. Michael Obal, led eight UML students to India over winter break on the programs 12th session overall. It shows that UMass Lowells global brand is expanding. We have a global footprint. At the IIE conference in March, Mehta and leaders from the other award-winning campuses (Virginia Commonwealth University, West Virginia University and the Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute) will make presentations about their programs to help higher education policymakers and officials advance their internationalization efforts. UMass Lowell is one of 1,300 IIE member institutions. Photo by Ed Brennen Photo by Ed Brennen Students visiting from India take a group photo outside MKS Instruments in Methuen during last summer's GE2 summer session. We congratulate the winners of this years IIE Andrew Heiskell Awards for their innovative work, says IIE President and CEO Allan Goodman. We hope these programs will not only be adapted by institutions for their own campuses, but that they will also spark new creative ideas for internationalization. The IIE Heiskell Awards are named for the late Andrew Heiskell, former chairman of Time Inc. and a dedicated supporter of international education. Over the past 17 years, the awards have recognized nearly 140 programs that advance international education on IIE member campuses. Founded in 1919, the nonprofit IIE collaborates with corporate, government and foundation partners around the world to design and manage scholarship, study abroad, workforce training and leadership development programs. In 2014, UMass Lowell joined the IIEs Generation Study Abroad initiative, which aims to double the number of U.S. students studying abroad by 2020. According to MacKinnon, the university has nearly doubled its rate three years ahead of schedule. Through support to our faculty in the development of international experiences, we aim to offer a diverse range of programs to suit our students academic, personal and professional interests, she says. The GE2 program highlights the universitys commitment toward transformational, experiential education. The man was sentenced to 20 years in a penal colony for the alleged participation in the Chechen war. One of Russias high profile political prisoners Stanislav Klykhs mental condition raises serious concerns, a member of the Urals Human Rights Group Tatiana Schchur reported after the convicts lawyer, Roman Kachanov was granted access to his client and met with him. Roman Kachanov is the first man who over the past several years got to shake Stanislavs hand. Before him, all visitors, including the mother, communicated through glass, Shchur said, adding that the lawyer spoke with Klykh for three hours. Russian court sentenced Stanislav Klykh to 20 years in a penal colony for the alleged participation in the Chechen war. "Stanislav feels fairly well although he complains over the pain in his legs (suspecting he has tubercle bones.). Since he says prison food is disgusting, he tries to eat whatever he can afford in the prison store for the money allowed by law, and since the choice is meager in this store, he mostly gets biscuits and sweets, which is why he recently gained weight," the human rights activist said. The lawyer reported that Klykh had made an impression of a calm and friendly person who very much misses human contact, being constantly held in solitary confinement. Read alsoUkrainian prisoner Klykh in Russia hopes for swap in near future lawyer"He does not want to share his cell with anyone, fearing aggression on the part of cellmates," Shchur wrote. After talking to Klykh, the lawyer suggests that the man is suffering from some kind of a mental disorder. "Despite the quiet and distinct speech, its content raised serious concern with the lawyer, especially after a conversation with Stanislav's mother. Stanislav's stories reminiscing on the events of his peaceful life are very similar to obsessive delirium," the human rights activist said. Roman Kachanov photographed in detail the numerous deep skin injuries that had healed by now on various parts of Klykhs body. Read alsoUkrainian delegation not to allow PACE forgetting of invaders' crimes in Crimea, Donbas Gerashchenko"Its for the experts to decide what those are All of this is very similar to the traces of torture, which this probably is," wrote Shchur. South Sudanese refugees in Uganda The European Union has opened investigations into allegations of corruption in refugee assistance programmes in Uganda. A statement from the head of European Union delegation in Uganda confirmed that it has formally submitted the case to the EU's anti-fraud office (OLAF) for investigation. OLAF investigates a wide range of wrongdoings from embezzlement, fraudulent claims and misconduct in public procurement procedures, to customs fraud. OLAF helps the authorities responsible for managing EU funds inside and outside the EU to understand fraud types, trends, threats and risks, and to protect the EU's financial interests by preventing fraud of all kinds. There are allegations that officials at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) have been swindling money meant for refugees operations in Uganda. Complaints also indicate that OPM officials in connivance with aid workers have been inflating refugee figures in order to attract more aid which is then corruptly shared. The allegations were reportedly raised by South Sudan refugees to UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, while on a visit to Uganda last week. The EU statement says the allegations were brought immediately to the attention of the government of Uganda. "We take a zero-tolerance approach when it comes to any allegations of misconduct occurring in European Union-funded projects and even more so when this has potential negative effects on an already very vulnerable population such as refugees and host communities," reads the statement. The statement says the UNHCR and the World Food Programme have duly informed the EU about the allegations. It says the EU has been coordinating closely with the aid agencies and other donors with the OPM to get a clear understanding of what it calls "these troubling allegations". The EU further reveals that in meetings with the government and partners, the EU delegation called for urgent and thorough investigations as well as for changes in the registration system for refugees. "With the government of Uganda successfully developing a Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), it is indeed of outmost importance to address swiftly and thoroughly any allegations of malfeasance in order not to impair this important process and the public support from the European taxpayers," said the EU. The EU said it is monitoring the development of the investigations and will continue to coordinate closely with the Uganda government and with partners towards a swift and thorough review of refugee operations in Uganda. This, the statement says, is to ensure that critical services to refugees can be provided efficiently and transparently. The allegations come just a week after the EU announced a Shs 450 million support towards the influx of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) refugees to Uganda. The funding was directed to operations of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). This is not be the first time the EU delegation in Uganda (DELUGA) is refereeing a case of alleged fraud and corruption in EU-funded projects to its anti-fraud agency (OLAF) for investigation. OLAF successfully investigated the Global Fund Scam between 2002 and 2005 leading to a conviction of a number of culprits believed to have swindled part of the 230 million euros from the European Development Fund and 202 million euros from the EU budget. In a related development, there is more pressure from more donors calling on the government to investigate malpractices in refugee assistance response. UNDP country representative, Rosa Malango, confirmed that she last month wrote to the government calling for the investigations ranging from "corruption to fraud, trafficking of women and girls to intimidation and harassment of UN personnel." There are also reports that South Sudanese girls and women are being trafficked from the refugee camps in northern Uganda back to the war-torn country. Uganda is home to at least 1.3 million refugees from South Sudan, DRC and Burundi. Human rights activists believe that Russia is promoting any form of hatred toward pro-Ukrainian Crimeans, with the courts there to rule on whatever sentence the prosecutors request. The 40-year-old Ukrainian from Sevastopol, Ihor Movenko, is on trial charged with making "public calls to carry out extremist activities" over a comment he made on a VKontakte social media group Crimea is Ukraine. The comment, about what should happen to traitors, after Russias occupation of Crimea ends, was strong, but rather an expression of black humor, Movenko says. However, Movenko believes that he is now facing prison for not wanting to accept that the person who attacked him without any provocation should enjoy total impunity, Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group wrote. Movenko was attacked on September, 7, 2016, after he stopped to get money out of a cash machine and then returned to his bike. Movenko had stickers on the bike of the Ukrainian trident and from the Azov Battalion which is now on Russias huge list of banned organizations. The man who brutally assaulted him claimed to be from the police, though he did not show any ID. The Crimean Human Rights Group later did in fact identify him as Volodymyr Sukhodolsky, who had served in a Berkut special force unit before becoming a turncoat in 2014. He is now working for the Russian police. This was an unmotivated attack, which left Movenko needing to be hospitalized. The doctors found an open head injury, concussion, a skull fracture, a broken jaw, broken nose, eye injury and more. There is no evidence that a criminal investigation was ever launched over the attack, though Movenko himself ended up fined two thousand roubles for the sticker. He continued to insist that there should be an investigation into the assault. This resulted only in his being taken by police from work on December 16, 2016, beaten up and threatened, before having a search carried out of his home. He calls the FSB detention that day a special operation, with FSB officers stopping him on his way to work. They began beating him, and threatening to take him to a forest, strip him naked and leave him there. They then took him to his work, and told him not to speak with anybody while they took his computer away. When he tried to say something, they dragged him into the corner and inflicted several blows. They then went to his home. His wife says that she was prevented from using a telephone to call a lawyer. During the court hearing on January 31, 2018, one of the official witnesses of this search, whom the FSB almost certainly (and illegally) brought with them, was questioned. He confirmed that during the search Movenko had been held, with his hands in handcuffs behind his back, and had not been allowed to contact a lawyer. Movenko is not the first Ukrainian in Crimea to be facing prosecution for totally peaceful demonstration of his pro-Ukrainian views. Ukrainian political analyst Viktor Kaspruk comments that Russia has created the same climate of repression in Crimea against Ukrainians as during Soviet times. Perhaps the occupiers are trying to push pro-Ukrainian-minded Crimeans to leave Crimea. Its convenient for the Russians to divide Crimean Ukrainians into those who are loyal and who will depict the flourishing of Ukrainian culture to the international community, and dissidents who will face repression. However they didnt succeed in doing this in Soviet times, and I dont think theyll succeed now. Its vital that the whole world knows of Russias abuses in Crimea. The "March of the Living" brings individuals from around the world to Poland and Israel to study the history of the Holocaust. A chief rabbi of Ukraine called on the Israeli government to suspend school trips to Poland and have them in his country because of Warsaw's new bill on Nazi crimes. Rabbi Moshe Azman made the suggestion in a letter he sent to Education Minister Naftali Bennett on Thursday, a day after the Polish Senate passed a measure that proposes to outlaw rhetoric in which Poland is blamed for Nazi crimes, according to The Jerusalem Post. Following the bill in Poland to "forbid telling the truth on what happened during the Holocaust in Poland," Azman wrote, "I urge you to cancel the March of the Living for Israeli school students." The march brings individuals from around the world to Poland and Israel to study the history of the Holocaust. As the "chief rabbi of Ukraine, I propose having the March of the Living this year in Ukraine," added Azman, who also wrote that the move he is proposing would amount to "imposing a fine on Poland" to the tune of tens of millions of dollars that Israeli participants of the March of the Living spend in Poland. Read alsoWarsaws scandalous law: will Poland succeed in an attempt to establish a "monopoly on truth""Ukraine has many places fit for a March of the Living: Babi Yar in Kyiv, Drobytsky Yar in Kharkiv, Janowska concentration camp in Lviv and dozens of other places where Jews suffered and were murdered in a terrible tragedy," he wrote. Azman said this "fine" was appropriate because "there is serious concern about anti-Semitism against Jewish communities and institutions" in Poland. He also called the legislation, which was drafted to counter the phrase "Polish death camps," an "anti-Semitic legislation designed to silence history and witnesses to the Holocaust." The more pressure countries and world leaders put on Russia, forcing it to fulfill international obligations, the higher the chances of avoiding open aggression against Ukraine. Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak has said that Russia's strategy is always to create a problem, and then sit back and act as a peacemaker. "The occupier cannot be a peacemaker," the Ukrainian defense minister said in an interview with the Voice of America. "Russia first seized our Crimea, then Donetsk and Luhansk, and then came to Minsk and started offering its services with regard to peacekeeping and ways to solve this problem," he said. The minister also noted that the best option for Ukraine is when Russia withdraws from Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk, and the worst one is Moscows open aggression against Ukraine. At the same time, he stressed that Russia "will not be able to freely drive its tanks across Ukraine Ukraine will defend itself." Read alsoVolker tells of "very detailed" discussion with Surkov on peacekeepers in DonbasThe minister expressed the opinion that the leadership of Russia had not abandoned the idea to pursue aggression. At the same time, he added: The more pressure countries and world leaders put on Russia, forcing it to fulfill international obligations, the higher the chances of avoiding open aggression against Ukraine," he said. Read alsoPoroshenko doesn't rule out deployment of UN peacekeepers to Donbas in 2018"First of all, Id like to thank Kurt [Volker] for very effective work: hes been working really hard to achieve the reign of peace in Ukraine," the minister said, adding that, unfortunately, the success of the UN peacekeeping mission also depends on Russia, which is a party to the conflict without admitting it. Radiation impact would be minimal, the odious politician claims. Russian populist showman politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who is still holding a post of Deputy Chairman of the State Duma, has suggested using a nuclear charge to hit the residence of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. "A tiny bomb. Not a big Hiroshima, but a small one. Right there where the residence of Ukrainian President Poroshenko is" he told a panel show aired by a major Russian propaganda TV channel Rossiya 1. Read alsoParubiy testifies in court on conversation with Zhirinovsky amid start of Russian aggression"Its range is 10 km. Do you get it?! Its like drinking a liter of vodka against 30 grams. See the difference? 30 grams is fine... Well, and the radiation impact would be minimal," he said, adding that this fulfilling this task is doable. As UNIAN reported earlier, in March 2014, Russian propaganda talking head Dmitry Kiselev told one of TV channels that Russia was the only country that could turn the U.S. into "radioactive ash." Russian President Vladimir Putin stepped up to criticize the rhetoric only 2.5 years after Kiselev's statement was made. Ukraines prime minister promised "a spring of reform", while his Cabinet laid off fiscal chief Roman Nasirov. The prosecutor general while in Brussels spoke about anti-corruption efforts and while in Kyiv about the reasons to rename "Boykos drilling rigs". The NSDC secretary announced the creation of cyber warfare units and successful tests of Ukrainian-made cruise missiles. The newly-created "National Squads" caused quite a stir in social media. Mikheil Saakashvili, whom the court earlier put on a curfew, resumed mass rallies of his supporters. Almost simultaneously with a famous Ukrainian weather forecaster, Timka the Groundhog, who testified to an early spring in Ukraine, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman promised his fellow citizens the "spring of reform". The head of government presented 35 bills at the Cabinet meeting, aiming to ensure the transformation in the economy and prove that a parliamentary majority can vote effectively. It is obvious that the sacking of the notorious Roman Nasirov from the post of head of the State Fiscal Service was the first "flower" of Groysman's Spring. At the same time, the prime minister vows to raise wages in light industry and resolve the issue of gasoline price hikes. The prosecutor general tried to convince European officials of the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts by his subordinates as if entering into a dispute with Ukrainian anti-graft activists and their Western political patrons. Yuriy Lutsenko decided to disavow the phrase "Boyko's drilling rigs" that has become generally common over the past few years by claiming that the co-chairman of the Opposition Bloc, Yuriy Boyko, is in fact not complicit in the scam involving the purchase of mobile drilling platforms that were later seized by Russian invaders in 2014. The PGO now believes that it was Viktor Yanukovych and Serhiy Arbuzov who were the ultimate beneficiaries in the deal where the government overpaid for the rigs (the latter official, together with Mykola Azarov, have been issued new suspicion notices and once again put on wanted list). Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Oleksandr Turchynov, has traditionally positioned himself as a man of state affairs who is above any political skirmishes. Probably, that's why many suggest he is the one most likely to become Petro Poroshenkos campaign chief. Meanwhile, Mr Turchynov attended the successful test launch of the Ukrainian cruise missile and announced the creation in Ukraine of a cyber-warfare unit capable of defending the countrys virtual domain. The request for a strong hand was definitely what those behind the setting up of the so-called "National Squads" were guided for. A video featuring hundreds of uniformed young men being sworn in in Kyiv sparked mixed reactions in Ukraine, forcing top leaders to respond to the news, including the Prosecutor General, the Minister of Internal Affairs and the head of the National Police. Camouflage-wearing and balaklava-sporting supporters of the "Ukrainian order" draw unpleasant analogies with interwar Germany, so the authorities will not only have to stress that will not delegate the right to violence to any non-governmental organizations (of which Avakov has already spoken) but also amend the legislation on voluntary participation in the protection of public order (Lutsenko). Otherwise, many political forces in Ukraine will be tempted to create their own paramilitary groups. Mikheil Saakashvili demonstrated his attitude to the curfew the court imposed against him by resuming mass rallies calling for Poroshenkos impeachment. On Sunday, several thousand people took to the streets in Kyiv. The leader of the "Movement of New Forces" does not soften his rhetoric, not only urging Peter Poroshenko to surrender, but also linking the increase in pensions with the presidents resignation. Before the next rally, Saakashvili promised to present the composition of the alternative government and dozens of presidential candidates. Yevgeny Magda If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter The Rada committee has worked out the text of the joint agreed statement, which has already been submitted for consideration by all factions and groups. Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Parubiy proposed to consider on Tuesday a decree on the controversial bill passed by the Sejm and the Senate of Poland introducing liability for denying the crimes of Ukrainian nationalists and promoting the so-called Bandera ideology. "It will be very important for us to consider tomorrow the decree of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the law that was adopted in the Polish parliament," he said on Monday during the meeting of the Conciliation Council of the faction leaders and chairmen of the parliamentary committees, according to an UNIAN correspondent. Read alsoHolocaust program may move to Ukraine due to Polish bill on Nazi crimesAccording to Parubiy, a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Affairs was held on his instructions today, February 5, where a joint statement of the Ukrainian parliament on the latest decisions of the Sejm and the Senate of Poland, which "provoked a storm of outrage in the Ukrainian society," was drawn up. The meeting of the committee was attended by representatives of all factions and groups. As the speaker noted, "it is very important and significant that representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and international experts also take part in the committee hearing." "The committee has worked out the text of the joint agreed statement, which has already been submitted for consideration by all factions and groups, and today this decree will be registered," Parubiy said, requesting that the people's deputies review the draft before it is registered "so that tomorrow we could adopt the resolution in parliament, and so that it was a joint coordinated position and statement of the entire Ukrainian parliament," he added. Read alsoPolish PM defends law on institute of natl remembranceAs UNIAN reported earlier, the Polish Sejm on January 26 voted for the bill submitted by the Kukiz'15 party setting a ban on promoting the so-called "Bandera ideology," with its historical roots stemming from Ukraine. In this regard, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry expressed concern, saying that Poland was trying to portray Ukrainians as "criminal nationalists." The Israeli Foreign Ministry, in turn, called Deputy Ambassador of Poland in Tel Aviv for explanations in connection with the amendments in the draft law on the Institute of National Remembrance. In particular, it bans any claims that the Polish people or Polish state were responsible or complicit in the Nazis' crimes, crimes against humanity or war crimes, thus, it bill criminalizes allegations of the Polish nation's complicity in the Holocaust. Read alsoWarsaws scandalous law: will Poland succeed in an attempt to establish a "monopoly on truth"The U.S. Department of State also called on Poland to reevaluate the legislation regarding crimes committed during the Holocaust. The German politicians claimed they were not concerned over a possible travel ban by Ukraine. Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk has said the German government criticized the visit of members of the far-right political party "Alternative for Germany" to occupied Crimea last week. "The Federal Government of Germany has criticized the visit of a group of local politicians from the AfD party to the occupied Crimea, and reiterated the policy of non-recognition of illegal annexation," he wrote on Twitter. As UNIAN reported earlier, a delegation of German parliamentarians from three regional parliaments visited Russian-occupied Crimea in violation of Ukrainian laws. The German politicians claimed they were not concerned over a possible travel ban by Ukraine. It is designed to cement bilateral cooperation in cybersecurity. The U.S. House of Representatives is to vote on a bill to assist Ukraine in defending its cybersecurity. "Glad that GOP leadership in the House has agreed to schedule a vote on my bipartisan bill to help Ukraine defend its cybersecurity against Russian attacks," U.S. Congressman Brendan Boyle tweeted on Monday, February 5. Read alsoTurchynov: Ukraine makes big step to build national cybersecurity system"Clearly my bill will be the biggest story in Philadelphia this week," the Congressman from Pennsylvania added. According to Voice of America, the bill was registered in 2017. It is designed to cement bilateral cooperation in cybersecurity. To become effective as law, the bill shall be supported by the House of Representatives and Senate, and then signed by the U.S. president. In the Luhansk sector, the aggressor fired small arms on the Ukrainian defenders near the village of Zaitseve. Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas five times in the past 24 hours, with three Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action (WIA). During the past day, the Russian occupation forces continued to shell the Ukrainian defenders, using different types of weapons, mortars of various calibers, according to the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters. Read alsoUkraine lists Serbs fighting for Russian unit mediaIn the Donetsk sector, the enemy used heavy 120mm mortars against the Ukrainian positions near the villages of Kamianka and Novotroyitske, thus grossly violating the Minsk agreements. The militants also fired hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers on the Ukrainian fortified positions near the village of Vodiane. In addition, the enemy was active near Butivka coal mine in the evening hours of Sunday. In the said area, the invaders launched over forty 82mm shells and opened fire from grenade launchers of various types toward the positions of Ukrainian soldiers. In the Luhansk sector, the aggressors fired small arms on the Ukrainian defenders near the village of Zaitseve. Air strikes come against the background of the latest downing of a Russian Su-25 fighter jet by Syria rebels. Russian and Syrian air forces have bombed twenty towns in Syrias Idlib province while a volunteer search and rescue workers with the "White Helmets" posted a video on Sunday which they said showed their teams responding after an "attack with chlorine gas." Massive Russian and Syrian regime air strikes on 20 towns in Idlib province. All kinds of weapons used including chemical ones. Many buildings collapsed, tweeted Julian Roepcke, a political editor at Bild. The Syrian American Medical Society reported that its hospitals in the area were treating 11 other patients for chlorine gas poisoning. #Saraqeb@SyriaCivilDef teams respond to an attack with chlorine gas. 9 injured including 3 White Helmet volunteers. Attacks like this, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, happen with impunity. @BBCWorld@cnnbrkpic.twitter.com/mLtfQ0OMnv The White Helmets (@SyriaCivilDef) February 4, 2018 The Syrian Civil Defense search-and-rescue group said on Sunday that three of its rescuers and six others had been injured in the city of Saraqeb. The UK-based Observatory reported a "foul smell after regime helicopters struck several areas of the town in Idlib province, causing five civilians to suffer from suffocation." It quoted residents and medical sources saying "toxic gas" had been used in the attack, Deutsche Welle reports. In a separate tweet, Julian Roepke wrote: "Putin's terror is as bad as the one from ISIS and AlQaeda. With only one major difference: Putin kills 10 times as many civilians per month." As UNIAN reported earlier, a Russian Sukhoi-25 fighter jet has been shot down in a rebel-held area near Idlib in north Syria. The war pilot, who was reportedly killed on the ground after he managed to eject, was Russian air force Major Roman Filippov. "He is a Russian career military who was transferred to [the illegally annexed] Crimea from the Russian Federation and became a member of the 37th mixed aviation regiment," Ukrainian journalist Yuriy Butusov wrote on Facebook. American economist Nouriel Roubini has called Bitcoin the 'biggest bubble in human history'. Roubini said this in an interview to Bloomberg where he was asked to describe the Bitcoin crisis. Roubini, who teaches at New York University's Stern School of Business, is known for predicting the 2008 US housing bubble. After touching a record high of $19,000 in December 2017, Bitcoin has crashed to $8000 this week amid fear of global regulatory clampdown. Explaining the recent Bitcoin crisis, Roubini said: "This (Bitcoin) is mother of all bubbles and it is also the biggest bubble in human history if you compare it to Mississippi bubble, tech bubble, and Tulip mania." Bitcoin has crashed over 60 per cent compared to the peak of mid-December. It crashed 30 per cent last week and 10 per cent today (Saturday). It is on the way down to zero. The fundamental value of Bitocoin is zero," Roubini said. In a tweet put out on Sunday, Roubini hinted at the manipulation in Bitcoin's value by traders. He said: "Bitcoin price heading south over the weekend towards a $7K handle (now down over 10% in last 24 hours to $8.2K). Will the wash traders react on Monday as they did on Friday and manipulate again the price upwards?" Roubini isn't the only economist to call Bitcoin a bubble. A series of top economists and business investors including Warren Buffett have already termed it a bubble. Last year in October, Buffett said that Bitcoin was a 'real bubble'. "You can't value bitcoin because it's not a value-producing asset. It's a mirage basically," he reportedly said. His statement had come at a time when the cryptocurrency had started gaining momentum. This year in January, Buffett again said that it was certain cryptocurrencies would come to a bad end. A day after Roubini's biggest bubble statement, Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman called Bitcoin enthusiasts crazy. In a tweet, he said: "I am surely not the only person experiencing a fair bit of cryptofreude - pleasure in watching the Bitcoin etc bubble deflate. Bitcoin cultists tend, after all, to be nasty as well as crazy; not all of them, but surely above the average 1." He also said that "We're now in the late stage of a bubble, where things get cruel." Meanwhile, Reuters today reported that Lloyds Banking Group has said that it would soon ban its credit card customers from buying Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. "Across Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland, Halifax and MBNA, we do not accept credit card transactions involving the purchase of cryptocurrencies," a company spokeswoman told Reuters. In India, the government and the Central bank have issued multiple warnings against the cryptocurrencies. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his budget speech on February 1 reiterated that, "The government does not consider crypto-currencies legal tender or coin and will take all measures to eliminate use of these crypto-assets in financing illegitimate activities or as part of the payment system." Poland was the first victim of the Third Reich, almost every Polish family suffered losses during war, according to Morawiecki. The Office of the Prime Minister of Poland released a promo video in English, dedicated to the history of Poland during World War II, explaining the purpose of amending the law on the Institute of National Remembrance. Head of the Polish government, Mateusz Morawiecki said: "Poland was the first victim of the Third Reich during the war. Death and suffering in the Nazi German concentration camps was the fate shared by Jews, Poles, and those of many other national and ethnic groups," according to Radio Poland. He also notes that Poland was under dual German and Soviet occupation, and almost every Polish family mourned their loved ones during the war. Morawiecki underlines the idea that Holocaust denial is not only a denial of German crimes but also other ways of falsifying history adding that one of the worst types of such lie is when someone diminishes the responsibility of real perpetrators and attributes that responsibility to their victims. "We want to fight against this lie in its every form," the prime minister says, explaining why Poland is amending the law on the Institute of National Remembrance. It is noted that the new legislation passed by both chambers of the Polish parliament caused a sharp response, in particular, on the part of Israel, the U.S., and also Ukraine. As UNIAN reported earlier, the amendments to the law ban promotion of the ideology of Ukrainian nationalists. The law also introduces criminal liability for those asserting that the Poles were collaborating with the Nazis during World War II. The Polish Foreign Ministry explained that the law applies only to those who publicly and contrary to facts deny the crimes committed by "collaborators of the Nazi regime." President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko believes that the law does not correspond to the proclaimed principles of strategic partnership between the two countries. The U.S. Department of State has called on Poland to revise the law, believing that the legislation could affect Polish strategic interests and relations, including those with the United States and Israel. In response, the Polish Foreign Ministry said that the law on the Institute of National Remembrance did not affect the freedom of speech. Read alsoWarsaws scandalous law: will Poland succeed in an attempt to establish a "monopoly on truth"Israel came out categorically against the Polish law. Tel Aviv says no law is able to change historical facts. OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Desir has called on Polish President Andrzej Duda to veto the law. At the same time, Putin's spokesman stressed that the Kremlin was extremely concerned that the terrorists got hold of MANPADS. The Kremlin has refused to comment on the "Ukrainian trace" allegations in the shooting-down of a Su-25 fighter jet in Syria, at the same time expressing concern about MANPADS in the hands of Syria rebels. Answering a question on whether the Kremlin shares the suggestion of Russian senator, intelligence veteran Igor Morozov, that the MANPADS could be brought to Syria from Ukraine, Vladimir Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov told journalists: "I would not comment on Morozov's statement, he certainly does not have precise information on where and how these MANPADS get to the territory of Syria. It is necessary to make statements very carefully," according to an UNIAN correspondent in Russia. Read alsoRussia, Assad bomb 20 towns in Syria, use chemical arms mediaAt the same time, he stressed that the Kremlin was extremely concerned that the MANPADS were in the hands of terrorists. "This is a huge danger for all states," he said. Peskov noted that when the Russian president announced the completion of the active stage of the operation in Syria to support the Syrian army, it was said that the potential for "striking blows" on terrorists still remained in the area. Read alsoRussia claims Ukraine might be involved in drone attack on Hmeymim airbase in Syria"We are talking about surgical strikes. You know they were provoked by a tragic accident, when our plane was shot down by terrorists. The pilot died heroically, we all condole with the pilot's relatives and friends and we are proud of our heroes," Peskov said. Read alsoLutsenko says recent blasts at ammo depots part of Russian warfareHe stressed that this incident was followed by "decisive action" against terrorists. On February 4, Russian senator Igor Morozov, said that the MANPADS, one of which was used to take down a Russia Su-25 in Syria's north on Saturday, could be brought to rebels via a smuggling channel originating from a military warehouse in the village of Kalynivka, Vinnytsia region, Ukraine, where a fierce fire destroyed a large amount of ammunition last September. Lithuania's intelligence agencies have said that placement of Iskander systems in Kaliningrad would be potentially more dangerous for Lithuania. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite says that nuclear-capable Iskander missiles deployed by Russia in its Kaliningrad region on Monday, February 5, is a threat to half of Europe. "On Monday, Iskander missiles are being stationed in Kaliningrad for permanent presence as we speak (...). This is not just a threat to Lithuania but a half of all European countries," President Dalia Grybauskaite told journalists in Rukla where she was attending an event to mark the one-year anniversary of the stationing of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Lithuania, according to the English-language service of the news portal Delfi. Read alsoRussia reportedly may send more Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad mediaDefense Minister Raimundas Karoblis said Russia used to bring the missile complex to the region wedged between Lithuania and Poland for military drills only, however, "this time the situation is different it is permanent stationing with all the necessary infrastructure in place." Lithuania's intelligence agencies have said that placement of Iskander systems in Kaliningrad would be potentially more dangerous for Lithuania due to its capacity to hinder Allied actions in the region, while the complex is not needed for targets in Lithuania's territory, as theoretically they could be taken down by the existing capacities. (@rukhshanmir) The government has stepped up drilling activities for appraisal of huge coal reserves confirmed by the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) in the Badin field and its adjoining areas of southern Sindh ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :The government has stepped up drilling activities for appraisal of huge coal reserves confirmed by the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) in the Badin field and its adjoining areas of southern Sindh. "Drilling of 9 bore holes with a cumulative depth of 3,660 meters, have been completed in Pingrio, Jhudo, Tando Bagho and Nando Town, Badin Bypass and Kingri areas in district Badin and surrounding areas, where coal seams encountered in all holes in various depths," official sources told APP. The sources said experts had collected core samples, completed their chemical analysis and geological logging of the exploratory boreholes, Besides, the experts are in process of digitalization of the borehole log data and compilation of the project report, they added. Answering a question, the sources informed that two newly purchased multipurpose drilling rigs had been deployed at the Badin coal project site to speed up the drilling activities around the clod, adding that mud pits, foundation for rigs, ramps and mud ways had been prepared for the purpose. They said drilling crew including engineers and other technical staff were busy for the expeditious operation. "Drilling of BMS-10 borehole in south of Pingrio has been started where so far 335 meters bore has been drilled." Replying to a question, the sources said the government would provide Rs 37.977 million more for evaluation of the coal reserves this year, as it had already released Rs 131.619 million in the last fiscal year for assessment of the reserves. The coal deposits are estimated to be over one billion tones, they said and added "the coal is of good quality and high heating value. " Besides, the sources said that there were substantial deposits of gold, copper and more than 200 million tonnes of iron ore but these could not be exploited or utilized because of lack of infrastructure and technology. They said efforts were also being made for exploration of tertiary coal in Central Salt Range, Punjab aimed at meeting the growing domestic energy demand and develop coal fields and increasing power generation. The sources said exploration of oil, gas, minerals and coal resources was undertaken on regular basis which contributed significant discoveries especially in oil and gas sector. Recent geological investigations have shown that 186 billion tonnes of coal reserves exist in different parts of the country, which could be used as a Primary and inexpensive source for power generation. "More than 184 billion tonnes deposits are located in Sindh province, with Thar coal field being the largest followed by Thatta-Sonda, Lakhra and Jhimpir. The coal is lignite to lignite-A to sub bituminous B&C in character with an average heating value of 6000 BTU/lb." Coal is primarily classified into four major categories, or 'ranks' like lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous and anthracite. One of the most valuable content of coal is its carbon content which supplies most of its heating value. The sources informed that further investigations were being carried out to explore and evaluate coal deposits in Musakhel, Kingri and Toisar Basin, Balochistan. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Sheikh Amir Waheed, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry has called upon the government to take measures for ensuring timely establishment of Special Economic Zone (SEZ) under CPEC in the federal capital that would give boost to industrial activities in the region and contribute to improving countrys exports. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018) :Sheikh Amir Waheed, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry has called upon the government to take measures for ensuring timely establishment of Special Economic Zone (SEZ) under CPEC in the Federal capital that would give boost to industrial activities in the region and contribute to improving countrys exports. He said this while exchanging views with Iftikhar Ali Malik, Vice President, SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry during a meeting with him along with a delegation. Muhammad Naveed Senior Vice President ICCI, Zubair Ahmed Malik Chairman Founder Group and Malik Sohail Hussain Chief Coordinator FPCCI were also in the delegation. Sheikh Amir Waheed said that CPEC has now entered into the second phase of the Long-Term Plan (LTP) after the completion of the Early Harvest Program (EHP) and stressed that more focus should be given on industrial cooperation in the second phase to promote industrialization in the country. He said that local industry should get better opportunities in SEZs that would be set up in the second phase. He said the business community has pinned lot of hopes from CPEC and emphasized that the modernization of local industry should be the main component of the LTP in order to transform Pakistan into an industrialized country at par with other developed countries. Speaking at the occasion, Iftikhar Ali, Vice President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Chairman United Business Group assured that he would convey the demand of ICCI for establishment of SEZ in Islamabad to the relevant authorities. He said that the CPEC was a game changer for Pakistan and the LTP has created lot of positives for Pakistan and it would touch upon all important sectors of the economy including connectivity with road and rail infrastructure, information network, energy, trade, industrial parks, agriculture, poverty alleviation, and tourism with a focus on maritime tourism. He said that apart from industrial cooperation, the LTP would also modernize Pakistans agriculture sector as new agro-based technologies, seeds, and irrigation mechanism would be introduced. He stressed that the enterprises from China and Pakistan should be given enhanced role in the LTP so that joint ventures and partnerships between the private sectors of Pakistan and China could be materialized to create economic benefits for both countries and for the region. (@ChaudhryMAli88) A delegation including lawmakers, representatives of various political parties, civil society and journalists visited the site of Thar coal project the other day MITHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :A delegation including lawmakers, representatives of various political parties, civil society and journalists visited the site of Thar coal project the other day. During the visit, they were briefed about the progress on the project. The delegation members termed the Thar Coal as a historic project and said it was inevitable for the economic progress of Sindh. An official of Thar Coal Project, Shams Uddin Sheikh, said that 70 percent development work had been completed ahead the stipulated time. He said that under the Thar Foundation various developmental and social welfare projects were underway. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Senior United Nations officials, including the head of its education agency and the UN youth envoy, have called for cooperation to strengthen quality education and learning programmes for young people and children in all corners of the world UNITED NATIONS,(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :Senior United Nations officials, including the head of its education agency and the UN youth envoy, have called for cooperation to strengthen quality education and learning programmes for young people and children in all corners of the world. "No single country or agency can tackle the challenges of demographics, persisting conflicts, unequal access of girls and women to education, radicalization by groups with vested interests or environment degradation," Audrey Azoulay, the Director-General of the UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said in a Tweet, referring to her participation at the Global Partnership for Education Financing Conference. "Partnership is the only way to make this possible," she added. Convened by the Presidents of France and Senegal, in Dakar, the Conference seeks to raise funds to support education efforts in both humanitarian and non-humanitarian contexts. It is also the first time that a donor and a developing country are co-hosting the event. Also speaking at the Conference, Jayathma Wickramanayake, the UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth, highlighted the importance of empowering young people with the skills they would need to adapt in a fast changing work. "In a world of rapidly advancing digital technologies and artificial intelligence that will impact the outlook of the future of work, we have to rethink our approaches on skills development," Wickramanayake said. "Beyond traditional classroom interventions, investing in non-formal and informal learning is essential to developing skills that fit the world of tomorrow," she added. With over half the global population under the age of 25, the world "cannot afford to not invest in education," Wickramanayake said, while urging leaders and policy makers to redouble their efforts to ensure that every young person can enjoy their universal right to education. Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Monday inaugurated the latest CT scan machine at District Headquarters Hospital, Kasur. According to a handout issued here, he inspected different sections of CT scan room and was also briefed about the facility LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Monday inaugurated the latest CT scan machine at District Headquarters Hospital, Kasur. According to a handout issued here, he inspected different sections of CT scan room and was also briefed about the facility. Afterwards, he visited new emergency block of the hospital and inquired after health of the patients. He inspected different medical facilities as well. The patients and their attendants expressed their satisfaction over the availability of different healthcare facilities at the hospital. Talking to doctors, nurses, medical staff and attendants of the patients, the Chief Minister said that treatment facilities were being improved with the investment of billions of rupees, adding that latest CT scan machines had also been provided to the hospitals which would work round the clock and the patients would not have to suffer for the sake of their CT scans. He also assured the nurses of the solutions of their problems at new emergency block and issued on-spot necessary directions to the quarters concerned. Later, the Chief Minister held a meeting with parents and other family members of seven girls which were molested in different tragic incidents in Kasur and assured them of provision of justice. He said that Kasur would be made part of Safe City Project and instructions had been issued in this regard. Shehbaz Sharif announced to name different schools of Kasur after seven murdered girls and said that repair work of roads of the area would also be completed soon. He consoled the mother of a little girl Kainat, and said that every possible support would be provided to her. Talking to the media representatives later on, the Chief Minister said that latest CT scan machines were being installed in all DHQ hospitals of the province. These machines had been installed in Kasur, Vehari, Layyah, Mianwali and Bhakkar districts while these ones were being set up in five other districts as well including Okara, Khushab, Bahawalpur, Sheikhupura and Attock, he said and added, now the people of these areas would not have to go to other cities for their CT scan. He said that according to the policy of the Punjab government, these machines would not be the property of the Health department but these would be operated by the company that would install them. The CT scan of the patients would be conducted upon concerned doctors receipt and this facility would be available round the clock, he added. Shehbaz Sharif said that comprehensive reforms program was underway for improving healthcare facilities in all the hospitals of the province and billions of rupees were being spent to improve the quality of healthcare facilities. He said that a network of hepatitis filter clinics was being spread to provide latest diagnostic and treatment facilities to patients suffering from liver diseases. He said that latest ultrasound machines were being provided to 700 basic health units and lady health workers were being trained to operate them, adding that these ultrasound machines had been procured by spending million of rupees. Meanwhile, he said, 200 color developer latest ultrasound machines were being provided to rural health centers and mobile health units were also providing best treatment facilities to the people at their doorsteps in remote areas. "This is the revolution in the health sector which has been brought about by the PML-N government," he added. He said the PML-N was the only political party which had served the masses day and night under the leadership of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. Shehbaz Sharif said joint efforts should be made for ensuring progress and prosperity of the country. "PML-N has proved that it is the true representative party of people," he added. The CM said there would have been big projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), if Imran Khan had not wasted time in sit-ins. Misuse of a powerful painkiller has spread like wildfire among schools in the west African state of Gabon, where teachers blame it for violent changes in mood among normally placid and motivated teenagers Libreville,(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :Misuse of a powerful painkiller has spread like wildfire among schools in the west African state of Gabon, where teachers blame it for violent changes in mood among normally placid and motivated teenagers. Known as "kobolo" by local youths, the drug comprises high doses of anti-inflammatory medicine, usually washed down with soda or alcohol. In the United States, abuse of such opioid drugs, say experts, has abetted a crisis of addiction and misery. "It's easier to ask who in our state schools is not taking kobolo," said a young music teacher in a Libreville high school, who gave her name as Chantal. "It starts at secondary level, from the age of 12 or 13. The children go through changes almost overnight -- they become aggressive and violent under the effects of kobolo, which we regularly find when we go through their schoolbags," she adds. "The worst thing is that the kids not only use it, they sell it, too." - Knife fights and arrests - Almost every week, the press report knife fights between pupils, largely blamed on their use of kobolo, and on arrests of drug dealers, often deemed to be connected to the pharmaceutical business or from Cameroon. "Kobolo is a combination based on painkillers that act directly on the brain. It induces feelings of well-being due to the secretion of dopamine, the pleasure hormone," said Marie-Louise Rondi, who chairs the National Order of Pharmacists in Gabon. "This explains addiction and the tendency to increase daily doses, until all the safety fuses in the brain have been blown." When used by young Gabonese as a recreational drug, the painkiller Tramadol or a generic equivalent is taken in large doses, sometimes mixed with alcohol and a range of juices. In 2017, its popularity began to spread fast in a country where consumption of cannabis and other substances is very limited. By July, concern had become so great that prescriptions for the drug became compulsory, and social support was beefed up. "We had meetings with the parents of students to warn them of the scale of the problem," Rondi said. - 'You're a super-hero' - Under the pseudonym Ted, a self-described "ex-user" of kobolo in his 20s, who comes from a poor neighbourhood, described what it was like to take the drug. "With a soft drink, it's like you're asleep, having a waking dream. But if you drink it down with a little alcohol, well then...!" he guffawed. "It awakens your sleeping senses, when you take it you become hot. You can't control yourself, you imagine you're a super-hero, you lose your feelings," laughs the young man. "It gives you too much courage... You don't even feel pain." Proof of this risk, he displayed a large scar on a forearm -- the legacy of an accident when he "went through a car windscreen without feeling hurt. " Other collateral damage includes loss of appetite and sleep, itching, "epilepsy attacks, liver problems and and memory lapses," he said. Others say unsafe sex is another risk. - 'Pink baby' - Despite regulatory efforts, the painkiller is easy to obtain on the streets of Libreville. Known as the "little red", "pink baby" or "kemeka," pills are sold for between 250 and 500 CFA francs (0.40 to 0.80 Euros / $0.50 to $1.00) apiece. Around the bus station, regular traders and ambulant salesmen help make acquiring kobolo a simple formality. In the maze of narrow streets, the drug is sold not only by the usual dealers but also at little stalls that sell medication along with rat poison. For lack of official statistics, the kobolo business is difficult to put into figures. Since getting high requires no more than swallowing some cheap pills, the phenomenon is more discreet than smoking pot. The wholesale dealers are above all Nigerians and Lebanese, Chadians and Guineans, people say in the working-class districts. "Everybody sells it under the counter," said Ted, who described kobolo as "the high-school favourite". The media gives ample coverage to anti-kobolo operations and the police say they are on the job, reporting the seizure of 5,952 illicit pills in 2017. "But the silence of health authorities is deafening," protests the director of a state-run hospital. "Not even a simple video clip on the tv to raise awareness among young people." - 'Right kind of laughter' - By contrast, "Goudronier," a video about kobolo by rapper Don'zer, has given the drug nationwide prominence. It has been even broadcast at meetings of political parties. "What this song is about, with its words and the video full of violence, is what's happening now in our society and our schools," said the teacher Chantal, distraught. "The drug has become fashionable -- kobolo users are no longer hiding." Kobolo users are typically aged from 12 to 16 or 17, but there are many who come outside this age range, said a psychologist who has seen many users in her private practice. "All social classes are affected, including the French and the Lebanese," she said, referring to two large expatriate communities. The drug has increased the risk of unsafe sex and unwanted pregnancies for girls, the psychologist added. "Me, I gave it up because of the violence, trouble with my parents," Ted said. "You laugh a lot, but it's not the right kind of laughter. And you lose friends who die in fights, getting stabbed or having their throats cut." In occupied Kashmir, Muslim Deeni Mahaz (MDM) Patron, Dr Muhammad Qasim Fakhtoo completed 25 years in prison, Monday, on February 5 ISLAMABAD,(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :In occupied Kashmir, Muslim Deeni Mahaz (MDM) Patron, Dr Muhammad Qasim Fakhtoo completed 25 years in prison, Monday, on February 5. Languishing in prison for the past 25 years, Dr Qasim Fakhtoo revealed that during his two-and-half decade long imprisonment, he was approached at least eight times by influential pro-India people to strike a deal and secure his release, Kashmir Media Service reported. Dr Fakhtoo was arrested in February 1993 and slapped with draconian law, Public Safety Act (PSA) first, and then subsequently awarded a lifer by the Supreme Court in January 2003. On February 5, 2018, I will complete 25 years in prison. During this long period of my imprisonment, I was approached at least eight times by the influential pro-India people to strike a deal and secure my release, Dr Fakhtoo told media at a hospital in Srinagar while going for a health check-up. The MDM patron said he was in prison because of his political belief and there was no question of entering into any sort of a compromise. The case in which I was implicated was a move to prolong my detention. I have utilized the 25-year of my prison life to the best of my capability and did not allow it to go waste, he said. During his 25 year imprisonment, he has written more than 20 books on religious, social and political topics. My six books are in English and 15 in urdu, he said. The MDM patron has done MA, M.Phil and Ph.D in Islamic Studies. Download BT Podcast Mega healthcare scheme 'game changer': Niti Aayog Brushing aside criticism of the newly announced mega healthcare scheme, Niti Aayog Vice- Chairman Rajiv Kumar has said it is a "game changer" and revenue from the 1 per cent additional cess would be enough to meet the funding needs. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his budget for 2018-19 announced the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) to provide health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh to over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families. Former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has termed the proposal as "a jumla" with no money provided in the budget for it. Reliance Industries to invest Rs 2,500 cr in Assam, create 80,000 jobs Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani announced at the inaugural function of the Global Investors Summit 2018, an investment of Rs 2,500 crore in Assam in various sectors, including retail, petroleum, telecom, tourism and sports, creating jobs for at least 80,000 people over the next three years. Assam has always been a low priority market for other telecom operators, but it is a 'Category A' market for Reliance, Ambani said. Reliance Industries has become the largest private sector investor in Assam by putting in Rs 5,000 crore over the last few years, he said. Tata Steel, JSW Steel & company's own employees submit bids for Bhushan Steel Tata Steel, JSW Steel and Bhushan Steel's own employees possibly backed by a Singapore-based fund, have put in bids for the troubled steel maker. The company had been put up for auction by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). It had accumulated a debt of over Rs 50,000 crore. The bids will now be opened on Tuesday. Bitcoin users come under income tax lens Investigative agencies have turned their focus on bitcoin users after earlier surveying cryptocurrency exchanges. Last month, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the income tax department (IT) had raided users of cryptocurrencies suspecting money laundering, fraud and tax evasion. As reported by business news daily Mint, the tax department after its December survey of bitcoin exchanges had identified some suspicious accounts and was examining replies to notices sent. Both individuals and companies in Surat connected to bitcoin trading are facing scrutiny. The regulators as well as the government have been closely monitoring bitcoin trading in India. Govt bets big on Long Term Capital Gains Tax (LTCG) The government is betting big on the long term capital gains tax (LTCG) on equities for mobilising revenue as currently the amount of income earned from the stock markets that is exempted from this tax works out to a whopping Rs 3.76 lakh crore which would translate into a tax collection to the tune of Rs 37,000 crore going ahead. The figure has been compiled from all the income tax returns filed in 2017-18. Suresh Prabhu consults industry on new industrial policy Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu has kickstarted industry consultation on the proposed new industrial policy. The first stakeholder consultation meeting took place at Guwahati, industry body Ficci said in a statement. he event, organised by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in partnership with Ficci, was attended by more than 120 industrialists from the northeast in addition to government officials. In his speech, Prabhu highlighted the importance of this exercise being done after 25 years. The new policy will revamp the Industrial Policy of 1991. Download BT Podcast (@FahadShabbir) Jamiat Ullema-e-Islam (JUI-F) district leadership said here on Monday the purpose of Kashmir Solidarity Day was not only to raise voice against Indian brutalities in the Indian occupied Kashmir, but also highlight the issue in front of international community to urge it to play role in resolving this longstanding dispute QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :Jamiat Ullema-e-Islam (JUI-F) district leadership said here on Monday the purpose of Kashmir Solidarity Day was not only to raise voice against Indian brutalities in the Indian occupied Kashmir, but also highlight the issue in front of international community to urge it to play role in resolving this longstanding dispute. Jimiat Ullema-e-Islam (F) district party leaders held Kashmir day rally at Jinnah Road Quetta, Maulana Muhammad Wali Tarabi, Maulana Abdul Khan and Minority representative Nasir Masih Advocate addressed the rally. They said that Muslims living in Kashmir were the real owners of their state and Indian army and government had to accept this reality now. They said that Muslim world should play its role for resolving Kashmir issue in accordance to aspiration of Kashmiri peoples. Artists paid tributes to the Kashmiri martyrs to show solidarity with Kashmiri brothers in a cultural program arranged by Pakistan National Council Of the Arts in collaboration with the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Biltistan here at National Art Gallery on Monday ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :Artists paid tributes to the Kashmiri martyrs to show solidarity with Kashmiri brothers in a cultural program arranged by Pakistan National Council Of the Arts in collaboration with the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Biltistan here at National Art Gallery on Monday. The event comprised of Puppet Show, Exhibition of Photography, stage Play and cultural show which aimed to mark the "Kashmir Solidarity Day." The special puppet show based on the Kashmiri struggle for independence was attended by a large number of students with their parents. The exhibition of photographs reflecting the Indian brutality in held Kashmir attracted a large number of visitors from the twin cities. The photographs are narration of the struggle of Kashmiri innocent people who are fighting for their independence and rights of self-determination. A play 'laho Rang Kashmir' written by Khalid Majid was Part of Kashmir Day Program. The Artists very skillfully and brilliantly exposed the Indian Strategy and suppression of the Kashmiri people. The play give hope to the Kashmiri freedom for struggle and tribute to the freedom fighters. The musical show comprised of Bano Rehmat,Raja Imran and Bakhtawar Paid Tribute to freedom fighters of Kashmir by presenting Kashmiri popular Folk Music and songs. The artists of the National Performing Art Group presented folk dances of Kashmir. Federal Minister for Railways Khawja Saad Rafique Monday said the resolution of Kashmir issue was essential for regional peace and development LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :Federal Minister for Railways Khawja Saad Rafique Monday said the resolution of Kashmir issue was essential for regional peace and development. He said this while addressing PML-N's camp set up at Mall Road (charing cross) to express solidarity with the Kashmiri brethren. He said that atrocities being inflicted on innocent Kashmiris could not effect the freedom struggle of Kashmiris. "Sacrifices of people of Kashmir will never go waste and Kashmir day reminds the global community that they should play their proactive role in the light of the UN resolutions to provide Kashmiris their due right", he added. Federal Minister Pervaiz Malik said that PML-N had always highlighted the Kashmir issue at every national and international forum and would continue extending its support. On this occasion, Shaista Pervaiz Malik and other speakers also spoke. Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) President Anjum Nisar Wednesday said that with construction of hydelpower projects including that of Diamir Bhasha Dam, the industrial sector of the country could witness a mushroom growth as sufficient electricity would be available at low cost after completion of the projects The largest financial institutions in the United States are withholding lending from oil and gas companies that are succumbing to pressure by environmental activists, thereby putting millions of jobs in the country at risk, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Wednesday The General Court of the European Union on Wednesday reversed the decision of the European Commission concerning two tax rulings issued by the Irish tax authorities in favor of US tech giant Apple, according to the court's press release Records 13976 To 14000 (Total 65147 Records) Business news Business news is important part of the news. 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Business news contains the information about gold rates, currency rates, foreign currency rates, currency rates Pakistan, bitcoin news and bullion rates in Pakistan. Daily business news and today business news can be read here. Urdu Point provides top business news for the readers. Open market currency rates and foreign currency rates matter in business news. To read all types of business news, top business news, latest business and currency news, bitcoin news and gold rates visit Urdu Point. The police Monday claimed to have arrested eight criminals, including six proclaimed offenders, from various parts of the Faisalabad district during past 24 hours FAISALABAD,(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :The police Monday claimed to have arrested eight criminals, including six proclaimed offenders, from various parts of the Faisalabad district during past 24 hours. The police recovered 1.200 kg poppy dust (Bhukki), 1.310 kg hashish and 125 liter liquor from their possession. A Chinese national was killed while another citizen was injured among two people on Monday in a target killing incident reported in Defence Housing Authority (DHA). KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018) : A Chinese national was killed while another citizen was injured among two people on Monday in a target killing incident reported in Defence Housing Authority (DHA). South District Deputy Inspector General (DIG) reported that the attack comes as a target killing attempt. Police said that the two targeted foreign nationals were employed by a chinese shipping company and resided in Lalazaar area. According to a private television channel, one of the foreign nationals fatally received two bullets in his head while the other ran out of the car saving his life. Gunfires by the unidentified attackers left a local injured and a Chinese national. The South DIG further said that two shells fired from a 9mm pistol were seized at the attack site which were dispatched to be examined at a forensic laboratory. Probe was launched by police in light of statements of the witnesses. Thousands of Chinese engineers and technicians are working in Pakistan. China is ramping up investment as part of a $54 billion project known as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, upgrading infrastructure, power and transport links between its far-western Xinjiang region and Pakistans Gwadar port. Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan once again lashed at former prime minister and current Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif in a series of statements on his Twitter account. ISLAMABAD,(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018) : Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan once again lashed at former prime minister and current Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif in a series of statements on his Twitter account. Taking exception to Nawaz Sharifs public speech in the partys home turf, Imran Khan on Monday said Sharifs speech cleared up his notion of democracy that any elected premier of a democratic party is above the law. Taking to his official Twitter account a day after the ousted premiers rally in Peshawar, Khan hit back at Sharif and said that all corrupt practices are permissible for an individual to launder money, evade taxes, conceal assets and lie before a parliament after getting elected as Prime Minister. Referring to Nawaz Sharifs grievances, Khan took a jibe at him and said an elected PM is above the law of the land and he can abuse all state institutions, storm the Supreme Court with his party hooligans and offers bribe to the judges with briefcases full of money. Making a response to allegations against PTI-led KP government, the PTI chairman said that 350 micro hydroelectric stations have been completed in Khyber Pakthunkhwa. He went on saying that the World Wildlife Fund audited the provincial governments Billion Tree Tsunami campaign, which he said received an acknowledgement from International Union for Conservation of Nature for its success, adding, the Bonn Challenge commended the provincial governments initiative. Such ignorance on part of NS [Nawaz Sharif] is shameful! he tweeted. On Sunday, the ousted premiers daughter Maryam Nawaz had said the people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were awaiting grass-root level of change which was promised to them by the PTI-led provincial government. Addressing a public rally, she questioned Imran Khans tall claims of developing the province. Had Imran Khan served the masses, the chairs would have been vacant [in the public meeting], she said while referring to Lahores mega protest last month. She then said the people of KP elected the PTI chairman in General Elections 2013 but Imran Khan remained indulged in politics of agitation rather serving the masses in last over four years. Where are the educational reforms, [well equipped] hospitals and 350 Dams? she asked. Enumerating number of unresolved cases, she said the families of victims are awaiting justice. We will not blame KP police as they are our brothers, it is you [Imran Khan] who is incompetent, she thundered. Maryam then said the people of Peshawar have taken notice of the violation of dismissing an elected leader after turning up at the event. (@ChaudhryMAli88) YFKInternational Kashmir Lobby Group (Youth Forum For Kashmir) holds a oneday workshop, on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day, titled Developing Effective Leadership Skills, at Islamabad Hotel, Federal Capital Islamabad. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018) : YFKInternational Kashmir Lobby Group (Youth Forum For Kashmir) holds a oneday workshop, on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day, titled Developing Effective Leadership Skills, at Islamabad Hotel, Federal Capital Islamabad. Key leadership trainers included Ambassador Zamir Akram-Pakistans distinguished Former Permanent Representative To The United Nations Geneva, Ahmad Raza Qasuri-Senior Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan, Sardar Khan Niazi-Chairman Pakistan Group of Publications & CEO of a Islamabad-based tv Channel, Ms. Zartasha Niazi-Development Communication Expert, Mr. Ahmed Quraishi-Director YFKInternational Kashmir Lobby Group (Youth Forum For Kashmir), Mr. Sohail Khan Kiani-Financial Advisor, and others. Amb. Akram shared his experiences at UN Geneva that how he convinced diplomats & high-level decision-makers for Pakistan. In relevance with the Kashmir conflict, he expressed under his practical experience that India-Pakistan friendship is impossible and India is not even ready to accept the existence of Pakistan. Qasuri expressed his views and practices that how a lawyer can become activist/lobbyist? Sardar Niazi shared that how to use media as a lobbying tool? Ms. Niazi gave a presentation on her practical experiences about lobbying for a current crisis of child abuse. Quraishi emphasized on human rights activism that how to build a great personality and integrity. Event was attended by young Kashmiris and Pakistanis, university students, and human rights defenders, etc. Event was concluded followed by a certificate distribution ceremony. YFKInternational Kashmir Lobby Group (Youth Forum For Kashmir) is a non-partisan, international non-governmental organization, working for the peaceful resolution of Kashmir Conflict in accordance with United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions. (@rukhshanmir) Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that degradation of the judiciary is unacceptable and Member of National Assembly (MNA) Talal Chaudhry should apologise if he has passed such statement. ISLAMABAD,(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018) : Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that degradation of the judiciary is unacceptable and Member of National Assembly (MNA) Talal Chaudhry should apologise if he has passed such statement. PM Abbasi conversed with Dunya News in an interview in programme Mahaaz and said that degradation of the judiciary, constitution and the law is not acceptable. While talking about foreign policy and Donald Trumps State of the Union s address, PM Abbasi said that no country wants peace in Afghanistan more than Pakistan. Pakistan has always been pro-negotiations. He answered a question about United States (US) directing its ground commanders to attack alleged safe havens of terrorists in Pakistan and said that Pakistan has stated multiple times to be given intelligence and action would be taken. Pakistan is fighting terrorism with its own resources, the premier added. He said that US authorities have been told numerously to share intelligence, if they have, and Pakistan would take action against terrorists. However, he said that Pakistan is a sovereign state and breach of the sovereignty is not acceptable. While talking about foreign minister Khawaja Asif s statement that Pakistan s ties with the States were over, PM Abbasi said that he is entitled to his opinion. He denied Afghan media service s news that president Ashraf Ghani refused to attend his telephone call to codemn bomb attacks in Kabul. PM Abbasi said that it was completely false reporting and that president Ghani did talk to him. While talking about finance minister Ishaq Dars policies, the premier denied that policies belong to one person alone. (@ChaudhryMAli88) At least one person was killed and three other were sustained injuries in a blast in Panjgur blast on Monday. PANJGUR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018) : At least one person was killed and three other were sustained injuries in a blast in Panjgur blast on Monday. According to details blast occurred at Bismillah Chawk near Panjgur Bazar that killed a person and injured three others. The security forces and law enforcement agencies cordoned off the area and started search operation. The dead body and injured have been rushed to nearby hospital. News reports have revealed that popular American snack Doritos will now launch 'lady-friendly' crisps. If you, like many other people, are confounded by what it could possibly mean, then you must know that 'lady-friendly' crisps are ones that do not crunch loudly, something the bosses in the company feel that women struggle with. This version of Doritos would be quieter and less messy to eat. The chips, produced by Frito Lay and PepsiCo, will come in packs that women can easily put in their handbags. According to The Sun, Indra Nooyi said, "It's not a male and female as much as 'are there snacks for women that can be designed and packaged differently?' And yes, we are looking at it, and we're getting ready to launch a bunch of them soon." Nooyi, Chairwoman and CEO of PepsiCo further spoke about how young guys eat Doritos, lick their fingers and pour the crumbs at the bottom of the pack into their mouth. "Women would love to do the same, but they don't. They don't like to crunch too loudly in public. And they don't lick their fingers," she said. Most people on social media were not amused with the idea of 'lady-friendly' crisps. The Sun quoted a spokesperson for the Women's Equality Party who said, "Companies that perpetuate these tired gender stereotypes will continue to lose out on the single biggest consumer group: women. No doubt some male consumers will welcome the chance to have a bigger package. But the idea of shrinking products for women, no doubt for the same price, is as old as the Ad Men making these decisions." Women took to social media to express their disbelief and incredulity. Some even said that all this does is reiterate ancient gender stereotypes. Literally HOW do you gender a packet of crisps? Because this reads as shaming women for eating normally and making noises when they chew. You know, like humans do. https://t.co/qRdCCIZegH - Georgina Adlam (@GeorginaAdlam) February 5, 2018 We need ickle pink packets with ickle pink crisps for our lady mouths.. https://t.co/xyMz53MJt8 - Julie Owen Moylan (@JulieOwenMoylan) February 4, 2018 Hey ladies, we know your pretty little mouths can't handle man crisps so here you go Doritos to make 'lady-friendly' chips that don't crunch for women https://t.co/q48MARFykY via @nypost - Vince Conduct (@Joelemite) February 5, 2018 Tone deaf much? PepsiCo perpetuates gender stereotypes by selling "lady-friendly" chips. They say they've found that ladies "don't like to crunch in public or lick their fingers." Y *takes Doritos off grocery list* https://t.co/D8JKHy7xKJ - sarah holmes (@babysarah80) February 5, 2018 (@ChaudhryMAli88) Three labourers Monday were killed and two other persons received injuries when roof of an under construction room caved in here in Hussainabad area HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :Three labourers Monday were killed and two other persons received injuries when roof of an under construction room caved in here in Hussainabad area. The deceased labourers identified as Rasheed Mallah and Aleem Mallah and Irshad. According to the police, a labour and a police constable Airab Gul were injured in the incident and were shifted to Liaquat University Hospital. The house was owned by a Special Branch's Sub Inspector Muhammad Aslam, the police told. Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Saleem Rajput who reached the spot told the media that an inquiry would be conducted to ascertain cause of the incident. (@rukhshanmir) Rescue operation by local volunteers and youth from Gujar tribe continued on Monday to recover dead bodies of two persons who were hit by avalanche at Lawari top CHITRAL: (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) Rescue operation by local volunteers and youth from Gujar tribe continued on Monday to recover dead bodies of two persons who were hit by avalanche at Lawari top. A man and his son working for the ptcl are reported killed after an avalanche buried them near Lowari top on Chitral side. SHO police station Ashriat Inspector Abdul Muzzafar Shah told this agency on phone that Noor Uddin and his son Ubaidullah, residents of Naghra in Drosh, were working as watchmen of the PTCL tower on the Lowari top. They were hit by an avalanche near the top of the snow-bound pass when they were going to work at PTCL tower at Lawari top. He said that his son in law survived miraculously and succeeded to reach PS Ashriat and informed police about the incident. He said they started rescue operation from Thursday which still continues but due to bad weather and rain it creates hurdles in the way of rescue. But independent sources revealed on phone from Lawari top that no rescue team officially has been sent to the area except local volunteers. Hajji Enzar Gul elder of Gujar tribe told that he requested his tribe and so many youth reached on the spot on voluntary basis to rescue these missing persons. He lamented apathy of Pakistan Telecommunication company limited (PTCL) that nobody has reached on the spot nor they were supporting the volunteers groups who are trying to recover these missing persons. Another incident of alleged police brutality emerged in Rawalpindi on Monday, when a 23-year-old man was reportedly tortured to death in police custody RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD,(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) Another incident of alleged police brutality emerged in Rawalpindi on Monday, when a 23-year-old man was reportedly tortured to death in police custody. The family of the deceased, identified as Rehan, surrounded the police station in Ganj Mandi, claiming that he was detained last night and tortured to death by the police. Neighbours and family members of the man chanted slogans protesting and mourning his death. Neighbours and family members of the man chanted slogans protesting and mourning his death. The deceased's brother, Imran, said Rehan was a drug addict but not a drug seller. "My brother died due to police torture," Imran said. On continued protest by the family members and neighbours, police registered an FIR against two policemen identified as Jan Afzal and Noor Zaman. In another incident in Islamabad, a youth was killed and two others injured as capital police tried to stop them for violating traffic rules. Reports said that as the motorcycle rider youths did not stop, a police constable got hold of arm of one youth, who fell from the bike and died after his head hit the road. The motorcycle also got out of control and the remaining two riders were also injured. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Azerbaijan's strongman Ilham Aliyev on Monday called a snap presidential vote for April, six months ahead of schedule, as opposition politicians slammed the surprise move Baku, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :Azerbaijan's strongman Ilham Aliyev on Monday called a snap presidential vote for April, six months ahead of schedule, as opposition politicians slammed the surprise move. "Set the date of the election of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on April 11," Aliyev ordered in a decree posted on his website without providing an immediate explanation for the move. The oil-rich country was initially set to hold the vote on October 17. Last week, the deputy chair of the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan party, Ali Akhmedov, said that Aliyev planned to run for a fourth consecutive term. "No-one knows what the true reason for calling a snap vote is," political anayst Hikmet Hadjizade told AFP. The decision sparked strong criticism from opposition parties. "The Aliyevs have been in power for some 45 years already and that contradicts the principles of a democratic republic," the leader of the opposition Popular Front party, Ali Kerimli, told AFP. The veteran politician said the decision to hold early elections was aimed at shortening the campaign period and "hampering the opposition's efforts to prevent vote rigging". So far, two opposition candidates -- Musavat party leader Isa Gambar and the chairman of the Classical Popular Front Party Mirmahmud Miralioglu -- have announced plans to run for president. - 'Unchallenged dynasty' - Aliyev, 56, was first elected president in 2003, after the death of his father Heydar Aliyev, a former KGB officer and communist-era leader who had ruled Azerbaijan with an iron fist since 1993. He was re-elected in 2008 and 2013 in polls that were denounced by opposition parties as rigged. In 2009, Aliyev amended the country's constitution so he could run for an unlimited number of presidential terms, in a move criticised by rights advocates who say he could become a president for life. In 2016, Azerbaijan adopted controversial constitutional amendments, extending the president's term in office to seven years from five. The changes drew criticism from the Council of Europe constitutional law experts as "severely upsetting the balance of powers" and giving the president "unprecedented" authority. Cementing his family's decades-long grip on power, the president last year appointed his wife Mehriban Aliyeva as first vice president. Aliyev's "goal appears to be a political environment in which the Aliyev dynasty is unchallenged," a US diplomatic cable carried by whistleblowing organisation Wikileaks said in 2009. - 'Clinging on to power' - Supporters have praised the Aliyevs for turning a republic once thought of as Soviet backwater into a flourishing energy supplier to Europe. But critics argue they have crushed the opposition and used their power to amass a fortune that funds a lavish lifestyle for the president and his family. "Ilham Aliyev is clinging on to power to continue appropriating the country's riches," Khadija Ismayilova, an award-winning journalist and anti-corruption crusader, told AFP. "Practically all of Azerbaijan's natural and economic resources are under the Aliyev family's control," said the journalist who had spent 17 months in jail in 2014-2016. In 2010, The Washington Post wrote about lavish property worth $75 million (60 million Euros) in Dubai in the Names of the president's son Heydar - who was a schoolboy at the time -- and his daughters Arzu and Leyla. Aliyev has denied accusations of rights abuses and corruption. Azerbaijan is locked in a bitter dispute with Armenia over separatist Nagorny Karabakh region, which has been under Armenian control since it was seized during a bloody conflict in the early 1990s after the break-up of the Soviet Union. Energy-rich Azerbaijan, whose military spending exceeds Armenia's entire state budget, has repeatedly threatened to take back the breakaway region by force. (@ChaudhryMAli88) The Netherlands announced Monday it was withdrawing its ambassador from Turkey, and will refuse a new envoy from Ankara as diplomatic ties plunged to new lows The Hague, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :The Netherlands announced Monday it was withdrawing its ambassador from Turkey, and will refuse a new envoy from Ankara as diplomatic ties plunged to new lows. Relations have deteriorated in recent months after Dutch officials barred two Turkish ministers from attending a rally in Rotterdam on the eve of March general elections here. Despite recent high-level talks between the two countries, "we have not been able to agree on the way normalisation should take place," Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra said in a statement. The Dutch government has therefore "decided to officially withdraw the Netherlands' ambassador in Ankara, who has not had access to Turkey since March 2017," the foreign ministry added. "As long as the Netherlands has no ambassador to Turkey, the Netherlands will also not issue permission for a new Turkish ambassador to take up duties in the Netherlands." Ankara, however, insisted that "relations between Turkey and the Netherlands have not been broken off." While neither country had an ambassador "foreign ministry talks are going on, and I hope that our two countries will soon succeed in overcoming this problem," said government spokesman Bekir Bozdag. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Mal, Maldives, Feb 4 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 04th Feb, 2018 ) :The Maldivian Supreme Court dealt another blow to beleaguered President Abdulla Yameen Sunday, asking him to comply with its order to release political prisoners and reinstate dissident lawmakers. The government had expressed "concerns" over the judicial order and resisted complying with it, but the court said there can be no excuses. Dissidents must be released because their trials were politically motivated and flawed, the Supreme Court said in a statement. "There is nothing preventing the prosecutor general from seeking a re-trial after the order has been implemented (and prisoners released)," it added. Thursday's order to restore the seats of 12 government MPs who defected to the opposition would effectively reduce Yameen's party to a minority and expose him to the risk of impeachment. Police detained two opposition lawmakers who returned to the country Sunday as the political crisis in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation deepened with its top court pitted against the president. The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said its MPs tried to stage a meeting in defiance of a weekend order suspending parliament, but they were pushed back by armed troops. Security forces have been deployed inside the national parliament -- known as the People's Majlis -- since March last year when Yameen ordered them to evict dissident lawmakers. (@FahadShabbir) Nepal's restrictions on woman migrating for work are discriminatory and inconsistent with international law, a United Nations rights official said Monday during a visit to the country Kathmandu, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :Nepal's restrictions on woman migrating for work are discriminatory and inconsistent with international law, a United Nations rights official said Monday during a visit to the country. Nepal last year introduced a ban on women working as domestic helpers in the Gulf, one of various laws passed over the last decade to protect female migrant workers from sexual exploitation. "These bans are ineffective and create the consequence that women migrate through irregular channels and become victims of trafficking," said the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Felipe Gonzalez Morales. "They (the government) don't realise it's discrimination, but these policies are inconsistent with international law and should be lifted." Nearly half a million Nepalis migrated for work in 2015/16, according to the latest available government data, and migrant remittances account for over a third of the country's GDP. The vast majority are men working in construction in the Gulf and Malaysia, but around 20,000 women also left that year despite various laws that restrict female migration. In recent years Nepal has introduced a minimum age limit for female migrant workers, prevented mothers with children under two from leaving the country for work, and most recently banned women from domestic work in the Gulf, though enforcement has been patchy. "The government is trying to make a statement that they are protecting (women). But this can be done through other means," Morales said. Morales was speaking after an eight-day visit to the impoverished Himalayan nation to assess the recruitment processes for Nepalis working abroad. Nepal's government has been criticised for failing to protect migrant workers from exorbitant fees charged by recruitment agencies that leave them mired in debt and trapped in jobs overseas. In 2015 it banned agencies from charging migrants for flights and visas, but enforcement has been weak. Some suspect authorities are reluctant to clamp down on the lucrative industry. "Everyone agrees that there is a big problem in the recruitment process, but there doesn't seem to be a concrete plan to take steps to have the employers paying for this, which would be the solution according to international standards," said Morales. Nepal's reliance on the cash flow from citizens overseas leaves it vulnerable to changes in host countries. Political instability in Qatar and an economic slowdown in Saudi Arabia the two largest recipient countries of Nepali workers saw the number of new arrivals from Nepal slump at the end of last year. Remittances declined by 1.4 percent in the same period, a tiny drop that still resulted in Nepal's current account balance slipping into the red, according to central bank figures. Militants resisting arrest by the Lebanese army in the restive Tripoli neighbourhood of Bab al-Tabbaneh sparked clashes that killed one on each side, a statement said on Monday Beirut, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :Militants resisting arrest by the Lebanese army in the restive Tripoli neighbourhood of Bab al-Tabbaneh sparked clashes that killed one on each side, a statement said on Monday. The violence broke out late on Sunday when the army entered the area with the aim of arresting wanted militants. "One soldier was killed and several others wounded" when the unit was targeted by militants, the army said, adding that hand grenades were used against its men. The army said "one terrorist" was killed and his brother arrested. Weapons and ammunition were also seized. Lebanon's second city has been directly affected by the violence raging in neighbouring Syria. Recurring clashes pitting residents from Bab al-Tabbaneh against those of Jabal Mohsen, an adjacent and mostly Alawite neighbourhood, led the army to deploy in the area in 2014. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Suspected jihadists killed two Malian soldiers overnight in the country's unstable north, military sources said Monday, adding that they also attacked a police station Bamako, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :Suspected jihadists killed two Malian soldiers overnight in the country's unstable north, military sources said Monday, adding that they also attacked a police station. Mali's deteriorating security situation is of growing concern as Al-Qaeda-linked groups mount increasingly deadly attacks on domestic and foreign forces. "Terrorists on motorbikes opened fire" on two soldiers from the National Guard at Gossi, south of Gao, a major city in the region, a military source told AFP. Another source said the two men were shot in the head. On Sunday evening, suspected jihadists also attacked a police station at Hombori, about 90 kilometres (55 miles) south of Gossi. "The army responded. To the best of our knowledge, there are no victims," a security source told AFP. At least four civilians were killed in the north on Friday and Saturday and authorities have banned motorbikes and pick-up trucks in some areas to prevent further jihadist attacks. Such vehicles are often used by Islamist fighters, in the north and the centre of the country. The ban applies to a dozen "circles" in the central regions of Segou and Mopti and northwest Timbuktu region, a military statement said. Islamic extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of the desert north of Mali in early 2012, but were largely driven out in a French-led military operation launched in January 2013. In June 2015, Mali's government signed a peace agreement with coalitions of non-jihadist armed groups. But Islamist insurgents remain active, and large tracts of the country are lawless. (@FahadShabbir) Uganda must investigate allegations of "human trafficking" and corruption in refugee camps, the UN's top official in the country told AFP on Monday Kampala, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Feb, 2018 ) :Uganda must investigate allegations of "human trafficking" and corruption in refugee camps, the UN's top official in the country told AFP on Monday. Rosa Malango, UN Resident Coordinator in Uganda, said she had written to the government last month over allegations ranging from "corruption to fraud, from trafficking of women and girls to intimidation and harassment of UN personnel." The scale of alleged misdeeds is unclear, but Malango said the allegations were serious enough to warrant writing to Uganda's prime minister on January 26. "The moment anybody raises anything that looks or smells like sexual exploitation or abuse I must demand for an immediate investigation, and I must demand for immediate action because we have zero tolerance," she said, adding Ugandan authorities have promised to investigate. The specific allegations are that South Sudanese girls and women are being trafficked from the refugee camps of northern Uganda back across the border. There, they are sold as "wives" to combatants with the possible knowledge or complicity of Ugandan officials, a diplomat familiar with the charges said on condition of anonymity. Aid workers have long suspected Uganda of inflating refugee figures in order to attract more aid which is then syphoned off by corrupt officials. Uganda claims to house 1.4 million refugees, a million of whom have fled the ongoing civil war in South Sudan. One large Western donor has already suspended aid because of the graft allegations, according to diplomats, demanding the implementation of a UN-controlled biometric system of refugee identification, and others are threatening to follow suit. Malango said the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and World food Programme (WFP) were undertaking internal audits of their Uganda operations following the corruption allegations. Uganda is among the world's poorest countries but has been widely praised for its progressive refugee policy. Refugees are welcomed, given land and the opportunity to work, in stark contrast to many rich countries. During a visit last week, UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi again hailed Uganda for having, "one of the most progressive policies for refugees, not only in Africa but also in the world." Israel has begun issuing deportation notices to thousands of African migrants. Almost 40,000 African migrants are facing an uncertain future after Israel began issuing deportation orders that amount to an ultimatum: The migrants can take an offer of $3,500 and a one-way plane ticket to Rwanda within 60 days, or face imprisonment. Most of the migrants came from war-torn Sudan and Eritrea over the past decade and entered Israel illegally. Many say that going back to Africa is not an option, so they will choose the lesser of the two evils. "I will go to prison" in Israel, said Katir Abdullah, who came from Darfur. He said Rwanda is not his country and the only things waiting for him there are persecution, unemployment and poverty. Israel is sending the migrants to Rwanda after assessing it as a safe country with a growing economy. Rwanda denies Israeli claims that it has agreed to take in the migrants. Adam Ahmad, who is from Sudan, says paying people to leave is a betrayal. Now it is so sad that Israeli people put African people, or African asylum seekers, for sale; and thats so sad, he said. Israel refuses to grant the Africans asylum, saying that they are economic migrants and not refugees. Officials say Israel was created as a refuge for the Jewish people and not for the masses fleeing poverty in Africa. Interior Minister Aryeh Deri said Israels first obligation is to its own people. He described the Africans as "infiltrators" who have brought crime and misery to the streets of South Tel Aviv. Israeli police statistics, shared by the nonpartisan Times of Israel newspaper, indicate 90 percent of African asylum seekers live in the southern part of Tel Aviv, with the rest scattered nationwide. In the poor, crowded neighborhood of Neve Shaanan, these migrants make up 70 percent of the population but commit 40 percent of the crimes, according to police data. Human rights activists here say Israel should be the first to assist the Africans because the country was built by Jewish refugees fleeing the Holocaust. "We have always asserted that the world was silent" during World War II, said Colette Avital, who heads the Center of Organizations of Holocaust Survivors in Israel. She warned that Israel must not be silent and must lend a helping hand to those in need. International aid groups are warning countries hosting Syrian refugees in the Middle East and the West against forcing them to return to their war-torn country. Leading humanitarian organizations, including the Norwegian Refugee Council and CARE International, a global alliance of relief groups, issued a report Monday highlighting the dangers Syrian war refugees will face, if theyre forcibly returned to a country still engulfed by vicious fighting. Hundreds of thousands of refugees are at risk of being pushed to return to Syria in 2018, despite ongoing violence, bombing and shelling that are endangering the lives of civilians, the aid agencies said in the report entitled Dangerous Ground. Return would neither be safe nor voluntary for the vast majority who fled the war and the violence, says Jan Egeland, secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council. Currently, even in certain so-called de-escalation areas, we've seen bloodshed, targeting of hospitals and schools, and death, he added. FILE - Displaced Syrian children look out from the Displaced Syrian children look out from their tents at Kelbit refugee camp, near the Syrian-Turkish border, in Idlib province, Syria, Jan. 17, 2018. Displaced Syrian children look out from their tents at Kelbit refugee camp, near the Syrian-Turkish border, in Idlib province, Syria, Jan. 17, 2018. Syrian displaced The United Nations say at least 300,000 Syrians, displaced earlier, have again fled fighting in the past few weeks in the northwestern province of Idlib, which has come under heavy air assault from Russian and Syrian warplanes. The number of Syrian refugees who returned to their home country rose to 721,000 in 2017, from 560,000 the previous year, estimate the agencies. But the report warns that a further 1.5 million Syrians are expected to be displaced this year. In countries bordering Syria, including Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey, rhetoric on refugee return has picked up. In Syria's neighboring countries, the push to return refugees has manifested itself in closed borders, deportations and forced or involuntary returns, the report said. More governments, many pushed by raising populist anger against migrants and widespread public fear of being swamped by foreigners, are planning repatriations, not just of Syrians but also those who have fled from other war-wrecked countries, including Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as economic migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. APTOPIX EU Libya Migrants A child from Eritrea sings to celebrate his arrival to Europe aboard the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel near Sicily, Italy, Jan. 19, 2018. A child from Eritrea sings to celebrate his arrival to Europe aboard the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel near Sicily, Italy, Jan. 19, 2018. Repatriations planned Israel is planning to remove an estimated 20,000 migrants from Sudan and Eritrea, and in Italy parties in a powerful right-wing bloc are campaigning for more than a 100,000 migrants to be repatriated in the next 12 months. If 2015 was the high-water mark of a migration crisis, especially when it came to Europe, 2018 could well become the year of repatriation, fear humanitarian workers. Return and repatriation of refugees and migrants is high on the European political agenda, the U.N. children's agency, UNICEF, warned in its latest bulletin on the refugee and migrant crisis in Europe. In Italy, the countrys interior minister, Marco Minniti, a former intelligence chief, has been leading a left-wing charge to try to grab the migration issue away from right-wing rivals. In the process he has become the countrys most popular politician for forging deals with militias along Libyas coast and tribes in the desert south to counter human smuggling. He and the Italian government have denied they have provided funds to the militias to secure the deals. Meanwhile, a deal with Libyas coastguards has seen asylum-seekers intercepted at sea and returned to Libya before even setting foot on Italian soil. Humanitarian groups have decried the interception of asylum-seekers, warning that those being turned back face appalling detention conditions in Libya. Asylum seeker Abdul Khaleq Homai, 51, from Herat, FILE - An Afghan asylum seeker walks out a church in central Brussels January 30, 2014. FILE - An Afghan asylum seeker walks out a church in central Brussels January 30, 2014. International commitments European countries have not since signing up to the 1951 U.N. Refugee Convention engaged in mass forcible repatriation of war refugees, but there have been increasing incidents of Afghan asylum-seekers being returned. The Afghans are not considered war refugees by the EU. The convention stipulates that a refugees may not be returned if they fear their life or freedom may be threatened on account of their race, religion, nationality or membership of a particular social group or opinion. U.N. refugee guidelines also dictate that, once granted asylum, refugees may be returned forcibly only when conditions in their home have improved fundamentally. In recent weeks Britain and other European countries have come under increasing pressure from the European Parliament to explain why they have been sending back to Afghanistan hundreds of Afghans whose asylum requests have been refused. Since the European Union agreed to an aid package in 2016 with Afghanistan, which was tied to Kabul's willingness to take back refused asylum-seekers, involuntary repatriations have accelerated. The International Organization for Migration says 500 Afghans were forcibly removed to Afghanistan in 2017. Human rights activists say people sent home could be killed. Iraqi officials have raised concern about plans in Europe for the forcible return of Iraqi refugees whose asylum petitions have been denied. Last month, Abdul Bari Zebari, chairman of the Iraq parliaments foreign relations committee, urged the Iraqi government to refuse to enter any negotiations with EU countries concerning forcible repatriations of Iraqis. BEIRUT - Air strikes killed 23 people in Syrias rebel-held eastern Ghouta district, just outside Damascus, a war monitor reported, and a woman was killed by shelling inside the government-held capital on Monday, state media said. Warplanes struck the towns of Zamalka, Arbaeen, Hazza and Beitu Soua, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Syrian army of President Bashar al-Assad, backed by Russian air power and Shiite Muslim militias, has besieged eastern Ghouta, the largest remaining rebel bastion near Damascus, for years. Shelling of the Old City of Damascus, which is held by the government and lies near the rebel enclave that includes eastern Ghouta, killed a woman and injured three other civilians, state news agency SANA reported. International concern has been growing over the fate of eastern Ghouta as bombardment by the Syrian military and Russia has increased in recent months and as shortages of food and medicine have led to severe malnutrition. Assad and his allies have gained momentum in the seven-year-old war, gaining territory, pushing rebels from most big cities, and forcing several pockets to surrender last year. BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - The president of Azerbaijan has called a snap presidential election. Ilham Aliyev, who has ruled the oil-rich Caspian Sea nation since 2003, had been expected to seek re-election in November, but his office announced on Monday that an early election would be held in April. Aliyev's office did not immediately explain the move. Azerbaijan's constitution was amended at a referendum in 2016, extending the presidential term from five to seven years. Aliyev's critics saw the referendum as effectively cementing a dynastic rule. The 56-year old Aliyev succeeded his father, who died in 2003. In the immediate aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, there was a fevered pitch to ban bump stocks, the device that allowed the shooter's semi-automatic rifles to mimic the rapid fire of machine guns. With that push stalled at the federal level, a handful of states and some cities are moving ahead with bans of their own. Massachusetts and New Jersey two states at the time led by Republican governors as well as the cities of Denver and Columbia, South Carolina, have enacted laws prohibiting the sale and possession of the devices, which were attached to a half-dozen of the long guns found in the hotel room of the Las Vegas shooter who in October killed 58 people and injured hundreds more attending a nearby outdoor concert. A little over a dozen other states are also considering bans on bump stocks. Gun-control advocates say the push fits a pattern in gun politics: inaction in Washington that forces states to take the lead. Gun-rights advocates call it a knee-jerk reaction that will do little to stop bad guys from killing, and vow a legal challenge. For Zach Elmore, the issue is deeply personal. His sister among those wounded in the Las Vegas attack. He finds hope in the statewide and local efforts to ban bump stocks. "Hopefully it's the start of a big movement versus just a flash in the pan,'' Elmore said. "Obviously you cannot legislate (against) evil, but you can legislate the things with which bad people will use to perpetrate evil." The devices were originally intended to help people with disabilities and were little known and little sold until the Las Vegas shooting. They fit over the stock and pistol grip of a semi-automatic rifle and allow the weapon to fire rapidly, some 400 to 800 rounds per minute, mimicking a fully automatic firearm. FILE - In this Oct. 4, 2017 file photo, shooting i FILE - Shooting instructor Frankie McRae demonstrates the grip on an AR-15 rifle fitted with a bump stock at his 37 PSR Gun Club in Bunnlevel, N.C., Oct. 4, 2017. FILE - Shooting instructor Frankie McRae demonstrates the grip on an AR-15 rifle fitted with a bump stock at his 37 PSR Gun Club in Bunnlevel, N.C., Oct. 4, 2017. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives reviewed the devices and approved them in 2010, ruling they did not amount to machine guns that are regulated under the National Firearms Act that dates to the 1930s. Richard Vasquez was assistant chief of the ATF's technology bureau and led the review of bump stocks. He stands by the agency's 2010 ruling, which relied on a key difference between semi-automatic and fully automatic firearms: While semi-automatic firearms require a separate and independent pull of the trigger to fire a bullet, fully automatic firearms can fire multiple rounds with a single trigger pull. ATF determined bump stocks didn't convert a semi-automatic firearm into one that is fully auto. "It's a proper determination. Everybody wants to jump the gun and say that ATF made a mistake," said Vasquez, who left the agency in 2014. "ATF didn't make a mistake." The federal agency is reviewing its ruling, something Vasquez and others caution is a dangerous move without Congress first changing the law to specifically make such devices illegal. "If ATF is allowed to write a regulation to change the definition of this device, instead of a law, it's going to give all government agencies authority to change their regulations, which could affect us in a wide variety of ways," Vasquez warned. Legislation in Congress has remained in limbo despite early signs from a bipartisan mix of lawmakers and advocates who voiced alarm that such a device was deemed legal and on the market. Even the National Rifle Association sounded open to great regulation of bump stocks. Joyce Malcolm, a professor at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia School of Law, said the bans likely would withstand a legal challenge, but she wonders about more practical matters: How might they be enforced? "I don't see a real constitutional issue. I just wonder about actually getting these devices out of circulation for people who already have them," she said. It's not known how many of the devices are in circulation. At the time of the Las Vegas shooting, gun dealers said they rarely had customers wanting to buy one but then couldn't keep up with the demand in the days and months afterward. The leading manufacturer of bump stocks, Texas-based Slide Fire Solutions, briefly stopped selling them, posting a notice on its website that it had suspended sales to keep up with demand. It has since resumed sales. Massachusetts, which has some of the nation's strictest gun laws, enacted its ban a month after the Las Vegas shooting, pushed through a Democratic-controlled Legislature and signed into law by a Republican lieutenant governor. New Jersey followed suit last month with a measure signed into law by outgoing Republican Gov. Chris Christie. About a dozen other states are considering similar bills. "This is a very familiar story. The Congress cowers in the face of the NRA, and the states act," said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, which advocates for tougher gun laws. Connecticut, home to some of the world's most legendary gun makers, is among the other states considering bans. Rep. William Tong, a Democrat and House chairman of the Connecticut Legislature's Judiciary Committee, called it a commonsense measure that puts public safety first. "The federal government has demonstrated that, given the composition of the Congress right now, it's not possible to pass commonsense gun laws," he said. "Connecticut can't wait." Gun-rights advocates say the efforts undermine the Second Amendment and will do little to stop criminals. "Anti-gun Democrats love to ban things. That is their answer," said Erich Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America, who added bump stocks have rarely, if ever, been used in a crime before the Las Vegas shooting. "This is their chance to say, 'Hey, we're doing something. Look at us. We're doing something.' It's not going to do anything." A well-known Pakistani TV anchor facing renewed accusations of hate speech is fighting a court order that temporarily bans him from appearing in print, on television or on social media platforms. Legal experts and rights activists are monitoring the case, which has raised the issue of free speech. In December, an Islamabad court imposed the ban on Aamir Liaquat Hussain, a controversial yet influential TV host accused of instigating hatred and religious intolerance. A final decision is pending. Hussain called the "king of ratings" because of the huge audiences he commands denies the accusations and created a website on which he posted a video expressing his desire to continue exercising his right to free speech. "The voice may be banned 100,000 times. The picture is forbidden or even giving analysis on any program is banned. But the water carves its own path," he said. Hussain also questioned the restriction. "I have submitted a petition in the Supreme Court to intervene and to look into the decision that blocks me from appearing on television. I have no clue as to why the Islamabad High Court has placed a ban on my appearances," Hussain said in the video. Legal experts have a different opinion, and say his decision to create the website is in open defiance of the court ban. FILE - Pakistani television show host Aamir Liaqua FILE - Pakistani television show host Aamir Liaquat Hussain, right, distributes gifts to the audience during an Islamic quiz show in Karachi, July 31, 2013. FILE - Pakistani television show host Aamir Liaquat Hussain, right, distributes gifts to the audience during an Islamic quiz show in Karachi, July 31, 2013. "The law is above all, and no one is above the law," Ikram Chaudhry, a senior Supreme Court advocate, told VOA. "I believe what Hussain has done is a direct trespassing and transgression of the court ruling, and the court must act accordingly." In his video, Hussain claimed respect for the law. "No one respects the courts more than me," he said. "Those who openly defy the court rulings are roaming freely, and I'm being barred from any appearance." Chaudhry said the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, or PEMRA, should devise new rules to regulate social media and the internet. "With millions of users with internet access, who needs television anymore to connect to the people?" Chaudhry asked. Following the court decision, PEMRA issued a notice to its TV and radio licensees to ensure that Hussain is not allowed to appear on their platforms. Previous controversies In 2008, during a live television broadcast, Hussain and a group of clerics criticized Mirza Ghulam Qadyani, founder and religious leader of the minority Ahmadi community. Following the program, two prominent members of that community were killed in Pakistan. The nation's constitution does not recognize Ahmadis as Muslims, as Ahmadis do not believe in the finality of the Prophet Muhammad. In another live broadcast in 2014, Hussain applauded a religious cleric who stated Ahmadis were enemies of Islam. Days later, another Ahmadi lost his life. Human rights activists believe the slain Ahmadis paid the price for Hussain's rhetoric in a country where religion remains one of the most sensitive issues. "Influential TV anchors with massive followings such as Aamir Liaquat Hussain have a huge burden on their shoulders to stay vigilant and to abstain from provoking religious sentiments," Zohra Yusuf, a rights activist from Pakistan, told VOA. "Unfortunately, Hussain has done it repeatedly on television. No one should be allowed to spit venom against any race, religion or community. "In this case, the Ahmadis, unfortunately, paid the price." In the past, PEMRA banned Hussain following TV programs that violated the code of conduct set by media regulatory authorities. In January 2017, five secular bloggers who were reported missing re-emerged after a few weeks. On TV programs during their disappearance, Hussain broadcast content from their social media accounts and called them "blasphemers." PEMRA briefly banned Hussain following the program for inciting hatred. Free speech Blasphemy remains a controversial and divisive issue in Pakistan. Those charged with blasphemy risk death sentences. Critics in Pakistan maintain they do not advocate court interventions on freedom of speech, but said limits on free speech need to be defined. "Freedom of speech is very important for any society and I personally do not agree that anyone, including Hussain, should face a lifetime ban," Yusuf said. "I believe, if Aamir Liaquat Hussain complies with the code of conduct set by PEMRA and takes care of the intricacies of sensitive religious matters and issues related to the minorities, he should be allowed to appear on the TV," she added. Rasul Baksh Raees, an analyst based in Lahore, maintains that freedom of speech is a necessity for any society, but that Pakistani media in the past, have made some grave mistakes due to lack of editorial judgment and the urge to attract large audiences and ratings. "I do not advocate that courts should be controlling the media. That should not be the case. But there is a responsibility by our media, too, to have a clear editorial policy so that no one is allowed to use TV, radio or social media as mediums to incite hatred or violence just to gain ratings," Raees said in an interview with VOA. TAIPEI, TAIWAN - A bloc of four powerful, Western-allied nations, intent on keeping the South China Sea open for international use despite growing Chinese control, will probably issue stern statements, help Chinas maritime rivals and hold joint naval exercises near the contested waterway this year, analysts say. Australia, India, Japan and the United States, a group known as the quad, are most likely to take those measures rather than directly challenging Chinese claims such as its military installations among the seas 500 small islets. Number one, presence is probably going be driven by the U.S., said Stuart Orr, professor of strategic management at Deakin University in Australia. If I were to take a guess, I would say probably follow that by India, with Japan taking a little bit more of the same role as Australia does, at providing high-level logistical support. The quad countries want to keep the 3.5 million-square-kilometer, resource-rich sea open while protecting their own economic ties with Beijing, say experts who follow the issue. Multiple countries ship, fish and explore for oil in the South China Sea today. Cautionary pronouncements Heads of state from the four-way alliance met in Manila in November to discuss keeping the sea open. Australia and Japan separately called then for rules-based order and respect for international law in the sea. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told leaders from 10 Southeast Asian countries, including four that compete with China for maritime sovereignty, January 26 that India was committed to working together more on maritime matters. Expect more statements designed to keep China on guard, analysts say. I think the most concrete thing they can do is to issue some statements on the South China Sea dispute, and even then I believe that China might not even be explicitly named in such a statement, said Ben Ho, senior analyst with the Military Studies Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Leaders from left to right, Malaysia's Prime Minis World leaders at the ASEAN Summit in Manila, Philippines. World leaders at the ASEAN Summit in Manila, Philippines. China calls about 90 percent of the sea its own. Chinese expansion since 2010 has irritated rival claimants Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Those governments, all militarily weaker than Beijing, bristle when China fortifies disputed islets for military use and passes coast guard ships through contested waters. Beijing says historical records prove its claim to the sea, an argument rejected in 2016 by a world arbitration court. Joint military exercises Combinations of the four countries might pass naval vessels through the South China Sea, especially along its perimeters or the coastal waters of smaller countries that want help resisting Chinese vessels, experts say. The United States, the world's top military power, has sent naval vessels to the South China Sea five times under President Donald Trump, extending a practice under his predecessor to assert Washingtons view that the sea should allow freedom of navigation. Japan may follow as it tries to break out of its self-imposed restraints, said Oh Ei Sun, international studies instructor at Singapore Nanyang University. Tokyo passed a helicopter carrier through the disputed sea in June 2017. Japan vies with China over tracts of the East China Sea, as well. Leaders are in Tokyo are studying constitutional changes to give the armed forces more power. You will see Japan trying to make more frequent port calls and indeed join military exercises, providing training and so on to these nations, Oh said. India and Australia would support any military movement aimed at warning China, analysts say. Australia could become a place to monitor whats going on and become a platform for any follow-up, Orr said. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer U The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd arrives off the coast of India in preparation for Malabar 2017, a series of exercises between the Indian Navy, Japan Maritime Self Defense Force and U.S. Navy. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd arrives off the coast of India in preparation for Malabar 2017, a series of exercises between the Indian Navy, Japan Maritime Self Defense Force and U.S. Navy. India will make port calls and join any naval patrols with other countries, said Sameer Lalwani, deputy director for U.S. think tank The Stimson Centers South Asia program. India vies with China for geopolitical control in south and central Asia. India could also enhance the number of military exercises, both national and joint with other countries to improve proficiency, enhance cooperation, and signal capabilities, Lalwani said. Obviously more visible cooperation with the United States would send an even stronger message. Arms supplies Japan will continue to bolster the capacities of allied Asian countries, said Stephen Nagy, senior associate professor in politics and international studies at International Christian University in Tokyo. Expect military training, new equipment and two naval destroyer visits this year to Vietnam as a message that their relations are deepening, he said. Vietnam has been the most aggressive South China Sea claimant aside from China. In January 2017 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to provide six patrol boats for Vietnam's coast guard. The U.S. government is also planning to let one of its aircraft carriers visit the Southeast Asian country this year. President Donald Trump, accompanied by Japanese Pr President Donald Trump, accompanied by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, left, and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, right, waves to reporters at a meeting during the ASEAN Summit at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Nov. 13, 2017. President Donald Trump, accompanied by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, left, and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, right, waves to reporters at a meeting during the ASEAN Summit at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Nov. 13, 2017. With the U.S. sending ships as well, Vietnam and other countries are being courted for more security partnerships, Nagy said. India has previously helped Vietnam explore the sea for oil. It may look to the quad for chances to grow its economy, technology and foreign relations, experts believe. Chinese reaction China is expected to react to the quad one act at a time. If they make statements, China will use words in return, Ho said. If the other countries hold military exercises, China might double down on fortifying the islets it holds now in the Paracel and Spratly chains. India and Japan are unlikely to push too hard overall as they grapple with their own disputes involving China, Ho said. India and China contest two tracts of their mountainous land border. Chinas chief deterrent for the quad players may be its economic might. Australia, for example, counts China as its No. 1 trade partner, with a 27 percent increase in exports in 2016 and 2017, official Australian data show. A naval drill is unlikely, Ho said. I think Canberra has too much at stake in terms of economic links with Beijing to take such a drastic measure, he said. After all China is Australias top trading partner, both in terms of imports and exports, and Canberra will not do anything drastic to damage its relationship. Democratic lawmakers are pushing Monday for the release of their rebuttal to a Republican-approved memo alleging that the FBI abused its power in probing Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The minority Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee are calling for a vote, clearing the path to disclose their views on the underlying classified information that Republicans used in a four-page memo they released last week. But the Democrats face questions about whether their rejoinder could expose information about U.S. intelligence-gathering operations. U.S. President Donald Trump would also have to review the release of the Democratic rebuttal to see if it exposed classified information. Trump claims the Republican memo crafted by House Intelligence chairman Devin Nunes and others "totally vindicates" him of wrongdoing in the ongoing investigation into Russian meddling in the election and whether he obstructed justice in trying to limit the probe. In a Twitter remark early Monday, Trump assailed the top Democrat on the panel, referring to him as "Little Adam Schiff" and naming several others with whom he has feuded over national security issues. Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2018 Rep. Adam Schiff, D- Calif., ranking member of the Rep. Adam Schiff, D- Calif., ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, speaks at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Feb. 1, 2018. Rep. Adam Schiff, D- Calif., ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, speaks at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Feb. 1, 2018. The California congressman has called the Republican memo a "political hit job" on the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Schiff responded on Twitter: Mr. President, I see youve had a busy morning of Executive Time. Instead of tweeting false smears, the American people would appreciate it if you turned off the TV and helped solve the funding crisis, protected Dreamers or...really anything else. https://t.co/lVqQRu2Gjl Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) February 5, 2018 Meanwhile, Trump praised Nunes, saying, "Representative Devin Nunes, a man of tremendous courage and grit, may someday be recognized as a Great American Hero for what he has exposed and what he has had to endure!" U.S. Representative Devin Nunes (R-CA), chairman o U.S. Representative Devin Nunes (R-CA), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, listens as President Donald Trump addresses the Republican congressional retreat at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Feb. 1, 2018. U.S. Representative Devin Nunes (R-CA), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, listens as President Donald Trump addresses the Republican congressional retreat at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Feb. 1, 2018. Several Republicans on Sunday disputed Trump's contention that the Republican memo vindicated him in the investigation being conducted by special counsel Robert Mueller. The four-page memo concluded the FBI relied excessively on opposition research funded by Democrats in a dossier compiled by a former British spy, Christopher Steele, as its sought approval from a U.S. surveillance court in October 2016 to monitor Carter Page, a Trump campaign adviser, and his links to Russia. But the memo also noted that the FBI investigation that eventually led to Mueller's probe started months earlier in July 2016 when agents began looking into contacts between another Trump adviser, George Papadopoulos, and Russian operatives. Papadopoulos, as part of Mueller's probe, has pleaded guilty to lying to investigators about his Russian contacts and, pending his sentencing, is cooperating with Mueller's investigation. FILE - Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-SC., seen on the House f FILE - Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-SC., seen on the House floor for the arrival of President Donald Trump to addresses a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 30, 2018. FILE - Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-SC., seen on the House floor for the arrival of President Donald Trump to addresses a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 30, 2018. Congressman Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, one of the key authors of the Republican memo, told CBS's "Face the Nation" the document does not undermine Mueller's months-long investigation. Gowdy said that "there is a Russia investigation without a (Steele) dossier" because of other Trump campaign links to Russia, including a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York set up by Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., on the premise that a Russian lawyer would hand over incriminating evidence on Trump's election opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton. Gowdy said the Steele dossier "also doesn't have anything to do with obstruction of justice." Another Republican on the Intelligence panel, Congressman Chris Stewart of Utah, told Fox News, "I think it would be a mistake for anyone to suggest the special counsel should not continue his work. This memo, frankly, has nothing to do at all with the special counsel." Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., spea FILE - Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters ahead of President Donald Trump's first State of the Union address, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 30, 2018. FILE - Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters ahead of President Donald Trump's first State of the Union address, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 30, 2018. In a letter Sunday, Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer pushed Trump to approve the release of the Democratic response to the Nunes memo, saying Americans should "be allowed to see both sides of the argument and make their own judgments." Democratic lawmakers opposed to Friday's release of the memo contend that the Republican-approved statement "cherry-picks" information and overstates the importance of the Steele dossier in the FBI's effort to win approval from the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Court for the monitoring of Page's activities. The FBI also opposed release of the memo, saying it had "grave concerns" about its accuracy because of omissions concerning its request to the surveillance court to monitor Page. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who is overseeing the Mueller investigation, also opposed its release. Nunes said last week he hoped release of the memo would "shine a light" on what he called "this alarming series of events. "The committee has discovered serious violations of the public trust, and the American people have a right to know when officials in crucial institutions are abusing their authority for political purposes," Nunes said. "Our intelligence and law enforcement agencies exist to defend the American people, not to be exploited to target one group on behalf of another." LONDON - Prime Minister Theresa May's office underscored Monday that Britain will not remain in a customs union with the European Union after the U.K. breaks with the 28-nation bloc. After a weekend of conflicting statements from government officials, a source in May's office, speaking only on customary condition of anonymity, told British media that it is not their policy to be in a customs union. The comment comes as Britain seeks to clarify its position ahead of a new round of talks between Britain and the EU. May's party has been split between those who want a complete break from the EU and those who want to keep Britain's economy closely aligned with the bloc and its market of 500 million people. EU negotiator Michel Barnier is due to meet British Brexit Secretary David Davis in London on Monday ahead of a new round of talks this week. With only months before Britain is to leave in March 2019, tensions in May's government have been escalating as the leadership tries to determine its negotiating position. May has been under pressure to take sides in the Conservative Party's civil war over how close the new relationship with the EU should be. Business leaders have been pleading with May to have close alignment with the EU. Lawmaker Anna Soubry urged May to pay attention, taking to Twitter to urge her to reject the so-called "Hard Brexit" vision espoused by the European Research Group lawmakers, led by Jacob-Rees Mogg, a prominent Brexiteer. "It's deeply unattractive that the only reason they want to leave #CustomsUnion is to chase unicorn trade deals," she tweeted. The government position is important because being part of the customs union affects how members trade with countries outside it. Political leaders who pushed for Britain's exit pledged to strike new trade deals with the United States and others. Such deals wouldn't be possible while remaining in a customs union because the EU executive negotiates trade deals on behalf of members of the bloc. Critics had hoped the matter would be reconsidered as the negotiations move to the next phase. VATICAN CITY - Tayyip Erdogan made the first visit by a Turkish president to see the pope in the Vatican in 59 years on Monday as Rome was put under heavy security measures for fear of violent demonstrations. Erdogan said before he left Turkey that he would discuss the Middle East situation and Jerusalem in particular. The Vatican was due to issue a statement about the meeting later. Both Erdogan and Pope Francis are opposed to U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which many U.S. allies say could doom Middle East peace efforts. Erdogan, returning a visit made by the pope to Turkey in 2014, spoke privately with Francis for about 50 minutes in the pontiff's frescoed study in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, which he uses mostly for ceremonial purposes. At the end of the private part of the meeting, the pope gave Erdogan a bronze medallion showing an angel embracing the northern and southern hemispheres while overcoming the opposition of a dragon. "This is the angel of peace who strangles the demon of war," the pope told Erdogan as he gave him the medallion, made by the Italian artist Guido Verol. "[It is] a symbol of a world based on peace an justice." The public part of the meeting, with reporters and Erdogan's entourage, was cordial, although both men seemed stiff at the start while seated at the pope's desk before journalists were ushered out. Erdogan's motorcade entered a virtually deserted St. Peter's Square after the streets that are usually bustling with tourists were closed due to security fears. A small, authorized demonstration of Kurds and their supporters was held outside nearby Castel Sant'Angelo, a fortress on the banks of the River Tiber. Some 3,500 police and security forces were on duty in Rome and authorities declared a no-go area for unauthorized demonstrations that included the Vatican, Erdogan's hotel and Italian palaces where he is meeting the president and prime minister. Matteo Salvini, head of Italy's anti-immigrant Northern League, said in a tweet that it was "shameful" that the government was receiving Erdogan, calling him "the head of a bloody, freedom-killing Islamic regime." Erdogan and the pope spoke by phone in December after Trump made his announcement on Jerusalem and agreed that any change to the city's status quo should be avoided. The Vatican backs a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, with both sides agreeing on the status of Jerusalem home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions as part of the peace process. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state, whereas Israel has declared the whole city to be its "united and eternal" capital. Among Erdogan's delegation was the Mehmet Pacaci, Turkey's ambassador to the Vatican. Erdogan recalled Pacaci to Turkey in 2015 when Francis became the head of the Roman Catholic Church and called the 1915 killing of as many as 1.5 million Armenians "genocide" - something Turkey has always denied. The ambassador stayed away for nearly 10 months. German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) plan to continue negotiations on Tuesday as they struggle to reach agreement on health care and labor reforms - the final hurdles to another "grand coalition." Negotiators from both political blocs agreed that more time was needed to reach a deal, party sources said late on Monday. They said the talks - initially expected to conclude on Sunday - would continue on Tuesday at the party headquarters of Merkel's conservatives in Berlin. The parties are racing to clinch a deal on renewing the coalition that has governed since 2013 and end months of uncertainty. Both sides expressed confidence a deal remained within grasp. "It's going to work out," the SPD's Andrea Nahles said on arrival for Monday's negotiations at her party headquarters. Gerd Mueller, senior member of Merkel's Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) allies, also struck an optimistic tone in the evening: "I do think that this will now happen." The Rheinische Post newspaper, citing an internal SPD schedule, reported that Merkel, the leader of her Bavarian allies Horst Seehofer and SPD chief Martin Schulz wanted to present a final coalition agreement on Tuesday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives at the hea German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives at the headquarters of the Social Democratic party in Berlin, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018 prior to another day in the coalition talks on forming a new German government between Merkel's Christian Democratic bloc and the Social Democratic party. German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives at the headquarters of the Social Democratic party in Berlin, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018 prior to another day in the coalition talks on forming a new German government between Merkel's Christian Democratic bloc and the Social Democratic party. In a sign of progress, the parties concluded their talks on Europe. Schulz said on Twitter the agreement included "more investment, an investment budget for the eurozone and an end of forced austerity!" The parties further agreed to seek fairer corporate taxation in Europe, including for Internet giants like Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon, he said. Schulz made no specific mention in his message, however, of any plans to advocate for more powers and responsibilities for the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) eurozone bailout fund, as was envisaged in a coalition blueprint agreed on Jan. 12. Some conservatives fear that rushing ahead with European integration would create too much of a burden for German taxpayers. The SPD made reform of the European Union a priority in campaigning for last September's federal election, pledging in its manifesto to work for "a better and fairer Europe." The message failed to resonate with voters, however, and the SPD slumped to its worst post-war election result. Now, the party is trying to extract concessions on domestic policy that could win over skeptics among its 443,000 members, who get the final say on whether to move ahead with another tie-up with the conservatives. An Insa poll on Monday showed mounting pressure on Schulz, with support for the SPD dropping to just 17 percent, well below its election result of 20.5 percent, the party's worst since Germany became a federal republic in 1949. "Germany's political landscape (is) evolving rapidly," economist Henrik Enderlein said. He noted that Merkel's conservatives lost three percentage points to 30.5 percent in the poll. That means the planned "grand coalition," known as "GroKo," would no longer even win a majority of votes. "SPD vote against #GroKo would be suicide by fear of death," Enderlein said. Investor concerns Merkel's failure to cobble together a new government more than four months after the election has raised concerns among investors and partner countries at a time when Europe is facing multiple challenges - including the need for eurozone reform and Britain's looming departure from the EU. Germany could face a new election or an unprecedented minority government if SPD members reject a coalition deal. The parties agreed on Monday to end misuse of a property tax loophole and strengthen the financial sector after Brexit by making it easier for banks to hire and fire top managers, a negotiation document showed. Over the weekend, they inked a deal to invest more than 2 billion euros in social housing by 2021, to spend up to 12 billion euros on expanding broadband and to channel 33 billion euros to municipalities for investments, including in childcare. The SPD sees advances on labor rules and health care as crucial to winning over left-wing members and other skeptics. Conservatives have thus far rejected a push by the SPD to ban short-term employment contracts imposed by employers without justification. But they have offered to prevent the repeated renewal of such short-term contracts as a compromise. The two sides are also at odds over the SPD's call to replace Germany's dual public-private health care system with a universal insurance system for all. Monday's talks were expected to focus on improving public health care, such as by changing billing rules for doctors, who earn more by treating privately insured patients. Israel's education minister said Monday that Poland cancelled his visit to the country amid uproar over proposed Polish legislation that would outlaw blaming Poland for crimes committed during the Holocaust. "The blood of Polish Jews cries from the ground, and no law will silence it,'' Naftali Bennett said in a statement late Monday. "The government of Poland cancelled my visit, because I mentioned the crimes of its people. I am honored." The cancellation of Bennett's trip scheduled for Wednesday came several days after Israel's Foreign Ministry requested the postponement of the planned visit of the head of the Polish National Security Council that was set to take place in coming weeks. The bill proposed by Poland's ruling conservative Law and Justice Party calls for fines and prison sentences of up to three years for purposely trying to attribute the crimes Nazi Germany carried out during the nearly six-year occupation to the Polish nation as a whole. Poland's government has argued that it is fighting against the use of phrases like "Polish death camps" to refer to the camps Nazi Germany operated on Polish soil. Poland has also sought to highlight its own suffering at the hands of the Nazis. The bill sparked outrage in Israel, raising tensions with a close ally. Israel sees it as an attempt to whitewash the role some Poles played in the killing of Jews during World War II. "Yes, the death camps in Poland were built and operated by the Germans, and we cannot allow them to evade responsibility for these actions," Bennett said. "However, many Polish people, all over the country, chased, informed or actively took part in the murder of over 200,000 Jews during, and after, the Holocaust. Only a few thousand people, Righteous Among the Nations, risked themselves to save Jews." The Nazis and their collaborators systematically murdered six million Jews, wiping out a third of world Jewry. A wall Israel intends to build at the border marks a violation of Lebanese sovereignty, Lebanon said during a meeting of Lebanese and Israeli military officers chaired by U.N. peacekeepers Monday. Disagreement over the wall and Lebanon's plans to explore for offshore oil and gas in disputed maritime waters have elevated tensions between Israel and Lebanon, which is home to the powerful Iran-backed Shiite group Hezbollah. The Israeli army has previously said the construction work is being done on sovereign Israeli territory. The Lebanese government says the wall passes through territory that belongs to Lebanon but which is located on the Israeli side of the U.N.-designated Blue Line, which demarcated Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000. The Israeli defense minister, addressing the dispute last week, accused Hezbollah of provocations, saying Israel had withdrawn to the recognized international border with Lebanon and was being challenged over a barrier in Israeli territory. The sides met under the supervision of the U.N. peacekeeping force UNIFIL in their regular tripartite meeting at U.N. positions in the Ras al-Naqoura border area. "The Lebanese side reviewed the matter of the wall which the Israeli enemy intends to build ... confirming the position of the Lebanese government rejecting the construction of this wall as it violates Lebanese sovereignty," the Lebanese army said in a statement after Monday's meeting. Hezbollah and Israel last fought a major conflict in 2006. In a statement, UNIFIL said the meeting had received great attention "due to engineering works south of the Blue Line previously announced by the Israeli side." UNIFIL force commander Major General Beary noted there had been a "period of relative calm" since the last tripartite meeting. "However, there has been a great deal of activity along the Blue Line. I would like to acknowledge the restraint exercised by both parties in decreasing tension and maintaining stability. No one wants to return to a period of escalating tensions and a breach of the cessation of hostilities," he said. Offshore energy dispute In the meeting, the Lebanese side also rejected recent Israeli comments about Lebanon's offshore energy exploration, the army statement said. On Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman described as "very provocative" Lebanon's first offshore oil and gas exploration tender and said it would be a mistake for international firms to participate. Lebanon has an unresolved maritime border dispute with Israel over a triangular area of sea of around 860 sq km (330 square miles) that extends along the edge of three of five blocks Lebanon put to tender early last year. Lebanon in December approved a bid by a consortium of France's Total, Italy's Eni and Russia's Novatek for two blocks. One of the awarded blocks, Block 9, borders Israeli waters. "The block lies entirely within Lebanon's territorial and economic waters," the army statement said. Hours after the country's president declared a state of emergency, Maldives security forces forced their way into the Supreme Court building and early Tuesday arrested Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and another judge. Police said in a Twitter message they had arrested Saeed and Supreme Court Judge Ali Hameed "for an ongoing investigation." They gave no details about the allegations or charges against the two judges. Security forces also on Monday arrested the country's former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the ex-president's spokesman said. Maldives President Abdulla Yameen declared a 15-day state of emergency after refusing to comply with a Supreme Court order to release detained political leaders. "During this time, though certain rights will be restricted, general movements, services and businesses will not be affected," a statement issued by the president's office said. A Maldivian policeman charges with a baton towards A Maldives policeman charges with baton towards protesters after the government declared a 15-day state of emergency in Male, Maldives, early Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018. A Maldives policeman charges with baton towards protesters after the government declared a 15-day state of emergency in Male, Maldives, early Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018. "The Government of Maldives wishes to also assure all Maldivians and the international community that the safety of all Maldivians and foreigners living in and visiting the Maldives will be ensured," it added. Yameen's administration defied the top court's order last week to release the prisoners, and Monday asked the court to revoke it. Human rights group Amnesty International denounced the state of emergency Monday, warning that it may lead to "further repression" of human rights in the country. "The declaration of the state of emergency in the Maldives is an extremely worrying development that comes at a time of heightened political anxieties in the country. But respect for human rights must not become another casualty of this ongoing political crisis," Dinushika Dissanayake, Amnesty Internationals deputy South Asia director, said in a statement. The White House National Security Council issued a statement saying the United States stands with the people of Maldives. "The Maldivian government and military must respect the rule of law, freedom of expression and democratic institutions. The world is watching," the NSC said in a tweet. America stands with the people of Maldives. The Maldivian government and military must respect the rule of law, freedom of expression, and democratic institutions. The world is watching. NSC (@WHNSC) February 5, 2018 In nearby India, the External Affairs Ministry issued an advisory asking Indians to defer all non-essential travel to Maldives until further notice, and urged Indian expatriates to remain on alert, given the security situation. China's foreign minister spokesman told reporters on Monday that Beijing is closely following the situation in Maldives and called on authorities there to take the necessary steps to protect the security of Chinese firms, institutions and personnel. Opposition supporters protest against the governme Opposition supporters protest against the government's delay in releasing their jailed leaders, including former president Mohamed Nasheed, despite a Supreme Court order, in Male, Maldives, Feb. 4, 2018. Opposition supporters protest against the government's delay in releasing their jailed leaders, including former president Mohamed Nasheed, despite a Supreme Court order, in Male, Maldives, Feb. 4, 2018. Democratic gains in the Maldives have eroded under the leadership of Yameen, who has conducted a crackdown on the opposition and the press. Security officials in the Somali town of Afgoye say they are not aware of the presence of pro-Islamic State militants in the town, despite a series of social media posts by the group claiming responsibility for attacks in the area. Afgoye police commander Captain Abdulkadir Osman Mursal says attacks against civilians in Afgoye are carried out by the al-Shabab militant group and not "Daesh," but says police are "on alert and investigating the claims." "Daesh and al-Shabab are the same to us, they both kill civilians," he said. Pro-Islamic State militants have been claiming responsibility for series of attacks in Afgoye since the second half of last year. One of the attacks in January took place last week with pro-IS militants claiming they killed a finance officer. In another incident in January, the group said it killed a man who worked for the national intelligence agency of Somalia. Afgoye, near Mogadishu, Somalia Afgoye, near Mogadishu, Somalia Afgoye, near Mogadishu, Somalia IS even published a purported video showing assassins carrying pistols who approached the target from a behind. The young man who is already lying on the ground is shot and killed. Even more confusing, al-Shabab claimed killing an intelligence agent in Afgoye on the same night, but did not provide any video or pictures. It is unclear if the two militant groups are claiming responsibility for the same incident. False claims? Mursal says he went to the scene on January 13, and the person assassinated was not an intelligence officer. "I went to the scene where he was killed, they arrived on a motorbike, they killed and they escaped to the villages near Afgoye," he said. "The man they killed was a student at a university in Mogadishu; he also worked as a teacher in Afgoye. He was not a soldier, he did not work for the government as his relatives told us, he was a civilian." Mursal says residents told police that assailants who carried out the killing may have escaped the town. He says he is certain about the people targeted regardless of the claims. "They target a civilian person who is vulnerable, and then when they escape they claim that he was with government security agencies," he said. Mursal believes al-Shabab is responsible for killings in the town. "As far as we know, the group who are denying people to live and to have peace, who kill them and then brag about killing innocent civilians, are al-Shabab," he said. There have been at least seven killings reported in Afgoye in January. Apart from the student, they include soldiers, tax collectors, a religious man, and a social media enthusiast who posts messages condemning the killings on his accounts. FILE - Somali soldiers search through homes for al FILE - Somali soldiers search through homes for al-Shabab fighters, June, 2, 2012. FILE - Somali soldiers search through homes for al-Shabab fighters, June, 2, 2012. Mursal admits that no one has been arrested for the January killings, but says police are on the "heels" of the attackers. Growing fear Residents in Afgoye say they are concerned about the reports. One resident who did not want to be named for safety reasons said the presence of pro-IS militants could worsen the security of the town, which is already under constant attack from al-Shabab. "If they compete for killings in our town, that is a big problem for the people," he said. Observers also believe the danger could be real and urged the government not to take the reports lightly. The only other place where pro-Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for attacks last year has been Bosaso in the far northeast of Puntland. Despite the insistence that it's only al-Shabab that is killing people in Afgoye, Mursal says they are exercising caution. "We are on alert, we are cautious, we are conducting operations during nighttime and daytime," he said. "We are investigating, and we will follow up the claims but we are not aware of their presence." One possibility, Mursal says, is that attackers are coming from the outskirts of Afgoye where foreign militants hide. Afgoye is surrounded by farmlands and forests where militants plan and launch hit-and-run attacks against government troops and the AMISOM forces of the African Union. Afgoye, a populous, agricultural town just 30 km southwest of Mogadishu, is crucial for the security of Mogadishu, as it links the capital to the southern and southwestern regions of Somalia. It's also the gateway to at least six regions to Mogadishu. Russia said Monday it has met the nuclear arsenal limits of a key arms control treaty, but it raised some issues with how the United States has sought to comply with the 2010 accord. In a separate statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry also scathingly criticized a different U.S. nuclear review, saying it could lower the threshold for using nuclear weapons. The New START treaty signed in 2010 restricts the U.S. and Russia each to 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads on a maximum of 700 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles and strategic bombers. The deadline to verify both countries' compliance was Monday. The Russian Foreign Ministry said it now has 527 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles and strategic bombers and 1,444 strategic nuclear warheads. The U.S. reported it has been in compliance with the limits since August. While acknowledging the U.S. statement on meeting the treaty caps, Russia voiced concern about the U.S. reconfiguring some submarines and bombers to carry conventional weapons. The foreign ministry said it does not have a way to confirm the reconfigured hardware was rendered incapable of carrying nuclear weapons. The ministry added that the U.S. also "arbitrarily converted" some missile launch facilities designated for training purposes, a use it said wasn't envisaged by the treaty. "The Russian federation confirms its adherence to the New START Treaty while insisting that the United States continues a constructive search for mutually acceptable solutions," to "issues that may arise between the parties under the Treaty," it said. U.S. response Responding to the Russian claims, the U.S. State Department insisted that "the United States is in full compliance with its Treaty obligations and is fully committed to continuing to implement New START." US Russia Arms Reduction FILE - U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev show signed copies of the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START II) at Prague Castle in Prague, April 8, 2010. FILE - U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev show signed copies of the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START II) at Prague Castle in Prague, April 8, 2010. The State Department added: "In order to meet the central limits of the Treaty, the United States developed and utilized conversion procedures in full compliance with its Treaty obligations," it added. "We will continue to engage Russia in the Bilateral Consultative Commission and other diplomatic channels to work cooperatively to address technical questions and issues related to the ongoing implementation of New START," it said. Russia-U.S. ties have remained tense over the Ukrainian conflict, the Syria war and allegations of Moscow's meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. On Friday, the Trump administration declared it will continue much of the Obama administration's nuclear weapons policy, but take a more aggressive stance toward Russia. It said Russia must be convinced it would face "unacceptably dire costs" if it were to threaten even a limited nuclear attack in Europe. 'Escalate to de-escalate' The Pentagon-led review of the U.S. nuclear arsenal and the policies that govern it reflected the administration's view that Russian policies and actions are fraught with potential for miscalculation that could lead to an uncontrolled escalation of conflict in Europe. It specifically pointed to a Russian doctrine known as "escalate to de-escalate," in which Moscow would use or threaten to use smaller-yield nuclear weapons in a limited, conventional conflict in Europe in the belief that doing so would compel the U.S. and NATO to back down. The report, known as the Nuclear Posture Review, said the U.S. would modify "a small number" of existing long-range ballistic missiles carried by Trident strategic submarines to fit them with smaller-yield nuclear warheads. "In the longer term," the administration plans to develop a nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile, re-establishing a weapon that existed during the Cold War but was retired in 2011 by the Obama administration. Russia slammed the U.S. report, saying it was founded on false assumptions about Moscow's intentions and contained worrying modernization plans. "Readiness to use nuclear weapons to prevent Russia from using its nuclear arsenal, expressed in the new Nuclear Posture Review, amounts to putting in question our right to defend ourselves against an aggression that threatens the country's survival," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement released over the weekend. "We would like to hope that Washington is aware of the high level of danger when such doctrinal provisions move to the level of practical military planning." The ministry argued that while the Russian military doctrine envisages the use of nuclear weapons to deter an aggression that threatens "the very existence of our state," Washington took a no-limits approach under which it might use nuclear weapons in "extreme circumstances" that aren't part of military operations. "Moreover, even military scenarios are presented so ambiguously that it seems like the U.S. planners may view practically any use of military capability as a reason for delivering a nuclear strike against anyone they consider an `aggressor,"' it said. The ministry added that the U.S. plans to develop new low-yield nuclear weapons "will greatly increase the temptation of using them, especially considering the right to a disarming first strike as set out in the new U.S. doctrine." "Assurances that the implementation of these plans will not lower the nuclear threshold can at least be interpreted as a desire to delude the international community," it said. "It is even more frightening that the U.S. military and other national security professionals firmly believe in their ability to model conflict scenarios that involve low-yield nuclear opinions. Quite to the contrary, we believe that this dramatic lowering of the threshold conditions can provoke a nuclear missile war even in a low-intensity conflict." A South Korean appeals court suspended a jail sentence handed down to billionaire Samsung Electronics heir Lee Jae-young and ordered his immediate release from prison Monday. The Seoul Central District Court had sentenced the 49-year-old Lee in August to five years in prison for bribery in connection with a scandal that brought down the country's president Park Geun-hye. The appeals court on Monday struck down several of the convictions and reduced the penalty on the remainder to a suspended prison sentence of two and a half years. Four other Samsung executives convicted alongside Lee also had their sentences reduced, with the two who had been given prison terms similarly having their sentences suspended. The case centered on payments Samsung made to Park's secret confidante Choi Soon-Sil for which prosecutors argued they were intended to secure government favors. Lee pleaded not guilty to charges that he used Samsung corporate funds to bribe Park. He was also convicted of other offenses, including embezzlement, money laundering, sheltering assets overseas and perjury of parliament. Prosecutors had sought a 12-year prison term for Lee at the appeals court. The appeals court ruling is expected to be appealed to the country's supreme court. Two senators planned to introduce compromise legislation Monday that would help achieve legal status for hundreds of thousands of immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally as children and strengthen border security. But the measure stops short of explicitly providing money for a wall along the boundary with Mexico, the focus of President Donald Trump's immigration policies. The plan is a more modest approach than Trump has sought for protecting "Dreamers," young immigrants helped by the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Its unveiling comes days before the Senate plans to begin debating immigration legislation, a battle that faces an uncertain outcome in a politically polarized climate. Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Chris Coons, D-Del., are the authors of legislation, which faces an unclear fate. They said in a statement that it was designed to focus on two "pressing" border issues the "Dreamers" and border security so lawmakers could focus on completing a long-overdue budget deal. The measure lacks Trump's demands for limiting the relatives that "Dreamers" can sponsor for citizenship, and ending a visa lottery aimed at admitting more immigrants from diverse places including Africa. Trump seemed to tweet his reaction to the bill Monday morning, saying any proposal without wall funding was "a total waste of time." Any deal on DACA that does not include STRONG border security and the desperately needed WALL is a total waste of time. March 5th is rapidly approaching and the Dems seem not to care about DACA. Make a deal! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2018 The senators' plan would create a road to legal status for "Dreamers" who arrived in the U.S. by the end of 2013 and meet other criteria, including no convictions for serious crimes. Once they've become lawful permanent residents, they can follow existing procedures to apply for citizenship. Democrats and some Republicans want to give "Dreamers" a pathway to citizenship, but oppose cuts Trump would make in the number of legal immigrants allowed to enter the U.S. Conservatives oppose letting "Dreamers" become citizens. That stalemate has led many to believe the likeliest outcome is a narrowly focused bill or even no legislation at all. The senators' proposal is similar to a bipartisan House package by Reps. Will Hurd, R-Texas, and Pete Aguilar, D-Calif. South Africa's ruling party on Monday faced one of its biggest challenges since the end of white minority rule in 1994, struggling to resolve a leadership crisis amid increasing calls for scandal-tainted President Jacob Zuma to resign. Top leaders of the ruling African National Congress met Zuma at his Pretoria residence late Sunday for a discussion that one delegate had said would focus on the "best interests" of the party and the country. However, there was no announcement Monday about the results of the meeting, days ahead of a state of the nation address that Zuma is scheduled to deliver in parliament. South Africa's political opposition has said Zuma is a discredited figure who should not deliver the speech on Thursday, and that the occasion should be postponed until the ANC party sorts out its internal conflict. Newly-elected ruling African National Congress (AN FILE - Newly-elected ruling African National Congress (ANC) party president, Cyril Ramaphosa, right, and former ANC president and South African President Jacob Zuma, left, attend the party's 106th birthday celebrations in East London, South Africa, Jan. 13, 2018. FILE - Newly-elected ruling African National Congress (ANC) party president, Cyril Ramaphosa, right, and former ANC president and South African President Jacob Zuma, left, attend the party's 106th birthday celebrations in East London, South Africa, Jan. 13, 2018. Many ruling party members want Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, who replaced Zuma as party president in December and has talked tough on corruption, to become state president as well so that the party can recover lost popularity ahead of 2019 elections. Critics of Zuma and supporters of the president scuffled outside party headquarters in Johannesburg on Monday. The ANC, which was the main anti-apartheid movement for decades, has led South Africa since the end of white minority rule and drew moral standing from its association with Nelson Mandela, the country's first black president. However, corruption scandals and mismanagement have sapped some support in recent years. The two dozen members of the ruling party's national working committee were scheduled to meet Monday afternoon to discuss Zuma's fate, South African media reported. Zuma still commands a loyalist faction, including in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal, and two of the six ANC leaders who met him on Sunday have publicly backed him. However, many former supporters have abandoned him and commentators believe enough ruling party members might join the opposition to oust him in a parliamentary motion of no confidence scheduled on Feb. 22. Ruling party leaders are uncomfortable with the idea of backing an opposition-sponsored vote against Zuma in parliament, fueling speculation that the ANC will make an internal decision to remove him in the same way that President Thabo Mbeki was ousted in 2008 with less than a year left in his second term. Critics questioned the legality of Mbeki's removal; the South African constitution only says parliament can remove the president through impeachment or a motion of no confidence. Zuma has been embroiled in scandals, including multi-million-dollar upgrades to his private home with state money and his association with the Guptas, a business family accused of looting state enterprises and influencing Cabinet ministers for their own benefit. Zuma and the Guptas deny any wrongdoing, though the president paid back some money for the home upgrades after the Constitutional Court ruled against him. In a separate case, Zuma's lawyers last week submitted arguments to prosecutors about why he shouldn't be prosecuted for corruption charges tied to an arms deal two decades ago. The charges had been thrown out but a court reinstated them last year. JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN - South Sudan has recalled its ambassador to the United States, after the Trump administration unilaterally imposed arms restrictions on the government last week. First Vice President Taban Deng Gai said the U.S. move will negatively impact efforts to peacefully resolve the conflict in his country. Garang Diing (Akuong) has been recalled to Juba. They know the meaning diplomatically, said Gai at the close of an event Sunday marking South Sudan's National Unity Day at Juba National Stadium. Gai said the U.S. arms restrictions came as a surprise just as the government delegation was preparing to leave for Addis Ababa to attend the second phase of the High Level Revitalization Forum, which is aimed at revitalizing the 2015 peace deal. South Sudans warring parties signed a cessation of hostilities agreement at the end of the forums phase one in December, a declaration that was violated by both sides within days. Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesman Mawien Makol Ariik downplayed the significance of pulling South Sudans ambassador to the United States. It is just for administrative issues. What we do in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is summoned (the ambassador) to come and answer some questions regarding administration and then go back. This is not a final recall,it is just to come and consult with us, Makol told South Sudan in Focus. But the vice president warned the U.S. decision would weaken the South Sudan government and embolden the armed opposition. He lashed out at the United States for trying to impose a U.N. Security Council arms embargo on South Sudan in 2016. We shall not collapse because of their sanctions, because our friends are there. Americans wanted to impose this arms embargo through the United Nations, but its because Russia refused. It is because China refused, said Gai. South Sudan map Gai said China and Russia stand ready to defend the South Sudan government against in the Security Council. We shall complain to the Chinese and Russians. These are the people with veto (powers). And actually the fact that America decided to declare a unilateral arms embargo is because they have failed in the Security Council, because we have defeated them there. We shall continue to defeat them in the Security Council, said the vice president. Gai told Juba residents Sunday the United States cannot bully the whole Africa. He predicted IGAD, the eastern African regional group, will not implement sanctions on his government and called China a true friend of South Sudan. It is the Chinese that will build the roads of South Sudan, not America because they are not our partners in our economy. The partners are Chinese. The other potential partners are Russians because the Russians are building a refinery, said Gai. Gai said the Chinese and the Russians have defended South Sudan and will continue to stand by South Sudan during what he calls our difficulties. The #MeToo campaign against sexual abuse should include the stories of survivors of female genital mutilation (FGM), activists said ahead of a global day on Tuesday to raise awareness about the internationally condemned ritual. Leyla Hussein, one of the first FGM survivors to come forward in Britain, urged people to use the #MeToo hashtag when posting about the practice on social media on Feb 6, the annual International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM. Its a shame the #MeToo campaign doesnt include FGM, said Hussein, founder of the London-based Dahlia Project, which provides counseling for women who have been cut. FGM is a form of sexual abuse, but yet again weve been left out, she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. At least 200 million women and girls globally have undergone FGM, U.N. data shows. The ritual, involving the partial or total removal of the external genitalia, is practiced in about 30 African countries and parts of Asia and the Middle East. Campaigners say the tradition - often justified for cultural or religious reasons - is underpinned by the desire to control female sexuality. It can cause serious health problems. Hibo Wardere, a British activist who was cut as a child in Somalia, said both the #MeToo campaign and the global drive to end FGM were about women having ownership of their bodies. Countless women and girls have taken to social media in recent months using the #MeToo hashtag to talk about their experiences of sexual harassment, abuse and rape. The campaign was sparked last year after a slew of sexual harassment and assault allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. The scandal has since engulfed many other celebrity figures across various industries. FGM is a form of sexual violence - of course it should be part of #MeToo, Wardere said. Being attacked because of our gender unites us. FGM is a way of controlling our sexuality, our bodies, our thoughts, she added. Its a way to make you feel like nothing but a commodity that belongs to a man ... Thats what were all fighting against. Some campaigners said conflating FGM with the sexual abuse highlighted by the #MeToo campaign could wrongly imply there was sexual gratification involved with the ritual. They said FGM should be seen as child abuse, not sex abuse. But Hussein said sexual assault was not about gratification. Its about having power over someone, she said. When someone does FGM, its all about power. DHAKA, BANGLADESH - Swiss President Alain Berset said Monday the return of Rohingya Muslims who have fled violence in Myanmar must be voluntary. Berset, who is on a four-day visit to Bangladesh, said after meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that the situation of Rohingya in Bangladesh refugee camps is of great concern to his country. He said a recent agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar on repatriation of the refugees is a positive move, but it's "important that all returns are voluntary and safe, and carried out in dignity." Berset also pledged to provide an additional 12 million francs ($12.9 million) for Rohingya this year. He is expected to visit Rohingya refugee camps on Tuesday. The Swiss president praised Bangladesh's hosting of the refugees."Switzerland commends your government and the people of Bangladesh for the solidarity, assistance and protection offered to the Rohingya," he said. Rohingya refugees jostle as they line up for a bla Rohingya refugees jostle as they line up for a blanket distribution under heavy rainfall at the Balukhali camp near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, Dec. 11, 2017. Rohingya refugees jostle as they line up for a blanket distribution under heavy rainfall at the Balukhali camp near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, Dec. 11, 2017. Up to 500,000 Rohingya have been living for decades in Bangladesh, and more than 680,000 more have arrived since August, putting extreme pressure on the country's resources. Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh would do its best, but Myanmar must accept them all back. Berset's visit is the first by a Swiss president to Bangladesh since it gained independence from Pakistan 1n 1971. The recent surge in the number of Rohingya Muslims fleeing from Buddhist-majority Myanmar followed a crackdown launched by the Myanmar military in August. In November, Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed to gradually repatriate the refugees. The returns were scheduled to begin in January, but were delayed by incomplete preparations and concerns that the Rohingya were being forced back. Human rights groups have expressed concern about the safety and security of the refugees if they are sent back. MBINGO, CAMEROON - Tensions continue to climb in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon as separatist groups demand the release of their leader and 46 other prisoners extradited last month from Nigeria. The government has sought to reassure the population. A woman and her husband cry at the Bamenda regional hospital mortuary in northwestern Cameroon. The woman has just discovered the lifeless bodies of her younger brother and three others. She said they were arrested last Wednesday and accused of killing two gendarmes. She refused to grant an interview, but workers of the hospital told VOA the bodies were brought there by unidentified men. The so-called Anglophone crisis began in Cameroon over a year ago, sparking bouts of deadly unrest and more recently, clashes between alleged separatist militants and security forces. The Anglophone community in Cameroon is protesting political and economic discrimination in the majority French-speaking country. Joseph Banadzem, lawmaker from the northwest region, said the military is responding by violently cracking down on the population. FILE - Demonstrators carry banners as they take pa FILE - Demonstrators carry banners as they take part in a march voicing their opposition to independence or more autonomy for the anglophone regions, in Douala, Cameroon, Oct. 1, 2017. FILE - Demonstrators carry banners as they take part in a march voicing their opposition to independence or more autonomy for the anglophone regions, in Douala, Cameroon, Oct. 1, 2017. "The army who are supposed to maintain law and order, to protect property, to protect lives, [they] go on the rampage in villages, burning houses, burning food stuff, peoples stores and so. All ransacked. It is unbelievable. It is inacceptable. It is inhuman," he said. Colonel Didier Badjeck is a spokesperson for Cameroon's military. He said the military is committed to preserving Cameroons territorial integrity. He said the armed separatists are using mercenaries and carrying out abuses on the population, whom he said will very soon understand that they have to trust only the countrys military. Violence has escalated since January when Nigeria detained and then extradited separatist leader Ayuk Tabe Julius and the 46 other alleged separatists to Cameroon. The separatist groups are demanding their leaders be released. At least four schools have been burned as of last Friday and at least 12 people have been killed, according to local media, which report unconfirmed casualties among both armed separatists and soldiers. Anglophone region, Cameroon Many businesses remain closed in the two English-speaking regions amid fears of more violence. The 47 detainees extradited from Nigeria have not been seen in public. International human rights groups warned against the extradition, saying the detainees could face torture or worse. Nigeria is now also facing criticism from the U.N refugee agency, which said that most of those handed over to Cameroon had applied for asylum in Nigeria and their "forcible return" violated Nigerias international obligations. On Friday, Cameroon government spokesperson Issa Tchiroma issued a press release saying the detainees are safe and would be appearing in front of the law courts soon. He did not comment on the charges they would answer. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sat with Argentine President Mauricio Marci for a closed door meeting Monday, on the second day of his five-nation tour of South America. Meeting in an elegant compound in the northern suburbs of Buenos Aires, Tillerson and Marci shook hands in the reception area before entering the meeting. On Sunday, Tillerson said that during his meeting with the country's leaders, he had raised the possibility of oil sanctions against Venezuela as a way ensure "free, fair, and verifiable elections'' in the country. But Tillerson also said that he wants to find ways to mitigate the negative affect sanctions would have on U.S. oil companies, Venezuelans, and other regional countries that rely on Venezuelan oil. "The situation is becoming quite dire in Venezuela, so one of the aspects of considering sanctioning oil is what effect would it have on the Venezuelan people, and is it a step that might bring this to an end, to a more rapid end,'' Tillerson said. Venezuela is the United States' third-largest oil supplier. The U.S. oil industry says a ban on petroleum imports from Venezuela would hurt U.S. jobs and drive up gasoline costs. Later Monday, Tillerson will travel to the Peruvian capital, Lima, before heading to Colombia on Tuesday. President Donald Trump is lashing out at the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, saying he "must be stopped." Trump said on Twitter Monday: "Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper!" Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2018 Schiff responded with his own tweet, suggesting the president stop "tweeting false smears" and focus on governing. Mr. President, I see youve had a busy morning of Executive Time. Instead of tweeting false smears, the American people would appreciate it if you turned off the TV and helped solve the funding crisis, protected Dreamers or...really anything else. https://t.co/lVqQRu2Gjl Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) February 5, 2018 Schiff has slammed the release of a congressional memo that alleges FBI surveillance abuses in an investigation into the Trump campaign's Russia ties. The California Democrat said on ABC Sunday that it was a "political hit job." Trump has said the GOP memo "vindicates" him. But Democratic and Republican lawmakers say that assertion is wrong. Turkey has freed eight top members of the country's main medical association, who were detained for denouncing Ankara's military offensive in northern Syria. The Turkish Medical Association said Monday the eight members, including the head of the organization, were released under observation after giving statements to an Ankara prosecutor. It said three other members were released Friday. Turkish prosecutors ordered the members detained last week after the group criticized Turkey's incursion into Syria to fight a Kurdish militia, saying "war is a man-made public health problem" and ending the statement, "No to war, peace immediately." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the Turkish Medical Association of being "terrorist lovers." Turkish authorities have repeatedly warned people that criticizing the offensive would be seen as supporting terrorism and could lead to prosecution. An Interior Ministry statement said Monday that 573 people have been detained for criticizing the operation. It said 449 people were detained for allegedly engaging in "terror propaganda" on social media, while another 124 were detained for participating in protests against the military incursion. Turkey launched its offensive, called operation "Olive Branch" on January 20 against the Kurdish YPG militia in Syria's northwestern Afrin region. Turkey considers the YPG to be a terrorist group and an extension of outlawed Kurdish militants in Turkey. Most of Turkey's political parties have supported the incursion, with the exception of the pro-Kurdish opposition. The European Union has criticized the latest arrests. Netherlands, Turkey In another development Monday, the Netherlands announced it is withdrawing its ambassador from Turkey over a dispute that began in 2017. Dutch officials said they will also not accept a new Turkish ambassador in The Hague. The dispute began when the Dutch barred Turkish ministers from campaigning among the Turkish diaspora in 2017. Turkish officials said the latest development does not mean that diplomatic ties between the countries are severed and said talks to resolve the issue are ongoing. KYEV - Ukrainian opposition leader Mikheil Saakashvili on Monday said an appeals court rejected his appeal for protection against possible extradition in a decision he said was politically motivated. The former president of Georgia entered Ukraine last September despite being stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship in a protracted standoff with the Kyev authorities, whom he accuses of corruption. He is wanted in Georgia on four charges including abuse of office, which he says are trumped up. The Ukrainian court upheld an earlier ruling to deny him the status of a person in need of additional protection. This is yet another decision by (President Petro Poroshenko) and not by the court, Saakashvili said in a post on Facebook after the verdict. His lawyer, Ruslan Chernolutsky, said the ruling would likely pave the way for Saakashvilis departure from Ukraine. We all need to be prepared for the fact that the authorities in an illegal manner will take the decision on his compulsory deportation or possible extradition, he said in a video posted by Saakashvili. In December, Ukrainian General Prosecutor Yuriy Lutsenko said Saakashvili was likely to be extradited. Saakashvili also faces criminal charges in Ukraine. The authorities accuse him of assisting a criminal organization, which he calls a fabricated allegation to undermine his campaign to unseat Poroshenko. WASHINGTON - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday the global consensus for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel "could be eroding," even as the humanitarian and economic situation in Gaza worsens and might make the Palestinian enclave "unlivable by 2020." Guterres criticized Israel for its construction of settlements and expansion in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, saying they are illegal under U.N. resolutions and international law. "It is a major obstacle to peace and it must be halted and reversed," he told the U.N. Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, adding that "violence and incitement continue to fuel a climate of fear and mistrust." The secretary-general reiterated his stance that both Israel and an eventual Palestinian state could claim Jerusalem as their capital, but did not comment on U.S. President Donald Trump's announced intention to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem by the end of 2019. Meantime, Guterres said life in Gaza is becoming intolerable. "Gaza remains squeezed by crippling closures and a state of constant humanitarian emergency," he said. "Two million Palestinians are struggling everyday with crumbling infrastructure, an electricity crisis, a lack of basic services, chronic unemployment and a paralyzed economy. All of this is taking place amid an unfolding environmental disaster." Guterres said he is "extremely concerned" about funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, an agency that is chiefly funded by voluntary contributions from U.N. member states. In 2016, the United States contributed $355 million to the UNRWA. But this year, the U.S. has significantly cut its assistance, announcing a $60 million contribution. Trump announced the cuts to UNRWAs budget after the U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly voted to condemn his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Monday, the U.N. chief said he fears the latest shortfall in funding the agency's annual budget of more than $645 million will "gravely impair the agencys ability to deliver on its mandate and preserve critical services, such as education and health care for Palestine refugees." Guterres said "the stability of the entire region" could be affected if more funding is not found for the relief agency, which works in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories and in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. "I appeal to the generosity of the international community not to let that happen," he said. The secretary-general also appealed for unity among the fractious Palestinian community. "Reconciliation is a key step in reaching the larger objective of a Palestinian state and lasting peace." WASHINGTON - Widespread unrest in Afghanistan has kept thousands of children from receiving polio vaccines, Afghan officials claim. "During each polio vaccination drive, we target about 6 million children," Mir Jan Rasekh, head of the Afghanistan Polio Eradication Public Awareness Program, told VOA. "But due to unrest, fighting, and opposition of armed groups to the vaccine, an estimated 300,000 children (will be) missing the polio vaccines." Rasekh added, "IS fighters do not permit children to receive the anti-polio vaccine in areas under their control." Afghan officials charge that contentious fighting, unrest and the Taliban, Islamic State and other armed groups are the main obstacles in hard-to-reach areas in southern, southeastern and eastern Afghanistan. According to the Afghan ministry of public health, three positive cases of the polio virus were recorded in January only two in southern Kandahar, and one in eastern Nangarhar. Last year, multiple cases were recorded across the country seven in southern Kandahar, two in southern Helmand, three in eastern Nangarhar, one in southern Zabul and one in the northern Kunduz province. Afghanistan and Pakistan share a border of more than 2,000 kilometers. Thousands of people who cross the border can easily transmit the virus in both countries. An Afghan health worker vaccinates a child as part An Afghan health worker vaccinates a child as part of a campaign to eliminate polio, on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, April 18, 2017. An Afghan health worker vaccinates a child as part of a campaign to eliminate polio, on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, April 18, 2017. Health officials in the eastern Nangarhar province claim that up to 8,000 children have not received the vaccine. "The number of these children in five restive districts of Nangarhar province was 17,000. But now it has reached 8,000. We are working to bring this number down." Najibullah Kamawal, chief of public health in eastern Nangarhar, told VOA. Officials in the northern restive districts of Afghanistan also said that an estimated 30,000 children missed the recent anti-polio campaign. "We call on armed oppositions not to stop anti-polio drives in areas under their control," Lutfullah Azizi, Jawzjan province governor, told the media last month. Afghan health officials said religious clerics, local elders and other leaders have been influential in convincing the armed groups opposing the vaccination particularly the Taliban to let the children receive the vaccine. They admit, however, that anti-polio campaigners are facing occasional problems. "These problems are not permanent. Sometimes, some of the local commanders of armed oppositions create problems for the campaigners, but we solve those problems through influential people, local imams (prayer leaders of local mosques) and elders," Hedayatullah Stanikzai, an adviser to the Afghan health minister, told VOA. The new cases of polio have caused concern among the international stakeholders who are part of the campaign to eradicate polio from Afghanistan. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Afghanistan worried that the number of cases recorded in January means more children are at risk. "The existence of the virus and the children's weak immunity paves the way for the virus to spread more than ever before. We cannot stress enough that polio vaccines must reach every child," said Sayed Kamal Shah, spokesperson for the UNICEF polio program. Poliomyelitis, or polio, is a highly infectious viral disease that mainly affects children under five years of age. The virus is transmitted from person to person and can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis or death. Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria are the three countries in the world where the polio virus remains endemic. LIMA - Peru's foreign minister said on Monday that she and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had agreed to keep working together to fight drug trafficking, days after President Donald Trump had threatened to curb aid to drug hotspots. "The secretary of state has recognized Peru's efforts to combat narco-trafficking ... We have agreed that we must continue to join forces in this fight," Peru's Cayetana Aljovin said in a joint news conference with Tillerson. Trump said on Friday that unnamed countries were "pouring drugs" into the United States, calling to "stop the aid" after a U.S. Customs and Border Protection official told him that cocaine was primarily coming from Colombia and Peru, and trafficked through Mexico and Central America. WATCH: Tillerson Peru trip ?Tillerson, who has at times contradicted Trump on foreign policy, struck a more conciliatory tone, saying: "The U.S. is victimized certainly by the flow of narcotics to the U.S., but the countries in which these narcotics are transited, or where organizations are carrying out their activities to move these drugs, they also suffer as well." Tillerson said the United States has been in "clear dialogue" on drugs with Mexico, the first stop on his tour. "The U.S. has to acknowledge that we are the market. We are the largest consumer of illicit drugs and so we have to begin to work on that problem," he said, adding that Trump had designated $1 billion to solving it. He also praised the Peru-United States free trade agreement and said Trump would be wiling to look at the so-called TPP 11 agreement to be signed in March, after the United States pulled out of plans for a 12-nation Trans Pacific Partnership. "We haven't rejected that (TPP 11) out of hand but we also have very strong trade agreements already in place with many of the countries in this hemisphere and we should use those fully," Tillerson said. Tillerson on Tuesday will head to Colombia, which received some $10 billion in funding from 2000 to 2015 for military and social programs through the so-called Plan Colombia. He has used the trip to boost pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and over the weekend mentioned the prospect of U.S. oil industry sanctions against the government that Washington calls a dictatorship. Maduro on Monday said the OPEC nation would find ways to continue selling oil to the world no matter what the United States decided to do, and said Tillerson was "wasting his time" in the region. "Nobody threatens Venezuela," Maduro said in a televised speech in Caracas. "Venezuela will overcome any threat, any embargo, and we will continue selling oil to the world." The United States believes that Russia will honor its commitments under the bilateral Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) by the Monday deadline. "The United States has met the central limits of the New Start treaty in August 2017. We assess at this time that Russia has also progressed toward meeting those limits. We have no reason to believe that the Russian government will not meet those limits as well," U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said. The State Department said in a release late Sunday that both countries will exchange data on their respective nuclear arsenals "within the next month, as we have done twice per year over the last seven years in accordance with the Treaty." The New START Treaty was signed in Prague on April 8, 2010 and came into force on February 5, 2011. It limits the U.S. and Russia to no more than 1,550 nuclear warheads and also limits deployed and non-deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles, heavy bombers and submarine-launched ballistic missiles. Experts say despite a widening rift between Moscow and Washington on Russia's election interference, Syria, Crimea, Ukraine and other issues, the fact that both sides are still cooperating and complying with nuclear monitoring and verification is crucial to global security and stability. U.S. President Donald Trump's tax reform could bring almost $2 trillion back to the United States as U.S. firms repatriate cash piles from foreign affiliates, a U.N. report said Monday. Ending the incentive to hoard cash overseas could produce a stimulus effect in the United States, and Trump has credited the tax reform with spurring a $350 billion investment plan by Apple. "Now is the perfect time to bring your business, your jobs, and your investments to the United States of America," Trump told the World Economic Forum in Davos last month. The reform ends a system whereby companies defer tax on foreign earnings until the funds are repatriated. Instead it treats those earnings as if they were being repatriated, with an 8 percent tax on non-cash assets and a 15.5 percent tax on cash. "This measure is widely expected to have the most significant and immediate effect on global investment patterns," said the report by the U.N. trade and development agency UNCTAD. Big firms had long awaited such a tax break, having last received one in the 2005 U.S. Homeland Investment Act, which brought $300 billion back from abroad, the report said. Since then, U.S. overseas retained earnings have grown to $3.2 trillion, half of U.S.-owned foreign direct investment, with about $2 trillion in cash. Unlike in 2005, companies are not required to actually repatriate the funds. The biggest overseas cash hoarders are in the tech sector, with Apple, Microsoft, Cisco, Alphabet and Oracle holding $530 billion, a quarter of the total, the report said. Other major cash holders are in pharmaceuticals and engineering. Almost 40 percent of the funds are located in the United Kingdom or its Caribbean offshore territories such as the British Virgin Islands, UNCTAD said, citing data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Even if the money was not invested in tangible assets, its withdrawal could still have a macroeconomic impact, said Richard Bolwijn, UNCTAD's head of investment research. "It's still a part of ... the external sources of finance helping to make up for savings shortfalls in developing countries," he said. Much of the impact depends on how other countries react, and there is still uncertainty as the details of the tax bill are clarified. In addition, there are some concerns that the U.S. reforms could violate tax treaties and trade rules, the UNCTAD report said. UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. Security Council met to discuss Syria Monday, amid new reports of possible chemical weapons use in that country. We have reports that the (Bashar al) Assad regime has used chlorine gas against its people multiple times in recent weeks, including just yesterday, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley told council members. There is obvious evidence from dozens of victims. Medical groups and first responders in Syria reported several civilians had signs consistent with chlorine gas, including breathing problems and the smell of chlorine on their clothes, after a reported chemical attack on the town of Saraqeb in Idlib province late Sunday. No fatalities were reported. Radi Saad of the civilian defense group, the White Helmets, told Reuters news agency that the chemicals were dropped in two barrels from helicopters. Rebel-controlled Idlib is one of four so-called de-escalation zones. But fighting has been fierce there since December, as the Syrian army, backed by Russian jets and Iranian-supported militias, have conducted a military offensive to take back a major rebel stronghold. On Saturday, rebels there shot down a Russian fighter jet, killing the pilot. Accountability In 2015, the U.N. Security Council established an independent joint investigative mechanism (JIM) to examine who is responsible for previous chemical weapons attacks in Syria. The JIM found the Assad government responsible for using chlorine at least three times in 2014 and 2015, as well as for a sarin attack on the town of Khan Sheikhoun in April 2017. The Syrian government has denied using chemical weapons. Russia rejected the teams findings, and in November vetoed an extension of its mandate, effectively shutting it down. Its a true tragedy that Russia has sent us back to square one in the effort to end chemical weapons use in Syria, Ambassador Haley said Monday. But we will not cease in our efforts to know the truth of the Assad regime and ensure that that truth is known and acted on by the international community. Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia speaks t Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia speaks to reporters after attending a Security Council meeting, Aug. 9, 2017, at United Nations headquarters. Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia speaks to reporters after attending a Security Council meeting, Aug. 9, 2017, at United Nations headquarters. Russian envoy Vassily Nebenzia accused the United States and its allies, France and Britain, of using the meeting to slander Moscow and cast doubt on its role in trying to broker a political settlement in Syria. These statements of these representatives, as always, contain very little truth mixed with mountains of lies, Nebenzia said. He dismissed the recent allegations of chlorine, and possibly even sarin use, as propaganda spread on social media and taken up by Western media outlets. Where is the presumption of innocence? Nebenzia demanded, saying an investigation under the auspices of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) should carry out a fact-finding mission before council members point fingers of blame. Last April, the Trump administration launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Al Shayrat air field, the base the Syrian air force used to carry out the Khan Sheikhoun attack. Zanu PF members have dismissed as hopeless, a new political outfit called the New Patriotic Front (NPF) linked to ousted party members said to be part of the Generation 40 (G40) faction of the ruling party. Zanu PF Central Committee member, Joseph Tshuma and ruling party activist Believe Gaule told VOA Studio 7 that the NPF is a group of losers, who will not influence people to vote against President Emmerson Mnangagwas government in the forthcoming general elections. These are day dreamers and losers. They are just wasting their time. Though they have a right to run a political party or any entity of their choice, they seem to be directionless and are bound to fail, said Tshuma, who is also a Member of Parliament for Pelandaba-Mpopoma. His views were echoed by Gaule, who described the group as hopeless and attempting to derail the good works of President Mnangagwa. In short, they are just a like a dead donkey. Indications are that the NPF in the brainchild of former Higher Education Minister Jonathan Moyo, former Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere and former Indigenization and Youth Minister Patrick Zhuwao, who fled when the Zimbabwe Defence Forces seized key state institutions last November and put then President Robert Mugabe under house arrest saying they wanted to remove all people surrounding him. The military claimed that Mugabes capacity to rule was being constrained by so-called G40 members, who included then First Lady Grace Mugabe. Mrs. Mugabe allegedly wanted to succeed her 93 year-old husband. The New Patriotic Front has petitioned the African Union (AU) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) urging the two bodies to shun Mnangagwas government, saying he forcibly removed Mugabe in conjunction with the military. In a detailed document, NPF said SADC and the AU were misled by Mngangagwa and the military, which intervened to flush out criminals surrounding former president Robert Mugabe, in concluding that there was no coup in Zimbabwe. The NPFs document read in part: The New Patriot Front - a political formation established in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Zimbabwe - writes to you to bring to your attention the extraordinary, unconstitutional, illegitimate and abnormal situation that exists in Zimbabwe today, as a direct result of the military coup that took place in the country on November 15, 2017. The petition is addressed to AU chairperson, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, his predecessor, President Alpha Conde (Guinea) and SADC chairperson President Jacob Zuma of South Africa. There has been no comment from the AU, SADC Kagame, Conde and Zuma. 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Colombia Hoy Para nunca olvidar Paginas vistas en total 'Parasite' painted on a statue of Queen, Elizabeth in Kent, England Sin palabras La UE le apunta a la paz Cada vez mas solo Precio del Brent To get the BRENT oil price, please enable Javascript. Precio del WTI To get the oil price, please enable Javascript. Dolar USA Vs Euro Precio del Oro To get the gold price, please enable Javascript. LULA y su Pueblo Bye Bye Homenaje al genial Quino Fueron ellos Una imagen que resume Tan bajo ha caido que se deja tocar el trasero? Porky y el Nene (archiconocido narcotraficante) Ladrones al poder Asi mira el perrito a su amo Crazy Clamor popular La nueva inquisicion Bolivia Chile Hoy Eso es todo amigos! Piensalo! Pinerachet No More Trump Adios Macri, hasta nunca La Marioneta se desinfla Asi o mas cinico Almugre Mexico en 1794 Mas arrastrado imposible Hasta cuando! La pura verdad Solidaridad con Palestina Serie Capitalismo Espejismos de la clase trabajadora Asi es! 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Por culpa de Chavez Cerveza Polar Algun dia Colombia volvera a la ideologia de Bolivar Translate LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares? Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano... Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos: Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias. Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera. No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje. En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio. Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida. Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella. Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal. Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista. Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen. Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che? Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio. Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora. Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo. Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo. Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania. No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar. Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga. Alguna duda? Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia. OZ1 OZ2 OZ3 OZ4 Homenaje a Jason Galarraga La Victoria de Samotracia Odalisca Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008 La Sierra Nevada de Merida Nuestro precioso Churum Meru Homenaje a Picasso Autoretrato Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola? La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar. Mi profesion? Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos. Sal en la Coca Cola? A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar. De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla: Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido) azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa) Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas Mucha Cafeina Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja. Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos. Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja. En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero). Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma. La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate. Bebidas Light? Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal. Publicado por loretahur En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina: 1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias. 2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina. 3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard. 4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos. 5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla. 6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos. Ahora... sobre la margarina: 1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) . 2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias. 3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno). 4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer. 5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna. 6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo. 7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina. Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas: * No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo). * No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!! No a la guerra, Si a la Paz Misterios de la ciencia... Los costos de la guerra medicos y capitalismo... Capitalismo... medicos (2) Quien educa a nuestros hijos? Los Medios... Sin Palabras... Chistes feministas - Cual es el problema, Eva? - Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas. - Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas... - Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti. - Que es un hombre? - Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente. - Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente. - Cual es el truco?. - Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion. - Cual? - Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer. Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Ellas... Ellas (2)... Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1 Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije: -Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro. Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria. Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre? -Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa! VENGANZA NUMERO 2 Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris. A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita: - Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!! Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta. La mujer paso quince dias en Francia. El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla. Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es: - Y amor me trajiste mi francesita?? - Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina. VENGANZA NUMERO 3 El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion. - No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo. - Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz. Te quiero confesar algo. - Esta bien, esta bien. Habla! - He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga. - Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!! machismo y cibernetica Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston. -Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide. -Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!. .Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti. Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos. Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco. Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas Gol !!!! Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso! Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy! About Me Scott Because prophetic scriptures are found throughout the bible, it is obvious that a comprehensive, systematic approach would be useful, if not necessary, for the understanding of prophecy. Past prophecies have been fulfilled in a literal manner, as confirmed by the dating of these writings and historical records of confirmation. These past prophecies also serve as a model of how to interpret future prophecies. A literal view of prophecy clearly indicates a certain sequence of events will occur within a single generation, concluding with the Tribulation and Second Advent and these events will be obvious. The prophetic signs appear to be present in this generation and we believe these signs are revealed in the news from around the world. View my complete profile After a battle with a city community committee, a local development company is set to break ground on a new luxury condominium complex in Crescentwood next month. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/2/2018 (1315 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. After a battle with a city community committee, a local development company is set to break ground on a new luxury condominium complex in Crescentwood next month. The building is a 12-unit, four-storey, high-end complex, set to go up on vacant property at the corner of Harrow Street and McMillan Avenue. SUPPLIED Deals have closed on five of a dozen luxury suites planned for McMillan House heading into next month's groundbreaking. Construction on the Crescentwood building is expected to take eight to 10 months. Breaking ground on the project was more difficult than expected for Winnipegs Ventura Developments. Despite city planners giving the project their blessing, the infill development was opposed by area councillor, John Orlikow (River Heights Fort Garry). In November 2016, a city community committee, of which Orlikow was a member, rejected the proposed project. Opposition to the plan confused not only Ventura, but also Coun. Janice Lukes and Mike Moore, then-president of the Manitoba Home Builders Association both told the Free Press at the time they were surprised by the decision. "Our original application was denied, but we appealed the decision through the citys processes. Councils decision, which I believe was 11 positive votes for the project, really showed councils support for infill development," said Tim Comack, Venturas vice-president of development. Now that the project has been given the green light, Comack says interest has been strong, with five units all of which are customizable already sold. One buyer went so far as to have two units converted into a larger single unit, driving the sale price north of $1 million. Comack believes that not only is the development unique in terms of the condo projects underway in Winnipeg, but also that their project named McMillan House will be a positive addition to the neighbourhood and the city. "The two homes that were there, that were demolished, were dilapidated. Both got demolition orders from the City of Winnipeg. They were in horrible shape, vacant, unused. I believe one had plywood over the windows," Comack said. "Now, well be constructing a much larger building in its place. Its driving up the assessed value... and will generate far greater taxes for the city. You probably had less than half a million in assessed value, and when were done, youll have close to $7 million." Ideally, before breaking ground on construction, Ventura would like to see 50 per cent of the units sold. However, given the interest theyve seen, theyre confident in moving forward with construction even if they dont hit the 50 per cent mark before March. "Were very confident these things will sell. In my opinion, its the next Wellington Crescent (condos)," Comack said. "We believe that with the high-quality specs this building has, it offers a niche not currently available in the Winnipeg market. I believe this is the highest quality new construction building in the city this year." Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Construction is expected to take eight to 10 months. The 12 units will be two-bedroom, two-bathroom condos. The building will also feature private balconies, an elevator and indoor, heated parking. Every buyer will also get, at no cost, a three hour sit-down with a professional interior designer to go over how theyd like their unit to look. The building will predominantly be geared for baby boomers looking to downsize, in addition to young professionals. There are no other buildings like McMillan House in the area, so the project fills a neighbourhood need, Comack said. ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @rk_thorpe Knowing the people in her neighbourhood is important to Hannah Done. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/2/2018 (1315 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion Knowing the people in her neighbourhood is important to Hannah Done. Thats why the 34-year-old started volunteering at the West Central Womens Resource Centre in August. "I wanted to get to know the women in my community and feel a little more like I was part of the community," says Done, who lives near the centre, which is on Ellice Avenue. The centre, which started in 1999 in response to the high number of poor women in the neighbourhood, offers a variety of supports and services. Done volunteers every Friday, helping to run the centres drop-in. "I like the drop-in the most because thats when you really get to meet the women in the community and see how everyones doing," she says. "Its a wonderful experience to see people from so many diverse backgrounds coming together, meeting each other." The centre is an inviting place, something Bonny Guilbault experienced as soon as she started volunteering in December. Guilbault recalls helping out at the Christmas event, doing dishes in the kitchen and meeting the staff. "They were all very kind to me," the 56-year-old says. "Its very welcoming here." Until recently, Guilbault volunteered three times a week, doing anything that needed to get done. She helped with the drop-in, spoke with the women who stopped by the centre, did dishes, made coffee and cleaned up. "Its a support system for women of all kinds," Guilbault says of the centre. "I really appreciate that." The relationships that are formed spill out beyond the centres walls, Done has found. A few times while walking around the neighbourhood, she has bumped into someone shes met at the centre. "Its this wonderful bridge between us now where we have that connection," she says. "It makes me feel just a great sense of belonging." As someone interested in creating social justice, community-building is important to Done. Its something she wants to model for her four-year-old daughter, Oona. "We all want to feel like were part of a community, part of a support network," Done says. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Volunteers are integral to the day-to-day operations, says Erica Charron, director of mentorship at the centre. "Theyre all here to help (the staff) support the women in the community and the families just by helping the place run and by establishing connections with the ladies," Charron says. More volunteers are needed. Women who are interested can apply in person at 640 Ellice Ave. or fill out an application online at wcwrc.ca. "This kind of small community organization is so vital to the way communities can heal (and) become stronger," Done says. "A small group of individuals coming together and making an effort to make a difference in peoples lives is so transformative. "We see that every day as volunteers." If you know a special volunteer, please contact aaron.epp@gmail.com. A former Manitoba RCMP recruitment officer is serving a three-month jail sentence and must register as a sex offender after he admitted to having sex with a 17-year-old girl. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/2/2018 (1314 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A former Manitoba RCMP recruitment officer is serving a three-month jail sentence and must register as a sex offender after he admitted to having sex with a 17-year-old girl. Michael Adam Timmer, 34, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation and was sentenced in January to 90 days in jail, to be followed by three years of probation and 10 years as a registered sex offender. He'll have to follow a court-ordered condition that prevents him from being in a position of authority over anyone under 18. Timmer said he acted in a "moment of weakness." "This isolated moment of poor judgment has cost me everything. My entire adult life was dedicated to becoming the best police officer I could be," he said during his sentencing hearing. "With a single lapse of judgment, a moment of weakness, I lost all of that." Timmer met the teen, a prospective RCMP cadet, during his duties working in recruitment for the Manitoba RCMP. They travelled together with other prospective cadets to the RCMP training depot in Regina for a weeklong summer program in 2014, during which three of the teen girls needed to be transported to hospital and Timmer gave them his personal cellphone number in case of emergency, provincial court Judge Dale Harvey heard. About a week after the trip in August 2014, then-32-year-old Timmer and the 17-year-old exchanged about 3,500 text messages and had consensual sex at his home. In spring 2015, the girl's parents found out and lodged a complaint against the RCMP. The Winnipeg Police Service's professional standards unit investigated, culminating in criminal charges against the officer. He resigned in 2016 after six years with the Mounties. In court, the former officer apologized. "This situation has cost me my career, my financial stability and, possibly worst of all, my reputation. I've lost so much as a result of my actions, I can only assure you that I've learned from this mistake and have already paid dearly for it. This incident was extremely out of character for me and will never happen again," he told the judge. Although the sex was consensual the age of consent in Canada is 16 the incident was considered a crime because the former officer met the teen in his professional capacity as a police officer. As a recruiter for the force, he gave her advice about pursuing a potential future career as a police officer. The teen was reluctant to talk to the professional standards unit during its investigation, but she eventually gave a full statement. She said she didn't want to see the officer go to jail, Crown attorney Ronald Toews said in court, and she didn't submit a victim-impact statement. "She impressed me as someone who was articulate and courageous in coming forward with the disclosure. She exposed herself and sacrificed a good deal of her privacy of some of the most intimate parts of her life, not only to police but as part of the investigation process," Toews said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "I would applaud her courage in coming forward." Ninety days is the mandatory minimum sentence for sexual exploitation, and Harvey imposed the sentence based on a joint recommendation from the Crown and defence lawyer Hymie Weinstein. The judge said he would've liked to hear from the young woman directly to get a better idea of how she's doing. "It's just difficult to imagine you having allowed to let this happen," he told Timmer. "I'm sure you never dreamed to be in this position. I certainly don't like being in this position in cases like this, but I wish you all the best when you're out," Harvey said. katie.may@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @thatkatiemay While most were probably enjoying a lazy Sunday, at least 385 people (unofficially) broke a Guinness World Record at The Forks. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 4/2/2018 (1315 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. While most were probably enjoying a lazy Sunday, at least 385 people (unofficially) broke a Guinness World Record at The Forks. On World Cancer Day, Chain for Change rallied skaters young and old to form a conga-style line down the Red River and shuffle 400 metres. Their goal was to form the longest line of skaters, which they did, while also fundraising about $136,000 for the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation in the process. Guinness rules required participants to hold onto each other with both hands and not break the skating chain. The event drew a whole variety of folks, from the mayor to Mick E. Moose. There was at least one armed police officer, a smattering of kids and DJ Ace Burpee emceeing with a bullhorn. The first attempt at breaking the record was a bit of a disaster. Large gaps formed in the line because some skaters glided faster than others. At least one frustrated man yelled for others to "slow the f--- down!" (which they did the second time around). TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Skaters turned up at The Forks for a Guinness World Record attempt for the longest line of ice skaters, Sunday, February 4, 2018. Round two was the winner, although organizers are still counting just how many people did participate by reviewing photo and video footage. Early counts have the number pegged somewhere between 385 and 395. Director Karly Tardiff says she has to submit all the related paperwork to Guinness before the Winnipeggers can officially be declared record-breakers. Tardiff said she "almost had a panic attack" the day before the event when she saw how cold the forecast was. Environment Canada recorded Sunday afternoons temperature at -19 C (or -33 C with the wind chill) with winds gusting up to 54 km/h. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. After a year of planning, Tardiff worried not enough people would show up. Luckily, they were able to corral about 30 skaters from the Red River Mutual Trail who hadnt previously registered, which put them over the edge. (The former world record of 370 skaters was set in Hachinohe, Japan, in 2015.) Many of the pre-registered participants had family or friends who battled cancer, including Carleen Bezdek, who was six years old when she lost her grandmother to the disease. She said skating with her friend Shelley Fast was a fun bonding experience, but also provided an occasion to commemorate her loved one. "Obviously the world record is pretty cool to be doing in Winnipeg, but if we dont hit it, at least shes doing a good thing," said another skater, Lisa Misyk, referring to Tardiffs fundraising efforts. The original goal was to raise $20,000, which was far surpassed thanks in part to a $100,000 donation from the Burns Foundation. "I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who participated and who raised money," Tardiff said. "Winnipeg got behind us hard and it was amazing." jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @_jessbu Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/2/2018 (1315 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion I dont want to create widespread panic, but I strongly suggest everyone within the sound of my voice spend all day today hiding in their basement, possibly wearing a tin-foil hat. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES A customer with pots of Nutella navigates around others at Intermarche recently. I am recommending these security measures because, along with being the 36th day of the year, today, Feb. 5 also happens to be (cue eerie music) World Nutella Day. Is that terrifying, or what? Q: Nutella? Are you talking about that delicious chocolate hazelnut spread that was created by the Ferrero family in Italy back in the 1940s? A: Yes. Today, about 365,000 tonnes of the gooey stuff (about 11 million jars) are consumed around the world every year. Q: OK, so why should we be terrified by World Nutella Day? A: Ill get to that in a minute, but first some history... I personally have a longstanding relationship with Nutella in the sense that, when my kids were young, it was one of the few foods they would willingly eat. For them, it was kind of like chocolate-flavoured crack cocaine in a jar. My wife would buy industrial-sized tubs of the stuff at Costco, and if the kids were reluctant to eat something broccoli would be an excellent example my wife and I could just slather it with a liberal coating of Nutella and the kids would hoover it down like boa constrictors inhaling small jungle creatures. So, yes, we were terrible parents, but, in hindsight, I am guessing it was not as nutritionally horrible as some of the iridescent cereals (Frankenberry and Count Chocula) that kids of my era sucked back while watching Saturday morning cartoons. Like I may have mentioned earlier, today is World Nutella Day, the day on which millions of people around the world (some of whom still have their own teeth) celebrate all things Nutella. Food blogger Sara Rosso bravely launched this day in 2007 after moving to Italy, where she fell deeply in love with the chocolate hazelnut paste created by Italys Ferrero family after the Second World War. Baffled that its gooey goodness was not a global phenomenon, Rosso invited her buddy blogger, Shelley Ruelle, to help her launch a special day in a bid to introduce Nutella to the rest of the world. "Nutella Day was immediately popular and we had a lot of interest from bloggers to participate," Rosso wrote on her blog, called WhenIHaveTime.com. "Dozens of food and Italy bloggers sent us their Nutella Day recipes and other contributions like songs, poems, videos, and other odes to Nutella, and we posted recaps of the event linking back to their contributions shortly after Nutella Day. "Along the way, World Nutella Day became a true holiday, and not owned by anyone. People became exposed to it who had no idea who Michelle or I were. People made it their own. It wasnt our holiday any more. It was great." I know what you are thinking. You are thinking: "Gee, Doug, if World Nutella Day is so (bad word) great, then why do we need to spend the day hiding in our basements? Well, I would be happy to tell you. The ugly truth is, there is a dark side to Nutella. People who crave this super-sweet spread will do almost anything to get their hands on it. You probably think I am joking here in a light-hearted manner. Well, let me just say this: you are an idiot! What you need to know is (and this is the absolute truth) a French grocery chain, Intermarche, saw brawls and riots in its stores when it deeply discounted the price of Nutella. Q: Youre kidding, right? A: I do not think CNN jokes about things like this, Mr. Trump. Seriously, police were called in as Nutella-craving customers threw punches, pulled hair and pushed the elderly out of the way as swarms of addicts battled to get their hands on Frances favourite chocolate spread. That day, it was on sale for about 70 per cent off. "They are like animals. One woman had her hair pulled. An elderly lady took a box on her head. Another had a bloody hand," one shaken customer told the media. In one Intermarche in the Moselle region of eastern France, a staff member reported: "People were piling in, they knocked everything over and broke stuff. It was an orgy... we were on the point of calling the police." In another store, staff said they had sold in one go the number of Nutella jars normally sold in three months. "They were fighting over it... at the tills there was only Nutella," one told Le Progresnewspaper. Q: This happened in France, right? A: Oui. Q: This is the same country that idolized Jerry Lewis? A: Yes, I suppose that explains a lot. Doug Speirs | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. You are probably thinking that Nutella-induced violence could never spread to North America, right? Well, again, let me say, from the bottom of my heart, you are an idiot. According to CNN, in September 2015, a 78-year-old shopper in California said he was punched in the face after complaining that another customer took too many Nutella waffle samples. (For the record, there is no such thing as "too many" Nutella waffles.) At risk of sounding alarmist, I think the smart way to celebrate World Nutella Day would be to hide in the basement with your head tucked between your legs until the nearest government official knocks on the door to sound the all-clear. On the other hand, you could ignore this warning and, with no regard for personal safety, head to your nearest supermarket and try to obtain a jar of you know what. But that would be nutty. doug.speirs@freepress.mb.ca When you step out of a nice, hot shower, flush the toilet and sit down to a nice, hot cup of coffee over breakfast, the city of Cape Town, South Africa, seems a world away. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/2/2018 (1315 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion When you step out of a nice, hot shower, flush the toilet and sit down to a nice, hot cup of coffee over breakfast, the city of Cape Town, South Africa, seems a world away. And it is, not just in terms of geography. As your day gets underway, they will be piling supper dishes in the sink, wondering if there is enough water to wash them. No showers, no toilets flushing and even coffee is only a hope. Day Zero approaches. Perhaps as early as April 12, the municipal water system will be turned off. After three years without rain, the wells are running dry. Severe rationing if everyone co-operates will stave off Day Zero for a while. But some residents of Cape Town feel the responsibilities of citizenship apply to everyone but themselves. While some go without showers (in the heat) for days, others still wash their cars in the driveway. It would be nice if Cape Town could just blame all the car-washers for the problem, the people who have wasted the water that otherwise would be flowing through the taps, but they cant. There are more complicated reasons for drought. While water wasted on non-essentials is highlighted in an emergency, you have to drill deeper to get a better idea of what is going on. Around the world, water resources tend to be poorly managed not just drinking water, but fresh water in general. As cities grow many without much in the way of urban planning local watershed resources are depleted, or polluted past recovery. Drinking water from nearby lakes or rivers flowing through the cities is problematic, because both sources of water become convenient dumping grounds for the chemical and human waste that cities produce. Water can be pumped from underground, but it is never a good long-term solution. Fossil aquifers (water locked underground a long time ago) can be drained, but never refilled. Other aquifers can be refilled, slowly, as excess surface water trickles down into them through the ground. The residents of Swan River, Man., got a taste of water-crisis worries last week when the towns well unexpectedly stopped pumping. It turned out to be a repairable problem, but it drove home the dire consequences a sudden water shortage can bring. Worldwide, groundwater is disappearing. As it is pumped out, cities and entire regions are literally sinking into the ground. In North America, Californias long-standing drought is causing agricultural areas to sink as the wells are pumped dry, and the main aquifer under the central United States, the Ogallala Aquifer, is rapidly depleting. Elsewhere, the problem is worse. Jakarta, Mexico City, Bangkok, Manila, Ho Chi Minh City, and a growing list of cities many close to the sea are sinking, some below sea level, raising concerns about flooding, too. Add the extreme storm activity we saw in 2017, which will only increase thanks to global warming, and urban disaster is no longer just a B-movie plot. When it comes to getting the water we need, where we need it and when, it is clear Mother Nature is not getting the memo. It is either drought or flood, with too little in between. There is no water for Table Mountain in Cape Town, but several thousand kilometres to the north, as the more famous Seine River continues to rise, Parisians are planning to boat on the Champs-Elysees and provide underwater tours of the Louvre. Add changing weather to poor watershed management, the increasing stress on local ecosystems makes floods and droughts harder (or impossible) to manage. Cape Town may be a world away, but neither its problems nor the high-water perils of Paris should be far from our minds. Should something happen to Winnipegs Shoal Lake water supply, we might draw our water from the rivers we have three in the city, after all but back in 1913, when demand was lower, risking Red River fever was not an appealing option compared to drinking pure water from elsewhere (and we are still using the Red River as a sewer!). The artesian wells were too weak to supply enough water back then, when the population was much smaller than today, so thats not an option. We are also no strangers to flooding, trusting that Duffs Ditch will protect the city from the spring runoff that turns southern Manitoba into a repeat of Lake Agassiz every few years. When that happens, the devastation it causes everywhere is a reminder of Samuel Taylor Coleridges famous lines: "Water, water, everywhere/Nor any drop to drink." Poor watershed management disappearing wetlands, inadequate pollution controls, wasted water in commercial, agricultural and residential applications all these things are consequences of a lazily comfortable attitude toward water in Manitoba we can no longer allow to continue. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. What would you do if the taps went dry? Or if the land around you floods? When it happens, it is too late to wish you had done things differently or planned ahead. Premier Brian Pallisters mysterious "made-in-Manitoba" climate action plan needs to ensure clean water for all Manitobans, whether in times of flood or drought. That will require wise and timely decisions, by the way not more public surveys. Peter Denton is a writer and local sustainability activist. He chairs the policy committee of the Green Action Centre. Everyone wants affordable medicine, but are Canadians prepared to accept the trade-off of even longer delays before we can access innovative drugs? Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/2/2018 (1315 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion Everyone wants affordable medicine, but are Canadians prepared to accept the trade-off of even longer delays before we can access innovative drugs? Last May, then-federal health minister Jane Philpott announced proposed changes to the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board designed "to protect Canadians from excessive drug prices." The review board is an independent federal organization that, for 30 years, has struck a balance between ensuring Canadian prices for patented medicines are not excessive, while recognizing the importance of pharmaceutical innovation by allowing companies to recoup the immense cost of the research and development of new drugs. During the short consultation period allowed by Health Canada, individuals, pharmaceutical companies and patient groups expressed a range of opinions and concerns about the proposals. In particular, patients are worried that access to new drugs will be even more restricted. Despite these concerns, Health Canada put forward amendments to the patented medicines regulations in December that were almost identical to the earlier proposals. So much for consultation. There are several planned revisions to the review board, but two are particularly important. First, in the past, when a pharmaceutical company proposed a price for a new drug in Canada, it was compared with prices in the United States and six European countries. Under the new rules, the U.S. and Switzerland (countries with high drug prices) will be replaced in this process by seven new countries with tight pricing controls. This will allow the review board to lower the ceiling prices for new drugs as a first step to "affordability." Manufacturers will have to adjust their pricing policies to comply with this change. The second, and perhaps more fundamental change in the regulations, is that the review board will assess the "value" of each new drug by reviewing cost-effectiveness analyses submitted to the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, which makes recommendations about reimbursement in all public drug insurance plans (except in Quebec). The agency does not set prices, but frequently recommends substantial price reductions. In its value assessment, the review board will apply a dollar threshold to the agencys cost-effectiveness assessment. Any drug above this threshold, according to the new rules, should not be insured. Thresholds of this type have been abandoned by every developed country that has adopted or considered them because they fail to reflect considerations, such as patient and insurer willingness to pay and health trade-offs, that should guide insurance coverage decisions. The review boards threshold is not specified in the regulation amendments. If a drug meets the cost-effectiveness threshold test, another evaluation will consider the anticipated market size of the drug over the first three to five years of use against Canadas per-capita gross domestic product as "a proxy for buying power at the level of the individual." That is meant to assess the impact of the drugs proposed price on patient and insurer finances. If the potential impact is too high, the drugs price may be further adjusted, but how the process will be applied is not explicit. These new evaluations fail to adequately account for the fact that the number of potential patients in Canada are often small and, consequently, higher prices than in large markets such as the U.S. or the European Union are justified. Higher prices are also acceptable for new efficacious drugs for diseases for which no therapy exists, or the present treatment is ineffective. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Its important that patients have access to medication that is effective, safe and convenient to take and that improve health outcomes. Patients are especially concerned about being denied access to new treatments simply because Canadian governments balk at the sticker prices of drugs that may be the only options they have to extend their lives or improve their quality of life. The review board revisions are supposed to make drugs more affordable. Pharmaceutical manufacturers take on a significant investment risk to develop new drugs, but are unlikely to accept increased uncertainty about their ability to sell them at profitable prices in Canada. Health Canadas revisions significantly increase the likelihood that companies will move Canada down their list of countries where they market a new drug perhaps even off the list leading to yet another barrier to patient access. Nigel Rawson is a pharmacoepidemiologist, pharmaceutical policy researcher and senior fellow at the Fraser Institute. Troy Media Late last month Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted leaders from all 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in a clear move to strengthen Delhis geo-strategic and economic ties and counter Chinas growing influence in the region. ASEAN leaders were the chief guests at the Indian Republican Day celebrations on January 26, having attended an India-ASEAN Commemorative Summit a day earlier. Modi also held bilateral talks in New Delhi with each ASEAN country leaderfrom Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Brunei, Laos and Cambodia. Modis attempt to boost relations with ASEAN is being encouraged by the US, as part of Indias transformation into a frontline state in Washingtons military-strategic offensive against China. In an op-ed article published by 27 newspapers in the ASEAN countries, Modi declared: South-east Asia and ASEAN, our neighbours by land and sea, have been the springboard of our Look East and, since the last three years, the Act East policy. Addressing the India-ASEAN summit, which was held under the theme of Shared Values, Common Destiny, Modi declared that India shared ASEANs vision of peace and prosperity through the rules-based order for the oceans and seas. Respect for international law, notably UNCLOS [the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea] is critical for this. The references to a rules-based order meshes with Washingtons stance on the territorial disputes in South China Sea and the US-instigated case in the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2016 that ruled against Chinas maritime claims (see: The Hague ruling: A dangerous step toward war). A joint Delhi Declaration issued at the conclusion of the summit stressed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, stability, maritime safety and security, freedom of navigation and overflight in the region. The US repeatedly uses the terms freedom of navigation and overflight to justify its military provocations against China in the South China Sea. While many ASEAN members have close connections with Beijing, several have territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea. The Modi government is clearly attempting to exploit the situation to drive a wedge between China and ASEAN countries so as to expand Indias influence in the region. In his bilateral talks with ASEAN leaders, Modi called for enhanced defence and maritime security and socio-economic development in the Indo-Pacific region. A press release issued after his separate meetings with Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte noted their satisfaction at the growth of bilateral relations with India. Agreements were signed with the Vietnam premier for increasing cooperation and information in communications and an ASEAN-India Centre of Satellite Tracking and Telemetry Station. According to Reuters, the satellite centre will give Hanoi access to images from Indian satellites covering China, the South China Sea and other parts of the region. Modi also used the summit to secure support for the Indian governments so-called anti-terror campaign. The Delhi Declaration reiterated a commitment and comprehensive approach to combat terrorism including by countering cross border movement of terrorism. The reference to cross border movement of terrorism is directed against Pakistan, which, Delhi insists, supports Kashmir separatist groups fighting Indian rule in Jammu and Kashmir. No doubt the Modi government aimed to send a warning to Pakistan and China, which is increasingly emerging as Islamabads main international ally. The declaration called for a further strengthening of ASEAN-India economic relations via effective implementation of the ASEAN-India Free Trade Areaan existing deal between India and the 10-member group that covers goods, services and investment. Modi boasted that ASEAN-India trade has grown 25 times over 25 years. However, India still lags far behind China in the region. In 2017, Indias trade with ASEAN countries totalled $US70 billion, compared to Chinas $514.8 billion. At the same time, Chinese exports to ASEAN countries were worth $279.1 billion, compared to Indias $30 billion. Voicing the concern of Indias financial elite, an Indian Express editorial on January 26 commented: Indias relationship with ASEAN continues to be afflicted by the gap between promise and performance For India, it is not a question of competing with China, which is not really possible given Chinas geographical advantage. The real challenge is meeting Indias own targets. On trade, it is nowhere near reaching the goal of $200 billion by 2020, set five years ago. The editorial complained that connectivity projects with ASEAN, like the trilateral highway to Thailand via Myanmar, are years behind schedule. It concluded: Meeting Indias declared objectives at the summit will need a decisive push from the PM [Modi] to overcome bureaucratic and policy inertia. Chinas foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying responded cautiously to Modis meetings with the ASEAN leaders. We are pleased to see the development of normal relations and cooperation between Indian and ASEAN countries, and we hope to work with others to make positive contributions, she said on January 25. An op-ed article entitled Indias geopolitical bluff baffles China in the Chinese governments Global Times, mocked Indian pretensions. Pointing to the disparity in Indias trade with ASEAN compared to Chinas, it declared: Some members of the Indian elite enjoy engaging in geopolitical bluster. But they cannot truly gauge the reality of Indias comprehensive strength and diplomatic experience. They are beginners playing at geopolitics. Federal Labor Party parliamentarian David Feeney announced his resignation last Thursday, ahead of a pending High Court hearing that was to determine his alleged breach of Australias anti-democratic constitution. Feeney is the first Labor parliamentarian to resign over the ongoing dual citizenship furore. A by-election is set to be held in early- or mid-March in his inner-north Melbourne electorate of Batman. Section 44 (i) of the constitution proscribes anyone from standing for parliament who has allegiance, obedience, or adherence to a foreign power or is entitled to the rights and privileges of a foreign power. The clause has triggered a parliamentary crisis. Seven elected representatives were forced to quit last year and six more could face a High Court determination of their eligibility to sit in parliament. Many more remain under media investigation because the birthplaces of their parents and grandparents could automatically entitle them to dual citizenship. Feeneys case underscores the reactionary character of the witch hunt. The World Socialist Web Site has no brief for Feeneyhe is a self-declared machine man of the Labor Party right wing. He was among several Labor and trade union US embassy informants revealed by diplomatic cables released by the WikiLeaks. But his forced resignation represents another attack on democratic rights. After being elected by the voters of Batman just 18 months ago, he has been forced out because his father was born in Northern Ireland. On December 5, Feeney completed a statement for the newly-created parliamentary Citizenship Register, which requires all MPs to produce documents, going back to the birth of their grandparents, to prove their sole Australian citizenship. He provided documentation showing that the Labor Partys legal unit advised him, before his entry to parliament in 2007, that as a result of his father having been born in Belfast in 1942, he was automatically entitled to British citizenship and potentially Irish also. (People born in Northern Ireland are entitled to citizenship of the Republic of Ireland.) Feeney issued a signed statement explaining that he then signed documents prepared for me in accordance with that advice as to the steps that I needed to take to renounce any inherited British and Irish citizenships. Announcing his resignation on Thursday, Feeney said the evidence concerning his renunciation of Irish citizenship was intact, but he had been unable to locate documents proving his British renunciation. The fact is that, after 10 years, most records have not been retained, he stated. I have taken legal advice indicating that the material that has been located to date is insufficient to satisfy the High Court that I did, indeed, renounce my rights 10 years ago. No one within the political or media establishment has raised any issue of democratic and legal principle in the Feeney affair. An estimated half of Australias increasingly diverse population would be barred from standing for parliament by section 44(i). The Labor Party threw him to the wolves because it hopes that its quickly handpicked candidate Ged Kearney will prove a stronger campaigner against the Greens, who are vying to win the Batman seat for the first time. Labor leader Bill Shorten welcomed Feeneys resignation, saying: This decision is the right one and spares the valuable time and resources of the High Court. Greens leader Richard Di Natale demanded to know why Feeney had not stepped down earlier. The Greens have been the most vociferous advocates of the nationalist witch hunt, spearheading last years calls for an audit of all 226 members of parliament. Last November, Di Natale wrote a letter to the governor-general, the appointed representative of the British Queen, asking to know what all the options are available to us in terms of bringing this issue to an urgent resolution. The Greens leader publicly raised the prospect of a constitutional coup like that of 1975, which saw the anti-democratic ousting of Gough Whitlams Labor government. We know the governor-general, when it comes to a constitutional crisis, has played a role in the past, Di Natale declared. What is unfolding bears out the Socialist Equality Partys analysis of the dual citizenship furore: Under conditions of immense war tensions internationally, tremendous economic uncertainty and rising class antagonisms, it is being used to amplify a decades-long effort to divert and disorientate the population through nationalism and xenophobia. The demand for unquestioned allegiance on the part of the parliamentary servants of the capitalist state is intended as a benchmark for implementation throughout society. Anyone who opposes the policies of the government will be labelled un-Australian, a servant of foreign interests, or, under conditions of war, downright treasonous (see: The dual citizenship furore in the Australian parliament: What is at stake for the working class?). The Greens hope that the Batman by-election will deliver their second seat in the House of Representatives. Previously regarded as a safe Labor seat, parts of Batman have undergone significant gentrification in recent years, with professional upper-middle class layers moving in. The Greens won the state electorate of Northcote, which comprises the southern part of the federal Batman electorate, from Labor in a by-election last November. Batmans northern suburbs are more working class, but the Labor Party is widely despised for its right-wing, pro-business record in Victoria and nationally. Labors primary vote in Batman plunged from 57 percent in 2007 to 35 percent in 2016. Labor candidate Ged Kearney has been president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) since 2010. She is responsible for numerous sell outs of workers industrial campaigns, continuing decades of the suppression of the working class by the ACTU and its affiliates. Kearney is being promoted by sections of the media as a star candidate and a left. According to journalist Michelle Grattan she plans to strongly prosecute progressive and cost-of-living issues. Yet the unions, working closely with the Labor Party, have been responsible for driving down industrial action and wages growth to record low levels. The Greens, who propped up the last Labor government, will run a no less bogus campaign, expected to focus on climate change and the proposed Adani mega-coal mine in Queensland. It can be safely predicted that neither Labor nor the Greens will, during the by-election campaign, even mention the growing danger of global war as a result of the aggressive operations of US imperialism and its allies, including Australia. A third edition of the grand coalition will not simply continue the policies of the current one. It will massively upgrade the military, initiate a new round of social attacks and establish a police state in close cooperation with the far-right AfD. This is becoming increasingly clear with the approaching agreement between the SPD and the conservative Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union (both parties known as the Union). While the media reported breakthroughs in health and housing policies on Sunday evening, initial information on the coalition paper shows what it is really about. The Handelsblatt reported that the Bundeswehr should get combat drones as soon as possible. That is what the Union and the SPD had agreed on in the foreign policy and defense negotiating group. The purchase is part of a broader push for a joint European military and major power policy. The draft of the Foreign and Defense Policy chapter states: We will continue the development of the Euro-drone in the framework of the European Defense Union. As a temporary solution is the Heron TP drone leased. It should serve the Bundeswehr until the Euro drone to be developed is ready. Comments and strategy papers by influential military strategists leave no doubt as to what is being prepared behind closed doors. The coalition negotiations are not just about the usual machinations, write Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, the speechwriter of former German president Joachim Gauck, and Jan Techau, the director of the Richard C. Holbrooke Forum at the American Academy in Berlin, in a contribution for the German daily Die Welt. In the midst of increasingly threatening times, it is about decisions of strategic importance: Will the Federal Republic in future [...] entertain modern, combat-ready and coalition-able armed forces? The entire comment makes clear what the next federal government is planning: It wants to invest 130 billion in new material within 15 years and to increase troop strength by a few thousand men. The defense budget should approach two percent of gross domestic product by 2024. The German governmentwith support from the ministers of the grand coalitionhas already pledged this to its NATO partners in 2014 and 2016. Claudia Major, a representative of the government-affiliated think-tank German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), goes even further in a comment entitled Germanys dangerous nuclear sleepwalking. She writes, The next German government will have to tackle several controversial security issues, from arms exports to meeting NATOs target of spending 2 percent of GDP on defense. But the one item that is particularly difficult for Berlinand that it is ill-prepared to deal withis nuclear weapons. The Socialist Equality Party (SGP) has already warned during the federal election campaign last summer that the policy of the next government will be determined not by the electoral promises of the parties, but by the international crisis of capitalism and the reaction of the ruling class. This is now being confirmed in a dangerous way. Major writes, In February, the United States wants to publish its Nuclear Posture Review. North Korea wants to stay high on Washingtons security agenda. The Iran deal is fragile. As for NATO, nuclear policies remain at issue; the alliance has voiced its concern on Russias alleged violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. All this will affect the German debate, whether it is prepared for it or not. Comments such as these expose the promises of the SPD and the Union to spend more on education and social issues as bold lies. In fact, the next federal government will make the working class pay in every respect for its militarism and imperialist power politicsas cannon fodder in war and in the form of massive welfare cuts to finance rearmament. Leading business representatives, such as Siemens boss Joe Kaeser, are demanding multibillion-dollar tax cuts a la Trump also for the local companies in order to make German capital competitive internationally. Domestically, the Union parties and the SPD are planning the establishment of a police state. According to media reports, both want to strip alleged terrorists with dual nationality of their German passports and expand DNA analysis. So far, it was only allowed to analyze the genetic material in criminal proceedings to determine a persons ancestry and gender. In the future, the analysis should include the age and external characteristics such as eyes, hair and skin color. Also, the video surveillance at so-called focal points should be effectively expanded. The judiciary is to create 6,000 new jobs, one-third of them in the penal system alone. Union and SPD are seeking 15,000 additional jobs from federal and state security agencies. The ruling class is reacting to the growing resistance to their anti-social and militarist policies. In Germany and many other countries anger is brewing below the surface. The strikes of more than a million workers in the metal and electrical industry last week are part of a revival of the international class struggle. Previous mass protests have already taken place in Iran and Tunisia, tens of thousands protested in Greece against the austerity policies of the Syriza government, and in Romania, Ford workers were striking against the company-controlled union. Under conditions of growing class struggle and sharp international conflicts, the ruling class, as in the 1930s, is relying on right-wing forces. Domestically, it became apparent in the past few days that the grand coalition will essentially take over the program of the AfD. After the Union parties and the SPD had already taken up the demand of the extreme right for an upper limit (Obergrenze) for refugees, they decided on Thursday to abolish the right to family reunification for refugees. At the same time, they made three representatives of the extreme-right-wing of the AfD chairmen of important Bundestag committees. This decision was also supported by the Left Party. I think the AfD is entitled to these functions. That is parliamentary custom. And she [the AfD] is elected, and insofar she has the right to these functions, stated Sahra Wagenknecht, the leader of the Left party faction, on a television talk show. The SPG is the only party that fights the right-wing conspiracy in Berlin on the basis of a socialist program and demands new elections. For the establishment of the most right-wing German government since the fall of the Nazi regime, the ruling class has no mandate at all. Already in the elections in September, the Union and the SPD had their worst results in the postwar period and lost a total of 14 percent of the vote. Now, according to a recent survey, the SPD stands at its all-time low of 17.5 percent. Another recent poll showed that not even one in three (32 percent) support the formation of a grand coalition government. On Thursday, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and Public Finances Minister Gerald Darmanin announced a sweeping attack on public sector workers aimed at scrapping the legal statute of public sector workers rights established after the liberation from Nazi occupation. This plan aims to shatter to pieces the last taboos surrounding public sector workers and also marks the end of the dogma of life-time employment guarantees, upon hiring, for all public sector workers, wrote the right-wing daily Le Figaro. The two ministers stated that the attacks would not apply to the police and intelligence forces, the military or the top ranks of the state bureaucracy, but to the mass of public sector workers. They are directly targeting the roughly 4 million workers who have public sector status in France. Though eroded by attacks under Socialist Party and right-wing governments alike, the statute governing their working conditions has still formally guaranteed fundamental rights including lifetime employment, guaranteed base pay, regular promotion and regular wage increases. It also grants vacations and easier conditions for retirement or early retirement without penalties. Only 10 years ago, public sector workers still retired three years earlier than private sector workers. They also had a guaranteed right to strike and to join political and trade union organizations. The measures announced by Philippe and Darmanin include a massive resort to contract workers, who will replace public sector workers but be denied the rights of the public service. At the same time, a plan for an essentially unlimited number of voluntary departures aims to sack tens of thousands of workers who will have to find jobs in the private sector. This will allow the state to cut public-sector wages by 4.5 billion ($5.6 billion) by 2020. No economic sector is to be left untouched. Particularly heavily hit will be services earmarked for reorganization, including teachers, health care workers, and local services. Until now, public sector job cuts had always been limited to attrition, i.e., to not replacing workers as they retired. The government also aims to introduce merit pay, a poison pill that would eliminate the right to a fixed salary for a specified duration of work. It is to be used as a financial whip against the public-sector workers, to break solidarity among them. For public administrations, including the schools and the hospitals, the government is demanding indicators of results, thanks to which it will be possible to measure the return produced by the workers (and so, ultimately, their pay), who are thus to be placed under constant pressure. Another measure that is not widely discussed but actively prepared is the privatization of work carried out by public sector workers and various public enterprises and administrations. These privatizations should occur wherever the private sector can find its place, former government spokesman Christophe Castaner said last May. Thursday, from Tunis, Macron stressed that the public service should reorganize itself faster, as companies do. It is not only the statute of the rail workers that is to be suppressed, for example, but also their retirement plan. Since September, Macron has insisted that the change to the statute of the rail workers should include the suppression of their special pension system. A wide swath of the social gains introduced after World War II are targeted for destruction. Macron stated Thursday that the statute had to be reformed since elements of business practice cannot be implemented due to rigidities. This confirms the analysis of the WSWS during the brutal attacks of the European Union (EU) in Greece: the European financial aristocracy was taking aim at the basic social gains that workers obtained after the defeat of Nazism in 1945, and that went back ultimately to the 1917 revolution in Russia. Macrons attack is part of a broad confrontation of the continents ruling elites with the European working class. In Germany, the largest EU economy, a Grand Coalition government is being prepared that will carry out massive attacks on the working class to finance the re-militarization of Germany and its return to great-power politics. Powerful strikes of German metal and auto workers in recent days are for now effectively blocking the installation of a new coalition government of social-democratic and conservative parties, which have presided for years over a vast transfer of wealth from the workers to the super rich. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people protested in London against the attack on the National Health Service by the right-wing, pro-Brexit government. The NHS is another fundamental gain of the working class in Britain, obtained after World War II. Just as the German unions are aiming mainly to let off steam to avoid a mass movement against the ruling parties, the French unions have no intention of damaging Macron by defending the public-sector workers. The union leaders are aware of the historic magnitude of the attacks, and their reactions of surprise and indignation are utterly hypocritical. They called for a vote for Macron last year, well aware of his plans for an attack on the public sector, which they have been discussing with him since September, just as they had also negotiated with him the attack on the Labor Code. Their nationalist program of defense of the competitiveness of their own bourgeoisie on the world market, sacrificing the workers to this aim, is essentially the same as that of Macron. They are organically opposed to uniting the struggles of the working class internationally. The statute of the public sector was, with Social Security, one of the major reforms at the Liberation, introduced by the French Communist Party, which used them to justify Stalins policy of strangling proletarian revolution against the discredited fascist bourgeoisies across Europe. Now, the Stalinists, the social democrats and the trade unions are trying, by capitulating to a reactionary governmental cabal led by a free-market president, to definitively destroy it. A struggle to defend every gain of the working class requires drawing a balance sheet of the bankruptcy of nationally based perspectives, which all lead in the final analysis to collaboration with the capitalist class, and organizing the struggles internationally across Europe independently of the trade unions. The basis of this struggle is a truly socialist and internationalist program for the taking of power of the working class and the building of the United Socialist States of Europe. Pope Francis carried out a weeklong tour of Chile and Peru last week that exposed the deeply reactionary character of the Catholic Church that he heads, even as he attempted to defuse mounting popular anger against the two countries ruling elites. Since he assumed the papacy in 2013, the former Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio has struck a posture of public humility and sympathy for the poor, attempting to give the decaying institution of Catholicism something of a left face, even as he and the Vatican maneuver with the most reactionary regimes on the planet. It was noteworthy that Bergoglio made no stop in neighboring Argentina during his Latin American visit. He has not set foot in his home country in the five years since being elevated to the position of the Catholic Churchs supreme pontiff. He undoubtedly has good reason to stay away. He was accused by priests and lay workers of collaborating with the military dictatorship as part of a common effort to cleanse the Church of leftists during Argentinas dirty war. This collaboration was not merely a personal issue, but was carried out by the entire Argentine church hierarchy, which provided priests cover to bless the militarys torturers and assassins, assuring them they were doing Gods work. The week-long visit by Pope Francis to Latin America has underscored that he has not strayed far from the ideology that guided him and the Argentine Church in aiding the bloody work of the junta. In Chile, he was dogged by continuous protests, including by those who as children were sexually abused by priests whose actions were covered up by the Church hierarchy. Among the most prominent were parishioners from the town of Osorno, about 500 miles north of Santiago, where the Church installed Juan Barros Madrid, accused of playing a key role in the cover-up, as bishop. Pope Francis, echoing the rhetoric of Argentinas dirty war, dismissed those who protested the installation of Barros as fools manipulated by leftists. Barros case is intimately bound up with that of his mentor, the Chilean priest Fernando Karadima, who was found guilty by the Vatican of wholesale sexual abuse of minors, but was merely instructed to do penance. Karadima was acquitted in a criminal trial, where he was defended by lawyers with intimate connections to Chiles extreme right and the former Pinochet dictatorship. The Pope held a brief meeting, in private, with two individuals who had been abused by priests, but on his return flight to the Vatican denounced the charges against Barros as slander. After Chile, Pope Francis spent three days in Peru. There, he refused to meet with the relatives of the victims who died in the massacres conducted by the paramilitary group Colina, under the direction of then-President Alberto Fujimori. The massacres took place in the early 1990s at the teachers university La Cantuta and at a social gathering in the densely populated working class neighborhood of Barrios Altos. The relatives of the victims sent a letter to the Pope asking to meet with him to discuss the pardon recently granted to Fujimori by current President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (PPK). In the early 2000s, Fujimori was found guilty of crimes against humanity and had been serving a 25 year sentence before his release in December. Kuczynski granted the pardon as part of a corrupt deal to win the votes needed to avoid impeachment by Congress for his participation in the vast corruption scandal involving Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. In meetings with the bishops of Peru, Francis cynically declared that he didnt understand why Peruvian presidents wind up in jail. It is an astonishing remark, given that former presidents whom he had supported in Argentinathe senior military officers like Videla, Viola and Masserawere all jailed, at least brieflyfor their roles in the reign of terror unleashed by the dictatorship in the 1970s. The former dictator Jorge Videla claimed in an interview that he had received the blessing of the countrys top clergymen for the actions of his regime. Pope Francis visited Peru in the context of rampant corruption engulfing the entire ruling elite. Last year saw two presidents in jail, another becoming a fugitive under the protection of the US government, and two others investigated by the Lava Jato Commission of the Peruvian Congress for receiving multimillion-dollar bribes from the corrupt Brazilian mega construction company, Odebrecht. The highpoint of the Popes visit to Lima was the open mass held on Sunday, January 21, in Las Palmas, the Peruvian Air Force Academy, where the airfield served to accommodate the more than 1.5 million people that turned out for the event. Members of leading parties in government, Keiko Fujimori (Frente Popular) and President Kuczynski (Peruanos por el Kambio) attended the mass at Las Palmas airfield. Prime Minister Mercedes Araoz, took advantage of the moment to say that when Peruvians are united, everything comes out better. The bourgeois left party Nuevo Peru, led by the former presidential candidate Veronika Mendoza, sent a public letter in which she praised the Pope, the head of the most reactionary anti-working class institution on the planet. Mendoza wrote: Because I know that your voice is heard by an important part of the Peruvian people, I ask you to speak out against poverty, inequality, sexual abuse by the priests, the pardon of Fujimori, corruption and other subjects. The promotion of illusions in the Pope and the Catholic Church on the part of Mendoza is the surest indication of her partys complete subordination to the Peruvian bourgeoisie and its determination to oppose any independent political movement of the working class. Mendoza was merely adding her small contributions to the efforts of the ruling establishment and the media to use the Popes visit to divert popular consciousness from the intense crisis gripping Peruvian capitalist society and the corruption-riddled government. All the old symbols used for centuries to enslave the minds of the people were trotted out once again. Behind the altar at the open-air mass at the Las Palmas airfield was an enormous figure of Perus El Senor de los Milagros (The Lord of Miracles), also known as the Black Christ. The Peruvian clergy brought out all of their treasured icons. Statues of the Virgin, saints and patronssome shipped in from distant parts, like Cusco, Huanca and Sicuaniwere paraded through the streets of downtown Lima. What defines daily life in Peru is inequality, hundreds of unresolved social conflicts and the unpopularity and discrediting of virtually every politician and political party. There is also a growing crime and drug epidemic affecting mainly working class youth, Lima airport becoming a main hub for drug trafficking. After two years of economic stagnation, 100,000 construction workers lost their jobs in 2017 in Lima alone. A climatic point during Sundays mass came when Francis spoke in words that were emblazoned on the headline of the daily La Republica: Que no les roben la esperanza (Dont let them rob you of hope). Such hope is cold comfort for a population whose majority confronts intense social misery. In a rare moment of earthly sanity, La Republica contrasted Franciss injunction that Hope does not disappoint, to the reality that in Peru reconstruction has still not come together after the El Nino Costero. The reference was to heavy rains, floods and avalanches that destroyed thousands of agricultural hectares and devastated the northern region of Peru a year ago, leaving 97 dead, an estimated 115,000 homes destroyed and over 100 bridges washed out. There are reasons for the Pope to be concerned about the future of his church in Peru. Between 1996 and 2013 it lost 14.5 percent of its membership. There is a growing disenchantment with all religions, especially among the youth. This decline goes hand-in-hand with students and workers interest in advances in science, and the massive use of social networks with the potential of uniting in action the seven billion human beings that share the planet in a common struggle against the oppression, war and inequality created by capitalism and the obscurantism promoted by the Catholic Churchand religion in generalto justify these intolerable conditions. Last month, the Fair Work Commission (FWC), the countrys pro-business federal industrial court, banned a scheduled January 29 strike by 9,000 rail workers across the state of New South Wales. It also banned any other industrial action by rail workers for six weeks. The commissions ruling highlights the battery of draconian mechanisms now on the books, aimed at suppressing workers resistance to the ongoing assault on jobs, wages and conditions over the past three and a half decades. Rail workers have expressed anger and disgust at the ruling, noting that the grounds for the decisionthat the stoppage threatened the economy and public welfarecould be deployed to illegalise virtually any industrial action whatsoever. Labor Party politicians and trade union officials are trying to distance themselves from the decision, cynically posturing as opponents. Sally McManus, the secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), the national umbrella union organisation, declared that the ruling showed that The right to strike in Australia is close to being dead. McManus comments were echoed by officials from the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU), which covers train staff. The statements by these hardened bureaucrats can only be described as an exercise in gross hypocrisy and lies. In the first instance, the laws that McManus has denounced were introduced in 2009 by the federal Labor government of Kevin Rudd, with the full support of the ACTU and the trade unions. The ACTU packaged the Fair Work Australia legislation as a welcome reform, which would supposedly improve workers rights. In reality, Labors laws banned virtually all strike activity, providing governments and big business with provisions to illegalise industrial action, victimise workers, and attack their rights and conditions. The introduction of Fair Work Australia was a continuation of a decades-long collaboration between the unions and successive Labor governments, aimed at stepping up the exploitation of the working class in order to lift the profits of the banks, finance houses and major corporations. Above all, this required the erection of a political and legal framework to suppress all working class opposition. A report on strike activity over the past four decades by the Australia Institutes Centre for Future Work, released last month, showed that a precipitous collapse in industrial action began in 1983, the year the Bob Hawke and Paul Keating Labor government took office. During the 1970s, a wave of working class struggles had erupted, averaging over 500 workdays per thousand workers per year, in strike activity. In 1980, the figure was closer to 600 per thousand per year. From 1983, days lost fell to around 200 per thousand per year, the beginning of a three-decade-long collapse in industrial action. The fall in 1983 was a direct product of the Prices and Incomes Accord struck by the newly elected Labor government with big business and the unions. Aimed at reversing wages growth over the previous decade, the Accord provided for fixed pay increases, determined by government-union arbitration. In exchange, the unions agreed to suppress any struggles that fell outside the framework of arbitration. This was a conscious attempt to prevent the reemergence of the explosive social and political upheavals that had erupted in the previous decade. The effective wage freeze was part of a broader pro-business agenda, enshrined in a series of further accords. These provided for the deregulation of the economy and the destruction of whole sections of industry, considered insufficiently profitable by the corporate elite, leading to hundreds of thousands of job cuts across steel, mining, auto and other sectors of manufacturing. Large-scale workplaces, which had been centres of political and industrial militancy, were smashed up, with the crucial assistance of the unions. Workers struggles were repressed while shop committees and other forms of workers organisations were dismantled. In the early 1990s, the Labor government of Paul Keating deepened this offensive, introducing enterprise bargaining with the support of the unions. Its purpose was to end industry-wide negotiations, and replace them with individual workplace agreements, signed by the unions and employers. It led to the atomisation and isolation of workers within the same industries, subordinating them to the immediate profit demands of individual companies, and preventing any unified political and industrial action. The assault carried out by Hawke, Keating and the unions resulted in an historic transfer of wealth from the working class to the corporate elite. From 198696, during Labors terms in office, real income for the bottom 40 percent of households fell by almost $100 per week. By 1995, real wages were between 30 and 50 percent lower than they would have been, had wages growth continued at the 1975 rate. And by 1996, when Labor suffered a massive electoral loss, fewer than 100 days per 1,000 employees per year were lost to strike activity. The Liberal-National government of John Howard, in office from 1996 to 2007, continued Labors attacks. Through most of its terms, the Howard government retained virtually all of the pro-business mechanisms put in place by Labor and the unions, including enterprise bargaining. In 2005, the Howard government introduced Work Choices, an overhaul of industrial relations legislation aimed at forcing employees to sign individual contracts with their employers. The move provoked mass opposition in the working class. But the hostility of the unions to the new legislation was motivated by very different concerns. The ACTU and its affiliated unions viewed the turn to individual contracts as a mortal threat to their position at the negotiating table, where they bargained away the wages and conditions of the workers in order to advance their own privileges. In 200607, the unions launched Your rights at work, a major campaign claiming that a Labor government would end Work Choices and improve workers rights. In a signal to the employers that the campaign was no threat to their interests, the unions ensured that 2007 witnessed the lowest strike levels in the post-World War II period. Having backed the election of the Labor government of Kevin Rudd, the unions promoted its Fair Work Australia industrial legislation. The new laws prohibited all strikes, outside a narrow bargaining period for new enterprise agreements. Even in these instances, workers must prove to Fair Work authorities that they have participated in good faith bargaining. The legislation included provisions for protected industrial action to be banned, on the sweeping pretexts that it could cause economic harm to the employer, significant harm to a third party, endanger safety and welfare, or cause significant damage to the Australian economy or part of it. It was the last two provisions that were marshalled to prevent last months rail strike. At the same time, Labor created the Fair Work Commission (FWC), a pro-business industrial court with sweeping powers, to enforce the draconian legislation. The Rudd government invested the FWC with the power to ban industrial action, impose massive fines and enforce sweeping cuts to conditions, through the termination of existing agreements and enforced arbitration. Union claims that Fair Work laws have been misused by Liberal-National governments since their introduction, are a sham. In a major test case of the industrial relations regime in 2011, the Gillard Labor government backed a FWC ruling, enabling Qantas to lock-out 4,000 workers, just before they were set to begin strike action. The attack, enabled by the unions, was followed by sweeping job and wage cuts by the airline company. In countless disputes since, Labor and the unions have invoked the authority of the FWC to prevent workers from engaging in political and industrial struggles. They have promoted the fraud that the FWC is an independent umpire, and that in arbitration it will deliver fair judgements. On the contrary: it is a pro-business industrial relations court, aimed at defending the profit interests of the ruling elites, and its legislation was set in place by Labor and the unions. Rail workers, along with every other section of the working class, can only advance their independent interests by mounting a rebellion against the unions, and by making a conscious political break with Labor. New forms of organisation, including independent rank and file committees, tasked with prosecuting a genuine political and industrial fightback, to combat the attacks of the corporations, Labor, the Liberal-Nationals, and the unions, need to be established. Most critical, however is the adoption of a new political perspective, which rejects the subordination of every aspect of social life, including wages, jobs, conditions, education, transport, health, aged care and housing, to the profit demands of the corporate elite. This means the fight for a workers government, to implement socialist policies, including placing the major banks, transport and big business under public ownership and democratic workers control. We urge all rail workers who agree with this perspective to write to the World Socialist Web Site and apply to join the Socialist Equality Party. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East The shooting down of a Russian warplane over northern Syria on Saturday threatens to dramatically escalate the confrontation between Washington and Moscow over the US-backed proxy war to oust the Russian-supported regime of President Bashir al-Assad. The Russian media and senior political figures are already accusing the United States of involvement. The Russian Defence Ministry reported that a Sukhoi Su-25 was struck by a portable surface-to-air missile, or MANPAD, in the northern Syrian province of Idlib. The pilot, who has not been named, ejected from the plane but was killed on the ground during a fight with terrorists. The Su-25 is a low-flying, ground attack aircraft. The Al Qaeda-aligned Tharir al-Sham claimed responsibility, saying one of its fighters scored a direct hit with a shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missile. The Russian Defence Ministry announced that retaliatory strikes against anti-Assad forces in the area killed more than 30 fighters. Russian Senator Frants Klintsevich, deputy chairman of the Russian Federation Council Defence and Security Committee, blamed the US for the downing. I am absolutely convinced... that today the militants have MANPADs, and they were supplied by the Americans through third countries, he said. Klintsevich called for a thorough investigation to determine the type of MANPADs that have been supplied and the circumstances of the downing of the Su-25. He warned that the loss of one aircraft is nothing, but it has great significance and far-reaching consequences. Russian parliamentarian Dmitry Sablin blamed an unnamed country neighbouring Syria for supplying the MANPAD used to shoot down the plane. Countries from whose territory weapons arrive, that are then used against Russian servicemen, must understand that this will not go unpunished, he said. The Pentagon quickly denied supplying MANPADs to US-backed militias and reiterated the lie that its combat operations are solely focussed on the now-defeated Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The US has not equipped any partner forces in Syria with surface-to-air weapons and has no intent to do so in the future, Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon told the Russian media on Saturday. The denial does not stand up to serious examination. The US announced just last month that it would arm and equip a 30,000-strong border force made up predominantly of the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) to carve out, in effect, an American-aligned enclave in northern Syria from which to launch attacks on the Assad regime. The US plans are rapidly unravelling. Turkey, which brands the YPG as terrorists aligned to the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party in Turkey, launched a full-scale offensive in the Kurdish enclave. At the same time, Syrian government forces, backed by Russia, began their own attacks on Western-aligned militias seeking to cling onto what remains of opposition-controlled territory. A lengthy editorial in the New York Times last Wednesday entitled As US allies clash, the fight against ISIS falters, reviewed Washingtons incoherent and contradictory policy, which has led to all-out fighting between NATO ally Turkey and the US proxy forces in Syria. Desperate to square the circle, the US gave the green light for the Turkish offensive, but drew a line at the Syrian town of Manbij, where hundreds of American troops are based along with Kurdish militias. In concluding, the New York Times bitterly attacked Russia and Iran for manoeuvring to ensure they will have a permanent presence and influence and accused the United States, effectively President Donald Trump, of shirking its responsibility for Syrias political future. The editorial can be read only as a call for action to rein in Russia and Iran so as to prevent the US from being further marginalised in the Syrian quagmire, which it created. Days later, the apparent response came in the form of the downing of a Russian warplane that was attacking US-aligned forces. In the murky world of Syrian oppositional intrigues, where right-wing Al Qaeda-aligned militias collaborate with openly pro-Western groups and the CIA and US Special Forces, it is impossible to know exactly who supplied the MANPAD and who gave the decision to fire it, or even which militia did the firing. The Debkafile, which has close ties to Israeli intelligence, reported last month that the Pentagon was sending the YPG [Kurdish militia] man-portable air defence systemsMANPADswhich are especially effective against low-flying jets and helicopters. In an article entitled Who pulled trigger on Russian jet in war zone bristling with arms? Al Arabiya pointed out that a number of Syrian opposition militias have access to anti-aircraft missiles. It said US FIM-92 Stingers, one type of MANPAD, were manufactured under licence in Turkey by the Roketsan corporation, and, according to US-based analyst Theodore Karasik, had been delivered to many Syrian opposition forces, like the [Western-aligned] Free Syrian Army, around Idlib. Regardless of who precisely pulled the trigger, the latest incident underscores the extremely tense situation in which Russian and American military forces face off at close quarters on opposing sides of Syrias disastrous civil war. The danger of a conflict between the two nuclear-armed powers has been greatly exacerbated by the Trump administrations release of a new National Defence Strategy in January, which declares that inter-state strategic competition, not terrorism, is now the primary concern. It brands China and Russia as revisionist powers and says the US must prioritise preparedness for war. That was further reinforced last Friday with the release of the latest US Nuclear Posture Review. It names Russia, along with China, North Korea and Iran, as potential threats and calls for an expansion of the US nuclear arsenal. It recommends the development of a range of new weapons that could be used in situations other than full-scale nuclear war, effectively undermining agreements to wind back nuclear arsenals. The Syrian civil war is just one of the dangerous flashpoints in the Middle East and around the world that could set off a catastrophic conflict, as all sides manoeuvre and intrigue to boost their presence and influence. The chief responsibility, however, lies with US imperialism. For the past quarter-century, it has waged one war of aggression after another, turning Syria, Yemen, Iraq and the entire region into a volatile powder keg. 25 Years Ago | 50 Years Ago | 75 Years Ago | 100 Years Ago 25 years ago: Clinton moves to scuttle peace effort in Bosnia Refugees arrive in Travnik, during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1993. Credit: Mikhail Evstafiev, Wikimedia Commons In a bid to create conditions for US military intervention in the Balkans, the Clinton administration this week announced its opposition to a Bosnia peace plan put forward by UN mediator (and former US Secretary of State) Cyrus Vance and European Community representative David Owen. On February 8, 1993, the administration leaked to the press that it would announce its own plan that would essentially support Bosnian Muslim positions in all details, and that it would entail the stationing of as many as 15,000 US troops for up to 10 years. The US scheme being prepared, in other words, was not a peace plan at all, but an ultimatum designed to elicit a rejection by Bosnias Serbs, and their backers in what remained of Yugoslavia, thus paving the way for US war. Clinton Defense Secretary Les Aspin mooted the proposal a week earlier at a gathering of his NATO counterparts, who reportedly expressed their opposition. Aspin delivered a dinner toast to the European ministers, declaring that NATO should bring the full force of our influence to bear. Among ideas being discussed in the Clinton administration were the arming of Bosnias Muslims, the imposition of a no-fly zone, and the launching of bombing raids on Serbia itself. Both the US position and the European position, as reflected in the Vance-Owen proposal, demanded the ethnic fragmentation of Bosnia. The Vance-Owen plan called for carving Bosnia into 10 largely autonomous provinces, each dominated by one or another of the three warring ethnic groupsMuslims, Serbs, and Croats. It was accepted by the Croats and the Serbs, in principle, while the tiny nations Muslim bourgeoisie, encouraged by the US, rejected it. With a further ethnic break-up guaranteed by both proposals, Bosnias three nationalist cliques attempted to change facts on the ground, with Serbs, backed by Yugoslavia, gaining territory at the expense of the larger Muslim population. Serbian militia continued the shelling of the multi-ethnic capital, Sarajevo, drawing international condemnation. Seizing on this, the Clinton administration, assisted by the New York Times, was beginning to pitch its imminent involvement as a humanitarian war. Tellingly, the Times now charged Serbsbut not the rival ethnic militiaswith ethnic cleansing. According to a ProQuest search, the term had never been used in the Times, in 140 years of publication, until it appeared in a column by Balkans correspondent Chuck Sudetic on April 15, 1992. Between that date and February 18, 1993, the term made its way into the pages of the Times 310 more times. [top] 50 years ago: US, South Korean troops massacre Vietnamese villagers A US Marine took this image shortly after South Korean soldiers had cut the breasts off, and shot, this 21-year-old villager. She died later in a hospital. In the midst of the Tet Offensive, US and South Korean soldiers, acting on explicit orders from US commanders, carried out massacres in several south Vietnamese villages. On February 8, 1968, Company B, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry, came on a nameless hamlet near its position in Hoi An in Quang Nam province, where it had recently lost five men to National Liberation Front attackers. Infantrymen recalled their commands. The order of the day was to search and destroy and kill anything in the village that moved, one soldier told army investigators. Another said that the commanding officer said he did not want to see anything walking when he came through. A third remembered the instruction, kill everything that breathed. After a number of the soldiers gang-raped a teenage girl, the entire village was brought together and gunned down. It is not known how many were killed, but as many as 19 such US mass murders took place in the period in Quang Nam alone. Four days later, troops of the Republic of South Koreapart of the American coalition to drown the Vietnamese Revolution in bloodcarried out another massacre in nearby Phong Nhi and Phong Nut, brutally killing perhaps 80. Writer Nick Turse describes what American soldiers found in the village when they followed the Koreans in: clumps of corpses, burned houses, a womanstill alivewhose left breast had been hacked off, a ditch filled with the bodies of women and children. [top] 75 years ago: Soviet victories over German armies worry imperialism VVS Ilyushin Il-2 ground attack aircraft during the battle of Kursk On February 8, 1943, the Soviet Red Army captured Kursk. It was the first of a string of battles over a 10-day period that threw Hitlers armies back to the west along a line running through the cities of Bryansk, Orel, Kharkov, Voroshilovgrad and Rostov. These victories, which followed rapidly on the heels of the shattering defeat of the German Sixth Army at Stalingrad, were greeted with rallies and parades by workers in countries throughout the world and renewed the determination of partisans and underground fighters in their struggle against fascism. But among the imperialist allies of the Soviet Union these Red Army victories were hardly welcomed. As the New York Times commented, Swiftly, inexorably, the Russian armies continue to drive toward the west. One supposedly impregnable Nazi stronghold after another falls before their assault But as the Red Armies plunge forward, they are also raising many questions in many minds as to what other order they have written on their banners. The concern of the imperialists was not simply about territorial conquests by Stalin. The greatest nightmare was that the Red Armys advance beyond the USSRs borders and into the cities of central Europe would inspire revolutionary insurrections by the working class. British and American imperialism had aided the Soviet Union only insofar as it fought the defensive battles that exhausted both the German and Red armies, while the Anglo-American military machine stood aside and conserved its strength. This outlook was most crudely put by US Senator Harry S. Truman, who said in 1941, If we see that Germany is winning the war, we ought to help Russia; and if that Russia is winning, we ought to help Germany, and in that way let them kill as many as possible. Up until 1943, Churchill and Roosevelt had refused to launch an assault across the English Channel into France, in spite of Stalins pleading, which would place the German armies between them and the USSR. Instead it connived at the using North Africa as a base to invade Italy and the Balkans, which would put them in a position to secure colonial possessions and then move northward and intercept the advance of the Red Army. [top] 100 years ago: Trotsky declares: No War, No Peace at Brest-Litovsk Trotsky, second from left, with Adolf Joffe, far right, at Brest-Litovsk negotiations On February 10, 1918, Leon Trotsky, the head of the Bolshevik delegation at the Brest-Litovsk peace talks with the Central Powers (Germany, Austria, Turkey, Bulgaria), declared that the Soviet delegation considered the war to be over, but found the German-Austrian peace terms unacceptable. He told the conference: We are removing our armies and our people from the war. Our peasant soldiers must return to their land to cultivate in peace the fields which the revolution has taken from the landlord and given to the peasants. Our workmen soldiers must return to the workshops and produce not for destruction but creation.... At the same time we declare that the conditions as submitted to us by the governments of Germany and Austria-Hungary are opposed in principle to the interests of all peoples ... We cannot place the signature of Russia under these conditions which bring with them oppression, misery and hate to millions of human beings. The question of the Soviet governments signing a peace treaty with Germany and its allies, on the most humiliating terms, was an issue of internal debate within the Bolshevik leadership. Under conditions in which the German revolution was not imminent and the Russian army was completely shattered, Lenin was unequivocally in favor of signing a treaty. The lefts, led by Bukharin, were in favor of fighting a revolutionary war to the death. Trotskys position was to stall as long as possiblein the meantime encouraging opposition in Germany and Austriaand to sign a treaty only at the point of a bayonet. The situation will be clear to all the world. His position was ultimately adopted by the Bolsheviks. In Petrograd, the Soviet Central Executive Committee unanimously approved the action of its representatives at Brest-Litovsk. On February 16, Germany announced that as of midnight, it would consider itself in a state of war with Russia. The German armies began an offensive and the Bolsheviks signed the peace treaty on March 3. [top] The mayor of Cape Town, South Africa, Patricia de Lille, has come under vicious attack from members of her own party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), against the backdrop of one of the most severe water crises in modern history. Over the past three weeks the DA has laid multiple charges against de Lille, which include bringing the party into disrepute, refusing to comply with party decisions, undue interference, and failing to perform duties and responsibilities. The DA escalated the attack late Friday afternoon when criminal charges were laid against the mayor for bribery and corruption. The latest charges stem from claims laid by a Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng businessman, Anthony Faul, that the mayor asked for a payment in relation to a potential deal involving fire extinguishers. De Lille allegedly sought R5 million ($415,000) in exchange for her support of a contract with Fauls company to supply fire extinguishers to Cape Towns informal settlements. That Fauls complaint dates to 2012, but is only now being brought to light, underscores the deeply rooted corruption of the entire DA leadership who have clearly only made an issue of the bribery as it became politically useful. In addition to the legal charges, the party has also passed a motion of no confidence in de Lille which will be debated in the City Council on February 15. In another highly controversial move the city council also opted to remove the mayors powers to handle the water crisis, handing responsibility over to party leader Mmusi Maimane. The DAs attack on de Lille has nothing to do with genuine concern over corruption for which both the DA and the ruling ANC themselves are infamous. The expulsion of de Lille is instead a desperate attempt at damage control amid growing social unrest in the city. The DA fears their inability to address the water crisis will lead to a loss in support ahead of the 2019 elections, if not total loss of political and social control if the city water shutoff becomes a reality. De Lille is being sacrificed as the scapegoat for the historic water crisis for which the entire DA leadership along with South Africas current ruling party, the ANC, are responsible. The immediate source of the water crisis in Cape Town is a historic three-year drought, combined with significant population growth in the city causing the dam levels to drop to dangerously low levels. Despite knowledge of the possibility of such a crisis for years, no viable or practical measures were taken by the local or federal government to address the impending life and death crisis in the city of nearly four million residents. By the time the full-scale reality of the crisis was acknowledged in January the city government was positioned to do little more than issue contemptuous condemnation of irresponsible water usage by the working class and poor. Officials have placed the burden of the water crisis squarely on the backs of the working class in Cape Town with relentless demands that residents consume just 50 liters of water per dayless than one-sixth of what the average American uses. In what can only be described as a deliberate effort to incite a lynch mob mentality among the population, the local government recently made public the identities of all customers who paid admission-of-guilt fines or who appeared in court regarding contravention of water restrictions, as well as an interactive online map showing water usage by household. Without a drastic drop in consumption the city will confront what officials are calling Day Zero, the day that the majority of city taps will be turned off and residents will have to queue for hours to receive their daily ration of 25 liters of water from one of 200 water distribution points around the city. Health officials say that 25 liters is the bare minimum amount of water needed to maintain basic hygiene. It is less than typically used in four minutes of showering. The logistics required to carry out such a large-scale distribution effort are incredibly complex and would require months of planning and massive resourcesneither of which has been undertaken by the local or national government. There are about 3.74 million people living in Cape Town. To service all the residents of the city through the 200 water collection points would mean that the 25 liters of water would need to be dispensed every 20 seconds, 24 hours a day. For the working class, a daily collection of 25 liters of water is a near impossibility. The cost of transporting oneself to and from the collection point and carrying a 25 kg canister is completely unreasonable. When will those who remain employed through the water shutoff have time to stand in such lines? Where will children be kept if the schools are shut down? What if there is a leak, a spill, a medical emergency, or a fire? The class character of the water crisis in Cape Town is most openly expressed in the preparation efforts. The ruling class is actively arranging the local police and South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to violently suppress opposition to the impending dystopian life post-Day Zero. Additionally, the ration plans will not affect those who can afford to leave the city, nor those who choose to stay who can afford to invest in expensive alternatives, such as boreholes to extract ground water. However, for the vast majority of the population these are not options. Instead, the working class is left to endure obscene price gouging of bottled water and water containers, placing an enormous strain on the most vulnerable layers of the population. A run on bottled water last month has caused supermarkets to introduce limits for each customer. Hardware shops have sold out of water tanks. Even dehumidifierswhich are being marketed as water from air devicesare out of stock. To add insult to injury, the city government has recently floated the idea of a drought charge to fund desalination projects and to go towards making up for lost water revenue. It is estimated that 460,216 households would be affected by the charge. The proposition to extract lost revenue from the water crisis from the working class must be rejected with the contempt it deserves. South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world, with eight billionaires owning a collective $26.6 billion. Mirroring the global trend, Oxfam reports that the three richest of these South African billionaires own as much wealth as the bottom half of the country combined. Furthermore, the claim that this disaster is purely the result of a natural phenomenon that cannot be dealt with is a lie. The technology, science, and resources needed to address this crisis exist, but are monopolized by and subordinated to the capitalist profit system. Ensuring basic human rights such as access to water requires the unleashing of all the scientific tools and resources from the stranglehold of the capitalist system and putting them under the democratic control of the international working class. [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [BLANK_AUDIO] Uma Thurman has finally come forward to speak out about her alleged experience with disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, accusing him of trying to force himself on her and exposing himself in hotel rooms. Months after going viral for a tense interview in which she carefully declined to speak about Weinstein until she was ready, the 47-year-old actress told her story in an interview with Maureen Dowd published on The New York Times on Saturday. She alleged Weinstein first whipped out his now infamous bathrobe during a meeting in his Paris hotel room during the afterglow of 1994s Pulp Fiction. There, she claimed he led her down a hallway to a steam room, where she asked him This is ridiculous, what are you doing? before he ran out. I didnt feel threatened, she recalled. I thought he was being super idiosyncratic, like this was your kooky, eccentric uncle. The first alleged attack happened at Londons Savoy hotel. It was such a bat to the head, she said of the alleged encounter, the exact date of which she did not give. He pushed me down. He tried to shove himself on me. He tried to expose himself. He did all kinds of unpleasant things. But he didnt actually put his back into it and force me. The next day, she claimed Weinstein sent her a bouquet of yellow roses as a way to apologize. She returned to the hotel to confront him, this time taking with her a male friend for protection who waited downstairs as she went up to his room with his assistants. If you do what you did to me to other people you will lose your career, your reputation and your family, I promise you, she said she told him. In response, she reportedly told her friend afterwards that he had threatened to destroy her career. A rep for Weinstein told The Times, She very well could have said this in response to her threats to expose him. But the rep denied ever delivering an ultimatum about her career. Story continues Mr. Weinstein acknowledges making a pass at Ms. Thurman in England after misreading her signals in Paris, the rep said in a statement to The Times, claiming that up until the Paris steam room, they had had a flirtatious and fun working relationship and that he immediately apologized. Elsewhere in her chat, Thurman alleged that Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill director Quentin Tarantino who worked closely with her and Weinstein on both projects forced her to do a stunt in Kill Bill that left her neck permanently damaged and her knees screwed-up. She alleged no sexual misconduct against Tarantino, but said the two fought for years before he finally provided Thurman with the footage of the crash. Thurman also told The Times she felt guilty for all of Weinsteins alleged victims who followed suit. I am one of the reasons that a young girl would walk into his room alone, she said, explaining how Kill Bill became a symbol of female empowerment. All these lambs walked into slaughter because they were convinced nobody rises to such a position who would do something illegal to you, but they do. I stand as both a person who was subjected to it and a person who was then also part of the cloud cover. A spokesperson for Weinstein said in a statement to PEOPLE that while Weinstein made an awkward pass at Thurman in the past, the producer denied ever physically assaulting the actress. RELATED: Harvey Weinstein Denies Sexually Assaulting Uma Thurman We have pulled a number of images that demonstrate the strong relationship Mr. Weinstein and Ms. Thurman had had over the years and we wish the New York Times would have published them, the spokesperson said in a statement. Mr. Weinstein acknowledges making an awkward pass 25 years ago at Ms. Thurman in England after misreading her signals, after a flirtatious exchange in Paris, for which he immediately apologized and deeply regrets. However, her claims about being physically assaulted are untrue, the rep continued. And this is the first time we have heard those details. There was no physical contact during Mr. Weinsteins awkward pass and Mr. Weinstein is saddened and puzzled as to why Ms. Thurman, someone he considers a colleague and a friend, waited 25 years to make these allegations public, noting that he and Ms. Thurman have shared a very close and mutually beneficial working relationship where they have made several very successful film projects together. This is the first time we are hearing that she considered Mr. Weinstein an enemy and the pictures of their history tell a completely different story, the rep said. A representative for Thurman told PEOPLE, The article speaks for itself. Reps for Tarantino did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment. The actress collaborated with Weinstein on seven movies, including her Oscar-nominated role in Pulp Fiction and the Kill Bill series. Late last year, she hinted at misconduct claims in an Instagram post on Thanksgiving Day where she promised she would be speaking further soon. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. I am grateful today, to be alive, for all those I love, and for all those who have the courage to stand up for others, she wrote on Instagram alongside a picture of herself in Kill Bill. I said I was angry recently, and I have a few reasons, #metoo, in case you couldnt tell by the look on my face. I feel its important to take your time, be fair, be exact, so Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! (Except you Harvey, and all your wicked conspirators Im glad its going slowly You dont deserve a bullet) -stay tuned. RELATED: Uma Thurmans Chilling Response to Harvey Weinstein Scandal When asked about her thoughts on the sexual harassment allegations against him in October, the star was visibly upset as she declined to speak in that moment. I dont have a tidy soundbite for you, because I have learned I am not a child and I have learned that when Ive spoken in anger, I usually regret the way I express myself, Thurman told Access Hollywood, carefully choosing her words. So Ive been waiting to feel less angry and when Im ready, Ill say what I have to say. Weinstein, 65, has been accused of sexual misconduct by over 60 women including Cara Delevingne, Ashley Judd and Gwyneth Paltrow since The New York Times and The New Yorker documented decades of alleged sexual misconduct and sexual assault involving a number of women in detailed articles last fall. A spokesperson for Weinstein previously told PEOPLE in a statement that any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein. Mr. Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances. ProFootball Talk on NBC Sports When the 49ers traded up from No. 12 to No. 3 in March, they did it with various objectives. One did not come to fruition. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the 49ers made the move in order to ensure they would get Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, if the 49ers ultimately decided to take him. [more] The ancient Greeks may have liberally indulged in wine, but that's not the only alcoholic beverage they imbibed, according to a new study that describes the discovery of two potential Bronze Age breweries. The "stout" discoveries mark what may be the oldest beer-making facilities in Greece and upend the notion that the region's ancient go-to drink was only wine, the researchers said. "It is an unexpected find for Greece, because until now all evidence pointed to wine," study researcher Tania Valamoti, an associate professor of archaeology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in Greece, told Live Science. [Raise Your Glass: 10 Intoxicating Beer Facts] The finding hints that prehistoric Greeks were "using alcoholic drinks for feasts all year-round, instead of just on a seasonal basis," when grapes were ripe, Brian Hayden, a professor of archaeology at Simon Fraser University, in British Columbia, Canada, who wasn't involved with the study, told Live Science. Beer time Archaeologists found the remains of several buildings that may have been used for beer making: some at Archondiko in northern Greece, and another at Agrissa, a site south of Archondiko on the eastern side of Greece. Both sites had been wrecked by fire, which turned them into time capsules of sorts, Valamoti said. After the fire, the prehistoric people appear to have moved out, leaving countless burned artifacts behind, including the remains of sprouted cereal grains. At Archondiko, archaeologists found about 100 individual sprouted cereal grains dating to the early Bronze Age, from about 2100 to 2000 B.C. At Agrissa, they found about 3,500 sprouted cereal grains dating to the middle Bronze Age, from about 2100 to 1700 B.C. The discovery of sprouted cereal grains is significant: To make beer, a brewer sprouts cereal grains (a process known as malting), which changes the grain's starch into sugars. This sprouting process is then interrupted by roasting the grain. Next, the grains are coarsely ground and mixed with lukewarm water to make wort, which helps convert the remaining starches into sugars. Finally, during alcoholic fermentation, "the sugars in the malt are used by yeast, which is present in the air or introduced with grapes or from other sources," Valamoti wrote in the study. Story continues "I'm 95 percent sure that they were making some form of beer," Valamoti said. "Not the beer we know today, but some form of beer." In addition, archaeologists found a two-chambered structure at Archondiko that "seems to have been carefully constructed to maintain low temperatures in the rear chamber, possibly even below 100 degrees Celsius [212 degrees Fahrenheit]," Valamoti wrote in the study. Given that a temperature of 158 degrees F (70 degrees C) is ideal for preparing the mash and wort, it's possible that ancient people used this structure during the beer-making process, she said. [The 7 Most Mysterious Archaeological Discoveries] There were even special cups 30 at Archondiko and 45 in the Agrisso house near the sprouted grains, suggesting they may have been used to serve beer. However, the Archondiko cups were difficult to drink from, so it's possible that thirsty people there sipped beer through straws, Valamoti said. She noted that although the discovery may be the oldest-known evidence of beer in Greece, it's not the oldest in the world, and beer isn't even the oldest alcohol on record. Prehistoric people appear to have discovered wine first, as there is evidence of wine residue on pottery from about 6000 B.C. in Georgia, Live Science previously reported, as well as from the sixth millennium B.C. in Iran and the fifth millennium B.C. in Armenia and Greece, Valamoti said. As for beer, Egyptian records show that people drank it as early as the mid-fourth millennium B.C., and people in the Near East slurped down the amber liquid as early as 3200 B.C., according to the study. "Textual evidence from historic periods in Greece clearly shows that beer was considered an alcoholic drink of foreign people, and barley wine a drink consumed by the Egyptians, Thracians, Phrygians and Armenians, in most cases drunk with the aid of a straw," Valamoti wrote in the study. The finding, which was funded in part by the European Research Council project "PlantCult," was published online Dec. 30, 2017, in the journal Vegetation History and Archaeobotany. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations As the immigration debate slugs its way into another week of uncertainty, Texas' state capital took a stand against businesses helping President Donald Trump deliver on one of his most signature campaign promises. In a 10-1 vote, Austin City Council passed a resolution on Thursday that prohibits the city from doing business with contractors employed to design, build, or maintain a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. "City residents deserve to know how the Citys public funds are being spent, and whether those funds are supporting individuals or entities involved in the construction or operation of the border wall," argues the resolution. "The city council has a responsibility to expend taxpayer dollars in ways that are consistent with the long-standing values of this community." Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Elaine Duke denounced the resolution a day prior to the vote, arguing that the country "shouldn't be tolerating" cities that "blackball" companies for vying to build the border wall, as reported by The Austin American-Statesman. Trending: Russia Bombs Syria Rebel Strongholds After Jet Is Shot Down The Associated General Contractors for America also denounced the boycott, arguing through a spokesman to the Austin Business Journal that the resolution "holds honest, hard-working construction workers hostage to express disagreement with a federal policy." Soon after the vote, Mayor Steve Adler staunchly defended Austin's boycott of border wall-affiliated companies. "The border wall is not about keeping us safe," Adler told reporters on Thursday. "It's a political symbol of fear and division." Austin_TX_immigrant_protest Drew Anthony Smith/Getty Images Story continues With the vote, Austin joins a growing list of cities who have decided to boycott border wall contractors across the country. Don't miss: Best Super Bowl LII Memes: Twitter Roasts Tom Brady for Looking Like Inspector Gadget In March 2017, Berkeley, California, home to the University of California's flagship institution, became the first city to end its business ties with companies vying for a federal contract to build a border wall. Our divestment policy is a message that we dont want to do business with companies that seek to profit off of separating families, degrading the environment and heightening tensions with long-time partners such as Mexico, Berkely Mayor Jesse Arreguin told Fox News in December. Since then, cities in California, New York, Illinois, and Rhode Island have implemented or considered implementing similar boycotts aimed at businesses tied to the border wall. At a press conference on Thursday, city council members defended the vote as a means of establishing good bilateral ties with Mexico and as a sign of solidarity with the city's hundreds of thousands of immigrant residents. If Texas were its own country, it would rank second, only behind the U.S., in total trade with Mexico, second as the biggest buyer of Mexican exports and second as the largest supplier of imports to Mexico, said Council Member Sabino Renteria, as reported by The Austin American-Statesman. But Texas and Mexico are so much more than business partners. We have a shared history. And more importantly, we have a shared future. That is why we in Austin are interested in building economic bridges, not expensive walls. Most popular: Philly Police Scanner Reveals Horrific Scenes In Philadelphia As Fans Riot After Super Bowl Victory Council Member Delia Garza, who sponsored the resolution, said on Thursday that by boycotting border wall businesses, the city is taking a stand against "the current divisive efforts that encourage racism and discrimination that would isolate Austin from its cultural and economic partners. Garza added that the resolution also serves to "reassure [Austin's] immigrant community." 01_10_BorderWall Mike Blake/Reuters For months, Congress has gone back and forth on a package of immigration reforms. In January, Senate Democrats voted to reopen the government for three weeks after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell promised he would bring an immigration bill to the floor in February. Last week, the White House released a four-pillar immigration framework that it argues works for both sides of the aisle. The package includes a decade-long path to citizenship for nearly two million undocumented immigrants brought to the country as minors, $25 billion for a border wall and other enforcement measures, a severe curtailment of family migration, and ending the visa diversity lottery program. As the Feb. 8 spending deadline draws nearer, both sides of the aisle seem less than enthusiastic about a potential immigration deal. On Sunday, Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, said it's "not likely" Congress will reach a deal on immigration by the next week. Durbin also said he doesn't expect Congress to shut down the government. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Baku (AFP) - Azerbaijan's strongman Ilham Aliyev on Monday called a snap presidential vote for April, six months ahead of schedule, as opposition politicians slammed the surprise move. "Set the date of the election of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on April 11," Aliyev ordered in a decree posted on his website without providing an immediate explanation for the move. The oil-rich country was initially set to hold the vote on October 17. Last week, the deputy chair of the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan party, Ali Akhmedov, said that Aliyev planned to run for a fourth consecutive term. "No-one knows what the true reason for calling a snap vote is," political anayst Hikmet Hadjizade told AFP. The decision sparked strong criticism from opposition parties. "The Aliyevs have been in power for some 45 years already and that contradicts the principles of a democratic republic," the leader of the opposition Popular Front party, Ali Kerimli, told AFP. The veteran politician said the decision to hold early elections was aimed at shortening the campaign period and "hampering the opposition's efforts to prevent vote rigging". So far, two opposition candidates -- Musavat party leader Isa Gambar and the chairman of the Classical Popular Front Party Mirmahmud Miralioglu -- have announced plans to run for president. - 'Unchallenged dynasty' - Aliyev, 56, was first elected president in 2003, after the death of his father Heydar Aliyev, a former KGB officer and communist-era leader who had ruled Azerbaijan with an iron fist since 1993. He was re-elected in 2008 and 2013 in polls that were denounced by opposition parties as rigged. In 2009, Aliyev amended the country's constitution so he could run for an unlimited number of presidential terms, in a move criticised by rights advocates who say he could become a president for life. In 2016, Azerbaijan adopted controversial constitutional amendments, extending the president's term in office to seven years from five. Story continues The changes drew criticism from the Council of Europe constitutional law experts as "severely upsetting the balance of powers" and giving the president "unprecedented" authority. Cementing his family's decades-long grip on power, the president last year appointed his wife Mehriban Aliyeva as first vice president. Aliyev's "goal appears to be a political environment in which the Aliyev dynasty is unchallenged," a US diplomatic cable carried by whistleblowing organisation Wikileaks said in 2009. - 'Clinging on to power' - Supporters have praised the Aliyevs for turning a republic once thought of as Soviet backwater into a flourishing energy supplier to Europe. But critics argue they have crushed the opposition and used their power to amass a fortune that funds a lavish lifestyle for the president and his family. "Ilham Aliyev is clinging on to power to continue appropriating the country's riches," Khadija Ismayilova, an award-winning journalist and anti-corruption crusader, told AFP. "Practically all of Azerbaijan's natural and economic resources are under the Aliyev family's control," said the journalist who had spent 17 months in jail in 2014-2016. In 2010, The Washington Post wrote about lavish property worth $75 million (60 million euros) in Dubai in the names of the president's son Heydar - who was a schoolboy at the time -- and his daughters Arzu and Leyla. Aliyev has denied accusations of rights abuses and corruption. Azerbaijan is locked in a bitter dispute with Armenia over separatist Nagorny Karabakh region, which has been under Armenian control since it was seized during a bloody conflict in the early 1990s after the break-up of the Soviet Union. Energy-rich Azerbaijan, whose military spending exceeds Armenia's entire state budget, has repeatedly threatened to take back the breakaway region by force. Maiduguri (Nigeria) (AFP) - Boko Haram fighters stormed a village in northeast Nigeria and murdered two civilians, while six people were killed in an attack in northern Cameroon, a local resident and security sources told AFP on Monday. The attacks came as Nigeria's military again maintained the jihadists had been defeated, and that its repeated raids and suicide bombings were "a sign of weakness". At least 20,000 people have been killed in nearly nine years of violence and more than 2.6 million made homeless, triggering a humanitarian crisis across the Lake Chad region. Bulama Bukar said Boko Haram fighters stormed his village, Alau-Kofa, about 8:00 pm (1900 GMT) on Sunday, firing guns and rocket-propelled grenades. "Two people were burnt alive and the whole village was burnt, along with our food," he told AFP. Bukar, whose father was shot in the leg during the attack, said the jihadists "specifically came to steal our cattle" but were forced to abandon the herds when soldiers arrived. "Last Wednesday they attacked the village, killed three people and took away 50 cattle. And now they came back," he added. A security source 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) away in the Borno state capital Maiduguri, confirmed Bukar's account. "It is part of the fightback strategy by the terrorists, who are facing mounting pressure from the military," he said. Another security source in Cameroon said "six people were killed and the attackers burnt down more than 100 houses" in the village of Hitawa, at about 11:00 pm on Sunday. - Repeated claims - Nigeria's military said last week they had cleared the Sambisa Forest in Borno state of Boko Haram fighters -- just over a year after making a similar claim. Major General Rogers Ibe Nicholas, leading operations against the jihadists, was reported as saying on Monday that the Islamic State affiliate was "completely defeated". Asked about the claim, he told AFP: "In the Sambisa Forest where we have them, we have completely defeated them." Story continues The military was "taking them on wherever they go outside that area, he added. He attributed Sunday's attack in Alau-Kofa to "criminals who came to steal goats". At a meeting with the military and security agencies in Maiduguri, Nigeria's Information Minister Lai Mohammed said: "The last phase of the war with Boko Haram is now on. "The military is punching deep into the enclaves of the insurgents," he said, adding that the group was only able to mount "cowardly attacks on soft targets". "That, in itself, is a sign of weakness," he added. There have been repeated assertions that military operations were in the final stages dating back even further to the previous administration. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari first claimed the jihadists were "technically defeated" in December 2015. But the security source warned against triumphalism, despite recent successes. "They have indeed been pushed out of Sambisa. They have relocated their camps to Dubur and Yuwe on the rear fringes of Sambisa." - Chibok girls 'at risk' - Boko Haram's capacity has been weakened since it controlled swathes of territory in northeast Nigeria in 2014 but it still poses a threat. The BBC last month said the militants killed at least 967 people in 150 attacks in 2017, up from 910 deaths in 127 attacks the previous year. Civilians remain at risk, particularly in remote rural areas and even in more well-guarded camps for people displaced by the conflict. This and a recent federal government request for an extra $1 billion for security funding have led to questions about the veracity of claims about the end of the conflict. Similarly, the military has been asked why it needs 12 Super Tucano A-29 ground aircraft from the United States if the militants are scattered and on the run. The air force said last month the aircraft were required "to consolidate on successes recorded so far." The security source said troops on the ground remained cautious about hunting down Boko Haram factional leader Abubakar Shekau, as he was using hostages as human shields. They include some of the schoolgirls abducted from the Borno town of Chibok in April 2014 and female police officers seized in an ambush last year. "They don't want to harm them, which is why they are limiting aerial offensives," he added. By Brendan Pierson NEW YORK (Reuters) - Families of six U.S. citizens who were kidnapped and killed by Colombia's former leftist FARC guerrillas have settled with Chiquita Brands International, which they had accused of financially supporting the group, according to court filings on Monday. The out-of-court settlements were disclosed the day the families' claims were scheduled to go to trial in federal court in Florida. Their terms were not made public. The families had accused banana distributor Chiquita of providing more than $220,000 in material support to the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) from 1989 to 1999, in payments averaging $32,000 a year. They claimed that made the company liable for the FARC's killing of six Americans - five Christian missionaries and a geologist - in the 1990s. Chiquita did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "It has been a very lengthy journey for the families of the victims, and we hope this agreement can bring them some closure," said Ramon Rasco, one of the lawyers representing the plaintiffs. Gary Osen, another plaintiffs' lawyer, declined to comment on the size of the settlements. Last month, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra ruled that Chiquita would have to face a jury trial of claims that the company was liable to the families under the federal Anti-Terrorism Act. The claims are part of a long-running consolidated litigation by citizens of the United States and other countries over payments made by Chiquita to Colombian paramilitary groups. The case would have been the first trial in that litigation, and the first Anti-Terrorism Act trial against a U.S. corporation. The U.S. government designated the FARC as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997. Chiquita argued in court papers that it was the victim of extortion by the FARC and other groups. The company pleaded guilty in 2007 to engaging in transactions with a different Colombian designated terror group and agreed to pay a $25 million criminal fine. (Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; Additional reporting by Alison Frankel, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) By Michele Kambas NICOSIA (Reuters) - Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades won a second five-year term on Sunday as voters gave a thumbs-up to his record in containing an economic meltdown in 2013 and his attempts to reconcile with estranged Turkish Cypriots on the ethnically-split island. With all votes counted, the conservative had 56 percent of the vote against 44 percent for the leftist-backed Stavros Malas. "A new day dawns tomorrow which requires unity, because that is required to move forward," Anastasiades told cheering crowds in downtown Nicosia. "I will continue to be a president for all Cypriots. Tonight, there are no winners or losers, there is (only) a Cyprus for all of us." Anastasiades, 71, steered the Cypriot economy to recovery after it was plunged into crisis in 2013, days after he was first elected, by its exposure to debt-racked Greece and by fiscal slippage under a previous left-wing administration. Cyprus emerged from a bailout programme from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund in 2016. Unlike other austerity programmes, the Cyprus model put most of the painful measures up front, including recapitalising banks by seizing uninsured deposits, a so-called 'bail-in' - used in the euro zone for the first time. Malas, a geneticist who served as health minister in the former leftist administration, had also come second to Anastasiades in 2013. Political analyst Hubert Faustmann said Anastasiades had entered the race as favourite in a field of relatively uninspiring candidates, adding: "He handled the economic crisis very well, he got a lot of credit for that." As leader of the island's Greek Cypriot community, Anastasiades oversaw peace talks with the breakaway Turkish-Cypriot controlled north. Cyprus was split in a Turkish invasion in 1974 after a brief Greek-inspired coup, and has one of the world's longest-serving peacekeeping forces. Peace talks collapsed last year over the role that Turkey could play in a post-settlement Cyprus. Story continues Anastasiades faced criticism from Greek Cypriot political rivals for either offering too many concessions to Turkish Cypriots, or for missing one of the best chances in a generation to solve the logjam - a view that Malas supported. Despite ideological differences, however, both candidates were viewed as being more pro-settlement than adversaries eliminated in the first round of voting on Sept. 28. "There are two narratives in the Greek Cypriot community: one that he bears responsibility for the failure of talks and the other - that Turkish intransigence is responsible. It's apparently the second which prevailed," Faustmann said. (Editing by Kevin Liffey) President Donald Trump has appeared to jokingly accuse Democrats of treasonous behaviour for choosing not to applaud him during his first State of the Union address last week. During a speech in Blue Ash, Ohio, Mr Trump said the Democrats gave off bad energy during the address by failing to even clap at the positive economic news. The President called the reception un-American and went further by saying he would call it treason. Shall we call that treason? Why not? he said, smiling as the audience laughed. It has become standard for members of the Presidents opposing party to give him a chilly reception as he updates the nation during the annual State of the Union address. But in a move that will likely play well with his base of supporters, Mr Trump said he believed Democrats were merely indicating their lack of patriotism. They certainly didnt seem to love our country very much, said Mr Trump, who has repeatedly made it clear that he loves applause and recognition. There was no question that Democrats were not as excited as Republicans to witness Mr Trumps address last week in-person. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus sat stone-faced in their seats as the President took credit for the USs record-low black unemployment rate even though the rate had decreased most significantly under former President Barack Obama. Some played on their phones as Mr Trump spoke. More than a dozen liberal members of the House of Representatives even boycotted the speech. But a few Democratic senators did applaud when they felt it was appropriate. For example, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a state that went to Mr Trump in 2016, even got to his feet when the President talked about infrastructure and reviving cities like Detroit. Mr Trump won more claps from Democrats by expressing his support for bipartisan issues. Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, for example, clapped when Mr Trump mentioned he was committed to lowering prescription drug prices, a cause she has championed. Story continues But the President never received anything close to the bipartisan standing ovation he appears to have been hungry for. Agencies contributed to this report WASHINGTON President Donald Trump accused Democrats on Monday of being un-American and treasonous in a campaign-style speech in Cincinnati that was actually meant to tout the recent GOP tax bill and the economy. Can we call that treason? Trump said, referring to Democrats who did not clap for him during his State of the Union address last week. Why not? I mean, they certainly didnt seem to love our country very much. At the State of the Union address, it is typical for politicians of the presidents party to enthusiastically applaud, while lawmakers in the opposite party usually have a muted response. A handful of Democratic lawmakers did not attend last Tuesdays address to protest Trump. Trump suggested on Monday that Democrats were very selfish in not clapping for him. They would rather see Trump do badly, OK, than our country do well, he said. Earlier in the speech, the president claimed that he was non-braggadocious after bragging about his first year in office. Trump spoke at length about the midterm elections, even though White House spokesman Raj Shah told reporters before the speech, held at a factory, that this isnt a political event. Interspersed with remarks about jobs and the economy, Trump brought up popular issues for his base, including the fake news media in attendance and the lack of players kneeling during the national anthem at Sundays Super Bowl, which he appeared to take some credit for. Were one team, one people and one family, and were saluting one great American flag. And everybody stood up yesterday, he said. There was nobody kneeling at the beginning of the Super Bowl. Weve made a lot of improvement, havent we? That is a big improvement, and on top of that, it was a good game. So a lot of good things happened. There was no kneeling before that Super Bowl. This story has been updated with additional details from Trumps speech. Related Coverage How Our Reality Show President Is Changing The Way Politics And Culture Mix Story continues Trump's State Of The Union Keeps Up His Racist Fight With Black Athletes The Hidden Extremism Of Trump's State Of The Union After An NFL Season Defined By Black Protest, The Super Bowl Sticks To Sports Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Donald Trump has triggered another extraordinary spat with the British government after criticising that most beloved of institutions the NHS. In a tweet on Monday, the US president said: The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. He made the comments as he targeted Democrats for pushing for a British-style universal health system. The reference to thousands of people marching referred to a protest on Saturday in which supporters of the NHS were demonstrating against cuts to the service. Organisers immediately hit back at Mr Trump, branding his statement divisive and incorrect rhetoric. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt also responded, saying he was proud of the British system despite the challenges it faced. Mr Hunt added that no one protesting about the state of the NHS wanted a US-style system. DONALD TRUMP IN THE WHITE HOUSE MORE ANALYSIS FROM YAHOO UK: Donald Trumps unprecedented first year in the White House in numbers Trump presidency most unethical in modern history, report finds Donald Trump is not racist, just confused says ex-wife Ivana From golf trips to Syria: 12 tweets that have come back to haunt Donald Trump Ill beat Oprah: Donald Trump says 2020 presidential race against Winfrey would be a lot of fun NHS may have challenges but Im proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance, he said. The US presidents comments were also condemned by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and the organisers of the demonstration that had been highlighted by Mr Trump. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The presidents comments came shortly after former Ukip leader Nigel Farage appeared on one of Mr Trumps favourite US TV news shows to talk about the NHS. Mr Farages appearance on Fox And Friends seemed to be the reason for Mr Trumps Twitter comment. Donald Trump has opened a war of words with prime minister Theresa Mays government (Picture: PA) In a follow-up message, the president thanked the show for exposing the truth. Story continues Mr Trumps social media messages came after a crowd of thousands chanting Save the NHS descended on Downing Street on Saturday to demand more funding for the health service. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The demonstration, called NHS In Crisis: Fix It Now, was organised by the Peoples Assembly and Health Campaigns Together. Responding to Mr Trumps comments the groups said they were campaigning against moves to an expensive, inefficient and unjust US-style system. In their message to Mr Trump, the groups said in a statement: This is what our demonstration was about on Saturday February 3 and tens of thousands of British people want to show their love for the principles of universal and comprehensive care free at the point of use, paid for through general taxation. We dont agree with your divisive and incorrect rhetoric. No thanks. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mr Trump was wrong and people were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it. The public row with Mr Hunt is the latest controversial episode in Mr Trumps presidency ahead of a UK visit later this year which is expected to be marked by mass protests. He had previously caused consternation in Whitehall when he announced on Twitter he would not be attending the opening of the new US embassy in London, saying it was a bad deal and he did not like the location of the new building. It led to speculation he was unhappy after being rebuked by Mrs May for retweeting videos posted by the far-right Britain First group. However, following his talks with Mrs May in Davos, Mr Trump reaffirmed his commitment to the special relationship with Britain. A new cure for baldness could have been found which uses a chemical found in McDonalds fries [Photo: Getty] What is it about bonkers news stories today? This morning we brought you news of Doritos plans to launch lady-friendly crisps, which are less crunchy and messy. And now theres apparently a new cure for baldness in the offing thanks to, wait for it, a chemical used in McDonalds fries. Scientists in Japan have managed to regrow hair on mice thanks to a simple technique using human stem cells, which generated fresh follicles capable of sprouting new hairs. After observing the mice with their newly fury backs and scalps within just a couple of days, researchers believe it is possible the same technique could work in people. The Japanese research team had their scientific breakthrough after managing to produce hair follicle germs (HFGs), which fuel follicle development, in their lab for the very first time. Turns out the secret was to use dimethylpolysiloxane, the same chemical thats found in McDonalds fries which is added for safety reasons to prevent cooking oil from foaming. Speaking about the breakthrough Professor Junji Fukuda of Yokohama National University, said: The key for the mass production of HFGs was a choice of substrate materials for the culture vessel. We used oxygen-permeable dimethylpolysiloxane (PDMS) at the bottom of culture vessel, and it worked very well. Billons of pounds are spent on hair loss treatment each year, but hair follicles have never been created in this way before. This simple method is very robust and promising, Fukuda continued. We hope this technique will improve human hair regenerative therapy to treat hair loss such as androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness). Spending on hair loss is astronomical [Photo: Getty] According to recent statistics male pattern baldness affects around half of all men and is the most common type of hair loss. The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery estimates that 40% of men will experience noticeable hair loss by the age of thirty five. But women suffer from hair loss too. Around 1 in 5 women in the UK aged over 25 are currently experiencing hair loss or thinning according to a study commissioned by Philip Kingsley, and a further 9% of the 2,000 women questioned, have previously been affected. Story continues And spending on a hair loss cure for both men and women is off the scale. World Health Organisation figures put the spending on hair loss at 1.4 billion. So surely the fries are worth a go? OK so we may not fully understand the science behind it all, but if theres an excuse to eat more Maccy Ds, then were in. Just hope it doesnt mean well get hairier in places wed rather not get hairier in. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for non-stop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyleUK. Read more from Yahoo Style UK: A standing desk could help you shift that stubborn extra weight Grey hair, dont care! Chrissy Teigen kickstarts Twitter thread of women celebrating their silver locks A gluten-free diet isnt just expensive, its bad for your health Quito (AFP) - Ecuadorans on Sunday voted to bar ex-president Rafael Correa from being able to make a comeback in 2021 by unmistakably backing a referendum question on reimposing presidential term limits. Initial results from the plebiscite called by Correa's successor-turned-foe, current President Lenin Moreno, showed 64 percent of ballots in favor of restoring the measure which prevents presidents from running indefinitely. Correa had scrapped it in 2015. Virtually as many -- 63 percent of ballots -- also approved restructuring a body Correa had set up to select authority figures such as judges, effectively wiping away the ex-president's legacy over the state. Minutes before the National Electoral Council gave the numbers, Moreno hailed the "clear and overwhelming victory." The results signified a win for Moreno in his struggle with Correa for control of their deeply divided leftist ruling Country Alliance party. "The confrontation is behind us. Now is the time for us to return to stand together," the president told supporters. - 'Struggle continues' - Sunday's referendum featured seven questions, including the measure on reintroducing term limits. That measure means Correa will not be able to challenge Moreno for the presidency in two years' time. The outcome was predicted by surveys ahead of the referendum -- although most had projected even bigger support for Moreno's "yes" camp of between 72 and 84 percent. Correa alluded to that margin in a tweet after the results came out, saying no movement has ever done so well against such odds, "more so in such little time and in such an unequal fight." He vowed that "the struggle continues. We can't accept a state under the rule of law with such a big break constitutionally." The exchange presaged more manoeuvres ahead between the ex-president and his successor. Moreno had said when he voted in the north of the capital Quito that a triumph would ensure that "corrupt people do not return to mock us." Story continues Since taking office in May last year, he has repeatedly cast Correa -- whom he served as vice president between 2007 and 2013 -- as corrupt and a proponent of "21st century socialism." Correa, who ruled for a decade from 2007, for his part has branded Moreno a "traitor" and the vote "unconstitutional," denouncing the president for wanting to achieve "absolute rule." Far from keeping Correa's presidential seat warm as expected, Moreno's calling of the referendum instead spelled an intention to clear a way to a post-Correa era. Moreno, 64, only narrowly defeated conservative banker Guillermo Lasso in the last election in April 2017. - Court appearance - Correa maintained that with a question over whether those convicted of corruption should be barred from politics, Moreno was trying to erect legal pretexts to prevent him re-entering office. "They will invent a crime against me to disable me. It is the right's new strategy to destroy progressive leaders," Correa, 54, previously told AFP. That issue of corruption allegations against Correa will be to the fore on Monday, when the former leader -- who returned to Ecuador from Belgium in January to embark on a solo campaign against the referendum -- is expected to appear in court. He has been called to testify over alleged irregularities in million-dollar oil sales to China and Thailand made during his tenure. His former vice president, Jorge Glas, was sacked by Moreno following his re-election and sentenced to six years in jail for corruption. By Alexandra Valencia QUITO (Reuters) - Ecuadoreans on Sunday voted to prevent presidents from holding more than two terms in office, according to the elections council, a win for President Lenin Moreno that blocks his mentor-turned-adversary Rafael Correa from returning to power. The results from the referendum, called by Moreno, roll back a measure Correa pushed through Congress in 2015 to allow unlimited presidential re-election. "The victory of the 'yes' vote opens the path for us to work together, confrontation is a thing of the past," Moreno said in a televised broadcast, an apparent reference to Correa's famously combative style. "The old politicians will not return." Moreno may now be emboldened to remove Correa allies from key government posts, and financial markets will likely see the result as confirming a more politically and fiscally conservative future for the South American oil exporting country. The elections council said some 64 percent of voters had supported changing the re-election rules, while 36 percent of voters were opposed. It cited a quick count, which uses the results of a representative sample of polling stations to estimate the winner. The full results are expected for Monday. The referendum is legally binding and implies a direct change to the constitution. Voters also gave broad backing to six other measures, including limits on oil production and mining in environmentally sensitive areas, and stiffer penalties for corruption. Some of those will require the involvement of Congress. Correa said the referendum was aimed at destroying his legacy. "The struggle continues," he wrote via Twitter. "We cannot accept such a constitutional rupture." Correa led Ecuador between 2007 and 2017, a period that saw him win support for anti-poverty programs but criticism for excessive confrontation and for allowing corruption to flourish. He declined to run in 2017 and tapped Moreno, then Vice President, as the ruling party candidate. He now says Moreno is a "traitor" seeking to annihilate him politically. Though he has been living in Brussels with his Belgian wife since leaving office, he has returned several times to whip up support during campaign stops across Ecuador. "I've come to understand that Correa stole a lot from us, he fought with everyone, and now he wants to come back as if none of that happened," said Maria del Carmen Nauya, 52, a maid, who woke up early to vote in a poor neighborhood in the capital of Quito. She voted to bring back term limits. (Writing by Brian Ellsworth, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) By Aaron Maasho ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - An Ethiopian court sentenced a senior opposition leader to six months in jail for contempt of court on Monday because he raised his hand when addressed by the judge rather than standing, his lawyer said. The court ruling came despite a government push to release politicians jailed after mass protests broke out three years ago in the Oromiya region over accusations of land grabbing. More than 2,000 political prisoners have been released since January as part of a package of reforms announced to try to calm lingering tensions. Bekele Gerba, secretary general of the opposition group Oromo Federalist Congress, was arrested in December 2015 and charged with involvement in terrorism. The charge was later reduced to inciting violence. "He had raised his hand when called upon by the judge. The judged deemed that as contempt of court as he did not rise and delivered a six-month sentence," his lawyer Ameha Mekonnen told Reuters. Last month, the court had also sentenced him for a similar period after Bekele and other opposition party members sang a protest song during the trial. A separate verdict on his incitement charge is expected on March 7. Hundreds died in the violence in the Horn of Africa country in 2015 and 2016, as protests broadened into demonstrations against political restrictions and perceived human rights abuses. The government in Addis Ababa is often criticized by rights groups for using security concerns as an excuse to stifle dissent and media freedoms. It denies the charges. Last month the United Nations human rights body called on Ethiopia to review the status of a "large number of people" still behind bars. The total number of people that remain imprisoned for taking part in the demonstrations is unknown. The body said the government should review anti-terror legislation and laws "to ensure that they are neither interpreted nor implemented too broadly, thereby resulting in people being arbitrarily or wrongfully detained". Laws placing "undue restrictions" on non-governmental organizations and restricting the media should also be revised, the U.N. said. Merera Gudina, the leader of Bekele's Oromo Federalist Congress, is among those recently released. The group is a member of Ethiopia's largest opposition coalition. (Reporting by Aaron Maasho; Editing by Katharine Houreld and Matthew Mpoke Bigg) Michael Peck Security, North America And what can be done to stop it? Is the FAA Endangering America's Stealth Fighters? Even as the skies are becoming more crowded with airplanes and drones, the creaky U.S. air traffic control system is struggling to keep up. Hence the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has come up with a plan that requires aircraft to broadcast their positions to avoid mid-air collisions. It seems like a sensible and long overdue approach to boosting air safety. But what if aircraft have good reason not to disclose their location? Or more specifically, what if they are military planesand particularly stealth aircrafton a mission that requires anonymity? It's a dilemma between safety and secrecy that the Pentagon and FAA have failed to grapple with, according to a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. The GAO examined how the military is implementing an FAA requirement for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast. Aircraft equipped with ADS-B use satellite GPS to determine their location, speed and altitude, and then broadcast that information to ground controllers and other aircraft. In 2010, the FAA mandated that all civilian and military aircraft flying in U.S. national airspace must be equipped with ADS-B Out technology by 2020. Recommended: The Colt Python: The Best Revolver Ever Made? Recommended: Smith & Wesson 500: The Gun That Has As Much Firepower As a Rifle Recommended: Smith & Wesson's .44 Magnum Revolver: Why You Should Fear the 'Dirty Harry' Gun From the FAA's perspective, ADS-B makes sense. The agency can shut down its expensive ground radar stations: instead of tracking planes from the ground, planes will essentially track themselves. Yet like any GPS-based system, ADS-B has vulnerabilities, especially jamming, spoofing and hacking of GPS signals. Aircraft can magically disappear or change location, or conversely, fake ADS-B signals could create ghost aircraft to divert interceptors from, say, shooting down a suicide plane. Story continues Yet the real question remains: should military aircraft be publicly visible at all times? "Information broadcast from ADS-B transponders poses an operations security risk for military aircraft," the GAO notes. "For example, a 2015 assessment that RAND conducted on behalf of the U.S. Air Force stated that the broadcasting of detailed and unencrypted position data for fighter aircraft, in particular for a stealth aircraft such as the F-22, may present an operations security risk." In 2008, the Department of Defense warned the FAA that military aircraft "conducting special flights for sensitive missions in the United States and potentially compromised due to ADS-B technology. Such sensitive missions could include low-observable surveillance, combat air patrol, counter-drug, counter-terrorism, and key personnel transport." It's not that there aren't solutions. The Pentagon has suggested masking military aircraft identifiers, allowing pilots to turn off ADS-B, exempting combat aircraft from being equipped with ADS-B, and maintaining the current system of ground radars. Nonetheless, while the problem was identified ten years ago, a solution has yet to be implemented. "This is because DOD and FAA have focused on equipping military aircraft with ADS-B technology and have not focused on solving or mitigating security risks from ADS-B," the GAO said. The FAA's 2020 deadline expires in two years, which doesn't leave much time. "The good news is that DOD and FAA are thinking about a number of potential options to resolve some of the vulnerabilities we found," Joseph W. Kirschbaum, director of GAO's Defense Capabilities and Management office, told the National Interest. "The bad news is that thus far, the priority has been on equipping schedules and not on critical security issues. But based on the response to our findings, I am optimistic that everyone is taking this more seriously." Michael Peck is a contributing writer for the National Interest. He can be found on Twitter and Facebook. Image: Department of Defense Read full article A teaser for Disney and Lucasfilms Solo: A Star Wars Story landed in the midst of the Super Bowl Sunday, setting Twitter alight ahead of the release of the full-length trailer. The film is set to premiere on May 25. The latest installment of the decades-spanning space saga stars Alden Ehrenreich as a young Han Solo, the co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon spacecraft played by Harrison Ford in Star Wars episodes past. The action centers on the adventures of a young Solo and his furry co-pilot Chewbacca before they joined the Rebellion. That includes dealings with the smooth-talking smuggler Lando Calrissian, played by actor and Grammy Award-winning musician Donald Glover. Thandie Newton, Emilia Clarke and Woody Harrelson also appear in the film. Read more: Heres a Complete List of All the Upcoming Star Wars Movies Reviews were something of a mixed bag, but theres certainly a lot of buzz about the forthcoming full trailer. Heres what a few Twitter users had to say: This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. A full-length trailer will be shown on Good Morning America Monday. Check out the teaser above. San Jose (AFP) - A conservative, evangelical lawmaker who fiercely opposes same-sex marriage emerged as the frontrunner to become Costa Rica's next president, according to preliminary results from a first round election Sunday. Fabricio Alvarado of the right-wing National Restoration Party received 25 percent of the vote, according to a tally of more than two-thirds of the ballots published by the country's Supreme Electoral Tribunal. That placed him in the lead of a field of 13, the top two of which will go to a runoff election on April 1. Alvarado's nearest rival was Carlos Alvarado (no relation), a former labor minister who is the candidate of the ruling left-leaning Citizens' Action Party (PAC), with 21 percent. Definitive final results from the first-round election were to be given on Monday. Outgoing President Luis Guillermo Solis, a former academic and PAC man, is constitutionally barred from re-election. Electoral authorities said Sunday's polling was calm, with turnout at 65 percent. Voting was also to select a new legislative assembly. - Key issue - Same-sex marriage emerged as a potent vote swinger in the 3.3-million strong national electorate. Fabricio Alvarado, a 43-year-old journalist and a lawmaker in the outgoing legislature, rocketed from obscurity to the lead by homing in on the issue, strongly voicing opposition. His stance resonated with voters in the socially conservative country, which joins the rest of Central America in standing apart from moves to recognize gay marriage in much of South America. Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay all already accept such unions, and other nations appear poised to follow suit. Additionally, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights -- which is hosted in Costa Rica's capital -- last month urged Latin American nations to accept same-sex marriage. Costa Rica's outgoing government has indicated its willingness to follow the court's exhortation, but has butted up against refusal from the notaries' association that conducts marriages, and church groups. Story continues While past surveys suggest as many as two-thirds of the country's citizens harbor conservative views on that and other issues, around a third are just committed to progressive changes. The strong attachment to Christianity by most citizens was evident. "Religion had a very strong role in this election," said political analyst Carlos Chinchilla. But some voters displayed their rejection of what they saw as reactionary politics. One of them was Nelia Araya, a 20-year-old student who said as she voted in San Jose that she was worried about the "homophobic discourse" put forward by Fabricio Alvarado. In a related gesture, eight women went to vote in different polling stations dressed in costumes modeled on "The Handmaid's Tale," a US TV series about a dystopian future in which women are subjugated, to protest what they termed a "fundamentalist threat." - Climbing deficit - Solis, the outgoing president, had said as he voted that he saw the biggest problem facing Costa Rica to be "the fiscal deficit and its combination with the debt." Accompanied by relatives and advisors, the outgoing leader called on voters, who were also choosing a new legislative assembly, to "elect a government better than mine, a president better than me." A country with a costly health and pension system, Costa Rica has seen its deficit inch up to stand at 6.2 percent of gross domestic product. Public debt is 65 percent of GDP, creating concerns among officials that much-vaunted economic stability could be threatened. The outgoing government -- like the three before it -- was unable to push through tax reforms to counter the growing deficit. By Andrea Shalal and Andreas Rinke BERLIN (Reuters) - Negotiators for German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) will try on Monday to hammer out compromises on healthcare and labor policy - the final stumbling blocks in the way of another "grand coalition." The parties agreed to add another day of negotiations after missing a self-imposed Sunday deadline to reach a deal on renewing the coalition that has governed Europe's largest economy since 2013. Both sides cited progress and said the remaining differences did not appear insurmountable. "We're heading into the homestretch," senior SPD negotiator Karl Lauterbach told reporters late on Sunday. Stung by its worst postwar result in September elections, the SPD is trying to extract concessions that could win over skeptics among its 443,000 members, who get the final say on whether to move ahead with another tie-up with conservatives. Merkel's failure to cobble together a new government more than four months after national elections has raised concerns among investors and partner countries at a time when Europe is facing multiple challenges - including the need for euro zone reform and Britain's looming departure from the European Union. Germany could still face new elections or an unprecedented minority government if SPD members reject a coalition deal. EU Budget Commissioner Guenther Oettinger told the Rheinische Post newspaper that the parties should finalize a coalition deal as soon as possible, citing important pending EU decisions on asylum, banking and budget matters. SPD General Secretary Lars Klingbeil on Sunday lauded deals already reached by negotiators on rents and real estate, digitalization and culture, but said there was still work to do on labor and healthcare. Berlin Mayor Michael Mueller, another SPD negotiator, told German broadcaster ZDF he was heartened by an agreement to protect renters against excessive increases in rental costs. "We have a basis that is getting better day by day," he said. Senior conservative Reiner Haseloff told broadcaster ARD he did not expect the talks to fail, adding: "I can't think of any topic that is insurmountable." AGREEMENTS ON SEVERAL ISSUES The parties agreed on Sunday to invest more than 2 billion euros in social housing by 2021, to spend up to 12 billion euros on expanding broadband and to channel 33 billion euros to municipalities for various projects including childcare. Agreements were also reached on migration, energy and agriculture in recent days.[L8N1PT09T] The SPD sees advances on labor rules and healthcare as crucial to winning over left-wing members and other skeptics. Conservatives have thus far rejected a push by the SPD to ban short-term employment contracts imposed by employers without justification. But they have offered to prevent the repeated renewal of such short-term employment contracts as a compromise. The two sides are also still at odds over the SPD's call to replace Germany's dual public-private healthcare system with a universal insurance system for all. Monday's talks are expected to focus on improving public healthcare, such as by changing billing rules for doctors, who earn more by treating private patients. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Andreas Rinke; Editing by Peter Cooney) Hes a Holocaust denier, hes a white supremacist, and hes set to get the Republican nomination for a major congressional seat in Illinois. Arthur Jones, a Prairie State anti-Semite who has been unsuccessfully run for office for decades, is poised to get closer than ever to office this year after emerging as the only GOP candidate for a congressional spot representing parts of Chicago and its suburbs. Jones has made no secret of his view that the Holocaust is a racket, and he has even made that a prominent part of his latest bid for public office. His campaign website features a page called Holocaust? that includes a typed note calling the murder of six million Jews by Nazis the biggest, blackest, lie in history and falsely claiming there is no proof of the Holocaust beyond a few professional concentration camp survivors. The website also features a page calling the Confederate flag a symbol of White pride and White resistance and the LGBT rainbow flag an attack on traditional Christian morality and religious freedom. Trending: Can You Sell Your Body When You Die? This Man Wants to Try This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Jones campaign includes the slogan, Its time to put America First!, likely referencing President Donald Trumps America First campaign. Trumps slogan itself is taken from the America First Committee, an anti-Semitic and non-interventionist group from World War II. Jewish groups including the Anti Defamation League asked Trump to stop using the phrase during his presidential campaign because of its anti-Semitic origins. Jones last ran for office in 2016, when he expressed his support for Trumps candidacy, noting that his only concern was that Trumps daughter Ivanka is married to a Jew, Jared Kushner. (He has since said he regrets voting for Trump because the president has "surrounded himself with hoards of Jews.") But Jones was kicked off the ballot before that election. Don't miss: What MLK Really Said About Advertising After Dodge Criticized for Using His Words to Sell Trucks Story continues This time, though, there appears to be nothing in his way, as the district failed to produce any other challengers for the Republican ticket. Given the fact that Ive got no opposition in the primary, OK, I win that one by default all right, Jones told the Chicago Sun-Times in a Sunday profile. Jones is all but guaranteed to lose in November to one of the Democratic candidates incumbent Representative Dan Lipinski or challenger Marie Newman since the 3rd Congressional District leans heavily to the left. Most popular: Putins High School Teacher Liked Him So Much She Left Him Her Apartment The Illinois Republican Party is unable to boot Jones from the ballot this time, since he avoided mistakes with his petitions that invalidated his run in 2016. But the party made clear it has no support for the man who seems to destined to represent it this year. Swastika Reuters The Illinois Republican Party and our country have no place for Nazis like Arthur Jones, party chairman Tim Schneier said in a statement to the Sun-Times. We strongly oppose his racist views and his candidacy for any public office, including the 3rd Congressional District. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House Intelligence Committee will consider on Monday whether to release the Democratic rebuttal to a Republican memo that alleged bias at the FBI and Justice Department against President Donald Trump, two sources told Reuters. The four-page Republican memo, made public on Friday, has fueled a battle between Trump and top leaders at the FBI and Justice Department over Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The memo accuses the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Justice Department of using misleading information when they sought approval from a top secret court to monitor the communications of a former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page, on Oct. 21, 2016. Investigators asked the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court for permission to monitor Page as part of the wider probe into alleged Russian meddling in the election and potential collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia. Russia has denied meddling. Trump has insisted there was no collusion by his campaign and has called the Mueller probe a "witch hunt" and a "hoax." Democrats accuse Trump and his Republican allies of trying to use the memo to undermine the Russia probe and possibly make the case for the firing of Mueller or Rod Rosenstein, the No. 2 official at Justice who is overseeing Mueller. The Republican-led House Intelligence Committee released the memo, which said the FBI and Justice Department sought a warrant for monitoring the communications of Page based on unverified information from a dossier partly paid for by Democrats. The FBI objected, however, saying it had "grave concerns" that the document gave an inaccurate account of the application to carry out surveillance on Page. Democrats contend the Republican memo mischaracterized highly sensitive classified information. The Democratic lawmakers' memo is expected to outline what they see as flaws in the Republican document. Two sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity on Sunday that the House Intelligence Committee would consider declassifying the Democratic memo on Monday and making it public. One said the meeting would take place at 5 p.m. (2200 GMT) and that there would be a vote. The White House said the president would be open to releasing the Democratic memo after it was subjected to a security review. "If voted out, we'll consider it. Nothing more to add," White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said on Sunday. A Democratic member of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, Michael Quigley, said on Sunday he was concerned that Trump could censor the Democratic memo that must be sent to him for a five-day security review before it is released under the same rule by which the Republican document was made public. THREE RENEWALS Democrats have pointed out that the FBI and Justice sought three renewals of the original warrant for surveillance of Page. All three were approved by FISA court judges. FISA warrants must be renewed every 90 days and each time, the government must show that the surveillance collected valuable foreign intelligence. The memo also confirmed that the FBI investigation, which Mueller took over in May, was triggered in late July 2016 by contacts between Russians and another Trump campaign adviser, George Papadapoulos. Tweeting from his resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, Trump said the Republican memo "totally vindicates" him in the Russia investigation and called Mueller's probe a "disgrace." But several Republican lawmakers who spoke about the controversy on Sunday disagreed with the president, including Trey Gowdy, a member of the House Intelligence Committee and one of the authors of the Republican memo. Speaking on the CBS program "Face the Nation," Gowdy said he believed the Republican memo showed sloppiness by investigators in their application to the FISA court. But, he said, the Russia probe should continue regardless. "I am on record as saying I support Bob Mueller 100 percent," Gowdy said. "I say investigate everything Russia did, but admit that this was a really sloppy process that you engaged in to surveil a U.S. citizen." Will Hurd, another Republican member of the House Intelligence Committee, agreed that the Republican memo should have no impact on Mueller's investigation. "Bob Mueller should be allowed to turn over every rock, pursue every lead, so that we can have trust in knowing what actually the Russians did or did not do," Hurd said on ABC News' "This Week." Former CIA Director John Brennan slammed the Republican House intelligence panel chairman, Devin Nunes, who commissioned the Republican memo, for his handling of its release and for his refusal to make public the Democratic rebuttal alongside it. "It really underscores just how partisan Mr. Nunes has been. He has abused the office of the chairmanship of HPSCI (House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence)," Brennan told NBC's "Meet the Press." "And I don't say that lightly." (Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu, Lesley Wroughton and Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Peter Cooney) New Delhi (AFP) - Survivors called on India's government Monday to ban female genital mutilation, an age-old ritual practised by a small Muslim sect in the country. Female genital mutilation (FGM) involves removing the clitoris partially or completely, leading to psychological, sexual and physical complications including low libido, infections, infertility and even death. It is not widespread in India, but is practised by the Dawoodi Bohra community which believes that the removal of the clitoris -- or the "manifestation of the devil" -- is the will of God. India currently has no law against FGM, which the Bohras call "khatna", a religious obligation. WeSpeakOut, a survivor-led movement by Bohra women to end FGM, said legislation was needed to stop the centuries-old custom. "We realise that we need a strong law which will (ban) this practice," said WeSpeakOut founder Masooma Ranalvi, who was cut at the age of seven. Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, she described it as a "cruel, very, very painful experience". India's Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said last year she would legislate against the practice unless the Bohra spiritual leader issued a ban. But Ranalvi said Gandhi's ministry had made no headway. WeSpeakOut said that of 81 Bohra women surveyed across four Indian states, all had been cut and up to three-quarters of their daughters had also been subjected to the practice. It gave the figures in a report released before the UN's International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM on Tuesday. The practice is widespread in Africa and the Middle East but international efforts have led to bans in 18 countries including Egypt. More than a dozen Bohra communities in Europe and the US have passed resolutions against it. Bohra, a sect of Shia Islam that originated in Yemen, is followed by over one million people worldwide. By Lidia Kelly and Maayan Lubell WARSAW/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's education minister said on Monday he was "honored" Poland had canceled his visit to Warsaw this week because he refused to back off of condemnation of a bill that would outlaw suggesting Poland was complicit in the Holocaust. Earlier on Monday, Naftali Bennett said he would travel to Poland to discuss the bill, which Israeli officials have said amounts to Holocaust denial. However Poland's government spokeswoman said there would be no such visit. "The blood of Polish Jews cries from the ground, and no law will silence it," Bennett later said in a statement. "The government of Poland canceled my visit, because I mentioned the crimes of its people. I am honored." After Bennett's statement, the government spokeswoman declined to comment further on the issue. Israel has denounced the Polish Holocaust bill, which passed in parliament last week and is awaiting a decision by President Andrzej Duda over whether to sign it. The Polish measure would impose prison sentences of up to three years for mentioning the term "Polish death camps" and for suggesting "publicly and against the facts" that the Polish nation or state was complicit in Nazi Germany's crimes. Poland's rightwing nationalist government says the bill is necessary to protect the reputation of Poles as victims of Nazi aggression. Israel says the law would ban true statements about the role that some Poles played in Nazi crimes. The bill has drawn criticism from the United States and condemnation from a number of international organizations as well as Polish minority groups. Poland, which had Europe's biggest Jewish population when it was invaded by both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union at the start of World War Two, became ground zero for the "final solution", Hitler's plan to exterminate the Jews of Europe. More than three million of Poland's 3.2 million Jews were murdered by the Nazis, accounting for about half of the Jews killed in the Holocaust. Jews from across the continent were sent to be killed at death camps built and operated by Germans in Poland, including Auschwitz, Treblinka, Belzec and Sobibor. According to figures from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Nazis also killed at least 1.9 million non-Jewish Polish civilians. "The death camps in Poland were built and operated by the Germans, and we cannot allow them to evade responsibility for these actions," Bennett said. "However, many Polish people, all over the country, chased, informed or actively took part in the murder of over 200,000 Jews during, and after, the Holocaust. Only a few thousand people, Righteous Among the Nations, risked themselves to save Jews." (Additional reporting by Pawel Sobczak in WARSAW; Writing by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Peter Graff) Washington (AFP) - King Abdullah II of Jordan said in an interview aired Sunday that the United States remains essential to any hope of a peaceful solution between Israel and the Palestinians, despite widespread criticism of the new US stance on Jerusalem. "We cannot have a peace process or a peace solution without the role of the United States," the monarch said on the CNN program "Fareed Zakaria GPS," in an interview taped at the recent economic summit in Davos, Switzerland. He said this was true even after President Donald Trump decided to move the US embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv -- where nearly every other country has its embassy. In December, Jordan called Trump's move "a violation of decisions of international law and the United Nations charter," and Abdullah reiterated his concerns to Vice President Mike Pence who visited the Middle East last month. Abdullah noted on Sunday that Trump's decision had "created a backlash" by leaving Palestinians feeling "that there isn't an honest broker." - Awaiting a peace plan - But, he added, "I'd like to reserve judgment, because we're still waiting for the Americans to come out with their (peace) plan." Trump's decision was warmly embraced by Israel but widely decried around the world, sparking outrage and protests from Arabs and Muslims. Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of an eventual Palestinian state and had hoped that peace talks might someday bring international recognition of that status. "I think we have to give the Americans the benefit of the doubt and all work together" once the White House issues a peace plan, Abdullah said, while adding that "if it is not a good plan... I don't think we've got a Plan B at this stage." The king emphasized that the stakes around the Jerusalem question are high. "This is a city that could either create tremendous problems for us in the future, or it is an umbrella that gives us hope," he said. "It could be a tremendous city that brings us together or it could create aggression and violence that we've never seen before." East Jerusalem was under Jordanian administration until Israel took control in the 1967 Six-Day War, annexed it, and later declared Jerusalem the indivisible capital of Israel, a status never recognized by the international community. The United States has long seen Jordan as a source of moderation and stability in the region. By Katharine Houreld and George Obulutsa NAIROBI (Reuters) - Two Kenyan television channels shut down by the government over their coverage of the political opposition resumed partial broadcasting on Monday, although a third channel remained off the air. The unprecedented act of censorship sparked a local and international backlash against the government of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who won an election in October. It also reinvigorated an opposition that had appeared unsure of its next step after a highly publicized rally last week at which leader Raila Odinga symbolically inaugurated himself as president. The NTV, KTN News and Citizen TV channels were taken off the air on Tuesday, hours before they were due to broadcast Odinga's event. The United States, the United Nations and former colonial ruler Britain strongly criticized the government's censorship. The government ignored a court order issued on Thursday to restore the stations, prompting activist Okiya Omtatah to file a case seeking the arrest of officials for contempt of court on Monday. Also on Monday, police teargassed demonstrators demanding the stations reopen as they tried to march on government offices. It was unclear why the government switched back on the transmitters. A spokesman for the government was not available for comment. "There's been no form of communication from the government," said Larry Madowo of NTV, which resumed broadcasting on pay-to-view channels although its free-to-air channel, which uses different transmitters, was still off. KTN News was back on its free-to-air channel. Madowo noted the transmitters for Citizen TV were in a different place, which might explain the delay. POLITICAL PROBLEMS Odinga's symbolic inauguration in the heart of the capital of East Africa's wealthiest economy was intended as a direct challenge to Kenyatta. Odinga insists he, not Kenyatta, was the true winner of a disputed presidential election last August. The Supreme Court later nullified the August election on procedural grounds and Kenyatta won a repeat poll in October after Odinga boycotted it, claiming it would not be fair. Since the symbolic inauguration, Odinga and his supporters have repeatedly promised to outline their next step, only to postpone the unveiling of their plan. Most of their statements have focused on the brief detention of three opposition politicians who took part in Odinga's ceremony, which occurred peacefully after the government withdrew police from the site. Around 100 people were killed during the protracted election season, most of them Odinga supporters shot by the police. Odinga supporters say they are angered by police impunity, persistent government corruption and the perceived neglect of large swathes of the country by the central government. (Additional reporting by Humphrey Malalo; Writing by Katharine Houreld; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg) Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon have reached out to Kim Cattrall via social media to offer condolences about her brother. (Photos: Getty Images) Update: On Tuesday, Kim Cattrall thanked her fans, friends, and Sex and the City colleagues for the outpouring of support for both herself and her family over the three days since her missing brother, Chris Cattrall, was found dead. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Original story: The drama between the Sex and the City gang seems to have been paused amid the unexpected death of Kim Cattralls brother. We think. Cattrall, who has retired from playing Samantha Jones in the NYC glam girl gang, took to social media on Sunday seeking help in finding her missing brother, Christopher Cattrall. He had been missing since Tuesday. The story didnt end well. Chris, 55, was found deceased on his own property in Blackfalds, Alberta, Canada. Kim posted a follow-up message on social media soon after, saying that with great sadness she had discovered that he had died, which she described as unexpected. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Among the more than 5,000 messages on her Instagram post was one from Sarah Jessica Parker, with whom she has been publicly sparring since Cattrall pulled out of the third Sex and the City movie. Dearest Kim, my love and condolences to you and yours and Godspeed to your beloved brother, SJP wrote. Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon offered condolences to Kim Cattrall on Instagram. (Photo: Instagram) Cynthia Nixon also commented, writing, Hey Kim such awful news. So sorry to hear. Sending you love. XO. SJP was both praised and criticized for her post, as is typical with social media and celebrity fandom. While someone wrote, @sarahjessicaparker pure class, another put, I truly hope @sarahjessicaparker realizes what truly matters in life after her ridiculous and obnoxious PR stunt on this weeks WWHL & over the last months about you & SATC3. There is more to life and you deserve the life you want to live! Its unclear whether SJPs comment remains on the site. Now, hours later, its no longer coming up immediately, though Nixons still is. Sarah Jessica Parkers comment no longer immediately came up. (Photo: Instagram) Cattrall has not shared any further updates, but her brother went missing on Tuesday, leaving his front door unlocked and his wallet and keys inside his home. Also inside were his seven beloved dogs, so his family was concerned. A spokesperson for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police told CNN that Christopher was discovered in an unspecified location on his rural property. A cause of death was not provided, but the death was not deemed suspicious. Story continues Just last week, SJP was on Watch What Happens Live joking around about Kim pulling the plug on the movie. Parker jokingly cast host Andy Cohen, her close friend, as a replacement in the role. However, the drama seems to be set aside now in the wake of real tragedy. We think. More from Yahoo Entertainment: NAIROBI (Reuters) - A prominent American investigator of the illegal ivory and rhino horn trade has been found dead in his Nairobi home with a stab wound in his neck, media reported. Esmond Bradley-Martin, 75, had spent decades tracking the movement of animal products, mostly from Africa to markets in Asia. "It's a very big loss for conservation," said Paula Kahumbu, chief executive of Wildlife Direct, an organization focused on protecting elephants in Kenya. He had been about to publish a report exposing how the ivory trade had shifted from China to neighboring countries, Kahumbu added. The former U.N. special envoy for rhino conservation was found in his home on Sunday afternoon, friends said. Bradley-Martin's research was instrumental in China's decision to ban its legal rhino horn trade in 1993. It also pressured China to end legal ivory sales, a ban that came into force on January 1. "His work revealed the scale of the problem and made it impossible for the Chinese government to ignore," said Kahumbu. He was an expert on the prices of ivory and rhino horn, leading undercover investigations into markets in China and Southeast Asia. He is the second prominent conservationist to die in East Africa in the past year. South African Wayne Lotter, whose work targeted ivory smuggling from Africa to Asia, was shot dead in Tanzania in August. There was no immediate comment from police. (Reporting By Maggie Fick; Additional reporting by Humphrey Malalo; Editing by Andrew Heavens) Awkar (Lebanon) (AFP) - Hundreds of Kurds protested in Lebanon on Monday against Turkey's military offensive in Syria's Kurdish enclave of Afrin. Several demonstrations in support of Syria's Kurds have taken place in the Lebanese capital and across the world since Ankara launched its operation last month. The demonstrators, some of them refugees and others members of Lebanon's long-established Kurdish community, held their protest near the US embassy on the outskirts of Beirut. They described feeling abandoned by Washington. "We brought an end to the Islamic State group in the world and now the entire world is against us," said one demonstrator, who gave his name as Rida and who was originally from Afrin. The Kurds in Syria were the main partner on the ground for the US-led coalition that has carried out thousands of air strikes against the jihadists since 2014. They spearheaded a massive offensive that last year expelled IS from Raqa, the city that was the inner sanctum of its now-defunct "caliphate". Now many feel the United States and its allies in the coalition are doing little to protect them from neighbouring Turkey, which is alarmed by the consolidation of Kurdish-held territory along its border with Syria. Turkey has carried out air strikes and used its Syrian rebel allies to attack the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), a group Ankara considers a terrorist organisation linked to the Kurdish insurgency active on its own soil. Several of the protesters at the demonstration, which passed without any incident, were carrying olive branches and waving YPG posters. Some of them also held portraits of a Kurdish female combattant, Barin Kobani, whose corpse appeared in a shocking video last week. Her family and Kurdish officials have accused Turkish-backed rebels of "defiling" her body. BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon said a wall Israel intends to build at the border marks a violation of Lebanese sovereignty during a meeting of Lebanese and Israeli military officers chaired by U.N. peacekeepers on Monday. Disagreement over the wall and Lebanon's plans to explore for offshore oil and gas in disputed maritime waters have elevated tensions between Israel and Lebanon, which is home to the powerful Iran-backed Shi'ite group Hezbollah. The Israeli army has previously said the construction work is being done on sovereign Israeli territory. The Lebanese government says the wall passes through territory that belongs to Lebanon but which is located on the Israeli side of the U.N.-designated Blue Line, which demarcated Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000. The Israeli defense minister, addressing the dispute last week, accused Hezbollah of provocations, saying Israel had withdrawn to the recognized international border with Lebanon and was being challenged over a barrier in Israeli territory. The sides met under the supervision of the U.N. peacekeeping force UNIFIL in their regular tripartite meeting at U.N. positions in the Ras al-Naqoura border area. "The Lebanese side reviewed the matter of the wall which the Israeli enemy intends to build ... confirming the position of the Lebanese government rejecting the construction of this wall as it violates Lebanese sovereignty," the Lebanese army said in a statement after Monday's meeting. Hezbollah and Israel last fought a major conflict in 2006. In a statement, UNIFIL said the meeting had received great attention "due to engineering works south of the Blue Line previously announced by the Israeli side". UNIFIL force commander Major General Beary noted there had been a "period of relative calm" since the last tripartite meeting. "However, there has been a great deal of activity along the Blue Line. I would like to acknowledge the restraint exercised by both parties in decreasing tension and maintaining stability. No one wants to return to a period of escalating tensions and a breach of the cessation of hostilities," he said. OFFSHORE ENERGY DISPUTE In the meeting, the Lebanese side also rejected recent Israeli comments about Lebanon's offshore energy exploration, the army statement said. On Wednesday, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman described as "very provocative" Lebanon's first offshore oil and gas exploration tender and said it would be a mistake for international firms to participate. Lebanon has an unresolved maritime border dispute with Israel over a triangular area of sea of around 860 sq km (330 square miles) that extends along the edge of three of five blocks Lebanon put to tender early last year. Lebanon in December approved a bid by a consortium of France's Total, Italy's Eni and Russia's Novatek for two blocks. One of the awarded blocks, Block 9, borders Israeli waters. "The block lies entirely within Lebanon's territorial and economic waters," the army statement said. (Reporting by Lisa Barrington; Editing by Tom Perry) By Mohamed Junayd and Shihar Aneez MALE/COLOMBO (Reuters) - Maldives President Abdulla Yameen on Monday declared a state of emergency, ordered security forces into the supreme court and arrested a former president, in moves the opposition called a "purge" in the Indian Ocean island nation. The president has defied a Supreme Court ruling handed down last week, which revoked terrorism charges against nine leading opposition figures including the country's first democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed, who is now in exile. The court ordered the opposition figures, six of whom are being held in the country's main jail on a sparsely inhabited island, to be freed. "The President has been compelled to declare a state of emergency due to the risk currently posed to national security," said a statement from Yameen's office on Monday. "Implementation of the Supreme Court ruling is in its current form incompatible with maintenance of public safety." Police arrested another former president, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom -- who is also Yameen's half-brother -- at his residence along with his son-in-law. Gayoom ruled the country for 30 years until 2008, and is now in the opposition. Gayoom's son Faris is one of the jailed opposition figures ordered freed by the court. In a recorded video sent to social media, Gayoom said he was being taken to the prison island of Dhoonidhoo: "I have not committed any crime. This arrest is unlawful. I will remain strong, and I ask the beloved people to remain strong." Yameen, who has held his position since 2013, faces mounting pressure at home and from the United States and India to obey the court's order. The Maldives is made up of 26 coral atolls and 1,192 islands. Politics centers on the tiny but densely populated capital Male. China, the United States and India issued travel advisories for the Maldives, a country of 400,000 people best known as a beach paradise for the tourists that provide most of its foreign currency revenue. The tumult comes during the peak tourism season. Tourism brought in $2.7 billion of revenue for the Maldives in 2016. As midnight approached, roads leading to the Supreme Court had been barricaded. At one spot, police with batons charged protesters to disperse them. "I just spoke to the Chief Justice and he told me that the gates of the Supreme Court (are) being stormed by the military. He is inside and nobody can go out or come in," Husnu Al Suood, the president of Maldives Bar Association and a former attorney general, told Reuters late on Monday. "The emergency means the Supreme Court activities are suspended and nobody is in charge of the judiciary," he said. A court official later confirmed that state security forces had broken into the building and were not allowing its judges to leave. "It is a purge of the political leadership, the parliament and the judiciary," said opposition legislator Eva Abdulla. "RESPECT RULE OF LAW" - U.S. The U.S. National Security Council released a statement on Twitter saying, "The Maldivian government and military must respect the rule of law, freedom of expression, and democratic institutions. The world is watching." The U.S. State Department said it was "troubled and disappointed" by the state of emergency and the failure by the president, army and police to obey a lawful Supreme Court ruling. "President Yameen has systematically alienated his coalition, jailed or exiled every major opposition political figure, deprived elected members of parliament of their right to represent their voters in the legislature, revised laws to erode human rights ... and weakened the institutions of government," it said in a statement. Amnesty International said that the 15-day emergency declaration must not become a license for further repression. "The Maldivian authorities have an appalling track-record of suppressing freedom of expression and any form of opposition, a pattern of behavior that has intensified over recent years," said Dinushika Dissanayake, Amnesty's Deputy South Asia Director. The Maldives has experienced political unrest since Nasheed, the island's first democratically elected leader, was forced to quit amid a mutiny by police in 2012. The following year, Yameen defeated Nasheed in an election that Nasheed's supporters say was rigged. Nasheed was jailed on terrorism charges but was allowed to go to Britain for medical treatment in January 2016. He has lived in exile since and is currently in Sri Lanka. "This deliberate refusal by the government to uphold the constitution further destabilizes the Maldives and wider Indian Ocean security," Nasheed said in a statement on Monday. Under the country's constitution, the declaration of a state of emergency should be submitted to parliament. In the event of a dispute about the declaration, the Supreme Court is meant to rule on its validity. With the court effectively suspended, it was not immediately clear how that might happen. ELECTIONS IN OCTOBER In its ruling last Thursday, the Supreme Court said it found that prosecutors and judges had been influenced "to conduct politically motivated investigations" into the allegations leveled at Nasheed, former vice president Ahmed Adeeb and the other opposition leaders. The court ordered fresh investigations and trials to be held. The ruling has energized an opposition that hopes Nasheed will be allowed to return home to run against Yameen in a presidential election due in October. On Monday, before the emergency was declared, a minister quit in protest at the government's defiance of the Supreme Court. "It is not possible for my conscience to accept the lack of answers to the way the government is dealing with the orders of the highest court on state institutions," Hussain Rasheed, the state health minister, said in his resignation letter. (Additional reporting by Ranga Sirilal in COLOMBO; additional reporting by David Brunnstrom and Makini Brice in WASHINGTON; Writing by Tom Lasseter; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Peter Graff) Melania Trump has much to be thankful for. A Slovenian model who landed her first gigs in the United States barely 20 years ago and only became a green-card holder in 2001, she now lives in the worlds most recognisable mansion with the worlds most powerful man. Shes rich, shes beautiful, she has a handsome young son and an array of homes to go to at weekends. She is most fond of Mar-a-Lago, the 126-room villa once owned by cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post in South Florida. We knew this two weekends ago when she was meant to join her husband, Donald Trump, on his brief trip to Davos, Switzerland. Most of us would leap at the chance, particularly since travel was by private 747. But no. She went to the villa instead. Maybe she doesnt like the cold. But her demurring made us wonder. Was there some kind of marital beef between her and the President? Or was this a signal that actually she wasnt going to be playing by the old rules any more. No more traipsing along with POTUS wherever he goes. No more pandering to the expectations associated with the role of first lady, FLOTUS. The tensions-in-the-bedroom theory was instantly more popular. The confirmation from the First Ladys office of her intention to skip Davos came on the heels of a Wall Street Journal report about the President allegedly paying $130,000 (92,000) to a dirty films actress named Stormy Daniels in return for her staying silent about an affair they had purportedly had a decade before. The paper said that transaction occurred just weeks before the presidential election in November 2016. The lawyer, Michael Cohen, denied the two had ever had a sexual encounter. But the Washington Post said it had two sources confirming that the First Lady had felt blindsided by the report and was furious with the President. Remarkably, the Stormy Daniels story hasnt consumed political discourse in Washington in the way youd expect. Such is the fraught nature of this presidency: pitch one more hand-grenade in a bathtub full of them and no one takes much notice. And this isnt just a tabloid-titillation deal. Were such a sum indeed paid to suppress a story that might have altered the course of the election, that could be deemed illegal. Story continues It is not inconceivable, in fact, that Robert Mueller, the special investigator, may add this to his already long list of matters he considers worthy of his attention. It has nothing to do with colluding with Russia, but Monica Lewinsky had nothing to do with the Whitewater land deals, which were the starting point of Kenneth Starrs probe of Bill Clinton in the Nineties. But if it hasnt triggered an earthquake, the Stormy affair hasnt gone away either. In Touch, a tabloid magazine, followed the Journal by releasing an interview it conducted with Daniels in 2011 offering more details of the purported relationship. Jacob Weisberg, editor-in-chief of Slate, offered his own corroboration of the outlines of the Journal report, based on interviews he did with Daniels in 2016. At times, the story has erred into the comical. Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, has recounted Trump allegedly sharing with her a special hatred for sharks. That triggered a surge of donations to shark research groups across the United States. One anonymous donor just sent a $2,500 donation to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy to name a shark after Special Counsel Mueller. And there was this tidbit: Trump once asked Daniels to spank him with a rolled-up copy of Forbes magazine. We also learned from Stormy that Trump did not use a condom and that when she enquired about Melania, he replied: Oh, dont worry about her. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. There has also been the denial, non-denial pantomime. Oh yes they did. Oh no they didnt. On the day of the State of the Union, Daniels released a statement apparently meant to knock the story dead. With her own signature attached, it said: I am not denying this affair because I was paid hush money as has been reported in overseas-owned tabloids. I am denying this affair because it never happened. But then on the Jimmy Kimmel Show on ABC that night she said she didnt know where the statement had come from and that the signature didnt look like hers. You begin to see why every late-night show in the land has been in Stormy heaven. The First Lady has been giving them fodder too. While she did attend her husbands State of the Union on Tuesday, she travelled to Capitol Hill in a separate limo. No first lady has ever done that. When he included a line in his speech about the importance of faith and family, she remained seated while everyone around her stood up. There was even chatter about the white Dior pantsuit she wore. It looked a lot like outfits favoured by Hillary Clinton at key moments in her presidential campaign. Dressing like Hillary would surely get Donalds attention. Its dangerous to guess at other peoples marriages. But its safe to say that life for Melania Trump, despite all the privileges, is a lonely one. She cant seek solace from the former-first-ladies club because they Hillary, Laura, Michelle wont let her in. She isnt finding it from her husband either. And we know also she never wanted the job of first lady in the first place. But just maybe, her anger and isolation will mean that more than any of her predecessors, Trump will be able to update and modernise the business of being first lady, from slavish subjugation to spouse and office to confident, if occasionally rebellious independence. It will be tricky. The relationship with her husband must be repaired and so too her relationship with the country. But get it right and she could go from figure of fun to figure of inspiration. The one-time supermodel from Slovenia could even end up making Eleanor Roosevelt proud. House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., who authored the controversial GOP memo alleging surveillance abuses by the FBI and the Department of Justice, defended one of the memos key points Monday by claiming Donald Trump never even met with his campaign foreign-policy adviser George Papadopoulos. But a photo tweeted in 2016 by Trump himself shows he did. In an interview with Fox & Friends, Nunes was asked about assertions that the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign in July 2016 based on suspicions about Papadopouloss connections to Russia. That point, conceded in the memo, tends to undercut claims by Trump that the FBI warrant to wiretap another Trump adviser, Carter Page, was based on an unverified dossier funded by Democrats. If Papadopoulos was such a major figure, why didnt you get a warrant on him? Nunes argued on the morning show. As far as we can tell, Papadopoulos never even knew who never even had met with the president. Yet in March 2016, Papadopoulos attended what was labeled a national security meeting in Washington, D.C., with Trump and other campaign officials, including future Attorney General Jeff Sessions, after which Trump posted a photo of the meeting to his Twitter feed. Yes, theres a photo of more than a dozen people sitting around a conference table, including Papadopoulos and Trump, Jack Langer, Nuness communications director, wrote in an email to Yahoo News. But that does not make clear whether the two men knew each other at all. In this photo from Donald Trumps Twitter account, George Papadopoulos, third from left, sits at a table with then-candidate Trump and others at what is labeled at a national security meeting in Washington that was posted on March 31, 2016. (Photo via AP) Last October, Special Counsel Robert Mueller announced that Papadopoulos admitted lying to the FBI about his outreach to Russia during the campaign. Papadopoulos was arrested in July and cooperated with federal officials in their investigation. According to the charges unsealed by Muellers office, Papadopoulos introduced himself to Trump and the group at the March 2016 meeting and said he could help arrange a meeting between then-candidate Trump and President Putin. (In an interview that month, Trump praised Papadopoulos as an excellent guy.) A week before the meeting, Papadopoulos had met with a London professor and a Russian national who was introduced to him as a relative of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Story continues Look, getting drunk in London and talking to diplomats, saying that you dont like Hillary Clinton I think its kind of scary that our intelligence agencies would take that and use it against an American citizen, Nunes said. Following the news of Papadopoulos plea deal, Trump dismissed him as low-level volunteer and proven liar. On Saturday, Trump tweeted that the controversial Republican memo, which was declassified by Trump and released by the committee the day before, totally vindicates his claim that Muellers investigation is a witch hunt. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Nunes echoed that charge in his appearance on Fox & Friends. For the last year weve been chasing Russian ghosts around that were colluding with the Trump campaign, he said. We havent found any yet but they could be there. Were still looking. After Nuness appearance Monday, Trump praised Nunes as a man of tremendous courage and grit who may someday be recognized as a Great American Hero for what he has exposed. Read more from Yahoo News: Authorities recovered the bodies of more than a dozen migrants in the sea off the coast of Melilla, a Spanish city that shares a border with Morocco. Passengers aboard a Spanish ship spotted the bodies on Saturday, a spokesperson for Melilla said, according to The Guardian. Rescue services from both territories were then notified to investigate the matter. During their search, they found at least twenty bodies but the exact toll has not yet been announced, the BBC reports. Among the victims of the tragedy are people from Mali, Guinea Conakry and Cote d'Ivoire, Helena Maleno, an activist with the organization Caminando Fronteras, told El Pais, a Spanish newspaper. Trending: Putins High School Teacher Liked Him So Much She Left Him Her Apartment 2_4_Northern Africa Alexander Koerner/Getty Images Many migrants travel along the route where the corpses were found, in hopes of making it across the water to southern Spain. In 2017, more than 21,000 migrants and refugees arrived in Spain by sea and 223 people died in the process, according to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency. How many more have to die? We have to re-establish a just policy on the borders, make legal immigration more flexible, strengthen the integration policy and protect people fleeing from wars and those who protect international law, Pedro Sanchez, leader of the Spanish Socialists Workers Party (PSOE), El Pais reports. Story continues Don't miss: Watch: Mass Riots Erupt in Philadelphia as Fans Celebrate Eagles Triumph Spain is the second most popular European entry point for migrants, behind Italy. In 2017, more than 119,000 migrants and refugees arrived in Italy by sea and 2,832 died on their way to the country. Despite the alarming number, its the lowest the IOM has recorded in four years. In 2016, the agency recorded more than 181,000 sea arrivals in Italy. It is a very painful news, Ione Belarra, deputy spokesperson for the Spanish political party Podemos in the Congress, said of the most recent tragedy. I want a country with policies that take care of life, protect it and not sow death and suffering." This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Nihm (Yemen) (AFP) - Ignoring the rumble of heavy artillery, Yemeni commander Nasr al-Dibani points at Huthi bases from a jagged clifftop, outlining his push to break a grinding stalemate on the frontline outside Sanaa. "Whoever controls Nihm controls Sanaa," Dibani, flanked by armed loyalists, said from atop a newly captured hill, Al-Humra, on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital. Backed by air support from the Saudi-led coalition, the Yemeni army in recent months has toppled multiple Huthi rebel bases on Nihm, a rugged chain of cloud-cutting mountains on the eastern edge of Sanaa, which has been held by the insurgents since September 2014. A bloody battleground, Nihm is a key gateway to the capital, which still remains elusive with the Yemeni military advance impeded by the treacherous mountain terrain and thousands of land mines planted by the Iran-backed rebels. "What is a bigger enemy -- the Huthis or the terrain? I say both," said Dibani, clutching a walkie-talkie as he pointed at surrounding Huthi territory below during a press tour organised by the coalition. Dibani said his army stormed many Huthi hideouts on foot, using donkeys to carry supplies before a months-long engineering effort to pave a moonscape of rutted mountain tracks. Now pick-up trucks carry equipment, fuel and supplies to captured outposts, in a bone-jarring ascent. Sanaa, less than 30 miles (50 kilometres) away, remains stubbornly out of reach despite the recent gains, highlighting the complexities of Yemens tangled conflict. "Nihm's rugged mountains make it quite difficult for even the most technologically proficient armies to make progress," Adam Baron, a Yemen expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told AFP. "This makes it unlikely -- though not impossible -- that there will be any dramatic shifts for the time being, even if both sides of this conflict see Nihm as one of the most strategically important battlefields in Yemen." Story continues - A fight to the death - Further complicating the war, the Yemen army led by President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi is now distracted by the emergence of a new battlefront against southern secessionists who last week seized the port city of Aden. Yemen's civil war took a dramatic turn in December when Huthi rebels killed Ali Abdullah Saleh, the country's toppled ex-president, punishing him for switching sides and seeking peace with the Saudi-led coalition. But the soldiers at Al-Humra seem unfazed. Dibani used a knife to rip open a rock-shaped anti-tank mine that blended in with the dun-coloured landscape. Hundreds of such mines were defused on Al-Humra alone, he said. In a small hole punched in the mountainside, used as a Huthi sniper nest, he pulled out discarded Islamic literature, cigarettes, fruit juice and cans of cream cheese and a condiment made from sesame seeds. "They eat like us. They are human," Dibani joked. A foul stench came from another sniper nest, raising fears there was a dead Huthi inside. "These men fought till their death, unwilling to surrender," Dibani said. A discarded pamphlet -- embossed with images of university graduates and smiling youths -- which was apparently airdropped by coalition jets during the fight, read: "Oh happy people of Yemen, Iran only wants the destruction of this Arab nation. Put your hands in the hands of the legitimate government of Yemen." - 'Honour and revenge' - Dibani's men -- including teachers, lawyers and PhD holders who took up arms -- insist they are capable of a swift advance to dislodge the rebels from Sanaa, but they are restrained by the need to prevent civilian casualties. "We don't want to capture Sanaa at the cost of burning the city," Dibani said. "Our families, our relatives, our brothers are inside." The United Nations accuses both sides of doing little to prevent civilian casualties, and plunging the country into chaos, famine and disease. Dibani said ordinary Yemenis are so inured to tragedies that death no longer gives pause. He insisted on pushing ever closer to the city, in the hope of pressuring the Huthis to surrender and commit to negotiations. But that may be wishful thinking, analysts warn. "This is because the tribes surrounding Sanaa have fluid allegiances," Elisabeth Kendall, a Yemen scholar at Oxford University, told AFP. "It's also because the Huthis will not simply surrender, irrespective of superior Saudi fire power. This is about honour and revenge, and not necessarily about military logic." Dibani insists they have no choice in the face of an intractable enemy unwilling to engage. He cited a recent encounter between one of his men who seized a walkie talkie abandoned by the Huthis on a captured mountain and a rebel on the other side. "Why did you kill Saleh?" the soldier asked in a bid to engage with the rebel over the air waves. "Because he was ISIS (Islamic State group) like you," he retorted before taking aim at the soldier, who was oblivious that he was in the rebel's crosshairs. The soldier survived a bullet wound on his shoulder. Montreal (AFP) - Caroline Mulroney, daughter of Canada's former conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney, announced she will run for leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario ahead of the upcoming provincial election. Mulroney's entry into politics could spell the emergence of a new political dynasty in the country -- with current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau himself the son of former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Mulroney, a 43-year-old lawyer with no experience in politics, confirmed her decision on Twitter Sunday night. "Let's get it done.I'm running for leader. Join me," she posted on Twitter, with a link to her campaign website. Speaking to The Star, Mulroney shared her belief that people "really want something completely new" following 15 years of liberal government in Ontario. The eldest daughter of Brian Mulroney -- who led Canada from 1984 to 1993 -- was nominated last August as a Progressive Conservative candidate for the north Toronto riding of York-Simcoe for June's provincial election. The party leadership position unexpectedly became vacant following the resignation of Patrick Brown over sexual misconduct allegations, which he denies. Mulroney will have to fight off several other candidates to become party leader and possibly Premier of Ontario if her party wins on June 7. Jeremy Hunt hit back after Donald Trump criticised the NHS - AP Photo/Evan Vucci/Peter Byrne/PA Wire The head of the NHS has hit back at Donald Trump, saying the British people are deeply committed to a national health service which costs half that of US healthcare. At a hearing of the Public Accounts Committee about NHS cyber security, Simon Stevens asked to make one opportunistic comment after a day of heated debate about the US Presidents claims the NHS was "going broke and not working". Earlier Downing Street had already responded to Mr Trumps remarks, saying the Prime Minister was "proud" of the NHS and its funding was "at a record high". Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt also hit back by attacking the US system which leaves millions without adequate health cover. Simon Stevens used to work in the US healthcare system Credit: PA In the hearing session with MPs, Mr Stevens gave a passionate defence of the NHS, about Mr Trumps Twitter attack on the NHS - and urged the President to come see the health service for himself. He told MPs: President Trump has been tweeting about the National Health Service today and unfortunately respectfully I think we would suggest that tweet got the wrong end of the stick and in fact people in this country dont want to ditch our NHS they want to keep it and strengthen it. Mr Stevens continued: So our invitation in the NHS - should the President be visiting later this year - would be to spend time with brilliant doctors, hospitals, technology experts, scientists, hear about the cataract services, the hip replacements, the modern scanners, the world first liver and heart transplant, the genomic revolution all underway here in the NHS - and go away understanding that healthcare for everybody, delivered at half the cost of the US healthcare system is something that people in this country are deeply and rightly committed to. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Mr Trump had earlier tweeted: "The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working. Story continues "Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks!" The tweet appears to refer to marches asking for more funding for the NHS which took place at the weekend, organised by anti-privatisation groups. Health secretary Jeremy Hunt responded: "I may disagree with claims made on that march but not ONE of them wants to live in a system where 28m people have no cover. "NHS may have challenges but Im proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage - where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance." Tory MP Sarah Wollaston added: "No, @realDonaldTrump, people are marching to demonstrate their support for the #NHS & argue for more funding." Theresa May backed her health minister's comments, and a spokesperson said she is proud of the NHS. The spokesperson said: "The prime minister is proud of having an NHS that is free at the point of delivery. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. "NHS funding is at a record high and was prioritised in the Budget with an extra 2.8 billion. In the recent Commonwealth Fund international survey, the NHS was rated the best int he world for a second time. "Jeremy Hunt is the health secretary and of course he speaks for the government on these matters." Jeremy Corbyn weighed in, tweeting: "Wrong. People were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it. Healthcare is a human right." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) - AFP North Korea is flouting UN sanctions on oil and gas, engaging in prohibited ballistic missile cooperation with Syria and Burma, and illegally exporting commodities that brought in nearly $200 million in just nine months last year, according to UN experts. The experts said Pyongyang is still able to access the global financial system through "deceptive practices combined with critical deficiencies in the implementation of financial sanctions." And it continues to engage in "widespread conventional arms deals and cyber operations to steal military secrets," the panel said. The experts report to the UN Security Council, obtained Friday by The Associated Press, said North Korean diplomats "continue to play a key role in the country's prohibited programmes." The council has imposed increasingly tougher sanctions against North Korea in response to its nuclear and ballistic missile tests. The latest resolution in December - in response to the launch of a ballistic missile that Pyongyang says is capable of reaching anywhere on the US mainland - sharply lowered limits on North Korea 's refined oil imports and authorised the inspection and seizure of ships suspected of smuggling banned items including coal and oil to and from the country. US Ambassador Nikki Haley said sanctions now ban well over 90 per cent of North Korea 's exports reported in 2016. But the panel of experts said the expansion of UN sanctions hasn't been matched by the "political will," international coordination, and allocation of resources to implement them. "This year could represent a critical window of opportunity before a potential miscalculation with disastrous implications for international peace and security," the experts said. According to the report, the panel investigated North Korea 's ongoing ballistic missile cooperation with Syria and Burma, also known as Myanmar. Story continues It also investigated illegal ship-to-ship transfers of oil "comprising a multimillion-dollar business that is driving an international network of brokers and ship charterers as well as unwitting global commodity trading companies and oil suppliers." North Korea war puff North Korea also continued its illegal coal exports by combining deceptive navigation patterns, trans-shipment through third countries and fraudulent documentation "to obscure the origin of the coal." The report said North Korea exported coal to China, Malaysia, South Korea , Russia and Vietnam in 2017 in violation of sanctions. It said "a network of foreign traders responsible for violations of the coal ban operates through numerous front companies" registered in Australia, British Virgin Islands, China, Hong Kong, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Seychelles and the United Kingdom. The experts said North Korea also exported $125 million of iron ore to China last year in violation of sanctions. The Security Council has slapped sanctions on seven vessels for illegally transferring coal and petroleum. The panel said stepped-up efforts are "crucial to curb these rampant illicit activities." The experts also cited "critical deficiencies" in implementing financial sanctions. North Korean financial institutions, including banks which have been sanctions by the council, "maintain more than 30 overseas representatives who live and move freely across borders in the Middle East and Asia, where they control bank accounts, facilitate transactions and deal in bulk cash," the report said. The experts said North Korea is also exploiting "a key vulnerability" which has enabled the country "to easily create front companies offshore in Asian financial centers where they leverage assistance" from other nationals and use the firms to open accounts and move money worldwide. The panel said its investigations highlight the activity of intelligence agents and other individuals acting on behalf of sanctioned North Korean entities who operate bank accounts in Europe and the Asia-Pacific "and use diplomatic passports and diplomatic-plated cars to cross land and air borders with less scrutiny." Libreville (AFP) - Misuse of a powerful painkiller has spread like wildfire among schools in the west African state of Gabon, where teachers blame it for violent changes in mood among normally placid and motivated teenagers. Known as "kobolo" by local youths, the drug comprises high doses of anti-inflammatory medicine, usually washed down with soda or alcohol. In the United States, abuse of such opioid drugs, say experts, has abetted a crisis of addiction and misery. "It's easier to ask who in our state schools is not taking kobolo," said a young music teacher in a Libreville high school, who gave her name as Chantal. "It starts at secondary level, from the age of 12 or 13. The children go through changes almost overnight -- they become aggressive and violent under the effects of kobolo, which we regularly find when we go through their schoolbags," she adds. "The worst thing is that the kids not only use it, they sell it, too." - Knife fights and arrests - Almost every week, the press report knife fights between pupils, largely blamed on their use of kobolo, and on arrests of drug dealers, often deemed to be connected to the pharmaceutical business or from Cameroon. "Kobolo is a combination based on painkillers that act directly on the brain. It induces feelings of well-being due to the secretion of dopamine, the pleasure hormone," said Marie-Louise Rondi, who chairs the National Order of Pharmacists in Gabon. "This explains addiction and the tendency to increase daily doses, until all the safety fuses in the brain have been blown." When used by young Gabonese as a recreational drug, the painkiller Tramadol or a generic equivalent is taken in large doses, sometimes mixed with alcohol and a range of juices. In 2017, its popularity began to spread fast in a country where consumption of cannabis and other substances is very limited. By July, concern had become so great that prescriptions for the drug became compulsory, and social support was beefed up. "We had meetings with the parents of students to warn them of the scale of the problem," Rondi said. Story continues - 'You're a super-hero' - Under the pseudonym Ted, a self-described "ex-user" of kobolo in his 20s, who comes from a poor neighbourhood, described what it was like to take the drug. "With a soft drink, it's like you're asleep, having a waking dream. But if you drink it down with a little alcohol, well then...!" he guffawed. "It awakens your sleeping senses, when you take it you become hot. You can't control yourself, you imagine you're a super-hero, you lose your feelings," laughs the young man. "It gives you too much courage... You don't even feel pain." Proof of this risk, he displayed a large scar on a forearm -- the legacy of an accident when he "went through a car windscreen without feeling hurt." Other collateral damage includes loss of appetite and sleep, itching, "epilepsy attacks, liver problems and and memory lapses," he said. Others say unsafe sex is another risk. - 'Pink baby' - Despite regulatory efforts, the painkiller is easy to obtain on the streets of Libreville. Known as the "little red", "pink baby" or "kemeka," pills are sold for between 250 and 500 CFA francs (0.40 to 0.80 euros / $0.50 to $1.00) apiece. Around the bus station, regular traders and ambulant salesmen help make acquiring kobolo a simple formality. In the maze of narrow streets, the drug is sold not only by the usual dealers but also at little stalls that sell medication along with rat poison. For lack of official statistics, the kobolo business is difficult to put into figures. Since getting high requires no more than swallowing some cheap pills, the phenomenon is more discreet than smoking pot. The wholesale dealers are above all Nigerians and Lebanese, Chadians and Guineans, people say in the working-class districts. "Everybody sells it under the counter," said Ted, who described kobolo as "the high-school favourite". The media gives ample coverage to anti-kobolo operations and the police say they are on the job, reporting the seizure of 5,952 illicit pills in 2017. "But the silence of health authorities is deafening," protests the director of a state-run hospital. "Not even a simple video clip on the TV to raise awareness among young people." - 'Right kind of laughter' - By contrast, "Goudronier," a video about kobolo by rapper Don'zer, has given the drug nationwide prominence. It has been even broadcast at meetings of political parties. "What this song is about, with its words and the video full of violence, is what's happening now in our society and our schools," said the teacher Chantal, distraught. "The drug has become fashionable -- kobolo users are no longer hiding." Kobolo users are typically aged from 12 to 16 or 17, but there are many who come outside this age range, said a psychologist who has seen many users in her private practice. "All social classes are affected, including the French and the Lebanese," she said, referring to two large expatriate communities. The drug has increased the risk of unsafe sex and unwanted pregnancies for girls, the psychologist added. "Me, I gave it up because of the violence, trouble with my parents," Ted said. "You laugh a lot, but it's not the right kind of laughter. And you lose friends who die in fights, getting stabbed or having their throats cut." Brussels (AFP) - The last surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, arrived at a court in Brussels amid tight security Monday to stand trial over a shootout that led to his capture. The 28-year-old, once Europe's most wanted man, left a jail near the French capital in the middle of the night in a convoy of tactical police vehicles with blue lights flashing. The Belgian-born French national of Moroccan descent faces charges of attempted terrorist murder of police officers and carrying banned weapons over a gunbattle in the Forest district of Brussels on March 15, 2016. Three police officers were wounded and a jihadist was killed in the fight, which came as Abdeslam was on the run four months after the Paris attacks. He was captured three days later. Hundreds of Belgian security forces turned the Palais de Justice court building in Brussels into a virtual fortress while a helicopter with searchlights circled overhead as he arrived. "This must remain an ordinary trial," said Luc Hennart, who presides over the court. "If there is the slightest problem I will order the courtroom to be evacuated." Abdeslam and the man arrested with him, Tunisian national Sofiane Ayari, 24, could serve up to 40 years in prison if convicted. - 'Important for victims' - The non-jury trial is the prelude to a later one in France and prosecutors hope the Brussels trial will yield clues not only about the attacks that killed 130 people in Paris but also the suicide bombings months later in Brussels. Abdeslam has refused point-blank to speak to investigators throughout the nearly two years since his arrest, which capped a four-month hunt for Europe's most wanted man. But he has insisted on attending the Brussels trial, where three judges are to lead proceedings for four days, raising the question of whether he will use it to break his silence. Hennart insisted that the trial would only focus on the shootout, saying: "That is what we will talk about, we will not talk about either the Brussels or Paris attacks." Story continues Tight secrecy surrounded the plans for transferring Abdeslam from Fleury-Merogis prison in the Parisian suburbs, and then back to a prison just across the border in northern France every night. Two separate convoys left Fleury-Merogis in the middle of the night with an escort of elite French officers with blue lights flashing, while a third group of unmarked vehicles left shortly afterwards. The boyish former bar owner has spent nearly 20 months in isolation under 24-hour video surveillance at Fleury-Merogis, after being transferred to France after his arrest. At the Brussels court journalists and officials all had to pass through security checks. A police sniffer dog checked the austere courtroom itself, into which journalists were banned from taking phones and computers. - Shot in the leg - Investigators believe Abdeslam's capture three days after the shootout caused members of his jihadist cell to bring forward plans for the attacks in Brussels. Suicide attacks on March 22, 2016, killed 32 people at Brussels airport and a metro station near the EU headquarters. The same cell is believed to have been behind both the Paris and Brussels attacks, which were claimed by the Islamic State group. Police say Abdeslam and Ayari were holed up at the Forest flat when it was raided by French and Belgian police in a routine operation after the Paris attacks. A third suspect, 33-year-old Algerian Mohamed Belkaid, died while providing covering fire for their escape through a back door. Police say they found Abdeslam's fingerprints in the flat, confirming they were on the trail of the last suspect in the rifle and bomb attacks on the Bataclan concert hall, bars, restaurants and the national stadium in the French capital on November 13, 2015. Abdeslam is reported to have disposed of a suicide belt before fleeing. He is also suspected of being the driver in the attacks, in which his brother Brahim was one of the suicide bombers. Armed officers shot in the leg and captured him and Ayari just yards from Abdeslam's home in Molenbeek, a gritty Brussels immigrant neighbourhood. Ayari entered Europe in September 2015 via the Greek island of Lesbos at the height of a migration crisis gripping the continent, and was one of dozen suspected jihadists ferried around Europe by Abdeslam. By Philip Blenkinsop and Julie Carriat BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The prime surviving suspect in the Islamic State attacks in Paris that killed 130 people refused to answer questions when his trial for a later shooting incident opened on Monday in Belgium, defying his accusers and relatives of the victims. In his first appearance since his capture four months after the November 2015 attacks in the French capital, Salah Abdeslam urged the court not to pander to anti-Muslim prejudice as he went on trial for a shootout with police in his native Brussels. His black hair shaggy and beard long, a contrast to the slick, clean-shaven young man last seen on wanted posters across Europe, the 28-year-old former barkeeper faces trial in France next year. And he is not charged over Islamist suicide bombings which struck Brussels four days after he was arrested. "I am accused, so I am here," he told the judge after arriving under heavy police escort from Paris. Refusing to stand or to answer questions, he said: "My silence does not make me a criminal or guilty. That is my defense and I am defending myself by remaining silent." Reciting the Islamic profession of faith and flanked by two masked Belgian counter-terrorism police officers, he said Muslims were treated "without mercy" and presumed guilty: "Judge me. Do as you want with me," he added. "It is in my Lord that I place my trust. I am not afraid of you." He complained of being tired but his voice was firm as he spoke after a morning listening to his co-accused, who admitted to being with Abdeslam during the March 15, 2016, shootout and to have fought with Islamic State in Syria. His refusal to cooperate frustrated some at the court whose relatives died in Paris on Nov. 13, 2015: "Not only did he say he is retreating into silence but he is clearly trying to provoke people by saying he believes only in his god," said Philippe Duperron, whose son was killed at the Bataclan music hall and who now chairs a families' association. NARROW TRIAL Abdeslam's lawyer emphasized the narrow scope of this first trial by challenging a court move to extend privileges for interested parties to the trial to a group for victims of Islamic State attacks in Brussels on March 22, 2016. Although Abdeslam was already in custody by then and has not been charged over that case, officials believe he was linked to the three bombers. They say the cell brought forward an attack, which killed 32 people, because they feared Abdeslam would reveal their plans under interrogation. The first day of the trial over the shootout in a southern area of Brussels called Forest heard no evidence directly linked to the Paris attacks. By the time of the incident, Abdeslam had been hiding out in his hometown for four months after fleeing Paris on the night his elder brother blew himself up at a cafe. Prosecutors who accuse Abdeslam of helping organize the attacks and ferry former fighters from Syria around Europe say he, too, would have died if his suicide vest had not failed to detonate. His lawyers do not dispute Abdeslam was in Paris during the attacks. He then relied on a network of acquaintances to evade police back in Belgium. They finally stumbled across him when, with French officers, they went to inspect a suspect apartment in Forest. They came under a hail of gunfire which wounded four of them. After a three-hour siege ended with marksmen killing a 35-year-old Algerian called Mohamed Belkaid, police found an arms cache and, crucially, Abdeslam's DNA. That finally led to his arrest three days later at another apartment, in the district of Molenbeek close to his family home. Also detained was his current co-accused, Sofien Ayari, a 24-year-old Tunisian. Prosecutors say Abdeslam and Ayari fled the Forest flat while Belkaid held off police. Ayari's defense on Monday was that he and Abdeslam did not open fire before fleeing. The prosecutor, however, sought 20 years in prison for both, saying they took part in a joint operation to ambush the officers. The trial was adjourned until Thursday. (Writing by Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Richard Balmforth) Algiers (AFP) - The Polisario Front which seeks independence for Western Sahara said Monday it is ready for direct negotiations with Morocco on the future of the disputed territory. Mohamed Salem Ould Salek, foreign minister of the self-declared Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic which controls a thin strip of the territory, said a Polisario delegation had met in Berlin on January 25 with the UN envoy on Western Sahara, Horst Koehler. "This is a new phase of discussions aimed at preparing for a new phase of direct negotiations," he told a news conference in Algiers, which supports the Polisario. The Polisario is "ready for direct negotiations with the Kingdom of Morocco to make peace", Ould Salek said. Morocco has also said it would meet with Koehler, a former German president appointed in August as special envoy to lead a new UN push for talks, but without giving a date. The Polisario and Morocco fought for control of Western Sahara from 1974 to 1991, with Rabat taking over the desert territory before a UN-brokered ceasefire in the former Spanish colony. Rabat considers Western Sahara an integral part of Morocco and proposes autonomy for the resource-rich territory, but the Polisario Front insists on a UN referendum on independence. The two sides have not held direct talks since 2012. Vatican City (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet Pope Francis on Monday, with a protest ban imposed in central Rome as feelings run high over Turkey's offensive against Kurdish militia inside Syria. For the first such visit by a Turkish leader for 59 years, the Italian authorities have imposed a 24-hour ban on demonstrations which will cover Erdogan's arrival late Sunday to his departure on Monday evening. A total of 3,500 police have been deployed for the visit. Nevertheless a sit-in protest by 200 people, organised by a Kurdish association in Italy, is scheduled to take place on Monday not far from the Vatican. Turkey on January 20 launched its "Olive Branch" operation against Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a terror group and a threat to Turkish territory. The Turkish army and allied Ankara-backed Syrian rebel forces are seeking to oust the YPG from its western border stronghold of Afrin but the operation has faced fierce resistance. "In Afrin, a new crime against humanity is under way," the Kurdish association said. The pope, who has railed against the horrors of war and weapons of mass destruction, is likely to raise the Afrin issue during his meeting with Erdogan at 9:30 am (0830 GMT) on Monday. The YPG, while considered a "terrorist" group by Ankara, is allied to the United States in its battle against Islamic State group jihadists. Thousands of Kurds gathered in Syria's Afrin on Saturday to mourn fighters and civilians killed in a blistering Turkish assault on the region -- including female combatant Barin Kobani whose mutilated body appeared in a shocking video, prompting accusations by her family and Kurdish officials that she was "defiled" by Turkish-backed rebels. Erdogan for his part will probably thank the pontiff for opposing the decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Story continues "We are both in favour of the status quo and we have the will to protect it," Erdogan said in an interview published Sunday. - Flying visit - Erdogan's flying visit to Italy will also include a meeting with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, with illegal immigration, defence and EU membership, something Turkey seeks, likely on the agenda. Pope Francis, a strong proponent of inter-faith dialogue, visited Turkey in November 2014, holding friendly talks with Erdogan, a devout Muslim. While in Istanbul the pope acknowledged that current global crises had made Muslims vulnerable to being stigmatised. Francis denounced those who said "all Muslims are terrorists". Relations were not so cordial in June 2016 when the pope, during a visit to Armenia, referred to the 1915-17 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman forces as "genocide". The Vatican was then forced to refute claims from Turkey that Pope Francis had showed a "mentality of the Crusades" over his use of the term. Turkey -- the Ottoman Empire's successor state -- argues that it was a collective tragedy in which both Turks and Armenians died. On Sunday, Erdogan also insisted in a newspaper interview that Turkey wants "full membership of Europe" and did not rule out joint Italian-Turkish action in Libya. Russia has stepped up its bombardment of rebel-held towns and cities in Syria after a Russian warplane was shot down and its pilot died after ejecting and trading fire with militants. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that an Su-25 went down in a region of Syria that has seen some of the fiercest fighting between anti-government rebels and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is backed by Moscow. Rebels once affiliated with extremist group al-Qaeda claimed the attack. Related: Russia's Putin presents his generals as the men who saved Syria Trending: Who is Adam Schiff? Top Democrat Earns Nickname "Little" From President Trump Airstrikes in Khan Al-Subl, near where the jet was shot down, killed at least 10 people, including children, rescuers told Reuters. In the town of Ma'asran, rescuers said the bodies of a family of seven were pulled from the rubble. We are pulling bodies from under collapsed walls, Ahmad Hilal, a volunteer, said. The Russians are taking their revenge on civilians, many of whom were already displaced and had fled their homes from earlier bombardment. 02_04_Russian_jets Omar Haj Kadour/AFP/Getty Images Don't miss: Cops Who Allegedly Forced Homeless Man To Lick Public Urinal Under Investigation By FBI Citing the White Helmets civil defense group, The Washington Post reported that 25 strikes, most of which targeted residential areas, had killed at least seven civilians. The BBC reported on Monday that around 15 towns and villages in Idlib province have been targeted and a hospital where some of the injured were taken had been bombed. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Rebels appear to have shot down the plane with a shoulder-mounted weapon known as a MANPADS, which the United States has denied providing to anti-government forces in the Syrian conflict. Story continues Most popular: War and the Peace Olympics: North Korea's 12,000-Troop Military Event Ahead of Games Was Planned for Months Government forces are on the advance in Idlib province, one of the last rebel-held areas of the country after over six years of the brutal civil war in Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British based monitoring group, estimates that at least 465,000 people have been killed in the conflict with millions displaced. The Russian Ministry of Defense has consistently denied reports of any civilian casualties over more than two years of military intervention, despite allegations of assisting in the striking of hospitals and of shedding more civilian blood that any other party in the conflict in some months. As a longstanding ally to the Syrian regime, Russia will retain and upgrade its naval base in northern Syria and its airfield in Khmeimim. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Rebel fighter taking a picture of a downed Sukhoi-25 fighter jet in Syria's northwest province of Idlib. - AFP A Russian pilot shouted this is for our guys before detonating a grenade to evade capture by rebel fighters in Syria. Major Roman Filipov ejected from his Sukhoi 25SM fighter jet with a parachute after it was shot down on Saturday while he was flying low over opposition-held Idlib in northwestern Syria. It was the first Russian jet to be downed since Moscow intervened in the war in support of President Bashar al-Assads regime in 2015. After the jet was struck by a shoulder-launched anti-aircraft MANPAD missile, the 33-year-old pilot kept the plane in the air but was eventually forced to eject after one of the engines failed and flight controls became unresponsive. Militants from al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) opened fire on him after his parachute opened, but he made it to the ground. According to a video circulating on social media on Monday, Major Filipov shot two fighters before detonating a grenade. Syrian men standing at the site of a downed Sukhoi-25 fighter jet in the the Syrian city of Saraqib, southwest of Aleppo. Credit: AFP The fighters ducked as Major Filipov was heard shouting: this is for our guys before pulling the pin. Maj Filipov, from the eastern city of Vladivostok, has been posthumously nominated for the Kremlin's highest honour - the Hero of Russia, according to a report in Russian daily newspaper Kommersant. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Russia's defence ministry confirmed the reports, saying: "Major Roman Filipov fought an unequal battle with his service weapon until the last minute of his life. "When surrounded by the terrorists and heavily wounded, the Russian officer blew himself up with a grenade when the militants got within several dozen metres of him." "The pilot died heroically," Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman added. "We are proud of our heroes." Russia has since ordered its warplanes in Syria to fly at 16,000ft to avoid being shot down by shoulder launched anti-aircraft missiles. It said that such a policy had previously been in force, but that the SU-25s had for some reason started flying at lower altitudes in recent days. Story continues Mr Peskov said the weapons posed a "huge danger" to all governments. It came as Russia intensified their raids on Idlib overnight and into Monday morning in retaliation. Civil defence workers said air raids struck the towns of Kafr Nubl and Maasran, as well as the cities of Saraqeb, Maarat al Numan and Idlib, and that several deaths and dozens of injuries were reported as rescuers dug through the rubble. A hospital was hit in Maarat al Numan and at least five people were feared killed in another attack that damaged a residential building in Kafr Nubl. Video recorded by rescuers showed hospitals workers moving premature babies from destroyed incubators, trying to protect them from the dust: Heart breaking footage emerging from #MaaratNuman Hospital's Natal Care Unit. Days-old babies taken out of incubators and into safety. Nurses discussing transportation to #Ariha#Idlibpic.twitter.com/bzqwBSngW5 Riam Dalati (@Dalatrm) February 4, 2018 In Idlib city, the provincial capital, one witness said a five-storey building was levelled and that at least fifteen people were feared dead. Air strikes on Saturday after the downing of the jet killed at least 10 people, including children, in Khan al Subl near where the plane crashed, rescuers said. "We are pulling bodies from under collapsed walls. The Russians are taking their revenge on civilians, many of whom were already displaced and had fled their homes from earlier bombardment," said Ahmad Hilal, a civil defence rescuer. A chemical attack was also reported in the northwestern town of Saraqeb, where five people were admitted to hospital experiencing difficulty breathing. Assad forces are thought to have carried out three chlorine attacks on civilian areas in the last four days, in contravention of the Chemical Weapons Convention. A child injured in an airstrike receives medical treatment at a field hospital after an airstrike in Idlib, SyriaCredit: Getty The Syrian army and its Iranian Shia militias allies made a string of gains in the last week after capturing a major air base that brought them just 7.5 miles from Saraqeb, the first heavily populated city in Idlib within their reach. They were pushing towards the main Damascus-Aleppo highway, the capture of which would cut rebel supply lines and open the door to an army advance into the heart of the province. The bombardment from the sky and fears of revenge by advancing Syrian troops and Iranian-backed militias have led to an exodus of tens of thousands of civilians further north to the safety of makeshift camps on the Syrian side of the Turkish border. Syrians have poured into Idlib at an accelerating rate over the last two years, forced to abandon their homes in other parts of Syria that the government and its foreign military allies have recaptured from rebels. Related: For more news videos visit Yahoo View. By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - Russian jets intensified their raids on rebel-held towns and cities in Syria's northern Idlib province on Sunday night, a day after rebels shot down a Russian warplane and killed its pilot. Civil defense sources said air raids struck the towns of Kafr Nubl and Maasran, as well as the cities of Saraqeb, Maarat al Numan and Idlib, and that several deaths and dozens of injuries were reported as rescuers dug through the rubble. A hospital was hit in Maarat al Numan, witnesses and residents said, and at least five people were feared killed in another attack that damaged a residential building in Kafr Nubl. Video recorded by rescuers showed babies on stretchers being rushed by civil defense workers out of the damaged hospital while other rescuers fought to extinguish a fire. In Idlib city, the provincial capital, one witness said a five-storey building was leveled and that at least fifteen people were feared dead. In December, the Syrian army alongside Iranian-backed militias and heavy Russian airpower launched a major offensive to take territory in Idlib province, the last and most-densely populated province still mainly under opposition control. Russia's defense ministry and Syrian rebels said the Russian SU-25 jet was downed on Saturday in an area that has seen fierce fighting on the ground and heavy air strikes targeting rebel groups opposed to President Bashar al-Assad. Syrians who oppose Assad view Russia as an invading force and blame it for the deaths of thousands of civilians since Moscow joined the war on the Syrian government's side in 2015. Russia's Defence Ministry denies aiming at civilians and says it targets only hardline Islamist militants in Syria. Air strikes on Saturday after the downing of the jet killed at least 10 people, including children, in Khan al Subl near where the plane crashed, rescuers said. The bodies of a family of seven were pulled from rubble following another attack in the town of Maasran, a local civil defense body said. "We are pulling bodies from under collapsed walls. The Russians are taking their revenge on civilians, many of whom were already displaced and had fled their homes from earlier bombardment," said Ahmad Hilal, a civil defense rescuer. The Syrian army and its Iranian Shi'ite militias allies made a string of gains in the last week after capturing a major air base that brought them just 12 kms (7.5 miles) from Saraqeb, the first heavily populated city in Idlib within their reach. They were pushing towards the main Damascus-Aleppo highway, the capture of which would cut rebel supply lines and open the door to an army advance into the heart of the province. On Sunday, rebels led by the militant Turkestan group waged a counter attack against the Syrian army and Iranian backed militias near the Abu Duhur air base in southern Idlib. The bombardment from the sky and fears of revenge by advancing Syrian troops and Iranian-backed militias have led to an exodus of tens of thousands of civilians further north to the safety of makeshift camps on the Syrian side of the Turkish border. Syrians have poured into Idlib at an accelerating rate over the last two years, forced to abandon their homes in other parts of Syria that the government and its foreign military allies have recaptured from rebels. The United Nations and aid workers have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe if the fighting nears the province's most heavily populated areas, where some two to three million people live. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Daniel Wallis) Manila (AFP) - French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi on Monday rejected a Philippine government demand to return tens of millions of dollars paid for a dengue vaccine after the programme was suspended over health concerns. The Philippines had asked Sanofi to refund 3.2 billion pesos ($62 million) spent on injecting more than 830,000 schoolchildren with Dengvaxia after the company said last year the vaccine could worsen symptoms in some cases. Sanofi last month agreed to reimburse the Philippine government half the total sought, for leftover doses of Dengvaxia. But it said Monday it would not pay for doses that were already used. "Agreeing to refund the used doses of Dengvaxia would imply that the vaccine is ineffective, which is not the case," Sanofi Pasteur said in a statement. The refund offered for unused Dengvaxia doses was not due to safety or quality concerns but simply to show that the company was cooperating with Manila, the French pharmaceutical giant added. Dengue or haemorrhagic fever, the world's most common mosquito-borne virus, infects an estimated 390 million people in more than 120 countries each year and kills more than 25,000 of them, according to the World Health Organization. The Philippines has one of the world's highest dengue fatality rates with 732 deaths last year, the country's health department said. The country launched the world's first public dengue vaccination programme in 2016. It was halted last year, along with Dengvaxia sales, after Sanofi warned the injections could make symptoms worse for people who contracted the disease for the first time after being injected. The announcement caused panic among parents of injected children, said the government, which has since began investigating Dengvaxia's alleged role in the deaths of at least 14 vaccinated children. Sanofi denies responsibility. Health officials also said immunisation programmes for other preventable diseases were suffering, with many parents now wary of vaccines in general. Story continues On Monday Sanofi rejected a separate health department request to set up an indemnification fund to cover the hospitalisation and treatment for vaccinated children who contract severe dengue. "Should there be any case of injury due to dengue that has been demonstrated by credible scientific evidence to be causally related to vaccination, we will assume responsibility," it said. The government's Public Attorney's Office said Monday it is helping a Manila couple file a civil suit seeking 3.768 million pesos in damages for the death of their 10-year-old daughter last December. The suit will name officials of Sanofi, its Philippine distributor and current and former health department officials as responsible for their child's death, according to a copy of the complaint released to the press. The Public Attorney's Office said it received orders from the justice ministry last December "to extend free legal assistance in civil, criminal and administrative cases to all possible victims of Dengvaxia-related injuries, illnesses and deaths". Sarah Silverman and Michael Sheen at the premiere of Hulus I Love You, America last October at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. (Photo: Barry King/Getty Images) Long-distance relationships arent for everyone as Sarah Silverman and Michael Sheen have learned. The pair, who have been together since 2014, quietly parted ways over the holidays, the comedian has shared. Silverman broke the breakup news on social media on Monday. The great @michaelsheen & I consciously uncoupled over Christmas, she tweeted. I mean, not over Christmas like that wasnt the fight that ended it. No fight. We just live in different countries & it got hard. (Conscious uncoupling, of course, was a term first used by Gwyneth Paltrow when she and Chris Martin split up.) This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. She concluded by writing, Felt we should just tell yall so u stop askin, Hows Michael/Hows Sarah? Were sure a lot of people were asking why she attended the Grammys with her BFF. And then posted a sultry social media shot after the show. The seemingly unlikely pair were first linked in February 2014 and slowly went public with their romance. During their relationship, they made it clear that they had no plans to ever get married, but Silverman bonded with Sheens ex Kate Beckinsale and their daughter, Lily. During their relationship, they worked together on his starring vehicle, Masters of Sex. However, when that show ended, he announced plans soon after the 2016 election to move to his hometown of Port Talbot, Wales, to focus on activism (aka fight the far-right). When he spoke about the move, he said that he didnt know if his long-distance relationship with Silverman would last. While they werent seen together that often at first, he did pop up in her Instagram in May. The fact that they were together again was notable. They were last photographed on the red carpet together in October for her premiere of Hulus I Love You, America With Sarah Silverman. By then, he was a blond for his Amazon project, Good Omens. Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Have Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott named their baby girl Butterfly? (Photo: Getty Images) For some, Sundays Super Bowl was overshadowed by the news that Kylie Jenners baby had been born. And it didnt take long for the baby-name agents to get on the case. The suspected moniker? Butterfly. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Fans pointed to overwhelming evidence for the chosen name: On Sunday, celebrity tattoo artist JonBoy posted an Instagram photo of the matching butterfly tats he gave Jenner and the babys father, Travis Scott, captioning the post: Congrats to @kyliejenner & @travisscott for your little miracle. Its unknown when the new parents got inked, but some speculate it was while Jenner was pregnant. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. There was also this November Instagram photo from Jenner shes wearing blingy pink rings in the shape of butterflies which may have been from a maternity shoot. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. On Sunday, the 20-year-old new mom posted a baby announcement on Instagram, and an 11-minute YouTube video called To Our Daughter, detailing her highly secretive pregnancy. In the footage, Jenner is seen wearing a pink butterfly necklace. Fans think Kylie Jenner named her daughter Butterfly, in part because of her butterfly-themed jewelry. (Photo: YouTube/Kylie Jenner) The video also gave us a tour of Jenners nursery, which has butterfly wall decor. Kylie Jenners butterfly-themed nursery may give clues about her daughters name. (Photo: YouTube/Kylie Jenner) And in May, Jenner tweeted a lone butterfly emoji before quickly deleting it. According to the website Nameberry, Butterfly means fluttery and flighty. And in Greek, the name Vanessa translates to Butterfly although, with cousins North, Saint, and Chicago West, its doubtful Jenner would go for something so mainstream. In her Instagram baby announcement, Jenner said, My pregnancy was one I chose not to do in front of the world. And it seems her babys name is equally private at least for now. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Seoul (AFP) - A South Korean appeals court on Monday upheld Samsung heir Lee Jae-Yong's bribery conviction but cut his prison sentence to a suspended term, ordering his immediate release. Lee, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, the world's biggest smartphone and memory chip maker, was convicted of bribery in connection with the sprawling corruption scandal that brought down former South Korean president Park Geun-Hye. The 49-year-old was given five years in prison when his original trial concluded in August, making him the first Samsung chief to serve prison time, even though his father was twice convicted of criminal offences and his grandfather was earlier embroiled in scandal. He had been convicted of a range of offences, including bribery, embezzlement, money laundering and perjury of parliament. The case centred on payments Samsung made to Park's secret confidante Choi Soon-Sil, with prosecutors arguing they were intended to secure government favours. But the appeals court on Monday struck out several of the convictions and reduced the penalty on the remainder to a suspended prison sentence of two and a half years. "Park Geun-Hye and Choi Soon-Sil should be seen as the main players in this scandal," said the ruling, read out in court by one of the judges. Four other Samsung Electronics executives convicted alongside Lee also had their convictions reduced, with the two who had been given prison terms similarly having their sentences suspended. Since his father was left bedridden by a heart attack in 2014 Lee has been the de facto head of the sprawling Samsung group, by far the biggest of the family-controlled conglomerates known as chaebols that dominate Asia's fourth-largest economy, with its revenues equivalent to around a fifth of the country's GDP. Elon Musk has revealed the car he is about to shoot into space on one of the most powerful rockets ever made. The SpaceX and Tesla boss will combine both of his interests this week when he fires his company's new rocket, the Falcon Heavy. to carry a payload into orbit far outside the Earth. That payload will combine both of his interests, since it will include the brand new Tesla Roadster a cherry red version that apparently belonged to Mr Musk himself. But he has now revealed more about the strange objects the rocket will carry with it. They'll also include a dummy, wearing a prototype SpaceX suit, sitting in the front of the car. The suit is one of the SpaceX suits that was teased last year and will eventually hold people in a protective wrapper in case of problems when they SpaceX carries them away from Earth. But it's not clear whether it will actually be tested out or used during the flight, or if the inclusion is simply another publicity stunt. Mr Musk appeared to call the dummy in the car "starman". He also revealed other details of the mission like the fact the car appears to be kitted out with a range of cameras, and has a tiny version of itself sitting on the dashboard. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The car will be playing another David Bowie song apparently for billions of years, or until the car's battery goes flat. "Payload will be my midnight cherry Tesla Roadster playing Space Oddity," Mr Musk tweeted when he announced the strange payload. "Destination is Mars orbit. Will be in deep space for a billion years or so if it doesnt blow up on ascent." In another post, he explained why he had decided to send an expensive car up as the largely ceremonial payload. "I love the thought of a car drifting apparently endlessly through space and perhaps being discovered by an alien race millions of years in the future," he wrote. While the payload is getting much of the attention in advance of the flight, the real test is the Falcon Heavy rocket that will carry it. It will be the most powerful rocket since the Saturn V, twice as powerful as most rockets being used today, and could eventually carry humans into deep space. Woody Harrelson and Alden Ehrenreich in Solo: A Star Wars Story. (Photo: Disney/Lucasfilm) Rogue One isnt the only solo Star Wars Story anymore. The young Han Solo feature called, simply, Solo: A Star Wars Story (except in China) released its first full-length trailer on Good Morning America this morning, giving us our longest glimpse yet at a movie that has endured a rough-and-tumble journey to the big screen. As has been widely reported, Star Wars franchise keeper Kathleen Kennedy dropped Ron Howard into the cockpit after original directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were ejected over creative differences. Of course, Rogue One had its own turbulent origin story and went on to be warmly received by audiences; Solo is clearly hoping to chart a similar course en route to its May 25 premiere. While last nights Super Bowl teaser was a little underwhelming, the full trailer offers some exciting glimpses at what Howard has in store, along with some fan-friendly callbacks to Star Wars lore. Heres our deep dive into the minute-and-a-half long Solo spot. Gwynne Watkins, Ethan Alter and Adam Lance Garcia Han Solo used to fly for the Empire Yesterdays Super Bowl teaser showed young Han enlisting in what appeared to be the Imperial Army and sure enough, the trailer opens with Han explaining via voice-over that he was kicked out of the flight academy for having a mind of my own. That detail of Hans backstory, along with the idea that he was running scams on the streets as a child, seems to have been borrowed from the Star Wars Legends (a.k.a. the Expanded Universe) novels, specifically A.C. Crispins Han Solo Trilogy, originally published in the late 90s. In those stories, Han rebelled against the Empire because of its involvement in slave trading and one of the slaves he freed was a certain Wookiee we all know and love. Well have to see whether the film borrows that idea as well, or invents a new origin for Hans Life Day-celebrating friend. Emilia Clarke and Ehrenreich, plus Han Solos golden dice, in Solo. (Photo: Disney/Lucasfilm) The Mother of Dragons is Hans original bestie Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke is playing Qira, a name that has a long history, and a multitude of spellings, in the Star Wars universe. (For example, Kira was Reys original name in The Force Awakens.) We still have much to learn about this Qira, but judging from this sneak peek, its she rather than Lando or Chewie who is Hans closest confidante at this point in his life. We see her flying in his speeder, riding in the Falcon, and hanging out (or working?) in a space-age nightclub. I might be the only person who knows what you really are, she tells Han. The trailer audience could say the same. Story continues Could Thandie Newton be playing a character with a personal connection to Han Solo? (Photo: Disney/Lucasfilm) Rogue Two? Rogue One put a Dirty Dozen spin on the usual Star Wars shenanigans, bringing together a tough-minded team to complete an impossible mission. Woody Harrelsons Beckett appears to have similar ambitions, telling Solo, Im putting together a crew for an as-yet unspecified heist. That crew unites Original Trilogy colleagues Han, Chewie, and Lando (Donald Glover) who we see piloting the Falcon with newcomers Qira, the droid L3-37 (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), a mystery alien who isnt Maz Kanata, and Westworld star Thandie Newton as a still-unnamed character. Our guess? Newton may be playing Sana Starros, who pretended to be Hans wife for a robbery, then refused to move on. The formerly spotless interior of the Millennium Falcon. (Photo: Disney/Lucasfilm) The Millennium Falcon used to be clean So clean! Just look at those shiny white hallways. Its like the inside of a refrigerator if refrigerators had smuggling compartments and holographic chess boards. New planets, new ships As Star Wars Legends has it, the Imperial Academy had multiple campuses on multiple planets from Eriadu to Uyter, so well have to wait and see which planet Han got drummed off of. But the Solo trailer does indicate that well be visiting new environments, from the beachside world where Han chats with Beckett to a glamorous-looking cantina where Qira slips into ritzier clothes to the icy mountain ranges where a major action sequence appears to go down. And while the Falcon is front and center, there are some new ships as well, including an early version of the classic TIE Fighter design and the two-person speeder that Han and Qira take on their joyride, with an Imperial Stormtrooper who is sporting a slightly different version of the classic armor in hot pursuit. The Millennium Falcon heads into the great unknown or maybe the Kessel Run? (Photo: Disney/Lucasfilm) A storm is a-coming At the end of the teaser, we see an Imperial cruiser chasing the Falcon through a dramatic space-scape. Could it be a plasma storm? A wormhole? Fans are speculating that its the Maw, a cluster of black holes located near the planet Kessel, as in the Kessel Run, which Howard himself seemed to suggest plays a major role in the film. Han prepares for what may prove to be a pivotal game of Sabacc. (Photo: Disney/Lucasfilm) Games of chance Beyond its record-setting Kessel Run flight, another part of Falcon lore involves Han winning the ship away from Lando in a game of Sabacc, using a pair of golden dice that recently reappeared in The Last Jedi and can also be seen hanging over the dashboard in Han and Qiras jalopy. Midway through the trailer, theres a shot of Solo entering a room where Lando appears to be in the midst of a Sabacc session, perhaps the pivotal one where he wrests control of the ship away from its original owner. Speaking of Lando, at one point it appears that Glover puts on the Tantel armor that Billy Dee Williams wore in Return of the Jedi on the Rebels Rescue Han from Jabba mission. Is this yet another case where Solo needs to be bailed out of trouble? Could this be Lando in some familiar armor? (Photo: Disney/Lucasfilm) Alden Ehrenreich is not doing a Harrison Ford impression The actor who won the ultra-competitive role isnt trying to do a note-for-note Ford impersonation and thank goodness for that. Ehrenreich needs to make the role his, and he has just enough of that swagger, sly grin, and deadpan delivery to make us believe that hes Scruffy-Looking Nerf Herder 1.0. Solo: A Star Wars Story opens in theaters on May 25. Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Toronto police think theyve caught a serial killer. As another high-profile murder investigation is carried out in the provincial capital following the surprising deaths of billionaire couple Barry and Honey Sherman, police are trying to figure out just how many people Bruce McArthur, 66, may have killed around the citys gay village or elsewhere. The accusation follows years of dark rumors haunting the area over a series of unexplained disappearances, as McArthur and some of his alleged victims were found to have ties to the gay community. We are validated in our concerns, but theres no joy to be had in that, community activist Nicki Ward told CBC News late last month, adding, Why werent we listened to earlier? While the case has not received much attention south of the U.S.-Canada border, its captivated our Canadian neighbors since the suspects Jan. 18 arrest. Officers tailing McArthur, a landscaper, reportedly brought him into custody because they feared for the life of a young man they saw enter their suspects apartment. According to the Toronto Star, they found the young man tied up but unharmed. McArthur became a target of suspicion through a pair of Toronto police investigative initiatives. Police launched Project Houston in November 2012 to look into the disappearances of Skandaraj Navaratnam, Majeed Kayhan and Abdulbasir Faizi, who frequented the gay village, but it concluded in April 2014 with no convictions. Project Prism, a police investigation centered on the deaths of Selim Esen and Andrew Kinsman, who both disappeared in 2017 and also frequented the village, led to McArthur. McArthur was first charged with the deaths of Esen and Kinsman. Two weeks later, police added charges for the deaths of Kayhan, Dean Lisowick and Soroush Mahmudi. Causes of death have not been released. McArthur is thought to have killed others. He was romantically involved in the early 2000s with Navaratnam, who disappeared from the gay village in 2010, according to CBC News, citing a friend of Navaratnam. Story continues He has also been linked to presently unidentified remains of three different people found in planters at a suburban Toronto home where McArthur worked as a landscaper. The authorities search has now expanded to include other homes where McArthur worked and other disappearances in the citys gay community. Its a serial killer alleged serial killer, Toronto police Sgt. Hank Idsinga said at a news conference in Toronto this week. It certainly encompasses more than the gay community. It encompasses the city of Toronto, he added. Idsinga told CBC News on Saturday that there was no truth to a rumor that McArthur had cannibalized his alleged victims. The search may be complicated by McArthurs transient history. A native of a small Ontario town, he worked as a traveling salesman in the 1980s and 1990s hawking socks and underwear to stores across the province, according the National Post, a Canadian publication. He was married for three decades before coming out as gay, leaving his wife behind to move to Toronto proper around 2000. He has one prior conviction, per the National Post, for assaulting a man with a metal pipe, and he reportedly declared bankruptcy in 1999. As part of his assault conviction, he was barred from Torontos gay village and prohibited from spending time with male sex workers, the Toronto Star reported. Toronto Mayor John Tory told reporters this week that the investigation would bring comfort to people who are very worried about this whole series of events, across the city, and in particular in the LGBTQ community. Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Damascus (AFP) - Syria on Saturday denied recent accusations by the United States that it had used chemical weapons on opposition forces near the capital Damascus, shrugging them off as "lies." "The foreign ministry condemns the false claims by the United States that the Syrian government used chemical weapons in Eastern Ghouta," a foreign ministry source said, cited by Syrian state news agency SANA. Eastern Ghouta is a rebel-controlled enclave adjacent to Damascus. On Friday, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters his government was concerned sarin gas may have been recently used in Syria. The Pentagon chief cited reports from NGOs and rebel groups in the battlefield who say the toxic gas has been used, although he stressed that the United States currently has no proof to support those accusations. Syria's foreign ministry seized on his comments, saying even the US acknowledged their own statements were "not based on evidence". "Claims that the Syrian state used chlorine gas one moment and sarin gas the next prove that these are nothing more than lies," the statement said. "These are lies based on stories from America's so-called partners on the ground." Last month, 21 people were treated for respiratory problems after rockets were fired on the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta outside Damascus. Syria has staunchly denied the claims, pointing to its 2013 handover of its chemical stores as part of a deal between the United States and Russia. That agreement came after accusations that Damascus used sarin gas on Eastern Ghouta in August 2013. But the United Nations found that Syrian government forces were responsible for chlorine attacks in Syria in 2014 and 2015, as well as sarin use in 2017. The April 2017 attack on Khan Sheikhun left scores dead and prompted the US to fire 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian air field. On Thursday, senior US administration officials said Washington was not ruling out fresh military action in the wake of new suspected attacks. Beirut (AFP) - At least 23 civilians were killed on Monday as Syrian government air strikes pounded a rebel-held enclave near the capital Damascus, a monitor said. The region of Eastern Ghouta is home to an estimated 400,000 people living under government siege and facing escalating bombardment in recent weeks. "Dozens of air strikes hit several areas in Eastern Ghouta, killing 23 civilians including four children," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. The deadliest raids hit a market in the town of Beit Sawa, killing nine civilians including two children. Another six civilians, including a young girl, were killed in bombardment on the town of Hazzeh. The remaining eight were killed in strikes across the rest of the besieged region, and more than 80 people were wounded, the Observatory said. An AFP correspondent in Eastern Ghouta could hear warplanes above, circling around the town every few minutes. Eastern Ghouta is supposed to be one of four de-escalation zones agreed last year, but violence has ramped up there in recent weeks. This month alone, chlorine is suspected of having been used on two occasions in munitions launched by the regime on Eastern Ghouta, causing respiratory problems among civilians. On Friday, Syrian regime bombardment killed at least 11 civilians. The state news agency SANA said Monday that a woman was killed and three people wounded in rebel rocket fire from Eastern Ghouta onto the capital's regime-controlled district of Bab Touma. Syria's war has killed more than 340,000 people and displaced millions since it began in March 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. By Luc Cohen BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - The United States is considering restricting imports of Venezuelan crude oil and exports of U.S. refined products to Venezuela, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Sunday, to put pressure on socialist President Nicolas Maduro to "return to the constitution." "One of the aspects of considering sanctioning oil is what effect would it have on the Venezuelan people? Is it a step that might bring this to an end more rapidly?" Tillerson said at a news conference in Buenos Aires, referring to Venezuela's economic and political crisis. Tillerson, on a Latin America trip that also includes visits to Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Jamaica, raised eyebrows on Friday after he suggested that Maduro could be toppled by his own military. Restrictions on Venezuela's all-important oil industry would represent an escalation of financial pressure on the OPEC member, which is gripped by severe shortages of food and medicine. Sanctions have so far focused on individual members of Maduro's government and a ban on buying new Venezuelan debt. "We are looking at options and we are looking at how to mitigate the impacts on U.S. business interests" and on other countries in the region, Tillerson said. Standing next to Tillerson at the news conference, Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie said his country would "closely follow" the possibility of oil and fuel sale restrictions, but said sanctions "must never harm the Venezuelan people." Other Latin American governments have said they were unwilling to take steps that would worsen the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, "Not doing anything to bring this (crisis) to an end is also asking the Venezuelan people to suffer," Tillerson said. Venezuela's crude oil sales to the United States in 2017 were the lowest since 1991, according to Thomson Reuters trade flows data, hurt by sanctions on the OPEC nation. Citing sources, Reuters reported last June that the Trump administration was considering sanctions on Venezuela's energy sector, including state oil company PDVSA [PDVSA.UL], responsible for most of the country's exports. (Reporting by Luc Cohen; Writing by Caroline Stauffer; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) A world-renowned U.S. conservationist and investigator into the illegal ivory and rhino horn trade has been killed in Kenya. Esmond Bradley Martin, 75, was found with a stab wound to his neck at his home in Langata, Kenya, on Sunday. The investigator had previously worked as a United Nations special envoy for rhino conservation. He was celebrated for his efforts uncovering black market prices for rhino horns and ivory. Trending: Nazi Torture Doctor's 'Jewish Skeleton Collection' at Center of University Probe GettyImages-80991466 TIM SLOAN/AFP/Getty His work on illegal wildlife markets provided countries, such as China, with data to help shut trade down. Martin had been in the process of writing his findings after a research trip to Myanmar when he was killed, according to the BBC. His body was found by his wife. Read more: Why China's decision to ban ivory trade is 'game changer' in fight to save the elephant Police are still investigating the circumstances around his death, but reportedly suspect he died in an attempted robbery. Don't miss: Attack of the Clones: Creature That Started as Pet Now Multiplying Out of Control In an interview with Nomad Magazine last year, Martin said he had first arrived in Africa in the 1970s folllowing the widespread slaughter of elephants and later, rhinos, across the continent. "In Kenya, there were around 20,000 rhinos in 1970, but by the 1990s, most of the rhinos had been eliminated. The puzzle was: why were all these rhinos being killed, and where was the horn going?" he said. At the time, he was hopeful that countries could "turn rhino poaching around" if they were willing to dedicate "the proper resources" to conservation. Top conservationists around the world have been paying tribute to the researcher. Story continues "Very few knew much about these issues better than Esmond," UN Environment Deputy Director Maxwell Gomera said in a statement. Most popular: Where Was Janet Jackson? Twitter Fans Wanted #JusticeForJanet After Justin Timberlake Used Their Super Bowl Song "Even fewer have pursued these issues with such dedication and commitment. The fight to save wildlife has lost one of its most committed soldiers," he added. "It is with deep shock and horror that we learn this morning of the death of long-time conservationist, Esmond Bradley Martin," CEO of Wildlife Direct Dr. Paula Kahumbu wrote on Twitter. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. "Esmond was at the forefront of exposing the scale of ivory markets in U.S.A., Congo, Nigeria, Angola, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Laos and recently, Myanmar," she said. Save The Elephants founder Iain Douglas-Hamilton said Martin "was one of conservation's great unsung heroes." "His meticulous work into ivory and rhino horn markets was conducted often in some of the worlds most remote and dangerous places and against intensely busy schedules that would have exhausted a man half his age," Douglas-Hamilton added. "He played a key role in revealing the price of ivory in China had fallen prior to the Chinese Government committing to close its legal domestic market, and was working on important research on Myanmar when he died. He was my friend for 45 years and his loss is a terrible blow both personally and professionally. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek US President Donald Trump has accused the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee of "illegally leak[ing] confidential information" in a row over a Republican memo criticising the FBI. The President, who authorised the release of the previously confidential memo and said it "vindicated" his claims of unfair surveillance from the intelligence committee, also lashed out at a host of former senior intelligence chiefs in addition to Congressman Adam Schiff. Mr Trump tweeted: "Little Adam Schiff, who is desperate to run for higher office, is one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington, right up there with Comey, Warner, Brennan and Clapper! Adam leaves closed committee hearings to illegally leak confidential information. Must be stopped!" The tweet refers to ex-FBI director James Comey, senior Democrat Senator Mark Warner, former CIA director John Brennan and James Clapper, the former US Director of National Intelligence. Mr Schiff and Mr Brennan were among those who criticised the release of the Republican memo which, drafted by House Intelligence Committee Devin Nunes, accused senior FBI and Justice Department officials of using unverified information from a politically biased source when they sought a warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to monitor the communications of former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page and his ties to Russia. The memo claimed that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) only issued a warrant to surveil Mr Page based on a dossier authored by former UK intelligence officer Christopher Steele. The memo said there was "clear evidence of [Mr Steele's] bias" against Mr Trump and his "anti-Trump financial and ideological motivations." In a statement, Mr Nunes had alleged "serious violations of public trust" by the FBI over their conduct in the Russia investigation. It also argued that Mr Steele should have been terminated by the bureau from his role as a paid FBI source at least one month earlier than he was because of he violated confidentiality rules by speaking to the media and that senior officials within the Department of Justice (DOJ) were aware of Mr Steele's biases. Story continues "Our intelligence and law enforcement agencies exist to defend the American people, not to be exploited to target one group on behalf of another. It is my hope that the Committees actions will shine a light on this alarming series of events so we can make reforms that allow the American people to have full faith and confidence in their governing institutions," his statement said. The memo's release is also seen by many experts has another blow to the already fragile relationship between the FBI and Trump administration, which has been cause for public controversy since Mr Comey's sacking in May 2017. In the wake of the memo release, Mr Schiff said in a statement that "the Republican document mischaracterises highly sensitive classified information that few members of Congress have seen, and which Chairman Nunes himself chose not to review," Mr Schiff said. Democrats told CNN that former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe never said the Steele dossier was the basis for the FISA warrant. Asha Rangappa, a law professor at Yale and former FBI counterintelligence agent who has applied for surveillance warrants, told BuzzFeed News that in order to get the warrant there would have been a massive case file that could have been open for months or years with surveillance logs and interviews with sources...I just cant imagine they would have relied only on the dossier." Trump administration officials announced this week that theyre considering dropping protections for a vast swath of the California desert to open up more land to energy development. The warning is similar to the one that led to the dramatic reduction of protected land in the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah to provide drilling and mining rights to energy industries. The federal Bureau of Land Management said in a statement Thursday that its taking a new look at millions of acres in the desert region of southern California to comply with Donald Trumps executive order last year to increase energy development on public lands. We need to reduce burdens on all domestic energy development, including solar, wind and other renewables, Interior Department deputy assistant secretary Katherine MacGregor said in a statement announcing the review. Though MacGregor referred to renewable energy development, the administration is also seeking comments about increasing access to the public lands for mining, grazing, and off-road vehicles. Conservationists are skeptical that changes would focus on renewable energy, given Trumps often expressed support for fossil fuels. His administration has sought subsidies for coal plants, and last month Trump approved an import tax on solar energy panels. Alex Daue, a spokesman for the Wilderness Society, called the move a cynical attempt by the Trump administration to undermine both renewable energy and conservation. Any changes could scuttle the current state-federal Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan that balances protections of fragile federal desert land and species in southern California with the planned development of some 20,000 megawatts of renewable solar and wind energy. A California law requires that half of the states electricity must come from renewable sources by 2030. The vast southern California desert, one of the largest intact ecosystems in the nation, is home to bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, and Joshua trees. Story continues The entire DRECP planning area covers approximately 22.6 million acres of public and private land in seven southern California counties amid the Death Valley and Joshua Tree national parks, and the Mojave National Preserve. The Trump administration will look at close to 11 million acres owned by the public. The current plan sets aside some 6.5 million acres for conservation and 3.5 million acres for recreation (with overlap). But it also allows clean energy development, mostly solar and wind power, on 388,000 acres more than 600 square miles. Up to 2,000 square miles of desert could be developed for clean energy if needed, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The current plan is a modification of one developed early in the Obama administration, which allowed for the development of renewable energy sources but lacked critical environmental protections that were added in 2016. The BLM will accept public comments on the issue until March 19. Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. British PM rejects US presidents claim that pro-NHS marches showed universal healthcare did not work A Boris Johnson impersonator lies in a makeshift hospital bed next to an effigy of Theresa May during a demonstration in London on Saturday. Photograph: Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images Theresa May has rebuked Donald Trump over his claim the NHS is failing, publicly backing her health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, after he tweeted disagreement with the US presidents view. The response from May who generally seeks to avoid criticising Trump came after the president condemned Democrat plans for a universal healthcare system by noting in a tweet Saturdays protest march in London demanding more NHS funding. The Democrats are pushing for universal healthcare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working, he said. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Hunt responded via Twitter by saying that while he disagreed with the opinions of some of Saturdays marchers, not ONE of them wants to live in a system where 28m people have no cover, a reference to the US situation. He added: NHS may have challenges but Im proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Asked whether May backed Hunts opinion, her spokesman said: The prime minister is proud of having an NHS which is free at the point of delivery. NHS funding is at a record high, and was prioritised in the budget with an extra 2.8bn. In the recent Commonwealth Fund international survey the NHS was rated the best in the world for a second time. Asked whether No 10 backed Hunts specific tweet, the spokesman said: Jeremy Hunt is the health secretary and of course he speaks for the government on these matters. The spokesman declined to say whether the PM was annoyed at another leader expressing opinions on UK domestic policy. But asked if May had ever commented on the US healthcare system he said: I cant recall her having done so. The public disagreement runs counter to a general policy within Downing Street of seeking to maintain strong ties with Trump, which involved May visiting him soon after his inauguration last year, and inviting the president for a state visit. Story continues That trip has been delayed, seemingly because of Trumps worries he could face mass protests. After a planned lower-key visit to open the new US embassy in London was also called off, officials are now planning a working visit for later this year. Jeremy Corbyn also denounced Trumps view. The Labour leader wrote: Wrong. People were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it. Healthcare is a human right. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Simon Stevens, the NHS England chief executive, told the Public Accounts Committee on Monday: Unfortunately, respectfully, we suggest that tweet got the wrong end of the stick and in fact people in this country dont want to ditch our NHS. After his tweet mentioning the NHS, Trump praised the coverage of Fox News for exposing the truth. The channels morning show had featured the former Ukip leader Nigel Farage discussing the pro-NHS marches. Asked why people were protesting, Farage claimed pressure on the NHS was caused by immigration. Well the big problem weve got is a population crisis caused by government policy on immigration, Farage said. We have a population of 65 million but its increasing by half a million people a year. We just havent got enough hospitals, we havent got enough doctors, we havent got enough facilities. Republican attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the Obama-era legislation which expanded access to health insurance, failed in Congress last year. The Republican tax cut which was passed in December included a repeal of the ACAs individual mandate, a move which led Trump to claim erroneously that he had essentially repealed Obamacare. Polling has recorded increased support for single-payer, government-run healthcare in the US, although it remains a contentious issue largely opposed by Republicans and supported by Democrats. The Vermont independent senator Bernie Sanders made the issue a key part of his run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016. Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump claimed vindication Saturday in the probe into Russian interference with the 2016 White House election, following the release of a controversial memo implying partisanship at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The declassified Republican document released Friday claimed that Democratic-funded research prompted the FBI to spy on a former Trump campaign aide. "This memo totally vindicates 'Trump' in probe," the president tweeted, referring to himself in the third person. "But the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on," he said, continuing with a misspelling: "Their was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction (the word now used because, after one year of looking endlessly and finding NOTHING, collusion is dead). This is an American disgrace!" In the evening, Trump tweeted: "Great jobs numbers and finally, after many years, rising wages -- and nobody even talks about them. Only Russia, Russia, Russia, despite the fact that, after a year of looking, there is No Collusion!" Democrats and some Republicans say the memo -- drafted by Devin Nunes, a Trump transition official, congressman and House Intelligence Committee chairman -- is a thinly veiled effort to undermine Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into the Trump campaign's alleged ties with Russia, and possible obstruction of justice. The document has glaring holes, detractors say, and the FBI itself said it had "grave concerns" over its accuracy. Adam Schiff, senior Democratic member on the House Intelligence Committee, countered Trump's claims of vindication. "Quite the opposite, Mr President," Schiff said in a tweet. "The most important fact disclosed in this otherwise shoddy memo was that FBI investigation began July 2016 with your advisor, Papadopoulos, who was secretly discussing stolen Clinton emails with the Russians." -- Probe seen continuing regardless -- Story continues He was referring to George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser, who was charged by Mueller's team and pleaded guilty to lying over his Russian contacts. Trey Gowdy, a Republican lawmaker who this week said he would not seek reelection, told CBS' Face the Nation the president was off the mark. "I'm sure the president is frustrated," Gowdy said, but he added that he doesn't think the memo "has any impact on the Russia probe." Gowdy noted that he himself helped draft the memo but said that, even without the Democratic-funded dossier it refers to, there would still be an investigation of other alleged links to Russia. The memo "also doesn't have anything to do with obstruction of justice," he added. "So there's going to be a Russia probe, even without a dossier," Gowdy said. Separately, Trump -- who is spending the weekend at his Florida resort -- crowed on Twitter about his approval ratings. Rasmussen pollsters "just announced that my approval rating jumped to 49%, a far better number than I had in winning the Election, and higher than certain 'sacred cows.' Other Trump polls are way up also. So why does the media refuse to write this? Oh well, someday!" It was unclear which "sacred cows" Trump was referring to. Trump's job approval rating is 41.9 percent, according to the Real Clear Politics average of various polls. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer slammed the leadership of President Donald Trump while trying to rally support for the Democrats during a Saturday dinner in New York. "We are dealing with probably the most dangerous and worst man in the presidency we have ever had in the history of this nation," Schumer told listeners at the 2018 Human Rights Campaign Greater New York Gala. With upcoming 2018 midterm elections on November 16, Schumer attempted to drum up support for Democrats. The senator from New York symbolically ripped up his prepared speech during his remarks. "If we win and we take back the Senate that means that I will have the sole power to determine what goes on the floor of the Senate...It means we'll be able stop Donald Trump from putting all his junk on the floor and stop the anti-LGBT cascade of things that come into the United States Senate," Schumer said at the nonprofit LGBT rights advocacy group dinner. Trending: Philly Police Scanner Reveals Horrific Scenes In Philadelphia As Fans Riot After Super Bowl Victory "We're gonna win! We're gonna win! We're gonna win!" Schumer said. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand also spoke at the dinner, saying that when voters flip the House and Senate back to Democratic control, the party will work toward social and economic equality. Democrats would need to win 24 seats in the House to flip the majority. Towards the end of 2017, polls showed Democrats with a safe, 13-point lead ahead of Republicans to regain control of the House and the Senate next November, but January polls showed the lead was narrowing to a seven-point lead. GettyImages-912343014 Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images Don't miss: War Could Break Out in Gaza in Hours, Hamas Preparing for 'Imminent' Conflict With Israel Story continues At a Republican retreat in West Virginia last week, GOP members of Congress discussed how to approach voters for the 2018 midterms, according to CBS News. Republican lawmakers held forums on national security, infrastructure, and the economy. Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan highlighted the passage of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. "Tax reform is working," Ryan said. Ryan also noted that the midterm elections were beginning to sway towards Republicans, Politico reported Thursday. After Trump's Tuesday night State of the Union address, Trump's approval rating went up, according to Rasmussen Reports Daily Presidential tracking poll. "Rasmussen just announced that my approval rating jumped to 49%, a far better number than I had in winning the Election, and higher than certain 'sacred cows.'" Trump tweeted Friday, "Other Trump polls are way up also. So why does the media refuse to write this? Oh well, someday!" Most popular: Watch Justin Timberlake's Full Super Bowl Halftime Show Performance, Including Prince Tribute Still, as polls begin to sway in favor Republicans and Trump, notable GOP lawmakers including Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and most recently Representative Trey Gowdy (R-SC) have said they will not seek re-election in November 2018. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek This article first appeared on Just Security. In his State of the Union speech, President Donald Trump reiterated his opposition to a clean Dreamers bill one that protects young immigrants brought to this country as children without including other changes to immigration law that are on the presidents immigration wish-list. He will support legislation, he said, only if it includes provisions that would supposedly protect Americans. The primary danger to Americans? People fleeing violence, persecution, and other hardships in their home countries. Trending: Did K. Michelle Get a Nose Job? Rumors Swirl on Instagram After She Removes Butt Implants from Betsy In other words, the people welcomed by Emma Lazaruss words on the base of the Statue of Liberty are nowin the presidents narrativea threat to U.S. security. He described his list of demands as a down the middle compromise. But this was the same list that his administration and their anti-immigrant allies in Congress have been peddling for a while nowdressed up, to an even greater extent, in the language of national security. On his list of demandsone of his plans four pillars are changes that would fully secure the border. But border apprehensions are at record-low levels, so what are these demands really about? His border security list includes a barrage of attacks on U.S. laws that protect refugees and vulnerable children. The primary victims would be families and children fleeing the Northern Triangle of Central America, where deadly violence has triggered a regional refugee crisis. GettyImages-634417434 John Moore/Getty Story continues The president repeated his administrations talking points about closing loopholes allegedly exploited by criminals and terrorists to enter our country. But his border security demands would, in reality, prevent people seeking refugee protection from even applying for asylum. Don't miss: White House Pressures Pentagon for North Korea Attack Plan, Report Says U.S. law and treaty commitmentsincluding the Refugee Convention and Protocolprohibit the United States from sending refugees back to persecution and require a fair assessment of asylum eligibility before this country turns them away. Those laws and treaties already include safeguards that exclude people who pose a threat to the country. The president also pledged to end the dangerous practice of catch and release. What he actually means is that he wants to keep asylum seekers, children, and other immigrants in jails and detention facilities for even longer. The Trump administration has already escalated its use of immigration detention in an effort to punish those seeking U.S. refugee protection and deter others from doing so, as Human Rights First explained in a report issued last fall. The president wants Congress to remove the few safeguards that prevent immigration agencies from holding children and families in detention facilities for unduly prolonged, periods. Are you seeing a pattern? Steps that Trump claims target dangerous people would, in fact, only hurt the most vulnerable. This is also true also when it comes to his professed desire to protect American families from the MS-13 gang. His proposals are aimed at blocking the victims of MS-13 and other violent gangs from U.S. refugee protection. At Human Rights First, our pro bono lawyers represent many refugees who have fled from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras and received asylumrefugees like Gabriela, an attorney from El Salvador who escaped MS-13 death threats, and Mariella and her son who fled Honduras after her husband was murdered by brutal gangs. Most popular: Leaving NAFTA Will Immediately Cost 1.8 Million American Jobs Ironically, as the Washington Posts fact check described, MS-13 was formed in Los Angeles and the gangs reach expanded after the U.S. increased deportations back to the Northern Triangle following enactment of legislative changes to immigration law in 1996. During the speech, the White House released a statement to amplify its messaging on the threats posed by foreigners. It said that our current immigration system jeopardizes Americas national security and public safety. To support this sweeping assertion, the statement regurgitated some of the same misleading numbers that the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department issued in a report that was debunked in various analyses, including one by the CATO Institute. While the president painted Central American refugee families and children as threats to Americans (just as he has vilified Syrian and Muslim refugees), he touted the courage of a North Korean refugee who fled thousands of miles, crossing borders into Southeast Asia, before eventually securing refuge in South Korea. The story made clear how important it is for countries to allow refugees to flee across borders and secure safe haven. The United States undermines this core ideal by turning away the refugees who knock on our own doors. And, as refugees and advocates pointed out in a Washington Post piece, the Presidents support for this North Korean refugee stands in sharp contrast to the harm his bans and policies have caused so many other refugees and torture survivors. The president claimed in his speech that the U.S. does more than any other country to help the needy, the struggling, and the underprivileged all over the world. Yet his immigration proposals would harm these very people. Instead of using the debate over the Dreamers as an opportunity to block refugees and vulnerable children from this country, the president should support a clean Dream Act. He should also direct his administration to stop blocking refugees from seeking asylum and actually address the plight of Central American refugees as the refugee situation that it is. Congress must stand strong and fight for this approach as well. The U.S. can manage its borders while complying with its laws and treaty obligations. To fail at this task not only risks global stability by undermining adherence to international law, but it also wreaks further damage on this countrys reputation as a champion of liberty and as a protector of the persecuted. In this debate over immigration and security, the countrys very identity is at stake. Eleanor Acer is Senior Director of refugee protection at Human Rights First. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey still has diplomatic relations with the Netherlands, Turkish Government Spokesman Bekir Bozdag said on Monday, after the Dutch government said it had formally withdrawn its ambassador to Ankara over a dispute in 2017. "This does not mean that diplomatic ties between Turkey and the Netherlands are cut off... There are charges d'affaires carrying out the relations between the two countries," Bozdag told reporters after a cabinet meeting. He said he hoped the issue would be resolved soon. The two governments originally fell out over the Netherlands' decision to bar Turkish officials from campaigning among the Turkish diaspora in the Netherlands in favor of Turkey's constitutional referendum last April -- at the exact time the Netherlands was holding its own national elections. (Reporting by Ece Toksabay and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Hugh Lawson) By Lisa Barrington BEIRUT (Reuters) - Warplanes launched heavy attacks on the two last major rebel-held areas in Syria, killing at least 29 people in the Ghouta suburb near the capital and choking people with gas in Idlib in the northwest, rescue workers and a war monitor said on Monday. President Bashar al-Assad's government has vowed to retake all of Syria from rebels who have lost large swathes of the territory they have held in a war now entering its eighth year. A years-long siege on the last major rebel-held area near the capital Damascus, the suburb of eastern Ghouta, has tightened in recent months. In the northwest, the government and its militia allies have been trying to advance in mostly rural Idlib, the last province still largely under rebel control. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said warplanes attacking eastern Ghouta near Damascus had struck the towns of Zamalka, Arbaeen, Hazza and Beitu Soua, killing at least 29 people. State media said rebel fighters shelling the government-held capital killed a woman. International concern has been growing over the fate of eastern Ghouta, where residents say they have been running out of food and medicine. In the northwest, the other main battlefield in the war between Assad's government and its main rebel opponents, bombing also intensified on Sunday night after rebels shot down a Russian warplane on Saturday. Rescue workers said at least nine people had suffered breathing problems from chemicals dropped from the air. Aid groups and rescuers said three hospitals had also been struck. The Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), a charity which supports hospitals in Syria, said its doctors in Idlib reported 11 patients "with symptoms indicative to usage of chlorine". Two barrels containing chemical gasses had been dropped from helicopters on Sunday night, Radi Saad, from the chemical weapons team of the White Helmets civil defense group that operates in rebel-held parts of Syria, told Reuters. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the White Helmets and the U.S.-based Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM) said healthcare facilities in northwestern Syria had been hit by air strikes. "With the majority of hospitals no longer operating in these areas, these latest attacks will deprive tens of thousands of life-saving care," the ICRC said on Twitter. The Syrian government has consistently denied using chlorine or other chemical weapons during Syria's conflict. Rescue workers and medical groups have accused government forces of using chlorine gas against the rebel-held eastern Ghouta at least three times over the last month, most recently on Thursday. "ABHORRENT ACT" Syria agreed to give up its chemical weapons arsenal in 2013. In the past two years, a joint inquiry by the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has found the Syrian government used the nerve agent sarin and has also several times used chlorine as a weapon. The inquiry also said the Islamic State group has used sulphur mustard. The United States and Russia clashed at the U.N. Security Council on Monday over the use of chemical weapons in Syria. Washington accused Moscow of shielding Assad from accountability; Moscow accused Washington of slandering Russia. The German government called on Monday for a thorough investigation into reports Syria had used chemical weapons in both Idlib and eastern Ghouta. "If it is confirmed that the Syrian government has once again used chemical weapons, that would be an abhorrent act and an egregious violation of the moral and legal obligation to avoid the use of chemical weapons," a German foreign ministry official said. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said last week that the Syrian government had repeatedly used chlorine as a weapon, and Washington was also concerned about the potential use of sarin. The Syrian civil war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and driven more than 11 million from their homes. Neighbors and global powers have been drawn into the multi-sided conflict, sponsoring allied groups on the ground. Turkish forces are in northwest Syria, entering Idlib under a "de-escalation" agreement reached with Assad's backers Russia and Iran. They also expanded their operation two weeks ago into the nearby Afrin region to fight against Kurdish militias who hold that territory. The Turkish army said on Monday its forces had set up a military post southwest of the Syrian city of Aleppo, the deepest position they have established so far inside northwest Syria under their deal with Russia and Iran. The "de-escalation" in violence they were supposed to monitor has collapsed. In December, the Syrian army alongside Iran-backed militias and heavy Russian air power launched a major offensive to take territory in Idlib province. The Observatory said the new Turkish observation post was near the village of al-Eis. That would place it less than five km (three miles) from territory held by Syrian government forces and their allies, and deeper inside Syria than the three observation posts set up by the Turkish army so far. (Reporting by Lisa Barrington and Angus McDowell in Beirut, Daren Butler and Tulay Karadeniz in Turkey, Andrea Shalal in Berlin and Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva; Writing by Peter Graff, Editing by William Maclean) VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan flew to Italy on Sunday ahead of talks with Pope Francis that are expected to centre on Jerusalem after U.S. President Donald Trump recognised the holy city as the capital of Israel. Jerusalem is home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions, and Trump's recent announcement that he would move the U.S. embassy to the city alarmed many allies, who say the decision could doom Middle East peace efforts. Erdogan previously clashed with the pope when Francis, in 2015, became the first head of the Roman Catholic Church to publicly call the 1915 killing of as many as 1.5 million Armenians "genocide" -- something Turkey has always denied. But the two men have found common ground over Jerusalem, speaking by phone after Trump made his announcement in December and agreeing that any change to the city's status should be avoided. Before leaving Turkey, Erdogan said the United States had isolated itself over Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want to share with the Israelis as their future capital. "In the process ahead, come on and accept Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. This is the point that is to be reached. We are now working for this," he told reporters in Istanbul. Erdogan is due to see the pope on Monday in what will be the first visit to the Vatican by a Turkish president in 59 years. The two men are also expected to discuss the situation in Syria and Iraq as well as humanitarian aid and refugees. Turkey last month sent troops into neighbouring Syria to attack Kurdish YPG fighters near its southern border. Turkey sees the militia as a terrorist group and an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and has shrugged off criticism at home and abroad over the operation. Demonstrations are expected in Rome to mark Erdogan's visit and some 3,500 police and security forces will be on duty. In an interview with La Stampa newspaper, Erdogan dismissed the likely protests. Story continues "I dont speak to people who support terrorism. I only speak to those who fight it," he was quoted as saying. The Turkish leader is also due to meet Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni on Monday, as well as local business leaders. "You are only 11th when it comes to the number of foreign companies active in Turkey, we need to improve that," he told La Stampa. (Additional reporting by Daren Butler in Istanbul; Writing by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Bab al-Hawa Border Crossing (Syria) (AFP) - Two Canadian citizens who were being held by a jihadist-dominated alliance in northwestern Syria were released on Monday to Turkish authorities, the pair said. Jolly Bimbachi and Sean Moore were held for several weeks by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an alliance dominated by a former Al-Qaeda affiliate. They had crossed into Syria in December 2017 from Lebanon, where Bimbachi was fighting a custody battle for her two sons, she told AFP. "Things were going a long way, so I decided to take an illegal route and bring my kids through Syria into Turkey, and hopefully the Canadian embassy in Turkey will help us out," Bimbachi said. "It didn't work out quite as I planned but I came into Syria on December 31 with a friend of mine, Sean Moore," she said at Syria's Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey. "They're going to take us into Turkey, and in Turkey we are going to meet someone from the Canadian embassy." She did not explain the whereabouts of her children. Her husband reportedly took their two sons to Lebanon in 2015 and never returned, in what has been described in the Canadian media as a case of international child abduction. Canada confirmed the pair's release. "We are relieved that two Canadian citizens have left Syria safely," foreign affairs ministry spokeswoman Amy Mills told AFP. A high-ranking figure involved in the transfer told reporters on Monday that the pair were picked up in northwest Syria by HTS. Bassam Sahyouni said HTS then transferred them to affiliated civilian authorities known as the Salvation Government. "For 20 days, we were communicating with the Turkish and Canadian governments to guarantee the safety of the two Canadians, and hand them over to the Canadian government via the Turks," Sahyouni said. He insisted no money was paid for their release. International child custody battles are not uncommon in Lebanon. In 2016, an Australian woman was detained in Lebanon for allegedly abducting her two children from their Lebanese father in an operation filmed by an Australian television crew. By Randall Hill CAYCE, S.C. (Reuters) - (This Feb. 4 story corrects first paragraph to drop erroneous reference to three fatal crashes in as many months. Amtrak has had four fatal crashes since December. The error first occurred in UPDATE 3 of the Feb. 4 story) An Amtrak passenger train that was diverted onto a side track slammed into a parked freight train in South Carolina on Sunday, killing two crew members and injuring at least 116 others in the railroad's fourth fatal crash since December. Amtrak Train 91, carrying nine crew members and 136 passengers, was traveling from New York to Miami when it hit the CSX Corp freight train that was stopped on a side track, or siding, at about 2:35 a.m. local time (0735 GMT). The section of track was operated by CSX and the Amtrak train was diverted onto the siding at a switch where a padlock had been attached to steer train traffic that way, Robert Sumwalt, chairman of the U.S. National Transportation Board, told a news conference. "Key to this investigation is learning why the switch was lined that way," he said, calling the damage to the locomotives "catastrophic." An NTSB investigation team was at the site. Amtrak engineer Michael Kempf, 54, of Savannah, Georgia, and conductor Michael Cella, 36, of Orange Park, Florida, were killed, Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher told reporters. Autopsies were underway, she said. Two of the 116 people injured were in critical condition after the wreck, which occurred about 5 miles (8 km) southwest of the state capital Columbia. "It's a horrible thing to see, to understand what force was involved," South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster told reporters. "The first engine of the freight train was torn up, and the single engine of the passenger train is barely recognizable." Amtrak said it was "deeply saddened" by the deaths. It said CSX owns and controls the dispatching of all trains, including the signal systems that control access to sidings and yards, Amtrak said in a statement. Story continues DEADLY CRASHES Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson said the passenger train hit the tail end of the CSX train. That train had two locomotives and 34 empty auto racks used to transport cars, the NTSB said. The passenger train's locomotive was left lying on its side, and the first car was bent and also derailed, although it remained upright, images from the scene showed. At least four of the freight train's cars were crumpled, looking like crushed tin foil, but remained on the tracks. The passenger train was part of Amtrak' Silver Star Service. Officials said some 5,000 gallons of fuel leaked as a result of the collision, but that there was no threat to public safety. U.S. President Donald Trump received regular updates on the crash while at his resort in Palm Beach, Florida. "My thoughts and prayers are with all of the victims involved in this mornings (sic) train collision in South Carolina," he tweeted. "Thank you to our incredible First Responders for the work they've done!" McMaster said he had been told the Amtrak train was traveling at about 59 miles (95 km) per hour upon impact. The NTSB did not release details on the speed at which the Amtrak train was traveling. In December, three people were killed when an Amtrak passenger train derailed in Washington state. The engineer later told the NTSB he had misread a signal and tried to brake before the accident. In late January, an Amtrak train carrying Republican members of the U.S. Congress killed one person in a garbage truck with which it collided in Virginia. A Federal Railroad Administration Investigative team was also on the scene in South Carolina to help establish what happened. "It is important to understand the factors that contributed to this tragic accident and how all stakeholders can ensure a safe and reliable rail system going forward," the U.S. Department of Transportation said in a statement. (Additional reporting by David Shepardson in Washington, Rich McKay in Atlanta, Harriet McLeod in Charleston, South Carolina, Ayesha Rascoe in West Palm Beach, Florida, Barbara Goldberg and Renita Young in New York; Writing by Barbara Goldberg and Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Jason Neely, Lisa Von Ahn and Daniel Wallis) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States sanctioned a top general and three rebel leaders from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Monday, accusing them of human rights abuses and brutal attacks against civilians in the east of the Central African country. Those sanctioned included Brigadier General Muhindo Akili Mundos of the DRC armed forces, and Gedeon Kyungu Mutanga, Guidon Shimiray Mwissa and Lucien Nzabamwita of three rebel factions operating in DRC. "We are targeting human rights abusers perpetuating the horrific conflict in the eastern DRC who have contributed to the tremendous suffering of the Congolese people," said John Smith, a director at the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, which oversees economic and trade sanctions. "They are responsible for horrendous acts including sexual abuse and forced military recruitment of children into positions requiring them to commit acts of violence, among other atrocities," Smith said in a statement. The U.S. actions come days after the U.N. Security Council blacklisted the four men for "planning, directing, or committing acts in the DRC that constitute human rights violations or abuses or violations of international humanitarian law." Millions of people died in regional conflicts in eastern Congo between 1996-2003 and dozens of militia groups continue to operate there. The country is set to hold elections at end of December that are meant to replace President Joseph Kabila. But election delays have raised tensions across the country, triggering street protests and encouraging armed rebellion, especially since Kabila refused to step down when his mandate expired at the end of 2016. Mundos, who was accused in a confidential 2016 U.N. Security Council report with recruiting, financing and arming elements of a Ugandan Islamist group to kill civilians, is a close ally of Kabila. He has repeatedly denied any personal responsibility for massacres in eastern Congo while he was in charge of a military operation targeting rebels. The U.S. Treasury said Mutanga was a commander of the Mai Mai militia group who was convicted by a Congolese court in 2003 for crimes against humanity involving murder, executions, cannibalism, rape and mutilation. In 2011, he merged his Mai Mai group with the Bakata Katanga, known as Kata Katanga, which has been responsible for recruiting child soldiers. Mwissa, who is from the NDC-R militia, was also responsible for recruiting child soldiers and imposing illegal taxes in gold-mining areas and using the proceeds to buy weapons in breach of an arms embargo, Treasury said. Nzabamwita is a military leader from the FDLR rebel group, accused of fomenting violence and instability. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton, Michelle Nichols and David Alexander; Editing by Eric Walsh) Washington (AFP) - Bitterly divided US lawmakers return this week to face a shrinking window for reaching deals on immigration, federal spending and the debt, as Republican infighting swirls and President Donald Trump complains he is getting zero cooperation from Democrats. Trump vowed during his State of the Union address last week to "extend an open hand" to both parties in pursuing an immigration deal that shields 1.8 million undocumented migrants from deportation. But his proposal has been savaged by opposition Democrats, and Trump's "open hand" soon wagged an accusatory finger. "They Resist, Blame, Complain and Obstruct - and do nothing" to break the immigration stalemate, Trump tweeted a few days after his January 30 speech. Congress has also been haggling over spending caps for domestic programs and the military as they seek to finalize a budget for the remainder of 2018. But Republican leaders have acknowledged they will not meet a Thursday deadline for a spending bill, and will have to pass yet another stopgap measure this week -- with help from Democrats -- to avoid a government shutdown. House Speaker Paul Ryan said that while both sides were "making progress" on a budget agreement, a temporary spending bill was necessary to keep the lights on in Washington. "We're still negotiating the contents and the duration of that," he said. Lawmakers are smarting from an embarrassing three-day shutdown last month, when Democrats refused to back a spending measure that did not break the immigration impasse. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said this time he did not expect another threat of a government shutdown, which Trump critics blamed on Republicans but McConnell pinned on Democrats. "There's no education in the second kick of a mule," the Kentucky lawmaker said. - Debt ceiling limit looms - Complicating the legislative schedule, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has warned Congress that the Treasury has enough cash to pay its bills only through February 28 without hitting the debt limit and using extraordinary measures to keep payments flowing. Story continues That is earlier than expected, the Congressional Budget Office said, because last year's $1.5 trillion tax cut is resulting in less federal revenue. Raising the debt ceiling has led to high-risk political showdowns in recent years. With the national debt exceeding $20 trillion, some fiscal conservatives have signalled they may demand spending cuts in order to vote to raise the limit. The crammed to-do list is further jeopardized by the partisan feuding gripping Washington over an explosive Republican memorandum that Trump declassified on Friday. House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes argues in the document that the FBI engaged in abuse of power by relying on unsubstantiated evidence to track a Trump campaign aide. In a strongly worded letter to the president, 10 top Democrats warned of "a constitutional crisis" should he use the memo as a pretext for firing the special prosecutor heading an investigation into possible collusion between Trump's campaign and Moscow. - 'Complete nonstarter' - Against this toxic backdrop, lawmakers are bracing for a heavyweight brawl on immigration. Last September, Trump decided to end the Obama-era program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) on March 5, meaning that the beneficiaries, called "Dreamers," could face deportation if Congress fails to act. Last week, he unveiled a proposal that put Democrats in a bind. It would place 1.8 million immigrants, including some 700,000 Dreamers, on a pathway to citizenship -- a top priority for the opposition. But it would also require improving border security including $25 billion for Trump's border wall, ending the green-card visa lottery, and curtailing the family reunification procedure that prioritizes relatives of US citizens immigrating to the country. Democrats equated the plan with holding Dreamers "hostage" in exchange for anti-immigrant policies. "Make no mistake, this plan is a complete nonstarter," insisted Senator Kamala Harris. Trump warned Democrats they would be making a mistake if they choose to block his "generous" proposal. "We'll either have something that's fair and equitable and good and secure, or we're going to have nothing at all," he told Republican lawmakers at their winter retreat. On Sunday, senior Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said he did not believe a shutdown would happen, but reminded McConnell that he pledged to bring the immigration issue to the floor for debate. "That's what we were looking for when there was a shutdown. We have achieved that goal. We're moving forward," Durbin told CNN. Trump has received pushback from his own party. Some hardcore conservatives have faulted him for ceding too much on immigrant legalization. "Illegals have No Right to be here," congressman Steve King tweeted. "This #Amnesty deal negotiates away American Sovereignty." But moderate Senate Republican Jeff Flake, a Trump critic, warned against "drastically cutting legal and necessary immigration flows," saying Congress should not "shoehorn" the complex issue into a DACA fix. Washington (AFP) - The US-led coalition said Monday it is "adjusting" its force levels in Iraq downward as it shifts away from combat operations against the Islamic State group. In a statement, it gave no specifics but made clear that the focus now will be on consolidating military gains made against IS after more than three years of fighting in Iraq and Syria. "2018 will be a critical year in adjusting coalition forces as it consolidates gains against Daesh and brings hope for a better future to the Iraqi people," it said using the Arabic acronym for IS. The coalition had previously announced its intention to reduce its presence but not so clearly as in Monday's statement. Several weeks ago, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the mission would change from taking territory from IS to one of stabilization. The coalition, created in 2014 in response to an IS offensive across northern Iraq, today has 74 countries as members as well as international organizations like NATO and Interpol. Brigadier General Jonathan Braga, the coalition's director of operations, said "an appropriate amount of capabilities" would be kept in Iraq in addition to the forces needed to train, advise and equip the Iraqis. "We're clear the enemy is still capable of offensive action and retains the ability to plan and inspire attacks worldwide," he said. But the focus will shift to policing, border controls and building up military strength, he said. The United States has deployed about 2,000 soldiers in Syria and more than 5,000 in Iraq. At the end of November, it announced the withdrawal of 400 Marines from Syria, while also deploying 3,000 reinforcements to Afghanistan. Raucous celebrations broke out in Philadelphia as Eagles fans celebrated their shock Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots. Fans converged in Center City, letting off fireworks as car horns blared. Some climbed onto emergency vehicles as they made their way through the crowds. Trending: Secret Super Bowl Security Documents Found in Commercial Airplane Seat by CNN Employee This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Footage shows celebrations getting out of hand, as fans clambered over the gates and light poles in front of City Hall. GettyImages-914356770 Getty Images Others climbed onto the awning of the Ritz-Carlton in South Broad, which later collapsed under the weight, while footage showed crowds flipping a car onto its side. Don't miss: The Top Russian Anti-Doping Doc Boasts About How He Drugs Athletes This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. 6 ABC reported that broken traffic lights were left lying on the street, and a window at a Macys store was smashed, with glass and debris on the floor. According to police, other acts of vandalism were reported. Ajennah Amir, spokeswoman for the mayor's office, told CNN that people were injured as light poles were hauled down. Most popular: Ann Coulter Congratulates Super Bowl-Winning QB For Being a Christian, Gets Mocked on Twitter This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The hashtag #PhillyPoliceScanner trended on Twitter as people tuned in to police radios to hear the chaos unfold in real time. According to some listening in on police radios, a police horse was stolen and ridden around the streets. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Police did not say how many arrests were made, and said that though injuries were reported, none were life-threatening. We have had several acts of vandalism where windows have been smashed, and some injuries have been reported around light poles that have been pulled down, the Philadelphia Police Department said in a statement. We have one report of looting at a gas station. There have been no fatalities. Story continues This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Roosters for sale A man carries roosters for sale at Ka Faroshi bird market in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 18, 2018. (Photo: Mohammad Ismail/Reuters) For some Afghans weighed down by decades of war and struggle, a little comfort and distraction can be found in the company of birds.The war seems a long way off in the Ka Faroshi bird market in the heart of Kabuls old city, a narrow lane with a few alleys off it, packed with small, mud-walled shops festooned with bird cages. Customers, most of them men but some blue burqa-clad women too, squeeze down the crowded street, stopping to inspect birds on display, haggle with shopkeepers and buy bird seed and other supplies.Fighting cocks and partridges squawk in bell-shaped wicker cages, while finches, larks and canaries of all varieties hop about in cages, and pigeons coo in small aviaries made of wire. In Afghanistan, its a passion to keep birds, said Rafiullhah Ahmadi, who sells fighting cocks at the market. Some people love to keep fighting cocks, some love to have partridges and some love to have other kinds of birds. Its a custom in Afghanistan. Most of the birds come from Afghanistan, caught in the wild or raised. Some are imported from neighboring countries, such as Iran and Pakistan, but traders said business was down, with few birds being imported these days. Ahmadi said the best fighting cocks come from northern Afghanistan. The most expensive ones can bring up to 1 million afghanis ($14,000). But the favorite of many Afghans is the chukar partridge, an elegant reddish-gray bird with a black band across its eyes and around its throat, a red beak, and black stripes on its side. The partridges are bred for fighting. My passion is partridges. Ive been keeping partridges for about 60 years, said Abdul Khetab, 80, another market trader. Im first in Kabul in partridge fighting. Another trader, Mohammad Zahir Tanha, said birds helped bring relief from the stress of life in the Afghan capital, recently hit by a spate of bloody militant attacks. I have a mental problem, and doctors advised me to keep birds, Tanha said in his shop, stacked with cages. Right now, I have about 50 pigeons. When Im home, I keep myself busy with the pigeons, and that keeps me happy and fresh. Tanha said hes devoted to his birds and treats them like family. Story continues When you keep birds in a cage, you have to take care of them the way you take care of your children, he said. You have to love your birds because birds cant speak to say what they need. And are there any worries about bird flu in the market? Afghan birds dont have bird flu; Pakistani and Iranian birds have that, said Gawar Khan, who trades fighting cocks. Photography by Mohammad Ismail/Reuters See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Twitter and Tumblr. Arnon Giladi, Tel Aviv's deputy mayor, was remanded Sunday after he was detained for questioning for the second time as part of the investigation into a corruption scandal at the Rishon LeZion municipality, in which former Coalition Chairman David Bitan (Likud) is embroiled. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Giladi was detained for questioning at the Lahav 433 anti-corruption unit along with three other suspects involved in the affair. The other suspects are two contractors and a lobbyist. Police says the suspects were allegedly involved in offenses relating to bribery, money laundering, the VAT law and the income tax law. former Coalition Chair Bitan (L) and Tel Aviv Deputy Mayor Giladi (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky) Giladi's remand has been extended by five days. One of the contractors, Beni Sulimani, was released to a 10-day house arrest. Giladi's detainment followed testimony given to Lahav investigators by real estate entrepreneur Dror Glazer, who is suspected of providing Bitan with NIS 250,000 in bribes. Until now, the police's investigation focused mainly on projects that David Bitan handled in area of Rishon LeZion. However, following detailed testimony given by Glazer, it became clear that Bitan's influence had reached the city of Tel Aviv and its municipality. It is suspected that biased promotion of projects and tenders there was carried out under Giladi's auspices. Giladi, at court, February 4, 2018 (Photo: Avi Hai) The details of the investigation indicate that Bitan asked Giladi to help Glazer advance a residential project for students in Tel Aviv, for which Glazer was supposed to pocket about NIS 1 million when he received a building permit. It is suspected that Giladi also promoted two more projects headed by Glazer, and that in two separate instances he did so to help the entrepreneur increase the number of housing units in the planned buildings. Although Glazer could have taken a legal route in all aforementioned cases, he testified the he instead relied on Bitan and his connection to the Tel Aviv municipality to promote his projects faster and more efficiently, cutting through all manner of red tape. Glazer told the investigators how every few months he would transfer tens of thousands of shekels to Moshe Yosef , Bitan's so-called "banker," and would receive a receipt for his payment as if he purchased furniture from Yesef's shop. On the right: Moshe Yosef, outside Lahav 433 offices (Photo: Motti Kimchi) Yosef, meanwhile, was summoned Sunday to Lahav 433 offices and confronted two of the suspects who were arrested earlier that day. He slammed Sulimani, accusing him of funneling funds through his furniture shop. "You gave me tens of thousands of shekels to transfer to David Bitan," he said to Sulimani. Yosef then accused the contractor who was detained of bribing him and Bitan with apartments should we agree to help increasing the number of housing units in a residential building in Rishon LeZion. The deal mentioned by Yosef never materialized, as the aforementioned project was ultimately scrapped. Yosef has provided detailed testimony to police investigators regarding his alleged involvement in the corruption affair for the past several weeks. Real estate entrepreneur Dror Glazer (Photo: Shaul Golan) Police have been leaning on both Yosef and Glazer to turn state witness in the investigation Bitan presented himself last week for his sixth interrogation at the offices of Lahav 433, but as in his previous interrogations he continued to remain silent and left the investigation in less than two hours. US President Donald Trumps special Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt, who recently visited Israel's communities on the Gaza perimeter and toured the terror tunnel the IDF exploded, claimed Sunday that Iran provided $100 million annually to Hamas. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "Imagine what the people of Gaza could do with the $100 million Iran gives Hamas annually that Hamas uses for weapons and tunnels to attack Israel!" he tweeted. Greenblatt touring a terror tunnel last month. Iran was providing Hamas with $100 million annually for terrorism, he said (Photo: COGAT) "The corrupt regime in Tehran squanders the resources of the Iranian people on military adventures throughout the region instead of investing at home and promoting peace abroad," he accused. Greenblatt touring the Gaza perimeter last month (: ") X Chief of Staff Eisenkot: Israel should prevent total humanitarian collapse in Gaza IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot said at the weekly Cabinet meeting Sunday that no actors sought war or another round of hostilities in Gaza, but there was growing concern over a conflagration happening nonetheless due to the circumstances in the stripthe precarious humanitarian situation and the crisis in Hamas-Fatah relations. Eisenkot's statements came during a security overview he had provided the ministers as part of what has been called "deepening their knowledge base." IDF Chief of Staff Eisenkot said Israel may be dragged to renewed hostilities in Gaza due to the humanitarian crisis there (Photo: Yair Sagi) The chief of staff added that efforts should be made to prevent a total humanitarian collapse in Gaza, but that humanitarian assistancewhich the IDF supportedneeded to be kept separate from a complete rehabilitation of Gaza, which should be conditioned on returning the bodies of IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin as well as the Israeli civilians held captive by Hamas. The army chief further noted that the humanitarian crisis there has worsened with added intensity since Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has begun implementing a policy of disengagement from Gaza. The crisis was especially grave, Eisenkot said, as it pertained to problems with water and power supplies. On the same topic, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented that Israel would be "glad if international organizations and bodies assisted Gaza." Gaza's power crisis was especially grave, Eisenkot said (Photo: EPA) In a ceremony for the promotion of Lior Carmeli, head of the IDF's Computer Service Directorate, to the rank of major-general, Eisenkot added, "The IDF's superiority over its enemies is plain to see, but we remain aware of the very real risk of combustibility that exists on several fronts, which requires us to act with sound judgment, creativity, cunning, initiative and daring. "I'm counting on youespecially during these complex timesto serve as an example for professional, responsible work. If we are required to operate the IDF's forces, we will do so and conquer any foe." After visiting the Gaza perimeter and touring the tunnel, Greenblatt tweeted, "Hamas wastes resources on tunnels & rockets to attack Israel, instead of helping the people of Gaza by getting the lights on, the water flowing & the economy growing." "Hamas spews hateful rhetoric & foments a vicious cycle of violence. Gaza deserves better!" Greenblatt added. A worsening humanitarian crisis: Gaza on the brink The chorus of voices within Israel's defense establishment cautioning that the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza may lead to military confrontationor to Israel having to assume civilian responsibilities over infrastructures in the strip to prevent utter collapsehas grown exponentially in the past year Gaza's precarious humanitarian situation may lead to a conflict breaking out (Photo: AFP) The situation in Gaza, taken together with the buck of solving it being passed around, leaves Israel as the only capable player on the field. The Hamas-Fatah reconciliation process is mired deeply in crisis that is slowly transforming into a freeze, and both sides appear to be digging in their heels. The current reconciliation agreement, then, seems to be about to take its place among countless previous reconciliation processes whose sole existence was on documents produced by the two parties. Likewise, President Abbas has continued levying sanctions on Gaza, despite his decision to resume payments to Israel to restore the strip's power levels to what they were before the sanctions were imposed. Egypt, the broker of this latest reconciliation attempt, continues keeping the Rafah Border Crossing locked up tight, despite Hamas handing over responsibility for crossings to the Palestinian Authority. The Gaza crisis (Photo: MCT) Very few people pass through the Erez Border Crossing, meanwhile, as the Kerem Shalom crossing for goods is seeing less and less traffic due to dwindling orders from Gaza in light of dire financial fortunes. International aid groups, for their part, are carrying out a dwindling number of projects in Gaza. The United Nations' agency for Palestinian refugees, which is feeding close to a million mouths in Gaza, faces a severe cut of its budget following a decision by President Trump and it remains unclear how it will prioritize its various project in the region, and to which degree the strip's residents will be harmed by the cut. The United States and Argentina are to work together more closely to cut off Lebanese Hezbollah's funding networks in Latin America, both nations' top diplomats said Sunday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Argentina has a large Lebanese expatriate population and US authorities suspect groups within it of raising funds through organized crime to support the Iranian-backed armed movement. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was in Buenos Aires for talks with his Argentinian counterpart Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie, and afterwards they confirmed that the issue had come up. Tillerson and Faurie meet in Buenos Aires (Photo: AP) "With respect to Hezbollah, we also did speak today in our discussion about all of the region about how we must all jointly go after these transnational criminal organizationsnarcotics trafficking, human trafficking, smuggling, money launderingbecause we see the connections to terrorist financing organizations as well," Tillerson said. "And we did specifically discuss the presence of Lebanese Hezbollah in this hemisphere, which is raising funds, obviously, to support its terrorist activities. "So it is something that we jointly agree we need to attack and eliminate," Tillerson said. Faurie, standing by Tillerson's side at a joint news conference, agreed, saying that South America had become a "zone of peace" and that outside groups must not be allowed to jeopardize this. The 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires (Photo: AP) "And, as Secretary Tillerson said, we need to intensify every possible exchange not only in terms of dialogue but also in terms of information on the actions of these groups, which take advantage of transnational crime to foster their interests, which Argentina certainly does not agree with," he said. In 1992, the violence of the Middle East erupted in Argentina, when bombers attacked the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 29 people. Two years later, an attack on a Jewish community center (AMIA) in the city left 85 dead. None of the bombers were ever convicted, but international investigators followed a trail that appears to link them to Hezbollaha group which Washington has designated a terrorist organizationand to senior Iranian officials. The bombings did not continue, but US experts believe that Hezbollah, working under close Iranian supervision, has built a fund-raising network in Latin America that profits from drug smuggling to fund its political and military activities. The Polish tourism minister canceled his planned participation in the International Mediterranean Tourism Market (IMTM) conference in Tel Aviv, set to begin Tuesday, due to the crisis in bilateral relations between the countries following Poland's contentious "Polish death camps" bill. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Polish minister was slated to arrive to Israel heading a delegation of tourism officials to promote touristic links between the countries and to increase Israeli tourism to Poland, but the visit was aborted. Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki's message regarding the law X A message sent Sunday to the conference's organizers said, "We are unfortunately forced to cancel the official Polish delegation's arrival." The delegation was also set to include Sport and Tourism Ministry Undersecretary Dariusz Rogowski, president of the Polish Tourist Organization and the ministry's deputy director-general. A delegation of Polish tourism officials will not be attending the IMTM tourism expo this year (Photo: Nir Shmol) The Polish senate approved the "death camp" bill this past Thursday, according to which any statements attributing culpability to Poland for crimes against humanity committed by Nazi Germany will be considered a criminal offense. The law, which aroused severe resistance in Israel, will now be passed to Polish President Andrzej Duda to sign into law. While Duda could theoretically veto the law, it remained unclear whether he harbored any intentions of doing so after stating last week that he will never allow Poland and the Polish people to be "vilified" by "false accusations." The president added he was "amazed by the violent and unwanted behavior" Israel displayed in retaliation to the law. He also insisted no institutionalized, methodical participation of Poland or Poles took place in regards to the Holocaust, but acknowledged that individual Poles took "wicked" actions against Jewish neighbors. Polish President Duda said he will never allow Poles to be 'viilfiied' by 'false accusations' (Photo: EPA) Violations of the proposed law would be punishable by fines or prison terms of up to three years. A section of the bill exempts prohibited statements made "within artistic or scientific activity." Poland's ruling party, the Law and Justice Party, has been trying to raise awareness of the hardships suffered by Poles under Nazi rule, including the death penalty imposed on Poles who aided Jews. This legislation is their most recent step in bringing the better part of their past to the limelight. The international IMTM tourism conference is the Israeli tourism industry's annual gathering, attended by hundreds of participants from 50 countries, including more than ten tourism ministers. In the past two years, coinciding with the " open skies " policy and a growth in the number of airlines operating in Israel, there has been a sharp surge in the number of Polish destinations that may be reached by direct flights from Tel Aviv. El Al, Lot, Wizz Air and Ryanair all operate flights to Poland from Tel Aviv, to destinations such as Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan, Gdansk, Wrocaw and Lublin. The number of flights have also given rise to a growing number of Polish tourists coming in to Israel, and a concurrent number of Israelis leaving for Poland. Israel Airports Authority data showed that some 600,000 peopleboth Polish and Israeliflew between the two countries last year. MOSCOW Russia still has counter measures it can take against the United States in a tit-for-tat sanctions battle, but is keeping its powder dry for now, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the Izvestia newspaper in an interview published on Monday. With relations strained over Syria, Ukraine and US allegations that Russia interfered in the 2016 US presidential election, something Moscow denies, ties between the two countries have slid to a post-Cold War low. The US Treasury Department last week named 210 people, including 96 "oligarchs" with wealth of $1 billion or more, on a list of people deemed to be close to the Kremlin as part of a sanctions package signed into law in August last year. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that unspecified sanctions would "come out" of the report. Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef attacked former Supreme Court chief justice Aharon Barak in a speech Sunday before rabbinical courts' judges in which he claimed Barak should be treated as dismissively as a "broken shard" and added litigation in civil courts was a grievous religious offense. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Barak and his ideas should be combated, Rabbi Yosef said, much like the mainstream conservative strain of Judaism fought against reformist movements in the 18th and 19th centuries. The former chief justice drew the Sephardic chief rabbi's ire when he gave an interview to Yedioth Ahronoth this past weekend and voiced a position opposing a bill seeking to allow state rabbinical courts, presided over by Yosef, to also serve as arbitrators and discuss financial disputes according to Halachic (religious Jewish) law if the two parties consented to do so. Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yosef (R) blasted former chief justice Barak's stance on rabbinical courts (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky) "Barak is carrying on his war," Rabbi Yosef said before the assembled judges. "It's very peculiar: two God-fearing Jews wish to have their case discussed before the court. It's anti-religious coercion! You're coercing them to go to a civil court." Rabbinical courts discussed "divorces, rulings related to bastards and the like," the rabbi said. "Why not financial matters? There's arbitration. Why should they go to court?" Yosef wondered. 'Annul his words' The chief rabbi added that he considered Israel's secular legal instances to be worse than "the gentiles' instances," before which Halakha forbids Jews from appearing, and quoted seniors rabbis who claimed in the past that anyone who does so was "kicking the Torah" and have called the situation in civilian courts "deplorable and shameful." Yosef then called on his compatriots in the rabbinical courts' administration and on likeminded MKs to continue pushing forward the contentious bill. "It's a continuation of the struggles against the Haskalah (the Jewish Enlightenment movement) 200 years ago," the chief rabbi concluded. "We don't have to listen to anything Aharon Barak says. It's as if he isn't there. I protest his words and we annul themboth I and the rabbinical courts' judges join in annulling and disregarding his statements." Rabbi Yosef speaking before the rabbinical courts' judges In his Yedioth interview, former chief justice Barak said regarding the bill that, "The Supreme Court has ruled against it and determined such arbitration was in contravention of existing law." "Even if the law was amended it still would not suffice," he added. "It's ubthinkable of turning district court, magistrates' court or even Supreme Court justices to arbitrators, so why should rabbinical court judges be allowed to do so?" "When there are two religious litigators, the weaker of the two will have no choice but to seek (the rabbinical courts) because otherwise he will be ostracized. Haredi women's standing is precarious enough as it is and they need to be defended," he stated. "This marks the development of a civil-religious Israeli law that runs parallel to civil law. It'll tear society asunder, unnecessarily so," Barak concluded. Housing Minister Yoav Galant (Kulanu) said that the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, taken together with its isolation, could lead Hamas to choose the path of a military conflict against Israel. "Any situation in which West Bank and Gaza Palestinians' lot improves is in Israel's security interest," Galant added in a Ynet studio interview. The State Attorney's Office has decided to move forward with legal proceedings against Ashraf Salameh, 25, charging him with planning a terrorist attack in Eilat, despite the fact that the Be'er Sheva District Court acquitted his alleged partner in planning the attack several months ago while severely criticizing the police and Shin Bet's investigation. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Southern District Attorney's Office filed a motion recently seeking to amend the indictment against Salameh, which previously charged him with conspiring to assist the enemy in wartime. Prosecution wishes Salameh to be indicted for "revealing a decision to commit treason"an offense not often cited but that nevertheless carries a penalty of ten years' imprisonment. Prosecution wishes to move forward on indicting Salameh of charges relating to a planned Eilat terror attack (Photo: Haim Horenstein) Salameh's attorneys claimed the chances of now convicting their client were low, adding that considering the fact Nimri had already been acquitted it would be impossible to convict Salameh, since it would leave the court deciding differently on the same case. "It's a situation that according to past rulings, as a rule, should lead to an acquittal," Salameh's defense counsel said. The State Attorney's Office, however, said Nimri's acquittal had no bearingdirectly or indirectlyon Salameh's case. Salameh's alleged accomplice Nimri's acquittal had no bearing on the case, prosecution said (Photo: Haim Horenstein) The district court nevertheless decided to free Salameh to custody in his parents' home. "The evidential erosionor, more accurately, the significant reduction in the chances of convictionare enough to strongly consider releasing him to house arrest," ruled Judge Daniel Ben-Tolila in the hearing. Salameh had been in custody for the past two years. "Many months can still pass until a verdict is rendered," the judge decreed. While the State Attorney's Office moved to change to article for which Salameh was being charged, it left the facts of the indictment unchanged. Salameh and Nimri met during the course of their work at hotels in Eilat, the indictment alleged, with the latter seeking to avenge the death of a childhood friend who attempted to carry out a stabbing attack in Jerusalem but was shot and killed. According to the indictment, Nimri first suggested to commit a stabbing attack and kill a religious Jew. Salameh refused, claiming that they could get caught committing such an attack, which will make the effort meaningless in his eyes. Salameh in court (Photo: Haim Horenstein) Salameh then suggested to plant explosives in one of the hotels in the city, a plan Nimri agreed to. The two settled on Eilat's Be Center since it was a relatively small hotel with few people and a low level of security. The two conducted surveillance of the Be Center Hotelalso known as the Rio Hotelfrom the outside, monitoring a group of religious Jews staying there. One of the defendants even searched online for tutorial videos on how to build bombs. Salameh also arrived at the hotel in order to gather intelligence ahead of the attack. He pretended to be interested in renting out a room at the hotel for a long period of time, and on this pretense asked to see different rooms. One of the rooms that caught his eye, according to the indictment, was one located under the dining room. Salameh asked the receptionist and the manager many questions that arose their suspicion, including how many entrances does the hotel have, what is the hotel's capacity, whether a group of religious Jews are expected at the hotel and so on. The Be Hotel where the two allegedly planned to carry out their attack (Photo: Meir Ohayon) The vigilant hotel employees then reported Salameh's suspicious questions to hotel management and security, which led to the arrest of the two and the thwarting of their plan. Following Nimri's acquittal, the State Attorney's Office decided to no longer pursue accusing the two of planning to carry out the attack together, but still insisted that they spoke and were in contact with each other. Prosecution's insistence on the latter part was born of the fact that Salameh's visit to the hotel indisputably took placewhich left only to ascertain what his intentions were for the visit. Nevertheless, Salameh's attorneys maintained that prosecution cannot move against Salameh after Nimri was acquitted. "I think it's a ridiculous notion," said one of his attorneys. Millions of dollars in funding to organizations and NGOs, an aggressive attempt to insert and spread a foreign worldview and values into Israel, extending tentacles into politics, education and practically every possible fieldall these charges and others have been hurled in recent years against the New Israel Fund (NIF). Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter This time, however, its not the NIF, but rather the Tikvah Fund, which has been operating quietly and thoroughly in recent years to spread a libertarian worldview and values, straight from the United States. What does that mean? Broadly, that citizens take care of themselves, as opposed to a welfare state, where the government cares for the citizens. The Tikvah Fund offices in Jerusalem. I think the NIF is less dangerous to Israeli society and solidarity, says right-wing poet Eliaz Cohen (Photo: Amit Shabi) I think the New Israel Fund is less dangerous to Israeli society and solidarity than the Tikvah Fund. Its a harsh statement, but I do believe that the New Israel Fund helps bring the moderate voices in society closer. The Tikvah Fund, on the other hand, deepens the divide, thereby weakening solidarity, which is hard to come by as it is in Israel today. The speaker isnt your classic leftist, but a skullcap-wearing settler from Gush Etzion, poet Eliaz Cohen, who is speaking out against the Tikvah Fund and its various organs. The Tikvah Fund promotes turning Israel into a twin of the American capitalist model, he says. It presumes to connect this model with some claim that this is what Jewish sources and thought call for. This is damage that will be very difficult to repair. The humanist stream in Religious Zionism in general is unhappy with the Tikvah Funds success in impacting Israeli discourse, a success which is apparent both in politics and in the views expressed by a growing segment of the national-religious sector. Against the disabled persons struggle, against stipends (welfare, unemployment, child payments, etc.) and in favor of privatizing every imaginable service. The changing discourse following the Tikvah Funds activity, especially in Religious Zionism circles, keeps me up at night, says Ilay Ofran, the rabbi of the religious Qevuzat Yavneh (Yavneh Group). The concept coming from this direction is one of dismantling anything that remotely smells of solidarity, anything with the slightest shade of brotherhood. The concept is well take care of ourselves. Wethe rich white religious people. Wed be willing to give alms to others in our own free time on a voluntary basis. This contradicts the concept of us as a society helping the weak and the less able. We mustnt get to that point. Im afraid that this cultural language will turn us into a cruel society with no compassion or social obligation. These people talk a lot about the concept of freedom. I believe in responsibility before freedom. Zalmans bequest The Tikvah Fund was founded in the United States in the 1990s and terms itself as a philanthropic foundation and ideas institution whose goal, according to the funds website, is to (support) the intellectual, religious, and political leaders of the Jewish people and the Jewish state. This goal is achieved through running and investing in a wide range of initiatives in Israel, the United States, and around the world, including educational programs, publications, and fellowships and by bringing Jewish thinking and leaders into conversation with Western political, moral, and economic thought. The late Zalman Bernstein, the philanthropist behind the Tikvah Fund in Israel (Photo: Tikvah Fund website) According to its tax disclosures to the US authorities in 2015, the Fund had assets at a staggering total of around $150 million. The money comes from the estate of late Jewish billionaire Zalman Bernstein, whose widow Mem is on the funds board. The familys name may not be as famous as that of other noted philanthropists, but their philanthropic works are far from unknown, including organizations such as the Avi Chai Foundation, established back in 1984, which is led by Mem Bernstein and operates under the slogan Committed to the perpetuation of the Jewish people, Judaism, and the centrality of the State of Israel to the Jewish people. The Tikvah Fund is currently headed by American businessman and philanthropist Roger Hertog, who donated to the Republican Party in the past. The director is Eric Cohen, and another senior figure at the fund is Moshe Koppel, a computer science professor at Bar-Ilan University. The coordinator in Israel since 2016 is Amiad Cohen, a resident of the settlement of Eli, who told me he was appointed after taking some of the funds advanced courses. If such funds are usually seen as ATMs for various Israeli organizations, without a clear agenda, the Tikvah Fund and the organizations it chooses to assist are backed by a vision, a strategy and an orderly plan: To have ideas and worldviews associated with the American Republican Party, particularly its more economically right-wing factions, take root in the Israeli public. Tikvah is politically Zionist, economically free-market oriented, (and) culturally traditional, the website declares. After a few years of activity, and some $80 million dollars disbursed, the plan seems to be working well, with terms such as personal liberty, conservatism and free market appearing more and more in a changing discourse. It happens largely thanks to entities supported by the fund, including the former right-wing think-tank and current academic center Shalem, the Kohelet Policy Forum, the Mida website, the Jewish Statesmanship Center and the HaShiloach and Tzarich Iyun magazines. Mem Bernstein, the donor behind the fund (Photo: From YouTube) Operating alongside these, as can be attested by articles and editorials that seem to have been brewed in the funds ideological laboratory, are programs through which an alternative future leadership is built: Rabbis, public servants, media professionals. These programs operate in partnership with central institutions such as the Likud party. Recently, some of the employees of the Makor Rishon newspaper have found out that attending seminars held by the fund has become mandatory at their workplace. The question is how aware students are that there is such a thing as a conservative-liberal worldview, explains Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus former media advisor, Dr. Ran Baratz , who worked for the fund and is considered one of the people most identified with its activities in Israel. To be an intellectual is not just to quote Foucault and Rawls. There are other important, brave ideas one must know, and I think were succeeding on that front. Led by religious men The Funds extensive activity can be divided into three fields: Education, media, and research or theory. The major research organ supported by the fund in recent years is the Kohelet Policy Forum, which has received more than $1 million from Tikvah since its founding five years ago. The close ties between the forum and the fund can also be deduced from the fact that the chairman of the forum is Prof. Koppel, a member of the Tikvah Fund board in the US, Prof. Koppel. He works alongside many senior figures in Israeli public life, such as Likud member and former Knesset Member and Minister Michael Eitan, former Cabinet Secretary Zvi Hauserboth of whom carry the title of senior fellow at the forum, and Israels former chief economist, Dr. Michael Sarel, who is head of the organizations Economics Division. In the five years since the Kohelet Forum has registered as an NGO, researchers on its behalf have produced dozens of position papers on a variety of topics, such as government ownership of government corporation, the government and legal counseling, excess higher education in Israel, an analysis of the cooperative transportation policy in Israel, governability and appointments in Israel and more. Members of the forum also make sure to be present at debates and places where decisions are actually made, and its representatives are seen time and again at various Knesset discussions, mainly on economic issues. Dr. Sarel, for instance, appeared as a Kohelet representative at a Knesset hearing in the summer of 2016, about the freedom of occupation in Israel. The hearing was initiated by The Competition Movement, formed that year to promote an unsurprisingly free-market worldview. This movement was started by students from the Shalem Academic Center, an incarnation of the Shalem Center research and education institute, which until recently was considered one of the most influential with the government among independent research institutes. Among the centers past fellows are former Minister of Defense Moshe Yaalon and Jewish Agency Chairman Nathan Sharansky, a former minister too. In recent years, since the Higher Education Council granted a permit for undergraduate studies, Shalem has changed its colors somewhat and is better known as an academic learning institution. In the past, the spotlight was turned on donations to the Shalem Institute from billionaire businessmen Sheldon Adelson and Ron Lauder, but we have learned that since 2001 the Tikvah Fund has donated an immense amount to the institute, more than $70 million. Recently, the fund announced that it would give the institute $3.25 million dollars per year over the next five years. The Shalem Academic Center is an independent institution, and no representative of the Tikvah Fund sits on its board, says Amiad Cohen, director of the Tikvah Fund in Israel. Another entity that has received handsome support from the fund is the Institute for Zionist Strategies, headed by Dr. Yoaz Hendel. This institutes offices are next door to the Kohelet Forums. We received a donation from them in the past and, unfortunately, they didnt continue, Hendel tells us. I think this is an important revolution, where the fund with its large budgets has helped create a basis for intellectual thought for the conservative world and the national camp in general. I remember times when there was no one to help in this regard and against prevailing thought, and despite what some people say, I think theyre pretty pluralistic and open to discussion. Ran Baratz. You wont find us doing what the New Israel Fund does In 2012, to help the ideas promoted by the fund reach the public, Ran Baratz started the Mida website, which has since become very popular in right-wing circles, particularly its religious-Zionist sectors. According to the website, Mida is an initiative of the El HaPrat (To the individual) NGO, whose full name also includes the mission statement for liberties and civic responsibility. This organization received $1.5 million from the Tikvah Fund between 2012-2015, and the values promoted on the site are highly similar to those the Tikvah fund seeks to promote. In terms of values, we are classic liberals or conservative liberals, states the About page on the website, whose offices are located next to those of the Kohelet Forum in Jerusalem. We view personal liberties as a uniquely Western political achievement, one purchased through personal responsibility and civic engagement. At the same time, we recognize that liberty on its own is not enough, and it is supported by identity and social institutions, chief among which are nationality and religion. On the Mida website, one can find a plethora of articles and opinion pieces supporting Prime Minister Netanyahu and right-wing content in general, and a lot of criticism against the anti-corruption protests, the Histadrut labor federation, etc. Past and present writers include journalist from Makor Rishon, as well as Erez Tadmor, a co-founder of the Im Tirzu organization (known for its vicious campaigns against the NIF) and a radio host on the right-wing Galei Israel channel. The Editor-in-Chief is Ziv Maor, who recently informed his Facebook followers excitedly that his first article for HaShiloach magazine, the Tikvah Funds prized publication, had been published. HaShiloach was launched in late 2016, and received instant interest due to an article by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked titled Tracks to Governability. The Knesset seeks to legislate us to death, and the Court deviates to roles not meant for it, Shaked wrote there. The conduct of some of the arms of government poses a growing threat to our freedoms and the governability of our constituents. We must return the trains of governability to their proper tracks stemming from Israels definition as Jewish and Democratic Governability, individual freedoms, a free market. The people behind HaShiloach claim to run a pluralistic publication. Indeed, among the many articles published there is one by Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, but most of the ideas given voice on its pages are in line with the Tikvah Funds worldview. What you will barely find there are female voices, particularly feminist ones. The Tikvah Fund is a worthy intellectual voice that elevates the level of political discourse in Israel, says Dr. Channa Pinchasi of the Shalom Hartman Institute. But its important to note that almost every edition of HaShiloach has attacks on feminism, intended to limit and restrict that voice in society. On the other hand, what it doesnt have is women writing. When they are criticized, the response is we try really hard to have women, but have a hard time finding women to write or women tend not to write about these topics. The idea that they will find female voices while ignoring barriers is part of a problematic agenda. The conservative assumption that if a woman just works hard enough and excels shell succeed weakens the chance of hearing womens voices in the intellectual, political, and leadership spheres. This is true not only for women, but for all the others on the margins. Most of those leading the Tikvah Funds activities are religious men. This is no coincidence. Recently the fund has been supporting a new magazine called Tzarikh Iyun (Study Needed), which is edited by Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer, head of the Haredi Israel Division in the Tikvah Fund. Its existence points to an attempt to appeal to new audiences, which are not part of classical religious Zionism. Impacting reality through massive donations The third aspect in the Tikvah Funds activity is the educational one, which includes vast donations to various endeavors. For instance, the Jewish. Statesmanship Center in Memory of Ido Zoldan, which was created in 2007 by Dr. Assaf Malach, chairman of the civics subject committee at the Ministry of Education since 2015. The colleges stated mission is to train its students for key public position. Its main source of income: Millions of shekels pumped in by an American friends society that is consistently supported by the Tikvah Fund. The college holds a two-semester course in identity and policy and operates a variety of courses and research centers seeking to influence fields such as international relations, civics and history, from a national-Jewish point of view. Among the senior lecturers at the college are Ran Baratz, Dror Eydar (senior opinion writer for Israel Hayom, Sheldon Adelsons pro-Netanyahu free daily) and the head of the legal department at the Kohelet Forum, Dr. Aviad Bakshi. The list of the colleges alumni, published on the website, shows well how reality can be impacted through massive donations. The list is full of current or past office holders at government ministries and public authorities, legal professionals and media personalities. MK Sharren Haskel is the most famous of the Statesmanship College and is close to the Kohelet Policy Forum, both recipients of Tikvah Fund donations (Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch) The most famous graduate is Knesset Member Sharren Haskel (Likud), who recently made headlines when she opposed the Supermarkets Law in defiance of the governments position. Haskel, who is identified with some of the funds central ideasmainly individual liberties and laissez-faire economicshas close ties to the Kohelet Forum. In an interview, she mentioned that a forum position paper regarding the activities of UNRWA helped her decide to start the UNRWA Reform Lobby at the Knesset. Another college graduate is Gil Berringer, one of Minister Shakeds close advisors. Other educational institutions aided by the fund include pre-military prep-school Ein-Prath ($1.5 million, the Herzog Academic College in the settlement of Alon Shvut and larger institutions such as Bar-Ilan University and the Technion. In recent years, it seems, the fund prefers to hold most of the courses itself, through educational seminars. The main program is Amitei Tikvah, Hope Fellows, held in New York and intended for exceptional individuals who are interested in the political, religious, and intellectual future of the Jewish people, according to the Tikvah Fund website. This is a select program in which the fund locates what it refers to as people with potential for great achievementlike Tadmor, a graduate of the programand gives them lessons in warfare and statecraft, economics and public policy, history and Jewish thought. Other seminars, held in Israel or in New York, last about two weeks and participants are generally paid a stipend to cover their expenses. Between shopping and stunting around the sights of this amazing city, and the great food, I took a two-week course on the philosophical and practical tension between tradition and freedom, wrote journalist Emily Amrousi. I must thank the Tikvah Fund for hosting me and recommend that you try to get into their courses, which include discussion groups and a brain massage like you havent had in a while and theres a nice stipend, too. Recently, the fund held a leadership workshop in conjunction with the Likud and Bayit Yehudi parties and another workshop, on economics, for Makor Rishon employees. Another seminar, titled Exodus, seeks to expose the finest students to the world of conservative thought and classic liberal philosophy. The lecturers include Alon Tuval, director of the Tacharut movement. Our Tea Party A significant part of the criticism against the funds actions actually comes from within the Religious Zionism movement, mostly against its worldviews rejection of values such as solidarity and aid for the disadvantaged, which should form the basis for an egalitarian society. The Republican values promoted by the fund truly undermine the Zionist effort to build a nation-state for the Jewish people, says Tehila Friedman, chairwoman of Neemanei Torah VAvodah (Torah and Labor Faithful) movement. Nationality is built on solidarity. Opposing the expansion of the health basket, supporting the privatization of education, gloating at the closure of factories in the periphery, delegitimizing the disabled persons campaignthis disintegrates solidarity. At the end of the day, what we have here is legitimization for alienation and selfishness. In January, for instance, Hillel Gershuni published in Mida an article calling to repeal the health basket, the allocation for purchasing life-saving and enhancing drugs within the national health budget, and to reimburse the funds saved to the public. Gershuni said he was not opposed to social solidarity, but believed this way each person could choose whether to help the less fortunate, without government involvement, which he viewed as illegitimate. The article was met with widespread criticism, as was an article by another columnist associated with the Tikvah Fund principles, who attacked the disabled protestors, accusing them of taking charity by force. Dr. Maya Haber, who specializes in Israeli and Jewish American relations, criticizes the hypocrisy of the right-wing camp which constantly attacks foreign funding of third-sector organizations, while being itself fed on foreign funding. The irony is that while the right-wing screams murder about the impact of foreign funds and promotes laws to require the disclosure of support by a foreign government entity, it is itself funded in vast sums by American Republicans who openly seek to change the political landscape in Israel. The funds Israeli headquarters. Some $150 million in assets (Photo: Tikvah Fund) Rami Hod, executive director of the Berl Katznelson Educational Center and the Social Economic Academy, adds: Since the social justice protest of 2011, the economic right-wing has realized that it has no true support in the public opinion in Israel, and that most of the public believes in social solidarity and in the governments responsibility to the citizens. This is very annoying to conservative donors and thinkers in Israel and the United States, whose main project in the past 20 years has been to turn Israel into a branch of American capitalism and to dismantle all traces of government involvement. Organizations like the Mida website, HaShiloach magazine and the Kohelet Forum were all established to fight against what they view as the takeover by us social progressives of the public discourse. While most of the Israeli public supports social justice campaigns, these organizations seek to introduce American Tea Party arguments, which are completely alien to the Zionist ethos. Ran Baratz, who wishes to clarify that he does not officially represent the fund, suggests that we view its activities in a completely different light. The fund is full of people with a great love for Israel, who think that in some areas of policy, the discourse in Israel needs to become more diverse, he says. We mean that there is no proper debate and representation in Israel of the side that can be termed economically conservative, realism and security, and a better understanding of the free market and economics. Since they believe that these things are very important in creating the correct policy that will benefit Israel, they want to bring those ideas here. This is mainly a pedagogic mission. Calling these ideas the Republican Party is wrong. The correct term would be the founding ideas of the United States. Classic Western liberalism. At seminars for students which I started along with the Tikvah Fund, I taught thinkers who have almost no voice in Israeli academia, and who are the basis of modern Western thought. Baratz claims that the comparisons to the NIS are misplaced. We are only in the arena of ideas that are important to the debate and to policy in Israel, and thats perfectly fine. You wont find (us doing) what the New Israel Fund does, which is to petition the courts and join with political parties. And if they go in that direction, I wont be there. Tikvah Fund: No specific message promoted The Tikvah Fund offered the following comment to this report: Alongside the support for our academic center, most of the Tikvah Funds budget is allocated to the operation of our academic programs and to the production of our publications. In the past, we have supported a variety of programs at other institutions, to promote the study of important ideas, and by no means to promote any specific message. Several years ago, we decided to establish our own learning programs in Jerusalem and to become an independent intellectual center and think-tank. Accordingly, the external grants we currently give are very low, aside from the support for the Shalem Center. We teach a wide variety of economic thinkers at our courses, from the left to the right. We wish for our students to appreciate the full spectrum of economic thought, although we find free-market concepts to usually be the most logical. Our values are clear: Hire the best lecturers, pick the best students, and publish the best writers. In fact, many of the leading voices at Tikvah are those of women, but the only thing that matters to us is excellence, not gender. The Tikvah Fund provides an annual support grant to the Mida website, which is owned by a completely separate non-profit organization than the Tikvah Fund. The editors and writers of Mida enjoy complete editorial freedom. We support Mida because we believe they publish important articles that deserve a platform. The Tikvah Fund believes in the power of ideas, and believes that Israeli society, and the various sectors within it, will benefit from the enrichment of the public discourse and the presentation of new ideas. This is certainly true in the field of economics, where the Tikvah Fund is attempting to enrich Israeli discourse with serious pro-free-market thinking. It seems that we are succeeding in our efforts and the discourse is slowly changing. We believe that economic freedom and social solidarity are consistent with one another. Only a free society creates the wealth, the entrepreneurship and the opportunities that lift the poor from poverty and raise the wretched from the dirt. Any serious person should commend a deep discussion on the question of whether a social safety net, which we see as vital, can be created without suffocating the economy with excessive taxation that inhibits productivity and with excessive, restrictive regulation, and without encouraging a culture of personal and family irresponsibility. This is a complex challenge, and simplistic answers are unbecoming of it. A representative for the prosecution alleged Monday morning that the senior Yisrael Beytenu officials indicted for corruption offenses, which include former deputy minister Faina Kirschenbaum, gave away portions of the state's budget in return for bribes. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Kirschenbaum has denied all charges against her, which include soliciting and accepting bribery, fraud, breach of trust, money laundering and various tax offenses. Ten more people have been indicted along with Kirschenbaum on similar charges. The trial, currently underway at the Tel Aviv District Court, has been dubbed the "bribery receivers' trial" with a concurrent trial being conducted involving those who allegedly provided the bribes. Former deputy minister Kirschenbaum was involved in an unprecedented corruption network, prosecution alleged (Photo: Yaron Brener) Starting 2006 and until 2014, former MK Kirschenbaum allegedly acted in a planned, methodicaland sometimes deviousfashion to commit the offenses ascribed to her. In many cases, the indictment alleged, she leveraged her position and standing as a high ranking public servant, as well as her access to state fundssupplied to her party through coalition agreementsto solicit and then accept bribes from public institutions, NGOs and private persons. The bribes allegedly took the form of illicit favors provided for either Kirschenbaum or members of her family, Kirschenbaum's party or for her or her party's cronies. It was further claimed that Kirschenbaum often asked or demanded other public servants, heads of public organizations, directors of NGOs or private citizens to help her in achieving or obfuscating her illegal goals, and goaded them to do so. The suspects involved in the Yisrael Beytenu investigation (Photo: Yaron Brener, Motti Kimchi, Oz Moalem, Atta Awisat, Avi Moalem) The prosecution's representative, attorney Maor Even Chen, made his opening statements on behalf of the State Attorney's Office's Financial Department, and said, "We have come across in the past different instances in which a public servant was indicted for bribery. This instance does not deal with permission to do something or a contractual relationship. "The indictment includes things almost never before brought before a courtportions of the state's budget itself were cut up and handed out in return for bribes, not by clerks or assistants but by a legislator herself. "Kirschenbaum and another suspect received portions of said budget. They are not indicted for negligence in the administration of their duties or possessing ulterior motives, but of turning Israel's budget into a means to their end." Even Chen expounded, "Kirschenbaum was entrusted with her party's coalition funds, and the sole person tasked with how they were divided. She was therefore an important figure for many public institutions, who sought her out partly due to said authority over coalition funds. The different people providing bribes understood her position full well and wished to bask in proximity to her." The prosecution's representative further stated that the police's investigation uncovered an organized, methodical mechanism of bribe taking. "It appears this was a recurring method. Firstly, someone would contact (the accused) seeking assistance or support. Then it would be made clear to them that they needed to transfer part of the funds directly (to the accused). The demand for bribery was presented as a legitimate act in the process of receiving budgeting. Kirschenbaum and her attorney in court (Photo: Yariz Katz) Even Chen then went on to explain that, "They did not hesitate to contact institutions and NGOs that wished to empower their important work and then demanded bribes from them. Some of those same organizations thought their superior ends justified the lowly means of bribery." "We also intend to present hundreds of phone calls recorded in secret that prove the criminality of those indictedto prove they knew they were accepting bribes," the attorney concluded. Yoav Gardos, the Treasury's deputy budget director, testified as to the manner in which coalition funds are allocated. He said he was tasked with presiding over funds provided to Yisrael Beytenu over the course of several years, during whichhe claimedhe had seen no evidence of illegality or even irregularity. HALABJA, Iraq Islamic State may be on the wane in Iraq and Syria but for Iran, the threat is still strong, centered on Kurdish communities along the Iraq-Iran border where militants have operated in recent years. The locals even have a nickname for the area, "Tora Bora", after the mountain hideout al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden fled to after the United States invaded Afghanistan in 2001, a senior Iraqi security official in the border region said. In late January, three Revolutionary Guards were killed in the Bamo region fighting 21 Islamic State militants who had sneaked in from Iraq. Three militants detonated suicide vests and two others were killed in the clash, the Guards said. Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid said Israel should cooperate with international bodies to halt the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. "As the chief of staff explained, we should create a program to rehabilitate Gaza as part of which the issue of the MIAs and POWs in the strip can be broached," Lapid added. Rabbi Itamar Ben Gal, 29, was murdered in a stabbing attack Monday afternoon near the entrance to the settlement of Ariel in the Samaria region of the West Bank. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedics, assisted by an IDF medical force, first treated the the victim, who suffered wounds to his upper body, and performed resuscitation on him. He was then taken to the Beilinson Hospital at the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva, where he was pronounced dead. The scene of the attack and the victim, Rabbi Ben Gal (Photo: Yair Sagi) Ben Gal, from the Har Brakha settlement in the Samaria region, was an educator at a Bnei Akiva Yeshiva in Giv'at Shmuel. His funeral will take place Tuesday at 10am in his settlement. He is survived by his wife, Miriam, and four children. Ben Gal with his family The terrorist, investigators found, is 19-year old Israeli-Arab resident of Jaffa Abed al-Karim Adel Assi, a son of an Israeli mother and Palestinian father from Nablus. He arrived at the Ariel Junction bus stop Monday afternoon and, with no apparent hesitation, stabbed Ben Gal from behind. The terrorist After he was stabbed, Ben Gal ran to a bus that stopped at a station nearby while al-Karim gave chase. Reaching the bus, the rabbi knocked on its door for help before immediately collapsing. The terrorist then fled the scene. An off duty IDF officer who witnessed the attack then chased the assailant in his car and rammed him. Footage of the attack X Despite being hit, al-Karim was able to escape with the help of an unidentified driver who picked him up near the scene of the incident. IDF forces are currently spreading out in the area in an effort to locate him. IDF forces search for the assailant (: ) X The terrorist's backpack was found on the scene containing a change of clothes and his Israeli ID card. The bag also contained a comb, hair gel, a lighter and a charger. Gaza terrorist group Hamas welcomed the attack. "The stabbing attack is proof that the Al-Quds intifada continues," a message from the group said. The scene of the stabbing (: | TPS | ) X Large numbers of IDF troops entered the village of Kifl Haris in their search of the terrorist, the Palestinians reported. The attack took place at the Ariel Junction's bus stop, a place usually under the protection of IDF soldiers. Ariel Junction Border Police forces at the scene (Photo: Yair Sagi) Magen David Adom EMTs at the Ariel Junction (Photo: Hillel Meir/TPS) Al-Karim was in the past a member of the Shanti House, a non-profit organization helping at-risk youth. A statement from the organization revealed that al-Karim stayed in several such shelters in his past. "He left the Shanti House after we forbade him to travel on a regular basis to Nablus because we were afraid of his being exploited by hostile elements," the organization said in the statement. The terrorist, Abed al-Karim Ariel Dovkin, an 8th grade student of Ben Gal, said his class was "in shock" at the news of his murder. "The counselor informed us that Rabbi Ben Gal had been murdered. There was a moment of silence and then everyone started to cry. Later, psychologists from the municipality (of Giv'at Shmuel) came and spoke to us. "His murder is a great loss for the Jewish people. He was a good educator and teacher and always helped everyone. An admirable figure." 'Only a matter of time until murderer is caught' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered his condolences to the victim's family. "IDF and Shin Bet forces are in pursuit of the terrorist or terrorists and we will bring them to justice," he added. "These are difficult moments, but are people come together during such times." "I fully trust security forces, which are doing an outstanding job of protecting us," the prime minister concluded. Netanyahu was joined by other ministers and MKs, who expressed their condolences and denounced the attack. "It's only a matter of time, the security forces will apprehend the murderer," said Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman. IDF forces in search of al-Karim (Photo: AP) Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan also addressed the murderous attack, saying the terrorist was "full of hatred and incitement." "You have to think of his four children growing up without a father and his wife living alone. This is not an act of a partner for peace," he added, referring to the Palestinian Authority. Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, cast the blame for the attack on the Palestinian leadership's "policy of incitement " and called on the UN Security Council to condemn the attack. "This abominable murder is a direct result of the policy of incitement and terror financing of the Palestinian leadership," he said in a statement. "Instead of inviting (PA President Mahmoud Abbas) to the Security Council to spread lies and hate speech, the council must condemn this terror attack and demand that Abbas stops the incitement and the payments to the terrorists." IDF searches in Palestinian village of Kifl Haris Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan said he "can no longer look in the eyes of bereaved families," lamenting the fact that two people were murdered in less than a month and in the same area. "We respect and appreciate the IDF, but it is not enough to pursue terrorists," he stressed. "We have to deal with the terrorist infrastructure and bring back the checkpoints." BEIRUT Air strikes killed 23 people in Syria's rebel-held eastern Ghouta district, just outside Damascus, a war monitor reported, and a woman was killed by shelling inside the government-held capital on Monday, state media said. Warplanes struck the towns of Zamalka, Arbaeen, Hazza and Beitu Soua, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Syrian army of President Bashar al-Assad, backed by Russian air power and Shi'ite Muslim militias, has besieged eastern Ghouta, the largest remaining rebel bastion near Damascus, for years. Shelling of the Old City of Damascus, which is held by the government and lies near the rebel enclave that includes eastern Ghouta, killed a woman and injured three other civilians, state news agency SANA reported. VATICAN CITY Tayyip Erdogan made the first visit by a Turkish president to the Vatican in 59 years on Monday, discussing the status of Jerusalem with Pope Francis, as scuffles broke out between police and demonstrators nearby. Police, who put much of the centre of the city under lockdown for the visit, said two people were detained after demonstrators tried to break through cordons to get closer to the Vatican from an authorized protest several blocks away. Returning a visit made by the pope to Turkey in 2014, Erdogan spoke privately with Francis for about 50 minutes in the pontiff's frescoed study in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, which he uses mostly for ceremonial purposes. A Vatican statement said the talks included "the status of Jerusalem, highlighting the need to promote peace and stability in the region (Middle East) through dialogue and negotiation, with respect for human rights and international law." Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman commented at the beginning of his party's meeting to reports of a burgeoning humanitarian crisis in Gaza and said that despite the fact the situation was dire, it did not amount to a humanitarian crisis. "We're not a party to that crisis," he added. "Anyone suggesting we take Israeli taxpayers' money and funnel it to Gaza is sorely mistaken." "Rehabilitating the strip can take place only under one condition: rehabilitation for demilitarization. It's inconceivable for us to funnel money there, rehabilitate the strip and for Hamas to continue building its power and digging tunnels," the defense minister said. LONDON Iran urged Turkey on Monday to stop its military offensive in Syria, saying the operation in the northern Afrin region breached Syrian sovereignty and would increase tension in the war-damaged country. Turkey last month launched an air and ground campaign, dubbed Operation Olive Branch, against the Kurdish YPG militia in Afrin. "Turkey should stop its operation and respect Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA. "Turkey's actions can bring back insecurity, instability and terrorism to Syria," he added. ANKARA - Turkey has so far detained 573 people for social media posts and protests criticising its military offensive in Syria, the government said on Monday. The crackdown, which has extended to the national medical association, has deepened concerns about free speech under President Tayyip Erdogan, who has criticised opponents of the military intervention as "traitors". ISTANBUL - Turkish forces set up a military post southwest of the Syrian city of Aleppo on Monday, the army said, the deepest position they have established so far inside northwest Syria under a deal with Russia and Iran aimed at reducing violence there. The announcement came six days after a large Turkish military convoy, heading for the same area, came under attack and had to pull back. Under the deal reached with Tehran and Moscow to try to reduce fighting between pro-government forces and mainly Islamist insurgents in the northwest Syria, Turkey agreed to set up 12 observation posts in Idlib and neighbouring provinces. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman asserted Monday there is no humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Defense Minister Lieberman (Photo: Motti Kimchi) "The situation in Gaza is indeed difficult, and it needs to be taken care of, but there is no humanitarian crisis," Lieberman insisted in the face of concerns raised over water and electricity shortages in the strip. Only the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, can determine whether there is a humanitarian crisis in the West Bank or the Gaza Strip, Lieberman said. However, he did note that there has been a deterioration in the level of services and basic infrastructure in the strip, saying it "needs to be taken into account." Men in Gaza carrying water home for lack of running water (Photo: AFP) Hamas, the defense minister said, was to blame for the situation in Gaza, as it "spent $260 million in 2017 on rocket manufacturing and tunnel digging. Some $100 million dollars of which came from Iran , and the rest came from tax collection inside the strip and donations from various places." "Hamas was not willing to divert even one shekel toward the water, electricity, health or education systems in the strip. Hamas is willing to sacrifice all of Gaza's residents for weapons," Lieberman said. Children in the strip (Photo: AFP) He also blamed the situation on the intra-Palestinian conflict between Fatah and Hamas. "Hamas doesn't want to take any more responsibility over Gaza, because it won't transfer the tax collection to the Palestinian Authority," Lieberman charged. Israel, he stressed, was "not a side in this crisis. If anyone suggests we take money from the Israeli taxpayer and divert it to the Gaza Strip, he is mistaken. I won't have one penny from the Israeli taxpayer going to the strip. There are enough rich Arab countries." A Polish government spokesman has announced the cancellation of a visit by Education Minister Naftali Bennet to the country after he said that the Polish nation was involved in killing Jews during the Holocaust. Bennet was to speak to Polish students and meet the Deputy Prime Minister as well as Minister of Science and Higher Education. Over the past year, more and more voices within the Israeli defense establishment have been warning that the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip could lead to a military conflict, or alternatively to a situation in which Israel would have to take on responsibility for civilian infrastructure in the strip to prevent a total collapse. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The reconciliation process between Fatah and Hamas has reached a stalemate, with neither side willing to compromise, freezing the implementation of the agreements the two warring factions signed in Cairo last year. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, is maintaining his sanctions on the Gaza Strip, where Hamas rules, with the only exception being the lifting of his sanctions on electricity supply to the Gaza Strip. Egypt, which mediated the latest reconciliation agreement, keeps the Rafah border crossing closed despite the fact Hamas has relinquished responsibility and control over the border crossings in Gaza to the Palestinian Authority. Very few Gazans are allowed to cross through the Erez border, linking Gaza with Israel, the West Bank and the world beyond, and the Kerem Shalom border crossing has seen a drop in activity as the economic crisis in the strip affects the amount of goods coming in. Gaza humanitarian crisis (Photo: AFP) Qatar, once the de facto cash machine of the strip, and international aid organizations have reduced their projects and operations in Gaza, with UNRWA facing a severe cut in US aid money. The Gaza Strip is facing several infrastructure issues that only exacerbate the declining humanitarian situation. Three years ago, the UN released a report which determined that by 2020, there will be no clean drinking water left in Gaza due to the terrible infrastructure, over-pumping of the coastal aquifers and the high amounts of chlorine in the water. Consequently, the water is too salty to drink and residents use it for hygiene and cleaning purposes only. Residents are forced to use public faucets with aquifer water that has been treated in public desalination facilities. Those who can afford to, purchase water from companies that operate private desalination plants, at a high price, four times the price that Israelis pay for their drinking water. Gaza low on fuel, clean water (Photo: AFP) Security officials have long been warning decision makers that the water crisis in Gaza can blow up in Israel's face. Already in 2013, a senior security establishment official told Ynet that the most serious threat to the stability between Israel and Gaza in the coming decade is the water crisis and there is an urgent need to erect a huge desalination plant on the Gaza coast. Currently, there is one operational plant and an additional one under construction near Khan Yunis. Desalination plants require large amounts of electricity which is also in short supply. Today, only 10% of Gaza's water is from desalination plants or from sources in Israel. Pollution and a health hazard for Israel too About a third of Gaza families are not connected to the sewer system and the options available to themseptic pits and open sewer channelspose a consistent risk of contamination to the aquifers. An ever increasing amount of Gazans contact diseases through drinking the polluted water, which are especially harmful to children and pregnant women. The contamination problem is not limited to Gazait poses a danger for Israel as well. As waste flows out to the Mediterranean Sea, currents push the water straight towards the Ashkelon coast where an Israeli desalination plant is located. To solve the problem, the international community supplied funds for a modern waste treatment plant in northern Gaza at a cost of $100 million. The plant is ready for use but due to the electricity crisis, and the Palestinians not considering the plant a priority, it remains unused. Connecting the plant via a cable from Israel was proposed and the World Bank has agreed to fund it, but the planning complexities involved can take years. Electricity: half of the daily requirement There is one power station in Gaza, constructed in 2002; it operates on diesel. Its maximum output is 140 megawatts a day but it only produces 60-80. Israel supplies the strip with an additional 120 megawatts daily and Egypt sends about 30; for a total of about 200 megawatts a day while its actual needs are about 400 megawatts. Only a few hours of electricity daily (Photo: AFP) For the past few years, Gaza residents receive about 6-8 hours of electricity a day. The rest of the time residents must use private generators for their homes. The problem worsens every few years as the Palestinian Authority, which pays for the diesel, insists that Hamas pay the taxes on the fuel purchased from Israel, while Hamas refuses, all while charging Gaza residents for their use. These disputes cause tension between the two factions and the PA precedes to decrease the amount of diesel it sends which leads to less hours of electricity that homes receive. During the height of winter, the average home in Gaza received only 3-4 hours of electricity daily, and that is what led to the recent public outcry. The last major crisis was solved, temporarily. But it is only a matter of time until it will flare up again. All the solutions proposed (a floating Turkish power station, connecting the station to the gas pipeline) were not implemented and the crisis is causing much frustration among the populace. Unemployment at 43%, increase in suicides The Gaza Strip is suffering from a lack of foreign investments and workers are no longer allowed to work in Israel. According to the World Bank, unemployment has reached 43%, among youth, it is as high as 60%. Poverty is on the rise and so are suicides. Many Palestinians are also turning to drugs to escape the harsh reality. The amount of exports is only 6% of what it was before the blockade ten years ago. There are plans to allow workers into Israel but they are on hold. The amount of new employment opportunities is minuscule and offer little hope; therefore, most Gaza residents are reliant on international humanitarian aid organizations. Protective Edge reconstruction delayed After Operation Protective Edge, representatives of nations donating funds to Gaza met at a conference in Cairo and pledges of $3.5 billion were made for the reconstruction effort. According to a World Bank report, by the end of 2017, only 35% of that sum was delivered. Until the end of last year, 7% of the necessary building materials for full reconstruction were transferred to Gaza. These dire statistics point to the unbearable situation Gaza residents are living in which creates tremendous pressure that may come to harm Israel, either directly or indirectly. Talk of building a supervised seaport or an airport has floated among Israeli political and security officials but have not progressed beyond the real, of theory. So far, no concrete measures have been taken to ease the distress. Crossing the border for a prison meal Phenomena such as reports of Palestinian students turning to prostitution out of desperation have been reported. The security establishment is wary of the day that the official failure of the reconciliation talks will be announced, as Hamas refuses to retake responsibility for civilian control of Gaza but will continue to control the military and security apparatuses. Lately, Hamas has set up checkpoints on roads leading to the Erez border crossing (for people) in northern Gaza, and at Kerem Shalom in the south (for merchandise). An increasing number of Palestinians, including children, have been caught crossing the fence into Israel as at least in prison they are provided with three meals a day and free cigarettes. Most are returned to Gaza, after undergoing questioning by the Shin Bet, but last week, four such infiltrators were caught near the fence with knives and a grenade. The investigation is ongoing, but the possibility that they were only carrying weapons in order to guarantee their imprisonment in Israel is being seriously considered. (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit) Israel can take steps to ease the economic situation in Gaza but prefers taking a cautious approasch. As of now, the Shin Bet is opposed to the idea of allowing thousands of Palestinian laborers into Israel due to the possibility that some may take advantage and bring in weapons or carry out terror attacks. Opponents argue that Hamas has in the past hidden weapons on the bodies of Palestinians allowed into Israel for medical treatment. Terror funds aimed at the West Bank have also been smuggled in that way. The construction of a seaport is supported by the security establishment on condition that all merchandise passing through will be inspected by Israel. Two weeks ago, a senior IDF officer described that the situation in the Gaza Strip as the worst it has ever been and approaching the level of the crisis in Somalia. Palestinian government statistics corroborate the data. Unemployment is skyrocketing, more than half of the educated population is not working and some 100,000 Gazans have been imprisoned over the last year over unpaid debts. In any case, officials agree that the situation will only deteriorate in the coming months and the dependency on Israel will continue to grow. The 19-year-old hacker from Ashkelon who was arrested for sending false bomb threats to institutions around the world attempted Monday to escape from custody. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter After the hearing, the hacker, along with four other detainees, was taken to the so-called "Russian Compound," an interrogation and detention center in Jerusalem's Old City. The hacker was supposed to be temporary detained there until being transferred to Nitzan Prison & Detention Center in Ramallah, where he is imprisoned. The hacker hauled back after being caught (: ) X The vehicle stopped at the entrance to the detention center at around 12:30, when the hacker apparently succeeded in opening one of his leg shackles with an improvised lock pick and broke out of the vehicle. On his way out, the hacker pushed one of the jailers, injuring him, and fled. Two Israel Prison Service officers immediately gave chase and managed to tackle and drag him back to the vehicle. The hacker, in the middle, being carried away after a court hearing (Photo: AFP) The suspect is currently on trial for making hoax bomb threats against Jewish community centers in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Israel for several months. He is also suspected of making false bomb threats against several airlines, forcing several emergency landings from 2015 up until 2017, and even extorting several political figures for monetary gain. Full service commercial law firm HopgoodGanim and property developer the Lennium Group recently completed their first paperless real estate settlement as a combined industry team. Both parties believe the landmark move will help drive an overhaul of the time-consuming paper-based method for real estate settlements. HopgoodGanim has just completed the initial round of settlements for the Lennium Groups latest townhouse development at Cannon HillWattle Grove, five kilometres east of Brisbane, said Martin Kingston, chief operating officer at HopgoodGanim. Thanks to the new Property Exchange Australia (PEXA) platform, we were able to enter all transactions details ahead of time and see settlement complete online without the need to have a physical settlement. Banking and titles office lodgement are all handled within the PEXA platform. Currently, many home sales in Queensland are completed using a 160-year-old method that relies on exchanging bulky paper documents and cheques. Digital-savvy lawyers acting for property consumers have long been frustrated with the cumbersome manual method. Aside from being time-consuming, the manual method incurs hefty postal, courier, cheque, and settlement agent expenses. This is all expected to change if the Queensland government follows the lead established by the Victorian, New South Wales, Western Australian, and South Australian governments. These states have all announced deadlines to modernise property exchange. Kingston hopes the QLD government sets its own deadlines to hasten digital property settlement, thus removing one of the most stressful experiences from the property buying and selling chain. Queensland needs to keep pace with the rest of the country. If we dont, our real estate sector may come off second-best, he said. Were calling on the government to drive the solution. Queensland has had electronic titles since the 1990s and online stamping for years. Kingston also highlighted the numerous cost benefits and efficiencies offered by digital property settlements. The digital way means that we can predict when settlement will occur and seamlessly and quickly bank funds on behalf of our end customers, he said. With PEXAs platform we can settle anytime anywhere. Our developer clients can bank funds promptly after settlement and fund their next project. No more waiting days for cheques to clear and settlement times blowing out due to avoidable errors. Related Stories: New E-Conveyancing Platform Addresses Pain Points Selling Property Is Highly Stressful Alfred Abgesii Woyome has been in the limelight in the past years. Woyome news alerts that have been hitting the airwaves have to do with the rift between him and the state over a court order. The controversial businessman took to the Supreme Court in Ghana to seek an injunction to stop him from being orally examined by the state. In the Woyome case that was filed, he sought permanent orders to halt the oral examination by the state that was attempting to recover state property in the tune of 51.2 Million Ghana Cedi. This money was claimed to have been awarded wrongfully to Woyome as a judgment debt. The oral examination that was to be administered by the state had been approved by the Supreme Court of Ghana and was to be used as a means of determining the properties owned by Wayome and also his business interests. Upon completion of these processes, the state wishes to evaluate the worth of his assets and business for them to determine the best way to recover the money. The woyome scandal has been continuing for years now. According to JJustice Abuga, he has over the years, through his lawyers, resulted to delay tactics to ensure he does not attend the oral examination. The case was heard by three Supreme Court of Ghana judges namely; Justice Sophia Adenyra Justice William Atuguba Justice Jones Dotse READ ALSO NPP, Akufo-Addo give Woyome GHc35,000 The three-judge bench dismissed Mr. Wayomes argument, ruling that proceeding with the court order that mandated him to undertake an oral examination were prejudicial to him in his personal capacity. He claimed that it would be a violation of his human rights. He tried to further convince the court that it would be a breach of the court's own Civil Procedure Rules. The woyome story transcended borders. In trying to stop the proceedings, he also cited the ruling that had been made by the African Human Rights Court that had ordered the Ghanaian government to stop the process of the oral examination until the case he had presented to the regional court had been determined. However, the Supreme Court of Ghana had dismissed the ruling. It stated that there was no representation for the state during the proceedings as they had not been notified. Therefore, the trial was not fair, and the Supreme Court verdict in Ghana saw judges agreeing that it would be unjust to go ahead and enforce that order. READ ALSO Nana Addo must take back Woyome cash - Mahama insists Source: Yen.com.gh - Kweku Baako has commemorated the day he was arrested thirty six years ago today - He said he experienced "fire and brimstone" during his incarceration - He says the full story will be told for the benefit of today's generation Veteran Ghanaian journalist and Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide, Mr. Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, has commemorated the day he was arrested exactly thirty six years ago today. In a post shared on the celebrated journalist's personal Facebook profile, Mr. Kweku Baako speaks about how his ordeals began exactly 36 years ago, when he and a host of others were arrested for what he referred to as the "unconstitutional and treasonable disruption" of the Dr. Hilla Limann Administration's term in office. Mr. Kweku Baako wrote of how he was moved from guardroom to guardroom during his incarceration in Burma Camp, and of how he finally faced "fire and brimstone" at the Field Engineers Regiment Guardroom in Burma Camp. READ ALSO: Bishop Agyin-Asare distances the church from actions of unruly youths "After 50 days in the various military guardrooms at Burma Camp, we were all transferred to various prisons across the country for periods ranging between 12 months and 24 months." Wrote Kweku Baako Kweku Baako went on to thank the Almighty and Merciful Allah for protecting both him and others who made it out of that particular ordeal, acknowledging that all were as fortunate. He went to say that the full story will soon be told and recorded for the benefit of today's generation and posterity. Mr. Kweku Baako's arrest came in the wake of Dr. Hilla Limann's removal from office via a second Coup D'Etat by former President Jerry John Rawlings. Checkout Kweku Baako's Facebook post below: READ ALSO: 23 year old Ghanaian stabbed in London Do you have any story to share with YEN? Get featured! We are available on Facebook Source: Yen.com.gh - President Akufo-Addo gave a rousing speech at the International Education Summit in Dakar - Rihanna responded to a message from a social media user saying Ghanaians should be proud to have a Head of State like him Superstar American artist and actress, Rihanna, has said that Ghanaians ought to be proud to have a Head of State like President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. It appears as though every time President Nana Akufo-Addo meets up with France's 40-year-old Head of State, he is bound to make an address that will get him a standing ovation. This time around, it seems as though President Nana-Akufo Addo's speech at the International Education Summit in Dakar earned him quite the fan, and none other than the Barbadian singing and acting sensation, Rihanna. Credit: Ghana Presidency Some time during the International Education Summit in Dakar, after President Akufo-Addo shook hands with Rihanna, a Ghanaian designer called Papa Oppong was proud of the moment and communicated as such to Rihanna in a random private chat via Instagram. It appears that Rihanna was so moved by the President's comments that she responded to Oppong's message and said that the President was inspiring. "Your President was so well spoken and inspiring! He shook the room! You should be proud!" wrote Rihanna. Checkout Oppong's tweet and a video of President Akufo-Addo's speech below: President Akufo Addo's speech... READ ALSO: Kweku Baako recalls the day he was imprisoned decades ago Do you have any story to share with YEN? Get featured! We are available on Facebook Source: Yen.com.gh Contacting Rensselaer Adventures To contact Rensselaer Adventures, send e-mail to rensselaeradventures at yahoo.com. (I put the @ in there originally, and of the first eight messages I received, four were the Nigerian scam and three told me I won a lottery I never entered. Maybe this change is already too late.) If you want to comment on any specific post, (adding information or correcting a mistake I made) please use the comment area that is available on each post. That way everyone will get to see what you think, not just me. I would love to hear from you if you have ideas of things I can write about. Even better, if you want to contribute something, I will consider it. I will not check this address every day, so be patient. (And I almost never check my messages on Facebook, so it you send something there, the odds are that I will not see it for weeks or months.) Also, I encourage and appreciate comments that are informative or entertaining. However, I delete comments that I think are offensive or inappropriate (which includes spam--I delete a lot of spam). Guwahati: The curtain of 2-day Global Investors Summit drawsc to a close with signing of more than 200 MoUs and an investment of staggering rupees more than Rs 1,00,000 crore. The valedictory function of the summit which was held at Sarusajai, Guwahati on Sunday evening vowed to take the collective approach with all the South East Asian nations to script a new era of economic resurgence in the region. Speaking on the occasion, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal lauded the Team Assam spirit behind the phenomenal success of the summit and further urged the people of Assam to carry forward the momentum to reap dividends from the summit. We worked with the Team Assam spirit for holding the summit with inspiration of the Prime Minister and the people of the state. Presence and pro-active participation of the leaders of the industry across the spectrum raises high hopes amongst the people. Now the onus is on us to take forward the agreements to their logical conclusion and ushering in a dawn of industrialization in Assam. I urge the people to extend whole hearted support to the investors in the greater interest of the state, Sonowal said. The Assam CM urged the business community to be the trusted, committed and honest partner of the government. We have miles to go and I request the industry captains to forge stronger ties with us. Our relationship with you is not only a business relationship, it is more of a humanitarian relationship and I assure you to ensure full cooperation and support in all the initiatives. The summit is a way forward to strengthen the bilateral ties between Assam and other ASEAN and BBN countries, Sonowal said. He also expressed his gratitude to all sections of the people of Assam and outside as well all the stakeholders for their unconditional support in making the firstever Global Investors Summit tagline as Advantage Assam- Indias Expressway to ASEAN a grand success. Union Minister for Electronics & IT Ravi Shankar Prasad while speaking on the occasion termed the summit asa manifestation of the Prime Ministers vision of Team India and the transformation of North East into New Engine of Growth of the country. If Prime Minister Narendra Modi is termed as the captain of Team India, Chief Minister SarbanandaSonowal will be the undisputed choice for the slot of opening batsman, Ravi Shankar Prasad said. Emphasising the importance of geo-political location of the North Eastern states, the union minister reiterated centres commitment to strengthen NEs position as the centre of Indias economic cooperation with ASEAN and BBN nations. Advantage Assam is not only for Assam and the north eastern states, it is a powerful message to the ASEAN and BBN nations of Indias keen interest to boost bilateral ties, Ravi Shankar Prasad said. Announcing a series of initiatives in the IT sector, the minister informed setting up five BPOs in different towns of Assam including Kokrajhar, Nagaon, Silchar, Majuli and Diphu. Another 1000 seater BPO would also come up in Guwahati apart from the already functioning three BPOs. Stating that the union government is very keen to transform Assam and the NE as the Electronic Hub of the country, Ravi Shankar Prasad informed that the central government would extend all support in setting up of mobile manufacturing unit in the Electronic Cluster, which is to be operational under the Tech City, the foundation stone of which was laid today as an outcome of the summit. Besides, several new initiatives were also ceremonially launched by the union minister which include opening of National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI), Centre of Excellence for Applications Security at NIC and Master Service Agreement for setting up of new BPOs in Assam. Speaking on the occasion, union minister of Tourism KJ Alphonse reiterated centres commitment to make Assam as the focal point of his ministryand said that a flurry of activities would be launched to explore the regions selling proposition as the tourism hub of the country. Union Minister of State for Railways RajenGohain, State Finance Minister Dr.HimantaBiswaSarma, Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Rajyasabha MPs Subhas Chandra and BiswajitDaimary, HOUSEFED Chairman RanjeetDass, former union minister KabindraPurkayastha also spoke on the occasion. Earlier, state Industries & Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary delivered the welcome address. Council of Ministers of the state, several MPs, MLAs and a host of other dignitaries from all walks of life were also present on the occasion. Guwahati: While BJP and NDPP are preparing to file nominations for the Nagaland assembly polls from tomorrow, the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) on Sunday again said that, imposed election is not acceptable to the Naga people and warned that they will take stern act against the people those have been found defying the decision of the Naga people. On February 3, the BJP has ended up its 15-year tie with the ruling Naga Peoples Front (NPF) in Nagaland and picks up new ally National Democratic Political Party (NDPP) for the upcoming assembly polls in the state and said that their candidates will file nominations for the polls from February 5. In a statement issued by the Naga outfit group said that, Naga people that we fully support the prudent decision of the Naga people for solution of the Naga issue and hence, not to go for election. We will stand by this decision to the end. We fully appreciate the wisdom of the Core Committee (CCNTHCO), the Churches, tribal bodies, Apex Naga organizations including Naga Hoho, Naga Council Dimapur, Naga Mothers, the Naga Students Federation (NSF), ENPO and others for their earnest and consistent decision to stand by the Naga peoples will, NSCN (IM) said in the statement. The outfit group further said in the statement that, the NSCN shall uphold the historical and political rights of the Nagas and sincerely endeavor to negotiate an honourable political settlement based on unique history and situation of the Nagas and August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement between the Government of India and the NSCN. We will not betray the responsibility and trust reposed on us by God and the Naga people. We reiterate our stand that imposed election is not acceptable to the Naga people, NSCN (IM) said in the statement. The outfit group also warned that, serious consequences as per the Azha of the Government shall be imposed on any National worker found defying the decision of the Naga people. Despite called for election boycott by NSCN (IM), NNPGs and few other Naga civil society organizations, BJP had earlier announced that, the party will take in the election. Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who is also BJP's poll in-charge for Nagaland on February 3 said that, BJP and newly formed regional political party NDPP will jointly contest in the assembly polls. During a press conference held in Guwahati, Rijiju said that, seat sharing between BJP and NDPP has already finalized and BJP will contest in 20 seats while NDPP to contest in 40 seats. Apart from BJP and NDPP, ruling Naga Peoples Front (NPF), Congress had also announced that, they will participate in the election scheduled on February 27. On the other hand, no nomination has been filed till today after the Nagaland Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) issued notification for the assembly polls on January 31 last. Kathmandu, Nepal: the government of Nepal has made a mandatory provision those marshals of all the Provinces have to follow the dress code by wearing Daura Suruwal and Sari Cholo during assembly. A cabinet meeting held on Monday made the mandatory decision reiterating that the Daura Suruwal and Sari Cholo has to wear by the government officials including the marshals during the assembly meeting. The governments decision has come responding to the decision of the province 2 that they would not allow to wear the Daura Suruwal and Sari Cholo even to the marshals during the assembly meeting. The Cabinet meeting has also decided to declare the government employees including Nepal Army personnel, Armed Police personnel, Nepal Police, civil servants and teachers who lost their lives during the insurgency period as martyrs. Biratnagar, Nepal: Province 1 held its first Provincial Assembly meeting in Biratnagar on Monday. The meeting was chaired by the senior most-member Om Prakash Sarawagi. The Indian Express, January 27, 2018 Cameras in classroom is the wrong answer. We lose all chances of reform if we isolate and pillory the teacher Written by Krishna Kumar In the absence of a forum or the time for collective reflection on the life at school, governments and society are muddling along. After the shooting of a principal in Yamunanagar, more CCTVs and security guards will be suggested. As it is, in Delhi, the government is reportedly ready with the budget to install CCTVs in classrooms. This is not the first time that someone has thought of this technology as a solution to educational problems. When Sheila Dikshit was the Chief Minister of Delhi, some 300 schools were chosen for installation of CCTVs. Many private schools have had them for years. I recall meeting a self-confident principal in Gujarat. He had CCTVs in every classroom and marble tiles in the schoolas swimming pool. Sitting in his office, he said, he keeps an eye on every child and teacher. To prove the efficacy of his vigilance system, he zoomed in on the blackboard of a Grade 6 classroom. It was a math lesson. With a mixture of excitement and contentment in his voice, he said, aLook, professor, I can check if she is writing the formula correctly.a Thatas the thing about CCTVs. They excite us as the means of exercising power, and, of course, they promise hard evidence when things are wrong. In an age of daily outrage of one kind or another, they promise truth and justice. They are being installed in Delhias classrooms for the usual reasons: They will make schools safer, more efficient and accountable. All three promises are worth a separate examination. However, there is a common point in all three. As a device, CCTV calls for institutional efficiency and good maintenance. In the Yamunanagar school where the principal was murdered by a senior student, the CCTVs were reportedly dysfunctional. This is hardly a surprise, considering how much time CCTVs need for good maintenance and then, on top of it, how much leisure and staff they demand for examining the footage. No school in the country today can possibly spare teaching or other staff to benefit fully from CCTVs. Perhaps the Delhi government expects to make it a duty of the principal to keep an eye on the upkeep of CCTVs. Perhaps the government is also planning to keep an eye on the principals themselves. In the Yamunanagar story, it is hard to argue that the principalas murder could not have been averted by functional CCTVs. Even in the incident at a Gurgaon school, where a senior student is accused to have killed a small boy in a toilet, CCTVs didnat help. Let us now look at efficiency and accountability. Advocates of CCTVs feel that they improve the quality of teaching. This hope is based on the premise that you put in greater effort in your work when you know that someone with more authority and power is watching you. The logic of this expectation denies that teaching is a professional activity best pursued when there is freedom and trust. A common argument against this view is that teachers have lost integrity and worth, that they deserve no autonomy. Popular proof of these charges comes in every year in the month of January when Pratham publishes its Annual Survey of Education Report (ASER). For well over a decade, this report has been putting out dismal statistics of achievement scores on certain tests given to children across the country. The vast scale on which the survey is conducted, the conditions under which it is carried out, and the tests used are all worth scrutiny. But the results are hungrily swallowed as if the bleak picture they portray is the good news of public victory over bureaucracy and politics. One suspects that ASERas annual winter song resonates and reinforces the poor public perception of school teachers. ASER has undermined even the stateas own view of its schools and teachers. A simple black-and white story convinces everyone that bad, unaccountable teachers are the root cause of childrenas poor performance. The rest follows: If we install a camera to start recording our teachersa lacklustre teaching, they will feel scared and improve. Those who take this remarkable line of argument can probably explain why live TV coverage did not improve the behaviour of elected members of our legislative bodies or the quality of their functioning. How did we, as a society, push ourselves into such a dark and narrow corner? How did we end up hating our teachers so thoroughly? A long series of mistaken perceptions and choices, and general credulity have landed us here. One major choice was to believe that educational problems can be solved by fixing all blame on the teacher. To look at education this way is to take a very narrow view of learning and childhood. Such a view isolates the teacher for unwarranted and unjust social opprobrium. We forget that no school can compensate for society, its economic, cultural ethos and the patterns of upbringing. We lose all chances of educational reform if we isolate and pillory the teacher. Of course, we have a lot of poorly qualified and badly trained teachers in our system. We also have a number of people in it who never wanted to become teachers. However, the presence of such people need not push us to lose our confidence in the rest. To leave them at the mercy of officials, NGOs or parents will drive the system towards bankruptcy. Many states and cities, including Delhi, have been moving in this dangerous direction for quite some time. Finally, think about the meaning of growing up and learning under the shining eyes of a CCTV. Parents are watching you in real time. They watch you as you hesitatingly stand up and try to answer a question the teacher has asked. They watch you as you whisper in your deskmateas ear. You go home and the parents ask you why you didnat know the right answer, why you talk in class, and so on. You donat know where to hide, what to do to save your limited, fragile honour. The writer was director of NCERT. His latest book is an edited volume titled aHandbook of Education in Indiaa PRESS RELEASE New Delhi, 5 February Female Genital Mutilation is a human rights violation that India should outlaw: Shashi Tharoor Survivor group WeSpeakOut reveals New Groundbreaking National Research on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in India MP Dr Shashi Tharoor releases study with largest evidence of FGM/C in India Research report marks International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM/C on Feb 6, 2018 WeSpeakOut 1st revealed evidence of FGM/C through their Change.org campaign in 2015 aThe practise of Female Genital Mutilation is a violation of basic human rights, a womanas bodily integrity, her dignity and her right to choose. It is indispensable for India to outlaw the practise of Female Genital Mutilationa , Member of Parliament Dr Shashi Tharoor said today. Releasing survivor group WeSpeakOutas latest study on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting today at a press conference in New Delhi Dr. Shashi Tharoor, said, aFGM is an act that has been condemned around the world. For us in India to allow this practise to continue, sanctified as a cultural practise, is a big mistake. When we outlaw it, the practise will cease because the community concerned always has the reputation of upholding the law of the land.a The report titled, aThe Clitoral Hood a Contested Site: Khafd or Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in India.a is the largest research report documenting the practise of FGM/C among the Bohra community. WeSpeakOutas current report is significant because it comes close on the heels of the Ministry of Women & Child Developmentas affidavit in the Supreme Court denying the existence of FGM/C in India. Masooma Ranalvi, Founder of WeSpeakOut said, aAnyone who doubts or denies the existence of FGM/C in India must read this report filled with heart wrenching stories of the many harms from FGM/C. By turning a blind eye and doing nothing about FGM/C, the Government of India is denying women and girls their rights enshrined in the Indian constitution. In keeping with its international human rights commitments under numerous treaty bodies, India must at once pass a law that bans the act of providing FGM/C.a The report is accessible online at: http://wespeakout.org/posts/wespeakout-commissioned-fgm-c-khatna-study-releases-results/ The study includes in depth one-on-one interviews with 94 individuals (83 women and 11 men). It covered 12 sites in four Indian states: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, which have a high concentration of Bohras. The 12 sites were: Ahmedabad, Baroda, Bhavnagar, Dahod, Godhra, Indore, Mumbai, Pune, Ratlam,a Selana, Surat, and Udaipur. Kerala, where a few Sunni Muslim sects are known to practice FGM/C was added later. Additionally Bohra expats from Canada, UAE, and USA also participated. Durga Nandini, Director Communications, Change.org India said, "One of the first public evidences of the existence of FGM/C in India came through a Change.org petition started by WeSpeakOut in December 2015. The petition, which first revealed that survivors were spread out in several states in India, drew the support of over 100,000 Indians. This petition is part of growing global movement against Female Genital Mutilation where survivors in countries like UK, US and India are speaking up about their trauma." Two years after the campaign began on Change.org, the Women & Child Development Minister first acknowledged FGM in India in May 2017 and urged the Bohra community end this practise immediately. But six months later, the Ministry submitted an official affidavit in the Supreme Court that athere is no official data which supports the existence of FGM.a Key findings of the report 75% of all daughters of the study sample were subjected to FGM/C 97% of women who remembered their FGM/C experience from childhood recalled it as painful. While most women said they suffered immediate pain from the procedure only 2 women said they did not have any immediate or long-term impact from FGM/C. Approximately 33% of women subjected to FGM/C in the study believe it has negatively impacted their sexual life. Low sex drive, inability to feel sexual pleasure, difficulty trusting sexual partners, and over sensitivity in the clitoral area were some of the problems identified by several women. Close to 10% of the women who had undergone the procedure in the current study specifically mentioned urinary problems, recurring UTIs, burning and incontinence. In addition, one of the study participants reported bleeding of the clitoral hood area due to irritation. Many respondents in the study reported feeling fear, anxiety, shame, anger, depression, low-self-esteem, and/or betrayal of trust as some of the fallouts that they associated with their FGM/C. Debunking myths Supporters of the harmful traditional practice in India claim that Khafd as practiced by Bohras is not aFGM/Ca because ait is just a nick on the clitoral hood, which is just useless skin anyway.a The study shows that this is far from the truth. Lakshmi Anantnarayan writer of the report clarifies, aAll three traditional circumcisers we spoke with confirmed that they used a scissor to remove a piece of skin or tissue, one of them even buried this piece of skin after each procedure. Further the clitoral hood is far from auselessa. It is an erogenous tissue with a protective function akin to the eyelids.a Dr. Sujaat Vali, Ob-Gyn, who observed FGM/C in 20 female Bohra patients also confirmed that Type 1 FGM/C is the predominant practice in India. A majority of those who practice FGM/C in India believed that it is a religious requirement. Shabana Diler, one of the researchers of the study emphasized, aWe learnt that Khafd is mistakenly thought to be obligatory or compulsory by many who follow it, although it is only optional with no negative consequences when not performed. In fact Khafd explicitly violates several prohibitions of harm or Ithm in the Quran.a This research also revealed other misconceptions surrounding the harmful traditional practice that equate it to male circumcision thereby linking Khafd to hygiene, purity, and cleanliness. It is dangerous to equate Khafd to male circumcision, owing to fundamental differences in male and female genital anatomy. There are no known benefits from the practice of Khafd as is often claimed by proponents. Finally, the study also revealed a few unnerving current trends in FGM/C in India. The practice is increasingly medicalized and is being performed in medical facilities by doctors. With the crackdown on FGM/C in the Bohra community through the legal cases in Australia and USA, several respondents confirmed they knew of transportation of expat/foreign Bohra girls into India for the procedure. If FGM/C is not banned here, India runs the risk of becoming a hub for FGM/C of expat girls. Owing to increased public scrutiny of FGM/C, the practice is steadily going underground as more people involved in performing or promoting FGM/C from the community refrain from speaking about it publicly. What is Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting? According to the WHO, FGM/C comprises aall procedures that involve the altering or injuring of female genitalia for non-medical purposes and is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.a FGM/C is risky and harmful. FGM/C has long been internationally recognized as a form of violence and discrimination against women and girls. It gravely affects womenas sexual pleasure, and their physical, & psychological well-being. It has been banned by a number of countries where the practice occurs, including Egypt, where Bohras trace part of their ancestry. FGM/C is not practiced in the majority of Islamic countries. Even the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (with 57 member countries) opposes FGM/C. For further information: The report is accessible online at: http://wespeakout.org/posts/wespeakout-commissioned-fgm-c-khatna-study-releases-results/ For media queries - Durga Nandini, Director - Communications, Change.org India, Mob 9711994035, @nandinidurga, @ChangeOrg_India e-STEM or e-STEAM - STEM or STEAM curriculum with an environmental focus. FACMAC - Facilities and Capacity Management Advisory Committee. A district committee comprises of an all-volunteer citizen group created in 2012 to help bring research and ideas to capacity management issues in the district. FERPA - Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. A federal law that protects students' privacy FRL - Free and reduced lunch. FTE - Full Time Equivalent FY - Fiscal Year Highly Capable Services - NEW name (as of 2014) as umbrella name for these programs: Highly Capable Cohort (formerly APP), Spectrum and ALO (Advanced Learning Opportunities). HSPE - High School Proficiency Exam, state assessment that replaced the WASL for 10th graders, required for graduation HQT - Highly Qualified Teacher, a standard set by federal law IA - Instructional Assistant IB - International Baccalaureate program. An international program of advanced classes that can either be taken as stand alone or as part of an overall IB program. IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The federal law that governs special education IEP - Individual Educational Plan, a federal requirement for students with disabilities (special education) JSCEE - John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence (see headquarters) MAP - Measures of Academic Progress. A computer-based adaptive assessment made by NWEA and originally purchased by the district for use as a district-wide formative assessment but now used for a wide variety of purposes. MSP - Measurement of Student Progress, the state proficiency assessment that replaced the WASL for students in grades 1-8 NCLB - No Child Left Behind, a provision of the federal education law, ESEA, introduced during the George W. Bush administration OSPI - Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction PCP - Planning, Conference and Preparation PD - Professional Development PG & E - Professional Growth and Evaluation, the teacher (and principal) evaluation procedure RIF - Reduction in Force RttT - Race to the Top, see Arne Duncan RIT - Rasch Unit - scoring used in MAP testing RTI - Response to Intervention, the old name for MTSS SBE - State Board of Education (or BOE) SEA - Seattle Education Association (Seattle Teachers' union) SEAC - Special Education Advisory Committee SIT - School Intervention Team STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. TIF - Teacher Incentive Fund WASL - Washington Assessment of Student Learning (former state test) WSF - Weighted Student Formula, the old method of determining school funding WSS - Weighted Staffing Standards, the current method of determining school funding MTSS - Multi-Tiered Systems of Support- No Child Left Behind, a provision of the federal education law, ESEA, introduced during the George W. Bush administration- Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction- Planning, Conference and Preparation- Professional Development - Facilities and Capacity Management Advisory Committee. A district committee comprises of an all-volunteer citizen group created in 2012 to help bring research and ideas to capacity management issues in the district.- Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. A federal law that protects students' privacy- Free and reduced lunch.- Full Time Equivalent- Fiscal YearHighly Capable Services - NEW name (as of 2014) as umbrella name for these programs: Highly Capable Cohort (formerly APP), Spectrum and ALO (Advanced Learning Opportunities).- High School Proficiency Exam, state assessment that replaced the WASL for 10th graders, required for graduation- Highly Qualified Teacher, a standard set by federal law- Instructional Assistant- International Baccalaureate program. An international program of advanced classes that can either be taken as stand alone or as part of an overall IB program.- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The federal law that governs special education- Individual Educational Plan, a federal requirement for students with disabilities (special education)- John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence (see headquarters)- Measures of Academic Progress. A computer-based adaptive assessment made by NWEA and originally purchased by the district for use as a district-wide formative assessment but now used for a wide variety of purposes.- Measurement of Student Progress, the state proficiency assessment that replaced the WASL for students in grades 1-8 Note: not a complete list. Here's a link to the district's list. - SPS' three-tier program for advanced learners. Made up of APP, Spectrum and ALOs. (Note: the name of the district program is "Advanced Learning Services and Programs" but these three programs fall under "Highly Capable Services" of AL Services and Programs.- Advanced Learning Opportunity, the third tier of SPS' Advanced Learning program- Advanced Placement. A national program of college-level classes given in high schools.- Accelerated Progress Program. One of the levels of the Advanced Learning Program. NOTE: the name of this program is now "HIGHLY CAPABLE COHORT." This change occurred in 2014.- Associated Student Body. High school leadership groups.Adequate Yearly Progress. Part of NCLB.- Building Excellence. SPS' capital renovation/rebuilding program that is funded via the BEX levy. Every 3 years there is the Operations levy and either the BEX or BTA levies as those two levies rotate in six year cycles).- Building Leadership Team. Staff members at a school who meet regularly to discuss building issues.Buildings, Technology, Academics. The major maintenance/other capital fund for SPS. Originally BTA was to cover major maintenance like HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning), roofs, waterlines, etc.) but now covers wide swaths of items like athletic fields, technology and funding academic needs.- Community Advisory Committee for Investing in Educational Excellence. Created by former Superintendent Manhas in 2008, to issue a report about reform recommendations for SPS.- Continuous School Improvement Plan, the plan for improvement for each school as required by state law.- Career and Technical Education (formerly Voc Ed)- Essential Academic Learning Requirement- Everyday Math, the board-adopted instructional materials for elementary math- English Language Learners- End of Course Assessments, given in math and science, required for high school graduation More stunning post-Booker work from a district court | Main | Compelling capital contrasts January 25, 2005 Is there a "new right" on criminal sentencing issues? I have noted in previous posts the interesting new reality that now Republicans, far more than Democrats, are promoting what might be called progressive sentencing reform. Recall that, as detailed here, it was Republican Senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee who were questioning AG nominee Alberto Gonzales about prison reform and rehabilitation. (Kansas Sen. Brownback spoke of prison reform as "a compassionate conservative topic"; Oklahoma Sen. Coburn said, "As a physician, I believe that we ought to be doing drug treatment rather than incarceration."; Pennsylvania Sen. Specter spoke of the importance of providing some prisoners with "literacy training and job training and drug rehabilitation.") Moreover, as noted previously here and here, Republicans Governors have often led efforts in many states to cut back on harsh mandatory sentences and to expand treatment-centered alternatives to incarceration. (Recall, as just one recent example detailed in this LA Times article, that Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced a plan for California's prisons to "emphasize rehabilitation, marking a shift away from an era when punishment was the overriding mission.") Part of what makes these issues so interesting and dynamic is that sentencing reform (especially in the federal system) can appeal in various ways to different wings of the Republican party. Republicans who favor small government (or at least small federal government) might well be distressed by the size and power of the federal criminal justice machine. Consider in this vein the advocacy of Timothy Lynch, director of the Cato Institute's Project on Criminal Justice, in this piece about Booker which appeared in Legal Times yesterday. Lynch urges President Bush and Congress in response to Booker "to consult the long-term, strategic vision that can be found in the legal opinions of Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas." For Lynch this means, inter alia, that "Congress should jettison the real-offense sentencing paradigm and move to a convicted-offense model" and that "President Bush and Congress should appoint a blue-ribbon commission with a mandate to propose a rollback of the federal criminal code." Meanwhile, for the religious wing of the Republican party, concepts of redemption and forgiveness have often made religion a progressive criminal justice force in areas ranging from advocating abolition of the death penalty to faith-based prison programming. (I touched on some of these issues in this prior post.) Consider in this vein the advocacy of Mark Early, the President of the Prison Fellowship. In this commentary praising Booker, Early asserts, based on his experiences counseling prisoners, that the federal guidelines "have not produced justice, only bitterness." He likewise calls upon Congress to do better and says "Christians, who understand that doing justice is a matter of wisdom, not fear, should give their representatives the permission they need to resist political posturing and undo past mistakes. Then, perhaps the fairness and wisdom of our system will also be beyond any reasonable doubt." Of course, the coming debate over the post-Booker future of the federal sentencing system will be a dramatic and important test of whether there really is a new political order in the arena of sentencing reform. Perhaps Blakely and Booker, in the votes of Justices Scalia and Thomas, can be seen as an example of this "new right" in the judicial branch. It will be interesting to see if other examples may emerge in the legislative and executive branches in the days ahead. January 25, 2005 at 04:42 PM | Permalink TrackBack TrackBack URL for this entry: https://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451574769e200d835424c1169e2 Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Is there a "new right" on criminal sentencing issues?: Comments hp pavilion zt1120 battery Posted by: | Oct 14, 2008 6:56:42 AM Post a comment "As Patriots, we support juvenile justice reform" | Main | Mass molester Larry Nassar gets another 40 to 125 years in his third and final sentencing Long time readers know I have been talking a long time about a "new right" on a range of sentencing and corrections issues (though recalling this post on the topic back in January 2005 lead me to realize that the new right is not so new circa 2018). And lately it is hard now to pull up Fox News and not see some discussion of some criminal justice reform issue. Today's example is in this form of this new Fox News commentary authored by Texas Representative Jerry Madden titled "Here's why Conservatives should support criminal justice reform." U recommend the full piece, and here are excerpts: Criminal justice reform may wind up being the most significant conservative policy change in Washington this year. That may sound surprising to some, but not to anyone who has been watching this movement in conservative states over the last decade. Starting in Texas, conservatives of all stripes fiscal, social, constitutional, or otherwise have found favor with reforms to the criminal justice system that focus on increasing public safety and cutting costs to taxpayers. This is, seemingly, a very commonsense goal. But take a look at how most states and the federal government operate and you will find that well-functioning, well-focused systems are far from the norm. The results are undeniable: Texas has lowered its overall crime rate 31 percent, putting it at levels that have not been seen since 1967. In that time, the Lone Star State has closed eight prisons and lowered the incarceration rate. This flies in the face of the old, mistaken ways of viewing criminal justice policy that considers incarceration the default rather than one tool of many to protect public safety. At the heart of the Texas reforms is the idea that the nearly all of those incarcerated will eventually return to society after serving their sentence and therefore they must be rehabilitated to ensure that they do not return to a life of crime. Prisons cannot be mere people warehouses. For the offenders who commit to it, there is a real opportunity for redemption and second chances. To no conservatives surprise, the federal government lags behind in this area. The budget for the Bureau of Prisons is growing out-of-control. The BOPs budget is now over 25 percent of the total budget for the Justice Department a massive line item for an already over-indebted government. The outdated policies passed by Congress in the 1980s and 1990s are in desperate need of updating to match what states have shown to be successful. There are two bills currently before Congress that will push for conservative changes. Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia and Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, both Republicans, are the lead sponsors on two prison reform bills that focus on preparing prisoners for re-entry. These bills dont reduce the sentences for crimes, but rather encourage inmates to participate in recidivism-reducing programming by offering incentives that include more phone calls and visits with family, and earned time to spend the end of their sentence in a halfway house, home confinement, or community supervision.... There is further encouragement coming from, of all places, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. President Trump has stated the case well: there is a path to remain very tough on crime, but we will provide a ladder of opportunity to the future. In his listening session at the White House recently, the president further explained: My administration is committed to helping former inmates become productive, law-abiding members of society. President Trump has made it clear that this is an issue that conservatives across the country can rally behind. With the state examples as proof, and with a push from conservatives in the White House and Congress, criminal justice reform is a clear winner for the right. It is time for Congress to move on conservative reform as soon as possible. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on February 5, 2018 2018/02/05 At the invitation of Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi of the Republic of Indonesia will pay a visit to China from February 8 to 10. During the visit of Foreign Minister Retno, Chinese leaders will meet with her and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will hold talks and co-host with her the 3rd meeting of the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation between the Governments of Indonesia and China. The two sides will exchange views on China-Indonesia relations, China-ASEAN relations and international and regional issues of mutual concern. At present, the relations between China and Indonesia are enjoying a good momentum of development. The high-level exchanges between the two countries are frequent, political mutual trust is deepening, pragmatic cooperation continues to expand, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges are increasing by the day. The two sides maintain close communication and coordination on international and regional hot-spot issues. President Xi Jinping and President Joko have met many times during which they reached important consensus on seeking greater synergy between development strategies of the two countries and strengthening cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative. This year marks the fifth anniversary of China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership as well as the 15th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN strategic partnership, presenting new opportunities for the development of China-Indonesia relations. We believe that Foreign Minister Retno's visit will further enhance mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries, and promote the continuous and in-depth development of China-Indonesia relations and China-ASEAN relations. At the invitation of Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat of the African Union Commission will pay an official visit to China from February 7 to 9. This will be Chairman Faki's first visit to China since assuming office. During his visit, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Chairman Faki will co-chair the 7th China-African Union (AU) Strategic Dialogue where they will have a thorough exchange of views on China-AU relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest. China has been developing its relations with the AU which is the most influential and representative inter-governmental organization in Africa from a strategic and long-term perspective. In recent years, China-AU relations have seen all-around development, close high-level exchanges, and deepening practical cooperation. We believe that Chairman Faki's visit will further consolidate political mutual trust, expand all-around cooperation and move forward China-AU relations. Q: According to reports, on February 2, a senior US treasury official accused China of supporting the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro through "murky oil-for-loans agreements". What is your response to this? A: The relevant remarks by the US are totally groundless and highly irresponsible. The financial cooperation between China and Venezuela is carried out by the financial institutions and enterprises of both sides in accordance with commercial principle for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. The contracts signed by the two sides fully comply with international norms and all operations are conducted in accordance with laws and regulations, with outcomes to benefit the local people. According to incomplete statistics, the cooperation between China and Venezuela has supported the construction of more than 10,000 affordable housing units and completed power projects whose generating capacity accounts for 10% of the total installed capacity of Venezuela, provided household appliances at preferential prices to over three million low-income Venezuelan families and enabled 700,000 Venezuelan households to have access to satellite television services. The cooperation between China and Venezuela has effectively promoted the economic and social development of Venezuela and been welcomed and supported by people from all walks of life in Venezuela. A stable Venezuela is in the interests of all parties. China always adheres to the principle of non-interference in other's internal affairs. On the Venezuelan issue, China advocates that all parties should resolve the domestic issue through dialogue and consultation within the legal framework. At the same time, China is willing to continue to help with its steady economic and social development through bilateral pragmatic cooperation. Q: According to media reports, the US Department of Defense published a new Nuclear Posture Review Report recently. What is your comment on the report? A: The Nuclear Posture Review Report recently issued by the US Department of Defense comes in line with the US National Security Report and National Defense Strategy released not long ago, which clings to the outdated cold-war mentality and zero-sum game mindset, plays up geopolitics and great power competition and reinforces the role of nuclear weapons in national security in disregard of the call of the international community for nuclear disarmament and against the dominant theme of peace and development of our times. While possessing the largest and most advanced nuclear arsenal in the world, the US is still vigorously building up its nuclear force, which will exacerbate the global strategic imbalance. By developing low-yield nuclear weapons and lowering the threshold for using nuclear weapons, it will increase the risk of using nuclear weapons. In abandoning the objective of nuclear-weapon-free world, it will jeopardize the international nuclear disarmament process. China has been actively engaged in building a community with a shared future for mankind, advocating the new concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and upholding a self-defensive nuclear strategy. China firmly stands for the ultimately complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons and sticks to the policy and commitment of no-first-use of nuclear weapons and not using or threatening to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States or nuclear-weapon-free zones. China has never taken part and will never take part in nuclear arms race of any kind, and will continue to keep its nuclear capabilities at the minimum level required for national security. All these policies remain unchanged for more than half a century since the first day when China came into possession of nuclear weapons. This report by the US attempts to seek excuse for expanding and strengthening its own nuclear arsenal by deliberately distorting China's policies and practices, which is doomed to be a futile effort. We hope that the US will abandon the cold-war mentality and zero-sum thinking, stop viewing relations between major countries in a confrontational perspective, keep up with the trend of peace and development of the times and undertake its special and primary responsibilities for nuclear disarmament. It should continue to significantly reduce its nuclear arsenal in an irreversible manner, decrease the role of nuclear weapons in its national security, and maintain international peace and stability with concrete actions. Q: British Prime Minister Theresa May just concluded her visit to China. What is China's comment on this? A: From January 31 to February 2, British Prime Minister Theresa May paid an official visit to China and held a new round of the annual summit between Chinese Premier and British Prime Minister. President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, and Chairman Zhang Dejiang met respectively with Prime Minister Theresa May for an in-depth exchange of views on jointly building an enhanced version of the "Golden Era" for China-UK relations. They reached broad consensus and the visit was a great success. The two sides agreed that maintaining a sound and stable development of China-UK relations conforms to the common interests of the two sides and is conducive to promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world at large. At present, both China and the UK are at a crucial stage of their respective development. The two countries will continue to strengthen political mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation in various fields on the basis of mutual respect and equality and in light of their respective development stages and needs so as to keep bilateral relations abreast of the times and promote the global comprehensive strategic partnership between the UK and China facing the 21st century. China and Britain are important economic and trade partners to each other. The two sides agreed to continue to deepen cooperation in such fields as economy and trade, investment, nuclear power, finance, infrastructure and third-party markets, and actively explore emerging cooperation fields such as artificial intelligence, clean energy and technological innovation. During the visit, the two sides signed cooperation documents on investment, finance, science and technology, aviation security, smart city, animal quarantine and others. The total value of business deals amounted to about 9 billion pounds, and a Sino-British Entrepreneurs' Council was set up to put bilateral practical cooperation on a fast-track to quality growth. The leaders of the two countries conducted in-depth exchanges on the "Belt and Road" cooperation. The British side reiterated its positive attitude toward the Initiative. The two countries are willing to further strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. During Prime Minister May's visit, we also arranged various people-to-people exchanges and cultural activities. We will continue to encourage such exchanges between the two sides to consolidate the public support for the relations between the two countries. China and the UK all agreed that economic globalization is conducive to safeguarding world peace and that the international community should continue to champion free trade and oppose protectionism. As two major countries and permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and Britain will further strengthen their communication and cooperation in international affairs so as to promote world peace and development. The two sides also established a mechanism for dialogue on the UN affairs. Prime Minister May's successful visit to China made a good start in the new year for the China-UK relations. Next, we are ready to make joint efforts with the British side to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and to promote greater development of the "Golden Era" for China-UK relations in the new era. Q: We have learned that a report by a group of independent investigators for the United Nations on the sanctions effort against the DPRK says that the DPRK, over the last year, earned 200 million dollars from banned commodity exports, including shipping coal to Chinese ports using fake paperwork and sending weapons to both Syria and Myanmar. Has the Chinese government seen this report and what is its comment on this report? A: As far as I know, the report you mentioned is still undergoing the internal review process of the relevant UN Security Council sanctions committee. At present, I am not in a position to comment specifically on the report to the media. I would like to point out here that: first, China always maintains that relevant resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council should be fully and strictly enforced. Second, as a permanent member of the Security Council, China has always taken the lead in comprehensively and strictly implementing the Security Council resolutions on the DPRK and fulfilling our due international obligations. Q: According to reports, the government of the Maldives has taken measures to maintain social order as tension continues to rise amid serious divergences over the verdict issued by the Supreme Court in that country recently. What is China's comment? A: China has been closely following the situation in the Maldives and supports relevant parties in that country in properly resolving differences through dialogue and negotiation and upholding national and social stability. We have asked the Maldives to take necessary measures to faithfully protect the security of Chinese enterprises, institutions and personnel. Q: The Commerce Ministry announced an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation into imports of sorghum from the United States. There are reports saying that such move could potentially set off new trade tensions between China and the United States. Some people have suggested that this investigation might be China's reaction to the solar panel decision by the United States. What is China's response? A: Last weekend, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce already issued a public notice on the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation into imported sorghum grown in the US. My colleagues from the Ministry of Commerce have already given an interview to the media in this regard and I will not repeat what was said there. I just want to emphasize that this is just a normal individual case of trade remedy investigations. With regard to the global safeguard measures on solar panel products taken by the US recently as you mentioned, the Chinese side has already responded to that. If I remember that correctly, on January 23, my colleagues from the Ministry of Commerce have already issued a statement to the media in this regard and you can check that on the website of the Ministry of Commerce. As for the economic and trade issues between China and the US, we have repeatedly said that the China-US Economic and trade cooperation is mutually beneficial and win-win in essence. We stand ready to work with the US to deepen the economic and trade cooperation to the benefit of the two peoples. We hope that the US side will work with the Chinese side for the shared goal through concrete actions. Q: Both the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) as well as several countries including the US and India have called on the government of the Maldives to implement the supreme court order to release the opposition politicians and the former president. You said that they should peacefully settle this issues through negotiations. How does China look at this particular verdict of the supreme court and its implementation? A: What happens for the time being in the Maldives falls within the internal affairs of that country. China supports all relevant parties in the Maldives in properly resolving differences through dialogue and negotiation and in safeguarding national and social stability. Q: According to reports, mass rallies were held in the capital of the Maldives recently. Have the Chinese citizens and institutions in that country been impacted so far? A: We have received no report of Chinese citizens or institutions impacted in the Maldives. The Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in the Maldives attach high importance to upholding the security and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and institutions in the Maldives. We have issued security alert in response to the security situation on the ground. The Spring Festival is the peak season for Chinese citizens to travel to the Maldives. However, given the security situation there, we advise the Chinese tourists who are now in the Maldives to closely follow the security situation and enhance self-protection. In the meanwhile, Chinese citizens are advised to avoid going the Maldives until the situation on the ground is stabilized. The Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in the Maldives will continue to closely follow the security situation and adjust the security alert level accordingly. Chinese citizens and institutions are advised to follow that closely. Q: On February 2, in an interview with the Straits Times, Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said that the current situation in the South China Sea has become much calmer, and both ASEAN and China have the goodwill and confidence to open the text negotiation of the COC, which in itself is a very positive step . What is China's comment? A: China's ancient saying goes that "when the river becomes warm in spring, the duck would be the first to know". The same is true that when the regional situation improves, countries in the region know the best. The Chinese side speaks highly of Foreign Minister Vivian's remarks which we believe objectively reflect the improving situation in the South China Sea. China is confident that ASEAN countries will continue to comprehensively and effectively implement the DOC, actively promote the COC consultations and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability. The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless. The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well. By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism. The 12th president of the World Bank Group, Dr. Jim Yong Kim, is arguably the most powerful anthropologist in the world. As the co-founder of the groundbreaking NGO Partners In Health, the former president of Dartmouth College, the former head of the World Health Organizations 3 by 5 Initiative, and longtime champion of the science of global health delivery (Kim, Farmer, & Porter 2013) and liberation theologys exhortation to make a preferential option for the poor, Kims work has routinely used the re-socializing disciplines of anthropology and the social sciences to build arguments for greater investment in caregiving programs for poor people around the world. As a clinician and a scholar, Kim has coupled his work as a doctor for the poor to an ongoing process of ethnographically embedding evidence within the historically given social and economic structures that shape life so dramatically on the edge of life and death (Farmer, 2004). This is certainly a different approach from any pastor, likely near futurepresidents of the World Bank, who have tended towards business titans or highly quantitative economists. Historically, Kim has also been a fierce critic of the World Bank. Co-editing the tome, Dying for Growth, which takes aim at the market fundamentalist policies of powerful governments and neoliberal financial architecture built into the structure of World Bank loans and development assistance through the 1990s, Kim has routinely advocated intellectually linking the widespread suffering of the global poor, to particular neocolonial policies and extractive financial procedures of the powerful people residing in places like Geneva, New York, and Washington, D.C. Which is why Kims latest reform agenda as the head of the World Bank is so puzzling. It deserves special scrutiny by social scientists interested in global governance, international development, global health care delivery, and social justice. A recent piece in the New York Times, titled The World Bank is Remaking Itself as a Creature of Wall Street, characterizes Kims gambit: Instead of relying solely on contributions from reluctant donor governments, he is pushing private investors sovereign wealth funds, private equity firms and insurance companies to pony up trillions of dollars for projects in Indonesia, Zambia, India and elsewhere. His pitch: They can reap rich returns by putting their money to work alongside the World Bank. The piece leaves one with many questions: What does it mean for a financial institution like the World Bank to move closer and become more like a creature of Wall Street? Why would a life-long champion and scholar of health and human rights make common cause with those responsible for the 2008 global financial crisis, which has harmed health particularly amongst the poor and vulnerable (Karanikolos et al., 2016)? Why would he link arms with the political heir-protectress of the U.S.s racist, misogynist, right-wing president? Finally, and perhaps most importantly, how should this shift be examined, theorized, and interpreted by social scientists and activists fighting for social and economic justice? It is easy to read this situation ungenerously. Reading the pundit accounts in the New York Times, Forbes, The Financial Times, and Politico could easily lead one to the conclusion that, perhaps, the World Bank is desocializing Jim Kim. Another, more nuanced reading (perhaps with the PIH-gangs own brand of hermeneutics of generosity) however, could see his efforts as a realist analysis of a changing world order and a pragmatic play at reorienting the finance sectors incentives towards investments in pro-poor programs. At a recent lecture Jim Kim gave in the Harvard College course, Case Studies in Global Health: A Biosocial Perspective taught by physician-medical anthropologists Paul Farmer, Arthur Kleinman, Anne Becker, and Salmaan Keshavjee, he gave a more nuanced pitch for his reforms to the more than 180-person, mostly undergraduate and graduate student audience[1]. He explained that, based on the World Banks objective to fight poverty in all its dimensions, he wants to tie large-scale lending and private financial flows to a rank order list (a new document that the World Bank is calling The Changing Wealth of Nations) of countries commitments to (or lack of) investment in human capital. Investments in education, anti-stunting programs, and health care delivery systems expand what he calls grey matter, which he sees as a necessary precondition for sustainable economic growth. During the lecture, Kim said, Were going to do a ranking, from 1 to 150. Were going to rank countries based on their stock of human capital. As a result, Heads of state, ministers of finance, must be terrified of not investing more in their people Lets make it very uncomfortable to not invest in health and education. Part of his justification for financial sector intervention came from a statement from President Xi Jinping of China at the World Economic Forum: that the global economy is the big ocean you cannot escape from. Kim said that, if the president of the worlds largest communist party is willing to make this statement, what does this mean for the World Bank Group? It means that we need to find a way to help everyone to be able to swim. Functionally, Kims social strategydubbed The Human Capital Projectis about naming and shaming countries that choose not to invest in their populations human capital. One could view this as a form of reverse-structural adjustment: decisions to increase public investment in health and education are rewarded by better loan terms and larger loan volumes from financial institutions, with the World Bank as the key arbiter. Kim went on, We have to first create an environment where its inevitable that they will invest in people, but then we also have to do it in a way that they are convinced that they are not going to lose an election But, I feel I have a moral responsibility to reveal to leaders and ministers of finance that if they dont invest in their people theyre going to be in big trouble. Is The Human Capital Project an attempt at the financialization of global governance, writ large? Perhaps. As Susan Erikson wrote here in November, 2015 about the financialization of the Ebola response, it is through the turn away from redistributive, taxpayer-based donor health aid, [that] financial instruments like the World Banks Pandemic Emergency Facility known more colloquially as Ebola bonds look increasingly likely to finance future global pandemic responses (2015). As she says, Markets may make money, but they also lose it. How will the public verify that future pandemic funding has actually been secured? Private sector reporting standards are far less transparent than those for tax-payer public monies, which means that future financial gains and preparedness lack the usual oversights and accountability measures. Many scholars have written about states decreasing capacity to corral needed governance power and the ways that neoliberal capital fracture and rewire the governance of and financing for health interventions (Keshavjee 2014; Comaroff 2001; Cooper 2008; Goldman 1998; Sunder 2006). Arrighi and Silver most presciently have described cycles of capitalism and the processes through which financial capital expands its dominance. Perhaps, as they write, we are in a period of hegemonic transition, in the course of which a new leadership emerge[s] interstitially and over time reorganize[s] the system so as to make its further expansion possible (Arrighi & Silver 2001). Kims quote of Xi Jinping basically names the hegemony of the global financial system: the global economy is the big ocean you cannot escape from. Amid the chaos of postmodernity, capital is the one common denominator: Money unifies precisely through its capacity to accommodate individualism, otherness, and extraordinary social fragmentation (Harvey 103). In the current geo/political/financial landscape, Kim certainly understands the weakened ability of states to deploy governmental/sovereign power (particularly the weakened position of the U.S. as a result of the Trump administrations inabilities), and the ascendancy of finance capital. This then brings the question: who or what wields sovereign power (Agamben 1998)? What gets included and excluded through these imaginaries, markets, categories, and financial products? What becomes meaningful and how do they construct problems? Perhaps Kim is trying to engage in the social construction of new incentives through using the legitimacy-conferring power of the World Bank by linking the commensuration of a countrys appropriate level of investment in human capital to their credit-worthiness on the capital financial markets. In James Scotts classic, Seeing Like a State, ceaseless quantification and abstraction is the fundamental mode of governance in which populations and their problems become legible to state bureaucrats: the states attempt to make a society legible, to arrange the population in ways that simplified the classic state functions of taxation, conscription, and prevention of rebellion. Having begun to think in these terms, I began to see legibility as a central problem of statecraft (Scott 2008). Fourcade and Healey more recent article, Seeing Like a Market, is perhaps more useful in analyzing Kims Human Capital Project as a new mode of financial global governmentin which the decisions of elected leaders are coupled more closely with categories of moral worth codified by their linkage to financial opportunities in the global capital markets. They write, An ubercapitalized world is an economy of differentiated moral judgments where distinctions regarding good behavior become an economic structure of opportunity. The moral structure grafts itself onto the economic structure by way of peoples dispositions and choices. While Fourcade and Healeys work is focused on the micro context of individual-level social data, we could imagine this kind of financialized global incentive structure as a way to deal with the ephemerality, fragmentation, discontinuity, and chaos of global governance today. As Harvey said, money unifies precisely through its capacity to accommodate individualism, otherness, and extraordinary social fragmentation. In a world dominated by hyper-financialized market hegemony, how does one make a preferential option for the poor? Perhaps Jim Kims reform efforts at the World Bank dont so much represent him becoming a de-socialized, neoliberal, free market fundamentalist as much as they demonstrate Kims recognition that we are in a different kind of social moment. Perhaps hes right to say that, in the current order of things, the only way to attract the volume of capital necessary to make a dent in the massive problems facing the world (health, environment, infrastructure, etc.) is through changing the shape of the incentives and forces that shape the flow of private finance investments. Perhaps it is through understanding that markets, like all social institutions, have moral, political, and social foundations; and, that by martialing the legitimacy of powerful institutions to codify the linkage between categories of moral worth and financial opportunity a new pro(er)-poor political economy might be possible. The danger in all of this, of course, is that it is fundamentally an opaque, undemocratic, and elitist strategy. Where is the public oversight of this technical financial wizardry that commands so much power? And, while Kim may be able to create new incentives to pressure heads of state and ministers of finance to move new resources into policies targeting the poor, where do poor people fit in as agentic actors in their own right? What role should popular political power and participatory democracy play? A truly social strategy would imagine and actively support the role of subaltern social movements to make forceful claimsdemands for protections of social and economic rightson the very people Kim would have designing and packaging the financial products that control their fates. Ill conclude with Jim Kims own words from Dying for Growth in 2000, History repeats itself. While the names may change, the fundamental relations between rich and poor remain the same. Yesteryears colonialism laid the foundation of todays neoliberalism, doubtless soon to be replaced with a new ism for the new millennium Unless the fundamental relations change, however, the poor will probably continue to suffer a disproportionate amount of violence and disease (Kim, 2000). Jon Shaffer is a Ph.D. student in sociology at Boston University. His interests exist at the intersection of global health, human rights, science and technology studies, and social movements. He is studying how global health NGOs resist dominant field pressures and develop alternative strategies in advancing state-protected universal health care access, social change, and human rights. Works Cited Agamben, G., & Heller-Roazen, D. (1998). Homo sacer: Sovereign power and bare life. Stanford, Calif: Stanford University Press. Arrighi, Giovanni and Beverly J. Silver. (2001). Capitalism and World (Dis)order. Review of International Studies 27(5):257279. Comaroff, J., & Comaroff, J. L. (2001). Millennial capitalism and the culture of neoliberalism. Durham, N.C: Duke University Press. Cooper, M.. (2008) Life as Surplus: Biotechnology and Capitalism in the Neoliberal Era. Seattle: University of Washington Press. Farmer, Paul. 2004. An Anthropology of Structural Violence. Current Anthropology 45(3):30525. Fourcade, Marion and Kieran Healy. (2016). Seeing like a Market. Socio-Economic Review 0(0):121. Goldman, Michael. (1998). Privatizing nature: political struggles for the global commons. New Brunswick, N.J : Rutgers University Press Harvey, D. (1990). The condition of postmodernity: An enquiry into the origins of cultural change. Oxford, England: Blackwell. Karanikolos, Marina, Pia Heino, Martin McKee, David Stuckler, and Helena Legido-Quigley. (2016). Effects of the Global Financial Crisis on Health in High-Income Oecd Countries. International Journal of Health Services 46(2):20840. Keshavjee, S. (2014). Blind spot: How neoliberalism infiltrated global health. Berkeley: University of California Press. Kim, J. Y. (2000). Dying for growth: Global inequality and the health of the poor. Monroe, Me: Common Courage Press. Kim, Jim Yong, Paul Farmer, and Michael E. Porter. (2013). Redefining Global Health-Care Delivery. The Lancet 382(9897):106069. Sunder, R. K. (2006). Biocapital: The Constitution of Postgenomic Life. Durham: Duke University Press. Note [1] Full disclosure: The author was a teaching assistant for this course in the Fall of 2017. Share this: Share Email Facebook Twitter Reddit Tumblr LinkedIn [view academic citations] [hide academic citations] Caitlyn Jenner will be honored at this years Champions of Jewish Values International Awards Gala, receiving the Champion of Israel and LGBTQ Rights Award. However, some activists are not pleased with the recent announcement, calling it a case of pinkwashing. According to HuffPost, Israel has been accused of pinkwashing using the queer community to deflect from larger issues like the nations ongoing conflict with the Palestine territories due to their country being LGBT-friendly. Several LGBT activists and media outlets have been quick to point out the contradicting conservative nature of the upcoming event that will honor the former Olympian and outspoken Republican. HuffPost reports that former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer will be an honorary guest and the event is funded by Sheldon Adelson, a supporter of President Donald Trump. In a Jan. 24 press release, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, who will be presenting Jenner with her awards, described the nature of the event. Israel is a bastion of global human rights and a great light to the nations, Boteach said. But the Middle East is sadly a cesspit of human rights abuses, especially toward LGBTQ citizens who are routinely murdered, beheaded, and even hung from cranes. Boteach, an established conservative, went on to state that Jenner, is uniquely suited to highlight Israels incredible record on human rights and LGBTQ rights and protection to the LGBTQ citizens, which is utterly unique and unprecedented in the Middle East. The U.S.-based World Values Network event will take place on March 8 in New York. According to HuffPost, Jenner will not be making any statements until the gala. Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza. Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres.